Disclaimer: I own nothing Harry Potter.
It's over
"So its over then? All summer we've been together, no arguments between us – having a great time, and you end it? What the hell am I missing here?"
"Hermione, did you think that we would actually continue this when school started? I have a reputation to uphold – I'd be black listed for being with you."
"I guess you haven't changed Draco, I really thought you had." She said with tears in her eyes.
"Look, it was fun while it lasted, but we both have to represent our house's this year. We cant very well share a common room as head boy and head girl, and have people know that we've been shagging this summer – we'd lose respect from everyone."
Hermione didn't reply to this, she shook her head and wiped the tears from her eyes and walked away from him.
Three days later, it was the first day of school. They were now 7th years and ready to take on the world, all but one. Hermione had remained silent the entire train ride, not sitting with anyone. No one had seen her arrive at the train station and pass the car that Harry, Ron, Ginny and a few other Gryffindors were sitting in. She slumped into the first empty car she came to, squashed herself close to the window and covered herself with a blanket, falling asleep.
The train pulled into Hogwarts and the students quickly made their way to the great hall. Hermione had woken up due to the sudden stop of the train. While the others quickly made their way up to great hall, Hermione followed slowly behind them.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts" Dumbledore started "I hope that this year will bring many changes. For the first time, our head boy and girl are from different houses. I hope this will bring some unity between the rival houses so that we can make this year enjoyable for everyone." he paused while the students grumbled about house unity, they were happy with the way things were. "I would like to announce Draco Malfoy as head boy" the Slytherin table erupted into cheers along with some girls from the other houses. "Head girl is Hermione Granger" a few claps were heard around the hall, making Draco look around, "The Gryffindors should be cheering the heads off." He thought to himself. He spotted Hermione at the end of the table, alone. Harry and Ron gave her a look of hate and turned back to Dumbledore.
The announcements went on for another ten minutes, before everyone was given permission to dig in to the meal provided.
Draco was confused at the reaction she had received but figured she was just sulking at their break -up from a few days earlier – without another thought, he continued to eat and talk to his fellow slytherins, who were patting him on the back for making head boy.
As everyone started to slow down on eating Dumbledore stood, "I would like Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger to meet me in the front once you've finished," Hermione had finished long before everyone else and went to the front towards Dumbledore. Draco followed her with his eyes, watching how members of her own house were making comments to her, and by the look on her face, they weren't pleasant. Yes he had broken up with her, he had to much to lose by being with her, but it didn't mean he hadn't fallen in love with her. Breaking up with her was hard for him to do, they actually got on very well and when he was with her, he felt alive – he could be himself around her. Seeing how she was being treated upset him, he just couldn't show it.
Hermione greeted Dumbledore with a small smile.
"How was your summer Ms. Granger?" he asked with a smile
"It was okay I guess, I'm just glad to be back here."
"Very well, Your dorm is on the 4th floor behind the portrait of the black knight. The password is Dragon wings. Your room should be easy to find" He finished while patting her on the back.
Hermione left the great hall, apparently heading for the shared dorm. Draco had met with Dumbledore and received the same instructions as Hermione and left for the dorm, He wanted to know why everyone was treating her the way they were.
Once he had arrived inside the dorm, he was surprised to find himself alone. He search the dorm but Hermione was nowhere in sight. "I'll just wait on the couch until she gets here" he said to himself, and wait he did, finally falling asleep around Midnight.
Draco woke the next morning, Hermione had been there, but must have left for class already. He rose from the couch, muscles stiff and sore from sleeping the entire night on the couch. The first class was potions, maybe he could corner her there. He dressed quickly and made his way down to the dungeons.
Hermione had indeed already made it down to class and once again was sitting towards the back alone. The rest of the class filled in, leaving the seats next to her empty. A few minutes after sitting down, Snape made his way to the front of the class.
"Can anyone tell me what use a newts heart has when used in a potion?"
The class remained silent as all eyes drifted to the back where Hermione sat. She didn't raise her hand or blurt out the answer, she merely looked down to the desk.
"Anyone?" he asked with more force, "Surely Ms. Granger knows the properties,"
Hermione shook her head "I'm sorry sir, I cant answer that." briefly lifting her head to meet eyes with the professor. He scowled at her and started to explain the use of newts heart. When the class ended, Hermione shot from her seat and walked from the class quickly. Draco stood to follow her, but by the time he made it to the hallway, she was nowhere in sight once again.
The weeks had passed by since the beginning of school, Hermione remained secluded from everyone, eating alone, sitting in class alone, always walking alone. Draco had hardly seen her as she spent most of her time in the library or locked in her room. He had managed to speak to her a few times, but her answers were short and she always interrupted him saying she had to go.
It was just days before Christmas holidays, where students would be heading home to spend time with their family. Everyone was packed and ready to go, Draco figured he would corner Hermione on the train and try to make up with her. He had been feeling horrid at his actions, each time he would see her, he would long to hold her, tell her he was sorry, to tell her that he didn't care about his reputation any longer – that she was what he wanted, and the train ride would be the perfect place.
He arrived at the loading area early, that way he could follow her on the train and talk to her immediately. Students piled onto the train, but Hermione was no where to be found. Figuring she might be staying behind, he took off back to the castle and up to their dorm.
"Hermione" he yelled as he searched the room "Come on your going to miss the train" he was met with silence. He went to her room thinking she could be asleep, but the room was empty. He decided to search her room for anything that could lead him to her. When he opened the bathroom door, the first thing he noticed was a cauldron, still slightly warm. Walking closer, he could see a glass where someone had drank the potion and left everything else there. Draco gathered the ingredients left on the counter and ran to the dungeons to ask Professor Snape what they could be used for.
"Professor" he called as he opened the door to the class room.
"Mr. Malfoy, the train left ten minutes ago, what are you doing here?" with a slight growl to his voice.
"I need you to look at these ingredients and tell me what potion they can make."
Severus moved closer to Draco to examine the ingredients. "Draco, where did you find these?" he asked in a rushed voice.
"I found them in Hermione's bathroom next to a cauldron of Black potion."
"Where is she?" he asked grabbing Draco's shoulders
"I don't know, I waited for her on the train and when she didn't show, I went back to our rooms, she wasn't there, but I found these."
"SHIT" professor Snape yelled as he threw the ingredients against the wall.
Draco suddenly felt panic set in, "What was the potion?" he asked in a shaken voice
"Have you ever heard of the Black potion."
Draco shook his head, but the tone of the professors voice was making him more worried.
Severus sighed, "The black potion is also known as the fade into nothing potion, The maker will drink the potion three months before they essentially plan to just fade out of existence, its a form of suicide that is controlled, the drinker has three months to change their mind by drinking the antidote."
"What happens if they don't take the antidote?"
"Their body will physically fade away as the person dies, once the person appears to be transparent, they have only hours to take the antidote."
Draco felt like he couldn't breath, never did he think she would go so far as to do something stupid like this. "I've got to find her" he stood completely panicked.
The professor nodded and they took off to the dorm to search for clues to where she could have gone.