Hey guys, I was toying with this story in my head and I decided I'd rather give it a shot. Please don't be too harsh.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other character, J.K Rowling does. I do, however, own the plot and any original characters I've made up.
Hermione sighed as she settled into a plush chair situated in a nice, quiet corner of the main reading room in the Hogwarts library. She had just procured the book that she had been looking for since quite a while ago. It wasn't just any ordinary book; it was one that contained information about every single wizard's lineage, and she intended to find out more about her own. The only catch was that the book only revealed the reader's lineage and no one else's.
She narrowed her eyes as she parted the first pages of the book carefully, wary of any charms or curses attached to it. When nothing happened, she opened the book fully and scrolled down the family tree that had appeared on the pages. There, she found a series of familiar names before they diverged out into names of great-great grandparents and so on. Hermione was nearing the top of the family tree when she felt a bout of dizziness hit her - followed closely by a headache.
She closed her eyes and set the book carefully back onto her lap, rubbing her temple. As the headache slowly receded, a sudden darkness settled over her, and soon there was nothing but blackness…
Harry had just finished eating dinner in the Great Hall and looked around for any sign of his female best friend. When he found none, he turned to his other best friend.
"Ron, have you seen Hermione? She was supposed to be back by now," Harry said, slightly worried.
The redhead shook his head, his mouth still full of food. "Haven't seen her anywhere," he replied.
Harry cringed as chunks of half-chewed food flew out of Ron's mouth, reassuring himself that Hermione was okay and that she must have gotten wrapped up in one of her books, as usual, and had forgotten to check the time. Shrugging, he raised his goblet of Pumpkin juice and slowly sipped it; relishing the refreshing feel it gave him after the Quidditch practice they had just gotten back from.
He then reached towards his own plate and picked up a bunch of grapes, eating them as he watched the doors for Hermione. Eventually, Ron managed to engage him in conversation about the latest Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, effectively distracting him from his worry...
When the pair had finished eating and had realized that Hermione was still nowhere to be seen, they went in search of her. They immediately thought of the first place she could be at—the library. Running down the corridor, they drew in a deep breath as Harry raised his hand and slowly pushed open the doors.
The sight that awaited them was one that was quite familiar. Smiling, Ron walked towards Hermione. "Looks like Mione dozed off. Oi, wake up!"
Hermione didn't reply and kept her head down.
Harry felt a sense of trepidation settle over him and joined Ron, who now stood beside the slouched girl. "Hermione…? Are you okay?" he asked hesitantly.
When she still didn't reply, he leaned forward and lifted her head up. The sight before him sent a shiver down his spine.
Hermione's eyes were open, but instead of being the usual warm hazel that they knew, her entire eye was black, no pupil or iris, just black.
Harry turned his head to Ron, who was still babbling away, lost in his own world. "Ron, shush, something's wrong with Hermione," he said.
Ron, for once in his life, listened and quietened down. "What's wrong with her?" he asked, worry clear in his voice.
Harry glanced at him, "I'm not sure, it's like she's in a trance," he answered slowly.
Ron snorted impatiently. "Well then, let's shake her out of it," he replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. And with that, he leaned down and shook her gently.
As soon as his hand came in contact with her arm, Hermione's head snapped forward, her dark eyes narrowed.
"How dare you lay a hand on me, you insolent fool!" she snapped, her voice sounding ethereal. She then uttered a spell and shot lightning bolts at the two boys and they only barely dodged them. "I am Fianna, matriarch of my clan. I have seen kingdoms rise and fall and have delivered killing blows to many. You shall be one among them," the voice proclaimed before sending yet another lightning bolt, this one reaching closer to the two.
Harry and Ron took one look at each other, nodded simultaneously and burst through the doors of the library. They ran all the way to Professor Dumbledore's office and stood outside the gargoyle guard, each trying to catch their breath.
When they could breathe easier, they muttered the password and walked up the spiral staircase slowly, their limbs still protesting from the exertion. A few minutes later they had arrived at the top and trying to catch their breaths once more, stood outside the doors that led to the Headmaster's office.
"Ah, do come in boys," the familiar voice called from within.
Smiling, Harry and Ron pushed open the doors and stood in front of the tall, old wizard who had a twinkle in his eye.
"So, what brings you both to my office today?" he asked jovially, offering them each a lemon drop.
After declining politely, Harry began hurriedly, "You see, Professor, something seems to be wrong with Hermione."
Professor Dumbledore merely sucked on his lemon drop and watched Harry-who then took a deep breath and began to explain what they had just witnessed. When he was done, the headmaster sat up straight and looked at the two boys. "It would seem that Miss Granger has been possessed by an ancestor of hers," he said thoughtfully.
When both boys leaned forward, the panic evident on their faces, he sighed and tried to placate them. "Not to worry, if what you have told me is true, Miss Granger is in no danger. Her body is merely being used as a vessel to break a curse which was set on her family a long time ago."
When neither boy seemed to understand what the wizened wizard was talking about, he began to explain, "You see, it all began with a fierce lady warrior who lived in France a very long time ago called Fianna Du Mort. She was also a very powerful witch and her powers and fighting abilities were unrivaled on any battlefield. But her downfall came when she fell in love, not with just any man, but with a wizard from another warrior clan.
"The wizard, Dracul De Clermont, it seems, had also fallen for her and the two had planned to elope. But alas, they could not do so, for they were part of rival clans sworn to kill each other. And when rumour of her sister's treachery reached Fianna's sister's ears, the latter cursed the two lovers, declaring that only their descendants who loved each other as much as their ancestors, would be able to break the curse.
"The curse stipulated that, should the two lovers ever meet again, they would feel compelled to kill each other and would not be able to resist doing so. Also, any children born of the clan would be squibs. So in order to help break the curse, Fianna and Dracul both bound their very essence into a book that would only activate when one of the two chosen descendants would open it. And it seems, now that Miss Granger has fulfilled that particular requirement, Fianna will be able to find Dracul again and this time the two can be united, thus breaking the curse and releasing their souls so that they may be together even in death. Do not be alarmed; she is not going to be harmed, merely guided," Dumbledore said with a smile.
The boys were quiet with shock for a few minutes before they began to question their headmaster.
Draco groaned as he walked towards the library, his legs aching from the flying they had been doing during Quidditch practice. He moodily pushed open the doors and stepped inside. To his shock, all the books were flung off of their selves and now lay on the floor. And in the centre of all the chaos stood Hermione Granger. Draco spotted her and immediately began walking towards her.
"Hey mudblood, what's the matter? Lost your temper because Potty and Weasel left you?" he jeered as he weaved his way through the books. When she didn't reply, Draco quickened his pace, ignoring the dizziness that had risen in him and the pounding headache he now had. Just as he was about to reach Granger, the world went black.
After Harry and Ron had gotten over their shock, they instantly ran back into the library to see what was going on. When they arrived, they were taken aback by what they saw.
Draco Malfoy stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by discarded books, and was kissing Hermione rather passionately. The thing that made their hearts stop was the glow that seemed to surround the two.
Instead of Malfoy, stood a tall, pale man with clear grey eyes and a muscular physique, and in Hermione's place was an equally tall woman with dark brown curls cascading down her back and hazel eyes. Each of them held themselves upright with a stance that proclaimed power even at that moment. The people that overshadowed Hermione and Malfoy seemed as if they were somehow one in both appearance and demeanor.
Harry and Ron stood speechless as they watched the glowing couple separate themselves from the younger ones—who had now collapsed—and held hands while staring into each other's eyes.
"Dracul, my love, how I have missed you," said Fianna, her glowing form shedding tears.
Dracul leaned forward and wiped the tears away, "Cry not, my love, for we are finally together and the curse shall be broken. Ours will be the love that shall last forever," he murmured.
The couple embraced before their glowing forms disappeared and all that remained were two shocked boys, a roomful of fallen books and Hermione and Malfoy, who both seemed to be unconscious.
Harry gulped and bit down on his tongue, "Was… was that real?" he asked, his voice sounding shaky.
"I…I think so," Ron replied just as shakily.
While the two boys were trying to convince themselves, Malfoy stirred awake. He groaned as he rubbed his head and glared at the two in from of him. Pushing himself up, he stumbled a bit before walking steadily towards the pair. Glaring, he pushed past them and walked away.
Harry and Ron watched Malfoy leave and immediately snapped out of their confused stupor. Harry ran to Hermione and lifted up her head, cradling it in his lap.
"Mione, Mione? Answer me," he said gently.
Hermione's eyelashes fluttered as she awoke from the deep slumber she had been placed under.
"Oh hi, Harry, Ron, sorry for being late, I just found a rather interesting book and I simply had to read it," Hermione said quickly, as she got to her feet.
As she got up, she stumbled. "Whoa, guess I'm still a little tired," she joked.
Harry and Ron looked at her incredulously. "Don't you remember what happened Mione?" Ron asked.
Rubbing her head, Hermione replied, "The last thing I remember was finding the book and opening it and then suddenly feeling dizzy and blacking out."
Harry looked at her, then began to narrate the story they had heard from Professor Dumbledore and also what they had witnessed when they had reentered the library. When he was done, Hermione stood clutching her head, her face stuck in a mask of horror.
"I…I…kissed Malfoy!" she shrieked and when both boys nodded sympathetically, she ran away screaming to the Gryffindor common room.
Draco stomped his feet angrily when he entered the common room, a furious expression on his face.
"Hello Draco," a voice called from the couch.
Draco turned his head and saw his best friend, Blaise Zabini, sitting on the emerald couch in front of the fire. He growled a greeting and was about to walk off into his room when Blaise asked, "So, what's got your knickers in a twist?"
Sighing, Draco turned around and sat beside his friend. "I kissed the Gryffindor mudblood. I don't know what came over me or why it felt nice to have her lips on mine," he said, horror stricken, as he clutched his head.
Blaise laughed. "I know why. You've liked her since she broke your nose in Third year and have been smitten with her ever since."
Draco looked at Blaise in disbelief. "Zabini, have you gone completely mad?" he asked.
Blaise sighed before replying. "Very well, since you won't believe me, how about we test you with some Veritaserum?"
"Go right ahead," Draco replied adamantly.
Blaise Summoned up a goblet and poured some of the potion into it. Offering it to Draco, he watched as his friend grimaced at the taste.
When Draco set the goblet back down on the table, Blaise asked, " Do you, Draco Malfoy, like Hermione Granger?"
Draco immediately answered, "Yes," before slapping his hands to his mouth in complete shock.
Blaise looked at Draco with a stunned expression for a few minutes before Summoning up some Fire Whiskey from his trunk and offering it to the other boy. "Here, you need it more than I do."
Draco took the bottle and Summoned a glass. Filling it up, he threw his head back, emptying the entire glass in one go.
Hermione sat on her bed, tears flowing down her face and sniffling sounds escaping her throat. She turned around when she heard someone knock on the door.
"Oh, hello Ginny," she said miserably.
Ginny Weasley walked up to her and sat down beside her. "What happened 'Mione?" Ginny asked, as she pulled Hermione's head onto her shoulder.
Sniffling, Hermione told her all she had heard from the boys. After a few minutes of silence, Ginny laughed softly. "This is good, 'Mione. I mean, after all, you have liked him since the beginning of the year."
Hermione jumped up, shocked. "What? No I haven't!" she shouted.
Ginny sighed. "I'm right, Mione, and you know it. You're my friend and I could notice, you know. But since you don't believe me, want to try a Truth Charm?" Ginny asked.
"Yes, just so I can prove you wrong," Hermione replied as she stuck her tongue out at Ginny.
The redhead rolled her eyes and cast the spell. "Hermione Granger, do you like Draco Malfoy?"
A speech bubble then appeared over Hermione's head. In it was the word, "Yes."
Ginny smiled triumphantly as she read the answer. "See, I told you," she declared happily.
Hermione groaned miserably. "I've got to go Gin, bye," she said, fleeing the room.
She headed towards the Head dormitories, which she shared with Malfoy, and muttered the password before racing to her room and locking the door. Throwing herself headfirst into the pillow, she thought to herself, why did have to happen to me?
Hours later,Hermione awoke to the sound of someone banging her room door. Disoriented, she flung it open, shouting, "What?!" grumpily.
Imagine her surprise, when she saw none other than the very source of her misery—Draco Malfoy—in front of her door, looking at her with warm and gentle eyes.
"I've come...to tell you…that I like you," he said softly, as he leaned forward and placed his lips gently on hers.
Hermione was taken aback at first, but then began to reciprocate and eventually, it became a battle for dominance between the two. In the end, Hermione pulled back and said, "This doesn't change anything, you know," before settling her lips back on his.
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Ps: sorry for any grammatical or spelling errors.
Ciao!
