THE HANDLING OF LOVE

'You are to come up with a plan to turn Potter's closest friends against him.' Voldemort told Lucius Malfoy icily, one night in early August. 'I don't care how you do it, as long as there is no one to help him when I go to kill him.'

'Yes, my Lord.' Replied Lucius Malfoy loyally.

´You may now leave, and don´t come back unless you have something satisfactory.´

Malfoy bowed and left the hideout.

Several days later he came up with a good plan, but it involved putting his son Draco at risk. But it was the only thing he could think of, so he told Draco all about it.

´Draco, I need your help. I am giving you a mission for when you go back to school. You won´t like it, but it is unavoidable. I want you to give the mudblood Granger love potion to make her fall in love with you, then I want you to turn her against Potter.´

Draco stared at him in horror and disgust. 'Why father? You know how much I hate her.'

'You promised me you would do the Lord's bidding if ever the time came for you to do so. Now is your chance to fulfil your promise. Please Draco, for your own sake aswell as mine.'

Draco continued to stare at him for a few minutes, as if he was mad, then reluctantly agreed. A week later he went off to Hogwarts, along with the love potion he was to give to Hermione safely in his pocket.

On the first day of term at breakfast Draco, hidden under an invisibility cloak his father had obtained, managed to put a small amount of love potion into Hermione's goblet. He had been ordered to do it little by little so the effects would be slow to work, at least then no one would notice and get suspicious. The only effect it would have that day was that she will no longer hate him. He watched her for a few minutes, thinking how much he was going to hate this mission, then he left and returned to his own table.

´Where were you?´ grunted Crabbe, looking at him when he sat down.

´Shut up and mind your own business.´ said Draco irritably, grabbing a piece of toast.

Crabbe shrugged and turned back to his huge breakfast, while Pansy Parkinson arrived and squeezed on to the bench next to Draco. ´Hello my Drakey Boo!´ she said, giving him a peck on the cheek.

He tried to dodge out of the way. ´Do you have to do that?´ he asked, still annoyed.

´You know I do Draco.´ she said in a sickly sweet voice and smiling her ugly smile. Draco turned to face the other way and looked over to the Gryffindor table, where Hermione was sitting with her back to him. He munched his toast moodily, thinking this mission was going to be even harder than he imagined. What would his house mates think if they found out he was seducing her? Would they reject him? How was he supposed to explain if they did? He knew he couldn´t tell them about the mission, because it was top secret. All he could do was keep it as secret as possible, and make sure Granger kept her mouth shut too.

Each day Draco gave Hermione a bit more potion, and each time she had a reason for disliking him he noticed that her attitude changed towards him. It was obvious the potion was working.

One day, in early November, Draco was on the way out of potions class, and Potter had once again produced a top mark potion. ´Well, whatever Snape was teaching him in those remedial potions classes last year, it must have done him good.´ Draco remarked nastily as Potter and his sidekicks came within ear shot. ´It´s certainly given him another reason to walk around with his head inflated like a Quaffle.´

´For your information, Malfoy, it´s just another reason for me to show you how really down in the dumps you are behind that "I´m so clever" attitude.´ Harry snapped back.

Draco´s face flushed slightly. ´Oh really? The only down in the dumps person here is your freaky blood traitor friend standing next to you. I don´t think I´ve ever seen any lower.´

Ron´s ears turned pink as he whipped out his wand. ´You´re going to pay for that.´

But just then Professor Slughorn came through the door. ´Oh am I Weasley? I really don´t think so.´ With that he pushed passed Harry and Ron, and found himself face to face with Hermione. She blushed and looked at the floor nervously. Draco, who had just been about to insult her, found that he couldn´t, thinking that it might ruin the plan. Instead he walked past her without a word, Crabbe and Goyle following in his wake.

Hermione watched him walk away, confused. Why had she felt embarrassed when he looked at her? What was the matter with her? Surely she wasn´t developing a crush on Draco Malfoy of all people? She followed Ron and Harry up the dungeon steps, then into the Great Hall, lost in her own thoughts. But when she sat down infront of a bowl of stew she found that she didn´t really want it. ´Hey, I´m not really hungry. I think I´ll go do some homework.´ So she got up and left, leaving Ron and Harry staring after her in surprise.

She walked up to the Gryffindor Common Room slowly, her head still full of the argument between the boys and Malfoy. She knew Malfoy was right about Harry. He was really milking the attention he got from using the Half Blood Prince´s book, and was being rather unfair the way he kept using it.

Before she realised she was standing outside the portrait hole. After giving the password she entered and saw Ginny sitting in a corner by herself. ´Hey Gin.´ she said, going over and flopping down in a chair next to her. ´Not hungry?´

´Yeah, I got some stuff from the kitchens instead so I could get this homework done. They´re not half piling it on. What about you? D´you want some?´ She offered Hermione a ham sandwich from the many she had on the plate that was on the table next to her.

´Yeah go on then. If I don´t eat now I´ll pay for it later.´ She took one and chewed it thoughtfully. ´Hey Gin, you know, I really need to tell you something.´

´Sure. Anything.´ she replied, adding a sentence to her essay.

´Well, there´s this guy... and I´ve started to get shy when I´m around him. I think I fancy him, but I know I shouldn´t.´ Hermione mumbled.

Ginny looked at her. ´What d´you mean you shouldn´t? Is he a Slytherin or something?´

Hermione turned red and looked at her knees, which answered Ginny´s question. ´It is a Slyth-erin?´ She was shocked. She never thought she´d see the day when Hermione would loose control like this. ´Well it´s up to you Hermione to decide whether you really like him or not. All I can say is don´t forget that Harry and Ron are your friends, and they trust and care about you. You have to decide who is more important, them or this Slytherin.´

Hermione nodded, feeling ashamed. What was she to do?

As the weeks went by, Hermione found herself thinking constantly about Draco. She found herself blushing and getting nervous every time she saw him, and her class performance was beginning to suffer too. She wanted to tell him but was scared. She couldn´t ask Ginny again. She had already given her all the help she could, and nobody else could help her.

Draco seemed to have noticed the same problem and one night he decided to ask his father for advice through the Floo network.

'Well you know what to do, stupid! Send her a letter saying you love her.' Lucius told him.

Draco cringed at the very idea. ´Father!´

´Don´t Father me! Carry on like this and you won´t have a father. You might not even have a life if this mission fails. The Dark Lord is still angry with me over what happened at the Ministry.´

´Fine then. If that´s my only choice...´ Draco pulled out of the fire and went to write a letter to Hermione. He might as well do it sooner than later before something went terribly wrong.

The next day Hermione received a letter with one of the school owls. On the envelope it said "private" so she decided to open it later without Ron being nosy and trying to read it.

Sitting at the back of her Arithmancy class and hiding behind her books, Hermione opened the letter. It was a love confession, from…Draco Malfoy. He also wanted to meet up with her privately that evening in the Room of Requirement so they could talk over the situation. Hermione couldn't believe it. But what if it was a trap? She thought it over all day, but when 7 o'clock came, she threw caution to the winds and went to meet him.

She walked slowly along the seventh floor corridor, biting her nails nervously. She glanced down at them. She hadn´t bitten her nails for years. Not since she was a kid. Then she looked up and saw that the door to the Room of Requirement had appeared infront of her. She took a few deep, steadying breaths and opened the door. And he was there, waiting for her, looking just as nervous as she felt.

'Hermione…' he said. 'I'm so glad you came.'

Hermione could only stand there, staring into his grey eyes, which seemed a lot warmer than usual. Then, when she could stand it no longer, she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. At this moment Draco realised how wrong he had been to tease her all these years. She was just one of his arch-enemy's best mates. She just wanted to get on with her life. And here she was now, trusting him with all her heart. Vulnerable… Shame filled his insides like hot wax.

'Is it really true you love me?' she whispered in his ear.

'Yes.' He lied. 'Will you be my girlfriend?' The words sounded stupid even to his own ears, but it was all he could think of saying.

Hermione blushed a little, but nodded.

'But please don't tell Potter or Weasley. They'll get angry.'said Malfoy.

'I know.' She answered. 'We'll keep it secret.'

She gazed longingly into his eyes. Draco knew what she wanted, and to his surprise it wasn´t as difficult to bring himself to do it as he´d thought. He gave her a kiss on the lips, then hugged her to him. ´I´m sorry.´ He whispered.

´For what?´

´For being so horrible to you.´ And, to his surprise, he realised he meant it.

So the weeks went by and Hermione and Draco kept meeting up all over the school. Harry and, especially, Ron kept asking where she kept disappearing off to, but she just kept making up excuses.

'Maybe she's given up on Krum and got a new boyfriend.' Said Harry one day, after Ron had been going on about it for nearly an hour. But this just seemed to make Ron angry and Harry thought he was probably jealous.

The only one that knew was Ginny. Hermione had made her swear not to tell and Ginny promised, but all the same she felt that Draco might be leading Hermione into a trap, so one day she spied on Draco to find out what he was up to.

She followed him, Crabbe and Goyle out into the grounds where they joined some other Slytherins, including Pansy Parkinson. Ginny saw that Draco spoke very little, and when Pansy Parkinson went near to flirt with him he turned away and ignored her. Ginny found this surprising because she had always seen Draco enjoying the attention Pansy gave to him. Maybe he really was in love with Hermione? But she still wasn't sure…

Draco, on the other hand, was also confused about his feelings for Hermione. He was feeling more and more guilty for tricking her the way he was doing. And so came the day when he realised he loved her.

It was a Saturday afternoon, and they had arranged to meet in the Room of Requirement, as usual. Draco walked in and saw that it had arranged itself as a sitting room, with a sofa and two armchairs in the middle. Hermione was sitting on the sofa, staring into space, but she looked around and smiled when he came in.

´Hi.´ She said as he sat down close to her. She kissed him.

´You ok?´ He asked, smiling back.

´Sure.´ She kissed him again and put her arms around his neck. Draco kissed her back and put his hands around her waist, then moved one slowly up her back and reached her head. He pulled away and studied her face. He had never realised how beautiful she was. Her eyes were big and dark, her skin clear, and her golden brown curls framed her face perfectly. But the best thing about her was her smile. He remembered how her teeth had been before he´d jinxed them in fourth year, and how somehow she had got Madam Pomfrey to shrink them to a normal size.

He kissed her again, but this time he gently pushed her down so that her head was resting on the arm of the sofa and ran his hands through her silken hair. Then she moved her own hands to the buttons of his shirt and began to undo them. Still kissing, he helped her remove it and threw it to the floor, then began to undo her buttons while she ran her hands over his bare back. It wasn´t until he had undone all of Hermione´s buttons that he realised what he was doing and stopped. He broke the kiss and propped himself up on one elbow, leaning over her. He moved the blouse out of the way to reveal her plain white bra. Placing his hand on her flat stomach he moved it upwards slowly. Then he looked at her face. She was watching him slightly nervous, still breathless from kissing, her lips red and moist.

She sat up and put her legs over his, pulling herself into his lap. She slipped of her blouse and stroked his hair, but never took her eyes away from his.

Draco didn´t know what to do. His body was telling him that she wanted what he wanted, but his heart was telling him that he would be cheating her, she didn´t really want that, it was just the potion. Hermione kissed him again, and his head was spinning.

Draco burned inside with hatred at himself as Hermione lay asleep in his arms. Besides that he felt love for her, and relief that he had managed to control the situation before it went too far. In the end he had managed to convince her that it wasn´t the right time for what they had been about to do, and although she was hurt, Draco knew he had done the right thing for the long run. It was not his place to take her. He didn´t deserve her. He knew he´d never be able to live with the fact that he´d stolen something that didn´t belong to him, and cheating Hermione was the worse thing he could ever do. He decided he´d rather face death than go through with the mission he was supposed to do, and resolved to destroy the stash of love potion as soon as he got back to his dorm. Yes, that was the perfect thing to do. He knew it would break his heart to lose her love, but he couldn´t bear to keep her a slave anymore.

But what he didn't realise was that to end the effects of the potion he had to give her an antidote as he had been giving it to her for too long. A week later she was still as in love with him as she had been the day he decided to stop giving her the potion. Desperately he sought help from the library, where he found a book that told him all he needed to know about love potion, and even had a recipe for the antidote, but he didn´t know where to get the ingredients, never mind make it. He had never been that good a potion maker.

One day in late February Draco went for a walk in the grounds during one of his free lessons. He had walked down alone, to give himself space to think over his situation, and he needed some fresh air. The grounds seemed quite empty, and it wasn´t until he reached the beech tree on the edge of the lake that he realised he wasn´t alone. Potter and Weasley were there.

They saw him immediately. ´Do you mind Malfoy? We´re trying to have a private conversation here.´ snarled Ron.

Draco´s face contorted in hatred. It was the first time he had seen them close up in ages, but even though he now loved Hermione, his attitude was still the same towards them. ´Well I must admit I had no idea that you were skulking around over here, and besides, it´s a perfectly free country.´

´Oh yeah? For you maybe, but would you say the same if it was one of us who came across you and some of your cronies talking?´ snapped Harry. ´Anyway, it´s you Slytherins who seem to think that muggleborns and half bloods are "inferior".´

Draco opened his mouth to retaliate, but found that he couldn´t. Potter was right, and Draco felt ashamed.

Ron laughed at his hesitation. ´What´s up with you? Cat got your tongue? Bit of a failure for you innit Malfoy?´

´Oh yeah? Well hesitation is nothing compared to being a lousy Keeper. What the hell did you think you were supposed to be doing in that last match?´ smirked Draco.

Ron turned red. ´At least my father doesn´t hang out with the most wanted villain in the wizarding world. No doubt you´ll follow in his footsteps!´

Being compared to his father in such a way was too much for Draco. He whipped out his wand and sent a hex firing at Ron. His head began to sprout tentacles. In a fury Harry retaliated while Ron sorted his hair out.

It went on for several minutes, until Hagrid, who was passing, came bounding over to separate them.

´What d´yeh think yeh doin´?´ he yelled, while each of them still struggled to get at each other. Hagrid removed their wands from there grasp and they stopped struggling, but Harry and Ron continued to glare at Draco. ´If any other teacher had a seen yeh, yeh´d all ´ave bin put in deten-tion!´

None of them answered, so Hagrid led them all up to the castle, still holding their wands. When they reached the Entrance Hall he returned each one to their owner and waited until Malfoy had disappeared down the steps to the dungeons before he turned to the other two. ´So what was goin´ on?´

´Nothing.´ said Harry. ´We were just arguing about the usual when Ron said something about his dad and he just flipped and started firing hexes at us. He´s mad.´

The bell went to signify the end of the lessons and students began to come down the marble staircase for dinner. ´Well get to dinner.´ growled Hagrid. ´An if I catch yehs doin´ that again I will punish yeh for it.´

Harry and Ron nodded and went into the Great Hall. Hermione joined them soon after.

´What´s up with you two?´ she asked at the sight of their dark expressions.

´We´ll tell you later.´ muttered Harry. There were too many teachers around.

When they got up to the Common Room they told her about the duel. She listened to them in horror. Then the boys started to insult Malfoy between them, and Hermione was trying to ignore them, when suddenly Ron said something really bad. Hermione leapt to her feet.

´Oh why can´t you just leave him alone?´ She yelled, tears in her eyes. Then she turned and stormed out of the room.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Ron bewildered. "I thought she hated him too?"

"Maybe we ought to check where she's going." Said Harry, worried, pulling the Marauder's Map out of his pocket.

They watched in silence as Hermione's dot moved rapidly down to the first floor and in to a classroom where another dot was waiting…a dot labelled Draco Malfoy.

"What is she doing?!!!" said Ron in disbelief.

"There's something not right here." Said Harry. "He's done something to her. He must have done."

Ron stared at him, a worried look on his face. "D'you think we ought to go down and find out what's going on?"

"I don't think, I know." Said Harry determinedly, making his way to the portrait hole.

When they got to the right classroom they both pulled out there wands and braced themselves as Harry quietly opened the door.

What they saw made their stomachs plummet. Hermione and Malfoy were sat on a desk, kissing.

"Get away from her!" Ron shouted furiously, pointing his wand at Draco, who jumped and broke away from Hermione. She, however, pulled out her own wand and stood in front of Draco, protecting him.

"You've no right to come barging in here!" she shouted. "I love Draco and there's nothing you can do about it! Don't you dare touch him!"

"You don't really love him Hermione." Said Harry, scandalised. "He's done something to you, haven't you Malfoy?"

Draco didn't answer, but looked scared.

"Answer him Malfoy!" spat Ron, moving towards him.

Hermione raised her wand at Ron and shouted "Petrificus Totalus!" Ron fell to the floor stiff as a board.

While Hermione was distracted Harry advanced rapidly on Malfoy, who also pulled out his wand. "Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled, and Malfoy's wand flew out of his hand. Weapon less, he dropped to his knees.

But Harry wasn't completely in power yet, for Hermione suddenly poked her wand at Harry's chest.

"If you do anything to him, then I'll curse you beyond recognition, and I mean it." She said in a deadly whisper. Harry lowered his wand.

So Draco had accomplished his mission, but he hated himself for it. So he decided to tell the truth about what he had done, even though he knew that he was risking his life, but he loved Hermione too much to let her get hurt anymore.

"Alright. I give in." said Malfoy. "I did do something to her. I gave her love potion, because my father and the Dark Lord ordered me to turn her against you. But then I realised that I love her and stopped giving it to her ´cause I couldn't bear to trick her anymore, but it didn't work ´cause it needs an antidote but I don't know where to get one. I'm really sorry. If I could change it all then I would."

"No!" said Hermione, beginning to cry again and battering Harry with her fists. "It's not true! You're making him say that! I hate you Harry! I hate you, I hate you!"

Harry grabbed hold of her wrists to stop her hitting him more, while Malfoy still sat on the floor admitting it was the truth over and over again. Suddenly Harry heard someone shout "Impedimenta!" and Hermione froze. Harry turned around and saw Ginny standing in the doorway, her wand now pointing at Malfoy.

"What are you doing here?" asked Harry in disbelief.

"I was walking past when I heard the noise. What's going on?"

"Malfoy's just admitted to giving Hermione love potion to trick her into hating me." Said Harry.

"I had a feeling there was something fishy about it." Said Ginny.

"What d'you mean? Did you know about this?" asked Harry, as Ginny freed Ron from the spell Hermione had put on him.

"Yes, I knew. But Hermione made me swear not to tell you. But it doesn't mean I wasn't cautious. I followed Malfoy one day to see what he was up to. He acted different. He seemed changed." She looked at Malfoy with a mixture of hatred and curiosity on her face.

"I am changed." Said Malfoy, who was still on the floor.

Ron lunged at him and placed his hands round his neck. "I'm going to kill you for whatever you've done to her!" he shouted.

"Stop Ron! We'll take him to Dumbledore." Said Harry. "We'll take Hermione aswell. We'll have to stun her when she comes round in case she tries to hit us again."

So that accomplished, they went to Dumbledore, Ginny explaining to Ron exactly what had happened as they walked. They met no one on the way, which they were glad about.

They arrived at Dumbledore's office, and he let them in immediately. Harry quickly explained while Draco stood sulking in the background. Dumbledore looked serious.

"Is this true Draco?" he asked, giving him that piercing gaze.

Draco nodded his head. "Yes Sir. But I'm sorry. I had no choice in the matter, even though I hated myself for what I was doing."

"And why did you confess?" said Dumbledore.

"Because… because I love her Sir."

Dumbledore gazed at him a while longer, then finally said "A powerful magic is love, Draco. Be careful with it, for it can lead you into very difficult positions. That is why it would not be fair to force Hermione to love you any longer."

He pointed his wand at a cupboard nearby and said "Accio love antidote!" A small red bottle flew into his outstretched hand. He uncorked it and let one drop fall through Hermione's slightly parted lips. He then revived her from her stunned state.

She slowly opened her eyes, sat up, took one look around the room then burst into tears. Ginny dropped to her knees beside her and put her arms around her. Draco hated to see her cry, as did Harry and Ron.

"I think it would be a good idea to take her to your common room so she can calm down a little." Said Dumbledore, looking at everyone except Malfoy. "I must speak to Draco alone."

So Ginny helped Hermione to her feet and they all left, closing the door behind them.

"Please sit down Draco." said Dumbledore, pointing at the seat facing his desk. He then seated himself in his own chair. Draco did as he was asked.

"So what are you going to do now then Draco?" Dumbledore asked.

"I don't know Sir. I can't go back home anyway. Father would…" his voice trailed away into nothing. What would his father do? He couldn't bear to think about it.

Dumbledore sat watching him for a while, as if he was considering something. After a while he said "You know that we could provide protection for you if you need it. But you would have to be sworn to complete secrecy."

"You… you would do that?" asked Draco disbelievingly. "Why? I tried to get Potter killed by his best friend! I don't deserve it!"

"You tried, yes. But you pulled out of it and that is what counts. It shows you have a good heart. An honest heart." Said Dumbledore. "And anyway, you certainly don't deserve to be forced to do something against your wishes, for fear of the consequences. No one deserves that."

"No one?"

"Well, I suppose there could be a few exceptions, but you certainly are not one of them."

Draco sat considering for a few moments. He would be safe, yes, but he wouldn't be free. He'd have too live in hiding for the rest of his life, unless the Dark Lord was finished, which he doubted. And he'd never be able to see his mother again. He didn't really care about his father. He hated him for getting involved with the Dark Lord in the first place. But did he really want a life like that? And even if he did accept Dumbledore's help, would and could he be trusted? What if they did find him and he was forced to reveal secrets?

He decided to voice his concern.

Dumbledore smiled kindly. "I wouldn't burden you with something like that Draco. You need not know any secrets of the Order of the Phoenix, which is my secret society against Voldemort. I don't think it is advisable anyhow. As for your freedom, that is for you to decide. You can leave anytime you want, but I cannot keep you safe if you are outside my care. I can give you until the end of term to decide. Until then, you are safe at Hogwarts, although I still advise you to watch your back."

In the meantime, Harry, Ron and Ginny were sat in the almost empty common room trying to console Hermione. Ron had put his arms around her while she sobbed into his shoulder. They all sat there for a long while, well after everyone else had gone to bed, until Ron said to Harry and Ginny that they might aswell go to bed as he didn't mind staying with her.

Hermione's sobs had ceased by that time and Ron thought she might have fallen asleep, until she raised her head off his shoulder to look at him. Her eyes were red and dull, and her face looked like a mask.

"Why did he do it to me, Ron?" she asked in a hoarse whisper. "Why?"

"I don't know Hermione. I suppose it can only be because you're one of Harry's best friends."

"Do you think he really did fall in love with me?" she said.

"I don't know. He might have been lying. What do you think?" said Ron.

"Well he did act like he cared about me, but then I suppose it could just have been the effects of the potion." She replied.

"Do you still feel anything for him?" asked Ron anxiously.

"Well I don't love him if that's what you mean. But I don't think I hate him anymore either." Then she turned to face him. "But you know what Ron? I think I love you."

Ron stared at her. "What do you mean you think?"

"Actually, I don't think I love you, I do love you. I've wanted to tell you for ages, but I've been too scared. And then when Malfoy gave me the potion I stopped loving you, of course." She nervously looked into his eyes, waiting for him to say something. But he didn't. Instead, he kissed her gently on the lips. Hermione's heart soared, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss, completely forgetting about what Draco Malfoy had done to her.

Hey, I know this is short, that´s why I´ve made a sequel. It´s called Rebirth. Believe me, it´s practically the main part of the story. Thank you for reading and please review.