Hiding the Ferret
Chapter One
Dawn rose in a copper hue, the first inklings of sun beginning to spread across the landscape of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. On a tall tower, just on a balcony, stood a young girl. Her light brown hair was twisted into a knot at the top of her head. She rested her chin in her palm, leaning against the railing of her perch. A light, early September breeze fluttered around her. The young woman could not believe that four months prior, the grounds had been trodden with war; the grass burnt with the ashes of oppression.
Hermione Granger sighed and straightened up. She turned around and returned into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. The war heroine was greeted with the title of Head Girl when she agreed to return to school. It had been a week since she arrived, and it had been easy to fall back into the daily grind. Both of Hermione's best friends, Harry and Ron, had opted out of returning. Instead, they were quickly moving up the ranks in the Auror Department. Well, they had. Until Ron dropped out after only a month to help George with the joke shop. The poor red head was completely at a loss without his twin. It took some coaxing, but he eventually reopened the store with the help of Ron and Angelina Johnson. So now it was Harry who was the worker.
The Thursday morning brought nothing special to the young witch. She showered like normal. Being as the air was already warming outside, she opted out of her heavy wool sweater and skirt. Instead, she wore a seersucker skirt and simple white blouse. As Hermione fastened her Gryffindor tie around her neck, she heard a rapping on her window. Quickly, she tossed it open. A school owl fluttered in, a letter clutched in his talons. Hermione took it and opened it.
Dear Miss Granger,
Please come to my office at 7:30 am sharp. Thanks you.
Sincerely,
Headmistress M. McGonagall
Hermione frowned and glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It read half past six. She still had an hour to kill. So the young brunette walked into her common room. The biggest perk of being Head Girl was the common room all to herself. Since each house had a heads dorm attached, and the male head was Ravenclaw Anthony Goldstein, she was completely alone. Honestly, the young witch liked it. Sometimes in the dead of the night, her nightmares returned. Over the summer, they had been worse. And the horrors were heard by all the Weasley family. Now she was greeted with silence when she awoke, covered in sweat and fear.
Hermione shouldered her bulging messenger bag and picked up her wand. She left her dorm and walked into the Great Hall, her stomach aching for breakfast. The dining room was nearly empty, since most of her peers didn't get up until then. Hermione liked the phrase 'the early bird gets the worm', because she liked to be early and prompt to everything. She filled her plate with eggs and bacon, and lifted her tattered book out of her bag. Her eyes flitted over the text as she ate.
When she was finished, she saw it was time to meet the headmistress. Hermione wiped her mouth and picked up her bag. Just as she was about to get up, a group of mail owls flew in. One landed in front of her, with the daily prophet in it's talons. She unwrapped it and glanced at the cover. Hermione scoffed.
Death Eaters still on the Loose:
Alecto Carrow
Gregory Goyle
Henry Banks
Cato Lanyver
Draco Malfoy
Lucius Malfoy
Blaise Zabini
Recently Caught:
Anwar Godiva
Hermione frowned. She wished they would just capture all of them, so it could be done. Hermione crumpled up the paper and left it on the table. Most of the inside was still rubbish anyway. Hermione climbed the stairs to the headmistress' office.
"Tabby." She muttered. The gargoyle sprang forth, a stair case appearing. Once up, she knocked on the heavy oak door.
"Enter." She heard from within. Hermione pushed the giant door open and walked inside. She sat down across from Minerva McGonagall, who looked as regal as ever.
"Hello Hermione." She greeted, sipping her tea quietly.
"Good morning Headmistress." Hermione responded.
"So, I'm going to get right to it." McGonagall said stoically. Hermione frowned. She was quite unsure of what the old woman had sought her out for. Usually it was something simple, an easy head task. Hermione noticed that Anthony wasn't present.
"Are we waiting for the head boy?" Hermione voiced.
"No, Miss Granger, no. This task that I ask of you is on a top secret basis. Hermione, you are sworn to secrecy on this." Hermione nodded, her curiosity peaking. "Well, as you know the Auror department is on the hunt for the remaining fugitive Death Eaters. Early yesterday morning, two more turned themselves in. As you also know, since the Ministry is backed up with all of the trials so if anyone turns themselves in, they get to stay at home on bail while on trial. Sadly, the two who turned themselves in were in no condition to return home. The woman has a severe case of dragon pox, which prompted the arrest. The pair are under public scrutiny since they are well known. Sadly, there is no place to house the boy since his manor hasn't been cleared yet. I have offered Hogwarts as a place of solace for him, during the course of his trial."
Hermione's heart pounded in her chest. The names of those on the list from the front page flickered in front of her eyes as she thought. Each and every name was dangerous. Each and every person in Hogwarts was downright terrifying. Hermione's voice was shaky when she spoke. "What does this have to do with me?"
Headmistress McGonagall bowed her head down, then lifted it back up. "I know this is hard to ask of you, but I trust you enough. He is going to live with you, in your spare bedroom."
Hermione sucked in a deep breath. "No! You cannot ask me to do that! I can't! I won't! Bloody hell, I don't even know who it is!"
Minerva sighed and took another sip of her tea. "Edens. Bring him in."
Hermione stood up a little straighter, her hand clutching her wand. The heavy door opened, slowly. She held her breath as a stocky Auror shoved through. Behind him, bound, was a familiar blonde. Draco Malfoy looked up, his cold eyes looking straight into Hermione's.
A/N: Balling. No, but really. Review lovers.:)