AN: I totally posted this up earlier, but a bunch of stuff happened and I'm so confused!! Sorry if you guys got like millions of emails saying "Volley Ball Chika has updated!!" or whatever! I did add a chapter. This is Beta-ed, so yeah. Thanks foxer!
Disclaimer: Not mine, just the plot.
Hermione's eyes quickly glanced up from her parchment, only to confirm her suspicions. Draco Malfoy was looking straight at her.
Hermione felt a warmth creep into her cheeks as she quickly finished writing her notes given by Snape, who was currently glaring down at Neville for his quill blowing up in class.
"H-honestly, Professor! I-I didn't know it would e-explode!" Neville whimpered, cradling his charred right hand. Hermione rolled her eyes and saw Pansy Parkinson sniggering in the back of the Potions room. Taking a quick glance at her watch(would they have muggle devices like watches? For in Sorecer's Stone, Dumbledore uses a different kind of thing to tell time), Hermione rolled up her completed notes, arranging them quick and neat in her small, simple black bag that hung over her shoulder. She took the last minutes in class to study the boys on either side of her. Ron, to her right, was busily picking his teeth, pulling out what was left of his dinner, saturated in his own saliva. Hermione choked back the urge to protest such vile behavior and looked at Harry, whose left hand was buried deep inside his wild mane of black hair, his glasses on the edge of his nose. Hermione stifled a laugh when she saw the trickle of drool make it's way to Harry's bottom lip, then plunged for his parchment, splattering a bit of ink in the process.
"Class dismissed!" Snape's cruel voice boomed, shocking Harry and sending Ron to his feet. "Except you, Mr. Longbottom. We have some problems that are in desperate need to be confronted." Neville let out a pitiful and terrified sigh, wishing his last class of that Friday would just end.
"See you later Neville," Ron said, giving him a hearty pat on the back, then skirted out the door with Harry close behind to commence in their daily ritual: play Quidditch and procrastinate homework.
Hermione gave a gentle goodbye as she walked down the familiar corridors, quickly changing direction to get to her final destination: the head's rooms.
Quickly muttering the password, the picture in honor of Sirius Black swung open, a happy smile on his face as he watched Hermione quickly slip into her room. With one glance at the empty couch, Hermione quickly sat, and began counting to ten out loud.
"One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight..."
"Nine and ten," a baritone voice said from behind her. Hermione quickly turned around to see Draco Malfoy...the guy she had been waiting for.
"Isn't this a fun game we play, Malfoy?" Hermione said, standing to meet him.
"Yes, quite amusing. Dashing away from Crabbe and Goyle has never been so fun."
"Yes..." Hermione said, emotion filling her eyes as she quickly engaged Draco in a familiar, warm hug. They stood there, holding each other for what seemed like hours, until Hermione finally broke the silence.
"Draco, tell me something," She began. Draco grunted and urged her to continue. "Tell me that after school, you won't lose contact with me. Tell me that you won't stop what we've found. Tell me that you won't hide from your feelings, and you won't be afraid. Tell me that you've changed permanently."
Draco withdrew from the hug and looked at her intently. "Hermione, you know as well as I do that our little fling can't continue outside of these very walls. If someone, anyone, were to find out, you'd be killed. Voldemort is powerful, Hermione, and as one of his strongest follower's sons, he would eliminate you permanently. I can't live with that."
Hermione sighed. "Then tell me that you'll come back. What we've got here isn't you're typical love, Draco. You said so yourself."
Draco bowed his head and nodded. "I know. Those very words escaped my mouth...and I meant it." He paused briefly, then continued, "Hermione, you know that I love you. You know that because you feel it. You know it because you've seen the changes in me. But Hermione, I will protect you. I cannot let Voldemort get near you. Not near enough so I can break his neck if he harmed you."
Hermione felt the familiar doubt blacken her spirit, but smiled. "You know, you may be cruel outside, but I know you're a true softie in here," Hermione said, putting a finger on Draco's chest. Draco smiled, his face no longer weak from the old unfamiliar gesture.
Hermione felt the familiar pang in her heart that happened every time Draco smiled at her. Smiling warmly in return, she gave him a noisy smooch on the lips, then parted, heading for the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" Draco said, his tone cruel, but Hermione knew better.
"I'm going to see my best friends, Malfoy." She hissed in return.
"Well, Granger, be sure you're back by ten so we can talk!" Draco shouted back, causing Hermione to laugh and dart out the passage from the portrait.
"What a woman," Draco said more to himself than anyone else., then said contently on the couch, a book resting in his lap.
Hermione returned from spending time with Ginny, Ron, and Harry with five minutes till 10. Peeking in the room, she saw no one, and the room was unnaturally dark. Then she saw it. She quickly tip-toed to the couch to see a rolled up piece of parchment that she quickly unraveled, seeing the familiar delicate writing of Draco.
Darling,
The hour has come. He's come for me. I told you I became a spy for Dumbledore by joining Him, and the mark burns with passion tonight. Gather Harry and Ron and hide. Run and hide somewhere safe, for he's coming for you first. But remember, my dearest Granger. True love never dies. Wait for me.
-your Dragon
Hermione's eyes filled with tears as she hastily stuffed the message in her pocket, sprinting out the portrait hole towards the Gryffindor tower. She burst into the room to see everything as it was when she left, peaceful. It was ironic to compare what she had just read and the evil feeling she felt in every dark corner. Darkness is where your fears hide.
"Harry, Ron, Ginny, come with me now. Everyone go into your dormitories and lock up. Put protecting spells on the windows. NOW! THIS IS THE HEAD GIRL SPEAKING!" Hermione shouted when everyone looked at her dubiously. Harry, Ron, and Ginny quickly got up from their game of exploding snaps and came to her side.
"What's going on?" Ron asked, a lopsided grin on his face. Hermione reached out and grabbed his arm, and he immediately became sober, feeling the coldness of her skin.
"Follow me, quickly and quietly. The hour has come," Hermione said, guiding them to Dumbledore's headmaster suite. Quickly rushing up the stairs, she came upon a very urgent meeting, from the looks of it. Albus Dumbledore's gentle blue eyes came up to meet hers in an electrifying gaze.
"The time has come, Miss Granger. I sense it in my very bones. He's back, and more powerful then ever. I have the castle under the most powerful spells, but I'm not sure it'll hold him. The students are being evacuated now to the depths of the castle no one has known except me, and every other Headmaster or Mistress. Hermione, you know the route to St. Mordine's statue. From there turn left down that tunnel, and say Pickled Pigs to the Dragon. It'll come to life, and just go down the steps. You'll know where to go from there. Go now, I feel him entering from the Forbidden Forest." Dumbledore said, and without so much as a hug goodbye, they were all gone. Hermione felt in the pit of her stomach that that would be the last time she would see the headmaster she loved so dearly, and all the teachers that were in the room with him.
Hermione quickly led the way, careful to stay away from shadows. "Darkness is where your worst fears hide," she heard herself saying aloud. She easily found the statue of St. Mordine just as the castle walls began to crack around her. Ginny gasped audibly as Hermione ushered her friends in front of her. Hermione's heart quickened when she heard voices in echoing from where they had just come from, muffled but strong.
"They're coming," Ron said hoarsely, his cheeks flushed from their exerted running job.
Hermione gulped as she recalled her rules for serving as a Head. "You guys must go ahead of me. I've been in special training to deal with large numbers. I've been trained to..." she paused, not being able to utter the next word, "...I've been trained to kill. I know how do to it, and it's all to save your life, Harry Potter." She stopped and the others followed, although anxious to continue. "Harry, protect them like you would protect your loved ones. They are your family, whether you know it yet or not," Hermione said, giving a quick, yet knowing glance, in Ginny's direction. "I love you with every ounce a friend can give Harry, and I will die to protect you guys. That way you'll have another spell that Voldemort can't breach," Ron flinched visibly, "the true passion and love of a friend." She quickly hugged him. "Ron, protect Harry with your life too, if you must. Harry is the key to a wonderful future, and we must all put his life in front of our own. I know you can do it.
"Ginny, my dear girl, you too, have your own abilities." The voices were getting louder as the ceiling above them started to rain little rocks and dust down on them. "Ginny, protect Harry with your life as well." There were footsteps echoing closer, and shadows portrayed on the wall. "I love you all, now run!" Hermione said, pushing them towards their destination and turning around, quickly walking to the statue of St. Mordine and taking off her cloak. "Mordine Protectora," She whispered, and a deep red cape gently draped itself over her shoulders, a golden material lining the corners. Hermione mumbled prayers of protection and stood firmly in front of the statue of St. Mordine. The shadows came closer until all the torches leading to where she stood went out. A thick coldness swept over Hermione, who instantly got the chills. Darkness is where your worst fears hide.
"Lumos!" Hermione shouted, causing a vibrant light to admit itself from the tip of Hermione's wand and bounce down the hall towards three cloaked figures. They swept towards her, all at least four inches taller than herself. Hermione straightened her back to be her full 5'7 self and held her wand firmly in front of her.
"Look what we've got here," a familiar drawl came from one of the hooded figures. Hermione bit the inside of her cheek so hard it started to bleed. The man withdrew his hood, revealing an older spitting image of Draco, otherwise known as Lucius Malfoy.
"Why Father, it's a mudblood. Let's just knock her out and set her aside, no harm done." Draco said, removing his hood. He gave Hermione the sign of trust, and she gulped.
"I shall stand here, guarding my friends till my death. No matter the torture, no matter the pain, I shall not utter a single word to help you succeed in your horrible cause. You Malfoys disgust me," Hermione said, spitting on Lucius Malfoy's shoes, but quickly returning the sign of peace to Draco. Lucius laughed, taking a step closer.
"No, Lucius. I'll take care of the girl," a voice that didn't sound human said. Hermione felt her whole body go numb as the third figure removed his hood. She forced herself to stare at the monstrous thing standing in front of her, looking like a human and a snake, all at the same time, yet no thing so vile and disgusting could look that unbelievably disgusting loathsome.
Voldemort hissed out a spell, and Hermione's body felt like a hand was crushing her bones. She knew that she was only receiving one quarter of the pain due to the protective cape she wore, but she still cried out in pain. He stopped the spell, and Hermione stood, a trickle of blood escaping the corner of her mouth.
"You shall not pass, Voldemort," Hermione said. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and began her chant. "St. Mordine, who hast lived for good. Protect my friends, for our brother and sister hood. If I dare to utter a single word, let my vow be heard. I shall die and never live again, if only you should send an angel of redeeming grace. Let me stand here in the true evil's face forever in the righteous way, let me keep my feelings at bay. Take me now, I surrender my life, so that my friends may be safe from trial and strife!" She ended the chant, sinking to her knees as all her power was drained from her. She looked up at Voldemort, Mr. Malfoy, and finally Draco, feeling the blood rush from her face. Her eyes locked with Draco's, who seemed to be full of surprise. Not even he had been told of what was taking place right now, and he was scared for Hermione's life.
You may want to change Mr. Malfor to Malfoy Sr, or Lucius Malfoy, because Mr. sounds too Americanized to me... But that's just me...
"Good bye world and all it's glory, for my name shall only live on in song and story," Hermione said, sealing the spell as the statue of St. Mordine fell upon her.
And then it was dark.
So what did y'all think? No, it's not a one shot, just a prologue. I promise it'll be good, almost as good as my other one...only this will be slightly more... "dark". Anyway, REVIEW!!!!