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Chapter One"Over here…"
Hermione Granger let out a sigh of relief when she heard the soft whisper from behind one of the heavy tapestries at the back of the library. She looked around furtively, checking for anyone in the immediate vicinity, and, satisfied that no one was around, slipped behind what was surely sheltering a secret room from unwanted eyes.
"Took you long enough." The same soft voice complained in a very disgruntled tone.
"So-rry! Do you know how many heavy red tapestries there are in the back of the library or did you just purposely not tell me which one I had to look for?" Hermione replied in an equally disgruntled tone.
"Hah. What do you think?"
"Dumb ass. I know you conveniently forgot to tell me, you toad! And why are we still whispering? Did you not put a silencing charm over this room? How'd you find this, anyway?"
"Of course I put a silencing charm over this room. You're the one who keeps whispering. And I didn't find this room, I created it."
"Well, well, well… I see you're not all brawn, then. But this room needs a woman's touch!" And with that, Hermione pointed a wand at various parts of the room, transfiguring various bits of boring, masculine furniture into more comfortable, welcoming ones. She added a few more 'homey' touches to it, with more waves of her wand. Then she stepped back and surveyed her handiwork.
The cavern was a previously cold, remote hole in the wall, but now, with a pair of overstuffed red armchairs in one side, coupled with a huge, comfortable-looking red couch with gold trimmings in the center, and a thick red rug interwoven with gold threads, which lay on the floor, the secret room looked a bit more warm and inviting. Hermione also added a fireplace in the corner, now with a roaring fire burning in it. There was a marble chess table between the two armchairs, complete with the magic Wizard Chess pieces, with the black pieces attempting to start a war by bickering across the sides toward their enemies.
"Ugh… too Gryffindor-y," Draco Malfoy complained and turned everything into a green-and-silver combo with a simple wave of his wand.
"Bloody hell, Drake, now it's all too Slytherin!" Hermione changed everything back into its original red-and-gold state.
"Yuck!" Another swish and everything was back in Slytherin colors.
"Stop that! I happen to like red! Especially when it's this shade… just the shade of blood!" An irritated wave of the wand turned everything back to Gryffindoric appearances.
"You stop that!"
"No, you!"
And the bickering continued until everything in the room, even the walls and the floor, turned into a splotchy mess of green, red, silver and gold splashes.
"Now look what you've done!" Hermione scolded Draco in an extremely annoyed voice. He just smirked and raised his eyebrow at her. She rolled her eyes and waved her wand, cleaning up the mess they made and turned the furniture into a vibrant red with silver trimmings. She raised an eyebrow and dared Draco to protest.
"Compromise." She said in an implacable voice as she took a seat in one of the armchairs.
"Yeah, well, at least it's better than the sunflowers and bright yellow furniture in the last room," he commented acerbically as he sat in the armchair opposite to her. She just smiled at him cheerfully.
"You were in a bad mood that day. I just wanted to cheer you up."
He snorted. "You bloody nearly blinded me."
"I know. It took your mind off your bloody row with Potty. Honestly, I think I have to cast a memory charm on myself every time I hang out with him, to make me forget how sick he makes me feel."
"You've been at it for six years. I'd congratulate you, but then, that would mean you're doing a good job."
Hermione stuck her tongue out at him and made her first move with a white knight. She was probably the only person in school who played Chess without a strategy, and still come out winning in the end. "And playing chess with the Weasley prat, now that's a chore! He's pretty damn good, but I hate faking losses when I could lose for real! I would love to play against him for real. Then, I wouldn't have to be devastatingly sucky on purpose."
"Awww, Helena, you're already sucky for real!"
Helena Malfoy, popularly known as Hermione Granger, glared at her twin brother with venom dripping from her eyelids. He just snickered, but raised his hands in surrender. He knew that if he continued with her looking like him like that, he would be in serious trouble with Helena, sister or not.
"Father says we are to be home during the Christmas holidays. Both of us," he stressed, moving a pawn while getting back to the purpose of their secret meeting. Orders from their father.
"It's about bloody time. Why do you always get to go home while I stay here to baby-sit for Potty and Weasel?"
"You know the answer to that."
"Yeah, yeah, my mission. Your mission is way easier! I wish I had yours! I wouldn't have to be acting so miserably goody-goody then."
"Imagine how pathetic Potty would look then, being tormented by a girl!" Both laughed at this, imagining the look of everyone if a girl kept getting a rise out of the great and famous Harry Potter.
"Hah! A girl with really, really horrible hair! Ugh!!! I wonder why none of the Gryffindor girls even offer 'Hermione' some hair care tips. If I weren't playing 'Hermione', I'd feel incredibly sorry for her and just slit her throat to put her out of her misery." Helena pointed a wand at 'Hermione's' bushy brown hair and turned it into her usual straight white-blond hair, which fell down to her chin and framed her face. "Ahh… that's better. Less weight on my head. I don't feel like I'm wearing a bird's nest."
She barely finished her sentence when she let out a strangled sound as Draco's bishop smashed her rook. She glared at him and continued airing her complaints. After all, in her opinion, she had six years of complaints worth airing.
"And my eyes!!! My beautiful, clear blue eyes have to be hidden under mousy brown ones! And being called a Mudblood?!?" She glared at her brother viciously. "A Mudblood, for crying out loud! It's bad enough being called one, but for people to actually think I AM one?!? It's grotesque, I tell you!"
At this, Draco shook his head sympathetically, feeling his sister's anguish at having to pretend being one of those filthy creatures. He felt guilty enough for being the one who called her that the most.
"And having to act so goody-goody!" Helena moaned pitifully, throwing herself back into the backrest. "It's always 'don't do that! You'll get caught!' or 'no! don't go! It's after curfew!' Bloody hell! I've issued more 'warnings' than I have bushy hair! It's sickening! I don't know how long I have to keep this act up! Imagine, being perfect prefect Hermione Granger! Thank Grindelwald I don't have to pretend that I have a brain! I already have one, thank you very much."
"At least you still get to be bossy," Draco reminded her.
Helena grinned evilly. "Yes. At least I still get to be bossy. Speaking of bossy, what did you do to Crabbe and Goyle? I would have expected them lurking around somewhere."
Draco smirked. "Crabbe and Goyle are out, giving 'Hermione' hell."
"Who's the unlucky git who had to drink Polyjuice?"
"Pansy."
And with that, Helena collapsed in a fit of giggles, giggles that she had not been permitted to emit during regular school hours. After all, brainy 'Hermione Granger' did not giggle.
"So the oafs know by now?"
"Of course not. Otherwise, they would be giving you hell. Especially after that train ride at the end of our fourth year." Draco gave his sister a pointed look.
"Oh. That," she giggled again, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. "I only meant to throw some harmless charm, like Wingardium Leviousa or something that would make your biceps more defined… I didn't expect the Weasel twins to barge in, too, and add all those silly hexes. Anyway, only Pansy knows?"
"Pansy. And Blaise, since he was also the unlucky git who became 'Hermione' once. And Millicent."
Helena frowned. "Do you suppose it's safe to let so many others in on who 'Hermione' really is?"
"They're okay. Family friends and all that. Father was the
one who instructed it."
She nodded, satisfied. "Except for Crabbe and Goyle. Family friends or not, the
intelligent genes in their family obviously have not been passed down to them.
Poor Vince and Greg. How's Father, by the way? And Mother?"
"The usual. Father is busy with the Dark Lord, and Mother is on a mission, apparently, with Mill's and Pansy's mothers. They're in Ireland right now."
"I see."
There was silence as both players pondered their next moves. Helena was the one who broke the stillness moments later.
"I cannot believe we got away with this for six years running. And I thought the old bat Dumbledork didn't miss a trick in this school?"
Draco snorted. "Father went to great pains to ensure that we wouldn't be caught. And you, especially. You're stronger than everyone thought. The Dark Lord is immensely proud of the sacrifices you've made for him."
Helena winced as she remembered the Muggle couple she was required to be associated with… and the unsuspecting witch she had to impersonate. The real Hermione Granger had no idea she was a witch. Right now, she was in a Swiss boarding school, parading around with no knowledge that at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a girl her age and her name was masquerading as her. The real Hermione Granger was living a stress-free life, unaware of the other Hermione Granger, and what that other Hermione was up to.
And as for the Muggle couple, they knew all about it, but could do nothing to stop the charade. As it was, they didn't have enough presence of mind to do anything of their own will, as they were both under the Imperious Curse.
Helena remembered, too, the times she lived with the Grangers, months before the entire plan was set into motion, to study Muggle ways and contraptions. She had to eat, breathe and live like a Muggle while the real Hermione was away at boarding school. She still had nightmares about those months with no magic. But of course, all that was for the Dark Lord, and at a young age, she and her brother had been trained to serve him.
"Does Dumbledork have any idea that a Helena Malfoy exists? I've been meaning to ask that but I keep forgetting about it."
Draco shook his head, a smirk on his face. "The old bat thinks you're at Durmstrang. Father and Mother made sure everyone thinks you're at Durmstrang. You're even listed in their records, and 'you' even make an appearance at your classes."
Helena had an identical smirk as she asked, "Now how did that happen?"
"One of Mother's relatives is masquerading as you. You should be happy. You get top marks there."
"I should. I deserve it."
Then she broke down into another fit of giggles. When she finally calmed down, she trained a cool glance at her brother and asked, "So, why did you call me down here? I hope you didn't send for me just because you wanted a worthy chess opponent."
"Hardly!" Draco snorted. "I called you down here to relay Father's message. We're to be home during the holidays. Mandatory. That means you cannot stay behind, no matter what Potty or Weasel say. And you also have to keep Potty from nighttime explorations for the next month or so. Father didn't say why, just that you have to."
"Got it. Anything else?"
"Yeah. Father wants info on the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."
"Why do I have to do that particular bit? Why couldn't you do it?" Helena complained.
"Because it looks like you're his favorite student. Not even Potty the Scarhead comes close to being teacher's pet. Besides, even if Potty was the favorite, you'd still have to investigate. You're his best friend after all."
At this, Helena groaned. "Great! Just great!!! Just what I always wanted to be! Being Potty's best friend! It was bad enough that I had enough bravery to convince the Sorting Hat that I was suited for Gryffindor. I even had an argument with it when it said I was cunning, and therefore should be sorted into Slytherin. But no, I had to battle quite impressively that I had enough brains to be a Ravenclaw, and enough loyalty to be suited into Hufflepuff, so why not be placed in those houses? The plan would not have worked if I was sorted into Slytherin. Good thing that stupid hat deemed my determination to get into Gryffindor enough to sort me into that bloody house. Tattered old thing should be thrown out. It even lets eleven-year olds dictate their Houses. Can you believe Potty would have been sorted into Slytherin, had he not said he didn't want to be in Slytherin? Stupid scarface. I would have been glad to be sorted into Slytherin. But the mission comes first."
"Yeah. The mission comes first. Remember: home during holidays, no nighttime trips and info on the DADA teacher. That's it for tonight. Checkmate."
"WHAT?!?" Helena screeched loudly. Draco mentally congratulated himself for remembering to put on a silencing charm. Helena could scream like a siren if she wanted. "How the bloody hell did you do that??? Cheater! You must have made illegal moves while I was laughing my arse off about Pansy playing me!!!"
"You can't beat me at chess, Helena. You're a good player, but still, only someone I could practice on. You won't beat me in this lifetime."
"Bloody hell!" Helena glared once more at her brother before standing up and muttering a spell to change her hair back into the normal bushy hair that 'Hermione' was known for. "I gotta go back to the dorms. It's almost curfew."
"Hah. Imagine that. Helena Malfoy caring about curfews."
"I'm 'Hermione Granger', perfect girl, remember?" Helena Malfoy took one last lingering look around their new secret room. "Do you think we could keep this room? I think I'm rather fond of it."
"Yeah, we could keep it for a while. Unless Filch finds it, like he did with our other room. That git couldn't keep his old nose out of everyone else's business!"
"Ugh. Don't remind me. And that demon cat! I swear, if it looks at me weirdly one more time, I'd hang it by its whiskers! And on the Whomping Willow, too!"
Draco snickered at the mental picture of his normally composed, unruffled aristocratic blonde twin sister shimmying up the Whomping Willow and tying Mrs. Norris to the tree by its whiskers.
Helena frowned at her brother. After checking to make sure she looked like the normal 'Hermione Granger', complete with unkempt bushy hair, dull brown eyes and a ton of books, she whispered a goodbye to Draco as she slipped out of their secret room and back into the library.
~~~~ tbc…
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