HHL here. I hope you enjoy this next installment to FwH. I am very excited to work with these characters, so I hope you enjoy my imagination of them. I plan to follow book details with this story, and it will eventually branch off into an AU during the 6th year. Without further ado...


Faith without Honor

Ch. 2


That night, Hermione sat in the darkness of her room, trying her best not to squeal from happiness. All night she had been replaying the events from the night before. How on earth had she come to enjoy her time with a ferret like Draco Malfoy? She didn't know, nor did she really care.

It had to be late. The moon was well past midnight, at least. But sleep alluded Hermione. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to sleep. It might mean that everything between her and Draco would actually just be a dream. She hoped it wasn't. Well, Hermione knew it wasn't. Dreams didn't allow the emotions she felt. And they didn't allow her to feel a deep ache in her heart.

"Draco." His name on her lips felt like some sort of sin on her lips. If only Harry and Ron could see her now. They would go mad. Hermione bit back a smile. Draco was something that she craved, yet he was her taboo. A smile broke through her resolve, leading her to covering her mouth and forcing it away.

There was no way that Hermione could like the boy who had been the bane of her existence for five years. He was acting odd this year. She had noticed a change in his eyes and it made Hermione want nothing more than to figure out what it was; what he had been through. No matter what, Hermione needed to know why. That did not mean she liked him. As her friends always said, she had a big heart. That was it. Draco was a sad kid who Hermione needed to help.

She placed a hand on her stomach, hoping to comfort the unruly butterflies present there. Draco had to be her little secret. Everyone would kill him if they found out, and she refused to think about what his friends would do. Hermione shook her head. There were classes tomorrow and she had to be aware in them. O.W.L.S. were coming after all.

Hermione sat up, and turned over in her bed. She didn't give a bloody knut what her mind was doing, she was going to fall asleep and be rested for class, no matter the cost, Just because a certain blond haired Slytherin made her heart jump, didn't mean that she had to agonize over it all night. No siree. She would sleep and be well rested for classes tomorrow.

Though, it seemed that whatever power overruled the world would not let her sleep that night. Just as she was about to fall unconscious, someone was at her side shaking her, and saying her name in hysterics.

"Hermione!"

Hermione opened her eyes to a bawling Ginny Weasley. Her complexion seemed pale and dull in the light of the moon. It took Hermione a moment to process the scene before her. The rest of her dorm mates were awake now, staring at the two in curiosity. There would be no doubt Lavender would spread whatever was said around the school.

"Gin, what is it?" Hermione chose to ignore everyone else. "What's wrong?"

Ginny sobbed and tackled Hermione into a hug, nuzzling her face into Hermione's shoulder. "Mydddhrrusnaaa."

"I can't understand you when you mumble into my shoulder. Take a deep breath for me and slow down." Hermione had a hand ghosting down Ginny's back in a comforting manner.

Ginny did as was told, and took a deep breath. "It's dad. Harry... uh… Sorry, Hermione. My dad's hurt. Can you please come with me? McGonagall said you could…"

Hermione nodded. She still had no real explanation as to what happened, but she didn't think she would get much more out of the fourteen year old. "Okay Gin, let me change and we'll head down."

She did just that, replacing her night gown with a jumper and jeans. With a last glance toward her dorm mates, Hermione said in her best 'prefect' voice, "I'd better not hear a word of this spreading around or else I'll give you all detention with Filch."

An hour went by quickly as a group of Weasleys, Harry and Hermione were corralled into the headmaster's office. There still wasn't much explanation given, except that Arthur held residence in St. Mungo's. The room was bleak and sober. Hermione was surprised when she had finally found a clock. It was already past four in the morning.

"You'll floo to the atrium and then Molly will lead you all to his room." Minevra beckoned towards the fireplace. "State your destination clearly and you will arrive where Molly is waiting. Behave. I will not have any of my students acting out."

Hermione thought that Professor McGonagall looked much too melancholy. She didn't dare state that thought though. Ginny had just stopped crying, and she feared that if McGonagall was upset in the least, the girl would lose her composure. Hermione held on to Ginny's hand, hoping that the touch would comfort her friend.

McGonagall flooed before any of the kids, followed by the Weasley bunch. That left Harry and Hermione alone in the headmaster's office.

Harry paused just before the fire. "I saw it. Arthur was attacked by a snake, but it was Him, Hermione. I could feel his anger."

"Oh, Harry"

"No, don't." He tried giving her a small smile. "It's all going to be fine. It has to be."

Harry threw the floo powder and disappeared into the swirling flames. Without a moment to spare, Hermione pulled out the coin that linked her to Draco, sending him a message saying, 'Ron's dad was hurt. I don't know when I'll be back.' She could only hope he saw the message before the coin cooled down.

With a yawn, she flooed to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuring, hoping for all she was worth that Arthur would pull through whatever happened.

HPHPHPHP

Draco Malfoy stirred solemnly from his slumber at an uncomfortable warmth in his palm. After a moment, he realized it was just his enchanted coin. Since Hermoine didn't charm it to light up at all, he pulled out his wand. After a quick Lumos, he read the message as it faded back into a simple ordinary coin.

He glanced at the curtain surrounding his poster bed, and sighed. It had been a few days since he had seen the insufferable know it all. A smile touched his lips as sleepy thoughts of the brunette passed through the front of his mind.

Then, as if her message had just made its way into his brain, Draco frowned, suddenly wide awake and upset. Did that mean he wouldn't see her for a few days? They had planned a study meeting the next evening after their prefect rounds. That did not sit well with him.

Could she be avoiding him? No. He didn't think so. If she were avoiding him she wouldn't be so blunt about it. Hermione was a soft hearted girl if nothing else. That worked fine for him. The girl was slowly becoming his link to sanity.

After the past summer he needed someone like her. Someone who made him see another path. Hermione was the path to the light side. Not to mention, she was a happy person that could debate with him without shying away or crying when his opinion differed. Hermione. Draco wondered when he began to think of her as that instead of Mudblood or Granger. It was probably the same time that he realized his father was wrong.

Draco sat up, suddenly irritated at his mind for lingering on his father. Draco refused to be controlled any longer. He couldn't handle the path he was on. He pulled his curtain back, and glanced around the dark room. The night wasn't even close to being over but Draco knew any sleep he tried to salvage would be an onslaught of nightmares. They had been since…

No. He wouldn't succumb to his father's wishes. Draco stood up and grabbed a spare jumper before silently going through his trunk. It was hard enough to see in the pale light from his wand, but somehow he managed to find a suitable book to pass time. Before he even realized he wasn't in his dorm, Draco was on the bottom step leading into the common area.

It was much too late for any seventh years to be awake studying but that suited him fine. Draco thought there was a likely chance that he would curse any person that tried to bug him at that moment. When he felt bad everyone in Slytherin knew.

It just made his life easier. Draco found a couch sitting across from the dying flames of the fire and pulled his book open and into his lap. He had seen Hermione reading the book for the last few years but had never taken the time to actually read the entire book. He doubted anyone read Hogwarts: A History besides Granger. She had always been the studious type, though. Quiet, studious, and just clumsy enough to be called cute. That had probably been why Victor seemed smitten with her. If his memory served him correctly, Draco remembered Krum just watching her study for countless hours a day.

Draco snorted with laughter at that thought. Hermione Granger may be a strange girl, but she was also a strange girl who listened to him. What else could Draco ask for?

HPHPHPHP

"Molly!" Hermione embraced the woman as she came through the floo. A surge of happiness passed through her.

Molly pulled away from the girl and seemed to herd the children around her. "Now, remember to behave," A pointed look at the twins, "Arthur isn't feeling well. The mediwitch said he got him here just in time. Harry, dear, you have my upmost thanks for that."

"It's fine, Molly." Harry flushed with embarrassment. Sometime during the past conversation Minevra had slipped away.

Hermione shifted, wondering if they would be told what happened exactly. She hated not knowing, and she had recently read the Theories of Medicine: A Mediwitch's Guide.

Ron seemed to read her mind. "Mum. No one has told us what happened."

Molly looked slightly surprised by that. "Oh, don't you lot worry about that. It was just a small snake bite. He'll be fine. On bedrest for a while perhaps, but he'll live. Now, no more questions. You lot have to be back at Hogwarts by Monday. I'm sure you kids want to see him"

Hermione felt an urge to ask several questions about the injuries and what had caused this to happen so late in the night, but before she could work up the courage they were forced into an elevator and pushed gently along until they reached a room at the end of the hallway.

Hermione gasped as his bedside came into view. The usually strong man she had grown accustomed to thinking as a surrogate father was bloodied and bruised where bandages didn't cover. She felt Ginny's hand sneak into hers, and then a firm squeeze and Hermione knew instantly that Ginny was suppressing a sob and another wave of tears.

"It's going to be fine." Hermione whispered, knowing it was only loud enough for the other girl to hear. It had to be tough on her. If it was Hermione's father she wasn't sure she would be as calm as Ginny had been.

The room was deathly silent after that. The group had been subdued the moment they had found their father, laying almost lifeless. Hermione had to stare at the ground to keep her own tears from falling. It had to be worse for her friends.

"I'll bring you back to Grimmauld Place through the floo system, and I want each of you to go straight back to bed. I'll come in the morning to get you." Molly was standing next to the door.

Later Hermione would swear she heard Harry breathe, "Sirius?" not that she would ever say anything to anyone.

Hermione's mind raced as they followed the woman, so much that she had to have the floo powder practically shoved into her hand before she realized the fire was only a mere foot away. "Number Twelve Grimmauld Place."

The warmth that came from the old house had an immediate effect on her. She felt more at ease, knowing that Arthur would be okay, and knowing that she was away from Umbridge and Draco.

"Come on Hermione." Ginny led Hermione up the stairs and into the room they had shared over the summer. It was the first on got to when walking down the first hallway on the right. There were two beds set up, the exact same as they had left them months ago.

If she could have turned off her brain, it would have felt like the summer past, when everyone had been waiting for Harry and doing nothing more than enjoying their time together. Hermione slipped under the blankets, happy about the coolness of the sheets.

"Night, Gin."

"Night, 'Mione."

Just as Hermione was falling asleep, the image of a certain blond haired boy surged through her dream filled thoughts.

"Hermione. Hermione. Hermione." Ginny was annoyingly shaking her with upmost impatience.

Hermione groaned and rolled to her side. "What is it Gin? It's too early."

Ginny giggled, sitting on the mattress. "Remus and Tonks and Sirius are already up and downstairs. Mum has breakfast ready too."

"What about Harry and Ron?" Hermione would have been embarrassed by the whine in her tone if she wasn't too tired to care.

"They're up too. Harry's been up since seven."

Ginny started her act of shaking Hermione and taking away her blanket. Hermione did not appreciate it when the overhead light flashed overhead.

"Bloody mornings." She groaned, and slid off the bed. "There better be tea downstairs."

"Of course, silly." Ginny was already dragging her towards the door. "Remus couldn't live without it."

Suddenly Ginny came to a halt and looked at Hermione suspiciously. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Why did you keep saying Malfoy's name in your sleep?"


Remember to R&R and Stay Golden!