The next day was freezing, a blizzard had come overnight and the halls of Hogwarts were battling the cold with various heat charms. Hermione sat curled in her bed, various blankets forming a cocoon around her. Classes had been canceled due to the weather and students were warned not to leave the dormitories. The young witch thought this odd but was certainly not one to complain about school policies. Beside her head sat a book on mythical creatures, a class she was sure to drop next year. The pages were being flicked to and fro by the wind that was blowing - despite the windows being shut. It could have been a ghost, she reasoned, if that was the case then she pitied the poor spirit that found so much entertainment in turning pages. Colour caught her eye and Hermione's hand stretched out to fall on the page in a soft 'thwoomp'. Eerily, the wind stopped blowing. The page was an excerpt on extinct dragons that used to create chaos through their wild storms. It had been thousands of years since one was spotted and even then, it was by a tribe of Witches and Wizards that would have made Luna Lovegood look rational.
Hermione began to feel nervous in the Dormitory's silence, it was as if Neville Longbottom had asked out Parvarti and was waiting for a reply. All the draperies on the beds were drawn, leaving Hermione to presume that the other girls were still asleep. But then wouldn't Parvarti be snoring and Lavender sleep-muttering about various boys? Her eyes turned back to the page and began to scan it, after reading the passage and admiring the skill of whoever had drawn the vibrant picture she closed the book and rolled over. A loud sigh was released and a delicate hand ran through soft hair. The idea of sleep was becoming more and more of a good idea and before she knew it, slumber had taken her once more.
Tap.
Tap.
Crack.
Hermione sat up, the wind inside the room had started to violently whip around. The fabric closing off her bed begun to sway before being viciously ripped off and sucked straight out the open window. The young witch scrambled for her wand, snatching it from the bedside table and pointing it at the window.
"Reparo!" She screamed. Silence. With wide eyes and a shaky hand she reached back over to return her wand. However, there seemed to be an obstructing lump. Hermione's grip tightened around her wand as she began to slowly manoeuvre off the bed. Suddenly she screamed, the further she moved away the closer it wiggled under the blankets. A few quick scrambles later she found herself to have fallen headfirst onto the floor. A noise of something dropping landed next to her and she gasped. There, sitting almost giddily on the floor beside her was a baby silver and blue speckled dragon.
"Dra-Dra-Dra." She stuttered, her stomach twisting in and out of knots. The dragon continued to stare at her with it's big black eyes, slowly it began to pull itself closer to the girl. Too weak to walk, it's two front legs remained inert as it's back pair pushed and scrambled to make a small progression across the floorboards. Taking note of it's weakness, Hermione began to breathe normally once more, it was just a baby dragon. Much smaller than crookshanks, no bigger than a normal cat. The dragon was now close enough to touch her, soon it began to tentatively paw at her stomach. Hermione grinned and relaxed into the touch, after a few moments the beast pushed up her shirt with it's snout and tried desperately to wiggle underneath.
With one hand supporting the creature's weight, Hermione stood and noticed the odd situation before her. There she was, standing in a pair of happy hippopotamus pyjama pants and shirt, with a dragon nestled against her chest. The room was still trashed with the girls still amazingly unperturbed. But such a thought didn't occur to Hermione, for someone with a Dragon between their breasts does not think of obviously peculiar things like that. Before leaving the dormitory, she pulled the creature from under her shirt and got changed into proper attire. After donning a pair of grey skinny jeans, a red turtleneck, black scarf and two black boots she walked quietly outside. The halls were deserted, mist coming from outside drifted in through the wall's cracks and floated across the floors. Hermione began to think her situation over more carefully, she was in possession of a seemingly harmless dragon. She also was secretly best friends with a boy who loved dragons and hoped to tame them after graduation. The prospect of showing him such a beast would probably make his day, and so, at the turn for Dungeons she made a hard left and waltzed up to the portrait.
Salazar Slytherin glared at her heavily, lifting his nose in discontent. Her sweater began to wiggle and a little head popped out from the bottom, startling the painting quite admirably. Hermione snickered.
"Serpent's tongue." She proclaimed, with a final scowl he swung open and she gladly – albeit awkwardly climbed through. The common room was deserted as she expected, a quick illusionment charm was placed and Hermione or 'miscellaneous Slytherin girl' began to ascend the fourth year boys stairs. The scene was much like the Gryffindor girl's dormitory, apart from the room being remarkably clean and entirely green and silver. As she ripped back the curtains she noticed Draco was sleeping rather oddly. The blanket was strewn to the side of the bed and his arms and legs were by his side and perfectly straight. Hermione quickly removed the charm and placed her wand back in her side pocket.
"Draco!" She shouted, grabbing the boy's arm with one hand to give him a shake. The boy didn't stir, choosing to remain quite shirtless and asleep. Hermione felt the dragon began to shuffle once more, realising that he might be uncomfortable she aided his mighty 'escape' and placed him upon the bed. He looked up at her and blinked, his eyes shut close and a little sneeze was released… a little sneeze and a very big shower of ice.
"Gah!" Draco shouted, sitting up quickly and viciously rubbing his now cold leg. Hermione grinned and quickly scooped the Dragon back into her shirt, there was no point in scaring the boy further.
"Hermione! What on earth was that for?" The Slytherin huffed, pulling a tight shirt from under his sheets on. A black jacket with fur outlining the hood followed this and a pair of skinny jeans. Noticing the moving lump underneath her garments he asked, "What's under your sweater?"
"A dragon." Hermione replied, a wicked smile across her face.
"Ha, ha. Just keep your blasted 'cat' away from me." Draco then moved over to kiss her cheek.
"Choof!"
"Cold!" Hermione screamed, pulling out her wand to cast a quick warming charm. Little icicles that had formed on her sweater suddenly melted away. Draco's eyes widened considerably as he stepped back, wand raised.
"It's a fucking dragon, isn't it." He said, fingers now rubbing the bridge of his nose excessively. Hermione just grinned and pulled her shirt up to reveal the little devil. Draco felt his chest and other places tighten as lightly tanned skin was uncovered and left exposed. The creature, now missing it's warmth curled against her chest and studied at the paler than usual boy.
"What do we do with it?" he asked after a pause.
"I don't know, Dumbledore?"
"No!" Hermione raised an eyebrow at his protestation.
"Well then Draco," She purred, closing the gap between them. "What do you suggest we do with a baby dragon." The sarcasm was heavily laced and for emphasis, Hermione's lips puckered slightly as she waited for the boy to respond. Draco hid a shiver and outstretched his arms to take the little creature, inspecting his shape and colour.
"These Dragons aren't supposed to be alive anymore." He mused, pulling the creature to his chest.
"So I read, but we couldn't possibly keep it." Draco gestured to walk out of the dormitory, realising how it annoying it would be if someone were to awake. As they walked out Hermione stopped.
"Wait." Carefully she opened the nearest curtains of a bed, revealing Crabbe in a very similar state that Draco had been discovered in.
"Wake up!" She screamed, feeling Draco grab her arm to stop the noise she shrugged him off and gestured to the still asleep boy.
"I found you like this as well, something is seriously wrong." Draco sighed and they continued to walk out of the dormitory.
"Dumbledore it is then."
The stone was noticeably colder as they stepped back into the hall. Two heating charms later and they felt momentary relief. However, the ice now forming on the walls was rather disconcerting. Hermione frowned, something was seriously wrong. Where were all the teachers? What if Dumbledore too was in a sleep? Where does Dumbledore even sleep? The young witch sighed, crossing her arms beneath her chest. Draco started to struggle.
"H-Hey!" he shouted, the little beast wiggled out of the blonde's grasp and began running down the hall. Draco and Hermione shared a look of horror before speeding after him.
"Draco! He couldn't run before!" Hermione shouted, a few metres behind him. His athleticism couldn't have come at a better time as before too long he was running sidelong the escapee.
"Hermione! There's something up ahead." Draco accelerated before skidding to a halt. There, before him on the stone was none other than Fleur Delacour. Her body was half encased in ice; her eyes wide open, pleading.
"'elp…" She whispered, Hermione gasped and immediately fell to her knees. Her wand at the ready.
"Stop!" Shouted Draco throwing himself forward to block the spell. Hermione blinked and realised her foolishness, what was she going to do? Burn the girl? A heating charm wouldn't work for the sudden change in temperature could cause god knows what. The dragon sat and stared, his little eyes looking deeply into Fleur's frightened ones.
"Fleur, we're going to help you." Hermione said, reaching down to feel the ice.
"We need to get the ice off, and then take her back up to one of the commons. It's too cold in the halls, the automatic heating charms have worn off long ago." Draco said, mentally going through a list of spells. Hermione nodded and felt the girl's face, familiar tingles shooting up her arm. The little beast began to twitch, his snout recoiling slightly.
"No!" was shouted in unison.
Choof.
But instead of the little blanket of ice they were accustomed to, little blue flames shot out and engulfed Fleur's body entirely. Just as quickly they disappeared and the ice was gone, Hermione's hand shot out to feel her skin.
"Still cold, he didn't burn her. Draco, carry her. I know a place." Draco nodded and lifted the girl into a bridal position. As they walked along, it was becoming more and more painful. The ice that first began to cover the walls was now creeping onto the floor, causing Hermione to keep a steady hand on Draco in case he slipped. The beast however, was scampering along the halls sliding to and fro. Ecstatic at the indoor winter wonderland.
"First the bloody thing is cold, and now it can't get enough!" Draco said, rolling his eyes and trying to hold back a grin. Hermione smiled briefly before turning her attention back to the French witch. Their eyes rarely lost contact, small smiles briefly exchanged. Suddenly they stopped and a door appeared, Hermione stepped through and a room with a fireplace, a window, three bookcases, a desk and two four-poster beds appeared. Draco gaped and whilst stunned, laid the girl onto the bed.
"What is this place?" He asked, his eyes devouring the room that was almost too good to be true. Little beast ran to the bed Fleur occupied and curled up at the bottom, beady black eyes watching the group.
"It's practical; now help me get her undressed." Draco, who so desperately wanted to grin held it back and began to undo her wet blouse. "What are y-" He stopped as a bra-clad, panties wearing Hermione went under the blankets next to her.
"Human body heat, it's one of the best things you can do." She replied, Fleur weakly nodded and mouthed a 'merci', Hermione just smiled, her face burning with embarrassment. Once the wet clothes were removed, the blankets were replaced and the two girls began to twine together. Fleur moved her leg across Hermione's, her head resting upon a soft chest. Hermione's arm wrapped underneath Fleur's neck, whilst her other held the girl to her. After a few moments, Draco stepped back and walked to the bookcase, noticing the entire shelves were filled with storm related books, cold curses and Hogwarts A History editions. Grimacing, he picked the first book off the shelf and sat at the desk.
Fleur shifted slightly, her eyes lifting to meet Hermione's once more. Hermione smiled and felt the bed move, the beast plodded up to their faces and nestled against Fleur's back.
"Mademoiselle, may I ask 'ou somezing?" Fleur whispered, her fingers grasping a lock of dark hair to twirl. Hermione, who held back a shiver nodded slightly. Fleur's lips pressed together tightly as the words began to formulate in her mind.
"Eez zat a dragon?" Hermione grinned sheepishly and looked over at the beast. It's little head nestled into the sheets.
"It'd like to think so, yes." And they laughed.