Hermione was not expecting Malfoy to push her into the defense against the dark arts office before classes started. They had a free period in the morning today; the younger years had the class in the afternoon. Ironically, she was thinking about how to confront him about her research project at that very moment. She instinctively cast a silencing charm when she regained her balance.
"Granger, we need to talk."
"I thought we sorted out the guidelines of our relationship. There's the engagement on Halloween, marriage at Christmas, one kiss per mo –" " – No, not about that. I know all about that. By the way, expect a kiss on the hand from me on Friday when I see you for supper. It will be our first. The thing we need to discuss is information."
Hermione forgot all about the information exchange. She was too caught up in the whole marriage to the enemy thing to realize that there was a purpose to it all. "How soon do you need it?"
"By next Monday. That leaves you six days to assemble your Order and discuss what information you are going to give."
"What information would you like?"
"Anything that is connected through you. It must look like I've been snooping in your rooms for it."
"I will convene with the order on Thursday. We will bargain for information on Friday evening in an empty classroom. It will fit in with you – er – kissing me that day."
"Agreed."
"Malfoy?"
"Yes?"
"I have an idea for our next research project."
"Explain, Granger."
"Soul-catching devices. Such information could help both sides, and it is a neutral topic that could help both sides, hopefully negating the whole practice altogether –"
" – That's enough, Granger. When is it going to occur to you that I really don't care? I'm off to Professor Sprout's garden to collect ingredients for the potion. I trust that you will have everything ready in the dungeons on my return." With that, Draco briskly walked out of the office, thus canceling the silence spell.
Hermione quickly marched up to Professor McGonagall's office and said the password. Thankfully, she was alone working at her desk.
"Malfoy needs information."
Professor McGonagall looked up. "Yes, Hermione, I know. The Order is meeting in the usual place on Thursday evening. I trust that you can make yourself appear sick enough not to be bothered that morning. You will find me in the evening and we will go. Please, tell your friends to join us."
Hermione knew that she wasn't trying to be so snippy, that it was just her nature. However, it seemed that with each passing day of the war, with more and more burdens to bear, Professor McGonagall was becoming more and more cynical. Hermione gave the professor a quick nod and exited the office, heading for the owlery.
She grabbed her spare sheet of parchment and quill that she always tucked into her robes and started composing her letter.
Dear Crabbe and Goyle,
Snuffles has a story he would like to tell you. Why don't you meet him for tea? He would really appreciate it. It's been four weeks since you've had a good conversation with him and he expects you to stay for a while. His family is in town, too, so he will set a place for eight.
With all my love,
Kitty Cat
She had to talk in code for fear of the letter getting intercepted by Death Eaters. The code names they used were the forms that they took when they drank Polyjuice Potion in their second year. Snuffles was Harry's code name for Sirius, and since Sirius had passed away, when it was mentioned in a letter, it meant 12 Grimmauld Place. The words "tea" and "family" signified an order meeting. "Four weeks" meant the fourth day of the week (Thursday), and "a place for eight" meant to come at eight. On impulse, she included "love" in the letter; she just missed them too much. Quickly, she found her owl that she trained for the very purpose of delivering mail to and from her friends and sent it on its way. She went down to the dungeons to start the potion with a little joy in her step. Hermione couldn't wait until Thursday.
Draco glared at the clock and cursed it for even thinking about going forward in time. He began to dread the upcoming days more and more at each tick of the second hand and at each bell of the hour. He broke his daze with the clock. Granger was already adding in the grubroot. He must have been daydreaming for a good hour. Why didn't she stir him? Was she feeling guilty about the library incident? He was about to drift off in his thoughts once again when came to the conclusion that it never mattered that other people felt guilty, as long as he didn't suffer with them. With that, he took the directions to the potion from Granger and started preparing the next few ingredients. There was no way she was going to knock him from his pedestal. He had enough problems.
Speaking of problems and Granger, he had to propose to her in a couple of weeks. He also had to start holding her hand in public. Ugh.
"Granger."
The girl didn't even look up. "Granger."
"I'm listening."
"It has come to my attention that I need to propose to you soon. Now, there is no special ceremony for this, because this doesn't happen in high class society. You will need to look your best at dinner, worthy enough for me, and I will come over to you during dessert to propose."
"But you take your meals with me."
"I won't that night. You should look sad that I'm not there, so you look happier when I propose."
Hermione just glanced at him. She decided, for the first time in weeks, to voice her opinions of him. "How many more insults do you want to lash out against your only hope for survival?"
"Come again, Granger?"
"You heard me. I understand that you like to be in power. I only demand my space and my respect, and so far you are severely trampling on my respect."
"You will only see my respect in public. Inside, I will always despise you."
"If that is your feeling, then you will be dead before the week is out. Need I remind you about the information that you can only get through me?"
Malfoy and she spent several moments locked in each other's menacing glares. Hermione was the first to break the silence. "You may finish the rest of the brewing for today, for I am heading to the library. If you need assistance, have your ego help you. I will see you after lunch for class." With that, she walked out the door.
The library was always her sanctuary. No abuse, no harsh word, and certainly no Draco Malfoy could bother her here. She felt safe surrounded by so much knowledge. She would spread many books around her when she researched, enveloping her like a cocoon. In this case, there were so many books that possibly had some information that she was almost drowning in parchment and hardback covers. Placing some books even on her lap, she began her research. She finished searching through her first book and found that it lacked the information she wanted. Setting it aside, she picked up the second book and started in on it. Bingo. She started to take notes. Then she heard a very unwanted sound of a screeching chair followed by the horrible sight of a stream of light where three books used to be. Malfoy had entered into the library and started to research with her. Determined not to let him deter her, she just simply blocked him from her mind, imagining the already researched books being magically carried away by an invisible person.
As usual, they studied in silence. When the bell rang for lunch, they went to the Great Hall and ate in silence. He took her hand as they walked to the defense against the dark arts room, dropping it only when they were safe inside closed doors. As usual, they taught the class without speaking to each other.
When the last child left the classroom after the last class of the day, Malfoy spoke. "I have taken your words into consideration."
Hermione nodded and didn't even flinch when he held her hand to Gryffindor Tower. She didn't even flinch when he kissed it, even though it was a rare occurrence when his tortuous lips brushed against her skin. What he said was not an apology. He did not even admit that he was wrong. But she gained her respect.
The next morning, the post arrived with a letter from Crabbe and Goyle.
Dear Kitty Cat,
Snuffles is a funny one. Just a while back, he told us of the time when a clown offered you a rose at the circus! We couldn't believe it when he told us! I bet you tell the story better, so we'll have to hear it when we visit you sometime. I'm sure you can make us laugh. Goyle is out with a lady friend at the moment, but I will send my regards when he returns. I'll tell Snuffles "hi" for you.
Crabbe
Oh gosh, they know of her and Malfoy. She felt a wave of panic when she read the second to last sentence. "A lady friend" meant a new horcrux or getting supplies. Which one was it? Who was Goyle again? She had always written to both, but now she forgot who was who! Then, she felt the firm grip on her hand. How silly of her, she should have read the note in private. Now she was panicking in front of the whole school! She was starting to look forward to Thursday less and less.
Minerva saw her. She quickly checked her galleon to see if it was glowing red. It would only glow that color if the boy's lives were in danger. It looked like a normal galleon. That was always good news. The girl probably was worried about telling her friends about her situation. It was only last week when Minerva was being debriefed by Harry Potter and Ron Weasley of their status. She had felt obligated to give them the bare bones of Ms. Granger's arrangement with Mr. Malfoy. She figured that Hermione would like to fill her friends in on the details herself. However, it was unlike her to express her emotions so publicly. She would have to speak with her about it Thursday evening.
"Severus."
The voiced pained him more than most hexes. "Yes, my liege."
"The young Mr. Malfoy is collecting information."
"Yes, my lord."
"I will not have him displease me."
"I know, my lord."
"If he is even a minute late, or I don't like the quality of his information, you will die along with him."
"Yes, my lord."
"You may go now."
After bowing and taking his exit, Severus left to apparate somewhere near Hogwarts grounds. He charmed a parchment to fly through the window of the Headmistress' office that she always had open for that very purpose. They needed to talk. Draco's mission was now getting dangerous for him.
(A/N): There, new chapter! I now have FOUR readers! Woot! I really hope you enjoy it.
A little Q and A:
Punkindoodle/Dawn: I will bring that up next chapter. I'm trying not to sound too cliché with bitch fights and such like most stories I read, but the problem with the friends and students will arise. Thank you for the criticism.
Sweetenedx3insanity: I don't know why I put that there, but it's gone now. I don't even know if they are going to love each other or not. I'm kinda writing the story as I go. Ksanka: I will bring that up next chapter, too. I need time to go back and reread that part.
Instar: Nice use of the word canon. That's not a high frequency word, so major props for incorporating it into the review!
