Chapter 4: Secrets and Danger
When everybody came back from their holidays, Draco and Hermione had to be even more discreet. They both knew that very few would understand and even fewer would accept their relationship. Hermione especially knew that Harry and Ron would never understand, and she didn't want to lose her friendship with them. Draco really couldn't care less about what people thought, he just didn't want to see Hermione get hurt, emotionally or otherwise. He didn't like to think about what Pansy might do to Hermione if she knew.
They only met every few days. They often stole glances at each other from across the corridor, a class room, or the Great Hall. They decided that they would study together so that they could spend time with each other and still keep their grades up, or raise them in Draco's case. His moods improved slightly every time that he was with Hermione, though they often tended to drop without her. When he saw her happy with them. It wasn't that he didn't want her to be happy. He was jealous. He had no real friends. Hermione was all he had. He couldn't imagine what he would do if he lost her.
They still just kissed on the cheek and hugged. They only really kissed rarely. That made each one all the more special. They both liked the relationship this way. Innocent. Pure. That was what love was supposed to be, right?
Things went on normally for a few weeks, until one day Pansy barged into Draco dormitory one morning before breakfast and ordered everyone else out. He looked at her, rage building in him. He was only wearing his trousers. He turned away from her to grab his shirt.
"What do you want, Pansy?" he spat.
"Now, now, Draco," she mocked. She walked up behind him and placed her hands on his lower back and moved them up, following the muscles all the way up to his shoulders. She moved her hands over his shoulders to his collar bone. He froze, his jaw tight.
"That's no way to behave." She moved her hands farther down his chest and rested her head on the back of his shoulder. "I have a proposition for you."
Draco snapped to his senses. He grabbed her hands and pulled them off of him. He pushed her away, possibly a bit harder than necessary, but he didn't care. She landed on his bed. He pulled on his shirt and started to button it.
"I am not interested." He grabbed his tie. Pansy stood up and got very close to him. Too close. She grabbed his tie before he could push her away.
"I'm only helping you with your tie." She smirked.
Draco suddenly found his thoughts drifting to Hermione. He remembered the times that she had been this close to him. He remembered how that had made him feel. But then he thought about it. This was not Hermione. This was Pansy. Hermione felt something real for him, or at least he thought that she did. Pansy had only ever wanted things from him. He started to push her away again, but she spoke to quickly.
"I am offering you a chance at redemption." He looked down at her, fuming.
"And what kind of redemption could you offer me?" he asked coldly.
She smirked. "The kind that could not only redeem you, but your whole family as well." She paused, as if unsure how much information she should divulge. "Something big is going to happen soon, Draco, and you could be a very big part of it. Aren't you tired of being shunned and alone?"
He stared down at her, his whole body tense. "What are you talking about?" he managed.
"Let's just say that we aren't the only ones who aren't satisfied with the way things are." She paused looking at him. moved even closer, so that they were touching. "Be ready for your instructions."
With that she was gone. Draco just stood there, fuming. He decided not to go down to breakfast. He couldn't wait to see Hermione that night after dinner. She was the only person that could make him feel better.
Maybe he would tell her what happened. She would know what to do. He quickly dismissed the idea. It may not even be serious, and Hermione might think he was involved if he told her. He could lose her forever. Better to wait until things became clearer.
He didn't see her until lunch. He glanced at her, but she didn't look back. She was reading. A small smile found its way onto his mouth. It disappeared as soon as he heard Pansy's voice.
"There was a letter for you in my mail," she said as she handed him a piece of parchment. He slipped it into his robes' pocket, deciding that it might be better to read it later, if he read it at all.
The day could not go by fast enough. He needed to be with Hermione. While he was in the library studying before dinner, he remembered the letter and opened it. It was not signed.
Draco Malfoy,
It has come to my attention that you may be useful to my cause, for it is your cause after all.
I understand that you, too have been pushed aside by the world for your actions. You are not alone. There are many of us still left, and this way of things will not last long. I would like to give you the opportunity to stand with us as we claim what is rightfully ours.
Ms. Parkinson will be your main contact to us, because your part in this is very important, but it is required that this whole plan remain secret, and I have been informed that you never receive mail for yourself, so I do not wish to arouse any suspicion.
I look forward to meeting you.
Be prepared for your instructions.
Draco was clenching his fists so tightly that his nails bit into his palms. Why couldn't they just leave him alone?
He debated the idea of just wadding up the letter and throwing it away, but he realized that if someone did find it, then they would think that he was involved. He packed up his things and headed to the dungeons. He didn't feel like going to dinner. He sat in his dormitory, thinking. Right before he left to meet Hermione, he decided to burn the letter.
"Incendio." he whispered. It didn't take long for the paper to burn itself up. Then he quickly and quietly went up to the room of requirement.
When the door appeared, he saw that Hermione was already there. He was early, so he hadn't expected her to be there. She was sitting on a couch in front of a fire. Something was wrong.
"Hermione?" She looked up. She tried to discreetly wipe tears from her face. "What's wrong?" he asked as he rushed over to her. He sat down on the couch and made a move to embrace her, but she pulled away. His concern and anger grew. He wasn't angry with her. He was angry at whomever had hurt her, and at himself for not being able to fix it.
"Is it true?" she asked after a moment of silence.
Draco looked confused. "Is what true?"
Hermione took a deep breath. "Is it true that you were alone with Pansy this morning in your dormitory?" She looked up at him, the hurt clear on her face.
Draco clenched his fists. "Who told you that?"
"There has been a rumor spreading around the school." She paused. "I'm not sure who started it." He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. She looked at him. She asked again, "Is it true?"
"Yes," he said as he stood up and crossed to the fireplace. He stood with his hands in his pockets and his back to her.
"Oh," she said, her voice cracking. "I see."
"Nothing happened." Draco was furious. Not only had Pansy barged into his life and contacted him with the very people he wanted to forget all about, but it looked like she may have also made him lose Hermione.
"She barged into my dormitory and made everyone leave." He continued and told her everything except the bit about Pansy's "chance for redemption" and the letter. She already had enough to worry about.
She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I believe you."
He had thought that he would start to calm down, but that wasn't exactly what happened. He was too angry. He turned around and kissed Hermione. She gasped. He picked her up just enough that he could easily move her and put her back to the wall. He put her feet back on the ground, but didn't break the kiss or release his hold on her arms.
She kissed back. No one had ever kissed her like this before. She trusted Draco. She didn't resist.
They were just like that for a moment, then Draco started to deepen the kiss. Suddenly, he realized what he was doing, and he quickly pulled back.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"It's fine," Hermione said.
"No it's not," he said. "I don't want us to be like that. I don't want to mess up what we have."
Hermione was about to protest, when she realized what he was saying. She realized that she wanted the same thing. She had only not broken that kiss because she thought it was what he wanted, but now she knew that it wasn't what he wanted. She also knew why, and that took a huge weight off of her shoulders. She walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek.
"Me either," she said, and she smiled up at him. He couldn't help but smile back.
Everything was normal for the week or so, until Pansy got another letter for Draco in the mail. When he read this one, he knew it wasn't a game. This was really happening.
Draco Malfoy,
We are setting up a little get together. I expect you and Ms. Parkinson to be at the meeting place this Saturday evening. Ms. Parkinson knows the location.
I look forward to meeting you.
And that was it. It was Tuesday. He was meeting Hermione that night. He thought for moment about telling her. She might never forgive him if he did. But he also might lose her forever if he didn't, and the latter would be even worse than her never forgiving him. He didn't think he would be able to take it. So, he decided to tell her that night.
He skipped dinner because he was so nervous and went right up to the room to wait.
She showed up at eight as they had agreed, and she was pleased to see that he was there already, waiting. She walked into the room, and the moment she looked at him she knew that something was wrong.
"Draco-" He held up a hand to stop her.
"I need to tell you something," he said. She nodded. Her chest tightened a bit.
"You know that you can tell me anything," she replied. She sat down on the couch next to him, but he got up as soon as she sat down.
He took a deep breath and began.
When he had finished the story and handed her the letter, she sat there silently for a moment. Then she finally spoke.
"We need to tell McGonagall." He looked at her, bewildered. She didn't seem the slightest bit angry with him.
"Are you mad at me?" he asked.
She looked at him, her face serious, but not angry. "You say you aren't a part of it, and I trust you."
Draco looked at her. Those words flooded his whole body with relief. He walked over to her and kissed her. She pulled away.
"I meant that we need to tell McGonagall now." He nodded. They left and headed in the direction of the headmistress's office.
When Draco had finished explaining things for the second time that night, McGonagall started pacing.
"And you are sure about this, Mr. Malfoy?"
"Yes, Professor." They all sat there in silence for a few minutes while Professor McGonagall considered all of the possibilities.
"I do not think that we will be able to capture them if we give away that we know anything about what they are planning." She paused and looked up at Draco. She didn't even have to say a word.
"I'll do it." Hermione looked between the two of them.
"Draco, it's too dangerous," she said. Concern flooded her face.
"You are right Ms. Granger," McGonagall said, "I shouldn't have even implied the possibility."
"I can handle it," Draco said as soon McGonagall finished. She looked at him.
"I mean there isn't really any other way." He took a breath. This was not how he had planned this meeting going, but he knew that he was right. And he wanted to do the right thing for once.
"Draco-" She stopped when she saw the look on his face. He wasn't going to give this up. She sighed. So did McGonagall.
"Are you sure, Mr. Malfoy?" Draco nodded. "Alright, go ahead and go to this meeting, but if you get in over your head, you let me know and get out."
Draco nodded. Maybe Pansy had been right. Maybe this was his chance for redemption, just not the way that she meant it.
He was about to leave her office with Hermione, but McGonagall held him back.
"You can wait outside Ms. Granger," she said. "I just need to have a few more words with Mr. Malfoy."
When she walked out, McGonagall turned to him, a sad look on her face.
"You really do love her, don't you?" He nodded. She sighed. "I can't say that I saw that one coming." She paused for another moment. Draco wasn't sure what to expect. "You just need to know, Mr. Malfoy, that love requires sacrifice." She looked up at him. "You are not the only who will be in danger in this situation. Anyone close to you will be as well. Before Christmas that may not have been a problem, but I think that before Christmas you wouldn't be standing in my office."
They looked at each other for a minute. Draco knew what she was saying, and he knew she was right. He sighed.
"You are free to go." She looked at him sympathetically as he walked out of the room.