AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'm not sure whether I'm going to actually put Malfoy and Hermione together so I welcome input. And the flashback at the end does have a purpose which we'll see next chapter.
Also, I'm in the process of doing a rewrite of 'Thicker Than Blood' which will go in a different road than the original.
And don't forget: Whether Republican or Democrat it is always important to vote. If you don't vote, you lose your right to complain later.
Read, review, and show your love!
Chapter 8
"I can't believe you missed it, Harry," Ron said that night as he pulled on his pajamas.
"Missed what?" Harry asked, lifting himself onto his own bed.
"Hermione and Malfoy!" Ron exclaimed as Dean Thomas and Neville Longbottom came into the room.
"I can't believe she actually kissed him," Neville said, pulling off his robes.
"She what?" Harry said, gaping.
"It was near the end of the duel," Dean said, quickly, as though describing a soccer match. "Malfoy and Hermione have their blades locked… then suddenly, he leans forward and kisses her."
"Then Hermione pushes him away, yeah?" Ron went on. "But then she launches herself at him and they're wrapped around each other like—"
"Okay!" Harry said, trying not to think about his one of his best friends and Malfoy snogging. "I just don't understand it… why would Hermione want to kiss Malfoy?"
------------------
"Her name was Lily Evans," Snape said to Draco Malfoy as the teenager started scrubbing the cauldrons in the potions classroom. "We were friends when we were little but as the years went by we grew apart. One day she tried to get me to duel her and I refused. I didn't want to risk hurting her. I loved her. I still love her."
"What happened to her?" Malfoy asked, curiously. He'd never known Snape to open up about personal issues before.
"She died about 13 years ago…" Snape said quietly.
"She ever get married?"
Snape was starting to regret spilling his guts but as he started thinking about Lily, all the feelings and memories he'd repressed came rushing back. "She married… James Potter."
Malfoy stopped scrubbing and looked at his professor and godfather. "Potter's mum?"
"For years she was my dearest friend," Snape said, quietly. "She meant so much to me and I don't believe I ever told her."
"My parents would disown me if they knew that I fancied a mu—a muggleborn," Malfoy said, returning to his detention.
"You just fancy her?" Snape asked, arching an eyebrow. "I've known you since you were born, Draco. Apologizing is not in your nature."
"What do you want me to say?" Malfoy snapped angrily. "That somehow she's got me jumping through hoops to make her happy? That she's better than me? That I can't concentrate when she's around?" Malfoy stood and started pacing. "My whole life I have been raised to hate halfbloods and muggleborns. Now I'm falling for one?"
-------
"He's arrogant… he's made fun of me ever since I came here… and he hates muggleborns!" Hermione was pacing in the girls' dormitory and Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson, and Ginny Weasley sat there letting her rant. "I can't fall in love with him!" Hermione said, and there was fear and longing in her eyes. "Can I?"
Katie shrugged. "It's not a matter of 'can you' but 'should you'." Seeing Hermione's confusion, she shrugged again. "You've already fallen for him."
Hermione sighed as she sat on her bed. "I just don't know what to do. He's infuriating, but… Malfoy has the… gentlest touch you can imagine."
"Hermione," Ginny said, quietly. "You know how the Malfoys have been beyond cruel to my family. And deep down I say stay away. But…" Waiting until Hermione looked up, Ginny finished, "I've never Seen Draco Malfoy avoid a fight or… apologize to anyone. Somehow… you have him wrapped around your finger."
--------------------------
"Hermione… I don't understand it… and I can't stop it but… I think I love you."
Malfoy looked away from the mirror. He couldn't tell Hermione how he felt. But maybe… Maybe actions really did speak louder than words. He would take Hermione to the Yule Ball. Because he wanted to go with her. Leaving the bathroom he headed for the Entrance Hall and slipped out the door heading for Hogsmeade to look for the perfect dress for Hermione.
"Going somewhere, Malfoy?"
Malfoy turned to see Harry wheeling down the dirt path and rolled his eyes. "Diggory might get jealous, you know."
"Actually, he's meeting me in Hogsmeade," Harry replied. "We've been going through a bit of a rough spot so we decided to talk… away from school. What about you?"
"I'm buying a dress for Hermione," Malfoy replied, walking away.
"Buy something blue," Harry offered, following Malfoy. "She looks good in blue."
Malfoy nodded and once he reached the wizarding village he watched Harry wheel towards a small coffee shop. Turning to a shop, Malfoy walked in and started looking at the dresses. He wanted something that would bring out Hermione's natural beauty as well as give her a special glow. Something not too revealing, but that would still show her as a woman rather than a bookworm.
"May I help you?" an elderly witch asked as she came from the back.
"I'm buying a dress for my date," Malfoy said, looking at the dresses. "Is this all you have?"
"First," the witch said, looking thoughtful. "This is for the Hogwarts Yule Ball, yes?"
"Yes," Malfoy replied. "She… looks good in blue."
The witch nodded thoughtfully. "Thin girl?"
"She's… slender," Malfoy said, shrugging. "Maybe a few inches taller than me."
"How are her shoulders?" the witch asked, going to a thick catalogue and flipping through.
"Er…" Draco tried to think but for some reason thoughts of Hermione Granger's shoulders led to images of ducking as she swung a sword at him.
The witch smiled, recognizing young love in the young man's eyes. "Sleeves, sleeveless, off the shoulder…?" she prompted.
Malfoy thought for a moment. "Off the shoulder… something with a low neckline… Nothing too tight but… something that shows off her figure."
The witch nodded and flipped though the book, stopping at a page, turning it so Malfoy could see. "You probably want to go with one of these."
Malfoy studied the dresses, picturing Hermione's face in place of the witches modeling. Finally, he saw the perfect dress. "This one," he said pointing as he dug in his pocket for his bag of galleons. "And—" He asked as inspiration struck him. "Could you… gift wrap it, please?"
The saleswitch smiled. "Of course. I'll have it ready in about an hour."
'Perfect,'Malfoy thought. 'That gives me time to take care of accessories.'
---------------
Getting out of Arithmancy, Hermione was surprised to see Harry sitting outside the class room holding three boxes topped with an envelope. "Harry, where have you been?"
"Cedric and I were talking," Harry explained. "Hermione… You know how hard all this has been on me… and I know you and Ron are my friends, but…"
"I know you love Cedric," Hermione said. "And I remember seeing the two of you together. You have nothing to apologize for, Harry." Looking at the packages, she asked, "What's all this?"
"From Malfoy," Harry replied. "He said to start with the large box first… and that you might want to open them in private."
Hermione nodded and led Harry to the prefects' bathroom. "Harry, come in here. I'm not opening anything from Malfoy alone."
Harry followed and once inside, Hermione locked the door and took the boxes and envelope off of Harry's lap, setting them on one of the small tables by the enormous bath. Opening the large box, Hermione gasped as she pulled out an exquisite evening gown in crystal blue. "Oh, my… This is…"
"Try it on," Harry said, grinning. "Let's see how you look."
Hermione looked slightly embarrassed, but nodded and took the dress behind a nearby dressing screen.
Harry waited and as much as he knew the dress would look wonderful on Hermione, it didn't stop how he felt when Hermione stepped out. The bodice of the dress lay against her curves and the skirt was simple, soft, and seemed to float around her. Harry couldn't stop staring at her.
Hermione twirled, smiling. "Well? What do you think?"
"You look like Cinderella," Harry replied. "O-open the other boxes."
Hermione opened the middle box and found a pair of dazzling pair of strap sandals in silver. "Draco Malfoy…" she muttered. "This is too much." But opening the last box, Hermione almost fainted. There was a beautiful snowflake necklace studded with diamonds along with matching earrings.
As Harry watched Hermione slip the shoes, necklace, and earrings on, he could tell that she was excited to be going to the ball dressed like a fairy tale princess. Malfoy had obviously gone all out for the Yule Ball, including a day at a wizarding spa the morning of the ball. It seemed as if Hermione had found her Prince Charming.
And all Harry could think was that if Malfoy turned out to be a frog, then he would be a dead man when Hermione got through with him.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 Months Ago
"Kill the spare!"
Those cold, sinister words made Cedric Diggory freeze in fear. He was going to die… But just as the man holding a wand said the words 'Avada Kedavra' Cedric felt himself hit the ground. Turning, he saw that Harry was right next to him. "Harry, who—"
"Stupefy!" Harry said, pointing his wand at Wormtail. When the former Marauder deflected it, Harry jumped up, pulling Cedric up with him.
Ducking behind a mausoleum, Harry said, quickly, "Get back to the portkey. Get help!"
"And leave you to fight that lunatic?" Cedric said, looking surprised. "Not bloody likely."
"It's not him I'm worried about," Harry said, looking around the side of the stone. "It's—Ahhhh!!" Pain exploded in his head, emanating from his scar. "Go!" Harry shouted through the pain. "Now!" Standing and trying to think even though the pain from the scar was driving him to tears, Harry dashed out from the cover of the mausoleum but was caught by Wormtail who slashed his wand arm with a gleaming silver knife.
With a flick of his wand, Wormtail bound both Harry and Cedric. "The Dark Lord rises this night. And neither of you will stop it."
Going to a gently bubbling cauldron, Wormtail let Harry's blood drip into the potion. "Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken…"
Harry watched as Wormtail added a bone from the grave of Tom Riddle, Sr. and then sliced of his own hand. The child-like creature Wormtail had dropped into the potion seemed to be absorbing the potion and flame surrounding it. Shadow enveloped the creature and Harry heard Cedric gasp as the two teenagers stared at a resurrected Lord Voldemort.
"Harry…" Voldemort said, his voice soft, but cold and deadly. "How nice of you to bring a guest to my rebirthing."
"Give me your arm, Wormtail," Voldemort said, turning to his minion. When Wormtail offered his bleeding stump, the Dark Lord said, sharply, "The other arm…" Pressing the point of his wand to Wormtail's arm, a tattoo of the Dark Mark appeared jet black.
"Please tell me you have a plan," Cedric whispered to Harry.
"Have you ever dueled before?" Harry asked.
"What?" Cedric asked, not sure if he'd heard correctly.
"Might come in handy," Harry said as about 12 people apparated around Voldemort. "Of course if we're outnumbered…"
When their bonds suddenly vanished, Harry and Cedric jumped up but before they could act they were surrounded by Death Eaters and face to face with Voldemort. "So this is how the great Harry Potter meets his end…" Voldemort said, smiling, as he pointed his wand. "Avada Kedavra!"
"Expelliarmus!"
Cedric dropped to the ground as the two spells collided. "Harry!" he shouted from the ground. "Kill him!"
"How?!" Harry asked, willing the Killing Curse back into Voldemort's wand. 'Please… I just want to get out of this… and see Ron and Hermione again…'
"HARRY!" Cedric shouted as he watched the Killing Curse from Voldemort's wand fire back at it's caster. The spell hit Voldemort and what looked and felt like a giant shockwave of magic knocked Harry off his feet. Cedric stood and watched Harry land, hit back colliding with a headstone. "Harry!"
The Death Eaters were disapparating as Cedric ran to Harry, dropping to his knees. "Harry, wake up… come on, we need to… Harry?" Looking around, Cedric saw the TriWizard cup lying about 10 feet away. Grabbing Harry's limp wrist, he used a summoning spell and caught the portkey as it flew towards him.
---------
Landing at the start of the maze at Hogwarts, Cedric looked frantically around. "I need help! He's hurt!"
"What happened?" McGonagall said as she and Dumbledore rushed forward.
"We—Harry and I—grabbed the Cup. But it was a portkey! We landed in this graveyard and—" Cedric said, breathless.
Madame Pomfrey came forth and when she looked up at Dumbledore, her expression was very grave. "We need to get Potter to St. Mungo's."
"I will take him," Dumbledore said, bending down and lifting Harry up. Hurrying out of the Quidditch pitch, Dumbledore wasn't even aware of Cedric Diggory following him until the teenager asked, "Is Harry going to be okay?"
Getting outside the anti-apparation wards, Dumbledore said, simply, "I can not say." When he vanished, Cedric apparated as well, finding himself in the lobby of St. Mungo's Hospital.
"Professor Dumbledore!" Said a wizard in white robes. "Is that… Harry Potter?!"
"He has been severely injured," Dumbledore said, lowering Harry onto a stretcher that another medi-wizard conjured.
"We'll do what we can," the healer promised as Harry was whisked away.
--
Only an hour later, the entire Weasley family came in and Molly went to Dumbledore who looked solemn. "Is he alright?!"
Dumbledore looked up. "The healers are still working on Harry."
"How bad?" Molly asked.
"Harry's spinal cord was severed," Dumbledore said, flatly. "The magical shockwave that hit Harry has also left him blind."
"I should have pulled him down," said a quiet voice.
Turning, Molly Weasley saw Cedric Diggory sitting on the floor, his back to the wall. "Cedric?"
"If I'd pulled him down… he'd be fine…" Cedric said, numbly.
"You saved Harry's life," Molly said, putting a comforting hand on Cedric's shoulder. "You brought him back here…"
"Professor Dumbledore," said Healer Nora Jenks as she came out.
"How is Harry?" Cedric asked, getting up.
"Mr. Potter is still unconscious," Jenks replied. "We've done what we can with the spinal injury, but he'll still be paralyzed from the waist down. There's nothing we can do about the blindness, unfortunately."
"Can I see him?" Cedric asked. "Please? I-I just need to know he's okay."
--------------------------------------------------------------------
