Ch 10 Naive
Hermione returned to the castle walking at a glacial pace, she was half way to the front doors when she spotted the unmistakable figure of Snape striding up to the castle from the forest. Hermione quickened her pace hoping he would not spot her, but as luck would have it he turned that precise second and strode instead in her direction. When he drew up infront of her she put on a smile.
"Good afternoon Professor. Lovely day isn't it?" she said in her best cheery tone.
"Where are you coming from Miss Granger?" he asked.
"Oh I was just having a turn around the grounds, and you Professor?" she said her tone somewhat mocking.
"That is my business. You however have no reason to be around out here." he said.
"I was only taking a walk Professor. The fresh air does wonders on a preoccupied mind." Hermione said looking the man in the eye. Almost immediately she felt his intrusion on her mind. Instead of blocking completely she sent him a false image. Similar to the one she had shown Lucius. He pulled back immediately.
"You know Professor you shouldn't intrude on Peoples private thoughts." Hermione said before she strode away leaving her professor to wonder just what had occurred. Hermione headed up to Gryffindor tower even though she knew it was the last place she wanted to be. Just as she was nearing the portrait that would admit her she heard a creaking sound and jumped back in time to avoid the axe of one of the suits of armor which had slipped its owners grasp. Hermione stood back breathing hard and staring at the weapon that had been inches from splitting open her head. She walked around it dazed and headed into the common room. As she entered the portrait she somehow tripped, she landed face first on the stone floor with a loud crack. Hermione let out a gasp of pain as stars danced before her eyes. She felt the metallic taste of blood in her mouth and running down her face.
"Merlin Hermione are you alright?" someone asked Hermione recognized it as Ron.
"She's hurt pretty bad Ron lets take her to Madam Pomfrey" said Harry. Hermione felt the two boys grab her under both arms and lift her off the floor.
"Hermione can you hear me?" she heard Harry ask concern in his voice. Hermione was sobbing now, her face was in pain. When they arrived at the Hospital wing Madam Pomfrey nearly skinned the two boys.
"What has happened to her?" she screeched guiding Hermione's sobbing figure over to one of the beds. She poked and prodded at Hermione's face as the boys recounted what they had seen. Finally the nurse was finished and she looked at Hermione's newly cleaned face.
"What happened dear?" the matron asked.
"Well I was on my way back to the common room when a suit of armor nearly beheaded me and as I was coming into the common room I somehow tripped and slammed straight into the stone floor." Hermione answered feeling her tender nose. It looked back to normal except for a slight swelling which the nurse said would go down in a few hours. The woman gave her a pain killer for her nose and teeth, which she had also had to repair, and the trio left the hospital wing.
"Are you alright Hermione?" asked Harry.
"I'm fine. So any new news since last night?" she asked.
"Yes Snape found out something from the Deatheaters!" exclaimed Ron. Hermione glanced at him with interest.
"well tell me" she said impatiently. They looked around for eavesdroppers before continuing.
"Apparently You-Know-Who has a spy deep in our ranks! Know one knows who not even Snape." said Ron speaking in whispered excitement.
"Yeah from what Snape told Dumbledore only Three of the Deatheaters know who the spy is." said Harry in a tormented tone. "The spy hasn't transmitted any of the Orders new plans but they now know who every member in the order is as well as a few other things that would prove valuable to Voldemort." Hermione flinched at the name.
"Do they have even one clue as to who it is?" Hermione asked recovering.
"No that's what has every one in chaos they can't begin to fathom who it is. Voldemort is hiding him well" said Ron.
"How do you know it's a man" Hermione asked him automatically. They both looked at her. "What? You never know it could be a woman."
"Don't be naïve Hermione, this secret Deatheater is apparently really demented. He likes to kill in a terrible way. He likes to see the pain of death." said Ron. Hermione didn't argue further. She noticed Harry's gaze and smiled weakly at him.
"You alright Hermione?" Harry asked.
"Fine. Just the pain, and this new Deatheater doesn't sound like someone who is in the order. Do you think they might be under the Imperious?" she asked him with mock curiosity.
"I don't know" he answered after a few moments. "Dumbledore said we just have to be cautious from now on" he said.
"Lets go out on the grounds" said Ron. So they made their way outside.
"So what is Dumbledore going to do to try to find the culprit?" she asked as they sat under a tree looking out toward the lake.
"We don't know for certain. We heard that Snape wants to force veriteserum down everyone's throats, but Dumbledore said no. We'll find out I suppose when it happens." said Ron tossing a nearby stone into the lake.
"Yeah Snape is also trying to wheedle more information out of Malfoy senior about this Deatheater but he just gives cryptic hints. Apparently the Deatheaters that know the mystery person think he's just great. 'a loyal follower under Dumbledore's old senile nose' is what Snape said. We also got wind of Voldemort's new recruits. They're all Slytherin's. We stunned Malfoy this morning and checked for the mark, you know to get him expelled, but he doesn't have it." Harry was saying. It took Hermione a great deal to not answer back to Harry's stupidity, but she managed.
"Any new news on how we're trying to find out when they will be attacking?" Hermione asked avoiding specifying who.
"No but we have another spy in Voldemort's ranks" said Harry. Hermione glanced at Harry.
"Really who?" she asked trying not to sound excited.
"Tonks she is under a new disguise. She's pretty low in the ranks right now, but she worked her magic on one of the high rank Deatheaters and she's in." said Ron.
'This is real great. Now we will have to somehow find out when they plan their return with so many spies." Hermione said staring out at the lake. They were all silent for a while before any one spoke again.
"I hope this all turns out okay in the end, I still can't believe someone in the Order could betray us like this" said Harry standing up. Hermione and Ron stood too and followed him into the castle.