Good evening dear readers! It has taken longer than I expected, mostly due to computer issues and some vacation time. I'm not sure I wouldn't like a bit more tweaking for it, but I feel I've kept you waiting for this long enough. A few reviewers noted the martial arts training for a wizard as incongruous. All I will say is, there is a reason, but you'll have to be patient and wait for it to be revealed in due course! That having been said, I'm delighted with developments in this chapter, as I hope you all will be. Please leave a review and let me know how you feel about it! Thank you all. :)
Dear Harry,
I hope you and Ron are still surviving Auror training. I don't suppose there has been any progress in identifying the attackers? People here are still a bit unsettled, and Hagrid says that Hogsmeade is quieter than normal. As our next trip to Hogsmeade won't be for a few weeks, I can only speak to Hogwarts. I can't say I feel settled after that, and after a conversation with Draco I learned that we have him to thank for escaping from Malfoy Manor. Long story short, he had a memory of mine, and gave it back to me finally…and he was the one who stopped Bellatrix.
I don't know why he did it, he only said he couldn't bear to see me being cursed. So, we all owe him a debt of gratitude for saving our lives. Of course, how he did it was sneaky and manipulative and, just, reprehensible, but he DID it, and—″ here Hermione paused in writing her letter, her conscience nagging her to be honest, "—I could have been more gracious about it. Just when I think I'm beginning to understand him, and maybe even LIKE the plonker a bit, he does something to remind me what a nasty git he can be. Ugh.
Anyway, enough of the blonde menace. Ginny was a bit sad after Hogsmeade, and I think Neville is still a bit too concerned with keeping a watchful eye out. He's almost Moody-esque. Maybe he should have gone to Auror training with you!
I've still not received any letters from my parents. I don't know if it's because they aren't receiving them, or they just aren't answering. I'm going to try the Muggle post, and if that doesn't work I'll have to call at Christmas. One day at a time. I keep telling myself they can't stay angry forever.
Oops, almost patrol time. Write back soon please, I want to hear all your news.
Xoxo,
Hermione
Dear Hermione,
There isn't much to report about the attacks. The best theory going is that it was directed at the Malfoys, Lucius specifically, but Kuponda is keeping the information tightly locked down so all I'm hearing are rumors, mostly. Antonin Dolohov, Calvin Yaxley, and other Snatchers and werewolves are still unaccounted for. It's tedious trying to root out their hiding places and allies. Sorry. I wish I had better news. They are letting us out to help with some of the minor raids, probably because besides being good training they know for sure that we were never compromised.
As for the Malfoys—Kingsley knows a lot more about the circumstances, and the only thing he would say when I asked about them was, "Still waters run deep." I do know that Alvatore Beramine had no qualms in appointing Lucius Malfoy to the Death Eater subcommittee of the Wizengamot. I think he's back on the Hogwarts Board of Governors, and whatever else it was he did before the war.
I'm glad to know more of what really happened at Malfoy Manor. At least we know Draco has a conscience somewhere. I doubt he'll ever be a mate of mine, but I suppose the next time I see him I'll thank him all the same. That makes me feel a lot better about you essentially being his roommate, to be honest. Neville has written me a couple of letters about that, and I think he's wound Ron up a bit too."
Here a big ink blot splotched the parchment, which told Hermione that Harry had paused to think before continuing,
"I get the impression that something out of the ordinary is going on with Malfoy—Draco, that is. It just feels like he's getting special accommodations with no reasonable explanation. I trust Snape, and McGonagall, but I wonder if they wouldn't tell you more about what's really going on because you're working so much with him. It seems reasonable to ask them, anyway.
I hope you hear from your parents soon. Perhaps you could ask Snape for permission to go to London the next time one of the professors is making the trip for special supplies. They definitely won't stay mad forever. I'm sure it must be hard to accept that a war was going on without their knowledge, and that you were so involved in fighting in it. They're hurt because they think you didn't trust them. In time I'm sure they will come 'round.
Time for more disapparition practice. We have to get below a certain noise level in order to pass. Ron says hello, by the way. He hates it after being splinched. Take care of yourself, Hermione!
Love,
Harry
"Are you ready?" Gideon asked as they pushed their way through the crowd of looky-loos that had assembled for today's meeting of the Dueling Club.
"Are Slytherins cunning?" Draco replied, whipping his wand out of his sleeve as he glanced around the room. There was no sign of Hermione yet, but he was sure she would be there.
"He's going to teach that piece of blood traitor filth a lesson," William said a bit too loudly, causing a group of Ravenclaws to look over at them with disgust. For that reason, Draco spoke louder when he replied, certain that Macmillan and his friends would also overhear his remarks.
"What I am going to do is to teach a disrespectful, disgusting liar the price for overselling both his abilities and his loyalties." Draco had the satisfaction of meeting Ernie's furious gaze as he finished speaking, thereby drawing the first blood. "It's a pity that he hasn't a tenth of the intestinal fortitude of his cousin."
"You'll pay for that, Malfoy!" Ernie said, shoving through the few students between them, his wand clenched tightly in his fist.
"We'll see," Draco said indifferently, checking his cuff as Madame Hooch strode onto the dueling platform and called the meeting to order. He scanned the room again, and saw that Hermione had arrived in the company of the Lovegood girl and Ginevra Potter.
"Today we have duels scheduled between Prasanna Patil and Theodophilus Verdigris, Neville Longbottom and Sheila Babbidge, and Ernie Macmillan and Draco Malfoy. The duels will proceed in that order. Please keep the path to the fireplace clear in case of medical need. Duellists, you are reminded of your pledge to adhere to the International Dueling Federation's standard rules. Violations of those rules will result in your suspension from the club. Prasanna, Theodophilus, please take your places!"
As they watched Prasanna trade hexes with Theodophilus, Ginny and Luna asked Hermione what she thought would happen when Ernie and Draco dueled.
"I honestly don't know. Since that skirmish in the hallway I don't know if they have had any other run-ins, but Draco would hardly tell me if he had after I took points from both of them." Hermione crossed her arms across her chest as Prasanna landed a good hit, causing everyone to applaud briefly.
"True, but he's not exactly the type to avoid confrontation," Ginny observed, putting one hand on her hip as Madame Hooch helped Theo back to his feet. "And despite his occasional lapses of conscience, he's still an amazingly bad tempered git."
"He must have had quite a strong motive to risk incapacitating Bellatrix," Luna said in her sing-song voice, her gaze drifting toward the Slytherin in question. "I am very grateful to him. I sent him a long letter thanking him for doing it. I don't think he would have wanted to hear it from me in person. He's rather a lonely soul this year, isn't he?"
Ginny and Hermione both looked at Luna, one with a skeptical expression and the other, thoughtful.
"Anyhow, he's got a lot to do this year. Between his personal life and the Ministry's push to capture renegade Death Eaters, it's a wonder he's not more perverse."
"Right," Ginny said, changing the subject. "Oh look, Neville is using his mother's wand this time. Apparently his magic still hasn't settled enough for Ollivander to match him to a new wand."
"Huh," Hermione commented, but her attention kept being drawn to Draco, standing stiff and proud at the other side of the room. He had the two Slytherin prefects with him, but no one else. Ernie looked angry, just tapping his wand impatiently against his leg while his friends muttered to him under their breaths. In contrast, Draco looked like an oasis of calm, but Hermione could tell that he was wound up a bit, too.
Neville took a stinging hex from Sheila, but he landed a petrifying curse on her in exchange, and the second duel was suddenly over. Madame Hooch was preoccupied with sending a calming spell over Neville, so she missed how Ernie got right up in Draco's face as he marched toward the platform, but Hermione didn't. She frowned.
"Right! Onto the last duel of the day: Ernest Macmillan and Draco Malfoy. Gentlemen, a reminder to observe the standard rules, thank you. Good luck!"
Draco cracked his neck as Madame Hooch gave her speech, the familiar ice cold flooding his veins as he prepared to duel. He quietly cast a limited Muffliato. No need for everyone to hear what he planned to say to Macmillan.
"En garde!"
Macmillan fired first, as could be predicted. Draco blocked it and waited. Ernie's blood was running hot, and he just needed to egg him on and wait for the mistakes.
"Someone really should let your family know it's not de rigueur to have tattoos, Malfoy," Ernie taunted as he parried Draco's first spell.
"I wasn't aware the Macmillans were such trendsetters, Ernest. Perhaps since pretending to be something you're not came into fashion, as it's clearly your family's specialty," Draco retorted, parrying and casting again with a little underhanded flip his father had taught him. Macmillan yelped as the sting set just above his wrist, jumping slightly.
"Better than a bunch of Death Eater scum!"
"I can't hear exactly what they're saying. One of them cast a Muffliato!" Hermione moved away from Ginny and Luna to get closer to the platform, aware that Madame Hooch must have deduced the same thing from the frown on her face.
This time Macmillan sent a curse his way. Draco smirked slightly, satisfied that he had finally provoked the worm into showing his true colors. "What's the matter, Ernest? Two years ago you were jealous that your father never publicly committed to the value he espoused in private."
Dodging a hex, Draco landed a jinx, stealing a second to glance at Hermione, who was now closer to the platform. She was biting her lip, arms crossed firmly over her chest. It proved to be a mistake, as Macmillan took the opportunity hit him hard with a spinning hex, causing him to nearly fall.
"Daddy's money can't buy you out of everything, Malfoy! You'll always be a loser. For the rest of your life, everyone will know it every time they look at you and that Mark."
Right, Draco thought, gritting his teeth as the sting of a slicing hex grazed his upper arm as he pulled himself out of the spin. Enough play time. He didn't even register Madame Hooch's cry of foul, he simply went purely on the offensive. He threw up a blocking shield to delay the professor's interference, certain that she was breaking the Muffliato, then landed three slicing hexes in quick succession, getting closer to Macmillan every time.
"You are a coward and a liar, and when I'm done with you, everyone will know it." Draco didn't even care if those closest to the platform heard him.
Ernie was throwing curses despite Madame Hooch bearing down on them. Draco was too aware of the consequences to not press the advantage. Hooch had broken the block, so Draco hit him with a final, wordless Petrificus Totalus, causing Macmillan to fall backward on the platform. Privately Draco was sorry the bastard hadn't fallen face first, then he might have broken his nose.
"Mr. Malfoy! Mr. Macmillan! This duel is OVER!"
Draco leaned down to whisper in Macmillan's ear, "If you had a tenth of the resolve of a Malfoy, you wouldn't be here. You didn't even have the resolve of your cousin," before straightening up and releasing the petrification charm as Madame Hooch came alongside them both. Draco held his hand out to Macmillan in a public gesture of magnamity that he was far from feeling. It worked, though, as Hooch focused her attention wholly on Macmillan, who scorned Draco's hand, getting to his feet by himself. Draco was pleased to note that he was bleeding in three places, one quite deep, while Draco himself had only the one scratch.
"Mr. Macmillan, by casting the first slicing hex you have broken the rules of the Dueling Club. I am suspending your membership pending formal appeal to the Headmaster. Mr. Malfoy, your membership is likewise in question pending review by the Headmaster." Madame Hooch was stern.
"I defended myself per section VIII of the rules, Professor: permissions when an opponent has engaged in a dangerous attack."
"Hmmmmmmmm," Madame Hooch was taking her wand to both of them, performing brief diagnostic charms. "We'll see about that, Mr. Malfoy. In the meantime, you will both accompany me to the Infirmary so Madame Pomfrey can patch you up. Shake hands, please."
Madame Hooch paused for them to exchange the most perfunctory of handshakes. Draco's eyes wandered to find Hermione. She was giving him a disappointed look, which just made him angry. What the hell does she expect me to do, take all the shit that assholes want to dish out? How much punishment is enough, for the love of Merlin?
"Malfoy looked very angry," Neville commented as they all left Dueling Club, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I don't think that bodes well for all the skirmishes going on in the corridors."
"It's hardly surprising, is it? It's not like anyone has forgotten what happened in the spring. I'm surprised there isn't more of it going on at night, honestly. We haven't found much of that in our patrols," Ginny said, referring to her patrols with Herbert Longshanks of Ravenclaw.
"I believe that some are settling their differences in the Forbidden Forest," Luna said. "At least, that's what the trails of leaves and mud would seem to suggest. Mr. Filch is complaining about it to anyone who will listen."
Hermione was rather glum. Apart from the continuing problem of students getting into duels and fights in the halls after classes, she was disturbed by the duel between Draco and Ernie. After encountering them previously fighting, she was convinced there was more to the matter than general resentments from the war. Unfortunately, she couldn't talk about her suspicions with Ginny, and certainly not with Neville. He would follow the rabbit trails right into conspiracy theories and cover ups.
"Are you coming to the common room before dinner, Hermione?" Neville asked.
"Um, no, no thanks. I have some things to do. I'll see you later." She could go to the Gryffindor common room, but it would probably be all Quidditch related, given the upcoming match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Frankly, that was one of the benefits of Harry and Ron not being here.
"Okay Hermione!" Ginny called, returning to the conversation she was having with Neville about Gryffindor's Quidditch team this year as they headed off toward Gryffindor Tower.
"I thought that last duel was pretty personal," Luna said, causing Hermione to turn toward her. She was surprised to find that Luna was studying her, almost like an interesting specimen, and it made Hermione's brow furrow slightly as she replied.
"Yes, I was thinking the same thing."
"I think there is a history between the Macmillans and Malfoys. At least, I seem to remember one. Maybe that's what it was about," Luna commented airly, then changed tack abruptly. "I noticed that you seem to be getting along exceptionally well with Draco this year. That's excellent."
"Why so?" Her confusion was probably evident on her face, but Luna didn't notice. She continued as if Hermione hadn't even started to talk.
"You're just what that family needs to move past the last three decades. Do try to work on his temper…oh look! The rain is letting up. I must go check on the Amanita mushrooms behind Greenhouse 5. See you later, Hermione."
"Luna! What did you mean about the Malfoys?" Hermione called after her, but it was no use. Luna had bounded around the corner and when she rounded it Luna was already gone. "Ugh."
Hermione actually didn't have much to do, other than finish revising her essay for Snape's seminar. It wasn't due for two days, though, and she had planned to work on it with her other homework after dinner. She was close to the infirmary tower now…she wondered, would that be appropriate? Wise? Pieces of Harry's letter swam through her head, along with Draco's whispered threat (promise?) to Ernie at the end of the duel. No, it wouldn't be appropriate. She'd just go back to her own common room.
Thwack!
"Dangerous line."
Bang!
"Swallow your pride!"
Draco hit the golem again, crouching and rolling to dodge its counterattack, then lashing out to knock it over again. The conversation he'd just had with Snape was just the tip of the iceberg…
"Regardless of the provocation, it would have been better had you restrained your temper and merely immobilized the Macmillan boy from the start. I've already gotten owls from his parents and his uncle, who, need I remind you, sits on the Wizengamot subcommittee for Death Eater investigations. Your father will have his hands full managing this petty feud, on top of Kuponda's certainty that he was the target of that business in Hogsmeade. Which, I might add, makes YOU a prime target as well, as a means of getting at him."
"I know!" Draco exploded. "I know that! Don't you think I'm spending all my waking hours worrying about what happens when Hermione knows? What kind of a target that makes her? Salazar, it's driving me insane—so don't expect me to play nice when deceitful fence sitters like Ernie Macmillan egg me on. You and I both know his cousin died because he was a damn two-faced liar, and he was caught!"
Snape's voice hardened. "You will have bigger problems if someone deduces your interest before you disclose it to her. GET ON WITH IT. I'm not the only one thinking that Ministry interference would simplify matters."
"Fuck!" He hit the golem hard again, the sting in his hand welcome. He was annoyed with the state of everything. Who the hell were they to try to tell him how to court his mate? Fuck them all! His wings itched, and he wished he could do the full range, but the ceilings were too low and it was too dangerous. It wasn't like the Room of Requirement, where entrance conditions could be rigorously prescribed.
He missed on the next run and got a good clip on his jaw from the golem.
"Salazar's balls!" he swore, tossing it aside in a fit of anger.
"Draco?"
He turned, rubbing the sore spot briefly as his heart made a crazy zigzag at the sound of Hermione's voice. She was standing in the partially opened door, and almost fell to his knees with the feelings of relief and happiness that she came here, seeking him out.
"Can I come in?" Hermione asked. It was pretty clear from what he'd been doing that Draco was angry, and she wasn't sure he would appreciate her being here.
"Yes, please," Draco said. Idiot. Why didn't you say 'of course' or 'any time'? Draco looked briefly at the floor, then realized he was probably a mess. He felt beads of sweat on his forehead, and tried to smooth his hair back. As a consequence he was more brusque than he intended to be when he met her eyes again. "What do you want, Hermione?"
Hermione had edged into the room, the door's edge still held in one hand. She wasn't sure if Draco's bad mood was contagious, but she felt less certain that this was a good idea. As such, it seemed prudent to remain close to the exit.
"I wanted to see how you were doing—after the duel, and whatever came of speaking to Snape." She hesitated, then continued, keeping eye contact, "It seemed very personal, that duel…and I wondered if there wasn't…more behind it than you've let on."
He simply stared at her across the space, a myriad of thoughts tumbling through his head. She looked so sincere, no hidden motives, just a genuine concern for him. So this is what this feels like. Draco suddenly felt like he could conquer the world, all its petty problems insubstantial as long as Hermione actually cared about him.
"So you want to know how I am?" Draco asked, crossing the room with long strides until he was right in front of Hermione. "Why?"
Hermione noticed again how Draco had several inches on her in height. He was standing quite close, and she noticed that he was a bit sweaty. He had discarded his sweater and his tie, and his shirtsleeves were slightly rolled up. She realized she was staring, and looked back up at his face. He didn't seem angry, more curious and something else she couldn't decipher.
"I've noticed you don't have very many friends this year, and you spend a lot of time by yourself. And, well, we've been getting along, better than I expected…and I thought you might want to talk about it. Like you did for me with my nightmare. That's all."
"Such a Gryffindor," Draco said, but he said it with a small smile on his face. He reached out and tucked a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail back behind her ear, letting his fingers brush her cheek as he slowly drew them back. And he would have stopped touching her, if not for her reaction. He halted, his fingers still on her cheek, assessing. "Hermione?"
Hermione's heart sped up as soon as Draco's fingers made contact with her skin, causing her to involuntarily gasp. Her mouth fell open slightly when his fingers lingered, and she looked down to break the tension. She felt such a rush of heat, making her feel overwhelmed and safe at the same time. She looked back up at Draco at his question. Her brain intended to ask him what was going on, but instead she turned her head just slightly, seeking more contact with his hand.
That settled it. Draco slid his hand down and tilted her head, and then he kissed her. Rationally, Hermione knew it was coming, but it was as if she was frozen in time, waiting for it, as Draco's head descended.
It was like being pulled into a firework. His lips moved carefully over hers, settling in as the first burst sped along their nerves, setting spark to the next firewheel. Hermione couldn't think properly, pleasure blooming as his lips coaxed hers to reciprocate. She was kissing him back before her brain caught up, grabbing his hand on her jaw, the other grasping the front of his shirt. He broke the kiss slightly, his lips moving back a miniscule amount for a brief moment, eyelids lifting momentarily so they exchanged a look, for a split second. Then he kissed her again.
This time Hermione was prepared for it, chasing his mouth with her own when he moved, settling his hand at her waist and sliding his other hand down to her neck. They were less tentative now, lips moving more freely, exploring different approaches, the different feel of a plump bottom lip. He nipped at hers, and her knees almost gave out. He seemed to know it, too, angling her against the door to better support her. She felt reckless, and crazy, and almost high from the pleasure of kissing Draco Malfoy…Draco Malfoy! Her rational mind belatedly asserted itself, and she began pulling back from the kissing, gently to not hurt his feelings. Draco could tell the memorable snogfest was coming to an end, and he gentled the kiss along with her, finally ending it with the same sort of soft buss with which he had begun.
"All right?" he asked huskily, keeping close to her face, enjoying the soft whisper of her breath.
Hermione was still struggling with conscious, rational thought. "Yes…yes. I—didn't expect—″
"No, why would you," he murmured, moving his hand slightly to embrace her briefly. "I won't apologize for it, though."
Hermione blinked against his chest, flattening her hand instinctively instead of letting go of him. It felt nice, comforting, while her brain whirled. What he said…it meant he'd been thinking about this for a while. He'd wanted to kiss her for a while! It made some sort of sense of it all, she supposed, but it didn't explain why she had wanted to kiss him back. It was…terrifying and exhilarating all at once, and she wasn't sure how to handle it. Distance seemed the safest option until she could sort out her reaction to him.
"Excuse me," she said quietly, stepping back. He let her, his arms falling from around her even as her traitorous body mourned the loss of his solid chest and warmth. Now she felt awkward, and wrapped her arms around herself to cover it. "I suppose Snape chewed you out, at the very least."
She only glanced at him, making a show of studying the room's contents. Draco recognized it for the defense mechanism that it was, and decided to let her have her recalibration time. "He tore a strip out of my hide, and threatened me with stripping me of my Head status again, but that was about it for the duel. It was pretty obvious that Macmillan fired first, and after that all rules were out the window."
She shivered reflexively, then moved to take a closer look at a golem. She wasn't going to run off screaming because she'd snogged him, for goodness' sake. "So what exactly is your problem with Ernie Macmillan then? And don't try to tell me there isn't more going on than some petty taunts, because I won't believe it."
Draco put a hand in his pocket, a casual stance that belied the tension that crept into his face. "The Macmillans have made fence sitting into an art form. They would tell all the purebloods how committed they were to purity and keeping Muggle influences out of wizarding culture, and then they turned around and behind a different set of closed doors they said the exact opposite thing to those supportive of Muggle-borns and Muggle influences in general."
This was news to Hermione, and she said so. "I haven't ever heard Ernie say anything derogatory about Muggleborns, nor about Muggle culture."
"Of course not," Draco scoffed. "He was only the boy who started the rumor that Potter was the heir of Slytherin, and then accused him of cheating to get his name into the Cup for the Triwizard Tournament. And while you were on the run last year, he told the Carrows that you were sleeping with Harry, and that's why he had taken you along. At every turn he was ready to believe the worst of you and Harry."
Hermione blanched a bit. She hadn't known that, but then again, there was a lot of nasty stuff that had gone on while the Carrows were in residence. She had never asked Neville or Ginny or anyone else exactly what had happened, but if they were anything like Umbridge (and probably worse), she could see how someone would be tempted to make up anything to get them off their back.
"What about his cousin? He's obviously still upset about his cousin's death, and no one I know seems to know anything about it."
Draco's expression went dark. "His cousin was stupid enough to publicly pledge his loyalty to the cause. Unfortunately for him, it was made known that he was talking out of the other side of his mouth to Rufus Scrimgeour during a secret meeting in London. Unfortunately for him, there was a tail on Scrimgeour, and word got back to Voldemort. Needless to say, that was the end of Macmillan's cousin, and not in a pleasant manner either. Once word got back to them about that, the whole family was wholeheartedly committed to the Order. They knew it was either that or be hunted down one by one for interrogation by the Dark Lord. So you'll pardon me for not having the highest respect for their 'integrity'."
Hermione put her hands down at her sides, then shoved them into her pockets for lack of a better thing to do with them. "I can see how that would annoy you. But it doesn't explain why you feel so strongly about teaching him a lesson. I heard you, Draco. I heard what you said to him at the end of the duel. That's more than disgust."
Her stare was challenging, and Draco was equally insistent that she understand his point of view. "Don't you understand why I have to hate him? He played a game, and he lied to you all. He just got lucky that his side was the winner. It hasn't changed what he thinks of your blood or the way the wizarding world is going. He's still a liar, and he's being rewarded for it. At least I am still honest about what I believe. I admitted where I was wrong, and I've paid the price for it. I continue to pay the price! It's a bit too much for me to stomach seeing him cling to fake principles and at the same time try to punish me for my honestly held ones."
"So you're saying you still think Muggleborns don't belong? That the Muggle world is a bad influence on wizarding culture?" Her arms were back around her body, a bad sign. Draco shook his head in frustration.
"No, that's not what I'm saying at all, Hermione! Of course I don't feel that way about Muggleborns anymore, but I do still have real concerns about Muggle influences on the wizarding world. It's just common sense."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew he'd screwed up. Her chin shot up, and her arms dropped, hands fisted at her sides.
"I see. Excuse me. As you're obviously fine with your opinions and your person, I have better things to do."
She darted out the door, and Draco mentally kicked himself even as he rushed after her.
"Hermione! Wait!"
She was already gone.
"Fuckity fuck fuck." How was he going to fix this?