Chapter 10-Plans
Hermione had indeed spent the day Saturday crying her heart out. In the early afternoon, Draco convinced her to walk down to the lake with him. Well, not walk; prowling was more precise. Draco's Animagus happened to a black panther. He had tickled her into submission and then before he transformed baited her with a "race you down there!" Hermione swiftly transformed and they exited the room neck and neck. Sprinting for all they were worth.
He woke that morning extremely frustrated. He knew that he had a mind-blowing dream, but he couldn't remember any of it! Mia's scent lingered in his rooms: vanilla and fresh rain; how in the bloody Hell had it gotten there? He scowled, probably just an aspect of his overactive imagination; he wondered if he should congratulate the werewolf to confuse him or if he should just kill him. He anticipated that the Headmaster's reaction to him killing a member of the staff would not be a pleasurable experience and reluctantly dismissed the idea. It was a day made for brooding, he thought as he dressed and headed towards Draco's rooms. Draco would give him the answers he wanted, willingly or not. Severus just happened to be in a dark corner as two exotic animals flew by him. Hmm, those animals had to be none other than Draco and Hermione. Severus sneered; it would be interesting to hear what those two had to say to one another away from prying eyes. He transformed into his own Animagus form and followed behind them at a discrete distance.
Any one who bothered to look out the windows would have seen a very strange sight. A panther and a Siberian tiger roughhousing. It was an amusing sight. Dumbledore looked outside and smiled. It was nice that the students could find time to play and take their minds of all the nasty business that loomed over their heads. Not only that, but the lone smoky grey wolf in the shadows observing the two, caused a goofy grin to break out on his winkled face. Severus didn't get out of the dungeons nearing enough. Dumbledore turned away chuckling. It would, no doubt, be an interesting afternoon.
Hermione and Draco abruptly changed back into their human forms and collapsed laughing into the soft, waiting grass. They just laid there looking out at the water. Suddenly, Hermione burst out into tears and Draco pulled her into his arms.
"Draco," she sobbed, "it was so achingly beautiful, he was so tender and he won't remember for a long time. He made me feel complete. It's as if he was the part of me I never noticed I was missing."
"Shh, luv, it will be alright," Draco murmured in her ear as he rubbed a comforting hand up and down her back.
Hermione cried herself out for the umpteenth time that day. She was immensely grateful that Draco was the one watching her today. He was the only one who could completely comprehend, seeing as how he knew both parties extremely well. She eventually composed herself and drew away from Draco.
She reached into her pocket, pulled out two items, and restored them to their normal size. She sniffed and began explaining the importance of them. "Draco, this necklace I'm placing in your care contains the antidote to the forgetfulness potion. Don't worry; it has an unbreakable charm on it. I want you, after the Final Battle, to give it to him. This book, also give to him after the Final Battle. It contains my original works in potions and explains how I was able to reach into his dreams. Please tell him that they were real; we did share them. I want him to be able to keep the good memories we made; you know he doesn't have nearly enough happy things to recall. And please tell him that no matter what happens, I will always love him and I want him to enjoy his life with or without me."
Draco allowed her to slip the necklace on him and quickly put it under his shirt; he couldn't afford to have any unfriendly eyes seeing it. He kindly took the book for her grasp. "May I?" He inquired softly. She nodded and he solemnly flipped through its pages. He gasped, "Mia, this is very advanced material."
Hermione just about broke out in sobs once more. "Draco, please make up a different nickname," she said brokenly, "that nickname, only he can use; it doesn't sound or feel right when someone else uses that name."
Draco glanced up at her, "I'm sorry, luv, I forgot." He gave her a hug and shut the book.
The smoky grey wolf softly growled. Mia was his nickname for her and she had shared dreams with someone else. He sat on his haunches still and silent. Hoping to gain clues to incriminate Lupin or some other moronic male who didn't deserve her; who out of the lot of them would be able comprehend her works? They would not be happy once he found out who it was. He pulled back his lips in a gruesome half-smile. Pleased with his plan of action, he laid down and turned his ears toward the two students.
Hermione got the now familiar faraway look in her eyes; Draco had a similar look. They both smiled. The others were on their way. Sure enough, a few minutes later, several more animals joined their group. A phoenix: Ginny, a stag: Harry, a golden eagle: Luna, a lion: Neville, and a reddish hawk: Ron.
Last year, after everyone had returned from the summer, Hermione had helped all of them to successfully transform into their Animagus form. It had been an interesting learning experience for all the friends. Their various forms revealed much of their personalities and hidden traits.
They resumed their human forms and plopped down on the grass, forming a circle. Severus noticed that the couples were seated beside their significant other, but were careful not to take the other's hand, just in case. They all looked toward Hermione expectantly, so Severus paid extra close attention to her. No doubt, she had another plan. He wondered what this pertained to.
Hermione sighed, wiped her eyes for good measure, and began. "As you know, the Final Battle is rapidly approaching. I believe that instead of attacking at the end of the year, like most will expect, the Dark Lord will strike around the time for the Christmas holidays." The others nodded, this made sense, Voldemort would like to catch them off guard. "You all know that I have some unusual capabilities. I believe this will help us when added to the fact that we are all bonded to each other in one way or another. Those couples that wish to be blood bonded, let me know in the next month and it will be done."
The said couples glanced at one another. They would have to discuss this in private later. Hermione regained their attention as she softly coughed.
"In the battle, I need to be close to Harry. I'll explain in a second. You can chose to be near us or not, it will not affect what I have in mind."
All eyebrows were raised; Severus was definitely concerned about what she had in mind. Draco was very worried; he didn't know what Hermione was up to, but he feared he had no other option than to go along with her plan.
"You all have been blood bonded with me and as you recall from the spell, blood calls to blood and like calls to like. All of you are powerful witches or wizards, whether you realize it or not. Do you remember how I went cold?"
They glanced nervously at one another. None of them were going to like this. They nodded, sitting still with serious expressions on their faces.
"I will hold in my anger until the Final Battle, some of it will spill over into you all. When I go cold there, all of you probably will go so to a lesser degree. Harry."
Harry raised his eyes to meet his friend of six years.
"Harry, I know you won't like this, but please at least listen and consider it, okay?"
"Okay, Hermione." He answered softly.
"When you step up to confront the Dark Lord, I'm going to enter your mind. I know you hate that invasion, but I'll be giving you my power to put behind the killing curse you have to cast."
Uh-oh. Severus did not like the sound of this at all, but, he thought ruefully, it had merit. Everyone else almost jumped up in protest.
"Hermione, I'll think about it, I promise, but I don't know if I can accept that. This is my task."
"I know, Harry." She reached over and kissed him fondly on the cheek. He was being really grown-up about her suggestion. "It will still satisfy the prophecy. The spell will be yours; I'll just be aiding you."
She looked at each one in turn. She saw the worry in their eyes. "Don't worry," she told them soothingly. "A necklace, which I will be giving to Professor Snape in a few weeks, contains a drop of blood from the people thought to be present at that Battle: us, members of the special club, and some select Aurors. It will automatically shield them from anything you do; like if a spell is blocked and headed towards them instead, they will be safe. You all will be able to feel the moment I go cold and you'll hear me in your mind warning you beforehand. Okay? Now, let's head back inside; I for one have homework I need to finish."
They all laughed at this comment and helped each other off the ground. They knew there was some detail Hermione was leaving out, but they figured she'd tell them soon enough.
Severus lay there dumbfounded. The part about the necklace caught him off guard; he remembered promising the dream Mia that he would wear it for her. Looks like he was to be held to that promise. He absently pondered whether or not Mia understood the ramifications of magic that powerful. He waited until all the students were in the castle before returning to his dungeons. He had a lot to think about.