As You Wish Chapter 9: The Trigger, a harry potter fanfic

A/N: Finally, chapter 9. There is a twist in this chapter I wasn't expecting, but it just appeared in my head, which somehow magically appeared on paper. And I know it's been a long time since I last updated. Is writer's block a good excuse? 8[

The rest of the break passed without much happening. Draco and Hermione didn't see each other much after that first kiss; whenever they did, however, they were silent and awkward. The rest of the school had become less bitter towards the two, more specifically, Hermione. Ron was being less of an arse towards Draco. Of course, he had no reason to be anything other than his usual self towards the blonde boy, which was not much different than his jealousy, but it was better. Hermione and Ginny still pondered about Draco once in a while; Harry was the same indifferent friend; and Ron, of course, was Ron.

Draco, on the other hand, was worrying; it was almost the end of the year and halfway through the school year. He had made no progress with the Vanishing Cabinet, and he didn't want any progress, but at the same time he did want the progress. He had received a letter from his mother, Narcissa Malfoy, who had coded their current condition in their home.

Dear Draco,

Everything is fine here. I rarely sleep at night, however, because of worry about you. Your father, too, is worried about you and he is always at the ready for work, hoping to gain some more assets and wealth, although I do not understand why. As the end of the year draws near, stress and impatience is high in the household. There is much to do in the house to prepare for the New Year. I hope you are well and progressing in school. Remember, that your father and I love you and we hope you will be successful.

Love,

Mom

He tossed the letter aside. How could she hope he was successful? Draco couldn't deal with it; he had a pleasant Christmas break until he received the letter. Yes, he loved his mother dearly, but this letter didn't sooth him, it didn't sooth him at the least. Yes, he knew his mother couldn't sleep because You-Know-Who dwelled in her home and his father, Lucius, kept his wand at his bedside for fear of danger. He knew time was getting tight and he knew that You-Know-Who was getting impatient. He knew he had to get the Vanishing Cabinet to work and he knew that he wasn't using the Room of Requirement to complete his task. Hermione appeared in his mind when the thought of the Room of Requirement flitted across his mind. Draco sighed and fell back on his bed. Things were different after he kissed her; she seemed to be avoiding him and she, unfortunately, was back on good terms with the male Weasel. Draco thought about her often and he still didn't, or maybe wouldn't, acknowledge the fact that he felt much more than friendship towards her.

"Hey, Draco."

Draco turned his head towards the door. His best friend, Blaise Zabini, was standing in the doorway.

"The kids are arriving in an hour. Want to go somewhere quiet to get away from the noise of the returning people?"

"Sure." Draco lifted himself off his bed. He walked over to Blaise. "Anywhere in mind?"

"Let's go down to the lake."

"It's cold."

"Then bundle up."

"Fine, whatever." Draco grabbed his thick wool cloak and followed Blaise out of the dungeons and across the grounds to the Black Lake.

There was a smooth white blanket of snow covering the castle and its grounds. Even the Forbidden Forest looked beautiful and less daunting. As Draco trudged through the snow with Blaise, he faintly heard voices in the direction of Hagrid's hut. As they inched closer to the large hut, he could distinctly hear Hermione's laugh. He continued to follow Blaise, but kept his eyes on the hut with its soft warm glow through its windows. Draco took his eyes off the house as he walked further away.

"The train is arriving."

Draco fell back into reality and looked at the horizon. He stared after the cloud of gray smoke moving quickly towards the train platform.

"You've been quiet for a long time, Draco. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just bored. I kind of want classes to start again. I miss seeing some people."

" 'You miss seeing some people'? Who are you and what have you done with Draco Malfoy?"

"I don't feel like myself. I feel tired often and uneasy all the time. I think it's due to the fact that I haven't made any progress on the Vanishing Cabinet."

Blaise looked down at the snow. He knew that his friend was going through a tough time right now. Draco wanted to find a way out of this task, but it was difficult to find any escape.

"I don't know what I'm doing down here anyways. I should be working on that cabinet." They had reached the smooth lake. It was peaceful and if it wasn't for the task he had been given that summer, he would've been as equally peaceful, too. Draco stood behind Blaise, watching him toss rocks into the freezing lake. He looked towards the train platform and noticed that the train had arrived. It's going to be crowded again. He looked over at Hagrid's hut and wondered if Hermione had returned to the castle to meet some of her younger friends who may have just arrived.

"Huh? Did you hear something?" Blaise lifted his head, straining his ear in search for the sound again.

"No?" Draco looked at Blaise.

Then, that's when Draco heard a twig snap from behind him. He spun around and whipped out his wand. Blaise followed suit.

"Slow, Draco, slow. I thought you had learned better. Your little friend is quicker than you. How disappointing."

Draco kept his wand steady as Bellatrix Lestrange stepped out from behind a tree. She looked as manic as always in her black robes, curly messy black hair, and with a crazed look in her eyes.

"How did you get here? You can't get on Hogwarts grounds. That's why I have to fix the Vanishing Cabinet—so you can get here."

"Oh, we can get here, little Draco, with a little wave of the wand here and there, but what would it look like if a group of Death Eaters walked across these grounds?"

Draco stared at her with a glare. His gaze did not once leave his aunt's face.

"Now now, Draco, now that you've brought up the topic, what is it that is taking you so long? The Dark Lord is not happy. Or are you too weak to do this task?"

"I am not weak!"

"Then prove it! Finish the task the Dark Lord has entrusted to you!"

"Crucio!"

Bellatrix let out a yell and fell onto the ground panting. She looked at him with her crazy eyes.

"That's all you can do? You are weak!"

Draco opened his mouth to curse her, when somebody caught his eye.

"Stay away!" Draco yelled instead.

"Malfoy?" Hermione said.

"Bellatrix Lestrange?" Ron yelled when he saw the laughing form on the ground and Harry pulled Hermione behind him.

Blaise looked at the trio with panic and yelled protego in time before Bellatrix's spell could harm them. Harry, Ron, and Hermione whipped out their wands.

The battle commenced. Spells were flying everywhere; it was a surprise that only the surroundings were getting damaged.

"Blaise, get help!" Draco yelled as he ducked and a spell struck a tree behind him, sending it into flames. He was sure that someone might hear the battle happening, but he didn't want the chance that someone didn't. Blaise nodded and ran off, blocking any spells that ricocheted towards him as he ran.

The moment that Draco had looked away from the battle to make sure Blaise had heard him, was a moment that Draco regretted instantly; Bellatrix had grabbed Hermione during that short instant. Draco felt a surge of guilt and anger as he saw his aunt's wand pointing at Hermione's temple.

"No! Hermione!" Everyone stared at him; Ron had his mouth agape. "Let go of her, you damn woman!" Draco bellowed with a flame of anger flashing in his eyes.

"Ooh, little ickle Draco is worried about the filthy little mudblood." Bellatrix laughed maniacally.

"You heard him, let her go," Harry spoke slowly. Ron nodded, still unable to speak, and gripped his

"Be careful, boys. You wouldn't want this face…." Bellatrix slid her wand down Hermione's cheek, "… To get hurt now, would you?" She said as she returned the tip of her wand to Hermione's temple. Draco could see Hermione shaking and her tears brimming at her eyes; he boiled with anger.

"Don't attack," Draco said loudly; Ron had raised his wand and opened his mouth to curse Bellatrix, "You could hit Hermione."

Ron raised his wand again in spite; he didn't like the way Draco was acting.

"Ron. Don't attack," Harry also said. Ron lowered his wand.

"Bellatrix Lestrange, I didn't expect to see you here so soon."

Everyone turned and saw Professor Dumbledore walking rather quickly to their aid, wand held in front of him, followed by Blaise and Professor McGonagall.

"Well, now. It was a nice reunion," Bellatrix laughed, "I'll be back, you can guarantee that!" She threw Hermione to the ground and flew off in a cloud of black smoke. Harry and Ron rushed to help Hermione off the icy ground. Draco felt annoyance as Ron put his arm around her waist to help her get to her feet. She looked over at Draco and he felt a pang in his chest.

"Thank you, Malfoy."

"Yeah, thanks," Harry repeated. Ron continued to look at Hermione silently.

Draco only nodded, unable to speak due to an unexplainable, uncomfortable knotty feeling in his throat.

"Come on. Let's go inside," Ron said as he led Hermione in the direction of the castle.

"Yes, let's get all of you inside, quick," Professor McGonagall gestured to them all. She looked around her with worry as Professor Dumbledore paced the perimeter of the area.

"Professor McGonagall?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, Headmaster?"

"I think we must gather the teachers together to help set up a stronger barrier. We cannot risk our students getting attacked again."

"I agree. I will inform the Head of Houses of these turn of events and tell them to keep their students inside their common room." And Professor McGonagall followed the students inside with a last worried look over her shoulder at Professor Dumbledore.

-o-

"What was all that about? What was Bellatrix Lestrange doing on Hogwarts grounds? How did she get here?" Harry asked.

"And what was with Malfoy? He was weird!" Ron exclaimed.

"Yeah, he was a bit strange," Harry agreed.

"And when has he been on first name basis with you?"

"We aren't. I've rarely heard him use my first name," Hermione answered Ron quietly.

"Rarely? He's used your first name before?"

"Yeah, just one other time."

"And what would this other time be?" Harry asked this time.

"Nothing."

"I thought we wouldn't keep secrets from each other," Ron said grumpily.

"I don't remember promising anything like that."

"I apologized to you remember? And I said I would be the friend you needed?"

"And where in that does the 'don't keep secrets from each other' fit in?"

"If I'm going to be the friend you need, shouldn't you confide in me?"

"Not necessarily. I still want something to be my own. If I release all my secrets, I won't have anything to call my own anymore."

"But–"

"Ron, shut it," Harry warned Ron. Ron fell silent.

There was no way Hermione would tell two of her best friends when he had last called her by her first name; only Ginny would know about that because Hermione trusted her to keep it a secret. How would Ron and Harry react when they found out that Draco used her first name when she had fallen out of his bed? Well, not his bed, but a bed that they had slept in together. They would not react like Ginny did; they would probably go find and murder Draco before Hermione could say, "Quidditch."

Silence followed Harry's last statement. It was only 3 pm; Hermione felt like the rest of the afternoon was going to drag on as slow and boring as a flobberworm. After reading three chapters of her new book Hogwarts: A History – Updated Edition, she slammed her book shut and sighed in exasperation.

"For godric's sake, I can't stand the silence."

And by silence, Hermione meant the silence amongst her, Harry, and Ron; the common room was packed with screaming first years.

"Hermione—" Ron started.

"Just shut it. I don't feel like talking. I'm just going to take a walk." And without another word, she left the common room, leaving Harry and Ron staring after her. Fortunately, she was a prefect and so she wouldn't need to worry about the time if she decided to stay out late. As she walked around the halls, she became extremely distracted due to the fact that suddenly, all her memories since break had begun started chasing each other around her brain. Hermione forgot to check around the corner as she hurriedly turned around the corridor and she ran into someone, knocking her over.

"Shit, that hurts," a familiar voice said.

Hermione looked up to see Draco Malfoy staring down at her. Before she could stop herself, she felt herself turn red because just seconds before, she had remembered the kiss.

"Granger."

"Malfoy."

Hermione got up by herself and brushed her robes clean. They stood in awkward silence until Hermione got the courage to speak up first.

"What was Bellatrix Lestrange doing on Hogwarts grounds? How did she get here in the first place?"

"I don't know how she got here, she wouldn't tell me. As for the fact about why she was here… Come on. In here," Draco gestured towards an empty classroom, "I don't want anyone to overhear."

Hermione followed Draco into the empty classroom and waited by a desk as Draco checked to make sure there was no one around and closed the door.

"Well, Malfoy?"

He looked over at her with raised eyebrows.

Hermione sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to sound rude. I'm just angry at Ron."

"He always makes you angry."

"Yes, he does."

"Have I ever made you angry?"

"Huh? Um…" Thinking back, Hermione realized she had never been angry at Draco, only upset. She shook her head.

"Really?" Draco asked, surprised. She nodded.

"I though you'd want to hex me every time you saw me."

"No, I didn't. I don't know why, but I was never angry at you, just upset."

"I'm really quite shocked."

Hermione laughed. She didn't understand why it was so funny, but she laughed and laughed. Maybe it was the look on his face. Maybe it was just the sudden change of atmosphere, but she didn't care; she knew that there would be someone to listen to her when she was sad or angry. Scratch that. Someone would be there to listen to her all the time.

"What's so funny?" Draco demanded.

"You," Hermione was able to say after a few moments.

She saw Draco's ears turn pink and couldn't help giggling a little bit. Ohmigosh, I giggled. What the hell is wrong with me?

"Uh, well, back to the topic at hand. Why was Bellatrix on Hogwarts grounds?" she asked.

"Remember what I told you about my… task?" Hermione nodded. "Well, there's more to it than just me doing that. Promise me, Granger. Don't tell anyone." Hermione could tell there was something wrong, majorly wrong, but she nodded again. "Right before the task is done, I am to have left open the Vanishing Cabinet to allow the Death Eaters entry to the castle to obtain complete control. Killing Dumbledore was just part two of my task. I have to fix this cabinet soon. Its twin at Borgin and Burkes is fully fuctional, but not the one here. That's why Bellatrix was here today. She wanted to know what was taking me so long. She wanted to inform me the Dark Lord was getting impatient."

By now, Hermione had turned pale. She couldn't believe her ears. This boy before her was part of a plan to kill the Headmaster, take over Hogwarts and eventually, both the wizarding and the muggle worlds.

"We have to go to Dumbledore," Hermione said, breaking the silence.

"No!" Draco snapped.

"But—"

"I said no!"

"This is dangerous and serious!"

"You promised me, Granger!" Draco had grabbed hold of her shoulders as he yelled at her. Her wide eyes bore into his. He immediately regretted lashing out at her and released her.

"Malfoy?" Hermione whispered.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—" And Draco was cut off as Hermione kissed him lightly.

"I'll help you. I'll help you the best I can. And I promise to respect your wishes."

"Granger?"

And with that she left the room swiftly leaving him staring after her in shocked silence.

A/N: I've started chapter 10. When will I upload? I have no idea.

REVIEW

I know this chapter SUCKS, but I'll still accept reviews about it.

The interpretation for the letter:

Dear Draco,

Interpret: Narcissa is worrying about Draco. Lucius always keeps his wand at the ready because of the constant fear of the Dark Lord. Stress and impatience is high in the household (kind of self-explanatory). I hope you are making progress on the Vanishing Cabinet and that you will be successful with it.

Love,

Mom