Disclaimer: If you know it, I don't own it.


I'm Ready To Hope


Halfway through October came the first visit to Hogsmeade. Having asked Hermione weeks ago to do something special, Draco slowly became a wreck trying to figure out what to do, as while he'd mentioned Hermione should figure it out, he knew he ought to have a plan. He was the one who asked, he'd told her as such last week. She'd nodded, giving him a knowing smile before kissing his cheek and telling him she looked forward to what he came up with.

It was the night before the trip and he had nothing.

"You're helpless," Luna Lovegood proclaimed, finding Draco on his way into Great Hall. "It will be stormy, tragically, so no outdoor activities. I know you wish not do, but Madam Pettifoot's is quiet, small, and cozy. Good first date location. And, it not being Valentine's Day, won't be overly crowded with mushy people."

"Thank you, Luna," Draco said, staring at the girl as she nodded her head, her radish earrings bobbing up and down.

She turned on her heel and breezed off, leaving a smirking Tom and a confused looking Harry with Draco outside the Great Hall.

"What the hell was that about?" Harry demanded. "Who've you got a date with?"

Tom huffed, rolling his eyes. "You are so dense."

"I am not! What girl has Draco ever been seen with?"

"Hermione."

Harry looked a combination frightened, confused, and angry.

"They're friends."

"Yes, and much more," Tom smirked.

"I'm leaving," Draco proclaimed and quickly exited the area for a less filled one. He had planned on hiding in an empty classroom till bedtime, but he suddenly found himself dangling from his foot in the air in the middle of the empty hallway.

"Sorry! Sorry! I didn't know it'd pick you up by your foot!"

Hermione came running forward and Draco fell to the ground with a thud.

"Well, that was fun," Draco muttered, slowly picking himself up. "What were you doing?"

"Going through the spells Snape wrote in the margins," Hermione explained, extending the textbook with a sheepish look on her face. Draco took the book from her and it fell open to the page she'd gotten the spell.

"It doesn't say what it does and you just decided to try it?"

Hermione shrugged. "I know it wasn't likely Ministry approved, but we all know the Ministry is populated with idiots. Also, all the other spells were fine. I tried it on an object it simply floated upward. I didn't know it'd turn you over by your ankle. I thought you'd just float like the object."

"It's fine. I'm wearing trousers," Draco teased. Hermione blushed.

"Yes, well…thank you for letting me borrow it," Hermione said. "Have you tried any of the spells?"

Draco shook his head as he shrunk the book and stored it in his pocket. "I haven't actually read through it in great detail as Harry has done a few times."

"Yes, well, I rather miss having Snape as our Potions professor," Hermione lamented, hooking her arm through Draco's and steering him back towards the Great Hall. "Granted, he is one of the better DADA teachers we've had."

"That he is," Draco readily agreed. "Too bad he can't teach both."

"Slughorn isn't that bad," Hermione said as they neared the Entrance Hall. "We've had worse professors."

"Umbridge."

"Quirrellmort as you and Harry refer to him."

Draco laughed as they joined the crowds heading into the Great Hall. He and Hermione took their usual seats at the Gryffindor table. Harry scowled deeply till Tom stomped on his foot and began asking Hermione about Runes.


It took longer than usual to exit the castle the next morning as in addition to checking their names were on the list to be allowed to go to Hogsmeade, Filch was triple checking everybody with his Secrecy Sensor.

"What does it matter if we're smuggling Dark stuff OUT?" demanded a voice. "Surely you ought to be checking what we bring IN? OUCH."

Draco craned his neck and saw Filch give Weasley a few extra jabs from the Sensor before he was allowed to head out into the sleet and wind (the weather was horrible just as Luna predicted). Filch jabbed both Draco and Hermione a few extra times for good measure before allowing them to begin the unenjoyable walk to the village. While the road was filled with students, none of them were large enough (or in Draco's case tall enough) to block any of the wind or sleet. Hermione pressed herself into Draco's side and pulled her scarf up so only her eyes were showing between her wooly hat and scarf. Draco sorely wished he'd thought to grab his scarf or his hat. At least he had his gloves.

When they reached the village and began making their way through, Draco noticed that unlike last time, Zonko's was still open. Actually, unlike Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade looked exactly the same and despite the weather was bustling with shoppers.

"Do you mind if we nip into Honeydukes before we head to whatever you had planned?" Hermione called out. "I know you planned something even though you told me to think of something."

Draco smiled and steered her towards the shop. It was crowded as usual, so the pair weaved their way through the people till Hermione found what she was looking for and made her purchase of deluxe sugar quills. ("They last for hours!")

After Hermione bundled herself up, she dragged him into Gladrags Wizardwear. He did not quarrel with her when she grabbed an emerald green scarf with sliver thread woven through it. He did argue when she tried to buy it for him, along with a black wooly hat. She hushed him, stepped on his foot, and purchased the items. She jammed the hat on his head and wrapped his face up in the scarf in order to shut him up.

He let her do it.

He was such a goner.

After Hermione bundled herself up again, they headed down to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. Like Luna said, it shop was mostly empty. It was not decorated in a frilly or tacky manor, but rather cozy. The small tables were present and there seemed too many crammed into such a small space, but it didn't feel as cramped due to being completely void of life.

Draco and Hermione were the only pair there.

"Hallo!" greeted a woman (if Draco had to guess was Madam Puddifoot). "Sit anywhere. I've tossed together an apple spice tea specially for today. Makes you feel all warm. Shall I bring that out?"

"Yes, that sounds lovely," Hermione said, unwrapping herself and sitting herself down at a table with a good view out the window.

Draco followed suit. He sat awkwardly for a moment, wondering what to do.

"There was a bit of the Prince's book cut out. A perfect little rectangle," Hermione said, making Draco sit up straight. "What spell did you feel that the Prince wouldn't want us to know?"

"Who's to say…the Prince ever thought that book would land in anyone's hands?"

Hermione gave him a look, which if she'd been wearing glasses and yanked all her hair into a tight bun would have made her look alarmingly like McGonagall when she was tired of your crap.

"He left it behind on purpose," Hermione insisted, folding her arms across her chest.

Draco swallowed. "I doubt he wanted it to fall into our hands. Least of all Harry. He thinks Harry is an arrogant snot."

"He does not. He ignores Harry," Hermione pointed out. "He has no opinion on Harry. Other than he doesn't seem to like his sassiness."

"Who does?"

"Tom," Hermione answered cheekily as Madam Puddifoot appeared with a tea pot covered in the coziest cozy Draco had ever seen. "Thank you."

"Sure, sweetie. Now, do you want any these biscuits? These go best with this tea, shall I leave you a few?"

Hermione nodded in agreement. The woman beamed and said something about enjoying easy customers.

"Some of you lot are quite demanding when it's not Valentine's Day," she said before bustling off.

Draco picked up one of the biscuits and bit into it. He about dissolved on the spot it was so good. Hermione had a similar reaction and put her hand over her mouth as if to stop the sound that came out.

She ought to. It was not a proper sound for her to making in public. Or in front of Draco.

Draco forced himself to take a huge gulp of tea, which simply burned his throat and mouth, but he didn't care. It distracted his teenage hormones enough for him to get himself under control.

Hermione began to talk, distracting Draco. They got into a debate on Ancient Runes translations that lasted until the pot of tea was cold dregs. Draco hadn't even noticed until Hermione and he were getting ready to leave (she let him pay for the tea) that there were other couples littering the tiny shop. Ginny and Dean Thomas were one of the pairs, though, they looked as if they were having a heated argument in the corner they were seated. Turning back to Hermione, he offered his arm and they made their way out of the warm shop into the biting cold. As they passed Three Broom Sticks, Harry and Tom emerged, both bickering. Neither noticed Draco and Hermione and walked right passed them. Hermione rolled her eyes as they fell into step behind the pair on the road back to the school. Draco was enjoying the fact he'd gone on a date successfully when he became aware of raised voices that did not belong to Tom or Harry. He looked up and squinted through the sleet past Tom and Harry to see two girls.

Draco cursed, letting go of Hermione, and pushing Tom and Harry apart as he dashed towards where Katie Bell and her friend were having an argument over a package Bell was holding. Since neither girl knew what was happening, Draco was able to tackle Bell to the ground, sending the package she'd been holding flying forward.

"Draco!" several people shouted, none of whom was the girl he was currently holding down. Bell was fighting tooth and nail to get out from under Draco.

"What are you—" Hermione stopped talking, realizing what was going on. "Don't touch that, Leanne!"

The other girl froze, turning slowly and looking at Hermione in question. Tom hurried over and stunned Bell as she suddenly stopped trying to claw Draco's face off and lay limp under him. Draco scrambled to his feet, unwrapping his brand new scarf as he made his way to Tom, who was almost pressing his nose to the ground to study the ripped package. Draco knelt down and wrapped it up in his scarf before picking it up.

"We'll see she's taken to the Hospital Wing," Tom said over the roar of the storm. "Best take that to Snape."

Draco nodded, running towards the school. He was on autopilot till he found himself outside of Snape's office. He had no idea if Snape would be in till Snape ordered, "Come in or I'll curse you since you seem to plan to stand out there all day."

Draco steeled himself and entered the office, which was as he remembered it from his few visits: overstuffed with potions, books, and various other Dark items Snape had collected over the years. Unlike other Heads of House, Snape did not display his House's colors anywhere, as everything was black if it wasn't a potion, book, or other Dark item. Even his desk was black.

"Sir, Katie Bell was carrying this," Draco said, extending it towards Snape. "It's a cursed necklace."

Snape froze in extending his hands to take the necklace, which was poking out of the ripped wrapping.

"No one touched it," Draco offered. "Tom stunned Bell, who was Imperviused likely to take this to…uh…whoever."

"You know," Snape dared in a low voice. "Just say it."

"Dumbledore," Draco whispered, staring at Snape as if seeing him for the first time.

Granted, it was like seeing Snape for the first time, he realized. Snape had lost most of his hair.

His hair was short.

And clean.

He was still dressed in his usual billowing, black robes, but you could clearly see his hooked nose and black eyes easily, as well as the fact wasn't exactly as ugly as Draco originally thought. Also, the sneering expression on the man's face was crystal clear as he muttered while waving his wand over the necklace still in Draco's hands.

"Set it on the desk, Malfoy."

Draco did that.

"You know," he whispered, staring at this odd looking Snape.

"Of course I know," Snape snapped. "You're in Gryiffindor."

"So you've known since first year?"

Snape didn't answer, instead went back to waving his wand.

"You can leave."

Draco studied Snape for a long, drawn out moment before hastily exiting.


"He what?"

"He cut his hair off," Draco repeated for the hundredth time. "It's all gone. Cut all…short."

Draco waved his hands around his head, trying to illustrate the style Snape had chosen for unknown reasons.

"First, it was clean and now he cut it off. Why would he do that? What was he thinking? I mean, with the exception of the Black brothers, pureblood adults almost always have long hair."

"He's not a pureblood."

"But, he's pretending to be," Harry offered. Tom gave him a look. "What? Okay, he's playing up his pureblood side. He's a Prince. They were one of the…major pureblood families, right?"

"Yes, before their extinction," Tom said flatly. "They are no more, as the last member of the family, or so we thought, was killed by Voldemort."

"Exactly," Harry said. "So, he'd likely want to look the part for Voldemort. Like a proper pureblood."

"He cut his hair," Draco whispered.

"So do you," Tom offered unhelpfully. "Well, sometimes you do."

Draco flopped his too long fringe out of his eyes. "I keep it shorter than most purebloods my own age."

Tom shook his head, his hair not moving due to the fact he kept his hair rather short, as if that could control the curl. It was still curling all over the place on his head.

"Can we not talk about hair?" Harry moaned. "We're not a bunch of girls."

"How was your date?" Tom asked, looking at Draco with a teasing expression on his face.

"NOT GIRLS!" Harry shouted, throwing a book at Tom.

Tom caught it before it hit him in the face. "Why must you throw things at me all the time?"

"Habit."

Draco snorted.

"I'm going to go down to dinner. When does Madam Pomfrey think she'll release Bell?" Draco asked, standing up.

"Tomorrow," Tom replied. "She released the curse easily on her, once she knew what was wrong with the child. She sent us off after that, telling us Bell will likely return to the Tower tomorrow."

Draco nodded. Better than last time when Bell had to be shipped off to St Mungo's and remained there for a few months.

"I'll go with you," Harry said, climbing off his bed and landing with a thud. "I was going to have Quidditch practice tomorrow, but if Katie's not feeling up to it—"

"She'll be fine," Tom said, sliding off the bed and landing quietly next to Harry. "The weather, though, that might gave you pause to try to fly in it."

"Oliver had us practice in worse," Harry reminded him.

And the pair began to bicker about practicing Quidditch in bad weather. They kept it up till they reached the Great Hall and took their seats. Draco was sure they only stopped bickering due to the appearance of food.

"So, good trip to the village?" Neville brightly asked, sitting down across from Draco.

"Mostly," Draco said. "Didn't end on a high note."

Neville frowned. "Oh. I'm sorry."

"Not your fault someone gave Bell a cursed necklace to deliver to someone in the castle," Draco shrugged.

"What?"

Harry launched into the tale, allowing Draco to finish his meal and escape. He spotted Hermione sitting at the Ravenclaw table staring at someone who didn't belong at the table. The someone was merrily chatting away, seemingly not noticing the fact Hermione was staring at her as if she was batty. Draco eased into the spot Luna made for him next to Hermione and gave Addy Lupin a strange look.

"Hi-ho, Draco Malfoy!" she said cheerfully. "I know. I don't belong here. Yet, I do. I sorted into Ravenclaw."

"You did?" Hermione asked.

Addy nodded. "Yeah. I didn't really belong anywhere else and after a year, I told Dumbledore I'd sort into a House. Sherlock decided it'd work out best for me. And other than I hated the girls I shared a dorm with, it was fine."

Hermione nodded in understanding.

"What are you doing here?" Draco inquired.

"Oh, there was a little something I did this afternoon for an old friend. I kind of wanted to scare him to death, as no one told him I was back."

"You saw Snape?" Draco guessed.

She nodded cheerfully. "Yeah. He looks great, doesn't he?"

Draco's mouth fell open.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"He can see, can't he?" Luna dreamily inquired, smiling. "That's good. I've always wondered how he could see between the fumes and hair. Cheerio!"

Luna got up off the bench and danced off. Hermione was bemused as she turned back to Addy.

"Well, when I was here before, I tried to get him to at least wash his hair, which he claimed he did, so I gave him some clarifying shampoo, which seemed to work."

Draco mouthed the words she'd said.

"I had Lily make it for me as I am a disaster at potions. Just like Remus," she laughed. "Anyway, Reggie had some adventure and Remus looked as if he was going to strangle me if I played Tragic Kingdom one more time, so I decided to check out Hogwarts."

"How did you get here?"

"Well…I walked," Addy said, loosing some of her cheeriness for the first time. "Just walked right in."

Draco narrowed his eyes, while Hermione looked suspicious.

"Just like Sirius walked out of jail?" Hermione guessed.

Addy gave a lopsided smile that looked a little strange on her face, as Draco had seen it on Remus Lupin quite a few times over the years. She tapped the side of her nose, glancing up towards the Head Table.

"And that's my cue. Laters," Addy said, gracefully getting up and loping off towards the Head Table. She leapt up lightly and took the open seat next to Dumbledore, who eyed her with a look of exasperation on his face. She simply grinned lopsidedly at him.

"She is rather…"

"Weird? Talkative? Out there? Hanging out on the moon?"

"Clever," Hermione finished, giving Draco a look. "I do not find her strange."

Her eyes darted over to the direction Luna had gone as if that was her base for judging people who were strange.

"She was telling me about some of her friends from school, you know, besides the Marauders and Regulus," Hermione went on, gathering her things. "She was pretty good friends with a Muggleborn who was a few years younger than her. She seems to believe he will have a brilliant career as a writer for television."

"In the Muggle world?"

Hermione nodded. "He decided his options were better if he simply went back to being a Muggle. He still keeps up with the wizarding world, though. He noticed an article announcing the arrival of an American Spellsmith at the Spellsmith headquarters in Edinburgh to mentor future Spellsmiths."

"She's…"

"Yes. It seems the paperwork went through and Adelaide Lupin is a Spellsmith once again and working at the Headquarters. You ought to speak to her about landing the internship this summer. They only take one student a summer and haven't taken a Hogwarts Student since Atlanta D. Black."

Draco frowned. "Where do they come from?"

"All over. The Headquarters in Edinburgh is the only one in the entire world," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "Didn't you find that out when you researched?"

Draco felt himself color and Hermione laughed.

"Come on, let's finish our date."

"We didn't finish it?" Draco asked, panic welling up in his stomach.

"No. We were interrupted by circumstance," Hermione said cryptically, giving him a small smile that made his stomach swoop.

Without asking any further questions, he got up and followed Hermione, taking her hand once they were out of the Great Hall and letting her guide him to wherever their date was going to end. He had no idea where she was going, as she was walking passed a multitude of empty classrooms perfect to end a date within. (He assumed she wanted to snog, as that was how most dates ended, right?)

"Here," Hermione whispered, turning and heading down a corridor that looked as if it'd not seen life in eons. The dust created a carpet it was so thick, but Draco happily followed Hermione. She led him into a classroom that hadn't seen use in decades (the dust didn't channel carpet). "I found this last week when I accidentally got off the staircase at the wrong time. The room feels magical, doesn't it?"

It did. Draco wasn't sure if it felt that way due to something he didn't understand or because he was here alone with Hermione and was likely to properly snog her.

Finally.

But, he didn't want to make the first move because he felt more awkward than he'd ever felt before. He was acutely aware of their height difference and his limbs felt suddenly filled with lead. He glanced at Hermione who was using her hand to rid a piano of layers upon layers of dust. Draco looked around further and noted the room was filled with musical instruments.

"Remember when Dumbledore said that music was magical?" Hermione whispered.

"Not really," Draco admitted. "But, I believe it is very magical when used properly."

"Even Muggles feel the magic behind music," Hermione went on as if Draco hadn't said anything. "It's strong, so strong it doesn't even matter if you've got magic or not. You still feel it. It is like this room knows it's filled with musical instruments so the magic is stronger here than elsewhere in the castle. Even I can feel it, like you feel magic."

Draco raised his hand and felt outward. He shivered and quickly stuffed his hand in his pocket.

"The force is strong here," Draco intoned, wondering if Atlanta had known about this room. There appeared to have been someone in the room a while ago, judging by the footprints and the fact certain instruments weren't as dust covered as others.

"Look at this."

Hermione's back was to him, so he wandered over to see what she had. As he neared her, she whirled around. Draco caught her sent and felt a little dizzy. Then he got more lightheaded, as the thing Hermione was to show him were her lips.

And after that, well, Draco wasn't one to kiss and tell.