"Harry, do you know what's wrong with Hermione?" Ron asked Harry on their way to Transfiguration.
"No actually, I haven't noticed anything at all," Harry replied matter of factly.
"Well, I wouldn't either if I was snogging a girl in the astronomy tower ever bloody second of the day," Ron said more to himself than Harry, but Harry heard him anyway.
"Ron, I don't snog a girl like that. Ginny and I-,"
"Are always going at it! No wonder you haven't noticed anything about Hermione," Ron finished.
"Whatever," Harry replied quietly. "SO are you going to tell me what's going on?" Harry finally asked. They had finally reached the classroom and spotted Hermione sitting in their usual seats.
"I'll explain later. If you aren't glued by the lips," Ron snickered. Harry punched Ron playfully and laughed with his friend.
"Hey you guys!" Hermione greeted them. Always a facade Hermione. She said in her head. "What took you guys so long? Class is about to start," She asked them as they took a seat on each side of her, the trio position.
"We're not late Hermione, class doesn't start for another three minutes. We still have time to run to the kitchens if we wanted," Ron joked. Hermione just shook her head and turned toward the front of the class as Professor McGonagall entered the room. Her robes billowing behind her. But there was something different with her appearance. Her hair, which was always up in a bun was cascading down her back in slight curls. As she made it to the front of the room, the class started whispering furiously.
"Oh Merlin, what's gotten into her?" Ron asked Harry.
"I don't know, has there ever been a time when her hair was down? Did you even know it was curly?" Harry asked in return.
"Guys, maybe she just wanted to try something different," Hermione whispered to her chatty friends. They gave her a look and turned to the front.
"Good afternoon class," McGonagall announced.
"Good afternoon," the class mumbled in return.
"I'm sure you guys are wondering about my new appearance, well I thought it was time to try something different," Ron and harry turned to Hermione while she gave them the 'I told you so' look. They gave her a sorry look and returned their focus back to the front of the class.
"Well, on with the lesson," she said. "Today we will learn how to transfigure items on a person. Now this is particularly hard to complete,"
After class
"Hermione do you think you could help me with the spell in the common room?" Ron asked after class.
"Sure Ron. But why didn't you ask Harry?" She asked him. "He seems to have gotten it pretty well,"
"Yeah, well, he'll be lip locking all night with Ginny. I'd be more comfortable with you teaching," he joked.
"Have they really been going at it that much?" Hermione asked.
"Bloody hell have they! Every time I want to talk to Harry, he's always busy!"
"I wonder if-," Hermione began.
"Hey Granger! Can I talk to you for a minute?" Malfoy yelled across the hallway catching up to her. Hermione turned around and looked at him, then walked towards him meeting him half way, Ron followed.
"Weasley I didn't invite you. This is a private conversation so excuse us," Draco grabbed Hermione's arm and tried to pull her away from the red head but Ron pulled her other arm back.
"Anything you need to say, you can say in front of me," he told Draco. Draco looked at Hermione pleading with his eyes for her to make him go away.
"Ron I'll catch up in a minute. Its head stuff. Go practice the incantation for awhile," She told him.
"But Her-," Ron started.
"Ron go! This is head business," Hermione huffed.
"Fine, but I don't trust him, I'll come looking for you if you aren't back for dinner," Ron told her and walked away.
Hermione turned back to Draco. "Is something wrong?" She asked concern sparkling her eyes.
"No calm down. Remember the potion? I figured if we could go down a little earlier, so we could get it out of the way,"
"Of course! Let's go!" Hermione told him and headed toward the potions office.
boys dorm
"Hey Ron! Where's Hermione? I thought she was walking with you?" Harry asked.
"She was until Malfoy came, and she actually went with him!" Ron grumbled and walked over to Harry's trunk.
"Hey mate what's going on?" Harry asked him as he went through his trunk.
"The Mauders Map is in here right?" Ron asked.
"Yea, its in the drawer on the side. Didn't want it stolen and since I got that new trunk I can hide all sorts of things in it! Hey, you aren't spying on her are you?" Harry asked.
"Not her, him. I don't trust him at all,"
"Ron, I think you're over reacting. Its probably head stuff,"
"Yea, so why are they headed toward the dungeons?" Ron asked Harry.
"Are they? Well, maybe they need to talk to the professor?"
"Harry where's your invisibility cloak?"
"Why?"
"I'm going down there,"
"No your not! Leave Hermione alone!"
"Harry, she's been acting different since she became head girl with Malfoy. Something is off and I'm about to fine out. HA! I found it. Are you coming?" Ron asked.
"NO, I'd like Hermione talking to me later. I still need to graduate from Hogwarts. Good luck though,"
"Alright see ya!" Ron walked down towards the dungeons. He tried to be as quiet as possible. But nonetheless, you could still hear the common sound of trainers hitting stone. Ron reached the potions hallway and heard Hermione and Draco making their way to the potions office along with a light conversation.
"So, Hermione, how was your classes?" Draco started.
"They were fine I guess. You?" Hermione returned.
"Oh, it was okay. Nothing special, I mean, I didn't get to see you today." Draco said quietly. An awkward silence fell down upon the corridor. Ronald Weasley was now half away from the two heads now. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. But what happened shocked him beyond belief. Draco leaned in and kissed Hermione lightly on the lips. Ron was going through an internal battle at the moment. Half of him wanted to break the two up and pumble Malfoy, the other half wanted to turn around and barf. Ron saw Hermione shove Malfoy away and saw the hurt expression on Draco's face.
"I-I can't do this." Hermione said brushing a tear away. Quickly rushing past Ron probably to the head dorm. Ron felt her brush by. She hesitated shortly turning to see what she touched but when she saw nothing, she kept going. Ron turned back to Draco who was starring at down the corridor Hermione just went down. Suddenly a door behind Draco squeaked open and out walked the professor.
"Ah, Draco, so nice to see you finally. Come, let's get started shall we?" He said ushering him inside. Ron hurriedly checked the map for Hermione and saw that she had made it safely inside her room, then shoved the map into his robes and rushed behind Draco before the door could close.
"Is Miss Granger not coming down here tonight?" The professor asked.
"Oh, no she isn't," Draco answered. "At least I don't think so," He said regretting kissing her and taking off his robes and sitting in a chair. "So what exactly are we doing?" Draco asked. Ron was standing quietly in the farthest corner in the large office listening. The professor took his robes off and began rolling his sleeves up. Revealing the ominous dark mark that all death eaters wore. Ron noticed Draco tense in the office at the sight of the mark.
"You're a-,"
"Death Eater? Yes, I am. So are you. Well at least you used to be," Ron gasped. The two other people in the office heard the barely audible noise but after seeing no one in there continued. "The dark lord is furious with you. You were the most promising of al of us. You disappointed your father greatly. And he's taking it all out on your mother. She's very sick by the way. She's not going to live for much longer," Draco was out of his seat and wand in the professors face in a blink of an eye.
"Watch your mouth! I may not be a death eater anymore, but I can still kill and not feel a bit sorry about it,"
"Put that blasted wand down. We both know you don't have the guts to do anything to me," The professor laughed, pushing Draco's wand away. "So what's this about a potion I'm supposed to make?" He asked sitting at his desk. Draco lowered his wand and took his seat.
"I'll tell McGonagall," Draco threatened.
"That, Draco would be a bad idea. See, I know of your infatuation with Miss Granger. I also know she has no feelings for you. Now, how would we all feel if we found out that the head boy has poisoned the head girl?"
"I would never-,"
"But I would. See Draco, I'm going to make a deal with you. If my identity stays well hidden, your precious granger girl stays well. And I'll know if you've said anything. But enough about that. I need some of your blood,"
"No, I'm not giving you anything," Draco said, standing up, grabbing his robes, and headed for the door.
"Very well Draco, but remember what I told you. Tell no one and she stays safe," Draco opened the door and left. Ron didn't dare try to follow for he would have to open the door as well and surely that would be odd for the door to just open and close. So Ron watched the professor walk over to the fireplace and prepared to floo call someone. As he stuck his head in the fireplace Ron took this opportunity to leave. When he reached the door, he felt a brush of wind and the invisibility cloak fly off. He turned around and saw the professor shooting glares at him with is wand pointed directly at his face.
"How much have you heard?!" He yelled.
"I…no…I-," he stuttered searching for his own words. Ron found himself and the professor staring at each other and caught on at the last second. Legamency.
"Ah, I see you were here the entire time. Well that won't do will it?" Ron's eyes grew as realization hit him. "Don't worry Weasley. I'm not going to kill you. Yet," He smirked. "Imperio!" Ron watched as the unforgivable flew toward him and hit him square in the chest. The professor rushed over to his closet and pulled out a vial. "Here, drank this," He ordered him. Ron swallowed the potion effortlessly. "Aright you may leave," He told Ron handing the cloak back to him "Go back to the dorms and tell no one about what you saw. Get a goodnights rest Mr. Weasley," Ron walked out the room after putting the cloak black on and headed to the Gryffindor's common room. "Damn kids," He said to himself. Taking a seat at his desk. Just when he closed his eyes as fatigue hit him, he heard a swoosh come from the fire place and opened one eye to see Lucius Malfoy brush soot off his expensive robes.
"How did it go?" The older Malfoy asked.
"Quite well actually. Granger wasn't with him so I went with plan 'B' of course. I think dear Draco has fallen for the mud blood," He watched the blood flood Lucius's face. "She's quite pretty if you ask me. For a mud blood. I wouldn't mind putting my hands on her pretty little head,"
"Yes, well your not the only one who wants her. There's been a number of followers who want a piece of her. If you get my drift. She wouldn't be a bad addition to the manor if you ask me. Maybe we could play with her later," Lucius said with an evil smirk forgetting about his short burst of rage. "Anyway, the dark lord sent me to check on things here. Don't forget about the meeting on the first, it's supposed to be very important. I would hate to see the dark lord kill another death eater," He looked down at his pocket watch. "Oh, well I'll be going now. Good day," With that said Lucius vanished through the fireplace.
After Lucius left, the professor walked over to his mirror and studied his appearance. The potion was to wear off soon. It didn't matter though. He was going to bed shortly anyway. As he transformed back to his regular self, he changed clothes, locked the doors and went to bed. Tomorrow was the beginning of the end.
