Hello
I'm a few hours late, sorry! What was meant to be 2 very relaxed days where all I needed to do was edit this chapter ended up being incredibly busy and I edited most of it on my phone. That being said there may still be a few mistakes, I hoping not too many to be terribly distracting, but I will try to check over it again in a couple of days just in case.
This chapter is a monster (10k+ words) so I hope you all like long chapters.
Anyway Enjoy,
Lexi
But Saturday morning Hermione Granger had officially slept with the Death Eater Draco Malfoy.
Or had been rejected by him and was now bent on revenge. It depended on who you asked.
In fact, Hermione had just overheard just last night that she was pregnant with his child, which had been conceived in the heat of battle and Ron had found out which was why he hadn't returned to Hogwarts that year.
Sighing Hermione flopped back onto the couch next to Ginny and Harry.
"My life is a disaster." She said, dramatic but honestly she wasn't sure what else could possibly go wrong at this point..
Ginny patted her shoulder sympathetically.
"Don't worry, 'Mione it will pass."
Harry, too looked sympathetic, he had been the target of rumours for his whole school career but still, it wasn't so bad as having slept with the enemy during a war and now carrying a Death Eaters illegitimate son.
"I've written to Ron too." He said "Explained what's been happening here in case he should hear anything."
Hermione sighed
"Thanks Harry. Did he write back to you?"
Harry shuffled awkwardly in his seat and nodded. Hermione's sigh of relief turned to a huff of annoyance. She still hadn't received a reply from Ron despite having sent him 3 different letters. She just want to talk to him, but he was obviously avoiding her.
"He said he's still scared you're mad at him."
"Mad at him?" Hermione almost yelled, causing people to turn at look at them in the common room. She lowered her voice and continued "I wouldn't be so mad at him if he just returned my letters."
Ginny patted Hermione's arm again but looked thoroughly annoyed about her brother.
"First he hides the offer from the ministry from me, and makes you lie to me about it too-" Harry and Ginny looked at each other guiltily "then he spends months lying to me about coming back to Hogwarts only to inform me by letter that he's not coming back, and now he won't even speak to me."
Hermione folded her arms and pouted angrily
"I wonder what I could possibly be mad at him about."
They sat awkwardly for a few minutes, Hermione stewing in her own annoyance. She had been disappointed that Ron didn't want to return for his NEWTs but she did understand him wanting to go straight into Auror training. She could even understand wanting to start separately to Harry, for which the two boys appeared to have made up, despite how childish it sounded. No, she was furious at Ron because he had lied to her. He had known about the offer for months, it had arrived not long after the war ended and to make matters worse he had sworn Ginny and Harry to secrecy. They had both admitted they should have told her sooner, but they truly though that Ron would tell her once he had made a decision and Hermione couldn't fault her friends for their loyalty.
"Right." Said Harry, untangling himself from Ginny. "I need to finish those training schedules."
Harry waved himself off and trudged back into his room. Hermione frowned
"Why aren't you helping him with the training?" she asked Ginny.
Ginny was an incredible Quidditch player and not using her expertise seemed like a silly waste to Hermione, she had even convinced Ginny to help coach one of the Quidditch training days. Not that she had told Malfoy about that yet, she had avoided him like the plague for the rest of the week. He appeared to have finally gotten the orange out of his hair, which Blaise had informed her during their double potions class was the funniest thing he had seen in years.
Ginny's ears went bright red and she said with a nervous laugh
"Every time we try and work on them together we get…. distracted" the rest of Ginny's face went red and Hermione laughed. "Harry is going to finish them and then let me critic them."
Hermione was about to tease Ginny when Padma called to her from the doorway
"There's someone here who has a message for you, Hermione."
Hermione left Ginny on the couch and stepped out of the portrait door to find Emily and Agnes waiting for her.
"Hullo." She said
"Hello Miss.. I mean Hermione." Said Emily. "I have a message for you from McGonagall."
"Professor McGonagall" Hermione corrected as Emily handed her a small piece of parchment.
"Is Draco here too?" asked Agnes
Hermione prayed this wasn't to do with those blasted rumours, although they usually didn't make it all the way down to the younger years.
"I have a note here for him as well." The young girl said
Hermione wanted to sigh in relief, finally someone who didn't think she was sleeping with the Slytherin.
"No" Hermione told the girl, who frowned "he's down at the Quidditch pitch."
Agnes nodded and ran off down the corridor to complete her task, her little hand clasped firmly around another piece of parchment. Hermione looked at Emily, who's eyes had gone wide and was staring up at her.
"Err" said Hermione, not sure what the young girl wanted. "Thank you, Emily."
"Is it true?" Emily said in a hushed whisper looking somewhat awestruck at Hermione.
Hermione frowned
"Is what true?" she asked
"Is Draco Malfoy your boyfriend?"
Hermione groaned, so much for the 1st years not hearing the rumours. Although Hermione was glad that it was the PG version, rather than the sordid detail filled rumours running rampant around the older years.
"No." She said harshly "It is absolutely not true, Emily."
"Oh" said Emily, and if Hermione wasn't mistaken the young girl actually looked disappointed. "He's very attractive, you know."
Hermione snorted, yes she was aware of how many girls had had crushes on Draco Malfoy over the years despite his obvious twat-ish behaviour.
"I have a boyfriend." Hermione told Emily
"Really?" Emily perked up again, "Who?"
"Ronald Weasley" she said
"Oh. Where is he then?"
Hermione sighed awkwardly
"He's… not here at the moment." Emily looked thoroughly disappointed, "He's training to become an Auror."
"Those are the dark wizard catchers, aren't they?" Emily asked.
"Yes." Hermione replied, it felt like such a long time ago that Hermione too had been asking so many questions about everything and everyone in the wizarding world. It was hard being a Muggleborn and trying to catch up on years of information that other children had just grown up knowing.
"That's cool" said Emily.
Hermione smiled a little, yes she supposed that for anyone who hadn't seen the true horrors of Dark Magic and war then it did seem pretty 'cool'.
Hermione and Emily said goodbye and Hermione wandered back into the common room while opening the note from Professor McGonagall.
Miss Granger
Your detention will be this afternoon at 12pm. Please meet me at the Library.
Professor McGonagall.
Hermione almost smiled. Detention in the library couldn't be so bad, at least there would be no flobberworms there. The library had been one of the things Hermione had missed the most about Hogwarts but she had been back for over a week already and hadn't been able to use it yet. Apparently the library suffered the most structural damage during the Battle of Hogwarts and had taken the longest time to repair. It had been fixed before the start of term but the books had yet to be returned and with Madame Pinch having died during the war, no one was there to manage the library full time. Hermione knew that Professor Flitwick had been working to resort the library but when Hermione had offered to help he waved her off and told her she was much too busy between NEWTs and the Captain duties.
Hermione desperately hoped that the library would be re-opened for the students soon. She needed to research some information for her essays due next week and the small library in the 8th year common room was just far to small. Not to mention she wanted to retreat to the safe corners of the library which she knew so well.
Draco trudged his way up the stairs to the library for his detention with McGonagall. Agnes, the little dark hair Slytherin girl, had found him down on the Quidditch pitch and delivered a letter from McGonagall.
Draco couldn't help but think Anges was a curious little thing. She seemed dubious of the older Slytherin but had still stuck around to ask him about the Quidditch training and when she could learn to fly. At least Draco knew that would have one student attending their first lesson.
Agnes had also asked him if Granger would be helping him teach, to which he had snorted loudly.
"No" he had replied "She most definitely will not."
"Oh" Anges had said "I thought you two would want to spend more time together now."
Draco was still mulling over that statement. He had no idea why the girl thought he would want to be around Granger for any second longer than he had to. When he had snorted a gruff
"No. Why would you think that?"
Agnes had only shrugged and quickly excused herself from the Quidditch pitch. Draco presumed it was just first years being imbeciles as usual. He was certain he hadn't been that annoying when he was a first year. Granger on the other hand, she had been a pain in the ass from the moment she had stepped foot onto Hogwarts property.
Reaching the main staircase, Draco climbed up to the first floor. He supposed he should be grateful that his detention was in the library and not scrubbing bedpans in the hospital wing again. Still he didn't think he deserved to be in detention at all, it was Granger who had jinxed him after all.
When his head had popped out of the pumpkin and he saw Granger laughing at him he had wanted to hex her all the way back to the common room. But he hadn't, instead he had noticed the way he eyes lit up when she laughed. He didn't think he'd heard her laugh like that before, certainly not without Potty-head and the Weasel by her side. Somehow he found himself chuckling as the goose-bag ran by his feet and gobbled one of the pumpkin seeds. It had been a long time since something had made him laugh.
He supposed, at the time, that their little duel had been rather amusing. Neither of them had cast any truly dangerous spells. It was almost refreshing to cast a jinx without actually wanting to hurt someone. He was about to call Granger 'Barmy' when McGonagall had made her appearance.
Now though, with a detention and hair that he had only just gotten back to its natural state Draco was plotting all kinds of ideas to get his revenge on Granger. He had been sorely tempted to do something to her potion in class seeing as it was the only class where they sat remotely close to one another but they had been making potions in pairs and Blaise had kept a close eye on his friend.
He sighed. Detention in the library couldn't be too bad, he could lock himself away in the library all afternoon and enjoy the silence of finally having some time to himself. Draco liked the library, there were many nooks to hide away in while he studied and he had missed the quiet solitude it brought.
Draco walked down the corridor where he saw McGonagall, her back turned to him waiting. The professor appeared to be talking to someone and Draco's heart sunk into his stomach as he approached.
Brilliant, he thought.
Hermione Granger was standing in front of the professor looking almost excited for their detention, typical of course. Anything to do with the library would get her excited.
Draco sighed and the two witches turned. McGonagall nodded at him while Granger's face dropped. Like him, she had obviously presumed that they would be doing their detention separately.
McGonagall looked between the two of them and Draco thought he saw a fleetingly satisfied grin cross the teachers mouth.
"Well" McGonagall said "Seeing as you're both here I believe we should begin."
The professor took out her wand and tapped the grand doors to the library which opened with a loud, ominous creak.
The two Captains followed miserably behind her until they came to a large table and a pile of books in the back of the very empty library, where the restriction section had once stood.
"Almost all of the books in the library were damaged during the Battle of Hogwarts" Professor McGonagall said "The wall of the Great Hall that Bellatrix exploded is directly underneath us and unfortunately it caused the roof as well as the supports of the library to collapse. If the books weren't damaged by the collapse many of them were while they were being removed from the rubble."
McGonagall pointed to the huge stack of books behind her. It was almost as high as the roof and Draco couldn't see where it ended.
"You two will repair what books you can and return them to their correct shelves."
Hermione and Draco both looked at the professor. Neither of them had performed such magic before.
"All afternoon?" questioned Draco, hesitantly.
"No." Said McGonagall, that smug smile flashing across her lips again "Until you have finished the pile."
Granger squeaked, staring at the pile behind McGonagall. It would take days, probably weeks, of work to finish all those books.
"You will be able to work on the pile on the weekend. Get as much as you can done today and tomorrow, we will be opening the library to the students on Monday but this area will remain closed off to everyone except you two."
Draco looked around the rest of the library. There were a few books scattered around the shelves here and there but nothing compared to what it had been like before the war.
"Anything that is past repair, make a list so that we can purchase new copies." McGonagall smiled kindly at Granger "And do feel free to add any other books you think we should have available also."
Of course Granger would have a list of books that even the library of Hogwarts didn't keep. Bloody know-it-all, thought Draco.
"There are a list of appropriate spells on the desk. Good luck."
With that McGonagall swept out of the library leaving Draco staring dumbly in her wake.
A sigh beside him disturbed him and he glared at Granger. This was her bloody fault, Draco would bet his broom that McGonagall had been waiting for someone to mess up enough so she could stick them with this chore.
Granger walk to the table and snatched the piece of paper off the table. Draco notice a pile of brand new books, obviously those editions that the school had recently ordered, as well as a parchment detailing the magical filing system that Madam Pince had used. Grabbing it and floating the pile of new books behind him Draco set off to put away the volumes and spend as little time near Granger as possible. If one of them put books away while the other repaired them they could spend as little time as possible near each other.
Granger didn't ask Draco where he was going so he presumed she understood and wasn't about to argue the arrangement.
It was a rare occasion when Hermione found herself angry at her favourite professor but honestly what had she been thinking? Sticking Malfoy and herself in a room, alone, every weekend for what would probably be months. Hermione sighed and grabbed the first book off the pile and placed it next to the list of spells Flitwick had made.
The book's cover was dented and falling off, and many of the pages torn from the binding or simply torn in half. The book looked old and Hermione wondered if it would even be possible to order a new copy. Realising that many of these books were precious, not that all books weren't, but these held secrets from history that may be lost forever Hermione frowned and determinedly picked up Flitwick's list again. She wouldn't let the information these books held be lost.
The first on the list was simple- Reparo. It was a spell Hermione learnt in first year. She pointed her wand at the book but then paused seeing a note scribbled in the corner.
Reparo- for simple repairs, can interact with literary magic see 10 and beyond.
Hermione sighed and sat down. This was going to be more complicated than she thought. Sitting and reading through the numerous spells and charms on the list, Hermione found herself playing a connect the numbers with the book before her.
Reparo biblus- specific for repair the pages of book only.
That seemed more likely Hermione thought, but glancing at the book it was more than just the pages that needed repairing.
Epoximise biblus- variation on the binding spell, binds pages to cover.
Hermione made another mental note: fix the pages, bind them to the cover. List continued onwards, there was a spell to replace a cover- with specifics on cover material, another to engrave a title onto a cover. Hermione read down until the break between point 9 and 10 where Flitwick had scribbled
Dark magic and books infused with magic can be difficult to repair and interacting spells may not be successful or become dangerous. Perform both testing charms below and follow charting.
Below follow a simple colour key
Green- no magic residue
Yellow- Book created with some magic binding. May take greater effort to repair
Orange- Book created with semi-powerful magical binding. Repairs will take greater effort and must be performed with caution.
Red- Book created with powerful magical binding. Do not attempt. Specialisation needed to repair book.
Black- Book has been tainted with dark magic. Do not attempt. Specialisation needed to repair.
Hermione continued to read practicing the accompanying notes on wand waving while she read the two spells below.
Literas incantatum revelio- revealing spell for literary magic
Incantatum venenatu revelio- revealing spell for dark or dangerous protective magic
Even though they were at the bottom of the list, Hermione realised they would be the ones that she would need to start with. The first, while interesting, was highly specific to literary magic and Hermione doubted she would ever have any practical use for it. The second on the other hand was highly useful and she wondered if it was the same as the revealing spell she had seen the teachers and Auror's cast silently in the past. It seemed like something they should have been taught in Defence Against the Dark Arts but with their spotty education in that department, Hermione wouldn't be surprised if it was missed.
Hermione hovered the list of spells Flitwick had written in front of her so she could easily see them as she worked. Pulling the destroyed book in front of her again she flicked her wand down and to the left as instructed on Flitwick's sheet.
"Literas incantatum revelio"
A green glow shone from the pages of the book as she spoke. Hermione smiled, victorious only over this one spell but at least it was a start. She glanced at the instructions for the second spell, it involved a more complicated wand motion but reading what Flitwick had written she was sure she could get it.
"Incantatum venenatu revelio" she said, twirling her wand and aiming it at the book.
Hermione paused and waited, but nothing happened. Huffing to herself Hermione tried again
"Incantatum venenatu revelio" she said again, trying a slightly different twirl.
Nothing.
Bugger, she thought after she had tried it at least four different ways. It wasn't everyday that Hermione Granger was stumped by a spell. Hermione tapped her wand on the table, causing blue sparks to shoot out of the tip and and making her jump.
"No offence, Granger, but that it not how you repair a book." Sneered Malfoy, appearing from behind a bookshelf. He must have finished placing all the new books back on the selves. Bugger, she thought again, she was hoping to have another pile of repaired books ready before he got back. If Malfoy spent all his time walking the shelves, then she wouldn't need to speak to him at all.
With a sigh and a glare in his direction she sneered back
"Obviously."
Malfoy lent against the table and waved to the book.
"Go on then" he said, watching her.
Hermione wanted to tell him to sod off but it wasn't like he had any repaired books to replace back on the shelves. Pulling herself up straight and pointing her wand determinedly at the book she twirled her wand clockwise and said
"Incantatum venenatu revelio"
Staring at the book expectantly, Draco raised an eyebrow at Hermione.
"You're saying it wrong." He said smugly.
"I am not!" said Hermione, she knew Latin and she was pronouncing it exactly as it should be.
"You are." Said Malfoy, looking even smugger. "It's a non-verbal spell."
Hermione opened her mouth to tell him he was wrong when she paused, she had never seen any of the professors cast such as spell outloud. Maybe he was right. Snatching the list of the table again she scanned Flitwick's instructions, nothing on there said that it was a non-verbal spell. Slapping the parchment back down onto the table Hermione supposed that there would be no harm in trying the spell non-verbally. It wasn't as if her past verbal attempts had been successful.
Hermione raised her wand again, pointing it at the book and was about to attempt the spell again when Malfoy interrupted.
"Your wand movements are terrible too"
Hermione spluttered and put her hands on her hips, glaring at Malfoy. No one had ever accused her of poor wandmanship before.
"What the hell would you know about it Malfoy?"
Draco snorted at her,
"I live in the Manor, you don't think it was helpful to know what ancient relics would try and kill me if I touched them."
Hermione grimaced at the idea, Pureblood families were so perverse and she didn't want to know what kind of horrible trinkets and murderous devices were locked up in the Malfoy Manor.
"You need to make the circle tighter, you're moving your arm too much." said Malfoy, shrugging at her glare. "But if you don't want to listen to me you don't have to."
Malfoy pulled out his own wand and summoned a book from the pile to him, with a neat twirl of his wand the book shone green and Hermione resisted the urge to call him a show off. Merlin knows how many times Ron or Harry had called her the same thing simply because they couldn't master a spell she had easily. Sighing Hermione tried again, attempting to mimic the movements that Malfoy had made and casting the spell silently.
Nothing. Again.
Frustrated Hermione wanted to hurl the book across the table at Malfoy's smug face, but she could never perform such atrocities on a book. Furiously glaring at the book before her Hermione wondered if perhaps it did have some kind of Dark magic and it was blocking her ability to perform the charm.
Malfoy, stand across the table, scoffed at her again. Turning her angry gaze to him she snapped
"Fine then." and shoved the stubborn book across the table at him "You do it."
Malfoy rolled his eyes at her and flicked his wand, almost lazily. The book shone green and Hermione wanted to hit something.
"So much for the brightest witch of her age." Malfoy teased.
Hermione considered whether it was worth encasing his smug head into a pumpkin again but the last thing she needed was McGonagall assigning her more detentions. An amused light danced in Malfoy's eyes until he looked at the monstrous stack of books still waiting for them. With a sigh he moved around the table towards Hermione, who jumped backwards as he moved to her side.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
Malfoy just rolled his eyes
"Look I don't want to be stuck here all year and I'm not doing all this work alone."
Before she could stop him Malfoy reached out and grabbed the wrist of her wand arm.
"This is how my mother taught me, alright." he said, his voice almost cracking as he mentioned his mother, his mood souring as he spoke.
Hermione hated that he was touching her and his chest pressed so close to her side but she didn't have much choice. He was right, if she couldn't master this spell how on earth were they ever going to get through the stack of books McGonagall had left them.
Malfoy's long finger pressed against the outside of her hand while keeping her arm still making a small, clockwise circle with her wand before flipping her hand palm up with her wand pointing at the book. Hermione silently cast the spell and hoped that it would finally work.
Hermione felt the tingling of magic run through her but this time it was joined by another magic from the hand clasped around her own, as if Malfoy's magic was somehow coursing through her hand setting her nerves alight and a shudder ran up her back before it it past through to her wand. Hermione's wand seemed to hum happily with the joint magic, as if recognising both casters.
Hermione gasped and almost dropped her wand, while Malfoy dropped her wrist and looked at his hand shocked. Hermione didn't have time to appreciate the glow green book next to them, her hand still seeming to tingle slightly.
"What the hell was that?" Malfoy said, giving her an accusing look.
"I don't know" she replied "It was your idea."
Malfoy grumbled to himself and rubbed his hand.
Hermione had felt other people's magic before, but only through spells cast at her. It was like an underlying resonating energy that propelled and guided the spell. She still remembered the dark energy she had felt from Bellatrix's wand, as if it was fuelled by feelings of anger and the manic power Bellatrix used to wield it. With a shudder, Hermione remembered what it had been like to be on the receiving end of that energy, Bellatrix's curses were cruel but nature but they seemed to be more powerful than other witches and wizards. Hermione wondered if it was because of Bellatrix's wild, raw emotions fuelled them. Honestly, she'd rather not think about it, not with the witch still being on the loose.
But this magic, the one that still vibrated in Hermione's veins, seemed different. It hadn't been directed at her with malice or anger. It had course through her like she was only a conduit, with her wand happily acknowledging and accepting the foreign magic as if knew Malfoy. Remembering the war, Hermione's brain hypothesised wildly while she stared at her wand.
"You've used my wand before." said Hermione, looking up at Malfoy. It was a statement not a question but Malfoy still raised his eyebrows
"Yes." he said, in an awkward whisper.
Hermione may not have lived in the wizarding world for a her whole life but she knew why Malfoy didn't want to admit to using her wand. It was considered, especially in Pureblood families, to be either a very intimate act or a heinous affront. If a wand was willingly shared, it was usually between lovers and an intimate sign of trust. If taken and used unwillingly with success it was considered to be a sign of a weak witch or wizard, as if the bending of the wands magic could be the bending of the will of the witch of wizard themself. Hermione understood the feeling too, she had allowed Harry to use her wand when his had been broken but it never worked well for him and it had always raised the hairs on the back of her neck and set her teeth on edge watching him try. It was if the wand itself was not accepting another user and their magic, and accusing her of betraying it.
She looked down at her wand which had so readily accepted Malfoy's own magic. Now who was betraying who she thought sullenly.
"Let's just forget that ever happened." said Malfoy giving her an odd look and moving back around the table.
Hermione couldn't help but agree with the idea. She didn't really want to read too far into it, ok who was she kidding she was going to read as much as possible about it but she wasn't about to stand there and have a philosophical debate with Draco Malfoy.
She turned back to the book and glanced at the list again making a mental note of which order to cast the spells in to repair the book. Hermione tried to concentrate on the book in front of her but it only took 2 minutes for curiosity to get the better of her.
"Why?" she said, looking over the table at him "Why did you use my wand?"
Malfoy sighed dramatically.
He had almost convinced himself that she was going to let it go. Obviously that was asking too much of the know-it-all Gryffindor.
"Because, I needed a wand after Potter took mine" he said, "You left it behind after…" he paused, not wanting to reminder her of when exactly she had lost her wand "you left it behind at the manor."
He tried not to look but out of the corner of his eye he saw Hermione shudder. He didn't want to remind her of that day, he didn't want to remember it himself.
Draco had been hiding in his room when he heard the snatchers arrive. It was safer up there, out of the way of the Dark Lord and his Aunt. But it hadn't hidden him that day when Bellatrix had hauled him into the room and his stomach had lurched at the sight of the Golden Trio standing, albeit somewhat disfigured, in the drawing room of the manor. He didn't want to remember what came after, when Bellatrix had taken Granger and….
Draco shuddered. No, he didn't want to remember. Not now, not ever.
"But why my wand." she asked, "Why use the wand of a Muggleborn you hate?"
"I don't hate you." Draco said, shocking himself.
Didn't he? He had when they were younger, he hated that she bet him in every class and that she had such a knack for magic. A magic, he had thought, she hadn't deserved. He was a Pureblood, his magic had passed through generations of his family, all telling him that he was better, that he was more powerful than any filthy Muggleborn. But there she was, surpassing everyone else in the class. She was an anomaly and defied everything he'd ever been told about blood purity and his superiority.
"Oh" was all Hermione could say in response.
"The wand" he said, pointing at the vine wood in her hand, "I found it when I dragged the snatchers outside. I don't know why but it seemed wrong that they had it, so I hid it in my robes."
Draco sighed, he wasn't sure why he had taken it but he had recognised it as it tumbled out of the snatchers robes. He knew that Fenrir liked to collect the wands of those he had attacked and it seem sick to let him take hers. He remembered seeing it and picking up the vinewood delicately as if it might sting him. He had ran his hand up the length of it, feeling the knocks and groves it had acquired from Granger;s use. He should have dropped it, or given it to his Aunt, but instead he found himself tucking it safely inside his robes.
"After Potter took my wand" Draco continued as Granger stared at him from over the table "Mother gave me her wand, but it never connected with me. But yours did. I couldn't use it in front of Bellatrix, I was sure she would recognise it but I kept it with me, using it when no one was around."
Draco shrugged and grabbed another book off the pile. He didn't know why the wand had accepted him so easily, it wasn't as if he had won it in a duel. To be honest he wasn't even sure why they were talking about it, he had given her the wand back during the Battle of Hogwarts. It didn't matter anymore.
Draco continued to work on the books and ignored Granger's curious looks at him. At least, he thought, she didn't ask him any more questions.
The rest of the afternoon past in silence, expect for the casting of spells. Draco worked across from Hermione as they created a new pile of repaired books. She had thought the day would be excruciating, that Malfoy would surely bring up the pumpkin-head incident and try to get his revenge; or he would accuse her of spreading the rumours about them as if it was her attempt at revenge. It appeared, however, that their conversation about her wand had shocked both the Slytherin and herself into an awkward silence. She tried to glance at him a few times without him noticing but every time he would tense as if he instantly knew her eyes were on him.
Hermione wanted to ask him more questions. About the wands and about the rumours, but she felt like she had reached her quota of patience with Malfoy. She tried to ask him if he could control Pansy and her nasty ability to spread rumours but as soon as she opened her mouth Malfoy grabbed a pile of repaired books off the table and walked away sending the books flying magically onto the shelves as he found the correct spots.
Hermione sighed lightly, she doubted that Malfoy would be able to have any impact on Pansy, if he even knew about the rumours of their apparent illicit affair. Hermione decided to hold her tongue, maybe Malfoy thought it was funny. The last thing she wanted right now was him laughing at her about it.
After what seemed like years of repairing books Hermione finally glanced down at her watch. It was 5.30 and although they had only been there for a few hours it seemed far longer, but with dinner upon them Hermione supposed they could finish. Professor McGonagall had only said they needed to spend the day working in the library, nothing about missing dinner or working at night after all.
Hermione wandered through the stacks of the libraries looking for Malfoy. She finally found him standing over the desk that had once been ruled by the vulture-like woman, Madam Pince. Malfoy appeared to be reading a book and Hermione's face set in an annoyed frown. She had been slaving over the tattered remains of books, bring them back to life and here he was reading.
"What are you doing?" she snipped harshly as she approached the table.
Malfoy must have heard her coming as he didn't look up and flipped a page of the book.
"There has to be a better way" he said.
Hermione's annoyed frown turned to one of confusion. She tried to lean over the table and see what he was reading, it was an old dusty looking book filled with tiny yet neat cursive writing. Malfoy flipped the page again, ignoring her. Frustrated Hermione slid around to the other side of the table.
"It's about filing systems?" she said, confused.
"Yes" said Malfoy, scanning the page and flipping to the next.
"But this is all about maintaining a system, not building a new one."
Hermione's eyes widened and looked a Malfoy. He was furiously scanning the book. Hermione noticed that when he was concentrating his eyebrows furrowed and one side of his lips curled, making it look like he was smirking at the book.
"You want to build a magic filing system for the library?" she said, incredulous.
"Yes" said Malfoy.
Hermione had to admit, it was a stroke of genius. If the library had a magic system for returning books then they wouldn't need to walk the shelves placing the books back but they could send them flying, and the magic filing system would do the rest for them.
Hermione found herself leaning over the book too, trying to find any information she could in the tiny subscript. Leaning closer she brushed shoulders with Malfoy but was too engrossed by the book before them to bother moving away again.
As she stood there chewing her bottom lip slightly she breathed in the cool air around them, it no longer smelled musty and thick with the scent of books like she remembered the library had always smelled. She had always thought of it as the smell of knowledge, thousands of years of writing, stories and information was stored in those must books and Hermione longed to read them all. Instead Hermione smelt something earthier, like sandalwood but with the faint, fresh hint of peppermint over the top. She had to admit she liked it, it was soothing yet pulled at something deeper inside of her as if it was begging her to lean over and submerge herself in it. Hermione found herself leaning over and subconsciously breathing deeper through her nose, trying to find the smell.
"Did you just sniff me Granger?" Malfoy asked, as Hermione breathed in and sighed lightly at the intoxicating smell.
"What?" Hermione yipped, pulling back. Crap, she thought, she had. She had been sniffing Malfoy, she was the scent her body told her to crave. "No!"
Malfoy had turned away from the book now, giving her a clinical assessment with his eyes.
Hermione tried not to blush under his gaze, the last thing she needed right now was to be caught sniffing Draco Malfoy. Regardless of how good he smelt.
"Why did you come over here Granger?" Malfoy asked as if just realising she had left the mound of books in the corner to search for him.
"Uhhh" Hermione's mind felt blank. Part of her brain wanted to find that smell again, to drink it in as if those few seconds had already created an addict out of her. The more rational side of course told it to shut up and think.
"It's dinner time." she said "I think we can finish now."
Malfoy seemed to perk up at her explanation, though she doubted it was because of her and more because he could finally see freedom.
"Do you really intend to create a new magical filing system?" she asked Malfoy, attempting to distract him from her accidental discovery that the Slytherin smelt incredible.
It would no doubt help them but Hermione also wondered if it wasn't adding even more work to their current load.
"Yes." said Malfoy.
He picked up the book on the desk and placed it carefully in the desk draw. Hermione presumed that meant she would get no further explanation so she was surprised when Malfoy began speaking rather enthusiastically about the laws of Gron and the limitations of the old system. Hermione stared at him as Malfoy walked towards the library doors, stopping as he reached them and turning back to her.
"Are you coming Granger?" he said, raising an eyebrow and pushing the door open.
"Yes, of course" she said, rushing to catch up with him.
As they passed through the door Malfoy was already back to talking about the Laws of Gron again, and the intellectual mind of Hermione leapt at the chance to discuss the limitation and regulation of large magical systems.
"What about Colag's theory of maintained structural power sources?" she said, interrupted Malfoys tirade on unsustainable systems.
"Ah." he said, pausing in the corridor. He rubbed his chin but when he looked up at her his eyes seemed to flash brightly and he said
"But you're forgetting the standard laws of magics." he said, "Law 47 states that a witch or wizard cannot, without aid, perform..."
They continued the conversation through the halls of the castle, pausing occasionally when one statement stumped the other. Usually it was followed by an
"Uh huh!" of triumph when one argument could be defeated or an
"Ah but what if…." when they found a loophole to exploit.
Hermione was enthralled in the conversation, but between the vigorous magical debate she found herself admiring Malfoy's knowledge and understanding of the magical world. It was also probably the first time they had carried a conversation for an extended period of time without the argument descending into petty name calling and eye rolls. Or turning someone's head into a pumpkin, Hermione thought with grimace, the Slytherin seemed to have forgotten the matter for now but she knew better than to think he would let it go forever.
Hermione barely noticed, as they walked side by side, they had travelled almost to the Great Hall where dinner was served.
"Wait!" she said, as Malfoy was about to push the door to the Great hall open.
He raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to explain her outburst. Hermione shuffled uncomfortably.
'If we walk in there together" she said "It will make people talk. Or talk more, at least."
Malfoy looked at her confused and Hermione suddenly wondered if he didn't know what she was talking about.
"What?" was all he said.
Hermione shifted uncomfortably on her feet, if he didn't know about the rumours she was the last person who wanted to tell him. What if he thought that Hermione did have feelings about him, the thought was horrifying.
"You know." she said, hoping he did. "About what Pansy was saying."
Draco fully turned back to her, letting the door fall closed with a thump and folding his arms across his chest.
"No." he said, looking irate and Hermione could see the potential fury bubbling in his stiff stance. "What, exactly, has Pansy been saying?"
Brilliant, thought Hermione, not only were the rumours making her look like a traitor and a fool to the rest of the school, despite her friends best efforts to cull the rumours, now she was going to have to make a fool of herself in front of Malfoy.
Hermione let out a great sigh. Hermione quietly mumbled it under her breath, not wanting to dignify it out loud.
Malfoy frowned
"You'll have to use your words, Granger."
"She said…" Hermione huffed, she couldn't get the words out. Hermione glared at him, this was mostly his fault anyway, and tried to finish the sentence.
"That we slept together on the train." The words came out of her mouth louder than intended, and Hermione blushed scarlet.
Well, Pansy had actually only insinuated that Hermione had tried to sleep with Malfoy on the train but the rumours had run wild and 'train sex' was the latest, most popular version.
Hermione heard a twitter of laughter behind her and swung her head to see two third year Hufflepuff girls, their heads together as they giggled and whispered. They had obviously overheard the last of Hermione's statement and as they slipped past them and into the Great Hall where no doubt what they had heard would spread like twisted wildfire, Hermione almost wished she could have just obliviated them then and there. Twitiling brats.
Turning back Hermione looked at Malfoy's face, the Slytherin still hadn't said anything but his grey eyes were molten with rage and Hermione took a step back.
"Malfoy…" she said, warningly.
But he didn't explode at her like she thought possible. He turned on his heal and stormed furiously into the Great Hall. Hermione paused awkwardly in the corridor, unsure if she should follow him or wait so people wouldn't think they were entering together. Oh hell, she thought, it's not as if it could get any worse.
Entering the Great Hall Hermione tried to slink quietly to the table where her friends where but she was distracted by two things. First was the numerous people, including the Hufflepuff girls, giggling and whispering to each other as they stared at her awkwardly. Hermione was able to tune them out but her eyes remained glued on the second distraction, Malfoy's form as he stormed over to where Pansy Parkinson was sitting and heaved her to her feet ungracefully, his hand yanking her under the arm. The scrapping sound of her stool caused the school to go quiet and stare intrigued at the spectacle.
At first, Pansy looked terribly confused but as Malfoy hissed not so subtly in her ear as he pulled her with him back towards the door the Slytherin girl shot a nasty look towards Hermione. Hermione was stood, rooted in her spot, in the middle of the Great Hall. The interaction did not go unnoticed by the rest of the school dining in the Great Hall, who had remained silent as Malfoy escorted Pansy to the door nor did they miss the look Pansy had given Hermione.
As the door to the Hall swung closed and the Slytherins were officially gone, the hall burst into whispers once more.
It was like Hermione wasn't even there. No one had apparently dared to tell Malfoy about the rumours or whisper them in his presence but Hermione was a different matter. Slowly, trying not to catch any of the curious eyes around her Hermione made her way to the table with Ginny and Harry.
"Blimey, Hermione." Interrupted Parvati, leaning backwards from where the sat at the table opposite with a number of curious Hufflepuffs. "What was all that about?"
Hermione wanted to smack the nosey git, Parvati surely knew that none of the rumours were true but still the curiosity of a teenage girl won out with her.
Hermione simply shrugged her shoulders.
"I don't know." Hermione said, refusing to add any fuel to the fire.
Hermione sat down next to Neville and Ginny, across from her, gave her a very pointed look.
"Later." Whispered Hermione, to Harry and Ginny, who both looked terribly concerned.
Draco was furious. He was furious at Pansy for starting the rumour. He was furious at Blaise and Theo for not telling him about it. He was furious at the school for believing it. He was furious at Granger for… he wasn't sure but he was furious at Granger too.
Draco finally stopped pulling Pansy by the arm when they reached an empty classroom. Pushing her inside he hissed
"What in Merlin where you thinking Pansy?"
Pansy rubbed her arm where he had dragged her and huffed
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Draco growled at her.
"Bullshit." he said, "You know exactly what I'm talking about."
Pansy tried to look away from his accusing grey eyes and folded her arms across her chest.
"Why in Merlin would you start a rumour that I was sleeping with the damn Gryffindor Princess." he snapped at her.
He was furious and he wouldn't be ignored.
Pansy's arms uncrossed and she turned back to face him, a haughty sneer across her face.
"Is that what she said?" Pansy said, furiously "I didn't fucking say that!"
Draco lent against a desk and raised an eyebrow waiting for Pansy to explain. He had believed Granger straight away, but then, the Gryffindors where notoriously simple idiots some times. Usually Draco didn't count Granger in that lot but perhaps she was as gullible and naive as the rest of them. Then of course, Pansy was an excellent Slytherin and a notorious gossip. Draco would have to wait until Pansy had her say before Draco could fill in the blanks the two stories would no doubt leave.
Pansy seemed to have realised she had talked herself into a corner and some of the anger died as she huffed
"I just said that she had tried to seduce you on the train."
Draco stood up straight, looking angry again.
"It was just a joke, Draco." said Pansy, whining. "It's not my fault the stupid Gryffindor thought I was being serious."
"Oh cut the crap, Pansy." growled Draco, "You knew exactly what you were doing. You may not have said it but you started the damn rumour."
Pansy paled, realising there was no way to worm herself out of this one. Draco wondered if she forgot who she was talking to, she had always been excellent at starting rumours and gossip without the source being linked back to her but she had been horribly sloppy this time.
"Why would you do this Pansy?" Draco couldn't stop his voice from raising as he yelled at Pansy. "What the hell were you trying to achieve?"
The blood seemed to drain slowly out of Pansy's face, and her eyes progressively got wetter the louder Draco's voice went in anger.
"WHO DID YOU WANT TO HURT MORE, PANSY? ME OR GRANGER? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE? DO YOU SERIOUSLY THINK I NEED THE GODDAMN GRYFFINDORS BREATHING DOWN MY NECK THINKING I WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEIR GRYFFINDOR PRINCESS. DAMN IT PANSY."
All Draco had wanted from this year was to be left alone. He didn't need the Gryffindors thinking that he was behind this trying to tarnish the reputation of their precious Granger. And he didn't doubt they would blame him, they always found a way to blame him in the past.
It was bad enough that when he walked the halls he had to hear whispers of 'Death Eater' and 'Traitor'. Some feared him and thought he should be locked up in Azkaban while others simply wanted to hex him right there in the corridor. Draco was lucky that he had a knack for shield charms and he had taken to having his wand tucked into his sleeve even when he walked the halls just in case someone should try and cast something at him from behind.
When he was with Blaise and Theo it wasn't so bad. Blaise had such a charm about him that he had managed to talk his way into the good graces of many students. He could flit the halls chatting to Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws easily as they swooned over his Italian compliments or clapped him on the back for smuggled fire whiskey. Theo on the other hand spoke very little, but his quiet disposition and the distance he had put between himself and his father before the war helped people convince themselves that Theo wasn't a threat. Draco, of course, was a different matter. He was a Malfoy and he had never walked the halls of Hogwarts before without being noticed. He had been loved and feared before the war, whether it was those that flocked to the power of his family name and the money in his vaults or despised him for his unrelenting pride. Now, the school refused to forget it, targeting him as the face of the Death Eaters they so wished their revenge on.
Draco wasn't sure if his reputation would ever be anything but a Death Eater, a Death Eaters son and a chosen pupil of the Dark Lord. To be honest Draco wasn't sure he cared enough to try to fix it. He had enough money in his vaults to keep him happy for years to come, he didn't need to work and it was not like he had any interest in re-joining the Pureblood society, or what remained of it. He avoided any and all social gatherings and had considered moving away after his probation ended. Somewhere warm, maybe he would buy an island where there was no one to bother him and he would drink himself into a stupor until the end of days. But until then, he was stuck at Hogwarts, with stinging hexes cast at his back and now, where it appeared even one of his friends was trying to screw him over.
Draco was still yelling at Pansy when he realised she was holding herself tightly with her arms and silent tears ran steadily down her face.
"Please, stop yelling." she whisper quietly. "Please, Draco."
Draco stopped instantly. He had been so caught up in his anger he hadn't noticed the girl starting to weep. She arms were wrapped around her middle tightly, as if trying to crush her chest to contain the sobbing. Small hiccuping sobs escaped her lips and she shook.
"Pansy…" he said quietly.
He didn't think she was reacting to him being angry about the rumours, they'd had arguments similar to this before in the past and it usually ended with Draco yelling and Pansy storming off in a huff. This was the second time Draco had seen Pansy crying within a week, and while not unusual for some girls, seeing Pansy so vulnerable and upset was highly unusual. Her intense reaction seemed to have completely overwhelmed her and when she looked up he saw that she had genuine fear in her eyes.
"Merlin, Pansy." he said in a hushed tone and took a step towards her.
Pansy flinched and moved backwards, away from him. He had scared her and he didn't know why. Surely she understood why he was angry. Starting these rumours would cause a major headache for him and she had acted like a spoilt brat without thinking of the consequences.
"Please don't yell" she whispered again, despite the fact he had stopped. "You sound like them when you yell."
She sobbed again and tears spilt over her face.
"Sound like who, Pansy?" he asked. "Who did this?"
Draco's questions caused the girl to sob, her ragged breathing wracking her body and she looked like she was about to collapse. Draco stepped forwards, and she flinched again as if expecting him to strike her. He didn't stop this time, instead gently placing his hand on her arms, holding her up through her distraught sobs.
"It's me, Pansy. Look at me."
After what seemed like minutes of her sobbing and panicked breathes, Pansy looked up and met his eyes. Her breathing quieten some, but more tears rolled down her face and she sniffed loudly.
"You sound like one of them when you yell." she said again, quietly with the distinct hint of terror in her voice.
"One of who?"
"One of them" she whispered again.
He wondered if she was in a state of shock or something, she seemed unable to explain anything properly. Pansy looked up at Draco and he could see her eyes, still filled with tears, roaming across his face. A half-panicked sob broke her sentence but Draco still heard her whisper
"...so much like your father."
Draco looked at her stunned, he dropped his hands from her arms.
"You think I'm like my father." he said, dismayed at her observation "You're talking about the Death Eaters."
Pansy only sobbed slightly and weakly nodded her head.
"You think I'm like them?" Draco asked.
He thought Pansy had known him better but maybe he was kidding himself.
Pansy sobbed as her mouth opened and closed, unable to get any more words out. Draco was horrified that his yelling had scared her so badly she now could barely look up at him, and he hated the fact his presence was upsetting her so.
He didn't know how to comfort her, how to console her when obviously she was so repulsed by him.
Draco backed away from the girl a few steps, hoping distancing himself would allow her to calm herself. Instead she sobbed harder and collapsed on the ground. Draco feared his presence was causing her greater pain and softly he whispered
"I'm sorry, Pansy. I never meant to hurt you."
Draco slipped out the door. He didn't know what to do. Obviously he couldn't console her, not when she was so scared of him. He needed to get Blaise, he would know what to do.
Without waiting Draco rushed down the passage towards their dormitories, praying that Blaise was there.
"You're kidding?" Harry said and scoffed. "As if the slimy git didn't know."
Hermione shrugged, they were talking about Malfoy, Pansy and the rumours as she, Ginny and Harry walked back to the eighth year dormitories. Although Ginny had her own room in the Gryffindor tower, she spent most evenings in the common room with Harry and Hermione seeing as there were no rules against students of other houses joining them.
"Oh blast." said Harry, patting his pockets urgently. He appeared to be looking for something, and whatever it was he had come up empty.
"No!" Harry groaned, "I've left the final copy of the Quidditch timetable in the Great Hall"
Before either of the girls could stop him, Harry was running down the corridor back the way they came.
"Harry!" Ginny called after him but the dark haired boy was gone.
Ginny sighed and looked at Hermione.
"I love him, but honestly he can be such an idiot." Ginny said, rummaging in her pocket and pulling out a roll of parchment.
"I've got them." she said, waving them down the now empty corridor. "Sorry, Hermione. I've got to go tell him before he rips the castle down looking for them."
Hermione waved her friend away with a laugh and told her she would meet them in the common room later. Hermione watched the redhead jog down the hall after her boyfriend.
She didn't know why but she enjoyed watching the pair, the relaxed nature they had when they were together. The playful yet loving banter they had and the simplicity that seemed to come from them being together. It was something she painfully had to admit she had never had with Ron. If it was easy when they were together then it was because they had been friends for so long, they struggled sometimes to fit in the relationship aspect. Sometimes it felt like they were going through the motions, trying to copy what came so easily to Harry and Ginny, what they both thought a relationship should be like. Wanting to sit next to each other, holding hands or touching feet under the tables, stealing kisses on the stairs when no one was watching; this is what they should have wanted wasn't it? Harry and Ginny seemed as if they could never get enough of each other but Ron and her… Hermione sighed, she knew that not all relationships were loving and touchy-feely like that but deep down she did want that. She want to be pushed against a wall and snogged, hard. She wanted to burn with desire for someone and ache when they weren't touching. Yet with Ron, it always seemed forced. Like she was playing a role, she had read the script and she knew the lines but the motions were never quite right.
Hermione was still thinking about Ron when she walked past the Arithmancy classroom. She could hear a faint sound of crying, and although it wasn't the first time someone had cried in the Arithmancy classroom it was far too late for any forlorn student and the sound that seeped out of the class and pulled at her heart was pitiful and completely distraught. She knew that crying and those heaving breaths, she had experienced them before, waking up in the middle of the night with horrific memories still swirling in her brain. Those cries were filled with a terror they could never quite escape and a panic that they would never be free of the nightmares.
Hermione laid her hands on the door and realised whomever was behind those doors might not want to be found but she knew she couldn't just leave them there. She pushed open the door gently and slipped inside.
Hermione honestly didn't know what to do when she got inside and saw Pansy Parkinson huddled on the Arithmancy room floor weeping.
"Pansy." Hermione called softly, trying not to startle the Slytherin.
Pansy flinched regardless and although she looked up and spotted Hermione the girl's sobbing didn't stop. Anger flashed across her face mixing with the pain and fear Hermione already recognised there. Pansy was clinging to her arms and rocking softly. Merlin she thought, she had to stop finding Slytherin's having panic attacks, not that she could blame them for having them. They had all, Slytherins included, been through a lot of horrific things over the past year.
Through broken sobs Pansy barked
"Sod off, Granger."
Hermione knew the girl would feel humiliated by being seen like this, but Hermione had already heard her whimpering in her sleep and was no fool when it came to these things. She couldn't just leave Pansy like this, regardless of how much of a pain in the ass the Slytherin could be.
"No." Hermione replied firmly but gently.
Pansy looked confused but there was little she could do to stop Hermione as she crossed the floor and knelt down next to the girl. Hermione gently touched pansy's arm but the girl flinched and muttered
"Fuck you, Granger." between sobs.
Hermione didn't want to touch the girl if it made her so visibly uncomfortable, she didn't know if it would trigger more dark memories and she didn't think that Pansy would find being touched by a Mudblood particularly comforting.
Looking around the room Hermione paused. Malfoy had been the last person to see Pansy. Hermione's mind flickered to a dark place and she desperately hoped he hadn't done anything to the panicking girl in front of her.
"Pansy" she asked "Where is Draco?"
Wracking sobs burst through Pansy again.
"Did he hurt you Pansy?" Hermione asked, "If he's done something, if you're hurt I need you to tell me so I can heal you."
and possibly rip Malfoy's head off his shoulders, Hermione thought privately.
Hermione didn't think the Slytherin was capable of hurting his friends but she had seen his anger as he had hauled Pansy out of the Great Hall and he had been involved with the Death Eaters. She knew she shouldn't underestimate him, regardless of how little she wanted it to be true.
Pansy was breathing hard and still sobbing but she shook her head and Hermione's questions
"No." she wheezed out. "No, he didn't…"
She didn't seem capable of finishing but Hermione still let out a sigh of relief. Pansy's breaths were sharp and quickly, she needed to calm down but Hermione didn't think the girl was capable of doing it on her own at the moment.
"Ok." Hermione said, now that Pansy seemed to have stopped tell her to sod off and was listening to her. "I need you to breath with me ok, Pansy?"
Pansy looked into her eyes and tried to nod. She seemed horrified and confused at the idea of taking Hermione's help but she followed Hermione as the girl started speaking.
"In….. Out….. In….. Out. Good Pansy, long deep breaths ok? In….." Hermione breathed with her, inhaling deeply and holding the breath for a few seconds before exhaling. Pansy's breathes were still punctuated with tears and wavered unsteadily but she wasn't hyperventilating anymore and Hermione no longer worried the girl would cause herself to pass out.
Hermione lent over careful and slowly so that Pansy could see what she was doing and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. Pansy no longer flinched away from her and her breathing continued to steady even as she cried. Shuffling around closer to the Slytherin, Hermione looped her arm around Pansy's shoulders and was shocked when the girl lent into her and sobbed, her head resting on Hermione's chest.
Pansy sobbed long and hard but her breathing wasn't so jagged, Hermione hoped this was more of a cleansing cry than one of a panic. Hermione couldn't help but think this was quite possibly the oddest situation she had ever found herself in. Still, she did what she could to comfort Pansy, gently stroking the girls blonde hair and humming softly the tune of Blackbird.
Pansy didn't notice when the door of the classroom cracked open. Hermione did though but kept humming, hoping it would keep the girl calm.
Hermione met the eyes of a confused Blaise Zabini who cocked his head curiously at her but entered the room regardless of Hermione's warning look.
Blaise silently slipped towards them, pulling two vials of potions out of his pocket and carefully whispering to Hermione.
"Draco sent me."
Hermione's eyes flashed with rage. He did know that Pansy was here and obviously in a state of distress.
"He left her here?" she hissed quietly but Pansy lifted her head slightly
"B..B..Blaise? Is that you?" she said, through quiet sobs and she tried to rub the tears out of her eyes.
"Hey, Pans." said Blaise softly, "I brought you something."
Blaise held out one of the potion vials, but not before giving an uncertain glance to Hermione. She recognised the vial to be calming draught and nodded silently.
Pansy look the vial in shaky hands, and lifted to her lips. Her breath steadied and she let out a relieved sigh as she swallowed. Tears still ran down from her red eyes but she looked like she was more in control that before.
"Come on, Pans." Blaise said, standing and offering his hand to Pansy. "Let's get you back to your room."
Pansy took his hand and he lifted her up. Still unsteady on her feet, Hermione slipped her arm around the girl and to her surprise Pansy didn't brush her off but lent on her as they walked out of the room while Blaise held the door for them.
Pansy sniffed and still had a few tears running down her cheek as the unlikely group made their way back to the common room. As they reached the portrait door Blaise handed Hermione the second vial her carried,
"Dreamless sleep" he said, nodding at it.
Hermione thanked him and made a silent note to herself to start carrying some small vials of the two potions Blaise had brought with him, she didn't think this would be the last student who had suffered through the war to have a breakdown this year.
Hermione hesitated before they entered the dormitories. She knew that if she entered with Pansy leaning against her looking like she had just cried enough tears to fill the Great lake people would stare. That wouldn't be helpful for Pansy in her current state and Hermione would hate to think the rumours it would cause, especially after the incident in the Great Hall.
Hermione cast a notice-me-not charm, so that only people specifically looking for them would notice them as they crossed the Common room. She just hoped that no cared enough to look for them with that much concentration.
Blaise went through the portrait door first, nodding to her and Pansy to come through next. They quickly crossed the room, most of the occupants were currently engaged in a game of exploding snap and their eyes rolled over Pansy and Hermione without realising they were even there. They had just made it to the girls corridor when Hermione noticed was two pairs of eyes looking at her curiously. Harry and Ginny had obviously been waiting for her and seen past her charm. Giving them the tiniest head shake they seemed to understand, with the tiniest head nod from Harry, as to not draw attention to her, the couple went back to reading their books.
Hermione got Pansy into their room without problem and breathed a sigh of relief. As Pansy peeled herself away from the Gryffindor she looked at Hermione with a mixture of fear and gratitude. Hermione tried to busy herself with her bookcase while Pansy changed into her pyjamas and got into the bed. Hermione handed her the dreamless sleep potions and Pansy seemed to know what it was without explanation.
Hermione realised how exhausted her was and rather than having to explain to Harry and Ginny what had happened she got herself ready and slipped into her bed.
"Granger?" Pansy said quietly, as the girls lay quietly in their respective beds.
"Yeah." Hermione replied.
"Thank you." it was barely a whisper but Hermione knew the girl meant it and it had obviously taken a lot to say.
"You-" Hermione paused "You can call me Hermione."
"Oh" said Pansy softly. "Ok."
A few moments of silence pasted and Hermione was surprised Pansy had accepted. She wasn't sure it was a great idea, for all she knew Pansy may go back to calling her a Mudblood in the morning but sometimes, those kinds of tears and that kind of grief could bond people. And Hermione hoped it was for the better.
"Hermione?" Pansy said softly, the use of her first name almost made Hermione jump despite her offer to use it.
"Yeah?" Said Hermione again.
"If you ever tell anyone about tonight I will have to kill you." said Pansy, still in that soft voice.
Even though Hermione didn't doubt it, she snorted softly and heard a faint chuckle come from the other bed.
Draco was still pacing frantically in his room when Blaise knocked on his door and entered. Draco tried to search his friends eyes for any sign of what had happened, as always the fellow Slytherin's eyes hid everything.
"What happened? Is she alright? Where is she? Did she say anything?" Questions spilt out of Draco's mouth frantically until Blaise held up his hand.
"She'll be fine." Blaise said.
Draco waited for him to elaborate. After a few moments pause it became clear that he wasn't going to.
"Well" asked Draco, 'What happened? Where is she now? Wha-"
Blaise cut him off
"I said she's fine Draco. We got her calmed down-"
"We?" said Draco confused, but Blaise ignored him and continued talking.
"And she's resting now, back in her room. She should be fine by tomorrow."
Blaise turned part way back to the door, but paused.
"Oh and I would expect a good tongue lashing tomorrow." Blaise said with a half smile.
"What?" asked Draco confused, "From Pansy?"
He didn't think the girl would ever want to speak to him again. Obviously she was repulsed by him, much like the rest of the school.
"No" laughed Blaise, the half-smile on his lips turning to a full smirk. "From Granger."
Ouff glad you made it though and hopefully you liked it.
I think you'll like the next chapter... or possibly hate me for it.
Either way it will be released on Wednesday the 28th.
Until next time
Your friendly neighbourhood Dramione dealer
Lexi.