Jujube15 – Once again thank you for reviewing. As always, enjoy.
Draeconin – Thanks for the heads up about my spelling. I searched the story and fixed all those 'stares' so it should be fine now. I'm glad you liked the poems and hope you enjoy this chapter.
DestinyEntwinements – hehe yeah. You can bet that we'll be hearing more from the Weasley's later about Harry and Draco. Thanks for reviewing again, enjoy.
KniGhtInwAitiNg – Well you hopped so I updated. Glad you like it and thanks for the review.
Erm66 – Yeah I thought the transforming worked well. I'm glad you enjoy this, and it doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon.
Hiero Kaze – Well to be honest most of the family was avoiding making a scene in front of the boys. Despite their promises to Hermione, they're far from letting the matter drop. As for Draco's injury, I'm attributing that to one of three reasons. I either like blood on pale skin for some reason, or I wanted to show how much Draco has changed in allowing Mrs. Weasley to come near him. It was probably that I just wanted another excuse to have Draco shirtless for a scene though lol. Anyway thanks for the review. Enjoy.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Chapter 20
It wasn't until much later that night that Harry and Draco finally regained the peace and quiet of their room. The meeting had been long and arduous and the last thing that Draco felt like doing right then was recounting everything that had been said to other people. As he and Harry opened the portrait, he was relieved to see that the lounge area was empty. Telling Harry that he'd be in shortly, Draco backtracked to the portrait. Nox chirped sleepily on his shoulder. Draco grinned as he stroked the dragon's neck. Nox had slept pretty much the entire meeting, and the only relief Draco had had from the arguing adults was when Nox woke up demanding food.
"Salazar?" Draco asked, peering around the edge of the frame at the snake.
"Yessss masssster?" the snake hissed at him, raising its head from the branch.
"Just for tonight," Draco said, "I don't want you to let anyone in here, got it?" Salazar nodded his understanding.
"And if it'sssss misssstressss Tanya?" the serpent asked. Draco thought for a moment before responding.
"Tell her we don't want to be disturbed, but if it's urgent, she knows where our balcony is." Salazar nodded again and Draco waved his thanks as he stepped back in the room. The portrait gave a satisfying click behind him and the blonde made his way into the bedroom. Harry was moving slowly, trying to stretch out muscles that were stiff from a day of sitting.
"It's been a while since we spent the day just sitting around," he said ruefully when he noticed Draco, "My back is sore." Draco chuckled as he stepped up to the Gryffindor.
"Why don't you let me help you then?" he said softly, running his hands down Harry's back and earning a blush from the other boy. He began to un-tuck Harry's shirt as he kissed the raven-haired boy gently.
"And if we're interrupted?" Harry asked slyly as he let Draco push him back onto the bed.
"We won't be," Draco said confidently, "Not unless it's important. Now," he said as he finished unbuttoning Harry's shirt, "take that off and role over so I can do this properly." Harry chuckled and did as he was told. Draco slipped his robe off, and crawled on the bed, straddling Harry's waste. He gently put his hands on the other boy's lower back and began to gently knead away the day's stresses.
Harry sighed deeply as Draco worked his way up. The boy's cool hands felt good on his tense muscles, and Harry admitted that he would be perfectly happy if Draco didn't stop at his waistline. No, he told himself firmly, I'll let Draco decide when he wants to do that. I'm not going to force anything. He sighed again as Draco's hands ran the length of his sides.
Draco grinned as Harry visibly relaxed under his massaging hands. He caught himself wishing that he had asked Harry to remove all of his clothing, but stopped himself. We need to talk about that first, he reminded himself, and this is not the best place to rationally discuss that topic. Especially since the topic in question involves a similar position. Draco shook his head to clear it, and concentrated instead on making Harry feel better. By the time he had worked out all the kinks, Draco's own back was stiff. Harry twisted around as Draco groaned slightly as he lay down.
"Take your shirt off and roll over," Harry commanded him as he sat up. Draco tried to protest that he was fine, but Harry silenced him in the best way possible. While Draco was lost in the kiss, Harry deftly unbuttoned his shirt and slipped it off his shoulders. Draco gasped when he felt Harry's hands slide over his bare skin. He glared at Harry for playing such a cheap trick but Harry only smiled back sweetly.
Draco allowed the shirt to be removed, and slowly rolled over so that he was lying on his stomach. He sighed deeply as Harry rubbed his warm hands down either side of Draco's spine. He didn't know why, but Harry's hands always felt warm. For that matter, all of Harry felt warm, and Draco loved it. He felt himself relax as the Gryffindor's hands massaged his back.
When Harry was certain he had completely relaxed his love, he lay down on top of him and took Draco's hands in his.
"You know," Draco said happily, "You're like a very warm blanket." He twisted his head so he could look at Harry's face. Harry smiled back at him with that enchanting smile that Draco had fallen in love with years before.
"Warm as I may be," Harry said kissing the tip of Draco's nose, "I feel like I could use a nice hot bath."
"Hmmmm," Draco said, "that sounds like a marvelous idea, but," he glanced over at Nox who was sleeping on a pillow on the bedside table.
"Don't worry about him," Harry said following Draco's line of sight, "If we aren't going to be interrupted, we can leave the bathroom door open so he knows where you are."
"Where we are," Draco corrected him gently, "He was just as agitated when you weren't there today as when I was missing whenever he woke up." Harry blushed at that.
"That doesn't make sense," Harry said, "He's your dragon…" Draco caught Harry's chin with his hand and pulled Harry back around to face him.
"He worries because I care about you Harry," Draco said, staring the Gryffindor in the eye, "He needs you because I need you." He continued to stare at Harry till the boy nodded.
"It still feels a little weird, you know?" Harry said, "I'm not used to being cared for by someone like this."
"Well," Draco said, slipping out from under Harry and standing up, "that makes two of us then doesn't it?" He grinned as he held out a hand to help Harry up, "Now how about that bath." Harry grinned and allowed Draco to haul him to his feet. Once in the bathroom, the boys quickly stripped off the rest of their clothing and slipped gratefully into the warm water. They played around for a little, enjoying the sensation of floating.
Draco floated on his back, staring up at the ceiling and thinking about how much his life had changed in the past two weeks. His mind eventually ranged back in time the same as it had done two mornings previously. He blinked back the tears only to realize with a start that Harry was holding his head and looking down at him with concern written all over his face.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Harry asked, wiping a tear away and kissing Draco's forehead. Draco nodded and then broke down sobbing. He turned in the water and buried his head in Harry's chest. "Shhhh," Harry said quietly, stroking Draco's wet hair, "It's all right now, I'm here for you." He half swam, half walked to the edge of the bath, carrying Draco with him, and funneled hot air down into the water to lift them out. With the same trick he dried them slowly and then wrapped one of the big fluffy bathrobes around both of them. He never once let go of Draco, and just let the blonde cry into his chest, all the while making comforting and reassuring sounds to sooth the other boy. He carried the blonde to the bed and lay down with him.
"It's funny," Draco managed to get out a few minutes later, "when I used to cry about things, my father would reprimand me. He said it made me look weak." He looked up at Harry, his eyes still red rimmed and tears still flowing down his cheeks. "It's the one good piece of advice that he gave me, and you were the last person I wanted to think of me as weak." Harry opened his mouth to say that he didn't think Draco was weak but the other boy held a finger up to his lips to forestall comments. "But you're the only person I feel comfortable enough around to cry." He smiled up at the Gryffindor, and Harry smiled back.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" Harry asked again, running his hand along Draco's spine to relax him. Draco nodded and rested his head on Harry's chest again.
"I was such a prat you know?" Draco said after another few minutes. "I was such an evil little monster to you, and to your friends." He waited for Harry to try to deny it and was grateful when the other boy remained silent. "How did this happen Harry? How did we end up like this?" he asked turning his head so that he could look at his boyfriend. He was surprised to see tears on Harry's cheeks as well, but the Gryffindor was smiling from ear to ear.
"We have to be two of the unluckiest people on earth," Harry said still smiling and crying simultaneously. Draco opened his mouth to protest that he didn't feel particularly unlucky at that moment, wrapped in a bathrobe and pressed up close against the boy of his dreams, but Harry went on. "You remember when we first met?" Harry asked. Draco nodded.
"You rejected me on the stairs in front of all the other first years," Draco said chuckling, "If only they could see us now." Harry shook his head.
"No," he said, "before that. It was before school started. I came into Madame Malkin's to buy my school robes, and you were there being fitted. You remember that?" Draco's eyes widened as he recalled the occasion.
"You didn't reject me then…" Draco said, a touch of wonder in his voice, "we almost had a friendly conversation," he chuckled at the thought of it.
"Well," Harry replied, ruffling Draco's hair, "truth be told, I did think you were pretty pretentious and maybe a bit snobbish, but you didn't seem to be a bad person then." Draco's eyes darkened slightly as Harry said that.
"You're right," he said, "I was snobbish, but I was trying to be friendly. I didn't know who you were at that time, and it wasn't until I got home that evening that father told me that I was supposed to revile you. I tried to offer you friendship in the castle because I thought that if you were my friend, then my father would've been happy." Harry nodded in understanding. It was starting to look like he had guessed accurately that Draco, like Harry, had been trying to be someone to please someone else.
They spent the next hour reminiscing about the last six years, laughing at how they had interpreted each other's actions. Harry broke down when he told Draco about Sirius, and it was the blonde's turn to comfort and hold. Both of them were crying by the time they had reached the current year, Draco finally telling Harry that it had been him in Grimauld Place that had lured Harry outside.
"What kind of person was he?" Draco asked. They were still wrapped in the bathrobe, pressed comfortably close to each other, but their heads were level now.
"Who?" Harry asked.
"Your godfather," Draco said after taking a breath, "Would he have approved of us?" Harry chuckled.
"I'm sure he would have found it highly amusing, and he probably would have teased me to no end about it," he smiled and turned to look at Draco, "you would have gotten along really well with him. You met him once I think." Draco looked surprised.
"When was that?" He definitely didn't remember ever meeting Sirius Black before.
"You remember that big black dog that followed me around for a few years?" Harry asked a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. Draco thought for a second and nodded.
"It showed up third year and watched your quidditch matches and…" he trailed off as he realized what he had just said. "Your godfather was an animagus?" he asked incredulously. Harry nodded grinning wider now.
"And an unregistered one at that," Harry said proudly, "both he and my dad managed it while they were at school and they helped Pettigrew figure it out too."
"Pettigrew," Draco said thoughtfully and then started, "Wasn't that the guy who brought Voldemort back?" Harry nodded glowering.
"Yeah," he said, "and he's the guy that was responsible for the death of my parents." Draco squeezed him tightly to comfort him and Harry smiled down at the Slytherin. "Anyway," Harry went on, "My dad and Sirius became animagi to keep their friend company."
"Who was their friend?" Draco asked, wondering why Harry's dad and godfather would need to be animagi to keep the person company.
"Professor Lupin," Harry said, chuckling at the look of comprehension on Draco's face, "Quite the foursome they made too. They made up nicknames for themselves," Harry went on, "Moony, Padfoot, Prongs, and Wormtail. They got into all kinds of mischief." He smiled as he thought of his father and Sirius running around with Lupin under a full moon.
"What kind of animal did your father become?" Draco asked.
"A stag," Harry said, his voice starting to shake, "a great big stag that could handle a werewolf. Just like my patronus…" the tears threatened to overwhelm him again, and Draco clutched him close and then changed the subject. The two of them talked for several hours more before falling asleep, still wrapped in the bathrobe and in each other's arms.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Hermione woke the next morning to the mingled screeching of beast and girl. Ron had been furious the night before when the snake had refused to let them into Harry and Draco's room, but she couldn't imagine he would be up at… she glanced at the clock and groaned. It was six thirty and it seemed that everyone in the dormitory was not only awake but also shouting.
"What on earth is that?" Lavender Brown was shouting pointing to the end of Hermione's bed, "And why is it making that awful noise!" The rest of the girls were squealing in terror as the thing on the end of her bed took off and swooped at each of them, still screeching. Hermione rubbed her eyes and focused on the little creature and, with a start, recognized what it was.
"Nox!" she shouted over the other girls as she threw a bathrobe on over her nightgown, "Come down here this instant and be quiet!" she held out her arm for the dragon and glared at it. Nox hovered in mid dive and contemplated her for a moment before meekly gliding over to her and alighting on her arm. The other girls stared at her as she tied her bathrobe with one hand and apologized to them while heading to the door.
"Sorry," she said, "I don't know why he came looking for me. It's Draco's dragon. I have no idea what he's doing here, sorry." She shut the door and hurried down into the common room. She glared at the dragon on her arm and found that it was staring back at her avidly its eyes whirling yellow at an alarming rate. "What on earth has gotten into you?" Hermione asked not really expecting an answer. She was surprised when she heard the word 'hungry' audibly. She looked around to see who had spoken when she heard it again.
"I'm sooo hungry," the voice said. Hermione looked down at the dragon as the creature put one of its forepaws on her chest in a pleading manner. Hermione groaned, she did not need this at six thirty on a Sunday morning.
"If you're hungry, you should have woken Draco," she said irritably as she headed for the portrait hole, "He can at least call Dobby, but we're going to have to walk if you want food." The dragon nodded and Hermione had the strange feeling that Nox was embarrassed about waking her. He really is a lot like Draco, Hermione thought, pretentious and stubborn until you get him all alone. She shook her head as she left the portrait hole. She waved to the Fat Lady as she headed off towards the kitchens.
"So why didn't you wake Draco?" Hermione asked as she walked along. At that question the dragon tucked his head under his wing in embarrassment, but before Hermione could tell him it was okay not to tell, he started explaining it.
"Well I woke up hungry," Nox said, the simplicity of the statement causing Hermione to smile, "and Draco and Harry looked so comfortable and happy that I didn't want to wake them."
"So you came to wake me instead," Hermione sighed. Nox looked up at her again.
"Did I trouble you?" Nox asked. He sounded worried. Hermione shook her head.
"No, but I think you gave my dorm mates a bit of a scare." The dragon blinked.
"They were silly," he said simply, "I just cried out to wake you and they all started screaming." Hermione laughed at that and then asked the question that had been bugging her.
"Did Harry and Draco fight last night?" she asked. They were nearly to the entry hall and Hermione wanted to hear the dragon's answer before they reached the kitchen.
"Oh no, student Granger," the dragon responded promptly, "they were not fighting. They were…" and the dragon didn't tell her but an image formed in Hermione's mind of two figures wrapped in a bathrobe, holding one another close. Hermione shook her head as she realize that she was seeing Harry and Draco just before Nox had come to wake her up and she had also noticed that neither boy had been wearing anything.
"You didn't have to show me," she grumbled as she tickled the pear to open the door to the kitchen.
"My apologies student Granger," the dragon said humbly, "I did not know how to describe it." Hermione sighed again. She'd ask Draco later to have the dragon refer to her by first name but she didn't feel like arguing with a mystical creature about what she wanted to be called. As she stepped into the kitchen, she spied the platter of meat that was obviously prepared for the dragon. Nox saw it a second later and launched himself from her arm onto the platter with a squeal and began devouring his breakfast.
"Master did not have to come down here," Dobby said coming through the kitchen towards Hermione, "Master only had to call and Dobby wou-" he stopped as he realized it wasn't Harry or Draco standing there. "Oh, Mistress Granger," the house elf said bowing low, "Dobby did not realize he was to listen for you this morning." Hermione sighed. Here was another mystical creature with which she didn't feel like arguing about names right at the moment.
"I didn't either Dobby," she said kindly, sitting on a stool nearby, "Nox didn't want to wake Harry or Draco so he came to find me on his own." She started to protest as the house elves served her tea and breakfast but they would hear nothing of it. She sighed but won through on convincing Dobby to eat with her. The house elf looked pleased beyond measure and gladly ate.
"Food is GOOD!" Nox said, somehow managing to speak perfectly clearly even though he was in the process of tearing apart a hunk of meat. Hermione laughed.
"Yes Nox, food is good," she said chuckling as she watched the dragon sate himself.
"You can hear Master Nox?" Dobby asked, wonder filling his eyes. Hermione blinked as she turned back to the house elf.
"Yeah," she said, "didn't you just hear him?" Dobby's eyes went wide.
"Oh no, Mistress," Dobby said, "you can only hear dragons if they speak to you. That is what Dobby's big cousins have told Dobby."
He is correct student Granger, Nox said to her, you hear me in your mind, he cannot. Please tell chef Dobby that he is most excellent at preparing meals. Hermione laughed at the absurdity of it all as she relayed the dragon's message to the house elf. This was absolutely ridiculous she knew. She had been woken by Draco's dragon to go to an early breakfast and not only that, but the dragon was apparently willing to listen to and obey her for now as well as speak to her. She decided to go along with it for now and resigned herself to enjoying the hospitality of the house elves. At one point Nox looked up towards the ceiling for a few seconds before returning his attention to the dwindling plate of food. A few minutes later, Hermione looked at her watch and realized that breakfast would be starting soon. She picked up her wand and, with a little flick, had herself cleaned and dressed.
"Mistress is a most excellent witch," Dobby said as Hermione checked herself in a hand mirror. She grinned at the house elf.
"I'll come visit you again soon Dobby," she said, "Come on Nox." She held out her arm and the dragon once more landed delicately, careful not to grip too tightly with his claws.
"Thank you Mistress," Dobby called after them.
I'm not sleepy today, Nox said sounding pleased with himself. Hermione glanced at the dragon.
"Well it's a good thing it's Sunday," she said, "the dining hall won't be too crowded." She was relieved to see that she had been right as she took her seat at the Gryffindor table. She supposed that she was going to have to keep an eye on Nox till Harry or Draco came to collect him. Not that she minded, but it would have been tricky with an entire hall asking questions. As she sat down, Nox hopped onto the table and started examining things.
"Don't wander," Hermione told him as Crookshanks leaped up onto the bench next to her. She rubbed the cat's head and Crookshanks deposited a trophy mouse on the bench. Nox leaned down over the edge of the table to see what it was and Crookshanks in turn leaned in to smell the strange creature.
What is it? Nox asked, as the cat approached him slowly. And what's this? He had noticed the approaching feline and had turned to face it. Hermione chuckled as draconic muzzle inched closer towards cat nose. They looked like two people unsure of how to say hello. Crookshanks seemed to decide that Nox was ok, because he nuzzled him as he often did Hermione's hand. He's soft, the dragon said wonderingly.
Crookshanks began purring as the dragon nuzzled back but it turned into a little mew of surprise as a hand gripped his scruff and hauled him up into the air on the other side of the table. Hermione looked up to see who it was and found the cat hanging calmly by his scruff facing a young boy with jet-black hair that hung straight down to his waist. He scrutinized the cat sternly before speaking to it.
"Arnailye vaselye?" the boy said to the cat. Hermione didn't recognize any part of the question from the little elvish she had learned at the feast, but Crookshanks seemed to understand it because he shook his head emphatically. The boy's face broke into a smile, and Crookshanks reached out with all his paws and latched onto the boy's shirt. He drew himself close to the boy's chest and licked up the side of his face before jumping back down onto the bench. The boy chuckled and sat down opposite of Hermione who was now absently stroking the purring Crookshanks while staring at the stranger.
"Na Draco si?" the boy asked her, helping himself to some tea. Hermione just stared uncomprehendingly at the boy and Crookshanks meowed at him. "Oh, sorry," the boy said in English, "I sometimes forget who I'm speaking to. I'm Lance, Apprentice of Morniel, Guardian of Light. Is Draco around?" He glanced around the nearly empty hall expecting to see the blonde. On the table Nox was poking at every dish he could see.
"No," Hermione shook her head, and quickly explained her bizarre morning to the boy. Lance looked surprised at Nox and batted his nose away from the pepper before he got too close.
"That's odd," Lance said when Hermione had finished, "dragon hatchling's normally only talk to their partner. It bodes well for them if Nox is already willing to talk to another person." He patted the dragon's head approvingly.
"It's more than one actually," Hermione said causing Lance to look up sharply. "He said he didn't want to wake either Draco or Harry so I assume he's talked to Harry too." Lance nodded thoughtfully at this and then scooped up the dragon to eye level. Nox looked surprised, but allowed himself to be poked and prodded.
"My specialty is with animals, if you haven't guessed," Lance said as he examined the dragon, "that's why your friend there didn't try to maul me when he realized who had picked him up." He nodded to Crookshanks who was trying to sneak a piece of bacon off the table. Hermione batted at the paw that had crept up and held the piece in question out for Crookshanks to have. "I'm just checking up on Nox and he seems to be doing well. Here," he held out a jar of what looked like lotion, "He's growing very fast as expected. He'll need to be oiled at every meal with that. He should reach full growth in about two months at this rate. Isilomir will be pleased." He grinned at Hermione, "Dragons are some of my favorites and this one's a beauty. My own personal favorite though," and he leaned in conspiratorially, "you want to meet her?" Hermione wasn't so sure she did but the boy glanced around anyway. The only people in the hall were other apprentices and he grinned. "Just watch he said." Before Hermione could protest the boy had whistled an extremely odd trill.
There was a slight sound of padding feet and the whole table shook slightly and suddenly there was a panther standing behind Lance. The boy grinned as Hermione registered exactly what it was she was seeing. Lance picked up an entire plate of sausages and put it on the bench for the panther.
"Do you want to touch her?" he asked. His eyes were alight with joy as he patted the big cat's head. Hermione reached over gingerly and scratched the panther behind the ears. The big cat purred, causing Hermione's entire body to shake with the vibrations. Lance chuckled. "Her name is Farosul." Just then, the voices of approaching students made them all look up. Lance leaned down and whispered something to Farosul, and the big cat looked up and gently nuzzled the inquisitive Nox, who had been inching closer to the big cat, before leaping halfway up the wall, and then bounding to the rafters. She was out the high window before anyone had seen her.
"Do all of the apprentices have pets?" Hermione asked as she stroked Nox reassuringly. Lance shook his head.
"We all specialize in something different," Lance said, "Tanya and Menon are combat specialists and expert blacksmiths, I specialize in animals, Raphael can use magic more effectively than any of us, Arthur is a hand to hand combat specialist, Ariel specializes in crafting anything under the sun, and Gwen is the best flyer and dragon rider of the apprentices. She's the only apprentice with her own dragon too." Hermione absorbed all this, and spent the rest of breakfast discussing animals with Lance. Towards the end, he convinced her to oil Nox, since neither Harry nor Draco was apparently coming to breakfast. Hermione was a little uncertain, but Lance assured her that if the dragon had chosen to talk to her, than it was all right.
After breakfast, Hermione wandered out onto the grounds with Nox. She new that Ron wouldn't be up till lunchtime, and she was pretty sure that Harry would thank her for not returning Nox right away, so to pass the time she decided to visit Hagrid. When she arrived at the grounds keeper's hut, she was not surprised to see Farosul staring down fang across the doorstep. She patted each animal before knocking politely on the door.
"Ah, Hermione," Hagrid said as he opened the door, "good ter see ya. Come in, come in." Hermione grinned at Hagrid as she stepped inside.
"Oh Hermione," Lance said from the table where he was examining Kor, "did you need me for something?"
"Oh, no, thank you," Hermione replied, "I just came to visit Hagrid." Hagrid beamed down at her, and then noticed the dragon peering out nervously from under her hair.
"Blimey Hermione, I didn't know you'd gotten one of the adorable critters too," he said leaning down to say hello to the dragon. Hermione laughed as she coaxed Nox out into view.
"This isn't mine," she said once Nox had finally allowed himself to be placed on her arm, "This is Draco's Nox," and Hermione found herself relating the morning's strange sequence again for Hagrid. While she talked, Nox hopped down onto the table and went over to Kor and the two exchanged greetings with each other.
She spent a rather enjoyable morning in Hagrid's hut, listening to Lance and Hagrid discuss all the various creatures they had come into contact with. Though Lance looked to be within a year or two of Hermione when it came to age, he apparently was much older. He talked about creatures he had seen ages before and Hermione felt a little dwarfed by his experience. Hagrid seemed to have a trump card though. Lance's eyes went wide when Hagrid mentioned Fluffy and Hermione couldn't blame him. She herself didn't have many good memories of the three-headed dog. Lance, however, seemed more excited than scared.
"You have a cerberus?" he asked excitedly when Fluffy was mentioned, "a huanoneldhol?" Hagrid looked confused, so Lance described one. It was an almost perfect description of Fluffy and Lance went ballistic with excitement. The topic of conversation ranged from hippogriffs to fwoopers and Hermione was a little surprised to hear the bell for lunch tolling at the castle. It seemed to surprise her companions as well because Lance checked out the window and Hagrid glanced at his clock.
"Well I'll be," Hagrid said chuckling, "It's lunch time. Better hurry Hermione, case Draco's been lookin for ya." Hermione nodded and thanked Hagrid for the tea. She collected Nox onto her arm again and strolled up the lawn to the castle. She had expected to at least see Ron but Crookshanks gave her the negative signal as she reached the great hall. Apparently her boyfriend was sleeping later than usual today. The rest of the Gryffindor seventh year girls were at lunch and Hermione had to explain for a fourth time why she had ended up with Nox that day. For the rest of lunch, when Nox wasn't eating, the girls examined him intently, remarking what a beautiful creature he was. As lunch wound down, Hermione was beginning to wonder where Harry and Draco were. Nox, who was in the process of tasting one of the sweets nearby, looked towards the ceiling and suddenly shoved his head into the nearest water goblet.
"Are you ok?" Hermione asked, concerned as steam began to rise from the goblet.
Student Granger was wondering what Harry and Draco were doing, the dragon said in her mind, so I checked and it is most embarrassing and not fit to say at meal times. Hermione sat up straight and than sighed shaking her head. It figured that the boys would relish a bit of alone time, which would explain why the dragon just hadn't flown back to their room. After another minute, Nox removed his head from the goblet and resumed his browsing of the various items on the table. As the dining hall emptied of students, Hermione sighed in exasperation.
"I wonder what Ron is doing?" she asked allowed of no one in particular.
He's sleeping.
Hermione blinked and looked around. No one was near her, and that had definitely not been Nox's voice. Crookshanks purred loudly in her lap and she scratched his head as she thought about it. Maybe one of the other dragons had spoken. Regardless she might as well get her work done. She didn't care what her three friends wanted to do after dinner; she was going to force them to work. She put Crookshanks on the floor and stood up. Nox looked up and flew to her shoulder.
Where are we going? Nox asked as Hermione walked into the entrance hall, Crookshanks on her heals.
"We're going to the library," Hermione said, summoning her books and bag from the dorm, "I have to study for tomorrow."
What's studying student Granger? Nox asked as he gripped her ear for support. Hermione laughed.
"It's something that Harry and Draco don't do enough of," she told the dragon, "studying is what students do." As she walked to the library, Hermione answered Nox's questions about the castle and the grounds and Crookshanks was following them. There was a group of first year girls standing in one of the hallways and they started whispering when they saw Heremione.
"Did you need help with something?" Hermione asked as she came up to them. The girls immediately looked ashamed but one of them spoke up.
"We were just wondering why you're talking to yourself," the girl said. She looked a bit scared, as if she were afraid that Hermione would start yelling at her. Hermione's chuckle surprised the three girls.
"Oh," she said, "I'm just talking to Nox…" she gestured to her shoulder only to realize that the dragon wasn't there. She felt him sitting on the back of her neck, hiding from the group of girls. "Oh, now really," Hermione said exasperated, "that's very funny Nox. Get out here." She held her arm out and the girls watched, stunned, as the dragon meekly walked out on Hermione's arm.
"There now," Hermione said, smiling at the first years, "this is Nox." The girls went wide eyed at the site of him and leaned in to get a better look. Nox swelled at the attention, puffing his chest out in an attempt to appear important. The girls laughed as he swelled up and asked if they could touch him. Hermione nodded after Nox had given his permission and the girls looked awed as they stroked the dragonette.
"He's so beautiful," the girl who had spoken first said, "I wish I had one too." Hermione grinned at the girl.
"Do you like animals?" she asked the girl. A wide-eyed nod was all she got in response as the girl became absorbed in Nox's swirling eyes.
"I heard," the girl said after another moment, "from a boy in the seventh year, that there was a cerberus in the castle once." Hermione nodded and the girl's eyes lit up. "And is it also true that there were hippogriffs here? And full sized dragons before?" The girl grew more excited with each nod of Hermione's head and her two friends rolled their eyes behind her. "I heard there were thestrals on the grounds. I've always wanted to know what they look like. It would be horrible, I know if I could see them, but I'm just curious." Hermione grinned at the girl's rambling. She too had wanted to see what thestrals looked like, but she hadn't thought to add the qualifying statement when she had told Harry so.
"Do you like strange animals?" she asked the girl.
"The stranger the better," the girl replied enthusiastically. Hermione had taken out a scrap of parchment and was scribbling a note on it.
"Do you know Hagrid?" she asked as she signed the note and folded it up.
"You mean the grounds keeper?" the girl said. "I've never met him, but I heard a lot about him…" she finished as she took the note from Hermione.
"Well his hut is just down there, near the forest," Hermione said pointing, "I'm sure he'd love to talk to you about all manner of his pets." The girl beamed up at her before hurrying off, dragging her two friends behind. Well at least that'll keep Hagrid busy for the afternoon, Hermione thought fondly as she watched the group disappear around a corner. She hefted her bag back to her shoulder and resumed her path to the library.
As she stepped inside, Madame Pince waved to her. She returned the greeting and then headed for a quiet table near a window. After telling Nox not to wander too far off, she set to work on the essay she had to write. Crookshanks leaped up on the table and crouched beside the roll of parchment. He occasionally reached out and tapped his paw on a mistake that she had made, and she rubbed his head each time in thanks. The afternoon wore away and Hermione managed to finish all her essays before Ron came to find her.
"Oh there you are," he said quietly, sitting down at her table as she rolled up the last of her essays, "I figured you'd be here." He rubbed Crookshanks' head affectionately as he kissed Hermione lightly. Hermione smiled up at him and noticed Nox over his shoulder creeping through one of the bookcases.
"Nox get back down here," Hermione called up to the dragon. Ron looked around as the dragon flew lightly to the table. He stiffened noticeably when he recognized the dragon.
"So where is the little ferret hiding?" he asked checking the tables on the other side of the bookcases. Hermione gave an exasperated little sigh and rolled her eyes.
"You know you could try being nice to him for Harry's sake," she said as she started to gather up her books. Ron opened his mouth to argue but Crookshanks chose that moment to pounce on Nox's tail. The dragon gave a very loud surprised squawk and flew to Hermione's shoulder, chittering madly at the cat on the table. Crookshanks, for his part, looked highly amused at the dragon's reaction. The noise inevitably brought Madame Pince down on them, and the librarian lost no time in shooing them out of the library. After extracting a promise from Ron that he would do his homework after dinner, Hermione agreed to go sit out on the grounds.
They found a nice empty spot in the sun and sat down together. Crookshanks began to hunt field mice and Nox watched him attentively from the air. It wasn't long before the dragon had figured out what the cat was doing and started imitating him. Nox told Hermione that Crookshanks had declared a challenge to see who could catch the most mice and both animals started darting around the area. Hermione told Ron what they were up to and they both laughed as they saw Nox dive for a mouse and miss it by about an inch.
"Hey, Ron!" someone called. Both of them looked around as Dean Thomas came over the hill towards them. "Oh," the boy said when he spotted Hermione, "I… I didn't see you there Hermione…" Dean looked suddenly nervous.
"Did you need Ron for something?" Hermione asked, watching the boy closely. Dean nodded and took a breath before speaking again.
"Maybe you both should hear this anyway," he said, "I think I've figured out what's going on with Harry." Ron and Hermione both stiffened at that. They didn't think Harry and Draco had been that obvious. Hermione regained herself first.
"You're still going on about that?" she asked in an exasperated tone, "It's Harry's life. He can date whomever he wants and we shouldn't spy on him."
"But," Dean said holding up his hands, "This is really important. Just listen to me." Hermione looked murderous but she didn't say anything else so Dean continued. "I was walking through the entrance hall a couple days ago, you know, when all those strangers were here?" Both Gryffindors nodded. "Well the door was slightly ajar and I caught a glimpse of Harry through them." Hermione exhaled the breath she'd been holding. If he had only seen Harry, than he didn't know.
"You see," Dean continued, "I don't think that… that Harry's going out with a girl." He stopped and waited for the other two to respond to him. Hermione felt the bottom of her stomach drop out, but Ron seemed to still have his senses, or he was just being his usual thick self, Hermione couldn't tell which.
"I thought we decided he was going out with someone," Ron said, "the Fat Lady said she heard them after all." Dean just shook his head and tried again.
"I didn't say I thought he wasn't going out with anyone, I just don't think it's a girl," he said. Ron was staring at him now, but Dean pressed on before either Ron or Hermione could interrupt him. "When I saw Harry in the hall, he was dancing with someone," Dean took another deep breath, "and that someone was Draco Malfoy." Ron opened his mouth to deny it, but Hermione moved faster than he could talk. In an instant she had Dean flat on his back with her wand pointing steadily at his face.
"Have you told anyone else this?" she asked quietly. Dean looked almost as shocked as Ron at Hermione's behavior but shook his head.
"I… I figured you should be the first to know…" he trailed off as Hermione tapped his nose with the tip of her wand.
"Keep it that way," she said getting up. Dean looked to Ron for confirmation.
"I'm afraid if you tell anyone," the red head said resignedly, "I'd have to wop you for Harry's sake." Dean swallowed and nodded again. He really couldn't understand the behavior of these two.
"You guys already knew," he said. It was not a question and Ron nodded to confirm it.
"And if you tell a single person about them," Hermione said, her wand still in her hand, "I have some very interesting spells to try out." Dean went pale and looked as though he'd rather have Ron punch him. With one last assurance of his silence, Dean headed off. Hermione sighed and gave her wand another flick. The retreating figure of Dean shook its head and then changed direction for the castle.
"What'd you do to him?" Ron asked accusingly as Herimone sat back down.
"Oh nothing much," Hermione said, stowing her wand back in her robes, "he'll just think this was all a dream now." Ron arched an eyebrow but didn't press the point.
"You know," he said after another minute of watching Crookshanks and Nox catch mice, "those two are going to have to tell people soon. Dean figured it out by chance, but people are going to start noticing something, and you can't keep fuzzing people's memories all the time." Hermione grinned sheepishly at that but nodded in agreement.
"I'll mention it to them tonight," she said.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Bet none of you thought that Hermione would be so aggressive. Well anyway, please review for me and here's a heads up and/or teaser for you. I'm not going to skip over what Harry and Draco spent the day doing, so depending on how you feel about that kind of thing, you might want to skip the first part of the next chapter. But then again, if you're reading this and have made it this far, that's probably part of the reason you've put up with me for so long. Anyway, it's gap filling time next chapter, and another action sequence. See you then. Ciao.