Harry Potter
And the Fight for Dramione
Chapter 21: The Wedding
"Come on then Bernadette," crooned Fred sweetly, a huge grin plastered on his face as he, George, Harry (AKA Cousin Barney), Ron and Malfoy waited around the large, white marquee to escort guests into the wedding.
Harry was currently disguised as a plump redheaded boy a few years younger than himself. Whereas Malfoy was a very young, perhaps 10 years old, girl with bright red hair and a freckly face that was currently balloon red and scowling.
"Yeah, lighten up sweet cheeks!" George grinned pinching Malfoy's cheek.
Malfoy slapped his hand away furiously. "Don't touch me!" he snapped sounding like a very typical, grumpy little girl.
The four of them burst out laughing and Malfoy bristled outraged. He couldn't believe he had decided to do this just because Hermione had asked him to. What. An. Idiot.
Finally, the twins wandered off and Hermione joined them. Ron complimented her as soon as he saw her.
"You look great!" he said, a pathetic compliment in Malfoy's books. But, his anger was soon turned towards Aunt Muriel who apparently had told Hermione she had skinny ankles and bad posture! He was going to find her and give her a piece of her own medicine!
Hermione smiled at Malfoy with a giggle. "Stop looking so grumpy," she said, "People will know it's you just from your expression!"
Malfoy's scowl darkened, "I don't give a flying fuck about what people think," he growled, but instead sounded like a spoiled, bratty child.
Ron and Harry laughed, but Hermione seemed shocked at hearing such foul words come from a young girl's mouth, even though she knew it was Malfoy.
"Watch your language," she whispered appalled. "You're a young lady right now, act like it!"
Ron chuckled even more. "Best day of my life…" he muttered, grinning joyously.
However he soon lost his enthusiasm when Victor Krum sauntered up to their little group.
"Victor!" screeched Hermione, dropping her little, beaded purse in surprise. Malfoy immediately bent down to pick it up for her, frowning at the loud clunk it made and all the time shooting death glares at Krum as he too proceeded to compliment her.
Hermione took it off him with a quick thank you then turned to Victor, "How are you?" she asked flustered.
"Why are you here?" demanded Ron before he could answer, scowling at the invitation as though it were faked. Malfoy had never been in more agreement with Ron.
"Fleur invited me," he said, raising his thick, dark eyebrows.
"'Fleur invited me'," mimicked Malfoy nastily, sounding again like a whiny child. "Well why don't you go take your seat in her section then!"
Krum looked very taken aback and so Harry, that is to say Cousin Barney, quickly took him by the arm, out of harm's way, to his seat.
Hermione was blushing, and found it slightly amusing that Malfoy was being blatantly jealous. However, she composed herself and looked at Malfoy sternly, finding it difficult not to treat him like a child when he looked like one. "Don't be so rude!" she snapped, though barely hiding a small smile, before walking away briskly toward her own seat.
Ron seemed to be struggling internally with something. "You know it's obvious you have a thing for Hermione," he said suddenly, a weird smile ghosting his lips.
Malfoy rolled his eyes and scowled. "Fuck off, Weasley."
"You know what else is obvious?" continued Ron, smirking now. "The fact that she's not into you at all." He said smugly.
This caused an eruption of fury to bubble in the pit of Malfoy's stomach. "I find it amusing that you think I care," he hissed, his face redder than Ron's had ever been. "Like I said before: Fuck. Off."
And with that he walked off, fuming at how much smaller his steps were right now.
"Hey Potter," said Malfoy, the drawl was familiar, the girls voice was out of place. He sat down beside him, slumping slightly in the chair.
Harry was watching Ginny depressingly as she danced happily and care free on the dance floor. But, he was also in shock at the news he'd just found out about Dumbledore. There was so much that he didn't know, so much Dumbledore should have told him!
Harry glanced at Malfoy. "Hey," he said glumly.
"Why'd you ditch her if you still want to be with her?" asked Malfoy following Harry's line of sight.
Harry sighed. "So that Voldemort," Malfoy stiffened at the name, "doesn't use her to get to me like he did Sirius."
"Ah." Malfoy said, "That's rough."
Harry looked at him surprised. "Yeah…" he agreed.
Malfoy looked back to the dance floor, and to his utter horror saw that Hermione and Ron were now dancing too. "Euugh," he spat, scowling immediately. Harry looked at him again, then at Ron and Hermione.
He hesitated, wondering whether or not he should broach this topic. He knew Malfoy and Hermione did have something… he'd walked in on them that time in the prefects lounge. That was an image he would unfortunately never forget. But, he didn't know if Malfoy had legitimately… fancied Hermione.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Harry said, "So do you…er, still-"
"What?" snarled Malfoy darkly, cutting across him, his little girl face cross.
"Well…I dunno…fancy her?"
Malfoy's eyes shot up his forehead and he turned to look at Harry, more surprised than mad that he'd even said that. "Who?" he said, acting nonchalant.
Harry gave him a look. "You know who, Malfoy. Hermione."
Malfoy shifted uncomfortably in his seat, looking back at Hermione dancing. "I dunno," he snapped, "I mean, no. Why would even ask that?" Malfoy spluttered angrily.
Harry blanched. "Gee, couldn't be because of that time in the prefects lounge when-"
Malfoy cut across him quickly. "Ok! I get it." He snapped, but it was too late. His mind was suddenly full with the memory of Hermione so close to him, his arms wrapped around her waist…her breath tickling his face, her lips softly kissing his own. Then the tender kiss would turn into something faster and deeper. His body would warm and his tongue would battle hers in a fierce fight for dominance. Malfoy groaned, putting his head in his hands. His face felt very warm, but regret filled his eyes. Would he ever get the chance to feel that again? "Even if I did," he snarled, not looking at Harry. "What would it matter? She's fully into Weasley right now isn't she?"
Harry almost laughed. "That was a long time ago," he said, but Malfoy didn't respond. "Oh come on Malfoy, they're just dancing as friends, they're not even close to each other, plus it doesn't even look like she's enjoying herself."
Malfoy perked up at this, though he tried to hide it. He shrugged, "maybe…" he said. He paused, then continued, "What's Weasley doing then? What happened to that girl…Brown, I thought they were together?"
Harry did laugh this time. "That ended a while ago," he said quite fondly, very thankful that Ron had stopped that… face sucking relationship.
Malfoy groaned angrily. "So now, what? He just jumps back on to fancying Hermione like nothing ever happened!"
Harry couldn't believe he was even having this conversation with Malfoy. It was like the world had been turned upside down and inside out. "You and Ron are never going to get along, are you?" he sighed.
Malfoy snorted. "Like there was ever a chance in hell there."
"Well, we're talking aren't we?"
Malfoy paused as if only just realised that himself. "Great," he said, "way to go and weird things up, Potter."
Harry shook his head bemused and they went back to sitting in silence for a while. Harry was trying to figure out how he felt about Malfoy crushing on Hermione. He decided it was non of his business; he did not want to know.
Malfoy seemed to be mulling over something. He glanced at Harry, then said slowly, "Potter…"
Harry looked at him. "Yes?" he asked.
Malfoy scrunched his face up as if in pain. "I wanted to say… thanks," he said, really struggling to get his words out.
Now Harry was amazed. "Er…ok. For what exactly?"
"For…that night. On the tower. Just… thanks for not telling anyone about it and…" he hesitated, then looked Harry full in the face. "Thanks for… helping me."
Shock could be the only emotion to explain how Harry was feeling right now. Incredulous would work too. He tried to compose himself quickly. "Oh," he said, his surprise obvious. "Yeah…er, no worries…" he said lamely. What else could he say?!
Malfoy nodded, and turned away again. Harry was in too much shock to be able to continue conversation, Malfoy had just thanked him. Malfoy!
They sat in silence for a while before Hermione came and joined them, sitting down and rubbing her feet. "I simply can't dance anymore!" she said breathlessly.
"Good," grumbled Malfoy darkly, more to himself than anyone else, but Hermione heard him.
"Where's Ron?" asked Harry, looking around.
"Oh, I think he went to get a few butterbeers."
Harry stood up, looking around the room for Ron and Malfoy leaned in toward Hermione quickly. "You said now wasn't the time for that sort of thing!" he whispered vehemently, even though he and Harry had just talked about this.
"I wasn't doing that sort of thing!" Hermione whispered back angrily. "I was just dancing!"
Malfoy snorted. "Weasley won't see it that way."
"How many times do I have to tell you, Draco?" Hermione said in exasperation, "He and I are just friends."
"You don't need to tell me!" snapped Malfoy. "Tell him! You're leading him on."
But before they could speak any more of this touchy subject, silence fell over the room as a sleek, graceful patronus of a lynx glided in.
The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming.
They are coming
They are coming
The last words seemed to echo around the marquee in eerie silence until finally panic broke loose.
Hermione grabbed Malfoy's arm and Harry's. "We need to find Ron!" she cried, looking desperately around the room.
"Ron!"
"Ron, Ron!"
"Oh where is he?"
Then finally, Ron appeared out of the ruckus and in seconds had grabbed onto Hermione's arm.
Before Malfoy comprehended what was going on, he felt himself twisting on the spot, vanishing into darkness.
Or… vanishing onto a London Street as it would seem.
He looked around frantically, expecting to see Death Eaters coming at them, but there were only muggles walking busily around, minding their own business.
"Walk, just walk!" Hermione was saying frantically, her hands buried deep inside her beaded purse.
"What's going on?" said Ron, "where are we?"
"Tottenham Court, first place I thought of, keep walking!"
Harry started cursing himself for not bringing his invisibility cloak with him, however Malfoy was feeling elated that she'd brought him with them.
"…undetectable extension charm," Hermione was saying, explaining how she had everything they needed in her tiny purse. "I thought it best if we were prepared. I just had a feeling…"
"You are amazing," said Harry seriously. They turned off the road suddenly to a quiet back street.
"Quick, put these on." Hermione passed them each out their clothes, but Ron frowned as he put his on.
"You packed for Malfoy too?"
Hermione sighed. "Ron, now? Really?"
Ron scowled, but got dressed in silence. "My stupid clothes don't fit!" Malfoy muttered angrily, pulling what looked like very baggy jeans onto his still petite, feminine body.
"Draco, I think you should go under the cloak with Harry," Hermione told him, trying not to smile at how ridiculous he looked. "You'll both be changing back soon."
"What? There's no room under that thing for both of us!" squirmed Malfoy.
"You'll have to squat a little, but you'll fit. All three of us have. Plus you're quite small right now, enjoy it while it lasts."
Harry would normally have been displeased with this idea too, but right now was not the time for that. He was too worried about everyone back at the wedding. He yanked Malfoy's arm and pulled him under the cloak with him.
They walked further down the street, Malfoy wanting to curse the disgusting muggles that leered at Hermione into oblivion. Finally they found a tiny night café, they went inside needing to sit down and work out what the hell they were going to do next.
The effects of the polyjuice potions began to wear off just as Hermione had said, and Malfoy became uncomfortably squished next to Harry under the cloak, though he was relieved to be himself again.
He felt uneasy as they discussed what to do, flinging about the Dark Lord's name like it was nothing. Two men entered the bar and Malfoy stiffened. His eyes locking on them; he knew who they were.
"Potter," he hissed under his breath and Harry shifted, listening. "The two men who just walked in are Death Eaters." Malfoy felt Harry still beside him.
"Are you sure?" he whispered back, only able to see the back of the men's heads.
"Dolohov and Rowle. Trust me."
It felt bizarre hearing Malfoy ask him to trust him, but on this one Harry certainly was going to.
Harry nodded and pulled out his wand, Malfoy mirrored him. Then, in synchronization the two stood out, shouting 'STUPEFY' at the two Death Eaters, the cloak falling off them as they did so.
Ron and Hermione jumped in shock and Hermione screeched, "What are you doing?!" in panic.
"They're Death Eaters." Malfoy hissed.
The muggle waitress was staring at them in pure shock, then she made a run for the door, screaming.
"Stupefy!" cried Hermione, her voice a little shaky. The waitress dropped to the floor.
Harry pointed his wand at the café door and locked it silently. "Ron, turn out the lights." said Harry, quickly, moving round to look at the men slumped onto the café table.
Malfoy was right. He recognized Dolohov straight away, and Ron gasped in shock recognizing both of them from the paper. He pulled out his deluminator and the lights vanished, the little orbs sucked into the device like a vacuum.
"Lumos," muttered Harry, casting the low light over the stunned wizards.
Malfoy pointed his wand at Dolohov, scowling. "We should kill them."
"Draco, no!" gasped Hermione.
"Why not?" he snarled. "They'd do the same to us."
"Because we're not them!"
Ron seemed indifferent, "What else can we do?"
"Modify their memories?" suggested Harry, "Hermione, do you know how?"
"I haven't done it before," replied Hermione, pointing her wand at Rowle. "But, I know the theory. Obliviate!"
The Death Eater's eyes rolled back into his head and his face went blank.
"It worked!" said Harry thankfully.
Malfoy punched one of the Death Eaters hard in the stomach, then pointed his wand at Dolohov's face.
"Malfoy," said Hermione sharply. "Leave it."
Malfoy turned to look at her, annoyed. "I was just going to give him a headache to wake up to," he snarled.
Hermione shook her head. "Trust me, this will do just that." Hermione repeated the spell on both Dolohov and the waitress, then moved her wand to lift the waitress into a chair.
"Where are we going to go?" she said, turning to face the three of them. "Harry," she looked at him hesitatingly. "You don't think you could still have the trace on you, could you?"
"Not possible," snorted Malfoy.
Ron nodded in agreement. "It's wizarding law. You can't put it on a 17 year old."
Hermione frowned. "What if the Death Eaters have worked out how?"
"He only turned 17 yesterday! When could a Death Eater have put the trace back on him? He hasn't been near one-" then Ron broke off turning to look at Malfoy accusingly.
"Seriously, Weasley?" snapped Malfoy. "Again?"
"You're the only Death Eater-"
"Ron, Malfoy didn't do anything. He's the one the pointed those two out." Harry sighed, but felt sick; contaminated. Could he still have the trace on him?
Hermione had her hands clasped together tightly, stressing silently. "Ok," she said, trying to calm herself. "So, we don't know how they found us. We don't know where we can go without them finding us again. What are we going to do?!"
Malfoy put his hand on her arm gently without thinking, she looked up at him, her eyes a little watery.
He gave her a small, reassuring smile. Again, the muscles seemed unfamiliar to him considering their lack of usage. "We'll find somewhere," he said gently in a way even he hadn't heard himself speak. "And," he continued clearing his throat slightly, "if we do come across more; we know we can handle them." He gestured to the unconscious men.
A small smile tweaked the corner of Hermione's mouth and she lent into Malfoy's touch.
Ron's jaw was twitching, but Harry wasn't paying attention, he was thinking. "I think we should go to Grimmauld Place," he said finally.
Malfoy didn't know where he was talking about, but Ron and Hermione sure did, and the suggestion made Hermione begin to wring her hands in panic again. From what he could gather, it seemed 'Grimmauld Place' was the old Order hide out. It was compromised due to Snape's betrayal. However finally the decision was made that Grimmauld Place might just be their best option.
After they arrived and Malfoy had been let in on the location, they entered the grim looking building.
They nervously stood in the entrance threshold and little particles of dust sprung from the ceiling as the door clunked shut.
Hermione was gripping Malfoy's arm very tightly, her eyes darting around seeming to expect something to jump out at them.
"So…" said Malfoy slowly, "where are these anti-Snape spells…?"
"Maybe they only activate if he comes in," suggested Harry, taking a step forward. Then, not a moment after his foot touched the ground the voice of Mad Eye Moody chilled the air.
"Severus Snape?" it said frighteningly as a rush of air rose from nowhere rushing over them.
Harry just had time to say, "We're not Snape!" before the wind touched them and they felt their tongues roll and unroll in their mouths.
Malfoy clutched Hermione to him, his eyes wide.
"That…that must have been Moody's tongue tying curse," Hermione stuttered quietly.
"Yeah…guess so," mumbled Malfoy numbly.
They all moved slowly forward and this time, terrifyingly a figure rose from the floor comprised completely of dust. It was Dumbledore, a horrible recreation of Dumbledore. Not kind and wise, but monstrous, deadly and flying straight toward them!
Malfoy froze in terror, Hermione screamed, only adding to the fear as she made Mrs. Black's curtains fly open and the old ladies own piercing screams joined the chaos.
Malfoy came to and pulled Hermione into his chest, turning her away from the fray so that his back was to Dumbledore and she was shielded.
Harry was standing at the front, but he stumbled backwards as he said, "No, no it wasn't us! We didn't kill you!"
On the word 'kill' the figure disappeared, turning back into dust on the floor.
The four of them were so shaken not even Ron had something to say about Malfoy hugging Hermione so closely. Harry forced Mrs. Black's curtains closed and Hermione cast a spell to check if there were any other humans in the house. The spell showed nothing so they made their way upstairs, feeling as though they were treading on eggshells, but nothing else jumped out at them.
They reached the lounge and suddenly Harry doubled over in pain, clutching his scar.
"What is it?!" Malfoy cried shocked.
"Harry, Harry?" said Hermione quickly. "Are you OK?"
"What did you see?" asked Ron quickly, "Did you see him at my place?"
"No…" gasped Harry, "He's just angry…really angry."
"Harry!" squeaked Hermione, frightened. "I thought that connection had closed! Please, you… you need to concentrate on your occlumency. What if he puts fake images in your mind again like-"
"Yes I know," snapped Harry angrily. "Thank you, I know that. But, I can't help it. It keeps happening when he loses control of his emotions!"
"So let Draco teach you!" cried Hermione, clearly panicked.
"I DON'T WANT OCCLUMENCY LESSONS!" bellowed Harry, more angrily than he meant, but his scar was still aching.
No one said anything, the only thing that broke the silence in the room was Harry's heavy breathing.
Then, out of thin air, a patronus appeared and Malfoy recognized it this time as Arthur Weasley's.
"Family safe. Do not reply. We are being watched." Arthur's voice filled the room and Ron collapsed onto a couch with a groan of relief.
"They're OK!" gasped Hermione, gratitude and relief coating her face.
"They're OK," repeated Ron numbly. Then he laughed in giddy relief.
Malfoy sat down too, as did Hermione, right next to him. She was so close their thighs could only have been half a millimeter apart.
Harry ducked off to the bathroom all of a sudden, and Malfoy could tell it was still because of his scar.
"Could we maybe…all sleep out here tonight? Use the sleeping bags I brought?" asked Hermione tentatively, clutching her little beaded bag.
Malfoy closed the gap between their legs and smirked when he saw Hermione blush, but she didn't move away.
Ron didn't notice, he was still too happy about receiving news from his Dad. "Yeah," he said vaguely. "Sounds good."
Hermione stood up after a moment, "I'm going to go check on Harry," she said. She rummaged in her bag for a moment then pulled out his toothbrush.
After she left the room, Malfoy glanced at Ron. His eyes were closed and there was a small smile on his face. Malfoy stood up quietly and quickly followed Hermione's footsteps.
"Hermione!" He whispered quietly, the hall was quite dim so he had peer slightly through the darkness.
"Draco," Hermione sound a little cross, she turned around and waited for Malfoy to catch up to her. "What are you doing?" she demanded.
Malfoy frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Hermione looked away from him, her cheeks flushing. "Nothing I just…Well no it's not nothing it's you."
Malfoy was confused now. "What did I do?"
Hermione started fiddling with Harry's toothbrush angrily. "You just," Hermione sighed heavily. "It's not you. It's my fault. We're in the middle of this crazy war, hiding out from Death Eaters and the main thing I keep thinking about is you!"
Malfoy felt a smile slowly drag the corner of his mouth up his cheek. "What sort of things are you thinking about me?" he asked lowly, enjoying the warm rush of emotions that spread through his body.
"Draco, stop it!" Hermione snapped, irritation building. "That's the point. This isn't the time for that sort of thing and I'm mad at myself for thinking about it!" Hermione was blushing furiously now. "And it's your fault because you keep…doing things that make me think about back at school when we…Oh I don't know what I'm even saying. Just… it's not the time!"
"Hermione…" Malfoy said gently, his voice still low and it sent a shiver down Hermione's spine. "When is the right time? You can't tell me you think back at school was the right time, I hadn't even chosen a side back then…" Hermione looked at him, her mouth in a hard straight line. Malfoy continued, "What if I told you I'd been thinking about those things too?"
Hermione breathed in quickly, her heart was beating very fast. Malfoy was standing very close to her and the heat from his body was warming her own. Memories of similar times were clogging her mind.
"Hermione?" Malfoy continued, his voice very husky now. He raised a hand to cover Hermione's that was gripping Harry's toothbrush. He held it and used it to pull Hermione even closer. "Do you still feel the same?" he whispered, his breath tickling her forehead.
Hermione leant in, her hand up against Malfoy's chest and she could feel his heart thumping quickly in his chest, her body was a flutter with feelings, tingling sensations coursing just under her skin. Then, she heard the click of the bathroom door opening down the hall and she awoke.
She breathed in slowly, inhaling the warm sent that was Draco and then stepped back. She knew they couldn't do this right now. They needed to be concentrating on the war at hand. And they needed to be a team. This would only cause further fractures in their group, particularly with Ron.
And yet, she still said very softly, "I still feel the same." She said it so quietly Malfoy wasn't sure if he'd heard her at all. But then, she took her hand out from under his. "I'm going to go give Harry his toothbrush," she said softly, unable to look Malfoy in the face. She walked away quickly down the hall, Malfoy watching her go, his face unreadable, and his body felt suddenly cold.
A/N Thanks again so much for the amazing reviews! You guys are incredible! Sorry this update took a little longer, I couldn't think of a way around following how the book went after the wedding and stuff and I was a bit bored writing that stuff so it took longer... anyway, let me know what you think! Next update should be soon! Thanks again!