I don't own HP. Wish I did, but I don't.
NOTE: I did some thinking and changed the rating to M, so it matches Ao3 and Wattpad.
XXX
The Slytherin common room was a bit on the subdued side. Almost all of the exams were finished, but seventh years still had a week left for their NEWT exams and they were threatening to curse anyone that interrupted their study time.
Draco was entertaining himself by reading a practically ancient tome on spell invention. It was very obscure, but he was beginning to see how one went about creating spells.
It certainly wasn't easy, but it was distracting.
He was ensconced in one of the armchairs near the fireplace as the seventh years were using almost all of tables. Gregory and Vincent were nearby, sitting on a couch and imitating the mountains he knew people called them.
He didn't know how they could sit and do nothing for hours.
They were a bit put out with him, since he'd disappeared on them all day yesterday.
But he couldn't exactly tell them what he'd been up to.
Currently no one at Hogwarts had heard about Black or Potter. Though it had been noted that the-boy-who-lived was missing.
Draco hoped that was because Black had woken up. And not for other, more tragic reasons.
"Draco."
He looked up to see Pansy standing in front of him, a small, happy smile on her face.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Tracy Davis watching them, so he affected his most bored expression, "Yes?"
"I thought you'd like to know, Hermione has been cured."
The quiet murmur that had pervaded the sitting area quickly disappeared. Draco could feel multiple pairs of eyes on them
Some friendly, others curious, but most were actively judging him.
Morgana take Pansy! Why did she have to tell him this in public?
He kept looking bored, "So?"
She stared silently at him, her eyes wide in disbelief.
"So? So?! What do you mean, so?!" Her voice got louder and higher pitched with each word, drawing even more eyes.
"Just that. Why should I care?"
It took a second, her staring at him, and then he saw a spark of realization in her eyes before it was quickly smothered.
Bless her.
She crossed her arms and frowned, "You don't care that your cousin is healed? That she isn't going to die?"
He shrugged and closed his book, keeping his finger in to mark his spot. "She's only my cousin through adoption. We're barely related."
"Draco Lucius Malfoy! That is a terrible thing to say!"
He scoffed, "What? You start hanging out with Potter and Pals and you get to judge me now?"
"You're a Malfoy! You are all about taking care of family!"
"I repeat, she's barely family. She's adopted."
"Then you wanted her dead?"
He shrugged, "I couldn't care either way."
Her face turned red and she spun on her heel. He watched as she disappeared down the passageway leading to the girls' dormitory.
As soon as she was out of sight he opened his book back up and began reading. Or, rather, pretending to read. Inside of his head he was dancing with joy and he felt practically weak with relief that she was alright.
It had worked.
Snape hadn't tricked him.
He crossed his legs and propped the book against his knee, trying to hide the tremor his hands were betraying.
A scrapping of a chair against the stone floor made him look up.
"Interesting conversation."
Theo Nott said this as he planted himself firmly in the hunter green armchair. He had moved it so close that their knees were practically touching.
Draco let out an audible sigh and closed his book once more, giving Theo a bored expression.
"What do you want?"
Theo shrugged, "Not much."
"Then why don't you move away?"
Theo smirked, "Now, why would I do that?"
"We aren't friends. Nor are we enemies. You have no reason to be speaking with me."
"Yet."
Now Draco was intrigued and confused. What was Theo playing at? His dad was as much a Death Eater as Draco's father. Was there some kind of junior Death Eater group he'd been ignorant about?
Had his acting just gotten him an invitation?
Bloody hell.
He tightened his hands on his book, trying to hide the fact they were still trembling a bit.
"Explain."
"You know, they say the apple doesn't fall from far from the tree."
Draco gave him a look he'd seen his father use quite often on the Minister when the silly man wouldn't get to the point.
Theo chuckled at that, "Amazing, you look just like him. But consider this, what happens when the tree is on a hill? Where does the apple go?"
"Is there a point to this?"
"Yes, now answer the question."
Draco rolled his eyes, "Obviously the apple rolls down the hill."
"And far away from the tree that gave it birth."
"Trees don't give birth."
"You know what I mean."
Draco gestured to the book in his lap, after making sure he was no longer trembling. "Get on with it, Theo. I'm busy."
"Draco, how long have we known each other?"
"I don't know. Forever? I seem to remember you destroying my third birthday cake by flying into it on MY new toy broom."
"Exactly." He leaned in and dropped his voice so low that Draco had to lean in to hear him. "We've never been friends, but I'm fairly certain I know you. And that means I know when you're lying."
A sliver of fear ran down Draco's spine.
"Now, I will admit, you're good, very good. If I hadn't been paying such close attention I never would have noticed. Even then, it took me remembering when we got caught breaking into my uncle's secret room at my ninth birthday party." His eyes pierced Draco, "I know the truth. You're glad Hermione Black is cured."
Draco closely studied the bony face of his old classmate. True, he'd known Theo for as long as he could remember. Their fathers moved in the same circles and were Death Eaters together.
Draco just wanted to escape the coming storm with his life and his family intact.
What did Theo want? And why was he confronting him here, in the middle of the Slytherin common room?
"That's an interesting idea."
Theo flashed him a smirk, "It's not an idea." He pulled back and looked around the common room. No one was staring at them, but they were earning a few looks from most of their housemates.
He leaned in again, "We're both the sons of rather prominent Death Eaters, us speaking is not odd or unusual. As long as we part amiably. So I'm going to stand up and walk away, happy as can be. You should drop that pinched look and return to your book."
Theo started to stand up, but Draco stopped him by grabbing his wrist.
"What will you do with that information?"
The other boy smiled, "Nothing. Just thought you should know that you're not the only apple in this snakepit." He pulled his wrist free, "Now, excuse me. I believe Tracy is trying to get my attention."
Draco watched Theo put the chair back where it belonged and amble off. The boy had gained so many inches - without gaining a single pound - that he seemed to sway as he walked across the room to the settee Tracy and Daphne. It reminded Draco of a tree in the wind.
And that thought just brought his mind back to what Theo had said about apple trees and hills. Theo had never been one to be cryptic, not that this was the most cryptic conversation they could have.
Just what was his old playmate up to?
Shoving the encounter out of his mind he returned to reading his book.
XXX
Hermione stared idly at the clouds floating past the open window.
Her brain had so many thoughts, but it took too much energy to bring them up.
For the first time in her life, she didn't want to think. She didn't want to figure things out and discover what treasures the world held.
All she wanted to do was lie there and relish in the lack of pain.
She wasn't floating. The stiff cotton sheets rubbed against her face whenever she moved her head. Contrasting with the soft flannel that made up her pajamas. She could feel cool air coming through one of the small air tunnels in the ceiling, air was flowing over her skin, tickling the short hair covering her skull.
She didn't want to think about her hair.
The clouds were so much nicer.
Soft and fluffy, with little wispy bits poking out.
None of the clouds had recognizable shapes.
Yesterday they had.
She'd seen a toad chasing an owl across the window. That had made her smile. It reminded her of Neville and his toad. Neville was a great friend.
So was Pansy.
She hoped they were happy together, whatever their relationship was.
Would she ever find anyone like that?
Harry and Ginny had each other. That girl hadn't even hesitated when it came to rescuing Harry. In fact-
She cut off her own thoughts. She didn't want to go down that road, not right now.
Better to think of Ron and Luna. They were so sweet together. Whenever he got overprotective she easily pushed him back, but even Luna couldn't deny that she needed someone that wasn't quite as nice as she was.
When he found out her classmates were taking her things…
Hermione smiled at the reminder.
Ravenclaw Tower was far more terrified now of Ron than they'd ever been of Fred and George.
"Hey, 'Mione, you awake?"
Her smile widened and she turned her head to see Harry standing in the doorway.
"Sort of."
He smiled back, "At least you're answering me now."
She felt sadness overwhelm her at his words. She didn't remember much of the past month. Just pain, and then a familiar comfort, followed by more pain that only ended when her world became nothing but blue flames.
The healers had told her the flames likely represented whatever had cured her. They assumed it was a potion applied directly to her skin since her bandage had been removed, as well as their anti-itching cream. But they weren't sure.
They also couldn't explain the dragon she'd seen.
Who had cured her?
As soon as she thought the question, she pushed it aside. It didn't matter right now, she'd figure things out later, when she felt better. There was time.
She had all summer.
"Was the past month hard?"
He shrugged and took a seat next to her bed, "In some ways, yes. Luna kept trying to impersonate you."
She giggled at that, "I would've loved to see that."
"Maybe you can, I'm sure she'd be happy to keep doing it. Something about it expanding her mind to see things from your eyes."
She looked back over at the clouds floating past, "I feel like I'm seeing things from her eyes. It's rather freeing. When will I see her?"
"Dumbledore could only get permission for me to leave school early from the Board of Governors. They finish in about a week and a half. You should be home by then."
"Oh, I hope so."
She felt him reach out and take her hand. He gave it a squeeze and she returned it.
"Hermione, about that night. I-"
She cut him off, "Later."
"But-"
She rolled her head back to look at him.
"Harry, please. I can barely move. If I start thinking, I won't stop. Later. When I'm on my feet. When I'm moving, walking, running. Tell me what you need to then. But, please. Not right now."
Tears were pricking at the corners of her eyes as she spoke the last few words. She couldn't do it. She couldn't think about anything.
Not yet.
Not until she could use the loo without assistance.
Not until she could raise her hand enough to use her wand.
Not now.
"Please," she repeated.
He nodded, and squeezed her hand.
She squeezed back, but she knew he barely felt it.
She was so tired.
XXX
Draco opened his eyes and reached up, stretching.
Merlin did it feel good to be back home, in his own bed. The silk sheets whispered across his skin and he couldn't help but groan in pleasure as he moved against them.
Honestly, why couldn't Hogwarts supply more than just cotton sheets?
He'd discovered ever since he'd started school that the first morning back home was always the best. You never truly appreciated what you had until you went without it.
He just lay there, luxuriating in the lazy comfort that summer brought, until a knock interrupted the sweet silence.
He frowned. The house elves never knocked, and his parents rarely came to his room.
"Yes?"
"Are you decent?"
His frown deepened, the voice sounded extremely familiar, but he couldn't place it.
"Um, sort of."
"Explain."
He glanced down at himself. True, the sheets were covering him, but he rarely wore much to bed. Not when he could help it.
An odd feeling on the back of his neck made him reach over to his nightstand and grab his wand, pointing it at the door.
"The sheets are over me…"
The door burst open and Draco jerked backwards and raised his wand.
Something flew towards him.
"Protego!"
As he shouted the spell he rolled to the side, but he ended up getting tangled in his sheets and fell off the bed in a tangle of limbs and sheets.
A clear, tinkling laugh cut through the room, and Draco felt himself go red as he suddenly realized why he recognized the voice.
He pulled his legs free and then stood up, being sure to keep the sheet wrapped tightly around him.
Professor Alianore Roux, his defense teacher from the previous year, stood in the doorway with her wand in hand.
She looked him up and down and smiled, "I must say, your reflexes and instincts are quite good. But as for your coordination…"
He scowled, "Professor, may I ask what you are doing here?"
"Oh, didn't your father inform you? He has hired me to tutor you in defense this summer. I intend to return to France at the end of the summer."
Draco couldn't help but stare at her, "What?"
"Your training. You're running a bit late today, but I will excuse it as it is your first morning home. Starting tomorrow I expect you to be dressed and ready for lessons by seven sharp. We'll be practicing until dinner six days a week. Your father is giving me a great deal of coin to ensure that you can take care of yourself." She grinned at him, "And I make sure I earn my coin. I want you to wear old, comfortable clothes. Now," she looked him up and down, "get dressed and grab a light breakfast. I plan to put you through your paces, and find out just how much you really know."
"But…but you saw me all year. You know how much I know."
She shook her head, her scarlet hair whipping about her as if in an invisible wind. "No, I saw how much you know of the fifth year curriculum. Not how much you know. Feel free to use anything non-lethal today, understood?"
He nodded mutely, trying to wrap his brain around what was about to happen. He'd expected to spend this summer much like all the previous ones. That meant lots of alone, quiet time. Time he wanted to use to work on spell invention and adaptation.
But instead, it looked like he was about to spend all day, every day learning how to fight and defend himself.
The only good side was that if he did well, he might just survive the war. And if he survived, he could make his family survived.
She disappeared, closing the door behind her. He stared at the door for a moment before giving himself a quick shake and dropping the sheet.
There was no doubt in his mind that if he took too long getting ready she would storm right back in.
Then she might just use something more dangerous than sparks.
And wasn't that a scary thought?
XXX
Hermione took a deep breath and let go of the bar Padfoot had attached to the wall in the sitting room. Her legs held firm.
She took a deep breath and relaxed, just standing there.
Yesterday she had managed ten minutes before her stomach had grown tired. Whatever had cured her had also managed to remove every single abdominal muscle - or at least weaken them so much that she couldn't do much at all.
She'd never realized just how many everyday activities required the use of those muscles.
When she'd first gotten home she couldn't even stand up from the toilet without help.
That had been almost two weeks ago.
Now she just needed someone to help her into the room and then shut the door. She could pull herself up using the bathroom counter.
"We're going to start with the pelvic tilt today."
She looked away from her feet and up at her physical therapist.
"Alright."
Franklin Tonks was someone Hermione had only heard about. She knew her Uncle Ted had a muggle brother, but had never had a reason to meet the man.
That was, until the magical world had failed her.
St. Mungos had just told her to take it slow. That she would get her strength back. They could regrow bones and heal ligaments, but they couldn't strengthen muscles with magic. Maybe she'd add that to her list. She'd have to think about it later.
When Aunt Andy had realized Hermione couldn't even sit up on her own she had been infuriated at St. Mungos. She'd immediately contacted her brother-in-law, and he'd agreed to help.
Mr. Frank - he'd insisted she call him Frank, but she couldn't quite manage to be that informal with an adult - rolled a big rubber ball over and put it on the end of what he called a yoga mat.
"I want you to put your feet on the ball today, rather than the floor. If you can take my hand," he held out his arm, "we'll get you settled on the yoga mat.
She nodded and did as he said. She'd do everything he told her if it got her back to normal.
XXX
Draco hit the ground and rolled, being careful to keep his wand from breaking. He was on his feet again a moment later, his wand pointed at the evil red-haired witch that had just turned where he was standing into nothing more than scorched earth.
"You could have killed me with that!"
She laughed, "No, silly boy, you're much too fast to be hit like that. Good job on the drop and roll. You didn't trip on your robes this time."
He grimaced. The first three dozen times he'd tried to recover from a drop and roll he'd eaten dirt because he'd forgotten he was wearing robes.
Honestly, robes were the stupidest things to fight in.
XXX
Harry spun and dodged the spell, spinning out of his outer robe as he went. As soon as it was off he transfigured it into a piece of wood and sent it flying.
Tonks ducked, but just as it was about fly over her head he transfigured it back.
The robe fell and covered her. She began to pull it off, but he was faster.
"Incarserous!"
Ropes appeared and twisted around her, holding the robe in place and trapping her arms to her body. She teetered there for a moment, trying to keep her balance. But the lack of sight plus the ropes holding her legs together dropped her.
As he watched she grew thinner and began to wiggle her way out of the mess of robe and ropes.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
She immediately stopped moving and he grinned. It was the first time he'd managed to beat her.
"Good work, Harry. Now, let's get her untangled and go through the fight," Mooney said, waving his wand and releasing the ropes holding Tonks.
Harry groaned, he hated going back through a fight. He knew he'd made countless mistakes, even if he had won in the end.
XXX
Hermione aimed her wand at the training dummy.
It exploded without her saying a word. Just a nice, silent Expulso. She grinned and looked over at Mrs. Longbottom.
"Very good, dear. Now, Pansy, your turn."
Hermione moved out of the way for her friend and took a seat on the bench against the wall. She'd been awake for over a month now, but she still tired easily. Uncle Remus thought it was the spell that made her so weak, which explained why she could recover in what was a remarkably short time according to Mr. Frank. Still, she spent the majority of her time sitting or lying down. If she didn't have all of her private projects, not to mention OWLs, she would have gone insane from inactivity.
She watched as her friends attempted to cast their own silent spells.
It took Pansy a few tries, but she made the dummy explode as well. Luna was up next and she got it on her first try. Ron took a bit longer. It was only scorched on his first few tries.
"This really was a marvelous idea, wasn't it?" Pansy said, taking a seat next to Hermione after she had succeeded.
Hermione looked around the small classroom that somewhat resembled a muggle shooting gallery. It really had been a great idea.
"Yes, I heard Padfoot say he's gotten twenty new letters from prospective students around the world. It's very hard to find a place like this that isn't run by the government."
"Very true, I'm surprised no one else has tried this before. Also, love the name, The Marauders'' Academy: Dueling and Defense. Nice of Mrs. Longbottom and Mr. Weasley to go along with that name."
Hermione shrugged, "Mrs. Longbottom and Padfoot are the two funding this and she thought it was rather fitting. After all, two of the main instructors were the original marauders, and their star pupil is the son of another. Plus, she said Neville's dad would have found the name entertaining."
"My father finds it rather fitting," Luna said as he joined them. "He says that the unexpected method is always the best."
"Luna, your father is a genius. Padfoot says he's the one that came up with this idea. Back when Uncle Remus finished teaching at Hogwarts." As Hermione said this she scooted over so Luna could sit on her other side.
"So, have they found someone to teach dueling?" Pansy asked.
Hermione giggled, "Apparently Professor Roux hasn't left for France yet. Padfoot's been exchanging letters with her for the past month, trying to get her to come by for an interview. I found a half-written one on his desk..." She giggled harder, "It's almost like he's courting her."
Hermione knew the two had never met, but she could see Professor Roux fitting right in with Padfoot and the other adults.
A loud bang rang through the small room. Hermione jumped and looked up to see a small crater where the dummy was supposed to regrow from.
"I do believe we need to work on your control. I would prefer to not replace the equipment before we've even opened our doors to the public." There was just a hint of a scolding in Mrs. Longbottom's voice, and that made Ginny flush a light pink.
"My sister is bloody dangerous," Ron said as he approached and took Luna's hand. He pulled her up, then he promptly stole her seat.
She stood there, looking at him expectantly.
He grinned and pulled her back down to sit on his lap.
She shifted and got comfortable before replying, "She's a good match for Harry."
"Who's a good match for Harry?" Ginny asked.
Hermione glanced up to see Neville waiting while his mother replaced the training dummy.
"You, of course. Who else could come close to matching him on the dueling field?" Pansy stated.
Ginny rolled her eyes, "Hermione of course."
Hermione snorted, "With the way I am now? I doubt I could even beat Lockhart in a duel."
"You'll get stronger. Every day you have more strength and stamina. Besides, no one knows more spells and tricks than you do," Ron said.
"Yes, but I teach all of those tricks and spells to Harry as soon as I learn about them," she pointed out. "And Harry thinks much better on his feet than I do."
"Point."
Hermione shot Luna a grin, that girl knew reality.
Well, she knew reality where it counted. And for the rest they could depend on Ron to – hopefully - use his head and common sense.
"Hmph, when do you start your OWLs, 'Mione?" Ron asked, cuddling Luna on his lap.
"Next week. I have to travel up to Hogwarts for a week and they'll give me the exams there. It's going to be rather odd to be the only student in the school."
"I'll bet, but at least you'll have them done before classes start," Pansy put in.
"Point," Hermione answered, grinning at the Slytherin girl. It was truly amazing how much this girl had changed in a year and a half. Still, Hermione wouldn't want to get on her bad side.
"Are you all ready to go another round?"
She looked up to see Mrs. Longbottom studying them, Neville by her side. A dummy was regrowing down the lane behind them.
Hermione grinned and stood up, "Yes, please."
"Alright, be silent, but this time I want you to disarm it."
Mrs. Longbottom gave a wave of her wand and a stick appeared in the dummy's hand.
Hermione readied her wand and aimed it at the dummy.
Time to get back to work - after all - summer wouldn't last forever.
Author's Note: And there is their summertime before sixth year. Lucius decided to get his son some much needed training, and Sirius and company have opened up a new business. Sorry about not getting it up again on Saturday.
Once again: life.
In other, totally awesome news, I now have over 1000 people following this story on Ao3 and here! But no one on Wattpad. Rather interesting.
Enjoy!