Dragon in the Lions' Den
Notes: I am SO sorry for not updating last week. This chapter was much longer than I expected, and with the my son's first week of kindergarter, typing this took a bit of a back seat. Hopefully the length (my longest so far!) will make up for it. I think that my updates may slow down a bit to once every week and half to two weeks, just because these longer chapters take longer to write and type... and I'm starting to catch up the the current chapter I'm writing. Hope that makes sense. Anyway. Thanks for sticking with me, and I'm sorry for any mistakes... I have a beta now, and the next chapter will be better! Enjoy...
#21 Lean on Me
'Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on
For, it won't be long
Til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on.'
Wednesday night found Hermione in the middle of a dueling lesson with Severus Snape. The elder wizard taught her two new spells and three defensive maneuvers, and they spent the first hour perfecting them together. The two were so involved in their dueling that they didn't notice Draco enter the room and watch the sparring from a dark corner. It was only when Snape took a quick moment for Hermione to center herself that his presence was noticed by his head of house.
'Bored, Draco?" boomed Severus' voice in Draco's mind.
'Granger mentioned something about coming to watch on Monday, so I figured I'd kill some time until you were done,' Draco replied coolly. 'How do you think she'll do against the two of us?'
Snape smirked, 'There's only one way to find out…'
The blond nodded and stayed in the shadows until Snape invited him to join.
"Are you ready, Hermione?" Snape asked.
"Always," she replied with a smile as she assumed her defensive position.
'We'll see,' thought Snape.
He engaged her and they fought hard, Snape giving her all he could. Draco watched the two fighters and was struck at the beauty and fluid motions as they moved together. It was as if they were dancing; lunging, turning, gliding, except this was a dance of death. Hermione truly looked as if she were born to duel, her movements were natural and alive, taking old traditional dueling and marrying it with modern fighting and martial arts.
'Now Draco,' Snape commanded, and Draco stalked up to the pair.
Draco moved with the grace and stealth of a panther, the way his father and Snape taught him. While Hermione was engaged with Severus, Draco threw a spell at her and she flew backwards.
"Shit!" she cried out, realizing that she was now fighting two people.
For a moment, she panicked- she didn't know what to do and felt overwhelmed and unready for this. Flashes of moments from the Department of Mysteries left her frozen as she remembered Ron's pain and the curse Dolohov hit her with. Shadows of Sirius falling through the veil nearly sent her over the edge and her mind went blank. Seeing the crazed look in her eyes, Draco felt the need to help.
'Calm down, Granger. Regroup and reassess,' Draco's strong voice came to her and broke her out of her fright. 'You can do this.'
IF the situation hadn't been so stressful, she would have smiled at his kind words and encouragement. Instead, she ducked behind a chair, took a deep breath and reminded herself of her training. She was capable of regular, nonverbal and wandless magic; ultimately, she had many weapons. She did smile at this thought and prepared once again for battle.
Snape was surprised that Hermione fled behind the chair and was disappointed with the girl for the briefest of moments before she stood and fired two curses simultaneously at him, knocking him off his feet. Keeping an eye on Snape, she searched the room for Draco. There was little sound, but then she caught a hint of his cologne behind a table.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" she cried at the table and it moved out to the way, just as Draco yelled out "Expelliarmus!"
"Protego!" she said silently, then sent her own disarming spell and the two spells his and rebounded off of each other as she and Draco were thrown back to the floor. Hermione heard a rustle on the other side and saw that Severus had gotten to his feet and was prepared to engage as well. The two then locked eyes and Hermione knew she was in trouble; this session was liable to hurt. A lot. Back and forth they fired curses and spells, and she blocked as many as she could. Her eyes softly glowed blue as she fought.
"Impedimenta!" yelled Draco while Snape sent a disarming spell her way.
Hermione's wand flew out of her hand and she was unable to move. Concentrating, she was able to spell that sent Snape flying. Soon, her wand was back in her hand. Hermione felt a sudden sense of calm as a surge of energy moved through her, and without thought she rendered her professor useless, taking his wand and casting an old spell to prevent him from moving or using magic. Snape's eyes grew wide as he watched her, her warm brown eyes glowing blue; unsure what the two teens would do. Curses went flying back and forth, Draco landing a perfect curse that Hermione just managed to deflect while send her own back to the young man. As he looked to Draco, he saw that the younger man's eyes were glowing as well, both students caught in the throes of the Knights Grey magic. Dumbledore warned him that it could happen and that the teens should be stopped immediately if it did, as they were untrained and unable to use their knowledge properly. Without meaning to, they could hurt each other and throw the world further into peril.
Suddenly, Hermione's wand transformed into a glowing sword and she steadied herself as Draco came charging at her with his own sword.
"Bloody hell!" yelled Snape.
Try as he might, the spell Hermione used would not be broken and yelling at them wouldn't work as they were in a magical trance. He needed to get into their minds.
'Hermione, its Severus. I know you can hear me. Put the sword down, please,' he pleaded into her mind. 'Neither of you are ready for this, you'll kill each other.'
He saw her falter but Draco kept his pursuit, forcing her to defend herself.
'Draco!' Snape yelled, and the young man's head snapped to his direction. The slightly glowing blue eyes, were eerie, and sent chills down his spine. 'Merlin, how many people get to see a grey magic trance?' he thought.
'Put the sword down. You aren't ready for this magic yet,' he projected to Draco. 'Please, you don't want to hurt Hermione.'
That got Draco's attention, and Severus could see Draco slowly come out of the trance, falling to his hands and knees in the exhaustion of the dueling and trance. Hermione was against the wall, sliding down and slumping on the floor, clearly free from the trance at last. Draco crawled over to her.
"Granger?" his voice was gritty but soft and full of concern.
"Malfoy," she reached out to him and he took her hand as he sat next to her.
"I didn't know you could handle a sword," he growled at her.
"Neither did I," she replied. They sat quietly for a moment; eyes closed just trying to reenergize themselves, oblivious to Snape's presence in the room. "Sweet Merlin, what was that?"
"A Grey magic trance," replied Snape, voice coming from far away.
"Sev?" asked Draco, seeing the Potions Master stuck against a wall.
"Ms. Granger, if you would be so kind as to release me," the elder wizard said sharply, yet unable to hide the awe in his voice over the powerful spells used to keep him captive.
"Oh, goodness! I'm so sorry, Sev," Hermione flushed. "Finite Incantatem."
Snape felt the magic recede and he walked to the pair on the floor.
"Are you ok?" he asked the, taking note of new bruises.
"Yes," said Draco in an annoyed tone, "just tell is what the bloody hell a 'Grey magic trance' is already!"
"The Knights of Midlothian practiced Grey magic: a magic that transcended both light and dark magic. It's ancient, rare and very powerful," Severus began. "The Knights pass their knowledge through the trances, which is part of what you'll be doing this summer in France. Those trances will be controlled. From what I know, which is limited mind you, magical trances are a learned experience. You have to work up to them as they take a lot of skill and concentration."
"So what happened with us just now?" Hermione asked.
"Is that why her eyes were glowing blue," Draco asked before Snape could answer her question. "It's happened before."
"WHAT?!" cried Hermione. "MY eyes are fine. Your eyes were glowing, Malfoy."
"Stop it, both of you. To answer your question, Draco: yes, the cobalt blue eyes are a sign of the trance," the elder wizard explained. "Albus mentioned that a trance can be triggered by extreme emotions. I think any further conversation on this subject should be left to your Headmaster, as he can explain things from first hand experience."
"Next time you plan on ganging up on me in a duel, try giving me a warning so I can be prepared, huh?" snapped Hermione, eyes flashing blue.
"What's the point?" asked Draco, eyeing her sharply. "You never know what could happen in a fight, Granger. Training for the unexpected keeps you sharp."
"It was a good learning experience," said Snape evenly, unmoved by her anger. "Now we know what to work on next."
"'What's the point?'" she bellowed with rage. "'It was a good learning experience?' PERHAPS EASING ME INTO IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN NICE! I would have appreciated a heads-up, so I could be prepared. Instead you just throw me into it?"
"Look at the time;" Snape said softly, "I've got papers to grade tonight. Good night."
With that, the elder wizard made to leave, heading abruptly towards to door, not wanting to meet the wrath of the diminutive brunette. Snape was gone before Hermione had a chance to berate him, appearing to leave only to hide out in the shadows unbeknownst to the pair.
"Son of a bitch," she growled, turning on Draco who stood his ground against the young woman. He was ready for her yelling, and more than willing to give it right back to her so he was was caught off guard when she turned away from him and choked out, "and you… how could you do that to me without warning me?"
He merely thought she was overly angry and was left speechless at her calm words as they ate into his heart. It was only when she slumped into a chair and curled up into a little ball that he realized the girl was crying.
"Granger?" he called out to her, concerned. "Are you hurt?"
"Leave me alone, Malfoy!" she snapped back. The harshness of her voice was betrayed by the sobs wracking her lithe body. In the past, making Hermione Granger cry would have made his day; anything to put the know-it-all bint down a notch or two. Seeing her like this, clearly hurting and overwrought was almost too much for him and it hurt to see her so… broken. Broken was the only way to describe her current state. She was strong, seemingly unbreakable – knock her down and she gets back up. Her vulnerability was unnerving, exposing a side of her that she kept hidden. He was both fearful for her and admiring of her in that singular moment.
Walking to her, Draco sat down beside her and made out little in her incoherent babble. Intermittently, she would murmur words like "mysteries," and then, "tricked Harry", "Dolohov", "hospital, so much pain" and finally, "oh, Merlin, Sirius!"
It didn't make much sense to him, but parts he did understand as she'd taunted him with it the day he'd cursed her with the 'Cutisacidus', the resulting scar tormented him daily. Something about tonight's ambush brought her back to the night at the ministry, and all the fears seemed to have come rushing back to her... Without thinking, Draco put his arms around the girl and drew her close, her warmth radiating through him.
"It's ok, Hermione," he murmured, caressing the back of her head gently as he held her. "I'm sorry you were frightened and I'm sorry we didn't warn you. We had only the best of intentions."
Hermione was comforted by his strong arms and the gentle way he held her, and her sobs tapered off. She rested her head on his shoulders, enjoying his familiar scent. The way she fit in his arms made him smile.
"You must think I'm some crazy, weak girl, Malfoy," she said softly.
"Crazy girl? Yes!" he retorted, and she heard the smile in his voice. "Weak? Never. It's easy to forget that you've gone through things that are traumatic as you tend to seem unfazed."
"I'm sure I'm not the only one," she responded, still embarrassed, "but I don't see you falling a part like a little girl."
He lifted her chin with his fingers, looking directly in her eyes. "We all have our demons, Granger, and we all have out own ways of dealing with them. Now you know that you'll be double teamed and you'll always be prepared for it."
"I know why he did it, why you did it. It was pretty sneaky," Hermione admitted reluctantly. "I doesn't take away my fear, though. How bad was I?"
She was no longer crying and remained in his arms, but was too comfortable to move. This seemed to be ok with Draco as he didn't seem to be too concerned with moving away from her.
"Honestly? I was really worried at first that you weren't able to do it, you seemed so panicked." He told her, "Then you got it together. You held your own after that."
She looked up at him again, "Thank you."
"For what? Talking Snape into ambushing you?" he asked.
"Oh, so you're so blame for this, are you?" She replied with a smack to his arm, but laughing at the same time. "No, for helping me focus and for pulling me down from the rafters."
He smiled. "We're a team, Granger. I expect the same from you."
"You'll regret that, Malfoy," she chuckled.
"I'm sure I will," he said under his breath, which earned him an elbow to the ribs.
"I heard that," she scolded.
They silently sat together, both comfortable where they were. She had no idea how much time passed before he spoke again.
"As much as I'm enjoying this, if I carry you to the Gryffindor common room again, the youngest Weasley is going to think we're hiding something."
"Oh, I forgot about that, "she said, blushing. "I'm sorry Ginny grilled you like that. I assure you, she won't say anything about it again."
Draco only grunted, watching her.
"Thank you for getting me to my room. I can't convey my gratitude for your kindness." She said.
It was his turn to blush, and he tried hard to take the attention away form him. "At least you can walk on your own tonight. My arms are getting a bit tired from having to carry you around."
"You prat!" she exclaimed, slapping him on the arm as she got on her feet.
Hermione put out her hand to pull him up and they grabbed their bags and walked out of the room.
"The potion will be ready on Friday," she said, and noticed that he tensed up a bit at the mention of the potion. "Will you be ready to try it out?"
"Yes," he said in a clipped voice and she felt sorry for bringing it up since it killed the mood between them. She could only imagine how he must feel about the whole situation, losing the only identity that he'd ever known to risk his own security. She put her hand on his arm in a comforting gesture.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Draco nodded and they walked in silence until they got to the junction that would send them in opposite directions to their respective dorms. To her surprise, Draco took the turn with her, and continued to walk to the Gryffindor Tower with her. She smiled despite herself; who would have thought he could be so charming and gentlemanly, given their past experiences? If nothing else, she was glad that this whole situation had given her the opportunity to get to know him on a totally new level. Draco Malfoy was more complex and more charismatic than she would have ever imagined. She looked at him with an arched eyebrow and he smiled at her.
"Do you really think I'd just trust you to make it to your dorm without causing trouble?" he questioned.
"The strong and valiant knight accompanies the weak maiden to her quarters?" she teased. Draco rolled his eyes but she noted the blush on his pale face.
"More like the knight has to keep his bumbling side-kick away from danger"
"Not even the knight can keep his side-kick from danger – it seems to follow her where ever she goes," Hermione said seriously. "Something about the company she keeps."
"The knight just needs to do a better job, the side-kick is more valuable than appearances would suggest," he responded, just as serious.
They reached the portrait door and for once, the Fat Lady watched quietly instead of interrupting the teens.
"The knight is in even more danger than the side-kick, so the side-kick has her work cut out for her. But if they work together…" she started.
"They can be invincible," he finished, looking into her eyes.
Hermione felt drawn to him, finding his grey eyes captivating and overwhelming. Certainly, she felt a physical attraction to him, what warm blooded witch wouldn't? Attraction wasn't enough, though, as part of her heart still belonged to a certain red-head who was yet to understand her feelings for him. The mere thought of an attraction to Draco was dangerous, and was something to be avoided.
The blond opposite her was pondering much the same topics as she. Where his partner refused to acknowledge the extent of her attraction to him, Draco was unable to deny himself that luxury. He wanted nothing more than to push her up against the wall and snog her senseless, and part of him was terrible repulsed by the idea. He cursed Lucius for his prejudiced teachings and hypocritical views; Draco knew that if his father saw Hermione Granger today, he'd do anything to possess and break her, to have her as his own. Blood be damned. Trying to ignore his feelings and play off their previous words, he took her hand and kisses it.
"Good night, fair maiden," he teased, and bowed elegantly.
"Adieu, my brave knight," she responded, a large smile on her face when she curtsied.
Hermione watched him walk away; for once his sleek form was not marred by the presence of his robes. 'Merlin, the man can walk. Look at his…' she shook her head and rid herself of that thought. Her heart beat sped up at the sight of his black fitted trousers, hugging every curve of his supple seekers body. She was again reminded of Harry, how similarly they were built. She wondered if Draco had the well defined legs and taught arse that Harry kept hidden under his robes. Smacking herself in the head, she refocused; Draco was a partner, and newly, a friend. She knew she was not his type and he wouldn't waste time on her. It was easier not to think about relationships and focus only on her mission.
Unknown to Draco and Hermione, Severus Snape remained in the Great Hall after dueling (the Room of Requirements being usurped by said students for what ever project they were working on). He wanted to see how Hermione reacted to their ambush and was not surprised at her anger. Severus felt it was well deserved for springing the situation on the young woman. He didn't think Draco would have brought it up if she wasn't capable of handling herself, though, and Draco was not wrong. However, Severus was surprised to see the strong Gryffindor golden girl break once she was alone with her partner. He was only able to hear bits of their conversation, but Severus understood that the 'ambush' reminded her of the experiences at the Department of Mysteries a year prior, and the elder wizard felt a pang of sympathy toward the girl.
He was equally surprised at the tenderness Draco showed towards the young woman. Few in Draco's life had ever shown such care towards him; certainly not the boy's father, who believe that love and kindness were emotions that lead to weakness. There was no one to judge him, no one expecting anything of him but Hermione, and Severus was certain that she expected little from him, knowing who he was. Truth be told, Snape was amazed the younger man showed so much compassion and in such a comfortable manner towards Hermione at all; Draco had only ever displayed that type of emotion with his mother.
Severus gave the password to the statue outside Dumbledore's office (Pixy Stix) and entered the room. The elder man was sitting at his desk, removing memories from his mind to place in his beloved pensieve.
"Ah, Severus, to what do I owe this honor?"
"I wanted to let you know of a few new developments with our star pupils," Snape began, taking a seat. The headmaster nodded, and turned briefly to open a hidden compartment, revealing an old bottle of brandy on the desk.
"May I?" Dumbledore asked Snape, who nodded. The Headmaster poured two gasses and slid one to the ex-Potions Master. "Judging by the smile on your face, I gather things are going well?"
"Yes, quite. Hermione is coming along rather nicely, better than I could have ever imagined. Even Draco believes the girl to be a natural." Severus said, "They have been working very well together, but we'll leave that for later."
Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled in the light at this news.
"Earlier tonight, while Hermione and I were dueling, Draco dropped by. Apparently, she invited him to watch our lesson and he took her up on it. He hid in the shadows and suggested that he and I test her abilities against two opponents."
"How did she do against the two of you?" Albus asked, a note of concern evident in his voice.
"Once she got over the initial shock, she did well. Then, her eyes began to glow and she put a spell on me that I was unable to break. She and Draco, whose eyes were also beginning to grow, they continued dueling until they conjured swords…"
"Merlin!" exclaimed Dumbledore, now agitated. "I hope you stopped them, Severus."
"I did, just as you requested. They seemed rather exhausted as they came out of the trance, but were otherwise uninjured," Snape finished.
"I did not expect them to enter the trance so soon," Dumbledore mused. "I suppose they are more ready than we thought. Did you explain what happened?"
"Yes, and I'm sure that they will both have questions when they meet with us on Saturday," Snape relied.
Dumbledore nodded, "They are working well together?"
"Quite. In fact, Draco has been rather protective of the girl," the dark haired man smirked.
"Really? This is quite a surprise."
"Indeed, although I must admit I thought it to be a fluke the first time," Snape explained.
"First time?" questioned the elder wizards.
"In our training session on Monday, I introduced several new facets to dueling. Needless to say, Hermione left rather worse for wear. Several hours later, Draco dropped by my rooms to admonish me for my treatment of her, only to turn his wand on me in order to heal the wounds inflicted by said witch." Severus paused to gather his thoughts. "Tonight after our ambush of Hermione, I made the appearance of leaving while hiding in a corner. I wanted to observe them, the way they interacted. Hermione began yelling at us both for not warning her before I excused myself, and she turned on Draco once I was gone. It was only a moment before she crumpled and began sobbing. I am quite certain she was reminded of the events at the Ministry; at least that's what I could make out."
Dumbledore's face faltered a bit, concern written all over the elder wizards countenance – that night had been hard on the trio and he was not surprised Hermione that was still haunted by the events of that battle.
"So many times I have wished for the chance to change the events of that battle and of last year." The old wizard hung his head. "What happened next?"
"Draco took her in his arms and held her, calmed her down. Even after she stopped crying he held her. They were laughing and talking. They seemed very comfortable together." Snape told the Headmaster. "I don't think I've ever witnessed Draco treat anyone like that before, he was so kind. He was… I don't want to sound nancy, but he was tender with the girl. The only person he treats better than that, which he holds in higher regard, is his mother. He's only ever held Narcissa in such a way, for he always felt his mother was the only one worthy."
"So out duo is bonding. It seems like they've been spending quite a bit of time together, outside of their training sessions," Dumbledore noted. "The stronger the bond between them, the greater the power they will possess."
"It appears that they are working on something, and given the losses from my personal stores, I'd venture a guess that they are brewing a potion of some sort," said Snape. "Do you have any idea what it might be? The items missing seem to be random and I cannot imagine what they could be brewing." The ex-Potion Master's tone was somewhat accusing but Dumbledore only chuckled.
"Indeed. I believe that this potion will enable Mr. Malfoy to assume a new identity," the elder wizard smiled, pleased at his students' ingenuity. "I daresay you'll see the results at our meeting on Saturday. The Knights have out done themselves with this pair; the two brightest and most powerful in a generation. I doubt even Tom could rival the power they will wield."
Severus looked shocked at the statement,"Albus?"
"All in good time, my friend. You are training the future of the world, Severus," Dumbledore paused, changing the subject somewhat. "You put your faith in the right place. I believe that they have made it an imperative to get to know each other, knowing that they really will have only each other to confide in."
"They are so young," replied Snape, "and Draco is…"
"Like a son to you. I know, Severus," Dumbledore finished kindly. "The children attending this school are our future, and if these two are any indication, able to overcome years of hate and prejudice to come together, then our future is bright indeed."
Friday after dinner found Hermione and Draco in the Room of Requirements; both staring down at the potion that would, at least until the war end, tie their lives together. The training session the night before was fierce but subdued; it was quite obvious that they had much on their minds, and training was one way to relieve the stress. Hermione could tell Draco was tense, not only by his posture alone but by the way he unconsciously clenched and unclenched his jaw. He was short with her and she was somewhat glad she had an excuse not to meet him that night… she didn't want to be subjected to his anger and frustration any longer than necessary. Plus, she really did need to finish the spell and incantation that would complete the potion on Friday. Seeing the look on his face after skiving off nearly broke her heart, but she needed to concentrate on the spell and being with him, watching a movie or anything would be a distraction she didn't need.
As she prepared the potion and looked over the notes, Draco paced the room with angry, apprehensive steps. After twenty minutes of curt footsteps, Hermione found she'd had enough.
"Merlin, Malfoy! Sit your bloody arse down and stop pacing, or I'll blow your bits off," she exclaimed.
Draco stopped abruptly, face flashing surprise, lust, fear and finally anger before Hermione started laughing at him, which made him even angrier.
"This is not a joke, Granger!" he hissed angrily at her, offended by her blasé attitude. Draco was overwhelmed at the thought of the potion and all it entailed; to have Hermione laugh now was too much to comprehend for the young man.
Hermione looked at him as was instantly sobered out of her mirth.
"Oh Malfoy, I'm so sorry. I'm afraid my attempt to lighten the moment was incredibly ill timed," she explained shamefully. Her apology was heartfelt and he understood she didn't intend to hurt him, so he smiled, as hard as it was to muster up.
"I know, Granger. It's just… I'm so…" he broke off, unable to put his emotions into words.
"Tense? Apprehensive? Even a bit scared?" she asked, and Draco nodded. "Would it help if I told you I feel the same?"
Draco nodded, giving her a small smile.
"Have you chosen a name?"
"Yes," he paused, watching her closely, curious what her reaction would be; He was prepared for an argument once she knew. They'd agreed that his new name should be something that wouldn't draw too much attention or was too similar to his given name. By choosing this name, he'd already broken the agreement. "Drake Callahan."
"Drake Callahan?" she repeated. "That's awfully close to 'Draco'…. Don't you think it's a bit dangerous?"
"I'm giving up everything, Granger. My family, my friends, my name, my identity. My life. For Merlin knows how long," he said, voice hard and determined. "My mum chose the name 'Draco' because she loved the constellation: and like my given name, 'Drake' means 'dragon'. I'll give up everything of my old life, but being 'Drake' Callahan will allow me to remain tied to my former life, and to my mum. It's a risk I'm willing to take."
Hermione looked at him and quietly nodded her understanding. He noticed her eyes were watery, yet she didn't shed a tear. Draco expected her to rant and then demand that he change his name, so her emotional reaction stunned him and he told her so. Well, maybe not…
"What? No yelling about how irresponsible I'm being?" he snarled.
She didn't take his bait, knowing he was merely trying to protect himself. "How can I argue with your explanation, Malfoy?" she asked in a soft voice, full of concern. "I'm not the one having to give up so much… how can I fault you for your choice?"
She held his gaze, his grey eyes becoming warm and full of emotion.
"Thank you," he whispered. "By the way, I think we need to call each other by our first names. People will find it somewhat odd when refer to each other by our surnames this summer when we're supposed to be new acquaintances. Plus, if you slip up and call me Draco, people might not notice it as much had you called me 'Malfoy'."
"You're right, Drake," she replied, letting his new name roll off her tongue. She liked the way it sounded. "Drake Callahan. So, I understand why you chose Drake, but explain 'Callahan'. It isn't because of a movie or two, was it?"
Draco actually turned a bit pink, "I should have known you'd figure that out."
Hermione smiled. Two of the movies she'd brought with her from home were her father's favorite Dirty Harry movies. Apparently, Draco, too, was taken with the Clint Eastwood character as he'd adopted the detective's name.
Nodding to the potion, she asked, "Are you ready?"
"I guess it's now or never," he said reluctantly. "How long will it take to work?"
She looked at her notes. "According to de Rochelle, once the potion is taken and the spell performed, it should take about 20 minutes until we meet our new friend Drake."
"If something goes wrong, Hermione, there's an envelope in my bag that will allow you, and only you, to access it. It gives instructions on what to do with my mum-"
"NO! Drake, nothing is going to happen to you," she exclaimed as she interrupted him. "I can't do this without you, so there's no way I'd risk your life like that!"
"Just in case," he said softly, putting his hand on her arm. Draco looked on the table noting various antidotes. "So the beozar is just for kicks?"
Hermione flushed, "You can never be too careful." With this admission, and her inadvertent agreement with Draco, she continued, "Now let's do this already!"
She handed him the potion, which was a beautiful pearl color, almost glowing in the phial. Draco took the potion, closed his eyes and asked whatever Gods were listening to make sure their little experiment would work. After Draco swallowed the potion, Hermione waved her wand in intricate patterns around him while she recited the incantation:
"Power of blood, power to change, let this potion isolate the metamorphagus. Power of blood, protect him and give him the strength to change at will."
Draco closed his eyes and felt the potion and the power of her spell speed through this body. He felt good, if not a bit light-headed. Draco replayed the spell and her unusual wand work in his hind, appreciating the beauty of her words and the dance of her wand. It was poetry, a song for the ages.
"Drake?" she asked and he opened his eyes, "How do you feel?"
"A bit tipsy at the moment, but fine altogether," he smiled, and she felt her heart beat speed up a bit. He was stunning when he smiled. 'He's so vain, if he knew how good he looked, he'd smile more often,' she thought, unable to suppress a chuckle, which got his attention.
"What?" he asked.
"You should smile more. It's a good look for you," she replied, a bit embarrassed at her confession.
"I didn't have much to smile about before," he explained. "I've smiled more in the last month than I have in my entire life."
"Even in dark times you can find something to smile about," she said softly, "that's why we fight."
They sat in silence together on a couch, a new addition to the room the night before; Draco transfigured the two chairs in to the plush seat to stretch out on as he watched a movie on his own. Being able to sit close to Hermione was an added bonus.
"I admire your courage."
Grey eyes turned to her amber orbs in surprise. She went on.
"To take all of this on… to trust people you've been told you should hate. You've put your fate in the hands of a 'mudblood lover', a traitor, and 'Potter's Mudblood'."
Draco cringed each time she said 'mudblood', despite the gentleness of her voice.
"Bitter irony isn't it?" he said harshly.
"Are you scared?" she asked.
If it were anyone else, he would have lied and said 'no'. However, Hermione knew him far too well; she could read him. But more important than that, there relationship demanded honesty.
"Yes," he replied reluctantly. "Next week my life will change so drastically, it's hard to fathom. I'm giving up who I am, everything by which I identify myself. 'Draco Malfoy' will die. If someone happens to find out about my betrayal…" he trailed off, but he knew exactly what he was thinking.
Draco's life, and more importantly (to him), the live of his beloved mother was in jeopardy. He turned away from her, his body tense with emotion. Hermione gently turned his face so she could look at him.
"You are so brave and selfless, Draco. I can't imagine what it must be like for you, to give up so much and assume another identity. The cost of that risk…" she began. "I always thought you to be a coward, but I was so wrong. You are so much more that I ever realized, and more than even you realize."
Hermione put her arms around him and continued, "As hard as it will be, think of the thrill, the opportunity for change," she said passionately. "You can make the friends you want, not because of Lucius' approval or because they are purebloods. You can experience life in new ways, try new things without fear of repercussions. Merlin, Drake, the opportunities for you are endless. And when the war is over, Draco Malfoy can live again. He can be the man he always wanted to be; the man his mother would be proud of."
Draco looked up at her, stunned by her insight and her knowledge of Narcissa's importance in his life. He also caught a hint of bitterness in her voice that surprised him.
"If it were you, Hermione, what would you change?" he asked, holding her tightly to him. He marveled at how comfortable they were together in each other's arms. Their trust was so evident.
Hermione's smile was bitter now as well, "That's a loaded question, Drake. If people saw you as an 'insufferable know-it-all', boring bookworm what would you change?" Her voice grew resentful. "Is it so wrong to crave knowledge?"
"Of course not," he responded, understanding her plight.
"I'm criticized for my brains, yet the Order depends on me for help, and Harry needs me for…," she shook her head and looked at him. "If I had the opportunity you do, I'd take notes from Lavender Brown and Ginny Weasley." Hermione blushed and hung her head, surprised that she actually revealed this secret. "Maybe with Ginny's confidence and looks, people might overlook my intelligence and see me for who I really am. I want to have fun, too, Drake. People just expect more from me."
He felt a bit of pity for her, knowing what it's like to be roped into someone else's expectations and plans.
"If people can't see that there's more to you than just brains, I feel sorry for them… especially since I was one of them," Draco said, earning him a small smile.
And so they sat cuddled together on the couch, gaining strength from each other from their contact. Somehow, fate had forgotten that they were teenagers; that he is an almost 17 year old wizard, she a nearly 18 year old witch and the burdens that they carry are so great. The pair relished the comfort that they receive together, melting into one another. Each lost in their own thoughts; Draco and Hermione were jolted out of their reverie by the alarm of Hermione's watch, signaling the readiness of the potion. They looked at each other apprehensively, knowing this could make or break their plans for the following year.
'Start small,' she said to him in her mind, and he nodded in agreement.
Before her, the grey eyes she so often found herself lost in turned blue; brilliant blue. Hermione gasped in amazement.
"Did you?" she asked, and he nodded.
His eyes changed again, and the emerald green color reminded her of Harry, which earned her a scowl. Again his eyes changed, and not only were they her color, but his eyes were the same shape as well.
"Merlin!" she exclaimed excitedly, "more!"
She watched as he experimented with his hair, growing his blond locks out, changing texture, color and length. Hermione noticed that Draco's eyes went back to blue, an amazing icy blue color like the Arctic Ocean and they captivated her.
Wanting to shake the mild effect he was having on her, she said, "I think it's time to meet Drake Callahan."
Draco smiled at her, encouraged by her enthusiasm and stepped into the changing room that instantaneously appeared. Ten minutes passed, and he had yet to emerge. Another five and Hermione started to get worried. Just as she was starting to call out to him, Draco stepped out for her appraisal.
"Hermione Granger, meet Drake Callahan," he said, eyes aglow.
To say she was stunned was an understatement. The man in front of her left Hermione speechless. The blue eyes she fancied only minutes before graced the countenance of young man. They met her eyes, and she felt a stirring in her belly that left her longing for more. Drake's hair was a silky, wavy chocolate color kissed with blond hi-lights that brought out the color of his eyes. She longed to run her hands through that hair, to see if it was as soft as Draco's blond locks. The cheekbones were a bit higher than Draco's, but the lips were full and red, not much different that the original pair. His jaw was less angular and more square, complimenting the 2 inch larger, twenty pound heavier frame of Drake Callahan. Where Draco was aristocratically beautiful (in a very masculine way, of course), Drake was ruggedly handsome. The contrast between the two was amazing, and as a whole, the man in front of her was gorgeous.
"Wow," she breathed.
Hermione rose from the couch and walked towards him. Without her consent, her hands stroked his arms, ran over his chest, getting a feel for the changes in this new body. She pulled him to the couch and they sat down together, Draco allowing her to look at him closely. She brought her hands up to his face, tracing the lines of his jaw with feather touches.
Draco was shocked by her reaction, and truth be told, he was more than aroused by the way she looked at him, as is she were drinking in every inch of the young man. It was so unlike Hermione, to let her emotions take over like this, and he was pleased to see this side of her. Her touch was enough to light his inner fire; he was amazed that she would react so openly towards him. At first he figured she was merely curious and wanted to get used to the look of her new companion, but he started to question that when he thought saw a flash of lust in her brown eyes. Still, her scrutiny was unnerving and he started to worry that he didn't look as good as he expected he did.
"What?" he asked, a note of worry in his voice.
"Merlin, Drake, you don't put a face and a body like this in front of a girl and not expect a reaction," she confessed. "You're too bloody vain not to know that!"
"Oh," he said. Draco almost looked apprehensive, waiting for her approval.
Hermione thought it was endearing, yet she couldn't believe that he would actually be worried that she didn't find him attractive.
'Bloody Malfoy,' she thought. 'I refuse to let him know just how attractive I think he is!'
"Do I look ok?" he asked, which earned him a glare.
"You honestly expect me to believe you don't know how attractive you are, Drake?" she said curtly. "If you want me to say it, here you go: you're bloody gorgeous. You already know I like blue eyes and dark hair, so you should hardly be surprised at my admission. I'm sure it makes you feel great to know that not even the mudblood Granger can deny that you're good looking."
"Calm down, Hermione. I'm not trying to get you to say anything," Draco explained, understanding her anger was a result of self-preservation. Hermione would die before she admitted she found him attractive, yet she still exposed herself to his mockery to help him. The girl had a big heart, one he hoped she'd learn to protect a bit better. "I won't deny that as 'Draco' I'm a good looking bloke, nor will I deny I want 'Drake' to be as equally attractive. However, I am a male and as such I rarely take notice of what attracts females other than me."
She stared at him, not sure how to take his words, yet she said nothing, a bit bruised by her confession.
"I don't want you to admit something in order to hold it over your head, Hermione. Admittedly, that's something I would have done before. We're adults, both of us, and I think that we're both above such childish tactics," Draco said softly but with conviction. "I trust your opinion… I need your opinion."
"I have a feeling you'll get as much attention as 'Drake' as you did as 'Draco'," she admitted reluctantly and he smirked. "You're never going to change."
"Only when I need to," he winked as he changed back to Draco.
Hermione shook her head and gave him a weak smile. As nice and sweet as Ron Weasley was, he was safe. Ron didn't excite her. Seeing 'Drake Callahan' and the knowledge that he was Draco; seeing the hot new face and body he made for himself excited her. For the first time in her life, Hermione realized that she longed for a 'bad boy'. Something challenging, dangerous… different.
She couldn't help but groan internally as she watched Draco change back and forth, unable to deny that both men intrigued her and turned her on. She felt butterflies in her stomach when she watched him transform, wanting to touch 'Draco' as he'd allowed her to explore 'Drake'. Hermione felt a hunger she'd never felt before, a need that threatened to consume her without her consent yet again. It was then that she decided to go back to her room. She hated to leave him so abruptly, but it was for the best. Otherwise, she might do something that would ruin the amazing friendship they had developed.
"I think I'm going to leave you to explore your new found talent, Drake," she said, getting up from her seat hastily. Draco's blue eyes seemed to loose some of their luster as her statement, but she ignored it. "I have some homework to do before I turn in. Will you be ok?"
He transformed himself into her, much to her surprise, and added a bit in the breast she noted. Hermione rolled her eyes. 'Hermione' smirked and changed back to 'Drake'.
"Funny," Hermione said dryly.
"After lunch then?" he asked, confirming their meeting with Dumbledore and Snape.
"Yes, after lunch," she agreed.
"Good night, Hermione," he smiled at her, a genuine smile that caused her to increase the speed of her departure.
On her way out, he gently probed her mind, knowing she was a bit overwhelmed and tended to keep her guard down at times like this. He was surprised at the thoughts he caught coming from the Golden Girl.
'If I don't get out of here now, I'm going to jump him, pin him to the wall and snog him senseless until tomorrow.' Draco felt her take a ragged breath and she continued her thought. 'Only to wake up and begin all over again. NO! NO! ARGH!!! He's sexy. He's shaggable, but I want, I NEED more than that!'
Draco couldn't help but smile. Prim and prissy Hermione Granger was hot for him, hell, she mentioned both 'shag' and 'all over again' in her mind! Merlin, she certainly hid it well enough, although her all out tactile assault on 'Drake' earlier should have been some indication. Draco knew that he would certainly need to tread lightly with her, he was already attracted to her… but it probably wouldn't do to act on those feelings as it might damage the relationship they had built.
His smile promptly wiped of his face when he picked up her next thoughts.
'Really, Hermione. Draco Malfoy would never allow himself to be sullied by the filthy mudblood frump. Perhaps the life of a spinster would be more appropriate.'
Did she really think she was unattractive? Did no one else see what he saw? The girl was stunning. Perhaps not as classically beautiful as some of the girls in the school, but she presented a two-tiered attack on him; she was attractive and intelligent. Hermione Granger was a formidable, amazing package. How was it that he seemed to be the only male, perhaps the only person in the entire school to realize it? Draco was incensed at her lack of confidence. If she knew how often she appeared in his fantasies wearing her work out attire… he'd venture a guess that he wasn't the only one who fantasized about her. She was even escorted by one of the most famous Quidditch players in the world for the Yule Ball in their fourth year. Surely she understood the implications of that! Viktor Krum could have his pick of any woman in the wizarding world and he chose a 15 year old muggle born witch. If that wasn't high praise to her beauty and allure, he didn't know what was.
Hermione was so confident in her magical talents and intelligence, so passionate about her beliefs; Draco felt it a shame that she didn't know that same confidence in her physical gifts as well. She had given him so much, her trust and friendship being more valuable than he'd expected. Draco hoped he could do something for her as well.