Today marked the first day that dueling would be implemented in Defensive Charms. Draco spent most of his day straightening his classroom and finishing up a few ungraded pieces of homework.
Most of the staff members who passed him in the halls either ignored him entirely or gave him looks of suspicion, but he turned a blind eye to them. Draco was aware that there was only so many relationships that could be salvaged considering his relationship to those in the upcoming war.
Hermione, on the other hand, was unique from the rest. She didn't choose to ignore him like most of the staff. Instead, she decided to remain impartial to the scenario and left their relationship open ended. After her Transfigurations course was done for the day she went to find him to prep for their upcoming duel.
Hermione darts through the castle on her way to the Defensive Charms classroom. Time was limited and she wanted to take advantage of their rare moment of solitude. Along the way she picked up two cups of coffee.
Hermione finds Draco in the vacant classroom at his desk. He's seated with his chin lazily rested against his fist and he appears on the verge of sleep. She uses the back of her knuckle to lightly tap the door upon her entrance. His disheveled blonde hair swishes as he shakes his head awake.
"Tired already?" she greets with a smirk.
"Granger," he mutters. "Was just thinking about you." He inwardly rolls his eyes at himself for making such a blatant vulnerable statement.
She smiles warmly while extending an arm toward him. "I brought you coffee. Looks as though you'll need it."
The smile on Draco's face is covered as he draws the cup of coffee closer to his lips. "Perhaps." He peers up at her with tired glossy eyes.
Being in his mere presence naturally softened Hermione's guard. Although her personal relationship with Draco was controversial, their professional bond was undoubtedly beneficial for the students. "We should discuss our plan for the children. Do you have any thoughts?"
The cup in his hand lowers as he lets out a sigh. "Simple, really. We demonstrate how to disarm, I let you win, and we move on to volunteers."
"Let me win?" Hermione scoffs holding back a grin. "If that's what you wish to tell yourself." She takes a seat on the edge of his desk and swings her legs from beneath the table. "Do you have any students in mind?"
"I do." He flattens his quill against the table and interlaces his hands against the surface. "A chatty blue haired boy, and an equally mouthy bloke whose father happens to be in the Purists."
Hermione frowns while taking a sip of coffee. "Teddy and Grayson? Need I remind you of the Incarcerous curse that Grayson committed on Teddy at the beginning of the year?"
"He learned his lesson," he replies confidently. "A month's worth detention with yours truly will do such."
"I can't argue there.. well-" She stops mid-sentence as the voices of Harry and Ron approach the classroom from down the hall.
Draco glances between Hermione and the floor as he aggravatedly rubs his thumb and forefinger across his forehead.
"So you just plan on popping up on her, do you?" Harry asks.
Their footsteps near closer as Ron replies, "I expect she'll be in her classroom; Hermione always stays behind on Thursdays."
Hermione's eyebrows pinch together as she freezes in place perched on top of his desk.
Ron turns the corner holding a bouquet of pink roses. He's uncharacteristically dressed in a suit and tie. A prominent scowl appears on his face as his eyes land on Draco from the doorway. "Was I interrupting something?"
Draco wrinkles his chin and slowly shakes his head no. Hermione places both hands on the desk pushing herself from it. "Ron," she states meekly. "We were just discussing the curriculum for our duel this afternoon."
Harry shamelessly cringes as he passes his best friend and enters his classroom. He throws his bookbag against his podium and begins to gather a grouping of textbooks that he intended on retrieving.
The hand gripping Ron's batch of flowers lowers as he enters the classroom at a snail's pace.
"Come to bring me flowers, Weasley?" Draco greets with a smug smile. "That's rather thoughtful of you."
"Draco," Hermione warns. She nervously wrings her hands together while approaching Ron's side. "Those are lovely."
"They're.." Ron peers at Draco in pure hatred before looking back to Hermione. "They're for you."
Draco rolls his eyes and picks up his quill before turning his attention back to the paper beneath him. He can't help but do one last double take at the bouquet of flowers now held in Hermione's arms. His eyes turn into slivers as he resentfully glares at them.
Ron forces a smile while straightening the lapels of his jacket. "I know roses are your favorite," he says to Hermione.
"Actually, they're sunflowers," Draco states matter-of-factly.
"And what do you know, Malfoy?" Ron challenges.
Draco snorts shaking his head. "A hell of a lot more than you do, apparently."
"Oh bloody hell," Harry irritably interjects. He tightens the bookbag over his shoulder and pats Ron on the back. "Not getting involved." He promptly makes his way to the exit. "I'll see you lot in the Great Hall."
"Just wanted to make it clear, Malfoy.." Ron struts to the front of the classroom and places both palms on Draco's desk. "Just because McGonagall trusts you doesn't mean that I do. You're nothing more than a snake, and that's never changed."
Draco makes stern eye contact while stroking his chin. A hint of a smirk appears as he reclines in his seat. "How unfortunate," he condescends. "I've always yearned for your acceptance, after all."
"Ronald. Draco." Hermione reprimands them with a look of disappointment. "That's enough."
"She's right." The Slytherin casually peers at his watch before filing the stack of papers against his desk. "Class starts in five minutes."
The Great Hall is fully capacitated with second-year students from each house. Students continue to trickle into the expansive room as Draco calls for their attention. He stands at one end of the dueling stage opposite to Hermione.
Although the Slytherin verbally instructs the growing crowd around them, the Gryffindor across from him keeps his full attention. Hermione can feel his eyes on her as she pushes up the sleeves to her shirt and centers herself on the platform.
Each house is ordered to stand beneath their corresponding house crest lining the walls. The Slytherin house is noticeably obedient to their Head of Household, taking instruction with ease and compliance. The rest of the houses, however, chatter to one another regarding Draco's troubling circumstances.
It required Hermione to step in; firmly instructing Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw to line up in their designated areas and keep their mouths shut.
"Today Ms. Granger and myself shall be giving a demonstration on dueling based off basic disarming. With the rise of the likelihood of dangerous spells being used in our surroundings, it is imperative that each of you understands how to defend one's self," Draco explains.
A Gryffindor in the front row eagerly raises their hand. "And why should we listen to you? Aren't you a part of the Purists?"
Jack Wood lightly shoves his housemate with a sneer on his face. "Shut it," he warns. "He's not with them."
Draco remains tight lipped and composed. It took loads of confidence to face the students; aware that they knew of the scenario surrounding his personal life. He loathed the invasive treatment of the Daily Prophet and what the newspaper reflected him as; the troubled antihero.
Another hand goes up.
"I heard he kidnapped Teddy Lupin and had him turned into a werewolf."
Teddy pushes his way through the crowd of Hufflepuffs with a sneer on his face. "Does it bloody look like I'm a werewolf?"
"How should we know?" a Ravenclaw scoffs. "It isn't a full moon." The student follows this up by mimicking a loud howl.
"That's enough," Hermione interjects. "There will be no further gossip under my instruction." The crowd falls deathly silent. Her eyes fall upon Harry, Professor McGonagall and Ron who sit at the front of the Great Hall segregated from the rest.
Ron sits with his elbows rested against his thighs and his hands folded before his mouth. He looks troubled and highly irritated, and he visibly has trouble paying attention to anyone in the room other than Draco.
"Firstly, you must stabilize your positioning." Hermione rigidly points an arm forward while holding her wand directed at Draco. "The incantation must be said loud and clear." She holds eye contact with him; rotating her body and swishing her arm at him. "Expelliarmus!"
Draco lazily mirrors her stance with a smirk on his face. He stands perfectly still, purposefully allowing the charm to target his wrist. His wand shoots in the air causing the crowd to giggle and chatter in amusement.
"Perhaps you should teach the children how to block?" Ron suddenly speaks up. The students turn to him in confusion. "Or.. I don't know; actually try to act as if this was a real duel, Malfoy."
Harry cocks an eyebrow at his friend while exchanging and implicit look with the headmistress.
Draco shrugs his shoulders. "If you wish to slander my teaching, perhaps you'd like to come up here and demonstrate yourself?"
The crowd breaks into a series of 'ooo's.
Draco instructs him to join him on the stage by waving a hand toward himself. "Come on, then."
"What on earth is my uncle doing?" Victoire whines. "This is mortifying."
"Shush Vic; this is gonna be good," Teddy replies with an eager grin. His eyes casually scan the room, falling upon a particular raven-like bird that he recognized from his grandma's house. It sits idly and stares directly at him. It's located in the corner of the high ceilings and it blends into its dark surroundings. His eye contact is broken as the students part and make room for Ron.
Ron confidently approaches the platform with his wand ready.
Hermione uncomfortably rubs the side of her arm while peering between the two men. "Alright then," she states apprehensively. "On my count.. one, two-"
"Expelliarmus!" Ron shouts preemptively.
"Protego!" Draco dodges each shot fired his way one after the other. He pivots left and right while holding a light blue halo from the tip of his wand; deflecting each charm.
One charm after another ricochets from off the force field surrounding Draco and shoots up toward the ceiling. A chandelier is hit from above them and drops a foot; becoming unhinged.
Without leaving a moment for Draco gain his footing Ron hollers, "Impedimenta!". A turquoise light projects from the tip of his wand and viciously escalates toward the Slytherin.
Draco uses yet another blocking spell to defend himself. He was beginning to lose his temper. Not only was Ron being too aggressive with his charms, but he was clearly casting the spells with a personal vengeance.
Two could play at that game.
"Depulso!" Draco sweeps his wand and alternates with his other foot forward as a bright white light shoots toward his target. Ron misses the block and is promptly shoved back a few feet by the powerful charm. He falls on his ass causing the crowd surrounding them to break into laughter.
Draco fails to withhold a smirk as he looks to Hermione who has a worried look on her face. In the mere seconds that he was looking at her, Ron had already fired back with a spell much more severe.
"DIFFINDO!"
A light green flurry of light launches from the tip of Ron's wand sending a large surge Draco's way. He's caught off guard and clipped on the shoulder, instantly falling to the ground. The severing charm instantly creates a deep abrasion from beneath his shirt.
The crowd gasps and McGonagall stands to her feet with both hands clasped over her mouth. Harry hops over the post and rushes to the stage to Ron's side. He aggressively tears the wand from his hand as Hermione jumps onto the platform; using herself as a human barrier between the two men.
"STOP IT!" she orders.
"What're you playing at?!" Draco shouts gripping his right shoulder. He winces in pain as he raises a bloodied arm that saturates his dress shirt down to his hand.
"Are you okay?" Hermione rushes to his side and drops to her knees beside him. She unbuttons his shirt and observes the gashing wound pouring blood from his shoulder. The students break into a frenzy at the sight.
"Everyone make their way back to the Defensive Charms classroom," Harry tries to instruct calmly. Ron hops off the stage with his head low and disappears in the group of children.
Hermione tends to Draco; muttering an incantation under her breath while using her wand to heal him. He grimaces at the sight and breathes heavily against the pain. It took him a moment to realize that she had been stroking his other hand with her thumb the whole time.
Draco calls it an early day and plans to make an exit to his mansion. He needed to change his bloodied shirt and gather some belongings for the rest of his stay at Hogwarts. With the school being on lockdown, it was imperative that the Head of Slytherin remained in constant attendance while working against the Purists.
As he exits his classroom he's faced with Teddy. He appears as though he had been running; his chest rapidly rising and falling. He's gripping a book close to his chest that he silently offers to his cousin.
Draco accepts the textbook while looking to his cousin suspiciously. "What's this?"
"It's from Ms. Granger."
"A textbook? For what reason?"
Teddy shrugs his shoulders. "I.. I'm not sure," he replies distantly. "All I know is I was supposed to give it to you."
"Right," Draco mutters shoving the book in his briefcase. "Thank you, Theodore."
"Anytime."
After arriving via floo powder, Draco exhaustively checked each room in his mansion. He was relieved to find that it was clear of his father or any Purists.
He packed his suitcase and gathered his belongings before laying on his king-sized bed. He lay wide awake with the textbook that Teddy had given him earlier. Flipping through the pages, he had come to find that all of the pages were blank.
He grabs his wand from the side table and flicks it at one of the pages. Unbeknownst to Teddy, there was a hidden message that had intended to be kept secret:
Draco,
I deeply apologize for today. I'd like for you to visit me at my house for a moment alone. Meet me tonight at midnight. I look forward to seeing you.
Hermione
Draco tosses the book to his side, grabs his luggage and rushes toward the fire place. In his hurry he had failed to notice a black bird with cat-like ears outside his window that had been watching him the entire day.