CHAPTER 17: DISPLACEMENT
Hermione paced the length of her small bedroom back and forth. She had once again been ripped from her slumber, plagued by Greybacks recurrent, horrific torment. Thankfully she had at least remembered to place a silencing charm upon her room this night, so she had not woken another with her shrieks. Her pacing slowed as she recalled how Malfoy had deftly disabled her wards to burst in and save her only the night before. She had to admit to herself that a small part of her wished she had left her room unwarded and unsilenced, so that the wizard might once again come to her rescue. But she couldn't do that, unload her issues, her trauma onto someone else. These scars were her burden to bare. It had been nice though, feeling the comfort of his embrace. She had felt safe, protected, just as she had after Fawley's attack.
Her memory conjured forth the image of his dark mark, distorted upon his pale flesh. She could not help but feel immense concern for the Slytherin wizard. Although the flesh had healed she could see the extent to which he had maimed himself reflected clearly in the twisted mark. He had so easily inflicted such great harm upon himself, risked his own life in a futile attempt to remove Voldemort's brand from his skin. The anguish she had felt over his evident suffering had overwhelmed her and she had thrown herself against his chest, embracing him without hesitation. His chest, his very naked, very sculpted chest. She bit down on her lower lip and sighed. His body had felt so good pressed against her own, the warmth of his bare flesh against her own skin. She felt her pulse quicken and her loins begin to ache. No. She had to stop thinking about him in that way. They were friends, just friends. She knew he could never see her in such a way, so she needed to halt this fantasy of hers before it had a chance to take root. Deciding it best to leave her room and splash some cool water against her heated skin, she made for her bedroom door determined to rid her thoughts of the blonde wizard.
Stepping out into the circular expanse of the common room she halted as her breath caught in her throat. There he was, the very thing she sought to clear her mind of. Across the room Malfoy lounged in one of the two small armchairs beneath the room's large window. One leg casually folded atop the other and a hard leather bound book open in his lap. His alabaster skin glowed with an ethereal quality, illuminated by the single beam of moonlight that broke through the darkness. Thankfully this time at least the wizard was fully clothed. Hermione forced herself the exhale as she gathered herself. She made her way across the circular expanse and asked, "What are you doing out here?"
He looked up from his book with a smirk and arced a singular brow, "I'm reading Granger."
She threw herself down in the armchair across from his with a huff and crossed her arms as she mimicked his raised brow.
Malfoy closed his old leather book and his smirk dropped, his face turning solemn, "I'm a helpless insomniac Granger. I can hardly sleep unless I am beyond intoxicated. Unfortunately we mutually agreed we would no longer resort to such methods of self-medication. I figured if I wasn't going to sleep I might as well try and make myself useful. So I grabbed a book and came to sit within earshot of your room in case you needed me."
Hermione pulled her feet up onto the armchair and hugged her knees to her chest, "Oh! You were listening out for me?"
"I am guessing since you're out here at this hour and I didn't hear you wake, that you actually silenced your room tonight. Which means I was in fact very little help."
"You're talking to me now, which helps." She replied and offered the wizard a kind smile.
They spoke for hours about inconsequential things, everything from their favourite subject's to their most detested of foods. Hermione was glad for the distraction and surprised to find that they had more in common than her eleven year old self could have ever fathomed. So consumed by their discussion the pair did not even notice the gentle glow of sunrise encroaching upon them as it crept over the distant horizon.
"What are you doing 'Mione?"
Hermione choked back her jovial laughter, covering her mouth with her palm and looked up to see Harry approaching, a deep frown etched into his facial features.
"Are you going to get dressed and come down to breakfast?" Harry questioned apprehensively, ignoring Malfoys presence entirely.
"And a good morning to you too Potter." Malfoy replied jestfully.
Harry's eyelids fluttered, his mouth slightly agape, clearly uncertain as to how he should respond to the strange interaction. Disregarding Malfoys remark Harry turned back to face Hermione somewhat perplexed. "Well I guess I'll see you in the Hall then."
The Gryffindor wizard turned and made his way out of the common room. Malfoy smirked as they watched the bespectacled man retreat causing Hermione to cross her arms and raise her eyebrow disapprovingly.
Malfoys smirk cracked, twisting upward into a full, genuine grin. "What? I'm playing nice!"
She could not help the reciprocal smile that spread across her own face, however she shook her head slowly from side to side. Hermione pulled herself up from her plush armchair into a standing position, stretching her muscles languidly as she did so. She looked down at Malfoy and announced, "If Harry has already left we are most certainly late for breakfast. I will see you in class."
By the time she had changed into her robes and gathered her school things Hermione concluded that she must have well and truly missed breakfast by now. Foregoing the Great Hall she set out for Transfiguration, determined not to be late for class.
Hermione crossed the threshold into the Transfiguration classroom to find only a hand full of other students had arrived, she was obviously not as late as she had first feared. She found a desk in the centre of the room, taking her seat she began to organise her parchment and quill atop the timber. As she finalised her set up she noticed Harry enter the room, Ginny clutched possessively onto to his arm. Harry brought his lips down to Ginny's ear and whispered something unheard. The red headed witch pouted before placing a chaste kiss upon his cheek and releasing her hold of him. Ginny left Harry at the entrance, giving Hermione a sideways glance as she passed her to sit at the desk directly behind her own. Harry took a deep breath before he made his way forward to Hermione's desk. He placed both palms down on the timber top and lent forward in an attempted casual manner. She knew her friend far too well however and could plainly see the discomfort in his stance.
"What was with this morning Hermione?" He asked quietly, his concern reflected in his creased brow.
"I don't know what you mean Harry." She replied innocently. She knew very well what he was implying, but if he had an issue with her spending time with Malfoy, he could damn well say so.
"Why were you sitting out there talking with Malfoy?" He dropped his voice at the end of his sentence, forcing out the Slytherin wizards name in a low hiss.
Hermione replied rather matter-of-factly, "We were talking Harry. That's what friends do."
'Friends!' Harry exclaimed, drawing the attention of their surrounding peers. He looked around the class at the prying faces of the all too inquisitive students, lowered his voice and amended, "Look, I don't want to talk about this right here. Will you come to dinner in Hogsmeade with us tonight?"
Hermione simply nodded her agreement and watched as Harry retreated to his own desk, the wizard shaking his head in disbelief.
By the time her conversation with Harry had concluded most of the class had arrived. Hermione looked up just in time to see Malfoy enter the room, their eyes locking on one another. Almost instinctually he began to move towards where she sat, but as quickly as he had set out he halted, his brows pulling into a deep furrow. The Slytherin wizard changed his heading and made his way to the back of the room. She could not help but find herself ever so slighting disheartened by his action.
She did not have time to dwell on the matter however as Professor Hale promptly entered the room. The Professor swept his finely tailored robes from his shoulders, marching forward to lay the garment across the back of his chair. The wizard was immaculately dressed in neatly pressed black Muggle suit pants and a button down shirt. He wore a fitted waist coat, inlayed with the most delicate of silver thread, the thin chain of a silver pocket watch draped aesthetically from one pocket. He faced the class, his posture perfect as he began his address without so much as a greeting, "I am sure you have noticed throughout your years of tutelage that when you have been asked to transfigure an object it has always been from one state to another of relative size. There is good reason for this. The ability to change an objects size, whether that be to increase or decrease it, is a subtle art. One that has potentially disastrous consequences when executed poorly."
Hermione thought of the first time she had attempted such magic. Naively she had endeavoured to extend a simple wooden book shelf, it had exploded instantly into splinters. Much reading and extensive practice had been undertaken by her since to perfect the skill.
Professor Hale continued, "For millennia the complexity behind this branch of magic perplexed even the post scholarly of witches and wizards. In modern times however these questions have at last began to be answered by advancements in Muggle science. Do any of you here have an understanding of the science of which I speak?"
Thrilled that a Hogwarts Professor was breaching the gap between magical and Muggle knowledge Hermione's hand shot into the air eagerly, just as it had in years past leaving her labelled as a swotty know it all.
"Miss Ganger?" The Professor prompted as he inclined his head, permitting her to speak.
"Physics, Professor. In particular molecular mass and particle density."
Professor Hale cracked small smile having heard her response. However, her fellow students gaped at her as if she had spoken in tongues.
"It is good to see that you are learned in not just the magical arts Miss Granger. Fifty point to Gryffindor."
Stepping forward the Professor brandished his wand. With a series of small flicks he cleared his desk to the side and levitated a large cabinet, placing it gently down next to where he stood before continuing, "I am sure not many of you yet grasp an understanding of the concepts Miss Granger here speaks of, I hope to change that. If you could all please stand and clear the furniture to the back of the room."
Abruptly a cacophony of sound broke out as wood scraped upon stone and students began to mutter a slew of charms. When the expanse had been cleared of its furniture the students gathered around Professor Hale with curiosity.
"The spell I shall be using is by definition a charm, but as it is used to alter the state of an object it falls under the Transfiguration curriculum. Once the charm is mastered we will progress to changing both an objects size and form simultaneously. To demonstrate the use of this charm I shall be reducing this cabinet here to a size so small that it may at first appear to vanish to the naked eye." Hale turned to face the cabinet, positioning his wand.
Suddenly Ginny jeered from the back of the crowd, "Oi Malfoy, I hear you're an expert on vanishing cabinets, maybe you should show the Professor how it's done!"
A Seventh year Gryffindor boy roared with laughter in response to Ginny's taunt. Although the loudest, he was far from the only one of their peers to react. As a series of sniggers emanated from the group of student's Hermione's eyes fell to Malfoy. The blonde wizard's fists balled tightly at his sides, all trace of blood vanishing from his pale fresh as his skin pulled taut across the ridges of his knuckles. He made no move to retort, staring stoically ahead at the old cabinet. If she had not become so accustomed to the subtle changes in his body language, she may not have even noticed his response to the cruel words at all.
Professor Hale cleared his throat impatiently, ceasing the last of the group's chuckles. "If you could all please take a step back."
The students complied, stepping back and positioning themselves in a wide arc around their Professor. Hale lifted his wand and enunciated clearly, "Reducio!"
Instantaneously the cabinet appeared to vanish before their eyes and Hermione was hit by a sharp blast of air, causing her to momentarily struggle to maintain her footing. She of course had known what to expect, so despite her fleeting instability, she had remained standing. She glanced around, many of the other students had not been so lucky. She felt a small, satisfied smile grace her lips as she watched some of her peers flail against the class room floor. Many of those who had laughed at Ginny's horrid remark only moments before now picking themselves up tenderly off the ground in shock.
"I see many of you found that to be quite unexpected." Professor Hale began, his eyes sweeping over the students clambering to their feet. "The blast that hit you all was a result of the particles that comprise the air we breathe rushing in to fill a newly formed vacuum. When the cabinet decreased rapidly by a great volume, an empty space was created. The air around us rushed in the fill that void, colliding with itself and ricocheting back outwards."
"But Sir!" Harry interjected.
Hale inclined his head, "Yes, Mr Potter?"
Harry scratched at his scalp, ruffling his hair as he spoke, "I've seen this spell used before. In my Fifth year. Professor Moody, well Moody's imposter, he used the Reducio charm on a spider. Why did this not happen then?"
"Excellent question Mr Potter and this brings me to my next point. The level of the displacement is relative to the size and volume of an object. So the spider you see would have consumed very little space, or total volume, relative to the bulk of this cabinet. The displacement is exponential, if you were to attempt to reduce, say an entire building to the size of a snitch, the resulting blast would likely be concussive if not deadly."
He paused for a moment, evidently giving his students the opportunity to present further queries, when none were spoken he continued, "Can I please have a volunteer step forward and pick up the cabinet?"
A smug Gryffindor boy stepped forward, laughing nonchalantly at the apparent ease of the task at hand. He bent down and tried to pry the miniature cabinet off the class room's floor. He struggled in vain for a few moments before slinking off to the rear of the group in defeat.
"As you can see." The Professor began, gesturing towards the tiny timber box. "While the size of cabinet has dramatically decreased, its weight has not. As Miss Granger highlighted earlier this is in fact due to the objects molecular mass remaining constant, while the particle density has been altered. However this is an advanced topic for another lesson."
Hale directed his wand towards the minuscule piece of furniture and exclaimed, "Engorgio!"
The cabinet rapidly returned to its original dimensions. The resulting blast of air this time only knocking Neville and one other student to the ground.
"As I mentioned earlier this particular magic can be quite dangerous when executed poorly or without forethought, therefore you will not be working on anything quite as substantial as a cabinet. Please step forth and each gather a ball of yarn, by lessons end I expect you to have mastered reducing it to the size of a gobstone and back again." Professor Hale concluded as he flicked his wand, conjuring a basket of coloured yarn.
Hermione shuffled forward, reaching into the basket and collecting a ball of magenta wool. Levitating her desk and chair back to its correct location, she placed the yarn atop the timber and sat down to face it. She transfigured her ball effortlessly back and forth a dozen times. She completed the transformation hastily as the Professor had with the cabinet, but also practiced executing the transition gradually, in a far more controlled manner. Through her independent study she was aware of the significant roll speed placed on the overall displacement effect. In no time she grew bored of the incantation and her eyes began to wander. Her gaze came to rest upon the toned peaks and ridges of Malfoys upper back, he was tense, obviously still troubled by Ginny's callous remark. She watched the blond wizard struggle for some time, unable to successfully cast the spell. Hermione knew he was capable of incredibly advanced magic, so what was stopping him now?
As the end of the period drew near even Neville had managed to reduce his uncooperative woollen ball by half its original size. Unfortunately Malfoys temporary ineptitude did not pass unnoticed by their peers, as the whispered mockery grew ever louder. Ginny, evidently unable to pass up further opportunity to spurn the Slytherin, called out, "do you have trouble getting it up as well Malfoy, or is it just your magic that is dysfunctional?"
Hermione's eyes snapped back to the red head, a disapproving glare written plainly across her features. She found herself immensely disappointed to see Harry laughing openly at his girlfriend's cruel remark. Before she could voice her condemnation of their actions Professor Hale dismissed the class. In an instant Malfoy was up and out the door. She wanted to remain, to berate her friends for their abhorrent behaviour. There would be time for that later however, so she gathered her things and swiftly perused Malfoy out into the corridor.
A/N: Hi Guys! This update is a little earlier than normal. I hope you are al doing well with the isolation we are currently experiencing.
I am pleased to say I only have one fest commitment left at this point and then my full attention shall be returning to this WIP. I am hoping to increase my posting schedule from fortnightly to weekly if health permits, so fingers crossed you all see another update as soon as next weekend
Please read and review
Love LilithShade x
