Hermione was exhausted. Wrung out from all she had learned, all she had divulged, and the drama. Merlin, this whole day was exhausting. She would like nothing more than to fade into a sleepy oblivion, but she couldn't stop thinking about Draco's hand offering her comfort. Not to mention she had a meeting with Dotty she had promised to keep. Sighing heavily, Hermione hauled herself through the portrait hole after uttering the password.
The common room was mostly, blissfully, empty. Sirius and Harry sat chatting around the fire, and it eased some of the anxiety which had been eating away at her stomach since earlier in the evening. They looked up at Hermione when she had entered but didn't say anything. Hermione wondered why they hadn't said hello when she muttered to herself and canceled the charm she had forgotten was on her person. She gave them a tired smile.
"You're looking better, Harry."
"Clean bill of health from Madam Pomfrey. Her chocolate was lackluster though," Harry replied with a pout. She tutted and shook her head at him, as she fell into the seat next to him with a huff. Harry pulled her into his side, "Thank you, Mi. You saved me, again."
Hermione bumped his shoulder with her head, "Thank Sirius. I just got him here."
Sirius laughed at her, "No, little witch. You're the reason I got here at all, and therefore are the perfect person to thank. I might have had the final say because I'm his guardian, but I know you would have stood in their way until I arrived. Dumbledore was wary of you, and your very pointed irritability. You think quick on your feet."
Hermione shook her head. "I'm just thankful I stalled long enough, and that I didn't completely lose my temper."
"And what's this I hear about you going off on the whole tower?" Sirius raised an eyebrow at her.
Hermione bristled, eyes alight with anger. "Dotty!" She called her elf. She knew Harry and Sirius were trustworthy, and she really wanted some tea. Sirius' eyebrow rose further, but he didn't comment.
"Miss Hermione! It took you long enough. Where have you been?" Dotty asked with an annoyed and somewhat chiding tone. "Hello, Mister Black Potter, Mister Black."
Hermione smiled at her friend. "Making allies, Dotty, and chastising idiots, of course. May I please beg a pot of tea from you while we chat? I'm parched."
Dotty rolled her eyes at her lady's antics and snapped her fingers. A tea service appeared with four teacups and snacks. "As if I didn't already know, Miss Hermione. They are to be included?"
Hermione simply nodded as she prepared everyone's tea, inhaling the soothing scent. Once they were all settled, Dotty got straight to business. "Hermione, that man is a bad wizard." Her face was lined with worry and discontentment. She was not a happy elf, and Hermione could certainly relate.
"I'm afraid I need you to be a bit more specific, my dear friend. There were a lot of wizards in that room," Hermione replied. Not to be flippant, but she didn't consider any of the men who Dotty might be referring to as necessarily "good."
Dotty huffed and sat down in the chair beside Sirius, opposite of the couch Hermione and Harry were occupying. "The one with the magical eye and fake leg. There's something wrong with that wizard. His magic is dark, hungry, and vicious. It is not steady, it is stunted and unhappy magic, twisted and vile. I've met more than my fair share of Auror's over the years and though they may have been tinged with the Dark, they were never suffused with it. That is a bad wizard."
Hermione made Dotty a cup of her own tea and handed it over to her friend. If Sirius or Harry thought it odd that Hermione was so comfortable with the elf, they didn't let it show. Instead, Harry looked suspicious while Sirius looked pensive. If anyone here had hope of confirming Dotty's suspicions, it would be Sirius. He and Mood fought together in the first war.
"Moody has always been a cantankerous bastard, so that isn't new. I can't say I've known the old man to drink so much though or be so quiet when faced with a puzzle such as that. He would usually be the first to demand an investigation. He doesn't believe in coincidence, everything is a plot," Sirius mused.
"Well, he certainly was not demanding an investigation, though he did defend Harry," Hermione commented, thinking back to their earlier altercation.
"That doesn't really make sense, so I'd say listen to Dotty. If something is off, it's off. She can see things we cannot. Her magic is different than ours," Sirius supplied.
Dotty nodded at him and sipped her tea. "It's a good thing you've been making allies, Hermione. I fear you may need them sooner rather than later."
"Unfortunately, I think you're right about that. I'll see what I can do about him from behind the scenes, but I'm not going to make myself into a larger target," Hermione sipped and got lost in thought. She was already forming a plan, provided her current ones came to fruition.
"Yeah, please don't, little witch. If he is as Dark as Dotty here fears, then he could do any number of things if you make yourself a problem. I've seen Moody duel, and you couldn't take him," Sirius remarked plainly.
Hermione scoffed at that remark but took it to heart regardless. Cautious was precisely what she needed to be right now. If she played her cards right, perhaps she could get the smear campaign against Harry dropped. Rita Skeeter was a vile woman, honestly, and she had done nothing but slander Hermione and Harry nearly since school had begun when they were eleven. Hermione, of course, took great offense to the sordid works of fiction the "journalist' wrote. Skeeter was also on her to-do list, as well as the Daily Prophet. Hell, most of the Wizarding world was on Hermione's list in one way or another.
"I'll behave. I don't' want to get killed, you know. All of my auspicious brushes with death have been to save this one, here. I keep Harry safe. So, Harry will stay away from him," Hermione said firmly, making eye contact with her best friend.
Harry nodded to show he was going to take her seriously. "Done. I'll steer clear of him, Mi. I don't want any brushes with death this year, either." Then Harry grinned and she just knew she wasn't going to like whatever he had to say next, "So, who are these "allies," sister mine?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. Of course, Harry knew who they were. He had the map. "You mean you and dear Uncle Sirius didn't spy on me? Now, why don't I believe that?"
"We weren't spying," Sirius shifted in his chair when Hermione narrowed her eyes at him, and Dotty smirked. Dotty knew that look. "We weren't! We just wondered where you were, is all. It was getting late and you hadn't been seen since leaving the common room after dinner."
Hermione's eyes softened, then. They had just been worried about her. Given her proclivity to be hexed with ultra-large teeth and petrified by basilisks, she could perhaps understand that worry. Hermione went to sip her tea, finding the cup empty. She frowned at it and made herself some more while she answered him.
"I told you, I don't trust Dumbledore. There's too much he doesn't say and his actions are contradictory. I made some alliances with snake people. Three of them who were more than willing to agree to my terms in the return for my good word should something…unfortunate occur," Hermione said carefully.
"You know how I feel about Slytherin's, Hermione. You're playing a dangerous game," said Sirius tersely.
"I'm not playing a game, Sirius. I've already been made a pawn, and only seek to survive being placed on the board and win in whatever way I can," she replied harshly.
Sirius sighed. He knew she had already experienced so much loss already. Who better than he and Remus to fraps the loss of her beloved parents in such a manner? He just wanted her to be safe, and Slytherin's had left an ashy taste in his mouth years before she had been born.
Surprisingly, it was Harry who spoke first. "Sirius, they don't heckle Hermione like they did before. None of them. They all leave her alone or are polite, some even friendly. She "fits in" with them now, and she's made friends with a few of them. You know what happens when you don't listen to Hermione?"
"Yeah, you regret it," chuckled Sirius.
Hermione smiled wanly at her family before she said, "Did you know Draco Malfoy wrote to me over the summer and apologized? Before I had been adopted, Sirius. Before. I think seeing what the basilisk did to students shook him to the core. And did you know that Theo Nott has been studying with me in private since the middle of the second year? He's one of the few students I can argue intellectual points with just for fun. They are kids, Uncle, just like Harry and I. Kids screw up sometimes, and sometimes they grow wiser than their parents and decide to do something about it. I'm not saying I absolutely trust them, but I will give them a chance to earn my trust."
"How did you get to be so kind, Hermione?" Sirius asked softly.
"I read a book about it," she quipped, deadpan. Sirius and Harry lost it. Dotty tried to fight it, but she eventually gave in to the laughter, too. Hermione grinned, pleased she could elicit such joy from them. Happiness was something she would never again take for granted. She took her time to commit this moment to memory and file it away for later.
Hermione woke earlier than she would have liked, but she was still irate about the state she had discovered her belongings in when she had gone up to bed the night before. Her things were strewn about, rifled through, touched by hands not her own. Hermione did not like that. She didn't know what they had been looking for but she highly doubted they had found it. She had decided they never would.
She tossed off her covers and grinned to herself as she set about jinxing all of her things. It wouldn't harm the nosey parker exactly…but it would make everyone think twice about touching her things ever again without her permission. That was the point. That done, she set about her morning routine of showering, haircare, skincare, and packing for the day. She was out of her dorm room and on her way to breakfast before anyone else had even woken for the day, and breakfast would be illuminating.
The Gryffindor table was empty, as was every other table in the Hall. She cast a tempus charm to check the time, finding it was a few minutes until the food would appear. She sat where she could see the entry to the Hall as well as the heads' table. She wanted to be sure she could keep an eye on Moody and his dodgy behavior. The professors slowly filtered in shortly before breakfast was served. Hermione made herself a simple breakfast of fruit, porridge, a bit of toast, and black tea. She was ready for the show to begin, even though she would once again end up the center of attention more likely than not.
The hall began to fill and Hermione too her time eating her meal. Unsurprisingly, Hermione had yet to see Parvati or Lavender enter for breakfast, and she smirked a bit to herself. Ginny came into the hall quickly, eyes daring across the table as if she were looking for something specific. Her eyes found Hermione's, and she came to sit next to her immediately.
Hermione sat down her tea and gave Ginny full eye contact. "Something the matter, Ginny?"
Ginny narrowed her eyes at her friend. "Why, yes, Hermione. Lavender and Parvati had to go to the hospital wing this morning. Very early this morning, in fact."
"Did they now? Are they alright?" Hermione smirked.
"What do you know, Hermione?"
"Nothing at all Ginny. I've been here since before breakfast even started."
"I don't believe you."
"That's your issue, not mine."
"Hermione, they pilfered through your things and got jinxed."
"Oh! Is that what happened? I guess they'll learn to keep their mitts off my stuff then. Shame, I invented that jinx. There's simply no counter for it yet," Hermione grinned, a bit evilly. Normally, the thought of someone being permanently scarred would garner some empathy from the curly-haired witch, but she could make exceptions. Especially for catty girls who treated her poorly and kept going through her things. Hermione was tired of playing nice.
Ginny's bark of laughter startled the people around them, and he didn't stop laughing until Professor McGonagall appeared alongside the table, looking terse. Ginny wiped the tears leaking from the corners of her eyes, still immensely amused. Ginny didn't like the witches either.
"Miss Ollivander?" Professor McGonagall was wearing her signature facial expression, though Hermione thought she might detect some humor hidden very deeply in her eyes. Hermione could, however, be wrong, so she played it safe.
"Yes, Professor McGonagall?" Hermione responded; her tone polite.
"Did you curse your roommates?" That was McGonagall, always blunt and to the point. Hermione really appreciated that about her.
"Certainly not. When would I have had the time? I've been at breakfast since before you, and I didn't see them at all last night," Hermione replied, somewhat affronted.
"I thought not. Might you have, perhaps, spelled your personal items to deter theft?" McGonagall asked, quirking her mouth slightly.
"Oh. Well yes. I kept finding my personal items had been gone through when I returned to the dorms. I'm quite disagreeable to thievery and people being nosey. Not to mention, they could have been looking through my notes and assignments and trying to cheat," Hermione replied seriously.
"We simply cannot have that. Will you come with me, Miss Ollivander? Perhaps you can help us remove the jinx?"
"I can certainly try Professor, but it's one I created. Standard removals won't work. I'll see if I can work one out after I look them over," Hermione said as she gathered her things. She left the great hall with her favorite Professor, who she was now certain, was trying not to laugh in front of the other students. This time, Hermione didn't mind the attention she was getting.
They walked to the hospital wing was taken in comfortable silence. Once they arrived Hermione was taken to see Parvati and Lavender, who shrunk away from her in fear. Hermione fought not to smirk and instead studied them clinically, ignoring who they were as people essentially. The dark skin of Parvati's forehead carried the word "THIEF" spelled out in large, white pustules. Lavender was better off, because she was so pale, but the pustules looked redder on her face making them just as noticeable. Their hands were wrapped in bandages from the stinging hex, likely. Hermione cast a diagnostic charm over them, looking to see that the jinx wasn't currently active, and this was simply the end result of her handiwork.
Hermione turned to look at Madam Pomfrey then, knowing all she needed to. "I'm afraid I can't reverse this without some permanent scarring. Might I suggest some burn salve for their hands? It was basically a triggered jinx for someone without my magical signature touching my things. It won't hurt them or worsen to use salves. As for the pustules, they'll remain active until I work out the counter-jinx. Until that time, I suggest bangs to cover them. It will likely scar no matter what I do, so the bangs may be necessary anyway."
"Miss Ollivander, are you telling me you jinxed your things without knowing the counter-jinx?" questioned Madam Pomfrey.
"Well, how I was I to know my roommates were rooting through my things? One can't be too careful!"
Madam Pomfrey sighed and adjusted her skirts. "Very well. Tell me the incantation and I shall help you work it out quicker."
"No," Hermione said firmly. "I created this jinx; it is my intellectual property. I will not be sharing it. I will come and fix it when I have it worked out."
"Hermione," Professor McGonagall interjected, "Would you allow me to help you with the creation of the counter?"
"Perhaps, but not here where they can be privy to it. I will not be taking the jinx off of my belongings, and I may even add some given the people I have slept next to for the past three years have been going through my things," Hermione replied, letting her irritation show.
"Yes well, you can protect your property however you might like. I doubt they will be touching anything of yours again anytime soon," the Professor replied. "I'm rather cross with them myself for behaving as such."
Hermione could see Parvati and Lavender shrink out of the corner of her eye. Good. They should be uncomfortable. Hermione knew the jinx would scar no matter how quickly she and McGonagall worked it out. Hermione had set the jinx to do it on purpose. Even without the counter jinx, it would take an age to heal.
"I can work on it this weekend, but I won't skip classes because they were being nosey," Hermione said coldly. She could hear a small whimper come from one of the girls. Hermione didn't care.
"I suppose that is agreeable. Care to meet me in my office in the morning after breakfast then? It should be a secure place to work out the theory and then we can simply apply the counter to Miss Brown and Miss Patil."
"That works for me, Professor. Thank you for understanding. I would also understand if you needed to give me some detention for this, as I know it's going to likely scar them for the rest of their lives," Hermione commented.
"No, I don't think so. I don't think you deserve detention for protecting your things here in the school. I'm not sure why these witches thought it would be alright to go through your things, but I won't be giving you detention for being proactive. I don't think I will be taking points from either of these two, but only because I find the punishment they've already gotten to be adequate," Professor McGonagall said seriously. "I am very disappointed in the two of you. No excuse will suffice. Perhaps in the future you will learn to keep your hands to your own personal belongings."
Hermione bid the matronly witch and her favorite professor adieu and headed to her first class for the day. She was rather shocked she hadn't gotten at least a detention or a point loss, but she would not have cared if she had. She was tired of them treating her poorly and she was setting a boundary here and now. She wouldn't be walked on anymore, no matter who was trying to do the stomping.
Classes flew by, and Hermione had taken notes and answered questions all day until she had found herself at lunch with everyone else. She was nervous about meeting Snape with Draco tonight, but it needed to be done. She had Defense Against the Dark Arts with Slytherin next. It was her last class for the day, and then she could go and get a head start on all her assignments. Lavender and Parvati had elected to stay in the Hospital Wing, which suited Hermione just fine.
D to H private message – Witch, what did you do?
H – Whatever do you mean?
D – There are rumors flying that you cursed your roommates! What did you do?
H - Oh, that. Well, actually I put some anti-theft jinxes on my belongings because someone had been rifling through them. I didn't know for sure who it was, and it happened to be them.
D – Are you planning to reverse it?
H – Sure, in a manner of speaking. Eventually. After I work out the counter this weekend.
D – Are you sure you're not a Slytherin?
H – I mean, maybe? Unclear. Regardless, they should not have been touching my things.
D- You'll get no argument from me, Hermione. They've always been rude to you.
H- Aww. Draco, I didn't know you cared.
D – More than you know, witch. More than you know…
Harry found an empty seat across from Hermione and sat down heavily. He looked at her pointedly and waited for her to stop writing in that little book she'd taken to carrying around. He watched her eyebrows furrow in thought, and then set her pen down and shut the journal. She silently spelled it closed and then looked up at him.
"Hello, Harry. How are you today?"
"Hermione?"
"Yes, Harry?"
"Why are you cursing people?"
Hermione broke out in laughter at his question, and then explained to him what had happened. She had to force thoughts of Draco to the back of her mind before she could answer him. She had to forget about his hand on hers, and the way he smelled, and the way his grey eyes had looked at her full of concern. She managed, somehow, and told the story to Harry. Harry looked increasingly more annoyed as she told him.
"You know, I don't think I'm even that mad. Ron wanted me to ask you to reverse it be because he's sort of seeing Lavender, but don't. She deserves it," Harry's voice hardened.
"So glad you agree, Harry, because I'm not doing anything for Ronald anymore. I found…I learned some things I'm really not sure how to deal with and I really don't want to be around him anymore. I just, he is too immature, and I can't deal with it. I refuse to put up with it anymore in any capacity. I know you're still his friend, but I don't want to be right now. And I don't like the way he has been treating you."
"I guess that makes two of us, Mi," Harry said grimly.
"I'm not sure what else to say then. I'm just done with all of it. I'm tired of the way people treat me. I get that I'm bossy and a swot and all that, but honestly, I'm not a doormat and I'm not going to be treated like I am anymore. If Ron wants to date Lavender, he'll have to learn to deal with scars."
"I guess we'll see what happens, then," Harry replied. He didn't feel like talking about it anymore. There was nothing he could do to change his errant best friend. He had carried a torch for Hermione, whether he had been aware of it or not, and he had treated her poorly. If Harry were a witch, he couldn't imagine he would have put up with it either.
Hermione shrugged, "Ready to head to Defense?"
"Yeah, let's get going. I've not heard anything about his class from other students, and I admit to being curious about what he's up to. Yes, Hermione, I know. I'm staying away from him," Harry smiled weakly.
"Good. I don't trust him, and Dumbledore doesn't have the best hiring record with Defense," Hermione replied. They gathered their things and left the hall together, only to be joined by Theo, Blaise, and Draco as they were exiting. They didn't pay attention to the looks they were getting from everyone else, namely one ginger-haired wizard.
"Are you guys headed to Defense, too?" asked Theo with a smile.
"Yep. That's the one," Hermione responded with a smile.
"Want to walk together?" Blaise asked politely.
"Are you going to hex me, Zabini?" Harry asked suddenly. Hermione could not hold in the snort which followed the question.
"Not likely," Blaise replied with a grin. Harry responded with a smile in return.
"Well, this is bloody odd," Draco commented.
"You're not wrong, but it's preferable to last year and the fighting in the halls," Hermione said sweetly.
"You know, I do believe you're right. This is much better," Draco said with a smile.
Harry rolled his eyes at the two of them, grumbling under his breath about sorting hats and confundus charms. Blaise and Theo must have heard him. "I think you're right, Potter. Hermione would have done well in Slytherin," Theo said with a smirk.
"She's scary that one," Blaise agreed.
Hermione, not wanting to break up the bonding time between them, simply let them talk as if she weren't there. Draco watched her out of the corner of his eye, smirking at her facial expression. He could see her worrying on her bottom lip like she was fighting not to jump in and say something. "Definitely. She's so sneaky," Draco said with a grin.
"I am not sneaky!" Hermione objected. The four boys around her just started to chuckle, pleased to have finally gotten a reaction. "You lot are going to drive me mad."
"We'll be fine as long as we don't go through your things though, right?" Draco asked with a smirk.
"Probably. I don't condone thievery," Hermione smiled.
"Oi, what's this about then?" Blaise asked, looking lost.
"Oh, Hermione jinxed her roommates for going through her stuff," Harry replied with a shrug.
"No! You jinxed them?" Blaise asked with wide eyes.
"I don't like it when people touch my things," Hermione sniffed.
"She really doesn't," Theo laughed. "I snatched her notes once and she hit me with a stinging hex!"
"You should have asked!" Hermione exclaimed, defending herself.
"I did! You were too lost in your thoughts!" Theo retorted.
Draco chuckled under his breath. This whole situation was strange, but he could see it. HE could see Hermione working on some assignment and getting completely lost in thought as she was writing it. Theo would have asked first because it was only polite, and then when he asked for the third time and she didn't answer he attempted to take her notes, and Gran—Ollivander hexed him without breaking her concentration. Yes, that seemed likely actually.
Hermione was mumbling, but she had a smile on her face. Draco liked that she was smiling, and he liked that she seemed a little bit lighter today than she had last night. He wasn't sure why he cared, but he was glad to see it. He hadn't seen her smile like that since before term had begun, and he had apparently missed her smile.
Wait, he what? Draco shook his head. That was an odd thought to have, missing Hermione's smile. How strange. And where had it come from? Draco didn't know, but he could see they had made it all the way to the Defense classroom already.
The five of them sat near each other in class, pleased with the joking atmosphere and not wanting to relinquish it. Harry Potter never would have thought to be joking with Draco Malfoy, or Blaise Zabini, or Theo Nott, but…Hermione had been right. These wizards were nothing like he had thought originally. They were just like him. Teenage boys who liked Quidditch. More importantly, they were teenaged boys who treated Hermione properly. That most definitely mattered to him.
Without even realizing it, all four of the boys had sat around Hermione. Harry sat to her right, Draco to her left, Theo and Blaise sat at the desks behind her. Hermione hadn't been paying attention at first, but she found she was rather glad of it after Ronald had walked in with his group, glaring daggers at her. She would much rather not interact with him at all if possible. Dean and Seamus came in on either side of him. Parvati and Lavender were still missing, and Hermione didn't mind. Neville seemed to be the only one who wasn't choosing a side, and she couldn't fault him for that. He sat between Harry and Ron, though, looking to keep the peace likely.
The rest of the students filtered in and took their seats. Pansy Parkinson gave her a look but didn't say a word. She sat on the furthest side of the room with the rest of the Slytherin house students, but she noticed they didn't mind sitting next to any of their classmates. That was a step up because if this had happened last year, they would have been ostracized from their house for speaking with her.
Within minutes their new professor swept into the room, wood leg clunking on the stone floor. "Welcome class. My name is Alastor Moody. Ex-Auror. Ministry Malcontent, and your new Defense of Dark Arts Teacher. I'm here because Dumbledore asked me. Goodbye, the end. Any questions?"
The class remained quiet. "I believe in a hands-on approach to teaching the Dark Arts. Now, who can tell me how many Unforgivable Curses there are?"
The grizzled man turned his back to the classroom and picked up the chalk. "Miss Ollivander?"
"There are three, sir. So named because they are horrible and use of any of them-"
"Will end you a one-way trip to Azkaban! That's correct!" Moody finished as he wrote on the board. "Now, which should we see first? Weasley!"
Ron stood, looking paler than usual, and rather scared. "Yes sir!"
"Stand!" Ron stood slowly. "Give us a curse."
"Well," he said stuttering slightly, "my father did tell me about one. The Imperius Curse."
He turned his back on Ron and went to his desk, gathering an insect from a jar. He muttered under his breath and cast the curse, and flung the spider onto the desk in front of him. He flung the spider around the room until the students were laughing, and then he said, "Talented isn't she? What should we have her do next? Jump out the window? Drown herself?"
The classroom quieted down and became somber. "The Imperius Curse was used widely by You-Know-Who and his followers. Scores of witches and wizards claimed the Imperius in relation to him, but here's the rub; how do we sort out the liars."
"Let's have another one then. Longbottom?"
Neville stood up, clearly unhappy to have been called upon. "I know of one, the-the Cruciatus?"
"Ah, yes. Come, come," Moody beckoned Neville over to his desk where he cast the curse on the spider. The spider immediately started to let loose screeches of pain and torment, and Neville looked away. He was unwilling to watch, unwilling to think this is what his parents' experienced until they were mad. Hermione watched Mood closely as he focused on the curse and torturing the defenseless spider. He looked mad, he truly did. Hermione was more thankful than ever for Dotty's observation.
"Stop it!" Hermione yelled. "Can't you see it's bothering him?!"
Mood snapped out of…whatever he was so focused on and ceased the curse immediately. He then flung the spider onto Hermione's desk and approached her slowly.
"Perhaps, Miss Ollivander, you can give us the last curse?"
Hermione refused to answer the man. Refused to participate in this farce of a lesson. Harry and Draco were looking at her, from either side. She could see that Draco was curious about her reaction, but he didn't say anything. Hermione shook her head.
"No? Well—" and then moody forcefully said, "Avada Kedavra!"
The spider fell dead on Hermione's desk. "The Killing Curse. There's only one person to have ever survived it, and he is in this room," Moody said approaching Harry.
Harry looked up at him, not knowing what to say. Suddenly, the Professor started grabbing for something and his face went slightly red. He pulled out his flask, and tongue darted out to the left side of his mouth and then back in. It was so quick before he took a pull and seemed normal again.
Draco narrowed his eyes. Something about that movement had seemed so familiar, but he couldn't place it. He filed it away for later to discuss with Blaise and Theo. Maybe they had seen it before or make a connection that he could not. It bothered him, and a heavy ball of dread lined his stomach. He didn't know why, but he didn't like this feeling.
Professor Moody dismissed the class shortly, demanding 12 inches on the Unforgivable Curses, possible ways to defend from them, and how they might mark a person after their use. Hermione had half a mind to spit in his face, she was so angry. Neville was still pale and barely holding it together. Hermione really needed to find a private place to work so she could the enchantments figured out. No one should be able to use those fucking curses. Not one more day than she could help it.
The class left quickly and silently, not even wanting to grumble about the essay they'd been charged with writing by next week. Hermione just wanted out of that room, and she wanted out yesterday. What the hell had Dumbledore been thinking? Why would he hire someone like that to teach children? He was obviously insane!
She escaped the room and finally felt like she might be able to breathe again, albeit, not as deeply as she might have liked. She was too angry. "Well, that was…that was something," Theo remarked.
"Yeah," Harry said, his voice distant.
"Can we not? Can we just…go to dinner and not talk about this? Please?" Hermione asked, stomach queasy. She couldn't fathom imagining her parents being subjected to any of those curses. They didn't have a way to defend themselves from such things, and it hurt too much to think about. It hurt far too much to consider her parents writhing on their living room floor, unable to do anything but scream. Hermione shook her head, trying to get the thoughts to stop.
Draco watched Hermione's pale face, and her eyes looked haunted. He didn't hold her hand like he had in the Room of Requirement. He couldn't openly display that much affection in public, but he could brush the back of his hand against hers to show his support, so he did. It might be small, it might be silent, but…it was what he could do.
Hermione felt his hand touch hers, and she shot him a quick and small smile. She appreciated what he was trying to do. She needed a minute, perhaps a few days, before she could stop thinking about this. She needed to get those curses under control. She needed Snape to agree to work with them. She needed Harry safe, and she needed a constant watch on Moody's actions. But right now, all she needed was to get her plan moving. If she could do that, she could do a lot of other things.
Blaise couldn't stand the tension anymore and suggested that they all go and blow off some steam before dinner with a game of Quidditch. Malfoy and Nott agreed, and to their surprise, so did Harry. "I'll bring Ginny, and maybe the twins. You guys can't be prats, though," Harry said sternly.
Hermione begged off. She didn't want to go and watch them play Quidditch. She needed to be alone and she needed to start working on how to eradicate the Unforgivable curses. She couldn't focus on anything else right then. She was thankful it was the last day of classes this week for her. Her nerves were shot, and she knew she wouldn't be able to pay attention to anything else.
Just before they parted, Draco brushed the back of his hand against Hermione's again. She shot him a grateful look. She was thankful for what he was trying to offer, she really was. She didn't want to think about how delicious he smelled, or how it caused butterflies in her stomach when he touched her like that. Like he cared. Like he was looking after her. No, Hermione had more important things to think about. She traipsed back to the Tower with Harry so he could grab his broom, and so Hermione could drop of her items in her room before heading to the Room of Requirement. She had research to do, and she needed to do it now. She had the curses fresh in her mind, and it was the first time she had ever seen them.
She really hoped it would be the last she ever saw of them, but somehow she doubted she would be so lucky.