Hey y'all, I had a reader ask me to start doing recaps of the previous chapters so I am going to start doing them. If there are any TWs for the chapter, they will be listed under the recap.
Recap of Chapter 40: Lucius and Narcissa open up the dialogue about their parenting tactics and the orphanage. Hermione calls Lucius out on said parenting tactics. Narcissa and Hermione talk about her being half fae. Draco now has a guilty conscious and nearly has an attack in front of Hermione, but she comforts him to the best of her ability. Draco and Hermione play a Sonata for Narcissa and Lucius.
A/N: Friendly reminder that dialogue and scenes from the books are used in this fanfiction.
Whatever Pansy Parkinson wanted, she got.
"Now remember, the Triwizard Tournament is supposed to be taking place at Hogwarts this year, which means that there will also be the Yule Ball to look forward to."
"Yes, father."
"Do you think you can get him to ask you to that this year?"
Pansy looked her father square in the eye. "I can try my best." Mr. Parkinson squinted in response, not liking the confrontation. His features always reminded Pansy of a bull dog with a thinning comb over.
"Don't look at your father like that and uncross your arms, Pandu." Pansy broke the eye contact to look Mrs. Parkinson in the eye, hearing her mother's nickname for her being being used. The short desi woman rarely intervened when Pansy was was getting the third degree from her father, but when it came to the topic of Draco Malfoy, she became very vocal. "When I was your age, my sister and I were already engaged -" Pansy's mom always brought up her and her sister's early marriage, especially in private where Mr. Parkinson could not hear her complain about how she got the raw end of the marriages, due to her sister married the much more stable Mr. Patil, father of the Patil sisters.
"Yes, well," Her English father interrupted, "Lucius doesn't believe in arranged marriages. Thinks he has the pick of the litter, he does." Her father grumbled. "He wants Draco to make a choice."
Did he just call me a dog? Her head pulled back and her mouth was agape as she watched her father shovel eggs into his mouth. As much as Pansy played stupid, she wasn't anymore dim than the next Slytherin. It was just easier for her to play the gormless bint, as it stopped her from standing out. No one asked her questions or made fun of her intelligence, like they did Hermione Granger. People simply heard Pansy talk for two minutes and decided to shove her into a box and push her to the back of their minds. There were few times she regretted the fact of playing the role well, and this appeared to one of them.
"Eat your food, we need to get you off to the train." Pansy eyes shifted back to her mother. Her chest hurt. Why do they treat me as if I am nothing more than a pawn? Prabhu didn't have to worry about marriage before he graduated! She almost brought up this fact about her older brother in her defense, but she remembered that it would be useless. There was always a double standard between the two siblings, and there was nothing she could do to change that. After all, his name meant god while her name was just a hybrid garden flower.
As Pansy ran her hair through her freshly cut bob, her mother tsked. "I don't want to remind you again, if you do not marry Draco then your father and I will die from being out on the cold streets when we lose our home. Do you understand that we need you to have him marry you?"
Pansy nodded, but decided now was the time to speak up before they headed to Kings Cross in a couple of hours. "I understand, but why him? He's not interested. Why can't I marry Montague or Knott?"
Her mother waved a dismissive hand. "They are well off, but do you think they can afford out livelihood? You saw the Malfoy home at the gala, and I want to spend the rest of my days there."
"Right." Pansy forked some of her food in her mouth, but she could hardly taste it. Her mouth felt like chalk as the tears burned in their ducts. They had been pressing her since first year that she needed to create a friendship, then a relationship with Draco, but she couldn't see him as more as that – Not to mention he was more vile than not towards her. She tried her hardest, put her best act on around him, but it wasn't enough. Pansy could never get past the walls he constantly hand up. She was both relieved and frustrated by this.
Whatever Pansy Parkinson wanted, she got. What would be much to her parent's dismay once they found out, was that Pansy Parkinson did not want Draco Malfoy.
Hermione was trying not to feel guilty, but the silent treatment that Lucius was giving her was working in guilt tripping her. She was aware it was just a tactic to manipulate her into apologizing, she couldn't help, but give into it. It was the last time she would see her guardians for a few months and she had not wanted to leave on a bad note. "If I would have known that Crewe would have been too distraught to take us to King's Cross, I wouldn't have tried to free him again." I would have just done it, she mentally added. Crewe, she had decided, was completely brainwashed. He was beyond reasoning with and she realized a little too late that she was going to need to show him the benefits of being free instead before trying to convince him.
Lucius, however, had been upset that she had even attempted it in the first place. He felt like she was trying to give away something that wasn't hers, even though Crewe was supposed to serve her too. Lucius didn't reply to Hermione and when they were nearing Platform 9 and 3/4, Narcissa spoke instead. "Go ahead, we'll watch to make sure no one sees you two."
Draco paused from pushing the cart to give his mother a small nod. Usually he didn't have to push one, but since Crewe wasn't there to handle their things for them, he had no other choice. Draco and Hermione walked side by side at a near crawl as they watched a few other Hogwarts students slide into the brick partition, transporting them to the platform where the Hogwarts Express would be waiting. Before deciding to enter themselves, they watched Daphne Greengrass push Astoria Greengrass through the wall as they went form muggle London to the wizarding London. Astoria was sitting on the suitcases, facing her sister and the sight reminded Draco of something magical he was sure Hermione had not ever heard about.
"We should try that."
Hermione looked over to Draco who nodded his chin to the suitcases in front of them, beckoning her to take a seat. "What? No, I'd feel ridiculous. I have two good legs for a reason."
"Oh, sorry," Draco lifted both hands in the air before leaning on the handle bar of the cart with one elbow. "I was just under the impression that you Gryffindors thrived off of new discoveries and experiences." There was a twinkle in his eye and she got the feeling that whatever he was talking about, he wouldn't indulge her in unless she did as he said.
Hermione glanced between him and the wall, who now had Ernie McMillian walking backwards into it while he talk to his parents. It made their disappearance look almost seamless to the busy muggles bustling around them. "I'm not sure I'm following."
"Just trust me, Hermione." Draco gripped the handlebar with one hand and held the other out to help her take a seat on the suitcases. The hand was unnecessary in keeping her balance as she climbed on to the cart, but it would have been rude of her to refuse it. Hermione made a show of crossing her legs once she sat on their luggage and laced her fingers over her knee, before pursing her lips as Draco started to push the cart. He had a smirk on his face as he picked up speed and Hermione's stomach flipped. She knew they weren't going too fast, but the thrill of not seeing where she was going as he started to race towards the wall was a little on nerving. "And don't close your eyes!" Hermione had been thinking about it, but only because she was now forced to look at Draco as he pushed her around King's Cross station. She was starting to feel flustered.
Before she could deny his claim though, she had been submerged into the magical wall. Every time she had come to King's Cross station, walking through the wall had been as instant as walking through any doorway. One step she was in King's Cross, the next step she was on Platform 9 and 3/4.
This time though, something that she could only describe as magical happened. The second her face disappeared behind the bricks, she was literally suspended in space between the two worlds. Around her, stars seemed to zoom and galaxies swirled in the far distance. "Blimey." The word should have been a whisper, but it seemed there was no sound in the space she was in. She looked back at Draco who was walking in slow motion, not looking around. Hermione realized she was experiencing this alone as the seconds ticked by and Draco's eyes did not once flicker from her grinning face.
All too soon, they were back on to the platform, surrounded by other Hogwarts students. "Did you see it?" Draco pushed them off to the side so they would not be in anyone else's way. He knew she did, but he wanted the verbal confirmation that she enjoyed it also. Her eyes were bright as she stepped off the cart and Draco couldn't help but think of how much he loved seeing her full of wonder at what he thought to be the simplest of magical things.
"What was that? Why have I not seen that before? It was like - Like I stepped through a wormhole."
Draco picked up their suitcase from the cart, leaving her to carry Hades. Hermione's owl, Persephone, refused to climb into her cage and instead opted to fly back to Hogwarts. "I don't know what a wormhole is."
"Oh, a Wormhole is a speculative structure linking two different points in space-time." Draco looked at her, completely lost in the unfamiliar terminology. Hermione picked up the end of her robe to give him a visual crash course. "Imagine my finger tips are two different places and the fabric between them would be distance or space between them." He nodded and she wrinkled the fabric that had been taut between her fingers tips so now her fingers were touching. "This would be a wormhole."
"Oh!" Narcissa and Lucius just stepped through and were searching for them. Draco raised one hand to get their attention. "I suppose that's exactly what that was then. Although wizards don't obviously call it that." He paused, suddenly self-conscious that his answer for the wall was as intellectually sound as her explanation of what a wormhole was. "I can't explain why it works differently depending on which way you're facing, but I know the Ministry sets it up that way to help keep young children calm to avoid them throwing a tantrum at the sudden change in scenery."
Hermione nodded, her mind already running through the charms and enchantments she knew, wanting to piece together what exactly the entrance to Platform 9 and 3/4 was made of. It started to make sense to her why numerous Hogwarts students would pass through going backwards. She always assumed it was just a creative way to pass through in a way that was perceived as natural to any non-magical bystanders, but now she imagined they did it to catch a glimpse of the thirty second window of space she witnessed.
"The train will be boarding soon." Lucius stated with a slight, matter-of-fact drawl in his voice. He looked slightly put out as Narcissa moved a lock of hair off his shoulder and Hermione had the feeling he had just been scolded for giving her the silent treatment. "You two will be having an eventful year and we'll be expecting you for Easter."
"Yes, Sir." Hermione and Draco replied in Unison. They had discussed the topic of the Triwizard tournament over dinner and knew they would not be going back to the manor for Christmas. This made Hermione sad for many reasons, but she refused to dwell on it. This morning she had awoken with the same vigor she had the day of the Quidditch World Cup - This year would be a good year, a normal year, she promised herself.
"I'll be owling you before Christmas to verify what you'll be wearing." Narcissa winked at Hermione. Hermione knew she was going to end up having another dress designed for her, but she was unsure if she was excited about that. The Persephone costume was lovely, she just wasn't sure if she was looking forward to another large event.
The whistle blew and all four of them looked at the large red and black train. "We'll see you on holiday then - Oh!" Hermione threw her arms around Narcissa to hug her good bye. Draco's eyes nearly popped out of his head when Hermione took a step back to do the same to Lucius. Before he could try to deter her next move, Hermione gave him a light hug, ignoring the awkwardness radiating from Lucius. Lucius was determined not to react until he looked at Narcissa, who found the sentiment to be adorable as she drew Draco in for a hug herself. Remembering the last conversation he and Hermione had alone, he settled for lightly patting her on the shoulder.
When she let go, Lucius held an uncertain arm out for Draco to step in to. Draco was stiff as he walked over and gave his father a brief, one armed hug. The hug wasn't as warm as Lucius thought it would be and he thought he would need to work on being more open with physical affection. Draco found himself preferring that it never happened, despite how much he liked watching Hermione defy his father. de
As soon as Draco and Hermione were on the train, their respective trunks in their grasp, they gave each other a nod before they parted ways. Their act of being enemies was now on for the school, and all they will have to look forward to were stolen, friendly moments where they eyes of the public were no longer on them.
"... Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts. He knows the headmaster, you see. You know his opinion of Dumbledore and Durmstrang doesn't admit Muggleborns. Mother didn't like the idea of me going to school so far away. Father says Durmstrang takes a far more sensible line than Hogwarts about the Dark Arts. Durmstrang students actually learn them, not just the defense rubbish we do..."
Hermione got up and closed the compartment door. When she turned around, Ron's eyes were narrowed in suspicion. "That's your friend, then?"
"Ron, don't." She warned.
"He wanted to say 'mudblood', Hermione. I heard him stutter."
Hermione raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "I have never heard any of the Malfoys even hesitate, let alone stutter."
"Durmstrang's another wizarding school?" Harry interrupted to avoid them starting a bickering match before they got to Hogwarts.
"Yes," said Hermione sniffily, "and it's got a horrible reputation. According to An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe, it puts a lot of emphasis on the 'Dark' Arts. So of course everyone is wary of the school."
Harry nodded, but said nothing after seeing Hermione rolled her eyes at the word 'dark.' He heard her theory that magic was in fact grey instead of light and dark, but dreaded the thought of hearing it again as he and Ron disagreed with her. Before he could ask any other questions about Durmstrang, the Trolley Witch came by and Harry purchased a stack of cauldron cakes.
"How was it getting back to the Burrow after the Quidditch Cup? I'm sure your mum was in hysterics, Ron." Hermione inquired as she pressed the cross on her necklace between her thumb and pointer finger, shaking her head at Harry's offering of a cake.
"She wouldn't stop fudding over the twins, screaming about how she had yelled at them before we left for the Quidditch Cup. Rita Skeeter wrote a piece mentioning dad though."
"Did she really?" She couldn't help the grimace that appeared on her face. "I didn't renew my subscription to The Daily Prophet. I had no idea."
"He wasn't mentioned by name, but mum still had a lot to say about what was written. Mum was never really fond of Skeeter."
"Well, you read what she wrote about me, didn't she?" Ron looked a little guilty when he shook his head 'no.' "Well, she has a habit of publishing fictitious stories and skewing the facts to create an untrue image of whatever her next victim was." A silence started to lull between them and Hermione thought they might have asked about her time at the Manor, something Hermione didn't think she was willing to discuss. "How is your scar, Harry? Have you heard from Sirius?"
"It hasn't started to hurt again. Hedwig's never taken this long and I'm worried."
"We don't know where he's gone though." Hermione's hand moved from her necklace to rub her scarred brow. She had another nightmare last night and even though she kept the journal Harry gifted her last year by her bedside, she had been unsuccessful in capturing any details. "If he's gone far enough, Hedwig won't be able to make that trip a couple days." Hermione reassured him.
"He wasn't there, was he? You-Know-Who?" Ron looked between his two best friends, thinking back to the Summer night that Harry had his nightmare along with the fact that Harry said his scar had only hurt like that when he faced Voldemort in their first year. "I mean — last time your scar kept hurting, he was at Hogwarts, wasn't he?" Ron offered. "It could have just been a fluke."
"I'm sure he wasn't on Privet Drive," Harry had an almost haunted look on his face as he spoke. "But I was dreaming about him... him and Wormtail. I can't remember all of it now, but they were plotting to kill someone."
"It was only a dream," Ron dismissed. "Just a nightmare."
"Yeah, but was it, though?" said Harry, turning to look out of the window at the brightening sky. "It's weird, isn't it?... My scar hurts, and three days later the Death Eaters are on the march, and Voldemort's sign's up in the sky again." Hermione continued to wonder about her own dreams. While she may not have been able to remember the details of the nightmares, she couldn't shake the feelings she felt afterwards. They were parallel to how she felt after a flashback.
"Don't say his name!" Ron hissed through gritted teeth, bringing Hermione back to the conversation before she could spiral into her thoughts.
"And remember what Professor Trelawney said?" Harry went on, ignoring Ron. "At the end of last year?"
Hermione's concerned look vanished as she let out a snort. "Oh Harry, you aren't going to pay attention to anything that old fraud says?"
"You weren't there," he argued. "You didn't hear her. This time was different. I told you, she went into a trance — a real one. And she said the Dark Lord would rise again... greater and more terrible than ever before... and he'd manage it because his servant was going to go back to him. Then that night Wormtail escaped." Hermione resisted the urge to groan as he quoted what Trelawney had said to him during his Divination exam last year. "Dumbledore believes me."
She thought back to what Draco had said about Dumbledore in the library. Even if he had the habit of keeping 'dark' information away from students, he was still a great wizard and their headmaster. If he felt that Trelawney was a true seer, there had to be a reason, right?
Before Hermione could fly into another rant on why she decided to take anything the Divination professor said with a grain of salt, the door to their compartment opened.
"Hey, Harry, Ron," Neville nodded at each of them with a smile. "Hermione."
"Hey, Neville." Hermione returned the friendly smile.
"Scoot, Nev." Ginny attacked his sides, causing him to let out an unflattering laugh as he stepped into their compartment. Ginny and Neville sat on the same side as Harry and Ron, while the petite blonde girl that accompanied them took the seat next to Hermione. The girl was already dressed in her Ravenclaw Robes and her ears were adorned with that were in the shape of some plant Hermione wasn't completely familiar with. In her hands, she held a magazine called The Quibbler. Hermione's memory was slowly being jogged the more she looked at the Ravenclaw girl's hair. She remembered the platinum color nearly rivaled Draco's, but her name continued to elude her.
The blonde's pale face split into a relaxed smile that was framed by two very pink lips. She had a dazed look on her face, but Hermione had the odd feeling nothing got past the keen gaze her hazel eyes held. "Luna. Luna Lovegood." Luna's voice somewhere between dreamy and airy, but what Hermione could say was that it was very pleasant.
Yes! That's right! "Or should I call you Baba Yaga?" Luna's smile widened as Hermione laughed at her own joke. She wasn't exactly sure how she could forget the one person who had not dressed up as a deity, but as an old witch who walked around with a cauldron that had chicken legs at the bottom of it.
Then again, a lot had happened that night.
"She's misunderstood, don't you think?"
Hermione looked over at Ginny, Neville, Harry and Ron who seemed to be in a deep conversation about Quidditch already. "I'll admit I am not too familiar with folklore." She then looked back at Luna who now tilted her head to the side to better read the paperwork Hermione had on her lap.
"Starting a business?"
Hermione looked down at the Title to Circe's Colander. Hermione lifted the packet to reveal the another Title, but this one was for Central Dental Care. Lucius wasn't just blowing hot air when he said that Hermione and Draco were to start their 'shadowing' projects this year, and despite the lack of an immediate reaction on his part after she had been offended by both businesses, he had been very busy behind the scenes on her behalf.
After she and Draco had played for Lucius and Narcissa, Lucius revealed that for the past couple of months, he had been buying out the two businesses that had come to hate. Hermione had been grossly reminded of the money the Malfoys had and their nearly flippant attitude to drop whatever galleons they needed to so they obtained what they wanted. She was in utter shock when he asked her to pick one and said she needed time to think about it. Lucius then informed that he understood, but warned the gifts came with a price. He was not just gifting her which ever business she chose, he fully expected her to slowly familiarize with the company so when she was of age, she would already be a business owner, just as Draco was to take over the family business. It was apparent that Lucius had picked up on her insecurity at Circe's Colander when she asked if he suspected her to be a bad business owner and wanted to give her the opportunity to manage one, before giving her the option to work on a fundraiser instead.
"Something like that." Hermione admitted. She had removed the paperwork from her luggage to look it over, but she then got pulled into conversation with Harry and Ron. It should have been an easy choice. Her parents owned a Dentistry got goodness sake! They had even groomed her a little as they had expected her to take over before their fatal trip to France, but she was stuck on which business to choose from. "Do you... Like the The Quibbler? Everyone says it's just a load of rubbish, you know." Hermione reflected as she pulled the packets of legal paperwork to her chest so Luna could no longer look at them. She eyed the magazine with a raised eyebrow. On the front page, it had the the side profile of a veela and a leprechaun. The cover highlighted several different articles, one of them reading 'Griselda Marchbanks: Feminist or Foe?' Hermione's nose scrunched in distaste.
"I didn't think you were they type to listen to what everyone else said." Hermione looked up at Luna's face when she heard the dreamy quality of her voice dissipate. The dazed look was no longer on her face and her eyes were even more penetrating than they were before. "My father is the editor and I don't find it to be rubbish."
"Oh," Hermione was embarrassed. Even with none of her other friends noticing that she had just offended Luna, she felt her cheeks warm. "Well, I'm sure it's got... I mean, it's quite..."
Luna however was disinterested in what Hermione had to say and noisily flipped The Quibbler open and held it up to her face, disappearing behind it. Hermione thought about pointing out that it was upside down, but didn't think there was a way Luna would not already know.
Hermione pursed her lips together as she turned back to the parchment in front of her. I didn't think you were they type to listen to what everyone else said. Trelawney practically said the same thing about me last year, but why does it hurt more from someone most of the school refers to as Loony Lovegood?
"Ciao, Bella." The conversation ceased at once when the compartment door opened and Blaise Zabini's voice came in.
Hermione looked up to see that he was accompanied by Draco. She ignored how her heart skipped a beat seeing his gray eyes on her in spite of his bored front. "Bonjour, mon beau ami." Hermione said in return.
Blaise leaned against the door frame with a shoulder, one hand stuffed in his robe pocket as he playfully leered at Hermione. "When are you going to come sit with us?"
Hermione playfully rolled her eyes at him, but before she could answer, Ron had once again beat her to it. "Hermione doesn't sit with murderers."
"Ron!" Hermione's mouth was completely agape. The red head just gave her a severe look that almost seemed as if he was questioning why she was surprised he would say such a thing.
"Do you not read The Prophet?" Ginny rolled her eyes and inched closer to Harry when her brother's angry stare turned on her. "Zabini was her date to the Gala, Ron."
"Wot?" Hermione was starting to wonder if Ron's natural skin tone was actually some shade of red rather than the pale, freckled tones his siblings shared. "You can't be serious?" Hermione flexed her fingers before curling them into a fist, angry with both Ron and Ginny. Hermione suspected Ginny was purposefully being cold to her since entering their compartment, not bothering to say so much as a 'hello' before making conversation about Quidditch with Hermione's friends, but she chalked it up to it being a figment of her imagination. Looking at Ginny's body language reacting to every move Harry had made though, had her thinking otherwise. "What are you doing hanging around with their lot? His mother has murdered eight-"
"Key words are 'his mother', Ron! You don't have the right to attack people for what their parents have done - if they've even done them." Hermione added. She noticed the smell of smoke first before she saw her hands were burning to the point they were smoking. "She was at the gala and I doubt the Ministry would let a serial killer walk free, you know."
"Why are you defending them?" Hermione's eyes snapped to Ginny's who was now openly glaring right at Hermione. "Malfoy's family has literally ruined my life and Zabini's mom is no different." Hermione scoffed, but this only irked Ginny. "Do you hear yourself? You're even scoffing and acting as if your breeches are made of Mokeskin. You're as much of a Malfoy as he is!" Ginny was pointing at Draco, who Hermione noticed was now in Blaise's place under the doorway, the Italian pressed against his back, trying to get in.
Hermione was beyond words at this point and Neville tried to take control of the situation. "Ginny, perhaps we should go back to our compartment."
Hermione saw that Ginny was about to unleash her rage on to him next, but Harry, who never put himself into a row he was not directly involved in, spoke up. "Sounds like a good idea." Harry met Hermione's stunned face. "I'd rather you not set the train on fire." Hermione placed her smoldering fists into her lap so she could focus better on bringing her self back into a more stable state. Why do emotions have to be so bloody exhausting?
"Let's go, Blaise." Hermione didn't let her focus break when she heard Draco speak softly to their Slytherin friend, but she did when Draco tried to get one last jab in with Ron, which she expected was the real reason why he had stopped by. "Nice robes, Weasley." Draco was eyeing the hand-me-down lace dress robes that Ron draped over his owl, Pigwigeon, Sirius had gifted him last year.
"Get out!" Hermione snapped. A look flitted across Draco's face, but he quickly slipped back into his unperturbed mask.
Soon after the Slytherins had disappeared, Neville, Ginny and Luna soon followed. Hermione didn't understand why Ginny was behaving balefully towards her. Sure, the red head was hot headed like her brothers, but rarely did she act with such intense abhorrence when unprovoked. Especially not towards Hermione.
"Looks like that Ravenclaw girl left her magazine."
Hermione looked over to the seat to her left and saw Harry was right.
She picked up the magazine and flipped through its pages, not really focusing on anything in particular.
"'Mione," Ron started. She didn't look up, but she could tell he was still trying to fight the anger he felt off so he could talk to her. "I just don't want to see you get caught up -"
"I can make that decision myself, Ronald." Hermione crossed her arms over her chest. She looked him in the eyes to make sure that her words would be understood. "I thought I had told you last year that I am not Ginny. I do not need you to dictate who I will and will not be friends with." He opened his mouth, but Hermione leaned forward, finger in his face. She hardly ever mimicked her mother's vicious stance, but Harry and Ron both knew it well enough that her word was about to be law. "I'm going to tell you what I have told Draco. I am going to be friendly with both of you. If you can not respect that, then we will not be friends."
Ron and Harry both exchanged a look, completely gobsmacked. "You've known us longer -"
"Friendship isn't about how long you have known each other, it's about what you two have been through together!" She could feel her anger starting to frizz up her hair. "Draco has been there for me on the anniversary of my parents' death. He had been there for when I can not eat or feel like I can't breathe because the weight of the world is crushing me, I-" Her heart was pouring out her pent of feelings and she felt a strong need to reign it all back in before she said something that she was going to regret. "He's a friend! I'm not asking you to be friends with him, just respect that I will be!"
Neither of them spoke when she decided she was done. just stared at them, panting with her hands outstretched, but no longer smoking. "I'm returning this to Lovegood." She traded the stack of parchment in her lap for The Quibbler she had thrown to the side in her rant.
"Hermione," Ron tried, but she ignored him as she walked into the corridor of the Hogwarts Express.
The compartment door adjacent to hers clicked closed at the same time she slammed hers shut. She knew the occupants heard everything that she had yelled, just as she had heard their earlier conversation about Draco almost attending Durmstrang.
Hermione's stomach grumbled as she walked up the staircase to Gryffindor tower, arms crossed over her chest. Hogwarts: A History? More like Hogwarts: A Highly Biased and Selective History of Hogwarts, Which Glosses Over the Nastier Aspects of the School! Not once does that blasted book even mention house elves! In the moment that Nearly Headless Nick revealed there were over one hundred house elves at Hogwarts, she decided to go on strike. Ron had made several weak attempts at trying to convince her to eat as it was the welcome feast, but she refused to consume anything that was a product of slave labor, as she had reminded him. Perhaps I should owl Lucius. He said that he wouldn't of had minded to send Harry food, maybe -
"We're seventeen in April, why can't we have a shot?" George was extremely bent out of shape about the new restriction that was put in place for the Triwizard Tournament.
"They're not stopping me entering," said Fred stubbornly, who was also scowling as they walked. "The champions'll get to do all sorts of stuff you'd never be allowed to do normally. And a thousand Galleons prize money!"
Hermione, Harry, and Ron followed Fred and George up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower. Hermione thought that maybe listening to what her friends speculated about the Triwizard Tournaments would take her mind off of her hunger.
"Yeah," said Ron, a faraway look on his face. "Yeah, a thousand Galleons..."
She looked over at him and shook her head seeing the dreamy expression he held. She didn't say anything though. She wasn't entirely cross with him anymore as he seemed to be in a calm enough mood when she returned to their compartment, but he didn't apologize either, so she was still annoyed.
"Who's this impartial judge who's going to decide who the champions are?" Harry asked her, assuming she had heard something about it, but Fred answered.
"Dunno," said Fred, "but it's them we'll have to fool. I reckon a couple of drops of Aging Potion might do it, George."
"Dumbledore knows you're not of age, though," said Ron.
"Yeah, but he's not the one who decides who the champion is, is he?" said Fred shrewdly. "Sounds to me like once this judge knows who wants to enter, he'll choose the best from each school and never mind how old they are. Dumbledore's trying to stop us giving our names."
"You don't honestly think that Dumbledore is just going to stand by and let under aged students join a dangerous tournament after he went out of the way with the other Headmasters and the Ministry to change the rules?" Fred and George stopped to look back at her with a face that said that they obviously were going to try, regardless of what Dumbledore thought. "People have died, though!" Hermione threw her hands in front of her in irritation.
Fred led them through a door concealed behind a tapestry and started up another more narrow staircase. "Yeah," said Fred airily, "but that was years ago, wasn't it? Anyway, where's the fun without a bit of risk? Hey, Ron, what if we find out how to get 'round Dumbledore? Fancy entering?"
"What d'you reckon?" Ron asked Harry. "Be cool to enter, wouldn't it?" He paused at that and Hermione watched in horror as the dreamy smile widened on his face. "I might go in for it. If you two find out how to get past the judge."
"You will not!" The pitch of Hermione's shrilly cry brought Ron out of his day dream and caused everyone to turn to look at her once more when they reached the top of the staircase.
"Balderdash."
"George -" Hermione started to round on him, but he put his hands in the air as if to say he meant no harm. "It's the password, a prefect told me downstairs." Hermione watched the fat lady's portrait swing open beside her, and stepped back, not realizing this hidden staircase had left them so close to their common room.
"'Mione," She looked up to see Ron looking slightly frustrated, but making an effort to hold back his feelings. "If I can't comment on your friend choices then you you can't comment on my life choices."
Hermione's mouth opened several times at that, unsure of what to say as Harry and the twins hurried into the common room to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. Seeing she was alone in her argument, she puffed up her chest and stuck her nose in the air. "Fine, just know that whatever plan you decide to follow, is not going to work." She said the last part in a sing-song tone.
She expected Ron to rub it in that he had won their argument, but instead he seemed to sober up. "Gin is right, you know. You do sorta act like them."
While Hermione stood staring at him, completely speechless, he stood there awkwardly. After shifting his weight and twisting his lips to the side as he often did when he did something outside of his comfort zone, he climbed inside, the portrait clicking closed behind him. How am I acting any different than I had before? No - he's just saying that because that's what he wants to see. Hermione reached for the closed portrait, her eyebrows scrunched together as she thought about how she was right and Ron had to be wrong.
"Unhand me this instant!" Hermione jumped back hearing the Fat Lady reprimand her. "Password please!"
Hermione pointed to the opening she knew would be behind the portrait. "I was just with -"
"Password!" The Fat Lady stood with her hands on her hips, determined to remain unmovable unless she heard the one word that would make her open.
Hermione huffed. "Balderdash." She said in a mocking tone. The Fat Lady, used to Hermione being kind even after being chastised by her, flung open for the teen to be admitted with a loud sniff. Oh, Hermione felt some guilt sink in seeing the portraits reaction. Maybe I do act like Draco a little.
Hermione had a plan.
She tried not sprint down the hall so she could get to the library quicker, but she found it hard to put a stopper on her excitement as she raced down the cobblestone halls their first day of classes, her belly full from scarfing down lunch. Maybe Lucius is right and I have a better skill set for fundraisers and organizations of the like. She could see the double doors of the Hogwarts library now. I just need to -
A hand grabbed her robe sleeve and yanked her back. She was reaching for her wand, a bat-boogey hex on the tip of her tongue, but she stopped when she saw that it was Draco who grabbed her. "I don't like chasing people, Granger."
Hermione felt the corners of her lips pull up slightly seeing him again. "Whatever you say, Malfoy." The surname that fell from her lips felt as awkward as a new born deer trying to stand on its legs. Malfoy was the name of a stranger, Draco was the name of the handsome friend she had an intense crush on. Hermione glanced around and saw they were alone. "Tell me you have a free period next, too." She froze for a moment, and frowned. "Actually, no. Perhaps I need to research this myself, make sure it's something I want to do first - Oh, but of course I want to. I just don't know anything about it so there will be so much research!. I don't even know where to start especially if I have to refuse Lucius the businesses -"
She's so cute when she's flustered. "You sound mental right now, I hope you know that." Draco took in her appearance with a smile of his own. She always looked so prim and proper in her Gryffindor uniform. He had thought it was a good look for her, but now – especially after another heated dream he had of her recently – he thought that she looked quite fit in the arrangement of her house colors. Draco eyes snapped up to her face as he thought of the way he had raked her skirt higher on her leg in his dream. Focus. "You need to pick one though, father won't let you refuse." Draco had also been sent off to Hogwarts with his own stack of paperwork to sift through, more numbers than anything else as he was already well versed in his family's business background.
Hermione bit her lip. "You - Well, can I ask you for your perspective on something?"
Keep biting your lip like that and I'll let you ask me anything. "I think we should head to our study table if we're to keep talking." Draco nodded his head to the heavy double doors of the library.
"Right." Hermione turned on her heel to lead them into the library, but before she could do so, there was a loud clunk before she ran in to something very solid, causing her to bounce back on to Draco. "Oh!"
When Hermione looked up to see who she had ran into, she had to stifle a gasp. She had seen him at the welcoming feast, but seeing him up close without any warning was a different experience of its own.
The clunk was from the metal leg Mad-Eye- Moody wore after he had lost the bottom half of his actual leg sometime in his career as an Auror. The man smelled of leather, which Hermione assumed was the source of the strong scent and his face was covered in scars. His most distinct disfigurements were the chunk of cartilage missing from his nose along with a gash over his false eye. The iris of it was a silvery blue that reminded Draco of Narcissa.
"You're not harassing this young lady are ya, Mr. Malfoy?" Professor Moody's magicked eye was as large as a Knut and it moved without blinking. It seemed to have scanned Hermione, but now it was rolling up, down, and even side to side over Draco's person.
A surprised sound hitched in Draco's throat. "No, sir."
Hermione remembered Ron and Harry talking about Moody. He was a friend of Arthur's and a respected retired Ministry Auror – even though he was made fun of by several officials for his paranoia. On paper, Hermione thought he would make for an interesting Defense Against Dark Arts teacher this year, if not a better one than Lupin. After her Summer experience with Aurors though, she was slightly protective of Draco. She wouldn't stand by this time if Moody tried to harass him like Crouch, Sr. had. "He's a friend, sir." Moody looked down at Hermione at that, but only with his normal eye. The blue one stayed on Draco at all times, even when it acted as if it wanted to move on its own volition. She refused to back down, physically or verbally.
"Are you sure about that Miss?" Somehow with half his nose missing, he managed to sniff. "You don't have to lie -"
"Quite." Her reply was short and Hermione was reminded of Ron's teasing last year when he commented on her streak of getting aggressive with teachers. "His family adopted me over a year ago now. There would be no reason for us not to be cordial."
Moody appeared to literally swallow that truth. "Well then you best run along now. Next period will be starting soon."
Hermione didn't thank Professor Moody as she looped her arm around Draco and dragged him towards the library. Right before they entered though, Draco threw his arms around her neck to hug her. With their height difference, she was immediately swallowed into his robes as her head hardly peaked over his shoulders. She laughed and when he pulled away, he ruffled her high ponytail, causing the brushed out curls to fly everywhere. "Draco! What are you doing?" She was slightly bewildered at the sudden display of affection.
"I like having a teacher's pet as a friend is all."
"Teacher's pet? He didn't even know my name."
Draco shrugged. "Maybe not now, but he will. You have him on Thursday, I assume?" Draco pulled open the library door for her, but stayed hidden so he could enter several minutes later so they were not seen arriving at the same time.
"Me, Ron, and Harry." She grinned as he made a face. After receiving his timetable this year, he was starting to agree that perhaps Hogwarts emphasized pinning rival houses too much, making it harder to make friends outside of their houses.
"Don't make me sick, I just ate lunch."
Hermione gave a slight shake of her head just as the bell rang. She didn't look back as she walked, although she wanted to. As she tucked a stray lock behind her ear, she couldn't help but think about the night of the Quidditch cup. Somewhere between then and now, she had shoved the memory of what happened after they danced away. In part, she did not want to think about what ruined the small, freeing moment, but another part of her was genuinely confused if she had been wrong about Draco seeing her as family or if he really meant to kiss her that night. As she set her books down, she entertained they idea of taking a very Gryffindor route and asking, but decided against it.
I can't believe I bloody ran out of a lecture again. Even Neville stayed. Hermione was seated with her back pressed against the stone wall of the hallway she was currently seated in. She sat that way, eyes unfocused to the world before her for what she figured may have been minutes before someone approached her. Even though a part of her was aware of their presence, it took her several moments to ground herself to return to the front seat of her mind and look at him. Dissociating could be tricky, but she tried to never return to the point where she was walking up the flight of stairs of the Astronomy tower again.
When she saw it was Draco who had followed her out of class, her throat tightened, rendering her unable to speak without bursting into tears.
She closed her eyes, trying to force out the last moments she spent in the first lesson of Professor Moody's class of the year. She willed herself to forget how the engorged tailless scorpion writhed under the control of the cruciatus curse.
"Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm supposed to teach you countercurses and leave it at that." Moody barked after he clapped his gnarled palms together. "I'm not supposed to show you what illegal Dark curses look like until you're in the sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough to deal with it till then. But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your nerves, he reckons you can cope, and I say, the sooner you know what you're up against, the better. How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen?"
Hermione's eyes watered at the memory. I can't even watch a spider be tortured. Why am I so weak? Hermione pressed the balls of her palms into her eye sockets. Even Neville stayed! Granted, he was the one to cry out to beg Moody to stop, but only after he noticed her panicked breathing and shaking hands as images of her and Lucius on the ground at the manor flooded her head.
"Is there anything I can do to help you right now?" His voice was low and sweet as he placed a hand over hers.
Hermione pulled her hand away, but only because she was afraid her senses were bordering the line of overstimulated. She ran a hand over her head as she thought of all the things she would do for some calming draught. "You left the classroom. Everyone will think we're friends."
Draco gave her a half smile. "You think I didn't make a scene before exiting about how my father would hear about an ex-Auror teaching forth years unforgivables despite their macabre nature?"
Hermione thought her world would tilt with how fast she looked up at Draco. "You didn't." Draco simply raised an eyebrow at her, a silent request for her to attempt to call his bluff. "You did! Oh, I can't believe you. He's absolutely terrifying!" Hermione wasn't sure if she was delighted at what he did to check on her or horrified that he had openly disrespected another teacher.
Why are you so kind? She wanted to ask as she searched his face, looking for a tell on how he felt. Am I family to you or a genuine girl in your eyes?
He shrugged a shoulder, completely unperturbed at the second scene he caused in their first Defense Against the Dark Arts class of the year. "So is Hagrid and I still threatened him last year." His nose wrinkled and his pulled down in an intense grimace. "I might do it again if I get bit, stung, or burned with a blast ended skrewt."
Hermione found herself groaning at being reminded of the armored slug like creatures Hagrid presented them with this year. "Once Hagrid's found out what they eat, I expect they'll be six feet long. The best thing to do would be to stamp on the lot of them before they start attacking us all." Draco laughed harder than he thought he would at that. He was going to offer to help her up, thinking she was okay again, but then he caught her looking troubled once more. "Did I scream when he cast that curse on me? Or was I just as silent as that spider?" Hermione's eyes met Draco's. Hers was filled with questions that seemed to beg his for answers he thought he didn't have. "I wasn't able to hear myself. When it happened at the manor, I mean."
Draco's mouth dropped open with the smallest of pops. What can I say? Yes, you were screaming bloody murder or no, you were silent the entire time?
Before he could decide on what to say, the bell rung announcing the end of their period, and Hermione took it as a cue to get back to her feet. "You should go before we're seen together." He stared at her a moment longer before snapping out of the stupor she had sent him into.
Draco couldn't help, but feel that as he walked away, he was making another wrong decision. He was choosing to take her permission of dismissal when he felt he had not done anything to help her feel better. Memories of her face as they crossed on to Platform 9 and 3/4 coupled with the memory of when she was performing magic with the Ministy's standardized auror wand made their home in the for front of his mind. He felt like a coward for walking away from her now and he reflected on what Blaise had said when Draco confided in him by the Black Lake on their first day of term:
Blaise stared at the water, not saying anything for a breath after Draco had caught him up on his feelings in regards to the World Cup, the two Aurors who first visited the manor, and his guilt regarding Hermione. "In Italy we have a saying: Una buona mamma vale cento maestre. It means 'A good mother is worth a hundred teachers'. We do not have a saying for the mother who raise children with 'tough love'. Or fathers in your situation."
"I don't have a bad mother." Draco snapped. There were a few things he had expected from his introspective friend, but an attack on his mother was not one of them. Draco also would not stand for it.
Blaise let his head loll to the side so he could properly glower at Draco. Draco said nothing as he maintained eye contact, but seeing his friend completely stolid was eerie. "That's not what I said." Draco then looked towards the Black Lake, unwilling to show remorse for coming off aggressive. "We will always be a product of our parents – whether they are present or not. It is up to us though on how much of a product we want to be. And that is all I will say." Draco looked back at his friend, but Blaise simply stood, making sure the message that the conversation was over had been well read.
It had annoyed Draco that Blaise did not offer him more advise, but had forgotten he was taught not to rely on others to help with your problems. This summer had been an eye-opener for him and he could no longer ignore the ways of his parents. Never again. He vowed. He would do better, learn what kind of product he was and protect himself along with Hermione. Even if that meant keeping her at arms length. He made his decision that the attempt at kissing her was a mistake and that he needed to get over his crush on her.
"Malfoy."
Before Draco could turn to face who had snarled his name, Theo and Crabbe had shoved him into an empty classroom, with Goyle right behind them to lock the door. Draco immediately dropped his bag and rolled up his sleeves. He fought Crabbe before, and while the boy was wide, he was sluggish, just like Goyle – his taller counterpart. It was Theo he thought he needed to take out first, as the boy's willowy frame was similar to Draco's when it came to packing a punch.
Later, Draco would not pin point the duel that followed to be the moment he realized that he was Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black's son, but it would be the cementation of the fact. When he pulled out his wand, ready to defend himself against three vengeful Slytherins, he felt a confidence that was bone deep. He made peace knowing that resistance to thinking he could be anything other than the cut throat Malfoy heir that he was taught to be would be futile.
And Hermione? She doesn't deserve to settle for anyone like that.
A/N: I am not sure if I made it clear at the Gala, but Pansy is half Indian (Asian Indian.) I planned on revealing her relationship to the Patil twins at the Gala, but it was something that had gotten taken out. In the event someone wanted clarification: She is their first cousin as Pansy's mom and the Patil twin's mother are sisters.
I hope this has not been too confusing as I know she is not related to them in canon.
