SIX

Saturday, 26 September 2020

Despite how hard it was the sleep after returning to her dorm Wednesday night, Thursday went by rather smoothly. Hermione had given up on attempting sleep and taken a long morning shower before heading to the Great Hall for breakfast. She didn't even wait for Draco to leave with her or her friends to join her at the Gryffindor table. Instead, she sat there long enough to eat and then went to the library to study.

And later, when it was time to go to Defense, she held her head high and got there early too.

Both she and Riddle locked eyes for a moment before they looked away at the same time. Hermione sighed with relief as she moved to her desk and started to get out what she needed from her bag. Unlike last time, she was able to concentrate on her studies instead of letting her mind drift to something that wouldn't amount to anything anyway.

She continued to push the memories from the forefront of her mind for the rest of the day and all of Friday too. So that way, when Saturday rolled around, it felt only like a dream.

As discussed, she woke earlier than she normally would on Saturday morning and took leave of the castle. She made her way through the courtyard and across the grounds to Hagrid's hut where he was waiting for her.

Ever since she had told him she'd wanted to go into the care of magical creatures for herself, he had listed off a hundred things he wanted to show her. The first was this batch of Darklaad hatchlings. Apparently he had already made arrangements to house them on the grounds and that helping raise them would be a perfect test to see if she was ready.

Hermione had read up on them only to discover that they were a rare bird-like creature with scaled wings and a golden beak. However, before they matured, their wings bore feathers. It was those feathers that held magic used for potion making. She'd also read that she had to be careful because to touch the shed feathers with bare skin would melt her flesh. It had made her nervous at first, especially since Hagrid had said Professor Snape wanted some for the ingredients closet. But upon looking into it more, the more items a feather was mixed with, the less potent the acid.

So, as long as she wore gloves and paid attention to what she was doing, she knew she'd be fine.

Yet still, she underestimated the number of Darklaad hatchlings Hagrid had brought for them to care for. There were nearly three dozen and not only did they like to constantly be on the move, but they were loud. The amount of squawking and shrieking had her making a mental note to get a pair of earmuffs for the next time. She wasn't sure how she managed to not pass out when their cries were nearly on the same level as a Mandrake's.

By the time they were finished, Hermione was more exhausted than she had ever been in her life. She practically collapsed onto the chair inside the hut. And for once, the oversized cup of water that Hagrid brought her felt too small.

He chuckled under his breath as he offered her lunch. She would have accepted even if she wasn't too tired to get up from her chair. The castle had never seemed so far away before and just thinking about the trek back made her legs ache in protest. So she relaxed and settled in to enjoy her meal with Hagrid. He told her story after story and she asked as many questions as she could.

It was just after two in the afternoon when she finally decided it was time to go back. After biding Hagrid and Fang goodbye, she only got about halfway back before she caught sight of movement from above. She looked up quickly to see a flash of red and gold heading back towards the Pitch. If she remembered correctly, Harry and the Gryffindor team would be practicing for the first game of the year. So instead of hurrying in so get back to her studies, she decided to head over to the Pitch and say hello to her fellow housemates.

Sure enough, the first thing she heard was Ginny screaming orders and taunting comments at her teammates. It brought a smile to her face, especially remembering the look on everyone else's the day McGonagall had appointed her Captain of Gryffindor over everyone else. Harry, despite having thought it would have been him, had been gracious in his defeat and was the first to pitch in whenever Ginny needed a bit of extra help.

"I think I must be going blind," Ginny said as she came swooping down towards the ground in front of Hermione.

"Just finished with Hagrid. Thought I'd come by and say hello," she replied, looking past Ginny at the other players. "Shouldn't Harry be here?"

"He got here late," she said, nodding towards the locker rooms. "Tell him to hurry up for me, will you?" she asked before taking off towards the sky.

Hermione rolled her eyes as she turned to track down her friend. When she got to the dividers for the girls and boys sides, she paused to listen and see if there was anyone else around. "Harry?" she called out, tapping on the heavy curtain to draw his attention. "Harry are you- D-Draco?" She stepped back at the sight of her dormmate shoving his way out of the locker room.

"I didn't even think you knew where the pitch was, Granger," he teased, giving her his signature smirk as he plucked at his clothes.

She rolled her eyes. "Is Harry in there?" she asked, but then paused to study him. "Are you even supposed to be here? I thought other houses weren't allowed near the Pitch during scheduled practices?"

"They aren't," Harry answered, coming out to stand beside Draco, broom in hand. "Malfoy just left something in his locker and said he'd leave right after he got it."

Draco nodded his head at both of them. "And now that I have it…" he simply turned and began to walk away.

Hermione narrowed her eyes after him before looking back at Harry. "Harry, if-"

"Are you staying to watch us practice?" he interrupted.

Hermione huffed for a second and then shook her head. "No, sorry, I just wanted to say hello before I lose myself in my Charms essay for the night."

Harry grinned as they began to walk. "Just make it a point to eat dinner with me and I'll call it even, okay?"

"Deal," she replied, nudging him with her elbow. "Now get out there before Ginny hexes you."

Harry groaned as he mounted his broom and a moment later, he was kicking off and flying away.

Hermione laughed to herself as she heard Ginny reprimand him. As she left the Pitch, she saw that Draco hadn't gotten far and sped up her steps to walk with him. As annoyed as they usually made one another, she was glad that he accepted her company for the rest of the way.

"Are you going back to the dorm?" she asked.

"Not yet. Theo wants help with his dueling," he said as they approached the courtyard.

"Good, I'll finally get to study in silence," she teased. He snorted at that and as he turned towards the dungeons, she called out, "Don't forget we have patrols at ten!"

"As if you'd let me!" he yelled back, a grin on his face.

She smiled as well, one that stayed on her face as she entered the quiet of her dorm. And with a sigh, she used her wand to bring her books and notes to the common space and through herself into her studies for the rest of the afternoon.

The castle was much quieter than usual as Hermione and Draco roamed the halls on their patrol that night. Usually they would have at least docked twenty points from each house from finding students up to all sorts of things past curfew. But tonight, even halfway through their shift, they hadn't even come across so much as a single ghost.

Which allowed Hermione more time with her thoughts than she really wanted.

"So what were you really doing at the Pitch earlier?" she asked, still not being able to shake the feeling that something hadn't been quite right.

"I wasn't aware it was a crime to get my personal belongings from my own locker," he replied with a huff.

"It's not," she replied. "But I know for a fact that if it were the opposite, you would have been all over Harry about fairness and rules."

Draco rolled his eyes at that, but stopped walking so he could look at her, arms crossing over his chest. "I've been playing against Potter and all the other houses for the last five, going on six years, Granger. I don't need to spy on them to know what moves they're going to use."

Unable to let it go, Hermione tipped her head to the side and narrowed her eyes at him. "Then what was so important you couldn't wait until after practice to get?" Her eyes went wide and she looked around to make sure they were alone. "You didn't have any contraband in there, did you?"

Draco heaved a sigh and turned, muttering something under his breath she couldn't quite hear.

"Fine, maybe Harry saw something. I'll just ask him later."

Draco's laugh made her jump as he whirled back around to face her. "Potter's about as observant as a Troll," he said. "So even if I did have something suspicious in my locker, which I didn't, he wouldn't have seen it anyway."

It was Hermione's turn to sigh, knowing that was completely true. Besides, if he had seen something, he would have shared it with her when they had dinner in the Great Hall earlier that evening.

"I thought we were past all the mistrust?"

Hermione's shoulders sagged from the guilt as she looked at him. "You're right," she breathed. "Sorry, I just-"

"Next time you feel like accusing someone of something, make sure you have evidence and not because you're bored." His tone was a bit icier than usual, making her flinch. "Tonight's been quiet. I'm sure you can handle the last bit on your own."

And without waiting for her to respond, Draco turned and strode away.

She hadn't meant to make him angry. He was right though; it wasn't any of her business and if the team had had a problem with it, they would have taken care of it themselves. Even now, thinking back to earlier that afternoon, she could remember Harry not even being phased by Draco's presence. In fact, he had been the most relaxed she had ever seen him.

In theory, she could have easily called it a quits for the night and gone back to the dorm to apologize straight away. But she wanted to give him some time to cool off before she went there. If she tried it now, she was almost certain it would just lead to a bigger fight; one that got pettier until he decided it no longer mattered. Or he needed help with something.

"Everything alright?"

Hermione jumped at the sound of Professor Riddle's voice. Her right hand went straight to the wand in her pocket while the other rose to rest against her rapidly beating heart. Once she realized who it was, she gave a small, nervous laugh and dropped her defensive poise.

"Just on patrols for the night," she replied, taking a few steps towards him.

She saw him look around the corridor, the torchlight flickering in the reflection of his gaze. "I thought you did that in pairs."

"We do," she said, unable to hold back the sheepish grin. "Draco just left."

"Does he often leave you alone in the middle of the night when you're supposed to be a team?" he asked, a frown curving his lips.

Her reply was instant. "No. Usually he stays with me. Just tonight it was quiet and he asked a favor so I let him go early." She shrugged her shoulders and folded her arms over her chest. "I can handle myself."

She didn't miss the way the corners of his lips twitched as he murmured, "Yes, I suppose you can."

Silence settled over them, leaving them both shifting and trying to look anywhere else other than at each other. Yet, for as awkward of a moment as it was, neither seemed to want to leave.

"How was your morning with Hagrid?" he asked, breaking the silence.

Hermione let out a small laugh as she smiled at him. "I'm surprised earmuffs aren't worn when handling them. They're nearly as awful as Mandrakes."

He laughed as well. "Ah yes, they can be quite obnoxious as hatchlings. Once they start to molt their feathers and obtain their scales, they hardly ever make noise."

"Too bad it's not the other way around," she muttered.

"Ah, but then they would be both silent and deadly in their infancy."

"Not a pleasant combination," she agreed, only then realizing they had drifted towards one another. She cleared her throat as she forced herself to not take another step further. "Hagrid mentioned having Mister Scamander out for tea sometime before Christmas."

"Ah, I'm glad he was able to arrange that for you."

She nodded absently, the words that followed coming out before she even knew she was speaking. "You should join us when he does."

The smile on his lips began to fade, quickly being replaced with a clenched jaw and a fire in his eyes. One that wasn't just the reflection of the torches on the wall. "Hermione…"

"You know what, Granger? Screw y-" Draco stopped short at the sight of her and Professor Riddle in the middle of the corridor Draco had left her in. It was far too late that she realized just how close the two of them were actually standing. "Sorry, Professor," he mumbled as the pair stepped away from one another.

"I strongly advise you change your tone, Mister Malfoy. After all, you're the one leaving Miss Granger here alone for your duties," Riddle said, staring at Draco. He was quick to incline his head at them and add, "Since it has been a quiet night, you're both relieved of your patrol for the rest of the night. Get some rest."

Hermione watched as Riddle turned and walked away, continuing to stare at the darkened corridor after he was gone. She could feel the judgement washing off of Draco as his gaze bore into the side of her head. "You were saying?" she asked, finally turning towards him.

She was caught off guard by the sight of him smirking ever so slightly, the grey of his eyes shimmering with the torchlight. "Just forget it," he said after a moment. "It was all over nothing anyway."

Unable to figure out what to say or how to broach what he'd seen without telling him anything, she simply nodded and walked alongside him in silence back to their dorm. There, they bid each other goodnight with a shared look and split off to their rooms for the night.

And as she lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, knowing she would have to be more careful around Riddle in front of Draco from now on. They might have agreed to forget their kiss ever happened, but try as they might, their bodies and minds seemed determined to dwell upon it.

Not for the first time, Hermione fell asleep to the thought of what might have happened had he not stopped kissing her that night.

A/N: IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!

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