Well, it's me…who else would it be? Don't know why I wrote that…anywho, here is another chapter so everyone can stop sending me abusive emails! LOL Just kidding—I like the abusive emails….it means someone is talking to me…even if it is yelling at me…I just want a friend! Wow, how LONELY does THAT sound?
LOL seriously, I am not that much of a loner. I do have friends. And a life. And even though I love the emails, abusive ones aren't my favorite. IT usually means I've done something wrong.
Well, I'm going to bugger off now and let you read (and hopefully enjoy) this chapter.
Hours later, Hermione was snoozing on Malfoy's shoulder. He kept his arm wrapped around her, not bothering to move it. Besides, he somehow felt comfortable. He didn't know why, or how, but he did. She was breathing softly and calmly, seeming at peace. A total polar opposite to what she was only hours ago. Malfoy still couldn't believe what he had seen her do. None of the teachers at Hogwarts seemed to have that kind of magic….and certainly no pure blood that Malfoy knew of had it. Even Voldermort had seemed taken aback.
Malfoy would never admit it, but he enjoyed this. They were both so comfortable and he didn't want to disturb that. Malfoy had his head leaning on top of hers, and knew he would have to do some serious denial if someone caught them…well by caught, they weren't doing anything wrong, but he was sure his father wouldn't be too pleased…but then, hadn't his mother told him that his father had wanted them to grow close?
Malfoy squeezed his eyes shut, trying hard to stop thinking. It didn't matter at the moment. None of it mattered. Maybe later it will matter, hell, he was sure it would matter later, but for right now, maybe it wouldn't be so bad if they could rely on each other like this. After all, hadn't it been him himself who refused to leave her standing on the lake?
Apart of him just wanted to stand out, and cheese Voldermort and Telms off, but another, more compassionate side of him just didn't like the image of her being left alone, especially after everything they had been through together. And maybe he just didn't want to be alone either. But maybe he liked her. Maybe he just wanted her with him, so there could be the possible chance of something like this happening.
Malfoy told himself to shut up. Of course, as always, he didn't listen, even to himself, but eventually, malfoy was able to drift into a soft sleep.
Hermione woke with a sudden start, her entire body jumping. The movement woke Malfoy too, who lifted his head.
"What's wrong?"
Hermione found herself shaking. "Nothing. Just a…bad dream."
"Are you sure?" he asked, looking at her side ways, arm still wrapped around her shoulders.
Hermione nodded. "Yep."
"Ok then." Malfoy said, leaning his head gently against the rock wall. Hermione did the same. She too didn't find this awkward- wasn't it only weeks ago that they couldn't stand each others company? And yet here they were, in a room, Malfoy's arm around her shoulder, but she wasn't trying to kill him for it. How strange.
"How could they be such monsters?" she asked.
Malfoy knew instantly what she was talking about it. Yet he couldn't think of anything to say that would really fit the moment.
"Honestly, how could someone call that entertainment?" Hermione raged, feeling herself boil up again. And yet this time, she didn't over do it as she couldn't find a suitable source to take her anger out on. "It was barbaric."
"I know."
"And yet you didn't react like I did." Hermione said, sounding like she was accusing him. She sat forward, turning to face him, which forced his arm to drop. Malfoy pulled it back into his lap and watched her cautiously. Where was this going? "How come you weren't shocked?"
"I…"
"You knew what was under that cloth didn't you?" Hermione asked, almost glaring at him. "Why didn't you warn me?"
"How could I?" Malfoy said in his defense.
"I don't know…say something!" Hermione grumbled.
"I'm sorry." Malfoy said slowly. She could see he seemed slightly afraid of her.
Hermione took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She didn't have any excuse to be mad at him. "I'm sorry." She said, sighing. She leant back against the wall next to him and touched his hand quickly in apology. Her hand didn't linger on his, and after a second, she removed it.
Malfoy was sure Hermione had zapped him, but he didn't want to say anything.
"How did you know?" she asked again but softer.
"I didn't exactly have the proper idea, but I guessed. Voldermort didn't strike me as the type to hire belly dancers."
Despite herself, Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "This isn't an amusing situation." She said, trying to look serious.
Malfoy smirked. "I know…but I need a little humor."
Hermione drew her legs up to her chest, fighting off the shiver that was crawling up her spine. "What's going to happen to us now?"
Malfoy shrugged. "I don't know." He answered honestly. "Anything could…but I think we should just wait it out."
Hermione nodded. She did slightly regret throwing her food up now- her stomach was growling angrily. Her head was still spinning, but she somehow felt better now. If Malfoy wasn't panicking, then she refused to let herself do it either.
Not long after, Lucius returned to their cell. "Come, Draco."
Draco went to stand, and Hermione was about to follow him but Lucius stopped her. "No. Just my son. You stay where you are. You need to rest after a spectacle like that."
Malfoy glanced at Hermione but left, following his father out of the room. Hermione felt very alone after the door shut behind Malfoy. The darkness seemed darker and she felt like it would consume her. Although she didn't have to wait for long. Soon, the door reopened and a Death Eater stood there. He didn't seem very happy at all. Hermione could see him jumping from foot to foot, anxiously staring in the room at her.
"Come on…" He said, waving a hand. "Up you get…"
"Where am I going?" Hermione asked, getting up.
"The Dark Lord wishes to see you."
Malfoy soon found himself in a room filled with chairs. It was deserted, apart from him and his father. Lucius walked up to the front of the room, and sat down on one of the narrow wooden chairs. He motioned for his son to sit next to him, and Malfoy slowly obeyed.
"Have you ever seen the mudblood do something like that before?"
Malfoy shook his head.
"It was some show." Lucius continued. Malfoy didn't say anything. "Has she spoken to you as to how she felt at the time?"
Malfoy shook his head again.
"Strange…and yet the two of you were so comfortable in the cell."
Malfoy looked sharply at his father.
"Oh, you didn't think we would notice?" Lucius asked, an amused eyebrow raised. "Come now Draco, I came to check on you, to get you earlier, and the both of you were sitting so close together that I thought it best to leave you. However, I do remember telling you about the diseases mudbloods carry."
"Please father. I am old enough now to realize that those horror stories you told me as a child were simply that- stories."
"I thought I taught you better then that Draco." His father tuttered.
"No father, you taught me your way of thinking."
"Well then Draco, I see she's rubbing off on you."
"But that's not what's bothering you father. Tell me." Malfoy said, leaning into the chair.
"Has the girl opened up to you or not?"
"Excuse me?"
"Tell me why Draco, she was sleeping so soundly on your shoulder if she didn't trust you? If she didn't like you, the girl wouldn't have gone near you, even if she was an emotional wreck."
"I don't know what to tell you." Malfoy said calmly.
"Do not lie to me." Lucius said sharply.
"I'm not." Malfoy said. "Is there a point to this or can I try and go to sleep?"
Lucius seemed slightly annoyed at his son, but didn't know anything that he could say that would shut him up. What had happened to his sons respect? "If she tells you anything, you come and tell me. Understood?"
"What exactly is it you are hoping for her to tell me that you cant extract from her using veritaserum?"
"The girl is too smart for that- how do you suggest we use it?" Lucius snapped. "And to answer the other section of your question- anything. Anything she may have on Dumbledore, the Order, or even what happened earlier tonight."
"I think she doesn't know anymore then you do."
"ahh, but maybe she does."
"And maybe she doesn't."
"We still would like to know."
Malfoy shrugged. "Fine."
"Good." Lucius looked away. "You can go."
Malfoy stood without saying goodbye and returned to the cell to find it empty.
Dumbledore sat at his desk, looking sadly down at his hands that were crossed in front of him. Everyone sat before him, watching closely for anything he was going to say. But Dumbledore was thinking deeply for a while and didn't say anything. He could hear Hermione's screams in his own mind, replaying over and over. It had taken Dumbledore a moment to sever the connection. For some reason, he couldn't get into Hermione's mind. All he got were blocked doors, and her shrieking voice. Dumbledore couldn't understand it. What happened?
"So?" Severus asked.
"It didn't work."
"What do you mean it didn't work?" Minerva asked, her arms folded across her chest in hopeful anticipation.
"I couldn't get in."
"I didn't think Granger knew how to block her mind." Severus said curiously.
"She doesn't."
"Then what-"
"I'm not sure." Dumbledore said getting a little angry. He had been so sure that he was going to get into her mind and get her out safely. But he was also wondering about Malfoy.
"What happened?" Minerva tried again.
"I need to think. All of you, leave me in peace. I need time to think of a plan."
Everyone in the room was taken aback- Severus, Minerva, Harry, Ron and Lupin. None of them had heard Dumbledore speak that way. After a stunned ten seconds, Minerva carefully guided Harry and Ron out of the office, closely followed by Snape and Lupin. They walked down to the entrance hall in silence, where they said goodbye to Lupin. Harry and Ron didn't say anything as they turned and headed up the grand stair case, heads hung low in disappointment.
Minerva and Snape watched them go. Minerva's eyes were almost pouring out sadness. Snape turned to her.
"Will we get them back?"
Snape wasn't a compassionate person by nature, but he knew Minerva still blamed herself for what happened. "I'm sure we will."
"But what if we don't?" Minerva asked.
"Dumbledore will fight with every breath in his body to get his students back, you know that."
"I know…"
"Come on, we all need rest." Snape could see the dark circles under her eyes. "Go off to bed."
Minerva didn't appreciate being talked to like a child but she could see he had a valid point. She nodded, bid him goodnight and marched off to her own quarters.
Harry and Ron were making their way along the deserted corridors by now, and hadn't as yet run into anyone. But they did, about three corridors away from the Fat Lady. A prissy, rule obeying slytherin prefect was marching towards them, trying to emit and air of authority and confidence.
"You two!" He barked. "Out of bed?"
"What does it looked like fool?" Ron snapped.
"Oh my, you do have a temper on you." The prefect replied. As yet, he hadn't seen Harry's face. "You would be the second lot of Gryffindors I have caught out of bed tonight. Is there a gathering?"
"None of your business." Ron said, as they came closer. Harry was wondering who the first group of Gryffindors were.
"Come back here this instant!" the prefect shouted as Harry and Ron walked around him. The boy reached out to grab their robes but harry's wand hand was faster. He pointed his wand at the prefect and knocked him down, binding him to the floor.
Harry knelt down beside the prefect, and got close to his face. "You wanted to say something?"
The prefect was staring at them, too afraid to say anything.
"That's what I thought." Harry said, standing up and walking away, not bothering to unleash his spells from the boy. Harry and Ron continued to their common room and saw it was alive with people.
When everyone saw they had come back, questions were echoing off the walls. "Did it work?" "Do they know where they are?" "Is Hermione okay?" "What's happening now?" "Is there a new plan?" "Hey, talk to us!"
Harry and Ron pushed their way through the crowd of bustling students and didn't say anything. The questions soon became furious cries of explanations but still the boys said nothing. They could feel their throats closing up. After a tedious few moments, the boys found the staircase that led to their dorms and disappeared. Harry angrily pushed open the dormitory door and marched over to his bed where he slumped down onto the mattress. Ron joined him on his own bed, head in hands.
"I really thought that would work mate." Ron mumbled.
"I did too." Harry said.
A moment later, the door opened and Dean walked in. "Hey fellas."
"We don't feel like explaining right now Dean." Ron said.
Dean hesitated then nodded. "Alright then." He turned and left the dormitory.
In another five minutes, the door opened again. Ron turned to tell the person to bugger off, but he saw his own sister standing there, looking frazzled and teary. Ginny ran into their room, just as Ron stood up to catch her as she jumped at him with arms open for a hug. "It didn't work, did it?" she sobbed into her brothers shoulder.
"No Ginny." Ron said.
Ginny released her brother and sat next to Harry who wrapped an arm around her shoulders and rested his head against hers. Ron collapsed onto his bed.
"What are we going to do now?" Ginny asked.
"I don't know." Harry said. "I think everyone's running out of steam."
"But they cant!" Ginny screamed, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks. "This is Hermione! Would she give up on any of us?"
Harry was nodding slowly. "I know Ginny, but at the moment, everyone is running out of ideas."
"Then no more thinking!" Ginny snapped, standing up. "Let's go and get her back ourselves."
"Ginny-"
"No Ron, I don't want to hear it. I am so sick of sitting here and listening to everyone whine and groan about everything but no one is doing a damned thing! Screw logic, screw carefully thought out plans- I don't see them doing Hermione any good! I am going to get her back myself. If the two of you want to help me, then I will meet you in the Entrance hall tomorrow night at midnight." Ginny didn't say anything else as she marched out of their dorm and slammed the door.
Harry glanced at his watch. 2:40 am. He looked at Ron. "I'm going."
Ron sighed. "Thank god, because if I went alone with her, I would end up killing her." Ron said, getting up and grabbing a small throw-your-crap-in-and-go bag, and started shoving some clothes into it.
Harry did the same, but made sure he grabbed his invisibility cloak and some coins. Both boys put the bags on their trunks, ready to go for the next night, then changed into their pjs. Neither could sleep for a while, but eventually, they fell asleep.
Hermione was led to a room and left alone. After a moment, she knew she had company. Voldermort entered, in all his evil glory.
"Calmed down now?" he asked, standing before her.
Hermione didn't say anything.
"I see that you had no idea what caused that little performace…but let me tell you something- it was something of wonder. I have never seen anyone get so angry. Those Muggles owe you their lives…but what do you think will happen? They wont want to meet you- they wont even know it was you who saved them. If you did manage to explain what happened, they will be afraid of you. They will try, if they escape alive, to tell their horrifying tale. Then what? We will be exposed. All of us."
"What are you talking about?"
"I am trying to ask you if you understand why you felt compelled to defend the muggles."
"It was the right thing to do because what you were doing was awful." Hermione said, feeling bile rise in her throat.
"Ahh." Voldermort nodded. "I thought that was what you believed. But it is a simple matter of opinion."
"You are sick."
"You really hate me, don't you?"
"Why shouldn't I?"
"Why should you?" Voldermort retorted. "I haven't done anything to harm you."
"Why are you saying that?" Hermione asked. "Of course you have. You knew I could die in that swamp. Yet you made us go. You have harmed those around me, which in turn, harms me."
"ahh, I was wondering when Harry Potter would be brought into this."
"It wasn't just him."
"Who else?" Voldermort asked curiously.
"Cederic Diggory." Hermione said. "You killed him cold blooded."
"That I did, but did you know him?"
"Not personally."
"Then why worry?"
"Why am I here?"
"You know the answer to that."
"Yes, but I want to know when I can go home."
"Are you even sure you are going home?"
Hermione put her hands to her head. "I cant deal with these mind games!"
Voldermort was watching her.
"Just let me go home!"
"Why?"
"I want to go home!"
"To what purpose? So you can see your parents? Have fun times with your friends? How long do you think that will last?"
"I don't want to hear your lies! Let me go home!"
"I'm afraid I cant do that."
Hermione could feel herself getting angry.
"Do you want to attack me?" Voldermort raised an eye brow. "You are a feisty little thing." He walked around her. "Would you like me to send for Master Malfoy?"
Hermione glared at him as best she could as Voldermort continued to walk around her in slow circles.
"I hear the two of you are growing quite close."
"It's none of your business."
"Wouldn't it be horrible if something were to happen to him?"
"You wouldn't."
"Why not? The boy is nothing special to me."
"His father-"
"Lucius will not care too much. After a while, he will get over it. One son can be replaced by another." Voldermort shrugged. "The boy has potential, there is no doubt… but I will kill him if need be. Just know this- Draco Malfoy's life hangs in your hands."
Hermione had a horrible feeling in her stomach. Was Voldermort trying to tell her something? Was Malfoy in trouble? She didn't want to believe him, but the coldness in his voice gave her doubt. He could be telling the truth or he could be bluffing. But the ice in her belly wouldn't melt. If Malfoy was dead she could never tell him…what? Before Hermione knew it, she was being dragged back to her cell by a few Death Eaters.
When the door closed behind her, Hermione immediately knew that Malfoy was there. She saw him standing by the opposite wall. Hermione walked quickly over to him, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"What the hell has gotten into you?" Malfoy mumbled uncertainly into her hair.
Hermione released him without explanation and knew her cheeks were glowing red with embarrassment. Luckily it was dark in here.
"Granger?" Malfoy asked curiously.
"Nothing…i…never mind."
"Are you sure?" Malfoy asked.
"Yes…" Hermione said. She was very close to him. Within kissing distance. She felt the unstoppable pulse to kiss him. They lingered close together for a moment, both thinking the same thing- they could kiss- it was possible. Hermione closed her eyes, unable to believe what she was about to do, and…….pulled away. She was drowning out all instincts and wishes of herself, but turned her head away with a heavy sigh and sat down.
Malfoy couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He didn't want to look like a dork so he sat down next to her.
Harry and Ron woke up the next morning, to a gloomy and rainy day. They had classes today and reluctantly got dressed into some clean but wrinkled robes. After packing their school bags, they left the dorms and headed down into the Great Hall which was already mostly full.
The boys had only sat down for ten minutes when Minerva came marching up to them, looking irritated, yet reluctant. She stopped in front of them. "Boys, come with me."
Harry and Ron exchanged confused looks but followed Minerva out of the hall and silently up through the corridors until they eventually came to her office. McGonagall walked to her desk chair and sat down.
"Boys, I understand the pressure you are under…" she began as the boys stood awkwardly in front of her. "But attacking a school prefect is unacceptable."
"What?"
"Are you serious?"
"Silence!" The Professor barked. Her features then softened. "Normally attacking a school prefect would result in suspension, but these are special circumstances. You will not be suspended, however you will be punished. I am sorry boys, I know you weren't breaking the rules when the prefect stopped you, but attacking him was out of order."
"We didn't-"
"Please be silent Mr. Weasley!"
"No!" Ron shouted, to both Minerva's and Harry's surprise. "We weren't breaking any rules until that snot ball treated us like garbage. He was going to attack us but why should we be blamed if we were faster? We didn't hurt him- just binded him."
"Precisely Mr. Weasley. You binded him but didn't release him. Aaron spent the night on the cold floor and now has a serious flu. He is being cared for in the hospital wing."
"This is ridiculous." Ron mumbled.
Minerva's eye was twitching. "I will not take that attitude from you."
"For Merlin's sake, tell the kid to get a back bone!"
"Mr. Weasley, calm yourself down and let me finish explaining!"
"This is so stupid though!"
"Mr. Weasley, if you cannot keep your mouth shut, I will force your voice box closed and not let it reopen." Ron went silent, but was red in the face. "As I said, you will not be suspended, but if you continue, I will rethink that. Professor Snape is demanding that you receive some kind of punishment for attacking a student from his house. He obviously knows the pressure you're under, which is why he is not getting you expelled or suspended. But he said, and I agree, that you have done something wrong, and if we do not punish you, the rest of the school will get the wrong idea."
"So what is our punishment?" Harry asked.
"You will spend two hours tonight cleaning the cauldrons in the potion classrooms."
"How may nights?"
"A night a room." McGonagall said. "There aren't that many, so it wont take you more then two hours if you work together. You may go."
Harry and Ron spent the day grumbling through classes, avoiding questions and ignoring when teachers tried to give them courage and comfort. By the time they had to report to the dungeons to clean out the cauldrons, the two boys were in a foul mood. When they entered the first classroom, they could see two buckets of water and scrubbing brushes ready for them on the tables. Harry checked his watch- 7:30. they set their bags down- which they had replaced with their bags that had clothes in it, the ones they had packed last night.
Ron tried to use his wand to clean the cauldrons- which they counted as 30, but nothing happened- in fact, they got even dirtier. Resigned to groaning and cleaning all the cauldrons by hand, Harry and Ron set to work.
McGonagall's assurance of two hours wasn't even close. Harry checked his watch- 8:15 but they had only cleaned five cauldrons. 9:00 came and went. 10:00 was there before they knew it. The next time Harry looked at his watch, it was 11:00. the boys looked at the unclean cauldrons- there were still 9 to go, and these were the worst. Snape appeared in the door just as the boys were thinking that even if they hadn't finished cleaning the cauldrons, at midnight, they were out of there.
"I am glad that I can see my face in these." Snape said approvingly. "Next time, don't try to clean them with your wands." At the door, he looked back at them. "If I see you two skipping off out of here before the last of these are clean, you will be sorry." He left.
Harry groaned. They started cleaning the last nine cauldrons at lightning speed, but the next time Harry glanced at his watch, it was 12:05. they still had one more cauldron to clean each. By the time they ran out of the dungeon, their run away bags slung over their shoulders, running up to the stairs. Harry glanced at his watch. 12:20. he hoped they weren't too late.
Ginny was promptly in the Entrance hall at midnight. She stood by the two huge double doors, bag slung over her shoulder, with clothes and food inside it. She also had managed to get some money together- money she had saved up for months. Her anxiety grew at 12:08. Were the boys coming? Ginny felt terrible. She had always hoped they were going to come with her, as Ron was her brother, and Harry had the brains. She knew together, they would find Hermione. Alone, it would take Ginny a long time.
She was chewing her lip. Maybe five more minutes…maybe they have just been held up. But at twenty past twelve, Ginny had run out of excuses. They weren't coming. She turned, and opened the doors. She was assaulted with a freezing cold wind, and rain. Ginny wrapped her scarf tightly around her neck, adjusted her jacket, and was starting down the steps.
Harry and Ron ran up the stairs, huffing and puffing, and just saw the doors click shut. They ran to the doors, threw them open and called out to Ginny. She stopped, turned and smiled with relief.
"I didn't think you were coming!"
"Of course we are." Ron said, catching up to her with Harry next to him.
"Thank you."
"No, thank you Ginny." Harry said, hanging onto her arm. They started walking down the steps, through the rain and towards Hogsmeade. Ginny mentioned knowing of one train that left Hogsmeade station once a night, to take the citizens of Hogsmeade into London if they didn't feel like apparating. They managed to walk through the torrential rain, and found themselves slashing through the streets of Hogsmeade twenty minutes later. They went straight to the station, and had to wait five minutes before their train came. No one asked any questions- how can you when you don't see anyone?
Harry had pulled out his cloak, and had somehow managed to get it around the three of them. They found themselves wondering silently through the train, still invisible, trying to find somewhere to sit without anyone noticing. Eventually, they realized the only place they could go was the luggage cart. They went to the very back of the cart, and set out a small place for themselves to rest.
Alrighty then, so that's another chapter.
I know…a little OOC….but ahh well. Now, because it's me, and i enjoy the nasty power i weild over you all...(muhahahahhaa) here is a little teaser for you :D Enjoy it.
"Hello? Anyone in there?" Hermione began to frown. Something wasn't right. It was like he wasn't there. "Malfoy, I'm telling you that you're creeping me out. Blink if you understand me."
His eyes remained opened, focused, yet unfocused on her.
R&R
Aj