A/N: I'm back after a pretty long hiatus (my apologies). Here is Chapter 18, and hopefully 19 will be up in the near future!
Chapter 18 – Lost Causes
Hermione stifled a yawn as she flipped the page of the book she was reading. Finding information on breaking a Matrimonial Vow was proving more difficult than she had imagined. While all the other students were out enjoying the beautiful May weather, Hermione had settled down in the library digging through a promising tome. It had been almost three weeks since her fight with Draco, and they had not spoken since. At time Hermione found herself missing his company, but then she reminded herself of his grievous betrayal. She could hardly look at him. They had not even been calling her out of school to attend Death Eater meetings, so it was almost as if she was returning to her old life.
Hermione found herself conflicted by the quickly passing days. On the one hand, these were here last days at Hogwarts, which was bittersweet as it was. But on the other, once she graduated she would be expected to move into Malfoy Manor, which would make avoiding Draco impossible. Moody had already forbidden her from getting a small apartment near Diagon Alley, and yelled her ear off for merely suggesting such an idea.
With the tracker off her, Hermione's longing to abandon everything around her grew each day. She still was not quite sure what was holding her back. Part of her knew it was Draco. If she were to leave, he, and probably his family, would most certainly be killed. No matter what he had done to her, she didn't want him dead. The thought of that panicked her enough to maintain the charade a little while longer. Hermione pulled her mind back to the task at hand and recalled what Professor McGonagall had said about the reversal of Matrimonial Vows. She knew it could take the form of a charm, a potion, sometimes even an enchanted object. Hermione's instincts were telling her that the antidote to their failing Matrimonial Vows would be a potion. Unfortunately, Snape and Narcissa Malfoy were the best potion brewers she knew, and she couldn't exactly ask either of them for help.
On the bright side, even though she could not fully join Harry and Ron, with her tracker removed, at least she would be able to gather any potential potion ingredients she might need. A sad smile crossed Hermione's face when she remembered how frustrated she's been when Harry had been outperforming her in potions the previous year. If only a bezoar would cure the issues she was having!
Hermione paused, suddenly, remembering that particular lesson on Golpalott's Third Law. She slammed the book she was reading shut and headed to the appropriate section, pulling an even larger text off the shelf. She wondered if a similar theory could be applied to breaking her Matrimonial Vow. With that revelation, Hermione spent the remainder of her afternoon buried in Potions textbooks, and secretly wishing she knew where Ginny had hidden the Half Blood Prince's book.
Hermione reluctantly packed up her books as the sun set over the grounds. She had a meeting with Professor McGonagall and she didn't want to be late. She wondered what the meeting would be about, since she'd her whisperings during training that the infamous Mad-Eye Moody had been injured in a raid. They had never had a meeting without him.
As ever, Dumbledore's office was filled with an assortment of trinkets, and looked almost untouched since Professor McGonagall became Headmistress. Hermione noticed a couple of differences, though, since her last visit. It appeared that Professor McGonagall was beginning to adjust and her biscuit tin had taken up residence on the mahogany desk along with a spare set of spectacles and a several copies of Transfiguration Today. Hermione had barely settled herself in her usual chair across the desk, when Professor McGonagall appeared from the staircase above. "Right on time as always, Hermione," McGonagall said as she descended. Hermione noted the use of her given name. It appeared that while McGonagall was beginning to accept Dumbeldore's death, she had yet to adapt to Hermione's marriage. Ever since she had referred to her as Hermione, since she could no longer call her Miss Granger. Hermione offered her a small smile in greeting.
"I've heard that Professor Moody was injured," Hermione said immediately. "Is he alright?" Her question caused McGonagall's eyebrows to raise in surprise.
"You heard about that?" she asked. Hermione nodded and waited for an answer. "That incident took us rather by surprise, I thought…" she trailed off, looking concerned and slightly suspicious. "Alastor is doing better now anyhow. The Order thought it best for him to lie low for a while and recuperate, but he will make a full recovery in time."
Hermione wondered if all the rumors were true. She imagined getting a face-full of an Erumpent Potion would be extremely painful, not to mention the fact the Moody's face would probably be disfigured beyond recognition. She chose to withhold those comments, McGonagall was surprised that she knew about the raid at all, it was best not to make her even more suspicious.
"I was wondering how much you knew about the Muggleborn Testing," McGonagall said.
"Only what's been announced to the students," Hermione answered honestly, "that it will be instructed by Alecto Carrow, who is a nightmare," Hermione added. "And that if they fail the examination they will be expelled and exiled."
"They haven't mentioned anything?" McGonagall confirmed.
"No," Hermione replied, slightly offended at McGonagall's tone. "The main focus has been the recruit training that started at the end of April. Their training program is rather extensive; at least it was when I was there several weeks ago. I know a handful of sixth and seventh year students are already enlisted, but no brandings have occurred as of yet."
Professor McGonagall frowned at that. "I'll need you to provide me a list of those students as soon as you can," she said thoughtfully. "It seems like they are managing to evade us and get to the students. I'm worried about what is happening during the Muggleborn testing. I've noticed quite a few students are coming out injured."
"I had a theory about that," Hermione said, recalling the first year boy she had seen during the pre-examination period. "During the recruit training, part of it involves practicing the Cruciatus Curse."
"Heavens!" McGongall exclaimed. "They have students practicing Unforgiveables?"
"Just the Cruciatus Curse," Hermione replied, "it would be hard to find enough practice targets for Avada Kedavra, and the Imperius Curse is beyond the skill level of most of the recruits. It takes much more mental control than I imagined, and it gets more difficult with more intelligent subjects…" Hermione trailed off at the tight-lipped expression on McGonagall's face.
"More importantly," Hermione said, getting back to her original point, "they need people to practice the curse on. One of the students coming out of the pre-examination testing looked like he might have been used for that, but I didn't get a close enough look to be sure."
"They must have found a way to transport students out of the school," McGonagall mused to herself.
"That's impossible," Hermione replied automatically, "the wards, and you can't Apparate in or out of Hogwarts."
"Unless they're using that time to train recruits that are students and already in the school," Professor McGonagall wondered aloud.
"It's a possibility," Hermione said, "but I'm not sure. Do you want me to try and find out?"
"No, it's of no importance," Professor McGonagall said, after a moment of deliberation. "I'm telling you this in strict confidence, but I'm going to see if we can arrange for another instructor. Perhaps Umbridge will be willing to come back." She smiled wryly. "That's all, you may go Hermione."
Later that week, Hermione returned to her room to find a small scrap of parchment pinned to her pillow. After reading it briefly, she wondered what Draco had done to one of the elves to convince them to leave it for her. She looked back to its brief contents:
Meeting. Friday Night.
Be at Hogsmeade by 7 p.m.
There was no signature, but Hermione could recognize Draco's familiar scrawl. It was the first meeting they would be attending together since their argument earlier that month. Hermione's stomach tightened into a nervous knot at the mere thought.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the week passed quickly and before Hermione knew it Friday evening had arrived. She took special care with her appearance that night. Not that she wanted to impress Draco, but there were dark circles under eyes and she did not want anyone to suspect that anything was amiss. At least she tried to convince herself of that.
The walk down to Hogsmeade was a lonely one, and Hermione was grateful for the warm spring breeze. She arrived in Hogsmeade just in time, and found Draco already waiting for her. He didn't say a word, so Hermione decided to break the silence between them.
"I don't know where the meeting is," she said, trying to sound normal, "should we Side-along Apparate?"
"Alright," Draco replied tersely, and offered her his arm. Hermione took it, careful not to stand too close. Once the sensation of Apparition had worn off, Hermione was surprised to find herself at Malfoy Manor. She chastised herself for being so foolish. Of course, the Voldemort would want to meet where the training was being held. She stepped closer to Draco as they walked up the entrance way, and he seemed to stiffen in surprise. Hermione ignored his response, and the twinge in her heart, they had appearances to maintain.
The meeting was a tedious one, and after the initial Muggle sacrifice, Hermione struggled to focus for anything of use for the Order. No word about the raid that had injured Moody, she suspected that was old news now. Instead, Voldemort ranted about their rigorous training and mocked the Order's odd assortment of members and lack of interest. Hermione was relieved when the meeting came to a close, and sent Draco a suggestive smile, that would not go unnoticed by the surrounding Death Eaters. He managed to mask his confusion, but did not return the gesture. Hermione sighed, it would seem that she was keeping up this charade on her own.
Her relief at the meeting's end was short-lived, and a moment later, members the inner circle were beckoned into a smaller chamber. Hermione took her usual seat next to Draco. Between the training and their success with Gringotts, the Malfoys had earned a regular spot next the Dark Lord. Lucius sat at his left hand across from Snape, with Draco next to him across from Bellatrix. Today Alecto Carrow had moved up to sit across from Hermione, no doubt due to her work with the Muggleborn testing.
"Good evening, my most faithful servants," Voldemort said quietly to the deathly silent room. "Some of you may be aware that the examinations of Muggleborns has commenced at Hogwarts." As he said this, Alecto sat a little straighter in her seat, a small smirk gracing her features. "As Alecto suggested, we have been using this as an opportunity to further train some of our recruits who are currently studying at Hogwarts. Though, they are likely getting a more comprehensive education through our training." There were some murmurs of agreement among the group.
"So far it has been a successful endeavor, Alecto, and I applaud the ingeniousness of your plan," he said, Alecto's smirk grew more assured. But Hermione waited, Voldemort often did this with his followers, luring them into a trap with a false sense of security. "But I have to wonder if these actions have gone unnoticed. Severus?" he inquired, looking to his right-hand.
"I've already given my opinion on this matter," Snape said silkily, "and I stand by it. I think it is risky to our cause to go about training within Hogwarts. It is unlikely that is will remain unnoticed for long. And while the actions carried out by the group referring to itself as Dumbledore's Army are laughable, they do bring to attention the threat of a large group of students banding together with only one branded Death Eater present."
"Are you implying that I cannot handle a roomful of students, Severus," Alecto asked sharply.
"Yes, in fact, I am," Snape replied without hesitation. There were some snickers from those assembled, but they faded quickly. Voldemort seemed to be waiting for either Snape or Alecto to break the stalemate. But Hermione surprised everyone, including herself when she did.
"May I make a suggestion, My Lord," she asked, making sure that her eyes were lowered as the sign of respect that was still expected of her. Hermione could sense the tension in the room, and felt Draco stiffen beside her.
"Of course, Mrs. Malfoy," Voldemort replied in a tone she couldn't read. It sounded like a cross between surprise and amusement. She raised her eyes, and found him gazing at her intently. From her peripheral vision, she could see Lucius and Snape watching her closely.
"I've heard rumours," she said, and quickly added, "among the students that McGonagall is looking to have Alecto replaced." Hermione's split decision to betray Professor McGongall's trust was catching up with her, but she decided to see it through. "I doubt she has the authority to do anything, but perhaps I could stand in for Alecto. The Order would feel less threatened by my presence, and I don't think they would act against me."
Voldemort seemed to ponder the idea for a moment before asking, "and what of the recruit training?"
"I agree with Severus," she said, his first name feeling strange on her lips. She knew she was pushing her luck, but she added, "I wasn't around for the first Wizarding War, but much of your success was due to the fact that Death Eater identities were protected. By having training done in front of Muggleborn students may compromise not only the identities of our recruits, but also part of the actual training."
"Hmm," Voldemort said, and Hermione held her breath in anticipation for his judgment. "It appears I should have taken your insight on the matter more seriously, Severus," Voldemort said to him. Snape nodded, his lips slightly upturned. Hermione kept her expression carefully netural. Of course Snape would get credit for her idea. Voldemort turned to her next, his expression so curious that Hermione was glad she had taken the time to learn Occlumency.
"Hermione, it appears will you will be relieving Alecto of her duties," he said. Hermione nodded and thanked him for the honour and opportunity. Alecto was staring daggers at her across the table. "I expect the reputation that these Death Eaters have built before you will not be damaged. You are to bring your whip to every session." Hermione agreed to his terms easily, her hand subconsciously falling to her whip, which was once again fastened around her waist.
Hermione felt a surge of relief at his approval, but she could not help but notice the Draco remained tense for the remainder of the meeting. She made sure to hold his hand as the finally left, and leaned in more than necessary when they were preparing to Apparate back to Hogsmeade. The moment they arrived, Draco pulled away from her abruptly.
"Have you lost your mind?" he asked, his voice was dangerously low, but he pulled her into an alleyway to avoid being overheard nonetheless. "Let's just for a moment ignore the fact that you interrupted at a meeting, which is dangerous enough as it is. You also just made Alecto Carrow look foolish in front of Voldemort, and that is going to have nasty consequences. But to volunteer like that. Do you realize how closely he will be watching you now?" Draco's voice had risen slightly as he was ranting at her.
"Firstly," Hermione snapped, "I didn't make a fool out of Alecto, Snape did." Draco cast her a dark look at that, but she waved it away. "I'm a Death Eater too, or have you forgotten? I come to meetings, I lead training sessions, I torture people. I think I am capable of this. Maybe you're just mad because you didn't think of it!"
"No, I'm mad because for some reason no one can see through this little act you're putting on," Draco said.
"Please," Hermione scoffed, "if I couldn't we would both be dead. And quite frankly, I can't understand how someone who so hell-bent on surviving this was can't do his share in this little charade."
"It's one thing to act for them," Draco said, "but you even managed to fool me. It's amazing how easily you can fool people into believing the lies you spout."
"What are you on about now?" Hermione asked in annoyance, unsure of the turn the conversation was taking.
"Never mind," Draco replied, "It's clear now that none of your feelings were real. You didn't need to pull me along for the ride in your little spy game. I wanted to make this work, but clearly there is no point. If you want a divorce I'll go along with it, but I'm not helping you find a way to break the Matrimonial Vow. You're so clever, I'm sure you'll have it all figure out in no time." With that, he turned on his heel and left Hermione standing alone and confused.
Hermione was not surprised to find herself once again in Professor McGonagall's office the next day, and well before her first session with the Muggleborns. She was surprised to find Mad-eye Moody already waiting for her, his face masked with bandages. Hermione took extra care not to cringe at his appearance, even though his prosthetic eye was spinning twice as fast as normal, as if to make up for the blockage of his good eye. It made Hermione dizzy just to watch it.
"Professor Moody," Hermione said, "I wasn't expecting to see you back so soon."
"Well I wouldn't be here if you hadn't gone and started to reverting to your old habits," he growled, and pointing a gnarled finger at her, he added, "and you'd better not go soft on those Muggleborns and blow your cover." Hermione nodded, and fought the urge to roll her eyes. Blow her cover? Half the school thought she had turned into some violence-crazed lunatic like Bellatrix. And the other half were not shy about calling her a traitor.
"I hardly think that is the issue at hand, Alastor, Professor McGonagall spoke at last. Hermione turned to her, she had dreaded this meeting because of the guilt she felt for betraying Professor McGonagall's trust, but she had seen an opportunity to good to miss.
"Miss Granger won't betray Potter, Minerva," Moody said, waving her concerns away. "She has finally started to think like a spy, and sometimes that involves making decisions on the spot without consulting us."
"She is still just a girl, Alastor!" McGonagall replied. Hermione pursed her lips in annoyance at the way they were talking as if she was not there.
"She's a married woman now, and in times of war no one has the luxury of being treated like a child," Moody responded. "And speaking of marriages, have you determined whether or not the Malfoy boy will join us?"
"We've spoken about it," Hermione began honestly, but decided it was best not to tell them about their fight. No doubt Moody would blame her and call it petty. He saw her only as a spy for the Order. His sole aim was to defeat Voldemort, and she knew he would not care what the cost was. Even if it was Harry's life.
"And?" He prompted.
"He hasn't committed to anything yet," Hermione said. "I've been trying to convince him, but he is set in his ways, even if he doesn't fully believe in the Dark Lord's plans."
"Well that will do for now, I suppose," Moody said. "It will be more difficult to arrange for communication once you move to the Manor this summer, but we will find a way around that. I was hoping we could convince him by then. He isn't monitored as closely as you are, so he could possibly slip away occasionally when he is working at Gringotts or the Ministry."
"May I go now?" Hermione asked, once they had finally finished grilling her on what she should be doing during the testing to make sure her role as a Death Eater remained believable.
Hermione was eager to escape their scrutiny so she could sneak out of the castle and find an ingredient for her potion. Moody agreed gruffly, and with one last reminder to brandish her whip a few times, she made a beeline for the moving stairs. As soon as she was clear of the office, she grabbed the small satchel she had packed earlier, and slipped into the passage that Harry had so often used to get to Hogsmeade.
Once she was far into the passage, and quite sure she was off the Hogwarts grounds, she Apparated. She inhaled the salty-smelling breeze, which was refreshing after being in the stifling passage for so long. She looked around the area noticing the jagged cliffs Harry had mentioned when recalling his adventure with Dumbledore. She doubted anyone would think to look here for her potion, as Voldemort had doubted anyone would look for a Horcrux there. Nonetheless, she chose a different cave just in case he ever decided to check on the piece of his soul that no longer remained there.
She found one a far enough from the small coastal town, that was perfect for her needs. She had spent days studying the effects of various ingredients, but the method in which they were brewed was also important. Hermione decided to follow the lunar cycle, and leave the potion brewing in the moonlight since so much of their relationship had developed at night. Their first kiss, that felt so long ago now, had occurred during a full moon. Hermione pulled out her wand and carefully blasted away some of the rock forming the cave's ceiling, resulting in a small circular patch of moonlight, just large enough for a cauldron. She put a concealment charm on the area as an extra precaution.
Finding a small alcove she stashed her satchel there safely, and safeguarded it with another spell. It contained all the ingredients she had managed to assemble so far: dittany, valerian root, powdered moonstone, and a tuft of Crookshank's fur. She still needed boomslang skin and a rose, she would get the latter once she was back at the Manor and had access to the greenhouse there. Boomslang skin would be harder to find since it was not sold at the Apothecary and she did not want to risk stealing it from Snape again. She also would need a feather off Draco's owl, which would also be difficult to get since he had stopped sending her letters, or talking to her in general…
As Hermione left the cave, she wondered if the potion would require a drop of their blood. Old magic, like the type in the Matrimonial Vow often used blood to tie people together. She was constantly finding more ingredients that related to them and could potentially undo the Vow. She had started an ongoing list, just in case this potion didn't pan out. In the meantime, she stopped down by the shoreline to fill a small vile with the salty water, to represent her tears, she thought bitterly. Once she had collected that, she decided she would stop at the Diagon Alley Apothecary to pick up some powdered Dragon Horn, before heading back to school.
"I told you I was worried about her," Professor McGonagall said, after ensuring that Hermione had indeed left the office. "She isn't the type of girl to go above our heads, when there could be such severe consequences."
"You're not dealing with Miss Granger the student, or the girl anymore Minerva," Moody said quietly, "she's a woman now, and a spy. The war has changed her, as it changes all of us."
"You didn't hear the way she was talking about the Unforgivable Curses," McGonagall said with a frown, "I still wonder if this was a mistake. She is so vulnerable there. They could have put her under the Imperius Curse at any time, and we would be none the wiser."
"She's an intelligent witch, it would take too much effort and time to control her," Moody replied. "I understand that you believe she is acting out of character, but that is just a sign that she is in character. You must remember that she can never let the façade slip, not even for a moment. If she can confuse you as to her true motives, then that means she is doing a good job."
"I hope you're right, Alastor," McGonagall sighed, and not for the first time gazed at the sleeping portrait of Albus Dumbledore, missing her friend and mentor.
"She hasn't abandoned ship yet, even though the tracker has been removed," Moody pointed out. "That's a good sign. You're so concerned about her betraying us for the dark side, but it is more likely that she will betray us for Potter."
"In case it has escaped your attention, Potter is on our side," McGonagall replied wryly.
"Not in this he isn't," Moody said. "Potter was never really in the Order. He did what he wanted to do when he felt like doing it. In the end our goals are the same, but the means to those ends are vastly different. If she leaves to help him, the Order will have no spies in the inner circle, and the moles we've gotten into the training won't be nearly as valuable as she is. If she decides to end her alliance with the Order it will give the Death Eaters a huge upper hand."
"Then we will need to ensure that she stays," McGonagall said thoughtfully.
"The first thing we need to do is finding out the secrets she is keeping from us," Moody said. "She's lying about something, but I can't place my finger on what it is just yet. Keep an eye on her, especially during training. Being a spy is taking more of a toll on her than I expected. Though you have to admit, she wears it well." McGonagall gave him a disapproving look, but heeded his advice. She would watch her more carefully, not just for the Order, but also because she was her favourite student.
Hermione waited in the Great Hall, her whip coiled up in her hands, as students began entering for the exam preparation. She was grateful that Alecto had already finished the preparation with the first through fourth years. It would be much easier for her to work with the older students during the preparation stage. The actual examinations would take place later and a Ministry Official would be present, so there would be less attention on Hermione.
Once the last student was in, she drew herself up to her full height and observed the room as Voldemort often did his Death Eaters – with a mixture of disdain and amusement. "As you all are aware, your blood status is a hindrance to your magical abilities and thus the Ministry has decided to ensure that your skills are up to par with what is expected in the Wizarding community. The consequences of failing this testing have already been publicized, so I hope many of you decide to take this preparation session seriously. Any time wasters will answer to me. In the meantime, I will do my best to ensure that only the most capable pupils remain at Hogwarts." She kept her cool expression and arrogant tone throughout her introduction resulting in glares from several of the students.
There was a snort from an upper year Ravenclaw student, "How are you supposed to teach us anything when you're just a student too?"
"Maybe she can teach us how to marry up to improve our blood status," a fifth year Gryffindor jibed. There were open snickers, and Hermione found herself losing her temper. She had suffered their taunts long enough! She slammed both her wand and whip down on the table next to her that held the list of students attending. She picked up the quill and scrawled an 'x' next to both of the students' names. Then discarding the quill, she moved to stand before the center of the group.
A couple of students looked at her skeptically, but she ignored them. She raised her hands, and focused her mind completely on what she imagined happening. The lights extinguished throughout the hall and the banners overhead turned black and for a moment the Dark Mark flickered on them. Gasps of surprise erupted amongst the students, and Hermione lowered her hands, allowing the hall to return to normal. As she was moving back to gather her wand and her whip, she caught sight of a flash of blonde hair, and wondered for a moment if Draco had decided to check up on her as he had during Death Eater training. She did a double-take, but there was no sign of him, so she returned to the students who were regarding her with looks of terror and awe. She smirked at them.
"That was wandless magic," she said, her voice condescending, "a task most teachers at this school can perform, let alone students. So I will not have any questions of my ability to teach these classes. Now pair up and practice levitation charms." The students did as she demanded, gossiping all the while. She allowed it, since her reputation seemed to thrive off the rumours about her.
"That was a pathetic attempt," she commented at one student and she strolled among them. "If you were saying the incantation correctly, perhaps Mr. Goldstein would actually be off the ground," she said to another pair. "Jumping is not magic," she snapped, at one pair of students who had clearly timed it to look believable, "if that is the best you've got, I can snap your wand for you right now?" The student glowered at her, but Hermione passed on to observe another pair. An hour later they had finished three spells and Hermione decided it was time to leave. She left the great hall after all the students had exited, making a couple notes on her list.
By the time she had arrived in the Entrance Hall, all of her pupils had dispersed. Hermione turned to the staircase, and jumped back immediately when a voice said, "so how did it go?" Draco.
"You startled me," Hermione replied, unsure why he was meeting her like this.
"I'm surprised anything can get the drop on you these days," Draco replied coolly, "apparently you left quite an impression on your…students." Hermione frowned at his comments. She was tired of playing these games with him. At one point, Draco had been the only person she could be herself with, now she was unsure of who she was and he only made things worse.
"What do you want, Draco?" she asked impatiently.
"I've decided that I'm willing to help you find a way to counter our Maritial Vow," his voice was low, but he remained seated on the stairs. He was keeping her at a distance, and they both knew it.
"Oh?" Hermione said taken aback, "what changed your mind?" She found that she was a little disappointed that he had come around so easily. A small, but persistent, part of her had hoped it was because he really did love her, but any hope she had was quashed at his words.
"I-," he paused as if searching for an answer, and then said nonchalantly, "nothing, but if you are right and He is eventually defeated than there is no point of our continuing this." He gestured the space between them on the last word.
"Fine," Hermione agreed a bit peevishly, "I'll let you know if I need any help." She stalked away, leaving Draco sitting alone on the stairs.
As soon as she arrived at the Gryffindor Common Room, she knew word had spread quickly about the session, even by Hogwarts' standards. Ginny approached her the moment the portrait swung shut behind her. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Ginny said angrily, giving Hermione a small shove as she said it. Hermione flexed her hand on her whip in response, causing Ginny to glare at her.
"I've no idea what you are taking about," Hermione said, doing her best Pureblood impression.
"What did you do to those students today?" Ginny demanded. Apparently word hadn't spread that fast after all.
"That is classified information," Hermione replied disdainfully.
"What happened to you?" Ginny asked, drawing away from her, "the Hermione I remember would never act like this."
"Perhaps your memory is failing you," Hermione retorted, "Because the Hermione you knew was smart enough to recognize a lost cause when saw one." Ginny's eyebrows drew together at Hermione's underhanded comment. Hermione used that moment to escape and walked straight past Ginny and to the girl's dormitory, magically sealing the door behind her. She leaned against it and hastily scratched at her eyes to prevent the tears from flowing, but the sob bubbled past her lips anyway. She couldn't help but wonder if Draco was a lost cause too.