Dance me into the night,

Underneath the moon shining so bright.

Let the dark waltz begin,

Oh let me wheel, let me spin.

Let it take me again,

Turning me into the Light.

-Dark Waltz, Hayley Westenra.


Chapter 18: Let The Dark Waltz Begin.

November 1994-Hogwarts.

The common room was in a frenzy, when Hermione was finally released from the Champion's tent after managing to avoid the worst of the medi-witch's fussing. With only a few scratches from flying rocks knocked loose in the fight, she had come out of the trial with the least amount of injuries of the three.

"Well done, Ms. Granger," McGonagall praised proudly, as she came down from the stands, a beaming smile showing on her usually stern face and a pat on the younger Gryffindor's shoulder. Hermione gave a tired smile back, stumbling under the weight of the golden egg in her arms and her drained body.

"Thank you, Professor." She replied before McGonagall made her way inside the tent to congratulate Cedric, who while he too had gotten his Egg, he had broken a few ribs when his dragon had knocked him into one of the large rock formations with its tail.

"Fight fire with fire, indeed." Sirius laughed, coming over with Remus, Harry and Ron.

"I can't believe you did that, Hermione, that was mental," Ron crowed, practically bouncing as he wrapped her in a hug, before passing her off to Harry.

"Great job, Hermione." Harry congratulated, before offering to take the large Golden Egg from her as they headed to the castle.

"Thanks," she sighed in relief, glad she was not going to have to carry the heavy Egg all the way up to the castle; she was exhausted from the drain on her magic the spells had had.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Ron asked, a grin plastered on his face.

"McGonagall's class last year, remember; you turned your matchbox part-way and it bit you before lighting itself on fire and you started screaming, 'Get it off! Get it off!'"

"Oh yeah," he remarked absentmindedly, rubbing at his rear in memory of the incident. They parted ways with the two professors in the Entrance Hall, heading up to the common room that had already filled with their celebrating housemates.

"That was brilliant, Hermione!" Fred praised, as he and George took it upon themselves to hoist her up between them and parade her around the crowded common room.

"Not just brilliant, Bloody Wicked Brilliant!" George added.

"For Merlin's sake, put me down the both of you," she scolded. The two obeyed, by generously placing her in one of the comfy chairs. which she was thankful for, as she didn't think she could walk much more. She dearly wanted to head up to her room for a nap, but the party-goers insisted she should open her Egg for the next clue.

So she did, and they were met with the most ear-splitting screech she had ever heard. This was going to be harder to figure out than she had first thought.


A few days later, after the initial excitement of the First Task had worn off, found Hermione coming to Lupin's office on one of the evenings that Sirius had left to his house for the night. It was time she found out exactly what was going on between Snape, Sirius and Remus.

"I was wondering, when this was going to come up," Remus said with a resigned sigh, and so he told her. He told her of how the Marauders used to target Snape specifically for their pranks when they were younger and how as they had grown older their 'pranks' had grown more violent.

"James and Sirius would force soap down his throat, publicly strip him, petrify him and send him down the stairs or kick him black and blue. Peter would idolize anything James did, whether it was catching his Snitch or dumping a bucket of Hippogriff manure on Snape's head, as far as Peter was concerned anything James did was worthy of avid praise." Remus looked deeply ashamed, "I was afraid. Before James and Sirius I had never had friends, I'll admit I was a coward. I could have spoken up against them, I knew at some point someone was going to finally cross that fine line, and I did nothing but sit there and pretend it wasn't happening because I was too scared of being alone to be a decent person." He tiredly raked his hands through his short grey streaked hair.

"Lily spoke up for him, though, she was brave and bright and would stand up to James at wand point when needed. They had been friends, I think, she and Snape, when they were younger. Even after they were sorted into different Houses, she didn't care not until he called her a Mudblood. She stopped coming to his rescue after that and then someone finally crossed the line."

"Sirius," Hermione guessed, finally getting a picture of why Snape targeted Harry so much, as many had said he looked much like his father. Though, this year he seemed to ignore Harry now, rather than pick at him in class, though he would still take any chance to take points from him; maybe because of his lack of glasses. He looked a lot less like the pictures of his father without them.

"Yes," Remus said, continuing on, "he let slip how to get into the Shack and when I would be there. He neglected to mention what he would find."

Hermione's eyes widened in horrified realization. "Sirius set him up to meet Mooney." Remus nodded ashamedly and Hermione recalled the fury Snape had directed at her when she had offhandedly made a comment about someone's mental health if they willingly walked up to a transformed werewolf.

"James found out about it and pulled Snape out before Mooney could hurt him, but not before he saw me changing. Snape went to Dumbledore, wanting to expose me and Black's plan, but Dumbledore forced him to keep my secret. Sirius was given several weeks of detention and Snape was told, in no uncertain terms that if he ever spoke of the incident or my condition he would be expelled."

"Let me get this straight; Sirius tried to murder Snape, using you, and he was the one with the most severe punishment in the end." Remus could only nod not looking up from his hands. Hermione gritted her teeth in anger. "Dumbledore is going to have a lot to answer for, when I finally have a talk with him. He makes these generous claims at wanting to keep his students safe, yet time and time again they are proving to be nothing but empty words."

She was up and pacing the room, so agitated her hands were moving in angry gestures to emphasize her words. "I thought Harry was an isolated incident, all those times he let him walk into situations, ones he knew full well were dangerous, then neglected to offer aid when he truly needed it. In our first year, he just happened to leave the Mirror holding the Stone Voldemort was looking for in a room anyone could have stumbled into. Baiting Harry with it before moving it and then later just leaving the school so that Harry would feel obliged to go after the Stone before Voldemort could get to it. Snape knew something was up with Quirrel, there is little doubt Dumbledore did as well. The whole situation reeked of a set up but I had just thought Dumbledore had been testing us. But there are others-"

She was shocked; she had thought Harry's situation had been an isolated incident. Now to find out that it wasn't and that this wasn't just some old man's mistake getting caught up in his old age. It was a deliberate choice to do nothing — for that is what Snape's true punishment had been, doing nothing after a deliberate attempt on his life. What was that supposed to say to a kid — that his life wasn't even worth acknowledging?

"How many other children have suffered from his negligens and manipulation?" she seethed, her fists clenched in anger and the flames of the fireplace flared up.

"Remus, did I leave my—" Sirius asked, walking out of the fireplace. "Oh, hello, Hermione— OW, not the face!" he yelled, as a book connected with his head, followed by a number of other items within arm's reach from the place Hermione had been pacing, before Lupin could jump in the way blocking her target.

"Bad time, Sirius, leave. Now!" Remus ordered, pushing Sirius back into the fireplace.

"What did I do?"

"Just leave, I'll floo you later," Remus promised. "Don't come back until she has had some time to cool off." Sirius made a quick retreat back through the Floo. Hermione turned and stalked out of the office.

"Where are you going?"

"For a walk, pray I don't meet Dumbledore, or we may be looking for a new Headmaster by morning." The door slammed behind her with a resounding bang.

It took a few days, but eventually Hermione's anger had boiled down. She was still furious; to some extent her anger was directed at Sirius, but she would be a hypocrite to pass judgment on the man's attempt at killing his peer when she had done far worse things in her life. Dumbledore, the manipulative old man, had lost what little trust she had left in him; her faith in the man had been fractured when she found out about Harry's death. Now she knew better than to trust the man with Harry, Severus or any of the students.

Sirius finally braved the school again after Remus had informed him what he and Hermione had been discussing that day; so after their next Defence lesson he asked her to stay after class, so that they could talk things out.

"I know you're probably still really angry with me," he started out, sitting across from her in Lupin's usual chair, as the Werewolf had left them alone.

"I'm disappointed," she stated bluntly, "I didn't think you were one to resort to homicide to settle a petty school yard grudge."

"I doubt it makes a difference now, but I only wanted to scare him." He admitted with a humourless laugh, "I figured he would run and I'd get a good laugh and everything would be great."

"And the fact that he could have been hurt or even killed never crossed your mind? You might not have cared what would have happened to Severus, but did you even once think what that would have done to Remus?"

"Not at the time, but yes." He said softly, "Losing your best friend and thirteen years in prison with Dementors can change a person; plenty of time to reflect on every bad decision and memory you've ever made and if you are running short the Dementors are more than happy to bring them up worse than ever.

"I was arrogant, vindictive and angry when I was younger. My family hated me and my choices to the point of disowning me. I was bitter over that fact for a long time, it doesn't justify what I did to Sniv-Snape, or any of the other kids I targeted," Sirius said, propping his elbows on his knees and rubbing his face in his hands. "I was trying to pass off my anger at my family by hurting those around me, Snape was just a favorite among many, because James hated the fact Lily would rather hang out with her snake friend than pay attention to him."

"That doesn't justify what you did," she stated, glaring at him.

"No, I know it doesn't," Sirius said, nodding his head, and dropped his hands to rest on his knees and looked up at her.

"Everyone has things in their past they regret doing, and there is nothing to be done to change it," she sighed finally, after a long silence, "I know I have more than I'd want to admit. I suppose all I can ask now is, what do you plan to do about it now?"

"I suppose I could at least be civil to the git." Sirius admitted begrudgingly, causing Hermione to scowl at him. "He is a git, don't think just because he came out at the butt of our pranks doesn't mean he didn't give as good as he got. There is too much between us for us to simply sweep under the rug and forget about it," Sirius said defensively in response to her look. "But I can at least be civil while we are both working here together, though I doubt he will."

"I suppose that will have to do." She accepted, "You might tell Harry some of this," Sirius launched into protest, but she cut him off. "Snape has been tormenting Harry since day one for things YOUand your friends did. The least you could do is let him know why Snape hates him so much." Reluctantly Sirius agreed after grumbling for a minute.


Soon the snow began to fall in earnest, as winter took hold over the grounds.

"Oomf," Hermione breathed out a fog of mist, as she was met with a rather nice view of the overcast sky. "Stupid ice," she muttered, as she sat in the snow that was beginning to drift over the path she had been jogging with Snape. The Potions Master passed her by with nothing more than a glance, as he swept by, looking warm all dressed in his thick winter cloak, and headed toward the school.

"You know, usually when someone falls it is customary to help them back up," she remarked, pulling herself to her feet and dusting the snow off her clothes before it could melt through.

"You took on a fully grown dragon on your own just a few weeks ago, and you're saying you need aid after a simple slip. I wasn't aware you were so frail," he commented dryly, causing her to scowl at his back.

"It's just the polite thing to do," she mumbled before getting an idea, a grin slipping across her features. Snape was a few yards from the castle steps, when something cold and wet connected with the back of his head. Black eyes turned to face her, and she burst out in a fit of giggles at his shocked expression. She tried to stifle her laughter, but it still slipped out as she spoke.

"I'm sorry, but your expression," she said before breaking into laughter. Snape's features darkened, as he shook the snow from his hair and leveled a glare at her.

"I think it's time we ceased running for the year," he said coldly, and Hermione sobered up, quickly thinking maybe she had crossed that invisible line of tolerance he had for her in the morning; she moved to apologize for the snowball when a large mound of snow was dumped on her head. She let out a shrill yelp and cursed, as the snow went down the collar of her cloak, causing her to jump around in an attempt to dislodge the snow, as it slid further down her back.

She missed Snape's secret smirk, as he turned and headed into the castle, leaving the cursing girl behind him with a spring in his step.


"Hey, Granger." Hermione suppressed a groan, as Cormac settled himself next to her at one of the long tables in the Great Hall where the students could spread out and work on homework before dinner, deliberately brushing his leg against hers as he seated himself.

"Go away," she said, shifting over and planting her bag between them to keep him at bay, only for him to lean over it to place an arm over her shoulder casually.

"You know, you're so cute when you play hard to get." He chuckled, grinning like an idiot, a handsome idiot, but an idiot first and foremost. The sixth-year Gryffindor had become her constant shadow since the upcoming Yule Ball had been announced. He seemed to be under the impression that because he had asked her to go with him, he now had full claim over her despite the fact she had flat out refused him and dumped a jug of pumpkin juice on his head for good measure. Something seemed to have gotten lost in translation, because here he was yet again. Hermione's quill broke under her grip, ruining the paper she had been working on; as Cormac's hand moved from her shoulder, down her back and drifting lower.

"Don't worry, you can have one of mine," he said nonchalantly, offering one of his own quills as she was crumbling the ruined parchment and broken quill up into a ball.

"McLaggen," she said, turning to face him, a hand moving on his knee that he kept bumping into hers.

"Yes, love," he said with a look that she assumed was supposed to be seductive or suggestive, but just made him look like he had indigestion.

"If you don't keep your hand off my ass, I'm going to break it off and beat you to death with it," she threatened, starting out in a sweet tone before gradually becoming more threatening. Emphasizing her point by using her grip on his leg to tip him off the bench, gathering her things she walked off, stepping on him as she went to find someplace Cormac free to work.

"I think for your own sake you should set your sights on a different girl," Lupin remarked, mildly amused watching Hermione fend off the hormonal teen; having been assigned Study Hall duty for the day. McLaggen stood, brushing himself off.

"She's just too shy to admit her feelings, but I think she's finally warming up to me." Turning, he jogged off after Hermione.

"That poor diluted boy doesn't know what he's getting himself into;" the Werewolf muttered, shaking his head. "She's warming up to something, but I don't think it's you,"

Hermione was hurrying down the hall, trying to lose her persistent suitor, when she bumped into something solid while looking behind her.

"Watch where you are going, Granger," Snape snapped at her.

"Sorry, Sir," she said, not even turning to look at him, still looking behind her distractedly.

"Granger, wait for me!" McLaggen called from a corridor over. Suddenly Hermione was darting around behind Snape, using his larger form as a wall.

"I'm not here!" she hissed, and Snape looked over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow that said 'I want no part of this teenage tragedy.' Suddenly Cormac was coming down the hall, at the sight of Snape he hurried along and pointedly didn't look at the Professor who stood there glaring with arms crossed. The teen bolted down another hall where he began calling Hermione's name once again.

"Is he gone?" she asked, whispering, and Snape scowled.

"Yes, now unhand me," he ordered, tugging the back of his robe from her grip; she had reflexively grabbed it to keep him from moving and exposing her. "In future, I suggest you find other ways of avoiding your boyfriend."

"He is not my boyfriend," she shot back hotly, huffing, as she readjusted her bag.

"You might want to tell him that," he remarked snidely.

"I have, I've done everything but toss him off the Astronomy Tower. McLaggen seems to think 'No' means 'Yes' and 'I'm going to beat you to death with your own arm' means 'I'm shy, take me I'm yours'," she sang sweetly, making a face of disgust about the boy's persistent hardheadedness. Snape raised an eyebrow at the escalation in violence from the Gryffindor.

"Sorry to bother you, Professor," she apologized, heading back the way she came, leaving a befuddled Snape standing there as she headed up to the lesson for fourth-years McGonagall was having in ten minutes.


"...the Yule Ball is first and foremost a dance." There was a collective round of excited chatter from the girls of the room, as the boys gave a collective grown of displeasure.

"Silence," McGonagall called to her House, and they reluctantly quieted. "The House of Godric Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the Wizarding world for nearly 10 centuries. I will not have you, in the course of a single evening, besmirching that name by behaving like a babbling bumbling band of baboons," she said sternly before calling Ron over to perform an example of the basic steps they would be learning, much to the boy's embarrassment.

At the command to pair up the two groups were reluctant to mingle; the girls stood up ready enough, but the boys needed some coaxing from McGonagall. Neville surprisingly was the first to rise and approach the cluster of girls.

"May I have this dance?" Hermione asked, coming up to him; his courage seemed to sputter out when he was faced with the first pick of the girls. He was relieved at her request and bowed politely and she mock curtsied back.

"I should warn you, I haven't danced before," Neville confessed, as they moved into the start position.

"Then I shan't scold you for trodding on my toes," she promised, as the lesson progressed, and soon they were moving semi-gracefully, stumbling, whenever Neville missed a step and Hermione tripped on him.

"You're a lot better at this than me," Neville admitted, embarrassed.

"I've had more practice, used to dance with my dad a lot when I was little," she said with a sad smile at the memory, "I haven't danced with him in years, but I guess it's like riding a bike, once you learn you never forget." The lesson ended soon enough, and McGonagall called her aside.

"Well done, you will do us proud at the Ball."

"Pardon," Hermione asked confused, she had not planned on attending the Ball. It wasn't a required function and third-years and below could not even attend without a date from a higher year. She planned on using the time as a distraction to slip away from the school, without raising suspicions.

"Why, you and the other three Champions will be opening the Yule Ball with the first dance."

"Oh," was all she could reply. Things could never just go her way for once, could they?

Heading to dinner, more than a little put out that her plans had been messed up yet again thanks to this stupid Tournament, not paying attention to the students around her until a voice brought her up short.

"Graunge!" She looked around to see Viktor Krum moving purposely through the crowd.

"Krum, something I can do for you?" she asked, looking at the large built young man.

"Yah, I vanted to tawk to you." Curious she stepped to the side of the Hall where they were not obstructing the dinner traffic.

"What took you so long, 'Mione?" Ron asked when she finally joined them for dinner.

"Krum wanted to talk to me." she said, filling her plate before pulling a paper from her robe pocket. "This is for you."

"What is it?" Ron asked, taking the paper before his eyes widened. "You Got Me Krum's Autograph!" he shrieked, his voice cracking as it went up three octaves. "You are the best Hermione!" Bounding from his seat, he hugged her and practically danced off to show Fred and George, Harry shook his head at his friends' antics, before turning back to his own food and Hermione.

"What did Krum want from you?" he asked, tossing a strip of chicken to Dracarys, the model Horntail Hermione had kept from the First Task. He wasn't very friendly, ignoring or even spitting sparks at most attempts to get his attention, but he seemed to like Harry well enough, so long as he shared some of his dinner.

"Nothing much," she said with a shrug.


"No."

"It will be fun, you haven't seen how great I am on a broom," Cormac boasted, "you'll love it."

"No."

"So, when should I pick you up for the Ball?" he asked, casually throwing his arm over her shoulder.

"I already have a date."

"Yes, with me," he said chuckling, before pulling her closer and trying to kiss her. The little Horntail shot out of her bag like a rabid squirrel. Pouncing on the teen and latching himself onto McLaggen's hand with tooth and claw. The boy bolted back with a yell, only after he was satisfied did the dragon release him and glide back to Hermione's shoulder.

"No, not with you," she said, turning on her heel and leaving the boy holding his injured hand, "Good boy, Dracarys!" She praised, stroking the dragon who let out a contented purr. Heading down to potions in a much more chipper mood.

"Hey, Malfoy," she called, catching sight of the blond boy ahead of her and jogging to catch up. "I got a favor to ask."

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Why should I do anything for you, Mudblood?"

"Maybe because I saved your life from a pissed off Hippogriff," she listed offhandedly, "or maybe because I saved your reputation from the whole school knowing about your secret life as a ferret. Take your pick," as they headed into the classroom and took their seats with Neville. Draco scowled; he just knew whatever it was he wasn't going to like it.


Snape loathed Study Hall duty, especially now that the students were all abuzz with looking for partners for the upcoming Yule Ball. Weasley and Potter seemed particularly persistent in discussing their lack of dates despite his 'nudges' to get back to work, sickening, really.

Something scuttled across his boot as he attempted to ignore one of the Weasley twins propositioning one of the Gryffindor Quidditch team members. Looking down found Granger's little Horntail, Dracarys, fumbling over his boot, as it scuttled under a table clutching a piece of paper in its mouth. It reappeared a moment later, crawling up Draco's back and throwing itself right in the middle of his Charms textbook.

Peering over a book he had brought to occupy himself while supervising the Hall, Snape watched the little dragon spit out the paper in favor of attacking the boy's quill. Draco looked up to see Granger sitting with her back to him along with her two friends, he opened the note. After a minute of scowling at the paper he tugged his partly shredded quill away from Dracarys, causing the dragon to tumble off the table, and wrote a short reply.

The Horntail reappeared from under the table a moment later, a note clutched back in it's mouth. Snape took a measured step, put his foot on its tail and caused the winged lizard to squawk indignantly and release the paper. Taking the note and ignoring the dragon currently trying to chew through his shoe, he opened it up.

'Will you do it?' Granger asked, her familiar neat writing across the top.

'Yes,' Malfoy had replied in his more slanted scrawl. Dropping the paper, he continued walking down the table isles, his shoe with several gouges maring the leather and some slight charring. Leaving the hissing dragon to collect his message and return to Granger. The two were up to something, he was interested to see just what she had convinced the Malfoy boy to do. He had noticed since the ferret incident, the two actually seemed less hostile to one another, Sure they still bickered when their paths crossed, but it almost seemed to have lost the venom it had had in previous years.

"Hey, Hermione, you're a girl?" Weasley whispered loudly and Severus had to restrain himself from pinching the bridge of his nose, this Ball could not be over fast enough.

"You don't say? I quite missed that little fact for the past tw-fifteen years of my life," she replied, dryly patting Dracarys on her shoulder as she glanced at the paper before stuffing it in a pocket.

"Come on. It's one thing for a bloke to show up alone." He explained, as if he was doing her a favor, "for a girl it's just sad."

"Well, then I guess you best get about finding someone who doesn't have a date," she shot back clippedly. "Oh, and just so you know, you should learn some tact, Ronald. For that little comment I'm not helping you get a date, you're on your own," standing she stalked away from the boys and handed her notebook to the Master of Potions; the student were required to keep a record of the assignments they worked on during their study time to get credit for being there. Severus snatched it swiftly from her hand, she spun pointedly not looking at the red head and left the Hall. Snape swore, as she left, Dracarys turned and eyed him with suspicious narrowed eyes.

"Did she finally give in to McLaggen?" Potter asked.

"Doubt it, she hates the bloke, no, I think she's just telling everyone that, so he will take a hint and leave her alone," Weasley said knowingly, right before Snape gave into the urge and 'nudged' them into focusing on their work again.


"I am so glad I spent those awkward teenage years away from all this," Hermione said to Sirius softly, as she stopped by after class. "Harry and Ron are in a right panic about the whole date-ball thing."

"You're going, aren't you?" he asked, moving the desks back into place from where they had been moved against the wall for the last lesson. "According to Remus, McLaggen is quite intent on attending with you." He said with a knowing smirk.

"Don't even get me started, if he grabs my ass one more time I might just have to put him in the Hospital Wing before he takes a hint." she complained, sitting on top of her usual desk, "Unfortunately, I have to attend, Champion and all."

"What would be so important you would blow off the Yule Ball? They don't just have those every year," he asked, coming to sit on a desk opposite her.

"That ring, the one I found over the summer," she said softly after casting a muffling charm for good measure. "I have a hunch there are other items like it, and I need to check out a location where one might be, I didn't have time over the summer to check all the places I had located for possible hiding spots."

"You think there are more like that?" he whispered despite the muffling charm.

"Yes, I figure three or four in total; I have one and Harry destroyed one in second year."

"What are they? What's the point of protecting trinkets so heavily?"

"I don't know," she admitted before slipping off the desk. "Might see if you could talk to Harry and Ron, give them some tips on wooing the ladies. Ron came in yesterday near catatonic after asking Fleur out. It was rather sad, really," she said, giggling at the memory.

"Need a little advice from the master, do they?" he boasted, smugly rumpling his hair.

"Merlin, I've unleashed a monster," she scoffed, rolling her eyes at him.

Whether she had unleashed a monster or not, with Sirius's help Ron and Harry did finally manage to get dates before the Ball. Harry had asked out Cho, but unfortunately she had already had other commitments. He ended up moving on to ask Parvati, who much to his surprise had agreed. Ron on the other hand had moved on from his disastrous encounter with Fleur and asked out an overjoyed Lavender Brown.

"Honestly, are you a wizard, or aren't you?" Hermione chided, as Ron fretted over his hideous dress robes. Pulling out her wand she removed the lace from the collar and cuffs, then altered the worn velvet to look more like a males robe rather than a dress. The outer robes she turned black and made the under shirt a deep maroon.

"You're a lifesaver," Ron said, turning in the mirror to get a good look at his clothes.

"Now, go on, your dates are probably waiting," she dismissed, before heading to her own room to get ready.

"Aren't you coming?" Harry asked, eyeing Hermione in her oversized sweater and sweatpants.

"I'll meet you in there, go on," she ordered, shooing them off.


The Great Hall was gorgeous all decorated to look like an ice palace from a fairy tale. The doors to the Hall opened and in came the Champions; Fleur looking stunning in her silver dress with Roger Davies. Then came Cedric and on his arm the Ravenclaw, Cho Chang, then Victor alongside a Beauxbaton girl. At the back of the group came Hermione, and much to the boy's shock she looked stunning in a deep purple nearly black gown.

Glittering crystals decorated the one strap of her dress, as it draped over her right shoulder, more were stitched around her left side, glittering in the candle light. The skirts fell in loose flowing layers from the nearly skin-tight bodice, lightening to a dark magenta near the bottom on the right side, a slit riding dangerously high on her left revealed her long tanned and toned leg. Black open heels with more of the crystals decorating the straps were on her feet. Her hair was done up simply with more crystals, scattered in the brunette locks among her silky curls, as some of her locks were left loose to fall about her shoulders looking less frizzy and wild than it normally did.

She waved at the pair as she passed; if the boys were not in shock of her appearance, they were now at the sight of who's arm she was on. The Champion's moved into place on the dance floor for the opening dance of the Yule Ball. Taking the offered hand they moved into the start position with his hand at her waist and her's on his shoulder.

"You do know how to dance, right?" he said softly, as the band quieted in preparation for the next song.

"It's a little late to be asking that, isn't it, Wonder Ferret?" she whispered back, as the music started up and the Champions began to dance. "The answer is yes, and McGonagall's been giving refresher courses," she smirked, as she followed his skilled lead from one step to the next.

"Well, at least I know you won't be trodding on my toes, I suppose that that's one thing to be happy about," Draco said sarcastically, picking up and twirling her as the dance dictated, not breaking stride as they talked. "Three years of dance lessons and Pansy still can't stay off my shoes when I'm obligated to dance with her at father's summer gala."

"That sounds painful," she said giggling.

"Very," he remarked dryly, as Dumbledore led McGonagall onto the floor, signifying that the rest of the dancers could join in.

Hermione had headed to her room after Ron and Harry had left, Ginny helping to do up her hair before she left to meet Neville and leaving Hermione to get dressed. Strapping on her heels she left Crookshanks and Dracarys curled up on her bed together and headed downstairs.

She hadn't actually thought Malfoy would hold up his end when she had asked him to attend the Ball with her; she hadn't threatened to spread the news about his time as a ferret, though she very well could have. Maybe he was doing it in repayment for saving him last year, either way she was pleasantly surprised to find he had not stood her up. When she had come down stairs there he had been waiting irritably, arms folded and fingers tapping impatiently. His blond hair had been combed back nicely, as he stood there in his tailor made dress robes of black velvet.

"You're late," he stated, attempting to use his frustration to hide his blush.

"Fashionably so," she agreed, taking his offered arm, as they joined the procession of Champions as they lined up to head in.

"Dress looks nice," he muttered reluctantly, as the doors opened.

"You don't look too shabby yourself," she appraised smiling, as they headed into the Great Hall.

The Ball turned out to be a lot more enjoyable than she thought it would. After the opening dance dinner was served and the Champions were seated at the head table, before the Weird Sisters came in to play and the dancing really began. Malfoy, despite his scathing remarks, was entertaining as they chatted over dinner and the festivities.

When McGonagall had informed her that she would be required to attend, with a date no less, Hermione had quickly made a list of those she could attend with, without having to worry about any awkward overtures during or after the event. She might have taken the easy road and just gone with Harry or Ron, but she also needed someone who wouldn't mind her ditching as soon as was socially acceptable. Malfoy had filled both those requirements, convincing him had been the hardest task. She hadn't wanted to blackmail him into it and in the end she didn't even need to, she might be a Gryffindor and a Muggleborn, but she was also the youngest Hogwart's Champion which garnered a great deal of respect since her battle with the dragon and he wasn't about to miss the chance to be in the spotlight as a Champion's date and all that entailed.

She was almost sad when it came time to take her leave. Malfoy had escorted her out of the Hall, when she had claimed to be heading for bed, before returning to his friends who were gathered around the refreshments table.

Slipping off her heels, she headed for the staircase only to be brought up by her name being called.

"Hermione, what were you thinking!" Ron scolded, coming to the base of the stairs.

"That I am tired and ready for some peace and quiet." She remarked innocently, Ron's face flushed red as he nearly exploded. She quickly continued on before he could let loose, "What are you so cross about?" She asked exasperated, not ready to deal with this from the red head. "It's not like we are dating or anything; he gets some boasting rights, I get an evening where my date keeps his hands to himself. Everyone wins, besides I asked him."

"What am I—Why would You? He's a Malfoy, Hermione, A Malfoy!" he stated, like he was talking to a very young, very stupid child. "He's in Slytherin, for Merlin's sake."

"Yes, I know," she said bluntly, "and he was a perfect gentleman the whole time, which is more than I can say for you. Besides, Durmstrang has a similar reputation that Slytherin does, but that didn't stop you from drooling over Krum and his autograph."

"He's using you, Hermione. Can't you see that?" Ron said angrily. "I don't know what he is up to, but he's up to something." Hermione made a disgruntled sound and headed back up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Ron shouted.

"To bed," she stated.

"But what about—"

"Good night, Ronald!" she called, turning into another hall.


Slipping out of her dorm room, Map in hand, Hermione made her way to the One-Eyed Witch Statue. She had changed out of her dress in favor of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, her hair pulled back in a hasty pony-tail. Slipping into the secret passage, she stuffed the Map in a bag she had dropped down there earlier in the evening. Pulling her leather jacket out of the bag, she put it on and headed down the passage, slinging the bag on her back as she went.

Exiting Honeydukes Sweetshop she ducked into an alley and Apparated to a small town on the coast. It was the closest place to the cave that she knew of. It was dark and overcast, as she hiked along the coastline. It was well past midnight when the path she had been following forked into two paths; the right turned more inland while the left fell away to a sheer drop into the roiling ocean below. Lighting her wand proved fruitless in locating the cave below, it was clear she was going to have to climb down since the path had been completely destroyed. It was a good sign that she was in the right place; had the water simply eroded it, the path would not have been so cleanly cut away from the rock face. It would have been uneven and she would have been able to pick out places where it had once been.

"Expecto Patronum!" she cast, and her glowing silver otter spun forth. With a flick of her wand the critter glided over the edge and began moving along the wall face. It finally stopped and stood still a good twenty or thirty yards from where the path had ended and just above where the waves were crashing against the rock wall.

Moving off the path to above where her otter indicated, she took a rope out of her pack; tying one end of the rope to herself, she looped it around a boulder that stuck out of the ground a convenient distance away from the edge. Tossing the extra rope down, she pulled on a set of gloves before making sure her bag was secure on her back. Her otter came up, as she began to lower herself down the rock wall, the glow of her Patronus lighting her descent, as its little sleek body twisted and turned around her.

Undoing the rope, as her feet settled on the entrance of a decent-sized cave the ocean spray was running off her jacket in torrents, as the Repelling charm didn't allow the water to soak into her clothes.

Entering the cave, her otter suddenly hit an invisible wall and went out, leaving her in darkness till she could conjure a wandless Lumos. There was definitely something here, she could feel the anti-Apparition wards in place. Moving forward into the cave cautiously, she was met with a dead end.

Casting her light over the back of the cave, revealed runes etched into the rock. Squinting, she read over them after a bit of puzzling, trying to recall lessons from her Ancient Runes class. It was another riddle.

'While you live we can not part,

I must live lifelong inside you,

inside your beating heart.'

"Blood," she said aloud, the wall remained the same. She tried again, this time using the language charm to translate her answer to Parseltongue, still the wall remained unmoving.

"The answer is blood, I know it is, but—" Then it dawned on her. "Oh, that's sick," she cursed, pulling off her left glove and taking out her folding knife from her jacket and flipping it open. Drawing the blade across her palm, placing her bleeding hand on the runes, they flashed and then melted away, forming a doorway.

Taking a sealed package of bandages out of her bag, she ripped it open with her teeth before hastily wrapping her hand. Securing the bandage she slipped her glove back on over it before pulling her pack back on and cautiously entering the next chamber.

"Lumos Maxima!" she cast, sending a light up to hover near the ceiling of the now cavernous cave. She could make out a lake now and at its center a small island. Walking to the edge of the lake, she found a single small boat with no oars, sitting invitingly at the edge. It seemed safe enough, but she was still cautious, as she stepped in. Once she was seated the boat took off of its own accord across the lake, and she dearly hoped it would not dump her out in the middle of its journey, seeing as once she was on her way she realized there were hundreds maybe thousands of sleeping Inferi just under the water surface.

The journey was slow, but she was able to let out a sigh of relief, as the little boat bumped against the stony shore. Jumping out she walked up the slight slope to the large basin sitting on the pedestal at the top. The basin seemed to be filled with a green liquid, and at its bottom looked to be an item.

"Found you," she said, trying to reach into the basin, only for her hand to hit an invisible wall before it could breach the surface of the liquid. Taking out her pocket knife, she poked at the liquid and it passed through; sticking the blade in further, she found she could snag the chain of some sort of necklace and pull it to the surface. It stopped, the chain unable to break the surface. So the basin would have to be emptied, she summarized, and the method was provided, as she spotted the goblet sitting beside the dish.

"Maybe I should have brought Sirius with me," she mused, not liking the fact she was going to have to drink some strange potion with no idea what it did. "Or maybe not." She took up the goblet and filled it from the basin; tipping it out on the ground the green solution simply stopped at the rim of the cup, as if it had an invisible lid.

With a reluctant sigh she tipped the contents of the cup in her mouth and was preparing to swallow it, when something occurred to her and she spit it out on the ground, gagging at the taste. An aching pain flaring up along her body, like her old wounds had begun to reopen.

"What is this fowl stuff?" she muttered, clutching at her shoulder where most of the pain was concentrated, she hadn't even swallowed the potion and it was still affecting her; she didn't want to know what would have happened if she had to drink the whole thing.

She repeated the method, and the level of the potion slowly began to lower. Finally, panting as she gripped at the rim of the basin, she scooped out the item. Pulling it from the goblet revealed it to be a locket. Stuffing it in her pocket, she limped back toward the boat, every step agony as her hip burned. She had only taken a few steps when something occurred to her and she fished around in her pack until she found an empty glass phial. Whatever spells that had been protecting the locket in the basin seemed to have left after its removal, as she dipped the phial in the little pool of the fowl liquid that remained at the bottom; stoppering the bottle, she stuck it in her pack. Shuffling, she made her way to the boat; her whole body hurt and her head swam in a haze of drugged pain, mouth dry as a desert.

Settling herself in the boat, she pulled out a bottle of water from her bag and drank it greedily, as the boat pulled away from the island and headed back to the shore. The sky was just beginning to lighten, as she exited the cave and began the agonizing climb up the cliff and out of the anti-Apparition wards.


Exiting the One-Eyed Witch passage Hermione was shaking as she shed her jacket, she dropped it down into the passage with her pack to be collected later; it was far later than she had intended to return and couldn't risk getting caught so out of sorts with such sensitive items. Sealing the passage, she headed down the hall, stumbling she fell against the wall.

Using the cool stone for support, she made her way toward Gryffindor Tower. It was early morning, but after that late party the halls were predictably still empty. Sweat coated her skin, making her shirt dampen and stick, as she shivered. Her temperature had risen into a dangerously high fever and her whole body hurt.

"What are you doing, Granger?" Snape asked, as he had come around the corner to see her stumbling along the hall wall toward the dorms. She turned toward him, but couldn't focus and her head swam. At first he had assumed that she was drunk, it wasn't unheard of for students to sneak in liquor from Hogsmeade if they could get their hands on it, especially for special occasions. He quickly dismissed this theory, her pale complexion and the visibly shaking made it clear she was very ill.

"Granger, you should be in the Hospital Wing," he said, going up to her, she shook her head.

" 'm fin," she mumbled, pushing off the wall and attempting to walk on her own. Her legs buckled immediately, it was only Snape's quick reflexes that kept her head from connecting hard with the stone floor. One arm under her back he looped his other arm under her legs, hoisting her up with a grunt of surprise. She was heavier than her small frame looked, he realized, shifting until she was more balanced in his grip before changing direction from his intended path toward the Headmaster's office and going to the Hospital Wing.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, her eyes closed and face half buried in his shoulder.

"So long as you don't throw up on me," he stated, "there is nothing to apologize for."

"Not that," she mumbled, shaking her head, her curls sticking to her sweat-drenched forehead. "I'm sorry, before when I brought up the werewolves and after what Greyback did. I didn't know." This revelation brought him up short, as he stood there in the hall, glaring furiously at her.

"What did Black say?" he asked, knowing Black would have been the one to go blabbing about his school days to students.

"Ow, not the face," she said with a half shrug, to which Snape raised an unbelieving eyebrow in question. "I hit him. I do that a lot; mostly with shoes, and cups, and books. Big Books—Boom, no more Bad Dog. Doggy's just dumb. Dumb dog. Dumbly is stupid old stupid-head. I need a bigger book, too much beard," she muttered unintelligibly, as she drifted off to a fitful sleep, her fever was beginning to make even him sweat despite all his layers and hers.

She was a lot sicker than he had first thought, most likely not even aware of what she had been saying. Which made sense since most of what came out of her mouth was pure nonsense.


Hermione woke the next morning in the Hospital Wing, feeling like she had been run over by the Beauxbatons carriage and with no memory of how she had gotten there.

"Oh, good, you're finally awake," Madam Pomfrey said, relieved when she saw Hermione awake. "You've had a lot of people worried about you," she scolded, coming over and pouring her a glass of water.

"What happened?" she asked, taking the offered glass of water and drinking it down slowly.

"Professor Snape found you wandering the halls in quite a state, brought you here with a high fever that was resistant to fever reducer. We only just got it brought down early this morning. What have you been doing to get in such a state?" she asked, taking Hermione's hand and looking it over, a faint pink line still visible where she had cut it.

"I don't remember," she half lied, she didn't remember much after leaving the cave, it's a wonder she didn't Splintch herself getting back to Hogsmeade. "I remember the dance and getting ready for bed, then nothing," she said, resting back against her pillow.

After checking that her fever had gone down, Harry and Ron had been allowed in for a short visit. Surprisingly Ron didn't bring up the topic of Malfoy or the Ball, and for that she was thankful. She wasn't ready to deal with him raving about Malfoy; but from Harry's tight expression he had been hearing a lot of what Ron thought about it.

After Harry and Ron had left, Remus and Sirius had come by. A hushed request to Sirius and he left to gather her things; returning with the Locket he had gotten from her jacket in the tunnel. The rest of her things had been stashed in Lupin's rooms, where she didn't have to worry about the twins stumbling over them.

Unwrapping it from the handkerchief Sirius had folded it in; she mentally kicked herself for not doing similar last night, the item could have had any manner of curse placed on it like the Ring and she could have very well triggered them when she picked it up, even with gloves on. Getting a good look at the Locket for the first time, it was large and had a number of small green stones set in the shape of an 'S' on the front. It was strangely normal, she couldn't sense any magic on it like the Ring had possessed. Opening it, a paper fell out on her lap. Picking up the paper, she passed the Locket to Sirius; the Dog stared at it with great interest like he was trying to recall something.

'To the Dark Lord,

I know I will be dead long before you read this, but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more.

R.A.B.'

"It's a fake," Hermione declared tiredly, passing the note to Remus. "After all that, it's a stupid fake."

"What is a Horcrux?" Remus asked, reading over the note, Hermione shrugged as Remus finished and passed it on to Sirius.

"Must be what these items are, I haven't found anything by that name." Sirius took the note and glanced at it before he nearly dropped it in shock.

"Regulus!" he whispered in disbelief, examining the note more closely, "it has to be, but that's impossible."

"Your brother," Remus asked, looking over the note again. "Are you sure?"

Sirius nodded confidently, "R.A.B., Regulus Arcturus Black. And this," he shook the Locket in his hand, "I'm sure I've seen this somewhere, I just can't remember where." This piqued Hermione's interest.

"Before your imprisonment or since you've been out?"

"Since I've been out."

"So he didn't destroy it before he died," she said softly, she had a good idea how he had died, recalling the defences of the cave. Sirius had to sit down on one of the empty beds, note still in hand.

"I thought he just got scared and was killed trying to leave, but I never thought he had the guts to defy Voldemort himself. That's why they killed him."

"I don't think so," Hermione began, drawing Sirius's attention to her, "if he had been killed for taking the real Locket, he would have been tortured into giving up its location. We have concluded he didn't destroy it, and you have seen it recently. Which can mean one thing, that he died getting the Locket. That's why his followers are not looking for it, Voldemort doesn't know it's missing and why his body was never found."

"If Regulus died getting it, then why did you not find it there," Remus asked, as Sirius seemed to need a moment to take in the information.

"He must have had an accomplice, someone who took the Locket with them."

Madame Pomfrey bustled over suddenly and Remus canceled the muffling charm, they would have to continue this discussion at another time. Sirius looked like he needed some time to sift through this new revelation.


It was another couple of days before Hermione was released from the Hospital Wing, but the first night after she had woken she slipped out. Remus had brought her things after dinner; and still a little weak, she donned her disguise, before tracking down the patrolling Potions Master.

"I have something for you," she said, catching the man's attention, he spun around leveling his wand at her.

"Stupify!" he cast, and she threw up a wandless shield.

"Can we please get past the you-trying-to-take-me-to-Dumbledore-portion of this interaction, I have something important to discuss." Snape cautiously lowered his wand.

"What?"

She set the vial of potion on the ground and rolled it to him. "Do you recognize this?" she asked; Snape suspiciously stooped to pick up the vile and examined it before pulling the cork and sniffing it.

"Yes, it is a solution meant to cause unbearable pain and brings up the drinkers worst memories," he said, recalling the potion.

"Did you brew this potion for Him?"

A pause. "Yes."

"How many times?"

Another pause, "Twice."

"Did you brew it for anyone else?"

"No." he growled out; he was getting tired of this line of questioning. "What is this about?"

It was Nemo's turn to pause. "He has made a number of items that he has deemed important enough to warrant placing strong enchantments to protect them. That potion," she pointed at the phial in his hand, "was one of many protections on one such item. The destruction of these items are paramount to destroying him for good." Snape looked at the potion again before making a connection.

"You used this on Granger."

Nemo pause for a long moment. "Yes." Not a lie. "The defences to this item proved to be difficult alone, I needed another body." Snape seemed to become rigid at this for some reason, but Nemo continued on, "Don't bother looking through her memories, I Obliviated her afterwards. No use traumatizing the girl with things she doesn't need to remember."

Her escape was far less smooth than last time, as she was forced to run down the hall and lose him on the moving staircases before returning to the Hospital Wing. She was still recovering from the effects of the potion.


'It would seem that the Golden Girl of Gryffindor has a dark secret and a taste for those who have dabbled in the darkness. Through sources that wish to remain anonymous it has been revealed that Hermione Granger, Triwizard Champion and close friend of Harry Potter, has been spending a great deal of personal time with those who have less than light affiliations.

It has been confirmed that most mornings Hermione Granger has been slipping out of school alone with none other than her bachelor Professor Severus Snape, who has been known to dabble in the Dark Arts when he was younger. What do these two get up to when they are off alone before the rest of the school is? How long has this secret rendezvous been going on? Sources say months if not years.

Not only has Hermione Granger been slipping away with her professor, but she also has managed to wriggle her way into the arms of one Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy, who also has been accused of dabbling in the Dark Arts some years back(see page 6 for more). Malfoy is still quite a name among Wizarding pure-blood circles, and has a highly respected reputation in the Ministry. In most recent news, Lord Malfoy has been noted to be a prominent supporter of several laws in recent years to limit Muggleborn positions in prominent Ministry offices(see page 10 for more).

How is close friend Harry Potter taking this news?-'

Hermione looked up from the paper, being shoved in her face by a fuming Ron.

"You can't honestly believe all this is true, Ron?" she asked, dropping her half-eaten toast on her plate. It was Saturday, and the students were still filtering in for a late breakfast.

"You went to the Ball with Malfoy, that's true enough, and he and his father are both up to their eye-balls in the Dark Arts," Ron stated critically.

"What about the thing with Snape, you haven't really been sneaking off with him every morning, have you?" Harry asked, looking betrayed.

"Honestly, you two, don't you trust me at all?"

"That's not a 'no'."

"Yes, alright," she relented, shaking the paper in her hand. "but it isn't how it sounds."

"Then how is it exactly," the Weasley snapped, "why did you keep it a secret?"

"It's Not A Secret!" she yelled at the two, throwing her arms up in exasperation, catching the attention of many students who were not already staring at her and holding their own copies of the Prophet. "If you got up at a decent time instead of right before breakfast, you would have noticed. I go running every morning when the weather is nice, Snape does too, so we meet up to do a lap around the Lake before breakfast. We're not even running anymore with the weather so bad and likely won't until the snow thaws."

"How long have you been doing this?" Harry asked, looking hurt that she had spent most mornings in the company of the one teacher that was out to make his life miserable.

"Since the beginning of third year," she answered to both boys's shock.

"You've been meeting with Snape every morning for over a year, and you didn't tell anyone!" Ron shouted, banging his hand on the table and upending a goblet of juice onto the tabletop.

"I don't need your permission, Ronald!" she snapped, standing up from her seat, so she could step over the bench and away from the juice pooling near her, Ron followed her movements. "If I want to go running with Snape in the mornings, then, by Merlin, I will! Some stupid article or your opinions be damned, I enjoy it!"

"What about Malfoy, is he your little running buddy as well?" Ron snapped out hotly, his face beginning to turn red in anger. By now the whole Hall was watching the scene unfold before them with a morbid fascination of watching a car crash.

"No, he's not."

"So what, you're just like hanging out with the git?"

"Since when have you been in charge of who I'm allowed to to interact with?" She shot back.

"Hermione, they're in Slytherin, they are evil!" He hissed lowley at her despite the fact they had the attention of the whole Hall.

"They are people, Ronald," she finally exploded. Too far changed from the child that had once embraced the House rivalry. In just a few months the darkest Wizard of their Age could be back among them again and the continued in fighting would only make it easier for Him to bring the school down once again. They needed to be whole to survive the coming days. "Just like you and me! You cut them, they don't bleed green and silver, it's red. Just like yours, just like the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs, the Durmstrangs and Beauxbatons'," shaking her head disappointedly. "You know, I thought Malfoy was the one with the biggest issue with class distinctions, but at least most of the time we can chat civilly, and he and I are complete opposites in all stations."

"They are evil, why can't you see that? There's not a Dark wizard that hasn't been sorted into Slytherin."

"You need to wake up and realize this," she shouted gesturing at all the tables, "this means nothing! What House you're in doesn't determine who you are. Do you think just because you're in Gryffindor that makes you automatically a good person?" she accused, shoving him hard in the chest for emphasis, "Well, wake up, because it doesn't. Every House has produced people who could be labeled 'Dark' or 'Evil'. You want proof — look at Peter Pettigrew, he was in the House of the Brave, and he was a coward, traitor and murderer. That wasn't a fluke or messed up sorting, that is life. You can't just slap a label on someone and think that defines them for the rest of their lives."

"Well, if that's how you feel — why don't you just go hang out with your little snake friends!" Ron spat, hands shaking in anger, as he glared at her, red-faced.

"One of these days, Ron Weasley," she said with an eerie calm, her own fists balled tightly as she closed her eyes trying not to remember. The image of the red head; pale, older and wrapped in bandages as he lay unresponsive in a bed far from home. She pushed the memory away and opened her eyes to stare at him, anger draining away into a resigned sadness, "you're going to realize that there are more important things going on, than holding on to some stupid House rivalry. For your sake I hope that day is soon," she said softly picking up her things and heading for the door. The Hall was in absolute silence.

"Hermione, wait!" Harry called, following her to the door, looking hurt and confused as he stood torn between his two friends.

"Harry," she said, pausing, but not turning back. "Stay with Ron," she said before walking out the door.


Author's Note: Well lots of unplanned drama in this chapter, it's to hot and my brain is dead so that's all I have about this chapter.

Next Chapter 19: The Waves Are Crashing, All Around You-The backlash of Skeeter's Article as the Second Task closes in and Hermione gets to smell Amortentia(powerful love potion). What will she smell?

Edited-10/03/18

German Translation by the wonderful and patient Alea Thoron.