Short, but I think you'll like it.

All the thanks to ViviTheFolle for looking at this chapter and the last one, too!

Chapter 2

23rd February 1996

Great Hall

Hermione stared at the Quibbler, trying to focus on the words but simply couldn't, her exceptionally brilliant mind elsewhere.

Her talk with Harry hadn't gone as she had hoped. Her boyfriend had been terribly angry that she would follow Ron around and stalk him even after he had refused to give her the map. Apparently, them ditching him should have been enough and finding out about Tracey crossed a line.

She rolled her eyes at that. When she mentioned the safety of the DA and how Tracey knew about it, Harry had shrugged and said someone could have picked up clues over the last few months about it—Weasley was hardly the only possible leak.

It had devolved into an argument after that and now neither of them was speaking to each other. Harry had slowly been gravitating towards the boys in his dorm which would mean sooner or later he'd befriend Weasley again.

Hermione simply couldn't let that happen.

At least one of her excellent plans had come to fruition. Harry's interview was a rousing success and public opinion was changing. Hermione knew it wouldn't last, though—she had to take the bull by the horns, to borrow a Muggle phrase and confront Davis.

/-/

"Davis!" she called after their shared Runes class the next day.

The girl looked at her with suspicion. "What?"

"We need to talk," Hermione said firmly, walking alongside her as their classmates passed by. "I know."

Davis raised an eyebrow. "Know what?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. She was starting to see why Ron was dating her—Davis made him seem intelligent. "About you and Weasley. I know you've been seeing each other."

The girl hid her shock well, only a skipped step betraying her surprise.

"You've also been dosing Weasley with a love potion. I don't know how or why, but I'm warning you to stay away from him."

Davis scoffed. "Last I checked you two aren't friends. You have no right to ask that of me."

"Dating Weasley might seem like a good way to ensure good future prospects, but really, you could do so much better. There are other pure-bloods that would be more than happy to date you," said Hermione with a tsk. It was clear that despite all his shortcomings, Weasley being a pure-blood meant a lot in this bigoted world.

The auburn-haired girl stopped in her tracks, glaring at her. "Just because you're dating Potter for his wealth and fame doesn't mean every girl is like that. I happen to like Weasley for who he is, and I'm not dosing him. I don't know what's wrong with you or why you've been stalking Ron and me, but you need to mind your own bloody business and leave us alone."

With that, she stalked off.

Hermione watched her go impassively. She'd tried to be nice, but now it was time to get an adult involved. It would be a waste of time attempting to confront Weasley. He'd deny the accusations too.

McGonagall would know what to do.

/-/

"Miss Granger, what a surprise," said McGonagall as she entered the elder witch's office. "I must say, I didn't expect to see you here. Have a seat."

Hermione sat down in the chair opposite her, admiring the spartan yet comfortable room. It gave her inspiration for her future workspace.

"What did you wish to speak to me about?" asked McGonagall.

"Professor, I think Tracey Davis and Ronald Weasley are dosing each other with love potions," she said seriously. "And it could affect Harry's…group."

McGonagall frowned. "Have a biscuit, Miss Granger."

She took the Ginger Newt from the tin on the desk reluctantly, trying not to gag. She despised ginger.

"Now, these are quite serious accusations. It's illegal to dose another person without their consent."

Hermione couldn't imagine willingly taking any sort of mind-altering substance, lest she lower her intelligence to those of her peers. "Well," she began, "I noticed Weasley was acting very suspicious a few months ago, so I followed him—just to make sure he wouldn't betray the DA. On Valentine's Day I discovered that Weasley and Davis have been seeing each other—for a few months, by the look of things."

"Indeed?"

"If Weasley is dosing Davis or she's dosing him, it'll be a security risk. Davis could make him tell her anything and he'd do it for her because of the potion," urged Hermione.

McGonagall nodded. "It does merit an investigation. Very well, Miss Granger. I'll see what I can do."

The professor dismissed her. Hermione left the study looking rather pleased with herself. Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore were the only two authority figures she could depend on year after year to get things done. Once the love potion effects wore off Weasley would be back to his miserable self and Davis an unpleasant memory.

Just as things should be.

20th March 1996

Over the next couple of weeks, Hermione watched the couple during her spare time through the map. Harry had taken it from her but she had taken it back. Her boyfriend could be so thick at times! The old saying, 'What's yours is mine and what's mine is also mine' definitely applied here. That's just how relationships worked.

Weasley and Davis spent almost all their free time together in the kitchen, in the library, even outside. Then there was the rather disgusting time she had seen their names uncomfortably close to one another earlier that month…

She wrinkled her nose. That proved at least one of them was under a potion.

Oddly enough, McGonagall hadn't done anything yet. The newly sleek-haired witch was losing faith in the strict professor. First, she had let that horse teach Divination—centaur or not, he still had four legs—forcing her to shut down Lavender and Parvati's nonsensical ramblings, and now she wasn't separating a clearly unfit couple. She was allowing magical sexual abuse to happen within the castle and Hermione was struggling to accept it.

Davis may have made poor choices and was inferior to her in terms of beauty and intelligence, but even she didn't deserve to be raped via potion. Of course, there was the possibility that she was dosing Weasley, but Hermione brushed that aside. Boys couldn't be raped. He was probably enjoying the witch's affections deep down.

While her impressive brain was thinking of how to proceed, Harry plopped down next to her.

"Hello Harry." She discreetly covered up the Map.

Her boyfriend grunted, dropping the useless DADA book on the table. "Good afternoon."

"What are you working on?"

"Defense, which I'm almost done with. Then Transfiguration and Charms before dinner, practice after that, then do another bit of the Charms essay that's due next week before heading to sleep."

"Oh," said Hermione, rather at a loss for words. "Well, maybe tomorrow we could do something together."

"Like what?"

Hermione frowned. "Well, we could plan out spells for the DA to practice during our next meeting. Or we could study together for OWLs in the library, or visit Dobby in the kitchens."

He passed her the planner she had gifted him for Christmas. "Already done with the spells for the next three meetings and I'm already meeting with Flitwick for help with the Locomotion Charm—"

"That's a very basic charm, Harry. We've been working on it all month and you still haven't gotten it? How—"

"Which is why I'm seeing Flitwick for help," said Harry, cutting her off smoothly. "He did use the charm on Trelawney's trunk a few weeks ago flawlessly. Nobody's better at the charm than him."

Except me! She wanted to scream. Hermione frowned instead. "Well, when do you think we'll be able to spend time together? It's been quite a while…"

Harry appeared to stiffen before giving her a rather unconvincing smile. "Soon." He kissed her cheek. "I promise."

1st April, 1996

"Is she coming?" Harry asked quietly.

Hermione looked at the stricken elf.

Dobby let out a howl, and began beating his bare feet hard on the floor. "Yes, Harry Potter, yes!"

Hermione watched as everything she worked so hard to build crumbled.

Harry straightened up and looked around at the motionless, terrified people gazing at the thrashing elf.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" Harry bellowed. "RUN!"

They all pelted toward the exit at once, forming a scrum at the door.

"Harry, come on!" shrieked Hermione from the centre of the knot of people now fighting to get out. Harry scooped up Dobby, who was still attempting to do himself serious injury, and ran with the elf in his arms to join the back of the queue.

"Harry," said Weasley, speaking to Harry for the first time in front of her. "There's another way out."

"What? That's impossible," said Hermione with a scoff, annoyed with Weasley's stupidity. If there was another way out of the room, she'd know about it.

"Harry, listen to me, just ask the room for multiple ways out. It works." Weasley pointed to a familiar red-haired, green-robed girl, who opened an inconspicuous door and disappeared with two others. "See?"

Harry immediately brightened. "Thanks Ron."

Hermione watched as her boyfriend wished multiple exits into existence. "Hey all of you!" he bellowed at the remaining members. "Pick a door in here! It'll lead you out without getting yourselves caught!"

As the students headed out, Harry turned his attention to calming a shaking Dobby. Hermione glared at Weasley. "This is all your fault."

Weasley looked annoyed. "How?"

"You and that witch you're hopping up on potions! She probably told Umbridge all about the DA and then you swoop in to try and get what little pathetic glory you can!"

"I haven't done anything wrong! And for your information, Tracey was the one to discover how to get the exits, and multiple ones at that!"

"So you've been using this room for your stupid dates then? Why doesn't this surprise me, of course you'd come here so that I wouldn't find you on the Map!"

Weasley stilled. "You're still spying on us?"

Hermione snapped her mouth shut. That had been a mistake. Weasley's stupidity was rubbing off on her.

"Hermione," said Harry. His voice echoed in the now-empty room. "I thought you'd stopped. I took the Map and Cloak away."

Weasley whirled to face Harry. "You knew? Some mate you are, letting your girlfriend spy on me and my girl like this!"

"You have a girlfriend?" asked Harry incredulously.

Weasley scowled at him before shaking his head. "Bugger all of this. Both of you can go straight to hell."

He stormed off to the nearest exit.

Hermione swallowed at the murderous look on her boyfriend's face. "Harry—"

"Not now. We have to get out, before we're caught."

Hermione followed him timidly through the door Weasley exited. How could things have gone so wrong? This was all Harry's fault, allowing Weasley into the DA. He'd brought his Slytherin tramp with him and now Umbridge and her Inquisitorial Squad was probably asking the Room whatever they wished to get proof.

No more Miss Nice Witch.

She spotted Lavender and Parvati in the Common Room and smirked.

Let the revenge begin…