A/N: Okay, I want to say I'm REALLY SORRY for takeing so long but I'm hosting a Yule Ball and just started another fic and have a lot of stuff going on so I beg you don't be mad at me! Okay, sorry again and I promise the next chapter won't take so long…Thank you for all the reviews too…I really appreciate all your patients, so enjoy….
What She Thinks: Chapter 17: The Shrieking Shack
She dove, strait through his legs, hit the floor, and slid a few feet on her right shoulder as the arm of her robes tore. She couldn't see behind her but felt the tips of her fingers hitting her wand as she struggled to reach it. Her eyes were tightly shut, afraid to open in fear of seeing that sneer.
Her fingers lashed wildly behind her back when she heard a quiet laugh, reminding her somewhat of a cackle. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes to see only what she predicted, a pale sneer. He loomed at her a moment and knelt over, lifting her wand from her reach. He turned it over and over in his hands, unable to keep the smirk from his face. Hermione was hit with a spur of the moment, beyond crazy idea.
Taking a deep breath she lifted her legs high off the ground and thrust, catching him once more in the stomach with the heals of her shoes. Her wand hit the floor again but this time it was in her reach. In an instant Hermione had him at wand point, arms free. She was pleased to see the fear that shot through his once confident eyes. She raised her wand for a body bind but froze as the door swung open.
"What is the meaning of this!?" It was Professor McGonagall, pale and white lipped. "Miss Granger! Explain yourself!"
Hermione opened her mouth to insist it wasn't what it seemed but choked on her words as the last person needed at that moment stalked out of the shadows behind what now seemed the gracious, understanding McGonagall: Professor Snape.
Hermione hung her head, unable to look at Malfoy knowing he was smiling.
Snape's eyes stroked the scene once and he grinned an awful, lustful grin.
"Shall we take this to my office?" He asked silkily, smirking evilly at Hermione, who did not look up as she felt the knot in her throat slip a notch.
"Thank you Servus," McGonagall said swiftly, motioning for the four of them to follow her.
Head swinging against her chest Hermione slumped after Professor McGonagall, closely followed by Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle with Snape bringing up the end.
In fear of her reputation the walk seemed nothing short of a step as they turned down the passages and into a most revolting room Hermione had yet to lay eyes on. Canned animal organs (or at least that's what she thought they were) displayed on the walls, all aglow with a stomach-churning green light, Snape's office. Malfoy took a seat and stared around contently, looking quite at home while his goons took to the shadows behind him.
"Before we begin need I ask if this is your second time in a staff member's office this week Miss Granger?" Professor McGonagall asked coldly.
Hermione swallowed hard, unable to look her Professor strait in the eye.
"Well," She barked.
"Yes Ma'am," Hermione said in a very small, ashamed voice.
"And if I were you Mr. Malfoy I wouldn't be smiling, would I Servus?" McGonagall said, eyeing him stiffly, Hermione was willing to bet a thousand galleons she wasn't breathing.
"Of course not." However, Snape was still smiling, "You're detention will take place in my office Mr. Malfoy, 8:00 on Sunday night, no excuses." He finished this with a chime in his voice, which McGonagall seemed to catch, as her voice grew harsher.
"See me Monday Miss Granger, after class we will arrange your detention, and do bring Mr. Potter, I do believe I owe him a detention also…two students out of bed in one night…" She added in an undertone, shaking her head at the floor. At the sound of Harry's name Malfoy coughed hard and stared wide eyed at Hermione.
She caught his gaze and watched, as he looked her up and down, a look of deep disgust furrowed his eyebrows. Hermione understood what he was implying only to make it worse by adding a dirty smile and winking.
She snorted at his reaction and turned back to the stone-faced Professor.
"Off you go--Both of you." She snapped as Snape opened the door for them to exit. Once out of earshot of the Snape and McGonagall, Malfoy leaned over her shoulder.
"You and Potter?" He hissed, eyes gleaming.
Hermione stopped, to angry to yell at him, but found the courage to have some fun.
"Oh yes, every night. He truly is good…The best I've had so far…And last night…" She licked her lips and raised her eyebrows suggestively at the look of utter shock and surprise on his face. With a skip of humor in her step she headed for the Gryffonder tower. She had but a minuet to laugh before pilling her books (which had been brought back to her dorm) in her bag and prance down the corridors to History of Magic.
Hermione hadn't planned on sitting with Harry or Ron but was forced to from the lack of seats. She seated herself on the far side of Ron and spoke to neither of them. As many times as she wished she to say, "Harry! Write that down, it'll be on the exams!" or, "Ron! Why isn't your quill moving? That's important!" She held her tong and kept her eyes on her own paper.
Hermione awoke the following morning and quickly dressed for Quidditch, which now seemed more like work rather than play. With Harry on the team Hermione only did what he said but did not reply. Nor did she answer when he asked what was wrong.
Later that day, after a tiring practice, Hermione followed the rest of the school down to Hogsmead, the Medallion sagging in her pocket and her arms wrapped around half-dozen books which might contain it's secret, if there was one.
She plopped down in a far corner of The Three Broomsticks and opened the top book.
For the next hour she sat, sipping Butter beer and hitting one dead end after another.
It was only when she began "Jewelry with Meanings" That Hermione was bombarded with the sudden urge for fresh air. Lifting herself lazily she hoisted the books into her arms. She trudged through the town, headed for no place in particular, just enjoying the way the sun bounced off the bleach white snow, sending a bright, yet cheery flash about the town. Taking a deep breath her thoughts lingered on the upcoming Quidditch Match that was to take place that afternoon. She wanted to win, to show Malfoy he wasn't all he thought he was. It was one thing when Gryffonder beat Slytherin, that happened all the time, but it was another when Hermione beat Draco. It felt so much more personal, especially after their recent encounter. She shuddered, what would have happened if she had not gotten to her wand in time? She had a feeling it was way worse than detention. But she would beat him…She was a better player, not to mention a better person, than him.
She took a deep breath, swelling with pride and anticipation. The sweet smell of fresh snow made her want to plop down in the middle of the road and just think. Knowing of only one place in which she wouldn't be disturbed Hermione trudged up the hill toward the Shrieking Shack.
Though it was winter, and the ground was covered with snow the sun shown brightly, making her insides warm.
Seating herself infront of the old broken shack Hermione rested her chin on her hand.
There was a sudden thump in her side, making her spin around wildly, only to find endless white covering rooftops, trees, and the street. She looked down at the mounds of snow and was rather spooked to find no footprints. She shrugged, it was nothing, just the wind--on this incredibly non-windy day-- She added mentally. She stopped as she felt it again. Still, the snow was unmarked, which illuminated her first thought of a certain boy under a certain cloak. She frowned, was she just imagining it? Yes, of course she was.
Standing up, feeling rather jumpy and wanting to be amongst people for stability of the mind, she lifted the books into her arms once more and dropped them almost immediately. Her pocket was jumping! It twitched and flopped, jerking outwards and every which way.
She quickly laid her hands over top of it, as if to tame her excited pocket, knowing how strange it must look. It jumped under her fingers, pulling her in the direction of the shrieking shack. Quickly reaching inside her robes she yanked out the Medallion. It was still in her grasp, or at least it had been. With an almighty jerk she found herself face down in the snow, clinging to the medallion, which hovered above the frozen ground, pulling her forward.
A/N: Wow, what do you think? I can't wait 4 the next chapter, I hope you all love it. And again, 10 reviews! I promise this story will end soon…Gosh, this is getting longer than I wanted and expected. Anyway, Thank you so much for all the reviews and PLEASE review this time also.
Thanx again!
~Gabbi D.