The Parchment
Chapter five: Fallen Through The Trap Door
"It can't be" said Hermione
"It must be, you are the only Hermione Granger I know, and he's the only Draco Malfoy I've ever known." sapped Lavander.
"But. he. he hates me and I'm just a mudblood to him and-" Hermione said reluctantly.
Hermione crashed down on to her bed and buried her face to her hands. 'I do not believe this' she thought.
"How can Draco Malfoy ever." she continued.
"Hermione even if I do beyond doubt believe this, we shouldn't jump to conclusions. Where did you find this anyway?" Lavander asked as she tightened her grip on the piece of parchment and held it up.
"I found it by the hall way leading to Gryffindor tower. Come to think of it, I bumped in to Malfoy before I found it. I figure he might have dropped it."
"I see. We must return this, we can't let him know that we know." said Lavander.
"Fine by me. But how?" Hermione said as she looked up at Lavander.
"Just leave it up to me."
The next day at potions, Hermione walked in to class with Parvati and Lavander, talking about how they would slip the piece of parchment in to Malfoy's books so that he would think that he had never lost it. Lavander had just shown it to Parvati and her expression was just as shocked. (Not that she was shocked purely about Hermione being on top of the list, but partly because her twin sister was the third and she looked just like her)
"We have to hurry up." said Hermione "The lecture's almost done."
"I'll do it." dared Lavander
"Suit yourself" said Parvati.
At the end of the class Draco Malfoy stayed for a few minutes to discuss something with Professor Snape about Engorment Potions and where to find its ingredients. He was coming out of the Professor's office to collect his things when he noticed that he wasn't the only person in the room. There, not surprisingly, standing vigorously were Hermione Granger, Lavander Brown and Parvati Patil staring at them. Her flinched at the sight of Hermione but remembered to keep his emotions to himself. He gave them his coldest smile and left the dungeon rather furious.
"That was great!" said Lavander approvingly.
"I knew he would leave his things for a few minutes because he always goes to Snape after class." said Hermione.
"Yeah Hermione, I'ts a good thing you KNOW" said Parvati teasingly.
"Lets not talk about that, O.K.?" Hermione said somewhat irritably.
"If YOU say so Hermione."
Draco Malfoy hurried over to his dormitory after that strange encounter at the potions classroom.
"Why was granger there at the potions dungeon?' he asked himself.
As he reached hid dormitory, he opened the door silently and stuck his blond head in the doorway to make sure that neither Crabbe nor Goyle was in there. When the coast was clear he stepped in the room quietly and crashed down on his bed. He closed his eyed and ran his fingers through his silvery blond hair (Ooh Hermione must have loved that!) Malfoy then rummaged in his tote bag for his potions book. He was determined to get a perfect score on the next exam and show Hemione that she's not the only cream of the crop; not because he was the favorite but because he was as smart, as she was probably better.
Malfoy found his potions book and quickly scanned its pages. As he was reaching the end, he noticed a small piece of parchment flutter down on the ground. He picked it up and made it out.
'I found it! Great I thought I lost it' he thought as he slipped it in his bag again.
Just then there was a knock on the door.
"Draco darling, dinners ready, coming?" came Pansy's twanging voice through the door.
"Yes, later. Go on ahead," drawled Malfoy, slightly annoyed by Pansy's usual exasperating call. He was wondering why he even liked her, maybe it was because she never left his side, or maybe because she was the most beautiful in the Slytherin house, maybe because he just didn't know what he actually likes in a girl.
~~*
Down at the Great Hall, at the Gryffindor table, Hermione was conversing with Harry and Ron.
"Hey Hermione, why did you stay after potions yesterday? I thought you were revolted by those dungeons." said Ron as he turned to Hermione
"Yes Ron, I'm still revolted by those insults, but I just needed to talk to Lavander about something"
"And what would that 'something be?" asked Harry
"It's a secret" said a teasing voice behind them. It was Lavander, shortly followed by Parvati.
"Yeah Ron, can't a girl have her secrets" continued Parvati.
"Well, yes but not from her best friends" argued Ron as he eyed Parvati.
"How about you" interrupted Lavander "Don't you have secrets that you can't tell us because we are girls"
Ron looked dumbstruck.
"Well, no." said Harry as he nudged Ron's ribs with his elbow.
"Oh, look at the time" announced Ron suddenly. "We're going to be late" he said as he and Harry dashed out of the Great Hall
"See you later" said Harry behind his back.
Hermione giggled.
"Thank you for your perfect timing Lavander."
"Perfect, yes If I do say so myself. It was nothing Hermione, right Parvati?"
"Yes, we wouldn't want to tell them about him. yet" said Lavander as she eyed Malfoy over at the Slytherin table.
"What do you mean yet? We wouldn't want to tell them about him period!" retorted Hermione
"You know very well Hermione, that you're going to have to tell them sooner or later"
"Yes I know, but I hoped that it wouldn't be necessary, I hoped that it would never be necessary"
"Enough talk," said a voice behind them "I would truly appreciate it if you would be early in my class girls, especially you Ms. Granger. After your performance these last few days, I hate to say that you have lost you touch" came Mc Gonagall's sermon through Hermione's ears
"Of course not ma'am, I assure you that my performance will improve vividly as you expect"
"I am pleased to hear that Ms. Granger. Now off to class with you"
With that the three girls strode out of the Great Hall towards the Transfiguration classroom.
They were almost half-way there when Lavander stopped.
"Oh no," she said
"What?" asked Hermione and Parvati concurrently.
"Hermione, Are you doing something at about seven thirty tonight?"
"Yeah, Professor Vector needs me to arrange some charts for the fifth years to work on, I think I'll be there until eight, why?"
"Oh, great. Professor Sinistra needs me to pick up some materials to be sorted for the next project she has in store for our class and since the Arithmancy classroom is only a floor away from the Astrology classroom I was wondering."
"I'd be glad to Lavander,"
"Ohh, Thanks" said Lavander as she hugged Hermione.
~~*
That night, Hermione stepped out of the Arithmancy classroom after thanking Professor Vector and headed towards the Astrology tower.
"Are you sure that you could carry the trunk by yourself Ms. Brown" came Professor Sinistra's voice through the tower "I could always ask Master Malfoy to help you" she sustained as she looked at Malfoy at the corner of the room.
"That wouldn't be necessary Professor, Hermione will be over here shortly to help me with it"
"No, Ms. Brown I insist, even with the help of Ms. Granger, I am not so sure that you will be able to handle it by yourselves "
Lavander shrugged.
"Master Malfoy, would you please come over here,"
'Why did he have to be in Astrology' Lavander thought as Malfoy approached them.
"What is it Professor?" came his questioning voice as he eyed Lavander suspiciously.
"I would like you to help Ms. Brown here, to get this trunk here to the seventh antechamber in the library, I'm sure you won't get lost, considering that Ms. Granger will be with you-" Lavander felt Malfoy flinch at the mention of Hermione, and giggled softly.
"Knowing that she knows the library by heart" the Professor continued.
Just then Hermione peaked in to the tower.
"Am I late?" she said sweetly, as her chestnut brown hair cascaded over her face.
"No not at all dear" said Professor Sinistra while Hermione approached them. She caught Malfoy's eye and stared at him skeptically. He shrugged.
"Mudblood." She heard him mutter under his breath. Hermione sent him a spiteful glare and turned her attention back to Professor Sinistra.
"Master Malfoy here, will be helping you carry the trunk over to the library, it's the seventh antechamber up the stairs in the part of the restricted library, remember that."
"Ms. Granger, I'm sure you know that room perfectly"
"Yes, I do Professor" answered Hermione.
"Excellent! Now be on your way"
Malfoy and Lavander dragged the trunk far enough out of the tower so not to be seen by Professor Sinistra. They simultaneously raised their wands and-
"Wingardum Leviosa"
The trunk levitated a few feet above the ground and started floating down the stairs.
"I don't know why she wanted us to carry it, when we has our magic to do the work for us" said Lavander
"I'm sure she had a good reason for letting us do it the way without magic, I'm not so sure you should have done that." Said Hermione
"Then Granger," retorted Malfoy "If I place the counter spell on it right now, you would carry it by yourself?" he asked sarcastically.
"I'm sure I could Malfoy, though you could have done better since you are of higher standards than me" said Hemione proudly. Lavander looked at her with a disapproving look then continued to stroll along the marble staircase together with them.
"You are right Granger, I am of higher standards than you, for you are naught but a common mudblood that-"
Before Malfoy could finish his sentence he was hit on the head by Hermione's Arithmancy book.
"Oww, hell mudblood what did you do that for?!"
"What, what did I do that for?! For one thing , you, Draco Malfoy, were acting like an insufferable, malicious, spiteful, cynical, little git!"
"You forgot evil Granger" he said as he stood up with one of his trademark smirks dancing around his face.
"Will you both shut up!" screamed Lavander.
Hermione and Malfoy kept stared at Lavander in surprise and followed her as she turned her back to them and walked down the marble staircase.
"Where are we?" said Lavander as she looked around at an unfamiliar corridor which they were in.
"We must have taken a wrong turn," said Hermione
"Oh great, all knowing Granger got us lost, I thought you knew everything" sneered Malfoy.
"Shut Up Malfoy. For one thing, I didn't get us lost, I - we were following the trunk remember?"
"Where is the trunk?" asked Lavander as she glanced around to find any trace of it. "Ohmigod, I lost it, professor Sinistra's going to be sooooo angry"
"I'm sure it's here somewhere Lavander don't worry," Hermione walked over to Lavander to comfort her. She didn't even get a foot close to her when-
"Ahhh!" came Lavander's shrill screams. She had fallen into a trap door. Hermione bent over to look where she had gone.
"Lavander,"
Just then, Hermione felt her shoe step on the edge of her amethyst tinted robe. She felt herself coming down to meet the seemingly bottomless opening wherein Lavander had descended in to.
She had her eyes closed when it happened; it appeared that she didn't want to see herself falling in to the abyss. She felt strong arms around her waist; her head was facing down, her eyes still closed. When she finally opened them she looked up to silver pools of liquid looking right in to her.
"Careful Granger, you aren't planning on dying early are you?" came his teasing voice. Malfoy had just caught her; stopped her from falling. saved her.
"Thanks." she muttered.
Malfoy laid her on the floor gently. He stood up quickly and looked though the trap door.
"She must've fallen a pretty long way, I can't see a thing" he said carelessly.
"Oh no, I hope she's not hurt" said Hermione tears beginning to roll down her pretty face.
Malfoy sat over the trap door and prepared to dive in.
"No," said Hermione "You'll get hurt" she was surprised at this, and so was he.
"And since when did you care about me, Granger?" he said somewhat glaringly.
"I don't, its just" she trailed off "I don't know what professor Sinistra will say if I come back without both of you,"
"So what Granger?" he said as he edged farther over the trapped door.
"I'm coming with you" Hemione said in a daring tone. He looked shocked.
"No Granger, do you want to save her or not?"
"And since when did you care about me Malfoy? One more thing, of course I want to save her, but you're not doing it without me"
"I don't care for you Granger," he said in a hurtful tone.
'Somehow I don't believe you' Hermione thought inequityly.
"Fine, he said" he stretched out his long graceful arm as Hermione held on to it tightly. Malfoy put his arms around Hermione's waist securing her body.
"Shall we?" said Hermione with a smile. A rather genuine grin from Malfoy was his reply, and with that, he and Hermione jumped off in to the trapped door.
Chapter five: Fallen Through The Trap Door
"It can't be" said Hermione
"It must be, you are the only Hermione Granger I know, and he's the only Draco Malfoy I've ever known." sapped Lavander.
"But. he. he hates me and I'm just a mudblood to him and-" Hermione said reluctantly.
Hermione crashed down on to her bed and buried her face to her hands. 'I do not believe this' she thought.
"How can Draco Malfoy ever." she continued.
"Hermione even if I do beyond doubt believe this, we shouldn't jump to conclusions. Where did you find this anyway?" Lavander asked as she tightened her grip on the piece of parchment and held it up.
"I found it by the hall way leading to Gryffindor tower. Come to think of it, I bumped in to Malfoy before I found it. I figure he might have dropped it."
"I see. We must return this, we can't let him know that we know." said Lavander.
"Fine by me. But how?" Hermione said as she looked up at Lavander.
"Just leave it up to me."
The next day at potions, Hermione walked in to class with Parvati and Lavander, talking about how they would slip the piece of parchment in to Malfoy's books so that he would think that he had never lost it. Lavander had just shown it to Parvati and her expression was just as shocked. (Not that she was shocked purely about Hermione being on top of the list, but partly because her twin sister was the third and she looked just like her)
"We have to hurry up." said Hermione "The lecture's almost done."
"I'll do it." dared Lavander
"Suit yourself" said Parvati.
At the end of the class Draco Malfoy stayed for a few minutes to discuss something with Professor Snape about Engorment Potions and where to find its ingredients. He was coming out of the Professor's office to collect his things when he noticed that he wasn't the only person in the room. There, not surprisingly, standing vigorously were Hermione Granger, Lavander Brown and Parvati Patil staring at them. Her flinched at the sight of Hermione but remembered to keep his emotions to himself. He gave them his coldest smile and left the dungeon rather furious.
"That was great!" said Lavander approvingly.
"I knew he would leave his things for a few minutes because he always goes to Snape after class." said Hermione.
"Yeah Hermione, I'ts a good thing you KNOW" said Parvati teasingly.
"Lets not talk about that, O.K.?" Hermione said somewhat irritably.
"If YOU say so Hermione."
Draco Malfoy hurried over to his dormitory after that strange encounter at the potions classroom.
"Why was granger there at the potions dungeon?' he asked himself.
As he reached hid dormitory, he opened the door silently and stuck his blond head in the doorway to make sure that neither Crabbe nor Goyle was in there. When the coast was clear he stepped in the room quietly and crashed down on his bed. He closed his eyed and ran his fingers through his silvery blond hair (Ooh Hermione must have loved that!) Malfoy then rummaged in his tote bag for his potions book. He was determined to get a perfect score on the next exam and show Hemione that she's not the only cream of the crop; not because he was the favorite but because he was as smart, as she was probably better.
Malfoy found his potions book and quickly scanned its pages. As he was reaching the end, he noticed a small piece of parchment flutter down on the ground. He picked it up and made it out.
'I found it! Great I thought I lost it' he thought as he slipped it in his bag again.
Just then there was a knock on the door.
"Draco darling, dinners ready, coming?" came Pansy's twanging voice through the door.
"Yes, later. Go on ahead," drawled Malfoy, slightly annoyed by Pansy's usual exasperating call. He was wondering why he even liked her, maybe it was because she never left his side, or maybe because she was the most beautiful in the Slytherin house, maybe because he just didn't know what he actually likes in a girl.
~~*
Down at the Great Hall, at the Gryffindor table, Hermione was conversing with Harry and Ron.
"Hey Hermione, why did you stay after potions yesterday? I thought you were revolted by those dungeons." said Ron as he turned to Hermione
"Yes Ron, I'm still revolted by those insults, but I just needed to talk to Lavander about something"
"And what would that 'something be?" asked Harry
"It's a secret" said a teasing voice behind them. It was Lavander, shortly followed by Parvati.
"Yeah Ron, can't a girl have her secrets" continued Parvati.
"Well, yes but not from her best friends" argued Ron as he eyed Parvati.
"How about you" interrupted Lavander "Don't you have secrets that you can't tell us because we are girls"
Ron looked dumbstruck.
"Well, no." said Harry as he nudged Ron's ribs with his elbow.
"Oh, look at the time" announced Ron suddenly. "We're going to be late" he said as he and Harry dashed out of the Great Hall
"See you later" said Harry behind his back.
Hermione giggled.
"Thank you for your perfect timing Lavander."
"Perfect, yes If I do say so myself. It was nothing Hermione, right Parvati?"
"Yes, we wouldn't want to tell them about him. yet" said Lavander as she eyed Malfoy over at the Slytherin table.
"What do you mean yet? We wouldn't want to tell them about him period!" retorted Hermione
"You know very well Hermione, that you're going to have to tell them sooner or later"
"Yes I know, but I hoped that it wouldn't be necessary, I hoped that it would never be necessary"
"Enough talk," said a voice behind them "I would truly appreciate it if you would be early in my class girls, especially you Ms. Granger. After your performance these last few days, I hate to say that you have lost you touch" came Mc Gonagall's sermon through Hermione's ears
"Of course not ma'am, I assure you that my performance will improve vividly as you expect"
"I am pleased to hear that Ms. Granger. Now off to class with you"
With that the three girls strode out of the Great Hall towards the Transfiguration classroom.
They were almost half-way there when Lavander stopped.
"Oh no," she said
"What?" asked Hermione and Parvati concurrently.
"Hermione, Are you doing something at about seven thirty tonight?"
"Yeah, Professor Vector needs me to arrange some charts for the fifth years to work on, I think I'll be there until eight, why?"
"Oh, great. Professor Sinistra needs me to pick up some materials to be sorted for the next project she has in store for our class and since the Arithmancy classroom is only a floor away from the Astrology classroom I was wondering."
"I'd be glad to Lavander,"
"Ohh, Thanks" said Lavander as she hugged Hermione.
~~*
That night, Hermione stepped out of the Arithmancy classroom after thanking Professor Vector and headed towards the Astrology tower.
"Are you sure that you could carry the trunk by yourself Ms. Brown" came Professor Sinistra's voice through the tower "I could always ask Master Malfoy to help you" she sustained as she looked at Malfoy at the corner of the room.
"That wouldn't be necessary Professor, Hermione will be over here shortly to help me with it"
"No, Ms. Brown I insist, even with the help of Ms. Granger, I am not so sure that you will be able to handle it by yourselves "
Lavander shrugged.
"Master Malfoy, would you please come over here,"
'Why did he have to be in Astrology' Lavander thought as Malfoy approached them.
"What is it Professor?" came his questioning voice as he eyed Lavander suspiciously.
"I would like you to help Ms. Brown here, to get this trunk here to the seventh antechamber in the library, I'm sure you won't get lost, considering that Ms. Granger will be with you-" Lavander felt Malfoy flinch at the mention of Hermione, and giggled softly.
"Knowing that she knows the library by heart" the Professor continued.
Just then Hermione peaked in to the tower.
"Am I late?" she said sweetly, as her chestnut brown hair cascaded over her face.
"No not at all dear" said Professor Sinistra while Hermione approached them. She caught Malfoy's eye and stared at him skeptically. He shrugged.
"Mudblood." She heard him mutter under his breath. Hermione sent him a spiteful glare and turned her attention back to Professor Sinistra.
"Master Malfoy here, will be helping you carry the trunk over to the library, it's the seventh antechamber up the stairs in the part of the restricted library, remember that."
"Ms. Granger, I'm sure you know that room perfectly"
"Yes, I do Professor" answered Hermione.
"Excellent! Now be on your way"
Malfoy and Lavander dragged the trunk far enough out of the tower so not to be seen by Professor Sinistra. They simultaneously raised their wands and-
"Wingardum Leviosa"
The trunk levitated a few feet above the ground and started floating down the stairs.
"I don't know why she wanted us to carry it, when we has our magic to do the work for us" said Lavander
"I'm sure she had a good reason for letting us do it the way without magic, I'm not so sure you should have done that." Said Hermione
"Then Granger," retorted Malfoy "If I place the counter spell on it right now, you would carry it by yourself?" he asked sarcastically.
"I'm sure I could Malfoy, though you could have done better since you are of higher standards than me" said Hemione proudly. Lavander looked at her with a disapproving look then continued to stroll along the marble staircase together with them.
"You are right Granger, I am of higher standards than you, for you are naught but a common mudblood that-"
Before Malfoy could finish his sentence he was hit on the head by Hermione's Arithmancy book.
"Oww, hell mudblood what did you do that for?!"
"What, what did I do that for?! For one thing , you, Draco Malfoy, were acting like an insufferable, malicious, spiteful, cynical, little git!"
"You forgot evil Granger" he said as he stood up with one of his trademark smirks dancing around his face.
"Will you both shut up!" screamed Lavander.
Hermione and Malfoy kept stared at Lavander in surprise and followed her as she turned her back to them and walked down the marble staircase.
"Where are we?" said Lavander as she looked around at an unfamiliar corridor which they were in.
"We must have taken a wrong turn," said Hermione
"Oh great, all knowing Granger got us lost, I thought you knew everything" sneered Malfoy.
"Shut Up Malfoy. For one thing, I didn't get us lost, I - we were following the trunk remember?"
"Where is the trunk?" asked Lavander as she glanced around to find any trace of it. "Ohmigod, I lost it, professor Sinistra's going to be sooooo angry"
"I'm sure it's here somewhere Lavander don't worry," Hermione walked over to Lavander to comfort her. She didn't even get a foot close to her when-
"Ahhh!" came Lavander's shrill screams. She had fallen into a trap door. Hermione bent over to look where she had gone.
"Lavander,"
Just then, Hermione felt her shoe step on the edge of her amethyst tinted robe. She felt herself coming down to meet the seemingly bottomless opening wherein Lavander had descended in to.
She had her eyes closed when it happened; it appeared that she didn't want to see herself falling in to the abyss. She felt strong arms around her waist; her head was facing down, her eyes still closed. When she finally opened them she looked up to silver pools of liquid looking right in to her.
"Careful Granger, you aren't planning on dying early are you?" came his teasing voice. Malfoy had just caught her; stopped her from falling. saved her.
"Thanks." she muttered.
Malfoy laid her on the floor gently. He stood up quickly and looked though the trap door.
"She must've fallen a pretty long way, I can't see a thing" he said carelessly.
"Oh no, I hope she's not hurt" said Hermione tears beginning to roll down her pretty face.
Malfoy sat over the trap door and prepared to dive in.
"No," said Hermione "You'll get hurt" she was surprised at this, and so was he.
"And since when did you care about me, Granger?" he said somewhat glaringly.
"I don't, its just" she trailed off "I don't know what professor Sinistra will say if I come back without both of you,"
"So what Granger?" he said as he edged farther over the trapped door.
"I'm coming with you" Hemione said in a daring tone. He looked shocked.
"No Granger, do you want to save her or not?"
"And since when did you care about me Malfoy? One more thing, of course I want to save her, but you're not doing it without me"
"I don't care for you Granger," he said in a hurtful tone.
'Somehow I don't believe you' Hermione thought inequityly.
"Fine, he said" he stretched out his long graceful arm as Hermione held on to it tightly. Malfoy put his arms around Hermione's waist securing her body.
"Shall we?" said Hermione with a smile. A rather genuine grin from Malfoy was his reply, and with that, he and Hermione jumped off in to the trapped door.
