A/N- Not quite as late as number five, but we're coming very close to a permenint-ly unfinished project, aren't we? Don't worry, if I decide too, I'll end it in one chapter and it will be crap. But finished crap. There's an upside, naturally. Reviewing the last chapter, since I was in such a hurry to get it up, I can't believe I did a Draco apology. I hadn't planned on it, but I figured it would add to the shock value of the friendship proposal[which wasn't really shocking at all....] This Chapter's title is odd. Aside from having nothing to do with the chapter, two 'Where's' just seem wrong to me. Neurotic? Not at all. ^^; The title comes from the new Bee Gees song and CD, I think. I'm not quite sure if I'm wrong about the band and the exact title. I wasn't really paying attention [story of my life]
Caution- Light GoF spoilers, something's won't be understood unless you've read GoF(ex. Death Eaters)
Where I Find You, Part Six
This is Where I Came In
Draco paused, quill silent for the first time in about an hour. He turned back a few pages and read what he had written. The pages were crisp and thick, the gold-leaf side decorations curving with hints of the outrageous price of the book. The hard cover was a dark, swampy green, not a deep forest colour. This had always been one of his favourite colours, not because of the House he had been in during Hogwarts[although the colours were very different], but because of the vast garden his mother had always devoted her every spare moment to. It had grown silently beneath his window, where he would spend hours on his window seat and write, like now.
He wondered vaguely if it was still there, exotic and breath taking. Of course it was still there. The only thing that could deter Narcissa from her hobby, was himself, Draco.
And, since Draco had gone away, Narcissa would've needed that garden.
A pang of regret hit him. He had visited as often as he could, though.
Draco flipped to the inside cover of the book. Blue, the dark, icy colour his eyes got when he was angry or threatened.
A sentence, glittering silver ink, written in his own, neat, powerful writing.
Tibi voluntas supersto
*
It had been nearly two months later. She had spent time with him, getting to know him. Friends, for real. She had forgotten the fake-ness, on her part, of their relationship. She had forgotten the warnings of her former boyfriend. Former, no longer, a part of her past. But that past, filled with adventure and laughter. Sure, Draco made her laugh, he was a surprisingly good friend, but Ron's warning kept haunting her. She couldn't help feel guilty.
' What am I, Catholic?' She thought darkly.
Hermione looked up, fingers laced through her hair. Neville stood there, with the awkwardness he would never grow out of. Those same brown eyes. She'd always thought of him as a little brother. He still had his chubby cheeks, and that school boy appearance that made many new first years assume he was still just an older student.
" So, have you heard from Ron yet?" he asked slowly. She'd just finished telling him that she and Draco were...friends. He'd taken it quite well, not like she had guessed he would.
" No, I haven't"
" And he hasn't heard from you?" Hermione shook her head. " Well, you don't really have anything to tell him, do you?"
Hermione froze. She did.
*
Harry grimaced, eyes scanning the miserable room. The bed looked as though it hadn't been washed in a decade, and the springs of the mattress were so broken and rickety, the whole structure of the bed would probably break down, given the wrong amount of weight was applied.
The room itself was not better, if perhaps worse. Harry's eyes determinedly not straying over the disease ridden bathroom, settled on the few suitcases placed by the drawers. It told him, Ron had not been here long, nor, was planning to stay.
" Harry, er, well come in..." Ron faltered.
" So tell me," Harry said, eyebrows raised. " What's this about Draco Malfoy?"
*
He hadn't even been in the country.
Hermione got up. Thank goodness it was the weekend, she needed to get out. Talk to someone. A girl, who would help. Understand.
One hour and a half later, she was there. Madame P's Salon for Glamorous Witches.
Parvati had made a nice life for herself. The salon had a style that would undoubtedly attract wives of rich, well known wizards.
She entered, feeling very out of place in the decorative, high class salon. A secretary looked at her through glittering designer glasses, her hair put-up, not a single stand out of place. The witches waiting for their appointments smirked at her and a few started muttering unclearly to whoever was next to them.
" Do you have an appointment?" The secretary asked, looking over Hermione's plain robes and genuinely pretty school teacher's appearance. The kind of looks half the women waiting came weekly for.
" Well, no, I just wanted to talk to-"
" Listen honey, if you want to just talk, you've come to the wrong place. We do your hair here."
Suddenly, Hermione heard a loud shriek.
" Hermione?"
*
Neville sat around in the teacher's lounge, with nothing to do since Hermione had gone for a bit.
Professor Dumbledore had, not even fifteen minutes ago, come in and told Neville to get out and make some new friends. Neville had sensed, more than a slight push towards the new potions teacher.
He had lightly considered it. Well, if Hermione could call Malfoy 'friend', wouldn't there be a reason? Malfoy had been far worse to her. And Dumbledore seemed to like Malfoy too, for, whenever they were together, they exchanged in friendly conversation. There had to be a pretty good reason why.
With silent conviction, Neville rose, and set off to find Malfoy.
He wasn't hard to find. Not in the Great Hall or outside, Neville headed to check the dungeon Potions was held in. Sure enough, Malfoy was there, blonde head bent over and face set in concentration over a large book.
" Hullo," Neville said suddenly, startling even himself.
*
" Draco Malfoy?" Ron echoed slowly, furrowing his eyebrows in could-be confusion.
" You, my friend, are a very bad actor. " Harry said, sitting heavily on the bed. It creaked warningly, but Harry just kept waiting for Ron's answer.
" I, er, he's at Hogwarts..."
" No, really?" Harry said sarcastically, " You'd think with all those lectures we received in Auror school you'd pay a bit more attention?"
" Attention to what?" Harry held up Hermione's letter, and watched as Ron's jaw dropped. " Now, what did you tell Hermione to do?"
Ron explained, fumbling slightly along the way. And after he was done, he waited for Harry to explode.
" You don't talk to Hermione for five years and you expect her to do something like that? And to Malfoy? Did you permanently block out Hogwarts or something? Malfoy equals manipulator, and he can spot a badly planned scheme faster than you can say 'quick-witted'. Do you actually expect this to work?"
Ron looked up. His ears were now brick red and he was wringing his hands feverishly.
" Uh, well, in the beginning it was a good idea, but now I'm thinking that-"
" Thinking what? That perhaps finding out what Malfoy's been doing is more of a risk than an opportunity?"
" I was thinking more along the lines of 'perhaps Malfoy's not such an interesting person after all? Maybe he's just been 're-inventing himself' in some oriental Wizarding community....'"
" Great theory there. Just come up with it now?"
" Yep."
*
Ripped pages, moldy covers and smeared words. Did the whole ancient wizard civilization treat their possessions this bad? Every single book he had found was nearly ruined beyond being any help to him. Even with his Potions expertise, strong cleaning charms did next to nothing.
Severus Snape blew away the layers of dust from a thick page, closing his black eyes as he did so. Muttering silent prayers, he scanned the page. Readable? Finally. Understandable? Not a chance. Written in the Dark Language he had never bothered to learn, [ as by the time he was high enough to learn it, he was on the other side] he would at least need a Speaker, if not
an ex-Death Eater. Karakoff wouldn't know. Not high enough. He needed a Final Level Death Eater, one of Voldemorts most trusted, one of his right-hand men. All these people would most definitely turn Severus over to their Lord right away. Unless they had been bribed, but that was stupid. Most of their children were out of Hogwarts, so he couldn't promise top grades. Crabbe and Goyle would've folded, but Severus doubted that they knew the Language.
Lucius Malfoy most definitely did. Malfoy's went very far back into the Dark Arts, rumored to be the Largest and First Dark Arts family, with the original surname withstanding. Slytherin would've taken the title, but the name had died out long ago. And probably true too, thought Severus. He knew the family's history of strict breeding rules, designed to maintain the
cognomen's survival. Also rumored was a theory that Lucius' father, Draco's grandfather, was Voldemort's partner, before a suspicious death, which Lucius kept hidden. Draco probably didn't even know.
Severus frowned. Lucius would've helped him, if his son was still in school. But he wasn't, therefore Lucius would be no help.
Suddenly, Severus grinned. Draco was in school though. And it was almost a sure thing Draco had been taught everything Lucius knew. Lucius wouldn't let his son wander around, ignorant to the teachings of the Malfoys. Severus suddenly had a doubt. Perhaps Narcissa had forbidden Lucius to instruct Draco?
It was worth the risk. This was the last piece of the puzzle, one he had been working on for the whole summer and nearly three months of the school year.
The Prophecy, his assignment from Dumbledore. So far, he had got most of the information already.
*
" So what are you going to do now?" Harry asked slowly.
" I'm going to still go to Hogwarts."
" Why? Malfoy doesn't matter anymore."
" But Hermione does." Ron answered slowly. " I made a mistake. I need to fix things."
" But 'things' will probably never be the same again. You know that."
" I know, but I love her."
" Then let's go. I'm not going to spend days here wondering whether she'll take you back. Get it over with. Either you're together or you're not."
" But....I made so many mistakes."
" Get your bags, Ron."
*
The secretary looked incredulous. " Miss Patil, I-"
" Hush, honey! I need you to cancel all my appointments," Parvati said quickly.
" Hermione! You look incredible!"
Hermione gushed. She'd never been described as incredible. Other things yes, but-
" Come honey, we can talk in the back room." Hermione followed this girl, whom she hadn't known extremely well in the first place. Whom she was teetering on the verge of telling every single event of the past three months. Whom Hermione was slightly aware of her connections with higher-ups in the press. Parvati sat down, and motioned for Hermione to do the same. " It has been so long!" Parvati giggled, "do you still teach at Hogwarts?".
Hermione nodded, feeling very stupid.
"Really?" Parvati continued. " What about Neville? Ooo, and the old teachers? McGonagall? Snape? I suppose Flitwick and Sprout aren't there...ah! What about Trelawney?"
" Neville's still there too, so's McGonagall, Snape's gone for a year, and Trelawney's still...."
" Oh good! " Parvati gushed. " She was always my favourite!" Then the girl stopped. " S-s-snape's gone? Why? What happened?" she stuttered.
" No one really knows. Dumbledore won't say much...."
" Who replaced him?" Parvati questioned, her eyes wide as saucers. Hermione paused, debating on whether she should answer truthfully or not. After all, this is what she had come here for, right? To spill it to Parvati and hope, just hope, that she would know what to do?
" Draco. Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy is the new Potions teacher. " Hermione said, the words " I kissed him..." faltering on her tongue.
Still, Hermione watched with bated breath as Parvati's jaw dropped slightly. " Slytherin's Draco Malfoy....?"
" The very same." Hermione answered quietly, averting her eyes. Parvati grinned suddenly.
" Gringotts' Goblins, Hermione! This is unbelievable! D'you remember what he was called in Hogwarts..?"
Hermione shook her head, wondering what nickname Draco Malfoy had in school that could adequately describe him.
Parvati grinned, lowering her voice to a whisper. Hermione had to strain her ears to hear. " Slytherin's Bad Boy."
Well, there you go, Hermione thought. The perfect label for him. Indirect enough to leave the kind of mystery Malfoy had loved. It could be taken so many ways. Insolent? Evil? Horror to society? An intolerable prat to the entire school system? Ignorer of Rules and Rebel of all things proper?
Or perhaps it could be taken in a completely different light.
The exception to Slytherin? The bad one of Slytherin? One who would never be like the others? A lost cause to his father, and to the other Death Eaters to-be? The possession of no house? Evil, to those who were evil? Insolent, to those who demanded it? The Ignorer of the Rules of his world, and rebel to the proper things in their life?
Or it could just mean he was unbelievably handsome and had that dark aura around himself? Leaving girls to grin in stupor at his contradictingly fair appearance?
Hermione felt that queasy numbness you get when you have no idea.
" Wait." Parvati was speaking again. " That isn't what you came here to talk about, is it?"
Hermione looked at the girl in surprise. She had certainly gotten more perceptive. " No, it's not."
Parvati's face softened. " Hermione, what's wrong? Why are you here?" Hermione closed her eyes, and swallowed.
" It's Ron...."
" Hermione, how long has it been since you seen each other....?"
" Five, five years....ever since graduation...." She replied, not able to say that Ron had written.
" Hermione, I know you love him, and I know he loves you.....but sometimes, people are just....incompatible. They have too many differences, they end up fighting all the time, and don't love each other anymore."
Hermione looked up at Parvati. Something stung in the back of her mind. 'No, she's wrong! You and Ron aren't incompatible, you just haven't given each other a chance....'
" I hear about it all the time, Hermione, witches come in, complaining about their failed marriages...sometimes they started out in love, others for money, or it was arranged. What you need, is to be happy...."
' I am happy!' the voice screamed.
" Have you dated since then...?" Parvati asked.
" No." Hermione said, too shocked by the question to decide whether to lie or not.
Parvati's lip trembled. " Felt any feelings for any other man...?"
Hermione was met with the sudden vision of Draco in her mend. 'No, he's a friend...'
" Nope..." she lied.
" Hermione...are you sure teaching is the right job for you? I mean, you're young. You need to meet people. Look at the teachers in Hogwarts...I don't think any of them are married...Neville should consider leaving too....wait, what about him? Neville! He always did like you..."
Hermione shook her head. " Parvati, I don't like him that way, he's my friend..."
" Alright....I'm sorry, Hermione, I have to get back to work. You should owl me sometime, and we'll have lunch...But remember, don't give up. The more you look, the closer you get to that perfect man. Someday, you'll find he's right under your nose."
Hermione nodded deftly, that nasty little voice in the back of her mind, offering...
'Or he could be right down the corridor....'
*
The blonde head jerked up, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
" Longbottom? What, what are you doing here?"
Neville chuckled lightly. " I came to talk."
" Talk?" Malfoy's sneer was back in place. " Surely everyone else didn't get tired of you already?"
Neville ignored the comment. " Hermione went on a little trip, I want to ask you a few...questions."
Malfoy snorted. " Questions? What, Longbottom? Still forlorn about getting turned down for...." but he was cut off by Neville.
" Don't tell me you're not bitter about being inapt to serve your Lord..." Neville spat out.
Malfoy smirked, setting his elbows on the table. He was made of stone, Neville decided. Nothing got under his skin. The sleeves of his robes fell down a bit as he did so, exposing slightly pale wrists. Neville knew what was happening. A taunt, plain and simple. Malfoy had called his bluff, and was teasing him, with only a simple action. Neville hadn't known whether Malfoy was a Death Eater or not.
" You'd love to know, wouldn't you? For me to roll up my sleeves and enlighten you? Curiosity killed the cat, Neville, and I have all the weapons..."
" Why does Hermione like you so much? You're still just as damned intolerable as you were five years ago..." Neville said, changing the subject, and not very well at that.
" Ever consider that, maybe, my company is preferable to yours?"
Neville frowned. He hadn't thought of that. His frowned deepened. He didn't come here for Malfoy's emotional badgering.
" No, you don't act like this around her. Why is that?"
Malfoy snickered. " Perhaps I have selective tact?"
" Why are you answering all my questions with questions?"
" Why are you wasting your breath on so many questions?"
Neville slammed his fist down on the table, getting a pleasant flinch of surprise from Malfoy. Neville was too angry to milk the action for all it was worth.
" Damn you! Can't I get a single straight answer from you?"
" Is that another question, Longbottom, or a statement?"
" Agh!" Neville cried.
" Well, you brought it on yourself, Longbottom. You come in here, thinking I'm up for a fun game of twenty questions, and when I don't cooperate to your expectations, you get all flustered. I'm sorry, but last time I checked, you weren't the boss of me."
" Malfoy...please...." Neville pleaded.
Draco cocked his head slightly, and grinned. " Well, now that we've got your manners down pact, we can start on my 'well-deserved' interrogation. Really, though, I should write a book, 'Draco's fun and easy ways to get idiotic Herbology teachers to use the 'Magic' word'. I can see it on the best sellers list now. It'll knock Lockheart's fictions out, it will."
Neville rolled his eyes. " Why does Hermione like you so much?"
" Well, seeing as I'm a mind reader and all...."
" Malfoy...."
Malfoy grinned. " Beats me...A woman's mind is arguably the most mysterious thing in the world."
" You're dodging, Malfoy....How come Hermione can tolerate you, when I can hardly listen to a single sentence come from your mouth, without wanting to pull out every solitary strand of hair on my head?"
Malfoy's face suddenly lost it's sneer and gleeful air. " Honestly? I think she's lonely."
" Lonely?"
" For crying out loud, Longbottom, do you want a professional job as an echo, or is it just that nothing gets through your thick head?"
" Well, that was a fairly unexpected answer, Malfoy. Excuse me if I was a bit thrown..."
Malfoy raised an eyebrow. " Really? I thought you'd know Miss Granger like the back of your hand? Five years of no other people in your age group? Isolated from all your beloved friends from Hogwarts," Malfoy let out a short, derisive laugh. " Ironic, isn't it? Everyone else is away, having fun and writing each other happy notes. Like in Hogwarts, except it's not Hogwarts. But look, you're still in Hogwarts."
" And so are you, Malfoy. Tell me, why are you here?"
" Because I was asked."
" I never thought of you as the compliant type, Malfoy..."
" I never said I agreed."
" What?"
" Well, not willingly anyway." Malfoy said in a tone that told Neville that would be all Malfoy would say on the subject.
" Where's Snape?"
Malfoy's eyes glittered mockingly. The jeering knowledge of a secret.
" Tut tut tut, Longbottom. If it was really any of your business, don't you think the Headmaster would've enlightened you?"
" So, are you saying you know?"
" I never said anything of the sort. I was just wondering if you have a recovery lined up, you know, just in case Dumbledore walked in on you demanding where Snape was. If you're having problems thinking of one, I can offer a few...."
" I have the odd feeling all your ideas are stupid, sarcastic and completely humiliating on my part."
" Did you take Divination? Because you have that intuition thing down pact..."
" Are you a Death Eater?"
Malfoy looked actually shocked. " Well, Longbottom, if I was, I wouldn't be stupid enough to say anything incriminating, now would I? There'd be all sorts of Auror's watching me, you know, sending spies and that sort. Checking files and coming to Hogwarts....the whole lot."
Something clicked in the back of Neville's head.
" You know, don't you?"
*
Hermione sat, on one of Hogwarts carriages, trying to read a book. Perhaps this was a first, not getting immediately immersed in some sort of literature.
She felt odd. Why, did thoughts of Draco cloud her mind? Sure, she had kissed him, or well he had kissed her. She had this odd, feeling Draco was holding something back, but what? He seemed slightly uncomfortable, as though he didn't want to get to close?
And there, circling in the pit of her stomach, was Ron. Should she write him? What would she tell him? Neville was right, she had gotten far too close...Would Ron hate her? What would he do to Draco when he got to...to...Hogwarts....
Hermione's eyes widened, and her mind went blank with cold fear.
Oh god, what if Ron was already at Hogwarts?
********************************************************************************
AN-Yes, yes, yes. Late, I know. Longer than any of the ones that had been written quicker, you have to give me that.I know I said I'd do thank you's, but I'm running short on time, so I won't right now. But, if you reviewed, thank you, you know who you are....Anyways, something to look forward to....The *big* confrontation between Ron, Hermione and Draco, we find out where Snape was and what Draco hasbeen doing for five years. Is Draco a Death Eater? Is Hermione still in love with Ron? Does Draco really still want to be friends? Does Hermione? Does Draco know?[What does he know?No, just kidding, if you don't know what Draco might know, read six again...] Is Draco really still a jerk, or is he changed? All in Where I Find You Seven, it will probably take awhile, but it's the big one we've been waiting for, and finally, we get to the real plot, so it's not the last chapter either. Hurrah.
Be nice and write a review....please?
Caution- Light GoF spoilers, something's won't be understood unless you've read GoF(ex. Death Eaters)
Where I Find You, Part Six
This is Where I Came In
Draco paused, quill silent for the first time in about an hour. He turned back a few pages and read what he had written. The pages were crisp and thick, the gold-leaf side decorations curving with hints of the outrageous price of the book. The hard cover was a dark, swampy green, not a deep forest colour. This had always been one of his favourite colours, not because of the House he had been in during Hogwarts[although the colours were very different], but because of the vast garden his mother had always devoted her every spare moment to. It had grown silently beneath his window, where he would spend hours on his window seat and write, like now.
He wondered vaguely if it was still there, exotic and breath taking. Of course it was still there. The only thing that could deter Narcissa from her hobby, was himself, Draco.
And, since Draco had gone away, Narcissa would've needed that garden.
A pang of regret hit him. He had visited as often as he could, though.
Draco flipped to the inside cover of the book. Blue, the dark, icy colour his eyes got when he was angry or threatened.
A sentence, glittering silver ink, written in his own, neat, powerful writing.
Tibi voluntas supersto
*
It had been nearly two months later. She had spent time with him, getting to know him. Friends, for real. She had forgotten the fake-ness, on her part, of their relationship. She had forgotten the warnings of her former boyfriend. Former, no longer, a part of her past. But that past, filled with adventure and laughter. Sure, Draco made her laugh, he was a surprisingly good friend, but Ron's warning kept haunting her. She couldn't help feel guilty.
' What am I, Catholic?' She thought darkly.
Hermione looked up, fingers laced through her hair. Neville stood there, with the awkwardness he would never grow out of. Those same brown eyes. She'd always thought of him as a little brother. He still had his chubby cheeks, and that school boy appearance that made many new first years assume he was still just an older student.
" So, have you heard from Ron yet?" he asked slowly. She'd just finished telling him that she and Draco were...friends. He'd taken it quite well, not like she had guessed he would.
" No, I haven't"
" And he hasn't heard from you?" Hermione shook her head. " Well, you don't really have anything to tell him, do you?"
Hermione froze. She did.
*
Harry grimaced, eyes scanning the miserable room. The bed looked as though it hadn't been washed in a decade, and the springs of the mattress were so broken and rickety, the whole structure of the bed would probably break down, given the wrong amount of weight was applied.
The room itself was not better, if perhaps worse. Harry's eyes determinedly not straying over the disease ridden bathroom, settled on the few suitcases placed by the drawers. It told him, Ron had not been here long, nor, was planning to stay.
" Harry, er, well come in..." Ron faltered.
" So tell me," Harry said, eyebrows raised. " What's this about Draco Malfoy?"
*
He hadn't even been in the country.
Hermione got up. Thank goodness it was the weekend, she needed to get out. Talk to someone. A girl, who would help. Understand.
One hour and a half later, she was there. Madame P's Salon for Glamorous Witches.
Parvati had made a nice life for herself. The salon had a style that would undoubtedly attract wives of rich, well known wizards.
She entered, feeling very out of place in the decorative, high class salon. A secretary looked at her through glittering designer glasses, her hair put-up, not a single stand out of place. The witches waiting for their appointments smirked at her and a few started muttering unclearly to whoever was next to them.
" Do you have an appointment?" The secretary asked, looking over Hermione's plain robes and genuinely pretty school teacher's appearance. The kind of looks half the women waiting came weekly for.
" Well, no, I just wanted to talk to-"
" Listen honey, if you want to just talk, you've come to the wrong place. We do your hair here."
Suddenly, Hermione heard a loud shriek.
" Hermione?"
*
Neville sat around in the teacher's lounge, with nothing to do since Hermione had gone for a bit.
Professor Dumbledore had, not even fifteen minutes ago, come in and told Neville to get out and make some new friends. Neville had sensed, more than a slight push towards the new potions teacher.
He had lightly considered it. Well, if Hermione could call Malfoy 'friend', wouldn't there be a reason? Malfoy had been far worse to her. And Dumbledore seemed to like Malfoy too, for, whenever they were together, they exchanged in friendly conversation. There had to be a pretty good reason why.
With silent conviction, Neville rose, and set off to find Malfoy.
He wasn't hard to find. Not in the Great Hall or outside, Neville headed to check the dungeon Potions was held in. Sure enough, Malfoy was there, blonde head bent over and face set in concentration over a large book.
" Hullo," Neville said suddenly, startling even himself.
*
" Draco Malfoy?" Ron echoed slowly, furrowing his eyebrows in could-be confusion.
" You, my friend, are a very bad actor. " Harry said, sitting heavily on the bed. It creaked warningly, but Harry just kept waiting for Ron's answer.
" I, er, he's at Hogwarts..."
" No, really?" Harry said sarcastically, " You'd think with all those lectures we received in Auror school you'd pay a bit more attention?"
" Attention to what?" Harry held up Hermione's letter, and watched as Ron's jaw dropped. " Now, what did you tell Hermione to do?"
Ron explained, fumbling slightly along the way. And after he was done, he waited for Harry to explode.
" You don't talk to Hermione for five years and you expect her to do something like that? And to Malfoy? Did you permanently block out Hogwarts or something? Malfoy equals manipulator, and he can spot a badly planned scheme faster than you can say 'quick-witted'. Do you actually expect this to work?"
Ron looked up. His ears were now brick red and he was wringing his hands feverishly.
" Uh, well, in the beginning it was a good idea, but now I'm thinking that-"
" Thinking what? That perhaps finding out what Malfoy's been doing is more of a risk than an opportunity?"
" I was thinking more along the lines of 'perhaps Malfoy's not such an interesting person after all? Maybe he's just been 're-inventing himself' in some oriental Wizarding community....'"
" Great theory there. Just come up with it now?"
" Yep."
*
Ripped pages, moldy covers and smeared words. Did the whole ancient wizard civilization treat their possessions this bad? Every single book he had found was nearly ruined beyond being any help to him. Even with his Potions expertise, strong cleaning charms did next to nothing.
Severus Snape blew away the layers of dust from a thick page, closing his black eyes as he did so. Muttering silent prayers, he scanned the page. Readable? Finally. Understandable? Not a chance. Written in the Dark Language he had never bothered to learn, [ as by the time he was high enough to learn it, he was on the other side] he would at least need a Speaker, if not
an ex-Death Eater. Karakoff wouldn't know. Not high enough. He needed a Final Level Death Eater, one of Voldemorts most trusted, one of his right-hand men. All these people would most definitely turn Severus over to their Lord right away. Unless they had been bribed, but that was stupid. Most of their children were out of Hogwarts, so he couldn't promise top grades. Crabbe and Goyle would've folded, but Severus doubted that they knew the Language.
Lucius Malfoy most definitely did. Malfoy's went very far back into the Dark Arts, rumored to be the Largest and First Dark Arts family, with the original surname withstanding. Slytherin would've taken the title, but the name had died out long ago. And probably true too, thought Severus. He knew the family's history of strict breeding rules, designed to maintain the
cognomen's survival. Also rumored was a theory that Lucius' father, Draco's grandfather, was Voldemort's partner, before a suspicious death, which Lucius kept hidden. Draco probably didn't even know.
Severus frowned. Lucius would've helped him, if his son was still in school. But he wasn't, therefore Lucius would be no help.
Suddenly, Severus grinned. Draco was in school though. And it was almost a sure thing Draco had been taught everything Lucius knew. Lucius wouldn't let his son wander around, ignorant to the teachings of the Malfoys. Severus suddenly had a doubt. Perhaps Narcissa had forbidden Lucius to instruct Draco?
It was worth the risk. This was the last piece of the puzzle, one he had been working on for the whole summer and nearly three months of the school year.
The Prophecy, his assignment from Dumbledore. So far, he had got most of the information already.
*
" So what are you going to do now?" Harry asked slowly.
" I'm going to still go to Hogwarts."
" Why? Malfoy doesn't matter anymore."
" But Hermione does." Ron answered slowly. " I made a mistake. I need to fix things."
" But 'things' will probably never be the same again. You know that."
" I know, but I love her."
" Then let's go. I'm not going to spend days here wondering whether she'll take you back. Get it over with. Either you're together or you're not."
" But....I made so many mistakes."
" Get your bags, Ron."
*
The secretary looked incredulous. " Miss Patil, I-"
" Hush, honey! I need you to cancel all my appointments," Parvati said quickly.
" Hermione! You look incredible!"
Hermione gushed. She'd never been described as incredible. Other things yes, but-
" Come honey, we can talk in the back room." Hermione followed this girl, whom she hadn't known extremely well in the first place. Whom she was teetering on the verge of telling every single event of the past three months. Whom Hermione was slightly aware of her connections with higher-ups in the press. Parvati sat down, and motioned for Hermione to do the same. " It has been so long!" Parvati giggled, "do you still teach at Hogwarts?".
Hermione nodded, feeling very stupid.
"Really?" Parvati continued. " What about Neville? Ooo, and the old teachers? McGonagall? Snape? I suppose Flitwick and Sprout aren't there...ah! What about Trelawney?"
" Neville's still there too, so's McGonagall, Snape's gone for a year, and Trelawney's still...."
" Oh good! " Parvati gushed. " She was always my favourite!" Then the girl stopped. " S-s-snape's gone? Why? What happened?" she stuttered.
" No one really knows. Dumbledore won't say much...."
" Who replaced him?" Parvati questioned, her eyes wide as saucers. Hermione paused, debating on whether she should answer truthfully or not. After all, this is what she had come here for, right? To spill it to Parvati and hope, just hope, that she would know what to do?
" Draco. Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy is the new Potions teacher. " Hermione said, the words " I kissed him..." faltering on her tongue.
Still, Hermione watched with bated breath as Parvati's jaw dropped slightly. " Slytherin's Draco Malfoy....?"
" The very same." Hermione answered quietly, averting her eyes. Parvati grinned suddenly.
" Gringotts' Goblins, Hermione! This is unbelievable! D'you remember what he was called in Hogwarts..?"
Hermione shook her head, wondering what nickname Draco Malfoy had in school that could adequately describe him.
Parvati grinned, lowering her voice to a whisper. Hermione had to strain her ears to hear. " Slytherin's Bad Boy."
Well, there you go, Hermione thought. The perfect label for him. Indirect enough to leave the kind of mystery Malfoy had loved. It could be taken so many ways. Insolent? Evil? Horror to society? An intolerable prat to the entire school system? Ignorer of Rules and Rebel of all things proper?
Or perhaps it could be taken in a completely different light.
The exception to Slytherin? The bad one of Slytherin? One who would never be like the others? A lost cause to his father, and to the other Death Eaters to-be? The possession of no house? Evil, to those who were evil? Insolent, to those who demanded it? The Ignorer of the Rules of his world, and rebel to the proper things in their life?
Or it could just mean he was unbelievably handsome and had that dark aura around himself? Leaving girls to grin in stupor at his contradictingly fair appearance?
Hermione felt that queasy numbness you get when you have no idea.
" Wait." Parvati was speaking again. " That isn't what you came here to talk about, is it?"
Hermione looked at the girl in surprise. She had certainly gotten more perceptive. " No, it's not."
Parvati's face softened. " Hermione, what's wrong? Why are you here?" Hermione closed her eyes, and swallowed.
" It's Ron...."
" Hermione, how long has it been since you seen each other....?"
" Five, five years....ever since graduation...." She replied, not able to say that Ron had written.
" Hermione, I know you love him, and I know he loves you.....but sometimes, people are just....incompatible. They have too many differences, they end up fighting all the time, and don't love each other anymore."
Hermione looked up at Parvati. Something stung in the back of her mind. 'No, she's wrong! You and Ron aren't incompatible, you just haven't given each other a chance....'
" I hear about it all the time, Hermione, witches come in, complaining about their failed marriages...sometimes they started out in love, others for money, or it was arranged. What you need, is to be happy...."
' I am happy!' the voice screamed.
" Have you dated since then...?" Parvati asked.
" No." Hermione said, too shocked by the question to decide whether to lie or not.
Parvati's lip trembled. " Felt any feelings for any other man...?"
Hermione was met with the sudden vision of Draco in her mend. 'No, he's a friend...'
" Nope..." she lied.
" Hermione...are you sure teaching is the right job for you? I mean, you're young. You need to meet people. Look at the teachers in Hogwarts...I don't think any of them are married...Neville should consider leaving too....wait, what about him? Neville! He always did like you..."
Hermione shook her head. " Parvati, I don't like him that way, he's my friend..."
" Alright....I'm sorry, Hermione, I have to get back to work. You should owl me sometime, and we'll have lunch...But remember, don't give up. The more you look, the closer you get to that perfect man. Someday, you'll find he's right under your nose."
Hermione nodded deftly, that nasty little voice in the back of her mind, offering...
'Or he could be right down the corridor....'
*
The blonde head jerked up, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
" Longbottom? What, what are you doing here?"
Neville chuckled lightly. " I came to talk."
" Talk?" Malfoy's sneer was back in place. " Surely everyone else didn't get tired of you already?"
Neville ignored the comment. " Hermione went on a little trip, I want to ask you a few...questions."
Malfoy snorted. " Questions? What, Longbottom? Still forlorn about getting turned down for...." but he was cut off by Neville.
" Don't tell me you're not bitter about being inapt to serve your Lord..." Neville spat out.
Malfoy smirked, setting his elbows on the table. He was made of stone, Neville decided. Nothing got under his skin. The sleeves of his robes fell down a bit as he did so, exposing slightly pale wrists. Neville knew what was happening. A taunt, plain and simple. Malfoy had called his bluff, and was teasing him, with only a simple action. Neville hadn't known whether Malfoy was a Death Eater or not.
" You'd love to know, wouldn't you? For me to roll up my sleeves and enlighten you? Curiosity killed the cat, Neville, and I have all the weapons..."
" Why does Hermione like you so much? You're still just as damned intolerable as you were five years ago..." Neville said, changing the subject, and not very well at that.
" Ever consider that, maybe, my company is preferable to yours?"
Neville frowned. He hadn't thought of that. His frowned deepened. He didn't come here for Malfoy's emotional badgering.
" No, you don't act like this around her. Why is that?"
Malfoy snickered. " Perhaps I have selective tact?"
" Why are you answering all my questions with questions?"
" Why are you wasting your breath on so many questions?"
Neville slammed his fist down on the table, getting a pleasant flinch of surprise from Malfoy. Neville was too angry to milk the action for all it was worth.
" Damn you! Can't I get a single straight answer from you?"
" Is that another question, Longbottom, or a statement?"
" Agh!" Neville cried.
" Well, you brought it on yourself, Longbottom. You come in here, thinking I'm up for a fun game of twenty questions, and when I don't cooperate to your expectations, you get all flustered. I'm sorry, but last time I checked, you weren't the boss of me."
" Malfoy...please...." Neville pleaded.
Draco cocked his head slightly, and grinned. " Well, now that we've got your manners down pact, we can start on my 'well-deserved' interrogation. Really, though, I should write a book, 'Draco's fun and easy ways to get idiotic Herbology teachers to use the 'Magic' word'. I can see it on the best sellers list now. It'll knock Lockheart's fictions out, it will."
Neville rolled his eyes. " Why does Hermione like you so much?"
" Well, seeing as I'm a mind reader and all...."
" Malfoy...."
Malfoy grinned. " Beats me...A woman's mind is arguably the most mysterious thing in the world."
" You're dodging, Malfoy....How come Hermione can tolerate you, when I can hardly listen to a single sentence come from your mouth, without wanting to pull out every solitary strand of hair on my head?"
Malfoy's face suddenly lost it's sneer and gleeful air. " Honestly? I think she's lonely."
" Lonely?"
" For crying out loud, Longbottom, do you want a professional job as an echo, or is it just that nothing gets through your thick head?"
" Well, that was a fairly unexpected answer, Malfoy. Excuse me if I was a bit thrown..."
Malfoy raised an eyebrow. " Really? I thought you'd know Miss Granger like the back of your hand? Five years of no other people in your age group? Isolated from all your beloved friends from Hogwarts," Malfoy let out a short, derisive laugh. " Ironic, isn't it? Everyone else is away, having fun and writing each other happy notes. Like in Hogwarts, except it's not Hogwarts. But look, you're still in Hogwarts."
" And so are you, Malfoy. Tell me, why are you here?"
" Because I was asked."
" I never thought of you as the compliant type, Malfoy..."
" I never said I agreed."
" What?"
" Well, not willingly anyway." Malfoy said in a tone that told Neville that would be all Malfoy would say on the subject.
" Where's Snape?"
Malfoy's eyes glittered mockingly. The jeering knowledge of a secret.
" Tut tut tut, Longbottom. If it was really any of your business, don't you think the Headmaster would've enlightened you?"
" So, are you saying you know?"
" I never said anything of the sort. I was just wondering if you have a recovery lined up, you know, just in case Dumbledore walked in on you demanding where Snape was. If you're having problems thinking of one, I can offer a few...."
" I have the odd feeling all your ideas are stupid, sarcastic and completely humiliating on my part."
" Did you take Divination? Because you have that intuition thing down pact..."
" Are you a Death Eater?"
Malfoy looked actually shocked. " Well, Longbottom, if I was, I wouldn't be stupid enough to say anything incriminating, now would I? There'd be all sorts of Auror's watching me, you know, sending spies and that sort. Checking files and coming to Hogwarts....the whole lot."
Something clicked in the back of Neville's head.
" You know, don't you?"
*
Hermione sat, on one of Hogwarts carriages, trying to read a book. Perhaps this was a first, not getting immediately immersed in some sort of literature.
She felt odd. Why, did thoughts of Draco cloud her mind? Sure, she had kissed him, or well he had kissed her. She had this odd, feeling Draco was holding something back, but what? He seemed slightly uncomfortable, as though he didn't want to get to close?
And there, circling in the pit of her stomach, was Ron. Should she write him? What would she tell him? Neville was right, she had gotten far too close...Would Ron hate her? What would he do to Draco when he got to...to...Hogwarts....
Hermione's eyes widened, and her mind went blank with cold fear.
Oh god, what if Ron was already at Hogwarts?
********************************************************************************
AN-Yes, yes, yes. Late, I know. Longer than any of the ones that had been written quicker, you have to give me that.I know I said I'd do thank you's, but I'm running short on time, so I won't right now. But, if you reviewed, thank you, you know who you are....Anyways, something to look forward to....The *big* confrontation between Ron, Hermione and Draco, we find out where Snape was and what Draco hasbeen doing for five years. Is Draco a Death Eater? Is Hermione still in love with Ron? Does Draco really still want to be friends? Does Hermione? Does Draco know?[What does he know?No, just kidding, if you don't know what Draco might know, read six again...] Is Draco really still a jerk, or is he changed? All in Where I Find You Seven, it will probably take awhile, but it's the big one we've been waiting for, and finally, we get to the real plot, so it's not the last chapter either. Hurrah.
Be nice and write a review....please?