A/N: Sorry this has taken so long to get out. I hate final exams and term papers!! Thanks to all my reviewers – let me know what you think of this chapter; I know where I want to go in the next couple of chapters but I had to have something inbetween, plus this hopefully cleared up the Quidditch Questions. :-) Ah, yes, and we have the beginnings of Hermione's involvement... that'll take awhile, it's early October in the fic, and I'm betting it'll be after Easter before Hermione finally joins. sigh Damn Gryffindors are a bloody stubborn lot.
Harry had been extraordinarily careful. While he told the others that he would be on Charlie Weasley as well, in truth his efforts were concentrated elsewhere. On one Hermione Granger, to be precise, but Harry knew that getting the cleverest witch in the school onto his team' would be difficult at best, and he was fairly certain he didn't want one of the others botching it up – so he didn't tell them. As it was, he had to be extremely subtle with her.
The truth was, Harry needed Hermione as part of his operation, for reasons personal, practical, and political. Hermione was now his oldest friend, since Ron had dropped him like a hot potato as soon as he donned green and silver. Hermione was also at the top of her class and had a brilliant mind for figuring things out that Harry knew would come in handy. And, last but not least, Hermione was a Muggle-born Gryffindor, and that would bring more confidence to others that he would approach in the future.
Harry had tried several times to steer the conversation in the direction he needed. Just last week, they had been discussing shopping, so Harry had made a comment on how useful it would be to levitate things when shopping in Muggle areas as well, so it would be less tiring. Hermione had merely agreed and then continued the conversation on a slightly different track, which had left Harry gnashing his teeth in frustration once more. He knew that he was the only one who could convince her, and she wasn't making the bloody job any easier.
Today, however, was a rare sunny October saturday, and Harry had managed to wrangle a way to spend the afternoon with Hermione and no one else. That alone had been a complex plot to pull off, especially since he didn't dare ask his dormmates for help, and had involved most of the Gryffindor fifth-years being assigned detention. He had decided to lay several of his cards on the table – but by no means all – and let her think on them for a bit before moving forward. Now, they were out walking by the lake, enjoying the weather.
I want to ask you a few things.
Her voice was slightly wary. Understandable.
If there was a way that we could use our magic around Muggles without fear of Muggle or Ministry repercussions, that would be good, wouldn't it?
Of course!
And a way to defeat Voldemort would be good, too, right?
Hermione rolled her eyes. Yes, Harry, why even ask that? Living in the dungeons drained out your brains?
Harry scowled. No. It's just... It's a shame. People like Fudge control what we can do and who we can do it in front of. We're fighting Voldemort, protecting Muggles so that we can turn around and – hide from them. That doesn't really make much sense. Harry was far from eloquent, and he hoped that Hermione would agree and miss the holes that gaped widely in his statements.
Y'know, Harry, that's true! It doesn't make much sense at all. I'll admit, too, it would be easier on Muggle-borns to know that magic exists before the letter arrives. Not to mention... Hermione was excited now, Harry could tell. Maybe fewer Hogwarts students would leave school and then leave the wizarding world behind immediately afterwards. That's something I've been concerned about – the Hogwarts experience shouldn't just be thrown away.
Ah – Hogwarts was her selling point. Exactly. Just... think on it for a bit, okay? Now, Harry needed to change the subject quickly, what did you think about that little outburst from Terry at the last prefects' meeting? The pair chatted about less serious topics, then, but Harry was pleased that he had set the wheels turning in her mind, and she seemed receptive, at least initially. Harry inwardly knew that she would balk the most at the issue of the Imperius curse, and resolved to conveniently forget to mention that aspect of his group to Hermione until after she had joined it.
Harry was busier than ever, even with Sirius' absence and the accompanying suspension of Animagus lessons. Quidditch practises had begun in earnest, and the first match for Slytherin was only two weeks away, against Hufflepuff. Harry wondered who they had found to replace Cedric Diggory, and had concluded that he probably didn't need to worry about either Hufflepuff or Gryffindor all that much, since neither would have a competent Seeker. Plus, the rest of the Slytherin team was excellent, and Derrick turned out to be more than competent as captain. One thing still bothered Harry, however, and he asked Draco about it after practise.
Why were you so willing to let me take over as Seeker? I expected to have to fight tooth and nail. I had made Dumbledore promise I would be Seeker of the House team for whatever House I was ReSorted into before I would be ReSorted, but I still expected some difficulty.
Draco shrugged. I wanted desperately to be on the House team as early as possible, and the only open position in second year was Seeker, so I had Lucius buy my way onto the team, just as you guessed at the time. I enjoy playing Chaser more, however, and asked about switching each year since then, but there wasn't ever another Seeker that could take the job adequately until you joined us. So I'm really quite grateful; I found being Seeker to be bloody boring most of the time.
Harry stared at Draco unbelievingly for a moment and then grinned. That's pretty damn funny, Draco. Hoist on your own petards, as it were, hmm?
Draco glared, then smiled. That was pretty tricky of you, extracting a promise that you could still be Seeker on the House team no matter what the House was. Very very Slytherin.
Harry smirked. I know. That's what Si- my godfather said. Said it sounded like something my mum would've done.
Ah, the Slytherin cunning breeds true.
I knew breeding would come into this somehow! Harry teased.
Draco laughed. That prattling on about purebloods comes in handy sometimes, though, you have to admit. Keeps outsiders from figuring everything out.
What, like the fact that we're really not all assholes?
Something like that. Although, come to think of it, we are, just not to the extent they think.
True. I think being ambitious and sly would be the antithesis of a Hufflepuff. I'm not sure they could even comprehend it.
Draco joined Harry in laughing as they walked up to the castle.
How's it going with Charlie, Draco? I've tried not to pay too much attention to it.
It's going slowly, but surely. He quite likes the idea of not having to hide the dragons, and he's not altogether unambitious, so that aspect of things appeals to him. The hardest part is going to be the issue of using selected portions of the Dark Arts. That, and he still feels loyalty to his family, despite the fact that he's had to hide alot from them over the years.
Hmm. Understandable, I suppose. The Weasleys really are nice people, overall, they just have a rather large amount of prejudice towards anything remotely resembling Slytherin House. I got a rather... interesting letter from Mrs. Weasley a couple of weeks after term started. Something about how I was always such a nice boy and after I'd thrown off the Imperius Curse that Severus must've put me under, they'd welcome me back with open arms.
Draco snorted his amusement. Ah, how nice. That explains alot, really. Still, I think we're doing well with Charlie, really. It's not even Halloween yet and he's very receptive to most of the plan.
Good, good, Harry nodded. Perhaps the judicious use of Imperius should be convienently forgotten when recruiting Gryffindors and former Gryffindors? I don't think they could quite handle it until after the initiation. A Ravenclaw could, and some Hufflepuffs even, but a Gryffindor? No.
You would know best, smirked Draco, earning him a disgusted glare from Harry.
Very funny, Harry commented dryly. Just do as I said, hmm?
Yes, sir! Draco was silent for a few moments. Are you busy tomorrow night?
Hmm? What, oh, no. I had to scale back a bit, I was starting to drag by the end of the afternoons. Why? Are you offering?
Draco smiled coyly. Perhaps. You're a rather good fuck, and I do think we should keep most of our talents in the... family, as it were.
Harry returned the smile with a small, seductive one. When you put it that way, Draco, then, no, I'm definitely not busy tomorrow night. He paused. Have you heard the Muggle saying sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll'?
Yes, although a wizarding version would have potions mentioned, wouldn't it?
Well... what I was thinking was more like a motto for us... something along the lines of sex, power, and control'. It still all boils down to sex, in the long run, doesn't it though? Power and control are merely heady, mind-based aphrodiasiacs.
Stop, Harry, you'll make me come right here on the front stairs. Harry snorted, and Draco sobered. Seriously? I think you're right. Sex is the base biological instinct. Some minds have found more interesting ways to stimulate the instinct than others have.
The pair smiled their agreement and walked into the hall for dinner. We'll have to continue this, er, talk tomorrow night, then, hmm? Harry suggested.
I'd like that. Draco smiled. I'd like that alot. Now, c'mon, let's go throw a few scowls around. We have a reputation to uphold, remember?
Oh, yes. Scowl fiercely as if we're about to Avada Kedavra them at any moment.
Precisely. Our House colors are green after all, aren't they?
The pair laughed and sat down with their dormmates. Harry glanced over at the Gryffindor table, scowling at Ron, who returned his smirk, and nodding to his old yearmates. He waved discreetly at Hermione, and then scowled at the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables before he turned his attention back to the conversation. Slytherin reputation upheld for one more day, he thought to himself. Time now to enjoy my meal.
