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Courage to Find the Strength

Chapter 3

Draco Malfoy carefully made his way back to the Slytherin dungeons after two days recuperating in Madam Pomfrey's sickroom. Although his broken ribs were mended, his sides were still very sore, so he gingerly took his time on the stairs. It would be his first time since returning to Hogwarts that he laid eyes on any of his housemates. Except for Pomfrey's occasional ministrations, no one had visited the young man, not even Professor Snape while that Gryffindor bitch had tons of well-wishers including the constant presence of that obnoxious duo of Potter and Weasley. He couldn't exactly blame his feelings on jealousy when they joyfully arrived to escort her away late yesterday afternoon, but he had not been entirely happy about all the attention she was receiving. He muttered the magic password that would gain him entrance to his own house and was just a little disappointed no one was there to greet him. He chided himself since he should have realized most would be stuck in class. Still, he would have thought at least Crabbe or Goyle would have waited around for him. Hell, he might have even welcomed Pansy Parkinson's usually annoying presence. Sighing, he took himself off to his room to lay down.

A few hours passed when the sounds of Malfoy's housemates in the Common Room caused him to stir. Carefully, he heaved himself out of bed and made his way towards them, but the sudden silence his appearance made caused him to stop and scowl in confusion. They were all just staring at him, not uttering a single word, and quite a few of them had disgusted angry looks on their faces. He silently made his way to one of the couches where two of his younger housemates were seated. Malfoy glanced around with uncertainty and uneasiness written on his face. As he was easing himself onto the couch, the two Slytherin girls hastily got up, but it was in such a manner that Malfoy knew they weren't being polite or courteous.

"All right, what the bloody devil is going on?" Draco angrily cried out. Only silent, reproachful glares replied.

"Crabbe! Goyle! You want to explain what the fuck's going on here?" he asked in an exasperated voice, but even they wouldn't face him.

"Answer me, you stupid nimrods." He imperiously commanded.

The two Sytherin thugs looked extremely uncomfortable and kept nervously glancing at each other while sneaking looks at Malfoy. As the silence bore on and no one moved a muscle other to glare at him, Malfoy finally took the hint and headed back to his room. As soon as he slammed his door, the furious whispering maddened him. The next day was even worse as he continued to bear not only the absolute silent treatment from his housemates, but they also went well out of their way to avoid him. When he entered the lavatory, even the first years were quick to exit. The same held true at the breakfast table, as the seats immediately surrounding him, usually filled with his closest henchmen, were empty. It was bad enough no one sat near him in his morning classes, but Professor Snape's Potions class was the worst.

"Mr. Malfoy, perhaps you could demonstrate the potion I asked the rest of the class to memorize last night," Snape coldly stated to a quite taken aback Draco. He started to open his mouth only to snap it shut again. It infuriated him to not only hear Potter and Weasley snickering, but a good handful of his own Slytherins joined in.

"You did manage to learn the potion, didn't you, Mr. Malfoy? Madam Pomfrey mentioned something about ribs, but quite nothing about your brains being addled. You didn't take your little sickroom break as a vacation from your studies?" Snape's voice dripped with sarcasm and some of the girls openly giggled.

Hermione frowned. This certainly didn't sound like the Snape she heard defending Malfoy a few days earlier. Much as she liked seeing the Slytherin get a taste of his own medicine, even this wasn't fair. She knew first hand just what kind of injuries he had sustained. Perhaps even Malfoy deserved a little slack. Her hand shot up in the air.

"Well, Ms. Granger, what is it?" The professor asked impatiently. He practically glared at his know-at-all, but brightest pupil.

"I can demonstrate the potion for you." Everyone, including the Professor, couldn't believe she was actually covering for Malfoy. The potion was extremely difficult even for someone as naturally talented as Hermione, and no one ever got it right on the first try. Being asked to demonstrate it was an open invitation for Snape to humiliate an aspiring witch or wizard. Why Hermione would willingly volunteer for such punishment shocked the entire lot of them, not the least of which was Malfoy.

Snape sneered. "Ok, Ms. Granger, be my guest." His hand swept an invitation for her to approach the cauldron at the head of the classroom. His narrowed eyes looked hungry for the torment to begin.

Malfoy couldn't believe the stupid mudblood volunteered for the myriad of degrading and insulting remarks Snape threw at her. He couldn't even enjoy watching the show since he knew it should have been him up there. It also sickened and haunted him that even Snape was against him today. He figured his father must have had a hand in all of this. This must be some sort of sick punishment for defying him when sparing Granger's life. As soon as the class was over, he swore he was going to contact his dad and get to the bottom of all of this.

It wasn't long before the bell rang, and Snape dismissed the class. Normally, the Slytherin Head Professor would have stopped by Malfoy's table to chat a little bit especially about the upcoming Quidditch match, but today he just coldly breezed by. It also didn't help that sitting for so long was making Malfoy's sides ache again, and he was taking longer than normal to gather his books. As he leaned over to pick them all up, a sharp pain shot through one of his ribs, and he inadvertently knocked a few books on the floor. "Shit," he swore, trying to bend down and pick them up without further injuring himself. He could only watch in amazement when the fallen objects floated back up to him. He turned and saw Hermione Granger holding her wand out at him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Granger? I can handle it." Malfoy swept the pile up with one arm, wincing at the pain in his side.

"You're going to overdo it, Malfoy, and get yourself into real trouble." Hermione just looked at him. Her eyes held just a little hint of concern, but mostly annoyance.

"Why the hell do you care? And where's your little nancy-boy friends?"

"I told Harry and Ron to go on without me. I thought you could use a little help."

"I don't recall asking for your help, mudblood, especially with that potion business earlier." Malfoy flashed her a fierce glance, but was momentarily thankful for the conversation as he tried to balance his books in a way that would cause him the least amount of pain.

"Yeah, well, even you didn't deserve to be picked on by Snape like that. Ordinarily, I would have cheered him on, but seeing as you were hurt and all.. I just didn't think it was fair."

"You Gryffindors and your sense of right and wrong," he snorted. "Next thing, you'll be carrying my books for me."

She looked momentarily surprised. "Do you need me to?"

"Of course not, you stupid git! I will never need help from the likes of you." Malfoy sneered at the angry and confused look on Hermione's face.

He marched past her through the door and was a few meters beyond her when he heard her say the lightening spell Potter taught the other students to use on their heavy trunks. The books in his arms weren't putting as much painful pressure on his ribs, and he silently cursed himself for not thinking about using the spell sooner. Despite his initial instinct, he didn't turn around, but instead picked up the pace down the hall ignoring the looks the other students gave him.

Hermione also noticed the odd looks the rest of the student body was giving Malfoy and the incredibly cold treatment he was getting from his housemates and Professor Snape. Judging by the hurt expression on his fine features, Hermione suspected he was just as clueless as she was as to the reason. Harry and Ron jogged up to her.

"What'd you want with him?" Ron stuck a thumb in Malfoy's retreating direction.

"I wanted to find out what was going on with him and that lot of snakes." She frankly answered.

"Well, did you?" Harry asked.

"Did I what?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Find out what's going on."

"No, it's all very strange, Harry. First, he defies his father and then, somehow the rest of Slytherin turns their back on him." Hermione felt frustrated that there seemed to be pieces still missing in their puzzle.

"Well, a fourth year Ravenclaw told me that Lucius was here yesterday talking to the Headmaster and the rest of the Professors. She said that he also stopped by the Slytherin common room before he left," Ron stated in a low voice in case anyone was eavesdropping.

"Do you think Malfoy's dad is punishing him for saving you, 'Mione?" Harry asked.

"I suspect so, Harry, but it still doesn't make sense. We know Lucius has something big planned for Malfoy so why would he turn his back on his son, now? You think he'd step up his wooing in bringing Malfoy to the side of the Deatheaters, not alienate him."

Barely visible now, Hermione saught out and found Draco's blonde head. "Whatever's going on, it can't be good."

Both Harry and Ron nodded in agreement.