Chapter 5 - Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll. Bother. Only 1 out of 3.
Hermione's PoV
I'm walking down the corridor. I'm back at Hogwarts. Involuntarily, I breathe a sigh of relief, and I make my way to the Ravenclaw Common Room. I say the password ("Blue Sea"), and I enter. A few of the first-years look up at me in what I suppose is awe. I think to myself. God! I'm not that bad am I? I mean, I'm flattered, but I really have to find Laura. "Um, I'm looking for Laura Greene. Do you know where she is?" "I do," a voice from the shadows says in my ear. I turn in surprise to see her looking at me only a few feet away. "Ah, Laura! Just the person I wanted to see." "So I guessed." "Marauder's Map?" "Yes," she replies, brushing off all the startled stares she is getting. I'm not sure about her. I know she has a brother in Slytherin, and am slightly suspicious of her for a moment, but then realise that Draco was a Slytherin. God, I miss him. I love him, but I haven't seen him for at least a month. I trust him with my life. I really need to talk to him, but first I need to speak to Laura. Prioritise. We walk out of the door, and to my surprise, she leads me the other way- into a part of the school I've never actually seen before. I remember that Laura's Father is a highly recognised Wizard, and figure that she'd have had no problems in hiding this from the world. A simple spell. Well, the same, quite complex spell that hides Hogwarts. "Shadows," she says as we approach a painting. Her voice is little more than a whisper, and she seems to laugh under her breath. The painting creaks open, and as I step into her 'office'. I am completely bewildered. I don't like it. Laura sits down at a desk. She invites me to sit down in the chair opposite her, which, I notice, is much more comfortable than I expect. "What can I do for you, then, Professor Granger?" she asks, her eyes laughing, but her voice sincere. "Nothing too serious, I hope." "Oh, no," I assure her. I was hoping to take charge of this meeting, but it seems that she has taken the reins. "I was just wondering how you came about the Marauder's Map. You know of its history, I suppose?" "Ah, yes. Well, I was speaking to Harry, and he blurted out about the Marauder's Map. He decided to bequeath it to me, seeing as we're related." "Related?" I ask, suddenly confused. Laura laughs. "Yes, related. You see, his grandmother had a sister that she didn't know about. She had a daughter and two sons. My mother - Mandy - and my two uncles - Mark and Matt. She had a thing for names that began with M. Well, my mother married Tom, and here I am. With my brother Chris, and my other brother. He will be starting here next year, I think. Kyle." "Yes," I say absent-mindedly, wondering why Harry hadn't told me any of this. I begin to wonder what she would be called to him. In the end, I just confuse myself, and go back to one of my original questions. "You know of its history?" Laura just laughs again. "Yes. Harry told me about that as well." "Good. Well, now that that's cleared up, I'll be off. Thank you, Laura." "That's OK, Professor. Any time. Oh, and don't try to find this place again. It only reveals itself when it needs to be revealed. If you need to speak to me, however, and you think I might be here, you can try to find it. You know where it is. I'll probably be here, anyway. I'll know where you are," she tapped her pocket. "Right. Thank you again, and I'll see you at dinner," I smile and walk out of the room. I walk down the corridor and up the Grand Staircase to the guest quarters. I walk faster towards the room where Harry is staying. I knock at the door. "Who is it?" "It's Hermione." "Oh, hi Hermione," he appears at the door, looking handsome in a simple t- shirt and jeans, covered by his robe, which is half-open. His hair is dripping with small water droplets, and his glasses aren't on his face. They are, I notice on his desk in the corner. "What can I do for you then?" "You didn't ell me? Why? I'm your best friend. aren't I? You know - or at least you should - that you can tell me anything. You can trust me. Harry. Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, in the tone of a policeman asking a suspect a question. "Tell you about what?" he asked, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Laura," I say, looking him in the eyes. I don't blink. Harry thinks for a second, then opens his moth - about to say something. Then closes it. "You look like a fish, Harry. Just tell me." Harry invited her inside. He sits on the bed, and I sit beside him. I look straight at him, and finally, when I'm just about to give up, he answers. "I don't know." "What do you mean, you don't know? You. you." I sigh in frustration and stand up. I walk to the door, but he stops me from leaving. "Hermione, I don't know, alright? I just. don't know. I suppose. I suppose I just didn't want you to know just yet. I'm not sure why," he says. I walk back over to the bed and sit beside him. "Harry, don't worry. I was just wound up about something. Don't worry," I shake my head in virtual despair, but he shakes his head with conviction. "No, Hermione. I've seen it does matter to you. You're right - as always. I should have told you. I just thought that you might not want to know." He looks confused, as if he's not sure that he's actually saying this. "Don't worry, Harry, I'll see you later." I get up and walk to the door. I turn and wave at him before stepping out into the corridor and shutting the door behind me. As the door clicks shut, I realise that I was going to have to face Draco. Whether he would be in our flat was debatable, but I went to my office and sprinkled Floo Powder into the fire anyway. "The Leaky Cauldron!" I say, clearly, but firmly, and I feel the familiar spinning motion that means I've left Hogwarts. I step out of the grate in The Leaky Cauldron. I walk up to the bartender. Pity Tom got so ill, I think. Ah, well. Lottie is very good, and in touch with the latest Muggle concoctions, too! "I'll have a. vodka. Straight, thanks, Lottie," I say, taking a seat. "Comin' right up!" A moment and an incantation later, my vodka appears before me. "Thanks, L." "Aw, it was nothin'!" a line from a film, if my memory serves me correctly. "Hey, I heard that you'd gotten. kidnapped," she says, the last word barely more than a whisper. "Yeah. look, have you seen Draco about?" I ask, suddenly anxious for him. "Oh, he left a few minutes ago. Said he was going home. Wha's the matter? Havin' trouble?" she nodded sagely. "I know, I know. It's always the best- suited ones that don't work. Hang on in there, 'Mione. You'll make it." "Thanks, L. You're a real friend. I'll see you later, yeah?" "See yus, 'Mione." I finish my Vodka, and leave, tapping the wall into Diagon Alley. I walk up to the new apartment blocks at the end, through a magical entrance that only reveals itself to those it thinks worthy, and put my wand in the door. Much better than Muggle keys. They identify you. Better than a speech activated door. It's more accurate. I walk up the stairs to the top floor, where our flat is, and again, put my wand in the door. "Draco?" I ask, suddenly timid. Surprised by this sudden realisation, I walk into our bedroom, the first door on the right, and find Draco there. His wrists are slashed to pieces. There is the smell of Marijuana in the air, and lying by the bed; strewn over the floor are three empty bottles of Vodka. "Oh, my God! Mobilicorbus." His body floats in the air. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit," I mutter under my breath. His body flies out of the bedroom door with me, and we go it the living room. Ornately decorated, it has some of the finest treasures of the 16th century. I pick my way carefully through the priceless junk, artefacts and heirlooms that fill the room. We go over to the fire and my tear-strained voice mutters, "Saint Mungos," before I realise that I'm crying. I'm virtually hyperventilating, but my mind is calm. My heart is frantic, and something is producing more adrenaline than is possible. I think that he's going to die. I'm going o loose him. We are in St Mungos now. We got there safely. I thank God that I found him. I pray that he'll be OK. "Are you Mrs Malfoy?" "Um, actually, I'm." then I think about it. They might only let immediate family see him. I think about this for another fraction of a second, and resolutely say "Yes." Having never been good at acting or lying, I find it hard to believe that she believes me.
* * *
"Harry!" Hermione jumps at his familiar voice and touch from behind her. She stands up, and turns to face him. "I'm so glad you're here." "I got here as fast as I could once I got your owl. Your handwriting was terrible," he says trying to lighten the mood. It works, and Hermione emits a very weak laugh. "I haven't seen him yet. They won't let me see him!" she's almost hysterical. "Why not? I mean." Harry shuts her up. "Hermione, I don't know why. Right now, I'm concerned for you, more than Draco. I know, I know, but I say we go to The Leaky Cauldron, and have a few drinks to take our minds off it, hmm?" "Yeah," she says weakly, knowing that she will only have coffee. She wants to be awake when he wakes. "Let's go, then. They'll get someone over to talk to us if there's anything else." "OK."
* * *
In his hospital bed, surrounded by magical machinery and Mediwizards in white, Draco is no further in coming out of his coma.
Hermione's PoV
I'm walking down the corridor. I'm back at Hogwarts. Involuntarily, I breathe a sigh of relief, and I make my way to the Ravenclaw Common Room. I say the password ("Blue Sea"), and I enter. A few of the first-years look up at me in what I suppose is awe. I think to myself. God! I'm not that bad am I? I mean, I'm flattered, but I really have to find Laura. "Um, I'm looking for Laura Greene. Do you know where she is?" "I do," a voice from the shadows says in my ear. I turn in surprise to see her looking at me only a few feet away. "Ah, Laura! Just the person I wanted to see." "So I guessed." "Marauder's Map?" "Yes," she replies, brushing off all the startled stares she is getting. I'm not sure about her. I know she has a brother in Slytherin, and am slightly suspicious of her for a moment, but then realise that Draco was a Slytherin. God, I miss him. I love him, but I haven't seen him for at least a month. I trust him with my life. I really need to talk to him, but first I need to speak to Laura. Prioritise. We walk out of the door, and to my surprise, she leads me the other way- into a part of the school I've never actually seen before. I remember that Laura's Father is a highly recognised Wizard, and figure that she'd have had no problems in hiding this from the world. A simple spell. Well, the same, quite complex spell that hides Hogwarts. "Shadows," she says as we approach a painting. Her voice is little more than a whisper, and she seems to laugh under her breath. The painting creaks open, and as I step into her 'office'. I am completely bewildered. I don't like it. Laura sits down at a desk. She invites me to sit down in the chair opposite her, which, I notice, is much more comfortable than I expect. "What can I do for you, then, Professor Granger?" she asks, her eyes laughing, but her voice sincere. "Nothing too serious, I hope." "Oh, no," I assure her. I was hoping to take charge of this meeting, but it seems that she has taken the reins. "I was just wondering how you came about the Marauder's Map. You know of its history, I suppose?" "Ah, yes. Well, I was speaking to Harry, and he blurted out about the Marauder's Map. He decided to bequeath it to me, seeing as we're related." "Related?" I ask, suddenly confused. Laura laughs. "Yes, related. You see, his grandmother had a sister that she didn't know about. She had a daughter and two sons. My mother - Mandy - and my two uncles - Mark and Matt. She had a thing for names that began with M. Well, my mother married Tom, and here I am. With my brother Chris, and my other brother. He will be starting here next year, I think. Kyle." "Yes," I say absent-mindedly, wondering why Harry hadn't told me any of this. I begin to wonder what she would be called to him. In the end, I just confuse myself, and go back to one of my original questions. "You know of its history?" Laura just laughs again. "Yes. Harry told me about that as well." "Good. Well, now that that's cleared up, I'll be off. Thank you, Laura." "That's OK, Professor. Any time. Oh, and don't try to find this place again. It only reveals itself when it needs to be revealed. If you need to speak to me, however, and you think I might be here, you can try to find it. You know where it is. I'll probably be here, anyway. I'll know where you are," she tapped her pocket. "Right. Thank you again, and I'll see you at dinner," I smile and walk out of the room. I walk down the corridor and up the Grand Staircase to the guest quarters. I walk faster towards the room where Harry is staying. I knock at the door. "Who is it?" "It's Hermione." "Oh, hi Hermione," he appears at the door, looking handsome in a simple t- shirt and jeans, covered by his robe, which is half-open. His hair is dripping with small water droplets, and his glasses aren't on his face. They are, I notice on his desk in the corner. "What can I do for you then?" "You didn't ell me? Why? I'm your best friend. aren't I? You know - or at least you should - that you can tell me anything. You can trust me. Harry. Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, in the tone of a policeman asking a suspect a question. "Tell you about what?" he asked, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Laura," I say, looking him in the eyes. I don't blink. Harry thinks for a second, then opens his moth - about to say something. Then closes it. "You look like a fish, Harry. Just tell me." Harry invited her inside. He sits on the bed, and I sit beside him. I look straight at him, and finally, when I'm just about to give up, he answers. "I don't know." "What do you mean, you don't know? You. you." I sigh in frustration and stand up. I walk to the door, but he stops me from leaving. "Hermione, I don't know, alright? I just. don't know. I suppose. I suppose I just didn't want you to know just yet. I'm not sure why," he says. I walk back over to the bed and sit beside him. "Harry, don't worry. I was just wound up about something. Don't worry," I shake my head in virtual despair, but he shakes his head with conviction. "No, Hermione. I've seen it does matter to you. You're right - as always. I should have told you. I just thought that you might not want to know." He looks confused, as if he's not sure that he's actually saying this. "Don't worry, Harry, I'll see you later." I get up and walk to the door. I turn and wave at him before stepping out into the corridor and shutting the door behind me. As the door clicks shut, I realise that I was going to have to face Draco. Whether he would be in our flat was debatable, but I went to my office and sprinkled Floo Powder into the fire anyway. "The Leaky Cauldron!" I say, clearly, but firmly, and I feel the familiar spinning motion that means I've left Hogwarts. I step out of the grate in The Leaky Cauldron. I walk up to the bartender. Pity Tom got so ill, I think. Ah, well. Lottie is very good, and in touch with the latest Muggle concoctions, too! "I'll have a. vodka. Straight, thanks, Lottie," I say, taking a seat. "Comin' right up!" A moment and an incantation later, my vodka appears before me. "Thanks, L." "Aw, it was nothin'!" a line from a film, if my memory serves me correctly. "Hey, I heard that you'd gotten. kidnapped," she says, the last word barely more than a whisper. "Yeah. look, have you seen Draco about?" I ask, suddenly anxious for him. "Oh, he left a few minutes ago. Said he was going home. Wha's the matter? Havin' trouble?" she nodded sagely. "I know, I know. It's always the best- suited ones that don't work. Hang on in there, 'Mione. You'll make it." "Thanks, L. You're a real friend. I'll see you later, yeah?" "See yus, 'Mione." I finish my Vodka, and leave, tapping the wall into Diagon Alley. I walk up to the new apartment blocks at the end, through a magical entrance that only reveals itself to those it thinks worthy, and put my wand in the door. Much better than Muggle keys. They identify you. Better than a speech activated door. It's more accurate. I walk up the stairs to the top floor, where our flat is, and again, put my wand in the door. "Draco?" I ask, suddenly timid. Surprised by this sudden realisation, I walk into our bedroom, the first door on the right, and find Draco there. His wrists are slashed to pieces. There is the smell of Marijuana in the air, and lying by the bed; strewn over the floor are three empty bottles of Vodka. "Oh, my God! Mobilicorbus." His body floats in the air. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit," I mutter under my breath. His body flies out of the bedroom door with me, and we go it the living room. Ornately decorated, it has some of the finest treasures of the 16th century. I pick my way carefully through the priceless junk, artefacts and heirlooms that fill the room. We go over to the fire and my tear-strained voice mutters, "Saint Mungos," before I realise that I'm crying. I'm virtually hyperventilating, but my mind is calm. My heart is frantic, and something is producing more adrenaline than is possible. I think that he's going to die. I'm going o loose him. We are in St Mungos now. We got there safely. I thank God that I found him. I pray that he'll be OK. "Are you Mrs Malfoy?" "Um, actually, I'm." then I think about it. They might only let immediate family see him. I think about this for another fraction of a second, and resolutely say "Yes." Having never been good at acting or lying, I find it hard to believe that she believes me.
* * *
"Harry!" Hermione jumps at his familiar voice and touch from behind her. She stands up, and turns to face him. "I'm so glad you're here." "I got here as fast as I could once I got your owl. Your handwriting was terrible," he says trying to lighten the mood. It works, and Hermione emits a very weak laugh. "I haven't seen him yet. They won't let me see him!" she's almost hysterical. "Why not? I mean." Harry shuts her up. "Hermione, I don't know why. Right now, I'm concerned for you, more than Draco. I know, I know, but I say we go to The Leaky Cauldron, and have a few drinks to take our minds off it, hmm?" "Yeah," she says weakly, knowing that she will only have coffee. She wants to be awake when he wakes. "Let's go, then. They'll get someone over to talk to us if there's anything else." "OK."
* * *
In his hospital bed, surrounded by magical machinery and Mediwizards in white, Draco is no further in coming out of his coma.