Chapter 11- Starlight Gazes

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Hello again. Another chapter, hurrah! Well, well, well, this chapter is over 3000 words in length which is pretty amazing for me because I usually stop after I get past a thousand. Also, and I know this sounds silly, but this is the chapter where finally when you go to the chapter menu you have to scroll down! (he, he you know what they say about small things, lol) Anyway I hope you all enjoy as this is one of my favourite chapters to date, oh and five points to anyone who can spot the Monty Python quote!

Disclaimer: Harry and friends aren't mine, neither is the MP quote, but by golly I wish the HP characters were!

'-'= Thoughts

AN= Authors notes.

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***

Exchanging a quick, horrified look Hermione and Ron raced down the corridor towards their stricken friend. Hermione knelt down beside his prone body and felt for a pulse, it was there but very weak Ron stood above her running his fingers constantly through his hair out of nervous habit.

"Not again." Moaned Hermione then, just like she had done for Neville, she levitated Harry and they pelted down the corridor their hearts thumping madly.

***

Bursting into the infirmary they roused Madam Pomfrey who was napping in a chair by Neville's bed and she quickly had Harry tucked into the bed that Casey had previously occupied.

"What's wrong with him?" Ron asked the medi-witch as she stood up from examining him.

"Oh nothing too bad Mr Weasley now I think you and Miss Granger should hurry along to class."

Ron and Hermione shared puzzled glances.

"We're on holiday Madam Pomfrey." Hermione gently reminded her.

The haggard looking witch nodded quickly.

"Yes, yes, of course dear." She said absentmindedly, "Off you go."

They were headed for the door when they heard her speaking to someone in her office.

"Yes Dumbledore, please come immediately. I'm not sure but I think it's…" at this point she turned, saw the Gryffindors hesitating and waved them away impatiently before slamming the door.

"Come on Hermione." Said Ron glumly but she was looking thoughtful.

"Hang on." She said slowly, "I think we should stay, she is obviously not telling us something and I reckon Dumbledore must be on his way perhaps we can find out what's going on."

"But she told us to leave." Ron said plaintively.

"Oh honestly Ron, when did that ever stop us before?" Hermione grabbed his arm and they scuttled under Neville's bed.

"Urgh, it's dusty under here, Hermione." Ron complained but she hushed him as they heard footsteps on the stairs and Madam Pomfrey hurried out of her office.

"Well?" Dumbledore asked entering and worriedly looking down at Harry's pale and drawn face.

"As I said to you just now, I'm not entirely sure but I think there is a good chance he has been poisoned headmaster."

Hermione let out a gasp and Ron promptly slapped his hand over her mouth but luckily neither of the teachers had heard her.

"How seriously?" Dumbledore inquired with more of an edge in his voice.

"Well that's the funny thing. I can only sense very weak poison in his body but Miss Granger and Mr Weasley saw him collapse, it certainly isn't enough to knock him unconscious for this long. There must be something else that is contributing to his weakness, my best guess is fatigue but it is more serious then the loss of a couple of nights sleeps. It is the sort of exhaustion that you would normally associate with difficult spells that have depleted his energy stores but…"

Here Dumbledore cut her off, "But it's holidays."

"Precisely."

"What difficult spells has Mr Potter been doing in his holiday break?" Dumbledore asked wonderingly.

"It wouldn't just be any spells," Madam Pomfrey added weakly, "Dumbledore, he is in the sort of state Auror's are found in after blocking dark spells or even after," her voice dropped to a whisper, "evoking them!"

Ron had had enough! This was Harry they were talking about! Before Hermione could stop him he emerged from under the bed and faced them defiantly.

"Harry has not been casting dark spells." He nearly shouted at them. Hermione sighed and shook her head before following him out.

"Calm yourself Mr Weasley." Dumbledore said seeming not at all surprised to see him, "No one is saying that Harry…"

"She just did!" Ron roared pointing at Madam Pomfrey.

"Ron!" Hermione hissed aghast, "Don't point and don't speak that way to a teacher, what has gotten into you?"

Ron calmed down considerably when he saw that Hermione was with him and grudgingly apologised to the medi-witch.

Dumbledore continued: "No on is saying that Harry did cast dark spells, it is just one of the options at the moment."

"It shouldn't even be an option." Ron grumbled quietly but Dumbledore chose to ignore that comment.

"Do either of you know what Harry could have been doing recently to exhaust him so much?" (AN okay this is for Harriet Vane whose first guess as to what is wrong with Harry would probably be making her giggle right about now, lol!)

Hermione and Ron were always prepared to lie for Harry but this time they could say with absolute honesty that they had no idea. Dumbledore looked at them both sternly when they had told him they knew nothing as if he didn't quite believe them but eventually he turned away.

"Well I have some things to attend to," as Madam Pomfrey made to usher Ron and Hermione out he shook his head. "Let them stay with him for now, they can't do any harm and in fact I think they could do some good."

The medi-witch didn't seem too happy with this idea and she pursed her lips as if to disagree but then she relented.

"Oh alright!" she exclaimed as the two Gryffindors stared at her pleadingly, "I suppose you'll want to stay the night too, won't you?"

They both nodded.

"Fine then, you can stay in the two spare beds."

"Thankyou!" Hermione and Ron chorused.

Dumbledore beamed,

"Right well, that seems to be taken care of. Don't look so glum you two, we'll find out what Harry has been up to either tomorrow or the next day when he wakes up."

They both nodded and he left giving them one last reassuring smile. Madam Pomfrey bustled off to do some things in her office and that left Hermione and Ron standing next to their two comatose Gryffindor companions.

"Not going too well for the mighty lions is it?" Ron said after a brief period of silence.

"No," Hermione answered softly, they both looked down at Harry and Hermione suddenly began to sniffle. Ron placed his arm around her comfortingly.

"Can't a year go by where we don't do this?" she weeped.

"Well, last year…" Ron started uncertainly.

"Last year there was that horrible Quidditch match when the Slytherin keeper hit him with a curse and made him plummet to the ground. No dark magic but still bloody scary!"

Ron lips twitched even though the situation was serious. "Don't swear." He chided and she gave a little laugh between her sobs.

"You're one to talk Mr Ronald Weasley." She hiccuped.

He hugged her tighter, "I know…well I guess we'd better get settled in for another stay in the infirmary. Honestly they should have a special room just for us three by now. The dream team ward that'd be right…anyway…" he searched around looking for something to take her mind off Harry's uncertain fate. "Fancy a game of chess?"

Soon they were locked in a battled of wits and were so absorbed in their game that they didn't notice the figure flit past them and out the door from where he had been hiding behind the curtains of the bed to the left of Neville's.

'Poison?' thought Malfoy.

'Damn her! PANSY!'

***

Pansy was making her way merrily back from the kitchens where she had placed another small amount of the Tossinadolce potion into the food that was going to appear at Harry's place during lunch. It really was very simple to do as the elves believed that she only went down before each meal to make sure her foods were not cooked in any way to add fat content.

'Gullible, stupid things.' She thought to herself happily as she reached the dungeons. Waiting outside the door way to their common room was Malfoy.

"Oh hi Draccy darling" she purred before looking properly at his face and seeing he looked like thunder. "Uh…something wrong?" she asked uncertainly.

"Pansy, have you…have you been?" Draco was so angry he could hardly get the words out. "Have you been poisoning Potter?"

Pansy recovered quickly and drew herself up.

"Well of course I have!" she said crossly, "after all I would never dare disobey the dark lord."

Draco shook his head.

"What are you talking about?" he snapped.

A cold calculating smile spread across her face.

"Oh haven't they told you? I'm working under different orders now, Draccy. Your plan isn't working fast enough so I've been told to poison him so that when the final confrontation comes he will be weakened and killing him will be easy."

Draco scowled at the news that the dark lord thought that Pansy could do a task better then him…'then again' he reminded himself, 'this is what you wanted all along.'

"Fine." He snarled, "But I think you should know that your plan isn't going to work, you see, Harry is already in the hospital wing after collapsing. Not such a great idea after all, huh?"

"Oh no!" Pansy whispered, "He's going to kill me."

"Probably." Said Draco unhelpfully. But then he took pity on his fellow Slytherin as terror showed plainly in her features. "It wasn't all your fault." He admitted grudgingly, "and if it comes down to it, I'll tell Voldemort that."

"Oh thankyou Draccy!" Pansy threw her arms around him but Draco hurriedly shook her off.

"Whatever." He said wearily.

***

She was running across the lawns of Hogwarts, everything was blurry and she was infused with panic. Suddenly lightening flashed across the sky, followed quickly by a loud rumble of thunder and then the rain came pouring down in sheets that drenched her to the bone. Her heart thudded and she kept running, slipping and sliding through the mud and soaking grass.

"Hermione!" she heard a cry that she knew belonged to Ron but she couldn't stop she must get to…where? Where was she going? Hermione froze in momentary confusion but then she heard another yell but this time it wasn't Ron. No this time it was a shout of surprise and pain; it was Malfoy who had shouted! Hermione started to run again and suddenly she came upon a cliff and Malfoy was dangling off it. She threw herself onto her stomach and reached a hand out to him; he caught it and clasped it in his own. But she wasn't strong enough to pull him back over the edge and he hung there looking up at her with trust in his eyes. She felt Harry and Ron on either side of her and she looked up at them pleadingly the rain stinging her face.

"Help me." She whispered but they still stood staring stonily down at her, "Please," she begged this time a little louder, "Please help me! HELP ME!"

Hermione sat up with a gasp, a cold sweat breaking out as she woke from the throes of the familiar nightmare. It was the exact same one she had had the week before.

'It meant nothing, it means nothing.' She told herself over and over. With her heart still racing she climbed out of the bed in the hospital wing and padded over to where Harry was lying. There was no change and Hermione gave a soft sigh of disappointment to find that he was still unconscious and not simply asleep. Suddenly a beam of bright moonlight fell across her face and she ran to the window to bask in it. The grounds looked so peaceful and beautiful sparkling a clean white and she had a sudden urge to be out in it. She wrapped her cloak tightly around her, slipped on her shoes and glided out of the infirmary, down the stone steps and onto the path that led to the lake.

***

In the Slytherin dormitories Draco tossed and turned unable to get to sleep. Images of Hermione danced across his mind, mocking him. He had no reason to go after her now, the dark lord had told Pansy to poison Harry's body instead of his heart and so Draco and the original plan had been made redundant. Why did this hurt him so much? Surely having to pretend to like the mudblood had been sickening? Hadn't it? Draco's thoughts whirled with the same unanswerable questions until, with a groan of frustration, he threw off the covers, put on his robe and shoes and marched out of the dungeons.

'Argh I have to stop these thoughts.' He moaned inwardly, 'fresh air will help, have to stop these thoughts!'

***

Hermione brushed the snow off a large rock by the frozen lake and perched on top. Everything was so crisp and clear, she breathed in large gulps of the clean air and emptied her mind of all thoughts. Well at least she tried to, the image of Draco leaning in to kiss her on the steps kept floating up and, try as hard as she might, she couldn't shake it. 'I hate him!' she whispered to herself forcefully. 'Yes that's right.' A little voice in the back of her mind hissed, 'you keep telling yourself that.'

"Shut up!" Hermione exclaimed out loud.

"Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness." A cold voice chuckled behind her.

"Really? I thought talking to you was!" Hermione shot back recognising Draco's voice immediately.

Uninvited he took a seat next to her on the rock.

"Why are you down here?" he asked softly.

"Why are you?" Hermione replied feeling the warmth of his presence seep into her.

Malfoy ignored her and instead tipped his head back and admired the stars. The sky was clear of all but a few wisps of cloud and the stars shone dazzlingly around the brilliant crescent moon.

"Ah una bella notte, le stelle scintillano luminosamente e ho una ragazza bella dal mio lato." He whispered softly not taking his eyes from the heavens.

Hermione gave a low chuckle which Draco found very alluring, he turned and looked at her quizzically. She smiled slightly and looked deeply into his eyes.

"Sì, esso è un bel notte, le stelle scintillano luminosamente ma, sfortunatamente, ci è un grande brutto git accanto a me!"

Draco gave a great shout of laughter and lay back, his hands behind his head.

"I should have guessed you spoke Italian!"

"Yes you should have." She replied "and you certainly shouldn't have tried to woo me with it. I'm not a Slytherin girl who will simper and bat her eyelids at your every word."

Draco amused himself for a moment with a vision of Hermione as a Slytherin girl but it didn't fit.

"No, you're not." He agreed.

There was silence for another minute or so and then he raised himself up on one elbow and looked at her. She didn't notice at first as she seemed to be drinking in her surroundings, absorbing every star, snowflake and tree.

"What are you doing?" he asked softly, intrigued.

"Committing everything in this moment to memory so I never forget it."

"What? Even me?" he scoffed

"Even you." She whispered causing the sneer to vanish from his face.

"Hermione." He breathed. She turned to look at him and in that instant her barriers came down and he saw clearly the woman she was. Intelligence shone intensely in her striking eyes along with a great spirit of courage, friendship and love. This was why she was beautiful, it was this inner radiance that shone through to the outside and made any man who saw her fall desperately in love with her.

"Oh no." he groaned throatily as his hands rose unbidden and cupped her face. Her eyes widened in surprise and then he crushed his lips against hers. His tongue ran along the outside of her mouth until it opened slightly and he delved inside. Time seemed to stand still as they pressed against one another and let their desires do the talking for once. Then, as if realising for the first time what she was doing, Hermione gave a small cry into his mouth and pushed Draco away from her, hard. Without a sound he fell backwards off the rock and lay sprawled in the snow stunned for a moment. Hermione's worried face came in to view over the lip of the rock.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you alright."

"Yeah." He said croakily his head still spinning form the passion that had until just recently been coursing through his body.

"I have to go!" she whispered almost apologetically. She came around and stood above him. "Malfoy…"

"Draco." He interrupted.

"Draco," she agreed, "I know it isn't my place to ask or anything but could you not…" she broke of, biting her lip and looking at him imploringly.

Draco sighed. "You don't want me to tell anyone about what just happened." He said flatly.

She nodded.

"Fine." He sighed again.

Hermione looked slightly puzzled, "Really?" she asked suspiciously.

"Really." He assured her, "now get back to bed.

Hermione turned to go but suddenly turned back.

"Thankyou and I'm sorry for pushing you off the rock and…ah…everything." She finished hurriedly.

"Whatever." His usual drawl seemed to be creeping back into his voice. "Hey, hang on Hermione."

She turned back again and Draco got to his feet and swung his cloak off his shoulders and around hers. "You look freezing." He explained gruffly.

She gave him a quick shy smile and hurried away from him across the lawns towards Hogwarts.

"Oh no." he groaned just as he had before he had dug himself in the mess he was now in. "Anyone but the mudblood Granger, I'll take anyone, even Millicent Bullstrode!" but his heart didn't seem to be listening, in fact it seemed to be disregarding his brain entirely and instead it was quickening at the thought that sometime the next day the stunning Gryffindor was going to have to come and see him to give his cloak back…

***

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I think Draco might be melting! Yay! Okay if anyone is interested the poison is called Tossinadulce because that means sweet toxin in Italian (loosly translated as I don't speak the language very well… yet!) and Draco said: Ah a beautiful night, the stars sparkle brightly and I have a lovely girl by my side. Then Hermione said: Yes, it is a beautiful night, the stars are sparkling brightly but, unfortunately, there is a great ugly git beside me! Again I must stress that it is basically what it said as I am by no means fluent. If you can give me some help with it I would most appreciate it. Those of you who have read my other HP story will probably see similarities between this and the chapter where my characters suddenly began speaking French. Yes I know I am unoriginal but it just seemed to fit…sorry! On to my thankyous:

Snow White: I don't like it either which is a shame since he seems to spend most of the books being cross. I really do hate it when they give out homework, it is just plain rude. And my huge maths assignment is due the second day back, when we all complained my teacher said "well you could all do it on the Monday night, that wouldn't be in your holidays"! And it is enormous! Hmm, sorry about that…thankyou so much for saying my story is mega-great, that makes you mega-great in my opinion!

Vixen: Why stop there? Why, because I knew how much it would annoy you of course! Um Harry is still unconscious but I am pretty sure he will be up and raring to go before Christmas (my story time not in the real world!) and Christmas Eve will be next chapter I think. Amazing work? Shucks you're too kind but thankyou so much for reviewing and I will do my best to produce chapters that are at best readable!

Rina: Wow you are a little upset about this Harry thing! A bit of the puzzle is solved in this chapter but there is still a bit of mystery surrounding what is wrong with him. Pansy and Draco…well their secret will be revealed in time. Do you hate me now? Thankyou for reviewing and for getting so worked up!

Lil' Dudette: Oh you have it in for Harry don't you?! You'll have to keep guessing about what exactly is wrong with him but at least now you know a little bit of what is going on. My favourite couple is Draco and Hermione silly! Who is your favourite? Well thankyou for reviewing as always!

Dracocrazy: Yep, you're right. You are just going to have to wait! Another person who doesn't care what happens to Harry? He he I'm glad! You are most welcome and here is another one, thankyou for reviewing!

Harriet Vane: Wow the author of 'Dancing in your Shadow' reviewed my humble little fic?! I'm honoured! You raised an interesting point with Ronan, I honestly didn't think about the centaur when I wrote him in. The name just seemed to fit his character. I didn't mean to insult your name-sake either but she is a nice character so even if she is going out with Jeremy and has eyes the colour of mint sauce she is still good! Did you like my little bit about what Harry had been doing to make him so exhausted?! Lol, actually my first idea was that Harry was sleeping with Cho but then I thought I wanted more mystery and anyway she is still supposed to be too shaken up about Cedric. My Draco compelling? Wow that is so nice of you to say! I love writing his character but I get him all wrong and, as you said, there are times when he doesn't seem right, however we live and learn, huh?! You are an England supporter too? Hurrah! Of course you could just be someone who didn't want Argentina to win because you support another team in the division or you might not like Argentina! Anyway it is nice to know someone reads my authors notes! Thankyou so much for reviewing!

*Prongs*: I wouldn't go as far as to say wicked cool but it was so nice of you to say so! It is so unbelievably excellent that you love my story with 10 o's, 9 !'s and 2 1's! not to mention the four really's. Thankyou so much you are a great ego booster!

Kitty: Each time I post?! Wow thankyou that means you must love this story 11 times more then when you first read it, excellent! I am trying to learn from my mistakes and I think that is one of the main functions of writing stories for fanfiction.net. When I read through my old story again recently I saw how pathetic my Draco is and I am endeavouring to make him harder this time. He is still far from perfect and I hang my head in shame when I read some stories where they have captured his essence perfectly. I agree with your idea of Draco and he is always my favourite when he is sort of like Spike in Buffy. Thankyou for saying I am doing a great job, it made me all the more eager to work on this chapter.

Dragon eyes: actually quite easily! You have found out a little about Harry but not the full story so your curiosity will just have to wait to be satisfied! Thankyou for reviewing.

Waiting: Hey, no need to apologise! Exams are a lot more important then my little story. Good luck by the way I hope you do well on them! I surely will keep writing and when you have aced your exams you can start reviewing again! (no pressure or anything) it is so cool of you to say you love my story my ever faithful reviewer!

Gaille: Oh that puts horrible images in my head! Don't we all love Draco? In fact I think I love him more when he is being nasty! Thankyou for reviewing and I hope you are fully recovered.

Ruler of The World: Yeah, I love Ron but I agree that he is not as sexy as Draco. Well I think yours is the strongest voice against Harry. Do you suggest Bad Ass Draco and the Philosophers Stone (or Sorcerers stone if you are American)? Actually that has a certain ring to it! Thankyou for reviewing and I have hurried up and updated.

I am now on 9 favourites lists! Wow it is so much more then I ever thought I would get. I danced around when I was on one! Thankyou so much to those people, love ya!

I would love lots of feedback on this chapter…of course, when don't I? So please make me happy and click that little blue box to review for me. Thankyou. Don't forget about my email list, the offer is always open. COME ON ENGLAND! Oh and I'll reveal the MP quote in the next chapter so put your guesses in your review!

Cheesy grins to you all

Jess/Star123 

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