Another Face
By: Evol Nogara
Chapter Five: The Game Has Just Begun
Summary: Veelas, weakness, and the start of blackmail?
Disclaimer: I OWN.nothing T_T
*
"Oy, Hermione! You alright? You look as if you just scored 99% on a test," shouted Ron.
Hermione opened her mouth and raised a finger at Ron. Then her eyes turned to Harry and then Draco. She growled in anger and stormed away. The three boys were left staring at the hallway Hermione just exited through.
"Well, then. I'll just be going now," Draco said quite casually.
"Oh, no you're not. Not until you tell us what happened," Harry said as he stood in front of Draco to stop him.
"I don't have to tell you idiots anything," spat Draco.
Ron snorted and chuckled to everyone's surprise. Both Harry and Draco rose and eyebrow to this.
"Ron? What's so funny?" asked Harry still confused.
"Oh, it's just that we outnumber him and we finally have a chance to destroy this weasel once and for all. Since it's late, no one else is here, and-" Ron snatched Draco's wand out of his hand. "He doesn't have a wand anymore."
Harry nodded in agreement. They both had devious smirks on their face. Draco's expression didn't change at all.
"First of all, you're the weasel. I'm the ferret. If you're going to insult me at least get it right. Second-" Draco took back his wand while Ron was busy smirking. "I'll take this."
Harry and Ron stopped smiling but Draco grinned. He parted the two with his hands and walked down the hall. Halfway down he turned around and shouted, "Have a nice night." Then he laughed a wicked laugh that echoed down the hall.
"Malfoy's gone mad," Ron stated.
"Must be mad he lost a Quidditch game before Quidditch season even started," Harry countered.
The two already confused, and now even more confused boys made their way back to their dorms.
*
The next day Hermione woke up with a jolt. She had a horrible nightmare that blast-ended skrewts replaced all the Professors and gave her failing grades.
"Why did Ron have to tell me that there was a blast-ended skrewts on the loose?" though Hermione, half asleep and rubbing her temples. She couldn't help but laugh after thinking about all the odd things Ron said. She glanced at her clock; Harry and Ron were still in bed. They had all gotten clocks that told you where the other was in 6th year. It came in handy since they were always getting in trouble in the middle of the night and one of them, mostly Hermione, had to go rescue them. It was only 6 in the morning. Usually Hermione would be up and about, but today she decided to lie a little. She squirmed around her bed, trying to find a comfortable spot, and realized that she had many things to worry about.
"Forget lying in today, I've got an Arithmacy test to study for!"
She got dressed and looked in the mirror to check that everything was in order.
"You look positively ravishing today," commented her reflection in the mirror.
At first she smiled, and then her smile turned into a frown. A sigh came out.
"This isn't me. I'm not ravishing Hermione, I'm bookworm Hermione."
Her mental self dragged her physical self out the portrait hole and into the Great Hall. She ate silently while flipping through pages of her book.
"Morning," said an almost half-dead Ron.
"Morning," replied Hermione almost in the same tone.
"Good morning everyone!" Harry exclaimed.
Hermione and Ron grunted in return. Harry was yet again, confused. Most of the time it was he who was depressed or half-dead.
"What's wrong?" asked Harry.
"Nothing," they both replied at the same time.
Hermione put on a very fake smile and stood up.
"I'm going to make the morning rounds. Heard some 5th year Gryffindors are planning to throw dungbombs at Snape for taking of 50 points," said Hermione, with a sigh.
Ron cheered up a little, "Aw. Leave them be. Besides I want to see if Snape can get any dirtier than he already is."
"But we might lose even more points if Snape finds out, which he probably will anyways," retorted Hermione with an annoyed tone.
Harry stirred his hot chocolate and smiled. His friends were back to normal.
*
Snape was in an extra irate mood that day. The dungbombs went off when he was preparing a potion and he ended up with a face full of boils and smelling like dung. Harry and Ron were sniggering at the thought and wished they were there to see it. Hermione reminded them that Gryffindor had lost another 50 points from it and that if they were there Snape would've taken off 100 points, seeing as he despises Harry.
The heavy Arithmacy book Draco lent Hermione was in her book bag, which was threatening to split any moment. She had already finished half of it. It was quite interesting. It made sense and explained why you needed to learn everything, not that Hermione needed any other reason to learn anything other than getting top marks and good grades. There was something peculiar about the book. Draco claims he never read it, but there were scribbles and side notes all over the book. At first Hermione thought someone else made them, but then she realized that Malfoys didn't have secondhand books, or let alone secondhand anything. The thought was left behind as she headed for Defense Against the Dark Arts.
*
Draco was not in a good mood. A first year Hufflepuff girl mistook him as some type of evil male veela and ran away. When he went down to the Great Hall they just ran out of mocha lattes and he had to settle for regular coffee. As he headed back a group of over 10 first year Hufflepuff girls cornered him and threatened to turn him into a toad and send him to Neville. Thankfully for Draco, Hermione had just woken up and was headed to the Great Hall. She stopped them and convinced the girls that Draco was not a veela.
"What happened? How did you convince those poor first year girls that you were a veela?" Hermione asked, as she was curious for an answer.
"I didn't have to convince them. I guess I just look this good. Besides I think my great-great grandmother was a veela," Draco replied in a disgustingly casual voice, if that is possible.
"Right then," Hermione said, while raising an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Well, thanks," Draco said hastily. He opened his mouth to say something but Hermione stopped him.
"Hush. I want to remember this moment forever. Draco Malfoy actually thanked a mudblood?" Hermione was milking this for all it's worth.
"I'm appalled. You thought I had no manners? I was merely thanking you from stopping those mad first years from turning me into a toad. I would've died in Longbottom's care. The thought is just terrifying," said Draco, cringing.
Hermione giggled. Then she stopped. Was she giggling at something Malfoy said?
"Err. I have to go eat that book you gave me. I'm reading," Hermione said without thinking as she walked away.
Draco stood blank for a moment then he retreated to a corner and burst out laughing. Oh, how fun it was to mess with the little Gryffindor's head.
*
Defense Against the Dark Arts was never Hermione's favorite subject, except when Lupin was the teacher, but that's another story. Now she feared it. And it was all because of Professor Sekha. She knew what Hermione was hiding, because every time she looked at Hermione her lips would form a terrible smirk. Hermione hoped that Harry and Ron would be too distracted by Professor Sekha to notice anything out of the ordinary. Their lesson with vampires did not go well. Neville appeared to be allergic to garlic and someone thought he was a vampire and hit him over with a wooden stake.
"Now class, I assure you there are no vampires in Hogwarts. But I can't say the same for the Forbidden Forest," said Professor Sekha in a misty voice.
After the murmur in the classroom settled, she continued, "The next lesson will be on Veelas." The boys cheered while the girls rolled their eyes.
"Before you ask anything, you should know that Veelas are indeed dangerous. If you had one under your control, you could make a man do anything for you. The thing is how hard they are to control," explained Professor Sekha,
"We will be working in groups. One boy and one girl to each group. The girl will control the Veela, and the boy." A few giggles went throughout the room and many boys started to blush under the prying eye of the Professor.
"I will allow you to pick your own groups." The class cheered, "But, after the lesson the men from the group will be tested to see how well you can defend yourself."
The class ended with everyone talking about what would happen and who was whose partner. Hermione decided to go with Harry, because she knew Ron had a weakness for these kinds of things. Ron partnered with Lavender, who looked disappointed.
*
"Ron, face it. Your one weakness is women," Hermione concluded.
"Then why am I sitting next to you?" asked Ron, in an irritated tone.
Hermione snorted, "Because you're used to me."
"Oh, well how am I supposed to pass that lesson on Veelas then?" asked Ron, now calmer.
"I doubt you will," said Harry.
"Let's just hope you make it through alive," added Hermione.
Harry and Hermione laughed while Ron went quite red.
*
Hermione walked out of the common room leaving Harry to lose at chess with Ron, again. She like the night better than the day. Less people and commotion. Not that she didn't enjoy Ron and Harry's company, but she needed some time alone. Now that she had her own room, she could do a lot more work in less time. No one was there to bother her or distract her, except Draco. But Draco had kept his distance since their incident last night, till now that is.
Hermione said her password, Flibberwonker, and started to go in. She heard a loud giggle coming from Draco's room.
"It's none of my business," she told herself.
But she couldn't help but be a little curious about who or what was in Draco's room. Then she heard more giggling and then a shriek, a happy one but nonetheless a shriek.
"What the blazes was Draco doing in his room?" she pondered. Then she realized it and had an urge to barge in. But what would her excuse be?
"The Arithmacy book," she exclaimed.
She rushed into her room leaving her portrait hole open, and rushed out with the book. Her voice hesitated at Draco's portrait.
"Uh, Draco? Draco?"
"Draco? Draco!"
She heard some giggling, again.
"DRACO MALFOY, COME OUT HERE THIS INSTANCE!" She shouted, sounding a lot like Professor McGonagall. There was a thud, then feet scrambling, finally Draco opened the portrait hole. He was leaning on the wall with an elbow and a hand supporting his head. His hear was drooped over everywhere. This was not the usual Draco Malfoy one would see.
"What's the problem.HERMIONE?!" Draco almost fell to the floor after he realized it was Hermione standing in front of the door.
"What the bloody hell are you thinking? Yelling out my name in the middle of the night!" yelled Draco. Hermione peered behind Draco and saw feet at the base of his window curtains. Then the curtained moved and giggled.
With a raised brow Hermione asked, "Is there someone in your room?"
Draco stuttered, "I'm appalled you would think that I brought someone in my room in the middle of the night."
Hermione gave him one of those tell-me-or-I'll-hex-your-reproductive-system- to-pieces looks.
"Alright, I have someone in my room. It's not like it hasn't happened before." Hermione gasped at this. "Is there any way you wouldn't tell anyone about this?"
"Just tell me who's behind that curtain," Hermione said coolly.
"Do I have to?"
"I hope Professor McGonagall is still up," said Hermione, ignoring Draco's comment.
"Alright! It's- it's Pansy," Draco said in almost a complete whisper.
"Pansy? I thought you got rid of her ages ago!" exclaimed Hermione.
"Shush! She'll hear us. Just go," said Draco, almost begging but not quite as Malfoys never begged.
Hermione hummed and looked around, ignoring Draco.
"Please go?" asked Draco, again.
"Fine, since you asked so nicely. But you owe me. You owe me big time," answered Hermione.
As she headed back to her room Draco called out, "What were you doing at my door anyways? Other than complete lack of respect for other's privacy?"
Hermione didn't answer, but she held up the Arithmacy book and kept walking.
*
A/N: This was a 'clue in' chapter. Pay attention to this one!
Meg: Glad you like my fanfic! I planned out a lot for this fanfic.
purple-melon: I'll keep updating! Just not as much anymore. But I am determined to finish this fanfic!
By: Evol Nogara
Chapter Five: The Game Has Just Begun
Summary: Veelas, weakness, and the start of blackmail?
Disclaimer: I OWN.nothing T_T
*
"Oy, Hermione! You alright? You look as if you just scored 99% on a test," shouted Ron.
Hermione opened her mouth and raised a finger at Ron. Then her eyes turned to Harry and then Draco. She growled in anger and stormed away. The three boys were left staring at the hallway Hermione just exited through.
"Well, then. I'll just be going now," Draco said quite casually.
"Oh, no you're not. Not until you tell us what happened," Harry said as he stood in front of Draco to stop him.
"I don't have to tell you idiots anything," spat Draco.
Ron snorted and chuckled to everyone's surprise. Both Harry and Draco rose and eyebrow to this.
"Ron? What's so funny?" asked Harry still confused.
"Oh, it's just that we outnumber him and we finally have a chance to destroy this weasel once and for all. Since it's late, no one else is here, and-" Ron snatched Draco's wand out of his hand. "He doesn't have a wand anymore."
Harry nodded in agreement. They both had devious smirks on their face. Draco's expression didn't change at all.
"First of all, you're the weasel. I'm the ferret. If you're going to insult me at least get it right. Second-" Draco took back his wand while Ron was busy smirking. "I'll take this."
Harry and Ron stopped smiling but Draco grinned. He parted the two with his hands and walked down the hall. Halfway down he turned around and shouted, "Have a nice night." Then he laughed a wicked laugh that echoed down the hall.
"Malfoy's gone mad," Ron stated.
"Must be mad he lost a Quidditch game before Quidditch season even started," Harry countered.
The two already confused, and now even more confused boys made their way back to their dorms.
*
The next day Hermione woke up with a jolt. She had a horrible nightmare that blast-ended skrewts replaced all the Professors and gave her failing grades.
"Why did Ron have to tell me that there was a blast-ended skrewts on the loose?" though Hermione, half asleep and rubbing her temples. She couldn't help but laugh after thinking about all the odd things Ron said. She glanced at her clock; Harry and Ron were still in bed. They had all gotten clocks that told you where the other was in 6th year. It came in handy since they were always getting in trouble in the middle of the night and one of them, mostly Hermione, had to go rescue them. It was only 6 in the morning. Usually Hermione would be up and about, but today she decided to lie a little. She squirmed around her bed, trying to find a comfortable spot, and realized that she had many things to worry about.
"Forget lying in today, I've got an Arithmacy test to study for!"
She got dressed and looked in the mirror to check that everything was in order.
"You look positively ravishing today," commented her reflection in the mirror.
At first she smiled, and then her smile turned into a frown. A sigh came out.
"This isn't me. I'm not ravishing Hermione, I'm bookworm Hermione."
Her mental self dragged her physical self out the portrait hole and into the Great Hall. She ate silently while flipping through pages of her book.
"Morning," said an almost half-dead Ron.
"Morning," replied Hermione almost in the same tone.
"Good morning everyone!" Harry exclaimed.
Hermione and Ron grunted in return. Harry was yet again, confused. Most of the time it was he who was depressed or half-dead.
"What's wrong?" asked Harry.
"Nothing," they both replied at the same time.
Hermione put on a very fake smile and stood up.
"I'm going to make the morning rounds. Heard some 5th year Gryffindors are planning to throw dungbombs at Snape for taking of 50 points," said Hermione, with a sigh.
Ron cheered up a little, "Aw. Leave them be. Besides I want to see if Snape can get any dirtier than he already is."
"But we might lose even more points if Snape finds out, which he probably will anyways," retorted Hermione with an annoyed tone.
Harry stirred his hot chocolate and smiled. His friends were back to normal.
*
Snape was in an extra irate mood that day. The dungbombs went off when he was preparing a potion and he ended up with a face full of boils and smelling like dung. Harry and Ron were sniggering at the thought and wished they were there to see it. Hermione reminded them that Gryffindor had lost another 50 points from it and that if they were there Snape would've taken off 100 points, seeing as he despises Harry.
The heavy Arithmacy book Draco lent Hermione was in her book bag, which was threatening to split any moment. She had already finished half of it. It was quite interesting. It made sense and explained why you needed to learn everything, not that Hermione needed any other reason to learn anything other than getting top marks and good grades. There was something peculiar about the book. Draco claims he never read it, but there were scribbles and side notes all over the book. At first Hermione thought someone else made them, but then she realized that Malfoys didn't have secondhand books, or let alone secondhand anything. The thought was left behind as she headed for Defense Against the Dark Arts.
*
Draco was not in a good mood. A first year Hufflepuff girl mistook him as some type of evil male veela and ran away. When he went down to the Great Hall they just ran out of mocha lattes and he had to settle for regular coffee. As he headed back a group of over 10 first year Hufflepuff girls cornered him and threatened to turn him into a toad and send him to Neville. Thankfully for Draco, Hermione had just woken up and was headed to the Great Hall. She stopped them and convinced the girls that Draco was not a veela.
"What happened? How did you convince those poor first year girls that you were a veela?" Hermione asked, as she was curious for an answer.
"I didn't have to convince them. I guess I just look this good. Besides I think my great-great grandmother was a veela," Draco replied in a disgustingly casual voice, if that is possible.
"Right then," Hermione said, while raising an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Well, thanks," Draco said hastily. He opened his mouth to say something but Hermione stopped him.
"Hush. I want to remember this moment forever. Draco Malfoy actually thanked a mudblood?" Hermione was milking this for all it's worth.
"I'm appalled. You thought I had no manners? I was merely thanking you from stopping those mad first years from turning me into a toad. I would've died in Longbottom's care. The thought is just terrifying," said Draco, cringing.
Hermione giggled. Then she stopped. Was she giggling at something Malfoy said?
"Err. I have to go eat that book you gave me. I'm reading," Hermione said without thinking as she walked away.
Draco stood blank for a moment then he retreated to a corner and burst out laughing. Oh, how fun it was to mess with the little Gryffindor's head.
*
Defense Against the Dark Arts was never Hermione's favorite subject, except when Lupin was the teacher, but that's another story. Now she feared it. And it was all because of Professor Sekha. She knew what Hermione was hiding, because every time she looked at Hermione her lips would form a terrible smirk. Hermione hoped that Harry and Ron would be too distracted by Professor Sekha to notice anything out of the ordinary. Their lesson with vampires did not go well. Neville appeared to be allergic to garlic and someone thought he was a vampire and hit him over with a wooden stake.
"Now class, I assure you there are no vampires in Hogwarts. But I can't say the same for the Forbidden Forest," said Professor Sekha in a misty voice.
After the murmur in the classroom settled, she continued, "The next lesson will be on Veelas." The boys cheered while the girls rolled their eyes.
"Before you ask anything, you should know that Veelas are indeed dangerous. If you had one under your control, you could make a man do anything for you. The thing is how hard they are to control," explained Professor Sekha,
"We will be working in groups. One boy and one girl to each group. The girl will control the Veela, and the boy." A few giggles went throughout the room and many boys started to blush under the prying eye of the Professor.
"I will allow you to pick your own groups." The class cheered, "But, after the lesson the men from the group will be tested to see how well you can defend yourself."
The class ended with everyone talking about what would happen and who was whose partner. Hermione decided to go with Harry, because she knew Ron had a weakness for these kinds of things. Ron partnered with Lavender, who looked disappointed.
*
"Ron, face it. Your one weakness is women," Hermione concluded.
"Then why am I sitting next to you?" asked Ron, in an irritated tone.
Hermione snorted, "Because you're used to me."
"Oh, well how am I supposed to pass that lesson on Veelas then?" asked Ron, now calmer.
"I doubt you will," said Harry.
"Let's just hope you make it through alive," added Hermione.
Harry and Hermione laughed while Ron went quite red.
*
Hermione walked out of the common room leaving Harry to lose at chess with Ron, again. She like the night better than the day. Less people and commotion. Not that she didn't enjoy Ron and Harry's company, but she needed some time alone. Now that she had her own room, she could do a lot more work in less time. No one was there to bother her or distract her, except Draco. But Draco had kept his distance since their incident last night, till now that is.
Hermione said her password, Flibberwonker, and started to go in. She heard a loud giggle coming from Draco's room.
"It's none of my business," she told herself.
But she couldn't help but be a little curious about who or what was in Draco's room. Then she heard more giggling and then a shriek, a happy one but nonetheless a shriek.
"What the blazes was Draco doing in his room?" she pondered. Then she realized it and had an urge to barge in. But what would her excuse be?
"The Arithmacy book," she exclaimed.
She rushed into her room leaving her portrait hole open, and rushed out with the book. Her voice hesitated at Draco's portrait.
"Uh, Draco? Draco?"
"Draco? Draco!"
She heard some giggling, again.
"DRACO MALFOY, COME OUT HERE THIS INSTANCE!" She shouted, sounding a lot like Professor McGonagall. There was a thud, then feet scrambling, finally Draco opened the portrait hole. He was leaning on the wall with an elbow and a hand supporting his head. His hear was drooped over everywhere. This was not the usual Draco Malfoy one would see.
"What's the problem.HERMIONE?!" Draco almost fell to the floor after he realized it was Hermione standing in front of the door.
"What the bloody hell are you thinking? Yelling out my name in the middle of the night!" yelled Draco. Hermione peered behind Draco and saw feet at the base of his window curtains. Then the curtained moved and giggled.
With a raised brow Hermione asked, "Is there someone in your room?"
Draco stuttered, "I'm appalled you would think that I brought someone in my room in the middle of the night."
Hermione gave him one of those tell-me-or-I'll-hex-your-reproductive-system- to-pieces looks.
"Alright, I have someone in my room. It's not like it hasn't happened before." Hermione gasped at this. "Is there any way you wouldn't tell anyone about this?"
"Just tell me who's behind that curtain," Hermione said coolly.
"Do I have to?"
"I hope Professor McGonagall is still up," said Hermione, ignoring Draco's comment.
"Alright! It's- it's Pansy," Draco said in almost a complete whisper.
"Pansy? I thought you got rid of her ages ago!" exclaimed Hermione.
"Shush! She'll hear us. Just go," said Draco, almost begging but not quite as Malfoys never begged.
Hermione hummed and looked around, ignoring Draco.
"Please go?" asked Draco, again.
"Fine, since you asked so nicely. But you owe me. You owe me big time," answered Hermione.
As she headed back to her room Draco called out, "What were you doing at my door anyways? Other than complete lack of respect for other's privacy?"
Hermione didn't answer, but she held up the Arithmacy book and kept walking.
*
A/N: This was a 'clue in' chapter. Pay attention to this one!
Meg: Glad you like my fanfic! I planned out a lot for this fanfic.
purple-melon: I'll keep updating! Just not as much anymore. But I am determined to finish this fanfic!
