Chapter 14: Auror Exercitium
"As you have joined us late, I have arranged a demonstration for you of basic purgatory dueling which will be performed by two of our boys already in training. It is an ancient form of dueling which involves a blade of power, a Gladeus Valentis." said Snape, as he and Remus Lupin, this year's Defence Against the Dark Arts (DADA) teacher, stood on either side of Draco, who was dressed in a black dragon-hide dueling outfit.
On the far side of the hall stood the man Draco had been introduced to as Mr Andrew Figg, brother of Arabella Figg. Draco was extremely keen in watching the dueling. He himself had been trained by Lucius and various dueling masters in the wizarding world to a high standard of basic duelling.
They were all gathered in a large hall, its gothic columns climbing to a high vaulted ceiling and with elegant glass windows set at intervals along the sides of the hall. It looked like a smaller version of the Great Hall. Two figures, dressed in similar skin-tight black dragon-hide outfits faced each other other about six metres apart in the centre of the hall. The set up was not unfamiliar to Draco, who for years had been trained in dueling with wands and swords by his father. However, these figures were strange in that they carried no swords.
Their faces were covered with a sort of dragon hide mask as well so that Draco had absolutely no idea who they were. What were they going to do?
"Watch carefully, Malfoy" said Professor Lupin.
"On my word" said Mr Figg.
The two figures braced themselves.
"Duellum!" shouted Mr Figg.
Draco nearly jumped out of his skin.
At Mr Figg's shout, a number of things happened all at once: first, both figures seemed to produce swords from out of nowhere. Not just ordinary dueling swords, but terrifying, glowing swords.
Second, both figures leapt across at each other and began a swordplay that was so furious, so fierce, that it did not look like the basic sword fighting that Draco was used to- this looked truly horrendous, as if the figures were intent on killing each other.
As they fought, he thought could hear them calling out spells, "leviosa…incendio…fila…" which gave them extra advantage when fighting.
The slightly taller figure on the left had a strong and powerful fighting style, he seemed to be the aggressor and gaining the upper hand. The figure on the left was of slighter build and though he made many defensive feints and retreats, he was faster and more cunning. The figures went for each other with intense ferocity. Already, both were bleeding where the powerful blades had sliced through the thick dragonhide. The swords flew so fast they were nearly invisible. Draco could hardly have imagined it possible anyone could move so swiftly.
"Professor, they'll kill each other" said Draco to Snape softly.
"That's the idea, but hopefully not today," said Lupin, overhearing.
The swordplay went on for at least another five minutes, both figures not giving in, not slackening one bit. Draco wtched in awe and he felt his admiration for these two people rise. Whoever they were, they were damn good. He could hardly believe that one day, he would be able to fight like that.
"Strigo" shouted Mr Figg at last.
The two figures bowed to each other and their swords seemed magically to vanish. They were breathing heavily.
"Not bad" said Mr Figg walking over to the two fighters. "You kept it up for much longer than last week, without either of you tiring or losing concentration. That is very good." The two masked figures nodded.
"We have a new student joining our training today" said Figg as he indicated that the two fighters should follow him over to where Draco stood.
"You may all remove your masks. Time to make friends." Snape said, with a smirk.
Nervously, Draco removed his mask as did the other two.
"Well, well, Draco Malfoy" said one of the boys with a skeptical look. Draco nodded curtly to him, well, that was no surprise. But when he turned to look at the other fighter, his eyes nearly fell out of his head….It couldn't be!
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Hermione and Ginny were in the Gryffindor Common room. Hermione was helping Ginny with her Transfiguration essay. It was the middle of January after the Christmas holidays and the students, with many groans and protests, had finally gotten their brains back into school mode.
Suddenly, Ginny looked up from her essay and slammed her textbook shut.
"You've got to tell Harry and Ron, Hermione" she said firmly. "It's been long enough. Anyway, they are starting to get suspicious."
"I just need more time" said Hermione slowly.
"What are you waiting for? What's the big deal?" asked Ginny. "It's not like they'll kill him or anything you know. There are laws against that sort of thing."
Hermione chuckled. "Well, I know Harry would probably be okay with it. He's not so hasty as Ron. But you know your brother Ginny…he's so…so…remember the time he cursed Malfoy into having four arms because Draco knocked over his Sleep Potion?"
Ginny giggled. "Yes, but Malfoy did that deliberately you know."
"Yes, but Ron just reacts without thinking. I'm scared I'll meet Draco with four heads or something if Ron loses it and gets it in for Draco. And I know your brother still has well, feelings, for me even though I've told him about a thousand times that I don't feel the same way. He even apologized to me for taking Parvati to the Yule Ball!"
Ginny sighed. Her brother had had a crush on Hermione since the Fourth Year. Not that Hermione had ever reciprocated his feelings. Quite the contrary. Most of Hermione's fifth year had been spent fending him off.
"Well, Hermione. I think that you're all quite old enough to handle the situation like adults. I mean, in less than a year you'll all have graduated and be working."
"Mmm hmmm…Ginny, I think you're right. I think I'll discuss this with Harry first, before I say anything to Ron."
Ginny shrugged and nodded, "It's better than nothing, I guess. You can't go on hiding it forever, you know. Now, help me figure out how to turn a hat into a saucepan."
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Draco was exhausted after his first few weeks of Auror training. So that's how those three had been doing it so secretly…they had been using a time-turner to go to practice without anyone noticing! He didn't know if he could keep this up- it was mentally and physically exhausting and he had all his schoolwork to do as well. Thank goodness it wasn't Quidditch season or he would be flat out wasted.
Although no more mention was made of the Malfoy prophesy, it hung over them all like a poised sword.
The trainers had been driving Draco harder than usual to help him catch up with their other students. His years of basic duelling trainind already meant that he was not far behind those three others, but he certainly had a long way to go before he could master the intense concentration necessary to keep up that pace of fighting. It had taken him almost two weeks of constant practice before he could even conjure up a satisfactory Gladeus Valentis!
Draco gritted his teeth when he thought of all the bruises and cuts he had received. Thank goodness Hermione was a good mediwitch, she patiently healed him every night without asking too many questions. She was quietly supportive of him and though her eyes grew large with worry every time she tended to his minor wounds, he could also sense that she tended them with pride at what he was doing.
The nights were Draco's favourite time. In the day, he had to keep up a façade of being fierce, mudblood-hating Draco Malfoy. He also had to put up with the constant obstinate presence of Crabbe and Goyle, or the giggles of Pansy and Millicent. They seemed to enjoy teasing him about his Yule Ball date. The girls from Slytherin house seemed unnaturally fascinated with her…reumour had gone round that she was Veela. More than once, he had to physically restrain himself from cursing Pansy into a dog.
At night, he could hardly wait for the moment when he and Hermione would urgently begin their lovemaking. Their appetite for each other had not diminished, if anything, it seemed to have increased. The more time they spent apart during the day, the more aloof Hermione treated him in the hallways of the school, the more she would give herself to him at night.
He always hated that Potter and Weasley could walk around the halls with their arms around his girlfriend, without anyone batting an eyelid. She always looked so darned happy with them. He wished that they could be more open about themselves but both knew that they had to keep it under wraps for the time being in case Lucius got wind of it. Sometimes, at mealtimes, she would catch his eye across the great hall and blush. He knew what she was thinking. It never ceased to surprise him that Miss Hermione Granger, Head Girl and Top Student could do some of the things she did to him at night.
The one thing that weighed on his mind even more than the prophesy was that of Lucius finding out. He had had many nightmares where Lucius kidnapped and tortured Hermione and Hermione suddenly turned into Lord Voldemort, her hands clutching a knife and aimed his heart.
"Are you very tired nowadays, Draco?" he broke out of his reverie at her voice. She was lying on his arm, leg slung over his, sharing his pillow. "How is the training going?" She still had not gotten over his silver-blonde hair and gray eyes. She felt she could lie there staring at him in the moonlight forever. He was no match for the other boys in the school, even on Hogsmeade visits, older witches would turn to admire him wherever he went. She loved thinking of how she had sparred with him for over six years, hating then admiring him in the next moment. She couldn't believe that he was hers.
He kissed her hair softly. "Okay I guess. I'm a bit behind the other three…that's a shock for me, you know how I'm usually so good at everything."
"Well, you did start much later you know."
"Yes, I'm catching up fast."
"And you really can't tell me anything at all about it?"
"I'm sorry 'Mione. I really can't…Cept it hurts a lot and it's tough as hell."
"Not even if I do this?" she said swinging herself over him and kissing him deeply on the lips.
He felt a hotness rush through him.
"Nope, sorry 'Mione" he smiled. "I guess you'll have to try harder."
"How about this?" she said, wickedly moving her lips down his chest, playing with his nipple with her tongue. She hovered tantalizingly over him.
"Try harder," he whispered to her.
"Mmm…how about now, Mr Malfoy?" she said moving down even further.
He groaned and buried his hands in her hair. "Miss Granger, you really can be very persuasive."
