Harry and Ron both turned to gape at Hermione whose lips were set in
a firm line which meant she was determined. Ginny was looking at her hands
while Draco did not, as usual, let any emotion show.
"Draco," Hermione said, turning to address him directly. "You know what happened to Harry this afternoon."
"Scar face is having problems again." Draco said, looking at Harry. He met Draco's gaze and let the other boy look back to Hermione before he turned as well.
"Voldemort is either planning something or has carried out something. Now, we all know that your father is a death eater," Harry thought he saw something pass across Draco's face but as quickly as it had been there it was gone. Hermione continued on, her voice level and unassuming. "Now, we need someone who will be willing to be on the inside but I don't want to put you into any danger."
Draco snorted, but didn't say anything.
"I would ask that you investigate through your father what is going on. Then you will let us know so that we can inform Dumbledore of anything that is happening."
"There are only a few major gaps in your plan Hermione," Draco said and Harry blinked. The tone and the way he had said Hermione's first name almost made Draco sound as if he were on friendly terms with her. She watched him with the same intrest as when talking to Harry and Ron, and Harry's sense of unease grew. Something else was going on...
"First of all- I can't snoop around Malfoy Manor, because that simply isn't done. My father doesn't stand for things like that, and the fact that I would be "snooping" would probably be shameful on the Malfoy name and we all know that we don't want that or else we'll end up with poxes on...anyway, the point is I don't think that is possible. Second of all, why do I want to help scar face?"
"Because," said Ron, turning to look at Draco angrily, "If you don't, I'll beat you to a bloody pulp."
"Right, and I suppose then you would drink me for breakfast?" Draco said, turning to look at Ron. "Weasly, you've got to work on your insults. You and Potter both have such lack of originality that I feel like I'm in a repeat of an old Western muggle film."
"Listen, Draco, I'm asking for your help." Hermione said quietly, walking over to sit on the bed next to Draco. The boy turned and looked at Hermione and nodded.
"Fine." He said quietly and Harry felt himself getting angrier. They weren't even asking for his help, and he was the one who had dealt with Voldemort in times past.
"Listen," Harry said his voice low. "None of this fits....I'm leaving if my scar-"
"You can go," Hermione interrupted Harry and looked at Ginny and Ron pointedly. Draco had already gotten up and was walking to the door while Harry felt himself getting angrier.
When the door shut behind Ginny and Ron, Harry rounded on Hermione.
"Listen Herm, I appreciate the fact that you're worried and all..."
"No, you don't. You're angry, and I understand that, but you have to trust me on this one." Hermione said simply, looking Harry in the eyes. He took a deep breath and looked at the ground. Of course he trusted her, it was just that he was afraid. If he felt the scar tonight he would have to leave tonight...or tomorrow...or the next day. The threat was there...and if Dumbledore was right he was endangering Hermione by staying, so he might as well get everything off his chest.
"Hermione, about that kiss..." he said slowly, not wanting to bring up the subject, but knowing he should.
"Wait." She said, and walked over to Harry, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into another kiss.
His shock apparent, he was only dimly aware of the fact that he was feeling Hermione's warm, soft lips underneath of his. He gently moved back, and looked at her before putting his hands around her waist to rest on the small of her back and kiss her again.
He had never felt anything like it before. He felt on fire, and all his senses seemed alive, and at the same time he felt as if the world were frozen in perfect motion for that one moment. Hermione's hands went to the back of his neck and he shivered at her touch against his bare skin.
Drawing back, Hermione looked at him, her eyes wide. Harry felt like he had to say something, explain everything he felt for her, but couldn't bring himself to say anything. Instead, he slid his hands to hers, and led her to the bed where he sat her down.
"Hermione, I need to explain a few things. First of all, I'm in love with you. Second of all, I have been for a while. Third of all, I love you."
"Actually that's only two things really." Hermione said with a slow smile, making Harry's flustered heart melt.
"I love you." He said his voice quiet and his heart pouding somewhere in the vicinity of his Adam's apple.
"Harry..." Hermione said and his heart sank. It was obvious that she didn't love him. "You look tired."
"Hermione, I just professed ...well...my love to you!" he said exasperated, sitting down on the bed next to her. Hermione smiled and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him backwards onto the pillows.
"What are you doing?" he said as she rested her head against his.
"Getting you to sleep." She said quietly. She brushed his messy black hair away from his forehead, she kissed him softly. He smiled and unwillingly felt his tiredness getting the best of him.
"I love you too Harry." Hermione said quietly into his ear as he was falling asleep. He rolled over and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling them closer together. "Now sleep." She whispered, and with a grin Harry fell to a peaceful sleep.
"Draco," Hermione said, turning to address him directly. "You know what happened to Harry this afternoon."
"Scar face is having problems again." Draco said, looking at Harry. He met Draco's gaze and let the other boy look back to Hermione before he turned as well.
"Voldemort is either planning something or has carried out something. Now, we all know that your father is a death eater," Harry thought he saw something pass across Draco's face but as quickly as it had been there it was gone. Hermione continued on, her voice level and unassuming. "Now, we need someone who will be willing to be on the inside but I don't want to put you into any danger."
Draco snorted, but didn't say anything.
"I would ask that you investigate through your father what is going on. Then you will let us know so that we can inform Dumbledore of anything that is happening."
"There are only a few major gaps in your plan Hermione," Draco said and Harry blinked. The tone and the way he had said Hermione's first name almost made Draco sound as if he were on friendly terms with her. She watched him with the same intrest as when talking to Harry and Ron, and Harry's sense of unease grew. Something else was going on...
"First of all- I can't snoop around Malfoy Manor, because that simply isn't done. My father doesn't stand for things like that, and the fact that I would be "snooping" would probably be shameful on the Malfoy name and we all know that we don't want that or else we'll end up with poxes on...anyway, the point is I don't think that is possible. Second of all, why do I want to help scar face?"
"Because," said Ron, turning to look at Draco angrily, "If you don't, I'll beat you to a bloody pulp."
"Right, and I suppose then you would drink me for breakfast?" Draco said, turning to look at Ron. "Weasly, you've got to work on your insults. You and Potter both have such lack of originality that I feel like I'm in a repeat of an old Western muggle film."
"Listen, Draco, I'm asking for your help." Hermione said quietly, walking over to sit on the bed next to Draco. The boy turned and looked at Hermione and nodded.
"Fine." He said quietly and Harry felt himself getting angrier. They weren't even asking for his help, and he was the one who had dealt with Voldemort in times past.
"Listen," Harry said his voice low. "None of this fits....I'm leaving if my scar-"
"You can go," Hermione interrupted Harry and looked at Ginny and Ron pointedly. Draco had already gotten up and was walking to the door while Harry felt himself getting angrier.
When the door shut behind Ginny and Ron, Harry rounded on Hermione.
"Listen Herm, I appreciate the fact that you're worried and all..."
"No, you don't. You're angry, and I understand that, but you have to trust me on this one." Hermione said simply, looking Harry in the eyes. He took a deep breath and looked at the ground. Of course he trusted her, it was just that he was afraid. If he felt the scar tonight he would have to leave tonight...or tomorrow...or the next day. The threat was there...and if Dumbledore was right he was endangering Hermione by staying, so he might as well get everything off his chest.
"Hermione, about that kiss..." he said slowly, not wanting to bring up the subject, but knowing he should.
"Wait." She said, and walked over to Harry, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into another kiss.
His shock apparent, he was only dimly aware of the fact that he was feeling Hermione's warm, soft lips underneath of his. He gently moved back, and looked at her before putting his hands around her waist to rest on the small of her back and kiss her again.
He had never felt anything like it before. He felt on fire, and all his senses seemed alive, and at the same time he felt as if the world were frozen in perfect motion for that one moment. Hermione's hands went to the back of his neck and he shivered at her touch against his bare skin.
Drawing back, Hermione looked at him, her eyes wide. Harry felt like he had to say something, explain everything he felt for her, but couldn't bring himself to say anything. Instead, he slid his hands to hers, and led her to the bed where he sat her down.
"Hermione, I need to explain a few things. First of all, I'm in love with you. Second of all, I have been for a while. Third of all, I love you."
"Actually that's only two things really." Hermione said with a slow smile, making Harry's flustered heart melt.
"I love you." He said his voice quiet and his heart pouding somewhere in the vicinity of his Adam's apple.
"Harry..." Hermione said and his heart sank. It was obvious that she didn't love him. "You look tired."
"Hermione, I just professed ...well...my love to you!" he said exasperated, sitting down on the bed next to her. Hermione smiled and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him backwards onto the pillows.
"What are you doing?" he said as she rested her head against his.
"Getting you to sleep." She said quietly. She brushed his messy black hair away from his forehead, she kissed him softly. He smiled and unwillingly felt his tiredness getting the best of him.
"I love you too Harry." Hermione said quietly into his ear as he was falling asleep. He rolled over and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling them closer together. "Now sleep." She whispered, and with a grin Harry fell to a peaceful sleep.