*
Harry gently placed his hands on Hermione's face, the warmth of his touch
soothing and familiar. He smiled and locked eyes with her, then kissed her
forehead quickly, his lips brushing across her skin.
"I love you." He whispered, kissing her nose and chuckling at her grin. Moving his hands to around her waist, he pulled closer to her, so close that she could feel his heartbeat against his thin shirt. He gently pushed against her, so they were both lying down on her bed, and rolled over so he was next to her. The warmth and the clean soap smell of him stuck to her senses, making her feel lightheaded. He smiled and she got lost in his emerald eyes as he lead in closer. He tasted like pumpkin juice, and summer nights, and tears. Her tears.
Hermione's eyes snapped open as the door closed, the tray of food, and her dream gone. The dream had been so real, she had felt Harry. Felt his heart beating in tandem with hers...seen his eyes and felt his lips...but it was just a dream. She felt her eyes pricking with the unshed tears she refused to let out in case Lucius came back.
Draco, she would think about Draco. Immediately his white-blonde hair and intense gray eyes leap into her heart, and when she closed her eyes she remembered the last moments they had together. He must not have known something was going on, otherwise he wouldn't have sent her into the room. She tired to smile but her chapped and cut lips just began to bleed again when she thought of how quickly Draco would figure out that his father had taken her. The fact that Draco had known about the Imperio curse still made her smile secretly. When Lucius had gripped her arms so hard she thought they would break she had been thinking of Draco, and how quickly he knew. He was in his element and together with Ron and Harry...
Harry. Terrific fears rose up in her chest, choking her breath, making her double over and press her forehead to the cool hardness of the stone floor. If death-eaters were holding her captive and trying to hurt her, then something must be happening with Voldemort. Maybe they thought that Harry had vanished when he was in the infirmary triggered something, but how did she tie in.
Then it hit her. They were using her as bait.
*
Draco turned and regarded Harry with surprise. As always, Harry showed up just in cue with the dialogue of the scene, and while it usually irritated him to no end, he felt a sense of unease that Harry was in the room.
"We thought Hermione was with you..." Ron said, tiredly brushing his red hair from his eyes. Ginny fixed her gaze at the ground, refusing to look at Harry, and Draco plainly saw the panic spread across Harry's face.
"Where is she?" Harry said, turning to Draco with distrust in his green eyes. Draco felt his anger rising but kept it in the small knot at the base of his spine which kept him up at night.
"She was kidnapped." Draco said simply, meeting Harry's gaze evenly. He didn't envy the boy's look of plain shock but reminded himself that Harry was not the only one who cared for Hermione. Since first year Draco and Hermione had studied together, both being the best of their houses and had quickly become friends.
"Who did it?" Harry said, turning his back on Harry to talk to Ron. Ron shrugged, his freckles standing out on his pale skin.
"We think death eaters, but Malfoy hasn't exactly made things clear for us..." Ron said, eyeing Ginny who was clearly staring at Draco, watching him for any changes.
"Weasly, I'd stop suspecting me of things and try to help." Draco said, and suddenly realized that he had just had the saddest comeback of his life. Hermione always told him that his cutting remarks were his only real weapon against her after they had been friends.
"Draco," Ginny said quickly, and he was almost thankful. Almost. "Is there any way you can tell which death eaters took her? Any special markings or something?"
"Actually, Weasly #2, they don't leave nametags that say "MALFOY DID THIS" or "PETTIGREW WAS HERE" much to contrary belief." Draco drawled, and seeing Ginny's eyes flash knew he had embarrassed her. Good, he thought to himself, maybe she will stop making obvious comments. Or maybe I should just stop being such an ass.
"Ron, Ginny, why don't you go wait in my room, I'll be there in a second and we can discuss what we're going to do to get Hermione back." Harry said, his eyes like sharp green glass, cutting into Draco's chest.
"What to do you think your doing Potter?" Draco asked as the door to his room clicked shut softly, his tone dangerous like the anger that was threatening to boil over.
"Taking things over so that we get Hermione back." Harry said, picking up his cloak.
"What do you plan to do? Go to every suspected death eater and run into their houses screaming "WHERE HAVE YOU HIDDEN MY GIRLFRIEND?" cuz I feel like that plan would definitely get you killed." Draco moved closer to Harry's face, noticing how the other boy didn't even react. "While normally the idea of you being dead would make me want to hop on the teacher's table in the great hall and do a dance with the sorting hat, this situation is different."
"OH really, and why's that?" Harry asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"Hermione." Draco said quietly, finding it hard to breath with the drowisness that suddenly threatened to knock him out cold, but he fought it off. "We've got to take extra measures..."
"What for? We're dealing with death eater's Malfoy, not the Queen's royal guard."
"Potter, for someone with such status, it certainly is a shame you don't have any brains."
"Shut up Malfoy." Harry spat out, turning to leave, fastening his cloak on.
"We're dealing with death eaters." Draco said, making Harry stop at the door, with his hand on the doorknob. "That may mean one thing to you, but it's entirely different to me. I know what happened to you during the Triwizard- Hermione told me about it. And I believed you. Mainly because my father was there, and I know my father. But Hermione is not there for her blood, she's just there to get through to you. They're just using her, and if they are in any danger of being found out, they will kill her."
Harry turned slowly around, and looked at Draco carefully. He plainly was weighing what he felt about him, and what he believed, and Draco irritably realized he had just said something almost kind to Harry. Hermione would approve, but he would not loose face. He was his father's son after all.
"What are you saying then, Malfoy," Harry obviously was having trouble with the fact that he was being civil to Draco. "You want to help?"
"Rather, I want to make sure you don't get Hermione killed."
Harry's eyes darkened, but he stayed silent and just managed a curt nod and turned around to walk up to his dormitory where Ginny and Ron were waiting. Draco watched him walk away, and followed, closing his door.
Harry walked up a few steps towards the Gryffindor tower and then turned around sharply, startling Draco though he made sure not to show it.
"What's going on with you and Hermione?" Harry asked his tone the most dispirited Draco had ever heard before. He smiled evilly, ready to lie and hurt Harry and then suddenly he stopped.
"Potter, you may think it fun to meddle in other people's affairs and get yourself into depressions-"
"Forget it." Harry interrupted him, turning around again and walking up a few steps in silence. Draco closed his eyes, the empty hollow tired feeling coming over him in deep waves, and he felt eight again, crying in his closet so his father wouldn't hear. The memory was so strong it made him reel backwards, and he quickly had to catch himself on the railing before Harry looked over his shoulder. "Alright there Malfoy?" Harry asked his green eyes genuinely concerned.
Draco rushed past Harry making sure not to show any emotion on his face as he had been taught. He didn't even realize that Harry was behind him until they neared his door and Ginny and Ron's voices mingled in the stillness of the Gryffindor stairway which was deserted.
"Ron, I don't think you understand." Ginny was saying, her voice tense. Draco stopped outside the door to listen while Harry stopped, looking at him.
"Sure, okay, so you expect me to believe that Hermione and Draco HAVE to be near each other or they spontaneously combust?" Ron was saying as the bed groaned where one of the siblings sat down.
"No, but if they aren't together something happens to Draco, and-"
Draco watched in horror as Harry brust into the room, and caused Ginny to stop midsentance while the sound of his heart was beating so loudly he was sure Ron could hear it and laugh.
"Always have to make an entrance do you Potter?" Draco said, hiding his fear and irritation from the Weasleys and Harry, who turned and glared at him.
"Listen, we have to figure out what to do about Hermione." Harry said, turning back to Ginny and Ron who were both sitting on the bed. Draco fought the intense anger he felt and sat down in a chair, facing the trio. Time was running out.
"I love you." He whispered, kissing her nose and chuckling at her grin. Moving his hands to around her waist, he pulled closer to her, so close that she could feel his heartbeat against his thin shirt. He gently pushed against her, so they were both lying down on her bed, and rolled over so he was next to her. The warmth and the clean soap smell of him stuck to her senses, making her feel lightheaded. He smiled and she got lost in his emerald eyes as he lead in closer. He tasted like pumpkin juice, and summer nights, and tears. Her tears.
Hermione's eyes snapped open as the door closed, the tray of food, and her dream gone. The dream had been so real, she had felt Harry. Felt his heart beating in tandem with hers...seen his eyes and felt his lips...but it was just a dream. She felt her eyes pricking with the unshed tears she refused to let out in case Lucius came back.
Draco, she would think about Draco. Immediately his white-blonde hair and intense gray eyes leap into her heart, and when she closed her eyes she remembered the last moments they had together. He must not have known something was going on, otherwise he wouldn't have sent her into the room. She tired to smile but her chapped and cut lips just began to bleed again when she thought of how quickly Draco would figure out that his father had taken her. The fact that Draco had known about the Imperio curse still made her smile secretly. When Lucius had gripped her arms so hard she thought they would break she had been thinking of Draco, and how quickly he knew. He was in his element and together with Ron and Harry...
Harry. Terrific fears rose up in her chest, choking her breath, making her double over and press her forehead to the cool hardness of the stone floor. If death-eaters were holding her captive and trying to hurt her, then something must be happening with Voldemort. Maybe they thought that Harry had vanished when he was in the infirmary triggered something, but how did she tie in.
Then it hit her. They were using her as bait.
*
Draco turned and regarded Harry with surprise. As always, Harry showed up just in cue with the dialogue of the scene, and while it usually irritated him to no end, he felt a sense of unease that Harry was in the room.
"We thought Hermione was with you..." Ron said, tiredly brushing his red hair from his eyes. Ginny fixed her gaze at the ground, refusing to look at Harry, and Draco plainly saw the panic spread across Harry's face.
"Where is she?" Harry said, turning to Draco with distrust in his green eyes. Draco felt his anger rising but kept it in the small knot at the base of his spine which kept him up at night.
"She was kidnapped." Draco said simply, meeting Harry's gaze evenly. He didn't envy the boy's look of plain shock but reminded himself that Harry was not the only one who cared for Hermione. Since first year Draco and Hermione had studied together, both being the best of their houses and had quickly become friends.
"Who did it?" Harry said, turning his back on Harry to talk to Ron. Ron shrugged, his freckles standing out on his pale skin.
"We think death eaters, but Malfoy hasn't exactly made things clear for us..." Ron said, eyeing Ginny who was clearly staring at Draco, watching him for any changes.
"Weasly, I'd stop suspecting me of things and try to help." Draco said, and suddenly realized that he had just had the saddest comeback of his life. Hermione always told him that his cutting remarks were his only real weapon against her after they had been friends.
"Draco," Ginny said quickly, and he was almost thankful. Almost. "Is there any way you can tell which death eaters took her? Any special markings or something?"
"Actually, Weasly #2, they don't leave nametags that say "MALFOY DID THIS" or "PETTIGREW WAS HERE" much to contrary belief." Draco drawled, and seeing Ginny's eyes flash knew he had embarrassed her. Good, he thought to himself, maybe she will stop making obvious comments. Or maybe I should just stop being such an ass.
"Ron, Ginny, why don't you go wait in my room, I'll be there in a second and we can discuss what we're going to do to get Hermione back." Harry said, his eyes like sharp green glass, cutting into Draco's chest.
"What to do you think your doing Potter?" Draco asked as the door to his room clicked shut softly, his tone dangerous like the anger that was threatening to boil over.
"Taking things over so that we get Hermione back." Harry said, picking up his cloak.
"What do you plan to do? Go to every suspected death eater and run into their houses screaming "WHERE HAVE YOU HIDDEN MY GIRLFRIEND?" cuz I feel like that plan would definitely get you killed." Draco moved closer to Harry's face, noticing how the other boy didn't even react. "While normally the idea of you being dead would make me want to hop on the teacher's table in the great hall and do a dance with the sorting hat, this situation is different."
"OH really, and why's that?" Harry asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"Hermione." Draco said quietly, finding it hard to breath with the drowisness that suddenly threatened to knock him out cold, but he fought it off. "We've got to take extra measures..."
"What for? We're dealing with death eater's Malfoy, not the Queen's royal guard."
"Potter, for someone with such status, it certainly is a shame you don't have any brains."
"Shut up Malfoy." Harry spat out, turning to leave, fastening his cloak on.
"We're dealing with death eaters." Draco said, making Harry stop at the door, with his hand on the doorknob. "That may mean one thing to you, but it's entirely different to me. I know what happened to you during the Triwizard- Hermione told me about it. And I believed you. Mainly because my father was there, and I know my father. But Hermione is not there for her blood, she's just there to get through to you. They're just using her, and if they are in any danger of being found out, they will kill her."
Harry turned slowly around, and looked at Draco carefully. He plainly was weighing what he felt about him, and what he believed, and Draco irritably realized he had just said something almost kind to Harry. Hermione would approve, but he would not loose face. He was his father's son after all.
"What are you saying then, Malfoy," Harry obviously was having trouble with the fact that he was being civil to Draco. "You want to help?"
"Rather, I want to make sure you don't get Hermione killed."
Harry's eyes darkened, but he stayed silent and just managed a curt nod and turned around to walk up to his dormitory where Ginny and Ron were waiting. Draco watched him walk away, and followed, closing his door.
Harry walked up a few steps towards the Gryffindor tower and then turned around sharply, startling Draco though he made sure not to show it.
"What's going on with you and Hermione?" Harry asked his tone the most dispirited Draco had ever heard before. He smiled evilly, ready to lie and hurt Harry and then suddenly he stopped.
"Potter, you may think it fun to meddle in other people's affairs and get yourself into depressions-"
"Forget it." Harry interrupted him, turning around again and walking up a few steps in silence. Draco closed his eyes, the empty hollow tired feeling coming over him in deep waves, and he felt eight again, crying in his closet so his father wouldn't hear. The memory was so strong it made him reel backwards, and he quickly had to catch himself on the railing before Harry looked over his shoulder. "Alright there Malfoy?" Harry asked his green eyes genuinely concerned.
Draco rushed past Harry making sure not to show any emotion on his face as he had been taught. He didn't even realize that Harry was behind him until they neared his door and Ginny and Ron's voices mingled in the stillness of the Gryffindor stairway which was deserted.
"Ron, I don't think you understand." Ginny was saying, her voice tense. Draco stopped outside the door to listen while Harry stopped, looking at him.
"Sure, okay, so you expect me to believe that Hermione and Draco HAVE to be near each other or they spontaneously combust?" Ron was saying as the bed groaned where one of the siblings sat down.
"No, but if they aren't together something happens to Draco, and-"
Draco watched in horror as Harry brust into the room, and caused Ginny to stop midsentance while the sound of his heart was beating so loudly he was sure Ron could hear it and laugh.
"Always have to make an entrance do you Potter?" Draco said, hiding his fear and irritation from the Weasleys and Harry, who turned and glared at him.
"Listen, we have to figure out what to do about Hermione." Harry said, turning back to Ginny and Ron who were both sitting on the bed. Draco fought the intense anger he felt and sat down in a chair, facing the trio. Time was running out.