Disclaimer:  These are annoying, everyone who doesn't know that Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling is an idiot.  BUT, A.J. Carson is mine.  Not anyone else's.  Any name similarity is purely coincidental.

A/N:  Hey y'all, glad you're reading this.  It's gonna  get good now.  Not that it wasn't before, but, ya know what I mean.  So, I'll also introduce A.J. in this chapter, and you'll be shocked when you find out about her.  Hee hee, something to hopefully entice you to read *Puppy dog eyes* I'll love ya forever if ya do!

A/N 2:  The winner of the imaginary million bucks is MoonTrail.  Congratulations!

Chapter 5

A.J., Detention, and a Very Bad Dream

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" came a cold and sneering voice.  Draco Malfoy.  "If it isn't a Pothead, a Weasel, and my personal favorite, the Blue-haired Beaver.  Having a cry over your sudden decline in popularity?  I forgot, you never were popular, now were you.  Resorting to sleeping with mudbloods, or are you just having a little make-out session in public?  Tsk, tsk, what would your parents say Pothead?  Oh wait, that's right, you don't have any parents, do you?"

            Hermione felt her blood start to boil at Draco's words.  But before she could pull out her wand, they heard footsteps.  All of a sudden, a girl came around the corner.

"Draco, you know what I think of the term mudblood.  It's not nice, you shouldn't use it.  Now apologize or you'll regret it."  Said a girl with long, red hair that could rival the Weasley's. 

"A.J. stay out of this.  You don't even know what happened." Scowled Draco, as he glared at the girl.  "And besides, she is, and they're close enough to being mudbloods."

"Ohhh, I warned you, you're gonna get it now," the girl named A.J. said.  And with that, she pulled out her wand, and in a flash or bright light, where Draco had once stood, there was now a red and gold chicken. 

            A.J. went over and picked him up quickly before he could get away. 

"These are good colors on you.  Why don't we leave you like this till breakfast, and then we can change you back in front of everyone.  How does that sound?"  she said as she put Draco in a cage she had conjured up.  After making sure it was tightly shut, she picked it up and took off running down the hall, yelling a quick, "see ya later," over her shoulder as she disappeared around the corner.

"Who the heck was that?" asked Ron.

"I don't know, she must be a transfer, she's too old looking to be a first year." Said Hermione.

"Well, whoever she is, that was so great, Malfoy as a chicken, and in Gryffindor's colors, no less.  I can't wait to see him at breakfast when he's changed back." Said Ron as he helped Hermione off the floor.

"Yeah, that's gonna be hilarious." Agreed Harry as he also got up from the floor.

"Uh, guys, I just wanted to say sorry for being angry with you, I know it wasn't your fault, but I was upset, so thanks for being there for me, and for chasing me through the castle." Said Hermione as she gave both Ron and Harry a hug and a kiss on the cheek. 

"Well that's what friends are for," said Harry, with Ron nodding in agreement. 

            And with that, they linked arms and headed back to their common room, since by now it was close to curfew.  Just as they were nearing the hallway where their common room was located, they rounded the corner only to be greeted by their favorite professor.  Professor Snape, potions teacher, and head of house for Slytherin.

"Well, if it isn't some Gryffindors, out past curfew.  This merits a detention I think," said Snape as he leered at them.

"Professor, pardon me, but the curfew bell hasn't rung ye-," Hermione was cut off as the bell rang right then. 

"Well now it has.  15 points from Gryffindor, and detentions for all three of you."

"But, Professor," started Ron.

"Shut up and get to your tower before I take away more points," said Snape with a sneer that could rival Draco's.
            The three of them quickly headed off in the direction of their common room.  They made it back in record time, since they didn't want to risk a run in with another teacher or Filch and his cat Mrs. Norris.  When they finally did get back to the painting of the Fat Lady, they quickly gave her the password, (Ferrets) and hopped inside. 

            After saying a quick goodnight, Hermione went upstairs to get ready for bed.  She was feeling really tired, more so than usual, but she figured it was just because of getting so upset earlier.  So after changing into pajamas, she climbed into bed and went to sleep.

            Shortly after she fell asleep, she started to dream;

She was in a dark room.  The only glimpse of light cam from the smoldering fire.  A large chair was in front of it.  She could hear people talking, but the voices were muffled.  But then, she heard the voices become loud and clear.

"Is it ready?" came a soft voice, very breathy and hiss-like.

"Yes, my lord, it is now ready for you to use." Came another voice, filled with fear.

"Good, now bring it over," replied the snake-like voice.

            Hermione could see a shadow move into the light of the fire, carrying a small glass of a liquid that was giving off bright green smoke.

The man, (or was it a creature?), in the chair reached out a thin, bony hand and grabbed the glass.  She could hear him swallow it.  Then suddenly, there came a green glow from the chair.  She couldn't see what was happening as the room filled with smoke, causing her to start coughing.  All of a sudden, out of the smoke, there came a voice.  A voice filled with immense power. 

"Cursius mentalot trevirema evila" Came the words of what sounded to be a powerful incantation of some sort. 

            The words had barely been spoken when she felt a burning on her arm, and voices screaming and yelling.

"Hermione, Hermione, wake up!"

"Oh my god!" screamed Hermione as she sat up suddenly, only to find Lavender and Parvarti looking at her with wide eyes filled with terror.

"You, you were screaming bloody murder, and we couldn't wake you up, and we were trying, but it was almost like you were possessed or something was keeping you from waking up, it was horrible," said Lavender, who looked pale and shaken.

"I'm sorry to have scared you.  I was having a nightmare, are you guys okay, cause I'm fin-Oww!" Hermione started to ask before she felt a pain in her arm.

"We're fine, are you okay though?" asked Parvarti.

            But Hermione didn't answer.  She was looking down at something with a look of sheer horror on her face.

"Hermione?" questioned Lavender tentatively.

"I- I'm sorry, I- I've gotta go." She replied, her voice shaking.                            

            And before Lavender and Parvarti could question her, she had bolted out of the dorm, not even bothering to put on robes.  She ran out of the common room, ignoring the Fat Lady who was yelling at her to get back to bed, it was one a.m. after all.  She just ran, her feet taking her where she wanted to go.  She stopped, panting, next to a gargoyle. 

"Twizzlers," she all but screamed at the statue, just as Draco came running around the corner.

"What are you doing here?" they both yelled at each other simultaneously.

"I have to see Dumbledore, it's important," they also said simultaneously.

            The statue meanwhile had quickly moved aside, and Hermione and Draco ran up the winding staircase to Dumbledore's office.  She didn't even knock on the door before rushing in, Draco right behind her.

"Ah, Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy, what seems to be the matter?" he asked, looking very grave at the sight of the two panicked students.

"THIS!" they both screamed, looking at each other in shock as they realized they were both there for the same reason.

            There, on both Draco and Hermione's left forearm, was the dark mark.

A/N:  So, kind of a cliff hanger.  I wasn't gonna tell you at first what was making them panic, but I decided to be nice.  Don't ya just love me?  Hee hee, lol.  Next chapter will be up in a few days, hopefully.  I've got school and stuff, so that's my first priority.  But, It'll be up in a week, maximum.  OK? So stay tuned.