~The Dare, the Hand Shake and the Challenge~
Summary: Before the start of the Seventh year term, Hermione and Ginny trick Draco into playing a muggle game of Dare throughout the school year. Voldemort is gone.
Dinning Hall
Scanning over the Gryffindor table, Hermione notices that Draco is walking away. Catching up to him, she taps his arm. Glancing behind her, Hermione whispers under her breath, "dare you to start a fight with me, right now."
Spinning on his heel, Draco glares at Hermione. Then glances around, making certain that there were no teachers present. "Fine with me," hisses Draco. "Just don't come crying later when I've hurt your feelings."
"As if," snaps Hermione. Really who does he think he is?
"Oh please, Granger," shouts Draco huffing out his chest. He's really getting into this.
"Don't start Malfoy," hisses Hermione rather loudly. Smirking when surprise flashes across Draco's face.
"Look here, Mudblood," bellows Draco. "I don't care about you or your stupid friends, but there!" Dead silence greets Draco's outburst, causing everyone to be able to hear growling for the doorway.
Seeing Draco pale in front of her, Hermione knows that Sirius is the reason. Merlin, this is not what I want. Rolling her eyes at everyone's reaction. Great! Just great. "Sod off, you bloody git!" Whirling away from him, Hermione calls over her shoulder, "Be ready to go!"
"I will," shouts Draco as he stomps to the Slytherin table.
Gryffindor Table
"Hermione what's going on," demands Ron not waiting for the meeting in the common room. "What makes Malfoy think that we're going to let him order us around!"
"Ron, look," placates Hermione. "It's like I said. Dumbledore is unhappy to say the lest. We thought it would be wise to inform the student body of certain changes, to prevent mass hysteria."
"Why do you say that," asks Harry.
Serious of soft thuds come closer to her, I don't need Sirius to show up when I issue a Dare and I definitely don't need him sniffing around when I up to something! Shaking her head to clear her thoughts. "Look, it will just have to wait until the meeting," dismisses Hermione.
"Everything ok here," demands Sirius as he stares intently at Hermione. Wow, Sirius has really beautiful eyes. He has beautiful everything.
Ginny noticing the Hermione was in a daydream stance shakes her head. "We're just fine." Clearing her throat hoping to get Hermione back to reality. "Just the usual with Malfoy. So did you plant that…" glancing around Ginny slightly blushes. "Never mind."
Quick on the uptake, Hermione blushes as well. "Yes, he'll never see it coming!"
"Hermione," whispers Sirius, putting a finger under her chin, forcing her to look directly into his eyes. "If you ever need any help, you know that you can come to me."
Attempting to break the tension, Hermione slowly pulls her chin away. The tingling feeling from him remains. "Yes, Professor Black," Hermione answers more for her benefit than Sirius. Sirius flinches at the use of his teacher status, "you're helping me with flying."
Nodding to Ginny, Hermione stands up. The girls don't even look behind them to see Sirius sit down at the table. They didn't know that the boys were having a lively discussion about Malfoy's treatment of Hermione.
Hallway outside of the Dinning Hall
Ginny whispers, "All right out with it."
"Out with what," questions Hermione turning slightly pink.
Sighing Ginny stresses, "What had you in lala land, back in the dinning hall. It must have been one nice fantasy."
"Ginny!"
"I bet it had something to do with chocolate ice-cream."
The two girls look at each other, and then bust out laughing.
Gryffindor Table
Hearing the peals of laughter coming form Ginny and Hermione, Harry says, "I wonder what that's all about."
"Don't know mate," states Ron looking towards the doors. "But I pity the poor sap. Now Harry what are we going to do to Malfoy?"
"Well," laughs Harry. "I was thinking of turning him into the bouncing ferret again."
"Bouncing ferret," questions Sirius.
Charms
Professor Black's room
Sitting at her usual spot between her two best friends, Hermione softly smiles as her gaze lingers between Draco and Sirius. Several times, Draco looks over to Hermione while Sirius drills into Draco, refusing to let up on him.
Draco dear, I hope you know what you're doing. Sirius is like an old dog with a bone when he feels the need to protect someone. Glancing under her lashes, Hermione softly laughs at the site. Feeling a sharp jab, Hermione looks up to see Harry mouth the word, "What?"
Pulling out a spare piece of parchment Hermione write, "What?"
Taking the paper, Harry writes, "What you laughing at?"
"Draco's face, look at him, then look at Professor Black."
Draco? Harry notes. This is new, but complying with her request, Harry looks over to Malfoy. Coughing loudly, Harry struggles not to laugh. Bet he's sorry for calling Hermione a mudblood now. Harry smirks as he sees the smug look on Sirius's face.
Hearing Harry coughing, Ron looks over questioningly. That was until Harry slips him the note that he and Hermione were writing. Bursting out coughing slash laughing, Ron doesn't bother to hide his pleasure.
Dropping her head into her hands, Hermione feels heat flooding her face. This is just great. I have two prats for best friends! With her head in her hands, Hermione doesn't see Sirius's beaming smile. Nor did she see Harry and Ron return it.
The ringing of the bell, signals the end of class. Before Sirius could even think of give detention; Hermione jumps up, stating loudly, "Malfoy! We're going to start with your house. And end with mine."
Malfoy stands up, snapping, "Fine with me."
Watching Hermione and Malfoy standing just outside his room, Sirius notices that the students are not milling about like normal. Hearing bits of the conversation, Sirius knows that they are planning on stopping at all of the houses. He better not try anything.
"Bloody Hell," whispers Ron as he watches Hermione and Malfoy fight.
"It must be something really important if they're going to all of the house's," states Harry.
Not even looking at Ron or Harry, Sirius continues to stare intently at Malfoy. "Yeah, I don't like the way he's talking to her."
"Sirius that's not new," dismisses Harry. "Malfoy's been doing that to Hermione since first year."
"Yeah," laughs Ron earning him a glare from Sirius. "But you should have been there when she smacked him."
Noticing the questioning look on his godfather's face Harry quickly explains how Malfoy was mouthing off behind Hermione when she just swirled about and smacked him. Malfoy did nothing but walk away. Good for her, I would have hexed him with my wand.
Looking back out into the hall Sirius sighs as he notices that both Hermione and Malfoy were gone. "Well you two better get to the Gryffindor tower," spotting a piece of parchment hanging out of Ron's book. "Passing notes?"
Grinning sheepishly, "kind of," states Harry. "I wanted to know what Hermione was laughing about?"
Handing Sirius the parchment, Sirius says, ""ok get out of here and get to your common rooms. I have this feeling you don't want to miss this." Unfolding the parchment, why did she call him Draco and not Malfoy?
Gryffindor
Common Room
With everyone sitting around the common room, the room seemed to get smaller with every minute that passed after one o'clock. Glancing at Ron, "she should be here any minute now," holding up the map.
Just outside the Gryffindor Common Rooms
"Now Draco," pauses Hermione. "I want you to cover your ears. I don't want you hearing the password." Whispering the password to the fat lady Hermione holds open the portrait.
"Now Malfoy I want you to behave. I don't want to have to get a teacher for this one."
Inside the Common Room
"Just because Flip couldn't contain his temper doesn't mean that I can't contain mine," snaps Draco as he starts to walk into the Gryffindor common room.
"It's not your temper I'm worried about it's everyone else's," snaps Hermione. "Damn it, Malfoy even the Slytherins took the news badly!"
As Draco enters the center of the room, he notices that almost all of the Gryffindors are glaring at him. Wow, I guess she has a fan club.
"Ok," starts Hermione. "Is everyone here?"
"Hermione," snaps Ron getting impatient. "Just get to it."
"Look here Weasley," snaps Draco. "She is getting to it. If you would shut up and listen." Harry holds Ron down as he leaps up to attack Malfoy.
"Ron," shouts Hermione. "This is serious, Dumbledore is really pissed."
"We know that," growls Ron.
"If you would not interrupt her," growls Draco. "You would know that he's not the only one."
"What," asks Seamus. "Are you talking about?"
Running a hand down his face Draco glares at everyone. "All the teachers are pissed. Over half of the student population is failing. Common rooms are a mess," kicking someone's cloths that were on the floor, "students mouthing off to perfects. The teachers have decided to use drastic means of getting everything back on track?"
"Like what," asks Ginny.
"Like canceling the Yuletide Ball, for starters," replies Hermione as several girls groan in despair.
"If things don't change and change soon, Professor McGonagall is recommending," swallowing hard, Draco croaks out. "Canceling Quidditch."
A collective gasp, then an eerie silence fills the room, "if so much as one person bothers a single teach about this, Dumbledore himself said he will cancel Quidditch by the end of the day."
"Yes, Harry and Ron," states Hermione. "That also includes Sirius and Remus. They are both under direct orders from Dumbledore. If so much as one student bothers them, even you guys, Quidditch will be canceled." Holding out some parchment. "Here is what Dumbledore wants to see changed and fast." Nodding to Draco both Hermione and him leave the silent common room.
Just outside the Gryffindor Common Rooms
Closing the portrait. "Well that went ok. I guess."
"Hopefully things dramatically improve," groans Draco. "Merlin, I didn't think it was this bad." Watching him walk away, Hermione smirks, it's not you fool.
Gryffindor
Common Room
Upon re-entering the common room, Hermione sees several students picking up their cloths, while others are using cleaning spells to make everything shine. About Bloody Time!
Spotting Ginny, Hermione winks at her. Glad to know that I'm not the only one who knows that Dumbledore is not really planning on canceling Quidditch. Ginny wiggles her eyebrows.
So they all bought it.
Until Later
List of Dares so far:
Chapter 1:
Hermione and Ginny trick Draco into playing Dare.
Chapter 2:
Hermione dares Draco to push her into Sirius.
Chapter 3:
Draco dares Hermione to wear red robes all year, her house
color.
Chapter 4:
Hermione dares Draco to change his hairstyle, with some
muggle highlights.
Draco dares Hermione not to participate in class (no
answering question,) all but Potions for one day.
Chapter 5:
Hermione dares Draco to taunt her about the Flying NEWT.
Draco dares Hermione to help him with his costume for the
Feast.
Chapter 6:
No Dares were exchanged.
Chapter 7:
Draco dares Hermione goof off in Snape's class.
Chapter 8:
No Dares were exchanged.
Chapter 9:
No Dares were exchanged.
Chapter 10:
No Dares were exchanged.
Chapter 11:
Harry and Ron set off a dungbomb, but no Dares were
exchanged.
Chapter 12:
Hermione has a Ladies Night.
No Dares were exchanged.
Chapter 13:
Hermione plots, but no dares were exchanged.
