FANTASY. WRITTEN BY GIRL-WHO-IS-GETTING-TOO-HYPER-FOR-HER-OWN-GOOD!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all the characters that appear in Harry Potter are not mine. And yes, I do mean Harry Potter the book, and not the boy.
Chapter Fifteen: More of the Plan
When Hermione and Draco had gone back into the office, they found the room almost silent. It was as though they were all too preoccupied with their own thoughts and feelings to make futile conversation. The two were greeted with warm smiles, however, and as they took their seats, the talking began once more.
"I'm afraid that before I continue, I must make you all swear to secrecy. Not a word uttered in this room can be repeated outside, do you understand?" Dumbledore's eyes lingered on Draco. He smiled. "I cannot be sure of what I will have to do to any of you if you were to betray my trust. Now if you could all join hands."
Everyone did as they were told. That was, all except Draco.
"Mr Malfoy." Dumbledore spoke, his wand held - ready to cast a spell. "Is there a problem?"
"Look," began Draco, leaning forward, "I don't want to be here. I don't want to be in any part of your plan – especially since they're against the Dark Lord. All you lot should know that when I graduate and leave Hogwarts, I will join him, so why would I want to help the opposition?"
"It's fairly simple, Mr Malfoy." Dumbledore paused and looked deep into Draco's grey eyes. "I know that you don't really want to join Voldemort. You are free, Mr Malfoy, and that, to you, means that no one can tell you what to do, not even Lucius – your father. Since you have come of age, I'm sure you have been fighting to be rid of your father. And if that is not enough of a reason, then think of what you realised while you were sitting in the exact same seat as you are now. If not for anything, do it for her."
Hermione had no idea what they were talking about. However, when she turned to look at Draco she saw something most peculiar. She had never seen Draco Malfoy look anything but pale – until now. He appeared to be furious, and his entire face was glowing a mysterious shade of pink. He stuck his nose in the air, but put his hand in Hermione's.
Dumbledore smiled at the defeated Malfoy and began slowly rotating his wand clockwise. The linked hands glowed for a moment. Hermione felt a tingling sensation, and was not sure whether it was the spell, or just the effect of holding Draco's hand.
"Good." Dumbledore smiled in satisfaction. "Now that that is done, I shall begin. As you all know, Miss Chang here was put under the Imperius curse, with another."
Everyone nodded. Ginny interrupted. "What I don't understand is why, Professor? Why would You-Know-Who do that?"
"Simple. He used Miss Chang for the one and only purpose of seducing Mr Malfoy." Dumbledore said in a rather cheerful manner. From the corner of her eye, Hermione could see the redness of Madeleine's cheeks. "It would have worked, had our plan not half succeeded already. But, Voldemort did not know that."
"Why did they choose Madeleine, Professor?" Harry asked quietly, looking thoughtful.
"Chance, Mr Potter." Dumbledore replied simply. "As I was saying, there is another that is under the Imperius curse. I'm afraid that he is in danger. We must reach him by midnight, at the latest, otherwise Lord Voldemort will surely have him killed."
"And this boy is . . ." Luna wondered aloud.
"Can you not guess, Miss Lovegood?" Dumbledore asked gently, the smile fading.
"It's Ben." Madeleine whispered – her voice only just loud enough for everyone to hear. Her eyes began to water. Cho put her arm around her little sister and squeezed her shoulder in a comforting way.
"Now, we must not get Ben confused with his identical twin brother, Alex," said Dumbledore, "One mistake could cost him his life. Miss Chang – Madeleine - will need protection until tonight, when she shall take action. Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, I would be very grateful if you would stay with Cho until tomorrow morning, when she shall be leaving. There are guest rooms for you all and your trunks shall be awaiting you there." Dumbledore paused as the three nodded. "Professors, you are to return to your lessons this afternoon as though this meeting did not occur. Miss Weasley, Miss Lovegood, I trust you both to stay with Madeleine until the plan is completed, her safety will be assured if she is not alone."
"Now." Dumbledore stopped once more and turned to Hermione, giving her a warm and all-too comforting smile. "Miss Granger, you must stay with Mr Malfoy until the plan is completed. It is not safe to venture alone. You will need totellBen to meet you outside, by the lake, while it is dinnertime. Of course, Miss Granger, you shall not actually meet him. Instead, Miss Chang, Miss Weasley and Miss Lovegood shall go in your place, watched by the Professors. After you have made sure that Mr Haven will be there by the lake, I shall meet you in the Head Boy and Girl bathroom – Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy."
Hermione stole a glance at Draco and saw him looking away from her, scowling deeply. They nodded and so the plan was set.
Hermione walked silently alongside Draco as they turned into yet another corridor. They had searched for the blonde Hufflepuff for hours, but still they could not find him. Hermione was sure that they had searched practically the entire castle and so when they reached the owlery – the only room they had not yet looked in – she collapsed onto the floor, apparently exhausted. She expected Draco to call her lazy, or say some other trivial insult. However, she was surprised to find him silent, as he lay down beside her.
"Malfoy are you all right?" Hermione laughed. "You haven't insulted me for a while now."
"Yes, well, I'm not in the mood if that's okay with you, Oh-Mighty-One." Draco said sarcastically.
A breeze blew in from the wide windows of the owlery and the sun shone through onto the stone floor. Owls all around them hooted softly, the sound of their wings rustling slightly. She looked at him. Draco's eyes were closed, his breathing soft and peaceful. Lying next to him felt strange to Hermione – but it was a pleasant sort of strange. Being a few centimetres away from him, she could see his pale complexion, his eyelashes fluttering slightly in the light breeze. She tried to hide her smile. It was a 'crush' – and a one-sided one at that, she was sure. But she couldn't stop her irrational heart hoping that he might return her feelings. If Slytherin had learnt to love, could Malfoy?
Hermione knew all too well that she had spent much time denying her fondness of the Malfoy. But she also knew, as she lay beside him, that she could not deny it any longer. Although she had formed a mental list of everything that was wrong with him, her heart would not budge. It insisted on continuing her fascination with him.
She continued to watch him until Draco slowly opened his eyes, and turned his head to look at her. Hermione could see his eyes, shining with life. She saw his lips curl into a well-known smirk. They parted, as if to speak, but another voice interrupted before he had the chance to utter one word.
"What in the world do you think you're doing with my girlfriend?"
Hermione found herself reluctantly rising, as the boy they had been trying so desperately to find tugged at her arm. Ben Haven stood before them, his appearance almost hysterical. His blonde hair was dirty and even messier than usual, and beneath his eyes were dark bags. He seemed furious and ready to lunge at Draco.
"Well, look who we have here." Draco smirked, standing to join them. Hermione could hardly hear Draco's voice. She was too distracted by what she saw in Ben's blue eyes. She saw how hollow they truly were – how different they were to Draco's. Although she could see the coldness of the Slytherin's grey eyes, she could see the emptiness of Ben's – and in comparison, she much preferred the cold than the empty. It was obvious now that someone else controlled him, that a force so much stronger than he overpowered him. Hermione began to feel pity. The blankness of his eyes could only be seen if you truly wanted to see it.
"Hermione, what are you doing with that scumbag?" Ben asked, apparently angry.
"Oh – it's nothing – nothing at all!" She exclaimed, her face burning although she wasn't sure why. "We were just looking for you, in fact."
Ben looked back and forth between the two. His fists unclenched but his eyebrows remained narrow. "What is it?"
"I need to talk to you." She spoke calmly, taking deep but subtle breaths. "This isn't the time though. Meet me by the lake tonight, while everyone else is eating in the Great Hall. What I have to say is very private. I don't want anyone to hear us."
She paused and glanced at Draco, before whispering, "Not even him."
"Tell him to leave then." Ben said. "He's not important. Whatever you have to say to me can be said now."
"We're not allowed to be separated." Draco drawled. "It's a punishment, for arguing again. We're not allowed to be apart for more than five metres until dinnertime."
Ben stood for a moment, as if pondering what to do. Nevertheless, it seemed as though he made his mind up soon enough. He nodded curtly and silently walked away.
Hermione and Draco waited until they were sure he had gone before heading towards the Head Boy and Girl bathroom. They entered and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
"He's late," muttered Draco angrily.
"We've only been waiting for forty minutes."
"Only?" Draco laughed coldly. "That's more than he's worth."
"SIS! DRACO!"
Hermione was just about to argue with him, but was saved the trouble when two young children came running at them, arms outstretched and sticky fingers at the ready. They seemed more energetic than ever before and Hermione wasted no time in welcoming them.
"Lisa! What a lovely surprise."
The little girl hugged Hermione tightly, smiling widely as she did so. She could not suppress the smile that came to her when she saw Billy holding onto Draco, his eyes clenched and his smile just as wide as his sister's. Draco, however, was nowhere near as happy. He was prising Billy's fingers from his robes and trying his best to hold him at arms' length.
"Billy, why don't you hug your Sis?" Hermione said gently. "Draco isn't used to being hugged in such an affectionate way."
"Okay!" The little boy beamed, immediately bouncing over to Hermione to join his sister. Hermione held them for a while, before they both began whispering. More or less straight away, she knew that whispering was definitely not a good thing.
"Sis?" asked Lisa innocently, "Why don't you give Draco a proper hug?"
Hermione could feel herself blushing. For the first time, she noticed Professor Dumbledore standing in a corner, watching them in the same childish manner. She looked at Draco, who was purely refusing to look at her at all. She knew that deep inside, she wanted to hold him, but was this an appropriate excuse to fulfil her heart's desire?
"Lisa, Billy, I think that's quite enough for now," said Dumbledore, thankfully saving Hermione from making her decision, "Miss Granger, Mr Malfoy, it is time for me to take you to a very important place. Chop, chop, you may do as you wish once we get there."
Edited Version: 28th August 2005