FANTASY. WRITTEN BY GIRL-WHO-IS-STUPIDLY-DEMENTED.
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Chapter Eighteen: In the Astronomy Tower.
Hermione's footsteps echoed along the normally bustling corridors. They almost seemed lifeless as it was quite dark by now and everyone was probably asleep in his or her bed. She followed Professor Dumbledore as he turned another sharp corner. They had been taking so many twists and turns that Hermione had absolutely no idea where they were heading. Thinking about it made her feel awfully dizzy. Looking out of a nearby window, she saw the quidditch pitch, hidden among a large clump of dark trees.
'Wait a minute . . .' Hermione thought. 'There's only one place where you can't see the entire quidditch pitch - we must be heading towards the Astronomy Tower!'
And (once again) Hermione Granger was correct. As they stopped outside the door that led to the Astronomy Tower and ascended the stairs, Hermione couldn't help but feel like there was something she was missing. It was to do with her and Draco. She simply couldn't figure it out – and she was supposed to be intelligent. Draco had figured it out, so why couldn't she?
"Lumos."
Although the room had been illuminated by starlight, Dumbledore's wand made the room seem even brighter. Hermione could now see that the Astronomy Tower had furniture in. A bed, a small wooden rectangular desk and a little gas lamp had been moved in, not to mention a small rug with a strange flowery design on it.
"Now Miss Granger, Professor Snape and Mr Malfoy shall be arriving very soon - Professor McGonagall shall be joining us as well." Dumbledore explained. "Now, while we are alone . . . Do you have any questions that you would like to ask me?"
'Damn well I do!' Hermione thought, but she knew that this wasn't the best thing to say. She had so many confusing thoughts in her mind, so many questions to be asked, and yet, she didn't know where to begin.
"I'd like to know, Professor," she said slowly, "More about the plan. I don't understand how it will help Harry defeat Voldemort."
Dumbledore smiled and nodded slowly, pacing the room. "I know that you are well aware of the legend of Salazar Slytherin and his bride, yes? And that is how it can help, Miss Granger, for I predict that this war shall be much greater than even our wildest predictions. Mr Potter needs all the help he can get. You see, Miss Granger, Mr Potter was blessed with his mother's love for him, but after his fourth year, I'm afraid that this love was interfered with. The plan now, is to bring that love back."
Hermione nodded, but she still wasn't quite sure what this had to do with her and Draco. A thought suddenly struck her. 'Perhaps . . . no, they couldn't possibly want Draco and I to 'bring the love back' . . . no, that's simply incorrect. Even if it was our job to 'bring the love back', I – we – we just can't. It would be impossible. Harry's mother is dead. We can't bring her spirit back . . . unless, Lily Potter's love wasn't the love Dumbledore is after?' She frowned, puzzled. It didn't make any sense. She jumped when suddenly; there was a knock on the door.
"Hermione! Hermione Granger! Boy, am I glad to see you!" A small boy exclaimed as he stepped into the room nervously. McGonagall followed, closing the door behind her. "Remember me? I'm Conner! Conner Flewington!" Conner stood by the door, anxiously fiddling with his fingers. He smiled uneasily. "If you're here then I can't have done anything wrong, can I? I mean, you never do anything wrong!"
Hermione shrugged with a forced smile. She hadn't a clue what was going on and it was obvious that Conner didn't either.
"Mr Flewington, do not worry, this has hardly anything to do with you," said Dumbledore cheerfully, "If you could please stand by Miss Granger –
The door flung open, sending Conner flying halfway across the room. Snape and Draco entered the room, each holding one arm of a vigorously kicking Callum Flewington.
"Let go of me!" He bellowed, his nostrils flaring and his arms moving in every direction. Draco and Snape pushed him into the room, where he fell on top of his brother.
"Callum?" squeaked Conner, "Why are you here?"
"Shut up Conner." Callum growled, pushing his brother to one side. He was surrounded and he knew that there was no way he could escape. Snape stepped a little closer towards him, taking from his pocket a small glass bottle no larger than the size of an eggcup. The liquid inside it was transparent and Hermione knew in an instant what the liquid was. Snape handed the bottle to Draco, who took it with a smirk.
"Open up wide." Draco said, unscrewing the lid. Callum stepped back and shook his head.
"Make me, Malfoy." Callum muttered. His eyes darted around the room, looking for some sort of door that he could escape through.
"What are you going to do to my brother?" Conner cried. He leapt in front of his elder sibling.
"Oh, nothing." Draco said coolly. He pushed Conner aside easily and stepped even closer towards Callum. "We're just going to ask You-Know-Who's spy a few questions, that's all."
Hermione knew, by now, that Callum was Voldemort's spy. She had had her suspicions - that was why he was so nice to her, being her partner in Transfiguration, setting her up with someone who (supposedly) had a crush on her, spoke to her as an equal although he, like the other Slytherins, thought themselves better. She had given him the benefit of the doubt, but now, she regretted her choice more than ever.
"But, Callum!" cried Conner, "You promised dad! You promised! How could you?"
"Easy, I had my fingers crossed when that old man made me promise him something that I just couldn't. The Dark Lord would never have forgiven me." Callum paused and gave Snape a smirk. "And he certainly won't forgive me if I tell insider information to a traitor like you."
"Oh, don't worry, Flewington." Snape returned his smirk. "He won't forgive you anyway for being so careless with his plan."
Snape gave a nod towards Draco, who held the bottle up with one hand and held Callum down using his other. "Veritaserum, Flewington. Strong stuff. Truth potion. You'll have no choice but to tell us everything after we use this on you."
"There's no way in hell that I'm drinking that!" shouted Callum with a look of loathing and disgust.
"Well then . . ." Draco turned to Snape, who whipped out his wand immediately.
"Stupefy!" Snape shouted mightily. Callum fell to the floor as Conner let out a terrified cry. Draco forced Callum's mouth open and let three drops of Veritaserum fall onto his tongue. He pointed his wand at his chest and mumbled, "Enervate." Callum's eyes opened without delay. This time, however, the look of hate was replaced by one of nothingness. Dumbledore stepped in front of Callum as Draco stepped aside, sidling over to Hermione.
"Let us begin." Dumbledore smiled. "How did Voldemort know of our plan?"
"It was Lucius Malfoy." Callum began in a slow drawl. "When he got sent a letter from his son, Draco, telling him of the strange punishments he had to endure, he started getting suspicious and showed the letter to our Lord. The Dark Lord sent for me to keep an eye on things inside Hogwarts, as he could not do it himself."
"And, why did he choose you?" asked Draco.
"The Dark Lord thought it safer that I do it, as he has not asked me to perform a task for him yet."
"Why was it Madeleine and Ben that were chosen to be controlled by the Imperius Curse and not anyone else?" Hermione asked, her curiosity growing by the second.
"Lucius Malfoy brought the Dark Lord a file containing all the names of the current Hogwarts Students. Our Lord used a simple spell to see who would be best for the job. He wanted two people, a Ravenclaw girl and a Hufflepuff boy who would be weak enough for me to lure them in and use the curse. It is coincidence that Madeleine Chang and Ben Haven got chosen."
"Conner," said Dumbledore, beckoning the petrified boy closer towards his beloved brother, "I would appreciate it if you stay here with your brother, to keep him company after Professor McGonagall finishes questioning him. He may hurt us all, but he would never hurt someone of his own blood." He turned to McGonagall. "Minerva, please do try your hardest to finish questioning him soon and Severus, could you possibly lead Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy to a safer location? I have some business to attend to."
Dumbledore gave them all a half-hearted smile before making a swift exit. Snape beckoned Draco and Hermione to follow him out of the room. They obediently did. The three figures walked quickly along the corridors, their hurried footsteps echoing in the silence. Even at their brisk pace, Hermione could tell that they were heading towards the dungeons. Snape hustled them into a small, dark room and left without a word.
Shelooked around the room. There was only one lamp that was hung on the wall and an old dusty bookshelf with no books. Hermione shivered. She could feel goosebumps rising on her skin as she sat on the dungeon floor, watching a spider spin yet another web in the corner.
"Don't the house-elves clean properly?" Draco wondered aloud, stalking over to Hermione and sitting down beside her. "Looks like we're staying here then, Granger. I wonder how many years worth of dust is in here?"
Hermione didn't reply.
"Granger?" Draco waved his hand in front of her eyes. "I'm talking to you, Granger! The least you can do is reply."
She yawned. "I'm not in the mood for talking, Malfoy." She mumbled, closing her eyes and wavering slightly. "Just let me go to sleep . . ."
Hermione heard no response as she fell onto something soft and human-like. It must have been Draco, but Hermione was too tired to be embarrassed. She felt his warmth and she felt him move slightly as something wrapped itself around her waist. A smile crept across her face. Here, she felt safe and relaxed, as though this was the place where she truly belonged.
When Hermione awoke, she didn't dare open her eyes. She remembered how she had fallen asleep and she didn't want to wake up to find that it had all been an illusion. Did she dare move – even a little?
"I know you're awake, Granger." She heard Draco mumble. His voice was quiet and gentle – a rather unusual change. "Get up. My legs have gone dead."
Hermione didn't want to get up. She shifted her position slightly, but did not get up. She wondered if Draco would push her off him if she continued to lie on him. She waited and he didn't. Hermione could feel Draco's surprisingly soft hands brush her hair away from her face. He saw her smile.
"I know you're comfortable, Granger." Draco said - sounding amused. "But if you don't get up, I'm afraid I'll have to push you off me. And then you'll be rolling in the dust with the spiders. Now, get off."
Sniffing, Hermione reluctantly opened her eyes to the darkness and sat up. As she returned to the position she had been in before she had fallen asleep, Draco fell and deliberately landed himself on her lap. He looked up at her and smirked.
"You had a nice little nap, so now it's my turn." He took her arm and pulled it across his waist as though it were a blanket. Hermione could feel herself flushing as he closed his eyes and rubbed his nose against her robes. She waited for a moment, before gently prodding him.
"Malfoy?"
"What?" He growled, swatting away her prodding hand. He shuffled a little, trying to burrow himself deeper intoher robes.
"You know, Dumbledore's plan?"
Draco grunted with a nod. "You figured it out yet?"
"Not quite . . ." Hermione said. "Dumbledore told me that the plan involved the legend between Salazar Slytherin and his bride – Amie. And then he said that the plan would revive the love that once protected Harry. But, I don't understand it. I mean, okay, the legend meant that love would save us when we are in great danger, and that that love is obviously the love that's going to save Harry from Voldemort's clutches, but what have we got to do with it? We can't bring Lily Potter back from the grave to save her son again. What love can we give to Harry that is possibly strong enough to replace his mother's?"
"That's exactly it, Granger." Draco said. "You're right, we can't bring Potter's mother back from the dead to give him her love again. But Dumbledore's not asking us to do that. Don't you understand? He's asking us to give our love to him."
In the darkness, Hermione almost thought she saw Draco's cheeks flush a little. "Give . . . our love?" She squeaked. Draco didn't open his eyes. The legend had been about the greatest love ever to be found, like the brightest star ever to shine in the sky. Dumbledore wanted the love to help Harry . . . and he expected the greatest love to come from her and Draco.
"I – that – it – we – no, that just can't be right." Hermione mumbled in vain. She felt her heart beating faster and faster, as she realised just how oblivious she had been. "The plan is ridiculous. Dumbledore's wrong. We hate each other."
No matter how hard she tried to sound confident, her voice was unusually high-pitched. She could feel herself trembling.
"Do you really hate me, Granger?"
Hermione could not bring herself to reply. If she even dared to lie, her uncontrollable voice would give her away immediately. But she didn't dare tell the truth. She didn't dare tell him that she did love him, that she wanted nothing more than to hold him – as she was now – forever. She waited for him to speak once more, but Draco remained silent, his eyes still shut.
It was at that moment that Hermione's heart skipped a beat. She found a cold (yet wonderfully soft) hand slide itself into her own.
Draco squeezed her hand, as he opened his eyes. Neither spoke as they gazed at one another. His grey eyes seemed warmer than they had ever been before.
A rumble shook the room and the two broke their gaze. The room shook more forcefully and Draco immediately stood, pulling Hermione up with him. She held onto him for strength – he stood perfectly still as the room continued to shake. With Draco's hand still in hers, he steered Hermione towards the door and flung it open. The door leading to the Slytherin common room was wide open and students were fleeing from within it. Professor McGonagall's voice could be heard, shouting the exact same sentences over and over again.
"ALL STUDENTS EVACUATE THE BUILDING IMMEDIATELY THROUGH THE DUNGEON DOORS. HOGWARTS IS UNDER ATTACK."
Edited Version: 4th September 2005