Locked away in a conference room in the library sat three very silent
teens. Harry was starting to regret this. Maybe he could tell them about
Cory. Ron would believe him, pat him on the back with congratulations.
No, that wasn't right. Ron would bitch and moan about Harry getting all the good stuff. Complain that if only his family were dead he'd have been here to guard the sex goddess. And Harry would no doubt explode at the idiocy in that idea. Hermione would still not believe it. Despite Snape's reassurance, the story had holes. Stupid Draco just had to be worried about what people would think of her didn't she! No MALFOY (everyone bow down in awe!) would be cursed by a lowly Gryffindoor! Much less a Potter!
He took a deep breath and let it back out without saying a word, staring at his hands gripped firmly on the table's edge. He could feel their eyes boring into his skull. What was he to say? Where do you begin to explain something like this?
"Harry! You're not going to get away with just sitting there! We're missing valuable study time to be here! Not to mention Ron loves the opening feast, he was blabbering about it the whole way here! Who is this woman you're calling names and why would she be summoning you?"
Hermione, ever the patient one, had a glaring Ron mumbling something about how when she talked it was "informing" but when he talked it was "blubbering". When Harry looked up into her rather annoyed eyes he opened his mouth and settled on the whole truth,
"I haven't been practising my occlumency again. I know I should be, but Voldermort is nearly dead. We all know he's just hidden away in a coma somewhere. They're just waiting to find him and hand me a knife! So what's the point of taking extra lessons with Snape anyway?"
Off track. There was no denying it. But that had been annoying him for some time. Everything was annoying him today. Hermione was frowning at him in that motherly way that just screamed 'so what your saying is, you did something naughty'. No reasoning or excuse would break that look. Ok, he had to move on to the next bit,
"But, since Voldermort is still alive, even if he can't get into mine I can get into his head. I think Snape called him a filing cabinet. Information and what not."
He raised a hand to his mouth and faked a cough as he said,
"ahem... dark curses. . hmm,"
Ron's face contorted into confusion and his eyes moved back and forth like he was trying to read what Harry had just said from his mind. Hermione's eyes widened and a hand flew to her mouth,
"Oh, Harry! What did you do? Who did you curse!"
She hit him over the head with her hand causing him to flinch and his hair to scruff upwards before continuing,
"You idiot! I TOLD you to do your lessons, but no! You think you're so much smarter then everyone! Well? Out with it, what did you do?!"
Harry once again looked desolately at his hands. Let no one tell him he's not having to answer to a mother. That fierce scowl was just too much, he almost felt afraid she would ground him. And as Head Girl she probably could.
"I cursed Malfoy. he called YOU a name you know, 'mione. I was defending you, you should be happy!"
Ron's face regained all the colour it had lost, and his soundless mouthing of the words 'Voldermort's head' and 'dark curses' (which his friends had been ignoring) suddenly stopped. A large grin formed on his mouth and he clapped Harry on the shoulder as Hermione sent him a glare,
"Good one, mate! What'd you do to him? God, I wish I'd seen it! That's real. well something, isn't it? Saviour of the light using the Dark Lord's head to curse his followers? Brilliant!"
Hermione tutted and made a mental note to buy Ron a dictionary for Christmas. Maybe she could find him a conscience too? She looked up at Harry and was surprised to find him frowning at his hands still, rather then laughing and smiling with their redheaded friend.
"What is it, Harry? What did you do to Malfoy? And what has this got to do with some woman summoning you?"
She cut into Ron's laughs and saw the brunet before her pale further as he stammered out,
"Malfoy is the woman summoning me. I cast some gender-changing curse on him. We're not sure if he can be changed back either,"
Ron burst into hysterics as Hermione looked at him appalled. The two started their usual little fight, which ended with Ron pretending it wasn't funny, sitting straight in his seat as Hermione continued her questioning. There were so many things she had to know!
"Harry, that doesn't explain why she is summoning you. And why haven't we heard of this? It's rather newspaper worthy!"
Harry took another calming breath and looked back up at his friends. This was the last bit, he had to get it out. 'Just tell them that she is a Veela'. That would end all of Hermione's questions. She would understand, as long as he didn't mention that he'd.
"I slept with her."
NOOO! Harry's brain was screaming at him, that was not what he wanted to say! Ron sat seemingly chocking on his tongue as Hermione pulled a face. Harry tried to pretend it was envy, but it was quite obviously disgust.
"I mean. Draco is a Veela, so now she's a Veela woman! And well, I'm her guard, and he was. hot. I mean, not good looking! Well, she is good looking, but itchy! She was itchy and heated! Last night. So, um, Yeah."
The Potter boy finished lamely as he slumped in his chair. It was out. It was said, all that was left to add was,
"They're pretending he's her own twin sister so 'Cory' Malfoy is staying here. No one is to know about it so don't tell."
Looking back up from his hands slowly, Harry spotted a pale Ronald Weasley once again in shock. Hermione seemed oddly satisfied. She pushed her chair back to get up and spoke,
"Well then. That's ok. She will need that, it's perfectly normal. You still shouldn't have cursed Malfoy but at least now, you're paying for the duration. I think I'll go talk to the Headmaster. I'll offer my help in researching a cure. Coming Ron?"
Ron was frozen. Shocked. He was not good with Veela. And he really hated Draco. If he threw himself at the blond, he may just have to run away. Move to Australia and live with the kangaroos. No one would look for him there.
The inner musings of the redhead were broken off when the door to their conference opened and a stunning blond walked in. She made his heart flutter. She sneered in the most adorable way at Hermione and decided not to spare him so much as a glance. She was divine!
Harry looked up as Draco walked in and over to him. She pushed him back into the chair so he was sitting straight and perched herself onto his lap. A small contented noise leaving her throat as she looked around the room,
"Professor Snape had to attend the first years. So. what where you doing? What did you tell you friends? Not that it really matters. I saw Blaise and he was entirely unaffected! You wouldn't believe it! Utterly gay that boy, but the idiot twins were drooling and blubbering along Bulstrode. It was so funny! Snape cursed them to the floor so they couldn't follow!"
She giggled in delight on his lap and continued, completely certain that what ever she had to say was important to everyone present. Which it was. Hermione was bewildered, Ron was in love, and Harry wasn't sure if he should nuzzle her neck or throw her off. He chose the middle ground, sitting very still as she continued,
"You'll have to learn that one! I'll ask him to teach you! Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends? Harry? What's wrong?"
OH! He was stunned. She was being Cory was she? Well, there was no need for that. He was about to tell her when Hermione cut in acidly,
"Draco there's really no need to introduce yourself. Although I must say I had no idea you wanted to know a filthy mudblood or a poor weasel. Perhaps estrogens are good for your attitude?"
Like a flash, she was off of Harry's lap and facing him. A slight growl in her voice,
"You told them! Who said you could do that!?! You IDOIT!"
Harry shot up in front of her, anger coursing though his veins,
"Of course, I told them! They're my best friends. They won't tell anyone, your precious dignity won't be ruined!"
The blond lifted her hand and slapped him rather hard across the face. (While a redhead on the ground imagined all the places he would love for that godly hand to slap him! Kick him, anything as long as they touched!)
"MY dignity? Have you completely lost your mind? Do you have any idea how good this would be for my reputation? The poor little orphan cursed by the boy who lived? YOU USED AN ILLEGAL CURSE, SCARHEAD! If they find out I'll be painted the poor victim while they drag your sorry arse to the darkest cell in Azkaban! Everybody is afraid that you'll be the next Dark Lord and you know it!"
Harry paled and Hermione's eyes widened in understanding. She started making little noises and hand gestures that looked remarkably like she was trying to write on her mind. Ron tried desperately to figure out what was going on. Should he tackle Harry for upsetting his lovely? Or should he sing a sonnet?
Harry whispered barely audible,
"You're doing this to protect me?"
Draco pulled a disgusted face, he most certainly was not! He didn't even like the little wretch! That monstrosity was the reason his parents were locked away, the reason he was a girl! She was only doing this because her godfather asked nicely. Because Dumbledore ordered him to ask her nicely. She made an irritated noise crossed her arms looking up at the ceiling.
She did not like Potter! She was using him! She was going to chew him up and spit him out damn it! The self-righteous git just had to make it all about him. Paint her as a saint. She sneered back at him in contempt,
"I told you before, Scarhead, your convenient. I do not Like you!"
The hate she placed in the word like was akin to a Snape contempt. And they all stood frozen and still.
Draco couldn't leave without Potter, but she'd be damned if she asked him to go with her! He'd just mix it around and think he was wanted or some such nonsense. In the heat of her thoughts, Draco forgot that ordering him out was even an option.
No, that wasn't right. Ron would bitch and moan about Harry getting all the good stuff. Complain that if only his family were dead he'd have been here to guard the sex goddess. And Harry would no doubt explode at the idiocy in that idea. Hermione would still not believe it. Despite Snape's reassurance, the story had holes. Stupid Draco just had to be worried about what people would think of her didn't she! No MALFOY (everyone bow down in awe!) would be cursed by a lowly Gryffindoor! Much less a Potter!
He took a deep breath and let it back out without saying a word, staring at his hands gripped firmly on the table's edge. He could feel their eyes boring into his skull. What was he to say? Where do you begin to explain something like this?
"Harry! You're not going to get away with just sitting there! We're missing valuable study time to be here! Not to mention Ron loves the opening feast, he was blabbering about it the whole way here! Who is this woman you're calling names and why would she be summoning you?"
Hermione, ever the patient one, had a glaring Ron mumbling something about how when she talked it was "informing" but when he talked it was "blubbering". When Harry looked up into her rather annoyed eyes he opened his mouth and settled on the whole truth,
"I haven't been practising my occlumency again. I know I should be, but Voldermort is nearly dead. We all know he's just hidden away in a coma somewhere. They're just waiting to find him and hand me a knife! So what's the point of taking extra lessons with Snape anyway?"
Off track. There was no denying it. But that had been annoying him for some time. Everything was annoying him today. Hermione was frowning at him in that motherly way that just screamed 'so what your saying is, you did something naughty'. No reasoning or excuse would break that look. Ok, he had to move on to the next bit,
"But, since Voldermort is still alive, even if he can't get into mine I can get into his head. I think Snape called him a filing cabinet. Information and what not."
He raised a hand to his mouth and faked a cough as he said,
"ahem... dark curses. . hmm,"
Ron's face contorted into confusion and his eyes moved back and forth like he was trying to read what Harry had just said from his mind. Hermione's eyes widened and a hand flew to her mouth,
"Oh, Harry! What did you do? Who did you curse!"
She hit him over the head with her hand causing him to flinch and his hair to scruff upwards before continuing,
"You idiot! I TOLD you to do your lessons, but no! You think you're so much smarter then everyone! Well? Out with it, what did you do?!"
Harry once again looked desolately at his hands. Let no one tell him he's not having to answer to a mother. That fierce scowl was just too much, he almost felt afraid she would ground him. And as Head Girl she probably could.
"I cursed Malfoy. he called YOU a name you know, 'mione. I was defending you, you should be happy!"
Ron's face regained all the colour it had lost, and his soundless mouthing of the words 'Voldermort's head' and 'dark curses' (which his friends had been ignoring) suddenly stopped. A large grin formed on his mouth and he clapped Harry on the shoulder as Hermione sent him a glare,
"Good one, mate! What'd you do to him? God, I wish I'd seen it! That's real. well something, isn't it? Saviour of the light using the Dark Lord's head to curse his followers? Brilliant!"
Hermione tutted and made a mental note to buy Ron a dictionary for Christmas. Maybe she could find him a conscience too? She looked up at Harry and was surprised to find him frowning at his hands still, rather then laughing and smiling with their redheaded friend.
"What is it, Harry? What did you do to Malfoy? And what has this got to do with some woman summoning you?"
She cut into Ron's laughs and saw the brunet before her pale further as he stammered out,
"Malfoy is the woman summoning me. I cast some gender-changing curse on him. We're not sure if he can be changed back either,"
Ron burst into hysterics as Hermione looked at him appalled. The two started their usual little fight, which ended with Ron pretending it wasn't funny, sitting straight in his seat as Hermione continued her questioning. There were so many things she had to know!
"Harry, that doesn't explain why she is summoning you. And why haven't we heard of this? It's rather newspaper worthy!"
Harry took another calming breath and looked back up at his friends. This was the last bit, he had to get it out. 'Just tell them that she is a Veela'. That would end all of Hermione's questions. She would understand, as long as he didn't mention that he'd.
"I slept with her."
NOOO! Harry's brain was screaming at him, that was not what he wanted to say! Ron sat seemingly chocking on his tongue as Hermione pulled a face. Harry tried to pretend it was envy, but it was quite obviously disgust.
"I mean. Draco is a Veela, so now she's a Veela woman! And well, I'm her guard, and he was. hot. I mean, not good looking! Well, she is good looking, but itchy! She was itchy and heated! Last night. So, um, Yeah."
The Potter boy finished lamely as he slumped in his chair. It was out. It was said, all that was left to add was,
"They're pretending he's her own twin sister so 'Cory' Malfoy is staying here. No one is to know about it so don't tell."
Looking back up from his hands slowly, Harry spotted a pale Ronald Weasley once again in shock. Hermione seemed oddly satisfied. She pushed her chair back to get up and spoke,
"Well then. That's ok. She will need that, it's perfectly normal. You still shouldn't have cursed Malfoy but at least now, you're paying for the duration. I think I'll go talk to the Headmaster. I'll offer my help in researching a cure. Coming Ron?"
Ron was frozen. Shocked. He was not good with Veela. And he really hated Draco. If he threw himself at the blond, he may just have to run away. Move to Australia and live with the kangaroos. No one would look for him there.
The inner musings of the redhead were broken off when the door to their conference opened and a stunning blond walked in. She made his heart flutter. She sneered in the most adorable way at Hermione and decided not to spare him so much as a glance. She was divine!
Harry looked up as Draco walked in and over to him. She pushed him back into the chair so he was sitting straight and perched herself onto his lap. A small contented noise leaving her throat as she looked around the room,
"Professor Snape had to attend the first years. So. what where you doing? What did you tell you friends? Not that it really matters. I saw Blaise and he was entirely unaffected! You wouldn't believe it! Utterly gay that boy, but the idiot twins were drooling and blubbering along Bulstrode. It was so funny! Snape cursed them to the floor so they couldn't follow!"
She giggled in delight on his lap and continued, completely certain that what ever she had to say was important to everyone present. Which it was. Hermione was bewildered, Ron was in love, and Harry wasn't sure if he should nuzzle her neck or throw her off. He chose the middle ground, sitting very still as she continued,
"You'll have to learn that one! I'll ask him to teach you! Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends? Harry? What's wrong?"
OH! He was stunned. She was being Cory was she? Well, there was no need for that. He was about to tell her when Hermione cut in acidly,
"Draco there's really no need to introduce yourself. Although I must say I had no idea you wanted to know a filthy mudblood or a poor weasel. Perhaps estrogens are good for your attitude?"
Like a flash, she was off of Harry's lap and facing him. A slight growl in her voice,
"You told them! Who said you could do that!?! You IDOIT!"
Harry shot up in front of her, anger coursing though his veins,
"Of course, I told them! They're my best friends. They won't tell anyone, your precious dignity won't be ruined!"
The blond lifted her hand and slapped him rather hard across the face. (While a redhead on the ground imagined all the places he would love for that godly hand to slap him! Kick him, anything as long as they touched!)
"MY dignity? Have you completely lost your mind? Do you have any idea how good this would be for my reputation? The poor little orphan cursed by the boy who lived? YOU USED AN ILLEGAL CURSE, SCARHEAD! If they find out I'll be painted the poor victim while they drag your sorry arse to the darkest cell in Azkaban! Everybody is afraid that you'll be the next Dark Lord and you know it!"
Harry paled and Hermione's eyes widened in understanding. She started making little noises and hand gestures that looked remarkably like she was trying to write on her mind. Ron tried desperately to figure out what was going on. Should he tackle Harry for upsetting his lovely? Or should he sing a sonnet?
Harry whispered barely audible,
"You're doing this to protect me?"
Draco pulled a disgusted face, he most certainly was not! He didn't even like the little wretch! That monstrosity was the reason his parents were locked away, the reason he was a girl! She was only doing this because her godfather asked nicely. Because Dumbledore ordered him to ask her nicely. She made an irritated noise crossed her arms looking up at the ceiling.
She did not like Potter! She was using him! She was going to chew him up and spit him out damn it! The self-righteous git just had to make it all about him. Paint her as a saint. She sneered back at him in contempt,
"I told you before, Scarhead, your convenient. I do not Like you!"
The hate she placed in the word like was akin to a Snape contempt. And they all stood frozen and still.
Draco couldn't leave without Potter, but she'd be damned if she asked him to go with her! He'd just mix it around and think he was wanted or some such nonsense. In the heat of her thoughts, Draco forgot that ordering him out was even an option.
