Chapter 18
Rolling over, Hermione Granger stared out the window, looking at the birds gathering on her windowsill. In her mind, she replayed her thoughts in her head, wondering how that dream had anything to do with anything.
All it had shown was a picture of a couple, one of a young man and girl, grinning, showing of a ring on her finger. The other, the same young man, but a different girl. She was smiling; showing a ring also, the same in fact, yet the man was stone faced. His fist clenched and eyes so full of hate…
Tossing her hair back, she sits up, hugging her knees, watching the sun as it tipped up and over the edge of the horizon. Today was her last day to sleep in, so of course, she couldn't. Yawning, she got up, making her bed, and climbing into the shower. Her hair, tamed by the water, was cast up carelessly into a bun, many of the strands running down over her face as they escaped the clip. Sighing, she trudged outside, on her way to the library, going to study. She saw many of the first years pointing and giggling at her. Ever since that whole incident, the first years have seemed to worship her, more then be afraid.
The library was crowded, many prepping for potions. Since that was one of the harder classes. Taking her books, she walked down an empty corridor, and into her study.
She had adopted an old classroom for her study, as it was quiet, unknown to many, and also located close to the library. Setting down her books she sat and looked at the dust. Sighing, she took out her wand, mumbling, and sat contently, with no dust left in the room. Flipping through the first book, Transfiguration, Advanced, she sighs, pulling the strands of hair back from her face in exasperation. Couldn't her hair be nice to her for just once?
"So, you still have this old hideaway. Always wondered how it got to be so clean all the time."
Chills shoot up her back as she becomes rigid. How did he know about this place? Even Harry didn't know about it, only Ron…
"Really, you didn't think I'd know where you were sneaking off to?" There was no anger in his voice; it almost sounded innocent; like a young child asking questions that would help it later in life.
She shrugs, "I was preferring to think you didn't."
He laughed, "Caught you and Ron snogging in here more then once."
She turns red, "So you're the one who spread those rumors!"
"I didn't spread them, Pansy did." He yawns, filing one nail against the other.
"Where are your crutches? I feel like beating you over your head with them." She growls lowly, keeping her eyes averted from his.
"Oh, Madame Pomfrey got her potions restocked, so she healed my leg…" He moves it around, showing off to himself mainly.
"Damn." She states bluntly, pretending to look at the book, but more or less looking up at Draco.
He pulls a letter out of his pocket, holding it up, "You got something today." Fiddling with it, he mumbles, "Looks oddly like my father's hand writing…" Holding it sideways, he flicks it, watching as it landed on the table gracefully.
She picked it up, thoughts of Ron still on her mind. Unrolling the parchment, she starts reading.
Hermione-
Your father and I have decided that since Draco spent Winter at your place, you will both be returning to the mansion for the week of Spring Break. Thank you for your cooperating manner.
-Lucius Malfoy
The flowery handwriting ended. Great, she thought almost dazed. Holding it out, she waits for Draco to grab it. He took three long steps, snatching the letter from her hand he reads over it. "Shit." He pushed the letter back at her, walking out of the room as fast as he can, heading towards Snape's room.
Snape looked over the papers carefully. On them were the ministry's statements about the new deal with the school. Something about the new construction having took too long, requiring the students to stay an extra few weeks…
Looking up he saw a quite flustered Draco walking in. "Well, Mr. Malfoy. Classes don't start for another day." Snape saw something in the young man eyes though. Was it… was it almost fear?
Draco slams a hand on the table, "What is he up to?" He continues ranting, "Why would he even do that? Why would he want to bring her there? Why? Why now? Why ever? She doesn't deserve this…"
Snape laughed, cutting him off, "Your father merely wants to see how she's progressing. And that you're in good health of course. Don't worry though, he won't do anything yet."
Draco growls under his breath, eyes flashing, "Another week with her? It's bad enough I have potions with her."
Snape's eyes seem to smirk, "Well, well… It seems as though someone's got a soft-spot for the mudblood." He was pushing the boy trying to see how deep these feelings went.
"Don't even talk to me like that, Severus! What is he up to?"
"You know that the potion requires the blood of an enemy."
"Why her though? Why does she have to spend the week with us? He could do it afterwards…"
Snape just laughed, "She's been your prey for 6 years now Draco. Who else would work better?"
"Why not Harry?" A pleading tone was starting to line his words.
"The public would notice if Harry went missing. But just another girl…?" Snape chuckled, "Oh no, they'd never know."
But he would. Draco would know that she was gone. That feeling in the pit of his stomach had already lodged itself there comfortingly. But they couldn't know that. None of them could. They might think he was going soft… Although Konami knew. He knew enough that he walked into Hogwarts while Dumbledore was there. That had some serious stupidity, or over-confidence. Giving Snape a leveled look from beneath his eyelids, he breathes deeply, "Her father's letting her stay at our house?"
"You know your father has been working that relationship." Snape looks back down at his papers, almost jumping when Draco slammed his fist onto the desk. "I will not let her die this way." Storming out of the room, Draco leaves an almost flustered looking Snape. Mumbling to himself, he shook his head. That boy had more coming to him then he would ever expect…
Draco walked down the halls at a pace that could almost be considered running. His robe flared out behind him as he treads on, down past the library, and into the corridor containing Granger's hideaway. Opening the door with a bit of furry, he quirks a brow, seeing none other then Troy in the room. Just perfect…
Troy's head snapped around, eyes flashing as he looked over Draco. Draco wasn't anything compared to him. The only fact separating them was that Malfoy was more known then Alder. Giving a grin that almost caused even Draco to shudder, he started maliciously. "Well, isn't this just lovely. Now, Dracie… Why don't you prove just how anti-muggle you are after all." With that he shoved Hermione towards Draco, watching with pleasure as she stumbled on her robe, tripping and falling to the ground without a sound.
"I don't have to prove anything to you, Troy." Draco started curtly.
"Oh really?" Troy took a lazy hand, taking his wand from his robe, holding it firmly at Hermione.
Draco flinched visibly, eyes closing briefly. He wanted a duel. Draco knew if he didn't accept, he'd hurt Hermione. Maybe he could pass it off as his pride being at stake. Not that he wanted to prevent him from harming her. Mind racing, heart being left behind, he gave a careless shrug. "Go ahead."
Troy raised a brow, searching Malfoy for traces of impurity. None found, he smirked, "All right then Malfoy. As you wish." With a wave of his hand, Hermione was gone. No longer there.
Eyes leveling on Troy, he snarled, "Where'd you send her?"
With a small smirk, Troy turned, starting out, "You'll never find her."
Rage building, Draco raised his own wand, pointing it squarely at Troy. Without a second though, he yelled, watching as Troy fell…
A/N: Well, until next time ^^
-Shadow
Rolling over, Hermione Granger stared out the window, looking at the birds gathering on her windowsill. In her mind, she replayed her thoughts in her head, wondering how that dream had anything to do with anything.
All it had shown was a picture of a couple, one of a young man and girl, grinning, showing of a ring on her finger. The other, the same young man, but a different girl. She was smiling; showing a ring also, the same in fact, yet the man was stone faced. His fist clenched and eyes so full of hate…
Tossing her hair back, she sits up, hugging her knees, watching the sun as it tipped up and over the edge of the horizon. Today was her last day to sleep in, so of course, she couldn't. Yawning, she got up, making her bed, and climbing into the shower. Her hair, tamed by the water, was cast up carelessly into a bun, many of the strands running down over her face as they escaped the clip. Sighing, she trudged outside, on her way to the library, going to study. She saw many of the first years pointing and giggling at her. Ever since that whole incident, the first years have seemed to worship her, more then be afraid.
The library was crowded, many prepping for potions. Since that was one of the harder classes. Taking her books, she walked down an empty corridor, and into her study.
She had adopted an old classroom for her study, as it was quiet, unknown to many, and also located close to the library. Setting down her books she sat and looked at the dust. Sighing, she took out her wand, mumbling, and sat contently, with no dust left in the room. Flipping through the first book, Transfiguration, Advanced, she sighs, pulling the strands of hair back from her face in exasperation. Couldn't her hair be nice to her for just once?
"So, you still have this old hideaway. Always wondered how it got to be so clean all the time."
Chills shoot up her back as she becomes rigid. How did he know about this place? Even Harry didn't know about it, only Ron…
"Really, you didn't think I'd know where you were sneaking off to?" There was no anger in his voice; it almost sounded innocent; like a young child asking questions that would help it later in life.
She shrugs, "I was preferring to think you didn't."
He laughed, "Caught you and Ron snogging in here more then once."
She turns red, "So you're the one who spread those rumors!"
"I didn't spread them, Pansy did." He yawns, filing one nail against the other.
"Where are your crutches? I feel like beating you over your head with them." She growls lowly, keeping her eyes averted from his.
"Oh, Madame Pomfrey got her potions restocked, so she healed my leg…" He moves it around, showing off to himself mainly.
"Damn." She states bluntly, pretending to look at the book, but more or less looking up at Draco.
He pulls a letter out of his pocket, holding it up, "You got something today." Fiddling with it, he mumbles, "Looks oddly like my father's hand writing…" Holding it sideways, he flicks it, watching as it landed on the table gracefully.
She picked it up, thoughts of Ron still on her mind. Unrolling the parchment, she starts reading.
Hermione-
Your father and I have decided that since Draco spent Winter at your place, you will both be returning to the mansion for the week of Spring Break. Thank you for your cooperating manner.
-Lucius Malfoy
The flowery handwriting ended. Great, she thought almost dazed. Holding it out, she waits for Draco to grab it. He took three long steps, snatching the letter from her hand he reads over it. "Shit." He pushed the letter back at her, walking out of the room as fast as he can, heading towards Snape's room.
Snape looked over the papers carefully. On them were the ministry's statements about the new deal with the school. Something about the new construction having took too long, requiring the students to stay an extra few weeks…
Looking up he saw a quite flustered Draco walking in. "Well, Mr. Malfoy. Classes don't start for another day." Snape saw something in the young man eyes though. Was it… was it almost fear?
Draco slams a hand on the table, "What is he up to?" He continues ranting, "Why would he even do that? Why would he want to bring her there? Why? Why now? Why ever? She doesn't deserve this…"
Snape laughed, cutting him off, "Your father merely wants to see how she's progressing. And that you're in good health of course. Don't worry though, he won't do anything yet."
Draco growls under his breath, eyes flashing, "Another week with her? It's bad enough I have potions with her."
Snape's eyes seem to smirk, "Well, well… It seems as though someone's got a soft-spot for the mudblood." He was pushing the boy trying to see how deep these feelings went.
"Don't even talk to me like that, Severus! What is he up to?"
"You know that the potion requires the blood of an enemy."
"Why her though? Why does she have to spend the week with us? He could do it afterwards…"
Snape just laughed, "She's been your prey for 6 years now Draco. Who else would work better?"
"Why not Harry?" A pleading tone was starting to line his words.
"The public would notice if Harry went missing. But just another girl…?" Snape chuckled, "Oh no, they'd never know."
But he would. Draco would know that she was gone. That feeling in the pit of his stomach had already lodged itself there comfortingly. But they couldn't know that. None of them could. They might think he was going soft… Although Konami knew. He knew enough that he walked into Hogwarts while Dumbledore was there. That had some serious stupidity, or over-confidence. Giving Snape a leveled look from beneath his eyelids, he breathes deeply, "Her father's letting her stay at our house?"
"You know your father has been working that relationship." Snape looks back down at his papers, almost jumping when Draco slammed his fist onto the desk. "I will not let her die this way." Storming out of the room, Draco leaves an almost flustered looking Snape. Mumbling to himself, he shook his head. That boy had more coming to him then he would ever expect…
Draco walked down the halls at a pace that could almost be considered running. His robe flared out behind him as he treads on, down past the library, and into the corridor containing Granger's hideaway. Opening the door with a bit of furry, he quirks a brow, seeing none other then Troy in the room. Just perfect…
Troy's head snapped around, eyes flashing as he looked over Draco. Draco wasn't anything compared to him. The only fact separating them was that Malfoy was more known then Alder. Giving a grin that almost caused even Draco to shudder, he started maliciously. "Well, isn't this just lovely. Now, Dracie… Why don't you prove just how anti-muggle you are after all." With that he shoved Hermione towards Draco, watching with pleasure as she stumbled on her robe, tripping and falling to the ground without a sound.
"I don't have to prove anything to you, Troy." Draco started curtly.
"Oh really?" Troy took a lazy hand, taking his wand from his robe, holding it firmly at Hermione.
Draco flinched visibly, eyes closing briefly. He wanted a duel. Draco knew if he didn't accept, he'd hurt Hermione. Maybe he could pass it off as his pride being at stake. Not that he wanted to prevent him from harming her. Mind racing, heart being left behind, he gave a careless shrug. "Go ahead."
Troy raised a brow, searching Malfoy for traces of impurity. None found, he smirked, "All right then Malfoy. As you wish." With a wave of his hand, Hermione was gone. No longer there.
Eyes leveling on Troy, he snarled, "Where'd you send her?"
With a small smirk, Troy turned, starting out, "You'll never find her."
Rage building, Draco raised his own wand, pointing it squarely at Troy. Without a second though, he yelled, watching as Troy fell…
A/N: Well, until next time ^^
-Shadow
