The Rape of the Lock

Chapter six: Melting Pot

RemindeR: 'r' rated story. You don't have to like everything on MTV. Or MTV2.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: To Draco_Fan, who so kindly reviewed me: In my mind, this story strongly implies that Hermione and Ron had a previous romantic relationship, in year six, that they, er, consummated. I have a problem with using the word 'sex' in a romantic or even malicious construct. So, in my opinion, Hermione isn't a virgin. The word 'shag' does kind of imply a callous or frivolous sort of sexual intercourse to me. HOWever, the story is (maybe even subconsciously on purpose) written so that you could believe that Hermione, heck, everyone, is a virgin. Up to this chapter. If you want to believe in a sexless Potterverse, don't read this part. If you asked because you want a sex scene, so do I. But it doesn't serve the story at this point, so I'll have to save the Het and Slash for another story on another server (that allows NC-17, because yay, I'm finally legal!).

Read on --

Mindy knew that Draco's heart wasn't in it anymore. Well, his heart had never really been involved, but his mind had begun to wander. What fragments of a plan that had been formed in her mind -- other than that she must be close to Malfoy's power -- had involved him becoming more interested in her, not less. Perhaps her grandmother was right; nobody's going to buy the broom if the rides are free.

She wandered from behind the bookshelf warily, wondering why she felt stealth was necessary to walk around the library on a Sunday afternoon. So what if she happened to glance over at the rather large group of students studying for the Cogito? So . . . She knew exactly why she was looking. Had Draco lied to her? She had lied to him, sort of. She knew what their relationship was, but that didn't mean she didn't want it to be anything else. Last night she could almost feel him thinking of someone else. Mindy sighed and slunk out of the library, hopefully undetected by Draco, who might begin to think that her feelings ran deeper than her lust for approval.

Pacing the corridors had become a habit for her, over the month she'd spent trying to avoid seeing Draco outside of the bedroom for fear that he'd become bored with her and toss her aside. Every once in a while her mind flashed back to the first night, just after the train ride, when a pale hand had beckoned from the very last horseless carriage. What would have happened had she went along in the car with her empty-headed friends from first year? Or if she happened to be having a bad hair day? No time to think about that now.

Just after the feast, and Draco was named as Head Boy. He celebrated with something a little stronger than butterbeer back in the Slytherin common room, and a whisper into her thirteen-year-old ear. Would she like to join him . . . Upstairs? She barely knew what that meant. What was her innocence worth? A month, perhaps, of sitting at his right hand. And now his infatuation was waning. What could she do? Wish she could have understood, that first night, while his breath tickled her neck in the common room, the little glances that so many of the girls flicked her, the hurt and the warning that she mistook for nothing or perhaps jealousy.

Mindy wondered if Draco even knew the extent of pain that he caused to the girls he invited to his bed, then roughly cast aside. Or had he actually caused anything? He made it clear, somehow, from the very first time that everything was surface. That she was an object for his private physical affection only, not a lover or a friend. Sex toy. Why was she incapable of seeing him in the same way? Maybe not incapable, but unwilling?

Surprised to find herself in front of the entrance to the Gryffindor common room, she noticed her green-striped tie seemed to blare against the portrait of the fat lady. Out of energy to think, and unwilling to return to the den of pain that was Slytherin tower, Mindy sunk to the floor next to the painting, and buried her face in her knees, letting her long hair fall to the floor. In the end, she surmised too late, the broom stands alone.

(:)--=

The girl sitting outside the common room hadn't moved all day. Everyone stepped over her and muttered to each other. After dinner, Ron and Harry somewhat awkwardly poked her with the toes of their shoes, sort of amazed that she folded up so small.

Ron crouched down to look at her. "H'lo?" He touched her arm gingerly. "Is anyone in there, or should we just chuck this pile of clothes in the bin?"

A small giggle escaped the crouching pile of hair and elbows.

"Ah! It speaks!" Ron was absorbed in his revival efforts, and Harry looked on bemusedly.

Mindy looked up, her eyes red and hair disheveled. "Yes, but could you chuck me in the bin anyway?"

"Oh, none of that. And it's pretty, too."

Her face screwed up to cry again. "I don't need any more boys thinking I'm pretty," she sobbed.

"And we don't need any more mad girls to worry about," Harry muttered. "Especially not Slytherins. Ron, come on, we're supposed to do Charms homework."

Ron slapped Harry's knees and gave him a death glare. "Go away."

"Fine." Harry went through the painting, talking to himself about Ron dragging home bloody stray birds all the time.

"Don't bother about him, birdie." He stood and offered her a hand up. "Old scar-head can be a mite self-involved sometimes."

She grinned and he grinned back. She really was pretty, but as she stood he realized how young she was, and how old her eyes looked.

"Are you all right?"

She looked away from this direct assault, but didn't let go of his hand.

"Stupid question, really." He pondered his limited repertoire. "Would you like a hug?"

At that, she let go of his hand and backed away a step.

Ron had a spark of recognition. "Hey, I think you might really like to speak to my sister."

Mindy looked at him questioningly.

"Really," he replied earnestly.

The girl bit her lip and nodded, a tear falling down her face.

(:)--=

Harry sat in his dormitory alone. He didn't need any more mad girls running about ruining his life. They were always on about something, and impossible to figure out.

He sighed and fell backwards into the covers. Ron was so good with girls now, especially after he started speaking to Ginny and dating Hermione.

Meanwhile, Harry had managed to screw up virtually every encounter with a girl he'd ever had. Most recently . . . Well, he didn't want to even think about it anymore. It was awkward and they both regretted it. Ron had almost set an unforgivable curse on him for even consensual sex with his sister.

And now, the Cogito. He could do without.

Mostly, though, the things Hermione had said back in her bedroom had been running through his head. What was he supposed to do after Hogwarts? All the sudden, after six years of fighting off being the biggest name on campus, Harry was even feeling small.

(:)--=

Hermione and Draco, each for a moment side-tracked by things of a carnal nature, found themselves getting ready for bed that night and re-aligning their goals.

Hermione focused intensely on the Cogito as flashes of the longest weekend of her life spun in her mind: bleeding, death threats, Malfoy's hand between her legs, sleeping with Ron, and Draco sitting down next to her in the library, not even speaking, but staring steadily ahead . . . Anyway, as she mentally put her blinders on, she maniacally focused on winning the contest the next afternoon.

Draco couldn't believe the entire weekend had passed, it was only hours before the preliminary round of the contest, and he'd barely progressed in his goals. Well, some things were out of the way. He had, through exhaustive research about Slytherin's poem, figured out a few things. And none of it would matter if he didn't win the Cogito.

(:)--=

The usual group filtered into the Great Hall for the Cogito, jabbering excitedly to themselves.

"Harry, I know you'll do really well," Hermione said sweetly.

Ron guffawed. "Well, if she's anything, she's falsely modest."

"At least she wished me luck." Harry looked pointedly at Ron.

"Sorry, mate. It's just . . ." he gave up. "She's going to kick your arse."

Harry shrugged. "Yes, probably."

Ginny, always a little on the outskirts, opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted.

Snape, having uttered the Sonorus charm, projected throughout the Hall. "Sit down and silence yourselves!"

The group rushed to get seats before the potions master spotted them and singled them out, but alas! It was too late.

"Potter! Granger! Have you forgotten that you are contestants? Take your proper places immediately!"

"Luck," Ron said automatically, looking up to see who else was chosen for the contest.

"You'll be amazing Hermione. Good luck, Harry." Ginny smiled at both of them.

For a moment, Harry couldn't take his eyes off of a smiling Ginny who wished him luck.

"NOW!"

Hermione and Harry jumped and scurried up to the stage.

After glaring the Gryffindors into their seats, Professor Snape reluctantly gave up the place of honor to Professor Dumbledore.

"Quiet down--" He looked around and realized that everyone was, in fact, already silent after his associate's display. "Well. Shall we introduce our contestants?"

There were exuberant cheers from the student population. The quidditch season hadn't gotten on it's feet yet, so they were channeling all their house pride into this competition. Some wore house scarves or waved flags, although most students were content to yell loudly or try to play exploding snap quietly while Dumbledore announced all eight of the contestants, two from each house.

Ginny and her brother predictably went nuts when Hermione and Harry were announced, but they surprised their Gryffindor row-mates by giving Mindy a standing ovation as well.

(:)--=

Draco, sitting in a row of seats on the stage, noted the two red-headed dolts cheering for Mindy, who seemed quietly pleased at the attention. He nudged her in the ribs.

"What's that about?"

Mindy appeared startled for a second, then shrugged. "Dunno. Weird Weasleys."

He looked back out over the crowd cooly.

(:)--=

At the other end of the row, Hermione also got elbowed in the side by Harry, who handed her a note. 'Don't open this here, Granger,' was written on the folded flap of paper.

Harry tried to get her to open it, but her name was called to answer a question and she stood, shoving the note in her pocket.

(:)--=

"At the end of the first night of the Cogito, the General round," Professor McGonagall announced proudly, "Hermione Granger of Gryffindor is leading by seventeen points." She paused in order to let the Gryffindor section of the room (and several surprised packs of playing cards) to explode with glee. "Draco Malfoy of Slytherin follows with fifteen points." The Slytherin students responded similarly.

"Unfortunately, Miss Zoe Finch of Ravenclaw has fallen last, and it's my sad duty to dismiss her." McGonagall clapped for the third-year girl, who had looked like a bad case of stage fright from the beginning. "Good job, Zoe! I will see the other seven of you next Monday, and congratulations!"

Hermione bounded down the stairs, and the male Ravenclaw followed, noticing the way her skirt flounced up as she hopped.

"Oh, Hermione you were brilliant!" Ginny exclaimed, hugging Hermione tightly.

"Wicked, really!" Ron hugged her too.

Hermione giggled. "That is high praise." They shared an awkward moment coming out of the hug, which Ron filled by kissing her on the cheek.

"Hey, ten points doesn't suck, guys," Harry interrupted.

Ginny squinted. "Hmm, not brilliant, but mildly shiny." To both their surprise, she hugged him as well.

"Good game," Ron supplied, patting Harry on the arm. "Hey, Herm--" But when he turned around, she was gone.

Mindy, still sitting on the stage with Draco, caught Ron's wandering eye and winked at him. He grinned.

(:)--=

Out in the hallway, Hermione pulled out the note from Draco.

'Be at the top of Gryffindor tower at ten p.m. Remember.'

She suddenly felt ill. There was no way she would meet that bastard on top of the tower. Muttering 'Incendio' and letting the note metamorphize into ashes, Hermione knew that there was no way she couldn't.

(:)--=

____________________________________

Yet another Author's Note: Okay, some anonymous reviewer REALLY, really hated that I use 'THERAPEOFTHELOCK' as a divider, and kinda hurt my feelings with the way they said it. HOWever, I'm sure they didn't mean to and have decided they could have a point, so I've switched to a key, (:)--=, yes, it's supposed to be a key, in the lost art form of ASCII.

ALSO: "seeker" asks me to have someone stand up to Draco. All I can say is, seeker, keep reading. And if someone likes sick Draco a lot (cuz I do), he isn't over soon either.

To Draco_Fan: I did update soon! And thanks for the encouragement. My writing is sometimes slow because I work and go to school and have too many parents.

ANYONE else: As you can see, I'm totally reviewer-dedicated. I take care of my friends & take reviews seriously. So review me already! And let me read your stories, too!

Love, Hale Comet