Chapter Three: A Meeting Among Friends

"'Mione,"

Huddled over an overly thick volume of "Dark Artifacts and Their Historical Roles," was seventeen year old Hermione Granger. She was an astoundingly smart girl, her chocolate eyes more suited for the dim confines of a library than the cheery, bright light of the outdoors. Her slightly bushy brown hair was tied back with a practical black band, leaving her serious, almost-plain features exposed.

"Harry," she acknowledged with a nod of her head. "I thought you had Quidditch today,"

Harry Potter, Savior of the Wizarding World, sat across from his friend, dragging a callused hand through his raven locks. They were of an age, he and Hermione, and though their thoughts were often different, he found that he could always come to her with his problems, as she knew she could come to him. They were close, and he relished that closeness. It was a friendship he found was necessary in his life, and he had a feeling he might need that security now.

"Everyone was tired," he explained, leaning forward to rest his chin on the pillow of his folded hands on the tabletop. "I let them out early,"

Hermione nodded understandingly as Harry closed his eyes tiredly. He didn't say it, but she knew that he was talking about himself, and not the other players, when he said it. Voldemort had become quite active in the past two years, and the Order of the Phoenix had found it had more on its plate than it had anticipated. There was always, it seemed, another battle to fight, another murder to prevent, and for the Order members, especially the students such as Harry and herself, it seemed there was never enough time. Not even to sleep.

Harrys' eyes were closed, but Hermione, even without being able to see into the emerald depths, knew that something was bothering her friend. Not that that was at all extraordinary, rather the contrary. With Voldemort back, there was always something to worry about.

"Where's Ron?" she asked, breaking the silence that had settled about them like smoke, though she thought she could guess the answer.

"Chess," Harry replied, unmoving. "With Seamus; I told him that I needed to be alone for a bit."

Once again, Hermione thought. A common uncommon occurrence. It used to be that Ron and Harry were inseparable, now they were rarely together.

"'Mione," Harry began, emerald eyes snapping open suddenly to focus on her face. He adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses nervously; a habit that he'd developed over the years. One of the few, Hermione thought almost sadly, indicators of discomfort that he still displayed. "Lupin didn't come back yesterday."

Hermione, who had been grinning at how innocent Harry appeared whilst fixing his glasses, immediately snapped back to reality. "Are you certain, Harry?"

"Well. . ." He frowned, biting the inside of his chapped lips. "I had a meeting with him last night, but he never showed up. And when I went to check on him this morning and Sev said he never came home- I'm worried about him, Herm," he broke off, massaging the bridge of his nose with his right hand. "He was there, at Riddle House, yesterday, to get information. That's why I was going to meet him, but. . . what if he was caught?"

Hermione frowned, barely suppressing a wince. She had a fair idea of what would have happened if he had been. It wasn't pretty.

"He wasn't." she assured Harry briskly, pleased when her voice showed no signs of her own anxiety. In truth, she was half convinced that he had been, especially considering what Harry had said about the Professor not having been in his rooms that morning. Or the night before, for that matter. Still, Hermione thought, he might have been. . . otherwise occupied. But considering whom Harry had spoken, to, it was a bit more than just unlikely.

"Do you really think that he's all right, Hermione?" Harry asked, leaning forward on the table. Hermione bit back a frown. So, Harry knew that she was lying, then. She had to convince him otherwise, that she really believed Lupin was well-Harry had enough to deal with as it was.

"Yes," she smiled slightly as she said it. "Of course I do,"

He stared at her, his look clearly saying, you don't lie that well. He ran another hand through his ebony hair, and looked her straight in the eye. "Neither do I,"

Before she could further argue her case, Madame Pomfrey clamored into the room. "Ms. Granger, Mr. Potter, this way, please." She turned to leave again.

"Madame, Pomfrey, what-" Harry began, but the stout little witch cut him off, merely motioning for the two teens to follow.

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There was a soft tap on the Headmaster's door, and Madame Pomfrey stuck her head in the office, searchingly. "Ah! Professor, I have brought young Lion to you,"

Dumbledore nodded slightly to her, and the door opened to let Harry and Hermione inside the resplendent room. To their surprise, not only were Dumbledore and Fawkes present, but Snape and MacGonagall, as well. The students exchanged a look, what's going on?

After the expected greetings and pleasantries had been exchanged, the occupants of the room all took their seats, trying desperately to ignore the cloud of sobriety that hung in the air.

"As you've all undoubtedly noticed, Professor Lupin appears to be missing," Dumbledore spoke. Oddly, though, his words seemed almost to add to the oppressing silence, not detract from it. "Let me assure you, however, that this is not the case."

There was a collective sigh of relief from Harry, Hermione, and MacGonagall, and Snape visibly relaxed, a look of decided relief flitting over he features, his white knuckles relaxing on the arms of his chair. From Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore, however, nothing.

"At this very moment," the old man continued. "Lupin is resting in the infirmary, recovering from his wounds. His savior however, has not been so fortunate,"

"Savior?" Snape asked, echoing everyone's thoughts.

Dumbledore nodded. "One of our own men on the inside. Over the past year, he has been invaluable to us. Especially since Voldemort's discovery of Professor Snape."

The man in question sat ramrod straight in his chair, staring directly ahead. His face showed no emotional reaction, though Harry knew it was a difficult subject for the other man.

Towards the middle of their sixth year, the Gryffindor and the Potions Master had become. . . friends. It was a relationship based on respect, or at least it had been at first; over the year, it had become deeper, more tangible. Now, Harry thought with a small smile, he actually liked the old git.

It has helped their friendship, of course, that Remus Lupin had spoken favorably of Sev. Lupin was, after all, one of the people Harry trusted most in the world, and his honorary Godfather. At first, Harry had thought that he and Sev were just good friends. Later, he had discovered just how close they really were. Now only he, Hermione, Sirius, Dumbledore, and the lovers themselves knew the truth.

"Who was it, Albus?" MacGonagall spoke for the first time.

"Draco Malfoy." The name was said quietly, yet still it echoed loudly in the now silent room.

"Malfoy?!" Harry exclaimed, disbelievingly. "Why would that git save Lupin?"

"Mr. Potter," Snape snapped. "I will ask you not to speak so badly of my Godson in my presence."

Harry winced lightly. There were few things that the Professor really took offense to. It seemed that Malfoy-his Godson-was one of them. He filed this information for future use, and turned to Snape apologetically.

"I'm sorry, sir," he said. "But understand that this comes as a shock,"

It was Dumbledore and not Snape that replied. "Of course, this must be quite the surprise to you, Harry. After all your rivalry with Mr. Malfoy is. . . infamous." He smiled, a twinkle in his eye. "However, don't you think it would be better to give him the benefit of the doubt? You should know better than anyone that things are not always what they seem."

However gentle Dumbledore's voice had been, Harry couldn't help but feel ashamed of his lack of faith in Malfoy. Ironic, really, that he was now being asked to believe in his rival, as his name actually meant "Bad Faith."

After a moment, the Potions Master spoke. "Where is he?"

"In the hospital wing,: Madame Pomfrey broke in suddenly. "He's not well, Severus.:

"Not well?" he asked. "What do you mean? What's wrong with him?"

"Carpe Enspiritus, Severus," Dumbledore said quietly. "You know of it?"

Severus nodded.

"He may," said Professor MacGonagall, "but I do not."

"I am not surprised. It is an ancient curse, rarely used, and therefore seldom taught." He paused, taking a sip of his Earl Grey tea. "It is quite dangerous, I'm afraid, in the wrong hands, and the ministry banned it years ago."

"But," said Hermione, frowning slightly, "you'd think, as it's dangerous, that the ministry would want people to be taught how to watch out for it, at least."

Dumbledore smiled at her. "Quite right, Ms. Granger. However, I said that it was seldom taught, not that it was never taught. I myself, as I am neither a Potions Master, nor a healer, was not privy to that training."

Madame Pomfrey spoke. "I learned of it early on during my Medi-Witch training, as I was to have a basic knowledge of a number of rare curses and spells."

"And I," Snape broke in, "learned it during my apprenticeship in London. However," he continued, "it was only mentioned in a historical context. It was never meant to be seen as it was obviously never meant to be used."

Dumbledore nodded, once again taking the floor. He spoke for many minutes, explaining to the rooms' Gryffindor's the curse in detail. When he was done, the room was silent a moment, and then Hermione broached the question.

"So, no cure then," she said. "Well. . . then what are we going to do?"

"I had hoped that you would ask that, Ms. Granger," Dumbledore smiled at her again. Then he told them of the bond. For the Dark Lord's blood, he explained, they would supplement potions, and hoped to Merlin that it worked. "Once the bonding is completed, it can never be removed, and another bond could never be placed on either Mr. Malfoy or his partner.

Harry frowned at what Dumbledore had left unsaid. No marriage, no children, no love. Just Malfoy. Always Malfoy. His partner would be forced to bond with him mind, soul and. . . body.

"Who?" MacGonagall asked.

"Me." Hermione said, still frowning slightly. Dumbledore smiled, and Harry stared at her, stunned. MacGonagall looked distraught.

"Very good, young Lion. I had hoped that you would come to that conclusion, as I have."

"Why? Why should Hermione have to bind herself to Malfoy of all people?!"

Hermione turned to him, a resigned look about her eyes. "Think about it, Harry. They need someone who can do the spell correctly, and is strong enough to protect Malfoy until he regains his strength. Plus-I'm a girl," she continued, practically. "And that'll be needed for the. . ." Hermione winced as her stomach clenched. ". . . body bond."

Harry gripped his friends' hand tightly, unable to do anything but offer comfort, which she took eagerly. Dumbledore gave her a quick apologetic glance before continuing.

"The ceremony itself will be relatively simple; you and your second, Ms. Granger-"

"Second?"

"In case, my dear, you should run out of power during the bonding, your second will give you access to their own magic to aid you. Who will you choose?"

"Harry," Hermione replied without hesitation. "I would trust him with my life." This last comment was greeted with a squeeze of her hand from Harry, and a approving nod from the Headmaster.

"Good. It will be, as I said, simple. You and Harry will be in the chamber with Mr. Malfoy and myself. Then comes the recitation of the spell, and after that, assuming all is well, a light will shoot from his body to yours. The color will determine the basis of the bond your souls will share. Blue is for friendship, green is for enmity, red for passion, black for hatred, yellow for companionship, grey for indifference, white. . . well, I hardly think that will be an issue, in this case."

He smiled, and then moved on. "After the ceremony, we will move your things into a room in the South Tower. You and young Mr. Malfoy will be residing there for the duration of your stay at Hogwarts."

Hermione nodded, her face totally indifferent. "Will that be all, Professor?"

He nodded, and Hermione and Harry left the room. They and walked all the way to Gryffindor Tower before she broke down and began to cry in his arms.

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Well, there you are! Read and REVIEW!!!!!! =)

~NayNymic