A/N: This chapter (though I did not realize it before now) also mentions rape (only mentions, does NOT describe it!). I am in no way, shape, or form saying that the act is appropriate or right. I just hope that I don't lose readers because of this chapter. There is also mentioning of physical abuse. Again, I'm NOT condoning these things, they're just there for plot reasons. Also, I am planning on writing a companion fic to this once this one is finished that will go into detail about the Snape/Hermione situation.
Also, to the reviewer Queen of Gambitia: There is nothing to fix. This is a Draco and Hermione fic, but I do have my reasons for having the Snape and Hermione relationship in the background. If you don't like it, don't read it.
Chapter Seven: Friends and Announcements
I lay back on my bed, looking up at the dark canopy, counting down the minutes until it is time to do my rounds with Hermione, and thinking. Thinking about Hermione. My thoughts have turned to her a lot lately. I have chosen not to try and figure out why anymore. All that does is give me a headache and get me no further to finding the answer. This will be the first time I have talked to Hermione since I overheard her and Snape talking a few days ago. She does not know that I know her secret, that she and Snape were together and that she was pregnant and miscarried. I do not know if I will tell her that I know, it depends on what happens tonight with our rounds.
I check my watch again. 10 minutes…
It has been three days since I sent that letter to my father and I have not gotten any response from him. This worries me as he prides himself on his punctuality. I only hope that he doesn't do something rash and get himself caught. I may not be on the same side as him, but he is still my father.
I am still finding it hard to believe that Snape and Hermione were together. I'll have to tell her that I know so that she can tell me how that happened. Surely Dumbledore would not have allowed it! I doubt anything gets by that man, but somehow I don't think that he knew about Hermione and Snape's relationship. I find myself wondering what Father would say if he knew about their relationship. Surely he would know that Snape was playing both sides.
What if Snape is playing both sides? I don't know much about what he does for the Dark Lord, but if he is spying on Dumbledore for him, then surely he would be spying on the Dark Lord for Dumbledore. It would make sense. Either way, Snape wins.
6 minutes to go…
I get off my bed and pull my cloak on, as we will be doing our rounds outside tonight. I head out of my room with every intention of finding Hermione. As I walk through the common room I notice Pansy walking toward me.
"Draco?" She asks softly.
I stop and look at her. Her eyes are slightly puffy and glossed over. "What's wrong?"
"Blaise." She says very quietly, almost as though she were afraid of anyone but me hearing her.
"What about him?" It is common knowledge that she and Blaise have been dating since the beginning of our 6th year, but something about they way she is acting concerns me.
She looks as though she is going to cry, if she hasn't already.
"Come on, we'll go somewhere else." I grab her arm softly and begin to pull her toward the portrait leading to the corridor. She winces and I let her go, looking into her eyes.
"What did he do to you?" I ask quietly.
She takes in a breath of air and says softly, "You're right, let's go somewhere else."
She is looking over my shoulder and I turn around to see Blaise coming in. He spots us and walks over to us. Pansy looks as though she is trying to compose herself. Blaise reaches us and pulls Pansy into a hug, then kisses her lips a little more forcefully than a couple should kiss. I wonder what else he has done more forcefully than he should. He is whispering into her ear, then starts to pull her toward the stairs to his dormitory. She looks over her shoulder at me, almost as if she is silently pleading for me to help her. I don't know how I can help her, though I feel I should. I look at my watch again and find that it is now time for my rounds. I head out to the Great Hall in search of Hermione, putting Pansy and Blaise to the back of my mind to think about later.
As I make my way out of the dungeon corridors and into the main entrance I look toward the stairs. Hermione is standing there in her standard robes along with a large black cloak.
"Granger," I say as we start walking toward each other.
"Draco," she says with a slight smile that does not quite reach her eyes, "Shall we?"
The two of us make our way out the front doors to begin our rounds. We walk along the path and watch for any students that should be in their common rooms. As we walk along the path near the Herbology greenhouses I notice that she has been unusually quiet tonight and I chance a glance in her direction. She looks distracted as I study her face.
"I know," I am surprised to hear my voice.
Hermione looks at me, confused, "Know what?" she asks softly, though her eyes look slightly panicked.
"About you and Snape," I reply simply.
She stops walking and closes her eyes. She takes a deep breath, then lets it out and looks at me. "How much?"
"I know about the child."
Her eyes begin to fill with tears and she turns her face away from me. I find myself closing the space between us and my hand softly turning her face toward mine. She closes her eyes and a tear slips from one. My thumb brushes it away. She quietly composes herself, then opens her eyes.
"You won't tell anyone, will you?"
I look into her chocolate brown eyes and I feel as though I could get lost in them. I realize my hand is still resting on her soft cheek, but I make no effort to move it.
"I won't," I say in a whisper. "What happened?"
She looks away from me before saying, "I think you already know."
"No, I mean how did you and Snape happen?"
Hermione bites her lower lip, obviously trying (unsuccessfully) to not smile. She looks back up at me. "It's a long story."
I move my hand from her cheek. "We have all night." I smile at her.
She rolls her eyes. "Actually, we only have 2 hours."
"Same difference."
She sighs softly. "Are you sure you want to know?"
"Would I have asked had I not?"
"Right." We start walking again. "It all started when..."
As Hermione told her tale, we walked along the path we were to take on our rounds, not really checking for students. For the most part, her tale was quite amusing, but there were also parts where I felt for her. There is a reason that they say Slytherins and Gryffindors don't mix.
~
As I walk down to the common room early the next morning, intending to go for a run, I hear a soft cry coming from the corner. Curious, I walk to the corner where there is an armchair turned facing the wall. As I reach the chair and look over the back of it, I see a head of long, black hair and a young woman hunched over crying. I cannot see much of her, as it is dark, but she is distraught.
"Hello?" I say softly.
The girl turns abruptly, her face showing one of horror until she realizes who I am. "Dr - Draco?"
"Pansy? What are you doing?! What's wrong?! Is it Blaise?!" I hear myself asking hurriedly.
"Yes Draco, it's Blaise, but we can't talk here!" Pansy tells me quickly and quietly.
"I was just going to go out for a run, come with me?"
"Alright," Pansy says as she gets up from the chair. We walk out of the common room, not saying anything until we are out of the castle.
We walk along a path heading toward the lake in silence. In the soft light of the approaching dawn, I observe Pansy. Not many people outside of Slytherin really know what she's like. She always puts up a rude, hard facade, but she's really one of the strongest and nicest people in Slytherin. Many people thought Pansy and I would end up together, but I've never really looked at her like that. She's my best friend, or the closest I will ever get to one. As I take the time to look at her, trying in my own way to find out what's happened, I realize that she's wearing heavy, conservative clothing. I look at her face and notice a slight purple mark on her cheekbone.
"You were never really that good at charms," I say softly.
Pansy stops walking and closes her eyes, oddly reminding me of Hermione. "Is it that obvious?" She asks after a moment, looking into my eyes.
I pull out my wand and point it at her face. After muttering a few words, the coloring disappears. "Where else?"
"All over, that was the only one on my face though." She says softly, looking me straight on in my eyes. She always was a fighter.
"When did it start, what happened?"
"It started a couple weeks ago. Blaise was ready to have sex and I told him I wasn't. That was the first time he hit me." She started softly. Contrary to popular belief, Slytherins aren't all sluts.
"Did he rape you?" I ask, feeling anger starting to build inside me.
Pansy takes a moment before answering me with a nod of her head.
"Last night too?"
"Yes." She looks out at the lake for a few minutes. Watching the sun rise over the lake, she says in a soft voice, "We're betrothed. Our parents have already drawn up the contracts and they're already bound. They're just waiting for us to get out of school."
I don't say anything, I don't need to. We both know what that means and no words will make any kind of difference. I wrap my arms around her, allowing her to take some kind of comfort in knowing that I am here for her. I can feel her tears soaking my shirt and I kiss the top of her head. After a few minutes, she composes herself in my arms, then pulls away.
"He's decided to take the mark over break with you," Pansy says, looking up into my eyes.
"I'm not taking the mark over break."
She furrows her brows in confusion. "Why not? What happened?"
"Dumbledore, I suppose he'll make an announcement soon. There's going to be a winter dance and he's all but demanded that I stay."
"That's rather sudden of him to do that. I wonder why."
I shrug my shoulders calmly. "I don't know. Probably trying to get as many kids to stay over break as he can."
"The Dark Lord?"
"Probably."
"As much as I hate to admit it, I can't wait for this to be over, for him to be gone."
I smirk at her. "Traitor," I say jokingly.
She smiles slightly at me. "I better go back to the common room. I don't want Blaise to get mad."
I nod my head, then give her a quick hug.
~
I walk into the Dining Hall that night for dinner and sit at the Slytherin table across from Pansy and Blaise, noticing that there isn't food on the table yet. There is much chattering among the students, all probably wondering the same thing that I am; what's going on that they are delaying dinner? As if to answer my unasked question, Dumbledore stands up and the students quiet almost immediately.
"I am sure you all are wondering why dinner hasn't yet been served, so I will not keep you all waiting any longer. I, along with the staff and Prefects, have decided to host a Winter Ball on Christmas Eve. It is open to all students year 3 and up. I have sent an owl to all your parents informing them of this new development and I am hoping that we will have a good outcome. You have two weeks to decide whether or not you will be staying over break and at that time each Head of House will place a sign-up sheet in their respective common rooms. Now that we've got that out of the way, let's eat!" Dumbledore sat down and the food appeared.
"So Pansy, are you staying over break?" I ask, hoping that she will, knowing that nothing is going to keep Blaise from taking the mark.
"I don't know. I think I might, it would be fun." She smiles at me.
"Actually Pans, I think it might be a good thing for you to stay." Blaise spoke up.
"What about you Blaise?" I ask.
"No, I have other plans. Don't you?" he responds, almost a touch of accusation could be heard in his voice.
"I did, but they've been postponed. Dumbledore's practically demanded that I stay." I manage to say this with a fair amount of irritation lacing my voice.
"Your father's ok with this?" Blaise sounds as though he's not buying it.
"I didn't know that was your business," I penetrate him with a glare and he shuts up.
The rest of the evening went by without much incidence and I soon found myself climbing into bed, falling into a deep sleep happily haunted with visions of a beautiful, brown-eyed witch.