Chapter nine- Accusations and amulets.
The morning sun shone through the window as Hermione got dressed sleepily then made her way down to the Great Hall. She had been up very late the night before, thinking about the Prophecy and her situation with Malfoy. Harry and Ron were already awake, and eating their fill before the trip to Hogsmede.
"Morning guys." She greeted them groggily.
Harry looked up at her. "Morning Hermione." Hermione didn't notice his eyes narrow slightly, before he looked away and kept eating.
"Hi Hermione. Did you have fun last night?" Ron asked her cheerfully. Harry glanced back up at her for her answer.
"Last night?" She asked in confusion as she sat in between her two friends.
Ron and Harry shared a glance. "The Gryffindor party, Hermione." Ron answered her with raised eyebrows and a small frown.
Hermione silently scolded herself. How could she have forgotten so quickly? "Oh yes! It was so much fun! Would you believe that I got so exhausted from dancing that I slept like a log, and still haven't woken up fully this morning?" She asked them rhetorically.
"Hmm." Was all Harry said and Ron just smiled wanly. Hermione, in her state of drowsiness didn't notice that anything was wrong between them, and continued to eat her breakfast.
Once it was time for the students to leave for Hogsmede, Hermione seemed to have woken up fully and was pleased at the thought of spending a normal day with her best friends. They decided to walk to Hogsmede as the sun was out for a change, and could always hitch a ride in a carriage on the way home if it clouded over.
Ginny walked silently next to Hermione, with the two boys walking in front of them. Hermione's mind drifted back to last night in the cabin. What on earth was that Prophecy about? There was no doubt that it meant Draco and herself, but how could their relatives have written it so many years ago, without it being passed down by each generation to reach them? At this last thought, Hermione stopped in her tracks. Shit, she cursed silently to herself, dad mentioned the Prophecy to me in his letter. He knew about it..?
"You alright Hermione?" Ginny asked her, turning around to look at her when she was no longer walking by her side.
Hermione lifted her head and smiled at Ginny. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Why did you stop walking then?"
"I was just…just, um, pausing to appreciate to sun before it hides and doesn't return until spring." Damn, who would ever believe that?
Ginny raised her eyebrows, waited for Hermione to catch up with her, then continued on her way.
Hermione went back to her thoughts. How could dad have known about the Prophecy and not have told me about it? I'll have to make him tell me about it when I go home over Christmas.
Maybe I can take the journal home with me, Draco would never know…
"…we all would." Ginny was saying quietly to her. Hermione quickly came out of her planning and shot a startled look at Ginny, who seemed as if she was avoiding Hermione's eyes. What was she going on about? Hermione was positive she hadn't been talking aloud.
"Sorry? You were talking softly, I missed that last bit." Hermione lied, hoping to catch on to the conversation which she was involved in. Ginny sighed.
"I was just saying that I wouldn't mind knowing where you sneaked off to last night."
Hermione's eyes widened in shock. "You…you saw me leave?"
"Yes, I did. Then I came up into your dorm late last night to ask your advice on something, and you still weren't there. Where did you go that took you that long?"
"Uh…" Hermione couldn't answer. She had no idea what to tell Ginny, and the truth was completely out of the question.
Ginny nodded her head knowingly. "I didn't think you'd tell me."
"Why not?"
"You never tell me anything anymore, Hermione." Ginny said painfully. "You sneak off places, and don't tell me where, and you're never around when I need to talk to you."
"Yes I am, Gin." Hermione said, but she didn't believe it either. Hermione was around often, but the way her face was always clouded over with thought, made her unapproachable. "I'll make sure I am, then."
Ginny didn't answer her. She kept her eyes averted and quickened her pace slightly so she was no longer walking next to Hermione. Hermione hung her head, wondering how she could convince Ginny that she wasn't lying to her, even though she was-big time. But Ginny couldn't know that. She had to be convinced until Hermione thought she was ready to tell her friends about the Prophecy- or hoax, whichever it turned out to be.
They arrived in Hogsmede not much later, with Ginny and Hermione following the oblivious Harry and Ron into the Three Broomsticks. Harry ordered them all a butterbeer, and then they made their way over to a booth in the corner of the empty tavern. Hermione sat next to Ron and Ginny with Harry.
Ron began rummaging through the pockets of his robe. "How much do I owe you Harry?" He asked, referring to the butterbeer with an inclination of his head.
"Don't worry about it. It was my shout, to you girls too." He said glancing at Hermione and Ginny in turn. They smiled at him thankfully.
"Thanks mate." Ron said, drinking deeply from his mug.
After a few minutes, Harry began to suspect that something was wrong between Hermione and Ginny, from the apologetic looks Hermione was throwing at her across the table. Ginny however kept her eyes firmly on the mug of butterbeer in front of her. "Hey, Ginny. Do you want to go for a little walk around Hogsmede? Maybe visit the new sweet store?" He asked her, in hope to get her away from Hermione so she could tell him what was bothering her.
She looked up at him gratefully. "Sure."
Ron frowned and stood as well. "I want to see the lollie shop too, Harry."
Harry raised his eyebrows at him. "You and Hermione can check it out later, Ron." He said slowly, hoping it would sink in that he wanted to be alone with Ginny.
"Ooohhh…" Ron said, giving Harry a very obvious wink. "Rightio. See you two later then." He sat back down next to Hermione, who looked quite upset.
Harry led Ginny out of the Three Broomsticks and the door shut loudly behind them. Hermione slumped over her untouched drink. Ron smiled at her with the grin she had come to know since her first year. "You right, Hermione?"
She couldn't help but smile back as she met his eyes. "Not really. But I don't want to talk about it either."
Ron leaned back in his seat. "That's fine because, to be honest, I can't really be bothered listening to you drone on and on about how you don't think you passed this semester at Hogwarts."
Hermione laughed at him and whacked him on the shoulder. "Thanks for understanding." She said sarcastically.
"No problem." Ron said, reaching across the table to where Ginny's unfinished butterbeer lay. He grabbed it and sculled the rest of it down.
Harry and Ginny wandered aimlessly around Hogsmede in a heavy silence. Harry realised that at the rate they were going their conversation would consist of 'bye Ginny' once they got back to Hogwarts.
"What's up Gin? I know something's not right between you and Hermione." He started.
Ginny didn't answer immediately. When she did, Harry had to lean in so he could hear her quiet whisper. "She's lying to us, Harry. I know it."
"Hermione?" Harry asked.
Ginny nodded. "We all saw her leave last night, and I told her that. But she wouldn't tell me where she went. I know that she didn't get back till really late. I went in to her dorm after midnight, and she still wasn't there yet."
"Why did you go into her dorm?" Harry asked curiously.
"I just wanted to talk to her." Ginny said, blushing very slightly.
"What about?"
"I just wish she wouldn't sneak around behind our backs." Ginny said ignoring Harry's question. "She should know we'll understand. Whatever it is she's doing."
"Uh…yeah. Of course we will."
"Harry." Ginny said, stopping and turning to face him. "You and Ron have to talk to her. You guys are best friends, surely she'll talk to you."
"Yeah, I suppose that's true." Harry agreed.
"But you'll have to do it soon, because she goes home for Christmas holidays on Tuesday. That gives you two days."
"Alright." Harry said pensively. "I'll talk to Ron about what's going on, then we'll have a chat with her tonight, OK?"
Ginny smiled and gave him a big hug in relief. "Thank you Harry."
Harry hugged her back resting his chin on the top of her head and wrapping his arms around her waist. Ginny's hair was blowing around wildly in the wind, looking like flames of a fire. Harry could smell the sweet smell of her shampoo and smiled slightly as Ginny rested her head on his chest. Suddenly breaking the serenity of their situation, a lock of Ginny's hair flew into Harry's mouth before he could stop it. He started coughing and spluttering, pulling away from Ginny.
"Are you alright, Harry?" Ginny asked, concerned.
"Yes." He said grabbing a strand of hair left on his tongue and pulling it off. "Your hair just went in my mouth, that's all."
Ginny face went red with embarrassment. "Oh Harry! I'm so sorry."
Harry laughed at her. "Don't stress it, Gin."
Her eyes were wide, but she managed a small smile for Harry's sake. "So, you'll talk to her tonight then?" She asked hoping to be successful in the change of conversation.
"Yep, and I'll tell you what she says. OK?"
"Great. We'd better get back to Hogwarts now, it's starting to cloud over."
"What? But we haven't visited the new lollie shop yet." Harry said, pouting slightly.
Ginny laughed at him and poked his bottom lip back in to place. "Alright. We'll go there first." She told him, taking his hand and dragging him down the street and into the lollie store.
There were so many new flavors to try that by the time Harry and Ginny left the store with a bag full of sweets, the sky was dark with storm clouds. They walked brusquely passed the Three Broomsticks and peered in the windows for Ron and Hermione, but apparently they had already headed back to Hogwarts.
Harry and Ginny were half way back to the castle when the rain started pouring down. Ginny's hair stuck to her face, covering her eyes so she could barely see, and Harry's glasses were heavily speckled with raindrops.
"Harry!" Ginny shouted over the noise of the rain hitting the ground.
"What?" Harry shouted back, worried that he had wandered off the path in his inability to see and she was unable to find him. "Where are you?"
"I'm right next to you, you oaf!"
"Then what did you need?" Harry asked in confusion.
"I just wanted another one of those chocolate and honey flavored sugar strips."
"Oh. Here." He said stupidly, handing her one. He then started laughing at the situation they were in. Ginny burst out laughing too, and they ran back to the castle together laughing over nothing.
Once they burst into the Common Room, they were soaked and exhausted. Ginny noticed Ron and Hermione in the far corner, and they made their way over to them.
"What happened to you two?" Ron asked noticing their drenched clothing.
"We were eaten by elephants." Harry answered seriously, putting a protective arm around Ginny. "She's been really brave today, but I think it's time she had a shower, cause the elephant really needed to brush it's teeth…"
Ginny stepped back from Harry in horror. He playfully pulled her back to his side saying "I'm only joking Gin, you smell fine."
Her face relaxed and she joined in laughing with the other two. However, she didn't look at Hermione, because she didn't want her enjoyment to be spoilt by remembering how Hermione was lying to them.
"How did you two manage to get caught in the rain? The clouds were overhead for hours before it began to pour, surely they were a clear enough warning for you." Hermione asked.
"Because someone had to visit the lollie shop." Ginny answered, making a point of looking a Harry, who hung his head in mock shame.
"Oh! Oh! Did you? What did you get? Can I try some thing? Pleeaasseee..?" Ron said glancing at the bag in Harry's hand. Harry smiled and chucked it at him, telling him that he could have what was left.
Ginny looked at Ron. "I thought you two were going to go yourselves."
"Yeah, we were." Hermione answered for Ron, because he had already put three different lollies into his mouth at once and seemed unable to answer. "But we noticed it looked like rain so we headed back here instead."
"No." Ron disagreed, swallowing his big mouthful. "You decided that it looked like rain and forbid me to visit the shop before we left."
"Well, looking at the way they're both shivering, aren't you glad we avoided the storm?" Hermione asked, her lips pursed. Ron looked at his sister and then Harry who both looked frozen.
"Yeah, I suppose."
"You two better get changed, or you'll get sick. Christmas isn't long away, and you don't want that, do you?" Hermione said to Harry and Ginny.
"True." Harry and Ginny agreed, and they went upstairs separately to warm themselves up.
Hermione turned to Ron who had nearly finished the bag of sweets in the few short minutes that he had possessed it. "I'm going to go start packing for the holidays. I'll be back down for dinner."
Ron nodded and went to sit with Lavender, offering the last few sweets to her. She smiled but shook her head. His face relaxed with relief and he ate them quickly himself.
Hermione entered the Great Hall and noticed that Harry, Ron and Ginny were already there. She sat next to Harry and loaded her plate. She looked up just in time to see Ron giving her a curious look. "What?" She asked him.
"Nothing. Have you finished packing?"
"Nearly." She answered, and continued eating her dinner. Ginny finished eating before the two boys, who seemed to be eating unusually slow and casting glances at the level of food left on Hermione's plate.
Ginny stood up and left the Hall. As soon as she had disappeared through the doors, Harry turned to Hermione and Ron moved to her other side so she was sandwiched in between them.
"What are you guys doing?" She asked them with a frown.
"Hermione. Ginny talked to me this afternoon, she seemed really upset." Harry started.
"Oh, come on." Hermione rolled her eyes and poked her fork through a piece of broccoli.
"No Hermione. We need to talk." Ron said. "We all saw you leave the party last night, not just Ginny."
Hermione froze with the broccoli half in her mouth. "You did?" She tried to think quickly of something that would cover it up, but nothing good enough came to mind.
"Please tell us where you're sneaking off to. We deserve to know." Harry said quietly, and Hermione realised that he was right. She sighed and put her fork down.
"You have to promise not to get angry with me." She said.
Harry and Ron shared a glance then nodded slowly. "OK, we promise."
Hermione took a deep breath. Where could she start? "Remember months ago how I had a detention for dueling in the corridor?"
The boys nodded.
"Well, while I was in the Forbidden Forest I came across a cabin. It was old and dark and made me very curious. So the next night I went back and checked it out. It had books and parchments that were over a hundred years old. You know me, I have to read everything," The boys nodded again. "So I did. One old script contained things written by an ancestor of mine."
Harry raised his eyebrows and Ron frowned. "How did you know?"
"It was a journal entry and was signed by an 'Esmerelda Granger.' I don't think that's a very common last name, do you?"
Ron shook his head, but Harry moved on to something else that was bothering him. "You mean you've been going in to the Forbidden Forest in the dark all by yourself? Hermione, that's really dangerous."
Hermione nodded and tried to look ashamed. "I know, but I suppose curiosity got the better of me."
"Curiosity killed the cat and could very well of killed you with all the deadly things in there. You know all you had to do was ask and Ron and I would have came with you. We are very fond of breaking school rules ourselves."
"I'll remember for next time." Hermione smiled, then continued. "I stopped going in there for months, and only recently have visited it again. I haven't been making a habit of it, it's just I must have really bad timing for Ginny to come in to my dorm every time I was gon-"
"What's that?" Ron interrupted her, pointing to her chest.
"Excuse me?" Hermione said, with raised eyebrows.
"That necklace. I've never seen it before."
Hermione reached down and felt her heart sink as she touched the amulet resting on her robe. She thought to dismiss it as nothing important by saying "Oh, that. Don't worry about it, we both got one." But that tactic failed.
"We? What do you mean 'we'?" Ron asked furrowing his brow.
Hermione placed a blank look on her face. "Hmm?"
"Hermione, who else got a necklace?" Harry pressed.
"Just me. It was a slip of the tongue." She tried to look ditzy and giggled to top it off.
"Hermione stop it. I don't believe you." Ron said firmly. "We won't get angry at you, just tell us who else has a necklace like you."
Hermione stood up so quickly that Ron and Harry both jumped back. "I have to go. See you later." She ran as fast as she could from the hall, not noticing the pair of icy blue eyes that watched her go.
She knew Harry and Ron would expect her to go to the Gryffindor Tower or to the library, so she went to one of her favorite getaway places in all of Hogwarts; the Astronomy Tower. Hermione was tired once she reached the top, so she leaned on the railing and stared out at the grounds. The rain had stopped from this afternoon, but there was still a chill in the air.
Hermione stayed there for at least another hour before she turned to head back to her dorm. She took one step forward and whacked her head on something reasonably hard. "Shit." She cursed and stepped back again rubbing her head, and looking up into a pair of eyes that were shining with mischief.
"I wondered where you were running off to."
"I didn't hear you come up here." Hermione said to Draco, once she had figured who he was.
He held up his amulet. "I was testing this out. It seems to work pretty well, but I've got no idea what that chick was talking about when she said we might get sick, cause I feel fine."
Hermione ignored his arrogant attitude towards Esmerelda, and said, "You've never been up here before. How did you know you'd appear in the right place? If you were even two meters out, you would have fallen to your death, you know."
"I guess." Draco said, now looking a bit faint. Slowly his face paled and he turned quickly, doubling over the edge of the balcony. Hermione turned away and tried not to listen to his retching. When it sounded like he was finished, Hermione turned around to face him and crossed her arms. Draco wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve.
"I suppose Esmerelda was right. It does make you sick if your body isn't used to jumping through space and appearing somewhere else a moment later." Hermione told him.
"Hmm. You are going to have to get used to it too." Draco thought for a moment. "Maybe we should try them out long distance, see if they can really go all the way to the cabin."
Hermione considered it, then realised that she didn't really want to face Ron and Harry just yet, and she did need to get used to traveling with her amulet. "That's a good idea."
Draco smirked at her. "I know."
"Of course you do…" Hermione agreed in a dismissive tone. "Now, we should picture different areas of that clearing so that we don't appear on top of each other."
The mischief instantly reappeared in Draco's eyes, and he looked Hermione up and down. "So, where are you going to appear then?"
Hermione frowned at his sly expression. "I don't think I want to tell you."
"Come on." Draco insisted, making Hermione narrow her eyes at him challengingly.
"On the bank of the pond, and if you even dare appear there too, I won't think twice before I hex you." Hermione told him sternly.
"Fine." Draco agreed sulkily. "I'll go to the stream leading into the forest."
"Good. Lets go then." Hermione said, wrapping her fingers around the amulet and closing her eyes. She cleared her mind and began building the scenery of the clearing around her. She put in the lake at her feet, the surrounding Glowing Oaks and the stream leading off into the trees. Once she had finished, she concentrated very hard on that spot. Suddenly she felt her feet lift off the ground. Then a force of wind so strong that she thought it would have knocked her back to the earth, if she had been able to tell which way was up or down.
A moment later her feet were resting on the ground again, and Hermione opened her eyes hesitantly to see the clearing around her. She glanced over towards the river to wait for Draco to appear, but he never did. Hermione's eyebrows furrowed and she slowly walked over to where he should have been. After another few moments, Hermione felt her stomach turn viciously.
"Oh no…" She whispered, wishing she hadn't eaten any dinner. Running desperately for the trees, Hermione firmly clamped a hand over her mouth. She reached the trees just in time. Once her stomach had been fully emptied, she wiped her mouth and walked over to the lake to rinse it out a bit.
Hermione felt much better after she had splashed cold water over her face. She sat down on the bank of the lake and gazed in to the still water. A pair of confused brown eyes stared back at her. She would have to tell Harry and Ron that she had been going to the cabin with Draco, but she had no idea how she could phrase it without them getting angry.
Hermione's eyes slowly focussed on a disturbance in the middle of the lake. Emerging from the depths was a creature about her size. She stood quickly and backed away with wide eyes, grasping at her amulet as a means to escape it if it proved dangerous.
Her panic quickly turned to mirth as she realised that this creature had blond hair, blue eyes and a sour expression. Draco walked out of the water dripping wet and cursing his amulet.
"What happened to you?" Hermione asked attempting to sneer at him, but snorting with laughter instead.
"It's not funny." Draco looked extremely short-tempered.
"I think it is." Hermione laughed. "But you didn't answer me. What happened?"
Draco pulled out his wand and performed a simple evaporating charm on his robes, then he said, "I forgot what this clearing looked like. I thought it was bigger then this." He waved an arm around. "It took me ages to picture it right, then I found myself at the bottom of the bloody lake."
This sent Hermione in to new fits of laughter, and she rested a hand on Draco's shoulder for support. He shoved her off, and she collapsed to the forest floor obliviously, still laughing at his expense. She tried to control herself by breathing deeply, then she thought of something and looked up at him curiously.
"You're not sick this time."
"Nope. I suppose the cold water would have knocked any illness out of my system."
Hermione chuckled softly. "I'll have to remember that for next time."
"Shut up." Draco said, nudging her shoulder with his knee. Hermione quickly stood up so Draco wouldn't have an advantage over her if an argument started.
"You think you can remember what it looks like for next time?" Hermione asked him, looking around the small space in between the Glowing Oaks.
He didn't answer that question. "Let's get back to the Astronomy Tower."
Hermione nodded, with a smile still present on her face. They both grasped their amulets and pictured the tower in their minds. Draco disappeared first, with Hermione not far behind him.
Ginny watched the owl fly off in to the distance wistfully. If only she could fly away like that, it would make life so much easier. She sighed and walked back into the shadows leading to the exit of the Astronomy Tower. Just as Ginny reached for the door handle she heard a small giggle from the tower. She turned in surprise and recognition. She knew that giggle…
"Will you stop laughing at me? I didn't intend to appear in the water OK?" A male's voice said gruffly.
"Sorry, but it was so funny." Ginny's eyes widened as Hermione answered.
"Was not." Ginny heard footsteps approaching where she stood near the door. "See you after Christmas."
"Sure will." Hermione answered him. Ginny pressed herself against the wall, hoping not to be noticed by whoever was approaching. He walked straight passed her, leaving the fragrance of his cologne drifting about her. Ginny was dumbstruck to see who closed the door behind him.
Ginny emerged from the shadows to find Hermione, who was leaning out over the railing. With a smile on her face Hermione was watching the squid paddle itself through the water of the lake. It raised its tentacles and whacked them down on the surface of the water, making a massive splash.
"What was that?"
Hermione whirled around to see Ginny staring at her demandingly. "What? The squid?"
"You know what I'm talking about Hermione." Ginny said with gritted teeth.
Hermione lowered her head. "Well, we were just testing the…I mean, you know- oh, no you don't…" her right hand was fidgeting with a beautiful amulet around her neck.
"Hermione. You don't have to say anything. I know you've been lying to us all. You told me that you weren't seeing anyone, but now I know you weren't being honest."
"Ginny, please don't…"
"Don't what? Tell Harry and Ron? Don't worry Hermione. I won't tell them a thing. But you better before they catch you two like I have. If that happens, you know you've lost them both."
Hermione let her hand fall to her side as Ginny turned around and left the tower. Hermione knew Ginny was telling the truth. Harry and Ron would never forgive her if they found out she had been sneaking off behind their backs with Draco.
She felt her eyes fill with tears, and she allowed herself to sit on the cold stone of the ground. Hermione tried to fight back the tears, but they escaped despite her best efforts. She rested her head in her hands and cried until she had no tears left.