A/N- I know I know I know I know I know. I've taken too long. Sorry, but it's up now. And should be long enough to keep you less patient reviewers happy. For a while anywayz. Give it a read…
Disclaimer- everything belongs to J.K, and I won't continue because it depresses me.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN- Death Eaters.
"Hermione?" a soft voice whispered from the doorway.
Hermione shifted under her covers, and mumbled incoherently. Ginny smiled and opened the door all the way, then crept over to Hermione's four poster bed. She pulled back the hangings and poked Hermione in the ribs.
"Wha…?" Hermione muttered, her eyes parting slightly to stare blearily at Ginny's shadowy figure leaning over her. "Ginny?"
"Yeah, it's just me." Ginny whispered.
"What do you want?" Hermione said weakly, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. Ginny ran a hand through her heavy red hair and answered,
"I want to talk to you about something. Please?"
Hermione sighed and resigned herself to the fact that she would never have a suitable amount of sleep, so long as she attended Hogwarts. "OK, give me a minute." She swung her legs over the side of her bed and pulled on her dressing gown and slippers. Ginny led the way down into the common room so they could talk without waking Lavender or Parvarti.
"What's up, Gin?" Hermione asked, once they had seated themselves on their favorite couches in front of the dying fire. Ginny took a few moments before replying.
"Well firstly…did you seriously kiss Draco in front of your whole class?" she asked.
Hermione shifted slightly under Ginny's penetrating gaze, then she smiled in memory of the moment. "Uh, yeah. I did. You going to yell at me, or lecture me, or disown me now?"
Ginny laughed softly. "Don't be an idiot. I'd never do that."
Hermione raised her eyebrows at her. Ginny stopped smiling. "OK, fine. With the exception of December this year, I would never do that. I learnt from doing that, that I never will again. You're too important to me."
Hermione smiled in relief. "So you're just asking to see if you got all your facts straight?"
Ginny nodded. "Yep. I mean, I first heard that you had just kissed. That I could hardly believe, but after I ran into Harry (literally) and asked him about it, I suppose I could understand it. But at dinner when people stared saying you had been going out secretly for the past four years, or that you were engaged or even married I sort of figured they were gossip stories gone wrong."
"Jeez, you got that right."
"Some people went as far to say you were pregnant with Draco's kid, and that you'd be leaving Hogwarts as soon as possible to save yourself the embarrassment of people seeing you with a bulging belly."
"Are you serious?" Hermione asked in horror.
"Yeah, but they were only saying it for the sake of a good story, not because they actually believed it. I also heard a wild story that you and Draco are the hero's of a Prophecy and are gonna save the world from You Know Who."
Hermione froze. "Where did you hear that?" she asked as casually as she could, trying to sound amused.
"Some Ravenclaw said that a painting told him, a painting with 'connections' to a painting that sits in Dumbledore's office. I just laughed in his face."
Hermione forced a laugh, but could have sworn she sounded as worried as she felt. She made a mental note to talk to Dumbledore after classes tomorrow, to tell him that his paintings were not to be trusted. At this thought she almost started laughing. Some things of the wizarding world still struck her as strange. Talking paintings was definitely one of them.
"So what else was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Hermione asked Ginny, to change the conversation before Ginny could figure anything out. Not that she would ever suspect anything as outrageous as Hermione being part of a Prophecy with Draco. But just to be safe.
"Uh…" now it was Ginny's turn to squirm in her seat. "Well, it's about Harry."
Hermione grinned at Ginny. "Ah. I see."
"I've been wanting to talk to you about him all year, but you're never around. I was surprised that you were in bed just before. You're not usually."
Hermione dropped her eyes. "Sorry about that. But I'm here now, so what's bothering you?"
Ginny swallowed and stared in to the fire. "You know what's bothering me, Hermione."
"Yeah." Hermione nodded. "You still like him, don't you? Even after your attempts to get over him by going out with numerous other guys." Ginny nodded, then said,
"But I don't know if I can do anything about it." She then looked at Hermione with wide eyes as a thought hit her. "This afternoon…the most embarrassing thing…"
"What?" Hermione asked, quite curious.
"Just after I had heard about you and Draco, I saw Harry alone in the corridor. So I went to ask him if it was true, but I was running because I was so desperate to know…then I-" She broke off.
"What?" Hermione asked, now the desperate one.
"I bowled him over and we both fell on the floor. It was so humiliating. I landed on him. Now he's probably thinking "Jeez, that Ginny really needs to loose some pounds, she could've killed me if she'd hit me any harder…'"
Hermione tried as hard as she could not to laugh, but couldn't help herself. She laughed and laughed, and didn't stop until she noticed Ginny's bottom lip was beginning to quiver. She took a few calming breaths, then said, "Sorry Gin. But that's really funny."
"Not to me, it's not. Now Harry probably thinks I'm some dangerous 'running into people' person. I'll bet he avoids me from now on.
"I doubt that very much, Ginny. I think Harry likes you much more than you believe. But anyway, what happened after you plowed into him?"
A small noise from the other side of the common room, and both of their heads snapped up and looked over to the shadowy corner. They were silent, their ears straining to hear anything else. "Hmph." Hermione said at last. "Must have just been someone from the boy's dorms going to the loo, or something."
Ginny nodded and turned back to Hermione. "Well," she continued. "Then we talked about you and Malfoy…or Draco?" she paused.
"Draco." Hermione said to her. "If you don't mind."
"I'll try." Ginny said. "But after that I said something really stupid about me not having someone to be happy with, like you do. Harry asked if he knew the person who I want to be happy with…"
"And…"
"And I said that I did. I should have lied and said no! I'm such an idiot!" Ginny slapped her hand to her forehead in frustration. Hermione smiled.
"But Ginny," said Hermione. "What did Harry say to that?"
"He asked if he knew him. I said of course he does, unless he walked around with his eyes and ears closed."
"Did he figure it out, or was he as thick as Ron tends to be?"
"I think he figured it out. He kinda looked shocked, then left as quickly as he could. He wouldn't even look at me. I think he hates me now." Ginny said in despair. Hermione wrapped her arm about Ginny's shoulder.
"Gin, I wouldn't be surprised if he left because he wanted to go celebrate. He likes you too, honey. I know it." Hermione tried to convince her.
"What do I say to him from now on?" Ginny asked.
"Ginny. Calm down, ok? You're worrying too much. Just wait for tomorrow and see how things go. And if I need to, I'll talk to Harry for you."
Ginny was silent, unsure of whether she wanted Hermione to talk to Harry about this or not. After a while she smiled at Hermione. "Thanks Hermione. I suppose I'll head off to bed now. See you in the morning."
"Yeah, goodnight Gin." Hermione stayed on the couch and watched Ginny close the door to the girls' dorm behind her. Then she glanced around the room suspiciously. She stood up as quietly as she could and crept across the room to where they had heard the noise earlier on. There was a couch with its back facing the place where they had just been seated. Hermione peered over the back of the couch and smiled when she saw the form of Harry curled up on the cushion.
He slowly turned his head to look up at her guiltily. She raised her eyebrows at him. "I knew you were here. You're lucky I didn't suggest to Ginny that we take a look around, Harry."
Harry blushed slightly, then mouthed 'Is Ginny gone?'
"Yes she is. Gone to bed, which is exactly where you should be."
"So should you." Harry tried softly.
"I know, but at least I wasn't eavesdropping on someone else's private conversation."
"Hey, you were talking about me behind my back. Friends shouldn't do that." Harry smiled.
"Would you have preferred that conversation to never have taken place?"
"Not much got resolved though, did it?"
"Don't answer a question with a question, Harry. It's not very polite."
"Sorry. I mean, I am glad that it took place. And I'm glad that I was here. Now I know that Ginny…well, you know. You were the one she was telling."
"Harry, will you please start putting things of actual meaning in your sentences? You just wasted about fifteen seconds saying absolutely useless things. Try again."
Harry smiled at Hermione irritation. "Alright. I do like Ginny. I didn't know if she felt the same, though. But now I do, and I'm really pleased that I fell asleep on the couch tonight with it on my mind, to wake up and have it confirmed by your conversation."
"Ginny is such a worry-wart. I told her she had nothing to stress about." Hermione made Harry scoot over so she could sit down next to him. "Now what are you going to do?"
"Jeez, you don't have a problem with getting involved in other people's personal lives, do you?"
"Not when those people are my friends. And not when we've been waiting for you two to get together for about, um, let's see…six years, or so."
"Who's 'we'?" Harry asked skeptically.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Me, Snape and Wormtail. Who do you think, you prat? Ron and myself."
"Oh, right. Ron. Of course."
"Well? Ginny's scared of ever seeing you again, because she thinks you might sneer at her or something. What are you gonna do?"
"Talk to her or something? I don't know." Harry blushed in embarrassment once more, and Hermione rolled her eyes at him again.
"Were you this bad with Cho? I'm surprised she ever saw more in you than a red faced, mumbling schoolboy. Oh, and a good Quidditch player, I suppose."
"Shut up, Hermione." Said Harry. She laughed and gave him a big hug.
"Now Harry. You make sure that you don't leave Ginny hanging, because she might have breakdown or something ridiculous like that. If you haven't approached her by the end of tomorrow, then I'll…think of something that'll make you wish you had. An entire evening in the delightful company of Draco, or I'll go see if Umbridge is available and chain you to her."
"You wouldn't." Harry said confidently. "You couldn't stand going near her just as much as me. And what makes you think Malfoy-"
"Draco." Hermione supplied.
"Uh…yeah. What makes you think that Draco" he said it as if it was something brown and gooey on the bottom of his shoes, "would agree to being in my company for an entire evening?"
"I'd think of something to get him. You'll find I can be quite persuasive."
"Well, you have nothing to worry about. I'll find Ginny and talk to her first thing tomorrow. Or maybe after classes…perhaps after dinner if I can't find her…"
"As long as you set her mind at rest." Hermione stood up. "Goodnight Harry. Sleep tight."
"Yeah, you too Hermione." Harry said, also getting up and wandering off to his bed.
As Hermione got back into her bed, she shook her head at the two of them. They were hopeless. She smiled and wished that she could be there when Harry found Ginny and spoke to her tomorrow.
***
Tuesday's classes passed at their usual rate. Hermione scribbled down notes in all her classes, receiving incredulous glanced from Ron in Astronomy, as he compared her eight feet of writing to his eight words. When she asked him if he had even been listening to Professor Sinestra, he gave a lame excuse about his bottle of ink running out, and he hastily tried to tip out the remaining half bottle of ink into Harry's pocket with out him noticing.
As they wandered into the courtyard at break, Hermione saw Ginny sitting by herself reading a book. She sent Harry a meaningful glance who intentionally avoided it. He cleared his throat and made it look as if a thought had just occurred to him.
"You know what?" he said. "I think I'll go sit with Ginny. She looks a bit lonely."
"Good idea." Ron said, changing his direction mid-step so he was heading towards Ginny, which caused him to trip over his own feet and nearly fall into a puddle. Once he got his balance back, he continued over to where his sister was sitting, completely oblivious to the reason why Harry was looking nervous and suggesting that he wanted to go and talk to Ginny.
"Ahem." Hermione cleared her throat loudly. Ron didn't stop. "Hem hem." was her next approach. Ron stopped and looked around with wide eyes. When he realised it had been Hermione, he said,
"Hermione. Don't ever do that. You know the memories that sound brings to mind. If you imitate that toad woman one more time you may be responsible for half the school going mental."
"Ron." Hermione said, ignoring him. "I think that we should go sit over there," she pointed to the opposite side of the courtyard. "And let Harry talk to Ginny. Alone."
"But-"
"Alone. What do you think?" she stared at him, wishing she could send him telepathic messages saying 'don't be thick, you twit' or "catch on, Ron."
Slowly his faced cleared. "Oh…" he straightened at beamed at Hermione. "Sounds like a great idea! Well, have fun Harry, see you in class."
Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry, and he looked back at her, smiling faintly. Once Ron and Hermione were seated, Ron turned to Hermione. "Hermione, you could have just said, 'Ron, let's let Harry have a private discussion with Ginny, and go sit away from them.' Instead of making me feel like I belong in Hufflepuff."
"Oh, Ron. You can be so funny sometimes." Then thinking she should change the topic of conversation because she hadn't left him feeling very assured, she said "How long do you think it will take until Ginny points out to Harry that he has ink staining the whole right side of his robes?"
"Not too long now surely." Ron guessed with a grin. "He seems to have sat down close to her so he can keep their conversation private, but she's edging away because she doesn't want him to stain her robe too."
As they watched, Harry talked to Ginny looking slightly embarrassed but determined at the same time. And Ginny listened with a smile playing about her lips, but with her eyes darting to the constantly decreasing gap between their thighs, where her robes' cleanliness was in jeopardy of becoming stained with the same substance that stained his.
"Not long now." Ron said. "Harry looks like his speech is coming to a conclusion."
"I'd say so." Hermione agreed, looking at her watch to make sure she wouldn't be late for class. "He's only got a few more minutes."
"They've taken their time, haven't they?" Ron asked her, jerking his head over at them.
"That's for sure." Hermione smiled. "It's only been, what, six years, or something?"
"For Gin, yeah. But for Harry…only since the whole Cho 'Tornadoes Fan' Chang thing ended…a year and a half. Oh, there she goes!" Ron had just noticed Ginny tentatively point down at Harry's leg, who stood up so fast he swayed on the spot due to a head rush.
Ron attempted to stifle his laughter by sticking his half-eaten apple in his mouth, but this only caused more noise as he choked and laughed at the same time. Whereas Hermione hid her head behind Ron's back and tried to direct her giggles in the opposite direction to where Harry was trying to rub off the ink with some crinkled parchment.
Hermione was just considering sticking her head out from behind the cover of Ron's back to offer Harry a useful clearing charm, when she noticed a white haired guy walking passed them only a few feet away. Draco was in the middle of a large group of Slytherins, but when he noticed her looking at him, his face turned very troubled and he held her glance meaningfully. When Hermione's expression became confused, his face cleared but his eyes became unfocussed.
'We need to talk.' Draco's voice spoke in her head, causing Hermione to jerk in surprise. 'It's extremely important, but no one else can know about it. Please meet me in the cabin tonight.'
Hermione had known that Draco had skills specialising in divination, but she never knew he could actually communicate telepathically. His ability was bordering on Occlumency, with him being able to reach inside Hermione's mind. He was powerful, much more powerful than he let on. Hermione nodded at him, and he looked slightly relieved but his expression was still tense as he left the courtyard.
Hermione stuck her head out and a smile returned to her face when she noticed that Harry was walking over to them, with Ginny only a step or two behind. "Ron. Did you do this?" He indicated to the ink staining his robe.
Ron looked as innocent as he could. This proved to look as convincing as Fred or George when they tried to look innocent. "What's that? Oh, goodness Harry. What have you done there? That's definitely something new to me."
Harry raised his eyebrows and Ginny and Hermione giggled. Ron grinned. "I seriously don't know what you're-"
"Hermione." Harry turned away from Ron's pathetic excuses. "Can you get rid of it?"
"What do you mean 'can I get rid of it?' Of course I bloody can, I'm not stupid." Hermione whipped out her wand and with in seconds the stain was gone.
"Thanks." Harry said.
Ginny sighed. "Well I suppose I'd better get off to class. History of Magic." She shuddered at the thought. "This'll prove to be an afternoon I'll never forget."
"Oh, so you're going now?" Harry looked uncertainly to Hermione and Ron. "Uh…I'll meet you guys in class…I'll just walk Ginny to the second floor."
Ginny beamed and Hermione sent her a wink. Harry and Ginny left the courtyard together, both appearing slightly unsure of themselves. Hermione smiled when she noticed Harry reach across to Ginny and hold her hand in his.
***
Hermione stopped opposite the stone gargoyle that stood guard outside Dumbledore's office. She tapped her foot impatiently, wondering what on earth the password might be now. Surely ome sort of unhealthy food that he found irresistible.
Hermione had come to find Dumbledore once classes had finished for the day and she had dropped her books off at the common room. She had to let him know that one of the paintings in his office was not keeping quiet about private conversations.
Suddenly, before Hermione could even begin guessing what the password might be, a centaur from inside a nearby painting spoke to her. "If you're after Headmaster Dumbledore, he's not in his office."
"Oh." Hermione said, spinning around to face him. "Uh…thanks. Do you, er…know where he is, then?"
"Not a clue. I could read the stars for you and see if they say anything, but they haven't come out yet." The centaur said helpfully.
"No thanks." Hermione declined, realising that this centaur must have been one that had helped Dumbledore or a previous Headmaster at one stage, and had been thrown out of the forest, probably not much different to poor Firenze. "I think it'll be faster to search for him myself."
She turned and walked back down the corridor. After half an hour of searching, beginning at the lower levels of the castle and working her way up, Hermione found herself on the seventh floor, becoming quite agitated. She realised that she had walked passed the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, unfortunately for him being clubbed by a group of trolls. Hermione smiled when she reached the end of the corridor and purposefully turned on her heel and walked passed it once more, thinking about her need to find Dumbledore.
She slowly turned around and a massive grin spread across her face. A door had appeared as she had hoped it would. She wondered what type of room she would walk into, having only ever entered this mysterious room when she and her friends had used it for their DA lessons in fifth year, and once last year when she had been in desperate search of a quiet place to study for her end of year exams.
Hermione placed her hand on the brass door handle and opened the door slowly. As she stepped in to the room, she gasped slightly, not expecting the type of room she had just entered at all. A male lavatory she'd be able to understand, but not a room that looked like it belonged out in the grounds with the greenhouses.
When Harry had held the DA classes here, the Room of Requirement had only had a few tiny windows as they had had no need for them. But now, the entire wall facing the outside was made of glass. The room was filled with sunlight and Hermione wondered in amusement why Dumbledore had need of the Room of Requirement to grow plants in, instead of just using the greenhouses.
"Ah, Miss Granger." A soft voice spoke from the other side of room. Hermione turned to see Dumbledore and Professor Sprout standing by a large pot. It appeared to be empty, save some soil. "What can I help you with? Assuming that you're after me and not Professor Sprout, here."
"Um, yes I was after you Professor. I was just wanting to talk to you about…something." She broke off, not wishing to mention the Prophecy in front of Sprout.
"Well, I'll just be popping off now then." Sprout said, moving towards the door. "Good evening Albus, and you too Miss. Granger." She gave Hermione a smile, which appeared almost sympathetic.
Once the door closed behind her, Hermione turned to Dumbledore. "I need to talk to you about a portrait inside your office, sir. I've been told that-"
"I know already Miss. Granger. I disposed of the painting yesterday evening."
"Oh." She paused, but couldn't resist asking, "Who was the painting of?"
"Phineas Nigellus. He now only has the painting in the old Black house to exist in. No company except for a very lonely house elf."
Hermione was silent for a moment, now thinking about Phineas letting private information out amongst the students. "So he did tell kids around the school of what he overheard about the Prophecy?"
Dumbledore nodded solemnly. "Yes. But I assure you it won't happen again." he glanced about the room and smiled. "I was going to have to tell you and Mr. Malfoy about this room eventually."
"Actually I already know of it, Professor." Hermione told him.
"Yes, but not of what I have been growing in here, with the assistance of Professor Sprout." He indicated to the pot full of soil. "In here is a Droysline plant-" Hermione gasped. "which I'm sure you know the uses for."
"Yes, I do." Hermione said, rather pleased. Dumbledore allowed her to continue. "It grows underground and the only visual sign of it being there at all is a tiny blue flower that sprouts and blooms once a month. It is a very rare plant, (but that is possibly because wizards are unable to see underground,) and the Droysline's most famous for its use in Weakness potions."
"Very good. Where did you learn that?" Dumbledore asked curiously.
"I read it in this years Herbology text book."
"Have you been taught that already?"
"Not yet. But I think we're coming close." Hermione answered.
"I see. How about this plant over here? Do you know what it is?" Dumbledore moved across the room and pointed at a circular shaped plant with orange leaves and black flowers. Hermione had never seen this plant before, and was quite disturbed that she knew nothing of such a wondrous plant.
"I don't know." She admitted.
Dumbledore smiled. "This is a Blazeshooter. It is the only one of its kind that we have ever had here at Hogwarts, and is only the second one I have ever seen. It originates from Melbourne, a city in Australia where it is able to receive a wide variety of weather conditions. The Blazeshooter needs a mixture of sun and water, but recently the rainfall in Australia has been getting scarce, so they have been dying out."
"What are the uses of Blazeshooters?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Well, its uses are very specific. The black flowers shoot out sparks when it feels it's in danger, as a defense mechanism. The sparks will turn into a purple jelly substance if, before the spark extinguishes, it is combined with water." At Hermione's confused look, said, "We just place a bowl of water underneath the plant, and the sparks float to the ground and land in it, therefore changing it to purple goop."
"Oh right. So what is the purple jelly used for?"
"It's actually illegal to posses it, because of its uses. It is the key ingredient for animal transfiguration."
"But…you mean, an animal changing into something else? We were told in Transfiguration at the start of the year that they can go terribly wrong." Hermione said, now worried about the reason why Dumbledore had a Blazeshooter.
"Yes, they can. But with the right supervision they can be successful. But they are illegal."
"So, why do you have a plant whose uses are to assist illegal and dangerous transformations?"
"Well…I'm not entirely sure. I was told by Firenze to get one growing as soon as possible. He saw it written in the stars. He had no idea why I would need one, but didn't want to ignore it. I have a feeling that it may have something to do with what you and Mr. Malfoy will be doing."
"We're going to be doing something illegal…like that?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"Maybe, maybe not. We may only need the Blazeshooters leaves, which can also be used in Weakness potions. So no need to worry just yet, Hermione. Besides, if you're only now beginning to worry about doing something illegal, than maybe you haven't fully considered all the other things you've been doing recently. I believe that becoming an Animagus at such a young age is illegal, leaving the castle to go into the Forbidden Forest almost every night is not encouraged and…never mind."
Hermione smiled. "And what?"
"And…kissing a Slytherin is breaking the law by Hogwarts student standards
Hermione paled. Oh, my God. Dumbledore knew about that? How embarrassing! "Um…er."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled in mirth. "I don't have the slightest problem with you and Draco being together, Miss Granger. I believe that you two will be good role models for the other students promoting inter-house relationships. I must say, I was quite upset when Professor Flitwick told the story over dinner, he completely overruled my story about the incident in the Owlery. I was beaten fair and square."
"What happened in the Owlery?" Hermione asked politely.
"Ah, yes. Well, that's better left unsaid." Dumbledore said, slightly uncomfortable. "Especially to you."
"Come on, Professor." Hermione insisted, trying not to act disrespectful, but now she was curious.
"If you must know, Miss Granger." Dumbledore sighed. "A week ago I was wanting to send a letter, and as it wasn't a matter of emergency I didn't feel the need to use Fawkes. So I went to the Owlery to use a school owl, you know, to give some of those lazy ones that stay in the top rafters some exercise. But when I walked in there an uncomfortable scene greeted me. Your friends, Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley, were standing together, quite closely, and looking at each other…ah, adoringly."
Hermione smiled slyly. Neither Harry nor Ginny had told her about this little encounter of theirs. It must have been embarrassing, so neither wanted to remind themselves of it by bringing it up. Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued.
"Well, as soon as they noticed me standing there, Miss Weasley blushed so deep that, if she were in Spain, she would have been in danger of having a bull charging at her face. Mr. Potter moved away from her quickly, as if coming to his senses, but unfortunately he tripped over his own feet and landed on the floor of the Owlery, face first. He stood and I noticed with a great surge of pity that his face was now covered in owl droppings. If that wasn't enough, when Miss Weasley had squealed over Mr. Potter's fall, a startled owl had taken flight, but not before pooping on her hair."
Hermione couldn't help but laughing at the expense of her friends. She covered her mouth with her hand, not believing a more humiliating situation could have happened to the pair of them. But Dumbledore continued.
"I cleared my throat uncomfortably, and politely pretended not to notice. But by this stage, even the owls were kindly averting their eyes. Miss Weasley ran from the Owlery, but Harry walked as calmly as he could out the door, and I could basically read his mind praying that I wouldn't start talking to him." Dumbledore sighed. "You must promise not to tell them that I told you. Mr. Potter would lose all respect he held for me. If there's any left at this point."
"Of course there is. And no, I won't mention it." Hermione said. "But how on earth does Draco and my…story, beat that poor incident?"
"The scene I accidentally walked in on happens all the time, maybe not that exact version, but it was only popular because it was about Harry. You and Mr. Malfoy, however, are one of the first pairs to consist of a Gryffindor and Slytherin. And that you were in a class full of peers made it truly memorable."
Hermione flushed slightly then changed the subject. "So, if Professor Sprout is helping you care for these plants, does that mean she knows about the Prophecy?"
"Yes, she does. We can trust her, and she won't mention it to any of the other Professors. She has been making sure these plants grow successfully, so carefully, that she has missed planning a few lessons. She mentioned this to me guiltily, but I told her that it's better that these plants don't die and seventh year students do worksheets or weeding, instead of the Prophecy being in jeopardy."
Hermione recalled a Herbology lesson that consisted of weeding pots for younger classes. She smiled and looked around the room once more. "Do you need any help tending these?"
"No, no." Dumbledore told her. "You concentrate on what must be done, and I'll help make sure that it's possible. How are you and Mr. Malfoy progressing?"
"Fairly well. As I'm sure you already know, we have managed to shorten the process of becoming an Animagus. I feel very guilty about doing it illegally, but if it is vital to the Prophecy, than it must be done…"
Dumbledore chuckled. "That's a very good point of view. Many things seem wrong, but if they will ultimately be used for something right, then there is nothing to feel guilty about." He turned pensive. "What form have you chosen?"
"Unicorn."
Dumbledore's eyes widened, and he whispered, "That fits perfectly."
Hermione's brow furrowed. Then she checked her watch. "I'd better be going to dinner now, I'd hate to miss it."
"Of course. Good luck, and I don't doubt I'll be talking to you soon."
***
Hermione walked down the staircase, and across the Entrance Hall. Once she was seated next to Harry at the Gryffindor table, she promptly turned to him. "So you have talked to Ginny now. How are things?"
Harry smiled almost shyly. "Pretty good."
Hermione grinned at him and gave his hand a squeeze. "I'm so pleased! You and Ginny together, after all these years…Oh, does Molly know?"
Harry shrugged. "I'm not sure. Ginny hasn't had all that long to get to the Owlery, so I doubt it." His eyes became slightly haunted as he spoke about the Owlery. Hermione covered her smile with her napkin, realising that neither Harry nor Ginny would want to go to the Owlery after what happened a week ago.
After dinner, Harry and Hermione walked up to the common room to get some of their homework done. Not long after they had settled down, Ron and Ginny came through the portrait hole and made their way over to them. "Hello all." Ron said as he sat down on the seat next to Hermione. Ginny smiled at Harry and he indicated to his lap for a place for her to sit.
"Hermione, have you seen Mal- sorry, Draco today?" Ginny asked, sitting down on Harry's lap.
"Once. Why?" She answered warily.
"Because I saw him a couple times in the corridors today, and he looked really weird. Almost…haunted. Spooked. I was just wondering what was wrong with him, that's all."
"I'll find out when I meet him tonight in the-" Hermione cleared her throat. "When I meet him tonight." She completed the last sentence on her essay, and put it on the table in front of her. As she did so Harry, Ron and Ginny all exchanged a look, but they didn't ask her where she was going to meet Draco.
Ginny said, "He even spoke to me. He's never done that before, nicely I mean. Except for the Quidditch match when he was acting all weird on some potion."
"Really? What did he say?" Hermione asked, as Ron slowly leaned forward to copy off her finished work.
"He said 'Hello Ginny. How are you going today?' Very polite, he was."
"Did you- I can see what you're doing Ron- did you answer him, Gin?"
"Of course. Said I was fine, asked how he was going. All he said was 'good', which didn't give me any indication as to why he was looking so awful."
Hermione frowned. "I wonder what's wrong with him. He hasn't said- for heavens sake Ron, do your own work- Draco hasn't said anything that would explain it. I hope nothing has happened. Maybe someone he knows has died- Ron! Just take the bloody thing." She grabbed her work and handed it to Ron, who looked guilty about being caught copying her work, but took it from her all the same.
"I'm sure everything's fine Hermione. And like you said, you'll find out tonight, right?" Harry said.
"Yeah…right."
Not long after, Hermione left them to go to the cabin. She couldn't use her amulet from her dorm as she sometimes did, because her friends knew she was leaving. She walked out the portrait hole and quickly through the halls. As she was coasting along the third corridor, she looked around and saw no one. Quickly using this opportunity, Hermione seized her amulet and pictured the clearing. Almost instantly she appeared in a small clearing among hundreds of emerald glowing trees.
Entering the cabin, Hermione saw Draco sitting at the small table staring at his hands. She closed the door and walked over to him. "What's wrong?" she asked, standing behind him and placing her hands comfortingly on his shoulders.
"I'll tell you later." Draco mumbled. "First, we should check the journal." Hermione nodded and retrieved the journal from its place in the bookshelf. Dragging a chair next to Draco, she sat down, handed him the book and placed her hand on his thigh. He looked up at her and smiled, resting his hand over hers and squeezing it tightly. Hermione knew something was very wrong as soon as he didn't make a sly comment on the whereabouts of her hand.
Draco opened the journal with his free hand and flipped to where they had gotten up to last time. His eyes quickly scanned the page, and just before he began reading aloud to her, Hermione noticed him pale and squeeze her hand tighter still. He cleared his throat and began.
"'Draco and Hermione, you have both been doing wonderful so far. Hermione, great job on your Animagus form. Esmerelda is very proud of you. Draco, your main task before meeting with the Great Evil is still to come, so you must remain faithful.'" At this, Draco's voice cracked slightly and Hermione frowned at him. Faithful to what…to who? But she had no time to ponder it because Draco continued, his voice now shaking a bit. "'I do not wish to alarm either of you, but I have Seen something in the stars that is very disconcerting, and Esmerelda says you have a right to know…In the final steps to kill the Great Evil, something tragic will happen. One of you will die. One of you will be killed by the Great Evil. I don't know which one of you it will be, but it will happen. The Great Evil will believe that he can win, by killing the one that he does-'" Draco broke off when Hermione suddenly started crying. Her hand covered her mouth in horror, tears began pouring down her face and she looked at Draco with fear.
He looked back at her gravely, forcing himself not to cry in front of Hermione. Draco then leaned forward and enveloped her in a close embrace, letting her rest her head on his chest and bawl her beautiful eyes out. Hermione wanted to stop crying desperately, as she believed she was being silly. They could get around this without having her or Draco die. Then she remembered that Derek had been one of the best Seers of his time. He hadn't been wrong yet.
Draco rested his chin on Hermione's head as she wept on his chest. He held the journal out in front of him, and read on, wanting to finish as it may hold something that would calm Hermione.
"'This must be very alarming to you, and we are extremely sorry to have to tell you. But there is one thing bothering me about this prediction. Even though I have the feeling one of you may be murdered, I also have the feeling that you will both survive. Which is the strangest feeling I have experienced in a long time.
This fact is certain: a sacrifice must be made for you to win. I am not positive that it will be one of you, but I believe that it will be.
I will write as soon as something has been settled. I do not know what, so I eagerly wait to find out. I am sorry again to bring you such awful news. Best wishes, Derek.'"
Hermione had stopped crying and was now breathing in unsteady breaths. Draco murmured, "It's not definitely one of us. There's the smallest chance that it's someone else, and that we'll get through it alive."
"But not really. I'll bet Derek only wrote that to make us feel better about one of us dying…"
"But there's still hope. No matter how small it might be. We can get through it, Hermione." Draco wrapped his arms tighter about her waist and pulled her onto his lap. She began crying again, softly this time. After a few minutes of silence, Draco raised his head to look into Hermione's eyes. She took a steadying breath and smiled very faintly. She whispered, "I would miss you."
He nodded, "You know I'd miss you too."
Hermione leaned in and slowly kissed Draco. He placed his hand on the back of her head and pulled her closer to him. Their lips moved together, and Hermione found herself almost sobbing into Draco's mouth over the emotion she felt for him at that moment. Draco kissed her deeply, then his lips began making their way down her neck, along her collar bone and down her chest. When he reached the collar of her robe, he slowly looked up at her, his hands rising to the top button. Hermione wished she wasn't so paranoid, as at this very moment she wanted nothing more than to let Draco do what he wanted, but she couldn't bare thinking about the consequences of that. She shook her head at him, and though she clearly saw the disappointment in his eyes, he lowered his hands in respect for her.
Giving her another soft kiss, Draco stood and walked to the couch, beckoning her to follow him. Draco sat, and Hermione lay down, resting her head in his lap. She looked up at him and said, "Draco, can you tell me what has been bothering you? You seemed worried when I saw you in the courtyard today, and even Ginny could tell something was wrong."
Draco sighed and pulled out a piece of parchment from his pocket. "I got a letter this morning from Lucius. He says that…that I have to…" Hermione covered his mouth with a finger and took the parchment out of his hand. She opened it and read it quickly to herself.
'Draco,
I am writing to inform you of something very important. The Dark Lord has demanded you to come to a ceremony on your eighteenth birthday. There, you will be made a Death Eater. He believes that you will be perfect, and no tests of your loyalty need to be performed. I think that by judging my loyalty, the Dark Lord believes yours will be the same.
This is a very large help to you-know-what, as this means you will never be suspected of treason by the Dark Lord. Especially with you being in his inner circle. I will be awaiting your arrival at the Manor over the next couple of days, as the ceremony will be on Friday.
Sorry that this has been sprung on you, I'm sure you can get out of Hogwarts somehow. Dumbledore will not know until it's too late, or alternatively you can tell him that this has to happen for the you-know-what to work.
Lucius.'
Hermione could only assume that 'you-know-what' meant the Prophecy. She looked up at Draco with a frown on her face. Slowly she said, "You have to become a Death Eater?"
Draco nodded solemnly. "So it seems."
"Is this why you've been all weird? Because you only have a couple of days until you face Voldemort, supposedly as a follower." She paused. "And you think that you're not being faithful to the Prophecy by becoming a Death Eater."
"Yes." Draco said.
Hermione smiled sadly. "You silly git. You becoming a Death Eater will be helping the Prophecy. You need to be close to Voldemort so you won't be suspected of betraying him. You're not being unfaithful to our side, you're helping it."
He nodded again. Hermione then sent him a fake glare. "You didn't tell me your birthday was on Friday."
"I didn't want anyone to make a big deal. I need to be concentrating on the Prophecy at the moment. But I completely forgot about eighteen being the allowance age for becoming a Death Eater." Draco began to shake. Hermione held his hand.
"You're scared about it, aren't you?"
"I'd be stupid not to be. Not about having the Dark Mark engraved on my forearm, but about the Dark Lord realising that I'm going to try kill him in the near future. If he discovers that, then he'll kill me on the spot."
"How would he discover that? It's not as if you're going to tell him." Hermione said.
"Hermione, think about it. He's more than likely to delve into my mind, to see if he can find anything that shouldn't be there. It'd take him less than a minute to find it. I might be dead by noon Friday."
Hermione's bottom lip quivered. "Don't say that. You are extremely skilled in the magic of the mind. You can block it from him, and he'll never know. Besides, your father said that Voldemort wasn't going to perform any loyalty tests on you."
"We'll see." Draco said glumly. "By Friday night, you'll know if I've made it. If I'm not back by Saturday, tell Dumbledore that the Prophecy cannot be completed."
Hermione remained silent. She couldn't bear thinking that there were now two possible times where Voldemort may kill Draco. Nor did she want to think about being killed herself. But it seemed the most persistent thought in her head, and after a half-hour of silence between them, Hermione decided she would be better off just trying to sleep in her dorm. She sat up and kissed Draco goodbye; a long, lingering kiss that made her wish they could be together forever.
"Good night." She whispered, and he smiled at her in the seconds before she disappeared from sight. Draco sighed and decided that he should also try to get some sleep. But once he got to his dorm and was comfortably under his covers, he found that he could not sleep. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop thinking about the death that surely awaited him.
***
Wednesday passed in a haze, and by the end neither Draco nor Hermione could remember what they had been taught in classes. They could only recall thoughts of Draco's birthday, and the ceremony that would take place. In Potions, they worked on the same bench, but hardly talked at all. Harry noticed something was wrong between them, but accepted the fact that he'd probably never know what.
By Thursday, Harry decided that it would be kinder to knock Hermione unconscious, so the thoughts that were clearly bothering her would go away. He didn't knock her out however; instead he asked her if he could borrow her homework, thinking that now would be the most likely time for her to comply, with her so distracted. She handed over her entire year's worth of notes and homework from Transfiguration, and said that he could take his time, but to make sure that he allowed Ron to copy from them also, so he didn't complain to her later.
Thursday evening came, and Hermione's mood wasn't improving. In fact, it was getting worse. She wouldn't talk to anyone, her eyes were puffy looking, either from lack of sleep or from crying or both, and she hadn't taken a single note in Astronomy. Harry noticed her sitting in a chair by the fire, staring into space, and decided he should talk to her.
"Hermione?" he said softly, sitting down next to her. She didn't move.
"Hermione." He said louder, causing her to jump.
"What?" she asked.
"What do you mean 'what'? You've been worrying me the past couple of days. Can you tell me what's wrong?"
She sniffled and turned to him. "Harry, I can't. But I'm so scared for him. What if something happens?"
"To who?"
"Draco. He's gone to…" Hermione broke off and began biting her fingernails. Harry grabbed her hand gently and pulled it away from her mouth.
"Don't do that Hermione. It's a bad habit." Harry said, knowing that she didn't want to talk about where Draco was. Hang on, he thought. Where was Draco? He hadn't been in classes today, which meant that he must be sick. "Is Draco in the infirmary? Is that why you're worried, cause he's sick?"
Hermione shook her head. "I wish I could tell you Harry. But I can't. When it's all over, I promise to tell you. I'll tell you when it started, how it ended, what it was about, what I have been able to become and where Draco is now. If I am still here to be able to tell you, that is." Harry was shocked to see a tear streak across Hermione's cheek. He wrapped his arms about her comfortingly. A few minutes later she pulled away, kissed him on the cheek and silently walked up to her dorm.
Harry shook his head in despair. He didn't know what was going on, and by the sound of it, he wouldn't know till it was over. He just hoped it would be over soon, for Hermione's sake. She couldn't live much longer like this. She seemed trapped in her own mind. Unable to speak about her problems, so was forced to have them play over and over in her mind.
***
Draco awoke Friday morning in a room that used to be very familiar to him. His bedroom. He hardly spent any time here, due to being at Hogwarts most of the year. He got out of bed and discovered the headache that had plagued him over the past couple days was still as persistent as ever.
Groaning, he pulled on the robes Lucius had set out for him. Apparently they were the robes that purebloods were required to wear to the Death Eater ceremony. They were black and had the Dark Mark emblem over his heart. He wandered down stairs into the kitchen and ate a very small amount of breakfast.
Lucius entered the kitchen just as Draco was thinking about going back to Hogwarts instead of attending the ceremony. "Morning." Lucius said, sitting opposite Draco.
"Morning." Draco answered.
"We will leave in ten minutes. I have the portkey in my office. Now, stand up so I can check you."
Draco stood up and held his arms out to the sides mockingly. "Search me."
"This is no laughing matter, Draco. If any tiny thing will give away your plans to the Dark Lord, then it must be removed. The Dark Lord does not take risks. If he thinks you will be a danger, he'll kill you. We can't have him thinking- what is this?" Lucius had just discovered Draco's amulet, and lifted it so he could examine it closer.
"That's just something I got for-"
"The Prophecy? Draco, why didn't you take it off this morning?" Lucius demanded, turning Draco around so he could undo the clasp at the back to take it off. "Uh…where is the clasp?"
Draco felt the back of the amulet to find the clasp but realised there wasn't one. "I don't know."
"What do you mean you don't know? This is no ordinary necklace, and will arouse the Dark Lord's suspicions immediately. Now take it off!" Before Draco could answer, the amulet quivered under their fingers and suddenly became invisible. Lucius sighed. "Well that's strange. It'll have to do."
Lucius finished the inspection and led the way to his office, where they would wait for the portkey to become useable. As Draco entered, he noticed a quill sitting in the middle of the table and figured it to be the portkey. "Kind of small isn't it?" he commented.
"Since there are only two of us, the bigger ones were sent to other Death Eaters, where there'd be larger groups travelling at the same time."
"You mean that all the Death Eaters go to these things?" Draco asked uneasily.
"Of course. They are there to support the Dark Lord, and so they know who all the new members are." Lucius answered, watching the quill. "It will be accessible in a few seconds. Hands on, Draco."
Draco held on to the quill and after only a few seconds, felt the pull of an unseen force around his navel. He closed his eyes tightly and tried to clear his mind so no expression would show on his face when he saw where he was and who he was surrounded by.
"Open your eyes, Draco." His father said to him softly. "We're here."
Draco opened his eyes and looked around with a hard expression forming on his face. He had to look the part of a muggle and mudblood-hating pureblood. They had appeared in a big empty building, which looked like a warehouse. Surrounding Draco was approximately one hundred Death Eaters. They stood in a circle and were wearing skull masks.
Lucius walked swiftly away from Draco's side and joined in the circle. Draco stood, not knowing exactly what he should be doing. The Death Eaters did not move or shuffle, just stood, feet apart, watching him.
Caught completely off his guard, Draco was suddenly aware of a presence in his mind. An extra presence. Voldemort's presence.
Draco forced his face to assume a neutral expression and then concentrated on blocking his mind. He found all thoughts concerning the Prophecy, his plot against Voldemort and Hermione and gathered them together. As quickly as he could, Draco created a wall in his mind, blocking those thoughts from Voldemort's prying mind. He then bent the wall to sit at the side of his mind, so it wouldn't be obvious that Draco was, in fact, blocking something from Voldemort.
He felt Voldemort's mind come across the wall, but then pull out of his head altogether. Though Draco believed Voldemort had finished searching his mind and was happy with the result, he kept the wall up for another few seconds and was extremely relieved that he had when he felt a sharp stab at the back of his mind. Draco concentrated and kept the wall firmly in place. Voldemort then pulled away for a second time.
"Very good, Draco. It seems you will be a worthy member of my ever-increasing group of Death Eaters." A few Death Eaters shuffled aside as Voldemort walked forward. Draco kept a close guard over his thoughts, just incase Voldemort tested him once more.
"Thank you, my Lord." Draco said softly.
Voldemort reached Draco. He grabbed Draco's left wrist and pulled back his sleeve. He traced out a small section on his forearm with a bony finger, and Draco had to use all his will not to pull away in disgust. Voldemort peered at Draco with his evil red eyes, his finger continuing to trace around his arm. "Will you serve me?"
"I wish to, my Lord." Draco murmured.
"Will you do as I command?" Voldemort demanded.
"Yes. Everything, my Lord."
"Will you die if I tell you to?"
"As soon as the words come out of your mouth, my Lord." Draco said, thinking that the only person he'd die for would be-
"Do you have the power and will to dominate over those weaker than you?" Voldemort asked shrewdly.
"I always have, my Lord." Answered Draco, lowering his head. The thought of Hermione flashed through his head, and Draco remembered once believing she was weaker than he, only to be put in his place when they dueled against each other.
"Who do you hate most?" Voldemort asked, now watching Draco closely.
"Fucking mudbloods, Muggle-borns and those who do not serve you, my Lord." Draco spat, as if he would rather nothing more than to kill them all. He immediately thought of Hermione; she had once been all three to Draco's knowledge. Now she was only a Muggle-born and a Voldemort resister, not a mudblood at all.
"Any one person in particular?" as Voldemort said this, Draco knew there was only one answer he would accept. He searched his brain for someone who Voldemort hated above all others.
"Dumbledore…the freak. And his golden boy, Harry Potter." Draco said confidently.
"Good." Voldemort said, a wicked smile spreading across his white face. "Draco, will you willingly bind yourself to my service for the rest of your life?"
"I want nothing more, my Lord." Draco said, as sincerely as he could manage.
"Then it will be done…Until the day you die, you will remain under my command. Doing what I say, hating who I hate, killing who I tell you to kill and dying when I decide you should." Voldemort's index finger had continued tracing around Draco's forearm, and Draco now felt it begin to sting and burn.
He looked down, his face devoid of emotion. Slowly, a black brand was appearing on his skin. As the skull became more prominent, the pain increased. After half a minute, Draco felt like screaming in pain. His arm was burning, the pain now spreading up his arm and reaching his torso. His chest tightened and his heart felt like it had stopped beating. Soon Draco's legs buckled and he fell to the ground, a cry of agony escaping his lips.
Then, very suddenly, it all stopped. Draco raised his head to stare at Voldemort, who was towering over him. Voldemort grabbed Draco's arm again and yanked him to his feet. Tearing the sleeve off the left side of his robe, Voldemort exposed a black mark on Draco's arm. The Dark Mark.
"You are now mine." Voldemort said viciously. "One of my servants. Draco Malfoy, you are now a Death Eater!" Draco felt a surge of pain sweep through him once again and he fell to the ground. Voldemort laughed as Draco felt the pain vanish as quickly as it had come. The surrounding Death Eaters joined in.
Draco stood defiantly and glared at Voldemort. His hand began ebbing towards the wand in his pocket, but an unexpected stream of images in his mind snapped him back to reality. Hermione smiled at him from across the Great Hall. Hermione sat at her desk in Transfiguration, pouring over her work. Hermione slowly appearing form the form of a Unicorn. Hermione, holding him tightly and crying at the thought of losing him.
Draco could not pull his wand on Voldemort; he'd be dead within three seconds. He couldn't leave Hermione. He had to remember the Prophecy. The time would come when he could kill the malevolent piece of evil standing beside him. But for now…
"I am yours, master."
***
Hermione sat in the Great Hall at lunch, staring at the bowl of soup in front of her. She checked her watch for about the seven hundredth time that day. Draco surely would have had the ceremony over with by now. If anything had happened to him, she wouldn't find out until tomorrow morning when he didn't come back to Hogwarts. Hermione felt a lump form in her throat and tried to swallow it away but it just tightened painfully. A faint sob escaped her lips and she covered her mouth with her hand to prevent anymore breaking out.
"Hermione, what's the matter?" Ginny's voice asked from behind her. Hermione looked up, startled, and Ginny sat down next to her. "You've been getting worse over the past three days, and you're worrying us all."
Hermione wiped her eyes and sniffed. "I'm fine, Gin."
"Don't be so bloody stupid, Hermione." Ginny said firmly. "You're far from fine. Now, what's wrong?"
"Ask Harry." Hermione replied evasively.
"I already have. He said you wouldn't tell him."
"Than what makes you think I'd tell you?" Hermione asked.
"I just thought it might be something that only another girl would understand."
"No one would understand, unless they have experienced it themselves."
"So you won't talk to me about it?" Ginny said in resignation.
"I'm sorry. I'll tell you everything later."
"Which will be…?"
"A few months, I suppose. And if I can't tell you, than Draco will."
Ginny frowned. If Hermione's mood didn't pick up soon, then there'd be no way that she'd be prepared for exams. Hermione let out another sob and Ginny wrapped an arm about her shoulders and whispered comfortingly. "Everything will be fine, Hermione. It's not like anyone's died." Hermione's sobs became louder. "Is this about Draco? Has he hurt you?"
Hermione cried even harder, and Ginny decided it would be better if she didn't say anything at all. Not long after, Ron and Harry wandered in and sat down across the table. Ron's face became pained as he watched Hermione cry for a reason that no one knew about. Harry looked at Ginny questioningly. She shook her head and mouthed 'She won't talk.'
The three ate in silence, with Hermione's unexplained weeping making them all feel very uneasy. When it came time for classes, Ron turned to Harry.
"We've got Divination now."
Harry sighed and looked at Hermione. "Will you be alright?"
She nodded and managed a weak smile. "Of course. I'll go to class now too."
They all stood and walked out of the Great Hall. Ginny peeled off on the third corridor, heading towards Charms, and Hermione left Ron and Harry a couple corridors down giving them a reassuring smile.
As soon as they had turned the corner, Hermione backtracked and then made her way to the Gryffindor common room. She reached her empty dorm and grabbed parchment, a quill and some ink. Without any thought to her classes, she walked swiftly to the Owlery and looked around at the squawking birds. Suddenly she felt a weight on her shoulder and a nibbling on her ear. Turning her head to the side she saw the white feathers of Hedwig. "Hello Hedwig." She greeted her. "Harry wouldn't mind if I borrowed you for a couple days, would he?"
She placed a hand on Hedwig's back and said reassuringly, "Don't worry, Hedwig. This will feel weird." Hermione wrapped her hand around her amulet and pictured the clearing. Seconds later she was walking towards the cabin, murmuring to Hedwig as she fluffed up her feathers in confusion at being one place one moment and a completely different place the next.
Entering the cabin, Hermione curled up on the couch, letting Hedwig flutter around the cabin curiously. After starting the fire, she laid out the parchment, dipped her quill in ink and began to write,
'Draco,
I've been worried stiff since Wednesday night and I can't cope with classes anymore. I've decided to neglect the last classes today. I never do that, but I'd probably just break down again. Please let me know as soon as possible if you're OK. Use Hedwig, she needs the exercise. I need to see you soon Draco; I'll be in the cabin so you can find me. Please come back to me safely, Hermione xoxox
P.S. Happy Birthday.'
Deciding that the letter wouldn't get Draco into any trouble because it would only be delivered to the Malfoy Manor, Hermione attached the letter to Hedwig and took her to the door. Once she had disappeared into the night, Hermione went back into the cabin and, for the first time, took real notice of the bed tucked away in the corner. It didn't have a blanket, but Hermione thought she could use the rug on the back of the couch instead.
There was no way she was leaving the cabin. If Draco came back and she was in the Gryffindor common room, then there would be no way of her knowing he was safe. So she would spend the night in the cabin and hope he made it back. Hermione was so exhausted from lack of sleep and stressing so much, she decided to take a nap, so she would be awake for when Draco might return.
Taking off her robe and underclothes, she grabbed the rug and curled up on the single bed. She let the fire continue to burn, and lay still, her eyes slowly drooping. After only a few minutes she fell in to a deep sleep. Nightmares troubled her, and many times she woke up sweating, breathing heavily and at one point, even screaming.
Hermione slept straight through the afternoon, evening and in to the night, occasionally waking up, but almost immediately drifting off again. As dawn approached, Hermione finally entered a dreamless sleep.
The sun was just coming up over the horizon when the door to the cabin slowly creaked open, and Draco tiptoed in. He glanced about and noticed Hermione sprawled out on the bed. He smiled sadly, wondering whether she had really slept much at all. She stirred slightly as Draco shut the door with a quiet clunk, but didn't wake.
Draco noticed her robe folded on the table and raised his eyebrows, looking back at her. On closer inspection, he realised that the top of the rug rested dangerously low on her chest. He smiled again, and walked softly over to her. Kneeling down next to the bed, he whispered to her.
"Hermione."
She stirred again, but her eyes remained closed.
"Hermione. I'm back. I missed you, and I came back to you like you asked me to in your letter."
Hermione opened an eyelid, but closed almost immediately. She groaned and turned her back to him, the rug now slipping below her waist, exposing her bare back. Draco reached out to touch her, but as he did so, he noticed the Dark Mark on his forearm. It was sore and was only just beginning to fade away. Draco sighed and promised himself that he would kill Voldemort so he could be rid of the mark that died with its master. He would not live his life as a servant to that devil.
"Hermione." Draco tried once more. He paused, then whispered, "I love you."
Even though Hermione hadn't been moving, he could tell that she had frozen at the sound of his words. After a few moments, she slowly turned around to face him. She looked at him with an unreadable expression, and Draco waited for her to realise that she needed to pull up the rug. But she didn't notice.
"You're alive." She said in wonder, slowly reaching out to touch his face. He took hold of her hand and kissed her palm, sending shivers down her spine. He leaned in and kissed her mouth, savouring her taste and soft lips against his. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and kissed him back. Draco rested his hand behind her head, and used the other one to pull up her covers. He broke the kiss and stared into her eyes, his mouth remaining centimeters away from hers.
Hermione reached up and placed a few strands of hair behind his ear. "Draco?"
"Hmm?"
"I love you too."
***
A/N- So bloody sorry! I know I was being a bit slack in not posting my chapter, but when I started receiving threats I thought I'd better get this up. One of you went as far as to say you'd never read my story ever again, I mean, come on…It'd be your loss wouldn't it? But hey, it got my lil' butt in to gear!
Hope you enjoyed it, as I always do. I know I'm not the best with grammar or spelling, so I've gotten myself a betta reader. Hope that helps.
So big thanks to Isabel, and Clio who had a look through it as well.
Love you all. Now please press the button over there that says 'submit review' and let me know what you think. Thanks guys (and girlies too.)