Quick Note: Hi everyone! This chapter is by far the longest I have written ever! It's crazy! So, I decided to just make it into two chappies instead... Now don't panic! I uploaded the other half too... Yipppeee!!! lol... I hope you guys enjoy this newest chapter... Be kind okay, it took me ages to get this one done! And it's the 2nd to the last chapter too... Waaahhh... See ya all soon!
Disclaimer: NOT MINE!
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Chapter 15 (part 1): The Punishment
Hermione glanced at the digital clock sitting silently at the table.
8:45 AM
"Where in hell is Draco Malfoy!?!?!" her head screamed as she finally stood up from her bed in fury. "Damn him! Damn him! Damn him!"
As soon as Hermione woke up that morning, there was a sense of dread deep within her system. Whether it was because of the fight she had with Draco the previous night, or the scrupulous confession Cornelia just made, she didn't know. All she knew was that there was something incredibly wrong.
For the life of her, Hermione did try to stay awake until Draco finally would have some sense and return to their suite. She wanted to confront and talk to him about what happened. It was mind boggling what was happening to them she couldn't take it! Unfortunately, to Hermione's dismay, it was either she slept before he turned in and left before she knew it or he didn't even bother to come back to the suite at all. Either way, it sure assured one thing: there was no sign of him.
Pacing back and forth inside the suite she and Draco shared, Hermione watched as the digital clock turned one more excruciating minute. "Damn him! I swear I'm going to kill his good for nothing, irritating -,"
Unexpectedly, a loud knock came from the door startling Hermione out of her thoughts. Immediately, Hermione stopped pacing and hurried toward the door. Although her heart quickened and her mind immediately alert, Hermione couldn't help thinking, Damn him! Making me wait like that! He'll see... Oh Merlin, he'll see!!!
Before Hermione opened the door however, she stopped momentarily and straightened her blouse and her hair. Sure, she was angry and irritated, but it wouldn't help looking like a mess now would it? If she was going to be angry, at least she'll look pretty while angry... just for him...
Catching herself before she lost her head, Hermione mentally kicked herself for thinking such thoughts. She was raving mad! She never heard such insanity! There was no better way to describe it. Disturbing how the possibility of having a charming and handsome person (who happens to be on the other side of her door and named Draco) erase all Hermione Granger's good sense and intellect.
Clearing her throat, Hermione reached for the doorknob and immediately pulled it open in an attempt to startle Draco.
"Where in hell have you - ,"
Hermione's words were drowned in her mouth as she saw not Draco behind the door but an infuriated redhead who had her arms crossed on her chest, an impatient look on her face, and who was also talking at the same time.
"What in Merlin's name do you think you're still doing here?" shrieked Ginny while throwing her hands up in exasperation as she saw Hermione open up the door. "I've been waiting downstairs for half an hour! Do you plan to be late for the stunt or what?"
Hermione stared dumbstruck at her best girl friend who was obviously fuming on the spot. She racked her brain for something to say but realized that she didn't even have a single clue why Ginny was outside her door screaming like a lunatic in the first place.
"What?" started Hermione unglamorously as confusion plastered itself across her face.
"What do you mean what?" asked Ginny taking a piece of paper from her pocket and shoving it toward Hermione. "It says clearly here in this note. Let me read it for you: Potter and Weasley, Granger will be riding with you to the stunt today."
Ginny rolled her eyes in irritation. "Provided the letter is rude and all, but pray tell Hermione, is there anything there I shouldn't understand?"
Hermione winced at Ginny's sarcasm. Yes, the girl was a very good friend, a good listener, and over all a good person. But oh, how she hated that temper. Truly a person couldn't have everything at once. Hermione imagined shaking her head disapprovingly at Ginny's outburst and reprimanding her for being so impatient. But of course she never actually did any of that. If you ever did anything to Ginny Weasley, never ever try to piss her off.
"I don't understand." said Hermione ignoring Ginny's comment. "I never received a letter telling me that I'll be riding with you today. As far as I'm concerned, I know I'm going with Draco." Hermione took the piece of paper from Ginny and checked the thing out herself.
The letter was handwritten in a simple piece of white bond paper. No date, no sender, no nothing. It couldn't possibly come from the Threshold Staff.
Instantly, Hermione had a sinking feeling she knew who the letter sender was. It was so obvious! And besides, her insides were doing flip flops stating that her brain was thinking on the right direction.
"You say you got this when?" asked Hermione sizing the paper up and thinking through her little theory, piecing together all the events that was happening and making it fit.
"Well, it was on the bedside table when I woke up. I wanted to ask Harry if he knew why you were going to ride with us but he was gone then. He did leave a note though saying that the Threshold Staff wanted him somewhere for help. Honestly, I have no idea why they need help at all, or what kind of help they need... For all I know, this could be just a ruse cooked up by Threshold related to our stunt. After all, today's the 1 Million stunt. They should make it big. They probably would ask us girls to track our better halves, and whoever finds them first wins or something."
"I don't understand." repeated Hermione still skeptical, sounding more like a broken record every passing minute. "If this was part of the stunt, why didn't I receive my own note? It doesn't fit."
Though Hermione was very baffled and preoccupied with what she was thinking, deep inside, she breathed a sigh of relief. If indeed Ginny's theory was true, and Harry and Draco are just somewhere Threshold wanted them to be found later, at least Draco had a valid reason for not showing up that morning. Maybe he was called up too and Threshold just forgot to give her a note or something.
"Maybe they just forgot," Ginny offered mirroring Hermione's thoughts as she grabbed Hermione's arm and started pulling her towards the elevators. "Don't think too much about it, all we should do now is get moving because we've been stalling too long and the limousine driver must be out of his mind waiting for us. Can't you see? Malfoy isn't here, Harry isn't here. Meaning they're somewhere else waiting for us."
Although Hermione heard all what Ginny was saying, she didn't understand the essence of her words. One thought clouded her brain and it just wouldn't go away. "No."
Ginny looked back at Hermione's face and raised her eyebrows. "No?"
Hermione met Ginny's gaze and debated whether she should tell Ginny the happenings of the previous night; the events that wouldn't stop haunting her brain; the object she has been obsessing about.
"You see, Draco didn't go back to the suite last night. I didn't see or hear him at all. And believe me, I stayed up for him. Do you think that he's missing and the Threshold Staff just asked Harry to go help find him? You did say that Harry's note said Threshold needed help."
Ginny looked at Hermione with an amused expression that could also pass as a look of annoyance. Hermione reddened and wondered if perhaps this time her imagination has gone too far... Ginny didn't know anything about what she felt for Draco or what even happened the previous night. How could she expect Ginny to understand what she was trying to put across?
After a few painful seconds, to Hermione's horror, Ginny suddenly burst out laughing at the silliness of what she just heard. "Seriously Mione, that's the strangest thing I've heard you say in my entire life. Do you really think that Harry would leave me with nothing but a note to help find a missing Malfoy? I'd be dead before that ever happens. Just stick to my explanation. It makes more sense. This is just part of the stunt. Stop bothering about it."
Hermione didn't answer. Really, what answer can a girl come up with a statement that sounded so final? She just shrugged and then kept her mouth shut.
Without noticing it, Hermione and Ginny found themselves in the ground floor – the hotel lobby. They stepped outside of the elevator and walked hurriedly toward the hotel entrance where they could glimpse the front part of a black limousine waiting outside.
Although Hermione knew that Ginny had a very good point and that her explanation of what's happening made some sense, a nagging voice kept screaming inside her head. She couldn't quite pinpoint it. It probably was instincts but it definitely didn't accept the stunt theory. Everything that's happening is related to what happened with Cornelia the previous night and she knew it.
"Draco has left." Hermione stated plainly to Ginny as they neared the limousine. "He's gone, I know it."
Hermione startled herself with her calmness. Normally she'd be a frustrated wreck probably bawling her eyes out or something. But now she was collected and (dare she say it) unaffected... This certainly was just plain out surreal.
"For all that is precious in the world Hermione Granger, can you please just drop it?" Ginny said on the verge of giving up on Hermione and again losing her temper. She opened the door and motioned Hermione to slide inside the limousine first. "What is wrong with you? You're so... I don't know... Affected? Just get in and - ,"
Affected she says... Bwahahaha!!!!
Hermione interrupted Ginny before she even finished her sentence. She grasped Ginny's arm to command her attention and said. "I know you probably think I'm crazy or possessed. It's not what it seems. I'm saying Draco is gone because he has a reason to."
Ginny's eyes darkened and a frown creased her face. "He has a reason to." She stated plainly to no one in particular as Hermione released her grip, slid inside the limousine, and vanished from Ginny's sight.
Getting inside the limousine, Ginny slammed the door shut and moved closer to Hermione whispering in a very low voice. "What pray tell could that reason be?"
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"You mean to say that Cornelia confessed in front of you and Draco that she was just playing Ron and in truth wanted Draco back?" Ginny said in disbelief as Hermione finished her story, also about the same time they arrived at a picturesque white sand beach where their stunt would be held.
Hermione nodded mutely at Ginny with a defeated look on her face. She looked away from Ginny and waited for the outburst to come. 1.... 2....
"The nerve of that backstabbing, house elf looking, troll brained, mistake of a scum!" Ginny exploded as her face colored up making her hair redder than it already was, i.e. scarier. "Wait 'til I get my hands on her skinny little throat. That twit! I'm glad you beat the crap out of her, I swear she deserved every single second of it."
Hermione didn't answer and allowed Ginny to continue with her gibbering. She was just barely out of the limousine when Ginny brutally slammed the limousine door out of anger.
"Where is she?" Ginny seethed as she scanned the beach for a trace of the would-be unfortunate soul Cornelia.
Hermione surprised herself yet again for being so composed while Ginny flared up. Sure she was furious deep inside, especially when she related everything that had happened to Ginny. But as soon as she saw Ginny looking madder and madder as she progressed with her story, she figured that it would be wise to at least try to keep her cool. The horror of what would happen if both of them lost their sanity at the same time...
"There she is!" Ginny shrieked unaware that she answered her own question. Cornelia was spotted near the shore of the beach talking to one of the cameramen.
Hermione watched on as Ginny marched toward Cornelia's direction with a determined look on her face. She could see Ginny reaching for her pocket, obviously taking out her wand.
Seriously, even the most careful of the careful could lose their good sense right there and then. Hermione wasn't surprised that Ginny had no hesitations whatsoever on hexing Cornelia in front of a certified Muggle.
Realizing what she was thinking... Hermione shuddered and immediately rushed toward Ginny before she ever reached half of the distance to where Cornelia was standing.
Hermione pulled her behind a tree that was standing close by and then said. "Ginny, stop it," a tinge of alarm in her voice. "Let's not be hasty. It wouldn't be practical to hex Cornelia while muggles are watching. You could get a reprimand from the Ministry..."
Hermione looked around to see if there was anyone around a 500 meter radius that could see them and suspect something fishy going on. To her intense pleasure, there was none. "But, fortunately, there isn't anyone watching from around here."
Ginny caught the glint in Hermione's eyes and the mischievous smile that came with it. A small grin instantly crept on her face as Hermione nodded, affirming that what she thought Hermione thought was correct.
Ginny stifled a giggle and miraculously, all anger seemed to vanish from her system. Was revenge sweet or what? Ginny hid herself from view and peeked quietly at Cornelia. She was still laughing and flipping her hair the way flirts do so effectively. Ginny turned toward Hermione and then said in a dangerous voice. "What do you have in mind?"
"Seriously Hermione," Ginny said infuriated as she again sneaked a peek at Cornelia for the hundredth time. "I would think you could come up with something better than that."
Ginny and Hermione had been plotting Cornelia's "punishment" for the past 10 minutes but neither of them can actually agree on what it was exactly they were going to do.
It was lucky though that Cornelia was such a big flirt and obviously interested in the cameraman that she hasn't moved an inch since they first saw her.
"Well, it's far better than making her sprout extra arms and legs!" Hermione shot back at Ginny offended.
"But Hermione, even if we did charm her butt to be a big birthmark and put lots of hairs in her underarms, it's not like she would just pull down her pants and brag her stuff to the world or raise her hands to heaven for nothing at all. I mean, no normal person would do that without a good reason. And whoever actually does that is obviously under the Imperious Spell or just really crazy. We can't use an unforgivable! Goodness, where in the world do you get your ideas?"
Hermione chuckled in remembrance. It was Draco who first came up with the hairy armpits; and the butt birthmark was just her own counter attack. Funny how Draco seems to pop out in her brain ever so often - even at unexpected moments like this.
"Well okay, if you don't like that... Let's just conjure up a strong wind and push her to the water. She's standing too close to the beach anyway. It would be a pleasure to see her wet not knowing what hit her. Everybody would think she's a klutz."
Ginny considered the idea and shook her head. "No, it's too simple... I want something fitting, but not too much..."
Suddenly, Hermione's face lit up with an idea. Ginny looked curiously at Hermione and waited for her to spit whatever she was thinking out.
"How bout we summon maybe 3 or 4 seagulls and let them poop on her head succeedingly. She'd be so covered in poop before she even noticed it."
At this, Ginny broke out into a grin. Her eyes danced like crazy and she clasped her hands in delight. They have found the perfect plan! "Eureka! You're a bloody genius Hermione! Effective but subtle. I swear, if I didn't know you're such a die hard, stubborn Gryffindor, I'd think you'd do well in Slytherin."
Ginny took out her wand and pointed it at the nearest seagull. "Let's get this show on the road then. I'm ready when you are! How many do you say should we summon? 10? 20? It should be a pleasant change to actually see a live breathing and screaming bird poop for once."
Ginny chuckled at her own joke in amusement. Her jaws were starting to hurt with too much grinning, but she didn't seem to notice. She just focused her energy at the task at hand.
Hermione couldn't help but grin as well. Ginny's enthusiasm was infectious. Though she had to admit that it was a little creepy they both wanted to embarrass Cornelia like that. Normally, they didn't have to resort to that kind of stuff. They may be angry humans who happened to be witches, but they were certainly not evil.
"I think 4 would be enough, 2 for each of us." answered Hermione feeling a little guilty as she eyed the sky for the nearest seagull she could use. "10 is too much, not to mention too tedious."
"4?!?!" complained Ginny clearly not satisfied. "Make it 8!"
"You evil witch you!" teased Hermione in a mock accusatory voice as she looked at Ginny. "6, and that's final. If you ask for more, you're all by yourself."
"Oh alright then," said Ginny in defeat. She didn't want to argue anymore. She just wanted to see their plan in action as soon as possible. Ginny turned to the flying seagull she spotted moments back and then said, "Wingardium Leviosa."
So everything is in play then... Hermione watched as the poor bird seemed to suddenly freeze in place unable to move as Ginny uttered her spell. It squawked like crazy, trying desperately to move its own wings and direct its own path. However, all its efforts were in vain. The spell was too strong for the bird. Ginny started moving the bird towards Cornelia.
As soon as Ginny positioned the bird right above Cornelia's head, something white instantly dropped out of its rear. It was like the perfect moment. Hermione didn't know whether it pooped out of fright or because it was just the right time. All she knew is that whatever came out of the bird landed smack at the center of Cornelia's brown head.
Ginny and Hermione watched with gusto as Cornelia slowly lifted her hand and touched the squishy white feces that sat regally on her head. They watched as her smiling face suddenly turned to shock and then to horror as the cameraman in front of her struggled to keep from laughing. The sight of seeing several cameramen instantly appeared out of nowhere and started filming Cornelia was just an added bonus.
Hermione seemed to forget what she was supposed to do. She was laughing so hard that her eyes burned and her stomach hurt. It was really brutal trying to laugh without making a sound. It sort of felt that her face was going to rip apart.
"Hermione, the next seagull." Ginny urged between fits of laughter as she watched Cornelia scramble to the water to wash the poop out of her hair. "She's going to pollute the beach!"
Hermione clutched her stomach and forced herself to stop laughing. It took her a while but as soon as she regained her breath she uttered "Iubeo Incursio!"
Ginny looked at Hermione with a curious look on her face. Was that a spell or what?
But to Ginny's amazement, she watched as Hermione's spell rounded up 3 seagulls at once. The 3 birds immediately flocked together and looked like they were about to go in an attack formation. To Ginny's awe, the birds started pecking Cornelia in the arms and legs forcing her to run toward the opposite direction, away from the water.
"Excremento!" muttered Hermione as soon as she saw Cornelia safely away from the water and sure enough, the 3 birds immediately hovered above Cornelia and eventually offered her their "gift".
Ginny and Hermione watched in amusement as Cornelia frantically grabbed a small beach umbrella to cover her head and then immediately rushed to a tree standing a few meters away, to seek for double cover.
Hermione couldn't take it anymore. She put her wand down and sat down on the sand hysterically laughing at what she just saw. Ginny who had no more power to stand, sat beside Hermione and put her hand on Hermione's thigh, while her other hand was clutching her stomach.
When their laughter died down, Ginny looked at Hermione with tears in her eyes and then said. "That was indescribable! Where did you learn the Excremento spell? You have done this before, haven't you?"
Ginny held out her hand for a high five and without missing a beat, Hermione gave her one.
Grinning like children, Hermione answered nonchalantly, "Oh, I just happened to read a book on birds. In case someone really evil comes my way..."
Simultaneously, Ginny and Hermione burst out laughing again.
Suddenly, someone started clapping in the background. "Impressive but so overused. I could have done better than that."
Instantly, Hermione and Ginny froze on the spot and exchanged horrified glances. The smiles on their faces, suddenly wiped away.
"What?" continued the slow drawl that Hermione already knew so well. "You both thought that you were the only once enjoying your little feat? Well, I must admit, I tried to walk away due to the length of time it took you to plan out something... But I guess I just couldn't let the sight of 2 Gryffindors acting un-gryffindor-like pass me by."
"Draco - ," whispered Hermione absolutely blown away.
"Malfoy, what are you doing here?" Interrupted Ginny as Hermione was just starting to form sentences in her brain. "I thought you left and backed out of the show already... And here I was feeling so happy about it."
"Huh?" answered Draco mystified. "Now why would you think that? There is still a million pounds to be won. I'm not that stupid to throw an opportunity like that away, especially since we're going to end up with the money anyway." Draco looked straight at Hermione emphasizing the "we" in his sentence.
Ginny raised her eyebrows at Hermione and looked at her in disbelief. Was she actually seeing what she was seeing? Draco sure didn't look mad at Hermione or even showed a hint of being missing. Hermione has so apparently lost her good sense since she has been babbling nonsense about Draco's whereabouts, to which Ginny was so gullible to believe. There was nothing notably different - Draco still acted the same way he always did: awful to Ginny and sickeningly, disturbingly kind at Hermione.
"So much for the missing Draco story." Ginny whispered at Hermione making her blush deep scarlet.
Ginny then looked Draco in the eye, and then to Hermione and then to Draco again. "Well, since you're not chained somewhere and left to die of starvation, I'm thinking Harry isn't either." Ginny then looked at Hermione and then nodded at her. "I think I better go and look for him." She gave Hermione a slight smile and a wink and then quickly walked away.
When Ginny took off and was safely out of earshot, Hermione uncomfortably looked at Draco who was staring at her like he wanted to talk, and then said, "So... you're here."
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Hermione looked at Draco in awe as he finished speaking.
As soon as she acknowledged his presence, he immediately started talking like crazy as if he was running out of time.
"Yes, I understand perfectly. I mean, we've talked about this a million times. It's not like I would throw away our chance for the million because of what happened yesterday. I know you need the money and heck, I'd probably lend you my share if you asked me too. I'm just glad that you came to me about this though. At least everything is cleared up... I feel bad of what I did too. I shouldn't have meddled with your affairs without asking. I just thought that maybe if you stopped theorizing stuff and actually talked to her, everything would be better... However, all is done. I was wrong too... Let's just call it quits, and put everything behind us shall we?" Hermione extended her hand to Draco as a gesture of peace and no hard feelings.
Draco looked at her hand long and hard before actually taking it. He had an odd look on his face that made Hermione seriously doubt if he meant what he just said about being sorry for how he acted the previous night and how they needed to stick together now to assure that the 1 Million cash prize went straight to their pockets.
Hermione loosened her grip on Draco's hand when she sensed that the handshake was taking longer than usual. She didn't want to let Draco think anything he wasn't supposed to be thinking.
But to her utter bewilderment, he didn't let go of her. Instead, he held her hand firm in place. Not too tight that made her wince or too loose that she could easily get away. His grip was just right, giving her butterflies in her stomach in the process.
"There is also one thing though." He started without breaking eye contact. "I just wanted to tell you that..."
Draco didn't have a chance to finish what he was about to say because right at that moment, having terrible timing, Ginny approached them hurriedly looking very distressed and upset.
"Have you seen Ron?"
Hermione looked at Ginny with a tint of irritation. Draco was about to tell her something!!! What was he going to tell her???
Hermione looked at Draco whose serious expression a while back suddenly changed into a curious one; and then to Ginny whose expression obviously screamed the word "help". So much for hearing Draco profess his undying love... "What?!"
"Ron. They can't find him!"
"What?!" Hermione repeated a decibel higher, now starting to feel confused, alert and scared all at the same time.
"I went to find Harry and he said the producers are busy tracking Ron down. Apparently, he and Cornelia had a fight last night, he went ballistic, went out, and never returned to his and Cornelia's room."
Hermione's heart sank in despair. So this was it. The nagging feeling she felt since she woke up this morning. Ron.
"Was the fight about - ..." Hermione stopped herself. "How could he have found out so soon?" she looked at Draco who was frowning in the corner and then to Ginny. "We got to find him! Does Harry have an idea where he could be?"
"No." answered Ginny tears starting to well up in her eyes. "He tried the Burrow already. Mom and Dad are trying to find him too."
Hermione immediately scuttled to Ginny's side and gave her a big hug. "Gin, I know you're worried, but we'll find him. Ron's smart, nothing will happen to him. Don't worry." Hermione rubbed Ginny's back trying to comfort her. What a great way to start the 1 million pound stunt! There really is probably karma. It was ironic that a few minutes ago, she and Ginny were laughing their heads off at Cornelia's misfortune. Now, they were the ones worrying and crying... Huh, what a wonderful world!
Hermione smoothed Ginny's hair as she turned toward Draco who was watching them intently. She gave him a tight smile and then turned her attention back to Ginny. "Hey, we could punish her again if you want." She offered, trying to cheer Ginny up and remind her of what just happened to Cornelia a while ago.
Ginny gave out a small laugh in remembrance and then answered. "Now, I regret why we didn't just levitate her and throw her to the sea to be shark food. That's what she's good for anyway..."
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Okay, what did you think of this new chapter? Not much happened huh? The second part is the LAST stunt though, I'm hoping that will spark some interest... Please tell me what you think about this one... It seemed a great idea when I was writing it, now I'm not so sure... Be kind alright!