Second Thought
Summary: After getting detention with Draco Malfoy, Hermione starts hearing voices. And we all know that's not a good thing.
Pairing: Draco/Hermione
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They all belong to J.K. Rowling. Pity, I could have so much fun with them.
Authors Note: Since the third film came out my head's been full of Harry Potter and this is result of it. I hope you like. Please Read and Review!!!
Second Thought – Chapter 1
"You ignorant, arrogant, slimy toad!" Hermione screamed as she stood in the first floor corridor.
"Well, being a slimy toad is still better than being a filthy little mudblood like you," Draco retorted with his followers laughing behind him.
"Really Malfoy, is that the best you can do? Mudblood? Can't you think of anything original?" Hermione quipped back. She really didn't care if he called her a mudblood, she had hears it that often it never effected her anymore.
"Well, not everyone has swallowed a dictionary!" Draco said back.
Harry and Ron were standing well back from Hermione. It was third time this week that Malfoy and Hermione had clashed wands and it was only Tuesday!
"Hermione, come on. He's not worth it," Ron pleaded with her.
"You run along with Weasel and Potty face," Draco said back.
Hermione whipped out her wand and pointed it towards Draco. However, it did not have the effect Hermione wished. Draco just stood there like it was an ordinary piece of wood, not a powerful weapon. He stood there with a smirk on his face.
"What you smiling at? I'll turn you into a toad, I swear it Malfoy!" Hermione threatened.
Draco walked towards her until the wand was almost touching him and held his arms out to the side.
"Go ahead. I dare you," he said quietly.
Hermione stood in shock for a moment. Now what did she do? She assumed Draco would back now, and now he hadn't, she did not know what to do.
"Knew you couldn't Granger," he said still with a smirk on his face.
"Neither would you," Hermione said daring him as she lowered her wand.
He took his wand out of his pocket and started turn it round in his fingers. His eyes were still on Hermione, wondering if it would be enough to scare her. He didn't think so, and by the way Hermione was looking at him, he was right. The temptation to do something almost consumed him. For years he had wanted to do something, and never could, and here was the perfect opportunity to. But did he dare? He knew how much trouble he would be in if he did. He would be instantly expelled. They would all say how much like his father he is. But she deserved it. She had provoked him; it wasn't fair to make him back down. He couldn't let her win, and if he acted and got expelled she would win and if he backed down. The smile on his face grew as he thought of the perfect way to get her.
"What would be the fun in doing it now? We both know how much trouble I would be in if I did. Far more fun to do it when you least expect it." He inwardly congratulated his cunningness.
"I would know it was you. And so would the teachers," Hermione pointed out still thinking she had the upper hand.
"Well…" he said leaning closer to her. "Accidents do happen." It was a subtle hint of a threat but still highly effective.
Hermione and Draco stood face-to-face, waiting for one or the other to back down, with both refusing. It wasn't until they heard a familiar voice did they finally tear their eyes away from each other.
"What is going on here?" Professor McGonagall asked as she encountered the clash.
"Nothing Professor," Hermione lied.
"Just a slight disagreement," Draco added.
"You've had quite a few of those lately," McGonagall said accusingly. "Detention for the pair of you."
"What?"
"NO!" they said simultaneously.
"Professor you can't give me detention!" Hermione protested.
"Why, because you so superior to the rest of us?" Draco quipped.
"ENOUGH!!" McGonagall screamed as she saw another insults match looming. "You will report to my office tonight at 7:00. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes Professor," Hermione said hanging her head in shame.
"Crystal," Draco said menacingly.
"Good, now run along to your classes before I have to start deducting points."
Hermione and Draco stormed off in the opposites directions down the corridor. Thank god they didn't have a lesson because that would be just so much fun, Ron and Harry thought as they walked with Hermione who was still fuming from her encounter with Draco.
"Bastard!" she groaned to Harry and Ron.
"Hermione, this has got to stop," Harry said.
"What?"
"This! Arguing with Malfoy. And now you have detention for it. The thing that separates us and Malfoy is that we are above stuff like that," Harry explained.
"And what you did proved you are the same as him," Ron added.
"He deserved it! I hate being called Little Miss Perfect, especially by him. And just because I got an A on the charms exam," she complained.
"Another A," Ron mumbled. Harry elbowed him in the ribs to shut up, but it was too late, Hermione had heard him.
"So what!? I'm good at school. I do my work and I get top marks. Like that's a bad thing."
"Hermione, we're not saying it's a bad thing, it's just … well…" Harry said.
"Predictable," he and Ron said together finishing the sentence.
"Humph," was the sound she made with a defiant flick of her hair and off down the corridor she stormed. Harry and Ron rolled their eyes.
"Not again," were the words that escaped Harry's lips.
Hermione stormed into Arithmancy with a face like thunder, and just to prove a point did not raise her hand up once to answer a question. Ok, maybe once but no-one else was going to answer. Her bad mood continued as her detention with Malfoy grew ever closer. She was still mad at Harry and Ron so decided to go down to McGonagall's office early.
She stood outside McGonagall's office waiting for Malfoy. She did not want to go inside early as she would get 'the glare' from McGonagall. She had had enough of those from Harry and Ron that day, she didn't need McGonagall too. She paced up and down the corridor waiting for him to arrive. 6:50. 6:55. Still no sign of him.
"God she even turns up for detention early," she heard Malfoy say.
"So what, I'm early. It's better than late Malfoy," she said as she turned to greet him. He had a very confused look on his face.
"I didn't say anything," he said looking around the corridor as if it would provide him with an answer.
"Fine, deny it. I don't care," she said turning and knocking on McGonagall's door.
"But I didn't say anything," Draco protested.
"I'm glad to hear it Mr Malfoy," McGonagall said standing at the door. "I would hate to deduct points from the Slytherin House," she said with a hint of sarcasm.
He shot daggers at McGonagall for the comment and stepped inside her office, barging past Hermione.
"Ladies first," Hermione muttered. McGonagall heard the comment and sniggered as she closed the door behind Hermione.
"I have had some difficulty devising a suitable punishment for the pair of you," McGonagall started.
"Great. Can I go?" Draco butted in.
"However," she said ignoring his comment. "I have decided that you will work together to redecorate my classroom."
"Aw man," Draco complained.
"I want you to come up with a design concept, show it to me, and once approved, apply your design. You have to work together."
Hermione shook her head. There was no way that her and Malfoy could work together. There was simply too much bad blood between them. She would like to redecorate McGonagall's room with him. His lungs on the ceiling, intestines on the walls, and the centrepiece would be the black withered decaying heart that would be on display for everyone to see how evil he really is.
"I will allow you into my classroom to work," McGonagall continued to explain. "Tonight you will start on concepts."
"You mean there are more detentions after this?" Draco said disgusted rising out of his seat.
"Yes, Mr Malfoy. I want my room finished and decorated by the end of next month."
"But that's six weeks away!" Hermione said horrified also rising out of her seat.
"Oh I am so glad you understand me," she said sarcastically. "Plans for my room are on that table over there," she said pointing to a table on the other side of the room. "I will be in here is you need me," she said dismissing them.
Slowly and grudgingly they collected the materials and headed over to McGonagall's classroom. On the way over, neither Hermione nor Draco said anything. Since that was the thing that got them into trouble in the first place, they mutually agreed to refrain from speaking their minds to one another. It was difficult. So difficult in fact that they didn't say anything. Finally they reached the classroom and Hermione was just thinking about how ungentlemanly Malfoy was when he opened the door for her.
"Ladies first," he said. It wasn't in his usual tone, but sounded sincere.
"Thank you," she said and walked into the classroom surprised at his behaviour.
As Hermione entered she looked around the room, trying to get some ideas about what to do.
"This room is big enough to handle a dark colour," she heard Draco say.
"I agree. I dark colour would suit this room. Green or even perhaps blue," Hermione replied.
She turned round and found Draco staring at her. "Don't be so surprised that I agreed with you. It can happen," she said.
"O-kay," he said slowly. "I was leaning towards green myself but then again I am a Slytherin."
"No, I was thinking of green too. And Slytherin green at that," Hermione agreed with him.
"Bit inappropriate for the Head of Gryffindor House don't you think?" Draco pointed out.
"But I really don't think red and gold would suit this room." Draco moved his head in agreement. "We could make it a really subtle green, so it doesn't over power the room, but is still very green," Hermione suggested.
"What? Like colour changing paint?" Draco said coolly. It was a different tone, more like his usual self, like he had just been reminded of whom he was.
"No, but together we could come up with…" she didn't get to finish her sentence as Draco cut her off.
"What? Work with you? Not in a million years!"
"But what about the detention?" Hermione asked.
"Come up with your own ideas Granger. Or can't you unless you've read it in a book," he sneered.
"Fine, but don't blame me if McGonagall takes points from Slytherin!" Hermione retorted almost with tears in her eyes.
"Ooo, I'm so scared," he said sarcastically,
"Well you wouldn't with your family!" she screamed back at him.
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"Mini Malfoy. Got your Death Mark yet or are you waiting for a special occasion?" Hermione quipped. Something seemed to snap in Draco, and she could almost see his eyes burning with rage.
"Well, when I'm a Death Eater you're the first I'll come for. And I'll take great pleasure in killing you," and he grabbed a pile of the plans and stormed out of the classroom.
Hermione watched him as he left, and what happened next she would remember for the rest of her life. She was staring at Draco's cold, hard face, when she heard him say, "Stop kidding yourself Draco. She doesn't know what you've been through." Hermione would swear on her life that she heard his voice say it, but he did not move his lips. It was like his voice was in her mind. But it was his voice and he had said it. He slammed the door behind him, and went back to his common room.
"What's going on?" she said to an empty room.
Completely stumped, she headed for the library. Her sanctuary. She searched the library for any book that could help her understand what had happened. Firstly she searched the Dark Arts section. It could be something Draco picked up from his father. However, as she searched through such books as 'Deadly Curses and Double Jinxes' and 'Stinking Potions' she realised the answer did not lie here. This was not a dark art. She glanced over at a stand with a couple of books displayed on it, and one of them caught her eye. All it said was 'Voices'. She picked it up and took it over to the closest desk. She quickly looked in the index to give her an idea of where to start when one of words jumped out at her. She jumped out of the way to avoid it as a flew past her, landed on the floor and crawled off underneath the bookcase. But the word below it was 'thoughts'. She turned to page 289.
"Thoughts are curious things indeed. They are what make us individuals as no-one will have the exact same thoughts throughout their lives as someone else. Thoughts can be random, extremely random in some cases, but all have a purpose in life. They all mean something to the person thinking them. They can often contradict what a person says, but that does not make them any less true. In fact a person's thoughts are probably truer than what they say. Many suicidal thoughts are never voiced but many hours are spent on thinking about them. Often comments that are unable to be broadcasted are often thought and spoken, as it were, in the mind."
Hermione put the book down for a moment. Was this what she was hearing? Draco's thoughts? I would make sense. The early comment, and the paint colour comment were both probably his thoughts too. She never saw him say it, and he denied he had said anything.
She concluded from this book that they were his thoughts and thus reinforced her idea that this was not a Dark Art as what dark purposed would be fulfilled by hearing Draco's thoughts. Now that she knew they were his thoughts, she wanted, and needed, to know how she could hear them. Questions she hoped a book would answer, if she ever found it.
She searched the transfiguration, charms, and even potions sections of the library with no luck. It wasn't until she came across the Occlumency section did she have a thought. She searched the section carefully, and snatched the book she wanted quickly away from the shelf and wrapped her arms tightly around it. She took it over to her favourite tables, tucked away in the corner where no-one could disturb her. She gently placed the book down on the table and sat down in front of it. She stared at the dark red leather cover and her eyes lingered on the title: "Telepathy: To Think, To Hear." She couldn't believe she had not thought of it sooner. She carefully opened the aging and decaying book. The spine had almost corroded away, and all but the word 'Telepathy' was destroyed. The pages were falling out and discoloured by the sun, but still legible.
Although she knew the basic principle of telepathy, she needed particulars. She read the introduction.
"Telepathy is the communication of thoughts or ideas by means other than the known senses. There are varying degrees telepathy ranging from the odd desperate thought to full conversations. The more skilled the witch or wizard, the greater the ability.
To master and control this ability takes many years of practise including the study of Occlumency, which is similar. Occlumency can help you understand telepathy as, although different, the basic principles and elements are the same. As with Occlumency, you can block certain thoughts from becoming public, unfortunately in some cases, the broadcast is not a voluntary act.
If there are two people with this ability, then they can communicate with one another. It is also possible, in highly trained witches and wizards to view what another telepathic person is seeing, although only two wizards in the world have been able to do this.
Only a few very skilled wizards and witches have been able to master this skill. But a word of caution. This ability can cause you to be trapped in someone else's mind. This would leave your body empty and another's with two sets of thoughts, which can cause insanity. No-one under the age of 50 has been able to master this skill and none should try to."
Hermione paused at this point, and the words 'none should try to' repeated in her mind. This wasn't her choice, Draco was doing this to her. The question of how had been answered but not why. Why did Draco have this ability? Did he even know? Hermione guessed that he did not as he would have blocked the comments to her. She was just about to read the first chapter when Madame Pince approached.
"Hermione dear, I need to close up now," she said gently to her. Hermione knew Madame Pince very well, that was how often she came here.
"Oh, I'm so sorry Irma, I was just…" Hermione apologised.
"Reading. I know. Are you going to check that book out?" she asked.
"Yes please," Hermione said getting up, closing the book and handing it to Madame Pince.
"Telepathy?" Irma said upon reading the title. "Interesting topic. A friend of mine has that ability," she informed Hermione.
"Really! When did she find out she had the ability?" Hermione enquired.
"Two years before her 50th birthday. She was young compared to everyone else."
"How good is she?" Hermione asked as they reached the desk.
"The odd sentence here and there. Usually some sarcastic comment. Sometimes it reaches everyone and others it is only for the person it is directed at," she laughed.
"Did she know what the trigger was?" Hermione pushed.
"No-one really knows. She says its from years of repressing these comments so her mind found a way to vocalise them," she laughed again. Hermione laughed with her. Madame Pince handed Hermione the book back. "Goodnight dear."
"Goodnight Irma," and Hermione left the library.
Hermione looked down at her watch and realised the time. It was 12:50. It was well past the curfew time. She quickly ran up the stairs, hoping not to run into any teachers. She managed to make it all the way up to the Gryffindor Common room without being seen. As she quietly entered, she smiled at the sight in front of her. There was Ron and Harry, fast asleep in the big red velvet chairs obviously waiting up for her. She summoned two blankets and gently placed them over the boys. It was sweet of them to wait up for her. She had completely forgotten about their argument earlier. With a backward glance at the two, she climbed the staircase to the girls dormitory. She quietly opened the door and clambered into bed. She didn't bother getting changed, she was too tired. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow with the telepathy book still clutched in her arms.
A/N I hope you al like this chapter. I was going to post this as one long chapter but decided it would be better in parts. Not much (or any) romance in this part, but in later ones there should be. Please Read and Review!
Love Snowflake Shona xXx
