Love and Hate
By Tennisplaya278
I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!... What are Fred and I, next-door neighbors?
-Molly Weasley, George Weasley-
-Disclaimer: Roses are red, violets are blue, I don't own Harry Potter and neither do you. Bananas are yellow, tomatoes are red, stop reading this and read my story instead!-
So they practiced. Draco learned the incantation and after many tries, he finally succeeded. They had been working on it for about an hour and by the end of it, he could make himself fully invisible to the naked eye. However, this seemed like a lot of trouble just for becoming invisible. He decided to ask.
"Professor, this seems like a lot of trouble. Can't I use an invisibility cloak or at least a disillusionment charm? I'm sure that there is a potion I could use instead."
"Yes this is a lot of trouble. Disillusionment charms and invisibility cloaks are much too risky. There is a certain potion you could make but that would only disguise your body, not any of your clothing. I dare say you wouldn't like wandering around naked would you? Our top priority is your safety. We need to take all the precautions necessary. Now your father is a dangerous, very persuasive man. He has already gotten many of the workers in the ministry on his side. There is no way he is going to go back into Azkaban." Dumbledore explained.
"Something else I don't understand. Why do I have to go? I'm just a kid. An auror would do the job much better than I would." He asked.
"We chose you for many reasons. Some more obvious than others. You grew up there which makes you the most knowledgeable about the passage ways and such. You know your father the best. And you aren't a child anymore Draco. You are of age. You are a very gifted wizard. There are so many great things that you can do in life. This is just one of those many things. There is absolutely no question why I chose you. You can do this." Dumbledore sighed. "But I cannot force you to do something like this. However, you must choose by tomorrow morning. Professor Snape's life may rest in your decision."
&&&
Now Draco was in his room, getting ready for tomorrow. He figured that it would take more than one night to break Snape out of his house and so he needed to pack. After collecting his clothing, he headed to the common room to pick up some helpful books.
The head's common room was blessed to have walls filled with books on any subject. He immediately went to go look in the DADA section, used generally for homework. As he took out a book, someone behind him said.
"What are you doing?"
He dropped the book and bent down to get it. (Dude. Imagine sexy here.) Another hand gave him the book and when he looked up to see who it was, he saw Hermione. She was smiling at him.
"Where are you going?" She asked.
"What are you talking about?" He answered.
She pointed to his bag of clothes on the couch. "Oh. Well… I'm going home for a few days."
"Why? Is something wrong? You know…besides…" Her voice trailed off.
Draco shook his head vigorously. "It's not that. I really can't tell you so you'll leave me alone now." He looked at her and felt his heart melt. "But I could, so long as you don't tell a single soul." She nodded her head eagerly. "I'm going home tomorrow. Dumbledore thinks that Snape is stuck in Malfoy Manor. Now I get to do my good deed of the day and go rescue him like- like- like I'm Potter or something." He said the name with utmost disgust.
Surprisingly, Hermione said, "Well then I'm going too."
He automatically said, "No. It is too dangerous. I'm not letting you."
"That's exactly why I have to go. This is too risky for just one person. If I'm not going, then I'll find someone else to go with you. You are not to do this alone." She told him sternly. Draco just laughed. Her expression turned from serious to shock. "What? Don't you believe me?"
"Of course not. What sensible person would risk their life for another?" He laughed again.
"It's called compassion Draco. You should really get some." She grabbed the book out of his hand and threw it on the floor.
Draco sighed and muttered, "Women," before heading to his room.
&&&
"Professor Dumbledore? Can I speak to you?" His voice echoed off the walls.
"Come in Mr. Malfoy. I have been expecting you." Indeed he was. There were two chairs out and Dumbledore was gazing intently at him from behind his half moon spectacles. One of the chairs held a bushy haired, know it all Gryffindor. She wouldn't turn around.
"Ms. Granger has brought a few things to my attention that I have overlooked (Yeah right. The man is a God. He knows all.) We are reorganizing your mission. Your chances of getting caught are greatly decreased if someone else came along with you. That is why, tomorrow, you two will be leaving by portkey back to Malfoy Manor."
Hermione had finally turned around. Draco glared at her. He could see the tips of her lips dying to form into a smirk. His smirk. The smirk that he should've been wearing on his face. Instead, he was using Hermione's glare. A glare so venomous, it could scare Lucius himself.
"I expect you two cooperate the entire way or else you may fail. There is much more at stake then you think there is. Much, much more." Dumbledore replied gravely.
&&&
Again, the two were walking back to the common room. All the time, Hermione was wondering why in the world she had volunteered to go with Draco. Then she remembered what she had told him just a few hours ago.
"Of course not. What sensible person would risk their life for another?" He laughed again.
"It's called compassion Draco. You should really get some." She grabbed the book out of his hand and threw it on the floor.
She wanted to run over the nearest wall and hit her head against it. Why had she said that?
"Why Granger. I never knew you were so fond of me." Draco drawled. It had been awhile since he had done that. Hermione didn't miss it.
"What on earth are you talking about?" She countered.
He smirked. She didn't miss that either. "There wouldn't be any other reason as to why you would come with me unless you were fond of me."
"That's not the reason I am going Malfoy. Think about it. What would happen if the Head Boy simply disappeared. People would talk."
"Tell me whatever you want. No one can resist the Malfoy charm."
Hermione just rolled her eyes. There was no arguing with him. "Whatever you say Malfoy, whatever you say."
They told each other good night before heading up to their separate dormitories. Hermione began to pack things that would come in handy. Some clothes here, a few books there. And of course her wand.
She also decided to write a letter to Harry and Ron, telling them that she wouldn't be there tomorrow. She could imagine their faces if she just vanished. They would have a fit. She pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill. Thinking, she put the quill down onto paper to create words.
Dear Harry and Ron,
I'm going home for the next few days. Nothing's wrong so if you could please pay attention in class so I can see your notes. You too Ron.
Love,
Hermione
Hermione looked at it for a second, seeing it from her two best friends' point of view and she settled with it. She rolled it up and waited for her owl, Artemis, to come back. She had gotten it as a congratulations gift from her parents.
As she waited, she stared out into the night sky. The stars were twinkling back at her. When she was little, she was told that at night, God spread a blanket over the sky. The blanket become old and holes began to appear. He must've been using a very old blanket tonight. A very bright one caught her eye.
She closed her eyes and made a wish. She wished that tomorrow, everything would go right. Her and Draco wouldn't get harmed. Snape would be rescued. Lucius wouldn't know a thing.
As she was wishing, someone else was making the same wish. Together, they both said, "Keep them safe."
&&&
Author's Notes
Crappy chapter. Don't argue with me. It was a crappy chapter. I had been sitting in writer's block for almost a week. This chapter proved how much I worked on it. Don't worry, next chapter will definatly be filled with action. They go to Malfoy Manor tomorrow!
I have a beta now, but I posted this before they got to read it. Thanks Croaker!
Thanks you to all my reviewers… I'm sorry I don't have to thank each of you personally but I thought I'd get this up sooner. Otherwise you may not get this chapter for another week! My parents don't really know that I write fanfictions…
I'm also going to Chicago this Sunday. I'm hoping to get at least one more chapter up by then and another chapter written. I'll update when I'm in Chicago but don't panic if I don't update for like ten days. Cheers!
Happy 4th of July!
So please review!