Hermione sat in the Great Hall, grimacing. Why had she been so stupid as to actually hum in the library while she was studying? Why had Professor McGonagall been talking to Madam Pince at the exact moment she'd picked up the tune? And why had Professor Dumbledore come up with the crazy idea for a school wide talent show automatically earning the winner's house 200 points? So, instead of studying for her NEWTs she was stuck in a rehearsal for a show she didn't want to be in. And, much to her dismay, she was stuck sitting one table over from Draco Malfoy and his goons who were having fun throwing wads of paper at the back of her head.
She fondled her wand, thinking of all of the different hexes she could use on them. Why Malfoy was here? She didn't know or care; she just wanted to get to the Gryffindor Common Room and finish her Arithmancy homework and then start reading a new book. Why had she hummed in the library? One of the wads of paper was lobbed into her lap. Going against her better judgment, Hermione unfolded it. The word 'MUDBLOOD' danced across the page in different shapes and colors. Hissing, Hermione grabbed a piece of parchment out of her bag. Quickly she scribbled, 'Very original,' on it and floated it right into Draco Malfoy's lap.
A schedule appeared in her lap. They would rehearse by year, and not house, it was an idea only Dumbledore would conceive of working. There would be a preliminary contest one week before Halloween so that one people from each house could be chosen to represent their houses in the competition on Halloween. After they were dismissed Hermione heard Professor Snape, "Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, come with me please."
Hermione heard Malfoy curse before he headed toward the front of the room. Hermione followed him silently. "Hand over the notes," Snape growled.
"Professor," Draco began, "I don't know what you're—"
Snape held his hand out. Hermione handed her note over, trying to suppress a smile. Snape didn't look at it, "Mr. Malfoy, I'm waiting." Malfoy handed the note over. "5 points from Slytherin, 10 points from Gryffindor. You may leave now," he hadn't even read the notes.
Normally Hermione wouldn't have said anything, but Malfoy had crossed a line. "Professor! That's completely unfair!"
"15 points from Gryffindor."
"Professor--"
"Do you want it to be twenty, Miss Granger?"
"Please, Professor, just read the notes. Please?"
He opened Malfoy's note, read it, and then read Hermione's. "Add an additional 10 points from Slytherin, and Mr. Malfoy, come with me. Miss Granger, you may go back to your House." Barely suppressing her grin, Hermione walked out of the Great Hall.
When she arrived at the Gryffindor Tower, Harry and Ron assailed her with questions. "Where have you been?" Asked Harry.
"Yeah," said Ron, "We've been waiting for you."
"I was in the library," she lied, she didn't want them to know that she was in the talent contest until they had too.
"You said you'd help us with our homework."
'Blood hell,' she had forgotten. "I'm sorry, I completely forgot. Have either of you finished your assignments yet, or can I help?"
"It's alright, 'Mione," said Ron, "But we still could use your help."
Harry gave Ron a strange look, but Hermione didn't notice. They sat down and she started to explain everything they needed help with.
The next day, after Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall pulled Hermione aside. "Miss Granger," she said, "Have you chosen what you will sing in the competition yet?"
Hermione looked away, "Not exactly," she said, "I've been very busy this—"
"You are not one to you excuses, it's hardly time to start. Our first rehearsal is tomorrow; you need your song by then. Have you any ideas?"
Hermione bit her lip, "Well, not exactly. I don't listen to much music."
"Have you ever been in the Music Room?" Hermione shook her head. "It is in the library, if you can't find it, simply ask Madam Pince. Also, be sure to be out of the room before sunset."
"Sunset?" Hermione's eyes widened, "Is that the same Music Room mentioned in Hogwarts, A History: The Founder's Edition?"
"Yes, Miss Granger, it's the same Music Room. Now go, you have enough time to eat before the room closes."
"Thank you, Professor." McGonagall nodded.
Hermione rushed to the Great Hall and ate as fast as she could. "Hermione, slow down," said Harry, "The food isn't going to walk away."
She swallowed and looked out the window; if she was lucky she had half an hour until sunset. "The food won't run, but I have to. I'll explain later. Good-bye."
As Hermione left the Great Hall, Ron said, "She hasn't acted this strangely since 3rd year." Harry nodded.
Having spent much of her career at Hogwarts in the library, Hermione had a good idea of where the Music Room was. The Music Room had been designed for Rowena Ravenclaw who had been an avid music lover long before the days of CDs and MP3s. Every time a song was written in any language, anywhere in the world, a copy would appear and be magically filed. All of the songs were also spelled to sing when the proper incantation was given. The songs were divided into Muggle and Magical sections and filed alphabetically into books.
She started with the section closest to her, the Magical A's. The A's stretched on for an eternity, which made sense seeing as the room had been collecting music for over 900 years. After twenty minutes, Hermione had made little progress. She looked at the window the sky was darkening quickly. There was a noise somewhere in the room, singing. 'Someone else must be in here,' she thought. Glancing at the window she decided that she had enough time to warn them.
"Don't turn your back on me,
I won't be ignored."
The book with the lyrics in it slammed shut. A blonde boy stood at the end of the row, Draco Malfoy. She turned around, intending not to warn him, but he heard her.
"What are you doing in here, Mudblood?"
"The room's about to close, Malfoy," she spat his name. Turning on a heel she slammed her feet towards the door.
Only the door wasn't where it was supposed to be.
Desperately, Hermione looked out the window. The sun had just fallen under the horizon and all light was quickly fading from the sky. She glanced around, hoping against all hope that a door with a green emergency exit sign and a warning: EMERGENCY EXIT ALARM WILL SOUND would appear.
It didn't.
Sitting down on the padded chair next to the wall where the door had been, Hermione groaned. 'Great,' she thought, 'I'm stuck in a magically locked room with a boy that I despise and a legend that might kill us both. This is bad.' "Ugh!"
"Granger? Are you still here?" Malfoy came out of one of the rows of Muggle songs.
Standing up, she gestured to the door. "I dot here and decided to stay the night."
"That's not funny. What did you do?"
Her mouth dropped open, "What did I do? I got stuck in her with you of all people because of a stupid 900 year old spell."
"That is a load of rubbish. What's really going on here? Perhaps this isn't the room we entered in but an exact replica."
"Fine," she said, "Go search for a door out, you don't have to tell me if you find one. I wouldn't want to tarnish your shining reputation. What if it got out that you helped a Mudblood? Just imagine the scandal." Malfoy stalked off before she finished. Hermione sat back down. Almost as if it were timed, torches started flickering on. She stood back up and went to the stacks of Muggle songs. On the first page of the first book she opened was an Old English bardic tale. "A modern sad song, it could work." Before her eyes the lyrics changed. Reading the lyrics, she said, "Not music to slit my wrists by." The song changed. Taking the book, she returned to where the door had been. An hour later, so did Malfoy. "No door?" she asked, trying not to sound smug.
He glared at her and sat down at another chair. She continued to read while he sulked until they heard a voice. "Salazar?" It was a woman.
Hermione put her book down, "Oh no," she whispered.
"What is it now, Granger? Have you already run out of books to read?"
Hermione put a finger over her lips. She moved closer to him. "If you want to live through the next few minutes don't argue with me." They moved into one of the rows of books.
"Rowena, my love," called a man's voice.
Hermione stopped dead. Swallowing, she continued moving forward again. They moved into another section of the room. When Hermione could no longer hear the voices, she stopped. "Would you like to tell me what that was about, Granger? Or are you just going to run every time you hear a noise from someone who could be trapped in here just like us?"
"Those people weren't trapped in here, Malfoy. And keep your voice down. I don't know about you, but I don't particularly want to die tonight."
His eyes widened, "What?"
"You don't know the story about this room?" He nodded. "As you know, this school was founded about 1000 years ago by Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. It's basic history. Salazar Slytherin created this room or Rowena Ravenclaw sometime after the school was founded. He then asked Helga Hufflepuff to spell it to lock after sunset."
He scowled, "Why? And what does that have to do with the voices we heard?"
"Ravenclaw and Slytherin were lovers. Obviously, it was a hard secret to keep. The other Founders knew, and though Gryffindor hated it, he swore never to tell and to protect the secret at all costs. Hufflepuff promised the same thing. After the Founders died this room fell into disuse. Until about 1350, of course, no one remember about the spell, so students would periodically get stuck in here and nothing would happen. In 1437 a student opened the Chamber of Secrets for the first time. If it wasn't bad enough, not only was the basilisk released, so was Salazar Slytherin's spirit.
"You see, when the school was founded, the Founders willingly tied their spirits to it. Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin are now bound to this room, for the rest of eternity, or until the school is destroyed. There was no known way to kill a basilisk and there is no way to kill a spirit, so they trapped the basilisk back in the Chamber and used Rowena Ravenclaw's spirit to trap Slytherin in here forever. As further precaution, the spirits may only come out at night. Spirits still have magical power. And because of the original purpose of this room, the only people safe in here are those two Founders, and lovers. Past, present or future lovers."
Malfoy crossed his arms. "That sounds like a ridiculous story out a romance novel. Future lovers? How is that supposed to work?"
"Don't you know anything?" Hermione sat down against the wall. "Spirits aren't really of this world, and time isn't real to them. We see time as always moving forward, but they can skip forward and know what will happen."
Malfoy rolled his eyes, "You are entirely to smart for your own good."
Hermione lay down next to the wall. "I'm going to try to sleep, if you hear those voices again, just make sure they don't see you and you should survive."
"What? You won't ask me to warn you?"
"Would you, Malfoy?" She cocked her head to the side, "What would your father say?"
A few hours later, Hermione woke to the sound of voices. "No, Salazar, don't," said Rowena Ravenclaw. "You know the rules we are bound to. Read them."
Hermione kept her eyes closed, but she tensed, waiting for the killing blow. Why couldn't she have been stuck with someone who she had a semblance of a chance of someday being their lover.
"Very well, love," said Slytherin, "We must leave them." The voices retreated and Hermione opened her eyes.
Malfoy was sleeping with his face towards the wall. His breathing was uneven. "I know you're awake, Malfoy."
He rolled over. "I'm going to pretend that they left us alone because we have a protection charm or some such thing. Because if what you told me is true, and they read our futures correctly, than we were saved for the reason you said. And I couldn't live with that."
Hermione smiled wryly. "Don't worry, I'm not going to jump your bones. In fact, the only way I would sleep with you was if I was forced. Oh, wait, maybe that's it. Maybe you're going to rape me in years to come." Hermione stood up.
Malfoy followed suit. "I've done a lot of things in my life, Mudblood, and I'll do plenty more, and I won't feel guilty, but I would never force a woman, ever." He took a step towards her. "I don't care what you think of me, but that is one line I'll never cross."
She took a step in. "I have met your father Malfoy, and your fathers employer has tried to kill me a few times. Don't tell me what you will or will not do in Voldemort's name. If you have met him, you haven't seen his bad side."
He took another step. "Don't say the Dark Lord's name."
Their noses were almost touching. Meeting his eyes and poking him in the chest, Hermione said, "Voldemort, Voldemort, Volde—" He crushed his mouth to her's. Before Hermione could think of what she was doing, she kissed him back. When they finally broke apart, both were breathing heavily. "Stay away from me, Malfoy. I never want to see you alone again." She walked as calmly as she could out of the room.
Minutes later, she saw the spirit of Rowena Ravenclaw. "Where is your lover? Why are you not with him?" the spirit asked. "Tell me before Salazar arrives."
"I despise that boy. He is not my lover."
Rowena looked her in the eyes. Ravenclaw's eyes were a swirling blue. "I cannot control Salazar. If you are not with that boy, neither of you is safe. That is the rule we are bound to. If two lovers are together in this room, we may not harm them. Come with me, I will take you back to him." Hermione followed the Founder.
When they entered the room Slytherin was already there. "Salazar, stop! The girl was merely grabbing a specific book. They will not leave each others presence again." Slytherin nodded. The Founders disappeared.
Malfoy was lying on the ground, unconscious. "Don't be dead," she said, checking for a pulse. "I hate you but I don't want you dead. Atleast not now."
Malfoy smiled, then he laughed. Opening his eyes he said, "Granger, I didn't know you cared."
"You're a bastard, Malfoy. A spoiled selfish bastard." Hermione sat against the wall and read the book. When the sun finally rose she didn't bother to wake up Malfoy. He was safe for now, and didn't deserve her help.
When she got back to the Common Room, she saw Harry sitting on one of the chairs. No one else was there. "Where were you, Hermione?"
"Harry, it has been a long and rough night. I have an hour before I need to get ready for breakfast. I'm going to sleep, question me later." She went up to her dormitory.
Malfoy was late for breakfast, but Hermione pretended that she didn't notice. By the end of the day, Hermione was ready to do her homework and go to sleep. Unfortunately, she had rehearsal. She spent most of the rehearsal astutely ignoring Malfoy. "That's all," said Professor McGonagall. All of the students stood up. As Hermione stood up, someone bumped into her. "Watch where you're going, Mudblood." As he continued to move he said, "Damn mudbloods, they don't know when to stay away from they're betters."
Hermione walked up to Malfoy and grabbed his shoulder. He turned around. Before he knew what was happening, a fist connected with his nose. "I've had enough of you, Malfoy, shut the hell up."
Malfoy grabbed her arm, while cradling his nose with his other hand. "I'm going to go take care of this problem." He said to his cronies. "This will only take a minute."
He dragged Hermione to a broom closet and pushed her inside. "I hope you had a good reason for that, Granger."
She looked into his eyes. "Honestly, I—don't you think you're a little close?" She swallowed.
"I don't really care why you did it, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about last night. You did something to me."
"If you'll remember, you're the one who slammed your tongue down my throat, not the other way around."
"Care to repeat the experience?" Before she could reply, he kissed her.
When Hermione finally came to her senses, she said, "Malfoy, Malfoy, Draco, stop."
He pulled away and smiled. "You called me Draco. I think I like that. We should do this again sometime." He moved toward the door.
"We've snogged twice, Malfoy, it doesn't mean I don't despise you. And we will never do this again."
"If you want to think that, Granger, I'll let you. Until tomorrow." He walked out the door.
"You've won this round, Malfoy, but the game has just begun."
Ginny caught up with Hermione as she was walking back to the Common Room. "So, who is he?"
"Who is who?" asked Hermione.
"The new bloke, the one you've been seeing the past two nights. Don't tell me it's no one, you're not acting like yourself."
"That's the thing, Gin. It is no one."
"I don't follow."
Hermione looked around. "Promise not to tell Harry and Ron?" Ginny nodded. "I'm in the bloody talent show," she whispered.
"What?" Ginny shrieked.
"I can sing; it's not a big deal. I probably won't make it past the first round. Just, Professor McGonagall asked me to, and I couldn't say no. You know how I am."
"Yeah, I know, 'Mione. You don't do anything you don't want to do. Good luck. And I won't tell. Just imagine the looks on Ron and Harry's faces when they see you on stage. It'll be priceless." Ginny rushed off.
The next night, Hermione met Malfoy again. "I knew you'd come," he said. He moved toward her.
She held her hand up. "If we're going to do this, there need to be some ground rules."
He nodded. "Of course."
"One: Neither of us tell anyone of our...arrangement. It would be an embarrassment." He nodded, "Two: We honor each others limits. If I say stop, you stop. If you say stop, I stop. Simple. Three: This can end at anytime. If one calls it off, it's over."
"Four:" he said, "Call me Draco while we're here."
"Never, I'm physically attracted to you, it doesn't mean I like you. I don't make a habit of being on a first name basis with my enemies."
"Then the deals off, Granger." He moved to the door.
She took a breath. "My name is Hermione, ...Draco." She didn't see him smile. "Anything else?"
"No, I'm sure you covered it all. You seem to be very...thorough." He moved toward her. "Now where were we last night?" Hermione tilted her head up.
Hermione sat up in her bed. "Please tell me that was just a dream." Looking down she saw that she was still in her school robes. "I didn't make a deal with him, I couldn't have. Not like that." She hung her head and let shameful tears fall, knowing Draco had won the second round.
"Hermione, hurry," said Lavender Brown. "Aren't you coming to Hogsmead today?"
"Yes," she said, "I'll be ready in a minute."
Ginny and Hermione made their way to the Three Broomsticks while Harry and Ron looked at the newest racing brooms. Once they were seated Hermione said, "I think I made the biggest mistake of my life."
Ginny leaned forward and whispered, "What did you do?"
"Because I plan to honor the terms I set, I can't tell you everything, and I can't give details. But, Gin, I made a deal with the devil."
"What are you doing for Snape?"
Hermione smiled, "Sorry, Gin, wrong devil. This devil has lighter hair."
"Malfoy?"
"Keep your voice down, and remember I didn't tell you. We've snogged, three times, and it's been wonderful, mind-blowing, earth-shattering stuff. But, when it's over. I just feel dirty. And the thing is I can't say no. No, when I'm around him, I don't want to say no."
"How did it start?"
Hermione proceeded to tell the story of them in the Music Room and the events of the two following days. "What do I do, Gin?"
"Hermione, I know you hate him, we all hate him. But, it just sounds like lust. And you are hearing this from me, so don't go crazy, let it run it's course. Have some fun and try to forget who you're snogging. It'll be done in a week."
Two weeks later, both Draco and Hermione advanced to the final competition. Harry and Ron both threw fits when they found out Hermione was singing, but there would no doubt be a party waiting for her when she got back to the Common Room.
"I really need to go, Draco," she said as he ran his tongue over her neck. He pulled away.
"What if I told you that I didn't want you to go?"
"I don't want to go, but if I don't, people will start to know that something is wrong. I don't want Harry and Ron to know about us, do you?"
"Us? By saying us, you imply that we are something more than, than..."
"Horny enemies?" She turned towards the door.
"Wait, Hermione."
She stopped and turned around, smiling. "You called me Hermione, you never do that."
"Your lipstick is smudged, here." He wiped it off with his hand. It was a very intimate gesture.
"You've got some lipstick on you, too," she used her sleeve to wipe his lips. They stared at each other. In a matter of seconds, the rules had changed. "I...I need to go." She didn't look away. "Good night, Draco."
He picked up her hand and kissed it, "Good night, Hermione." She left the room.
One week later, it was the night of the contest. One student from each House would perform their song and be judged by a student from each House and the head of the House. A Hufflepuff, Martina Mulrich went first, followed by Leonard Pederson of Ravenclaw, then Draco, Hermione was last. Hermione saw Draco backstage before he went on, when no one was looking, she kissed his cheek and said, "Good luck, Draco."
He walked on stage and waited for the music to start.
She belongs to the words of a song.
I try to be strong for her, try not to be wrong for her.
But she will not wait for me, anymore, anymore.
Why did I say all those things before, I was sure?
"Oh Merlin," whispered Hermione. She sat down, not ready to hear the rest.
(She is the one), but I have a purpose,
(She is the one), and I have to fight this,
(She is the one), the villain I can't knock down.
'How apt,' she thought, 'Since when am I the villain.'
I see your face with every punch I take,
And every bone I break, it's all for you.
And my worst pains are words I cannot say,
Still I will always fight on for you.
She's alive in the bright New York sky,
The city lights shine for her, above them I cry for her.
Everything's small on the ground below, down below.
What if I fall, then where would I go, would she know?
(She is the one), all that I wanted,
(She is the one), and I will be haunted,
(She is the one), this gift is my curse for now.
I see your face with every punch I take,
And every bone I break, it's all for you.
And my worst pains are words I cannot say,
Still I will always fight on for you.
I see your face with every punch I take,
And every bone I break, it's all for you.
And my worst pains are words I cannot say.
Still I will always fight on for you.
Fight on for you...
Fight on for you...
(Gifts and Curses – Yellowcard)
By the end of the song, she was almost in tears. She wiped her eyes before Draco got off stage. There was still a performance for her, and she had to talk to Draco. He walked off stage and passed her like she was nothing. Other people were there, and she knew it had to happen. But it didn't stop the pain.
When the applause stopped, she walked on stage.
She'd changed her song at the last minute. It was the only way she could put words to her feelings. If only the things in her song could happen in real life.
Dear my love, haven't you wanted to be with me
And dear my love, haven't you longed to be free
I can't keep pretending that I don't even know you
And at sweet night, you are my own
Take my hand
We're leaving here tonight
There's no need to tell anyone
They'd only hold us down
So by the morning's light
We'll be half way to anywhere
Where love is more than just your name
I have dreamt of a place for you and I
No one knows who we are there
All I want is to give my life only to you
I've dreamt so long I cannot dream anymore
Let's run away, I'll take you there
We're leaving here tonight
There's no need to tell anyone
They'd only hold us down
So by the morning's light
We'll be half way to anywhere
Where no one needs a reason
Forget this life
Come with me
Don't look back you're safe now
Unlock your heart
Drop your guard
No one's left to stop you
Forget this life
Come with me
Don't look back you're safe now
Unlock your heart
Drop your guard
No one's left to stop you now
We're leaving here tonight
There's no need to tell anyone
They'd only hold us down
So by the morning light
We'll be half way to anywhere
Where love is more than just your name
(Anywhere – Evanescence)
When she was done a single tear dropped from her eye. There was roaring applause as she walked off stage. All four contestants were called on stage. Martina Mulrich took first place, while Hermione and Draco tied for second. Once she could, Hermione went backstage to change her clothes and to wait for Draco.
Using the code they had developed to set up meetings in front of others, she said, "You didn't deserve to tie with me, Malfoy. I'm so glad this is over."
"Granger," he'd stopped calling her Mudblood after the first competition, "This competition was rigged from the start. I know who really is better." She walked away and disappeared into their broom closet.
Ten minutes later, he entered. "You deserved first, Hermione." He hugged her. There was nothing sexual about it.
Tears finally started to fall from her eyes, "Why did you have to change around me? Why can't you be the bastard you were?"
"What's this about, love?" He lifted her chin up.
"Draco," she sniffled, "This has to stop. I can't do this anymore."
"Do what? Be with me?" He looked pained.
"I can't be with you like this," she shook her head. "I meant everything I said in that song, but if we can only be together in a broom closet away from prying eyes, than I can't be with you. I can't keep acting like this Draco. I...I could love you, fall for you, if I let myself, but I can't. A year from now, we'll really be enemies, not this fake school thing we have now. As long as your father is Lucius Malfoy, and my best friend is Harry Potter, we can't be together."
"Then let's change it. Let's continue to keep this secret, just till the end of the year, and then we can disappear. No one has to know us anymore."
Hermione smiled tragically, "Pretty thought. You know it won't work; our lives are bigger than that. I'm part of the 'Golden Trio' and you're from a family of dark wizards. Not to mention the fact that I'm a mudblood."
"You're not a mudblood. Never say that." He hugged her as tightly as he could, knowing it was the last time. He kissed her hard. "Are you sure?" he asked. She closed her eyes and nodded. "Then, goodbye, Hermione." He walked out the door.
"Goodbye, Draco." She said after the door shut. She knew it wasn't over forever between them. Rowena Ravenclaw had implied that they would become actual lovers, and though they had come close. It had never happened. Someday, Hermione would see Draco again, but for now, she'd have to deal with Malfoy.