A/N: Hey people! Well here I go with another chapter! In my opinion my last one sucked like hell... sorry but that is what I think. I really dunno what is going to happen in this Chapter... so whatever I write is what happens.
DISCLAIMER: NOT MINE!
Chapter Ten: Encounter with Dear DadHermione and Draco entered Dumbledore's office after he granted them entry.
"Afternoon Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy," nodded Dumbledore.
"Afternoon Professor," replied the two.
"Take a seat."
Hermione and Draco sat down and waited for Dumbledore to continue.
"Miss Granger, I am aware you are fighting a battle within your mind. A darkness that is trying to takeover."
Hermione nodded, "I'm turning into someone I don't want to be."
"I understand. The darkness you are fighting has been in your families' blood for generations. Your family has thrived on Dark Magic, so naturally you have inherited that. You have been brought up good but the darkness you have been fighting your whole life, which you've never noticed, has caught up with you. It is growing stronger something I have feared for many years."
"But if I've been beating it all this time, surely I can beat it now."
"I wish it was that simple, but you are into your teenage years which means your hormones are playing around with your body, you are turning into an adult and with adult hood changes happen."
"You mean I just might be changing into who I am meant to be?"
"I'm afraid so. But there is a way to stop it."
"How?"
"Kill Voldemort."
"But no one knows how to!" cried Hermione, "Harry has to do it... so... so your telling me if someone doesn't kill Voldemort eventually I will turn dark?"
"Yes. But we feel we have found a way to slow the process down."
"How?" asked Draco.
"I have renovated the East Tower for the both of you to live in. No one else knows of you situation Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy is strong enough to help you fight the darkness, he has been doing a wonderful job so far."
Hermione nodded and smiled at Draco, "When do we move in?"
"Today. But first I would like a word with Mr Malfoy. So Miss Granger you need to go pack your belongings and meet Professor McGonagall in the Entrance Hall in 45 minutes. Ellie the house elf will already be packing when you arrive."
Hermione nodded and stood up and left.
!Z!
"Mr Malfoy," said Dumbledore, "You and Miss Granger have grown very close over the past weeks. You both have become good friends."
Draco nodded wondering what his friendship with Hermione had to do with anything.
"I gather you would let no harm come to her?"
"No. If anyone tried to hurt her I would kill them. She's going through so much... and she's handling it so well."
"Miss Granger is in more danger than she knows."
"What?"
"You know about Voldemort wanting Miss Granger to be his future heir... possibly his wife?"
Draco nodded.
"And you know that he knows she is here at Hogwarts?"
"Yes."
Dumbledore sighed, "Voldemort is trying to get Hermione. He is going to do anything in his power to get hold of her. I fear that he will threaten her somehow making her join the dark side."
Draco's eyes widened in shock, "No... I won't let that happen! Hermione is to innocent... to... perfect for a future on the dark side. If he makes her join him that will only bring the darkness over he completely and she won't be Hermione Granger anymore she will be Ellawise Verbatim!"
(A/N: There are numerous ways to spell Ellawise... this is how my cousin spells her middle name...)
"I know Mr Malfoy. This is why I believe you can help the Order and Miss Granger."
Draco knew instantly what Dumbledore wanted him to do, "You want be to be a spy for the Order by becoming a Death Eater because no one would suspect I was a spy because I am a Malfoy."
Dumbledore nodded, "If you choose too Miss Granger must not find out."
Draco sighed, "I'll do it. But only because it is for Hermione."
Dumbledore, "When your Father writes telling you of the date when you shall be inducted to Voldemort's service you must tell me."
Draco nodded, "Is that all?"
Dumbledore nodded, "Your things will have been packed by now. I suggest you head to the Entrance Hall. Hobbles and Winky will be waiting with your belongings. Oh and Congratulations again on a good win in Quidditch."
Draco smiled and bit and left.
!Z!
Hermione helped Ellie carry her gear to the Entrance Hall. When she arrived she saw Draco was there waiting.
"Granger," nodded Draco.
Hermione frowned at Draco's behaviour. Draco passed her a look saying: Just-Go-Along-With-It.
Hermione nodded, "Malfoy."
McGonagall exited from the Great Hall and nodded at the students. They both picked up their belongings, with the help from the house elves and followed McGonagall up the Entrance hall stairs.
McGonagall lead them down the corridor to the changing staircases, they went up one flight of stairs, turned left, down another corridor, to another set of staircases, up three flights down a dimly lit corridor to a painting of a muggle house.
"This is the entrance to your tower. You each have your own room and share a bathroom in between the bedrooms. I understand you both have a secret friendship, which will make living together easy.
The password is 'stronger' I will see you both a dinner," McGonagall nodded and left.
"Well than," said Draco, "Stronger."
The door to the house in the painting turned into a gold handle. Draco placed his hand on it and turned it pushing the painting open. They both saw a flight of stairs going up. The stairs were made of grey shale rock.
"Shall Ellie take Miss Granger's box to her room and unpack for her?" asked a short pointy nosed elf.
"Just leave the box on my bed Ellie, I'll unpack my self," said Hermione kindly.
"As you wish Miss Granger. Dobby wanted to help but he was busy making cakes."
Hermione nodded and the house elf scampered up the staircase.
"Mr Malfoy, can Bodice and Brodie unpack your things?" asked the deep voiced elf.
"I'll do it. Just place them on my bed," nodded Draco.
The house elves ran up the staircase followed by Hermione and Draco. Both looked around their common room in awe.
The floor was highly polished wood and the walls were painted white with black edging. In front of them was another staircase going up, but the stairs were wood as well with wooden railing. To there left was a fireplace with a coffee table in front of it. It was far enough away from the fire so it wouldn't catch alight. On either side of the coffee table was a two-seater lounge. One was a deep maroon, the other green. To the right of the staircase was a four-seater table. Both the chairs and table were wooden and polished. In between the full length windows were bookcases with a wide range of books.
The windows curtains were black.
"Wow," commented Hermione, "This is way nicer then the Gryffindor common room."
"And the Slytherin. Let's go look at our rooms and unpack shall we?" suggested Draco.
"Sure," smiled Hermione.
They both ran up stairs and went there separate ways, Draco left, Hermione right.
Hermione opened her oak door and gasped in surprise. The floor was no longer wooden it was white.
The walls were maroon with gold yellow edging. In the centre of the room against the wall was a double bed with a silk gold quilt and maroon pillows. Next to the doorway where she was standing to her right was her desk. To her left next to her door was another door, obviously to the bathroom. To her right on the wall across from her bed was her wardrobe attached to her dressing table. And to her left were balcony doors with gold curtains.
Hermione walked in and entered the bathroom.
The floor was blue marble and the walls were pale sky blue. In the centre of the bathroom was a silver bath with various taps. The bath was big enough to fit six people. In the far corner next to Draco's door was a shower, big enough for three people. And next to Hermione's door was the vanity with a large mirror. Next to the vanity was a walled off area with a door. On the door was the word TOILET. Hanging off the walled area was a towel rack. There was a green towel and dressing gown and a maroon towel and dressing gown.
"I like it," said Hermione before entering her room to unpack.
!Z!
Two hours later Draco exited his room. His room was like Hermione's except it was green and silver.
He slid down the staircase rail and walked over to the bookshelf.
He walked to every bookcase reading the spines. Finally he found some novels to read. He found a Steven King one and walked over to the lounge and began reading.
Ten minutes later Hermione emerged from he room exhausted.
"I never knew how exhausting unpacking could be," sighed Hermione grabbing a novel as well.
Hers was called The Shamer's Daughter. (A/N: Good book. So is the sequel.)
"It is isn't it," murmured Draco glancing at Hermione as she sat on the maroon lounge.
He watched her brown eyes as they moved across the page, frowning at serious parts and widening at surprising parts.
Hermione glanced over at Draco and caught him averting his gaze. She frowned for a moment at him and then shrugged her shoulders and returned to reading.
!Z!
A time passed silently at Hogwarts. And now it was late November and winter was slowly looming into Hogwarts making things a tad colder. Hermione had only had one minor episode with the darkness but Draco calmed her down easily and made her leave her homework for two hours.
Hermione hit her alarm clock and slowly sat up. She could see the November sunshine peeking through the gap of her curtains. It was a Monday and she had Care of Magical Creatures first. Walking over to the balcony doors Hermione pulled her curtains open to be welcomed by the trees on the school grounds bending in the wind... cold wind.
"Oh joy," muttered Hermione.
She quickly dressed in her black stockings, grey skirt, white blouse and Gryffindor tie; she pulled on her jumper along with her robe. Sitting on her bed and did the buckles up on her black school shoes and brushed her hair and pulled it into a ponytail.
After packing her bag she ran out of her room and collided with a solid figure. Hermione landed hard on her backside and looked up to see Draco.
"Sorry," said Draco helping her up.
"No I am. I wasn't watching where I was going," replied Hermione smiling at him.
Draco smiled at her feeling his stomach flip when he realized how close him and Hermione were.
Whoa, thought Draco, Where did that come from?
Hermione stepped back also realizing how close they were, "So Care of Magical Creatures first huh?"
"Y-yeah," stammered Draco, "We'd better get to breakfast."
"Yeah," said Hermione frowning a little, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
Hermione nodded and they both left walking a safe distance apart down the corridor.
!Z!
"Blaise!" cried Ginny running down the corridor to her friend, and crush.
Yes Ginny had realized she had a crush on Blaise a week after they had beaten them at Quidditch. But she never told him, as she feared he might only like her as a friend.
Blaise turned on his shoe heel and smiled when he saw Ginny, "Good morning."
"Morning," smiled Ginny, "How are you?"
"Alright and yourself?"
"I'm great. So anything happened between now and yesterday?"
"Let's see," said Blaise thoughtfully, "Pansy got bitched slapped by a Ravenclaw called Luna Lovegood after Pansy called her an orphan freak."
"That was harsh. She deserved that. Luna's dad died of cancer three weeks ago."
"Exactly. But Pansy kept groaning about her red cheek all night. Until Millicent told her to get over herself and quit being a flobber worm."
Ginny laughed, "I can just imagine Millicent saying that to her."
Blaise smiled and nodded. His hand brushed Ginny's causing both to blush.
"S-sorry," stammered Blaise as they stopped walking and were looking at each other.
"It's okay," replied Ginny.
Their eye's locked and both stepped closer their hearts thumping a mile a minute.
Blaise raised a hand to her cheek and they inched closer and closer.
"Ginny!"
Ginny and Blaise jumped apart and looked to see Hermione and Draco walking towards them.
"I know they are friends and everything," said Blaise, "But why do they walk so far apart?"
"They don't want people to know... I understand where they are coming from," replied Ginny, "Morning Herms."
Hermione smiled and Ginny waved bye to Blaise and they headed off.
"I nearly kissed him!" hissed Ginny once they were away from Blaise and Draco.
"What?" cried Hermione, "I'm so sorry Ginny. I know how much you like him."
"It's okay. So how are things with living with Draco?"
Hermione sighed, "Alright... but umm... whenever I'm near him... I get butterflies."
"You do?"
"Yeah. They are only minor of course."
"Maybe you're starting to get a crush on him."
Hermione shoo her head, "We are friends... only friends."
!Z!
"You what?"
"I nearly kissed her! Then you two came along," snapped Blaise.
"Dude I'm sorry. You both will kiss... eventually," shrugged Draco as they entered the Great Hall.
He spotted Hermione talking and laughing with Ginny. He watched as Ron put his arm around Hermione's shoulders. A shot of jealously surged through him shocking him.
"Shit," muttered Draco.
"What? What's shit?" asked Blaise as they sat down.
"What do you feel whenever you see the Weasley girl with other guys?" asked Draco.
"I get jealous naturally. Why?"
"No reason," muttered Draco.
Blaise looked over at the Gryffindor table and saw the Weasley boy talking to his best female friend with his arm around her shoulders. Blaise nodded knowingly, his best friend had a growing crush on the Headgirl.
!Z!
Hermione, Harry, Ron and the other Gryffindor's exited the castle only to be met with strong cold wind.
Hermione wrapped her cloak around herself trying to keep warm.
"Oh this is ridiculous," shouted Harry over the wind, "How are we meant to learn anything today?"
Hermione shrugged her shoulders and put her head down and forced herself through the winds.
"November is never like this!" shouted Dean, "Maybe it has to do with the El Nino effect?"
"That what?" asked Ron.
"It's a muggle scientific thing Ron," replied Hermione, "You most likely right Dean. I-"
Her cloak undoing and flying off her cut off Hermione.
"You all go ahead," said Hermione holding her skirt down and her bag at the same time, "I'll catch up!"
The boys nodded and kept walking as Hermione ran over to the forest edge where her cloak lay.
!Z!
Draco along with his fellow Slytherins exited the castle grounds and ventured into the wind. They were all walking in silence when Blaise nudged Draco. Draco looked up at him to see him pointing towards the forest edge. Walking towards it was Hermione. Draco noticed she was walking towards her cloak, which lay, on the ground.
"Ahh... you all go ahead. I forgot my book," said Draco pretending to turn away. When the Slytherins were far enough ahead Draco ran over to Hermione.
Hermione knelt on the ground to grab her when something kicked her hard in the chest. Hermione fell back and looked up to see and black-cloaked figure.
"Hello... Ellawise," snarled the black-cloaked Hermione, "It's time you came home."
"STUPEFY!"
Hermione ducked her head and a red shot hit the cloak figure in the chest. Hermione looked up to see the person sprawled on the ground.
Hermione shakily stood up with her cloak and bag in hand and turned around only to be embraced in a hug by Draco.
"Are you okay?" asked Draco letting her go.
Hermione nodded, "I-it called me... Ellawise... I-it said I had to go home."
"And it is time."
Both teenagers jumped and turned around to see another person looking at them. Hermione pulled her wand out and aimed it.
"Back off," snarled Hermione her anger rising.
Draco stepped back afraid of what was coming over Hermione.
"It's time you became the person you are meant to be," said the voice coolly.
"I am who I am meant to be," hissed Hermione, "Better then you."
The person stepped so close to Hermione and so fast it was scary. It grabbed Hermione by the throat and raised her off the ground.
"Never speak to your father like that again," hissed the person.
Hermione raised her knee a few inches and kneed him in the groined even making Draco jump.
Her father dropped her and Draco quickly grabbed he hand and pulled her towards him. Hermione
struggled in his grasp screaming at the man who was her real father.
"YOU ARE NO FATHER TO ME! YOU ARE DEAD IN MY MIND! MY FATHER IS BARRY GRANGER! AND I AM HERMIONE GRANGER! YOU KILLED MY PARENTS! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!"
"Mr Malfoy get her into the castle!" came McGonagall's crisp voice.
Draco nodded and led the struggling Hermione into the castle. Dumbledore and Flitwick both rushed past them towards McGonagall.
"I hate him!" cried Hermione her black eyes returning to brown, "I hate him... I so do."
"Shh," soothed Draco as they entered their tower.
Draco sat Hermione on the lounge and ran to the bathroom and got a washer and tissues. He ran down to Hermione and sat beside her and washed her tearstains away.
"I scared you didn't I?" whispered Hermione looking at Draco.
Draco nodded and handed her a tissue, "You just went dark. You voice wasn't normal... your brown eyes went black."
"I'm sorry," said Hermione, "I just felt so angry all of a sudden and I couldn't stop it."
"It's over now. Okay? You're going to be fine. Dumbledore will make sure of that."
Hermione hugged Draco and breathed in his scent.
!Z!
A knock on the tower door broke the hug and Draco stood and answered it. Standing there was Dumbledore and the twinkle that was normally in his eye was gone.
"Come in Professor," said Draco standing aside.
They both walked the stairs and entered the common room. Hermione looked up and saw Dumbledore walk over to her. He sat on the maroon lounge and Draco sat next to Hermione.
"Did you get them?" asked Hermione.
"I'm afraid not. Professor McGonagall tried to stop them from getting away but they stunned her and fled. They didn't expect you to fight as you did, or have someone there to help you," replied Dumbledore.
"But... they'll be back. I know they will."
"I know Miss Granger. Until this is all sorted out you are not to step out onto the school grounds without a Professor or Mr Malfoy. I know you have two bestfriends who can fight just as good as Mr Malfoy here but I understand you haven't told them anything yet."
"I haven't. They will treat me different. I don't want that."
"Very well. We will be getting more Order members guarding the school grounds as well."
"What will you tell the school?"
"That there is a rumour about Voldemort attacking the school and this is just a precaution."
Hermione nodded as Dumbledore stood.
"Do not worry Miss Granger. We will do everything we can to keep you safe."
Hermione smiled, "Thankyou Professor."
"Now, you can have the rest of today off but you must be back in class tomorrow. You too Mr Malfoy."
"Thankyou Sir," said Draco.
"Good day," nodded Dumbledore as he left.
Hermione instantly broke down in tears with her head in her hands.
Draco scooted closer to Hermione and hugged her, "Shh... it's all going to be okay... I will never let harm come to you... you mean to much to me..."
Hermione looked up at Draco, "I'm letting harm come to everyone around me Draco... McGonagall got hurt because of me... Harry and Ron are going to be in a panic frenzy with the lie Dumbledore is telling to school... Ginny knows something is wrong with me... its all my fault! I should never have been saved! They should've let me be evil and rot in hell!"
Draco took Hermione firmly by the shoulders and looked her square in the eyes, "You were saved because you are special and can become anything you want. Dumbledore believes you will and so do I. You are Hermione Granger not Ellawise Verbatim. And none of this, I repeat, none of this is your fault!"
Hermione shook her head, "It is. Because of me I will have the school all scared. I don't want that. Maybe I should just go join my dear daddy's evil group."
"No..."
"Why not."
"I... I don't want you to and I won't let you."
Hermione sighed and fell back against the lounge, "I won't... I couldn't anyway. There is no way in hell Voldemort will make we join him."
Draco nodded, "How about I go down to the kitchens and get some hot chocolate while you have a shower to refresh yourself?"
Hermione nodded and stood up with Draco. She turned to face Draco and hugged him, "You are such a good friend Draco. I don't know what I would do without you."
Draco rubbed Hermione's back, "I don't know what I would do without you either."
Hermione kissed him on the cheek and pulled away, "Well I'd better go have a shower."
Draco nodded and headed down the stairs. He was falling for her... hard and fast and he couldn't stop himself.
!Z!
Hermione walked up the stairs her heart pounding and mile a minute. She'd just hugged Draco. Sure she'd hugged him a lot. She'd just kissed him on the cheek. Sure she'd kissed him before. But why was her heart pounding like a jackhammer this time?
She liked his eyes, they were full of mystery, she liked his smile, it lit up his whole face, his laugh, his voice, it was deep, she knew why.
She was falling for him... fast.
"He doesn't feel the same way," muttered Hermione.
Well Ginny was right about the crush. But this wasn't an ordinary girl crush. This was much more.
"He just sees me as his friend who has a psycho after her," sighed Hermione entered her room to grab a change of clothes for her shower, "I'm just a friend... but I want more."
A/N: There you go. They realized they like each other and Hermione faced her dear old daddy... and what a kick he got out of it... okay bad joke I know! smiles anyway. Tell what you think okay?
Love yas!
Love Coz!