Disclaimer- If I said I was J.K. Rowling would you believe me? No? Would you at least lend me some money? No again? Well then, there's no point in me lying.
A/N- I am SOOOOO sorry about this being so late!!! I meant to get it out around three weeks ago, but my computer has been completely spaztic, plus for the longest time I thought I actually had posted this chapter. It confuzzled me when a friend of mine said I hadn't. Not buying the excuses? Ah well, I tried.
Now…
ON WITH THE MADNESS!!!
-Killing Me Softly-
-Chapter 7- Power-
The rest of the Christmas holidays passed without much incident, as did New Year's. Before the Hogwarts students knew it, it was February 1st and nearing Valentine's day.
Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and Ron were all sitting outside on the low wall around Hagrid's hut, talking, just talking, as friends often do. The four friends were rarely able to do this, what with the ever-looming threat of Voldemort hanging over their heads, but they had put aside their worries for these few moments and were giving life as normal teenagers a shot.
"What do you think would happen if I used the leg-locker curse on a flower?" Ron mused as he fingered an innocent yellow daisy.
"I don't know and I don't care to find out," Hermione said primly. Ginny, who was French-braiding Hermione's hair for her, gave one wispy strand an especially sharp tug.
"Oh stop being so damn proper, you know you're curious." Ron winced at the sound of his baby sister swearing. "Give it a try," Ginny encouraged. She plucked the daisy and twirled it annoyingly under Hermione's nose.
"Fine, fine," Hermione laughed, taking the flower. With a flick of her wand and a few muttered words she placed the charm in question upon the flower.
Ice-blue sparks flew in all directions out of the daisy's center. A few settled in Hermione's hair and several on Ron's robes. Both promptly caught on fire.
"Aaaah!" Hermione and Ron yelled in unison as they ran for the lake. They jumped in and ducked under the water, putting out the blue flames. Hermione rose first, hair fallen from it's half-completed braid and laughing to the point where she couldn't breathe. She waded back to shore with her head held high and her jaw set. When she sat back down she said with a glare "Not a word. Not. A. Word." Ginny giggled.
"Well, that's fine, I suppose. If you don't want to be told that your shirt is see-through, I won't tell you." The redhead smirked evilly as her brother sat down next to her.
Hermione looked down and blushed. Not only could her bra clearly be seen through her white tank top, but Ron was staring quite obviously in that general direction. "I'm going to go change," she said quickly. She stood up hurriedly and jogged up the path to the castle.
As she was climbing the stairs to the Head's dorm she passed Draco, who was holding a peach colored envelope as if it would catch fire at any moment.
"Oi, Mudblood!" he shouted, causing Hermione to turn around. "Read the letter." He shoved it into her hands.
Hermione opened the envelope with relative ease, for the seal was already broken. She pulled out the cream-colored paper inside and shook it open. As she read her eyes widened to platter-sized orbs. When she finished she turned to Draco.
"What is this supposed to be?" she said, her voice shaking slightly.
"You tell me."
Well," Hermione said, slipping happily into teacher mode, "You see, Dumbledore wants us to organize the Valentine's Day dance, the key word there being us-"
"I know that Granger. How do you propose we deal with it?"
"I suppose we just, well… do it." Draco raised an eyebrow and Hermione said exasperatedly "You know what I mean, and it's not that. I mean, what else can we do? We don't have much of a choice, do we?"
"'Course we don't."
"Though I can't help but think that Dumbledore is a bit crazy," Hermione went on. "Of course we are both heads, but us working together is a bit-"
"Granger," Draco cut in, "Do you ever shut up?" Hermione blushed and shut her mouth. "Much better," Draco said with a smirk. "We'll meet tomorrow after classes to start working on the plans for the dance."
"What if I have a previous engagement?"
"Now you don't. By the way Granger, you do know that your shirt is wet… and very, very white."
"Enjoying the view, are we?" Draco looked disgusted. "I was just going to change."
"Well then, you have my permission to go."
"You really are full of yourself."
"Thank you, I know."
Hermione continued on the way to her bedroom, holding the peach-colored envelope in such a way that it covered most of her front.
When she reached her room she slipped out of her dripping clothes, dumping them in a pile at the foot of her bed, and, wearing only her underclothes, dug through a heap of clean (or close to it) clothes on her dresser. She pulled on an ankle-length lavender skirt and a dark purple knit top and hat. It was a Sunday afternoon; therefore she was able to wear what she wanted. The hat pressed her frizzy hair to her scalp in the places it covered, but everywhere else the chestnut mass poofed out comically. 'No matter, it keeps my ears warm,' Hermione thought. 'It's cold at this time of year and the halls are drafty.'
Pulling the hat even farther onto her head she left the room and went down the stairs to the common room. Lighting a fire in the fireplace with a vague wave of her wand she settled herself into a squashy burgundy leather armchair. Then she accioed a well-worn copy of Much Ado About Nothing from her bag across the room. Opening it to a dog-eared page about halfway through the book she began to read.
About an hour later someone snatching the book from her hands interrupted her. "Harry broke up with Cho," Ginny said, obviously trying to keep her voice neutral.
"That's great!" Hermione said excitedly. "Well, I don't mean it's great for him, but it's great for you. I mean-"
"I know, isn't it!" Ginny cut in before Hermione could slip completely into rambling mode. "Apparently they just couldn't keep up a long-distance relationship, what with Cho graduated and in France. And the best part is, he broke up with her so he shouldn't be too terribly heartbroken. I figure I should wait a couple weeks and then-"
"Move in for the kill," Hermione stated darkly.
"Well, I suppose you could say that, but really, you make it sound so evil. I think I prefer… strategically attack." At this both girls burst into giggles. Then Ginny said seriously: "Of course a relationship with him would be difficult. He does have a psycho killer dude after him, but I think I can deal with that. And he is famous, but hey, I like attention!
"Of course you can deal with it. You two are perfect for each other." Hermione smiled comfortingly.
Then Draco burst in.
"Roses!" He announced as if it were the most important thing in the world.
"What?" Hermione said, confused.
"I've got roses." Draco looked very proud. "For the dance, red ones and pink ones and white ones."
"What about orange ones? And purple ones?"
"Those too. But I didn't get any yellow."
"Why not? I told you to."
"Precisely."
"Fine then, we don't need yellow roses. They have a tendency to be diseased anyways," Hermione said, trying in vain to cover up the fact that she was fairly impressed with Draco. "You've put a preserving charm on them, I assume."
"Of course. And I had them put in the supply room." An enlarged broom closet next to the Great Hall was being used as a storage place for all the dance decorations. "I think we need a bigger room though. It's already very crowded."
"Say what?"
"Crowded, Granger. I knew you were stupid, but I didn't think you had hearing problems."
"I heard you perfectly. Isn't the room big enough?"
"You really are stupid. I tell you the room is crowded when we only have roses and crepe paper and you ask if it's big enough?"
"I guess it's not then. However, you are a wizard, are you not? Why not simply, I don't know, enlarge the room?" Hermione smirked. "Now, if you excuse me, you need to leave. We were busy before you came bursting in,"
"Fine. We're talking after dinner though. I've had a few ideas and since you're so damn controlling I figured I should run them by you. I have no death wish."
"Good. Leave." Hermione ordered. Once Draco had left the room, Ginny squealed happily.
"What?" Hermione questioned.
"He's perfect for you! He lets you boss him around!"
"Hardly. And even if he did, everyone lets me boss them around. With the exception of you of course." Hermione added hastily at Ginny's glare.
"But- but-"
"No buts. I'm bossy. Malfoy only listens to me because if he doesn't I end up taking up too much of his time. It's easier on him if he listens to me."
"I suppose so. Fine, you win."
Hermione grinned. "Look, I'm going to go find Harry and Ron. Do you know where they are?"
"After you left to change they went to visit Lupin. I came to visit you."
"All right, I'll go down to the Defense classroom then. See you later." Hermione set off on her way.
As she was walking down the Charms corridor she was hit by a small black object. The surprisingly strong force of the impact caused Hermione and the black blur to fall to the ground. Now that the blur had be forced to a stop, Hermione saw that it was a little 1st year girl with short, spiky black hair and high cheekbones. Tears were streaming down her face and her eyes were wide with fright.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, concerned.
"There's a b-boggart in that classroom and- and it…" She trailed off, looking behind her nervously.
"Come now, it's alright." Hermione took the girl's hands in hers and wiped the tears from her face.
The girl was just calming down when a small yellowish-white guinea pig scampered out of one of the classrooms. She gave a frightened shriek and practically jumped into Hermione's arms. Bursting into a fresh wave of tears, the girl clung to Hermione in fright.
Since the first year's head was buried in Hermione's shoulder the boggart chose to focus its attention on the older girl. The little rodent shifted fluidly into a towering, dark-cloaked figure, pointing its want menacingly at Hermione. "Obliviate!" the figure said quietly, its voice somehow still traveling down the hall so that the sound reached the ears of a certain silver-haired boy who was just turning the corner.
"No…" Draco heard Hermione breathe as a jet of bright light shot towards her. She was crushing the little black-haired girl to her chest and her chocolate eyes were wide with horror.
"Stupefy," Draco muttered, almost without thinking, pointing his wand at the dark figure. Nothing happened. For a moment Draco was confused, until the figure turned towards him and, upon doing so, began to shift into a taller, snake-faced figure. Without even a second of hesitation Draco flicked his wand and muttered "Ridiculus."
With a crack the boggart (in the shape of an all-too-familiar snake-like creature) was wearing a lemon-yellow cocktail dress and a bright red clown nose. Draco snorted and Hermione, who had looked up at the crack, smiled weakly, but it was the little first year girl that saved them. Her clear, innocent laughter rang through the halls, sending the boggart running (drifting very quickly, more like) into the classroom from whence it came.
Hermione stared after it for a moment before turning to the girl and taking her hands. "You alright now?" she asked softly.
The girl nodded.
"What's your name?"
"Lyric. But everyone calls me Tom," the girl mumbled.
"Well then Tom, why don't you go to dinner? It's almost time now, isn't it?" Hermione gave the spiky-haired girl a small shove. Tom took off running down the corridor. When she had turned the corner Hermione turned to Draco, who's book bag had torn, ruining his quick getaway. "Why-" she started.
"I don't know so don't ask," Draco said hurriedly, glaring up at her from his kneeling position on the floor.
"I didn't need your help you know. I could have handled everything perfectly well on my own."
"Oh yes. Because you're just terrific in these sort of circumstances. What would you have done, ran like you did when you-?"
"Possibly," Hermione cut in quickly. "I was scared. That's what people do when they're scared, they run. It's not my fault that, when faced with a dificult situation like that,-" She stopped suddenly. "You know!"
"Possibly."
Hermione glared and stalked away, but there was an amused sparkle in her eye as she did so.
-End Chapter 7-
A/N- Longest chapter yet! 11 pages in Word! How do you like? Tell me if you don't understand the end. I can explain it. Power is by Marvin Pontiac (who is majorly cool, by the way), and most definetly not by me. It's a cool song. It almost rivals She Don't Use Jelly. Almost.
THANKS-
blackhorse darkrider- Mmm, I know Hermione is like me. I'm trying to fix that… And yes, I made that up all by myself. I'm quite proud of it. Thanks for reviewing! I'll have to count reviews tomorrow, to see for MMU points and such.
greenflamingo- Oi oi!!! Absolutely LOVE the name. Your review made me smile. But I smile at almost anything this late at night so that doesn't count for much.
Egotistical basically means self-centered. Mwaha! French is actually useful! I should have signed up for it. Now I'll have to take it with all the seventh graders next year. I can kind of play the harmonica, well I can play Amazing Grace, but that's all. I never said Hermione's favorite color was green, I said she liked it. Her favorite color is blue. I'm not so corny as to make it red or green. Hermione isn't bitchy! She's got… spunk! Yes. Spunk… Many cheers for you for writing your longest review. I enjoyed it very much.
Everyone- REVIEW!!!!! I wrote my longest chapter ever! I deserve it!