Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Author Notes: Woo-hoo...new chapters! Sorry that I took so long to post but I had a lot of trouble writing the next chapter for some reason. Then there is always Inuyasha niggling at the back of my thoughts. However I do believe that Inu will be booted once the next book comes out. Anyhoo... you guys have really been leaving me some wonderful reviews! Thank you ever so much. Thanks to Vegeta who received and went over these in less than an hour. :) Oh...lots of Draco in the next couple of chapters...not as much Sirius unfortunately. *Sigh* But rest assured that our angsty hero will return!
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Hogwarts: Seventh Year
It was a long train ride back to Hogwarts. Rain was thick and heavy against the windows. But it was hard to see the precipitation through the humidity-fogged glass. No matter how many charms were cast, the dampness couldn't be banished from their belongings. Hermione absentmindedly rubbed the back of her neck with one hand, the moist air making her muscles ache.
Her shiny Head Girl badge glittered like a jewel on the lapel of her robe. Ron had made several snide remarks comparing her to Percy but they both knew that he didn't mean them. Hermione knew that they were pleased for her. Ron was desperately hoping that she would give a detention to Crabbe or Goyle. None of them mentioned Draco.
There had been no word from the Slytherin boy and Harry and Ron had quickly realized that it was a sensitive subject for Hermione. She couldn't explain it, but she felt like she had failed him. Hermione couldn't help but replay the time that he had spent in her home. She looked desperately for something that she could have done differently. Something that would have made him stay. But there was nothing.
"Hermione?" Harry's voice interrupted.
"What?" She asked sharply, immediately regretting it.
"Aren't you supposed to be in the front of the train with the prefects?"
She nodded, "for a little while."
The two boys exchanged a look. Hermione sighed and got to her feet. They wanted to talk about her. It was so obvious it made her want to throw something. She didn't think it would be something negative. They were just concerned. Malfoy had up and disappeared while staying at her house and she had been visibly upset about it. They probably thought that something might have happened between the two of them. Harry and Ron almost certainly wanted to work out a plan on how best to break Draco's legs for interfering with their friend.
"I am going now." She pulled her cloak on, not that she was cold but the clamminess in the train was beginning to have an affect.
She walked the long hall towards the front of the train. She wasn't even sure if Malfoy was here. For all Hermione knew, he could be dead somewhere. But Hermione found herself doubting it. Draco had always struck her as a survivor. He had proven as much when he had taken to muggle life like a fish to water. But she couldn't help but worry.
Hermione stopped, listening. From a nearby compartment she had heard a familiar drawl. Pulling the door open she smiled in relief for looking resplendent in perfectly tailored school robes was Draco.
"Dra..." she began to say but he cut her off.
"Oh look, it's mudblood Granger." He smirked cruelly at her.
Crabbe and Goyle, with whom Draco was sharing his compartment, got to their feet.
"Are you lost Granger?" Draco asked snidely, "I thought they kept the mudblood trash at the end of the train, we purebloods don't fancy your smell."
Crabbe and Goyle laughed as if Draco had made the best joke ever. Hermione's hands clenched and she knew that a hot flush was rising up her cheeks.
"Go to hell," Hermione hissed. Ron would have been proud of her language, and she spun back out of the room.
~*~*~*~
The first several weeks of school came and went with little excitement. Harry and Ron focused on securing the Quidditch Cup for the fourth time since they started at Hogwarts. Hermione hardly had time to miss their presence though. Being the Head Girl was more demanding than she had anticipated. There were rounds to be made, first years to guide, and meetings to attend.
Hermione glanced back at the parchment in front of her and read, "Abigail Pruit, Hufflepuff prefect, wishes to make a complaint against Slytherin prefect Elric Afleburt." She looked across the table at a pretty sixth year girl with chestnut curls and gray eyes.
The girl sprung to her feet and scowled down the table to where a boy sat next to Malfoy, a familiar smirk on his face.
"Yes, I wish to register a complaint." The girl glanced at Hermione before continuing. "That Slytherin prefect has been taking an undue amount of points off of the Hufflepuffs." Abigail pointed an angry finger at the boy.
Hermione looked at Elric, "you may, of course, defend yourself."
Elric, who was an non descript as can be imagined with sallow skin and dull hair, didn't bother getting to his feet, "I have been taking points off of Hufflepuff, but I make rounds past their tower every Tuesday and Thursday night, and they are a rather disreputable group. They deserved to lose every point that I've taken off."
Hermione raised her eyebrows slightly, Hufflepuff disreputable?
"You liar!" Abigail was livid; "he took ten points off of Hannah Abbot yesterday for talking in the corridor!" She turned to Hermione, "you can't let him do that!"
Malfoy chuckled. Hermione glared at him coldly. He hardly ever participated in these weekly meetings. He didn't even try to hide the fact that he thought they were a waste of his time.
"Something that you want to add Malfoy?" Hermione snapped.
Malfoy nudged Elric who stood finally.
"I didn't take points off of that Hufflepuff girl because she was talking." Elric told them defensively.
"Feel free to enlighten us then Mr. Afleburt" Hermione said when he seemed less than forth coming with an explanation.
"Well you see there is this alcove near the Hufflepuff tower." Elric began but was cut-off by Malfoy.
"Ahh...the lovers alcove, I know it well." There was a dreamy, nostalgic gleam in his eyes.
Hermione snorted, "I would not be surprised."
"You see," Elric was speaking again, "I didn't take points off of Hannah for talking, believe me, talking was the farthest thing from her mind."
Hermione bit her lip to stop her grin as Abigail went white.
"But then why did you say the points were taken for talking?" The Hufflepuff's voice was small.
"Well," Elric looked uncomfortable, "it would have been rather embarrassing had they been officially taken off for snogging."
Hermione studied Elric for a moment, that was a very un-Slytherin like thing for him to have done. Malfoy obviously thought so since he had taken to glaring at his prefect.
Reshuffling her parchments, Hermione spoke again, "that should be enough for tonight. Abigail, you may want to keep a better eye on that part of the corridor. I'll be posting the new rounds on the door in case anyone forgets what day they are supposed to patrol. Meeting dismissed."
The other prefects gathered their belongings and made a hasty retreat, there was only a half hour left in which to eat supper. Hermione took her time, however, carefully going over the list of items that she had meant to discuss, making sure that she had covered them all. Finally satisfied that she had, Hermione searched through her bag for the new patrol list. Slipping her backpack onto her shoulder she approached the door. A simple charm later and the list was attached firmly.
"For a muggle-born, you've always been rather at ease with magic."
Hermione turned quickly, Malfoy had returned to the room and was sitting on the edge of a table watching her.
"What do you want?" Hermione asked firmly, ignoring the qualm of fear at being snuck up on.
"Look I want..." He stopped abruptly because Elric had also returned.
"Draco, I wanted to ask you..." The younger boy stopped though when he saw Hermione.
"Do I make myself clear mudblood?" Malfoy sneered at Hermione. "If you have a problem with a Slytherin, you come to me, not them, understand?"
Hermione didn't know what to say. She had absolutely no idea what he was going on about. He wasn't about to elaborate though. Malfoy gave her one more domineering glare before he swept out of the classroom, Elric trailing behind him looking rather apologetically at Hermione.
~*~*~*~
"I told you that he couldn't help being evil." Ron said through a mouthful of potatoes and gravy.
"There are some people who can't be saved," Harry's voice was gentler.
"Neither of you know anything about it." Hermione snapped before getting to her feet. "It was very strange, it was as if there were two different people in him."
Concerned, Harry asked her "Where are you going?"
"Probably the library," Ron teased. "Or not," he added hastily as Hermione looked on the verge of decking him.
"I'm just tired." Hermione replied letting her annoyance fade, it wasn't their fault she was in a foul mood after all. Hermione shot a glance at the Slytherin table to scowl at Malfoy but he was already gone. With renewed anger, Hermione trounced out of the Great Hall.
Her defiant footsteps echoed through the silent corridor. Each angry step reverberated off the walls. Hermione pushed her hands deep into the pockets of her robes and scowled at the stone floors as she walked. She had really thought that he could change. That just went to prove how gullible she really was.
Unnoticed hands emerged from a shadowed alcove to her right and quite suddenly Hermione felt herself yanked backwards into darkness, her scream cut off by a hand clenched over her mouth.
"Shh, Hermione, it's me."
Hermione knew that voice. She bit him anyway.
Cursing, Malfoy released her. She spun to face him, her wand pointed determinedly in his direction. For his part, Malfoy took no notice of this as his attention was focused on his hand.
"You bit me," he said in shock.
Hermione spat as she realized the metallic tang in her mouth was blood. "You noticed?" Her voice was spiteful.
He looked up at her, "Hermione..."
"Don't you dare call me that!" She glared at him.
"This is about earlier, isn't it? Look, I'm sorry about this cloak and dagger stuff but I wanted to explain." His gray eyes were pleading.
A crashing sound from down the hall alerted them to the official ending of the dinner.
"I can't talk about this here. Meet me tomorrow?" Malfoy asked her quickly, the sound of approaching footsteps making him nervous.
Hermione was fighting an internal war. She had no reason to trust him. For all she knew, he was trying to lure her someplace where he could properly hex her. But for a few weeks over the summer he had been her friend. Hermione had never been able to deny her friends a chance to redeem themselves.
"Where?"
Draco relaxed slightly, "the fourth floor Arithmancy classroom, tomorrow at midnight." Before she could argue he grasped her arms, spun her around, and shoved her out into the way of the approaching throng of students.
She tried to fight her way back through the crowd to the alcove, but Draco was already gone.
~*~*~*~
"You've been quiet all day." Harry said finally.
Hermione looked up from her Arithmancy homework and studied Harry. She tried her best to look innocently confused but she doubted greatly that they were fooled.
"Okay," Ron closed his Divination book, "what are you up to?"
"Up to?" Hermione asked with false candor. "What makes you think I'm up to something?"
Ron and Harry looked at each other and then her.
"All right," She muttered in defeat, "I'm meeting Malfoy at midnight."
"You're what?" Ron thundered, drawing the attention of almost everyone in the crowded common room. With a smart kick to his ankle from Hermione he went quiet.
"He asked me to last night after supper, he wants to explain."
"I'll bet he wants to explain." Harry said.
"He deserves a chance," Hermione persisted.
"No, he deserves a Dementor's Kiss." Ron growled vehemently.
"Ron!" Both Harry and Hermione said in shock.
Ron looked only slightly abashed. "Well, if not that then at least a good kick in the pants."
"I don't think you should go." Harry told her firmly.
"I'll regret it if I don't." Hermione said mournfully.
"We could go with you," Harry suggested although Ron looked downright horrified at the thought. "We could wear the invisibility cloak, he'd never know."
Hermione shook her head quickly, "no, no, he hates you as much as you hate him. If he finds out that you're there..." She let her voice trail off. They all knew that it wouldn't be good if Malfoy found Harry and Ron eavesdropping on their conversation.
Ron groaned and slouched back in his red-velvet upholstered armchair, "I don't believe you're willing to risk your own safety on the mere chance that Malfoy may not hex you."
"How is this, if I'm not back in an hour then you have my permission to kill him?" Hermione teased.
Ron sat up, there was a sudden gleam in his eyes, "that's worth considering." He looked to Harry who nodded.
"You had better take the cloak." Harry said.
"I won't need it," Hermione replied, "Don't forget, I am the Head Girl."
Ron shook his head, "That excuse won't work if you run into Snape."
"All right then," Hermione relented as Harry agreed with Ron.
~*~*~*~
He was already there when Hermione arrived, he had left the door partially opened, and she slipped in silently. She didn't remove the invisibility cloak; she wanted a moment to ascertain that it wasn't some sort of trap. Malfoy appeared to be alone. He sat on a desk, his head bowed, and his hands clasped together. Hermione thought that he looked like he was praying.
"Who's there?" He looked up. "I know you're there, even if I can't see you."
Hermione pushed the hood back and his eyes focused on hers in surprise.
"You have an invisibility cloak?"
She shook her head, "no, it's..."
"Potter's, of course, he would have an invisibility cloak." Malfoy slipped off the desk, "I wasn't sure if you would come."
He was approaching her and Hermione stepped back, "you wanted to explain Malfoy, so explain."
"I'm trying to," Malfoy stopped moving towards her. "You're afraid of me?"
"Well I am alone in a classroom with a Death Eater, shouldn't I be afraid?"
Malfoy shook his head, "not of me, Hermione. I'm not going to hurt you. I don't want to hurt anyone."
"You did read the Death Eater manifesto before joining, didn't you? It's a little late to be making declarations of good will." She snapped, trying to ignore his soft words.
"I didn't have a choice!" Malfoy defended.
"Of course you had a choice!" Hermione snapped back, "You chose to let them brand you. You chose to lick the heels of Voldemort. You chose to go back to them!"
"You don't understand," Malfoy was becoming very pale, "I didn't know what I was getting myself into."
"That's a lie and you know it."
"I was wrong, about all of it, I knew that the moment they marked me, the moment that my father...that my father killed my mother." Malfoy lowered his head.
Hermione had to fight the urge to comfort him, "you didn't have to go back. You made the right choice to leave, but you went back Malfoy."
He looked up quickly, "they would have killed me Hermione."
She knew that it was true. But that didn't make it the better choice. "Then you have to live with your mistakes, don't you?"
He didn't reply. Hermione watched as he sat back down on the desk. She wanted to say something, anything, but there weren't words for what he needed to hear. And finally, Hermione pulled the cloak back on and left the boy sitting very much as he had been when she arrived. Head bowed and hands clasped as if in prayer.
~*~*~*~
The time passed more quickly than Hermione could ever remember. It was probably because this was their last year in Hogwarts. But the days blended into weeks and then the weeks into months. The last of summer faded into fall, which died into winter.
Hermione pulled her cloak tightly around herself and leaned forward in the stands as the Gryffindors cheered on their team. Ginny's arm was linked in her own and the two girls huddled together for warmth.
"Harry gets better every game, doesn't he?" Ginny was breathless as Harry swooped towards the ground.
Hermione nodded, "yes, he really is amazing."
"Ron thinks he could play for England."
Hermione thought about this, "he could, but I don't think he will."
They rose to their feet along with the other Gryffindors as Hamish Lynch, one of their beaters, swung entirely off of his broom in order to stop a Bludger from making contact with a chaser. For a moment it seemed certain to the crowd that he was going to plummet to the ground but he had managed to maintain a tentative grasp on the straw and swung himself back onto his broom.
"He's crazy," Ginny muttered, "starking mad that beater, his cousin too."
"I know," Hermione grinned, "you would have thought all those bumps to the head by the Bludgers last year would have knocked some sense into them."
The crowd settled and Ginny turned back to their conversation, "why wouldn't Harry try for England?"
Hermione looked away, "I don't know why, it just seems like there are more important things to do first."
Ginny nodded but it was obvious that she didn't understand what Hermione meant. This wasn't surprising since Hermione didn't quite know what she meant either. They had never talked about what they would do after Hogwarts. But it had seemed like an unspoken agreement that before they carried on with their normal lives they would have to take care of something else first. They would have to take care of Voldemort. Hermione didn't use to feel this way. But ever since the spell had linked them together, Hermione felt a deep need to stop Voldemort, to protect everyone else. She supposed that it came from Harry.
"Look, there's Professor McGonagall." Ginny pointed at their Head of House as the older woman made her way through the stands. "What's she doing in the stands? Doesn't she normally stay in the announcer's box?"
"Yes she does." Hermione answered.
The two girls watched as Professor McGonagall crossed three rows in front of them. Their teacher stopped before the two Creevey brothers, Colin and Dennis. Colin complained loudly as she blocked a good shot of the Ravenclaw Seeker. Professor McGonagall spoke to the boys and beckoned them to follow her. The brothers immediately began motioning to the game, obviously not interested in hearing whatever the Professor had to say until after the game had finished. Professor McGonagall seemed intent however, and the two boys followed her grumpily from the stands.
"She looked a little pale, don't you think?" Hermione asked Ginny.
The red-haired girl nodded. They probably would have discussed this in more length had the game not come to an abrupt victory for the Gryffindors as Harry looped through the Ravenclaw goal posts in order to catch the Snitch. The Gryffindors were on their feet screaming.
"Gods he's good," Ginny breathed in admiration.
Hermione smirked at the slight flush that reddened Ginny's cheeks as she watched Harry twirl around in triumphant.
"Come on, let's go congratulate them before their heads get too swollen." Ginny said as she pulled Hermione to her feet and the girls headed down the stands.
Pushing through the crowds they finally broke through to where the team was being cheered. Hermione and Ginny waved at Harry and Ron as the team were swept up onto the backs of the happy Gryffindors. The throng of students had just turned towards the school when Professor Snape's voice growled out over the Quidditch Pitch, the Sonourous charm magnifying the vicious sound.
"The presence of the Head Boy and Girl, and all prefects is requested immediately at the Headmaster's office."
Hermione's smile vanished. They were never all called to the Headmaster's office.
"Is something wrong?" Ginny asked her.
"I don't know." Hermione frowned as the rest of the school continued on as if Professor Snape requesting the prefects and Head Boy and Girl was a normal occurrence. "I will just have to catch up to the party later, save me a pumpkin pasty will you?"
Ginny nodded and the two girls separated company at the entrance to the school.
~*~*~*~
She didn't hear herself say the password to the common room but she must have for the concerned looking fat lady swung open for her anyway. Hermione stepped slowly into a room of brilliant happiness and felt sick.
The common room was alive with the victory party. Two tables had been pushed together in the middle of the room and it was covered in every imaginable sweet. Butterbeer had come from somewhere and already a few first years appeared to have had one to many. The Lynch cousins were leading a spirited group of second years in a song that served no other purpose than to insult the Slytherins. Harry was talking animatedly to a rapt Ginny on the other side of the room while Ron had engaged in a friendly scuffle with Seamus and Dean. What caught Hermione's eyes however was a giant red banner that screamed 'Congratulations' in giant gold letters.
"It has to come down." Hermione's voice was small and if anyone heard her, no one paid attention. "They'll be here soon."
A passing fifth year tried to press a butterbeer into Hermione's hand but she jumped back.
"It has to come down!" Hermione's voice was sharper now and people were taking notice.
"Hermione!" Harry called out cheerfully, "we were wondering if you were ever going to make it to the party."
"It has to come down now. Everything has to go."
"Oh come on Hermione," This from Ron who was currently in a headlock administered by Dean, "Don't be like Percy and ruin everything."
"You don't understand," Hermione's voice reached a shrill pitch, "they'll be here soon."
And then Harry and Ron felt it. Her pure anguish had reached them through the elation of their success. Harry climbed over the couch while Ron twisted effortlessly out of Dean's grasp. Harry reached her first.
"Hermione," he took her arm, "what's happened?"
Ron was there only a fraction of a second later, "who's coming?"
The party had stopped. Every eye in the common room was trained on Hermione who was as pale as alabaster.
"Colin and Dennis," Hermione's eyes filled with tears, "Oh Harry, the Aurors found their parents this morning."
Harry's arms were around her then and Hermione was thankful for without them she wouldn't have been able to stand any longer.
No one spoke. No one asked any questions. The details didn't seem necessary. They didn't need to know that the Dark Mark still burned above the Creevey's Dover home. They didn't need to know that Colin and Dennis' father had tried to scare off the Death Eaters with an ancient rifle. They didn't need to know that as she died, Mrs. Creevey was thankful that at least her children were safe.
~*~*~*~
Rounds had to be made. That was the excuse Hermione had given Harry and Ron after the party had disappeared. There wasn't anything that she could do for the Creeveys herself and she needed to patrol. But the Headmaster hadn't expected any of the prefects to patrol that night. There were deaths to be mourned. But Hermione couldn't stay in the silent common room. It had never been this quiet before, not even during the Holidays when it emptied to just a handful. Hermione could no longer handle the pale students or the guilty looks of relief that it had been someone else's family.
It was just as quiet outside of the common room. But Hermione could already breathe easier. The windows were all closed tight against the cold. She wasn't concerned with her footsteps as they echoed around her. Anyone sneaking around the school would be alerted to her presence but that was what Hermione was hoping for. She doubted very much that she could stomach an encounter with anyone at the moment.
There seemed to be no one out of his or her common rooms that night. Hermione prowled down one flight of stairs and then another. There were no furtive noises from any of the corridors. Hermione didn't even come across Mrs. Norris. She had just decided to go back, to do the responsible thing as Head Girl. But the thought of the oppressive common room made Hermione sway on her feet and she sat down heavily on the top step of the main stairway. She let her curly head lean against the granite banister and she closed her eyes. The chill of the stone cooled her too warm cheek. Hermione was perfectly content to spend the rest of her life in this one spot.
Cautious noises made her raise her head.
From the far door way on the floor below her someone had emerged. Hermione strained her eyes in the darkness wondering who this could possibly be. The figure moved about aimlessly coming to stop finally at the base of the stairway, one hand settling upon the banister. As he stepped into the light of a low floating candle Hermione recognized him. Malfoy couldn't see her where she sat so far up the stairs that the shadows from the corridor behind her engulfed her. He turned suddenly and bolted through the front doors. Hermione was torn for only a moment before she too followed quickly into the night.
The door closed behind her and Hermione looked for Malfoy, finding him only a few feet away, hunched over on the grass. From the sounds he was making, he was being violently ill.
Hermione watched Malfoy's back as he retched on the ground. His shoulders were quaking. Feeling pity, Hermione conjured a glass of water. It floated over to him and settled carefully on the ground next to his hand. He turned his head to look at it as if not understanding what he was seeing. Malfoy finally sat back and turned to look at her.
"Hermione," he was surprised.
"You shouldn't be outside without a cloak Malfoy," Hermione told him tiredly not caring that she was nagging.
Malfoy drank from the glass of water, coughing once. "I couldn't breathe inside." He muttered as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
Hermione leaned against the large wooden door, her eyes moved away from him and she studied the moon setting over the forbidden forest.
"I didn't know," Malfoy said suddenly.
Hermione shrugged her shoulders without looking at him, "what would you have done had you known?"
"I...I would have told..." Malfoy sounded like he was trying to convince himself.
"Who would you have told Draco?" Hermione twisted his name cruelly, "Snape? The Headmaster?"
"No!" Malfoy practically shouted and Hermione looked at him in surprise. "I would have told you."
"Why?" There was no malice in her voice.
Malfoy got unsteadily to his feet and came to stand next to her. "I don't know why." He leaned against the door and they stood watching the trees together. "It could have been your parents." He said finally.
"I know," Hermione brutally wiped at a tear.
Malfoy procured a white silk handkerchief from a pocket and held it out to her. She smiled slightly and took it front him, using it to carefully blow her nose.
"If I ever do know anything," his voice sounded much further away than it was, "I'll tell you."
Author Notes: Woo-hoo...new chapters! Sorry that I took so long to post but I had a lot of trouble writing the next chapter for some reason. Then there is always Inuyasha niggling at the back of my thoughts. However I do believe that Inu will be booted once the next book comes out. Anyhoo... you guys have really been leaving me some wonderful reviews! Thank you ever so much. Thanks to Vegeta who received and went over these in less than an hour. :) Oh...lots of Draco in the next couple of chapters...not as much Sirius unfortunately. *Sigh* But rest assured that our angsty hero will return!
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Hogwarts: Seventh Year
It was a long train ride back to Hogwarts. Rain was thick and heavy against the windows. But it was hard to see the precipitation through the humidity-fogged glass. No matter how many charms were cast, the dampness couldn't be banished from their belongings. Hermione absentmindedly rubbed the back of her neck with one hand, the moist air making her muscles ache.
Her shiny Head Girl badge glittered like a jewel on the lapel of her robe. Ron had made several snide remarks comparing her to Percy but they both knew that he didn't mean them. Hermione knew that they were pleased for her. Ron was desperately hoping that she would give a detention to Crabbe or Goyle. None of them mentioned Draco.
There had been no word from the Slytherin boy and Harry and Ron had quickly realized that it was a sensitive subject for Hermione. She couldn't explain it, but she felt like she had failed him. Hermione couldn't help but replay the time that he had spent in her home. She looked desperately for something that she could have done differently. Something that would have made him stay. But there was nothing.
"Hermione?" Harry's voice interrupted.
"What?" She asked sharply, immediately regretting it.
"Aren't you supposed to be in the front of the train with the prefects?"
She nodded, "for a little while."
The two boys exchanged a look. Hermione sighed and got to her feet. They wanted to talk about her. It was so obvious it made her want to throw something. She didn't think it would be something negative. They were just concerned. Malfoy had up and disappeared while staying at her house and she had been visibly upset about it. They probably thought that something might have happened between the two of them. Harry and Ron almost certainly wanted to work out a plan on how best to break Draco's legs for interfering with their friend.
"I am going now." She pulled her cloak on, not that she was cold but the clamminess in the train was beginning to have an affect.
She walked the long hall towards the front of the train. She wasn't even sure if Malfoy was here. For all Hermione knew, he could be dead somewhere. But Hermione found herself doubting it. Draco had always struck her as a survivor. He had proven as much when he had taken to muggle life like a fish to water. But she couldn't help but worry.
Hermione stopped, listening. From a nearby compartment she had heard a familiar drawl. Pulling the door open she smiled in relief for looking resplendent in perfectly tailored school robes was Draco.
"Dra..." she began to say but he cut her off.
"Oh look, it's mudblood Granger." He smirked cruelly at her.
Crabbe and Goyle, with whom Draco was sharing his compartment, got to their feet.
"Are you lost Granger?" Draco asked snidely, "I thought they kept the mudblood trash at the end of the train, we purebloods don't fancy your smell."
Crabbe and Goyle laughed as if Draco had made the best joke ever. Hermione's hands clenched and she knew that a hot flush was rising up her cheeks.
"Go to hell," Hermione hissed. Ron would have been proud of her language, and she spun back out of the room.
~*~*~*~
The first several weeks of school came and went with little excitement. Harry and Ron focused on securing the Quidditch Cup for the fourth time since they started at Hogwarts. Hermione hardly had time to miss their presence though. Being the Head Girl was more demanding than she had anticipated. There were rounds to be made, first years to guide, and meetings to attend.
Hermione glanced back at the parchment in front of her and read, "Abigail Pruit, Hufflepuff prefect, wishes to make a complaint against Slytherin prefect Elric Afleburt." She looked across the table at a pretty sixth year girl with chestnut curls and gray eyes.
The girl sprung to her feet and scowled down the table to where a boy sat next to Malfoy, a familiar smirk on his face.
"Yes, I wish to register a complaint." The girl glanced at Hermione before continuing. "That Slytherin prefect has been taking an undue amount of points off of the Hufflepuffs." Abigail pointed an angry finger at the boy.
Hermione looked at Elric, "you may, of course, defend yourself."
Elric, who was an non descript as can be imagined with sallow skin and dull hair, didn't bother getting to his feet, "I have been taking points off of Hufflepuff, but I make rounds past their tower every Tuesday and Thursday night, and they are a rather disreputable group. They deserved to lose every point that I've taken off."
Hermione raised her eyebrows slightly, Hufflepuff disreputable?
"You liar!" Abigail was livid; "he took ten points off of Hannah Abbot yesterday for talking in the corridor!" She turned to Hermione, "you can't let him do that!"
Malfoy chuckled. Hermione glared at him coldly. He hardly ever participated in these weekly meetings. He didn't even try to hide the fact that he thought they were a waste of his time.
"Something that you want to add Malfoy?" Hermione snapped.
Malfoy nudged Elric who stood finally.
"I didn't take points off of that Hufflepuff girl because she was talking." Elric told them defensively.
"Feel free to enlighten us then Mr. Afleburt" Hermione said when he seemed less than forth coming with an explanation.
"Well you see there is this alcove near the Hufflepuff tower." Elric began but was cut-off by Malfoy.
"Ahh...the lovers alcove, I know it well." There was a dreamy, nostalgic gleam in his eyes.
Hermione snorted, "I would not be surprised."
"You see," Elric was speaking again, "I didn't take points off of Hannah for talking, believe me, talking was the farthest thing from her mind."
Hermione bit her lip to stop her grin as Abigail went white.
"But then why did you say the points were taken for talking?" The Hufflepuff's voice was small.
"Well," Elric looked uncomfortable, "it would have been rather embarrassing had they been officially taken off for snogging."
Hermione studied Elric for a moment, that was a very un-Slytherin like thing for him to have done. Malfoy obviously thought so since he had taken to glaring at his prefect.
Reshuffling her parchments, Hermione spoke again, "that should be enough for tonight. Abigail, you may want to keep a better eye on that part of the corridor. I'll be posting the new rounds on the door in case anyone forgets what day they are supposed to patrol. Meeting dismissed."
The other prefects gathered their belongings and made a hasty retreat, there was only a half hour left in which to eat supper. Hermione took her time, however, carefully going over the list of items that she had meant to discuss, making sure that she had covered them all. Finally satisfied that she had, Hermione searched through her bag for the new patrol list. Slipping her backpack onto her shoulder she approached the door. A simple charm later and the list was attached firmly.
"For a muggle-born, you've always been rather at ease with magic."
Hermione turned quickly, Malfoy had returned to the room and was sitting on the edge of a table watching her.
"What do you want?" Hermione asked firmly, ignoring the qualm of fear at being snuck up on.
"Look I want..." He stopped abruptly because Elric had also returned.
"Draco, I wanted to ask you..." The younger boy stopped though when he saw Hermione.
"Do I make myself clear mudblood?" Malfoy sneered at Hermione. "If you have a problem with a Slytherin, you come to me, not them, understand?"
Hermione didn't know what to say. She had absolutely no idea what he was going on about. He wasn't about to elaborate though. Malfoy gave her one more domineering glare before he swept out of the classroom, Elric trailing behind him looking rather apologetically at Hermione.
~*~*~*~
"I told you that he couldn't help being evil." Ron said through a mouthful of potatoes and gravy.
"There are some people who can't be saved," Harry's voice was gentler.
"Neither of you know anything about it." Hermione snapped before getting to her feet. "It was very strange, it was as if there were two different people in him."
Concerned, Harry asked her "Where are you going?"
"Probably the library," Ron teased. "Or not," he added hastily as Hermione looked on the verge of decking him.
"I'm just tired." Hermione replied letting her annoyance fade, it wasn't their fault she was in a foul mood after all. Hermione shot a glance at the Slytherin table to scowl at Malfoy but he was already gone. With renewed anger, Hermione trounced out of the Great Hall.
Her defiant footsteps echoed through the silent corridor. Each angry step reverberated off the walls. Hermione pushed her hands deep into the pockets of her robes and scowled at the stone floors as she walked. She had really thought that he could change. That just went to prove how gullible she really was.
Unnoticed hands emerged from a shadowed alcove to her right and quite suddenly Hermione felt herself yanked backwards into darkness, her scream cut off by a hand clenched over her mouth.
"Shh, Hermione, it's me."
Hermione knew that voice. She bit him anyway.
Cursing, Malfoy released her. She spun to face him, her wand pointed determinedly in his direction. For his part, Malfoy took no notice of this as his attention was focused on his hand.
"You bit me," he said in shock.
Hermione spat as she realized the metallic tang in her mouth was blood. "You noticed?" Her voice was spiteful.
He looked up at her, "Hermione..."
"Don't you dare call me that!" She glared at him.
"This is about earlier, isn't it? Look, I'm sorry about this cloak and dagger stuff but I wanted to explain." His gray eyes were pleading.
A crashing sound from down the hall alerted them to the official ending of the dinner.
"I can't talk about this here. Meet me tomorrow?" Malfoy asked her quickly, the sound of approaching footsteps making him nervous.
Hermione was fighting an internal war. She had no reason to trust him. For all she knew, he was trying to lure her someplace where he could properly hex her. But for a few weeks over the summer he had been her friend. Hermione had never been able to deny her friends a chance to redeem themselves.
"Where?"
Draco relaxed slightly, "the fourth floor Arithmancy classroom, tomorrow at midnight." Before she could argue he grasped her arms, spun her around, and shoved her out into the way of the approaching throng of students.
She tried to fight her way back through the crowd to the alcove, but Draco was already gone.
~*~*~*~
"You've been quiet all day." Harry said finally.
Hermione looked up from her Arithmancy homework and studied Harry. She tried her best to look innocently confused but she doubted greatly that they were fooled.
"Okay," Ron closed his Divination book, "what are you up to?"
"Up to?" Hermione asked with false candor. "What makes you think I'm up to something?"
Ron and Harry looked at each other and then her.
"All right," She muttered in defeat, "I'm meeting Malfoy at midnight."
"You're what?" Ron thundered, drawing the attention of almost everyone in the crowded common room. With a smart kick to his ankle from Hermione he went quiet.
"He asked me to last night after supper, he wants to explain."
"I'll bet he wants to explain." Harry said.
"He deserves a chance," Hermione persisted.
"No, he deserves a Dementor's Kiss." Ron growled vehemently.
"Ron!" Both Harry and Hermione said in shock.
Ron looked only slightly abashed. "Well, if not that then at least a good kick in the pants."
"I don't think you should go." Harry told her firmly.
"I'll regret it if I don't." Hermione said mournfully.
"We could go with you," Harry suggested although Ron looked downright horrified at the thought. "We could wear the invisibility cloak, he'd never know."
Hermione shook her head quickly, "no, no, he hates you as much as you hate him. If he finds out that you're there..." She let her voice trail off. They all knew that it wouldn't be good if Malfoy found Harry and Ron eavesdropping on their conversation.
Ron groaned and slouched back in his red-velvet upholstered armchair, "I don't believe you're willing to risk your own safety on the mere chance that Malfoy may not hex you."
"How is this, if I'm not back in an hour then you have my permission to kill him?" Hermione teased.
Ron sat up, there was a sudden gleam in his eyes, "that's worth considering." He looked to Harry who nodded.
"You had better take the cloak." Harry said.
"I won't need it," Hermione replied, "Don't forget, I am the Head Girl."
Ron shook his head, "That excuse won't work if you run into Snape."
"All right then," Hermione relented as Harry agreed with Ron.
~*~*~*~
He was already there when Hermione arrived, he had left the door partially opened, and she slipped in silently. She didn't remove the invisibility cloak; she wanted a moment to ascertain that it wasn't some sort of trap. Malfoy appeared to be alone. He sat on a desk, his head bowed, and his hands clasped together. Hermione thought that he looked like he was praying.
"Who's there?" He looked up. "I know you're there, even if I can't see you."
Hermione pushed the hood back and his eyes focused on hers in surprise.
"You have an invisibility cloak?"
She shook her head, "no, it's..."
"Potter's, of course, he would have an invisibility cloak." Malfoy slipped off the desk, "I wasn't sure if you would come."
He was approaching her and Hermione stepped back, "you wanted to explain Malfoy, so explain."
"I'm trying to," Malfoy stopped moving towards her. "You're afraid of me?"
"Well I am alone in a classroom with a Death Eater, shouldn't I be afraid?"
Malfoy shook his head, "not of me, Hermione. I'm not going to hurt you. I don't want to hurt anyone."
"You did read the Death Eater manifesto before joining, didn't you? It's a little late to be making declarations of good will." She snapped, trying to ignore his soft words.
"I didn't have a choice!" Malfoy defended.
"Of course you had a choice!" Hermione snapped back, "You chose to let them brand you. You chose to lick the heels of Voldemort. You chose to go back to them!"
"You don't understand," Malfoy was becoming very pale, "I didn't know what I was getting myself into."
"That's a lie and you know it."
"I was wrong, about all of it, I knew that the moment they marked me, the moment that my father...that my father killed my mother." Malfoy lowered his head.
Hermione had to fight the urge to comfort him, "you didn't have to go back. You made the right choice to leave, but you went back Malfoy."
He looked up quickly, "they would have killed me Hermione."
She knew that it was true. But that didn't make it the better choice. "Then you have to live with your mistakes, don't you?"
He didn't reply. Hermione watched as he sat back down on the desk. She wanted to say something, anything, but there weren't words for what he needed to hear. And finally, Hermione pulled the cloak back on and left the boy sitting very much as he had been when she arrived. Head bowed and hands clasped as if in prayer.
~*~*~*~
The time passed more quickly than Hermione could ever remember. It was probably because this was their last year in Hogwarts. But the days blended into weeks and then the weeks into months. The last of summer faded into fall, which died into winter.
Hermione pulled her cloak tightly around herself and leaned forward in the stands as the Gryffindors cheered on their team. Ginny's arm was linked in her own and the two girls huddled together for warmth.
"Harry gets better every game, doesn't he?" Ginny was breathless as Harry swooped towards the ground.
Hermione nodded, "yes, he really is amazing."
"Ron thinks he could play for England."
Hermione thought about this, "he could, but I don't think he will."
They rose to their feet along with the other Gryffindors as Hamish Lynch, one of their beaters, swung entirely off of his broom in order to stop a Bludger from making contact with a chaser. For a moment it seemed certain to the crowd that he was going to plummet to the ground but he had managed to maintain a tentative grasp on the straw and swung himself back onto his broom.
"He's crazy," Ginny muttered, "starking mad that beater, his cousin too."
"I know," Hermione grinned, "you would have thought all those bumps to the head by the Bludgers last year would have knocked some sense into them."
The crowd settled and Ginny turned back to their conversation, "why wouldn't Harry try for England?"
Hermione looked away, "I don't know why, it just seems like there are more important things to do first."
Ginny nodded but it was obvious that she didn't understand what Hermione meant. This wasn't surprising since Hermione didn't quite know what she meant either. They had never talked about what they would do after Hogwarts. But it had seemed like an unspoken agreement that before they carried on with their normal lives they would have to take care of something else first. They would have to take care of Voldemort. Hermione didn't use to feel this way. But ever since the spell had linked them together, Hermione felt a deep need to stop Voldemort, to protect everyone else. She supposed that it came from Harry.
"Look, there's Professor McGonagall." Ginny pointed at their Head of House as the older woman made her way through the stands. "What's she doing in the stands? Doesn't she normally stay in the announcer's box?"
"Yes she does." Hermione answered.
The two girls watched as Professor McGonagall crossed three rows in front of them. Their teacher stopped before the two Creevey brothers, Colin and Dennis. Colin complained loudly as she blocked a good shot of the Ravenclaw Seeker. Professor McGonagall spoke to the boys and beckoned them to follow her. The brothers immediately began motioning to the game, obviously not interested in hearing whatever the Professor had to say until after the game had finished. Professor McGonagall seemed intent however, and the two boys followed her grumpily from the stands.
"She looked a little pale, don't you think?" Hermione asked Ginny.
The red-haired girl nodded. They probably would have discussed this in more length had the game not come to an abrupt victory for the Gryffindors as Harry looped through the Ravenclaw goal posts in order to catch the Snitch. The Gryffindors were on their feet screaming.
"Gods he's good," Ginny breathed in admiration.
Hermione smirked at the slight flush that reddened Ginny's cheeks as she watched Harry twirl around in triumphant.
"Come on, let's go congratulate them before their heads get too swollen." Ginny said as she pulled Hermione to her feet and the girls headed down the stands.
Pushing through the crowds they finally broke through to where the team was being cheered. Hermione and Ginny waved at Harry and Ron as the team were swept up onto the backs of the happy Gryffindors. The throng of students had just turned towards the school when Professor Snape's voice growled out over the Quidditch Pitch, the Sonourous charm magnifying the vicious sound.
"The presence of the Head Boy and Girl, and all prefects is requested immediately at the Headmaster's office."
Hermione's smile vanished. They were never all called to the Headmaster's office.
"Is something wrong?" Ginny asked her.
"I don't know." Hermione frowned as the rest of the school continued on as if Professor Snape requesting the prefects and Head Boy and Girl was a normal occurrence. "I will just have to catch up to the party later, save me a pumpkin pasty will you?"
Ginny nodded and the two girls separated company at the entrance to the school.
~*~*~*~
She didn't hear herself say the password to the common room but she must have for the concerned looking fat lady swung open for her anyway. Hermione stepped slowly into a room of brilliant happiness and felt sick.
The common room was alive with the victory party. Two tables had been pushed together in the middle of the room and it was covered in every imaginable sweet. Butterbeer had come from somewhere and already a few first years appeared to have had one to many. The Lynch cousins were leading a spirited group of second years in a song that served no other purpose than to insult the Slytherins. Harry was talking animatedly to a rapt Ginny on the other side of the room while Ron had engaged in a friendly scuffle with Seamus and Dean. What caught Hermione's eyes however was a giant red banner that screamed 'Congratulations' in giant gold letters.
"It has to come down." Hermione's voice was small and if anyone heard her, no one paid attention. "They'll be here soon."
A passing fifth year tried to press a butterbeer into Hermione's hand but she jumped back.
"It has to come down!" Hermione's voice was sharper now and people were taking notice.
"Hermione!" Harry called out cheerfully, "we were wondering if you were ever going to make it to the party."
"It has to come down now. Everything has to go."
"Oh come on Hermione," This from Ron who was currently in a headlock administered by Dean, "Don't be like Percy and ruin everything."
"You don't understand," Hermione's voice reached a shrill pitch, "they'll be here soon."
And then Harry and Ron felt it. Her pure anguish had reached them through the elation of their success. Harry climbed over the couch while Ron twisted effortlessly out of Dean's grasp. Harry reached her first.
"Hermione," he took her arm, "what's happened?"
Ron was there only a fraction of a second later, "who's coming?"
The party had stopped. Every eye in the common room was trained on Hermione who was as pale as alabaster.
"Colin and Dennis," Hermione's eyes filled with tears, "Oh Harry, the Aurors found their parents this morning."
Harry's arms were around her then and Hermione was thankful for without them she wouldn't have been able to stand any longer.
No one spoke. No one asked any questions. The details didn't seem necessary. They didn't need to know that the Dark Mark still burned above the Creevey's Dover home. They didn't need to know that Colin and Dennis' father had tried to scare off the Death Eaters with an ancient rifle. They didn't need to know that as she died, Mrs. Creevey was thankful that at least her children were safe.
~*~*~*~
Rounds had to be made. That was the excuse Hermione had given Harry and Ron after the party had disappeared. There wasn't anything that she could do for the Creeveys herself and she needed to patrol. But the Headmaster hadn't expected any of the prefects to patrol that night. There were deaths to be mourned. But Hermione couldn't stay in the silent common room. It had never been this quiet before, not even during the Holidays when it emptied to just a handful. Hermione could no longer handle the pale students or the guilty looks of relief that it had been someone else's family.
It was just as quiet outside of the common room. But Hermione could already breathe easier. The windows were all closed tight against the cold. She wasn't concerned with her footsteps as they echoed around her. Anyone sneaking around the school would be alerted to her presence but that was what Hermione was hoping for. She doubted very much that she could stomach an encounter with anyone at the moment.
There seemed to be no one out of his or her common rooms that night. Hermione prowled down one flight of stairs and then another. There were no furtive noises from any of the corridors. Hermione didn't even come across Mrs. Norris. She had just decided to go back, to do the responsible thing as Head Girl. But the thought of the oppressive common room made Hermione sway on her feet and she sat down heavily on the top step of the main stairway. She let her curly head lean against the granite banister and she closed her eyes. The chill of the stone cooled her too warm cheek. Hermione was perfectly content to spend the rest of her life in this one spot.
Cautious noises made her raise her head.
From the far door way on the floor below her someone had emerged. Hermione strained her eyes in the darkness wondering who this could possibly be. The figure moved about aimlessly coming to stop finally at the base of the stairway, one hand settling upon the banister. As he stepped into the light of a low floating candle Hermione recognized him. Malfoy couldn't see her where she sat so far up the stairs that the shadows from the corridor behind her engulfed her. He turned suddenly and bolted through the front doors. Hermione was torn for only a moment before she too followed quickly into the night.
The door closed behind her and Hermione looked for Malfoy, finding him only a few feet away, hunched over on the grass. From the sounds he was making, he was being violently ill.
Hermione watched Malfoy's back as he retched on the ground. His shoulders were quaking. Feeling pity, Hermione conjured a glass of water. It floated over to him and settled carefully on the ground next to his hand. He turned his head to look at it as if not understanding what he was seeing. Malfoy finally sat back and turned to look at her.
"Hermione," he was surprised.
"You shouldn't be outside without a cloak Malfoy," Hermione told him tiredly not caring that she was nagging.
Malfoy drank from the glass of water, coughing once. "I couldn't breathe inside." He muttered as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
Hermione leaned against the large wooden door, her eyes moved away from him and she studied the moon setting over the forbidden forest.
"I didn't know," Malfoy said suddenly.
Hermione shrugged her shoulders without looking at him, "what would you have done had you known?"
"I...I would have told..." Malfoy sounded like he was trying to convince himself.
"Who would you have told Draco?" Hermione twisted his name cruelly, "Snape? The Headmaster?"
"No!" Malfoy practically shouted and Hermione looked at him in surprise. "I would have told you."
"Why?" There was no malice in her voice.
Malfoy got unsteadily to his feet and came to stand next to her. "I don't know why." He leaned against the door and they stood watching the trees together. "It could have been your parents." He said finally.
"I know," Hermione brutally wiped at a tear.
Malfoy procured a white silk handkerchief from a pocket and held it out to her. She smiled slightly and took it front him, using it to carefully blow her nose.
"If I ever do know anything," his voice sounded much further away than it was, "I'll tell you."