Hmmm....either the last chapter really sucked or not that many people are reading this. Ah well. Hope those reading, enjoy this update. Thanks especially to Snow-Queen1. I know you guys might be thinking 'Is this really based on 'The Snow Queen'' - yes it is I swear, it's just hard to tell at the moment.

Chapter Four: Elegant Pornography

"I love the way you love

But I hate the way I'm supposed to love you back."

- Miss You Love

Two brown eyes watched, absolutely transfixed, as the tiny creature preened itself on her pillow. It knew she was watching and occasionally would send an indulgent smirk in her direction. Such a peculiar little thing. Her head was cupped by both hands, she rested on her elbows, lying down on her bed, feet swaying back and forth in the air. She didn't want to go downstairs. She'd stayed upstairs, written a quick owl to Viktor Krum about the specific charms of his gift, then been pathetic enough to name her necklace 'Sparky', watch it run around in circles trying to catch its tail, blow smoke signals into her hair and bathe itself. It was quite an active little charm. For all its genius, it was annoying enough that Hermione was starting to think it was a piece of gag jewellery that Luna Lovegood would make. It could have also been a last gag sent to her by the Weasley brothers. Worse still, it could have been sent by an enemy of Harry, pretending to be Viktor. After all he'd never been so brief with her before. She'd have to wait for Viktor to write back. She dreaded wearing it.

A thump sounded from below her and she flinched. Sparky paused, its tiny gold head lifting in sudden alert. They could both faintly make out the screaming match taking place downstairs. So far, at least three pieces of furniture had been thrown and Hermione didn't want to know what that shattering noise had been five minutes ago. McGonagall, down in the Great Hall eating an early breakfast in preparation for the Hogsmeade outing, had luckily not heard a thing. Hermione was the only one in Gryffindor tower that was wishing McGonagall would come upstairs and berate her irate students; most arguments involving a Weasley were spectator sports, as popular as muggle wrestling matches. No one could lose their temper like a Weasley.

The door to Hermione's room slammed open and two giggling Gryffindor's bolted inside, locking it behind them. Hermione was surprised when the pretty blonde girl whispered "Silencio" and sent a conspiratorial smile in Hermione's direction.

Hermione didn't want to ask.

She rolled into a sitting position and quickly scooped Sparky up.

"You'll never—oh she's going to wear it!!" Parvati quickly lost track of whatever gossip had brought her and her laughter upstairs.

"No, I'm—"

"We're so happy, we thought you were going to be all stuffy about it, like you usually are." Parvati grinned, falling onto the bed beside her disgruntled friend.

"I'm not stuffy, I just—"

"You should let Ginny wear it for a while, I think she'll need the pick me up." A record two seconds to swing the conversation back in that direction; Hermione wryly noted that she should be proud of her gossiping friend. Parvati was popular, beautiful and well connected to every scandalous story in Hogwarts that Hermione in her wisdom couldn't care less about. Parvati couldn't understand why Hermione (being the most intelligent witch she knew) didn't find it absolutely intriguing that Professor Sinistra was rumoured to have had a sordid affair in her first year with Professor Snape...I mean wasn't there a poll back in third year about why Professor Snape kept staring at Professor Lupin that way?

"It's too dangerous." Hermione tried to deflect the conversation early.

"You're a Gryffindor Hermione, stop being such a Ravenclaw." Parvati grinned. It was her favourite catchphrase, to win an argument with her sister. She always liked to say that she was the more adventurous one in the family; she couldn't say she was more beautiful or more intelligent since her identical twin Padma was sorted into the most intelligent of houses. "Krum would hardly send you anything dangerous. It's more likely an aphrodisiac, or—"

"Parvati!" Hermione looked scandalised. Her mouth gaped as she looked accusingly at the charm resting in the palm of her hand. Parvati and Lavender laughed.

"It was a joke, Herm." Lavender clasped her shoulder. "He'd never hurt you, he's too besotted, don't you trust him?" Hermione hated to admit it, but Lavendar did have a point. Viktor would take it as an insult if she didn't wear the charm, but he had said it was 'best not to wear it' before he had time to write a second owl. Even then, Hermione wasn't sure whether she would wear it. It was difficult to know whom to trust; she hated to think that Moody's paranoia was growing on her, it was just caution she reassured herself but...what if she was being ridiculous?

The three Gryffindor girls still weren't all that close, but Dumbledore's Army had brought them to some kind of truce. Hermione felt a pang in her chest at the thought of the disbanded D.A. True, they'd only formed because Defence classes had been a joke in fifth year, but it had been such a success she had thought the private club would continue.

"Uh-oh, she's getting that pouty look again." Lavender stage whispered.

"This will cheer you up. Downstairs. The knockout clash between Dean Thomas and Ginny Weasley. Who will prevail?" Parvati laughed. "We're up to round six, and I tell you what if Thomas doesn't shut up soon he's going to be getting more than the obligatory Weasley-migraine."

Hermione frowned. "Isn't this resolved yet?" She almost flinched at her stupidity. Just the slightest encouragement would cause Lavendar to—

"Well firstly," Too late. "Dean waited for her in the common room, stewing. It was really amusing, because he had this vein twitching and he kept snapping his quills..." She laughed, only stopping when Hermione's eyes narrowed. "We were downstairs early because well...we heard some things...can't tell you our sources of course...but everything was confirmed when Ginny came downstairs..."

"He accused her of not only snogging but shagging Malfoy." Parvati continued.

"Don't be ridiculous!" When did her voice get so high pitched? Hermione couldn't help it, surely she wouldn't turn into another giggling female idiot?

"He did." Parvati nodded solemnly as she twirled her teardrop necklace around her finger.

"Well Ginny didn't like her virtue being slammed in front of Gryffindor house. So once the initial books had been thrown in his direction and she'd screamed the O.E.D out of obscenities, she finally got around to asking him why—"

"Lavender...this is kind of private don't you think?"

Just then the unmistakable voice of Ronald Weasley joined the fray downstairs.

"YOU SAW MY SISTERS WHAT??"

All three witches flinched at the reverberating sound of the next thump. No voice could carry in a tirade like Ron Weasley's, but the violence that followed....Hermione winced. She hoped Dean Thomas had life insurance.

"Turns out that Malfoy told Dean about this cluster of freckles on Ginny's er-hmmm." Parvati looked down meaningfully and grinned when Hermione flushed. She wasn't blushing however; she was getting angry for Ginny's sake.

"This is all about a bunch of stupid freckles?"

"Well they're in quite an indiscreet place, so the only way that Malfoy would know about them was if he had well...got her kit off so to speak." Lavender was trying not to look so happy about the situation, but the gleam in her eyes was unmistakable.

"I can't believe Dean would listen to that lying, evil, manipulative git! Malfoy is perverse, he could have just spied on her changing in the Quidditch—"

"Worse than that, Hermione. Don't jump in too soon, it gets better. A couple of weeks ago Ginny posed au naturale for one of Dean's artworks."

"Or as we like to call them, elegant pornography." Parvati, the ever-faithful assistant piped in.

"Then Dean lost his sketch book. We wondered why he was running around the school a couple of days ago like his life depended on it."

"Not his life maybe, but his balls definitely." They both laughed uproariously.

"He lost the drawing, everyone reckons Malfoy found it and has shown the entire school." Luckily for Lavender, she managed to restrain her delight about the drama. Hermione was chewing her lip with worry. "Ginny accused Dean of bragging about getting her naked, she thinks the sketchbook should never have left the tower. Dean's too proud to take back what he said about Ginny's sleeping habits, and Ginny refuses to think that it was all just an accident. I mean who would want to laugh about Draco Malfoy flashing their ass all over the school?"

"I HATE YOU!! I HATE YOU!!" A high pitched female voice screamed from downstairs.

"And Ron knows all of this?" Hermione asked nervously. Lavendar grinned, nodding in excitement. Hermione's eyes widened, flicked between her two friends nervously.

Parvati grimaced in sympathy. "He's toast."

Hermione scooped up her cloak and bolted down the stairs. She looped Sparky around her neck as she fumbled with the heavy material, trying not to fall on her face. She could hear their voices getting louder and was grateful that she couldn't hear Ron bashing Dean's head against the common room wall.

Instead, she found Ron holding Dean off the floor by his collar, shaking him around. On one of the couches, Seamus and Neville were looking back and forward between the screaming participants in the spectacle, nibbling on what was unmistakably a box of popcorn. Ginny was beating her fists into Ron's back, ordering him to let Dean go. Instead of those orders stemming from concern, Ginny was more interested in using her own claws. "I can take care of myself, Ron! This isn't about you!!"

"I'll deal with you in a minute!" Ron snapped. "I can't believe I trusted you—" This said to Dean, whose legs were kicking at Ron's shins as he vied for freedom— "with my baby sister!"

"You arrogant prat! It was my ass flashed about the school, if anyone's going to make that git bleed it will be me!" Ginny's heal stamped down onto Ron's toes. Ron let out a high pitched yelp and released Dean. Dean's body collapsed to the ground, but he was smart enough to roll back to his feet quickly.

"Bloody hell, Ginny!" Ron growled, hopping around in a circle.

"Just calm down!" Hermione said, but no one heard her.

"How could you, I'll kill you—" and various growls of the like were littered between blows as Ginny attacked her boyfriend. She was just hitting his chest with an open palm, but the force of the blows were enough to make him stagger since he wasn't fighting back.

"I'm sorry, you know I would never show—ow—Malfoy! Ginny please!"

"I'll give you one more warning..." Hermione said as she drew her wand out of her sleeve.

"You better watch—"

"You'll be neutered—"

"Three—"

"—your back, Thomas!"

"—by the end—"

"Two—"

"—of the night—"

"I didn't mean do it!"

"One..." Hemrione sighed before swishing her wand, "SILENCIO!"

They were miming a horrible argument for only a few seconds more before they became aware that they couldn't talk. Ginny tried to mime what she had been saying, using her fingers as scissors before pointing angrily at Dean's crotch. He paled noticeably, but her cheeks were only getting redder. She didn't care if she couldn't speak, her ire would be known. She swung her arm back and punched him in the face. Dean howled silently as his head snapped to the side. It was only as Ron punched the air in silent amusement that they all became aware of Hermione's presence. Standing there, at the base of the girl's staircase, drumming her fingers against her hip. Her scowl was very disapproving, and all three of them wilted before her anger. The scowl however was not directed at them, but at Neville and Seamus. Neville had slapped his knee in disappointment when Ginny landed the punch, and now he was reaching for a sickle and handing it over to a smugly grinning Seamus.

"If I didn't hex you all, it would have been three detentions with Filch. I think this argument has gone on long enough, and I'm sure you're all very sorry." Hermione ignored what Ron was screaming at her, even though it didn't take an expert lip-reader to gauge what the words were. "This is absolutely none of my business, nor anyone else's in the tower. Seamus give that money back to Neville and shame on the both of you, these are your friends!" They frowned. Hermione gave a pointed look about the common room, indicating all the other Gryffindor's from the quivering first years, to the amused fifth years holding up charmed 'Go Ginny, Go!' flags. "I don't want to punish any of you, but I will get McGonagall if you don't get over it right now. Dean, Ginny would never touch Malfoy. Ginny, I'm sure Dean didn't mean to be a complete and utter idiot by losing his sketch pad, he told me he was searching all night for it. I hope that you didn't pose for that picture in Gryffindor tower. And Ron...you're a prefect and a compete moron. What do you think you're doing? After what Harry did yesterday! Are you trying to get our house into more trouble? One more stunt like this and you can forget about me helping you research the Vervorm Mirror."

Ron paled. The new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Finnish had separated the class into pairs on her first day, designating each pair two dark artefacts to investigate. Neville had been paired with Harry; Ron with Hermione. Theoretically they had to learn all they could about the artefact and then tell the class how they would defend their partner. Hermione, being Hermione, had completed her assignment a week after the task was given. Ron was still having difficulty finding a text on the Vervorm Mirror and had started grovelling shamelessly for help three days ago.

Ron nodded slightly, his cheeks were flushed. The glare he directed at Dean Thomas left Hermione feeling that even though he seemed abashed, he was still plotting stumbling across Dean in a Hogsmeade alley sometime later today.

"Good. Can I trust you all?" She looked briskly at the three of them. They all nodded their heads and she muttered the counter-curse.

"I'm really sorry about this, Hermione." Dean said quietly. Ginny's head snapped in his direction disdainfully.

"Ginny." Hermione warned.

"You will be sorry." Ginny turned on her heel and picked up her cloak where it was messily thrown on the ground. She stomped toward the portrait hole. "Come on, Hermione!" She hissed.

"What? No, but I—" Her hand went up to her neck, remembering the necklace. Ginny didn't know or care about Hermione's dilemma. She walked up to her friend, grabbed her tightly by the wrist and yanked her toward the portrait hole. "I've had my fill of Gryffindor piggotry for today, how about you?" Piggotry? Oh dear, when she started making up words Hermione knew she was in trouble...

She threw a panicked look over her shoulder to Ron, but he was so annoyed at being blackmailed by her that he pretended to see something fascinating on the wall above her head.

"Ron and I were going to—"

"Let's go." Ginny said and pulled Hermione out of Gryffindor tower.

The Fat Lady told them to have a good time as they walked toward the Entrance Hall. Hermione sighed. Hogsmeade with an irate boys-are-the-Devil Ginny Weasley. Perfect.


"I want to look my best Drake." Her voice came through the thick curtain of a Gladrags Wizardwear change room.

Draco tightened his jaw, casting a disdainful look around the store. Students had been streaming in, running their grimy, uncovered hands all over every aisle, every article of clothing, trying them on, putting them back. Why did Pansy want to buy something from here? It was all so very beneath him. He was used to hiring his own tailors, no Malfoy ever shopped off a rack, especially when there was a rather large chance that a mudblood would have tried on the clothing. His lip curled.

"Hurry up, Pansy."

His patience was wearing thin. He'd sent Crabbe and Goyle to buy him some quills, a new top-of-the-line broom polish and collect his weekly bag of sweets from Honeydukes. Draco knew that he didn't really want the sweets. He just liked to either a) punish them for scoffing down half his treats without his permission, or b) see the looks of pain on their faces after exercising whatever restraint they did possess. They were painfully predictable, but when he got a laugh out of their pathetic, snivelling natures he wasn't about to complain.

"What do you think?" The curtain squealed loudly on its rings as she shoved it aside.

Draco's lip turned infinitesimally, then his eyes roamed up and down. She was grinning expectantly, for Draco did love her and she was sure to be praised for her brilliance.

The colour was too pale, her dark hair clashed painfully with it. The barely pink tone blurred with her skin, which wasn't a good look. He didn't want people to think the girl he had on his arm was naked when he took her out. Whores weren't his style. Her cheeks were flushed, he'd have to do something about that and was her forehead always so—

"Well?" She twirled, swishing the bottom of the robes around in a dramatic circle.

"Beautiful as always." He said, smiling at her.

"Should I wear my hair up or down?" She demonstrated the look both ways. He wasn't watching. He barely restrained himself from twirling his blonde hair around his finger and flicking his lashes at her, 'Oh Drakie, Drakiepoo, tell me I'm pretty, kiss me my darling, I love youuuuu.' A cruel imitation for sure, but he wasn't fool enough to think it was inaccurate. He hated females that needed to be coddled. All beautiful women knew they were beautiful and most of them gave themselves too much credit. He scowled.

"It doesn't matter, you're not going to a ball, Pansy. We're not going to dance and I'm not sweeping you off to Malfoy Manor in a giant pumpkin. You probably shouldn't even buy new robes, they might get ruined knowing the wand-work of those stupid third years." As soon as he'd spoken he knew he'd said something wrong. Her lip quivered and she tilted her head back.

"Would you prefer I dressed like a common muggle? I thought you wanted to present yourself like a leader, well every leader has a woman to stand beside him and support him and I don't want to look common. We set the Slytherin aesthetic; I should look fashionable and professional. If we don't, it would hardly reflect well on either of us. Besides..." She looked darkly at him, "you're not going to demonstrate any...unforgivable...hexes on me. Are you...Malfoy?" Her voice had lowered several degrees, her body so close to his sending warning shivers through his body.

Personal space, like all of his possessions, Draco guarded fiercely. When someone else made the move to impinge on that space he took it as an insult. To wield that power, to show the confidence to use it on him, you had to have the ability to back up your convictions. His thoughts went to Potter, the nerve of that arrogant, scar-faced half-blood, to lay hands on him. He pushed the thoughts aside, the bruises were gone and the memories suppressed. He'd beat Potter in a fair dual; Potter had taken him by surprise that was all. But Pansy, she was never a surprise and she normally knew her place. He hated when women tried to assert themselves as equals; they were the fairer and the softer sex; if he wanted an equal he'd date a man. He was the one in charge, not Pansy and if she seriously thought pressing her body close to his would empower her in some way then she sadly underestimated him.

His gloved hands touched her face lightly, just traced the edge of her jaw. Her body arched upwards, her eyes darkening. He grinned lecherously, leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I think you'd rather like it if I put the imperial curse on you..."

"No, I wouldn't." She said dreamily, wrapping her arms around his waist. He stood still for a moment, eyes darting about Gladrags to see if anyone was eavesdropping. He took a step backwards and another and another, leading her gently and stealthily into the back of the dark store. He slid half of the robes hanging on a rack to the side, pulled her through after him and closed the robes over again.

"Draco, anyone could see us..." She half-hissed half-giggled.

He pushed her against the wall, his eyes staring darkly into her flushed face. "You like it. You like it when I use you." His voice was intentionally dipping lower and lower as he took her hands by her wrists and pressed them into the wall behind her.

"I do not." She pouted playfully.

"You do everything I say, without question. You're my slave," He kissed her deeply, pressing into her body rhythmically until she whimpered his name. "Let's make it official, slave. Imperio." He hadn't cast the spell, just whispered the word across her dampened lips. The chill of his breath made her shudder; her eyes were hooded and dark in the minimal light. He knew the effect it was having on her and he laughed inside, turned on by the power of it, loving her desire for him above all things.

The rack of black school robes shifted behind him but Pansy was too far gone to notice. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deliriously, not caring that anyone could hear her if she sighed too frequently, moaned too loudly. He was deliciously wicked and she loved him so much that it hurt. He laughed against her lips, wrapping her legs around his hips. He could stop and tell her to buy what she wanted, they were done in Hogsmeade. He could have backed off because the point was made, but she offered herself so willingly, anytime, anywhere...so why not? Why the hell not?


"Hi Colin...Dennis..." Ginny smiled at the over zealous boy in front of them way too brightly.

"Hullo Ginny! Guess what? I found this really wicked new Quidditch magazine, it's called 'Seek', you should see all the equipment they have for seekers now...Dennis agrees that Harry would go mad—"

"A bit late." Some fourth year muttered as they strode past. Hermione narrowed her gaze. Stupid slytherin.

"—so have you guys seen him? We bought about five backdated issues, you know, just in case he hadn't heard of it...that would be too bad, wouldn't it? So why not, I reckon? Do you think he'll like them?" Colin's eyes moved from Ginny's annoyed expression to Hermione's equally anxious one.

"Sure, Colin." She said.

"Colin, you don't happen to have your camera on you by any chance do you?" Ginny asked slowly, her eyes flicking somewhere at the back of Gladrags continuously.

"Actually, I'm glad you mentioned that, because silly me – I lost it." Colin looked sad for a moment, well as sad as Colin could look in his perpetually excited state. Hermione sighed in relief; she didn't like the calculating look on Ginny's face. "But mum and dad weren't too angry, they even let me buy this wicked new model!" He whipped out a new professional camera; a long four-inch lens was attached. "This one's even better because it's a wizard model, my other was muggle, you know being muggleborn so I'm really excited about using it. Have you seen, Harry?"

"No, Colin." Hermione scowled.

"Is there film in that?" Ginny asked.

"Ginny—" Hermione started.

"Not yet, but I have five rolls in my—" Colin was cut off from his happy reply when Ginny snatched the plastic bag he was holding, she rummaged through it until she found a roll of film. She briskly snatched the camera from his hands.

"How do you get the film in it?" She asked. The curt tone of her voice must have been one Colin was familiar with, having been an acquaintance of Ginny's since first year. He tentatively took the film from her hand and placed it inside the camera. Ginny smiled at him. "Thank you, Colin."

"Welcome....uh...did you want me to get a photo of you?"

"No." She grinned and snatched the camera back. "You don't mind if I borrow this, do you Colin? You're such a lovely guy, I'll get it back to you in about two minutes." She twirled from her position and walked briskly down the aisle of violet and crimson, silk and cotton, every sort of robe. Hermione, Colin and Dennis gaped after her.

"Uh...just wait right here, Colin." Hermione whispered.

"But that's my camera! Is she going to—"

"She won't steal it, she won't break it. I promise. There was just this robe she saw that she liked and she wanted to have a picture to show her mum."

"Oh, that's alright then because this one time—"

Hermione didn't wait around to hear this story. She quickly followed Ginny through the mass of Hogwarts students and Hogsmeade citizens. Ginny was in a very vengeful mood and she really did not want to know what Ginny had seen back here that she so desperately needed a photo of.

She found her crouched in the Hogwarts robes aisle, down low on the ground, fiddling with a gage on the side of the camera.

"Ginny, what are you—"

"Shhhhh...." She turned and smiled wickedly over her shoulder to Hermione. "Keep your voice down." She kept a finger to her lip, her eyes going to the side. Nothing was said but Hermione knew Ginny was asking her to listen. The store was a loud place, full of laughing students and the clink of coat hangers against metal racks. Beneath all of that, was another noise. Hermione leant forward, trying to make it out, it sounded like breathing...heavy breathing. A half-squeak, half-moan caused Hermione to lurch backwards, her face distorting in astonishment.

"Um...." She pointed at the rack of robes which was moving slightly. Now that Hermione was looking she could just make out one pair of feet, facing the wall. "Is there someone..." No, she couldn't say it. She narrowed her eyes. "Well I'm going to give them a piece of my mind, imagine doing a thing like that in a public place, how scandalous! We could be banned from visiting Hogsmeade if they get caught." Hermione went to stand but Ginny yanked her back down.

"Shhh." Ginny hissed. "They'll hear you."

"They?" Hermione blushed. She'd thought it was some guy...well...doing...you know...she coughed. No need to think about that and there was no way she wanted to rip open those robes to see a couple in there...doing...whatever it was they were doing.

"Don't you ruin this for me. I'm glad I found out Dean was a pillock early, so I can thank him for that, but if you think I'm going to let him get away with flashing my ass all over Slytherin house then you better stop deluding yourself!" Malfoy? Hermione's nose turned up. If it was Malfoy, then it was Pansy in there with him. Hermione was glad she hadn't ripped the robes open, she knew she'd asked Malfoy how exactly pugs and ferrets copulate but she didn't want a live demonstration. "I saw him sneaking Parkinson over here and thought they might be playing find the ferret." Ginny smiled happily, waving the camera about.

"Ginny!" Hermione hissed. "You can't take a photo of them."

"I'm not going to take a photo, I'm going to take photos."

"You'll have to move the robes out of the way." Hermione hissed lowly. Ginny shook her head.

"I'm so glad his old camera went missing." She turned to Hermione. "This is a wizarding camera, see this gage on the side...top of the line." Ginny grinned. "It can see through thin surfaces."

Hermione gasped, clutching at her robes. "That's disgusting, any pervert could take photos and see everyone naked!" Hermione was appalled, how could the Ministry of Magic let such a horrible invention go through? And now Colin had a camera like that? Why did he want to see Harry so eagerly? Hermione shivered. She had better warn him.

"Don't look down on the pervy Hermione, you're about to join the ranks." Ginny aimed the camera. She started chuckling almost straight away. "Oooo so that's why the symbol for slytherin house is a serpent." She cackled and Hermione didn't ask whether or not she was just jokin.

Hermione didn't ask what she could see. She stared at the robes as they shifted slightly, tried to listen to the bustle of the midafternoon crowd instead of the faint heavy breathing, the occasionally squeaky and distinctly feminine gasp. Malfoy was so silent. She didn't want to think about it, but it was right there, and she could hear the camera snapping in her ear, and she could see his feet so still on the ground. Where were Pansy's feet? Best not to think of that.

"All done." Ginny's face was flushed and she pulled Hermione down the aisle. When they saw Colin coming toward them, Ginny squealed and pulled Hermione into the next aisle. "Get the film out."

"How did he put it in?" Hermione's hands were shaking as she fiddled with the camera. She felt horrible, she hated breaking rules and she was certainly no pervert. Ginny laughed and slid a small button down, the camera popped open and she scooped out the film.

"Ginny!" Hermione could hear Colin looking for her friend. Ginny pressed the film into Hermione's hand.

"I'll be right back." She said. Hermione glared at her.

"I'm going to destroy this film."

"No you won't. He deserves everything he gets." Ginny grinned and ran back to Colin with the camera.

It didn't matter if he deserved it; it was a horrible thing to do. She didn't want to be petty and malicious, if she'd wanted to be like that she would have been placed in Slytherin. She clutched the film tight, trying to wrap her fingers around it so no one could see it. It was a ridiculous thing to do, since nobody would know what was on the film until it had been developed, but she did it none the less.

Her hand started to shake, she felt the film move. "What the...?"

She looked up. Every cell in her body was filled with the urge to scream but she was too shocked for a sound to come out. There Draco Malfoy stood, wand pointing right at her. His face was as pale and porcelain smooth as it had been before Harry's attack; he'd been the victim so they'd healed him magically. Victim, Hermione wanted to scoff. He was poison. He did deserve it, he deserved to have those bruises for weeks as well. His mouth was twisted in amusement, but his eyes were hard, unmoving and focused through her face. It felt like he was boring through her eyes, seeking out her motives. Calculating. She clutched the film tighter and tried to look innocent. An innocent person probably wouldn't smile so widely at an enemy, but she was on edge and didn't have time to think.

"Would you like me to sign that for you, Granger?" He said, tilting his head to the side. She tried to stop the flush but she had horribly, treacherous skin. She couldn't lie, her face went red too readily. He looked her face over with obvious disdain. "You pathetic, pervy little prude. Hand it over now." A pervy prude? I bet not too many people are accused of being that in their life, Hermione thought.

"Hand over what?"

"Don't be obtuse. Accio film." He hissed.

Hermione clutched tighter, struggling to keep it in her hand. She was aware of how familiar this situation was, how ridiculously familiar. A pair of grey eyes eerily similar had looked mockingly at her through a Death Eater mask about six months ago. He'd hissed the same words and laughed as Harry held on. How ridiculous to hold a couple of pervy pictures to the same weight as that lost prophecy; the memory made her want to let go. She gripped tighter; she would never back down no matter how much she disagreed with Ginny.

"Stop trying to steal Ginny's film, or I'll have to report you."

"What do you think they'll say about Weaslette when they develop them?" He hissed scornfully, taking a threatening step closer. Hermione eyed his face warily, there wasn't even a slight rouge on his cheeks, even after he'd...she shook her head. He was completely numb. No pain nor pleasure.

"I'm willing to find out...are you?" Hermione glared. Out of the corner of her eye she could make out a blur of red hair exiting the shop with two other figures. She mustn't have noticed, she'll come back though, she will. Hermione just had to keep him distracted, she could feel him coming closer, don't back down... "You weren't back there very long. Don't worry if Harry permanently damaged you, I'm sure you could afford someone to keep Pansy satisfied." She wasn't very good at insulting men but she'd learned long ago that they seemed to find it most offensive when you went for their labido. Draco was no different. A muscle beneath his eye twitched and he stepped closer, his heels clicking audibly on the wooden floor.

"As if you'd know anything about it you stupid virgin." He tried to 'accio' the film one more time. Hermione held on and laughed at him. "Give it here, bitch." He lunged for her, his gloved hands grappling with her own as she tried to twist away.

"Stop it!" He trapped her to his body with one arm, crying out triumphantly when he twisted her arm behind her body, holding it up near her shoulder blades. She squeaked in pain, way too close to him to be comfortable. He winked sardonically, bringing his second arm around her in an attempt to ply her fingers open. "No!"

She wiggled desperately to try and get away but he was much stronger than she was and in the end she was just causing herself more pain. She grunted in frustration, resigned to hold on and glare. Her second hand was trapped between their bodies, unable to reach for her wand. She would not give him the satisfaction of calling for help. Already the sounds of their scuffle were drawing the eyes of the shop owner, the eyes of the crowd, students looking on nervously, strangers snickering about a lovers' tiff when they saw her flushed face.

"Merlin," he laughed, "I figured you would have given up by now. You must be really desperate to see me naked, Granger!" He drawled as he tried to pry her fingers open. Her indignation was enough to loosen her grip. He called out triumphantly until she took a page out of Ginny's book and slammed her heel down into his foot.

"AHHH!!" His grip loosened enough for her to shove him away and take two steps backwards. "Give it to me!!" He snarled, grabbing her other hand in an attempt to pull her back. This time she struggled, slapping at his hands. Had she stepped outside herself she might have laughed at the immaturity of it all, but she was too irritated to care. He finally caught her second wrist holding both of them near his chest. It was a temporary stale mate. She glared at him and he glared right back. If he released one of her wrists he knew she'd slap him, or worse. At the moment her claws were trapped...but he was also no closer to getting the film.

He looked over her face for a moment, then lowered his head close enough so she could feel his breath.

"What are you—" She lurched backwards in disgust and he used her shock to twist her wrist around again, the film came loose and tumbled into his hand.

"You stupid mudblood." He laughed. "As if I'd ever actually—"

"Grrrrrr!" Hermione grunted and let her wand slide from her sleeve in to her hand, "ACCIO FILM!" The film shot into her hand and she smiled smugly as Draco fumed. He always did talk too much. "Tell you what, Malfoy, you give me Dean's book and I'll give you the film!"

He laughed. "What sketch book?" His hard eyes looked down into hers, glints of humour causing wrinkles around the edges.

Hermione's eyes blazed. She wasn't Dean; she wouldn't believe whatever poison passed through his lips. He could even make the truth sound like a lie.

"Is that what she told you? I saw her picture in some book?" He laughed. "I fucked her, Granger. It was easy, I fucked her so well that she wants a few photos to remember the experience." He laughed that cold, mocking laugh, imitating Ginny's voice in the throws of passion.

Hermione felt an explosion of disgust and hate inside her system and she started attacking him right back. She twisted and kicked her feet, slamming her closed fists into his chest. He was more annoyed than hurt, his hands grappled for her own, driven to the film and the film alone.

"You disgusting pig!" She yelled, tempted to slap him but not game enough to risk opening herself up to a new attack. She was completely on Ginny's side now, she'd even help her friend find a way of blowing the pictures up and hanging them around the Great Hall instead of the house banners.

"Geez, Malfoy, I know Pansy must be lousy but no means no." Ginny's voice brought so much relief to Hermione's heart that she almost collapsed against Draco with a happy sigh. He tightened his grip even though Ginny had her wand out. Ginny walked behind Hermione quickly, Draco saw what she was about to do and tried to open Hermione's hand. "Accio film!" Ginny cried and Hermione released her grip, letting the film fly through Draco's fingers and into Ginny's. Draco froze, his hate-filled glare pinned to Hermione's flushed face. "If that's how bad your reflexes are, it's no small wonder why you suck at Quidditch Malfoy." Draco's hands tightened where they were on Hermione's wrists. She called out and this time she noticed. The strange hot, crawling sensation on her chest. She tried to focus on what it was, but couldn't place it.

"I'm already planning on hurting you badly, Mudblood, don't make it worse for yourself. Give me that film now."

"I don't have it any more, let me go!!" That crawling, scratching around her skin....what was it? She started to panic, seeing visions of fire and pain dance before her eyes, feeling Malfoy's cold grip tighten to a bruising level. Her heart was pounding alarmingly, the threat crowding around her until she became irrationally panicked. She shivered.

"Give it to me now!" He hissed over her shoulder, refusing to release Hermione until Ginny had tossed the film to him.

"LET ME GO!!" Hermione screamed. A roar filled the air between them; a blinding yellow light and a horrible force exploded pulling them violently apart.

Hermione screamed, careening backwards into a shocked Ginny then slamming into the ground. She shook in fright, as shocks of euphoric energy rushed through her, her hands tingled with static needles, her skin was strangely heated. She remembered now. She could vaguely hear the manager of Gladrags screaming angrily for them to get out of her store, they were scaring customers away...or rather attracting a crowd. Ginny was laughing, slapping Hermione on her back, congratulating her on concealing her wand so well before she attacked. But Hermione hadn't concealed her wand, it had been tucked up in her sleeve the whole time.

"I think Sparky has a few more surprises than I expected..." She whispered, trying her best to smile. Ginny told her Krum was a genius, but Hermione herself felt like a fool. She should have known better than to wear a dangerous charm in public. Who knew what had triggered that violent outpouring of power? Hermione obviously couldn't control it herself. She felt her neck, found the chain and yanked it out of her robes. Horror filled her. Sparky was missing, that stupid salamander charm she knew she shouldn't have worn it. How would she explain this?

Ginny was standing up now, talking with the manager, "no, we don't know why he attacked us, we were just browsing for new school robes. We always thought he was a bit mentally unhinged, slytherin you know..."

Hermione crawled forward, searching the floor for the shiny golden charm she knew had to be responsible. She found Sparky sitting one metre from her, its belly charred black, its fire barely visible, cleaning its clawed feet languorously.

"You!" She hissed through her teeth and scooped it up. It looked at her tiredly, but she didn't care if it died from fatigue. She shoved it into her robe pocket, buttoning the pocket shut tightly. Strangely, Draco Malfoy had not moved. He was lying beneath one of the racks, she'd heard him slam into it but I hadn't fallen on top of him. They must be charmed to remain standing. He was curled into a foetal position, his hands moving over his face, emitting a strange coughing, whimpering noise.

"Hermione, we have to go." Ginny cut herself off when she became aware of Malfoy. She scoffed, "is he crying? You know I really thought his balls would have dropped by now but it seems he's going to be a wimp for life." Ginny rolled her eyes, growing up in a large household of men had made her pretty unsympathetic to pain. "Oh get up, it was just a fancy light trick."

Malfoy shoved himself to his feet, his hands didn't leave his face and he pushed past Ginny running from the store. Ginny called after him, asking if he'd forgotten his girlfriend by any chance? Ginny didn't see what Hermione did.

Hermione reached out a tentative hand, her bottom lip quivered in fear. She crawled forwards to where Malfoy had been lying, touched a hand to the dark spots on the ground. Warm and wet, the sensation sickened her, the liquid drops on the ground were fresh. When she pulled her hand back to look at it, she saw the dark red stains and almost choked. What had she done to him? Hermione stood to her feet, unsure whether she had given Ginny an excuse for her retreat before she ran after Malfoy. It felt insane, it was insane to care, but some small part of her did. She'd never want to hurt him, humiliating him was completely different.

Outside she shoved blindly through the crowd, she couldn't see his glinting hair, the crowd was bustling around her, the Winter wind coloured her warm body and stilled her for a moment. Her blood felt chilled, stagnant with fear. Blood. She looked down, shoving at the bodies attempting to get past her into Gladrags.

"Hermione?" Ginny called.

Hermione's eyes widened in victory when she saw a few drops of blood, already turning pink in the snow. Left. She swung to the left, trying to find other traces, following his footsteps was hopeless since the Hogsmeade snow had been walked on so many times today that it had become a soggy brown sludge, a mixture of mud and melted ice. When she'd given up hope of finding him, she heard a familiar noise coming from an alley. She stopped. No way was she following him into an alley. He wasn't bleeding that much; a few drops on the ground inside, a few more outside. For all she knew he had burst a blood blisterpod and was leading her into a trap. Then he coughed, a hacking, wet spluttering sound that made her lip curl in disgust. It didn't sound fake and she was responsible.

Hermione drew her wand and walked toward the alley, cursing Viktor and Ginny and that stupid salamander charm that had smiled so wickedly at her this morning. She should have stayed at Hogwarts.

She walked into the mouth of the alley, he wasn't too far down, she could see him, a dark clothed figure, leaning up against the wooden brick wall. His forehead rested against the line of his wrist, his breathing was laboured, splintered with hacking coughs that made his body buckle weakly at the knees and collapse a little closer to the wall. She didn't call his name, she felt afraid. Not afraid of Malfoy, she'd never be scared of him. He was slow to draw his wand, all talk and very little talent as far as Hermione was concerned. So she was very confused by the fear making her diaphragm clench and her wand hand shake. A breeze cut through the alley, a wind tunnel sweeping with a force that stuck like a knife through Hermione. She gasped, her body tightening. He heard her, she knew because his shoulders stiffened.

When he turned it was to lie against the wall, his hands came up to cover his face and he flinched, his lips grimacing. "Who's there?"

She opened her mouth to snap 'who do you think?' but then he opened his eyes. A choked scream escaped her mouth instead and she staggered backwards.

"Who's there?" His voice was back to normal now, a cold, unnaturally hard hiss. But Hermione was too stunned to react like she normally would.

His lips were a twisted red, his chin was stained lightly with a trickle of blood, sticky but motionless. It was his eyes. They were still grey somewhere beneath the horror, still piercing and hollow and hateful, but Hermione couldn't see any of that. She only saw the lost, blind confusion and the tears. Those distinct, coloured tears; an unmistakable ripple of blood that shaded his iris a strange crimson. She stood completely still and watched one bloody tear trickle down his cheek, mesmerised, haunted, horrified...

TBC...


A/Ns:

1) 'vervorm' means 'distort' in dutch. (as in the 'vervorm' mirror)

2) Professor Finnish beliongs to Hans Christian Anderson...although she wasn't a Professor in his book obviously, so I guess that makes her sort of OC

3) The line "all beautiful women know their beautiful and most give themselves more credit than they desserve' was actually said by the great Marlon Brando, and I've always found it hilarious, and sardonically true. Very Draco.

4) For all of those who wanted to know Harry's fate and are annoyed with me...you'll learn what happened to both Harry and Draco in the next chappie. So stay tuned and if you like the fic, please leave feedback like these lovely people:

Feedback:

Snow-Queen1: I'm really glad you enjoyed Seamus, because comedy is not my thing, I'm normally an angst writer, so it's painfully hard for me to write. Yay! I'm trying to get Draco as close to canon as possible, I didn't want to turn him into a blond james bond/harry was is powerful and sexual. Draco is a witty coward in the books, and though I'm stretching him further when it comes down to it, I'm hoping he'll be a lot like Rowling's Draco. Here's hoping. Thankyou so much for your continued support, it means heaps to me.

chibimecools: Thanks for the feedback it means a lot, I hope you liked this chapter.

otakuannie: kiss kiss back. Keep letting me know what you think, good or bad, but I'm glad it's all good at the moment.

mariona: phew, thanks for the support about Harry, I was worried I'd get flamed, I think he has way too much anger, and such a virile temper, it would be a shame not to explore what that could mean to him. I'm glad you agree.