Love or Infatuation?
By
Cherished Dreams

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.


Chapter Seven

Harry, Malfoy and I were taught how to duel with magically created swords. Harry's looking like Godric Gryffindor's, with a goldish glow around its bronze coloured metal. Mine looked ordinary. Silver coloured with engraved vines making its way up to the tip of the blade. Just like my wand. Malfoy's however was a silver black rusted sword that looked like a dark magic object. We were taught to duel combining swordplay and spells. Malfoy was an exceptional dueler and whenever he and Harry would duel, he would fight with calculate moves, each move not wasted. Harry however fought was heart, each more done with determination.

I was taught some medi-witch spells as the boys learnt more curses and hexes.

Ginny of course, was not allowed to train with us because of her age but also because of Mrs. Weasley. But she was given extra defense classes by Professor Lupin, as did Ron, while we had training. Ron had decided to instead take extra lessons with Ginny instead of auror training with s as even though he had the same duties as Malfoy and I, he was less organized and this took up his time.

Sixth year was much more difficult than all the other years put together. Our homework and assessment tasks were piled on more substantially, and even the prefect duties were becoming a little much. Luckily Ron noticed my distracted looks, and offered to help out more regarding our prefect duties. Our talks became less frequent but whenever we did talk, he understood when I would just fall asleep. I was grateful. Harry was thinking of his god-father during his training and I think that was what fuelled him.

Two weeks passed quickly for us though we used time turners almost every day. Aurors were stations all around the castle and students were allowed that weekend to go to Hogsmeade. Those few students that did not go to Hogsmeade were instructed to stay indoors or if possible, their common rooms, where magic passwords were the only thing that would allow access inside. All fireplaces were closed, and Dumbledore had publicly announced that the ministry had closed them due to confidential matters.

That week my nights were back to normal but were restless. During the day, Harry and I were jumpy and overly alert. Fifth, sixth and seventh years were told to be alert, with the reason that the Dark Lord had been growing stronger.

Being a sixth year prefect meant that I had to help reinforce the professors' biddings and warnings of being more alert. Harry and Ginny shared their time together mostly within the safety of the Gryffindor common room. Harry thought it would be best if they hid their relationship of being more than friends to Gryffindor only, so that there would be fewer dangers for Ginny to be captured or such by Death Eaters.


The attack surprised many students and screams from students were heard from the entrance hall unexpectedly. Aurors stationed nearby retaliated and allowed students to escape. Some of seventh years and few sixth years helped the aurors a bit to help students escape before escaping with them. I glanced every now and then down from the second floor defending some student from three Death Eaters who had entered from other entrances. I was outnumbered and I thought I would be a goner, before a wisp of silver smoke shaped like a dragon distracted them momentarily, allowing me to stun and bind them. "Incarcerous!"

Looking down at the Death Eaters, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I whirled around wand ready, but saw no one. "It's Draco, Granger." I let out the breath I didn't realize I had been holding. "I'm going to follow you." I nodded and rushed into a connecting corridor where I heard a group of students screaming. Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange, were stunning students and laughing. The seventh years they were attacking, were trying to protect a few lower years, which I recognized as Muggleborns. My eyes widened but I shot a few curses and hexes towards them helping the seventh years. They distracted the Death Eaters as I escaped with the muggleborn students. I felt Malfoy hesitate before following.

I led them to the nearby Prefects' bathroom and left them there, making sure the portrait understood, not to let anyone in except for Professors or scared students. I rushed back to the corridor, but found the seventh years injured and the Death Eaters gone. "Keep an eye out. I'm going to try to heal some of them." I said to Malfoy. Rushing up to them, I tried to heal them, my mediwitch training kicking in. With Malfoy's help, I used the mobiliocorpi on them and led them to the Prefects' bathroom again. Malfoy stunned and bound some Death Eaters coming up the stairs while I left the students in the bathroom.

We rushed to the Great Hall were we heard laughter and screams. I ran in looking around, but I soon fell to the floor, after hearing a 'Crucio'. Unbelievable pain shot through me and I screamed. It felt like my insides were being set on fire, my bones broken purposely and slowly. It ended and I felt myself panting and in extreme pain. Lucius Malfoy looked down at me, with that evil gleam I used to see Draco with and a triumphant sneer on his face. I was in so much pain, that I wasn't able to

'Someone help me!' My mind had screamed. He pointed his wand at me. "Cru--" But before he could finish the word, a voice screamed a "Petrificus Totalus!". The older Malfoy stiffened, arms snapping to his sides and fell to the floor. "Stupify! Incarcerous!" The voice that I had recognized as Draco, screamed. Invisible hands and carried me into a small alcove in the Great Hall.

"Are you alright Hermione?" I stifled a small cry, from the pain in my neck, nodding. "Stay here." He said firmly, putting my wand in my hand, and helping me sit up. After a silent moment, I felt his lips on my forehead. I was startled to say the least, and opened my mouth to say something but I heard his footsteps rush away from the alcove.


A/n: eep..!! I'm sowies peeps for leaving this for so long... It's just that... I kinda lost the pieces of paper that had chapters 6 and 7 written on them. But I've finally found them and here they are..!!