AN: I blame this chapter on too much animorphs (i've read just about all 50! don't get put off by the fact that it says childrens series. and the books are much much much better than the tv show. the tv show was bad...)
It was after about three weeks of study that they felt ready to attempt to change form for the first time.
"Ok, Blaise. Are you ready?" They were lounging around in an empty classroom they had found that could be used for their studies. It's amazing how many rooms there were in this place. Many rooms hadn't even been seen since the day they were built.
Blaise had to strip down to as little clothing as possible. Otherwise it might be shredded, if the form he took is larger his. "As ready as I'll ever be." He concentrated on taking a different form, once he got over being in his underwear in front of three other people. They hadn't figured out the clothing thing yet. Harry had to owl Lupin on the matter, in case any of the other marauders had known before they died. It was supposed to be difficult for everybody on they're first time around. You never knew for sure what animal you would become, so you never had a shape to will yourself into.
The changes were subtle at first. His pupils thinned, though his eyes stayed their bright blue color. The joints in his legs then reversed and his black hair spread to cover his entire body. The whole process looked rather uncomfortable, though luckily they happened quickly. Then he grew a tail and his ears changed. Left in his place was a panther, almost smiling at them. In a feline sort of way. Harry thought it suited him. He then made himself change back after he jogged around the room for a couple of minutes, chasing the others.
He laughed for a second, after they settled back down. "Well, that was fun! We just have to learn that clothing spell," he said cheerfully once he was back to normal. After he dressed himself, the others to their turns. Draco became a beautiful Siberian tiger, with white stripes and silver eyes. Harry was, surprisingly enough, sleek black cobra, with bright green eyes. It seemed like for a second the Slytherin had taken the Gryffindors place, as the felines of the group, and Harry had switched places with them, by becoming the snake. Lastly, was Hermione, who became a wolf, with thick golden brown fur, the color of her own hair, and the same chocolate brown eyes. It was safe to say that they were all satisfied with their shapes. It would have the worst to become one of the lowest of creatures, like say a rat. But luckily a rat, or any other creature, didn't fit their personalities.
They each practiced changing shape a couple more times, occasionally more chasing around the room, before they separated. Harry usually hid for one of the others to find him. Or rather Hermione and Blaise went back to they're dorm rooms and Harry and Draco made the most of each other. They didn't have the luxury of being able to be together in public, unlike Hermione and Blaise. The had to make the best with the stolen moments they could find.
The next morning Ron woke up with fear in his eyes. He found a black snake curled tightly around his neck. It had been its tongue, flicking across his skin, that had woke him up. He let out a scream as it began to squeeze tighter around his neck. His shriek woke up some of the others, who came to see was wrong with him. Besides the usual.
"Ron, what the bloody hell is wrong with you! Waking us up at five in the fucking morning." Fred was the first to get to him. He had to shake his brother to get him to calm down enough to speak.
"There was a s-s-snake... a-around my neck!" he stuttered out. Ron grabbed at his neck to find nothing there. His eyes were the size of saucers, as he frantically threw the covers off the bed. The snake was gone.
"Ron, you need some serious help." This came from Seamus, who was still rubbing his eyes.
After the others made it back to sleep, Ron heard a quiet laughing coming from Harry's bed beside him. He got out of bed and threw open the curtains around Harry's bed.
"You!" He glared at him.
"Yes, I know who I am." He smirked back.
"You put that snake in my bed! Didn't you!"
"What snake? I haven't seen any snakes." He looked back at Ron innocently. He was having a hard time trying to not burst out laughing again.
"We'll see." Ron closed the curtains and backed his way to his own bed. He couldn't believe what had gotten into his ex-friends lately. Well, he didn't care about them anymore. Besides, he didn't have any proof that Harry had even done anything.
"Yes, we'll see." He heard whispered from Harry's bed.
/I hate you!/
"Harry! What was all that commotion that I heard coming from the boys dorm this morning. The screaming was so loud it even woke us!" Hermione asked him in the Gryffindor common room later on that morning.
"I decided to play a little trick on Ron." He had a sly grin on his face.
"You didn't!" She gasped.
"I did! You should have seen the look on his face. I only wish Collin had gotten his camera so I could have a picture to show you." He started laughing.
"Wish I could have been there!" She still hadn't forgiven Ron for the way that he had treated them.
"Glad to see you two Slytherins are enjoying yourselves at my expense!" Ron had come down from the dorms.
"Thank you for the compliment, Benedict." Hermione smiled gleefully.
Ron just glared at them, as usual, and made his way back to the Gryffindor table.
"So, are you staying here for Christmas break?"
"Yeah, I've owled my parents about it, they're fine with it. Although they were sorry about my breakup with Ron."
"Good. Draco told his father that he wanted to stay here so that he could torture me without any witnesses." Harry rolled his eyes. "His father doesn't care what he does as long as he makes me miserable."
"What does his mother think?"
"She's worse than he is. She convinced Lucius to join Voldemort."
"Oh." Hermione's eyes grew, before she composed herself again. "Is Blaise staying?" She inquired.
"Of course."
"I think we're ready." Hermione said one day as they were lounging around listening to Draco's Massive Attack Cd.
They had finished they're animagi training after a month, changing clothes and body. The had even actually found the time to pay attention in they're actual classes. While Hermione was still at the top of their class as always, Draco now had the highest grades in Slytherin. Blaise and Harry weren't doing so badly either. Harry actually had a decent grade in potions.
"This is a big step. The "Unforgivables" could get us sent to Azkaban if the ministry finds out." Harry replied. He was currently by Draco's side as usual.
Draco's had his arm wrapped around Harry's slender form. It was actually sort of sweet watching them. Maybe one day they would be able to be out in the open. Without people just seeing them as The-Boy-Who-Lived and The-Son-of-Lucius-Malfoy. Just think of the Horror that that would cause if people found out that the two were lovers.
"They won't. We're smart enough to not get caught." Draco had owled his father, requesting the books that they needed. He hadn't asked any questions. "I brought the books I was talking about. They range on every aspect of dark curses." He reached down beside the sofa and pulled up a couple of thick volumes. He saw the questioning looks from the people around him. "My father."
"Will Dumbledore be able to tell what we're doing in here?" Blaise asked.
"Not if we watch out for Filch and Peeves. There aren't any portraits on this corridor so we won't have to worry about that. Also, the house elves won't tell." Hermione answered.
"Great. The only problem left is that we'll have to practice on each other." Harry got from the couch with his wand in hand. "Will you be ok, Hermione?"
"If you guys can do this, than I can." She had a determined look on her face as she drew herself up from the couch and pointed her wand at Harry.
A dark figure pulled himself away from the sight before him. He raised the hood of his cloak and made his way down the hallway, unseen.
(two weeks later...)
"IMPERIO!"
Harry steeled himself against Draco's attack. He felt a tiny suggestion in the back of his mind, telling him to drop his wand. He resisted for all of about ten minute's before he gave into exhaustion.
He and Draco had been at it for a little more than an hour. Hermione and Blaise were working on the other side of the room.
The first few times any of them had tried the curse, unsurprisingly enough, nothing happened. It took the first week before they had gotten this far. Although, while Hermione could only hold of the curse for a couple of minutes, Harry, at best, could throw it off completely half the time. But, not all the time. Unfortunatly, they also found that Draco was helpless against the imperious; his mind could be captured by it with very little effort....
Hermione let herself be pulled by Harry to Defence class. Though it a bit of irony that it was Harry who was forcing her to get to class, she let him tug her through the halls without saying a word.
They had been working late last night and she was exhausted. It annoyed her a little to see Harry in perfect working order, and she glared at him hatefully as he pulled her arms through her robes, to get her in uniform, as they got to class. She had been about to claim sick (surprise, surprise) when Harry dragged her out of bed, telling her that they were about to be late for their first class. She had barely left him enough time to get himself dressed. He just grabbed his things and drug her out with them.
They made it just before the teacher, Professor McEuan, started the lesson.
"I so glad that you could take time out of your busy schedule to make it to my class on time. You will be happy to know that you aren't the last ones." He seemed a bit amused.
As if on queue, Neville squeezed through the door, trying not to be noticed. He straightened and blushed when he felt all the eyes in the room on him.
"Everyone take your seats." He clapped once before making his way to the front of the room. "Today we will be learning new ways to disarm an opponent." He picked up a dark jar off a shelf in the corner of the room. "I have written down different curses and hexes on each piece of parchment. I would like for you to pick two out and one will be the one that you will be using. The other is who you will be partnered up with. Once you have been successful in winning the dual come to me and come get another. Anybody, just come to me if you need help." The whole class knew that this last part was indirectly directed as Neville. Hermione had almost fallen asleep again.
When the jar came around to her and Harry, she looked at her pieces of paper. Hannah Abbot. "Who did you get?" She peaked over at Harry's, before yawning.
"Justin."
"Good for you." She yawned again when she was finished.
"Are you ok?" He was a bit worried about her. He wasn't anywhere near as tired as she was.
"Yeah. Last night just took a lot out of me."
"I can tell. Do you think you can make it through your classes today?"
"Yes. Though I was planning on sleeping in, no thanks to you." She started to glare at him again, but she had to stifle another yawn. "Now I might as well go to class now that I'm awake."
Hermione didn't look that awake. Her eyelids looked like they were about to drop any second.
"Class! Get with your partners and begin." McEuan moved to the side to observe the students.
"Why did I have to get stuck with you!?" Hannah stared distastefully at Hermione. Most of the Hufflepuffs had taken the Gryffindors side. "A bitch who doesn't know when she's got it good! You should have treated Ron better and not have chosen that Slytherin slut over him!"
"Just lucky I guess..." Hermione just smiled softly. She started to yawn again when Hannah threw a curse at her. She dodged it, but it almost got her. Hermione returned the attack and Hannah threw herself down on the floor. It grazed the air just above her head. Hermione couldn't help but rub her eyes, to rid herself of the sleep. She felt something touch her side, then someone in the room screamed. Hermione's eyes flew open and she Hannah lying on the floor, about to hyperventilate. Her eyes were wide with fear as she looked in between Hermione and the wall across from her.
There was a gaping hole in it and they could see through to the storage room, on the other side.
"YOU TRIED TO KILL ME!!!" Hannah seemed stuck in place for a second then she tried to charge Hermione into the floor. A white-hot electric shock went trough Hannah's body the second she touch Hermione. It was as if someone had set fire to her body. She backed away on the floor and tried to run out of the room as fast a she could. She fell flat to the ground before she made it. Hannah's body would jerk every few seconds, her eyes stared dead ahead.
Another student tried to get close, but he was stopped by Professor McEuan. "Nobody touch her! Bones! Go get Madam Pomfrey." The girl ran out before he finished the sentence.
Harry ignored the teacher's warning and strode closer Hermione, who was frozen shock; all thoughts of sleep had vanished.
"Harry! Don't touch me!" She was frightened for both herself and her friend as she stood stalk still.
"Don't worry about me! Worry about yourself." He grabbed her arm. Nothing happened.
The professor saw this and made to pull her out of the room, but he was hit as well. They watched as he lay unconscious on the floor before Harry grabbed her hand and they walked out the room, with Hermione near tears.
The other students in the room scurried away, as soon as they got close. No one made a move to help the twitching professor.
Hermione lay shaking on the couch, while Harry sent an owl to get Blaise and Draco out of class. A professor would be on their way soon enough, to figure out what had happened.
He had felt what had happened to her. The power that was coming through. She was starting to feel some of what he felt all the time, only slightly different. But why had it happened now and what was the cause. Usually only pureblood wizards and witches came into this type of power, but that usually happened in their mid-twenties, and Hermione was muggle-born.
After he finished sending the letters he cuddled with her on the couch, trying to give her some comfort. He could still feel the power in her. It was just beneath the surface, ready to be tapped. It was intoxicating as he tried to feel it. It was trying to break free, but Hermione was controlling it, just barely.
It was starting to ebb when there was a knock at the door. Harry barely heard it before the door opened. Blaise came in first, closely followed by Draco; they looked a bit out of breath. Harry got up and Blaise immediately took his place. Nothing happened when he touched her either, except a small spark.
"What happened to her?" Draco asked. His voice was kept even and his eyes were cool as usual, though his hands were shacking. He had felt a power as soon as they got close to the room. What could have been the cause? When he had gotten in the room he stopped dead in his tracks when he finally figured out where the power was coming from. He had NEVER felt a muggle-born as strong as this. Hermione was glowing, though he was one of the few to see it. It was a bright blue colour, though it was quickly beginning to dim.
Harry just shook his head and gripped his hand. "I don't know. We were in duelling class when her power lashed out. We left a student and the professor on the floor unconscious. I just don't know what could have happened." Harry looked as he was going to start crying, when Draco pulled his lover towards the couch, where they all sat. Blaise comforting Hermione and Draco comforting Harry.
The door burst open with a loud crack and they looked up to see Snape and McGonagall. There was a crowd of students in the doorway behind them. Ron was among them.
He, at first, looked shocked when he saw Harry with his arms around Malfoy, then he directed his eyes towards Hermione. He looked concerned for her for a second, but then he noticed Blaise beside her, comforting her. She had betrayed him. He eyes darkened and he backed out of the common room, almost running.
/So the truth comes out! I bet that he was a fucking faggot all along. (AN: author cringes) All those times he slipped into my bed... I bet that he was just trying to cop a feel. I can't believe that I didn't see this coming sooner!!! Well, he will get what's coming to him... And Hermione! I can't believe that she was dumb enough to go along with this. I thought she knew better!!/
Ron was so angry that he didn't notice that he had pushed a passing first year down the flight stairs beside him. He was shocked as he gazed down at the prone body on the floor. There was a small pool of blood leaking around his face.
Ron felt nauseous as he at the body. It wasn't him! He streaked in the opposite direction, in a mad panic.
Draco held Hermione's hand as she lay in the hospital wing. Harry and Blaise were asleep on the couch.
"How are you doing, Granger?" Draco asked her.
"Draco, you know that you can use my name," she said tiredly. She was still exhausted bit wasn't allowed to sleep until they found out what was wrong. There were a couple on professors in the other beds around the room. They had all had been put there by her. In the end Blaise had carried her up, since no one but him, Draco, and Harry could touch her.
Madam Pomfrey came in to check on her. Once Poppy had put on gloves nothing happened when she touch her, except a few stray sparks.
"I'm afraid, I don't know what's wrong, my dear." Poppy pulled of the gloves and looked at her. She was sorry that she wasn't able to help. "I don't know if you will ever be able to touch anyone again, Miss Granger. You will most likely have to cover your skin with something for the rest of your life. Otherwise, someone else might be hurt. I'm sorry, Hermione." She went to check on the others, who were still unconscious.
Hermione put her head in the covers. How was she supposed to deal with this?! She wouldn't be able to touch another human being, with the exception of Blaise, Harry, and Draco, without hurting them.
"You'll be fine, Hermione." He would make sure of that. Blaise and Harry wouldn't let her down for a second.
"I hope so."
(A few days later)
It was Hermione's first day back to class. Pomfrey told her that she could go back to her classes, as long as she was careful not to touch anyone. Draco had decided to help out and had ordered her a pair of designer gloves. They were made of a soft dark blue silk, and went up to her elbows. They were an absolutely beautiful gift, though sad, that she needed them. It was a strange feeling against her skin. She had never had to wear gloves this long. Luckily, she could take them off whenever no one else was in the room, also when she was just with the others.
Blaise was one side of her, Harry and Draco on the other. The entire hall went quiet when they entered. A couple of the Hufflepuffs hid behind each other, shaking with fear.
"-it's back-"
"-kill us-"
"-why did they let her back-"
"-should have been expelled-"
She listened to the various whispers around the room. These were the people who used to be her friends. She felt tears stinging her eyes, when her friends led her to the Slytherin table. Several of them moved away, though some stay seated. She saw another sixth year Slytherin smiling at her. She was so surprised that she didn't feel herself smile back. She nodded her head and took a seat.
Professor Dumbledore rose and held up a hand to gain everyone's attention.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, yes, Miss Granger has been allowed back to class. I implore you to make her as comfortable as possible, fore it has not been easy for her. You may resume your meal." With that he sat and the talking started. A few people would glance in Hermione's direction from time to time, though no one had the nerve to say anything aloud, now. Though, there was one person missing from the Gryffindor table.
Chapter 5
Chapter 7
