A/N: Thank you guys SO much! I love reading everyone's reviews! Sorry about the cookie thing….I don't have anymore! Hehe well you guys all seem cool so if you want drop me a line at any of my many AIM sn's CookieFizgig, PureBloodYr4, SoBloodyWickedYo, SoBloodyAce, pheonixgurlie13, or RabidWeasleyE. All of em are linked so no worries. I do realize that this is moving along rather quickly but I think you'll enjoy the next few plot twists…I know I enjoyed thinking them up! Just to let you know this takes place right after Harry and Ron leave Hermione's and then switches back, I'll make it obvious for those of you who didn't stop to read my super cool authors note, though I am very disappointed! So without further ado here's the next chapter of Strange Love!
Chapter Four: The Secret Mission
"She knows!" Ron yelled as he paced the floor of the empty Burrow.
"But how do you know she knows? What if she was telling the truth?" Harry retorted from his position in the recliner.
"What do you mean how do I know? Did you see the look on her face? She was never any good at lying."
Harry shook his head. No matter how hard he tried he would never understand how Ron's mind worked. He sighed as he listened to Ron prattle on about how Hermione was lying and how evil she was for betraying him. He really didn't want her working on anything dangerous. Not that anything they got to do was really all that dangerous. The Ministry insisted that they only work on small cases where they had very little risk of being killed.
"Are you even listening to me?" Ron asked angrily.
"Yeah, yeah of course. I wouldn't want to miss out on one of your 'Why Hermione is evil' rants." Harry replied sarcastically.
"Look we have to find out what's going on! If we don't she might get hurt-"
"And God forbid Hermione do what she wants." Harry finished.
Ron glared at him as if he didn't understand how intensely important it was that Hermione not be hurt in any way or form. Harry glared right back to show that this time he was on Hermione's side, she was a big girl and could do what she wanted. Their glaring contest was interrupted by a large grey owl flying through an open window. Harry got up and took the note from the owl and it took off with a hoot.
To Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley: It is required that you come to a meeting tonight. There will be no discussion. You should arrive at nightfall. If you are not there your jobs will be in jeopardy.
Percival Weasley
Minister of Magic
"What's with Percy huh? He's so formal now that he's the Minister." Harry said.
"He seems to still be a little angry from way back in fifth year." Ron replied with a sneer.
With a slight shrug Harry went back to his seated position and waited in the now silent Burrow for the sun to go down.
Hermione stirred yet again as the nightmares tormented her. She snapped into a seated position and panted as she looked around to discover that what she had seen had only been a dream. Thankful for her discovery she stood up and stretched. She jumped as the grandfather clock struck five.
"Well, well look who's finally up!" a familiar voice said.
"Shut up Kat. What are you two doing here anyway?" she asked.
Ash and Kat looked at each other weirdly and then looked back at Hermione.
"Didn't you get our note? We left you a note last night." Ash said.
"No I must have…missed it." Hermione replied rubbing her forehead.
"So…has Mr. Wonderful been here yet?" Kat asked sweetly.
"He is not Mr. Wonderful!" Hermione replied with a glare, "But yes he did come by earlier this morning. Only to discuss some business though."
"Oh yes business…I see…so what exactly did you talk about?"
"I…can't tell you. It's top secret." Hermione said.
"Yes top secret." Kat said doubtfully.
"Okay look why are you two here?"
"Well to talk to our best friend of course!"
Hermione turned and looked out the window to see the sun quickly setting in the pinkish orange sky. This wouldn't be good if Kat and Ash tagged along. She had to get them to leave.
"Well I really should be going. I have…a meeting to get to. You two can stay here if you want but don't break anything." Hermione lied.
"Right a meeting." Kat said.
"We'll just leave you to that." Ash said.
A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she apperated to the entrance to the Ministry building. Waiting for her was Percy Weasley. She smiled as she walked over to him.
"Well Ms. Granger, how have you been?" he asked.
"Pretty good. Nothing I can really complain about." She replied happily.
"Well you should go on inside. The new entrance is over there." He said pointing to the back wall of the alleyway.
Hermione nodded and walked to the wall he had pointed to. Looking it over she thought it would be like the wall entrance into Diagon Alley but she was proved wrong when a small platform came out of the wall.
"Please put your wand onto the tray." And electronic voice said.
Hermione unwillingly put her wand onto the tray where a blue light ran up and down it, and then a red light repeated what the blue light had done, only this time revealing fingerprints.
"Are you Hermione Granger?" the voice asked.
"Yes." Hermione replied nervously.
"Voice analysis confirmed. You may enter." The voice said.
With a shrug Hermione picked up her wand and waited. The wall slowly opened just enough for her to slip through. She walked in and the wall snapped shut quickly behind her. She looked at it oddly before continuing down the walkway. She entered a brightly lit room and the receptionist eagerly approached her.
"Oh Miss Granger we've been expecting you." She said.
"Um…we?" Hermione asked.
"Yes!" another woman chimed in, "We heard about you and how brave you are. We're really glad to have someone like you upholding our honor as women."
"Um…thanks. Look do you know where I'm supposed to go?"
"Of course. Down the hall and it's the third door on the right."
"Thank you again." Hermione said as she headed down the hall and found the door.
She slowly opened the door and found Draco as well as the Weasley family, everyone from the Order, Kat, and Ash in the room. She looked at each of them and then sat down wondering why they were all here. Percy had only said a partner in his letter not everyone she knew!
"Well I suppose you are all wondering why you are here. I have called most of you here to inform you of the important task that two of you will be embarking on. The rest, if they want to, will assist you and maybe even go with you. Now then first order of business." Percy said pompously, "Hermione, if you would come up here."
Hermione ignored the piercing eyes of the group and walked slowly to where Percy was standing. She knew exactly what she was about to have to do.
"If you are ready you may show them what you are." Percy said calmly.
Swallowing hard, Hermione began to transform. The whole room watched in awe and all eyes continued to stare as she was completely changed into her Animagi form. Her ears flattened and her tail went between her legs as Tonks stood up and walked to her. Harry and Ron merely stared in awe. The twins, as well as the other Weasley brothers looked at her with admiration. Molly and Arthur both smiled.
"So…you've been coming to give us inspiration. To help us." Lupin said as he watched her carefully.
Hermione looked at him sadly and changed back.
"Yes…it's been me the whole time. I thought maybe…if you had a real reminder of Sirius…" she replied as she hung her head.
"Bloody brilliant…" Ron said.
"Absolutely amazing!" Fred and George chimed in.
"I knew you were talented but WOW!" Tonks said.
She smiled a bit as the room echoed with praises on her acquired ability. It took Percy a few moments to calm everyone down but soon the room was quiet once again. Percy would not allow Hermione to sit down however.
"Now Katherine and Ashley will you come up here as well?" Percy asked.
The girls slowly got up and walked over to where Hermione stood and waited anxiously to see why they were here. Though they figured they already knew.
"Much as James and Sirius did, these two girls followed in Hermione's footsteps and became Animagi as well." Lupin smiled at the memory being used, "Hermione had become a black wolf to symbolize Sirius. Katherine takes the form of an orange phoenix, much like Fawkes. Ashley here decided to take the form of a large bear." Percy explained as he motioned for them all to change. "These girls are obviously very well trained and could prove to be of much help to us in the war against the Dark Lord. We will need as much help as we can get and I ask each of you to consider helping us."
The room filled with the chatter of those who were trying to decide whether or not they would be helping. After a few moments they went around the circle telling if they would be helping. Amazingly no one refused to help. Each was assigned a task from a list of things that need to be done on the mission. After it was complete it looked something like this:
Assignments
1-Safety: Molly and Arthur
2-Infultration plans: Fred and George
3-Infultrators: Hermione, Draco, Katherine, and Ashley
4-Gain Allies in animal forms: Hermione, Katherine, and Ashley
5-Security: All others from the Order
6-Healer: Ginny
7-Soldiers: All
"You will have two weeks to prepare. Now, not to be a burden, but Mr. Malfoy would it be possible for everyone to stay with you? Perhaps in a secluded area?" Percy asked anxiously.
"Of course. I have plenty of rooms that couldn't be found by even the cleverest intruder. In fact a whole wing of the house is hidden." Draco replied.
Soon everyone was sitting in the secluded wing of Draco's monstrous mansion talking about how they believed the mission would go. Percy had told them to try and remain within this wing whenever possible. He had insisted on keeping them safe and reminded them to keep each other protected. After he had left Hermione had rolled her eyes and went into the main wing of the house to explore. Draco had disappeared hours ago upon their arrival. She was determined to explore while he was gone. She went into room after room after room, absolutely loving the décor in some rooms while hating some in the others. Finally she found a door that led outside into what was obviously the backyard. A large pool caught her eye and she went and sat on the green bench next to it.
"Well I guess you found my pool." Draco said from behind her.
"Yeah. Guess so. It's really pretty out here you know."
"Yeah. Well I don't know about you but I think now is the perfect time for a quick dip." He said as he transfigured his shorts into swim trunks and took off his shirt.
He dove quickly into the pool and shivered when he came up for air. Hermione laughed as she watched him shivering in the water. He hadn't thought that ut had he? Draco climbed out of the water shaking his head as he snatched a towel and wrapped himself in it. He sat on the bench next to Hermione who was still laughing wildly at him. Her laughter was soon pierced by a hauntingly familiar voice.
" Draco dear?? Where are you?" the voice said.
Both Draco and Hermione's eyes widened as they heard footstep coming closer. Soon a form walked into the room and ran at Draco. His breath left him in a matter of seconds from being squeezed that hard.
"L-let go o-of me P-pansy!" Draco managed to sputter angrily.
Pansy let him go and looked him up and down before looking around and spotting a rather large black form sitting next to Draco's feet. The form began to growl at her and she smiled happily.
"Oh Draco your doggy likes me! Hear her purring?" Pansy said stupidly.
"Um…Parkinson. Cats purr and dogs growl and when a dog growls it means that it doesn't like you." Draco explained slowly.
Pansy reached down to pet Hermione and she snapped at her, making sure to get dangerously close to biting her. With a look of disgust Pansy turned back to Draco.
"So does she know any tricks? I bet she knows how to fetch don't ya girl? Here," Pansy said as she transfigured a nearby towel into a stick and threw it into the pool, "Fetch."
Hermione looked at Pansy and continued to growl; her tail was now twitching from fury. Draco held back a laugh and a smile though Hermione could see it tugging at the sides of his mouth. He looked at her with pleading eyes before speaking again.
"Like I said, she doesn't like you, watch. Fetch!" Draco said.
Hermione got up from her seated position and walked to the edge of the pool before bounding into the water and doggy paddling until she grabbed the stick in her mouth and turned to swim back. She climbed out of the pool and dropped the stick into Draco's hand before shaking the water off of her fur and getting Pansy soaked. 'Draco still owes me for this one' she thought as she sat back down next to him. An outraged Pansy glared at her and stomped out of Malfoy Manor.
"Oh my god that was so great Hermione!" Draco said as she changed back.
"Yes well you owe me for that. I don't go around fetching things for people all the time."
Shortly after everyone went to their own rooms and fell into their dreams. Each individual imagining their victory over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The glory and happiness would be overwhelming. Recognition would be given to each of them. The new generation of children will have heroes to look up to. Happy dreams seemed to float through the Malfoy Manor as light snores echoed through the private wing.
A/N: Okay this chapter's kinda short…but that Pansy part! loved Well as I illustrated each person has a role. I wont really go into some of them. Like…oh never mind I'll let you guys wait! This ending was also kind of corny and I apologize. PLEASE REVIEW! If you review…then the magical pixies wont hang you from chandeliers….by your underpants! So there! Also…Ron's lego car of DOOOOOOMMMMM has been repaired for those of you who have been reading my super cool online journal. Just a little update for you! I LOVE YOUUUUUUU!!!!!!
Emma
