Chapter Six:
The Unsuspected
Hermione reported to the study room for her first date with Draco. They kept a low profile during the day and in public. It was better that no one really knew. She had spent quite awhile perfecting her appearance. Her hair was cascading to her shoulders in gentle waves. She was wearing dark blue jeans and fuzzy white sweater. Her earrings were diamond chandeliers. She greeted Ferris with a smile.
"Hello, Ferris."
"Good evening, Miss Granger. You look stunning."
"Thank you!"
"Mister Malfoy will be impressed," Ferris added, winking at her. Hermione smiled.
"I hope so."
"Have a pleasant evening, Miss Granger."
"Thank you, Ferris," Hermione replied, stepping into the study room. She could hardly believe her eyes. The table was set with candles and expensive looking china. A rich, crimson tablecloth covered the surface and was scattered with rose petals. Draco was sitting on the couch, anxiously awaiting her arrival. When she entered, Draco smiled and went to greet her.
"Do you like it?"
"Draco, it's amazing."
"You're amazing," He told her, kissing her gently. "Now let's eat. I'm starved." Their dinner was pleasant. Draco insisted that Hermione try the wine he had selected.
"I'm underage!" Hermione pointed out.
"So? It's not like we're both going to get completely trashed. Just have a glass or two," Draco insisted, pouring her a glass.
"Draco-"
"Trust me, Hermione." Hermione sighed and grinned at him.
"Fine. One glass."
"We'll see how you feel about that later," Draco corrected her, smiling. Their dessert was a strawberry shortcake. It was the most delicious thing Hermione had ever tasted.
"What would you say if I told you that I spent all day cooking this meal for us?" He asked after dessert. Hermione stared at him.
"I'd say you're lying."
"You're right. I hope you can cook, because I'm an idiot in the kitchen." Hermione laughed and pulled him over to the couch.
"I'm sure we'll manage." Draco kissed her suddenly. A kiss that was as sweet as it was fierce. Hermione felt a tremor pass through her body, and he held her tightly to him. He deepened their kiss as he shifted so he could lie on top of her. His lips moved from her mouth to her neck, provoking emotions inside of Hermione that Harry never could. The first moment his lips touched her neck, she gasped. Draco could only think of one thing as he paused and stared into her beautiful brown eyes.
"I love you, Hermione."
"I love you too, Draco," She whispered. His blue eyes were sparkling with desire and contentment. Items she had never seen in Harry's gaze. She knew every time she looked into Harry's eyes that all he wanted was her virginity. Yet every time she looked into Draco's eyes, it was predominantly clear that all he wanted was her heart forever. And she wanted to give it to him. Draco kissed her again, unleashing all of the passion in his heart. He never wanted that moment to end. Ever. If he could just remain there, holding her in his arms until the sun failed to shine, he would be the happiest man on earth. Unfortunately, it was growing near their curfew. Some students had failed to be in by their curfew and they had gotten into trouble. From then on, there was always a professor guarding each hall way. With great disappointment, Draco sat up and took Hermione in his arms. They sat there, hugging, for a few more minutes. Then they both headed for the door. Outside, Draco leaned forward and kissed Hermione deeply.
"Till we meet again, my love," He whispered, flashing her a charming smile. Hermione didn't want to leave. She held onto his hand until they were forced to diverge onto two separate paths. Sighing, she headed back to the Gryffindor Tower.
Dumbledore paced back and forth, thinking hard. Things were getting too complicated too quickly. He stared at the men gathered in the musty room. The floorboards creaked with every step. The walls seemed to shake if one spoke too loudly. An ugly white spider wove webs in the cracked window panes. Dumbledore stopped and faced the Order.
"What news do you bring?" He asked them. Remus Lupin sighed heavily.
"Rhys is dead."
"How was this discovered?"
"I was on my way to the caves when I saw him in the forest."
"We're taking too many chances choosing someone within the Order," Snape piped up from the corner.
"We can't burden someone outside of the Order! There aren't many we could trust either," Charlie added, stroking his red beard. Bill nodded in agreement.
"We can't risk it."
"Voldemort would never expect it, though," Remus mused, pondering the suggestion.
"He would continue to go after the Order instead of the outside host," Snape continued the thought process.
"So he'll kill off the Order, and then where would we be?" Charlie demanded. He had passed on his overly dramatic qualities to Ron.
"Exactly where Voldemort would be. No where. Don't you see? If he manages to kill the entire order, which he won't, he still won't get what he's been looking for!" Snape exclaimed, finishing the picture.
"But who are we to trust with that sort of responsibility? We can't choose an adult. With politics and Voldemort at large, you can't tell who is acting of their own free will. May I remind you of Mad Eye?" Charlie countered.
"You don't need to remind me, boy," Mad Eye Moody spoke up in his raspy voice.
"Of course we all remember. What if we selected a child?" Remus suggested.
"A student," Dumbledore added his input for the first time. All eyes swerved to him.
"Did you have someone in mind, professor?" Snape inquired. Everyone was listening in silence, waiting.
"Someone of extreme intelligence. Someone I have known for seven years. Someone who has proven to be trustworthy, brave, and strong."
"Harry?" Remus guessed.
"No, that's far too dangerous," Snape cut off Dumbledore.
"I agree with Severus, which is why I believe our very own Hermione Granger would be the perfect candidate." A silence passed through the room. Snape was the first to nod.
"I agree, headmaster. She would be perfect." Slowly, Remus, Mad Eye, Charlie, and Bill all nodded their heads in agreement.
"Then it is decided. I will meet with Miss Granger tonight and explain our situation. This meeting of the Order is adjourned. I ask all of you to inform those who could not be present today of what we discussed." The members of the Order nodded and quickly dispersed. Dumbledore returned to Hogwarts to propose an extremely important responsibility to a seventeen year old girl.
Hermione was returning from a dinner rendezvous with Draco one week later when Professor McGonagall stopped her in the hall way.
"Miss Granger?"
"Oh no, it's not past curfew is it?" Hermione asked, fearfully.
"No, not yet."
"Oh good. What is it, professor?"
"Come with me. Professor Dumbledore wants to speak with you." Hermione became suddenly nervous. Had she done something wrong? McGonagall led the way to the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore wasn't there when they reached it.
"Have a seat, Miss Granger. He'll be back soon, I imagine." Hermione sat down and stared at the knick knacks on the shelves. Suddenly, there came a short pop, and Dumbledore appeared.
"Ah, Miss Granger. I'm glad Professor McGonagall caught you before you went to bed."
"Am I in trouble, Headmaster?"
"Of course not, my dear girl. I have a favor to ask of you."
"All right."
"Now, Hermione, I have to make sure that this is clear right now. Whether you choose to take on the task I'm about to request of you or not does not matter. Everything I say to you tonight must not be told to anyone. Ultimate secrecy is required."
"Of course, professor," Hermione replied, now curious to hear his request. Dumbledore sighed and took his time. Finally, he looked at Hermione seriously.
"The times are dangerous, Hermione. Surely you know this. The threat of Voldemort is still in the air. The Order has continued to meet in secret. We have devised a plot to take Voldemort down for good."
"That's wonderful, professor, but what does it have to do with me?"
"Voldemort has spies everywhere, Hermione. He has somehow learned of our plan to take him out of power. The Order knew that in order to keep our plans safe from Voldemort's eyes, we'd be forced to establish a Secret Keeper. The way the rotation works is that every two days, a new person is assigned to be the Secret Keeper. They are forced to stay out of the public eye for this time, and they are kept guarded at all times. Unfortunately, Voldemort has also found out that our Secret Keeper is within the Order. When any of his cohorts bump into a member of the Order, they are brought to Voldemort to see if they are the current Secret Keeper. Thankfully, Voldemort has not yet captured the one who carries the secrets. On a darker note, he is killing off much of the Order when he discovers that they do not possess the information he desires."
"That's awful!"
"Yes. Hermione, unpredictability is essential in this mind game we play with Voldemort. We must be constantly coming up with new ideas to throw him off track. The Order has decided upon a new theory to protect the secrets of our plan. We all agree that a Secret Keeper outside of the Order would send Voldemort down a wrong path. We sat around and came to the conclusion that you, Hermione, would be the most trustworthy person outside of the Order. Only if you accept, you will be the Secret Keeper." Hermione was overwhelmed. At first, she could not speak. She tried very hard to process everything she had just been told, but her mind was frozen on Dumbledore's last sentence. Her eyes followed a spider as it crawled along the windowsill. A sick feeling came about in Hermione's stomach. This was all really happening.
"Do not be mistaken, Hermione, and think that this will be an easy task. You will feel differently if you choose to accept. You must be willing to take on the biggest responsibility of your life. You must be willing to risk your life to keep the secrets given to you. If you deny Voldemort entry to the vortex of secrets, he can only take them from you by killing you." Hermione was petrified. Was she willing to risk her life for the possibility that Voldemort could be removed from the wizarding world? It was certainly a noble cause. Her life for the life of millions. It was frightening, but something inside of her was urging her to accept.
"I'll do it, professor."
"You don't have to, Hermione. Understand how different your life will be after this."
"I want to help the Order. I want to get rid of Voldemort."
"Very well, Hermione," Dumbledore said, quietly. He took out his wand. "Do you want to be sleeping? This will hurt quite a bit."
Hermione woke up and couldn't move her body. Opening her eyes, she found herself to be in the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey was bustling about, and did not notice that her patient had awoken. The sun was shining through the windows, practically blinding Hermione. She could not lift her hand to shield her eyes from the harsh light. She was afraid to see if her mouth would move, and was relieved to find that she could still speak.
"Madame Pomfrey?"
"Oh, you're awake, dear! Good morning, Miss Granger. You've been sleeping for quite awhile!" Madame Pomfrey set some chocolate down on the table next to Hermione's cot.
"I can't move my arms," Hermione muttered, struggling with her own numb body.
"It's just a spell, dear. I don't understand what medical emergency could have been so serious that Dumbledore had to put you under such a powerful anesthesia spell."
"Will it wear off?"
"Of course it will. Just give it some time." There was a knock on the infirmary door, and Madame Pomfrey groaned. "Draco Malfoy, please come back some other time!" She shouted through the closed doors.
"Come on, Madame Pomfrey!" He complained, and hit the door with his fist. Hermione perked up at the sound of Draco's voice.
"Draco!"
"Hermione? You're awake! Please just let me see her!" Draco pleaded with the mediwitch. Madame Pomfrey sighed heavily and unlocked the door. Draco practically knocked her over trying to get to Hermione's bed. He gently brushed the hair out of her eyes.
"Good god, Hermione, you gave me such a scare. What happened?"
"I don't remember," Hermione lied. She could tell right away that she was going to be lying to Draco a lot. And she didn't like it.
"The anesthesia hasn't worn off yet, Mister Malfoy, and if you come back later as I suggested, you might be able to have a better conversation!" Madame Pomfrey nagged him from somewhere across the room. Draco rolled his eyes.
"I don't care if we're silent. I just want to look at you," Draco murmured, studying every inch of Hermione's face with his beautiful blue eyes. Hermione smiled and blushed. All of a sudden, a sharp pain shot through her head. She squeezed her eyes tightly, as though it would help.
"Are you all right?" Draco asked, concerned. Hermione felt like crying, her head was pounding so hard.
"Excuse me, Draco. Might I have a word with Miss Granger in private?" Dumbledore's voice came from behind. Draco wanted to protest, but he decided he shouldn't argue with the headmaster. He left the room only to wait at the doors for reentry.
"How are you feeling, Hermione?"
"My...head..."
"Yes. It is normal to have sudden migraines. Fortunately, Professor Snape would only be too happy to brew a potion for you that would keep the headaches away."
"Thank god," Hermione muttered. The pain finally subsided.
"Go see Professor Snape when Madame Pomfrey excuses you. The potion will need to be taken once every forty-eight hours."
"All right," Hermione replied, feeling suddenly exhausted.
"Remember, Hermione, you have a very big responsibility on your shoulders. Do not put yourself under any unnecessary stress. That will nullify the headache potion, and you will experience the worst headache of your life. If at any point this becomes too much of a burden for you, do not hesitate to inform me. There is always a plan B."
"Yes, professor," Hermione muttered, wondering why she had agreed to it.
"Good. Lunch is in an hour. I hope to see you in the Great Hall."
"Okay." Dumbledore left, and Draco came barreling back in. He sat down on the edge of the cot and took Hermione's hand.
"What was that all about?"
"I have to see Professor Snape about these chronic headaches I've been getting."
"Is that why Dumbledore had to drown you in anesthesia?"
"I truly don't remember, Draco," Hermione lied again. She was growing frustrated with how little she got to tell the truth.
"That's all right."
"Mister Malfoy! Out, out, out! She will be released in time for lunch, so come back then!" Madame Pomfrey snapped. Draco gave her a sharp glare, but she pointed to the doors. Draco sighed and kissed Hermione's forehead.
"I'll be back later, love."
"All right. Bye, Draco." He waved once more before exiting the hospital wing. Hermione sighed and rolled over in her bed, now able to feel her body. She saw her reflection in glass vase on her night table. Looking into her own eyes, she noticed a distinct change. They seemed deeper and more mysterious. It was obvious that she was keeping something a secret. It was anyone's guess as to how long it would take Draco to notice.
The next evening, Draco was watching Hermione as she stared blankly into the fire. There was a different aura about her, and she was acting strangely. She often had a dazed look on her face, and she was jittery around him. There was something undeniably wrong.
"Hermione?"
"Mmhm?"
"Is something wrong?" Draco asked carefully. Hermione's eyes became less relaxed, as though she was on the alert.
"Of course not."
"You're lying."
"I am not!"
"You won't look me in the eyes," Draco pointed out. Hermione could not deny this. She sighed and closed her eyes, rubbing her temples with her fingertips.
"I'm sorry, Draco."
"It's all right...I just don't like when you keep secrets from me." Hermione almost jumped off the couch at his comment. Noticing how strange she had been acting, she started to cry. Draco put his arms around her, and she cried into his chest. Draco was entirely confused, but he concentrated on keeping her calm.
"It's okay, Hermione."
"No! You don't understand!" She sobbed, tearing away from him. "I want to tell you, Draco! I really do, but I can't!"
"Oh...feminine things?" Draco questioned. Hermione managed to laugh.
"No, not like that."
"Why can't you tell me?"
"I'm sworn to secrecy," Hermione stressed the last word, hoping that he'd guess instead of forcing her to tell him. Quite unfortunately, he did not catch on.
"You can trust me, Hermione. I won't tell anyone."
"I know you won't, but telling you is not my decision to make."
"Then whose is it?" Draco asked, confused. Hermione wiped the tears away from her eyes and cheeks.
"I can't say any more, Draco. What I've said is even too much," She got up quickly and left the study room. Draco remained on the couch, completely bewildered. What secret was so huge that Hermione couldn't even tell him? He remained there, pondering, for awhile longer. When he left, Ferris called him back.
"Hermione was very upset when she left. What happened?"
"I'm not sure, Ferris. I asked her if something was wrong, and there is. And then she wouldn't tell me what was wrong, because she was sworn to secrecy."
"Did you pressure her?"
"Absolutely not! She got herself all worked up, and it could be for good reason, but I, apparently, will never know," Draco replied, sighing. Ferris looked contemplative.
"Perhaps you should apologize."
"But I didn't do anything."
"Do it anyway. Maybe you said something that offended her."
"I don't think that's it, but I suppose it's worth a shot. I don't like to see her so upset," Draco replied. Ferris nodded.
"Me either, Draco. You should get to the dungeons. It's almost ten o'clock."
"Yeah. Good night, Ferris."
"Good night, sir."
Draco was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling when the dormitory door snapped shut. He looked up, but there was no one there. Crabbe and Goyle were still down in the common room, acting like dweebs with other Slytherins. Draco was alone...but it didn't feel so. He sat up in bed and slowly scanned the room with his eyes. Suddenly the door locked by itself. Draco grabbed his wand from his bedside table and walked towards the door. He examined it carefully, beginning at the top. When his eyes reached the ground, he jumped to see a spider crawling across the floor. He rolled his eyes at himself for being startled and returned to his bed. When he glanced back at the door, a person was standing there. A person that could not possibly be standing there.
"Father?" Draco muttered in disbelief. Lucius smiled coldly.
"Draco. So good to see you."
"How is this possible? What did I eat tonight?" Draco asked the questions more to himself than anyone else. Lucius died in Azkaban. Draco had gone to funeral. He had watched the coffin being lowered into the ground. How was it at all possible for his father to be standing there in front of him?
"You don't sound happy to see me, Draco."
"I'm still not convinced that you're here in my room."
"Let me explain it for you, Draco. It's quite simple. On a visit, a Death Eater in disguise slipped me a potion that would give off the impression that I was dead. (A/N: sort of like a Romeo and Juliet thing, but better) When my body was taken from Azkaban, I escaped."
"How? Someone would have seen you."
"Not if I was too small to be seen," Lucius replied. Draco appeared confused, so he quickly morphed into an ugly white spider and back.
"You're an Animagus?"
"Unregistered. Less than a quarter of all Animaguses are actually registered, and they're the fools." Draco still could not believe what he was hearing.
"Why are you here?"
"I am here, Draco, to give you the best news you will ever hear."
"I'm on the edge of my seat," Draco replied, sarcastically. Lucius shot him a sharp glare, and Draco decided it was a better idea to remain silent.
"Our Lord Voldemort is giving you an assignment, Draco. This is your qualification test. If you do this, you can finally become a Death Eater."
"I don't want to be a Death Eater, father."
"I do not care what you want, Draco. What I want is far more important, haven't I taught you that lesson?" Draco winced as he remembered the harsh beatings in the cellar of the Malfoy Manor. Lucius beat him where his mother couldn't see or hear. She would have tried to stop him.
"What sort of plan?" Draco asked, through gritted teeth. Lucius put on the same eerie smile that had frightened Draco as a child.
"The most brilliant plan ever developed by Lord Voldemort, if I do declare. To reward me for remaining loyal to him in Azkaban, he allowed me to do the spy work. I secretly attended several meetings of the Order and relayed back everything I had learned. The moment of triumph came when they began discussing who their Secret Keepers were going to be. Unfortunately, I missed the meeting where they decided to change their Secret Keeper every so often. Voldemort kept killing the wrong people, but no harm done. I did happen to attend the meeting where they made the most important decision. They were running out of Secret Keepers. In an attempt to throw Voldemort off, they went with a new plan. They would choose a Secret Keeper outside of the Order." Lucius paused here, expecting Draco to be salivating at how wonderful the progress was. Au contraire, Draco was fuming. Voldemort's tactics were sneaky and disgusting in the means of a fair fight. Unfortunately, Voldemort did not fight fairly. Then a new realization came to Draco. A Secret Keeper outside of the Order...Hermione! That's why she's been acting so weird! And I accused her of keeping secrets from me. God, I'm such an idiot! No wonder she got upset.
"The person they selected is in this very school at this very moment," Lucius continued in a slow manner, attempting to make Draco crazy to find out who it was. Draco was hardly listening. The Death Eaters knew that she held the secrets of the Order. Her life was in danger, as well as the rest of the people in the Order.
"This person is your mission, Draco. You must get this person to trust you enough to reveal the secrets to you. If for some reason you cannot get the person to tell you, bring them to Lord Voldemort."
"Will this person be killed?" Draco asked, his throat unexpectedly dry. Lucius' eyes sparkled with laughter and malice.
"Without a doubt."
"Who is it?" Draco asked, quietly, hoping that he was wrong. Hoping that there was something else that was bothering Hermione and that there was another explanation for her sudden illness the other day.
"The mudblood, Hermione Granger. Isn't that ironic?" Lucius had a cruel smile on his lips that sent shivers down Draco's spine. A sense of nausea and doom settled in Draco's stomach. Lucius eyed Draco seriously.
"Now, Draco, you must not fail this mission. You must have the girl, or the secrets by February third. Voldemort does not accept excuses. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes," Draco replied, in a far off tone.
"Good. See you at the Manor in February," Lucius said, morphing back into the hideous spider. He crawled underneath the door and was gone. Draco sat motionless on his bed, wondering what he should do. He was in more trouble than he could handle, and he had no one to talk to. Normally, he'd tell Hermione, but it just so happened that her life was on the line. He couldn't tell her to give up being the Secret Keeper without telling her how he knew, but he couldn't just stand back and let it happen. He made the decision that no matter what, he would not go through with the plan. He knew that this defiance put his life in jeopardy as well as Hermione's, but he didn't care. If he needed to risk his life in order to give her the chance to survive, then he was more than willing to do so.