Chapter Four: James and Lily Potter?

Hermione awoke in Draco's arms as he was running her to the hospital wing.

"Herm! Are you all right?" he asked, practically dropping her as he saw her eyes open.

"I don't think so..." Hermione replied. If she had ever doubted the seriousness of the situation, that doubt had just been obliterated.

Draco Malfoy had called her "Herm"

" What was the matter? I was helping you clean--Gods, you should have been happy, me helping the House Elves and all--and then you faint dead away like a...like...a..."

Draco died off, but his mouth didn't close. He was, in fact, gaping like a fish out of water at something behind her. Hermione turned to see something that made her numb with shock.

James and Lily Potter had just entered Hogwarts, several house elves in tow, both looking murderous. Before Hermione could properly react, Draco was pulling her into a broom closet. Her mind, which had been recovering, was quickly numbed again, this time in vague horror at the thought of being in a broom closet with Draco Malfoy. Specifically, a giggling Draco Malfoy.

" Did you see Potter's face? Ha ha, this is marvelous. I didn't think Blaise and I'd properly pissed off his son this time, but those Dungbombs must've done it...or maybe it was the anyonymous postings in the Prophet about knowing he was a Death Eater...not that it's not common knowledge after he ended up in Azkaban and all..."

Draco was still giggling a little, but Hermione was doing her best to ignore him and process the information she had just been given.

"James Potter is a Death Eater." It wasn't a question.

"Well, posh, Herm, no duh!" Draco said. " You yourself were in the Ministry last year. You saw him and his sister in law, and they..."

" They what? Who did they kill? Draco, tell me, Please."

Hermione felt a sudden burning desire to know who was as important to Draco as Sirius had been to Harry.

"Herm, you were there. Don't make me relive it. Please. You..you know how he was to me. After my parents died."

"Were murdered."

"Yes. And You Know Who will pay. And...I'll never forgive Petunia Dursely. Never forgive her what she took from me."

Before Hermione could faint again. Draco was pulling her from the closet.

"Come on." He said. "Satan and his wife should be gone by now, and it's off to the--"

"--library." Hermione interjected, dragging Draco in the opposite direction.Any port in a storm, she figured, and he seemed willing enough to help her, strange as it was.

"Hmm. Herm to the library. What problem are we researching today?" he scoffed, letting himself be pulled.

"Alternate dimensions and Time Turners." Hermione replied gravely.