The Room of Necessity

Disclaimer: (To the tune of 'Is this the way to Amarillo?')

Is this the way to Harry Potter? Many miles from JK Rowling. Too bad that I own nothing. Men in white coats come for me…

Translation: Toto insists that I do these, but I really don't know why… Okay OKAY! I own nothing! Happy? You strip me of everything I have; my dignity, my pride… Grumble grumble…

Chapter Thirteen

Harry and Ron struggled to keep up with Hagrid as he strode across the entrance hall and out of the huge double doors. Ron looked uncertainly between the other two; silence had reigned over all of them since they had left Dumbledore's office. Now he and Harry had detention for a month split between Hagrid and Filch - so they'd have to go to detention as well as do all their homework and have quidditch practice. Bloody hell.

When first told the reason behind the punishment Hagrid had simply refused to believe his ears… that is until Harry had told him that Madam Pomfrey had deserved everything she'd got for giving them a sleeping draught under false pretences.

Ron broke out of his reverie as they strode past the lake, and Hagrid shook his shaggy mane.

"I can' believe yeh Harry. How dare yeh? Hexin' poor Poppy and all she ever did was give yeh a nice sleep – just like Dumbledore had asked her to."

Silence met his ears. Unfazed, Hagrid walked on. Harry dropped back to Ron and gave him a conspiratorial wink.

"That's not all I did." Ron's jaw dropped.

"Harry…"

"Let's just say that Fred and George had a hand in it…" Grinning, Harry quickened his pace to catch up with Hagrid who was retrieving his crossbow from the side of his hut. Ron ran to meet them and was joined by Fang who came bounding out of the forest, yapping madly.

Ron blinked as he realised that Hagrid was still ranting on, and Harry was beginning to look remorseful.

"It ain' righ' Harry. Yeh just don't do tha' sorta thing. Not at Hogwarts. Dumbledore knows what he's doin'. He ain' the greatest wizard there is for nothin'."

"Hagrid?" Harry tugged on his sleeve to attract his attention. "I've got to go and tell Madam Pomfrey something." Hagrid's eyes welled up with tears.

"Goin' t'apologise already are yeh? Yeh're a good boy Harry, like I always said. A good boy." Hagrid patted Harry hard on the head with one of his large hands before continuing on into the forest, muttering to himself on the lines of ''E's a good boy, 'e is.'

Harry and Ron had only enough time to exchange bewildered looks before jogging after him, jumping over various pieces of forest debris.

"So can I go and see Madam Pomfrey?"

"No Harry, not tonight."

Harry opened his mouth to protest, but the half-giant had already walked off again, Fang at his heels.

OoOoO

As with any trip into the Forbidden Forest, they soon strayed away from any recognisable paths and eventually they came across a small clearing.

"Hagrid?" Ron's voice cracked. "Where are we?"

"And why?" Harry added anxiously.

It was a new moon and lumos didn't cast much light, let alone enough to penetrate the thick darkness which hung over the forest like a suffocating cloak. Hagrid raised a hand for silence as he peered into the shadows between the trees, his beetle eyes narrowed. Finally he turned to the boys behind him.

"There's somethin' new in the forest and its scarin' the other animals – makin' 'em nervous like. So we've come to see if we can find it."

And then he was off again, his broad body cutting a large swathe through the underbrush.

"Keep close now." Hagrid called back over his shoulder, but he needn't have for Harry and Ron were almost stepping on him they were following so closely. If they had come to hunt for something evil in the Forbidden Forest, they wouldn't be straying too far from Hagrid and his crossbow; not by choice, anyway. Despite various evidence (mostly procured by Malfoy), they were not that stupid…

OoO

Minutes passed in silence.

"I bet it was Snape."

"Huh?"

Ron looked sidelong at Harry before repeating himself, and Harry nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Yeah, Umbridge won't come in here anymore and Fred and George are at the shop…"

"So we're looking for Snape. If you see your face reflected in a curtain of grease, give us a yell." Harry grinned at Ron appreciatively, and silence descended once more.

OoO

15 minutes later:

Tension was rising. Hagrid kept making frequent stops to listen and peer into shadows, and every leaf rustling was an acromantula coming to eat them. It was nerve-wracking to say the least, but the silence would only thicken, deepen, until…

CRASH!

Hagrid whipped around and brought up his crossbow. Harry ducked into a crouch, hexes forming on his lips, the light from his wand tip extinguished. Ron picked himself up from the forest floor, brushing off the seat of his robes.

"Sorry." He said, sheepish. "Walked into a tree."

Hagrid told him to be more careful before lowering his crossbow and stalking off again. Ron started to follow when he noticed that Harry was no longer with him. Turning, he realised that Harry was immobilised. Incapacitated. Incapable of voluntary movement. He was hunched over against the base of a tree, slapping his thigh as his slight frame was wracked with giggles.

"Harry? Are you alright?" Ron asked, uncertain. Harry's laughter was becoming slightly hysterical…

Another wave of giggles was his only reply. Scowling, Ron turned to go but stopped as he heard Harry gasp a protest. He looked back in query.

"Need gasp to be with you Ron gasp. In case gasp you come across any trees." Harry then collapsed onto the floor, clutching his aching sides through his giggles.

Ron left.

OoO

Ten minutes later:

"Ron, where's Harry?" Hagrid was looking about him as if expecting Harry to jump out from behind a tree and yell Boo! at any second.

Ron looked around, then back at Hagrid with wide eyes. He was sure that Harry had followed them, but if he hadn't… Uh oh.

CRASH!

Two heads whipped around and a crossbow and wand were raised. A second later there was even more crashing, but this time the cause was Ron and Hagrid as they charged through the forest in the direction of the red sparks that were being shot into the air.

OoO

One minute later:

"Harry?" Hagrid asked, worried.

"Snape?" Ron asked, disbelieving.

Harry stood there, grinning his head off as a petrified Professor Snape hovered a couple of inches above the forest floor and moved as Harry moved his wand. Ron was looking at him as if he'd grown tentacles. To Harry, the whole situation was incredibly amusing. Hagrid, however, did not appear to be so entertained. Snape – well Harry would find out his reaction when he took off the spell. Which he didn't plan on doing any time soon. Contrary to popular belief, he didn't have a death wish.

"Harry. We're goin' ta Dumbledore."

Harry's face fell.

OoOoO

And so Harry told his tale to Dumbledore, as he had so many other tales. He explained how he had lost Hagrid and Ron, and had been following what he thought to be their trail until he had heard a loud crash. Assuming that Ron had collided with another tree, (Dumbledore smiled widely here), he had raced in the direction of the sound but had found on his arrival not the half-giant and boy he had been hoping for, but a dark, cloaked figure standing with his back to Harry. Wordlessly, Harry had petrified him (Dumbledore had nodded in approval), and had then sent red sparks flying in the hopes that Hagrid or Ron might see them. Then he had been shocked to find that the hooded 'beast' was, in fact, Snape ("Professor Snape, Harry") – as Ron and he had predicted. Professor Snape was now hovering in a corner of Dumbledore's office, still petrified and awaiting questioning.

Harry and Ron had then been dismissed to bed. Fatigue finally having caught up with them they left willingly, forcing their leaden legs to move and climb back to their dormitories, where they instantly fell asleep.

Draco twitched in his sleep, then woke with a start. He was fighting, fighting… then he stilled. The warm arms that encircled him moved, and Hermione sat up on her elbow and peered at him through that dark, trying to see his face. Her bushy hair was loose and hung on either side of her head. She blinked the sleep from her eyes as she gazed down at him.

"Draco?"

He stared at her, the remnants of his dream dissipating. She was alive. She was there. He smiled; an actual real, happy smile, and extricated his arms from the duvet. Gently he pushed her back down onto the mattress and she yielded with little protest. Draco lay back down next to her and covered them both with the duvet as Hermione yawned widely and watched him. Firmly he took her arms and placed them around him once more; she smiled slightly at his cheek but complied. With one hand he stroked her hair, absently untangling knots with his fingers. They stayed like that for the rest of the night: Hermione lying against him, asleep, while Draco caressed her head, deep in thought.

There would be no sleep for him that night.

OoOoO

Draco watched as the light slowly grew in the Room. It had no source - it just was, but right now it had the golden quality of dawn. Hermione shifted against his chest and with a sigh raised her head to look at him.

"'Morning Sunshine. You'd better not have drooled on me." Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"I seem to remember a certain Draco Malfoy to be the current champion in that area."

"Never."

"I do believe it's true."

"But not for much longer. I take it you're training for the honour?" He plucked at his t-shirt, examining it for any signs of saliva.

"Look at yourself Draco. See any drool? No. You're talking rubbish." He grinned at her in playfulness, but it quickly faded when he was her wince as she tried to sit up. He quickly leaned forward to help but she batted his hand away like a fly.

"Leave me be. I'm not an invalid."

"Well technically…"

"Technically nothing. Let's have breakfast." Her brisk manner reminded him of McGonagall. Worrying.

Hermione pushed back the duvet to get out of bed, but one look at the remnants of her clothes and she had turned back to Draco.

"You seem to get through clothes remarkably quickly Hermione."

She pulled an exasperated face.

"Okay, okay…"

Hermione looked down at herself, and had to stifle a giggle.

"This is not quite what I had in mind..." She was wearing a pink frilly tu-tu. Draco shrugged. Poof. Hermione was wearing a turtleneck and a flowing skirt. She noted how wearing this would allow easy access to her bandages. Clever.

"Food?"

"Go ahead."

Breakfast appeared on the bed in front of them, and they tucked in.

OoO

"We're going to have to imagine showers at some point."

"A bath would be better for your leg."

"Either. I just need to get clean. And you need to get some new clothes. No offence Draco, but you're starting to whiff a bit."

Draco looked highly offended.

"Excuse me? Look who's talking mudblood." Hermione flinched, and Draco closed his eyes as he realised what he'd just said.

"Hermione, I –"

"Don't Draco. Just… don't."

"Hermione, I'm sorry. I just – "

Hermione rounded on Draco, but deflated in a second. She looked at him more critically. Hollow cheeks, puffy eyes, black bags…

"Draco, when was the last time you've actually slept?"

"I – sleep?" He blinked at her, uncomprehending, and that was when it clicked. The penny fell, you could say.

Hermione guided him back onto the bed and covered him.

"Okay Draco. You're to have a nice long sleep, don't worry about any dreams. I'll be right here to wake you up, so nothing will come true. We'll take it in turns to sleep, and I've slept loads in the last 24 hours, so you're to sleep your heart out. Understood?" Draco nodded and visibly relaxed as she settled herself next to him, holding in her lap a book that he'd imagined for her earlier. With a sigh, he looked at her once more and closed his eyes, quickly falling into a deep sleep. Reaching out, Hermione gently brushed away some of the hair that lay across his face and looked at him. So peaceful…

She tucked her own locks behind her ears and looked down at her book, propping it against her knees. She opened it and began to read.

Draco slept more fully than he had for a long, long time.

Harry and Ron had been planning on a lie in, but in the end Harry was up and about in the common room a mere few hours after dawn, and Ron woke up just in time for breakfast, as usual. It was upon their arrival in the Great Hall that Harry realised with a jolt that he had in fact forgotten to go and see Madam Pomfrey the night before. Oops. Ron appeared to have spotted her too, which was not entirely hard to do seeing as she had turned a fascinating shade of neon orange.

"What did you do?" Ron asked in an amused side whisper as they sat down at the furthest end of the Gryffindor table. Harry grimaced.

"Custom made skin powder." At Ron's confused look he elaborated. "Every time she thinks my name she'll turn a brighter shade." Ron grinned and Harry grimaced again as Madam Pomfrey skin increased its resemblance to a highlighter. "I didn't think she'd be this bright this quickly, you'd think she'd have realised to stop thinking my name yet. She'll be getting blue spots soon…"

And sure enough, blue spots appeared. Professor Trelawnley looked positively petrified of her, and Professor Flitwick was busy spreading the table with jam, his toast forgotten. Madam Pomfrey appeared oblivious.

Eventually Dumbledore drifted in behind another group of staring, whispering students and the madness was put to an end. He did not sit in his usual throne-like chair but instead seated himself elegantly next to a surprised Madam Pomfrey. Pouring some pumpkin juice for himself, he said to her by way of conversation:

"My dear Poppy, were you up late last night?"

"In fact I was Albus. I fell asleep in the Hospital Wing…" She trailed off as she saw someone point at her from the Slytherin table, and the end of the table erupted in laughter.

"May I suggest then Poppy, that you go back to your rooms and maybe have a shower? I will be sending someone along to you shortly." Madam Pomfrey had to do a double-take of him before complying with his request, not completely understanding the meaning behind it until she had passed out of the hall and looked at her reflection in a suit of armour. Ginny later claimed that you could even hear the scream on the quidditch pitch.

Harry left soon after Madam Pomfrey's dramatic departure and when Dumbledore next saw Poppy she was back to her usual colour, but very perplexed as to why she had had a mild bout of orange skin with polka dots.

A few hours later Draco awoke, much refreshed. Next to him Hermione quietly turned a page, and sensing a change in his breathing pattern glanced up. Seeing him awake she marked her place and set the book down, turning to face him.

"How are you feeling?"

Draco's reply was to stretch leisurely, hearing his joints crack with a satisfaction that is seldom achieved.

"I see." He returned her smile as he sat up and rubbed the sleep dust out of his eyes.

"Now. Down to business." He raised an eyebrow in question and she continued, smirking. "What kind of bath did you say you wanted?"

OoO

Two minutes later:

"Not quite the size of the Prefect's bath but good enough I suppose…"

"And a nice big screen for your Ladyship." Draco bowed mockingly and Hermione curtsied in reply.

When they had wished for the bath it had appeared, already full of steaming water. Hermione and Draco could feel the hot vapours rising from the surface.

There was a pause.

"Me first!" Draco sprinted towards the swimming pool sized bath, and when Hermione made to race him he jumped, landing in the water with a huge splash, still fully clothed. Hermione watched the water steadily creep along the stone floor, and sighing in resignation she closed the screen behind her and went to pick up her book. She was sighing a lot lately, she decided.

OoO

A good hour later, Hermione was very impatient.

"Draco, get out right now or I'm gonna come in there and drag you out, shampoo in your hair or not."

"Coming, coming… Merlin, you sure know how to make a man feel loved Hermione." The sounds of splashing reached her ears and Hermione stood up, eager for her bath.

"Hermione…"

"What now?" She asked, exasperated.

"Well, I can come out with no clothes on if you'd like..."

"NO! No, that will be… fine thank you. Hold on a second." She screwed her face trying to imagine some half-decent clothes.

"HERMIONE!" There was a note of panic in his voice. Worried, Hermione whipped back the screen and an interesting sight greeted her eyes. "No WAY am I wearing a pink t-shirt!"

His response was a very Slytherin smirk.

"Real men wear pink."

Draco looked at her sharply and accusingly, shaking his finger at the pink mass of cloth that lay crumpled on the floor. "You planned this, didn't you." It wasn't a question, and his voice was deadly. The smirk died on Hermione's face, and in two seconds Draco was back in his usual black, smiling as if nothing had happened. He was doing an awful lot of smiling lately…

Scowling, Hermione pushed him away from the bath tub and closed the screen for privacy as she emptied and refilled the bath tub.

She made sure to take her time.

A/N

Okay, I'm gonna leave it there. You see, I passed the ONE HUNDRED reviews mark on my last chapter, so in celebration I thought I'd write you all an extra long chapter. Hope you like it. I've been writing it all over the last week (on the train) and then I've spent my WHOLE Saturday finishing it off and touching it up. So considering the amount of effort I've pumped into this particular chapter, ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE has to review. And if that isn't a good enough reason, I haven't left you on a cliff hanger either, as you may have noticed…

I think that this is my first chapter that hasn't ended in a cliffie. Momentous occasion. Good reason to review.

Thank you to everyone who HAS reviewed, and as always if you can think of any ways I could improve, please let me know.

Also, thanks are due to Natyslacks, who is the owner of the line "Real men wear pink."

BYE!

-Greenfly