Disclaimer: I would lie and say that I owned Harry Potter, but that would be a lie….
525,600 Minutes: In Truths That She Learned, or in Times That He Cried-
-Chapter Four
Hermione nearly fell to the ground as the broom that she and Tonks were riding made contact. A sharp pain shot like she had never felt before shot through her body starting at her right knee. Luckily Tonks was there to catch her before she fell. Hermione looked around and was met with the familiar sight of Grimmauld Place.
Grimmauld Place was not the nicest looking of streets, nor was it the most welcoming. Hermione heard someone snort behind her, and didn't have to turn to see who it was. The noise of disapproval came from Malfoy. He probably thinks he's to good to be here. Hermione bitterly thought.
"Right, Hermione are you ready to walk?" Tonks asked. Hermione nodded, and put her arm around Tonks for support. "Well, then. Come on Malfoy." Together the three began their short trek to Number Twelve.
The reached the spot on the pavement in between numbers eleven and thirteen. "You know what to do Hermione."
"Right." Hermione's mind quickly thought: The head quarters of the Order of the Phoenix is Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. Instantly a house appeared in between numbers eleven and twelve, pushing the two out of the way.
Together, Tonks and Hermione started towards the front steps of the house, but stopped in their tracks when someone cleared their throat. The two friends turned around the see Malfoy, broom in hand, looking at them quizzically, even though he was trying to hide it with his usual I'm-better-than-you-so-you-better-do-as-I-say look.
"Oi! Sorry about that Malfoy!" Tonks exclaimed. "Forgot you don't know where we're going! I'll be right back then, gotta get a piece of parchment. Here Hermione," she let her sit rest against the broken fence. "I'll be right back." and with that Tonks ran into the house.
For once in his life Malfoy dropped his cool demeanor as he saw Tonks disappear into thin air and Hermione leaning, with all her weight, on what appeared to be nothing.
"Where did she go?" he asked, in spite of himself. "And what are you leaning on?"
Hermione smirked. She had never, in her time of knowing Malfoy, seen the perplexed look on his face that she saw now. It was priceless. Suddenly Tonks appeared again.
"Got it!" she ran over to Malfoy, "Here, Malfoy." she paused the catch her breathe before handing him the small piece of parchment.
"Read this to yourself and then think it."
Malfoy looked at her like she was crazy. He read: The head quarters of the Order of the Phoenix in Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. He looked at Tonks then at Hermione, who was still leaning on nothing, like they were both crazy. He had never heard of the Order of the Phoenix before, was this some kind of mind game? But he did what he was told. He closed his eyes and thought of what he had just read. After he finished, he opened his eyes to see houses eleven and thirteen move, and number twelve appear in between the two. He looked over at Hermione who was no longer leaning on thin air, but on a gate.
"What the?"
"Good, you can see it!"
"Come on then." Tonks walked over to Hermione, helped support her again and the two went into the house, followed by a very confused Draco.
"Aw, hello Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger. It's so nice to see you." Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, whispered when the trio walked into the front hall. The twinkle that was usually in his eye was gone, due to the stress.
"Hello Professor." Hermione whispered, shifting her weight around, as to not put that much on her leg.
"Professor Dumbledore." Malfoy nodded as he whispered, not knowing why but following suit of everyone else.
"I won't ask any questions tonight, as I can see that you are both tired, and that you, Ms. Granger," he looked at her, "would probably like some fixing up." she nodded slowly. "But I do ask, that in the morning, you both be ready to answer any questions that may come your way. Tonks, help Miss Granger to the room she usually stays in and Mr. Malfoy to the room that Ron and Harry usually stay in. I shall send someone up, in a minute, to assist you in recovering Hermione. Good night." and with that Dumbledore walked swiftly from the room.
"Right then, well getting up the stairs in going to be some task, but if I think that with your help Malfoy, we can get Hermione up them." Tonks whispered to the remaining two people.
"Why should I h-" Malfoy began to drawl in a usual tone, but he was interrupted.
"SSSHHH!" hissed Hermione and Tonks together, looking at the big tapestry on the wall.
"Why?" he whispered.
"See that tapestry?" Hermione pointed.
"Yeah, so."
"Behind it is a very unhappy picture of Mrs. Black. The slightest sound sends her into a rant and rave, that isn't pleasant at all to the ears." she hissed.
Malfoy glared at her, but remember what she said. "Fine. Why should I help her?" he pointed at Hermione.
"Because the quicker we get Hermione up the stairs and into her room, the sooner I can show you yours."
Malfoy still didn't like the idea of helping Hermione. He already helped her tonight more times that he did in the past seven years. "Fine" he whispered venomously, through clenched teeth.
After helping Hermione into her room, Tonks showed Draco to his, explaining the rules of the noble and most ancient house of Black. "Well, here we are." Tonks stopped in front of a door and opened it "Doesn't matter what bed you choose since Harry and Ron aren't here." Tonks explained.
"You mean to tell me that I have to sleep in a room that Potter and Weasle King once slept in." the idea was absolutely repulsive.
"Yes." she hissed, Tonks was loosing patience with the boy. "And if you don't like that idea you can sleep outside with the dogs and who knows what else that lives on this street."
Malfoy glared at her, turned into the room, and slammed the door, waking up a very upset Ms. Black.
Author's Note: Helloooooooooooooooo! I would have added more to this chapter, but I started writing earlier and had to stop when a friend of mine came over. We are both Drum Majors at our school, and we wanted to talk about band and stuff. So needless to say, that I have completely lost what I was going to add. But I will most likely update tomorrow, so no worries then!
ktdavey4life: Thank goodness the story's original, I was hoping it would be. Thanks for the review!
Exploded toilet bowl: Ah, I see. Jap songs? I've never listened to them…well thanks for the review!
-subtle love-: No need to apologize about posting twice, alls good. Yeah, I tend to make some grammatical errors. I really get into typing the story and get carried away and don't realize that I've made a mistake. Then I have a bad habit of not proofreading. So yeah, I apologize for any errors in advance.. ..I usually post that in an author's note…I wonder if I did this time….anywho. Thanks for reviewing!
Orli's EEPs Chica: nm, how about you? Thanks for the review!
meghan: Heya! Yeah, another Wicked/Rent fan! Whoot! Have you seen either of the shows? Well, thanks for the review!
stephanie: I know what you mean about dying to see the shows if you got the chance. I haven't either, I desperately want to. Wicked is coming to my town August of 2006...I can't wait…it needs to be here now…lol. I absolutely adore Idina, she's like my idol and I'm so glad she's in the movie! I can't wait for November for Rent….I have a little count down chart so I can count down the days….137 has of today! Thanks for the review!
I'm so glad that you all like the story so much. I'll try to update on a regular basis until school starts. But I have a bday party to attend on Wednesday and it ends on Thursday. Then I'm going out of town on Friday till Monday. So I'll try and update later on Thursday. And I'll try and get some writing in when out of town. But count on a chapter tomorrow (or today, whenever you read this!)
The Lonely Goatherd