Disclaimer: I once had this dream that I owned Harry Potter, but then I realized that it was just a dream.
Author's Note: I am happy to say that this fic has become the longest one I have written! And there's still more to go! So let's get on with the story!
525,600 Minutes: In Truths That She Learned, or in Times That He Cried-
-Chapter Seventeen
"You know Granger, curiosity killed the cat." Malfoy drawled as he and Hermione patrolled the seventh floor corridor the week after Annabeth's sudden disappearance and Snape's odd behavior.
"Well, it's a good thing I'm not a cat." Hermione snapped. Annabeth had disappeared four times in the past week, including this afternoon. And as Malfoy had told her last Wednesday, Annabeth was prone to doing this. He said that in the first couple of months of school she would disappear Saturdays and Sundays. And sometimes late at night on school nights.
But the disappearances were becoming more and more common and Hermione couldn't stand it. She had tried checking to see where Annabeth had gone by looking at Harry's map of the school: The Marauder's Map. She searched every corner of the school on the map, looking over people's names twice just to make sure she didn't overlook her. She even looked for Ryn's name, just incase her moving dot was titled under Annabeth's true identity. But Annabeth was no where to be seen. And what was more was that whenever Annabeth was gone, so was Snape. Hermione knew that something was amiss, and she was determined to find out what.
Hermione remembered last Friday, two days after the incident in Snape's class. As she and Malfoy were patrolling to halls.
"You know Malfoy. You and Harry are a lot more alike than you think." Hermione said, with the biggest smirk covering her face.
Malfoy nearly choked, and Hermione laughed at the look of utter disgust on his face. "Excuse me, but Potter and I will never be a like. For one th-"
"AAAAHHHHH" Hermione and Malfoy whipped around the see Annabeth doubled over in pain. Without thinking they both ran towards her.
"What is it?" Hermione asked as she and Malfoy each took a hold of one of Annabeth's arms and made her sit down.
"It's, it's nothing. I think I'll go to Madame Pomfrey's. Finish your patrols, and be alert for anything odd."
"Isn't that what we always do on patrols?" Malfoy sarcastically asked.
"You know what I mean, Draco." Annabeth snapped before running towards the Hospital Wing, but going in the wrong direction.
And then there was earlier today, in Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"Who can tell me the characteristics of a Werewolf?" Tonks asked her N.E.W.T.S. class. Hermione's hand instantly shot up into the air. "Yes, Ms. Granger."
"A werewolf transforms-" A loud gasp of surprise interrupted Hermione's explanation. All heads turned towards the back of the class where Annabeth sat, her face contorted in pain.
"Ms. Littledon, is everything alright?" Tonks asked, her face showing true worry for her sister.
"Professor Tonks." she looked Tonks straight in the eye trying to convey a hidden message. "I'm not feeling well, may I go to the Hospital Wing?"
Tonks nodded in full understanding. "Of course."
"Thank you, Professor." and with that she was gone, clutching her left arm.
And now, as Hermione walked her patrols, Annabeth had yet to show up. Even after her and Malfoy found out that they were being followed on patrols Annabeth still followed them. Sometimes she would even walk with them, instead of in the shadows. But tonight she was missing. She hadn't been seen all day, not since leaving Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Malfoy gave a deep sigh. "Look Granger, I'm sure she's fine."
"Malfoy, all of my years of being friends with Harry and Ron has given a gut instinct about these situations. Something is not right."
Of all the places that Hogwart's held Hermione's favorite was probably the Astronomy tower. You had the best view of the grounds from here, for it was the tallest tower of the school. You could see over the top of the Forbidden Forest, extending far into the horizon. You could see the lake shimmering below, Hagrid's cabin, the green houses, and the Quidditch Pitch. It truly showed the beauty of Hogwarts.
Hermione stood in the Astronomy tower the next day looking at the Quidditch Pitch in the distance. When she left this morning to visit her parents the Quidditch game between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had just started. And now, two hours later, it was still going on. She could see blue and yellow blurs weaving in and out of each other through the lightly falling snow. She could hear the roars of support coming from the Pitch and Luna's, who was commentating say, "Oh, and look. Hufflepuff's scored another goal. That makes it, 200-110, in favor of Ravenclaw, but enough about that, if you look above the Hufflepuff goal posts you'll see a cloud that resembles the Crumple-Horned Snorkack-"
"You're not down at the game." Hermione jumped, and turned towards the door while instinctively grabbing her wand. She let out a relieved breath as she saw Malfoy leaning against the door frame, his arms crossed against his chest, smirking.
"I just got back." she said.
"I'm surprised Potter and the Weasley's aren't with you."
Hermione gave small laugh. "They're down watching the game. This game determines who they'll be playing for the cup and they wanted to see who it is going to be." she paused, why aren't you down at the game?"
"I was waiting for you." he said as he began to walk towards the window and Hermione.
"How sweet." Hermione said, mocking someone who was telling their boyfriend how sweet something was.
"Don't get used to it." he smirked, as he leaned his forearms on the railing of the tower. Hermione smirked in return.
"Don't worry, I won't." she replied nonchalantly. Malfoy gave a small laugh.
Something was happening to Hermione. She wasn't sure what it was, or why. All she knew was that she liked it. She had only been friends with Malfoy for a little over two weeks, but they had grown quite close. And with each passing day their bond became stronger and stronger. The more she knew Malfoy the more she liked him. He was different, but it wasn't a bad different. It was a good different.
As her mind began to think Hermione's gaze left the Quidditch game to the entrance to the castle. The oak doors flew open and lone figure could be seen hurriedly running towards the Forbidden Forest. Hermione saw that as the person walked their appearance began to change, their hair became evenly cut and darker. Hermione instantly knew who it was.
"Is that?-" Malfoy asked, looking at Ryn as she walked.
"Ryn." they finished together. Malfoy as a question and Hermione as a statement.
Before Hermione realized what she was doing she grabbed Malfoy's hand and began to run towards the door of the tower. "Come on."
"Now I'm convinced you've gone off your rocker, Granger. What the bloody hell do you think you're doing." Malfoy said as he and Hermione approached the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Hermione stopped abruptly and let go of Malfoy's hand as she turned to face him.
"We're following Ryn."
"In there!" he pointed to the forest. Malfoy's first visit to the forest in his first year was enough to last a life time.
"Yes, 'in there'" she mocked.
"Granger, it's called the Forbidden Forest for a reason."
"Do my ears deceive me? Malfoy, obeying the rules?" the playful manner of teasing the other had temporarily surfaced in Hermione, she smirked. "Look, if you don't want to come, then don't. I mean if you're scared or whatever than don't come." Malfoy scowled at her and she knew she had said the right thing to get him to come with. "Then fine, don't come. I'll go by myself. But think about it. Ryn, alone, while everyone else is at the Quidditch Pitch. And she's going into the forest. Don't tell me that something isn't wrong."
Malfoy looked like he was having an inward battle with himself. Finally he gave a frustrated sigh and stalked into the forest. Hermione beamed and followed.
"Lumos" Hermione whispered to her wand.. She and Malfoy had been following the trail of newly broken branches for five minutes. They could hear Ryn walking a head of them somewhere, even if they couldn't see her. "Lumos," Malfoy followed suit
Hermione heard the breaking of twigs on the ground to the right of her and froze. She could see the outline of a centaur. Hermione quickly grabbed hers and Malfoy's wands and hid their glowing ends.
"What do you think-"
"SSHHHH" she hissed. After making sure that the centaur galloped away, Hermione let out a sigh of relief and handed Malfoy's wand back to him.
"What was that for."
"Centaurs. They don't like it when humans enter the forest." she whispered.
"And you brought me in here!" he whispered on a yell.
"You came in here on your own."
"You tricked me!"
"Did not."
"Book worm"
"Pig head."
"Over confident witch."
"Egotistica-"
"SSHH." Malfoy's hand shot up to Hermione's mouth to keep her from talking.
They were now so deep into the forest that there was no snow on the ground because the trees were so close together and thick that the snow couldn't get through the branches. Just ahead of them was a clearing where two silhouettes stood, arguing. As quietly as they could the two teenagers moved closer.
"They shall be here in ten minutes time." said a male voice. Hermione slowly turned her head to look at Malfoy. When he heard the man speak his grip on his wand tightened and his face was full of anger.
"Lucius, I thought I explained to the Dark Lord that now was not a good time." the familiar voice of Ryn said.
"The Dark Lord makes up his own mind Ryn. Perhaps you forgot. Or perhaps it's because you truly don't want an attack to happen."
"Lucius, you know full and well that my loyalties lie with the Dark Lord." Hermione nearly fell over.
"Then I suggest that you return to the castle and keep yourself safe. They will be here in ten minutes time." With that, Lucius Malfoy turned on his heel and disappeared into the darkness. Ryn screamed and kicked a near by tree before running back to the castle.
Hermione and Malfoy slowly walked back to the castle. Neither one speaking. Hermione's mind was turning one hundred mile per hour. "Lucius, you know full and well that my loyalties lie with the Dark Lord." Hermione couldn't believe it. Ryn, was a Death Eater? No, it couldn't be possible.
Without warning the air became colder than it was. The temperature dropped and ice seemed to fill the air. It hurt to breathe, it was so cold. Hermione and Malfoy looked at each other. They had just reached the part of the forest were light was starting to penetrate the ground. But just as the air had turned ice, the sky and turned black, like someone turned off all of the lights. Then she heard it, the sound. It was almost like a sucking noise. There was movement behind them. Hermione and Malfoy slowly turned to see dark hooded figures just out of their sight, floating nearer and nearer.
Without warning Hermione began to feel the effects of the hooded figures. All happiness was beginning to be sucked from her as they horrid creatures came closer. She felt her knees slightly buckle. Malfoy grabbed Hermione by the shoulders as he saw her sway.
"Run." he stated before grabbing her hand and running from the forest and the dementors.
Author's Note: (smiles) La, la, la, la. Well? Did you like it?
HarahettaMonkeyKing: lol. Yeah, I get your drift. And thank you for your input on the summary, I'm really rethinking it now, I mean, I have been for a while, but now I'm really getting to it! So thanks! And thanks for reviewing!
Draco's-Ice-Princess666: I was happy to review your story! Thanks for reviewing mine!
Exploded toilet bowl: lol. I just had to leave the last chapter where I did. But what about now? What do you think of where I ended this chapte,…he he he, Thanks for reviewing!
DMHg 2GETHER 4EVER: I could say that in a way, she is seeing Snape…in a way. Well, thanks for reviewing!
jesska-14: I like your way of thinking, but that's all I'm going to say…Thanks for reviewing!
meghan: People are pulling their stories because of the HBP? Oh no. Well, thanks for reviewing!
Spork Princess: I hear yeah about having no air conditioning in your computer room, same goes for me. Tis no fun, oh well. Hope you enjoyed your supper! Thanks for reviewing!
Feel free to ask if you have questions!
More to come soon!
The Lonely Goatherd