Chapter 10
Draco woke with a start. He rubbed his eyes trying to clear the image of his father out of them. He had been having a nightmare. His father had come for him. He had failed his mission. He was in the middle of an overgrown forest, vines and brush were all over clogging his getaway path.
"Draco!" He turned around to find his father standing there, wand in hand, pointed straight at him."I new I couldn't rely on you! You never supported him! I should have known you would only be a disappointment to me!"
A bright light shot out of his wand as he hurled a curse in Draco's direction. He closed his eyes waiting for the end. After a few moments, he realized it never came, he opened his eyes.
"Hermione!"He gasped. She had come out of no where and blocked the curse from hitting him. The anger and pain came flooding in as Draco stood up."Noooooo!" He raised his wand and threw a curse back at his father. Lucius flew backward from the impact, dying.
Draco fell to the ground next to Hermione. She was already cold. The life gone from her eyes as he rolled her toward him. He closed his eyes and started to sob.
"You didn't save me Draco, why didn't you save me?" He looked back at Hermione's lifeless body and gasped,"What...?" Hermione no longer lay there. A small little girl was in her place. A giant gash was openly bleeding from her skull."NOOOOO! Not again!"
Draco was in the bathroom now throwing cold water in his face. He wanted the images to go away."It was just a dream Malfoy! Just a dream..." Well part of it was a dream, the little girl was still very much gone to the spirit world.
He shook his head not wanting to remember her face.'Hermione!' He thought, 'She saved me!' He laughed it all away."Now I know it was a dream. Granger, helping me? Yeah right." Last nights events came crashing back. He'd get her back now!
He opened the bathroom door to her room and gazed over to the bed. He noticed it was neat and made.'Where is she?She can't be up this early already,'He thought. He walked further in the room and finally saw her.
She was sleeping at her desk. The quill still in her hand, she had been hard at work all night. 'She really wants to show me up',he walked over to her, she looked so peaceful and angelic. He nudged her hand out of the way of the parchment. His eyes widened,'She's got half the damn thing finished already!' He smiled,'All will be fixed soon.'
A soft grunt came from her lips as she started to stir. Malfoy quickly took a step back and hurried from the room, quietly closing the door behind him.
Back in his room he got dressed for the day at Hogsmeade. 'Yes I will have to get her something special.' He picked up his wand and went to join the others from Slytherin.
HOGSMEADE...
"Hey Harry wait up! Where are you going in such a hurry?"Ron called out trying to catch up to his friend.
"I have a date with Katie and I don't want to be late." He kept walking toward the 'Three Headed Harpy',"I'm suppose to meet her there at noon."
Ron looked at the sundial in the middle of the market."Ummm Harry, its only slightly after eleven." Harry stopped and looked for himself."Oh"was all he said.
"You don't want to look to overeager do you ol' bloke." Ron laughed as Harry turned a light shade of red. Harry ran his hand through his hair,"Yeah that would be bad wouldn't it," he said looking sheepishly.
"Well if it isn't Potty and Weasel?"
Ron groaned," Go away Malfoy!"
"Who's going to make me Weasel? Your boyfriend there?" Crabbe and Goyle snickered behind Malfoy.
Knowing Ron's temper was starting to rise, by the way his face started to match his hair color, Harry stepped in front of him.
"Oh look your boyfriend is trying to protect you! Isn't that sweet?"He laughed and stepped forward face to face with Harry. "BOO!" He laughed hysterically as he and his henchies walked away.
"Why I ought to...that beastly little...ohhhhh!" Ron was pacing back and forth clenching and unclenching his fist.
"Ron he's gone, just calm down." Ron snapped out of his rant and grinned." I know a great spell we could try on him! It will have him in the clinic for weeks!" He went back to ranting about a plan to execute his spell but Harry had tuned him out. He looked at the sundial and gasped, it was half after eleven!
He started to run to the Three Headed Harpy. "Harry what do you think? Should we wait until after classes start or do it the night of the banquet?" He turned around,"Harry?" He looked around not finding him there. He looked at the sundial,'Damn', He was going to be late himself.
Harry arrived and walked into the lounge house. It was packed. He stood on his tippy toes and looked around for Katie. He saw her sitting in the back and was about to start toward her when he realized she wasn't alone.
Someone with a large hooded robe was next to her. They were leaning closely together in deep conversation. Harry was not sure what to make of it. She was laughing and touching the person's hand over the table. He decided to investigate. He opened his napsack and pulled out his father's cloak. He walked to a corner and made sure no one was paying him any attention.
Under the cloak he slowly passed by people until he reached hearing distance of Katie and her mystery guest. He listened intently.
"Ok so its final, when he gets here I'll lead him out to the Burberry Tree and we'll let him have it!" Katie said excitedly. The figure nodded and stood up leaving out the back door.
Harry backed away and lifted the cloak. He thought for a moment.'What was that about? Lead me and let me have it?' He was at a loss.'Is she a deatheater in disguise? Who was she talking to?' He decided he had to find out.
He emerged from his hiding space. A waiter had just delivered her a butterbeer. She was looking around when she saw Harry."Hi Harry!" He sat down next to her."Isn't this place wonderful? They don't have a place like this back at my magic school!"
He decided to make conversation so as not to look suspicious."Yes I guess it is, I remember when I wasn't aloud to come." She looked at him quizically.He grimaced," The Dursley's wouldn't sign my permission slip."Then he smiled recalling the special map the Weasley twins had given him.
"Let's get out of here Harry." She was looking around."Its getting to be a tight fit in here. I need some air." She stood up without waiting for him to answer and walked to the door. He followed her reminding himself to be cautious.
She was leading him to the forest, she was twirling around enjoying the sunlight on her face."Its so beautiful here, it has a great calming affect on me." They were coming upon the Burberry tree, he readied his wand in his pocket.
As they neared the tree she stopped and looked at him and smiled. Then it happened, a figure jumped out from behind the trees. Harry brought up his wand,"Stupify!" The figure went hurling backwards falling on the ground.
"Harry!"Katie ran to the figures side and Harry approached with wand still raised. The figure moaned and Katie helped him up. He looked at Harry,"Surprise?"
"Ron!" He held out his hand to help lift him up."What's going on?"
Just then more figures emerged from the trees chanting"He's a jolly good fellow". They were all of his fellow Gryffindors. He was still dumbfounded and searching for answers. He looked to Katie.
"Happy Birthday Harry." Was all she said. They had arranged a surprise party for him! He never had a Birthday party before."I don't understand...I thought you were going to attack me!"
Ron cocked his head to the side,"What ever gave you that idea Harry?" Harry looked at Katie.
"ME?"She squeaked.
"Well I saw someone with you back at the Harpy and you told them you were going to let me have it. I guess I got the wrong idea." Everyone started to laugh around him.
Ginny stepped out of the crowd."Harry that was me! I was letting her know where we had set up silly!" She was wearing the robe he saw earlier. He sighed a breath of relief feeling quite stupid. "Now that we have that settled here you go Harry."She handed him a wrapped box.
"Presents!" Everyone held out something towards him. He was grinning from ear to ear."Thank you! Thank you all!" He gave Ginny a hug and then Ron and Katie.