Chapter Two: Letting It Slip
It wasn't Harry's fault that she'd become so damn fascinating. It really wasn't, was it? No, of course not. He hadn't wanted her to capture all his thoughts, all his.everything. He didn't want to fall in love with his best friend's sister. For one, he'd forbid it, for second.wait, there was no second. He'd just forbid Harry to see her, and that would be.horrible. Harry couldn't live without the sight of her, the way her auburn hair waved when she ran to greet him, how she fit so easily in his arms when he hugged her. She smelled of orange and lavender, an intoxicating scent, and one he would fit to one girl. Virginia Weasley. He adored her. He loved her. And she would never know that fact.
Hermione sat at a small desk in her room and did her homework as Draco slept peacefully. She was just finishing up a Potions essay on dragon heartstring when she heard Draco cry out and start making noises in his sleep. Hermione turned to him, and saw him fighting his bedcovers, as if they were holding him there, and he was crying out to.his mother. Hermione had learned from Sirius that his mother had been murdered by her own husband for letting Draco go, but she'd had no choice. She'd loved her son with all her heart, and would not see his powerful spirit vanquished by the man she called his father. Draco was going to do something to his wounds, something Hermione wouldn't be able to heal, so she jumped up and grabbed his arms to stop his struggles. His eyes snapped open, and he glared at her for a second before his arms relaxed, and his eyes turned soft.
" What.was that?" Hermione asked him.
" Nothing." He said, ashamed. Hermione saw the shame, and was determined to break away the shield he had thrown up to protect his very bruised emotions.
" Tell me." Hermione whispered, taking a lock of his hair and brushing it back from his forehead. His eyes held something else when he looked at her, but Hermione didn't know what it was.
" My mother.she loved me. Something that was strange and foreign in the Malfoy clan. She wanted me to be able to do the things I wished, but with my father reigning over her, she could do nothing but watch, as I became a miniature version of him. Until.until I met someone. I then refused the mantle of Death Eater, and was beaten for the first time by my own father, who laughed as he did it. I then received regular beatings, some for just not wearing the proper color that day, some for high treasons within Voldemort's highest orders. The last one was the day I came here. He'd beaten and stabbed me so bad, my mother was afraid I would die from my wounds. So she gave me her Portkey, the one she had been saving to escape. She gave up her freedom for mine. She. I know she is dead. He.killed her, because of me." Draco said his piece with detached formality, but Hermione could tell how much it hurt to speak of his mother. So, impulsively, Hermione touched her forehead to his, and stared down into his clear grey depths, and saw everything she wanted to. Draco reached a hand up to touch her cheek delicately, as if she was a fine porcelain doll.
" I'm so sorry." Hermione said against his cheek.
" Don't be. It was what she wanted." Draco said. Hermione was suddenly tired, and wanted to lie in Draco's arms, and have him kiss her hair. As if he could see the words in her mind, he gathered her up, and turned her face into his chest. She breathed in his scent, and felt him kiss her hair, as she had wanted.
" You're not who I thought you were." Hermione murmured sleepily.
" You are who I thought you were, and so very much more." Draco said, and Hermione smiled.
Virginia Weasley watched Harry Potter sleep, and wanted desperately to be there beside him, held by him, and loved by him. But, he didn't love her, did he? Ginny had to be LOVED, for she was of the romantic spirit, and she had to have love, and be loved in return, for her heart to be free. Ginny saw her lover in the perfect form, and she saw him love her in return.but it was a childish fantasy, one she knew she should not indulge in. Ginny watched him sleep, watched him wherever he went, and knew that she had no chance, as she was just a poor Weasley, the only girl, and was not worthy of the great Harry Potter, as she had been told numerous times. If only her heart would listen.
Ronald Weasley desperately wanted to know why his sister was so unhappy. He also wanted to know why his best friend walked around like a scorned lover, and he WANTED A GIRLFRIEND. That was the top priority, at least in his mind. He thought of girls, yes, but only one stayed so firm in his mind, it was difficult to do ordinary tasks like clean dishes when her name popped in his head. Luna. He knew she was a year younger, a Ravenclaw, and was weird to boot, but she seemed to like him.for HIM. She'd didn't like pretenses, didn't want him to act like someone else, and wanted for him everything she couldn't have. Luna Lovegood. Not exactly beautiful, not even pretty, but her face was striking, with huge brown eyes, and hair that went to her waist in waves. Her face seemed to be made from leftover parts, but it was good. Maybe.no, it wasn't possible. He wasn't.falling for Luna, was he? Oh God.
Hermione got up at midnight and made some tea. He brought her cup upstairs, and saw Draco watching her.
" Are you thirsty? Would you like a sip?" Hermione asked, showing him her tea.
" What kind is that?" Draco asked.
" It's Chai." Hermione answered.
" I'll try it." Draco said. She went to him, and lifted his head up. He sipped carefully, and closed his eyes.
" Like?" Hermione asked.
" Better than I thought." Draco teased. Hermione smiled, and then set the cup down.
" I meant to tell you, school was postponed for three months, an attack was staged there." Hermione said.
" I know. I'll leave when I am better." Draco said. He looked away from her. She put her hand under his chin, and made him look at her.
" No, you'll stay. If you would." Hermione said. Draco's hand went to her hair, and he looked at her.
" I'll stay, then." Draco said. Hermione smiled.
" Thank you." She said. She sat down on the side of the bed, making sure she didn't jostle him.
" So, what are you going to do for three months?" Draco asked her.
" I don't know. Ron and Harry want me to stay with them." She saw his face tighten, and she knew what he thought.
" If you want to go, I won't stop you. Don't think you owe me your time." Draco said.
" I don't want to go. I want to stay here. I'm probably going to go to the Muggle high school, until school starts again, and if you're better, you can come as well." Hermione said. Draco smiled tenderly, and he touched her hand.
" I'd like that. You could show me how a Muggle lives. Is it hard, without magic?" Draco asked curiously.
" No, not really, but, then again, I'm used to it, and you are defiantly not." Hermione laughed. Draco did too.
" Do Muggles study the same things as we do?" Draco asked.
" No. They study things like Math, English, Science, and stuff like that." Hermione said.
" Math? Is that with numbers?" Draco asked.
" Yes." Hermione said, trying not to laugh at him.
" Wow." Draco said. Hermione and Draco talked for about an hour more, until he dropped off in the middle of a discussion on who Shakespeare was. Hermione kissed his forehead gently, and went to go prepare breakfast for herself.
Harry and Ron arrived at Sirius Black's cabin with Virginia Weasley in tow. They knocked, and Sirius let them in.
" Hello my boys! And Virginia." Sirius said. Ginny threw her bag into a chair, and immediately went upstairs where Remus Lupin was sure to be.
" Hullo Sirius." Ron said, and plopped down in a chair. Harry watched Ginny run up the stairs, pushing her waist length hair from her face as she got to the top. Sirius exchanged a look with Ron, who shrugged. Harry sat down next to Ron, and Sirius went to make tea.
" Where's Hermione?" Lupin asked, coming down the stairs, carrying a squealing Ginny under his arm, "I was sure she would want to come with you three."
" We wrote her, but she never replied." Harry said. Sirius choked on his water, and sprayed it across the table. Ron flinched back from the spray, and it got all over Ginny.
" Ah, Sirius!" she said, and squirmed down. Harry stood, and rubbed her face with his shirt. She laughed, and pushed his away. He smiled, and pulled out her chair. Remus rolled his eyes.
" Sirius, what's up?" Lupin asked.
" Nothing!" he replied, his voice a little high.
" All right." Lupin said, and opened the window for an owl that came swooping in. The letter attached had big loopy handwriting.
" Hey! That's Hermione's handwriting!" Ron cried, but jerked as Sirius came and snatched it up. He opened it viciously, and read. Mutters of "good, good" and "damn!" came from him, and he rushed for his room. He came back five minutes later, carrying a letter and two flasks of potions. He tied them to the owl, which Ginny, Harry, and Ron had now recognised as Athena, Hermione's owl, and he let it out. Silence reigned as the four waited for Sirius to explain himself. Before he could answer, another owl came in. He pulled off the letter read it, and shouted:
" Damn it!" He turned to Lupin and the others. " You'll have to come with me, we have to go to the Ministry."
" Why?" Harry asked.
" Hermione." He said, and they all paled.
Hermione had run out of clean bandages and potions, and had magicked some up before she realised that she had broken the rule of Underage Sorcery. She got an owl from the Minister of Magic stating that she had to go to the Ministry for a hearing about her 'blatant rule-breaking' as they called it. She sighed, and threw the letter down, distracting Draco.
" What?" he asked, motioning her to come to him. She did, and sat on his bed.
" I forgot about the Underage Sorcery rule. I have to go to a hearing, but I can't leave you here!" she said.
" I'll be fine for an afternoon." Draco said.
" I don't want to leave you alone. What would happen if." she was shushed when Draco laid his hand gently on her mouth.
" I'll be FINE. I swear it Miea." He said, calling her the name he had begun using for her.
" Draco." she said, but he shook his head.
" Go. I swear to you, I won't move. Take my wand with you, just so you know I won't have anything to leave with." He said, holding out his highly identifiable wand, a yew one, with dragon heartstring plainly in it.
" All right, but only because I would feel safer with both my wand and your wand." Hermione kissed his forehead, and Apparated to the Ministry of Magic.
Sirius, Harry, Ginny and Ron were waiting for Hermione to arrive as Lupin went off to get the new Hogwarts student that was to be staying the three months with he and Sirius. Hermione Apparated in, carrying two wands, and a worried expression. Sirius went to her before the others could say a word, and he blurted,
" His condition?" Hermione smiled wearily, and it was then the three kids saw the dark circles and obvious exhaustion etched on Hermione's face.
" He's well, still cannot move a lot, but I help him with that." She said, wiping her forehead and tucking both wands into her hip pocket.
" What are you talking about?" Ginny asked.
" Her.dog." Sirius said quickly, and Hermione nodded, but her eyes didn't meet anyone's gaze as she did so. She stuck her hands in her pockets, and withdrew a small note. She read it, and smiled. She looked at Sirius, and began talking again.
" Ok, we need to get this hearing over with, I need to give him his potions by 5." She said, and Sirius nodded He left to inform the desk clerk, leaving the Weasley's, Hermione, and Harry there.
" What's going on here Hermie?" Ginny asked, and Hermione paled even more, if that was possible.
" Nothing at all. I mean-" she was cut off by the speakers starting to blare.
" If there is a Miss Hermione Granger in the building, please come to the Wand Weighing area, there is an owl for you from Mr. Dr-" it was cut off by someone covering it with a hand.
" Come on." Hermione said, motioning for Harry, Ginny, and Ron to follow her to the Wand Weighing area. She found Sirius there, arguing heatedly with the witch at the counter.
" Sir, you cannot just cut off the announcement like that, the little miss might have needed to know that Mr. Ma-"
" PLEASE! I've told you COUNTLESS times NOT to say that name!" Sirius snarled, and the witch paled.
" Could you give me my letter, please?" Hermione asked. The woman nodded, and Hermione was handed a letter on a piece of pink parchment. Hermione laughed, and opened it. She read, and she turned, paling again, to Sirius.
" My parents are home, and they know." She said.
It wasn't Harry's fault that she'd become so damn fascinating. It really wasn't, was it? No, of course not. He hadn't wanted her to capture all his thoughts, all his.everything. He didn't want to fall in love with his best friend's sister. For one, he'd forbid it, for second.wait, there was no second. He'd just forbid Harry to see her, and that would be.horrible. Harry couldn't live without the sight of her, the way her auburn hair waved when she ran to greet him, how she fit so easily in his arms when he hugged her. She smelled of orange and lavender, an intoxicating scent, and one he would fit to one girl. Virginia Weasley. He adored her. He loved her. And she would never know that fact.
Hermione sat at a small desk in her room and did her homework as Draco slept peacefully. She was just finishing up a Potions essay on dragon heartstring when she heard Draco cry out and start making noises in his sleep. Hermione turned to him, and saw him fighting his bedcovers, as if they were holding him there, and he was crying out to.his mother. Hermione had learned from Sirius that his mother had been murdered by her own husband for letting Draco go, but she'd had no choice. She'd loved her son with all her heart, and would not see his powerful spirit vanquished by the man she called his father. Draco was going to do something to his wounds, something Hermione wouldn't be able to heal, so she jumped up and grabbed his arms to stop his struggles. His eyes snapped open, and he glared at her for a second before his arms relaxed, and his eyes turned soft.
" What.was that?" Hermione asked him.
" Nothing." He said, ashamed. Hermione saw the shame, and was determined to break away the shield he had thrown up to protect his very bruised emotions.
" Tell me." Hermione whispered, taking a lock of his hair and brushing it back from his forehead. His eyes held something else when he looked at her, but Hermione didn't know what it was.
" My mother.she loved me. Something that was strange and foreign in the Malfoy clan. She wanted me to be able to do the things I wished, but with my father reigning over her, she could do nothing but watch, as I became a miniature version of him. Until.until I met someone. I then refused the mantle of Death Eater, and was beaten for the first time by my own father, who laughed as he did it. I then received regular beatings, some for just not wearing the proper color that day, some for high treasons within Voldemort's highest orders. The last one was the day I came here. He'd beaten and stabbed me so bad, my mother was afraid I would die from my wounds. So she gave me her Portkey, the one she had been saving to escape. She gave up her freedom for mine. She. I know she is dead. He.killed her, because of me." Draco said his piece with detached formality, but Hermione could tell how much it hurt to speak of his mother. So, impulsively, Hermione touched her forehead to his, and stared down into his clear grey depths, and saw everything she wanted to. Draco reached a hand up to touch her cheek delicately, as if she was a fine porcelain doll.
" I'm so sorry." Hermione said against his cheek.
" Don't be. It was what she wanted." Draco said. Hermione was suddenly tired, and wanted to lie in Draco's arms, and have him kiss her hair. As if he could see the words in her mind, he gathered her up, and turned her face into his chest. She breathed in his scent, and felt him kiss her hair, as she had wanted.
" You're not who I thought you were." Hermione murmured sleepily.
" You are who I thought you were, and so very much more." Draco said, and Hermione smiled.
Virginia Weasley watched Harry Potter sleep, and wanted desperately to be there beside him, held by him, and loved by him. But, he didn't love her, did he? Ginny had to be LOVED, for she was of the romantic spirit, and she had to have love, and be loved in return, for her heart to be free. Ginny saw her lover in the perfect form, and she saw him love her in return.but it was a childish fantasy, one she knew she should not indulge in. Ginny watched him sleep, watched him wherever he went, and knew that she had no chance, as she was just a poor Weasley, the only girl, and was not worthy of the great Harry Potter, as she had been told numerous times. If only her heart would listen.
Ronald Weasley desperately wanted to know why his sister was so unhappy. He also wanted to know why his best friend walked around like a scorned lover, and he WANTED A GIRLFRIEND. That was the top priority, at least in his mind. He thought of girls, yes, but only one stayed so firm in his mind, it was difficult to do ordinary tasks like clean dishes when her name popped in his head. Luna. He knew she was a year younger, a Ravenclaw, and was weird to boot, but she seemed to like him.for HIM. She'd didn't like pretenses, didn't want him to act like someone else, and wanted for him everything she couldn't have. Luna Lovegood. Not exactly beautiful, not even pretty, but her face was striking, with huge brown eyes, and hair that went to her waist in waves. Her face seemed to be made from leftover parts, but it was good. Maybe.no, it wasn't possible. He wasn't.falling for Luna, was he? Oh God.
Hermione got up at midnight and made some tea. He brought her cup upstairs, and saw Draco watching her.
" Are you thirsty? Would you like a sip?" Hermione asked, showing him her tea.
" What kind is that?" Draco asked.
" It's Chai." Hermione answered.
" I'll try it." Draco said. She went to him, and lifted his head up. He sipped carefully, and closed his eyes.
" Like?" Hermione asked.
" Better than I thought." Draco teased. Hermione smiled, and then set the cup down.
" I meant to tell you, school was postponed for three months, an attack was staged there." Hermione said.
" I know. I'll leave when I am better." Draco said. He looked away from her. She put her hand under his chin, and made him look at her.
" No, you'll stay. If you would." Hermione said. Draco's hand went to her hair, and he looked at her.
" I'll stay, then." Draco said. Hermione smiled.
" Thank you." She said. She sat down on the side of the bed, making sure she didn't jostle him.
" So, what are you going to do for three months?" Draco asked her.
" I don't know. Ron and Harry want me to stay with them." She saw his face tighten, and she knew what he thought.
" If you want to go, I won't stop you. Don't think you owe me your time." Draco said.
" I don't want to go. I want to stay here. I'm probably going to go to the Muggle high school, until school starts again, and if you're better, you can come as well." Hermione said. Draco smiled tenderly, and he touched her hand.
" I'd like that. You could show me how a Muggle lives. Is it hard, without magic?" Draco asked curiously.
" No, not really, but, then again, I'm used to it, and you are defiantly not." Hermione laughed. Draco did too.
" Do Muggles study the same things as we do?" Draco asked.
" No. They study things like Math, English, Science, and stuff like that." Hermione said.
" Math? Is that with numbers?" Draco asked.
" Yes." Hermione said, trying not to laugh at him.
" Wow." Draco said. Hermione and Draco talked for about an hour more, until he dropped off in the middle of a discussion on who Shakespeare was. Hermione kissed his forehead gently, and went to go prepare breakfast for herself.
Harry and Ron arrived at Sirius Black's cabin with Virginia Weasley in tow. They knocked, and Sirius let them in.
" Hello my boys! And Virginia." Sirius said. Ginny threw her bag into a chair, and immediately went upstairs where Remus Lupin was sure to be.
" Hullo Sirius." Ron said, and plopped down in a chair. Harry watched Ginny run up the stairs, pushing her waist length hair from her face as she got to the top. Sirius exchanged a look with Ron, who shrugged. Harry sat down next to Ron, and Sirius went to make tea.
" Where's Hermione?" Lupin asked, coming down the stairs, carrying a squealing Ginny under his arm, "I was sure she would want to come with you three."
" We wrote her, but she never replied." Harry said. Sirius choked on his water, and sprayed it across the table. Ron flinched back from the spray, and it got all over Ginny.
" Ah, Sirius!" she said, and squirmed down. Harry stood, and rubbed her face with his shirt. She laughed, and pushed his away. He smiled, and pulled out her chair. Remus rolled his eyes.
" Sirius, what's up?" Lupin asked.
" Nothing!" he replied, his voice a little high.
" All right." Lupin said, and opened the window for an owl that came swooping in. The letter attached had big loopy handwriting.
" Hey! That's Hermione's handwriting!" Ron cried, but jerked as Sirius came and snatched it up. He opened it viciously, and read. Mutters of "good, good" and "damn!" came from him, and he rushed for his room. He came back five minutes later, carrying a letter and two flasks of potions. He tied them to the owl, which Ginny, Harry, and Ron had now recognised as Athena, Hermione's owl, and he let it out. Silence reigned as the four waited for Sirius to explain himself. Before he could answer, another owl came in. He pulled off the letter read it, and shouted:
" Damn it!" He turned to Lupin and the others. " You'll have to come with me, we have to go to the Ministry."
" Why?" Harry asked.
" Hermione." He said, and they all paled.
Hermione had run out of clean bandages and potions, and had magicked some up before she realised that she had broken the rule of Underage Sorcery. She got an owl from the Minister of Magic stating that she had to go to the Ministry for a hearing about her 'blatant rule-breaking' as they called it. She sighed, and threw the letter down, distracting Draco.
" What?" he asked, motioning her to come to him. She did, and sat on his bed.
" I forgot about the Underage Sorcery rule. I have to go to a hearing, but I can't leave you here!" she said.
" I'll be fine for an afternoon." Draco said.
" I don't want to leave you alone. What would happen if." she was shushed when Draco laid his hand gently on her mouth.
" I'll be FINE. I swear it Miea." He said, calling her the name he had begun using for her.
" Draco." she said, but he shook his head.
" Go. I swear to you, I won't move. Take my wand with you, just so you know I won't have anything to leave with." He said, holding out his highly identifiable wand, a yew one, with dragon heartstring plainly in it.
" All right, but only because I would feel safer with both my wand and your wand." Hermione kissed his forehead, and Apparated to the Ministry of Magic.
Sirius, Harry, Ginny and Ron were waiting for Hermione to arrive as Lupin went off to get the new Hogwarts student that was to be staying the three months with he and Sirius. Hermione Apparated in, carrying two wands, and a worried expression. Sirius went to her before the others could say a word, and he blurted,
" His condition?" Hermione smiled wearily, and it was then the three kids saw the dark circles and obvious exhaustion etched on Hermione's face.
" He's well, still cannot move a lot, but I help him with that." She said, wiping her forehead and tucking both wands into her hip pocket.
" What are you talking about?" Ginny asked.
" Her.dog." Sirius said quickly, and Hermione nodded, but her eyes didn't meet anyone's gaze as she did so. She stuck her hands in her pockets, and withdrew a small note. She read it, and smiled. She looked at Sirius, and began talking again.
" Ok, we need to get this hearing over with, I need to give him his potions by 5." She said, and Sirius nodded He left to inform the desk clerk, leaving the Weasley's, Hermione, and Harry there.
" What's going on here Hermie?" Ginny asked, and Hermione paled even more, if that was possible.
" Nothing at all. I mean-" she was cut off by the speakers starting to blare.
" If there is a Miss Hermione Granger in the building, please come to the Wand Weighing area, there is an owl for you from Mr. Dr-" it was cut off by someone covering it with a hand.
" Come on." Hermione said, motioning for Harry, Ginny, and Ron to follow her to the Wand Weighing area. She found Sirius there, arguing heatedly with the witch at the counter.
" Sir, you cannot just cut off the announcement like that, the little miss might have needed to know that Mr. Ma-"
" PLEASE! I've told you COUNTLESS times NOT to say that name!" Sirius snarled, and the witch paled.
" Could you give me my letter, please?" Hermione asked. The woman nodded, and Hermione was handed a letter on a piece of pink parchment. Hermione laughed, and opened it. She read, and she turned, paling again, to Sirius.
" My parents are home, and they know." She said.