Chapter Three: The Feelings Are Getting Stronger
" What?! You said three weeks Hermione!" Sirius cried.
" I know, I know! I never knew the conference would end early!" Hermione, near tears, shouted at him.
" Miss Granger? Are you ready for your hearing?" a woman asked.
" No, she is not ready, and you can tell the Minister that I will NOT hear of Miss Granger being reproved for her actions. Do you understand me?" Dumbledore came in at that moment, and came to stand next to Hermione, a comforting hand on the girl's shaking shoulder.
" E-excuse me Albus?" the woman asked.
" She is to be allowed full extent of her magical capabilities during the time she is not inside the walls of Hogwarts School. Is that understood, or must I say it again?" Dumbledore said. Hermione sagged in relief, and Harry caught her arm.
" I have to go. I have to." She Apparated, before anyone could touch her again.
Draco lay in Hermione's bed, staring apprehensively at her parents. Oh, but this was bad. They'd demanded at once he leave, and when he told them that he couldn't move at all without their daughter's help, they had insisted he find her. He'd written to her, on her ridiculous pink stationary, no less, and told her he needed her, as her parents wanted him gone from the premises. Hermione Apparated into her room, and went to Draco's side, without even bothering to look at her parents.
" How do you feel?" she demanded.
" Sore, but you told me that was to be expected." He answered her.
" No unusual pains?" she asked.
" None." Draco said.
" Hermione." Her mother said.
" Mother, Father, this is Draco Malfoy. He was.injured, almost fatally, one night while you were gone, and he must stay here, as it would be fatal to move him." Hermione told her story at once. Her mother gasped, and put a hand to her throat. Her father looked at her, and he nodded.
" Of course, we could not throw him out. He will stay as long as is needed, if not more. Nice to meet you, Mr. Malfoy." Mr. Granger said, reaching out and taking Draco's hand.
" And you, Mr. Granger, Mrs. Granger." Draco said, smiling, but a grimace was hidden.
" Mom, Dad, you'd better go, I think he needs his potions." Hermione said, and her parents nodded.
" Of course dear, dinner will be in a couple hours." Her mother answered, and they left.
" I'm sorry if I caused any.problems." Draco said.
" No, it's fine, really." Hermione said, yanking the blankets down. Draco yelped.
" And just WHAT do you think you're doing?" he asked, fighting her for the blankets.
" I have to check your wounds, and you aren't helping! Don't move, you'll open one!" Hermione cried, moving to sit on his legs. Draco froze.
" What?" he said. She had whisked every thought from his head.
" Are you done acting childish?" she asked, still sitting on his legs. He stiffened, and he grabbed her arm, pulling her up his body to where her face met his.
" Is this childish?" he asked. Hermione's eyes widened, and he could see the gold in her eyes.
" N-no. Now let me go." She said. Draco shook his head, and laughed, his breath feathering across her face.
" I don't want to." He said. Hermione's lips where scant inches from his, and he'd always wondered.always. he leaned up just a little, and her lips met his. She didn't move at all, just laid there, right on top of him, and let him kiss her. And kiss her he did. When he finally let her go, she was breathless, and didn't move from him.
" That.that." she muttered.
" That was wonderful." He said, and kissed her forehead. She smiled down at him, brilliantly, and Draco's' breath was knocked from him. God, she was beautiful, all fiery spirit and pure heart.
" You'd better get those potions Dr. Granger." He said, and allowed her to get up.
" Yes, yes, you're right." Hermione said. But she bestowed upon him another of her fiery smiles, and his day brightened considerably.
He'd kissed her. And.she'd enjoyed it. She touched her lips, as if she could still feel him. My God. Hermione had never been kissed before, and that had been.what? Stunning? Amazing? All that, and more. Hermione took a deep breath, and went to her desk, where she had the Morgan's Hand Potion waiting, to give to Draco.
Harry, Ron, and Ginny left the Ministry, while Sirius, Lupin, and Dumbledore stayed to argue Hermione's case. Ron stared out the window, while Ginny fingered a strand of her rich mahogany hair. Harry stood, feet braced apart, thinking about just WHAT Hermione could be hiding. Before he could figure it out, Pig, Ron's owl, came flying in, a copy of the Daily Prophet in his beak.
" There's no Daily Prophet today." Ginny said, grabbing the paper, and unfolding it. When they read the headline, they realised why there was one:
Malfoy Heir Missing: Five Days or More
Draco Anthony Malfoy, 17, was reported missing today, and for over five
days. He used an unregistered Portkey, and used it to go to a Muggle district, where five known Hogwarts students, all Muggle Born, are known to
live. The students who live in this district are as follows:
Fourth Year Ravenclaw Jordia Laurence
Second Year Hufflepuff Abbie Micheals
Fifth Year Ravenclaw Michael Harris
Sixth Year Hufflepuff Adam McDonnell
Third Year Slytherin Leigh Davis
Seventh Year Gryffindor Hermione Granger
So far the students have claimed no responsibility in the either kidnapping or runaway of Draco Malfoy, yet the Portkey has not been recovered. Lucius Malfoy, 41, has said, "all efforts possible are going out to find my son." Draco, a Seventh Year at Hogwarts School, is their current Head Boy, and
would have been awarded the Hogwarts High Student Award, along with his
counterpart, Head Girl Hermione Granger. All students living in the district were interviewed, and most called the young Malfoy, 'egotistical, a prat, and a hothead.' Miss Granger, of Gryffindor House, called him 'a bane of my existence, yet, hopefully he is safe, as I wish death on no one, even HIM.' Information on the whereabouts of the Malfoy boy should be sent
to the Ministry as soon as possible.
All were speechless.
" He's MISSING?" Ginny gasped. Harry took the paper from her limp fingers, and read the article again, his eyes lighting upon five words.
" Hermione lives there!" He said, and showed them. Ron shoved a hand through his hair.
" My God. I wonder what happened to him. Probably some Voldemort supporter tired of the way Malfoy is getting all the credit. Probably took Draco to get ransom, I'd say." Ron said.
" Maybe." Ginny said. She took the paper back from Harry, but just looked at it. There was a picture of Draco on the front, along with a picture of the five Hogwarts students who lived in the district. Hermione stood in the front, looking all the world cool and collected, as she normally was. All the other students wore frightened looks, but not Hermione.
" What do you mean, 'maybe'?" Harry asked her.
" I think there is more to the 'Malfoy Heir Missing' story than meets the eye." Ginny said, and looked at the boys.
Draco was asleep when Hermione came back from dinner, and she woke him to give him his potions.
" How much longer must I take these?" he asked her sleepily, as she held his head.
" A week, maybe more." Hermione said, brushing a piece of hair from his eyes.
" If I must." He said, and closed his eyes.
" Sleep well.Draco." Hermione said, kissing his forehead.
" And you, angel." Draco murmured.
Draco woke in the wee hours of morning, a realization holding his heart still.
" Dear God, I love her." He murmured. A Malfoy had just fallen in love.with a Muggle Born. Malfoy had just fallen in love with Granger.
Harry was awake still, watching Ginny, who was sleeping in the bed, and Ron and Harry slept on the floor. Her hair draped the pillow like liquid fire, and her alabaster skin shone in the moonlight. Harry, Ron, and Ginny were sharing a room, and the new Hogwarts student, the one Lupin had gone to get, Rose Dawson, was sleeping in her own room. God, she was stunning awake, but asleep, she looked like an angel aflame, her green eyes hidden in sleep, yet Harry knew their stunning depth was there, just hiding until daylight shone again. She stirred, and before Harry could feign sleep, her eyes opened, and lighted upon him. His heart skipped a beat, and she smiled.
" Harry, are you still awake?" Ginny asked sleepily, brushing her hair from her face.
" I couldn't sleep." Harry said hoarsely. Ginny sat up, and patted the bed beside her.
" Come sit with me." She said. Harry got up, and settled next to her. He shivered in the cold, and Ginny draped her blanket across his shoulders.
" Thanks." He said.
" You'll have to get closer, the blanket isn't very big." Ginny said. She shifted where she sat half in, half out of his lap. He could smell her. Her intoxicating scent of oranges and lavender.
" I'm sorry if I woke you." Harry said, his hand coming to rest upon her own, his tanned skin contrasting sharply with her own alabaster.
" You didn't, I've had trouble sleeping." Ginny smiled and Harry finally noticed the dark circles marring the skin under her eyes, and the way she seemed to have trouble focusing.
" Why?" he asked.
" I don't know." Ginny said.
" Come with me." Harry said, and he lay down, and drew her with him. He tucked her head into his shoulder, and she breathed deeply.
" Harry." Ginny murmured.
" Sleep now, my fire princess." Harry said, and he slept as well, finally content with his fiery angel in his arms.
Miss Rose Dawson slept alone, in a strange room, in a strange house, in a strange country. An Irishwoman, red-haired as the Weasley family was, yet with striking blue eyes, and curl to her hair, she was just as pale as the Weasley girl was, yet she was even more willowy than Ginny, and taller, at 5'10". Rose stared out of her window, fearing the day she would go to Hogwarts, and leave behind the world she had known, a world of pain, a world of fear. It was time to let go Dawson, she thought. Of course it was, she had nowhere else to go, no one to turn to, and Lupin was her only surviving relative left.other than him. And she refused her heritage connected with his name. She took another breath, and turned away, to take the stairs, and make tea.
Ron woke up suddenly, not knowing why, but he did. He stood up, and stretched. He looked for Harry, and found him, snuggled with Ginny in his arms. Ron smiled, and turned away. Finally, his sister had chosen someone worthy of her. Ron yawned, and decided to go get some milk.
Rose was in the kitchen, making her tea, when she heard someone mount the stairs, and curse as they ran into the small end table in the hall. She stood, rooted to her spot, as a tall redheaded boy came in, wearing nothing but a pair of worn and badly frayed sweatpants. He was rubbing his hair and yawning when he came in, but he stopped and stared as he noticed her.
" I'm sorry." He said, and his arm dropped.
" No need." Rose said.
" I'm Ron Weasley. You are?" he asked, offering his hand.
" Rose Dawson. Nice to meet you Ron." She said.
" And you, Rose." Ron answered. She turned away when her tea went off, and took the kettle to her cup, where she poured it.
" Would you like some?" Rose asked.
" Sure." Ron said, coming to her side, and taking the kettle.
" I'll do it." She said.
" It's all right, thanks." Ron said. Rose watched him pour, unable to take her eyes from the boy. He was so tall, and muscular. His red hair was messy around his head, and everytime his arms moved, muscles would bunch, and she couldn't help looking at his abs. They were VERY nice.
" Do you go to Hogwarts?" Rose asked stupidly.
" Yeah, I'm a Seventh Year Gryffindor. Have they Sorted you yet?" Ron asked.
" Yeah, I'm Gryffindor too." Rose answered.
" Wicked. You can hang out with my friends, Harry and Hermione, and me. You'll meet Harry tomorrow, and Hermione at school." Ron said. Rose smiled.
" I'd like that." Rose said, looking into his eyes.
" I'm glad." Ron said, noticing that he couldn't tear his own green eyed gaze from her midnight blue one.
Hermione woke in the wee hours of morning, a realization holding her heart still.
" Dear God, I love him." She murmured. A Muggle Born had just fallen in love with a Malfoy. Granger had just fallen in love with Malfoy.
" What?! You said three weeks Hermione!" Sirius cried.
" I know, I know! I never knew the conference would end early!" Hermione, near tears, shouted at him.
" Miss Granger? Are you ready for your hearing?" a woman asked.
" No, she is not ready, and you can tell the Minister that I will NOT hear of Miss Granger being reproved for her actions. Do you understand me?" Dumbledore came in at that moment, and came to stand next to Hermione, a comforting hand on the girl's shaking shoulder.
" E-excuse me Albus?" the woman asked.
" She is to be allowed full extent of her magical capabilities during the time she is not inside the walls of Hogwarts School. Is that understood, or must I say it again?" Dumbledore said. Hermione sagged in relief, and Harry caught her arm.
" I have to go. I have to." She Apparated, before anyone could touch her again.
Draco lay in Hermione's bed, staring apprehensively at her parents. Oh, but this was bad. They'd demanded at once he leave, and when he told them that he couldn't move at all without their daughter's help, they had insisted he find her. He'd written to her, on her ridiculous pink stationary, no less, and told her he needed her, as her parents wanted him gone from the premises. Hermione Apparated into her room, and went to Draco's side, without even bothering to look at her parents.
" How do you feel?" she demanded.
" Sore, but you told me that was to be expected." He answered her.
" No unusual pains?" she asked.
" None." Draco said.
" Hermione." Her mother said.
" Mother, Father, this is Draco Malfoy. He was.injured, almost fatally, one night while you were gone, and he must stay here, as it would be fatal to move him." Hermione told her story at once. Her mother gasped, and put a hand to her throat. Her father looked at her, and he nodded.
" Of course, we could not throw him out. He will stay as long as is needed, if not more. Nice to meet you, Mr. Malfoy." Mr. Granger said, reaching out and taking Draco's hand.
" And you, Mr. Granger, Mrs. Granger." Draco said, smiling, but a grimace was hidden.
" Mom, Dad, you'd better go, I think he needs his potions." Hermione said, and her parents nodded.
" Of course dear, dinner will be in a couple hours." Her mother answered, and they left.
" I'm sorry if I caused any.problems." Draco said.
" No, it's fine, really." Hermione said, yanking the blankets down. Draco yelped.
" And just WHAT do you think you're doing?" he asked, fighting her for the blankets.
" I have to check your wounds, and you aren't helping! Don't move, you'll open one!" Hermione cried, moving to sit on his legs. Draco froze.
" What?" he said. She had whisked every thought from his head.
" Are you done acting childish?" she asked, still sitting on his legs. He stiffened, and he grabbed her arm, pulling her up his body to where her face met his.
" Is this childish?" he asked. Hermione's eyes widened, and he could see the gold in her eyes.
" N-no. Now let me go." She said. Draco shook his head, and laughed, his breath feathering across her face.
" I don't want to." He said. Hermione's lips where scant inches from his, and he'd always wondered.always. he leaned up just a little, and her lips met his. She didn't move at all, just laid there, right on top of him, and let him kiss her. And kiss her he did. When he finally let her go, she was breathless, and didn't move from him.
" That.that." she muttered.
" That was wonderful." He said, and kissed her forehead. She smiled down at him, brilliantly, and Draco's' breath was knocked from him. God, she was beautiful, all fiery spirit and pure heart.
" You'd better get those potions Dr. Granger." He said, and allowed her to get up.
" Yes, yes, you're right." Hermione said. But she bestowed upon him another of her fiery smiles, and his day brightened considerably.
He'd kissed her. And.she'd enjoyed it. She touched her lips, as if she could still feel him. My God. Hermione had never been kissed before, and that had been.what? Stunning? Amazing? All that, and more. Hermione took a deep breath, and went to her desk, where she had the Morgan's Hand Potion waiting, to give to Draco.
Harry, Ron, and Ginny left the Ministry, while Sirius, Lupin, and Dumbledore stayed to argue Hermione's case. Ron stared out the window, while Ginny fingered a strand of her rich mahogany hair. Harry stood, feet braced apart, thinking about just WHAT Hermione could be hiding. Before he could figure it out, Pig, Ron's owl, came flying in, a copy of the Daily Prophet in his beak.
" There's no Daily Prophet today." Ginny said, grabbing the paper, and unfolding it. When they read the headline, they realised why there was one:
Malfoy Heir Missing: Five Days or More
Draco Anthony Malfoy, 17, was reported missing today, and for over five
days. He used an unregistered Portkey, and used it to go to a Muggle district, where five known Hogwarts students, all Muggle Born, are known to
live. The students who live in this district are as follows:
Fourth Year Ravenclaw Jordia Laurence
Second Year Hufflepuff Abbie Micheals
Fifth Year Ravenclaw Michael Harris
Sixth Year Hufflepuff Adam McDonnell
Third Year Slytherin Leigh Davis
Seventh Year Gryffindor Hermione Granger
So far the students have claimed no responsibility in the either kidnapping or runaway of Draco Malfoy, yet the Portkey has not been recovered. Lucius Malfoy, 41, has said, "all efforts possible are going out to find my son." Draco, a Seventh Year at Hogwarts School, is their current Head Boy, and
would have been awarded the Hogwarts High Student Award, along with his
counterpart, Head Girl Hermione Granger. All students living in the district were interviewed, and most called the young Malfoy, 'egotistical, a prat, and a hothead.' Miss Granger, of Gryffindor House, called him 'a bane of my existence, yet, hopefully he is safe, as I wish death on no one, even HIM.' Information on the whereabouts of the Malfoy boy should be sent
to the Ministry as soon as possible.
All were speechless.
" He's MISSING?" Ginny gasped. Harry took the paper from her limp fingers, and read the article again, his eyes lighting upon five words.
" Hermione lives there!" He said, and showed them. Ron shoved a hand through his hair.
" My God. I wonder what happened to him. Probably some Voldemort supporter tired of the way Malfoy is getting all the credit. Probably took Draco to get ransom, I'd say." Ron said.
" Maybe." Ginny said. She took the paper back from Harry, but just looked at it. There was a picture of Draco on the front, along with a picture of the five Hogwarts students who lived in the district. Hermione stood in the front, looking all the world cool and collected, as she normally was. All the other students wore frightened looks, but not Hermione.
" What do you mean, 'maybe'?" Harry asked her.
" I think there is more to the 'Malfoy Heir Missing' story than meets the eye." Ginny said, and looked at the boys.
Draco was asleep when Hermione came back from dinner, and she woke him to give him his potions.
" How much longer must I take these?" he asked her sleepily, as she held his head.
" A week, maybe more." Hermione said, brushing a piece of hair from his eyes.
" If I must." He said, and closed his eyes.
" Sleep well.Draco." Hermione said, kissing his forehead.
" And you, angel." Draco murmured.
Draco woke in the wee hours of morning, a realization holding his heart still.
" Dear God, I love her." He murmured. A Malfoy had just fallen in love.with a Muggle Born. Malfoy had just fallen in love with Granger.
Harry was awake still, watching Ginny, who was sleeping in the bed, and Ron and Harry slept on the floor. Her hair draped the pillow like liquid fire, and her alabaster skin shone in the moonlight. Harry, Ron, and Ginny were sharing a room, and the new Hogwarts student, the one Lupin had gone to get, Rose Dawson, was sleeping in her own room. God, she was stunning awake, but asleep, she looked like an angel aflame, her green eyes hidden in sleep, yet Harry knew their stunning depth was there, just hiding until daylight shone again. She stirred, and before Harry could feign sleep, her eyes opened, and lighted upon him. His heart skipped a beat, and she smiled.
" Harry, are you still awake?" Ginny asked sleepily, brushing her hair from her face.
" I couldn't sleep." Harry said hoarsely. Ginny sat up, and patted the bed beside her.
" Come sit with me." She said. Harry got up, and settled next to her. He shivered in the cold, and Ginny draped her blanket across his shoulders.
" Thanks." He said.
" You'll have to get closer, the blanket isn't very big." Ginny said. She shifted where she sat half in, half out of his lap. He could smell her. Her intoxicating scent of oranges and lavender.
" I'm sorry if I woke you." Harry said, his hand coming to rest upon her own, his tanned skin contrasting sharply with her own alabaster.
" You didn't, I've had trouble sleeping." Ginny smiled and Harry finally noticed the dark circles marring the skin under her eyes, and the way she seemed to have trouble focusing.
" Why?" he asked.
" I don't know." Ginny said.
" Come with me." Harry said, and he lay down, and drew her with him. He tucked her head into his shoulder, and she breathed deeply.
" Harry." Ginny murmured.
" Sleep now, my fire princess." Harry said, and he slept as well, finally content with his fiery angel in his arms.
Miss Rose Dawson slept alone, in a strange room, in a strange house, in a strange country. An Irishwoman, red-haired as the Weasley family was, yet with striking blue eyes, and curl to her hair, she was just as pale as the Weasley girl was, yet she was even more willowy than Ginny, and taller, at 5'10". Rose stared out of her window, fearing the day she would go to Hogwarts, and leave behind the world she had known, a world of pain, a world of fear. It was time to let go Dawson, she thought. Of course it was, she had nowhere else to go, no one to turn to, and Lupin was her only surviving relative left.other than him. And she refused her heritage connected with his name. She took another breath, and turned away, to take the stairs, and make tea.
Ron woke up suddenly, not knowing why, but he did. He stood up, and stretched. He looked for Harry, and found him, snuggled with Ginny in his arms. Ron smiled, and turned away. Finally, his sister had chosen someone worthy of her. Ron yawned, and decided to go get some milk.
Rose was in the kitchen, making her tea, when she heard someone mount the stairs, and curse as they ran into the small end table in the hall. She stood, rooted to her spot, as a tall redheaded boy came in, wearing nothing but a pair of worn and badly frayed sweatpants. He was rubbing his hair and yawning when he came in, but he stopped and stared as he noticed her.
" I'm sorry." He said, and his arm dropped.
" No need." Rose said.
" I'm Ron Weasley. You are?" he asked, offering his hand.
" Rose Dawson. Nice to meet you Ron." She said.
" And you, Rose." Ron answered. She turned away when her tea went off, and took the kettle to her cup, where she poured it.
" Would you like some?" Rose asked.
" Sure." Ron said, coming to her side, and taking the kettle.
" I'll do it." She said.
" It's all right, thanks." Ron said. Rose watched him pour, unable to take her eyes from the boy. He was so tall, and muscular. His red hair was messy around his head, and everytime his arms moved, muscles would bunch, and she couldn't help looking at his abs. They were VERY nice.
" Do you go to Hogwarts?" Rose asked stupidly.
" Yeah, I'm a Seventh Year Gryffindor. Have they Sorted you yet?" Ron asked.
" Yeah, I'm Gryffindor too." Rose answered.
" Wicked. You can hang out with my friends, Harry and Hermione, and me. You'll meet Harry tomorrow, and Hermione at school." Ron said. Rose smiled.
" I'd like that." Rose said, looking into his eyes.
" I'm glad." Ron said, noticing that he couldn't tear his own green eyed gaze from her midnight blue one.
Hermione woke in the wee hours of morning, a realization holding her heart still.
" Dear God, I love him." She murmured. A Muggle Born had just fallen in love with a Malfoy. Granger had just fallen in love with Malfoy.