Disclaimer: As I have said, I don't own anything in this fic. Except for the plot.
Hello, just so you know, I'm sick right now!!! Waahhh!! Poor me, I can't write the good stuff yet, I can't think straight because of my cough, colds and my – about to go high – fever. I didn't even plan on making and posting this chapter today, but I did so I won't leave you hanging. I'm not sure if I could post the 7th chapter tomorrow either and please forgive me if I have a few wrong grammars and spellings, I'm just way too tired to check them twice. Anyway, just a little warning, this chapter isn't what you'd expect it to be. Enjoy!!
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-Chapter 6: Am I Good or Evil?-
Hermione stiffened on her seat. The hand on her shoulder was freezing cold, whoever it was, it liked he/she just came in from a blizzard.
"W-Who are you?" Hermione stuttered out. She wanted to turn her head and see who it was, but she was afraid she might look into the eyes of some evil mad man.
"Scared?" a deep voice said by her ear. The hairs on her neck were standing on edge now, she never heard of that voice before but then maybe the voice was intentional? Hermione slowly started to turn her head. When she did she saw a hideous and scary looking...
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Draco woke with a start and sat right up on his bed. He rubbed his eyes and checked his watch, it was nearly 2 o'clock in the morning. He got up from his bed and stretched a bit. Hermione's side of the room was amazingly quiet.
He grinned evilly, and slowly made his way to the curtain dividing his from her side and peeked his head through it. He looked around her side, which was all in gold and red. He made a face.
'Ugh, Gryffindor colors' he thought to himself 'I'd rather m-' his train of thought was cut as his gaze landed on Hermione's bed. It was barely touched since they first came into the room when she laid on it.
"Hermione?" he asked - to no one in particular - while approaching her bed and picking up one of the crimson pillows.
He ran out of the door and into the other door across it, which was the bathroom. As he went in, he was rather shocked by it. It was the first time he ever went in there. The tub was the size of a children's pool, and it was rather shallow, since there wasn't any water in it yet. The tiles were white and so were the cupboards, toilet seats and the sink. Although the ceiling was white, it had a light shade of blue mixed together with it, and the towels, which were piled up, were green and red.
He shook his head and looked around, she was – obviously – not there, because if she were, she would be shouting and throwing stuff at him for invading her in the bathroom. He turned and ran out the door and down the spiral staircases, silently, as not to wake anyone in the other rooms. He slowly pushed open the painting and was met by a horrible sight.
A thing!! Yes, a thing –since Draco had no idea what it was because its back was faced at him - was holding Hermione by the shoulder, it was wearing a black cape, and it its skin was as pale as a cloud.
Draco looked around for anything he could use to attack it. He placed his hand on his pants and remembered that he was wearing his green silk boxers (and I mean only his boxers – as in no shirt or anything else! What a sight that would be huh?.lol.), and his wand was under his pillow. Speaking of pillows, his other hand was still on Hermione's pillow. He grinned evilly as he tiptoed towards the 'thing' and stopped a meter away from it. He positioned himself and...
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"Aahhhh!!" Hermione screamed as the thing that looked like a vampire stumbled over the couch and was now falling on top of her, with it's head on her lap, and a pillow fell on the floor after it.
The vampire grinned at her with its sharp fangs and Hermione screamed yet again and covered her eyes.
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Draco ran behind the coach and pulled the thing - which he saw was a vampire – by the shirt behind his cape, which was a muggle shirt? He furrowed his eyebrows and pulled it near his face. He studied it for a while as it grinned back at him. He noticed that he was loosing a fang.
He raised an eyebrow. 'This is definitely the worse looking vampire I ever saw' he thought to himself while eyeing him suspiciously.
"You must be the poorest excuse of a vampire in the entire world" Draco sneered as he pulled it up and pushed him down the floor behind him. He was about to jump on him and give him a good punch or two.
"Wait!" it shouted back while positioning his arms in front of his face as a defense.
Draco stopped, he knew that voice. He also noticed that Hermione was now standing beside him, giving the vampire a peculiar look.
"Ernie?" she said in an uncertain tone.
"Umm...h-hi?!" he said sheepishly, as he fumbled on his cape, trying to stand up. Draco was fuming.
"McMillan?! What the hell were you trying to do?" he asked the uncomfortable Hufflepuff. Draco moved towards him as he pulled him forcefully by the shirt.
"Uhh...boo?!" he said uneasily looking at Hermione who was behind Draco looking the same as he was...ready to kill. Hermione walked towards them and pulled Ernie forcefully – very Draco-ish – and eyed him with utmost loathing.
"Try that again, and I'll make sure you won't breath another scent of air" she said threateningly.
"Look Hermione, I was just playing around. I came in late and I, wanted to have a bit of fun, especially when I saw you on the couch alone...in the dark" he raised and lowered his eyebrows repeatedly. He was hoping Hermione would have heard that as a joke.
Hermione's glare turned more menacing. Obviously, she didn't take that as a joke. Her eyes now looked as hard as a rock.
"Calm down Hermione, let a man handle a man" Draco said coolly. He was about to grab Ernie from her but her head snapped to his direction.
"And you," she started, now breathing heavily, her eyes starting to go soft again "t-thank you, D-Draco"
She smiled at him and dropped Ernie forcefully on the floor and then hugged Draco by the neck.
Draco hugged her back awkwardly. He didn't think this girl would get this soft after how she handled Ernie...but, he didn't care, the girl was now wrapped around him, and he was totally okay with it. She rested her head on his bare chest.
"So, are you two a couple now?" Ernie asked attempting to loosen their hatred for him. Both turned to him, emotionless...then glared. "Okay, never mind" he said as he stood up and was now heading towards the portrait of the thin woman, which was slightly open.
"Kids these days, always breaking rules." the thin woman on the portrait started "Its way beyond curfew!" she exclaimed to herself. She shifted around in her portrait and positioned herself for her slumber.
Hermione rolled her eyes, and pulled away from Draco.
"C'mon, lets get to sleep" she said as she went back to the couch and picked up the pillow. She studied it for a while, crimson. "Were you raiding my side of the room?" she asked Draco and threw him a suspicious look.
Draco smiled innocently and shrugged. Hermione raised an eyebrow and walked back towards him then pulled him by the wrist towards their wide-open portrait.
As both walked slowly towards their perspective beds, they can't help but ask themselves the same question...
'Am I good or evil?'
'My plan is working, but I never expected myself to fall for him for real' Hermione thought as she just finished changing into her pajamas.
'I am sure to win the bet, but she's going to kill me for sure if she finds out that I'm just using her' Draco thought and sighed, staring at the ceiling now on his bed with his body covered by his quilt.
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The couches were turned to face the center of the common room instead of the fire, in preparation for their short meeting with Dumbledore and McGonagall.
'Ugghhh...' Hermione groaned in her thoughts. She hadn't eaten anything for the whole day and it's already after lunch. 'Note to self, go to sleep before midnight to avoid missing meals and to avoid a freaky Ernie'
She glanced over to Ernie's couch, Padma was talking and he was nodding - obviously not listening – at whatever she was saying. He then looked at Hermione then grinned. Hermione smiled back awkwardly, she was still half mad and half freaked out by him. He then abruptly turned to look at Padma. Hermione furrowed her eyebrows, and then turned to her other side, she raised an eyebrow as she saw Draco still glaring at his direction. She was about to comment on this, until...
"Prefects," Professor McGonagall started as she walked into the prefects' common room early in the afternoon along with Dumbledore, Owen and Sandi "as you may already know, tomorrow will be the official start of classes. Now, every year we seem to have a change of Defense Against the Dark Arts professors."
Dumbledore then conjured five white wooden chairs, which were carved with breath taking designs. The four who just entered sat on it as Professor McGonagall continued with her speech.
'Five?' Hermione wondered. There were only four of them.
"This year and for the next years to come, we will be having Professor Lupin back to take over the class" she said as she waved her hand by the entrance.
"Good afternoon everyone" Lupin said as he bowed his head to everyone.
"Professor Lupin!" Hermione exclaimed as she stood up from the couch and hugged her 3rd year DADA professor. Draco snorted.
"Hermione?" he started, he was rather shocked seeing Hermione with a different look. "Why hello! Glad to see you again" he continued as he patted Hermione's head.
"That is enough Ms. Granger" McGonagall said sternly.
Hermione glanced at Lupin then at McGonagall and then walked back to the couch, as Lupin sat on the extra chair closest to the exit.
"You already realize of course that Professor Lupin is...special" Lupin smiled at McGonagall. "So, whenever something might happen, I would expect all 10 of you to be responsible with it. You already know it cannot be controlled"
Hermione glanced back at Lupin. He didn't look much different since the war. Still a bit shabby because of his clothes, but he still had his usual composure as he usually did. She always looked up to him because he was just like her. He was and still remains to be...brilliant. Hermione grinned.
Lupin sent her a confused expression but smiled all the same. Harry and Ron had told him about Hermione when they ran into him when he was walking down the corridor on his way here. All hey said is that she's changed. Surely they didn't mean this Hermione, her persona is the same as usual, although he can't help but notice how different he looked in the outside, but he never did care about physical appearances. He usually judges people by their intentions. So maybe what Harry and Ron meant is just her physical appearance.
But he can't help thinking, Harry and Ron were rather warning him instead of just informing him. Just to be secured, he would just observe at what will happen this year.
"Now," McGonagall's voice started again "this year, we would be having a series of celebrations. There's the Halloween masquerade ball, the Yule ball, the New Year's celebration, Valentines carnival, and then the Farewell party which will be held the day before graduation."
The prefects all nodded in understanding. But the people in the room can't help but think about it, they never had a masquerade ball and a valentine's carnival before, they just had different thoughts about it.
Padma: 'Aww, how sweet! I will be sure to get Ernie's attention this time' she thought as she looked at Ernie who was beside her on the couch.
Ernie: 'Good, another way to get Hermione's attention' he thought as he looked over at Hermione who was twirling a lock of her hair.
Hannah: 'Yes! I get to be with Hannah without getting obvious'
Dean: 'Yes! I get to be with Dean without getting obvious' both looked at each other at the same time then hastily moved their heads to look at the opposite direction.
Hermione: 'Goody, more chances of getting my plan into action and this will certainly be a blast, I'm most certainly going to be match maker on the valentine's carnival!' Hermione exclaimed to herself mentally 'I wonder why Professor Dumbledore wanted to hold a lot of celebrations this year?' her gaze fell on her Headmaster who was looking right back at her with a smile and twinkling eyes behind his half-moon spectacles. Hermione smiled back, then he looked at Draco.
Draco: 'Girly stuff' Draco sneered in his thoughts. He glanced over at Hermione who looked absolutely joyous. 'What is it with girls and balls? And why the hell is the headmaster looking at me?' he wondered. He didn't need to look at him, he already noticed it from the corner of his eye.
Lisa: 'Great, more times to see other girls fall over for boys' she thought to herself sarcastically.
Stuart: 'Aww man! Now I have to buy new clothes' he thought, eyebrows furrowed.
Owen: 'Oh good, more excuses to fail my NEWTs' he thought sarcastically, unsure of the idea.
Sandi: 'No! What about our NEWTs?' she thought to herself worriedly.
McGonagall: 'Now I have to buy more decorations!' she thought, her expression looking tired.
Lupin: 'Malfoy seems to have changed too. Why is he looking at Hermione in a rather peculiar way?' he wondered as he looked at Draco giving Hermione an odd yet with-good-intentions look. 'It seems as though they're both friends'
Dumbledore: 'I hope this will be a success and bring more people together,' he thought as he looked at each person in the room each filled with different emotions, clearly shown in their facial expression. His gaze fell on Hermione then at Draco 'and I hope these two will make the right decision' he smiled again then stood up.
"Prefects," Dumbledore said aloud as he stood up and looked at the prefects in front of him "heads," his gaze now on the Head boy and girl beside him "this is all for this day, we will have another meeting not too far from now, for I have a few projects in store for all of you"
His gaze rested on Hermione and Draco for a while, then he nodded at the four people beside him. They stood up and Dumbledore waved his wand. The five chairs hovered towards the right side of the fireplace.
"Good afternoon to you all" he said with a final tone and started for the door, closely followed by McGonagall and the two heads. Lupin on the other hand didn't move on his spot, instead he signaled for Hermione to approach him.
Hermione waited for the other prefects to leave. Only Draco was left, he did stand up but he only turned and faced the fireplace and balanced himself by resting his hand against the wall above it. Realizing that he wouldn't leave, she walked slowly towards her professor and stopped right in front of him. Lupin kneeled, he knew it wasn't necessary, the heels on her sandals brought her to level by his shoulder, but he still did anyway. He rested his hand on her shoulder.
"Hermione, do you have anything to tell me?"
"Not that I know of professor, why?"
"Well, let's just say two certain people told me certain things, and t-"
"Oh," Hermione said, making him stop "it's Harry and Ron isn't it?" she continued with a dismal expression on her face.
"Look, it's nothing really. They just told me you changed. I for one haven't noticed that," Hermione gave him a 'look' "well, okay I have but it's only your appearance, but your attitude for one didn't, and maybe even not yet. But since Harry and Ron told me this, I guess it's only right if you know what they are thinking too"
Hermione smiled weakly. She knew Harry and Ron were really ticked off by her, but she never fully realized that they really felt that way. I mean, really, warning their professor about her was something she didn't expect at all.
"Listen, you can always be friends again, just try talk to them and try to sort this out, I'm sure they'd understand if they knew your side of the story." Hermione nodded "And by the way, what's going on between you and Malfoy?" he asked looking over her shoulder at the blonde who had his back to them waiting for her in front of the crackling fire.
"Nothing, w-were just friends that's all. I just thought it would be better to get along with him since I have to put up with him all school year" Lupin thought otherwise but just nodded and stood up and letting go of his grip on her shoulder.
"Well," he said as he dusted his robes "I better get going I have to unpack a few stuff to get ready for tomorrows schedule"
Hermione nodded and he smiled down at her.
"Don't worry so much Hermione, everything will be okay, just watch out for him" he said as he nodded his head over to Draco who still had his back to them "he might have something up his sleeve. The war might have changed him but not entirely, remember that he is a Malfoy, its in his nature. I mean, he was raised by Lucius, some bits of the old spiteful git will surely be still on him."
Hermione can't help herself to snicker at this. Hearing an adult say cruel stuff about another adult is something you don't hear all the time, especially if it comes from Lupin. She would have expected this from Sirius, but never from Lupin.
'Sirius,' she thought to herself 'I bet he's already against me, I know Harry must've told him about all this by now' she frowned, she never really liked to go against Sirius, he was a really nice person, but he would go about scolding anyone who does something wrong, no matter how young or old you are. (I know Sirius is dead by their 5th year, but I just can't accept it. Anyway, for this chapter, just think that he was able to come out of the veil because of some connection he had with Harry)
Hermione looked back up at Lupin and smiled.
"Thank you Professor" she said.
"Your welcome," he smiled and placed his hand back on her shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze "see you in class Hermione"
Lupin turned around and walked out the common room. Hermione looked at his retreating back deep in thought.
"What? Are you going to stand there all day?" the familiar sneering voice said from behind her.
"If your going to be grumpy about it, why did you even bother waiting for me?" she said as cruelly back at him.
Draco smirked and approached her.
"I want to get some food. We didn't have breakfast and lunch, remember? We slept in late because of our little escapade" Hermione rolled her eyes.
"You still could've gone there without me"
"And where's the fun in that?" Hermione childishly stuck out her tongue at him "Plus, I know your stomach is killing you right now, so c'mon"
Draco grabbed her hand as they walked out of the common room.
-End of Chapter-
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Not that exciting, but that's how I planned this chapter to be...hope you guys still liked it! I also didn't make the ending hanging like the last two, you guys might hate me if I do it all the time.lol
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Again with the thank you(s)...
shexy-cleva-yollop: Thankies for ze cookie again!!lol. munches Well, as much as I want to, I can't reveal her...yet. Anyway, I'm not saying your guess is right or wrong, it's just that, I can't tell!!lol.
XxPaDfOoTiExX: Thankies!! It just came to me like my illness just did right now...good guess by the way! But I can't tell if it's really her or not. ;p
Pranks Are So Siriusly Padfoot: Yeah, I'm currently trying to avoid it, because if I don't you guys might kill me before I get to finish the story.lol
clarissa: Thank you...and which chapter and specific line are you referring to? Chapter 3 (since it's the chapter you reviewed on) or Chapter 5? (which I just posted recently)
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Hey guys!! Glad your enjoying this fic. so far, it will get better. Just be patient. As I've said on my note above, I'm sick, so sorry if it wasn't that good for you – because for me it wasn't - and please, Read and Review!! Bye now!
-DragonPrincessRhean-