Title: Dare You To Move
Author: Mjade
Summary: My third Draco/Mione fic. Hermione Granger is feeling left out by the people she once called friends . . . but her dreams are all about to come true.
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter but the idea of this story, the two Slytherins: Mason Deimos and Don Gears, and the Gryffindor: Lucinda Lucent, are mine.
Rating: PG-13/Romance
Author's Note: Hello, I'm back! In a way, I'm happy but as school draws nearer I'm gonna wallow in sorrow for a while. J/K!!! LOL! And this chapter is posted early in August just like I promised! Hope you like it! R/R!
crystal369-Thanks for reviewing again! Well, yeah it definitely adds power to Hermione's personality and the story! POA wasn't that bad but I agree the beginning was a bit dragging but it was still enjoyable!
Werewolf-Luva-Well, this chapter has the first appearance of Lupin! However, I'm afraid he will only become a main character in later chapters.
Rinuala, kaiba 3, & Angelsparkle006-Indeed the plot does thicken! Thank you for all your encouraging reviews!
EvErYtHiNg4NoThInG-POA was actually my fave book out of all 5. Yeah, I agree: they left out just too many parts. Especially the Quidditch cup. I really wanted to see that game! Yeah, I also noticed the ring on Draco's finger. But it was during the part where he was blowing the paper-crane thingy to Harry. At first I thought it was a Malfoy thing, then I saw Crabbe beside him had one and Goyle behind him did too. Maybe its a Slytherin thing...or probably a Death Eater thing...who knows?
Venus725-I'm so so glad you love this story! You agree with me on my POA comments? Well, you're the first!
What a grand thing, to be loved!
What a grander thing still, to love . . .
- Victor Hugo -
From the Journal of Hermione Granger
12/11
If there is one person in the world I would rather live without, that would be Draco Malfoy. I've said it once and I'll say it again: never have I met someone so insufferable and so aggravating in my entire life. The nerve of him! I hope the egotistic git recalls the fact that it was he who asked for my help and that he was the one reason I was even there. Honestly! Why ask me to tutor you if you don't even have the slightest intention to learn? If you are not willing to cooperate for that matter. I understand completely that he is upset that he has to be tutored. I also understand that he hates the fact that his tutor is me, Hermione Granger, but he could at least be polite for once. I deserve the respect. The only reason I agreed to help him was because I thought he needed me to. Does he know his whole future depends on it? I should have known better. After all, I should have expected that kind of behavior from the so-called "Prince of Slytherin." I should have just said "no" when he asked me and I should have just walked away without a second glance. That is the last time I ever help Draco Malfoy, again. Anyway, the preparations for the ball are nearly complete. Justin is down in the Great Hall supervising and helping out with the final decorations. My assignment is to send the checklist and the report to Professor Dumbledore. Yes, Justin and I have done our job well. It's practically finished. That's one less thing for me to worry about. As for Malfoy, I know we barely started but I quit . . .make that two less things to worry about.
"Blaise, not now please."
"Oh, come on. It won't take long."
Hermione walked down the hallway and turned a corner towards the voices. She was on her way to the Headmaster's office but she froze on the spot when she recognized the two people conversing. She saw a very pretty fifth year Ravenclaw girl with long blonde hair that went past her shoulders and intense blue-green eyes. Her tall, dark haired companion had his back facing Hermione, but she immediately knew that the masculine figure was Blaise.
"But this is the third time this week that I've been late for Potions," the girl said.
"It will only take a few minutes. Come on, there's a broom closet right over there. I think you can help me with my hard problem," Blaise smirked.
Hermione wasn't sure whether or not this was something she should be overhearing. She didn't know if she should just walk past them or find an alternate route to Professor Dumbledore's office. After all, she felt like she was trespassing. It was none of her business anyway.
Blaise took his girlfriend's hand and led it to the front of his pants. The Ravenclaw girl immediately cringed and withdrew her hand quickly.
"Blaise, please let me go. My housemates already hate me for losing them points for being late all the time," the girl told him, trying to struggle out of Blaise's grip on her arm. "I'll be with you tomorrow night. I promise. Now please, can I go?"
But Blaise's grip just tightened around her wrist, enough to leave a bruise. "What happened to our agreement to my room, tonight?" Blaise said angrily.
Hermione was appalled. Blaise was forcing her. She was fifteen years old for Merlin's sake. However, Hermione still chose not to interfere.
"Please Blaise, your hurting me," the girl pleaded. "It's just that I have a chess game with my friends tonight and---"
"Are you trying to tell me that your friends are more important to you than I am?" Blaise said heatedly, twisting his girlfriend's arm even more.
Hermione clenched her teeth. The bastard was manipulating her!
"No, I didn't mean it that way! It's just that I hardly spend any time with them since I started dating you---"
"So you're saying it's my fault, huh? DO YOU?" Blaise yelled at her.
"No, Blaise! I love you---"
"SHUT UP!" Blaise slapped her across the face and threw her to the ground.
Hermione could not take it anymore. To hell with not interfering! Without thinking, she ran up to them.
"Hey! That's enough!" Hermione shouted, before she could stop herself.
"What are you doing here, Granger?" Blaise glared at her, reaching inside his pocket.
Hermione whipped out her wand. "Don't even think about it, Zabini."
Blaise knew better than to attack Hermione. She was one skilled witch and would probably know every counter-curse to any spell that he chose to cast on her.
"That's twenty points from Slytherin for assaulting a fellow student! Get to class, Blaise," Hermione said. She was feeling incredibly brave and there was only so much keeping her from hexing Blaise to the next decade.
Blaise turned away and walked down the hall. "Damn Mudblood," He muttered.
The Ravenclaw girl got off from the ground and dusted herself off. Hermione looked concerned when she spotted the bruise on her face.
"You okay?" Hermione asked.
"I'm fine," the girl said hastily and sped off to the Potions dungeon.
Hermione sighed. Someone should expel Blaise. She wished the Headmaster could find some reason to get him kicked out of Hogwarts. If that Ravenclaw girl was not going to do anything about Blaise, he'll just keep doing what he pleases to girls.
"Hello, Miss Granger," a voice said.
Hermione jumped as the voice snapped her out of her reverie. She turned around.
"Oh, Headmaster. I was just heading to your office," she told Dumbledore.
"Yes, I . . .er know," Dumbledore smiled at her. "The ball preparations?"
"Done," Hermione smiled back. "This is the checklist and our report," She said, handing him the two pieces of parchment.
"Thank you, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said. However, before Hermione could walk away, Dumbledore stopped her. "Miss Granger, I'd like a small word with you, please?"
"Of course," Hermione said. Dumbledore went towards her and handed her a small piece of parchment.
"What---"
"Give that to Professor Lupin." Then in a quieter tone Dumbledore added, "It's about 'you know what'."
Hermione nodded her head.
After Dumbledore left, Hermione headed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Although, the young professor had been sacked four years ago, Dumbledore had asked him to fill in once again. It took some persuasion to get the Ministry of Magic to permit Remus Lupin to teach at Hogwarts and to convince the parents that he was harmless. After all, a new medicine was discovered using a different plant root proved stronger and more effective than the wolfsbane potion and was able to control his werewolf transformations.
She pushed open the door to Lupin's office. A man with light brown hair tied into a ponytail smiled as his seventh year pupil stepped inside.
"Professor?" Hermione said.
"Come in, Hermione," Lupin said. "Can I help you with anything?"
"Oh, no. Professor Dumbledore just wanted me to give you this," Hermione said as she handed the slip of parchment to Lupin. She watched him as he unfolded the parchment. His eyebrows furrowed and his smile transformed into a frown as he read it.
"It's for the 'Order'," Lupin said. "It seems that the Dark Arts are still reigning in the Wizarding world despite Voldemort's death. The rumors are true, I suppose," Lupin said grimly.
Hermione didn't know whether Lupin was talking to her or himself. "Professor?"
"Have you heard that a new group of Death Eaters is rising?" Lupin asked Hermione.
"Well I have heard the rumors, " Hermione replied. "I didn't really believe it was true, though, but I guess I was wrong."
"We were all wrong to let our guard down. Even though the Dark Lord has finally been defeated, many of his followers are still lingering," Lupin sighed.
Hermione looked worried. "Is this something I should tell Harry?"
Lupin looked at Hermione. "No. Now is not the time. Hermione, tell no one we have spoken."
Hermione nodded, a sinking feeling in her stomach.
From the Journal of Draco Malfoy:
12/11
Stupid little know-it-all. What? Did she expect me to know everything off the top of my head? What the hell was her problem anyway? Does she know how frustrating it is to be asked questions and not knowing the answer to any of them? That's the reason she's there. She's supposed to tutor me. I don't remember asking her to tell me what she knows and what I don't. Really now. Couldn't have Professor Vector pick someone that was actually pretty or at least someone that was attracted to me? Instead she picks Hermione Granger, a person who is absolutely . . .okay, she's not exactly ugly or unattractive but . . .plain? Hell, I don't even know what I'm saying. Granger could probably be good-looking if she just wasn't so unbearably annoying. She should have known I'd be in a bad mood. After all, I was going to be tutored by somebody who I hated and somebody who always bested me at everything, with the exception of Quidditch of course. However, I hate to admit it but it was actually amusing to see that side of the usually calm and polite Hermione Granger. It was rather . . . 'refreshing' to see her angry other than that goody-two-shoes image. I mean I remember the time she slapped me years ago but this whole "yelling at me" thing quite surprised me. I'd die if any of this gets out. Now, I actually feel sorry for Potter and Weasley when she scolds them. Anyway, Granger sounded really serious about the whole thing. I don't get it, then. Why is she helping me? She didn't have to. If she's so clever, she should have figured out how humiliating the whole situation is. She had no right and no reason to overreact. Okay, so I was rude and my behavior was totally unacceptable. But there is no way in hell that I will apologize.
The next morning, the temporary and permanent residents of Hogwarts awoke to find the school surrounded by several feet of snow. The lake, that had already been frozen solid, now looked like hard and cold steel upon the ground. The mountains beyond seemed as if they were transforming into enormous and overbearing ice-castles.
The Great Hall, the classrooms, and the House common rooms fireplaces were lit up with roaring flames trying to sway the frosty and bitter wind that came with the draft through the windows. It was the coldest day of December but despite the stormy sky and the thick snow continuously falling on the castle grounds, the students of Hogwarts were as lively and energetic as ever. With the holidays and Christmas coming, it was also the twelfth of December, the day of the ball, and everyone including most of the faculty was filled with excitement.
Friday classes finished early and Draco Malfoy headed to the Slytherin common room. He hadn't talked very much to Granger after the incident on Monday evening and she didn't even try to make small talk when she saw him, which was unusual by his standards anyway. Clearly, she was still angry with him. He had no clue about what to do now. Who was going to help him pass seventh year? None of the Slytherins could help him. It was embarrassing enough. Anyway, Crabbe and Goyle were out of the question, Don could probably help him but that would mean letting lose his predicament. Pansy? Well she was just . . .just dull and boring---not that Granger was fun but at least she was slightly more interesting . . .Draco smacked himself mentally. He decided she was just fun to tease but . . . he pushed Hermione out of his head as he arrived at the wall.
He muttered the password and a stone door appeared and made way for him. Noticing that hardly anyone was in the common room, he suspected that everybody must be in his or her dorm talking about the ball or getting ready for it. Everybody except the first three years and ---
"Hello mate," Blaise said as he slid down on the couch opposite his housemate. Blaise had this satisfied smirk on his face that reminded Draco very much of Lucius. He scowled. He really wasn't in the mood to talk to Blaise right now.
"You ready for the ball, Malfoy?" Blaise asked him.
Obviously, there was no actual way to dodge a question like that. "More or less," Draco drawled. "You?"
"Yeah," Blaise said, then his smirk grew wider. "Though I had to change my date at the last minute."
"What do you mean?" Draco asked, confused. Didn't he have a girlfriend?
"I broke up with the Ravenclaw this morning. Unsatisfying, like I said. Anyway, I asked the other girl when I saw her in the library," Blaise answered, as if he were commenting on a painting.
Rage was welling up inside Draco. For a minute, he thought it was Hermione, when Blaise mentioned the library. And for some bizarre reason, even though he detested her, he felt like knocking the smirk off Blaise's face. But Zabini would never ask a Muggle-born to the dance. Then again, he probably just wanted to rid Granger of her dignity for pure amusement? However, Hermione was too clever a witch to get caught up in Blaise's antics.
"And the other is?" Draco said, gritting his teeth.
"Sally-Anne Perks," Blaise replied.
"A Hufflepuff?"
"Yeah. Their girls may be bloody daft but they are quite hot. Besides she seemed really eager to go with me. Just another bonus for me, huh?" Blaise said in an arrogant tone.
Yeah, and just another life to ruin, Draco thought bitterly.
"Oh and by the way, Malfoy," Blaise took something out of his pocket and showed it to Draco. Draco looked at it indifferently at first, it seemed to be an image of---suddenly Draco's eyes widened. Draco grabbed the picture from Blaise. It was the fifth year Ravenclaw lying on a bed, practically wearing nothing at all.
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS THIS?!" Draco yelled waving the photograph frantically at Blaise. Some other Slytherins, including some sixth years that had just come down, jumped at the sudden shout and turned to look at the two seventh years. Draco looked at the Ravenclaw's face. Clearly, she didn't do this out of her own free will.
"Really, Malfoy. It's nothing to get worked up about. It's just a single sample from our little photo session she and I had over a week ago," Blaise smiled evilly. "Now that we've broken up, I plan to send the rest of the pictures to Play Wizard for some Galleons."
"ARE YOU INSANE, ZABINI?!!!" Draco bellowed, fuming. "SHE'S FIFTEEN YEARS OLD, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!"
Now everybody in the common room was staring at the pair. The sixth year prefects didn't attempt to stop them, even when Draco looked ready to kill.
Blaise was unfazed. "Your point is? Besides, she was asking for it. She refused me and now she has to pay dearly for it."
Draco was outraged. How could anyone be that cruel to girls? The Ravenclaw was a prefect and brilliant when it came to academics. But she fell prey to Blaise's tricks. He could ruin her whole reputation and her whole life. "You're a bloody bastard, Blaise," Draco snarled and threw the photograph in the fire.
He strode up the stairs to his dormitory and slammed the door behind him.
"So . . . how do I look?" Justin came out of the bathroom with arms outstretched wearing an ancient Roman legionnaire's uniform.
Hermione was sitting on the couch with a mug of hot chocolate in her hand, smiling. "Not bad. Let me guess: you and Padma decided to go as Cleopatra and Marc Antony?"
"Yeah. Do I look the part?" Justin asked.
"Well, correct me if I'm wrong but I've never quite depicted Marc Antony as being blonde," Hermione said.
Justin turned to the mirror. "Right. 'Mione do you think you could . . ."
Hermione reached into her pocket. "No problem," She smiled.
She muttered a spell and with a wave of her wand Justin's yellow-blonde hair turned jet-black. Justin was a bit startled at first then he grinned, running a hand through his now dark hair.
"You know," Hermione mused. "I think dark hair fits you better. You do make a good Marc Antony. As for Padma, she's the perfect Cleopatra. Dark-skinned and beautiful, I guess that's why you like her."
"Uh huh," Justin said, his cheeks reddening. He then turned to Hermione, who was still in her school robes, and frowned. "I can't believe you're not coming."
"Look, I don't have a date and I really don't have the energy to go," Hermione said, trying to conclude the topic.
However, Justin wouldn't let it go just yet. "Why don't you just come in with me? Then you can meet up with Harry and Ron and I'll find Padma," He suggested. "Besides, not having a date is nothing to be embarrassed about."
"It's not that Justin," Hermione said. "Anyway, Harry and Ron are too busy with their significant female others to even notice I wasn't there."
Justin caught the bitterness in her voice. "If it makes you feel any better, I would notice that you're gone."
Hermione grinned. "Thanks anyway, Justin."
Justin suddenly frowned. "And one other person," He told her.
"Who?" Hermione said quizzically.
"Dumbledore."
"Eep," Hermione said. "I forgot about that. Justin, cover for me please?"
"Oh, come on, Hermione---"
"Justin, please?"
After a while, Justin sighed. "I'll take care of it," He finally said. "But Dumbledore is not going to be easy to fool."
Hermione's face broke into a smile and rushed over to Justin and gave him a grateful hug. "Justin, you're the best!"
"Wish me luck!" Justin said as he left the common room.
Good luck, Hermione wished him silently.But will you need it?
A/N: I'm back from summer vacation! I was planning to post this chapter up earlier but the internet was acting up again. Sorry for the wait. Okay, I admit this is not the best chapter but I kept my promise to get this done by August. Ugh, though I really don't want to go to school which starts this Monday, it will use up most of my time but I'll try to write the next chapter asap!
For those who are not comfortable with Blaise's scenes, sorry. I'm just showing you what a horrible person he is. Don't worry, I'll try not to make it worse than this. I was aiming to put the Christmas ball in this chapter but it didn't really fit in that well, so watch out for the next! Thanks for reading this chapter....now press the below button and REVIEW!!
- Mjade