Chapter Five
"He admitted to changing?"
Hermione nodded in answer to Malfoy's question. "But no one was in the room, so I'm the only witness, and they'll believe Harry over me."
"Hm." Malfoy sat in thought. "We need a way to get his confession recorded."
"But how?"
"I'm thinking."
Hermione sighed loudly.
"Sh."
She rolled her eyes.
"I got it!"
The witch looked at him.
"Well? Aren't you going to ask me what my idea is?"
"You told me to 'sh,' so I sh'ed."
Malfoy's face made a surprised look. "You listened to me?"
"Well, I figured it was easier than to argue with you."
"Good point."
"So…What's your idea?" she prompted.
"I was given one of those quills that writes down everything people say. I got it for Christmas last year, so I didn't have to take notes in class anymore. It worked, too, until Crabbe and Goyle started talking about Moody in class one day, and he took it away from me."
"So, in other words, you don't have it anymore, right?"
Malfoy grimaced. "Yeah."
"Malfoy."
"What? I know where he put it, and I have an invisibility cloak."
"But Moody's eye can see through them."
"He goes to his chambers at one o'clock every night. All we have to do is slip in, grab the pen, and slip out."
"How are we going to slip in? Every professor has a different locking charm on their office doors. Not only that, but the professor's wand is the only wand that can unlock that door."
"Okay, good point. Well, then, we'll slip into the office before he closes the door."
Hermione looked at him skeptically.
"Right, bad idea. Hm…I got it!"
"What's your brilliant plan this time?"
"We go into his office, get a distraction, grab the quill, then wait for him to dismiss us, and we leave quietly and innocently."
"That…actually might work."
Malfoy beamed. "Really? You think—I—I mean, of course it will."
"Okay, distraction?"
"I can convince Peeves to do it: He owes me a favor."
"Okay, and why are we going to Moody's office?"
"We? I was actually thinking you. During the diversion, you can let me in, and I can get the quill, then slip out. I'll use the cloak to hide in the hall."
"So, why am I seeing Moody?"
"I don't know. Problems with an assignment, extra credit, tutoring. I don't care, just get in there."
Hermione took a deep breath. "Alright, now when?"
"When do you have defense?"
"Tomorrow, actually, and it's my last class."
"Alright, then. Tomorrow, after class, request to meet with him in his office; I'll have Peeves make a diversion; I'll hide under the invisibility cloak, slip in and grab the quill, then slip out. Easy as pie."
"Come on! Let's go!" Malfoy called, running into Moody's office.
Hermione stood in surprise. "What? What's wrong? What's going on?"
Malfoy was looking through an open cabinet. "Peeves is ratting on us," he said, pulling out his quill and replacing it with another. "We have to get out of here: Now."
"Wouldn't it look less suspicious if I stayed here? Moody'll believe me over Peeves."
"Better not risk it…Now, come on!" Malfoy grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her under the cloak.
They began running out the office and in the hallway. Students were in groups trying to get better looks at what was going on. The two ran through the crowd under the cloak.
"Okay, I have three questions. One: What exactly did Peeves do? Two: Why are we under the invisibility cloak? And three: Why aren't we going the other way?"
Malfoy was pulling Hermione through the maze of people by her hand and wasn't paying any attention to the witch behind him. "Why couldn't it go smoothly? I had it planned to go smoothly. Why couldn't it go smoothly?"
"Malfoy!" Moody called from down the hall.
"Come on, 'Mione…Here." Malfoy pulled her into a room, which turned out to be a closet.
"Malfoy," Hermione complained as she was pulled into the closet.
"Sh."
Hermione stood in front of the door with Malfoy right behind her. She could smell the cool minty scent of his cologne, feel the smoothness of his skin against her hair, hear him catching his breath in her ear.
"Am I too close?" Malfoy asked, beginning to step away after a moment.
Hermione grabbed his wrist. "No—No, you're fine. I—I mean, I'm cold, and your body is keeping me warm."
Malfoy stepped back. There was a pause. "Good. 'Cause I didn't want to step away." He wrapped his arms around her small waist and pulled her closer.
She stiffened in surprise, but she soon found herself melting into his arms. She heard Malfoy breathe in deeply, felt him rub his face against her head.
Malfoy turned her around so he could look into her eyes. He bent down closer and was about to kiss her.
"No," Hermione said, placing a hand to his lips and leaning away.
The blonde looked taken aback.
"Don't."
He blinked and shook his head. "Sorry…I don't know what I was thinking. Kiss you? A Mudblood?"
"There must be something in this closet: I was about to kiss you."
"What's wrong with kissing me?"
"Hello. You're a Slytherin: Slimy and evil."
"Hey, now, your boyfriend is an evil and slimy Slytherin."
"He is not my boyfriend. I would rather die than be with him now."
"Ooh…Harsh," Malfoy smirked mockingly at her.
"I am now realizing that I would rather die than work with you, Malfoy."
"Ooh…I would be offended if I didn't know that you had to work with me so you can get your good deed fix in."
"Just so you know, I do not enjoy working with you."
"Well, that's just…peachy, 'cause I don't enjoy working with you."
"Well, now that that's cleared up!"
The two eyed each other for a moment, then jumped as the door was opened.
"He's not here!" Crabbe called down the hall before shutting the door.
"They're looking for me."
"Really? I couldn't have guessed."
"Meet me tonight, same place, same time."
"Fine." Hermione glared as she watched him walk out from under the cloak and into the corridor.
