Late One Night
Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is making me money.
Thank yous: orlin, Sarahamanda, im no muggle, ThouandI, Katsura Yuugao, im-a-daydream-believer, yoblossom, gothic-hands, brunette89, Fallen Angel of Hell, iamtherealmaverick, Lafawnduh4, Jo-AnnMarie, TCUDramaprincess, MajinSakuko, Starfox, Evil Windstar, bookluva629, Mistress Vamp, ace1025, and Lady were-wolf growl24.
ThouandI: Well, yes, Sev is stuck with Remus's family anyway, but well…I don't know, I just thought it sounded good.
Jo-AnnMarie: Killing Viktor was just a random event, really. But it also adds a bit…
Bookluva629: I was wondering when someone would remember that conflict between the Lupin twins. It may crop up later.
APOLOGY: Sorry this took so long to get done, had writer's block and then my Internet got stuffed up. I am honestly trying to update, however slow it is, and I will get more stuff written soon! Sorry! I really am truly sorry for the lack of updates on all of my stories! Forgive me, please!
This chapter will have a lot of Draco/Hermione interaction.
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Chapter 18: Crossing the Line
"And you wonder why I constantly pound on you," said Hermione as she gazed across the Malfoys' dinner table at Draco in disgust.
"You're a bitch," grumbled Draco, frowning a little at his oldest friend.
"Takes one to know one."
"Civilised conversation, children," scolded Lucius lightly, he glanced between Severus and Sirius who were scowling at each other across the table, "And adults."
Lucius and Remus had recently cooked up a plan to try and get Severus and Sirius to be more civil to each other. They knew it was a lot to ask but they were willing to give it a try, or they were at least hoping the two wouldn't kill each other until after this war was over. Lucius had invited Sirius around for dinner under the pretence that he wanted his lover and his son to meet, and he had invited Severus and his family around without mentioning to Severus that Sirius would be there. Once the two were in Malfoy Manor they were unable to leave again.
But so far, Severus and Sirius had not said much to each other, all they were doing was passing dark looks across the table, while Hermione and Draco did the bickering.
Draco frowned, "How do you expect me to be civilised to her, she's a snob."
"Ha! That's rich coming you from you, you spoilt brat," replied Hermione narrowing her eyes at the platinum blond.
"Does anyone else sense a marriage coming up?" questioned Sirius in amusement at the two teenagers.
Draco and Hermione both turned their glares onto Sirius who just smirked at them both.
"I have standards, thank you," said Draco before pulling a face at the girl sitting opposite him.
Hermione wrinkled her nose; "I'd rather go out with Buckbeak."
"That hippogriff? I thought that was dead."
Hermione smiled, "Buckbeak is far from dead, no creature deserves to die because of your stupidity." Sirius winked at her. "Don't look at me like that, you were told quite clearly not to insult hippogriffs."
"Was not."
"Were too."
"You're lying."
"I am not."
"Are too."
"Am not."
"Are."
"Not."
"You're in denial."
"About what?"
"Anything…everything."
"Yeah, sure, ok."
Draco wooted triumphantly, "Ha! You agree."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "I'm humouring you."
"Bullshit."
"Draco!"
Hermione snorted, she was greatly enjoying her torment of Draco, and the fact that the adults weren't bothering to intervene much was great as well. It had been a while since she had had a good banter with anyone. The most she had had in way of an argument lately was with one of her aunts who always seemed to nit pick at everything she did or said (mostly when it came to clothes and her use of vulgar language).
Draco scowled at her, "Shut up, Hermione."
"Make me."
"Don't tempt me."
"Why? Afraid you might hurt me?"
"I would."
Hermione deliberately cracked the knuckles on her right hand; "You've met my fist before."
"I think we all have at some point," commented Lucius sourly, remembering that night in the graveyard when he had crept up behind Hermione and ended up with a black eye.
"You deserved it."
Severus raised an eyebrow slightly; "She has a point." Lucius narrowed his eyes at the potions master.
"I'd quite like to see that again," said Sirius smirking at the senior Malfoy.
"Hear, hear."
Remus raised his eyebrows at Severus in minor surprise before looking to Lucius, "They seem to be agreeing on something, Lucius."
"At my expense."
"Whatever turns 'em on," said Hermione before she took a sip of her wine.
"Ew…"
"That's not what I meant!"
"Sure it isn't," Draco grinned at her.
Hermione gazed at him; "You make me glad I don't have a brother…"
"I'm glad I'm an only child."
"Oh good," said Lucius, deciding it was about time the two teenagers stopped bickering. "One is enough, anyway."
…
Meanwhile, in the Hogwarts Infirmary, the recently risen James Potter was currently being fed a variety of rejuvenating potions by Madame Pomfrey, while the Headmaster stood watching.
"Your bedside manner hasn't improved much…" mumbled James when he had finished forcing the potions down his throat.
"Neither has your stubbornness," replied Poppy, "Now, if you start to feel drowsy, do not try and fight it, you need to rest up to get your strength back. I want you up and about like a normal twenty-one year old within the week."
"Yes, ma'am."
Poppy huffed and headed back to her office, closing the door behind her.
James slumped back against the pillows again, he was still very weak, and his throat was sore from talking because he hadn't done it much in the past sixteen years. "What did you want to talk to me about?" he asked, looking to the old Headmaster.
"Ah yes," Dumbledore sat down in a chair beside James's bed. "It's just a matter of your age… Considering the age of your son now and the age at which you died, I was thinking that perhaps it would be a good idea if we aged you to what you should be at this moment in time."
James shrugged a little, "If its my maturity level you're concerned about, I somehow don't expect that will change with ageing me."
"Well no, I never thought it would," replied Dumbledore smiling slightly. James snorted. "But I am just thinking of how Harry would feel having a twenty-one year old father, that and this coming year's Head Girl seems to have developed an attraction to you."
James laughed quietly, "So Remus said…and you think ageing me would change that?"
"No, but I remember your reputation as a student."
"No need to say anymore, Albus."
……
It was getting late at the Malfoys' now, the adults had retired to Lucius's study for drinks (as was custom for most upper class pureblood families), while Draco and Hermione had gone up to the Malfoy heir's bedroom after having a couple of drinks themselves.
Hermione giggled from where she was sprawled out on Draco's four-poster bed, "Please don't strip, I don't want to see that…"
"You love it."
"I do not, you skinny moron."
Draco smirked at her; "You're drunk, you fancy anything with two legs when you're pissed."
Hermione huffed, "That is not true…I fancy men with two legs…"
"Then why don't you have a boyfriend, hm?"
Hermione rolled onto her side and propped her head on a hand, "And what business is that of yours, may I ask?"
Draco shrugged, he fell down onto his bed next to Hermione and grinned up at her, "Just wondering. Other than Krum – and I'm sorry by the way – I haven't seen you with anyone else. You need to get laid, everyone's saying it."
Hermione opened her mouth in offense, "Who's saying that? Anyway, what makes you think I haven't gotten laid?" Draco gave her a pointed look. "Ok…I haven't gotten any, but that's beside the point, and it is none of your business." Draco laughed. "This discussion is finished."
"You're too high-strung."
"Maybe I like being single, did you ever think of that?"
"You prude."
Hermione smacked the blond in the arm; "I am not a prude. Have I not proved that enough in the last year?"
Draco raised an eyebrow, doing an almost perfect impression of his father, "Beating up everyone in sight does not entirely prove that. From what I have heard through the grapevine, you are the only girl in our year who has not put out for any guy."
Hermione snorted, "I'm sure I'm not the only one, thank you. Even if I am, that is no business of yours, and I am quite happy with the way things are."
"Sure, sure."
"But honestly, do you think I would ever get a date if everyone found out who my parents are?" continued Hermione, she had decided that Draco probably wouldn't shut up about this topic anytime soon, so she may as well give in now. "Especially Professor Snape."
Draco frowned a little, "True…he scares the hell out of me when he's angry, but that wouldn't stop me from doing anything."
Hermione raised her eyebrows curiously, "Stop you from doing what, exactly?"
Hermione did not have to stay curious for long.
……
It was nearly midnight, and one of the Malfoys' house-elves had just been sent to get Hermione from upstairs. Zippy, the house-elf, knowing that Draco didn't really mind her sudden appearances, decided to pop into the young master's room to retrieve brunette. What the little house-elf didn't expect was to see the two teenagers kissing on the bed like there was no tomorrow. Zippy, brown eyes as wide as saucers, popped out of the room again and decided to knock on the door as though nothing had happened.
…
Upon hearing the knock on the door, Draco jumped in shock and fell off his bed leaving a wide-eyed and breathless Hermione lying there on her back.
"Who is it?" called Draco cautiously.
"It is Zippy, young sir. Master is sending for young Miss, who is to be going home now, sir."
"I'll be there in a minute!" replied Hermione, she was still reeling from what had just transpired between her and Draco. She just hoped that her parents wouldn't notice anything, particularly Severus who (despite denying it), was very protective of his first born daughter.
"Guess I'll be seeing you soon…then…" said Draco from where he was still on the floor as Hermione got up off the bed.
Hermione nodded, she ran her fingers through her hair and tied it up again and tried to compose herself before heading for the door, "Mm yeah…hope so. See you soon." With that she quickly ducked out of the bedroom and into the huge hallway, "Holy hell…"
………
It had been a few days since the dinner with the Malfoys, and the line crossing in the friendship between Draco and Hermione.
Hermione was sat under a tree in the Snape Manor grounds reading a book, or rather staring at the pages and pondering on what happened between Draco and herself. She had honestly never thought of her childhood friend in a romantic light before, the same with both Ron and Harry as well, the mere thought had actually rather repulsed her up until now, because all three of them were like brothers to her. Though she could not deny that Draco was very good looking, just like his father (whom she had had a crush on in the past), but was he really a guy worth pursuing? Would the snogging have happened if they had not been tipsy?
That was her main angst about that night. Had Draco only crossed the line because she was a little drunk? Did he have feelings for her other than friendship? More to the point, did she feel more for him than just friendship?
Hermione did not have a definite answer for any of those questions, not even her own feelings towards the blond, but she was definitely sure about one thing. She enjoyed that night more than she thought she would.
But even still, she decided to send a note to Draco asking him about it. But how to word it?
It didn't take her long to figure it out; one sentence was all it took.
Dray,
Did it mean anything to you?
Mione
………
"I don't care what bloody Dumbledore says, I am not letting you go alone!"
Remus rolled his eyes skywards before he sat down on the couch in one of the upstairs studies of Snape Manor. "He gave me the mission for a reason, Severus, I don't want you coming along and making it even more difficult for me," he held up his hand as Severus tried to argue with him. "Anyway, what about the girls? One of us has to be here."
"That's beside the point-"
"No it isn't!" replied Remus cutting the dark haired man off and earning a scowl in reply. "You know full well what could happen if you come along with me, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if anything happened to you."
Severus grumbled and sat down on the stool in front of Remus, "I have been risking my life for years, I know what kind of danger is out there. Whether you want me to or not, I am going with you."
"Sev-"
"I am not arguing about it."
Remus sighed, he knew there was no way of changing Severus's mind whether he wanted to or not. Plus, he had always been a bit of a pushover, which was probably why he always gave in so easily. "What about your job? We might not be back by September…and then there are also the girls to think of."
"They can both be at Hogwarts, can't they?" replied Severus, he was in the mind to chain Remus in his laboratory at the moment. He was also annoyed at Dumbledore for giving such a dangerous mission to the man he loved, even if Remus was the only one that could take on this mission he still didn't like it. "This mission is a lost cause anyway, you know it is."
"Maybe it is, but it's worth a try," replied Remus quietly. "I am the only one that can do this, if I don't, what else is there that I could do for the Order?" he waited a few moments, giving Severus a chance to reply, but the potions master didn't. "No, I didn't think you could answer that one. I'm not going to sit around and do nothing, and if this is how I can help the Order then I will do it, whether you want me to or not. It will also be much easier for me if you don't force your presence upon me during the mission."
"What mission?"
Both men looked over to the door where Hermione was standing, looking a bit sheepish.
"I wasn't listening deliberately, but you were being pretty loud."
Remus chewed his bottom lip for a moment, "Shut the door and sit down." Hermione silently did as she was told. "I have been given a mission to do for the Order, it could very well be dangerous and I don't know how long I'll be gone-"
"What was this about both of you going?" asked Hermione cutting him off.
Severus frowned a little, "How much did you hear?"
"Eh…most of it."
Remus sighed, "OK then… This mission was specifically given to me, as there is no one else that can do it, but your father doesn't seem to understand that." Severus glared at him. "The point is, it looks like we'll both be going and if there are Death Eaters there before us then-"
"You might not come back," finished Hermione quietly, she crossed her legs and folded her arms almost petulantly. "And what is the 'mission'?"
"Its classified information," replied Severus in a deadpan voice, as though it had been programmed into him.
Hermione scowled at them both, "If you're going to end up dead because of it, personally, I would like to know why?"
Remus sighed again, this wasn't going to end well, he could tell that already. "Hermione, you know that we can't tell you," Hermione pouted. "It's going to happen whether you want it to or not. We can't really predict whether we'll come back alive or not, if at all."
Hermione snorted, "Go to Trelawney, I'm sure she'd be willing to give you a reading."
"Hers always end in death," said Severus, it sounded as though he had actually been considering going to the woman for a prediction. Just as he opened his mouth to speak again, Hermione started talking.
"Fine, even if you won't tell me, what are you going to say to Maria?" asked Hermione in genuine concern. She didn't think Maria could handle it if she didn't have both of her dads around all the time, in fact, the little girl could barely handle only having one dad around at a time, let alone neither. "What if you don't come back?"
Remus rubbed his forehead tiredly, "We haven't discussed that yet, we also haven't actually discussed whether we're both going or not, as well," he passed a pointed look at Severus. "We aren't necessarily going to be leaving in the next week or so anyway… Let us talk about it and we'll let you know, ok?"
……
When Hermione had miserably returned to her bedroom, her head full of horrible outcomes of whatever it was her parents were going to be doing, she found an owl waiting patiently on her windowsill with a piece of parchment tied to its leg.
It was Draco's owl which just made Hermione feel all the more down on the world, what if he didn't have a nice answer to the note she had sent him a couple of days ago? The fact that it had taken him so long to reply had just worried her more, she didn't want to lose that friendship.
Taking a nervous deep breath, Hermione reached over and took the note off the owl, she unfolded it and saw that it was only four words long.
Yes it did.
Dray
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A/N: Finally! Took me a week to finish this chapter, and its probably evident that I still have a bit of writer's block because it was kinda half-arsed.
Next Chapter: Remus and Severus decide on the mission. Harry is informed of James's resurrection. Draco and Hermione chat.
…offers cookies in apology…