Chapter 4/./ Searching For Granger

I had missed lunch. I sat on the couch for nearly an hour, waiting for Hermione to come downstairs. When she didn't come, I sighed. What would I have done if she had come down anyway? Stuttered my way into asking if she had really stayed behind? So, I decided to simply set out in search of the Ravenclaw quintuplets. It would not be hard to find them, of course, as they had quickly become the most popular 6th years, with the most gossip I had ever seen. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were constantly plotting their demise. Or, as I had no idea what they were doing, they were constantly glaring at them and whispering together.
I stopped a first year on my down towards the Great Hall.

"Hey, have you seen those 5 Ravenclaws?" I didn't even have to recite their names. He immediately pointed out the front door, towards the grounds and I nodded, smiling. "Five points to whatever house you're in."

"Gryffindor, sir."

"Okay. And 5 more for calling me sir." He grinned brightly before racing off to his friends.

Had I really just given Gryffindor ten points?

I shrugged, heading out onto the grounds. Immediately, I knew where they were. There was a huge crowd surrounding them as they sat underneath a tree near the lake. I walked over, doing my best not to gag at the way they were being fauned over.

"The Ravenclaw quintuplets," I said. They all looked up. Everyone was silent watching me. "I need to speak to your... leader."

"Yes, Draco? What do you need?"

"In private." She stood, nodding.

"I'll be back, girls. Carry on." I led her inside, into the first empty classroom I found. After I locked the doors, I turned to her. She was seated in a desk in the very front of the room. I sat down on the teacher's desk, in front of her.

"So, Cassandra, is it?" She nodded. "Tell me everything you know about Hermione Granger."

"Oh, Mr. Malfoy. I have been waiting for you to ask ever since the first day we met." She tapped her perfectly manicured nails on the desk. "Where to begin, where to begin..."

"The beginning is usually best." She smiled.

"But of course, Mr. Malfoy. Of course."

"What do you know about Hermione Granger?"

"You see, Mr. Malfoy, my sisters and I are from England. We should've gone to Hogwarts our entire lives, but instead, our Mother sent us to Durmstrang. She feared the threat of Voldemort," she explained. "My father fought in the war, he was killed. Our mother, always the forbidding type, did not allow us to fight, though we wanted it to. I took it upon myself to sneak out, and assist in what way I could. I found myself sneaking past what I assumed was an old, abandoned building, when a door creaked open. I expected to see a deatheater, but imagine my surprise when Voldemort emerged!"

"I can only imagine..." I said sarcastically, urging her to continue.

"And it was even more surprising, when Harry Potter's best friend, Hermione Granger, was following behind him. Now, obviously, I couldn't face them and live, I was only 15! So I resolved to follow them. They led me to an abandoned cave, where he left her. She started to cry, and obviously it was because she was scared he would die. It was that night that Harry Potter killed him. Serves her right that Harry abandoned her, she never deserved him anyway." I was tempted to slap her for that comment, but I kept my cool.

"Tell me, what di-" But I was interrupted by McGonagall bursting into the room.

"Oh, Mr. Malfoy," she said in a breathy voice, heaving a sigh of relief, "I've been looking everywhere for you. Have you seen Ms. Granger?" There was a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"Erm... No, Professor, she was asleep in her room this morning." Her eyes grew wide.

"Come, Mr. Malfoy!" She rushed out of the room, and I followed her, leaving the Ravenclaw dumbfounded and alone.

"Professor, what is happening?"

"Ms. Granger has disappeared!" she cried, hysterical.

She was gone. Granger was gone. What was I going to do? I left McGonagall, or the bawling heap that called itself a professor, in the entrance hall. I raced to the dormitory, praying I would find her there. I burst into her room, and just as McGonagall had said, nothing. I went into the bathroom, but she wasn't there either. Nor on the balcony.

I ran into Potter on the way to the library.

"Hey," I said, breathless, "Have you seen Granger?" He shook his head, shrugging before walking on with Ginny. I slowed down to a jog, noticing suddenly the strange looks I was receiving from the students. Madame Pince gave me an apprehensive look as I came in. I was going to ask her, but figured that would do me no good. I walked quickly through the aisles checking every table, every empty space, but still, nothing. She had simply disappeared.

I concluded that she was not in the Great Hall, but I checked anyway, and I was correct. I found my way into the kitchens, and she had not been there either. This was getting beyond frustrating. I checked every niche of the castle. What kind of Head Boy would I have been if I hadn't? Ocassionally, I ran into other teachers who gave me their reports, and I gave them mine. I finally searched the last inch of castle, the astronomy tower, and she wasn't there. It was well after midnight. I slumped down atop the tower, my stomach growling.

"Go to bed, Mr. Malfoy. We will find her in the morning." I looked up to see Dumbledore there, and was outraged.

"How can you say that? Are you worried at all? What if she's... dead or something?" I stormed off, missing the tinkle that was in Dumbledore's eye. I was furious, all the way to the common room. I yelled the password at the portrait, not noticing what pose the girl had taken this time. I slammed my books onto the table, threw my cloak into the closet and flopped onto the couch. The room was completely empty, and the silence weighed down upon me. I sighed, standing back up and going up into my room.

And there she was. Sitting on the chair in front of my desk, knees pulled up to her chest, wrapped in her cloak, asleep. I sat down heavily on my bed, watching her, and sighed deeply. I had the presence of mind to be utterly and completely angry. I had spent my entire day, missed dinner, and completely exhausted myself searching for her. But I could not bring myself to get angry with her, to force her out of my room. It seemed like the only place she slept was in my room. I knew it would not be long before the fits started again, so I told myself it would be better not to wake her up. And I would not question her, not yet. She seemed to have had so much trauma in her past, and... I didn't want to cause her more anguish. I would find out more about her family, and then question her. I would know more than anyone about her past before I brought it up. I did not want to enter a battle unprepared. Not this one. I leaned up against my pillows, still watching her. And then an abstract thought crossed my mind. How the hell had she ended up in my room in the first place? Had she wanted to speak with me? Waited so long that she fell asleep? How long had she been here? I stood, going to wake her, when I saw a piece of parchment on my desk in front of her.

We're to plan a Masquerade for the Halloween Ball..

So, she had come to tell me this. It made plenty more sense, but she could've just signed the note and left, right? I didn't understand Hermione Granger at all, but she intrigued me. Maybe... Maybe, while I was searching, I would spend more time with her. Learn more about this Hermione Granger. Of course. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I could learn how different she really was, and hopefully a clue or two into what had changed her.

Hopefully.

But how to make her trust me? As I was contemplating this, she started to shift in the chair, and her hands balled into fists. She whimpered softly, and I stroked her hair softly.

"Sh... It's okay.." The sound of my voice seemed to soothe her, but only momentarily. It wasn't long before she was shifting again, her hands balled so tight her knuckles had turned white. Her whimpers turned to moans, and then into ragged screams. I tried to calm her, but nothing worked. Finally, frustrated, I pulled her up against me, and she started beating me with her fists.

"Granger, c'mon, it's not that bad. It's just a bad dream... C'mon. HERMIONE!" She started sobbing into my chest, her hands dropping to her sides limply.

I wondered if she was still asleep, when a ragged voice came, saying, "What's wrong with me?" She jumped up, her eyes wide, and her hands over her mouth. I started to speak, but she was out of the room before I could say a word.

How intriguing.

A/N: Somehow, I accidentally deleted this chapter. I dunno what the A/N was, so you'll have to make do with this one. I corrected a mistake! I had accidentally said Lavender was dead, and then that she was plotting against the quintuplets. Unfortunately, though she could be a ghost, this doesn't make much sense. Thanks so much MysticalSpirits for point that out! Until next time!