Not cleaning, gutting and rebuilding.
Hermione was bedraggled and bleary eyed as she made her way to breakfast the next day. She numbly followed the stream of first years from the charms hallways, down, down, down, and sharply into the entrance hallway, where Harry and Ron awaited her, fresh from Herbology.
"Hermione, you look bloody tired." Ron said with a quick exhale of air as she hopped down the last step dejectedly.
"I FEEL bloody tired." She answered.
"Why?" Harry asked, shouldering his bag from the floor as they enter the Great Hall and walked between the tables.
Hermione thought.
'Well, Harry, I stayed up late into the night last night, thinking about Malfoy and his talented lips.'
'I didn't get any work done last night, and stayed up thinking about Malfoy.'
'Instead of doing my homework, I stayed up and thought of all the ways I could jump Malfoy's bones.'
None of those answers seemed very wise, nor tactful.
"I felt sick." Hermione answered instead, plopping down.
"Where's Ginny?" Ron asked, now moving to a new topic.
Harry shrugged, Hermione scooped the assortment of lunch materials onto her plate.
"Dunno. I didn't see her at breakfast. What did you do to her Hermione?" Ron demanded.
A lick of hot irritation blazed through her.
"Oh bugger off Ron! Why do you have to bloody blame ME? What did I do?" she asked, stabbing a kipper ruthlessly.
"I'm not blaming you!"
"That's such a steaming pile of .."
"Hermione!" Harry warned, the sound coming in low and dangerous. She swiveled to face him, a face pulled.
"Harry!" she mocked.
He sighed.
"What's wrong with you?" Ron asked.
"Nothing!" Hermione snapped, and proceeded to shovel food into her mouth.
Ginny plopped down beside Hermione.
"Oh, Hi ginny!" Ron said brightly.
Hermione slammed down her fork. Glaring, she swallowed and turned to Ginny.
"So?"
Ginny shrugged.
"Well?"
Ginny now sighed.
"What was I supposed to be looking for?"
"Something better?"
"Better? I think it's fine! It's brilliant!"
"Psh!"
"What are you talking about?" Harry interrupted. Hermione went to snarl at him, but Ginny got there first.
"The best contraception spells."
Ron turned green, and made strange gulping noises. Harry lifted a shoulder and resumed talking to Dean, beside him.
"You need something better!"
"I can't! What are we going to do? Pull the same move?"
"We can start here!"
"Oh, wonderful. Hand out pamphlets listing signs and results, and how to protect yourself and friends." Ginny said dryly.
"What the…?"
"Shut up Ron." They both said in unison, not looking up. He sputtered.
"I demand to know what is REALLY going on."
Hermione rolled her eyes, and placed her palms on the table.
"Voldemort is going to take over the world by corrupting the majority. The little people. He will then attack world leaders, and already have majority covered. Then, all he will have to do is pull some strings and muggles, muggleborns, and squibs all get eliminated overnight." She said in a rush of pure venom.
Ron turned white, then his face twisted.
"Hermione, that's not funny."
"I never said it was."
"Right. If you don't want to tell me, then you just have to say so."
"I believe you've already been told what we're discussing." Hermione answered, in the same low, and placid tone. She then sat back down. Ginny kicked her shin, gave her a look of anger, and got up to walk away.
Hermione picked up her fork, put it down again.
Ron was now involved in Harry and Dean's conversation. She suddenly felt oddly left out of the boys. At that moment, she felt more alone and empty, faced with such a dark cloud, and heavy burden that was new. It was a weight that required a stronger person. Sighing, she pushed her plate away, scooped the book bag onto her shoulder and stood up.
"Granger."
She froze as she entered his personal space, and looked up the expanse of his chest into his silver eyes.
"Malfoy." She answered as blandly as possible, stepping back.
"You're required. Melissa." He said stiffly, before walking away. Hermione looked and saw Melissa beckoning from the doorway. Hermione groaned. She went to step away. She felt a tug on the edge of her skirt.
Confused, she pulled it back. Then it completely disappeared.
She stared down at her bare legs, her chest seizing and her breath stopping. Her mind went numb as she stared blandly at the exposed skin. A high, eerie note pierced her brain, as it struggled to identify and explain through it's fog.
People looked, and started to laugh before she could react. Hermione Granger stood, shocked, in her lacy lilac boy shorts, in the middle of the Great Hall.
It rose to a roar. It filled her ears.
She saw Malfoy turn, and shock hit him. She saw Harry's green eyes widen. She saw Ron's mouth fall. She heard Lavender's gasp.
She saw the 2nd year Slytherin smirk as he tucked his wand away.
Her ears suddenly blocked the noise out. Her fists clenched. A bubble of anger, and mortification popped. The weight of her emotions, her confusion, her secrecy.
Her legacy.
Pop.
Harry started to get up, but froze. Hermione slammed her bag to the floor. She pointed to the boy who'd vanished her skirt.
"You! Snake! You little shit! I could have you killed!" she yelled.
The hall fell silent. The smile started to disappear on the kids face.
"I could skin you alive! String you up with your skin folded nicely like your pj's under you! Leave you drip out! Sell your parts to muggle black markets! God knows they could use some magical livers! You're disgusting! All of you." She screamed. Her chest was heaving, and her eyes prickled.
But the anger in her chest was more potent than any frustration she'd ever encountered.
"You guys want skin! That's it! You want to strip me down, and see Hermione Granger the way you want." She told them. Hermione's voice cracked, and wavered.
She shrugged.
"Fine. You want skin. I'll give you SKIN!" Hermione said defiantly. With this, she tugged off her sweater, and tossed it on the bench. She moved her eyes, and caught stormy silver ones, which were fighting to stay neutral. She unbuttoned the starchy white blouse, and slipped it off. She then removed the thin white camisole.
Kicked off her Mary Janes.
Peeled down the knee-high Gryffindor socks.
And stood prominently in the middle of the Hall, in her matching lilac, lacy bra and boy shorts.
It was deathly silent.
"So, HAH!" Hermione finally threw in, refusing to be mortified. She then, picked up her bag. Nodding at a stock-still Harry, and a frozen Ron. She glared at the Slytherin, and pointed her wand.
He flinched.
"You're going to be punished. Just watch. I'll get you, kiddo. Better ward your clothing in the morning." She drawled, the adrenaline making her feel all-powerful.
It was so empowering.
Hermione also knew that in the muggle world, her body would be drooled over. With this, she whipped around, and proudly strode out of the Hall, adding a slight sway to her hips, and pronounced smirk to her face.
She left a trial of complete and utter shock concerning the last 45 seconds of events.
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!
"I'm terribly disappointed."
Hermione stared straight ahead. She counted the number of birds that had flown past the window of McGonagall's office.
Eight.
"Ms. Granger?"
Hermione looked up as her Head of House sank into the chair behind her desk, and sounded desperately confused.
"Yes'm?" Hermione answered.
"No homework for the past two days…No class participation. Your last test…It…You got 48 out of 55! Then you remove your clothing! What is left in that head of yours? Then you avoid authority, skip detentions until I caught you today. The only thing you have remained faithful to is the meetings with the Head Boy and Girl. I am slightly disgusted. I thought you had more sense in your head. I thought being so close to Mr. Potter had shown you how to keep your head down and nose clean." Professor McGonagall said sharply. Hermione's eyes focused harshly on her.
The last comment had stung.
"With all do respect, Professor, my choice in friends is not my choice in behavior. And I have kept my head down, and nose clean for all my life. Voldemort still knows who I am. It didn't work out so well so far. And the order is doing nothing. Harry is still having dreams, and you're worried about me. If you all have the confidence in me you say you do, then you should know that I have the ability to take care of myself! You should be worried about how you're going to protect this school, and it's honor. I'll take action for myself in anyway I want. I can learn perfectly fine. Your homework and tests do not prove intelligence. I'm just not trying anymore. It's not something I want to do. It only gets me scrutinized." Hermione said, finishing her speech by lowering her gaze to the tips of her shoes.
The professor had started at the Dark Lord's name, and the way her mini rant had gotten steadily more forceful. Then her face hardened.
"Well, Ms.Granger. You take care of yourself then. I'm officially removing your prefect's rights, duties and position. It will be filled. I'm revoking your rights to tutor, your right to the library after hours. I will remove any ability to go to Hogsmede for the next 4 months. You will be given a detention whenever help is needed until after Christmas." McGonagall said, standing up and ripping up a piece of paper to write down the punishment for Hermione to deliver to Filch.
Hermione nearly cried out, but decided not to push it to expulsion, or removal of her advanced classes.
She told herself that she didn't care.
"Understand?" The professor's voice was harsh, and cracked like a whip.
"Yes, professor. Thank-you." Hermione said as she accepted the paper thrust at her.
She turned and left the office, shutting the door with a smart snap.
She turned and walked down the hallway.
"Malfoy." She said, noting the shadow following her.
"Granger. Nice show."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it."
"Indeed. I have a deal."
"Info for info."
"I'm no lapdog."
Hermione smirked.
"Coulda fooled me."
"Pushing it, wench." Malfoy growled. Hermione stopped, and held up the paper. Malfoy's hair was undone, and bags were under his eyes. He looked restless and slightly edgy. Hermione looked up at him in the slated light.
"Look what you did to me Malfoy. You ruined me." She said quietly.
He smirked.
"Me? I hardly deserve the credit. I think you did it yourself. You've completely changed."
"Is that good?" Hermione asked him, her eyes boring into his. He regarded her.
"If you look to be a two-dollar whore."
"You'd know all about those, wouldn't you?" she asked, temper flaring.
So seduction was an area she wasn't good in.
"Low blow, Queen Bitchy."
"Mmmhmm. What do you want?"
"Well, since we're on the topic…"
Hermione stopped again, and pushed his shoulder so he stepped away from her.
"Back off, ferret face. Do you want in on this magnificent 'plan' that I've got, and give me information that I can only get from you, or am I going to have to think up something else?" she demanded. Hermione's brain was harsh and edge cutting. She was so done with everything. All she needed was a push towards the dark, brash girl that hid, and it came bursting forth like an A-cup bra holding D-cup breasts. Hermione was too engrossed in these new emotions to slow down. She no longer cared. She realized how Ginny felt now, most of the time. Most thought Ginny a character.
Hermione now recognized the prissy demeanor of a rough-sided ego. And it was intoxicating. Deadly. Alluring. A fountain of could.
And boy was she drinking.
"I'll help you. Only because you need me."
"You'll help because you need me." Hermione corrected, walking down the hallway, and taking the stairs to Filch's office three at a time.
"Deal?" Malfoy asked, avoiding her.
She stopped in front of his office, and banged on the door. It creaked open almost instantly.
"Oh. It's you." Filch said happily, his grizzly face peering out, considerably brightened.
Hermione held out the paper, face a mask of stone.
"In my day, they would have flogged you. And sent you off to the Hog's Head to a paying customer to be…punished." He said lewdly, his eyes boring at her in a way she didn't like. Malfoy's eyes slit at Filch over Hermione's head, and the Keeper noticed.
Sending the look back, he sneered at the fuming ex-prefect and slammed the door.
"He's such a liar." Hermione vented.
Malfoy shifted his weight.
"DEAL?"
She stared up at him.
"Only if you promise."
"Promise what?"
"Not to tell anyone anything, not to give anyone information, pictures or locations of myself, and to never kiss me again." Hermione said.
Malfoy sneered now.
"That kiss was a mistake."
"Oh yes. Your lips slipped."
"You kissed back." He snarled. His eyes were closed, and hard. Hermione's were defiant and slightly confused.
"Never." She repeated.
"Never." He echoed, the word hard and steely. Hermione walked away, her knees jelly and stomach a bowl of acid. Her head hurt, and someplace else ached a foreign ache, that she hoped would go away fast.
All of it was unexplainable.
And it would all hit her tomorrow.
NOTE THAT YOU ALL MUST READ:
I haven't had access to a computer lately, as my family has been doing some wonky shit. I am TRYING to update as quickly and fluently as possible, and I'm sorry that there is SUCH a long wait between chapters.
Now that the story is heating up, and is going to start spiraling out of control, I'm going to be working more.
Once again, I'm terribly sorry for the wait. Please read and review.
-Suzanne
