The Hidden Secrets
A Hermione/Draco Romance
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I am not JK Rowling, nor do I have anything to do with Harry Potter besides fanfiction. I am not making any money out of this story, and I am not worth suing.


Chapter 5

Once again, the room was black. Not even the moon shone through the high window. He looked around him as he heard movement, and finally a voice. "C'mon Ron, we've got to get out of here..."

His cellmate was free, for now. Hadn't they tried this before? Or maybe he only dreamt it... maybe he was only dreaming now. He wasn't quite sure about that one.

"C'mon Ron, we've got no time to waste!" his cellmate urged. He was in such a hurry... but why? It wasn't like he was going to get anywhere.

Still thinking it was a dream, he let himself be half-carried towards the door. Fumbling, he put out his arm to help push it outwards. Why had they gotten so far without being stopped? On second thought, how had he gotten free? How had his cellmate gotten free? It was all very confusing.

The door clicked, the slight sound echoing in the quiet. The white light surrounded them, and in the place of what had once been fear, now came only an empty sense of dread. Still, he put his free arm to his face and croaked out an unsteady, "No... I... I don't... don't... want to... to... go out there..."

His cellmate stopped and looked at him. "Nothing is going to happen, Ron. I won't let them. But we've got to get away, now before they come to..."

He looked at his cellmate. Why was his face so familiar? He had to know... "Why are... you doing... doing this?" he said, unsteadily. He heard his cellmate sigh. "Ron, you're my best friend... and I'm not going to let you die in this place. Ron! Come on, you have to remember... remember Hogwarts? Hermione? Dumbledore? Ron, we have so much to get back to! I even miss..." he faltered, before taking a breath. "Never mind, lets just get out!"

They stumbled towards another door, their eyes now adjusted to the light. One last door before freedom... would they make it?


Professor Dumbledore walked forwards to his place at the front table. He cleared his throat and looked towards the Prefect table, at Hermione, before looking back up to the school. "We all know that it is a very sad occasion for Hogwarts in two weeks time. It will be the first anniversary of the loss of two Hogwarts students, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley..."

Hermione stood roughly, almost in tears, and ran for the door. No one stopped her. Dumbledore continued speaking, distracting thehall enough so no one else saw that Draco stood and headed out after her.

"Hermione! Wait!" he called as he ran in the direction she had taken. She slowed and turned around, the tears that had been threatening her finally spilling.

"It was my fault they're gone! Don't you understand that? If... if I hadn't talked them into going out for the day, they would still be here." She turned and headed back down the corridor, Draco followed.

"Hermione, it's not your fault they vanished. How were you to know that freak would be at Hogsmeade? You couldn't possibly have known." Hermione stopped and looked at Draco, still walking, before looking down.

"It was my fault, and you know it. Stop trying to make me feel better about it, because it won't work." She'd stopped crying, but was still upset.

The light sound of footsteps in the corridor made both Draco and Hermione turn around. Both were startled to see a blank-faced Ginny walking around the corner, holding something in her hand. She continued to walk past them, but bumped into Hermione, dropping the piece of paper that she'd been holding.

Hermione reached down and picked up the piece of paper, feeling tears welling up again. She dropped the paper numbly as she sank to the floor; Draco knelt down and picked it up. He looked at Hermione, who now sat leaning against the wall, before quickly, scan reading the letter.

Hermione,
I just want to thank you for giving me the letter from Ron. It was addressed to you, so you really didn't have to give it to me, but thanks for thinking I might want it.

I do understand it wasn't your fault they disappeared, but I really wanted someone to blame. I still do. I'm not sure, however, if I can ever bring myself to talk to you again... I'm sorry, but it's just the way I feel.

Thanks again for the letter,
Ginny

Draco looked up at Hermione again. She was looking away from him, tears running silently down her cheeks. He placed his hand on the side of her face, turning her towards him. Once she'd moved, she fell into his arms, sobbing quietly.

"Shh..." he whispered into her ear. "She's the one who can't let go. She is being incredibly selfish - she's not the only one who suffered. You did too, and you are the one who has to live with yourself..."

Hermione pulled back a little, enough to look into his eyes. She tried to speak, but found she couldn't get past the lump in her throat. She swallowed once, twice, and then tried again. "She has every right to hate me. She's not being selfish - it was her brother and boyfriend who disappeared, not mine. How can you say that when you don't know the facts?"

Draco looked at her; she was almost in hysterics, once again leaning against the wall, eyes towards the ceiling, arms cradling her legs. He stood, picked her up in his arms, and walked towards the prefect's common room. By the time he laid her on the couch, she was asleep. He only hoped it would be dreamless.


The door was open, somehow they walked out, somehow they got away. He didn't know how, but it all felt strangely like it had happened before. Maybe he was dreaming... he wasn't quite sure what the difference between the dream state and the living was any more.

"Ron, we've only got a bit further to go. We can make it... do you understand? It's for real this time, not a dream! We can make it if we try... c'mon Ron." The voice was always there, always urging, always helping. If this was a dream, it was different. There had never been a constant voice before. Maybe it wasn't a dream.

"Ron! Open your eyes! We've got to find a way to get out of here! You used to be good at this sort of stuff, Ron. You've got to help me!" the voice was still there. He couldn't be dreaming, could he? Struggling, he opened his eyes, squinting against the light.

There was a small opening in what looked like a hedge almost directly in front of them. Weakly, he raised his hand and pointed towards the opening. "Th...there..." he stammered, unable to find the strength to say any more.

His cellmate must have heard him, or else noticed it as well, because he set off again, this time at a half-run. He tried to keep up, but ended up being half-dragged as well.

They were steps, it seemed, from the opening when a cold chill swept over them. His cellmate stopped for an instant, before continuing to run, faster than before. The dark shadow swept up and over the two, engulfing them, the hedge, and the opening. He heard his cellmate gasp, but it was all he could do to stay conscious. It wasn't enough, and he felt himself falling deeper and deeper into the darkness.


Professor Severus Snape paced back and forth in the dungeons, cauldrons bubbling on both his desk, and the desks of the students who sat around him. Except for two. Hermione Granger, and Draco Malfoy were late, by half a lesson, and didn't seem to be appearing any time soon.

Neville Longbottom raised his hand slowly. Snape stopped pacing and glared. "What is it, Longbottom?" Neville faltered before answering. "If... if Hermione isn't here to help me, this wont turn out right..." Snape cut him off with a glare. "You have no excuse to get out of work, Longbottom! 25 points from Gryffindor for your cheek."

Just then, the door swung open, and a tear-stained Hermione ran in, closely followed by an angry looking Draco. Snape watched them take their seats, wondering if they had indeed been together. He glanced at Draco, who was staring darkly at his cauldron, then at Hermione, who was starting to help Neville.

"AND WHERE HAVE YOU TWO BEEN?" he yelled, startling the entire class. They all knew how much he hated tardiness, and no one had ever been this late without a major reason, such as being in the hospital wing. Every pair of eyes swung in the direction of either Hermione, or Draco.

"I... I was... I mean, I didn't... I was upset... I fell asleep..." stammered Hermione, looking around for inspiration. Snape glared darkly. "Being upset is not an excuse for missing half a lesson, Miss Granger! 50 points from Gryffindor!"

Feeling a sense of anger well up inside of him, as it had when Hermione had been hit around by the Slytherin, Draco stood up and yelled, "What? She was upset, you can't take points off because she was upset!"

Snape stopped in mid-step, turned slowly and glared at Draco. How dare he stand up for a Gryffindor? "What did you say?" he asked with a lowered volume of speaking. Draco shrugged, and matched Snape's glare perfectly, "You heard me."

Snape stood up straight, glared at him, and smirked. "25 points from Slytherin," he said simply. Everyone gasped. Snape had never taken points from his own house.


A/N: I'm stopping there coz this chapter is just going to keep going on and on and on (etc) without an end in sight. And... reviews would be exceptionally welcome at any point in this story!