Disclaimer: No money is being made or received for this work in her playground of characters.
Author's Note: I have combined chapters 24 and 25 for this because 24 was just so short it wasn't worth uploading... now it's too flipping long...And honestly -- if you are reading this far... a note would be nice to let me know what you think...
Chapter 24 - Ramifications and Chapter 25 - Jr. Dealth Eaters' Mistakes
Rowan, Severus, and Remus met the rest of the school for dinner in the Great Hall. Hagrid was late, and it amused Dumbledore when Remus exchanged chairs so he could sit on the other side of Rowan. The three teachers seemed to be extremely happy that evening. After dinner, they all planned to meet, once again, in Rowan's quarters for an evening of "exploration" as they now termed their three-way affair.
But first, they were joined by Arthur and Molly; each bursting with excitement. It seemed that the parchment in which Fudge ordered Umbridge to basically kidnap Harry had been made public. And as such, Fudge was removed from the office of Minister, although neither was arrested. Arthur Weasley was approached with and accepted the position of Minister of Magic. The kids were shocked and thrilled at the news.
He held two pieces of parchment. He called attention to the kids. When they all looked at him, he spoke:
"As the new Minister of Magic, my first order of business is the following:
Ginerva Molly Weasley and Madison Elizabeth Ann Black Cowan, have been granted the following:
The decree for underage magic is hereby lifted. Until you reach your seventeenth birthday, you will both now be allowed to do whatever magic is necessary in order to reach that birthday. Additionally, the Improper Use of Magic has now removed you from the watch-list."
Signed,
Arthur Weasley
Minister of Magic
Albus Brian Dumbledore
Headmaster, Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
Arthur looked up from his papers and handed each one to its respective owners. "I highly recommend that you continue your education, however, times being what they are, we are giving consideration to that allowance of your skipping the second term for research. Although you will need to finish it next year, or over the summer, the gist is that there is something happening."
Hermione just beamed she was so excited. She looked to the others. Rowan stepped forward. "Arthur? I want to take the final week or so of November to take the kids with me to the states to see…an old friend. The Headmaster has already approved this little... uhm… field trip; of course, pending your approval. It is one of a few stops that may help them on this journey."
Arthur grabbed a slip of parchment and wrote an appropriate note to the group, and handed it to Rowan.
I, Arthur Weasley, Minister of Magic, do hereby grant Professor Rowan Black permission to take the following children out of school until Tuesday next for a field trip:
Harry James Potter, Ginerva Molly Weasley, Ronald Bilious Weasley, Hermione Jane Granger, Draco Lucius Malfoy, Mason James Black, Madison Elizabeth Black Cowan .
Sincerely,
Arthur Weasley
"Thank you Minister. Now you lot - off to bed." Arthur nodded and left as well. Madison and Mason went to the Gryffindor Common Room while the others walked across the way to the Head's Common Room.
Once the final adult conversations were completed, Remus closed the door to find his two lovers in each others arms. Severus stopped only long enough to smirk and grab Remus' hand before leading them through to her bedroom for the night.
Chapter 25 -- Jr. Death Eaters' Mistakes
Hermione had, as expected, became increasingly frantic over NEWT revisions. With time off for the upcoming 'field trip', she was concerned that she would lose too much time in her revisions. Needless to say, she spent long hours in the library. The Tuesday following the incredible weekend found Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Draco in the library. After a few hours, Harry, Ron and Ginny stood to leave. Hermione chose to stay; Draco offered to stay with her. Finally, even Draco had enough revision. Standing, he offered to walk Hermione back to the Head's Common Room. She declined but thanked him anyway. Draco left the library, but instead of going to his common room, he made his way down to the Slytherin Common Room instead.
Pansy was sitting on the large leather couch staring at the fire which raged before her. Her smile was very one of gloating. "Pansy, what are you so happy about?" Turning her gaze from the fire, she seemed to only then have noticed him, but still not have actually heard the question. He asked again.
"Oh, nothing, just glad that some of my friends are still loyal to the Dark Lord."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, since you've been made Head Boy and met that Muggle; you seem to have found Harry Potter's entourage appealing, it is just good to know that not everyone is turning their backs on our cause."
He pulled her to her feet, grabbing both of her upper arms in his he asked slowly, "What did you do?"
"I did nothing, Draco dear… don't worry, your precious Muggle is safe for now. It's the Mudblood's attention that will be sought tonight."
"What have you ordered done to Hermione?"
She looked at him with a mixture of courage and pride before she answered, "Well, I didn't order anyone to do anything… I merely suggested that she be taught the same lesson her parents learned last year. It was Nott, Zabini, Crabbe, Goyle… and maybe a couple of others… that are actually doing…." Draco dropped his hold on her and fled from the common room. He skidded to a halt when he got to the door of the library. The room was dark and as he pushed the door open, he lit the torches that were out with his wand and carefully entered. Hermione was there, the four hulking figures kneeling over her. She was begged for them to stop.
Draco announced his presence when he cleared his throat. Crabbe stood to meet him. "So glad you could make it Malfoy. Time this Mudblood got what her parents did. One less, I always say."
Draco looked to the girl on the floor. This was his friend, albeit new friend, but he could not allow them to do anymore to her. He raised his wand and began hurling curses and hexes at the boys. Seconds later, the Slytherins fled the library. Draco knelt beside Hermione. Using the light of his wand, he looked closely at her. Hermione's hair, which had been up in a bun, was now loose and bushy; her face was as bruised as was what he could see of her arms through the torn sleeves. He looked briefly at her skirt, she had a couple of bruises forming on her thighs, but he didn't want to inspect anything else. She was still moaning, and he could not find her wand. Making the decision, he rose with her in his arms, intent on taking her to the hospital wing.
He ran out of the Library and up the great stairs toward the hospital wing. He whispered in her ear as he took her to get medical help. He passed the door to Rowan's quarters at the same time Harry and Ron were coming out. They looked at Draco's panicked face then to Hermione's limp figure. Ron took her out of his arms while franticly asking "What did you do to her?"
"I…" but he was cut off by Pansy running behind him with the other Slytherin seventh years. Whirling around without Hermione, he looked at the crowd approaching him. Taking a deep breath he said "What are you doing up here?"
"We came to see how Granger was after we heard that you had received the instruction to make her follow in her parents' footsteps. When the Library was empty, we came up here to see… how she was." Pansy finished with a knowing smirk.
He turned to look into the eyes of the two men that now held Hermione; what stared back at him was unadulterated hatred. Draco flinched under their scrutiny. Both men turned away and took Hermione to the hospital wing. Draco did not notice that the door to quarters was still open with Ginny and Madison standing in the shadows just inside. He watched the men walk away, his feelings of relief that she would be taken care of were overshadowed by anger at the people that had hurt her in the first place. He took a deep breath; exhaling as he walked closer to the Slytherin crowd.
Theodore Nott stepped forward to meet him, his voice was low and almost growling as he asked, "Have you lost your mind Draco? I mean what are you doing with these Gryffindors in the first place? And what did you do to Hermione? She looked horrible."
Draco took immediate offense to these words. After all, his parents were in St. Mungo's for losing theirs. He quickly decided not to answer, "Besides the fact that I am HEAD BOY and I flipping room with the HEAD GIRL you mean? It's after curfew. I should take points and give you a detention."
Smugness all over Pansy's face as she retorted "No one is here to protect you this time." she whistled. No less than ten additional Slytherins came up the stairs. "The honor of your presence is requested in the Slytherin Common Room to decide if you still have what it takes to be one of us. Will it be easy or hard?"
Draco dropped his head, summoning every last hateful thought he ever had about his father's actions before he spat "I have NOTHING to prove to any of you. If you want to interrupt the Dark Lord's mission, by all means, feel free. But I warn you now Parkinson, he will know it was YOUR idea and your parents will not be pleased when they are punished because you were too stupid to trust me." He looked at the boys still standing behind her; he dared them to try anything. "I know who you all are, Nott, Zabini, Goyle, Crabbe, you can explain it directly to him. I know for whom you work. I know what it will be when he finds out." He paused to let the words sink in. "Now, shall we go to the Common Room? Or will YOU leave me to do my Master's bidding as HE commands? I will have to obliviate them as it is." The boys retreated quickly.
Pansy looked at him for just a moment and muttered "… so proud of you…" before running off to the dungeons below.
Draco was in a panic. He couldn't quite catch his breath. He turned to go to the hospital wing, but was met by Mason, Madison, and Ginny. He looked horrified as he realized that they had heard him. They had looks of horror on their faces. Draco opened him mouth to say something, anything, but he was unable to do so. He turned and ran down the stairs, to the front doors and out in the moonlight thinking 'Great, all I could think of to get out of trouble, and now Black and Weasley think I am in league with the half-blood.' His walk took him farther away from the castle into the forest. By the time he realized where he was, he was hopelessly lost.
He sat on a big rock and thought better of trying to find his way out. He was so tired from the day. He missed Madison. His heart fluttered a bit when he thought of her. She would surely hate him now, taking a couple of deep breaths to try to relax the way Rowan had been showing him. 'I can't believe that they heard and believed me. Wouldn't they have talked to Rowan? Wouldn't she know the truth?' he thought silently. He allowed himself to relax, thinking of Madison's fingers touching his as she looked into his eyes with the grey ones she possessed. He fell into a deep, but troubled, sleep.
The next morning, Hermione woke the boys who were sitting in the seats by her bed. "Harry? Ron? What happened?"
"You were attacked." Harry told her. She nodded. "We were coming out of Rowan's common room when we saw Draco coming up the stairs with you in his arms," Ron told her, "I took you from him and brought you here. It looked like someone really beat you up 'Mione."
"They did," she said weakly, "the Slytherins, that is."
"What did Draco do? After we left, there was a group of Slytherins coming up to talk to him about missions… Ginny and Madison heard him confess that he was still working for Voldemort and they were not to interrupt his mission." Ron said.
"But it wasn't Draco that hurt me. He wasn't involved... it was… his housemates. I don't remember a lot of it after my wand flew out of my hand."
"But if he's in league with Voldemort, he can't be trusted and saving you was just part of his game." Ron cut across.
"I have to go to class, will you be okay?" She nodded, "I'll see you at break then. We'll get this all sorted out." Said Harry, as he kissed her gently, she winced. Harry left Ron and Hermione in the hospital wing, stopping by the common room to get his books, before stepping through the hidden door to the Gryffindor Common room to talk to Mason and Madison. Ginny was on their heels. They told them again what they heard. No one wanted to believe it, but decided to talk to him later.
Wednesday morning brought Arithmancy and Ancient Ruins for Mason, Madison, and Ginny who took careful notes for Hermione. Harry's class, Care of Magical Creatures, was delayed for a moment so he could explain Ron's absence to Hagrid.
Ron joined them for lunch and was the first one to notice that Draco had not come back from the problems of the night before. "Where is he?" No one had seen him.
Draco was not in Herbology or at dinner, so Harry went to Rowan, "Where is Draco?" Rowan did not have an answer but would talk to someone who might.
Rowan went to Snape's office after lunch. Knocking carefully, she entered as commanded. "Severus, Draco has missed his classes. Would you look in your house to see if he went there last night? He may be hurt again." Snape nodded and left her in the room. She waited several minutes. When he returned, he told her that there was no one in the common room except Pansy, and she was much too happy for words. Standing, Rowan decided to try one more thing. A Scottish winter, outside, and alone was not the place for a young man to be. She left without explanation.
Seeing the red heads in front of her she shouted "Ron!" He turned to meet her half way. "Would you get James' map. I need to know if Draco is still on the grounds." Ron ran from her to Harry's trunk. Seizing the map, he activated it and concentrated on Draco Malfoy. All the other dots disappeared. One by one, they popped off the map. Until it was completely clear. He walked out, map in hand and shook his head no.
Rowan left the room. Entering her own quarters, she pulled her own map that had taken them to Land's End the past summer. After the complicated instructions to find Draco, she finally was able to ask the easiest way to get to him. The map cleared and a single word appeared. Seeing it, she called Dobby's name out loud, she almost knocked him over when the elf appeared in her path.
Kneeling, she said, "You were bound to the house of Malfoy, correct?" He nodded his head. "Are you still bound to them?" He shook his head. "Can you still find them…? Can you find Draco?" Shaking his head yes, he made to leave. Rowan, grabbing his arm asked him to wait. "Ron, get a heavy cloak or a blanket. He had to be cold - MOVE." Ron did has he was told, returning with his own heavy cloak as well as Malfoy's.
Looking down to the elf, Ron said "Take me to him. If he's hurt, I promise to help him. If he's with Voldemort, I'll kill him." Rowan nodded.
Dobby took Ron to the rock where Malfoy lay shaking and curled up like a baby. Ron ran to his Mason friend, thinking him dead. "Drake? Are you there Mate?" Covering him with the heavy cloak, Draco moaned, Ron picked him up and told Dobby to get him to the Hospital wing NOW.
Hermione was being released as they appeared in the hospital wing seconds later. Ron laid him on a bed and stepped back. Draco's lips were blue. 'Why didn't he light a fire to keep warm?' Ron thought. Turning to get Poppy, he saw her bustle out the doors to see him. Ron just pointed at Malfoy on the bed. "He's been out there all night. He was in the forest." The reason for no fire clicked into place. "Dobby, go get Harry and the others - go elf - GO!"
By the time that the others arrived, Madame Pomfrey was using a dropper to put potion in Draco's mouth. Hermione wrapped her arms around Ron. "I'm so proud of you." She whispered, meeting his mouth with her own. Harry dropped Ginny's hand and rushed to Draco's side. Getting in the healer's way as he did so. "Mate? Come on Draco, you're tougher than this. Come on." Turning to the healer he added, "Why isn't he waking up?"
"Because his body temperature is below where is should be. Why anyone would be in the woods in November for a stroll is beyond me. He will come around; we just have to get his body temperature up."
"Dobby? Where was he? Ron, what happened? How did you find him?"
Ron, breaking Hermione's embrace looked to his best friend. "I made Dobby take me to him. If he was hurt or sick, I promised I would help. If he was with the Death Eaters, I promised to kill him myself. Luckily, he was just frozen solid in the woods." Harry nodded. Dumbledore entered, as usual with Snape not far behind.
Harry stepped away and let the adults take care of him. He took Ginny's hand and led her from the wing. Ginny looked over her shoulder at her brother and best friend as the door closed behind them. Harry pulled her hand up the staircases, without talking until he was in front of the Room of Requirements. Thinking and walking, he pulled her behind him. Suddenly the great wood door appeared. Ginny gasped. It was beautiful. He didn't want to talk. He wanted to be with his girlfriend for a few quiet moments.
She looked around the room, her head spinning. There was no furniture. Just a fireplace and a heavy quilt spread on the floor. Harry turned to her, desperate to find her mouth. She gasped as the intensity of his kiss. It wasn't frightening, as much as overwhelming. He held her tight until his breath was ragged. She walked away from him and sat in front of the fire. "Harry? Sit down and talk to me."
He sat next to her, but he didn't want to talk. He did not want to think about the possibilities of what lay in the Hospital Wing. He only wanted to get away from it all. He heard her whisper, "Relax Harry, I'm here. Tell me what this is all about."
"Ginny, I don't want to talk. I don't want to think right now. I just want to not worry about anything for a few minutes. Please, don't ask me any more questions right now. I just need," looking into her eyes he added in an undertone, "I just need you."
Ginny allowed herself to be swept in his arms again. Groaning as his weight pressed down on her; but there was no tenderness in his touch; no softness in his kiss. He had so much raw emotion at that point that she was actually scared of him and how far he would take this. She tried to pull away from him. She tried to say "No" as his kisses pushed into her mouth. Her tears flowing down her cheeks, as the fear of the man she loved threatened to overwhelm her; she fought harder. She pushed and pulled his hair. He stopped only when he tasted her tears. Gasping for breath, Ginny sat up and scooted across the room from him. She looked at him "Harry? What the hell was that?"
Harry, realizing what he almost did to the one person he loved, hung his head. "I am so sorry Ginny", he whispered, "Oh Merlin, what was I thinking?"
Ginny starting to come out of the terror, snorted "Nothing apparently. Look, you great git, I love you. But this is not the way I imagined our first time to be. What the hell are you thinking?"
He hesitated and tried to explain about seeing Draco frozen like that. "It reminded me of that time at Privet Drive when they forgot about me. They just… left me there." He looked into her worried face, his voice cracked as he asked her, "Was that what Draco thought? That we just forgot about him? Is he now in the hospital wing because he was not important enough for us to remember?" He felt Ginny's hands as she wrapped her arms around his head, drawing him nearer to her.
"Shhhh, no one forgot about Malfoy. He just got lost. Ron, of all people, found him. This was not your fault."
Harry looked into the brown eyes of the woman he cherished and trusted beyond all others and found hope; simple, pure, unadulterated, hope. She was right. She always was. "Forgive me for losing it when I got here, please forgive me." Laughing, she said she would, but if it happened again, he would be on the receiving end of the Bat Bogey Hex.
They left the room of requirement and returned to the hospital wing. Draco was playing a game of chess with Ron, while Hermione read a book. Harry was relieved to see him. Ron looked around and laughed "Nope, don't have to kill him; the silly git got himself lost when he thought we were going to turn our backs on him. After hearing his explanation, I personally think he handled his housemates brilliantly." Draco relaxed as did Ginny and Harry. They smiled and the rest of the afternoon was spent enjoying each other's company.
