Title: All's Fair in Love and War
Author: Silverhair Theory
Disclaimer: I own nothing. J.K.Rowling owns everything. If you sue me, all you'll get is my sweet stash and my teddy bear, and he bites. I wouldn't advise it.
Chapter 2
He was in a dark room. Round the walls were hanging grotesque things. He could see severed hands and boxes with eerie rune markings on them. Along one wall were several long shelves of bottles and vials with nasty looking substances in them, all of dark, fading colours. Behind him he heard a movement and spun round. Lucius Malfoy and Peter Pettigrew, half hidden under long robes with large hoods, were looking straight at him in an awed fear. He turned back around and saw a grizzled man watching him from behind a counter. The man's eyes were filled with fear as he looked at Harry, and when Harry spoke it was in a low whisper, almost a hiss.
"Well man? Have you got the poisons I ordered?" The man squeaked affirmatively and hurried over to the long shelves. He picked out a small vial of ivory colored powder and two bottles, one of purple shiny liquid and the other of matt black syrup-like stuff that seemed to absorb light. The man hurried back, then placed the poisons on the counter and nervously cleared his throat.
"Err...two galleons, three sickles, Sir!" He said in a rush. Harry looked at him and the man gave a frightened whimper. Harry felt his hands reach into his robe and draw out a wand. The man backed away to the far wall and looked at Harry with horror and fear in his eyes.
"Do not ask Lord Voldemort to pay, fool." Harry hissed. "Avada Kedavra!" he said softly, and the man half-screamed as the jet of green light hit him. Then he crumpled to the floor and Harry saw his own pale hands brush the poisons into him cloak. He then turned around and strode out of the shop into Knockturn Alley, Lucius Malfoy and Wormtail following briskly. He strode down away from the entrance to Diagon Alley until he reached a small alcove in the wall. Harry glanced around at Malfoy and Wormtail, and then all three of them put their hands on the brick wall.
Harry felt a tugging sensation on the back of his robes and he felt wind howling past his ears, though his body seemed to stay completely still. Then the winds stopped and Harry realised he was in the grounds of an enormous manor, and that Knockturn Alley was nowhere in sight.
Lucius Malfoy strode forward and placed his hand on the doorknocker of the door in front of them. The metal glowed blue for a moment then the door swung open and they all went inside.
Harry looked in amazement at the hallway down which they were walking. Along the walls were portraits of people, hundreds of them, all with the same cold grey eyes, Lucius Malfoy's eyes - Draco Malfoy's eyes. This must be Malfoy Manor Harry thought. There was a huge tapestry running the length of the ceiling, and Harry saw snakes, dragons, basilisks, veela, vampires, werewolves and other creatures which he couldn't identify, all fighting. All the creatures had the same eyes, the eyes of the Malfoy family, and Harry felt them watching him as he followed Lucius Malfoy down the hall.
Malfoy turned into a small parlour room, filled with comfortable and expensive looking chairs. Pettigrew and Harry sat down and Malfoy poured three glasses of a purple liquor, which he passed around.
"So Lucius, how soon can you have the concoction ready?" Harry hissed.
"If I begin work on it tonight my Lord, then I can have it ready by Christmas." Malfoy said, sounding eager.
"Good. We will hold another meeting here in your manor in one month. By that time Bellatrix should have acquired the weapons and we can begin performing the basic enchantments."
Forgive me, my Lord," Wormtail stuttered, "I know I am ignorant, but how are we going to get to Harry Potter at Christmas? He will be surrounded all the time. Won't he?"
"Ah my dear Wormtail, we will make him come to us."
"But how my Lord?"
"Once we have cast all the spells on Bellatrix's weapons, we will cover them in Lucius' potion so that they are unstoppable. Then I will lure one of his friends out of the castle, I will tell you how when the time comes, and Potter will come charging after them. He will not rest until he has saved the day again, with his foolish, if heroic, antics! That is how, Wormtail."
"But what if he brings other people?"
"Then we will simply kill them too. However, I doubt Potter will bring anyone. From what my spy tells me, he is becoming more and more withdrawn and he will surely want all the glory for his own, defeating Me and my army all by himself!" Harry laughed coldly.
"How does the poison work again?"
"Wormtail, I explained this to you the other day!" Lucius Malfoy drawled, sounding eerily like Draco Malfoy. "The enchantments will make the metal tough and durable, un-summonable and impervious to all spells not cast by a Death Eater. The poison is a special kind which has the effect of making anything it cuts act like dead flesh, or in other words, it will rot and fall off."
Wormtail shuddered. Harry noticed Wormtail looked very out of place among the finery of Malfoy Manor, whereas Malfoy looked comfortable and powerful sitting in his high-backed chair twirling his glass in his manicured hands, so like his son's.
"Lucius, we must leave." Harry said. "Nott and Macnair are returning from Egypt tonight and we need to be at the keep to give them their new assignment. Wormtail also needs to interrogate those irritating witches." He glared at Wormtail, who seemed to shrink under his gaze. "What were their names again?"
"Brie Chevin and Serenity Matthews, my Lord." Wormtail replied.
"Yes. I hope you can get something useful out of them. Goodbye Lucius. I will contact you in a couple of days about the meeting." Harry handed over the poisons to Lucius Malfoy, and then stepped back.
"Come Wormtail..."
"When do you think he's gonna wake up?"
"Dunno. He was pretty out of it after Potions."
"Not surprising, he must have exhausted himself trying to reach Hermione."
"Don't look at me! If I hadn't held him down then he would have been burnt a lot more."
"Sure Ron, whatever. Just don't mention this to Mum okay? She'd have a fit if she knew Harry was in the Hospital Wing."
Voices floated into Harry's sub conscious. He recognised them as Ron's and Ginny's. As he regained consciousness he felt a soft pillow beneath his head and smelt the clean, fresh smell of the Hospital wing.
"Look, he's coming round. You can see his eyes flickering."
Harry opened him eyes and saw two blurry faces looking down at him. One had slightly longer hair than the other.
"Harry, mate! You alright?" One face said, he assumed it was Ron's.
"Yeah..." Harry croaked. "Ron... what happened to Hermione?"
"She got brought in here with you. Pomfrey put this mask thing on her then dunked her in a big tub of water. Some St Mungo's people came a few hours ago and whisked her off there." Ron said.
"Right." Harry said. "What happened about Snape?"
"Well, I brought you here, so I wasn't there. According to Neville though, he dismissed the class almost immediately so he could clean up."
"Harry, there's something you ought to know," Ginny interrupted. "Pansy was hurt in the struggle too. She's over there on the other side of the Hospital Wing."
Harry levered himself up and saw that Pansy was indeed laying on a bed across the room. Sitting next to her, holding her hand and gazing at her was...
"Malfoy." Harry said, surprised. "What's he doing here?"
"He is Pansy's boyfriend, Harry." Ginny sighed. "He carried her in here just a few minutes after Ron brought you, he says."
"Oh." Harry said as he lay back down on the bed. He closed his eyes. They then snapped open as he remembered his dream. "Ron!" He gasped. "I have to see Dumbledore! I had another vision about Voldemort!"
Ron looked horrified. "Okay Harry. Wait, I'll just go tell Pomfrey where you're going. I'll be right back." Ron got up and rushed over to Madam Pomfrey's office.
"Harry, its just about dinnertime." Ginny said quietly. "I knew you were here so you couldn't talk to me at lunch. What's up?"
"Ginny..." Harry started, then stopped. "Ginny, do you like Brie?"
Ginny looked at Harry, startled. A brief feeling of panic flashed into her eyes, then was gone. She sighed. "I don't know. I haven't talked to her much. She seems okay, I suppose. It's just..." She was about to say something else but Ron came charging back.
"Come on Harry. Pomfrey said you can go to dinner and see Dumbledore, then she wants you back here for a check up." He helped Harry up and they walked out of the Hospital wing, Ginny following behind, playing with the ends of her hair.
"So that's what happened, Professor." Harry finished the story of his dream. Dumbledore had been sitting quietly in his chair, twiddling his thumbs while Harry explained what had happened. He was still twiddling his thumbs, but was now staring intently at them as though trying to work something out.
"Well Harry..."Dumbledore said "It is clear to me that what you dreamt is indeed another of those visions you appear to get, quite frequently, I believe?"
"Yes, Professor. Its usually boring things like ...Him looking at a picture or speaking to people. It hasn't been this...useful for a long time."
"Well, Harry, I can only think of one person who has the full knowledge to deal with what this dream means, and he is currently extremely busy, and unfortunately cannot help us."
"Really, is he the only one?"
"Hmmm..." Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, and stared at the ceiling. Then he seemed to come to a conclusion and looked back at Harry. "No. There is someone else. They're the apprintice to the first person, but are even less able to help."
"Who is that?" Harry asked, puzzled.
"Hermione Granger."
"Hermione? But she never told us she was an apprentice! She tells us everything!" She doesn't trust me. Harry thought suddenly. Me, her best friend, her boyfriend.
"Ah, but she was under a vow of silence. Only her master had the ability to tell people the secret."
"Then how do you know?" Harry puzzled. Then, he had an idea. "Wait...she's not your apprentice?"
"Quite correct." Dumbledore sighed. "I have enough foresight to know I shall not be around much longer, and I wish to pass on my knowledge to a young mind, to prevent it from being lost forever."
"Wow...but I don't understand. How can Hermione help us with the oncoming attack?"
"Hermione Granger is an amazing witch. She has the gift of a partial-photographic memory. This means that most of the words from any book she has ever read can be recalled in an instant. It also means that she sometimes suffers from horrific nightmares. According to her, she gets them most when under extreme pressure, around exam time, or during times of emotional stress."
"But she knows I get nightmares too, why didn't she just talk to me about them?"
"Hermione is also a proud witch. She hates having to admit any kind of weakness. You should know that."
"I see. But Hermione is unconscious in St Mungo's isn't she? How long will it be before she is back? She can't help us while she's in hospital."
"Well, I contacted the medi-wizards as soon as I heard she had been removed there, and they estimate about a month."
"A month?" A whole month without Hermione. A whole month without seeing her smile, or laugh, or feel her hand in his, or her skin next to his own. The thought was not pleasing, and Harry felt weak at the prospect.
"Can we go and visit her?"
"Of course." Dumbledore smiled. "I was going to suggest that you, Ginny Weasley and Ron Weasley all go to visit her every weekend. We can provide transport if you like. How does that sound?"
"That sounds great." Harry said with relief. "I think I'll go and tell Ron and Ginny."
"Alright. Off you go then." Dumbledore said and watched Harry's retreating back leave his office.
SGSGSGS
Her eyelids fluttered as she slept. Her breathing was low, harsh, and he stroked her hand, hoping it would help. It had been hours since Potter and the Weasleys had left. The castle was quiet and it was dark outside. Madam Pomfrey had just left. She had made a half-hearted effort to remove him but didn't have the heart to make him leave, so she had simply turned off the lights and left them there in the dark.
In the dark. Draco felt as though he had been in the dark his whole life. Ever since he was small his life had been filled with darkness, and every day the Dark Lord came closer to his full powers, the darkness within him grew.
Pansy knew. She was full of darkness too, having had a similar upbringing to Draco. But Pansy was still free inside, free to roam in the darkness without fear of being hurt.
Draco was tied up, chained with heavy, ice-cold metal, which tugged at him and forced him to do things. He used to enjoy doing the things. Then as he grew up, the things he was made to do grew harder and harder. He didn't even know if he wanted to do the things any more. He just did them. All disobedience and rebellious spirit had been dealt with long ago by Lucius.
Lucius. His father was Voldemort's most powerful Death Eater, feared by the others as having powers unknown to all but himself and the Dark Lord. He was in possession of Draco's spirit, his freedom, and his life.
Draco laid his head on the bed next to Pansy's body. He thought back to his childhood, filled with tears and trials. Lucius was centre to all the discomfort Draco had ever experienced...
Lucius' hands were cold against his face. His gaze was removed from the ground as the cold hands forced him to look up, up into his father's eyes.
"Draco?" Lucius said, "Where were you at dinner tonight? Mr. and Mrs. Nott were dying to see you."
"I was upstairs." Draco said, his voice high with fear. "Doing...reading my book."
"Do not lie to me, Draco." Lucius said, his voice silky. "What were you doing?"
"I was reading! I was!" Draco's voice was going squeaky.
"You disgrace me. Come, we shall find a way to make you tell the truth." Lucius pushed Draco down the hallways to the dungeons. He forced chains round his wrists and threaded it through a bolt on the floor. "Now Draco. I will give you one last chance to tell me. What. Were. You. Doing?" He said softly, enunciating clearly.
"I was reading! I was! Oh father, please don't hurt me! Please..." Draco was nearly screaming.
"Very well. Crucio." Lucius sighed, pointing his wand at Draco's standing form.
Draco screamed now. He screamed, a high pitch shriek that shook dust from the ceiling and dislodged a couple of bats, which flew out of the door. He fell to his knees and hunched over, shrieking at the top of his lungs.
Lucius lifted his wand. "Are you ready to tell me now?" He asked.
"I...was...reading..." Draco said, gritting his teeth as he staggered back up. "Please, father..."
"Still stubborn are we? I see." Lucius said steadily and lowered his wand again.
Draco gritted his teeth and stayed silent. Instead he fell to his knees again, turning his head away from his father. He keeled over until he was lying on the stone floor, and hunched up in a ball as he fought the pain. He still hadn't made a sound.
"Very impressive. But you must stand up, boy, and not make a sound for me to leave you alone."
Draco winced as he got to his feet, and placed them slightly apart, and gritted his teeth. "I will not tell you what I was doing." he said, his voice firm but cautious, as if Draco wasn't sure how Lucius would react.
"Another lie. I can see pain has not helped my cause. Lets try something else. Perdo Spiritus
Draco sputtered. He clutched his chest. He couldn't breathe, all his air was gone, he was drowning in air, drowning, drowning...
Lucius watched his son fall to the floor and spasm wildly. Draco's eyes were wide open, watching him.
Finite Incantem" Lucius said quietly and watched Draco wheeze on the floor. "Will you tell me now?"
"Yes, father." Draco croaked, feeling his strength rush away like water. "I was...hiding. I don't like the Notts. Mrs. Nott always pinches me with her long nails and Mr. Nott stares at me all the time. His eyes give me nightmares. Father, don't be angry with me!"
"You disgrace me Draco." Lucius said, his voice full of anger. He got out his wand, and saw Draco's eyes shine with terror as he raised his wand. "Infidi Velieris." Draco's eyes widened with the sound of the spell, it was usually reserved for prisoners of contempt at Malfoy Manor. He cried out inside that his father should dishonour him so by using that spell. Then, as he felt a sharp line of pain flash across his stomach, he blacked out.
He had been only five years old at the time.
SGSGSGS
For the next three weeks Harry and Ron constantly thought about Hermione. They struggled through lessons, tried and failed to pay attention in History of Magic, and spent every Saturday sitting at Hermione's bedside in St Mungo's.
On their third visit, they were sitting next to the bed with Ginny and talking about Hogwarts, Harry stroking Hermione's hand, when Harry felt a spasm go through her. He stopped halfway through his sentence and looked at her. Her skin was no longer burnt black, and her hair had started growing again, but she still had lots of scars, her beautiful face marred by scar tissue, which the medi-wizards had been unable to remove, as they had been caused by extremely powerful magic.
"What?" Ginny asked.
"Hermione." Harry said simply, and all three of them crowded round Hermione's head as they watched her.
Her eyes flickered,her face, which had been impassive for so long, grimaced in pain, and she opened her mouth slightly.
"Hermione?" Harry asked softly. "Can you hear me?"
She stirred, and slowly, painstakingly opened her eyes.
"Ha...Harry?" She whispered. "Ron? Ginny?"
"Yes. It's ok Hermione, we're all here."
"Oh Harry" she said and tried to get up but was too weak to do so. "Harry I've done a terrible thing, I..."
"Not now." Ron said firmly. "Ginny, go and get the mediwizard. She said to call her if Hermione woke up."
"My Ron...always so protective." Hermione smiled faintly and reached out for him. He bent down and hugged her close. Harry joined them, hugging his best friends and feeling tears falling down his face. He heard someone clear their throat.
"Do excuse me," the mediwizard said, trying to hide a smile. Ginny was smirking behind her. "I must ask you three to leave, Miss Granger needs attention, now."
"Fair enough." Harry said. He leant over and kissed Hermione softly on the lips. Her eyelids fluttered against his cheek and he pulled away, smiling. Then he grabbed Ron, who was grinning, and pushed him and Ginny out.
In the waiting room Harry paced while Ginny and Ron talked about Quidditch. He walked round the waiting room and found the visitors book on a small desk. He opened it and had a look to see who had visited Hermione. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown and... Draco Malfoy?
"Hey guys, look at this." Harry said. "Malfoy came to visit Hermione while she was unconscious."
"What?" Ron said, startled. "If creep did anything to her I swear I'll..."
"That's enough Ron" Ginny sighed as she looked over Harry's arm at Malfoy's signature. "The mediwizards would have known if he'd done anything. Wouldn't they?" She sounded unsure.
"One way to find out." Ron said, and timidly knocked on the door of Hermione's room. Once inside Harry saw that Hermione had had her clothes changed, and that she was looking a lot healthier and happier.
"Please excuse us for interrupting." Ron said to the mediwizard, "But we have just been looking at the visitors book and..." He looked at Hermione "could we talk about this outside?" Hermione looked curious as the mediwizard followed Ron out. She looked at Harry and Ginny for an explanation.
"What was that about?" She said, her voice strong and full of life now.
"We'll tell you after Ron has talked to the mediwizard. Don't worry, we don't think it's anything serious." Harry said soothingly.
They sat together in companionable silence while they waited for Ron. When they came back in Ron was looking worried and the mediwizard was looking grave.
"Miss Granger, I am sorry to inform you that we will have to keep you here one more night, instead of letting you go today as we had hoped."
"Why?" Hermione looked anxious. "What's wrong?"
"Mr Weasley has informed me of a certain person who visited you while you were unconscious. Mr Weasley apparently has reason to believe that something untoward took place while he was alone with you."
Hermione looked scandalised, then started as she turned to Harry "Its Draco Malfoy isn't it?"
"Yes! How did you know?" Harry was stunned.
"I had...a dream about him. While I was unconscious."
"Really? What was in the dream?"
"I...I don't want to talk about it. But I can assure you nothing happened while he was here."
"Well, just in case, I think you ought to stay here for one more night anyway." Harry nodded at the mediwizard, and she ushered them out. "Lets go back to school." Harry sighed, and they walked away from Hermione's room.
When Hermione returned to school the next day, she was as full of life as ever, if not more so. She worked doubly hard to catch up on all the work she'd missed and gave Harry and Ron sets of notes from Binns, to make up for the ones they missed. Everyone welcomed her back in the corridors - well, nearly everyone.
Pansy Parkinson was back in school life and whenever she and Hermione crossed paths they stared firmly away from each other. Many of Pansy's friends ended up doing the same. Draco Malfoy and his cronies also contrived to ignore her wherever she went. The tests from St Mungo's had come up negative on anything unusual, so Harry and Ron only had faint doubts now.
After assurance that she wasn't breaking her vow, Hermione had explained all about being apprentice to Dumbledore. She agreed to help research the mysterious poisons and started work in the library the very next day.
About a week later, she came back to Harry and told him she had good news.
"I've found that poison you dreamt about! It's really nasty, but there is an antidote. It's really complicated though. I can't make it myself. Dumbledore says he's looking for someone to help me."
"Good." Harry said with relief. The problem of the poison had been weighing on his mind for ages. At that moment Ron rushed up.
"Hermione!" He said, panting "You have to go to Dumbledore's office now. He says he's found you a potion brewer. Does that mean anything to you?"
"Yes! Ask Harry." She said to his questioning look, as she rushed off in the direction of Dumbledore's office.
Harry laughed and explained.
Hermione gave the password to the eagle outside the office, opened the door and went in. She got a shock when, instead of Dumbledore she saw Malfoy standing there.
"What are you doing here?" She spat. "I have to speak to Dumbledore."
"Well so do I!" Malfoy snapped. "He says I have to brew a very important potion for him. I was obviously the best choice, being best in the school, after Professor Snape, at brewing potions. He wanted me to wait for my partner, who knows what to do, here."
"No!" Hermione's insides had gone cold. "You can't be the one I have to work with!"
"You?" Malfoy goggled. "You're my partner?"
"Apparently so. Merlin, this is going to take ages!" Hermione groaned.
At that moment Dumbledore entered the office. He was a little surprised to see his two students staring daggers at each other, but he carried on as best he could.
"Well, I see you both know who you're working with then. I must tell you now I will not hold with any arguing. This potion must be brewed and it must be brewed right. You will have dungeon four to use, all the ingredients you will need are down there. Every second night you will meet here then go down to the dungeons. Do you have any questions?" Hermione and Malfoy stared at each other grimly and shook their heads. "Very well. You start tomorrow night. Sleep well." Dumbledore yawned and ushered them out of the office.
Once outside Hermione and Malfoy stared at each other for a moment longer, then turned their backs on each other and stalked away.
SGSGSGS
Draco received a "Good Luck" from Pansy as he left the common room the next evening. He was dreading the night and had made sure everyone in Slytherin and a good proportion of the other houses knew it.
Draco strolled down the corridors, taking points off of people scurrying around, as it was after curfew. Of course, he and Granger wouldn't have to worry, because as Head Girl and Boy they were allowed out after hours. Draco only wished he could sleep in the Head Boy and Girl dorms, but the Beauxbatons students were sleeping there.
He reached the eagle outside Dumbledore's office and found Granger waiting for him. They started to walk in silence down towards the dungeons. When they reached the room they went in and went to opposite sides of the room, to get away from each other.
The silence was oppressive, but it couldn't last long.
"Have you done something with you hair, Granger?" Draco spat, unable to bear the silence. "It looks different."
"Good different or bad?" Granger said warily.
"Well, if you were going for the brown shrub look..." Draco smirked as Granger fumed
"If that is your idea of a compliment, Malfoy, I'm surprised you ever got any girlfriends." Granger grinned as Malfoy bridled at the comeback, but he pulled himself back together.
"They all fell for my charm and natural wit." He said with disdain.
"Hmm. Spite and natural ooze maybe." Granger said doubtfully. Then she grinned wickedly. "Oh and Malfoy, I've been meaning to ask you, do you dye your hair?"
"No!" Draco was outraged. "Whatever made you think that?"
"Oh, Ron noticed it looked blonder than before the holidays."
"Its the sun. It bleaches it." Malfoy huffed.
"Sure Malfoy." Granger said, dripping sarcasm. "Whatever you say."
"It does! Anyway, it looks way better than the Weasel's hair. He could do with dying it, if you ask me."
"Don't insult my friends!"
"Who can I insult then? I have to insult someone, it's my nature."
"Insult Pansy." Granger said primly.
"No. Granger, don't you go there." Malfoy growled. "Keep out of my love life."
"Or what?" Granger stopped what she was doing and faced Malfoy, hands on hips.
"Or I'll tell Potter some things you'll wish I hadn't." An evil grin played around the edge of Malfoy's mouth.
"Like what?" Granger challenged him.
Now Draco was angry. "Like the fact that I know you sent letters and...things to Pansy over the summer. I know you know, Granger."
Granger gasped. "But you can't tell him that! He'll want to know how I knew and then..."
"Then you'll have to tell him your dirty little secret, won't you!" Draco drawled, knowing he had Granger hanging on every word.
"How do you know about that?" Shocked, she backed away from him.
"I have my sources. Stay away from us, Granger. You don't want to get involved."
"Don't you tell me what I should and should not want!" Hermione shouted.
"Why? I know what you feel so I can tell what's best for you, right?" Draco taunted her.
"You don't know how I feel! You shouldn't assume things about me!" Herminone was yelling now.
"Well, I think I have every right, seeing as you never tell me any of your feelings or anything!" Now Draco was shouting too.
"Why should I tell you? You're not my friend, you're not even in my house! You a Slytherin bastard who is nothing but pride and filth."
"Filth? You're the Mudblood!"
"You're prejudiced too!"
"I'm not staying here to be insulted! I'm leaving!
"Fine! Go! I wont miss you! In fact, I'm going too!"
They both stormed out, leaving half prepared ingredients on the desks. Hermione ran all the way back to Gryffindor tower and then sobbed on Harry's shoulder for half and hour.
Draco stayed down in the dungeons, leaning on the door. He had known something would go wrong tonight.
He had been right.
SGSGSGS
Author's Note: Hmm, lets see...nope, I have nothing to say. Oh, except Please Review!
