I am so, so, so sorry for the wait. Life's a pain in the arse, though, but I'm trying to update at least once a month. Someday I may succeed. Thanks for reading, guys, and for your reviews. They're keeping me warm during this bloody winter. (It's not supposed to be cold here!)
This one's a bit long, but hopefully worth it. I'll try not to leave you with any more cliff-hangers unless I know I will be able to update sooner. Please enjoy.
Ginny's eyes widened at the glint of silvery hair.
"Malfoy!"
"Ginny."
"What the bloody hell are you doing here?"
"Well, you did say you wanted to meet here."
Ginny was speechless with shock.
"Look, I know what you're thinking. You want to know what I'm up to. You're wondering if there are Death Eaters in the closet. You think I'm planning to use you to get to Potter, right?"
She nodded, still unable to speak.
"I'm not here for any of those things, Ginny. I'm here because I couldn't stand the idea of not being able to talk to you again."
"Again? What do you mean, Ferret? We've never talked outside of you making fun of me and my family!"
He smiled, holding out her letter. "We've been talking for over two months, Ginny."
Ginny's mouth dropped open. She shook her head in disbelief. "No. No! That's not possible. The person who wrote those letters is not an insufferable git! He's kind and understanding. He has a sense of humor and doesn't live to make others feel bad…"
"Ginny…"
"NO! No, I don't believe it! You've done something to him. You ambushed him!" She whipped out her wand. "You're here to torment me like you always do!"
"'Your hair shines like the clouds in the morning sun, illuminating your alabaster skin with the light of heaven. Your eyes are like bronze, shining with the inner light of your extraordinary self. You are the most stunning woman I have ever seen. Your mere presence lights my existence like nothing else in the world.'" Draco quoted the letter, his voice conveying all the emotion she had imagined. "You like the color green, but not the light shade that your brother keeps giving you. You like Potter, but thought he was a bit arrogant for a while. You now think of him as a brother. Granger is your best friend and like an older sister to you. You think your brother is overbearing and overprotective. You used to date guys outside of Hogwarts so he wouldn't find out you were dating…"
"Stop it!"
"Ginny, I know it's hard to believe. Especially in light of how I act towards you outside our letters. But you must understand that I cannot reveal how I feel about you in front of the others. They would reject me and try to harm you. As long as my father thinks I'm all for Voldemort, he leaves me alone. But he won't if he finds I like a Weasley." He moved closer and sat next to her. "I really do like you, Ginny. I wasn't lying in my letters." He smirked. "Well, except maybe when I wished Gryffindor luck."
She felt herself smiling, and fought down the urge to grin at him like a fool. She could not get involved with him. If he was telling the truth, Malfoy was responsible for her breakup with Julian. She frowned.
"You broke me and Julian up!"
"It would have happened eventually, Ginny."
"You don't know that!" she replied shrilly.
"Yes, Ginny, I do. I know you. You need someone more assertive than him."
"Shut up!"
"Someone who is not so mindlessly noble."
"Stop it!"
"Someone with color and passion, who could match your temper with desire."
"Draco…"
"I can be that man, Ginevra. You know me. I am a man of deep passions who desires a woman like you to match me. Your temper draws me like a moth to a flame. I am helpless against you… your fire… your light…" He reached out and gently stroked her cheek, thrilled when she closed her eyes and sighed.
"Give me a chance," he whispered.
"I…"
"I never lied to you, Ginny. Everything I said was true. You know more about me than anyone else in this world."
She scowled. "Including Pansy Parkinson?"
"Especially Pansy Parkinson. Ginny, there was only one thing of mine Pansy was ever interested in. My billfold. She could care less if I like to watch the sunrise, dance naked in the moonlight or jump around barking like a dog."
Ginny opened her mouth to retort, and then stopped herself. She remembered what he had said in his letter about being judged for his family name. It must be a thousand times harder than she imagined for him. There were so many expectations that went along with being the son of Lucius Malfoy. She believed him when he said his housemates would reject him. So the question is, do I shove aside my doubt and risk getting royally screwed over by Malfoy? Or do I tell him to bugger off without knowing if he is actually telling the truth? Ordinarily, she would go with her instincts on a situation like this. But this time they were confused. On one hand she got the feeling he was telling the truth. On the other, she felt there was another motivation driving him. What the bloody hell do I do?
"M…Draco. I need to think about this. A lot. I'm sure you understand my perspective. It's not just because of who your family is, it's because you have spent the last five years trying to make my life a living hell. I can't just forget that because of a few letters. The things you've done to Ron and Harry. The way you treat Hermione. They can't all just be washed away with a bunch of flowery words." She stood up. "I have to go. Someone will come looking for me if I'm not back soon." Picking up Harry's cloak, she headed to the door.
"Ginny, wait." Draco quickly trotted over to her and grabbed her hand. She flinched. "Easy, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to give you this." He dropped a letter into her hand, giving her a courtly bow over it.
Swallowing uncomfortably, Ginny muttered a thank you and pulled on the cloak, leaving Draco wondering what he was in for. That went better than I thought, he thought ironically. At least she didn't hex me.
…long silvery hair flashed in the dim light as Lucius Malfoy dropped respectfully to his knees before his Lord. Red eyes gleamed in the darkness as a clawed hand motioned for him to rise.
"Sssspeak, my sservant."
"My Lord, I live but to serve you." The senior Malfoy gracefully rose to his feet. "I have news, my Lord." The red eyes focused on his most trusted Death Eater. "The book was correct, my Lord. All three artifacts were placed into the care of several Muggle families around Europe. I have managed to discover where the first two artifacts are, but the third is proving to be most elusive. Severus, I believe, may be of some help in finding out who guards the circlet."
"Indeed."
"Yes, my Lord. He has access to the Hogwarts' library restricted section. I believe the book we seek is housed there. Blackthorne's journal states that Headmistress Aurelia Paumeryl kept the only copy in existence." He chuckled. "It's fortunate she refused to allow the book to be destroyed."
"I would prefer not to risk Severus in this venture, Lucius. Let one of my junior servants retrieve it. They must prove themselves in some manner."
"But my Lord…"
The red eyes flashed. "Do you question me, Lucius?"
The Death Eater immediately dropped to his knees. "No, my Lord. To do your bidding is my life."
The hot wash of anger awakened Harry to the fact that he was wrapped up in Voldemort's mind. He instinctively blocked his thoughts, trying to remain unnoticed. He had a feeling this was important.
"You will inform the Acheron boy that he is to retrieve the book and deliver it to you next weekend while the students are in Hogsmeade."
Harry could see Malfoy hesitate for a moment before his response.
"Yes, my Lord."
Malfoy's hesitation infuriated the Dark Lord. His wand was out in an instant. "Crucio!"
Lucius bit his lip to prevent himself from screaming, and held himself upright for several seconds before succumbing to the pain. Harry almost felt sympathy for the man as he watched the wizard fall to the ground and curl up, screaming in agony. Pleasure at the sight filled Harry and he realized it was time for him to leave Voldemort's mind. He could not risk getting lost.
Focusing on his Occlumency lessons, Harry gently disentangled his thoughts from those of the dark wizard and quietly shut the connection into his mind…
Harry sat up, gasping.
"Harry?"
Hermione and Ron stood over him, gazing at him worriedly. Confused, he looked around and was momentarily surprised to find himself in the Gryffindor common room. No one else was around.
"Wha… what happened?" He tried to pull himself together.
Hermione sat next to him. "We came in to find you asleep, Harry."
"Yeah, mate. You were laid out on the couch like you'd planned to be there for a while."
"Oh! Right. I remember now." Harry mentally shook himself, willing the fuzziness away. "Is… er… what time is it?"
His bushy haired love smiled kindly. "It's after curfew, Harry. Ron and I just got done with our patrol." She frowned. "What are you doing sleeping on the couch?"
"Er… I was… uh… waiting up for you guys!"
Ron and Hermione gazed at him skeptically.
"Er… right. Not very believable is it?"
Hermione huffed in annoyance. "Honestly, Harry! Did you really think we would fall for that?"
He smiled hopefully at them. "Er… not really. I… uh…"
Ron lost it. "Oh bloody hell, Harry! Just spill it already! Why weren't you upstairs sleeping?"
"I was… uh… waitingupforyoursister."
"What?"
"I was waiting up for your sister! All right, Ron? I wanted to make sure she got safely back to Gryffindor."
Ron's face broke out into a beatific smile. "Really?"
"Yeah, really." Harry felt relieved that Ron seemed to be taking this well. He was afraid the fiery Gryffindor would ask him where she was.
"Well then," said Ron happily, "I suppose I'll just leave you to that. C'mon, 'Mione." He grabbed her arm.
Hermione wrenched away, fixing both of them with a harsh glare. "Don't call me that! I'm going upstairs!" Both boys were shocked as their best friend stomped up the stairs in a huff. Oddly enough, Harry noticed Ron seemed even more delighted. What the hell was wrong with him?
"Well. She's right mental, isn't she? She'll get over it. It's for the best anyway."
"What?" What was Ron talking about?
"Oh don't be shy, Harry. I know how it is." Harry reared back in surprise as his friend winked (WINKED!) at him.
"Er… I'm going upstairs, Ron. Goodnight." Harry began gathering his things.
"Goodnight, Harry!" Ron strolled up the stairs, whistling, leaving his best friend to gaze after him in puzzlement. He could not help but wonder who was truly mental in this situation. Making a note to talk with Hermione in the morning, Harry headed to bed, hoping Ginny was fine wherever she was. She had probably come in while he was sleeping, he figured, and just left him alone. He would have to talk with her and find out what happened with her secret admirer later.
Meanwhile, Ryselle was pacing the length of her office, trying to figure out what Severus Snape's problem was. Admittedly, she should never have slipped on her friendship with Remus. Aside from it being a sore spot with the Potions master, it was also a great way to break Dumbledore's confidence and reveal her involvement with Sirius. For some reason he still felt it very important that no one know she knew him.
That was it. That was probably why Severus was so angry. He thought she was lying to him. Bugger. Ryselle knew she was a pathetic liar. Despite the fact that she was a Gypsy, there was nothing in her that lent itself to outright lying. She was far better at obfuscating the truth and deflecting curiosity. Tactics like that would never work with Severus now that he knew her, however. Admittedly, both were still forms of lying, but far less direct. For all her so-called Gryffindor (according to Severus) qualities, she still thought in many ways like a Slytherin.
What was she supposed to do? She could not tell Severus that she knew Remus from last year. He would wonder how and there was no way Dumbledore would let her reveal that she was gallivanting around Europe with the werewolf's best friend. Damn it. He was going to hold this against her and it would destroy their friendship. He was such a bastard like that, holding grudges to him like precious jewels. How was she going to fix this?
"Maybe a version of the truth?" Ryselle turned to see the headmaster standing near the door. "They say the truth will set you free, my dear. I believe a small bit of honesty in this situation will not do any harm."
"What if he asks for details?"
"Tell him the truth. I have asked you not to speak of it."
"Why, Unc… Albus? Why can I not speak of Sirius, yet?"
"He is still a wanted man, Ryselle."
"He is dead!" she interrupted.
"True, but he is still wanted by the Ministry. The more people know, the more danger there is to you, Harry, and Remus. Not to mention the Order. Severus has enough secrets to keep, don't you think?" He gently gripped her shoulders. "I promise, my dear, as soon as it is safe to do so, you may tell him anything he might wish to know."
Ryselle nodded, understanding his words. Severus was a spy and because of that, he was at risk every time he was in the Dark Lord's presence of having his mind cracked. They could not risk Voldemort finding out what she knew and how she knew it. Talking about Sirius would inevitably lead to discussion about the way he died. One minor slip of her tongue combined with a slip of Severus' defenses would reveal that Ryselle knew far more than the average wizard about what was housed in the Department of Mysteries. The Veil was dangerous, and thanks to her grandfather, she was one of the few people in the world that understood what it truly was.
She shivered at the thought of how close the man was to finding the secret to immortality.
"Make him understand, my dear. Losing your friendship would be a terrible blow to him and I am not sure how much longer he can go on without someone with whom to share himself. Do not allow him to push you away."
Ryselle gave the headmaster a brief hug. "Thank you, Uncle. Albus. Er… sorry. I will do my best."
As she left, Albus Dumbledore sent out a brief entreaty to whatever Power may exist above them. Ryselle was going to need a lot of help if she was going to break through to an angry Severus Snape.
Ryselle knew Severus was down in the dungeons, locked behind the impressive wards and hidden entrance to his rooms. Knowing the direct approach was probably the best way to force his hand, she marched down to the lab. The door opened with a flick of her wand, and in moments she was outside the secret door.
She pounded on the door. "Severus! Severus, we need to talk. Let me in!"
Silence.
"Severus! I am sorry! I did not mean to lie to you! Please open the door and I will explain."
"Go away."
Ryselle pounded some more. "Severus Snape! Open this bloody door or I swear I will do it myself!"
"I would not recommend that, Professor Spellsinger. Leave me alone."
"Like hell," she muttered. Ryselle cast a complex shielding charm on herself. It would not last long, but should protect her sufficiently from any backlash from breaking through his wards. It took a few minutes to make sure she would be able to restore them immediately, but soon she was prepared.
"Desino munimentum!" The wards dissipated in a whirl of magic. Two steps forward found her at his door, and another wave of her wand restored his protections. As she expected, the door flew open to reveal a shocked Severus Snape. She pushed past him before he could react. Shock turned to fury in an instant, and he grabbed her, pinning her to the wall before she could blink.
"What is the meaning of this?" he hissed. "Do you know what could have happened to you?"
"Why do you think I cast a shield first?"
"You stupid woman! You could have been severely hurt or killed! What the bloody hell do you think you were doing?"
"We need to talk, Severus."
"GET OUT!"
"No."
His eyes widened in shock. "What?"
"I said 'no' Severus. I will not leave until you agree to talk with me."
He grabbed her arms and began dragging her toward the door. "You will get out when I tell you to get out!"
"Transeo!"
Severus stumbled forward as her weight was abruptly gone. Whirling around, he pointed his wand at her now translucent form. "What the bloody hell?"
"You cannot touch me now, Severus. Now you will talk with me or we shall wait here for a very long time."
She never imagined his face could turn that particular shade of purple. "Get out, Ryselle, or so help me I will not be responsible for my actions…"
"You are angry because you think I was lying to you about Remus…"
"Get. Out."
"You believe I was lying to you in order to cover up some deep relationship between us or something equally distasteful to you…"
"Ryselle…" he warned.
"I was not lying to you because I wanted to hide something, Severus. I am not permitted to speak of how I know Remus. Dinnertime in the Great Hall is not the best place to begin airing secrets. Especially with the attention of all of Slytherin on us."
He sighed. "Please leave," he said, wearily.
"No, Severus. Not until you speak with me. Words other than telling me to get away from you."
"Ryselle…"
"I thought we were friends, Severus. I thought we could talk with each other when something was wrong. I am sorry I lied to you, but what was I supposed to say? I am sorry but I cannot discuss that here?"
"It might have been a better start than a lie!"
"Yes, and would you be the one stopping Thanos Acheron from taking word to his father that I have begun confiding secrets about one of the more public members of the Order to you? Or would you rather be questioned by Voldemort?"
"Do not say his name," the angry Slytherin grated.
"I apologize. But would you?"
"I…"
"You have been hurt, Severus, very badly. I know this. Anyone you allow to see the real you knows this. I did not know of a way to tell you about Remus in front of the students. I am sorry."
"You should not have come here."
"You should not have run away."
"Why not? You did."
"And lest you forget, you chased after me and I allowed you into my rooms so we could talk. I understood once you told me, Severus. You did not even give me a chance."
"I…"
"Is this what it is going to be like every time we have an argument?" Ryselle was beginning to get angry despite her efforts to remain calm. "Am I going to have to risk getting killed every time I need to speak with you about something you would rather avoid?"
He flinched.
"Revenio." Ryselle's body solidified. "I will not let you cast aside a friendship just because you cannot find it within yourself to forgive such a minor infraction."
"It wasn't minor," he snarled.
She stepped toward him, prompting him to raise his wand defensively. Her forward movement did not stop until his wand was against her chest.
"Then punish me, Severus. Cast a curse. Whatever you wish. I am no longer ethereal. No longer protected. If you truly think what I have done is so terrible, do with me what you will so we can go back to what we were before."
She could see in his eyes the struggle against the darkness within him and his desire for friendship and light. He was angry, she could tell, and felt betrayed by one of the few people he allowed close to him. It was a struggle for him to trust her.
Ryselle gently grasped his hand. "You are my friend, Severus. I would never hurt you. No matter what happens, no matter if you decide to hate me, or cast me out of your rooms, I will never harm you." She was silent a moment, hoping he would give her an indication of his feelings.
Nothing.
Knowing he needed to be left alone, Ryselle backed off, pausing only to caress his wand hand as she moved away. "Goodbye, Severus." She turned to leave.
"Wait."
Ryselle paused, her hand on the door handle.
"How do you know Lupin?"
She turned back. "I cannot tell you much, Severus, but I promise you I will tell you the whole story someday. The most basic explanation is that I met Remus last year after I agreed to watch over Harry for the summer. I honestly do not know him very well, but he has always been very nice to me and I liked the idea of helping him live a more normal life."
"Then you were not… involved?" he asked distastefully.
Ryselle wrestled her laugh into a soft chuckle. "No, Severus. Remus is not my type. He is simply a friend."
"I…" He strode over to her and gathered the amused witch into his arms. "I misunderstood, Ryselle. I…"
"You hate him. I know that, Severus. Please do not hate me because he is my friend, however. I cannot control what happened between the two of you, but I can be part of what happens between us. Please do not shut me out again?"
How could he resist those beautiful, pleading eyes? "I… will… try."
She smiled up at him, eyes shining. "That is all I can ask."
He gave her a smirk and then gestured for the door. "Shall we?"
"What?"
"Practice, my dear. Unless you wish to cancel…"
It was the closest thing to an apology she was ever going to get, and the olive branch she had been hoping for when she came down here. "Then let us go."
Elsewhere in the school, Ginny wandered through the corridors, her mind filled with uncertainty and shock. She was lucky none of the professors discovered her out after curfew. She knew her luck would not last, however, so she needed a destination. Somewhere to think. I can't go back to Gryffindor like this, she thought. Where can I go? She stopped suddenly as she heard voices up ahead. Peering around the corner, she saw it was some dark-haired Slytherin and that arrogant berk Thanos.
"…it working?"
"Somehow I doubt it. It's not going to be remotely easy."
Thanos nodded. "Good. I want to see him fail. He has been top dog for too long. Keep me posted."
The other boy nodded. "I will. You'll be the first to know if he succeeds."
The two went off in separate directions, leaving Ginny wondering what on earth she just witnessed.
Walking a bit further, she noticed she was in the area near the Defense Against the Dark Arts classrooms. She remembered Harry telling her that when he had problems, he went to either Professor Spellsinger, or Headmaster Dumbledore. Ginny figured Dumbledore was a bit busy to be dispensing advice on love, so she decided to see if Ryselle was available. She knew she was setting herself up for detention, but at this point, she did not care.
Ginny found the professor in the dueling hall, practicing with Professor Snape. She spotted a good corner away from the duel, and hunkered down to watch.
"Are you ready, Severus?"
"Yes."
The two professors presented their wands and paced out the appropriate dueling distance. They whirled around simultaneously, and cast their spells.
"Tarantallegra!"
"Rictussepra!"
Ryselle dived out of the way, Snape's spell narrowly passing over her head. Her opponent lunged to the side avoiding hers.
"Incendio!" A fireball flew at the potions master.
"Protego!" A golden shield appeared in front of him, absorbing the spell.
"Contegabrogo!" The shield collapsed. "Expelliarmus!"
"Incipicoeos!" Snape kept hold of his wand.
"Fodio!" A small eldritch bolt flew at Snape's hand.
"Stupi…ow!"
"Expelliarmus!" The Potions master's wand went flying. "Accio wand!"
The duel ended with Ryselle holding both wands. Severus Snape stood glaring at her from under a curtain of stringy hair.
She smiled. "Come now, Severus. I would hardly be a good Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher if I did not have some trick up my sleeve."
"The Stinging Curse? I'm insulted. That is a child's prank."
Ryselle laughed. "Not if it works, it is not. Here," she handed him his wand. "Give me your hand."
Snape grudgingly held out his hand, and Ginny could see several red welts on it, as if an insect had stung him.
To her amazement, Ryselle placed her fingers over the welts and began to sing softly. White light surrounded her fingers and the wounds disappeared. She had no idea her teacher was a healer! Ginny took a glance at Snape, and was surprised to see a pained look of hopeless longing on his face. It was quickly gone.
"There. All better now. Same time tomorrow?"
"I wouldn't miss it," he replied sardonically. "I live for the opportunity to be your experimental subject."
She laughed. "And a very good one you are, Severus. Thank you."
He nodded, and then left the room.
Ryselle waited until he was safely gone before closing the door. "Okay, I know you are in here. You might as well show yourself."
Ginny flinched in surprise. How did she know, she wondered. She stood up and removed the cloak.
The professor looked surprised. "Ginny?"
"Yes professor. It's me."
"What is it, my dear? Anything wrong?" She seemed concerned.
"Uh, well, it depends on your perspective. I was, uh, hoping I could talk with you about something. I didn't mean to interrupt."
She smiled. "That is all right. Severus and I were just practicing. Come, let us go to my office."
The professor led the girl through a door into a small room, filled with of books and papers. Despite the clutter, it still had a sense of organization about it. She gestured for Ginny to take a chair. "What is on your mind?"
Ginny hesitated for a moment, and then remembered what Harry said about the new professor being trustworthy. She took a deep breath, and told Ryselle the story of her and SA. The whole story.
"…and then tonight I found out that SA is none other than Draco Malfoy. How strange is that?"
"Hm," Ryselle mused. "It sounds to me like he might be telling the truth."
Ginny's eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean?"
"Well, Ginny, think about it. From the beginning, he told you he did not want you to know who he was because he would be afraid you would reject him out of hand. And even after months of writing him, you are still not able to accept him, seeing only the Malfoy everyone else sees."
"But Professor…"
"You do not believe that he has told you the truth in his letters. Yet you have not given him the opportunity to prove otherwise. Perhaps he is not lying about needing to behave the way he does to escape punishment from his family. Severus has told me a number of things that indicate to me that Draco Malfoy has certain expectations placed on him by his parents, their friends, and…others."
"Like Voldemort."
"Yes. Like Voldemort." She looked searchingly at the girl. "You see Ginny, you and your family have an incredible amount of freedom. You can choose the path you wish because your parents make sure the family is taken care of and not drawn into a mess they cannot escape. At this point, even if the Malfoys wanted to leave Voldemort's service, they cannot. They know too much. The only way out would be death. You cannot blame Draco for wanting to survive."
"But he's going to be a Death Eater."
"Perhaps. Perhaps not. It is possible he will find a way to escape that fate. For all we know, you may be key to that."
"Me?"
"Ginny, let me ask you this. Before you found out tonight that SA was Draco Malfoy, would you have helped him if he asked?"
"Well…yes!"
"Then why has that changed?"
She stopped and thought about it. "Because I'm assuming everything he said is a lie."
"That is not a good way to live, Ginny. If we do not give the Draco Malfoys of the world a chance, then what motivation do they have to be different?"
Ginny nodded.
"I am not saying you have to walk into it blind and naïve. Protect yourself. Make sure you cannot be used against your will. Perhaps you should continue writing for a while to get to know each other better. At least you know now who you are dealing with now."
The redheaded girl thought about it. She bobbed her head in agreement. "Yes, I think that's a good idea. Thank you, Professor." She got up.
Ryselle smiled. "You are welcome, Ginny. Come any time. But before curfew. You realize I have to give you detention?"
"Yes, I knew that when I decided to come."
"Good. I will see what I can do to make it as painless as possible. Do you have Quidditch practice tomorrow?"
She shook her head.
"Then come by around nine tomorrow. You can add an unknown element to my practice with Severus. If you beat one of us, I will let you out early."
"Yes, Professor."
"Goodnight, Ginny."
The young Gryffindor turned and left.
Ginny returned to Gryffindor determined to give Draco's letter the same consideration she would have given SA's. The Golden Trio was nowhere to be found to her great relief. She curled up in her favorite chair, holding the letter he had given her. A small slip of paper fell out when she opened it.
Ginny,
The letter you hold in your hand is the first I have written you as myself. I hope you read it. I know I have said and done things to make you believe I am not to be trusted. I don't blame you. There are times I don't trust myself. I decided to meet you tonight in the hopes that we can work past our differences and at least be friends as we have over the past couple months. I enjoy talking with you, and would dearly hate for it to end. Please read my letter before making a decision.
DM
Ginny looked at the note astounded. Draco had written her a letter knowing full well that she might burn it in effigy. She wondered what it contained. Part of her was afraid, knowing how powerful magic could be contained in the written word. The rest of her was curious. She thought back to what Professor Spellsinger said about giving people like Draco another chance, and decided to open the letter and read it. It was a risk that might be worth whatever price that came with it.
She opened the envelope and inside was a single sheet of the grey vellum he had used for his letters to her. She also saw that he had enclosed a small charm to put on the bracelet he had given her a few weeks ago. It was a silver snake with jade eyes. Setting it aside, she pulled out the letter.
Dearest Ginny,
Where do I begin? You asked me to tell you more of myself, so I will. I hope the answers do not disturb you too much. As you know, I am part of Slytherin House, often considered the leader. My family is of an old and noble lineage, but has been sullied as of late by the actions of by beloved father. I wish I could say I had a joyous childhood growing up, but the loveless environment provided for me perhaps affected the development of my character far more that I would have liked. I have always been expected to be the best. When Harry Potter came to Hogwarts, my father made it quite clear to me that I was to find a way to either befriend him or humiliate him and prove my superiority. It obviously backfired. And now I have made him my enemy. At the time, I thought what I was doing was right. For five years, I have followed my father's orders without question. I guess I always thought that I would be able to have the freedom to do what I want if I had the power offered by Voldemort.
My father always spoke of the glories associated with serving him, and how I would be exalted in his service one day. For the longest time it's all I wanted. Then I found out the truth. Voldemort is a liar. He hsd led his followers to believe that they will rule the Wizarding world by his side, but in reality he is using them. He doesn't care about anything but attaining power and destroying all who stand in his way. I refuse to be a lackey, Ginny. I have no desire to be a Death Eater, but one day I may not have the choice. Ironically enough, my only hope may lie with my mortal enemy. This past summer I experienced freedom for the first time in my life. I discovered I like it. So now I refuse to give it up for anyone, and have rebelled against my parents. I wish I could say I told Voldemort to bugger off, but that's not realistic. He would kill me without a second thought as he killed Cedric Diggory.
Exchanging letters with you has truly been a pleasure. I can only hope it continues. I understand if you do not want to have anything to do with me. I don't treat you or your friends and family well. At least let me explain. If my father finds out I am not behaving in a way he feels is appropriate to my position, then he will disown me if I am lucky, or have me killed if I am not. Nor is he above using the Imperious Curse. Someday, perhaps, I will have the freedom to walk down the hallways with you on my arm telling everyone to bugger off if they don't like it, but now is not the time. That is why I didn't want to tell you my identity. I couldn't stand the thought of never hearing from you again.
Please write back, Ginny. I understand that you may not be prepared to be friends with Draco Malfoy, but perhaps we could start out as pen pals. It seems to have worked well so far.
I look forward to your reply.
DM
(I have enchanted this letter so it will destroy itself once you finish reading it. There are things in here that cannot fall into hostile hands.)
Ginny dropped the letter as the words caught fire. It quickly burned up the page, and she was left only with the ashes. She wished she could have taken the letter to Professor Spellsinger for her to read, but Ginny understood what Draco meant. If his father or Voldemort found out what he had written in that letter… her heart clenched at the thought. There has to be some way to help him.
She decided to let his words rest in her mind for a little while before she wrote him back.
The next morning, Harry went downstairs only to find everyone had already left for breakfast. That Ron went down was not surprising, but he wondered where Hermione was. They usually headed to the Great Hall together. Odd. Harry looked up as he heard someone coming downstairs from the girls' dorm and smiled, thinking it was Hermione.
He was surprised to see a somber Ginny Weasley instead.
"Ginny?"
Her head flew up. "Oh! Hi, Harry. Good morning."
"Morning, Gin. Er… could you tell me if Hermione is upstairs? It's time for breakfast."
"Yes, I know! I'm starving." She frowned. "Harry, Hermione left the dorm early this morning. Honestly, I thought she was meeting you."
He shook his head. "Unfortunately not. I thought she was coming to breakfast with me."
"Oh. I don't know, Harry. Maybe she had something important to study for."
"Er… yeah." Ginny started to head toward the portrait hole. "Ginny, wait!"
She turned back, irritated. No one should ever stand between a Weasley and food.
"I just wanted to know how it went last night. Did you meet him?"
Her eyes turned wary. "Why do you ask?"
"Bloody hell, Ginny! I'm concerned about you. Is that so wrong? Now what happened?" Harry was really starting to lose his patience this morning. First Hermione deserted him and now Ginny was being evasive about her meeting last night. After he spent the better part of the evening being humiliated by her brother in an attempt to keep him occupied. He scowled.
"Oh, bleeding hell, Harry. Fine! It was… not what I expected." He gazed at her expectantly. "I… It was someone I certainly was not expecting."
"Oh?"
"Yes, Harry, and no, I'm not going to tell you. Not yet."
"But…"
"No, Harry. I need to figure some things out first, and then I'd like to see if we have a chance at working out." Ginny looked at him pleadingly. "Please just leave it alone. For now."
Harry thought he had a good idea who Ginny's secret admirer was, but he wanted confirmation on something before accepting his theory. He nodded, but did not let her off the hook that easily. "Is he in Slytherin?"
Her eyes widened in shock.
"I'll take that as a yes." He smiled. "Fine, Ginny, I won't do anything. But I would like you to tell me about it at some point. Maybe once things are worked out."
She smiled in relief. "Not a problem, Harry. Thanks."
It was obvious to Harry that his younger friend was in dire need of breakfast, so he stuck his elbow out like a gentleman, grinning impishly. "Shall we?"
Taking the proffered arm, she nodded. "Let's."
Harry never expected the stir that resulted from him escorting Ginny to breakfast. Most of the students looked up when he walked in, and he received some hard looks from several of them, including Julian, Dean, Hermione, and Draco Malfoy. His smile faltered at the apparent hostility. Ginny, on the other hand, was oblivious, chattering away about the upcoming holiday. He and Hermione were invited to the Burrow, and truthfully, Harry had considered turning down the invitation to stay at Hogwarts. He refused to ruin Hermione's holiday, however, but could not stand the thought of her being there without him. Around Ron.
Ginny said a cheerful hello to everyone before piling her plate high and digging in. Hermione was picking at her food, which told Harry she was stressed over something, and Ron was, well, Ron.
"Morning, Hermione, Ron."
"Mrrnff, Hrrry."
Hermione was silent, a sure sign that she was tired. She must have been up all night studying, thought Harry. Filling his plate with relish, he decided to give her some time to wake up before asking her what the problem was. He did not expect her to stand up suddenly, grab her bag, and rush out the door. He looked after her, confused.
"Ron?"
"Yes?"
"What was that?"
"Huh?"
"Why did Hermione just rush out of here like her hair was on fire?"
"Surely you didn't think she would take things well, Harry," replied Lavender.
"What?"
Lavender smiled condescendingly at him. "We all expected it to happen, Harry, but I guess she just wasn't ready for it."
"What? Ready for what? Hermione's ready for everything!"
"Not for you to start going out with Ginny she's not."
Harry gazed incredulously at Parvati. "WHAT?"
Ginny's head whipped around. "What did you say, Parvati?"
Blithely ignoring the dangerous tones of Ron's rather temperamental sister, the gossipy Gryffindor smirked. "It's already all over the school, Ginny. We all figured you and Harry would get together, but I can see how he needed to get his female best friend out of his system first."
Ginny's eyes narrowed and her face turned thunderous. "Really," she said in the deceptively soft tones Harry recognized as a sign of impending doom.
Parvati obviously was not aware of the danger. "Yes. I mean, you're perfect for Harry. You love Quidditch, he loves Quidditch. You're funny and exciting while Hermione is bookish and boring." Harry felt his temper starting to rise. "You're beautiful and athletic while Hermione is…"
"If you finish that thought, Parvati, you will wish you were never born," said Harry quietly.
She gaped.
"Parvati," said Ginny sweetly, "you really are behind the times, aren't you? The Hermione you described is the one painted by immature twelve-year-olds with no lives. The real Hermione is studious yes, but she also has the brightest future ahead of her. Because of her 'bookish' tendencies, she's probably going to be running the Ministry of Magic while you are down in the lunch room, painting your toenails and hoping the janitor notices you." Parvati gasped. "I think all that incense has scrambled your brains if you think Hermione isn't beautiful. I suppose you forgot our fourth year at the Yule ball, or all those times you and Padma wished for her perfect skin and curvy figure. I seem to remember something about a skirt you couldn't wear…"
"Okay! I get it. Hermione's great. Fine." She turned to Harry. "So why did you dump her, then?"
"I…" His objection stuck in his throat. It suddenly hit him that that was exactly what he did. He glared at her. "How long have people been talking about this?"
Parvati looked at him as if he were an idiot. "Since it happened, Harry. Really! You should listen to people more."
"I'm sorry. I got out of the habit after last year," he informed her coldly.
"Oh. Er… right. So anyway, what happened to you guys if she's so wonderful, Harry?"
Once glance over at Ron told him all he needed to know about his friend's knowledge of what was going on. Bloody prat. "Did you know about this?"
"Uh… what do you mean, Harry?" Ron smiled weakly at the irate Gryffindor, hoping there was not about to be a scene.
"Ugh! That's it! Parvati, Ginny and I are NOT going out! Lavender, I did not need to 'get Hermione out of my system'!" He stood up. "Now leave us alone!"
Harry stormed out of the Hall, intent on finding Hermione. He figured she was probably in the Library, and hoped she was willing to listen to him. He really handled this entire situation badly, he realized. It never occurred to him to wonder what people would think of him and Hermione's breakup. She must have been putting up with comments from the other girls for weeks now. Why did she keep that from him? Because she didn't want me to do something stupid, he thought.
Hermione was not in the Library, nor was she in Gryffindor Tower or any of the classrooms. He decided to check out the Maurader's Map to see where she was located. He found her small dot resting next to the lake. Cursing himself for an idiot, he ran out the door and headed to her favorite "thinking place." He wished he had the Invisibility Cloak, but it was still in Ginny's possession. Now was not the time to hunt her down to get it.
He saw Hermione sitting on her rock, staring out at the lake. From her posture, he could tell she was upset, and bet his Firebolt that she was crying silently over what was a terrible misunderstanding. He stealthy crept toward her, intending to surprise her with a passionate kiss. Instead he found himself on the business end of her wand.
"Harry?" Hermione quickly snatched her wand back, returning it to her pocket. "Harry, what are you doing here?"
Ignoring her glare, he sat down next to her and grabbed her hand.
"Harry! What…"
"Shhhh. Listen, 'Mione…"
"Don't call…"
He gently placed his finger on her lips. "Shhhhh. Let me say something." The anger in her eyes melted away to be replaced by curiosity. "They're wrong, 'Mione. You're not ugly, your not boring, and you're certainly not unworthy of me. That's not why we broke up. You should know that."
Her eyes shifted downward.
"Look at me. 'Mione, the only reason I'm not with you right now is because it's too dangerous. I thought I explained that. I thought you under…"
She interrupted. "I never agreed with you, Harry. I understand what you said, but really, how can you expect me to believe all that if you go traipsing around with Ginny Weasley?"
"I wasn't…"
"You were in the common room when Ron and I went on patrol. You were still there after we got back three hours later, obviously settled on the couch to wait for her. You were asleep, Harry, and apparently quite happy to be exactly where you were!"
"What, so I waited up for her. What does that matter?"
Hermione glared. "When was the last time you waited up for me?"
"Oh for Merlin's… Hermione! How can you ask that? I… why were you on patrol with Ron for three hours? Your patrol is only two."
She rolled her eyes. "Honestly! We had to deal with a problem between some second-years. Slytherin and Gryffindor, of course. Professor Snape spent so much time haranguing us for victimizing his poor students that we wound up getting out of the headmaster's office half an hour later. Ron suggested we get some hot chocolate from the kitchen and we wound up chatting for a short while."
"About what?"
"What?"
"What were you chatting about?"
"Er… why is that important, Harry?"
"Because it is, Hermione!"
"I'll tell you what we were talking about if you tell me what you were dreaming about."
"What?"
"You were moaning, Harry. It… it sounded… odd."
He flushed. "Oh, er… it wasn't anything… spectacular."
"Really." She said flatly.
"Er… yeah. Really."
"Leave, Harry."
"What?"
"I said 'leave'."
"But…"
"Unless you want to tell me the truth."
He sighed. This had gotten way out of hand. He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "I… I'm sorry, 'Mione. I just… I really don't want to talk about it yet."
"I see."
"It's… it's not what you think."
"Really."
Harry knew things were going very badly and they were only getting worse. He was afraid to tell her, however. She would yell at him for going into Voldemort's mind and insist he go to Professor Spellsinger or the headmaster. He was already stressed enough about the new training sessions with them. Headmaster Dumbledore was, if anything, a stricter taskmaster than the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. His mind was feeling overworked and badly rested, which is why he was napping while he waited for Ginny. Both professors told him to keep his extra training to himself, so Hermione and Ron had no idea he was going through a mental workout every night for an hour after dinner. It was getting harder and harder to keep their curiosity at bay, but he only had another week and a half of it before he was done. At the rate he was improving, he would be able to control his telepathic abilities just in time for the holiday.
"'Mione…"
"You know what, Harry? Never mind! It's obvious you don't want to share what is going on with you and I honestly don't want to continue spending all my time guessing as to what you're up to. So fine! Do whatever you want, but do it without me. I'm tired of this." Hermione was beginning to get hysterical. "You disappear every night and refuse to tell us where you've been. Well I guess I can figure out the answer to that! I can't believe you still have the audacity to pretend that the only reason we're not together was because you're afraid Voldemort will target me. Well guess what Harry – I'm a target anyway. I'm a target because I'm your best friend. So's Ron. And before you start getting all noble and self-sacrificing about the two of us, let me remind you that this war is about a lot more than just you.
"Ron and I are targets without you, Harry. Me, because I'm a brilliant muggle-born who is more powerful than most pure-bloods at this school. Ron, because his entire pure-blood family opposes Voldemort and is not shy about it. My family will be among the first to suffer because of me and what I can do, Harry. Not you! And what about poor Ron? He's already lost Percy because of this…"
"…because of me…"
"NO! Not because of you! Because he is so blinded by ambition that he's willing to reject his entire family for the opportunity to get ahead. And now he won't admit that he was wrong because of his stupid pride! The world does not revolve around Harry Potter!"
"I don't want you to get hurt! I don't want them to come after you more than they already do!"
"Do you honestly think they're that stupid, Harry?" Her soft response caught him off guard.
"What?"
"Do you really think Voldemort and his Death Eaters care whether or not you have formally acknowledged your feelings for me? You think they can't tell how you feel? How stupid do you think they are?"
Her words hit him like a ton of bricks.
"They're not going to go after me because you tell the world that I'm your girlfriend, Harry. They'll go after me because they know it will hurt you. Whether I am your best friend, girlfriend, or lover. They. Don't. Care."
Harry had to admit she had a point. Deep down, however, he still felt she was better off if he kept his distance. It was a hard decision, but ultimately, her safety was the most important thing to him. Aside from her friendship. Glancing quickly at her, he could tell she was very upset. He knew she wanted to know about his dream, but why was she so distraught over it?
Suddenly it all made sense.
"It's already all over the school, Ginny. We all figured you and Harry would get together, but I can see how he needed to get his female best friend out of his system first…" " When was the last time you waited up for me..." "You disappear every night and refuse to tell us where you've been. Well I guess I can figure out the answer to that…"
"You're jealous?" he exclaimed incredulously.
"Wh… what?"
"'Mione, are you jealous of Ginny?"
"Wha… why would you think that?" Her eyes looked anywhere but him and her face was flushed.
He laughed.
"What are you laughing at?" She glared at him indignantly.
"It… it's just… you can't…"
She huffed and turned away, angry that he was having a laugh at her expense.
Harry quickly stifled his amusement. "'Mione… love… please look at me."
Hermione whirled to face him at the endearment. Her lip trembled and he could see the vulnerability in her eyes. He needed to be careful here. Thanks to his need to protect her, things had gone dangerously wrong.
He took her hand. "I love you, Hermione Granger. I love you with everything I am. I…I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't realize things were so bad for you. Why didn't you tell me what all those people were saying?"
"I… thought you knew," she whispered.
Pulling her closer, he wrapped his arms around her. "No. I wish I had known. Although, it's probably better that I didn't." She jerked back in surprise. "I would have lost a hideous amount of points for Gryffindor," he continued mischievously.
She laughed.
"Don't believe it, 'Mione. You are far better than they will ever understand. You're beautiful, inside and out; intelligent – brilliant, really; caring, compassionate, and best of all, you understand me. You love me despite the fact that you know more about me than anyone else in this world. You understand more than even I probably know and still you stay with me and tell me when I'm being a git."
"You're being a git, Harry."
He chuckled. "You are the one I want to be with. Not Ginny Weasley. She's… well, like a sister, really. I mean, we have Quidditch and the Weasely family in common. What else really is there? She's not the one that's been with me since the beginning, by my side, fighting for my life and the lives of everyone we care about. When I think about the person I want beside me, I think of you." He kissed her softly. "I think of you all the time, 'Mione. It kills me to be away from you like this, but…" She buried herself in his arms. "You're right. I guess it is obvious how I feel about you. But if we stay apart… if I keep telling myself that we're friends now and can be together when this is all over… I can think. I can breathe. And I'm not nearly as afraid. I know, it's stupid. But having you as my girlfriend makes me more afraid than I can explain. I can't… the fear is overwhelming." His arms tightened around her. "You're brilliant, 'Mione. You can keep you and Ron safe if you pay attention, which you do, and keep yourself prepared for anything. When the time comes, Voldemort will probably try to get you, but ultimately it can only be him and me. I don't think I can face that if we're truly together. Maybe I'm a coward, but…"
"Shhhh. I understand, Harry. I… well, honestly I still don't agree with you. I think we're stronger together. All three of us. But I see your point and will respect your wishes."
"I'm not with Ginny, Hermione. I never have been. Maybe at one time it might have been possible, but you and I have been through too much together for anyone to hold a candle to the bond we share. I love you." He kissed her. "I always will." Another kiss. "There will never be another." Burying his fingers in her silky hair, he captured her mouth, pouring all his love into his kiss. Hermione returned it with equal passion, stopping only at the sound of a twig breaking nearby.
It was Ron.
He scowled at them. "Class is starting in ten minutes."
The day passed slowly, placing itself firmly in Harry's list of most unpleasant days of his life. Students either glared at him or offered him congratulations for finally getting together with Ginny Weasley. Ron was infuriated to find out how popular his sister was with the other boys and spent most of the day glowering at everyone that came near them. Hermione was on the verge of tears all day and it was all Harry could do not to leap up on his desk and tell everyone how he loved her. The most he could do, however, was confirm Ginny's assertion that they were just friends and that someone misunderstood what was going on.
By the end of the day he was furious.
Harry stalked back to Gryffindor, looking as if he was going to hex the next person that spoke with him. He just wanted to get away from all the gossiping chatter and prying eyes. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain that the entire situation was ridiculous. Unfortunately, Harry found himself agreeing with Snape for once on the intellectual capacity of his classmates. Lavender and Parvati especially. If he had to hear one more thing about Trelawney's prophesizing his and Ginny's marriage, he was going to explode.
"Potter."
Bugger. Not now. He turned, unsurprised to see Draco Malfoy and his two goons. "Leave me alone, Malfoy. Now is a very bad time."
The Slytherin smirked. "Yes, I understand that today has been a delightful exercise in trying to quell the rumours that you and the Weaselette finally got together. That must have been entertaining."
"What do you want, Malfoy?"
"To thank you."
"What?"
"Thanks to you, this has been one of the most interesting days in this pathetically boring year. I simply can't wait to see what the rumour-mill has planned for you next."
Harry felt his ire beginning to spiral out of control. He turned to walk away.
"Really, Potter. How can you be surprised at the way people have reacted to your little display this morning? I imagine Granger was quite unimpressed. Maybe you should go find your little Mudblood and give her some of that Gryffindor comfort. I hear she's up in the east tower, weeping her eyes out."
Draco turned, jerking his head for Crabbe and Goyle to follow, and then paused. "I also understand the Weaselette has cornered most of your house and is giving them a rather significant piece of her mind." He smirked. "Merlin knows they can use it."
Harry looked at the Slytherin Prefect in surprise. "Er… thanks, Malfoy. I'll… er…"
"Just go, Potter." Draco spun and left without another word.
Was Malfoy helping me? There were a lot of things that surprised Harry over the years, but the thought of Draco Malfoy helping him find Hermione in order to console her was probably the strangest. Maybe he was right about the identity of Ginny's secret admirer. Merlin. When Ron found out, he and Hermione would be the least of his concerns. Shaking his head, he trotted off toward the east wing.
Hermione was curled up on the floor of the east tower, obviously having cried herself to sleep. Her head rested on her cloak, honey-brown locks of curly hair spread around her like a halo. She looked so peaceful like this, all lines of sadness and worry gone from her face. Harry hated the idea of waking her up just to see it all return. Maybe he could hold off for a little while. He went over and sat down next to her, tenderly stroking her hair as she slept. A tiny smile came to her lips and he had to resist the impulse to kiss her. Carefully so as not to wake her, he pulled her head into his lap and then watched over her. His hand found its way to her hair again and she gave a contented sigh as he began running gentle fingers through the soft curls.
She is so beautiful, he thought. How anyone could think Hermione was unworthy of him he could never fathom. If anything, he figured they would think him unworthy of her. She was brilliant, caring, friendly, knowledgeable – the brightest witch of her age – and loyal. Hermione's loyalty to her friends was unshakable and the love she felt for him was unbounded. What he did to deserve it he had no idea, but he swore he would find a way to keep it.
"I love you," he whispered.
Hermione sighed contentedly and snuggled further into his lap. "I love you too, Harry," she said softly.
"Are you awake, love?"
"Mmmm hmmm. Just enjoying this."
He smiled. Sneaky woman. "You feeling better?"
She groaned. "A bit. A lot more now that you're here, actually. I… I'm glad you came. I guess I needed you more than I thought."
"I'll always be there when you need me, 'Mione. No matter what."
Her arm snaked around him and gave him a squeeze. "Thank you, Harry."
He snorted ruefully. "It was really bad, wasn't it?"
"Terrible."
"I really buggered things up."
"Royally."
"I never thought people would still be on about me getting together with Ginny. Especially now that she… er… uh…"
"Met her secret admirer?"
"Er… yeah. How did you…"
"I'm not an idiot, Harry.
"I know, love. I guess I just…"
She sat up and placed a finger on his lips. "It's okay. It's just been a very hard day. I imagine it hasn't been easy for Ginny and Ron, either."
Harry snorted. "Yeah. Especially with Ron gleefully helping the rumours along. He was so thrilled at the idea of me and Ginny."
"Ugh. And he was thrilled at the thought that maybe I might turn to him for comfort."
"Is that why you're up here instead of back at the dorms?"
She nodded. "I was tired of him trying to console me. It was so insincere and all I wanted to do was hex him."
"It was Lavender and Parvati for me. I could have cheerfully made all their hair fall out during Independent Study today."
"Oh no!"
"All they could talk about was how Ginny and I belonged together – you know, the Handsome Prince and the Helpless but Beautiful Princess – and that it was about time we got off our duffs and made a go at it. Then they started babbling about how they predicted it and how Madam Trelawney foresaw everything, including my tragic death. But not before giving birth to a son who will change the world." He grimaced. "Then she made me write my own prediction based on the feelings I had for my 'new girlfriend'."
"Oh Harry, that's terrible."
Harry snorted. "It gets better. "Trewlawny thought I didn't put the proper effort into my prediction. She made me stay after class because she was unhappy with it. I guess the death was not gruesome enough."
The beautiful Gryffindor snorted. "So you changed it?"
"No, actually it was pretty odd. She told me I needed to release my fears and only then could I achieve oneness with my destiny. Then she started spouting off all sorts of rubbish."
"Oh dear. What did she say?"
He shrugged. "Something about the essence of the Founders being reborn in the souls of their children and all that rot."
Hermione looked at him, suddenly very serious. "Harry. Do you remember exactly what she said?"
"Er… I wrote it down in my notes."
"Good." She leaped up. "Come on! I need to go check something. Meet me in the Library with your notes."
"But, what about…"
"Bring Ron with you. It's important!"
Before Harry could react, Hermione gave him a swift peck on the lips and darted out the door.
It was not easy to drag Ron out of the common room. Things had calmed down and he was seated by the fire, embroiled in a particularly challenging game of wizard's chess with Seamus. Ron ignored Harry the first several times he tried to get his attention, paying mind only to the game. Frustrated, Harry waved his wand over the board, freezing all the pieces.
"Hey! What did you do that for?" Ron glared at him indignantly.
Harry grabbed his arm. "You can come back and finish the game later. This is more important."
Ron pulled away. "I case you forgot, Harry, I am a prefect. I have patrol in less than an hour!"
"Which is why we need to go now. Hermione's waiting."
"What… where are we going, Harry?"
"Where else?"
Ron rolled his eyes at the familiar sight of the library doors. "I should have guessed," he muttered.
Hermione was seated at her regular table, surrounded by books. Most of them were very large, covered in dust and obviously very old.
"All right, Hermione, what is it?" Ron asked without preamble.
"Harry, let me see your notes."
Ron sighed noisily, making his annoyance plain as the raven-haired Gryffindor handed over the slim book. Hermione ignored him and immediately turned it to the last written page and began to read.
In the Time of Great Darkness
Shall the essence of the Founders return in the souls of their children.
Born to Light, there will be a Son and Daughter, imbued with the Powers of the Ancients.
Together with Merlin's Daughter and the Son of Shadows
They shall forge an Alliance of the sons and daughters of Magic.
With the Healer, the Seer, the Guardian and the Companion
They will change the face of the world and bring Peace eternal.
But be wary, for the soul of the Evil One shall call to its shadow
And betrayal shall rip the bonds of Light apart.
All will be lost if the Beloved falls to Darkness.
Hermione gasped. "Oh my god! This is it! I can't believe it."
"What?"
"She did it again, Harry. Trelawney actually channeled another prophecy." He gazed at her, shocked. "To be more accurate, she completed an already existing prophecy. Take a look."
Harry looked over her shoulder, along with Ron who joined reluctantly, to see the large tome in front of Hermione. It was open to a page covered in large, loopy handwriting. On the opposite page was a picture of Cassandra Trelawney, the woman responsible for what was labeled the "Founder's Foretelling". According to the short narrative, it was the final prediction of the great Seer and was never completed. The only thing she would say about it, said the book, was that "one day, a child of her line would finish it once the pieces were in place." For years, the world of Divination has awaited such an event, but as of the writing of this book, neither her daughter or granddaughter have managed to complete the prophecy.
Hermione continued matter-of-factly. "It's also known as the 'Unfinished Prophecy' and there's a reward for the person that registers it."
Harry glanced over the handwritten page.
In the Time of Great Darkness
Shall the essence of the Founders return in the souls of their children.
Born to Light, there will be a Son and Daughter, imbued with the Powers of the Ancients.
Together with Merlin's Daughter and the Son of Shadows
They shall forge an Alliance of the sons and daughters of Magic.
"The entire last half of the prophecy isn't there!" he exclaimed.
Hermione nodded. "It's been one of the great puzzles of the Wizarding world. Cassandra Trelawney always said that there was more to it, but as time has passed, fewer people believed it. There are some who say that she was only trying to get more attention than she already had."
Harry snorted.
"So what's the big deal?" asked Ron belligerently.
"The big deal, Ronald, is that Madam Trelawney, great-great-granddaughter of one of the greatest seers that ever lived, completed an ancient prophecy that seems to provide hints as to how we defeat the 'Evil One' and bring peace to the world." Hermione glared. "Honestly! One would think even you would understand that!"
"This coming from the girl who walked out on Divination."
"I walked out, Ronald, because Madam Trelawney's class is a fake. Nothing she teaches has any value in the magical world whatsoever. I refused to spend my time reading tea leaves and making predictions about Harry's death when I could be studying real instances of Divination and the methods by which it is used."
Harry looked surprised. "That's your current project, isn't it? You're trying to figure out how to make Divination more scientific."
"That's Arithmancy, Harry. I was actually working with Firenze to understand the process of Divination." She ducked her head, embarrassed. "I think the only thing I learned was that there is no process and that I will never understand it."
Ron grinned as if it were Christmas. "Did I just hear you correctly? Did the Great Hermione Granger finally admit that there is something that she doesn't know? By Merlin, I need to write this down."
Hermione glared. "You're not helping, Ronald."
"What's with the 'Ronald' anyway? Are you upset or something?"
"You think?"
Harry interposed himself as Ron stepped toward his female best friend. "Whoa. That's it, guys. Time to get to your corners and cool off." Ron looked confused. "That means relax, Ron. There's no need to fight."
Hermione harrumphed and muttered under her breath.
Ignoring her quiet commentary, Harry asked, "So what now? Do we take this to Dumbledore?"
"I think that would be a good idea. At the very least, he needs to know about it. Maybe he can see if it's an authentic prophecy."
Harry frowned. "So, what if it is? What do we do then?"
"Oy, we can burn that bridge when we cross it, mate."
Harry and Hermione snickered. "Right. Let's be off, then."
I hope you enjoyed the surprise of something less soap operatic. I've always intended to have more adventure in this story. My problem is that I'm just too bloody long-winded and wanted to get some of the drama out of the way before I started on the adventure. Let me know what you think.