"Hi." I look up at the sound of Harry's voice and see him standing next to me as I sit at one of the long desks against the shelves in the library.
I frown and return to my work. We haven't spoken in weeks, both of us are too stubborn to apologise, not that I have anything to apologise for. "May I help you with something?" I grumble as my quill scratches against the parchment.
"I need to talk to you." Harry leans in and whispers, "It's about Malfoy."
"Whatever it is, I don't want to hear it."
"Please Hermione, I promise it isn't another one of my theories." Harry pleaded. I closed my eyes and sighed.
"Fine," I huffed as I pushed myself up from the desk and followed Harry to a section where we wouldn't be overheard.
"Last night I followed Malfoy," he started, I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. "Just hear me out alright?"
I tapped my foot impatiently.
"I followed Malfoy who was out late last night. He ran into Snape and they got into an argument."
I uncrossed my arms, "An argument about what?" I asked. Draco told me he was going to bed last night after we had been together.
"I am not sure exactly. Snape kept telling him 'let me help you' and Malfoy kept refusing. Then Snape said something about making an unbreakable vow with Malfoy's mother."
My eyes widened. "An unbreakable vow? Are you certain?" I asked, an unbreakable vow was serious, not something one tends to enter in lightly. What could have made Draco's mother make an unbreakable vow with Snape?
Harry nodded, "Yes, and then Malfoy shouted some more about how he doesn't care, and that it's his assignment and told Snape to piss off before he stormed away."
I began pacing and wringing my hands together, "I don't understand. Why would Draco's mother make an unbreakable vow?"
"Hermione, I need to know, has Draco told you anything about an assignment?"
"No, as far as I know he isn't even completing his schoolwork." I answered, chewing on my bottom lip out of anxiousness.
"It's an assignment from Voldemort. Hermione, think, that is the only explanation. That's why he has been skipping classes and why Snape is bound by a vow to help him. Voldemort tasked him with something."
"Harry, why would Voldemort ask a sixteen year old to carry out a task? Why wouldn't he ask Snape to do it? Snape has more access to places and people at Hogwarts than Draco does."
"It's too obvious with Snape. And Voldemort might not trust him completely since he knows Snape is close to Dumbledore. Hermione," Harry grabbed my shoulders to keep me from moving, he looked at me, and in his most serious voice said, "I need you to talk to Malfoy about this. I need you to try and find out something."
I nodded, not really trusting my voice at the moment. Harry was right, this theory did make sense and I have known that there is something more happening than Draco has been letting on. "I will." I said finally. Harry nodded and let me go.
"I am sorry I went off on you." He said.
"I'm sorry too, I know how this looks and I know I shouldn't have kept it from you. But you have to trust me and believe it when I say that he is different when he is with me."
"It's hard." He said, "But I do trust you and you're the most intelligent person I have ever met. If you say that he has changed then I believe you, but I also don't want you to be blinded by your feelings to see that maybe parts of him haven't changed."
"I will speak to him and find out what I can."
Harry wrapped me up in a hug, "Be careful." And I knew he meant with my heart.
xxx
"Why won't you just talk to me!" I shouted at Draco. We have been having an argument for about 10 minutes now and we keep going in circles. Standing out by the Quidditch shed, I approached him about what Harry mentioned.
"I am talking to you. I talk to you all the bloody time." Draco clenched his fists by his sides.
"Draco, tell me what happened between you and Professor Snape. Harry said-"
Draco growled at the mention of Harry's name. "Scarhead needs to learn to mind his own fucking business. I told you there is nothing going on. Snape's just trying to act like my father. I didn't turn in a potions assignment."
"I can tell that you are lying to me Draco," I reached for the sides of his shirt, "Please, please tell me the truth." I begged as I looked up at him. I could feel his whole body start to tremble like he was losing control. His eyes grew darker and I could tell he was occulating, "Please." I breathed, "You can tell me anything. I can help you."
At that he reached for my hands and took them off his shirt. His face hardened, "Don't say that."
"Draco-"
"Stop asking me Hermione." He let my hands go and stepped back.
"So that's it then?" I said, "You're just going to occulate and push it all away and I am just supposed to accept that and act as though there is nothing going on."
"Yeah, I guess so." He avoided my eyes.
"Alright, well then, I guess I'll go." I left him there behind the shed, wiping away tears in my eyes as I made my way back to the castle. Harry was alone in the common room when I returned.
"How did it go?" He asked with a hopeful voice.
I shook my head, "It didn't. I'm sorry." I sobbed. Harry rushed over and embraced me.
"I'm sorry too."
I stepped back and wiped my face, "If I keep crying my face will be puffy at Slughorn's Christmas Party."
"Did you ask Ron?" Harry asked.
I shook my head, "I haven't had a moment with him, he's too busy sucking Lavender Brown's face."
"And I'm guessing taking Draco is off the table."
I nodded, "You'd be correct."
"Well let's go together then!"
I moaned, "Oh Harry why didn't you say that before, that's brilliant."
"Why?"
"Well I already asked someone. Ugh!" I groaned in frustration and stomped off to my dorm.
xxx
"You look great Granger." Cormac McLaggan greeted me. I gave my best smile.
"Thank you, you look nice as well." I replied and took the arm he offered.
"So should we agree on a time to ditch the party for some fun of our own?"
Oh great, he is already planning us to be snogging after this. "Uh well, I have to stay the whole time. You know because I am a club member."
"Right." He replied. We walk the rest of the way in an awkward silence and I leave him as soon as I see an opening. What a bloody brilliant idea this was.
Actively trying to avoid someone is a lot more tiresome than I thought. I found myself crouching behind a curtain, praying to the gods that he cannot see my silhouette through the fabric. As I am trying to test whether or not the fabric is transparent, footsteps appear in my line of vision and I freeze.
"What are you doing, Granger?" Draco's voice causes me to look up and drop the fabric.
Surprised, I stand and smooth out my pleated dress. I look up to see him staring at me, looking at the v shaped neckline I am sporting tonight.
I frowned, "I could ask you the same thing, Malfoy." I used his surname to try and bother him. It looks like it worked.
He scoffed in response. I rolled my eyes. "Fine, If you must know, I am hiding from my date." I whispered, "And you were sneaking around to…?"
"Shut it Granger." He gritted out stepping closer.
"Well this has been lovely," I whispered again, "You may leave."
"I'm not leaving." Draco whispered back.
"I just told you I am trying to hide from-"
"McLaggen? Yes, I know." He said facing the party from this side of the curtain. "Why? Did you confound him again?"
I glared at him, "Not that you deserve to know, because you're being a right prat," I swear I saw a twitch of a smirk appear on his face, "But he kept trying to lead us to the mistletoe." Draco clenched his fists briefly looking at me before returning his gaze to the party. "And," I continue, "he is just, ugh! All he talks about is Quidditch. What is it with teenage boys? They are either incredibly boring, or in your case emotionally disengaged."
Draco snorted, before backing up to the wall as a waiter poked his head through the curtain where we were hiding. He offered us something that sounded completely revolting.
"Just as well," he replied, "they make your breath stink."
I reached for the tray, "On second thought, would you mind leaving this, I'm famished." He nodded and exited our secret hideout.
I caught Draco's look of curiosity, "Well I'm hoping they can keep Cormac at bay," I responded, "And it's not like you'll be kissing me later."
"Certainly not anymore, Granger," he said leaning forward to sniff the food and grimaced as he pulled away, "By the way your date is heading this way."
Panicking, I pushed the tray into his hands, "Shite." I said and scurried away.
xxx
"Malfoy."
"McLaggen." I replied, my eyes on Granger fleeing.
"Were you just speaking to Hermione?"
I scoffed, "What could I possibly have to say to Granger?"
He sighed and looked around, "I can't seem to find her anywhere."
"Well, I'll organise a search party." I told him, my tone dripping with sarcasm. I thrust the tray into his hands and walked away from the bumbling fool. Why Granger brought him as her date I'll never understand.
I found her in another corner seemingly trying to sneak out without anyone seeing her. "There you are." I said and she jumped.
Making the noise she makes when she is filled with irritation she responded, "What do you want?"
I tried not to breathe in anymore of the foul scent that came from her mouth. What in Merlin's name did she eat? "Well for starters I need you to conjure a breath mint."
She shot me a glare before faffing about in her bag trying to find one. Successfully she did and popped it into her mouth, holding it between her teeth she showed it to me, "Satisfied?" She asked with a sarcastic tone.
"Not particularly, no."
"I don't like you." She said and crossed her arms.
"That's fine. However your date is desperately trying to find you so take your pick Granger, me or him?" I pointed behind me in the general direction of McLaggen.
She looked over my shoulder and sighed, "Fine, I'll pick you."
"Excellent, let's go." I grabbed her arm and we slipped out the door.
xxx
"Alright, this is as far as I am going unless you are ready to start talking to me." I had led her as far as the staircase leading up to the Astronomy tower before she halted and refused to budge. She yanked her arm away from me.
"Granger, I need you to stop asking questions. I need you to just let me have this secret." I looked up following the staircase with my eyes.
"Then why?"
"Why what?" I turned to face her.
"Why any of this? Why did you even bother starting this again this year if you knew you couldn't be honest with me. Why drag me along for months, telling me not to worry, not to comment. Why give me a bloody bracelet? Draco, I can tell you're not well. I see it on your face, your clothes are hanging off of you, I rarely see you at meals. You look tired, like you're not sleeping and you are hardly attending classes. So why?"
"You don't think I ask myself that question daily?" I spat. "It's just one more thing I have to blame myself for, getting you involved."
"I am not even involved! You won't let me help you!" She threw her hands in the air, truly exasperated by me.
"I need you-"
"And what about what I need from you?" She asked. "I need honesty."
I pinched the bridge of my nose. Just tell her you idiot, make her swear not to go running to Scarhead and Weasel. If she helps you then you'll probably have it solved within a week and you won't have to face him over Christmas break. Just tell her. Trust her.
"Draco?" Her voice is small and scared. I am scaring her.
I took a deep breath and opened my arms. She ran into them and wrapped her own around me. I closed my eyes and breathed in her perfume. Holding on tighter I imagined our life without all of the darkness.
She pulls back and I know it's time to speak.
"It's my family." I started, "The Dark Lord wants me to find something for him. A family heirloom of the Black's that was lost when my great-aunt died and her sons were gone from the house."
"An heirloom?" She asked, trying to decipher my tone.
"Yes, I am trying to find it. That's why I am so tired and why I have been missing classes. I have been pouring over catalogues and transaction records from Borgin and Burkes to see if someone brought it in for a trade. I have also been trying to secure records from similar stores in Bulgaria where lots of dark magical objects tend to end up."
Her face switched from scepticism to concern, "You think it possesses dark magic?"
I shook my head, "No, but Pureblood heirlooms always end up in those types of places."
"And what about Professor Snape and the unbreakable vow?"
I shrugged, "I really don't know. I asked my mother about it and she never replied."
Hermione nodded. "That's it then? Voldemort asked you to find a family heirloom."
"Yes, that's it. You know he can read minds, I just didn't want to have to occulate more than I already have to. That's why I want to keep you away from this." I rubbed her arms.
"I understand, yes, of course." She smiled, "Thank you for telling me."
I pulled her into a hug, "I wish I could see you over Christmas break."
"I plan to come back early to study." She replied.
I nodded, "I will try to come back early too. So I can help you study."
Hermione laughed, "Yes, I am sure you'll be very helpful."
"I'll give you a kiss for every question you answer correctly."
"And if I answer them all correctly?"
"You'll get a surprise." I told her and kissed the tip of her nose. I wish I could have bottled up that happiness to take with me.
xxx
"Tell me Draco, how close are you to completing the task?" His voice hissed out.
I craned my neck to look up at him, "Very close My Lord." I rasped out. The tile was so cold beneath me, I could feel it through my clothes as I knelt on the dining room floor in front of him. I knew what was coming. At this point I could only hope the pain of it was half as bad as the pain from the Cruciatus Curse he had used on me earlier.
"Are you ready to pledge your allegiance to the cause? Are you ready to accept your fate in the fight for glory?"
"Yes, My Lord. I am ready to join you." I didn't dare look at my parents. My mother, using every ounce of self control not to rip me away and apparate us.
"Very well then. You may rise, Draco." I obeyed. "Please step forward," He hissed.
At that moment, all I thought about was Granger.
