Chapter 15

Ron was acting like a complete idiot, and Hermione regretted using the Confundus Charm on McLaggen during the Qudditch trails, to help Ron become the Keeper for the Gryffindor team. She wanted to help him because he was her friend, but Ron just had to be egomaniacal about it and boast about his natural skills and talent to everyone for the following two whole weeks.

It's not that she wasn't happy for him… But it was his act that irked her.

It wasn't even the fact that she helped his 'natural skills' to beat Cormac, it wasn't his sudden boost of confidence. It was more the fact that Ron could not look past the end of his nose.

And more specifically… He couldn't accept that he couldn't be a part of something Hermione and Harry were a part of… Ever since he found out about Slughorn's upcoming Christmas party, he's been extensively expressing his jealousy over the fact that he wasn't invited.

"Anyways, I was thinking we could go to Hogsmeade this Saturday and get some of that new Twitty-Toffee Candy from Honeydukes." Ron suggested as the three of them sat in the common room.

"Yeah sure Ron, let's go why not. We could all use a little break I think." Harry replied, more than happy to jump at a chance to finally leave the castle. He's been incredibly busy since the start of their 6th year.

"Slughorn's Christmas party is on Saturday, Harry, and there's no way you'll be able to wriggle out of this one because he actually asked me to check your free evenings, so he could be sure to have it on a night you can come." Hermione said looking up from her book.

"Ah that... I forgot about that. Sorry Ron, maybe next time?" Things between Harry and Professor Slughorn have been slightly awkward since Aragog's funeral in November.

Potions professor must have felt ashamed of what he had revealed to Harry that day in his half drunken state, and Harry was avoiding Slughorn who was doing his best to not look Harry in the eyes every time he saw him.

As Harry told them later, Slughorn was the one who told Voldemort about a Horcrux, which was a powerful object in which a Dark wizard or witch, hid a fragment of his or her soul for the purpose of attaining immortality.

Creating one Horcrux gives one the ability to anchor one's own soul to earth if the body is destroyed.

It was quite a piece of information. It was some disgusting dark magic, and if it didn't literally involve ripping ones soul into pieces, she would probably feel jealous of Voldemort. But she was nowhere crazy enough to subject Regulus to such pain that came with the use of that kind of magic. She already felt bad enough for tying Regulus' soul to her own to stop it from dying with his body, and then trying to resurrect him.

He wasn't the kind of a person to appreciate such a gesture, she knew he wouldn't have chosen that for himself. But she didn't care, she was too selfish.

Her failure still bothered her, but she refused to give in to her aching heart once more. Harry revealed to them that Dumbledore was looking for the horcruxes and he had an idea of what some of them might be as Dumbledore was now sure Tom Riddle made more than just one.

"Sure" Ron replied with a frown. He was the only one out of the trio who was not invited as he wasn't a part of the stupid club. And it clearly bruised his pride. "Slug Club. It's pathetic." He whined.

"Just because you're not a part of something, it doesn't make it pathetic Ron. We can always go to Hogsmeade next week." Hermione said, turning over the page of the book she was reading.

"Well, I hope you enjoy your party. Why don't you try hooking up with McLaggen, then Slughorn can make you King and Queen Slug!" Ron mocked in bitter envy.

"We're allowed to bring guests, and I was going to ask you to come, but on a second thought your suggestion does sound much better! It would have been nice if the three of us could go and spend nice time with each other but since you think it's that stupid then I won't trouble you." She replied calmly, refusing to let him get on her nerves.

And if that wasn't enough of his unreasonable behaviour, not more than two days later Hermione found him snogging Lavender Brown in a corridor.

She couldn't understand him at all.

Was he now going out with Lavender in spite of her for not asking him to go with her to the party? Was this about Ginny? He got pretty worked up over his younger sister's relationship with Dean the week before, when he accidentally saw them together.

Whatever strange phase he was going through Hermione had better things to do than worry about Ron.

She ended up showing up to the party on her own, preferring that over the company of McLaggen, who did in fact ask her to go with him. She declined saying they both have invitation and it would be more fun to invite somebody without one.

He bought it and left her alone.

Hermione was thinking whether she should have just used her own excuse and invite someone, anyone, because now she was the only person at the round table, sitting with an empty space next to her.

"So tell me Cormac, do you see any of your uncle Tiberius these days?" Slughorn was initiating the conversation picking on everyone present with no particular order.

"Ah, yes Sir, in fact I'm meant to go hunting with him and the minister of magic over the holidays" The blonde who kept staring at Hermione seductively ever since they sat down, replied proudly.

"Oh! Well make sure to give them both my best! What about your uncle Belby?" Professor turned to his next pray. "Ah! For those of you that don't know Marcus' uncle invented the wolfsbane potion. Is he working on anything new?"

"I don't know. Him and dad don't get on" Belby choked out with his mouth full of ice cream. "My dad thinks his potions are rubbish" Slughorn nodded his head and his eyes finally landed on her.

"What about you Miss Granger? What exactly does your family do in the muggle world?" He asked with a big smile, no doubt eager to find out all about the curious connections of one of his best students, but what could she say? She was about to reply when the door opened and Filch came inside dragging Draco Malfoy in with him.

"Argh! Get your hands off me, you filthy squib!" The blonde protested but Filch's grip kept him in place.

"Professor Slughorn Sir, I just discovered this boy, looking in an upstairs corridor, he claims to have been invited to your party" The caretaker said to the troubled Professor.

"I invited him!" Hermione said surprising everyone in the room, including herself.

"What?!" Harry whispered to her, taken aback.

"Is that so? Then I suppose I will leave you here" Filch let go of him and left saying his respectful goodbyes to Slughorn.

"Please, join us Mr. Malfoy" Slughorn smiled at Draco, who's gaze travelled to Hermione. He slowly made his way to the seat next to her, on her right. Harry, who was sitting on her left was at loss for words as their biggest school enemy sat down next to his friend.

"I apologise for being late Professor, something came up" he provided an excuse for his late arrival when already seated. The conversation resumed with Slughorn forgetting all about Hermione and bothering someone else instead.

She saw Draco having some sort of a silent conversation with Blaise Zabini across the table. She had no doubt he will come for an explanation later in the evening. The rest of the dinner went by in silence from both Draco and Harry. She could only feel his eyes on her every now and then but she focused on the discussion Slughorn was leading.

"Why did you lie for me Granger?" Draco approached her later during the party, bringing her a drink for appearances. He moved to stand next to her.

"It was convenient." She replied swiftly, sipping on her new drink.

"For you or me?" The blonde drawled.

"For both of us" She turned her head and met his eyes. "I don't know what you've been doing fixing the Vanishing Cabinet, but it sure doesn't feel like a school project Malfoy" She hissed leaning over behind him as if reaching for something to put her mouth closer to his ear, not wanting anyone to overhear. She felt him stiffen at her words. He clearly wasn't expecting anyone to know about his secret midnight ventures.

"I don't know what you're talking about" He hissed back. He was trying to read her but her eyes remained fixed on his, not revealing any emotions.

"How is your arm? It's been a while since the last ointment jar I gave you, it must have run out by now" She smiled and turned to face the room, away from him. She was driving him insane, acting so sly and cunning like she's a… like a… like a Slythrin!

She was a Gryffindor for Salazar's sake!

"What's your deal Granger? Are you spying on me?" He sneered, trying to compose himself.

"I suppose you're not as stealthy as you'd like to believe." She said before putting a whole butter cupcake in her mouth. It was a small one but it was enough to make her look like Ron during every meal ever. Draco winced and passed her a napkin.

"Thank you" she choked out.

"How did you know I got… that my arm hurt?" He gulped.

"I read about it" She replied casually, making him shake his head at her in disbelief. Seeing the looks he was giving her she rolled her eyes and smirked. "Fine, I saw you touch your left forearm and wince so I figured it hurt, and being the good friend I am, I wanted to make you feel better." She pouted.

"You're unbelievable" He mumbled feeling utterly baffled. She made him feel like she knew he got the dark mark on his arm and sh…

"Does he call you often?" She asked suddenly, making him freeze.

"What?"

"You know who, does he make your arm hurt very often?"

He was speechless… How did she know?

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. But be careful Draco. You're playing a very dangerous game" She said looking at him again. She saw his face darken and he was about to reply with some rude, cutting remark when he was interrupted by Professor Snape coming over.

"I hate to interrupt your little date Miss. Granger, I'm sure whatever you were so passionately conversing about was very enlightening and no doubt of utmost importance, but I must now steal Mr. Malfoy away" Snape growled in his husky low voice.

"Not at all Professor, we were just discussing Malfoy's extracurricular activities." She smiled at her frowning professor. "We just finished" she added sipping her drink.

"We will finish this later" He hissed at her before turning to follow Snape. Hermione grabbed his left arm making him wince and turn to him. She looked at Snape who stopped and was watching them both like a hawk. She looked straight into Draco's eyes.

"I slipped a new ointment jar in your bag earlier today, make sure you use it." She said glancing at his arm quickly before looking back into his eyes. She smiled last time and letting go of his aching arm she left to find Harry, who would no doubt have million questions in stock for her.

Harry have asked her many questions but she told him that she wanted to annoy Ron and Malfoy was all too eager to get on Ron's nerves. Harry seemed to accept that explanation and didn't question it anymore.

Her and Ron always argued plenty but this year they seemed to have been on each other's throats more than usual. She couldn't work out what his deal was, but Ron's feelings weren't exactly a priority for her. He was always mean to her since the first year and she had no doubts that of it wasn't for Harry they probably wouldn't have been friends.

She felt much closer to Malfoy than Ron.

Despite all their mutual dislike for each other, on several occasions they found allies in each other, in their times of need. Her relationship with Ron however was simple. And it started, and ended with Harry Potter.

…At least that's what she thought, until she was at the receiving end of his tantrum when he found out just who she invited to the party instead of him.

"Have you gone insane Hermione! Inviting that... that Death Eater! To Slughorn's party instead of your friend?!" He was screeching and getting all worked up. She knew Draco was Ron's enemy number one and her taking him to the party was practically a crime, but it's not like she planned it. But she couldn't tell him that, he would ask more questions. Besides why should she have to explain herself to him?

"You made your feelings about the Slug club clear Ron, I thought you wouldn't want to go." She explained calmly.

"Of course I would have gone if you invited me!" He argued distressed, waving his arms around.

"Oh I don't know about that; you were quite busy snogging Brown in the corridors!" She tried to hold back a smirk that was beginning to form on her lips.

"Oh so that's what it was! You invited the enemy because you were jealous! Because Lavender and I are happy together and you're all alone now that I started spending time with my girlfriend instead of you!" He concluded happily.

"And what if I told you that I find Malfoy's company more enjoyable than yours?" She said looking serious.

"And what's so enjoyable about his company? The way he looks down at you or how he calls you a mudblood?! Or do you enjoy being sneered at? You wouldn't be able to pick the better company if it was right next to you!"

"And whose company would that be Ron? Yours?"

"Yes! And if you took one look outside of those stupid books you would see that!"

Argument like any other, yet it made Hermione look at Ron in a slightly different light.

Was she really too consumed by the books and her… little task, to notice certain things around her?

It was strangely impressive of Ron to finally say something to her that actually made her think. Maybe Ron was smarter than he let on with all his pretentious temper and selfish attitude. She smirked at the irony.

It seemed that selfishness was the only thing they had in common. Luckily they were able to reconcile before the winter break. If they didn't it would have been a right mess, as they both spent the entire two weeks of the winter break at the 12 Grimmauld Place.

Dumbledore was holding an Order meeting to share a few details he's been withholding from the majority of the order for some time now and in the face of new developments, he chose to update a few key players on the matter of horcruxes.

"So you're only telling us all this now because you are dying?"

"Sirius Black!"

"Oh my apologies Molly! It seems that in the light of all those enlightening facts I lost my manners!" Sirius was visibly agitated.

Only few members of the Order were present at the meeting. It was already risky sharing such sensitive information between so many, but Dumbledore had no choice because, as he just told them all, he was dying.

Molly of course protested about children being present at the meeting, but the headmaster informed her that the first horcrux was in fact destroyed by Harry in his second year. He also revealed that during the previous year he found a second horcrux, which turned out to be Marvolo Gaunt's ring.

Unfortunately, Dumbledore fell victim to a deadly curse upon it's destruction, that was placed on the object, and now the curse was making him weaker and killing him even faster from the joined effects of the potion he had to drink in order to get the third horcrux, Slytherin's locket, that was hidden in a cave.

Again, certain members of the order felt the need to express their disapproval when he mentioned that Harry went to the cave with him. In the end, they managed to move past that discussion when Harry made it clear that he's more involved in this than anyone else and if they have any chance of working this out, they need to stop treating him like an ignorant child and focus at the task at hand.

"So how many did he make?" Black sat with his hands holding his head that all of a sudden felt very heavy.

"I believe he made seven" Dumbledore said calmly.

"Seven?!" Sirius jumped off his seat. "That lunatic!" He exclaimed angrily.

"Well, at least we already have three." Lupin said trying to get his best friend to sit back down. Dumbledore winced.

"I'm afraid that is not correct." He sighted and gave Harry an apologetic smile. "You see, I took time to examine the locket and to my great disappointment, it turned out to be a fake. Someone got there before us, and they even left a note" Dumbledore opened the fake locket and took out a small folded piece of paper, and passed it to Remus who sat the closest. Remus took a look at it and read it out.

"To the Dark Lord

I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more.

R.A.B."

"Who's R.A.B?" Ron asked with his mouth full of food. Hermione grimaced at his appalling table manners. As if it wasn't enough that he was eating during the meeting, he had to speak with food in his mouth.

"I'm afraid we will have to work that out. There is no guarantee they were able to destroy the real locket. And if they didn't, we must find it and destroy it." said Dumbledore.

The note was being passed around the table and it finally arrived in Hermione's hands. She looked at it. Whoever wrote the note was most likely a pureblood. Average wizards didn't put this much care in their calligraphy. The writing was exceptionally beautiful. On a closer look, it actually felt strangely familiar to her.

Her eyes fell on the initials.

R.A.B

Where did she see those initials before?

She must have been staring at the note for longer than she thought because the room fell silent and were all looking at her.

"Hermione? What is it?" Someone asked making her look up from the note.

"Oh, it's nothing I just, well, R.A.B looks very familiar, I feel as if I had seen it before but I can't recall where"

"Maybe it's someone we know" Arthur said pouring himself a glass of water but the jug was nearly empty. Sirius called Kreacher and ordered the elf to bring some more. Hermione flinched at the tone he used with the elf.

Kreacher quickly returned with a jug half full. He went to place the jug on the table and Hermione watched as the elf's eyes fell on the locket and went wide, he looked like he was about to hit himself but he noticed Hermione looking at him, he stopped himself and he quickly turned to leave.

"Kreacher stop!" She ordered before the elf managed to get away.