Chapter Four

Scents

Several days passed and Hermione hadn't seen anything suspicious again.

Malfoy sat with his friends and acted as he always did in the classes they had in common with Gryffindor.

Well, there was something different. Hermione no longer heard mocking laughter every time she raised her hand to ask the professor a question.

Before returning to Hogwarts, she had asked Harry for the Marauder's Map and his Invisibility Cloak. Her friend had given her both and encouraged her to use them if she needed them, as he had done for so many years.

And she was doing just that. When Hermione wasn't in class, she watched Draco Malfoy's name move across the map.

All week she hadn't seen him alone with a girl or walking into an empty classroom, though she couldn't keep an eye on him as much as she'd like.

That afternoon, after leaving the library and glancing down at the map, she spotted his name walking into the girls' bathroom on the second floor. There was only one other spot in there and that was Myrtle Warren.

Hermione pondered for a few seconds as she played absently with the small silver ball hanging from her necklace. In the end, her curiosity got the better of her. She pulled Harry's cloak out of her handbag and put it over her shoulders, making sure nothing was visible. Then she cast a silencing charm on her shoes and ran downstairs to the second floor.

When she got there she opened the bathroom door very slowly, trying not to make any noise, and slipped inside carefully. Hermione heard footsteps and immediately saw Malfoy appearing there, looking towards the door with a frown on his face.

"What's the matter?" Myrtle asked, floating at his side.

He said nothing and continued to stare at the door, scanning every inch of the stone walls with his gaze.

Hermione held her breath and froze in her tracks. It had been a very bad idea to go into the bathroom and she wasn't sure what Malfoy would do if he found out she was there.

He and Harry had had a magical duel when he followed him into that very bathroom in sixth year, and she didn't want to have to go through the same thing.

She reached into her pocket with slow movements and pulled out her wand, holding it tightly in her hand.

Better be prepared.

Malfoy inhaled deeply several times as if he was trying to sniff something. She watched him turn around and run a hand through his hair, tousling his blond strands with his fingers.

Hermione closed her eyes, holding a hand to her chest. It had been so close.

"I thought I heard something... but I guess I must have imagined it," Malfoy replied, staring up at the ghostly figure hovering around him.

"What are you going to do, then? Will you keep going to the library at night?" she asked, folding her arms and levitating in front of the toilets.

He nodded.

"I have to keep looking. I haven't found any information at home and I'm hoping there's something here."

"I could ask the ghosts in the castle," Myrtle commented absently. "Maybe they know something about..."

"No," Malfoy cut her off sharply.

She closed her mouth and furrowed her brow, glaring down at him.

"This is a secret. I've told you because I know you won't betray me, but it can't leave these walls," he added with a cold expression.

Myrtle twisted her lips.

"I won't say anything, though I'll try to find something for myself. I can do that, right?"

Malfoy snorted, shrugging one of his shoulders.

"I don't think you can help me. Not you or anyone else... This is something I have to do."

"At least you can talk to me whenever you want. You know where I am," the ghost replied.

He gave her a curt nod and his footsteps moved towards the door leading to the corridor. Hermione blanched and looked down, checking to make sure the cloak was covering her feet. She stuck as close to the wall as she could, keeping Malfoy from brushing past her as he passed by.

He paused as he grabbed the knob, closing his eyes and inhaling again. Malfoy shook his head and opened the door, striding away down the corridor.

She didn't move, blinking, her heart thudding in her ears.

Had he smelled her?

Hermione waited a couple of minutes, taking deep breaths to calm herself, and exited the bathroom as soon as Myrtle was out of sight.

A shiver had gone down her spine when Malfoy had stopped that close to her, freezing her blood.

She returned to the common room still wrapped in the Invisibility Cloak and didn't relax until she was inside her dormitory.

Hermione took it off, sighing as she put it away in a drawer. Neither Ginny nor Parvati were there.

She spread the map out on her bed and searched for Malfoy's name again confirming that he was in the dungeons, inside the Slytherin common room.

It had been six days since her strange encounter with the girl who seemed to have lost her memory, but Hermione hadn't ruled out any possibilities yet.

She would keep watching him a little longer, just to make sure that Malfoy wasn't up to no good.

Draco sighed, pushing his breakfast plate aside. The food was no longer as satisfying as it should be.

It had been a week since the last time and he was starting to feel anxious.

He knew that waiting any longer could be dangerous so he said goodbye to his friends, using the excuse that he needed to get something from his room, and left the Great Hall assuring them that he would look for them around the lake later.

He looked back and saw Theo watching him with narrowed eyes.

Draco clenched his fists as he made his way down the stairs to the dungeons. He had to be more careful because his friend suspected something.

He approached the place where the Free-Use Potions classrooms were. Any student was allowed to experiment and brew potions in them.

Draco paused his steps by the stone wall, the only area where there was no door. He placed a hand on it and closed his eyes, working his jaw as he whispered a few words. He took a step back and a wooden door identical to those in the other classrooms appeared before him.

He looked around, making sure he was alone, and opened it.

On the first day of term, he had put a complicated spell on that door using blood magic and now he was the only one who could see it. The rest of the students and teachers couldn't remember it existed.

There were fourteen Potions labs and no one would miss one.

Draco walked to the corner where two cauldrons were steaming. He watched the dark red potion swirling inside with a frown.

They were ready and he would have enough for a couple of months with that volume.

He took eight vials from a shelf and filled them with the viscous liquid, sealing them with a stopper and leaving seven of them in the same place they were. Draco placed the eight one inside the pocket of his robe and stepped back out into the corridor, checking that the door was invisible again before walking away.

He climbed the stairs to the main floor and began to walk down the corridors in search of a girl who was alone.

Two fifth-years were sitting on a stone bench near the Great Hall, talking quietly. One of them, blond and green-eyed, looked up when they heard his footsteps.

Draco saw him making fists and cursed under his breath, knowing what was about to happen. He was in a hurry and couldn't waste time listening to hateful words, so he walked past without looking at them.

"Malfoy!"

He stopped at the sound of his name and turned his head, raising a dark eyebrow.

"What do you want?"

"Why did you come back? You should be rotting in Azkaban like your father," the boy said, standing up and shooting him a glare.

His friend also stood up and stood beside him, showing his support. Draco rolled his eyes as he snorted.

"I'm cleared of all charges so leave me alone. You should worry about your life, not mine," he snarled through his teeth, trying hard to control his anger.

The blond boy took several steps towards him with a defiant expression, lifting his chin. Draco stood ten centimetres taller than him but that didn't seem to intimidate him.

"You're just a fucking Death Eater and you should be dead, you and your whole family."

Draco clenched his fists hard until he dug his nails into his hands and gritted his teeth, fixing his gaze on the boy's eyes.

A small growl echoed in his throat. He was about to lose control and he wasn't going to be able to help it.

Being picked on didn't matter to him, though insulting his mother was something he couldn't tolerate.

"Anderson!"

His growl died at the sound of that voice and he looked to the right, seeing a bushy mane of curls running towards them.

Draco shot her a dark look.

Why the hell was another prefect close at that moment? And did it just have to be Granger?

Hermione was walking towards the entrance of the castle next to Ginny. They had arranged to meet Luna there at ten o'clock to begin work together on the healing spells essay they had to do for Charms.

They walked through one of the corridors near the Great Hall, which had to be empty by now. Breakfast had been over for more than half an hour.

Suddenly they heard several male voices, one of them shouting. Hermione furrowed her brow in concern and grabbed Ginny's hand, tugging at her to get closer to where the shouting could be heard.

"I'm cleared of all charges so leave me alone. You should worry about your life, not mine."

Hermione was sure that was Malfoy's voice. As she turned the corner she saw two Ravenclaw boys standing in front of him with unfriendly expressions and crossed arms.

One of them was shooting daggers at him with his eyes.

"You're just a fucking Death Eater and you should be dead, you and your whole family."

Hermione gasped and let go of her friend's hand, quickening her steps.

"Anderson!"

He turned to look at her, rolling his eyes.

"What do you want, Granger? This is none of your business."

She reached over to where the three of them stood and placed her hands on her hips. Malfoy's fists were so tightly clenched that his knuckles were white.

"I'm a prefect and if you're insulting someone that's my problem. Besides, may I remind you that Malfoy is also a prefect and you're disrespecting him. Ten points from Ravenclaw."

Both boys opened their mouths in disbelief.

"How can you defend this bloody murderer? My brother is dead because of him!" Anderson shouted, furious.

Hermione lifted her chin, giving him the look that always terrified Harry and Ron.

"Malfoy wasn't the one who killed him and he has as much right to be here as you do. Go back to your common room and don't bother anyone else."

Anderson clenched his jaw, biting his tongue to keep from answering, and gave Malfoy a scornful look before walking briskly down the central corridor. His friend followed without a word.

Malfoy took a deep breath and fixed his grey eyes on Hermione.

"I had it all under control, Granger."

She raised her eyebrows and let out a mocking chuckle.

"Nice lie. You were about to start a fight and I'm not going to allow it."

"I don't need you to defend me," he hissed, curving his lips into a sneer.

She crossed her arms over her chest.

"You could say thank you, Malfoy."

He turned his back to her and walked silently away, his fists still clenched.

As soon as he disappeared Hermione saw Ginny approaching out of the corner of her eye. Her friend clicked her tongue.

"So now they're picking on him? I think he could do with a taste of his own medicine," she commented teasingly.

Harry's map was burning in her pocket. Hermione swallowed and glanced at her.

"No one deserves to be wished dead, Ginny," she shook her head, clutching her pendant between her fingers as she looked down the corridor where Malfoy had gone. "I need to check something. Go with Luna and start without me, I won't be long."

Hermione moved forward without waiting for her friend's response. She didn't dare pull out the map, though she would if she couldn't find him. Malfoy couldn't be far away.

She used the same silencing charm on her shoes and pressed her body against one of the walls, trying to listen for his footsteps so she would know which way he had gone.

Hermione paused when she heard a gasp, hiding herself behind a stone column. The noise seemed to be coming from one of the cupboards.

She peeked out a little, just enough to be able to watch without being seen. The doors of the two cupboards in the corridor were closed.

Hermione didn't move, trying to listen for anything else. Just as she was about to leave her hiding place, one of them opened and Malfoy stepped out, smoothing the sleeves of his robe and running his tongue over his lips.

After checking that there was no one in the corridor he brushed his hair back with one hand and, stuffing both into his pockets, walked off in the opposite direction.

Hermione waited until he was out of sight and ran towards that cupboard, suspecting what she was going to find inside.

She cursed under her breath as she found a sixth-year girl sitting on the floor, twisting one of her curls around her index finger with an absent expression.

Hermione knelt down in front of her and placed a hand on her shoulder, startling her.

"What happened? Are you all right?"

She looked up and blinked several times, focusing her eyes and smiling.

"I'm okay, just a little tired," the girl murmured, shrugging as she looked down at her hands. "I felt like being alone for a while."

Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed. That was so similar to what the other girl had said to her.

"Did Malfoy do something to you?"

"Malfoy? What are you talking about?"

"I saw him come out of here. I know he was inside with you."

The girl frowned.

"I've been alone in this cupboard until you came in."

Hermione shook her head, snorting impatiently.

"Why are you lying to me? I'm not going to judge you if you have a thing for him, but I'm worried that he might have done something to you."

She pulled her hands away and stood up, scowling at her.

"I don't like being called a liar, and besides, I don't have to explain myself to you. If I want to lock myself in here to be alone it's none of your business, Granger. Leave me alone," she said, stepping out of the cupboard and huffing in annoyance as she walked away.

Hermione got to her feet and walked back into the corridor, closing the door. She leaned her back against it and looked up at the ceiling, tugging at her bottom lip with her teeth.

She didn't know what to do. That was the second girl who had acted strangely and denied having been with him.

What was going on? Was Malfoy capable of abusing these students and erasing their memories afterwards?

Hermione shook her head. It was hard to believe that he was doing such a thing, but it was the only explanation she could think of.

It had all happened so fast, though. He only was there a couple of minutes before she had gotten there and seen him come out of the cupboard.

Maybe she should visit Headmistress McGonagall and explain what she'd seen, though she wouldn't get anywhere without proof.

Besides, if it turned out that Malfoy was having quick encounters with girls who also wanted the same thing, Hermione would feel terrible for ratting on them.

Any sexual activity was forbidden at Hogwarts, though that didn't stop students from taking advantage of empty classrooms and dark corners to indulge their desires.

She needed to make sure that what was happening was consensual to feel better.

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek as she climbed the stairs to the third floor. She needed to write down what she knew in a notebook so she could analyse it all calmly.

She decided that she would use the last few pages of her diary that night. It had protective spells and her roommates would never be able to read it no matter how hard they tried.

Having all her suspicions written down would help her to clear her head and figure out how to discover the truth.

Hermione wandered down the book-lined corridors until she saw her two friends sitting at one of the tables. Luna looked up and waved at her, smiling brightly. She sat down next to her, smiling back.

"It's great that we can work together, isn't it?" Luna commented with sparkling eyes.

She nodded and Ginny handed her a book and a large piece of parchment with various things written down.

"That's what we have for now. Read it over and tell us if it's okay and we'll take it from there."

Hermione held her favourite quill between her fingers, nibbling on the tip as she read what her friends had written down with interest. She added a couple of notes in the margin, trying to concentrate and keep her thoughts from flying back to that grey-eyed, platinum blond-haired boy who was doing some very strange things around the castle.

Five days later Hermione and Neville were walking down the stairs leading to the entrance of their common room to patrol the castle, as they did every night.

Waiting for them on the ground floor were their companions for the night.

Neville wrinkled his nose at the sight of Pansy Parkinson but did not comment on it. She rolled her eyes and, still chewing her gum, walked off in the direction of the west corridor. He glanced at Hermione, shrugging and following her with a frown.

Malfoy was leaning against a marble column. He clicked his tongue impatiently, catching Hermione's eye.

"Your boyfriend will be fine. Let's go."

She folded her arms, narrowing her eyes.

"He's not my boyfriend, and Neville knows how to defend himself."

Malfoy raised an eyebrow and turned around, walking in the other direction. Hermione followed his footsteps down the stairs to the dungeons. It was her first time patrolling that part of the castle and she didn't like being in snake territory.

A few minutes later they came across several Slytherin sixth-year students who should have been asleep by now.

Malfoy ordered them back to the common room with a deep voice and a serious expression. They obeyed and Hermione didn't protest, though she was annoyed that he hadn't taken points from them. She was sure he would have if they were from another house.

They turned right and passed the area where the Potions labs were. Hermione felt Malfoy tense up beside her and looked up at him, quizzical, but he was staring at the wall opposite and his lips were pressed together. They continued walking until he stopped by a metal door.

Malfoy opened it and, with a wave of his hand, gestured for her to go through first. Hermione lifted her eyebrows in surprise at the sight of him being so gentlemanly with her.

Doubt welled up inside her. A small twinge of fear twisted her stomach at the knowledge that they were completely alone and that no one usually entered that part of the dungeons. She didn't even know the place and that made her more nervous.

After a long sigh, she stepped through the door and heard Malfoy inhale deeply as she passed him. Hermione blinked several times and turned her head. He was walking beside her as if he had done nothing, illuminating the gloomy room with the light of his wand.

"What are you doing?" she asked with a frown.

Malfoy looked at her with a raised brow as if she had asked him the stupidest question ever.

"Seeing if anyone is hiding in here."

Hermione pulled out her wand and waved it gently, causing the tip to light up without having to say the spell out loud. She pointed to one of the corners of the room and shuddered as she saw chains hanging on the wall.

"You smelled me. Does the smell of Mudbloods bother you now?" she added, glancing sideways at him.

She knew he'd done it and she wasn't about to keep quiet. Anger caused golden sparks to fly from her wand and Hermione clutched it tighter in her fingers.

Malfoy chuckled, shaking his head.

"Enough nonsense, Granger. It's called breathing and I need to do it to survive."

"Well, I think you were smelling me."

"Think what you want," he replied, walking away into the darker area.

Hermione rolled her eyes and followed him.

Drops of water were falling from the ceiling and the floor was full of puddles. They probably were right under the lake.

"Do you know what they were used for?" she asked, pointing her wand at the shackles.

Malfoy checked that there was no one behind a tapestry before replying.

"To punish students."

Her heart shrank. That room looked like a torture chamber.

"That... that sounds very cruel," she murmured as they walked back to the front door.

"Tell that to the professors of a century ago," he added with a shrug.

The two of them walked through the dungeons once more, up to the main floor and stopped in front of the Grand Staircase that was always moving.

Malfoy glanced at her and nodded once, walking away towards the area where Neville and Parkinson were supposed to be finishing their rounds.

Hermione walked up the stairs slowly, wondering why he hadn't accompanied her to the entrance of her common room that time. He had probably promised to go in search of his girlfriend as soon as they were done patrolling.

She entered the red room and sighed as she felt at home again, climbing the spiral staircase that led up to her dorm.

Ginny and Parvati were already asleep and there was a small vial of potion on her best friend's bedside table. She reached over and picked it up, lifting it and peering at the purple liquid inside intently.

Hermione shrugged and took the cap off, taking a swig. She was exhausted and needed a night without nightmares for once.

She put the vial back in its place and, after changing her clothes into something comfortable, got into her bed and closed her eyes.

A couple of minutes later she was fast asleep. That was the first night since the end of the war that Fred and Tonks did not appear in her dreams.