Disclaimer: AMA: The American Medical Association; The American Music Association; my initials. JKR: the writer of the Harry Potter books; richer than the queen; so not my initials. I don't own it, I just have fun. Also, Rescue Me belongs to the goddess that is Aretha Franklin. I may be able to sing and I might be a diva but only in my dreams am I anywhere near that good.
A/N: I'm terribly sorry! Real life became a real bitch recently. So first, quick note to my great reviewers, DrowCrazy and Adonica. Also, there may not be updates for a while. It's not that I haven't been writing, it's just, I'm one of those people that gets a story stuck in my head and it won't go away until it's written down, so my computer/notebooks are full of half written stories! And I've decided to use a new manner of updating/posting my stories. With the exception of the three I've already started, I'm going to wait until a story is complete to start posting it. I will continue updating the three I have going, but I probably won't post until I have a couple chapters written, so there's less of a wait. Excuse my mistakes, my keyboard is temperamental and tends to double/skip letters at random. Spell check and I are only so good. Now, onward, my brave soldiers!
The Siren
Chapter 1: Rescue Me
'Cause I need you by my sideCan't you see that I'm lonely?
Rescue me!
----Rescue Me, Aretha Franklin
"Draco!" Hermione screamed. "If you didn't know what it did, why did you touch it?" She grabbed the small fire extinguisher from beneath the sink and threw open the door to the microwave that was currently on fire.
She managed to get the fire out as Draco explained, "Well, you use that thing all the time and it didn't look hard! How was I to know the thing was possessed by a fire spirit of some sort?" If Hermione hadn't have been so angry with him, she probably would have laughed. He made quite a picture: nervously shifting from foot to foot, wringing his hands, and looking at Hermione like she was a bomb about to explode. Not that he knew what a bomb was.
"What, exactly, were you trying to do?" She asked in a dangerous whisper.
"Make lunch," he said. "I was going to have soup." Hermione turned to the microwave with a groan.
"Please tell me you didn't…" But he had. He'd put the entire can in the microwave and the thing had exploded. "How long had you put it in for, anyway?" He mumbled something. "What?"
He sighed. "I don't know. I pressed some buttons until the thing started humming."
She sighed. "Draco. First, you can't put metal in a microwave, it explodes. Second, DON'T TOUCH THE MICROWAVE!" She screamed.
He flinched. In the last week she'd yelled at him more than she had in the previous six years they'd known each other, and that was saying something. It wasn't his fault, really. He'd never had all these Muggle gadgets around him before. Sure, he'd spent the summer previous in the Muggle world, but he'd been of age, so he did everything by magic. Could he help it if he was naturally curious? It wasn't his fault the stupid thing had exploded. Just like it wasn't his fault he'd overflowed the dishwasher, put her stupid cat Crookshanks in the clothes dryer after said flood, and attacked her blow dryer. He thought it was attacking her, honestly! The thing sounded like a monster! She should be thanking him for trying to protect her! Draco grumbled, "I still don't see why we have to use all these Muggle contraptions! I mean, we're both of age and perfectly capable of using magic for these menial tasks."
Hermione sighed. They'd been over this time and time again. "Draco, you know the answer to that, so why do you keep asking? Voldemort put a price on your head, and mine as well, twice over! Your father knows your magical signature and Voldemort does as well! And my signature is all over the place! I'm just lucky no one's connected me with the papers I've written, and no one's bothered to ask Severus. Imagine what Voldemort would do if he found out that Sebastian Farmer, the "great mind" he so desperately wants to recruit was actually Hermione Granger, the "silly little mudblooded friend of Potter's" he so desperately wants to kill? We can't risk anyone finding us and Dumbledore could only put up limited wards without raising suspicion!"
Draco sat down, dejected. "I know, Hermione, I know. Just let me complain all right? It makes me feel better!"
Hermione sat down beside him. "How in Merlin's name did you survive last summer?"
"Magic. And take-out. Lots and lots of take-out. Specifically, Chinese. I still don't see why we couldn't stay with Lupin and Tonks or at the school or even with crazy Moody. Why are you, Harry, and I stuck in the Muggle world?"
Hermione didn't really know the answer to that. She and Draco, and Harry in a week, were spending the summer hols in an abandoned Muggle farmhouse in the middle of no where. 12 Number 12 Grimmauld Place had disowned the Order after Sirius' death, locking the doors from all of them, even Tonks and Draco, who were technically Blacks, no matter how disowned. Luckily, all traces of the Order had been removed. Unfortunately, the Order had no headquarters. They had temporarily used the Burrow, but it was soon shut down by the Ministry, who, though they admitted to Voldemort's return, refused to help or acknowledge the Order of the Phoenix. And so the Order was homeless. And when it was discovered that both Draco and Hermione were targets, along with Harry, as always, Dumbledore decided it was best they spent the summer in a safe house, where neither Voldemort and his Death Eaters nor the ministry could find them, as long as they didn't use magic. They had Hermione's car to go pick up Harry, and to get back to King's Cross Station, as well as for emergencies, but the house seemed to fill itself based on their needs. They were comfortable, though a little bored.
"So, will you and Sev be doing any research this summer?" Draco asked when Hermione didn't answer, not that he had expected her to.
Hermione sighed. "A bit, but nothing like I'd planned to, what with both of us out of classes for once. But I'd be hindered without my magic. I'll be doing some basic book research and some development and maybe a few experimental potions. Anything I need tested, I'll send to Severus, though he's said he really doesn't want to test without me there, since they're my theories mostly. So it looks like the academic team of Sebastian and Antonio will be quiet for the summer, unless I find something astonishing."
Draco grinned at her. "You never did tell me how you came up with your pseudonym."
Hermione laughed. "Oh, you'll enjoy it, I'm sure. First I picked Farmer because it's rather common and plain.(1) And as for Sebastian, well, I'd started out as Paulina, you know, from A Winter's Tale.(2)"
"That makes sense. Why'd you change it?"
"They refused my paper, without even reading it," she said with a scowl. "No one respects witches in academic research. So I decided to use Sebastian, from The Twelfth Night.(3) You know, Viola's brother who she looks just like and is mistaken for when she's disguised as a man?" Draco nodded his understanding. "Then when Severus started with me it only seemed appropriate for him to be Antonio, Sebastian's pirate companion. (4)"
Draco grinned. "And of course Sev makes the perfect pirate." Hermione laughed. "Only you could be that clever Hermione. So," he said slyly. "Can I make lunch?"
She hit him. "No! You're not allowed to cook, ever! I'll make lunch. You just sit." He grinned as she went about making lunch. I knew it would work he thought with a laugh. He'd have to remember to set things on fire more often.
It was near dinnertime, and Hermione and Draco were lounging in the room they'd dubbed the den/library/study, both reading. Hermione had Draco reading Jane Eyre, a personal favorite of hers, while Draco had insisted she read The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the books that sparked his initial interest in Muggle literature. Hermione was just about to work up the energy to think about considering getting up to make dinner when they were interrupted by a tapping at the window. Draco walked over and opened it and a snowy owl flew in and perched on the arm of Hermione's chair. "Hedwig! What are you doing here?" She grabbed the letter from the owls out stretched leg.
Draco smirked. "See? I told Harry he couldn't live without us! He barely made it a week!" But Hermione didn't laugh. In fact, her face was hard, her tawny eyes flashing with a fire Draco had only seen in them once—the time she hit him in third year. Hermione was pissed and Merlin protect whoever had caused it!
She silently handed Draco the note she'd read and left the room. He heard her heading up the stairs to where the bedrooms were. He heard the sound of her trunk slamming open. Curious, he read the note that had caused her ire. He felt his own face pale with rage, a hard light glinting in his eyes.
Draco and Hermione,
I don't know when—or if—you'll get this. As soon as I arrived at Privet Drive, I was forced into the cupboard under the stairs and locked in. Hedwig was taken from me along with my trunk and all my school things. I'm not sure what the Dursleys plan on doing with me. From what I can tell, it's been about a week. I'm still not sure how, but I awoke and Hedwig was here. I swear, she must have magic of some kind. I'm sending this with her in hopes it will reach you. I haven't seen the Dursleys at all since they locked me in here. They've not even bothered to bring me food. Please, find a way to Dumbledore and tell him what happened. He'll now what to do!
Harry
"Pack your stuff, we're leaving." Hermione had returned to the room.
Still staring at the letter, Draco asked, "What did you have in mind?"
Hermione flashed a feral grin. "A rescue mission." Draco met her eyes, his own grin rather frightening.
Number 4 Privet Drive was quiet that night. Vernon Dursley sat in the kitchen, humming merrily as his wife Petunia finished supper. His son Dudley sat entranced, his eyes glued to the screen of a television. Vernon had had a great week. He'd locked that good-for-nothing nephew of his in the cupboard and planned to keep him there until he felt like letting him out or the boy died, whichever came first, though Vernon dearly hoped for the latter. He'd tell those…freaks he was friends with the boy had run away and that would be the end of it. Life was good on Privet Drive.
Well, life was good for most of Privet Drive. Inside a locked cupboard, sitting on a little bed that no longer held his tall frame, sat a pale, thin young man with messy black hair and emerald green eyes. However, no one could relate this gaunt, thin boy with the strong, fiery young man who'd left King's Cross Station just a week before. But being locked in a cupboard for a week, away from sunlight, food, and human contact would do that to a person. Harry sat quietly staring out the small window, praying that somehow, wherever Hermione and Draco were, they had read his letter. He knew they'd contact Dumbledore. He'd know what to do.
Back in the kitchen, Vernon was still humming as he read the evening paper and ate his supper. Faintly, he heard a car door slam, but thought nothing of it—damn noisy neighbors! Then the occupants of Number 4 Privet Drive all heard a distinct THUMP! followed by a rather large CRASH! Bolting from their chairs, all three Dursleys ran from the kitchen to their sitting room to see what all the commotion was about. They all stopped short in shock. There was their front door lying on their sitting room floor! And there in the doorway stood two figures. A young man with white-blond hair and steel gray eyes, looking murderous with a familiar snowy white owl on his shoulder, and his wand out. But even more frightening was the young woman beside him. Her eyes were flashing fire, her long brown curls seemed to whip in a non-existent angry breeze. She absolutely radiated power, yet she held no wand. At her feet stood an ugly, orange tomcat, looking for all the world like a lion on the hunt.
Hermione moved further into the sitting room, seeming to glide more than walk. Draco followed her, understanding instinctively that she was in charge. She pinned the Dursleys with a fierce glare. "WHERE IS HE?" Her normally soft, husky alto voice now reverberated with power. It made the blood run cold in the Dursleys' veins. Even Draco felt some of the effects. They were unable to answer her in their fear. "I SAID WHERE IS HE?" She spoke in little more than a hiss, yet it was every bit as effective as if she'd shouted.
Visibly shaking, Vernon stepped forward. "Now see here you freaks. You can't just come barging into our home. It's against the law! We could--" But before he could finish his statement, Hermione had waved her hand and all three of the Dursleys went flying back, hitting the wall. "AND LOCKING SOMEONE IN A CUPBOARD IS AGAINST THE LAWS OF HUMANITY! AND FOR IT YOU SHALL BE PUNISHED! NOW, FOR THE LAST TIME WHERE IS HE?"
Draco wasn't sure what was going on. He'd never seen Hermione like this. She worked so hard not to get angry, not liking the person she became then, and she was hardly ever violent. He was about to try and calm her down when he noticed Crookshanks. "Hermione! Hermione, look at Crookshanks! I think he's found something!" Sure enough the half-kneazle was head butting a door and meowing for all he was worth, trying to get his human's attention. Hermione turned to where Crookshanks was. She waved her hand without saying a word. The door Crookshanks stood before flew off the hinges and landed at the Dursleys feet with a loud THUMP!
Harry stumbled out of the cupboard in shock. He'd heard the commotion but had no idea what was going on. He was surprised to see Draco there looking murderous. Then there was Hermione, his own avenging angel in denim cut-offs. She glided over to him, Draco following. "Harry, are you all right?" She was shocked at the way he looked. He was pale and painfully thin. He also looked a little bruised.
"When's the last time you ate?" Draco asked quickly, seeing Hermione's rage begin to boil over again.
"Um…I think it was on the train. I had a chocolate frog. What are you doing here?"
Ignoring his question, Hermione turned to Draco. "Draco, why don't you two take our trunks and go upatairs? I'll be up in a bit, with some food. But first, I'd like to have a word with Harry's family if you don't mind?" Her tone left no room for argments. Once they were safelt up the stairs, Hermione turned back to the Dursleys. Her eyes were glowing and her voice was quiet, but firm, "We are going to have a little chat…" All three of the Dursleys cowered in fear.
Upstairs, Harry led Draco to the spare room that he once lived in. There he found all his school things and Hedwig's cage. It actually looked as though she managed to bite through the bars, as impossible as it sounded. Hedwig herself flitted from Draco's shoulder to his own. "Thanks girl. I don't know what I'd do without you." She nipped his ear affectionately and with a muted HOOT! flew out the open window. Harry finally turned to Draco and asked, "Why are you two here? I thought I said to go to Dumbledore. Not that I'm not grateful! I am! And what is with Hermione?"
"There's the million galleon question. We came because she insisted. She didn't really leave much choice. And I have no idea what's going on with Hermione! I've never seen her like this before, not even when she hit me third year! Hell, I nearly burned down the safe house this morning! And she wasn't near this mad! She's doing major wandless magic too! She blew down both those doors without a word and threw your relatives across the room! I've never seen anything like it! It's kind of scary."
Harry nodded, then said with a bit of a smile, "Yeah, but damn! She looked good didn't she?"
"Hell yeah! Scary and angry look good on her! But seriously Harry. There's something more going on there. We need to keep an eye on her." Harry nodded his agreement, then the door opened.
Hermione and Crookshanks came into the room, her arms laden with food. "Well boys, we're staying here for the next week. Don't worry about the Dursleys, they won't be bothering us. We won't even leave this room, except to get food." She dumped her armload onto the bed, then pulled Harry into a tight embrace. "Oh Harry! I'm so sorry this happened! I'll never forgive Dumbledore for this! And once we leave next week, you'll never have to come back, I swear it!''
He hugged her back, every bit as fiercely. "It's all right Hermione, you're here now, that's all that matters."
The two of them joined Draco on the bed and they enjoyed the dinner Hermione had brought up. "Perhaps I should be the one to go for food from now on. I think they're scared enough to let me be. Besides, Draco can't cook at all!"
Draco looked at her seriously as he said, "Are you sure? I'd take great joy in exploding their microwave! It's just a thought." Then all three of them burst out laughing, happy at last. Nothing would worry them for the time being. Not now that they were together again!
Notes on References:
"Granger" is actually another term for "farmer" mostly in the Midwest, I believe. Therefore, "Farmer" is a natural choice for Hermione to make.
The name "Hermione" may refer to Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale. (The other source of the mane comes from Greek mythology) "Paulina" is a secondary female character in this play. I believe Hermione would look to her namesake for a pseudonym.
The Twelfth Night is a Shakespearean comedy bout Viola, a shipwrecked young girl who disguises herself as Cesario, a serving boy to Duke Orsino. In what can only be called a "classic Shakespearean chase scene," Viola is often mistaken as Sebastian, her twin brother and he for her. Few would recognize the name Cesario with the play but Sebastian is better known. I feel like Hermione would choose it, wanting someone to be smart enough to get her joke.
Antonio is a pirate captain in The Twelfth Night who befriends Sebastian when he was lost at sea. Antonio has run into some trouble with the law, though he has now changed his ways. (Seeing a resemblance?) I think Hermione would naturally choice this name for her co-author/research partner, no matter who it was, though I find it fitting of Severus.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I personally loved writing it!
