Hermione Has Met Her Match

Fanfiction by Kitsunedajfox based on J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter

Note from Author: For some reason Malfoy has always seemed a dud to me. Even in the sixth book. XD What can I say? He serves as an annoyance to protagonists for sure, but I just don't see him as a particularly smart villain. I think I wanted to spend some time investigating this, during this chapter. I think I might also explorer Alana and Fulke's relationship a bit more… but I hope everyone got the point of the title of this fic. When I say "Met her match" I don't mean a match in love. ' I think Hermione needs a personal villain. She lacks real enemies I think. (Besides Rita Skeeter. But I don't think that's on a personal level. Miss Rita just likes making everyone's lives hell.) That's all from me, today.

Part 4

"Why did this have to happen to me!" the young Archcrest girl told herself as she pulled on her Slytherin tie, "and why does everything we wear have to be green? What was that shrewd wizard Slytherin thinking? He obviously had no fashion sense…"

"I find it rather charming," said a smooth voice from behind her, "all this green draped around you." Archcrest turned to face the voice, very tempted to turn him into a newt.

"Malfoy," she replied annoyed, "please tell me you have better wooing abilities than that." He just looked at her with a big stupid Malfoy grin on his face. She dropped her head into her hands, thinking things couldn't have been any worse.

"Well, father always says…" he said as he started eying the ceiling.

"I don't care your dad, Malfoy," she replied.

"That you should always thank …" he continued undeterred.

"Malfoy," Archcrest said with a bit more firmness.

"Properly?" Malfoy said suddenly realizing the golden haired girl had opened the main door to the Slytherin common room and was stepping out into the dungeons.

"If you want to thank me," she said considering the possibilities, "keep your mouth shut." Before he could answer she had turned her back and slammed the door behind her. He eyed the ceiling again. He had always looked to the ceiling when he was bewildered, hoping the answers would float down upon him. Of course it never worked, but every now and then it would spark what that Granger girl would call 'smart moments'. Now, was not one of those times.

Alana Archcrest quickly made her way through the dungeons; turning here, turning there. "I'm wasting time," she muttered to herself. She wasn't lost, but there was a reason why the labyrinth under the Hogwarts castle was so confusing. To keep other houses away from the Slytherins. Alana thought this was all fine and dandy, but it was troublesome to the Slytherins as well. Her darling brother Fulke had it so easy. Up a couple flights of stairs and he was there. Almost like magic. Ha! "They think their common room and dorms are so well hidden. That's a joke," she said to herself.

"Miss Archcrest?" said a very slimy and surprisingly tired voice. Archcrest froze in mid step. "I hope you aren't talking about our dorms?" he said rather casually. The young girl relaxed and replied without turning around,

"No. It takes forever and a day just to get out of here. If any other house tried to come down here, they'd starve before anyone found them. Now if you'd excuse me?" There was no reply, but she still held her ground. She stole a glance at the dark figure behind her expecting to see the worst. Curious, a certain Slytherin professor's attention was looking past her.

"Do you hear that?" Snape asked nonchalantly.

"I don't hear anyth…" she started, but then it hit her. A harsh screeching thundered against the rock walls. It was coming from ahead of them both. Then the yelling started.

"PEEVES! Hiding are you? I'm coming to get you Peeves!" Filch bellowed. "Dumbledore'll have you out of here for this!"

"Peeves?" Archcrest questioned her full attention now in the direction of Snape's office as well.

"You. Go back to your dorm! Now!" he ordered, then stomped off down the hall; his hand in his greasy hair. The young witch stood dumbfounded. The piercing noise had ceased, leaving her all the more curious. Snape had run past his office and down the corridor to where he confronted a raving mad Filch. Archcrest tiptoed behind the commotion and made headway to the much anticipated (and very much dreaded of other houses) office, belonging to none other than the grease king Snape.

The door was ajar and the Slytherin girl couldn't help but think, gee why don't we just put a sign saying 'all welcome here'. She pulled on her tie once again making sure it was tight and out of the way. She could hear Snape's deep voice bouncing off the walls as he tried to talk sense into Filch. She quietly slipped in and looked around. She heard Snape yell once again, this time his words connecting,

"--and when I passed my office, I saw that the torches were lit and a cupboard door was ajar!" He continued to talk, but Archcrest was no longer listening she had seen the open cupboard and hastily slipped out of the office again, not wanting to be named a culprit herself. She silently rushed down the hall only to slip behind a pillar at the sound of a very familiar clunk clunk cluck. It was Moody. He had come to join the 'pajama-party' as he put it as he made his grand entrance. Thankfully he tattered by not noticing her at all; however she knew he could see from the back of his head and she wasn't going to move an inch until he was clear of her position. Moody, much to the dismay of the witch, stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

"Did I hear that correctly, Snape?" he asked slowly, "Someone broke into your office?"

"A student, I dare say," said Snape.

You have no idea how probably right you are professor, Archcrest thought to herself. She couldn't see Snape from where she was cowering, but she could imagine how his veins must have been popping. Oh how see wished she could see his face. As she listened to the scene unfold, she had to wonder where that noise came from and why now of all times? Certainly there was more going on in this castle than her own agenda. Her thoughts where ripped away from her as she heard Moody give an order to Snape,

"Get back to bed, Snape."

"You don't have the authority…" Snape rapped back. Archcrest couldn't agree more with Moody's advice regardless of whatever was going on. But, if she didn't move and didn't move now Snape would walk right into her. She pulled at her tie once more and slid away down the hall pushing tight to the walls. She kept moving as fast as she could, her breathing silent until she could hardly hear voices echoing against the walls. Finally, she came across the common room door, entered, closed the door, and then slid down to the floor next to one of the couches.

"Bloody hell, what was that all about!" she said.

"What was what all about?" said Malfoy still sitting in the sofa chair, right where she had left him. He was now in his PJs, and he sat, legs crossed and an eyebrow arched. There was so much about him that said I am Master Here and yet so much about him that also said I am a moron. She hoped he would lean towards the moron side tonight.

It was easy to see who Snape had designated to be the so called thief of his cupboard. He hadn't said anything directly to the young Miss Archcrest, but she could still feel his incriminating glances on her back every time she passed him in the halls. Other students were starting to notice the coldness between the student and teacher as well. Archcrest had kept quiet in Potions Class and did even make smart remarks when passing Harry and his gang afterwards.

"Do you notice anything strange about that Slytherin girl?" Hermione asked Ron while in the main hall, stuffing his face with chocolate mousse. He tried to respond but his mouth was goop-ed shut. Hermione rolled her eyes, "Please Ron, it's very unbecoming to talk with your mouth full." He rolled his eyes right back at her. "honestly, I haven't heard a cruel word out of her since… since…"

"This morning in Potions? Who cares, Harry said he had something really important to tell us in Charms," Ron said, his mouth finally clear. Hermione indignantly took a napkin and wiped a bit of mousse from his cheek,

"What a messy person you are Ron!" she said. He shrugged and stood, gathering his books.

"Better get going…" he started, but bumped right into a very familiar set of robes.

Malfoy and his gang rallied around them. Ron surprised, spit some of the remaining chocolate in his mouth- incidentally landing right into the blonde's face.

"Ah! Draco," cried Crabbe. His hand shot up blocking Crabbe from doing something stupid.

"Dirty mudbloods!" said Draco, disregarding the fact that Weasley was of wizard heritage. Both boys were at each other's noses in no time, but at the sight of a certain Durmstrang student, Malfoy backed off. He wouldn't be caught dead tormenting a certain friend of a certain of a friend of a certain powerful ally. The blonde boy seemed to slither away with Crabbe and Pansy Parkinson following close behind. Viktor approached the two Gryffindors, smiled sweetly (as sweetly as a proud boy can) to Hermione and casually passed them by. Hermione's face began to turn various shades of red and Ron in odd amazement that his hero happened to look his way nearly fainted.

However once again Ron made a fatal mistake and stumbled into a certain Slytherin girl. As he backed up he stepped on her foot and the weight of his movement sent her hard to the ground. The redhead some how maintained his standing position but what stuck dumb with his mishap. The hall seemed to suddenly fall silent with the young Archcrest's books falling loudly on the marble floor.

After regaining her senses, Alana numbly picked up her things, and quietly apologized, never making eye contact, stood and walked away. Both Ron and Hermione stared blankly at each other… both contemplating the odd occurrence. Nevertheless they decided they would analyze what just happened later and concentrate on what Harry needed to discuss.

"What's wrong little Alana?" Fulke Archcrest asked mockingly. The two siblings walked slowly towards their classes later that day. The girl looked this way and that checking to make sure no eavesdroppers were about.

"Last night… someone, I think someone beat me to it… was it you?" Alana asked quietly almost afraid of the answer. He looked at her unbelievingly.

"Do you think I'd be that stupid?" He said indifferently. He stopped, and pulled her hard by the arm, pinning her against a nearby wall. Her body hit the cold marble hard, her breath escaping her. "What in bloody hell happened last night?" he asked, stern but still in undertones.

"I don't know! Snape and Filch and Moody were there. What was I supposed to do?" she said struggling for her freedom. He rolled his eyes and removed his hand from her.

"We don't have much time left Alana darling," he said with an artificially affectionate air. She timidly nodded knowing her brother wasn't in the least bit pleased. She knew this lecture would come today and it wasn't going to be pleasant.

"What's going on over there?" Hermione said to herself as she came upon the Archcrests. She wanted to get away from Harry and Ron's nearly hopeless attempts to find a solution for the next task, but her curiosity took over any feelings of vacation. She was too far away to hear what the two were talking about, but she could easily recognize something wasn't right between the two. Why was Fulke being so uncharacteristically resentful towards his sister?

"Someone is watching us," Alana said no longer whispering. Fulke's whole demeanor changed as he turned his attention to his fellow Gryffindor whom was now dumbly standing in the middle of the hallway. His hand went to the back of his head and he laughed nervously.

"Hey Granger! How are ya?" he said happily. Hermione was about to run her fingers through her own hair but thought better due to past unpleasant experiences.

"Well mudblood, are you just going to stand there and look stupid?" Alana sharply spat breaking the uncomfortable silence. She pulled at her green tie and with a royal air walked dignitary away, never looking back. Fulke shrugged apathetically and said,

"Don't mind her Hermione, she is as Slytherin today as they come."

"Ah, right…" she said not trusting the now carefree Fulke.

"So how's our Harry doing? Does he know what the next task is? I've seen Krum swim in that freezing lake everyday… does it have to do something with water? Well, Potter is one amazing kid I'm sure all his going well. Give him my support would you?" Fulke said as he cheerfully passed her by. Once he had turned the corner, Hermione felt her stomach drop. What in butterbeer's name is going on here!

taken directly from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire