The First Attack

The rest of Serenity's day went smoothly; she managed to avoid both her 'brother' and Draco. She enjoyed all of her classes and did everything right, nothing, it seemed, could ruin her day now. She was very, very wrong.

As soon as she entered the common room she knew something was not right. She looked around for whatever may have caused her to feel as if something were wrong and found it, sitting in a chair by the fireplace.

"Hey, Malfoy!" Kurt called to the blonde boy; he turned and received a fist to his face. Draco went down, hard, but a second later was back on his feet in a ready position. "You think you're tough Malfoy? You think you have more of a chance than you're pathetic father?" Draco's eyes flared but his body remained perfectly still. Kurt laughed and lunged for the smaller boy; Draco stepped aside and used Kurt's own force against him, sending him head first down a flight of stairs. Draco looked down the stairs at Kurt's body, his arm was bent at an impossible angle and there was a large gash on his forehead. Draco left him there, I got very lucky that time, he's a lot stronger than me and much better trained, I've got to be much more careful… Draco thought as he ran down the hall clutching the side of his face that Kurt had attempted to pound into his brain.

Harry turned quickly around a corner and ran straight into Serenity; his books went flying as she landed on top of him. She scrambled off and bowed, when she looked up Harry instantly saw that she was on the verge of crying.

"Harry! Please you have to do something, Hermione… I don't know what happened… Please, help!"

"Hermione?" Harry was in life saving mode now, no time to worry about the angel in front of him, although he couldn't help but feel the tingling sensation when he grabbed her shoulders to try and get her to clear her head, "Serenity, I need you to go get Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey immediately, can you do that?" Before he could even finish she was heading down the hallway in search of help.

Harry ran into the common room to find Hermione in her usual chair looking peaceful and asleep, until he touched her and realized that she was ice cold; frost clung to her hair and eyelashes. Harry held her hand and noticed something there; he pulled out a small piece of parchment rolled up in her icy hand. He quickly unrolled it to reveal a large 1 and a small note that said:

The Dark Lord's deed will be done

Many others will follow this one

Harry crumpled the paper and threw it on the ground as Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey entered the room with Serenity leading them. They took one look at her and rushed her down to the Hospital Wing to treat her. Serenity and Harry stayed in the common room, both too shocked to move.

"They won't be able to wake her, or warm her, or save her… She will die…" Serenity said very quietly, Harry almost didn't hear her, and wished he hadn't.

"They will! They have to! She's the smartest student in this school; we need her if Voldemort is going to attack!" Harry yelled, standing up and throwing the piece of paper at Serenity, she unrolled it and read the couplet. A huge sigh escaped her and she curled herself into a ball.

The next day was Hell for Serenity, all anyone wanted to talk about was Hermione Granger and the unfortunate mishap. Some were so worried about her and others were just upset they didn't get to see it first hand. Both Harry and Ron had stayed by her bedside as long as Madame Pomfrey would allow. Everyone was hoping for some kind of breakthrough to occur but it didn't. Not in the first day, not in the second, not in the third or fourth or fifth… it seemed hopeless. After the first week, visitors stopped dropping by, flowers stopped appearing by her bedside and the talk of the students gradually began to leave Hermione out. Only Ron, Harry and Serenity saw her on a regular basis, but even they slowly drifted away from the frozen girl.

A month passed and Madame Pomfrey had very nearly given up hope, she was sitting in her office reading over all of her spell books and even a few muggle medical books. She was tired, exhausted and she couldn't concentrate on the words any more. She left her office and went over to Hermione's bed, the curtains were drawn and a shadow was speaking softly behind it. Madame Pomfrey pulled back the curtain, her wand was aimed at the shadow and she was ready for anything, or so she thought.

"There's nothing here Harry," Ron told his best friend after their fourth sleepless night, scouring the tomes in the library. Each boy knew they would find nothing but neither could sleep and both felt useless just sitting up at night not doing anything for their poor frozen friend.

"We have to keep trying Ron, she's dying… she's… There has to be something here…" Harry slammed his head down on the book lying on the desk before him. His shoulders began to shake with the sobs coming from the last reserves of energy he had. Ron walked over to the chair next to Harry and sat down; he put his arm awkwardly around the crying boy in an attempt to comfort him.

"Harry… I, I think we should get some sleep, we can't help Hermione if we're too exhausted to wave our wands now can we?" Harry shook his head and rested it on Ron's chest. He was asleep almost instantly leaving Ron sitting holding Harry awkwardly. Ron breathed in to yawn and caught the scent of Harry's aftershave; he savored it for a moment but aught himself. What are you thinking, Ron! Harry's your best friend, not to mention a guy! Ron yelled at himself but when he looked at Harry's sleeping form spread across the chair and his own body a second, softer voice crept into his head, He is your best friend, you know each other very well, you trust him and he is very handsome… Ron shook his head, picked Harry up and carried him to his bed. He laid the sleeping boy down and kissed him lightly on the forehead, then even more lightly on the lips, closed his curtains and crawled into his own bed.

Harry's dreams were much sweeter that night than they had been since Hermione had fallen into her frozen sleep.

"Mr. Malfoy, what are you doing here? You nearly scared the life out of me!" Madame Pomfrey asked the pale boy sitting beside Hermione's seemingly lifeless body.

"I have something that can help," He stated plainly. Madame Pomfrey looked suspiciously at him, "I only just found it now and I rushed down here with it," he pointed to a large water-stained book sitting on the empty bedside table. Madame Pomfrey picked up the heavy tome and opened it to the bookmarked page. Draco frowned. "That's the spell that has been used on her; the counter curse is on the same page, just below… I'd appreciate you not saying anything about this to anyone." His frown deepened, "I understand you'll tell the Headmaster because this is very suspicious but I'd like you to know that I would never do something like this to anyone. Have a good night Madame Pomfrey." He walked out of the infirmary leaving behind a large vase of flowers for the frozen girl.

Draco walked through the dark halls silently, he knew what was coming, and he couldn't avoid it. Kurt would find him and either beat him until he was dead or until he wished he were, quick thundering footsteps echoed down the empty halls. This is it, Draco thought as he pushed himself against the wall, I am going to die now, too bad; I was just starting to enjoy life… Kurt came around the corner, hand raised, light was glaring off of his fingertips, He doesn't need a wand… Draco realized how much trouble he was in, you can't disarm someone whose only weapon is their arm…

"There you are Malfoy; I've been lookin' for you." Kurt's Irish accent was coming out clearer than it ever had; he had gotten good at pretending he was British, just like his 'sister'. "I'm gunna make you wish you were dead, then, depending on my mood I may just grant that wish…" Draco shrugged; at this point he was expecting it and he didn't care.

"Go ahead Kurt, if you don't kill me Voldemort will." Draco spread out his arms and Kurt took aim but just as he was about to cast one nasty spell or another, a small dark-haired angel stepped in front of Draco.

"You can't kill him Kurt," she said simply, "We've got orders, and he's not part of them, leave the whelp alone, Voldemort will have a lot more fun than you will. He'll be disappointed if you kill all the Malfoys leave this one to him, it's not like he can run…" Serenity giggled softly and took Kurt's arm to lead him away from his prey. Kurt grabbed her and threw her against the wall, he looked at Draco as he pinned her and kissed her roughly. Draco saw the tears in Serenity's eyes and wanted to stop Kurt from hurting her, but she was motioning for him to go and, this time, he didn't stay to fight. As he ran down the hall he heard Kurt hit her and Serenity cried out, and then there was silence. Draco stopped and almost went back to her but he knew if he did, they were both dead, so he kept on running until he was 'safe' in the dormitory.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed... I've begun to throw in the possibility of slash, which I think is super-duper, I hope you hink it is too... If you do... or don't review and tell me, I live on reviews... the and the dreams of small children... Au revoir