Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Harry Potter/Wizarding World. They were all created by the genius that is J.K. Rowling.
Author's Note: Again thank you everyone who reviewed or added my story to their subscriptions. To Redwoodx I have a few ideas for the next date I haven't really decided yet I might try to work the flying in there somehow. To MSU-HPHGfan every time I've read The Half-Blood Prince I've always thought McLaggen needed to be smacked around a little bit. And to Eric J. Dantes that's for your comment. As for why it hasn't been reviewed very much I think it has to do with the rubbish first half of chapter one. Just remember no sleep plus cold medicine does not equal good writing.
Chapter 5: The Morning After
Harry cupped her face in his hand and kissed her. His tongue sweeping slowly into her mouth his hand sliding up her back to rest against her exposed skin causing Hermione to moan softly into his lips. When he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. "You have no idea how much it means to hear you say that." He said.
"I love you Harry Potter." She said again wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Are the two of you going to stand there and snog all night?" Ron called to them his arm carelessly draped around Lavender's shoulder.
Hermione's cheeks turned a faint pink and Harry laughed, "You have no room to talk Ronald." She scolded.
"The party is breaking up mate, which means Filch and that damned cat of his will be on the alert. He already caught Malfoy trying to gate crash." Neville said.
"What?" Harry asked his curiosity prickled.
"Filch caught him sulking around the corridor." Ginny said. "If you ask me he was up to something more than trying to get into the party."
"I agree." Dean said. Ever since Ginny had come down the stairs earlier that night dressed up for the party Dean had been very agreeable. In fact Harry was pretty sure that if you were to ask him about his complaining about how long it had taken her to look that beautiful he probably would have denied it.
Hermione looked up at Harry; she knew what he was thinking. It's pretty much the same thing that he'd been thinking since their trip to Diagon Alley at the end of summer. She knew Harry was convinced that Malfoy was a Death-Eater and she agreed that there was defiantly something going on with him. Malfoy was still his usual brand of arrogant but lately it had become all bravado. "Harry…just come back to the tower with us." She pleaded with him.
"I am." He said looking down at her, "I'll be there shortly. I have my cloak with me I won't get caught."
She sighed, she knew that there was nothing she could say or do to convince him not go chasing after Malfoy. "Just…don't be too long." She said. Harry kissed her on the cheek before covering himself with the cloak the sound of his footsteps on the stone floor were all that was left.
The next morning came sooner than anyone could have wanted; everyone was still tired from the party the night before. The story about Harry hitting McLaggen at the Christmas party was not only the topic of discussion it had grown in tremendous not to mention outrageous details. In fact the most commonly accepted version was that McLaggen had publicly molested Hermione. Harry went into rage mode and beat McLaggen to the point of unconsciousness and was now in the hospital wing. Another tall tale was that he'd used the Cruciatus Curse repeatedly on McLaggen for even looking at Hermione. But because the Cruciatus curse was illegal to use and Harry was obviously not in Azkaban they knew it couldn't possibly be true. Both stories died down when everyone saw that McLaggen was still in one piece though a bit bruised but obviously held a grudge for Harry.
Once they were on the train Harry, Hermione, and Ron found a vacant compartment. They hadn't had a chance to talk to Harry about what Malfoy had been doing the night before as Lavender, Dean, and Ginny had still been up when he'd made it back to the common room. Both Hermione and Ron were dying to know what was going on. He waited for things to settle down on the train before he launched into the story. More than that last thing he wanted was to be overheard, especially with the information he knew, that Snape had offered to help Malfoy do whatever it was Voldemort had charged him with. After listening to everything Harry told them Ron was the first to speak. "Did you ever think that maybe Snape was trying to get Malfoy to confide in him?"
Hermione was surprised at Ron, "You're the one who's always ready to sell Snape out. What's gotten into you?" she asked.
"Well…Dumbledore trusts Snape." He said sheepishly. "When Harry thought You Know Who had Sirius in the Department of Mysteries he did call the Order."
"Dumbledore can make mistakes." Harry said. "He's told me as much."
"We still don't have any proof though Harry." Hermione said sliding her hand into his and squeezing it gently. She wanted to back him up on this but so far she wasn't sure what to believe.
"I'm telling you, Malfoy is a Death-Eater and Snape is helping him. I don't need to proof I know." Harry said.
"But why Malfoy?" Hermione asked. "He has plenty of wizards fully trained up at his disposal why would he need a kid?"
"Why would The Order need me?" Harry countered his tone defensive.
"Your grabbing straws mate." Ron said. "Malfoy's just a normal bloke…all be it a normal bloke who does tend to fall on the creepy side and happens to come from a long line of evil….Sirius excluded." He amended before Harry had a chance to defend his godfather.
"Maybe he needs someone inside of Hogwarts to give him information." Harry said.
"Well he has Snape or at least thinks he has." Hermione replied.
"Well if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck-"
"It's not a Death-Eater." Ron cut him off.
"What's the Unbreakable Vow?" Harry asked remembering the piece of information he'd forgot to share.
"It's a promise sealed by magic." Hermione said. "Why?"
"Snape said he made one with Malfoy's mother." Harry replied.
"Are you sure he said the Unbreakable Vow?" Ron asked the tone of his voice carried an almost frightened edge.
Harry nodded, "Why?"
"Well you can't break an Unbreakable Vow." Ron said.
"I kinda got that from the name. What happens if you do?"
There was a pregnant pause before Hermione finally answered, "You die."
