Chapter 5.3
'You are not going through with it?' He almost sounded disappointed with her.
'I will. Just going to tweak it a bit.'
'Tweak?… Horcruxes?'
'I know it sounds absurd, but the process is really horrifying. I don't think I can manage.'
'Fine then what are your plans.'
'I'm going to use Black.'
'He will be your first?'
'Not just mine, but I believe he can be enough for the two of us.'
'I'm not really up for a new one child.'
'Oh not you. Draco and I.'
'Well, that remains to be seen. Is the boy willing? He seems all bark no bite.'
'True, but you would be surprised. He was slightly hesitant with Black but then was all too willing to jump in with me in the end.'
'See to it then child.'
…
"How did you get in here mudblood!? Who let you in?" Draco's dark-skinned dorm mate sneered at her. One more boy with dark hair like hers was quietly observing from his side of the room. Draco was a true contrast from his friends. Her target was sleeping peacefully in one corner, in fact too peacefully. It was time to rectify that.
She jumps him on the bed earning a startled gasp from the boy. His body shot out like spring and he was trying to push off the annoying intrusion. Hermione was like an annoying cat, he so much wants to throw out the window.
"Draco come on! I want to show you something!"
"How is she here?! You better leave us mudblood before I…" The dark boy was silenced magically. It was expected but not from the one who cast it.
"What? He was too noisy. I'm not a fan of early drama. Keep it to a minimum, will you." The not-so-quiet boy said. He was like a mysterious enigma. The creepy silent starer who observes too fucking much. She better keep a close eye on this one.
"Draco!" Hermione realizes the boy was back to sleeping and she had half a mind to jump on him again, possibly hit a certain nether region.
"Heeeerrmmmioone! We literally have all the time in the world! Why are you waking me up so early in the morning!?" He whined.
"Draco it's already 2 in the afternoon!"
"That's besides the point! Get off me!" He tried to twist and reclaim his rights to his bed.
"Fine! Can I have the map then?" This got the silent creeper's attention and the magically silenced one.
"Never!" He push her off, none too gently and proceeded to ward his bed.
"Wow you're getting good at that!" She said in silent amusement from the stone floor. Hermione was rather amazed, he really was getting good at warding. Meanwhile, their silent companions had their mouths agape. The one named Zabini, she now remembers, was gesturing lamely about, flinging his arms in complete panic. Probably from being silenced, but she's not too sure. He was pointing at Draco and motioning what was probably obscene gestures. Nott on the other hand could not maintain his silent composure and simply shouted, "WHAT THE FUCK!"
Was it too surprising that Draco slashed open his palm and drew blood magic to ward her off from his bed? Maybe. Was it scary to see him tracing with rapid ease runic patterns with his blood therefore constructing an impenetrable ward that only those of Malfoy blood can enter, and still not without consequence. Perhaps. But she was still amazed and quite proud of him, especially the bit of curse weaved in-between his wards. It was an impressive "Fuck off!"
"I'm impressed Draco." She said smiling from the floor. But being who she is, Hermione saw a loophole in his wards. Wizards tend to ward off any form of offensive magic, so she won't even bother penetrating his wards. But wards, cannot completely block all intrusions. Especially not harmless ones. That is why you could still breathe peacefully inside warded areas without having to exert more magic conjuring oxygen. So Hermione will not waste her time attacking his wards. She will simply just cast another one around it.
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU NOW DOING?!" Again, was it too surprising she knows Parsel-wards. Maybe it is. But it accomplished her goal, and now Draco's wards was fully encased with one of her own. Now time for her own magic - physics and chemistry. Combustion is a tricky chemical reaction, she doesn't want to create long-lasting damage or burn to crisp her favorite friend. No, she wants to send him in a state of panic. There are phases to combustion. First, you must determine the best material to use. Magical Fire, continues to burn even with the lack of fuel. She didn't need that, what she needs is the perfect fuel for her fire to consume. Hermione needed a material with high moisture content. The higher the moisture the more energy is driven out thus producing low residual smoke. In short, more smoke less heat. As she watch the conjured miniature forest beside his bed burn to a crisp like forest fire, she props herself on top of Nott's trunk and patiently wait for the entertainment to begin.
Draco drew back his bed's curtain and laughed mockingly at her. What could fire do to his wards, it was pathetic. But then smoke was starting to enter his ward, and he saw the glint in her eyes that made him start a fit. So the boy scrambled for his wand to put out her mini forest fire.
Hermione has really no intention of burning her friend or inducing suffocation with her smoke. What she was hoping for was self-destruction. And because Draco never really got under control any of his water-related spells, his shot of Aguamenti drowned him. Was it underhanded to use his fear on him, maybe. There was a lot of maybes today but she needed him - or rather his map to make progress with their project. He could sleep again afterwards.
Atleast he's finally awake now. Unfortunately looking like a drenched cat.
...
"Count me in!" Nott said. While someone was still gesturing wildly at one corner of the room. The boy was purposely ignored.
"No." Draco said as he right his tie, he could see in his reflection a part of his hair was out of place and he resisted the urge to flatten it down. It was no use, Hermione will just mess it up. If not that, then their next crazy adventure will surely rumple it, he'll remember to owl his mother to send more of his imported Polish branded Sleak-Easy. Flicking his eyes towards his new bff (her acronym not his), he might just order a whole batch. She needs it too, her hair is hazardous enough on its own.
"Whyyy nooot?" Nott wailed. Hermione surmise that Slytherins are whiny creatures.
They scrambled off out the Slytherin's common room with two more wizards in tow.
'You're collecting too much snakes child.'
'They're not that bad. Alfalfa likes Draco. If he doesn't like the other two I can just tell bigger Alfalfa to eat them.'
'Bigger Alfalfa?'
'Yeah I found a snake in the forest. She's HUGE! Do you know her?'
'Hermione, I can speak to snakes, does not mean I know all of them. Some of them have nothing to say anyway. All they want is to kill, eat, and sleep. Except in the spring, in the spring they mate.'
'Okaaay. Well not this one, she kept asking what I'm wearing. Probably has to do with my scarf, I didn't know snakes have preference in color. I thought they were blind to color. But she kept snapping at my skirt like as if she's so confused with them. If I didn't know any better that snake was a pervert.'
'Huh… must be Nagini.'
'Na who?'
'No one child. Don't feed your new friends to her.'
'You're right, indigestion might harm her.'
'Indigestion? That's what you're worried about?'
'Yes?'
…
The four were headed to a more secluded part of the castle, which was just actually the Hogwart's Kitchen. They were quite a sight to see, one tiny girl walking too fast with a tall boy beside her, both discussing about magical theories, wandlore, and the importance of beauty sleep. Another pair of teen was seen tagging along them, one like a pantomime the other has a trail of quicknotes writing furiously as the two before him speak. The first year Hufflepuff was so perplexed by the sight before him that it rendered him frozen in place as the four teens almost barelled into him. The tallest blonde paused before the frightened boy, and waved his hand casually to levitate the poor boy out of the way. He ended bottom first in some very dusty tapestry. It must be on of the cursed ones when even elves forgo cleaning it, or could just be terribly ugly. He wanted to cry, but his mum said 11 year old boys should not cry that much. So he adjusted his dismay to fanatical admiration and followed the group towards the coveted kitchen.
…
"Hi guys! I'm Albert Dewberry!"
"No." Draco said in a deadpan manner while biting into his very late lunch.
"But Dracooo! He's soo cute!"
"Fine."
So the group of 4 became 4… and a half.
…
"So what should we name our group?" It was comical to see the group of four… and a half, jump out of their seats like their souls leaving the physical plane. Humiliating that the most ethereal like voice took them by surprise. Draco had half a mind to curse said owner of voice, but he was too busy clutching on his chest and catching Hermione by his other arm. The elves clucked disapprovingly after witnessing flying pastries and snapped its wrinkly finger to replace them. Poor Theo was sprawled on the stone floor, while Lil' Albert - we'll call him that from now, sat atop him. And Blaise, still voiceless was flinging his arms in panic like a fish out of water. They were a hilarious bunch, which earned another fairy-like giggling.
Draco was so fed up with their burgeoning group when it was not even suppose to be a group! It was just suppose to be him and the curly-haired witch clutching his arm. He could concede Theo's interest, he is not that hard enough to "bring to the dark side", again Hermione's line not his, and Blaise is truly his mother's son that there was no need for such conversion. And lil' Albert, well he is truly cute so there was no argument there. But one loopy looking witch was just pushing it, despite her rogue-like skill sneaking up on them.
"I'm on a plant based diet, but I could make an exception for… life insurance rituals." Oh shit, he thought glumly. Weeell, when she put it that way who was he to argue. It looks like he didn't have a choice anyway, Hermione was already smiling back at the new incomer. As long as there won't be any red-heads, Draco could begrudgingly accept new members.
"Hi Luna!" Blaise was finally able to speak and Lil' Albert seated once more on the stool just happily munch his fresh muffin. He certainly like his new friends.
And now they're a group of five… and a half. Plus Alfalfa.
Hermione never thought making friends was this easy, nor this fun. Now time to sacrifice an escaped convict. But first, she focuses on devouring the raspberry tart. Murderous thoughts makes her hungry.
...
AN: So yes we have an OC. And finally I have introduced the new gang.
