Happy New Year! There was a scene in here that everyone keeps posting as a meme on social media and I loved it so much that I put in here. I can't take credit for it, but I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 32

Hermione rose early the next morning. Upon reflection she realized she had several burning questions for Ron. Once she finished dressing Tangle worked her way into Hermione's hair, twisting herself through the tresses like an emerald ribbon. In the common room she settled in by the fireplace with a book to wait. Surprisingly, it didn't take long. Bleary eyed, with dark circles under his eyes, Ron stumbled down much earlier than was his habit. He visibly flinched when he noticed Hermione waiting. She gestured to a nearby chair. "Sit. I have questions." She cast a notice me not charm on their little area.

"Of course you do." he muttered darkly. She raised an eyebrow in response. "Sorry."

"I suppose they all come back to why? What possible reason could you have to hate me so much that you could push me off the top of the Grand Staircase and leave me?" she asked in an even tone.

Ron looked at his hands. "I wasn't really trying to kill you. I never even meant to hurt you physically. I've just felt this constant anger since you told us you were adopted. That started all the changes. Sirius got free, so Harry had a family. Not only are you a pureblood, but you're rich, too. So is Harry. You both have everything I have and more."

"You were jealous."

"I was jealous." He agreed. "That's no excuse for being a git, or anything. But when I saw you that day, everything just bubbled over. I never planned to do anything. I just thought I would fuss at you, pick an argument. Make myself feel a little better by making you cry."

"So you intended to bully me."

He started to protest. She crossed her arms and glared at him. He deflated back down. "Yeah, but I never planned to push you. It just happened. The stairs started to shift and before I realized what I was doing, I was shoving you forward. I raced down to the bottom, but once I saw those first years, I panicked and ran. I hid in the dorms until the love potions scans." He made and held eye contact. "I'm sorry. I never should have pushed you, or bullied you."

"I accept your apology. While I cannot forgive right now, nor will I ever forget, I intended to honor our agreement. Keep you opinions to yourself, keep your mouth shut, stay away from me when possible, and this stays our secret. We have the same classes, live in the same dorms, we can't avoid each other completely. But you will be civil and polite when we have to interact. Give me any reason to doubt you and I will throw you to the wolves in a heartbeat."

He swallowed hard. "I understand.

"Just make sure you keep control of your temper." Her expression softened, "Stop being your worst enemy."

"Easier said than done."

"I know." She gathered up her book and stood. "but if not for yourself, then do it for your mum. She would lose her mind if you went to Azkaban." Ron paled, his freckles showing in stark relief. "It's time to start growing up, Ron. Actions have consequences, even mine." He looked confused. "Not telling who pushed me leads to an unsolved cold case. This leads to hyper vigilant parents who hire bodyguards. Someday they may discover I knew all this time, and then there will be hell to pay." she shrugged. "But your older brothers all worked hard to advance themselves, they don't deserve the stigma our incarceration would engender. So you get off with knowing that someday I will cash in your debt, and you can't refuse regardless of what it is. Really think about that and enjoy the thought. I know I will." Canceling the spell, gave him an evil little smile, and made her way down to breakfast.

During Potions that day, Ron and Hermione arrived at the ingredients closet at the same time. Ron politely gestured for Hermione to go first. She smiled and began gathering her items. Seamus and Dean watched with concerned confusion. Draco and Theo observed with suspicion. Harry eyed Hermione. She awarded him a bright smile and arranged their supplies for use. "What did you do?" questioned Harry.

Hermione gave him an odd look. "I gathered our supplies."

"I meant to Ron."

"I haven't done anything to Ron Weasley, or any other Ron for that matter."

"He just decided to be polite all on his own?"

"How should I know? Maybe Arthur got it through Molly's head that allowing their youngest two children to run wild might damage the family name."

Harry considered the idea. "That's possible."

"Fred told me Mr Weasley sounded very impressed that Dad intended to invest in their joke shop."

"I invested, too."

"Did you really? Why, Harry Potter, that is the sweetest thing."

"Yep, my half of the tournament prize. And when I told Sirius, he suggested matching it with money from my trust vault to increase my shares."

"I'm so happy for them. They have worked really hard for this." She said while crushing their fairy wings.

Defense class, once again, consisted of reading silently from an antiquated textbook and writing a summary of how to wait for Ministry approved help to arrive. Even the grade conscious Hermione couldn't take the assignments seriously. Some of the techniques described seemed childish and, in the face of things they personally experienced, rather dubious. Finally snapping from the strain of ignoring the sheer stupidity, Hermione threw down her quill in disgust.

"Hem hem, Miss Malfoy?" Umbridge raised a questioning eyebrow at Hermione.

"Excuse me, professor, I just started wondering, when we run away from the dangerous dark wizards, should we move in a straight line or zigzag pattern?"

Umbridge blinked twice, "Why would you run in a pattern?"

"To decrease the chances of a hex striking you in the back."

"Why would a hex hit you in the back?"

"Because the dark wizards attacking me aren't going to wait for the proper authorities to arrive." Several students snickered.

"Why are dark wizards attacking you?"

"Why aren't they might be a shorter list." Harry whispered. Even the Slytherins laughed.

"Do you have something to add, Mr Potter?"

"Despite being underage, Hermione, Ron and I have been attacked numerous times. Each time without aurors, or anyone really, arriving to defend us." He looked around the corners of the room, like he expected someone to pop out.

"Mr Potter, do you expect to be attacked in my class?"

"Yes, actually."

"What?" Umbridge looked shocked.

"Well, I mean, so far it's been four for four."

"Mr Potter..." she began only to be cut off when Harry ignored her and continued.

"Quirrel tried to choke me to death."

Umbridge tried again, "Mr Potter..."

Harry ignored her. "Then Lockhart tried to permanently erase my memory."

Vainly, Umbridge tried to wrest back control of the class. "Mr Potter!"

"Now, Professor Lupin didn't intend to, he just forgot his potion, but he chased me as a werewolf with the intent to chomp down."

"MR POTTER!"

"And Moody turned out to be a disguised escaped death eater."

"POTTER!"

"So I figure it's one hundred percent you'll attack my by June. Fifty fifty you'll try to kill me, with a twenty-five percent chance of an Unforgivable." He turned to Hermione, "Did I get the math right?"

She nodded proudly, "You did, good job." They both turned back to Umbridge.

Her wide toad like mouth open and closed in wordless rage. A croak escaped her, causing the class to laugh. "Detention, both of you. My office. Seven pm." She seethed at them.

At seven that evening exactly, Harry and Hermione entered Umbridge's office. The woman had charmed the walls a sickly candy floss pink. Decorative plates displaying cross eyed kittens covered the walls. The toad, herself, sat behind her desk, a smug smile playing across her lips. She sipped from a teacup. "Take the parchment over to the table. You'll be writing lines." Hermione struggled to keep from rolling her eyes at the juvenile punishment of line writing. Did she think they were seven? "You'' be using my quills." She placed one in front of Harry. "Mr Potter, you will be writing, 'I must not tell lies.' Miss Malfoy, you will be writing, 'My blood is still dirty.'" She placed a quill in front of Hermione.

"Um, where's the ink?" Harry asked.

"These quills do not require ink. You may begin."

Realization washed over Hermione. "You cannot be serious! You want us to use blood quills to write lines?"

"Its the only way for the lesson to really sink in."

"Absolutely not!" Hermione exclaimed, indignant over the very suggestion.

"You have no choice, Miss Malfoy. I suggest you begin."

"We will not!" Harry started to stand.

"Sit down." Umbridge ordered sternly. Clearly against their wills, both students sat. "Now start writing." They both picked up the blood quills and began writing. Umbridge smiled smugly as she sat down behind her desk. "The old ways really are the best ways." She resumed sipped her tea. "And in case either of you thinks about carrying home tales, you are forbidden to tell anyone of what transpires in this office."

Gritting her teeth against the pain, Hermione fought the compulsion to put quill to parchment and further carve letters into the back of her hand. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because you need to learn your place. Lord Voldemort has not returned. He is dead. This is just Dumbledore's bid to grab power. You are his pawn, spreading his lies for him. I don't know what you've done to Lord Malfoy, brat, but you're tainting of a noble house ends here. You will learn to respect and obey your betters. Now, write faster."

Tears stood in Hermione's eyes from the pain. She fought to keep them from falling. A glance in Harry's direction revealed, he stood refused to give Umbridge the satisfaction. Suddenly, Umbridge shrieked. "No!" They looked up in time to see Tangle sink her fangs into Umbridge's hand. "Augh." The small snake zipped out of sight, Harry hissing for her to remain hidden. All this time they continued writing, compelled by their orders. The squat witch howled as blood poured from her hand. "What kind of snake was that, Harry?" Hermione asked in a conversational tone.

"Zithna, I think. It had a red stripe. Did you know they can control whether or not their bite is venomous?"

"Fascinating." Hermione enjoyed the panic their conversational tidbits seemed to create.

"Elf. Elf!" demanded Umbridge. Dobby popped in. "I've been bitten by a poisonous snake, get help." Dobby bowed and popped away. Hermione and Harry continued writing, wondering whom the little elf would bring. Umbridge held her hand, trying to staunch the flow of blood from her hand. The scratching of the quills over the parchment disturbed the silence

Professors McGonagall and Snape entered the office. "Delores, why is a house elf insisting you are bleeding to death from a snake bite?" McGonagall froze halfway into the room. "What is going on here?"

"A Zithna snake bit me. Quick, Severus, get me an antidote!"

"Not you, Delores, this." she gestured to the students, still writing lines.

"Merely detention. You have to help me. It burns!"

"Merely detention? MERELY DETENTION!" McGonagall's voice rose three octaves. "Both students are bleeding profusely, Delores!"

"So am I." she snapped back.

Snape narrowed his eyes. "Miss Malfoy, why are you still writing?"

"She hasn't told us to stop, sir."

"What's going on here, Potter?"

"Sorry, sir, I can't tell you."

"Can't or won't?"

"Can't, sir. The words stick in my mouth. Can't even take a breath to started the sentence."

"Both of you stop writing this instant." cried McGonagall. They kept writing.

Snape glared at Umbridge. "Release them immediately."

"I need the antidote."

"Release them."

"Stop writing. Now, get me the antidote."

Snape's glare darkened and he stalked forward, robes billowing out behind him. "Release them from your control, you bottom feeding gutter slug toadie, or I will make you wish the Zithna snake had poisoned you. NOW." he roared. "Every single student you've compelled."

Cowed, in small voice she said, "I release all students from my control. Now help me, please."

"If the bite had been venomous you would be dead all ready."

McGonagall transfigured the parchment into linen strips. She bound Harry and Hermione's hands. "Go straight to the Medical Wing." She turned to Snape. "Stop Delores's bleeding then bring her to the Headmaster's office. It's going to be a long night."

Side by side Hermione and Harry stared out towards the medical wing. Hermione paused once they were out of sight of Umbridge's office. "Dobby." Instantly the house elf arrived. "Once everyone is out of the office, would you please find my snake, Tangle, and bring her to me."

"Anything for Miss Hermy." He disappeared.

"Who do you think will be angrier?" Harry asked.

"Sirius. Both his ward and his heir were mind controlled and tortured."

"I think you're wrong. I think Lucius will be more angry. You're his precious little girl, and the mean witch not only hurt you, she made you do it."

After Madame Pomfrey cleaned away the blood, they soaked their hands in bowls of dittany and essence of murlap. "Won't stop the scarring, I'm afraid, but it will close the wounds and prevent infection. She administered a small dose of pain potion before instructing them both the rest. "Poor chance of that as it is." she muttered as she left.

"We should get her a very nice gift. We've caused her considerable work over the years." remarked Hermione.

"Sure, but would it be better to wait until we graduate and do one big gift, or should we do five little gifts?"

"Excellent question. Hmmmm, we could five little ones now, another next year, then one really big one when we graduate."

"I'm also going to make a plaque for these two cots. This one will be the Harry Potter cot, and that one will be the Hermione Granger Malfoy cot."

"Why both last names?"

"Because some of the time Hermione Granger used it, and the rest Hermione Malfoy. Just a little nod for people in the know."

Dobby entered carrying Tangle relevantly. "Miss Hermy's bestest behaved snake."

"Thank you, Dobby. I would hug you, but Madame Pomfrey was adamant about soaking." He put Tangle next to her. "And what do you have to say for yourself, young lady?"

'No one hurts Tangle's pretty witch. Toad tastes bad.'

Harry laughed, Hermione glared at him. "What? She's right, Umbitch is a toad. I bet she tastes bad."

"You shouldn't encourage her."

"I doubt she needs my encouragement. She handled herself just fine." Tangle managed to look smug before slithering back into Hermione's hair. "She did exactly what I asked her to- protect you as best she could. She could have killed her, instead she did enough damage to stop her."

"That's true. Excellent work, Tangle, good job." Tangle purred.

Both Harry and Hermione lost the bet as to which parent would be angriest. In a swirl of robes that would have had Snape drooling with envy. Narcissa stormed into the infirmary. "How dare that woman permanently disfigure our children!" she raged.

"Now, Cissa, they have a few scars on the back of their hands. This is not that big of a deal." Sirius placated, or at least tried to.

"Do not downplay this with me, Sirius Orion Black. I want that woman's head on a pike. A pike! Do you hear me?"

"Cissa, all of London can hear you."

Good." She whirled on her husband. "And don't you let Fudge try anything. That woman's head rolls or yours does."

He held up his hands in surrender. "Yes, dear. Shall we check on them now?"

Narcissa stomped across the ward. Reaching Harry first, she held out her hand for his, so she could inspect the damage. "I must not tell lies."

"We weren't punished for what we said, more because we gave her an excuse." He told her. "We needed to learn our places."

Silently Narcissa moved to her daughter. "How is 'Toujours Forte' a lesson?" She looked at Hermione.

"She ordered us to write. She forgot to order us to write what she wanted."

"What did she want you to write?" Lucius asked, rubbing his thumb along her cheek.

"My blood is still dirty. She thinks I'm tainting our noble house and making you do things. So, she was going to stop me."

All three adults looked at one another. "This is unacceptable for numerous reasons." Lucius finally said.

"Why didn't their house rings stop the compulsion charm?" Sirius asked.

"Because not that long ago wizards still used them to make wives and children obey them." Lucius answered. "They aren't exactly illegal, but they aren't exactly legal, either. Delores's use here was immoral, though."

Hermione nibbled on her bottom lip thinking. "I don't think we're the only ones she's used them on. Loads of students have had detention with her before us."

"Why haven't they spoken up?" asked a rather concerned Narcissa.

"She forbid us to tell anyone what happened in the office." Harry said.

"We'll let Albus and Minerva know." Sirius told them. "Right now, she's either worked herself into a state over the snake bite, or she's faking it and demanded to be taken to St Mungo's. Fudge agreed to her demands. So, instead of waiting for them tomorrow, we're going to set Minnie to gathering evidence before she can try to extract herself."

"I would start with students whose parents work directly under her in the ministry, I bet she threatened them." Harry remarked. "Along with anyone who has had detention."

"We will. You two, get some rest." With a wave of Narcissa's wand they were dressed in soft cotton pajamas. Once the adults left Madame Pomfrey dimmed the lights.

Harry chuckled, "Your mum's gonna have her guts for garters."

Hermione faked a shudder, "Ugh, toad skin, that's so last season." They laughed again.