Hey there. Sorry about the amount of time it took to update. I have been so busy this week, so here. Have a little bit extra in this chapter.
I used Can't Sleep, Can't Breathe by Digital Daggers again for a song because it is really awesome. Ha. Sorry.
Don't forget to Review, favorite, and follow. Hope this chapter is good. All feedback is welcome.
-Madi
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor do I own any lyrics I quote in each chapter.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Where the Lonely Ones Roam
'Won't you come out,
I've been waiting on you,
Holding my breath,
Till my body turned blue,
Get lost in the dark to find yourself,
Just remember what I said,
No it isn't over yet…"
Where the Lonely Ones Roam by Digital Daggers
Thursday October 31st, 1996
Quarter past seven at night, in a corridor near the Gryffindor common rooms
Wand in hand, Hermione slowly lifted a singular orange colored streamer to hang from the stone column just two feet in front of her. Sighing as quietly as she could, she couldn't help but roll her eyes at the mundane task Ginny had assigned her to; especially since she normally wouldn't have even bothered to come to this social event. It just wasn't where she felt comfortable but when Harry and Ron announced they were going she saw no way out.
"I don't get the point," Ron mumbled under his breath. Hermione tossed a pointed look over her right shoulder as Ron poked around at the box of decorations.
"It's what others perceive as fun Ronald," Hermione sighed once more. Turning around back towards her task with a small smile, she put her hands on her hips at the trivial accomplishment of finishing setting up the streamers. "Besides, you were the one who wanted to attend this year's party. I was perfectly fine staying up in my room reading…"
"What a load of waffle," Ron snorted. That statement pulled her attention towards her redheaded friend, who yawned, which she deducted was out of boredom. "Not that I don't believe you, you're always reading… and that's not a bad thing, really. It's just, well we all think you needed and wanted, some time with friends…you know, after all that studying you did. It seemed best for a night of fun away from other houses'… besides, Lavender wanted me to go and I couldn't do this, alone, now could I?"
"I suppose you're right," she sighed but then continued, "Studying was a bit more difficult than usual… Hang on, what do you mean,away from other houses', exactly?" she punctured the words in a brush of annoyance in order to make sure she'd heard him correctly.
"Well," he nodded almost dropping the box in front of him. Then catching it just in time he looked up at her with that goofy smile of his and a laugh. "I mean, it isn't a bad thing. Harry is just being a bit paranoid, ya know? Especially when it comes to Slytherin's… not that I don't agree with him. They're Slytherin's after all… It probably has to do with that theory of his about Malfoy being a, you know what…"
Just when Hermione was about to scoff at the insinuation of Harry not trusting her enough to tell her things because of Malfoy, Ginny dropped yet another box of things upon the table. Biting upon her tongue in order to stop lashing out at the wrong people, she had to remind herself that this night was supposed to be fun.
"Alright, here we are," Ginny said. "Now, I know the both of you would rather be elsewhere tonight, but Seamus and Neville really appreciate the help. As do I… Seeing as Parvati and her band of followers bailed to attend the Slytherin's party in the dungeons, it fell to me to gather helpers. Really, the Slytherin's… Who knows what kind of iniquity happens down there in the dark… Especially on nights like this…"
"I'd really appreciate not having an image of Malfoy and Pug, thanks." Ron grimaced. At the mention of his name, Hermione tried to hide the sudden pinch in her expression that caused her to flinch.
'Why should it matter? We really only kissed twice, it was nothing, a mistake really. He is allowed to do whatever he pleases… In no way does it affect me in the slightest.' Hermione thought to herself as she pulled at the top of the box in order to continue hanging decorations.
"So, where is Harry right now?" Ginny asked. Hermione pushed away her thoughts as she pulled open the box the rest of the way.
"I donno, I reckon he is still with Dumbledore finishing up the last bit of his lesson," Ron reached in the box pulling out what looked to be fake spiders. When he realized what he'd grabbed, he almost screamed throwing them down with a squeak. Hermione couldn't help but laugh loudly alongside Ginny who was almost crying. "It's not funny! You did that on purpose!"
Ginny wiped her eyes, after catching her breath and clutching her sides. Hermione smiled widely at the two siblings but then realized what Ron had said.
"Lesson? What lesson could Harry be having at almost seven?" Hermione asked with her brows frowned.
"His private lesson with Dumbledore," Ron responded with a huff still patting his robes as if a spider was actually on him. "He said he'd be a bit later tonight than the past few times, so I reckon he'll be here in about an hour or so. Depending where they go this time…"
Hermione stared at Ron blankly, stunned that this was the first she was hearing of this and from Ron no less. Harry didn't even have the tact to share this bit of information with one of his so best friends and what, because she had been partnered with him in potions class. Or was it because of that one little kiss. When Ron looked up towards her, she knew that he could tell from her current expression that this was news to her.
"Bloody Hell," he muttered. "He didn't tell you?"
Hermione inhaled sharply, sucking in her lips and pursuing them in frustration that was just short of anger. When she shook her head, she felt a hand upon her forearm that rested there for a second, but was ripped away just in time to hear one of the most obnoxious voices Hermione had ever heard.
"Won-Won," the shrill of Lavender's voice made Hermione jump, "There you are… you didn't tell me that you'd be helping set up."
Then Hermione turned to watch Lavender kiss Ron flat on the lips and then grab his hand as she lead him out of the corridor without so much as another word..
Crossing her arms, Hermione began nibbling upon her bottom lip in frustration. Whatever Harry's reasoning for not telling her about these so called private lessons with Dumbledore, she was furious. All of this petty behavior because of one questionable photograph. Harry not telling her something so vital and it probably had to do with the order in some way or another which was unacceptable.
"If it helps, I didn't know either…" Ginny said. With a huff Hermione peeled herself away from her thoughts and looked towards her friend. "About the lessons that is… I mean I'm not close with Harry the way you are, but whatever's going on with him, he'll either come to his senses or I'll hex him. That should put him right."
Hermione couldn't help but smile softly at the thought of Ginny hexing Harry for being such a lousy arse towards her. Exhaling softly, she couldn't but wonder if Ginny would act differently if she knew that she kissed- snogged -Malfoy.
"If you don't hex him, I will," Hermione said sharply as Ginny patted her shoulder with a laugh before walking down the corridor. Hermione then realized in a mental note to herself that she not only needed to talk to Harry but she still needed a word with Malfoy. Even though the more she thought about it the more she recognized that she wasn't completely sure what she needed to tell him. Thinking about it while she searched the box before her, she thought about probable things she could tell him.
With a huff, the first thing that came to mind was to tell him to stay away from her when they weren't working together in potions. 'Though that hardly seems enough reason to warrant a confrontation… He has been staying away, which leads me to believe that he's up to something and I can't just sit around waiting for something to happen. Whether I want to or not, I need to figure out what he's up to…' she thought. Frustration then surged though her in the form of defeat at that thought.
It wasn't like she could just forget Harry's theory, nor could she just let it go that he was the one that cursed Katie Bell in an attempt to cursed professor Dumbledore. She was stuck between possibly causing more problems with her friends and doing what was or at least felt right. In that moment, she realized that for some unbeknownst reason, she felt responsible for figuring out what it was that he was up to.
When she told him to stay away, she now realized it had been an irrationalized decision. One where she wanted to rid Malfoy from her life one way or another and didn't care to think past that. Still chewing upon her bottom lip, she knew that the real reasoning behind wanting him to leave her alone was that he had a particular way of making her feel things...
The singular word that came to mind was desire.
Desire to be wanted… to be found intriguing… Shaking her head after allowing herself to think on him, too much she thought about other reasons she wanted him to stay away.
'There was also all the drama it caused with Harry and Ronald…' she rolled her eyes trying to remember why she hadn't thought about ramifications before this. Looking around the corridor she knew that she couldn't stay away from him and for some reason, even though she hated that she was, she was okay with him not staying away.
With a sigh, Hermione used her wands to place more decorations upon the floors and walls. One thing she was sure of and that was under no circumstance was she going to allow Malfoy too close. Distantly watching him should suffice for observational purposes; at least she hoped it would.
'Dire straits and dirty consequences,
An invitation to your personal disaster,
It's a point break,
Another guilty conscience,
Your tried to tempt fate,
Be careful what you wish,
I'll take you deeper and strip you of your salvation,
You're sinking to the bottom,
You're losing control,
The lower you go,
you're sinking to the bottom now…"
Can't sleep, Can't breathe by Digital Daggers
Still Thursday October 31st, 1996
Inside the Slytherin commons, half past nine
The lenient melodic sounds of a piano played by skillful hands wafted through out the Slytherin's commons just loud enough to overpower the trickling sounds of voices. Pansy honestly found the soothing music tasteful and fitting for the rather pompous gathering. It reminded her of the ones her mother would host or attend. Stoically, she watched the glass bottle of fire whisky magically tipping over to pour her yet another drink.
In all honesty, Pansy wanted the night to go away, to fade and blur together taking her worries with it. The cool liquid burned her throat rather cuttingly while she coughed afterwards. Looking over the room she noticed Blaise across the room talking to some girl with mundane mousy brown hair knotted into a messy bun. Taking another sip of her drink with a wince, she saw the girl brushing her hand against Blaise's arm in a flirtatious manner. Which she then continued to watch Blaise dismiss the girl in his uninterested, casual and yet still rather polite way.
'It's pathetically obvious that he is not interested, take a hint…' Pansy thought to herself while rolling her eyes at the stupidity displayed before her. Crossing her left arm towards her right as she still held her drink in the other she sighed.
Suddenly without warning, she felt a heated rush of hair brush against the nape of her neck followed by two hands making their way around her waist. The motion was so familiar that it gave her shivers but also made her want to jump out of her own skin. In that moment, she had to remind herself to play it off and act normal if she wanted to remain safe.
"You've been avoiding me," the hot words flitted by her ear making her shudder lightly. It was Theo Knott after all. "Why is that?"
Slowly she turned her head, putting on a rather passive expression to look at him for the first time. His green eyes were exceptionally vibrant today and even after everything, she was sure she could still get lost in them. It was after all what drew her in the first time.
"If I was avoiding you Nott," she gave a rather distasteful yet weak side smirk, "You'd know it…"
He then mirrored her expression allowing her to turn around so that she was facing him and still within the confines of his arms. Pansy then looked up at him through her lashes before take another sip of her drink hoping that it would settle her nerves. She couldn't have him know that she remembered that night, her life depended upon it. Finishing her drink, she wiggled the empty glass before him hoping he took the hint.
With the tic of his left brow, he removed his arms before he took her empty glass towards the table a few feet away. Exhaling shakily through her teeth without changing her stoic expression, Pansy mentally told herself to get it together.
"Here you are Luv," his sudden voice made her want to jump, but didn't. "I'd tell you to take it easy, but then again, you'd probably hex me for saying it."
All she did was give him a sharp punctured look of annoyance before she took another sip of the cool yet burning liquid. When she did she watched as Crabbe came out of nowhere and handed Theo something, what looked like a folded up scrap piece of parchment. When Theo opened it, Pansy watched his expression change from unperturbed to manic.
"I'll be right back," he said through his teeth as he grabbed Crabbe by his dress robe while Goyal trailed behind swiftly. Pansy wasn't sure what those three were doing together. Once they were far enough ahead of her, she followed them out of the Slytherin commons into the corridors.
With an unsteady exhale, Pansy watched them round a corner into a nook inside the corridor, while she from a distance. Sharp hisses of biting words punctured the silence of the corridor as she slowly made her way to hide behind a stone column just outside the threshold where they were.
"A note?" Theo growled loudly. "You wrote that down on a note?"
An abrupt noise sounded from inside the room signaling either something fell or was kicked in a fit of anger. The sound made her jump as she rested her hand over her mouth in order to keep silent.
"I'm trying to understand the logic in this," Theo continued, "It reads, 'Theo, we got the liquid luck. Is there anything else we can do to help your task with the Dark Lord?'… Honestly, are the both of you that thick?"
Every inch of her froze as she heard the words Liquid luck.
"Never mind- Where is it?" Theo asked. She heard whispers, soft ones that sounded like Crabbe, but his voice was too muffled to understand what he was saying. "I'll take care of Malfoy, you two need to worry about the other thing we discussed last time, understand?"
Closing her eyes, other than the harsh whispers the only thing Pansy could hear was her uneven breaths which were dulled by her hand. She wasn't sure what she expected by following Theo, but one thing for sure…
With liquid luck, he could accomplish whatever he wanted with just one sip. She knew she needed to tell someone and all signs were pointing to Blaise. Another loud sound made her jump, tightening her hand across her mouth and scrunching her eyes. Then there was a loud thudding pair of footsteps that started in her direction as well as a softer pair that seemed to echo more. Once the sounds grew loud enough she knew they were right next to her as she pushed her back into the wall behind her.
Then the footsteps softened with distance as she held a glass in one hand while the other still lie upon her mouth. Looking to her left, Pansy had about four inches of space between the column and the wall where she had perfect view of Theo looking down at a vial. Taking a step closer as she removed her hand from her mouth to take a deep breath while watching to see what he was going to do. She then accidentally knocked her arm with the glass in hand against the stone. The sharp sting of pain shot through her arm causing her to watch in slow motion as the glass fell.
The second it hit the floor it shattered, the piercing sound of glass breaking echoed loudly while she looked towards where Theo had been standing. With a shaky sigh, Pansy backed out of the corner hoping that he was already out of ear shot when that happened.
Sighing as she looked around the corridor, she relaxed slightly taking another step backwards, only to run into something. Spinning on her heels to face what she ran into, she watched as the person reached for her wrists and whispered one word.
"Silencio…"
"We we're dust in a world,
Of grim obsession,
We we're pulled from our path,
Of least resistance,
We we're falling down,
One by one,
We we're weak and the fear,
Was all around us…"
I am Dust by Gary Numan
Still Thursday October 31st, 1996
Outside of the Gryffindor common rooms, quarter past ten at night
The sounds a short screams rag out as Hermione exited the finished haunted corridor with Ginny, Lavender, Ron, and Neville. She laughed grabbing onto Ginny's shoulder while looking around at the party. Watching nearly headless Nick floating near the end of the hallway waiting to try and spook other students for laughs, she sighed.
"It's rather fun, isn't it?" Ginny asked. Hermione nodded while they walked over towards a vacant stone bench to sit down. "Look, there's Harry. Finally."
Hermione looked up towards the other side of the hallway to see him walking towards them with a knotted expression. Before she could decipher what emotions tied into that expression she saw the top of a snowy platinum blonde bobbing between in between people. 'Oh no… this can't be good…' she thought standing right up.
Harry made his way over to them stopping just to look at her, but she looked away from him and back towards the rapidly approaching blonde. She was about to side step Harry and catch Malfoy before anyone else noticed but it was too late when the prat decided it was best to announce his arrival.
"Busy night, eh Potter?" Malfoy sneered pushing past a group of fourth years. Hermione inhaled sharply as Harry spun on his feet to see who was addressing him in such a manner.
"Malfoy," Harry growled. "I don't give a damn what you think you're doing here, but you need to leave…"
"How dare you talk to me like that," Malfoy hissed as Hermione watched his hand curl into a fist while the other reached into his robes to retrieve what she presumed was his wand, "I think you need a bit of a reminder on how to address your superiors…"
"Just stay away from me!" Harry shouted causing the chatter to die down. Harry started towards Malfoy, pulling out his wand about to use it when Ron made his way past her. Ron pulled Harry away from Malfoy as Hermione took two steps forwards touching Harry's shoulder while Ron was at his other side.
"As I've said before," Malfoy drawled, "Complete nutter… Besides, I haven't come to see you Potter. I came to have chat with Granger."
When Hermione heard her name, she froze for a second turning her attention from Harry over towards a pair of grey eyes already looking right at her. For a moment she almost stopped breathing, feeling rather small under his intent stare, but cleared her throat. Looking around she nodded at Ginny and walked towards Malfoy as he made his out of the corridor.
Following closely behind, after descending over three flights of stairs she walked faster, reaching up and pulling him to a stop by his sleeve. He turned around immediately, looking her up and down with a stoic expression stitched into his features almost painfully.
"Where's the liquid luck," He bit out turning to face her completely. Hermione scrunched her brows together in confusion as he took steps towards her causing her to back into the stone wall behind her.
"I- I don't know what you're talking about," She stated. "You have the liquid luck Malfoy, I gave it to you that day-"
"I'm done playing games Granger," he bit placing a hand beside her head swiftly making her flinch slightly. "You and I know that you switched the two potions. I ended up with the wit-sharpening potion while you took the liquid luck. It belongs to me…"
"If you think you can bully me into giving it to you," she lifted her chin, not backing down. She noted that his expression was twisted in anger and something else she couldn't exactly pin point. "You're wrong…"
"We had a deal, Hermione," he slapped his palm against the wall beside her head when he said deal causing her to jump. Then she realized that he said her name, not Granger, not some nick name, but her first name. She wasn't sure how she felt by him calling her that because of who he was. Granger just felt natural for him to say. By the look on his face it slipped out by accident causing her lips to part somewhat.
"I- I know we had a deal, I just wasn't sure what you needed it for so I switched them but I can't give it to you," she whispered. "I don't have it anymore…I'm sorry."
The look in his eyes changed, as she watched him back away rubbing his face with his right hand. She the realized what the other emotion was in his expression. It was desperation.
"It was stolen yesterday, I reported it to professor McGonagall this morning-"she started as he then looked right at her.
"Stolen?" he asked. "What time?"
"Around elven yesterday morning, when you so oddly returned a rather pointless quill to me, actually…" she felt her brows frown in confusion while she looked towards the ground and then back towards him.
"Was it by two younger Gryffindor girls, one with red-hair almost like a Weasley but not, and the other with brown hair?" he asked looking right at her.
Hermione nodded to him while he shook his head in what looked like disbelief. Then it clicked as she scoffed aloud crossing her arms.
"Let me guess you had them retrieve it for you but they lied and gave you a different one," she smirked to herself and then shook her head.
"It's Crabbe and Goyal," he spoke to himself and she wasn't sure he knew that he was saying it out loud, "Why would they take it?"
She gaped allowing herself to think about the information and then spoke. "Crabbe and Goyal are thick, there is absolutely no way they pulled something like that without someone telling they what to do. If I were you, that's what I would want to know. Who is the third party? That's who now has the liquid luck…"
When Malfoy looked up at her, she saw something in his expression that made her worried. He had bags under his eyes, he really did look thinner than she remembered and something felt wrong.
"If that's all, I'm going to go back to the party to…" She started and he shook his head.
"Are you really going back to the party or are you going to follow me," he asked and then sighed, "I know you Granger; you're going to following me so don't pretend. We both know it…"
Hermione couldn't stop the small smile that crossed her lips from that statement as he raised a brow and started walking in the direction of the dungeons. She wasn't sure why, but he was right. She would have ended up following him. The only thing that didn't make sense was why he wanted her there, because no one, especially Malfoy, would say that unless they wanted it.
'So much for keeping my distance…' she thought to herself as she followed right behind.