Chaos
Hermione slowly stretched her hand out, unable to register hate or anger at that moment, only empathy for a love she could not reciprocate. And there was the strangest sincerity in Nott's eyes and words. Nott waited for her hand to slowly touch his palm. Once she did, she stood up and he led her to a darker corner of the hall, picking up to a little waltz.
Ron stood, his mouth open in shock. Hs eyes narrowed and he started for the two of them when a hand shot out, holding onto his arm. Ron looked back to see Harry's grim face, apparently saying 'no' to his obvious plan of bashing Nott's brains out.
"Harry, don't you see!-"
"I do," Harry told him calmly. "Don't ruin this night for all of us, Ron. We deal with this by ourselves. We have more pressing issues to attend to-"
"Well if he ever hurts her-"
"Maybe he just wanted to dance with her? She looked pretty alone moments ago," Harry said rolling his eyes.
Ron shrugged Harry's hand off. "Everyone will notice this. It won't look good for Hermione or that slimy git."
"I know your point. Let's just wait till this dance is over, shall we?" Harry told him. Harry saw Ginny from across the room, laughing with a few other Gryffindor schoolmates, drinking smuggled whisky from Butterbeer bottles. He nearly grinned, but couldn't help to be disturbed by Nott's sudden attention to Hermione.
After two agonizing minutes for Ron, the music stopped, Nott bowed and walked away from Hermione, leaving her standing alone, wondering if dancing with Nott was a good decision to her already bothered judgment. Ron blinked; Nott had surely slinked back into the crowd fast enough. It was at this moment that Neville slipped into the Great Hall, carrying a most urgent piece of news for Harry. He fought through the throng as the Weird Sisters began to take the stage.
Oblivious to the current events, Ron walked for Hermione and Hermione stood in place, her face nearly expressionless.
"Hermione?"
"Yes?" she started to move away.
"What was that?"
"What?"
"That Theodore Nott."
"He asked me for a dance."
"He never talks to you. And he's from Slytherin!"
"He probably made an exception tonight," Hermione said shortly.
"Are you keeping stuff from me?" Ron spat out amidst the lyre and flute music. He had realized his mistake and he added, "From Harry? Ginny?"
Hermione's jaw set into a thin line. "Whatever that is, I intend to keep it for myself." Hermione walked away from him, bolting out of the Great Hall. Ron followed suit, hearing her heels clattering on the cold floor.
The noise from the Great Hall grew loud as the Weird Sisters began their first piece.
"I can't stand this anymore, Hermione," Ron told her as she continued to walk away, "I need you."
Draco saw Hermione walk out of the hall after a conversation with Ron. He immediately knew something was wrong. He had seen people ogling over Hermione, he had seen how she sat alone, unsure of how to deal with the fact that she had no partner to dance, he had seen Theodore Nott dance with her, seen the look on Nott's face, seen Hermione's kindness despite the fact that Hermione must have been wary of murder from Nott...
Hermione stopped in place, just as Draco came out of the Great Hall, hearing Ron's confession at that precise moment. Draco grew rigid as he stood, seeing Hermione's beautiful but distressed face and Ron's red hair, nearly glowing in the night.
"I need you."
Ron's voice seemed to echo loudly in Draco's ears and he felt annoyance surge inside.
Hermione's eyes widened seeing Draco and Ron spun around, face to face with the Slytherin spoiled brat.
Ron scowled. "What the bloody hell do you want?"
Draco took a step back. "I'd like you to stop harassing the lady, please," Draco said through gritted teeth.
"Harass? The lady?" Ron echoed mirthfully. "Since when did I ever harass the lady? And since when did you stop calling Hermione mudblood?"
"Second week of December," Draco quickly spat out. He saw Hermione's fearful face, it meant the world to her to keep this and it meant the world to him to keep this a secret too.
"What the bloody hell is going on, Hermione?" Ron said in a voice stronger than usual.
Hermione said nothing still, wishing to apparate somewhere safe, where she could be alone, just for a minute, just for a full minute. Her heart stopped, knowing full well that Ron's mind would realize what was going on between them in a few seconds...
Neville had excused himself from Susan's side a quarter of an hour earlier to do the favour that Harry had asked. He had stepped into the quietest place in the castle and suddenly the quiet seemed menacing. The lights were out, surprisingly. Surely Madam Pince always lit a few lamps before retiring? Whispering Lumos, Neville walked amongst the row of books, looking for clues to a stolen book of runes.
He had hesitated going into the restricted section first, but a gut feeling got the best of him. Taking a deep breath, he walked for the end rows of the library, searching for a missing book space. He found it after a couple of minutes. The area had accumulated a bit of dust. Using his wand for light, he scanned the area and stopped, seeing a wand on the floor. He quickly spun around, thinking he had been trapped.
No one was there. Was this Madam Pince's? He quickly pocketed the wand. He shuddered, trying to look for a body, his fear growing. He gulped and looked warily on both sides, reaching the end of the library. A door was at the end, the library stock room. A "closed" sign hung on it. Gingerly, Neville placed a hand on the handle. The door wouldn't open.
"Alohamora," he whispered.
The door clicked from the inside, slowly swinging out to Neville's direction. Neville gasped, seeing Madam Pince's pale figure slumped against a wall, her head angled down to her right shoulder. He shook her, fearing the worst, a librarian dead in her own library. He shook her again, took her pulse and he realized she had been stunned. Neville quickly conjured a lumpy mattress and levitated Irma Pince on it. He tried to revive her with various spells, but nothing could counter the effects.
Not wasting another minute, Neville ran for the Great Hall, knowing full well Harry Potter had been right about his premise.
Harry was seated alone, enjoying The Weird Sisters play, Ginny was in front with her other schoolmates, cheering the band on when Neville rushed to him, breathless and pale.
"Y-you're right, Harry! And the librarian- she had been stunned!" Neville said with shaky hands. He relayed to Harry what he had seen and what had been missing from the shelf. A large book. The chain had dangled on the shelf, uncut, the lock intact, he relayed. Someone knew how to steal the book without breaking a sweat.
Harry ingested the news. Did Draco do that to Madam Pince? She had probably discovered that he had stolen it and had demanded for it again, only to be knocked unconscious by someone as scheming as Draco or any of his cohorts. What would he do next? Raise alarm? It had only proven his theories right. He would settle this with Draco Malfoy now. He saw the blonde Slytherin walk out of the hall discreetly. But it was not discreet enough. Quickly telling Neville to raise alarm to Ginny, he followed Draco out of the hall.
"Ron?" Harry's voice called out.
Draco saw Harry exit the hall and there was a look of bewilderment on his face. It was a strange scene, all in all, Gryffindor and Slytherin, ex-lovers and best friends...
"I asked what the bloody hell is going on!" Ron demanded.
Hermione took a step back, unable to breathe. She felt her knees starting to wobble. Was this the moment she had always secretly dreaded? Of Ron and Harry finding out? Ginny would be furious! And-! No one said a word; the silence in the air was thick enough to be sliced with a dagger.
Finally Draco walked for Hermione, much to the surprise of Harry and Ron's bewildered yet angry look.
"Hermione?" Harry began.
Hermione's lips quivered as she felt Draco's hand slip into her palm. She took a breath, attempting to say something. Her mind generated nothing good to say. What could she say to avoid violence from erupting? Draco squeezed her hand for reassurance and she could barely squeeze back.
"Is this-" Ron whispered out. "Is this who you replaced me with?"
Hermione shook her Head. "Replaced?" she whispered back. "No, I fell in love with-"
"Stop it!" Ron cried out, shutting his eyes and then they opened back, glaring at them, glaring at Draco like he was the most repulsing piece of garbage on the face of the earth. He felt betrayed, even though he knew Hermione was telling the truth, that she had indeed fallen for the one Slytherin they had hated best...
Harry stared at Hermione and Draco's hands intertwined together and he felt a sudden frisson of happiness for Hermione. But it quickly dissipated upon seeing Draco's steely eyes and set mouth. He felt hurt that Hermione had to hide this from him, from them. He had never thought that Hermione would even take a second glance at Draco Malfoy!
"I don't think I'll need your permission to care for her," Draco said in a low tone.
Ron looked aghast. Merlin's blood and guts! He felt like Draco had punched his chest without him noticing it in the first place. That slimy two faced bastard! He had Hermione waltzing into his trap. He had waited for Hermione to be vulnerable enough then he pounced on her like-
"Care?" Harry echoed back. "Hermione," he began, looking into her eyes, almost begging, "Please-please tell me this isn't-"
Suddenly, a large bang echoed throughout the hall, the ceiling and floors shook, throwing everyone off balance. Students from inside the Great Hall were heard screaming, people were scrambling to get on their feet, taking out their wands. They heard the instructors and Aurors present shouting orders all over the castle this time.
Draco helped Hermione up just as he saw Blaise exit the hall. Blaise looked smug and his eyes narrowed, he began to turn around, ready to run from them. He knew! The bastard knew!
"Blaise! Blaise!" Draco shouted at the top of his lungs amidst the din and riot. "You traitor!"
Blaise stopped in his tracks momentarily. "You'd do the same for me, Draco," he spat out. Then he continued to run.
Draco turned to face Hermione, comprehension dawning that this was the night the Master and the rest of the Death Eaters had chosen and not the following week...
"Hermione," he said, holding onto her shoulders, nearly shaking her, "Stay with Potter and Weasley, don't you dare part from them!"
Hermione looked confused. "What- what's going on?" she asked, her voice high pitched with fear. "Draco-?" she held his face.
Draco shook away from her hands. "Did you get what I said?" he asked her roughly, holding her hands stiffly beside her body. "Did you?!"
Hermione shook her head, unable to understand the sudden change of mood, the sudden change of such a bittersweet, love-ridden night. "I-"
"Malfoy-!" Harry's voice broke their hurried conversation. "What's happening? The book of runes-what have you done?!"
Draco shook his head, his mind trying to come up with the fastest explanation possible. He couldn't. Lives were in his hands, not just his own. The Great Hall's doors burst open like a tide of water had just come through. The students ran for their dormitories, some intent on saving possessions, others intent on warning the younger ones. Draco saw the tide of people barrelling for all directions and he pushed Hermione to Harry's arms.
Hermione cried out as Harry caught her. "Dray-!"
"Please, I need you to take care of her, please-!" And Draco quickly sped for the steps; rushing for the tower where he had kept the one relic Voldemort intended to have.
Bellatrix took a deep breath, feeling the air freeze inside her throat. She loved it. It reminded her of Azkaban's unforgiving cold. She wondered how the night would end. It was moments like these that made life worth living. Never mind the little twits in their prim Hogwarts uniforms- she wanted Harry alive, ready for the Master's retribution. She glared back at her companions, a few of Fenrir's comrades-in-fur and several Deatheaters.
It was going to be an easy night, she figured. The castle had enchantments that were no match for her prowess and the staff was ill prepared. Their little distraction across Hadrian's Wall proved elemental. Good old Kingsley would realize that minutes too late. Besides, Snape had taught her how to break into the castle grounds without much fanfare (bless his poor soul, she thought with relish).
"Alright," she muttered to them, twirling her messy hair with a finger. "You know what you have to find. Draco's told us where it is. It's just a matter of extracting it safely from Hogwarts- the Potter boy included of course. Remember, we want the Potter boy alive, albeit a few open wounds. The Master shall finish him off himself. Is that comprehensible?" she hissed.
There were grunts and nods. Someone spat on the cold ground, licking his lips. She rolled her eyes, hating the pathetic display of a werewolf on a blood lust. She would deal with these vile creatures shortly, once they were of no further use.
"What's that?" Fenrir asked in a gruff voice, his ears twitching and his eyes narrowing.
Everyone else strained to listen.
Bellatrix cackled, realizing the sounds coming from inside the castle as a party. She licked her teeth and stomped her foot once on the snow in near frenzied eagerness. "How does crashing into a party- sound like for everyone?"
Hermione's eyes darted for Harry's, and then Ron's, forgetting all the drama that had occurred just seconds ago. "Stop him!" she pleaded. "We have to stop him!"
"Hermione," Harry firmly asked her against the noise. "What is going on? Did you know about this?"
Hermione shook her head, near tears. "No! I swear we only- I don't know what's going on!"
Ron gritted his teeth. His look meant "see, I told you so" and Hermione didn't know what to feel at that moment. Her loyalties were being tested now. She felt stupid, at how she couldn't have seen this in the first place. Was she just used to distract Harry in some subliminal way into betraying everyone she loved?
"Harry!" Ginny rushed for them, breathless, her hair and dress stained and wrinkled all over. "I've had the younger levels ready. First years are to be led into-"
Hermione heard nothing else as Ginny and the other prefects quickly discussed the next plan. The school teachers and Aurors had by then called for back-up, and somewhere in between snippets, she caught something like "Lucius" and "Bellatrix" and "around thirty-five Deatheaters seen so far, heard a few werewolves". Her mind began to flood with memories, memories that had been suppressed by Draco. The remembering actually hurt her like a sudden migraine in full force and she shut her eyes, unable to take in air for her lungs.
"I'm not out to kill him Hermione," he said in a low voice.
"Everything will be alright, I promise you," Draco whispered.
"Did he do something to you? To make you forget? To sugar coat the lies he gave you?" Nott began bitterly.
"I'm alive. No hexes. Maybe this pendant came from someone important. Did he tell you anything else?" Draco asked her about the pendant's history.
"You've been inside the rooms?" he managed to sound normal, asking her if she had gone inside any of the turret's locked doors.
"The Floor is wrought by Frost, immeasurable depth, take heed... The Torch known to man by its pale, bright glow; it always burns where princes sit within… The ocean seems interminable to Man…and the waves of the water terrify all…She, the guiding star and the spherical light that comes from the darkness... the covenants are broken…the princes are to be where they are…" the text from the notebook had said, all in Draco's hurried yet elegant cursive.
Hermione gasped inaudibly. The turret! He was hiding something in the turret; something of momentous value in that locked room! Without thinking twice, Hermione darted away from Harry and Ron and the rest of the Gryffindors and prefects, rushing past the bedlam that had exploded with the first strike made by the Deatheaters.
"Hermione!" Ron called out in vain. "Stop-!"
"She knows something," Harry mouthed, starting to run after her. "Ginny, go! Get to somewhere safe with everyone!"
"Harry!" Ginny cried out, powerless to stop him, unable to prevent everything wrong from happening.
Hermione raced across the steps, running to the turret, praying she would outrun Harry and Ron to keep them safer for awhile and at the same time praying that Draco was alright.
A/N: It's been so long! i just remembered that this story was yet to be finished. This time, to be continued. :)