Disclaimer: Yeah, me no own Harry Potter.
A/N: Congratulations to... aerochick06! For guessing correctly on the duo that will do the "man hunt" for Hermione and Draco.
Thank you everybody who guessed, there were some really good guesses in there and this may inspire me to do this more often. Any who, too much chatter...
Thank you Lilly for betaing!
9. Either One of You Fools
The next day...
Knock! Knock!
"Come in!" Draco yelled.
"Hi, Draco," Blaise said as he came into the room. Draco noticed that he was acting a bit sheepishly.
"What's up?"
"I found somebody to do the job," Blaise said.
"You mean, finding out who's behind those letters?"
"Uh... yeah." Blaise nodded.
"Uh... yeah?" Draco repeated. "What does that mean?" Blaise usually didn't say 'uh'; usually he was sure of himself and kept his head held high. That was not what was happening now. He was slumping and, as noted, unsure of himself.
"That... well... they're the best, but..."
"But what?"
"They're a pair that... well... you might judge my decision on getting them." Blaise said, choosing his words carefully.
"What? A pair? Please don't tell me it's blabbering Patil and Brown."
"No... it's not."
"Pansy?" Draco asked, shocked. "Please, good lord, tell me it doesn't include Pansy! I have enough problems as it is."
"Don't worry, man, it's not."
"Well then, who is it?"
"Alright... well, keep your mind open, and don't judge them until they've started doing the job. They're from what I hear the best and-- well, keep your mind open to them. Also, remember it's been a long time since Hogwar--"
"Just say who it bloody is already!"
Just then the door opened.
" Dude, there ik a bun of doneuts owside," Crabbe said as he entered the room with a mouthful of what was apparently doughnut.
"They delichious," Goyle agreed.
"CRABBE AND GOYLE!" Draco yelled, outraged. "THAT'S THE BEST YOU'VE BLOODY GOT?!"
"They're the best," Blaise said sheepishly with a fake bright smile at the end of the sentence.
"TRY AGAIN!" Draco yelled.
"No wohriez Drakoy, we tha beht," Crabbe said, doughnut still in his mouth.
"You're the what?" Blaise asked, with an eyebrow raised.
"Tah behtz" Goyle answered.
"How is anybody supposed to understand a word coming from either one of you fools when you have food in your mouth!"
"Uhh," Crabbe and Goyle said together.
Draco closed his eyes as he tried to calm himself down. "I'm doomed," he sighed.
"Draco, just give them a try," Blaise said.
"Yeah." Goyle nodded.
"Yeah, Draco, give us a try," Crabbe agreed.
"Bloody merlin," Draco sighed as he looked up to the ceiling. "... Fine."
"Alright, man, you won't regret it!" Crabbe smiled.
"I'd better not," Draco said sharply.
"So... what do we have to do?" Goyle asked.
- - - - -
"Mrs. Hunnington, you have to take your medicine," Hermione murmured, standing next to her eighty-two-year-old patient.
"Yes? Well I don't want to," Mrs. Hunnington replied. For an eighty-two-year-old, she sure was feisty.
"Come on."
"No, it tastes like shit."
"Hey!" Hermione cried at the senior's choice of words.
"Sweetie, I'm old enough to curse, and when you're my age you'll understand why."
"Mrs. Hunnington," Hermione began sternly as she put one of her hands on her waist. "Do you want to die?"
"That's not funny."
"Not meant to be."
Mrs. Hunnington glared at Hermione, who in turn just glared back. "Fine." she said as she opened her mouth.
"There you go, now you will live a long and happy life," Hermione said happily.
"Oh, if only a potion could do that," Mrs. Hunnington sighed.
Hermione smiled sweetly. "I'll be back to check up on you later."
"Alright, and do bring some cute young men with you!" the elder yelled as Hermione closed the door, laughing a bit.
"Hermione!"
"Todd, it's like you're always chasing me. What?" Hermione asked, turning to face him.
"What's up?"
"What's up?" Todd nodded. Hermione shrugged. "Nothing, work." She said as she continued walking.
"What was that all about yesterday?" he asked, walking beside her.
"Todd, that is none of your business."
"But I wanna know,-"
"It's none of your concern." Hermione replied sharply.
"What was it?"
"Todd! If you don't get out of my face in the next five seconds, I will hex you into oblivion, got that?"
"Righty-o," he nodded and went back down the hall.
Hermione walked into Josephine's office.
"Hi." Josephine smiled.
"Hello," Hermione said as she sat down in a chair.
"Do I sense that something is tireful?" Josephine asked.
"Is that even a word?" Hermione answered wearily.
"Nope."
"Thought not."
"Well, what's on your mind?"
"Todd wants to know what's up."
"What's up where?"
"Jo, you know what I mean."
"Well, of course, but what are you talking about?"
"I got sent one of those letters Draco has been getting yesterday."
"WHAT!"
"Yup, don't tell Todd, though."
"Okay, sure thing, but why?" Jo asked.
"I dunno, just don't."
"Gotcha." Josephine nodded. "Well, what'd the letter say?"
"It said that I'd be theirs."
"Creepy."
"Yeah, tell me about it."
"So what are you gonna do?"
"Draco said he's going to 'handle the situation'," Hermione said, using air quotes.
"Oh, merlin," Jo sighed. "Look, I gotta go; we'll talk later okay?"
"Yeah, sure." Hermione nodded.
Hermione was left alone in the room thinking about that letter. Of course she thought the letter was creepy-- and not to mention it made her a bit afraid, and she did not like that, not one bit. It made her afraid to be alone.
Draco had stayed with her the night before, and for the first time in months they had stayed in the same room, in the same bed, and slept. Everything was rated very PG, thank you very much.
Now that she thought of being in a room all alone, it gave her the chills. Of course she could bear it probably, she wasn't weak, but still she valued her life. She wanted to know the ending, and it wasn't going to be by the hands of a stranger.
So, she did what any normal person would do... she went where all the people were.
A/N: Once again, congrats Aerochick! AND to our runner-up XquietdreamX cuz I really liked her answer and in a weird way it was close.
Review people, REVIEW!
P.S. Should I do more of these guessing games?