Oh! Mistress Baltimore

HBP compatible

Summary: The summer before seventh year, Hermione finds out a startling secret about her witchery background. In this fitful dramatic and romantic comedy, Hermione deals with her newly found information, while Draco Malfoy squeezes his selfish and intentionally bad ass into her already interrupted life.

"See Granger; see how it feels to be bad?"

A/N: so my friends decided to fill me in on some British terms, so I hope you guys enjoy them. If you're confused about any one of them, please tell me!

Also, please be on your feet with this story. It moves in a different way from my other stories. The flashbacks actually relate to the current situation the characters are in. For those who might be confused, YES: this is a DM/HG fic! Haha—just so you know.

Chapter 1: Scream and Scream Again
They entered the dark corridors, dodging the moonlight pouring in through the wall sized windows. Hermione tried to stay as far away as she could from Malfoy, but he calmly walked with her, despite her moving around.

"You'll be happy to know that Weasley gracefully healed his arm. One of my ex-fellow death eaters blew it clean off of his body," Draco said nastily. Hermione scowled and shot Draco a disgusted look.

"Go to hell Malfoy," she said. In her attempts of escaping Malfoy, she accidentally drifted past a window, and suddenly found herself flying in the air. She screamed as the magically hidden curse propelled her skyward, her head about to run horribly into the ceiling. Draco had pulled out his wand, pointing it at Hermione's skyrocketing body. Hermione had stopped in midair. Draco pulled hard on his wand, as if playing tug-of-war with it. Hermione was slowly dragged back to him. When she was close enough, he removed his wand and jumped, wrapping his arms around her body to pull her down.

"FINITE INCANTANTUM!" he shouted, ending the bewitchment. She collapsed into his arms, her heart beating fearfully against his chest. Draco held her close to him, and then allowed her to stand on her feet. She realized how short she was compared to him, and immediately pulled out her wand. She knew that she would have the upper hand now.

"Thank you," she snapped. She fixed her shirt and dusted the corridor dirt from her jean Capri. She began to walk away, but he grabbed at her hand, pulling her back to him.

"You could have died Granger…I saved your ruddy life. I think I deserve better than a snappy thank you."

Hermione released a laugh and shrugged her shoulders, "you're kidding? I have no reason to thank you more than I already did, Malfoy!" she continued down the hall.

"See how nice this is?" Ginny asked. She smiled over the rim of her teacup. Hermione sat across from her, watching her red lips curve mystically as she watched Harry slouch over in his seat, his forehead pressed against Hermione's kitchen table. Ron sat beside Harry, his arm wrapped comforting around his back. Harry sobbed into the table, his body jerking with tremors as he tried to subdue his crying. Hermione tried her best to comfort her fearful and shattered friend, but she was busy throwing daggers at Ginny from across the table. Ms. Granger had now approached the table, tapping Harry on the shoulder. He curiously looked up, turning his red face smack into a cool wet towel that Lauren had placed in the center of her hand. She wiped away Harry's tears, and at the same time cooled his face.

"All is better Harry! You'll be fine!" Lauren encouraged. "Hermione, take your friends to their rooms, won't you? Harry looks like he needs some sleep."

Hermione nodded and stood from her table. They all stood and followed her to the basement of the house. She swung open double doors that led to a wide staircase. She switched on a light, and her favorite room in the whole house lit up.

It was Hermione's personal area. Her bedroom was off in the far opposite of the room. But in the middle, there was a four story Library. She could climb the flights of stairs and reach the top where there was a cozy sitting area. In the center of the very main floor, was very comfortable furniture surrounding an inviting fireplace.

"How did you get four flights in one basement?" Harry asked quizzically. Hermione smiled at Ron.

"It was an early birthday gift from the Weasley's," she said happily. Ron shrugged.

"Just a bit of magic from mum and dad," he said.

"Well, thanks to them, the whole house, which is big already, quadrupled in size. We added six more bedrooms, all with bathrooms, down here," she said happily. She led them under on of the staircases leading to the second floor, and down a wide hallway. She opened the first door on the right side. It was a large master bedroom, the walls were painted a pale yellow and the drapes were a custard yellow color.

"How did you get windows in here?" Harry asked, entering the room and opening the window. A just of evening air swept through the room, "With air too!" he said.

"Bill did that…clever, right?" Hermione asked. Ron once again shrugged his shoulders.

"I did nothing," he said sadly.

"Well, I suppose this is my room? You all know yellow is my favorite color," Ginny said, flopping down on the bed. She yawned and stretched, realizing that Harry had glanced at the large amount of skin showing as she stretched.

Hermione realized that Harry was looking, and cleared her throat.

"Okay! Why don't we move along to Ron's room?" Hermione asked.

She hated when Harry looked at other girls, but she really wanted to see what was happening between her and Harry. However, what REALLY was happening was a silly feud between her and Harry...who was the better person, who wasn't…

"What do you want me to do, Hermione? It's like every year someone is trying to kill me…" Harry said, pushing her hands away from his face. They were coming up from the Dungeons when Hermione had pulled Harry away from Ron awhile.

"Harry, please! I just want to be there with you, I want to be there for you Harry!" she pleaded. He shook his head and continued his path to the Great Hall for lunch.

"You don't understand Hermione, I can't do this anymore, and I can't let you get involved like this."

"I AM NOT GINNY HARRY! I'm not young and naïve, I understand a lot more than you think, and I won't sit by and pretend the war doesn't exist, or that we don't exist!" she shouted. Her face grew red with frustration and pulled Harry away from the staircase.

"We DON'T exist Hermione…we're friends…I've said this plenty of times before—"

"—you were the one that asked ME out Harry! You were the one that told me we would be great together! Now what are we? Friends again?" she asked.

"Well, well yes, I believe that's what we're going to do. We have to be friends Hermione!"

"So you don't love me anymore?" she whispered. It was then that Harry lost his nerve. He whirled around and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"You daft, daft girl!" he hissed. "Have you ever seen someone die? Have you ever seen the life leave the eyes of someone you loved, or cared about? Have you ever seen Voldemort become himself before your eyes, see him gain his powers and body once more?" he shook her. She had now become limp in his arms, her eyes stinging with tears. He released her and she fell fearfully to the ground, her arms coming out to support herself. She looked up to see Harry's pale face as he rubbed his palm against his reddening scar. He moved his hand, and she caught glimpse of a trickle of blood rub off from his forehead.

"Harry…" she begged. He turned away from her, "you're bleeding!" she uttered. He released a laugh.

"How's that for existing?" he asked, continuing up the stairs. She stifled her cries, and went back to her dorm.

Later that night, Hermione had gone for a walk with Ginny and Ron. She took them to the nearby park. Ginny squealed as she ran towards the swings.

"I get the middle one!" she shouted. Ron laughed, and walked beside Hermione to the bench. She fell onto the bench, her eyes watering with exhaustion. The retrieving sun sent a heated blanket across the park, making Hermione feel extremely uncomfortable in her thin cotton sweater. Ron realized this.

"Why did you wear a sweater instead of something else?" Ron asked.

"Well I have a top underneath," she said.

"Well, off it goes…" Ron said. Hermione smiled and moved to pull the shirt over her head, showing a dark brown boob tube underneath.

"Well look at those knockers!" shouted someone. Hermione removed her sweater from her face to see a group of guys coming their way. The boy who shouted had dark brown hair, he was tall and slim. His cronies walked behind him. "Is that you, Hermione?" shouted the boy next to him. Hermione had moved to tie the sweater about her waist and squinted against the sun to see them as they came closer.

"You know them Hermione?" Ron asked. She nodded faintly as the guys came beside them.

"All right Hermione?"

"Great, just great," she responded. The boys gathered around her, pushing Ron further down the bench. Hermione grew wary and stood.

"Why in such a hurry, Hermione? We're not doing anything," said the brown haired boy, he wrapped his arms around her waist as she stood.

"C'mon now Skip, you know your mum raised you better than that," Hermione said, removing his arms.

"Okay, budge up now! Leave her be!" Ron said, he had now moved to Hermione's side. Ginny had come bouncing towards them.

"Ron? What's going on?" Ginny asked. She was met by whistles of approval as she went to stand next to her brother. Her cheeks grew red.

"I always fancied redheads!" Skip exclaimed. His friends nodded and chuckled in agreement. Ginny smiled at him but Ron grew was fuming in anger. He went for his pocket and pulled out his wand.

"RON! No!" Hermione shouted. She reached for his wand but he held her back with his other hand.

"What d'you got there?"

"Now you all listen to me…either clear off on your own, or I'll do it for you!" The boys laughed.

"What is that? A stick?" one of the boys asked from the back. Skip was once more touching Hermione, he had thrown his arm around her shoulders.

"I remember when you were a wee girl! We would have fun playing house in Ms. Richards's class, remember Hermione?" he said aggressively. Hermione shrugged. "Where have you been these last few weeks eh? I saw you when you got home from your little prison of a school…" he said. Hermione pushed him off of her. "Think you're all that for going to Boarding School?"

"Just sod off, you prick!" she shouted. Skip laughed and took a step back from her.

"I like it when girls are mean; you've gotten quite pretty as of late Hermione. Luke told us all about that…" he said. Hermione's eyes grew wide with shock. Skip stood extremely close to Hermione, and then whispered, "yeah…we know your secret…we know you're a freak."

"Leave her alone!" shouted Ron. He had pointed his wand now at the boy.

"Ron!"

"Ron!"

Hermione and Ginny's mouths flew open as Ron sent a stunning charm spiraling into Skip's chest. Hermione screamed as Skip's friends scrambled away from Ron, shouting in fear.

"FREAK!" they screamed. "BASTARD!"

"Ron, what did you do? Let him up, now!" Hermione screamed. Ron undid the spell and Skip glanced up at her and Ron with confusion in his eyes. He mostly focused in on Ron's wand.

"What the hell did you do to me?" he whispered. Hermione shifted from foot to foot and shook her head.

"Nothing…just stay away from me," she said angrily, turning to walk away from a shocked Skip.

"Bloody hell…" he muttered, trying to get up on his shaking feet. He turned the other direction and bolted.

Ron and Ginny followed her, Ron grinning ear to ear in happiness.

"See, he won't bother you now!" Ron exclaimed. He grabbed Hermione's hand and walked along side her, their clasped hands bumping into one another.

She smiled down at their connected hands, and then looked into his intense blue eyes. "No one will ever hurt you Hermione, I promise it."

"I love you Ron," she panted. He missed a blink and had stopped in his tracks and faced her.

"You do?" he asked. Hermione shivered as Ginny quietly moved away from them.

"I do Ron…" she jumped in his arms and hugged him tightly.

"RON!" Hermione screamed. Tears formed in her eyes as she moved wildly around the people packed in the Room of Requirement. She pushed pass Lavender Brown and Dean Thomas to see a rather shattered looking Ron half-passed out on a bed. His arm was wrapped tightly in a white cloth, binding it to his chest. His face was horribly gashed, but healing. However, despite all the ills that were clearly written on his face, his eyes sparkled.

"Hermione…" Ron whispered. "Merlin Hermione, I thought I lost you…"

Hermione released a half giggle, half sob. She fell onto her knees beside his bed and carefully placed her hands on his chest. "Oh Ron, you haven't lost me! I'm here, I'm here…" she said eagerly. She tried to prevent herself from crying, but the tears slid down her cheeks anyways.

"Don't cry, I'm perfectly fine Hermione!" he cried out. He glanced behind her and released a sigh. "Malfoy," he said, with a slight nod. Draco folded his arms across his body and returned the nod.

"I see you're in fair shape Weasley."

"Yeah, wouldn't be here if you hadn't killed Crabbe," Ron whispered gratefully. Hermione turned sharply around to see Draco's hard and cold face.

"You killed your own friend?" Hermione asked shockingly. Draco glared down at her position on the floor.

"He wouldn't turn with me, so when he blew Weasley apart, I wrapped my arms around his neck and snapped it, all magic aside. I couldn't risk him exposing me…" Draco drawled. Hermione saw him stumble slightly as he walked around to the foot of Ron's bed. Hermione felt a shiver run down her spine as Draco glared at her hard as he told his story. "I found Weasley half dying, his body almost gone. I had to heal him fast, but the brute wouldn't let me touch him, I had to knock him out to save him."

Hermione turned her stare back to Ron, who had now jerked violently forward.

"Hermione, where's Harry?" he asked, ignoring Draco's insult. She could hear the fear in his voice.

"Oh Ron, he was unconscious when I left him…Ron, Dumbledore, he's…"

"He's dead," Draco finished, giving Hermione a threatening look. "He's gone Weasley, we lost him." Hermione gave him a confused glance but did not mention Dumbledore's miraculous revival.

"He'll be okay Ron, Harry has become a very powerful wizard, and—"

"—and he'll save the ruddy day, yes we all know!" Draco exclaimed. Hermione slowly turned around to glare at Draco. He had gotten rid of the hard look, and was now giving her his signature sneer. She rolled her eyes and focused her attention on Ron.

"Ron, Ron…why, why do we have to be like this? Why do there have to be evil?" she cried. She placed her head on his bed and allowed for tears to flow freely. Ron moved around on the bed, and released a stifle of a cry as he sat up in the bed, hunched over her to place his arms around her shoulder.

"There might be evil in this world, but as long as we have each other…as long as we have love Hermione, we have goodness…"

Suddenly, there was a slight shift in the atmosphere, as if the school was shivering around them. The walls creaked and the pipes hissed, scaring everyone in the room. The lights flickered, and Hermione was grabbed around the torso and tossed onto the bed. She could hear Draco's voice, laced with fear as he told everyone to stay calm. She felt Ron's arm, the one good arm he had, curl around her body tightly as the walls shook and trembled in the now pitch dark…

"You sure did change fast," Harry commented. Hermione smiled as she entered the compartment in her school robes. She had stepped over a small box sitting near the sliding door as entered. "Careful! Those are my robes!" Harry exclaimed, moving to pick the box up.

"Then why aren't you putting them on Harry? We'll be at the school in less than twenty minutes," she shot back. She fell beside a sleeping Ron, who had gotten very close to Hermione with the remainder of the summer. She squeezed in between the window and Ron's massive shape to peer outside the window comfortably. "I have to say, this is the first time Ron has slept on the Express in seven years…it's very nice to have a little peace, eh?" Hermione asked cheerfully. Ginny, who had been sitting under the window nodded.

"Aye, very peaceful…" she commented. "With the summer over, I'm glad to be coming back to a newly done Hogwarts. Out with evil, and in with good!" she shouted. Harry stirred in his seat, and shrugged his shoulders.

"Just because Voldemort is dead, doesn't mean other evils won't try and take his place…we have to still be on our guard this year."

"Yeah, yeah," Ron yawned. He opened his vibrant blue eyes and smiled at Hermione who had been supporting most of his weight. "We all know that this year, someone will definitely try to kill Harry, or his closest loved one to hurt him! So let's just kick out any type of happiness we might got brewing and only remember that evil will conquer all…" Ron said with the largest dose of sarcasm nipping at his words. Hermione's mouth sagged open in shock and Ginny's yellow eyes grew wide.

"I never asked you to stay with me Ron…" Harry whispered. Ron sat up straight now, and glared.

"Harry, if I didn't want to stay, I would never have been your friend, these last six years!" Ron growled. Harry gave him a small cold stare and turned his head.

"I merely asked that we keep our heads this year…that's all!"

"You're beginning to sound like Hermione actually, Harry," Ginny whispered. A small smile had begun to tickle the corner of her lips.

"Okay, let's all calm down and stop the fighting words!" Hermione shouted. She was now glaring at Ron and Harry. "We'll be perfectly fine, as long as we stick together, but right now, we won't be able to if we keep fighting! Voldemort is dead, but we can never, never forget those we lost!" she protested. "No matter what, no matter how hard things are…we can't forget those who fought with us," suddenly, Hermione covered her ears as a piercing shriek penetrated her thoughts. She bent forward in agony.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Ron and Harry asked. Harry had leaped forward to grab her before she fell forward.

The scream was loud, and she could hear another student shout Padma's name. The lights flickered on and Hermione saw Parvati standing over her sister, shaking her out of her shock. Padma pointed towards the ceiling of the room, where a hole was starting to appear. It was dark, almost indefinite looking as it swirled overhead. Ron still had his arm tightly wrapped around her. She shivered against him, and turned to see the blondness of Draco's head. His eyes glowed in the dark and Hermione felt the inside of her body lurch in the strangest of ways. She imagined those eyes raking up and down her body as they waited there, waiting.

It came sooner than Hermione thought. Death Eaters fell from the ceiling and all she could see was a flash of green light as the war once again took hold of them. Ron was pulled off the bed by Draco, who then shoved him under the bed, the skirts flipping up slightly as it hid his figure. He shouted for her, but she had turned to see Draco point his wand at an on coming Death Eater.

"Arvada…" he started, but the wizard was quicker as he disarmed Draco.

"I see this school hasn't taught my own son a better way to defend himself," Lucius Malfoy drawled. He removed his mask and saw the fear flood into Draco's eyes. Hermione was still on the bed. Ginny had crawled her way on, meowing for Hermione's help; she sat up straight and pulled the leg of a table out of her abdomen. She screamed as she yanked it out. Hermione quickly aided her before she bled to death. When she was done, she pulled Ginny off the bed, and led her towards a closet, dodging spells and flying bodies in the dark. She threw Ginny into the closet, and locked it with a powerful charm. She then turned around to see Draco pressed against the wall, his father's hands wrapped tightly around his throat.

"You little snake!" He hissed. "You'll never live to tell this tale, traitor." He squeezed tighter and Draco made choking noises, trying his hardest to kick away from his father.

"STOP IT!" Hermione screamed. She whipped her wand at Lucius.

"Arvada Kedavra!" she shouted. Lucius dropped Draco and turned his shocked eyes to Hermione's bleeding, yet triumphant face. It was the last thing he saw. Lucius's dead body fell on top of Draco, who shouted and pushed him off. Hermione quickly ran to Draco and helped him up. She could see the pain ripping through his eyes as he looked back down at his father.

"You killed him…" he whispered. Hermione stood there quite ridge as he observed her murder. Draco had turned around wildly and gripped her hard by the wrists. His eyes were now brimming with tears and extreme regret. "You don't know what you've done!" he shouted.

The scream exploded across the room, and a body flew over the crowd of fighting Wizards. Hermione broke away from Draco as she turned to see Harry coming from out of the portal in the ceiling. He landed on his feet as he pointed his hand at a young Death Eater. Immediately the masked figure began to scream, and his body ripped in half, as he fell to the floor. "Your Dark Lord is dead…" Harry hissed. Hermione felt Draco tense up beside her.

Hermione pushed the food on her plate around. Dumbledore had reappeared once again to lead Hogwarts. He was healthy and very alive. When he stood to address the students, those who did not know of his reappearance cried out in shock. Almost everyone had tears in their eyes as Dumbledore smiled down at everyone from the teacher's table.

"What's wrong Mione?" Harry asked, watching her as her appetite diminished. She quickly took a glance at him before looking back at her plate.

"I'm tired, that's all. It's been such a long summer, and now we're finally back." She saw Harry nod, and turn his attention back to his plate. But she felt something much stronger coming her way. Her eyes snapped forward, and her gaze fell on Draco Malfoy. He had allowed for his hair to grow pass his ears over the summer, and his face was strong, with confidence. She nodded in his direction before looking away. Hermione knew that they would be sharing a dorm together for the year because of their Head Boy and Girl duties.

When dinner was finished, and Dumbledore had made yet another inspiring speech, the students began to flood out of the Hall, and Ron kissed her on the cheek, and Harry wrapped his arms around her before leaving. She went the opposite direction, towards another set of stairs leading to another tower, separated from the school. The echo of her footsteps filled her head, and she felt like she was floating up the stairs, instead of actually walking. She though of all the homework, all the hallway duty and world-saving she would have to do this year.

"Hello Granger…" whispered a soft voice from behind. Hermione whirled around and nearly stumbled backwards if strong arms hadn't wrapped around her waist. The wind was nearly knocked out of her, but she gripped onto the cold arms, and fell into the chest of her savior. She turned her head to see Draco Malfoy, arms wrapped tightly around her.

"Malfoy!" she gasped as he removed her from his arms. She spun around on the stair to glare at him. "What are you doing?"

"Going to our dorm, obviously," Draco said, walking pass her. Hermione was taken aback at Draco's words.

"Our dorm?" she asked.

"Well, our tower," Draco corrected. He continued up the stairs, and Hermione followed him willingly. "We are Head Boy and Girl." His attitude was strangely calm, seeing that the last time Hermione saw him, she tried to kill him, again.

When Draco had broke away from her, and the scream pierced the atmosphere, he had grabbed Hermione by the wrists, yanking her towards the doorway.

"NO!" she screamed, pulling away from him. All she wanted to do was stay by Harry, but Malfoy was pulling her.

"C'mon you wench! I'm trying to save you!" He growled and yanked her so hard, she fell forward. He had backed away and allowed her to fall, but he was shouting over the screams and wand less spells fly through the air.

"Get up you bloody wench! I have to get you out of here!" Draco shouted, but he was shot in the chest with a stray spell, and it landed him on his back. Hermione crawled over to him, the battle scene now become frighteningly dark again. "Granger! Get off of me!" but she knew better. Hermione knew what Draco's plan was all along…he was trying to get her alone for some strange reason. She thought wildly, that he was trying to kill her and, that Dumbledore was a fake, and that Malfoy was again trying to destroy her and everyone around her—that his savings of her and Ron were just ways to disillusion them. Hermione pulled her wand out from her invisible hoister and pointed it at his chest.

"Bastard!" she screeched. "You're trying to kill us!"

"You crazed wench! I'm trying to save you! Dumbledore needs you alive!" he screamed.

Please review! Are you guys getting the pattern of the story now?

Questions: why would Dumbledore want DRACO of all people, to make sure she stays alive?