Chapter 7: The Circular Office
AN: It has been something like 3 years since I last wrote fanfiction. Since I updated any of my stories. Sorry. If you still want to read them thank you and well done. You are very persevering. I am almost 20 now, and I started writing when I was 15 or 16, hopefully I'm a little better now. Also. I don't promise weekly updates or anything. But here is a chapter and that in itself is a bit of a miracle :). Thanks Julie
Dear Miss Grainger and Mr Malfoy,
I have just been alerted that you have broken into my office. It being quite a late hour I am assuming it is something important that you intend to discuss. I am aware that you have been using forbidden W.W.W. products in class and I am afraid that you will have to be punished for that, as Prefects you are meant to set example to others. I will be by as soon as possible. In the meantime feel free to help yourself to some acid drops. They are in the cupboard by Phineas Nigellus' portrait. Also please refrain from nosing around my office too much.
Yours truly
Albus Dumbledore
Hermione paled as she read the letter to Draco. She did not enjoy being disciplined, especially since it was most likely to go on her record. Draco actually laughed at the letter. Of course Dumbledore knew everything.
The acid drops were indeed in the cupboard that Dumbledore described but once they actually had them, neither of the pair actually felt like eating anything.
-
Within the half an hour of wait Hermione persistently nagged Draco about shirking his Prefect patrolling duties to which he fairly pointed out that it was her who made him come here and that there will probably be further punishment for that. This finally made Hermione stop harassing him for the worry of it.
Finally there was a flutter of robes up the stairs and Dumbledore burst through his office door. He greeted them with a jolly smile and wave. Then he sat down in his carved chair, popped a sweet into his mouth and gestured at Hermione. She looked at him with alarm before realizing that he was beckoning her to speak.
Draco piped up:" Can't I do the talking?"
"Of course not. You don't know what you want."
Dumbledore chuckled and gave Draco an understanding look.
"Draco wants to be on our side."
"Oh?"
"His father is probably going to force him to accept the Mark this summer?" She looked at Draco for confirmation.
"Yeah, that's the general consensus."
Dumbledore leant on the table and scratched his great beard. After a minute of contemplation he looked at Draco.
"So we know what Miss Granger wants for you. What do you want?"
"I want to be with Hermione." Draco stated with a disarming simplicity. He put his hand on Hermione's knee and gave her a reassuring squeeze.
"Hmm. Anything else, how do you feel about leaving your family and being disowned, possibly hunted by your father? For that is what is very likely to happen." Dumbledore asked seriously
"Well, I am not happy about it, obviously. Our library is very extensive. Hermione would like it. I suppose, will you still like me as a beggar without a knut to my name?" He turned to Hermione.
"Well, I suppose we can't have everything, I'm sure Mrs Weasley will take pity on us if we don't have anywhere to go." Hermione smirked at the look of distaste in Draco's face as she mentioned the name.
"You realize that you will have to prove your trustworthiness before we let you in with our people Mr Malfoy?" Dumbledore could get straight to the point if he wanted to.
"What do you expect me to sir?" Draco was taking everything in stride considering that two hours ago he thought that everything was just wishful thinking combined with a clever potion.
"We shall discuss that alone." He looked significantly at Hermione who got the hint and excused herself to go to bed.
-
Several minutes later a pale looking Draco was making his way down the corridor when waiting Hermione ambushed him.
"Well?"
"He wants me to spy on other Slytherins til the end of term, if I prove reliable he will have me go to the Head Quarters for a 'visit' when I am to present my findings, I am to be discreet on a look out for potential Death Eaters. It is strange that I will spy on my classmates. Of course Dumbledore doesn't give anything for free. But I guess I understand why he's cautious. I don't exactly have good references."
Hermione nodded thoughtfully.
"Yes. We will also have to keep us secret. It could ruin your mission. I plan on investigating that potion to find how it works. We need to talk about what you saw in your daydreams, from what little we've talked about it when we were waiting for Professor Dumbledore it seems like we dream the same thing. But we also have the ability to speak our minds. Which indicates that we're not just a preset version of each other in each other dreams. It seems like there is more to it. We are able to communicate in it. When you get to your room take a sip, we need to test it out. Bye."
She gave him a quick kiss and swiftly disappeared through a tapestry. He went in the direction of dungeons.
-
It has been a very strange day. In fact so much has happened in the last few days. It seemed like their lives were in fast forward. He had to sleep on it. But first…
He took a gulp of his shimmering potion.
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