AN:/Hello everyone thanks for reading and reviewing the last chapter. I got no where near as many as I normally do but that's my own fault for leaving it for so long.
All your reviews are greatly appreciated and I reply to every single one unless you're anonymous and don't leave an email address of course D
Well here's chapter five I quite like this chapter because things can finally get started properly and for some reason I like Draco in this chapter even though he's still being an ass D Hope you enjoy it's a long one again.
This chapter is unbetad as yet so please don't flame me for any grammar mistakes.
The Betrayer
Chapter five Ocean Fairy
The old castle looked the same as ever as the trio walked in to the familiar grounds.
The sound of a hundred boats being rowed in the distance always induced excitement among the students and there was a lot of chatter as the new witches and wizards made their way towards the castle.
Professor McGonagall appeared at the doors and the pupils were silenced.
Hermione was quick to notice how stressed her favourite teacher looked.
Probably because of the added pressure of being head mistress she thought.
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat.
"Welcome senior students would you please all go in to the main hall to watch the sorting ceremony. Please wait afterwards for your own assembly." She paused and took out a piece of parchment from her robe.
"Could Hermione Granger, Susan Bones, Draco Malfoy and Roger Davies please follow me to my office?" She turned on her heel, green robes flowing behind her.
The four students promptly followed Professor McGonagall through the arched doorway and followed in file, Draco being first in the line, down the corridors towards the office.
The Professor whispered the password while performing several complicated incantations
Ha she's scared for herself, Draco scoffed, Silly old woman she'll never do as headmistress.
The door opened and the five of them stood on the moving spiral staircase taking them up to Professor McGonagall's new office.
It was left almost the same as when Professor Dumbledore had been there except for the obvious absence of the headmaster himself and Fawkes his loyal Phoenix.
With all the things still crammed in to the oval room it felt empty and the sight of their old headmaster's portrait smiling and waving at them, the same twinkle in his eye as always, brought a tear to Hermione's eye.
Draco glanced over at her and grimaced oh for god sake she's crying.
Seeing his glance she immediately wiped her eyes. Professor McGonagall looked over at her sympathetically.
"Now students you know why you are here and I must make this brief for you have your fist job to do, the new students will be here any moment."
She took out four pieces of parchment which had black inked lines all over and curiously a big red spot in the top left hand corner. She handed one to each of them.
"Here are the maps to your new dormitories. Hermione and Draco you two shall be sharing a dorm as will you Susan and Roger." Hermione tried to figure out where the dorm was but found she couldn't.
"It has always been the tradition at Hogwarts for the opposing houses to share a dorm thus showing unity to the rest of the school who may well follow your example.
You are still allowed to visit your house dorms whenever you wish-yes Miss Granger"
Hermione lowered her hand "Professor where exactly is the dorm I can't work it out from the map and what about the password?" Hermione asked.
"Ah yes, I almost forget .Please put the tip of your wand on the red spot on the map and the location and password will be revealed only to you."
The students did as she said.
Fourth floor, behind the portrait of Aggaemon the Betrayed, the password Millowill.
The words appeared in Hermione's and Draco's heads simultaneously.
"Now be off with you to your first jobs an owl will be sent to your dorms each morning if there are any jobs or news for you."
As they started to file out she added "Being Head boys and girls is a big responsibility, you all have been chosen for your individual strengths and I trust you will not let us down."
The Professor sat in her chair signalling that the students could now leave.
She sighed watched them leave, took off her spectacles and rubbed her eyes.
"You're doing a good job Minerva." A voice came from the other end of the room.
She looked round and smiled "thank you Albus."
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The feast was over and after a long evening of sorting and getting the new students to their dormitories Hermione could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
The special assembly had mainly involved reminding the students of what an important year it was and warning them to be on guard of themselves and everyone around them. Even at school the students had been harshly reminded that they were still in grave danger what with Voldemort at large.
Hermione walked up the corridor with Ron and Harry like always except now she was leaving them to go to her new dormitory. They leaned against the wall next to the fat lady's portrait.
"Do you really have to sleep there Hermione, I mean it's not like you are doing any "Head" stuff at this time is it." Ron stated.
Harry nodded "I agree, but the main thing is Malfoy, we don't know if he's on our side and experience tells us that he's more likely to be on any other side apart from ours." He paused and ran a hand through his hair. "I can't believe their making you share a dorm like this."
Hermione smiled , putting a hand on each of their arms "I appreciate your concern guys but I'm more than a match for Malfoy, plus we have separate bedrooms with locks and wards it's not like he's going to be creeping in, in the night now is it."
She laughed at Ron's horrified face "I'm going now goodnight."
She gave them a wave and watched them go through the portrait and headed towards the moving stairs.
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Draco laid on the sofa one leg hanging over the edge grazing the thick white carpet. He had to admit this head-boy stuff was going to be hard, one job and he was already exhausted.
He was definitely not in the mood for mudblood-wooing tonight.
On that thought where was she anyway? It was past hours.
Most likely with her boyfriends arguing who's the last to say goodbye. He snorted at the thought.
Hiss
He started, sending some cushions to the floor, what the hell?
He looked around to see nothing but he swore he heard something.
Hiss Crackle
His muscles tensed now he knew he heard something. From the fireplace if he wasn't mistaken.
Fingering his wand in his robe he padded towards the fireplace which was now glowing, supplying the room with twice the amount of light than the candles had been.
The room wasn't massive but it seemed to take an age to get over there. When he did he looked in to see nothing except the normal fire. "Huh"
He was about to leave and call for an elf to sort out the fire when a blast of searing heat shot at him from behind and a cold voice called out.
"Boy!"
Spinning around he saw a face in the fire and not just a face, his father's, burning amongst the embers.
He jumped.
"Father!" How was he doing this? Surely the fires at Hogwarts were protected from this sort of thing "What are you doing here?"
"Just making sure everything is going as planned."
Draco scoffed it had only been a day since he'd left the manor "making sure I haven't backed out more like. Well I haven't I'm here aren't I?"
Lucius smiled maliciously "Yes I can see that, but where is she?"
"Well I don't know I'm not the mudblood's keeper you know" he shrugged "she hasn't come back yet."
The fire hissed again and a flame shot out of the fire at Draco's leg singing a hole in his robe
"Aaagh!" he rubbed his leg where it had scalded him.
"That's not the answer I want to here you must know where she is at all times .The dark lord is not patient, the sooner he has the girl in his grasp the sooner our plan's can go ahead and you can get your initiation."
The fire crackled.
"Come closer." his father beckoned him.
Draco stood silent and then knelt down.
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Hermione exited the owlery her eyes slightly red and irritated.
She would have liked to say it was because she was tired but the truth was writing letters to her mother proved to be an emotional business for her these days.
Although trying not to cry was something she was trained at by now she could not help but let everything out in the privacy of the tall cylinder shaped room although that was not something she was planning on doing on a nightly basis.
After spending all summer looking after her mother she was already feeling the absence of her presence even though it had been her own decision to get back to school.
The walk to the fourth floor seemed to take no time at all.
She approached the portrait of Agaemmon and spoke the password
"Millowill" and climbed in.
The first odd thing she noticed was the very strange lighting in the room, this would not do she would never be able to study in this; the intense red was nearly blinding her.
When she came in around the corner she realised it wasn't any lights and it was actually Malfoy doing something by the fire.
Was he talking? She couldn't tell. He was crouched down on the floor on his knees.
Hermione cleared her throat which sent the blonde shooting up in shock. The glow immediately disappeared and the normal Hogwarts brighter-than-normal-candlelight returned.
"What were you just doing?" Hermione demanded
Draco panicked how long had she been there? His head was pounding from staring in to the fire for so long and there were yellow spots in front of his eyes.
"Nothing Granger something went wrong with the fire I was trying to sort it."
He prayed that his excuse would work. He was not only worried that she would never trust him but he had no doubt she would report him given the chance.
"It didn't look like that; it looked like you were talking." She came closer "and why is your leg burnt? You don't need your leg to tend to a fire surely?
She knew he was hiding something.
He stepped back covering his leg with some of the black fabric "it's nothing an ember rolled out that's all not that it's any of your business Granger"
"Why so twitchy Malfoy?"
She took a step closer again glad she was making Draco Malfoy sweat.
"And what about the glowing you don't get that from just tending to a fire."
"Get away from me will you! It was nothing, the fire started making a noise and glowing. I was just about to call some of your precious houselves up to sort it."
"Oh yeah and the glow just disappears as soon as you're disturbed come on Malfoy I'm not stupid."
"You could have fooled me, why don't you go and get precious Potter to come and sort me out then if you're so concerned?" and he stalked off towards the boys section of the head's dormitories.
"Petrficus totalus" the classic spell never failed her.
Draco fell back on the carpet stiff as a board and Hermione walked up to him.
"I don't know what you were up to but I know it wasn't anything good and don't give me your tending the fire rubbish.
We've got to share this dorm for a year and it doesn't make me any happier than it does you so I recommend we just stay away from each other okay." She waited for some sort of confirmation from him and decided that the frenzied way he was moving his eyes would have to do.
She released the spell and Draco shot up. "What the hell do you think you're playing at?"
He regarded her in anger a moment and noticed her puffy eyes, she'd been crying.
Perfect chance, he could comfort her. He needed to find out what was wrong.
"I'm not playing at anything. I hadn't finished talking to you, now if you don't mind."
She started to leave and to her surprise he grabbed her arm gently and gave her as sympathetic look as he could manage considering how angry he was at her.
"Why have you been crying?"
Subtlety had never been his strong point.
She looked down at the hand grabbed on her robe critically and he dropped it.
"I haven't been crying I'm just tired, not that it's any of your business."
And she turned on her heel her bushy hair sending a breeze towards him and went off towards her bedroom shutting the door loudly behind her.
Draco cursed then smirked and took out his wand muttered a few words and went to his own dormitory.
There were going to be fireworks in the morning.
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Draco opened is eyes the next morning the sun rays gently warming the room and his ears were blessed with the sweet sounds of Hermione shouting manically from across the common room.
He grinned sleepily his captive spell had worked then.
"MALFOY!" Damn you loathsome ferret, open this door." He heard her kick the door in temper before he decided to get up.
He put on his robe and tied the belt round his waist before leaving his room.
"Malfoy open- this -door." Hermione had been knocking for at least ten minutes now, she didn't know how he'd done it and no counter curse she was trying was working either but there was no doubt in her mind that it was him.
What the hell was wrong with him locking her in, what did he have to gain from that? Ron and Harry were obviously right about him.
"You wait until I get out of here Malfoy I'm going to-"
"Keep your hair on Granger" he drawled "you're not getting out until you do what I want."
She could hear the smugness dripping from his voice she was only glad she could not see his gloating face or she would not be in control of her actions.
"And what would that be exactly?" She seethed.
He leaned against the door "Tell me why you were crying last night and I'll let you out."
That wasn't what she was expecting "W-what why? I've already told you I wasn't crying I was just tired."
"Well okay then if you don't want to tell me. I'll tell Professor McGonagall that you're not feeling well shall I?"
She listened at the door and heard him walk off "No Malfoy get back here."
Why couldn't she unlock this door herself? She would have to ask him what he had done before she killed him.
"Come to your senses I see." He tapped his fingers on the door irritatingly she could just imagine the perfectly manicured nails. Damn he knows what he's doing
"Why exactly do you want to know? It's not as if you would care anyway." Hermione exasperated.
"No I probably wouldn't I'm more curious actually and I'm not letting you out until you satisfy those curiosities and don't bother lying I will know."
"You are impossible no wonder most of the school hates you. She waited for his egotistical gasp.
"My father died in the holidays. I was crying because I had to write a letter to my mum who I had to leave to come here. There are you happy now?" She awaited his reply.
"Your father died?"
"Yes, why do you sound so surprised."
"I don't know I didn't think it would be anything like that."
"No" What was he thinking then? "Well that's nice to know but if you don't open this door I'm going to be late so if you would?"
He released the spell on her door and Hermione came out although for some reason she wasn't as eager for his blood as she had been maybe because of the unfamiliar sympathetic look he had on his face again.
"I'm sorry." He muttered running a hand through his blonde mop.
"What for locking me in? You should be."
"No Granger for your dad." Was that the right thing to say he wondered?
"Why would you be? He was a muggle you hate them so don't pretend to care." And she stalked off. He heard her leave the common room.
"Damn why are women so stubborn? No not women just her" he was used to getting his way with females. Why is she so different?
He'd tried to be sympathetic and look where it got him. She was right he really didn't care about her dad but still he had tried.
Last night's visit from his father had made him realize he wasn't safe anywhere if he didn't get Granger to Voldemort soon he would punished he had no doubt about that.
He aimed his wand at a vase and it smashed the sharp fragments flying everywhere.
"I'd like to see you try and do this father. He yelled.
"She's impossible."
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Hermione was in foul temper now as she headed towards the Transfiguration classroom. "Bloody Malfoy…Stupid Flobberworm…I'd like to-" She ceased her muttering as she opened the door on the first floor.
"Ah Miss Granger there you are, can I inquire as to why you're late?"
Professor McGonagall was stood next to the board staring at her from above her spectacles. The rest of the class was staring too, Hermione hung her head slightly she was never late.
"I uh-"
"It doesn't matter go to your seat." Professor McGonagall indicated to the empty row of seats at the back. The seats by Ron and Harry were occupied by Neville and Seamus.
Great! She thought.
"So students this year"
The door burst open and Draco entered with a here-I-am gesture.
Hermione grimaced he doesn't half like to make an entrance.
"Oh really Mr.Malfoy could you be any noisier? Both of you late for class, this is hardly the example you should be setting."
Oh no he's going to sit by me.
"Go take one of the seats next to Hermione at the back please and no more noise."
Draco grinned. Perfect.
There were three spare seats on the desk Hermione was on yet he sat right next to her.
Crabbe and Goyle looked over shocked and Draco was pleased to see Pansy didn't look to happy either.
On the negative side if he was going to have to put up with the other two thirds of the golden trio's ugly mugs glaring at him like that he might have to reconsider his decision.
Harry turned away but Ron continued to glare for further five minutes.
"Anyway students I will be teaching you and you only this year. As headmistress I am not able to teach the rest of the school as normal and Professor Lenette will be taking over my position."
She sat at her desk and put her fingers together "however I felt it was important to take you for your NEWT level as any disturbances now could be terrible for your grades."
Draco was repulsed to find Hermione already taking notes.
"Please take out your textbooks…"
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Hermione came back in to common room a good few hours after lesson ended that day.
She had spent some time with the others in the Gryffindor common room and then the rest in the library an armful of books were to accompany her to her room that evening.
It was good to be back.
After climbing in to the portrait with some difficulty considering the sheer amount of books she had, she was disappointed to find Malfoy in the common room she assumed he would have gone to bed by now.
"What time do you call this?" He drawled from the sofa which he, considering the great size, was managing to take up all by himself.
"Excuse me? I don't recall you being my mother at any point."
He looked her up and down "Well hardly. I was wondering what would keep you out so late but I can see now-the library."
Hermione ignored his jibe and sat down on the spare armchair.
"Why sit over there? Come and join me on the sofa." He patted an empty spot next to him.
The saying "if looks could kill" never fitted so well as the look Hermione gave him.
Draco lay back down and Hermione got back to her book.
Draco cleared his throat. "So I never did ask how did your father you know-die?"
Hermione looked up judging whether he was being serious or not. He seems serious enough well what could it hurt?
"He fell down the stairs, he died instantly apparently."
Draco nodded slowly "well at least he didn't suffer."
She slammed her book down on her lap "Alright that's it what is up with you?"
"What now?"
"You shouldn't have said that it's not... you, what would you care?
My father was a muggle you hate them you probably would have wanted him to die a horrible slow death ideally being tortured "she threw her hands in the air, "why do you care?"
"Oh come on I'm not totally heartless!"
"Experience would state otherwise." She stated blankly.
"You are impossible you know that, someone shows a little sympathy and you throw it back at them. I'm going to sleep." And with that he put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.
"What on the sofa?" He didn't answer "Malfoy."
He gave a little snore.
Hermione grinned. "Fine you stay there." She stood up, took up her books and headed towards her bedroom. She turned around and said quietly "thank you know for caring" and she left.
Draco opened up his eyes and watched her leave. Bingo
Well there you go chapter five D Hope you liked it if you've read this far please press that button
-------------- and leave me a review if you would.
Chapter dedicated to Nyleve my first reviewer for this chapter and angelwithbrokenwings (sorry if that's wrong) my brilliant beta.