Chapter 6

A/n: Thanks to all the lovely people who so KINDLY pointed out that Harry and Neville's birthdays were the same days. I totally forgot about it. LoL... and I did not really know Hermione or Draco's birthdays so I made them up... (Update March 3, 2006: But I checked it on the Lexicon and I believe Hermione's was September 10, 1980. I do not think Draco's was listed. But I cannot get on and check right now because the website is not working!) Sorry to all the people that I ruined the story with my inaccuracies. And to all the people who are pissed about Pansy's roll in MY fic... just stop reading it; because you are definitely going to hate it. Sorry.

Yes, Viktor will be in this story. Yes, I will try to make the chapters longer.

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Sunday night in the Slytherin common room was always a party. The oldest students snuck in bottles and bottles of Firewhiskey, and sat around the table playing 'I Never'. It was always a game to see who could hold their liquor the best on a school night.

Tonight, however, only five people were playing. The rest were doing homework for various teachers.

Around the table, with a shot glass each, sat Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson.

"Okay you guys," Draco said. "You take a drink when you agree with the statement! Alright?"

Crabbe and Goyle, as stupid as they were, usually ended up taking a drink when they disagreed.

"Ladies first, Pansy." Said Blaise, gesturing at her with the bottle, and then filling everyone's glasses.

"Hmm," she thoughtfully tapped her chin. "I never had a crush on a Gryffindor." As she expected, none of the boys touched their cups. They were all envisioning a certain book-wormish brunette. Pansy drained her glass then refilled it, grimacing.

"Your turn, Blaise."

"Umm... I never had a crush on a teacher." All the boys downed their shots, and Pansy blushed and tapped her fingernails on the edge of the table.

Draco laughed hysterically and asked who it was with tears in his eyes.

Pansy muttered something inaudible.

"Didn't hear you. Talk bigger!" Said Goyle. He was already halfway drunk. He could not hold his liquor if his life depended on it. Along with his soberness and judgment, his grammar, too, was deteriorating.

"I said Professor Lockhart." Her voice was so low that they had to strain to hear it.

There was silence for a second, and then everyone burst out laughing, much to the embarrassment of the lone girl.

After that last giggle subsided, Draco tapped the side of his glass while thinking of a good question. "I never... checked out a Gryffindor's ass."

Every single glass was untouched.

Crabbe asked, "I never jacked off in the shower." Pansy made a face in disgust and downed her Firewhiskey.

Goyle: "I never... What's that Pansy?"

"What's what?" Her eyes were bulging out in surprise.

"That, right there on your neck, under your ear."

Draco looked, and sure enough, it was an exact, though upside-down, replica of the Pure Children's Symbol.

Pure Child number one had been affirmatively confirmed.

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Hermione was meditating, as she always did at night. Sitting on the bay window seat with her legs crossed, she breathed in the night air through the open glass. She could smell the moonlight, the forest, and the creatures in it.

She closed her eyes, and just breathed. Her meditation was interrupted however, with the arrival of a black owl, bearing a letter for her.

She carefully took the note off, avoiding the talons of the owl, gave it a treat, and threw it out the window. It circled around and returned to sit on her windowsill. Apparently, its instructions were not to leave until Hermione wrote a reply.

So, sitting at her desk with a quill and a well of red ink, she opened the scroll and read. It was Draco's handwriting, though a bit messier from the alcohol.

Hermione-
Pansy has Pure Symbol under her left ear. She did not know about it until Goyle pointed it out, and, frankly, I would not have noticed it either. Have you gotten any information from Viktor, Sun, or Longbottom yet? Write back soon, because Apollo is not leaving until he gets a reply, and he gets cranky at night.
-D
P.S. You never told me where your mark is. I never saw it.

Hmm. Well, they already knew it was Pansy, because she was the only girl born on the correct date. No surprise there.

Draco-
Good. It has been confirmed, so there is no question whatsoever. I have not talked to any of them about it yet, but I will owl Viktor immediately. And my tattoo is on my hip, so of course you would not have seen it.
-H

She rolled up the parchment and tied it to Apollo's leg. She scratched him under his beak and sent him off into the night.

Then, going downstairs to the common room where Harry would probably be, playing chess with Ron, she asked if she could borrow Hedwig. He said she could, so she went up to his dormitory and got her out. Hanging the cage by the window and opening it so the bird could stretch out, Hermione sat down at her desk and composed a letter to Viktor.

Dear Viktor-
It has been a long time since we have talked, hasn't it? Well, unfortunately, this is more a business memo than a personal letter. But I needed to know if you had seen this (She drew a rough sketch of the Pure Symbol) anywhere on your body. It may not be completely darkened, but you should be able to see it if you have it. Please get back to me as soon as possible. It is a matter of the utmost importance.
-Love always, Hermione

This note she tied to Hedwig's leg, then tossed her out the window on the way to Durmstrang.

With a feeling of tight anxiety in her chest, Hermione crawled into bed, closed the drapes, and closed her eyes. She would write to Sun later. She did not know what she would write, because she did not know him. Maybe she could convince Draco to do it for her. It would be hours before she actually fell asleep.

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