The bat within me chapter 15
The fight with catwoman, left Harry very perplex. She was undoubtfully skilled, but there was a sense of familiarity, that was unexpected.
The woman was actually the one who had saved the girl from the attack the other night.
Her intentions weren't very clear. Had she taken him for an enemy? Or was she one? Which side was she on? Did she know anything about what was going on?
He didn't know whether she had planned meeting him or whether it was just a coincidence.
Harry had to admit he had been very surprised that someone like this would even exist.
He was used to seeing big blokes all the time and such a fragile looking woman seemed not made for this kind of activities.
But he had heavier problems at the moment. Persephone had been killed, by Amycus Carrow and there was no way he could say anything without revealing his true identity. It seemed that the little ordeal Malfoy was going through had not left him blissful at all.
He had to first find the culprit for that. And he knew very little: It was someone from Hogwarts, at least someone who had access to the bedrooms, which left the staff, the elves, the student, and technically the boys, but knowing the Slytherins, it may have been the girls as well.
Also that person was clever enough, to steal the money in one of the Death-Eaters main street, sneak into the dormitory of the slytherins boys and put the money under the bed, without being seen, or leaving any traces.
Then he stopped.
What if this whole attack was directed at Malfoy? At first he had thought it was an attack towards the Death eater in general, but what if this was all linked? The attack on the shop, the money under the bed, the unwanted pictures of the Brothel?
Someone must have been very pissed about Malfoy. Yet he had so many enemies to choose from. Even amongst the death eater, as Voldemort right hand man this was to be expected, they wanted his position.
Possibilities were endless, but this thought gave a new light to his investigation.
Two days passed with no sign of the mysterious lady, although she was still the center of attention. But only now she had some serious competition with the Malfoy's demise as a subject of discussion.
Harry tried to keep up with his investigation as to who was behind it. But being a student, he also had other duties, daytimes one.
Hermione had been so distant since their last talk, of course she kept up the good act but anyone with a little bit of perceptiveness could see through it. And Ron didn't seem to have any lately.
But this day was different.
It was the Hogsmead weekend and the golden trio went together as usual. They headed different direction for a few seconds, because Hermione wanted to check out a book in the bookstore, she had forgotten all about.
When she was walking back, after having spent more time than intended in the book shop, it started to snow a little. She remembered the first Christmas she had spent with the Weasley. It had snowed like this, it was snow that you couldn't hold for the mere touch of you hand melted it.
She remembered this well because this was the first time she thought being away from your family was alright as long as you had friends you could enjoy your time with. She first had been dreaded to go to a boarding school. But it all changed that Christmas. The images were flowing vividly, and she missed that time sorely, where any hard feelings could dissolve like the snow.
And the years after that, even with Voldemort, she knew they would be ok, as long as they had each other.
It was until that night. The night were everything was supposed to go great. This insignificant first dinner of the year that was unlike any other.
Hermione frowned at the memory.
Malfoy had always been the greatest git to walk the earth, but she never thought that if he had the chance, he would kill her just like that. Maybe it had been an accident but he was going to take her as a prisoner anyway. He said he was going to. And once Harry had been eliminated after trying to rescue her, she was going next.
A good thing she had died that night. She couldn't have let something happen to Harry, after all the pain he had been through. And although he did his best to hide his everyday pain, she knew better.
She had loved him so much she felt like she knew him by heart.
She had thought that the love she felt for him would be her shield, in the sense that she couldn't have felt something stronger, but she was wrong.
She had never felt this sort of anger before. But why didn't she tell Harry about it ? No, this was something she needed to do alone. She didn't want to give Harry something more to worry about. But still, why this vengeance, so unlike her, so wrong, so vicious?
« Why are you doing this ? » she whispered as she stared, dazed at the little moving figurines of a toy shop.
« Hermione? » called a familiar voice behind her.
« Uh ? » she said as she turned around surprised.
« I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you… »said Harry.
« Scare me ? No, I was just scaring myself actually. » she said casually.
«What do you mean ? » he asked confused.
She put herself together and asked :
« Where are Ron and the others ? »
« They're still at Fred and George's. They're showing them their latest inventions. Pretty serious stuff apparently. » he said probably recollecting some memories. « I came back because you took a long time to arrive. »
There was a small silence, but Harry decided to not drop the subject.
« Are you alright ? » he asked as they started walking in the direction of the joke shop.
« Hm ? » she asked « Uh uh. » she answered as she nodded.
« You like you, maybe have the holiday blues or something… »he asked worried.
She shook her head and gave a small « no », but she still seemed dazed.
« Listen Hermione if this is about us, then I'm very sorry but I'm not changing my mind. I hope you understand why I'm doing this. »
« Actually I do. And you're right, it's for the best, if we stop being with eachother. There is so much going on already » she said smiling a little, finding something for her too at the end of this agreement.
Harry was surprised. He had imagined she would see his point eventually, but not that fast.
« I'm glad you feel that way. » he said smiling half-heartedly.
This was the best he could have asked for, yet why was he so unhappy ?
They finally arrived at Fred and George's shop after a long period of unconfortable silence.
They nearly had to drag the rest of the guys out, as they were spending their last savings on the newest way to cheat at the next potion exam.
The snow hadn't stopped falling as they came back and they were all frozen to death. But as the others headed towards their bedroom, Hermione decided she'd rather snuggle up in front of the fire.
Harry and Ron did the same enjoying the little privacy they had together and played a game of chess.
Hermione began to doze off feeling the warmth wash over her and make her forget about her worries.
Until she felt the couch shift under someone's weight, and someone was pulling a blanket over her.
She unconsciously caught the strong arm, with an animal speed, and woke up as she did so.
« It's ok Hermione, it's just me. » she heard Harry say.
Harry then realized he hadn't said her name for what felt like ages.
He turned to leave her, but he heard her say sleepily : « S'okay don't go. »
He sat down next to her, while she stirred.
« I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you » Harry said timidly.
« It's fine, I shouldn't spend the night on the couch anyway. Where's Ron ? »
« He went to bed like everyone else, I suppose we should do the same ».
They didn't move.
« Say Harry, I hope things are back the way they were now, right ? » she asked.
« I hope they are on your side as well. » he said looking at her expectantly.
She smiled a little and nodded while looking at the fire, still dazed from her nap.
She spoke again : « So how have you been doing ? Doesn't the perfect hero bit get a little stale ? »
He smiled and didn't tear his eyes from her.
« A lot like the impeccable first in everything lonely student syndrome, I guess », he replied mockingly.
« Hey ! » she said pushing his shoulder gently. « I'm not first in dark arts.» she remarqued faking seriousness.
« Right, sorry » He said giving her a sideway glance.
« Well, not too far from you anyway. » She corrected.
« Ah, you wish »
They both smiled a little.
« How did you find the time to do some sports ? »
« What do you mean ? »
« Well from the looks of it, you have kept up your pretty serious excercice » she added with a little pink flashing across her cheeks.
Harry smiled.
« Oh that, I suppose all of this stressing out kind of gets to you. You've lost weight too ».
« No it doesn't as much ! That cause those are taillored robes Harry, Girl trick you see. »
« I could have my robes taillored if I wanted to too. » He said faking disdain.
« I know you could, but that wouldn't be a very Harry thing right ? It would feel weird if you did, it would be as weird as if you had put gel on you hair… »
she added this last bit with a cocky smile : « or shower ».
« Hey !!! I have perfect personnal Hygiene you little devil !! » He said tickling her a bit.
They stopped and sat in a confortable silence for a while.
« Did I miss anything while we were… you know… ? » She asked.
He raised his eyebrows.
« Not really, no. Well there is still this Malfoy thing going on, but nothing new, you know… »
« Yeah, but still some strange things going on around here, well stranger than usual anyway. »
« Yes, it's true, I've never seen fate be so after the Malfoys in so little time. »
CRAP he hadn't meant to be so specific…
« Do you really think it's all linked ? »
« I'm not thinking anything, I'm just pointing out some things. I'm merely being observant. »
« Are you sure ? Because I don't think this is it. I can't imagine someone doing all those things in so little time without being caught. »
« I didn't say they were alone, but my instincts told me that, there is more than meet the eye in this case. »
« How do your instincts tell you this ? Do you have a little voice in your head ? » she said smiling mockingly, getting closer to him.
« If I say yes you are going to think that i suddenly changed those last few days, that I transformed into a psycho of some sort… » he said rolling his eyes, but feeling strange at her proximity.
« It's the so called normal guys who always let you down. The sickos could never scare me ; At least they're committed. »
«Yeah well I suppose, from that point of-» he didn't have the time to finish that sentence as she jumped on him, her lips crashing to his.
At first he stayed passive, but the feel of this new urge coming from her soon got the best of him and he kissed back with an equal passion.
Her hand clawed his thigh passionately, while the other one ruffled his hair.
She reached higher and ended up at his side.
He eyes widened as he winced : she had touch the wound that Catwoman had given him the previous night, he took her hand quickly and placed it above his head.
He then sensually let his hand slide down her extended arm as he pulled up her sleeve revealing the nasty wound she, too had from the other night.
It was her turn to widen her eyes as she suddenly pulled away from him and stood up.
« You can't do that !! » she exclaimed.
Having misheard he quickly answered, still dazed
« Neither can I ! »
They both stood there breathless.
« I'm sorry this was wrong of me ». She said, not believning what she just did.
« No you didn't do anything, I should have stopped. » He retorded.
« Let's just stop aguing over this. Let's just say it never happened ok ? » she said calmly.
« Yes, let's go to bed, it's just sleep deprivation, plus I'm happy we're best friends again. »
She nodded and was about to leave when he held her hand and said :
« 'Mione, I hope you understand, why I'm doing this. I want you to know, that you are very precious to me. And what I mean by us not being together for your protection, it's also very selfish of me. It's for the same reason I don't want you to fight. I love Ron like a brother, if he died it would be one of the worst ordeal of my life. But if something happened to you, I just wouldn't survive it. » He said his eyes gleaming with the fire light.
Hermione felt a pang of sorrow hit her.
If you only knew what I do, you wouldn't feel this way…
A tear fell from her cheek, she quickly went to wipe it with her sleeve, but it was too late, Harry had seen it.
« Please Herm' don't cry on me, you know I get useless, with a crying girl around. »
« No, I'm sorry, I'm not crying- what I mean is- I just -» sobs were now fully racking her body.
He went to hug her but she pushed him away. Never, in the whole history of their friendship had she ever refused a hug, never. She must have been really mad at him.
« It's okay, I'm fine, I'm fine- i just didn't expect it to be so hard for you. I'm sorry. » She regained her composure, and wiped the rest of her tears.
« We're both very tired ; let's go to bed, now ok ? » He said gently.
She nodded.
The next day, Ginny came out of the hospital looking so much better, making Ron feel happier than he had in days.
This lightened the mood of everyone.
But Harry was still thinking of what had happened. It was just like the night she had came back, she had been violent in her actions, but at the same time he thought he had caught a climpse of the old Hermione.
This didn't help him concentrate for his investigation.
The people that were after Malfoy seemed to be very well organised. Coming up with a plan like this, must have taken a very long time of observation, and planning.
Or they were just lucky blokes. And if it were the case, Harry knew that things changed, maybe next time they wouldn't be that lucky.
But he shouldn't be preoccupied so much about the Malfoys really, they deserved what was coming to them.
But he refused to let the collateral damages, mainly Persephone's death and Krempe's shop vandalized go uncleared.
And there was also Ginny's attack that couldn't go unpunished, but she refused to denounce them because she said, and he knew she had a point, that the slytherins were far too numerous and well organised to not find a way around things. Malfoy could easily sacrifice some of his housemate for his safety.
Malfoy was having a hard time right now, and looking more and more like his father, he walked around the slytherin common room in fury.
Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini were sitting down scrutinizing the Slytherin Prince. Crabbe and Goyle had made sure the common room was empty to assure the Kings of Slytherin some peace and quiet.
Blaise was now working as a spy inside the Slytherins. He knew that even after the episode with Ginny he was a far too important asset. Draco just saw the Weasley episode as a fling and had long forgotten her, and renewed his trust in him.
« Ok let's rethink again. Krempe's attack was attacked, so someone had to know, about the importance of that shop. So it must be someone who is ranked within the Death eater's circle. Then someone else put the money under every bed but mine. That person could not have entered the Slytherin dorm without being invited to the party. »
Then Nott said :
« It could have been just one person. »
But Malfoy retorted :
« No, it would have been to difficult for a person on its own. It must have had help from the inside. »
Then he added his eyes going dangerously dark :
« And I know just the person that would be nothing more than willing to help. »
« Who ? You don't think one of us-» asked Goyle.
« No, but it is someone that has been suspected for a long time. »
Around midnight in the Gryffindor tower, there was a secret knock on the door of the common room.
Some footsteps were heard and the portrait opened silently.
It wasn't until the door was closed completely that the talking started.
« I got your message what happened ? » asked Harry.
« Malfoy is planning on attacking another student soon. » said Blaise.
« No ! Do you have any idea who it might be ? » He asked.
« Someone from the Death eater circle apparently. Malfoy suspects one of them to be a traitor and given away information on the shop. There is something very strange going on with it. I mean big time, I'm sure it has something to do with you-know-who's return. Unfortunnately, we, kids, except for Malfoy are not informed. So that's all I can say. I'll keep my eyes on Malfoy as much as I can, in hope to learn who that person may be but I need you to keep your eyes opened too. »
« Thanks for telling me Blaise, you really deserve happiness with Ginny. » he said squeezing his shoulders in a friendly manner.
« Thanks » he said as he left smiling.
Harry sat down on a the couch and began writing the list of all the suspected death eaters at Hogwarts.
And a name jumped at his face : Pansy Parkinson.
Father I need to talk to you.
D.
Malfoy attached the letter to the owl's leg and watched it fly away.
Fifteen minutes later, he heard footsteps on the Balcony.
« I want to know if the Halloween attack is still on. » said Draco not bothering to turn around.
« I can't let our family issues come before his plans. The first idea was to take over Hogwarts just like that, but the Dark Lord is weak and we are missing Pegasus Blood, because there is some at Hogwarts, we now more than ever have to attack. »
« Good. I think I know someone who helped those person attack Krempe. I know you probably haven't given much thought to it with mother and all. But I think Pansy had something to do with it. »
Lucius would almost look suprised, had he not his usual marble expression.
« Why would you think that ? » he asked.
He explained his analysis to him.
« Hmm…Yes maybe. »
« I think she needs to be interrogated. But we can't afford it to be too obvious. I think the attack of halloween night would be a perfect time to take her, and if necessary to count the body as one of the victims. »
Interrogation with the Death eaters was not something to look forward to.
The next morning, Harry arrived in a newly decorated Great Hall for Halloween, with pumpkins levitated and bats flying all around but never too far from the magic ceiling.
Harry sat down and whispered to Ron, Hermione and Ginny with a meaningful look :
« I'll need to talk to you later. »
They all nodded.
They ate and left the hall together.
They decided to go to the room of requirement for more privacy.
« Blaise came to see me yesterday. »
Ginny's eyes glittered and Ron growled.
« And what did he say ? » asked Hermione ignoring the other two.
« They're planning to attack one of the Slytherins. I think it's Pansy Parkinson. We have to keep a close eye on her. »
« Why not tell her ? » asked Ron.
« Because we don't know for sure, and there is no way to prove it to her, without revealing the presence of a spy. » answered Hermione.
« And we can't tell if she would dare to betray Malfoy that much. » added Harry.
« So you're saying we have to stay silent, because it will blow our cover, and let someone, even if it Parkinson get hurt ? » asked Ron furiously.
« She may be the first of many victims, right now with the little information we have, we cannot take any risks, plus think of what position that would put Blaise in. » explained Harry.
« Then we stick to that. » said Ginny with finalty.
« Hmmm… Hi Crooshanks ! » she said, greeting her cat. He jumped on her knees as she sat down.
She talked to him about her day, and the cat just sat there and listened as if he could understand her every word.
« And now we think Pansy will get attacked. »
He miaoweled.
She sighed.
« Hmm I know how you feel, I wish I could see him again. I haven't had this much fun with someone in a long time. »
She really hadn't had time to think about this mysterious masked had completely abducted her heart. The new part of her was so intrigued by him. This new darker had taken her time to show up since their meeting. She knew that she just hadn't let her in. This so exciting yet so very wrong part of her. Who wanted to flirt with every guy who she deemed sexy enough, to steal things from highly unrecommandable people, who liked the fresh air around her as she walked in this oh so outrageously sexy costume.
She felt very attracted to mystery and what is more mysterious than a masked man ?
She had to see him again. She had to learn who he really was, and why he was doing this.
Apparently he had nothing to do with the Death-Eaters. He seemed to be on her side, well the Order's side anyway.
He had look so intense on their first meeting. Although he had fell easily for her trick, he had figured her out very quickly. Well not all of her anyway, but it was only their first meeting.
It was decided then, she would go out tomorrow night in search of her masked man.
Tonight, she would just finish her latest homework.
Harry laid in his bed that night still confused about everything.
He hated the situation where he was stopped by his secret identity, although it was a question of survival, it also imposed lots of discipline and sometimes even limits to the job.
But if Harry Potter couldn't warn Pansy, than Batman will have too.
He would go to the owelry tomorrow and send her an owl telling her to meet him somewhere like the forbidden forest.
Hoping that she agrees he will meet her and tell her to watch out. Plus with all the other already keeping an eye on her this could only be good.
He could even get some information.
The night after that came sooner than expected, it was the night of Halloween and everyone was busy celebrating.
Harry had sent the owl at 6 telling her to meet him at 8 o'clock at the back of Hagrid's hut, and to bring no one.
When he was dressed he left the Castle with the invisibility cloack, just to see her there, waiting in a corner.
« I'm glad you believed me. »
She gasped as she saw his Bat-like costume.
« Don't worry I'm a friend. I've come to warn you. I think Malfoy and his crew have something bad in store for you. You need to keep a lookout and manage to not find yourself alone with them. »
« Draco would never hurt me ! He loves me ! » She whined.
Great thought Harry.
« Listen, I'm just telling you that. I could organise some sort of protection but I need to know why he would consider you a danger ? »
« I really don't know !! I haven't done anything but love him !! Well sure there was this time with Nott, and this other time with Crabbe, not to mention Ernie Macmillian, and a number of other things but… »
God she really was a tart…
« I mean do you have anything to do with Krempe's shop ? Have you told anyone, anything about it ? »
« Why should I tell you ? You could have asked me to come here so you could get information and then kill me ! »
« I told you I am a friend ! »
« Who should i believe guilty ? The love of my life or some stranger in a mask ? »
With that she stood up and ran, he was not excepting this and by the time he realized she was gone, she was right under light where she could be seen, and so would he if he dared follow her.
What he didn't know is that she had been seen alright…
DUN DUN DUN !!!
Jeanselina