Chapter Six
Dolores Umbridge was not a pretty woman, neither was she remarkably intelligent. She was powerful and she was spiteful, and the two are rarely a good mix. As soon as she had read the letter from 'Admirer', she had thought of the hatred that she had from Minerva McGonagall. The temptation to return and lord it over her was simply too much.
Slipping her new locket over her head (she had barely been parted from it, so rich and so good at showing her importance), she put on the pinkest outfit that she could find, and Apparated to just outside Hogwarts, clutching a sheaf of notes written on perfumed paper.
Harry and Ron had been keeping an eye on all articles regarding Umbridge, and were pleased to see that she wore the locket frequently. Of course, that was no guarantee that she would be doing so when she came to Hogwarts, so when they saw it glinting around her neck, they smiled in relief. Otherwise all their planning would have been in vain, including the long trek down to the Chamber of Secrets, where they had pulled the fangs out of the incredibly eerie skeleton of the enormous snake.
Professor McGonagall had been amazingly helpful, instantly sensing (with the same instinct that allowed her to judge the miscreant in any situation) that they were planning something on Umbridge. She had offered to draw her away from the crowd, so as not to create a huge scene. The idea was that Umbridge would be so anxious to leave the presence of the Headmistress that she would leap at any opportunity to do so, especially one presented by the wonderful Draco Malfoy.
Harry had already swallowed down the potion, a shade of stormy grey that could have been highly appealing or amazingly dreary. Hidden in the shadows, and tugging at Malfoy's silvery blond hair, he had watched as Umbridge ascended the stairs after McGonagall.
Waiting a minute, he followed them, and listened as Umbridge panted away: ''So, I thought not to bring a photographer. Instead I will write my own report of the speech and use one of the photographs taken with me and my Inquisitorial Squad from two years ago. I believe the caption will read 'Dolores Umbridge, inspirer of young minds'. Wonderful, don't you think?''
Harry heard McGonagall's non-committal ''Mmm'', and knocked on the door to the room they were in. Stepping in, he smirked at McGonagall and lowered his head respectfully to Umbridge.
''Why, Draco Malfoy, how lovely to see you again!''
Harry wasn't entirely sure how to respond to this (after all, he had had ''I must not tell lies'' carved into his hand), so he smiled and muttered something inane.
''Well Malfoy, what exactly did you want?'' McGonagall was far more brisk.
''I wanted to show Professor Umbridge something.''
''No longer Professor Umbridge.'' McGonagall snapped, and then seeing Umbridge smirk, nodded and forced a smile. ''I shall wait for you here Dolores.''
Umbridge returned an insincere smile and followed Harry to the door. Once they were out, she began babbling about the 'old days', how they had bullied students and teachers alike, etc. etc. He settled for smiling and nodding whenever. They had gotten down to the dungeons and she still hadn't actually asked what they were going to see, and Harry led her deeper into the maze like structure, making sure that no one would see them.
Eventually, he turned to face her, and she looked at him expectantly. Just as she opened her mouth to ask him what he had to show her, Ron hit her from behind with a stunning curse. They quickly dropped to their knees beside her and pulled the locket off of her. Replicating it, they hung the copy back on her, and then changed her memories.
Checking his watch, Harry quickly got her back to the room where the Headmistress was waiting. She smiled at Harry, and summoned Filch, turning to Umbridge as she began to focus on her surroundings. Harry stepped forward. ''Professor, that was an absolutely amazing speech! I have never been so moved – to know that Half-breeds were taking that much away from us.''
She focused on him and smiled weakly. ''Well, I did my best.''
''Oh, that was absolutely brilliant, you must have put so much work into it. Please, allow me to help you up.'' Harry put his hand under her elbow and pulled her up, feeling the heavy weight of the locket move in his pocket as he did so. ''Mr Filch would love to escort you to the gates I'm sure.''
Filch stood at the door, a look of suspicion on his face until he saw Umbridge. Harry quickly explained that she had been there to give a talk to 'a very select group of students', and sent them on their way, Umbridge giving all the details of the fictional talk.
McGonagall left the room, and Ron sidled in, watching as Harry's eyes turned from cold blue-grey to vivid green, and his hair darkened and freed itself from the sleek style Malfoy kept it in. ''You've still got it?''
''I'm hardly going to lose it.'' Harry flicked his wand at the door to lock it, and pulled the locket out of his pocket. Looking at Ron, he waited until he had pulled the basilisk fang out. ''I think we ought to stab it as soon as we can, otherwise it'll try and trick us.''
Ron nodded gravely. ''You open it, I'll stab.''
Without another word, Harry flicked open the locket, and gasped slightly to see the two eyes bulging out of each half of it. Ron's hand had slowed slightly at Harry's exclamation, but as soon as the eyes focused on him, he caught hold of his senses and drove the sharp fang down. Poison spurted as the glass covering the eyes shattered, and black smoke oozed out of the destroyed remains of the locket. The boys looked at each other and smiled.
''One down.''
''Three to go.'' Harry laughed, but not too desperate to extinguish the happy glow on Ron's face. Finally, they were doing something useful.
''We should tell Mione.''
''Definitely!'' Shoving the destroyed locket into his pocket, Harry unlocked the door and began to stroll along the corridor, Ron beside him. Seeing Luna up ahead, they hurried until they caught up with her. Exchanging the usual pleasantries, they looked at each other across her head. Finally, Ron could no longer control himself.
''Luna, what exactly is that?''
Luna was wearing some kind of bizarre crown, constructed out of what looked like destroyed wire coat hangers, and the radishes that she usually wore as earrings. ''It's a copy of the Lost Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw.'' She whispered in her dreamy voice. ''Daddy's been making a copy which is far more complex, but I only had wire and radishes so I've had to make do.'' She went on for a little while about how she had made the diadem, but Ron and Harry weren't paying attention. At the words 'Rowena Ravenclaw', their eyes had met again – an old artefact, presumably missing for some time, who was to say that Voldemort hadn't got hold of it?
Cutting over Luna's ramblings, Harry asked ''Luna, do you have a picture of what this diadem is meant to look like?''
''Of course. You can't create a copy without looking at the original.'' She rummaged in her bag and pulled out a library textbook, flicked to the appropriate page and handed it over. A line drawing of an old tiara, jewels gleaming, was in front of their eyes. Harry's eyes widened and he seized Ron's elbow. Bidding goodbye to Luna, they turned and retreated to a quieter area.
''Ron, I've seen that diadem before, it's in the Room of Requirement!'' Quickly, Harry explained how he had placed the diadem on top of a sculpture to mark the place where he had hidden his potions textbook. ''It was discoloured but I swear, it was the same thing!''
Sprinting up to the right corridor, they paced in front of the blank wall, and ran into the huge room, looking through the piles of junk, searching for the sculpture. Finally, Ron found it and snatched it up. Sure enough, in the dusty old jewels, small figures could be seen pacing, their red eyes gleaming out maliciously at the boys. Ron held it up in front of his eyes and watched them. Harry saw his eyes taking on that same malicious gleam and quickly snatched it out of his hands. Ron's eyes narrowed, but Harry had already snatched the fang away from him and was driving it systematically through the tiara. Ron blinked, and then smiled. ''Thanks.''
''What are the odds?'' Harry laughed. ''We've certainly made up for lost time.''
Smiling, the boys carried on up to see Hermione, undeniably pleased with themselves – they had destroyed two Horcruxes in one day. Stopping by Gryffindor Tower first to pick up Harry's invisibility cloak, they also grabbed some Extendable Ears. Listening at Hermione's door for a minute, they couldn't hear anything, so let themselves into the room. Tiptoeing up to her room, they opened her door, only to find it empty. Shrugging at each other they wandered around the room. Casting the Muffliato charm, they sat in a corner talking quietly, wondering where Hermione was.
At last she came into the room, a smile playing around her lips, which were slightly plumper than usual. Walking over to her mirror, she began brushing out her hair and smiled at her reflection. Harry and Ron slipped off the cloak and stood up. Catching sight of them in her mirror, she gave a little scream, and immediately clapped her hand over her mouth. ''You…you bastards! You gave me the fright of my life!''
''Come on Mione, you haven't had that sheltered a life.'' The boys immediately told her their good news, thrilled at the smile that spread across her pretty features.
''Oh, that's so brilliant! Well done!'' she squealed and ran at them, hugging both of them so hard that they had to catch their breath afterwards. ''We'll have Voldemort dead in no time.'' Harry opened his mouth and instantly shut it. He had heard footsteps on the stairs. Grabbing Ron, he threw the cloak over them and moved away from Hermione, not a moment too soon, as Draco pushed the door open and entered the room. Harry and Ron moved forward, catching the door so that it didn't shut, and began to slide their way out, but stopped as they saw Hermione. She had clearly forgotten about Harry and Ron, as she smiled at Draco. Her cheeks were flushing prettily, her eyes were sparkling and her smile grew so that a dimple appeared in her cheek.
She made as though to stand up from her dressing table stool, but Draco leant down and planted a tender kiss on her mouth. Harry immediately prodded Ron – this was none of their business and they needed to leave. Not speaking until they got back to their dormitory, they looked at one another.
''She's got it bad.'' Ron said, looking gravely at his best friend.
''So has he.'' Harry looked just as serious. ''I hate Malfoy, think he's a snivelling little ferret, but the way he looked at Hermione is the same way that Bill looks at Fleur.''
''The same way that you look at Ginny.'' Ron added.
Harry nodded, a lump in his throat at the thought of the girl that filled his dreams. ''Maybe he'll look out for her.''
''He could just be playing her.'' Ron mused.
''I don't think he is.'' Harry said slowly. ''Remember when we stole his memories, and we managed to get his dream? He was treating Voldemort like his enemy, worried that he would steal Mione away.''
''He isn't going to be able to protect her all that much if Voldemort decides to kill her.''
''But we know that someone's got her back now. Someone's watching her. We owe Ferret-boy for that.''
Ron nodded grudgingly. ''I'm not thanking the slimy little git.''
''Merlin, neither am I. I'm just saying, it might be a slightly mitigating circumstance. I mean, if he hasn't killed anyone (and he didn't kill Dumbledore), then he and Hermione are both innocent in this.''
Ron nodded again. ''Doesn't mean I like him though.''
''Course not. That goes without saying. Course not.''
Draco smiled into Hermione's mouth. Kissing her was a revelation, something that made him feel more alive. Every time he pulled her close, he could smell her conditioner wafting around him, and the delicate little spritz of perfume that she always sprayed in the hollow of her neck. Nuzzling into her neck, he kissed her, taking tiny sips of the sweet taste and fragrance of her soft skin. She tipped her head back, enjoying his touch. Eventually drawing herself upright, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Merlin, I hope Harry and Ron left! She suddenly thought, almost laughing at the thought of them sitting on her couch, utterly traumatized at the sight of her kissing Malfoy.
Suddenly, Draco flinched back from her. Drawing her eyebrows together, she looked at him, but without a single word, he drew up his sleeve and showed her the Dark Mark, vibrant against his pale skin. ''Oh.'' She said, and then remembering herself, smiled slightly.
Draco had noticed her small hesitation. Stroking her hair back from her face, he looked into her beautiful, trusting eyes. She deserves better than to be lied to all the time. She doesn't belong in the dark, she's not a Deatheater. He took a deep breath in as the pain in his arm grew. Maybe I'm not meant to be a Deatheater either. Hating himself, he took Hermione's arm. ''You ok?''
''Of course.'' Her tone was just a fraction too bright, and he knew that she was just as scared as he was – walking into Voldemort's lair was not something that you did with an easy heart. ''I just need to send an owl to, er, Ginny, I promised that I would meet her this evening.''
Draco nodded, and realised that he would have to give her the potion now – if she realised what was going on in the middle of the Deatheater meeting, her death was the only viable option for Voldemort. Hating himself even more, he ran down to the kitchenette, and quickly made her a drink, pouring the (fake) potion into it. He came back to her room just as she was sealing the letter telling Ron and Harry where she was going and sending it off with a little charm.
Hermione took the cup off of him and stared at him over the top of it as she drank. As soon as she had finished it, she ran out of the room and down the stairs, shouting an excuse about putting the cup away, and breathed deeply. Don't dwell on it. Ok, he wants to drug you, but he'll have a reason, and he adores me, he keeps saying it. He doesn't need to say that to keep me under his influence, that has to mean something. He's going to be looking out for me. Hermione smoothed out her robe, and ran back up to Draco. He was waiting for her, holding out his hand as the Portkey waited for them. Hermione couldn't help smiling at him, the boy who was breaking her heart but making it whole at the same time. Taking his hand, they were jerked from their comfortable home to the cold cave, with the most evil man imaginable standing imperiously in front of his followers.
AN: Ok, thank you for making it through to the end of Chapter Six – well done you! Please leave a comment, I love reading them. Even if you have something negative to say, I'd like to know. Just a little note: I know that the idea of Harry and Ron finding two Horcruxes in one day is absolutely laughable, but I didn't want to focus on that too much. That was done absolutely brilliantly by JK Rowling, and the entire point of this story is the relationship between Hermione and Draco, so I didn't want to spend loads and loads of time on the Golden Trio hunting down Horcruxes. I know some people are going to say that's a cop out but hey, I've done it now! Thanks for reading, kisses to all my readers, and more kisses to people who comment! Petitesorciere x x