Episode Three – Sounds of Midnight

Previously on All My Wizards: Season 2
-- George Weasley returns to Hogwarts to complete his education, and Hermione is quite intrigued.
-- Harry goes to see Professor McGonagall and decides to have his meetings with Professor Stein instead of Umbridge, the new Hogwarts psychologist
-- We learn about Professor Stein's scandalous past.

--AMW2--

That midnight, everything in the school went completely black. No glimmer of moonlight or starlight shone down from the sky, and the darkness rendered everything completely invisible. Neither Mrs. Norris nor Filch could prowl the hallways; instead, they gave up and took a deserved night off. Students unlucky enough to wake up were greeted with no solstice of light, and they had to light their wands to make sure they hadn't gone blind since they'd fallen asleep. However, some students made use of the anonymity that could be achieved. Under the new moon, their faces were invisible as their hearts pounded, as their words flowed, as their lips touched.

--AMW2--

"Mmph…Draco? ...Draco? …Draco, stop."

"Give me one good reason to."

"Oh…that's…no, no, stop it."

"Not a chance, Potter."

"Please, just…let's just take a second to talk."

"Talking never really worked out for us, as you'll probably remember. So forget about it. We have better things to do."

"But…we really need to discuss the note."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. We meet this person. We pay up. Done. Now stop with this nonsense."

"Oh…God…wait but what if it's not…oh…not that simple?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"Well…this is important."

"Worrying won't do us any good. It won't change the consequences. We'll find out soon enough what's going on, we'll deal with it, and we'll be done. Case closed. Now shut up!"

"...Okay. …right yeah…but…but what if he or she wants something else?"



"Must you insist on talking?"

"Yes! Communication is important—"

"Not with this arrangement it isn't."

"But how will we ever…"

"Ever what? What is it that you want, Potter?"

"…I don't know. I just don't want to be alone in worrying."

"Well why don't you head over to the jolly old Professor Umbridge for a visit? You can cry to her all of your problems and she'll make them all better."

"Draco, I'm serious."

"I'm serious too. I'm not here for your moral support. I'm not here to help you with your problems. I'm here for sex. Got it?"

"But—"

"Got it?!"

"…Sure, Draco."

"Good to hear, Potter."

"…Look but what if this gets out anyway? What then?"

"You really don't know when to shut your mouth, do you?"

"Draco, this is important."

"No, this is important."

"Oh God oh….but—"

"Enough! You listen here, Potter. Our best of times aren't in front of us. This arrangement we have here can only go downhill. So you can either speed out descent into some terrible consequence or you can shut your mouth and enjoy what we've already got. And unless you wish to do the second, I may break this off early. Clear?"

"…Clear."

"This isn't love, Potter. Save that for your girlfriend. This is need."

--AMW2--



"…Hermione? …Is that you?"

"Oh! Oh my god, you scared me!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to. It's just so dark and I was afraid that if I lit my wand I'd attract—"

"Yeah, yeah me too. God, it's weird to be out past midnight…and not be with Harry and Ron."

"Hey, what's wrong with me?"

"Nothing, nothing! …I'm really happy we could meet, though I wish it didn't have to be like this."

"Me too, but we both agreed on this."

"Yeah. God knows how Ron's going to feel about this. He's been giving me dirty looks all day."

"It's his job as your ex to make you feel bad about this. Do yourself a favor and don't."

"I know…I know…but he's still one of my closest friends and…I don't want to lose him."

"If this is enough to make him give you up, then he doesn't deserve you."

"Easy for you to say…"

"Look Hermione. You know that I…have feelings for you. But I have to say that I'm being pretty lenient about this whole matter. If…we…became real and Ron opposed this, you would have to make a choice."

"I know, I know…"

"Are you over him?"

"…Yeah."

"You sure?"

"Sure. Definitely."

"Okay."

"…oh…what was that?"

"It's called a kiss."

"Shush! I know what that…just…why?"

"Maybe I'm falling for you. Maybe this is more than just feelings."

"Wow…this is…"



"…good, bad, give me some help here!"

"It's…strange. To have someone…saying these things. With Ron it wasn't…like this."

"Well, I hope this is an improvement."

"Yeah, definitely yes."

"I should hope so, because there's more where that came from."

"…oh…felt better a second time…wait, wait. I should probably ask too. Are you over—"

"Yes. Yes, definitely."

"…you seem so sure."

"What?"

"You just seem so positive. With me, I wonder every day how things could've been if me and Ron had stayed together. But you're just so—"

"Maybe it's because I've found the perfect replacement."

"…oh…"

"What is it?"

"No, it's just…I feel so guilty! Here I am moaning and groaning about Ron and here you are, looking forward, with a firm attitude and beautiful words and I'm barely appreciating it. I feel terrible!"

"Hermione—"

"Don't you Hermione me! I promise, I'll make this up to you. And I certainly have a few ideas."

"They say that third time's the charm."

"Hah, do they? Let's find out."

--AMW2--

"…Mm, Dean?"

"Yes?"

"Th-thanks for meeting me tonight."

"And the same unto you."

"No, seriously, I don't know where I would be without you."



"Probably nowhere different. I don't really give anything to you except this…"

"…ah, but that's like…everything!"

"You're exaggerating."

"No, I'm really not. I…I think I might be in love with you."

"…Yeah?"

"Yeah…like…you're always there, even if it is at night, in deserted corridors. Like you don't just give me…well…snogging. Like I think this is more."

"Well…what if I said I felt the same way? Can we be…"

"Official?"

"…Public."

"…Oh."

"Right."

"Look, Dean…you more than anyone should know how…hard it is to…"

"Yeah, yeah, I understand. But…it's hard for me too. I heard Ron Weasley whispering to Harry Potter about seeing some of your 'T' letters."

"Shit, do they—"

"Relax, they just joked about it. But you don't know how much I wanted to go up to them and tell them the truth. Tell them your identity, and most importantly, tell them how in love with you I am."

"Dean…"

"God, I want to run, run as fast as possible to the Astronomy Tower and scream to the sky 'I am in love!'"

"Look—"

"I want the whole—"

"Stop it."

"You stop it. I know how tough this is for you, but I don't know if I can deal with this any longer, having to keep this locked up. You're breaking my heart here."

"This is killing me too, every moment I'm pained by the fact that I'm doing this to you. But…I just need more time."



"Life's too short for this."

"Prove that you really love me. Wait it out."

"You think you need more proof?"

"No, no! Look—"

"I keep getting that it's you, it's you. But is it me?"

"No! You're…you're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Dean! You've made me…learn to love another, learn to love myself!"

"…This is the real deal you know."

"Yeah, I know."

"Just…keep that in mind. I hate to pressure you but…you and I don't have forever."

"Yeah, I know."

"Yeah."

--AMW2--

As the morning drew nearer, traces of gray light began to fall upon the school. By then, the couples had dispersed, each in a warm bed wishing for another beside them to keep it warmer. But in this dead space of time, a letter was written. Curvy feminine writing traced the short note. "I will be meeting Potter. Expect news." Once the piece of parchment was folded up, the letter was given to one a lush owl of a deep black shade. "Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet" whispered the voice. The owl immediately knew where to go, and it fluttered off into the cool, wet air of the oncoming dawn.

--AMW2--

On the Next Episode of All My Wizards: Season 2:
--We finally check in with Crabbe and Mona, and see that they have some drama coming their way
--Hermione and George grow closer together, but how will Ron feel?
--Harry and Draco confront the blackmailer