Author's Note - Okay, Umm... Wow! I'm on Chapter forty. Never thought I'd get this far... Or that this story would go on for so long! It was much simpler in my head... ^-^
Okay, so this part of the story is supposed to explain some relationships a bit more and such while I...procrastinate...
Chapter forty.
Hermione wandered the hallowed halls of Hogwarts during her rounds as Gryffindor Prefect. Ron had begged off momentarily to go to the loo, but she knew that he was meeting up with Lavender Brown for a quick snogging session. She was currently in a deserted part of Hogwarts that hardly anyone went near, apart from a couple of lover's trysts every now and then.
As she walked past the boy's toilets, she heard someone groaning. Hermione rolled her eyes, 'Why is everyone so horny right now?'
Her wand held up in front of her, casting a soft glow on everything, showed her the way to the door of the toilets. She knocked on it swiftly but the person or people inside ignored it, continuing on groaning and gasping.
"All right, come on out and go to your dorms right now before I dock points!"
The groaning didn't stop, but now Hermione heard the distinct sound of someone sobbing. Without hesitating, Hermione barged through the doors, intent on getting to the person in pain. It was probably one of the Third year girls who had just gotten their first period and had rushed to the first toilets available.
What she found was defiantly not a third year.
The University's Graduation Masquerade Costume Ball was in full swing and a beautiful blonde girl in a long white dress was looking for her date. The two had agreed to meet once the ball had well and truly started but he was late. Just then a tall, handsome boy of Chinese heredity walked past, several girls drooling in his wake. He'd worn a simple black suit and tie, with a dark silver mask, but what made him really stand out was the large pair of beautiful yellow wings that were extended from his back.
She smiled, an eyebrow raised, "And who are you supposed to be?"
"Why, hello to you too, fair maiden." He smirked back.
"Okay, hello Robin. Now, may I question you on your wings?"
He smiled gently, "Ah, but I am my namesake, Robin Goodfellow! The puck of Shakespeare!"
Evangeline laughed, "Lord, what fools these mortals be!"
Robin smiled gently, "Indeed. And now, foolish mortal, will you be so kind as to accompany me to the balcony?" he asked, bowing low.
Evangeline's green eyes sparkled, "Of course, knavish sprite."
Chuckling softly, Robin Goodfellow escorted Evangeline out into the cool night's air.
"Malfoy?"
Hermione looked on, aghast, as she saw Malfoy, heaving and groaning, leaning over the sink. His shirt was ripped off and laid in tatters on the ground, the only thing on his sweating body were his dark slacks. He looked up at her, his eyes dark and haunted, "Granger? Wh-What are you doing in here?"
He shrieked again in pain as his back twisted, two unusual shapes were under his skin, on his shoulder blades and were pushing and pulsing outwards.
Hermione ignored the question and rushed to his aid, her wand dropped in the process. "Merlin! Malfoy, what's happening?"
He laughed humourlessly, "You know, I didn't think it'd hurt this much."
He gasped again in pain and sunk to his knees. Hermione rushed to his side, pulling his sobbing head into her lap, calming him down as he frantically whimpered and the two twisted shapes tore at him from under his skin.
"Uh… I'll go get Madam Pomfrey! This doesn't look too good Malfoy… What happened, where you meddling with Dark Arts - "
"No!' Malfoy interrupted her, 'don't take me to Madame Pomfrey and no, this was not caused by Black Magic. It is … entir – ely! natural." He groaned out painfully, gasping for air.
"Natural? How can this be natural?"
"Shut up Granger and do me favour."
Hermione scowled, "You're not going about asking for a favour very well."
Evangeline followed Robin out onto the balcony, where it overlooked the nearby mountains.
"Robin?" she asked gently, his back was to her and she couldn't make out what he was thinking. Absentmindedly she reached up and ran her hands over the large wings. Robin shuddered softly and relaxed and Evangeline was surprised to feel that the wings were actually warm. They weren't covered in feathers, like the Muggle 'Angels', but had the thin and translucent membrane of a butterfly.
Robin turned around and wrapped Evangeline's hands in his own.
"Evangeline, I was wondering… Do you love me?"
She smiled softly and her eyes sparkled, she reached up and gently kissed him, "…Yes." She breathed.
He smiled wondrously down at her.
"What would it take for you to turn away from me?"
Evangeline laughed, "Well, I can't say lack of money, because neither of us has any, I can't say if your health leaves you, because I had to sit through almost a semester of babysitting Tina while you had Dragon Pox and I didn't leave you then. In fact,' Evangeline looked up slyly and smiled, 'I think Tina likes me more than you now."
Robin gasped dramatically, "You don't mean it! You cruel woman, how could you say my little sister loves you more than me?"
She laughed, "Easily. Like this, She loves me more than you."
Robin grinned down at her, "Well, I guess the only way I can get her back is through you…And since the only way to get you and keep you is…' Robin slowly bent down on one knee, his eyes not losing contact with Evangeline's. She gasped, the hand not clasped with Robin's came up to cover her mouth, '…with this ring. Evangeline, my darling, will you marry me?"
Evangeline gasped for breath and tears filled her eyes as she started to shake her head. Robin's brow furrowed and doubt began to show.
"Evangeline?"
Draco tried to sneer, but the pain on his face quickly turned it to pleading and he panted as he pressed a piece of paper into her hands.
"Say the spell. It – It'll get rid of the pain… I – I can't focus enough right now to sa – say it right."
Hermione quickly unfolded it to reveal a word that was neither English nor Latin written in large loopy writing and she panicked.
"What's the wand movements for this Malfoy?"
He gasped and rushed out, "Nothing, it's wandless!"
Hermione frowned and chewed her lip in self-doubt, before quietly muttering the spell, waving her hand over the general area of his back and the shifting shapes pulsing under his skin.
The effect was almost like a silencing spell, the pain drained from Draco's face and he sighed, burying his sweaty face into Hermione's lap in relief, and yet the things under his skin continued to writhe.
"Thank you." He said softly.
Hermione looked startled, before smiling softly and stroking some strands of his hair out of his exhausted face.
"You're welcome."
Evangeline was shaking her head slowly and Robin looked up at her, worry etched on his brow. "Evangeline…"
She looked at his worried face and started to smile, "I – I don't know what to say…"
"Say yes."
She beamed in joy but then looked at him teasingly, "I dunno, you didn't say the magic word…"
Robin smirked and stood up slowly, towering over her and gently pulling her into his arms, "Evangeline, will you – please – make me the happiest person in the world and marry me?"
"Well, since you said please…" she breathed. Robin didn't even wait for a reply before swooping down and claiming her lips like a magpie after something shiny.
He pulled away and Evangeline smiled softly up at him, her eyes fluttering open.
"I have a confession to make first…"
"Uh oh, is this where you tell me that you're a homicidal axe murderer and have actually taken me hostage and this is just some whacked out Stockholm syndrome dream I had while unconscious?"
Robin looked taken aback, "Uhhh… No. You actually thought that?"
She shrugged, "It could happen, the mind can convince us of almost anything."
Robin smiled, "Actually, I want to tell you a secret…Can you keep it?"
"No, I'm horrible with secrets."
"You and I both know that's a lie. You kept Ellen's secret for ten years."
Evangeline looked startled, "She told you? Which one?"
"Ellen's got more than one secret?"
Evangeline whacked her head with her hand, "Never mind."
Robin smiled and lowered his head until his mouth was beside her ear and he gently whispered into it, "These wings…are real."
He smiled down into her shocked round eyes before whispering again, "And I'm not just named after Robin Goodfellow… I am Robin Goodfellow."
"Malfoy, can you please tell me what's going on?"
Malfoy was breathing deeply, his eyes closed and murmured something.
Hermione leant down and her hair curtain of just whispered over his cheek as he sighed softly, "What was that?"
"…I'm sorry. For everything. I- If you're going to find out about this, I might as well tell you everything… I'm not who you think I am, I don't hate muggle borns and I –I'm going to be a Death Eater."
Hermione recoiled suddenly; fear flashing in her eyes, but the way Malfoy clung to her stopped her from getting up, running away and shouting it to the world.
"I'm a member of the Order and I've been groomed to be a spy, pretty much since birth. Snape… my Mother and Father… They're all spies too… But we have to keep up a pretence of hating muggles and muggle-borns, or else HE will know and it'll all be for nil. Then You-know-who will… well, you know what'll happen."
Hermione stroked the hair out of his eyes and he suddenly looked up at her.
"It's time."
Evangeline looked at Robin blankly as he told her that he was, in fact, Puck from Shakespeare's 'Midsummer Night's Dream' and that he was, actually, a Fae.
Robin studied her worriedly, "Love?"
Suddenly, "Looking good for a coupl'a hundred of years, I have to say." She said absently.
Robin laughed in relief, "Thank goodness! I thought I'd lost you there!"
"But,' Evangeline turned her big eyes already swimming with unshed tears to his, 'this means that you'll live for centuries. I'll only last a couple of decades."
"Honey, there is a reason why I'm here and why I'm marrying you. All the Fae women want me. No really!' he laughed at her doubtful expression, 'I'm the heir to the Underground. Basically, they want me for my stasis and money - "
"But…you don't have a cent to your name!"
"Technically, I'm fabulously wealthy. Truly!' Again with the doubtful expression, 'And so Mother and Father sent me to the Aboveground to find myself a wife, to love and to hold and one that would love and hold me back. Once you marry me…You'll be fae too."
Evangeline was silent for a minute, then, "Do those work?" she asked, absently stroking the base of his wings again."
"Yes." He smiled.
"Will I get wings?" she asked hopefully.
"Of course!"
"Hmmm… Is Christine a Fae too?"
Robin looked shocked, "Yes, how did you know?' he lowered his voice and looked around conspicuously as Evangeline giggled, 'Truth is; I've been trying to avoid her ever since I got here."
"Well, she was always very protective of you and absolutely detests me."
"But what does that - "
"And she's wearing the same type of wings as you. Everyone keeps asking me if we've broken up and that's why you went with her."
He gathered the woman into his arms, "Oh, Love, no… Yes she is a Fae, she's one of the noble women I keep trying to avoid. Her real name is Moth."
Evangeline laughed, "I believe you honey, but there's something I wanted to tell you."
Malfoy heaved himself to his feet as Hermione hovered around him, trying to avoid touching his back in fear of hurting him, but trying to help as best she could.
"The spell's going to wear off soon…"
"Do you want me to re-cast it?"
He shook his head, "No, that won't help. It'll only last a minute anyway."
A few seconds later he was crying out in agony again, almost collapsing as Hermione held him up, crying as she saw him in a pain she couldn't relieve.
"Com'on Draco, please Draco, pull through!" she whispered to him.
The shapes were twisting and turning even more and Hermione gasped as she could hear the sharp tearing of skin.
Tearing her eyes from his face, she watched in morbid fascination as a pair of butterfly wings erupted from his back.
Moments later, Draco stopped shuddering and collapsed in a sweaty heap on the ground, Hermione beside him, soothing him as he slowly feel asleep on the cold tiles of the bathroom floor.
Hermione glanced around for her wand and noticed it had rolled under one of the toilet stalls, far from her reach. Concentrating, she decided to try out summoning her wand; she had read the spell for it and thought this was as good a time as any.
Later on, wand in hand, Hermione levitated Draco and placed him on a small mattress she had transfigured one of the sinks into, careful to place him on his stomach so his large, beautiful, Gryffindor red wings, wouldn't be harmed.
Debating internally as to whether or not to leave him, Hermione stood up, worrying her lip. She felt a hand clutch her ankle and looked down to see Draco, half sitting up and looking at her blearily.
She crouched down, "Draco…Are you okay?"
He nodded his head, "Yeah, I just need a Pepper up Potion, then I should be great." He croaked.
She stroked his head, she just couldn't seem to stop doing that, "I need to go now Draco, I have rounds and Ron will go looking for me if I don't turn up soon."
Draco stiffened, "Why did he let you go into a boy's toilet alone if he'll be so worried?"
Hermione smiled tightly, "He was meeting up with Lavender Brown for a quick snog, but thinks I think he's in the loo."
Draco reached up and cupped her face, "He's a fool for letting a beauty like you go… Thank you for being here for me - Hermione."
Taken aback by his kindness, especially as he wasn't writhing in pain and needing a favour, Hermione smiled, "That's okay, do you need anything else?"
Draco blinked at her solemnly before reaching into his pocket and drawing out a small glazed pot. He held it out to her, "Could – Could you – please – put this on the base of my w – wings?"
Hermione smiled softly as she took the pot from a silent Draco and sat behind him on the mattress, gently applying the salve to his back.
"What do you need to tell me? I hope this won't trump my awesome, 'I'm a famous Fae that will inherit the entire Fae kingdom' will it?"
Evangeline chuckled softly, "I have to say, I'm glad you asked me to marry you tonight…"
"I am too."
"Shh! Let me finish!" she laughed softly and whacked him on the arm.
"Sorry." He grinned
"Anyway, I'm glad you asked me to marry you tonight and that you told me your secret because... your kingdom is growing already."
Robin raised an eyebrow, "Okay… What do you mean by that? Is there a whole heap of horrible in-laws I never knew of?"
Evangeline laughed and, grabbing his hand, placed it on her stomach, more precisely, over her womb, "No, I mean your kingdom is growing already."
Robin glanced down at his hand and hers on top of it and his eyes widened, "You mean?"
She nodded.
Robin and Evangeline laughed blissfully as he captured her in his arms and spun her around, the velvet night enclosing them in its folds, away from the music and bright lights happening just inside.
As Hermione finished putting on the salve, Draco's wings disappeared from sight and she gasped.
"D-Draco! Your wings - "
"I know; that's what the salve does. Luckily, it's just a type of glamour that tucks the wings away and hides them. And it won't be like tonight every time I want to use them." He chuckled hollowly.
Hermione looked amazed and reached out a hand to where the wings were, "So, they're still there?"
Draco shook his head, his back still facing her, "Yes and No. The wings have tucked themselves back into my back; they aren't technically there. No will know about them and no one will see them. Luckily, it's only the initial blooming that hurts."
Hermione nodded slowly, "Okay…Well, I have to get back now...' she chewed her lip, 'Good luck Draco." She said as she quietly handed him the salve and walked to the door.
"Hermione! Wait!" Draco cried, just as she reached the door. She turned around and saw Draco standing there in all his glory, glistening, toned chest and low slung slacks. Her breath caught, but luckily Draco didn't notice as he fidgeted nervously, "I – I want… Do you want to meet up again sometime? Maybe… go to the next Hogsmeade trip with me? I – I mean, that is - "
Hermione smiled, she had never seen such an inarticulate Draco Malfoy before, nor such a sweet and nervous one, "Yes."
"Wh – What?" he asked disbelieving and hopeful.
"I'll meet you in the Three Broomsticks then?"
He nodded gratefully and she slipped out the door, leaving an ecstatic Draco Malfoy behind to find a blissfully snogged Ronald Weasley who would no doubts be talking non stop about his 'Lav-Lav' for the rest of their patrols. Hermione had never felt so grateful before to her dorm mate for taking away her best friend for all those snogging sessions.
It took a couple of months and explaining to quietly integrate Draco Malfoy into her small knit group as her boyfriend, but once there he got along famously with the other two; he and Harry talked enthusiastically about DADA and various Seeker manoeuvres and he gave Ron a run for his money in Wizarding chess.
So much so, that it soon became a common sight to see Ron Weasley stalk over to the Slytherin table for breakfast, lunch or tea, slam down a Wizarding Chess board and challenge Draco to another game.
Admittedly the first time it happened, everyone around them had braced themselves for a full blown fight, as did the Professors; who gripped their wands and made to move for them, but they astonished everyone when they calmly started to play, Ron reaching over and grabbing a plate of food, so he could eat and play comfortably.