A/N- I want to thank everyone out there that is reading and reviewing this story, y'all have made me so happy. The truth of the matter is that this is the downhill slide to the end of this story. Just nine chapters left. It makes me sad but I'm so excited to write the ending! For those out there that are looking for a good fic recommendation, try The 8th Year by Holz9364. It's a Harry/Daphne, Hermione/Draco story and it's deliciously funny and you simply can't stop reading it. I wish there was more smut, but nothing is perfect, lol. Anyways, to those that have supported me thus far regarding this story, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Disclaimer: The only thing that I own pertaining to this story is the personal plot twist that I've created. The characters belong to J.K.R. and anything that you recognize belong to either her or fanfiction writers that have come before me. Maybe one day I'll write an original story and make millions but until then, fanfiction will have to do.
Chapter 40
April 1, 1996
Draco could feel the happiness radiating off his girlfriend as they sat at the Gryffindor table for breakfast. While she had been sullen and irritable for the last five days, today was different since the Headmaster was finally present for the meal.
None of them had anticipated the Headmaster's business lasting five days. Hermione had been sure that it would be concluded in only a day, but Draco and Harry had both figured on two or three. The night before Hermione had ranted and raved that he was neglecting his duties here at Hogwarts since she knew that her father had informed him of their discovery and he still had not made it back home.
Their opinions on the matter hadn't changed anything, however, and they were still forced by Remus, Professor McGonagall, and Severus to wait to begin their search. Hermione and Harry had both been chomping at the bit since the day after the discovery, but Draco had been instilled with a much bigger capacity of patience. While the other two had ranted and raved, Draco had shaken his head in exasperation and just rolled with it.
All was forgiven, it seemed, once the pair realized that the Headmaster was present for breakfast. He knew that they were only eager to find and destroy the last horcrux aside from Nagini. Therefore, he watched in silent amusement as Harry and Hermione cleared their plates and then inquired as to their friend's lives.
Apparently, it was the twins' birthday and Hermione was wishing them well, telling them that she had a present for them back in their Room. Draco was unsure as to where she had gotten the gift, but he wasn't surprised. Harry was promising that he would be in the Gryffindor common room that weekend for their epically-planned birthday party. Draco couldn't help but chuckle at the fact that not only had he managed an invite to said party, so had Theo. He wasn't sure if he and Theo would attend but the invite had meant the world to him, not that he would ever admit it.
The bell rang, dismissing the whole school from breakfast. Draco's least favorite class was next, Herbology, and he could admit that he really wanted to skip. Hermione wouldn't allow it, however. She had cracked down on Harry and himself, demanding that they study more and attend all their classes. While it drove him crazy half the time, he also found it quite endearing. Hermione had officially gone study mad and she had insisted that Harry and Draco accompany her in her madness.
While Draco would usually do just about anything that made Hermione happy, he was also the first one to suggest a break or a distraction from the studying. While Hermione was quite happy burying herself in books for months on end to ensure a good grade, Draco was not. He needed breaks and proper motivation, not always something that just appeared out of nowhere. Even though Hermione had been personally affronted when he put forth the idea of slacking off from time to time, it had worked out well for everyone in the end.
Draco rose from the bench seat and helped Hermione to her feet. Harry gathered their satchels and gave him an encouraging nod, indicating that he should lead the way to their next class. The trio made their way out the Great Hall and the castle, their paces slowing as they matched the other students that attended their year. While Draco knew that the rest of Slytherin backed her, for the time being at least, it was clear the Gryffindors weren't nearly as tolerant. Draco knew that Ginny, Neville, and the twins had no problems with snakes that treated them well, but that said nothing for the rest of the class.
The trio made their way to Herbology, wending their way through the grounds with the rest of the Slytherins and Gryffindors. Draco kept his arm tight round Hermione's waist, noting the exasperated expression on her face as he led them through the crowds. He knew that the female Gryffindor had no reason to fear anything in the school but that didn't mean that he had lost the instinct to protect her. He was quite sure that that went the same way for Harry.
Once inside Greenhouse 3, Draco settled in his seat next to Hermione and Harry. Usually Hermione was in the middle when they took their seats, but this was the only class that he was. Draco could admit that he was grateful when Professor Sprout called for the attention of the class, the sooner the class the sooner it would end after all.
Their illustrious professor began lecturing about screechsnap, a plant that had grown at the Manor in it's gardens since as long as he could remember. Hermione paid very close attention because he doubted that she had ever seen it, let alone suffered its bite. Harry seemed to be as devout on his attention as Hermione was. Draco took his notes as he usually did, wanting to make sure that he had a flawless guide when his O.W.L.s came along but the class didn't challenge him in the slightest.
Sprout dismissed them to replant screechsnap and Draco sighed in boredom. It was clear that Hermione and Harry had never done so but his mother had lovingly planted every single plant in their garden and had made Draco help. The last thing that he needed was practice with screechsnap. Neville seemed to have no problems with the class whatsoever and Draco couldn't help but wonder if he had dealt with the plant at his own manor.
The class passed quickly once they had been dismissed to their practicals. When the last person transplanted screechsnap, Professor Sprout dismissed them. Draco was quick to gather his things just to turn around and wait for Hermione and Harry. He shook his head, exasperated, but he supposed that there was nothing he could do about it. He wrapped his arm around Hermione's waist as they left Greenhouse 3.
Since class had dismissed just a little bit early, they had time to wend their way slowly through the grounds and then the castle. Draco usually wasn't sentimental but for some reason today he felt as though his time at Hogwarts was ending for the year and he needed to savor every moment. Hermione and Harry seemed to realize what he was feeling, and he was eternally grateful for the fact that they didn't speak of it, simply let him wallow in his emotions.
As a rule, Draco wasn't emotional. In fact, he was the furthest thing from being emotional. This year had become different. Dating Hermione and Harry and realizing that the end of the war and possibly their lives had made it all more real and he suspected that he wasn't the only one that felt that way. Needless to say, he was thankful when neither Hermione nor Harry remarked on his obvious melancholy behavior.
The trio made their way to Charms next, a lesson that Draco could admit that he was excited for. While Potions would remain his all-time favorite, Charms would be a close second. His father would never approve if he followed a career in that subject, and Draco could admit that he had no plans to, but the fact remained that he enjoyed the subject immensely. He was still perplexed at the things that he and his father had seemed to overcome. Draco never had to worry about being physically punished again, he knew that he would be allowed to pursue whatever career he so chose, and this tolerance was laid at the feet of Hermione. His father absolutely loved her and not just because she was the Dark Lord's granddaughter. Lucius seemed to genuinely like her, maybe even Harry as well, and while Draco no longer needed his approval of his decisions, the fact that he agreed with his choices in life made it easier to breathe.
The trio settled into their seats in Charms; everyone around them was loud and unruly, none of them ready to learn. Honestly, Draco wasn't surprised. It was almost Easter break and their professors had been demanding that year, wanting them to do their absolute best of their O.W.L. tests. Professor Flitwick finally called order to the class and began his lesson.
Today they would be learning how to turn vinegar into water, a simple enough charm that Draco had mastered in his third year. Hogwarts normally didn't teach it until their sixth year, but he supposed that the class was far enough advanced that it warranted moving onto more advanced spells. Draco had always considered himself to be advanced for his age, his perfection of his spells and his general knowledge base corroborated it, but it was to an even greater extent this year. Getting into a relationship with both Hermione and Harry had strengthened his magic and gave him more power, making all his classes that much easier. The only class that remained unaffected was Potions but since that was his favorite subject, he still did well.
Even though it was a sixth-year spell, the class seemed to pick up on it quite well. Hermione, of course, mastered it on her first try, Harry on his third. Weasley and Brown were in their group, much to Hermione's dislike, but both remained silent unless it was necessary to speak. Even though it took them several tries, they too had mastered it by the end of class.
The class was dismissed with no homework since everyone had managed to correctly cast the spell before the bell. This usually didn't happen, and Draco could tell that the half-goblin instructor was thrilled. Draco gathered his things and waited for Hermione and Harry to do the same. Once all their belongings were packed away, their bags slung over their shoulders, Draco let Harry lead him and Hermione out.
His arm reflexively went around Hermione to rest at her waist. Draco was the first to admit that he usually wasn't physically demonstrative. He was usually aloof in public and treated the girls like objects in private, but everything was backwards with Hermione. He cared how she felt, he cared about how she was treated, so he did his absolute best to treat her like the princess that she was. Even though it was now clear that his father had never loved his mother, he continued to treat Hermione like his father treated his mother, like she was the center of his world. He wasn't sure what to think about the conundrum that was his father, but Draco could be thankful that his mother was treated well even though his father had no feelings for her whatsoever.
Draco traversed the corridors quickly with his mates. There really was no hurry but it appeared that Harry was in a rush to get to lunch. Draco could only chuckle softly in response. Harry finally let go of Hermione since she wasn't keeping to his pace and she fell back to lean heavily into Draco's side, completely uncharacteristic for her. She never showed the world a weakness and leaning most of her weight on the Slytherin Prince would definitely have been a perceived weakness. He smoothed his hand over her hair and kissed her hairline.
"What's wrong, Princess? You're never like this in public." She leaned further into his side but turned her head up to meet his eyes. She smiled before she continued her path through the corridors.
"Nothing is wrong, I just don't like waiting for things to happen and that's all that I feel we've accomplished in the last few days. After the first day or two I think we should have said hang Dumbledore." Draco chuckled and rubbed her shoulder.
"I know you do, Princess, but I also know that we have to cover our arses. The only way to do that is with Dumbledore. As controlling as he is, as much of a piece of shite that he is, nobody can deny that he is the best person for jobs such as these." Hermione sighed against him.
"I know, I guess that's why he pisses me off so much. He doesn't deserve to have this much power in situations like this." Draco kissed her forehead again as they walked.
"I know, Princess, I agree. However, there isn't much that we can do about it right now. We can only do the best that we're able until your grandfather is dead." Hermione nodded against his shoulder. She was silent for a long while, Harry ahead of them, until she finally spoke again.
"We need to come up with a plan for your father." Draco arched his brow at her, showing his confusion. She gave him a small smile.
"I know your father is guilty of a great many things, but the fact remains that we would never have found the horcrux at the Gaunt home without him. He's still spying for us. He also explained that the reason he rapes like he does is because he's fucked up from Voldemort's treatment of his beloved. I don't think that he should escape unpunished, but I also don't think that he should be sent to Azkaban. It's clear that he's wanted out for years and it's also clear that he's not prejudiced against muggleborns. We need to come up with a way that he'll be punished but not sent to prison." Draco had always loved his father, even if he had been a little scared of him. To hear his girlfriend wanting to protect him did something to him, something down deep that he wasn't sure what it was. His voice was unsteady when he spoke.
"That will have to be up to you and Harry. They'll never listen to a Malfoy." Hermione's eyes flashed at his words and Draco loved it.
"They will if they don't want my wrath rained down upon them." Draco flashed her a grin before turning serious.
"I'm not sure what to do with him. Obviously, he's helped but he hasn't been a spy for as long as Severus. You're the only reason he turned his back on that monster." Hermione leaned further into him as she considered her words. It was several corridors later that she finally responded.
"He may not be a good man, but he has still turned his back on the most powerful dark wizard of our time. The same dark wizard that drove him to be the person he is today. Maybe I can convince whoever is in authority that he could serve his time in therapy sessions at St. Mungo's. That would be far more beneficial then Azkaban. I don't think that he was near the monster that he is today before Mara was raped and murdered." His arms went around her shoulders and held her close as he considered her words.
His father had been a bastard for as long as he had known him, but Draco had never truly considered why he was the way he was. It was clear that his father wanted Hermione's respect, so he had shared the story of Mara with them all. After hearing the story, Draco had been heartbroken at the mere thought of losing Hermione in the way that his father had lost Mara. Draco couldn't quite say that if he had lost Hermione in the same way that he wouldn't end up a monster either.
It was for this reason that he agreed with Hermione's words. His father was guilty of many crimes, that was more than true, but since he had revealed his story, it was clear that his father hadn't been the person he was now when he had been seeing the muggleborn that had stolen his heart. His heart ached slightly for the amount of love that his girlfriend had for those that were done wrong no matter what side they were on. To be honest, the situation made Draco re-evaluate just what his father had gone through and how much he could identify with the same events. He pressed a kiss to her hair line as he spoke.
"I think that's a great idea, Princess. I would be forever grateful. Don't get me wrong, my father has always been a complete prick but after hearing his story I'm not entirely sure that I wouldn't be either after going through what he did. I don't think I would be sane if I had to watch you raped and murdered." Hermione snaked her arm around his waist and hugged him tightly.
"I understand but you need not worry. Now that my power is full strength, they would have to kill me before they could ever harm me." Draco chuckled at her words. It was such a Hermione response that he couldn't help but laugh.
"I know, Princess, but that doesn't mean that I won't worry. Look at the Weasel. He hurt you terribly and even though I understand that it was before your power was at full-level, it still worries me." She went to her tip toes and pressed a soft kill to his cheek.
"I know, I understand. That you care means so much to me. I was told for years that nobody would ever care for me, that nobody would ever love me because I was ugly and a bookworm. I really do appreciate it." Draco knew that there was nothing that he could say to erase the words or the insecurities that were so strong because of the words. Therefore, he pressed another kiss to her head.
"I understand but you have to know that Harry and I love you with everything that we are. We will always support you and we'll always be there for you." She squeezed his waist but said nothing else. Draco could tell that she was touched but he wasn't going to pressure her into speaking. The last thing that he wanted to do was upset her.
The three of them entered the Great Hall and took their usual seats at the Gryffindor table. The twins were laughing animatedly, and Ginny and Luna were huddled close together and snogging. Hermione cast the pair a smile but then turned her gaze to the unexpected visitor. Theo had approached from the Slytherin table and taken the seat next to Draco, so he could eat with them. Even though this had occurred a few times before, the table still fell silent at his actions. Draco didn't understand since the Gryffindors seemed to like Theo and bore him no ill will.
Hermione seemed thrilled that her brother had joined them for lunch. She began an animated conversation with him about the plans that the twins had made for their birthday. Even though today was their actual birthday, they wanted to wait until the weekend, so they could celebrate it properly in the form of a full-blown party in the lion's common room. Even though Theo was a snake at heart, he seemed to have a soft spot for the twin terrors and was sad that he was going to miss their party. The twins and Ginny had been listening in and at his words, Fred and George couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Theo, you and Malfoy are the only snakes to ever be invited in the lion's den. Don't make us regret extending this invitation." Draco could see that Theo's face was lively with anticipation.
"Oh, there is no way that I'm going to turn down being the first Slytherin in ages to see the inside of your common room. Do you think we'll get in trouble?" Hermione shook her head.
"I doubt it. The professors have been trying to promote house unity for ages and the first step would be inviting those of another house to a common room or a house party. I think it would be fine, if Professor McGonagall even notices." Draco chuckled to himself at her words He knew for a fact that the old bat would notice if he and Theo entered their common room, but he wasn't going to say a word. The way to making more friends in the lion's house was not by insulting their Head of House.
Lunch passed quickly, the conversation more interesting since Theo had joined them. As a group, they talked quidditch much to Hermione's dismay. She finally got irritated with the whole scene and pulled out her Defense Against the Dark Arts text. Draco felt just a little bad for driving her out of the conversation but nobody else seemed to and truthfully, she didn't seem that broke up about it. She seemed quite happy to review her chapter for the next class, so he let it go.
-O-
The bell rang, signifying the end of lunch. Harry and his two mates all had a free period next and he understood that Hermione was going to drag them to the library to study as she usually did. Even though he was more than tired of studying, Harry knew that he needed to continue with the practice if he wanted to score all O's on his O.W.L.s. He knew that he wasn't as intelligent as Hermione and Draco but that didn't mean that he didn't want to do well on his testing.
The trio left the Great Hall, Theo joining them in the corridors since it was clear that he had no class to get to either. Harry still wasn't sure what the Headmistress had been thinking when she scheduled the Gryffindors and Slytherins most of their classes together, but it remained a fact that it wasn't going to change. Harry could only be grateful that they no longer seemed to have a problem with Harry and Hermione making for a much more peaceful co-existence. The same could not be said for the other lions, however.
The found their usual table in the library and settled in quietly. Generally, they did like to study the same subject so if there were any problems they could get help without problem. Even though Hermione hated working on Transfiguration at the same time as the others because it distracted her from her much more advanced study she agreed to study it today since the others all had homework in that subject.
Harry, Draco, and Theo all worked silently on their essays that were due the following day. Harry couldn't help but be just a tiny bit jealous of the fact that Hermione didn't have to perform any of the in-class assignments and she didn't have to turn in any essays. He realized, however, that even though he would love to enjoy the same perks that she did, he was nowhere near the level that she was in the subject. Transfiguration truly was no effort for her.
He and Draco both finished their essays, Theo all but. After an hour and a half, the bell rang, and the foursome gathered all their belongings and such and stowed them in their bags. Defense Against the Dark Arts was next and Harry was excited. The subject was by far his best, it seemed to come to him just as Transfiguration came to Hermione and Potions came to Draco and it was a much more enjoyable class since Remus had taken it over. They traversed the three floors between the library and the Defense classroom, joking with Hermione, Draco, and Theo as they walked.
Once they reached the classroom, Theo split off from them and joined Pansy, Daphne, and Blaise. This made him wonder just how much close the Slytherin was to the other snakes and how upset he would be with Hermione when he discovered that she had been lying to him about everything. He knew that Hermione didn't necessarily like the Slytherins, but she surely didn't hate them any longer. Harry was drawn out of his thoughts by one of his father's oldest friends beginning the lesson.
"Today we're going to learn about a nifty spell that shrinks your opponent's head. While it isn't very high on the list of offensive spells that you could use, it can still be handy in a duel. Let's practice the wand movements now."
Harry already knew this spell, so he settled back in his chair and simply watched. Remus was known to assign an essay or two but for the most part he was a hands-on type of professor and the class loved him for it. They practiced the wand movement and repeated the spell before they were split into groups. Since it was Remus and he knew the history between the three of them and Ron, he never put them together in practical work. Instead, Harry and Draco were paired with Parvati and Lavender while Hermione was paired with the four Slytherins.
Harry could tell that Hermione was less than pleased with her two mates being paired with the Terrible Two, especially since the truth had been revealed about his history with them. The Gryffindor couldn't say that he regretted his time with them, per se, but he was wasn't completely happy with the decision either. At the time, it had been great. He hadn't had feelings for Hermione yet and he was firmly in the belief that he was going to die in his fight with Voldemort. He had wanted to experience life to the fullest and that meant sexually as well.
Their trysts had started just before the Yule Ball, first with just one of them at a time. He had made sure to clarify that he wasn't going to date either one of them and they had been perfectly fine with just shagging The-Boy-Who-Lived. He had been pleasantly surprised when they had surprised him one evening in the Prefect's bathroom while he had been bathing. They hadn't given him much of a chance to reject him, not that he would have at the time.
He had thoroughly enjoyed every second they had spent together, that was no lie, but the expectations were higher now since he had been with Hermione and the pair no longer measured up. He regretted that his decisions made with cock had hurt Hermione and that she was constantly tormented by the girls. He had also been with Lisa Turpin but to his knowledge she had been nothing but kind to Hermione since she had learned of their relationship. The whole situation made him realize that he had never been happier that Hermione had never slept with anyone before himself and Draco.
Harry could still recall how gob smacked he had been when he saw Hermione enter the Yule Ball on Krum's arm. He had loved her as a dear friend before that, he had always quoted that it was the love of a sister, but that night had changed everything. It was in that moment that he realized that while she had always been pretty to him before, she was beautiful and very much a young woman. He had wanted to drop the Terrible Two that very moment, but he hadn't thought that he would ever be good enough for her and she would never return his feelings.
Harry watched as Draco performed the spell flawlessly, shrinking Lavender's head to one-tenth it's normal size. The two lightly flirted with them both but Harry ignored them wholeheartedly, as did Draco. He caught Hermione watching them several times and he didn't blame her. The two Gryffindor girls had tormented Hermione on several occasions and his girlfriend had low self-esteem. She didn't see the wonderful person that he did when she looked in the mirror.
Both he and Draco successfully cast the spell even though the two girls struggled with it; Harry wasn't surprised. Neither were very gifted when it came to spells. Their talents were more in line with Divination and Care of Magical Creatures. He watched as Hermione shrank her brother's head and he in turn cast the spell on her. Remus had been happy to come and watch them all perform the spell, so they could return to their seats.
Harry caught the tail end of the conversation between Hermione and the Slytherins. They had invited her and her two mates to eat dinner with them at their table. While he wasn't too excited at the prospect, Harry knew that she needed to accept occasionally. She would never keep the Slytherins as allies if she didn't make an effort. He heard her agree reluctantly before taking the seat between himself and Draco again.
It wasn't long before Remus called attention back to the front of the room and congratulated them all for mastering the spell quickly. He assigned a ten-inch essay on what kind of situations the spell could be useful in and sent them on their way. Harry made sure to throw him a smile and a wave before he followed Hermione and Draco on their way out of the classroom and towards the Great Hall for dinner. Once outside in the corridor, Hermione reached out and took his hand while wrapping her other arm around Draco's waist.
"Pansy and Daphne asked the three of us to eat with them at dinner and I agreed. I'm sorry I didn't ask you first, I should have." Harry chuckled at the very Hermione response. He leaned down and kissed her temple.
"It's fine, 'Mi, you have to accept here and there to keep them on your side of things." Hermione snorted.
"You think they're on my side. They could be saying that and just waiting for me to fuck up and die. They're Slytherins, they could just as easily be playing me." Draco barked out a laugh that reminded her of Sirius, bringing the fact that they were closely related to the forefront of her mind.
"You're one hundred percent correct, Princess, never trust a Slytherin that you don't know like you know yourself." Harry laughed at his words.
The trio entered the Great Hall and after waving at their Gryffindor friends made their way to the Slytherin table. Harry knew that Hermione wasn't a huge fan of Pansy or Daphne because of their past with Draco but she did her best not to hold it against them. They hadn't been mean or nasty at all about the situation which was really throwing Hermione off, but she shouldn't have been surprised. She was in a position very high above their own and pissing her off wouldn't have done anything but cause problems for themselves.
Hermione settled down next to her brother and he leaned over to kiss the top of her head. Harry and Draco sat across the table from her sandwiched between Blaise and Miles Bletchley. Everyone seemed surprised at Theo's blatant display of affection, but nobody voiced it. Hermione reached out to grab the bowl of shepherd's pie, so she could spoon some out for herself. Harry did the same for himself before handing it off to Draco.
Conversation flowed easily around them, much easier than he would have expected. He and Draco were caught in an exchange with Blaise and Miles about this year's prospects for the World Cup. Hermione was bantering back and forth with Theo, Pansy, and Daphne about their classes and professors. Harry was surprised to find that Pansy was especially skilled at Herbology while Daphne excelled at Charms. Both gave off the impression that they weren't very smart, that they had been raised to be a trophy wife. It was a reminder that you should never judge quickly.
Pudding had just appeared on the table when a school owl swooped down through the windows and landed before Hermione, offering her his leg. She removed the note from his leg and shoved her bowl towards the bird, so he could finish up her shepherd's pie. After unrolling the note, her eyes scanned the paper more than once before she lit it on fire without her wand. When she lifted her head, she gave him and Draco a small smile.
"My father wants to speak with us after dinner. Have you two done something that we've gotten in trouble for?" Harry knew that she was giving them a story if anyone asked the Slytherins. He put on his innocent look as did Draco.
"We are angels, there's nothing that we could get in trouble for." Hermione raised her brows at them but remained silent.
Conversation carried on around them until the end of dinner was signaled by the bell. Harry watched in thinly veiled amusement as Hermione huffed and puffed, muttering under her breath about boys that caused trouble and brought her down with them. Most of the Slytherins seemed to buy her act, Theo being the only exception. Harry knew that he was going to be a problem at some point, but he didn't want to have to think about it at this time.
Harry sent the Slytherins a genuine smile after they had rose from the table and started for the entrance of the Great Hall. He had a feeling that they were destined for the Headmaster's office.
-O-
Hermione was sure that the Headmaster wanted to see them regarding the location of the final horcrux. Even though she had told Harry and Draco that her father wanted to see them, the note had really been from Dumbledore, requesting their presence after dinner to discuss details. For once, Hermione didn't mind; she was more than ready to actually begin searching.
They reached the griffin and waited patiently for the statue to move out of the way. It took only seconds before it was moved, and the staircase descended from the tower that the Headmaster resided in. Hermione had both Harry and Draco's hands clenched in hers, her anticipation levels ridiculously high. She didn't even wait for the door at the top of the stairs to open before bursting through it.
Hermione was unsurprised to see Sirius, Remus, her father, and Professor McGonagall seated around the fire, tea in their hands and amiable expressions on their faces. This boded well for the conversation that was about to occur and Hermione was thrilled. If there was one term that explained how she felt about the night's events it was excited.
Truth be told, Hermione wasn't usually one to be led by impulse or to jump into things too quickly and without thought. This, however, was different because of what was at stake. She was well aware of what kind of monster her grandfather truly was but there were times when she didn't want to destroy him, that she wanted to try to rehabilitate him. It wasn't logical but that didn't change how she felt. She knew that they sooner that they got on with it and finished the mission the less conflicted she would be.
Dumbledore waved the three of them to the sofa before the fire. Remus and Sirius shared the loveseat next to them while Professor McGonagall, Severus, and Dumbledore took the armchairs. She couldn't help but wonder offhandedly if there was something going on between Sirius and Remus. She had never seen either with a girl and they seemed as close as Harry and Draco. The only difference was that they weren't sharing a girlfriend like Harry and Draco were. She allowed the thought to be shuffled to the back of her mind for further thought when all attention focused on the Headmaster.
"Tell me, Harry, how did you find the last horcrux." Hermione fought the urge to roll her eyes. She knew that the other adults had told him, but he was going to waste time by getting the story firsthand. Did he think that the three adults present besides himself would lie to him?
Harry explained how he had been distracted when he paced the corridor before Barnabas the Barmy, originally hoping that the room they used as a bedroom would appear. Once he had entered the unknown room he had been able to feel the horcrux just like he had been able to in Bellatrix's vault at Gringotts's. After explaining the story, Harry fell silent and waited for judgment from their Headmaster. Instead, Dumbledore was silent for several minutes, putting every further on edge with each passing second.
"I think that you're on to something, Harry. Are you quite certain that you can make the same room appear again?" Harry nodded his head and Hermione clenched his hand in hers.
"I made sure that I could before I ever told Hermione and Draco what I had found." The Headmaster gave him a brilliant smile.
"I feel that the only thing left to do is begin our search. Before doing so, however, I feel as if I should extract promises from our three youngest guests that they will only look for the horcrux when adults are present. It would be terribly difficult to explain if things should go wrong and there were no adults present." Hermione rolled her eyes at this speech again. Hadn't the one from her father been enough? She was quick to nod her head as were Harry and Draco.
"We promise. Can we please go search now?" The adults in the room chuckled at her eagerness as Dumbledore nodded.
"Yes, we will all go search now. Disillusionment charms for everyone so we aren't discovered by innocent students." Hermione nodded eagerly and rose to her feet, forcibly dragging Harry and Draco both to their feet. They both chuckled at her softly, watching in interest as the other adults rose and gathered their wits about them. Hermione bounced on her heels and made sure to keep her cool as the rest of them gestured for the three teens to lead the way.
This wasn't Hermione's story to tell so she grasped Harry's hand and nudged him, so he would step forward and lead. He seemed surprised at the fact that she wanted him to take charge, but he supposed that she wasn't going to be the one to take the glory for finding the last horcrux. Harry rolled his eyes at the sentiment but didn't say a word. Hermione smirked to herself as she followed Harry through the corridors and towards the seventh floor.
Once before Barnabas the Barmy, Harry stopped and waved everyone back, so he could pace before the tapestry. Only a minute after he began, a door appeared, and everyone seemed surprised, including the Headmaster. It was in this moment that Dumbledore wasn't nearly as knowledgeable as he acted on a day to day basis. The eight of them entered the room without further ado and Hermione was astounded at the sheer amount of junk that was visible in the room. Sirius broke the silence and for once the older animagus mirrored her thoughts.
"How will we every find anything in this mess?" The Headmaster seemed dumbfounded and it was clear that he had no words to admit that Harry had been right all along.
"I can feel the dark magic, I know the horcrux is here like Harry said. I just don't know how I never happened upon this room before." Hermione shrugged her shoulders since she really didn't care. All she cared about was that Dumbledore hadn't found it, leaving it to her and her mates to take care of which was highly annoying.
Draco devised a plan between everyone, splitting them into pairs that would serve everyone equally. Harry and Draco were paired together while Hermione was with Professor McGonagall, Sirius and Remus were together and her father was unfortunately paired with Dumbledore. As soon as they had split up to search, Hermione could hear her father and the Headmaster arguing but there was nothing for it.
After the stand warnings that nobody seemed to pay any attention to, Dumbledore waved for his companions to begin their search. Hermione had been thrilled at first, nearly dragging Professor McGonagall around with her. The older witch had seemed slightly amused, but Hermione paid her no mind. The four pairs searched the Room of Requirement for over three hours finding absolutely bloody nothing.
Hermione was tired, sweaty, and irritated and she wanted nothing more than to fall into bed. If they had only started earlier their time would have passed quicker and they could have possibly found the horcrux. Hermione dismissed the excuses in her mind as exactly that, excuses. The four pairs made their way to the front of the room for a last meeting before they all retired to bed. Dumbledore looked just as tired and disheveled as they rest of them.
"We obviously had no luck tonight, but we will return tomorrow and every night after this until we do find it. We must not become discouraged because it is likely that this feat will take a while. Tomorrow, we'll meet in the corridor outside this door, disillusioned. I may see if Kingsley, Moody, and Arthur can join us to help us look. Seven p.m. sharp." Hermione nodded her head before Sirius opened the door to the Room, letting everyone file out of the Room of Hidden Things.
All the professors and Sirius floated away and left Hermione, Draco, and Harry their own devices. Since it was almost midnight, the Gryffindor paced before Barnabas one last time for the night, making their door appear. The trio was silent as they entered their room and began to strip off their clothes. Hermione didn't bother with her nightly routine in the loo, she simply stripped to her knickers and fell into bed. She was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep. Harry and Draco didn't speak as they stripped to their boxers and joined her in bed, their arms finding their way around her as they did every night.
Hermione fell asleep that night, the arms of her beaus wrapped tightly around her and hope in her heart that the war would be soon be drawing to a close.
-O-
Severus sat in his quarters, a glass of fire whiskey in his hand, staring into the fire. Remus and Sirius had just left, having joined him for a nightcap before returning to their respective quarters and homes. They had discussed the impossible task before them, finding the horcrux within hundreds of years of junk. The task was just made worse by the fact that he had been paired with Albus, scheming bastard that he was.
Since the Headmaster's secrets had been outed by his daughter, it was a struggle for Severus to deal with him for a long period of time. Sure, his father was a scheming old bastard as well, but at least he was honest about it. Severus knew exactly what to expect from his father while Albus acted like a kindly grandfather as he fucked your life up. Sirius and Remus felt the same way, as did Minerva; Severus had never been happier that his daughter had demanded that he resign as Headmaster as soon as the war was over. With any luck, this would be Albus' last year of tenure.
Albus had spent the whole time they had been searching muttering under his breath about how he had known that the horcrux had been in the castle the whole time. Severus had snorted to himself since it was clear that the old man was trying to convince himself rather than Severus since his voice was so low that the Slytherin had barely heard him. He knew that the Headmaster wasn't going to go down as easily as Hermione hoped, that he would kick, scream, and cause a fuss before he was shuffled out of the castle and it worried Severus to no end.
Albus had had no problems kidnapping his daughter and doing whatever he liked with her, he had known that Harry Potter was being abused in his home and had done nothing. He had been more than aware that Sirius had been innocent and even though he was the head of the Wizengamot, he had thrown the man in Azkaban without a trial. The biggest betrayal aside from his daughter being taken was the fact that he had made Severus take an Unbreakable Vow to spy for him. If he was capable of all those things, who was to say that he was capable of other horrible things to remain powerful once the Dark Lord was gone? Severus knew for a fact that he was going to want to soak up the glory and would lie, cheat, and steal to be able to do so. Severus just had to make sure that his daughter wasn't caught up in the crossfire when it happened.
The world had been thrust upon her shoulders just as it had been done to Potter. It wasn't fair, and she should have been able to enjoy her childhood without worrying about spying and hunting down pieces of her grandfather's soul. She should have been able to just be a kid and worry about nothing more than failing a test and telling her father about it. He wanted to tell himself that as soon as the war was over he would make sure that she had that; Severus knew this was lie. Hermione had already matured past her time and just because the threat would be gone didn't mean that she would be able to regress and forget that she had been responsible for so many things.
It made Severus sad to consider since it was her childhood that had been sacrificed but there was nothing he could do about it now. Her childhood had been sacrificed years before he even realized that Hermione Granger was his. As much as he wanted to blame Potter for dragging her through his adventures, he knew that his daughter was just as much to blame. She had proven time and time again that if she wanted to do something then she was going to do it regardless of what anyone else said to her.
It was with a heavy heart that Severus drained his fire whiskey and rose to his feet, so he could make his way to his quarters. It was late, and he needed to sleep since he had an early class in the morning. He pushed the depressing thoughts out of his head as he fell into bed, kicking his shoes off as he got comfortable. He sighed once more, worked on clearing his mind so he could ensure a deep sleep, and eventually, let sleep claim him.
A/N- There she is, folks, another chapter down. This took me just a little longer than I had planned but real life stepped in. My birthday was Friday and my family insisted on taking me out to dinner. Yesterday, we went to a little town bout half hour from my little town and watched eight hours of street drags. It was great, but I'm fried crispy now. Anyways, hope you all enjoyed this chapter even though it was kind of a filler chapter. Let me know what you think, your reviews make me smile (((:
Next chapter, Theo discovers her secret and the horcrux is found.
Love,
Alicia