Chapter 5
"He's a Death Eater"
"Yes, I've already agreed it was fishy, Harry," agreed Hermione a little impatiently. They had been up in Fred and George's room, and she had been determined to start reviewing her new copy of Advanced Rune Translation. Unfortunately, Harry had brought up the subject of Malfoy's little detour in Knockturn Alley and so now that plan was shot to Hell. "But haven't we agreed there could be a lot of explanations?"
The witch wanted nothing more than for her best friend to let go of what they had seen that night. Harry had been talking about it almost excessively. What she would not admit, however, was that she had been thinking about it almost as obsessively. The foreboding feeling she'd been having would not leave her alone. The last thing she needed was Harry bringing it up when she had been trying to escape her thoughts.
Ron suggested that Malfoy had damaged his Hand of Glory, but Harry immediately shot that idea down.
"Malfoy's father's in Azkaban. Don't you think Malfoy'd like revenge?"
"Malfoy, revenge? What can he do about it?" Ron asked.
"That's my point, I don't know! But he's up to something and I think we should take it seriously. His father's a Death Eater and —" Harry stopped suddenly.
Hermione straightened up in her spot on the windowsill. "Harry? What's wrong?" Hermione asked anxiously.
"Your scar's not hurting again, is it?" Ron asked, seeming nervous for their friend as well.
"He's a Death Eater," Harry said slowly. "He's replaced his father as a Death Eater!"
A dark thoughtful look crossed Hermione's face as Ron burst into laughter. Ron's outburst, fortunately, caused Harry to miss the look on Hermione's face.
"Malfoy? He's sixteen, Harry! You think You-Know-Who would let Malfoy join?"
Hermione adjusted her expression to one of skepticism. "It seems very unlikely, Harry," she said in a calm voice. She wanted to know what led him to this conclusion. "What makes you think — ?"
Harry leaned forward slightly, "In Madam Malkin's. She didn't touch him, but he yelled and jerked his arm away from her when she went to roll up his sleeve. It was his left arm. He's been branded with the Dark Mark."
Hermione glanced over at Ron and saw that he was skeptical. She was growing more anxious by the moment and hoped she was hiding it well enough.
"Well…" started Ron, sounding thoroughly unconvinced.
She didn't want Ron to start believing in Harry's theory. "I think he just wanted to get out of there, Harry," the witch said, hoping it would get her friend to drop the subject.
However, Harry went on to explain the Dark Mark would have intimidated Borgin.
Hermione tried to remain calm and sound unconvinced, "I'm not sure Harry…"
"Yeah, I still don't reckon You-Know-Who would let Malfoy join…"
Hermione was grateful that Ron seemed completely skeptical of the idea. She sighed a sigh of relief when Harry became annoyed and left, Ron soon following after.
She began rubbing her temples to try to fight the impending headache. She knew Harry had a point, but she couldn't think about that now. She looked down at her Advanced Rune Translation. She cracked it open with another sigh, hoping she could get some work done before the evening's end.
After a brief meeting in the prefect compartment, Hermione began patrolling the Hogwarts Express alongside Ron. They had light conversations, talking about future classes and schedules. Whenever they ran into someone they knew, they would stop for a few moments to chat and hear about the highlights of their holiday. Then they would promise to catch up at the feast and return to their patrol. Things were pretty quiet so far. Just a group of third year boys got a little too rowdy, and several lost and timid looking first years. As Ron was stopped by one of said lost first years, Hermione continued to walk ahead a few paces, glancing into compartments.
She stopped outside of a compartment when she saw Malfoy. He hadn't been at the prefect's meeting so she really hadn't expected to see him at all. He caught her gaze and watched her as he continued to finish what he was saying. After he stopped talking, he looked turned his attention to her completely. Before she could read his expression, a voice made her jump.
"Oi, what're looking at?" Ron asked as he came up behind her and peered over his shoulder.
Upon seeing the witch's new guest, the blonde wizard made a very rude gesture that caused the other Slytherins to erupt in laughter.
"Come on, Ron," Hermione commanded as grabbed his arm.
Ron let himself be pulled away as he called Malfoy a lazy git for shirking his prefect duty. They finished their patrol and found the compartment where Harry, Neville, and Luna had settled.
As they entered the compartment, Ron greeted them all and then divulged into their interaction with the Slytherin boy. Hermione did not miss it when Harry straightened at the mention of Malfoy.
"Not like him though, is it? Well — that is," Ron started, mimicking the gesture Malfoy made upon seeing the redhead. "But why isn't he out there bullying first years?"
Ron posed a very good question. Tormenting first years had previously been one of Malfoy's favorite perks of being a prefect. So why wasn't he doing that, opting instead to sit in a compartment with his fellow Slytherins? Hermione understood that duties could get tedious, but Malfoy loved to abuse his power.
"Maybe he preferred the Inquisitorial Squad," Hermione supplied, deciding to weigh in. "Maybe being a prefect seems a bit tame after that."
Harry disagreed, and Hermione had a feeling he was going to bring up his Death Eater theory. Luckily, a third year girl came in with invitations for Harry and Neville, preventing Harry from divulging.
Hermione hoped whatever event the invitation was for would keep Harry's mind occupied and away from Malfoy for the duration of their ride.
She was very worried when Neville returned without Harry.
To say Draco was suspicious when they door of their compartment stuck was an understatement. The door had never showed any sign of resistance before, so the blonde Slytherin knew there had to be something else going on. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw a flash of something near the luggage rack and heard shuffling that wasn't coming from his fellow house mates.
He leaned against Pansy Parkinson as he formulated a plan whilst trying to keep his attention away from the luggage rack.
"So, Zabini, what did Slughorn want?"
"Just trying to make up to well-connected people," the Italian boy said as he glowered at Goyle, still not letting go of the hostility from a few moments ago. "Not that he managed to find many."
This did not please Malfoy, and he was sure his face showed it. He had come from one of the purest wizarding families yet he had not received an invitation! It was insulting!
But he knew that with his father in Azkaban, coming from a line of prominent wizards would probably mean little to the new professor. Since the news of the events at the Ministry got out, he and his mother had been snubbed in several ways and by several people. It frustrated Draco immensely that his family no longer held the status the once had.
"Who else was invited?" Draco demanded.
Zabini recounted a few choice attendees. Malfoy felt his blood boil when the dark-skinned Slytherin mentioned Potter had been there.
"Potter," Draco spat. "Precious Potter. Obviously he wanted a look at 'the Chosen One,'" he sneered then remembered another name, "but that Weasley girl! What's so special about her?"
"A lot of boys like her," Pansy supplied. Draco knew she was watching him to gauge his reaction, but he had no interest in the Weasley girl. "Even you think she's good-looking, don't you, Blaise, and we all know you're hard to please."
Blaise simply waved her off, saying he wouldn't touch a blood traitor like her. Draco didn't entirely believe him. He knew that his companion had taken an interest in the girl the previous year. It was hardly noticeable, as Blaise was always subtle, but it was there.
Draco went on to talk about Slughorn's poor taste, and Blaise confirmed his suspicion that Slughorn was put off by the Ministry situation. Slughorn hadn't sent Nott an invitation due to his father's involvement at the Ministry.
Draco became more frustrated but tried to stay nonchalant. "Well, who cares what he's interested in? What is he, when it comes down to it? Just some stupid teacher." He yawned and shrugged lazily. "I mean, I might not even be at Hogwarts next year, what's it matter to me if some old has-been likes me or not?"
He was asked about what he meant, and he alluded to the Dark Lord. He couldn't tell them about what had happen over the holidays or what plans were made, but letting his companions know that he was important caused no harm. And it made him feel better.
As Draco saw Hogwarts, he suggested that everyone go change into their robes while he lingered behind. After closing the compartment door and lowering the blinds, he moved to his trunk. Suddenly he whirled around and aimed a spell at the luggage rack he had been watching carefully.
"Petrifcus Totalus!"
He heard a loud thump as a body hit the ground. Draco smiled broadly as he looked down at the Chosen One. He didn't look so special now.
He snorted a laugh. "I thought so. I heard Goyle's trunk hit you. And I thought I saw something white flash through the air when Zabini came back."
Draco stood there for a moment, looming over the petrified boy. The one who had denied his friendship all those years ago, choosing a blood traitor instead. The boy who got all the attention and fame anyone could ever want for something that happened when he was an infant. The boy who he spent the last five years hating. The boy who was constantly running about and causing a mess of things. The boy who got Draco's father arrested, and ruined his and his mother's lives.
"You didn't hear anything I care about, Potter. But while I've got you here…"
Draco stomped on the paralyzed boy's nose and it made a satisfying crunch. He had wanted to do that all summer, and he felt deeply satisfied now that it was done.
Before leaving, Draco threw the cloak onto his enemy, hoping that no one would be able to find him. Though he knew deep down that no one would miss the fact that Harry Potter was missing.
"Where is he?" Hermione hissed for the umpteenth time. She hadn't been asking anyone in particular, but Ron reassured her Harry would be there soon. Hermione then shot him a glare, and smacked his arm. "Would you stop eating? Your friend is missing!"
Ron shrugged. "He goes missing all the time! Plus they had Aurors escort him to the station, I'm at the very least the teachers will have to keep an eye on him."
Hermione rolled her eyes but knew Ron had a point. She really needed to calm down. Harry would be fine. She started to prod her untouched food with her fork, glancing up at the entrance once again. She felt a wave of relief wash over her as she saw Harry enter the Great Hall. She felt slightly uneasy, however, when she saw the dried blood on him. Why was he always covered in blood?
Harry had started to explain what had happened but Hermione stopped him.
"Wait, Harry," she commanded. She cast a dark look at a few fellow Gryffindors who seemed to have taken an interest in their conversation. "I think it's best we hear about this without an audience."
Harry nodded in agreement. He hadn't wanted to discuss it around mixed company anyway, and Hermione should have known that. He was worried about the look she had cast at their house mates. She had seemed to be behaving normally again toward the end of the holiday, but that look made Harry think there was still something upsetting her.
Hermione settled in her seat and finally began eating the cold food on her plate.
She didn't miss the glare Harry threw in Malfoy's direction.
"Honestly Harry, that is enough of this," the witch said as she collected her things.
"But Hermione —"
"No!" said witch snapped, whirling around to face her friend. "He is a sixteen year old student. He is not that. You should focus more on sorting out your classes than reading into everything he says and does." With that, Hermione grabbed her things and marched out of the common room.
The previous night the room had hosted a rather large gathering which they knew was bound to last into the wee hours of the night, so the trio agreed to meet early in the morning to hear about Harry's tardiness and theory.
Once again, it was the theory that Draco Malfoy was a Death Eater. While she had to admit some of the things Harry had overheard Malfoy saying were alarming, Hermione did not believe Harry's theory. She could not allow herself to believe it. Malfoy's father was a Death Eater, and Lucius had been apprehended at the Ministry, so it was natural that Malfoy was speaking the way he did. It was obvious where Malfoy's loyalties would fall if he was going to take a side, but that did not mean he was a Death Eater. In the future maybe, if Voldemort's ranks continued to grow… No. She wouldn't think about that now. She could not worry about whether or not that would change in the distant future. For now, Draco Malfoy was not a Death Eater.
A/N: So in my last chapter, I said I hoped to update by Halloween weekend, but I didn't say the Halloween weekend of which year! Lame, I know. I apologize for not updating! Things got intense, and I lost my will to write. But recently, I got re-introduced to another series I love and felt the need to write something for that, and I think that's really what I needed. Plus, my team leader at work decided to decorate out team board using a Hogwarts theme, and she had us choose houses! Plus we talk about HP all the time and it made me want to write.
I already have ideas for the next couple of chapters, so hopefully you'll get another update within the week. Next chapter we will get to see our beloved Professor Snape so he can take a look at what's going on with Draco and Hermione.
Thank you so much for reading! I love you guys!