A/N - hope you all enjoy - would love any reviews
Chapter Two
Hermione collapsed on her sofa, her feet killing her, the first month had flown by but hadn't been without incident. The first week a Ravenclaw muggle-born named Hayley Boron had, while attempting to transfigure her matchstick into a needle, had not only managed to make a minimal change to the match making it sharp but, in her excitement, had accidentally sent the thing shooting across the room hitting another classmate in the cheek, it wasn't a major wound but still required a trip to the hospital wing.
Their third weekend of term, there had been an all-out brawl between a group of third-year Slytherins and second-year Gryffindors, Hermione and Draco had happened to be walking past on their way to a staff meeting as a spell shot across the courtyard, which if Draco had not pulled Hermione back would have hit her in the face and from the hole in the wall it was clear that it was the Confringo curse, the two groups had turned to see where the spell had hit only to begin running it every direction
"Immobulus" Draco yelled causing everyone of them to freeze, he turned to Hermione "Are you ok"
He could see she was physically shaking but she nodded, he turned pointing his wand into the crowd and summoned all of their wands. Hermione had watched as Draco had reprimanded every one of them for their participation in the brawl before checking to see what wand had cast the spell,
"Whose wand is this?" he Asked holding it in the Air, at first no one moved, "Make this easy on yourself, so help me if I have to make it show me who you are" he called across the courtyard, when a Slytherin raised his hand, "Why does it not surprise me Mr Selwyn, its not a good start to the year losing our house 50 house points"
"But Professor?" the boy who was around a foot shorter than everyone else in the group,
"Don't you but Professor me!" Draco snapped, "Not only where you fighting, but you used a dangerous spell that almost hit Professor Granger. You all have three weeks of detention, once I have spoken to Headmistress McGonagall, I will have owls sent to each of you as to when and where you are to report for detention" he said placing the wand on the bench, "come get your wands and go do something productive with your day" he had turned towards Hermione, but had spun around "What did you just say?" he snapped the group froze again "Ebony Flint, you have just lost the privilege of Hogsmeade trips for everyone here"
"But professor" a dark-haired girl gasped, "You…you can't do that"
"I can and for your backchat that ban is until Christmas" he said several people groaned "now unless you want to make that the whole school year collect your wands and disperse" he said reminding Hermione of Professor Snape, "Quietly!" he said as they began grumbling again.
"wow Professor I must admit that you reminded me of a certain professor" Hermione had smiled as he returned to her side,
"Nah he wouldn't have punished the Slytherins" Draco smirked, "Are you ok?" he asked as they continued towards their meeting,
"My heart is pounding…but I'm not curled up in a ball sobbing in the corner…so I would say that's a win" she smiled, "thank you, for saving me a trip to St Mungo's"
"Anytime" he laughed opening the door for her.
Hermione had meant to ask him what had caused him to spin around on the students, she had assumed Miss Flint had said something, but it had slipped her mind as they where already late for the staff meeting. Headmistress McGonagall had almost blown a fuse when they explained why they were late.
Hermione, lent back and let out a sigh before getting to her feet with every intention of going for a shower and having an early night when her fireplace flickered, she groaned and walked over to see who it was,
"Hermione?" Harry's voice came through the flames,
"Harry, I'm not in the mood right now, I'm tired and was going for a shower" she said into the fire,
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to ask how your first month had gone?" Hermione rolled her eyes,
"Harry, I don't really want to talk to you until I hear an apology…One I actually believe" she sighed. "Listen I'm tired. I have to make a trip to Diagon alley during half term probably next Friday, if you want to talk meet me at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour" she sighed,
"Is it open again?" he asked,
"So, Neville tells me, according to him the Patil twins own it now, kept the name in memory of Florean"
"Ok, so Friday…I look forward to seeing you" he said, "You look good" he said before closing out the contact. Hermione pulled her hair out of the elastic and made her way to the stairs when there came a knock at her portrait,
"Seriously" she groaned turning to the entrance and allowing the portrait to open revealing Draco Malfoy, "You and Harry have impeccable timing" She groaned,
"Wait what did I do?" he asked confused,
"Nothing" she sighed, "What can I do for you?" she asked stepping aside allowing him to enter,
"It doesn't sound like nothing" he said as the portrait shut behind him,
"it really is, I was just heading for a scolding hot shower before curling up with a book and both times I've attempted to go, you and Harry have stopped me twice now" she smiled reaching above her head to stretch, Draco's eyes subconsciously watched as her blouse slipped up revealing her flat stomach and a thin pale scar than ran from her hip towards her navel. Shaking his head, he looked away.
"Ah I see, I mean what I wanted to speak about can wait until tomorrow" he said a slight blush rising in his cheeks, Hermione pretended not to notice,
"No, honestly its fine, how can I help?" she smiled
"I need you to read over two essays for me" he said handing her the two documents, Hermione took them before moving to her sofa again and taking a seat, it only took her a few minutes to realise what it was he wanted conformation of,
"Plagiarism?" she asked looking over to him sitting on her pouffe,
"Recognise it then?" he asked,
"Yeah, I handed this into Slughorn in sixth year, and this" she held up the second essay "is a bad copy" she sighed,
"Glad you agree, It turns out that Slughorn left a lot of our work in his old office and a few students managed to get in there," he sighed, "only one of them was sensible and at least made an effort to make it their own…the other just handed your work in and believed I wouldn't notice the sudden improvement in their work" he smirked,
"And you're here to tell me it was someone from my house?" she asked,
"Yes and no, the one who did the bad copy was Lacy Pendal, the one who just handed in your work was Isabella Knott"
"interesting" Hermione said, "So did they find it together or separately?" Draco shrugged,
"They won't admit to anything" he said, "but I was thinking you could help me get the truth out" Hermione raised an eyebrow,
"Didn't Professor Snape not leave any Veritaserum laying around" she asked,
"I wish…besides I don't think the headmistress would be happy if we tricked a student into drinking it." Draco smirked,
"True she is no Toad-face" Hermione mused,
"Yeah, looking back, she was a…what's the word…a Lunatic" he suggested,
"And a megalomaniac" she nodded,
"that's one of the many things I would like a time turner for," he sighed getting to his feet, "Well I will bid you good night and let you have your piece, I'll speak with you tomorrow and let you know what I plan to do to get the truth out of both students" Hermione nodded before bidding him goodnight and making her way, finally, to wash away the day.
Hermione made her way through Diagon Alley, she and Draco both had errands to run in London so had travelled together before heading separate ways planning to meet back up at kings cross later that afternoon. She looked down at her watch, she was running late and wondered if Harry would have assumed that she wasn't coming but as she turned the corner she saw him sat there waiting for her, the moment he caught sight of her he got to his feet to greet her,
"Sorry I'm late, I got caught by Dennis" she smiled,
"How is he? I've not seen him since Colin's funeral" Harry admitted,
"Yeah, he seems to be doing well, He's working for the Quibbler as an investigative reporter" she said taking her seat,
"Hermione, it's wonderful to see you" came the voice of Parvati Patil
"Parvati, Neville told me that you and Padma where running this place now" she smiled giving the witch a hug, "I'm so glad that someone took up Florean's mantle, he was always a friendly face in Diagon alley."
"I know that's why we kept the name, it wouldn't have felt right to change it" Parvati smiled, "Now as I told Harry, no charge for the two of you, or will Ron be joining you?" she smiled,
"no" Harry said quickly "no, Ron's away on a mission, its just the two of us"
"Ah that's a shame its strange to see only the two of you" she smiled, oblivious to the discomfort she was causing, "Anyway, anything you want no charge, I'll come take your order in a second" she smiled walking away,
"I'm sorry" Harry said once Parvati had left,
"No, it's ok, most people make that comment…I'm used to it" she said taking the menu, Harry watched her read the menu chewing his inner cheek and searching for the right words to tell her how much he had missed her. She looked up over the menu and met his eye,
"So, what can I get you" "Parvati smiled returning with her order pad,
"I'll just have a butterbeer float please" Hermione smiled,
"same" harry smiled,
"No problem they'll be out in a moment" she smiled turning to leave,
"Hermione" Harry began "I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am, I didn't handle the whole situation…well, I didn't handle it full stop."
"No, you did not" she agreed,
"I'm a prat" he said
"Too right you are Potter" came Draco's voice, Hermione couldn't help but smirk as her colleague made his way towards them,
"Thank Malfoy" Harry rolled his eyes, "What are you doing here?"
"Just getting some bits for potions…that and I wanted to check that Professor Granger was ok" he said looking to Hermione,
"I'm fine, are you finished?" she asked,
"Nah, was just passing and thought I'd check in, I'll see you in an hour or so?" he asked, Hermione nodded, "See ya scar head" Draco smirked before heading down the street,
"You two seem to be getting along" Harry said sounding a little bitter, Hermione raised her eyebrow, "Sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like an accusation, I'm happy that you have someone to talk to" he smiled, Parvati made her way across their drinks on a tray,
"Was that Draco Malfoy I just saw?" she asked placing the drinks on the table,
"Yes, he works with me at the school" Hermione said ready to defend him should Parvati start something,
"Of course, I had heard he was teaching now and you, how has it been back at Hogwarts?" she smiled,
"The first days back there where hard, but the good memories outnumber the bad so I try and concentrate on those" she smiled, Parvati smiled back
"I'm glad, I really must come back for a visit again" she smiled, "anyway, I'll leave you too it, it was Lovley to see you both again" she smiled leaving them to talk,
"Ginny wanted to come today, but I thought I should speak with you first, but she has missed you" he smiled,
"I've missed you both" she whispered, "but you have to understand that you and Ron where able to push past the trauma, I tried but the nightmares and panic attacks just kept happening…and Ronald telling me to get over it didn't help" she said as she poked at her drink with her straw, "And when I came to you and Ginny for support you told me that Ron was right, it was like a slap in the face" she said
"At the time, I couldn't understand why you were still struggling, I should have been more supportive, it has become clear to me over the last year that, I'm not saying I was right, but it was my way of coping with the war, just pushing anything about it away from me and because your suffering was a reminder, I pushed you away…and for that I'm so sorry"
"I forgive you" she said simply
"You do?" he asked,
"Yes, Harry we went through hell and back it doesn't matter what happens we are family, I even forgive Ron" she said, "It's funny, Draco was the one who showed me that we need to forgive and move on from the past, we can't change what happened, but we can ensure that the future generations can live without the fear of another war" she smiled,
"You know that Man is full of Suprises" Harry chuckled.
Draco made his way towards the Leaky caldron, Hermione was due to meet him there in fifteen minutes, so that they could Apparite back to Hogsmeade together, as he headed up the street a he felt a body slam into him, knocking him to the ground, the culprit had disappeared before he was able to comprehend what had happened.
"Draco?" Hermione and Harry ran to his side, they had just been saying Fairwell, when Harry had seen the blond fall to the ground,
"I'm fine" Draco said, taking Harry's outstretched to get to his feet, it was only then that Draco felt the pain in his abdomen, placing his hand where the pain was, he felt his black shirt was wet, as in slow motion he removed his hand to see it stained red in his blood
"Draco!" he heard Hermione and Harry gasp as he collapsed to the floor the world fading to black.