Second Year
"Enemies of the heir beware?" Draco read the words, confused. He snapped his head to Hermione and narrowed his eyes, "You'll be next, mudblood." It came off as a threat but really, Draco had been trying to warn Hermione without giving the impression he was.
After Snape had talked to him the previous school year, Draco really took everything into consideration– really, he did. However, just because he was still questioning things, didn't mean he had immediately turned a new leaf.
He knew what his father was up to this year. He planned to open the Chamber of Secrets and release the Basilisk to rid the school of muggle-borns. But just because Draco didn't have it in him to tell anyone about it, didn't mean he thought it was right. People could get killed and while Draco may be a prat, he didn't want that.
When his father had made him privy to the plan, Draco's first immediate thought– after getting through his shock– was to research what the hell a Basilisk was. He had found a book about it and had ripped the page that had all the information on it. Now, the only thing he had to figure out was how to get it to Hermione Granger without raising suspicions and that's when he brought Dobby into the mix to help him.
Theo was about to hex Draco the moment those words flew out his mouth. He was beginning to raise his hand before he felt a nudge on his heel. Looking up, he met the black, knowing eyes of Snape's. He shook his head subtly and Theo resigned with a huff. He caught his sister's eye and he gave her an apologetic look to which she just shrugged and rolled her eyes, used to Draco's constant spouts of hateful words by now.
While Hermione would never admit, she did use to have a crush on Draco– well that was before she actually met the git and his perfect mouth opened to speak those foul words, vocalising blood purity shit. She had liked the idea of him when Theo would talk about him and show her some of his most memorable memories since Hermione was never able to experience such moments for herself. She grew up practically sheltered with nothing but books as constant company because even though she was in hiding and her existence was unknown, such precautions were taken to ensure her safety. One such precaution was that the only time she was really allowed to leave her and Snape's home in Spinners End was once every other week and even then, she had only been allowed to stay in the muggle world for only a few hours. It was never enough for her to make friends. Even if she wanted to, how would she be able to when they wouldn't understand the real her? The her that was a witch.
Because she rarely interacted with others, seeing Draco and Blaise in Theo's memories was almost like getting to know them herself and that's when her crush bloomed. However, it had been shortlived the moment she heard Draco ranting to Theo and Blaise about 'that insufferable know-it-all mudblood.' At first, it bothered her how someone so young could be so hateful, but then once she really thought about it, she kind of expected it. Theo would have turned out the same if their mother or Snape hadn't intervened in Remi's pureblood teachings. Hermione stood by her thought that he was misguided. Still, surely ignorance can't be that bliss right? If there's one thing Hermione couldn't stand more in people, it is ignorant. Actually- something she couldn't stand more than that was known ignorance and refusing or denying education.
Really, everything Draco says of no consequence just goes through one ear and out the other. But when he says something that just ticks her nerves, she can't help but put him in his place and Hermione would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy seeing him flushed with embarrassment after losing a battle of wits.
It wasn't that Snape was disregarding his godson's very questionable words, he certainly thought after their talk Draco would tone it down with the mudblood insults and personally, he would've gladly allowed Theo to hex him or do the deed himself, but they couldn't blow their cover– especially not Theo. So, Snape and Theo both just settled on being annoyed to themselves. Theo did allow himself to imagine hexing Draco a few different ways. Snape, on the other hand, was inwardly debating whether he should speak to Draco again but decided to hold off for the moment.
News of Hermione being petrified spread like fiendfyre. The professors were gathered around the hospital wing as Madam Pomfrey situated Hermione on one of the beds, a white curtain separating her from the other petrified victims.
While Snape was off to the side discussing theories on what in Godrics name was going on at Hogwarts with McGonagall and Dumbledore, his brows were furrowed in a look of slight worry, but it was nothing compared to what he was feeling inside. His hands were clasped tightly behind his back, knuckles white. The fear was only slightly eased when Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout promised they would be able to brew up a potion to help all the victims– but it would take some time.
Snape knew Hermione would be furious for practically missing the entirety of her second year, but he also knew, she was already ahead and was almost at a third years level. The girl illegally brewed polyjuice for Merlin's sake. When he had found that out, it was when he and Madam Pomfrey had to work together to heal her for accidentally turning herself into a cat. Hermione had received three month's worth of detention, something she can't even finish because she had gotten herself stupidly petrified. While Snape had been angry about the polyjuice, he was also extremely proud. Of course, he wasn't very much surprised– she was his goddaughter after all.
After the professors made their way out of the infirmary, Snape wasn't paying attention to anything they were saying. He was thinking about how much of a break he needed. In the last year and this year alone, Snape had felt like he aged 10 years. On top of watching and caring for the Nott siblings and his godson, Draco, he had to keep Harry Potter safe– a promise he was keeping for Lily. Really, what made him so appealing and seem trustworthy enough for parents to put their children's lives in his hands, Severus Snape had absolutely no clue.
"Did you hear? Mudblood Granger had been petrified," the amused voice of Pansy rung in Draco's head.
"What?" He exclaimed, sitting up quickly from his position on the sofa in the common room.
Blaise and Pansy both startled at the movement.
"Yes. Why do you seem so worried?" Pansy eyed him suspiciously. Draco could sense the beginning of a jealousy-fuelled interrogation coming.
"I'm not worried, just simply... AMUSED," he quickly recovered. "Yeah, shocked and amused! So what exactly happened?" He laughed off coolly.
Pansy narrowed her eyes but his answer seemed adequate enough because the next moment she shrugged and sat annoyingly close to him in his personal bubble. The action made his eyes roll and Blaise did his best to hide a snicker.
"Well, from what I overheard, she had been found alone, lying petrified in the corridor and rushed to the infirmary. They don't know what happened exactly."
"Not dead?" Blaise asked, he too seemingly confused and a bit worried.
Pansy sighed and answered, "Unfortunately, not." As if Hermione only being petrified was not enough.
Blood rushed to Draco's ears not just because of the callous way Pansy spoke about Hermione's current state– no, he'd analyse those feelings of anger later– but also because he knew what happened. Draco felt sick. He felt indirectly responsible for what happened because he knew. He knew what was happening and didn't say anything.
"Draco, mate? You alright?" Blaise asked, shaking Draco slightly.
Draco nodded and stood, pretending to stretch as if the conversation was as interesting as discussing Neville's interest in herbology.
"Of course, this conversation is just tiresome. I mean, she's only petrified. It's a shame that's all that happened. I'm off. Got to go finish potions essay."
Pansy huffed, a bit miffed that he was leaving so soon, but Blaise just followed Draco's movements out the common room with suspicion.
Once the common room door was shut behind Draco, he began walking with no destination in mind.
He felt anxiety creep up his hands and up his neck, almost suffocatingly and he loosened his tie. He hadn't realised where he was going until his feet stopped in front of the infirmary. For a moment, he just stood because he didn't know what to do. He didn't know how in his anxious haze, he found his way here, but deep down he knew. He just needed to see if she was still alive, his last words to her playing in the back of his mind.
"You'll be next, mudblood." It was as if he manifested it himself.
Draco wanted to check but he couldn't just march in there. People might continue suspecting him of being the heir of Slytherin or thinking he was up to no good.
He resigned himself to waiting until everyone was gone and in bed so he hid in an alcove hidden behind a tapestry. His hands sweaty in his pocket with his right clenching around a piece of paper.
After a few hours, Draco deemed it clear to go in. He silenced his footsteps and slowly made his way inside the infirmary.
Hermione was hard to miss. She was the closest to the door and he hair, because of being petrified, hadn't been brushed so it was bushier than usual.
As he drew closer he saw her eyes wide open. It was unnerving, to say the least. What if she was able to see him. But he knew she couldn't. She wouldn't be able to see or hear him but it gave him a confusing sense of great relief knowing she was still, in fact, alive.
Draco let out a shaky breath. His hands still in his pockets as he rocked on the balls of his feet. He didn't know what to say. Hell, he didn't even really understand himself, why he was here.
His mouth opened and closed a few times before he let out a huff and sardonic laugh.
You're being ridiculous, Draco.
He analysed her features up close. He had never been able to before. Usually, when he's looking at her it's to throw an insult, but even then he had never been as close to her as he was now.
From this close, he was able to fully make out her features clearly. Her hair, he realised, glowed golden in the sun, but in candlelight, only shimmered a tad when it caught the light. Her skin was still too pale, but he noticed that she had splatters of freckles that spanned across her nose, cheek to cheek.
Huh, he never would have guessed.
Her lips looked soft but he didn't allow himself to look too long and if you asked, he would strongly deny that he thought about how they would looked if she grinned at him.
He never really knew she had such delicate features. From a far, she only really seemed to have such sharp features but he hazard it was because she was always angry at him.
I guess she wasn't so ugly... Draco thought to himself begrudgingly, but he could hear his deeper self scoffing. He need really needed to pull himself together and do what he apparently came here to do.
It was a little after midnight when Snape snuck Theo out of the dungeons to go see Hermione. Before they passed through the doors, however, they heard a soft voice. Snape narrowed his eyes. Someone was out past curfew. Quickly disillusioning himself and Theo as well as charming their steps silent, they went through the doors and had to hold in their gasps of shock when they saw the shock of white-blond hair of Draco Malfoy standing uncomfortably by Hermione's petrified state.
Theo's automatic reaction was to draw his wand thinking Draco was up to no good. Snape sensing this, jerked Theo back. Even if they couldn't see each other, they knew where the other was.
Both remained quiet as they got closer to hear what Draco was saying.
"Damn it, Granger. You were supposed to be the brains in fixing all of this but you had to go and get yourself bloody petrified," Draco whispered, occasionally looking behind him to make sure no one was there.
"What the hell will those knuckleheaded twins do without you? Bet they can't even wipe their own arses without you having to instruct them." Theo chuckled silently at this and the corners of Snape's lips curled.
"I can't believe my father is behind all of this madness... My father– he's becoming different now. Something is happening and he's changing. He's getting more strange and scary by the day ever since last year... It's all his fault, really, and because I knew about it and didn't tell anyone, I guess it's my fault too," he chuckled dryly. " I never apologise. I'm a Malfoy, we have nothing to apologise for. But I am sorry. I was too cowardly to tell anyone about my father's plan. People are getting hurt and they might close down Hogwarts until the issue is resolved, but how the hell will it be resolved without you and the wonder duo?" Snape and Theo watched as he took a crumpled-up piece of parchment from his pocket and put it securely into Hermione's cold hand.
He sighed and dropped his head. "Let's be clear, I don't like you–" Snape rolled his eyes and shook his head at this. Okay, Draco. "–You're a swotty, insufferable, know-it-all. You're a muggle-born, though these days I wonder if that really makes a difference between us at all... I don't like you." Seriously she's petrified. Snape nor Theo really knew why he was bothering with all this confessing. It's not like Hermione was able to hear or see him, though Snape had an idea that it was Draco's way of trying to convince himself.
The boy was in denial. But hearing and seeing Draco sway from those pureblood credences, brought Snape immense relief. He cared for Draco as much as he cared for Theo and Hermione and he didn't want Draco to be caught up in all that rubbish– rubbish that people find so important to continuously start a war over.
Draco looked back up at Hermione and shook his head. He didn't say anything more as he snuck his way back down to the dungeons.
As soon as the coast was clear, Snape canceled the charms and smirked at Theo who had his hands on his hips and a disbelieving look on his face. "Well, I'll be damned. The sod was just putting up a damn act this entire time."
Snape didn't respond. Instead, he made his way to Hermione and took the parchment Draco had put in her hand. Unfolding it, his eyes widened as he realized it was a ripped page from a book and had information about a creature known as the Basilisk. He cursed under his breath and damned Lucius before returning the parchment
Theo frowned as he put his hand on Hermione's. She was cold. Transfiguring a rose into a fuzzy blanket, he tucked Hermione in and brushed his hand repeatedly through her curls, forcing himself to not cry. Snape's expression softened and summoned two chairs. They sat by her all night– well early morning– until they both left to get ready for the day.
Hermione burst through the Great Hall doors and ran straight into the arms of her best friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasely. Snape was at the professor's table masking his expressions but a great smile was threatening to take over his face and he fought himself from leaping out of his chair to hug her. His goddaughter was okay.
Theo was tapping his bracelet furiously in intervals of three trying to get her attention. Suddenly, she moved so she was facing the Slytherin table and Harry was standing in front of her, allowing her to look over his shoulder and at him. She grinned widely at Theo before turning away quickly so as to not draw attention, but she had.
"Did Gran-mudblood just smile over here?" Draco asked confusedly, his cheeks pink. He thought she had been looking and smiling at him– he was sitting next to Theo, after all. And for that split second, he worried she somehow knew he visited her in the hospital wing. Draco couldn't have that. She would hold too much leverage over him and that would cause trouble.
Theo's eyes widened. He had to think quickly. "No, Headless Nick was behind us. He had been petrified too, remember. Probably just smiling at him," he said.
Draco nodded, not entirely convinced, but a part of him couldn't deny that his heart may have stuttered? When he saw her run into the Great Hall.
She was okay.