Hey everyone! Thanks for the feedback! Keep em coming! As for the hotel in London-I probably could have done more research in that aspect. I'm an American who has never been to the UK so the only place I know slightly anything about is London. Next time I'll be sure to research more! Thanks for the feedback! Happy Reading!
Steph
Draco woke up the next morning to the sounds of the tv, which had apparently been running all night. He looked down to see Hermione still snuggled against him, though at some point in the night she must've rolled over.
The sunlight shining through the window illuminated her brown curls. He noticed each curl seemed to have a different shade of brown. Some were copper or bronze, some were darker like chocolate or molasses, and even some were lighter like a honey gold or dark blonde.
He gently reached out and brushed some of it that had been in her face behind her ear. That cause Hermione to stir and she rolled over to face him.
"Good morning" she said sleepily, cuddling further into his chest.
He wished this bliss never had to end. He kissed top of her head and pulled her closer. "Good morning love. What's on your agenda today?"
"Vigilante justice and a two person revolution?"
"Sounds wonderful! Let's get started."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The couple sat down for a small breakfast and started to plan. First they figured to take the new regimes one at a time. Voldemort first, and then the order.
"What horcruxes are left?"
"The diadem and Harry."
"Well I don't think we can do anything about Potter right now. But what do we know about the diadem?"
"Before we were captured I had thought to start at hogwarts. In the ravenclaw common room there is a statue of Rowena wearing it, so I could at least see what it looks like."
"Ok but how do we get there? Hogwarts is crawling with death eaters right now, and neither one of us knows how to get into the common room."
Hermione took a moment to think, then her eyes lit up. "Luna! She a ravenclaw she could help us!"
"Luna? As in loony lovegood?"
"Don't call her that."
"Sorry. How are you going to get in touch with her?"
Hermione closed her eyes and pulled out her wand. "Expecto Patronum." Her otter came leaping out of her wand and was bouncing about the room. "I have a private message for Luna Lovegood, stay hidden until she's alone. Tell her we need help getting into hogwarts and to tell us anything she knows about ravenclaws diadem. Hurry!"
Draco watched the otter bounce away, wide eyed. "Granger that was amazing! I've heard of patronus but I've never seen anyone actually cast one! Could you teach me?"
They spent the next hour working on Draco's patronus. Once Hermione was satisfied with his pronunciation and wand movements. It was time to try the spell.
"Ok Draco, now when you say the spell, think of your happiest memory. A memory that is pure good, not shrouded by anything dark. Empty your mind and let that memory fill you. You can't just 'remember' it you have to feel it. Do you have a memory? Good, now, 'expecto partronum"
Draco closed his eyes. He already knew which memory he would use. It was a rather recent one. When he woke up to Hermione asleep in his arms.
"Expecto Patronum" a small silver wisp emerged from his wand.
"That's good, try again!"
"Expecto Patronum!" Out of his wand leaped an otter. Hermione gasped and cast the spell herself.
"Expecto Patronum…" her otter once again leaped out of her wand and the two otters bounced around and played together. Hermione was stunned.
"What does that mean?" Draco asked.
"Well I'm not sure, but there's an old witches tale that soulmates will have matching patronus'. That's never been proven though."
"Do you believe it?"
"I don't know, I never really thought much of it."
He looked down at her as their corporeal patronus' faded away. "I think I'll believe it."
Hermione looked up him in surprise. "You believe I'm your soulmate?"
Draco took her hand and intertwined their fingers. "I wouldn't be surprised."
At that moment Lunas hare hops through the window. "Hello Hermione! It's great to hear from you, we thought you might be dead. Anyway, meet me behind Hagrids hut at 9 o clock tonight and I will escort you in. As for the diadem, I talked to the grey lady's ghost and she gave me a riddle. I think I know the answer but we'll discuss later. See you soon!" The hare hopped away.
Hermione was grinning from ear to ear. "Draco this is great! If we know where the diadem is we can destroy it!"
"That is great Hermione but how will we get on the grounds? Hogwarts is crawling with dementors."
"Well we have the cloak, and technically we're still students, so the wards will recognize us. The dementors should be none the wiser, they're focused on Harry. Besides, we can fight them off with the patronus charm if we have to."
"Ok, after we destroy the diadem, then what?"
"Well the only horcrux left would be Harry."
"You could have him meet us like you did with lovegood, and try the same thing you did with me to get rid of the mark."
"That's a good plan. I'll send him a patronus right after we find the diadem. He can meet us at the hut we went to the first night."
"He knows where that is?"
"Yes, that's the spot where hagrid first told him he was a wizard."
"Interesting."
"It really is. I'll have to have him tell you sometime."
"Ok so after Potter's horcrux is destroyed, all we have to do is what? Kill Voldemort?"
"Well it's not that simple. The prophecy states that neither can live while the other survives. Harry is the one meant to kill Voldemort. He may be the only one who can."
"That's inconvenient. Well after he kills Voldemort I assume the order will try to round up all the other death eaters?"
"Yes, and I think we should let them do the work for us."
"Agreed. Once they've done that, how will we keep Shacklebolt from taking over?"
"That's going to be a little more complicated. We'd have to find someone who is a better option for minister than him. And we would need people on our side to vote for them."
"Hm, I think I may know of a few people who'd be willing to join our cause."
"Who?"
Draco gave her a devious smirk. "Let's just say I know of a few snakes that are more than happy to live life in the grey area."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After hours of discussion, more documentaries (Draco was obsessed with them at this point), and his first time eating Chinese takeout, it was time to go meet Luna. Hermione packed her bag with everything they might need and then some. After apparating into the forbidden forest, they covered themselves with the cloak and began the trek to hagrids hut.
On the way, they passed the pen that had been used for their Care of Magical Creatures class. Hermione giggled, confusing Draco.
"We are potentially walking to our deaths Granger! What are laughing about?"
"I was remembering that one time you got scratched by buckbeak. Your reaction was hilarious!"
Draco rolled his eyes. "Honestly! Isn't it enough you punched me square in the nose later that week? I know I was a git back then no need to remind me."
"Oh calm down. It was a funny memory for me. In all seriousness a hippogriff was probably a little too dangerous to have around school children."
"See! I knew that oaf wasnt fit to be a teacher. You even had to remind him to take me to the nurse!"
"Hagrid had never taught the class before! He was probably nervous! I said that because I wanted to make sure you weren't seriously injured. I think I cared about you even then, though I didn't realize it."
It was Draco's turn to laugh now. "Hermione you punched me just a couple of days later. I'm pretty sure you hated me."
"Hate is a strong word! Besides I regularly smack Harry and Ron with books whenever they're being prats."
Draco raised an eyebrow at her. "So youve always been violent."
"No! Not violent, I have to resort to drastic measures in order to get you boys' attention!"
"Hey don't lump me in with those two!"
"Hello Hermione."
"Gahh!" Hermione and Draco both jumped, surprised to see Luna standing not two feet in front of them, which made them drop the cloak.
"Oh good! Draco Malfoy is with you! I see you've finally resolved your issues, though I can sense the sexual tension is still there-"
Hermione shoved the cloak into her bag. "Nice to see you too Luna! So, how are things with Snape as headmaster?"
"Oh just horrible! The Carrow twins are teaching defense and are horrible disciplinarians. They have pure bloods practice the cruciatus curse on half bloods and muggle borns."
"That's awful!"
"Indeed! Neville has gotten Dumbledores Army back together and he's trying to work with the order to take back the school."
"That's great Luna! Listen, you said something about the grey lady knowing where the diadem is?"
"Yes, I think the answer may be the room of requirement or more specifically as the grey lady called it 'the room of hidden things"
Draco's eyes shot over to Luna.
"Lovegood, what does the diadem look like?"
"It's a silver crown, with a blue stone in the center. An eagle sits on top of the stone, with its wings spread made out of smaller stones. It's said to grant great wisdom to whoever wears it."
"Great Salazar!"
"What is it Draco?"
"I've seen it Hermione! Lovegoods right it's in the room of hidden things! That's where I was fixing the vanishing cabinet the night Dumbledore died! I know where it is!"
"Then let's go! Luna, can you make sure no one is in the room at the moment?"
"Sure thing Hermione. Oh and one last thing before I go?"
"Yes?"
Luna clasped her hand and gave her a whimsical smile. "Im happy for you two. You'll do well together." She then sent off a patronus, making sure the room was clear for them.
Hermione returned her smile, then covered her and Draco in the cloak again as they set off to the seventh floor.
Once they arrived Draco paced in front of the door three times before opening it. Inside was a very cluttered room with mountains of stuff. Hermiones jaw went slack.
"How are we supposed to find it amongst all this junk? It'd take ages!"
"I remember seeing it on my way to the vanishing cabinet, so unless anyone has moved it, it should still be there." Draco started through the maze of the room. Hermione followed close behind. How did no one become lost in here?
All of a sudden Draco stopped, Hermione crashing into his back.
"Oh! I'm sorry!"
Draco chuckled and turned to face her. "It's ok." He surprised her by grabbing her face and pulling her in for a quick (ok not so quick) kiss.
Breathless and thoroughly snogged, Hermione asked him, "what was that for?"
"I don't know, for just being you I guess. Now, the diadem should be right about here." He pointed upwards towards an open dark cherry wood box, inside the velvet lining lay the diadem. He began to try to climb over the objects, but quickly fell, causing an avalanche and almost causing himself to be buried underneath the fallen items.
"Draco! Are you ok?"
He accepted her hand and she helped him up. "Yeah I'm fine. I don't think we're getting up there that way. It fell a bit though. What if I hoist you up?"
"What?"
"Here, get up on my shoulders and grab it." He crouched on the ground in front of her.
She shook her head at him. This made her nervous. "If you say so."
"Come on you barely weigh anything! I won't let you fall. Trust me."
Ugh how could she say no to that? "Fine, but I fall I'll never forgive you!"
"Fine just get up here!"
She tentatively mounted his shoulders and grabbed his hands to balance herself as he moved to stand up.
Once he reached his full height she straightened herself up, easily able to reach the diadem, which had fallen out of the box with the avalanche. "Got it!"
He knelt again to let her down. "See? Perfectly safe."
She rolled her eyes and pulled the sword of gryffindor out of her bag. She laid the diadem on the ground and presented the sword to Draco "want to do the honors?"
"No no, I've had enough of that sword for a lifetime thank you."
"Suit yourself" she shrugged her shoulders and went to swing the sword when a puff of black smoke billowed out of the diadem. The smoky image of Bellatrix came face to face with Hermione.
"You filthy mudblood, you thought you could destroy me! You're nothing! You don't deserve magic!"
Hermione froze.
"Don't listen to her Hermione! She dead! You killed her! She's lying!"
Hermione glanced at Draco, nodded, and went to swing the sword again. This time, the image of Pansy Parkinson emerged, temporarily confusing her.
"Oh please! Why would Draco want you? No you're just another notch in the belt of the slytherin sex god! You think he loves you? Why would he? Why would he want the girl that Ron Weasley didn't even want? He doesn't-"
Hermione had dropped to her knees and dropped the sword. She couldn't listen to this anymore so she covered her ears, tears streaming down her face.
Pansys ranting was interrupted by her shrill scream. She looked up to see Draco smash the sword into the diadem. Pansys image writhed in the smoke. The stones from the eagles wings were scattering across the floor. Then, as quickly as it had appeared the smoke vanished and all was still.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hermione!" Draco ran over to Hermione and enveloped her in a hug. "Hey, she was lying ok? That was the horcrux trying to protect itself. I would never do that to you."
She nodded into his chest, unable to keep the tears from coming. He let her cry for a moment then took her face into his hands. "I love you Hermione, you're it for me. I've known that for years now." He hugged her again and kissed the top of her head. "And as for being a 'notch in my belt' that couldn't be more false. I don't know where that rumor started but I am no 'sex god' I've never even been with anyone that way so you dont have anything to worry about. I love you for you Granger, and I'm not going anywhere."
She lifted her head and gave him a sad smile. "Thank you. I'm sorry for not giving you the benefit of the doubt."
"Don't worry about it, truly. The only reason I was able to stab the thing was because when I picked up the sword and when pansy was done yelling at you, the smoke turned into Potter snogging you so I just pretended the diadem was his head." He gave her a wide grin.
Hermione shoved his shoulder. "Oh sod off. That's actually the same thing Ronald saw when he destroyed the locket."
"I don't like having that much in common with the weasel."
Hermione rolled her eyes at him and scoffed. "Of course not." She wiped the tears from her face and sat up straight. "Well! I'm going to send a quick patronus to Harry and then I guess we can go home."
Home. He liked that word. Even if it was just a temporary hotel room, home was wherever she was.
