Chapter 12: Under the cloak
"Great! How are we supposed to get the book now?" Hermione sighed in frustration as both she and Harry exited the library empty-handed. They were not naive to think acquiring the book would be easy but its new location came with particular challenges.
"How else? We'll have to break into Dumbledore's office," Harry said, having already made up his mind.
Hermione, however, couldn't be more against the suggestion. They were infringing on too many rules and deviating that much from the past would only mean additional trouble.
"Absolutely not!" She shrieked. "That's way too dangerous, Harry. How would we even sneak inside with Dumbledore sitting in his office? And we don't know when he'll be away, not on such short notice. We have to think of something else."
"We can try but we're running out of time," he said, making a dismissive gesture with his hand. "Listen, I'll lure Dumbledore away from his office this evening. He's already expecting me to report on my conversation with Slughorn so I'll send a message that I'll be waiting for him in the Astronomy Tower or Hagrid's hut or something while you and Malfoy sneak in and retrieve the book."
"Me and Draco?!" She questioned, a little too excited about the prospect, hoping Harry wouldn't notice her distress. "Why do we need Draco for this?"
"Because he already knows what the books look like and two sets of eyes are better than one in finding it quickly. I'll lend you the Invisibility Cloak and you'll be able to search for the grimoire undetected. It's brilliant!" Harry decided, his big grin making Hermione feel nauseous to her stomach.
"I don't know, Harry…" Hermione trailed off, not feeling convinced by her friend's plan.
In theory, it sounded perfect but in reality, sharing the cloak with Draco in such close proximity after they had shared a kiss was asking for trouble. Her pulse rushed just at the thought of it. She tried convincing herself she was doing it entirely for the sake of their future although deep down, one percent of herself was looking forward to it.
"Come on, Hermione. We've done worse," Harry reminded her, green eyes fixated on her, hinting at his stubbornness.
"Fine, I guess," she finally gave in, trying to be complacent about it. "We'll have to let Draco know."
"I'll handle that. You go take the invisibility cloak from my chest and meet him in front of Dumbledore's office in about an hour. I'll have McGonagall pass on the message to Dumbledore."
"And what if he doesn't leave? What then?" Hermione questioned, taking all scenarios into account.
"Don't worry, he will. I promise his office will be empty by the time you and Malfoy enter it," Harry reassured her.
"If you say so," she replied.
"You'll be fine. Just…keep an eye on him, I still don't trust him."
Hermione nodded, unable to blame Harry for it. Trust couldn't be built overnight, especially with someone like Draco. They had a history together and it was anything but encouraging.
"I mean it, Hermione," Harry added in the usual urgent tone he used whenever he wanted to prove a point. "I know you think he has a good side and while that may be so, I doubt he'll choose to show it to us that easily. Be careful."
"I can take care of myself, Harry," she reminded him, rolling her eyes in the process.
"I've seen how you look at him and I don't like it."
At that affirmation, Hermione felt her body tense up. Of course, he would pick up on it, whatever "it" was. Harry had always been her best friend and he had always been able to read her or at least notice when something was different. There was no doubt about it, he had realized she was regarding Draco differently but thankfully, he did not comprehend just how much.
"I don't know what you mean," she finally said. There was no reason for her to get into it with Harry, not yet. Not until Hermione herself understood what was going on and why she had become so thoroughly infatuated as of late. "And if that were the case, what are you doing sending me, of all people, with him?"
"Because I trust your better judgment," came the sharp retort.
That makes one of you, at least, Hermione uttered internally, hoping her expression would not betray her shameful thoughts.
OOO
An hour later, Hermione was in the Gryffindor tower, posted in the nearby vicinity of Dumbledore's office. She tried to conceal her presence as much as possible behind an adjacent corner even though her presence there wouldn't be completely unjustified.
Matters were different for Draco Malfoy though. It wasn't every day that Slytherins waltzed right into Gryffindor territory, willingly choosing to mingle with their everyday nemesis. Grasping tighter onto the invisibility cloak, Hermione figured Draco would manage to make his way through her somewhat undetected despite his inability to blend in. There was nothing forgettable about Draco Malfoy, starting from his elegant stride to his striking features and right down to his haughty glare. Really now, even if he wanted to, he could not pass as a regular wizard.
She kept peeking around the corner when she finally spotted Dumbledore leaving his office, most likely summoned by Harry's plea to meet him elsewhere. Hermione released a small breath she had been hanging on for longer than she had thought, relief invading her tensed muscles. With Dumbledore out of the way, phase one of their suicidal mission was done.
Draco's timing was excellent, as per usual. Only moments after Dumbledore disappeared from her sight, Draco had stepped on the other end of the corridor, visibly looking for her. Two Gryffindors gave him a curious look in passing but it did little to deter him. Appealing to her courage, Hermione detached herself from her vantage point and waved at him to come over. Fortunately, the area had cleared; most of the students were probably having their supper or studying for the Charms test tomorrow by now.
"What's going on? Potter told me to meet you here, in front of Dumbledore's office. Did you find the book?" Draco inquired, stopping right in front of her. There was urgency in his tone, as if he feared to be seen with her, especially in such a compromising location and while Hermione should have echoed his anxieties, she couldn't be bothered less. In fact, she had been looking forward to seeing him again, despite the dreadful implications of what they were about to do.
"No, the book is no longer in the Restricted Section. But…" She quickly added upon seeing his crestfallen expression. "We know where it is now."
"Where?" He asked suspiciously.
Instead of replying, Hermione turned her head toward the stone gargoyle, unable to formulate a better retort.
"No…" she heard him say weakly. "You jest. It can't be in Dumbledore's office. How are we ever going to get it?"
"With this," Hermione said, revealing the cloak from within her robes, aware it wouldn't prove anything without further explanations. "It's an invisibility cloak. It belongs to Harry and we've been using it around Hogwarts grounds successfully. We just need to cover ourselves with it and we can enter the Headmaster's office undetected. And don't worry, Harry is keeping Dumbledore occupied."
Draco's eyes glinted at the cloak's sight, delighted to find himself still surprised by the collection of special items the magical world continued to produce with time. He touched the material briefly, eyes rising to meet Hermione's:
"This is incredible. Does it really work?"
"Care to see for yourself?" She asked playfully, pulling his arm toward the office's entrance. He allowed himself to be handled by her, mostly by sheer fascination with the cloak. "Oh, shoot!" Hermione interjected, realization dawning on her. "I forgot to ask Harry the password."
"Is it…Sugar Quill?" He asked and all of a sudden, a heavy noise interrupted them as the gargoyle defending the entrance began spiraling upwards, revealing a staircase leading up into what Hermione knew was the Headmaster's office.
"How did you know?" Hermione inquired, truly curious.
"Potter told me. Had no idea what the password was for," Draco said lightheartedly and jumped onto the stairs, his intuition leading him directly to the location.
"Wait for me! And put this on," Hermione joined him on the staircase and hurried to unfold the invisibility cloak and cover themselves with it.
In a mere second, they became invisible. The gargoyle stopped its motion which allowed both of them to step off the stairs and post themselves in front of the door.
"Is it really working? We're invisible?" Draco breathed next to Hermione, reminding her how close they were together. Their shoulders were touching, heads inclined toward one another in conspiratory bliss. Due to his height, he stood crouched further than her, back slouching uncomfortably but he did not complain. On the contrary, he appeared mesmerized by the whole situation, much like a child in a candy shop.
"Yes, we are. But keep your voice down, the cloak does not cancel sound."
"Understood," he nodded and Hermione had to distract herself with a spell to unglue her eyes from his.
She took out her wand from within her robes and pointing at the door, perfectly whispered:
"Alohomora!"
At her command, the office door rattled and unlocked itself before their eyes. With caution, they both stepped inside, holding onto the cloak and making sure to synchronize their steps. The office was just as Hermione remembered it: majestic and filled with magical items and the wisdom of countless generations of headmasters before. To her side, Draco gasped in wonder.
"I'm guessing it's your first time here?" She turned to look at him, seeing him clearly even underneath the magical material.
"Yes. The privilege seems to be reserved only for righteous Gryffindors," Draco commented with a tinge of spiteful regret.
Hermione scoffed but let the comment slide. She could see Draco analyze the office thoroughly, taking in its every detail, every nook and cranny. The tall arched windows were now tainted deep blue from the darkness befalling the outside, allowing candles and the giant candelabra at the top to bask the circular room in light gold and pure magic. At its center, rested Dumbledore's mahogany desk, home to an array of various intricate objects attesting to the headmaster's endless curiosity. Rolls of parchment were cluttered on top of it, explaining the sweet smell of old paper in the air. To one corner of the room stood Fawkes, perched on its golden stand, seemingly attentive to something. Together with the collection of portraits adorning the walls, he too, could feel the presence of someone in the room, disturbing the air and the privacy of the office. However, thanks to the invisibility cloak, they would not know and would not tell.
"There," Hermione pointed to the shelves stacked with ancient, leather-bound books, and set on making the most of the precious minutes Harry had granted them. If the book was anywhere in the office, it had to be there.
Following her lead, Draco mirrored her steps swiftly, having already guessed her intention. They both began scouring the shelves for the book, signaling to one another which side they would each take. They looked and searched but the book was nowhere to be seen. Occasionally, they would take out volumes with blank spines, hoping the cover would reveal the coveted title but no avail. Their fingers danced on books and shelves, eyes frantically searching for it unsuccessfully. They were about to give up and reach the obvious conclusion when Draco patted her on the shoulder and showed her a spot they hadn't considered before.
"I think it's there, in the glass cabinet," he said.
Hermione stopped her searching quest and following his gaze, she looked over to the Pensieve, where a glass cabinet displaying some of Dumbledore's most impressive magical possessions had remained undetected up till then. On a shelf, she spotted a few books and her hope reignited. Without any additional words, they both made their way over to the cabinet, tilting their heads as they read the titles. Draco found it first.
"This is it," he said, opening the cabinet and extracting the book with care as Hermione held the cloak securely on top of them.
He brought it underneath, to examine it closely, making sure it was the right book. Upon confirming it, he couldn't help but be amused by the way Hermione looked at the grimoire, completely transfixed by it. The witch really loved books, that much he knew but it escaped him how exactly he ended up finding that endearing. A thought crossed his mind - that as highly demanding as Hermione Granger was, she was not so difficult to please after all. A new book was everything she needed to forget about the world momentarily.
"Don't worry Granger, you can read it after I'm done with it," Draco chuckled softly, surprising Hermione in the process. She had never heard him laugh, not maliciously at least. His features were relaxed, no longer harsh nor cruel, making him even more attractive. Additionally, it made him approachable for a brief moment. Guard down, lips parted slightly in a playful smile and his demeanor escalating to irresistible - variables to an equation Hermione wanted to solve a little too eagerly.
"We should leave," she found herself saying, panicking internally at the dangerous effect he had started having on her.
Fortunately for her, he hadn't noticed. Instead, Draco followed her lead towards the exit, book securely in his hands. Unfortunately, the moment they were out, the gargoyle stairs had activated, signaling someone was coming up the stairs and whoever it was, would bump right into them.
"Oh, no," Hermione whispered, trying to remain calm, heart sinking at the sight of Dumbledore ascending the stairs. Harry must have been unable to detain him any longer and the Headmaster had headed straight back to his office and even though they were invisible, guilt for her actions paralyzed Hermione on the spot.
She suddenly felt Draco's arm folding around her waist and pulling her close to him as he pressed his body against the opposing wall, positioning them as far away as he could from the door but the entrance space was narrow and could barely fit the both of them. He grasped onto her tighter, her back and spine nestling on his chest, feeling every inch of his ribcage. A fragrance of sandalwood and leather engulfed her at once, forbidding her to suppress the reality of whose embrace she was currently in.
Hermione wondered if he could sense the manic thrum of her pulse, her rapid inhalations of breath, her wild emotions whirling in her head, making their way to her chest and her dry throat. Skin prickled at the contact, hairs rising in response to damned instinct. A small whimper almost escaped her lips but she wouldn't let it betray her, not like this.
They both matched breathing rhythms eventually, allowing Hermione to experience a rollercoaster of feelings in mere seconds. Somehow, him not facing her was far worse, especially with her head resting gently in the nook of his neck, his breathing caressing her hair. She could feel heat radiating off him, possessing her like a stubborn spirit, poking at her restraints, testing the limits of her knees. It was as if she was losing brain cells by the second, melting at the way his arm was incapacitating her, almost daring her to escape.
After what felt like an eternity, Dumbledore reached the door and by consequence, them. He paused for a while, turned his head and stared right in their direction as if sensing someone was there. Hermione's breath remained lodged somewhere in her throat, horrified by the idea of Dumbledore finding them. The scandal that would ensue. The rumors and the punishment. His flushed face trying to explain.
Luckily for them, before Hermione could build up even more embarrassing scenarios in her head, Dumbledore lost interest in the spot that caught his attention and proceeded to enter his office, door closing loudly behind him. Draco didn't let go of her immediately and if Hermione didn't know any better she would think he almost enjoyed the proximity, dissecting it to its last meaning, dealing with his own worrisome thoughts.
"I think the coast is clear now. Let's go," he instructed but strangely did not budge from his place.
He gently released her, arm slipping away from her. He also removed the cloak off them so they could see each other better and when Hermione turned to face him, she was satisfied to see his expression was not exactly composed. She was already missing his body heath and the fact that he bore his eyes into hers intensely shook her to the core. He looked like he wanted to tell her something, like he wanted to come closer and say it, enough to touch her mouth willingly with his already parted lips. But doing that in front of the Headmaster's office would be their worst idea yet and it took Hermione every last bit of strength to tear her gaze away from his and walk over to the stairs.
"Hurry, before we really get caught this time," she told him and checked behind her to see him following her down the steps.
The staircase swirled back down in a few seconds, seconds which Hermione took to settle her pounding heart. Back downstairs, she allowed herself permission to look at him again.
"Thank you for saving us. I…just froze, I don't know what happened," she said, trying to find her words.
"Don't mention it, Granger. Here," he said, handing her the cloak but keeping the book. This time, his expression was back to normal, slightly stoical but not entirely displeased as usual. They fell step in step as they worked their way back to the Great Hall, aware they would need to split up at one point.
"Are you going to start learning the spell tonight?" Hermione asked, genuinely curious.
"I intend to," Draco confirmed. "There's no time to waste, especially with these kinds of spells."
"Well…if you need a second opinion or any help with it," she offered, feeling stupid for searching for opportunities to see him again soon.
"You'll be the first person I ask," Draco told her, something in his demeanor reassuring her he was telling the truth.
She felt her cheeks burning at his words, hoping he wouldn't be able to notice.
"Thanks. Well, I'll let Harry know we've got the book."
"Make sure you tell him he's useless when it comes to covering for you. Didn't you say he was keeping Dumbledore occupied?"
"Yes, I know, I'll give him an earful," she said, a smile blooming all over her face.
They were only meters away from the spot meant for them to part ways and perhaps there was plenty more to discuss but their evening was suddenly cut short when Ron came round the corner and stumbled upon the both of them. He regarded them bitterly, his disgust increasing when noticing Hermione's obvious smile. Draco Malfoy wasn't even supposed to be on the list of people able to draw that kind of reaction out of his friend. And yet there he was, claiming her innocent affections.
"So, is this how things are now, Hermione? Getting chummy with Malfoy? You know, just because I'm against this whole charade doesn't give you the right to run off with him, laughing without a care in the world, pretending you've forgotten how he's treated you all this time."
"Ron…" Hermione began, realizing matters looked worse in Ron's view than they truly were.
"Don't Ron me! Can't you see? You're associating yourself with this….this…git! Have you no shame?" Ron exploded, even more irritated than the first time they discussed it. "And you!" He pointed a finger at Draco, his tone cracking with adrenaline. "How dare you? How dare you even be in her presence? You're a real piece of work, you know?" Nothing but a coward, taking advantage of our goodwill."
"Granger. Make him stop," Draco warned, eyes already darkening at the neverending list of insults.
"Or what? You'll curse me? Go ahead, see where that takes you. Maybe I'll stick that wand of yours even higher up your arse!"
"I'd like to see you try, Weasly!"
"Ron! Just stop it! Both of you," Hermione intervened, fearing Draco's reaction most of all. He was already riled up beyond her control and with good reason too. Ron was provoking him intentionally.
If Draco took out his wand, it was game over. Compared to Ron, he was infinitely quicker, stronger and just as impulsive. At least they shared the last part in common. Too bad they couldn't put their differences away for even a second.
"You can't keep fighting like this, it's not helping anyone. On the contrary."
"I can't believe you're taking his side," Ron shook his head in disbelief, taking a step backward.
"I am taking no one's side," Hermione stressed, already tired for having to navigate crisis after crisis. In all truth, he was faithful to his future self. Even then he was quick to blame her for everything, belittling her expectations. She should have seen the signs. She should have known that life with him was not going to be easy but love always had a way of blinding you to the really important things.
"You could have fooled me," he spat, turning sharping on his heel and stomping away, his feet echoing loudly as he put more and more distance between them.
"Ron! Ron, don't go!" Hermione called after him for the second time that day, yet to succeed in stopping him from leaving. She understood that if she let him go this time as well, their chances of reaching a civilized level among all would never materialize.
"I have to go after him," she told Malfoy, detesting how selective she would come across. And as expected, Draco's expression turned to stone, most probably feeling betrayed or worse, resumed to second place, a position he was probably not very used to. She dug her nails in the palm of her hands, understanding that she would now risk all the fragile progress she had made with Draco. The man was beyond proud and she had just hurt the very essence of his beliefs.
Unable to look back at him, she forced herself to make the right decision and chased after Ron down the halls.
"Ron, wait!"
His shoes scuffed against the cold stone, his robes fluttered but he still didn't slow down. Hermione had to grab him by his hand and turn him around to face her, both breathing heavily for obviously different reasons. Ron's expression, a mixture of frustration and anger was all it took for Hermione to comprehend that she had to be the bigger person and calm him down somehow because his ears were burning bright red - a telltale sign that he was on the verge of either losing control or crying.
"You're behaving like a child, Ron. You didn't even bother to ask why Draco and I were together in the first place."
"That's because it doesn't matter. Whatever the reason, it doesn't make it alright," he emphasized, his voice already getting raspy from all the shouting he had done that evening during Quidditch practice.
"Listen…"
"No, you listen!" He cut her off immediately. "You've been acting strange for a while now and I'm getting more convinced by the second that you were telling the truth about jumping back into the past because this is clearly not the Hermione I know but…"
"But?" The witch inquired, fearful of what he had to say next.
"But there's something that's been bothering me even more than you and Malfoy. In all your stories about the future, all the outcomes and endings, you've never once mentioned anything about me and you."
Ah, there it was. She knew it was coming. She knew that, eventually, he would ask. Hermione had avoided the topic of the two of them together because she knew she would owe him so many explanations otherwise. On top of that, he would expect them to be together sooner. He would boast and claim her as his own and as much as it pained her, she was no longer certain she wanted that future with him anymore. Going back to the past had offered her not only the gift of changing the course of upcoming events but also, perhaps, the opportunity to choose differently for herself.
"I am aware of that," Hermione admitted, lowering her head in defeat.
"Tell me why then. I mean, you told Harry he ends up with my sister, which I have yet to wrap my head around so what happens to us?"
"Nothing. There is no us, Ron."
For a moment there, she figured she would tell him the truth, be sincere about the reality of their future marriage but a selfish part of her put a stop to her intention. Instead, she chose to lie and protect him in her own way, not raising his hopes up, not dictating the same path for him and her even though he would be happy, only that…she would not.
"There isn't?" He asked, sounding like he didn't fully believe her.
"No. We marry colleagues from Hogwarts, have children and lead a happy life. But don't worry, we see each other regularly, we actually spend holidays at your family home."
"Who do we marry?"
"I can't tell you that, it might affect the future."
"But Harry…"
"Harry is different. Him marrying Ginny is incredibly important," she said, leaving no room for insistence. "I don't even understand why you would think of us together, Ron…"
"That's because I…" He trailed off, unable to put his feelings into words. It didn't make any sense, nor what he felt for her nor a future built with someone else. He had always thought he would be with Hermione at one point. They had always been together and with Harry developing feelings for his sister, it was normal for him to think she would choose him, wasn't it?
"Forget it," he said in the end, unable to deal with everything all at once. There was much to process and if they were meant to be, they would find their way back to each other somehow, they had to. Or maybe he could try to ask again some other time.
"So…what were you and Malfoy doing in the halls?" He asked, thinking that if he could not beat them, he would at least join them. Plus, if Malfoy tried anything, Ron could better monitor him in the rink as opposed to outside of it.
Hearing his question, Hermione's face lit up instantly.
"Oh, you won't believe it when I tell you! But first, we need to find Harry," she said and urged him to follow her in search of their friend.
As Hermione grasped his hand again, leading him into the Great Hall, Ron realized he much preferred a smiling Hermione to a tongue-lashing one.
OOO
Author's note: One more chapter done, I hope you liked it! If you did, please let me know in the comments *cries in feedback. I have to say, writing these moments between Hermione and Draco are extremely fun, even though they come at the expense of Ron's suffering (Sorry, Ron!). Chapter by chapter, these two are getting closer and I have some really nice plans for them, hehehe. Take care, everyone!
James Birdsong: Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a lovely comment.