Story: War
Chapter: 15
Rating of Chapter: R
My other Fics: Stress, Wake Me From This Nightmare, Psychokinesis, Forlorn
Thanks: Thanks to Cheryl and Muirnin for their continuous support and help with this fic.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The only things I own are the plot, any characters, spells etc that you do not recognize.
Author Notes: In this chapter Harry practises Occlumency, the newest Order member is revealed and more questions are answered.
Chapter 15: Coach Hermione
The next evening Harry and Hermione sat alone in the silence of the prefect common room. They were due to start Occlumency and Harry was a little nervous about beginning. He found himself thinking back to fifth year when he had tried Occlumency, it hadn't been overly successful. He didn't try last year because he didn't have enough mind problems with Voldemort. Of course this year things were becoming harder, Of course, this year Harry was definitely feeling Voldemort's presence. Things were going to get harder Harry knew it, as did Voldemort.
"Are you ready?" said Hermione, sitting forward and opening up a book to an already marked page. Harry dragged himself forward next to Hermione and sat up abruptly. "I'll take that as a yes?"
Harry nodded casually. "Yeah well, it's only a bit of Occlu-whatever, nothing to worry about."
"Liar," Hermione responded with a small smile.
"Okay so I'm a little nervous, but I'd rather just get it done with." Hermione stood up and bent down to glance at the book, before returning her eyes to Harry.
"Right...the first thing you need to do is clear your mind, find a distraction. Then, while I try to get into your mind, concentrate and try to stop me." Harry ran his fingers through his raven locks as he often did when he was worried.
"I'll try, but are you sure you know how to do this?" he said with a hint of uncertainty.
"Well I've been studying Occlumency for over a year now, so I must know a little something. For now let's work on you taking your mind off things…how about Quidditch?"
Harry tried his best to think about the thrill he experienced when taking to the air, just as Hermione was about to pull out her wand he looked back at her. "I can't do it!"
"Yes you can Harry," Hermione replied with encouragement and determination clear in her tone. "Please, we can try something else." Hermione moved a hand to the top button of her nightshirt, she knew that this wasn't something she would usually walk around doing but she would do anything to help Harry. She unfastened the first few buttons as she watched Harry watch on in amazement, his mouth hanging open a little more every few seconds. With a brisk movement Hermione whipped out her wand. "Leglimens!"
Harry closed his eyes as a blinding white light erupted behind his eyelids, he could see himself at the Dursleys, Dudley chasing after him with a chocolate donut in his hand. The image changed to him glancing up at Hagrid the day he had met him. Then the vision changed quickly to the Dementor's on the train at the beginning of third year. `No, I can't let you in, I won't let you.'
Harry's visions changed to the fire in the prefect common room when he realised he was kneeling down on the ground. He hadn't stopped Hermione from entering his thoughts quickly enough. He stumbled up from the ground, his head feeling as though it was split in two. As his eyes trailed past the sofa he noticed a figure lying on the ground. "Hermione!" he shouted as he rushed to her side. He placed an arm under her neck as her eyes fluttered open. "Are you okay?"
She smiled a little and sat up slowly, using Harry as her support. "Yeah, I just blacked out for a moment." Harry smiled but Hermione looked concerned. "Harry I - I couldn't take it, I'm not strong enough…you need Snape to teach you." Harry did nothing more than hold Hermione in his arms, she had done so much for him that he owed it to her to give Snape another go with Occlumency.
*
Two days later, Draco Malfoy was seated in Professor Dumbledore's office, he knew why he was there and he could guess what was going to happen. He stared into the eyes of Albus Dumbledore who was seated opposite him, his eyes shining behind his half-moon glasses. "Mr Malfoy, you probably know why you are here?"
Draco nodded and scratched his nose coolly. "Yeah, and I'm not going to change my mind."
Dumbledore nodded simply. "Very well, the decision is your's but you would be greatly appreciated."
Draco smirked. "I know, but I don't need to join a little group to fight in this war, I can fight on my own."
"You cannot win this war on your own, after all it is only Harry who can kill Voldemort, what will you do when it comes to him?"
Draco sat quietly, he hadn't thought about that before. "I - I - I'll…" Dumbledore nodded with a smile. "I'll join."
The Headmaster then gave Draco his honorary badge, declaring him the newest member of the Order of the Phoenix.
*
Harry and Hermione walked hand in hand down a long hall leading to the Great Hall. As they walked past a dozen B.D.M.S. and were about to turn into the Hall Harry noticed Fudge walk down a corridor to their right. Harry stopped to watch when Hermione tapped him on the arm. "What is it?" she asked."
"Follow me." Harry led her down the corridor, trying to look as innocent as possible around the B.D.M.S. Once they reached the corner they stood behind a statue so that they were hidden from view. Fudge was talking to a couple of the B.D.M.S members as though he was giving them orders. The two soldiers nodded and followed him down a corridor. "Come on." Harry and Hermione continued down the now empty corridor and turned to their left where Fudge had gone, as they went around the corner they were met by a soldier. As the soldier swung his arm Harry ducked whilst pulling Hermione down. As they were on the ground he kicked the soldier in the stomach. They watched on as the soldier's face turned to a grey colour before three cracks appeared before it disintegrated.
Harry picked the uniform up and thought for a moment. "Harry what are you doing?" said Hermione impatiently as Harry pulled the red top over his head.
"I'm following Fudge."
"Why?"
"Because he's up to something." Harry pulled on the remainder of the uniform and turned to Hermione, who pulled out her wand and muttered a quick spell giving Harry a perfectly drawn goatee. "How do I look?"
Hermione smiled. "Like one of them." Hermione placed a brief kiss on his lips before leaving him to follow the Minister of Magic and his companions.
Harry walked down two halls, managing to avoid any unwanted confrontations with any unwanted company. Harry walked quickly into a small area where he was facing Dumbledore's office, as he arrived he noticed six B.D.M.S soldiers glaring in his direction. "Intruder!" they all shouted at once. Harry guessed that these were some of the brighter ones Draco had mentioned. As they paved in on him he heard a spell cast from behind them. A blinding yellow light blasted in the centre of them, stunning Harry for a few seconds but disintegrating the B.D.M.S. Harry regained his vision in time to see Draco standing outside the platform to Dumbledore's office.
"Hello Potter, nice outfit…but I don't believe it's April 1st for a few months yet." Harry couldn't help but smile at Draco's sarcastic comment, he was so grateful of his appearance. "So what are you up to?"
"Following Fudge, why were you at Dumbledore's office?"
"None of your business, is Fudge up to something?"
"Although that's none of your business I believe he is up to something. That's why I'm following him, thanks for the assist by the way." Harry began to walk away but Draco caught up with him.
"I'll follow, you never know when you might need somebody to save your ass, how did you ever avoid death so many times?"
Harry smiled. "Luck I guess." Draco slipped on another uniform and they turned down another corridor, this time it would take them outside of the castle. They walked by the lake quietly and Harry pulled Draco to a halt when he caught a glimpse of Fudge in the distance. He thought somebody was talking to him so he moved close enough to be out of sight but hear what was being said.
"I have to thank you for being such a great asset to me." Fudge said to the person hidden from view.
"Anything to get my job back, you know I heard everything from where I was being kept." Fudge shook hands with the woman and stepped aside giving Harry view of the person he was dreading seeing the most.
"Who's that old bat?" Draco puzzled.
"Rita Skeeter, she was the other source to Fudge, damn it!"
"How could you hear what they were saying?"
"Well maybe you would too if your head wasn't so far up your arse!" Harry snapped. Draco raised an eyebrow and laughed lightly. "I'm sorry, I'm just a little angry."
"That's ok," said Draco patting Harry on the shoulder. "But I'm going to have to get you back."
*
"But it can't be Rita I have her kept upstairs in her jar." Hermione said as she made her way up to the girl's dormitory, allowing Draco, Harry and Ron access.
"Well it was her, the same lank blonde hair, the same fake jewels, wasn't it Draco?" Harry asked him. Draco nodded absent-mindedly; he gave Ginny a quick wink. She was sitting on her bed with a book on her lap, a smile now developing on her red face.
Hermione knelt down on the floor and looked under her bed, a few minutes later she stood up and announced. "She's gone."
"When was the last time you checked on her?" Harry asked urgently.
Hermione furrowed her brow, knowing that she, Hermione Granger, had made a mistake. "About a month ago."
"A month?" Draco questioned. "Good one."
"Who could have taken her?" Ron wondered.
Hermione placed her hands on her hips. "Fudge of course, he could have come in here anytime and broke her out. Or of course if he didn't feel like doing the work any of his army could have done."
"That prick," Ron stated.
Author Notes: I love writing Harry/Draco scenes; I hope you enjoy reading them too. A lot of things answered above, let me know what you think.