~A/N> I want to apologize for being MIA, I have been working on this chapter and a brand new story that I hope
to start posting soon. With other things happinging in my life, such as health problems and other various things, my
writing and stories have suffered. I have been getting everyone's reviews on all my stories, I just haven't
gotten around to replying to any of them and I want to say I'm sorry for that too. Also, I'd like to invite you
to check out my live journal and join should you feel the inclination, I love talking to all my readers and getting
opinions on certain aspects that pertain to my stories: http://www.livejournal.com/~miscard/ . Thanks for being patient, and thanks
to Spaz, my beta, who worked hard on this chapter so that I could get it posted quickly.
Harry and Hermione continued silently down the corridor, both lost in thought. Hermione stopped suddenly and turned to Harry with a confused look on her face. "I know that Malfoy can be really mean and nasty sometimes, but do you really think that he's capable of murder?" she asked.
"Yes I do," replied Harry, "Especially since both victims weren't in Slytherin. I always wondered if Malfoy would snap if goaded and tormented enough, and this just proves that I was right."
They both fell quiet again and continued to walk to Dumbledore's office. When they finally reached his door and knocked, they had to wait a while before he opened it. He ushered them in and motioned them over to the fireplace. "I will be back in a moment," he said to whomever he was conversing with.
Turning towards them he asked, "Miss Granger, Harry, what brings you out at this late hour?"
"There's been another murder Sir," Hermione stated matter-of-factly.
Dumbledore didn't say anything but his face took on an expression that was part anger and part sadness. The twinkle in his eyes dimmed as he said, "I have an urgent situation to attend to just now, but I will be there as soon as it is taken care of. Miss Granger, I will need you and Harry to make sure the scene is not disturbed, but I believe it would be best if you used Mr. Potter's Invisibility Cloak."
"I just happen to have it with me," Harry said.
With a slight smile and nod, Dumbledore said, "Very well, I shall be along shortly."
"She's in the Astronomy Tower Sir," Hermione said, "We put a locking charm on the door, but we'll go remove it and wait for you at the entrance."
"I will meet you there as soon as possible," Dumbledore replied. Harry and Hermione turned to make their way out of the office when he said, "Miss Granger, Harry, make sure to keep a watchful eye and look out for one another."
"Yes Sir," replied Harry as he took Hermione's hand and led her to the staircase; they were both dreading the time they would have to wait in the tower until Dumbledore arrived and neither could help wondering if the killer might still be somewhere close by.
~*~
They had been standing by the Astronomy Tower door for thirty minutes, just inside the room, covered with Harry's invisibility cloak when Dumbledore appeared in the doorway and conjured a bunch of floating candles above them, lighting the entire room. They both came out from under the cloak as Dumbledore glanced around the room. Harry knew the moment the Headmaster had spotted Rebecca lying on the floor behind them because the twinkle in his eyes diminished down to nothing, replaced with a look of quiet sadness.
Hermione looked up and said, "I found her while I was checking for stray students...this is always the last place I look while on my rounds...it's Rebecca Brighton Sir."
Dumbledore walked over to where the young girl lay and stared down at her. "I remember her parents when they attended Hogwarts, I will have to have Madam Sprout notify them immediately," he said, looking back at them, "Two murders in two days…this may very well be the end of Hogwarts."
"Sir," Harry said, looking from Hermione to Dumbledore, "it was Malfoy."
"How can you be so sure it was Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked, "What exactly did you see?"
"I saw him," said Harry trying to explain, " I felt as if someone were in the corridor, watching us. I went to look around, to see if I could find anyone, and he ran when I spotted him peering around a corner...I'd know that blond hair anywhere."
Dumbledore called for Dobby and when he suddenly appeared he said, "Go to Professor Snape and inform him that I require his and Mr. Malfoy's presence in my office immediately."
"Yes Sir," said the nervous house-elf and just as suddenly he disappeared.
Dumbledore turned his attention back to Harry and Hermione and with a Grandfatherly look said, "I think the two of you should go to my office also; I will be there as soon as Madame Pomfrey arrives to take care of Miss Brighton."
Harry looked down at Rebecca again and felt his stomach turn; keeping his arm around Hermione's waist he said, "Yes Sir," and guided her down the steps.
~*~
'Her features are just like mine…' Hermione thought as she walked to Professor Dumbledore's office with Harry, 'and Lavender had a wig on that was the same style and color as my hair.' She knew she was probably over reacting, that it was just lack of sleep, finding a second murdered girl and having Harry's arm wrapped around her...but still the thought kept nagging on her conscious. 'What if he was really after me?' she thought with a small jolt of fear and then shook her head in frustration, 'Don't be silly Hermione, why would anyone be after you?'
"Are you okay Hermione?" Harry asked from beside her.
"As good as can be, I suppose," she answered, looking up at him. "Harry, did you notice anything...familiar about Rebecca?" she asked, watching as a look of surprise crossed his face and then quickly disappeared.
"What do you mean?" he asked, and she knew he was stalling.
"Did she look like anyone you know?" she persisted, a small part of her wanting to know if her fears were warranted.
"Hermione..." he said as he stopped in the middle of the corridor, giving her a questioning look.
"Do you think she looked a lot like me?" she asked, saying it quickly before she lost the nerve to ask.
"No...no, she didn't look like you," he said so unconvincingly that even he didn't believe it.
She knew instantly that he was lying and staring directly into his eyes she said, "I just want to know if my suspicion's are justified Harry, so would please just answer my question...honestly?"
She watched as Harry sighed heavily, looked her in the eye and said, "I did notice that there was a slight resemblance to you, and then the wig that was on Lavender...I noticed that it looked sort of like your hair."
The slight fear she had felt before started to multiply as she listened to what he said; her fears were obviously not as ridiculous as she first thought. "So what do you think the resemblances mean?" she asked, a part of her afraid to hear his answer.
"I think," he said, stopping and taking both her hands in his, "that there's a possibility that it's you he's really after."
"That thought had crossed my mind too," she replied, squeezing his hands as her fear increased, "But why would someone be after me?"
"Because you're my best friend, more than my best friend, and someone thinks they can get to me by hurting you," he answered, anger evident in his voice. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly against his chest; "He won't get to you Hermione, I promise," he said quietly, and when she looked up at him he bent down and kissed her softly on the lips, sealing his promise.
~*~
He woke up the next morning, showered and got dressed, and then made his way to the Great Hall to eat. He smiled to himself as he walked out into the corridor; he couldn't wait to hear the fearful whispers and moronic guesses as to who was responsible for all the chaos in the school.
As he navigated his way through the corridors he heard snippets of conversations here and there; "I heard her head was cut completely off!" wailed a third year Ravenclaw.
"I heard all her blood was sucked out and that they think it was a vampire!" cried another fifth year Hufflepuff as she scurried past him.
The smile on his face grew even wider as he enjoyed the panic he had caused; it gave him a rush of power much like when he claimed the essence of a worthless young witch, like Rebecca.
"I saw Snape literally pull him out of bed and rush him out of the Common Room," he heard someone say and stopped to listen. "Word is that Snape has been up all night looking for Malfoy; he wasn't in his bed and no one has been able to locate him."
Trying to stifle the laughter that bubbled up inside him, he literally skipped his way into the Great Hall and sat down at his house table. He whistled as he heaped eggs and sausage onto his plate and just before he was going to take a bite, he froze. His eyes had focused on the most disgusting sight he had ever seen...Harry and Hermione, with their heads close together, whispering to each other.
"Filthy, Rotten, Mudblood Bitch!" he thought to himself angrily. What the hell were they doing there, looking so cozy with each other? He would have thought by now that she would have gotten the hint and would have stayed locked up in her dorm, afraid for her life. But nooo, there she was salivating all over Potter and making goo-goo eyes at him. Damn her!
As he silently ranted he watched as Dumbledore approached the sickening spectacle and whispered to them. Potter nodded and stood up, and to his disgust he grabbed the Mudblood's hand; he watched them walk out of the Great Hall hand-in-hand and fought down the wave of nausea that washed over him.
He knew Malfoy would be accused, but he also knew that his Daddy would make sure he stayed in Hogwarts no matter what. As soon as he knew Malfoy was released he would find another girl to play with, maybe two this time. He'd always wanted to fuck two slags at once...he had his pick of any that he wanted in this hell hole...and this time he would be sure to leave a message that the school, especially Potter and his whore Granger, wouldn't be able to ignore; it was time to show them how powerful he really was, that he was not to be fucked with, and that they would never be able to stop him.
~*~
"I said I want to know why you dragged me in here!" Malfoy shouted as Harry and Hermione walked into Dumbledore's office. When Malfoy looked over and spotted them he spat, "What are they doing here?"
"I suggest you calm down Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said quietly as he sat down behind his desk. With a wave of his hand four chairs appeared in front of the desk and he motioned for everyone to sit down.
With Draco and Hermione sitting on opposite ends, Harry reluctantly sat next to Snape and fought the urge to scoot his chair closer to Hermione. When everyone was settled Dumbledore looked at Draco and said, "Mr. Malfoy, something very disturbing happened last night and you were seen leaving the area where it took place. Would you please explain to me why Professor Snape was unable to find you until this morning?"
"What?!" Draco yelled, "Is that why they are here? They're trying to accuse me of doing something I didn't do so they can get me expelled from Hogwarts! This is absurd!"
"Miss Granger is Head Girl Mr. Malfoy, what reason would she have for falsely accusing you of doing something you did not do?" Dumbledore asked calmly.
"I don't know!" Draco shouted, "Why does Potter act like the bloody hero all the time?" When Snape placed his hand on Draco's shoulder to calm him down, Draco looked over towards Harry and Hermione, and with a venomous look on his face he said, "I didn't kill that girl!"
The room became eerily quiet as the four realized what he had just said. Harry looked at Hermione and saw the same shocked expression on her face as was probably on his. As far as Harry knew, Malfoy hadn't spoken to anyone that morning, not even Snape, so how...?
"I can not speak for Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy," replied Dumbledore, settling his piercing gaze on Draco, "I am curious, since no one in this room has made mention of Miss Brighton, please do tell us how it is that you became aware of the unfortunate event of last night?"