Everybody Still Loves Hermione by Louielacious

Rating: PG13
Genres: Romance, Action & Adventure
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 4
Published: 13/02/2005
Last Updated: 10/03/2005
Status: Completed

Love is never made easy - Harry and Hermione should know. In the wake of a love potion scandal,
Harry's confronted with new feelings, Hermione's confused, Ron's caught in the middle
and Malfoy...well, be wary of Malfoy. Some how this saga will lead to a kidnapping, a dragon in
Greece, a whole lot of treasure, and Pixies with a fetish for hoarding human clothes.




1. Author's Rant
----------------



**EVERYBODY** **STILL** **LOVES HERMIONE**

**~ Author's Rant ~**

Hi! It's my first time posting fanfiction on Portkey, so I'm very excited. This story is
actually a sequel to another story I wrote, brilliantly entitled Everybody Loves Hermione. I
didn't post that here because, while it is officially a Harry/Hermione fic, it's chaotic
with love potion and mismatching. Harry/Hermione, more or less, take off at the end. Feel free to
read it though, it's over on fanfiction.net. Just look up stuffbylouie (see my webpage).

As for this story, it shouldn't be hard to pick up. I'll release three chapters on the
outset and update regularly. You should be warned, however, this also contains love potion and
mismatching - but the Harry/Hermione theme prevails! It's a complicated journey, but
they'll make it. If you like stories that are fast paced and brimmed with romantic conflict,
madness and Malfoy at his evil best, then you might enjoy this fic.

Thanks guys, have fun! And by the way, it's set in fifth year.

Disclaimer: I own fudge all! Except the Aphora Bewitching Potion, the *volucris bovine*,
the Annual Drakon Hunt, and some other things not worth mentioning.

-->



2. Something Funny & Love Is Never Made Easy
--------------------------------------------



**PART I. HOGWARTS**

**'Harry?' she breathed into his neck, emitting a shiver down his spine.**

**Prologue:**

**~ Something Funny ~**

Something funny was happening to Harry Potter.

Darkness shrouded the hospital wing. It was midnight, and Harry was in the process of being
cured of a powerful love potion known as the 'Aphora Bewitching Potion'. Actually, he was
already cured; Madame Pomfrey was just being pedantic, as usual. She resolved, though it was quite
unnecessary, to keep Harry and the two other love potion recipients overnight.

Ginny Weasley was one recipient. She was down the other end of the ward, having been admitted
earlier that afternoon. She'd taken love potion and, for some peculiar reason, fallen in love
with her brother and Harry's best friend, Ron. Draco Malfoy, one of Harry's least favourite
people, was the other recipient. He'd been admitted at the same time as Harry, and like Harry,
the love potion he took made him fall in love with Harry's other best friend, Hermione Granger.
Malfoy was currently snoring loudly in one of the bed's opposite. It was amusing to listen
too...

'Can you believe Malfoy snores like that? You'd think he was choking on his own
ego.'

Harry jerked upright in his bed, startled, and turned to the chair next to him. He couldn't
see properly, so she handed him his glasses. Then he saw -

'*Hermione*!'

Hermione was sitting right there! Like magic, as if she'd apparated; but this would be
impossible. For one, Hermione wasn't able to apparate; and two, no apparating could be done
within Hogwarts. Hermione herself told Harry this on a number of occasions.

'You scared me half to death! What are you...' But Harry's words trailed off. As his
eyes adjusted to the dark, he noticed Hermione hadn't donned her robe, and was wearing a
delicate, white night-dress. It was rather distracting; one reason being he'd felt he'd
seen her in it some time before, but couldn't pin point when.

'What are you doing here?' Harry asked properly, picking up his words. 'How did you
get in without being seen?'

These were perfectly reasonable questions, none of which Hermione answered. Since when did
Hermione *not* answer questions? Instead, she preferred to observe Harry in silence for the
moment. Harry found it most uncomfortable.

'Hermione?' he tried again. She sat silently a little longer and then, with steady
grace, stood up.

'Sssh,' she hushed in a soft, long breath. Harry watched her, hypnotically, as she
prowled towards him. Something very, *very* strange was going on! He had no idea what it was,
and could certainly not have predicted what came next: Hermione lifted his covers, sheets and all,
and climbed into bed with him! Harry almost tumbled out the other side in pure shock.

'Her...Herm...Hermio...*Hermione*! What are you - ' he panted incoherently, until
Hermione clasped a hand over his mouth.

'Keep your voice down,' she whispered, and removed her hand. 'You don't want
Malfoy to wake up.'

But Malfoy waking up couldn't have seemed less trivial to Harry at this time. Hermione
Granger was in bed with him. Hermione Granger had wrapped her arm around his chest. Hermione
Granger's feet were entwining with his. Hermione Granger's head was nestling into his
neck!

'Harry, relax. I just want to hug you.' She said it as if it were the most obvious thing
in the world.

'Can't...can't we hug later?' Harry managed to say; surprised he could talk at
all. 'Like, when we're standing?' *And more appropriately clothed* he thought but
didn't dare speak.

Hermione hushed softly again and snuggled closer. Harry lay there, pathetically motionless.
He'd never been this intimate with a girl before; and this wasn't any girl - this was
*Hermione*! He could feel his heart beating at a crazed pace. He could feel Hermione's
heart beat against him, too. She was a lot calmer then he was.

'Harry?' she breathed into his neck, emitting a shiver down his spine.

'Er...yeah, Hermione?'

'If you want to kiss me, you can.'

He didn't hear that…

'Sorry?' he piped up, his voice slightly higher then usual.

Hermione propped herself up on her hands and knees, so that she was hovering above him in a
crawl position. Harry gulped. Having her over him like that, shadowing his body and staring into
his eyes, felt both terrifying and...exhilarating. 'If you want to kiss me, you can,' she
said again, as clear as day.

It was official: Harry's entire being had turned to gillyweed. 'Wha...what
do...kiss...*huh*?'

'You obviously want to kiss me, Harry. Otherwise, why would I be here?'

*Why would she be here?* Harry pondered this, when something in his brain suddenly went
*click*. And then, like lightning, everything changed. Everything slowed down, particularly
his heart rate. He was calm, he was clear, and he'd put his arms around her. She stared at him,
and he stared right back, all previous feelings of nervousness and confusion flying away.

*If you want to kiss her Harry, you can.*

And he did.

Harry pulled Hermione against him and kissed her. He kissed her with a need he never knew
possible. He kissed her and clung to her as if she were going to leave him. Any moment now,
she'd be gone...

Malfoy's cold voice arose from the foot of the bed.

'You're going to pay for this, Potter!'

*Light.*

Harry opened his eyes. Light was shining all around him. Realising he was without his glasses,
he reached for them on the bedside table and put them on. It was morning. The curtains were drawn,
revealing a beautiful, sunny day outside.

*What happened?*

Malfoy wasn't at the foot of his bed. Hermione wasn't lying against him, nor was she in
the chair by his side. Then, feeling very silly, Harry realised what was going on: *it was a
dream*.

Before Harry could think any further on this, the matron Madame Pomfrey appeared with a
breakfast tray.

'Good morning, Mr Potter. I trust you slept well?' she said cheerfully, placing the
breakfast tray on his bedside table.

'Yes,' said Harry, rubbing his eyes underneath his glasses. 'I slept...fine, thank
you'

'I'm surprised you slept at all, considering you had *that* on top of you all
night.'

She was eyeing Hermione's open Potions book, laying face down on Harry's chest.

'Oh,' said Harry, peering down at it. 'That...'

Tutting, Madame Pomfrey removed the book at once and put it aside. 'I'd leave the
studying for when you're out of the hospital, Mr Potter,' she advised him, and disappeared
up the hallway to collect breakfast trays for Malfoy and Ginny. Once she was out of sight, Harry
took back Hermione's Potions book. He figured he must have gone to sleep reading it. Opening it
up again, he cast his mind back to the dream. *Kissing Hermione*. Since coming off the love
potion, Harry had been feeling some very unusual feelings where Hermione was concerned. Like
yesterday, when she'd kissed him on the cheek; or after dinner, when she came back to sneak him
some treacle tart; or earlier, when he absentmindedly wrote...wait.

Harry was staring at the now familiar page in Hermione's Potions book - the one where
he'd crossed out the words *You're so beautiful* and replaced them with *You are
incredibly beautiful*. But he only remembered writing this once...except now, it appeared
he'd written it down twice more:

*You are incredibly beautiful*

*You are incredibly beautiful*

*You are incredibly beautiful*

Something funny was happening to Harry Potter.

**Later that morning, Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley were released from the
hospital wing. They were announced cured and ready to return to their classes. Everything was to
back to the way it was...totally and utterly normal. Apparently.**

**
~ Love Is Never Made Easy ~**

In late hours of the night, on the same day Harry and others were released from hospital,
trouble was already brewing.

'Right this way Mr Filch, Professor Dumbledore gave it to me yesterday,' said Madame
Pince, striding purposefully to the library.

'The sooner the better!' scowled Filch, marching alongside of her. 'Dumbledore wants
that rotten book out of the library as soon as possible - and I couldn't agree more! That book
is a hazard! Anything endorsing love potions is a form of black magic in my opinion.'

Madame Pince chuckled. 'Love potions? Black magic? I think you're overreacting, Mr
Filch. Love potions are quite innocent compared to black magic.'

'*Innocent*?' Filch spat offensively. 'By Merlin, love potions are anything
but! That Aphora Bewitching Potion, you saw what that did, didn't you? It was chaos and mayhem!
One boy hit himself over the head with a chair, and two more tried to kill each other during the
last Quidditch match! Not to mention a girl fell in love with her own brother, and another young
man from Bulgaria flew - '

'All right, Mr Filch! You've made your point. Don't worry about the book, I put it
in a safe place.'

They reached the library. Madame Pince led Filch into her office; a small, dingy room with piles
upon piles of books hoarded about the place. To the back of this room was a desk, and behind the
desk was a safe. Madame Pince took out her wand and whispered a password. The safe opened.

'Well?' said Filch, his patience dwindling.

'Oh my...' said Madame Pince faintly, sparking an irritated grunt from Filch.

'What do you mean "oh my", do you have the book or don't you?'

'This is impossible...quite impossible! I checked it only twenty minutes ago...'

'*Madame Pince*!'

'The book, *A Wizard's and Witch's Guide to Love Made Easy*. It's gone Mr
Filch!'

-->



3. The Boy, The Girl & The Other Boy
------------------------------------



**'Or is it Harry?'**

**~ The Boy ~**

It was midnight again, and Harry Potter was wide awake. He was sitting at his bedroom window,
studying by candlelight. He'd started writing notes on the Major Arcana Tarot for Divination
class, when somebody to his right spluttered awake. It was Ron. Harry caught sight of his slack,
freckled face leering out from beneath his bed hangings.

'Harry,' he groaned sluggishly, 'you're not *still* studying, are
you?'

Harry kept writing, and responded, 'no, Ron, I'm knitting a sweater.'

Ron made a funny face. 'Eh?'

'Of course I'm still bloody studying!' said Harry, stating the obvious. Ron yawned
at him.

'Harry, for Merlin's sake! Give it a rest will you? Studying all night like
this...it's like you're possessed by Hermione.'

*Hermione*. The very person Harry couldn't get out of his mind.

'Look, I can't sleep, so I may as well use the time to catch up on homework.'

'Listen to you?' Ron's voice was full of pity. 'You know what? I think you have
been possessed by Hermione.'

Harry glared at him. Ron chuckled tiredly.

'Harry, do yourself a favour and quit while you're ahead! You'll turn into a real
grump at this rate.'

'I am *not* a grump!' Harry snapped, grumpily of course. Ron gave him a look that
said `oh yes you are', before closing his hangings and rolling back into bed.

'Suit yourself,' Harry heard him say. 'If you drop dead tomorrow from lack of sleep,
don't blame me. Just make sure you do it in front of Professor Trewlawny. She'll think
Christmas has come early.'

With Ron out of the way, Harry continued studying, but with little success. Truth be told, he
didn't want to study. He was bloody tired, and would love nothing more then to flop onto his
four-poster bed and drown in sleep. But he *had* to plough on! If he didn't, his mind
would wonder off and he'd think about certain...people. Or worse, he'd fall asleep and have
certain...dreams, about certain people. Abandoning Divination, he was about to move onto Herbology,
but found himself picking up Hermione's Potions book instead. Despite himself, he opened it to
the page he knew well and read through what he'd written; including the new bits he
couldn't remember adding.

'I can't believe I...'

Harry rested his eyes. *Great, just great* he thought, annoyed with himself. He was
thinking about the very person he wasn't supposed to be thinking about. Mentally exhausted, he
sought solace in the moon, shining brilliantly in the night sky outside his window. Then, without
reaslising it, his eyelids grew heavier, and heavier...she lingered in his thoughts...

**
~ The Girl ~**

The girl in Harry's thoughts was also up that night, funnily enough. Hermione Granger, who
hadn't completed much schoolwork in the past week due to love potions and other
'engagements', was doing the exact same thing as Harry: studying. She too sat by her
bedroom window, accompanied by a lantern and a pile of schoolbooks, which were presently being
moved and shuffled around in a frantic search.

'Where is it?' Hermione whispered temperamentally. 'Where's my Potions
book?'

All the hustle and bustle woke one of Hermione's roommates, Lavender Brown. Protruding her
head out from under her hangings, she peered over at Hermione with severe disbelief.

'Do you *ever* stop studying?' she asked in a reproachful sort of voice. Hermione,
favouring not to indulge her, avoided answering.

'Lavender, go back to sleep! Sorry if I woke you.'

Lavender giggled.

'You wouldn't be trying to get your mind of your many boyfriends, would you?'

'Oh, please!' Hermione scoffed. 'Don't be ridiculous! I don't have any
boyfriends, Lavender.'

'Yeah right,' she mocked. 'So you put all those guys on love potion for kicks
then?'

As if Hermione wasn't frustrated enough.

'I did *not* mean to put anyone on love potion! You don't know what you're
talking about Lavender, you really don't.'

But Lavender was persistent. Hermione and the story her torrid love potion was the hottest
scandal around Hogwarts. As a result, Hermione had become everyone's favourite person to tease;
and, needless to say, she wasn't enjoying the attention one bit.

'Are you still getting love letters from Krum? Or is Malfoy topping your list this week? Or
perhaps Harry?'

*Harry*. And then it her!

'Harry!' Hermione said aloud, remembering. Lavender took it as a sign.

'Ooooh! So it's *Harry* you fancy then! I always thought so...'

'*No*!' said Hermione roughly. 'I meant Harry has my Potions book. I'll
have to remember to ask for it tomorrow.'

'Why wait for tomorrow? Sneak over to the boy's dormitories now, hop into Harry's
bed and - '

'*Lavender*! That's enough!'

'Hermione loves Harry! Harry loves Hermione! They're going to get married, have a
million babies - '

Someone else had woken up by now. Parvati Patil stripped back her hangings, wearing a black,
fluffy eye patch. 'Would you guys *be quiet*! Some people are trying to get their beauty
sleep!' Lavender glared at her with amusement.

'Parvati, I can't believe you sleep with that thing on. It looks like a niffler's
attached to your head!'

Hermione stifled a laugh.

'*Sleep*!' Parvati hissed, and yanked her curtain shut.

Lavender gave up on Hermione shortly after, falling asleep again. Hermione however, went on
studying, though it wasn't progressing at all well. As the night wore on, her concentration
diminished; and if Hermione couldn't concentrate, her mind would stumble onto Harry.
*Harry*. Harry and the love potion. How she felt when he...

*Don't even think about it* Hermione disciplined herself, and resolved to call it a
night. Leaving her schoolbooks in disarray, she picked up the lantern she'd been keeping and
tiptoed to bed. Laying down, she turned the lantern out and curled up on her side, one hand under
her head and the other under her pillow...

'Hmm?' she murmured curiously. Something was there, hidden under the pillow. Remembering
what it was, she silently chided herself. How could she forget? It was the card Harry had left in
her room, reading *Love Harry*, when he'd been on love potion. Resting on her back,
Hermione held it over her head, gazing. He'd given her this before he...before he...

*So much for not thinking about it* Hermione thought bleakly, and tucked the card back in
its original place.

**
~ The Other Boy ~**

Another student was awake that night, only this one was on a mission. Draco Malfoy snuck back
through the Slytherin portrait hole and up the stairs, concealing something under his green bed
robe.

'Stupid Madame Pince,' he muttered slyly under his breath, treading carefully into his
dormitory room. 'Knew I could to it.'

'Do what?'

Malfoy froze. It was Goyle, sitting up in his bed.

'Nothing,' said Malfoy, playing innocent. 'Go back to sleep, Goyle, you're even
uglier in the middle of the night!'

'Where did you go?'

Malfoy pursed his lips in irritation.

'If you must know, the toilet. All right?'

'To do what?'

'To piss *idiot*!'

'Oh,' said Goyle dopily. 'Right, sorry Malfoy.'

Goyle turned over and went back to sleep. He could have sworn he heard Malfoy mutter something
about Madame Pince, but how the school librarian and Malfoy taking a piss connected confused him
profoundly for the rest of the night. Meanwhile, Malfoy uncovered what he'd been hiding. It was
a large, red book called *A Wizard's and Witch's Guide to Love Made Easy*.

-->



4. Harry's Crush & The Annual Drakon Hunt
-----------------------------------------



**`Can' say I saw that comin'…'**

**`Neither did I,' said Harry, staring into space. 'It's like I found out
overnight.'**

**~** **Harry's Crush** **~**

It was six o'clock in the morning when Harry woke up, his head full of thoughts - thoughts
of Hermione. Thoughts one *should not* be having about their best friend!

Without hesitation, Harry whipped out of bed and threw on his robe and slippers. Forget
sleeping. Forget studying. Harry needed to talk to someone *now*. But who? He figured this was
the kind of thing sons discussed with their fathers. Sirius wasn't readily available, so that
left -

'Hagrid!' Harry called out, banging on Hagrid's front door from beneath his
invisibility cloak.

A minute later, Harry heard a grunt from inside. The door opened slightly, and Hagrid's
tired, beetle eyes poked out. Harry unveiled his invisibility cloak, giving Hagrid quite the
shock.

'Harry!' he said gruffly, opening the door wide. He was wearing a pair of red and white
striped pajamas, which Harry thought looked very misplaced on his enormous frame. 'What are yeh
doin' here? What time is it?'

'Er, I think it's a few minutes after six in the morning,' said Harry sheepishly,
realising how early this sounded. Hagrid staggered on the spot.

'*Six in the mornin'*! What are yeh doin' runin' round the school grounds
at six in the mornin', Harry?'

'I haven't been running!' said Harry defensively. 'I was
walking...fast.'

'Runnin', walkin', don' make any diff'rence! Yeh jus' outta hospital,
Harry! Yeh should be gettin' yer rest and - '

'*Hagrid*! Enough!' Harry wasn't in the mood to have his health fussed over.
Madame Pomfrey had taken care of that. 'I was only infected by love potion, it's not like
the bones were removed from my arm or anything! I'm sorry to come here like this, but I really
need to talk to someone.'

To Harry's relief, Hagrid smiled. 'Harry! Yeh know I'm always happy to talk to
yeh.'

'Thanks, Hagrid,' said Harry appreciatively.

'But nex' time yeh want ter talk, could yeh wait 'till the sun fully rises at
least?'

Laying a bulky arm around Harry's shoulder, Hagrid escorted them inside. Harry sunk down in
one of Hagrid's oversized chairs, just as Fang ran over to give him the standard lick on the
head. 'Down Fang, down!' said Hagrid, shooing him out the way. He handed Harry a cup of tea
and sat down on the chair opposite. 'So, Harry, what's bin troublin' yeh?'

Harry stared forlornly at his tea. Now that he was here, ready to talk about *her*, he
wasn't so sure how to go about it; not to mention the whole thing was just plain
embarrassing!

`Yeh been thinkin' 'bout exams?' Hagrid prompted him.

`No,' said Harry dully.

'Yeh-know-who?'

'No.'

'Yeh parents?'

`*A girl*! I've been thinking about a girl,' Harry confessed suddenly, feeling very
uncomfortable.

`Oh!' said Hagrid, sounding uncomfortable himself. `A girl. Righ' then! Ah, what of kind
of girl?'

Harry looked at him questioningly. `The…usual kind. What do you mean?'

`Righ'! Sorry, Harry, stupid question.'

Plainly, Hagrid wasn't used to helping confused, pubescent boys with their girl problems.
But Harry was desperate, and still willing to give him a shot. Besides, it's not like he had
anyone else to turn too.

`This girl then,' Hagrid elaborated, after clearing his voice, `yeh like her I'm
guessin'?'

`I don't know,' said Harry automatically, growing more embarrassed. `I mean,
maybe…probably…I think so. I had this dream about her when I was in hospital last night. I've
never had a dream like that before…'

`Oh, well!' said Hagrid rather suddenly, picking nervously at his beard. `That's
perfectly normal, Harry. Teenage boys often have…er, dreams `bout girls. It's nothin' to
worry `bout, it's - '

Harry, catching on to what Hagrid was trying to explain, laughed.

`Hagrid, I didn't have *that* kind of dream! Just a regular one.'

`Oh! Sorry, Harry,' he apologised, turning red. `I didn' mean ter...well, yeh
know.'

`It's okay, Hagrid,' Harry assured him, smiling.

`So! Now that tha's cleared up,' he said, keen to change the subject. `Do I ge' ter
know who the lucky girl is?'

Sipping tea, Hagrid waited for to Harry respond. After a long sigh, Harry forced himself to say
it.

`It's Hermione.'

Hagrid coughed and spat his tea back into the cup.

`*Hermione*!' he choked in surprise. `Can' say I saw that comin'…'

`Neither did I,' said Harry, staring into space. 'It's like I found out
overnight.'

'Are yer sure yeh haven' got any love potion left in yeh?' Harry shook his head.

'No, I've been cured. So why can't I stop thinking about her like this? It's
weird...I feel really guilty.'

'Guilty? Why would yeh feel guilty, Harry?'

'Because we're supposed to be *friends*!' Harry expressed desperately. 'How
could this happen, Hagrid? What if she finds out how I'm feeling and freaks out? What if I
freak out? What if - '

'Harry, calm yerself!' said Hagrid firmly. 'Yeh got a crush. They always make yer
feel a bit "freaked out" as yeh pu' it. Don' get yerself worked up 'bout it
though. Hermione's not eleven any more after all. She's turnin' into a young
woman.'

'Don't say that!' said Harry, panicking at the very thought.

'Well, it's true I'm afraid! Yeh'd be blind if yeh didn' notice her a more
then yeh used too. Its nothin' to feel guilty 'bout, though.'

'So,' said Harry, more calmly, 'what do you think I should do?'

Hagrid mulled this over, taking another sip of tea. 'I'm no expert or nothin',
Harry, but yer basically got two choices: yeh can tell her how yer feelin', or, don' tell
her. If it's really botherin' yeh, maybe you should take yer chances and say somethin'.
Yeh could end up regrettin' it if yeh don'.'

Maybe Hagrid was right, Harry thought. Perhaps he should say something; otherwise he could wind
up going crazy - crazier then he already was, that it is. With newfound resolve, Harry placed his
teacup on the table and stood up out of his chair.

'Thanks for listening to me, Hagird. I think I'll got back to school now.' Hagrid
chuckled.

'Any time, Harry. But no' early in the mornin' like this, all righ'?'

**** **~** **The Annual Drakon Hunt** **~**

Breakfast was being served when Harry returned to the castle, so he quickly headed to his
dormitory room to dress properly, before hurrying back downstairs to the Great Hall. He spotted Ron
at the Gryffindor table with his brothers, Fred and George. They appeared to be sulking about
something. And Hermione...well, she wasn't there.

'Where have you been?' said Ron, on seeing Harry.

'Good morning to you too,' said Harry flatly, sitting down and fixing himself a bowl of
porridge.

'What's so *good* about it?' groaned Fred and George in unison. Harry raised
his eyebrows.

'Fine. Forget I mentioned it.'

'Sorry, Harry,' said Fred apologetically. 'It's just...it's a real shame it
is!'

'A damn shame!' said George, banging his spoon.

'A stupendous shame!' said Fred, banging a glass.

'A tremendous, gargantuan shame!' retorted George, banging the milk jug.

'A historically, monumental, GINORMOUS - '

'All right, all right!' said Ron, annoyed. 'That's enough! I think Harry gets
the picture.'

But Harry didn't get the picture at all.

'What's such a shame?' he asked. George sighed heavily.

'Ever heard of something called the Annual Drakon Hunt, Harry?'

'Er...no,' said Harry, clueless. Despite attending Hogwarts for five years now, there
were still some things about the magical world he had yet to learn.

'It's held at Mount Olympus in Greece,' Fred informed him. 'Every year, wizards
from all over Europe come together to hunt for a type of dragon called the Drakon, who guards this
big pile of treasure - '

'An *enormous* pile of treasure,' emphasised George.

'Massive,' concurred Fred.

'Immense!' relayed George.

'A monstrous, TITANIC - '

'GUYS!' yelled Ron, annoyed again. The twins laughed.

'Sorry!'

'Couldn't resist!'

'You're put into teams you see, Harry,' said Ron, taking it upon himself to explain
the rest more sensibly. 'They have teams for anything - sports teams, family teams, you name
it! Hogwarts always sends a group of teachers to compete. Sometimes even the Head Boy and Girl get
to go. Anyway, each team is assigned a Guardian, who's an expert in dragons and stuff. Like
Charlie, for instance. He's working as one this year. Guardians aren't supposed to do much,
really. They're only there in case something goes wrong.'

'And if you find and get past the Drakon,' said George, 'you get your hands on the
treasure!'

'And become rich beyond your wildest dreams!' said Fred, practically drooling at the
thought.

'Wow,' said Harry, who felt much less confused. 'That sounds pretty all right. So
are you guys entering?'

'That's the *shame* part,' said Fred, slouching. 'This years Hunt was
originally scheduled for the school holidays, but they've changed it to next week! Dad promised
we could go and form a "Weasley Family" team, but mum refuses to let us take time off
school. Have to wait 'till bloody next year now.'

'And to top it off, we received a letter from perfect Percy, barking on about how he's
been chosen to serve the elite Ministry of Magic team. Wouldn't think of being on his own
family's team, oh no!' said George grimly. Fred was equally grim.

'If you ask me, they should start a "Wand Up The Ass" team and make Percy the
divine leader.'

Ron and Harry burst into laughter, after which they all speculated who would join Percy on his
team. Just as Ron suggested Lockhart, George became distracted by someone.

'Oi, Ginny! Why don't you come sit with us?'

Ginny was sitting by herself at the far end of the Gryffindor table, sipping milk. She appeared
a little tense.

'I'm fine where I am!' she called back, snappish.

'What's with her?' said Ron, affronted. 'Why doesn't she want to sit with
us?'

'Maybe she's rekindled her crush on Harry,' said Fred, giving Harry a wink.
'Either that or she's scared of Ron pursuing another incestuous relationship with
her.'

Everyone (but Ron, of course) found this very amusing.

'That wasn't my fault, FRED!' said Ron harshly, punching his brother in the arm.
'It was a love potion! Don't be so disgusting, honestly!'

'It's only an ickle joke, Ronnikens!' said Fred in a cutesy voice. 'Why so
sensitive? It's not your time of the month again, is it?'

'Oh, shut up!'

Idly stirring his porridge, Harry half-listened to twins as they proceeded to tease Ron. He
couldn't help but think of Hermione. After they cooled down, he finally asked, in as normal a
voice as he could manage:

`Ron, have you seen Hermione this morning?'

`No, she hasn't come down yet.'

`Oh,' said Harry, wondering why this could be.

`And I'm quite surprised, really,' Ron went on, taking a gulp of orange juice. `It's
not like her to be late. She's usually the first person to wake up in the whole of Britain -
AH!'

Someone bumped Ron hard in the back, causing him to spill orange juice down his front. When Ron
turned to see who the culprit was, he wasn't shocked at who he found.

`Malfoy!' he grimaced.

`Oops, so sorry about that, Weasley,' said Malfoy, sarcastic as ever. `Next time I'm
passing by, I suggest you get your big fat behind out of my way.'

`My big fat WHAT?' said Ron, rising out of his chair.

But before anything else could happen, Professor Snape, who'd been spying on this scene
quietly from behind, made an appearance.

`Now boys,' he said, with a typical cold-blooded smile, `I hope there's no trouble
here?'

`No sir,' said Malfoy, supposedly unfeigned.

`No sir,' repeated Ron, still grimacing.

Snape eyed Ron darkly.

`Then I suggest you sit down, Mr Weasley, and conduct the remainder of your breakfast in an
orderly manner. Unless you want more points taken off Gryffindor?'

Lightening his grimace, Ron sat down without complaint.

`That's more like it,' said Snape, taking the opportunity to stare down his large nose
at Harry and the twins, before stalking away.

`Professor Snape!' Malfoy called, approaching him. `I was wondering if I could talk you
about an extra-credit Potions assignment I wanted to work on.'

`Certainly Draco, anything I can do to help,' was Snape's reply, sounding almost civil.
He and Malfoy walked out of earshot, Malfoy sucking up to Snape in his usual manner.

` "Anything I can do to help",' imitated Fred, once it was safe. `Only a Slytherin
would get treatment like that out of Snape! If I asked him for help, he'd toss me to the giant
squid.'

`Definite Wand Up The Ass potential, the two of them,' said George approvingly. Ron in the
mean time, wiping himself with a napkin, was still burnt over what Malfoy had said earlier.

`Can you *believe* what that slimy git said about my behind? I guess he hasn't had a
good look at Crabbe and Goyle's behinds lately, which is funny 'cause it's not like
they're hard to miss!'

-->



5. Hermione's Test & Harry Still Loves Hermione?
------------------------------------------------



**`Maybe Harry wouldn't mind taking you up on that moonlit broomstick ride,
hmm?'**

**~ Hermione's Test ~**

While the boys were at breakfast, Hermione had been cornered - against her will - in her
dormitory room.

`I told you, Lavender! I don't want anything to do with it!'

`Pleeease, Hermione? Everyone else has done it!'

`It's really fun!'

Lavender and Parvati were doing their best to force Hermione into taking a love quiz from
*Esoteric Girl* - a local beauty and fashion magazine geared at teenage witches. Hermione had
been trying to dodge them ever since she woke up.

`How many times do I have to say it? I am *not* into this sort of thing! And if you say one
word about love potion Lavender, I'll slam a book in your face I swear to - '

`Question one!' said Lavender with authority. `Would your perfect date with your perfect
wizard be:

(a) A trip to Hogsmead and a Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks

(b) A Quidditch match

(c) A broomstick ride in the moonlight.'

`I don't - '

Lavender and Parvati gave Hermione a stern glare. It was clear they had no intention of letting
her leave without answering the question. Reluctantly, Hermione surrendered.

`Oh, all right! This is utter nonsense though,' she said indignantly, thinking for a moment,
and then answered, `C. I'm not fond of flying, but it's the most original answer
there.'

Lavender, now wearing a satisfied grin Hermione found very irritating, marked this response down
in her magazine with a quill.

`Question two: which is the best way out of the following that a wizard can show he cares about
you:

(a) Send you a Valentine's dwarf who will recite poetry and love sonnets to you

(b) Perform the *'Floribunda'* spell, by which conjuring up an array of flowers
within a given space

or

(c) Get a tattoo featuring your name.'

Hermione stared at Lavender, gaping. *Surely* this was some kind of trick? Only last week
did those three exact things happen to her! Krum sent her a dwarf, Harry grew flowers in her room,
and Malfoy - most unfortunately - had her name tattooed on his back.

`Er…Lavender, did you make that last question up?'

`Nuh uh. It's written right here...see?'

Lavender showed Hermione the article. She was, indeed, telling the truth. This was the strangest
coincidence ever! Hermione began re-thinking question, which consequently forced her to remember
the past few weeks, and all the trouble the love potion had caused. *Harry's spell was really
quite nice*...

'Hermione?'

'B! Sorry, B,' rushed Hermione, coming back to earth.

Lavender marked this response down, and was about to ask question three, when someone knocked on
the door.

'I'll get it!' Parvati announced. It was Neville Longbottom.

'What are *you* doing here?' she asked rudely from the doorway. 'This is the
girls dormitories!'

'Er,' was Neville's initial response. 'I just came to give Hermione her Potions
book. I found it in my room. I think someone was borrowing it...I know she likes to study,
she's really very smart and - '

'That's great Neville,' said Parvati before he could finish, and grabbed the book
off him. 'We'll see you in class, okay?'

Without another word, Parvati shut the door on him.

'Who was that?' Lavender wanted to know. Parvati smirked.

'Oh, nobody! Just another one of Hermione's boyfriends.'

'*What*?' said Hermione, glaring at Parvati.

'It was Neville Longbottom. He was going on about how smart and brilliant you were! Are you
sure you didn't feed him love potion as well?'

Hermione scoffed.

'Very hilarious, Parvati, really!'

Parvati snickered and flipped through Hermione's Potions book; she wanted to check if it
really *was* Hermione's, and not some stunt of Neville's to get Hermione's
attention. Evidently, it was Hermione's book - and something *very* interesting was
written repetitively on a certain page. Parvati's eyes opened wide.

'Oh - my - GOD!'

'What's wrong with you? What book are you reading?' asked Hermione, furrowing her
brow. Lavender was curious as well.

'Yeah, what are you reading, let me see!'

She seized the book from Parviti's hands and read it over. Seconds later, she'd burst
into uncontrollable, girlish giggles. 'Oh - my - GOD!'

'Oh my GOD!' squealed Parvati, again. Hermione then recognised whose book they were
referring to.

'Hey, that's mine! That's my Potion's book!'

But Lavender and Parvati ignored Hermione completely, conducting their own private
conversation.

'Did Neville write it?'

'No, it's Harry's handwriting!'

'How do you know?'

'Because! I made everyone take that 'What Your Handwriting Says About You' test last
month, remember? It's definitely Harry. And anyway, Hermione said last night he was borrowing
this book!'

'You're *joking*!'

As if it were possible, the two girls giggled even harder. To make matter worse, they started
jumping up and down. The whole display made Hermione's stomach turnover.

'OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD!' they repeated stupidly, over and over.

'*Give me that*!' Hermione ordered, snatching her book from Lavender. 'You two,
for heaven's sake! The way you go on. I can't imagine what's so bloody fascinating
about my Potions book, I mean - '

But Hermione couldn't say another word. She'd caught sight of Harry's
'accidental' message and her voice disappeared. Lavender couldn't help herself.

'Maybe Harry wouldn't mind taking you up on that moonlit broomstick ride, hmm?'

****

**~ Harry** **Still** **Loves Hermione? ~**

Hermione's first class that day was Arithmacy. She avoided breakfast in the Great Hall and
headed straight there because, firstly, she needed to get as *far away* as possible from
Parvati and Lavender (their giggling was becoming beyond ridiculous), and secondly...well, she was
still recovering from the new addition to her Potions book.

*You are incredibly beautiful*

*You are incredibly beautiful*

*You are incredibly beautiful*

Hermione analysed these words while sitting alone in the back of Arithmacy.

'Harry could only have written this *after* he'd been cured of the potion,' she
evaluated. 'Maybe he's playing some kind of trick? No, Harry's not like that...so then,
he's serious?' Feeling very overcrowded in the head, Hermione buried her face in her hands
and thought, with mounting desperation, *what is going on!*

It was then she remembered what Professor Dumbledore had said to her earlier in the week. After
her faint...

*'The Aphora Bewitching Potion doesn't always force a recipient to love against their
will. Rather, in special cases, it makes the recipient* realise *they've been in love with
the bounder already.'*
This memory in turn sparked another - what Harry had said in her dormitory room, when he was
infected by the Aphora Bewitching Potion...

*'Hermione! This is no potion. I've loved you since last year, since the whole Rita
Skeeter thing and the Yule ball!'*

Could it be possible? Hermione, although somewhat doubtful, dared to think it could. Her stomach
lightened considerably, reminding her of when she first set eyes on the Aphora Bewitching Potion in
Ginny's room; except this time, there was no potion to be accounted for.

'Then,' she said aloud, with little concern for who might be listening, 'he really
*is* serious!'

'*Sshh*!' hissed a student up in front, throwing her a steely glare.

'Oh go *sshh* yourself!' Hermione hissed back, determined not to let anything ruin
her moment.

-->



6. Predictions & Krum Still Loves Hermione?
-------------------------------------------



**'****I wanted to check if either of you were borrowing Hermione's Potions
book?'**

**'Harry was, I think. Weren't you, Harry?'**

**Predictions**

While Hermione was in Arithmacy, Harry and Ron endured Divination. Professor Trelawny was
conducting the lesson in her usual, dramatic way...

'DEATH!'

Terror instantly swept through the class. Lavender and Parvati looked particularly concerned,
and Neville nearly fell of his pouffe.

'The Death card, my children,' explained Professor Trewlawny, resuming her dreamy tone,
and holding up an actual Death card from the Tarot. 'If you did the homework I assigned, you
would know this card portends transformation! Endings and beginnings! The dawning of a new
awakening!'

'Why didn't she say all that in the first place?' Ron whispered grumpily to Harry,
fed up with Professor Trewlawny's dramatics.

'Now,' she proceeded, picking up a Tarot deck from her desk, 'take out your cards,
we're going to make some predictions. Mr Longbottom!' she said suddenly, pointing a long
finger at Neville. 'I foresaw you would forget your deck so I brought a spare.'

She handed her deck to Neville, who received it with a shaky hand.

'Everybody, shuffle your cards,' she instructed. 'Then, using your Inner Eye, pull
out a card at random. It will reveal the very energy surrounding you at this time.'

'I wonder if there's a card for extreme boredom,' groaned Ron, lazily shuffling his
cards. As told, he pulled out a card and observed his fortune. 'I got the Five of Swords, what
does that mean?'

'I'll check,' said Harry, consulting his Divination book. 'Maybe you're
going to be stabbed five times?'

'We can only hope,' said Ron, flicking his card down.

As Ron said this, Professor Trewlawny glided over to their table and nosed in.

'Ah, the Five of Swords!' she said profoundly, staring down at Ron's card through
her magnified glasses. 'My dear, I sense you must be prepared to loose a battle. Accept defeat,
or be plagued by feelings of bitterness and jealousy!'

'Sorry, Ron,' said Harry, smirking.

'Hey, it happens,' shrugged Ron. Professor Trewlawny was not impressed by such a
cavalier response to what she considered a very significant warning.

'Dear boy, this card is not to be taken lightly! You must be aware when this battle takes
place, for only then can you truly surrender and heal. Now,' she turned her attention to Harry,
'why don't you draw a card from your deck, Mr Potter?'

Harry gulped. He knew whatever card he picked, Professor Trewlawny would associate it with his
ultimate demise. Taking the plunge, Harry shuffled his deck and pulled out a card.

*Great* he thought, hardly believing his luck.

'DEATH!' screeched Professor Trelawny.

'We - can - *read*!' Ron spelled-out sarcastically. All eyes in the class were now
on Harry.

'My poor, poor boy!' Professer Trewlawy clutched her heart, as if the sorrow were too
much to bear. 'I am not surprised you have been connected with the energies of the Death card!
For only last night when I was gazing in my crystal ball...'

'Here we go,' mumbled Ron, rolling his eyes.

'...I foresaw danger coming to you, Mr Potter! Terrible, terrible danger. You will
experience an intense, inner transformation! New feelings will emerge within you...yes. But hence,
this change will lead towards suffering, pain and - '

Ron overrode her.

'Oh, would you look at the time? Class is finished, time for lunch. Damn, can you believe
it? Come on Harry...'

Although it was actually two minutes until the end of class, everyone took Ron's
announcement seriously and packed away their things, heading down the stairs and out into
halls.

'Can you *believe* her? Honestly!' Ron complained, once they were in the clear.
'I swear, Harry, until you show up to class as a corpse, she's never going to lighten
up.' Harry laughed.

'I know.'

'HARRY! RON!'

Harry and Ron spun around. It was Neville.

'Hey guys,' he said, catching up with them. 'I wanted to check if either of you were
borrowing Hermione's Potions book?'

'Harry was, I think. Weren't you, Harry?' said Ron, looking in Harry's
direction. Harry, after hearing the words *borrowing Hermione's Potions book*, was
panic-stricken. How did Neville know *that*?

Er, yeah. Why?' he said sternly, staring Neville in the eye.

'I thought I'd let you know I found it in our room and returned it to Hermione this
morning.'

'You did WHAT?' Harry blurted out, unable to stop himself. Neville was very thrown
aback, as was Ron, by what seemed to be an unnecessarily anxious reaction.

'Well, Potions class is coming up and...and I thought she'll need it, that's all. I
better be heading off now, though,' he said, backing steadily away from Harry. 'I'll
see you guys later. I really hope you don't die, Harry. Bye!'

And he ran off, leaving Ron to question Harry.

'What's the matter? You didn't need that book any more, did you?'

Harry didn't answer. He was too busy trying to control a sudden urge to pull his hair out!
*Maybe I shouldn't jump to conclusions* he told himself. *Maybe she didn't see what
I wrote?*

But any strain of hope Harry had was quickly demolished when Lavender and Parvati passed by.

'It's such an *incredibly beautiful* day, don't you think, Parvati?'

'Yes, definitely *incredibly beautiful*, Lavender. I do hope tomorrow is as
*incredibly beautiful* as it is today.'

Both girls gave Harry and knowing look as they walked away, giggling amongst themselves like a
pair of hyenas. Harry wanted to sink into the ground and disappear.

'What the *hell* is wrong with those two?' said Ron, watching their departure with
a revolted expression.

'I wish I was dead...' mumbled Harry under his breath.

'Huh?'

'Ah, I mean...I hope there's, er...bread! I hope there's bread at lunch.'

Harry cringed at this feeble attempt to cover up his last comment. Ron was giving him a very
bizarre look.

'What do you mean you hope there's bread at lunch. There's always bread! And anyway,
Harry, it's not time for lunch yet. We have Potions now. I was just kidding before.'

Harry's panic instantly resurfaced.

'*Potions*!' he exclaimed. Hermione was going to be in Potions. He wasn't ready
for her yet!

'Yeah, Potions! Harry, what's wrong with you? Why are you acting like we have our
O.W.L's in an hour?'

Forget the O.W.L's, Hermione knew! She knew what Harry had written her Potions book, before
he had a chance to explain himself. And worse, Lavender and Parvati obviously knew as well! Maybe
even Neville ...*the whole school at this rate* Harry thought, exaggerating. He needed to take
action; or better yet, he needed to hide.

'Listen, Ron, tell Snape I'm...well, tell him something! Tell him I need to study. I
can't come to class.'

'Well, wait a sec! Where are you going?'

'The library,' said Harry, already on his way. 'I'll talk to you later!'

Ron was totally baffled.

'The *library*?' he mouthed to himself.

**
Krum** **Still** **Loves Hermione?**

'Where's Harry?'

This was the first thing Hermione said to Ron when he arrived at Potions class. She was already
seated in their usual spot. Ron slumped into the seat next to her, dumping his school bag on the
desk.

'Fairy land!' he replied huffily, as he pulled out his books. Hermione hadn't
expected this response at all.

'What?' she said, crossing her eyebrows. Ron zipped up his school bag and turned towards
her.

'See if you can understand this, Hermione: one minute Harry's talking about bread, and
the next he's skipping class to go to the library!'

'He's skipping class? Why?'

'The hell if I know! To study, apparently. He's been acting a bit weird. Freaked out
about something, I don't know.'

'He is?' *This isn't about what he wrote in my Potions book?* Hermione wondered
frantically, not even knowing if this was the case.

'Today,' Professor Snape had begun from the front of the class, 'we will learn how
to make a sleeping potion, similar to what our school nurse Madame Pomfrey uses on her patients,
only more powerful...and Mr Weasley, if you do not stop talking you can be the official taste
tester!'

Ron's mouth sealed shut.

'Because this particular sleeping potion is very strong, it can have an after-effect. But
who here can tell me the proper term for this?'

Hermione's hand shot up in the air, scraping Ron by the ear.

'Watch it!' he grumbled. 'That arm's a weapon...'

'Anyone?' repeated Snape, purposely avoiding Hermione, who was stretching her hand so
high she was almost standing on her seat.

'Yes, Draco Malfoy.'

Vanquished, Hermione's hand flopped back down.

'I believe,' said Malfoy, in a very pompous tone, 'that potion relapse is the proper
term. Other terms include potion backsliding or potion regression. Potion relapse often occurs when
a potion hasn't been sufficiently cleansed from a person's body.'

Snape nodded appraisingly.

`Excellent, Malfoy. Twenty points to Slytherin.'

`Twenty!' hissed Ron under his breath. `That's robbery!'

Malfoy, who was sitting at the table in front of Ron and Hermione, turned around to give the two
of them and an arrogant glare. He even had the indecency to shoot Hermione a wink.

`Got something in your eye, Malfoy?' said Hermione, glaring back.

Malfoy snickered and turned back round. Snape was still discussing potion relapse.

`Potion relapse can be either insignificant or extreme, depending on the circumstances. The
potions you find it most commonly associated with include switching potions, mood changing
potions…and of course,' he looked specifically at Hermione, `*love potions*.'

The whole class, except for Ron, began to laugh. Hermione put on a dignified face, but was
unable to fight the pink forming in her cheeks. Ron leant over to her and whispered, `don't
listen to him, Hermione. He's probably made heaps of love potions in his day.'

`How do you figure?' Hermione whispered back. Ron sniggered.

`As if Snape could ever get a girl to go out with him! I mean for one, it looks like he
hasn't washed his hair since leaving the womb...'

`I strongly advise you research potion relapse to the full extent,' Snape continued. `That,
of course, means going to the library, though I'm sure most of you have forgotten what the
library looks like.' Snape looked directly at Ron. `It's the big room with all the books in
it.'

Ron's cheeks went a little pink themselves, when suddenly, something flew in and interrupted
the class: it was an owl, and it carried a letter for Hermione. Everyone groaned. They had fond
memories of Krum sending Hermione constant mail. Snape wasn't impressed either.

`Hurry up and read it, Miss Granger! And next time, save the excitement of your social life for
*after* my class!'

Quickly, Hermione unrolled her letter, avoiding Snape's and everyone else's glares.
Surely this was a message from her parents, checking up on her? But no, it wasn't. *Oh, what
could he possibly want now?*

*Dear Hermione,*

*Why didn't you say you were still interested in me? You must be, otherwise why would you
send the love potion? Now that I'm cured, I realise I'm still interested in you as well. I
would be honoured if you'd join me at the Annual Drakon Hunt next week in Greece. I know
it's short notice, but please consider taking the time off school. I'd love to see you
again.*

*Yours Sincerely,*

*Viktor Krum*

Hermione couldn't work out was more absurd: the fact Krum thought she was still interested
in him, or that she would *ever* take time of school!

`It's not from Krummy is it?' said Ron jokingly. `That would be a right cack!'

`Well of course it's not!' Hermione snapped, shoving the letter into her school bag.
`Don't be ridiculous…'

-->



7. A Malfoy Mystery & Moment Of Truth?
--------------------------------------



**`Harry,' she spoke up. Her voice had a faint quiver in it. `Did you...did you, mean it?
Sincerely?'**

**`About what I wrote?'**

**~** **A Malfoy Mystery** **~**

Before Potions class ended, Professor Snape took an unprecedented thirty points off Gryffindor.
He knew quite well, as soon as he walked in the room, that Harry was absent. Crestfallen, Hermione
and Ron trudged their way to the Great Hall for lunch - but Hermione had more important things on
her mind then eating. They were only just sitting down at Gryffindor table, Ron reaching for the
breadbasket, when Hermione stood up again.

`I'm going to the library to find Harry. Bye!'

`Wha - ' Ron objected, with half a bread roll hanging out of his mouth. He dislodged it
before speaking again. `But, we just got here!'

`I said *I'm* going to find Harry, not you! You stay here and eat. I need to...'
Hermione thought this over for a second `...er, well, I need to talk to Harry about something.
Urgently.'

`About what?' Ron demanded, clearly sick of everybody's secretiveness. `Do *you*
know what's wrong with him?'

`Don't be stupid! Why would I know? I only need to talk to him about...ah, school stuff!
It's quite boring, really. You wouldn't be interested.'

Hermione went to turn and leave, but was suddenly confronted with Malfoy, taking his usual leave
from the Slytherin table to taunt them.

`Good afternoon, Granger!' he said in a buoyant voice that was very unlike him, after which
he sneered over at Ron - an action that was, alternatively, very like him. `Afternoon to you too,
carrot top.'

`Greetings planet head!' said Ron with a salute. Malfoy stayed focused on Hermione.

`Miss me?'

`No!' she scoffed, raising an eyebrow. `Miss me?'

He shrugged. `A little.' Hermione scoffed again.

`Oh yes, I'm sure! How's the tattoo going?' She said this with a gratified
smirk.

Predictably, Ron felt the urge to have a go at Malfoy himself. He stood up out of his chair and
moved in front Hermione, shielding her from Malfoy.

`One word, Malfoy! One *nasty* word and I'll give you a crooked face!'

Malfoy wasn't threatened in the least. `Really, Weasley, no need for heroics. I'm only
here to have a friendly chat.'

`Yeah *right*!' said Ron disbelievingly. `And Snape wants a new career as Harry's
house elf!'

This, again, did little to thwart Malfoy's composure.

`Heard you can't go to the Annual Drakon Hunt this year, Weasley. Tragic isn't it? You
could have made some money. You remember that word don't you? Money?'

`Why I oughta - '

Ron was set to charge at Malfoy; but Hermione, who still had her wits about her, pulled him back
determinedly by the shirt.

`I of course,' Malfoy went on importantly, `will be taking time off school to go with my
father. It's imperative I attend. The Malfoy's are, after all, one of the most respected
Pureblood teams in the game.'

Hermione stepped out from behind Ron, glaring daggers at Malfoy.

`If you ask me, your lot are anything *but* pure!'

`No arguments there!' supported Ron, folding his arms. Malfoy ignored him and kept his
attention on Hermione.

`Why don't you come with us, Granger? The Drakon could use some live bait.'

`Why don't you turn yourself into a bouncing ferret again, Malfoy, I'm sure that will be
bait enough!'

Ron burst into laughter.

`Well!' said Malfoy, seemingly impressed. `Aren't we on the ball this morning? Can't
talk any further I'm afraid, I must be going.'

`Darn! Do you have too?' said Ron, pretending to be upset.

`I'll see you soon, Granger,' he said, giving her another wink, and strode back to the
Slytherin table. Hermione was left feeling slightly disconcerted.

`What was that all about?'

Ron, evidently, felt the same way.

`Just when you thought he couldn't become more of a git, he out does himself!'

Shaking this latest encounter of Malfoy's from her mind, Hermione resumed her previous
endeavor.

`Anyway, I'll talk to you later Ron. I should go find Harry now.'

`Harry? But - '

`I'll see you later!' she cried, running off, before he had another chance to
protest.

**** **~** **Moment Of Truth?** **~**

Harry sat by himself in the library, chewing his nails. It was a new habit. He developed it only
ten minutes ago for relieving nerves. It didn't seem to be working…

`What am I going to *do*?' he exclaimed in agony.

`*SSHH*!' hissed Madame Pince, who was hanging around. `No talking to one's self in
the library!'

`Sorry...'

Harry was in quite the predicament. His best friend knew he thought she was incredibly beautiful
three times over - a fact he'd only become enlightened to recently himself. As a result,
Harry's game plan had to change: he could either tell Hermione some made up story like `I must
have been coming off the potion!'…or, he could tell the supposed truth.

`Harry?'

*Oh god!* Harry thought, sitting upright. She was standing right behind him! For how long,
he didn't know. Steadily, he turned to face her. She smiled awkwardly. He smiled awkwardly.
Both felt compelled to say something. Anything! For Harry's part, the bare sight of Hermione
sent his mind into a frenzy. *If you stop imagining her in that white nightie, Harry, you might
manage to get some sound out of your mouth!*

`I, ah,' Hermione finally spoke. `I noticed you weren't at lunch. Ron told me you'd
come up here to study.'

*Good one, Harry!* he cursed himself, realising he was sitting at a table with no book to
actually study from.

`Hermione…I…?'

`Can we talk, Harry?'

`Yes!' he breathed, a little too eagerly. `I mean, yeah sure...'

Harry gestured for Hermione to sit down. It was now or never!

`Thanks,' she said politely, swinging her bag to the floor and taking the seat next to
him.

They both sat in silence for the moment, looking at anything but each other.

`So…' began Hermione.

`So...' echoed Harry.

They paused.

`Well, Harry. I really don't know where to begin.'

`I can start if you like.'

`That would be great.'

They paused again. Harry really didn't want to start!

`Er...' Harry mumbled, taking a moment to unbutton his top collar button. Why did it
suddenly feel so hot? `I guess, you have your Potions book back.'

`Yes,' Hermione confirmed. `Neville gave it to me this morning.'

`Right,' said Harry, yanking the knot in his necktie down a touch. `I'm sorry I
didn't return it to you earlier.'

`That's okay, Harry. I already took comprehensive notes on all the chapters in
advance.'

`You did?'

`Ah…'

Hermione was suddenly upset with herself. *Nice going, Hermione! Impress him by reaffirming
you're the biggest book-head in the school!* `Well, maybe not *that*
comprehensive.'

`I studied your book all night and could only get notes on the first chapter.'

`You studied all last night too?'

`Yeah, I did…'

`Oh,' said Hermione, half-smiling. Harry picked up on her tone.

`I guess I wasn't alone then, huh?'

`Well,' she said nervously, biting her bottom lip, `you know me! Always studying.'

Harry glanced at her sideways. Did he know Hermione? Really? As Hagrid pointed out, Hermione
wasn't the old eleven-year-old pal Harry had become use too - oh no. This new Hermione was the
so-called `young woman' Hermione, and Harry found her frightfully uncomfortable, scary, and
even a little...exciting? Why were the slightest details in her appearance suddenly so alluring?
Her eyes, her skin, her hair, the way she bit her bottom lip like that…

`Hermione,' said Harry, forcing himself to stop stealing glances her way. `When you got your
Potions book back…did you read what I think you did?'

Harry knew perfectly well she had, but wanted to ask anyway. Hermione took another bite at her
lip.

`Yes, I did.'

Again, they paused, allowing this new information to sink in. Harry half expected Hermione to
run away or tell him off. *What were you thinking, Harry? Writing in a schoolbook! That's
vandalism of school property, honestly!* But she did neither. The fact she remained at all
emboldened Harry somewhat.

`Harry,' she spoke up. Her voice had a faint quiver in it. `Did you...did you, mean it?
Sincerely?'

`About what I wrote?'

`Yes?'

`Every word.'

There. He did it. He told the truth! A weighty silence followed the announcement. Fused with
suspense, Harry permitted himself to look at Hermione directly for the first time since she'd
sat down. Feeling his eyes on her, Hermione did the same. Harry was pleasantly surprised to find
her smiling at him, and not puking with revulsion. Always a plus!

`You think…' she started, blushing, `…you think I'm beautiful?'

`I think the words were "incredibly beautiful", if I remember correctly.'

Hermione's smile broadened.

`Yes, I know. I believe you wrote it down three times.'

`Well then I really, really, really, mean it.'

They both laughed, Hermione's blush deepening. Harry was going a little red himself.

`So…' began Hermione.

`So…' echoed Harry.

`What happens now?'

`I don't know,' said Harry, contemplating this prospect. `Do you think I'm
beautiful?'

They both broke into laughter again, trying to keep it down so Madame Pince wouldn't
hear.

`Yes, but in a masculine way, Harry!' Hermione assured him, giggling. Harry now looked
rather smug.

`Really? And how many times would *you* write it down?'

`Um...I'd say ten times.'

`*Ten*!'

`Ten is much better then three, don't you think?'

`Hey!' teased Harry, poking her arm.

`Hey yourself!' teased Hermione, pinching his ribs.

`Hey yourself times ten!'

`Hey yourself times *infinity!*'

`*SSHH*!' hissed Madame Pince, still hovering around like a bad smell.

`Sorry!' Harry and Hermione apologised together, struggling to curb their amusement.

Irritated, Madame Pince marched away, but not completely out of range. Hermione lowered her
voice to Harry and said, `can you believe this is happening?'

`What do you mean?' said Harry, shifting his chair closer. `Madame Pince has never had a
sense of humour.'

Hermione pinched him again. `Not her, Harry! I meant what's happening with us.'

`Oh! No...not really.'

'You know,' said Hermione, in an even more hushed voice, 'you said you had feelings
for me when you were on the potion, but I didn't take it seriously. I didn't think it could
be real.' Her voice was sad when she said this. 'Not that I didn't want it to be
serious! I mean, well, I've been extremely confused. I've struggled with my feelings for
you, Harry. I didn't want get carried away though, because I knew you were on love potion. I
had to maintain control. I *couldn't* believe - '

Harry took her hand.

'It's okay, Hermione,' he whispered. 'I'm not on love potion any
more.'

'I know,' she complied, peering down at his hand on hers.

'Do you still want it to be serious?' he asked, playing with her fingers.

Hermione knew what was coming, though she couldn't quite believe it. It was all so surreal.
In response to Harry's question, she uttered, very simply: 'yes.'

There was no turning back. Though it remained unspoken, both knew the boundary they were about
to cross could never be repaired; but even then, neither could comprehend the scale of it. How it
would change everything - more then they could ever imagine. They locked eyes; Harry brought his
attention to Hermione's lips, then to her eyes, then back to lips again. Hermione followed
suit. Like magnets, their faces drew together. Closer and closer...until their noses
brushed...until they could feel the warmth of each other's breath...so close! But then they
heard him.

'Harry! Hermione! Where are you guys?'

Ron, feeling most left out of things, was hollering out for them. Madame Pince didn't
appreciate his approach; they heard her close in and 'sshh!' him violently. He found them
shortly after, completely unaware of what was going on. Harry and Hermione had no choice but to
separate.

'There you are! You two should have come to lunch, the roast lamb was wicked!' he said
spiritedly, and pulled a seat between them. He managed to notice the lack of books on the table.
'Weren't you supposed to be studying, Harry? Or do you only exclusively study at night now?
You and Hermione better not be planning some kind of nocturnal study group.'

To make matters even more complicated, Fred and George entered the library.

'Ron!' they called, sending Madame Pince into another 'sshh!' fit.
'Sorry!' they muttered, bringing their voices down, and continued the search for their
brother. Fred was the first to find him.

'Ron! Oh, hey Harry, hey Hermione. Listen, Ron! We're really worried about Ginny.
She's been acting super weird!'

'Out of orbits more like it,' said George, coming to stand next to Fred. 'She's
locked herself in the girl's toilets all day! You'd think the smell would be getting to her
by now.'

'Professor McGonagall's been on our case non-stop, telling us to sort it out,' Fred
continued. 'Ginny's been missing classes. We've tried talking to her but she's
ignoring us!'

'I know, I know!' said Ron, agitated. 'She's been ignoring me too. She must have
some kind of girl problem.'

'Good point, brother,' said Fred, stroking his chin intelligently. Then, making eye
contact with Hermione, he was suddenly struck with a revelation. '*You're* a
girl!'

'Excuse me?' said Hermione, a tad insulted, as if Fred had only just made this
discovery.

'And if girls have girl problems, they only want to talk to girls about them!' George
carried on, triumphant.

'My analogy exactly! Let's go, Hermione,' said Fred, capturing her wrist and forcing
her to her feet.

'Er, hold on!' she said, snatching her school bag on impulse. 'Can't this wait
'til later?'

'Nope,' said Fred, hauling her towards the exit. 'Got to get to the bottom of it
now!'

'Can't have McGonagall hanging off us!' said George, grabbing hold of Hermione's
other wrist. `How are we supposed to get up to our usual, good-humoured mischief with her always
poking around?'

Stuck between two very adamant Weasley twins, Hermione had no choice but to go with them. She
quickly waved goodbye to Ron and Harry, mouthing to Harry something along the lines of
'I'll see you later', and then she was gone.

'They're right you know, Harry,' said Ron, waving goodbye. 'Ginny really
hasn't been herself. I wonder what's wrong with her?'

Harry couldn't help but not seem too interested. He let his head drop to the table like a
weight.

'Harry, are you all right?' said Ron, concerned, and then joked, 'I didn't
disturb your study session with Hermione did I?'

'No,' said Harry gloomily, looking up at Ron with a brave face. 'We weren't
studying anyway.'

'Well, good then! You seem a bit frustrated, though.'

'Not at all!' said Harry, dropping his head to the table again. 'Not at
all.'

-->



8. The Problem With Ginny & Love Potion Relapse
-----------------------------------------------



**'Harry?'**

**'Don't forget about me!'**

**~ The Problem With Ginny ~**

'Ginny, are you in here?'

Thanks to Fred and George, Hermione now found herself in the girl's bathroom on the ground
floor. While she did genuinely want to help Ginny, it couldn't of come at a worse time! She
desperately wanted to get back to Harry. Three minutes ago they'd almost kissed, and now she
was surrounded by toilets? It wasn't right.

'Hello? Ginny?'

'Go away, Hermione!' Ginny snapped, concealed behind a cubical door. Hermione sighed
impatiently.

'Ginny, what's wrong? You've got everyone really worried about you!' She added
under her breath, 'we could all be doing more *important* things right now!'

Ginny didn't respond.

'Ginny, please! This is getting ridiculous. Can you come out already?'

Still no response. Hermione tried a more sensitive approach.

'Is it something embarrassing? Because if it is, you know you can - '

'*No*!' Ginny interrupted loudly, her voice reverberating off the bathroom walls.
'I'm just angry!'

Without warning, the cubical door Ginny was concealed behind flung open. She wasn't kidding
when she said she was angry; coming towards Hermione, she looked ready to strangle someone.
Hermione took a step back at the thought.

'Why, Hermione?' Ginny demanded nonsensically, throwing her arms in the air. 'Why
would they lie to me?'

'Who? Who lied to you?' Hermione asked innocently, having no idea what Ginny was talking
about.

'My entire family!' she cried, and began pacing up and down the bathroom like a caged
tiger, gritting her teeth. 'I can't keep this in any longer…I have to say
something...'

'Ginny, I'm afraid I don't quite understand - '

'I'm adopted, Hermione!'

Hermione could've laughed, but she checked herself. This had to be a joke. A joint effort
between Ginny, Fred, George and Ron, perhaps? It had to be!

'Where on *earth* did you get that idea?'

'I found out,' said Ginny plainly. 'Well, I guess I figured it out more or less. I
mean, it explains everything doesn't it?'

Hermione shook her head dismissively. 'I'm sorry, what does it explain?'

'*Why I love Ron*! It's because I'm adopted! It's the only way to explain
it. You understand what I'm saying, don't you Hermione?'

Hermione had to laugh now. This was getting beyond a joke. Two days ago Ginny had accidentally
fallen in love with Ron due to love potion. Hermione wasn't well informed on the details, but
she knew Ginny had since been cured...right?

'Have you lost your mind? Ginny, Ron's your brother! That's...that's the most
absurd thing I've ever heard!'

'He's *not* my brother! I'm adopted!' Ginny enforced. Hermione pursed her
lips sternly, channeling Professor McGonagall.

'No! No you're not, Ginny!'

'Yes I am!'

'You're not adopted!'

'*Yes I am*!'

Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but then quickly thought against it. Ginny was clearly on
the edge, and Hermione knew better then to push her off.

'I hoped you would at least understand, Hermione,' Ginny went on, staring at her
reflection in the mirror over the sink. 'Don't you know what it's like to be in love
with somebody?'

'I - ' Hermione found this question a little hard to answer. 'I think this is
different!' Ginny slammed her hands on the sink and spun around.

'No, it's not different! It's love! Perhaps you're conspiring with my family
too...' Ginny considered, now filled with suspicion.

'*Ginny*!' Hermione gasped, not knowing how much more insanity she could take -
she'd had quite enough insanity for one year, thank you very much. 'I am not conspiring
against you and neither is your family, I swear! You have to stop thinking such things! What
you're saying doesn't make any sense. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were -
that you were...'

'That I was what?' said Ginny expectantly.

*Relapsing* Hermione thought, but didn't say. That was it. Ginny *had* to be
relapsing! How else could this all be explained?

'Er, Ginny,' said Hermione, adopting a more systematic tone of voice. 'How exactly
were you cured of the Aphora Bewitching Potion?'

Ginny was confused.

'What does that have to do with anything?'

'Humour me!'

Thinking for a moment, Ginny then said, 'I was given the same herbal remedy as Harry and
Malfoy. Why?'

Hermione recalled Ron telling her about a herbal remedy. She was annoyed at the time, seeing
she'd previously believed the only way to *truly* cure an Aphora Bewitching Potion
involved traveling to Greece and performing a ritual. It seemed there was some merit in this after
all. Ginny had to be relapsing, but Hermione needed to be sure.

'Listen to me, Ginny,' said Hermione seriously. 'You're not well. You have to
trust me. I think you may have something called potion relapse - '

'Potion recap?'

'No, *relapse*! Love potion relapse,' Hermione stated carefully. 'In the mean
time, whatever you do,' Hermione's voice was extra grave, '*stay away from Ron*! I
don't think he'll take this very well.'

With this established, Hermione was set to leave and headed for the exit.

'Hang on!' said Ginny, still confused. 'Where are you going?'

'I'll explain later! Trust me!' Hermione called back, and without turning round,
hurried out the door.

****

**~ Love Potion Relapse ~**

Hermione's point of destination was the library. On arriving, she saw Harry and Ron were no
longer there, which was probably a good thing since Hermione needed to concentrate. Determined, she
charged into the Potions section and began stripping it bare. She eventually came across the
perfect book.

'*The Most Common Effects of Potion Backsliding, Regression and Relapsing*,
excellent!'

Dropping herself and her bag to the floor, Hermione spread the book open, turned to the first
page and ran her finger down the extensive index.

'*Backsliding, regression and relapsing in love potions*, page three hundred.'

Hermione turned to page three hundred. There was another list here, detailing a number of
different love potions. Hermione scanned the list, until she saw the Aphora Bewitching Potion. This
then led her to the following passage:

*Love potion relapse for the Aphora Bewitching Potion*

*This type of relapse occurs when treatment for an Aphora Bewitching Potion has been
inconclusive. The Aphora Bewitching Potion is a highly potent love formula, and is extremely
difficult to stabilise once taken. Most treatments are temporary, lacking long-term results*

*Symptoms for love potion relapse include, in varying degrees: delusional behavior, increased
anxiety and elaborate fantasising. Patients resume being 'in love' with the bounder of
their Aphora Bewitching Potion. In most cases, patients will fabricate absurd reasons to justify
their relapse. Famous witch Maureen Mole suffered relapse from the Aphora Bewitching Potion for ten
years. She believed, most inaccurately, that fifteen-year-old Benjamin Youngblood, the best friend
of her son, was the reincarnation of her dead husband Merrick Mole.*

'Then, relapse evokes fantasies to explain attraction after one *thinks* they've
been cured,' Hermione rationalised, thinking of Ginny. 'Like believing one is
adopted.'

Hermione continued reading to the next paragraph.

*It is strongly advised, when attempting to cure an Aphora Bewitching Potion, that the proper
ritual be taken on Mount Olympus. Any other treatment runs risk of causing relapse.*

Satisfied, Hermione shut the book and stared into space for a moment. An awful realisation was
on the threshold of being revealed.

'If Ginny has love potion relapse,' she reasoned aloud, 'Krum probably has it
too.' Hermione eyes flicked to her school bag, where she'd stuffed Krum's 'I'm
still interested in you' letter. 'And if Krum has relapse, that means...' with a heavy
heart, 'Harry?'

'Don't forget about me!'

Hermione was in the motion of turning around, but then the voice behind her said
'*stupefy*!', and everything went black.

-->



9. Malfoy Still Loves Hermione? & Ron Still Loves Hermione?
-----------------------------------------------------------



**He ran a hand through his hair, messing it up. 'In vain I've tried to fight it, but
it's consumed me. If you hadn't put me on that stupid love potion in the first place this
wouldn't have to be done!'**

**~ Malfoy** **Still** **Loves Hermione? ~**

It was still dark. Hermione could feel her head throbbing; she also felt a lucid, floating
sensation throughout her entire body...

'Where...?' she murmured.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. Her vision was a little blurry at first...

'Ah, you're awake!' said a voice near by. 'Sorry about stunning you, but I need
this to run smoothly.'

Hermione began to register her surroundings: she was in a potions lab, one she'd never seen
before. There was a black door directly ahead, and large table in the centre of the stone-walled
room, littered with potion bottles and ingredients. Flickering light emanated from the torches
placed around the walls. What was odd, though, was Hermione felt she was seeing *down* on all
this. Her feeling of floating became more and more apparent. Puzzled, Hermione lowered her eyes to
her feet and gasped - she *was* floating!

'Hello sleepy head!' said the voice, belonging to -

'MALFOY!' Hermione yelled, struggling to get down, but it was no use. He'd cast a
hovering charm on her. *That indignant little ferret!* 'I demand you put me down on the
ground this instant and tell me where we are!'

'Quiet!' said Malfoy, working over a steaming cauldron in the corner. 'I'm
trying to focus.'

Hermione decidely ignored his request.

'MALFOY!'

'*All right already*! If you insist on getting hysterical.'

With that, Malfoy abandoned his cauldron and explained, in a very matter-of-fact tone, 'we
are in Professor Snape's secret underground laboratory. I told him I wanted to work on an extra
credit Potions assignment, so the slime head let me borrow it. He buys anything I tell him these
days.' Malfoy said this last part with a distinct note of malicious pride.

Hermione, feeling very angry and violated, continued struggling.

'You're breaking a trillion school rules here, Malfoy, I swear you'll - '

'Would you stop wriggling around like that? It's impossible for you to get down. My wand
is aimed right you.'

Malfoy pointed to his wand, propped up against a book on the table. It was the source of the
hovering charm. As long as it stayed in position, Hermione would remain stuck in mid-air.

'Come on, Hermione, relax! I'm almost finished here.'

'*Relax*!' Hermione said in outrage. 'You've unlawfully kidnapped me and
stuck me to the roof of Snape's secret laboratory, I am far *from* RELAXED!

'I know my actions may seem a little unorthodox - '

'A LITTLE?'

'But it's all for the best! I am saving you, after all.'

'From what, GRAVITY?'

'No,' Malfoy laughed, shaking his head. 'From Harry Potter.'

Hermione froze. *Saving me from Harry? What is he talking about?*

'Potter has obviously bewitched you some how. It's the only way to explain it.'

'Explain what?' said Hermione. At her asking, Malfoy's grey eyes darkened, and his
body shuddered with restrained anger.

'Why you fancy him instead of *me*!' he proclaimed furiously.

Then it dawned on her. Hermione knew exactly what was going on. *Of course! Malfoy has love
potion relapse as well!*

'You had to be a bloody Mudblood, didn't you?' he said, with a sting in his voice,
as he circled her floating form. 'I mean, there I was, lying in hospital when I find your name
tattooed on my back! What do I do? Panic of course. Can you imagine if anyone *saw*? Think of
my father! But I had to come to terms with it. I couldn't deny what was happening. I, Draco
Malfoy, born to one of the most honoured Pureblood families in the wizarding world, was infatuated
with Hermione Granger! The *Mudblood*!'

'Malfoy,' said Hermione, trying to remain calm, 'it's not really you! It's -
'

'Love potion relapse! Trust me, I know,' he said before she could. 'Why do you think
I knew so much about it in Potions this morning? I've been doing nothing but research on it for
the past week!' He ran a hand through his hair, messing it up. 'In vain I've tried to
fight it, but it's consumed me. If you hadn't put me on that stupid love potion in the
first place this wouldn't have to be done!'

'Wh...what do you mean?' Hermione asked tremulously. `What has to be done?'

Ignoring her, Malfoy strode over to the table and picked up a dishevelled looking red rose,
kissed it, and threw it into the cauldron. Instantly, the liquid within bubbled and sparked alight;
burning a brilliant bright pink. Hermione's stomach sank as she witnessed Malfoy make his very
own batch of the Aphora Bewitching Potion.

'I saw you and Potter in the library earlier,' Malfoy drawled. 'You were having
quite the interlude, weren't you? Too bad he's got relapse as well.'

Hermione had realised this the split second before Malfoy knocked her out, so it never really
sank in. *Harry*. Harry had relapse...Harry didn't really love her...

'What kind of spell did he use to make you suddenly fancy him I wonder?' said Malfoy,
coming to stand beneath her feet. The glow from the cauldron, and Hermione's heart, began to
drain.

'There is no spell on me, Malfoy. My feelings for Harry are real,' she said in a weak
voice. Malfoy snorted.

'What do you mean your feelings for Harry are real? Hermione, how can you have feelings for
someone who's only "pretending" to feel something for you?'

Sinking her head, Hermione eyes started watering. She felt completely at loss, in danger of
breaking down; and yet, a fire was burning inside of her, threatening release.

'Whatever Harry's going through doesn't matter,' she said more firmly.

'Yeah, right!' Malfoy snickered. 'Whatever makes it easier for you,
Hermione.'

'IT'S TRUE!' Hermione suddenly shouted, snapping her head up and freeing the fire.
'NOTHING CHANGES THE FACT I'M IN LOVE WITH HIM!'

Malfoy was struck dumb. He didn't move, he didn't even appear to breath. Hermione, on
the other hand, was trying to fathom what she'd just declared. She didn't conciously mean
to say it. It just...came out.

'In love with Potter?' Malfoy said in an icy voice. 'No...you don't know what
you're saying!'

Keeping his eyes on Hermione, Malfoy unearthed a syringe from the pocket of his Slytherin
robe.

'Malfoy,' Hermione said in a frightened voice, glaring at the syringe. `What do you
think you're doing?'

He answered her by moving to the cauldron and dipping the needle in the awaiting potion, filling
it to the brim.

'After I inject you with this,' he said clinically, tapping the needle twice for effect,
'you'll love me - and *only* me! None of this "in love with Potter"
rubbish.'

'*Inject me*!' Hermione cried, distraught. 'You must be truly out of your mind
if you think you're putting that in me!' Overcome with terror, Hermione screamed, at the
top of lungs, 'SOMEBODY HELP, PLEASE!'

'No point in screaming, Hermione, nobody can hear you,' said Malfoy casually, standing
beneath her feet again. 'We're a floor under the school! Now, hold still...' He pulled
over a chair, kneeled on top of it, and attempted to grab Hermione by the leg. Hermione, however,
was doing everything in her power to avoid holding still. 'Stop it!'

'NO!' she screamed. 'Stay away from me, Malfoy! Or you'll be sorry, I
SWEAR!'

'Fine,' said Malfoy, putting the syringe down for a moment. 'Hermione, you have to
be more realistic. Potter doesn't really love you, he has relapse! If he didn't, you'd
be back to being his big-haired, boring friend that's pretty handy to suck up to around test
time!'

'You're wrong,' said Hermione, her voice cracking.

'Oh, come off it! You know I'm not wrong. Why don't you save yourself the fuss and
come with me? I may have relapse too, but once you've had my potion, who could care less? We
can pretend to be in love together!'

'NO!' screamed Hermione again, loosing her temper completely. Lashing out, she managed
to kick Malfoy hard into the table. The impact threw his wand off aim, breaking the hovering charm.
Hermione fell to the ground with a shriek and a resounding 'thump' - but there was no time
to sit around on the ground. Using the few precious seconds she had, Hermione jumped to her feet
and bolted for the black door.

'GET BACK HERE, HERMIONE!' Malfoy ordered.

The door swung open to a dark, twirling stone staircase. Without a second to loose, Hermione
hurled herself up the steps. She climbed and climbed, going round and round, gasping for breath.
Despite stumbling on her robes numerous times, she kept going, hoping the stairs would lead to
safety.

'CAN ANYONE HEAR ME?' she yelled, her voice echoing all around. 'ANYOBODY!'

In the depths below, Hermione could hear Malfoy's preying foorsteps. He was gaining on her.
Ignoring a painful stitch developing in her side, Hermione kept running, as fast as she could - but
Malfoy was too quick.

'GOT YA!' he shouted, seizing a handful of her robes.

'NO!' Hermione shrieked. Malfoy tugged her towards him and clasped his arms around her.
On impulse, Hermione elbowed him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He let go. Hermione
ran.

'That HURT!' he complained, rubbing his stomach and chasing after her.

Hermione strained to keep her pace, to run faster, but the stairs wouldn't end. It was
hopeless. Malfoy caught back up; and this time, he levelled her to the step, pinning her down with
his weight.

'AAHH! GET OFF ME, MALFOY!' Hermione screamed, struggling more then ever.

'You leave me no choice, Hermione!' His grey eyes were wild, as raised the syringe high
above his head like a knife. 'It's for your own good!'

In a last show of disgust, Hermione leant up and spat in Malfoy's face. Least to say, he was
very displeased. Wiping the remnants off with his sleave, he gripped Hermione by the hair and
slammed her head to the concrete. Hermione saw stars; it put her out of action long enough for him
to find a vein in her arm. Hermione yelped painfully, flinching, as she felt the needle penetrate
her skin. Malfoy was injecting her now. The potion swam into her blood stream like hot rapids,
coursing through her entire body.

'You're going to forget you *ever* fancied stupid Harry Potter!'

'SHUT UP!' Hermione cried, tears cascading down her cheeks.

'You'll love me more then you ever loved him!'

'NEVER!'

And with that, Malfoy lifted the needle out. It was empty. Mission accomplished.

'See? That wasn't so bad now, was it? You can go now. I'll see you soon.'

Malfoy winked and stood up, letting her go. Hermione teetered to her feet, unable to believe
what had happened. Malfoy's Aphora Bewitching Potion was inside her system, spreading like a
disease. It wouldn't be long before she'd come running back to him, sick with love.

Clasping her pierced arm, Hermione violently thrust Malfoy out of her way and ran up the
remaining stairs - she had, to her despair, been close to the top after all. At first it seemed
like a dead end, faced with nothing but a stone wall; but then she traced the outline of an arched
door and realised it was embedded into the rock. Haversting what energy she had left, Hermione
heaved herself against it. It proved very heavy, and only opened a bit at a time. Voices became
audible on the other side. Familiar voices...

'I'm telling you, Ron! I heard her screaming!'

'But, Harry, that's a statue of a Slytherin snake! Besides, Hermione's supposed to
be with Ginny, isn't she?'

'I know it's crazy, but I swear I heard Hermione yell for help from behind this
wall!'

'Maybe the snake ate her.'

'Shut up, Fred!'

`Well it is time for dinner…'

With one last, agonising push, the door flung open on its own accord. Hermione lost balance and
fell out the other side. The door closed automatically, a looming snake statue in its place.

'*Hermione*!' Harry and Ron exclaimed together.

'*Wicked*!' said Fred and George, excited at the thought of another untapped,
secret entrace to some where.

Hermione was now laying under the bright lights of the Great Hall. Harry, Ron, Fred and George
closed in, as well as some other students, nosing in on the commotion.

'Hermione?' said Ron, gaping. 'How the *hell* did you wind up behind that snake
statue?'

'Did he eat you?'

'GEORGE!'

'It's just a question!'

But as Hermione stood up, there were no more questions - for the moment, at least. Everyone
could see she looked terribly upset; not to mention a little bruised.

'Hermione?' said Harry, going closer to her. 'What's happened? What were you
doing behind that statue?'

There was no helping it. How could she? When Hermione saw Harry, all she could do was cry. She
really believed he loved her...that it was nothing to do with a potion. She should say something
about Malfoy, she thought vaguely, before it was too late; but she was too overwhelmed.

'Hermione?' said Harry again, very worried now.

Then, to everyone's complete and utter surprise, Hermione flung her arms around Harry and
sobbed into his neck.

'Hermione, what's going on?' Harry asked, startled, putting a hand on her back.

'Well *somebody* better say what's going on!' said Ron, feeling very
un-hugged.

Hermione lifted her head and looked into Harry's eyes...his 'relapsing' eyes, that
only pretended to see something *incredibly beautiful* in her. With a pitiful smile and tears
rolling down her face, she kissed him. This in turn caused Ron, Fred, George's eyes to almost
pop out of their sockets and roll around the floor - not to mention Lavender and Parvati's
eyes, which were positively engaged from the background. Unlocking her lips from Harry's,
Hermione whispered, so only he could hear: 'I love you.'

And that was it. That was the last time Harry saw Hermione before everything changed. Hermione,
unable to bear any more, tore past the crowd that had formed around them and escaped the Great
Hall. Harry stayed behind, breathless, to endure a sudden explosion of wolf whistles and cry's
like 'go Harry!' or 'score!' from the on-looking crowd. Ron on the other hand, did
not show a trace of support.

**
~ Ron** **Still** **Loves Hermione? ~**

Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, Harry's roomates, were keeping Harry occupied by attacking
him with a number of personal questions. The three of them had congregated to their dormitory room.
Neville was there as well, but he'd gone to bed already.

'How long have the two of you liked each other, Harry?'

'Did you know she was going to kiss you?'

'Are you going to be boyfriend and girlfriend now?'

'Is she a good kisser, Harry?'

Dean chuckled. 'Why would *you* want to know that? Thinking of having a snog with her
yourself?'

'*No*!' said Seamus, chucking a pillow at Dean's head. 'I was just curious.
It's not every day a girl comes up to you in the Great Hall for a snog.'

*Or to tell you she loves you* Harry thought.

It seemed everyone was talking about Hermione snogging Harry. Professor McGonagall even made a
point of telling Harry, after she'd found out what had happened, that he and Hermione should
keep their business private, and not for the entire school to see. After dinner, Harry searched for
Hermione, but with no luck. His mind was reeling with questions: why had she run off? Why was she
crying? What was behind that wall? Why did she say...

`So, Harry,' interrupted Seamus' voice. `Are you going to ask Hermione out?'

`Course he is!' said Dean obviously. Seamus rolled his eyes.

`And what are you supposed to be, the expert?'

`That's right,' said Dean smugly. `Harry can take Hermione to the Three Broomsticks
tomorrow when we're in Hogsmede and buy her a drink. That's what I - *the expert* -
would do.'

`But I always take Hermione to the Three Broomsticks and buy her a drink,' said Harry
pointlessly, speaking for the first time since he entered the room. `Ron too.'

`Oh,' said Dean. `Well, I'm sure you'll think of something.'

`Hey, Harry!' said Seamus, still brimming with questions. `Why was Hermione crying
before?'

This was one of the things Harry had been thinking about too.

`I…I don't know.'

`Maybe she was overcome with happiness,' suggested Dean, after which he and Seamus burst
into laughter. Harry paid little attention to them. He didn't mean to be rude, but he
couldn't stop Hermione's voice reciting the words 'I love you' in his head!
Everything was happening so fast; one minute Harry's at Hagrid's coping with puberty, and
the next Hermione's in love with him?

`So tell us, Harry - are you, you know...' Dean fluttered his eyelashes like an idiot,
`...*in love*?'

`What?' said Harry, turning as red as Ron's hair. `I don't know! Shut up,
Dean.'

Dean winked at Seamus.

`I think that's a yes…'

`I didn't say yes!'

`Didn't say no either...'

`Yeah!' said Seamus, chuckling. `You should see your head, Harry, it's turning into a
big red tomato!'

Now they'd all burst into laughter.

`Shut up!' said Harry, chuckling.

`No, seriously! Can we come to the wedding, Harry?'

`I said *shut up*!'

Harry threw a pillow at Seamus' head. This in turn started a massive pillow fight between
the three boys. Two minutes into the fight, Ron came into the room, though he wasn't in the
mood to join in.

`Hey Ron!' greeted Seamus.

`Hey Ron!' greeted Dean.

`Hey...' Ron said flatly, going straight to his bed without a glance at Harry. In fact, he
seemed to be doing his best to ignore him completely.

`What's eating you, Ron?' asked Seamus. `Grab a pillow, we're going to cover Harry
in feathers before he marries Hermione!'

Dean and Seamus expected Ron to laugh, but he didn't.

`Ah...Ron?' tried Harry, but Ron didn't reply. He simply got dressed in his pajamas and
hopped into bed.

`I'm tired. Goodnight.'

Harry didn't feel like pillow fighting any more. He said his goodnights to Dean and Seamus
and went to bed, laying awake for the longest time. He was pretty certain why Ron was acting so
cold; he'd had an inkling of a similar feeling last year, just after the Yule Ball, when Ron
was angry with Hermione for accepting Krum as her date. The subject had since become taboo - until
now. Ron must, after all, have feelings for Hermione.

**A/N:** Updating like a crazy person! My computers still down, but I'm able to get these
chapters up from ff.net. Kudos to you if you've been reading! I'll slow down with the
updates after this, and go back to one at a time. Please, please review! I'd love to accumulate
some more feedback.

Also, I realise this chapter was quite dark. I've had a mixed response with it, and was a
little worried about releasing it on Portkey. All I can say is, it needed to be done. I actually
love this chapter because it changes everything, and the story was much easier to write from this
point on. Things will get worse before they get better, and I promise they'll get better.

-->



10. Malfoy Malfoy Malfoy Malfoy & A Boy Apart
---------------------------------------------



`**This is madness!'**

**~ Malfoy Malfoy Malfoy Malfoy ~**

During dinner that night, before Harry and the other's went to their dormitory room…

Hermione ran and ran, until she was high in the school, until she could endure it no longer. The
potion was taking hold; a wave of debilitating dizziness floored her to her knees.

`No!' she pleaded, crashing down. His name was in her head, pounding over and over.

**MalfoyMalfoyMalfoyMalfoyMalfoyMalfoy**

`NO!' she pleaded more forcefully, her hands pressing against her forehead. `It's not
going to work, I won't let it work!'

**MalfoyMalfoyMalfoyMalfoyMalfoyMalfoy**

`I don't love Malfoy! I don't love Malfoy! I don't love Malfoy! *I don't love
Malfoy*!'

**MALFOYMALFOYMALFOYMALFOYMALFOYMALFOY**

Hermione fought, as hard as she could. `IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK!'

*Snap!*

It stopped. Did she break it?

Staggering upright, Hermione suddenly felt…refreshed. Invigorated. Everything seemed brighter
and immaculate with colour.

`I love him,' she told herself. `I really do.'

Regenerated, Hermione ran back the way she came. She was soon standing outside the Slytherin
portrait hole, where he was waiting.

`What took you so long?' said Malfoy, open-armed.

**
~ A Boy Apart ~**

It was now breakfast the following morning, and Harry sat alone. Ron sat at the far end of the
table, pretending Harry didn't exist, while Hermione was still missing from yesterday. Care of
Magical Creatures preceded breakfast with - groan - Slytherin. As the fifth-years made their way
out into the grounds, Harry endeavored to catch up with Ron.

`Ron…Ron! Come on, talk to me!'

Ron marched willfully ahead, saying nothing.

`*Ron*!'

`*What*?' he said finally, wheeling around. Harry stopped. Now that he had Ron's
attention, he didn't quite know what to say.

`I…' Harry futilely began, `…I don't want you to be like this.'

`And what would you like me to be like, Harry?' said Ron in a wounded voice. `All smiles and
Christmas pudding like everyone else?'

`Well…'

`How long have you two been having an affair behind my back?' he accused Harry, ears burning
with abandon. `No, wait! I don't want to know. In fact, spare me the details! You guys are only
my best friends…'

Ron went to walk away, but Harry pushed in front of him.

`We're *not* having an affair, Ron! We're - ' Harry searched for the words. `I
don't know what we're doing! Hermione and I…this whole thing started yesterday! I never
meant for her to do what she did in the Great Hall. I was as shocked as you were!'

`You love her, don't you,' said Ron. It was more of a statement then a question.

`Huh?'

`You heard me.'

`Ron, I told you! This all happened in *one* day! I mean, I've been thinking I liked
her but I never figured - ' Harry trailed off. Could it really be possible? `I didn't mean
for you - '

`Answer the question, Harry!'

Harry knew he had to be honest - for his and Ron's sake.

`I think I'm starting to. Yes.'

Harry desperately wanted Ron to say or do something. Yell, wave his arms around - anything! But
he didn't. His grim expression did not waver. Croakily, he said, `I hope you're really
happy together.'

Ron walked on ahead. Harry didn't try and stop him this time, and followed unhappily a
minute later. Class was about to start. Hagrid called for everyone to gather round. Harry was the
last to walk over.

`Where's Hermione?' Hagrid asked, looking to Ron, and then Harry, who were standing
apart.

`I don't know,' said Ron vacantly. Harry shrugged.

`Neither do…'

But then, Harry saw Hermione coming towards them in the distance - and she wasn't alone.

`Here she comes!' said Hagrid, spotting her for himself. The whole class turned to see.

Harry wanted to clean his glasses, to make sure he was seeing correctly. Surely he wasn't?
Hermione was coming towards them while holding the hand of Draco Malfoy? He wasn't the only one
amazed at this. It was, after all, common knowledge that Hermione and Malfoy hated each other's
guts. Ron was having trouble blinking, Pansy Parkinson looked as though she'd swallowed a cat,
and Neville couldn't close his gaping mouth.

`Ah…' said Hagrid wearily, surprised to see Hermione and Malfoy together himself, `…come
along there now Hermione…Malfoy.' He glanced at Ron and Harry, trying to determine if they were
making sense of this - they weren't. `Class is jus' startin'.'

Harry couldn't contain himself. He didn't want to disturb Hagrid's class, but this
situation required some major explaining!

`Hermione?' he said, walking straight for her. `What…?'

Ron, who also couldn't contain himself, stormed over to Harry's side, clenching a
fist.

`What in *Merlin's name* is going on here?' he demanded, glaring at Malfoy with the
upmost accusation.

`Good morning Potter, Weasley,' said Malfoy, acting as if nothing unusual was happening.
`Sorry we're late, but me and Hermione were *very* busy this morning.' He glanced at
Hermione seductively, and she returned the favour. `I hope we didn't keep everyone
waiting?'

Harry ignored Malfoy's dribble and addressed Hermione directly. `Hermione, what are you
doing?'

It was impossible not to notice Hermione appeared a bit…well, not herself. She was very dreamy,
like she wasn't quite all there.

`Accompanying Draco to class, Harry,' she answered passively.

`*Draco*?' Ron snapped, revolted.

`I don't know why you're all acting so shocked,' said Malfoy, relishing in every
moment. `I mean, we *are* going out now. What's the big deal?'

`*What*!' said Harry and Ron, both flabbergasted.

Ron looked from Malfoy, to Hermione, to Malfoy again, as if he were watching a very fast
Quidditch match. `But…that's just…Hermione wouldn't…*you* - '

Harry cut in.

`Hermione you can't be going out with Malfoy! I mean, for one, what about - ' He lowered
his voice, `what about us?'

`What?' said Hermione coldly. `Us? You and me? You can't be serious, Harry!'

Harry visibly flinched at these words. `But, yesterday, you said - '

`Harry! Don't tell me you took what I said yesterday to heart? As if I'd ever have
feelings for you, honestly! We're just friends.'

`Yes, just friends! Get real, Potter,' said Malfoy, bestowing him with a victory glare.

'It's strange,' Hermione went on. 'I know Draco and I fought all the time, but
it must've been a facade. I love him now.'

`*This is madness*!' cried Ron, loosing it.

`By the way, Harry,' Hermione dug a hand into her robes, retrieving a folded piece of paper
that was torn at the edge. `You can take this back. I don't fancy it.'

Loosing it completely, Ron lunged at Malfoy and gripped him by the collar. `This is all your
doing, isn't it?' he snarled. `You putrid, stuck-up little GIT! ISN'T IT?'

`Ron, stop!' Hermione implored. `Let go of him!'

`Hey hey hey!' said Hagrid, intervening. `Thas' enough! No fightin' or I'll have
to pu' yeh on detention. Easy does it, now,' he said, separating Ron from Malfoy.

`Yes, easy does it, Weasley,' said Malfoy arrogantly. `No need to be so offensive.' And
then, he turned to Harry and said, in a low voice (but not low enough for Ron not to hear),
`I'll let you know if she's good in bed, Potter.'

Naturally, Ron did not react favourably to this comment at all.

`THAT'S IT!'

Like a ball of unquenchable fire, Ron hurled Malfoy to the grass, punching senselessly.

`RON!' Hermione shrieked, mortified. `Don't! You're hurting him!'

`I HOPE SO!' was the extent of Ron's mercy.

As if this wasn't chaotic enough, a scorned Pansy Parkinson preyed on Hermione, grabbing and
ripping at her hair.

`BOYFRIEND STEALER!' she screeched.

`AAHH!' Hermione wailed.

`Oh dear!' said Hagrid, striving to separate everyone.

Despite the upheaval, Harry had an explicit desire to be on his own. Clutching the paper
Hermione had given him, he drifted over to the lake near by and sat at the water's edge. There,
he opened Hermione's paper. It was the page from her Potions book, the one he'd written on.
Harry bitterly tore it apart and tossed it in the water, the torn shreds floating slowly away on
the current.

`Harry?' came Hagrid's voice, approaching Harry carefully from behind. `Yeh
okay?'

Harry swallowed his breath, willing himself not to cry.

`It's okay if yeh miss class, Harry,' said Hagrid, laying a heavy hand on Harry's
shoulder. `Yeh take as long as yeh want.'

Hagrid walked back to class, leaving Harry to himself.

-->



11. Stormy Weather Ahead & The Hogwarts Hunters
-----------------------------------------------



**`Perhaps if I was to say, “the hunt is on”, you might be more the wiser?'**

**Stormy Weather Ahead**

As Care of Magical Creatures finished, the sky became grey and dreary, succeeded by lightening
and a sudden downfall of rain. The fifth-years packed together and charged for Hogwarts, shielding
themselves under their books.

`Great!' said Dean, annoyed, coming into the Entrance Hall saturated. `I bet Hogsmeade will
be called off now.'

`Yeah!' said Seamus, twisting water from his robes. `There goes Harry's date with
Hermione!'

`Don't you mean *Malfoy's* date with Hermione?'

Close by, Lavender and Parvati were having a similar discussion.

`Hermione's obviously addicted to making love potions. She probably won't stop until all
the boys in Slytherin are in love with her.'

`Ew!' said Parvati, whose mind had gone to Crabbe and Goyle. `You really think so?'

`Just you wait!' said Lavender knowingly. `Next will be Ravenclaw, then Hufflepuff, the
remainder of Gryffindor...it's so selfish! If Hermione's going out with every boy in
school, who are we supposed to date? Centaurs?'

This very intellectual conversation was suddenly cut short by the presence of Professor
McGonagall.

`Attention! May I have - Lavender and Parvati, would you two *stop* talking
please!'

Everyone in the Hall fell silent, particularly Lavender and Parvati.

`Professor Dumbledore has requested that all students attend the Great Hall for a surprise
meeting. I suggest you dry yourselves off as best you can and move along.'

`What's the meeting for Professor?' asked Parvati.

`I'm afraid that would be going against the element of *surprise* I just mentioned,
Miss Patil.'

`Oh, right...' said Parvati, embarrassed.

It wasn't long before word got round about Dumbledore's meeting. The Great Hall was soon
abuzz with teachers and students. Everyone was in attendance - well, *almost* everyone.

Professor McGonagall, noticing a number of absences from her House, approached Seamus and Dean
at the Gryffindor table. `Do either of you know where Ronald Weasley is?'

Seamus sniggered, until Dean nudged him in the ribs.

`Ron's in the hospital wing, Professor. He got into a fight during our Care of Magical
Creatures class.'

`With whom?' Though she could already guess.

`Draco Malfoy, Professor.'

`Yeah, Ron hammered him! CAPOW!' said Seamus, throwing a fist in the air.

Professor McGonagall's eyes narrowed - she was clearly less amused then Seamus was.

`I mean,' said Seamus quickly, deflating under her gaze, `what Dean said Professor
McGonagall, mam'.'

`And what of Hermione Granger and Harry Potter?'

`Hermione's in the hospital wing too, with Pansy Parkinson,' Dean explained. `They got
into a fight as well.'

This news troubled Professor McGonagall very much. What on earth happened in Hagrid's class
to cause *two* physical fights?

`And Harry Potter? Is he in the hospital wing too?'

`He…' Dean quickly glanced a Seamus, `…well, we don't know where Harry is,
Professor.'

Dean and Seamus knew Harry had disappeared after class, to where they didn't know, after
Hermione had openly rejected him for Malfoy.

`Very well then. Thank you, boys.'

Professor McGonagall headed swiftly to the teachers table, making a mental note to chat with
Hagrid later. Once she was gone, Dean gawked at Seamus stupidly.

`*Capow*?'

`What?' said Seamus, shrugging. `I was in the moment.'

And then, rising from his chair at the front of the Hall, `may I have your attention!'
Professor Dumbledore commanded, eliciting silence.

**** **The Hogwarts Hunters**

Harry slipped in quietly through the oak front doors, soaked to the bone. His hair hung over his
face like a black, wet mop, and his hands were cemented in fists. He could hear Dumbledore's
voice echoing out from the Great Hall. He peered in through main door, staying unnoticed…

`Due to the unexpected change in weather, I'm afraid today's trip to Hogsmeade will be
cancelled until further notice.'

There was an immediate reponse of disappointed moans and groans.

`However!' said Professor Dumbledore, gesturing for silence. `However, due to the
circumstances, I have decided to hold this meeting ahead of schedule. I'm sure you are all
curious to know why you have to listen to me prattle on so early in the day.'

A murmur of laughter followed this, as Dumbledore continued.

`Perhaps if I was to say “the hunt is on”, you might be more the wiser?' He winked.

The effect of this announcement was instant. The Hall was suddenly clamorous with excited
voices, Fred and George being notable among them.

`As of tomorrow, the Annual Drakon Hunt will be under way. After much consideration, I have
decided on the members for this year's team.' Dumbledore consulted a roll of parchment.
`This year's Hogwarts Hunters will include: Professor Severus Snape.'

Only the Slytherins cheered at the sound of Snape's name. Everyone else made a half effort
to clap at the most.

`Accompanying Professor Snape will be Professor Filius Flipwick and Madame Pomona Sprout, as
well as our very own Head Boy and Head Girl, Thomas Maverick of Ravenclaw and Holly Addison of
Hufflepuff. I wish you all the best of luck. I'm sure you will make Hogwarts proud.'

Dumbledore spent the remainder of the meeting talking about the Hunt and how the school would be
regularly updated on the team's progress. Harry began to tune out. There was something far more
pressing on his mind. He headed up the grand staircase to the Gryffindor common room, passing the
hospital wing on his way.

**A/N:** This is a short, `limbo' chapter, so I'll I put the next one up shortly.
Thanks to those who are still reading and reviewing! I know things are nasty right now, but
it'll be all right in the end - considering you stay around that long.

-->



12. Harry's Revenge & Consequences
----------------------------------



**'Well well well, Harry Potter,' he said in a quiet, dark voice. 'Everyone's
favourite boy. Who knew he had it in him?'**

**~ Harry's Revenge ~**

The door of the hospital wing was shut. Nevertheless, voices could be heard arguing nosily from
within. Harry recognised them as belonging to Ron, Hermione, Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson.

'If you say *one more* thing about the colour of my hair Malfoy, I'll bandage your
ugly FACE!'

'Ron, enough! Draco needs his rest...'

'Yes, *mandarin head*. Be more considerate.'

'WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL MY HEAD?'

'Get your hand off my boyfriend, you bushy-haired KNOW-IT-ALL!'

'Excuse me! Draco is *my* boyfriend, Pansy!'

'NO HE'S BLOODY NOT!'

'Yes he is, Ron!'

'I SWEAR I'M GONNA BE SICK!'

'Good thing we're in the hospital wing, huh mandarin head?'

'YOU - '

'*SSSHHH*!' Madame Pomfrey hissed above them all.

Harry didn't stay to listen for long. He kept on his way, until he reached the entrance to
the Gryffindor common room. Standing in front of the Fat Lady, he muttered the password:
'*Wood Pixies*.'

The Fat Lady, who'd dozed off, suddenly awoke. She was curiously surprised to see Harry.

'Shouldn't you be in the Great Hall for Dumbledore's meeting?' she inquired

'I don't care about Dumbledore's meeting,' said Harry in a stony voice, and
repeated, rather rudely, '*Wood Pixies*!'

'*Well*!' cried the Fat Lady, slighted. 'It doesn't matter what *I*
say, does it? I'm only paint on canvas after all…'

A very disgruntled Fat Lady let Harry pass, to which Harry did not say thank you.

He was glad to find the common room totally empty. Without a moment to lose, he set to work.
Collecting a page of parchment, a quill and some ink, Harry sat himself down by the common-room
fireplace. As the flames illuminated his eyes an eerie green, Harry wrote the following letter:

*Dear Lucius Malfoy*

*Your son Draco Malfoy is currently having a relationship with the Muggle-born Gryffindor
girl, Hermione Granger. Just thought you'd like to know.*

*From Anonymous*

Approving of what he'd written, Harry pulled out his wand, tapped the letter and pronounced,
'*Dissimulo*', at which his handwriting style changed and was cryptically disguised.
With a gratified smile, Harry rolled up the parchment and set a new course for the Owlery.

**
~ Consequences ~**

The storm continued until the next morning. Once the day was in full swing, Hogwarts was struck
with a serious case of 'Drakon Fever'. The Annual Drakon Hunt was all anyone could talk
about. Well, this and Malfoy and Hermione's newly formed relationship (which was still a hot
topic for Lavender and Parvati). Only Harry seemed unaffected by all the hype.

'Hey Harry! What's doin'?'

Harry had just sat down to breakfast when Fred and George joined him.

'Nothing much,' he replied to George, smiling as he buttered a slice of toast.

'And what are *you* looking so happy for?' Fred questioned, suspicious. Harry
looked up at him, confused.

'What do you mean?'

'You're smiling at your toast, Harry,' George observed. 'Some how I don't
think it's going to smile back.'

'Oh,' said Harry self-consciously, placing the butter knife down. 'Well, can't a
guy be happy for no reason?'

'I suppose, but you're not allowed to be as happy as we are.'

'Absolutely not!' contended Fred.

'What do you mean?' said Harry, not knowing what they meant; though he had a distinct
feeling they were up to something. When weren't they up to something?

Fred confirmed these thoughts of Harry's when he said, in hushed but thrilled voice: 'we
found a way to go to the Annual Drakon Hunt!' Harry dropped his toast.

'*What*? How?'

'Each Hogwarts Hunter has a Portkey to get them to Greece,' George specified. 'I
tried to bribe Maverick into telling me where his was, but he turned out to be a tight-assed
prat.'

'Holly Addison didn't bite either,' Fred informed him. 'I think she thought I
was coming on to her...' He chuckled. 'She wishes!'

'And then,' continued George, 'we accidentally, out of the blue, couldn't help
if we tired - well, you know what I mean - stumbled across Professor Snape's Portkey! Can't
wait to tell Ron. Can you imagine the look on Percy's face when *we* show up to the Hunt?
He'll fart kittens!'

'Anyway, we'll see ya later, Harry,' said Fred. 'We've got planning to
do!'

'*Major* planning!' nodded George.

The twins bounded off, devious as ever. A few minutes after they'd left, Ron entered the
Hall. A very horrible sight followed: Draco Malfoy with his arm around an adoring Hermione Granger.
Harry fists clenched automatically.

'Disgusting, isn't it?' said Ron, primed to vomit. 'It's right up there with
coughing up slugs and Professor Snape's hair.' Ron had, quite unexpectedly, sat down in
front of Harry. Harry noticed his left eye was tinged purple from yesterday's fight.

'So,' said Harry, folding his arms in an indifferent manner. 'You've decided to
start talking to me again have you?'

'Oh, and I suppose you approve of this!' Ron pointed accusingly towards Hermione and
Malfoy. 'She's eating breakfast with Slytherin's for wizard's sake! Next thing you
know she'll be supporting their Quidditch team!'

'So what? It's not like you approved of us together,' said Harry crisply.

'Er...well...'

'Well *what*?'

Ron fidgeted uncomfortably, having trouble with what he wanted to say next.

'Better her with you then him.'

Harry realised this was Ron's effort at a reconciliation. There was a part of him that
wanted to reconcile too, but Harry was still bitter. He was determined to forgive no one. Bide his
time until Lucius received the letter...

'Better her with me, huh? Yeah, whatever Ron! Too bad you couldn't have come to that
conclusion earlier.'

Bearing his grudge, Harry stood from the table. He walked to the main entrance, about to leave,
when -

'DRACO!'

Harry couldn't believe it. Lucius Malfoy was here! Had the letter been delivered to him
already? It must have, because he was angrier then Harry had ever seen him, having just caught
sight of Muggle-born Hermione and his Pureblood son looking unnatrually cosy.

'The nerve...the disgrace...the HUMILIATION!' he spat viciously, charging for his son
like a snake in pursuit of a withering ferret.

'Father! I - I can *explain*! NO!'

But Malfoy had no chance of explaining anything. Lucius furiously wrenched his son by the neck,
yanked him an inch or so off the ground, and attempted to strangle the life out of him. The
surrounding students were horrorstruck, afraid to move or speak. Malfoy squirmed pathetically in
his father's clutches.

'Father!' he choked. 'PLEASE!'

'A Mudblood, Draco! A filthy, disgusting MUDBLOOD!'

'LUCIUS MALFOY!'

It was Professor McGonagall, accompanied by Hagrid. They'd closed in on Lucius; McGonagall,
lips pursed white, had her wand firmly in her grasp.

'Unhand Draco at once, Lucius,' she said in a controlled voice, aiming her wand
threateningly. 'I'm warning you.'

Lucius, his hands still gripped around Malfoy's neck, glanced over at Professor McGonagall
and gritted his teeth; his usually manicured white blonde poney-tail coming slightly undone.

'Draco is *my* son, Minerva, I will do what I please with him!'

'Then I should remind you, Lucius, you are on Hogwarts grounds and have no such
authority!'

'C'mon, Lucius,' said Hagrid, sounding more reasonable. 'No' like this.
No' in fron' of the kids.'

At Hagrid's words, Lucius' eyes darted quickly around the Hall. He seemed to only just
realise he had an audience. Regaining some composure, he lowered his son to the ground and let him
go. Malfoy fell to the table, coughing and gasping for breath.

'Very well,' Lucius sneered. 'I shall handle this matter elsewhere. In the mean
time, I suggest you keep *that one*,' he eyed Hermione venomously, 'away from my son.
If she knows what's good for her. Come along, Draco.'

Lucius clasped a strong hand to Malfoy's wrist, and led him away from the Slytherin table.
Stalking past Professor McGonagall and Hagrid with his chin high in the air, he was about to leave
altogether, but then stopped when he saw Harry. He smirked.

'Well well well, Harry Potter,' he said in a quiet, dark voice. 'Everyone's
favourite boy. Who knew he had it in him? I must say, I did enjoy reading my mail last
night...'

*He knows!* Harry thought in alarm. *He knows it was me who sent the letter!* Malfoy
got the hint as well. He glared at Harry with all the evil he could muster, before being dragged
away by his father out of sight. Another person who got the hint was Hermione. She'd left the
Slytherin table and followed Lucius on his way out, but was now standing still, glaring at Harry
with unblinking eyes.

'You told Lucius about us, didn't you?' she grilled him.

Harry opened his mouth, but found he could hardly speak. 'I...'

'It was *you*!'

Enraged, Hermione propelled herself onto Harry, who did his best to block her strikes. Hagrid
was quick on the case.

'HERMIONE!' he said, shocked, and peeled her off Harry. 'Stop it! What's got
into yeh?'

Hermione screamed, for the whole Hall to hear, as she tried to wriggle her way from Hagrid's
arms, 'I hate you, Harry Potter! *I hate you*!'

-->



13. Chaos and Mayhem! & A Bit Of Aphrodite In Us All
----------------------------------------------------



**'Maybe we don't know Hermione as well as we think we do.'**

**'I won't accept** **it!' Ron protested hands down. 'It's not right.
We've got to stop it!'**

**'You only want to stop it so you can be with her!'**

**~ Chaos and Mayhem! ~**

After Lucius' impromptu visit to the Great Hall, Hermione was taken away by Hagrid to
Professor McGonagall's office. Harry on other hand, feeling humiliated, anguished, guilt-ridden
and angry all at once, made a speedy exit to his dormitory room, avoiding anyone who came in his
path. However, he could not avoid Ron, who eventually cornered him.

'Harry, *what* is going on?' Ron exclaimed desperately, slamming the door shut.
`Why is Hermione acting like such a git?'

Harry sat on his bed, his head weighed in his palms. The storm continued to rage outside; the
wind howled, and buckets of wind-swept rain slapped relentlessly against their window.

'I don't know any more then you do, Ron,' said Harry palely, head down. Ron
proceeded to express his outrage on the matter.

'This isn't normal behaviour! I mean, Hermione? In love with *Malfoy*?'

'I told you, I don't know!' said Harry, snapping his head up. 'Maybe we
don't know Hermione as well as we think we do.'

'I won't accept it!' Ron protested hands down. 'It's not right. We've
got to stop it!'

'You only want to stop it so you can be with her!'

'Harry, ENOUGH!'

Harry went quiet. Ron's entire head was turning a dangerous shade of scarlet.

'I have *had it* with you lot! One minute you're in love with Hermione, then
she's in love with Malfoy, then she hates you, Malfoy loves her...do you know what this is
doing to me? I'm beginning to fear for my mental health!'

There was so much on Harry's mind at this point that he too began to fear for his mental
health. Prominent in his thoughts were Hermione's last words: 'I hate you, Harry Potter!
*I hate you*!' He winced; they trampled his already injured heart.

'Harry?' said Ron more calmly. 'You all right?'

'Yeah,' said Harry unconvincingly, wiping his eyes.

It was around this time that Fred and George exploded into the room, without as much as a knock.
Ron and Harry jumped in fright.

'Ron, *brother*!' said George, sounding very panicked and gripping Ron hard by the
shoulders. 'Has she found you yet?'

'Who?' said Ron, totally bewildered. 'What are you two on about?'

'*Ginny*!' they affirmed.

'I haven't seen Ginny for ages, why?' he said, shoving George off him.

'Er...well, she's a little...'

'Mental!' Fred revealed.

'Insane!' bared George.

'Ludicrously insane!'

'Insanely insane!'

'Mad!'

'*Completely*...!'

'All right ALREADY!' Ron roared, at his wits' end.

'You don't understand, Ron! She - '

Speak of the devil, Ginny Weasley herself stood in the doorway. The discovery of her presence
was accompanied by a flash and crack of lightning.

'Uh oh,' groaned Fred.

'Here we go,' lamented George, awaiting the worst.

`*Ron*!' said Ginny breathlessly. Sensing something very off, Ron took a step
backwards.

'Er, Ginny? What's wrong? Why are Fred and - AAAHHH!'

Resembling what Hermione had done earlier to Harry in the Great Hall, Ginny sprang forward,
flung herself onto Ron, and sent them both flying backwards on the floor.

'Oh, RON!' Ginny cried sorrowfully, sitting on top of him. 'I tried telling them I
was adopted, by they wouldn't believe me!'

'What?' Ron spluttered, aghast. '*Adopted*?'

'I understand it's a shock, but now you know! That's why I'm in love with you!
Now we can be together! You don't have to be afraid!'

As Ginny leant in for a kiss, Ron clearly could not have been more afraid of anything in his
life.

'AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!' he wailed, petrified, as she drew closer. 'GINNY, NO!
YOU'RE MAD!'

George, going over to heave Ginny off her poor, defenseless brother, scoffed and uttered,
'what did we say?'

**
~ A Bit Of Aphrodite In Us All ~**

Ginny had not been an easy problem to sustain. She blatantly, and quite violently, refused to be
parted with Ron, and chased him maddeningly around the room, until Ron was driven completely insane
with fear and had no choice but to hide and cower under his bed. During the mayhem, Fred popped out
to pick up some `Sleep Easy-squeezy Slime' from his dormitory room.

`Our latest invention!' he said at the time, forcing a restrained Ginny to take a mouthful.
`A potent cure for insomnia, and the occasional hangover. It's still in testing, but she should
be sedated for a couple of hours or so before falling asleep.'

He proved right. Harry, Ron, Fred, George and Ginny were now in the common room, seated around
the fireplace; Ginny, for her part, was curled up on the couch next to Harry, half-asleep.

`I don't understand,' said Ron, keeping a weary eye on Ginny. `She was cured of that
love potion last week, right?'

`Re…cap…' Ginny purred distantly under her breath.

`What did she say?' said Ron, looking at Harry.

`Something about “recap”, I think,' said Harry, unsure.

`What's “recap”?'

`She *means* relapse,' George cleared up.

`Potion relapse,' said Fred, to be exact.

`And what's that then?'

`Don't you ever pay attention in Potions class, Ron?' said Fred, almost sounding like
Hermione. Ron snickered.

`Of course I bloody don't. And neither do you two!'

`Yeah, we know,' said George, waving his hand. `We found out about this relapse thing
earlier when Ginny started hassling us for your whereabouts.'

`She said Hermione told her she had something called “potion recap”. Of course, what she meant
to say was potion *relapse*. Explain, George.'

`Don't mind if I do, Fred! Potion relapse is when a potion hasn't been properly cleansed
from your body. Such a thing often occurs when treatment has been inconclusive.'

`Very intellectual, George!' praised Fred.

`Cheers, brother! Took all my brainpower that one did.'

`Let me get this straight,' said Ron, still confused. `Ginny has re-thingy meaning she still
thinks she's in love with me? Is that what you're trying to say?'

`You're smarter then you look brother!' commended Fred, to which Ron frowned. `Potion
relapse makes you loony basically.' He nodded at Ginny. `Makes you think up daft reasons for
why you're suddenly infatuated with someone.'

`How do you guys know all this?' Ron asked, astounded. He wasn't used to the twins being
so glaringly book-smart.

`Remember two days ago?' said George. `When Hermione came out from behind that statue of the
Slytherin snake?

`Yeah…'

Harry's ears suddenly perked up.

`We found a way to get back there! Seems Professor Snape has built himself a state-of-the-art
secret laboratory.'

`He should've known he can't keep *anything* secret from us!' said Fred
proudly.

`Why would Hermione be in Snape's secret laboratory?' wondered Harry, breaking his
silence. Fred shrugged.

`Dunno. But we found that potion book down there. The one the teachers have been looking for?
*A Wizards and Witches Guide to Love Made Easy*. That's how we learnt about love potion
relapse. Someone had taken notes and shoved them in the back. Here,' he said, and pulled out a
folded bit of paper from his pocket.

`Can I see that?' Harry asked.

Fred passed the paper to Harry.

`What's Snape doing stealing a love potion book?' Ron questioned.

`Having problems with the ladies most likely,' resolved George. Ron rolled his eyes.

`Yeah, but still! I can't see Snape - '

`Of *course*!' Harry blurted out. Everyone turned to Harry in suspense.

`What is it, Harry?' said Ron.

Harry found himself thinking clearly for the first time in - well, what felt like ages. Finally,
things were starting to make sense!

`Do you remember two days ago, when I met you all for breakfast and Malfoy came over to
us?'

`Yes!' sniveled Ron, pouting. `He called my behind big! Lousy prat…'

`And do you remember what happened afterwards? Snape came over and Malfoy asked if he could get
some help on an *extra credit potions assignment*?'

`So?'

`So, think about it!' Harry was standing now, pacing impressively up and down the fireplace.
`If Ginny wasn't cured of the Aphora Bewitching Potion properly, then that means everyone else
who took it wasn't either!'

`Of course!' said Fred, enlightened. `That means you…' he looked at Harry,
`…and…'

`*Malfoy*!' Ron declared.

`Exactly!' said Harry. `Malfoy must still think he's in love with Hermione. Snape
would've given Malfoy permission to use his laboratory, thinking he was working on some
assignment...' Harry paused, processing his thoughts '...then, Malfoy must've some how
lured Hermione down there, after she and I had been in the library. Just before she went away with
you guys!' He gestured to Fred and George. 'So I *didn't* just imagine her yelling
for help. That's why she was crying when we she came out from behind the snake
statue...'

`So, then,' Ron went on, `Malfoy has done something to Hermione?' Harry nodded.

`This is Malfoy's handwriting,' he said, holding up the sheet of paper Fred had given
him. `I can tell. I've received enough notes and drawings from Malfoy in class to know.
He's used that book to put Hermione on the Aphora Bewitching Potion.'

`THAT GIT!' Ron yelled, outraged.

`By George, I think he's got it!' said Fred, bowing his head to Harry.

`Indeed!' applauded George. `Well done, Harry! Bloody brilliant!'

Unfortunately, this moment of triumph did not last long. Professor McGonagall had come in
through the portrait hole, her countenance exceptionally grave.

`Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley. Please come with me, I need to speak with you at
once.'

**A/N:** Released two chapters because I didn't have the heart to leave you with the
'I hate you Harry' ending :)

-->



14. The Hermione Hunt & Way To Salvation
----------------------------------------



**`I know everyone's figured it out ages ago,' he said at last, rain thundering in the
distance. `Except me of course. I've been too much of a coward to admit it.'**

**~ The Hermione Hunt ~**

Harry and Ron followed Professor McGonagall into her office. Harry could sense she was extremely
concerned about something. She was reminding him of the time when Hermione was petrified by the
Basilisk in second year.

`Please, sit down,' she said, gesturing to the two seats in front of her desk.

Harry swallowed loudly. Ron too, was nervous. On top of everything else that happened that day,
what else could go wrong?

`What's the matter, Professor?' Harry had asked, just as Hagrid, very unexpectedly,
charged in through the door behind them.

`No sign of her any where, Professor McGonagall! I searched high and low - '

Hagrid, who was soaking wet and talking abnormally fast, quickly stopped in mid-sentence when he
saw Harry and Ron in the room. They were staring at him over the back of their chairs,
wide-eyed.

`Oh,' Hagrid grunted, running a hand down his long, soggy beard. `Hello Harry, Ron…I'll
come back later.'

Easing backwards, Hagrid left the room and gingerly closed the door. Harry and Ron immediately
spun back to Professor McGonagall, sitting with her hands clasped on the desktop.

`I'll get straight to it,' she said, not wasting any time. `Lucius Malfoy's visit to
Hogwarts earlier this morning has caused some trouble. For one, he's taken Draco without
Dumbledore's permission, and two, is about Hermione.'

Harry and Ron sat on the edge of their seats.

`I tried to speak with Hermione after the incident with Lucius. However, she was quite
inconsolable. She escaped Hagrid on the way to my office and ran out into the school grounds.
She's been missing ever since.'

`Missing?' croaked Harry. Professor McGonagall nodded.

`I'm afraid the matter is quite serious. I've had the entire staff looking for her,
including Hagrid, who's been searching the Forbidden Forest.'

`The Forbidden Forest?' said Ron timidly.

`Have either of you been in contact with Hermione since breakfast?' Professor McGonagall
inquired. Both Harry and Ron shook their heads.

`Don't you have any leads as to where she could be, Professor?' pressed Harry.

`Possibly. I still have to talk to Dumbledore about Lucius…'

`He's probably kidnapped her!' Ron burst out abruptly, half out of his seat.

Harry expected Professor McGonagall to reprimand Ron for this sudden speculation, but she
didn't.

`While we can't be certain at this stage,' she related, motioning for Ron to sit, `that
is *one* possible explanation. I need to know, from both of you,' she eyed them sternly,
`is there something wrong with Hermione Granger that I don't know about?'

Ron was about to open his mouth, but Harry got in before him.

`Not that we know of.'

**
~ Way To Salvation ~**

When their meeting with Professor McGonagall concluded, Harry and Ron went outside to a
courtyard for some air and, consequently, a spot of yelling. They made sure to stay under shelter,
seeing it was still pouring with rain.

`What were you thinking, Harry!'

`I know what I was doing, Ron!'

`We should have said *something*!

`*No*, we shouldn't!'

`The hell we should! We should've told McGonagall about Malfoy and the love potion and -
'

But Ron quit his yelling when he saw how upset Harry suddenly was. He'd withdrawn, leaning
against the wall opposite with his head hanging low.

`What's the matter, Harry?'

Harry looked up. `It's all my fault,' he muttered.

`What's all your fault?'

`Lucius was right,' Harry chuckled sadly. `Who knew I had it in me?'

`Harry, make sense!' Ron begged, becoming confused again.

`I'm how Lucius found out about Hermione and Malfoy,' Harry confessed. `I sent him an
anonymous letter telling him they were together. I used a charm to disguise my handwriting, but he
must`ve dismantled it…'

Crossing to a near by bench, Harry flopped down, defeated. Ron, listening hard, sat next to
him.

`I was jealous,' Harry continued. `I wanted Malfoy destroyed. But I swear,' he fought
back his tears, `I swear I never meant for anything to happen to Hermione.'

`Wait a second, back up!' said Ron, doing his best to understand. `What if Lucius
doesn't have anything to do with Hermione's disappearance?'

`I know he does, Ron. I can feel it. She probably caught up with him after she escaped Hagrid,
trying to get to Malfoy. Remember what Lucius said in the Great Hall?'

Ron thought back. `Something about keeping Hermione away from him and his son, if she knows
what's good for her?'

Harry gave Ron a minute to think this through.

`If she knows what's good for her…' Ron said again, pondering. And then, it hit him. In
a doomed, panicked voice, he said, `oh know, that's a threat isn't it? Lucius *has*
done something to Hermione! The GIT! Harry what are we going to do?'

`What am *I* going to do, you mean. It's my fault, I'll handle it.'

`Not without me you won't!'

`No, Ron,' said Harry solidly. `Just me. I won't be able to live with myself if anything
happens to her.'

`And neither will I!'

`It's my problem not yours…'

`I don't care!'

`You don't understand!'

`Yes I do!'

`No, you don't!'

`Yes I DO!'

`NO - '

`I LOVE HER TOO!'

The silence following Ron's divulgence was a long and awkward one. Harry stared at Ron,
stunned. He guessed Ron fancied Hermione, but never this.

`I know everyone's figured it out ages ago,' he said at last, rain thundering in the
distance. `Except me of course. I've been too much of a coward to admit it. That's why
Ginny's the way she is. I made an Aphora Bewitching Potion for Hermione to drink so she'd
fancy me, but Ginny accidentally drank it instead. I couldn't stand the thought of Hermione
with Krum, or Malfoy, or - well, anyone else...'

`I'm not in love with Hermione,' said Harry blankly.

`Huh?' said Ron, confounded. `Of course you are, you told me!'

`It's relapse, Ron. It's not real. It's why I've been acting so crazy, and why I
fell for Hermione so fast. But you're not on a potion...you…' his voice collapsed slightly,
`...you love her for real. You should tell her.'

Ron went a little pink.

`Er, I dunno,' he said clumsily, and changed the subject. `So tell me, how are *we*
going to get Hermione back?'

`Lucius would be at the Annual Drakon Hunt by now,' Harry assessed. `I say that's where
we start looking.'

`Go to Greece?' said Ron, sounding as if he were unsure of Harry's sanity. `How are we
going to manage that?'

-->



15. The Return Of Krum & Snape's Secret Laboratory
--------------------------------------------------



**Their hero is my cause**

**My cause, an enemy's legacy**

**~ The Return Of Krum ~**

It was four-thirty the next morning, but not all of Hogwarts was asleep. Harry, Ron, Fred and
George - equipped with wands and backpacks - were lurking in the darkness of the school grounds.
The storm had soothed for now, though the ground was still wet, and there was a portentous
electricity lingering in the air. Prior to setting off, Harry updated Ron about Fred and George
finding Professor Snape's Portkey, and the secret laboratory. That's where they were
heading now. Snape's Portkey was their only hope of making it to the Annual Drakon Hunt.

`This way, step lively!' called Fred from up front. `Should be almost half-past six in the
morning at Mount Olympus.'

`I thought Snape's secret laboratory was inside, not outside!' said Ron grumpily.
Although he was keen to conduct the mission like everyone else, he was not fond of having to wake
up so early.

`It is, brother,' said George, picking up the rear. `But the proper entrance is on the
outside. That Slytherin snake statue was only the exit. Ah ha! Here we are!'

They were now standing before an ordinary stone wall at the back of the castle. Harry and Ron
looked dumfounded.

`This is it?' said Ron skeptically.

`Yep!' said George, nodding.

`Where's the door then?'

`Think, brother! Snape wouldn't be stupid enough to put a door here with a sign saying
“Snape's secret laboratory, come one come all!”, would he?'

`I didn't say - '

`There's an inscription on the stone,' Fred identified, shutting Ron up. Harry walked
over to where Fred was referring for a closer look.

`I don't see anything,' he said, squinting.

`Ingenious, is it not? Here, watch this.'

Plucking out his wand, Fred tapped the wall and pronounced: `*aperio*!'

To Harry's astonishment, words suddenly illuminated on the stone, shimmering like water and
glowing bright green. It appeared to be riddle.

`Ta da!' said Fred, putting his wand away. `Instant inscription!'

Harry read it out loud:

*Their hero is my cause*

*My cause, an enemy's legacy*

`What's the answer then?' Ron asked, turning to Fred and George with anticipation. They
shrugged.

`Dunno. Changes everyday.' Ron snorted.

`Great! Just when you need Hermione.'

`OI!' George suddenly yelled, pointing upwards. `What's that up in the sky?'

Everyone looked up and saw a dazzling orange light, falling from the night sky like a shooting
star. As it ventured closer, Harry and the others could make out a flame and a large, bulky shape
of some kind.

`It's coming right for us!' said Ron, panicked.

`*Wicked*!' said Fred and George, excited.

`DUCK!' cried Harry as, whatever it was, soared right over their heads, before landing a few
metres away.

`Hey!' said Ron, un-ducking his head. `It's one of those Bulgarian vulicra bovine
thingos!' And suddenly, realising what this could mean, `oh know, don't tell me!'

Ron's fears were confirmed. On top of the `vulicra bovine thingo' - or rather, the
*vulicrus bovine*, also known as a flying ox - was Viktor Krum, bearing a torch of fire.

`Harry Potter!' he cried, dismounting the ox and rushing towards them.

`Er, hi Krum,' said Harry gawkily, still in shock. `What are you doing here?'

`*The* Viktor Krum?' said Fred, stepping in front of Harry.

`It is!' said George, also stepping out. `We've never been formally introduced Mr Krum,
but I'm George Weasley! And that's my brother, Fred. This is such an honour!'

`A *tremendous* honour!' said Fred, shaking Krum's hand.

`Get out of it you two! Honestly!' said Ron, irritated, and pushing them aside. Fred
scoffed.

`What's your problem? You were all over Krum like Malfoy on Snape's ass last
year!'

`*Shut up*!'

`I have journeyed all day and all night,' said Krum, ignoring the Weasley's dispute. `I
vote a letter to Hermowninny, asking her to the Annual Drakon Hunt, but she did not vite one back.
So I come to Hogwarts, to see her in person and ask for her hand in marriage. Again.'

`Looks like this one's got love potion relapse, too,' George muttered to Harry.

Harry couldn't believe they had forgotten about Krum! Ginny, Malfoy and himself weren't
the only ones who'd taken the Aphora Bewitching Potion. Krum had as well.

`Hermione isn't here, Krum,' said Harry.

`Yeah, go home!' said Ron, more rudely.

`*Ron*!' Fred nudged him.

`Vhere is she?' said Krum, looking to each of them seriously.

`We think she's in Greece, at the Annual Drakon Hunt,' Harry said straight out. On
hearing this, Krum frowned.

`She vent vithout me?'

`She's been kidnapped, Mr Krum,' George cut in. `By the evil blonde duo: Lucius and
Draco Malfoy.'

`Draco Malfoy?' Krum seemed to recall, crossing his thick, bushy eyebrows. `The one vith
flat hair?'

Fred and George broke into laughter.

`Yeah,' said Harry. `That's him.'

`Then,' began Krum, puffing out his chest, `I vill go Greece and rescue her!'

`No you won't!' Ron objected. `*We're* going to Greece to rescue her.
You're “going avay” back home to Bulgaria!'

`Then I vill go to Greece vith you then,' Krum settled.

`Sorry! Only those who can speak proper English are allowed to come.'

Krum glowered at Ron.

`You are very rude red-haired boy.'

`Sometimes we like call him Ronald,' said George affectionately, grinning.

`Ron-hold?' Krum tried to enunciate.

`Thank you!' Ron retorted sarcastically, glaring at George. `Now he's got another name
he can't bloody pronounce!'

Krum remained firm on being recruited.

`How are ve getting to Greece then?'

`You're not *coming*!' blasted Ron.

`Oh, just bring him with us already!' said Fred, growing impatient. `Has anyone figured out
the riddle yet?'

`Yeah,' Harry uttered.

`Really?' said George, impressed. `Bravo, Harry! What is it?'

`What else,' said Harry evidently. `*Harry Potter*.'

At Harry's words, the lawn under their feet disappeared, sending them tumbling down into a
deep, black void.

**
~ Snape's Secret Laboratory ~**

Harry opened his eyes. He was in a room with stone walls, and an extensive array of potion
bottles and equipment, all the while squashed under a human heap of Ron, Fred, George and Krum.
Despite this minor shortcoming, they seemed to have successfully infiltrated Snape's secret
laboratory.

`We're supposed to *levitate* down, not fall,' noted Fred.

`That information might have been more useful earlier,' marked Ron, finding it difficult to
breathe under Krum's weight.

Filing themselves in order, everyone stood up and dusted off.

`Good riddle solving, Harry,' Fred commented again. `Lucky you were the answer,
huh?'

`C'mon guys, the Portkey's over here!' said George, without a moment to lose. He led
them to a broom cupboard in the far corner of the room. Inside was, amazingly enough, a broom and a
dustpan.

`The Portkey's the dustpan,' he defined.

`How do you know?' said Ron.

`As if Snape would ever use a *real* dustpan!'

`Right!' said Fred, looking at the others. `All we have to do is hold on to it, just like at
the Quidditch Cup last year. Then we'll be transported to Greece. Everyone at the exact same
time, all right?'

They all nodded, except Krum. He was looking politely confused, but did what he was told none
the less.

`On the count of three! One - two - two and half - two three quarters - '

`*Fred*!'

`Sorry! Being daft - THREE!'

Harry closed his eyes. He had a familiar feeling of a hook pulling on his navel, and his feet
lifting up off the ground…

-->



16. The Hunt Is On! & What Percy Saw
------------------------------------



**PART II. GREECE**

`**You do realise if you're found responsible for the death of Hermione Granger you will go
to Azkaban!'**

`**I am** **above** **Azkaban!'**

**~ The Hunt Is On! ~**

Harry's legs quaked as the soles of his feet slammed to the floor. The dustpan he'd been
holding remained in his hand. Had they made it? Were they in Greece?

`Where the bloody hell are we?' came Ron's voice, echoing Harry's thoughts. Where
ever they were, they were no longer in Snape's broom cupboard - that was for sure!

`*We did it*!' whispered George excitedly, standing to Harry's left. `We're in
the Hogwarts Hunter's tent!'

`We're WHAT!' said Ron, causing the twins to hush him brusquely. Ron lowered his voice.
`You let us pop up in the middle of the Hogwarts Hunter's tent? Are you *mental*?'

`Where did you think we were going to “pop up”? The Drakon's a-hole?' Fred
suggested.

The inside of the Hogwarts Hunters tent had been bewitched into a spacious living room, complete
with working fireplace. They appeared to be alone; the only sounds being the crackling of burning
wood, and the regular ticking of a grandfather clock. Harry brought his attention to a round timber
table by the fireplace, encircled by three plush couches; it was on the tabletop that he saw a
series of strewn maps, all showing various trails to Mount Olympus.

`What if we landed on a teacher?' Ron continued to complain.

`Do you see a teacher?' said George, waving a hand flagrantly around the room. `I don't
see - '

`Ah…' said Harry, tapping George on the shoulder. On cue, a humming Professor Flipwick
entered through the tent flap. He stopped and gasped when he saw -

`*Students*!' he screeched, his tiny eyes popping out of his head, which then darted to
the dustpan in Harry's hand. `What are you doing with Professor Snape's Portkey? You -
'

`*Prosificus Totalis*!' Fred pronounced, directing his wand.

Professor Flipwick's body stiffened like a statue and tipped to floor. It reminded Harry of
his first year at Hogwarts, when Hermione had done the exact same spell on Neville.

`*Professor*!' cried Ron, running to Professor Flipwick's body. `We've struck a
teacher…' he muttered woefully, `…we are *sooo* dead!'

`On the contrary! I feel very much alive,' said Fred, grinning.

Krum went to join Ron, staring down at Professor Flipwick.

`He is a very small for a man.'

`Yeah, thanks Krum, really helpful!'

Suddenly, outside the tent, a set of arguing voices were drawing closer...

`This is highly uncalled for, Lucius!' reprimanded the first voice. Harry recognised it
immediately.

`It's Snape!' he whispered, panicked.

`*Crap*!' said Ron, even more panicked.

`Everybody, *hide*!' said George, already in search of a hiding place.

`Ron!' said Fred, going to stand beside him and Professor Flipwick. `Help me put the
Professor into one of the cupboards…'

Ron gaped at him.

`You can't put a Professor in a cup - '

`They're coming in, quick!' hissed Harry.

They split apart. Harry and Krum dived behind a set of drapes, Fred and George levitated
themselves to the ceiling and Ron, most reluctantly, was forced to accompany Professor Flipwick in
a cupboard. Taking a risk, Harry edged a gap in his drapes, allowing himself a view of the living
room…

`Mark my words, Severus,' drawled Lucius, as Harry saw him sweep into the vicinity - like he
owned the place. `I do not know where the little Mudblood girl is.'

`I have a witness who says otherwise,' said Snape flatly, stalking after him. Lucius
smirked.

`Really? And who may that be?'

`Percy Weasley,' Snape testified. `He claims to have seen you arrive with your son, Narcissa
and a young girl.'

`Nonsense!'

`This isn't a game Lucius!'

`Oh but it is, Severus! It's the Annual Drakon Hunt, remember?'

Lucius turned his back on him, chuckling coldly. This only angered Snape further.

`You do realise if you're found responsible for the death of Hermione Granger you will go to
Azkaban!'

`I am *above* Azkaban!' Lucius threw back, spinning around. `What happened to you
Severus? You use to have such potential. Now look at you? Working for an old crackpot and worried
about the whereabouts of Mudbloods.'

From outside the tent, a distant sound of a trumpet began to blare.

`Ah, do you hear that?' said Lucius, a finger to his ear. `The Hunters Congregation is about
to start. If you'd excuse me, I must return to my tent…'

`I know you're responsible for Hermione Granger's disappearance, Lucius,' said
Snape, not permitting him to leave just yet. Lucius stared Snape threateningly in the eye.

`*Prove* it.'

To Lucius' amusement, Snape didn't say anything.

`Yes,' he chuckled, `that's what I thought.'

Harry watched Lucius walk out. A minute or so later, Snape did the same. After making sure the
coast was clear, the five boys came out of hiding: Harry and Krum emerged from the drapes, Ron
crawled from his cupboard, and the twins levitated to the ground. There was a mournful silence
between them. Ron was the first to speak.

`The death of Hermione Granger?' he said quietly, repeating the very words that had chilled
Harry's blood.

For a moment, Harry just stood there, transfixed. Then, with a strong note of resolve, he said
`that's it. Lucius must have Hermione. We need to get out of here *now*!'

**
~ What Percy Saw ~**

Harry and the others left the Hogwarts Hunters tent and outside into a clear, crisp day. They
were right in the hub of the Annual Drakon Hunt. Much like the Quidditch Cup last year, rows of
tents spread in every direction across the grassy plain, representing hunters from all over Europe.
Wizards and witches were emerging from their tents and clustering together in large groups, heading
towards the beckoning call of the trumpet.

`Here, Harry,' said Fred, passing Harry a red hooded cloak. `We found these in the Hogwarts
tent. Thought they might help to make us blend into the crowd, `case someone recognises
us.'

George donned his cloak and struck a pose. `How do I look?'

`Like a hooded git,' Ron assessed.

In step with the crowd, the five of them stayed close, blending in as best they could, though it
didn't require much of an effort. The wizards and witches around them were far too preoccupied
with talk of treasure and dragon-fighting tactics to question their presence. Harry though, was
particularly weary of staying unnoticed. The last thing they needed was someone recognising the
The-Boy-Who-Lived and raising a scandal.

`Where are we going?' Harry whispered to George, keeping his head low.

`Hunters Congregation,' he whispered back. `There's always one on the morning before the
hunting.'

`So?' said Harry, who couldn't care less about some Hunters Congregation. `What does
that have to do with anything? Shouldn't we be trying to find the Malfoy's tent?
Hermione's in danger!'

`Remember what Snape said though? About Percy seeing Lucius arrive here with a *young
girl*?'

`Indeed!' said Fred. `Good ol' Percy the prude might be useful for something. For
once.'

Ron suddenly approached Harry.

`Are you thinking what I'm thinking?'

`About George being a hooded git?'

`No, I mean about Snape! Why would he care less if Hermione was missing?'

`I don't know,' said Harry, who hadn't thought about this. `Maybe he doesn't
want Lucius to go to Azkaban?'

`Yeah, maybe,' Ron speculated, and added with a grin, `they're probably having a secret
affair or something.'

Moving with the crowd, Harry soon saw a towering, circular stadium become visible up ahead. It
was far before it's time, and made entirely of stone.

`That's the Amphitheatre,' said Fred, as though reading Harry's mind. `It was built
by ancient Greek wizards. No Muggle has ever been able to see it of course; it's covered in
Muggle-Repelling Charms…over here, this way!'

They were now proceeding through the main entrance of the Amphitheatre, Fred leading the way. As
they entered, Harry quickly took it all in: the space around him was outstandingly large; like
being inside a giant, multi-layered stone bowl. Tall banners showing the moving head of a growling,
purple dragon with yellow eyes and sharp fangs were frequently hung on stone pillars*. So
that's the Drakon* Harry thought with foreboding, preferring not to look for too long.

The seats were quickly being filled. The place was packed; there must have been over thirty
thousand witches and wizards. Harry wondered how they were ever going to find Percy. Ron had an
ingenious solution.

`Look for Fudge. Percy will be with Fudge!'

`Yeah,' agreed Fred. `Following him around like a lost puppy no doubt. Come on then, Fudge
would be with the VIP's, down the bottom.'

Harry noticed a selection of VIP boxes encircling the base of Amphitheatre, which had been
organised as the stage. Drawing closer down the steps, Harry could just make out a blatant head of
red hair, sitting next to none other then Cornelius Fudge himself.

`*There*!' Harry pointed sharply. `That has to be him. Come on, let's go!'

Pushing past an enthusiastic group of wizards trying to sell Drakon souvenirs, Harry and the
others quickly made their way down the stairs and towards the stage. On arrival, they sneaked, one
by one, to the space behind the box where Percy was located. All Fred and George had to do was
seize him at the precise moment…

`Tell me, Percy, is your family attending the Hunt this year?' they heard Fudge say.

`Not *all* of them, Mr. Fudge,' said Percy's voice, pompous as ever. `Only my
father and eldest brother, Charlie. He's working as a Guardian this year. My younger brothers
Fred, George and Ron are at school as we speak. The best place for them in *my* opinion.
Trouble makers those three.'

`Indeed. Pardon me, Percy, I'll be back in a moment…' Fudge stood out of his seat.

`Anything I can help you with, Mr Fudge?' Percy groveled, also standing.

`No. I'm going to the lavatory, Percy.'

`Oh...right. Good timing sir!'

Once Fudge left, Fred and George had their chance.

`AAHH!' Percy yelped in fright, feeling a show of hands suddenly pull him backwards. He
landed on the ground behind him with a `thump'. Dazed for a second, and lying on his back, he
eventually looked up to see -

`FRED! GEORGE! RON! HARRY! Viktor Krum…? WHAT IN THE NAME OF - '

`That's enough from you *dear* brother!' sneered Fred, pointing his wand at
Percy's head.

`Quite enough!' said George, also pointing his wand. `Yell like that again and we'll
turn you into Fudge's toilet seat!'

`How dare you!' said Percy, sounding most harassed. `The *nerve*! This is an outrage of
the highest order! I don't know how you've gotten away with this, but I can assure you -
'

`*Shut up*!' said Fred and George in unison.

Percy closed his mouth, eyeing their wands with grave caution. Harry, thinking of Hermione, was
anxious to move things along.

`Percy, did you see Lucius Malfoy arrive here with a young girl?'

`What?' said Percy, his eyes shooting to Harry. `Are you talking about Narcissa? Because
she's hardly a young - '

`No, a girl!' Harry stressed. `Like our age?'

Percy looked him over, suspicious.

`How do *you* know I saw that?'

`We're asking the questions around here!' said Ron, getting in on the act. `Did you see
Lucius with a young girl or not?

`Yes yes! I saw Lucius with a young girl! And may I kindly remind you all that skipping school
is an offense of the highest - '

`*Please*, Percy,' Harry implored him. `This could be a matter of life and death. Was
the girl you saw with Lucius Hermione Granger?'

`Hermione Granger? I don't know, it was late at night and frightfully dark! Can I please get
up off the ground now…'

`Not yet!' said Fred, driving the tip of his wand into Percy's nose. `Is there anything
else you can tell us about the night Lucius came?'

`I…well, no!' he said, going cross-eyed. `I mean, at the time I swore I saw Lucius towing
the arm of what looked to be a young girl into his tent. I informed Mr Fudge on the matter, and a
few other officials from the Ministry, but nobody seemed to think it important…what is this all
about? You're hurting my nose!'

Fred removed his wand from Percy's nose, and turned to Harry. `I think this is all the help
we're going to get. You, Ron and Krum go find the Malfoy's tent. We'll keep an eye on
Percy the prude.'

Harry, Ron and Krum all nodded. Before they departed, George ushered Harry to the side. `Here,
take these with you,' he said, promptly handing Harry a book and a cloth-covered bottle from
his backpack. `It's that book, *A Wizards and Witches Guide to Love Made Easy*. I read up
on the counter-potion for the Aphora Bewitching Potion before we left. I can't remember
everything it said, but you'll need this,' he indicated to the bottle. `It's a sample
of Malfoy's potion. He'd hidden it with the book.'

`How did you…?' said Harry, astounded. This was an impressive amount of information to take
in.

`Never mind that now,' said George hastily. `Listen, I put some dragon's blood in
Malfoy's potion, too. The instructions said the potion needed to be mixed with an anti-love
ingredient. Hopefully when you find Hermione, you'll be able to cure her.'

`Careful, George,' said Harry teasingly. `You'll turn into a Potions scholar if
you're not careful.'

`Oh, stop!' said George, pretending to blush. `Now get of here! Go save the girl.'

`Harry, come on! What's the hold up?' Ron whined, waiting impatiently.

Taking what George had given him and cramming into his backpack, Harry united with Ron and Krum
and ascended stairs of the Amphitheatre.

-->



17. A Wizard's Truce & The Drakon Wood
--------------------------------------



**`****I'm the best chance you have!'**

**`****I'm in,' said Harry at once, putting his hand on top of Malfoy's.**

**`****Me too,' said Krum, putting his hand on Harry's.**

**`Oh!' Ron wrestled with a severe internal struggle. `I can't believe I'm doing
this…'**

**~ A Wizard's Truce ~**

With the directions Fred and George forced out of Percy, Harry, Ron and Krum located the
Malfoy's tent on the far side of the Amphitheatre. It wasn't too hard to uncover, being the
only tent that was all black.

`Cheery sort of place, huh?' said Ron, overlooking the tent uneasily.

`Is this where Hermowninny is?' said Krum, who hadn't said much all morning.

`I hope so,' said Harry. `We better hurry. We don't want to still be here when Lucius
gets back.'

With his wand out and ready, Harry led the way in through the tent flap. The inside of the
Malfoy's tent was made to look much like the Slytherin common room Harry thought, having seen
the Slytherin common room himself in second year. The atmosphere was glacial and austere, with a
focus on stone, black leather chairs, and a flickering green flame radiating from the fireplace.
Unable to withhold her name any longer, Harry called, `Hermione!'

`Hermione, are you in here!' Ron called after him.

`Hermowninny!' Krum joined in.

There was a voice, barely audible…

`*Hermione*?' it murmured.

`Did you hear that?' said Ron, springing alert.

`Yeah, over here!'

Harry traced the sound to a room beyond the fireplace. It appeared to be a study; and in the
middle of this study, he found…an oversized cage?

`*Well*!' said Ron, smiling broadly. `What do we have here?'

It was a dream come true - Draco Malfoy behind bars! Lucius had evidently locked him up to keep
him out of trouble. Unfortunately, there was no sign of Hermione.

`That is flat hair boy!' said Krum, coming in last. Malfoy, upon seeing them all, lept to
his feet.

`Harry! I'm so happy to see you!'

Harry never thought he'd *ever* hear Draco Malfoy say those words.

`Ah, pardon?'

`*What*?' spluttered Ron, unable to believe his ears either.

`Happy to see me?' Harry questioned.'The last time we saw each other Malfoy, you looked
ready to kill me. Not to mention numerous other occasions…'

`Yes well, that was then wasn't it?' he said impatiently, gripping the bars. `I knew
you'd come to rescue Hermione, and I can help you! I know where she is!'

`And why the *hell* would we trust you?' said Ron. `You're the one who kidnapped
her!'

`My *father* kidnapped her, not me!' Malfoy imposed. `And only because four eyes here
sent him a stupid letter!'

Harry sunk his head. He was still ashamed over what he'd done.

`Hermione chased us out the door as we were leaving Hogwarts,' Malfoy proceeded to explain.
`When she ran into my father, he cast a hypnotic charm on her. After that, Hermione only obeyed his
voice. He made her come with us. I'm telling the truth!'

`Where's Hermione now then?' Ron grilled.

`Let me out of this cage and I'll tell you.'

Ron laughed.

`Are you kidding? Do you know how long I've waited to see you locked up?'

`*Look*,' said Malfoy, sounding both logical and annoyed. `I don't like this
situation either, but right now, I'm your only shot at finding out where Hermione is. I want
her back as much as you do!'

`He's obviously not cured of love potion relapse yet,' Harry muttered to Ron, as they
turned away from Malfoy.

`I don't trust him, Harry! What if he's making it all up?'

`And what if he's not? Remember, he still thinks he's in love with Hermione…'

`May I suggest a wizard's truce gentlemen?' Malfoy spoke up.

Harry and Ron turned back round, looked at each other apprehensively, then…

`*Alohamora*!'

Harry pointed his wand at the keyhole of Malfoy's cage, unlocking it.

`This is such a bad idea…' Ron moaned, remaining apprehensive.

Malfoy was free. Even so, Harry, Ron and Krum made sure to keep their wands aimed closely at his
head.

`Easy!' he said, holding up his hands. `You're going to poke my eye out if you're
not careful.'

`I'm failing to see why that would be a problem,' said Ron sharply.

`Vhere is Hermowninny?'

`Huh?' Malfoy uttered, glaring at Krum.

`He means Hermione,' Harry cleared up.

`We arrived last night,' Malfoy began to tell. `My father took my wand and locked me up as
soon as we arrived. He figured I was on some kind of love potion. Hermione, too.'

Malfoy took them back to the previous night, when Lucius, Draco and Hermione first entered the
Malfoy's tent…

`*NO!' Malfoy howled.*

*Lucius carelessly chucked his son into the cage he'd prepared, and locked the door.
`You'll stay in there until I have time to research a cure. I won't have you embarrassing
our family at the Hunt, running around after some bloody Mudblood!'*

`*What are you going to do with Hermione?' Malfoy demanded, shaking the bars of his
cage.*

*Lucius called out behind him, in a mock sweet voice, `Hermione? Can you come in her
please.'*

*Obediently, a vacant Hermione came in and walked to Lucius' side. Then, with a quick
sweep of his hand, he yanked a fistful of Hermione's hair, wrenching her head back, so he could
see into her eyes. Hermione didn't even squirm.*

`*Hermione, my dear. Listen to me very, very carefully.'*

`*Father, no!' Malfoy beseeched him, shaking the bars more fervently. `What are you
doing?'*

`*Enough!' Lucius commanded, aiming his wand at Draco's face. `Quiet or you'll
never leave that cage. Clear?'*

*Malfoy silenced, for the moment at least. Lucius went back to Hermione.*

`*Hermione, as you obey me and* only *me, I order you to walk into the Drakon Wood, and
to not stop walking until you reach the Drakon's lair. When you reach it, go
inside…'*

`*No, she'll be KILLED!'*

`*SILENCE!'*

*Malfoy, again, reluctantly piped down.*

`*She will be killing* herself*, Draco,' said Lucius in a sinister, cunning tone.
`Many who have been intoxicated by love potions in the past have been known to commit suicide, or
other foolish acts. If anyone questions me, I'll say she followed us to Greece, I told her she
was forbidden to see you, and in a fit of grief, she ended her life in the Drakon's jaws!'
He chuckled menacingly, and looked back down into Hermione's eyes. `Do you understand what
I've told you to do?'*

*Hermione responded, in a distant, robotic voice, `go into the Drakon Wood…go inside the
Drakon's lair…'*

`…*and never come back.' Lucius prompted.*

`*And never come back.'*

`*Good girl. Off you go then!' He pushed her away.*

*As Lucius dictated, Hermione walked out of the tent, out into the darkness of night, and
towards a dense rim of trees that marked the boundary of the Drakon Wood.*

`And that's it,' Malfoy finished. `I haven't seen her since.'

Harry was gripping his wand so tightly his knuckles were turning white.

`So…' Ron stammered, `Hermione's gonna go walking up to the Drakon and…and…?' he
couldn't bring himself to say anything else.

`Ve must go to the Drakon Vood immediately!' Krum interjected, to which Harry couldn't
agree more.

`Malfoy, do you know how to get to the Drakon's lair?'

`Of course I know. The lair is beneath Mount Olympus. There are many passages into it. I've
been studying the map since the beginning of the year, I can take you right there.'

Harry, easing his grip, sighed and was quiet for the moment. Every instinct in his body averted
from trusting Malfoy - it was unthinkable. But Harry was weakened by the thought of Hermione, on
her own in some foreign Drakon Wood, heading for a creature that would kill her on sight. He felt
he didn't have a choice.

`We better make a start on that wizard's truce, then,' he said finally, narrowing his
eyes at Malfoy.

`Very well,' said Malfoy, and put his hand out. `I promise to help you find Hermione, but
*only* up until we find her.'

`What do you mean *only* up until we find her?' Ron suddenly interceded. `You're
going to try and take her with you, aren't you? Harry, I told you we couldn't trust this
git!'

`It's a double-edged sword, Weasley!' Malfoy overruled him. `I'm the fastest way to
the Drakon's lair, and you don't have time on your side. Hermione's life is at
stake.'

`I'm in,' said Harry at once, putting his hand on top of Malfoy's.

`Me too,' said Krum, putting his hand on Harry's.

`Oh!' Ron wrestled with a severe internal struggle. `I can't believe I'm doing
this…'

Giving in, Ron slapped his hand on Krum's. The truce is made.

**
~ The Drakon Wood ~**

`This way, through here!'

Malfoy, who'd adorned a green cloak, was leading the way into the Drakon Wood, situated to
the right of his family's tent. From the outskirts, it reminded Harry of the Forbidden Forest
back home, only there was a distinct, snow-capped mountain peak looming in the distance, rising
high into the clouds - Mount Olympus.

'I must be mental to be doing this! Following Malfoy towards a man-eating dragon...' Ron
grumbled, looking around him nervously. 'Do you think they have giant spiders here like they do
back home?'

They were amongst the thick of the trees now, the tents from the Annual Drakon Hunt shrinking
behind them. The surrounding forest was actually quite beautiful; rich with oak, beech, chestnut
and plane trees. But Harry was hardly in the mood to be taking in the scenery.

'How long does it take to get to the Drakon's lair?' Harry asked Malfoy, pushing a
tree branch from his face.

'If we hurry and don't sleep, we should make it by late tomorrow afternoon.'

*Tomorrow afternoon!* Harry thought painfully. It seemed a lifetime away.

'There's still something I don't understand,' Harry went on, addressing all of
them. 'If it's so easy to find the Drakon's lair, why is this called the Drakon
Hunt?'

'Because the Hunt begins when you're actually *in* the Drakon's lair,
Harry,' said Ron, choosing to explain. 'Once you're inside, you start searching for the
treasure. Charlie says it's pretty difficult to find, lots of secret passages and stuff. Only
highly skilled wizards accompanied by a trained Guardian are allowed to enter. I mean, if anyone
went walking in there on their own - '

Ron suddenly stopped talking and gulped, noticing the fearful look on Harry's face.
Harry's worries were ever increasing, and he wasn't sure he'd be able to wait until
tomorrow afternoon to know if Hermione was safe or not. On thinking this, another worry hit
him.

'How are we going to make it to the Drakon's lair before Hermione anyway? She's been
in the Wood way longer then we have.'

'Yes! Vot if she's already there?' Krum voiced up.

'Hermione's hypnotised,' said Malfoy from up ahead, climbing over a fallen log.
'She'll be walking at the pace of zombie. If we move fast, we might cut her off. Still,
it's going to be tight.'

'Why didn't we bring broomsticks with us?' said Ron, clambering over the log Malfoy
had passed. 'We could have flown straight there!'

'No!' said Krum suddenly, shooting Ron a panicked look. Ron was very taken aback.
'The Vood is charmed for the Hunt. Broomsticks are illegal. If you fly von, it vill
explode!'

'He's right you know,' said Malfoy. Ron glared at Krum.

'Oh, so *now* you're full of useful information! How come you didn't know how
to get to the Drakon's lair? Huh?'

'Come on!' Harry cut in, before a fight broke out. 'We have to quicken our
pace.'

And then there were four - three in red, one in green. With Harry moving to the forefront, the
boys hurried on, saying very little on their way. The forest was thickening as they went; their
trail deepened with shadows, cast by the foliage hanging over their heads, blocking the sky and the
sunlight. They traveled all day, Hermione firm in their sights; though it wasn't long before
the sun began to set, and before night was upon them.

**A/N:** Updating fast (again), hope you can keep up with me :)

-->



18. Found Out & Counter-Potion
------------------------------



**Mighty Aphrodite,**

**burn brightly no more.**

**Deny thy forged love,**

**bring forth the truth you tore!**

**~ Found Out ~**

The Hunters Congregation had ended at noon. Madame Sprout arrived back at the Hogwarts Hunters
tent with Professor Snape.

`Do you hear that?' she said, halting in the middle of the room.

There was a knocking sound, followed by a muffled scream. It seemed to be coming from a
cupboard. Snape clasped his wand and aimed towards it. `*Expositus*!'

The cupboard door flung open, and the tiny body of Professor Flipwick flew across the room,
flapping his arms.

`EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!'

`*Professor Flipwick*!' cried Madame Sprout, rushing to where he'd crash-landed.
`How did you get locked in the cupboard? We've been looking for you every where!'

`Children! *Students*!' Professor Flipwick squealed, standing and straightening his
robes. `Students locked me in the cupboard! Students are here at the Hunt without consent!'

`Who's here without consent?' Snape demanded, though he already had a funny feeling who
it might be.

`Well let me think,' said Professor Flipwick thoughtfully, recounting who he'd seen.
`There were the three Weasley boys, a tall dark fellow I can't recall, though he looked very
familiar - oh! And Harry Potter. He was holding your Portkey, Professor Snape!'

`Was he now?' said Snape, in an intrigued but malevolent tone.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Amphitheatre, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy came home to their
tent.

'Must we keep Draco locked up in that cage, darling?' said Narcissa tiresomely, an
attractive but snooty woman with a intolerable, critical manner. She was the first to enter through
the tent flap. 'He didn't stop yelling and clanking all night. I hardly had any beauty
sleep.'

'My dear,' said Lucius, entering after her, and heading towards the study, 'it's
only until I find a cure for his condition. Then he - '

Lucius stopped at the study doorway, staring straight ahead.

'Empty...' he murmured.

'Sorry darling, I didn't hear you,' called Narcissa from the next room. `Can you
speak up?'

'EMPTY!' Lucius roared, up in arms. 'HE'S ESCAPED!'

**
~ Counter-Potion ~**

Harry and the others walked hours on end, well into the depth of night. The air had chilled, and
an opaque white mist layered the ground, swirling mysteriously at their feet. Sounds stirred all
around them - howls, hoots, twigs snapping, a sudden rustle of leaves. Sometimes Harry fancied he
was being watched, but this wasn't an unusual thing to think when one was wondering through a
strange forest in the middle of the night. What concerned Harry more at this point was tiredness.
Sleep threatened to engulf him, and the rest of the group were doing no better.

'Ron, get your head off my shoulder!' said Harry, shrugging Ron away.

'Sorry, Harry,' said Ron drowsily. 'It's just...I've never been so - so
-' His words were stretched out in a tedious, extended yawn. 'Tired.'

'We're not tired! We're - we're - ' Despite himself, Harry caught Ron's
yawn. 'Okay, so we're a *little* tired.'

Malfoy and Krum yawned instantaneously.

'Stop being tired!' Harry snapped, rounding on them. 'Hermione won't be
sleeping, so we won't either!'

'I know, Harry. But at this rate we're all going to turn into hypnotised zombies!'
Ron reasoned. 'Can't we nap for a bit?' Harry shook his head.

'If we fall asleep, we'll never wake up and it will be too late!'

'Potter's right,' said Malfoy drearily. 'As long as Hermione's hypnotised,
she won't stop until she reaches the Drakon's lair.'

Krum came up with an idea.

'Vot if two of us sleep and two stay avake? Then ve svitch?' The corner of Ron's
mouth turned up.

'I can't believe I'm going to agree with Krum, but that could work! What do you say,
Harry?'

Harry, compromising his fervid determination to press on, agreed to Krum's suggestion. It
was with great relief that Harry, Ron and Krum dropped their backpacks, which had grown tiresomely
heavy, under the shelter of a tall, proud oak tree. Malfoy and Krum were the first to sleep, while
Ron and Harry remained awake.

'Fifteen minutes and counting,' Ron calculated, consulting his watch. He stooped down
next to Harry and rested his weight against the oak tree. 'Oh yeah!' he sighed, relaxing.
'I can't wait to get some shut-eye.'

'Don't get too rested just yet,' Harry forewarned him. 'You have to stay
awake.'

'I am awake. See?' Ron proved this by showing Harry how wide he could open his eyes.

Harry chuckled. He was happy to be on good terms with Ron again. It comforted him immensely. For
a while, the two of them sat in an easy silence, Harry checking Ron every now and then to make sure
he wasn't drowsing off. And, of course, his mind would naturally drift to Hermione. Staring up
at the moon shining against the canopy, he dared to believe she was still alive; that he'd find
her and bring her home. He also wondered, with the emergence of Ron's feelings, and the
confusion over his own, if the old trio would ever be the same. This thought in turn sprung
another.

'Are they asleep yet?' Harry whispered to Ron, referring to Malfoy and Krum. They both
peered around the other side of the oak tree to find out. Malfoy was sitting upright but with his
head was lolling over, and Krum was spread out on the ground, drooling on his sleeve.

'Like babies,' Ron assented.

'Then quick, help me out here.'

Harry unzipped his backpack and retrieved *A Wizards and Witches Guide to Love Made
Easy*.

'Blimey, Harry!' said Ron, on seeing the book. 'Why are you lugging that around with
you? And where - '

'George gave it to me. Before we left,' Harry cleared up, flipping though the pages.
'We have to read up on the proper cure for the Aphora Bewitching Potion, otherwise Hermione
will still be in love with Malfoy.'

`But how…' Ron was quite overwhelmed. Harry tried explaining things from another angle.

'Hermione's in love with Malfoy, right?'

'Right...'

'And when we reach her, she'll be hypnotised, *right*?'

'Right!'

'So, after we un-hypnotise her - '

'How are we going to do that?'

Harry hadn't thought about this yet.

'I - well, I don't know! Stay focused...aha! Here's what we're looking
for.'

Harry quietly read the following passage to Ron:

*Counter-Potion for the Aphora Bewitching Potion.*

*You will need at least a cup of an Aphora Bewitching Potion that is bounded to the bounder
that originally infected you. Make sure the anti-love ingredient as been administered at this
time.*

'But we don't have Malfoy's Aphora Bewitching Potion!' Ron interrupted
anxiously.

'Oh yes we do,' said Harry, holding up the cloth-covered flask. 'I think there's
more then a cup's worth, too.'

'And the anti-love ingredient? We don't - '

'George took care of it,' Harry assured him.

'Wow,' said Ron, impressed. 'He thought of everything!'

Harry continued to read.

*You are now ready to make counter-potion. Note that this will be a* ritual
*counter-potion. To perform the ritual, stand a top the highest peak of Mount Olympus, and make a
fire with wood and leaves drawn from the Drakon Wood. Heat the original potion over this fire, and
repeat the following ten times:*

*Mighty Aphrodite,*

*burn brightly no more.*

*Deny thy forged love,*

*bring forth the truth you tore!*

*Keep your eye on the fire and concentrate on the words spoken. It's vital not to lose
concentration. If the ritual is successful, your potion should no longer 'glow', and will
instead turn to a pale, matte pink. The one you wish to cure must drink at least* one drop *of
the counter-potion for it to be effective.*

Harry finished reading, confident with what had to be done. Ron however, was not so
self-assured.

'Well, this is perfect isn't it?' he said.

'I know!' said Harry. 'We're heading straight for Mount Olympus.'

'Yes but Harry, how do you suppose we're going to get *on top* of Mount
Olympus?'

Again, Harry had not bothered to think this through.

'Er...we'll deal with that later!' he said in a hurry, pushing it aside. 'Wait!
There's more written here.' Harry read on.

*The counter-potion's ritual will only work when performed by someone who truly loves the
one in need of curing. A blood relative would also be satisfactory.*

Harry paused after reading these last words. Then, with a grim undertone, he shoved the book
into Ron's hands and said, 'I guess you'll be doing the ritual then.'

'*Me*?' Ron rebutted, tossing the book back to Harry, as if it electrocuted him.
'But I suck at making potions! And I'm pretty sure I'd suck at making counter-potions,
too!'

'Ron, you're the only one here who has "actual" feelings for Hermione. The
book says someone who loves the one in need of curing has to do it. You love her, you do the
ritual!' Harry shoved the book back to Ron more firmly. Ron took it, thought something over,
and then stared at Harry with a change of face.

'Do you honestly believe that, Harry? That you've haven't got "actual"
feelings for Hermione?'

Harry was slightly puzzled at this.

'As a friend I have feelings for her, but that doesn't count!' he said bluntly.
`Anything else I'm feeling is fake, brought on by potion relapse.'

Ron appeared as though he hadn't believed a word Harry said - and he hadn't.

'You want to know what I think?'

`I know you suck at potions.'

Ron ignored this.

`I think you're fooling yourself, Harry. This relapse thing is suppose to make you crazy,
right? But it's not like you've gone poisoning people with bewitching, Aphrodite spells or
claiming you're adopted!'

'But I *am* crazy!' said Harry briskly, who suddenly felt like he had a lot to get
of his chest. 'I brought us all to Greece. I'm taking us towards a ferocious dragon. I
befriended Malfoy! And to top it off, I fell for Hermione overnight!'

'Harry, wake UP!'

'I am awa - '

'Everything you've done for Hermione so far is *not* crazy!' Ron spoke very
heatedly now. `Under the circumstances, you would've acted exactly the same, with or without
relapse! I've seen how you care for her Harry, even way before all this love potion rubbish!
You did not fall for Hermione overnight because you've *always* had feelings for her! And
I think you're acting like a right coward for not realising that.'

Harry gaped at Ron, utterly bewildered. Why was he saying all this? First he was mad at the
prospect of he and Hermione ever being involved, which he'd come to more or less accept, and
now what was he doing? Playing matchmaker?

'I'm a coward?' Harry repeated, more then slightly offended. 'You've loved
Hermione for ages and only admitted to it yesterday! If anyone's the coward it's
you!'

'It takes a coward to recognise his own kind!'

'Yeah WELL - '

For some reason, Harry couldn't match this comment. It didn't matter in the end, because
a deep, languorous voice had interrupted them.

'Has it been fifteen minutes yet?' said Krum, half-asleep.

-->



19. The River Path & End Of Her Line
------------------------------------



**'And never come back.'**

**~ The River Path ~**

Morning dawned, sprinkling the Drakon Wood with rays of warm sunlight. Despite having a mere one
hours sleep between them, Harry and the others continued afoot, only Malfoy's navigation skills
were proving to be a problem.

'I think if we keep walking north, we should - '

'North?' Ron butted in. `Ten minutes ago you wanted us to walk north-east!'

'Would you *please* keep your voice down, I can't think properly!'

'Didn't anyone bring a map?' Harry spoke over them. Krum shook his head sadly.

'No. Malfoy said he knew the vay.'

'Yes, Malfoy! You said you "knew the vay!" You're bloody hopeless! I knew you
weren't to be trusted!'

Malfoy was thoroughly fed up with Ron's bickering, which he'd endured all morning.
'You just wait until our little truce is over, *Weasley*!'

'Is that a threat, *Malfoy*?' said Ron bitingly, glaring him in the face. 'If
you're not careful, we'll send you back home to daddy Malfoy, so he can lock you up in your
birdcage again like a giant budgie!'

'*Enough* you two!' Harry disciplined them. 'We'll never get any where like
this. Remember, we're here to save Hermione.'

Ron and Malfoy held their tongues, but continued to exchange savage looks.

Harry's confidence was beginning to wane, considering the state of things. It was all so
terribly disorganised. For one, they had no map, and Malfoy clearly didn't know the way to the
Drakon's lair as well as he'd originally claimed, rendering him useless. Then there were
the points Ron had raised, about Hermione being hypnotised, and the problem of finding a way to the
top of Mount Olympus - no easy task. Harry blamed himself. He'd been so rushed and anxious to
save Hermione, he hadn't thought anything through. *This never would have happened if
Hermione was in charge* Harry thought, then realised the irony this entailed. *Great! I need
Hermione to save Hermione*...

'Maybe one of us could climb a tree?' said Krum, running through ideas again. 'Vith
the height, maybe ve could see the right vay?'

The moment Krum finished this sentence, a small army of voices sprouted from above.

'Not climbing in *our* tree they're not!' said the first voice.

'So rude!' said the second.

'So very, very rude!' said the third.

The boys looked up to a small flock of Wood Pixies, fluttering like Snitches; hovering in one
place, and then zooming quickly to another. From what Harry could make out, there were two boys and
a pretty girl Pixie. All of them were tree-green with elfish ears and chipmunk sounding voices.
They didn't seem very happy.

'HUNTERS IN THE WOOD! HUNTERS IN THE WOOD!' one of the boy Pixies shrilled, sounding off
like an alarm.

'WARN THE DRAKON!' said the girl.

'WARN THE DRAKON!' said the other.

'No no no!' Ron hollered, waving his arms. 'Don't warn the Drakon! Shut
up!'

'Rude human!' said the first boy Pixie.

'Rude human most rude!' said the girl, and threw a chestnut at Ron's head.

'OUCH! Stop that!'

A smile appeared on Harry's face. These Pixies spoke of the Drakon; they may just be the
break he was looking for. With this in mind, Harry attempted to speak with them more politely.

'Excuse me,' he began. 'We mean no harm, we're not here to hunt the Drakon.
We're only here to search for our friend.'

'Yes, by any chance have you Pixies seen a young girl in the forest?' said Malfoy,
catching Harry's drift.

The first boy Pixie zoomed down suddenly, popping up an inch from Harry's nose. Harry took a
step back in shock.

'Not hunters?' he interrogated, his beady green eyes bulging with disbelief.
'Looking for a girl you say? Are you hearings this, Dew?'

'I hears it, Scat!' tweeted the brown-eyed girl Pixie named Dew. 'You hears it,
Nut?'

'I hears it, Dew!' answered Nut, the last and smallest Pixie, who was as suspicious as
the others.

'Yes, we're looking for a girl,' Harry reinforced. 'Please, have you seen
her?'

'Why is this girl in the Wood?' chirped Dew. 'Is *she* a hunter?'

'No!' said Ron instantly. 'She's been hypnotised to go to the Drakon's lair
against her will. It's very important we find her!'

'A likely story,' said Scat.

'Yes, likely,' said Dew.

'Likely, likely!' sang Nut.

'It's true!' Harry affirmed, keeping his anger in check. 'Have any of you seen
her? Recently perhaps?'

Scat shook his green head. 'We have seen no girl, not a one! We suggest you leave this
place, tis' not safe for young humans.'

'Then can you tell us the quickest way to the Drakon's lair?' Harry tried again, but
this set them off.

'Drakon's lair? HUNTERS!'

'WARN THE DRAKON!'

'WARN THE DRAKON!'

'We're not HUNTERS!' yelled Ron, frustrated. 'We only want to *stop* our
friend from going to the Drakon's lair!'

'Please help us,' said Harry, his desperation wearing thin. 'We'd be happy to do
something for you in return.'

Harry must have said something right, because the Pixies had stopped their screeching. They were
hovering steadily in the air, their pointy ears twitching with intrigue.

'Something in return?' said Dew.

Harry and the others nodded enthusiastically. The Pixies considered this wager, and then Scat
said, 'quickest way to the lair of the Drakon? You are going to wrong way.'

Ron shot Malfoy a sharp look of contempt.

'Yes. You should follow the river path. It will take you to one of the lair's passages.
We can show you the way, if...'

'If...what?' said Harry, hoping his offer to give the Pixies something in return
didn't backfire.

'You give us your socks,' said Nut, eyeing their feet with a strange longing.

Ron, Malfoy and Krum looked at each other oddly and said, '*socks*?' Harry
laughed.

'What do you want our socks for?'

'Socks are warm!' said Scat.

'Very warm!' said Dew.

'Gets very cold at night...' said Nut, mocking a shiver.

'*Of course*!' said Ron all of sudden, turning to Harry. 'I remember Hermione
telling me about Wood Pixies, and how they like to steal people's socks so they can use them as
blankets during the night!'

'How foul,' scoffed Malfoy, turning up his nose.

'If you Pixies show us the way to this river path, I promise that you can have *all* of
our socks,' said Harry.

'You swears it?' the three Pixies said together, quivering with glee.

'Cross my heart.'

They all squealed joyously, as the boys bent down to undo their shoelaces.

'Do you think they're related to Dobby by any chance?' said Ron, smiling at
Harry.

With the guidance of the Wood Pixies, a sock-less Harry, Ron, Malfoy and Krum were shown the way
to the river path. The Pixies left them here, assuring them as long as they followed the river,
they'd make it. Heeding their advice, the boys trailed the river into the afternoon. They
traveled into the twilight hours, never breaking a step, until they finally reached the bottom of
Mount Olympus. All that stood between them and Hermione now was the black mouth of a cave.

'The Drakon's lair. We made it!' said Ron, collecting his breath.

'Do you think ve are too late?' said Krum, wiping perspiration from his brow.

'That's not an option,' said Harry flatly, his wand firm in his fist.

**
~ End Of Her Line ~**

Hermione kept walking...and walking...and walking. All she could hear, see, or think about, was
Lucius' words:

*'I order you to walk into the Drakon Wood, and to not stop walking until you reach the
Drakon's lair. When you reach it, go inside…and never come back.'*

'And never come back,' Hermione repeated aloud, as if to convince herself why she should
keep going. Somewhere, deep inside, she felt the urge to turn back; to run, for danger was about to
strike. But, regretfully, Hermione couldn't hold onto this feeling. She couldn't make her
body do what she wanted it to do.

'And never come back,' she said again, over and over.

A pair of yellow eyes watched her every move. Obscured in the shadows, the Drakon growled,
incensed to see this intruder so carelessly wondering its territory. It let out a piercing, ancient
roar that shook the very earth. Hermione tripped and fell, slamming her head against the ground.
Lucius' words started to fade.

**A/N:** Thanks everyone! Had some great feedback this time round. Don't stop now,
I've got lot's more on the way… :)

-->



20. The Drakon's Lair & In Deep
-------------------------------



**'She'll come running into my arms, not yours!'**

**~** **The Drakon's Lair** **~**

'How do we know if she's in there, though?'

'Vot if she vent through von of the other passages?'

'I think she's in there!'

'But how can we be *sure*?'

'We're wasting time!'

The Drakon's roar, distant but powerful, rippled out from cave and into the forest, knocking
Harry, Ron, Malfoy and Krum dead in their tracks. They stopped arguing.

'Do...do you think that was the Drakon?' said Ron, more then a little panicked.

'No, it vas the vind,' said Krum sarcastically.

'It's the Drakon, all right,' said Malfoy. 'And something's stirred it.'
Ron gulped.

'Just our luck!'

Another sound echoed from within the cave; not as distinct as the Drakon, but it could be heard
nonetheless. It was the sound of a girl screaming.

'HERMIONE!' Harry cried, his heart in his throat. 'That was Hermione! She's
still alive!'

'And I vill rescue her!' Krum announced, charging gallantly into the cave. 'I AM
COMING, HERMOWNINNY!'

'Truce is off, gentlemen!' said Malfoy, glowering wickedly at Harry and Ron.
'Hermione's MINE!'

Malfoy charged into the cave after Krum.

'Bloody hell!' said Ron despondently. 'It's the Aphora Bewitching Potion all
over again! We better follow them, Harry!'

'*Hang on*! Take my backpack first.'

Harry unbridled his backpack and handed it Ron, who brutally shook his head.

'Harry, we don't have time - '

'You *have* to Ron! You have to find a way! The book and the flask are all in
there.'

'Harry, NO! I can't do the ritual!'

'Yes you can, Ron! Hermione has to be cured, and you're the one to do it. If she stays
in love with Malfoy, she'll go to him and he's *not* safe! He has relapse!'

'Oh, and you don't?' said Ron, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

'You know what I mean!' said Harry, annoyed. This wasn't the time or place to
discuss the 'did-he-or-didn't-he-have-relapse' issue.

'But, Harry! How am I gonna…? How are you - HARRY!'

Unable to be at a standstill any longer, Harry spurted forth into the cave. There was no way he
was going to allow Krum, or especially Malfoy, reach Hermione before he did.

'HOW AM I GONNA GET TO THE TOP OF MOUNT OLYMPUS, HARRY!' Ron bellowed to Harry's
back. 'WE NEVER THOUGHT THAT THROUGH!'

'YOU'LL THINK OF SOMETHING, I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!' Harry yelled as he ran.
'I'LL BRING HER BACK!'

Ron clasped at his hair, fearing for his mental health yet again. Pacing the ground aimlessly,
he peered up towards the unreachable peak of Mount Olympus, and couldn't remember ever feeling
more futile in his life. 'What does he expect me to do? *Levitate up*?'

**** **~** **In Deep** **~**

Harry raced through the cave, as fast as he could. One thought drummed incessantly in his head;
energising him, driving him faster: *Hermione, Hermione, find Hermione!* But the further he
went, the darker his surroundings became. Daylight was far beyond him now. The ground was rocky and
jagged beneath his feet, and Harry did his best not to crash and fall in the darkness. He could
hear Malfoy and Krum's dogged footsteps booming up ahead. If only he could see...

*'Lumos!'*

Harry's wand sparked alight, but it was too dim. He could only see a foot ahead; beyond
this, for all he knew, was nothing but a gaping, black hole. He may as well be blind.
*Hermione's alive, Hermione's alive* he affirmed to himself. Taking a strong breath
and stretching his arm out further, Harry picked up his run, taking his chances at being blind.
Then -

Krum screamed.

Then Malfoy.

Harry didn't stop running.

Then -

'AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!'

It was like a rug had been pulled from under his feet. One minute the ground was there - then it
wasn't! To his absolute horror, Harry was dropping helplessly into blackness, when -
SPLASH!

He landed in cold water, sinking into it like a weight. Submerged, it took a moment to recollect
himself, to realise he was underwater and therefore, unable to breath. On that note, Harry briskly
kicked his legs and swum to the surface. Where was he *now*? He couldn't see. It was still
too dark.

'Look what you've done you Bulgarian BONEHEAD! You led me right of the edge of a
cliff!' resonated Malfoy's voice from some where to Harry's right.

'Vot did you call me?' he heard Krum say in spite, coming from the same area.

'*Lumos*!'

Harry re-lit his wand. Malfoy and Krum's heads shone into view, bobbing like corks in the
water close by. Both looked thoroughly wet and disgruntled. Then, casting his wand over his head
like a torch, Harry made out they were now enclosed in some kind of grotto.

'Well, if it isn't *Potter*!' scorned Malfoy, looming towards Harry like an
oncoming shark fin. 'What's the point of you being here? She'll come running into my
arms, not yours! She's still on *my* love potion, remember?'

'Nice to see you back to your old self, Malfoy,' Harry sneered.

'*Lumos*!'

Krum's wand lit up.

'Ve are trapped!' he said, paddling around in circles. 'The vater is too deep and
there is no landing! Ve must get out of here or ve vill drown!'

'And anyway, Potter,' continued Malfoy, ignoring Krum. He'd been 'playing
nice' with Harry for two days and now, with the truce over, was ready to speak his mind at
last. 'You were the one who wrote that letter! Oh, and by the way, I forgot to give you this in
return - SMACK!'

Malfoy swerved a punch, knocking Harry hard in the right cheekbone.

'That's for getting me locked in a cage!'

Scowling, and rubbing his now bruised cheek, Harry thrust his wand at Malfoy's face.
'Watch it, Malfoy!'

'Hermione's going to hate you more then ever now!' Malfoy spat mockingly.
'You're the reason she's here! If it weren't for you, my father wouldn't have
kidnapped her!'

'Shut up!' Harry warned, his anger simmering.

'Some noble hero you turned out to be! If she dies, it's going to be all your fault! How
will you live with yourself, Potter? May I suggest a good drowning?'

Harry reached boiling point.

'I SAID SHUT UP!'

Quickly saying '*Nox*!', Harry shoved his un-lit wand into his pocket. He
didn't want to use his wand to fight - he wanted to use his bare fists.

'GET OFF ME!' Malfoy shouted.

Burning with rage, Harry swum over to Malfoy and trapped him in a smothering head-lock.

'*You're* the one who put Hermione on a love potion to make her fall in love with
you!'

'*So*?' Malfoy snapped, managing to bite Harry's arm. Harry wailed in pain and
let go. 'You did the real damage! You got my father involved!'

Harry swum at Malfoy again, but this time, Malfoy got the better of him. He hiked himself on top
of Harry's shoulders, forcing him underwater. Harry splashed and struggled in panic, until he
struck an elbow to Malfoy's shin. Malfoy wrenched back. Harry sprung to the surface, flicking
his wet hair, and locked his hands around Malfoy's neck.

'Going to kill me, are you?' said Malfoy in a strangled voice. 'Really, how noble of
you. I'm sure Hermione would approve! Maybe you should take me up on that drowning suggestion,
Potter? Killing yourself would make us all a lot happier!'

'Eat fist, Malfoy - SMACK!'

Harry chucked a successful blow, striking Malfoy in the nose.

'*My nose*!' Malfoy cried nasally, cupping his face.

Krum provided a momentary distraction.

'I found a vary out!'

'What?' said Harry.

'A way out?' said Malfoy, flaring his bloodied nostrils.

But it was too late for explanations. Krum disappeared beneath the water and didn't return.
Malfoy gave Harry one last hit in the head, and dived in after him. He didn't return either.
Harry, dazed for the minute, and nursing *another* bruised cheekbone, was left with no other
option. He lit his wand again, sucked in a deep breath, and plummeted into the dark, mysterious
waters below.

The hunt for Hermione was back on.

-->



21. Ron Learns To Fly & The Drakon
----------------------------------



**'I still hate you for what you did.'**

**'I hate me to for what I did too!'**

**~ Ron Learns To Fly ~**

`*Wingardium Leviosa*!'

Meanwhile, Ron was still faced with the impossible task of reaching the top of Mount Olympus.
Unfortunately, his attempt to levitate himself was not going according to plan, and he had a
recurring problem of crash landing on his backside every time he rose a metre.

'This is so dumb!' he huffed, landing on his bum for what must have been the twentieth
time. 'I'll never get to the top of this stupid mountain!'

Ron threw his wand down to the dirt in frustration, staring up hatefully at the mountain rising
before him. He felt so incredibly dwarfed and insignificant beneath it. In fact, he couldn't
even *see* the actual peak from his position. It was so high, it was veiled by cloud.

'Strange human!' said a voice.

'Strange, strange human!' said another.

'Very strange!' said a third. 'Humans are not meant to fly. If they were, they would
have been born with wings. Silly human!'

'Silly, silly human!'

It was the Wood Pixies. They'd been watching Ron from a near by plane tree - and with much
amusement.

'Do you three *mind*?' said Ron, spying them all perched neatly on a tree branch.
'I'm trying to concentrate here! And what you are doing following me, anyway? I haven't
got any more socks!'

'We are curious, human. Why is it that you want to fly up Mount Olympus?' asked
Scat.

'Because,' Ron started to explain, as though it were obvious, 'I *need* to
perform a ritual to make counter-potion to save my friend from being in love with the world's
largest prat, and the only way I can achieve any of this is from the top of this mountain!
That's WHY!'

'Human is angry,' observed Scat.

'Human is very, very angry,' said Dew.

'Most angry indeed,' said Nut. 'Human was kind to give us his socks...'

'Yes, very kind...' agreed Dew.

'I told you!' said Ron, red in the face. 'I don't have any more socks! Two feet
is all I have so shove off! I have to concentrate.'

Ron turned his back on them.

'Human will never fly to the top of this mountain,' said Scat with a sad sigh.

'Never ever,' said Dew, shaking her head. 'He could use our help.'

'Yes,' said Nut. 'All he has to do is ask.'

Upon hearing this, Ron turned back towards them.

'You guys can get me to the top?' he said, though not sure if they were completely
trustworthy. 'How?'

'We can get you do the top,' said Dew. 'If...'

'If what?'

'You give us your underpants.'

'My...WHAT?'

'Underpants would keep awhole family of Wood Pixies warm!'

'And snug!' added Nut.

Ron cringed.

'So you're telling me, if I give you my...' he cringed even more,
'…under-thingos...you'll get me to the top of this mountain?'

The Pixie's nodded greedily.

'And you *swear* you can get me to the top?'

Again, they nodded.

'Right then,' Ron resolved. He'd never been asked a stranger request, but knowing
the nature of the Wood Pixies, he could see why underpants would be a step up from socks. 'You
all better face the other way then.'

'Face the other way?' said Scat, confused. 'Why does human want us to face the other
way?'

'I've got to take them off, don't I!' said Ron blatantly, at which pretty Dew
burst into high-pitched giggles. Ron turned scarlet with embarrassment. 'And no peeking!'
he warned, as the Pixies turned their winged backs on him. Double checking to make sure they
couldn't see him, Ron began to undo his belt while muttering, 'they'll bloody want my
shirt next! I'll end up performing the bloody ritual in the nud!'

After Ron removed what was necessary, he did up his trousers, signaled for the Pixies to turn
back round, and throttled his two-day old underpants towards their tree. They caught the underpants
and clung onto them like uncovered treasure. 'Oh, *thank you* good human!' said Scat
rapturously. 'You are most charitable!'

'*Very* charitable!' said Nut, overwhelmed with joy.

'So?' said Ron with expectation, while feeling noticeably 'loose' down below.
'Let's get on with it then!'

The Pixies congregated together and flew over to Ron.

'Steady yourself, human,' said Scat. `We are going to be your wings!'

**
~ The Drakon ~**

Harry dived underwater for what felt like an eternity. He couldn't see Krum or Malfoy any
more. Had he missed them? Did they make a turn without Harry seeing? Harry figured he'd better
to swim back. He couldn't hold his breath for much longer, and the water pressure was giving
him a headache. But then, finally, Harry saw a way out. There was a small pothole in the rock-face
just below, with a faint light emanating in from the other side. Plunging deeper, Harry dived and
launched through the opening.

*Light*.

The space around Harry was no longer dark. He found himself swimming in what appeared to be an
oval-shaped swimming pool. The ground and walls were patterned with brightly coloured tiles, and
Harry fancied he'd glimpsed the image of a mosaic snake-like creature in the pool's centre,
before kicking up to the surface.

'*Guuuuh*!' Harry gasped for air, filling his lungs. He'd never been so happy
to breathe! Exhausted, he hauled himself out of the pool and laid flat on his back, panting. Then,
pushing his sodden hair from his eyes, he staggered upright to survey where he was.

The pool led off to a cavernous, circular hall. Harry walked to the middle, his clothes making
sloshing, wet sounds with each step. It was like being in a forgotten, underground Greek temple.
Studying the area, Harry felt very minute under the hall's cathedral-high ceiling and towering
marble pillars. Torches of purple fire lined the walls, as well as four enormous, open doors: one
straight ahead, one behind him, and two others squaring off left and right. Looking down at his
feet, Harry noticed a four-point compass gilded in the salmon marble floor. According to the
compass, he was currently facing north.

The place was deserted. There were no signs of Malfoy or Krum. Then…Harry heard footsteps from
afar, accompanied by shallow breathing. He had only just thought of her again when -

'HERMIONE!'

Harry's voice echoed loudly through the hall, so that he heard himself say `HERMIONE!'
more then once, in ghostly, fading repetitions. She'd darted out from the western doorway, to
Harry's left. Such a relief poured over him, to see her in the flesh after what felt like so
long, that he weakened at the knees and almost stumbled sideways. Though, at the same time, his
heart broke at the state of her. As she stared at him, Harry saw leaves tangled in her bushy hair,
ripped holes in her robes, and dried blood on her knees and forehead. She was a sorry sight.

'What are you doing here?' she said, astonished and out of breath.

'Hermione, you're hurt!' said Harry, rushing towards her. 'Please...'

He reached out, wanting nothing more then to comfort her, but Hermione backed away, as if he
were poisonous.

'Stay back, Harry,' she warned. 'I still hate you for what you did.'

'I hate me for what I did too!' said Harry, his heart swelling. He couldn't help it.
The more he looked at Hermione, the more he was overcome with emotion; happiness that she was okay,
sadness that he was still causing her pain; but most of all, as he told her, Harry felt hate. He
felt hate towards himself for playing a hand in putting her in so much danger.

'Hermione, if I lost you I...I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I'm sorry.
I'm so, so sorry!'

Hermione didn't budge.

'Please trust me, Hermione,' Harry begged, until another thought struck him. 'Wait a
minute, why aren't you hypnotised?'

'I fell over and hit my head,' Hermione replied frankly. 'It knocked me out of
it.'

That was one problem out of the way at least, Harry thought, but another more serious problem
remained.

'Are you still in love with Malfoy?' he asked with dread.

In the same frank voice, Hermione answered, 'yes.'

Harry could see Hermione shaking now, on the verge of eruption. She couldn't contain her own
emotions any longer.

'Harry, how could you tell Lucius!' she cried suddenly, tears sparkling in her eyes.
'He forced me to come here! The Drakon almost burnt me to death! It's like a maze in this
place, everything looks the same! I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE!'

'I'M SORRY!' cried Harry, nearing tears himself. 'And I'll spend the rest of
my life saying sorry to you if that what it takes! But you're not alone any more. I'm going
to help you out of here, right now!'

'NO! Stay away from me, Harry - AAHH!'

Harry seized Hermione from the fire in the nick of time. The Drakon had discovered them; Harry
saw in horror as its purple lizard-like head reared in through the western door, blocking the
passage. Sliding ever closer, it opened it jaws wide and hissed, revealing two sharp, glistening
fangs. Harry grabbed Hermione by the arm.

'COME ON! WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!'

With Hermione in tow, Harry accelerated for the eastern doorway opposite and sprinted through
what was turning into another cave. Hermione, despite the approaching danger, tried to tear herself
from Harry grasp.

'*What are you doing*?' he said, halting and tugging her back. She was being
completely irrational.

In the distance, the Drakon growled. It was coming through the door...

'I'm not going anywhere with you, Harry! Let me go of my arm!'

'Hermione, NO!'

Drawing closer, the Drakon let loose a deafening, ear-splitting roar. Harry and Hermione shrunk
to the ground, covering their ears. It was too close now. They couldn't afford to waste any
more time.

'Right, that's it!'

Gripping both her wrists, Harry whipped Hermione towards him, bent down and swung her over his
shoulder. She was not impressed.

'PUT ME DOWN, HARRY!' she protested furiously, but Harry paid her little attention. He
was running at high speed through the cave, although moving with Hermione on top of him tended to
slow things up a bit.

'Stop kicking me! OUCH!' he complained, but kept running.

Harry hoped with all his being this cave led to an escape. *Yes!* he thought in triumph.
Straight ahead was another huge door - a closed door, but there was a lever on the wall that looked
handy. With Hermione balanced over his shoulder, Harry charged for it and, with all the arm
strength he possessed, forced the lever down. There was a clank of metal chains as the door
steadily descended like a drawbridge.

'Oh no!' came Hermione's scared voice.

Harry turned to see, but immediately wished he hadn't. The Drakon had arrived, growling and
snorting angrily. It's yellow eyes leered and glowed; its jaws were opening again, its breath
hot and steaming, ready to fire.

'GO GO GO!' Hermione demanded, clawing handfuls of Harry's red robe.

The heat from the fire was intense. Luckily, Harry escaped the flames by nimbly crossing through
the half-open door, just in time to push the lever up on the other side, sealing it shut. They were
safe - for now, at least. Harry then realised where they had ended up.

'Wow,' he said in awe.

They were in another round, high-ceilinged hall with marble pillars; but what was particularly
distinct about this room however, was it contained mountains and mountains of treasure! Gold,
silver, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, golden Greek statues and treasure chests bursting with all
kinds of jewels, riches and coins. So *this* was the Drakon's famous treasure.

'OUCH!' said Harry to Hermione. She was still giving him problems. 'I said stop
kicking!'

'AND I SAID PUT ME DOWN!'

Then, stirring from behind a pile of gold knuts, and wearing a jewel encrusted crown,
'Hermione? Is that you?'

'DRACO!' Hermione called out, forcing herself off Harry and dashing towards Malfoy with
open arms.

'HERMIONE, NO!' Harry called after her. 'STAY AWAY FROM HIM!'

'Stay out of it, *Potter*!' said Malfoy, pushing Harry back as Hermione threw her
arms around him.

'Oh, Draco!' she pined, hugging him. 'I knew you'd come for me!'

'I course I came for you! How about giving me a thank you kiss?' Malfoy winked proudly
at Harry, who very much fancied giving him another punch in the nose.

'Wait,' said Hermione strangely, drawing back. 'What are you wearing that crown for?
Have you been collecting treasure, Draco?'

'Absolutely!' said Malfoy, without a shred of remorse. 'I'd be a fool not too. I
mean, look at all this!' He motioned around the room.

Harry's heart jumped as he noticed Hermione becoming angry. Perhaps there was some sense in
her after all. 'I thought you came here to rescue me, but instead I find you filling your
greedy pockets with gold?'

'Hermione!' said Malfoy, sounding a little worried now. 'I accidentally found this
room. I was going to start looking for you as soon as I was done, I swear!'

'Gee Malfoy, even love potion relapse doesn't stop you from being a selfish git,'
noted Harry. Malfoy glowered at him.

'Oh, shut up Pott - '

BANG…!

BANG…!

The noise thundered from behind the door.

BANG…!

BANG…!

Malfoy froze solid with fear. Harry moved closer to Hermione. 'Is that the - '

'It's breaking through - '

'GET DOWN!'

They dropped to the floor. The door shattered and flew apart in a mass of splintered wood. The
Drakon spat and shot into the room, even more infuriated then before, finding meddlers amongst its
guarded treasure. Slowly, it raised its head high, up to the ceiling, revealing the full extent of
its uncoiled, serpent body. It was huge like this, much bigger then Harry had previously thought.
They must have looked like insects sprawled on the ground.

'QUICK!' said Harry, on his feet. 'We have to move! Before it let's off another
round!'

But the Drakon had the slit of its yellow eye fixed firmly on Malfoy - or rather, the crown he
was wearing. Hissing, it veered towards him.

'AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!' Malfoy screamed in terror; and, without removing his crown or the
knuts in his pockets, escaped through the shattered door with the Drakon hot on his tail.

'DRACO!' Hermione cried, loosing her senses again, and went to chase after him. Harry
snatched her arm and hauled her back.

'Hermione, STOP! He's not worth it!'

'You heard what he said! He accidentally found this room! He did intend to rescue
me!'

But even Hermione didn't sound as if she believed this; her common sense and the Aphora
Bewitching Potion were at odds with each other. Determined to make her see reason, Harry spun her
around; then, clasping the sides of shoulders, he stared deep in her eyes, searching for the old
Hermione he knew was fighting to emerge - the common sense Hermione.

'Let it go, Hermione. You don't love Malfoy, it's all a potion!'

'Don't say that!' Hermione was tearful, battling with herself. 'He loves me, and
I love him!'

'HARRY POTTER!'

A teeny voice called from above. Harry looked up, and was astounded to see the three Wood Pixies
he'd met in the Drakon Wood. He was even more astounded to see one of them carrying a familiar
looking flask...

'What are you doing here?' Harry called up, while keeping a hold of Hermione. 'And
how do you know my name?'

'We were informed!' said Dew.

'Yes, much informed!' said Nut.

'We come with potion remedy!' said Scat, the one bearing the flask. 'From your human
friend Don!'

Harry smiled. 'Er, you mean Ron, right?'

'Yes! Human friend Ron!'

Scat dropped the flask and Harry caught it in one hand. He was elated to find it was filled with
a pale pink liquid. *He did it!* Harry thought joyously. *Ron made the
counter-potion!*

'We must go now!' said Scat, flying higher.

'Yes,' said Nut, also flying higher. 'It is not wise to linger in the Drakon's
lair. Goodbye, Harry Potter!'

The Pixies zoomed away, out of sight.

'Potion remedy?' said Hermione, eyeing the flask in Harry's hand with fear.
Realising what this meant, Hermione struggled more fervently. 'I'M NOT DRINKING IT,
HARRY!'

Harry wheeled himself behind her, binding his arms across her arms and waist.

'Oh yes you are!' he said strongly. 'Trust me, Hermione, you'll thank me
later.' Harry managed to wrench the cork off the top of the flask with his teeth, before
pushing it against Hermione's mouth. He hated being so rough with her, but it was the only way.
*One drop* he told himself. *One drop and she's cured!* He tipped the flask, making
her take a sip. She muffled a scream, but it worked. He got some in her mouth. Harry fastened his
hand over her lips so she'd swallow, and hung onto her for a moment or two. Her struggling
waned, little by little, until...

'Where...? Where am I? What's happening?'

Harry freed her from his arms. Hermione turned around, feeling light-headed, like waking from a
long night's sleep.

'Hermione?' said Harry hopefully, looking at her as if it were for the first time.
'Is it really you?'

'I believe so,' said Hermione, rubbing her forehead, before saying in surprise,
'Harry, you're all wet! And how did you get those nasty bruises on your face?'

Harry laughed. It was Hermione all right! Feeling so happy that he might float up off the
ground, Harry pulled her towards him in a hug - and this time, she didn't back away.

'I've missed you so much!' said Harry, hugging her tight and speaking into her hair.
'I'm so sorry for everything, Hermione! Can you ever forgive me?'

Hermione was very confused.

'Harry, what are talking about? Forgive you for what? You're not making - AH!'
Hermione yelped as Harry lifted her up and started spinning her around. '*Harry*!' she
giggled.'What's gotten into you? And why are we surrounded by treasure?'

'We're at the Annual Drakon Hunt.'

'*What*!' said Hermione in shock. 'Why? How?'

'I'll explain later,' he said, resting her down. 'But first, you have to tell me
something: are you in love with Malfoy?'

Hermione scrunched her nose, as if she'd smelt something horribly foul.

'Are you trying to be funny, Harry? I wouldn't love Malfoy if he were the last thing in
existence! And besides, I love - '

Hermione instinctively cut herself off. Memories were flashing before her eyes, difficult to
grasp. The first memory she could distinguish was Malfoy, and how he'd taken her into
Snape's laboratory and injected her with his Aphora Bewitching Potion. The memory alone was
enough to make her sick to the stomach. And then, before any of this had happened, how she'd
fallen in love with the wet, green-eyed boy standing in front of her.

'I remember now,' said Hermione in a small voice, gathering more memories with each
second. 'My Potions book. In the library that day...you told me I was beautiful. We nearly
kissed.'

Harry gulped rather loudly.

'Then...you must feel the same way about me? As I feel about you?'

As Harry saw her face shine with anticipation, and her hands in prayer over her heart, he wanted
nothing more then to say '*yes*!'. To tell her felt exactly the same. To end this
right here, right now. But he couldn't. He still didn't believe Ron. *You have relapse,
Harry. You can't lie to her!*

'I - ' Harry attempted to say, but the words were stuck in his throat.

'Harry, I love you!'

'Hermione - '

'I don't know for how long. It feels like forever. But you need to know - '

'I *don't* love you, Hermione.'

His words seemed to physically wound her. Her body spasmed, and she took a step backwards. Harry
could hardly believe what he was making himself say.

'I mean, even if I feel...even though I am feeling...I can't love you! I have love
potion relapse. Do you know what that is?'

Hermione remembered even more. Like a scattered jigsaw puzzle, it was all beginning to piece
together. She remembered Ginny. Ginny had love potion relapse, meaning she was still intoxicated by
a previous Aphora Bewitching Potion. Harry had relapse as well, but from *her* Aphora
Bewitching Potion. So did Malfoy. That's why he wanted her to fall in love with him. Hermione
remembered running up the stairs of Snape's laboratory, before Malfoy's Potion took effect,
and telling Harry she loved him in the Great Hall; even though she knew Harry couldn't possibly
love her in return.

'Hermione?' said Harry, worried as he watched her recount her memories.

'I know, Harry,' said Hermione tonelessly. 'I know what love potion relapse is. I
remember now...I already knew you had it. I told you I loved you in the Great Hall that day,
because...' Hermione bit her lip, holding back her tears, '...because I knew I'd soon
be in love with Malfoy. I wanted you to know before that happened.'

Harry's soul was crumbling. 'I'm so sorry, Hermione,' he whispered.

Hermione wiped her eyes and smiled weakly. 'It's fine, Harry! Really…'

'No, it's not fine!' said Harry at once, unable to hold back any longer. Even if it
wasn't real, even if it was only relapse, he couldn't deny her. He didn't want to be
the cause of any more pain. 'Hermione, I really, really feel like I'm in love with
you!'

'Harry, please don't,' said Hermione in a fragile voice.

'Maybe I don't need to be cured?' he went on, finding it hard to control himself
now. 'Why can't I live with this relapse thing?'

'*No*, Harry!' said Hermione severely. 'You can't, you'd be living a
lie!'

'I don't care if it's lie!' Harry fumed. 'Hermione,' he edged closer to
her, 'the way I feel about you...it's so real and I can't switch it off!'

'It's okay, Harry,' said Hermione, talking to him as though he were coming down with
a fever. 'When we go back to Hogwarts, they'll be able to stop whatever you're
feeling.'

'I don't want to stop it!' said Harry stubbornly, before admitting in a soft, tender
voice, 'I like the way I feel.'

Harry and Hermione stared pleadingly into each other's eyes, torn between duel desires to
pull back…or give in. Harry, drowning and enslaved to his feelings, gave up and gently kissed her.
Hermione let their lips touch for a second, almost giving in herself, but then suddenly pulled
away.

'Harry, no!' she sobbed. 'Please don't! I can't...I wo - won't help you
lie to yourself! Or m - me. You'll be cured, Harry. You have to be - '

Hermione's eyes shot from Harry's face to behind his shoulder, horror-struck.

'HARRY, WATCH OUT!'

**A/N:** And so begins Harry and Hermione trying to be together…again! Plus my biggest cliffy
yet. Very happy with this chapter, hope you guys enjoyed (and are in much suspense).

-->



22. Up In Flames & The Reward
-----------------------------



**'He...he did make it? Right?'**

**~ Up In Flames ~**

It all happened so quickly.

The Drakon returned. On instinct, Harry and Hermione threw each other out of harms way. Then,
landing on the floor, Hermione saw Harry from across the room, holding a piece of treasure over his
head and leading the Drakon in the other direction - away from her. 'HARRY!' she called
out. The Drakon was closing in on him…trapping him. Hermione screamed as Harry vanished behind a
wall of flames. She called his name distraughtly, again and again, but there was no response.
Standing, and about to run in search for his whereabouts, Hermione's path was blocked by a
sudden WOOSH! of fire. She flung back. The Drakon advanced towards her. Hermione had no choice but
to run the other way and out the door.

'HARRY!' she screamed shrilly, forced to run in the one direction she didn't want to
be heading. She wanted to go back to Harry…she *needed* to know if he was okay. The Drakon
breathed another wave of fire, driving her out. 'HARRY ANSWER ME!'

Hermione bolted out of the treasure room and back into the cave - the same way she and Harry had
traveled through before. She was about to re-enter the previous hall with the four-point compass
when she blindly rammed into someone.

'HERMIONE!' It was Charlie Weasley. 'Thank Merlin! Hurry, this way!'

Hermione was stunned. Seeing Charlie Weasley so unexpectedly, and in the midst of running for
her life from a fire-breathing dragon…it felt like she was dreaming. With little time for the
usual, polite `hello, how are you?', Charlie gripped hold of Hermione's hand and steared
her into the hall where a group of five wizards and witches were waiting; none of which Hermione
recognised, though all looked happy and relieved to see her.

'Thomas, Hilary, quick!' beckoned Charlie. The wizard and witch named Thomas and Hillary
came over immediately. 'Take Hermione outside with the others.'

Coming back to reality, and realising Charlie had obviously come to rescue her and take her
away, Hermione planted her feet firmly to the ground. She wasn't going to leave. She
couldn't possibly. Her heart was back in the treasure room.

'HARRY!' she cried out desperately, on the edge of hysteria. 'HARRY! He - the Drakon
- I HAVE TO GO! I HAVE TO HELP HIM!'

Hermione went to run the way they'd came, but Charlie wouldn't allow it.

'Calm down, calm down!' he said, though Hermione was anything but calm. 'Where did
you see Harry last?'

'The treasure room! In there!' she pointed. 'Harry - he - ,' she could barely
bring herself to say what had happened. 'HE - '

'It'll be all right, Hermione,' said Charlie consolingly, resting a hand on her
shoulder. 'We'll find him, don't worry.'

'I...I have to go with you! I have to save Harry!'

'*No*!' Charlie affirmed. 'Hermione, you must go outside where it's safe.
I'll save Harry, I promise.'

Hermione's watched helplessly as Charlie, armed with his wand, bolted into the cave and
headed for the treasure room, followed by a selection of his comrades.

**
~ The Reward ~**

The wizard and witch, Thomas and Hilary (who, like Charlie, were Guardians at the Hunt) escorted
Hermione outside, taking her a different a route to what Harry and the others had taken when they
arrived. It was nearing the evening; the sky was in a state of limbo between afternoon and night.
What really grabbed Hermione's attention, however, was the appearance of so many people.
Wizards and witches were busying themselves every where beneath the trees. Some were Mediwizards,
others Drakon Hunt Officials. Then, without warning, a hoard of reporters, all yelling 'Miss
Granger!', stampeded towards her, carrying notebooks and quills.

'Miss Granger!' said one reporter. 'How does it feel to be a missing
person?'

'Miss Granger!' said another. 'Is the rumour true? Were you hypnotised and brought
here against your will?'

'MISS GRANGER!' insisted a third. 'What compelled you to run away from Hogwarts in
the first place?'

'MISS GRANGER!' attacked a fourth. 'Did you find any treasure while you were in
there?'

Thomas and Hilary protected her, repeating the words 'no comment'. Then, to
Hermione's complete surprise, someone she knew very well barged his way onto the scene.

'Get out of it! Go on, move! Let her through! Stop taking pictures! You're all
GITS!'

Ron, who had a blanket wrapped around him, grabbed Hermione by her robes and pulled her to where
the Mediwizards had congregated. Fortunately, the reporters were forbidden from this area.

'Ron?' said Hermione, who couldn't help smiling. 'I didn't know you -
'

But before she could say another word, Ron smothered her in a hug! This was very unlike him.
Hermione always hugged Ron but Ron *never* hugged her.

'You're alive!' he said, emotional. 'You're really alive!'

Then, letting her go, Ron proceeded to speak at an amazingly rapid pace. 'I knew it was
Lucius! Professor McGonagall knew too! Harry figured out you were here! I helped of course, so did
Fred and George! We used Snape's Portkey! Percy saw you come! We had to be friends with Malfoy!
Trekked through the Drakon Wood all night, hardly any sleep! Pixies took my underpants!' He was
having difficultly slowing down. 'You - you're - it - YOU'RE ALIVE!' And he hugged
her tightly - again.

'Ron!' muffled Hermione, her face squashed against his chest. 'I'm happy to see
you too but you're sort of hurting me...'

Ron immediately let go, and was suddenly rather embarrassed. 'Oh, sorry about that. Guess I
got a bit carried away. You don't have any serious injuries do you?'

'No,' said Hermione, shaking her head. 'Only some cuts and a headache. Nothing that
can't be fixed.'

'And you don't love Malfoy?'

Again, Hermione shook her head. 'Far from it.'

This news was so wonderful, Ron imposed her with another hug!

'*Ron*!'

'Sorry, sorry!' he said, and released her once more. 'So, where's Harry? They
saved Malfoy.' He said this in a disgusted groan. 'They should've left him in there.
Oh, and *please* tell me Harry was the first to find you, 'cause I couldn't stand it
if Malfoy got the - '

Hermione burst into tears. She'd been so pleased to see Ron, but the very mention of Harry,
and realising Ron didn't know, reignited her despair. Ron didn't need to ask why she was
crying.

'He...he did make it? Right?'

'I don't know!' Hermione sniffed. 'Charlie's looking for him n - now. Harry
saved me from the Drakon, but I lo - lost him after that! I had to run away! It's all m - my
fault if he - '

'That's not true, Hermione!' Ron quickly intercepted, maintaining a brave face.
'And anyway, like you said, Charlie's looking for him. And if anyone can find Harry
it's Charlie! He's a really good Guardian.'

While struggling with her concern, a very unwelcome voice stained the air. He was conversing
with the reporters.

'So, Draco Malfoy. You claim you were the first person to find Hermione Granger?'

'That's right,' Malfoy confirmed, rapt in the attention. 'I was the first to
discover her. In fact, Harry Potter and Viktor Krum were more concerned with finding the
Drakon's treasure. I even caught Harry in the treasure room, taking treasure for his own use,
while poor Hermione was - '

SMACK!

After listening to Malfoy's account of events, Hermione was so appalled she stomped over and
punched him right between the eyes! Malfoy fell backwards on the impact.

'HOW DARE YOU!' Hermione roared, quivering with anger. 'You were the one taking
treasure, Malfoy! Harry found me first!'

Photographers swarmed in on Hermione and Malfoy like hornets, hoping to snap some action
shots.

'What's that, Miss Granger?' said a reporter with a notebook. 'You claim Harry
Potter found you first?'

'*Hermione*!' spluttered Malfoy, gawking stupidly at her. 'What did you do that
for?'

'Your potion has worn off, Malfoy. I'm back to finding you repulsive. And with good
reason!'

'No!' said Malfoy unbelievingly, on his feet again. 'You can't - '

SMACK!

Before Malfoy could finish, Ron took a punch at him too! Right in the nose, where Harry had
injured him from before. Malfoy wailed and fell backwards for a second time.

'YOU LYING SCUM!' blazed Ron. 'Trying to get your dirty hands on Harry's
reward!'

Hermione looked at Ron quizzically. 'Reward?'

'WE GOT 'EM!'

Charlie Weasley was back, leading the other three Guardians outside, along with two levitating
hospital stretchers. Hermione and Ron sprang over to see if -

'*Viktor*!' gasped Hermione, standing over the first stretcher. Krum peered up at
her deliriously with glassy eyes.

'Her - Hermowninny?'

'Oh yeah, I forgot about Krum,' said Ron guiltily. Krum peered up at him as well.

'Ron-hold?'

'Er, yeah. Hi Krum.'

Krum looked back to Hermione. 'Hermowninny! I vas vondering...do you vant to go to the
Annual Drakon Hunt vith me?'

'We *are* at the Hunt, you knob!' said Ron, and whispered to Hermione, 'I think
he's lost his marbles.'

'And then,' Krum continued, 'get married?'

'Yep, gone mental,' Ron diagnosed.

'Move out of the way, kids!' bustled a Mediwizard. 'This one's got a bad head
injury.' Ron chuckled.

'See? Told you!'

Then, in a tired voice from the stretcher behind them...

'Hermione? Ron?'

They spun around.

'HARRY!'

Harry was indeed, lying in the other stretcher. While he appeared very frail, he was,
nevertheless, clearly alive and in one piece.

'How are you feeling, mate?' asked Ron, smiling from ear to ear.

'A few notches down from fine,' winced Harry, managing a small smile. 'You?'

'A few notches up for me, actually.'

Harry shifted his attention to Hermione. 'You got out,' he beamed. 'I was worried
about you...'

'I was worried about you, too,' said Hermione, teary again, but this time with
happiness.

A Mediwizard took charge of Harry's stretcher, and told Ron and Hermione they could see
Harry later. Harry was then levitated to an ambulance near by.

'I knew Charlie would find Harry!' said Ron, still grinning. 'Now Harry can collect
his reward!'

'What reward?' said Hermione, wiping the 'happy' tears from her face. 'What
are you talking about, Ron?'

'Hermione, you're a missing person! I mean, you *were* a missing person. That means
whoever finds you gets a thousand galleons!'

**A/N:** Next chappie, back to Hogwarts :)

-->



23. Return & The End Of The Relapsed Affair?
--------------------------------------------



**PART III. HOGWARTS**

**'Wait!'**

**~** **Return ~**

Shortly after Harry was rescued, Hermione was taken to a separate ambulance to be treated for
her injuries. Then, by order of Albus Dumbledore, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Malfoy, Fred and George
were to return to Hogwarts using a Portkey provided. Viktor Krum was also ordered to return to
Bulgaria. Hermione now found herself in the Hogwarts hospital wing, sitting close to Harry's
bedside - as she'd done in his dreams. Madame Pomfrey told her to stop on three occasions,
insisting she go back to her *own* bed. But Hermione kept returning. Now Harry started to
worry about her.

'Hermione, I'll be fine! Go get some rest. You don't have to watch over me.'

'I know I don't,' she said shrewdly, wearing a blue dressing gown. 'But as you
can see, Harry, I'm still here. Besides, I'm not *that* injured. Madame Pomfrey's
making too much of a fuss.'

'But you need sleep,' Harry told her with an urgent voice. 'You haven't had any
for days.'

'Well, technically, being hypnotised has the same effect as sleep does. I feel thoroughly
rested!'

Harry smiled at yet another 'Hermione knows everything' moment. 'I guess that's
something. Is Malfoy still unconscious?'

'I'm pretty certain,' said Hermione. 'He's down the other end of the wing
with his tongue lolling out. I think his confrontation with the Drakon and not receiving the reward
has officially exhausted him.'

'Hope he stays like that 'til the end of term.'

'Me too.'

Harry and Hermione laughed for a moment, until they caught each other's gaze. Both set's
of eyes spoke of longing and repressed feelings, for Harry had not yet been cured of love potion
relapse.

'Harry,' said Hermione, in a somewhat sorrowful voice. 'I feel really awful about
running away and leaving you in the Drakon's lair.'

'Hermione, don't you dare feel awful about that!' said Harry, glaring at her
intently and sitting upright in his bed. 'I led the Drakon away from you so you could escape!
If anyone should feel guilty it's me, for sending Lucius on you.'

Hermione remained solemn.

'But, Harry, you could've...'

'I know,' said Harry, sensing her thoughts. 'But I chose for you to get away.
I'd give my life for yours any day, Hermione.'

Hermione went pink. 'You're only saying that because you have relapse...' she said
shyly.

'No,' said Harry, absolutely serious. 'You and Ron. I could never let anything
happen to either of you. Relapse or not.'

Hermione nodded, bearing a warm, grateful smile.

'So,' she said, changing the subject, 'how exactly did you escape the Drakon in the
end?'

'I didn't, really,' Harry shrugged. 'When the Drakon fired at me, I threw myself
behind a pile a treasure. I was all right, but my leg was burnt.'

On learning this, Hermione had an immediate 'are you okay?' look written on her
face.

'It's fine, don't worry!' said Harry reassuringly. 'Madame Pomfrey fixed it
easily. Anyway, that was the worst of it. I didn't have to dodge the Drakon for long because
Charlie and the other Guardians showed up. They did some wicked spell work…stunned the Drakon into
a stupor.'

'It was lucky they came when they did,' said Hermione gravely.

'I know,' agreed Harry. 'I'd almost passed out from all the smoke.'

They paused. What they *really* wanted to discuss was, of course, still unspoken.
They'd done a good job of avoiding it so far; but the longer they left it, the more impossible
it was to disregard.

'Harry, are you...? Do you still...? Oh, never mind!' Hermione blushed. 'Forget
it.'

'Yes, I still think I'm in love with you,' said Harry, sensing her thoughts
again.

Their eyes met once more, searching. Harry couldn't repress his feelings any longer.

'I can't stop thinking about kissing you.'

The words just tumbled out of his mouth. Hermione immediately unlocked her gaze and directed her
eyes to her lap.

'Harry, don't say such things! You'll be taking the counter-potion soon.'

Harry sighed. 'It isn't fair.'

'I know,' said Hermione, sighing too. Harry leant towards her.

'Kiss me anyway.'

'Harry, NO!' Hermione reprimanded him, standing up. 'Don't you understand? I
have to get over you! When they cure you of relapse, you're going to be fine. You'll be
back to normal and none of this will mean anything! But I'll have all these feelings for you,
Harry. You're not going to love me back so *please*, don't make this more difficult
then it already is!'

'MISS GRANGER!' Hermione had accidentally alerted Madame Pomfrey. 'How many times
have I told you, *get back to bed*! Mr Potter needs his rest too!'

'It's okay, Madame Pomfrey,' said Harry. 'Hermione - '

At that moment, an unexpected visitor entered the wing, looming down the hall towards them. It
was Professor Snape, and he was carrying a small cauldron in hands.

'Madame Pomfrey. Here's the counter-potion you requested.' He handed her the
cauldron.

'Oh yes, thank goodness,' she said, taking it off him, and then glared towards Harry and
Hermione. 'Maybe this will promote some sleep around here!'

Mumbling to herself, Madame Pomfrey scuttled to her office, while Professor Snape stayed behind.
He wanted a word with Harry and Hermione.

'Well, isn't this unexpected?' he said, giving them an extreme look of contempt.
'The whole school is thrown into chaos, and why? Because Mr Potter and his friends wanted to
experiment with love potions! Not to mention the Annual Drakon Hunt has been cancelled.'

'Cancelled?' said Hermione in shock.

'Yes, Miss Granger. As you decided to get yourself missing!'

Harry rose to Hermione's defence.

'She was kidnapped! By Lucius Malfoy, you know that!'

'And how would you know I - ' Snape thought this over, before realising what Harry
meant. 'Ah, of course. Not only does Mr Potter think it fit to break into other people's
laboratories and use their Portkey, he also thinks its okay to spy in on their private
conversations! And what does he get in return for all this good behaviour?' Snape's pallid
face, if it were possible, was actually attaining some colour. '*A reward*!'

'So that's why you were so interested in Hermione's disappearance,' said Harry,
narrowing his eyes. 'You wanted to find her for yourself, didn't you? You knew if you
caught Lucius red-handed, you would get the praise for it! And maybe even that Order of Merlin you
missed out on.'

Harry's last words cut through Snape like a knife. Snape had missed out on an Order of
Merlin in third year and was still nursing the rejection.

'How *dare* you assume to evaluate me!' he seethed. 'Dumbledore and I have been
at the top of Mount Olympus all morning preparing that counter-potion for the likes of
you!'

'What do you want, a medal?'

'YOU ARROGANT LITTLE - '

'PROFESSOR SNAPE!'

Madame Pomfrey came back from her office, holding a goblet of counter-potion.

'Professor Snape!' she said again, flustered. 'You cannot yell at the patients!
I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave.'

With one last 'friendly' look at Harry and Hermione, Snape stalked back down the hall,
his black robes billowing behind him.

'Back to bed with you, Miss Granger, on the double!' said Madame Pomfrey, putting the
goblet on Harry's bedside table and shuffling Hermione from her seat. 'Let Mr Potter take
his counter-potion in peace.'

**
~ The End Of The Relapsed Affair? ~**

Midnight came, though Harry remained awake. The goblet of counter-potion for his love potion
relapse sat on his bedside table. He couldn't bring himself to drink it.

Meanwhile, Hermione, not sleeping either, was skulking back to Harry's bed.

'Harry?' she whispered in the darkness. 'Are you asleep?'

'No,' Harry whispered back. 'Go to bed, Hermione. You'll get in
trouble.'

'Have you drunk the counter-potion yet?'

Harry paused for a moment, knowing he was about to get an earful. 'No, not yet.'

'*What*!' she hissed, scrambling to his bedside. She spied the goblet, full and
waiting, on his bedside table. 'Harry, you have to drink it!'

'I can't,' said Harry sourly. 'I mean, I don't want to drink it. Go back to
bed!'

'Don't put me through this, Harry! Drink it!'

'What if nothing happens? What if - '

'*Sshh*!' breathed Hermione, closing a hand on Harry's mouth. 'I think I
heard Madame Pomfrey...'

'Wmeneoumfmere!' Harry mumbled under hand.

'Pardon?'

Harry pushed her hand away. 'Let's get out of here, then. Come on, we'll go to the
hospital bathroom.'

'The bathroom?' whispered Hermione, sounding unsure. 'I don't think that's a
good idea, Harry.'

But Harry, dressed in a T-shirt and pyjama bottoms, was already out of bed and shoving his
pillows under the covers, giving the impression of a sleeping body underneath. Hermione bit her
lip, but as Harry caught her hand, she allowed him to sneak her around the back of the bed and into
the hospital bathroom.

'Harry, what are we doing?'

'*Sssh*! Lower your voice. This place echoes.'

They were in a bathroom that looked similar to the one Moaning Myrtle haunted, only more
compact. Moonlight was slipping in through the window, bathing them in a silvery glow.

'We shouldn't be in here, Harry!'

'And you shouldn't have been at my bed!' Harry tossed back. 'If Madame Pomfrey
caught you again, you'd get detention. Did you really want - '

Harry suddenly noticed something in Hermione's other hand.

'What did you bring *that* for?'

'*SSHH*! Lower your voice, remember?'

Hermione was holding Harry's goblet of counter-potion.

'I don't want to drink it, Hermione!' Harry whispered loudly.

'I know, Harry. But you have to drink it anyway!'

Harry crossed his arms, refusing. Hermione tried another approach.

'Harry, you say you don't want to drink it now, but it will be for the best in the end.
You'll see.'

'No I won't.'

'You *can't* live out a lie, Harry!' Hermione enforced. 'Please drink it.
For me.'

Hermione held the goblet towards him. Harry unfolded his arms and reluctantly took it in his
hand. He stared down at the pale pink liquid with the same look he'd give to a pile of uncle
Vernon's birthday socks.

'Once I drink it...I'll forget everything straight away, right?'

'I'm not sure,' said Hermione, sounding sad again. 'I guess we'll find
out.'

'You really want me to drink this, don't you?' said Harry, testing her for a final
time. She didn't waver.

'It's for the best, Harry.'

It was so strange, like Harry was about to die. In the back of his mind, he could hear Professor
Trewlawny screech 'DEATH!' This was it. This was the end. Harry took a deep breath, lifted
the goblet to his mouth, tipped it up...

'Wait!'

Harry stopped in motion. Hermione had a desperate, starved expression on her face. He lowered
the goblet.

'I thought you wanted me to - '

'Can you just...put the goblet down for a minute?'

Not knowing why she'd asked him to do this, Harry placed the goblet on the sink.

'Did you drink any?'

Harry found this question rather silly. 'You didn't give me a chance! Hermione, are you
okay?'

'No,' said Hermione flat out. 'I'm not.'

'What's wrong?' asked Harry, perplexed. 'Do you still want me to drink the
counter-potion?'

'Yes, of course! But - before you do...'

'*What*?'

There was a note of shame in her voice when she said it.

'Kiss me.'

Harry was aghast. 'Kiss you? But you just said - '

'Harry! I need you to ki - '

But Harry did not need telling twice. He'd been so tempted, all this time, since the moment
he'd woken from her Aphora Bewitching Potion. And now...she'd dropped her guard. She was
giving him *permission*. Overwhelmed, Harry briskly pulled Hermione's face to his and
plunged into a heated, passionate kiss he didn't know he was capable of. Hermione met him with
equal force, loosing herself. They were ravenous, kissing each other they like they would never -
and may not - kiss again. It was as if time had stopped. There was no Aphora Bewitching Potion, or
love potion relapse. There was only them, and love - whether real or unreal, it didn't
matter.

Steadily, Hermione's conscious, always reliable, inched back into command.

'Harr - *ah*!' She gasped to speak between his urgent kisses. 'We - '

*Stop this, Hermione!* nagged her inner voice. *You're using him! He doesn't love
you!*

'*Stop*!'

Hermione broke away, falling against the sink. Harry staggered against the bathroom wall.
Standing apart, they were both very flushed and breathing very, very fast.

'Harry,' she panted. 'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that.'

'No, you should,' panted Harry, his senses swimming. 'That was - '

'A mistake!' Hermione cut in. 'A dreadful mistake!'

That hurt. Harry looked to the floor, avoiding Hermione's eyes.

'A mistake, huh?'

Hermione felt terrible. 'Harry, I...'

'I think you better leave, Hermione. I'm going to drink the counter-potion now.'

**A/N:** Yay! I made it to my steamy chapter. Well, steamy by PG-13 standards :) Now review!
We've almost reached 100.

-->



24. Dumbledore's Theory & Truth
-------------------------------



**'Drink the counter-potion, Harry, and you will know the truth.'**

**~ Dumbledore's Theory ~**

Harry slept in late the next morning. On waking, he sat up, yawned, and mechanically reached for
his glasses on the bedside table. After putting them on and blinking sleepily, he was given quite
the fright when he saw Professor Dumbledore standing at the foot of his bed - *definitely* not
something he expected to see first thing in the morning.

'Good morning Harry,' Dumbledore said in a pleasant voice. 'Sleep well?'

'Ah,' said Harry awkwardly, still adjusting to Dumbledore's presence, 'yes,
thank you. Sir...'

'Very good. You've had a very hectic week, Harry. And look?' he gestured to
Harry's bedside table. 'Madame Pomfrey has fixed you a delicious breakfast. And I see your
counter-potion is still here.'

Harry suddenly felt worried. When Hermione left him last night, Harry *still* couldn't
make himself drink the counter-potion. Was Dumbledore here to punish him? He must be. After all,
Harry had broken a load of school rules lately: breaking into Snape's secret laboratory, going
to Greece without consent, locking Professor Flipwick in a cupboard, snogging Hermione in the
hospital bathroom...

'I've been trying to see you since your arrival last night, Harry, but Madame Pomfrey
insisted I wait until morning. You and I need to have a little chat.'

Harry's worry increased.

'Professor Dumbledore, I can explain!'

'Harry, it's all right,' said Dumbledore soothingly. 'I'm not here to impart
any more trouble on you.' He chuckled. 'In fact, my first order of business is to
congratulate you.'

'It is?' said Harry, confused.

'You saved Hermione Granger's life, Harry. The Ministry of Magic is also impressed with
your heroism. I should warn you in advance, they're officially rewarding you tonight in a
special ceremony.'

'Ceremony?' This sounded exceedingly embarrassing.

'Yes, Harry. And that leads me to my second order of business - your love potion
relapse.'

'I'm sorry, Professor,' said Harry, thinking he knew what Dumbledore meant.
'I'll drink the counter-potion with breakfast.'

'No need to be sorry, Harry,' said Dumbledore plainly. 'It probably wouldn't
make any difference if you did.'

Harry was very confused now. 'Wouldn't...make a difference?' Dumbledore smiled.

'I remember, not too long ago, when I had the pleasure of greeting Miss Granger in my office
after she'd fainted on the school grounds. Worn out by the prospect of having three husbands I
imagine.'

Harry recalled Ron telling him about this. Harry had been on Hermione's Aphora Bewitching
Potion when it happened, so he didn't remember. Ron informed him later, with much delight, that
Harry, Malfoy and Krum all proposed to Hermione at the same time.

'I may be out of my depth with what I'm about to suggest, Harry,' said Dumbledore.
'Feel free to stop me if you like.'

Harry was silent, and looking at Dumbledore with intensifying curiosity.

'I have a theory,' he proceeded. 'A theory, that leads me to believe you're not
suffering from love potion relapse at all.'

Had Dumbledore been speaking with Ron?

'How can that be, Professor?' Harry asked.

Dumbledore trailed off for the moment. 'You're so much like your father, Harry. I was
not surprised you became friends with Miss Granger in your first year. She is remarkably like your
mother, Lily.'

Harry listened to Dumbledore's words very intently, as if memorising them later. Where was
all this going?

'When Miss Granger woke from her faint, I told her of a hidden power the Aphora Bewitching
Potion can sometimes have. I believe I said that, in certain cases, the Aphora Bewitching Potion
can make you realise you've loved your bounder previously, meaning love was true to begin with.
Hence, love potion relapse is unable eventuate. I think this is what I said. Forgive me, Harry, I
should have consulted the Penesive before coming here.'

Harry's heart beat a little faster.

'Are you saying, you think I was in love with Hermione *before* I'd taken the
Aphora Bewitching Potion?' Dumbledore nodded reverently.

'Drink the counter-potion, Harry, and you will know the truth.'

Suddenly filled with suspense, Harry leant over to his bedside table and took hold of the goblet
of counter-potion for what was to be the last time.

'I'll leave you now, Harry, and say no more,' said Dumbledore. `Good luck.'

With atwinkle in his eye, Professor Dumbledore exited the hospital wing. Now alone, Harry knew
what he had to do. Without any reserve or hesitation, he drank and swallowed the entire
counter-potion in one go.

Then he waited.

**
~ Truth ~**

Soon after Harry's chat with Professor Dumbledore, Madame Pomfrey allowed him leave the
hospital wing. Hermione and Malfoy had been released earlier when Harry was still asleep. Dressed
back in his school uniform, Harry was happily met on the other side by the very person he wanted to
see.

'*Harry*!'

It was Ron. He'd been waiting near the stairs and rushed over excitedly.

'Sorry I didn't come see you, Harry, but Madame Pomfrey was really strict about the `no
visitors' thing. Fred and George tried persuading her but that only made things worse…'

Harry was eager to catch up on everything that had happened since the Annual Drakon Hunt. Ron
gladly obliged and talked Harry's ear off as they headed for the Great Hall.

'Percy's grown into an even bigger git. He's telling anyone who'll listen how
*he* was the one who first saw Hermione at the Hunt. He didn't even know it was her at the
time! Fred and George are thinking of using him as Drakon bait for next year.'

It was a bit early for lunch, so there weren't many people in the Great Hall when they
arrived. Harry and Ron sat themselves down at the Gryffindor table.

'What about Lucius?' asked Harry loathingly. 'Has he been charged yet?'

'Ah, well,' Ron looked sullen. 'No, actually. He's not being charged at
all.'

'WHAT!' said Harry, too loudly.

'I know!' said Ron in full agreement. 'That's exactly how I reacted.'

'But - ' Harry's hands were balled in fists. 'He attempted to murder
Hermione!'

'I know! But there isn't enough conclusive evidence against him. According to the
Ministry, who he's probably bribed anyway, Hermione's held accountable for her own actions
because she was infected with the Aphora Bewitching Potion.'

'That's CRAP!' Harry cussed. A few heads around the Hall turned Harry's way,
looking offended.

'I KNOW!' said Ron, agreeing again. 'Not much we can do about it though.'

'How about Percy?' Harry suggested. 'Doesn't his story count for anything?'
Ron scoffed.

'What, you mean Percy the prat's eye-witness report? It's too vague, Harry. Plus he
keeps changing it. Each version makes him sound more involved and heroic.'

'Snape!' said Harry, desperate now. 'What about Snape? He suspected Lucius from the
start! And Professor McGonagall!'

'Yeah, but they can't *prove* it! Malfoy's the only one who witnessed Lucius
actually hypnotising Hermione, and he's not about to turn in his own dad.'

Harry slumped in defeat. 'There must be something I can do.'

'Afraid not,' said Ron drearily. 'The Ministry isn't going to listen to someone
with love potion relapse, are they?' Ron then realised. 'Hey, that's right! Have you
been cured yet?'

Before Harry could answer, Fred and George made their usual, badly timed entrance.

'Gentlemen! Partners in crime!' said Fred brightly. 'A wonderfully good morning to
you both!'

'A most wonderful morning!' said George, with a rolled up newspaper under his arm.

'Simply dazzling!'

'*Spectacular*!'

'Oh great, not this again!' grumbled Ron.

'And congratulations to you, Harry!' said Fred, patting Harry on the back. 'A
thousand galleons! Fabulous work.'

'Stupendous!' related George.

'Miraculously - '

'SHUT UP!' said Ron, very irritated.

Harry chuckled. He could always count on the twins for a good laugh.

'Don't mind, Ron,' said Fred from behind his hand, as if Ron couldn't hear him.
'He's just ticked at being shirtless in the Daily Prophet.'

'FRED!' Ron blared, his face heating up.

'Sorry?' said Harry, amused. 'What's this?'

'Take a look for yourself!'

George handed Harry the latest edition of the *Daily Prophet* he'd been carrying. Harry
opened to a page with the following headline: 'Missing Hogwarts Student Found Alive at Annual
Drakon Hunt.' This was made complete by a portrait of Hermione, smiling back at Harry politely.
There were other photos too; a school picture of Harry himself ('Potter Ends The Search!'),
a really cool moving photo of Hermione punching Malfoy in the face ('Granger Denies
Malfoy's Claims!') and, funnily enough, a picture of Ron looking humiliated without a shirt
('Fellow Hogwarts Student Bargains With Wood Pixies!').

'It was those bloody Pixies, Harry!' said Ron, scandalised. 'After you went in the
Drakon's lair, I caught them spying on me. Out for more clothing! They were the one's who
got me to the top of Mount Olympus.'

'How?' said Harry. He'd been meaning to ask Ron this.

'They flew me! Held onto my two big fingers, said some magic Pixie word, and lifted me right
to the top. Do you know what it's like at the top of Mount Olympus without a shirt?' he
said, sounding harassed. 'There's bloody snow up there! Though I'll admit the flight
was pretty wicked, but I had to give them my undies for it.'

Fred and George cackled with laughter.

'KNOCK IT OFF!' Ron interjected, flaming. George snickered.

'The Daily Prophet should write a new headline: 'Ronald Weasley Found Shirtless and
Underless!'

'No, wait! I got one,' laughed Fred. 'Ronald Weasley: The Exposed Story!'

'ENOUGH!'

'Ron,' said Harry, keeping laughter his in check. 'How did you loose your shirt
then?'

'*Because*! It was the only way those miniature clothing hoarders would take the
counter-potion to you! They took my robe *and* my shirt. They wanted more, but I'd be daft
to pass up my trousers.'

'Shame really,' said George, nudging Harry. 'It would've made a great
photo.'

'We'd love to stay and chat, but we must be going!' said Fred. `Congratulations
again, Harry! And Ron, keep your clothes on.'

The twins hurried off, leaving Harry and a furious Ron to themselves.

'*Nutters*! The two of them!' said Ron once they'd left. 'Still, I'll
have them over Percy any day.'

Then, Ron suddenly remembered what he and Harry had been discussing before.

'So, Harry, you didn't tell me! Are you cured? Did you drink the
counter-potion?'

Maintaining a poker face, Harry nodded.

'Oh,' said Ron, who seemed rather confused all of a sudden. 'Are you sure?'

'I drank it at breakfast,' Harry confirmed. Ron was still uncertain.

'How come you remember so much, then? About the Hunt, I mean. Ginny was cured a day ago and
she hardly remembers anything - thank Merlin! The less she remembers the better.'

Harry shrugged nonchalantly, and said, with an evolving smile that Ron didn't notice, 'I
remember everything.'

'That's weird,' he said, then brushed it aside. 'Oh well! I'm glad Ginny
didn't react that way.'

Harry moved the conversation to a more delicate subject. 'You wouldn't know where
Hermione is, would you?'

'Hermione?' said Ron, and rolled his eyes. 'Yeah, I sure do. She's hiding out in
the library. Been in there since leaving the hospital, studying like a maniac. It's mad! The
teachers told her she doesn't need to catch up. She's just afraid of facing the school.
Hates the fact she's involved in another love potion scandal. And,' he paused, choosing his
words cautiously, 'well, she's terrified of seeing you. You know, now that you don't
like her "that way" any more.'

Harry's smile grew wider. Again, Ron ceased to notice.

'I better talk to her then,' said Harry.

'Yeah, I guess…but Harry!' said Ron, throwing him a pleading look. 'Go easy on her,
okay? Hermione's been through a lot so if you're going to tell her you don't fancy her,
make sure you - '

'Ron…'

'Seriously, Harry! She's been real upset, and I don't think - '

'*Ron*!' Harry stressed, cutting him short. 'It's okay. You were
right.'

'I was?' said Ron, raising his eyebrows. 'And what was I right about
exactly?'

-->



25. The Ceremony & The 'After-Party'
------------------------------------



**'Oh, and if you break her heart again, Harry, I'll have to beat you to a
pulp.'**

**~ The Ceremony ~**

Ron wasn't kidding when he said Hermione had gone into hiding. Cooped in the darkest corner
of the library, Hermione sat at a desk concealed behind a thick wall of stacked books. But there
was no studying taking place, at this point at least. How could she possibly study now? Any moment
the library would close and she'd have to go to dinner and face the entire school! And Harry.
Every time she thought of Harry it hurt…

'Hermione! Are you still behind there?'

Ron had entered the library. Hermione poked a book from her 'fort' and peered out.

'Hi, Ron,' she said in a sapped voice. 'Come to lure me away?'

'I was thinking about it,' said Ron, crossing his arms. 'Unless you have plans to
stay behind there until the end of sixth year?'

'That's tempting.'

'Oh, come on, Hermione!' he griped. 'This is getting creepy now. Dinner's about
to start!'

'Is he out?'

'He who?'

'Harry!'

'Yeah,' said Ron in a casual tone, deliberately not revealing too much. 'He's
out.'

Hermione bit her bottom lip. 'Does...does he remember anything?'

'This and that,' Ron replied vaguely, annoying her.

'This and that what?'

'Would you come out already!'

Grudgingly, a jaded Hermione came out from hiding.

'What does Harry remember, Ron?'

'Come to dinner and ask him yourself!'

'But he must have said something to you, surely!'

'What am I? The bloody messenger? *Come on*! The food's getting cold...'

Too tired to argue, Hermione let Ron drag her out the library and down the grand staircase. As
they neared the Great Hall, Hermione naturally went to turn back. Though it was always full, the
Hall sounded particularly crowded to her at that moment.

'Oh no you don't!' said Ron, giving her a tug forward. 'Keep coming, it will be
okay.'

Focusing on her breath, Hermione prepared to go in; ready for the quips and the scrutiny. But,
as they entered the Hall, Hermione was welcomed with a sudden explosion of cheering and
applause?

'See?' smiled Ron. 'I told you it would okay!'

Ron directed Hermione's attention to the Gryffindor table, where everyone held banners
reading 'Welcome Back, Hermione'. Hagrid was standing there too, waving and looking
tearful. And, sitting in front of him, was Harry, breaking into an ecstatic grin once he saw her.
Hermione was in an extreme state of shock, loosing all ability to move or speak. Ron laughed.

'Well, go on! It's your welcome home party.'

'Wha...?' Hermione could hardly say.

Giving her a poke in the back, Ron guided - or rather, pushed Hermione towards the awaiting
Gryffindors. She blushed and smiled as friendly faces bombarded her from every direction.

'Hermione!' It was Neville. 'I'm so happy they found you!'

'We missed you, Hermione!' said Parvati, glowing and giving her a hug, followed closely
by Lavender.

'This is cool!' she heard Seamus say. 'I've never met a missing person
before!'

'Yeah!' Dean said to him. 'Except she's not missing any more, you git!'

'Miss Granger!' It was Fred, taking her hand and shaking it enthusiastically.
'Splendid to see you!'

'Likewise!' said George, shaking the other.

'Hermione!' called Ginny, hugging her too. 'I was so worried! And guess what?
I'm not in love with Ron any more!'

'*Hermione*!' cried Hagrid, smothering her in a monstrous hug that was more like a
headlock. 'I'm so happy yer safe and back at Hogwarts!'

'Ha...gr...id!' strained Hermione, suffocating.

'Hagrid, let go!' said Ron, trying to wrench her out. 'You don't know your own
strength!'

'Oh!' said Hagrid troublingly, loosening his arms. 'Sorry, Hermione! It's
jus' I was so worried 'bout yeh and all.'

Hermione, whose hair was now even fluffier then usual, said, 'I'm glad to see you too,
Hagrid.'

Finally, she reached him.

'Hi, Hermione,' said Harry simply, smiling.

'Hi, Harry,' said Hermione, mirroring him.

Hermione hadn't really known what to expect from Harry, now he was cured. Did he remember
any of his feelings for her? And if he did, was he angry? Ashamed? Indifferent? Physically sick?
What he was, however, made her uneasy: he was *fine*. Calm and normal, though smiling rather
excessively.

'This welcome home thing was Harry's idea,' Ron butted in. 'But I organised the
banners!'

'It...was?' she said, peering at Harry curiously and feeling warmer.

Dumbledore suddenly addressed the Hall. 'Silence please! No more talking.'

Slowly, the volume in the Hall turned down, until everyone was quiet. Hermione, still a bit
stunned, sat nervously between Harry and Ron.

'Before dinner commences, there are a few things that must be brought about. Cornelius
Fudge, the Minister of Magic,' Dumbledore gestured to the man in a pin-striped suit and bowler
hat to his left, 'is our special guest this evening. He brings with him a cheque, for one
thousand galleons. Mr Fudge, if you please...'

Fudge took the stage, holding an oversized cheque made of parchment.

'Thank you, Professor Dumbledore,' he said genially, and then turned to look out at the
sea of students. 'I'm sure you're all well aware of the happenings at this year's
Annual Drakon Hunt, and the sudden unexpected hunt for Hogwarts student, Hermione Granger.'

At the sound of her name, Hermione reddened and sunk in her chair. She would have disappeared
beneath the table all together if Ron hadn't hoisted her back up.

'I'm honoured to present this cheque to the person responsible for finding Miss Granger
and returning her to safety. I thus call upon Mr Harry Potter!'

Everyone cheered, especially the Gryffindors. The only people who looked *far* from cheery
were the sneering Slytherins students. Professor Snape, sitting at the far end of the teacher's
table, was doing his fair share of sneering too.

'Mr Potter, you may come and collect your prize.'

Wild applause from the Gryffindor table followed Harry as he modestly stepped to the front. Ron
started whistling and Hermione clapped her hands raw. Fudge handed the cheque to Harry, who found
it surprisingly heavy.

'Before you go, Harry,' said Fudge, `there is something else.' Fudge looked back out
at the Hall. 'May I also have Ronald, Fred and George Weasley up here?'

Ron's mouth fell open in shock, as did Hermione's. Fred and George turned at each other
and shrugged. What was this all about? The three Weasley's stood and walked towards Fudge and
Harry, Fred and George waving and winking at everyone as they went.

'Now boys,' said Fudge, smiling at the Weasley's as they approached. 'Your
bravery in helping find Miss Granger has not gone unnoticed. I am pleased to announce that the
Ministry has decided to award *all* of you, an honourary Order of Merlin, Third
Class.'

Jaws dropped all around the Hall now. Professor Snape looked ready to kill someone, while Harry,
Ron, Fred and George wanted to jump out of their skin! They couldn't believe it. A real Order
of Merlin! Fudge went round to each of the boys and pinned a shiny gold medal to their robes, just
as Dumbledore stood up again.

'Congratulations to Harry and the Weasley brothers,' he announced. 'You make
Hogwarts very proud. And now,' he paused for effect, 'dinner is served!'

Bowls and plates appeared on the four House tables, crowning them with a delicious assortment of
food. Harry, Ron, Fred and George returned to the ongoing cheers and praise of the Gryffindors.
Hagrid hugged - and hence, suffocated - each of them as they came to sit down. Hermione
congratulated them all graciously, and reddened even more when she came to Harry. Harry wanted to
say something to her, but decided against it. This was neither the time nor the place. Hermione,
for her part, felt Harry's eyes on her all through dinner. Overall, the ceremony was a complete
success - especially for Gryffindor. Though the festivities were far from over...

'PARTY IN THE GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM!' Fred broadcasted.

The Gryffindor table cheered again and leapt from their seats in a single wave.

'Only until nine thirty and no later!' Professor McGonagall called out sternly.

Protests followed this, but Professor McGonagall remained firm. As the rest of the Great Hall
moved out, Harry decided he couldn't wait to talk to Hermione any longer. He needed to find her
and take her somewhere where they could be alone…

Unfortunately, she'd been swept with the crowd and disappeared from sight. With his
oversized cheque tucked under one arm, Harry forced his way through the crowd and out into the
Entrance Hall. He spotted her, about to walk up the staircase.

'Hermione! Hey, Hermione!' he called out, traversing towards her. Hermione stopped and
turned to where he was calling. Harry hurried to the foot of the stairs. 'Can we - '

'Harry!'

It was Fudge, approaching him from behind.

'Just the man I wanted to see. Congratulations again!' he said, shaking Harry's free
hand.

'Thank you, Mr Fudge,' said Harry, quickly glancing at Hermione. Fudge then noticed her
as well.

'And Miss Granger!' he said happily. 'How are you feeling? Settled back at
Hogwarts?'

'Yes, thank you, sir,' said Hermione, tearing her focus from Harry.

'Very good, very good,' said Fudge, satisfied, and then looked back at Harry.
'Listen, Harry, do you mind if I steal you away for a minute? A reporter wants to do an
interview with you for the *Daily Prophet*. The Weasley's are already there, it
shouldn't be too long. Here!' He took Harry's cheque. 'I'll have someone
deliver this up to your room.'

Harry had no choice but to go with Fudge. He looked helplessly at Hermione, mouthing the words
'I'll meet you later', before being escorted away. Hermione was left with her mind
racing; so much in fact, she accidentally bumped into the last person she wanted to see.

'*Granger*!' Malfoy growled, with a sinister glare.

'Good to know we're on a second name basis again, Malfoy,' said Hermione, staying
poised. Malfoy scoffed.

'What are you bumping into me for? Trying to get your hands on me again?'

'Why, do you want another punch in the head?'

Hermione was delighted to see the bridge of Malfoy's nose was nice and bruised from their
last encounter.

'A word of advice, Granger,' said Malfoy menacingly, a vein twitching in his temple.
'*Stay the hell away from me*! Keep the love potions between you and your boyfriends,
Potter and Weasley, because if I catch you *near* me again, you'll be out of this school
so fast it'll make your hair flat!'

'What, you mean plastered to my head like yours?' she smirked.

'You - ' but Malfoy was unable to think of witty comeback. 'Just…STAY AWAY FROM
ME!'

Steaming, Malfoy stamped away up the stairs. Hermione then caught Pansy's eye, who
courteously stuck her tongue out at her, before chasing after Malfoy; probably to mother and lavish
him with affection.

*Malfoy* Hermione thought, contented with herself. *Always so pleasant to run
into.*


 **~ The 'After-Party' ~**

Harry and the Weasley's interview with the *Daily Prophet* went on longer then
expected. When it was finally over, they eagerly raced to the Gryffindor common room, set on
catching up with the party. After passing the Fat Lady, they were thrown to find the vicinity
totally and utterly empty?

'It's a school night,' said Professor McGonagall, meeting them on the inside of the
portrait hole.

'But you said we could stay up 'til nine thirty!' Fred reminded her, outraged.
'It's only eight forty-five!'

'I'm aware of the time, Mr Weasley,' she said shortly. 'I'm afraid the
Slytherin's have filed a noise complaint.'

'They did WHAT?' shot Fred, his outrage peaking.

'Those GITS!' said George in fury. 'As if they can hear us! They're just
jealous, Professor. None of they're stinking lot would ever get an Order of Merlin!'

'That will be *all*, thank you very much!' said Professor McGonagall, raising her
voice slightly. 'Off to bed please, and congratulations to each of you.'

Once Professor McGonagall left via the portrait hole, Harry, Ron and the twins trudged up the
stairs to the boy's dormitories.

'I can't believe we missed our own party!' Fred continued to harp on. George
continued, too.

'Bloody Slytherin! Fred and I had some really fun ideas for that party, didn't we
Fred?'

'Indeed, we did George! Canary Creams, Wild-Fire Wizbangs, Ton Tongue Toffees...'

'…Ron doing a naked table dance for the girls…'

'GEORGE!' Ron spat, on cue.

While the twins were clearly scorned, Harry and Ron were less torn up about missing the party.
The excitement of receiving an Order of Merlin had by far been their highlight.

'C'mon guys, it's not all bad,' eased Ron. 'Just think! When we get home,
we're going to be the only ones in the house with an Order of Merlin!'

'You're right brother!' said George, eyes glittering. 'We'll be mum's
new favourites!'

'That's right!' said Fred, sharing his vision. 'We'll get first dibs on
*everything*! And Percy, wait until we see him! And he thought he had it going on with the
Head Boy badge...'

They all laughed their way up the remaining stairs. Fred and George bid their goodnights, and
then separated, giving Ron a chance to talk to Harry.

'You gonna talk to her tomorrow then?'

'Guess I'll have to,' said Harry, wishing it could be sooner.

'I just - well, want to say,' Ron started, becoming somewhat tongue-tied, 'well,
good luck when you do. And no hard feelings.'

Harry smiled appreciatively. He knew how difficult this must be for Ron.

'Are you sure?'

'Yeah! Really mate, like I said, better her with you then Malfoy. Oh, and if you break her
heart again, Harry, I'll have to beat you to a pulp.'

Harry chuckled. 'Thanks, Ron. I suppose you were right all along.'

'Of course I was!' said Ron wittily. 'It was easy to tell you didn't have love
potion relapse. It's no wonder Dumbledore saw through you. Why do you think the Ministry let
you have the reward *and* an Order of Merlin?'

Harry shrugged innocently, mainly to tick Ron off.

'They wouldn't have given it to you if you were under a spell! That's why Krum
missed out on the Order of Merlin. He genuinely had relapse. Doesn't count.'

When Harry and Ron came to their room, they were pleasantly surprised to see Neville, Dean and
Seamus all awake.

'Where have you guys been?' asked Seamus from his bed, dressed in pajamas. 'You
missed the party!'

'Yeah, we noticed,' said Ron obviously.

Nobody felt much like sleeping. Instead, they talked thrillingly into the night, Ron and Harry
recounting their adventures at the Hunt. Seamus and Dean were laughing at Ron's stolen
underpants story, when Neville whispered something to Harry.

'Hermione was really upset when you guys didn't come back.'

'She was?' said Harry, very disappointed he hadn't talked with Hermione as planned.
He wanted to say everything to her *now*. She didn't deserve another night to go by
without knowing the truth. `Did she say anything to you, Neville?' Harry asked.

`Not really,' Neville informed him lowly. `I heard from Lavender that she was waiting for
you. She was one of the last people to leave the common room. Professor McGonagall had to kick her
out.'

Harry smiled a touch. Hermione must have wanted to see him as much as he did her. `Thanks
Neville.'

Eventually, an hour before midnight to be exact, the boys surrendered to their beds. Harry
however, was purposely keeping himself awake, waiting patiently for everyone else to fall asleep.
Once Neville's snoring kicked off, Harry prepared to leave. He quietly slipped on his bed robe
and slippers, before bending down and collecting his Firebolt from beneath his bed.

**A/N:** Next up, fluff city ;) And this is the last chapter before the end so crank those
reviews!

-->



26. Moonlit Broomstick Ride & Epilogue
--------------------------------------



**'I thought you hated flying?'**

**'So did I!'**

**~ Moonlit Broomstick Ride ~**

Hermione, lying in bed, was also far from falling asleep. Her eyes were wide open and her mind
was still racing; a mass of unanswered questions. *What did Harry want to say after dinner?
He's obviously okay with me since having relapse. He initiated the welcome home party,
right?*

Meanwhile, outside Hermione's window, someone whispered -

*'Alohamora*!

The window creaked opened, but Hermione was too trenched in thought to notice. *Why was he
looking at me so much? What was he so happy about? Why does everything have to be so confusing all
the time! Bloody Harry! I had to go and fall in lov -*

'Psst!'

'What the...?' Hermione surfaced from her thoughts.

'*Psst*!'

The noise came from the window, which was now wide open. Hermione jerked up, turned, and found
-

'*Harry*!'

Harry was outside hovering on his Firebolt! With her mouth stunned open, Hermione flung herself
from bed and scurried to the window, gripping the ledge.

'Hermione!' Harry whispered urgently. 'I'm sorry to wake you, but we really need
to talk.'

'Harry!' Hermione repeated, beyond all comprehensible shock. 'What - are - you -
*doing*?' There were so many things wrong with what Harry was doing right now, Hermione
didn't know where to begin. 'You're not supposed to be near the girl's dormitories!
Or flying around - '

'Yeah, I picked up on that too,' Harry said over her, keen not to waste any time.
'We have to talk, Hermione. You know we do. Come on, let's go!'

'Go where?'

'Flying!'

'*Flying*?'

Then, a muffled voice spluttered to life from the back of the room.

'Hermione, stop talking to yourself!' It was Parvati, blinded by her 'niffler'
eye patch. 'Some people are trying to sleep!'

'All right, Parvati!' Hermione hissed impatiently over her shoulder, then faced Harry
again.

'Quick!' he stressed. 'Before the rest of your roommates wake up.'

Hermione knew Harry was right. They needed to talk. She was dying to hear what he had to say,
but she didn't quite understand what flying around on his Firebolt in the late hours of the
night was meant to achieve.

'Hermione, trust me. I know what I'm doing,' said Harry confidently, in response to
her worried expression. 'Just balance on my shoulders and swing your leg over behind
me.'

'I'm not sure, Harry,' she said, tentatively peeking down at the drop between them,
and feeling her stomach clench. 'I don't know if I can.'

'We won't be flying for long. I'll take us straight up to the roof.'

'The *roof*?'

'*Hermione*!' winged Parvati, still blind. 'What is going on?'

The other girls in the room were beginning to stir.

'*Quick*!'

'Oh, all right!' Hermione surrendered. 'But no fancy Quidditch flying,
Harry!'

Doing as Harry instructed, Hermione lifted her white night-dress slightly, put her hands on
Harry's shoulders, and straddled the Firebolt behind him. Once seated, she immediately wrapped
her arms around his waist. The experience was reminding her of Buckbeak. Then, before she could do
or say anything, Harry leant forward and shot away from the window, aiming for the roof of the
Gryffindor Tower.

'Oh *god*!' said Hermione into his neck, holding him tighter.

They soared into the night, higher and higher, the wind whipping against them as they flew.
Hermione felt a rush of exhilaration. This was *nothing* like being on Buckbeak! The Firebolt
was gentle, smooth, and glided effortlessly under Harry's control. Despite her past dislike for
flying, Hermione had never felt safer or happier in the air in her life.

'Are you okay?' Harry called to her.

'Yes, fine!' said Hermione blissfully. 'This is - Harry, it's
wonderful!'

Harry laughed in surprise.

'I thought you hated flying?'

'So did I!'

Harry slowed as they approached the roof. Then, he reared up, landing steadily on the
battlements. Hermione slid of safely. Harry got off next, laying the Firebolt aside.

'Well!' she said breathlessly, smoothing her night-dress. 'That was most unexpected.
You fly extremely well, Harry. I didn't know flying could be like that.'

'Thanks,' said Harry, whose black hair was more unruly then ever. 'I've never
flown with a second person before. I'm glad it worked.'

They sat close to the roof's edge, looking out over the school grounds. The view was
magical. The night sky stretched out above like a black sheet, pricked with a million stars. The
moon winked at them through the clouds, coating the grounds in a sheen of pearly moonlight. Even
with the serenity and beauty before her, Hermione's nerves were emerging; they'd
momentarily been swept aside while flying the Firebolt. Now, here she was, sitting with Harry, on
the roof of all places, and she *still* couldn't figure out...

'Harry?'

He turned to face her, his expression unreadable.

'What are we doing up here?' she asked. 'I mean, I'm guessing you didn't
bring me up here for Astronomy homework. *Although*, that wouldn't be such a bad idea in
the future considering our proximity to the sky up - '

But Hermione decided to drift out of that sentence, once she caught the strange look on
Harry's face.

'Sorry, Harry.' *Trust me to think of school at a time like this!* ' Maybe you
should talk now.'

Harry paused with suspense, then, 'Hermione, I brought you up here because - what I need to
say can't wait 'til morning. I need to tell you about my potion relapse. I remember
everything, and I - '

'*Everything*?' Hermione interrupted, looking horrified.

'Yes, but - '

Hermione couldn't withhold it; the words poured out of her mouth like an emotional
waterfall.

'Oh, Harry, I know how you must feel! Now that you're cured. You must feel really
frightened!'

'Frightened?' said Harry, amused. The last thing he was was frightened. 'No,
actually - '

'And confused! And embarrassed! To think you felt something for me. I want you to know,
whatever embarrassment you're experiencing, that - '

'*Hermione*! Shut up and let me talk for a second!'

Hermione's lips closed silent. She didn't mean to sound so crazed, but her nerves were
eating her alive!

'I'm not confused, not embarrassed, and I'm definitely *not* frightened!'
Harry established. 'What I am though, despite what you may think,' he gave himself a
moment, more then ready to say the words, 'I'm in love with you.'

'You're WHAT?' Hermione's voice exploded, as she stood up furiously with her
hands on her hips. 'Then you mustn't have drunk the counter-potion!'

'No, Hermione!' Harry tried to console her, standing too. 'That's not -
'

'I don't believe this!' Hermione went on vehemently, jumping ahead of herself.
'I *knew* something funny was going on! First the welcome home party, then all that
smiling and staring you did through dinner!'

'I did all that because I'm *in love* with you!'

'Nonsense! Harry, fly us back to Hogwarts at once! I'm taking you to the hospital wi -
'

'I DRANK THE BLOODY COUTER-POTION!'

There was no other way to get it through to her. Harry had no idea telling Hermione he loved her
- for real, this time - would be such a verbal workout!

'What?' said Hermione, lost. 'But, then how...?

Harry took a page from Ron at the Annual Drakon Hunt and charged into his side of things very,
very fast.

'I didn't take the counter-potion at first because I still didn't want to but
Dumbledore came to see me in the hospital and said I should but it probably wouldn't make a
difference because you remind him of my mum and he thought I might have loved you already so I
drank it but nothing happened and I remembered everything meaning I've actually loved you and
thought you were beautiful all this time and probably a lot longer then you or I realise so stop
being so INSANE!'

Silence descended upon them, though it seemed necessary after Harry's lengthy and rapid
declaration. While he got his breath back, a dazed Hermione battled to absorb everything he'd
said.

'Dumbledore said I remind him of Lily?'

'Yeah,' Harry gasped.

'And, you never had love potion relapse?'

'Yes!'

'And...you've been in love with me for ages?'

'*Yes*! I told you, I took the counter-potion and my feelings for you stayed the
same!'

Hermione struggled with how to react to this, and came out with something between crying and
laughter. 'This is so *stupid*!'

'Stupid?' said Harry, a little insulted. 'I just told you I loved you!'

'All this time...and you didn't even have relapse to begin with!' She was definitely
crying now. 'This is the happiest night of my life!'

Before Harry could respond, Hermione dived and hugged the wind out of him, caving in his
arms.

'Ah, Hermione?' Harry chuckled. 'I'm having trouble breathing...'

'Serves you right,' she sniffed, drawing her head up and staring into his eyes. 'You
could've found out you didn't have potion relapse sooner. It would have saved us a lot of
trouble.'

'Sorry, I'll remember that for next time,' Harry smiled, embracing her, and then
remembered something else he was meant to do. 'Oh! One other thing, while I'm thinking of
it.'

He fumbled a hand in the pocket of his bed robe, before retrieving what looked like...a ring
case?

'Look familiar?' he teased, brandishing it in front of her face. Hermione gaped and
began to laugh.

'Our fake engagement ring!' she cried in recognition. 'I didn't know you kept
it?'

'I found it in my bedside draw,' he explained. 'I didn't know where it came
from, then Ron reminded me I'd proposed to you. I figured you should keep it.'

'Are you sure? Don't you want to return it?'

'Nah, it's okay. Think of it as an early birthday present.'

Harry popped the ring out of the slit, returned the case to his pocket, signaled for Hermione to
give him her hand, and slid the ring onto her finger. It was a perfect fit.

'It's beautiful,' she admired, the diamond sparkling in the moonlight. 'Thank
you, Harry.'

It suddenly dawned on them, as innocent as they were, how this scene must have looked.

'Ah, this doesn't mean I'm asking you to marry me for real,' Harry added
quickly.

'Oh no, of course not, Harry!' Hermione blushed. 'I didn't imagine you
were.'

'I mean,' Harry went on, 'I figured we should date first.'

'Date?' said Hermione, as if she'd never heard the word before. 'You want to go
on a date with me? Really?'

'Are you daft?' said Harry, laughing. 'Didn't you hear what I said? I'm in
love with you, Hermione. Dating is the least I can do.' He opened his bed robe and draped it
around her, forming a two-person cocoon. 'Actually, I was hoping I'd have permission to
kiss you again.'

'Did you now?' Hermione smirked, leaning into his chest and moving her hands up his
back.

'Unless you'd rather do something else?' he mocked. 'Like talk about Astronomy
homewo...'

Harry's words melted to gibberish, and then faded out completely, when he felt her lips come
into contact with his own. He eagerly welcomed the interruption, for he had no intention of
discussing anything to do with Astronomy.

**** **Epilogue:**

**~ The Aphora Bewitching Potion Strikes Back! ~**

Three days later.

Harry, Hermione and Ron were sitting together by the common-room fire, as they usually did in
the afternoon preceding classes. They were surrounded by library books and, unusually, Harry and
Ron were both reading avidly while Hermione was persuading them to stop?

'Leave it, will you?' she insisted, prying Harry's book away from him.
'There's nothing we can do!'

'I won't leave it!' determined Harry, pulling away. 'Not until I find something
we can use!'

Hermione made an impatient 'hmph!' and crossed her arms. Ron was amused, and smiled at
Harry.

'I'd never thought I'd see the day when Hermione tried to stop *us* from
reading.'

'It's not the act of reading that concerns me, it's *what* you're
reading!' Hermione stated sharply. 'I've told you both time and time again, there's
nothing we can do! Lucius isn't going to be prosecuted, the Ministry's made its
decision.'

'Yeah, and what a top decision that was!' said Harry angrily. 'It makes me want to
shove the Order of Merlin and the reward back in their face!'

'We have to accept it!'

'Accept it? Hermione, I don't understand you.' He gawked at her disbelievingly.
'How can you be so unaffected by all this? Lucius kidnapped you! And tried to murder you, and -
'

'Harry, calm down! And I'm *not* unaffected! I appreciate what you're trying to
do but please, give it away! And besides, I've already read through these books and there's
nothing we can use.'

Ron's glared at her, astounded.

'*All* of them?'

Harry and Ron must have bought up twenty various books on magical law.

'I only read the parts that mattered,' said Hermione coolly, meeting Ron's
glare.

'When?' he demanded.

'After the Hunt. What did you think I was doing in the library all that time?

'I don't know, hibernating?'

Ron slammed his book down, entitled *1001 Wizarding Laws You Should Know.*

'You could have told us you read all these earlier, Hermione!'

'Neither of you were listening to me earlier!' she snapped. 'You were both way too
defiant on your 'let's imprison Lucius in Azkaban' crusade!'

Harry, still reading his book, decided to follow Hermione's advice and gave it up.

'Fine,' he muttered, chucking down *Proving Your Case The Magical Way* on the
table. 'I hate this! I hate Lucius getting off so easily. He could have - '

Harry stopped in mid sentence, giving Hermione a particularly painful look. They watched each
other for a moment, until Ron felt the need to interrupt.

'How about we study then? May as well since we're in reading mode.'

'Ron? Did you just say the word study?' said Hermione in amazement. 'I didn't
know it was part of you vocabulary.'

Hermione and Harry smiled at each other.

'Very funny!' said Ron. 'The OWL's will be on us before we know it. And unlike
you, Hermione, Harry and I haven't been preparing for them since we were in nappies!'

Hermione snorted a laugh. 'Another suggestion like that, Ron, and I won't help you
study. And yes I know that's where you wanted this conversation to lead!'

Ron opened his mouth to argue, but was cut off by Dean and Seamus. They'd come in through
portrait hole, both infectiously smiley.

'Hey guys!' said Dean, standing behind the couch Harry and Hermione occupied. 'Do
any of you want a drink?'

He gestured towards Seamus, who was struggling to hold a huge casket of Butterbeer.

'Blimey!' said Ron, ogling the casket. 'Where did you get all that
Butterbeer?'

'I won it!' boasted Seamus. 'From the Three Broomsticks. They had a sweepstakes and
gave out prizes to regular customers. It was just delivered to me now, you should have seen it! Had
to be carried by ten owls!'

'A sweepstakes at the Three Broomsticks?' questioned Hermione, suspicious. 'I've
never heard of that before.'

'Neither,' said Seamus. 'But who cares, I won!'

'I'll have glass!' said Ron, standing out of his chair.

'Come on up to our room then,' said Dean, 'before Seamus' knees buckle in. What
about you two?' He looked down at Harry and Hermione.

'No thanks, you guys go ahead,' said Harry.

'I'll pass too,' Hermione concurred.

'Suit yourselves! Let's go, Ron.'

Dean, Seamus and Ron disappeared up the stairs and up to the boy's dormitories.

'Typical!' scoffed Hermione, watching them leave. 'Mention free Butterbeer and
studying becomes completely irrelevant!'

Harry looked at her, but she wouldn't do the same.

'Are you upset with me?' he asked sensitively.

'No,' said Hermione at first, looking at him now. 'I mean - well, how can you think
I'm not unaffected, Harry? I'm completely aware of what Lucius tried to do to me.'

'I know, I'm sorry,' said Harry truthfully. 'It was a stupid thing to say. Of
course you're not unaffected.'

Hermione stared him deep in the eye. 'Harry, please promise you'll leave this be! I know
it's unjust, but what if Lucius knew you were plotting against him?'

'He'd probably feed me to Voldermort's snake.'

Hermione's eye's watered at the sound of *his* name. Harry meant it as a passing
joke, but Hermione did not find the idea of Harry being devoured by *his* snake very
funny.

'Sorry, sorry!' he said, squeezing her hand. 'It slipped out. Come on.' He gave
her playful nudge. 'I'll stop, okay? I'll stop plotting against Lucius.'

'You promise?'

'Promise. I don't want you upset with me. I hate it when you're upset with
me.'

Hermione squeezed his hand back. 'Harry Potter, I'm hardly ever upset with you!'

They both relaxed after that, particularly Hermione. Then Harry noticed something.

'Hey,' he said, scanning the room, and then grinning. 'We're alone.'

He was quite right. The common room was completely empty. This was a very rare occasion. Harry
and Hermione had shared little to no time alone since their eventful night on the roof, and this
proved very frustrating. Neither felt comfortable being too affectionate in front Ron, or the rest
of the school for that matter. But now, they were *definitely* alone. And on that thought,
Harry shuffled closer to Hermione and propped his chin on her shoulder, a cheeky glint in his green
eyes.

'Guess what I want to do?'

Hermione guessed instantly.

'*Now*?' she said, colouring a little. 'But, Harry, what if someone walks
in?'

'We'll risk it,' he whispered, temptation overpowering him.

Hermione shivered as she felt Harry brush her hair aside, baring her neck. He leant into her,
trailing kisses across her skin, all over her neck and over the bit of collarbone he spied.

'Okay!' she moaned, unable to resist any more. 'You win, you've got me! Come
here.'

Smiling, Hermione drew Harry in, bringing her lips towards his. They blundered with which way to
turn their heads for a second, causing some laughter. Eventually, they got it right, and eased into
a kiss they'd been craving for the past three days. It was soft and slow going at first, but
heated up with each passing minute…

And then came the inevitable interruption.

'Is that lip-smacking I hear?'

Harry and Hermione, tangled somewhere beneath the couch, immediately shot up.

'Aha! Sprung!'

It was Fred and George, of course. Harry and Hermione could not have been more embarrassed, or
miffed. Harry clumsily straightened his glasses, while Hermione tucked her blouse back into her
skirt.

'Yes?' she said, a little too sternly. 'What is it?

'Hey, don't look so cheesed off!' said George. 'It's not like we haven't
heard snogging before. Besides, we could've been Professor McGonagall.'

'Yeah! And she's not a fan of common-room snog-a-thons. Me and Angelina would know,'
said Fred with a wink.

'And speaking of McGonagall,' continued George, 'she's asked us to deliver a
message to the Gryffindor's, pronto! Go ahead, Fred.'

'Thank you, George! Basically, everyone needs to keep their wits about them because the
Aphora Bewitching Potion is being brewed in the school. Again.'

'*What*!' said Harry and Hermione in unison, wide-eyed. This news shook them right
out of their embarrassment.

'I know, can you believe it?' said Fred, amused.

'But how?' said Hermione. 'Harry gave the book *A Wizard and Witches Guide to Love
Made Easy* back to Madame Pince when we arrived from the Hunt!'

'The book isn't the issue,' George revealed. 'Some how, someone's made a
copy of the recipe, and now it's spread through the whole school. It's an Aphora Bewitching
Potion cook off!'

'Do yourselves a favour and be careful what you drink!' Fred advised. 'And pass the
message on if you see anyone else. We'll be off now, must go deliver the good news to Ron.
Continue snogging!'

'Yes, continue!'

Laughing to themselves, the twins headed off up the stairs to the boy's dormitories, in
search of Ron.

'I don't believe it,' said Harry, sinking into his seat. 'The Aphora Bewitching
Potion. Again! We better be careful. I don't fancy falling in love with anyone else this
year.'

*Be careful what you drink*.

'Oh my gosh, Harry!' Hermione stood in panic. 'We have to check on Ron!'

'Check on Ron?' said Harry, sounding disappointed. No snogging could be done in front of
Ron!

'I'm serious, Harry!' She wrenched him from his seat. 'We have to go see him,
now!'

'Why?'

'Because - '

But Harry didn't require an answer. As if on cue, Ron came tottering down the stairs; a
raving, eye-popping look strewn on his face.

'I -' he gurgled, staring from Hermione to Harry. 'I LOVE LAVENDER!'

'YOU DO NOT!' shouted Dean, plundering after him. 'I LOVE HER!'

'THE HELL YOU DO!' Ron yelled down Dean's throat.

Seamus came next. 'I LOVE HER MORE!'

'GET OUT OF IT!'

'Here's an idea, why don't you *both* GET OUT OF IT!'

'MAKE ME!'

The three of them started to wrestle, until Fred and George, who'd come sprinting down the
stairs, pushed their way into the middle.

'That's enough!' Fred ordered, forcing Ron off Dean. 'Come brother, to the
hospital wing with you!'

'You two as well!' said George, holding on to Dean and Seamus.

'Stay out of this, Fred! C'mon, let me go!' Ron struggled. 'I have to declare my
undying love to Lavender!'

'You mean *I* have to go declare my undying love to Lavender!' quarreled Dean.

'No, *I* have to!' challenged Seamus.

'Some other time, all right?' said George. 'For now, it's the hospital wing for
the lot of you!'

Harry approached the bust-up. 'Do you guy's need any help?'

'No no! We'll take care of this,' George assured him, labouring to keep a hold of
Seamus, who was now trying to kick Dean in the shins.

'Yeah, we've got it covered!' said Fred, keeping a firm hold on Ron. 'Thanks
anyway, Harry. Continue snogging!'

'Yes, continue!'

'LAVENDER!'

It couldn't have been worse timing: Lavender, Parvati and some other fifth year girls had
come in through the portrait hold. Ron tore free of Fred, launching himself at Lavender.

'AH!' Lavender screeched, terrified.

Ron floored himself at Lavender's feet, binding his arms around her legs.

'Lavender!' he said, gazing at her dreamily. 'I have to declare my undying to
you!'

But then Dean, clearly furious, escaped George and stormed over.

'Get out of it Ron, she's MINE!'

And then Seamus.

'Don't listen to them, Lavender! I love you the most!'

'SOD OFF, SEAMUS!'

'YOU SOD OFF!'

'Somebody,' Lavender whimpered, 'HELP ME!'

Fred, George and Parvati managed to unglue Lavender from her three admirers. However, they
weren't giving up on her *that* easily. The whole thing ended with Lavender running out
the portrait hole, screaming, with the three admirers chasing after her, calling constant `I love
you's!'; Fred and George followed, shouting mild obscenities like `git's!' and
`knobs!', while Harry and Hermione remained behind, stunned and amused.

'That didn't go too well,' said Harry, suppressing laughter.

'I sensed that Butterbeer was suspicious!' said Hermione perceptively. 'I hope
Lavender's okay. The other's too...'

'They'll be needing more counter-potion in the hospital wing, that's for sure.'
And, on another thought, 'I wonder who Lavender wanted to put on love potion?'

'Seamus, obviously,' Hermione worked out. 'He's the one the Butterbeer was sent
to. I suppose Lavender didn't count on Ron and Dean drinking it as well...oh,
*no*!'

Hermione was suddenly aware of how full the common room had become. Gryffindor's were
streaming in, hungry for details on the Aphora Bewitching Potion outbreak. So much for being
alone.

'Great! And someone just sat on our couch!' said Harry, glaring maliciously at the
couch-stealer.

Hermione laughed at him, then purred in his ear, 'that was brilliant, earlier.'

Harry's stomach did a back flip.

'Don't make me think about it,' he sighed, leaning his forehead against hers.
'I'm going mad with anticipation.'

'Me too,' she said, sneaking him a kiss on the nose. 'We'll have to pick up
where we left off.'

**A/N:** And here we are at the end! Writing this story, and Everybody Love Hermione, was
such a wonderful journey for me and if anything it's been even more fulfilling this time round
on Portkey. Infinite thankyous and good karma to all who reviewed and encouraged me along the way.
The original plan was to write another sequel, but in the end I'm happier to leave everything
how it is and focus on other projects.

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