A/N: So sorry that it took so long to get this chapter out. It's a long one so I hope you enjoy it. There is some D/Hr in this chapter (sorry) but I tried to tone it down a bit without completely washing it out. There's also some time jumping here but I tried to mark them out. Okay, so, read on and review.
Shades of Grey
Blurring and stirring the truth and the lies
So I don't know what's real and what's not
Always confusing the thoughts in my head
So I can't trust myself anymore
I'm dying again
I'm going under
Drowning in you
I'm falling forever
I've got to break through
(Going Under-Evanescence)
~*~
From the behind the pillar that he was hiding, he could see her walking across the courtyard, her long dark hair bounced with each step of hers. With a small flick of his wand, her book bag ripped at the bottom, spilling her books and parchments.
"Bugger," she muttered as she bent down to collect her things.
"Here, let me help you," he said, rushing to her side and helping her. She looked up at him and started.
"What are you doing?" she asked, looking at him with wide blue eyes.
"I'm helping you," he replied simply.
"But…but you're Draco Malfoy," she stammered. Draco looked up at her.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"Well…you're a complete jerk and a snob," she said immediately.
Draco frowned and handed her the last book. "Just because I'm a Malfoy doesn't mean I don't have feelings and that they can't be hurt." He abruptly turned and walked away from her.
He secretly grinned and counted down the seconds. 3, 2, 1.
"Draco, wait!" she said and hurried to his side. Draco put on his frown. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. You were only trying to help it's just that…well, you're not known for helping people."
Draco stopped and looked at her with a shy grin. "Can I tell you the truth?" he asked, piquing the young girl's curiosity. "You're right. I don't normally stop to help people but it was the only way I could talk to you." She stared at him.
"You caused my bag to rip?" she asked, incredulously.
Draco shrugged sheepishly and shifted awkwardly. She looked at him like she would a lost puppy and he knew in that moment that he caught her, hook, line and sinker.
"Can I walk you to your next class?" he asked. The girl looked at him, not believing that the popular Slytherin had actually requested this.
"Um…okay," she replied, starstruck. All she needed was to run into Harry Potter and have him smile at her and she could die happy, right there on the spot. "I can't believe that you even know me," she breathed as they walked into the castle.
"Of course I do," Draco said, grinning as he held open the doors for her. "You're Abby, Anthony Wellington's little sister."
~*~
The dream had been so graphic, it had to have been real. I mean, I could taste the cotton candy lip gloss and for even a crazy moment, I could taste him on my lips. But I woke up and I was exactly how I was before he came in. I'm so confused. He seemed fine, calm and composed. Everything is just so hazy. And I feel so guilty. My boyfriend was in the hospital wing and I was in my common room having absurdly real dreams about getting it on with my ex-boyfriend. And it didn't help that the dream was sooooo hot.
"Hermione!"
Ginny's screech cut through her thoughts like a knife and she was abruptly yanked back into reality to find that she had overfilled her cup with pumpkin juice and it was spilling all over the table.
"Oh no!" Hermione started, losing her grip on the jug and it clattered to the table, emptying the rest of the pumpkin juice on its nearest occupants.
Ron looked at her exasperatedly as he cleaned up his robes, for the third time today, with a flick of his wand. Ginny and Neville were doing the same and Harry looked at Hermione with concern as he cleaned off his glasses on his robes. She had been like this all day. Distracted and a little bit disoriented, she didn't once raise her hand for answers that he knew that she knew, she merely gazed out of the window in all of her classes. He had even seen her walk into a couple of walls.
He was worried. Maybe his Stupefy was a little too strong and he was beginning to wonder how he was going to sneak her into St. Mungo's Spell Damage ward without her really knowing what was going on and, more importantly, without incriminating himself. Ugh, he could see the headline in the Prophet now:
Boy-Who-Lived Turns Best Friend Into Bumbling Idiot
"Hermione are you sure you're okay?" Ginny asked.
"Yes," she replied. "I'm sorry! I don't…yeah…I'm okay," Hermione muttered.
Ron looked at Harry and saw the concern etched on his face, and a little bit of something else. He felt a little bit of relief in this. There was something wrong with their best friend and if anyone could sniff it out and help her, it would be Harry.
Draco, meanwhile, had just suffered through a day of walking the stupid Ravenclaw to her classes and pretending to be an interested paramour. It was only a matter of time before the gossip reached her older brother's ears. Maybe then, the git would get the point. He glanced over at Hermione and saw that she was cleaning her robes off with her wand…again. She had been acting funny all day and he began to wonder if the time she was spending with the Wellington git was slowly draining her of any intelligence she had. Since she was still hanging around Potty and Weasel, he figured it wouldn't take very long until she was a complete imbecile.
Dinner had ended and everyone was getting up to leave. Draco made his way over to Abby and did his task of walking her to her common room. He politely and shyly said his goodnight. He even gave her a quick peck on the lips goodnight, just enough so she would be wanting more later on. He had left her in front of her portrait with a dazed and goofy grin on her face.
He had detention tonight with Hermione and he was hoping to use this opportunity alone with her to further convince her that he was indeed telling the truth. He needed her to believe him, to believe in him. He made his way down to the dungeons and opened up the designated classroom to find that Hermione was already there.
"Is it safe to come in here or should I wear some sort of groin protection?" he asked as he closed the door behind him. Hermione said nothing, she just turned to face forward again. He walked down the aisle and took the seat next to her.
"Are you going to ignore me?" he asked. She continued to stare ahead, giving no hint that she had heard him.
"Fine, just listen then. I am a Death Eater, I'll admit that to you Hermione. I was forced into it, seduced by the power that the Dark Lord could offer me. That's how he ensnares everyone. But I swear to you that I've changed. That pact we made…changed me and for once I actually care about someone other than my mother or myself.
"Hermione, I'm glad that you saw the Mark on my arm. I'm glad that the truth is out there because I'm tired of lying to you. When you were lying there, recovering, over Christmas I wanted so badly to tell you but I was afraid that I would lose your trust. Lose whatever fragile bit of friendship that we had built…"
"Built upon lies, Draco," Hermione finally spoke up. "You forced me into that pact. You threatened to tell Voldemort about the horcruxes and for all I know you have by now."
"I swear to you Hermione that I didn't."
"Every word that comes out of your mouth is a lie," Hermione blinked rapidly. She would not cry. She would not cry. "He asked you to befriend us so he could spy on us!" She got out of her chair, she couldn't stand to be near him.
"That was after Christmas, after things changed between us."
"Draco…don't," she whispered.
Draco moved to her side. "Hermione," he said softly. "I need your help. I'm asking for it. I don't know what to do." He put his hands on her shoulders but she shrugged them off.
"You have no idea what you've done, have you?" she turned around to face him and he was shocked to see the hurt and anger on her face. "You have no idea what our little pact did. You have no idea how much you have destroyed."
"And you have no idea how much you've ruined my life," Draco replied fiercely. She looked up at him. Looked into his newly familiar grey eyes and saw that they had darkened to the color of a stormy sky. She saw conflict in them, emotions stirring underneath them. With a strange jolt of excitement, she realized that they were standing very close together. She felt a coiling tension between them, building and building. To what, she didn't know. But before she could dwell on it any further the door opened and to her surprise, Harry walked in.
~~5 minutes earlier~~
Harry walked down the corridors to the dungeons where he would be serving his detention tonight. He was hoping to get up to the Ministry tonight to pick something up but he would have to find some way to get it tomorrow instead. Bummer.
"I really think he's gone too far."
Harry paused when he heard Michael Corner's voice. It was coming from the landing below.
"I mean he's after your little sister!" Michael said fiercely.
"I know," Anthony replied harshly. "But what am I supposed to do? She won't listen to me!"
"Just do what Malfoy says and break up with Granger!"
"I can't do that. It only means that he wins."
Harry frowned and moved closer so he could their conversation a bit better.
"I'll think of something, Michael," Anthony said, his voice fading because they were walking away. "I'm not going to let Malfoy win this battle."
~~Present~~
Harry walked in the dungeon, surprised to see it was already occupied. Hermione and Draco were standing very close together, she looked very upset. Draco just looked annoyed at the intrusion.
"I hope I'm interrupting something," Harry said dryly.
Hermione moved away from Draco and walked up to him. "Harry, what are you doing here?" she asked.
"Detention," he replied. "You?"
"The same," she sighed.
"We were caught by Filch in a broom closet," Draco piped up.
Hermione sighed with annoyance and Harry smirked.
"Yeah, Hermione told me all about that," he replied. "She may have had a blind spot concerning you but her eyes are wide open now. Real stupid of you to go through her to get to me."
Draco visibly bristled and opened his mouth to say something when the door opened and Professor Grubblyplank walked in.
"All of you are here on time. Very good, you can get started right away." She handed each of them a pair of gloves, a bucket and a flat spatula. "You are to remove the chewing gum from underneath the tables in this classroom and two others. There will be no talking and no use of your wands."
Hermione dutifully took her items and began working right away. Draco just looked at the items disdainfully. "You honestly don't expect us to do this kind of work," he said, wrinkling his nose at the gloves. Harry just smirked, took his things and settled down at the desk nearest to Hermione.
After fifteen minutes, Harry and Hermione deduced that Draco wasn't going to be much help since he was still working on the same desk, muttering and cursing angrily before slamming a wad of used gum into the pail.
Harry looked over at Professor Grubblyplank who was sitting at the front of the room thumbing through some sort of magazine. She had long ago given up on asking Draco to keep his inner monologue to himself but she still frowned disapprovingly at him whenever the Slytherin got too loud.
Harry scooted closer to Hermione. "You want to tell me what I walked in on?" he whispered to Hermione.
Hermione stopped scraping at the gum for just a moment. "Nothing," she whispered back.
"Didn't look like nothing." He dropped a piece of gum into the pail.
"Were you able to get up to the ministry?" she asked him. She didn't wait for his answer, she was done with this desk and moved to another. A few minutes later Harry joined her side again, working on a new desk.
"No. I'll have to get out tomorrow."
"Should we postpone the plan, then?"
"I should be back before nightfall. Nice transition of topic by the way."
She glared at him and he smiled back with a wink. "He was talking about what I told you last night."
"That's what got you so upset?" She nodded. "Why? I knew all along. It shouldn't have been news to you."
Hermione finished up here and moved to another desk. Draco moved in next to her.
"Potter finish interrogating you?"
Hermione sighed and pursed her lips together. Harry finished up his desk and joined the little group.
"Didn't miss anything important did I?" he whispered sarcastically.
"Granger was just asking me if it was polite to kiss Wellington after she swallowed his-"
"Draco!" Hermione hissed as Harry jabbed at the desk with the spatula, bending it.
"What the hell is your problem?" Harry hissed angrily.
"SHHHH!!" Professor Grubblyplank said aloud. "No talking."
There was blissful silence for only about a minute until Draco broke it. "I told her that if the blow job was good enough, Wellington wouldn't give a damn."
"Shut up, Draco," Hermione whispered. Her face was hot with humiliation. Harry was studiously trying to straighten out the blade of the spatula. "Harry, I didn't ask him that."
Harry didn't reply back. He was desperately trying to rid his mind of the possibility that Hermione may have actually been with Anthony in that way. Therefore, he really wasn't thinking clearly when he asked, "So did you kiss him after you swallowed?"
Hermione glared at Draco and Harry. "If you two want to have a pissing contest. Don't drag me into it."
She left them and moved across the room. Some part of Draco did feel bad for humiliating Hermione like that but Potty's reaction was just too priceless. After all, one of his favorite hobbies was taunting Harry and exploiting his weaknesses and he had discovered a gold mine in Hermione. He could see that he was at the other desk, stabbing angrily at the gum with his jaw tense and tight.
"Notice how she didn't answer your question," Draco whispered with an evil grin.
Harry didn't reply back.
"They've been going out for what…nearly a month now? It's only natural for her to explore her sexuality."
"I didn't think you were into muggle-borns," Harry spoke up.
"Only ones that wear some sort of vanilla scented perfume and cotton candy flavored lip gloss." Draco smiled.
Harry looked over at him. "If you want to get yourself off on a one-sided drunken kiss, by all means…"
Draco's demeanor cracked a little but he quickly recovered. "So do you think he's fucked her yet?" he leaned forward and whispered.
"Why don't you charm a few bludgers and beat it out of him?" Harry asked. "Oh, wait. You've already done that."
Draco ignored him. "I bet that little bookworm gets off being fucked in the library. You know, up against the bookshelves. Ooh, in the Restricted Section!"
"A little obsessed aren't you considering that you threatened Anthony unless he broke up with her. Even going as low as to dating his little sister."
"Hey, I happen to care very much for Annie."
"Abby."
"Whatever. And I don't see why you give two shits about it. You're the one who dumped the mudblood."
"I still care for her happiness."
"Oh and I'm sure she's finding it with the guy whose shoving her skirt to her hips as he fucks her in the Dark Magic aisle."
The desk Harry was at began to rattle violently but he reached out and stilled it, forcing himself to get a grip on his emotions. Malfoy was only baiting him and he wasn't going to fall for it.
"I'm sure their exploits in the library are purely academic," Harry replied.
"Oh of course." Draco mused as he lazily scraped away at a wad of gum. "He's popular, Captain of the Ravenclaw team, decent Quidditch player, and everyone knows Hermione's weakness for Quidditch players." Harry glared at Malfoy who rattled on. "And according to ninety percent of the female, and some of the male, population Anthony is quote `one damn fine piece of male specimen' and he's supposedly intelligent…yeah, I can see why Hermione would be interested in only hitting the books with him. Don't be so naïve Potter. Hermione's not that innocent," he looked up at the raven-haired geek. "As you should know."
Harry looked up at him. "What the hell are you on about?"
Draco smirked. "According to Hermione, she didn't want to send the Boy-Who-Lived to his death, a virgin."
Harry's desk rattled and skid across the floor but he caught it and moved it back. He shook his head. "You're pathetic Malfoy. I suddenly realized what you're all about. You do like Hermione, hell, you may have feelings for her in your own sick and twisted way." Harry leaned in close. "But she doesn't care for you. She doesn't give two shits about you. Her interactions with you were cut off the moment I broke the vow. And now you come crawling to her, confessing to her that you're a Death Eater and that Voldemort set you up on some Grand Plan. Whether you are telling the truth or not, we'll see but that was, by far, the most pathetic attempt I've heard of to get into her pants."
Harry left Draco to return to Hermione, the Ferret's face was red with outrage and silence descended upon the three of them for the rest of the detention.
~*~
"Hey Hermione, wait up!"
She rolled her eyes but slowed her pace just the same letting Harry catch up to her.
"Are you done being a complete prat?" she asked him.
Harry shifted uncomfortably before falling into step by her side. "Look, I'm sorry about what I said back there."
"About your disgustingly rude question, which was none of your business by the way," she added quickly. "Or the fact that Draco had baited you once again. After all these years, Harry."
"You know, I don't think you are the correct person to give me a lecture on Malfoy's character," Harry responded. Hermione scoffed. Harry reached out to stop her. "Look, at the risk of sounding like a jealous ex-boyfriend, I'm just going to say it. Before I came to detention, I overheard Anthony and Michael Corner talking. Apparently, Anthony believes that Malfoy is strong-arming him by dating his younger sister."
"Abby?" Hermione asked with surprise. "What…why…I don't understand."
"Malfoy asked Anthony to break up with you."
Hermione stared at him. Her mind was suddenly running blank with shock. She had no idea what to think or to feel. She did the only thing she thought she was capable of doing at the moment which was put one foot in front of the other.
"Hermione." Harry caught up with her. "There's more. From what was implied in the conversation this is not the first time Malfoy has done something about it. Do you remember when Anthony was hit with the bludger? I could swear that the thing was charmed and I asked Draco about it."
Hermione was finding it hard to breathe suddenly. "What did he say?" she asked in a soft voice.
"He didn't confirm it but he didn't deny it either." He reached out and took her hand. "Hermione?" he asked. She was looking very pale.
"I'm really tired. I think I want to lay down."
"Hermione." He paused. "Anthony said that he wasn't going to give in to Malfoy because then he would win."
"Harry," she said softly. Why was Draco doing this to her? What did he want from her? He sighed looking down at her. She looked so lost. He wanted to reach out and hold her and his hand left the pocket of his cloak to do so but she had already spoken the password to the portrait and walked through in a daze.
~*~
Hermione caught up with Anthony the next morning outside of the Great Hall. He leaned forward to kiss her like he usually did in the morning but Hermione backed away.
"Could we talk…for a moment?" she asked, scratching the side of her head.
"Sure, what's up?" he asked, smiling.
"Um…" She looked around at the busy morning student traffic and led Anthony to a quiet corner.
"Hermione." Anthony smiled. "What-"
"Is it true?" she asked, cutting him off.
"Is what true?" he asked, puzzled.
"Did Draco Malfoy threaten you unless you broke things off with me?"
Anthony frowned. "Where did you hear that?"
"It's not important." She looked up at him. "Is it true?"
Anthony looked out the window for what seemed the longest time. "He may have done that."
"And now he's dating your younger sister."
Anthony looked at her. "Hermione. I'm not going to let him get away with this. I'm not going to let him win."
"Win?" She shook her head. "Win, what, Anthony?"
"This whole crazy idea!" He smiled. "If we just show him how close we are as a couple, I'm sure he'll back off."
Hermione looked at him. "Anthony, I don't want this to be about PDA just so you can one up Draco."
"Well, not all of us are Harry Potter. We have to fight our battles our own way. Now, here's what I-"
"Stop." Hermione held up a hand. "I don't think…we should see each other anymore."
Anthony stared at her. "You're just going to let him win?"
"This isn't about winning!" She shook her head.
"Yes, it is!" Anthony replied back. "Look, I know that you might be a little upset with me right now but this is no time to throw in the towel and walk away."
"Actually, Anthony," Hermione sighed. "It is."
"Wait. Wait. Wait. What are you saying?" He shook his head at her.
"Anthony…" She trailed off, unable to find the words to make the situation better.
Comprehension finally dawned on his face. "Are you…are you breaking up with me?"
"I'm sorry," Hermione said in a quiet voice.
He let out a heavy sigh and leaned back against the wall. "Why?" he asked.
"You are such a nice guy. You really are. And I've tried so hard to feel something for you other just wanting to snog you." He gave a sheepish grin.
"Well…there's nothing wrong with snogging," he said, making his case.
Hermione gave him a small smile. "With you, definitely not but…it's a bit…well…"
"Shallow?" He finished for her.
"I really like you Anthony. Just…"
"Not in the way you like Harry."
She looked up at him. "What?"
Anthony stared at her. "Nothing." He looked away. "So, uh…"
"Friends?" Hermione offered.
Anthony pulled her into a hug. "Friends." There was a brief pang inside Hermione, a quick moment when she questioned what she was doing.
~*~
"You okay?" Ginny asked Hermione when she sat down at the table. Harry looked up at her. She seemed fine to him.
"Yeah." She nodded. "I am."
"Good," Ginny replied.
Harry resumed his breakfast and listened to Neville chatter away in a whisper about what to do for Valentine's Day. There was another Hogsmeade weekend coming up at the end of the week and Neville was scrambling to find a table at the newly repaired Italian place.
"Are you sure you want to go there?" Harry asked him.
"Better than Puddifoot's," Ron muttered. Harry had to agree with him there. The last time he had stepped foot in that place had not been a pleasant experience.
"Are you going to go with anyone?" Neville asked him.
"Um." Harry scratched the back of his head. "Yeah. I think I may have something planned."
He did. He was going to ask Cho today when he went up to the Ministry. Then he was going to go to the WWW to pull a favor from the twins. He was hoping to get out of the weekend unscathed somehow.
"So, we meet this evening?" Harry said, taking a muffin with him as he got up from the table.
"Yeah." The guys replied. He gave a small wave to Hermione then headed out for the day.
*
It was her laughter that caught Hermione's attention to where they were. Abby laughing at something Draco had said. She marched directly up to their table.
"Can I talk to you for a moment?" she asked, briskly.
Draco looked at her then at Abby. "I'm a little busy here as you can see." He winked at Abby, who was looking annoyed at the intrusion.
Hermione yanked him out of his chair anyway and dragged him into a nearby book aisle. "Leave the poor girl alone. I broke up with Anthony."
Draco smirked. "What on Earth do we have to do with your boy-toy?"
"Drop the act, Draco. Anthony told me that you had threatened him unless he broke up with me."
Draco looked over at a book on his right, fingering the binding. "Really Granger," he said softly. "The things you come up with."
Hermione yanked his arm down. "Are you telling me that you are genuinely interested in the Fourth Year who just happens to be Anthony's younger sister?"
Draco looked down at her then moved in very close. "Jealous?" he whispered.
She looked at him. Conflicting emotions swirled within her. She was supposed to hate him. He was Harry's enemy. He was a Death Eater. He had hurt her in so many ways. And yet…And yet…
She smirked. "Really Malfoy, the things you come up with." She brushed past him and hastily left the library.
She walked out into the corridor, following the sunlight that lit the floor in splotchy patterns from the windows. She needed to regroup, to let her heart rate slow down, to catch her breath.
Suddenly, she felt herself being caught from behind and dragged into the doors nearest to her that led to an empty classroom.
She protested. "Draco what are you-" He closed the door behind them then his lips were on hers in a searing kiss. Her hands that were held up in protest moved over his shoulders to wrap around his neck. It was a rough and needy kiss and he flipped them around so he could pin her to a nearby wall. He broke the kiss momentarily and she barely had time to gasp for air before his lips were on hers again.
Oh, what am I doing?
She pulled herself out of his arms, breaking the kiss. Her hands covered her mouth and her eyes were wide with shock. "I can't do this," she whispered.
"Hermione." Draco took a step forward. She could see the moisture on his lips from their kiss.
Hermione shook her head. "No, I can't deal with this right now." She fumbled for the door behind her. Draco didn't stop her and she fled the classroom.
"Hermione, wait!" Ginny called after her when she scrambled into the common room. Hermione ignored her and went straight upstairs. She knew Ginny would follow her so she went to the bathroom and hid in a stall.
"Hermione, are you alright?"
Hermione released her lower lip from between her lips from where it was clenched. "Yeah, I just…really had to go." That was so pathetic.
"Oh. Alright. I'll just…be downstairs…if you need me."
"Okay," Hermione replied. She heard Ginny leave her and slowly her heart rate began to slow down only to be replaced with shaking shoulders as she began to cry.
*
Harry ran into Brian just outside of Kingsley's office. "Oh hey, what's up?" he said to him.
"Hey Harry, how are you?" Brian shuffled some files under his arm and Harry saw the one that had Hermione's name on it. Brian followed his line of sight. "Nothing yet," he said. "No news is good news."
"Yeah, I guess."
"I've got the Granger's under constant surveillance," Brian reassured him.
"Thanks," Harry replied.
"I'm just going in to give Kingsley these reports and then I'm leaving."
"Catch you around then." With a wave Harry walked away.
The vial of Veritaserum that he swiped from their stocks felt heavy in his pocket only because guilt made it seem that way. This was a serious misuse of departmental property but considering that he was going to use it on the Ferret, the ends justified the means.
"Shouldn't you be working?" Harry asked when he saw that his little cubicle was occupied.
"Shouldn't you be in classes?" Cho replied.
"It's Sunday," he replied back. "What's your excuse?"
"Percy Weasley."
"Enough said." Harry smiled. "Listen, I'm glad I caught you here. I was wondering what you were doing next weekend."
"I have no idea. Why?" she asked in a teasing manner. It was such a far cry from the stuttering stammering boy who spit out, Wangoballwitme?
"Let me know if you're free Saturday," Harry grinned and walked away. He turned back around, walking backwards as she grinned at him. "Oh and I hope you like Italian."
~*~
Draco didn't see Hermione at lunch. Nor did he see her at dinner. In fact, Potty and Weasel where absent as well and considering that he was still alive and sitting at this table, he guessed that she didn't tell them about what had happened between them earlier. He figured she wouldn't say anything about it since she would be incriminating herself.
So, he exchanged pleasantries with his housemates. Blatantly ignored Abby who was distraught over his sudden distance from her. Ate his meal then left the table.
Hermione brushed past him in the hall, purposely bumping into him to pass him a note.
Tonight. 8:30. Third floor lav.
"Did you do it?" Harry asked her when she caught up with him.
"Yes," she replied.
"Then all we have to do is hope he'll take the bait."
"He'll take it," she said distractedly and quietly. Harry looked at her. She'd been quiet since he got back.
"I suppose we should just wait there then?" Ron asked. Harry took his eyes off of his fairer friend.
"Yeah, I suppose."
It was like their second year relived. The three of them huddled in the bathroom, speaking in whispers, waiting to ambush a fellow student instead of brewing a restricted potion.
"So, uh, what are you and Luna doing for Valentine's Day?" Harry asked his friend.
Ron shrugged. "I dunno. Probably Puddifoot's." He wrinkled his nose thinking about just how pleasant that would be.
"Did you get her flowers?" Hermione asked. "I heard her dropping heavy hints."
Ron's eyes widened. "Crap I thought I forgot something."
"Better get on that, mate. You don't want the flower shop to run out or anything." Harry grinned then looked at Hermione. "What about you and Anthony?" he asked. He really didn't want to know. He was just making conversation. In fact, he was hoping his little Cho-mission would be enough of a distraction to keep his mind off how the Ravenclaw git would be wooing his Hermione.
"Um…" Hermione fidgeted nervously. "Actually, we…broke up."
Silence.
Ron looked at Harry who seemed to be doing his best not to stare at Hermione and instead was concentrating on a tile on the floor, tracing its grouted outline.
"Well…ahem." Ron cleared his throat. "That's…that's a shame."
Hermione shrugged. Harry spoke up. "Was it because of what I told you?" he asked.
"That was part of it."
Harry bended his knees and rested his arms on top of them. "I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it. Like I said, it wasn't the only reason," she replied.
Harry wanted to ask her more but he didn't.
"So what are you going to do next weekend? You'll be the only girl without a date!" Ron said without thinking.
Hermione blinked at him. "Thanks Ron."
He shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe you should go with Harry," he mumbled softly. Then looked up at his raven-haired friend. "Oh right, sorry. I forgot you already had a date."
Harry's face flushed red. He could kill Ron right now. It wasn't a date. Not really. And furthermore, what was Hermione thinking? He didn't know of any girl that would break up with their boyfriend the weekend before Valentine's Day. And did she have to do it when he had just asked Cho? Maybe he could write her back and cancel. Urgh! He couldn't, he needed to get this done. Maybe he could get his thing with Cho done with quickly then join Hermione somewhere.
He looked up at Hermione, hoping to diffuse the situation. He hadn't told anyone who he was going with and he prayed she wasn't going to ask. He honestly didn't know how she was going to react to such news. But whatever face Hermione had on he missed it because in an instant it was gone and replaced with a silent and tense look.
Someone was coming.
Hermione stood up to greet him. Her heart pounded in her chest when she saw Draco walk in. He waited until the door closed behind him before he stepped toward her.
"Hermione," he said, approaching her. Hermione held up a hand before he could say anything further.
"Draco…" she floundered but she was saved any conversation when Harry suddenly appeared.
"Stupefy!"
~*~
When he opened his eyes after being Ennervated, he didn't recognize where he was. It was a dark cave-like place that had an odd green glow about it. He could hear water dripping somewhere and it was cool in here. There were pillars in the cave, tall ones with…snakes carved into them.
He suddenly knew where he was but unsure of how he got here. He was in what had to be the Chamber of Secrets. A place he desperately wished to find when he was younger when mudbloods were being petrified by what was now known as a basilisk.
Wait a moment? Shit, was there a basilisk down here?
Oh yeah. Potty killed it.
Speaking of him, he had just stepped out of the shadows along with the Weasel. He could see Hermione in the shadows.
"Hello Hermione," he said.
She didn't reply back. She just stayed where she was. Draco suddenly became away that he was sitting in a chair, his feet were tied to it as well as his hands behind his back. He looked up at Weasley.
"For being a Prefect, you're going to be in a shitload of trouble for this." Then he looked at Hermione. "If you wanted to have your naughty way with me you didn't have to tie me up like this, love."
"That's enough," Harry stepped in front of him, blocking Hermione from his view.
"While you at it, why don't you get rid of these two blockheads," Draco sneered at Harry, still talking to Hermione. "This isn't a group thing."
Harry had enough of him and he nodded to Ron who promptly forced Malfoy's head back and jaws open so Harry could pour a few drops of Veritaserum down his throat. Draco coughed and spluttered, a hazy look settled on his face.
Harry spoke first. "Are you a Death Eater?"
"Yes."
Ron exhaled. Harry was right all along. He should've stuck by his best friend's side last year instead of worrying about Quidditch and how to win Hermione.
"Is it true that Voldemort told you to befriend us?" Harry continued.
"Yes."
"To spy on us?"
"Yes."
"Is it true that he told you to tell us about an attack as an act of faith?"
"Yes."
"Is there really going to be an attack?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
"Picadilly Circus, sometime this weekend."
"You don't know what time?"
"No."
Harry rubbed his jaw as he paced back and forth in front of the Ferret. "Were you going to do what Voldemort asked you to do?"
Draco stared at him. "No."
Harry stopped and peered at him. The temptation to enter his mind was so enticing to him. "Why?" he asked instead.
Draco's eyes flitted over to Hermione who stepped forward quickly before he could say anything.
"Was it because of your mother?" she spoke up quickly.
"Yes."
"Voldemort threatened to kill your mother?" she asked.
"Yes."
She looked over at Harry who had a guarded expression on his face. He turned away from Hermione and looked back at Malfoy.
"Does Voldemort know I know about the horcruxes?"
"Yes."
The three of them held their breaths.
"What is he doing about them?" Hermione asked.
Draco looked at her. "He's trying to retrieve them all to keep Potty from destroying them."
"He doesn't know where they are?" Ron asked.
"They were scattered all over the place after he was…" his gaze fell on Harry, "…destroyed years ago."
Hermione stepped forward and knelt before Draco. "Draco, why did you tell me about what Voldemort asked you to do?"
"I needed help. I didn't know what to do. He's going to kill my mum, Hermione."
Harry was reminded of the time he had accidentally walked in on Draco last year in the lavatory talking to Moaning Myrtle. The pitiful boy who had bitten off more than he could chew, the boy who made a deal with the devil and realized that it came with a price.
But he remembered that this was also the boy who brought about the death of Albus Dumbledore even if he didn't have the courage to do it himself. This was the boy who had forced Hermione into a pact that nearly ended her life. And yet, Hermione was kneeling in front of the git, looking at him with compassion!!
"Did you threaten Anthony if he didn't break up with Hermione?" Harry spit out.
"What?!" Ron asked, startled.
"Harry, really I don't think-"
"Yes," Draco answered.
"Did you charm the bludger to go after him?"
"Yes."
"Did you purposely go after Abby as well?"
"Yes."
"Harry!" Hermione protested.
Harry and Ron smirked at each other.
"Have you ever had sex with a man?" Ron asked and Harry grinned.
"Ron!" Hermione stood and whirled on her friend.
"Fuck no!" Draco answered.
"Have you ever wanted to have sex with a man?" Harry asked.
"No."
"Is it true you had sex with Millicent Bulstrode?" Ron asked.
"Yes."
"And Pansy?" Harry added.
"Yes."
"Both at the same time?"
"Yes." His face was turning pink with embarrassment.
"Harry. Ron," Hermione said sternly.
"Do you have an STD?" Harry asked.
"Harry!" Hermione shrieked.
"No." Draco replied.
"Have you ever had one?"
Malfoy turned red. "Yes."
"Okay, enough!" Hermiond said and dragged Harry to a corner.
Ron was left alone with him. Draco was trembling with anger as he watched Potty and Hermione talk. Ron eyed him.
"Are you jealous of Harry?" he asked.
"Yes," Draco spat out.
"You should be." Ron squatted next to Malfoy, speaking to him in a low tone. "I see the way you look at her. I see the way you watch her. Harry knows it, too. He may not say it but he knows it deep down." Draco looked away but Ron continued.
"She'll never feel for you the way you want her to. She never look at you with nothing but pity for you. She just feels sorry for you. She's a compassionate person but don't take it personally. She's on a personal crusade to free house elves as well. She just sees you as another charity case." Draco's jaw tensed.
"Do you want to know why? Because you're not Harry Potter. You'll never be him. You're Draco Malfoy, the Amazing Bouncing Ferret, Death Eater and Betrayer. So yes, you should be jealous of him because he's the one she loves."
Draco wanted to throttle the Weasel. He wanted to leap out of this chair and hex him until he was no longer recognizable, permanent hexes that would leave scars, emotional, mental, physical ones. He didn't care. But Potty and Hermione were already making their way back over.
*
Hermione dragged Harry off to the side out of earshot of Draco. "What are you doing?" she hissed at him.
"I figured we should know a little bit about his love life considering he knows so much about ours," he whispered back, fiercely.
"Harry, what-"
"Do the words, `not wanting the Boy-Who-Lived to die a virgin' sound familiar, Hermione?"
Oh, that.
"Harry-"
"And you want to lecture me about baiting the Ferret?"
"That was not my intention."
"You could've fooled me."
"I didn't mean it like that. You know I didn't. I was only trying to…"
"To what, Hermione?"
I was only trying to hurt Draco.
"Look," she sighed and rubbed her temples with her fingertips. "Let's just finish this up. We are going to be in serious enough trouble as it is if anyone finds out what we did. Let's just Obliviate him and get out of here so you can return the serum before anyone finds out it was missing. Then we need to get a hold of the Order."
"Protecting the Ferret?" he said with a hint of resentment.
"No, I'm protecting you," she replied. "Now let's go. The less we have to deal with this, the better."
Harry nodded reluctantly and they returned to a livid looking Draco and an amused Ron.
~*~
The Order was at an impasse about what to do with the situation until Harry decided that they go along with it. It was what Dumbledore would've done. Let Voldemort think they took Draco's word and see where it would lead them. Voldemort was no idiot, he knew that there was no way that Potter would let Malfoy into his circle of friends. There must have been a reason why he was doing this.
Harry had a week to mull it over. In the meantime, he was putting the finishing touches on his own plan. And on an overcast Valentine's Day morning, he cornered Hermione just before she left for breakfast.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Hermione," he said, handing her a card and the gift he didn't get to give her for Christmas.
She looked down at her gifts and her heart sank. She had been distancing herself from him all week so she could deal with the troubling feelings that were creeping to the surface that were for Draco. She didn't dare tell anyone about the kiss because she was so ashamed of herself, so angry at herself for letting it happen in the first place and worst of all for wanting it to happen again. She needed to rid her feelings of that first, cleanse herself of them so she could pull herself back together and be there for Harry when he needed her. This wasn't helping.
"Harry…I…"
Seeing the crestfallen look on her face, he shoved them into her hands before she could protest.
"Look, I know something's wrong with you. Something is bothering you. You can talk to me. I'm still your best friend aren't I?"
Hermione nodded in response. But I can't talk to about this, Harry.
"I'll give you all the time you need, Hermione," he said in a whisper. "However much time we need until we can work things out between us." Hermione nodded, stamping down the feeling of just throwing her arms around him.
He smiled. "I'll see you later," he said and walked out of the common room.
The Great Hall had a feeling of anticipation in the air when he walked in. The girls were all dolled up, ready for their dates. Ginny looked very disarming and Harry had to laugh at the strained look on Neville's face. He figured it must be very hard not to ogle and compliment his girlfriend with her brother sitting right next to him.
And speaking of Ron, Luna was at her Ravenclaw table waving her wand over the dozen red roses Ron had given her.
"What's she doing?" Harry asked him as he sat down.
Ron shrugged. "Checking it for nargles maybe?" His attention was caught by Hermione who had walked in and sat down in between Harry and Ginny. He looked over at his sister who gave a slight nod of her head.
It was Ginny's job to convince Hermione to go to Hogsmeade today, regardless if she had a date. As soon as Harry saw that she was there, he would forget whatever bird he had decided to take to dinner. Then he and Hermione would get back together and all would be well in Harry Potter's life.
Well, as well as it could be excluding the psychotic wizard hell-bent on killing him.
He realized his plan was about to take a serious nose-dive when he saw who accompanied Harry to the Three Broomsticks.
"Oh. My. God," Ginny said and all of Ron's hopes for a Harry/Hermione reunion where shot to the ground when he saw Harry walk in with Cho.
"There's Ron," Harry said, leading her to the table.
Then, Ron moved his head revealing Hermione, also sitting at the table.
It was too late to stop Cho and turn them around to leave the place. She had already seen them.
"Hello everyone," Cho said with an air of superiority. "Hermione," she said, acknowledging her with less enthusiasm as she sat down.
Hermione made no effort to respond to her, she merely took a sip of her butterbeer. Why Harry would take up with that emotional train wreck was beyond her.
"It's so good to see…most of you, here," she said, sweetly to them, yanking Harry down in his seat.
"Oh, I'm sure the feeling is mutual," Hermione replied sarcastically.
Cho stared at her. If looks could kill. "Harry brought me here," she said, rubbing it in Hermione's face. "After this we're going to eat at that Italian place, isn't that right?" she cooed at Harry.
"Erm…"
"The lavatories are really nice," Hermione said, more to Harry than anyone who suddenly turned red and shifted uncomfortably.
"I was surprised you'd want to go there," Ginny added. "I thought Puddifoots was more your thing."
"Well, who would be crazy enough to pass up dinner with Harry," she beamed.
"I'm sure it's better than sitting around and talking about dead ex-boyfriends," Hermione sniped. Cho just stared at her. So did Harry. Even for Hermione, that was low.
"I'm going to leave," Hermione said as she got up from the table.
"So soon?" Cho asked sarcastically.
Hermione ignored her. "Ron, Harry." She nodded to them both and walked away.
"Give me a moment," Harry said to Cho, not even waiting for a reply as he went after Hermione.
He caught up with her just outside of the pub. "Hermione, wait."
She turned around and looked at him. "Harry, I'm so sorry," she said. "I don't know what came over me to say such things. You have every right to see whoever you want to."
"It's not what you think." Harry hastily jumped in.
Cho burst out of the building, wrapping her cloak around her. "Harry, I'm leaving," she announced before storming away in the opposite direction.
"I'm really sorry," Hermione said, then she, too, walked away.
Harry was caught between them. "Fuck!" he muttered to himself then ran after Cho.
She heard him approaching her. "Harry, I really am getting sick of having to chase you while you chase after your friend. If you are going to defend her act-"
She was cut off when Harry turned her around and kissed her.
Ah, silence, Harry thought as his hand moved from her waist, to her hip, to her purse where he reached inside and pulled out her badge then slipped it into his pocket in his cloak.
"Let's just have dinner okay?" he said to her when he broke the kiss.
"Um, yeah, okay," she said in a dazed voice.
The waiter seated them and no sooner than a minute had passed that George walked by his table.
"Hey Harry. Miss Cho Chang," he said in greeting. He reached into Harry's cloak that was draped on the back of his chair and took out the badge, making small talk as he did so before he left.
*
Harry couldn't help but glance up at the clock in the restaurant every once in awhile as Cho prattled on. Not Yet, Dearie, it read. Stupid thing was probably broken. How long could it take for Fred and George to puzzle the thing out?
"So then the cat just dropped the mouse right there on the doorstep, isn't that cute?" Cho was saying.
"Yeah," Harry nodded, distracted.
"So I picked up Mr. Whiskers and I said-"
"Hey Harry!" This time Fred stopped by. "Good to see you!" He reached out and shook Harry's hand, returning the badge.
"Didn't you just…" Cho looked at the twin.
"Oh this one's Fred," Harry explained.
"Oh."
"I didn't want to interrupt. I just wanted to say hi." And with a wave, Fred left them.
Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you.
"Well, I guess I should get going," Harry said as he stood up. Cho made a move to do the same but Harry stopped her. "Allow me," he said. And he moved behind her to pull out her chair, dropping the badge back into her purse as he did so.
He said his quick goodbye to her and raced back up to the castle to mend things with Hermione. He thought he would have to search everywhere for her but as soon as he ran into the common room he found her with Ron in the middle of what looked like a very, very heated conversation. Ron's face was red with fury and Hermione looked distraught.
"Ron? Hermione?"
Ron grabbed his cloak. "I'm outta here," he muttered angrily and stormed out of the room.
Harry turned back to Hermione. "What happened?" he asked.
~~One hour earlier~~
Hermione felt embarrassed and ashamed and so glad that Harry left her alone so she could mentally berate herself for being an absolute cow to him. She didn't feel like staying in her common room, she didn't feel like going to the library, Hagrid wasn't in his hut and the Great Hall was crowded.
So, she went to the Astronomy tower. It was still daylight so snoggers wouldn't be there. It was sprinkling lightly as she climbed the steps and when she reached the balcony she found she wasn't alone.
"Oh hell," she muttered.
Draco turned around in surprise.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, sharply.
"Last I checked, this tower was free property," she said defiantly. "However, I find the company not at all in my taste so I'll be leaving."
"From what I remember last, you were enjoying my company."
Hermione turned back to look at him. "That was a mistake."
Draco slowly approached her. "Why? Because you liked it?" He reached out and touched her cheek.
"Don't," she said, turning away from him.
"Hermione-"
"Why can't you leave me alone?" she asked him. "We're no longer bound. I broke the vow-"
"Potter broke the vow," he corrected her.
"I let him," she retorted. "You're a Death Eater."
"You're a mudblood and believe me if anyone, anyone, found out about this, I'd be in serious trouble."
"Wasn't this all part of your scheme? You're supposed to befriend us."
"You know, just as well as I do, that this," he motioned between the two of them, "was already there. Deny it all you want, we've gotten really good at that but maybe I'm tired of it already."
He moved in very close to her, his lips close to hers, so close she could feel the hotness of his breath on hers.
"Draco," she sighed.
"If there's nothing there, if there's nothing between us," he whispered, "tell me now. Tell me now so we can walk away from this."
Her heart was pounding and she couldn't catch her breath. She looked into his stormy grey eyes again. Walk away, just walk away.
She kissed him this time. His hands tangled in her hair before he pulled away and put his forehead against hers.
"What are we doing?" he whispered before kissing her again.
The door to the balcony flung open and Hermione and Draco separated…but not in time.
"Ron!" Hermione gasped.
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