A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out. It's shorter than the others but I hope you enjoy all the same. Thanks for all the reviews. Take care and happy reading!
From Bad To Worse
I... I came here by day, but I left here in darkness
And found you, found you on the way
And now, it is silver and silent, it is silver and cold
You, in somber resplendence, I hold
Your sins into me
Oh, my beautiful one
Your sins into me
As a rapturous voice escapes, I will tremble a prayer
And I'll beg for forgiveness
(Your sins into me) Your sins into...
(Your sins into me) Your sins into me
Oh, my beautiful one
(Silver and Cold-AFI)
~*~
He paused in front of the wall in his room to take a moment and close his eyes. He imagined what it would be like to kiss her again, to run his hands over her, to have her in the way Potty had her.
He sighed and removed the loose brick only to find that the potion was missing.
There was a soft shuffling sound and Draco turned around to see Potty step out from the shadows in his room. He was wearing a pair of dark jeans and a black t-shirt so he didn't see him when he first came in the room. He was holding the vial of potion in his hand.
"Looking for this?"
Draco looked at the vial in his hand then up at his face. A smirk grew on the corners of his mouth a moment before he reached into his robes and drew his wand. Harry was quicker and with a flick of his wand Draco was thrown against the brick wall. Draco slumped to the floor, the wind knocked out of him as he gasped for breath. Harry reached him in two strides, grabbing him by the front of his robes and punching him across the jaw. He swiped at Draco's hand, knocking his wand away. He lifted him up slightly, again by the front of his robes before slamming his head back down on the floor. Draco's hand floundered at his side, searching for anything he could reach. He made contact with an empty glass vial and smashed it against the side of Harry's head.
Harry swore loudly as he clutched at his head and Draco knocked him away from him. He reached out for his wand and it flew into his hand as he scrambled out of the room.
"Fuck!" Harry said as he brought his hand away from his head and saw blood. He tore out of the room after Malfoy.
He quickly ducked his head just as another hex whizzed just above where it was previously, smashing into the doorframe and raining splintered pieces of wood down on him. Harry looked up to see Malfoy disappear around the curve of the stairs. He quickly followed him to the busy Slytherin common room.
Students looked up to see Draco rushing past them, shock and surprise quickly replaced their quizzical looks when they saw Harry Potter hot in pursuit. It was an outrage that a Gryffindor was befouling their space and they quickly closed in around Harry to hinder his chase. But Harry could see that Malfoy was almost to the door. With a wave of his hand a large table turned on its end and slid to block his way.
Draco skidded to a stop, falling on his bottom as he scrambled out of the way of the chunky piece of furniture. He swore under his breath and turned back to see that, although his housemates did slow Potty down a bit, he was quite effectively bulldozing his way through.
"Reducto!" he cried and the offending piece of furniture exploded, clearing the way somewhat and he scrambled out of the portrait.
"Colloportus!"
The woman in the portrait shook her head. "Sorry dearie, it won't work."
"Damn it!" Draco cursed and sprinted up the stairs of the dungeon.
Harry burst through the portrait door and quickly followed after him. He saw Malfoy just ahead of him and he sent a strong hex his way. Draco turned the corner just in time for the hex to catch the fabric of his sleeve. He sprinted forward and hid in an alcove and sent a curse toward Harry as soon as he came into view.
Harry took a step back and let the curse fly by him. He then darted across the corridor into another alcove, sending a hex in Draco's direction to keep him in place. However, a pair of Hufflepuff fourth year girls rounded the corner and Malfoy grabbed one of them and used her as a shield as he shuffled backward. Her companion ducked into a corner when she turned around and saw Harry Potter on the other end of the corridor, his wand drawn.
"Let her go, Malfoy!" he demanded.
"Not a chance, Potty!" Draco replied.
"Harry!" the girl pleaded.
Draco sent a hex toward him and he ducked out of the way, covering his head as stone fell around him. He got back to his feet and sprinted toward Malfoy. Draco looked above him and saw a heavy iron chandelier.
"Petrificus totalis!" he petrified the girl he was holding then aimed his wand to where the chandelier was attached.
"Malfoy!" Harry shouted.
Draco grinned and with a wand blast the chandelier disconnected. He left the girl where she was while he turned and ran onto a set of stairs of the moving staircases just as it was leaving the landing.
Harry dove for the girl, pushing her out of the way just in time as the chandelier came crashing to the ground. The commotion drew the attention of more students and a small crowd began to form.
"Finite incantatem," Harry said, bringing the girl out of her petrification. "Are you alright?" The girl looked up at him with wide eyes of disbelief as she soundlessly nodded she was fine. "Okay," Harry replied then helped her to sit up before he took off after Malfoy.
The Hufflepuff's friend joined her and helped her to her feet as the crowd of students watched as Harry stepped onto the moving staircase. Malfoy was already on the stairs above him.
"Shit," Draco muttered as he watched Harry step onto the stairs below him. He trotted up the end of the stairs, turned then went up another set. Harry didn't even wait, he perched himself on the banister, carefully balancing himself, timing it just right before he leapt from the banister to the other one as it passed above him and pulling himself up. Peeves suddenly showed up, sitting on the banister that Harry was holding on to.
"Need a hand?" he asked before he laughed in Harry's face.
*
The doors to the Gryffindor common room burst open and an excited first year came running in, yelling at the top of his lungs.
"HARRY POTTER AND DRACO MALFOY ARE DUELING ON THE STAIRCASES!"
"What?!" Ginny said, jumping up from her seat on the sofa.
Ron was playing chess with Neville and he shook his head. "Damn it!" he muttered and threw down a pawn as the two of them grabbed their wands and left the common room followed shortly by the other Gryffindors. Colin Creevey grabbed his camera before leaving in a rush with his brother.
Hermione was in the library studying with Anthony and Susan when Pansy Parkinson ran in and stopped in front of Blaise's table. "Potty attacked Draco and now they're fighting on the staircases."
Books, bags and homework were forgotten as the library's occupants scrambled out of their seats. As they rushed through the corridors, they joined other students as they crowded around balconies watching the fight between the Gryffindor and the Slytherin.
"Harry!" Ron and Neville said as they made their way down the stairs, waiting for it to move and rotate so they could make their way down to their friend.
Harry pulled himself up and over the banister just as Malfoy sent a Reducto his way from above. He rolled to the side to avoid the blast. Draco cast it again then again, each time missing Harry until another blast caught his attention. It came from above, where Weasley had his wand drawn. Draco sneered and sent a hex his way as the two Gryffindors ducked out of the way. Harry took the opportunity of the distraction to leap onto the staircase Draco was on.
Draco turned around and saw Harry climbing over. "Reducto!" he said and the part of the banister that Harry was hanging onto crumbled. Some of the students gasped as Harry tumbled, just catching himself on a post next to him, stopping his fall but his wand clattered to the staircase two floors beneath him. Draco grinned.
Harry looked up at him and held out his hand. "Accio wand!" he said and to Draco's surprise his own wand flew out of his hand and into Potter's. It happened so quickly that he didn't have time to think about dodging the wand blast that came his way until it hit him squarely in the chest. The pain of a very strong stinging hex had him falling to his knees.
Harry wasted no time as he pulled himself up onto the stairs and marched toward Draco. "You sick…" Harry kicked out at him, "pathetic (another kick), psychotic (another kick), fucking traitorous…" Draco grabbed Harry's foot this time and jerked his ankle. Harry flailed and grabbed the railing to keep himself from tumbling down the stairs. Draco slowly got to his feet but not before Harry tackled him. McGonagall and the other teachers finally caught wind of the fight and joined the students, stopping the staircases from moving. The abrupt cessation of motion caused Harry's momentum to be greater than it was and the two of them went over the railing. Some of the students screamed as they fell.
CRACK!!!!
There was a sharp pain in Draco's shoulder and his right arm hurt badly but the most pain came from his right leg, which was bent at an unnatural angle. He groaned in pain. Harry rolled away from him. He couldn't catch his breath, he couldn't breathe it hurt too much. His left arm was broken, he knew it by the familiar pain he felt.
~*~
Harry choked down the Skele-Gro that Madame Pomfrey gave him. He really should have been used to the flavor by now but it still wanted to make him gag. Ron, Neville, Ginny and Luna all hovered around him anxiously. Madame Pomfrey had mended the shallow cuts he had and she stitched up the side of his head where the Ferret had used it to break a glass vial. There was a small bandage covering that up. She had wrapped a bandage around his ribs (he had broken two of them) and he winced every time he moved. Those hurt the most. His left arm was in a sling and he was currently trying to button up his pajama top with one hand before Ginny tutted impatiently.
"Here let me," she said, brushing Harry's hands aside to button his top up. She looked up at Ron and Neville. "Honestly, you two," she said waspishly, "he's your best friend."
"I'm sorry Gin but it's just weird having to button up another bloke's top," Ron said apologetically.
Luna glared at her boyfriend then moved to the other side of Harry to arrange his pillows so he could sit up more comfortably. Harry wasn't used to such doting, he'd never really had that in his life except for the few times Molly had taken care of him. But he was careful not to the look like he was enjoying it too much under the watchful eyes of Ginny and Luna's boyfriends.
"Ow! Watch what you're doing woman!" Harry heard Draco yell. He hated the fact that he had to spend the night in this room with that git across from him. Pansy had apparently tried to give him the same TLC that Harry was getting and somehow failed at it. It was awkward enough as it was in that room with the group of Gryffindors and Luna huddled on one side of the room around Harry and the group of Slytherin's on the other surrounding Draco. Ron snarled at Crabbe and Goyle.
The doors opened and Hermione stepped through and stood against them as they closed behind her. It was a very frosty reception. Harry watched as she held her head up high and walked over to him.
"I just wanted to see if you were okay," she said as she approached.
"I've had better days," he replied.
"Visiting hours are over, go back to your common rooms," Madame Pomfrey announced and the groups began to disperse.
"See you, Harry."
"I'll come back tomorrow."
"Take care."
"Hermione, wait," he called out to her. She stopped and turned to look at him. "There's something you need to kn--."
"That's enough visitors for one night Mr. Potter," Madame Pomfrey fixed his bed so he could lie down.
"But, I just need to speak with her for a moment."
"Tomorrow, Mr. Potter."
But, Harry couldn't sleep.
A groan from Malfoy would pierce the air once in awhile as he tossed and turned in his bed. In addition to the month's worth of detention, near-expulsion of them both, their fates still as undecided in these halls, the headmistress thought a night without Dreamless Sleep potion or any pain-killing potion would add to the punishment.
He winced as a shot of pain went up his arm. He wanted to roll to his side but any movement like that made his ribs feel like they were on fire. The clock chimed and two gongs sounded. Two a.m. Still awake at bloody two a.m.
Maybe he was anxious. The need to throttle Malfoy had been temporarily tamped down until the next time the git opened his mouth. Now he was occupied with the thought of telling Hermione about what Draco had done to her. The possibility of salvaging their friendship was up in the air and could be decided by how he presented this to her. What happened left so many things in the air.
It was an Inhibitus potion. Not a love potion.
~*~
"You're awake," Isis hissed. Harry blinked and reached out for his glasses, bringing the snake into focus. "I wasss ssso worried about you."
"Wh-what time is it?" he asked.
"Near lunch. You misssssed the fight."
"Huh?" he asked. He didn't miss any fight. He was quite involved in it if he remembered correctly.
"Your…um…Hermione and that boy acrossss from you."
Harry tried to sit up but he winced at the dull pain in his ribs.
"You know, all your hissing is a bit distracting," Draco snarled.
"I can bite him," Isis offered.
Harry ignored her offer…for now. "I figured you'd be used to that with the company you keep."
Draco scoffed and looked away.
"Hermione was here?" Harry asked.
Draco slowly turned back to him. "Yes." A sneer grew on his face.
Harry slowly sat up. "I need to speak to her," he said in a low voice to Isis.
"But I don't think she's in the mood to see anyone after I told her about the Inhibitus potion," Draco said plainly with disinterest.
Harry stilled. "What did you tell her?" he asked slowly and softly. Scenarios played in Harry's mind of the conversation he had missed. Merlin only knew what sort of tale Malfoy spun to pawn this whole thing off one someone else, probably him.
Draco was looking at the plain white hangings around his bed as if they were the most interesting things in the room. "The truth," he shrugged.
"Your version of it?" Harry cocked an eyebrow.
"The version about how I've been using Winky to slip her the potion during meals that lowered her inhibitions and led to the eventual…" he paused and leveled his gaze at Harry, "…kiss."
Harry just stared at him.
"What's the matter Potter?" Malfoy tilted his head. "Someone steal your thunder?"
To say that Harry was pissed was an understatement. Maybe it was selfish of him to want to tell Hermione about this himself. He felt as if that would at least bring their friendship back to the starting point, but Malfoy fessing up what he had done just blew that idea out of the water. The git had now planted a seed of redemption in her mind.
"Stay away from Hermione. You've done enough to her," Harry threatened.
Draco scoffed. "You have no idea how funny it is to hear you, of all people, say that especially since you were the one who tossed her friendship aside like a useless piece of rubbish."
"Had I known what the circumstances were," Harry interjected.
"You would've done different?" he asked with an eyebrow raised. "Careful how you answer that one, Potter." Harry's fingers were itching for his wand. Draco knew it, his eyes slid to his nightstand before return back to his gaze.
"Oh good, you're awake," Madame Pomfrey said, bustling over. Isis slid off the bed but still stayed near Harry. "The Headmistress would like a word with you. But you aren't cleared yet. I expect to see you back here when you are done meeting with her."
The mediwitch made Harry sit up and he winced at the dull pain. She gave him a potion that tasted like burnt rubber but made the pain subside somewhat. At least he could put on a shirt with only mild amounts of hurt. Any sort of bending or twisting just made the little flame of pain flare. His arm was still in a sling, his ribs bandaged but at least he could walk. Draco still had his leg wrapped and elevated in the bed. Too bad Pomfrey was tending to Draco now or else a clever little severing charm would have sent the injured leg falling back to the bed with a thump. Bummer.
The halls were busy with students making their way to the Great Hall for lunch and even though McGonagall wanted to see him, he hadn't eaten in quite some time.
"Harry, you're out!" Ron exclaimed when Harry sat down across from him. "How are you feeling mate?"
"Hungry," Harry replied as he grabbed a sandwich. "Listen, I hate to just grab and go but McGonagall wants to see me."
"I'll catch you later then?" Ron asked and Harry nodded before walking away.
"Hey was that Harry?" Seamus asked as he and Lavender sat down.
"Yeah, he's on his way to see the Headmistress."
"He isn't going to get expelled is he?" Lavender asked, wrinkling her brow in worry.
Ron frowned. "I don't think so," he replied without much confidence. Was Harry going to get expelled? I mean it wasn't his fault what Malfoy had done, Harry was just…defending his friend. In a kick ass sort of way but still.
It was if the thought of Hermione had summoned her to the Great Hall. Ron watched her as she walked in and took a seat at the end of the table. Guilt ate at him. Maybe he shouldn't have been so harsh on her but…really she was kissing the ferret. Although she was being drugged and probably not completely in her senses but he really couldn't get the image out of his mind. It was hard enough to swallow losing her to Harry but, ARGH! He couldn't think about this anymore or else he'd ruin his own breakfast.
He walked over to her, not entirely sure what he should say. She was looking pretty pissed right now and he assumed that she had heard what the Ferret had done.
"Hey Hermione," he said awkwardly as he stuffed his hands in the pockets of his trousers.
She had been carefully examining the food in front of her and looked up at Ron. She wasn't saying anything but she still seemed really agitated. She picked up a muffin and peered at it before she threw it back down.
"I can't eat this," she finally declared as she tossed it back on the plate and got up from the table. Ron went after her as she marched out of the Great Hall.
"Hey Hermione! Wait!"
She stopped with a huff and turned around. "What do you want, Ron?" she demanded.
"I just wanted to talk," he replied softly, a little frightened of her mood.
"I'm really not in the mood for a heart to heart right now," she replied and continued on her way. Ron frowned and followed her back to the common room.
*****
Harry's internal warning alarms went off when he saw a few members of the Order clustered in McGonagall's office, the headmistress herself had a scowl on her face.
"Sit down, Mr. Potter," she said briskly. Harry looked at everyone cautiously before taking his seat. "Fighting or dueling of any kind is strictly forbidden within these halls," she said, frowning. "As soon as you had discovered this issue with Mr. Malfoy, it should've been brought to my attention immediately so it could be dealt with properly." Harry didn't say anything. If she was waiting for an apology from him for landing Malfoy in the hospital wing, she wasn't going to get it.
"Your punishment stands," she declared. "You will not be expelled but you will have detention every night for a month and you have no permission to participate in the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend." Harry said nothing to this. Detention was a pain in the ass but he'd been apparating off of school grounds to go into London at least once a week. Hogsmeade was no big deal.
"As for Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall turned her attention to the other members of the Order. "My request for his expulsion from this school has been…denied by the governors."
Harry flew out of his chair. "WHAT?!!"
Remus held out his arm to gently hold Harry back. "How did this happen?" he asked, calmly while Harry raged.
"I'm not entirely sure but it is clear that the Malfoy's still have some sort of control over the board considering that Lucius is officially a wanted criminal and his mother is nowhere to be found, it worries me where his support is coming from."
"One guess," Harry muttered angrily.
"I agree with the governors," came a voice so painfully familiar that Harry felt a deep emotional wound in
his chest rip open. He looked up and saw Dumbledore's portrait smiling down at him. "Hello Harry," he
said. Harry stepped back into the shadows until he hit the wall behind him.
"What do you mean, Albus?" McGonagall asked.
"Young Mr. Malfoy is at an important crossroads right now, hovering in a delicate balance. I would rather have him under our watchful eyes and protection than…under someone else's influence."
"He's a Death Eater," Moody growled.
"So was Regalus Black," Dumbledore replied. Harry knew the comment was directed at him, he could feel Dumbledore watching him as well as the other members of the Order.
~*~
His mind was heavy with thoughts and he could feel the pain-killing potion beginning to wear off when he walked through the portrait door to the common room. He only stopped by to get a change of clothes but was immediately confronted by Ron.
"Maybe you can talk some sense into her!" he exclaimed. "She's gone mad!
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, moving past him.
There she was kneeling in front of the fire on the floor of the common room tossing her knitting into the flames.
"Hermione, what are you doing?!" he asked, walking over and stopping next to her. He watched as she tossed away a handful of wooly bladders. She stopped and looked up at him.
"Are you out?" she asked.
Harry stared at her then at another handful of knitting in her hand. He knelt down next to her. "Not yet, what are you doing?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?" she answered, irritated. "S.P.E.W. is officially done with."
"What are you talking about?"
"After all I've done for them!" she shook her head. "I only wanted to make their lives better, treat them with respect, give them the same rights as everyone else." Harry could see the tears in her eyes. "But after all this time, they hate me. Hate me enough to-" She grabbed a SPEW button and moved to toss it in the fire but Harry stopped her, holding on to her wrist gently but firmly.
"Everyday I think about the sacrifices I have made, the sacrifices my friends have made to fight evil in this world so we can all have a better life. A life free of Voldemort. I think of all we have been through and all that I've seen and I wonder how people like Death Eaters can still exist. How can they be on his side? I read the paper and I see what they write about me, I get howlers everyday that are filtered off, exploding who knows where from people who criticize me as well.
"But I don't give up. I'll never give up because I know in my heart that what I'm doing is right, that it's important. You shouldn't give up, either. I know how important S.P.E.W. is to you and I would hate to see you throw it all away over a disgruntled elf who doesn't agree with you. You can't win everyone over Hermione and you're going to be constantly disappointed if you keep thinking you can."
Hermione stared at him, wondering when Harry had grown up, when he had become so wise. He let go of her wrist and she plopped the button back down with the others.
Harry stood up from the floor. "I'm going to change and get back to the hospital wing," he announced.
"I'll walk with you," Ron offered and joined his friend.
~*~
The fight between Harry and Draco remained a hot topic around the school for the next few days. The origins of the skirmish were shrouded in mystery and exaggerated in school lore. The Hufflepuff girl that Harry had saved kept blushing furiously whenever she came in proximity of him and her friend was happy to tell anyone who listened about how brave Harry had been. It made him uncomfortable, Romilda was looking a little too dreamily at him.
Harry looked down the table and saw that Hermione was, once again, absent. Dobby had informed him that he was personally delivering the meals to Hermione and Harry had given the elf some of the potion that Miles gave him to make sure that Hermione's food didn't have any extra ingredients in it.
Ron sighed and Harry turned back to look at him. He too was looking down the table at her absence. It was unsaid but it lingered between them. They were going to eventually have to talk to her. Ron said he tried but she wasn't willing to listen. There weren't a lot of opportunities to talk to her, in between classes seemed inappropriate, she wasn't in the library after school and she didn't come down for meals.
Where Harry found her that night was in the corridor next to the Room of Requirement setting traps.
"Peter's not in the castle."
Hermione looked up at him. "Huh?" He was leaning against the wall, one leg crossed in front of the other, tie undone and hanging around his neck, his arms were crossed in front of his chest.
"How do you know?" she asked. Harry reached into his robes and pulled out the Map, tapping it lightly with a finger.
"I checked but it doesn't mean that he's not somewhere around here. The Map doesn't show the chamber, in between walls and secret passages."
"Oh," she nodded solemnly.
"Need help?" he asked, putting the map away.
Hermione carefully placed the cheese in the trap with a levitating charm and set it. "No, that was the last one. I just need to empty those."
Harry looked over at the small pile of cages that had various vermin inside of them. "Well I'll help you with these then."
Hermione eyed him as she got up and dusted herself off. "That's okay, I have it." Her tone wasn't harsh but it wasn't open and inviting either.
"It's not a problem." His voice was firm as he picked up some of the cages. Hermione didn't look too pleased. "We need to talk anyway."
*
The air outside was still a little crisp but it was a clear and beautiful night. Hermione walked down the steps and turned right to a row of hedges where she set her traps down. Harry followed suit, watching how she opened the trap to release her captives so he could do the same.
"Not you again," he heard her mutter. She held up one of the cages that had a little white mouse inside of it. "This one I've caught every night since I started. He's looking forward to another free meal tonight." She tipped the cage. "Go on, you! Shoo!"
Harry looked at her.
"I'm sorry."
Hermione's hand stilled for a moment as she folded the trap. "For what?"
"I shouldn't have judged you. I should've believed that there was something wrong with you to make you want-"
"Something wrong with me, Harry?" she turned to look at him. "It was an Inhibitus potion not an Imperius curse or a stupid love potion."
"I know that, Hermione," he replied quickly. "I know you wouldn't have done it if you really didn't want to. I was just," he floundered on how to continue then decided that bluntness was probably the best way to go. "Why him? Of all people, why him?"
She sighed. "I don't know what to tell you. I messed up. I honestly thought that there was a part of him, a tiny part, that would change him. There was a side of him that was different than what we've seen. I thought he could be redeemable."
"Hermione, he's a Death Eater, deep down you knew that. He's the one who tortured you all these years, he's a sick racist. He's the one who attempted to kill Dumbledore the one who let in all those Death Eaters to attack the school."
She held up a hand. "I know all that, okay? And it makes me sick to my stomach that I even had those feelings
in the first place. What can I say?" she demanded. "For a time, I honestly thought he was just as scared and
lost in this whole war as we are. I made a stupid mistake, Harry. I'm only human."
"I know that."
"Do you? Because you seem to be more forgiving to Ron who left me alone when Dolohov attacked than you were of me."
Harry looked guiltily away. Hermione emptied the last trap then piled them in her arms before standing up and walking away. Harry reached out and stopped her. "I messed up."
"So did I," she replied.
"Then how do we fix this?" he asked softly.
"Harry," she sighed heavily.
"I need to fix this…us," he interrupted. "Because I don't think I can do this without you. Not without your…friendship. And I honestly don't know how to get us back there."
"I don't think we can go back," she said slowly. "But…I think we can start something new."
Harry could live with that. "I'm sorry," he said. "For everything."
"Me too, Harry. Honestly, I am."
"Listen, I've got a game of chess that I have to get my ass kicked at but it would be nice if you would sit down and join the rest of us."
"I'm going to set the rest of these traps tonight," she replied.
"You know, I know someone who has a particular affinity for brown colored rats. She's probably a lot more effective because she can go through the pipes and cracks in the walls."
"Isis?" Hermione guessed. "Well, we need all the help we can get."
"Well, should we get started?" he asked, gesturing to the traps.
Hermione held them closer to her chest. "Thank you but I think I've got it from here." He could take a hint.
"Okay then. I hope I'll see you tonight then?"
*
He did see her that night. She walked in then went straight up to her room. He exhaled long and slow. Ron moved his eyes from Hermione back to Harry.
"I really don't know what to do, mate," he said, shaking his head.
Harry moved his knight to take out a pawn. "You shouldn't have left her alone that day."
Ron narrowed his eyes. "You don't think I feel guilty about that? But I was pretty pissed off that day and for good reason."
Harry sighed and rubbed his jaw as he watched Ron's queen swing her staff and knock his king flat on his back.
~*~
"Okay, remember to look for a brown rat," Harry hissed.
"Oooh, I love brown ratssss," Isis replied, itching to get on with the hunt but Harry still held on to her.
"Specifically one with a silver paw."
"What kind of crazy rat hasss a sssilver paw?"
"And don't kill it."
"Where'sss the fun in the hunt?"
"Bring it back alive." Harry gently placed Isis down and she slithered toward a large crack in the baseboard.
"Not even a nibble?" she asked, looking back.
"Isis," Harry said sternly.
Isis hissed and bared her fangs. "Fine," she hissed and continued on her way.
"Good luck," Hermione called out after her feeling kind of weird to be saying that to a snake.
Harry took out the Marauder's Map and began to scan it. "You know, Neville brought up the idea that I should start up the DA again."
"It's not a bad idea, especially after what happened last year."
"And since we've got a spy in our midst."
"If Isis is as good as you say she is, you may want to use her to keep a watch out for Peter if in fact you do anything like that. Maybe even during Order meetings or when you go down into the Chamber," Hermione advised.
"Hmm, that`s not a bad idea," he said thoughtfully.
The two of them stood there facing each other, a million thoughts running through each other's heads. Hermione realized how much she had missed Harry, as a friend and as…much more. Harry was battling internally whether he should reach out and touch her or just cut his losses and walk away.
Walking away won.
"I've got detention," he said, nodding his head to his left in the direction he was to go.
"I'm going to check on the traps," Hermione gestured in the opposite direction.
"Be careful," he said to her and she nodded. He watched her until she turned the corner before he made his way to the dungeons.
Draco was already there, sitting at a desk in the empty classroom. Professor Smith was in charge of detention today and she sat on top of the desk in the front of the room, legs crossed and swinging slightly.
"The Headmistress wishes to see you right away," she said lazily as she filed her nails. "You're out of detention for tonight but you will make it up with one extra night at the end."
Harry looked at Draco who was busy scribbling down `I will not duel in the halls' over and over again on a very, very, very long piece of parchment. They had to do that yesterday and Harry's writing hand involuntarily cramped up again at the thought. He massaged it as he nodded to his teacher and left the room to go upstairs.
Once again, the feeling of unease settled into his stomach when he walked in the room to find the Minister of Magic Scrimgeour and his assistant Percy Weasley waiting patiently for him along with McGonagall. His eyes flitted to the Dumbledore's portrait that didn't look at all happy. Anxiety made his nerves dance on end.
"Good evening, Mr. Potter," McGonagall greeted him with a nod of her head that indicated that she wanted him to take a seat. Harry did so, but not comfortably.
"It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance again, Mr. Potter," Scrimgeour said politely with a smile
that only a politician could master. Percy immediately began to scribble down notes, not even giving Harry a greeting.
Not that he cared. "I hope you are doing well?"
"Yes, sir." Harry's answer was polite with no hint of a subtext.
"Very good, very good. Well we should just get right down to it, shall we? No need to waste any time, it's already so late." He reached for the tartan tin on McGonagall's desk and helped himself to the biscuits inside. Percy stopped writing and looked eagerly at the minister.
"If I understand correctly, you have benefited greatly from some training received by the Auror department." He looked over at Harry whose face was passive. "I've been reading in the papers all about your…heroic endeavors. Taking a bit of the spotlight away from the true and ministry authorized aurors, aren't you?" The sound of the quill scratching stopped and Percy frowned at Harry.
"I underwent the same training as the rest of my class and---"
"But you're not an auror are you? Shacklebolt seemed to have glossed over the fact that you have not finished your schooling at Hogwarts and are thereby…unqualified to be in the program."
Harry stared hard at him. "What's your point?" he asked flatly, getting to the bottom of this discussion.
"My point is, Harry, the Ministry as of late has been suffering from some bad PR since You-Know-Who has sprung up again. And articles printed in the Quibbler of the last few attacks have portrayed you as some kind of hero to the people, taking away the spotlight from all the hard work me and my staff have been doing to prevent these attacks."
"If you don't mind me saying, sir, but you and your staff are doing a horrible job of it," Harry said coldly. Dumbledore's picture smirked.
Scrimgeour frowned. "I had asked you once before to speak on behalf of the Ministry to the people."
"You wanted me to lie and tell them that you are doing a great job as Minister. Are you asking me to lie again?"
Percy cleared his throat and gave Harry a stern but pointed look. Harry ignored him.
"I came to you last year at a most difficult time. Time has passed and I'm hoping that you'll take my offer into consideration."
"My answer is still the same," he replied.
There was silence as Scrimgeour stared at him, even Percy had paused in his writing and looking at Harry with a scowl of disappointment on his face. Harry didn't back down from his defiant look. He was Dumbledore's man through and through.
"That is a shame, Mr. Potter. I was hoping we could work something out." Scrimgeour turned and picked up his cloak from the armchair he had tossed it on and dusted some residual floo powder off of it before he put it on. "You are thereby terminated from the Auror program at the Ministry-"
"What?!" Harry jumped out of the chair and looked at Scrimgeour then McGonagall. "You can't do that!"
"All rights and privileges that go along with such a position are hereby terminated immediately."
"Professor," Harry turned to the Headmistress who shook her head.
"It's out of my jurisdiction," she replied. Scrimgeour contined on.
"You are to turn in your uniforms, any books and equipment and your badge. You will have nothing to do with the Aurors. This shall go down in your permanent record and will be used in the decision should you try to apply for the Auror training program again." He turned to McGonagall. "Professor McGonagall, I thank you for your time and use of your office although I'm afraid it was all in vain. Good night and good luck, Mr. Potter."
With a swish of his cloak he left the office with Percy, nose up in the air with a sniff of disapproval went following after him. Harry just couldn't believe that he came from the same family as his best friend, he had even liked him, thought he was an okay bloke at one time.
"How could you let this happen?" he turned to McGonagall.
"It was out of my hands, Mr. Potter. I have no jurisdiction over the Minister."
Dumbledore's portrait spoke out. "You did the right thing, Harry?"
Harry looked at the two of them in disbelief. "The right thing?" he scoffed. "I'm out of the Auror program. I wanted to be an auror. I liked being an auror." He backed away and left the office in a huff.
He was mad. Pissed off. He had never felt so angry. Since fifth year he had wanted to be an auror, a dark wizard catcher. It was something he was almost born to do and now Scrimgeour had taken it all away because he didn't want to play his stupid political games.
"Move it!" he shouted to a group of third year Ravenclaws who had gathered in the middle of the corridor. He practically plowed right through them on his warpath back to the common room.
Hermione came around the corner, traps in her arms and nearly ran into him.
"Harry! What are you-"
He brushed past her, muttering colorful language under his breath. She went after him, trotting to keep up as he shouted the password to the Fat Lady ("There's no need to be rude!")
Tonks was in the common room waiting for him, sitting and chatting with Ron. "Wotcher, Harry," she said as she took in his demeanor. "We're all pretty pissed about it. Remus is furious and Shacklebolt is too."
Harry stared at her. "I suppose you're here to collect my things," he said harshly. He didn't mean to be so mean but he was so angry that he took it out on her. She didn't seem to be completely affected by his words. She gave him a patronizing look instead.
"A house elf had been notified and was sent to collect your things, already."
"Well, isn't that convenient?" he snarled.
"Harry what's going on?" Ron asked.
"You aren't expelled, are you?" Hermione asked with worry and concern on her face.
He whirled to face her. "No I'm not expelled from Hogwarts. There are worse things than that, Hermione. But you wouldn't know because you're all books and cleverness and snogging Ferrets!" FUCK! He didn't mean that.
"Harry!" Tonks scolded.
"Hermione…fuck, I didn't mean that," Harry said apologetically, not caring about his language in front of his Head of House. "I'm just so angry and I took it out on you and…oh fuck it all." He threw his hands up in the air in a gesture of surrender before turning and dashing up to the boy's dormitory, slamming the door loudly in his wake.
Hermione and Ron turned to Tonks for an explanation. "Scrimgeour kicked Harry out of the Auror program."
"He can't do that!" Ron blurted out.
"No!" Hermione gasped, dropping her traps. They clattered to the floor in chimes of clangs. "Why?"
"Harry didn't want to be his poster boy," Tonks sighed.
"And for good reason!" Hermione said. "He's been after Harry since he had been elected Minister, asking him to tell people what a good job he's doing. What a joke!"
"This whole thing is so messed up," Tonks sighed. "I just wanted to come by and see how Harry was faring to the news. I knew he wouldn't agree to Scrimgeour's offer." She sighed wearily and left the room.
Hermione and Ron looked at each other. Usually Hermione was the one to go upstairs and try to talk to Harry, calm him down, make him feel better. Ron shifted from one foot to the other.
"I guess I should…" His voice trailed off as he jerked his head in the direction of the dormitory.
Hermione just stood there, awkward. "Yes, I suppose you should."
Ron walked to the stairs and stopped to turn around and look back at Hermione. She was kneeling on the floor picking up her traps that she had dropped earlier. He looked back up at the closed door. The two of them should really be going up there, Harry needed them. He frowned. At least, he thought Harry did. Right now, Ron wasn't sure what exactly Harry needed.
Coming Up: What did Hermione and Draco say to each other? The return of the DA perhaps? And Harry and Hermione do a little investigating together.
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