Chapter 17: Malfoy's Promise
She isn't dead, I only stunned her. Madame Pomfrey will see her right in a second. She wont be dead…I haven't killed her.
Wild, panicky, illogical, half-formed thoughts such as these raced around Harry's head as he hauled Hermione's limp, but still warm, body along the empty corridors. It was cold and dark, Harry's heavy footsteps echoed and reverberated around him and the embers of the once flaming torches crackled vaguely as they died out. It was twisted luck, Harry thought, that he had spent a great deal of his Hogwarts life getting injured; it allowed him to find his way to the Hospital Wing in the dark.
It was also quite alarming that Harry was able to stumble all the way from the Gryffindor Common room to the hospital wing, which was quite a distance, without running into Filch, Mrs Norris or any of the teachers. Especially when he making so much noise. Harry considered the possibility that most of the teachers were patrolling the more hidden parts of Hogwarts looking for loved-up, or lusted up, couples attempting to break the most sacred of the school rules. After all, the boys were deemed too untrustworthy to enter the girl's dormitory. Harry had to agree, he would have been thinking to try and break that rule about now, if Ron hadn't interrupted him…
He couldn't even think about Ron, or what he wanted to do to him. If his wild thoughts about Hermione's condition were dominating his mind then thinking about painful revenges to visit upon Ron pulled a close second. He had called Hermione a Mudblood, which was bad enough, but to pull her in front of Harry's spell to protect himself, that was something else. A crime Harry doubted would have an excruciating enough punishment to suit it. Although Filch's desire to hang students by their thumbs till death did now have its merits…
Harry reached the Hospital Wing to find it busy with students. The room seemed to have been divided into sections, each catering for a bizarre affliction. There was a section dedicated to girls who had tried to curse acne and pimples from their faces, and were now left with angry boils and sore craters. There was a section for boys who had clearly tried to charm their muscles into growing, leaving many looking like their biceps had been inflated to cartoon-hero level, and some were even floating around and bouncing off the ceiling.
Another section was full of girls with what looked liked large breezeblocks around their chests. Harry wasn't sure what these girls had tried to do until he overheard Madame Pomfrey speaking to one.
'Just try to use tissue next time, much easier and much less risky!'
Another group, a mix of boys and girls, were sat on beds in one corner, all crying and holding their chests. Madame Pomfrey explained to Harry what their ailment was.
'Broken Hearts, I'm afraid,' she said sadly, 'its what happens when a Love Potion backfires, or an Attraction Charm doesn't work. You can try all you like but if the heart and soul aren't in it, on both sides, it just doesn't work. And the pain is torturous for those poor people. I did it myself, once. Love is hardest on youth I think. Now dear…what has happened here!'
'She was Stunned,' said Harry dismally, 'can you help her?"
'Stunned?' Madame Pomfrey cried, 'How did she-'
'Does it matter?' Harry cut across, 'Can you do anything?'
'Well - yes…yes, of course. I suppose this is because of a row is it? With another boy perhaps? Had one in here earlier, two girls fighting over a boy. Scram marks on the face, clumps of hair pulled out, teeth knocked out and pride severely dented.'
'Why?'
'One of the girls ripped the other one's dress and she was…well, shall we say…exposed. This Muggle trend of ignoring underwear in favour of looking fashionable, I shall never agree with it. More trouble than its worth.'
Madame Pomfrey helped Harry to move Hermione to a bed, still muttering her discontent with young people's fashion ideas. She pointed her wand at Hermione and muttered 'enervate!' Hermione came around immediately, startled at being in the Hospital Wing.
'Harry! Are you ok? What are we doing - oh my,' said Hermione sitting up quickly, which apparently was a bad idea as she came over rather dizzy. Madame Pomfrey pushed her back down and told her to rest; Harry was just glad she was all right.
'What happened?' Hermione asked, 'One minute we were in the common room, then I'm here. Last thing I remember was you and - Harry! What happened with Ron, where is he?'
'Back in the dormitory,' Harry said, 'he dragged you in front of my spell when I tried to Stun him. It hit you instead. I'm sorry…do you hate me? You do don't you?'
'No, don't be so silly,' she said encouragingly, taking his hand from the bed and squeezing it tight, 'I just wanted to make sure you weren't hurt. How did you get that scar on your forehead?'
'Are you kidding?' Harry asked in incredulously.
'No, not that scar,' said Hermione with a grin, 'that other one. You've got a big red mark in the middle of your head, didn't you know?'
'Must've been from where I head butted Ron,' said Harry vaguely.
'Where you what!' Hermione yelled making several people look up, 'What do you mean head butted Ron?'
'Well, he was crouching down after you were hit by my spell…I was really angry…it was all I could think to do.'
'You head butted him? You head butted him! Harry, what is the matter with you?'
'I'm sorry,' mumbled Harry, 'but it was his fault. He made me hurt you. If anything worse had happened…then worse things would have happened to Ron, trust me on that.'
Harry wasn't sure if it was the news of the head butt, his dark tone of voice or his declaration of protecting Hermione by using violence against his best friend, but she drew him into a hug so tight it felt like she was trying to squeeze the anger out of him. It seemed to work; Harry hugged her back as she muttered about what she was going to have to do with him. Harry had a few ideas himself, but thought that maybe now wasn't the best time to air them.
'Well,' Madame Pomfrey said as she swept past them, a rare smile on her face, 'at least one couple managed to stay in love tonight!'
Harry and Hermione just smiled unblinkingly at each other.
Harry had to leave Hermione under the care of the matron that night and so trundled back to the Gryffindor common room alone. He bumped into his least favourite person at Hogwarts on his return trip.
'Out of bed again, Potter,' said Snape silkily. He, like all the teachers, had dressed up in fancy dress for the party and looked quite menacing in his Sheriff of Nottingham costume, 'Five points from Gryffindor. And, though I cant see her,' Snape said looking around Harry then feeling the air, that Harry knew was an attempt to find a Invisibility Cloaked person, 'Miss Granger-Potter must be with you somewhere, or at some time. Five points for the likely acts of disgusting fornication you have undoubtedly engaged in. It should be more, really, considering that it is a school rule. And, if you dare to insult me back, more points will be taken off for that. Now get to bed, Mr Potter.'
Snape snarled before whisking past Harry and disappearing silently into the hush of Hogwarts. Harry stormed back to Gryffindor Tower, his warm fuzzy feeling left back with Hermione in the Hospital Wing. Harry climbed the dormitory stairs, not caring how many people he woke up with the noise. He slammed into the dormitory to find Neville and Dean asleep, Ron feigning sleep, but two shapes jumped under Seamus' hangings.
'I'd be careful if I were you,' said Harry at the giggles of Seamus and a voice undoubtedly belonging to Parvati, 'Snape's on the warpath. The teachers have ways of knowing what's going on. I'd be a little quieter if I were you.'
Harry couldn't help grinning at the giggles anyway as he tumbled into bed. The noises coming from Seamus bed reminded him of the good things that had happened that night. As he lay, still in his dress robes, on top of his covers he forgot about Snape and his anger. Who cares about losing house points, he thought, after what has happened tonight.
He was going over it all in his mind, the dance, the kiss, even the hug in the hospital wing. He was comparing it to what had happened with Cho, how he was unsure how he felt about it, nervous about seeing her again. This was different; he wanted to see Hermione, right now. He wanted to kiss her again, but for longer this time and with no interruptions. Speaking of which…
'Harry, can I talk to you?'
'Get lost, Ron.'
'Harry, please...'
'Harry, please!' Harry mocked, 'Harry nothing. I've got absolutely nothing to say to you. What you did…I didn't think you'd ever do something like that. Not to me, not to her. How could you?'
'That's what I want to talk about,' Ron said, 'I need you're help, Harry.'
'Tough,' Harry replied, despite the Hermione-like voice in his mind telling him that he really should hear Ron out.
'I deserve this, I know I do,' Ron said.
It was something in his voice that seemed to crack through Harry's resistance. It wasn't high-pitched and shrill anymore, it was his normal voice and it was afraid. Harry couldn't ever recall Ron asking for help on anything. Even homework. It was this more than anything that made Harry consider Ron's request.
'I might talk to you in the morning,' he said, 'I'm too tired now.'
'I want to talk now. I need to talk now,' said Ron, his voice laced with anxiety, 'and I know you won't sleep. Too busy thinking about your kiss with Hermione.'
'His what?' yelled Dean and Seamus together, even Parvati popped her head out of the hangings, though she was covering herself from her neck down.
'I don't want to talk now,' said Harry, the heat rising in his face, 'and I wont. I'll talk to you in the morning. If I talk to you now I'll probably end up smacking you again. And you'll deserve it again.'
'You'll do what?' came the eavesdroppers chorus.
'Go to sleep! All of you. Miss Patil! Back to your own dormitory immediately. And put something on, girl!'
Harry quickly fell asleep, this despite Professor McGonagall berating Parvati for what sounded like the entire length of Gryffindor Tower.
By the next morning it appeared that several of Harry's secrets had leaked out. Despite being alone during the incident, almost all the details of Harry's kiss with Hermione had flown around Gryffindor Tower, and subsequently around the school. Harry wasn't sure how much of this was frighteningly accurate guesswork and elaboration on rumour or if someone had actually been watching them. He suspected that the non-stop flapping mouths of Seamus, Dean and Parvati contributed to the reports, but they were still bafflingly correct.
Harry's other secret was that people were guessing the source of his and Ron's injuries. The mark on his forehead had now developed into a large and puffy lump that stuck out above his nose in a most unsightly way. Ron, however, was much worse off. Harry had never before head butted a person; he had scrapped with Dudley when they were younger and thrown pointless punches and resorting to biting when Dudley hurt him. He had also punched Malfoy several times during his Hogwarts career, something that he ranked up with his proudest achievements.
But head butts were new to him and, despite the pain it caused him and the lump it gave him, Harry decided this was something he was good at, if Ron's face was anything to go by. He hadn't gone to Madame Pomfrey in the night but he was in so much agony that he had to go before breakfast. Harry saw him enter the Great Hall and felt the slightest pang of guilt when he realised what he had done. Ron had bloomed two spectacular black eyes that were a deep mixture of violet and dark blue and his nose was crooked from where it had been broken.
'You look terrible,' said Harry as Ron sat down.
'Thanks,' said Ron, a sort of self-impressed smile on his face, 'you look awful two. Nice lump you gave yourself. I saw Hermione by the way, she's fine. She'll be along in a minute.'
It was strange sitting there talking to Ron like this; it was as if their fight was a watershed of the angst between them and it now seemed resolved. It was as if the fight had been just what they needed.
'Look,' said Harry, 'sorry about your nose. And your eyes. I shouldn't have done that.'
'Don't worry,' said Ron grinning, 'it was a good butt; Fred and George would be proud of my black eyes. I'm not even going to start saying sorry about what I did to Hermione. I know sorry just doesn't cover what I said or did. And I mean all year, not just last night.'
'What do you mean?'
'Everyone knows, Harry,' said Ron tentatively, 'about you and Hermione. It's obvious. The teachers know, people in other houses know. Its been a shock that it only took you two till last night to realise it.'
'What, exactly?'
'That you two are mad about each other. I've known it since I saw you in Diagon Alley before term started. There's just something between you…I feel it every time you're together. Literally. Its like a heat.'
'Is it? Then why have you been stopping us getting together?'
'You are together, you just haven't said it yet. I don't know why I've been acting so weird. I've wanted you to get together for ages. I knew Hermione wasn't interested in me and so I stopped bothering, but something kept me at it. I wanted to come up and tell you to ask her out, but every time I saw you it was like I was taken over…something making me be horrible to you.'
'So what's changed?'
'Dunno. I'm just able to say it this time. I don't know why. I've felt like it since last night. I was on my way back up to the common room after the ball…I was going to just tell you to go to Hermione and tell her you're in love with her. Don't look like that! You know are! When I went through the portrait hole I just lost it, I was taken over again. But its gone now. I don't know why.'
Harry could sense the sincerity in Ron's voice, even if part of him still wanted to be angry with him. Ron wore a look of such sorrow and shame that Harry was forgiving him in spite of himself. He was still angry with Ron for what he'd done but that familiar voice in the back of his head was guiding him against his better judgement.
'I'm just sorry for being a total prat all year. I just hope I haven't messed things up between you and Hermione,' said Ron pitifully.
'Don't worry, you haven't,' said Hermione.
Harry stood up and span to face Hermione and was hugging her before he knew what he was doing. Several people were giggling nearby and a chorus of girls were swooning somewhere. Harry didn't care; Hermione was ok and was hugging him back in front of all these people.
'Harry, can I sit down now please?' Hermione giggled.
'Oh, yeah…sorry,' said Harry.
'Are you two talking?' Hermione asked hopefully.
Harry and Ron looked at each other for a minute.
'Yeah,' said Ron.
Hermione clapped her hands together and drew them both into a hug.
'Lets not fight anymore, ok?' Hermione pleaded.
Harry had to agree. It was much easier to live in peace than to exist in war.
It was a few days before the end of term. Ron was talking excitedly about going home for Christmas; his family were going out to Norway to visit Charlie. Ron said he would look out for Norbert and bring back a photo for Hagrid. Harry wasn't overly exuberant about Christmas, though, for not only was Ron going home but Hermione was going skiing again to make up for last year's fiasco trip.
'I can cancel it, you know,' said Hermione trying to console Harry, 'I told you, skiing isn't really my thing. I'm not great at it, to be honest. I'd much rather stay here…with you. It'd be great, actually, because we'd probably be on our own.'
'No,' said Harry, 'I don't want you to do that. No, I didn't mean that…I do want you to do that. I'd love you to stay with me but, its not fair. I won't ask you and I don't want to ruin another Christmas for you.'
'What are you on about?' Hermione cried, 'You didn't ruin last Christmas for me. You made it better for me actually; I didn't think I'd get to see you at all. I jumped at the chance when Dumbledore said I could go and see you, spend the holidays with you. No, I'm decided, I'll stay here.'
'No,' said Harry firmly, 'You're going away with your parents. And that's that.'
Hermione wasn't herself for the next few days. She kept trying to persuade Harry to change his mind, but he wasn't about to. He decided that he deprived Mr and Mrs Granger of Hermione enough as it was and he had to concede some time. Then, one day before the school broke up, Hermione became obsessed again.
'I've had a great idea, Harry!' she said running into lunch from her Arithmancy class, 'I've solved all our problems! I can't believe I didn't think of it before.'
Hermione was positively skipping around the place, her eyes wide and alive and a smile etched onto her face.
'Well?' Harry asked after a while, 'What's your plan?'
'Well, I thought…you know, what if you come skiing with me?' Hermione said brightly, 'Its perfect. Mum and Dad get to see me and we get to be together. Away from here. What do you think?'
Harry didn't answer at once. He wasn't convinced that Hermione's plan was the best one ever. Still, it did have its merits. The problem was that Harry was starting to feel he was encroaching on the Granger family a little more than was welcome. He didn't want to push the boat too far. He voiced these concerns to Hermione who shot him down at once.
'Don't be ridiculous,' she said, 'Mum and Dad love you, they said so when you stayed over the summer. They wont mind you coming. Especially if it'll make me happy.'
'And will it?' Harry asked.
'Course it will!' Hermione cried, 'My parenst are always on at me to look a little happier when I'm skiing. Now I'll have a reason to. Can I borrow Hedwig? I'll send a letter to my Mum and see what she says.'
'Yeah,' said Harry, though he didn't hold out much hope.
Hermione jumped up, checked around the hall to make sure she wasn't being watched, and gave Harry a little peck before skipping off towards the owlery.
'Doing well there, Harry,' sniggered Dean.
'Shouldn't be watching, you perv,' laughed Harry, 'not doing to badly yourself for that matter.'
Harry nodded and winked at Lavender, who was clinging onto Dean's arm. She blushed and smiled back. Harry was starting to think maybe Christmas wouldn't be so bad after all.
This had all changed by the evening. Harry thought that Hedwig must have flown at supersonic speed to reach the Grangers and get back to Hogwarts in the same day but she did manage it. Hermione was ferverish when Hedwig pecked at the common room window to be let in and it was she who opened the window and unclipped the return letter from the owls foot. She opened the letter, still smiling, as Hedwig soared over to Harry, who fed her with owl treats that he'd been carrying in case she did return.
As Harry fed Hedwig he didn't notice the change in Hermione's expression. Gone was the expectant delight, replaced by a look that started off as horror and dismay before turning to anger and complete disdain.
'What is it?' Harry called over.
'That…how could they…why would they…here,' she replied before thrusting the letter into Harry's hand. As he read, he felt his face turn white.
Dear Hermione
Its so good to hear from you, sweetheart, we have been so worried. Your father and I have discussed your letter but we have to say your request is absolutely out of the question. We thought that Harry was such a nice boy when he stayed here during the summer but we were apparently mistaken. We wish you to have nothing more to do with him and when we see you in a few days you are in trouble young lady.
You see, we had a most unexpected visitor the other day. He was a boy from your school, showed us his wand and everything. Anyway, he said he was one of your best friends and that he was only coming to us to tell us something bad about you because he was concerned for your well-being. He told us that it is common knowledge in your school that you and Harry are an item, not that this surprised us after what we saw in the summer. What he told us next, however, shocked us greatly.
He told us that it is also common knowledge that you are pregnant and that you and Harry are planning to elope. I don't think I need to emphasise how disappointed your father and I are about this but we will support you in whatever you do, except in keeping a relationship with Mr Potter. You are to cease all contact with him at once.
See you soon,
Lots of Love,
Mum and Dad xxx
P.s. The boy from Hogwarts didn't give his name, but he was very striking with white-blond hair. He said he will be back around to keep us informed about your activities. Thank him for coming to us wont you? You could do worse than to choose someone like him for your next boyfriend.
Harry sat open mouthed. Hermione was pacing, ranting in total fury. It was lucky, Harry thought, that it was quite late and most people were in bed as Hermione's language was quite choice.
'I don't believe this!' Hermione yelled after a few minutes, 'How could they think that…I mean, what kind of girl do they think I…how they could think you…'
Hermione wasn't making much sense and, despite her anger, Harry had to raise a concern.
'The most important thing is how Malfoy found where your parents live,' said Harry quietly.
'What's this got to do with Malfoy?'
It dawned on Harry that Hermione was so upset about not being allowed to take Harry skiing, and that her parents thought her to be pregnant, that she hadn't taken in the whole of the letter.
'It was him,' said Harry, 'look, 'white-blond hair,' it has to be him. Who else looks like that and who would want to make people think badly of me?'
The shock registered with Hermione then.
'Malfoy!' she hissed maliciously, 'I will kill him!'
'No, no,' said Harry, 'I've already called shotgun on that.'
'I have to go and see mum and dad, tell them about Malfoy. What a pig he is. I'll convince them. You will come skiing with me, no matter what mum and dad say.'
'But how? There's no time.'
'I'll use the Floo Network. I'll ask Dumbledore in the morning, I'll use his fire. That's why I asked for a fireplace to be put in my house, so I could get linked up to the network. I'll go now actually, he might still be awake.'
Harry tried to protest, but it was no good. Hermione was gone in a swish of her robes and a raise of her hand to silence Harry's concerns. It was as he sat there waiting for her return that the real nature of what had happened hit him like a head butt. It didn't matter that Malfoy had spread lies about him; although it hurt, it didn't even matter much that Mr and Mrs Granger now disliked him. What was important was this one fact: Malfoy knew where the Grangers lived. And if Malfoy knew, then his father knew. This had terrible consequences.
Harry realised that if Lucius Malfoy knew where the Grangers lived then there had to be a reason for it. This reason soon entered Harry's mind: they were trying to get to him. They knew Hermione would be his weakness, the point where they could make him vulnerable. But they couldn't get to her directly, at least not in school. But they could get to her parents, at any time. They were Muggles, defenceless against magic. In short, Hermione's connection with Harry had one terrible upshot; it had put her parents in mortal danger.
Apparently, Dumbledore had come to the same conclusion. Harry was beside himself with worry when Hermione emerged from the portrait hole, looking a mixture of satisfied and bemused. Harry was glad to see her, but perhaps even happier to see Dumbledore.
'Professor!' Harry yelled, 'I've just worked it out…we have to do something…they're in danger!'
'Silence, Harry,' smiled Dumbledore, 'Clearly, we have been thinking along the same lines tonight. Ever since Miss Granger burst into my office half an hour ago and told me her story I have been thinking about its implications. Clearly, you have also been thinking this. For this reason, though she didn't know it at the time, I accompanied Miss Granger to her parents house. Luckily, they were still awake, though I daresay we gave them quite a shock when we popped out of their fireplace!'
Hermione giggled.
'After Miss Granger had calmed down, and stopped yelling at her parents, I explained to them about Mr Malfoy and about your mutual enmity. I assured them, as Miss Granger did with a slightly more colourful vocabulary, that rumours of a baby between you were total fabrication. I also told them that I would trust you with my life, and as a result I'm sure one day I will have to!
'They apologised to their daughter and it was then that I told them that I would prefer it for you to accompany them on their excursion to France. I will front the expenses, of course, but I want them to take you for the same reason I asked them to take you in over the summer.'
'You asked them to take me?' Harry asked startled.
'They never said anything!' said Hermione, again looking outraged, 'Why did you ask us to look after him?'
'It was the other way around Miss Granger,' said Dumbledore lightly.
'Huh?'
'Let me explain, I have known Harry very well since he began at Hogwarts. As I told him last year, no one could argue that we have always enjoyed a relationship that goes beyond mere teacher and pupil. Through this connection, I have known for some time that Harry has been developing strong feelings for you. I have sufficient skills as a Legilimens to know this, though I didn't need to use these to know his heart. It is written in his eyes, I was eager to begin Occlumency classes him to confirm this.
'Suspecting, as I did, that Harry considered you as more than a friend I though it best to send him to you. The reasons for this were many and varied but two were most crucial. Firstly, I wished to encourage Harry in this relationship. You are better for Harry than you can possibly know, Miss Granger; a powerful influence on every aspect of his life, even if sometimes he doesn't fully appreciate this. His power, one that will eventually be of great use to him, streams from his feelings for you. It enabled him to stave off possession by Lord Voldemort last year.
'The second reason is that as I suspected Harry's partiality to you then it was possible that Lord Voldemort knew, or suspected, it also. After all, he was privy to Harry's emotions last year. With this in mind I thought it likely that you, or your family, could become a target to get to Harry. And now this seems more likely than ever. I sent him to you not, as I had said, for you to look after him, but for him to look after, and protect, you.'
'What?' Hermione said, looking at Harry with such a mixture of emotions that he didn't know where to start defining them.
'How could I have protected them if we were attacked?' Harry asked.
'Because, Harry,' explained Dumbledore, 'your feelings for Miss Granger mean you will never let anyone harm her. If Lord Voldemort, or anyone else, tried to hurt her that power in you, the one of which the Dark Lord has none, would explode from you with such force that nothing could withstand it. You felt a little of it during your little spat with Mr Weasley I believe. The reason he isn't dead is because you feel too deeply for him, you are too good as friends for you to harm him mortally. Despite his strange actions you know that somewhere he is the same young man that you call your best friend.
'It is for this reason that Miss Granger's parents are only too happy to take you away with them. They feel guilty for falling victim to the dark side, Harry. I just hope they don't become even greater victims to its power.'
'But what about the law?' Harry asked, 'I don't want to get expelled, but I will if I use magic.'
'I encouraged the real Minister for Magic to insert a decree that allows you to use magic if you need to,' said Dumbledore.
'What do you mean, real Minister for Magic?' Hermione asked.
'Cornelius Fudge has not held the post for some time,' explained Dumbledore, 'He resigned after Voldemort walked into the Ministry. Instead, another man has been running the Ministry, but we have kept Fudge on as cover, It's a very covert operation.'
'Then who's the real Minister?'
'Someone you know,' smiled Dumbledore, 'Think of it like this: holidays to Norway aren't the cheapest at this time of year.'
Harry looked at Hermione and she looked back. Comprehension dawned at the same time.
'Arthur Weasley!' they chirped together.
'Enjoy your holidays!' smiled Dumbledore.
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