Summary: After Harry defeated the Dark Lord in their last year of Hogwarts; the trio went their separate ways leading Hermione to a Muggle University. Yet after dark activity is spotted at her school, Harry and Ron come down to join her once again to solve the case. Unfortunately after Harry finally realizes his feeling for Hermione, he finds himself not only fighting for the wizarding world, but also fighting for the woman he loves.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to J K Rowling and Warner brothers.
Beta Reader: Kathryn Mason-Sykes and James
College Life
Chapter 7: Draco
After storming out of Hermione's, Harry continued straight to his first class, which, to his dismay, was karate. He had grown quite fond of the class, but at the moment he was not looking forward to coming in contact with that raging ball of emotions also known as Hermione. He walked in with his nice, crisp, black uniform and stood at attention waiting for class to begin. As he stood there with the rest of his classmates, he could not help but notice that Hermione did not appear to be coming today. Harry just stood there, thinking, 'I see, Queen Hermione is too busy to grace us with her presence.' Although he was partially relieved that she didn't show up, he was also disappointed that she didn't even think that it was necessary to go to her classes any more. To appease his mind, Harry thought to himself, 'I think that a Hermione-free class of some ass-kicking is just what I need to forget about everything.' Unfortunately, fate had other plans for him.
"Mr. Potter…" the Sensei called, "Mr. Potter,may I have a word with you?"
Pulling himself out of his stupor, Harry quickly walked over to his professor. "Yes sir, you called me?"
The teacher, who was still getting the class materials out of his backpack, put down the book he had in hand and turned to Harry slowly. "Yes, I was just wondering if you've heard from Hermione lately."
Harry looked at his professor quizzically. "Yes I have. Why do you ask?"
The Sensei shifted his books nervously before saying, "I was just worried about her. She has not been acting like herself lately."
Harry leaned against his desk and gave a little tut of exasperation. "Yeah, well you see she has a new boyfriend, and she's…"
The Sensei, happy to have an explanation for her actions, quickly interjected, "So she has gotten rid of David."
Harry looked at him confused. "No, that's whom I'm speaking of… Umm, sorry to be noisy, but how do you know David?"
"Oh, I use to tease her about how he would show up for her after classes. I remember when she first met him; even then she was very diligent in everything she did. I didn't get the impression that her boyfriend would take precedence over her studies, though. These changes in her behavior just happened recently. She has started skipping classes, both regular sessions and her private tutoring. Also, when she does show up, she seems dazzled. Before she could beat me, yet now she can hardly do a single formation without losing her concentration." The Sensei shook his head and shuffled his books again, " I don't think a boyfriend could do that."
Harry crossed his arms in consideration. "So what do you think could have triggered this type of change?"
"I'm not quite sure. Maybe she is sick, or maybe she is having a hard time with her workload." The Sensei put down his book, and looked Harry straight in the eye. "But if you ask me, I would say that it seems as if she has hada spell put on her. I know that sounds silly, but those glazed eyes she has all the time are just unnatural."
"Yeah, it's not normal." Harry replied almost in awe at how closely he paid attention to each of his students.
"Through my study of Eastern Civilizations , I have heard some strange tales, and I guess after hearing that something exists for so long, you start to believe it." The Sensei patted Harry on the back and guided him to his place in the group. "But that's just an old man ranting. That's enough talk of magic, lets get back to the reality that is karate."
Harry, on the other hand, couldn't stop thinking about the supernatural possibilities. How could he have not seen it before? That would definitely explain why she was acting so strangely. Harry couldn't help but hope that this was the solution to bringing back the Hermione he knew, the Hermione he loved. From then on, his eyes were glued to the clock trying to will it to go faster. The sooner he got out of class the sooner Hermione would be changed back to her right state.
*
"Hermione… Oh Hermione. Is everything ready?"
Hermione approached David from the back and draped her arms over his shoulder, dangling a single vial in front of his face. "Is this what you were wanting, my love?"
David quickly moved away as if she was some kind of a disease he didn't want to catch. "What did I say about getting too close to me?" David barked at her. 'I don't know how much more of this I can take,' he thought to himself. Every time he looked at her it made him want her more, yet every time she spoke or touched him he was repelled from her side. He still hadn't come up with a solution to this problem and it was eating away at him. It was torture watching something he wanted so badly, but that he couldn't have. 'This is the sadistic irony my father loves,' David thought to himself.
"But…," she protested as she pouted her lips.
"If you keep touching me, I will do something that neither of us would want to do right now." David kept his eyes glued to the ground, not trusting himself to look at her.
"But you said that once this is all over I can be with you again." Hermione stood in the distance, looking like a lost puppy.
David moved over to his bed and dropped down. "If my father had not gotten involved, I would always be able to have you."
Hermione, like a little child, held up the vial in one hand, hoping that her gift would appease him. "I did what you asked me to do. I found the potion and made it to your every specification. Don't I at least get a kiss for that?"
"My father will be pleased that you have finished the potion so promptly," David said so dully he almost sounded like animatronics.
Hermione moved a step closer. "But I didn't make it for your father. I made it for you, and for us to be together again."
"Thanks for the thought, but…"
Just then, in a flash of light, Lucius Malfoy appeared in David's room in all his glory. His black cloak billowed in the non-existent wind, and his platinum blonde hair was pulled back in the traditional ponytail. Despite the fact that she was still a witch, Hermione was the only one even remotely surprised at his arrival.
"Draco…Draco…I am tiring of waiting on you…"
Hermione's eyes darted from David to Lucius, not fully understanding what was going on around her.
David stepped in front of Hermione, trying to shield her from Lucius, as well as hide her from the evil glare he was giving his father. Through gritted teeth Draco spat, "Can't you see I am busy right now. I will bring you your potion when it's ready…OK."
Rather than listening to his son, Lucius peered curiously at Draco's visitor. Once he realized who the young acquaintance was, he slowly walked over to Hermione, bowing politely. He stated, "It's a pleasure to meet you again, Hermione. I am Lucius Malfoy, Draco's, or David as you know him, father."
Hermione's eyes went wide, but then the glazed appearance came over them again. Suddenly, David grabbed his father's arm, turning Lucius around to face him. "How dare you come barging in my room, and go around telling my secrets. I was going to tell her who I was when I wanted to. You have no right…"
Lucius just swatted his hand at Draco nonchalantly, and calmly walked over to his chair and sat down. "Calm down boy. She would not care if you told her that you were the Dark Lord himself. She has enough potion in her to follow you over a cliff if you wanted her to… Hmm… That's an idea."
Draco's eyes got big, appalled at his father's disgusting mind. "You make me sick."
Lucius crossed his legs and contently replied, "Thank you…But that's not why I have come here today. I came to see if my potion was ready."
Draco called out to Hermione and she came walking to his side. "Let me hold the potion," He asked politely. As he wished, she placed it in his hands. "Is this what you were wanting father?"
Lucius, although excited that his potion had been finished, seemed to be distracted by Hermione. "Son, I finally see why you wanted her as your play toy. Since she will do anything you ask of her without question, I gather that your play time is quite… enjoyable." He smiled wickedly at her and gave her a last look with his roaming eyes.
Draco pushed Hermione behind him again so that his father could no longer visually molest her. He then pushed the flask into his father's hands. "Here… This is what you want. Now leave us alone."
Lucius swirled the substance in the flask a couple of times while peering into it, seemingly unaware of Draco's scolding eyes. "Isn't it amazing that such a small amount of substance can make a man so strong…"
Draco knew he was taking his time just to annoy his son as much as possible. Then Lucius got up from his seat and headed straight for Hermione. With Draco watching the whole time, Lucius placed the vial back into Hermione's hand and gave her hand a quick kiss. As his lips touched her skin, Draco quickly pushed her behind him again and stood face to face with his father. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked him.
"I am merely giving her back her solution. That is not all the transformation calls for. If our Hermione has done her homework, she knows that there is an extra element that can be added to this potion. Do you know what I am talking about, Hermione?"
Hermione nodded her head behind Draco, saying dully, "There's an incantation that will bind two people together, enabling the person who takes the potion to have the other person's life force if he is ever in need of it."
Lucius smiled down at her. "Exactly. This is way I won't only have supreme power, but also an extra life. I will be indestructible."
"And who do you expect to be bounded to," Draco asked, hoping that he was not going to choose him.
"Why, Hermione, of course. The process calls for a willing participant, and I can't think of any one more willing." Lucius said, so calmly that is seemed as though it was the most logical thing in the world.
Draco called out, "Why her? Haven't you put her through enough? Plus, I bet you have plenty of other lackeys that would love to be in your good favor."
Lucius finally turned and looked Draco straight in the eye. "Yes, I do have many followers, but what would be better then having her endless knowledge. With that in my possession, I would be able to rebuild myself after the first fall without any problem. Plus, what better to get back at Potter than to have his best friend as my security. He would never be able kill me knowing that it meant that his precious Hermione would die." Lucius turned to look out the window at the bustling town. "It's the perfect plan."
There was an awkward silence where everyone just stood and contemplated what was going to happen. With his eyes still set on the window, Lucius called out, "Since you have finished so quickly, I am planning for my transformation to be conducted tonight at Logan's hill. What better place to announce my supremacy to the rest of the Death Eaters than where Voldemort fell. Make sure she is ready soon because I am going to pick her up in 3 hours."
Without another word or look backat his son, Lucius apparated away. All that was left of the bad dream was a puff of smoke that lingered where he stood.
Hermione looked over her shoulder, frightened at what she had just heard. "Dav… I mean, Draco, what are we going to do?"
Draco dragged his feet until he reached his bed and plopped down. "We are going to do what he says. Now go and find that spell before we bothget killed."
Hermione looked on blankly at the scene in front of her. She could not help but think to herself, 'He would be so much happier if his father was not here.'
*
"Finite," Harry shouted at Ron. "That's what will bring Hermione back to us."
Ron crossed his arms over his chest and looked at his friend with pity. "Harry, sorry to break it to you, but just because the girl does not like you does not mean she is under a spell."
"It all fits now, can't you see? David works at Pettigrew. Dark activity is suspected in Pettigrew. Hermione starts acting weird over David… don't you get it? David is the Dark wizard we are looking for, and I can prove that by bringing our Hermione back to us."
Ron started to chuckle. "There are many people that work at Pettigrew, Harry, not just David. Plus, just because Hermione likes the guy, it doesn't mean that he is the source of all evil."
Harry started pacing around his dirty dorm room. "No, you don't understand. She has a dazed look and she is not acting like herself." Harry stopped and looked Ron straight in the eye. "Come on Ron, even her karate instructor thought something was wrong with her. I need you to help me."
Ron shook his head, "Yeah, Yeah, I know you need help, but you need to go to St. Mungo's for that…"
Harry gave him a death glare, but it only made Ron start to chuckle. "Ron, I am being serious. I am going to go after Hermione with or without you. I just thought you might want to help."
Ron shook his head again, but when he brought his head up he had a wide grin on his face. "Ok…Ok, I will help you, but only because I want to be there when Hermione kicks your ass for putting a spell on her."
Harry brought his hand out and stated, "Team."
Ron smiled to himself, and took his hand shaking it, "Always my brother."
The fact that Harry now had his best friend on his side gave him the confidence to go out and save his girl. He knew something was wrong, but he just didn't know how bad it had gotten. The first thing they were planning to do was find Hermione, which was not always an easy task.
*
They started their search at Hermione's dorm since it was the closest to their dorm. Harry knocked on the door, and stood back beside Ron waiting for an answer. The boys stood outside the door like soldiers ready for battle, and in Harry's stomach, the battle was alreadyraging. Finally, the door opened slowly, yet the occupant was not the one in question.
Kate looked at the two solemn boys, and leaned on the door casually, "Well, hello boys. What can I do for you?"
Ron started smiling cheekily, and brought up his arm to lean against the wall. He causally crossed his legs, and stated, "Well, I know what you can do for me…"
Harry who was not finding their banter very funny right now hit Ron on the arm. This little tap was just enough to cause Ron to lose his balance and start falling. While Ron was falling, Harry asked seriously, "Is Hermione in?"
As Ron finally caught himself and straightened up, Kate could not help but start laughing. Once she saw Harry's serious face again, she tried to straighten herself up, but chuckles still came through. "Um. No… David just left with her a few minutes ago…"
"Did she say when she was coming back?" Harry asked interrupting her in the middle of her sentence.
Kate started looking worried at Harry. "All she said was that she wouldn't be home tonight. Is everything alright?"
Ron, who was starting to get tired of this tense atmosphere, pushed his way forward again. "Yeah, everything is fine and all. It's just Harry here," he pointed to Harry, "thinks Hermione is under a Spell. Owww!."
Kate started to chuckle at Ron's antics, only making Harry even madder. Harry then took Ron's arm, and started dragging him away. "Thanks for your help, Kate," he called out as he left. As Ron started gaining control of his legs again, he started walking with Harry, adding, "See, even she thought it wassilly."
"Come on Ron," Harry stated exasperated.
Ron pushed the button on the elevator and leaned against the wall. "So where do we go next, boss?"
With a determined look in his eyes, Harry responded, "We find David, and hope he hasn'tdone anything to her."
*
Poor David, Poor Hermione, wait a minute, Poor everyone. Lets just hope this does not end in Shakespeare-like tragedies. Thanks again to my two great Beta readers: James and Kathryn Mason-Sykes
Monday