20A/N – I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who told me to keep going – it makes me realise that there are a lot of people who really enjoy this story and it provides me with the inspiration to keep going! I know it's taken me a while to update (and it may take me a while to get the next update up) but my inspiration wandered off somewhere and has only just come back.
I think the next few chapters may be a little shorter – I'm going to try to update more regularly but I think that means less words per chapter.
Also warning there are a couple of rude words later in this chapter.
Disclaimer – This all belongs to JK Rowling, except my OCs.
There May be Trouble Ahead
The four people in the empty classroom were silent, staring at Malfoy's Dark Mark. Hermione was the first to move, spinning around to Dante. "I thought a Dark Mark was permanent?"
"It is…" muttered Snape, still disbelieving what he could see.
"I imagine Voldemort thought it was," Dante replied. "But as we've often discussed, elemental magic is very rare nowadays. Old pureblooded families either see it as something abhorrent or a fairytale, and outside of pureblooded families no-one has heard of it at all. He either didn't know about it, or as I believe he simply underestimated it. The stories that any pureblood families could offer would be of how it can be used to seduce, or trick. Nothing about the many practical uses it holds, and certainly nothing about the diversity of it."
"You knew elemental magic could get rid of it?" This came from Draco, self consciously pulling the sleeve of his shirt down again.
"I didn't know anything Draco, I merely suspected it might. It also gives Hermione a good opportunity to see how the magic may be used against curses, to untangle the curse from the person's normal magic. It's a very useful technique, but would not have worked if Voldemort had put in safeguards against it."
Draco seemed content at that, nodding as he retreated into his thoughts. Snape slowly stood from his position, drawing everyone's attention.
"It has been a long day, and I believe it is time for Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy to return to their houses. Professor, I wish to speak to you further."
Hermione bit back her cry of disappointment at finishing so soon – it was fascinating! Dante looked at her sympathetically. "You could do no more this evening anyway, Hermione. You may not realise how tired you are, but I can see it. We will continue another day, if Mr Malfoy is willing." A curt nod from the blond in question sealed the deal, and they agreed to reconvene the following week. With that the students were dismissed.
Hermione hadn't realised that Malfoy was following her until he cleared his throat loudly, jerking her from her reverie to find herself about to ascend the stairs to the seventh floor.
She spun to face him and immediately he turned defensive, only relaxing when she quirked an eyebrow. "Well?"
"Could you do that without Dante there?"
"Professor Dante, and probably. It's not too difficult to master really, although I suppose it depends if you have the innate ability."
Draco nodded in thought, before asking "So if we met up Saturday to sort out the music for the dance you'd be able to give it another go?"
"Yes."
"Ok, see you then Granger." He started walking down the stairs. Hermione watched him go, chewing her bottom lip. She gathered up her courage.
"Malfoy!" The blond turned round, an eyebrow raised and a dark expression.
"If you're thinking about changing – "
"I'm sorry." She interrupted. "I'm sorry about the things I said the other day. They were out of line and untrue."
His grey eyes looked at her as though judging how much she meant it, and then with a curt nod he was gone. She began climbing the stairs towards her tower feeling that the evening had been a very interesting one.
-x-x-
Saturday morning came all too soon for Hermione. Mostly because she had been dreading it all week, and not just because of the meeting with Malfoy she had arranged for the afternoon. No, Hermione Granger was dreading Saturday because she was Going Shopping.
There were some forms of shopping that she found acceptable – when she was little she had loved following her dad around the DIY centre, helping him pick out the screws that he needed to reattach the bathroom mirror or similar. It had been 'their thing', and when she thought back about the things she missed most about her parents it was little things like the DIY store trip on a weekend afternoon or the times she helped her mum in the garden that she thought of. She also loved bookshops, clichéd for the Gryffindor bookworm as that was. However, one type of shopping that Hermione Granger did not like was clothes shopping.
Sometimes though, it was a necessity. And when she was due to meet her boyfriend for a nice date in Hogsmeade on Sunday it could be considered a necessity, particularly given that her final pair of jeans had decided to split in a rather embarrassing place and her favourite little boots had developed a hole in the sole. However much she bemoaned replacing her oh-so-comfy boots she had owned forever, even she had to admit that when her foot got wet every time she stood in a puddle it was time to give up.
The result of this was that she needed clothes desperately. Ginny helpfully suggested that if Hermione just went shopping more often then she wouldn't ever reach a crisis point like the one she was currently in, but Hermione felt that rather defeated the point of avoiding clothes shopping where possible. Not for the first time she wished that the wizarding world would hurry up and modernise – internet shopping was one of the muggle world's best inventions. Owl-order just wasn't as satisfying.
After managing to ditch Ginny by persuading Harry as coach to arrange a quidditch practise, Hermione apparated to Diagon Alley and slipped into muggle London via Gringotts. Technically she could probably have found something in the shops in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley, but wizarding fashion wasn't really to her taste and never had been. It was common anyway to see wizards in muggle fashions nowadays, even if many of them didn't like to admit where the inspiration had come from.
After running into several shops and spending far too much money, she had acquired a lacy blue top with a white lining, combined with some new jeans and even some replacement boots. She had gone a little mad in the shoe shop and accidently bought some red heels that she didn't actually think she could walk in, but consoled herself by thinking she probably wouldn't wear them out anyway.
All in all, Hermione felt that the morning had been a success. She had the sexy-but-not-too-revealing outfit she had been after for the date, and had managed to stock up on staples. She was just going to head back to Diagon Alley for a quick bite in the Leaky Cauldron before going back to Hogwarts when a newspaper headline on a stand she was passing caught her eye. She quickly bought it and opened it, stopping dead in the middle of the pavement when she read the article. Oblivious to the disgruntled stares of businessmen who narrowly avoided ploughing into her as they navigated the busy streets she continued to read.
"TERRORIST GROUP STRIKES AGAIN!
The fire that swept through a small hamlet in Suffolk on Thursday night has been attributed to the terrorist group behind several atrocities earlier this year, including the destruction of the Millenium Bridge that killed 7 people and injured 48. This new attack in the small hamlet of Bolford left 18 people dead and five houses destroyed. Originally though to be tragic accident, the police have now released a statement that suggests this was no accident but a coordinated and meticulously planned attack.
No group has yet come forward to claim this latest atrocity as there own, but it is believed that there is only one group in this country capable of carrying out such an attack…"
Hermione shook as she folded the paper and placed it into her bag. It had to be a coincidence – it just had to! It couldn't be another death eater attack. The war was over and most key members had been caught and were awaiting trial, all others were on the run being hunted by all the aurors available.
Her mind still churning, she just grabbed a sandwich to takeaway and ate as she walked, suddenly keen to be back within Hogwarts' protective boundaries. The feeling of being hunted had come back, and she wanted nothing more than to be back in her dormitory.
She apparated straight to the Hogwarts gates and almost ran to her room, diving onto her bed and pulling the curtains closed. Pulling the paper back out from her bag, she ran her eyes over it again, this time reading the whole article fully. Once she had finished, she tried to calm herself down. Of course it wasn't Death Eaters, they weren't even sure it wasn't just an accident. The houses had all been thatched, and very close to each other. With the strong winds on Thursday night in that part of the country, a fire could have spread very quickly and the time of the fire meant that most inhabitants had been sleeping. A tragedy yes, but not necessarily a Death Eater attack.
Still, there was a little voice at the back of her mind that said this was too much of a coincidence for it to be an accident.
"Hermione?" The brunette was jolted from her thoughts by the return of Ginny, muddy but jubilant as she pulled the curtains open. "How did the shopping go?"
"Oh, really good."
"So?" When Hermione looked at her blankly, Ginny huffed. "Let's see then!"
"Oh!" Hermione began pulling clothes absently from bags, ensuring that the article was hidden away as she did so. She stopped arranging them on the bed as Ginny took hold of one of her arms, gently.
"Are you ok?"
"I'm fine." At Ginny's look of scepticism, she elaborated. "You know what I'm like with clothes shopping Gin. I'm just a bit overwhelmed, that's all."
The redhead seemed to accept this, and Hermione continued to unpack her purchases, only stopping when she caught sight of her watch. "Oh, I'm so sorry Gin but I'm late to meet Malfoy!"
"Malfoy?! What do you want with the ferret?"
"Oh, head duties," Hermione replied distractedly. "Help yourself to this lot, I'll be back later." With that she turned and rushed out of the room, leaving a bewildered Ginny standing in her wake.
-x-x-
Draco was not impressed. Sure, he wasn't always punctual, but that was only to be expected of a Malfoy. Granger however was known for her punctuality. In fact, she was often early in her dedication to being there on time. So the fact that she was half an hour late was especially galling. Did she forget? Change her mind? Whatever the reason, he was not best pleased. He stood from the chair he had been lounging in whilst portraying a nonchalant attitude, and instead began to pace in front of the fireplace.
The possibility of being rid of his increasingly painful Dark Mark had occupied his every thought since the detention two days ago. All he wanted was to rid himself of it, to be able to walk away from his tainted past and to start anew. He'd even make amends with Granger if she was able to help him do this. That was, if she ever turned up.
Dumbledore's portrait swinging inwards to permit a dishevelled Granger sent Malfoy swinging round to face her. Taking in her appearance, he thought that once he would have mocked her for her red face, or the hair that was tied back but still managed to give her a frizzy halo. Now though it just seemed like too much hassle, so he settled for "Granger."
"I'm so sorry Malfoy," she panted, grasping at the back of one of the chairs as she doubled over trying to get her breath back. "I lost…track of time."
Malfoy shrugged, whilst inside he was cursing her for making him wait even longer while she regained her composure. He simply stood watching, one eyebrow quirked at her as she slowly began breathing normally again.
"You know, that's very disconcerting."
"That would be the idea. Are you ready?"
"Yes." Hermione made an attempt to smooth her hair down again, before sitting cross-legged on the floor next to the little coffee table. She looked at him expectantly, so Malfoy sunk down across the table from her. He placed his arm out on the table with the palm up, and as before she reached across and placed her hand in his. As she did so, she noticed that the edge of his shirt had rolled up and the bottom edge of the mark was visible. Immediately she was reminded of the news article, but she put it out of her mind as she began searching for the curse. It was harder than usual, but she was almost there when Malfoy leapt back with a yelp, breaking their connection.
"What was that for?!"
"Excuse me?"
"Are you just using this as an excuse to pay me back? That's low, Granger."
"What are you on about, Malfoy?"
"Why did you burn my arm?"
"I didn't! I….oh" Understanding dawned. "I must have concentrated too hard. But there's no reason to start accusing me!"
They were both glaring at each other now from opposite sides of the coffee table in a silent standoff, brown eyes locked with grey.
"Well…will you be able to continue?" Malfoy's voice was still confrontational, but at least he dropped his gaze, freeing Hermione who took a shaky breath. Then, pulling herself together, she stood up.
"Wait, don't go, I'm so-" Malfoy was cut off as Hermione plonked herself back down next to him and grabbed his arm.
Rolling her eyes at his shocked expression presumably because I dared to touch his Lordship without permission she growled in her mind, irritation with the blond overriding all other concerns. Again she felt for his magic, grasping it easily this time and working her way up towards where the mark wound itself through him.
Malfoy felt the warmth spread through his arm, accompanied by a tingling that he hadn't felt before. He felt the warmth congregate in his arm, but the tingling reached out through his entire body. He opened his mouth to ask Granger what it was but suddenly found himself unable to. He was frozen and unable to move, but a split second after the panic had set in it was gone. Suddenly it wasn't important anymore, instead he needed to lean forwards, just a bit further, until his face was inches from Granger's.
His proximity caused her to look up from his arm, and she started when she realised how close he was, but then the next thing she knew her brain was overrided and instead she closed the distance between them.
Their kiss started slow at first, but soon turned frenzied as he reached up with his free hand and pulled her towards him. Despite a small part of her brain shrieking at her that what she was doing was wrong she ran her free hand up his torso in turn, tugging his shirt free to run it along his stomach.
They continued like this for some minutes, until Draco decided this wasn't enough and pulled his other hand free from her grasp to run up her back – and promptly jumped about a foot away while she leapt in the opposite direction.
For a second they just stared at each other, panting, until…
"What the fuck was that!"
"What on Earth just happened?"
They spoke at exactly the same time, and there was an identical look of horror on each of their faces.
"I don't know what shit you're trying to pull Granger-"
"Me! I wasn't the one who started it!"
"You kissed me!"
"Because you leant it towards me, ferret!"
"So you kiss everyone who leans towards you?!"
"Yes! No wait, no! I mean…what on Earth just happened?!"
"You decided to use that stupid element thing to seduce me!"
"Didn't you listen to Professor Dante? It doesn't work like that, it only works if you have an attraction…oh bloody hell, you're attracted to me!"
"Excuse me! That was not a one way kiss!"
They stood facing each other, the coffee table miraculously between them once again, chests heaving after their shouting match. Eventually Hermione turned aside to escape his gaze.
"I think…that we should never mention this again."
"Agreed."
"Good." Hermione said firmly, grabbing her bag. "I'll…um…see you around." With that, she ran away.
Draco sunk into one of the chair, shakily running his hand through his hair. As an after thought, he pulled up his sleeve to check the mark, and saw that even more had gone. She managed to do it he thought, but shied away from the thought of what happened after. He also left the room to go back to his common room, not noticing that the portrait of Dumbledore was finding it increasingly hard to contain his laughter at the events of the afternoon.
-x-x-
Hermione flew through the castle back to her dorm, and for a second time that day flew into her bed and charmed her curtains closed. She lay there, trying to work out what had just happened. She understood how the magic could have worked, but that involved admitting an attraction to Malfoy. She was NOT attracted to Malfoy. Not one little bit.
So why couldn't she get the image of kissing him out of her mind?