5th year at Hogwarts

***

Harry knocked on the door at the top of the steps, "Come in," Dumbledore called. Harry walked in threw the letter on Dumbledore desk and sat down crying in one of the chairs. Snuffles changed into Sirius and he grabbed his godson and held him close. He didn't know what had happened but he knew it was bad. Dumbledore read the letter and when he finished looked up and said, "Oh dear."

***

"What is it?" Sirius asked as he held his shaking godson. Harry's sobs had subsided but he still shook uncontrollably. Dumbledore said nothing but handed the letter to Sirius. Sirius took it and flipped it open.

Harry Potter,

I have something you want, something you love. I have taken her, and the only way to get your little girlfriend back is to come yourself. If you want to find her I will make sure you do.

The letter was unsigned, it didn't need to be. They all knew who it was from - Voldemort.

"Harry," said Dumbledore softly. "Harry, who is this talking about?" Harry couldn't answer.

"Lavender Brown," Sirius said softly, Harry shook hard at the sound of her name. "They got together officially just two weeks ago."

"He took her, he took her because I loved her," Harry murmured. "It's my fault."

"No Harry," said Dumbledore reassuringly. "Love is a weakness, but that does not mean you shouldn't fall in love."

"Albus, what are we going to do about this?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know, he gives no leads about his hide-out. Only says he will guide Harry there. Though he won't do that if someone is with Harry I am sure," Dumbledore answered. Harry drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

Almost half an hour later Sirius shook him awake, "Harry, Harry," he called softly. Harry woke-up and looked around it was a moment before he remembered where he was.

"Harry," it was Dumbledore speaking now. "I must stress upon you the importance that you do not go out looking for Miss Brown, and that you keep this secret, you may of course inform Miss Granger and Mister Weasley if you so choose. You are free to go." Harry looked slightly dazed but nodded and stood, "Oh and Harry," Harry turned back as Dumbledore spoke again. "I am very sorry and we will do everything we can to bring Miss Brown back. And if anything more happens I want you to come and tell me immediately." Harry nodded again and walked back to the Gryffindor tour with snuffles at his side.

When he entered the common room Hermione stood immediately, "Harry, are you alright?" Harry led her and Ron to a corner and told them everything that had happened.

Harry, Ron and Hermione walked into potions the next day; it was their first class. Ron kept glancing at Harry to make sure he hadn't fainted and Hermione kept a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Prof. Snape started class, the same way he started every class, by calling roll.

"Baddock, Malcolm."

"Here."

"Brown, Lavender," Harry shook very hard at the sound of Lavender's name. Hermione immediately grabbed his hand and squeezed. Snape noticed him shake and Harry saw something flash across his face, sympathy? Harry began to wonder if the teachers knew about Lavender. Parvati Patil, Lavender's best friend, was also missing from class, and Harry assumed that she was being informed on what had happened to Lavender.

"All right," Snape's greasy voice said. "Who can tell me what this potion is?" He held up a bottle of sliver shimmering liquid. Hermione's hand went into the air almost immediately, Draco's was the only other. "Mr. Malfoy?"

"It's an invisibility potion; you rub it on yourself and it will make you invisible," Draco said.

"Very good, five points for Slytherin. Today you will take notes on the ingredients and how to make the potion. Next time we will be making it."

"Hey, weasel," Malfoy whispered to Ron.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Ron muttered back.

"Geez, you've only had four years to think of new comeback, weasel."

"Bugger off."

"Well, I just wanted to let you know, you and Granger will be next to go."

"What? Start making sense, Malfoy."

"You're close to Harry so you will be next to go."

Ron's eyes grew wide with comprehension, "Y-you're you're lying."

"Think whatever you want weasel. But don't say I didn't warn you."

"Shut-up," Ron said a bit louder then he meant and threw a punch at Malfoy. But Draco was too quick and rolled off his chair before Ron's hand reached it.

Unfortunately Snape had turned around and had seen Ron, "Mr. Weasley, you have a detention for trying to hurt another student. And twenty points from Gryffindor for disrupting class.

As Harry and Hermione walked down the corridor, Ron had to talk to Snape about his detention; Draco Malfoy stepped in front of them.

"So, Potter," he drawled. Harry and Hermione said nothing but stopped. "I know what happened to your little girlfriend, Lavender." Harry shook slightly at the name but other then that stayed in control. "What does it bother you to hear her name, Potter. My father has-"

But Hermione cut him off, "No one cares what your father has Malfoy. Now get out of the way." She pushed him aside with her hand.

"Keep your filthy hands off me mudblood," Malfoy called after them. Shit, Draco thought to himself, why do I always have to act like such a bloody arse around Potter and worse, around Granger? She not all that bad looking now that, that awful frizz has grown out of her hair. Not only that but she's smart and mature. No, don't think like that Draco she's a Mudblood. I wish I hadn't wanted anything more then to please my father for the first 14 years of my bloody life. Well fuck my father.

Ron joined Harry and Hermione in the great hall for lunch it was the first time he'd seen them since potions; Ron had had DADA class while Harry and Hermione used their free period to work on a History of Magic essay.

"Hey Ron," said Harry as he sat down.

"That git Snape is making me do a detention for Filch and he's making me clean all the suits of armor in the castle."

Hermione gave Ron her Well serves you right for fighting in class look. "If you didn't want a detention you shouldn't have let Malfoy bait you like that. What did he do?"

"Oh, he...um...was just...ah... making cracks about my family again," Ron muttered. He couldn't tell Harry, it would just make him more upset, so he would tell Hermione the truth later.

Hermione muttered something that sounded like, "Honestly Ron, fighting over nothing."

After lunch the three of them had CoMC; they were all anxious to meet the new teacher.

When they arrived at Hagrid's hut, where classes took place, the teacher had not arrived but almost all the students had. Then someone walked out from behind the hut and whistled loudly to get the classes attention.

"Hey, okay I'm taking over for Hagrid this year since he is off on official business. My name is Charlie Weasley; you can call me Charlie or Prof. Weasley or whatever," Charlie said when he had the classes attention. Ron was positively gawking at his older brother. So were many of the girls but in a different way; Charlie was incredibly good looking. "Okay, I work with dragons professionally; but we probably won't get to study them this year, unless Dumbledore..." he trailed off. "Never mind that though, today we are studying Centaurs. Several of them live in the forest and one has agreed to come and let us have a look at him. Firenze," he yelled over his shoulder. Firenze came out from behind Hagrid's hut; he was a half-horse, half-man. Harry recognized him, since he was the same one who had rescued him in the forest in first year.

Firenze looked around, nodded at Harry, before saying, "Hello, students."

"Right so obviously Centaurs are half-horse, half-man, they are star gazers and don't take sides in events that have been for told to them. They are considered beasts by the Ministry. Anything to add, Firenze?"

Firenze added several things more unknown about Centaurs although mostly gibbered about the planets aligning. Then he headed back into the forbidden forest. "Right, can't get a straight answer out of most Centaurs. Firenze is an oddball; but he was the only one agreeing to come. So read the chapter on Centaurs in your books and write an essay on why they are considered beasts by the Ministry. That's due next class, see you then," Charlie said with a smile.

"You never said Charlie was the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher!" Harry accused.

"I didn't know," Ron said dumbly.

"What?" Hermione said sounding mildly surprised.

"Oi, Charlie," Ron called out his brother separated from a flock of girls and walked over to them. "You never said you were teaching here," Ron accused.

"You never asked. Besides, I decided to make it a surprise," Charlie said simply.

"Oh, well we'd better go," said Hermione. She sensed Ron was about to burst at Charlie for not telling him such "vital" information.

Harry and Hermione walked through the portrait hole, into the common room, at 7:05. Dean, Seamus, Ron, Fred, and George all stood near the door with their brooms.

"Hey, I thought you guys had Wandless Magic tonight," said Dean quizzically.

"It was cancelled," Hermione said.

"Oh, Harry, want to come play Quidditch with us?" Ron asked. Hermione gave Ron her Ron I don't think you should be so insensitive look.

"Honestly Ron, Harry has to much on his mind to worry about Quidditch," she said.

"Sure," Harry cut her off. "It will clear my mind; just let me get my broom." Harry started across the common room.

"Ah, Harry," Harry turned around to look at Hermione, "This is one of those times when you could practice Wandless Magic like Lupin was talking about."

"Oh right," said Harry. "Accio Firebolt." His Firebolt flew down the steps into his hand. All the others look mildly impressed. "Let's go."

"Harry," Hermione said, grabbing his shoulder, "Are you sure you want to play Quidditch now?"

"Yes."

Hermione heaved a sigh and walked off muttering about boys and Quidditch.

When they came back in at about 9:00 Harry went off to bed, leaving Ron free to have a private talk with Hermione.

"Hermione," Ron said joining her at her usual table in the corner.

"Yes Ron?" she asked not looking up from her essay.

"You know what I said about me being so mad at Malfoy for making cracks about my family."

"Um hum."

"Well that's not true."

"What?" Hermione said now looking up from her essay for the first time. It wasn't like Ron to lie.

"Look I couldn't tell Harry what he really said."

"And what exactly did he say?" she asked sharply.

"He said... he said we were next," Ron said quietly.

"Oh, but-but Ron, I'm sure he was only joking."

"You think?"

"Yeah, you know how Malfoy is, he's just empty threats."

"Maybe, hopefully, yeah you're probably right," though he didn't sound very convinced. "But let's not tell Harry, okay?"

"Yeah."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked back to the common room from dinner, it had been almost a week since Lavender had disappeared and no one was any closer to finding her. The worst part about it was that whenever Harry walked across the grounds by himself he felt a slight tugging in the direction of the front gates and knew Voldemort was trying to lead him. When they arrived several people were crowded around the message board and on it was a notice announcing a Halloween ball for fourth years and up (unless invited by an older student).

"Excellent," said Ron. "I know just who to invite."

"Oh, this should be fu-," she cut off when she saw the look on Harry's face. "Oh, Harry, I'm sure Lavender will show up by then. I mean it's almost two weeks away."

"Yeah maybe," Harry mumbled sounding unconvinced.

"Oh, Harry 6:45, Wandless Magic Class," Hermione said.

"Oh right." Harry no longer liked these classes nearly as much with the lack of Lavender.

When they left Ron turned around and crossed the common room to the stairs leading up to the girls' dormitory. He walked up and knocked quietly on the door and called, "Hello."

"Ron, it's you," came a girl's voice from inside the door flew open.

"Yes, love it's me. Wish to snog in the astronomy tower?"

She laughed, "Of course." And grabbed his preoffered hand.

"By the way love I was wondering if you would come to the Halloween ball with me?"

"You really want everyone to know?"

"Yes, I want the whole world to know."

"Oh, well okay then. I would love to go to the ball with you," she smiled brightly.

"Right then," McGonagall said when they had all arrived. "Tonight you will start learning some more advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts things, spells that non-advanced kids study in 6^th year. The spell you will learn tonight is a deflecting spell, Deflectivo; with practice you will be able to actually deflect the curse so it aims back at your opponent. Tonight, however, we will just learn to deflect. You will be in partners, one group of three. Your partner will try to do Petrificus Totalus on you and you will try to deflect the curse away. To deflect you do this," she crossed her arms across her face in an x and held her hand out flat in front of her. "And say Deflectivo at the same time. Any questions? Okay partners are," she read off a list of groups. Harry was in a group of three with Kate, and Mara, while Hermione was with Draco.

"Granger," Malfoy said. There was no bite in his voice.

"Hi, Draco," Hermione replied. Even though they were making a sort of friendship Draco could not bring himself to call Hermione by her first name.

"Okay why don't I try to disarm you first," he said. Hermione nodded. "Petrificus Totalus."

"Deflectivo." Hermione's deflection did not work and she was put into a full body bind. She fell over onto the floor.

"Granger, you okay," Malfoy asked some concern in his voice. "Oh right, Finite Incantatem."

"Yeah, I am okay. Why didn't it work?" she sounded quite mad with herself for failing.

"You did the motion wrong. Do the cross again," he ordered. She crossed her arms in front of her face and held one hand out but it was off to the side. "No, here," he walked behind her and leaned over her and began moving her hands into the correct position. "You have to have your hand facing your opponent, the spell is supposed to deflect off your hand. So you would have to face it at where the spell is coming from."

"Oh I get it. How do you know so much about this?" she smiled up at him. He was leaning over her and holding her around the waist. Instead of answering he gently leaned forward and placed his lips onto hers. At first Hermione was completely surprised but then she realized how right the kiss felt and began to respond, but it was over just as fast as it started.

"I'm sorry," she heard him say as he began to move away.

Hermione grabbed his wrist and whispered, "Don't be." He smiled at her and then moved away. They spent the rest of the time working on their deflecting skills, but Hermione didn't forget about the kiss.

Harry met up with Hermione in the corridor. "You kissed him? You kissed Draco Malfoy?" he accused.

"Oh, you saw? Um... yeah I kissed him," she admitted sheepishly.

Harry opened his eyes wide shook his head, "I can't figure out for the life of me why you would kiss him."

"Well, he's not all that bad."

"Not all that bad? This is Draco Malfoy," he accented Draco and Malfoy very clearly.

"Granger," Draco called from behind them. She spun around to face him. "Potter," Draco said a normal amount of loathing in his voice. He turned back to Hermione, "Granger, I was wondering if you would go to the Halloween ball with me?" Harry was astonished by how easily Draco asked her; it had taken him weeks to get up the courage to ask Cho Chang last year. When Hermione answered Draco immediately turned and walked off to the Slytherin common room.

  Harry glanced around the unfamiliar room, it was a stone dungeon. In the middle Voldemort was talking with Wormtail. He couldn't hear them at first then, "Bring her in," broke through the silence. Harry watched as Wormtail left and came back pulling an unwilling girl with him. It took Harry a moment to realize it was Lavender.

"Bring her here," Voldemort gestured to a spot right in front of him. "Girl," he spat the word, "why has he not come yet, doesn't he love you?"

"I-I don't know," Lavender her courage was obviously faltering. Harry wanted nothing more then to run up and reassure her.

"Liar, you must know something. Did you know Dumbledore well?" He questioned.

"N-no, I only saw him at meals and met him once or twice," she replied honestly enough."

"What do you suppose Dumbledore would do in this situation? What do you think he'd tell Harry?"

"I-I don't know. I didn't know him very-"

"Liar," he hissed. "Crucio." Harry scar was in agony. "Now, what do you think he would do?"

"I don't know."

"Crucio." The pain in Harry's scar became so great he screamed out loud.

"Harry, wake up!" said Ron shaking him. "Harry, are you alright? You were screaming in your sleep, woke us all up," he gestured to the other boys in the dorm who were giving Harry skeptical glances.

"Yeah fine, just a dream," he said loud enough for them all to hear, then speaking only so Ron could hear him, "I have to go to Dumbledore."

"Oh, one of those dreams."

"Yeah," Harry replied, he stood and wobbled a little bit.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just my scar."

"Oh." At that moment Snuffles burst into the dormitory and walked over to Harry.

"I'm okay Snuffles," Harry said and patted his godfather's head. Snuffles went with Harry out of the dormitory. Then changed into Sirius and grabbed Harry just before he fell over.

"Thanks Sirius."

"Gotta get you to Dumbledore," Sirius said looking at Harry who had his hand over his scar. "Does it still hurt?"

"Yeah, a lot." Sirius carried Harry to Dumbledore's office and knocked on the door.

"Come in," came Dumbledore's voice from inside.

Sirius opened the door, "He had a dream, Albus."

Dumbledore's eyes flashed immediately to Harry who was still cradled in Sirius' arms. "Harry are you okay?" he asked his voice full of concern.

"Yeah," Harry said meekly. Sirius set him down in one of the chairs.

"Can you tell us about the dream Harry?" Dumbledore asked kindly. Harry told them the dream, and Dumbledore looked very grim when he finished.

A/N: Please Review! In the next chapter: Who is Ron's mystery girl? What will Hermione say to Draco? What is Dumbledore going to say about Harry's dream? And the Halloween ball will take place.