Of Serpent Tongues and Lion Hearts

Chapter 6: "Code 503"

Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table for lunch. As usual the Great Hall was filled with chatter, clatter and laughter.

"I'm so glad the potions project is done. That was painful," said the redheaded seventh year Gryffindor while stuffing his mouth with the delightful dishes the house elves had prepared for lunch that day.

Harry nodded in agreement with Ron.

"Oh, it wasn't that bad, you should have seen my Arithmancy essay. That was difficult, though I found it rather enjoyable," added Hermione to the conversation.

"Yes, you would, wouldn't you," scoffed Ron.

Hermione gave him a menacing glare and Harry laughed. Ginny burst through the doors of the Great Hall.

"Sorry I'm late." She gave Harry a quick peck on the lips. "Professor Sprout got a tad too exited with the Io plant and these two Ravenclaws kept asking all kinds of stupid questions."

She took a seat by Hermione and began eating--'vacuuming the food' would have been a more accurate term.

Ron looked at his little sister with amazement.

"Ginny, slow down, we still have an hour."

"Oh! All right...sorry, I'm starving," she said, slowing down a bit.

"So, how's Quidditch season coming?" asked Hermione while taking a bite of her garlic toast.

"Oh, it's coming well, all right," said Harry with tremendous sarcasm.

"Wouu! Why the sarcasm, Captain?" Hermione said mockingly.

Harry chuckled and lightened up.

"Sorry, it's just that Madam Hooch is driving us insane. She wants to add more regulations into the game just because the Slytherins don't know how to control themselves. So because of one team, three have to pay."

"They'll be making the punishments for breaking the game rules even more severe. And if she adds another protection charm in the Quidditch pitch we won't be able to get our feet from the ground. The way things are going, we might as well not show up to the games. It's a more honorable way to lose," added a frustrated Ron.

"Please, it can't be that impossible," said Hermione, chuckling.

"Oh, you try it then, and later you can let us know what you think," said Ron, agitated.

"It's bad all right," intervened a less hungry Ginny. "Even Malfoy was trying to get everyone off the hook."

Ron scoffed.

"Yeah, but only for personal benefit."

"Actually, Ron, if you had listened to him, he was trying to get the other teams off the hook and by other teams I mean the three teams against Slytherin," said Ginny assertively.

"He did not, Ginny. You are making that up."

"Ron, I'm sorry to break in the news for you, mate, but he did," said Harry as a matter of fact.

"What? When?"

"When you were too busy picking up a fight with Pucey," said Harry, disinterested.

Ron flushed with embarrassment, Hermione chuckled and Ginny gave him an "I told you so" look.

"See, Ron, I told you that Malfoy was not that bad. He has changed a lot," added Hermione.

"Hermione...Shut up!"

Hermione, Harry, and Ginny laughed at the sight of a defeated Ron.

"Where's Mandy?"

"Ummm... well actually I don't know, Harry," frowned Ron. "I thought she would be here by now."

"Don't worry about it, Ron, she probably has a good reason why she isn't here."

"Yeah, I guess you're right, Hermione... but she usually tells me where she'll be if she's not around."

"She probably forgot, that's all," said Hermione reassuringly.

"Yeah. Hey, Hermione, do you think you can help me with my Transfiguration homework tonight? I got it down pretty well but it still has a tail when I'm done with the transfiguration."

"I'll help you, but I only have until eleven tonight. I have to go on rounds with Draco at eleven."

"Great, I think I'll get it before that. So after dinn... Draco? Since when do you call him Draco?"

"Ron, please drop it all right?"

"I'm just asking, you know," said Ron insisting.

"We started calling each other on a first name basis a little more than a month ago. It is easier and more polite; we have to set a good example after all. Plus we are not enemies."

"We aren't?" Now Ron was definitely confused more than anything else.

"No, Ron, if you could only give him a chance, he has changed a lot. The two of you have some things in common," Hermione said optimistically.

"Yeah? Like what? Mutual hatred?" Ron added sarcastically.

Hermione gave him an annoyed look

"Like Quidditch!" She practically yelled at him. Sometimes dealing with Ron was a hard business.

"Hermione, I can't believe you are asking me that! Harry?" Ron turned to search for support from his friend.

"Uh-uh," he shook his head rapidly. "I'm not getting into this."

"What? So now you are on Malfoy's side?" Ron was growing angrier by the second

"It's not about that Ron, and you know it. I'm still sticking to my choice. I'm not getting into this," said Harry, waving his hands as Ron shot him a look.

"This is unbelievable! One minute you hate him and the other you don't? Haven't you heard of consistency, Hermione?" Ron yelled at her. Surprisingly enough, since people in Hogwarts were used to Ron and his tantrums, not many heads turned.

She rolled her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I never hated him in the first place. I... strongly disliked him, but I didn't hate him. And I've told you plenty of times that he has changed. Trust me Ron, with all this unrealistic massive amount of work we've had, we have had to work together more than both of us wanted to. And it has brought a different perspective about each other. I'm not asking you to be friends with him now, or ever. I'm just asking you to at least turn you hostility down a notch. Everyone deserves a second chance," she finished firmly.

Ron was speechless. His mouth was hanging open and his eyes looked ready to leave his face on permanent holiday. Then he narrowed his eyes.

"Are you under the Imperio?" he asked suspiciously.

She rolled her eyes, unable to grasp Ron's outstanding density in certain cases.

Harry was amazed to hear Hermione talk like that about someone who had hurt her so much, but even if he hated admitting it, he had noticed a change in Malfoy. He wasn't the only one changed, apparently. He couldn't put his finger on it, but Hermione had changed also. And not to be all paranoid, but he could have sworn that something was going on between Malfoy and Hermione. As they said, denial was not only a river in Egypt. And he seriously wanted to be in denial. So badly, that he couldn't bring his conscious and rational brain to even mention it. Harry you are just imagining things, that's all mate! Ah, if he could only convince himself soon.

"Hermione, you can't possibly ask me suddenly to give him a second chance after all he has done. His father is the main cause why my father was not able to get a better position in the Ministry or a raise until last year. And even then, the raise was insignificant."

"Yes, Ron, I know and I'm not excusing any of it, but you said it yourself, his father, not him. The only thing Draco has done to us is call us names ... and a few pranks here and there," she added in a murmur.

The Great Hall doors opened and two scrolls floated in, quickly directing themselves to two different tables. Slytherin and Gryffindor.

Ron and Hermione were still disputing, Mandy was still MIA, and Harry and Ginny were still watching their two best friends and brother, not daring to say a word because they both knew that Ron as well as Hermione had very valid points.

Suddenly one of the pale green parchment scrolls stopped in front of Hermione.

"Ron, fine, you don't have to do anyth... Oh for Merlin's sake!"

The other scroll, noticed Harry, was floating in front of Malfoy, who was chatting at the moment with Pansy Parkinson. Draco muttered something to the parchment and this unscrolled itself revealing its contents.

"Code 503" read the scroll. "Slytherin common room."

"Pansy, I believe we'll have to pick up our conversation later," Draco muttered, "... have to go."

"Oh! All right, talk to you later then."

Draco stood up and glanced at Hermione at the Gryffindor table. She didn't need any other sign so she stood up.

"Have to go. I'll talk to you later."

Ron stood there with his words still lingering in his mouth.

"Well I guess that wasn't much of a constructive talk," Ron said defeatedly.

"Guess not, Ron." Harry patted his friend's back sympathetically.

************

As Hermione and Draco walked hurriedly to the Slytherins dungeons, the scrolls followed them. Their walking pace was exactly the same. The hem of their robes billowed behind them. They finally noticed that the scrolls were behind them.

"Front," they both said simultaneously.

Both scrolls asked for name recognition.

"Hermione."

"Draco, and proceed in auto voice," said the Slytherin.

The scrolls were enchanted to react to their owner's voice. Both scrolls finally proceeded to talk.

"Good evening, dears, there's a slight problem in the Slytherin common room," Draco's scroll said.

"Yeah, yeah, we already know that. Do you have any more details on the situation?" asked an impatient Draco.

"No. Don't get angry, dear, you know how sensitive I am."

"Fine, Sorry! Dismissed." Both scrolls "popped" and they were gone.

"What do you think the problem is?" Hermione asked Draco.

"I bet you ten galleons Nemov is the main character in this episode."

Hermione looked at him through her narrowed eyes. "You know, I would take that bet, but this time I'm afraid I can't."

"What's the matter? Afraid? Or is the perfect Hermione Granger not supposed to make bets?" he teased her.

"Very funny," she said sarcastically. "And the answers are no and no."

"Well, then?"

"I would take that bet if I knew I stood a chance, but for the first time, Draco, I think you are completely right." And she didn't like it. Mind you, it wasn't that she was too proud to accept Draco being right every once in a while, but just the mention of Nemov gave her the chills.

"Yeah, I know. I'm perfect like that." He arched one of his eyebrows and flashed his famous smirk.

He noticed she wasn't t too impressed with his remark and she had an expression that could have easily said "Riiight... and I'm going to spend the rest of the year out of the library."

"Kidding. Can't you recognize a joke when you hear one?"

She shook her head disbelievingly.

"I would... if I had heard one. But the sad part of that statement is that you believe you are perfect."

"Oh come on, Granger. You are being unfair; it was a joke... I know I'm not perfect, but you have to admit that I'm so close to being perfect it's scary," he said boyishly grinning at her, but Hermione saw that smirk as a teasing, childish one.

She laughed at his conceit and her laughter grew warm and contagious, making him start laughing too. He saw a little twinkle in her eyes. The twinkle she wore when she was feeling happy or elated. That twinkle made him feel warm inside. That twinkle was for him, or at least because of him, and that was all that mattered.

Hermione's laughter slowly faded as she looked at Draco and she saw something that gave her goose bumps all over. He was laughing, yes, but he was also looking at her. His eyes were brilliant, almost like a mirror, and if you paid enough attention you could see, an almost unnoticeable, but very present, twinkle. He looked so gorgeous, so handsome and so much relaxed when he truly laughed... without reserve.

They arrived at the dormitories in the Slytherin dungeons. Their expressions changed into masks of seriousness as they stared at the stone wall. That was the entrance of the Slytherin dorm. Apparently the problem inside the common room had now become really grave, as Draco and Hermione could hear, without a problem, yells and crashes. Draco quickly grabbed a hold of his wand and instinctively moved in front of Hermione.

"Ruthless," he said giving the password to the blank stretch of stone.

The door that was concealed in the stone wall moved open and there was the entire Slytherin common room, in utter chaos. Slytherin students were hiding behind anything that could somehow protect them from immediate danger. The common room looked like a hurricane had just passed through, but it had only started and finished in the common room. Draco took a careful step into the common room. He was holding Hermione's right hand with his left hand and cautiously pulled her into the common room right behind him. He didn't seem to notice what he was doing, for Draco this was just taking precautions. To ensure her safety came as natural to him as breathing. However, she did notice. She stood behind him taking a good, long look at his glorious broad back and shoulders. He gently grabbed her cold hand with his warm hand, and she felt a shiver run up and down her spine like it was an elevator. Even the little hairs in the back of her neck and arms stood up.

She took a deep breath taking in his scent as she closed her eyes gently, only to open them seconds later when shaken by a very disturbing shattering sound. And there he was, in all his great insanity, the tall third year, sandy blond named Vitaly Nemov.

It seemed like he had lost all his connections with sanity and reality. His hair was very messy and oily, as if he had run his hands through his hair one too many times. He had bags under his eyes, and his eyes were bloodshot red. His uniform was dirty, wrinkled and torn apart. He had no robes on and kept pacing up and down the room muttering god knows what to himself. He stopped right in the middle of the room unaware of Hermione and Draco's presence. But he was well aware of the first year girl, behind the grandfather clock, who was staring at him with panicky eyes. He grabbed another breakable object from the table closest to him.

"What are you looking at? I don't know why you look at me like I'm crazy. I am not! You know I am right .. he is coming back! Soon, I know he is. I can feel it. He is so close, I know, I know!"

The first year girl ducked as he finally threw the object at her.

"You should be with me in this!" He pointed at the girl. "You all should." He looked around the common room to the rest of the Slytherins. "You all know that our Master is becoming stronger than ever!"

He ran towards another girl and tried to pull her by her hair, but something, or rather someone, stopped him.

"Well, well. Look who has decided to show up to the party. None other than Draco Malfoy, our best future Death Eater, and who knows, maybe you'll replace him one day," said Nemov looking more eerie by the moment.

"Nemov, what the hell is wrong with you?" asked Draco slowly.

"Don't you understand, Draco? He will be bigger than life soon. We have to join him now!" he grabbed Draco by his shirt. He looked frantic.

One of the first years started trembling with fury and got up slowly. He was staring at Nemov with pure ire. Nemov had beaten him up making him one of his first victims that day. His hands were closed in tight fists and his shoulders were tense. He ran toward him.

"Argh. I'll kill ya, I'll kill ya!" But Draco was too quick for the first year Slytherin, throwing Nemov to one side and intercepting the Slytherin, named Jason Bell, just on time. He tried to struggle free from Draco's grip, but that proved to be very hard. Draco was 6'2" and Bell was only eleven years old and still small.

On the other side of the common room Hermione was trying to calm a very angry, confused, and shocked group of Slytherins. By now everyone who had experienced the situation were coming out of their hiding places.

"Okay, everyone please stay clam and stay where you are," Hermione ordered the students.

Many of the Slytherins were too dumbstruck to go against the orders of a Muggle-born witch, and those who didn't care about the eternal war between Muggle-born and pureblooded wizards, were simply too shocked to go against anything.

Nemov saw Hermione. Her back was facing him. His blood boiled again. He hated Mudbloods nearly as much as he hated traitors of the Dark Lord. He clenched his jaws and fists.

"You stupid, Mudblood," he whispered. "It's your fault the Dark Lord is not in power now.... everything is your fault!" hissed Nemov.

Hermione felt the little hairs of the back of her neck stand up, and she shivered slightly.

The next thing she saw was a very angry and crazy looking Nemov on top of her. He tackled her to the floor, and he slapped her several times. He stood up and kicked her in the stomach.

"You stupid, Mudblood! I hate you!" he yelled with rage. "I'll kill you, you worthless piece of trash." He kicked her again. He looked for his wand in his pocket and pointed it at Hermione.

Draco heard Vitaly yelling and he turned around to see a curled up Hermione in the floor and Vitaly pointing his wand. His blood ran cold.

"Cruc..."

"Expelliarmus" shouted Draco just on time.

Vitaly's wand landed in Draco's hand as, at the same time, Vitaly flew across the room hitting his back with a wall. The next thing Nemov saw was Draco's fist making its way to his eye.

"You wanker!" Draco's eyes blazed with anger as he beat Nemov furiously. "You fucking little maggot! I'll show you!" Draco continued hitting Nemov with all his strength, anger clouding his rationality. How dare he hit Hermione. How dare he even touch her!

Draco felt someone pulling him off Nemov. He turned around and blinked.

"Blaise."

"Draco, let go of him," said Blaise calmly.

"Are you insane? Look at what he has done." He pointed at Hermione still lying on the floor.

"I know, Draco, but you can't keep beating him like that. You could kill him," she tried to place some sense into the blond Head Boy.

"Lucky him then," he spat looking at the seemingly unconscious form of the third year. Suddenly Draco noticed the mark on Nemov's left forearm. There it was, in a very crappy likeness, the Dark Mark. Draco had seen enough Dark Marks in his lifetime to know that the one Nemov wore was not the real thing. It looked like if he had tried to carve the Mark into his forearm and then added ink to the carving.

Blaise kneeled at Nemov's side to check on him. Nemov grabbed her by the neck. She wasn't expecting this. Draco saw a flash of fear in her eyes, but only briefly. Maybe he had just imagined it.

"Petrificus Totalus," Draco managed, grabbing his wand hastily from his trousers pocket.

Blaise sprang up, but looked like nothing had happened.

"Thanks," she barely said.

Draco heard a whimper. Turning around her saw Hermione moving slightly.

"Hermione!" In two long steps he crossed the room to her.

She was in a fetal position. Draco took her face between his two hands. Her cheek was cut open, bleeding profusely, and swelling rapidly. Her lower lip was also cut open and her hands were clutched to her stomach. Her eyes were shut but he could see the trail marks of her tears. He closed the distance between their faces.

"Hermione? Hermione, are you okay? Can you hear me?" She whimpered some more and worry grew even more in him.

"Blaise, take Nemov to the Headmaster." Draco ordered his classmate and Slytherin Prefect.

"But, Draco..." Blaise tried to argue.

"Take him, I said," he yelled. "I have to take Her...Granger to the hospital wing."

"Okay." She pointed her wand to Nemov. "Mobillicorpus." Nemov's immobilized body floated in mid air in front of her. She slowly moved to the entrance, but not before giving Draco a suspicious hard look.

"Okay, everyone stays inside the dungeons," he told the rest of the Slytherins. "Did you hear me?" All the Slytherins nodded quickly. "The professors will be here soon."

He scooped Hermione into his arms.

"Ahh," she moaned weakly.

"I'm sorry, but you'll be fine soon," he told Hermione softly. He made his way to the hospital wing. Once out of the sight of the Slytherins, he looked at her. She was looking at his worry-stricken face.

"How are you holding up?" Draco asked, concerned.

"Oh, it hurts, all right."

"You'll be fine, don't worry, we are almost there."

"Draco?" she croaked.

"Hmmm?"

"Thank you." She managed to say before cuddling against his chest and resting her head in the hollow of his neck.... that scent again...

"You're welcome."

***********************

At the Hospital Wing...

"Oh my! What happened to her, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Long story, Madam Pomfrey, but in a summary: a third year Slytherin went crazy, attacked the entire Slytherin common room, and then beat her up," Draco explained quickly.

"Who was the third year student?" Madam Pomfrey gasped opening her eyes widely.

"Vitaly Nemov." Draco answered.

Her eyes darkened and narrowed.

"I knew he would be trouble. Stay here. I'm going to get some potions for her."

Draco sat on the bed where Hermione lay, and he held her hand. For the first time he noticed how small, soft and delicate they seemed to be against his. He half smiled. God! When did I start to care so much about her? When did I start to care, period? He tried to slide his hand from hers, but she refused to let go and gently squeezed his hand. She was half asleep, the pain she was in was enough to make her body seek refuge in slumber.

Madam Pomfrey came back with two goblets of potions. "All right, dear, wake up. You must take this so you can feel better soon."

Hermione opened her eyes slowly and drank the contents of the goblets until there was nothing left. She dozed off and the last thing she saw before falling deep asleep was Draco's beautiful face. She smiled lightly.

Madam Pomfrey fixed her wounds with a few spells and shortly after her face was healing rapidly. Draco smiled at Hermione warmly, squeezing her hand gently.

"Okay, now out of here, dear. She needs her rest."

"No need to kick me out of here, I have to go to the Headmaster's office anyway," Draco said defensively.

She smiled at him and headed towards her office. It was true that she was too passionate when it came to her patients.

He slowly approached Hermione and kissed Hermione lightly on her forehead. She smiled in her sleep. He stood up, closed the curtains, and headed to the Headmaster's office. This has been a very long day. And sadly, it was not over yet.

**********************************

Blaise left the dungeons with the immobile Nemov to go to the headmaster's office.

"Accio scroll."

Her black scroll appeared in front of her in a matter of seconds.

"Password"

"Zabini, auto voice."

"Good evening, Blaise. What can I help you with?"

"Send a message to the Headmaster. Tell him I'm on my way to his office with a frozen Nemov."

"Will that be all?" the scroll asked.

"Yes, now hurry." With that, the now clear scroll left.

She looked at Nemov who floated with eyes wide open.

"You blasted idiot. You could ruin everything for us. No wonder the Dark Lord didn't take you in. You are simply too moronic to do anything right." Her honey eyes flashed with anger as she whispered those words. She turned around the corner and at the end of the hallway she could see the worried look of Professor Dumbledore.

"Headmaster," she nodded acknowledging him.

"Miss Zabini," he greeted her. "Please follow me." They made their way to his office.

Once in the office Dumbledore transfigured a chair into a bed and told Blaise to put Nemov in it.

"Miss Zabini, would you please inform me what happened," he said while he inspected Nemov meticulously.

"Actually, Professor, I believe that Granger and Malfoy could explain the events much better since the call was sent to them. I only got there once everything had occurred. All I know is that apparently Nemov lost his sanity and began threatening everyone in the Slytherin common room if they didn't join the Dark Lord.... that and that he beat Hermione Granger."

The Headmaster was listening, but looking at the dark mark in Nemov's forearm.

"Where is she now?"

"Draco Malfoy took her to the hospital wing; that's why I'm here. But he should be here any minute to explain everything better."

"I see." He turned around to check Vitaly's eyes, something was very wrong with this student.

Taking his wand out, he waved it on top of Nemov's body from head to toe. He muttered some words and a sheet of white light floated on top of the child's body. He muttered something else, but Blaise still couldn't make out the words. The sheet of white light flashed different colors and emitted strange sounds. Finally the sheet of light stabilized and turned a murky shade of orange.

"Aha," said the Headmaster. "Finite Incantatum." The light was gone.

He turned to look Blaise deeply in the eyes once again.

"Well, Miss Zabini, I'm afraid that somehow a spy has hidden amongst us."

Blaise narrowed her eyes and tilted her head ever so slightly.

"Really? You think so?"

Dumbledore noticed the very slight sarcastic tone coming from the young woman, who stood in front of him showing no sign of remorse or guilt.

"Miss Zabini, is there something you wish to tell me?" He smiled at her.

"Not really Headmaster, not anything that you wouldn't already know," she responded seriously while evading his eyes.

"Very well Miss Zabini, " He moved behind his desk. "How is everything else going?"

"Better than I thought, I must admit, though it has been hard. Yet it's not impossible."

"Hmm." Dumbledore nodded slightly

"Though I must say, Amanda Brocklehurst is no witch of my devotion, but despite her, I'm enjoying being a prefect very much," she told Dumbledore while inspecting a curious object in his office.

"I'm glad to hear that. I trust you will have no doubts about coming to me if you have any questions or information related to the attack."

"No, Professor, have no doubt. I know where my trust lies," she smirked with one of her eyebrows arched.

"Very well, Miss Zabini." There was a knock on the door. "Come in," Professor Dumbledore answered.

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm glad to see that you are in very good condition. I trust Miss Granger will soon be in perfect condition too?" he said as Draco entered the office.

"Yes, Professor, I took her to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey fixed her wounds and gave her two potions. She's now sleeping," he said with a detached tone, sitting in one of the chairs, after the Headmaster offered a seat.

"Good. Miss Zabini, you are free to go, and thank you for your help." He smiled warmly at Blaise.

"You're welcome, Headmaster," she replied as she left.

"Now, Mr. Malfoy, if you could elaborate on the unfortunate incident."

"Yes, sir..." he began, and he told the Headmaster everything that had happened.

"Professor, it seemed like he was possessed. He seemed to be so absent. He has always been annoying, but I never thought he could act like that. He seemed so angry, but he was so empty at the same time. I mean, he was about to torture Hermione," he said absently.

"Yes, indeed Mr. Malfoy. I believe that you are right. Our young Slytherin is under the Imperio."

Draco lifted his eyes to meet those of Dumbledore for the first time since he had mentioned the attempted murder of Hermione. The muscles in his jaws tightened.

"Who?"

"I'm afraid, my dear boy, that despite my suspicions, I don't know with any certainty who has done such an awful thing. But I guarantee you it will not go unpunished."

"I know, Professor, but I can't help but worry. If there's someone in this school who has performed the Imperio on one of our fellow students, the probability of that person working for Voldemort is more than ninety-nine percent.

"Alas, Mr. Malfoy, but I don't want you to worry about it. I believe you have enough to worry about as it is, and I don't not want to add one more thing to your list."

Draco wondered. Does he know? Could he? Should I ask him? Should I tell him? No, I'm just imagining things.

"Is there something you wish to tell me?" Dumbledore asked as if reading his mind.

"No, Headmaster."

"Well then, I guess you can go now Mr. Malfoy. Do not worry. The Faculty and I will take care of everything."

"Thank you, Headmaster."

"On the contrary, Mr. Malfoy, it is me who has to thank you for handling such a dangerous situation with outstanding courage. I believe the Ministry could use your talent once you leave Hogwarts," the older wizard told Draco with complete confidence.

Draco smiled sadly. "Maybe. But I don't think that will be possible."

"Mr. Malfoy, I believe it is. What parents want for their children might not always be the best for them."

Draco kept his calm and cool appearance, but his brain was racing at one hundred and eighty miles per hour. Bollocks! He knows. He bloody knows! I'm so fucked. They'll blame me. Great! This is just bollocky, bloody great!

"Mr. Malfoy, don't worry, I understand your position very well. Please do not hesitate to talk to me whenever you feel like it."

"Yes, Professor."

"Well I believe if you hurry up, you'll be just on time for your last class of the day. Here give this note to Professor Vector. I'm excusing your tardiness and Miss Granger's absence in that note."

"Thanks," Draco replied, quietly. And he left.

He walked quickly to his Arithmancy class. His brain was about to have an overload. It was definite. Now he was quite certain Dumbledore knew everything that happened at Hogwarts and to its students.

"Fuck, fuck, bloody, fuckety, fuck!" he muttered under his breath.

Finally, he reached the classroom. He entered the class, which he had originally intended not to pay attention to. Since Hermione wasn't there, he decided he'd better though.