Rating:
15
House:
Schnoogle
Ships:
Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger
Characters:
Draco Malfoy Harry Potter Hermione Granger
Genres:
Drama Angst
Era:
Harry and Classmates During Book Seven
Spoilers:
Philosopher's Stone Chamber of Secrets Prizoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire Order of the Phoenix Half-Blood Prince
Stats:
Published: 11/28/2006
Updated: 03/15/2007
Words: 148,035
Chapters: 51
Hits: 126,771

Draco: Phoenix Rising

Cheryl Dyson

Story Summary:
Dumbledore is dead, Snape is a traitor and Draco is a Death Eater, but is he really cut out for a position on Voldemort's team?

Chapter 24 - Friends

Chapter Summary:
The question of friendship...
Posted:
01/04/2007
Hits:
2,359


Chapter Twenty Four - Friends

Hermione went to the library, but found herself unable to concentrate. Harry came to find her.

"It's nearly time for dinner. I need your help to come up with a story about where Ron and Malfoy are," he said hopefully. She glared at him and nearly snapped at him to do it himself. She felt a bit guilty, however. It was probably her fault that Draco had been so determined to leave. If only she had listened to him...

"Well, Malfoy can be hiding out in the Slytherin common room. No one will question that. He didn't even want to be here, so keeping to himself will not be out of character. Ron, however... that could be a bit trickier, especially if his parents are here. Did they go back to Headquarters?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen anyone since lunch, and the only ones I saw then were Lupin and Moody."

"Maybe we can tell them Ron isn't feeling well. He ate too many Cauldron Cakes this afternoon. It wouldn't be the first time, and that story will work on everyone but Mrs. Weasley, who will rush off to check on him if she's here. If that happens, we need a backup plan."

"All right, I'll tell her I sent him off to find something, which would be the truth, but bloody awkward if she asks. I won't be able to tell her where."

"I hate lying to them," Hermione commented.

"So do I, but Dumbledore's orders take precedence over our wishes." Harry smacked a hand down on the table. "I should have gone with them!"

"No, you shouldn't. And leave me here to concoct stories for all of you?" She glared. "I'm the one that should have gone with them. You should have told me, at least."

"I would have, but like I told you, Malfoy was in a bloody rush. He would have gone alone rather than wait five minutes!"

She held up a weary hand. "Let's not have another row over this. We have to pretend everything is fine. After dinner, we should go back to the Pensieve. You need to finish that process as soon as possible. Should they actually find the book, it would be nice to compare that information with whatever Dumbledore has left for you."

Harry nodded, although he looked less than thrilled. Hermione knew that memories were probably hard to deal with. She got up and gave him a quick hug.

"Don't worry. We'll get through this."

He nodded and they went down to the Great Hall together.

Dinner was a grueling affair, made easier only by the fact that none of the Weasleys were in attendance. Bill was working late at Gringott's and his parents had returned to Number 12 Grimmauld Place the previous night. Hermione was so worried about Ron and Draco that she couldn't eat more than a few bites and ended up vanishing half her meal when no one was watching.

Moody, as usual, was demanding action and trying to get Lupin to agree to invade Malfoy Manor. He suggested burning it to the ground.

"We are not Death Eaters, Alastor!" Lupin shouted finally. "We do not operate using their methods!"

"Maybe we should!" Moody returned angrily. "If we used a bit more force, maybe they would take notice! Maybe they would stop kidnapping and torturing children!"

Harry nodded, but Hermione agreed with Lupin. They would be no better than Voldemort if they resorted to those tactics.

Lupin did agree to another reconnaissance of Malfoy Manor, but would not budge on the use of force. Moody finally jerked to his feet and stalked out.

"I'll be at the Hog's Head having a drink!" he bellowed as he left. Lupin put his head in his hands. He looked so much older than when Hermione had first met him. She wondered if the pressure of running the Order of the Phoenix was too much for him. Tonks patted him on the back.

"There has to be some way to learn his plans," Lupin said. "Some way that will not get more of us killed."

"We'll figure it out," Tonks said. "Don't take so much on yourself."

"Harry, you don't plan to do anything rash after your birthday, do you?" Lupin asked casually.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked warily.

"Well, you'll be of age, so none of us will be able to stop you, should you decide to rush off and confront You-Know-Who."

Harry laughed shortly.

"Don't worry. I have no intention of confronting Voldemort alone."

The sincerity in his voice seemed to reassure Lupin, who sat back with a sigh.

"All right." Lupin smiled wanly. "I'll try to stop worrying so much about you."

Harry looked at Hermione and grinned, but his smile was tinged with sadness. Lupin had once been part of a group of excellent friends. They thought they would be together forever. Now, two were dead and one was a traitorous spy... Lupin had none of his former cohorts to turn to. Hermione fervently hoped she would never look back on her school years with such wistful heartache. She suddenly missed Ron terribly.

"Come on," she said to Harry. "Let's go wait for Ron."

They made a stop at McGonagall's office so that Hermione could examine the Pensieve vials. The first was Sirius's memory. The next was Snape telling Dumbledore about the Horcruxes.

"I've seen the next three," Harry said. "Dumbledore showed them to me before. They are Tom Riddle at the orphanage, the history of Riddle's parents, and learning about Slytherin's locket and Hufflepuff's cup."

"The next one is labeled 'AD at Borgin and Burkes,'" she said.

"All right, we've got nothing better to do until we hear from Ron. Let's do it. You can come with me this time."

Hermione was a bit apprehensive. She'd heard about Pensieve memories from Harry, but had never actually used one. Harry uncorked the vial and poured it in. He guided Hermione to put her face in the liquid and she gasped when she instantly found herself in the dark, musty confines of Borgin and Burkes. A tall, scruffy-looking white-haired man was examining various goods. He looked familiar, but Hermione couldn't place him. His initials were A. D.? Was he a friend of Dumbledore?

Harry appeared beside her. After a moment, he snapped his fingers.

"It's the barman from the Hog's Head. In Hogsmeade!"

Hermione looked apprehensively from the man to the proprietor, but neither made a sound or movement to denote they had heard Harry's outburst. Harry chuckled.

"Odd, isn't it? Everything looks so real. But, it's just a memory. Nothing we do or say can affect the sequence of events. You know, I don't think I'll ever put my own memories into a Pensieve. I don't think I could stand watching myself make the same mistakes over and over without being able to alter them. You know, there is always something you wish you had said or done differently."

Hermione nodded and for some reason Draco came to mind.

The barman was talking to Mr. Borgin.

"This is all tripe. Where is the good stuff? I need something in particular."

"What is it you are looking for, exactly?"

"I am a collector and I have been searching for Hogwarts' items. I need things from all four founders. I have something of Slytherin's; the man was so egocentric he kept enough crap to stock a museum. I managed to find a trinket of Hufflepuff's and Gryffindor left some moldy clothing behind. But..." The barman leaned forward conspiratorially, "I've yet to find something of Rowena Ravenclaw's. Too smart for her own good, she was. Do you happen to have anything?" Borgin made as though to speak, but the barman raised a hand. "I warn you, do not try to pawn off a false item as hers. I have ways of testing it."

Borgin swallowed and shook his head.

"I once had such an item, but it was taken long ago."

"Taken? What was it?"

"A bracelet." He turned and rooted in a cabinet behind him for a moment. "Here, I have a picture. Magnificent, wasn't it?"

Harry and Hermione leaned close to the barman and peered over his shoulders to view the picture. It was a beautiful bangle bracelet encrusted with sapphires and diamonds. A tiny raven charm dangled from the center.

"And you say this was taken?"

Borgin nodded. "Stolen from our stock. One of our employees, we believe. Many years ago. It was never recovered."

"A pity," said the barman. "You have no other items?"

The proprietor shook his head and tucked the photo back into the file. "Should you run across the bracelet..." The two men looked at each other measuringly and both grinned without humor.

The memory ended and Hermione shook herself. She looked at Harry.

"Well, now we know what the Ravenclaw Horcrux is. We just don't know where it is."

Harry tugged at his hair for a moment. "The barman mentioned he was already in possession of Gryffindor items. You think Dumbledore sent him to Borgin and Burkes? Dumbledore said the only relics of Gryffindor are here in this room." He walked over and looked into the glass case that held the Sword of Gryffindor. "No way in hell this can be a Horcrux. I don't think it was ever out of Dumbledore's sight long enough to be turned into a Horcrux." He gestured at the nearby battered Sorting Hat. "And the hat would have mentioned it." Harry walked over and stood before Dumbledore's portrait.

"I don't suppose you can offer any assistance?"

Dumbledore shook his head sadly.

"Alas, Harry, I am merely a shadow. But, you are doing fine. Sending for the book is a step in the right direction. Take care not to make the same foolish mistakes I made."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked. "You mean like trusting Snape?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "I do not regret trusting Severus. The answers are in the Pensieve, Harry."

Harry looked at Hermione, who gasped suddenly.

"Oh no! I just remembered I promised to start another batch of Wolfsbane Potion for Lupin! I'd better do that or it won't be ready next month!"

"All right," Harry said. He looked somewhat dejected.

"One more memory, first," Hermione suggested. He smiled at her and pulled out the next vial.

"Thanks. It's easier with a friend, for some reason."

Hermione didn't recognize the room in which they found themselves. A huge mirror dominated the shadowy place. Dumbledore stood before the mirror and looked into it with an expression of extreme sadness.

"The Mirror of Erised," Harry said quietly. "This is the chamber where they hid the Stone. First year. The place where Quirrell died and I first... fought Voldemort."

Footsteps sounded behind them and they all turned to see Snape approaching.

"So. I was right," Snape said. He did not sound satisfied.

Dumbledore sighed. "You were right."

"He will not be pleased that I helped to thwart him."

"You could not have known. Quirrell did not have the Dark Mark. We had no way of knowing he was being controlled by Voldemort."

"I doubt he will accept that as an excuse."

"Well, we shall have to make certain it never comes into question. If we can stop him from returning, your loyalty will never be an issue." Dumbledore's voice was calm, but his tone bordered on irritated.

Snape shook his head and his black eyes flashed.

"Look how far he got on his first attempt. He very nearly had the bloody Stone."

"It's taken him nearly eleven years to get this far. And he would not have gotten the Stone," Dumbledore said with finality.

Snape nodded. "Oh yes. I had forgotten much of this was set up as a test. To assess the abilities of The Golden Boy. It looks to me as though he won the day through the aptitude of his friends. And a large dose of luck."

"Not luck, but I will agree with you about the friends." Snape raised a scornful lip and Dumbledore chuckled. "You scoff, but I believe Harry's friends will turn out to be his greatest asset."

"Friends and family are liabilities," Snape growled. "They can be used against you."

"It may seem that way to you, simply because you never had a true friend."

"I don't need any friends!" Snape yelled.

"Everyone needs friends. If only you--"

Snape held up a warning hand. "Don't bloody start! I sacrificed a loving family and all chance at a normal life in order to fulfill this destiny that links us. Do not expect me to became mawkish and reach out for friendship, because I neither need nor want it."

Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "It does not have to be this way."

"You are the one disappointed with my inability to love. I could care less."

"If you were unable to love, you would not be here fighting Voldemort. You do so because--"

"I do it for revenge!" Snape shouted. "Nothing more! Do not prattle at me any longer with your stupid over-emotional ideals!"

"You are still so very young," Dumbledore said and tsked. Hermione thought Snape was going to explode with rage, but he controlled himself with effort. His fists were clenched into white-knuckled balls. When he spoke again, his voice was even. "I see you are in one of your maudlin moods. When you are ready to discuss the true problem, such as Voldemort's next possible move, you know where to find me. I do not think he will wait another eleven years for his next attempt."

With that, he spun on a heel and stalked out.

Dumbledore glanced back into the mirror.

"One day he will discover his true capacities. I only hope by then it will not be too late," he murmured to himself.

Hermione stood before the Pensieve again. Harry looked at her in bewilderment.

"What was that all about?" Harry asked.

"Well, it clears up one mystery. I always wondered if Snape was trying to help Voldemort get the Stone. It seems Dumbledore was right to trust him, at least back then. What do you suppose Snape meant when he said he had sacrificed a loving family?"

"Knowing Snape, he probably meant sacrificed on an altar," Harry said coldly.

Hermione shook her head. "I don't think so. He sounded so... torn. He said he gave up all chance for a normal life. Do you think he stayed at Hogwarts only to stop Voldemort?"

"If so, he hated every minute of it. No wonder he killed Dumbledore."

Hermione frowned. "He spurned Dumbledore's offer of friendship. Why? What would cause him to shut himself off so thoroughly?"

Harry shrugged. "Because, he's pure evil?"

"He can't be evil, or he wouldn't have been trying to stop Voldemort! That was Dumbledore's whole point. Don't you see? He knew there was good in Snape."

"Fat lot of use that did him! There was not enough good to keep Snape from killing Dumbledore in the end, was there? And apparently Snape changed his mind and decided to join up after all, eh?"

"Then, why did he tell Draco about the Horcruxes?"

Harry threw up his hands. "We'll never understand Snape's twisted motives, so why try?"

Hermione chewed a nail thoughtfully. "I don't know. I just have a feeling that Snape's motives play a very large part in this mystery. Why did Dumbledore leave this memory if it wasn't important?"

"He left it so we would trust Snape, but that was before Snape killed him!"

"Will you please stop shouting at me? I really hate it when you do that. Do I bellow at you?"

Harry looked a bit sheepish, but he said petulantly, "Well, it's true."

"I suppose. I need to start this potion. Want to come?"

"No. I'm going back to the common room and wait for Ron."

Hermione had long finished the potion-making process and was back in the common room with Harry when Ron's summons finally came.

"Thank God!" Harry cried when Ron's Patronus dissipated. "They are at the front gates. We need to find someone to let them in."

"Tonks," Hermione said instantly. "She won't ask so many questions. Our stories just got shredded. Are they all right? Why didn't they fly back?"

Harry shrugged. "Ron didn't say."

Hermione sent a quick Patronus message to Tonks, who met them in the Front Hall. They ruefully explained the problem and Tonks shook her head in disappointment. "Remus is going to be so upset with you."

"You don't necessarily have to tell him," Harry suggested hopefully. Tonks leveled a stare at him. Pink hair or not, she suddenly looked very adult and responsible.

"Yes, I necessarily do," she said coldly. Harry flushed and sighed.

"Fine. Let's just go get them and I'll face the firing squad when we get back."

When they reached the gates, Hermione felt almost faint with relief to find both Ron and Draco alive and unharmed. She was surprised to see the two bound Death Eaters, however, and threw an I-Told-You-So look at Harry, who managed to ignore her. When Tonks opened the gate, Hermione rushed out and threw herself at Ron. Before she could stop herself, she began to scold him for being so foolish. She next turned on Draco, who cut her short. He looked completely exhausted. She took a concerned step toward him, but he turned and began to stalk quickly toward the castle. She would have gone after him, but Ron snatched at her arm.

"Don't even think about it," he warned.

"Think about what?" she asked.

"I really don't care for the way you just looked at Malfoy," Ron said peevishly.

Hermione's blood froze.

"What are you talking about?" she snapped. She tried to pull away, but Ron held on tightly. They trailed after the others and Harry hurried to walk with Malfoy while Tonks juggled the floating Death Eaters with her wand.

"I'm starting to think you actually care about that git," Ron snarled. "I just saved his bloody life and I'm beginning to regret it."

"You saved Malfoy's life?" She tried not to sound disbelieving. Ron glared at her.

"You think I'm a complete screw-up, don't you?"

"I never said that!"

"You were thinking it. I bet you yelled at Harry mercilessly for letting 'poor, useless Ron go off and nearly get himself killed. He can barely cast a proper spell. I'm surprised he didn't fall off his broom halfway across the lake.'"

"I never said anything of the sort!" she snapped. "Now, let go of me."

"So you can hurry off and kiss Malfoy again?" Ron yelled. His face was suffused with rage. She stopped in amazement and wondered why he was so angry. What had Draco told him? More lies? Or potentially more damaging, the truth? Ron released her.

"Why are you so angry? Malfoy already told you why he kissed me."

Ron nodded. "Yeah. I actually believed it, at first."

"Well, you know how effortless it is for him to twist things around. You've always been an easy mark."

His blue eyes narrowed. "Stupid Ron, always falling for Malfoy's lies."

"Stop doing that!" she shouted.

He took her arm again. "Come on. We're going to have a nice little chat about you and Draco Malfoy." He tried to drag her toward the castle, but she dug in her heels. They had a moment's tug-of-war with her arm until she drew her wand and cast a stinging hex on his hand. He yanked it back with a yelp and put the red area to his mouth.

"Don't you ever manhandle me again!" she hissed. "I've been worried about you the entire time you were gone and then you come back and act like some sort of jealous Neanderthal! When you decide to start acting like a human being again, I will consent to have that little chat with you. Until then, you can stay the bloody hell away from me!"

She hurried after the others and up the steps into the Front Hall. She caught sight of Draco's silvery head disappearing down the dungeon steps and ran after him. He tensed when she called to him, but he stopped and waited for her. When he turned, Hermione threw her arms around his neck and clung to him for a moment, wishing she had never brought him here. She longed for a private moment to talk to him. His arms stayed limp as she held him and she wondered if he would ever allow her to get close to him again.

"I'm glad you're safe," she said lamely, leaving volumes unspoken. She pressed her lips against his check and then turned and ran back up the steps. She met Ron's furious gaze with a raised brow that dared him to comment. He said nothing; merely fell into step beside her as they headed for the main staircase.

The third floor landing was dark and Ron took her arm, gently this time, to guide her up the darkened steps.

"Thanks," she said shortly.

"Hermione?" he asked quietly. He stopped walking and she took a few more steps before turning around to look at him with a tired sigh.

"Yes, Ron?" she asked.

"I've been thinking about something Malfoy said to me."

"I never would have guessed," she said dryly. Ron moved up to stand on the step below hers. He still had to look down at her a bit; she noted with some surprise that he was as tall as Draco. Without warning, Ron reached out and caught her shoulders, and then he leaned down and kissed her. For a moment, she was beyond shocked and her first bemused thought was that she hadn't been kissed in months and now... twice in one day. Who was next? Harry?

She relaxed and tried not to compare Ron's kiss to Draco's, but it was impossible. It was strange, but she had thought about kissing Ron dozens of times; she had nearly done so, in fact, when they had studied together in the common room. The timing had just never been right, and she had been too afraid of it ending their friendship. She wished now that she had done so. Maybe, if she had kissed him long ago, their relationship might have grown into something deeper. Ron's lips on hers were soft and gentle, somewhat demanding, but she felt none of the wild excitement that Draco's kiss had provoked. She didn't feel weak in the knees. She didn't feel cold and hot at the same time. She felt nothing but a growing sadness. Ron released her reluctantly.

"He told me I should do that," he said simply and continued up the stairs without another word.

Hermione sank down on the step. He told me I should do that. Draco Malfoy told Ron he should kiss her. She felt like tearing her hair out by the roots in frustration. When had her life become the complicated mess she suddenly found herself in? She nodded ironically. Oh yes. The moment she had Apparated in Dover and discovered the fantasy man of her coin conversations to be none other than Draco Malfoy. Did she even see the real Draco? Was she still projecting her fantasies onto him, trying to turn him into something he wasn't?

She thought about Malfoy's kiss and a rush of warmth flooded over her senses. She groaned and buried her head in her hands. That kiss had been no fantasy. But why did it have to be Draco she responded to and not Ron? It was completely unfair. She sighed and got to her feet in determination.

She would just have to ignore them both. They had a job to do and emotional complications would only get in the way.