Year of the Dragon

Hermione glanced at her watch impatiently, and harry and Ron snickered at her. She tried to frown, but found herself grinning. She had found it so difficult to live without her favorite watch that she had given in and put a charm on it so it always told perfect time. And that meant that Snape was two minutes late. Hermione sighed irritably and began tapping her foot. Where is that slimy old man?? It was their first day back to classes and as usual, Hermione couldn't wait to begin. Also as usual, harry and Ron didn't understand her. They'd reached a tedious truce on their argument the day before, although harry secretly thought that it was more like 'harry and Ron gave in and apologized' than a truce. "Argh, hurry up!" Hermione snapped, then blushed as she realized how loudly she'd spoken. Everyone was staring at her.

"You seem awfully eager, Granger," Draco drawled, "You aren't having an affair with Snape are you?" The Slytherins apparently thought this was the cleverest thing they'd ever heard. Harry sighed as Hermione reached for her wand and Ron clenched his fists.

"Ron! Calm down. Malfoy's just trying to get you in trouble. He probably knows Snape's just around the corner to snap at you!" Sure enough, Snape came storming into the room at that moment.

"Silence!" he demanded. Everyone fell quiet. Snape began looking the class over, a disgusted sneer on his lips. "I don't expect either of us will enjoy this class. I have found the lot of you unintelligent and boring in the past and I imagine you still are." Harry put a hand on Hermione's arm, as she looked about ready to explode. Snape never gave her credit for her intelligence or her hard work. He turned his gaze to Malfoy. "Well, perhaps there are one or two exceptions." Ron made gagging sound in his throat as malfoy basked under Snape's praise.

"Huh, he's the most boring and unintelligent of us all," he mumbled angrily.

"Ten points from Gryffindor Weasley, for interrupting my class." Harry shuddered as Snape turned around to write the day's assignments on the board.

"Don't worry Ron, the man's pure evil. You know he looks for any excuse to take points from Gryffindor."

The class was uneventful after that, as Hermione read the assigned passages from her potions textbook. She was working on the last question when she heard somebody slam their book shut triumphantly. Hermione snapped to full attention. Had somebody finished before her? No, it's impossible. She read as fast as ever...After struggling for about half a minute she swivelled her head slightly towards where the noise had come from and glanced out of the corner of her eye. She wished she hadn't. There was Snape, holding a very pleased looking Draco Malfoy's homework. She gritted her teeth, turned around and began to work full speed.

When Snape announced that he would be back in a few minutes and left the room, Hermione turned to Ron and Harry. Ron sighed. He knew the look in her big brown eyes all too well.

"'Mione, what on earth happened?" Harry cleared his throat and nudged her arm slightly.

"Hermione? You're digging your nails into the desk." She widened her eyes in surprise.

"Sorry about that, " she mumbled, stroking the desk as if it were alive. Harry shook his head.

"What happened? You look as if either everything you've ever believed has been proven wrong, or you want to kill somebody, and I'm not sure which is worse. Neither of them is good." She smiled weakly.

"I know this is going to sound awful of me, but Malfoy was done his work a good ten minutes before me and I can't stand it!" she hissed emphatically. Ron gasped.

"Malfoy? He was obviously doing a half ass job Hermione. That slime-ball is not half as bright as you." Hermione muttered a thankyou and placed her chin on her arms, looking like if anything Ron made her feel worse.

Malfoy let out a sigh of relief. He'd done it. He'd focused on that bloody boring potions work and finished it before Granger. He chuckled to himself...she couldn't stand it. Good, he thought, now she knows how it feels for once. He'd already decided that if his life was going to belong to somebody else, even that disgusting Voldemort, then so be it. If he could no longer fight for his freedom, he'd fight for his life. So, what did he have to do to stay alive, he mused. Well, he had to make sure he was the most feared and admired Slytherin in Hogwarts. Of course, he was already. He owned that house. He had to keep his marks above Granger's or his father would kill him; he was working on that one. Last but not least, he had to become a filthy recruiter. He shuddered. If there was anything he hated about all of this it was the idea that he had to go about befriending every stupid scum-bag in Hogwarts to try to get them on the Dark Lord's side. Draco did not consider himself a stupid scum-bag. He considered himself a survivor. True, he definitely had a cruel streak, but until now he'd never been afraid of feeling like scum.

"You can leave now! Don't forget those papers! Thirty points from any student who forgets!" Draco heard Snape snap. He sighed. He'd forgotten he was still in class. He got up and put on his best 'school-face', sauntering towards the door. "Wait, Mr. Malfoy." Draco turned around warily. True, Snape liked him, but he wouldn't put it past him to yell at him for having been day dreaming just now. Draco approached Snape's desk. If he was going to speak to him, he'd do it to his face.

"What do you want, sir?" He skillfully blended sarcasm with respect and waited for the usual reaction. It never came. Draco wasn't sure, but he almost thought he saw sympathy in Snape's eyes. "Sir?" Draco asked cautiously.

"You're not a man used to sympathy, are you Mr. Malfoy?" Draco stiffened and hardened his gaze.

"If I were a man who needed sympathy I probably would be. However this is not the case...sir,"he added this just belatedly enough to make a point. Snape only shook his head irritably.

"Impossible child.."he mumbled, then sighed. "You are aware that I know things that go on with Voldemort and his followers?" Impressed that Snape didn't flinch to say the name out loud, Draco nodded dumbly. "And do you know what he has planned...for you?" Draco froze. Snape was confronting him. He knew he was going to be initiated. Then another thought....I'm going to be expelled. His expression remained impassive.

"I have no time for chit-chat Snape, I have lunch to attend," he snapped. He left the room, black cape swirling behind him, and nearly ran to the Great Hall.

When he arrived at the Slytherin table Crabbe and Goyle had saved his seat, and were already digging into plates heaped with cream puffs and other pastries. He shook his head and reached for a sandwich.

"Excuse me! Excuse me everyone!" Draco glanced up from his plate. That old fool Dumbledore was trying to talk. He shrugged and went back to his meal as the Great hall fell silent. "Thankyou. As I am sure you all wish to return to you conversations, I will be brief."

"I had you pegged for boxers!" one of the Weasley twins called out. A wave of laughter swept through the hall.

"Ah Mr. Weasley, I try to discourage students from having such thoughts about their teachers." An appreciative murmur sounded out. Draco noticed the Weasley boy was crimson but laughing good-naturedly. What a fool. "Now, my announcement. In light of recent events, by which I mean the return of Voldemort-" a collective gasp was heard. Draco jerked his head up in alarm to pay attention. "-I have persuaded Professors Snape and McGonagall to begin dueling instruction for all students Fifth Year and up. It is completely voluntary. However, I must impress on you the importance of protecting yourselves in the months to come. Thankyou." He sat down and began to dig into a particularly sweet looking sundae as if nothing had happened. Draco turned to Crabbe and Goyle.

"So? Going to try that dueling thing?" he asked nonchalantly. They nodded dumbly. "Good idea boys. This might be fun." He glanced over at the Gryffindor table. Granger was for some reason threatening Ron Weasley with her wand. He felt like laughing at the look on the Weasel's face. Then she turned and looked at Draco. At first he looked back, caught off guard as he could tell she was, then he returned his sneer and left the Great Hall. He needed to think.

Hermione was of the impression that her first week of school had gone remarkably well. She'd gotten perfect on everything she'd handed in so far, she'd threatened Ron into stopping his foolish behaviour, (at least for now, she thought glumly), and the dueling training was scheduled to begin tomorrow. One thing was bothering her though. She couldn't stand it when something was not adding up, and right now Draco Malfoy was definitely not making any sense whatsoever. He seemed to be going out of his way to talk to people lately, for one thing. Not that she ever paid a second thought to Malfoy's social life in the past, she hated the conceited lout after all, but when he began hanging around so many insecure, weak willed and stupid people...Hermione shuddered. It was just, suspicious. No other word for it. She was sure he was plotting something and she had a feeling she had better figure out what before it was too late. As much as she wished that were all, it wasn't. She also noticed that although Malfoy seemed to have a sudden interest in being the fastest worker alive, (she had grown accustomed to finishing her work second in ever class that Draco was in), he seemed to have lost some of his energy. No, she thought to herself, not energy exactly...his drive. He didn't insult her Ron and harry nearly so much. She knew that had been his livelihood. And when she accidently caught his eye last week... Hermione sighed. It was time to involve harry and Ron. She decided she'd tell them tomorrow, maybe after the dueling lessons.

Satisfied that her decision was the correct one, she cleared unpleasant thoughts of Malfoy from her mind and opened up her new copy of Hogwarts: A History.

"Alright Fifth Years, this is how this will work," McGonagall called out firmly. "I am going to cast a team sorting charm on the lot of you. If your clothes turn purple you will group to the left of this platform. If your clothing turns blue, you will gather with your group mates to the right. Understood?" There were various nods and 'Yes Ma'am's throughout the mass of students, and McGonagall nodded. She whipped out her wand and yelled, "Infucatus Iugum!"

Students everywhere began to smile, as the spell put most people with their friends. Purple garbed Ron, harry and Hermione made their way to the left of the platform, and found themselves with mostly Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, facing mostly Ravenclaws and Slytherins.

"Hmph, that spell isn't very random, is it?" Hermione grumbled.

"What's wrong Hermione? Rather be with them?" Ron made a disgusted face and pointed his wand at Draco, Crabbe and Goyle. Harry cringed.

"Oh, knock it off Ron!" he whispered hotly, "You had a chance with Hermione at one time and I'm sure at this point she's still your friend but if you keep this up you won't even have that. Now be quiet and wait for instructions." With that, he turned around. Hermione sighed.

"That was harsh of him Ron, I know, but he's right. Obviously you have been angry ever since I want to the ball with Viktor, and it's obvious you were quite jealous."

"I was not, I mean, how could you even-" he stuttered angrily.

"Oh it's true for Merlin's sake Ron, now knock it off! I love you-- as a brother. Know that and be satisfied. Now, maybe we can continue our friendship the way it used to be? Poor Harry must be going crazy." Much to Hermione's relief, Ron grinned and stuck out his hand.

"You've got yourself a deal." Hermione smiled as one of her biggest problems left over a handshake. She knew he wouldn't stop liking her, but maybe he'd start acting normal again. Well, she thought with a grin, as normal as any Weasley.

Professor Snape walked out to the middle of the platform and cleared his throat loudly.

"This is not to be all fun and games," his voice rang out menacingly. "We will work on disarming charms first, and in later lessons proceed to more drastic measures. The disarming charm is Expelliarmus...as you should all be aware by now," he added with a sneer. Professor McGonagall frowned at Snape and joined him on the platform.

"Do we have any volunteers?" Everyone stared blankly at their feet. She sighed. "Well, I'm asking you to disarm eachother, not kill eachother!" She was about to ask Hermione to demonstrate it with her, when cool voice rang out over the gathering.

"I'll do it," Draco drawled. There was much murmuring as Draco walked up to the platform. Hermione chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Ron asked.

"I'm not sure...maybe I'm just laughing because it's so typical of him to show off. It's ridiculous." Ron was satisfied with this answer as he heartily agreed with her.

"Very good Mr. Malfoy," Snape said with a smirk. "Will nobody be joining Malfoy? Hmm?" Hermione felt Harry squirm uncomfortably beside her before he walked up to the platform.

"Ah, Mr. Potter. Excellent. Now, you all remember the Wizard's Duel positions? Well go ahead then." Snape and McGonagall left the platform and stood between the blue and purple sides, at the head of the gathering. Harry and Draco approached eachother in standard fashion.

"Feel familiar, Potter?" Draco asked with a lopsided smirk. Harry smiled back nastily.

"If I remember correctly Malfoy, I knocked you on your ass last time." Malfoy sniffed.

"Not before I knocked you on yours," he whispered as he began to step away. When they were once again facing eachother, the hall fell silent. Draco started,

"Expe-"

"Expelliarmus!" Harry interrupted quickly. Draco went flying back against the wall as his wand flew towards Harry. A group of simpering Slytherin girls ran to his side.

"Are you alright, Drakey?" asked Pansy Parkinson. Draco cuold have gagged.

"Sod off, Parkinson. I'm fine," he snapped as he stood himself back up and pushed the crowd of girls away. The majority of the hall was now cheering Harry on enthusiastically. Draco ignored them and went to retrieve his wand. Harry was holding it smugly. "I'll take that Potter, if you don't mind, it looks better with me." Harry was about to, then remembered all the times Draco had made his life miserable.

"I'm just waiting for instructions, Malfoy." Draco felt like strangling him with his bare hands. He was sick of wonderful Harry Potter and his perfect little life. Hermione felt like jumping up to stop Harry as Draco's chest began to heave ever so slightly. They were about ten feet away now.

"Give it here, Potter. You don't want to be on my bad side today," Draco warned, the unspoken threat evident in his tone. Ron wondered why the teachers weren't intervening and saw that they were attending to Neville Longbottom, who had fainted. Harry laughed softly.

"Look Malfoy, threats are lost on me. I'm not afraid. Not even of a filthy Death Eater like you!" Many students gasped, and Professor Snape jerked his head up. He said something, but neither boy was listening.

"What. Did. You. Call. Me?"

"Come off it Malfoy. Aren't you proud to be just like your father?" That was the last straw for Draco. Ignoring the fact that he no longer had his wand, he threw his arm in Harry's direction and yelled,

"Everto Exalto!"

"Harry!" Hermione cried as his body flew all the way up to the ceiling, spinning and flipping dangerously, then came crashing down. Snape and McGonagall hollered for the students to stay back as the rushed to harry's limp form on the ground.

"Blimey, Draco!" Goyle said, looking at his friend nervously. "How'd you do that?" Draco tore his eyes away from harry and realized that everyone was staring at him.

"It was a standard enemy throwing charm Goyle. Even you should have recognized that." Goyle looked at his feet. Blaise Zambini came forward, a combination of fear and wonder on her face.

"Draco... He still has your wand." Draco started at this and looked at his left hand, as if not believing that his wand wasn't there. He looked around. Everywhere, fearful student faces were peering at him carefully. He probably should have enjoyed the attention, but he didn't like those looks. He felt like everything Potter had just said had been verified in their minds.

"Well, what are you all staring at?" he yelled irritably, before storming out of the room.

"Somebody call Madam Pomfrey!" McGonagall ordered. "Now!" Seamus Finnigan nodded and ran off in the opposite direction. "Mr. Thomas?" she called. Dean ran to her side, concern written all over his face. "Get Dumbledore." He nodded and ran off after Seamus.

"Is the boy okay, Minerva?" an unusually concerned Snape asked. She nodded slowly.

"I think he'll be okay."

"Then why call the headmaster?" She looked at him worriedly.

"Mr. Malfoy should not have been able to do that, Severus, and you know it. There is a very large difference between casting a spell without a wand and commiting accidenal magic. That was not accidental. That was...impossible."

Hermione, who had been listening intently, filed away this conversation to be thought over later. Now, she was too worried about Harry to think.

"Harry? Can you hear me? It's Hermione."

"Ya, it's Ron too, Harry. Nasty fall you just took. It looked brilliant though!" Hermione elbowed Ron sharply. "Ow! Alright already."

"He can't hear us anyways. We'll just have to wait for Madam Pomfrey."

Draco flew through the hallways, not really sure where he was going or why. Serves Potter right! Telling Draco he was just like his father. He was not his father. Was he? He was soon to be a Death Eater, just like Lucius. He was a Malfoy, like Lucius. He was known for being particularily nasty to people... just like Lucius. Bloody Hell, he thought as he passed a mirror, I even look like Lucius! He found himself in the trophy room and sat down on the floor. He had no desire to face his fellow slytherins right now, and didn't feel like being in the common room anyways. His father might have heard about what happened by now. His sources were remarkably fast. Draco sighed. "How the hell did I do that?" He remembered it well enough. Potter had disarmed him before Draco could finish his spell. He'd tried to get his wand back, and The Boy Who Lived had decided to be a prat and hang onto it for a while. Then he'd compared him to his father. Draco groaned. It wouldn't do to have people figuring out that he despised his father. If anybody asked, he would have to say he had been dying to kill Potter, and get his wand back. If they ask about his father or the Death Eater comments, he'll simply deny that they had any effect. "Besides, it wasn't that unusual. I'm sure students have lost their tempers and hexed people without their wands before."

But it was unusual. Very unusual.

"Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape," Dumbledore greeted his staff members, "To what do I owe this visit?" Nobody corrected the headmaser on the point that he had actually visited them. Professor mcGonagall sighed.

"I am afraid our first Dueling lesson went rather poorly." Dumbledore raised his eyebrows at this. Snape made a scoffing noise.

"Nonsense. The dueling was excellent. There are bound to be a few...accidents as we go along. That is a price you pay for training." McGonagll glared at Snape with eyes to freeze hell over. The headmaster regarded the two of them with twinkling eyes.

"Come now you two. I'm sure that wherever the enemy is, it is not standing before you, hmm?" Even Snape had the good grace to appear abashed. "Good. Now, I believe the hallways are abound with talk of Mr. Potter's acrobatics?"

"Malfoy sent him flying, sir. He is in the infirmiry now, with Granger and Weasley." Dumbledore nodded. "Sir...when Malfoy put the Everto Exalto charm on Potter...Harry was in possession of his wand." Much to Minerva's irritation, Dumbledore chuckled slightly.

"Ah Professor. If somebody refused to give me my wand I'd toss them in the air too."

"Sir, certainly you must see what this means?" Upon seeing the concern etched on even Snape's face, Albus nodded.

"It's him." McGonagall brought her hand to her chest compulsively.

"Oh Albus, are you certain?"

"I'm afraid so Minerva. If something does not help that boy, we may all very well be doomed. I think I'll go talk to him." He paused, as if listening to something only he could hear, then nodded. "I do believe I will find him in the trophy room. I best be off now." Snape and McGonagall exchanged incredulous looks as Dumbledore left the room.

"I don't like it when he does that," Snape sneered. Professor McGonagall had no choice but to agree.

Okay. It was all well and good that everyone in the school would be terrified of him now, but Potter still had his wand. He had been able to do magic that once without it, but that was no guarantee that he'd ever be able to do it again. Besides, if it wasn't too late he really wanted to prevent his father from finding out about his new talent. What Voldemort didn't know about, he couldn't exploit. The less He knows about me, Draco thught bitterly, the less he can control me. The sound of approaching footsteps broke Draco from his reverie.

"May I join you, Mr. Malfoy?" Draco made no effort to hide his dislike. He sneered.

"It's your school, Professor Dumbledore." Much to his surprise, Dumbledore sat on the floor beside Draco. He lookd at him incredulously.

"Oh, put your eyes back in your head Mr. Malfoy. Even very old men remember how to sit on a floor." Draco felt his face redden.

"I didn't think you were too old to sit," he mumbled, almost apolagetic. Dumbledore raised his eyebrows at this. Perhaps the boy does have some potential, as Severus claims.

"I heard about what happened at the training session this evening, but would you like to tell me in your own words?" Draco glanced at him. What is this old man playing at, trying to be nice to me? I'm not Potter.

"I'm sure Potter can tell you better than I when he wakes up, if it's events you're looking for. If you don't mind Dumbledore, I have things to do." Draco started to get up when he felt a suprisingly strong hand grip his wrist gently.

"Did you want to discuss your side of things?" Draco stopped and looked at the headmaster. His side of things? In all his life nobody had ever asked him his side of things. It could be nice, to be understood.... He shook his head. He was just feeling weak. What would his father do if he found out that Draco was confiding in the enemy? Dumbledore felt his heart go out to this handsome boy with such cold gray eyes. The tension around him was almost tangible. He knew what the boy would say before he spoke.

"There's nothing to disuss, sir. Potter and I have never gotten along. Figures he would make me mad enough to do wandless magic. Now, if you don't mind I really do have to go..." Dumbledore nodded sadly.

"Well," he said as he stood up, "If you ever need anything, you know where to find me." He started to walk away when Draco called after him.

"Sir?" Dumbledore paused, a glimmer of hope in his mind.

"Yes?"

"How did I do that? The wandless thing?"

"I don't know," he lied.