A Coded Parchment

Chapter 3: A Date and an Attack

"Malfoy did what?! " exclaimed Harry. It was the day after Harry's encounter with the dark wizards at the warehouse and he and Hermione were having one of their daily lunch dates at the Leaky Cauldron.

"He asked me out for dinner," sighed Hermione. "I know. It was very unexpected and surprising."

Harry frowned. "This is the same Draco Malfoy who used to tease you and call you 'mudblood' and try to make our lives a living hell, right?"

"Uh huh, the same one."

"You aren't thinking of going?"

"I think I might." She grinned. "You know how his father was associated with Voldemort." (Hermione had started saying his name during her sixth year) "Maybe I could dig something up from him that could help you decode that parchment you found."

Harry spat out the tea he was drinking and his eyes grew wide. "How do you know that?!" he hissed. "That's classified information!" His first thought was that Ron had informed her.

"Give me some credit, Harry. I'm an investigative reporter. Finding out secrets is my job." She winked. "That includes secrets kept by the Department of Mysteries. Don't worry, this information is strictly off the record."

Harry let out a breath of relief. He trusted Hermione with his life and if she said information was off the record, it was off the record. "Well OK. But if you're going to go see Malfoy, take care of yourself."

"You know I do."

* * * * *

"Hermione, glad that you could make it," said Draco as Hermione joined him for dinner. They were at one of the most expensive restaurants in the entire wizarding world. Draco had even reserved one of the more expensive private booths. There was also some soft chamber music and some candlelight. Basically, the place reeked with galleons.

Hermione couldn't help but feel a little out of place in her blue, beautiful but modest dress robes. Still, she smiled and said "I'm glad as well, Draco."

The date turned out to be quite enjoyable. Draco turned out to be charming, charismatic, and humorous, a big change from their Hogwarts days. He even presented her with a number of gifts, which she politely accepted. It seemed as if it would turn out to be one of the most enjoyable dates Hermione had ever had.

Then, around dessert, Hermione noticed that Draco was gazing at her in a way that made her feel uncomfortable. She was just about to speak but Draco beat her to it: "Do you want go somewhere else more private?"

"Excuse me?" spluttered Hermione. Draco was grinning and had a gleam in his eyes that made her shudder.

"Do you want to go to someplace more private where we could, say, get to know each other a little better?"

Hermione was completely speechless. She stared at Draco for a a few moments before she finally yelled "That's why you asked me out?! To try to get me in bed?!"

"It was the first thing I thought," said Draco with a matter of fact tone. The way he seemed to say it suggested that woman usually through themselves at his feet so as to get in bed with him (which was probably true).

Hermione had never been angrier in her entire life. "Did you think I that I was some slut who would let you shag me without a second thought on a first date?!" she yelled. "I have never been more humiliated in my life!" She promptly stood up and stormed out of the restaurant.

* * * * *

Hermione walked down the lit streets, letting the night air cool her temper. She was still irritated by how Malfoy had tried to lure her into bed but was a lot calmer now that she was away from the jerk.

As she walked down a dark alley, Hermione felt a presence behind her. She turned around and gasped. Standing behind her were about a dozen hooded wizards! She couldn't recognize any of them since their hoods were drawn over their faces.

"Miss Granger," said the hooded wizard who appeared to be the leader. "You have something that we want. We ask that you would kindly hand it over to us."

"W...what?" stuttered Hermione as fear ran through her spine. She had absolutely no idea what he was talking about.

"If you will not give it to us," continued the lead wizard, "then we will have to take it forcefully." The hooded wizards started advancing toward her. Hermione whipped out her wand.

"Expelliarmus!" Hermione's wand flew out of her hand. One of the hooded wizards grabbed her arm. Panic over coming her, Hermione hit the wizard across the face. She punched another hooded wizard and even managed to kick a third one in the shins. Unfortunately, the leader struck her in the face and Hermione fell to the ground. She struggled to remain conscious as the hooded wizards started searching her.

Suddenly, a number of the hooded wizards were blasted back by a series of lightning bolts! The wizards whipped around to see a raging Harry Potter leap off of his broomstick, a Firebolt Mark II. With a roar of anger, Harry charged at the hooded wizards a placed a couple of powerful, physical blows on the ones nearest Hermione. Unfortunately, he failed to knock any of them out and all of the hooded wizards decided to disapparate rather than fight the raging Unspeakable.

"Hermione! Are you OK?" said Harry as he kneeled down next to her and held her in his arms. Hermione smiled, already feeling better just being in Harry's arms. "I'm OK. Thank you for saving me." She kissed him on the cheek. Harry helped Hermione back up to her feet.

"You sure were lucky that I was flying overhead," said Harry. "What was that all about?" Hermione explained everything from her disastrous date with Malfoy to when Harry had just come and rescued her. Harry was lost in thought for a minute.

"Interesting that you were attacked by dark wizards right after you walked out on Malfoy considering his families association with the dark side," mused Harry. "They said you have something that they want?"

"Yes, but I have no idea what that is."

"Could be the coded parchment," said Harry. "I recognized some of those dark wizards from the warehouse I went to last night. They don't know who intercepted it and they may have suspected you because of your reputation as one very nosy reporter." He grinned when he said the last comment. Hermione rolled her eyes but ignored him.

"Come on, I'll give you a ride back home," said Harry. Hermione was about to argue but thought better about when she realized that she was still groggy from the blow to her face. She got on the broomstick behind Harry and they flew away.