What's This World Coming To?

It had been a little over two years since the night that Voldemort had come back. Harry still had nightmares about it every now and then, but they weren't as horrible as they used to be.

    The Ministry of Magic had recently been informed of Peter Pettigrew's (Wormtail's) whereabouts. When they found him, they gave him Veritaserum and questioned him about many things, including the night that James and Lily Potter were murdered. When they learned the truth, they put Pettigrew in Azkaban and cleared Sirius Black's name.

    The day after Sirius' name was cleared, Harry received an owl from his godfather telling Harry that he could now live with Sirius. Sirius also told Harry that he would be protected as he had been at the Dursleys'. Harry quickly wrote back, telling Sirius that he would be there as soon as possible.

    Three days later, Sirius welcomed Harry into his home.

    "You can stay here as long as you like Harry. This is your home now," Sirius told Harry happily.

    Harry was speechless because he was so overwhelmed with joy from having finally escaped the awful Dursleys.

    When school started, Harry was glad to be back at Hogwarts, but he missed Sirius also. He missed the stories that Sirius told him about James and Lily, and the way that Sirius was so protective of him. It was like having his parents back.

    "Harry? Have you finished your Divination homework yet?" Ron asked.

    Harry was brought sharply back to earth by Ron's question.

    "What? What did you say?"

    "I asked you if you finished your Divination yet."

    "Oh. Yeah. Here it is."

    Harry then handed it over to Ron, who read it over quickly, looking for ideas.

    "You're being trampled by a hippogriff twice, Harry. Better change that," Ron told him.

    "Ok. How `bout, um, falling off my broomstick?" Harry asked hopefully.

    "That's good! Yeah! That's perfect because we've got the match against Slytherin on Saturday," Ron said excitedly.

    So, Harry changed his prediction. Just as he finished the last word, Hermione came through the portrait hole looking tired and weak, more so than usual.

    "Hermione? You okay?" Harry asked.

    "Oh, yes. I'm fine," she lied.

    "Harry knew that she was lying because he saw that her eyes were red and her hands were bruised. He didn't say anything because it seemed as though Hermione didn't want to pursue the subject.

    Ron hadn't noticed anything different, and this became evident when he asked Hermione to help him with his Transfiguration homework.

    The next day, as they were walking up to Divination, Harry told Ron that he needed to run back and ask Hermione something.

    "Ok. Just be quick about it. You know Trelawney. She'll probably think you got speared by one of the suits of armor or something."

    "Ok. Don't worry!" Harry said, suppressing a laugh.

    He caught up with Hermione just as she was coming out of the portrait hole.

    "Hermione, are you really okay? You didn't look too good last night. Are you sure that nothing's wrong?"

    "Harry, I don't want to talk about it. Not now. I'll tell you later, when I'm ready. I just can't right now, ok?"

    "Hermione, you can trust me. What's wrong? Is someone hurting you? Who is it? I'll kill them!"

    "I don't want to talk about it Harry!" she said angrily. "I'll tell you later. Just give me some time," she added softly.

    "Ok, but if someone's hurting you, Hermione, you really need to tell somebody. I can't stand to see you get hurt, you know that."

    "I know."

    "I love you," Harry told her gently.

    "Love you too."

    "Love you three!"

    "Love you four!"

    "But I love you more," Harry told her sweetly.

    It had been during the summer that Harry and Hermione finally realized that they were in love with each other. Harry had asked Sirius if Hermione could stay with them for a while, and Sirius told him that she could., as long as they didn't get into any trouble.

    Harry and Hermione hadn't told Ron anything because they didn't know how he'd react. They didn't want to put a strain on their friendship either. But now that they were back at school, they had to steal precious moments together away from classes and mealtimes.

    Harry ran as fast as he could up to Professor Trelawney's room.

    "Oh, my dear!" she exclaimed loudly.

    "Sorry," Harry said quickly.

    "Do not be sorry that you are alive my dear! I have seen death in your path, and I was worried that you had been killed, since you were late to my class. But now that you are safely with us, I am at rest," Professor Trelawney said dramatically.

    Harry didn't know what to say to this extraordinary statement, so he sat down next to Ron.

    "Nice timing. You should have seen her. She was going nutters," Ron told him quietly.

    "I bet she was. You know, this whole `predicting my death' thing is getting old," Harry replied.

    "Good thing she hasn't been right," Ron said brightly.

    "Very funny," Harry said dryly.

    They sat there talking quietly for the rest of the lesson. They had no desire whatsoever to listen as Professor Trelawney drawled on about deciphering bird entrails.

    Hermione wasn't at dinner, and Harry was starting to worry. He wanted to know what was happening with her because he wanted to protect her. He need to know that she was safe and unharmed.

     Harry waited up in the common room until 1:00 A.M., at which time Hermione finally crawled through the portrait hole. This time, not only were her hands bruised, but her cheekbone was scratched and bleeding.

    "Hermione! What happened? You have to tell me. I'm here to protect you!"

    " Oh Harry! I can't! I just can't!"

    Then, she broke down in Harry's arms and cried.

    When she had finished, she looked up at Harry and said, "Harry, I'm ready now."

    "Ok."

    "Well, back during the first week of term, Draco Malfoy saw kissing in the empty Charms room. He came in after you left, and told me that he had something important to tell me. I don' know why, but I went to meet him so he could tell me whatever it was he needed to tell me. When I got there, he gave me a sleeping potion, and I don't know what he did after that. When I woke up, he was gone. He left a note beside me that said if I didn't come back the next night, he would kill you. I just couldn't let that happen Harry! I love you so much! I don't want you to get hurt!"

    "Oh Hermione! I'm so, so sorry! I never should've left you alone! Is that why you didn't tell me? Because he said he'd kill me?"

    "Yes. I didn't want you to get hurt."

    "But Hermione, I don't want you to get hurt. Let me deal with him."

    "But!"

    "No buts. I'll follow you in my invisibility cloak tomorrow night, and when he's not looking, I'll curse him, and then put a small memory charm on him. That way, he won't remember anything and he won't hurt you anymore."

    "Oh, Harry. I don't know. It sounds too dangerous."

    "It's okay. Trust me."                            

    "Alright. But please be careful."

    "I will, don't worry. I'm just going to get him back for hurting you."

    That day, he followed Hermione everywhere, just to make sure that Malfoy couldn't hurt her while Harry wasn't looking. It made him late to Divination again, but he really didn't care. He didn't even notice the dramatic heaving sigh made by Professor Trelawney as he burst into the room. He quickly found his seat next to Ron, and plopped down into it tiredly.

    "Hermione again? What did you have to ask her this time?" Ron asked Harry.

    "I forgot to tell her something. That's all," Harry lied.

    "Oh, ok."

    It was very hard for Harry to lie to Ron about him and Hermione, or anything having to do with Hermione. He knew that Ron liked Hermione. Harry had never said anything about this to Hermione, but she must have figured it out. During the summer she had asked Harry, "Ron likes me, doesn't he?"

    "Yeah. He has for about a year."     

    "Hmm. Why didn't he tell me?"

    "He didn't know what you would say, and he thought that you still liked Viktor Krum."

    "Well, I did like someone, so if he had said anything, I don't know what I would have said."

    Harry couldn't stop himself. He had to ask her.

    "Who did you like?"

    "You," Hermione replied.

    This made Harry feel wonderful inside, knowing that Hermione had liked him for so long.    

    "Why didn't you tell me?"    

        "I knew you liked Cho."

    "How?"

    "It wasn't that hard Harry. You were always staring at her, and you asked her to the Yule Ball, remember?" Hermione said, with the slightest trace of jealousy and bitterness in her voice.

    Harry then hugged Hermione very tightly, but gently, as though to assure Hermione that he loved her, not Cho.

    Harry still thought about that night a lot, remembering the soft way Hermione told him how long she had liked him, and the hug he had given her to assure that he loved her. It was something that Hermione thought a lot about as well.

    "Hi Harry. Hi Ron."     

    Hermione had climbed through the portrait hole, having just finished dinner. She was looking tired, but happy.

    "Hey Herm. Can you help me with the Potions crap? I don't understand what $#*!head Snape said about blood-draining poisons."

    "Sure Ron. Just a second."

    "Ok."

    Harry was laughing at what Ron had said about Snape, but was also eyeing Hermione nervously as she climbed up the stairs to her prefect room.

    "What's wrong Harry?" Ron asked.

    "What? Oh! Nothing. Nothing's wrong. Just thinking," Harry lied.

    "You've been acting strange lately. I don't know. Could be just me," Ron said slowly.

    "I'm just worried about our Potions homework, Ron. Not serious," Harry lied again.

    "I know what you mean. Snape is such a slimy git!" Ron said angrily.

    Harry laughed again, and this time, Ron joined in.

    That night at around 10 o'clock, covered in his invisibility cloak and with his wand in his pocket, Harry crept downstairs. There, he met Hermione, and together they climbed out of the portrait hole. When they reached Hermione and Draco's meeting place, Draco was there, waiting for Hermione.

    Before Draco even had the chance to give Hermione the sleeping potion, Harry reached for his wand.

    "RICTUSEMPRA!" he shouted.

    Draco was hit in the stomach with the force of a frying pan. It knocked him out cold.

    Now that Malfoy was out like a light, Harry had the sudden urge to perform Avada Kedavra on him. Instead, he placed a small memory charm on Draco, ensuring that he would forget the night's events.

    "Thank you Harry," Hermione whispered.

    "You're safe now Hermione. That idiot won't hurt you anymore. I promise. If he does, I'm putting Avada Kedavra on him. I'm serious. No one messes with you and gets away with it."

    "I love you Harry."

    "I love you too Hermione."

    The next morning, they both noticed that Draco Malfoy wasn't at the Slytherin table. They didn't really care.

    Harry didn't walk Hermione to her classes today because he didn't want Ron to get more suspicious of him than he already was.

    They couldn't stop laughing during Divination, (which caused Professor Trelawney to give them extra homework), because they were talking about ways they could get Snape fired. They barely said a word to each other during Potions though. Snape was in a particularly vindictive mood, and they didn't want to do anything to rile him.

    "Potter! Why is your potion so runny? It's supposed to be thick! No matter. Ten points from Gryffindor."

    Harry didn't say anything because he knew his potion was ok and that Snape was just trying to get Harry to rise to his bait.

    After Snape had gone off to put down Neville's potion, Ron got Harry's attention by saying, "I'd like to give him some of that blood-draining poison. How about it?"

    Seamus and Dean, who were at the next table, sniggered quietly along with Ron and Harry.

    Unfortunately, Snape heard them.

    "What is so funny? Fifty points from Gryffindor is funny to me, but I doubt it is to you four," he said silkily.

    The Slytherins, who normally would've laughed appreciatively at this, remained silent. Harry looked over at them and saw that they all looked worried. Then he noticed that Draco wasn't among them. He nudged Ron and quickly pointed to the Slytherins.

    "What?" Ron mouthed.

    "Malfoy. He's not here," Harry explained silently.

    "That's a good thing! Why are you worried him?"

    "I'm not! I was just wondering where the bloody git got off to, that's all."

    Draco Malfoy slowly came to in the hospital wing. Once he realized where he was, he groaned. Madam Pomfrey rushed over to him.

    "Good morning, Mister Malfoy. You've been out for a day now, you know. You should be fine. You may go down to lunch and attend afternoon classes if you wish."

    Draco could tell by the way she said this that he didn't really have a choice, so he decided not to protest.

    After he was dressed, he left the hospital wing. It was still half an hour before lunch, so he decided to go to down to the Slytherin common room. He slowly walked down towards the dungeons, gave the password, ("pureblood pride"), and sank into one of the large green chairs by the fire. He was very comfortable, and it was not long before he drifted off to sleep.

    "Draco! Draco! Wake up!"

    "What? What's going on?"

    "Wake up Draco! You're going to be late for lunch!"

    "Oh. Hey there Crabbe. Let's go down to lunch."

    "Ok. What happened to you?"

    "Well, I don't really remember. Don't know how I ended up in the hospital wing either," Draco explained calmly.

    "I heard someone found you. Said you were out cold," Crabbe said dully.

    "Hmm," Draco said nonchalantly.

    With that, they walked down to the Great Hall for lunch, where Draco was bombarded with questions from his fellow Slytherins.

    Late that night, Hermione felt a sudden urge to go down to the common room. When she was halfway down the stairs, she saw Harry.

    "Hey Harry. Can't sleep?"

    Harry turned around and stood up at the sound of Hermione's voice.

    "No. You neither?"

    "No," Hermione answered.

    She then sat down on the couch in front of the fire with harry. When he had sat down beside her, she stared into his brilliant green eyes until Harry's voice brought her back to earth.

    "Hermione?"

    "Yes?"

    "I really love you," Harry said slowly.

    "I know Harry. I really love you too."

    These were the words that Harry had wanted to hear. He leaned in to kiss her. Gently at first, not knowing how she would respond. She kissed him back with such ferociousness that Harry was surprised. It just made him kiss her more passionately, however. He had been waiting all day to taste her soft, sweet lips. Hermione had been waiting all day to be this close to Harry, to smell his soapy boy smell, to kiss him. This carried on for several minutes until Hermione started to unbutton Harry's pajama top. He didn't notice until he felt her hands on his bare chest because he had been so absorbed in her. He started to unbutton her night shirt, and was halfway done when something happened that made Hermione fall off the couch with shock.

    "Am I interrupting something? A late night snog session perhaps?" Ron said with a devilishly cocky smile on his lips.

    Hermione tugged at the belt of her dressing gown to tie it, and Harry hurriedly buttoned his pajama top.

    "Ron! You could have at least said something! How long were you standing there anyway?" Hermione asked, annoyed with Ron for interrupting her moment with Harry.

    "I did say something, and I was only stand there for about five seconds. No need to worry. Have you been working out, Harry? I don't remember you having a six-pack before!" Ron teased.

    "Shut up Ron! You are such a stupid prat!" Harry said angrily.

    "That's what friends are for, Harry. I'll let you two get back to the throes of passion, shall I?" Ron said with a gleam in his eye.

    And with that, he climbed the staircase.

    After making sure that Ron had gone back to his prefect room, Harry and Hermione settled back down on the couch.

    "Now, where were we?" Harry said with a seductive look in his eyes.

    "Right here," Hermione answered as she put his hand on her chest to finish unbuttoning her night shirt. She then started unbuttoning his pajama top.

    After a few more minutes of passion, they decided to go up to Hermione's prefect room, since they were much less likely to be disturbed there. They spent the night in each other's arms, and waited until after breakfast to go down to the common room.

    It was Saturday, and since they still had a few hours before lunch and the Quidditch match, Harry, Ron, and Hermione went to visit Hagrid. They talked with him until it was time for lunch, then they walked with him up to the castle.

    "Good luck with the match, boys. I'll be there to watch. Save me a couple seats, will you, Hermione? See you then!" said Hagrid as he beamed at the three friends fondly.

    "Bye Hagrid!" they chorused.

    The match held the usual intensity of all the other Gryffindor v. Slytherin matches, but this one seemed even more intense. Several of the Slytherins, (all of them except Draco actually), felt that one or more of the Gryffindors was involved in and responsible for Draco's incident. They made their feelings known throughout the match, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't kept past Ron, who was the Gryffindor Keeper. So, the game ended with a score of three hundred ten to zero.

    At the party in Gryffindor Tower after the game, there was much laughing at the Slytherins and eating of the countless treats that Fred and George Weasley had owled in from their "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes" factory in Hogsmeade.

    Harry and Hermione weren't there to enjoy any of it, however. They were too busy enjoying each other up in Hermione's room.

    There were two other Gryffindors missing from the party. They were up in Ron's room, also enjoying each other.

    "Oh Ron! I love you so much!"

    "I love you too," Ron said gently.

    "Ron, I don't want to keep us a secret anymore. We should tell everyone."

    "I know, but let's wait a couple more weeks, love. I want to keep you to myself just a little bit longer."

    "But!"

    "No buts, love. Please, don't spoil this night. We won the match, you played superbly by the way, and now I have you with me."

    "Thank you. You were great too. And maybe you're right. Maybe we should keep us a secret for a couple more weeks. Yes, let's do that."

    "Ok."

    The next morning, Ron noticed that Harry and Hermione were sitting especially close to each other, and decided to comment upon this.

    "Any closer and you'd be in Harry' lap, Hermione."

    "Ron, do us all a favor, and shut up!" Hermione shot back.

    "I was just kidding!" he managed to say between laughing and dodging the pieces of toast and eggs that Hermione was throwing at him.

    After breakfast, Harry and Ron went up to Gryffindor Tower and got their brooms out. They had been want to fly even though they had just played Quidditch.

    "So, how was last night?" Harry asked.

    "What?!?" Ron said as he nearly fell off his broom, not realizing that Harry meant the party.

    "The party you prat!" Harry said as he pushed Ron back on to his Firebolt 2000.

    "Oh right! The party!" Ron said, mentally shaking himself for being so stupid as to think that Harry knew anything about last night.

    "How was it?" Harry prompted.

    "It was great! Neville took a Canary Cream and a Ton Tongue Toffee! It was great!" Ron said quickly, silently hoping that the rumors he had heard that morning were true.

    "Ha! Poor Neville! You'd think he'd learn by now," Harry said.

    Draco was in his prefect form, reading the newest letter from his father.

Draco,

Have you completed your task yet? If not, why haven't you? If so, congratulations. There may be hope fore you yet. Meet me in my study as soon as you return home for your holidays.

Lucius Malfoy

    Draco read this with resentment in his heart. He had never liked the way his father wrote letters. He never wrote "Dear Draco" or "Love Father" or anything like that. No, his letters were always cold and cryptic. No sign of any emotion, and always vague, as though he didn't want to say too much.

    "Why can't he just send a normal letter instead of crap like `There may be hope for you yet?' Does he think I'm a complete wash out or something?" Draco said silently.

    He bitterly remembered when his father had given him his "task."

    It had been six months ago, a couple of weeks before school started. Lucius had called Draco into his study. He then placed Draco in front of the fire, pulled out his wand, and yelled, "IMPERIO!"

    Draco had been placed under the Imperius Curse, by his father, to badly harm or even destroy someone close to Harry Potter. That someone was Hermione Granger.

    It didn't really surprise him that his father would do something like this, but what he couldn't figure out was how he was still under his father's control. He knew that the Imperius Curse had to be administered every so often to keep on working. Draco supposed that why he was still under his father's control had something to do with the letters that Lucius sent him every few days. Draco had noticed that they were never more than four days apart. He had no idea what that meant, or if it meant anything at all.

    And then there were the letters themselves. Some were only a handful or words, some were ten pages long. Some were in ancient wizarding languages, some were blank. The ones that puzzled Draco the most were the ones with only the Slytherin crest and motto. He didn't know if his father was trying to say that he had to this task because he was in Slytherin, or because of some other unknown reason.

    He hadn't told anyone about the letters, or his task. He knew that it would create a massive panic, and a massive problem for him. He already had a massive problem though.

             He was in love with Hermione Granger.

    "Ron, you've been acting really strange lately. Do you want to tell me something? Like why Lavender is always staring at you in class when she's never even noticed you before?" Harry asked suddenly as they landed on the Quidditch pitch.

    Ron went white. Whiter than paper. Whiter than snow even. He looked as though he couldn't breathe.

    "Ron?"

    "How-how did you know?" Ron choked out.

    "I see the way you look at her, and the way she looks at you. I'm not stupid Ron. How long has this been going on? Are you, you know?"

    "Three months. And yes, we are. And I wasn't at the party last night. What I told you was stuff that I heard from Seamus this morning."

    "Why didn't you tell me? Well, on second thought, I shouldn't be saying that. I haven't been telling you everything either," Harry said truthfully.

    "What? What do you mean?" Ron asked.

    "I mean that Hermione and are, well, um, you know what I mean. I didn't want to say anything because I know how you feel about her, or should I say felt about her. We've been together for about eight months.

    Harry said this last sentence with his eyes cast down, not wanting to say the look on Ron's face. When he finally did look up, Ron's face was expressionless.

    "Harry, I'm happy for you. And Hermione. I just hope that you can say the same for me and Lavender," Ron said.

    Whatever Harry had been expecting, it certainly wasn't that.

    "Of course! I'm really happy for you and Lavender, Ron!"

    Then they walked off of the field together, both happy that they had finally told each other the truth.

    He didn't know how it had happened really. Draco had never found Hermione Granger particularly attractive. He didn't even know why he liked her now. It was just something about her. This indescribable force pulling him towards her. Like a magnet. No, more like a moth drawn to a flame, about to meet its doom.

    Back in the common room, Harry told Hermione what had happened on the Quidditch field.

    "It doesn't surprise me, really. I knew something must have been going on by the way Lavender's been acting lately. Ron too," Hermione said to Harry.

    Up in Ron's room, Lavender told him pretty much the same thing Hermione had told Harry.

    "She's had her eyes on him since fourth year! She never said anything about it though. And Harry's just too obvious."

    A few chairs away from Hermione and Harry, Seamus Finnigan sat pondering the conversation he had heard that afternoon while he was walking by the Quidditch pitch. He was wondering if he should tell Ginny about Ron and Lavender. Seamus had liked Ginny for three years, but had been too afraid to say anything because he was scared that Ron or another of her brothers would beat him up.

    "I might as well tell her about them. It'll give me a chance to talk to her," he thought to himself.

    He walked over to where Ginny was sitting and asked her to come outside with him.

    "Alright," Ginny replied.

    She knew Seamus liked her. Everyone knew it by the way he acted around her. She hadn't told anyone, but Ginny liked Seamus too. She was glad that he had asked her to go outside with him.

    Ten minutes later, Seamus and Ginny were outside, walking around the lake.

    Ginny thought that Seamus was finally going to tell her he liked her, but so far he hadn't said anything.

    "Seamus? Why did you want me to come outside with you?" she asked quietly.

    "Well, Ginny, I, I, um, I overheard Ron telling Harry something earlier. Ron and Lavender are, um, they're together."

    "Oh! Seamus! Ron already told me that. Is there anything else you wanted to tell me?" Ginny added hopefully.

    Seamus decided that now was as good a time as any to tell Ginny how he felt about her.

    "G-G-Ginny, I l-l-love you," he finally stuttered out, his usually soft Irish accent getting heavier because he was so nervous.

    "Really! Oh Seamus! I love you too!" Ginny exclaimed gleefully.

    She then rushed him and kissed him full on the lips.

    Hermione hadn't gone back to where Draco did whatever to her, and neither did Draco. It was pointless. Hermione didn't go because he had forgotten about it, and Draco didn't go because he was now fighting his father's Imperius Curse. He was no longer under his father's control. He thought about Hermione constantly, without meaning to. The moth was getting too close to the flame. Almost to the point of no return.

    Seamus and Ginny had been discovered, as had Ron and Lavender, along with Harry and Hermione. They could always be found in a little group, except for when the were in their proper pairs. Within a day, the whole school had been informed or the three newest couples in school. Ron and Lavender drew the most attention because they were the least likely to be a couple.

    Draco knew that he shouldn't be in love with Hermione. He knew she was in love with harry, and that Harry would do anything and everything to protect that and her. Draco didn't care. He loved Hermione.

    The problem was Harry. Get Harry out of the way, and there was no problem. But how to get Harry out of the way?

    On the first Hogsmeade trip, Ron and Lavender, Harry and Hermione, and Seamus and Ginny stopped at the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer.

    Ron, who had always been somewhat taken with Madam Rosmerta, the proprietor of the Three Broomsticks, blushed a deep shade of scarlet when she told him how handsome he was becoming. Lavender noticed this, and dragged Ron to the farthest table away from Madam Rosmerta that she could find.

    The three couples sat talking with each other and enjoying their butterbeer. None of them noticed the arrival of Draco Malfoy.

    Draco's head turned when he heard the sound of Hermione's laughter, clear as a bell, from across the room. He looked at her for a couple of seconds, realized what he was doing, then turned to face Madam Rosmerta.

    "`Lo Rosmerta. I'll take a Martini. Shaken, not stirred," he told her, not knowing that he was doing a perfect impression of the Muggle spy/hero, James Bond. (How could he have known anyway?)

    "Draco Malfoy, you know perfectly well that I can't give you a Martini. Will you settle for a large cherry syrup and soda with ice?"

    "As long as it has a little green umbrella," he told her.

    "Ok," said Madam Rosmerta with a laugh.

    Two minutes later, she sashayed over to Draco's table.

    "One large cherry syrup and soda with ice, and a little green umbrella. Enjoy dear!" she added cheerily.

    He tried to enjoy it. He really did. But he just couldn't while he had to sit there and watch Hermione, being happy with Harry instead of himself.

    Draco knew that he shouldn't be thinking about this. So, instead, he thought of ways to become friends with Harry. He decided that that was the only way he could ever get close to Hermione. He could only get to her through Harry. If Harry would let him, that is. He had also decided that he couldn't get rid of Harry, because if Hermione ever found out that Draco had done that, she would never and could never love Draco.

    "Hey! Potter! Can I have a word with you?" Draco calmly asked Harry.

    "What is it?" Harry said, not so calmly.

    "I want to talk to you. Simple as that."

    "Alright, but be quick about it."

    "Come outside with me."

    "What?"

    "Just do it, Potter."

    "Why should I?"

    "Potter," Draco said threateningly.

    "Alright. Alright."

    Harry followed Draco outside to the small park in front of the Three Broomsticks.

    "What do you want Malfoy?"

    "Why aren't we friends Potter?" Draco asked suddenly.

    "What? What are you on?" Harry asked.

    "I'm not on anything, Potter. I want to know why we aren't friends," Draco calmly stated.

    "We hate each other!" Harry explained.

    "Yes, yes, yes. But why?" Draco asked, thinking that this conversation wasn't going nearly as well as he had planned.

    "I don't know," Harry said simply.

    "That doesn't help, Potter."

    "Well, what do you want me to do about it? Put you under the Imperious Curse to make you my friend?" Harry asked, really wishing that he was back at the Three Broomsticks.

    "Why not?" Draco replied, sounding like someone who had just been asked if they wanted a few million dollars.

    "Are you insane?" Harry asked, truly wondering if the boy next to him was.

    "What do you think?"

    "I think you are, and now I'm going back to the Three Broomsticks, if you don't mind."

    Then Harry turned around and did just that. But as he crossed the street, he heard Draco say, "Wait Potter!"

    But Harry didn't wait.

    Draco didn't realize it, but just after Harry had closed the door of the Three Broomsticks, it had stared to rain. He stood in the rain for five minutes, until he noticed that he was very cold and very wet. He didn't go inside though, being the prideful and stubborn Malfoy that he was. He stayed out in the rain listening to the thunder and watching the lightening, thinking how it perfectly reflected his mood. Draco decided to go find shelter under a tree, the realized how stupid that was. Then he resolved to go back into the Three Broomsticks.

    He didn't admit it to himself, (or anyone else, for that matter), but he wanted to see Hermione again, even if she was with Harry. Draco told himself that he was going inside to dry off and warm up by the fire. That' what he told himself anyway.

    When Harry had gone back inside, his friends wanted to know what "that no-good Slytherin" wanted. Harry skirted around the actual conversation by saying that "Malfoy just wanted to ask me if I knew the answer to something on the Potions quiz from last week." He got further from the conversation by changing the subject to the weather.

    "It's pouring out there, isn't it? And that lightening! I wonder if it'll let up soon?"

    "Wouldn't it be awful if we had to spend the night here?" Lavender asked, shuddering at the very thought.

    Ron then whispered something in her ear that made her say, "Well, when you put it that way."

    "It would be fun, wouldn't it?" Ginny and Hermione asked together.

    "Oh yeah!" Seamus and Harry replied.

    Just then, a report came over the WWN (Wizarding Wireless Network) from behind the bar.

    "Due to the severity of the storm that is now occurring in Hogsmeade and the surrounding areas, wizards and witches of all ages are advised to stay put for the night, unless they desperately need to be somewhere, in which case they may Apparate. Also, do not go outside. In other news..."    

    Everyone looked around the room, knowing that the people surrounding them would be their roommates for the night.

    Lucky enough for Draco, he walked in the Three Broomsticks just before the WWN report.

* * * Three hours later* * *

    "Ginny, are you cold?"

    "No, Seamus. We're right in front of the fire. I'll be fine."

    "Sorry I was just trying to..."

    "Snog her?" said Ron suggestively.

    "Ron!" Ginny cried out.

    Seamus and Ginny both blushed scarlet as the rest of the group laughed hysterically.

    "Ron, quit picking on Ginny. She is your little sister, after all," Hermione said, still giggling.

    "Alright. But you have to admit it was pretty funny."

    Lavender nudged Ron playfully on the shoulder.

    "Hey! You know I got knocked there with a Bludger!" Ron cried out in mock pain.

    "Yes, well, I think you'll survive, darling," replied Lavender.

    Harry had been lost in thought for quite some time now. Why did Draco want to be his friend? The only reason Harry could think of was to do something sinister to either Harry or one of his close friends. But why would he want to do that?

    "It's obvious, isn't it? He's Draco Malfoy, sworn enemy of Harry Potter. Or course. That's just the sort of thing he would!" Harry said under his breath.

    "Are you okay harry? You haven't said anything for awhile now," Hermione said cautiously.

    "Huh? Oh! I'm fine, Hermione. Really."    

    And with that, Harry planted a quick kiss on her cheek.

* * *

    Draco sat in the back room of the Three Broomsticks, downing his seventh cherry syrup and soda with ice. The stuff wasn't very strong, but in Draco's current state, he felt as though he had thrown back three bottles of hard liquor.

    Madam Rosmerta came to check on Draco every now and then, between serving drinks and taking orders.

    "Draco, dear, why don't you get a little sleep. You look rather tired, darling," Madam Rosmerta said in a motherly tone.

    "I'm -hiccup- fine, Rosie. Besides -hiccup- who can -hiccup- sleep with all the bloody -hiccup- racket going on?" Draco replied.

    "Draco, honey, you're sloshed. I can tell," Madam Rosmerta said a little sternly.

    "For God's -hiccup- sake, Rosie! I'm seventeen -hiccup- years old! I can damn -hiccup- well take care of -hiccup- myself!"

    "If you say so, darling. No more drinks, okay?"

    "Hiccup," was Draco's only reply.

    Draco watched as Madam Rosmerta walked out of the room in her turquoise heels, following the sway of her curves.

    "Damn. I must be sloshed," he thought to himself.

    A few minutes later, Draco laid his silvery-blond head on the table in front of him, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

    Harry and Hermione, along with Seamus and Ginny and Ron and Lavender, were all tucked in and huddled together in front of the fireplace by the bar. Most of the other patrons had Disapparated to their homes after the WWN announcement, but because the six friends hadn't taken their Apparition test, the had to stay put.

    Presently, Ginny and Hermione were discussing one of the latest articles in "Teen Witch Weekly," Seamus and Lavender were asleep, and Harry and Ron were discussing Draco's mysterious conversation. Harry however, did not feel like going over the conversation again, and quickly diverted the subject to the Chudley Cannons, who happened to be second in their league since Oliver Wood, the old Gryffindor captain and Keeper, had joined the team.

    "The next game is against Puddlemere United. That should be easy, since they're last in the league, but they might want to get revenge on Oliver," Harry told Ron.

    Oliver had been signed to the Puddlemere United reserve team, but a scout from the Chudley Cannons had picked him up and offered him a contract, which Oliver had signed immediately.

    "Yeah. I just hope he doesn't het his nose broken again. He's beginning to look like Dumbledore," said Ron, who then laughed at his joke.

    "You know what I heard the other day?" said Harry in a mysterious tone.

    "What?" asked Ron.

    "Well, I accidentally overheard Flitwick and McGonagall talking the other day, and..."

    "And what?" Ron asked excitedly.

    "McGonagall said that Dumbledore is thinking of retiring!"

    "No!" Ron yelped, because at that moment Lavender had kicked him as she turned over in her sleeping bag.

    "Yeah. Flitwick couldn't believe it either, but, seeing as it's McGonagall, I don't think it couldn't be true. I mean, Dumbledore is about, well, who knows how he is. Wouldn't you want to retire?" Harry said quickly, as though wanting to say it all before he forgot.

    "Well, yeah, but, I mean... come on. Dumbledore retire? That's like, like, Lupin becoming Minister of Magic (which was very unlikely because Remus Lupin was a werewolf)! It just seem possible!"

    "I know, but..." Harry couldn't quite phrase what he was trying to say, which was lucky, because just at that moment, Hermione and Ginny came over to them.

    "Still awake? I'm not surprised. That thunder is loud enough to wake a stone dragon," Hermione said thoughtfully as she cuddled with Harry.

    "It is loud, mind you, but not as loud as Ginny's snoring!" Ron said playfully.

    "Ron!" exclaimed Ginny loudly as she kicked him in the shin.

    "Ouch! Are those steel-toed socks you've got on? Holy..."

    But what exactly was holy, the other three never found out, for just then, an eerie creaking noise announced the presence of a cloaked stranger, whose wand was pointed at the six friends.

    "Do as I say, and no harm will befall you," ordered the ominous voice from inside the cloak.

    Lavender and Seamus were still asleep, but no one dared move to wake them.

    "You," said the voice from under the cloak as its owner pointed the wand at Hermione.

    Hermione quietly whispered, "I love you," to Harry as she got up and walked toward the cloaked stranger.

    As Hermione came up to the stranger, he threw back his hood and revealed his face.

* * *

    "No!" cried Draco as he was quickly awakened from his sleep.

    As though connected to the other six by some magical force, Draco ran through the backroom and the cellar before coming face to face with...

* * *

    "Draco! I'm so pleased you could join us."

    "Fa-fa-father?" Draco stammered.

    "Yes. It is I. Now, will you please introduce me to these, er, fellow students of yours."

    "What?"

    "Do as I say!" yelled Lucius Malfoy so loudly that Lavender and Seamus were jolted awake.

    Draco named the six friends, who were all looking between Draco and Lucius in utter bewilderment.

    Ginny, who had encountered Lucius Malfoy more than once, was ghostly pale and rocking back and forth with her arms hugged around her legs.

    Seamus got up and wrapped his arms around her, trying to calm her down.

    "You, boy. No, no, no. You're a Weasley; you won't do," Lucius snarled nastily at Ron.

    "Hmm. Draco, you will have to do. Take this," said Lucius, indicating Hermione.

    But Hermione was gone.

    So was Harry.

    "Draco! How the hell did you let them get away?" spat Lucius rather angrily.

    "What do you mean, how did I let them get away? You're the one who..."

    "Who what? You'd better have an excellent excuse, boy," Lucius told his son in a warning tone.

    "Well, you, you.. were too busy giving me orders, and not watching the others," Draco said, trying to keep his voice steady.

    Lucius made an angry noise through his nose, mumbling some choice profanity under his breath.

* * *

    Harry and Hermione were breathing hard, running up the passage under Honeydukes. They didn't stop until they had reached the statue that led to Dumbledore's office.

    "Ursa Major!" cried Harry, between breathing hard and trying rubbing at the stitch in his side.

    The statue sprang open, and the two rushed up the stairs.

    When they got there, they discovered Dumbledore talking calmly with Hagrid. When he saw Harry and Hermione, however, Dumbledore quickly stood up and said, "Is everything alright?"

    Harry, although still very much out of breath, answered, "No. Lucius Malfoy has the others trapped back at the Three Broomsticks. Please Professor, we need your help!"

    At this, Dumbledore excused himself for a moment, and came back with a Portkey that he had just made. Hagrid want to come along with the three, ("I'll kill that slimy git!") but Dumbledore politely refused.

    "Hold tight," he said as Harry and Hermione grabbed the Portkey. The last thing they saw was Hagrid's worried face.

* * *

    Lavender, Ron, Seamus, and Ginny were all gagged and tied together in front of the fireplace. Lucius had threatened to throw them in it if they so much as looked at each other.

    Draco was pacing back and forth, periodically mumbling, "No, that would never work," or "Damn you, Father."

    Lucius was speaking to the fireplace in the next room, or was speaking to Rosier rather, who was an executioner for the Ministry of Magic and fellow Death Eater along with Lucius.

    "God, Rosier! How can you be so stupid? I told you! Now until after he's dead can I do it!" Lucius shouted angrily.

    Meanwhile, Draco had stopped pacing, and was now in the middle of the floor saying, "Yes. It's the only way."

    Then he walked into the room where his father was standing and pulled out his want.

* * *

    Harry, Hermione, and Dumbledore arrived in the room with Lavender, Ron, Seamus, and Ginny just after Draco had left it. They strode quickly over to the four and put the fingers to their lips, indicating their need for silence. Then they quickly began untying and un-gagging the four.

    There were many loud crashes and shatters coming from the next room. Harry wanted to see what was going on, but Hermione and Dumbledore held him back.

    "Draco must deal with his father alone, Harry," Dumbledore said quietly.

    "Draco? Deal?" mumbled Harry in bewilderment.

* * *

    "Don't make me, Father! I swear I'll do it!" Draco bellowed.

    "Do what? It won't work. You probably couldn't even make my nose bleed," said Lucius coolly, although his left eye was twitching.

    "Have it your way. AVADA KEDAVRA!"

    Lucius screamed and crumpled to the floor.

    "Maybe now you wish you wouldn't have taught me that one."

    Dumbledore rushed into the next room, first seeing Lucius, lying dead on the floor, and then Draco, pale and shivering.

    "Come, Draco. I must get you back to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said.

    "No. I - I can't go back! Oh my God, look what I've done!"

    Draco fell to the floor, crying and writhing with agony.

* * *

    The lightening flashed mightily outside, and the thunder also made its presence known.

    Ginny was huddled in a corner, quietly crying, with Seamus sporadically whispering, "It's alright, Ginny. You're okay, sweetheart."

    Madam Rosmerta, who Lucius had knocked out with a wave of his wand, was now behind the bar, making tea and hot cocoa.

    "What will you have, Professor?" Rosie asked politely.

    "Oh, tea with a little splash of something, would you please? Thank you Rosie."

    "You're welcome, Professor."

    "Rosie? I suppose it would be too much to hope for that you had any Pepper-up Potion. Well, come to think of it, that wouldn't do. Do you have any chocolate? For Draco, you know."

    "Of course, Professor. I've always kept a spare slab of Honeydukes' under the bar. Here you are," said Madam Rosmerta as she handed Dumbledore the chocolate.

* * *

    "Here you are, darlings. If you need anything, just call for me. I'll be upstairs," Madam Rosmerta informed the six friends.

    "Thank you, Rosie," Harry said softly, grabbing Hermione a cup of tea.

    "Thanks, Harry. You should get something, too; it'd do you good," Hermione whispered.

    Harry's reply was a quick smile in Hermione's direction as he reached for a cup of cocoa for Ginny and Lavender.

    "Here you go, girls. Drink up."

* * *

    "Draco. Draco. Draco, wake up."

    Dumbledore shook Draco softly and tried to wake him.

    "Come on, Draco."

    Then, Dumbledore pulled out his wand and prayed that this spell would work, since it wasn't meant for what he was about to use it for.

    "Enervate Draconum."

    Mercifully, the spell worked. Draco awoke from his fitful sleep. Once he realized where he was, and what he had done, he started to cry.

    "Draco. You did what you thought was best. Draco? Draco, listen to me. Calm down. Draco!"

    Dumbledore said Draco's name so loudly that Draco started. He sat up immediately and stared at Dumbledore.

    "Listen to me, Draco. Your father is dead, by your hand no less. As long as this goes unreported, you will be unharmed. I cannot, however, predict the outcome if this does get reported. You have committed a serious crime, Draco. The fact that it was your father only increases the seriousness of it. It is your choice, whether or not you wish to go before the Ministry and admit to this. Either way, I want you to know that I stand beside your decision and will support you."

    Draco became very pale during the time that Dumbledore had been speaking, and he couldn't think of anything to say. The seriousness of his crime was weighing heavily upon him. He was prepared to admit to the murder, but was completely taken aback when Dumbledore suggested not reporting it.

    "Professor Dumbledore, I...." Draco started to say, but he was cut off.

    "Draco, I know that you probably want to discuss this now and get it over with, but I'm afraid that I must ask you to accompany me back to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said gravely.

    "But, what about the others?" Draco questioned, uncertain what Dumbledore's intentions were.

    "The others will be taken care of, Draco. Madam Rosmerta has kindly agreed to watch over them until I return in the morning."

    "Oh-kay," Draco said slowly, still not sure what this was about.

    "What about..."

    "Your father?" Dumbledore said, finishing Draco's sentence. "I will take him back to Hogwarts, although if we don't leave now, I don't think we'll be able to get him to the hospital wing before the students awake."     

    "Oh."    

    "Shall we go then?"

    Draco nodded in agreement, and the three of them, Dumbledore, Draco, and Lucius Malfoy's stiff, dead body, were transported back to Hogwarts.

* * *