Clairvoyance and its Consequences

Chapter 6_______________________________________________________________

Harry stared at Hermione for a moment, gesturing for her to enter the room further. "What do you mean?" he asked eventually.

"I was in the study and I fell asleep," Hermione said. She hesitated before taking a seat on the edge of his bed. "I had another dream, only this one was different, almost to a strange degree. It was completely silent. Voldemort was talking but I couldn't hear a word he was saying. I could only judge what he was saying by the pictures he conjured in the air. One was of Draco and all the Death Eaters seemed to laugh at what Voldemort told them and then ... then the next was of you."

"Me?" Harry asked, not sounding overly surprised.

Hermione nodded. "It was rather predictable, really. I mean, Voldemort's after you the most, right? I just don't understand what Draco would have to do with any of it..."

"Think about it, Hermione," Harry said. "Malfoy refused to become a Death Eater and killed his father. What if Voldemort has something planned where Malfoy turns against our side in order to get me? We both know Voldemort has a lot of power and if he finds some sort of way to trick Malfoy, he'd then have someone in the centre of the inside... I sleep in the room next to Malfoy's for Merlin's sake!"

"But how does he know Draco's on our side, now?" Hermione asked rather urgently.

"Because of you," Harry said. "He's your boyfriend and he openly loves you. Of course he's going to be on the same side as the girl that he loves."

"I'm the bait," Hermione realised quietly, staring at the covers of Harry's bed. "I'll be the bait for Voldemort to get both of you. Or at least, I could be..."

Harry nodded. "We don't know for sure, but yes, you could be the bait for all we know."

Hermione knew for sure though. Why else would the image Voldemort conjured in her dream show what Harry had written in his journal? She was in a state of frightened shock and when Harry's hand came to rest on top of hers soothingly, she honestly didn't care. The idea of being a piece of Lord Voldemort's bait and not knowing how he was going to use her was one of the most frightening concepts she could imagine, especially when two people she loved were involved as well.

*

An entire week passed and all five of the students staying in the Order quarters were still in discussion about Hermione's dream and exactly what it meant. Dumbledore had held a series of small meetings with them in the study, discussing what was to happen in the near future.

"I am strictly asking you all to take note of anything strange being said around you," Dumbledore said calmly, looking around at Hermione, Draco, Harry, Ron and Ginny. "If, judging by Miss Granger's details, Lord Voldemort has found a new way of spying, he has found an advantage we cannot, for the time being, control.

"On a happier note, however," Dumbledore continued pleasantly, "I am pleased to say that you will be having two new people joining you here. One, I have been considering from the start, and that is Neville Longbottom. The other is Miss Luna Lovegood, whose father has recently become involved in the Order."

Dumbledore stood and made his way to the door. "I shall bring the two of them up here tonight," he said. "For now, I would like you to start thinking of anything that has been particularly suspicious to you recently. I am there referring to members of a specific house within this school."

With that, he left the room, which ringed with a silence no one felt willing to break. They all looked around uncomfortably before Draco spoke.

"I am not sharing a room with Longbottom," he stated dryly.

Harry and Ron glared at him. "Like he'd even want to share one with you," Harry snapped irritably. "My bet is that Dumbledore's elongating Ron and my room right now and Luna will most likely stay in Ginny and Hermione's."

"I don't see why Hermione can't just move into my room and leave the loony and Weasley girl together," Draco stated reasonably with a slight sneer. "Really, it's not like Hermione hasn't seen me naked. After all, we only undressed each other last night. How well I remember that ... hmmm... One wonderful shag that..."

Draco smirked widely at the effect this had on Harry. His face had gone crimson, the shade an awful lot darker than the one tinting Hermione's cheeks at that moment. His knuckles had turned white as he clenched his fists and the whole table could tell his teeth were grinding together tightly.

"Hermione is not sharing a room with you, Malfoy!" Harry said irritably.

"You just don't like the idea that she'd rather spend the night with me than you, Potter," Draco snarled.

Harry glared at him. "No, maybe I just don't like the idea of Hermione shagging a slimy prat like yourself," he said. "I can only imagine the bacteria your spawn's created within her."

Draco jumped to his feet, glaring furiously. Hermione stood up as well.

"Look, you two," Hermione said urgently, "you promised me you'd work this out. This animosity between the two of you is utterly ridiculous! I had a dream the other day that involved both of you and I saw more than I was willing to tell you so I therefore know more. I know for a fact that I am the bait in Voldemort's new plan. He wants you both, it's obvious, and I happen to be the one you would both do anything for -" Harry opened his mouth to speak but Hermione stopped him "- Draco loves me. I'm his girlfriend and I had an effect on him Voldemort can't explain. Harry, on the other hand, is a very caring person and one of best friends. Harry would do anything to save my life."

Draco and Harry looked at each other again, as though mentally challenging a duel to see who'd want to save Hermione the most. Hermione brought the attention back to her.

"If I really am the bait, I think that this time is better than any for you all to somehow move around this animosity and work together. Draco is not evil. He proved that by killing his father and refusing to become a Death Eater," Hermione said sternly. "Surely this is enough to change the attitudes you hold for him. I am not asking you to become friends with him. I am not asking for you to start spending your Saturdays with him. I am merely asking for all the hatred and loath to become invisible for the time being. For my sake and my life."

Harry and Ron looked at each other, a kind of mental confrontation going on within each of their minds until Harry finally turned to look at Hermione again.

"Fine," he said, "I'll be more civil if he is."

"I have nothing against Malfoy - not really," said Ginny in a tone that seemed somewhat forced. "I accept the fact he really has changed. And so has Ron."

Ron opened his mouth at Ginny angrily. "Since when were you free to make decisions for me?" he asked her irritably.

Ginny looked at him impatiently. "Ron, you were saying just yesterday that you were going to keep out of the way and not create conflict between yourself and Malfoy so long as he doesn't start anything. This is the exact chance you wanted - to put everything behind you."

"I never said anything like that -" Ron said irritably. "You're just assuming that's what I meant - I never -"

"You said it, Ron," Ginny said, "and you know you said it."

Draco was looking at Hermione, his hand in hers. Slowly he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles softly. Harry rolled his eyes and looked away jealously.

"Alright," Draco said, "if that's what Hermione wants."

Hermione smiled. "There we go," she said happily. "That wasn't so hard now was it?"

She turned and headed for the door. Draco and Harry immediately turned to glare furiously at each other so she wouldn't see, before standing up and heading out the door she held open.

*

An icy breeze filled the atmosphere of the vacant land surrounding the ruins of what appeared to be a small castle. The sun had set in the western skies hours earlier, leaving the overgrown lawns and never-ending plain of clouds overhead dark, no shadows being cast due the lack of moon and man-made light.

Slowly, from the edge of the land, where old, creaking trees stood lazily, swaying only lightly in the bone-chilling breeze, a tall and thin man appeared. His skin was ghostly pale and he had a cruel, inhumane smile curving his seemingly lipless mouth. He wore black robes, longer than his sickly figure as the hem dragged across the dusty ground as he walked. In his hand, squirming slightly was an ancient grey rat.

"I knew you didn't have much brains, Wormtail, but I thought you at least had some!" the man hissed eerily at the rodent. "You knew Lucius Malfoy was dead. It was you who confirmed it for me! So why would you be such a coward and not search his manor?"

The rat gave a squeal and squirmed furiously in Lord Voldemort's hands. Voldemort threw him violently and with a small crack a short, stubby and balding man appeared on his knees on the ground, somewhat rat-like.

"Please, my Lord," Wormtail said squeakily, his tone desperate, "I thought that was the Malfoy manor! You know how forgetful I can be. I forgot your directions!"

"I told you the manor was in Wiltshire!" Voldemort hissed loudly, "and where did I find you? I found you in Glasgow!"

"I - I am so sorry, my Lord," Wormtail cried, bowing to his master. "Please forgive me, my Lord. I shall try again and you shall be satisfied when I return. Please, my Lord?"

"I have given you so many chances, Wormtail," Voldemort said, much more softly, "and so many times have you messed up. I have found that the little trust I held for you has worn too thin for me to continue using you as my right-hand man."

"But, Master, I am your most faithful!" Wormtail cried desperately. "I am your faithful servant!"

"And that I am aware," Voldemort said, pulling out his wand swiftly, "for I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. I thank-you for the flesh of you hand and always will, but tonight will be the last you see. Say goodnight, Wormtail."

"No, my Lord, Please!" Wormtail cried helplessly, a tear streaking his face. "Please, give me one last chance, I will never mess up again! Please, my Lord, I -"

"Avada Kedavra," Voldemort said almost effortlessly. A wave of bright green light left the tip of his wand and a moment later Peter Pettigrew was sprawled lifelessly on the ground.

Voldemort gave a cruel, air-ringing laugh and put his wand away.

"Come out, Nott," he said to the trees behind him, "for I know you are waiting."

Slowly, from behind a large oak tree to his left, a man of an average height appeared. His face was shadowed in the dark. He bowed slightly at his master who looked at him carefully through his red eyes.

"You have known, since Bellatrix was killed, that shall anything happen to Wormtail, you will become my right-hand servant," Voldemort stated. "That is what you want is it not?"

Avery Nott nodded quickly. "Yes, my Lord," he said abruptly. "It is what I have forever wanted."

"Then I shall grant that wish," Voldemort said in the air of the Tooth Fairy, "but only if you can go to the Malfoy manor in Wiltshire and collect all the needed supplies on this" - he pulled out a small scroll of parchment - "list. I am hoping it is all we need for the time being to study the background of one Draco Malfoy - the one I wish to have in my possession as soon as possible. I have an extraordinary plan for him, as he is my current lead to Harry Potter."

Nott nodded and took the list. "Draco Malfoy shall be yours, -"

Hermione was woken abruptly by someone softly shaking her. She sat up suddenly, her breathing coming out shallow. She turned and looked at the person who had woken her and found it was Harry. She swallowed thickly before looking around, the familiar view of the study meeting her gaze.

"I'm sorry to wake you, Hermione," Harry said, "but you grabbed onto my arm in your sleep and ... and started moaning my and Malfoy's name. You seemed to go into some sort of distress in your sleep."

Hermione stood up, still breathing deeply. She made towards the door.

"Hermione, you should calm down a bit," Harry said, grabbing her hand.

Hermione looked down at the soft hand that held her and sat back down.

"I have to talk to Dumbledore in the morning," she said. "I just had what might be the most important dream I could possibly have at the moment."

Harry smiled and stroked the top of her hand with his thumb soothingly, calming her until her head rested back on the table and sleep overcame her once more.

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