Hermione Has a Plan

Chapter 4

Hermione stepped into Dumbledore's room.

Dumbledore sat on a high chair at the table, looking every inch the powerful wizard that he was. His eyes were serious, and the irreverent humour that all the students so adored was entirely missing.

The others were seated around the large table. All those there belonged to the inner circle - Snape, McGonagall, Hagrid, Arabella Figg, and Priscilla. Hermione was again struck by how different Priscilla was from her brother. While Snape was sneering and saturnine, Priscilla was plump and motherly. But her appearance was deceptive. She was a deadly fighter, and had put paid to at least 20 Death Eaters in just the last sally.

There were several empty chairs. Much of the inner circle was missing, all on assignments across the world, including Sirius Black and Remus Lupin.

Hermione slipped into the chair that she normally sat in, next to Hagrid, and drew herself up straight. It wouldn't do to slouch in front of this crowd.

Snape started speaking in his slow drawl, "We've got word that one of the Chudley Cannons team is a Death Eater."

Hermione gasped.

Snape looked down at her, "Exactly, Miss Granger. I understand Mr Potter and Mr Weasley will be going for the tryouts?"

"Yes," she murmured.

"Mr Malfoy will be there too, which gives Priscilla and me an excellent excuse to be present too, along with Narcissa," said Snape.

"Hmm...," said Dumbledore, "So these are the two most likely places where the attack could be made - at the tryouts in Hogsmeade, and the Christmas Ball. What are your plans for the Ball, Ms Granger?"

"I've persuaded Draco to take me. He doesn't know we suspect his friend Zabini, and Professor Snape and I agreed that the best way to keep an eye on Zabini would be for me to date Draco, because those two are always together. I couldn't date Zabini - he has been dating Maria, the Ravenclaw, for months. This was the next best thing."

"And do you have a back-up plan in case Mr Malfoy backs out?"

"Three, actually," Hermione said smugly.

Dumbledore smiled. Not for the first time, he approved his decision to bring Hermione Granger into the Order of the Phoenix. Harry could not be part of the Order for the very good reason that the Order itself was set up to protect him. Harry's other friend Ron Weasley was still immature. Hermione Granger, with her brains, keen sense of logic, inventiveness and maturity, was the obvious choice, as also because of her closeness to Harry, whom they had all sworn to protect at all costs.

According to a 2000-year-old prophesy, Harry would bring about the end of Voldemort and a long golden age for the wizarding world. Harry was the key, and Hermione was his personal bodyguard, appointed by Dumbledore. Of course Harry did not know that. He would have to be told sooner or later, and Dumbledore trusted Hermione enough to let her tell him in her own sweet time.

Dumbledore took out a thin band of woven cotton. "Ms Granger, this has a charm that will give some protection against broom hexes. Could you ensure that Mr Potter wears this before he goes to the tryouts?"

Hermione took the band from him and then stretched out her hand again expectantly. Dumbledore smiled and pulled out another band from his pocket, "And one for Mr Weasley."

He turned to Snape, "What other preparations have you made?"

Priscilla spoke for the first time in a soft voice, "I have the anti-Dementor moaning alarm set up at my house. Narcissa thinks it's to guard her son. Our London team is doing a thorough background check on all the Chudley Cannons team members arriving next week for any anomaly.

Hermione spoke up, "Will all the Chudley Cannons be there for the tryouts?"

Snape replied, "No, only the coach and three team members."

"Wouldn't one of them being the DT be too obvious?" Hermione had somehow picked up the habit of abbreviating phrases, which her classmates and teachers found quite irritating, especially as it was obvious she was doing it with a sense of mischief.

She continued, "Isn't it more likely that one or more of these four are either carrying a jinxed object or will be put under Imperius?"

The others nodded. Snape said, "A jinxed broom?"

"Too obvious," said McGonagall, speaking for the first time. "And they know we'll be protecting them against broom hexes.

Priscilla spoke in her slow, deliberate way, "If you don't mind my saying so, the intention this time will be to kill. Broom and bludger hexes are far too chancy. Voldemort will have something more destructive in mind."

A sudden stab of panic went through Hermione but she fought to keep it from showing in her eyes.

"Another portkey?"

"No, we have mapped the entire area and are keeping a strict lookout around the clock. Any portkey will show up on the magical transport scanner," said Arabella.

Hagrid gave a deep unhappy sigh as he remembered the events of last year, when Voldemort, aided by Barty Crouch, Jr, had portkeyed Harry and Cedrid Diggory over to a distant place. Harry had escaped, but he came back with Cedrid's dead body.

Hermione reached out to place her hand over Hagrid's big one and pressed it gently. Hagrid looked at her gratefully. Dumbledore looked at Hagrid's unhappy face a little gloomily. For all his acquaintance with magical monsters, Hagrid was still to adjust to the stresses of this war-in-the-making.

Hermione, on the other hand, had adjusted very well, thought Dumbledore, perhaps too well for a 15-year-old. She had lost her obsession with studying and marks - what she was doing now was far more important. She had also developed a devil-may-care attitude and lost the earnest manner her teachers used to find so endearing.

Dumbledore felt a little guilty at taking Hermione's childhood away from her, but he had little choice in the matter. Voldemort had to be defeated, and Dumbledore couldn't afford to leave any tool unused. And as Muggle guerrillas had found out a long time ago, children made the best fighters, because they carried less emotional baggage, and were more apt to act on instinct. Which was probably how Harry had managed to defeat Voldemort time and again.

"Something more destructive?" asked Hermione, "Like what?"

"Probably some device with an explosive spell so destructive that it will take out the whole village," Priscilla said.

Silence fell on the group.

Dumbledore said, "Someone must inspect all the Chudley Cannons' luggage, and someone else must check whether any of the players are under Impervious."

"We need some irritating fans, in short," Snape said, "There are three girls in my group who would be perfect for the job. A few modified Sneakoscopes would do the trick."

"Ms Granger, you have to stay with Mr Potter at all times, even if it means putting your other friend in danger."

Hermione nodded.

The meeting broke up.

The week passed by without any adverse incident, except from the point of view of Harry, Ron and Pansy, who grew increasingly exasperated as Draco showered expensive gifts on Hermione.

Monday: At breakfast, Draco's owl dropped a flat package next to Hermione's plate, which turned out to be the first edition of "Sense and Sinners", a look at witches' interactions with the Muggle world.

Tuesday: A pair of silver bookends.

Wednesday: A wall decoration with enchanted lights that dimmed or brightened as Hermione needed.

Thursday: A pair of singing earmuffs to shut out the outside world when she wanted to read.

By Friday, Harry and Ron were almost not on speaking terms with Hermione. They still hovered around her, but they replied to her questions in monosyllables. A year ago, this treatment would have devastated her. But this was a new year and a new Hermione. This Hermione made fun of the two of them, linked arms with them though they tried to pull away, and shamelessly blew kisses to Draco across the hall.

On Friday evening, Harry and Hermione were having dinner in the Great Hall. Ron was serving detention with Filch for throwing an exploding quill into Draco's cauldron. Luckily the cauldron itself didn't explode before Draco threw an Impervious spell on it.

Harry was moodily tearing a roll into pieces. Hermione bit into an asparagus piece and looked at Harry.

"Harry! What's up?"

"All this. I don't like it. Malfoy's up to something, I know that."

"Hmmm... well, you can ask him if you want. There he comes now."

Harry's head shot up. Malfoy was indeed walking over to their table, a small grin on his face.

"Granger," he said.

Hermione looked up at him, grinning. Malfoy really couldn't bring himself to call her Hermione, could he?

"Sorry, my Dad isn't here. And if he was, you wouldn't speak to a Muggle anyway, now would you?" Hermione chuckled.

Malfoy smiled appreciatively at that, a real smile without a trace of a sneer. He sat down on the bench next to Hermione.

"Hermione, I need a favour," he said, his eyes dancing.

Hermione acknowledged the sly reference with a laugh and a nod, "Anything for you, Draco."

Harry viciously tore the roll apart, and Hermione could swear she heard him grinding his teeth.

"I don't want to go stag to the Christmas Ball, and there isn't a girl in this school who isn't an insufferable bore, other than you. You're the only one who understands my jokes. Will you go to the ball with me?"

"Since you asked me so nicely, and you are the first to ask me - all right, I will," Hermione said, shooting a sly glance at Harry.

"And get a makeover, will you?"

Harry sprang up at that, "She does NOT need a makeover, you blind moron!"

Draco laughed, still looking at Hermione and ignoring Harry as if he didn't exist, "Pity. You looked rather attractive at the last ball..."

Draco grinned. This was even better than he had thought. Potter was practically foaming at the mouth. He couldn't resist baiting Harry further.

"See you later, Hermione," Draco said in an artificially sweet voice and bent and kissed her on the cheek. Hermione was so startled that she froze. Before either Harry or Hermione could recover, he was gone.

Hermione laughed nervously, "Honestly!"

Harry growled under his breath.

"Harry! What's eating you? You should be happy for me - every girl in Hogwarts will be jealous."

"Iwantedtogototheballwithyou," Harry mumbled.

Hermione put a hand on his arm, "Believe me, Harry, it's better for you to go with someone else. It's time you started to get to know the other girls at Hogwarts. You'll want to start dating soon, and you can't have me along all the time, you know. I'm your best friend, not your guardian angel!"

Harry glowered silently.

"Don't worry, Harry. I'm really not interested in Draco Malfoy. He's not my type."

But Harry didn't look convinced.