Taboo

Word seemed to have spread about Katie's accident. The Great Hall buzzed with anxious whispers all through breakfast.

"Terrible, isn't it?" said Ginny, sliding onto the bench next to Hermione. "It just doesn't make any sense. Why would someone do that?"

"Well, it wasn't Katie they meant to get," said Harry darkly. "She was supposed to give it to someone, but we don't know who."

"Couldn't have gotten past Filch and his Secrecy Sensors though," said Ron through a mouthful of scrambled eggs.

"She didn't need to," said Harry. "The person could've been in Hogsmeade, or I dunno, coming outside to meet her."

"Well," said Hermione reasonably. "Whoever planned it wasn't very clever. There were too many ways it could've gone wrong."

"Malfoy isn't exactly the cleverest person we know, is he though?" interjected Harry. Hermione fell silent.

---

The next Saturday, Malfoy and Hermione sat facing each other in the Room of Requirement discussing recent events.

"I just wish we knew who did it," said Hermione. "I don't feel safe knowing there's somebody out there trying to kill a student."

"They'll get caught," said Malfoy reassuringly, his cheeks oddly flushed. "Besides, I don't think you're in any danger."

"Why not?"

"Well, if the necklace had been meant for you, she would've just turned around and handed it to you. And we don't know who they're after. It might not even be a student."

Hermione pondered this. "You're right." She wrinkled her nose.

"What's wrong?" asked Malfoy, noticing her expression.

"I-well, it's just that Harry thinks you did it," she said, embarrassed.

"Does he?" Malfoy leaned forward, looking intereseted.

"I've been telling him that it's completely ridiculous...I mean, we don't have any proof. And-and you wouldn't do something like that, would you?" she asked.

"No, of course not," he lied, shaking his head. Ly8ing to Hermione felt different from lying to anybody else. It gave him a sick feeling in his stomach. He clenched his fists, feeling nauseous.

"Draco? Are you alright?"

"Huh?" He opened his eyes. "Oh...I think it was just something I ate." Another lie.

"You don't look well," she said concernedly. "Maybe you should go to the hospital wing."

"No, no. I'm alright." He got to his feet and swayed. He put his hand against the tree trunk to steady himself. Lies, lies, all lies.

"Are you sure?"

He pushed himself away from the tree and shakily walked to the door. "I'll be fine."

"At least let me walk you to your common room," she offered. He gave in and nodded weakly.

"Do you know...?"

"Just tell me where to go," she said, steering him by the forearm.

---

As they stumbled through the halls together, Harry stared at the Marauder's Map in disbelief. He let the map fall to the floor, his hands trembling. Impossible. Malfoy and Hermione? He had been lazily checking the map when he spotted them on the seventh floor. Together. Why would Hermione be with Malfoy? Their tiny, labeled dots showed them walking side by side, so it didn't seem like she was in any danger. They've been meeting each other secretly, thought Harry. She hasn't been in the library at all... It was so absurd that thinking about it made his head hurt. He bent under the desk and retrieved the parchment. There they were, going towards the Slytherin common room. Unbelievable.

When Hermione returned to the common room with a stack of books, Harry was still staring at the map.

"Hello, Harry," she said, setting the books down. "I think these might have something about Horcruxes."

"Hermione," croaked Harry. "Please tell me it's not true."

"What's not true?" she said sharply.

"You," he said, pointing at the map with a quivering hand, "and him. Together."

"I--" She was speechless for a moment. Then her expression hardened. "I don't know what you're talking about. But you should really take a look at these books."

"Stop playing dumb, Hermione," said Harry, pushing the books away. "I saw it with my own eyes, you and Malfoy. What were you doing with him?"

"N-nothing," she said. Harry glared at her. "We were just...talking."

"Just talking. Right," he said skeptically, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes, we were just talking. And it's none of your business what we were talking about," she said, reading his mind."

"I--he--"

"Don't start about how evil he is. I'm sick of hearing about how Draco is supposedly a Death Eater. He's really nice if you give him a chance."

"Draco," sneered Harry. "Just listen to yourself. So how long have you been meeting Drakie-poo?"

"Don't call him that!" she said, slamming her book shut.

"So what does he call you then? Hermy-kins?"

"Shut up!" screamed Hermione. She threw the book at him and stormed up the stairs, nearly knocking over several first-years. Harry sank down to the soft carpet, appalled at his own behavior. He picked up the map again, running a hand through his perpetually untidy hair. Hermione and Malfoy...what a pair.