Hermione of Hogwarts

Chapter Two: You must look after her...

"I wonder what the secret was," Ron mused later in the Common Room.

Hermione said nothing, not even a reminder that McGonagall's secret was none of their business. Harry wondered at that before he noticed that Hermione was wearing her cloak and her scarf.

"Going anywhere, Hermione?" he frowned.

"Just thought I'd go to Hagrid's," she said, not looking him in the eye.

"That's a great idea, we'll come with you," said Ron.

Hermione exclaimed so suddenly, several students looked round in interest. "Don't come! I mean, Hagrid wanted my help, you'd just get in the way..."

And with that, Hermione Granger left.

~*~

"So, what are you doing tonight?" the man in a green cape said as he bought Krum another Firewhisky.

"Seeing my girlfriend," Krum downed half of it in one.

"Rachel Lee? Your fiancé?"

"No, mate, my bit on the side," Krum winked knowingly. "She's a student at Hogwarts, name's Hermione Granger."

Krum's drinking companion spluttered.

"Heard of her?" Krum grinned. Clearly Hermione had been busy.

"I haven't seen her in a while," Green Cape said. "I'd like to see her again."

Krum knew he wasn't supposed to tell anyone about Hermione but firewhisky always loosened his tongue. Now he was really drunk he said:

"Would you like to come with me?"

"Sure," Green Cape said and stuck a wand into his chest. Krum blinked and when he opened his eyes, Green Cape was gone.

~*~

"I didn't think you were going to come," Hermione whispered, as Viktor took her in his arms.

"Of course I came," he said. "I would never miss a night I could spend with you; never would I willingly miss a single second that I could look into your eyes or taste your lips."

Krum had said this so many times to so many women that he didn't blush. The same could not be said for Hermione. As Krum put his lips on her mouth her face turned red, first from pleasure, then from blood as Green Cape (who had been invisible the whole time) plunged a dagger into Krum's head.

~*~

"Ron!"

Ron snored.

"Ron, wake up!"

Ron grunted and opened his eyes.

Harry was standing by the window, wand in hand, map in the other and had just finished chucking the invisibility cloak onto Ron's bed.

"Hermione needs us," Harry said quickly. "I heard a scream and looked out of the window. Whenever she's been gone, she's been meeting up with Krum and now-"

Harry couldn't finish but he didn't need to. Ron had run to the window upon hearing Hermione's name and had turned a rather interesting shade of green.

Ron threw the cloak over the two of them and Harry activated the map as they ran.

"Where are we going?" Ron asked. "Are we going down to the lake?"

"No, Dumbledore's office," Harry replied. It was an ancient tradition among Harry and his friends to turn to Dumbledore for help.

They ran past the trophy cabinet, round the corner and stopped.

Snape.

"That dude needs a serious wardrobe makeover," Ron whispered. "Green is so not his colour."

Harry suppressed a giggle. He was grateful, it wasn't strictly the time or place but jokes had a habit of taking his mind off things. And what could be worse than Hermione bathing in a pool of her boyfriend's blood?

Harry and Ron sidestepped Snape and for one horrible moment, Harry thought that Snape was looking at them, but he merely paused to examine his face in the mirror beyond them. After glancing randomly at his hands, Snape walked down the corridor and the boys hurried up it, finally reaching Dumbledore's office.

After whispering "Blood-flavoured lollipops" they found themselves in Dumbledore's circular office facing the man himself, wearing a purple dressing gown and a pink nightcap.

Harry didn't bother with apologies but launched straight into his tale. Dumbledore didn't ask any questions and merely said, "Show me."

~*~

Several ministers had decided to camp out by the crime scene, for reasons no one was exactly clear but, as Ron said, "they have to look as though they are doing something."

Hermione had been arrested on suspicion of murder, to the disgust and bewilderment of three houses and the joy of the fourth.

When Dumbledore went to the Quidditch pitch about a week later, Cornelius Fudge was waiting for them by a chalk outline of where Krum's body was.

"Hogwarts is speeding downhill isn't it Dumbledore?" he smirked nastily. "First there was Minerva McGonagall- who you still hide despite it being against the law and now this Mudblood who has just murdered an international Quidditch star!"

Harry tried to stop Ron from killing Fudge after his remark about Hermione's parentage and was only mildly surprised that Dumbledore didn't smack Fudge round the face. He merely said:

"I would be willing to put a lot of gold on the fact that both these women are innocent. Now, what have you done with Miss Granger? I notice that both she and Mr. Krum have been removed."

"Leprechaun's gold," Fudge muttered before resuming his special Minister-for-Magic voice. "Miss Granger has been taken to London where she will stand charged with the murder of Mr. Krum. I suppose you wish to see her?"

"I will defend her," Dumbledore said gravely.

"Like you did for Potter?" Fudge sneered. "Your favourite students standing before the ministry with the possibility of a criminal record!"

"Both are innocent," Dumbledore growled his eyes no longer twinkling, his face darkly serious.