Dolor Draconum

Chapter the Eighteenth

Hermione leant against the portrait hole, frowning to herself. Yesterday she'd received a present forwarded from her parents. It was from a school friend from years ago. And now there was that faint guilt from not having even sent a card. She didn't even have a card to send.

"Hey, are you going to stand there all day?" a voice called from beside the fire. Terry Boot was lounging in front of it, bare-footed and pyjamaed.

"Just thinking," Hermione reassured him. "I was hoping to find someone to run an errand for me. McGonagall wants to see me about my NEWTs in a minute, but I've just realised that I need to buy a present for a Muggle friend and send it, today if possible."

"We're not allowed down to Hogsmeade just now," Terry pointed out dryly, "just in case you've forgotten."

"I know," Hermione sighed. "I'd run down myself and risk it, but I really can't dodge this appointment. McGonagall's been hunting me all Christmas."

"Are you sure it's about your NEWTs?" Terry frowned. "I'd have thought that that could wait until term began."

Hermione grimaced. "It could be about skipping lessons, I suppose. I mean, it's not something I've made a habit of, but I think that Defence Against the Dark Art's teacher has finally got around to complaining."

"I hope that's all it is," Terry said amiably.

Cho appeared, looking harassed. "Men," she muttered under her breath, throwing herself into an armchair. "Boys!"

"Oh dear," Hermione said. "What happened?"

Cho frowned at her. "It's just, well, it's Harry. I mean you know he's got this crush on me, right?" For a moment she looked like she wasn't sure she should be telling Harry's friends, but her emotions overwhelmed her doubts and she plunged on. "And I like him, I do, but, I don't know, perhaps it would have been better if we had never gone out. I was still too upset about Cedric, and it all fell apart. Well, I fell apart. But he keeps dropping hints that he wants to have another go, and I just don't want to any more. And I told him so, and he started yelling and I didn't want to hurt him, but he's acting like my sole purpose in life is to torture him. And now he's sulking up there." She sighed and stared at the fire. "I wouldn't even be here, except my father's new girlfriend decided she didn't want me around because it makes her look like a gold-digging tart, which she is, coincidentally."

"Ouch," Terry said sympathetically.

Cho looked at Hermione pleadingly. "Some people just don't understand that the world doesn't revolve around them, you know? Harry can't get it into his head that my life is enough of a mess as it is without a boyfriend thrown into the equation. My parents are getting divorced, my last boyfriend died, I'm in danger of failing my NEWTs and everyone is putting pressure on me to plan the next sixty plus years of my life out and I don't even know what I'm doing next week!"

Hermione sighed. "I'll talk to him for you, if I can. He's been really awkward recently. Well," she snorted, "it's not really just recently. Harry has always had a lot of attention focused on him and his problems. He doesn't always register that just because someone doesn't have a dark lord hell bent on their destruction, their life doesn't still suck."

"Exactly!" Cho agreed vehemently. "It's like he's the only person that hurts. I don't understand how you put up with him sometimes."

"Oh, he's really not that bad," Hermione quickly leaped back to his defence. "He is going through a lot. I swear, I'll talk to him, though. He's not exactly girl-savvy."

Cho snorted with laughter at that. Hermione stiffened slightly. "You might also want to remind him that you won't be here next year, while he will," she added. "That's always worth taking into account in school relationships. One of the reasons I haven't bothered."

"You're right," Cho shook her head. "I think I'm going to go for a walk to clear my head."

"Outside?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Of course outside," Cho said, looking bemused. "Where else?"

"Well, seeing as it's just as cold and windy inside the castle, and you're less likely to get so imbedded in the ground that you need Hagrid to pull you out, I'd say you might be better off finding a tower to sit at the top off." Hermione grinned cheekily. "Hopefully a suitably dramatic breeze will ruffle your hair and make your cloak flow out behind you, so you can pretend you're on the cover of whatever type of novel takes your fancy."

Cho chuckled. "Sure," she said, rolling her eyes. "Or maybe I'll just go and pick my way down to the lake and look for the giant squid."

"It's up to you," Hermione told her.

As Cho made her way out of the portrait hole Draco darted through.

"Didn't anyone hear me knocking?" he complained. "I've been standing out there for ten minutes!"

"Forgot the password?" Terry asked teasingly. "It's 'Deck the halls with boughs of Polly'."

"And you wonder why I forgot," Draco said scathingly. "Who on earth is 'Polly'?"

Terry shrugged.

"Hi, Hermione," Draco smiled at her. "McGonagall's looking for you."

"Oh, damn," Hermione stamped her foot in frustration.

"Hermione Granger avoiding a teacher?" Draco raised his eyebrows. "You know, I hadn't noticed all the water in the lake turning to blood. I'll ask Cho when she gets back."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I just got a present from a friend I haven't seen in ages, and I haven't sent anything to her. I know exactly what she'd like, as well. I really want to just dash down to Hogsmeade and get it, but I can't. I really need to send it to my parents as soon as possible s they can send it to her, too, otherwise she'll realise I forgot."

"What is it?" Draco asked.

"There's a particular book in the bookshop there. 'Dragons and their Ken'. It was on one of the reading lists last year. She'd love it. She doesn't know dragons are real, but I know she'd adore it. And the bookshop's even open!" Hermione sighed. "I need someone to get it for me, I guess," she hinted.

"I'll do it," two voices said simultaneously. Hermione spun on her heel to see Ron, recently entered. She stared between the two boys. Outside she could hear footsteps.

"Okay, fine. Decide between yourselves," Hermione said hurriedly. "Here's a galleon. Buy yourself something with the change." She was about to hand it to Draco, but a quick flash of insight led her to just drop it on the floor instead, and she darted out of the portrait hole to find Professor McGonagall.

Ron and Draco both leaped for the coin at the same time, but Terry snatched it from them first.

"Uh uh uh," he grinned. "We can't have you fighting now. What would Hermione think?"

Ron and Draco stared at each other. "I'm going," Ron growled.

"Me too," Draco said.

"Okay then," Terry grinned. He handed the coin to Draco, who smirked triumphantly.

Ron looked smug. "Do you know how to get to Hogsmeade when were not allowed off of the grounds?" he asked.

Malfoy paused on his way to the portrait hole. "Let me guess, secret passage?" Draco drawled. "Come on, I know this place has them, and I know your brothers must have known about them, so it stands to reason you do. Let's just go, get the book and, I don't know, some chocolate or butterbeers or something, then get back here. It's bloody cold out."

"I'd rather go alone," Ron said stiffly.

"So would I. I've got the money, too, but you know the way. Since neither of us is going to give up on this, why not save time and agree now to just both go? Tell you what, I'll even promise not to insult your family. Now there's a once in a lifetime offer," Draco said snidely.

"Why are you so keen?" Ron asked suspiciously, stepping towards the other boy.

Draco gave him a steady look. Ron snarled.

"I want to get chocolate, naturally," Draco said dryly. "Now can we go and get the sodding book?"

"Fine," Ron grumbled. "But remember what you said about the insults. Say one thing, any thing, about my hair or money or parents or brothers or sister or anyone, and I'm knocking you out and leaving you to drown in the mud, got it?"

"Yessir!" Draco mock saluted.