Hour of Grace

HOUR OF GRACE

by Strega Brava

Chapter Two: And So Begins Seventh Year

"I can't believe this is our last year," Harry exclaimed as he, Ron and Hermione made their way to the dining hall for the Sorting Feast.

"Yeah, it feels weird to think that we won't be coming back next year," Ron shrugged nonchalantly.

"I'm just worried about NEWTs and getting into Auror training," Hermione said and then laughed, "Oh, come on, I was just joking. Honestly, do you really think that studying is all I think about?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other in amusement and, in unison, shouted,

"Yes!"

Hermione rolled her eyes to the enchanted ceiling.

"Save me from immature, Quidditch-crazed twits," she then turned to them with a serious expression, "I am nervous about leaving Hogwarts at the end of this year. We won't see each other like we do now and, with You-Know-Who still out there, I guess I'll feel a little vulnerable outside these walls."

Ron and Harry immediately sobered their expressions.

"It's going to be weird…you know…being out there in the real world," Ron muttered.

Harry patted him on the back in a friendly fashion; "You could always work with Percy at the Ministry of Magic."

Ron turned quite pale at that thought. Hermione giggled.

"I would rather work with Charlie or Bill or at the twins' joke shop. At least that would be interesting," he finally blurted out.

"Hey, there's Neville, Dean and Seamus. Let's go sit with them," Hermione waved at the trio of boys who promptly waved back enthusiastically.

"Hey, there's Ginny," Harry thought with a sudden warmth in his heart as he looked at the red headed sixth year student who was deep in conversation with Colin Creevey.

As they approached their friends, Neville stood up.

"Wow! Neville sure shot up during the summer. He's the same height as me now," Ron thought to himself in some surprise.

"It is so great to see you. How was your summer? My grandmother and I went to Italy and it was fabulous…I have pictures to show you," Neville pulled out a photo album and the group spent the next few minutes looking at them with great interest.

"So, that's the Leaning Tower of Pizza?" Ron asked.

Hermione gently tapped the back of his head.

"Pisa, not Pizza my food-obsessed friend," she said sarcastically.

"Hey, those uniforms are pretty cool," Harry looked at photos of a military procession of some kind.

"They are called 'carabinieri', kind of like a national police force and they are really nice to talk to," Neville beamed with pride. It wasn't often that he was the centre of attention like this.

"What beautiful statues. Look at this one by Michelangelo called "La Pieta"…isn't it gorgeous? That is true skill," Hermione examined the photos closely.

"Hermione, speaking of statues, look at this one," Ron pointed to one photo in particular. The others crowded around.

"Who is that?" Dean asked, "He looks like a soldier but he's got wings."

Neville answered, "That is a very famous statue of St. Michael slaying the dragon…it's a very popular story."

Harry's eyes lit up with sudden inspiration.

"Since I am Head Boy this year, I am going to make "St. Michael" the first password of the year for the House of Gryffindor. Too bad St. Michael can't do a little dragon-slaying here…" he glanced pointedly at the Slytherin table where Draco Malfoy was just sitting down with his ever-present companions, Crabbe and Goyle.

The others laughed uncontrollably.

"And, since I am Head Girl, I completely agree," Hermione said between fits of laughter.

"Hey," Seamus said suddenly, "The Sorting is about to begin. Dean, did we look that terrified when we were being sorted?"

Dean grinned, "I remember having to push you over to the chair…you had suddenly lost the ability to walk."

"At least I didn't run off with the hat," he gave Neville a pointed look.

Neville simply smiled and collected his photo album and put it in his bookbag.

"Why do I get the feeling that his days of melted, discoloured or otherwise mutated cauldrons are behind him?" Hermione mused to herself. She noticed that Parvati was eyeing him with great interest.

"About time someone noticed him," she thought to herself with some satisfaction.

The Sorting was always a lot of fun to watch. Several young girls and boys approached the three-legged stool with a great deal of trepidation. Some held their breath. Some closed their eyes tight, as if expecting something painful. Some held onto the hat at all costs. The Hat seemed to take longer with some children as opposed to others but that was normal. Finally, all the first years were sorted and they listened attentively as Dumbledore rose to give his traditional opening speech.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I am pleased to see so many new faces and I trust that this first year will be full of opportunities and challenges for you. You received your schedules and will have noticed by now that the professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts had not been chosen at the time they were printed…"

Ron nudged Hermione, "I guess old Snape got passed over again."

Hermione frowned, "I wonder who it could be? You'd think he would have gotten the post by now."

"Hey, I thought the ghoul we had last year was pretty good," Harry protested.

"Yeah, until we found him rummaging for snacks in an abandoned graveyard," Neville replied.

The group tried to stifle their laughter as Dumbledore was still speaking.

"It is my great honour to announce that a former teacher has graciously accepted a one-year position…"

"Oh, no! It can't be Lockhart!!" Ron turned pale at the thought of the handsome but inept professor returning.

"Maybe it's Moody…that would be pretty cool!" Neville looked hopeful, "I mean, the real Moody."

Harry's eyes lit up, "Hey, it must be…"

"Remus Lupin!"

All the Gryffindors jumped out of their chairs and applauded loudly as their beloved professor walked over to a chair beside Professor Snape. Surprisingly, Professor Snape also got up and clapped his hands politely.

"Why is Snape not trying to kill him? He almost looks happy…that can't be good," Ron's brow furled in confusion.

"Maybe they have agreed to put the past behind them because they are now fighting a common enemy," Neville proposed.

The others looked at him in amazement.

"What?" he asked.

"They're just being twits, Neville. I, on the other hand, think you are absolutely correct," Hermione assured him.

"Hey, even the Slytherins are applauding!" Harry pointed out.

"I never thought I'd see the day," Ron looked absolutely amazed.

Hermione grinned, "Maybe they just want to get on his good side so that he doesn't go after them on the night of the full moon."

They all laughed at that one.

"Even a werewolf would have better taste than that, Hermione," Ron quipped to more peals of laughter.

Dumbledore said a few more words and then the great feast appeared on the tables.

Ron and Harry dove in as if they had been starved for weeks and not indulged by Ron's mother who was one of the best cooks around.

"I was shtarving…oh, that ish sho good," Ron muttered as clearly as he could through a mouth crammed with shepherd's pie.

There were grunts and nods from the others.

Hermione sighed, "What a bunch of Neanderthals you are!!"

The conversation was animated during dinner and Hermione listened intently. However, everyone soon started talking about the Gryffindor Quidditch team. It wasn't as if she did not like the sport, because she did, but they could go on for hours talking about Wronski Feints and other risky moves. She looked around to see what the rest of the students and the professors were doing.

"Snape and Lupin appear to be in a deep conversation about something," she thought to herself, "Probably discussing Lupin's potion…it is about ten days until the next full moon."

She watched as the two professors quickly finished their dinner and, after saying goodbye to the rest of the head table, left the dining hall, still deep in conversation. Considering their past history of animosity, it was more than a little surprising.

"All the professors seem to be working together now," Ginny said suddenly.

Harry looked at her and nodded.

"I never thought it could happen."

Then they heard it…the low mournful tone of a wolf's howl. All the students looked around in fear, except for Hermione. She followed the sound to its source…Draco Malfoy.

"How dare he mock him?" she thought to herself in anger.

After considering a method of recourse, she suddenly smiled.

"Silentium Totalis," she whispered as she quickly pulled out her wand from her robes.

The howling stopped, followed by riotous laughter on the part of everyone who was not a Slytherin. Draco could not speak or mutter or even whisper it seemed. Crabbe and Goyle, true to form, did not seem to notice that anything was amiss and simply continued on with their dinner like two semi-human vacuum cleaners.

Hermione turned to face Draco with a dangerous sparkle in her eyes, an unspoken challenge. Draco's expression was typically murderous and she was reminded of his father who probably still wanted her dead. For a moment, she wondered what the silver-haired youth would do if he were able to recite a spell.

"Whatever spell he would have chosen, I am sure I would have ended up at Madam Pomfrey's infirmary…but not before I did something that would force him to accompany me."

"Hey, Hermione, are you trying to kill Malfoy with that glare of yours?" Ron joked suddenly.

Almost by mutual agreement, the two students broke their stare.

"You know something?" Harry added, "You should really consider marketing that evil stare. Hey, Ron, you could talk to the twins about it. It could be a best-seller for the joke shop."

"But what would we call it?" Ginny asked, laughing.

"Let's see. The Dementors have the Kiss of Death…why don't we call it the Look of Death or the Stare of Death or…" Seamus started.

"Or the Look of Sudden, Instantaneous and Otherwise Immediate Cessation of All Bodily Functions," Ron was turning purple from laughing so hard. The others soon followed suit.

Hermione was still giggling when she turned back to the Slytherin table. Draco was still sitting there, his meal untouched. He was staring down at his plate but he was not eating. She noticed that he was perspiring heavily and looked more pale than was normal.

"I hope that is not an effect of the spell. I'm sure I did it properly. Besides, it is only temporary," she became a little worried.

And then, almost as if he sensed that she was looking at him again, he raised his eyes to meet hers. For the longest moment, he simply looked at her. His expression was completely unreadable. There was no hatred. There was no disgust. There was no insult. In fact, there was nothing. Hermione's level of concern grew.

"What is wrong with him? Maybe I should call Madam Pomfrey."

Draco's eyes held hers fast. She could not look away. And then, his expression changed. She could not explain how and she could not explain why but she felt that she was being looked at differently. And then, as quickly as it was there, it was gone. It was almost as if coldness suddenly shot through his face and he sneered at her.

She turned away, feeling very awkward and confused.

"What was that all about?" she thought to herself.

The rest of the meal passed quickly and soon the Gryffindor table decided that it was time to head over to the common room. Hermione got up with the others and slowly made her way through the crowd of people. She tried to find Draco. He was still sitting at the table, his meal still untouched and with Crabbe and Goyle still on either side of him. She watched as Professor Snape re-entered the dining hall and approached him.

"He's probably going to ask him how he feels. Thank goodness that the spell has already worn off!" she thought nervously.

She watched as Draco simply nodded at the dark-haired Potions Master and then signaled to his two sullen companions that it was time to go. He left without a word, leaving Professor Snape with a rather surprised look. As he reached the entrance to the dining hall, Draco turned suddenly to look at her. In his eyes she saw sheer hatred and took a step backwards involuntarily, stepping on Ron's toes in the bargain and making him cry out in pain.

Draco smirked at her in a very derisive fashion and then, with a sweep of his robes, left the dining hall. She felt as if she had been summarily dismissed and hated the way he always made her feel…like she was something less than human.

"Hey, Hermione. Give me a hand here. You just about broke my toes," Ron was hobbling along pathetically.

"For goodness sake, Ron, you are such a baby," she pulled out her wand and uttered a healing spell, "Dolorem Finitem."

Ron's expression immediately became more cheerful.

"Next time, watch where you're going, okay?" he teased.

"No problem, Ron. Next time I will aim for both feet," she responded with a serious face. She began to laugh at Ron's worried expression.

After a few games of Wizard Chess in the common room, Hermione retired to her room. Since she was Head Girl this year, she had a room to herself. She did not particularly like that. It made her feel cut off from her friends and classmates. After taking a quick shower and changing into her nightgown, Hermione lay down in her bed and tried to compose herself for sleep. It wasn't going to happen. Pulling out her beloved copy of "Hogwarts: A History" she began reading about the founding members of the school. She soon fell asleep.

There is a moment each night when the velvety blackness of the sky reaches its darkest point. At that moment, Hermione began to dream…and that dream quickly became a nightmare of the most frightening kind…