Sweet Sixteen

~* Chapter Thirteen*~

There was a deathly silence that immediately followed the proclamation. Hermione was afraid to utter a syllable in fear of breaking their thoughts. She stole a glance at Harry and was immediately stunned upon seeing his reaction. She hadn't really gone into depth about what he might do, but that eerie smile of his certainly wasn't anywhere near what she was expecting at all. Dumbledore stood up as calmly as a person was able to, and addressed Hermione.

"Miss Granger, how did you come about this information, and how long exactly have you known?" After Dumbledore had spoken, it was as if everyone's blank stares and morbid expressions were on pause as they all turned their questioning gaze upon her.

"Well, my dreams... weren't really dreams, I think I was seeing into my past, not the past I was brought up to believe, but the real one. Also, when I touch certain things I get flashbacks with Voldemort.... using that item. So I... well I went to the Restricted Section and found that book Voldemort... A Deep Look Into the Beast. It talks about his supposed "wife and kid" upon reading this information I was stunned. It was about me; everything that has been going on is in there. It all makes perfect sense... and... and I know you may not want to believe me... I don't even want to believe me, but it's the truth I know it is, I can feel it." Hermione took a deep breath and continued.

"And I've known this for about a week now. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner but I had to make absolutely certain that I was."

Hermione stopped her explanation and looked around at all her dearest friends. The ones she never wanted to hurt, but the ones she inevitably did. Then Ron spoke, his voice sounding shaky.

"But... but Hermione that doesn't make any sense. Your mum was a muggle, who married your father who was also a muggle. How could you possibly be his daughter?"

"Well, my mum was a witch. She went to Hogwarts the same time Voldemort did. They had a... well they had a thing and a couple weeks after that my mum got pregnant with me. When Voldemort heard the news, he vowed to kill her and the unborn child after learning the prophecy that would take place if I was born. So she dropped out of Hogwarts and became a muggle and about the same time she meet my dad, and he always thought I was his."

Suddenly Harry slammed his fist onto the wooden table. His face was a diversity of different emotions: rage, disbelief, annoyance, and... and despair.

"You guys actually believe this crock n bull story? There is no way she is his daughter, he has never had a daughter and he never will, especially Hermione!!"

Harry kicked his chair back and started taking long strides over to where Hermione was standing. She looked both surprised and scared at his sudden outburst. Harry didn't stop until he was mere inches from her face; Hermione could see the sweat forming on his forehead and when he spoke, it was low and dangerous and it chilled everyone in the room to the very core.

"Besides, Hermione would never betray me like she supposedly has been. She's my best friend, and if she knew something she would tell me, because that's the kind of person she is."

"Harry, I'm sorry, I never wanted it to be like this, I wanted to tell you first, but..."

"But nothing Hermione!!" Harry started screaming. "You knew! You knew for a whole damn week and never once had the common decency to tell me! The bloody press will have a field day! I can just imagine it, The-Boy-Who-Lived stabbed in the back by his "best friend" who is also his arch nemesis's daughter, oh yea and by the way, she's evil too."

"Harry, I'm not evil..."

"Give it a rest Granger, sure maybe you're not going off killing people... yet, but trust me Granger, you will be. Oh, I'm sorry it's Riddle now, right? Never mind it doesn't matter who the hell you are, your dead to me. Get out of my face."

Hermione stood there stunned. Silent tears streamed down her face, each tear representing a piece of her shattered heart. She turned around to leave, when she heard Harry's voice again.

"Oh and Riddle, when the time comes I will have no trouble fighting and killing you as well."

Hermione stood rigid and turned around with her eyes weary and cold.

"I'm not going to fight you, Harry."

"Why? Too afraid you'll lose?"

"No. I want you to win, that's why I'm not going to fight you."

Harry moved closer to her once again, and spoke this time voice barely above a whisper.

"There's no way in hell you will be able to beat me. You've never been good at curses. Just admit it. You don't stand a chance against me." Hermione looked him up and down....

"You're in for a rude awaking, Potter." And with that Hermione slowly walked out of the tense room.

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Hermione walked down a corridor, her slow steps being her only company at such an hour of the night. She couldn't stop thinking of Harry's reaction. He had every right to be angry, but she couldn't stand that he was. She thought she'd be able to count on him, to help her through this... but that hope was long gone. As much as she didn't want to admit it, that wasn't the only thing about him that was bothering her. He had looked so sad and hurt; she wanted to wrap him up in her arms and whisper that they would get through this, even though she knew that might not be the case this time. But most importantly, she wanted to feel his lips on hers, to know what is was like to be unaware of your surroundings, and just be aware of him. Him. The one person she feared she loved.... But could never. Especially when he wanted her dead.

The days went by in a long haze. The tension between everyone could be cut with a knife, and since Hermione was no longer hanging out with Harry and Ron, all she heard every day were ridiculous stories on how they were no longer friends. Each one more absurd then the last, but she would rather have them be true, instead of what was really happening. Each night she got a brief look on what Voldemort might be doing, but every time she thought she was getting somewhere, it stopped and the next night it would be the exact same thing. She would see Voldemort carrying some small box, with his Death Eater's circling him and watching him intently, and just as he was about to open it the dream would stop. She of course had told Dumbledore about this dream, and he told her he was on his way to discovering what it meant but in the mean time try to concentrate on something else. Yeah, like that would really happen. Besides, the only other thing she thought about was Harry and every time she did it just served as a reminder on how she hurt him and how they would never be friends again.

Finally that afternoon, Snape went up to the Gryffindor table and told Hermione that Professor Dumbledore wished to speak with her. Harry was pretending he hadn't head anything, but on the inside he was secretly praying that Snape would come to him and tell him that Dumbledore wanted to see him as well. Harry held his breath when Hermione and Snape passed him. He inwardly sighed and wished he could have Hermione back with him.

Hermione knocked on Dumbledore's door to hear his weary response.

"Come in, Miss Granger." Hermione timidly opened the door and found her favorite Headmaster looking distressed, any sign of that sparkle well gone. "Please take a seat, we have much to discuss."

Hermione took the seat directly in front of him. "Alright. Miss Granger, I have discussed your dream with the other members of the Order and we have done much research and I believe we've found out what Voldemort may do with you."

Hermione's ears immediately perked up, this is it, her fate.

"The box you speak of in your dreams, is called Salazar's Remedy. In the days of Salazar Slytherin he had trouble getting followers, so he developed this spell and contained it in this box. The spell would enable anyone who would not willingly turn evil, to turn into their deepest evil imaginable. After his downfall the box was buried in the sands of Egypt. Unfortunately, Voldemort knows you are his daughter and he knows you will never turn, so he got his men to search for the box, and they in fact found it. He is now going to use it to turn you and if he succeeds all your powers will come out and you will be even more powerful then Voldemort himself."

"But, professor, I don't get it. If I am even more powerful then he, then why would he want me to turn evil?" Hermione asked, completely confused.

"Because you would kill. Kill everything you could, and as soon as that was over, Voldemort would try and kill you," Dumbledore said wearily.

"Is there anyway I can stop it? Is there any counter curses for it? I mean, I can fight it, right?" Hermione asked hopefully.

"I'm afraid not, Miss Granger. If Voldemort gets his hands on you, it's over for all of us."

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Hermione began to walk away, her eyes willing to spill over and flood her vision. But she would not let them. She would keep control, and she would find a way out of this. If no one would help her then so be it, she will not let herself turn into.... Well into what he wanted. Hermione would find a way and when she did she would have Harry back.

Her feet were carrying her to a place she was not familiar with. She stopped dead in her tracks; someone was here. Someone was watching her. She slowly pulled out her wand, and began to walk forward where she suspected the sound was coming from. Then she turned a corner and found herself in front of the Slytherin common room. There standing in front of her were Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle, Draco Malfoy and Millicent Bulstrode. Oh crap she thought inwardly. As soon as they saw her, all conversation ceased. Everyone, except Draco was staring at her with wide eyes. Pansy started to approach her and once she got within two feet, she did the strangest thing and bowed. The others, upon seeing Pansy, bowed as well, all except Draco. Hermione just stared at them flabbergasted.

"What are you doing?" asked Hermione, truly scared of what was happening.

"I am sorry my Lord, I did not mean to frighten you," said Pansy and slowly she got up. "It will never happen again, please accept my apologies, I am forever your slave." Hermione just stared.

"Draco, what the heck is going on?" Draco came to Hermione's side so that only she could hear him.

"They know Hermione. They know you're his daughter, their parents told them," said Draco in a whisper. "Come on, let's get away from them." Hermione took a glance at all of them; they were still bowing. She gave Draco a slight nod and let him steer her away.

They walked for what seemed like forever until they got to what must have been one of the west towers. He sat down and looked at her.

"How have you been?" Hermione gave him a look. "Alright stupid question, I know. I'm just worried about you Hermione..."

"Did Dumbledore tell you about the box?" She looked up at him and could tell that he knew. "How could I be fine when I am sentenced to be evil?"

Draco walked over to her, and touched her arm. "Whatever it is I can do for you let me know. I only want to help."

"Thank you Draco, but there's really nothing to do except wait."

"Then let me wait with you." Hermione was about to protest when he stopped her. "Please Hermione. Just let me help you. Let me be with you." He walked even closer to her, so close in fact that she could feel his warm breath upon hers. He slowly inched his face downward until their lips met; it was sweet and passionate and was everything Draco wanted. He looked into her shocked eyes, and smiled.

"I like you Hermione, I don't know how or why but I do. Please tell me you feel the same." Hermione looked into his pleading eyes and was at a loss for words. She shook her head and looked down.

"I'm sorry Draco, but I can't deal with this right now." Before Draco could stop her, Hermione was already out the door and heading for her common room. When she got there she ran straight into her room, and sat down on the love seat. Great, now things are even more complicated, she thought bitterly. She liked Draco, she really did, and right now he was her only friend. She just wasn't sure she liked him that way. As she was thinking about this, she saw a mark appear in the sky. It had a skull, and a snake coming out of its mouth. Hermione recognized it at once. Her eyes dialating to a huge proportion, and the only coherent thought in her head was oh damn.