Chapter Seven
"Nobody thinks what I think,
Nobody dreams when they blink,
Think things on the brink of blasphemy,
I am my own shrink"
Kitchen Sink- Twenty One Pilots
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Christmas holidays rolled to a close and Mia found her self sitting alone in a carriage on the Hogwarts express; brown curls falling in-front of her face. A book of Famous wizards open on her lap. Mia had spent New Years with the Grangers after leaving the Malfoys the day after the ball (Narcissa putting the glamour charms on her moments before she left). Mia couldn't remember a time when she had been so happy- with the Malfoys and the Grangers she was loved unconditionally. Though it was still hard- playing two lives. She wondered if it would ever get easier- if one day Hesperia and Hermione would fade away and all that would be left was Mia.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the train pulling to a stop, Mia exited the carriage and started the walk up to the castle alone. Among the crowd of people milling about the platform, she spotted a head of white hair but it was only for a second. She felt the urge to call for Draco- to run to her brothers side and throw caution to the wind. Deal with the consequences later- but a gripping fear kept her legs moving and her lips sealed shut.
The conversation she and Draco had overheard (what seemed like forever ago now) still kept her awake at night. Before coming to Hogwarts, Mia had grown reliant on Draco. He could sense when she couldn't sleep at night. Something in the back of his mind keeping him awake and telling him that she needed him. At Hogwarts- they were kept apart. Though Harry and Ron had helped without even meaning to; insomnia still kept her a prisoner. Night after night she would find herself waking up in a cold sweat thinking of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Of what it would mean for Harry if he did come back. Of what it would mean for her. What it would mean if Hermione Granger was no longer a mask but the face she wore everyday.
By the time Mia reached the Gryffindor tower she had sufficiently lost her appetite and neglected going down to the great hall for dinner. Instead curling up in a ball near the fire. Time seemed to pass in slow motion. Glassy eyed she watched the flames lick at the logs inside the fireplace. She had yet to find any information on Nicolas Flamel and the stress was building. Not for the first time she wondered if befriending Harry Potter had been a mistake. Her own problems were bad enough without adding his baggage on top. Sighing loudly she let her head fall into her hands. Her eyes stinging painfully from the tears that she refused to let fall.
It was so easy to be strong when she had Harry or Draco by her side. She suddenly thought back to all the times she had seen Harry in the exact same position she was in now and a new wave of guilt and grief washed over her. She never wanted Harry to feel like this.
Suddenly the portrait door flew open and a chorus of laughter and chatter filled the Gryffindor common room. Hastily Mia rubbed her eyes and turned to see her fellow class mates filter in. Almost immediately after entering Ron's eyes caught hers and he grabbed Harry and dragged him to where Mia was sitting in the armchair.
"How come you weren't at dinner 'Mione, we saved you a seat and everything" Ron asked loudly, falling down into the sofa opposite her- Harry taking a seat next to him.
"I was just feeling a little under the weather is all. It's great to see you both though, how was your Christmas?" Mia asked immediately trying to get the subject off of her. Ron took the bait straight away and went into a long story describing every split second of the holidays.
"and Harry got given this present, I mean you'll never believe it, he got given a-"
"should we talk about it later Ron" Harry snapped suddenly and a look of realisation dawned on Ron's face as he took in the crowded common room. Later turned out to be that very night when everyone else had gone to bed.
The remaining embers of the fire illuminating the trios faces as they sat alone in the Gryffindor common room talking in hushed voices.
"Wait- so let me get this straight you were given an invisibility cloak that had apparently belonged to your dad by an anonymous sender and thought it would be a bright idea to go wondering around the castle late at night on your own. After nearly getting caught you just happened to stumble upon some magical mirror and the only reason you left it alone was because Dumbledore told you he liked socks?"
"pretty much yeah" Harry replied and Mia looked at him incredulously. The story was hard to believe that was for sure but when Harry wrapped the cloak he brought down from the trunk in the boys dormitory, around his shoulders Mia gaped in shock.
For a while she sat trying to get her head around everything she had been told, when something nagged at her "The Mirror of Erised, Dumbledore said it showed you your hearts deepest desire right?" Harry nodded, the look on his face said he clearly knew what question was coming next "do mind my asking what you saw?"
A pained expression flitted across his feature that made Mia immediately regret asking the question "My parents" Harry whispered eventually, his eyes downcast "I saw my parents"
"I'm so sorry Harry" Mia whispered reaching out to take Harry's hand in her own. For once Ron seemed to notice how uncomfortable the air in the room had become and he jumped to fill the silence.
"I looked in it too, I was stood there, Head Boy badge on my robes. House cup in one hand, Quidditch cup in the other. It was great" a dreamy look came across his features then that made Mia roll her eyes.
"Did you at least find out anything about Nicolas Flamel" she asked suddenly and the guilty expressions that crossed their features answered the question for her "you didn't even look did you?" exasperation clear in her voice.
"Yeah well- doesn't matter now does it. Anyway who else is tired, best get to bed" Ron exclaimed a little too loudly and rushed away up to the boys dormitory to avoid a lecture from Mia. In return Mia rolled her eyes and collapsed back into the chair. Exhaustion overwhelming her for the first time in months.
"How was your Christmas 'Mione" Harry asked suddenly and she was about to answer when a certain word he had used stood out in the sentence. She pulled a face, nose scrunched up and eyes closed. In return she heard Harry laugh slightly.
"What was that face about" He asked and Mia opened her eyes taking in the amused expression on his face.
"You called me 'Mione. Ron calls me that- and I hate it" she confessed and Harry raised an eyebrow at her. "I get that Hermione is a bit of a mouthful but cant you think of something else" she finished, the tiredness she felt showing in her voice.
"like what?" Harry asked leaning forward so that his elbows rested on his knees.
"I don't know... like Mia" she said without thinking and a thoughtful expression crossed Harry's features as he rolled the name over in his head before a smile spread across his face.
"Mia... I like it "
The next morning she was shocked to see Harry awake and ready to go to breakfast at the same time as her. When she inquired about Ron he just rolled his eyes and told her that he was still asleep. Together they made their way down the staircase and along hallways to the great hall. They were in the midst of discussing the homework Professor Mcgonagall had set when a voice cut through Harry's.
"Potter" the voice drawled and Mia could of recognized that tone anywhere. She looked up to see her brother walking from the opposite direction towards them. Theo and Blaise at his heals, Pansy scuttling behind them. "hope you weren't too disappointed this Christmas. Seeing as you have no family and all, I cant imagine you got many presents. I pity you really" Draco drawled and Mia looked up at her brother horrified. She knew Draco wasn't Harry's biggest fan but it still shocked her how cruel he could be. It scared her sometimes- that he was capable of being so mean.
Draco's eyes traveled to meet hers briefly and Mia put as much emotion in her gaze as possible. She wanted him to know that he may be her twin and she may love him to pieces; but when he acted like this... she wanted nothing to do with him. Suddenly all the animosity the two had shared before the holidays came back full force and Mia hated it. She wanted to sit down and scream and from the looks of Draco he felt the same way. Yet they stood their ground.
They were Malfoy's. They could play a role better than any actor on a stage. They knew how they were expected to behave but still- it was moments like this that made Mia hate the world.
"I had a lovely Christmas actually Malfoy but thanks for asking" Harry replied calmly though one look in his direction told Mia that he was close to losing his temper. His hands were balled into fists by his side and heat had risen to his cheeks. His green eyes swam with animosity. Practically daring Draco to carry on.
"How bout you Granger, did the muggles realize what a waste of space you are yet" Draco snarled but unlike when he insulted Harry, Mia could see the apology already in his eyes. Harry didn't though.
"Leave Mia alone, Malfoy" the minute the words tumbled from Harry's lips she wished he had never said anything. Harry- the person Draco hated most in the world-had called her Mia- the nickname Draco had given her- right to his face. Her heart wrenched as Draco took a wounded step backwards. Hurt and anger clouded his features and he stared straight at her. Eyes boring into hers. She wanted to go back in time- to stop herself from ever telling Harry to call her that. She had been so tired, not thinking properly. She had never anticipated this.
"lets go" Draco said finally eyes never leaving hers. Everyone else in the group seemed confused. The distraught look on his face wasn't hard to miss and no one but Mia understood where it had come from.
"But Draco what about breakfast?" Pansy whined and Draco turned to glare at her letting all the hatred he possessed in that moment pour into his gaze. A small squeal escaped her lips and Pansy immediately shut her mouth. Draco flickered his eyes one last time to look at Mia.
"I'm not hungry." he said, voice barely above a whisper before he turned, robes billowing behind him in an act that would have made their godfather proud. Harry and Mia stood for a second before Harry nudged her shoulder slightly at her a dubious look on his face.
"what was that all about" he laughed and she smiled weakly back at him before leading the way to the great hall.
By the time the first Quidditch match of the season came around tensions were riding high. Ron went on and on about how Snape would strike again, especially with his being the referee. It annoyed Mia to no end to hear him speak so poorly of her godfather, though she had to admit all arrows seemed to point in his direction.
Whether Ron was right about her godfather or not Mia could feel her health starting to dwindle again. She hadn't slept since her fight with Draco. She had tried a million times to corner him, tried to apologize. She even attempted to use the charmed quill and parchment he had given her for Christmas but she never received an answer.
The fact that Ron had found the story of that morning absolutely hilarious. Concluding to call her Mia as often and as loudly as possible didn't help matters at all. There had been one moment in particular where Mia had to try desperately to hold back her anger. As she and Ron sat playing Wizards Chess waiting for Harry's return from Quidditch practice a uncomfortable feeling had settled in the back of her rib cage. Mia sat worrying her bottom lip- her mind not at all on the game she never failed to lose at. When Harry finally collapsed next to Ron his face looked grimm. That was when he had told them of Snape's refereeing. Though she knew her Godfather was innocent of the crimes Harry and Ron were so insistent that he was guilty- she also knew how tediously boring and idiotic Severus found Quidditch, it didn't sit well with her in the slightest.
She and Ron began trying to convince Harry to drop out of the match- a suggestion Harry threw away immediately. Only to be interrupted by Neville's entrance. Stumbling around it didn't take a genius to realise what had happened. Immediately Mia rushed forward pulling out her wand as she went. Glaring at all the other Gryffindor's who instead of jumping to help had only laughed with a disgusted look on her face- Theo wouldn't have laughed, she thought briefly before she pushed the thought aside hastily with a wave of her wand. Muttering the spell to release Neville's legs under her breath. Suddenly Mia hated everything about the Gryffindor's. Brave and selfless my arse she thought, glaring at the older students who should have known better.
"what happened" Mia asked after helping Neville, leading him back to where Ron and Harry were still sat.
"Malfoy"he answered his voice breaking slightly. Mia dropped her hands from where she had been helping Neville as if she had been burnt. She knew her brother had a nasty mouth on him sometimes- knew he was angry with her. But would he really do something like this? clearly the answer was yes. "I Met him outside the library. He said he had been looking for someone to practice that on"
Mia felt sick. She wondered what her mother would say. "Go to Professor McGonnogal, report him" she heard herself say. Draco was a kind person she knew but he still had many traits he had picked up from their father and that scared her more than anything in the world. The words Draco had once told her ringing through her mind. 'Our dad is a good man, hes just made some bad choices'. Lucius Malfoy... he loved his wife and his children, but he was born in a different time. She remembered a time last year that she had buried deep in the back of her mind.
"Draco can you just stop" Mia screamed angrily her cheeks red and fists clenched tightly.
"I don't understand. You might like it if you try it" Draco shouted back waving his broom in her face angrily. It had started as a simple suggestion from Draco but upon his insistence it had grown into a full blown argument.
"I don't force you to read books, so stop trying to force me to fly a broom" Mia huffed at him storming up the hallways of Malfoy Manor. She thought briefly that Draco had given up trying but suddenly his footsteps starting up again. An annoyed scream escaped her lips.
"I Just don't get it Mia. I would do it for you, don't you care about my feelings?" he answered causing Mia to turn on her heal making him stop abruptly. The two of them coming to a pause at the top of a flight of stars.
"Don't you dare say something like that. If you actually cared about me you wouldn't be trying to force me to do something I don't want to do"
"If you would just try it you migh-" But Draco stopped abruptly because where he had once again tried to push the broom into Mia's hands she had pushed it away roughly simultaneously shuffling backwards. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Mia lost her balance at the top of the stairs. Teetering on the edge Mia had just enough time to scream 'Draco' before she fell backwards.
By the time she landed in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the stairs Draco had begun running down after her. Panicked screams for help mingled with sobs and apologies. Within moments Narcissa and Lucius came rushing into view from around the corner and after seeing Mia lying still on the floor both of them flew into a panicked frenzy. Mia was quickly losing consciousness (though she was otherwise unharmed unbeknownst to the rest of the Malfoys at the time).
"What happened? What did you do?!" screamed Lucius and Draco looked up a terrified expression on his face.
"no-nothing. We were fighting a-and i tried to give her my broom but i pushed to ha-ard. I'm s-so sorry. I didn't mean to!" Draco answered between sobs and just before Mia completely lost consciousness she heard the unmistakable crack of skin meeting skin.
Later that night when Draco crawled into the bed next to her Mia had been horrified to see the dark purple bruise that was covering the side of his face. Finger marks clearly distinguishable.
"its okay Mia. it doesn't happen a lot. Not since you returned to us anyway, I'm fine" his words only caused more tears to spill from her grey eyes. "our dad is a good man Mia" he whispered and she had to wonder who he was trying to convince. Her or himself.
Pulling herself out of the memory that she had successfully managed to hide before then was difficult but Mia returned to the present just in time to watch Harry hand Neville a Chocolate frog.
"Your worth twelve of Malfoy" He assured Neville but Mia had to stop listening. Confusion clouded her every emotion. She wanted to scream at Draco for being so cruel, yet every fiber in her being told her to stand up for him. To justify his behavior because none of them understood. None of them understood anything about the Malfoys or what it was like to grow up with certain expectations on their shoulders.
But most of all she just wanted to scream. So she did. That night after everyone else had gone to sleep. After they had finally discovered who Nicolas Flamel was and what was being hidden under the trap door. When the Gryffindor's had won and her heart had been torn out over the fight her friends had had with Draco. After Ron's fury had dwindled to angry shouts and curses. After Harry had returned with yet another conspiracy theory against Severus. Mia crept out of the dormitory and up to the astronomy tower. Casting the silencing charm she had spent months in the library perfecting.
As the wind whipped her ebony curls around her face viciously and the stars struggled to be seen behind the clouds that had taken residence above the castle, Mia stood to the darkness and let a scream fall from her lips. Releasing all of her grief for one beautiful, brief moment. Leaving Hesperia and Hermione to fly away with the gusts of wind.
The ends of her hair crackled with magic and when a noise behind her caused her to whip her head around her eyes were aglow with raw magic, the brown trickling away to reveal the stormy grey irises that hid beneath. If mister Ollivander had been there you could have been sure that he would be muttering the same the he had when he first met the young Malfoy 'powerful- very powerful indeed'.
But it wasn't Mr Ollivander who had crept up on Mia, instead she was greeted by two heads of flaming red hair. The twins wore matching incredulous expressions. Fear and confusion taking over their normal confident exterior.
"Hermione?" Fred said taking a step forward. She would never be able to put into words just how she knew it was Fred that stepped forward and not George. It was like she could sense their magic- the core of all their power emitting a glow from inside them. Fred a brilliant burgundy and George's deep maroon.
For a horrible moment Mia was unable to form words- her lips moved yet no words came out. Taking a breath she tried to settle her nerves at being caught screaming off of the top of the Astronomy tower in the middle of the night. Fred and George watched entranced as the chocolate brown colour they had grown accustomed to returned to eyes. Mia blinked her eyes rapidly, unaware of the changes that had taken place, and once her vision cleared the colours that had dance around the twins like ribbons of smoke disappeared.
"how did you find me here?" she asked quietly and when she got no reply she took a step closer to them so that she could see them properly in the moon light. She was waiting impatiently for one of them to speak up- never having known both the twins to be speechless before- when something in Georges hand caught her eye. "What is that?" she asked pointing at the parchment. George followed her gaze before shooting his twin a quick questioning glance. After receiving a nod in return George seemed to shake himself out of his reverie as he took a step forward lifting the parchment into the light for Mia to see.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to know good" Fred muttered taking his place by his brothers side while prodding the tip of his wand to the parchment. Mia watched mesmerised as intricate designs began to spread across the parchment.
"Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to present" she said aloud reading the words that appeared before her eyes. "The Marauders Map" slowly she inched her hand forward, sending George a questioning glance before taking the parchment into her hands. Magic vibrating through the parchment and into her body like the ink had found a way to seep into her veins. "what is this?" she whispered and the cocky smirks she had grown so used to returned to Fred and Georges faces.
"It's a Map" Fred answered but Mia had already worked that out for her self. Unfolding the Parchment she watched as an intricately drawn Map of Hogwarts unveiled before her. She spotted a set of footprints travelling up the hallway near the library and when she looked closer she could see the name Filch scrawled next to it.
"Where did you get this?" she whispered, her eyes greedily trying to absorb as much as they could. She watched fascinated as passageways she hadn't even known had existed appeared before her eyes.
"We stole it from Filch's office in first year."
"Of course we didn't know what it was at first" George continued. The twins shifted so that they stood on either side of Mia.
"And it took us bloody ages to work out how to open it"
"But its come in right handy"
"Who made it" she asked marveling at the amount of precision and skill that must have gone into creating something like this.
"We don't know. Were guessing it was these Marauder fellows but we've know idea who they are"
"It's ingenious though don't you think?" Fred asked and Mia nodded her head clumsily.
"It can trace anybody whereabouts in the castle. Telling us exactly whose who and where." George said hesitantly.
"Even if the person is under a disillusionment charm" Fred carried on looking at George whose eyes were trained on Mia curiously. She looked up at them confused but what Fred said next made her heart skip a beat "Even if someone is under a glamour charm" he whispered and immediately Mia's eyes scanned the parchment until she found what she was looking for. Right where the Astronomy Tower was plotted three names were written next to each other . George Weasley, Fred Weasley and Hesperia Malfoy. Immediately the parchment fell from her fingers and Mia took stumbled backwards her eyes wide as saucers.
"I can explain" she she whispered the fear evident in her voice.
"Please do, because we'll admit, were a little confused" George answered and Mia thought briefly of trying to run away, of lying through her teeth. Yet she was caught and before she could even try and stop herself the truth was spilling from her lips like a tidal wave.
"The map is right. My real name is Hesperia Malfoy. During the war something happened that meant my parents had to hide me to keep me safe, so they sent me away to live with muggles. I grew up as Hermione Granger completely unaware that magic even existed until the Malfoys turned up at my home with my Hogwarts letter. They came to tell me the truth, I'm not really a muggleborn I'm a pureblood like you" she said taking the shocked expressions on the twins faces as indication to carry on. "They thought the threat was gone so they came to return me home, but I think You-Know-Who is still alive or something because my parents starting panicking and finally they came up with a plan. I look too much like Draco, people would have noticed and if You-Know-Who did return Hesperia Malfoy might be in danger. But Hermione Granger wouldn't be. So I would hide in plain sight. Tell everyone I was going to Bouxbattons whilst really being here at Hogwarts. And if something were to go terribly wrong then Hesperia Malfoy would die in a tragic accident and Hermione Granger would become my permanent face"
After she had finished the twins were silent for a long time. Staring at her intently, each trying to make sense of all the information she had just thrown at them. "So your Malfoy's twin" Fred started trying to piece together the major parts of what he'd just been told.
"And you were wanted by Mouldyshorts for some reason" George started.
"So the Malfoys hid you away to keep you safe"
"But now you think he-who-doesn't-know-how-to-die-properly might be coming back"
"So there's this whole plan been set up to keep you safe if everything goes badly"
"Pretty much yeah" Mia replied before a panicked look crossed her features "you cant tell anyone. Not even Dumbledore knows."
"Of course Mia" Fred whispered using the nickname he had heard Harry and Ron use for her whilst taking one of her hands, George reaching over to take the other. They still didn't completely understand, in her rush to get the truth out Mia had given a pretty poor explanation- but there was on Mia smiled up at them a weight having lifted off of her shoulders. Suddenly she was able to breath. Where she had been terrified that she would see anger and hurt over all the lies she had told clearly painted on their features instead understanding filled their eyes. It was the look that Harry and Draco sometimes looked at her with and it caused the breath to hitch in her throat.
At often time the twins antics had driven her crazy, her jealousy at them being able to be together when she and Draco were separated overwhelmed her at times. Their brother's rudeness causing her to assume that the twins were just as hard headed and inconsiderate. She had been wrong. The warmness in their gazes proved this.
Over an hour passed by when the twins finally escorted Mia back to the Gryffindor tower. Fred and George had asked hundreds of questions about her life as a Hesperia and in return Mia had grilled them on all the secret passageways and rooms the map had unveiled and upcoming pranks they had planned. By the time the trio reached the portrait and whispered the password to a disgruntled Fat Lady. They had formed a bond Mia didn't think she could even comprehend.
"There's one last thing" Mia said just before the twins turned to walk up the staircases to the boys rooms. They turned to her, eyebrows raised inquiringly and a smirk adorned her features. "The Sorting hat did me a favour in order to help me stay hidden" she said and both Fred and George cocked their heads to the side, confusion plaguing their features which only caused Mia to smile evilly "I'm actually a Slytherin"
Quiet giggles escaped her lips as the twins looked horrified at what she had just revealed to them. Fred was the first to snap out of it though and a smirk to match her own crossed his features.
"A snake hidden in the lions den" he said and a look of understanding flew across Georges features as he grinned wildly "-Now this could be interesting".
The weeks passed after that seemingly uneventful. Harry, Ron and Mia watched Quirrell closely and though he seemed to be getting paler and paler with every passing minute. The more Harry and Ron conspired against Snape the harder Mia found it to deny his involvement in the threats against harry. she was furious with her Godfather for even putting her in a situation where she would have reason to doubt him, but still uncertainty filled her mind whenever the subject was brought up. One thing that they had all agreed on was this- Quirrell seemed to be their best bet at the moment. As long Quirrell kept his mouth shut Harry would be safe.
Therefore Mia turned to controlling the one thing she could. Homework. "Hermione, the exams ages always" Ron snapped after she once again pointed out they would really benefit from drawing up a revision timetable as well.
"Ten weeks" she replied turning to glare at the red head "that's not ages, that's like a second to Nicolas Flamel"
"But were not six hundred years old" Ron rolled his eyes which only caused Mia to become more frustrated. With everything going on Mia had neglected her studying habits and found that she was much more anxious for the exams then she would have hoped. "What are you revising for, you already know it all."
"What am I revising for? are you mad? you realise we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? they're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's got into me..." But she knew what had gotten into her. Draco still hadn't spoken to her and it was really taking it's toll. Severus had grilled her about what was wrong in their private tutoring lesson but she had just whispered that she didn't want to talk about it.
It was in the library that an unexpected sight greeted the trio. "Hagrid!" Harry exclaimed suddenly causing Mia to look up from where her nose had been buried inside her book. "what are you doing in the library" Harry continued and the three children watched as Hagrid rushed to hide something behind his back.
"Jus' lookin'" he said in a shifty voice. "an' what're you lot up ter?" he said quite obviously steering the subject away from himself. "Yer not still lookin fer Nicolas Flamel are yeh?" he said the suspicion showing in his voice.
"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago" Ron exclaimed loudly "and we know what that dog's guarding, Its a Philosophers st-"
"Shhhh!" Hagrid hissed before Mia got the chance. They all know that if they had been supposed to know it wouldn't have been so hard to figure out- why Ron thought it a good idea to start shouting about it in the middle of the library Mia would never understand. "don' go shoutin about it, whats the matter with yeh?" Hagrid continued as if reading her mind.
"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact" said Harry completely ignoring Hagrid warning "About whats guarding the stone apart from fluffy-"
"SHHHH!" Hagrid jumped in again "Listen- come and see me later, I'm not promisin' ill tell yeh anything', mind , but don't go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren't s'possed ter know. They'll think I told yeh-" Hagrid said before harry cut him off agreeing to meet him later. Mia wanted to point out that he had by all means told them enough information for them to work it out. Any accusations anyone could throw at him would be most likely be true. Instead she bit her lip waiting for him to leave before turning to Harry and Ron and speaking to them.
"What was he hiding behind his back" Mia said thinking back to the way he had shuffled about more than he normally did. She watched as Ron went off around the corner to see what Hagrid had been looking at and was shocked when he came running back breathless.
"Dragons!" he whispered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff on dragons" an unsettling feeling settled in Mia's stomach as she listened to Harry and Ron converse. Hagrid had such a big heart- if he had... no of course not. He wasnt that stupid- surely... it didnt bear thinking about.
"so what on earth is Hagrid up to" Mia whispered.
It was later that night in Hagrids cabin that Mia's fears were confirmed. Harry, Ron and Mia stared at the huge black egg eyes wide. Mia couldn't believe it. Of all things to try and take in as a pet- a dragon. His story of how he won it was so random as well. What kind of person takes a Dragons egg to go out drinking. For a brief moment Mia couldn't help but feel sorry for the giant man.
"Hagrid, you live in a wooden house" she said, her eyes so wide you could see the golden specks that swam through them.
So on top of the fact that someone was trying to kill her best friend; her brother wouldn't talk to her, her godfather was the prime suspects in said attacks against her best friend, she was lying to pretty much everyone she knew bout who she really was, and she couldn't get Harry or Ron to do their homework, she now had to worry about Hagrid burning his house down and getting in trouble for illegally owning a dragon in the first place.
"Wonder what its like to have a peaceful life" Ron sighed one morning and Mia could of screamed. Then at breakfast a few days after, while Mia was watching the door intently for any sign of White hair, a letter landed in front of the trio with only two words scrawled across- Its Hatching.
The boys were trying to convince her to skip class and go and see the dragon hatch and she hated to admit that she hadn't really needed that much prodding to be convinced. Mia was in the middle of a halfhearted excuse when harry hissed at her through gritted teeth.
"Shut-up" his voice sounded and Mia followed his gaze to see that her brother had paused his movement up ahead of them- clearly trying to eavesdrop. The look on his face made Mia wish she could just tell him the truth. But she had gotten so used to lying- to keeping her mouth shut when she should probably speak up. The thought crossed her mind that she may never be able to be 100% honest with anyone in her life again but she pushed it away with a shudder. Throwing herself back into bickering with Ron after they were sure Draco was out of earshot.
Eventually they came to a decision that they would run down at morning break. As Hagrid rushed them inside Mia was suddenly extremely happy she had come. Excitement bubbled over them all as they moved to where the egg was laying on the table. Small clicking noises emitting from the black oval.
Suddenly a scraping noise sounded and then the egg split, the baby dragon falling to a heap on the table. Black paper-thin wings spread out across it's back, much too large for the small creature. Orange eyes stared up at them all curiously. A small sneeze resulted in sparks flying out of its snout.
"Isn't he beautiful" Hagrid whispered reaching out to stroke the small beast only to be bitten in return "bless him look he know his mommy!" his exclamation made the trio look up at him worriedly. Suddenly a thought accured to Mia and she looked at the small dragon carefully.
"Hagrid how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?" but instead of an answer Hagrid bolted to his feet running ungracefully to the window. His eye wide behind his huge beard.
"Whats the matter" Mia asked immediately.
"Someone was looking through the gap in the curtains- it's a kid- hes runnin' back up ter the school" his eyes were wide fear flowing out of the them. Harry was quick to his feet and after looking out the front door he turned to them, his face pale.
"Malfoy" he said and Mia felt a lump form in her throat.
The week after was spent trying to convince Hagrid to get rid of the dragon. Draco wondered around with a smug expression on his face- he knew he had something on them and after months of sulking he was relishing in the power being in his hands. Mia wanted to order Popsky to the castle just so she could send the house-elf to the Slytherin common rooms to deliver a message from her. She already had it planned out- 'Now listen here you little sh-" her thoughts were cut off when harry turned to Ron an excited glint in his eye as he shouted 'Charlie'.
Ron looked at his best friend as if he had lost the plot before shaking his head warily "I'm Ron Remember" he said and Harry looked just about ready to clip him round the ear.
"No- charlie- your brother Charlie. In Romania. Studying dragons. We could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild" Harry said it like it was the most obvious solution in the world and now that she thought it over, it really was. 'Why didn't I think of that' Mia wondered glancing at Harry with a proud look on her face.
The day before they received the letter back from Charlie. Mia was wondering back from the library alone when someone grabbed her arm. A silent gasp escaped her lips as she was spun forcefully around but all fear was replaced with relief when she saw her twin staring at her with wide eyes. "Draco" she whispered moving to throw her arms around him but he held her at shoulder length.
"What were you doing with that Dragon" he said, determination in his eyes. shock filled her and the truth got stuck in her throat, instead all that Mia could release was a quiet 'I don't know what your talking about' which wasn't the answer he was looking for.
Throwing his arms up in the air Draco stomped his foot looking like a petulant child. "Tell me whats going on Mia. You have to tell me everything" he growled but she couldn't. He hated Harry- as much as she disliked the situation she knew that he just wouldn't understand why she was putting herself through all of this.
"- I cant Draco. I'm so sorr-"
"No, your not! I don't understand! You don't even like Weasley and Potthea-"
"leave Harry out of this Draco" Mia hissed more force going into her words then she had intended, fury flitted across Draco's face.
"I'm your brother Mia not Potter" Draco said pointing at himself frantically and Mia wanted to stop. Wanted them to stop fighting. Still she felt her lips move at their own accord.
"Then act like it" she hissed her anger rising to meet Draco's.
"Your'e not really Hermione Granger. This is a role you are playing, your'e Hesperia. Hesperia Malfoy- my sister- or have you forgotten that" he didn't understand. The realisation dawned on Mia like a ton of bricks that the one person she thought may be able to understand- didn't. She was Hesperia and Hermione all at the same time- and it was driving her mad.
"You know, if you actually gave him a chance, i think you'd find that you and Harry would really get along" she whispered finally all the fight she had left in her dwindling by the second. Making sure to hit his shoulder on the way past Mia walked away. Legs carrying her up to the Astronomy tower. Only this time she didn't scream- she cried.
When she thought her year couldn't have gotten any worse she should have known that within a week she would have found herself in detention wondering through the forbidden forest- what else could life throw at her. She had almost smirked when Hagrid had paired Harry up with Draco but the fight was still too raw. Still left a bitter taste in her mouth and a guilty feeling gnawing at her brain. The forest was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Trees and branched hung low and crowded making Mia wonder how Hagrid ever managed to fit through the tight nit spaces. When A terrified scream had rung out through the night (every thing inside of her telling her it was Draco that had let out such horrible noise) Mia felt every piece of anger she held for her brother fade as fear gripped her. So when Draco appeared through an opening in the trees with Fang close at his heels but Harry no where to be seen Mia didn't know whether to be relived or even more petrified. A split second later she was sprinting through the trees in the direction Draco had just come form, calling Harry's name.
The journey back to the Gryffindor common room was silent and full of anxiety. Mia could see Harry physically shaking. When they finally reached the common room (after waking Ron up) Harry jumped into the story of what had happened in the forest.
"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort ... and Voldemort's waiting in the Forest... and all this time we thought Snape just wanted the stone to get rich..." Harry rambled and Mia wanted to stop him. To assure him that Snape would never bring Voldemort back. He would never purposely put her in a position where she might be in danger. But fear was strangling her. Words unable to escape and either way Ron had already beaten her too it.
"Stop saying the name!" he whispered horror etched into his features. Freckled nose scrunched up making him look deformed. Harry took no notice however and carried on with his rant, his voice raising an octave.
"Firenze save me, but he shouldn't have done... Bane was furious... he as talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen ... they must show that Voldemort's coming back... Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me... I suppose that's written in the stars as well"
"Will you stop saying the name" Ron's eyes were comically wide and had the circumstance not been so dire Mia might have laughed.
"So all I've got to do wait for now is Snape to steal the stone, then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off... Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy" The only thing worse for Mia in that moment than the paralyzing fear of Voldemort's return not just being a slight possibility but a full on in progress plan, that from the looks of it was going to succeed, was the crazed look in Harry's eyes. Violent shivers were running up and down his spine and Mia reached out a hand to take his. Rubbing her thumb across his skin in small soothing circles.
"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who wont touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune telling to me, and professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise brand of magic" She barely believed the words herself but they seem to calm Harry enough for the shaking to stop and he squeezed her fingers lightly in thanks.
Mia wished she could have swallowed her words from that night when Professor Mcgonagall had told the trio that Dumbledore had left the School to go to the Ministry. The exams had been a lot simpler than Mia had anticipated which only proved to aggravate her. Harry on the other hand struggled through them constantly in fear that Voldemort would come bursting through the doors at any given moment which he had confessed to her late one night after Ron had gone to bed. He had been whining about a his scar hurting so often that Mia had begun to expect some form of complaint from him every time he opened his mouth, so for him to randomly jump and insist they visit Hagrid hadn't been what she had expected that morning. Since that moment the day had been one thing and then another. How Harry had pieced together that the person who had given Hagrid the Dragons egg had really been trying to get information on Fluffy she would never know but the news didn't sit well with any of them.
"Its tonight" Harry whispered once McGonagall had left "Snape's going through the trapdoor He's found out everything he need to know and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."
"but what can we-" Mia started only to cut right off when her eyes met her godfathers. The suspicion and disappointment in his eyes made her heart drop painfully.
"Good afternoon" he said dragging his eyes from Mia's to look at Harry with distaste, when he go no reply he carried on speaking his voice dripping with disinterest ""You shouldn't be inside on a day like this" he said a twisted smile that Mia had never seen before on his face.
"we were-" harry started only to be cut off.
"you want to be more careful. Hanging around like this, people will think your up to something. And Gryffindor really cant afford to lose any more points, can they. Be warned Potter" though as he said it his eyes traveled to bore into his goddaughters "- any more night time wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled" with that he gave one more warning glance before sweeping his robs around him as he stalked off in the opposite direction.
"Right here's what we have to do" Harry said as soon as they got outside, though the plan that Harry had so spectacularly come up with had fallen to pieces almost immediately. Which led to his amazingly, well thought through, back up plan.
"Your mad" Ron exclaimed and for once Mia agreed with the red head on something.
"You cant, after what Mcgonagall and Snape have said. You'll be expelled!" the thought of not being able to keep a constant watch over The-Boy-Who-Always-Seemed-To-Attract-Trouble gave Mia the chills.
"SO WHAT!" Harry exclaimed and as Mia watched him argue his case, green eyes bulging and skin pale, she knew there would be nothing she could say to talk him out of this. He was such a Gryffindor at times and it made Mia's skin crawl. She thought briefly of just tying harry up until she could think of a better way to get them out of this situation. Yet she couldn't, so instead she settled with just being by his side.
"Your right,Harry" she whispered.
"Don't you call me an idiot" Neville shouted and Mia didn't know who she wanted to hit more Ron or Neville. The plan was already crumbling and they hadn't even left the common room. From the looks of it Harry was feeling the same way. Listening to them argue was giving her a headache and Mia closed her eyes taking in a deep breath before opening her eyes and schooling her features. She was a Malfoy- A pureblood, Merlin she was even a Slytherin! she could handle this. Harry turned to her, eyes wide 'do something' he mouthed' and Mia nodded at him.
Taking a step forward Mia settled on a spell, lifted her wand, muttered an apology and within second Neville was falling forward. She immediately ran to turn him around, horror filled eyes staring up at her. She couldn't help but feel like a hypocrite at that moment. She had grilled Draco for binding Neville's legs, yet she had just bound his entire body. She couldn't help but think that her brother would be proud. Imagining the way Blaise and Draco would fall about laughing at her train of thought. How Theo would feign disinterest- biting his lip to keep a smile from his face. Daphne rolling her eyes and stating that the twins were clearly spending to much time together... another time, another place.
Before she knew it. The trio were making their way through the hallways hiding under the invisibility cloak.
Mia glanced back one last time at where Ron lay crumpled on the floor before grabbing Harry's arm and dragging him through the next door. Relief filling her at the sight of the already unconscious troll. But that only left one more barrier; Snape. Before they even entered the room Mia knew she had to complete this task herself. Whatever it was if she failed to complete the task... she could already see the disappointed look on Severus' face. The same look he sometimes gave her in their private tutoring sessions when she didn't cut the roots perfectly the same or when he asked how she was doing and she said she was fine.
Upon entering the room flames appeared in the doorways blocking the exits and Harry and Mia turned to look around the room. A table adorned with vials lay before them. A piece of parchment lying by their side. She read the riddle aloud and a surge of pride filled her. Of course her Godfathers would be the most thought out task. Sure McGonagalls chess pieces had been impressive but this was in a different league. So many wizards and witches relied on power- never on logic. It was purely common sense and the majority of wizards and witches didn't have any at all. It took her a while, she was sorry to admit, but eventually Mia clapped her hands together happily.
"Got it, the smallest bottle will get us through the black fire-towards the stone" For a second they both turned to look at the tiny vial Mia was pointing at . Harry speaking what both of them had been thinking.
"there's only enough for one of us, that's hardly a swallow" he was right. Mia knew, but it didn't mean she liked it. "which one will get you back through the purple flames" harry asked eventually and Mia moved to point at a round bottle at the end of the table.
"You drink that" he stated and he saw that Mia was about to argue so he carried on quickly "no, listen-get back and get Ron- grab brooms from the flying-key room , they'll get you of the trapdoor and past Fluffy - go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we need him. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I'm no match for him really" Harry finished and Mia wanted to scream that this wasn't Snapes doing but a horrible thought came over her and she heard her voice tremble a she spoke.
"But Harry- what if You-Know-Who's with him"
"Well- I was lucky once, wasn't I?" he said indicating to his scar "Maybe I'll be lucky again" Mia could see now how terrified he was. Yet the brave front he had put up earlier had faded and in its place, pure, unadulterated, heroic, courage had taken its place. Without a second thought she threw herself forward wrapping her arms around him. The feeling she got when she first realised she would lay her life down for the messy haired boy came back ten fold and she felt tears prick her eyes.
"Hermione!" he gasped, yet he still returned the hug anyway. All the nights the two had spent together after all the other Gryffindor's- including Ron- had fallen asleep, doing homework, rang through her mind. Stifled laughter and inside jokes. The amount of times Harry had covered her in a blanket or comforted her when the sadness that sometimes clung to her caught its grasp. The times she had returned the favour.
"Harry- your a great wizard, you know"she whispered because she felt like it needed to be said, he was so powerful she could feel it, every time they were near. She could feel the power radiate off of him, reminding her of the night Fred and George learnt the truth.
"I'm not as good as you" Harry said embarrassed and she almost laughed.
"Me!, books! and cleverness! there are more important things- friendship and bravery and- oh Harry- be careful" Mia finished and he nodded his head before telling her to drink first. She was about to tip the drink into her mouth when she paused turning to Harry one last time "I want you to know that no matter what happens, I am so happy that you saved me from that troll that day. You made my life worth living Harry and if- if nothing else i want you to know- that your my brother." the words Draco had screamed a her rang in her ears but she ignored it- this needed to be said "And i will always be here fighting by your side. Till the day I die" She knew that what she had said cut deep for Harry. His eyes glistening in the firelight. Mia knew, that if they ever did make it out of this mess, it wouldn't be the last time they found themselves in a situation. She could feel it in her very bones.
And it may have been a big statement. But Mia had been forced to grow up to fast- so had Harry. What she had said- she meant. She knew Harry could tell as well because even though the only response she got was a tiny nod-his eyes spoke volumes.
"And my task?" Severus drawled and Mia looked up at where he was sat on the other side of the desk in his office. Harry was still unconscious in the hospital wing and Mia had been attempting to avoid her Godfather at all costs but he had asked her in front of the entire hall at breakfast to meet him in his office so she could hardly refuse. Only he hadn't been angry as she had suspected, instead he had asked to know everything. So she had spilled- only she left out the part where Harry and Ron had been absolutely convinced that he had been the one trying to return Voldemort.
"I solved it" she replied and a satisfied smile fell over his lips "it was quite ingenious as well-but..." she paused and Severus raised his eyebrows silently telling her to continue "its just... it seemed a bit too easy- all of it did. I mean we're first years and we managed to get through. Surely Dumbledore was under no illusion that anyone who wanted to get through badly enough could not have done with some out of the box thinking, and then there Dumbledore himse-" she cut herself off realising she was about to talk badly about the headmaster but Snape just leaned back in his chair a smirk on his face.
"Continue" he murmured and Mia fixed him with an intense stare. Trying to watch his reaction carefully as she confessed her suspicions.
"It's jut that, I find it difficult to believe that Dumbledore arriving just in time to rescue Harry can be a coincidence. There's just so much that doesn't add up... I- I don't trust him" she whispered. She watched as Severus flashed her one of his genuine proud smiles.
"That is the smartest thing I've ever heard you say" he said before excusing her from his office.
Later that same day Mia sat with Ron next to Harry's bed as he told them the story of what had really happened that night. Rumors had spread across the school (Draco had cornered her one night briefly- pushing all his anger aside to quickly ask if she was okay) but none were even close to the truth.
the conversation soon fell on a topic similar to the one she and Snape had discussed previously and as Madame Pomfrey ushered Her and Ron out of the infirmary Mia couldn't get what Dumbledore had told Harry out of her head 'to the well organised mind, 'death is but is but the next great adventure"- but whose death was he talking about?
Soon enough the end of year feast came around and Mia watched fondly as Harry shuffled into the great hall; clearly uncomfortable at the amount of stairs that were trailed on him. When Dumbledore finally started speaking the attention was pulled from the trio and an air of excitement and anxiousness fell over the great hall.
As Dumbledore announced the house cup winners Mia watched fondly as across the hall Draco leapt to his feet cheering loudly. Crabbe and Goyle following his lead- high fiving each other clumsily. Theo stayed seated next to Daphne who wrapped an arm around his shoulder a loud whoop escaping her lips. Blaise copying Daphne's actions threw his arms around Draco causing her twin to blush just slightly enough that she was sure she was the only one who noticed and that was only because she had been watching so intently. Watching the scene unfold before her made Mia want to jump up and join the celebration- oddly enough she didn't have to wait long, for Dumbledore had decided to give some last minute points out.
"First to Mr Ronald Weasley for the best played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor Fifty points" the cheers were deafening. Percy could be heard telling anyone who would listen about how Ron had beaten McGonagall's giant chess set. while Fred and Georges screams of 'now that's our 'ickle Ronnikins' caused Ron's face to turn bright red.
"Second- to Miss Hermione Granger ... for the use of cool logic in the face of fire , I award Gryffindor fifty points" From across the room Draco looked as if he'd just been slapped and the sight of his dumbfounded expression cause her to laugh so hard she had to bury her face in her arms.
"Third- to Mr Harry Potter... for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points" By the time the screams had lessened Mia's ears had begun to ring. She could practically scrape the excitement off of Ron and Harry but the distraught look on Daphne's face across the hall cause her emotions to tear in two. Staring at Dumbledore she watched as his eyes followed Harry's every move and she suddenly couldn't shake the feeling that they were being awarded for doing exactly what he wanted. Like pets.
"There are all kinds of courage" he started again drawing Mia's attention back to the present "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr Neville Longbottom " A noise like no other erupted from the Gryffindor's at that moment and the green and silver tapestries that hung on the walls suddenly changed to the obnoxious red and golds of Gryffindor house. Mia went to stand up and join the celebrations when her eyes caught Draco's. For a moment the two just stared at each other before a smile broke out across his lips.
A small happy laughed escaped her lips at the sight of it. The weight that had settled on her shoulders all year lifting. 'I'm sorry' Draco mouthed to her and if it had been possible she would have smiled even brighter. 'Me too' she mouthed back and he gave one last goofy smile- his head nodding- before he turned to Crabbe most likely to come up with some quick witted insult on Harry's behalf.
A hand clapped her on the back and she turned to see Fred and George stood there grinning madly, each taking it in turns to sweep her up into their arms and spin her around clumsily. Later that night when exhaustion had finally claimed her for his own, she fell down next to Harry her hand clasping his and her head falling to his shoulder.