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C H A P T E R T H R E E | muffliato
spell. prevents nearby listeners from eavesdropping.
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THE NIGHT passed by slowly after the pair returned to their respective rooms in the eighth year dormitories, the minutes seemed to drip by like molasses. The moment the sun rises above the horizon, however, Hermione leaves her room to begin her day.
With a basic nausea serum from Madam Pomfrey in hand, she goes to the coed washroom to clean up before heading out of the dormitory, which is still silent as students sleep through the early dawn hours. She guzzles down the serum before stepping into the shower, scrubbing away the weariness of sleep under steaming hot water. When she steps out, she dredges her hair in the last of her Sleekeazy's, tossing the empty bottle into the bin below the sink. She is watching the curls unravel into soft waves as the door opens.
"Hermione," Ginny says, startled at the sight. They haven't spoken since the incident in the library.
She turns from the mirror to look Ginny in the eyes. "Sorry, I was just leaving."
Ginny smirks, but there is no humor behind the gesture.
"Are you ready to admit that the ferret deserves to spend an eternity paying for what he's done to not only my family but countless others?"
"Don't you think you're punishing him for the wrongs of everyone else? I mean, if he'd had any other choice, he would have been someone else."
"I guess we'll never know. But what I do know is that something has changed in you. Two years ago, you couldn't even stand being in the same room as Malfoy and now you take every opportunity to defend him. Since when were you so concerned about him. I swear to Merlin that if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were in love with him. And if the rumors are true, I'd say I'm right."
She wants to dig deeper into her comment about the rumors but doing so would only bring more unwanted attention to her complicated relationship with Draco. Instead, she keeps the conversation linear.
"Asking you to be civil doesn't mean I'm in love with him. We're all just trying to get through this year. After graduation, you'll never have to see him again. Can't you be mature about this for just a few more months? That's all I'm asking."
"Mature? Sure, I can be mature but I'm not sure Astoria will see things from your perspective. She's looking for you by the way. I'd keep my guard up if I were you."
She marches past Hermione to get to the showers, dropping the conversation for now.
Hermione leaves the washroom rather quickly then and, rather than visiting the Great Hall to grab a bite to eat, she goes to the Potions classroom for something else that might help settle her agitated stomach. Something a little more long-term than Pomfrey's serum.
If her fears are correct, there's only one explanation for her sudden nausea but she shoves that thought into the recesses of her mind. She must until she no longer has a choice.
As expected, the room is empty and she makes a beeline for the ingredient pantry. She opens the twin doors before pulling a note from her pocket, it's a recipe for the Gojin health serum. It will ease her nausea and keep her health in line until late spring. Graduation is in just a handful of months and then she can rest. For now, though, she must maintain her marks.
Only time will tell whether her gut is correct or she simply is just sick from stress. However, her attention needs to be on her appointment with the Minister later that day.
After gathering the ingredients and a few tools to mash and mix with, Hermione intends to sneak back up to her dormitory but voices in the hall make her pause in the doorway. The voices grow louder; they're moving toward the classroom, not away. Something in her begs her to hide, she respects this nagging feeling in her gut, skulking into the shadows of the walk-in pantry just moments before the door slams open across the room.
Even in the darkness, her face burns. She wishes so badly that she could just disappear, but her ears prick at the sound of one of the voices. Excitement fills her as she realizes that it is Draco. However, she cannot make out the other so she leans closer to the doors to listen more intently.
"He's your father. There has to be something you can do."
"You've gone mental, Nott."
Hermione nearly gasps. Theodore Nott disappeared after the final battle of the war and has remained listed as a missing person since.
"You know my father, he would never take the fall. Not even for his own son. He is going to go to every length to avoid rotting in that damn prison and that includes testifying against Greyback. I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do."
For a moment there is silence.
"Cragov won't be happy. Aren't you worried she'll come after you?"
"I can handle her. It's you that I am worried about, honestly. Those wounds are atrocious. They look infected." Draco's voice draws nearer to the pantry.
Hermione backs as far into the dark corner of the pantry as she can, but it's not far enough. Draco opens the door, shedding a bit of light into the small space, and although he is surprised to see her, he actively chooses not to acknowledge her presence.
Instead, he begins to rummage amongst the shelves, checking the bottles and vials. He draws closer and closer. All the while, her is heart racing. When he has fully approached her, she is overcome by the sweetness of his cologne. Her eyes shut and she inhales deeply.
"What are you doing here?" He looks down in her hands and seeing the paper, he slips it from her hand, it's the ingredients list.
She takes it back from him, refusing to look him in the eyes. "I'm just feeling a bit sick still."
"Take some wintermint. It should help, too." He extracts a bottle from the shelf behind her and hands it to her. He leaves her then.
He and Theo engage in a back and forth conversation about the pain of Theo's wounds and their origins. She learns a great deal about Theo's rough life since his disappearance but her interest is truly piqued when Theo turns the conversation to Draco and his arranged marriage to Astoria.
"Honestly, I don't want to go through with it," he admits. The dip of tone gives her the impression that he is defeated to some extent. He is not used to being restricted, he is used to getting his way.
Theo is quick to rally for his own cause.
"Then help us put your father in Azkaban. You won't ever be forced to marry and Cragov won't have any reason to turn you into a werewolf." Theo's pitch changes, he is happy to have some leverage in the conversation.
Draco doesn't say any more on the subject but instead warns Theo that students will be wandering the school soon.
"You'd better get going unless you want to explain to Pans why you've been gone all this time."
Theo laughs before the room falls into silence once more. Their retreating footsteps vanish as the door shuts firmly behind them.
Hermione bites her lip as she waits for several minutes to pass, she wants to find Draco but instead, she sneaks up to her room to prepare the health serum before her interview. Speaking with him would have to wait until later.
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