Harry Potter & The Perils of Hermione Granger

by D/H Shipper
 
 

Chapter 10
Of Traps, Tender Love, and Christmas
 

Harry Potter frowned as he glanced quickly over his right shoulder. Sure his cape blew in the wind, but it hid half the image
that he dreaded to see. Hermione had chosen to fly with Draco, and she was sitting comfortably behind him. Her arms
wrapped around his waist, and she rested her already-tired head on his back. Draco smirked at Harry when he turned
around as if to say "look at me, Potter", which Harry could tell that he meant.

"Stupid old Malfoy." Harry groaned and flew onward.

**

Hermione held onto Draco Malfoy tightly, not because of the fact that she liked him and he was her boyfriend, but because she was dreadfully afraid of heights. Hermione would wobble back and forth if she didn't have anything to hold onto except for the broomstick. The first time she rode a broomstick was at Hogwarts, but unfortunately Hermione didn't get very far. You see, broomsticks and Hermione are totally different. Broomsticks like height, and Hemione just doesn't. That's the main difference you see- Wait a minute! Why am I thinking like broomsticks are real human beings?

Hermione shivered as she glanced down at the lakes and ponds below. The area was in the countryside, and the cottage lights flickered in the darkness that was growing. "What's the matter?" Draco asked gently, turning around like he had nothing to be scared of.

"Uhh.. Just a little scared of heights." She whispered, dreadfully ashamed of it since Draco was the Slytherin Seeker, and not a bad one at all. Though no one could compare with the famous Harry Potter.

Draco chuckled. He dipped the broom so it dived a little and came back up. "How about now?"

"Please, Draco. I think I'm going be sick!" Hermione wailed as he did the dip again. She gagged, and covered her mouth as best as her hand possibly could.

**

"Rest stop everyone!" Night time had fallen and Harry and Draco could no longer see very far infront of them without having a light. Of course they couldn't have lights on because muggles could peer out their window and they'd see two flickering lights way up above. Now the muggles would think this was a wierd happening.

They landed gently onto the floor and Hermione sighed with relief as she placed her feet back onto firm ground. The area was barren except for a couple of trees and mostly grass. There were no lights in the distance, and Harry presumed that it was alright to light a fire.

Soon the three were huddled around the campfire, snow lay in patches around them and the air was cold. Hermione huddled in between Harry and Draco. Draco had his arm around her, and Harry glared at him.

"Draco, I need to talk to you. Alone." Hermione added, hastily getting up and throwing her blanket on the ground. "Come on." She tugged his arm, and he reluctantly got up. Harry stared after the two, not knowing that something was on the way..

**

"What is up with you two?" Hermione asked. Draco shrugged his shoulders. "Everytime I look at you two you're glaring at each other. What's wrong?"

"Hermione, Harry and I aren't exactly the perfect people to get along with together." Draco said, glancing quickly back at Harry who was staring at them.

"Please try to get along for my sake." Hermione said, as she hugged him closely. Harry rolled his eyes, and quickly started to rub them as he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Then as if by a will to prove that she loved Draco Malfoy, the teenage boy she knew, she kissed him infront of Harry Potter, her best friend.

Anger flushed his cheek, and moments later when Hermione and Draco came back to the campfire hand in hand, Harry was sound asleep, dreaming about how he would get back at Draco Malfoy. "Hermione, you know that once I get there I will have to betray you.."

"No you don't Draco. No path in life is chosen for you. You alone have the power to change it." Hermione said gently, as she rested her head on his shoulder. "You can, Draco." She sighed and closed her eyes. Draco looked down at her, and smiled slightly. Through his stubborn-ness, a new light had shone through and that was the light of good, but yet there was evil hidden beneath.

**

"Hermione." Draco whispered, as he gently nudged her shoulder. "Wake up." He nudged her again. Harry sighed, knowing fully well that Hermione was a deep sleeper and she could sleep through pretty much anything. Hermione rolled over and groaned, she sat up and rubbed her eyes looking around at the barren land that was still black.

They got back onto their broomsticks, and Harry had seemingly forgotten what had happened the previous day. Hermione shivered because of the cold snow that had started to fall as they traveled further up North. Sometime around noontime, as only the sun could tell, they reached Voldemort's hidden castle in the countryside - according to Draco. "You two understand that the only way to get in is for me to turn you two in. You'll be taken to the jail cells, Harry. Free Ron, and get your asses out of there. Hermione, most likely you'll be turned evil again - if the Dark Lord is present. Now let me tie you with this." Draco took out rope from inside his bag, and he tied their hands together with it. "It's not all the way tightened and they'll fail to see it."

Draco and Hermione followed Harry in with their wands drawn. Lucius Malfoy was seated on the throne and Wormtail was no where in sight. Several Death Eaters were standing among the corners and Hermione shivered at the thought of Pansy Parkinson here. "Draco! You have brought him and the Dark Lordess?!" Lucius exclaimed, his thoughts had been disappointing about Draco in the past few days. "How ever did you manage?"

"Lydinas decided to come back to the Dark Side." Draco spoke, glancing at Hermione. Hermione sneered at Lucius. Harry rolled his eyes and scowled. "She has helped to capture Potter."

"Good work both of you." Lucius congradulated, as the other Death Eaters who were inside the room circled around the three. Harry grimaced as Hermione shook their hands. Draco glared at his father, even though he enjoyed the praise he was recieving. "Now put Potter in the cell, our Master has something planned. Though I have something to say to the both of you."

Hermione tilted her head, and graciously walked away hand in hand with Draco. Harry sighed with relief and continued to walk towards the cells. Once they were in the dungeons Harry could see a vague figure in the corner of the cell. It was Ron Weasley, whose skin had turned pale in the moonlight - Harry couldn't tell. They apparently hadn't fed Ron very well, or as he was accustomed to at Hogwarts.

"Ron?" Hermione asked quietly, Draco undid Harry's binds and used alohomora on the door. "Ron?" Hermione questioned further, but Ron was still staring out the window.

"God! He's frozen!" Harry exclaimed as he felt his best friend's forehead. "We've got to get him back to Hogwarts. He'll die if he's left like this!" Hermione nodded.

"Here." Draco pushed a button inside the room, and the wall swung around revealing an entrance to the outside. "This place has so many nooks and crannys that no one could ever possibly count them all. Hurry! Before they come and check on you!"

Hermione took one last fleeting glance as her two friends as they disappeared into the long tunnel. She cast a spell of imagination upon the spot that Harry and Ron were supposedly sitting, and prayed that it would do all for the better. "Let's go." Draco whispered, and they turned their backs on the closing wall. "What do you think the announcement will be like?"

"I don't know. He's your father." Hermione said, exasperatedly.

"Well, I guess we'll find out now." Hermione nodded her head as they made their re-appearance into the main room. Lucius looked down upon them like they were prey about to be slaughtered and killed. 'Or forced into things.' Hermione gulped and grasped Draco's hand.

"My fellow, Death Eaters. I have an announcement to make! Now that Our Lordess, Lydinas Tesslton has proclaimed her throne once again, Draco Malfoy will be the proper suitor for her." Hermione stared at Draco nervously. "Our Master commands it and we will make arrangements so that in their last year of schooling, they will ascend the throne to lead us in the battle against the white side." The hoots and cheers came, as well as the clinking of the wine glasses.

"We're in trouble." Hermione whispered, as the two made a quiet exit towards Hogwarts.

**

Two weeks later, Draco and Hermione had not been found out. Yet now that they were engaged by Death Eater laws, Hermione had lost weight and began to daydream in class. Professor Minerva McGonagall insisted that it was a teenage phase, but Professor Dumbledore thought there was more to it than meets the eye.

"Hermione, I got you this." Draco handed her a wrapped box to celebrate Christmas. "It's small, but it has a personal touch to it." Hermione gently held the box in her left hand as she unwrapped it. The glint of silver shone through green wrapping. "Slytherin colors, I know. I couldn't help it." He teased, and Hermione hugged him.

"It's beautiful!" Hermione blushed with a faint, peaceful smile upon her face as Draco placed it upon her neck. "I'm afraid my gift isn't as stunningly beautiful, but I hope it will do." She passed Draco a rather large box. He unwrapped it gingerly, like a child on Christmas morning as he had been given things just because his parents felt obligated. It was a photo album of their pictures, and on the last page it read - Hermione and Draco - together forever.

**

Hermione Granger re-entered the Gryffindor Common Room where everyone was buzzing about their gifts from Christmas. Ron was dating another girl, Hannah Abott and Ginny was single once again. Though Hermione was sure that she had her heart set on Neville Longbottom, though she never particularly mentioned him.

Harry and Cho were once an item again and the two were cozy and comfy on the couch. "Hi Herm. Nice locket. Where'd you get it?" Harry complimented.

"A friend gave it to me." Hermione said softly. "I'm going to go to sleep now. G'night." Hermione walked slowly up the stairs shaking her head with every step.

"So who do you think the lucky guy is?" Harry asked, Cho smacked him playfully on the head.

"I'll bet it's Dean Thomas!" Ron said, looking at Dean then suddenly changing his mind. "Naw, he's with Pavarti Patil. How about Fred and George?"

Ginny wrinkled her nose. "Hermione would have more sense than those two. Besides how could one of them afford to pay for that locket?"

"That's why she's dating two." Cho said, hoping for a little humor.

"Hermione's not like that!" Ron said defensively. "Maybe gay, but not like that!"

"Hello! Hermione isn't gay, or she'd be with Lavender Brown! Queen of gay-ness." Ginny exclaimed, hitting Ron on the head and frowning. "Well whoever he is, must be some guy."

"Yeah.. Some guy." Harry said dreamily.
 
 
 

Coming Very Soon: Happy New Year in July! A Hogsmeade Trip, more talk with Voldemort and Lucius, another Dance, and perhaps Harry  will discover the origin of the locket. Any way I'm fixing up for the next series in the 'Dark Lordess' trilogy - Harry Potter & The Return of Lydinas Tesslton - I guess you'll figure that one out later. :)

Author's Quick Note: I'm back. I need the time to think, and right now I'm not in the mood to write because I got back from a boat trip and I feel sort of dizzy now. Colored contacts :) Want a Harry Potter fan zine? Subscribe to the Hogwarts Express - the Original Harry Potter fan zine.

Corrina Flame - Usually the plots I come up with are mind boggling, which could be a good thing for you. Hehe. Though you know I'll always love our main romance - Draco & Hermione. Of course, I'm open to any plot-twisting idea. Even if it does mean killing off a character or two.
 

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Chapter 11