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Not As It Seems	By : SailorSol Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 4953 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Not As It Seems

Chapter 12

The return to Hogwarts was a bit more surprising than Harry would have expected. He came back with a new, three lock trunk. It contained all of his clothes and books, of course, as well as his Christmas presents. He was wearing a new cloak that was a gift from Aquila, along with a scarf and glove set that Lucius Malfoy had given him. Inside his trunk were books, a professional-style set of Potions equipment, and a special box from Voldemort. Harry had been admonished not to open it until he reached his dormitory. He had also been reassured that there was nothing hazardous in the box.

Hermione met them at the platform, with Castor on one side and Pollux on the other. She was wearing a new cloak that was a dark blue with a gray fur lining. She had her hands in a fur muff that matched the lining of the cloak, with dark blue trim.

She also had a faded bruise on one cheek, and a half-healed split in her lip.

�Hermione, what happened?� Harry asked, his eyes searching her for any other signs of abuse.

�Ronald slapped me,� she said. �He saw Pollux give me a Christmas present, and he told me to give it back. He said I couldn�t trust Pollux because Castor was a Slytherin. He said it was bad enough to have one Gryffindor in the snake pit, he wasn�t going to allow another one. I told him � something very rude. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground, and it felt like my mouth and my cheek were on fire.�

�She told him to �butter off�, I believe,� Castor said carefully. �Everyone saw him slap her. He also had the misfortune of doing it as an instructor was arriving. Professor Sinistra, I believe, but I�m not taking Astronomy.�

�She gave Ronald detention until the end of the term,� Hermione said. �All day long, until school starts, and all day every Saturday. Then, evenings with her on Wednesdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays with Professor Snape, and Mondays and Fridays with Professor McGonagall. Dumbledore said he was lucky not to be expelled. He said that You-Know-Who started that way.�

Harry saw Castor and Pollux clench their jaws in an effort not to say anything. This was not the time to tell Hermione the truth.

�Miss Granger,� Snape�s voice made them all turn in his direction. He was standing next to Aquila, with one hand on the small of her back.

�I don�t know why Madame Pomfrey hasn�t healed that up,� he said. �Come to my office when we get back to the castle, and I will give you something to keep it from scarring.�

�I asked her not to heal it, Professor,� Hermione said. �I never want to forget what Ronald did, or how he treated me.�

�In that case,� Snape said. �Allow me to give you something that will heal it quickly, but leave the scar you want. Sometimes, we do need reminders of our mistakes.�

�Professor Snape,� Hermione said, looking towards the castle, and then back to Snape. �I need to talk to you privately. I�m going to arrange an accident in Potions. That way, no one will be suspicious of me seeing you.�

�I have a better idea,� Snape said. �I am going to approach the Headmaster about extra credit projects for exceptional students. You certainly qualify. This will make it necessary for you to spend some evenings with me, in my office or laboratory. Of course, this will not be Tuesdays and Thursdays.�

�Yes, sir,� Hermione said. She looked relieved that Snape had not questioned her need for a private conversation.

Hermione followed Harry and the others to the carriages, and unexpectedly climbed into the carriage that held Pansy and Millicent. She shooed Castor and Pollux away with a frown of concentration.

�Girl talk,� she told them. �Nothing of any possible interest to you.�

�Your belief is in error, Liebchen,� Pollux said. �However, our mother raised us to always yield to the wishes of a lady.� He put one hand over his heart, and bowed to her before he and his brother climbed into the carriage that Harry and Draco had commandeered.

Once the boys had left, Hermione turned to the two Slytherin girls, who were viewing her like an exotic and possibly dangerous creature.

�I need some advice from you,� Hermione said. �None of the girls in Gryffindor are talking to me. They are all saying that I�m selling out by seeing Pollux.�

�That�s ridiculous,� Pansy said. �He�s a Ravenclaw. There�s never been a rivalry between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw.�

�Well,� Hermione said. �They also wouldn�t let Parvati Patil in because she�s been seeing a Slytherin. They saw a lot of each other over the holiday.�

�You seem to be well-informed, Granger,� Millicent said. �How do you get that much information?�

�You�d be amazed at how much you can hear in some places in the library,� Hermione said. �People think they can�t be overheard, so they say lots of things. Sometimes, they should keep their mouths shut if they want to keep secrets.�

�What do you want from us?� Pansy asked.

�I don�t know anything about boys,� Hermione admitted. �I know very little about makeup, or how to dress, or what happens on dates. I�ve gone to Hogsmeade with Pollux and Castor, but I have the feeling that something is missing.�

�So the Gryffindor Golden Girl comes to the snakes,� Pansy said, sitting back. �Why us?�

�I don�t really know any girls in other houses,� Hermione said. �Harry�s made friends with Draco, so I thought maybe things weren�t what I thought. Besides, Castor�s nice. I already know I can�t trust some people that I did before.�

�Value for value, Granger,� Pansy said. �We help you, and you tell us what you mean by that.�

�Fair enough, I suppose,� Hermione said. �Where can we meet?�

�Not the library,� Millicent said. �We�re good enough to get in Professor Snape�s special group. We�ll tell someone that we need some extra time together, and Professor Snape will find us a classroom to use. The ghosts don�t go into the classrooms, especially in the dungeons, and there are never any portraits in them.�

�All right, � Hermione said. �You�ll really help me?�

�If I ever saw someone who needed help,� Pansy said. �It�s you. If Pollux Von der Lippe likes you, there must be something special about you. His family�s got a longer lineage than the Malfoys.�

�He says he likes me,� Hermione said.

�He won�t play around like that Quidditch player you went to the Yule Ball with in fourth year,� Pansy said. �If he likes you, then he could be considering something very serious.�

�How serious?� Hermione asked.

�Marriage,� Millicent said. �In pureblood families, engagements can last for years. Pollux is the younger of the two, so he doesn�t have a marriage arranged for him. We already know that Castor is engaged to a girl at Beaubaton.�

�Marriage?� Hermione repeated, turning a few shades lighter than she had been. �They won�t stop me from getting my Mastery, will they?�

�No,� Pansy said. �It�s almost unknown here for a rich Pureblood�s wife to have a vocation, but it�s very common on the Continent. A Mastery would make up for your lack of Wizarding Family.�

***** ****

In the other carriage, Harry looked over at Pollux and arched one eyebrow.

�What are intending to do about Hermione?� he asked.

�Ginerva is already engaged to my brother,� Pollux replied. �She misses her best friend, and Hermione is a very powerful witch. She has magical blood somewhere, but records are badly kept in the Muggle world. I intend to make her my wife. My intentions are completely honorable.�

�Okay,� Harry said. �She�s watched out for me for so long, I thought I should return the favor.�

�I appreciate your concern for her,� Pollux said. �How do you suggest that we tell her the truth?�

�I don�t know,� Harry admitted. �I�m dying to find out what she�s talking to Parkinson and Bulstrode about.�

�That�s a good question,� Draco said. �That�s an unexpected development, Of course, I never would have expected Weasley to hit her.�

�Ron has a temper,� Harry pointed out.

�You don�t have to tell me,� Draco said. �I remember fifth year.�

�Now you know why nobody tangled with the twins,� Harry said. �That temper, Hermione�s brains, and a Slytherin�s personality.�

�Truly a lethal combination,� Draco admitted. �I�m glad they�re on our side, now.�

TBC
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Not As It Seems