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How To Train Your Auror	By : Alcoholic_Rootbeer Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 7512 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, and I will not make a profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
One, two, three and four
The devil's knocking at your door
Caught in the eye of a dead man's lie
Start your life with your head held high
Now you're on your knees
With your head hung low
Big man tells you where to go
Tell 'em it's good
Tell 'em okay
Don't do a goddamn thing they say
Oh, Lord, heaven knows
We belong way down below
Oh, Lord, tell us so
We belong way down below
"Heaven Knows" By The Pretty Reckless
I'd recommend listening to this before reading the chapter. It sets the tone up well.
A.
"The second trial is finally upon us," Said Diggle as he led the group into a room the size of a small warehouse. The entirety of it was empty, sans a small wooden desk in the corner and a rope that hung from two stories up with a small bell dangling beside it. Draco wanted so to punch Diggle in his perfect teeth for two reasons; one, because he had never announced when they would be doing a second trial; and two, because he was giving Hermione 'fuck me' eyes. Or maybe he was just glancing around the room… either way, he didn't like the way his eyes set on her.
Hermione and Draco hadn't spoken much since their encounter this last weekend. They had spent the morning having breakfast together and smiling shyly at each other, but then Draco had to take his leave to pick up Scorpius, and they hadn't spoken at all on Sunday. He had wanted to write her- to tell her how much he had enjoyed their sexual escapade, but he wasn't sure what was going through her mind, and he most certainly didn't want to drive her away. So he had attempted to play it cool, but without speaking to her he couldn't determine a feel for the situation. And if there was one thing Draco didn't like, it was not knowing what would happen next.
Dean Thomas was back in class again, and had been paired as a third wheel to Draco and Hermione, much to Draco's chagrin. He wouldn't get an opportunity to talk about it all with her under whispered breath if Thomas was there to muck it all up. Maybe that was Diggle's play -keeping them at arm's length. But he didn't suspect them, did he? Hermione had assured him that Diggle's password charm was probably just a precaution, and that he most certainly didn't suspect either of them or he would have thrown them out of the Academy. Draco wasn't convinced.
His scarring around his tattoo itched irritably, or maybe that was just the tension manifesting itself, but he scratched at it while he listened to Diggle as he spoke.
"When I blow this whistle," He said, holding up a silver whistle the size of a small block, "The environment around you will shift. Each of your groups will be separated by a magical barrier, so you will not interact with each other face to face unless you are paired together. This ensures everyone will have a fair advantage. To you, it will look and feel very real, but I must remind you it will all be an illusion. The goal is simple. Find the rope. Ring the bell. The first three groups to do so will continue on. The last group will be terminated. Any questions?"
Of course it was Hermione to raise her hand.
"Yes, Miss Granger?"
"What kind of illusions will we see?"
"Now, now. Where would be the fun of telling you?" Diggle grinned mischievously. "You'll never know what you encounter when you find yourself on a mission."
"How many people need to ring the bell?" Chimed in Simmons. His hair had finally been turned back to its dull brown. Perhaps he got his mother to do it. Draco smirked inwardly.
"Just one." Diggle threw up one solid finger. "That's it. You might find yourself torn between your partner's safety and the possibility of finishing the mission. Make the correct choices, young padawans."
"Yeah, nobody knows what that means," Draco sneered.
"Oh, come on." Diggle threw up his hands. "Star Wars? Only one of the most genius films of its generation?" Hermione giggled beside Draco. He shot a glare her way. "No matter," Diggle said, "New assignment tonight. Go home. Every one of you. Watch Star Wars." He raised the whistle to his lips. "Ready?"
The high pitch squeal of the whistle rang in their ears, and Draco felt Hermione's hand slip in his -he was excited for a split moment, until he noticed she had her hand in Dean's as well. "Together, boys."
The white-washed walls shimmered, flickering in and out of environments -tundra, desert, rain forest, and finally stopping like a wheel on a rocky mountain terrain covered with thick trees and high wild plants. The sky was murky above them, much like Draco's emotional status as Hermione released his hand.
"Well, this doesn't seem that intimidating," He noted.
"That's what you think," Dean replied, staring up at the sky with interest, "But this test isn't simple. Everything that happens to you in this illusion happens to you in real life."
"What?" Hermione frowned, turning her head towards him.
"So if you fall off of a cliff… splat?" Draco chimed in.
"Exactly." Dean rubbed his tired eyes- it looked as if he hadn't slept in days. "The last time I went through this trial I broke my leg in three places. I got pulled into a lake and nearly was eaten by a baby kracken."
"Did you ring the bell?"
"Oh yeah. Worth it." He shifted his foot out before him and tested the ground for sturdiness before he stepped forward. "Nothing is going to be easy in this. Watch out for quicksand. I heard that the first year they ran this simulation, someone got sucked in by some and they never heard from him again."
"Surely that's just a rumor," Said Hermione.
"Can he hear us? Auror Diggle?" Asked Draco to Dean.
"Probably. I honestly have no clue."
He made a mental note not to mention anything intimate or that would challenge Hermione's trust with Devious-Diggle. "Hey, Auror Fancy Pants! If you can hear this, piss off!"
"Draco!"
"What?"
They glanced around at the rocky woods. Far off in the distance was a cliff. "Which way do you think we should go?" Asked Dean.
Hermione placed her wand in the center of her hand. "Point me." The wand spun around in her hands a few times, gaining its bearings, before it pointed left. "Right, so that's North. Where were we standing in accordance to the rope?"
"We were South of it," Draco answered her.
"This way, then. -You two keep an eye out for anything suspicious. I'll watch the compass."
"Ever as bossy as back in Hogwarts, eh Granger?" Draco withdrew his wand, as did Dean, and they flanked her on both sides as she stepped into the wooded forest, turning so that she faced North, and led them on. Draco got an unsettling feeling -the woods were dead silent. Not a bird chirping, not a rustle of a snake in the brush. What kind of a forest was this? "Anyone else get the feeling that this place is...cursed?"
"Gives me the willies, that's for sure," Dean replied.
"Stop." Hermione said suddenly, and they both obeyed.
"Was… that house… there before?" Asked Draco. Where there had been a field only moments before sat a large cottage made of wood and bricks. It gave off a shimmering sheen, as if it were coaxed in film. There was a thick, black door directly in the center, and large, white stepping stones led up to it. Dean took a step closer, wand drawn up.
"It's… made of candy…" He said wondrously. Draco raised an eyebrow, stepping up beside him to see- indeed it was. The bricks were built of dark chocolate. The wood was some kind of licorice. Every detail, down to the white chocolate drizzled truffles that sat as shingles at the top was made of some form of desirable treat. It explained the sheen -it was all covered in shellac. The clear resin was everywhere, sealing the house.
"How interesting," Said Hermione, less frightened than the others.
"Sorry. What's interesting?" Asked Draco.
"It's like the story Hansel and Gretel." She noticed his confusion and added, "A muggle children's tale. There were two siblings, Hansel and Gretel, who came across a house made of gingerbread and candy."
"I remember that one," Dean nodded, "My mum would tell me it when I was little. When they started to eat the house, they fell under some sort of spell, and a witch captured them."
"Oh, of course the person with magical powers is the villain," Sneered Draco, thoroughly annoyed, "What kind of idiot goes into the woods, discovers a candy house, and says 'Well, I'll just eat that!'?"
"They were children, Draco." Hermione rolled her eyes. "And they were abandoned in the woods by their father."
Oh, muggles were truly messed up. "I'd never abandon my child in the woods."
"Father of the year, right here folks."
"You have a kid, Malfoy?" Dean asked. Draco ignored him.
"Well go on. How does it end?"
"Gretel was made into a slave, and Hansel was to be fattened up by the old witch, who was blind. He was very pudgy, but he tricked the witch into thinking he was thin by offering out a bone as his arm. She decided to feed him for weeks, but he kept up the same trick until she became frustrated and decided to eat him anyways. She was going to cook Gretel too, but Gretel tricked the witch into leaning over the oven and shoved her in."
"And the witch was burned alive. See why some of us might be a bit apprehensive about muggles?"
"Well," Dean replied, "She sort of had it coming if she was going to eat the children. You'll have to admit that."
Draco scoffed, rubbed his nose, and turned to the others. "So, what's the lesson here? Are we supposed to be as daft as the idiotic muggle brats and go inside?"
"Let's see if there's a way around it."
Hermione and Dean took one side of the house, and Draco took the other. Chills whispered down his spine as he approached the side, and he swore it felt as if he was being watched from the sugar-laced windows. He was just about to make it past the house when candy canes shot up from the ground, the tips whittled down like spikes. Draco jumped back, cursing under his breath. "Humph. -Insendio." Flames shot out of his wand, but the canes repelled them and the fire was snuffed out. Frustrated, Draco tried another spell. "Evanesco." The vanishing spell did absolutely nothing. The canes, if anything, grew higher until they were above his head. He tried to push his way through the slats between them, but even with his lean frame he was much too large. He tried to walk around them, but more canes shot up from the ground, just as big and just as sharp. "I bet they'd grow if I tried to levitate above them…" He grabbed up a rock and threw it up above the canes -they quickly grew and knocked the rock back at Draco. "This is absolute bollocks."
"Any luck on this side?" Hermione called as her and Dean rounded the corner of the house. Draco shook his head.
"Looks as if the house means for us to go in."
"We can do this." Dean nodded, shoving his hand out. "On three?"
"What's our battle cry?" Asked Hermione as she stuck her hand in on top of Thomas's. Draco reluctantly followed suit, placing his hand in on top of hers.
"Draco Malfoy is a sexy prat?" He offered.
"That's too long," She replied. Much to his amusement, she didn't argue with the statement.
"Team Trio?" Dean suggested. Hermione nodded, Draco shrugged, and on three they all shouted, "TEAM TRIO!" (Although, Draco's was a bit less enthused.)
They walked around the house, and Draco felt that chill all over again that he had when he had tried to walk around it. No one lurked in those windows, but the feeling… it was overwhelming. He didn't notice his hand shaking until Hermione gave it a light squeeze and said, "I feel it too. Best do this in a bit of a run, don't you agree?"
"Right." He flashed a sideways smile at her, and she released his hand. Dean took to stepping stones first, hopping over them and walking right up to the door.
"It's one giant chocolate bar," He called back to them, "Should we knock and see if anyone's home?" He grinned back to them. "Maybe they've got some soda to wash this down wi-" The door jerked open and hands made of shadows wrapped around Dean's middle, yanking him inside in an instant! The door slammed shut.
"DEAN!" Hermione shouted, taking off running. Draco followed her, shouting, "Slow down, Granger! Don't lose your head!"
She jerked the door open and ran inside -Draco was already on her heels, but the door was quicker than him and slammed shut. "You've got to be fucking kidding me." He looked down at the door handle made of candy cane and swallowed back some vomit. "In we go then." He turned the handle, and the door opened slowly. He raised his wand, half expecting to be pulled in himself, but instead he was met with an empty room. The wooden floor creaked as he took a step inside. It had a musty smell to it, as if this house hadn't seen a human in years. He looked right and left, but there was no sign of Hermione or Dean anywhere. "Thomas? Hermione?" He called. He pointed his wand outwards and walked into the center of the room. By the furthest wall was a wooden staircase that led to the second floor. Draco's wand arm shook as he walked across the room and placed his free hand on the banister.
"Hermione?" He called up. No one answered. "This is horse shite." His feet trudged up the staircase, taking the steps two at a time, until he made it to the top, where a wooden door waited for him. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, took a breath, and turned the knob.
Inside was a cozy looking study. The walls were lined with thick bookshelves filled to the brim with old, worn out books with tattered spines. There was a fire burning in a fireplace on the wall opposite of him, and in front of it was a large, plush chair with its back to him. It was red, velvet, and oddly familiar. Come to think of it, so was the entire room. A lump formed in his throat when he realized why. Someone moved in the chair. Draco raised his wand. "Show yourself."
The figure rose up, silver white hair glowing against the fire light. The man gave a long stretch, sat down a book he must have been reading on the coffee table next to him, and turned towards Draco. Black, cold eyes met icy silver. "Hello, Draco. It's been a while."
If Draco Malfoy weren't just that- a Malfoy – he might have pissed himself right then and there. As it were, he straightened his back, brandished his wand out even further, and replied in his best cool tone, "Cane."
"Oh, don't sound so unhappy to see me," Bastian Cane replied, tucking his arms behind his back thoughtfully. "We used to be good friends, you and I."
"Where's Hermione?" Draco asked at once, eyes training around the room, "And Dean?"
"I have no clue." Bastian shrugged. "This house does crazy things. I have no control over it. But I did have the pleasure of adding my personal touch outside. Did you like it?"
Draco stared at him blankly.
"Oh come on! The candy canes! Get it? Cane? Cane?" Bastian scowled. "It's funny, Draco. Learn to laugh."
"I'll laugh once I see your head on a pike." Draco brandished his wand, shouting, "Stupefy!" Blue light shot from his wand and bounced off of an invisible force field in front of Cane's body. It jettisoned backwards, and Draco had to dive sideways to get out of the way of it.
"Did you really think I'd be that daft as to not take the necessary precautions when reaching out to you?" Cane shook his head, clicking his tongue. "Draco, Draco, Draco…"
"This isn't real." Draco said to himself. "You're not real. This is all a part of the trial. -What are you? A boggart?"
"Am I really what you fear the most?" Cane looked impressed. "I'm honored to hear it. But alas… I'm the real deal, Malfoy." He untucked his hands from behind his back and gestured down his form. "Real as you. Real as your wife. Your child." He grinned maniacally. "Did you really think I wouldn't find out about Astoria's pregnancy?"
"You leave them out of this," Draco whispered coldly, fear setting in, "This is between you and I. Whatever score you have to settle, let it be with me."
"Oh, I plan to." Cane wagged a finger. "Not yet. But I plan to." He stepped forward, and Draco stepped back.
"How are you here? Did Diggle have something to do with-"
"Auror Diggle? Oh yes. I dare say he's very much aware." Bastian Cane took another step towards him. "How did you like my little display in Diagon? Did you find it thrilling?"
"You put a lot of people in danger," Draco hissed through clenched teeth, "Even the muggles. Why would you do that? I thought the whole point of your little escapade was to protect them."
"I had to make a point to you," He replied, "You burned down my warren. I burned down your pub. Seemed only fair." He shrugged. "Tell me, how did you manage to diffuse my bomb so elegantly? It was rather beautiful watching you work. That witch -Hermione, wasn't it? That helped you out? She's fetching, isn't she?"
Draco tried not to react -not to give anything to Cane to use against him. But his lip twitched, and Bastian saw. "Oh my. Trading one bad romance for another already?"
"You took out half of Diagon to make a point?" Asked Draco, avoiding Cane's question. It worked. His rival nodded slowly, smirking.
"Sometimes, to make a few dragons, some eggs must be cracked in the process. -You have something in that sod-filled head of yours that I need. You know what it is."
"My thoughts stay in my head. You got that, Dementor breath?"
"Of course. Whatever you say, Draco. You'll give into my side sooner or later, though. You always do. Besides, I have a few more of those Mines tucked away for safe keeping. I wonder where you'll find one next? Maybe in your dear child's crib?"
Draco screamed angrily, charging head first at Cane -but Cane disapparated on the spot, leaving Draco all alone. He skidded to the floor hard, his palms scraping against the wood. Cane's study dissolved into an empty room again, and he found Dean only feet from him, passed out. "Thomas! Thomas, wake up you stupid git!"
Draco's voice stirred Dean, who groggily sat upright and blinked. "Hmm? Shite, what happened?"
"What's the last thing you remember?"
"Being dragged into this house. There was a witch… not like a normal one. She had warts and a hairy chin and straw hair. I swear to Merlin it was right out of a Halloween costume party…"
"You were dreaming," Draco told him, still searching the room for Hermione to turn up.
"No. It was real," Dean insisted, "Just like in Hansel and Gretel!"
Footsteps clambered up the stairs, and Hermione emerged, hair ruffled, covered in dirt. "Where have you two been?"
"Where've we been?" Sneered Draco. "Where the Hell were you?"
"I was here. Downstairs." She gestured to the door. "Honestly. How did you two get up here?"
"I was attacked by a witch!" Exclaimed Dean.
Draco rolled his eyes. "He was passed out." He scrambled up to his feet, leaving Thomas to fend for himself, and stalked over to her. "Cane was here," He said quietly.
"What?" She furrowed her brows in confusion, "No, that's impossible."
"Who's Cane?" Asked Dean.
"He was." Draco insisted. "As real or you or I."
"Draco, this is a simulation. There's no way he was actually here. Are you sure it wasn't a boggart?"
"Goddammit, Hermione, I know what I saw."
She blinked at him, then sighed. "This house is made to shake us. Do you know what I saw downstairs? Snakes. They were everywhere."
"I didn't see any snakes."
"Exactly. It plays on our fears. So… apparently I'm a bit more fearful of snakes than I originally thought, and Dean is fearful of witches of the fairy tale sort, which would explain why you saw Cane."
"Why don't you believe me?"
"We're in the Ministry of Magic, Draco. Do you really think that Cane would be daft enough to charge through all of that security just to pay you a visit?"
"Who's Cane?" Dean asked again. Hermione looked uneasily over to him, making up a quick lie.
"He's Draco's ]great Uncle."
"Oh…" Dean scrunched up his face. "You're afraid of your great Uncle?"
"He… um… used to beat me something good," Draco replied, giving Hermione a thankful glance. He was actually surprised by how well she had sold it. Maybe she was getting better at acting. That was good, wasn't it? She just better not pretend to him.
"No wonder you turned out something awful," Dean said thoughtfully, finally dragging himself up to stand. He brushed off his robes and patted his pockets for his wand, finding it and giving a relieved sigh. "Let's get out of here, shall we? This place is royally scary."
"Yes. Lets."
The three climbed down the staircase, wands ready for any other opposing threats, but there were none to be had. They found a back door that had been hidden before now and jerked it open. To Draco's relief, the illusion of the sun beat down on their faces. He put an arm around both Hermione's and Dean's shoulders and grinned. "Fuck. That. House."
Hermione placed her wand in her hand again, said, "Point me," and they took off North again. The Forest was still as silent as the grave as they trudged on, and Draco had an opportunity while Dean took point to whisper to Hermione under his breath.
"Look, I know you think I'm blimey, but I know what I saw. It was Cane."
"I don't doubt that you believe Cane was there, but…" She bit her lower lip in thought. "Look, we're friends, aren't we?"
"Oh, so we're friends now?" He raised a suggestive eyebrow.
"You know what I mean." She said nervously. "And as your friend, I'm going to tell you when I think you're overreacting."
"I swear to Merlin himself, Hermione, if you tell me what I saw wasn't real one more time I'll trip you right here and now."
"Can we talk about this later?" She gestured forward to Dean. "We need to finish this trial before the others, and we're getting distracted."
"Oh sure. Cane just threatens me and everyone I care about, but yes, the trial should take first priority," He muttered sarcastically. Dean had stopped up ahead at the clearing. They approached him to find themselves on the edge of a cliff -most likely the connection of the one they had seen at the beginning of their journey.
"Look out there," Dean pointed ahead. Dangling in midair seemingly out of nowhere was the rope. Draco glanced over the edge of the cliff. It was a good three hundred feet down the ravine.
"Oh joy…" He said dully.
"Well, we've found it," Hermione said, determined. She looked over the cliff herself and whistled. "That's a long way down."
"Really. Thank you, Miss Obvious."
"There's no need to get nasty." She grabbed his shoulder and dipped her foot over the cliff. Her foot scooped down, and she brought herself back up quickly, stumbling back. Draco reached out and caught her as she fell, cradling her in a dip that made her flustered. Their faces were dangerously close, and blush creeped up her neck to her cheeks. "Th-Thank you."
"Anytime." He gave her a wink and sat her up straight. Dean looked to the two of them, raised both of his eyebrows, thought better of his assumption, and looked back at the canyon below.
"How do you suppose we get up there?" He asked.
"We could try levitation," Hermione suggested, "But I'm not sure how steady it would be on a human. I've only levitated inanimate objects myself."
"What about that desk?" Draco asked. "Remember the desk in the corner of the room when we first started? We could levitate that no problem. Do you think one of us could balance on it?"
"If the other two were levitating on either side…" Hermione did the calculations in her head. "It would work. Most definitely."
"We just have to hope no one else had the same idea," Dean chimed in. He waved his hand in a U shape and shouted, "Accio Greg's desk!"
" 'Greg,'" sneered Draco. "He likes to be called Auror Diggle, you know."
"To those who he likes, he's Greg," Dean replied. They waited for a few seconds. "Do you think it was too far?"
A whistling sound was heard off in the distance, and suddenly over the horizon Greg Diggle's desk zoomed over towards them.
"Yes!" Hermione squealed, excited. "Oh, brilliant magical technique, Dean!"
"It's a simple accio spell, Hermione," Draco grumbled, "Nothing to be impressed about." He could do it just the same.
The desk hovered slower as it approached them, finally landing gently next to Dean. He smiled to himself, proud. "Right. So which one of us will ride the desk?"
"Granger's the lightest," Suggested Draco.
"You good with that, Hermione?"
"I trust the both of you not to knock me off, yes?" She said to the both of them, already climbing on top. "You'll just need to get me close enough that I can grab the rope."
"You ever climb one before?"
"No, but I suppose no time like the present."
"Surfs up," Dean said to her, then looked over to Draco, "On three? One…"
"Two…" Draco counted, readying his wand.
"Three!" They both said at once. "Wingardium Leviosa!"
Hermione, crouched on the desk, gripped the edge of it tight as it levitated into the air. As soon as she and the desk broke the cusp of the drop off, the sun began to sink behind a dark, menacing cloud that appeared out of thin air. It had been too easy, Draco thought to himself. "Looks like we're on a time crunch!" He shouted to his partners.
The cloud began to grow darker and darker, bolts of lightning jolting through it. It hovered above the rope. Hermione was far off now, looking determined. "Keep going!" She shouted. They did, and thunder grumbled from the cloud.
"Be careful!" Draco shouted to her.
She steadied herself upright on the desk as it drifted slowly towards the rope. "Maybe we should have transfigured a broomstick instead!"
"Now she tells us!" Dean griped.
"Just a little further!" She reached out, her fingers only inches away. A bolt of lightning darted from the cloud next to her, barely missing the desk. She screamed, closing her eyes, but she did not lose her balance. "Come on, boys! You can do it!" Her fingers were so close that her fingertips brushed against it. Another bolt -this time it hit the desk. Hermione cried out, and then she slumped like a ragdoll and went over the edge.
Draco's mind was in a panic. He barely time to register what had happened, but his subconscious was already at work. In a flurry of commands, he transfigured the desk into a broom, commanded it to him, and jumped on. It took off in the direction of the falling Hermione, and Draco's Quidditch instincts kicked in, zooming in on her like a snitch. He reached his arm out, grasped her by the waist, and pulled her into his lap.
"Granger! Hermione, say something!" He shook her as she lay motionless across his lap. "Goddammit, Hermione. Oy! Diggle! If you can hear us, take down the spell! She's hurt!" He looked up at the sky, waiting, but nothing happened.
"The bell!" Dean shouted to him. "Ring the bell! It'll end the illusion!"
Draco nodded once to him, climbing high into the air with his newly transfigured broom, cursing under his breath. The clouds grew darker once more the closer he got, but he avoided the lightning with quick darts of his broom and climbed higher still. Hermione stirred, her head resting against his chest. She coughed. "Draco?"
"I saved your life," He told her, the bell within his sights, "I expect a thank you."
"Thank you," She whispered.
"You and I both know that's not what I meant." His fingers grasped out and struck the bell. It rang with a clear, crisp chime, and the sky began to shimmer once again until it was nothing more than the white washed walls of the warehouse. Auror Diggle stood off to the furthest side, his face in a book. He glanced up at the hovering pair, first with a look of surprise and then concern as he saw Hermione. Draco turned his head behind him and saw Thomas standing on the floor, clapping his hands and whooping.
"That was brilliant, Malfoy!" He shouted as Draco and Hermione touched down. "Bloody brilliant!"
Draco felt pride swell up in his chest. It was burst instantly when he looked down to the injured Granger in his arms. "Can you walk?"
"Legs… tingly…" She whispered gingerly.
"Is that because of the lightning?" He asked, then added under his breath, "Or because you're so close to me?"
"What happened?" Diggle ran up to them, dropping his book to the ground. "Is she alright?"
"I'm fine, Greg," Hermione turned her head towards Diggle, "Honestly. Just a bit of lightning."
"Lightning?" He furrowed his brows. "You lot got the forest, I take it."
"You didn't know?" Draco asked, appalled. He sat Hermione on her feet but still held her up against him, rubbing her back methodically.
"Once you're sent into the illusion, I don't have any say in what happens next. There's no way for me to…" He reached his arms out, but Draco pulled Hermione closer to him. "Let me take her to the infirmary."
"I've got it." Draco scooped her up in his arms. "She's my training partner. My responsibility."
"Yes, well she's my…" Diggle stopped, his voice quieting. "My friend."
"She's my friend too."
They glared at each other.
"I'm fine," Hermione coughed again, this time a bit more forcefully, "Really, gentlemen, there's no need to make a fuss."
"Here." Dean held out his arms. "I'll take her. -S'lright, Malfoy. Trust me. She's my partner too."
Draco smirked, reluctantly handing her off to Thomas. It was a far better choice than to hand her off to Diggle, that was for sure. "I'll come check on you in a little while," He told her. She nodded, coughed, and allowed Dean to carry her away out of the room. When the door shut behind them, Diggle was the first to speak.
"What happened in there?"
"She told you. Lightning strike. It hit the desk." He offered the broom out to Diggle. "Here's your desk."
"I wondered where that went." Diggle reached out and took the broom. "I suppose I should congratulate you three. You're the first to arrive out of the illusion." His voice was anything but supportive. In fact, Draco noted the crisp way in how he spoke, as if he were thoroughly disappointed that Draco had passed another trial. "I have to wait here for the others. Will you please tell Hermione I'll come see her as soon as I'm done?"
Draco cocked an arrogant eyebrow. "If the mood suits me, sir." He turned to leave, but Diggle's words held him back.
"You think I don't see it, but I do. I've seen the way you look at her."
Draco looked over his shoulder. "What?"
"It's written all over your arrogant face," Diggle said, a coolness settling in his throat as he spoke. "You fancy her."
"I'm sure I haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about."
"Just so we're clear, she's dating me."
Draco smirked, turning back to him. "Should we just whip out our cocks right here and determine whose is larger?"
"She'll never like someone like you," Said Diggle, ignoring his quip, "because she's got sense and sensibility. You think anyone could really look past that Mark?"
Draco glanced down to his covered arm, then back up to Diggle. "I was married, you know."
"Yes. Was." He put strain on the word. "Remember your place, Malfoy. Just because the Ministry turns a blind eye to your actions doesn't mean I have. Hermione says I should trust you, but I want to make it very, very clear. I don't."
"You're so clear, it's crystal."
"It's crystal what?"
He rolled his eyes. "Sir." Draco turned away, purposefully strutting to the door with his arrogant Malfoy walk. He jerked the door open, glared at Greg Diggle, and slammed the door thoroughly. His heart was racing, and his rage was hardened. He thrust his fist out and punched the wall next to him, hearing his knuckle crack under the pressure.
Victory had never hurt so bad.
WOO! Extra long chapter! But full of plot! What do you think? Do you think Cane was really there? Do you think Diggle was right out of line? (BC HE TOTALLY WAS)
Thoughts?
A.
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How To Train Your Auror