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Beyond the Pale	By : goldhorse Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 81375 -:- Recommendations : 11 -:- Currently Reading : 17
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does, lucky woman. I make no money from this, which is probably why I'm poor as a church mouse.

Chapter List
- 19
- 20
- 21
“Who was he?”

Hermione froze in the doorway of the common room. She had thought that coming back early would keep her from having to explain herself. After all, her friends had stayed out late to look for her; they should be sleeping. She cringed at that thought. They were worried. Of course they would have pounced on her the second she arrived.

“Who was he?”

Hermione sighed, thanking Merlin that it was at least Ginny that asked and not Ron, who looked to be doing his best to cover the couch in drool. Harry was beside him, leaning as far away as possible. His face held the deepest sympathy and she wanted to kiss him for it. At least he understood. Well, she wanted Ginny to know. Now was as good a time as any.

“Um, can we…talk somewhere?”

“Where is better than the common room?” Ginny asked with a scowl.

“Trust me,” Harry butted in, “you’ll want a bit more privacy.”

“You know?” Ginny asked, her eyes wide with accusations.

Harry grimaced and ran his hand through his already mussed hair. “I guessed…correctly, I might add.”

“Come to think of it,” Ginny said softly, “you didn’t seem all that worried about her absence either.”

Harry shrugged. “Hermione’s a big girl. She can take care of herself.”

Ginny’s mouth dropped open in shock. “Since when?”

“Couple months,” Harry muttered. “Hermione, um, I think I’d better shut up now.”

Hermione grinned. “It’s alright Harry. Come with us. Perhaps sleeping beauty will stay put a little while longer?”

Ron picked that time to snort rather loudly and snuggle into a sofa cushion. Harry gave a short bark of laughter. He pulled his cloak from the silver snitch she’d given him for his birthday and shook it out. Ginny climbed under it willingly but shot Harry a questioning look when he didn’t offer the same to Hermione.

“She doesn’t need it,” Harry said evasively. “Where to, by the way?”

“ROR is closest,” Hermione whispered before tiptoeing out of the common room.

She strained her senses, determining that they were the only things in the hallway before motioning for Harry to go. When they were a good ways down the hall, she turned into mist and floated above their heads. They arrived at the ROR a few short minutes later.

“Where is she?” Ginny hissed.

That gave Hermione the perfect coordinates to pop in behind them and tap her on the shoulder. “Here I am.”

Harry barely managed to clamp his hand over Ginny’s mouth before she let out a shriek. The ROR was mercifully quick to appear though and they all ran through with haste. Ginny looked mad as a wet kneezle when Harry finally deemed it safe for her to be released.

“What in the fuck was that for?”

Hermione couldn’t bite back her grin. “Sorry. I was just answering your question.”

“How did you do that?” Ginny asked, looking around at the ROR for the first time.

It was a cozy setting, not at all like their DADA meetings. The room provided them with a nice roaring fireplace and two comfy chairs, one slightly bigger than the other. She snorted at that. Of course the room would know she would prefer to sit in Harry’s lap. She didn’t really want to put Ginny off though. Then again, she could draw from Harry’s encouragement. A whimper escaped her throat when her mind went into overdrive trying to answer the question.

“Let’s get comfy first,” Harry broke in.

Hermione gave him a wavering smile, thankful that her friend had once again saved the day. He even motioned for Ginny to take the smaller chair before pulling her into his lap. How could she have the most perfect best friend in the world? Really, if he and Ginny didn’t get together, she might maul them both.

“Are you two sure you aren’t a couple?” Ginny asked, her voice a bit hoarse.

“Absolutely not,” Hermione said with confidence. “Harry is one hundred percent not my type.”

“So what is your type?” Ginny asked.

“Dead,” Hermione deadpanned. She winced, realizing that she had been spending way too much time with her tactless mother lately.

“What?” Ginny shrieked.

“Nice Hermione,” Harry said dryly.

“Sorry, learned behavior,” Hermione bit out quickly. “Look, we don’t have much time before breakfast starts and McGonagall will have my head if I don’t turn up, so I’m just going to lay it out. When I was attacked this summer…it wasn’t really this summer, it was at school.”

“No!” Ginny asked, the first vestiges of fear for her friend swirling in her eyes.

Hermione nodded. “I wanted some time alone and I thought that the lake would be a nice place to spend it. I was…wrong. A vampire decided to make my acquaintance.”

“But you’re okay,” Ginny said with a frown. “I’ve lived with you most of the summer Hermione. Sure, your personality is a bit different, but you aren’t a monster.”

Hermione gave her a sad smile. “Only because I work hard at it.”

“No!” Ginny snapped. “You are not a vampire.”

Hermione sighed and patted Harry’s hand so he would let her up. She took a few steps backwards, just in case Ginny decided to go on the offensive, and flashed her fangs. She felt her eyes alight with the force of her emotions, this time willing her friend to accept her. It was probably a horrifying picture but she didn’t have much choice. Seeing was believing after all.

“Oh gods,” Ginny breathed, too paralyzed to move.

Taking pity on her, Hermione retracted her fangs and stood as still as she possibly could. Perhaps if she gave Ginny a few moments to process, then it would be best. She only belatedly realized that she had forgotten to extract an oath form her and desperately hoped she wouldn’t have to choose between obliviating her friend or risk being outted.

“That’s not possible,” Ginny said after a while. “It’s not. I’ve seen you out in sunlight Hermione. You love to sit under the trees and read. I…you’re wearing a crucifix right now…a silver one! It’s just not possible.”

“It is when Severus Snape brews your potions,” Hermione said flatly. She shot a warning look to Harry, telling him not so subtly to keep his thoughts to himself.

“So you’re telling me that he brews you potions so you can go out during the day…and touch silver?” Ginny asked, her brows furrowed in thought.

Hermione nodded. “Professor Snape was the one who found me. The new mediwitch, Melody, she helped him take care of me. She polyjuiced into me and took my place on the train so no one would know. They watched over me as I turned and helped me learn my abilities. I owe them my… well, my immortality I guess.”

“But Hermione, newborn vampires are ravenous,” Ginny said with a frown. “You came to the Burrow after only a month.”

“I’m a quick learner,” Hermione said dryly. “And your brothers helped out a lot.”

“What?”

Hermione grinned and stuck out her tongue so Ginny could see the plastic ring inside. “Fred and George are geniuses. When they realized what happened, they created this contraption. It holds synthetic blood pellets and delivers them with a specific tapping rhythm. The synthetic blood controls my cravings and gives me about half the nourishment that drinking fresh blood does.”

“That’s why they were so protective of you,” Ginny said, her voice far off. “They’re normally all for someone getting mauled in the madhouse – er – Burrow, even do the mauling themselves but they stopped everyone.”

“They were afraid I’d lose it and go on a rampage,” Hermione said softly. “And they were right. If Professor Snape hadn’t come in when he did, I’m not sure what would have happened.”

“You would have killed us all,” Ginny whimpered.

Hermione couldn’t bite back her growl. “I’ll have you know that my record is spotless. I’ve never killed a human, drinking from them or otherwise. I wouldn’t have killed you lot either…but you’d probably have loads of sore necks for a while.”

“This is a lot to take in,” Ginny finally said.

“I know…. And I’ll answer any questions you want. You can take all the time you need to digest it. Just…you can’t tell anyone about me Ginny, not Dean, not Luna, and not Ron. It’s imperative that my condition remain a secret.”

“Well, Dumbledore wouldn’t want a scare, I suppose.”

“No, it’s more than that,” Hermione said in frustration. “Look, Professor Snape managed to uncover a plot set in motion by You-Know-Who. He wants to turn a large number of naturally submissive students into vampires because they are easy to control as newborns. If he should find out about me, he’d try to get me to obey him.”

“You mean, he could do that?” Ginny asked, her eyes wide with fear.

“He could have, but not anymore,” Hermione said gently. “That’s where Derik comes in. You see, he’s my mate, my one true vampire mate. He won’t sell me out to You-Know-Who and he’ll protect me from other dominant vampires that seek to control me.”

“Are there that many?” Ginny asked curiously.

“One less now,” Hermione muttered darkly. “But we’ll have to get into it later. Breakfast starts in a few moments. I hate to do this to you Ginny, but I have to have an oath of silence from you. If not…I’m under strict orders to… to…”

“Take my memories,” Ginny said glumly.

Hermione couldn’t bring herself to say anything so she nodded.

“I understand, you know,” Ginny said after a few tense moments. “I mean, I’m not at all sure I’m okay with it, but I understand. Could you, could you answer one last thing before I take the oath though?”

“Anything,” Hermione breathed.

“Why do you cling to Harry so hard?”

“Oh!” Hermione said in surprise. “Harry is a dominant. I can smell it. It calms me and if I happen to give in to my baser urges, he can command me to stop. It’s doesn’t hold the same weight as a command from my mate, but it’s enough to keep me from doing something I’ll regret.”

“Like what?”

“Like ripping someone’s throat out for charming my wall invisible!”

“Oh,” Ginny breathed. “I’d almost forgotten about that. Those rotten wankers.”

“Yes, well, Harry told me not to kill them, so I obeyed.”

“Kind of an inconvenience sometimes,” Ginny scowled.

“It’s very bloody inconvenient, considering I’m extremely sensitive to every dominant personality at this school. Fortunately, I was trained to resist. I could ignore Harry if I wanted…but he’s surprisingly been the voice of reason here lately.”

“Well, one of us had to be,” Harry said, startling both the girls. “I knew you two forgot I was here.”

“Sorry Harry,” the girls said in unison and then giggled.

Ginny sobered quickly. “Now that I think about it, you are entirely different…and yet, completely the same. I-you aren’t at all what I thought a vampire was.”

“Not all vampires are like me,” Hermione said darkly. “There are hundreds who don’t give a hoot about humans. They think of you as little more than blood cows. Don’t go trying to be friends with all of them.”

“You’re warning me away from you then?”

“No. I’m warning you away from them. Ginny, you have to know that you’re like a sister to me. I would fight to the death for you.”

“That’d be a while.”

Hermione chuckled. “I can see why the twins said you would have an easier time accepting me.”

“You asked them?”

“Oh yes. You see, I wanted to tell you, but I feared your reaction. Hell, I feared their reaction. They acted like I’d told them a bloody fairy tale, grinned and said it was wicked.”

Ginny chuckled. “Sounds like them. Still, I’m glad you told me. I’ll take the oath, but then I have a million questions to ask!”

Hermione laughed for a few minutes before she got a hold of herself, her two friends looking at her like she’d gone round the bend the whole time. “I’m sorry. It’s just… your brothers said you’d say that. Come on then, let’s get this oath out of the way and then you can ask to your heart’s content. Just make sure that no one can hear you.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“So you told the Wea- um… Red.”

Hermione cocked her head to look at her mate. He’d made it a point to knock her books out of her hand and drop his on the way to potions so he could speak with her. He was smart about it too. Harry and Ron had surprisingly already gone in before he made his move. In fact, the halls seemed deserted.

“Yes. But how did you know?”

Draco smirked. “No one pales at a teacup…or stares at your mouth when you eat.”

“Fine,” Hermione sighed. “I told her. She’s still on the fence, but she won’t tell anyone.”

Draco nodded. “I hope she’ll accept you.”

“You don’t even like her!”

“But you do, and I want you to have everything you desire. If that’s friendship with a Weasley, so be it. Besides, the twins have turned out to be surprisingly not horrible.”

“Surprisingly not horrible,” Hermione snorted. “You almost sound like father.”

“Sounds exactly like him, actually.”

The couple spun around in a fright. They weren’t sure how their mother managed to sneak up on them but it was aggravating, to say the least. It wouldn’t do to be caught off guard by anyone else.

“You two are getting careless,” Melody growled and erected a privacy bubble around them. “I could hear you down the hall. Now, I understand that humans probably couldn’t hear that but you never know who is wearing an enhancement charm AND the portraits have ears.”

“Sorry,” Hermione mumbled, feeling properly chastised. Draco merely ducked his head, cowed but not willing to open his mouth and make things worse.

“You will be,” Melody said menacingly. “Pick your shit up off the fucking floor and come with me.”

“But we have potions!” Hermione cried.

“And I’ll excuse you both. An impromptu meeting with the Headmaster for gross misconduct in the halls, I think.”

“That could be taken the wrong way,” Draco growled.

Melody barked out a laugh. “I highly doubt that. The animosity between you is hardly unknown, even to someone new like Slughorn. Now get on with it. Pick up your shit.”

Both students straightened their wayward books with a flick of their wands. Parchment, ink, quills, and more flew into their satchels with precision. They each slung their bags over their shoulder and waited nervously for their mother to lead them away.

“And that’s another thing,” Melody said in exasperation. “Honestly, you don’t think people would notice that you two, of all people, wouldn’t know how to straighten your bags with magic?”

“Magic isn’t allowed in the halls,” Hermione said with a frown.

Melody grinned. “Draco then. It’s completely out of character for him to lower himself and do things manually. Besides, he would have balked at the idea of being in close proximity to you in the first place. You two have been doing okay so far but little things like that over time add up big time.”

“Says who,” Draco asked sourly.

“Your father,” Melody hissed. “He’s the master of deception and you would do well to remember that.”

They followed Melody down the hall in silence. She stopped and spun around several doors down from the potions classroom and motioned for them to stop.

“I think you’ve focused on the negative aspects of yourselves for far too long. It is time to start honing the abilities that make you better. Now, close your eyes. I realize that your sense of smell is still probably off, and that will come in time, but for now, train your hearing. Tell me what you learn from now until I tell you to stop. Go.”

“Come on Harry,” a male voice whined. It sounded muffled but it was definitely Ron.

“For the last time Ron, we left for breakfast early and got caught up talking.”

“Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“Because you are such a morning person?”

“Because it’s common courtesy.”

Harry chuckled. “Hermione said she’d had a rather hard night and she had no wish to hear your incessant grumbling.”

“What did she do?”

“Checkup. That’s all I know.”

Ron growled. “Why won’t she tell me?”

“From what I understand, she tried and you blew up.”

“I was shocked,” Ron huffed.

“And your reaction was off putting. Ron, you know Hermione hates it when we fuss over her.”

“Well we bloody well have more to fuss over her about, don’t we?”

“Good afternoon class,” Slughorn’s voice cut off Harry’s reply.

“Stop,” Melody ordered.

“Well, that was enlightening,” Draco said softly.

“So, what did you learn,” Melody drawled.

Hermione snorted. “That Ron is too nosey for his own good.”

Draco chuckled. “I could always obliviate him.”

“Draco,” Melody chided. “You can’t solve all your problems by playing around willy nilly in someone’s mind. Sometimes you have to take your lumps. Hermione has already made it clear that she won’t tell Ron any more. Harry has backed her up, pointing out that it was Ron’s own reaction that made her come to that decision. It’s his own fault he’s too damned thick to give up.”

“More like too damned infatuated,” Draco said darkly. “I can smell him, lusting after her.”

“What?” Hermione asked in shock.

“You mean you can’t?” Draco asked incredulously.

“She probably can’t,” Melody cut in. “Many subs don’t notice interest from anyone who isn’t a dominant.”

“Well, I smelled it,” Hermione hedged, “but there were always other girls around. I just figured that it was one of them.”

“Thus the sub mentality,” Melody said matter-of-factly.

“What, he isn’t a dominant so he couldn’t possibly be interest in her?” Draco asked.

“That pretty much sums it up,” Melody said. “He’s not even a blip on her radar.”

“A what?” Draco asked.

Hermione giggled. “She means I don’t even register his lust as being directed towards me. He isn’t dominant and I see him as a friend. I…” She quickly snapped her mouth shut and turned red.

“You what?” Draco asked sharply.

Hermione sighed, knowing she wasn’t going to get to keep quiet on her secret crush on Ron without an abnormal amount of pain. “It’s just that…once upon a time, I sort of – er- fancied him.”

“WHAT?” Draco roared.

“Let her finish!” Melody snapped, successfully stopping Draco from his tirade.

“I said once upon a time,” Hermione grumbled. “Meaning not anymore. Soon after I was turned, I realized that he wasn’t for me. Then I met you and knew he wasn’t. Then I went to the Burrow and smelled him. If I was on the fence before, that sealed it.”

“So you -what- just stopped fancying him?”

“Actually, yes,” Hermione said with a frown. She hadn’t taken the time to examine her feelings in a while but she realized that she felt absolutely no butterflies anymore. All she had towards Ron were strictly platonic feelings.

“It works that way,” Melody said gently. “Don’t be hard on yourself. He’s a danger to you now. You have to accept your new nature. He wasn’t physically suitable, regardless of his intellectual capabilities, which leaves something to be desired outside of strategy.”

“Did you just call him stupid?” Hermione asked hotly.

“Perhaps I should just call him lazy. Don’t!” Melody said, quickly cutting off Hermione’s retort. “Don’t you dare defend him. He’s been conning you into doing his homework since first year. I said he was a good strategist and that is all I’m going to give him. He’s jealous because he isn’t the Chosen One and he isn’t the extremely smart one. But instead of stepping up and earning something on his own merit, he’s riding yours. You mark my words. Make him do his own homework without you nagging him, correcting it, or downright doing it for him, and see how far he’ll get.”

“She’s right, you know,” Draco said softly, sensing that Hermione was at her breaking point.

“What?” Hermione snapped.

“You coddle him. Maybe if you let him do his own thing, he’d try harder. You aren’t bloody Molly Weasley and it’s time he figured that out.”

“Who said he thought I was Molly Weasley?”

“No one has to say it,” Melody said in exasperation. “It’s glaringly obvious. When he gets in trouble with his school work, he expects you to help him just like his mummy. If you ended up in a tent in the woods with him and Harry on the run from the Dark Lord, I imagine he’d expect you to cook and keep your asses safe. I predict he’d run when it got too hard. Oh, he’d come back when he cooled off, but it might be too late by then.”

“He wouldn’t abandon us like that,” Hermione said staunchly.

“Just like he wouldn’t turn his back on his best friend during the most dangerous tournament a student could enter?” Draco asked.

Hermione was rendered mute for once. It was something she couldn’t argue. Ron was so jealous and angry when Harry’s name came out of the Goblet of Fire that he turned on his own friend for a while. It was such a heart wrenching time for her, watching her two best friends fight each other. She couldn’t understand why Ron didn’t believe Harry, especially since it seemed the world was against Harry from the start. In the end, Ron had come back and apologized, but it made her realize something with sinking clarity. He might turn on her if he found out her nature. He could very well see the error of his ways and apologize, but even with an oath, he could out her.

“It’s a hard pill to swallow,” Melody said, watching the tears well up in her daughter’s eyes. “Sweetheart, we aren’t saying he’s a bad person, but perhaps it is time to face facts?”

“No, no you’re right,” Hermione said, her voice wavering as she fought desperately to gain control of her emotions. “He could be dangerous, even on accident. But you don’t have to worry about me fancying him. It’s like all my romantic feelings are completely gone.”

Draco let out a little sigh of relief that didn’t escape her. As confident as he was, he was still quite insecure when it came to her. She could detect it even more strongly since their night last night. It made her feel a bit better about her own insecurities, to know that he was just as uncertain as she. Still, it didn’t bode well for their future. They had to work this out.

“It’s settled then,” Melody said. “Remain friends but don’t tell him anything damning. Loosen those apron strings. Let him stand on his own two feet. If he proves me wrong and mans up, then go ahead and tell him. But…I predict a lot of P’s and T’s in the next few months.”

Hermione couldn’t help but laugh at that. She knew Ron slacked off and that she nagged him incessantly. Perhaps she could back off for a bit. A few bad grades wouldn’t hurt him. Maybe he’d start trying more. Yes, that could work. She hoped.

Draco chanced a look around before taking her in a quick embrace and kissing her forehead. He pulled back quickly but that one move said more than a hundred words could. Hermione couldn’t help but beam back at him. The overwhelming feeling of support and pride made her a bit giddy.

“And that’s going to have to stop,” Melody said with a snicker. “Or at least be relegated to shadows, broom cupboards, and abandon classrooms.”

“I prefer the latter,” Draco drawled.

Melody shook her head in amusement. “Back to the lesson before Ronald gets agitated enough to send a search party for Hermione. Did you happen to pick up on any other conversation?”

“Not really,” Hermione hedged.

“Just bits and pieces of random sentences,” Draco admitted.

Melody nodded. “It takes time to put them all together in a cohesive format. The thing is, we have higher developed brains now, which is why everything you’re reading now is sticking the first time. As a result, you can listen in, discern, and retain more than one conversation. For example, while Ron was trying to yet again wheedle information from Harry, Lavender Brown was busy drooling over Ron. Pavarti thinks she’s nuts.”

“So a bunch of other meaningless drivel,” Draco cut in.

“No,” Melody said. “It’s not, because now we know that we can try to get Lavender and Ron together to take the heat off of Hermione. Anyway, there was an even more interesting conversation going on between Parkinson and Zabini.”

“What?” Draco asked, dread pooling at the pit of his stomach.

“Oh yes,” Melody said softly. “They are wondering why you are skipping class, appear to not be eating, and have all but disappeared from their lives. This is only the second day of classes and your behavior is bizarre. An abrupt change in behavior is much more jarring than a slow descent into a routine. Zabini is convinced it is because you are taking your task seriously. Parkinson is thinking like a typical love struck jealous teen. She thinks it’s a girl and you’re blowing off your studies and duties to spend time with whoever she is. Either way, you must spend some time with them and convince them that you are dedicated to the cause. If you don’t, it could get back to your Master, and we all know how that will end.”

“Fuck,” Draco hissed.

“Uh huh,” Melody said softly. “And this is why you must both start fine tuning your senses. If we’re going hunting, you’ll need them.”

“So what’s the first step?” Hermione asked, ready to have something to work towards.

Melody laughed. “First, we go interrupt the walrus, just to make sure you both have alibies. Rule number one in the game, an alibi is key.”

Melody practically skipped the rest of the way to the potions class. Her knock on the door sounded more like a drum beat for a rock song. What had her so giddy and happy, they could only guess.

“Come in,” Slughorn called jovially.

“Professor?” Melody asked, her voice soft and respectful.

“Ah yes, Melody, how are you my dear?”

“I’m wonderful sir, thank you for asking. However, I’m afraid I’m about to make your day quite bleak.”

“Oh, how so?”

“Well sir,” Melody said, motioning for Hermione and Draco to enter the room behind her. “I just wanted to let you know that I caught two of your students in the hallway engaging in gross misconduct. I’m afraid that their actions are quite severe, to the point that I believe they need to have a meeting with the Headmaster.”

“My word,” Slughorn said, his eyes almost bulging out of his head. “Miss Granger? Mr. Malfoy? What on earth possessed you to do something so serious?”

Draco crossed his arms and sniffed, refusing to answer the question. Hermione turned blood red and ducked her head, letting her hair cascade in front of her face. She wasn’t sure what Melody had in mind and she wasn’t as good of an actress as Melody.

“I’m afraid their animosity toward each other is quite deeply rooted,” Melody sighed sadly. “Anyway, Miss Granger expressed some concern over getting behind in her studies and I decided to oblige just this once.”

Draco snorted. “Of course she did, insufferable know-it-all.”

“Enough,” Melody snapped, but then muttered under her breath. “Play it up.” She turned back to Slughorn and cleared her throat, pretending to focus her attention on the walrus-like man.

Draco took the opportunity to glare at Hermione, though if one looked close enough, they could see the lust burning in his eyes. Hermione trembled under his gaze, feeling the mixed signals he was giving. She tried her best to glare back, going so far as to roll her eyes. When she noticed Draco inching his wand out of his sleeve, she went for hers. Before she could unsheathe it, both wands flew across the room and into Melody’s hands.

“That will be quite enough of that,” she snapped. “One more time and I promise that I’ll hex you two together.”

“You wouldn’t,” Draco said coldly, disgust twisting his features.

“Wouldn’t I?” Melody asked sweetly.

“But that’s against the rules!” Hermione squeaked.

“Not actually,” Melody purred. “It is wrong to use transfiguration as a punishment as well as hexes designed to harm. However, it says nothing about charms designed to get along with your enemies.”

“You don’t have the nerve,” Draco said boastfully, smirking when his fellow Slytherins snickered.

Melody smiled like a shark. “Do you really trust a fellow Slytherin?”

The class gasped in shock.

“Oh for Merlin’s sake, is it that big of a shock?” Melody asked, laughing when she was met with wide eyes full of wonder. “Professor, do you have their work ready?”

“Of course my dear,” Slughorn said with a smile and a flick of his wand to some parchments.

Melody was about to thank him when she noticed Draco looking as if he were trying to physically menace Hermione. It was fake of course, but she took the opportunity to strike. A loud bang sounded out when she pointed her wand as her children.

Screams rang out as smoke ringed around the couple up front, drawing them closer together until they were quite literally stuck to each other in an embrace. They both made it a point to protest…loudly. However, they couldn’t contain their sighs, which made Melody cackle.

“See, never underestimate a witch, especially a Slytherin one. Now, you two will stay like that until we get to the Headmaster’s office. Have fun walking, by the way. Oh, and do keep up, or I’ll take your robes.”

With that, Melody gave a final smirk to the class and bounced out, whistling a merry tune. Hermione and Draco tried their best to push, pull, shove, and trip each other without actually landing on the floor as they made their way to the exit. Their only solace was that the entire class was too stunned to make a sound as they went.

When the door shut, Draco merely stood up straight and allowed Hermione to jump up, twining her legs around his waist and putting her head on his shoulders. They both turned to see a grinning Melody, happily twirling her wand. She motioned for them to continue on. Having no choice, Draco merely turned and started walking.

“Do you know the difference in my method versus yours?” Melody asked sweetly once they were out of the dungeons.

“I get to hold her?” Draco popped off dryly.

Melody chuckled. “Well, it is a perk. However, that’s not what I was going for. Not only did the whole class overhear that you two had a fight so bad that it landed you in the Headmaster’s office, they now have proof that you loathe each other.”

“How is sticking us together proving that?” Hermione asked.

“Ever heard of that saying that you know a boy really likes a girl if he picks on her?”

“All the time,” Hermione said cautiously.

“Well, after this, you two are going to completely ignore each other, to the point of refusing to look at one another at the same time. Oh, you can shoot death looks when the other isn’t watching, but no staring. Everyone will quickly realize that your punishment was so horrible, you have absolutely no wish to repeat it. Therefore, if Pansy’s delusion should finger you as Draco’s new flame, you can debunk it. And, incidentally, Harry’s suspicion won’t wander over to you should he think it odd you’re against the idea that Draco is a minion of the Dark Lord.”

“And how long does this punishment last?” Draco asked.

“Until after dinner,” Melody said with a wicked grin. “That way, the entire school can witness your humiliation and the conditions for it not to happen again.”

“Why are you being so extreme?” Hermione asked.

“Rumors can make or break you sweetheart,” Melody said sadly. “The bigger the gesture in front of the largest crowd available, the more clearly it is able to be retold.”

“And when Harry wonders how I could control myself?” Hermione asked softly.

Melody grinned. “Who, in Harry’s point of view, would be the absolute worst person in the entire world to know your secret?”

“Draco Malfoy,” Draco purred.

“Exactly,” Melody said proudly. “What more incentive could you want?”

“I suppose your right,” Hermione mused. “And it won’t be a burden at all to be stuck here all day.”

“Oh, you won’t be,” Melody said. “We’ll be working on your senses for a few hours, followed by sniffing out Dumbledore’s first clue.”

“His first clue?” Hermione asked in confusion.

Melody nodded and stopped in front of the stone gargoyle guarding Dumbledore’s office. How on earth had they traveled the entire way here without noticing it, or more importantly, getting caught? Melody uttered the password, juicy fruits, and turned back to them while waiting for the stairs.

“Since we have no way of knowing where the other artifacts are, we’re going on a scavenger hunt of sorts with clues Dumbledore has gathered. It’s why we need our senses. Besides, the sisters are expecting a young couple to show up on their doorstep very soon.”

“Sisters?” Hermione asked. “What are you talking about?”

“All in good time, my children,” Melody said softly, motioning for them to walk up behind her.

What on earth were they getting themselves into?

AN: Aaaand I'm back! The plot thickens, eh? Just hold on tight kiddies, because we're going for a ride! These past few weeks were spent proofing and editing. Feel free to point out anything I missed. As always, thanks to everyone for your reviews. They make my day. Keep them coming and let me know how I'm doing and if you find any errors. Until next time... Love you guys.
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Beyond the Pale