Hermione looked at her parchment. These days, she was looking at it, checking to see if it was still blank -which it wasn’t. Rule number one was out- … in increasing amounts; Hermione could be found pondering over it.
One rule had been crossed off. Hermione still had no clue as to what she was being ignorant about, which was the worst part. But she remembered, after arguing with Ginny about something petty she couldn’t quite remember exactly, taking out the parchment and seeing the shock. She had been ignorant, and she still was.
5 Simple Rules
Rule #1: Never be ignorant to something obvious
Rule #2: Never turn away from the truth
Rule #3: Never stab a friend in the back
Rule #4: Never let the family know
Rule #5: Never fall for one of them
Hermione shook her head, determined to figure out what it was, and determined not to break any more of her own rules. She folded the parchment up and tucked it away safely, going down to the Common Room to meet Harry and Ron for some ‘urgent business’, as they had put it.
--
“Professor Dumbledore, Sir… why did you want to see us?” Hermione asked politely. Dumbledore looked grim, the sparkle in his bright eyes missing. Harry and Ron had led her up to Dumbledore’s office, on this ‘urgent business’… and they had sat down, to find that they weren’t alone. None other than Draco Malfoy was sitting also, looking quite disgruntled.
“I’ve heard from a reliable source… that would be Mr. Malfoy, here… that the war is coming to Hogwarts. Death Eaters have planned an attack within the next 2 days,” Dumbledore said quietly, looking directly at Harry, Hermione and Ron each, for a second, before turning back to Malfoy, who was sitting across from the trio.
“You believe him?” Ron spat out in disbelief. Malfoy rolled his eyes in boredom. He gave Ron a look of disbelief at his immaturity.
“Listen here, Weas-” he began impatiently, but Dumbledore shook his head and Malfoy fell silent.
“Mr. Weasley, please keep your own opinion to yourself. Yes, I believe Mr. Malfoy. He has demonstrated loyalty to the light side, and I trust him,” Dumbledore said this gently, but there was a note of finality in his voice. This wasn’t up for argument.
Ron was furiously muttering under his breath, and Hermione caught a few phrases like ‘stupid ferret’ and ‘muggle hating git’, as well as some much nastier ones that Hermione chose to block out. Hermione too was extremely doubtful of Malfoy; what on earth would posses him to change. Dumbledore was out of his mind there was no question. Trusting Malfoy… what a laugh, Hermione thought to herself.
“What are we going to do?” Harry, voice of reason, ignored Malfoy easily, and any mention of him. Instead, he focused on Dumbledore, and the upcoming attack.
“Whether you like it or not, the three of you will have to work together with Mr. Malfoy… we know why the Death Eaters are attacking; you, Harry. They won’t kill you of course-”
“That’s Voldemort’s territory,” Malfoy put in bitterly. Dumbledore smiled slightly, but not as if amused.
“Correct; but they will not hesitate in harming or killing any one else. I’m not even going to try and hold you back; I know you’ll want to fight, and I know it’s useless forbidding you. I must ask that you formulate a plan, including Mr. Malfoy here,” Dumbledore requested.
Ron groaned audibly, and Hermione rolled her eyes. This could not be good. How do you formulate a plan with someone that hates you, and has done so since your first meeting?
“I must also ask you not to say a word of Mr. Malfoy’s actions to anyone; the result could be deadly, if some of the Death Eaters, namely Lucius Malfoy, found out he is helping us. Good day.”
--
“Get real, Malfoy; just drop the act,” Ron said sharply. It was the next day, and on Dumbledore’s orders, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Malfoy were planning. At the moment though, it was more like arguing.
“Why would you switch sides anyway?” Harry asked calmly, holding Ron back from punching Malfoy out.
“My reasons are my own,” Malfoy replied coldly, glaring at Ron. “Tame your animal, Potter. I’m helping you, but it doesn’t mean I like the lot of you… especially him,”
“Shut up, Malfoy. Look, it’s clear we don’t believe you… if you want us to help you, you have to give us a reason,” Hermione ordered. Malfoy groaned and rolled his eyes.
“Fine, I want revenge, ok? I want to get back at my father. Are you happy?” Malfoy spat out angrily, his eyes flashing furiously.
There was silence, in which Harry, Ron and Hermione were still. Then Harry, maintaining strict eye contact with Malfoy, he muttered something incoherent and just stared at Malfoy for a second. Malfoy looked as if he were in a small amount of pain, as well as furious and confused.
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PLAYING AT, POTTER?” Malfoy stood up, yelling.
“Keep it down… Draco,” It looked as if it took Harry quite a lot of effort to call Malfoy by his first name. The thing he said next took even more effort. “I believe you. Sit back down,”
“WHAT?” Ron and Hermione yelled in unison. Normally it would only be Ron acting in such a manner, but Malfoy had spent five years torturing Hermione, and she was sure it was going to continue in her sixth.
“I believe him. Dumbledore trusts him, and so do I. I’m not forcing you to do the same, but we still need your help,” Harry said gently to Ron and Hermione.
“Yes… but why do you believe him?” Ron looked at Harry as if he had grown another head. Harry sighed and shook his head lightly.
“He’s never done anything to make you trust him. He’s never done anything redeeming or even slightly good at all, to any of us. Or you know, any one at all,” Hermione out strong emphasis on her words, trying to figure out what was going through Harry’s head.
“Stop fighting. We need to do this,” Malfoy put in forcefully. “Doesn’t mean I want to, but we have to. So can you just shut the hell up for five minutes and let us figure this out?”
“He’s right. Planning…” Harry began, assuming the leadership position as expected.
--
Their little session of planning was over. Harry had gone upstairs, leaving Hermione and Ron alone with Malfoy… Hermione still refused to acknowledge him by his first name.
“Forget it, ferret-boy. We still hate you, we don’t trust or believe you; that won’t change,” Ron spat angrily, following Harry’s lead quickly.
“I’m heartbroken. After all, your opinion means so much to me,” Malfoy replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Malfoy, what are you doing?” Hermione asked softly.
“I’m helping you. What does it look like?” Malfoy answered, as if speaking to a small child.
“Just because Harry trusts you -for some unknown reason, by the way- doesn’t mean Ron and I will. Five years of tormenting hasn’t put you high on my ‘people to forgive’ list,” Hermione said sharply.
“Look, you don’t trust me. Ok, I can live with that,” Malfoy said calmly, falsely inspecting his nails with seeming casualness.
“Good, because it’s not going to change,” Hermione responded, struggling to stay equally calm and not emotional. The worst thing she could do was get emotional.
“When I prove you wrong-” Malfoy began angrily, looking up to meet Hermione’s eyes. But she cut him off quickly, not wanting to hear it.
“You won’t,” Hermione whispered before walking away.
--
The battle was in full swing. The Death Eaters had arrived, as promised, within the next two days. And it was not good, at all. The fighting was being done outside, in the grounds, at the order of Dumbledore. On the first sign of arrival, he declared that anyone who was going to fight, go outside, right now.
Dumbledore had said that students fourth year and below were to hide out, and had given specific locations. Fifth years did their part keeping guard of the younger students while sixth and seventh year students were free to fight, if they wished. Teachers were fighting, as was Harry, Ron and Hermione. Draco wore a long cloak that hid his identity, for obvious reasons. All the members of the DA that were old enough were fighting, as well as some non-DA members. Nearly no Slytherins participated, instead staying out of it.
Harry was cursing Death Eaters left, right and centre. He wasn’t using anything lethal, but ordinary spells with full power. He was knocking out most, using a power-up version of Stupefy that left them unconscious for longer than usual. Ron was doing his part, blocking spells that threatened Harry, as well as taking down a Death Eater or two himself.
Hermione was going around stealthily hexing Death Eaters as well as helping injured students and teachers, healing some, leading others away. But she kept her eyes on one student, the one wearing a long, concealing cloak. Draco Malfoy. At any second, she was expecting him to rip the cloak off and start cursing Harry or someone on the light side. But it hadn’t happened yet.
There were about twenty-five Death Eaters, but no Voldemort. It was a warning, not a full chaotic war, at this stage. None other than Lucius Malfoy was yelling out directions, seemingly in the lead. Bellatrix Lestrange was taking out anyone she could by the dozen. Hermione sent a full-body bind at her that temporarily took her out of the battle. She was just about to go help her victims, but froze. This was it.
“Avada Kedavra,” Draco Malfoy had spoken the two deadly words. The green light of the Killing Curse flew, and every breath stopped. Everyone stopped, just to see whether it would connect its target. It did.
Lucius Malfoy turned at that precise second, to see his only son move the long cloak hiding him and fire of a single curse. A singe curse that would end his life. Lucius Malfoy’s mouth went O, and his eyes flashed with anger. But there was no time for anything else, for the curse connected right in the centre of his chest and the elder Malfoy fell, fell to his death.
“Now do you believe me?” a low, dangerous voice asked. Draco’s silver eyes turned to Hermione, and he asked her the question that Hermione didn’t want to hear. The one she didn’t want to answer.
She believed him. She had been wrong. It had taken the death of a man, although not innocent, but still a man, to die, for Hermione to believe Draco Malfoy.
“Yes,” Hermione whispered. No one else made a sound they just stared. Harry moved forward to Hermione, but was stopped by Ron.
Hermione collapsed.
--
The Death Eaters were gone from Hogwarts. Some had escaped some got away injured. One, at least, had died. Hermione made a mental note to ask Harry how the rest of the battle had gone, if there were any more casualties. She hadn’t paid any attention before hand, just seeing Draco kill his father, and after that, she had collapsed.
Hermione knew what to do. She took out her precious square of parchment, and looked at it. Before her very eyes, a line appeared through Rule #2.
5 Simple Rules
Rule #1: Never be ignorant to something obvious
Rule #2: Never turn away from the truth
Rule #3: Never stab a friend in the back
Rule #4: Never let the family know
Rule #5: Never fall for one of them
Hermione had broken Rule number two. She had turned her back on the truth, even when the proof had been there all that time, right in front of her. Now, Draco had killed Lucius Malfoy.
That’s what it had come to a son killing his father. That’s what it had taken for Hermione to believe Draco… and to see the error of her ways.
But it was too late now.
---------------------------
A/N: Rule 2 has been broken. Stay tuned.
Ok, I support both theories; Draco Malfoy turns out to be a Death Eater OR Draco Malfoy turns good. Either work for me, as long as they’re well written. I’m a big fan of Death-Eater! Draco, but the other angle fit better for this. And in case you people didn’t get it, in the bit where Draco starts screaming at Harry… Harry used Legilimency on him. Incoherent mutter, eye contact… yeah, just so you know.
Thank you to all who read and reviewed, it means a lot to me. For more of my work, go to the link in my user page.
xo aPADFOOT