Draco Malfoy, Broken

Chapter 37 – Crumple-Horned Snorkacks

Published: 1/15/2019   

Updated: 1/16/2019

Hermione watched helplessly as her two best friends faced-off in the wake of Malfoy's departure to his room. Harry watched his progress and didn't relax until they heard Draco's door close. Harry then went to staring at Ron, who had point-blank refused to help him find Draco.

"What?" Ron growled, breaking the silence.

"You could have helped me," Harry said, his voice steady, for now at least.

"I'm not helping Malfoy, Harry. It is not happening. I'll help you, but not him."

"Your sense of logic is fucked up, Ron."

"Your sense of forgiving people that have made our lives hell is fucked up," Ron retorted.

"I disagree. It's better than all this hate. Who's benefiting by this... who's winning here?"

"Malfoy's getti-"

"Don't even say it, Ron!" Harry spat.

"I'm just saying that I don't owe him anything."

"And you owe me?" Harry retorted.

"You're my friend. He's not."

Hermione did not want to interrupt them. This was the first real conversation Ron and Harry had had since the train. They were on a roll. Their idiotic impasse of "not talking about it" was unbelievably stupid.

"So, if a random Hufflepuff was getting jumped by six people, you wouldn't help them?"

"Hufflepuffs aren't Slytherins... or a Death Eater."

"He's not a...."

"Former Death Eater, who's at least partially responsible for Dumbledore's murder."

"Snape and Dumbledore were working together."

"That Dumbledore somewhat voluntarily agreed to be murdered... doesn't change the fact that Malfoy made it happen."

Harry looked away, pained. Hermione wanted so much to reach out and hug him, but she instead touched Ron, pleading with him to stop. He gave her a look, but did not respond to her wordless request.

"He thought he was trapped, that he and his mom would be slowly tortured and killed," Harry whispered.

"I heard."

"What would you have done?" Harry asked, looking back at him.

"Not been buddies with the Lord of Darkness to begin with," Ron grunted.

"His father was Voldemort's man," Harry growled. Ron still flinched at the name. "He didn't have a choice. Death or obey."

"I'd choose death."

"And your mother's death?"

Ron brought his head up and stepped closer to Harry. "I lost my brother and if I could go back in time and choose to kneel, I wouldn't. I'd do the same thing. Because it's the right choice. Malfoy put his family before everyone else. We didn't."

"And what would he have done, Ron? At what point did D-Malfoy have a chance to defect? Oh, when he didn't kill Dumbledore? When he refused to identify me at the mansion? When he removed his father's wards to let us escape? When he helped fight against...."

"Alright! I get the point!"

"Do you? He was on our side, but he was trapped, surrounded by enemies who were torturing him every day."

Hermione saw how frustrated Ron was getting. He so desperately clung to the idea that Draco was the enemy that he refused to see him as anything different. She resigned herself to watching them bicker back and forth like a never-ending tennis match.

"He still is an asshole."

"Be mature, Ron. He's not anymore."

"That's because he's powerless and poor," Ron spat.

"Or he's been tortured to the point where he can't stop shaking!"

Ron grimaced. "If you want me to feel sorry for him that the tables got turned...."

"Turned? Draco didn't torture...."

"No, just extremely bullied us, our friends and...."

"It isn't the same, Ron!" Harry snapped, clenching his fists. Hermione wouldn't put it past him to clock Ron. Harry wasn't the most calmest of individuals. He had a temper.

"And what Dean and the others are doing are that much different?"

"It isn't a game, Ron. They are really hurting him... physically. It's way past childhood taunting."

"What like a broken nose?"

"That was me, not you."

"He would have done worse."

"He could have. He put a Full-Body Bind on me. It wasn't like I could defend myself if he wanted to do more. He even could have let all his friends have a go, too, but he didn't."

"You really can just forgive all that he did?" Ron said, exasperated.

"Of course, I can. He regrets it all. I've forgiven him... I'd forgive anybody."

"Really?"

"Honestly, I could even forgive Dean, if he just realized how fucking stupid he's being."

"His father was killed...."

"Almost 17 years ago, Ron. Dean didn't even know him."

"Is that what you feel about Wormtail?" Ron said, pointedly.

Harry glowered. "He didn't ask for forgiveness. But I wouldn't let Remus and Sirius kill him, and I recall that you tried to help him too when he started to strangle himself in the basement. This has nothing to do with whether or not Dra-Malfoy deserves it, and more and more like you just want him to suffer for what he's done to you."

"Is that too much to ask?"

"Yes! Ron... he's my friend and you just let...."

"I JUST WHAT!" Ron snarled. "Don't forget that I was trussed up like a wild boar! For him! Now, you're blaming me for it?"

"I didn't mean...."

"Yeah, you exploded on me last week for not doing anything, and now you get mad at me, because I was attacked for objecting to their conduct on behalf of the Death Eater!"

"Don't call him that!"

"Whatever, I was attacked because of Malfoy... doing exactly what we agreed on the train I would not do... defend the wanker. No... I'm not sticking up for him, again, Harry! I was tied up for near an hour... I'm not helping him again. You said I didn't have to... don't ask, don't tell... that was it!"

"Well, we're talking about it, now. You can't bury your head in the sand and ignore it anymore!"

"I can try!" Ron spat. "It's Malfoy's fault I was attacked.

"Dean's the one who did it, or Smith or whoever. Let it go!"

"I will not. I'm out. I have no desire to part of your new click!"

"New click?" Harry said, holding up his hands. "We all are only friends."

"You're friends with the Slytherins? Even the gay one?"

"Yes..." Harry started awkwardly, but then lowered his voice, dangerously. "Do you have something against gay guys?"

Ron snapped. "No."

"Then why did you say that?"

"Zabini is... forward... notorious... and you said..." Ron rambled.

"I'm not sleeping with him," Harry pointed out.

"Well, fine... but...."

"But what? Are you like the other purebloods? Do you think being a homosexual is wrong?"

"No! I don't think that!" Ron said, indignantly, throwing his hands to his side.

"Really? It didn't sound like it," Harry said, disappointment lingering in his eyes.

"Merlin's balls... calm down. I didn't mean it like that. Zabini... you've seen how dark his hexes are?"

"Do you even know what Dean and the others have done to Dra-Malfoy?"

"They aren't using their wands."

"Why does that matter? They've been breaking his bones and tying him to statues, how is that not worse?"

"He's using dark magic," Ron muttered, turning his lip in disgust.

"No, he's not. You've hexed people before. He's using the same curses we use."

"Phh... you being friends with one Slytherin was bad enough. You're really friends with all four of them, aren't you?"

"I am," Harry proclaimed. His words challenging his relationship with Ron in every way.

"They're Slytherins, Harry," Ron shook his head. "They're the enemy house... how can you just...."

"Damn it! Let it go! We don't have enemies anymore! You're fucking eighteen, Ron! Grow up!" Harry said and turned on his heel. He marched up to his dorm.

Ron swore under his breath and Hermione grabbed his hand. Ron lowered his head and huffed, "I just don't get it. Why? How? It doesn't make any sense."

Hermione rolled her eyes at his thick-headedness. "He's been through a lot. He's tired of fighting... he's tired of pointless bickering. And he knows that Draco... and the other Slytherins are just teenagers, like us. Why hang on to the hate, Ron?"

"But they're so... hex-happy and cocky little shits. They're the same as they always been. They didn't learn anything from losing the war. They just went right back to where they were before."

Hermione sighed. She felt like she was picking up the conversation where Harry had left it. "They aren't in the same spot. They learned how to survive. Ron, you do remember that Draco's friends came back with Slughorn to fight against Voldemort?"

Ron still flinched. "That's not... there's no way. They're Slytherins, Hermione! They plot and connive and lie! You really think that they came in at the eleventh hour and declared that they were on our side the whole time?"

"You're being a little prejudiced, Ron, though they are pretty good at plotting. But Voldemort is gone, now."

"And them... the ones that called me a blood-traitor, get off scot-free? They lost the war and still retain their power?"

"Did you not here them testify? Theo lost his father and Daphne her sister."

"Zabini's mom has killed eight husbands!"

"Maybe, but he hasn't killed anyone."

"Really? Judging by his hexes, no one would know."

"Blaise is just protecting his friend."

"Oh! He's Blaise, now? Don't think I haven't noticed you calling Malfoy by his first name, too. You and Harry."

Hermione wanted to pull her hair out, but retained her sense of decorum, unlike her best two friends. This was a never ending argument. "Can we just stop?" she snapped suddenly.

"Hermione?"

"I'm not going to convince you. Harry's not going to convince you. You're just going to have to figure it out on your own. You have to decide. Is your hate and lust for revenge worth losing your best friend? That's where this is going, Ron. One day, he's going to walk away and not look back."

"He picked them...."

"Stop, Ron. Stop blaming him. Start backing him. Start supporting him. Do you not see how much he is hurting?"

Ron grimaced. Boys could never handle the hard moments.

"Do you care?" she asked.

"Of course, I care!"

"Then think about what your actions are doing to him. Since he did tell you... or scream at you... he drunk himself into a stupor every night this summer. He closed right up and honestly I can't even reach him anymore. Do you know how hard it was to look into his dead eyes all summer?"

"What the hell am I supposed to do about it?"

"You could talk to him about it... civilly."

"He won't talk to me!"

"Hello... he was just talking to you... directly. You could have tried a little harder!"

"If you can't figure it out how to talk to him, how am I supposed to?"

"Really? Are you so thick-headed that you can't figure it out?" she huffed.

Ron was saved the trouble of answering when the Slytherin trio entered the common room. Blaise was leading his friends and turned to her.

"Is Draco here?" he said, hoping she had the right answer.

"Yes. Harry found him and brought him back. They did... get him... again."

Blaise straightened and turned his brown eyes to the stairwell, but looked back at Ron, narrowing his eyes. "You let it happen, again?"

"For your information, I was tied up defending him, Slytherin," Ron sneered.

"Watch it, Weasley. I wouldn't hesitate to hex you. Being Potter's friend only gives you so much leeway."

"I'm not a sodding Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw! Don't think that I can't defend myself!"

"Don't give me a reason to test your words, then, Gryffindor," Blaise growled and both he and Nott walked to the stairwell up toward their room.

"Yeah, right."

Daphne gave Ron a disparaging look. "I'll be in our room, Hermione."

"Luna's already gone up," she said and Daphne nodded and left.

"And you wonder why I hate Slytherins?" Ron growled.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Do think about your choice, Ron. I'm going to bed, too."

"Hermione... I... just...."

"Just what, Ron? What to keep arguing?"

"I love you," Ron said, his blazing blue eyes stared at her. She didn't doubt his words for a second.

She smiled and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. "I do love you, too. But this is too hard for me. I can't take sides. For now, we are friends. We can't be anything more... not when you two are fighting."

Ron frowned. "So, I have to forgive the Death Eater to be with you?"

"If you want to phrase it like that... I won't argue semantics."

"Why doesn't anyone care about what he's done to me? You two are all but forcing me to forget everything Malfoy did. Don't you think that I felt alone all summer, too? With George, mum and Ginny crying all the time. Harry's not the only one who had a rough summer."

"Maybe not forget it, Ron, but you don't have to keep taunting Malfoy about it."

"I don't say a word to him!"

"Yes, but you sure make him feel like he's the scum stuck to the bottom of your shoe."

"He is," Ron spat.

Hermione turned and walked toward her staircase. She was so annoyed that she didn't want to waste her words in him anymore. But Ron reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Sorry... but he is. He came from a long line of egocentric purebloods who prided themselves on being masters over muggles and magical folk. He thinks he's better than me and you!"

"Well, he doesn't anymore and he's not to blame for his family, any more than I am for having muggle parents."

"But that's what he really thinks."

"No, that's what he parroted when he was a kid. He doesn't anymore."

"He's just faking it, now."

"Alright, I'm done! We're not getting anywhere. It's on you, Ron. Accept him or don't. You can't imitate Switzerland for much longer," Hermione said, whipping her hair around and leaving him alone in the common room.

She burst into her dorm, making Luna and Daphne jump. Daphne was sitting on Luna's bed painting her nails yellow and they gave her a look. Hermione locked and warded the door. War had made her paranoid, too.

"How was Draco?" Daphne asked.

"He was talking, but he was trying to hold it together. They really hurt him," Hermione said in a small voice.

Daphne had tears coming out of her eyes, which she brushed away. "Why... why do they have to do this?"

"It's all about power and control," Hermione said.

"This is just sick. All day... every moment since that article came out," Daphne said, collapsing in her own bed.

"I know. It's terrible. Not just Draco, too. All the anti-werewolf rhetoric? They practically put up bounties on all werewolves! 5,000 galleons for each... pelt. I wish Remus was alive. He'd be able to speak out against the Ministry."

"Not likely, Hermione," Daphne said, quietly. "The wolves that the Death Eaters have are savage."

Luna dried her nails off and hopped off her bed. She had decorated her area with off-the-wall news articles and she had etched a star chart into the wall, too. She started to add more stars as Daphne and Hermione watched her, unsure of her actions. They were both practical women.

"Luna... why did you put a star chart on the wall?" Hermione asked.

Luna tilted her head and added another star. She didn't answer. Hermione hadn't regretted agreeing to Luna coming to her room, but the girl was more than weird. She rarely answered them. Luna had mental scars, too. Daphne was better at the extracting game than Hermione was. But Daphne had curled up on her bed, pulling away from the conversation.

Hermione was about to start changing when Luna finally said, "There weren't any windows in the basement."

Hermione stopped and turned to look at her. Luna was in the Malfoy dungeon for over three months. Who knows what that kind of captivity did to her mind. Hermione waited for her to say something else. But Luna didn't say anything, just continued engraving the same three new stars into the wall.

"There's a window here, Luna... if you wanted to see the sky," Hermione tried.

Luna stopped. "It's not that I can't see them... here at least. At first, I marked the wall in the basement when they tortured Draco. It drowned out the screams. Then every time Bellatrix came down for me. I focused on the patterns, connected the dots. It helped. Then I got out, but Draco hasn't left the basement, yet. He's still being tortured. I still can't help him."

Hermione kind of understood got the jist of her rambling, but it chilled her bones. She had been talking Draco, but then her own pain. "Luna, I'm sor-"

"You know, when they brought me to the manor... they just threw me down there. But nothing happened. Then I heard him... screaming. His father and his aunt tortured him for a long time... hours. The next day he came down... shaking and was so surprised when he saw I was there. I was surprised that he knew my name. 'Luna, what are you doing here?' he asked me. He then healed the injuries I got fighting the Death Eaters who grabbed me on the train. He summoned a house elf, who brought food and clothes. He made a bed for me and apologized over and over. He was so scared... but he promised to get me out."

"I remember what you told him the other night. You thanked him for saving you."

"I couldn't convince him to escape with us... I mean he was going to sacrifice himself to save Garrick and I. He said that he would get us to Mrs. Weasley and go back."

Daphne drew in a sharp breath and was nearly frozen. Hermione looked over at her concerned and asked, "Are you okay?"

Daphne shook her head and said, "I can't. I promised Draco I wouldn't...."

"I understand. I also made a promise to him," Hermione responded.

Luna piped in. "I didn't! You do know Draco doesn't really care that we know... anything. He just doesn't want anyone to talk to him about it. He locks it all up in his head."

"I'm sure Draco doesn't want me to know everything," Hermione muttered, considering only a few years ago he was calling her a mudblood on a regular basis.

"Draco doesn't mind as much as you think. He doesn't care about blood status and purity. He had to do what his father wanted. At this point, he probably wants to do the exact opposite of what his father wanted," Luna said, putting her engraving tools away.

"Luna... you told you about...?" Daphne asked, quietly, glancing worriedly at Hermione.

"I known for awhile. It's a little obvious, don't you think? Besides I heard his father... at Christmas   Break... he was so mad. He called him... so many mean things," Luna said and Daphne asked a few more cryptic questions.

Hermione stared at them. They were almost confirming her suspicions. Harry's bizarre words the other day in Herbology and his defense of gays tonight... was her best friend... gay? Bi? And if he was... there was only one candidate that had his complete attention. The person that he was, again, obsessively staring at. Add Blaise's open status as a homosexual, his clear over-protectiveness of Draco would be explained.

"Is Draco gay?" she asked, not very subtle, but noted that Daphne jumped and Luna turned to her with a smile.

"He is! Now we don't have to speak in code anymore," Luna said, clapping her hands together.

"We can't talk ab-"

"I can," Luna said, taking an offensive stance.

"Oh, Merlin," Hermione said, clapping her hand to her mouth. "Harry, right?"

"Two for two," Luna said, happily.

"How do you know about them?" Daphne said, dropping her jaw.

"They are just crawling with Odyls."

"What?" Daphne asked, confused.

"Don't bother," Hermione said, dismissively and she sat on Luna's bed. "Are they really together?"

"No," Daphne said, but Luna said, "Yes!"

"Umm... which is it?" Hermione asked.

"Blaise said that Draco... that they weren't...."

"Luna?"

"They are together... no matter how much they deny it... just like you and Ron," Luna said.

Hermione blushed, she hadn't really talked to anyone about it. "I can't... not while they are fighting. It's like...."

"Torture?" Luna provided and Hermione turned down her lip at the word.

"Well... they are denying it... or at least Draco is. He's afraid of the repercussions," Daphne admitted.

"Let me guess... the fallout with Ron?" Hermione muttered.

"And that people will turn on Harry."

"He's worried about Harry?" Hermione asked, slightly surprised.

"Of course, Hermione! He's always worried about Harry! The Odyls have them!" Luna said and then turned around to pull out jars of paint out of her cabinet.

Hermione let out a sigh, again, not taking the bait. She did not want to hear about imaginary love fairies or whatever. She'd seen Harry throughout the summer and after Draco was released. That day in Diagon Alley... he looked so much better, alive. She could, at least, see the one-sided attraction Harry had for Malfoy, but Luna and Daphne had the other side of the 온라인카지노게임... Draco's infatuation.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply... Draco really cares for Harry, then?"

"You should have heard Blaise... they are like two peas in a pod... but Draco's not letting his desire rule him. He turned Harry down," Daphne said.

"I believe that. Harry does wear his heart on his sleeve...."

"Whereas Draco tries to bury it," Daphne whispered.

"Is there anything we can do?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Yes! We can make...."

"Luna, we can't force them...."

"Sure we can!" Daphne said, sitting up on her bed.

Hermione looked at her roommates and nodded. "Alright... what did you have in mind?"

"Wait... we'd have to ask Blaise..." Daphne said, grimacing.

"Why?"

Daphne stared at her and did not answer. Hermione turned to Luna.

"I don't think Blaise will mind us helping," she said as she started to paint the wall, in what could only be loosely described as abstract art.

"Probably not," Daphne agreed.

"Why do we need Blaise's permission? Are he and Draco... together?" Hermione asked.

"Oh no... they never...."

"Then why?" Hermione demanded and Luna gave Daphne a look.

"It's not important. You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"He's in charge."

"He rules over you?" Hermione said, growing concerned that she had misjudged Zabini's character.

"No... he... makes the decisions. Isn't Harry in charge of your group?"

"No one is in charge... Daphne. I don't take orders from him."

"I don't really from Blaise, either. He makes decisions and you either follow them or...."

"Or what?" Hermione said, staring at her.

"He just does it alone. Like how Harry is with Ron, now. Your group is broken, vulnerable."

"Look... I... don't... this is crazy. You're telling me that you follow Blaise's orders... because he might kick you out?"

"No. He wouldn't do that. It's just what we did last year to survive. Not just us four... but the other Slytherins, too."

"Why?"

"We had to protect each other. He made sure that we were taken care of. We wouldn't question orders. He wouldn't allow anyone to make the wrong move and risk the others. Plan, plot, take deliberate actions, and minimize risk. Now, Blaise is in charge and he's responsible for protecting us and making sure we don't get hurt."

Hermione just stared at her with her mouth slightly agape. She understood everything that Daphne said, but still was shocking to hear. Though the war had ended, she made it seem like they were going into battle every day and Blaise was her sergeant. Questioning brought discord. Obedience brought security and safety.

"Blaise is in charge... now? Who..." Hermione started.

"I think it needs more green, don't you think?" Luna interrupted.

Hermione turned to stare at the scene behind her. Luna's painting had formed the Hogwarts crest. The four houses were not separate, but together on one shield. The background was rainbow striped with the colors of the houses.

"Sure, Luna," Hermione said, after a moment, but turned back to Daphne, who had pulled out her stuff for the shower and quickly closed herself in the bathroom. Hermione shook her head.

"Did you know that Crumple-Horned Snorkacks were once very social creatures?" Luna said, suddenly.

"No, I did not know that," Hermione snapped, annoyed by the unnecessary conversation change.

"Well, they were. They would intermingle with the magical communities, play tricks on them and help them with their problems. Some co-existed with humans, letting them dye their fur and give them names. But then wizards and witches realized that their horns were very valuable and started to hunt them down for them."

"Luna, as fascinating as this conversation is... I really don't...."

"But the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks adapted. They became secretive, stealthy creatures, hiding from everyone. That's why sightings are so rare," Luna continued, as though she hadn't said anything.

"I agree. I think I'll be getting to bed," Hermione said, standing up and walking to her area, attempting to end the conversation.

"But some of them... weren't very stealthy," Luna went on, following her to her bed and sitting on it without invitation. "They had bright-colored fur and the magical folks trapped them from leaving... closed the mountain paths and bridges. Keeping them isolated."

"And let me guess? All the pretty Snorkacks were killed?" she said, acidly.

"Not all of them. You see some of them realized that if they banded together... they were safer. Though the wizards and witches could attack them, they couldn't take the whole pack. And if one was caught... the others would survive. They put the group first."

"Sounds like a wolf pack," Hermione said, recalling a book from her muggle school days.

"And if a Crumple-Horned Snorkack left the safety of the group... they would be caught easily and killed for their horns. It wasn't safe," she continued.

"Wolves could starve by themselves," Hermione said, absentmindedly, wondering what source Luna got her information from.

"So staying together was essential. But the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks are vain, proud creatures and pack life was very difficult. Tempers arose... some left, but quickly came back, realizing that although pack life was grating, it was more dangerous to try it alone and risk being hunted for their precious horns. So, they made one Snorkack, the strongest, in charge."

"The alpha," Hermione said, smiling. She always had a fondness for wolves.

"He or she was responsible for the group. That Snorkack decided where to hide, eat and what risks they would take. The packmaster defended the group from attack, because they were the strongest. They had second-in-commands, too, in case something happened. So there would be no confusion."

"Luna... can we not...."

"But sometimes, the pack members got caught by the bad wizards and witches... and their horns were cut off. But they weren't killed. The hunters realized it was more profitable to let their horns grow back and take them again. However, the hornless Snorkacks had lost a part of themselves and were very hurt. When the pack found them, again, they still protected them, more fiercely than the others, because they were weak."

Hermione sighed. She never wanted to hear about Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, again.

"Then one time... the pack leader, the alpha..." Luna said, finally acknowledging that Hermione had said anything. "... was captured for a long time. They cut off his horn and did worse things to him. Things that broke the Snorkack to control him. When he was freed, the pack found him, too, and protected him... but he wasn't an alpha anymore. He wasn't even a beta."

"What was he? The omega?" Hermione joked. This conservation was absurd. She pulled on her pajamas.

"Well, he thinks so," Luna said, shrugging, nonchalantly.

Hermione stopped in her place, recognizing Luna's switch to present tense.

"However, the pack had to carry on. So the beta Snorkack became the alpha and picked a new second. But the old alpha remained in the pack, as a member. Never forgetting that he used to be packmaster... and the new alpha didn't either. There would always be that unease and uncertainty over when or if the old alpha would ever get strong enough to take up his post. Wait for his horn to grow back.

"But the reality was that the hunters were still out there looking for Crumple-Horned Snorkacks and the pack had to survive. The bad witches and wizards targeted the weakest member of the group, cutting off the part of his horn that had regrown. Sometimes the pack could protect the old alpha, but most of the time, they couldn't. They had to put the pack first. The group was trapped. The safe places were taken away and there was no escape. They could only wait for the old alpha to become strong enough to defend himself and return to his duty of leading the pack."

Hermione, struck dumb, stared at Luna, who smiled.

"Let's hope that one day... the alpha will return and the attacks against the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks will stop. The end," Luna said and hopped off the bed and skipped over to hers.

"Luna..." Hermione started.

"Goodnight, Hermione! I'll see you in the morning!" Luna said and turned off her light.

"Goodnight," she said and stared over at the eccentric Ravenclaw. She really didn't want to try to unravel her mysterious words and if it meant what she thought.

Daphne came out shortly after and also climbed into bed, pulling her green sheets over her head. Hermione bid her goodnight and she drifted into an uneasy sleep. Unlike Harry, she didn't scream when her nightmares came. The intense pain she felt when she saw Harry dead in Hagrid's arm always made her body lock up. Dreams of Ron dying or finding her parents dead made her cry into her pillow. She didn't blame herself... no that was Harry's curse... she just couldn't save them. She could only see the results of her failure.

Hermione got up earlier than her roommates. She showered and brought her books downstairs to the common room. She used to be petty and turn the lights on when she was rooming with the other Gryffindors. However, Luna and Daphne were good roommates.

Luna hadn't really opened up, yet. Whether it was because of her problems with the Ravenclaws or her own imprisonment in Malfoy Manor, Hermione did not know. Speaking cryptically and interrupting conversations with the extremely random statements was now the norm that Hermione could expect. Like Harry, she drifted off in her own thoughts way too much, not that Luna wasn't airy to begin with.

Daphne was much more talkative. She had had no problem gossiping about the other Slytherins, but of her friends, she only talked about Blaise or well-known stories about Draco. On Theo, she would say nothing, as well as Draco's secrets. She couldn't open up about her younger sister either.

Holy Godric, how on earth was she going to concentrate on her studies this year when everyone was traumatized and fighting? Between her roommates and Harry, Draco and Ron she was at her limit. She had other duties as Head Girl. Patrols, monitoring detention and keeping or failing to keep peace in the eighth year house. She felt really behind.

Daphne came down about an hour before breakfast and sat down next to her with her homework. "I'm so behind. Dawlish keeps putting us in detention and we do nothing. Blaise loves it, though. He keeps coming up with new ways to hex people. I don't even know how he does it."

"The principles are the same for most hexes and jinxes. If you work in how long you want the spell to last... the longer you can make it, the more developed your spell was. When we were kids, we were lucky if it lasted an hour, but he's making last for weeks and resistant to counter-curses. I have been fairly impressed with his spells," Hermione said, approvingly.

"What about that curse you gave Edgecombe?"

Hermione smirked, slightly prideful. "Well, she willingly activated the jinx. I didn't curse her, she broke a magical contract. So, it actually amplified by how much time had passed since she signed. I might have been a little vengeful."

"So she'll always have the scars?"

"Yes and no. I considered locating Marietta and removing it completely after the war ended, but her mom pissed me off."

"Never mess with a smart Gryffindor," Daphne chuckled.

"Exactly. But... I wanted to apologize for last night. It never really occurred to me that...."

"Don't worry about it. The war is over for you. You and the others can relax... but everything's the same for us. Nothing has changed... except who's doing it. If you didn't lock the door every night, I'd have to."

Hermione's shoulders slumped at her words. Why is everyone so malicious? The war was won, but people were still hurting. Everyone deserved some respite.

"Calm down," Daphne said, looking at her. "It's not on you and if you're going to confront Potter today, please don't mention me."

"I wouldn't. I don't think Harry'd mind."

"Draco would."

Hermione whispered some privacy wards, though she suspected that everyone was sleeping. "Daphne... why do you protect Theo and Draco's secrets so much and not Blaise?"

"I've told you Blaise doesn't have qualms. I promised Theo and Draco I would hold their secrets and pain. Theo is just closed off. And Draco... he needed to talk to someone. Someone neutral."

"Why you? I mean... those three seem to be a lot closer each other than to you..." Hermione said, but realized what she said. "Oh... that came out wrong."

Daphne laughed. "You're not wrong. I'm not offended. I wasn't really their friend until last year... I mean I talked to Theo occasionally. But openly talking to Draco and Blaise? That was not possible before. Pansy wanted to stake her claim to Draco and Blaise came out pretty early that he liked... more than just girls."

"He's bi?"

"He's a... he went through an "anything" phase. I'd say he prefers guys, but he went through most of the upper classmen, males and females... until the war. He grew up a bit... matured. Got over whatever it was drove him to promiscuity."

"Wow...he seems so...stable?" Hermione said, trying not to offend her, but that sort of behavior didn't seem healthy.

"Comparatively. Blaise doesn't mind what anyone knows about him... but he doesn't really open up about it either. You do know about his mom, right?"

Hermione nodded.

"Well... he's never seriously talked about what that was... is like... not even to Theo and Draco. So, it's hard to say what happened. He tells them stories... but it's not even close to what really happened. But regardless, I wasn't going to talk to him when we were younger, unless I wanted everyone to think that we were together. He had a reputation, a bad one. So, that's why I hung out with Millicent, Tracey and Alexus up until last year... or our sixth year, really."

"Why?"

"Because my parents, though pureblood, didn't join. Millicent and Alexus's parents did."

"What? Alexus Runc-" Hermione said, stopping. "But Runcorn wasn't arrested for...."

"Being a Death Eater, no... her father was arrested, but he is serving for his actions against muggleborns."

"I didn't see his trial!"

"He didn't have one. He plead out, probably. He wasn't the only one."

Hermione grimaced. She didn't like that at all. How many other trials did she miss? How many more plea bargains went through the cracks? "Sorry... you were saying? About you friends?"

Daphne frowned. "So they stopped talking to me. My parents got threatened and relocated a few times. My sister and I almost didn't come to school last year... but the law was passed. So, I was a loner when I came back and I found Theo first. He had never been a joiner. He... things happened to him."

"His father was killed by Death Eaters," Hermione said, taking her hand.

"Yeah... amongst other stuff. But the other Slytherins in our year... they just took over. It was me, Theo, Blaise and Draco against the rest of the seventh years and the Carrows. They welcomed me to their inner circle, especially after Crabbe..." Daphne took a deep breath, waving off Hermione's attempt to end her sentence. "...tried to rape me."

"I'm so sorry," Hermione whispered.

"Thanks... but he didn't... complete it. Theo heard me and rescued me. Draco confronted them and Astoira, Blaise and a bunch of the other Slytherins hexed them bad. Even Pansy helped. Neither tried it again. But Blaise and Theo hardly let me leave their sight... kinda how they are with Draco, now."

"It's so terrible," Hermione said and Daphne nodded.

"But back then Crabbe and Goyle didn't like leaving Draco alone with Blaise and Theo... but he was able to get away with me sometimes. He confided in me. But those guys have roomed together for eight years and have been friends since they were kids. They know almost everything about each other."

"I know what you mean, I didn't think anything could surprise me until I saw Harry staring at Draco like he was the only person in the world," Hermione chuckled and blushing slightly, thinking of the two of them together.

"Draco wouldn't even admit it that..." she broke off, clenching her jaw.

"It's okay. He trusts you and I don't want you to break that trust. Let's just work on our homework until the others come down."

"Okay, thanks," she said, and they dove into their books. Within an hour, Luna, Neville and Ernie came down.

"Anything from Bla-" Neville started and Daphne shook her head. But Ron came down the stairs alone, thoroughly annoyed.

"Ron? What happened?" Hermione said, getting up, already suspecting what had happened.

"Harry's not coming. He told me to fuck off though the bathroom door."

"He's..." Hermione began, but decided to stop playing the middleman. "Nevermind... I'll go check on him."

"He's fine," Ron insisted.

"You and Harry's definition of "fine" is not the same as mine!" she growled, and walked up the one flight to his room.

She didn't bother knocking, she just opened the door to an empty room. Harry must have been still in the bathroom. When she heard a loud crack and the sound of clinking as though glass was hitting the floor, she hurried over to the door.

"Harry?" she tried.

"Fuck," he muttered.

"Harry, I'm coming in," she said and opened the door.

Harry was shirtless and staring into the mirror that was now smashed, the counter was covered in glass pieces. His right fist was clenched at his side and was freely dripping blood to the ground. Harry wouldn't look at her, directly. But his eyes were crazed, filled with rage and hate. She stepped toward him.

"Don't! Just leave me alone!" Harry growled, his voice laced in pain. He looked away from her, shaking in anger.

Hermione stopped, some tears coming out. "I'm right here, Harry. I'm not going anywhere, so if you need to yell, I'll put up the right charms."

He shook his head. It wasn't like he hadn't exploded on her before. His eyes started to water and he held up his hand to look at it. It was cut pretty bad.

"Why did you do that?" she said, stepping closer, again.

"Better the mirror than Ron's face," he grunted.

She smirked, taking his arm, gently. "I wanted to punch him a few times last night, too."

Hermione pulled out her wand, extracted the glass fragments and healed the cuts. There was still a healing red line where the glass had cut, not too far from his "I must not tell lies" scar. She then Vanished the blood and repaired the mirror.

"You think I'll have seven more years of bad luck? I mean it was like eighteen straight," Harry murmured.

"As far as I can tell, it's just a muggle myth. But there, all better," she said, putting her wand away.

"Thanks," Harry said as he dropped his shoulders crestfallen and his eyes dimmed. She wished so much to get rid of that haunted look.

"Will you come down to breakfast?" she asked... begged.

"No... I'm not hungry."

"You didn't eat yesterday at all," she growled, losing her nice voice. "Don't think I don't notice things. Now, are you going to come willingly or am I going to have to...."

"Fine, I'll come. Please leave so I can change!" Harry said, grumpily.

"I'll be waiting."

"Yes, mom," he grunted, slumping over to his trunk.

Hermione hit him with the Cleaning Spell in response and he grumbled more. She went back down the steps and found that Zacharias Smith and Wayne Hopkins had come down.

Ron was talking to them in short, clipped words. "You fuckers turned your wands on me!"

"It was necessary... you needed deniability. We made it happen," Zach said.

Hermione walked around them and stood next to Ron, facing off with them. "What you are doing is revolting and you are going to get yourselves kicked out!"

"Unlikely. Expulsions go through the school board," Wayne muttered.

"You want to go up against the headmistress?" Hermione growled.

"McGonagall's getting up in her years... we aren't afraid of her!" Zach Smith said and Hermione pulled out her wand.

"You should be more concerned about me!" she said, pulling out her wand.

Smith chuckled. "The good little Gryffindor won't jeopardize her position. You're the Head Girl."

"Watch it, Zach!" Ron said, also pulling his wand out.

"Oh yeah? What are you going to do? Defend the mud-" Zach stopped suddenly, when Harry grabbed his shoulder, turned him around and clocked him in the eye.

"You motherfucker!" Harry said, punching Smith again and again, driving him to the wall and hitting every inch of him that he could.

Wayne went to shoot a spell at him, but Ron Disarmed him. Hermione sent a spell to force him to his knees and glue his hands to the floor. He couldn't get up and grunted in frustration.

"Harry!" Hermione yelled, hurrying over as no one else seemed inclined to stop him from beating Smith within an inch of his life. "Stop it, Harry or I will!"

Harry stopped punching him and Zach hunched over holding his gut, blood flowing out of his broken nose. Harry's hand was torn open, again.

"Keeping going, Smith... I'll fuck you up worse if you touch him, again," Harry growled, shaking with barely maintained rage.

Hermione touched his arm and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah... mind fixing it, again?" Harry asked, holding up his hand.

Hermione huffed and muttered the healing spells, again, cleaning and healing his hand. Harry's eyes zoned in on Hopkins still trying to break her spell on the floor. Wayne looked up to see Harry's eyes and cowered closer to the floor, still on his hands and knees.

"I can't even defend myself!" he screeched.

"Yeah... neither could Malfoy, you fucking asshole. But Blaise already claimed you, Rivers and Dean."

Wayne swallowed nervously. "But-But...."

"Don't even deny what you did, asshole. Consequences... you want to keep playing this game? We'll play harder and dirtier, fuckhead. Give Corner my best, too, when you see him. He'll be sure to enjoy his dues."

Wayne's mouth dropped, but his eyes gave away Smith. Harry spun around and cast a Shield Charm in time to deflect Zach's curse.

"You're kidding, Smith? You were mediocre when you were in the DA... and you haven't gotten any better!"

"Fuck you, Potter! You're going to pay for this! McGonagall won't save you! My father can get one over that old hag!"

Hermione sucked in a breath and Harry straightened his wand out faster than she could throw a Protego. Harry's wordless spell went straight at Smith's face and he screamed in pain. He turned away from Smith, meeting their eyes.

"Alright, then, I'm ready for lunch. Luna? Neville? Care to join us? You too, Ernie?" Harry said, calmly, the matter handled, definitively.

Everyone turned from him to watch in horror as Zacharias Smith brought his hand to his mouth and spat out several teeth.

"Enjoy regrowing those, Smith. I heard the Odont-Gro tastes just as bad as Skele-Gro. Let's go guys," Harry said, and walked out the door.

Smith just kept spitting out teeth and blood. Daphne went up to the Slytherin room, a smile on her face.

"Let's just go," Hermione said, paling at the thought of her parent's reaction to such a spell. "Maybe I should put the magic disruption charm up."

"Good luck stopping them," Ron muttered, slightly white as they climbed out of the portrait hole.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"For?" Ron asked.

"You did Disarm Hopkins," she said, quietly, though Harry probably heard it.

"I said I'd defend him. It's just... the other issue."

When they got to the table, Harry barely ate anything, but Hermione poked him. He slowly chewed on some bacon. Another letter dropped in front of him from Adalynn. It was the same owl that had brought Malfoy a box on Wednesday. Harry read it expressionlessly and showed her. It was from Andromeda, saying that she would be glad to have him over. Hermione realized that if Harry's owl delivered to both Draco and Harry, then Andromeda and Narcissa must have made up. Harry's hiding a lot of things from them... Ron.

Blaise, Theo, Daphne and Draco came into the Great Hall, smiling. Blaise stopped and put his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Nice spell, Potter. I told Wayne I liked him like that... he really started to panic, then."

"I left him for you... and Theo," Harry said, and made eye contact with Draco, who sat on his usual side of the table, staring at the wall. From Harry's vantage point, he could easily stare at him. Draco was still shaking, but nodded in thanks.

Blaise chuckled as his target, Dean came into the hall, limping. "Zabini!" Dean yelled.

"You don't have to yell, I'm not deaf," Blaise said, calmly.

"You want to know what I woke up to!?!"

"A new pimple?" Blaise said, as Dean limped closer. Harry smirked, knowingly.

"No, asshole... there's a... there's something wrong with..." Dean said, having difficulty explaining the issue.

"Wrong with what?" Blaise said, in mock curiosity.

"You know what you did!"

"I don't have any idea what you are talking about," Blaise said, shaking his head.

"Damnit! I can't sit down without intense pain!"

"Oh," Blaise said, loudly. "You know how to practice safe sex, right? If you're having sex with your boyfriend that can be...."

"Fuck you!" Dean yelled.

"Mr. Thomas!" Professor McGonagall yelled, coming down from the head table, clenching a note in her hand.

"He hexed me! Again... there's a sore...."

"When? I just sat down to eat and I didn't get back until eleven last night. You do put locks on your door, right?" Blaise said and Hermione tilted her head. That was true.

"But he threatened he would... Greengrass and Potter said that...." Dean stammered.

"Yeah... but I haven't seen you to slip my sword into your rear end," Blaise said, haughtily.

Dean paled as laughter erupted all around him. He made to attack him again, but Professor McGonagall stopped him with her wand.

"Enough! Mr. Thomas, to the hospital wing with you. Mr. Zabini, do I need to give you lines, too? Making sexual comments of any nature is not allowed. And if proof comes up that you hexed him, I will also being giving you a detention," the headmistress declared and Blaise nodded. "Mr. Potter, please come up to my office. You too, Ms. Granger."

Dean limped out of the room with Seamus at his side and Harry and Hermione followed the headmistress to the third floor. They walked silently into her office and sat down in the proffered chair.

"Madam Pomfrey sent me a message about Mr. Smith. Do you wish to deny anything?"

"Nope. Hermione stopped me, if she's here because of what they said."

"I thought I made it clear of my abhorrence of muggle fisticuffs in your fifth year, Harry."

"Quite clear, Professor," Harry said, confidently.

"And that I would not save you from detention if you carry out your revenge fantasies?"

"Yes, I remember that, too," Harry said in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone. He didn't care. Hermione was shaking, though.

The headmistress's nostrils flared, "Then why wou-"

"He was called Hermione a... bad word. He hexed Ron last night and helped beat the crap out of Draco. Broke his arm and left him strung up outside of Gryffindor Tower, where several people walked by him and did nothing."

"That does not give you permission to punch him until you've broken his bones and then cursed his teeth to fall out!" she said, sternly.

"Actually, I did that because he insulted you," Harry confessed.

The professor grimaced. "As I said the last time... that is very gallant but...."

"I didn't Crucio him... at least," Harry said, smirking.

Professor McGonagall managed a weak smile. "Well, thank Merlin for small victories, at least. You admitted to fighting and hexing another student, Harry. I will have to give you a detention. The question is should it be for both Saturday and Sunday?"

"I'll understand if it is. I warned my aunt that it was a possibility," Harry said, unrepentant.

"Hopefully, your godson will cool your hot head. You may still go. Tonight and tomorrow you will go to the library and do nothing but study. You may leave only to eat and use the lavatory."

"Thank you, headmistress."

"But you will not attack Mr. Corner. Mr. Hopkins stated you threatened him."

"I told him to say hello for me. Nothing wrong with that," Harry said, smirking.

"I don't care. You will not hex, jinx or use any spell on Michael Corner or you will be in detention for the next month."

"I will not hex him due to his actions yesterday."

"Or touch him?"

"I promise I won't touch him or cast any spell on him due to his actions yesterday. But I will not make any promises for the future."

"You already hexed him, didn't you?" the wizened professor asked.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Humph."

"Professor... I need to go to the Ministry, too, Sunday morning, on some legal business. It shouldn't take too long."

"Very well, then. I give you permission, if you even wanted i," McGonagall scoffed, but then  turned to Hermione. "Ms. Granger... the eighth year house is falling apart it seems. They are your charge."

Harry jolted and tried to defend her, but the headmistress gave him a glare. He held his tongue this time.

"I understand, professor. I'm sorry," Hermione whispered.

"He is your responsibility. You have to stop him and, if it comes that Mr. Zabini did manage to slip through Mr. Thomas's door, I will not be happy. I may have to take drastic steps."

"Professor, she tried to stop me!" Harry interjected.

"Not hard enough. Seems I found the appropriate threat for you, Harry. No more attacks in your house. It's a safe space. I don't care if Smith and Dean declare for Voldemort, you will hold your wand. Report them to me."

Harry lowered his head. "Yes, ma'am."

"You may go," she said, dismissively.

Harry slowly walked down the steps from the headmistress's office and passed the gargoyles with Hermione in tow. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't think she'd...."

"Hush," Hermione said and threw up some privacy wards. "We don't have a lot of time before class. Harry... first, Ron probably would have done a lot worse if Smith finished that word, so don't blame yourself."

"You got that right."

"Second, Harry... I know. I know about you and Draco," she said, quietly, staring into his eyes which widened. Harry looked at her, trying to remain calm, but she could tell he was bracing himself. "And it's okay. I love you no matter what." 

Harry let out a breath. "Thank you," he said, giving her a hug.

"You were seriously worried? Why would I care about that? I obviously don't mind Draco," she said, slightly cross.

"I... didn't know... how it happened. We just got closer and closer after the trial... or maybe beforehand. I don't know. I'm so confused. He's even more confused. I don't know what I'm doing. I didn't even know that I am... that I liked.... I'm just so... frustrated," he rambled on confounded beyond words.

"It's called sexual tension, but Luna says you two are surrounded by Odyls... if that helps."

"It does actually," Harry said, laughing weakly, but stopped. "I don't know what Ron will do."

"I think he'll accept you... or I'll have to hex him. It's Draco... that is what he's hung up on."

"I know. I can't talk to him anymore. We might... I just want this to be over. I want to be with Draco."

"Patience, Harry. It'll work out. He wants you... right?"

"Yeah... he does, but he's worried... that we both will be hurt because of it. That the attacks will get worse."

"You can't convince him otherwise?" Hermione asked.

Harry crossed his arms, as though pondering his choice of words. "I could... but he asked me not to. He told me he owes everything to me and he couldn't... say no."

Hermione stared at him, only guessing at the implied meaning behind his words. Her heart slowed. "You have to be very careful, Harry."

"I know... I am. Thank you... for understanding," Harry said, shaking slightly. "Don't... tell anyone, please."

"Of course not, although I'm sure Luna and Daphne know everything. Luna decided to tell me a 온라인카지노게임 about Crumple-Horned Snorkacks and it was very confusing."

Harry chuckled. "Luna likes to keep it confusing. So everyone knows... no one can talk about anything... that is what is so frustrating. We are waiting on tenterhooks."

"Yes... unfortunately. Come on, let's get to class."

Charms went quickly. Dean showed up halfway in carrying a circular cushion and loudly explaining that he had a muggle affliction called hemorrhoids. Madam Pomfrey wasn't able to sort it out just, yet. Harry was snickering the whole time.

Hermione whispered to him, "Harry, what are you going to do... to Corner?"

"I'm not going to jinx him. Calm down."

"So, you haven't yet?"

Harry smirked. "Guess, you will just have to wait and see."

"How did Blaise curse him?" she asked.

"Curse who?"

"Dean. If he breached their locked door...." she whispered.

"He didn't. I cursed Dean last night before he went into Magical Theory."

"You?" Hermione said, looking to make sure Ron was distracted by Neville, who was his partner.

"Yeah. Blaise gave me the spell. It's a jinx, every time he touches Draco... even accidentally... he's gonna develop... sores. They won't last more than a day or two, but he won't notice it for a bit."

"Harry! I'm... torn between being shocked and impressed. Why you?"

"Dean has his guard up whenever Blaise is around. It was easy for me. Never make it obvious."

Hermione shook her head. "I'm going to have to take 10 points from Gryffindor for that and give Slytherin 20 points for ingenuity.

"Ten points was worth it."

They went on to practicing charms. But her eyes went to the Slytherins, almost studying their interactions. Daphne and Theo were partnered together, not even pretending to practice, but eyeing Draco, worriedly. Blaise was standing up next to Draco, who had his headed lowered, talking to him and trembling. When Dean made a comment, Blaise stepped forward and Theo straightened up, ready to attack, if necessary. Blaise sent some more taunts his way and Dean backed down, shamed. Draco didn't even move, through it all. Blaise went back to Draco and told him to hold his head up and try the spells. Draco readily obeyed.

Hermione couldn't help but think of Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. The alpha, the leader, proud and assertive. The beta, strong and defensive and the omega, submissive and weak. Luna was right. And Harry, the strongest of their group, the one who made the hard decisions, regardless of the consequences. She was ever at his side, loyal, but grounded. The beta or the alpha female, she smiled. Then there was Ron. Sometimes beta and sometimes rival. Hermione had usurped his role several times. They were a pack, like the Slytherins.

Hermione couldn't help but remember how Draco used to be: confident, over-bearing and entitled. He was second best under her in all their classes, well-versed in curses and hexes. Something happened to him, namely Voldemort, his aunt and his father. But it was more than that. Draco had been abused his whole life and he still was in charge, even in their sixth year. Something broke him permanently. Now, he couldn't say no or defend himself. 

She cringed when she thought of what the possibilities might be. She tried to remember how he was at the manor and he seemed normal, scared, but defiant enough to help them. She grimaced as though realizing that they had left Draco behind to be tortured by Voldemort. Daphne had jumped out of her skin last night when Luna mentioned the escape. What happened to him? she wondered.

But Draco's silver eyes found Harry's and his tremors subsided. He managed to remove that look of intense pain and almost cracked a smile. Harry's was even wider. They so belonged together and she wondered how much nudging she'd have to do to convince Luna and Daphne to help her get them together. Hermione went back to her work confident that the two of them would be together soon and all her problems would be either solved or would increase exponentially. 









Some filler... I meant to post this on Thursday... but I couldn't find a spare moment to edit it. I have to edit... I write too often when I'm half-asleep. And I was having fun with Luna's 온라인카지노게임... and wolves. Wolves are cool! Smiley face!

And for those who care... I just re-uped for six years! I'm a glutton for punishment.

Updated for a canon error - dedicated to Takoma_Joyce

Also... I've gotten almost 6000 views! Super excited face! Thanks for the support!