Chapter Seven � Hermione�s Revenge

Aria stared at the blank screen of the computer for a few minutes. Ernie seemed to notice that she wasn�t moving. �Somethin wrong, Ari?� He asked, moving closer to her. Aria shook her head.

�What is it?� he inquired.

�Hermione � �

�What about Hermione?�

�She�s out in London��

�I never thought Hermione would be one to skip class��

�She didn�t know she was missing class� But the thing that bothers me is that she�s out there with those Slytherin boys and Leah.�

�What�s so wrong about that? They�re not so bad you know?�

Aria glared at him. He didn�t know the deceitful nature of the Slytherins first hand.

Ernie backed away, holding his hands up as a sign of peace.

�It�s just that�� Aria began, not really knowing how to voice her thoughts. �She�s so na�ve. She doesn�t seem to realize that the Slytherins can act all nice one minute, and stab you in the back the next. She thinks theyre all friendly and kind� But they�re just waiting to hurt her!�

Aria had a far away look in her eyes and Ernie didn�t know what to say next.

�Come on,� Aria sighed, �We�re gonna be late for Herbology.�

*

Hermione attended the rest of her afternoon classes for the day, feeling terribly guilty that she had missed Care of Magical Creatures and Charms. Harry and Ron, who had been informed of her whereabouts, had immediately started to question her.

�Can we leave this til after dinner guys?� Hermione asked, exhasperated.

They nodded, probably thinking of more possible reasons for her actions.

Dinner passed all too quickly, much to Hermione�s dismay. Her friends dragged her to Gryffindor Tower, making sure she couldn�t run away.

�Honestly guys, I�m not gonna run,� she tried to persuade them to let go of her.

�Nonsence, we�re not preventing you from running,� Ron denied.

�Yeah, we�re just making sure you can�t escape,� Aria added.

Ginny joined them in the Common Room, obviously informed about what Hermione had been up to as well.

The four of them watched as Hermione collapsed into a chair, her eyes shut. Finally, she let out a breath and opened her eyes. Four faces moved in close and started to yell.

�What were you thinking?�

�You were under a curse weren�t you?�

�They bribed you didn�t they?�

�Have you gone mad?�

�How could you?�

�Why on earth � �

�Don�t you know they�re not as nice as they appear to be?�

�I think she�s gone daft � �

Hermione shut her eyes again. �Stop,� she said quietly. �Please stop.�

Her friends did not cease, not noticing her plea for quiet.

�Please. Stop.� She repeated loudly, in a firm voice.

The four of them slowly quieted down.

�Alright,� Aria said, once there was a silence amongst the group. �What�s your story?�

�They asked me to go to Hogsmead. I said yes. We ended up going to London and all we did was go to McDonalds and a Rave and a Data Caf�. I just lost track of time.�

Ron eyed her suspiciously. �Why did they ask you to go along with em?�

�I don�t know. They just did.�

Ginny looked Hermione over. �She seems fine,� she told the others as she placed her hand on Hermione�s forehead. �Her temperature�s normal.� Hermione glared up at Ginny who quickly took her hand away. �Well I suppose if she�s not hurt in any way��

Aria got down on her knees and rested her head on the arm rest of Hermione�s chair. �Hermione, you know Slytherins don�t do things without a reason,� she started. �I might be paranoid, but you have to admit, their lot is conniving, devious, and well � evil. I just hope you know what you�re getting yourself into when you hang around them � �

�I can take care of myself, Aria,� Hermione sighed.

�Yeah, but that�s what we all think� until things get out of hand and we loose control. They may not be able to hurt you physically, but they know what can make you tick and they toy with your emotions! I�m just tryin to look out for you okay?�

�I can take care of myself,� Hermione repeated, a bit forced.

�That�s what I thought too� and look what happened to me! Okay, maybe it�s his fault I�m this way now � maybe it�s mine � but please,� Aria pleaded, �please be careful.�

There was a silence in which the boys looked at Ginny questioningly, not knowing if they should say something. Ginny herself was befuddled and remained quiet. Aria was keeping a strong hold of Hermione�s eyes. Finally, the bushy haired girl let out a sigh. �Alright,� she breathed. Hermione could feel tears threatening to rise, and quickly excused herself.

When she reached her dorm, she threw herself on her bed and let the few tears slip out. She thought about what Aria had said. Hermione knew the kind of damage the Slytherins had given her and did not blame her for being a tad paranoid� but what if she was right? What if Hermione had gotten too excited about inter-house friendships that she had let her guard down too fast? Well, regardless of what Aria or the others thought, Hermione had not completely given up her ill will towards the Slytherins. And this was something she was going to prove the within the following days.

*

Hermione had not forgotton what Draco Malfoy had done to her and she was certainly not going to let the �slimy son-of-a-bitch get away without a good ass-kicking,� as Ron had put it. In fact, unbeknownst to her friends, Hermione had long had a very ideal plan in mind for the pervert.

She began on Sunday.

Everyone had gathered in the Great Hall for dinner. However, a brown haired girl had arrived quite a while before her fellow classmates. But instead of sitting at her own house table, the girl moved to a certain blond haired Slytherin�s spot. She reached into her pocket and picked up a vial of clear fluid. She emptied the potion into the goblet of the boy. The girl than moved to a couple of seats away from the previous spot. She emptied two more vials into their goblets. Then she left the scene only to return later with the rest of the school.

All the houses sat at their separate tables. At the Gryffindor table, Hermione�s eyes were fixed on Draco. As she watched him chug pumpkin juice from his goblet, she smiled malevolently, then she turned to Crabbe and Goyle, who were already on their second � maybe third � helping of leg of lamb and pumpkin juice. She then resumed normal conversation with her friends, knowing that the potion would take affect as soon as the lot of them fell asleep.

It was late at night when Hermione asked to borrow Harry�s Invisibility Cloak and Marauder�s Map. �I just want to go to the library � I need a book for my studies,� she had lied. Harry handed her the Cloak and Map, asking that she return them in the morning.

Draping the silvery material over her head, Hermione made her way out of the Gryffindor Common Room. Tapping the parchment with her wand, she whispered, �I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.� Suddenly a map of Hogwarts and its inhabitances was magically drawn on the tattered sheet.

Hermione followed the map so that it took her to the Slytherin Dungeons. Once she found herself infront of the portrait, Hermione checked the map. The little dot labeled as herself had spoken �The Creeveys are gay together� So Hermione herself said the words. The portrait swung open and revealed the cold stony quarters inside. Hermione looked down at the map once more, searching for the 7^th years boys� dorms. Finding it, Hermione made her way down the twisting steps.

Sleeping in their separate canopied beds were the Slytherin Kings � and Crabbe and Goyle. Hermione moved along until she spotted the silver plate above a bed with the name Draco inscribed on it. She was pleased to see that he was having a fit in his dreams. Hermione chanted the Levitating charm and Draco floated, suspended above his bed.

Hermione made him float all the way under the cloak and then ascended up the stairs and out of the dungeon. Hermione didn�t encounter any teachers and quickly made her way outside. She left Malfoy on the edge of the forest, placing his wand firmly between his fingers. She tore a thorn out of a nearby rose bush and traced a thin line across her index finger. She then let the blood drip on Draco�s hands and face. Hermione stared as he tossed and turned, making the red liquid look smuged. Hermione went back inside the castle and returned to the Slytherin Dungeon. She was not done yet.

For a second, the girl stared perplexed at two beds. Then, she made her decision. The intruder guided one of the sheets so it lay flat infront of her. She then levitated two husky bodies onto it. Wrapping them up in the sheet, Hermione floated them out of the dungeon as well. With the Marauder�s Map at hand, she didn�t feel the need to hide the bulging blanket. Walking to the other side of the school, Hermione dropped the two off in the Room of Requirement. Knowing that they would not wake up for another week.

Oh how tiring this is, Hermione thought as she made her way down to the Owlery. Walking all around the school at night, back and forth, back and forth. I should have planed this a tad better so I wouldn�t have had to make my way from the top of the school to the bottom again.

Hermione walked up to a tawny school owl. He placed his foot out and Hermione tied the letter to his leg. Upon leaving, the girl whispered three words to the owl.

�To Draco Malfoy.�

Tapping the map with her wand, whispering, �Mischief managed,� Hermione picked up a book from her bag and made her way back to Gryffindor Tower, a very satisfied grin playing across her lips.

*

Draco had gotten up from his bed in his sleeping quarters. He couldn�t sleep because of Goyle�s stupid snoring. �Goyle!� he barked. �Goyle! Wake up you oaf!� Goyle, in return, only snored louder. His friend, Crabbe, started to snore loudly as well. Draco�s anger was rising rapidly.

�Alright, that�s it,� he glowered his eyes gleaming vindictively. He grabbed the larger boy by his pajamas. �Wake. Up. You. Imbecile.� Goyle did not stir. Draco let out a grunt from deep within his body as he swung the larger boy into the stone. There was an ear-splitting crack and blood began to drip down Goyle�s forehead. Draco was in too much rage to stop and feel remorseful. Instead, he moved towards Crabbe who was still sleeping soundly.

�Get up you useless tub of lard!� He howled into the sleeping boy�s ear as he shook his shoulders forcefully. Draco had had it. Stepping back, pulling out his wand, he yelled a single word.

�Crucio!�

The boy suddenly flung his chest outward in shock and pain. His body started to quiver as if he had a seizure. Crabbe�s head was flinging back and forth in rapid spasms. He howled in pain as white-hot light coursed through his body � but no one woke up.

Draco did not lower his wand and cease Crabbe�s suffering. Instead, he prolonged it. He held the wand firmly and did not move it in the slightest, all his rage and hatred flowing into the curse. In his cold silvery eyes, there was nothing but a firey fury burning behind the icy spheres.

All of a sudden, Crabbe�s body fell to his bed, still jerking a bit here and there because of all the energy still flowing through him. Draco had not yet lowered his wand. Suddenly, realization flooded Draco. Crabbe was dead. Either that or unconscious.

�Ahh well, son-of-a-bitch deserved it.�

Draco�s temper did not go down. Instead it rose even more. Crabbe had no right to die on him! Draco turned himself to face Goyle�s still figure. And what right did Goyle have to be unconscious? Draco did not question his reasoning and focused his hate to Goyle.

For the second time that night, Draco hissed, �Crucio!�

Goyle writhed in convulsions. After a few minutes of antagonizing screams, Goyle also fell to the ground, giving a final twinge.

Hide� hide� must hide the bodies�

Draco saw himself, as if he was an astral projection, pace three times, a door suddenly appearing, and him opening it to find an empty room. He hid the bodies and slammed the door shut. He continued to pace, his mind not focusing properly, anger and confusion blurring his vision.

Draco then lowered his wand, and realized that he was in the Astronomy Tower. Like in the story by Edgar Allen Poe, the Tell-Tale Heart, Draco could hear not one but two heartbeats thundering in his head. The blond boy pulled at his hair and screamed in agony. Must. Make. Pain. Cease.

Draco hurled himself out of the window, shards of glass stinging his poorly protected skin. The air rushed past his ears so fast that he could not hear anything except for the woosh of the wind. After what seemed like an eternity, Draco collided with the ground, his body bouncing upwards as an aftershock. Then all was black.

�Yargh!� Draco�s eyes flew open in pain. A blast-ended skrewet was biting at his hand. When Draco flung the beast aside, a fiery stream shot out of its rear, singeing his legs. Draco was stiff from his uncomfortable position on the ground. Wait�the ground? Looking around himself, Draco was definitely on the ground, the Astronomy Tower soaring before him with a window broken.

�No,� Draco breathed. �No, it can�t be. It was a dream. A dream, a dream, a DREAM!�

However, despite his notion that the events � of the dream, of course � were all an illusion, glass confetti sprinkled the ground and blood � both his and someone else�s � was smeared across his hands.

�N-n-no,� he quaked, running back to the building. He didn�t stop running until he reached the 7^th year boys� dorm. Inside, he found a mess of sheets littering the ground, and Crabbe and Goyle missing from their tattered curtained bed. �No�� he repeated.

Draco dashed past a few younger years and on to the floor he saw himself on in his dream � it was a dream� right? He ran past the entrance to the Room of Requirement three times, as he had done so last night � no, as he had seen him do � no, as he had dreamt that he�d done so. Opening the knob, he saw a silhouetted lump in a cold, poorly litted room.

�Lumos�  

He moved one piece of the lump� to find that it was Goyle�s limp arm. Frightened, Draco immediately dropped it. He saw their ashen faces, Goyle�s with a small trickle of blood flowing from his forehead. �They�re not dead. They�re not, they�re not, they�re not! And if they are� which they�re not� I certainly didn�t do it�� Draco wasn�t sure if he was trying to convince the air or himself or � as much as he hated to think it � the spirits of Vincent and Greggory.

*

Hermione noticed that a paler-than-usual Draco Malfoy came down to breakfast later than the other Slytherins. She smiled, knowing that her plan was working. Hermione observed that he wasn�t really talking to anyone or eating much when a loud hooting informed the students that the owl post was coming. 

Hermione watched the caramel coloured bird as he flew over the the fair-haired Slytherin. Malfoy looked at the letter suspiciously, than tore it open.

Draco looked down at the unfamiliar scrawl. Then he realized that it was not someone�s penmenship, but rather a bunch of letters cut out from magazines. �Someone really spent a lot of time on me,� he thought, taking a small bite out of a jubjub, a slight smirk appearing � and vanishing very quickly for the letter contained a horrid message.

�I know what you did -�

The multi-colored ink disappeared after he finished reading, giving way to a new message.

�It wasn�t a dream -�

Again, the ink vanished, reappearing with a new statement.

�People are going to notice something�s amiss -�

�Or someone��

Draco was so intent on finding what this letter had to say that he pressed his nose so close to the parchment that it touched slightly.

�And won�t they be delighted to know who was behind it ��

�And what that person used against the missing persons ��

�They will find out you know ��

�And if the numbnuts around you don�t see that two rather large pupils are gone ��

�I�ll be more than willing to fill them in ��

�And one more thing for your guilty conscience to take in��

�I�d put the letter down if I were you ��

�Or burn it rather ��

�But I suppose it�s too late now ��

�You must really be absorbed in this letter not to see ��

�Not to feel ��

�Not to feel what?� Draco asked aloud. Several faces looked at him in alarm but he ignored them and continued reading for the letter had answered his question.

�The bubotuber pus that�s eating away at you right now.�

Draco threw the parchment a foot infront of him. He looked down at his inflamed hands, seeing that large blisters and boils were forming on swollen skin. As he stood up to make his way to the hospital wing, four more school owls, each carrying a small red letter, flew towards him and dropped off the envelopes. Howlers.

Draco tried to gather the howlers so that he could bring them to his dorm where they could explode in privacy. Unfortunatly for him, his engorged hands could not handle the simple task of collecting the thin squares of paper and they exploded.

Four Gryffindor voices boomed through the entire Great Hall, causing all eyes to stare directly at Malfoy in his swollen misery.

�DRACO MALFOY, IF YOU THINK FOR ONE. SECOND. THAT YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH WHAT YOU DID, YOU THOUGHT WRONG! YOU BETTER WATCH YOURSELF MALFOY, OR YOU COULD FIND YOURSELF MISSING A CERTAIN BODY PART ONE OF THESE DAYS!�

The crimson howlers self-combusted and left the Hall in a heavy silence.

Draco started to panick. He couldn�t breathe! His nose had puffed up to a size larger than Pansy�s plastic boobs, blocking off his nasal passages. He made strangled noises, trying to run out of the hall, but constantly tripping due to poor vision caused by his monstrosity of a nose.

Snape swooshed down from the table to assist the young Malfoy to the hospital wing, spluttering grave punishments towards whoever had commited these �heinous crimes�

*

Back in the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry, Ron, Ginny and Aria were complimenting Hermione on the devious ploy she revealed to them.

�I feel awful now ��

�Hermione,� Ron interjected, �the dirty git deserved every single bit of it.�

�Oh, I know he did. That�s not what I feel bad about.�

�Oh? So what�s the prob?� Ginny asked.

�Just� Snape and Malfoy� they�re going to think you four did all that stuff� and Snape�ll take off a whole bunch of points and stick you � and me too, knowing him � into detention. And Malfoy�ll try and get us back for it. I just know he will��

�Well then,� said Harry, �We�ll just take it as it comes.�

�Yeah, it would be worth it all just for that look on his face!� Aria added.

Ron nodded, �Did ya see? Collin was like the paparazzi! Flashes were goin off everywhere!�

�Yeah� I can�t believe he actually ate the Notricus JubJub!� Harry exclaimed.

�I know!� Aria remarked, �He was turning red and yellow and �I Love Gryffindors� was written over his forehead in flashing colors!�

�Remind me to ask Collin for a copy,� said the younger Weasley.

�Wow,� Hermione spoke up, �How much did Fred and George charge you, Ron?�

�Not a knut!� he replied, his grin widening. �It was still in testing mode and I offered to help!�

�So Malfoy really thinks Crabbe and Goyle are dead?� Harry asked.

Hermione nodded.

�And he thinks he did it?�

�Yup.�

�But they�re really under the Draught of the Living Dead?�

�A mild dosage� why?�

�How much do you think we could guilt trip him?�

�I don�t know, Harry. But I don�t think I could do much more� Snape and Malfoy are going to be watching us.�

�Yeah� I suppose you�re right��

�Do you still think we can cut of his�er� member?� Ron put in meekly.

Aria and Ginny snorted with laughter. �Sure, Ron,� Aria managed to say between gasps. �You can cut off his �member� whenever you want.�

�You know you wanna toooouuuuch it,� Ginny giggled.

�Ugh, Gin! Honestly! Go to bed!� Ron pushed his sister playfully.

�You�re not my mother!�

�Yeah, tha�s right! I�m your brother! Now shoo!�