The Gloriana Set

Aurors Again

"I don't see why we need to interfere," Draco complained. "Theo can take care of himself."

"I won't leave him to the aurors, Draco." Hermione was tying her Gryffindor tie in front of Draco's huge mirror as Aimee plaited her hair. Draco had snuck her into a nearby bathroom so she could clean up for the day, then disappeared himself as the elf transfigured a uniform for Hermione and dried her curls. Then Aimee fell on Draco at his return, fitting him out in a flawlessly pressed uniform and fastening his cufflinks. The elf looked thrilled; Hermione could tell Draco rarely allowed her to help dress him.

"Fine," he snapped, giving his own tie a final tug. "Thank you, Aimee."

Aimee beamed. "C'est plaisir server maître et maitress!" She disappeared with a crack.

"Do you have an extra robe?" Hermione asked Draco. "And I need a bag."

Draco pulled two black robes out of his trunk. "Do you mind explaining—"

"No time, those aurors could break in any minute. We've already taken too long." Hermione shrunk down one of his robes and pulled it on. She grabbed his leather bag. "Let's go."

Draco tucked his wand and signet ring into his pocket. "Don't boss me like I'm the Weasel," he snapped, following her.

Hermione ignored this and knocked on Theo's door. "Theo!" she called as Draco glared.

Blaise stepped out, with Theo behind him. Both wizards wore silk dressing gowns of green brocade open at the neck, revealing copious amounts of dark chest hair.

"Hermione, thank Salazar," Blaise said.

"Theo, Blaise," Draco said icily, "if you two could possibly put on some clothes ..."

"Ignore him," Hermione told them. "Why are aurors trying to arrest you, Theo?"

Theo was frowning, his dark eyebrows drawn, making him look like a satanic Harry with a sybaritic touch. "I don't know," he said. "I thought they cleared me after the Hunting Shack."

"Who told you the aurors were here?" Draco asked.

"The Snake Charmer's snake," Blaise said. "The cobra came into the portrait in our room."

Hermione nodded, remembering that Theo spoke Parseltongue. She bit her lip, looking Theo up and down. Draco stiffened beside her.

"Get dressed," she told Theo. "Wear your uniform, robe and all, and get your school bag."

"Shouldn't he wear robes?" Blaise asked. "He's a wizard of wealth and inf—"

"No," she said. "Theo is a student here under McGonagall's protection. Blaise, you get dressed as well, and both of you stay down here in your room. Ward the door as strongly as you can. Draco and I will go upstairs."

"I won't hide." Theo strode toward Hermione, colliding with Draco, who had stepped in front of her.

"Stop it," Hermione said, glaring at Draco. She stepped around him and looked up at Theo. "Those aurors have no right to storm a Hogwarts dormitory and snatch up students. We're not going to make it easy for them. Draco, let's go."

Theo hesitated, while Blaise leaned against the door, dangerously seductive in that half-open dressing gown. "Dominating," Blaise said with a smirk for Hermione. "I can see why you like that, Draco."

"I'm not above hexing you right here," Draco told him.

Hermione simply walked off, not looking to see if any of the men behind her were following instructions. She could hear Blaise's carrying voice: "Tell me, boys, is she like that in bed, too, or did she like ..."