Behind Her Intelligence [Dramione] - (BEING EDITED)

Chapter 17

 A dim, small lamp flickered on the desktop, giving out a little light as the man scribbled down some writing on a piece of paper. He dipped his quill in the ink-filled container and continued to write. Soon enough the sheet came to an end and the man put it aside, grabbing another piece of paper. He sighed, furrowing his eyebrows at the sheet. It wouldn't let him write on it. His quill pressed down on the paper and he dragged it down the page but nothing showed up. The man pulled his wand out, taping the sheet of paper with his wand and whispering something under his breath. The paper flew up into the air and landed down on the ground softly.

Another man rose from the paper, a broad smile plastered on his face. He wore a black, top hat and had a black mustache. His eyes were a bright blue, hard to not notice, and he was wearing a tuxedo. He smiled at the man sitting in the desk and walked closer to him. 

        "Lucius. How are things?" The man in the top hat asked. 

        "I was great until you showed up," Lucius scowled, "I need to get these war plans finished before the 19th." The other man laughed, whipping his wand out and zapping another chair besides Lucius. He walked over and took a seat, stretching out his back and cracking his fingers.

        "It's been a long day, sir. A very long day. Lots to do, lots to do," The man replied.

        "I'm sure," said Lucius, "But I have no time to listen to you chat nonsense. Cut to the chase."

        "None of the Dragons want to help, they find it completely useless. They want to stay on good terms with the Ministry, most of them work at Gringotts anyways. Quite foolish for them to join you, in their opinion at least," he answered, taking his hat off and placing it on the desk atop some papers. 

        "Interesting, Zeke. If I remember correctly, when I spoke with them, they were eager to get started," Lucius replied, writing down on a piece of paper mindlessly.

        "Well, Lucius, people change their minds." Zeke replied. Lucius glared at him, looking away from the paper but then quickly gazed back and kept writing. "Anyways, the Werewolves still are undecided. I'm trying hard to convince them but they have enough on their plate already. They're becoming extinct, and the Ministry won't leave them alone. The war did them no good and they're in the middle of a war with each other. Werewolves are choosing sides, and so many of them are dying. Right now muggles are the last thing on their mind."

        "They're lying, don't you think? Werewolves against one another? Very absurd if you think about it," said Lucius. He stopped writing and was glaring at Zeke coldly. He grabbed his top hat and placed it back on his head with a gulp.

        "The trolls are still on your side, as well as the Dementors," Zeke informed him. Lucius nodded and continued writing down on the paper again. Zeke shifted out of the seat and with the flick of his wand the chair disappeared. 

        "And what about Hogwarts?" said Lucius. 

        "Nothing, none at all. Everything is fine there. If I'm correct, I suppose your son isn't doing his job," said Zeke. Lucius got out of his seat, gradually walking over to the man. Zeke cowered at his presence, blinking a few times. 

        "My son, Mr. Atari, would not defy me," Lucius sneered, folding his arms behind his back. 

        Draco looked over at Hermione, who was inventively staring at the hologram that beamed out from the Acerulum Ball. She could clearly see Draco's father talking the man, Zeke Atari, and do nothing but frighten him. The whole group was crowded around Draco as his left hand was placed on the top of the ball. He demanded that he was the one to convince his father to force the Dementors to attack Hogwarts. 

        "Ready?" asked Caiden, putting his hand on Draco's shoulder. Draco nodded his head, raising his right hand up and closing his eyes. Both his hands dropped to the middle of the ball and slowly rubbed them. In the hologram, they could see through Lucius's point of view, but only Draco could read his mind and encourage what he should do. They watched the screen in curiosity but Hermione. She felt worried for Draco, even scared something bad might happen. Why did she feel this way? 

        Zeke paced the room back and forth, Lucius sitting down in the chair. The darkness described the intensity of the room, the shadow of Zeke crossing the room back and forth casting on the wall, and the shadow of Lucius's pencil streaming down the page. 

        "Don't you think that perhaps he doesn't want to kill the muggles? After what he found out this summer?" Zeke questioned. Lucius dropped his quill on the ground and jumped out of his seat before you realized it was happening. He trudged over at Zeke, grasping him in his collar and pushing him against the edgy walls.

        "How did you know about that?" Lucius asked. He then twitched, his eyes narrowing on the man. Zeke gulped, trying to find the right words to say.

        "Y-you're wife," Zeke answered. Lucius twitched once more, letting Zeke out of his grasp, his body slugging down against the floor. Lucius walked back over towards his desk, but then immediately turned back around. His eyes looked around the room, making sure nothing else was around. (Hermione thought, "What else could be there?") Lucius shook his head, glaring back at Zeke. 

        "I think you may be correct for once, Zeke," Lucius spoke, offering Zeke his hand. The man raised his eyebrows at Lucius, but took his hand anyways. Lucius walked back over to the desk, pulling out some papers.

        "Are you alright, Mr. Malfoy?" said Zeke.

        "I'm not sure, actually. I'm having thoughts, Zeke, bad, bad thoughts. I believe Draco is defying me. The castle is perfectly unharmed, no dead mudbloods or half-bloods. I didn't think him finding out about-"

        "I understand, Lucius, but what are you going to do?" Zeke interrupted, agitated about having to listen to Draco's father babble, concerning something he couldn't care less about. 

        "Don't challenge me, Mr. Atari," Lucius warned, following up with, "If Draco isn't going to help me, I have to do this myself. Might as well get the mudbloods out of the way before we murder the muggles."

        "What do you presume we do?"
        
        "The Dementors, Zeke. Send the Dementors to attack the castle," said Lucius, lacing his hands together. 

        "Okay, sir, when?" Zeke asked. Lucius twitched again, not as badly as before though. He unlaced his hands, going back to the desks and looking for some papers. (Hermione noticed they were battle plans and strategies for the war against the muggles.) He grabbed one related to Dementors and handed it over to Zeke. He twitched once more.

        "Exactly one week from today, you send them. Come to me right after and give me the news, understood?" said Lucius.

        "Under-"

        Draco's hand removed from the black ball and instantly up towards his head. He nearly fainted, Caiden leading him over into a chair. Draco leaned back, rubbing his temples with his eyes sealed. Hermione sat in the seat next to him, watching Draco carefully. She felt strange around him, like something was different but she couldn't pinpoint it. Every else backed away a bit, not wanting to crowd him. After a few minutes, his eyes opened, a bright smile on his face.

      "I did it guys, I did it," said Draco, breathing slightly heavy. Hermione grinned at him, placing her hand on his knee. He looked at her, their eyes meeting. His eyes twinkled, gleaming into hers. She could feel his hand, larger but still comforting, slowly be placed on top of hers. Up close, Draco's eyes were more blue than from a distance away. They reminded her of the sky, calm and beautiful. All in one moment, Hermione realized something and she wasn't quite sure how she felt about it. Draco wasn't all that bad and she was somewhat glad he needed her help, even if that meant her parents might die. 

        She then heard Wyatt step closer, with a faint, "Ahem," as he placed his hand on Draco's shoulder. Draco looked up at Wyatt, smirking, and then towards everyone else. They all stepped forward smiling. He repeated, "I can't believe he agreed. Guys, I did it." 

      "You sure did," Hermione replied, an enormous grin painted across her face. 
 

        ~*~

        Draco's blonde hair fell over his eyes, his lips were slightly parted as his eyes scanned down the textbook. His hands toyed with the quill, moving it between his index and pointer fingers. Hermione watched him flip the page and sigh, leaning his arm sideways and perching his head on his unoccupied hand. After flipping the pages a few more times, he began writing on some paper. When he finished, he handed the paper to Hermione and she scanned it within a few minutes.

        "No mistakes. Good job," Hermione smiled, handing him his paper back. He took it happily, placing it on his stack of books. Hermione yawned, stretching her arms out. She looked around the library, noticing they were alone. Even the librarian had left, probably attending a meeting with the teachers. All day today teachers have been in and out of classrooms, heading to 'meetings' (or so that's what they've been saying). Hermione had a suspicion they were taking turns dealing with the oncoming Dementors that are increasingly showing up around the castle. 

        "Well, Draco, I was thinking. How exactly are we going through with our plan? I have a basic idea, but I think we should all get together and discuss it. Don't you think?" Hermione asked, but Draco just sat there staring at her. His eyes beamed at hers, a smug smile teetering at his lips. Her head tilted, and she noticed his eyes flicker between her eyes and her lips. I've never noticed how cute she was Draco thought Her eyes are a gorgeous brown, and her lips look so soft...

        "Draco? Are you listening?" Hermione asked, and Draco realized she had been talking. He mentally cursed at himself, but then shot her a smile, and nodded his head. Hermione raised one of her eyebrows, confused at his behavior. Was he staring at me? she thought.

        "Yeah, I'm listening," he replied. She smiled brightly.

        "Oh, sorry. Well-" Hermione continued, pushing the thought out of her head. Draco once again blurred her words out, admiring her. But just as soon as he started, he stopped. Am I really gawking at her? She is pretty, as much as I hate to admit it. Do I like her? I can't like Hermione, she's a muggle-born. I don't mind muggle-borns much anymore, but imagine what my father would say. Wait, why am I worried about my father? Well, maybe not him...but the rest of my family would hate me. Hold on, why do I care? She's beautiful, muggle-born or not. Do I really like Hermione Granger? 

        "What do you think?" she asked Draco, his mind snapping out of thought. 

        "Wha-yeah," he said, not knowing what he was really saying. 

        "Great! Well, then I'll get Harry, Ron, Cristi, and Ginny. You bring Caiden and Wyatt," said Hermione. Draco nodded with a smile, but on the inside he was screaming. Why was he getting Caiden and Wyatt? And most importantly, where was he bringing them to? Instead of asking, he watched her saunter out of the library. Draco thought to himself, Do I really like her? Probably not. No, I don't. We're friends and that's all. But her eyes...No! Draco, you definitely DON'T like Hermione Granger.