The Next Dark Lord

Unexpected Ally?

A/N: I spend too much time trying to think up an appropriate title for each chapter. This holds up the posting in almost all cases. So from now onwards, I'm posting the chapter even if the title is not ready. Whenever I get one, I'll be back to update it. You readers can contribute as well. Credit will be given in A/N.

A/N 2: Thank you @potterheadbynow for the idea for title. Suggestion given was "An unexpected meeting".

"Granger wait up", came a shout as Hermione was entering the Great Hall for breakfast. Turning back she saw Daphne Greengrass, a Slytherin girl she shared Ancient Runes & Arithmancy with. The fact that she was one of the only two Slytherins not to make fun of her made her wait.

Once she was close she made sure no one was around to overhear and muttered, "I have to talk to you. Immediately after the lunch. In the unused classroom near Runes class". Without waiting for any sort of response, she started walking back. Shaking to clear her head, Hermione started walking towards the end of the Gryffindor table. Better to be alone than hang around her housemates after what happened last night. Being a Saturday, there weren't too many people out for early breakfast.

Half the house thought she was great and living up to the house's values by standing up to their head of house like that, while the other half thought she was being an uppity mudblood who did not know what an honour she was bestowed with. Just like she predicted everyone in the common room practically ordered her to explain the reasons for her action. As she was getting tired trying to explain them that she did not owe them anything, Ron entered the fray accusing her for who-knows-what. The only part she was able to make sense, even with her superior intellect, was 'we were supposed to patrol the corridors together' and 'my chance to have fun'. Knowing that any attempt would be futile, she let Ron blow out all steam.

It was surprising how much less his rants affected her as soon as she decided that he was not worth her time. 'All these days it was me who was making myself sad', she mused. Unexpected advantage of letting Ron carry on was that he cleared the common room of people without much effort in short time. 'Talk about silver lining', she chuckled to herself, internally of course.

While she built herself Porridge and toast Ron entered the hall and sat opposite her greeting her as though nothing happened the previous night, 'typical Ronald behaviour', she said to herself. Building himself a huge breakfast, that would feed at least two, he said that he had got an invitation from Prof. Dumbledore to meet him after dinner. That was when she remembered the note she got from Luna the previous night. She took the note out of her bag and read under the table. When she read that it was an invite to meet the headmaster, Ron was spouting about what an important person he is to get an invite from the great Dumbledore. "I mean we have just got here and Dumbledore wants to meet me personally. It has to be for something important, maybe even Order stuff. I reckon he thinks I'm qualified enough to handle it. Must want to keep quiet from mom about this.That's why he's meeting here at Hogwarts. I mean, even the Potter didn't get an invite like this, even when he was triwizard champion", rambled Ron. The last part of his monologue pissed Hermione so much. This was the way he has been behaving lately. Comparing himself with Harry and coming up with ways why he was greater than Harry The-Boy-Who-Killed Potter. She's had had enough and had to shut him up, at least for now. "I have got an invite as well", she said. For a second she could see the Red descend, but it was gone as soon as it came. With a sneer Malfoy would have been proud of he replied, "You wish. Show me the invite if you got one as well".

"I do not have to show you anything Ronald", Hermione hissed back. At least he knew enough to not push her when she addressed him as Ronald. "By the way, I know you are too thick to work out the P.S. part of Dumbledore's invite. It is the password for the Gargoyle that guards his office. Don't be late. Now I'm going to Library where I can be free of your stupidity". She stood up, gathered her things and stormed out to Library.