Lost: Dramione Story

Chapter 3: Fear its Self

"Malfoy" I muttered stepping back, my head spinning slightly "sorry, I don't seem to be myself this morning"

"did you just apologise to me? You certainly aren't yourself Granger should I call Madame Pomfrey?" sarcasm, but I a kind, funny sort of way. Merlin, what had he done in the last few weeks to become this person?

"I really mustn't be" my head finally cleared up and I was able to take stock of the situation "so, you're back at Hogwarts"

"as are you. I thought they'd have made you Minister of Magic by now"

"I think I'll leave that one to Kingsley" I said "sorry, I meant Minister Shacklebolt. Why are you here?"

"NEWTS" he said, stating the obvious.

"you're sitting the NEWT's?" I scoffed.

"i've to do something"

"right" I tried to keep that bite in my voice, but it just didn't feel right to be mean to him. Not now. I was an adult now.

"how are you finding it?". Why was he asking me that? And why on earth did it sound like her actually cared?

"amazing" I smiled "good to be back"

"okay then" he looked slightly confused. I felt a bit dazed. I hadn't eaten. I just had a cup of coffee. "Granger" Malfoy put a hand on my shoulder "you still in there?". I shrugged his hand away, my head flashing back to the last time he was that close to me.

"yeah" I walked past him. He called my name, but I just kept walking trying to shake the memories out of my brain. I didn't need this today, last night was a blip. The old Hermione was back and no one, not even Draco Malfoy would change that.

******************

Hermione,

This job at the ministry is insane! We're learning so much stuff. It turns out throwing a couple of spells out and running away is not how they do it as Aurors, although I think we did okay before. Has Ginny picked the Qudditch team yet? I hope the food is good.

Talk soon,

Love,

Ron x

He was never really a man of many words. But to at least know he had thought to write had been enough. I tucked the letter into the back of my Transfiguration book. He'd ask about me the next time I wrote. I climbed the twisting stairs towards Professor Vance's classroom. Emmeline was a trusted member of the Order and a former Auror. By the looks of it a fantastic DATDA teacher. She smiled and gave me a wink when I entered the classroom. I smiled back, it was comforting to have to somebody there who had been in the fight long before it arrived at the gates of Hogwarts. Luna slipped in the door behind me, followed by Nevil. "hey" Neville whispered as Vance began the class. I gave him a small wave before Emmeline waved her wand and the desks and chairs disappeared.

"Welcome"Vance's deep red cloak swished around her ankles. "I understand for many of youbeing back in this classroom seems rather absurd" she smiled "how and ever, I endeavourto give you the best tools to win over any dark forces you may meet as well asany pesky NEWTS's", the class grumbled a laugh. "now", she walked to centre ofthe room as the class formed a circle around you. "you have all studied thepower of boggarts before. However, I did not want to begin with anything too taxing".Boggarts, I smiled at Lupin's memory, swallowing the lump forming at my throat."I shall summon it, allowing to pick one person from the circle at a time. I trustyou all remember the charm well enough". We all nodded eagerly. "wands at theready". I tremendous style, Emmeline waved her wand around her head and a darkcloud appeared above her. A whispy black being slithered from the cloud untilit set it's eyes on a Ravenclaw girl across the room. I could tell this Boggartwas nothing like ones we had faced before. It warped and spined until settling onits form. A gigantic wolf. It prowled around the room. The girl froze her eyeswide. "Come along Sinead don't play around" Vance crooned from across the room.Sinead waved her wand and the wolf was suddenly wearing a pink bonnet. The roomburst into a daze of laughter. Until the thing turned and set its eye's onNevil. Suddenly, Luna was in the Boggarts place, lying lifeless on the ground. Thereal Luna tensed beside me; I grabbed her hand. Neville was quick to wave hiswand "Ridicklus" he yelled. An old-fashioned French mime stood in Luna's place.The tone of the room had suddenly fallen quite sombre. The Mime's eyes turned blackand looked at me. I readied myself. But when it warped and continued to do sountil a woman stood before me. My head began to explode as painful memoriesflooded in. Her black hair tangled and curly, her dress ripped and her wand asbent and jagged as it had been the last time I had seen her. Bellatrix, BellatrixLestrange. My throat closed up. My knees buckled, I couldn't breathe. Across theroom another part of the boggart lay, me as I had been in Malfoy Manor, but Iwasn't alone. Harry and Ron were lying there too. Dead. We were dead. I feel tothe ground, I felt someone calling my name, a voice i recognized and then it all went black.