Hidden Passages

I'm sorry it's taken so long to update, but I have the next chapter nearly done. I'm back and happily typing away. Thank you to everyone who is sticking this out with me, I appreciate the support. I have added a warning to this one, only because there is some minor violence.

No monies coming my way. I'm only doing this for entertainment of the free variety.

Thank you hugs and smoochies to Dungeon_Butterfly and EverMystique for reading this over for me and helping me clean up my mistakes. I really appreciate the beta help. Thank you very much.

Thank you DuchessOfArcadia for my lovely banner, it's perfect. It's got everyone in there!

~o 24 o~

Hidden Passages

Considering that almost all of Hermione's free time was devoted to hours of revising or working on her essays, she was thankfully current on all of her class work and reading. Even the six essays which had been assigned over the weekend were outlined, her quoted material copied or paraphrased and her footnotes complete. Hermione rose from her quick, early morning bath and returned to the bedroom, seeing her clothes laid out on the bed for her. She shook her head; she really missed the days when weekends meant slipping into comfortable jeans and a jumper. She dressed in her school clothes, leaving the robe on the bed, and pulled out the parchments of annotations regarding Occlumency and the book Luna gave her on the memory palace. She walked over to the windows and opened them, smiling at the Hufflepuff players on their brooms flying in the pitch. The sun was still low on the horizon, its soft, dawn glow making everything look fresh and new.

She turned and sat crossed legged on the rug on the space on the floor by the fireplace to read over her annotations, selecting the sheet with Severus' admonishments. '... similar memories can lie along similar threads associated by common emotions...' So, I have to be careful that the doors I make are not emotional entries. 'Memories are associated with feelings as well as sounds, sights, smells, and textures, even tastes.' Right. 'Legilimency doesn't utilize your five senses...' So, he can't actually sense them the way I do, but he can feel them, is that it? '... it uses your emotional connection to the memories ...' So, if I do shut my memories away in rooms, my rooms have to hold my feelings associated with these senses inside, encapsulate them... like putting things in boxes on a shelf.

That was where she'd get hung up – she couldn't suppress her emotions. She could catalog them, sort them, and separate them, but that was different than suppressing them.

Hermione closed her eyes and mentally walked herself through her memory palace. The castle corridors were as clear to her – as tangible as the castle itself. Sounds wafted from the windows: birds, the crack of a Beater's bat, the hum of the wind and rustle of the curtains. She forced herself to focus on nothing but the stone corridors and the main rooms of the castle. Now, what are my most dangerous memories... My Occlumency lessons – keep them in the bedroom. My DA activities, keep in the Room of Requirement. My conversations in the common room...

She opened her eyes. She was going to have to create a false common room and dorm – too much planning, too many discussions happened in the Gryffindor tower that could be very dangerous for the Dark Lord to see. The normal activities – those weren't a problem, revising with Harry and Ron, helping them with their essays... he'd like seeing those times, but the planning – no. I have to do something about those memories.

"What I need is a secret entrance to a Gryffindor common room," she mumbled with a sigh.

"Miss wants to know the secret entrance to the red and gold rooms?" Peren asked.

Hermione turned to look at her, confused, and saw two sets of ears peeking up from the other side of the bed. "I know; it's behind the Fat Lady," she replied.

Peren shook her head as she placed the fresh pillowcases on the bed. "The house-elves do not use the student's way, Mistress. We is not to be seen by the students when doing our duty, Mistress."

Hermione smiled as she recalled the route Peren and Trinna had taken her the day she tried yoga with Luna. "Do the house-elves have a secret passage to the Gryffindor Common room?"

"Oh yes, Mistress. We's have secret passages to all the rooms," Peren said with a huge grin.

One of the other house-elves peered at them from around the bed. "No, you can'ts tells her," the elf, possibly a male, hissed loudly.

Hermione ignored the other elf. "Peren, show me," she said excitedly, climbing to her feet. "Take me to the Gryffindor common room."

Peren pulled on her ear as she looked up at her, her forehead wrinkled, her eyes worried and her grimace askew. "I cannot, Mistress. Peren is not to let Mistress come to harm. The bad men is roaming the castle, and the mean teachers is watching the students. Mistress, it is not safe for mistress without master or mistress' follower to go in the castle today."

"Is there a way to go from the Headmaster's tower to the kitchens without being seen?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, Mistress. A tunnel, Mistress," Peren exclaimed, motioning for Hermione to follow.

"Peren is not to show students the tunnels," the elf said, stepping out with his hands up to block them.

Peren whispered something to the elf. The second elf, a female, shook her head while the first, definitely a male, tugged on his fingers. "We is not to."

"Miss gives Dobby clothes!" the male said angrily. "Miss is not to be trusted."

"I didn't understand about the symbiotic relationship that the house-elf servitude offers house-elves and what it means to you to have a home to serve. I thought that all slavery was wrong," Hermione said in her defense. "I didn't even know house-elves existed until my second year, and I was shocked when I found out that Hogwarts even had house-elves my fourth year. I was brought up thinking all slavery was bad – I didn't understand."

"And you do's now?" the female asked.

"Mistress is the nicest mistress Peren ever has!" she said emphatically. "She gives Peren a pillowcase off mistress' own bed for Peren, and I has a pink pet, Peren's favorite color..."

"Miss is a student," the male interrupted. The elves all started talking at once, softly, heads close. Finally the female looked up. "Dustin and Kwink will show miss. But miss must keep tunnels a secret. Miss must promise."

"I promise," Hermione said, crossing her heart.

The elves looked at her action as if it was strange, then Kwink shrugged, leading the way. Hermione flowed behind the house-elves, down the stairs into Severus' office. Behind the pillar at the base of the stairs was a carefully concealed small door Hermione had to crawl into. The room was elf-sized, but much larger than the plastic dog house at Severus' house. It was immaculate, containing a nice bed and a table where the pigmy puff sat in the wicker cage. Hermione recognized Peren's tiny pillow and blanket on the bed.

"This ways, miss," Kwink said, leading her through a tunnel and down stairs that Hermione had to occasionally crawl or stoop low to pass. Surprisingly, the tunnels and stairs were as immaculate as Peren's tiny room.

Eventually she found herself stepping into the kitchen. She stood there, smiling as the elves clustered around her.

A squeal could be heard louder than the others, saying, "Her-my-ne, miss! Harry Potter's friend!" Dobby appeared before her, hands clasped in joy, his smile radiant. "What is Miss want of us?" He was wearing a pair of tan children's shorts with supports, Ron's old sweater, and two miss-matched socks with little trainers. He had one of her knit hats on his head with a 'Potter Stinks' badge pinned on his chest.

"Dobby, you look wonderful!"

"Thank you, Miss," Dobby said as elves handed Hermione a cup of tea, a sliced apple, and a fresh brownie still warm from the oven.

"My mistress wishes to know secret way to the red and gold rooms," Peren stated.

There were immediate gasps, grumbles, and squeaks throughout the assembled house-elves. "Dobby will shows Harry Potter's friend," he said, taking her hand.

Even though the majority of the house-elves seemed against it, Dobby opened the porthole behind Hermione. Unlike when she'd followed Kwink, Dobby explained which stairs and tunnels went where as they made their way up through the castle. Several times, they had to cross corridors, so Dobby and Kwink both peeked out around the edges of the tapestries before summoning Hermione and Peren to follow. Finally Dobby opened a small door.

Hermione crawled out of the doorway and into the Gryffindor common room. The house-elf entrance was in the far corner to the right of the fireplace opposite the room from the Fat Lady's hole. She turned around, amazed to find the room empty, and realized that from this side the small door looked like just one of the panels under the bookshelves. "Where else can you take me?"

Dobby smiled. "Dobby can show miss the swimming pool," he said in a delighted squeak.

With the excitement of her excursion, Hermione nearly missed lunch. Dobby and Kwink had shown her all over the castle, even letting her peek into the dungeons before taking her back to Severus' office. She ran into an irate Severus Snape on the stairs. "Where have you been?" he snarled.

"Peren was showing me her bedroom," Hermione lied, surprisingly convincingly enough.

His eyes narrowed as he thrust her robe at her. "I was about to send the portraits after you!"

She smiled, knowing that wouldn't have done him any good.

"Let's go," he snarled, indicating for her to go down the stairs. Considering his dark mood, she walked in silence until he said, "After lunch I'll escort you to the Quidditch match."

Hermione replied, "All right," politely, then bit her lip at his dark scowl and looked away. He was really fuming, and she hoped he'd get over it soon.

As Hermione and her friends finished eating, Hermione followed along with the conversation, listening to Ginny, Demelza, and Gryffindor's Beaters, Keith Kleith and Jimmy Peaks, speculate on the Quidditch match between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. As soon as the plates were cleared, everyone hurried out for the Quidditch pitch. Hermione found herself drawn along with the throng, arm in arm with Ginny, until Severus took hold of her other arm.

"I told you, you were to wait for me."

"What's wrong with sitting with my friends?" she asked, embarrassed to be treated like a small child in front of everybody. Ginny waited patiently, but Kleith and Peaks shifted nervously under Severus' glare.

"We can keep her safe enough in the stands," Ginny said and shied when Severus' glare turned on her.

Hermione saw VanHalal, Travers, and MacCavish making their way to the pitch. Apparently they were going to be sitting with the teachers, so now that was the last place she wanted to be, anywhere near them. "I'll be safer with my house mates than I would be in the teacher's stand, Severus," she said, pointing to the Death Eaters.

Severus's eyes narrowed, and Hermione turned her head, seeing Neville and Seamus waving at her to join them, along with Janilynn Waithe, Jenny Wang, and Breanna Enfield. Severus seemed to be watching her friends and the students filing into the pitch as well. "Fine, but you are to meet me immediately afterwards," he said sternly. "You got that? You are to be on the ground as soon as the Snitch is caught."

Hermione nodded and promised him, then hurried over to her friends. "Well that was close; imagine having to sit with the Carrows and her security goons during the game?" Ginny said as they started up the stairs.

"Good thing MacCavish wanted to be in the teacher's seats," Breanna said over her shoulder from the steps above Hermione.

"You'd've been hexed – or worse for sure," Jenny added from behind Ginny.

Janilynn turned her head, squinting as they came out of the stands into the light. "Let's sit by Stephanie and Ernie," she said, pointing. "More wands."

Stephanie Adams, Jack Sloper, and Ernie Coppersmith all smiled as their group took the row above them, and Demelza, Keith and Jimmy filed in to sit on the top bench. Ernie leaned back to ask Neville, "You don't think they'd really do anything here, do you?"

"Keep wands handy just in case," Neville said, patting the sixth-year on the shoulder.

Hermione looked quizzingly at him, but he only smiled. "Better safe than sorry."

"What did you hear?" Hermione demanded.

Ginny shrugged as the whistle went off, and the Quaffle was released.

Garrett Shadwell, commentating for the game, announced that Zacharis Smith won the tip off.

"Charles, Sean, and Paul," Ginny said, pointing at the Hufflepuff Keeper and two Beaters. "They're in the DA now; and, well, they overheard MacCavish tell Rowle after breakfast that with Cillian away and Severus scheduled to meet with the governors this morning that you'd be easy pickings. Rumor was you were missing this morning, so we called everyone to search for you. But then you showed up for lunch with Severus so we knew you were all right."

"Yeah," Seamus said, leaning around Neville. "If you're going to go missing, could you at least warn someone? You do know how to make the coin work, right?"

Garrett Shadwell announced loudly, "Charles Swindlehurst, Hufflepuff's Keeper, hands off the Quaffle to Zane Seymour, and she's off, making a run for the goal. Oh, look, Sean Nauman blocked the Bludger from hitting her!"

"I was fine," Hermione said, now glad that she'd explored the house-elf tunnels with Peren, Dobby, and Kwink instead of going to the library as she'd planned.

The Hufflepuffs roared as Garrett Shadwell shouted, "... and Gerald Summerby scores!" and all her friends clapped or whistled as well.

"All I'm saying is that we were worried," Janilynn said. "Apparently the Headmaster has a meeting with the staff tonight as well – or so we heard, so if you go wandering off – tell us so we can come find you."

"... and Summerby pulls a Dementiva dodge, tosses the Quaffle to Zacharis Smith. Smith dodges a Bludger and Plansky rolls! Oh, he nearly collided with Koomer! He shoots... Yes, scores! The Quaffle got in the lower hoop before Christopher McCracken could block it."

"Good shot!" Janilynn shouted, jumping in her seat.

"Zach is taking a lot more chances this year," Ginny stated. "His aim has really improved as well."

The game moved swiftly. Garrett Shadwell gave a play-by-play as Zach knocked the Quaffle away from Koomer. Koomer flew half the pitch and made a wild throw intercepted by Summerby, who shot to the goal hoops and scored ten points for Hufflepuff.

Zach caught the Quaffle, but Plansky knocked it from his grip. Brigegman caught it, made a daring drive, shot for the goal posts and scored ten points for Ravenclaw. Zach caught the Quaffle and made an amazing pass to Summerby, but Sean Nauman collided into him, successfully keeping the Bludger from hitting him in the head. However, Koomer snatched the Quaffle only to lose it to Zane.

Zane chucked the Quaffle at the left goal hoop, but it was blocked effortlessly by McCracken. McCracken threw the Quaffle a fourth of the field to Anthony Brigegman, who caught it and flew the length of the field, making a diversionary dodge around Zach that set him up for the goal, giving Ravenclaw another ten points.

Charles Swindlehurst threw the Quaffle to Gerald who passed it to Zane. Zane managed to pass it back to Gerald to score just before Paul Peterson nearly ran into her, making her swerve as he stopped a Bludger from hitting her on her leg.

Hermione glanced up as the Ravenclaw Seeker, Stewart Ackerley, made a spectacular twisting roll and reversed his direction, making a steep dive straight for the teacher's stands.

Alecto drew her wand as she stood up, but Hagrid clamped a hand on her arm, making her nearly fall on her face. "Unhand me, you oaf," she screamed as Stewart swerved in time to miss the professors and raced down the wall of the pitch as Hufflepuff's Seeker, Owen Cauldwell, a lanky, speckled boy, turned sharply, colliding with the wall.

MacCavish and Rowle both stood up, wands pointed at Hagrid. Even from where Hermione sat, she could tell that Severus was obviously angry as he tried to get control to the situation. Travers and Amycus were also defending Alecto now, and Professors McGonagall, Sprout, and Sinistra all stood up to defend Hagrid.

Hufflepuff scored, and then Ravenclaw, both goals missed by the spectators since a majority of the students watched in shock as the teachers and Death Eaters squared off. Even Garrett Shadwell ceased commentating on the game as he stared at the commotion and had to be reminded to update the score. Finally, as Ravenclaw made another goal, the tension in the teacher's box settled down again, but Hagrid had left the box.

"Oh, my gosh!" Janilynn exclaimed. "They made Professor Hagrid leave?"

Hermione was distracted by another spectacular save by the Hufflepuff keeper.

As Garrett Shadwell announced, "Swindlehurst tosses the Quaffle down the field – wow what a throw... and Yes! Gerald Summerby caught it!"

Hermione looked up and saw Hagrid take a seat in the Hufflepuff stand. Hagrid crossed his arms, looking dejected until Hufflepuff scored and then he cheered along with the students.

After what seemed like hours to Hermione, Stewart Ackerley made an astonishing move along the wall of the pitch directly under the Slytherins and caught the Snitch, giving Ravenclaw a hundred and twenty point victory over Hufflepuff.

Hermione leaned over to Ginny to whisper in her ear as the students around her burst into applause. "I have to get on the ground, now!" she shouted over the roar as she rose to her feet. Ginny lightly smacked Neville to get his attention and indicated to Hermione. Neville nodded and nudged Seamus' shoulder as he moved to lead Hermione out of the stands. Janilynn Waithe and Jenny Wang saw them leaving and nudged Breanna Enfield, who tapped on Stephanie's arm to get her and Ernie to follow.

Hermione felt ridiculous, having nearly all of Gryffindor's sixth- and seventh-years leaving the stands with her. She was even more surprised to see Terry Boot, Michael Corner, Claudia Ramirez, and Geraldine Smothers emerging from the Ravenclaw stands and heading their way. "The DA stands by their own," Seamus said with a sharp nod of his head. The group marched Hermione over to the celebrating Hufflepuffs. "You weren't the only one they wanted to get their hands on."

Her inquiry of "Why?" was lost amongst the cheering and laughing as Hermione was engulfed within the Hufflepuff students. She happily congratulated the students she bumped into, wondering who was being singled out as well.

Luna appeared in Hermione's line of sight, standing next to Swindlehurst and Ackerley, holding a small rock in her hand. "You're improving on your dive, but you still don't trust your broom," Luna stated dreamily to Stewart Ackerley.

He looked at her, his forehead wrinkled and his eyes narrowed, but Luna was examining the shell-shaped rock she'd picked up. "I look forward to the Quidditch game between Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Draco doesn't like plunging dives for the ground, and he tends to break out to hard. But he flies fast so I think you're well matched."

"Er, thanks for the tip," Ackerley said, his attention diverted by a housemate.

Janilynn Waithe pointed to the Carrows walking away from the pitch. "I think it's safe to go now."

Ginny hooked her arm with Hermione's. "We're going up with Hufflepuff, so act like you were favoring them to win. Besides, with the majority of the school watching, and surrounded by a hundred students, it'll be hard to get at you."

"Ginny, surely," Hermione stated to say, but Janilynn cut her off.

"They threatened to get you," Breanna stated. "So don't say it isn't anything to worry about. Besides we're only going in for dinner, so what's the big deal?"

Hermione hoped they were right, but another quick glance at Severus told her that he was still angry.

When they reached the castle, her friends started guiding Hermione to the Great Hall for dinner. She turned around, looking for Severus as she sat down, and saw him watching her with a scowl on his face.

Severus approached Hermione just as the plates cleared for pudding. "You're coming with me," he said in a tone that made her cringe inside.

She said good night to her friends and followed him from the hall, surprised when Draco caught up to them on the stairs. Great. "Going to the library?" she asked Draco, mentally chanting, say yes, say yes...

"Nope, I'm spending my evening insulting you," he said with a smirk that faded when Severus scowled at him.

"I'd rather you chose the library," she mumbled.

"He's going to be in the tower with you – and you will get along," Severus snapped.

He'd been in a bad mood all day, and Hermione wondered if it had anything to do with her being gone all morning or what Ginny mentioned about the Death Eaters.

Peren approached her as soon as Hermione entered the sitting room. "What would Mistress like Peren to gets her for pudding?" she asked with hopeful eyes.

Remembering the brownie, Hermione asked for one, topped with ice cream and chocolate fudge.

Peren disappeared before Draco opened his mouth. "Well, that was..." He was cut off when Peren returned with two plates with ice cream sundaes atop fresh baked brownies. "That looks good."

Hermione sat down at the coffee table, frowning when Draco joined her on the floor. He shoved his bag over by the sofa and helped himself to one of the brownie sundae treats.

"Merlin, this is good," Draco commented after a few bites.

"Typical Muggle treat," she chided him, closing her eyes as she took another mouthful. When she opened her eyes, he was staring at her, his expression unreadable. They ate in silence, Hermione watching the fire more than Draco. When she'd finished, she pulled out her Dark Arts essay.

Draco snatched the parchment. "'Maleficium, the Latin term meaning wrongdoing or mischief, is used to describe malevolent, dangerous, or harmful magic, such as evildoing or malevolent sorcery. In general, the term applies to any magical act intended to cause harm or death to people or property. This type of magic would be invoked to kill, more specifically, the Avada Kedavra or Killing Curse, or to cause extreme pain, such as the Cruciatus Curse. Other acts of maleficium include: to steal, to injure, to cause misfortune, or destruction,'" Draco read aloud and smirked as he handed it back to her. "Droll. Not your usual standard, I'm sure."

"He only wants a straight definition and examples," she pointed out. "No point writing anything too complicated – it confuses him."

Draco smirked at her comment. "Okay, that's part of it. Your basic categories are: sharp, pointed or pointy, prickly, caustic, severe hot or cold, love or sexual spells, binding spells, and illusions."

"Oh yes, I forgot, you're quite proficient in the Dark Arts," she said mockingly with a sideways roll of her eyes.

"I'm adept in them, yes," he said snidely, setting his spoon in the dish.

She studied his calm mannerism critically. "How much experience do you have?" she asked, curiosity getting the better of her. She knew that Severus had taught him Dark Arts over the summer, but wondered just how excessive those lessons went.

"Much more than you," he said, bending his leg and resting his arm on his knee.

She waved her hand dismissively. "That's not saying very much; I've only used what I've learned in class."

"And that's not much at all. You and your Gryffindor friends are simply target practice for those of us who are on the right side," he stated, smirking at her.

Hermione jumped slightly and turned to face him more squarely. "What do you mean – target practice?" she asked alarmed.

"Haven't you noticed that Breanna Enfield and Charlene Weston are rarely singled out? Yet you, Longbottom, Finnigan, Brown, and Patil – well, she's not picked on as much as you other four."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him, trying to divine why he'd mention that. Surely they're not siding with Voldemort? Breanna was part of the group protecting me... but...? Weston?

"Which one shocks you? Patil? Engaged – or will be this Christmas hols. Weston as well, but she doesn't wear her ring. Miss Enfield is already betrothed, I believe, but nothing will be said until June when it will be made formal."

Hermione sucked in her breath. "To whom?" she breathed, unable to find any strength to her voice.

Draco laughed. "They haven't said anything? Aren't you close to your own dorm mates? Oh, that's right; you're here in your tower, married to Severus Snape, Death Eater and one of the Dark Lord's favorites."

Hermione simply stared at him not daring to taunt him, because it might make him too angry to tell her. "Charlene Weston is betrothed to Egmont Bole – he was a Beater on the Slytherin house team. His family is good friends with the Warringtons and Flints," he added when Hermione didn't recognize the name.

She still couldn't remember him. "And Parvati?" she asked softly, hoping for a better match for her.

"I'm not really sure, but I think its Edgecombe's eldest son," he said offhandedly. "But then I don't follow the social register like my mum does."

Hermione picked up her quill and tried to concentrate on listing the curses, by category as directed by Amycus. He didn't even want more than the name, incantation, and the wand movement for each one.

Pointed: Needling Hex – Compunxi; wand movement is a stabbing poke.

Knife-Edge Curse – Mucronis; wand movement... point and cut downward, like a knife.

Stabbing-Pains Curse – Punctim: a pointed thrust movement, opposite of Caesim which is a thrust and cut movement.

Piercing-Pain Curse – Perfigo, another thrusting point movement.

Shooting-Pain Curse – Valdacus; again, a thrusting slash movement...

Hermione set her quill down after finishing all the ones she found in her assigned book. None of these were especially hard to remember. In fact they were downright simple; the incantation was usually close to the equilivent Latin word for the name or affect of the spell, and the movement, as one might expect from the name, as if using a knife or a sword to do the act. She started on the category prickly, realizing that she knew most of them already. Stinging Hex, Itching Hex, Tickling Hex, Tongue Blisters... Lingua vomica – blisters on the tongue! The accompanying picture on the page made her sick to her stomach, the huge blisters, several oozing pus and blood on a grotesquely swollen tongue. "And he's going to let them use this on us?!"

"Which?" Draco asked, looking up.

She saw him swallow hard and exhale from his mouth as he looked at the picture, then shoved it away.

"You've seen this one, haven't you?"

"Yes, it's not pretty." He turned to look at the window. "The counter curse only works in the first few seconds before the boils start to burst. It's Lingua mederi, but it's nonverbal, and you end up swallowing... you don't want to know."

"Swallowing what?" she asked, feeling a panic that it had to horrible if he couldn't even say it...

"The scabs," he admitted, looking sick and wrinkling his nose. "It's better than the alternative."

"The alternative?"

He refused to look at her as if refusing to respond. She stared at the picture and noticed that the sores did appear to be on the inside of the mouth as well. She looked down at her parchment, counting how many she'd done so far. She had all twenty, thank Merlin. "Draco, do you think we could quit for now. I'm not feeling so good, and I'd like to... take a bath."

Draco nodded in understanding. "Sure, too much for you, eh? It's all right." He collected all his things. "Remember about the Tongue-Healing Charm. It's easy as long as you think your mouth, throat, and tongue, and really want it to heal and you can't panic – it won't work if you panic."

"Draco, who...?"

"Leave it. It's none of your business who," he snapped as he stood up and walked away. "I'll see you in class. Enjoy your bath and think of something else, okay."

Hermione watched him hurry past Severus without saying good bye. She turned and headed for the stairs, wondering who'd he'd seen cursed with the Tongue-Blisters Curse.

Severus reached out and touched her arm. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I just finished my Defense – well, Dark Arts assignment," she replied dolefully.

His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What upset Draco?"

"The Tongue-Blisters Curse," Hermione answered. "He's seen it, but didn't tell me on whom."

"The Dark Lord used it on Narcissa when Draco and I returned to the Manor the night Dumbledore died," he said, his voice strained to maintain a smooth aloofness.

He'd witnessed Mrs. Malfoy... The picture of the woman gagging on her blistered tongue, the thought of the blood and pus running down her throat haunted her. "Why did he do that?"

"She came to my house."

Hermione looked up at him, her mouth agape. "He did that to her because she paid you a social call?"

"I can't tell you why," he added sternly and let go of her arm. "Why were you looking that particular curse up?"

"Amycus Carrow – his assignment – he gave us a list of spells to write out the incantation and the wand movement... so we could do it in class." She covered her mouth and stepped back. "So they could do it on us!"

Severus' eyes narrowed, darkened, and grew cold. "Not if I have a say in it he won't," he snarled and turned. "You are to learn the counter curse for each curse you wrote about tonight. Do you understand me? Each one. If you cannot find them – ask me."

Hermione's hands were clasped together against her lips as he turned around, her breath making her finger warm with each breath. "Of course," she said, watching him go. She had nervous knots in her stomach. If he reacted like that just because... and Draco... She turned and hurried up to the room to write Draco's warning and counter spell on a slip of parchment.

She could hear Peren filling the tub for her. "Peren, I need you to take this to Ginny or Neville. It's really important."

"Yes, Mistress," Peren said, taking the parchment and disappeared.

She sank down into the hot water and tried to calm her racing heart. She closed her mind and forced herself to picture her memory palace, mentally constructing new tiny elf-sized doors, many concealed behind tapestries, statues, a section of stone, or a panel, much like the real house-elf doorways to hide her secrets behind. Eventually she relaxed, absorbed in the process of organizing and rearranging her mind.

It took time to selectively organize her thoughts into new classrooms – replicas of the larger ones for the memories she didn't want anyone, specifically the Dark Lord to find, putting all her personal memories into places she could now easily hide.

The water cooled and she drained some of it, turning on the hot water tap with her toe. She could calmly imagine her hidden passages: the corridors, all the duplicate rooms, and the small concealed doors, mentally mapping it all out carefully, like a secret Hogwarts inside her Hogwarts. All the tapestries, statues, paintings, suits of armor, and windows she knew so well in the real castle, hiding all the secret entrances and carefully concealing them from view. The only room that remained the same in her memory palace was her library – her ever increasing library.

As the water cooled again, Hermione's memory palace was a solid to her as the real castle and as definite in her mind. She dried off, slipped into the green night slip Peren had laid out for her and crawled into bed.

"Your hair is wet," Severus stated from his side of the bed.

"I dried it the best I could with a towel," she replied, knowing that only did half the job on her curls.

"Sit up," he demanded.

Sighing, she complied and turned her back to him. A warm heat engulfed her head. "Thank you." She pushed the covers off to go get her hairbrush.

"Where are you going now?" he asked in the darkness.

She turned, confused. "To get my brush." The door slammed closed before she reached it, and she whirled to face the bedroom. "What...?"

His hands landed on the door and wall on either side of her, making her press her back against the door. "You are not to hide from me, ever. Is that understood, Hermione?" he asked, his voice cold and low, making shivers run down her spine. "You are not to leave this tower without my knowledge, nor are you to wander from this castle, for any reason, without my consent. Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?"

She tensed, her lips quivering at the anger in his tone. It became hard to breathe normally at the forcefulness of his words. He hadn't spoken to her like this since her first days of her capture. "Y-y-yes," she managed to croak out audibly. She tried to move away and he stopped her.

"If I have to I can and will apply the same wards on the stairs going up to the sitting room as in my house," he warned her. "It is not safe for you to wander around the castle and grounds unescorted."

"I wasn't wandering around the castle, and I wasn't alone, I was with Peren!" she said petulantly, even stomping her foot. "Now, it's late and I'm..."

"Not done with you," he snapped. She crossed her arms and sighed stubbornly, her eyes now fully adjusted to the exceptionally dim light. He slapped his hand on the wall by her head and stood back, standing with his arms crossed glaring at her. "I want to know where you were. And don't' lie to me, I know you were not in this tower."

"No, I wasn't, not really. I went with Peren to see where she goes when not in the room – I was curious." She leaned against the door waiting.

"And that is all you're going to tell me?" he asked, and for a minute she thought she'd won.

"Fine, have it your way," he growled, his teeth barred as he exhaled. "You will not be able to open the door from now on." He grasped her arm, yanking her with him to the bed.

She noticed that the covers were pulled slantingly across the bed to the floor from his hasty exit, but his grip on her arm as he thrust her toward the bed made it impossible not to trample on them. As she tried to turn to sit on the bed, she slipped on the corner of the sheet and fell, crashing into him. He caught her, sort of, tumbling onto the mattress in a heap, his hand landing on her breast. Hermione tried to sit up as he extracted his hand, putting her foot on the mattress, and her head collided painfully with his collarbone. "Ouch!"

"Well, you shouldn't have tripped me," he snarled as he tried to right himself while she squirmed to find a seating position, accidently knocking his arm in the process. He fell on top of her again.

"Stop struggling," he snapped as she started to laugh. "Only you would find this amusing." He was now straddling her on all fours – but she still had one leg hanging off the mattress. "Scoot up and try to avoid banging into me." He shifted as she brought her leg up and tried to move toward the headboard. Now he was straddling her legs, his hands on either side of her waist, staring at her chest intently.

She realized what he was staring at – the night slip had pulled down, revealing her breasts above the neckline.

"What am I going to do with you?" he asked. His tongue flicked her nipple once before he sucked it into his mouth as his hand slid slowly down her side, making her move slightly toward the center on the bed.

Hermione forgot about his anger as she closed her eyes, enjoying the attention of his mouth on her breast and the feel of his hands sliding under the slip on her skin. "Anything," she groaned.

"Anything?" he asked as he raked his fingernails down her sides, making her arch her back from the tantalizing tickle. His nose bumped her abdomen as he descended down her body.

"Yes," she replied, raking her nails wherever she could touch him.

"Good answer," he replied and flicked his tongue at her groin. "Open up for me, Hermione."

She complied as he raised her legs, bending her knees to open her fully to his gaze.

"Lovely." He thrust a finger into her as the tip of his tongue made circles on her sensitive spot.

"I thought you were mad at me," she said with a moan, fully enjoying the attention he was lavishing on her. He was such a complicated man; first he was furious with her, being rough with her, and now he was ravishing her as if nothing had happened.

All he said was, "Hmmmm," against her clitoris as his fingers stroked her, and she gasped from the sensations, immediately feeling her orgasm build. He shifted, making the feeling ebb, and repeated the action, exciting her again and frustrating her at the same time. A soft chuckle escaped his lips, doing the same thing to her as his hum, but he ignored her squirming and pleading as he continued to ravish her core and clitoris. Her orgasm hit hard, making her scream and thrash, pleading for him to stop stimulating her with his fingers and tongue.

Instead, he flipped her over and pulled her to her knees, entering her from behind and repeatedly thrusting into her hard and unrelenting strokes.

She was still sensitive from her orgasm, squeezing down on him with each thrust, her breasts bouncing to his rhythm. Hermione tried to relax, but his fingers found her clit, and he flicked it as he thrust, increasing the tension inside her. She grasped one breast, trying to keep them from swinging, and he bent over her, making her shoulders collapse onto the bed.

"That's it, play with yourself," he urged her.

She could barely respond; the sensations from his fingers and the way he moved brought her to orgasm again.

"That's it. Scream it, Hermione," he said, pulling her up against his body, still stimulating her roughly. "I want to hear you scream."

She clutched at him, her nails digging into his flesh as she pleaded for him to relent. "Too sensitive, Severus, please... too much..."

"Say it," he demanded, bending her forward, holding her to him with one arm as he pounded into her, his fingers still manipulating her below. "Scream for me."

"Severus, please, please," she pleaded, getting louder and louder, the sensations never ebbing, the last orgasm seeming to build again as if never ending. "Severus, I – I can't – I...stop. Oh, gods, Severus, stop – too much – SEVERUS, NO! GODS, NO!"

"Say it," he growled. She could tell by the huskiness of his tone that he was close to his own orgasm. "Say my name."

Her body seemed to explode and melt at the same time, all coherent thought except his name escaping her. "SEVERUS – OH, SEVERUS – GODS, SEVERUS! HOLY SHITE, SEVERUSSSSS!"

He grunted, growling in her ear as he made one last thrust and pulled her down on his shaft with both hands, burying himself deep while holding her so tight he was hurting her. He was shaking as much as her own body, the pounding of her heart even seeming to skip a beats as her labored breathing made her lightheaded. She felt limp in his crushing embrace, unable to move or collapse. She could feel his hot breath on the base of her neck and the heaving of his chest.

He finally moved, half collapsing, half stretching as they both lay out on the bed, his arms still tight around her. She felt his penis slip from her as he snuggled her to him, his body wet with sweat, and knew that he'd fallen asleep.

Hermione lay in the dark, listening to his breathing until sleep took her as well.

~o0o~

Sunday morning, hundreds of owls flew into the Great Hall during breakfast, each dropping several copies of The Quibbler on the house tables. Ginny snatched the publication before it landed in her eggs. "Oh, get this!" she exclaimed, holding the paper for Hermione to see the headlines.

It was hardly necessary, all around the Great Hall, on every table, a bright yellow band bore the words, Support Harry Potter, in huge black letters. 'It's your duty as free wizards to support Harry Potter,' was in strong, bold, neon print across the middle.

Hermione leaned close to Ginny and read the read the article with a grin. "His articles certainly are bold." However, as she read, certain phrases and statements popped out at her, veiled sentences of the truth, scattered throughout the paper.

"Luna's dad must have a new journalist," Ginny remarked, turning the paper over.

"Why do you say that?" Janilynn asked on her other side.

Ginny turned her head to look at her. "It's the answers to one of the quizzes in the column titled, Mystic Crosswords."

That was not the answer Hermione was about to give, and she looked at Ginny questioningly.

Ginny put the paper down and looked at Hermione and Neville. "Have either of you got a quill on you?" Neville handed her his. "A friend of prince hamlet," Ginny said aloud.

"Horatio" Hermione answered, thinking that an easy clue for a crossword puzzle.

"The color of sapphire? Blue. How to eat an orange? Peel it," Ginny rambled on. "These are really easy... wait." Ginny tapped the paper with her wand, saying, "Horatio's blue peel," and gasped. Some of the words on the paper turned blue.

"'Need a way out, go to the street near Cresant Park in Heathfield or St David's Station near Muggle University in Exeter noon. Will provide transport. Magnolia crossed south. Baines all out of house fine. Burns ten all six r fine now.'"

"Burstein – could that be the Burnsteins?" Janilynn asked softly. "I read about them. Their house was the target of a raid; it was burned down and the family was killed."

"'Kennel and drew gates in hid 'ing – hiding.' Kenneth and Drew Gates? Really?" Ginny said, her mouth falling open. "The Quibbler is hiding messages about friends and families. Oh! 'Carmichael wife freed. Hordes escaped Ministry free, not a lie. Weasley and Potter accused of breakout.' Ron and Harry!"

Neville frowned at his copy of The Quibbler. "'Thomas boy wanted for robbery at Ministry – it's now confirmed that Mr. Dean Thomas, wanted for confirmation of his Muggle-born status, took part in the mass escape from the Ministry of Magic late Thursday, apparently aided by two other wizards – one confirmed as the notorious Harry Potter! The other wizard suspected to be Ronald Weasley' – they are alive!" he said and looked up at Ginny with a huge grin.

Hermione was elated.

"It says, that 'the subjects were all awaiting their hearings before the Muggle-born Registration Commission regarding their eligibility to carry a wand and use magic'" Seamus read aloud. "'... During the mass breakout, a locket was stolen from Dolores Jane Umbridge ..." He looked up confused. "Why would Dean steal a locket from Umbridge?"

Hermione quickly grabbed her cup to hide her shocked expression. They did it! They have the locket!

"What do you know?"

Hermione turned to stare at Ginny, knowing that she couldn't tell her or try lying.

"What do you know?" Ginny repeated, now turned in her seat to face Hermione.

"Gin, I'm not sure, really – only a – well, I hope... Without asking Dean, I can't be sure. We've got to get mirrors, and then we'll know for sure. But the article in the Prophet about the progress of the Muggle-born Registration Committee blood status trials – they lied."

"Oh course they lied!" Ginny exclaimed. "Where have you been? The Prophet is as slanted and riddled with Voldemort's propaganda as it was my third year – after Cedric Diggory died, and Harry announced that Voldemort was back!"

Hermione saw MacCavish rise to his feet. "Gin, stop it!" Seamus warned. "Travers and Rowle are glaring at you, and they're getting up, too."

Hermione turned to look at Severus, surprised to see him striding toward her.

"You are not to say his name – you spawn of blood traitors," MacCavish snarled, pointing at Ginny from across the table. Jenny Wang and Stephanie Adams, sitting across from Janilynn and Ginny, tried to move down the table from MacCavish as he loomed over them to glare at Ginny and Hermione.

Ginny paled slightly, but raised her chin to look up at the Death Eater. "But Dumbledore said –"

"Miss Weasley, on your feet now," Severus said coolly, his expression furious. "Hermione, you too. Now!"

Hermione scrambled to her feet and faced Severus. He was glaring at Ginny. "Follow me," he snapped. "MacCavish, I have this under control."

"Yes, sir," Hermione mumbled, feeling sick of being cloistered away in the tower when the morning had begun so promisingly.

Severus led them outside and down the path. "Where are we going?" Hermione whispered.

"To serve a detention of hard labor," Severus said softly.

Hermione looked at his back, not understanding what he could possibly mean.

Severus stopped once they reached the school's greenhouses, opened the door to greenhouse five, the one never used for lessons, and ushered the girls inside. The garden greenhouse was huge inside, with rows upon rows of every kind of vegetables in all stages of growth. Hagrid looked up as Severus approached. "Hagrid."

"Headmaster," Hagrid replied formally, standing straighter.

"These two have violated the Dark Lord's taboo. They are to weed the entire greenhouse as a detention," Severus stated. "I shall be back to collect them before lunch."

"Yes, sir, Headmaster. I will be glad to supervise their detention, sir," Hagrid replied as if speaking to a commanding officer.

Severus nodded and drew Hermione aside. "Call for Peren if MacCavish or Rowle enters."

"Yes, sir," Hermione said as she nodded. "Severus, why –?"

"When you say his name, we feel it, Hermione. There is a Tracing-Tracking Spell on the name as well – he feels it. Now I have to send him a report that the students abusing the right to speak his name, a right not even his closest followers are allowed, have been properly punished. Not in a manner he'd have chosen, but effective in my own opinion," he said softly. "Now, if either MacCavish or Rowle come in here, have Peren take you to my office immediately."

Hermione nodded again and watched him leave. Hermione could see MacCavish standing outside the door when he opened it, and she heard Severus order him to return to the Great Hall as the door closed. Hermione rubbed her hands on her upper arms as she walked over to Ginny and Hagrid, examining the neat and weed-free rows of green beans, tomatoes, peppers, and broccoli.

"So what are your plans today? Well, besides enforced gardening," Ginny asked, pouring herself pumpkin juice into a glass where a wide path of flat dirt separated one garden patch from another. "Here, want some?"

"I don't get it?" she asked, looking around. "What weeds?" The rows of leeks, cabbages, carrots, and beets were neatly laid out with freshly laid manure.

"There aren't that many, wha' with all yeh kids being sent ta me for their detentions," Hagrid said, sitting on a sturdy bench with his ankles crossed. Hermione sat down next to him. "This is me garden," he said proudly with a wave of his hand. "When the weather gets bad, I grow everythin' in here. Well, me and Professor Sprout, o' course."

"We either come in here or the animal paddock, well, the older students do, and occasionally we have to go into the forest with Hagrid. But mostly, we visit – er, do our detention in here," Ginny said, smiling up at Hagrid. "Beats the alternative."

"Such as?" Hermione asked, sipping on the pumpkin juice.

"Detention with them Carrows," Hagrid replied with distaste. "Don' wan' any of yeh with them." Hagrid stood up. "Now then, 'cause yeh have to have dirt under yer nails or them Death Eater's will think I wen' soft on yeh... we can... pick tomatoes and leeks for dinner." He picked up two huge baskets. "Now just pull 'em up, cut off the roots and stack 'em in the basket."

It didn't take as long as Hermione thought it would. Halfway through, Zane Seymour and Farrah Chambers, a fourth-year Hufflepuff, joined them. The task Hagrid gave them was dividing sweet potatoes, dipping them in Root-Starting Solution and planting them.

"So what is your plan this afternoon," Ginny asked, wiping her forehead with her sleeve.

"Most likely sequestered in my tower, revising and working on my essays," Hermione said with a heavy sigh.

"Great, some of the girls will come up and see you," she said with a grin. "At least I will."

Severus came to collect all the girls before lunch, sending the Hufflepuffs and Ginny running for their common rooms to clean up. Severus waited in his office as Hermione washed up, and escorted her to the Great Hall. By the time she'd finished eating, he was waiting to escort her back to their tower.

"Where is Cillian?" Hermione asked, hurrying beside him to keep up with his long stride.

"Out on personal business," Severus said coolly without even turning his head. Only when they were in his office did he bother to look at her, frowning, arms crossed, and his feet planted firmly a shoulders-width apart. "So are you going to tell me where you were for four hours yesterday?"

Hermione stared at a design on the cover of a book lying on his desk. "I was with Peren," she replied and waited, her hands clasped in front of her. He was silent, his body rigid, watching her. Hermione simply stood patiently for the inevitable questions. The bell on his desk broke the silence. "That would be Ginny."

"You're expecting her?"

Hermione looked up and shrugged. "She's my friend. Friends do things together – talk, you know–"

"Enough! Fine. Allow," he snarled. "This isn't over. I don't want you lying to me."

Her head lilted to the side as she sighed. "I wasn't hiding!" she implored, knowing that he'd be even more furious if he knew the truth. "I wondered where Peren went to at night, and she showed me." A sharp knock on the door gave her a moment reprieve. "You do know that I detest house-elf mistreatment, don't you?"

"Oh, really. You think I was unaware of your pathetic attempt with spew." Whoever was at the door knocked again. Severus waved his had dismissively in the direction of the door, wandlessly making the door open, and barked, "Enter."

Hermione was not pleased to see Draco Malfoy. "You may revise in the sitting room," Severus said and walked around his desk.

Draco smugly indicated for her to show him the way. Hermione glared at him, went up stairs and picked up a book to read, opening the book to the marker. He watched her, leaning casually against the bookshelf with his arms crossed. She kicked off her shoes so she could curl up on the sofa. Draco walked over and sat down next to her. Hermione turned to lean against the armrest with her knees bent so she could rest the book on them. He turned sideways, one arm on the back of the sofa.

She turned the page, wishing he'd stop staring at her. "What?" she finally asked.

"You're ignoring me. It's rude."

She sighed and starred at the book, forcing herself to concentrate. "I wasn't expecting you. Don't you have some revision to do elsewhere?"

"We could do some spell work," he offered as he angled his head to try to catch her eye.

She finally finished one paragraph. "I am not allowed a wand."

"We could practice wandless."

She exhaled and looked up at him, then back at her book. "I'm not able to do wandless."

"You're not really reading," he stated.

She looked up at him again. "Not with you jabbing away." She let the book slide down her thighs. "Why? What could you possibly want to talk about?"

He rested his head against his hand. "We could talk about class."

"Which one?" she asked, feigning interest as she turned the page.

"What interests you?" he asked.

"Magical flora and fauna, gossip regarding the interpersonal relationships of my classmates, hair and fashion trends of the teenage witch, Quidditch guys on brooms, and makeup tricks to make my lips and eyes look fuller," she said and started to chuckle. "You?"

"Personally, I like the female Quidditch players," he said with a smirk. He picked up a Potions journal Severus had been reading. "Besides, you don't wear makeup."

"I have, but only for special occasions," she replied, picking up her book.

Draco snickered – actually snickered, lowering his head as if to conceal his derisive laugh behind the journal. Hermione bristled at the action, lifting the book and tried to tone him out. They sat in silence for a while, the only sounds in the room, the turning of a page or the snap and crackle from the fire.

"You like magical flowers," Draco said softly, shaking his head. "Who'd have thought?"

"I'm intrigued by them, all right," she said curtly, burying her nose in her book. "So why are you here, besides to annoy me?"

"What? Can't a guy just want to hang out with you? After all, you're used to hanging out with guys, aren't you?" he asked, still holding the journal open on his lap. "I thought you were best mates with Potter and Weasley. Heard from them lately?"

Hermione bristled and lowered her book. "No, and even if I did, I'd not tell you about it. You'd just go and tell your Master. So bugger off, Malfoy."

"Unfortunately for you – I've agreed to keep an eye on you," he said and turned so he could prop his feet up on the coffee table.

"I don't need you keeping an eye on me, thank you very much, so you're free to go. Oh, and tell your father when you see him next that even his money can't buy my friendship."

This struck him; Draco's turned and glared at her. "My father wouldn't stoop so low."

"You'd like to think so," she replied, wishing he'd leave. "That's not what was said at the Halloween party. Even your master wanted to know how we were getting along." She thought of going up to the bedroom, but he'd probably follow her there.

"Of course the Dark Lord wanted to know how we are getting along – because he wants to know if you're behaving yourself. You have a tendency to get mixed up in stuff you should've left well enough alone, and involve yourself on the wrong side of things. You don't have that privilege anymore – this is his school, or haven't you noticed?"

Although his tone didn't have any of its normal bite it was condescending. "I am well aware of that, thank you," she replied tersely. "I am reminded of my precarious position on a daily basis."

Draco looked up. "I didn't mean... Merlin, you are a pain in the arse, you know that?" he asked with a roll of his eyes. "What's wrong with trying to get along, anyway? Why is it so difficult for you? It's not as if you have better options."

She ignored him, shifting slightly and returned her attention to her book.

"Why is this so hard for you?" he asked, closing the journal and holding it on his lap. She looked up at him quizzically, and he frowned. "Us. Why do you fight me all the time?" His frown deepened when all she did was raised her eyebrows at him at the ridiculous question. "I'm trying, damn it! I don't know what to do to get you to see that I'm trying."

Hermione set the marker in place and put her book aside. She stretched out her legs as she leaned forward and gently took his left hand. She tightened her grip as she shoved his sleeve up exposing the lower half of his Dark Mark. He tried to pull his hand free, but she had a good grip on him.

"Because of this! I know you don't mean any of it, Draco. You are only being nice to me because you've been told to." He jerked his hand away, and she smirked at him. "If it weren't for my situation here – the fact that I am your Lord's captive – you'd still be calling me a Mudblood and hexing me any time you could get away with it. That's why. Don't think I'm oblivious to reality. You don't like me anymore than I like you."

"You're wrong," he mumbled, barely audible.

"Pardon me? What was that?" she asked, sure that it was some snide remark.

"You were at least tolerable at Severus' house," he snapped, reaching for the journal that had fallen on the floor. He stood up and walked around the coffee table.

"Leaving?" she asked, hopefully.

"Looking for a better book," he snapped.

She turned back to her book.

"What are you reading?"

She looked up. "A wizard's account of World War II. Apparently, some wizards joined the armed services during the war."

"Mostly the Muggle-borns," Draco stated, sitting in the chair nearest her, "although there were some wizards who took an active role in the war. When they lived in Holland, the Pendlehursts smuggled Jewish wizards into their basement."

"I'm reading about a man who hid Jews in his attic," Hermione stated, now curious. "The Reeders had a home in Amersfoort, Holland in 1942. His parents hid Jews at the request of the Dutch resistance movement. Did you know the Pendlehursts?"

"No," Draco said, leaning forward to rest his arms on his legs. He stared at his hands. "Aunt Andromeda knew them. I just knew about it."

"You know this war has a lot of similarities to that one," she said brazenly.

He sat up sharply. "It's not the same at all!"

"Really? Then you should be the one revising your history. There are a lot of similarities; Death Eaters – very much like the SS. A charismatic dictator bent on the genocide of people simply because of their bloodlines – I'm surprised I'm not sporting a star or something on my chest. And the Muggle-born Registration Commission trials to prove who worthy to carry a wand, people being sent off to prison for having the wrong parents... just like what was done to the Jews. Nope, nothing in common at all."

He sat back, and a tick flickered in his cheeks as he regarded her through narrowed eyes.

"Do you really think that this war is so different? Do you really think that Hitler's ideals are any less twisted than your Master's? Are you really that blind, Draco?"

"I don't have to listen to this," he said, jumping up and turning to go.

"Deny it all you want – you're a member of the wizarding Schutzstaffel, the Death Eaters are little more than the Dark Lord's SS. The Gestapo, secret state police, kept a close watch on activities," she said over her shoulder, "just like you and those Security wizards, MacCavish, Travers, VanHalal and Rowle, have been enlisted to keep a close watch on activities here at school and elicit new recruits. Amycus Carrow is trying to sway the students into accepting and using the Dark Arts, training up new recruits. The Daily Prophet and Alecto Carrow are promoting the Dark Lord's propaganda. The Death Eaters have taken over the government and the media, started segregating the population, segregated the school, just like Hitler did in Germany. Surely you know your European history, Draco?"

The room became very quiet. Hermione even began to think that maybe Draco had left while she'd been talking. She turned around, surprised to see Draco still standing in the room staring at her. "You're wrong," he said again.

"I happen to know that all the history books are still in the library, Draco. If you don't believe me, go read them yourself." She knew that she was taking a huge risk pushing him like this, but he couldn't deny the facts.

Draco turned and slowly walked out of the room. Hermione shrugged and turned back to her book.

~~~o0o~~~