Disclaimer: I own my growing love for Chrno (from Chrno Crusade) but I shall never own Harry Potter or my Draco. See the my? That shouldn’t be there. -sigh- Here I come Chrno! (Who I also don’t own. I need to make an OC…just kidding!)
Parenting Class
The Entrance of a New Terror
The next few days flew by in a blur, a whirlwind of color and sound. When Draco had awoken the next morning after the storm, Hermione had greeted him from the couch where she was reading a book, voice calm and even. Pretending nothing had happened. And Draco had replied in the same tone, realizing it was better to forget the whole matter. It’d be easier on both of them.
Butterscotch continued to wreak havoc on everything in sight, especially seeming to like Draco’s shoe collection. The Slytherin had gone out and purchased new ones after the puppy had chewed his old ones, but there was really no point. Even when Draco had his door closed, Butterscotch managed to get in and attacked his shoes, each time leaving with one as a prize.
But they were slowly (very slowly) training the disobedient puppy. Hermione had found a book at the library and was having Harry start to teach the dog, often having a large bag of treats on hand for a job well done. But it still didn’t stop Butterscotch from chewing Draco’s shoes.
Potions classes weren’t half as horrible as they used to be. Of course, Snape was never as nice to Harry as he had on his ‘babysitting’ night, but he wasn’t mean either. More of a neutral with once in a while a small smile or a kind word at a random Gryffindor.
Draco had dragged his godfather off to the Hospital Wing after he congratulated Neville on his potion(which was even scarier then normal since Neville was only five and had only added one ingredient into the mixture)and had the mediwitch cast an examination on him, desperately hoping something was wrong. It wasn’t the fact that he didn’t like Snape being nice to others, but the fact that as Slytherins they had a reputation to uphold of being nasty. Not that Draco was sticking by the rules much…but Snape was supposed to! He was head of house!
But to the boy’s dismay, Pomfrey pronounced Snape perfectly healthy. After that, Draco kept an extra eye on the Potions Professor; afraid he’d launch into song and hug a Gryffindor or some other scary image like that. The only thing that reassured him was when he pictured Snape giving the Weasley twins what they deserved.
Ron had developed a new sense of freedom after Lavender had pronounced him all better after his encounter with the Nundu. And unfortunately, Ron’s new visions brought more disaster to those around him. Transfiguration class was a mess when the boy managed to let out a full cage of rattlesnakes that were supposed to be transformed into rattles. But with McGonagall and Hermione’s quick actions, every single reptile had been stunned before they bit anyone.
He’d also managed to blow up half of the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall (no one still had any idea how he got a hold of Terry’s wand), turned everyone’s hair rainbow colored, and irritate the mandrakes so badly in the Greenhouse next door that they’d all bit him and he’d gone up to the Hospital Wing to be treated once more.
Pansy and Blaise had their hands full the last few days with Neville, who seemed to have gotten an acute sense of paranoia after the storm and was convinced he was going to get struck by lightning unless he was touching one of his guardians at all times.
So, in light of Neville’s discovery he had to be carried at all times or he wrapped himself about one of Pansy or Blaise’s legs and would refuse to let go, making walking extremely difficult. Although this new fear of his did keep him from getting into more accidents, seeing as he was almost never walking around.
It was a nice, quiet morning with all of the Rainbow Room’s residents still sound asleep, even Butterscotch. So Draco wasn’t very happy when he heard the jester shouting that Professor McGonagall was here and needed to come in.
Grumbling and rolling out of his nice warm covers, he went to answer the portrait. “Yes, Professor?” he yawned, going over and flopping on a couch. “Isn’t it a bit early for this? It’s only seven.”
“Yes, Mr. Malfoy, I’m aware of that. I merely came by to drop off the potion for Mr. Potter. We’ve decided that it’d be best to give it to them while they’re sleeping…we had several incidents last time.”
“Like what?” Draco asked curiously, taking the bottle from McGonagall.
“I won’t give any names out, but we had several guardians severely injured since the child thought it was poison. We were yelled at severely by one set of parents for disrupting their charge’s sleep schedule, some missed dinner and others kept their childish antics though dinner. To avoid problems like that again, we’ll be administering the potion to the child while he or she is still asleep so then they’ll be awake by lunchtime, with hopefully no side affects this time.”
“When does Hermione get the potion?” the Slytherin queried.
“In two days from now. So, on Monday morning I’ll bring some down before classes start.”
“All right…thank you, Professor.”
McGonagall nodded and swept from the room to deliver the other potions before anyone woke up. “Was that McGonagall?” Hermione asked sleepily, exiting her room. “Does she need the prefects for something?”
“Nope. She came to bring this for Harry.” Draco held up the red potion and Hermione’s mouth dropped.
“It can’t have been two weeks! We still had one left from yesterday!” She flew over to the calendar hanging on the shelf next to the bookcase, looking for the little red potion bottled she’d drawn signifying Harry’s time was up. “What’s today’s date?”
“September twenty-ninth.”
“But that’s when…no…”
“It’s time to change him back, Hermione. McGonagall wants us to give Harry the potion while he’s still asleep…less complications that way. Look on the bright side, we get to have you next.”
“You call that bright?” she snorted, wiping her eyes. “I’d choose better words Draco.”
“Entertaining? Thrilling? Dangerous?”
“Last one sounds good.”
“You love books. You love studying. All Harry and I will have to do is bring you to the library and we’ll do fine.” Hermione merely gave him a smile before turning and heading for Harry’s room, Draco trailing.
The child was thankfully still sound asleep, one arm wrapped around Butterscotch and the other holding tightly on to the blankets. “Do you want to give it to him, or me?” asked Draco, fingering the bottle as he looked at Harry.
“It doesn’t matter,” Hermione said softly, sitting down next to Harry and running her fingers through the unruly hair.
Draco gently pressed the bottle into her hand. “You do it.” The girl smiled at him through tears and uncorked it.
“Can you hold his head up? I don’t want him to choke.” Draco nodded and pulled Harry into his arms, the boy stirring but not waking up, though Butterscotch let out a slight growl and hopped off the bed, now too cramped for the dog’s liking.
Seconds later, Harry had swallowed the cure, Draco placing his head back on the pillow and then moving so that when Harry began to grow bigger he wouldn’t get in the way. Hermione, sniffling, hopped off the bed and stood next to Draco, both watching as the boy began to stretch out, his features becoming sharper and shoulders more broad.
“He’s back,” Hermione whispered, dropping to her knees next to her best friend, clasping the boy’s hand tightly.
“Come on,” Draco said kindly, pulling Hermione to her feet. “He’ll wake up around lunch…sitting here isn’t going to do anything.”
The Gryffindor allowed herself to be hauled from the room and onto the couch, where Butterscotch looked up at them and whined softly. “It’s okay,” Hermione told the dog. “You can go see Harry now.”
“So,” said Draco, settling himself down in the armchair. “Anything you’d like to tell me about yourself before you turn little?”
“Nope,” she smiled, taking a deep breath to control herself. She knew that at least when Harry was older he wouldn’t be as changed as Draco, but the whole thing with Voldemort was going to creep him out. And of course, he’d never be able to look at McGonagall, Hagrid, or Dumbledore again…and never go in the same room with Snape. “You get to find out everything when you see me.”
“That’s not fair!” Draco pouted.
“How so? Harry and I didn’t know anything about you. And neither of us knew about Harry.”
“But you keep saying how you’re dangerous…if we get hurt, you do know you’re paying for it, right?”
“Can’t say I do. As the parents, it’s your job to watch out and make sure nothing happens to me. Or anyone else for that matter.”
For the rest of the morning, Draco continued to try and pry something from Hermione, both still in pajamas and not quite hungry for breakfast. But Hermione did an excellent job of evading the questions, leaving Draco fuming and frustrated.
They were in another staring match (Draco kept winning them. Score 18-Love) when Butterscotch let out a short bark. Both turned to look at Harry’s door, where the sixteen year old was emerging from. He gave them both a small smile, the dog in his arms.
“Hey, Harry,” Hermione said, returning the smile. “How are you feeling?”
“Exhausted,” he admitted, sitting down on the couch next to his fellow Gryffindor. “And a little shocked too…so much happened. I mean, I got a dog!” A thought suddenly struck Harry. “What am I going to do over the summer? My uncle will kill me if I bring him home!”
“Oh, you’re uncle isn’t going to do anything,” Hermione growled. “I’m going to go teach that man a lesson.”
Harry looked startled, then realized what he’d said as a child about his uncle. “Oh no, you don’t have to do that, Mione! Really, I’m fine now.”
The girl cast an appraising look over her friend. “So you get fed well? You don’t do excessive cleaning? You have clothes that fit?”
“Yes,” Harry assured. “Remus and a few others yelled at him right before summer last year, and said they’d be keeping an eye on me, and if I wasn’t happy they’d come get me. And Moody scared them quite a bit so they’ve been fine.”
“Still,” she sniffed. “I’m going to go have a talk with your uncle anyway. What he did earlier in your life wasn’t right, and I’m going to give him a piece of my mind.”
Harry sighed. There was no point in arguing since he knew Hermione would follow through with her quest. “But what do I do about Butterscotch?” he asked, scratching the dog behind the ears. “Even if you talk to him, I don’t think I’ll be allowed to keep him with me…Dudley is allergic.”
“If you don’t mind, I could take him to live with me. I don’t think my parents would mind.”
“Tell me, Harry,” Draco smirked, eyes glinting playfully. “What are you going to say to Grandpa when you see him? And Aunt Minnie and Uncle Haggy?”
Harry moaned and put his head in his hands. “Do you think they might pretend it never happened? Actually, don’t answer that,” he said, as Hermione opened her mouth. “I’m more worried about Snape…”
Draco’s smirk grew wider. “I must bring my camera for this,” he grinned. “Oh, the horrors awaiting to be captured forever on film.”
“And I have something even better,” Hermione laughed. “I got some nice bonding moments between Harry and Snape. They’re so cute together! Like an uncle/nephew relationship,” Hermione corrected, seeing the looks of terror cross over both boy’s faces.
“But how?” Draco questioned. “Neither of us were here…”
“True,” she grinned. “But…” Crossing the room, the girl jumped up and pulled something off of the fireplace mantle. “I had it programmed to take a picture every two minutes,” she laughed, seeing Harry’s eyes widen in disbelief. “So we should have plenty of adorable moments to add to our poster!”
“Haven’t these run out of film yet?” Harry asked desperately, hoping beyond hope that Hermione’s camera had stopped taping before the night was over.
“They can’t. They’re made to never run out of film until we take the roll out to have it processed. Unfortunately, we have to give them back to Dumbledore at the end of the project…they’re very expensive. But that’s beside the point.”
“So…are you okay with all of this?” Draco asked Harry warily. “I mean…I know I was pretty messed up…you feeling okay?”
“Aww, still playing the parent,” Hermione smiled. “But seriously Harry,” she said, turning to her friend. “You all right?”
“Yeah…I’m fine, really. A little shocked, a little surprised, a little embarrassed, but other then that, I’m pretty good. And I have some apologies to make. I’m really sorry about the dolls…I didn’t mean to hurt either of you. And about the incident in the hospital wing the first day…I didn’t intentionally have Pomfrey push Draco down the stairs or get you both mad at each other.”
“It’s all right,” Hermione laughed. “We’re over it.”
“And I’m really sorry about the lance,” Harry grinned, his face splitting.
“Oh, I’m sure you are,” Draco grumbled.
“And I’m sorry for-”
“Harry, it’s okay,” Hermione interrupted. “You’re forgiven. I mean, if I was to apologize for everything I do when I’m a kid, we’ll be here for a few days.”
“She’s joking,” Draco assured. “You are, aren’t you?”
“Nope,” Hermione chirped. “You two are going to be in for some major fun.”
“But I really want to say…thank you. To both of you. Although the teapot thing-”
“I’m sorry!” cried Hermione! “I didn’t mean to! I’m really, really-”
“You’re forgiven. Although what I said was true; I really don’t want to see tea for a while.”
Draco nodded. “Just like I don’t ever want to see a lance again…or another doll.”
“How about we all head down for lunch?” Hermione suggested. “None of us have eaten since dinner last night and we can go meet up with everyone else.”
“Sounds good,” Draco and Harry agreed together.
After putting Butterscotch in Harry’s room (Harry said that his puppy wouldn’t chew anything of his, Hermione hoped he was right) they set off for the Great Hall. “Hey Harry!” Ginny greeted, running up and throwing her arms around his neck as soon as he’d entered.
“Nice to see you again,” he grinned, planting a kiss on her cheek. “How’s Ron doing?”
“Can you believe her?” the redhead in question snarled, coming up to the group and jerking his head at Ginny. “She lied to me! She said her last name was Weal!”
“And she saved you a lot of questions,” Hermione laughed, hugging Ron to her.
“Still,” Ron grumbled.
“And you know what I think?” Ginny continued. “Both of you are going to head up to the Head Table and apologize to Snape.” Ron looked at her as if she’d sprouted four heads. “You owe him for saving your life after the staircase, not Harry’s fault of course. And you especially Ron, need to apologize for the whole ballerina thing. Now go.”
“You can’t be serious,” Ron moaned. “I was calling him Professor Scary, remember? I’ll be lucky if he doesn’t curse me as soon as I approach. I also stabbed him in the butt with a fork and did that thing in Potions with the animals and-”
“You stabbed Snape with a fork,” Hermione repeated, a large grin filling her face. “Oh, you naughty, naughty Ron. Now you have to apologize.”
“You can’t make me,” Ron sniffed, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Oh, we can,” Hermione and Ginny said together, drawing their wands and pointing it at him. “Now both of you go up there and say you’re sorry.”
“Better do as they say,” Harry muttered. “I’m going.” Ron, after shooting a death glare at his sister (he couldn’t be mad at Hermione) followed his friend up to the Head Table.
“Can we go get something to eat while they talk?” Draco whined. “I’m hungry. And how about we eat at my table? You’re all old enough to take care of yourselves, right?”
“Sure,” Hermione agreed. “I haven’t seen Pansy and Blaise in a while anyway. You game, Ginny?”
“Why not?” The trio headed over while Harry and Ron cautiously approached Snape.
“Umm…Professor?” Harry asked quietly. Snape looked up from his meal, a scowl on his face. “We just wanted to say,” he continued quickly, “that we’re sorry…for everything. And I wanted to thank you for…umm…being so nice to me when you watched me.”
Snape offered Harry a hint of a smile, and the boy sighed, realizing he’d been forgiven. Turning to Ron, Snape waited for an apology. “I…Uhh…I’m really sorry too,” Ron muttered. “About everything…specially the tutu thing and the fork…”
Snape raised an eyebrow. “I’d expect you to be, Weasley. Why don’t you go take your seat before I have you announce to the hall what you did.” Ron gulped nervously and hightailed down to where Hermione and everyone were.
“Hello Harry, Ron,” Pansy greeted, taking a bite of pudding and mentioning for the boy’s to sit next to Blaise. “How’d the talk with Uncle Sev go?”
“Not too bad,” Harry said, taking a peanut butter and jelly sandwich from the platter. “He forgave us at least.”
“I still don’t think he’s very happy with me,” Ron glowered. “Stupid git…”
Draco, Pansy, and Blaise all glared at him. “He did save your life you know,” Pansy pointed out. “You could be a little nicer.”
“Fine, fine, I’ll be nice.”
“So it looks like you get to be little next,” Draco smirked at Blaise. “That’ll be fun.”
“If you say so,” the Slytherin sighed. “I’d much rather just skip it.”
“I’ll take good care of you,” Pansy assured, smiling at Blaise from across the table. “And Neville will too…wherever he went.” At that moment, the accident-prone boy came dashing into the hall and raced over to the Slytherin table. Before anyone could blink he’d thrown his arms around Harry in a hug, before quickly retreating.
“I’m so sorry Harry!” he exclaimed. “I never meant to bump into Hermione! I turned you into a teapot!” he wailed.
“It’s okay, Neville,” Harry comforted, standing up and patting the boy on his shoulder. “It was an accident.”
“But I turned you into a teapot! What if you’d been stuck? Or if there was no cure?” Draco choked on his pumpkin juice as he burst into laughter.
“There wasn’t one,” he chuckled. Neville didn’t wait around to hear the rest…he fainted.
“Next time, don’t say anything,” Hermione sighed.
“What do you mean?” Harry panicked.
“There wasn’t a cure,” Draco repeated. “It was discovered by accident while we were there though, so no worries.”
Harry merely nodded, scooting away from Hermione in case she accidentally hit him with another spell.
The rest of the day, and the next one, passed rather normally. Harry did run into Dumbledore, and had blushed and looked down at his feet, mumbling professor the entire time. The man had informed him that as soon as the Parenting Class was over, he’d like it if Harry would get back into Occulmency since Voldemort had come so close in actually killing him. Harry had agreed, feeling that this time Snape might not be so bad.
He spent the rest of the two days, hanging out with Ginny. Draco had been alarmed when Harry didn’t come back at eight to the portrait, and Hermione spent the next hour teasing him about how much of a parent he was becoming. She told him that Harry was a ‘big-boy’ now and didn’t need constant attention.
On Sunday night, the three were gathered in their Common Room, enjoying the last day of peace. “You know,” Draco said suddenly, stretched out comfortably in front of the fire. “There’s something that’s bugging me.”
“What?” Hermione asked, sitting on the floor next to the couch with Crookshanks in her arms, Harry and Butterscotch having claimed the couch.
“When I was little, I remember Harry telling me he was afraid of the thunder too…but you were fine…”
“The only reason I was ever afraid was I had no one to go to when I got scared,” Harry said softly. “I was all alone…but with you two here the first time and then Snape, I wasn’t alone anymore.”
Hermione smiled. “I’m glad we could help, Harry. Draco doesn’t seem as scared anymore either.”
“Only a little bit less,” Draco admitted with a frown. “It just…I don’t know…I just don’t like it.”
“There’s another reason you’re scared of it,” Hermione said softly.
“Can we not bring that up? Please?”
“Sure,” she agreed. “I think it’s about time we all head off for bed anyway. You said McGonagall was coming tomorrow morning with the potion, right Draco?”
“Right as always,” the Slytherin yawned, rising to his feet and stretching. “Well, good night you two.” Lumbering off to his room, the door closed with a snap a second later.
“Night Mione,” Harry said sleepily, picking Butterscotch up in his arms and heading for his own bedroom. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good night, Harry.”
Hermione retired a few minutes later, a feeling of dread but also excitement growing in her stomach. Tomorrow, she’d be five years old. Tomorrow, Draco and Harry would be in for the biggest fear of their lives. Oh, this was going to be fun.
The next day Hermione was up early, four thirty to be exact. Curled up on the couch with Crookshanks in her arms, she waited for Leviculus to call that McGonagall was there. Of course, she wouldn’t take the potion until Harry and Draco were up…it wouldn’t do them any good to be asleep when she went little…it’d be a disaster. At least if they were awake they would have a chance to defend themselves.
“Now remember, Crookshanks,” she warned the feline. “If you want to remain safe, don’t come near me. I can’t promise I won’t do something I’ll regret later. And don’t provoke Butterscotch. Both of you have been getting along pretty well, but don’t try to scratch him, okay?” The cat meowed and nuzzled his face against Hermione’s. “Good boy.”
At six on the dot, Leviculus called into the room. “For anyone awake in their, Professor McGonagall has the potion.” Hermione flew open to the portrait and opened it.
“My, you’re up early, Miss Granger,” the Transfiguration professor commented. “I’d say good luck, but seeing as you’re the little one that won’t mean much.”
“Thanks, Professor. I’ll pass the message along to Harry and Draco.”
“Take the potion right before you come down to breakfast…I’ll look forward to seeing you in class.” As soon as she’d left, Hermione shook her head.
“I can guarantee you won’t.”
“Won’t what?” asked Harry, exiting his room with Butterscotch on his heels.
“Oh, nothing. Hurry up and get dressed, and make sure Draco’s moving too.”
“Why the rush?”
“Look what I have,” she smirked, an evil glint to her eyes. “My de-aging potion is waiting…”
“Hermione,” Harry said calmly, though his voice was tinged with fear, “give me the bottle.”
“Why?”
“Just give it to me.”
“No,” she growled, clutching it to her protectively. “I’m taking it…and if you don’t hurry, I’ll take it right now.” That got Harry moving.
Running into Draco’s room, several curses were heard as he dumped a glass of ice cold water on top of the Slytherin to wake him up, explaining the situation. Hermione simply smiled and went to get dressed in a clean set of robes and pull her hair back before she changed.
“You guys ready?” she asked, coming out and seeing both hovering nervously outside her door. “You’d better take my wand,” she mused, pushing it into Draco’s hand. “And I’ll apologize now for whatever I may do to you. Remember, I can’t help it.”
Harry lunged for Hermione, desperate to get the potion away, but she swallowed it quickly. “Noooooo!” Harry wailed, looking at his friend. “Don’t do this!”
“Too late,” she smirked. “See you guys later.”
A few seconds later, Hermione began to shrink, her hair becoming less bushy and her face rounder, until a little girl stood on the floor.
Both boys ran over each other’s entrances in their heads.
‘Harry was calm,’ Draco tried to reassure himself. ‘A little scared, but he was fine. She doesn’t look too terrible.’
‘He was really formal and a bit nervous, but Draco didn’t do bad at all. Hermione can’t be any worse.’
The girl glanced up at them, her honey eyes looking each of them over, narrowing with each passing second. “You…”she said slowly, straightening up, “KIDNAPPED ME!” Without warning, she launched herself forward at the two frozen boys, teeth bared.
Harry yelled and sidestepped, narrowly getting hit by the girl’s flying ponytail. Unfortunately, Draco wasn’t so lucky. The girl sank her fangs deep into his leg, only then the Slytherin regaining mobility.
Screaming, he hopped about the room, attempting to shake Hermione from his leg, though she remained firmly attached, blood now staining the cloth. “HELP ME!” Draco shrieked, ramming Hermione against the couch and praying she’d just let go. And she did.
Only to jump up and sink her teeth into his arm, hands pulling at his hair, Draco screeching and stumbling around the room, pain exploding in his eyes. Dumbledore and Snape, who’d been passing outside the portrait, could hear the screams. “Should we go in?” asked Snape worriedly.
“Wait one minute,” the headmaster said. “Perhaps Miss Granger is merely getting acquainted.”
Back inside, Harry had run to his friend’s rescue. Although little Hermione was having none of it. As he attempted to wrestle her off of Draco, she began to drive her legs into Harry’s stomach and face. “I WON’T LET YOU HAVE ME! YOU KIDNAPPERS! YOU DIE NOW!”
“I really think we should go in, now,” Snape said.
“I quite agree. Although I’m afraid I don’t know the password,” Dumbledore chuckled.
Snape looked at him, mouth moving although no words were came out. Dashing off down the hall, he began the long climb to Tobin’s room, knowing his godson’s life depended on it.
“YOU MUST DIE! YOU EVIL KIDNAPPERS! I’LL KILL YOU!”
“HARRY!” Draco screamed in utter terror, blood leaking from various scratches that adorned his face. “GET HER OFF!”
“I’M A LITTLE BUSY!” The boy-who-lived shouted back, trying to grab hold of Hermione’s feet as she continued to kick at him, his glasses already shattered and lying uselessly on the ground, all of the images in the room blurs of color.
“GET UNBUSY THEN! SHE’S GOING TO KILL ME!”
“YOU’RE DAMN RIGHT! KIDNAPPERS LIKE YOU SHOULD DIE! AND I’LL BRING YOU TO JUSTICE!” Looking over her shoulder, Hermione aimed her feet at Harry’s groin, a large smirk on her face as he screamed in pain and fell to the ground, hunched over. “GOTCHA, YOU EVIL BOY!”
“HARRY? WHAT HAPPENED?” Draco shouted, as he now felt the legs kicking his back as the little girl launched a full assault on his poor body. “HARRY! HELP MEEEEEEEEE!”
Dumbledore sighed outside the portrait. Leviculus was smiling. “It seems they’re bonding,” the jester smiled. “Such a lively girl Miss Granger is.”
“Are you sure you can’t let me in? I am the headmaster.”
“Very sorry sir. But I’m under strict orders by Professor Tobin to not open to anyone unless they have the password or it's an emergency.”
“And this wouldn’t be classified as one?”
“Nope, I’m afraid not.”
Meanwhile, huffing and puffing up the stairs to the East Tower, where Tobin had her office. “ERIN TOBIN!” he bellowed, banging his hands on her door. “OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW!”
The Parenting professor opened her office, hair in curlers and wearing a pastel blue nightgown. “Good morning, Severus,” she yawned. “Isn’t it a bit early to be yelling?”
“What’s the password for the jester portrait?” he asked hurriedly, shaking the short woman by the shoulders when she didn’t answer. “TELL ME ERIN!”
“No need to shout. It’s Parvulus, but what do you…need it for?” she asked, watching as Snape was already off and running back down, chanting the word beneath his breath.
“I’M GOING TO DIE!” Draco sobbed, stars erupting in his eyes as the girl rammed his head against the wall.
“BEG FOR MERCY AND I’LL GRANT YOU A QUICKER DEATH!”
“MALFOY’S NEVER BEG!”
“THEN YOU WILL DIE! JUST LIKE YOUR FRIEND!”
“YOU KILLED HARRY?”
“!”
“HOW DARE YOU KILL HARRY! WE NEED HIM TO DEFEAT VOLDEMORT!”
“YOU WON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I’M GOING TO DEFEAT YOU! PREPARE TO DIE, KIDNAPPER!”
“NEVER! I’LL NEVER LOSE TO A LITTLE GIRL!”
“YOU’RE ABOUT TOO!”
“Ah, hello Severus,” Dumbledore greeted. “She’s threatening them now. Do you have the password?”
“Parv…parvul…parvulus,” Snape panted, leaning weakly against the portrait.
“Very good,” Leviculus smiled. “In you chaps go.” Swinging open, he allowed both staff members access and both took in the horrifying scene.
The couch was overturned, Butterscotch hiding in terror beneath an armchair. Harry lay curled up on the ground, moaning and holding his hands above his injured anatomy. Screams ricocheted off the walls, all issuing from Draco as the girl riding him, teeth now free from his arm as she used her mouth to scream at the boy and her legs to drive him into the wall like you’d steer a horse.
“STOP THIS AT ONCE!” Dumbledore shouted, his voice authoritative and commanding. Hermione immediately stopped torturing Draco and looked over her shoulder at the man.
“Oh, Sir!” she cried, sliding off Draco’s back and racing over to the headmaster, Draco crumpling to the floor in pain, Snape running over to make sure he was still alive. “These terrible boys kidnapped me and-”
“You are perfectly safe, Miss Granger,” Dumbledore said, kneeling down before the child. “Draco and Harry will be your temporary guardians for the next two weeks.”
“But they kidnapped me!”
“I can assure you that neither of them kidnapped you. I had a discussion with your parents and they allowed you to come and join our two week program where we have two of our students watch children of five years of age.”
“So they aren’t kidnappers?”
“That’s right,” groaned Harry, rising painfully to his feet. “You didn’t even give us a chance to explain.”
“Well, Miss Granger,” Dumbledore smiled. “Welcome to Hogwarts!”
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