Locked In

Hermione had never once felt this uneasy at Hogwarts, not even entering again for the first time since the battle. It was her second home, now her only home. She wasn’t sure what was more unnerving, the unabashed staring of her fellow classmates or the fact that she knew people in the room had very dark secrets they wished to keep that way.

Since the war wiped out many of the students, all four houses combined for classes. To say that it was a little odd was like saying that Voldemort was simply mean. She hadn’t given it much thought before, but knowing what she did now made it very uncomfortable. She knew Daphne Greengrass was over the moon for Justin Finch-Fletchley, a muggleborn. She also knew that Daphne’s father threatened her with becoming a Death Eater’s plaything if she didn’t enter into a marriage contract with Theodore Nott.

To make matters more complicated, Nott was carrying on with Theresa Mathers, a muggle born Ravenclaw in their year. He’d already proposed, given her a ring, and had drawn up a contract to bond with her. His father found out and dragged him to Voldemort kicking and screaming to be branded. As soon as he got the mark, he cut all ties and began his farce relationship with Daphne. They had an understanding, though. They each loved other people and would never be happy together.

“Miss Granger, are you alright?” McGonagall asked, startling her out of her thoughts.

“What? Yes, of course?”

The Head of Gryffindor house came closer and handed her a tissue. “Then why are you crying dear?”

“Oh, um… I’m… allergic to rats,” she murmured, knowing full well that at least everyone in Gryffindor house could see through her. She’d been friends with Ronald Weasley and his infamous rat after all.

“I see,” McGonagall said with pursed lips. “Well, let’s continue.”

Hermione felt lost even though she successfully transfigured her rat into a diamond necklace. Her mind wasn’t on her work. It was on Draco, who had also done a successful transfiguration and was staring broodily into space. She almost ached to sit in his lap. It was probably a residual of their time in the room, his lap being the only comforting place, but she’d go completely mental if she dwelled on it.

“Miss Granger, please stay after class,” McGonagall called when it was time to pack up.

Hermione grumbled, wondering what the professor could possibly want. Then again, she would have a few more minutes reprieve from Harry and Ron. She’d been studiously avoiding their prodding all class period, shooting them annoyed looks and pointing to her texts. No doubt they would start in on her immediately. She wasn’t sure she wouldn’t punch them both in the noses without Draco there to hold her back. They had no idea how close she’d come to losing it many times over the past week.

“Mr. Malfoy, if you please,” McGonagall said tersely, pointing to the door.

Hermione looked around in shock, realizing that they were the only students left in the room though the door was still open. Draco snorted and slammed the door shut with a flick of his wand. He’d obviously made up his mind about something. She just wasn’t sure what it was until he stalked over and enveloped her in his arms, planting a searing kiss on her lips. McGonagall’s outraged gasp was drowned out by the pounding in her ears as she melted into Draco’s touch.

The kiss ended much too soon for her tastes. It was the perfect answer to her frazzled nerves. He held her closer and rested his chin on her hair, blowing through it to keep it out of his face. She started shaking, unable to keep her emotions in check any longer. It seemed they had gone completely haywire since they’d been in that room. She hadn’t cried this much since first year when that Troll got loose.

“Nott and Greengrass?” he whispered in her ear.

She nodded against his chest. The images of their courtship were still so fresh in her mind. It didn’t help that she’d caught the dead look in Daphne’s eyes when she walked in, or the sorrow in Nott’s as he scanned the room. That was look in the eyes of Jules Vern when Cassandra had told him to go. It hurt much more than it should.

“We’ll figure something out,” Draco sighed. “I’ll let you know the second I come up with it, alright?”

Hermione nodded and pulled back to wipe the tears from her eyes. Draco handed her his handkerchief and she couldn’t help but breathe in the scent of him that permeated the cloth. While she dried her eyes, she noticed Draco had entered into some sort of staring contest with McGonagall. He looked fierce, his body shifting as if to protect her from the professor’s accusing eyes. The strong Scottish woman’s face softened as she looked between the two, finally sighing and nodding.

Draco nodded back and hugged Hermione one more time. “Meet me in the hospital wing for lunch. I’m sure Madam Pomfrey would love nothing more than to watch us eat under her hawk eyes. We can take our potions and then I want to take a walk…outside.”

“Outside?” Hermione breathed, her gaze seeking the nearest window. It had been so long since they’d been outside. Staring out onto the grounds had become their new favorite activity while cooped up in the hospital wing. She longed to let the wind blow through her hair and sun shine on her face.

“Is it a date?” Draco asked with a smirk, seeing that she was already there in her mind.

“Oh yes,” she breathed. “I’ll be there.”

Hermione practically floated outside. She’d simply told McGonagall that she was a bit emotional being back among her peers again. Seeing Draco’s display only moments before apparently convinced the professor because she sent her on the way with an offer to lend an ear should she need one. She’d also secured a promise from the professor not to reveal the nature of her and Draco’s relationship before they had formally announced it to their friends.

She smiled all the way to her next class, even though Harry and Ron peppered her with hundreds of questions. She studiously ignored them and had calmly and coolly placed a tongue tying curse on both of them to shut them up. They got the picture after that… or at least they realized that she was in no mood to put up with their excessive inquiries and accusations against Draco. She was just in too good of a mood to let it bother her.

“I see you had a good day,” Draco said as she entered the hospital wing, chuckling when she merely grinned at him and threw herself into his arms.

“Very good,” she chirped and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. “I hexed Harry and Ron’s tongues to the roof of their mouths.”

“Sounds like a good day indeed. Come, let’s eat.”

When they’d stuffed all they possibly could into their bellies and downed their potions, they bid the mediwitch goodbye and slipped outside. They made sure to keep their cloak hoods up so no one would recognize them. It wasn’t that they were ashamed of their relationship, but they certainly didn’t want to be heckled about it quite so early on.

The wind was chilly and they were thankful for their warm winter cloaks, something they had sorely missed when they were in the room. The air smelled sweet and slightly damp by the Great Lake. They each breathed deeply and turned their faces skyward, savoring the experience. This was what they missed the most, freedom.

“What on earth is that?” Draco asked, running his hand over a lump in the side of her cloak.

“Oh, my CD player,” she sang, pulling it out and putting it on a nearby rock.

“Does it play anything besides songs that insult male genitalia?”

Hermione laughed heartily and tapped it once with her wand. Boogie Wonderland by Earth, Wind, and Fire started blasting out, making Draco cock his head. Seeing his confusion, she reached for his hand and started bumping her hip against his and rolling her arms around each other.

“What on earth are you doing?”

“Disco dancing,” Hermione chuckled, showing him a few other moves.

Draco was a quick learner and started spinning her and strutting around, looking every bit the part of Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. She lapped it up, falling for him even further when he started pointing up and then down while moving his hips in time with the music. Those few precious moments of complete and utter freedom made her see that she could easily spend the rest of her life with him.

“Time to go in,” she announced sadly. She gathered her CD player and allowed him to escort her inside. She wanted to go public very soon, else someone else try to snatch him from her. Not on her watch. No, no one would ever get their clutches into her man ever again. Even if she had to hex Lucius to the ceiling to do so. Then again, that sounded rather intriguing. She might just have to try that… for mixed blood couples everywhere.

AN: Sorry guys. Broken computer. Family things. Updates will be kind of sluggish until I can get it all straightened out. I'll post double when it does though. Promise. As always, thanks for the reviews. Love them. Keep them coming and let me know how I'm doing. Until next time... love you guys.