Never Piss Off a House-Elf

Hermione finally let Draco take over some of the head duties, such as setting up the patrol schedules half the time. They'd decided, in the end, to schedule the partners for two weeks a month, and let the other prefects choose their partners the other weeks each month. That way, Hermione could check up on them while keeping her head. Or something like that; she often found that Severus was stopping by, thinking to catch her on a lonely round when she was in fact showing the Hufflepuffs the best way to find errant students. His reactions were less than enthusiastic.


"I thought Head Students patrolled alone," Severus whined one night, about two and a half weeks into the term. "And it isn't against the rules for the Heads to eat at the staff table."


"I can't believe you're whining about this, Severus," Hermione admonished. She was surprised he even knew how. Their separation was wearing on him. "Besides, those rules don't seem to apply to us, Severus. Dumbledore doesn't want to lose any more students, and while we're only following the law, the parents don't see it that way."


Severus glared at her before the glare melted into a smirk. Hermione felt a shiver go up her spine and she smiled before she could help herself.


"Severus, what are you smirking about?" she asked, blushing. She knew that smirk. It was his sexy bastard smirk, which usually ended up with her bent awkwardly over some furniture and a gallon of purple pain potion as an afterthought.


"Hermione, do you remember back in your fourth year, when Potter was sneaking around, knowing he couldn't get caught?"


Hermione nodded, wondering what he was getting at.


"I assumed that Moody was a fake. I prowled the corridors, waiting for him to screw up. I always wondered how he managed to get past me, and I didn't know until Albus shared some of Potter's secrets with me."


Hermione understood, and tried not to smile. Harry had crowed about outsmarting Severus.


"Yes, I'm sure Potter had a good laugh about getting around me with that Invisibility Cloak. Borrow it and come see me this Friday night."


"But I'm supposed to patrol with Draco," Hermione began, and Severus smirked even more.


"My godson will do what is good for him. Come to me, Hermione, because you don't want me to come to you."


With that, Severus melted back into the shadows, leaving Hermione shivering and panting.


And he hadn't even kissed her.


555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555


All that week, Hermione thought about how to get Harry's cloak from him. If she asked, she'd have to corner him alone, thanks to Ginny and Ron's attitudes about Severus. If she tried to grab it, how would she get to where he kept it ~-- she didn't even know where he kept it! She could summon it, but then someone might see it floating to her, and it might not answer her. The only one who could summon the cloak on a regular basis was Harry himself. She had only one person whose advice she could ask.


Draco Malfoy.


She cornered him after she got out of Ancient Runes. He was carrying a large trunk, and she didn't dare ask what was in it. He saw her and tried to move faster, but she managed to catch up with him. She grabbed the other end of the trunk and helped him with it down the stairs.


"I'm curious, but I don't think I want to know what is in this trunk that you can't make it smaller and put it in your pocket," she said, wiping her brow. The trunk was heavy, and it was obvious that charms were out of the question.


"Good. Because I wouldn't answer. What favor do you need from me?" Draco asked irritably. Hermione bristled at his brusqueness, but he was right.


"I take it Severus spoke with you?"


"My godfather often speaks at me, or to me, but rarely with me. I assume this is about your little order to play Red Riding Hood?"


Hermione nodded. She knew Severus would have spoken to Draco before she could.


"I'll patrol with your partner, and tell them you're under the weather. If they want to check on you, I'll glamour a large pillow to look like you under your blankets. I already planned the entire thing."


"I figured as much. But I need your brain, you devious little snake, to figure out how to get Harry's cloak."


Draco put his chin in his hand for a moment. He smirked. "I'll distract little miss Weasley and you can have a few minutes to persuade Potter. If you can't persuade him, stun him and search for it."


Hermione's stomach turned at the idea of stunning her friend, but she saw the merit in Malfoy's plan. She nodded, and Draco picked up his end of the trunk.


"Come on, now."


"But when will we do this?"


"You'll have to watch me. You can't force this kind of thing. Now pick up you end and help me carry this downstairs. Professor Black needs it."