Bittersweet

Disclaimer: I wish I owed Harry Potter and the characters, but sadly I don\'t and I am poor.
Title: Bittersweet
Rated:R


Chapter 4


Hermione woke up to a strange penetrating feeling in her lower abdomen; a pain of scorching leaks and a feeling of emptiness. The feeing didn’t waver, when she felt darkness around her. A wave of emotions began to sink into her heart, while fear of terror swept into her inner being. The air was cold and concentrated with an odor of intoxicating smells and an expectation of disarray. She could feel her breath breathe unevenly against the cold manner, while her skin felt dry; calloused and prickly against the hairs on her arms. A faint smell of scented candles burning perked her proboscis. However, the smell of rotten garbage over powered the smell of burning wax.

She tried to bend her elbows back towards her shoulder blades, intending to assemble herself to a sitting position, but her collarbone persisted. Defeated in the struggle, Hermione placed her head back down on what seemed to be a metal board. She could feel and hear movements around her, but was unable to bring herself to take a gander and investigate; butterflies flittered in her stomach as the anticipation of realization creped. Forcing all her Gryffindor courage, she lifted her head off of the hard surface that was accompanying her cranium and squinted into the darkness. Several faint movements eroded her. Unaware if her hypothesis was correct, she imagined that those dark movements were bodies.

The dynamism of the figures started to become more vivid and unclouded by the absence of her vision. The movements of the strangers seemed to be stirring in forward motions. Sensing fear and anticipation, a sudden radical illumination appeared from outside of her peripheral perception. Now realizing where she was, Hermione sighed; the hospital wing; a sweet haven for mending bones and for multiple occasions of childhood mishaps. As a window appeared a more vivid luminous vibe transcended in towards the hospital alcove. Widening her eyes, Hermione blinked away the crusty sleep that berated her membrane and cornea.

The figures that had frightened her were becoming clearer, but still happened to be inconclusive. Wanting to move her body away from the bed, Hermione stopped dead. She stood still, in the motion of changing positions. She wanted to move her hands up, but instead was tied still. She gazed down at her arms and wrists; they were marooned, chained to her original location. A body bind was placed on her arms and hands, terrified, Hermione then tried to move her ankles which were covered by a cotton moth blanket, they stood ensnared. She wanted to scream, to yell out. But, was unable to use her vocal chords. Only a small screech escaped her lips, terror began to creep in again. Unknowing fear started to overpower her again. The movements started to move closer to her bedside, she could feel presences all around her.

Suddenly, a stranger started to speak in hush tones. Hermione flinched when the person grabbed her amber curls and began to entwine them in its fingers; separated each strand of hair with their nails. The feeling felt strangely odd and frightening. The stranger started to talk to her louder this time.

“Coming to the fact that reality only lives in our minds and that truth is only given to the eye of the beholder, becomes and creates barrier for those who worship the realization of the knowing.”

This made absolutely no sense to Hermione. Whoever these people were they were one less egg of a dozen. And the person, for some odd reason wouldn’t stop twirling her hair. She tried to tear her head away, but was unsuccessful. The face then started to come closer to her, Hermione turned her head towards the being. She looked into his piercing eyes and his silvery white hair and listened to his words carefully.

The slow drawing voice spoke, “It’s now time to wake up Granger.”

A grasp of air shot through her lungs, sweet scents of flowers perked her senses, her eyes widened, and Herm awo awoke to the familiar feeling of the hospital wing and multiple of worried faces peering down at her. She looked up at the familiar faces, faces of her friends, who watched her, shaken to the core.

~~

Draco stirred restless in the silken sheets that engulfed his body; his leg wrapped nd and a pillow like a shield. Sweat rolled down his face and as his alarm clock peered down at him with a worried expression. Sleep rolled away from his eyes, while light peered in from his north window. Last nights dreams creped into his memory. Knowing that it involved Granger and a hospital wing, Draco pushed the thought away from his mind. He didn’t want to think about what the dream had meant, or why it had felt so real.

He wanted to simply make his way off the bed and find his body into the shower, a place he liked to collect his thoughts. Thinking was the only thing he wanted to do right now, thinking about his manly parts and pleasing them, even though this place consisted of many pleasurable acts before, he could ready himself for the days events, he knew that reminding himself how much Granger would be in his memory, he sighed and gave off the idea that he wouldn’t be thinking about her, at least not in the shower. He knew that thinking about her, when heaseeased himself, was far better off then thinking about Pansy or any other slytherin slut that he had banged in the past.

When he had finished his slippery escapade, he managed to step out into his room, dress for the day and glance over his image in the mirror. He watched the vision of himself strut in the mirror, ignoring the moving Draco, the real Draco sighed and stepped out of his dormitory, walked slowly by the serpant and out into the corridor. When he had came into view, a familiar figure walked by him, eyeing the Malfoy with contempt.

“I don’t appreciate you ignoring me; this isn’t how things are supposed to go Malfoy.”

It was Pansy, her pug nose and all. Although the outfit she was wearing, revealed more then the imagination, Draco stayed eye to eye with her. He knew that any move of sex or flirting would arouse her; something Draco could do without. He had just cleaned himself, and with her fishy scent, it surely wasn’t something he wanted to wear all day. He sy scy scowled back at her.

“Draco, why are you ignoring me?” Pansy yelled bac him him, as he drew away from her and started off towards the Great Hall. She continued to yell as he turned a corner and out of sight. He didn’t want to deal with her shit right now; he had enough on his mind. He knew that when he had got up that morning that thinking about Granger wasn’t an option, but fuck that idea.

He couldn’t stop thinking about her, since he had last seen her. The feeling of his fingers inside her, intoxicated him and only wanted him to want her more. He knew that he had drawn away pretty fast from herd hed he liked that he had done that. Keep her on her toes, he thought. His plan was going smoothly. He knew that when the year was over that he would have to suck up to his father and marry Pansy, but why not play until that time came? He only knew that he would have to move quickly. The temporary spell would only last for another week, and he had yet to find the real spell that he wanted.

Draco decided that he would have to talk to Snape and see if the Professor would offer any help or a spell. Snape had always helped him before, he would just have to say it was for some Ravenclaw girl and his “persuasion” wasn’t helping his sex life, he only hoped Snape would offer his advice.

~~

By the time he had finished breakfast, Pansy Parkinson was already riding down hisk abk about the way he had treated her in the hall. He tried to ignore the bitches useless bickering and sound of voice. He knew that he might as well practice at the art, if he was going to marry her in two years time. At least that’s what his father was implying. Whether or not, he was going to put up with her screechy voice was another story. When she had finally finished her torture session, Draco comely glanced around the Great Hall, noticed that they were the only two left that he could see. Then, nonchalantly, he turned his head to her pug nose face and slapped her across the face.

“Would you shut that dick shaped mouth of yours? I am tired of your bitching and complaining. I will do what the fuck I want, so I suggest you keep your comments to yourself, or we are going to have a serious problem.”

With his comment and her red cheek, Draco removed himself from his chair and walked out of the Great Hall, with no remorse for what had just occurred. He had slapped women before, and hitting Pansy wasn’t anything knew. He knew that it wasn’t the noblest thing to do, but when you pissed him off to the temperature of boiling, there just wasn’t stopping that temper.

He didn’t see Granger at breakfast that morning and was wondering if their escapade in the hall was due to that. She didn’t show up to classes the day before and wasn’t at lunch or dinner. He didn’t cif sif she was having problems with the spell, or if it was making her ill. The spell would wear off in a couple of day’s time anyway. Whether that was the issue or not, he still needed to speak with Snape about another way for him to have his fix. By the time Granger was spell free, she wouldn’t be as willing to let him touch her.

Potions was boring than ever, due to the lack of Granger. He wanted to at least have a nice good stare then worry about some stupid invisitatu potion. Something he’d rather care less of. If it wasn’t a potihat hat would get Granger into bed, he didn’t care about it. Along with Granger gone, he had noticed that Weasel and Potty also weren’t in attendance. He assumed they were off gallivanting with some Gryffindor boy or girl. Potter was probably off shagging some boy, this amused Draco. The boy was way too feminine to be straight. He still didn’t believe that he was actually dating Weasel’s kid sister.

Prying his mind away from Potter’s sex life; which was disturbing in itself, Draco realized that Potions was over, and that people were already walking out of the door. Snape was collecting some papers, and murmuring to himself. Draco found this the aptitude time to confront his dilemma.

“Proffesor Snape” Draco asked, while he sat up from his table.

“I know what you are going to ask, Draco,” interrupted Snape, before Draco could go any further. “I don’t pretend to ignore the teenage hormone. If you think I am going to give you something to manipulate a Gryffindor, you are sadly mistaken. If you want something to control that feeling you are having, that I can do. But, I will not give you what you desire.”

Snape looked down at the disappointed slytherin. Gave a small smile and then picked up a cobalt colored vial and handed it out to the boy.

Annoyed with how things had just went. Draco took the vial, collected his things and left the dungeon room.

~~

When Draco had left the potions classroom, a figure came out from beneath a curtain to reveal himself to the Professor. His ambience figure shrouded the room with an intense feeling and vibe.

“I don’t understand why you insist on doing this to the boy. I don’t see the purpose in tormenting him.” Snape said, while keeping his focus on the paperwork that lay in front of him.

“The boy needs to understand how th are are run. When he is finished with her, he will be ready to face the world. I understand that you are willing to keep that in mind?” The man said.

This wasn’t a question, rather an order. Snape knew that if he was to question the man’s motives, would result in a much larger consequence. Something Snape didn’t want to face.

“He can have his fun for now, buen ten the time comes, he will need to join us and become a man. Make sure she doesn’t get in the way of the plan. I will not have her ruin this. When will the potion be administered with her?”

“She is currently in the hospital wing, within the next week it should be final.” Snape replied, still keeping his eyes away from the dark cloaked individual.

“Notify me immediately when the spell has been completed. I must be notified of all activity between the two. Do you understand?” The man’s persona was straight and to the point. He didn’t have time to wait, and someone like Severus Snape wasn’t going to ruin this for him. He had a plan and would move it into motion accordingly.

Snape shook his head in agreement, and finally glanced at the man who was now in front of him. His silvery blond hair and piercing eyes pronounced themselves. His black cloak and figure stood slender and sleek.

The man gave Snape one last glance and then moved to the baf thf the room; his cloak following him from behind; long strides lead him to the entrance door. When he approached the door, thn tun turned around, faced Snape one more time and gave him a long piercing glare. A glare he only gave to victims that were about to be punished for their crimes.

Snape knew the look; he had seen this look many times in the past; a past that he didn’t want to repeat. This act and duty he would be fulfilling would save his future from repeating whnce nce was and would never be again.

The man spoke again, “My boy will not be a test for your treachery Seve the the master and I will be watching.” With this last remark, the man called Lucius Malfoy stepped out of the potion masters classroom.

~~

She awoke to the tingling feeling in her abdomen and large amounts of chest pains. She knew that the new and uncomfortable position she had gotten herself into was now becoming more and more realistic. Her friends surrounded her with an intense feeling of bewilderment. que questioned, if they actually knew what had happened to her or what Malfoy had done.

She made a small waning cry, which escaped. Those around her scrambled quickly to her side. Worry escaping their faces. Hermione looked from Ron; who was on her right side to Harry, who was on her left. She wanted to say something to them, but was unsuccessful.

Madam Pomfrey was already showing them away and was now poking Hermione with a long magical medical device; a device, in which Hermione had no clue of what its actual purpose entailed. The device stung immensely and when Pomfrey was done with her torture session, the pain lived on for another minute.

“She has been poisoned,” Madam Pomfrey snarled to Professor Dumbledore. Hermione could see his long white beard in front of her little body. His face stern and filled with concern. Madam Pomfrey continued to talk to Professor Dumbledore, while Hermione tried to listen in; but Madam Pomfrey’s voice was now close to a whisper, and the information that Hermione wanted to know was out of reach.

Hermione sighed. She wanted to know more about what they had gathered. She knew that if anyone had found out about Draco’s insistent future sexual capades with her, would result in her family being the cause and she didn’t want that to happen.

She was getting tired of this. Annoyed with how things were going, she stepped out of her bed and walked behind Madam Pomfrey, almost scaring the poor woman to death.

“Madam Pomfrey, I am feeling better, I’ll just get my things and be off.”

This didn’t work.

“Oh I don’t think so young lady, you will sit in that bed, until I am satisfied that you are healthy and safe to be out into the world again.”

Safe?

“What do you mean by safe?” Hermione asked, her eyebrows rose.

“Safe. That’s what I said. Someone tried to poison you yesterday and we will not have any of that here. You are to stay here until I am certain you have recovered. Now shoo.” She squeaked shooing Hemione back to the bed.

Hermione sighed again.

“Let us see her…we want to see her.” Hermione could hear voices beyond the two adults.

It was the voice of Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter, both trying to push their way over to Hermione’s hospital bed. Arguing was heard, then the voice of Dumbledore letting them through and then the voice of an angry nurse.

They rushed to her side immediately grabbing her

“How are you?”

“Are you okay?”

“Do you need anything?”

“Do you know who hurt you?”

“Did you see anything?” They were saying all at once. Hermione looked from left to right as each of them repeated a question after question, unable to answer any of what they had asked.

Frustrated, Hermione finally yelled out, making them stop their fifty questions.

“I AM FINE! You two need to calm down. I’m fine…see…” she said pointing to her chest. “Fine.”

They smiled at her annoyance and started to tickle her. Their own personal ways of letting her know that they had stopped being too protective.”

She smiled for the first time that day and gave Ron a disapproving look. “Stop being a jerk have we?” she said, trying to be as serious as she could.

Ron gave her a look just like a brother would a sister and punched her lightly in the arm.

“Yeah, yeah…it was your fault anyway.” He said, knowperfperfectly that he was in the wrong.

Making up was always the best thing about their friendship. They were together, just the way she liked it. Just the three of them, not worrying about classes or significant others, it was just them.

This didn’t last for long, for Madam Pomfrey and shuffled back to her bed and was yelling about Hermione needing her rest and that she would be released soon, if the two boys would just leave. Defeated, Hermione waved goodbyes to her two friends and fell back into a restful sleep, where Draco Malfoy was clear from her mind and dreams.


~~


By the afternoon he had found out that Granger was in the hospital wing, with some unknown illness. Draco had overheard Pansy chatting to some of her slutty friends about how the bitch was lying up in the hospital wing with a serious amount of bandages across her face. Draco found this extremely humourous and to think that she was up there because of him. He wondered how long it took for them to find her in that corridor. He knew that she obviously was in some pain, if she was now in the hospital wing for the second day in a row.

He didn’t know if he should have waited to give her the vial, or have her wait to recover from the previous potion he had given her. He didn’t know what kind of reaction she might have from it. He was sure that Madam Pompfrey had found the potion in her system and most likely had cured her. But, he didn’t want to take any chances. He decided that he would wait, until she was out of the hospital wing. This would cause him less problems. If he was to be found in the hospital wing giving Granger a poisonous potion. It definitely wouldn’t go well.

By dinner time, Granger still wasn’t back from the Hospital Wing. Potter and Weasel were talking amongst themselves obviously in a deep discussion. Malfoy ed aed at them, sneered as they glared back and then gave them a wink, before finishing his dinner. He knew that they assumed him as the culprit who had hurt their poor raggedy Ann, but he could give a horse shit about what they thought about him, they couldn’t do anything. They wouldn’t dare. Potter was just a pussy ass who never did anything about anything; he basically just sat there and watched over his friends; while Weasel, who lately had been the ass of the group, getting his dick wet every chance he could get.

Malfoy mused. He laughed to elf elf at the thought of the three and what kind of people they had turned into. When he had finished his dinner, Crabbe and Goyle and Pansy walked behind him and followed him down to the common room. Draco, himself just wanted to go to bed, but he knew that if he was to that, there would be a fit to be had from Pansy and that was something he didn’t want to put up with.

After they had, had the most agonizing sexual experience of his life, Malfoy stepped out into the hall and made his way to his bedroom, casual sucking on the cig between his fingertips. A night with Pansy always ended with a pack of ciggs and this night was no different.

When he had finished his third cigg, he headed for his dormitory, passed the sleeping serpent and headed off to bed, thinking what his next move for Granger would be and what would happen, when that time came.

~~

Over the next couple of days, Hermione had recovered from her misfortune. She was no longer feeling nauseous or feelings of strong indigestion. She had recovered from the potion Draco Malfoy had pushed down her throat and she was thankful for that. Revenge would be in order, she concluded. Determining the actual punishment she would ensue upon him, was an entirely different story. She knew that what he had done to her was completely wrong, but she was after all a Gryffindor and revenge wasn’t of their nature…or was it? She knew that taking her anger upon him would not solve anything, but then again…revenge was always just as sweet. To watch him writhe in anguish would be a soulful image. That would please her very much, yes…she thought again, would be very nice. She hated Draco Malfoy with such animosity and disturbing anguish that it over took her. Because of his determining cocky attitude and the way he always seemed to ruin everything around her. The way he always seemed to make life harder for the people that she loved and cared about to the way his vibe of appearance affected her whole concentration was more than she could barely handle at times.

She tensed up whenwalkwalked by, she cringed when she could smell the odor of the stench that proceeded him, and she hated the fact that she hated him and that was the biggest annoyance out of all. She hated that everything about him affected her working environment, her friendship with her friends and the fact that he was always there. No matter what would happen, Draco Malfoy would always be there, laughing at her; creating that barrier of peace that she so desperately longed for. She would end that barrier and open doors, doors that led to a life free of Draco Malfoy. She just didn’t know how to do that.

Smelling the comfy spells of her vanilla scented bedroom once again, Hermione felt at peace. Harmony, that would only last moments; for she knew that Draco Malfoy was on the brain, and nothing was every at peace when he entrapped your brain waves. She loved the smells of her sleeping palace. She loved the serenity and the vibe that gave itself warmth and normalcy. She loved how most homes she had grown to call home had given off that feeling of being connected and with a comfortable state of relaxation. She loved how private quarters did that to a person. She assumed it was the feeling of being safe in ones own boundaries; the feeling of being trapped in your own world, where if you left that secluded sensual space, there were possibilities of unclear surroundings.

She fell softly onto her ring shaped divan and felt the coldness and warmth that covers did to a person. She loved cold sheets. Who didn’t? The feeling of cold cotton against her skin and the way her fingers entwined in the silky layers below gave her heart warmth. The feeling of cotton and silk was always too much. She could fall asleep lying there all morning, but she knew she mustn’t. She had plenty to do, she had to catch up on her work, and sleeping all day in the fulfillment of her sheets certainly wasn’t one of them.

She had the day off from her classes to get reacquainted with her school work, so taking the opportunity to study full heartedly, she decided to find a small corner in the library and have a date with the written word. This was something that always helped her concentrate, helped herself get her mind off things. Before starting a day of educated learning, Hermione took a warm shower, dressed in some muggle jeans and a Gryffindor sweat shirt, brushed her teeth, hair, and when she was pleased with the basic and formal look of herself, grabbed her book bag and set off for the library.

Just as she expected the library to be (empty), Hermione took a comfortable seat by a long panel window that overlooked the Quidditch field and pulled out her Charms note book. When she read the books listed to read, Hermione lifted her quill and jotted down the titles. The books she needed wMoreMore Charm Work for the Average Witch or Wizard, Watch Out For That Charm!, and Charm Use In The Eighteenth Century. To Hermione’s luck, each book was available for her use and pleased with finding each of the titles, Hermione slowly walked back to her seat and began flipping though the pages of her first assignment.

She had a couple of parchment worksheets to do. One was the basic history of the most famous charm work in the eighteenth century. Charm Use In The Eighteenth Century would be the book for that worksheet, Hermione gathered. Picking up the book, Hermione flipped to chapter fifteen and began to answer the questions.

By the time lunch had came, Hermione had already finished her Charm worksheets, a little bit of Potions and was now working on her Arithmancy homework. She loved this subject. She knew that she probably wouldn’t use it, because Arithmancy wasn’t practical in the wizarding community. People used to tease her about why she was actually taking the “a waste of time” class. She always responded by saying that math would help her in the muggle world. Knowing the wizarding community and the people that lived in it, they didn’t care and would normally blow her off about the subject. When someone lived in the wizarding community, there wasn’t any use for math so the art of mathematics was a useless skill. This humoured Hermione, due to the fact that most muggles couldn’t do anything without it.

After she had finished a quill filled with word problems, Hermione figured she might as well eat something while she was in the middle of studying subjects. She still had a little bit of more studying to do, but she needed to feed the stomach that was now growling in protest. So, collecting her books and work together, she headed to the Great Hall. She hoped that she wouldn’t run into Malfoy; she really didn’t have the patience right now to deal with him. She knew that his little plan had failed, and she was more than certain, he wouldn’t be too keen to see her walking around not under his control.

Collecting all her energy and a grouchy stomach, she headed to the Great Hall. Wshe she had reached her table, gladly that she had not ran into the sleeky haired slytherin, Hermione happily sat herself down next to Ron, who was talking to some blond, Hermione had never seen before and Harry wasn’t there yet for some reason. Hermione wanted to ask Ron where he was, but his hands and attention, seemed to be “occupied” so she casually scooted as fway way from her friend as she could and started to talk to Luna who was talking to Joan Karley about some mystical diet pill. Hermione found Luna’s conversation dull and obnoxious, but didn’t dare say anything. Almost anything that Luna talked about was obnoxious and she took everything a little “too” personal, so Hermione decided to keep her mouth shut. By the time she had finished her lunch, Harry had just sat down across from her. He looked rather raggedy and worried.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, worried that it might have to do with the Order. Harry only got worried when things had to do with Voldemort. Now a days he only worried about that and if his friends where safe. She felt bad for him, she hated that he had to take the blunder of the world.

He looked at her with a worried glance and scooted in toward her, trying to get some privacy. Now taking his fingers out long enough to get the picture, Ron finally looked up. Looking rather bewildered, the blond slowly left her chair and went back to her appropriate house. Looking flustered, Ron smiled awkwardly and scooted over to Hermione. Trying not to curse him into oblivion because of his behaviour, Hermione rolled her eyes and spoke softly to Harry, making sure, Luna was too busy with the wacky nonsense about losing weight in an hour, to listen to their important conversation.

“What is it Harry, you look horrible” Well that was a bad way to put it, she thought to herself after the words had been spoken. Harry rolled his eyes in a way only a brother would and began to talk softly back.

“During Transfiguration, I was asked to see Dumbledore...”

“Oh is that where you went?” Ron interrupted.

“Shut up Ron, Harry is trying to tell us something.” Seriously, was the boy that egg headed?

“Sooorrry,” Ron said, annoyingly.

“As I was saying,” Harry said trying to stop the two from bickering yet another time. “When I got there, Lupin was there.”

Hermione and Ron’s eyes widened.

“Is everythingy?” y?” Hermione asked nervously.

“Yeah, he’s okay, but things aren’t okay in the wizarding world. Well, you all know how we have been talking about how the Order has been suspecting an all out attack from Voldemort’s followers?”

They both shook their heads.

“Well, that’s the thing; they say that there might be an attack on Hogwarts.”

Hermione and Ron’s beg began to widen in worry.

“And that’s not the only thing.” Harry continued. “They suspect there is a mole within Hogwarts giving them information about what is going on inside.”

Hermione and Ron immediately looked at each other then back to Harry.

“What are we going to do?” Hermione asked, with a horrified expression across her face.

“I don’t know.” Harry said, his eyes lowering to the table.

“This is bad…really bad.” Ron said, gloom coming across his face as well.

What were they going to do? If there was a mole, and they knew how Voldemort could get into Hogwarts, there would be a massacre. They needed to find whoever this person was and fast. In complete distraught, Hermione lifted her head off the table that had apparently fallen onto. Her eyes glided over to the slytherin table, where a smug, silvery haired monster, smiled back at her with triumph.

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

Author\'s Notes: For some reason, I had a harder time getting this chapter done quickly. I hope to have chapter five up sooner. Sorry for the delay. In the next chapter we will see some more action between Draco and Hermione. Don\'t worry its coming up! I wanted to add a little suspense into this story to show that the story just doesn\'t revolve around the Hr/D relationship, that there is still a war going on.