Trials Undercover

Trials Undercover

By Cakeisnice

Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I also do not fantasize of tracking down Tom Felton and making him smell my chloroform. And then tie him to my bed. Wouldn’t think of it.


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Hermione slammed open the kitchen door at Grimmauld place and strode over to the table, where Harry was sitting reading the Daily Prophet. Then she huffed noisily. She didn’t get the response she wanted though; Harry just glanced up at her and gave her a lazy smile.

“Morning, Mione.”

Then he simply returned to his choice of literature. That would not do. Hermione was in a bad mood, and wanted some sympathy. Buckets of it. She muttered a grumpy “morning,” and slumped down onto the chair next to him, buried her head in her arms and sighed dramatically. No response, he patiently kept on reading. What?! Where was the ever attentive and annoyingly concerned side of him when she needed it?

Another sigh. Deeper and more meaningful this time. Nothing…

“HARRY!”

“Alright, alright, I get it,” he sighed and folded up his paper, turning to look at her. “What’s on your mind, Minnie?”

“Malfoy, that’s what! He’s a pain in the arse!”

She was interrupted by a ruffled looking Ron shuffling into the kitchen, dressed in his pyjamas and a dressing gown. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and squinted at her.

“Wazzup?” He was not a morning person.

Harry looked at him, failing to hide his amusement. “Evidently, Malfoy has pissed off Hermione.”

Ron’s head came out from the depths of the refrigerator. “Whoa… and it took him 24 hours? Gotta be honest with you, thought it would happen sooner.” He grabbed a plate of pumpkin pie and sat down opposite the other two.

“Whazzie done now?” He said trough a mouthful.

“He’s just ignoring me, that pompous git. Just now, he went to a Death Eater meeting, and I only found out that he was going because I caught him at it! He doesn’t tell me anything! He expects me to sit at the mansion like some stupid trophy-wife, allowing him to do as he wishes without asking any questions. That’s just ridiculous! I’m just as much part of this assignment as he is, and he should involve me. I could use an invisibility cloak or a concealment charm or polyjuice potion or something and come with him. We're supposed to do this together! Right?”

She looked at the two boys, certain that she would get reassurement aplenty. The silence was deafening, neither of them said anything and even exchanged meaningful looks.

“Right!?” Her shrill voice rose, and she was indignantly glaring at them in turn.

With amazing speed, Ron suddenly crammed the whole piece of pie into his mouth, then shrugged apologetically, pointing at his ineffective mouth.

Harry sent him an ugly look. Then gave another sigh, bracing himself.

“Actually Hermione, I think Malfoy is right.” He seemed to shrink from her shocked and appalled expression, but drove on: “He’s gotta deal with them himself. He knows what he’s doing; remember that he’s raised amongst them. He knows the do’s and don’ts of Death Eater world. They won’t suspect him. If they caught you with him though, you’d both be dead in a heartbeat. And no one would be able to stop them. Your job in all this is to be his backup. To assist him if he needs help or if he’s attacked. But the rest is up to him. He’ll tell you when he needs assistance.”

“And you’re also supposed to keep an eye on him for us, in case he is tempted by his fathers footprints,” Ron piped up, pie swallowed and out of the way, relieved that Harry had taken care of the worst part, “you know, watch out for odd smells and evil cackling behind locked doors.”

Harry smirked. “Yeah, and that. But I do agree that he should share his plans with you though. You are supposed to work as a team. How are you going to notice if something’s wrong if he doesn’t tell you when or where he’s going?”

Hermione, who had been silently brooding during their talk, finally got a say.

“Yeah, exactly! He’s supposed to run everything by me. And he totally doesn’t, that prick.”

“I’ll talk to him. Things will change, be sure of that. But just remember: if anything does go wrong, you are immediately to come and alert us. You are not running off on your own in some stupid rescue mission. Is that understood?”

Harry was staring intently at her, his startling green eyes serious and determined.

“Yes, yes, of course, don’t get your knickers in a twist.” Hermione rolled her eyes, “I’m not retarded, you know.”

“I know. Just had to make that clear.” His expression softened and his shoulders relaxed, “We're just worried about you.”

“Sure you are,” she said smiling at them, “just like I am every time you two fly out on one of your “field trips”. Now you know how I feel."

Harry just shrugged, while Ron was currently squinting at her, looking puzzled.

“There’s something different about you today. I just can’t put my finger on it.”

Hermione felt a little annoyed, how could they not notice? She thought it was a huge change in her appearance, even though she hadn’t straightened out her hair that day. But she pretended to wave it of, as if it wasn’t anything special.

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just got that make-over yesterday. It was really a drag, actually.”

Harry glared at her. “Yeah, I see it too. Your hair’s not the same. You look nice.”

“Yeah, you do,” Ron chimed in, eager to overdo Harry,”really nice.”

“Thanks guys,” Hermione mood lifted a little at that, compliments were always appreciated. “So, what are you two up to today? Anything interesting?”

They looked at each other. Then at their own hands.

“Yeah, of course. Important stuff,” Ron said, while Harry said: “Lots to do; assignments, meetings, dangerous missions….” He trailed off. “Evil never sleeps, right, so neither can we.” Then he gave an unconvincing smile.

Hermione looked at them suspiciously. She could always read him like an open book.

“Yeah, right,” she said sarcastically, “and my grandma’s the giant squid. You two slobs are going to sit around playing chess, aren’t you?”

Ron’s chest puffed up and he looked like he was going to argue, but then he suddenly deflated, looking defeated.

“Yes. Yes we are.”

Harry looked embarrassed, and Hermione patted him consolingly on the back. He then decided to try to defend their inefficiency.

“There’s just not much to do right now. The dark side seems to be lying dormant, and we're not catching them at anything. And my horcrux-hunt is currently on hold, since I’m awaiting some crucial information from Bill, who is researching some inside information at Gringotts. So we're currently…ah… gathering strength.”

“How nice for you, while I’m stuck with the pureblood pain in the arse,” Hermione said sourly. “Speaking of that prick, I probably have to get back to await his royal return.”

She got up, kissed them both goodbye and disapparated back into the entrance hall of Malfoy Mansion. Then she found her way to the library and sat down in one of the large, comfy chairs with the book “Vampire Hunting for Dummies”, by Galvin Grey.

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Hermione turned the last page, closed the book and frowned at the big grandfather clock in the corner. It showed ten past six in the evening. Malfoy had been gone for over seven hours, how long could that stupid meeting last? But she was not worried. Not in the least. She was just concerned that if he didn’t get home soon, Alfred would refuse to cook for her and she would starve to death. That was all.

Then she suddenly heard something. It sounded like growling, and it was coming from the entrance hall. She was quite certain that Alfred didn’t growl. Or make any kind of human noise except for dry coughing, for that matter. She dropped the book on the floor and hurried out into the hallway.

And quite correctly, there was Malfoy, standing in front of the fireplace and dusting off his expensive suit. He didn’t look happy.

She couldn’t care less.

“Where the hell have you been? And don’t try to tell me that’s none of my business, cause Harry said-“

“I bloody know what Harry said,” he interrupted her rudely; “I just heard it from wonder boy himself five minutes ago.” He looked tired; his brows were furrowed and his shoulders slumped, and he didn’t even bother to insult her in any way. Very unlike him.

“You went to see Harry?” Hermione was so puzzled, she completely forgot to verbally abuse him.

“Yes I did, as I agreed to do prior to this so-called arrangement. I am to report to him every time I’ve met with any of them. What? The Chosen Knob neglected to inform you? Shame on him.” This time he managed to snarl.

Hermione pressed her lips together in irritation. Why hadn’t Harry told her that?

“And by the way,” she hadn’t noticed that he had moved closer, and was now looking down on her in a threatening manner, sneering, “the next time you have something to say to me, say it, don’t go running to mummy and daddy to tell on me. I’ve got enough on my plate if I don’t have to listen to The Golden Poofs trying to lecture me. I’ve got to say, I never thought you’d be this squeamish.”

Hermione just rolled her eyes at his threatening pose. He didn’t scare her.

“Well I wouldn’t have to go to Harry if you’d just include me, you wanker!” She was getting agitated, and by the looks of it, so was he.

“I’ll tell you what you need to know.”

“That’s a load of crap!”

“Excuse me?”

“I SAID THAT’S A LOAD OF CRAP!”

“Ah-ah, Granger,” he smirked, “indoor voice.”

“PISS OFF, MALFOY!” She had had enough of that stupid, arrogant knob, and she pushed past him and marched up the stairs. At the top she turned around, face flushed with anger and shouted:

“AND WILL YOU TELL YOUR SODDING BUTLER TO COOK SOME BLOODY FOOD ALREADY!”

“INDOOR VOICE!” was the only roaring response she got.

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And that was chapter number five! *doing a little mambo of pure accomplishment*

Pleeeeaaase review! I need it to live!