Harry Potter and the Conch of Ice

(1) The students return to Hogwarts; the Golden Trio are entering their 7th Year. Draco is alive and found innocent of any wrong doing. Snape has also been found innocent in the death of Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore is alive and continues to be Hogwarts’ Headmaster.
(2) Snape has returned to be DADA professor. A small group of students from the School of Gaia, known as Elementals, will be attending Hogwarts for a year as their school was destroyed by Voldemort.
(3) Draco is familiar with Elementals as they were key to his survival and healing. The battle faced by the Elementals as they journeyed to Hogwarts is detailed and the Duals explain their fight with the Shadows.
(4) The Golden Trio discuss who RAB could be and the state of the Horcruxes. Draco contemplates his future. The Head Students discover the guardians in their room. Draco discovers that Hermione is his unknown caregiver.
(5) Draco admits to the Gaians that he knows about Hermione. The Hogwarts students learn about battling Elementals.

Author’s Note : I know that my chapters are on the rather long side. This is intentional on my part as, while I know that I am no JKR, I’m trying to write this as if this were a novel within the series. Due to the longish nature of the chapters, I aim for weekly updates – typically Sunday – unless work has me otherwise occupied as it did last weekend.

Chapter 6

“Come on, Hermione…please!” Ron’s voice became pleading. “I need all the help I can get. I mean, Snape’s got me battling Elementals tomorrow. You don’t want me washed away or burned to a crisp, do you?”

Hermione arched a dark eyebrow but said nothing. When in doubt, it was much more polite to keep her true thoughts to herself.

“Do you?” Ron repeated, disbelief etched across his face.

Before Hermione could answer, Professor Ivyleaf strode into the room. Her long and heavy skirt trailed on the ground but made no noise as it swished from side to side with each of her steps. Her auburn hair was coiled up into a loosely braided bun and strands had escaped as if to say she had run to make it to her class on time. Granted, the flushed cheeks were the primary evidence to jump to that conclusion.

“Welcome to tracking skills of magical and non-magical creatures.” Ailionora spoke crisply, but with none of the primness usually exuded by Professor McGonagall. “For the first little while, we will study the footprints of many animals as well other signs for you to follow. While magic will serve you well in life, you must also learn to listen to the elements around you. In combination, your skills of magic and knowledge of nature will allow you to be a strong wizard or witch. In time, we will venture out into the grounds to test what you have learned.”

Turning to the blackboard, Ailionora picked up a piece of chalk and began to draw a print on the hard surface. In a minute, she faced the class and noticed their stunned expressions.

“Is something wrong?” She asked.

“You drew on the board!” Neville proclaimed. “No one’s actually drawn on a board since we’ve been here.”

Ivyleaf allowed herself a small smile.

“I do have a wand, Mister Longbottom, but you will find that Elementals tend to rely more on their own abilities than those that come from a twig.”

“But you’re an Earth Elemental, Professor!” Hermione frowned. “Surely a twig is powerful for you.”

“It can be.” Ailionora admitted. “However, Elementals will not misuse their gifts. We will do what we can for ourselves, calling upon our Elements when needed. Picking up a piece of chalk will hardly be the end of me.”

A few students smiled at her mild joke.

“So, what prints have I drawn up here?” Ivyleaf’s eyes scanned the room. “Yes, Mister MacMillan?”

“Rabbit?”

“Very good. Not a very ferocious creature, I admit, however, should you find yourself unable to use magic for whatever reason, being able to track a rabbit could be the difference between life and death. Can anyone tell me why?”

Silence greeted the professor’s question.

“You will need to eat at some point.” She said blandly. Several students gasped in horror.

“Surely, you wouldn’t expect us to capture and kill and…” Pansy Parkinson remarked, her eyes wide in disgust.

“You would rather die from starvation? Berries alone can not sustain you forever, however, rabbits will help you in that, as well. Should you find a berry bush with a lot of animal prints around it, the berries may be safe for you to eat. To test the edibleness of a berry, merely hold it along the inside of your lower lip. If it tingles, it is poison…if there is no tingling after about a minute, you may consume the berry.” Ailionora smiled. “Of course, if you really wished to enjoy your meal, capture a rabbit and cook with a berry sauce.”

A thud caused Ivyleaf to look over to an aisle seat. A frown crossed her face.

“It’s just Neville.” Seamus said casually. “He’s fainted again.”

The students laughed lightly, still rather discomfited at the idea of capturing their own meal. A few even began to wonder at what the exams would be like in the class and started to ponder various means to drop the class from their curriculum.

“I certainly hope rabbit isn’t being served for supper tonight.” Ron remarked to no one in particular.

HP***hp***HP

Tanis gently stroked the soft muzzle of her equine familiar. They were standing out in a field over looking Black Lake where, the Gaians had been told, a giant squid resided. The lake, however, was of a water that was fresher than the ocean and this posed a problem for the aqueous familiars of the Water Elementals. The dolphins could not live in fresh water and had been sent to live on the coast, a mere few hours away. To the Waters, though, a few hours could seem like eternity and they had been promised that every other weekend they would be permitted to travel to the coast to visit with their dolphins. In this time of turmoil and darkness, frequent travel, especially in groups, was not recommended and the Waters had to content themselves with these infrequent but regular visits to their familiars.

In the meantime, Tanis contented herself with Misty Wings, her equine familiar which complimented her Wind Element. A soft woof caught Tanis’s attention and she looked down.

“Hello, Illamar.” Surprised, Tanis greeted the small arctic fox who looked up at her. Illamar, Inuit for ‘friend’, was not a familiar for Tanis or any Elemental. Instead, he was a friend who appeared happy with being a companion to Tanis, following the Dual around in the shadows and appearing at his own leisure.

Leaving Mist to graze, Tanis kneeled down and scratched Illa behind his ears. The two had met while a group of students from the Gaian School had been on a trip to the Arctic. The Fires had been assuredly malcontent for the entire trip and the Earths were disgustingly apathetic. Only the Winds and Waters had appeared to enjoy themselves. Tanis, a Dual in those two Elements, was thrilled to be in the frigid weather and facing the harsh elements for over a week. On the second day, she had spotted Illamar observing her from behind a small mound of hard-packed snow. Walking in the opposite direction, it hadn’t taken Tanis long to realize that he was following her. Sitting on a protruding stone, Tanis allowed the wind to carry her scent to the diminutive canine, who after spending several moments of sticking his small black nose into the air, decided that the Dual was trustworthy.

He approached in Tanis’s full view and she noticed immediately that he was limping. Tanis had spent the rest of her days up in the Arctic taking the time to heal Illamar and it was with a heavy heart that she said goodbye to him on her last day. He sat there, his small head cocked to one side and Tanis could have sworn that the small dog understood her. Mesphin yelled at her from their sled, the Earth and Fire Dual only too happy to return to the warmth of their home. Tanis never looked back.

When they returned home, the students began to unpack their belongings from the carriages, having transferred to the wheeled vehicles when there was no more snow on the ground. Tanis, lugging a box of supplies, jumped at a sharp yipping sound and saw Illamar standing up on the roof of the carriage. The two had been inseparable ever since. Illamar had not been in sight when the school was destroyed so how he had managed to find his way to Hogwarts was beyond Tanis’s comprehension, but the Dual wouldn’t complain.

“Your friend has found you, I see.” Gunther Staghorn announced his presence behind Tanis.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Tanis said, her smiling face turning towards her professor. “I’ve heard of animals traveling over great distances to find their family.”

“Und you believe zat he sinks of you as family?” The Fire Elemental crouched down beside Tanis and stroked a tanned finger along the pale summer fur of the fox.

“I hope so. I certainly consider him as such.” Tanis decreed.

“Family…eet’s a strange idea. Sometimes vee are closer to zose vit whom vee share no blood und are more distant from zose vit whom vee do share blood.”

Tanis nodded silently, removing her hand from the fox as he darted away. She had never seen Staghorn leave the school for the holidays or vacation. As far as Tanis knew, Staghorn had no family and considered the Gaians as close to one as he could have. At the same time, Staghorn was not normally one to evoke feelings of friendship from the students, most usually going out of their way to avoid him – even some of the Fires. Tanis knew little about Staghorn and that alone made her neither seek the professor out nor skirt around him when he was near.

“Come. Supper vill be ready soon.” Staghorn stood up and brushed his trousers off. He extended a hand down and helped Tanis to rise. Together, the two Elementals made their way back to Hogwarts, neither seeing the pair of dark eyes watching them longingly.

HP***hp***HP

Harry entered the Great Hall with Hermione and Ron and immediately spotted a large number of birds roosting along perches close to the Elementals’ table. There were some owls and falcons and ravens and hawks and even some colourful parrots. Harry’s eyes immediately came to rest on Mesphin for on his shoulder a majestic bald eagle resided quite at home.

“The birds won’t be here all of the time, just tonight. I heard some of the professors talking about it.” Hermione proclaimed. “I believe it has something to do with mail delivery. Now they’ll know where to come.”

“More birds with mail…things are going to get awfully crowded in here on mail day.” Ron grumbled as they found a spot at their table.

“What’s up with them?” Neville pointed out a few girls from other tables.

Ron and Harry looked over and shrugged.

“Staghorn and Tanis just walked in. They’re jealous.” Hermione said simply, returning to her meal.

“Girls.” Ron mumbled with his mouth full of food.

Neville nodded.

“And what’s wrong with girls, Ron?” Lavender asked in a simpering tone.

“You’re a confusing lot.” He replied with a mouth full of food. A hand, gently clutching a drumstick, pointed at some Hufflepuff girls gawking at the two Elementals. “Look at them. They’re a skittish group, bet none would have the courage to go near Staghorn, but they’re jealous that some girl did. Confusing, I say.”

“We’re really quite simple.” Parvati Patil explained. “We like to be noticed. Sometimes we’re a bit coy in who we like, but if you look closely, you can tell how we feel.”

“Who has time to look closely?” Ron frowned. “Between classes and homework and Quidditch, a guy doesn’t have time to notice the little details.”

“You don’t notice any details, Ron.” Hermione muttered.

“What was that?” Ron asked.

“Nothing. I’m going to study.” Hermione pushed herself away from the table and left the Great Hall.

“She’s not happy.” Mesphin remarked, several tables away, his head dipping towards Hermione.

“Considering the state of her so-called secret status, I wouldn’t be either.” Tanis quietly replied as she took her seat. “However, we can not do much to help unless she asks for us.”

Mesphin nodded.

“So, what’s up with you and Staghorn?” He asked.

A blonde eyebrow arched.

“I’ve never seen you two spend much time together.” The male Dual shrugged innocently.

“Things have changed, Bane. We’ve lost our home and found a new one. We’ve been separated from our classmates and have been given the opportunity to make new friends. What was once status quo is not necessarily going to remain as such.”

“Aren’t we all philosophical?” Ivory teeth shone in a grin.

It was Tanis’s turn to shrug.

“How’s Thermal?” Tanis asked, indicating the bald eagle on Mesphin’s shoulder.

“He’s good. None the worse for wear. A few broken tail feathers still remain from the battle at the school, but they’ll be replaced with time. He seems happy with the open spaces around here and it took me forever to get him to return to me during an exercise session this afternoon.”

“Maybe you need a bath?” Tanis suggested with a playful grin.

Mesphin’s amber eyes mockingly glared at her.

“Don’t make me sic the birdie on you.” He joked.

“He’d never harm me.” Tanis smiled and tossed a small carrot into the air. With gently fluttering wings and a slight stretch from Mesphin’s shoulder, Thermal stretched up and caught the orange root within his powerful beak. “He may be your Fire familiar, but Thermal knows who loves him more.”

“Traitor.” Mesphin complained to his bird.

“I saw Illa today.” Tanis said simply.

“He’s a long way from home.” The dark-skinned young man frowned. “How did he find us?”

Tanis shrugged again.

“It’s strange, I know.”

“Are you sure it was him?”

“Staghorn saw him, too.” Tanis chewed on her supper thoughtfully. “It’s strange how he found us…let alone why he followed us.”

“Staghorn?” Mesphin asked.

“Illa, silly!” Tanis scowled.

“Getting back to Hermione,” Mesphin continued their earlier conversation. “I know she hasn’t asked for our help, but Malfoy knows about her and we know that he knows. I don’t think that it’s outside of our business.”

“If either of them have questions, they know where to find us. There isn’t much more for us to say to either of them. He was wounded. She helped to heal him. End of story. Draco is upset that we didn’t tell him about Dumbledore. It won’t be long before Hermione realizes the same…if she hasn’t already done so. They’ll both be angry at us.”

“And in that unity, perhaps they’ll…”

“Overcome their hatred of each other to see what could evolve into something more meaningful.” Tanis nodded at her Dual with a smile.

“You enjoy playing Cupid, don’t you?” Mesphin shook his head in amused disbelief.

“Hey, with no love in my life, I’ve gotta get my kicks from somewhere.” Tanis rolled her eyes.

Blaise, walking past the Elementals’ table, perked up his ears at Tanis’s statement.

“No love in her life? How fascinating! And how utterly perfect.” The Slytherin smiled to himself and slid in the table beside Tanis.

“Hello. I don’t believe we’ve been introduced.” Blaise smiled as Mesphin and Tanis. “I’m Blaise Zabini.”

“Charmed.” Mesphin drawled out. Tanis shot her friend a dirty look, rather put out by his somewhat unfriendly greeting.

“Tanis Carr.” She extended a hand to Blaise. “And this unfriendly, uncivilized oaf is my former friend, Mesphin Bane.”

Blaise took Tanis’s hand within his and smiled one of his more charming smiles.

“I’m rather used to unfriendly greetings.”

“Must come with the territory, seeing as how you’re in Slytherin.” Mesphin muttered.

“But I seldom understand the lack of civility.” Blaise continued as if Mesphin hadn’t spoken.

“Fires are a rather crass lot.” Tanis shrugged. “I’ve said that before and they’ve never quite picked up on the hint.”

“Perhaps it’s time for less hinting and a more direct approach.” Blaise offered.

“And what do you suggest?” Tanis asked, glancing down briefly at her hand, still encased within the darker hand of Blaise.

Blaise bit his lower lip and gazed up towards the ceiling and the floating candles, as if giving the matter the thought it was due. Mesphin narrowed his eyes at Blaise and stabbed his supper in annoyance.

“Perhaps,” he started, “You should show those lacking in civility how little you appreciate such displays and remove yourself from their presence.”

Mesphin snorted. Tanis turned her blue eyes towards her fellow Dual and glared at him.

“Perhaps you’re right.” She said, turning her eyes back towards to Blaise.

“Tanis…” Mesphin’s voice became warning.

“I’ll see you back in our Tower, Mesphin. Bye, Thermal.” Tanis stood up and Blaise rose up with her.

“What’s your class schedule like?” Blaise asked as they left the Great Hall. “I can show you the fastest route between your classes.”

Mesphin glared at the two departing students. Something in his gut didn’t trust this Blaise Zabini. It had nothing to do with the fact that he was a Slytherin. He trusted Malfoy…more or less. It was, Mesphin thought, Zabini’s smoothness. Too smooth. Too practiced. Too…much.

“What do you think of him, Thermal?” Mesphin asked his flying friend.

A quiet crawk greeting him.

“Me, too, Thermal…me, too.” The Dual pushed his supper around on his plate.

HP***hp***HP

From his chair at the centre of the Professors’ Table, Dumbledore watched as students and faculty supped within the Great Hall. The room was filled with the quiet rumblings of multiple conversations and while the Headmaster was happy to see something that resembled normalcy returning to Hogwarts, he was still concerned at how subdued people were.

“They will become typical young people in time, Albus.” Minerva remarked quietly.

“That is perhaps the most wondrous aspect to youth.” Dumbledore replied. “Their ability to recover from shock.”

“They are resilient, the young.” McGonagall agreed. “But they have had some rather large shocks of late and it may take a bit longer for them to recover…longer than you or I would like.”

Dumbledore nodded.

“The Elementals are settling in nicely.” He said, his blue eyes turning towards the table where the Gaians sat.

“They’ve had a day to familiarize themselves with the school and tend to their animals.” McGonagall replied.

“And how did your first day of class go, Ailionora?” Dumbledore leaned back and asked the Earth Elemental.

“Quite fine, thank you…although, I do believe that a few of your students will be declining the rabbit stew that the house elves so thoughtfully prepared to accompany tonight’s supper.” Ivyleaf grinned mischievously, her eyes flitting to the empty seat near her. “Is Professor Snape not joining us tonight?”

“Severus is feeling rather uncomfortable, I believe.” Dumbledore replied. “While Azkaban is crowded, it does not lend itself to socializing and one must learn quickly to live on one’s wits.”

“I’ll say.” Hagrid rumbled. “See in my time there, I was mostly left alone, and sometimes I found myself just wanting to speak to other people. I even tried talking to my shadow.”

“Did it answer back?” Ivyleaf asked in jest.

“Sometimes.” Hagrid said solemnly. Dumbledore coughed slightly. The other professors then realized that Hagrid’s shadow had more than likely answered him back, masking the Headmaster’s attempt to keep Hagrid aware of life outside of the Wizarding world’s most notorious prison. Only Hagrid seemed to not recognize the Headmaster’s efforts and was content to believe that he had a special relationship with his special shadow.

HP***hp***HP

“It couldn’t have been easy, leaving your school behind.” Blaise said softly, leading the way to the Herbology greenhouse.

“It was necessary.” Tanis replied simply.

“Necessary isn’t always easy.” The Slytherin pointed out and was rewarded with an agreeing nod from Tanis.

“While our home is now a pile of rubble, it is still our home.” Tanis said after a moment. “It will be rebuilt this year.”

“But you graduate this year.”

“Yes, but perhaps I will return to teach or apprentice or just pop in to say hi to old friends.” Tanis smiled.

“I hope that this year will allow you to make new friends…close enough that you may wish to return here and say hi.”

“Aren’t you graduating this year?”

“I hope so.” Blaise laughed.

“Then am I to gather than you do not wish to be my friend, as you won’t be here for me to return to?”

Blaise frowned at this.

“What I meant was…I mean, what I intended to say was…” His frown deepened. “Oh look. Herbology greenhouse dead ahead.”

Tanis stifled a laugh and followed the extended hand pointing towards the large greenhouse.

“And what is Professor Sprout like?”

“Covered in dirt usually.” Blaise replied, without thinking. His blue eyes glanced over at a chuckling Tanis. “You know, I don’t usually find myself speaking with such awkwardness.”

“Everyone does at one point or another.”

“I don’t enjoy being lumped in with everyone.” Blaise sniffed haughtily. “It’s more comforting to be considered unique.”

“Then I shall keep your momentarily lapse into averageness a secret.” Tanis’s blue eyes danced in amusement.

“I am forever in your debt. You have but need to name your payment and it is yours.” Blaise bowed. “Which class is next?”

“Potions. And can I get back to you on a suitable form of payment for keeping your secret?”

“Ah…into the dungeons we must go. And yes.”

“Dungeons?” Tanis gasped, the joke of Blaise’s secret forgotten. “Are they really…dungeons? Who is…was…there?”

“Perhaps they were used for detention periods way back when Hogwarts was first built, but right now, we call them that as they’re down in the basement of the school and they’re cold and damp and dank and moldy and…well…just generally dreary.”

“Sounds like a lovely environment in which to brew draughts.” Tanis remarked.

“The fires for our cauldrons usually burn away most of the dampness quickly. But one never really shakes the feeling of being in the basement and knowing that all of Hogwarts is above you.” Blaise grabbed one of Tanis’s hands and pulled her down another stairwell instead of the one she almost went up. “Not that one unless you want to end up near Filtch’s office…and, trust me, no one wants to end up there. The dungeons are this way.”

“Charming janitor you have in this school.” Tanis commented, walking beside Blaise and not bothering to remove her hand from his. She missed Scott, but more still, she missed physical contact. Mesphin was the closest she had to fill that void, but even he had kept much of his distance since they began their travels to Hogwarts.

“Yes, well, just keep an eye out for his cat, Mrs. Norris. Wherever she is, Filtch is bound to follow.”

“Mrs…Norris?” Tanis frowned. “Is she an animagus or something?”

Blaise stopped for a moment.

“You know, I do believe that none of us have ever asked the origins of Mrs. Norris’ name.” The Slytherin reflected. “Of course, she’s hangs around with Filtch so odds are no one really wants to know.”

“It is rather damp down here.” Tanis said, taking her free hand to rub an arm in the hopes of heating it up slightly.

“Take off your vest.” Blaise said.

“We haven’t even had a first date.” Tanis mocked.

Blaise resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

“Please.” He watched in silence as Tanis’s fingers slowly unbuttoned her vest. Blaise gulped and found his breathing rate had increased as each button was undone. There were only three buttons, but to Blaise, time seemed to have slowed down to snail’s pace as delicate fingers pushed hard buttons through softly threaded holes in the vest.

Tanis held out her vest and stared at Blaise questioningly.

Shaking his head to clear it, Blaise pointed his wand at the vest.

“Tunica verto.” He muttered and was pleased as the vest was transfigured into a thin sweater-like coat. “There, that should keep you warm down here. We normally wear our robes to classes, so hopefully that will keep the dampness at bay during the day.”

Tanis smiled and shrugged into her new blue and silver coat.

“I really do hope I get better at charms!” She laughed and fell into step beside Blaise as they went in search of the Potions lab.

HP***hp***HP

Snape looked up at the knock on his study’s door and was sorely tempted to ignore it. However, knowing that only Dumbledore would knock on his door and that the Headmaster was not one to allow a silent Severus to dissuade him, the DADA professor approached his door and whipped it open, his speech about privacy and the need to be alone dying on his lips.

“Hello. You weren’t at supper and I thought that perhaps you might get hungry.” Ivyleaf held a covered tray out.

“I am perfectly capable of conjuring up food for myself should I wish to dine.” Snape uttered blandly.

“Right. Of course you are.” Ivyleaf blinked, suddenly realizing that as silly as she had looked in the kitchen preparing a tray for Snape, that had not compared to how silly she looked right now in front of the man himself.

“However, I have not thought to dine as my studies have distracted me for most of the evening.” Snape reached out and carefully removed the tray from Ailionora’s hands. “Perhaps I should eat something soon.”

Ivyleaf nodded.

“You need to eat.”

“And why is that?” A dark eyebrow arched in question.

“You’ve lost weight, I presume and you need to regain your strength. Should there be a….” Ivyleaf found herself being yanked into Snape’s study by an unseen force.

“Silly woman!” He snapped and nearly dropped the tray on his desk. “Any one could have walked by to hear you talk about a possible attack. Are you that daft to forget that the walls have ears?”

“I apologize but I doubt that anyone would voluntarily walk near your rooms.”

“You did.” Snape pointed out.

“Silly me.”

“I believe I’ve already established that fact.” Snape dryly commented.

“Aren’t you a veritable genius.” Ivyleaf fired back.

“Some believe so.” Snape retorted.

“Are you always this…aggravating?”

Snape blinked.

“No. I’m usually much worse. You must bring out the charm in me.” Severus’ sarcasm was not lost on the Earth Elemental.

“Was it hard?” Ailionora asked after a moment.

“Was what hard?” Snape stared into the fire.

“Playing on both sides?”

A small smile crossed the former Potions professor’s face.

“Pretending to be something which I am expected to be comes quite naturally to me.” He said.

“You sound as if you find it fun.”

“It’s necessary.”

“Necessary can be fun.” Ivyleaf pointed out, unaware that her conversation was almost mirroring one being held by a fellow Elemental at nearly the same time.

“Necessary can also be merely necessary.” Snape replied. “Sometimes things are merely what they appear to be.”

“Can he be killed?”

The black-haired man knew of whom Ivyleaf spoke.

“Yes.”

“He destroyed my school. I want him dead.” Ivyleaf’s eyes burned with passion that Snape recognized had long since left him. Suddenly, Severus found himself feeling tired…tired and old.

“We do not always get what we want.” He said wisely. “And you should consider the well being of your students before your own selfish desires.”

“You know nothing of my desires!” Ivyleaf spat out. “And wanting Voldemort dead is for the well being of my students.”

Snape watched as the Earth Elemental practically ran from his study. Lifting the cover from the tray, the warm smells of rabbit stew and broiled chicken and steamed vegetables reached his nose. He looked back at the closed door and blinked as a knock came through again.

Allowing a small smile to cross his face, he pulled the door open.

“If you’ve come to apologize, I…” Snape’s voice died as his black eyes came to rest on the form of the Headmaster.

“I thought I already had done such, Severus, but if it is necessary I shall do so again.” Blue eyes twinkled at the DADA professor. “Ah, I do believe my nose is telling me that supper has been brought to you. I was correct to trust my judgment then in not going to the kitchen myself to have a tray brought to you.”

“I…yes…the tray arrived just moments ago.”

“Then I do not wish to deprive you of your supper.” Dumbledore said. “I just came to see if you were settling in and if you had everything that you need.”

“I am fine.” Snape said simply.

“Good. Pleasant evening, Severus…and good dreams.” Dumbledore nodded and slowly made his way down the corridor.

HP***hp***HP

“Draco?” Hermione frowned at the form of the Slytherin, lying on his side in front of the fireplace, his head propped up by an arm. Her frown deepened as she was ignored. “Draco? Is everything okay?”

The blond young man felt Hermione approach him and allowed her now familiar scent to wash over him as she sat down cross-legged behind him. As it had all summer, the combination of spicy musk and sweet flowers soothed him and he closed his blue eyes, the light from the fire causing flickering colours to dance through his eyelids.

Hermione’s fingers itched to reach out and touch Draco, to share whatever fresh wave of pain was now ebbing through him, but she was also unwilling to break this unspoken truce between them. After all, it wasn’t as if Draco left the room or cursed at her when Hermione had entered the room. That was a positive thing, wasn’t it?

“Did you have a bad dream? Is it your wounds?” Hermione’s eyes raked over the clothed form of Draco. “Should I call Madame Pomfrey? What about Ivyleaf or one of the Elementals?”

Draco stiffened up at the mention of the Elementals.

“I don’t want anyone. I’m fine.” He whispered.

“Liar.”

“So what if I am.” Draco’s low voice growled.

“I want to help, Draco…if you’ll let me.”

“You can’t help me. I can’t even help myself.”

“You let me help you this summer. Why should it be any different now?” Hermione asked.

“Because things have changed.”

“Why? Just because you know who helped you this summer?”

“Yes.” Draco muttered.

“You know, you can be really stupid sometimes, Malfoy.” Hermione said, staring at the fire. “Help is being offered to you…you aren’t even required to swallow your pride and ask for it…and you’re tossing it aside as if it was some dirty handkerchief. I know that I’m not your favourite person, but I can help you. We can agree to keep it between us. No one needs to know, not even the Elementals.”

“I don’t need your help.”

Hermione reached out and touched Draco’s side. His flinch was visible to her and, despite his best efforts, Draco couldn’t withhold his groan.

“You do.” Hermione argued. “Your ribs are still in a fragile state. You shouldn’t be lugging book bags around or flying on your broom.”

“Oh, are you going to carry my books for me or sub in for me at Quidditch?” The Slytherin hissed.

“Hardly. I’m offering to help heal you, not be your slave.” Hermione retorted. “Now roll over and unbutton your shirt.”

“Aren’t you a forward little tart.” Draco quietly joked as he slowly rolled over onto his back.

Hermione accepted the sarcastic acquiescence of her help and chose not to respond. She took in the loosened green and silver tie and wrinkled white shirt. Draco’s appearance was usually pristine and this rumpled look took Hermione by surprise.

Undoing the buttons of Draco’s shirt, Hermione gently pushed the white cotton to the sides and took in the various white gauzy bandages that still covered some wounds, making his upper abdomen look like some medical patchwork quilt.

Only a few of the bandages had faint red stains seeping through their morning changes.

“You’ll need some new bandages.” She said.

Draco, an arm draped over his eyes, nodded but said nothing.

“Have you thought about seeing Madame Pomfrey? Now that we’re back in school, magic could cure the wounds more quickly and help prevent infection.”

“I don’t want to change my treatment halfway through.” Draco gave Hermione the same answer he gave Dumbledore.

“You’re lying.”

Removing his arm from his face, Draco opened his eyes to stare at Hermione. How could she know that? Did she know his real reason for not visiting Hogwarts infirmary?

“You feel guilty for your role in what happened and by refusing proper treatment, this is your way of punishing yourself.” Hermione stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

Yes, she knew, Draco realized. She wasn’t considered the smartest witch of their age for no reason. The Slytherin gave her a tight smile.

“But thankfully, you’ve healed up sufficiently that it doesn’t matter if you see Pomfrey or not. You’re in the final stretches of recovery and all she can do it really speed it up for you. If you wish to suffer through the pain a bit longer, that’s your choice.”

“So glad you can see my side, Granger.”

“So glad you know I’m not necessarily agreeing with you, Malfoy.” Hermione fired back. She unfurled her legs and stood up.

“Where are you going?” Draco asked sharply, bothered by the fact that he cared.

“Getting some potions and lotions and bandages. You can’t go to bed with those dressings from the morning. Besides, if you’re applying it all on your own, you’ve probably missed some spots.”

Draco smiled as Hermione went to her room, greeting her lion door knocker who proclaimed no messages. He had missed her care. Yes, it bothered him that it was Hermione but Draco refused to think about why it bothered him. At the end of the day, it was nice to feel as if someone cared truly about him, gentle and warm. As much as his mother had done her best to protect her only child, she wasn’t the most affectionate of women. And Lucius, well, care and sensitivity weren’t words in his vocabulary. It hadn’t taken Draco much time that summer to realize that he was starved for affection in his life and he had seized upon his unknown caregiver with both hands. At Hogwarts, it had come as a shock to his system to discover that Granger was the one filling that, until then unknown, void in his life but by then he was unwilling to let the void re-enter his life. Unfortunately, it was difficult for him to completely accept the fact that it was Hermione Granger.

The Slytherin masked his thoughts as Hermione settled in beside him again complete with a tray laden in healing potions and bandages and stuff.

“It will probably hurt, as I remove the old dressings.” Hermione said, her tone apologetic. “It’s the tape. There’s really no way to remove it painlessly.”

“I thought you were a witch.” Draco drawled.

Hermione opened her mouth to speak and then closed it. Of course…a witch. Just because Malfoy wouldn’t accept Pomfrey’s medical aid, that was no reason for Hermione to not use magic on applying the natural healing techniques.

Smirking, Hermione reached for her wand and said “Ligamentum Exumai.” In a flash, the bandages were removed and cast aside, revealing the nearly healed wounds to Hermione’s brown eyes. The new flesh, pink and tender and raw, shone in the firelight and Hermione blinked back her tears.

“I know it’s not pretty.” Draco said, resisting the urge to cover himself up.

“Once you’re healed, we can research some spells to get of the scars.” Hermione offered.

“I want the scars.” Draco replied, not meeting Hermione’s eyes. “I need to remember.”

“I doubt you…or any of us…will ever forget what happened.” Hermione said, reaching over for a blue liquid that would cool the skin and help to numb the pain. Draco hissed as the cold liquid was sprinkled over his skin, but couldn’t hold back the groan as Hermione’s fingers rubbed the substance into his skin.

“I’m sorry if this hurts.” She said.

Draco bit his lower lip. Oh, yes, it hurt but it was causing him a kind of pain that he didn’t want to talk about. It was rather embarrassing.

A warm green liquid was applied next, one that would help to promote growth of his skin and prevent infection. Draco opened his eyes and watched Hermione as she focused on her work, almost clinical in nature. When he was blind, Draco had never been able to see how Hermione looked while she helped him. The look of focus and concentration was a combination of making sure she did everything properly but with an approach of tenderness that took Draco’s breath away.

“You know, I could try a spell to secure the bandages without tape. That might help you move about a bit more and less stiffly.” Hermione offered.

“Go for it.” Draco said, somewhat saddened that the moment was nearing an end. Briefly, he contemplated groaning in pain and holding his ribs. Anything to keep those fingers on him.

Hermione placed the gauze bandages over the wounds and healing skin and, waving her wand above Draco, said, “Ligamentum mollis.”

Draco could feel a slight tightening around the edges of the bandages and inhaled deeply. There was more give with the invisible flexible adhesive holding the gauze patches in place than what there had been when tape secured everything in place. He noticed Hermione looking at him questioningly and he smiled.

“Perfect.” He said and was reward with a beaming smile from Hermione.

“You should get some rest now. If you get up a little earlier tomorrow, I can apply some fresh dressings for the day.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

Hermione blushed.

“Did you do that all summer?” Draco asked.

“Only when you said something nice.” Hermione admitted.

“So the answer is no.” The Slytherin joked.

“Go to bed.” Hermione ordered.

Draco allowed a mask of neutrality to cross his face.

“Draco?”

“Dreams.”

“Okay, how about this…go get changed into something more comfortable and I’ll bring in some pillows and blankets. We’ll stay out here together, talking or just watching the fire or reading. No need to sleep. We’ll just relax.”

Draco looked at Hermione in disbelief.

“You go to bed.” He said. “I’ll just stay out here and read.”

“I’m not tired.” Hermione argued.

“You don’t need to babysit me.” Draco protested weakly.

“I’m not babysitting you or molly-coddling. Besides, I want to get a head start on some reading and homework.”

“Bookworm.” Draco taunted.

“Lazy.” Hermione fired back.

“Brown noser.”

“Butt kisser.”

“Know it all.”

“Arrogant prat.”

“Fine. You win.” Draco sighed. “I’m getting changed.”

Smiling happily, Hermione bounced off into her room. Draco looked up to the ceiling and shook his head.

“I’m doomed.” He muttered and slowly trudged up the stairs into his own room, hoping he wouldn’t need to take one of the few remaining vials of Dreamless Draught that night.