Fallen from grace

Chapter Six

Pickles here sorry this posted way later than I intended!! Please forgive me, cookies and milk to say sorry.

Hermione had fled the room knocking past one of the auror’s “Oi watch where you’re going.” She couldn’t believe someone she thought of not only a close friend but almost a sister had said such spiteful and hate filled words to her and that neither Harry or Ron stood up for her or said anything in her defence.

Hermione paid no attention to where she was running to, only knowing she had to try and get away from those words. As she slowed down her breaths now coming in large heaving gasps from the exertion of running halfway through the castle and in her efforts of trying not to cry; she found her self near the library a place she knew she would be alone.

The library was a place where Hermione felt at peace just the smell of the musty old tomes was enough to settle her nerves slightly. She wandered through the stacks thinking of a book she could read to take her away from all that was going on around her and also in her own chaotic thoughts, ‘Hogwarts a History’ she thought although one of her favourite books would be of little comfort to her after last night.

As she reached a secluded alcove were she occasionally studied when the common room was too busy or she just needed some alone time, she realised that she had picked up a book on transfiguration on the way through that particular section. She sat in the armchair and tucked her legs underneath her self and put the book to one side.

It was then that her thoughts started to catch up to her; was she really that horrible a person that no one liked her for who she was? Was she so repulsive that no one would ever find her remotely attractive and look at her as a woman? She crumpled up in to a ball even further and started to sob, and before long was wailing like a banshee in the empty library.

She wasn’t just crying for herself she was grieving for Dumbledore and the possible loss of Hogwarts, she cried for Draco at being forced in an impossible situation and for having no one he could turn to for help for fear of losing his loved ones and she wept for what was to come. Hermione knew that this was only a start and that after this everything was going to go downhill in the magical world and people would be lost from both sides.

After a while she calmed down and although she felt that she would cry more she decided to try and distract herself from any more self pity. As she picked up the book and began to read she found that she had not read this book yet, it was on human transformation but seemed to go in to great detail not only about how to achieve it but also its history and humanoid magical creature transformations and the history of their evolutionary traits.

As she was reading she didn’t realize that someone had come in to the library looking for her and she jumped when Fleur softly said her name. “Oh gosh Fleur you made me jump out of my skin.”

“I am so sorry Hermione; I only wanted to see if you were alright, and to thank you for trying to stick for me against my new in-laws.” As she said this the beautiful blonde woman sat in a chair next to Hermione.

“Oh it’s nothing, and I’m fine really, shouldn’t you be with Bill?” It came out all in a rush as Hermione was feeling a little nervous as to what to say and do around Fleur.

Fleur leaned towards Hermione and took one of her hands in both of hers, “You do not look fine and you did not look fine when you left the room after Ginny’s words. Besides I needed a little break from Bill’s family and he would have wanted someone to make sure you’re alright after that argument, he is very fond of you and Harry.” She then cupped Hermione’s face with one of her hands and muttered a spell under her breath and the puffy; itchiness disappeared from her face as well as the redness from the tears she had let fall earlier.

Hermione gasped at the soft cool sensation that ran over her face and felt little better already “thank you.” Fleur smiled and leaned back in her seat to talk to Hermione. “It is nothing it is best if people do not see cracks and flaws in your armour. Bill has been transferred and the healers wish for him to rest in peace, and after hearing that we had all been arguing said we can not see him till tomorrow.” At this she sighed and shook her head with a sad smile gracing her features.

“So has anyone been to check on you or been to apologize for their behaviour?” Hermione squirmed a little “no, but it only happened recently so give them time to calm down and find me.”

“Zut Alors it has been a couple of hours it has gone past supper time did you not realize?” Hermione looked around in shock not realizing how time had gotten away from her although she supposed in this corner there was no natural light for her to notice the time by. “Those Weasley’s should have been by to apologize and I thought better of Harry he was very upset and angry after you left and stormed out himself.”

“No it’s ok it’s a difficult time for everyone at the moment everyone is tired and on edge from last night, I just can’t believe I didn’t notice the time slip by I started reading to take my mind off things and got caught up in the book.”

Fleur sighed “you are a little too kind and compassionate for your own good; people can easily use this as a weakness. Never mind any way, I would like to offer a hand in friendship to you Hermione Granger you are someone I would love to get to know better.”

“Oh I am flattered but you don’t have to out of obligation or anything,” at Fleur’s slight frown she hastily added “but I would be very honoured none the less.” Not knowing what more to say to the older girl Hermione stated to fidget with the book in her hands.

Fleur noticed this and caught a glimpse of the book in Hermione’s hands “oh have you read this book before?” At Hermione’s shake of her head and quick explanation that she had randomly picked it up and hadn’t really been able to absorb anything as her mind kept wondering: Fleur started to rave about the book telling Hermione of how rare it was and soon the two girls were discussing some of the more difficult aspects of transfiguration.

Now that Hermione and Fleur had something to talk about the conversation started to flow more freely between the two of them and they relaxed in one another’s presence. Soon the conversation started to go to humanoid creature transformation and that of the Veela’s.

“You were right earlier Hermione that I am nothing like the creatures from the World cup as this book states there are to species of Veela the northern species from Bulgaria which you have met and two southern species; my family is one of the southern species and as the book starts there are huge differences in our evolutionary traits.”

“I had no idea I have never looked in to veela, so you don’t transform in to those scary looking bird like creatures?” Hermione looked a little worried as she realised she may have just insulted Fleur.

Fleur just let out a soft laugh at the look on Hermione’s face “Oh no we have very different traits and ..” she was interrupted however by an Tonks entering the little alcove.

“I wondered who would be out and about in the library at this hour I should have guessed you would be one of the culprits Hermione. What are you two doing up so late if any one other than me found you, you could have been in loads of trouble.” Tonks was looking quite amused at the situation in the library, when she had first entered and heard voices she automatically thought of Slytherins plotting more chaos.

“Oh Tonks I had no idea how late it has gotten I mean, I should have …” Hermione looked extremely embarrassed “I should be in the common room to help younger years.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell if you don’t, but we had better get you back none the less.” Tonks turned around and with a quick backwards glance set off for the library exit.

Both Hermione and Fleur stood; at the library exit Fleur pulled Hermione in to a hug and gave her a peck on each cheek “Good bye Hermione I am sure we will see each other soon and hopefully under happier circumstances, and do not let Ginny or Ron bully you around and convince you are less than what you are.”

They then went their separate ways and Tonks started to quiz Hermione what all that was about while almost knocking over a suit of armour and then falling in the missing step on the way to the Gryffindor common room.

After Harry had left the hospital wing he went to the Gryffindor common room and then to his dorms in an attempt to get some time alone to cool off. It didn’t last long as soon Ginny and Ron tried creeping in to the room, “Look mate I am really sorry I’m just worried that’s all the same with Gin. All these arguments will blow over after a meal and a good nights sleep, you’ll see.”

“Yeah Ron’s right baby,” as Ginny said this she slid in to the bed beside Harry who was staring at the canopy above his bed arms folded behind him, his only response was a small grunt.

“Look you don’t need to worry Mum, Dad and Bill will be fine” as she was now rubbing Harry’s stomach and resting her head on his shoulder and looking up at Harry.

“Ahem Gin I am in the room and that is kind of awkward could you…”

“No you don’t get it” Harry had sat up displacing an angry and upset Ginny “you also hurt Fleur and Hermione for no reason we are all fighting rather than pulling together and you two are only thinking of your selves.”

“Now that isn’t fair, you don’t now all of the arguments that have been going on between Fleur, Bill and the family.” Ron was bright red with anger and was starting to pace his hands balled up in fists.

“That’s not what I am trying to get at Ron, I know your family has a lot to deal with right now and I am truly sorry for anything that was because of me and your association with me; but we are un-necessarily hurting those who are close to us.”
Harry’s gaze moved between the two sibling’s hoping to see some understanding.

Ron just briefly looked towards Harry and his sister before he left the dorm room slamming the door behind him.

Ginny just rolled her eyes “don’t worry about him you know how melodramatic he can be but as soon as he has eaten something he will have gotten over it.”

Harry looked to his smiling girlfriend and felt a fresh burst of anger “and what about Hermione will she just forget what you just said to her? Gin in the last 24 hours you’ve picked on her twice in a really vicious manner.”

Ginny had a fresh wave of tears appear in her eyes “I know Harry but I just felt like she was picking on me and I just haven’t slept much since the attack. When I see her next I will apologize and talk everything out with her don’t worry about that Harry.”

Harry’s expression softened at Ginny’s words and he lay back down on the bed and pulled Ginny down on to his chest “I know you didn’t really mean it look lets try to get some sleep now before dinner.”

The two teenagers drifted off to sleep in one another’s arms for a couple of hours before Harry started to have a nightmare about the inferi and Dumbledore on the tower. He woke suddenly with a gasp to see a blurry Ginny hovering over him.

“Oh Harry it’s only a dream don’t worry, were you dreaming of last night?” Ginny placed Harry’s glasses back on and got up and when to the bedside table to pour him a glass of water from the pitcher.

With a grateful “thanks” he gulped down the water and passed the glass back to Ginny who put it back on the bedside table. Harry briefly looked around the room for any other occupants and seeing none sighed and nodded his head.

Ginny then sat next to Harry and started to rub soothing circles over his back “I am still in shock about yesterday too I mean I can easily believe that Draco was behind it but for him to actually succeed in his task is un-believable. Can you imagine right now he is probably living the high life with Snape as You Know Who’s favourites.”

“I’m not so sure Gin I don’t think that he wanted what happened I am think he was just scared for his family and as for in Voldemort’s favour I don’t think any one can be.”

Ginny shuddered at the use of Voldemort’s name and huddled up a little tucking her knees underneath her chin “I think the Malfoy’s will be back in his Good books and within a week or so Lucius will have escaped from Azkaban. I mean they were his most loyal and trusted servants last time; and as for Draco don’t forget all the things he has done to us the amount of times he has called Hermione a a a .. well a Mudblood, how he always puts me and Ron down because we are blood traitors and that he nearly cast an unforgivable on you had you not stopped him.”

Harry had turned pale at the mention of his and Malfoy’s fight in Myrtle’s bathroom and opened his mouth to say something but Ginny cut him off “I know you didn’t mean for the curse to do what it did but if you hadn’t have done something who would know what Malfoy would’ve done to you.”

“Just think any time you feel sorry for Malfoy just think of all the things he has done to us in the past and that most likely right now is being showered with gifts and praises and probably whores and god knows what his black heart and soul desires.”

Harry nodded and pulled Ginny back down on the bed kissing the top of her head “your probably right Gin, lets try to get an hour’s more shut eye before dinner.” Harry drifted of and his dreams were plagued by a laughing Draco surrounded by his family all at the Dark Lord’s right hand side.”


Reality for Draco was very different from Harry’s dreams, after stepping threw the floo network the previous evening he had promptly passed out on Snape’s hearth from exhaustion and shock. Snape had levitated the thin pale boy to a spare room and left him to wake in his own time.

Draco didn’t wake till late afternoon the following day after a whole night full of disturbing dreams: at first it was a run through of the evenings events from when he let the death eater’s in to the castle all the way through till he saw the muggle girl trying to escape Greyback, then he had dreams were it was him that killed the baby and the children and the horrible scream as the baby died echoing in his head, then he was the one running from the death eaters with evil red eyes following him wherever he ran trying to hide and Greyback’s message to he muggle cackling over and over.

The worse thing for Draco was that thru all his nightmare’s he was unable to wake himself as his body demanded the sleep that it had been being denied as Draco fretted over completing his task.

When he eventually woke it was in a tangle of sweaty sheets and clothes and feeling only slightly more rested than before, his initial thoughts were of confusion as to were he was but the previous evening soon came rushing back and he lifted the robes of his left arm to look at macabre image branded on to his pale skin.

He quickly stood covering his arm back up with a disgusted look and searched around the room he was in, he soon found a note left by Snape telling him that his mother had sent him some clothes and that he should shower and change and find his God father when he was done.

Draco sat back down on the corner of his bed and took his head in his hands; he really didn’t know how to act around Severus anymore he just didn’t know whether to Thank him for what he done or not. In the end he decided on the former both he and his mother were alive; standing he looked through the trunk that his mother had sent ignoring the packages she had left on the top and came to a towel and change of clean clothes.

With items in hand he left the small bedroom and easily found the bathroom after going to loo and brushing his teeth he stepped in to the warm spray of the shower. He did his best to keep his left arm out of site unable to look at the dark mark that now adorned it but also out of the main jet of water as it was still extremely tender and pink.

It was then that he started to chuckle darkly to himself thinking of the times he had said he had wanted the old coot out of the way and how he had idolized his father wanting to be just like him; well now he thought darkly to himself all his dreams had come true.

His laughter soon turned to tears as all his self pity and grief came out, he grabbed a bar of soap turned he heat of the shower up and tried to scrub the feelings away and soon he started to claw at the mark on his arm in trance trying purge it from his body.

He was abruptly brought out of his inner musings and self harm by a sharp knock on the door from Snape “Come on boy you must have used all the hot water by now, and there’s no need to primp yourself that much your worse than a girl. I will be down in the kitchen I expect to see you in five minutes or less Draco.” Unfortunately Snape had a strong suspicion what Draco was up to and hoped he could help him through the Dark Lord’s reign as intact and whole in body and mind as possible.

Draco eyes wide with shock and fear suddenly realised that the temperature of the water was icily cold and that his left arm was bleeding; how long had he been in here? As he heard his God father walk away he muttered curses under his breath got out of the shower tried to stem the flow off of blood on his arm and got dressed as quickly as possible. Dumping his towel in the bedroom he thought was his now he strode on down the corridor and down the stairs with a sense of dread in his stomach.


Hey hope you enjoyed the chappie again sorry its late went through a patch of lots of work, then I lost my memory stick (put it some where safe couldn't remember wher was safe through!) where I saved my story, then found stick, but again had work, then have been ill so time to finish the chapter but may sound like and make as much sense as the ravings of a mad women. Oh and then my old lap top deleted the story in its entirity off my memory stick not sure how but lucklily I managed to retrieve it Thank God.

Oh want to say big thanks to pagiee who always writes a short review thank you inspire to keep going, more people please join her although the reader count is high so I guess people are coming back for more. Oh and I worked out what is wrong with my Fleur character she hasn't got a french accent so if anyone wants to help with that as I can't get it right when I try, if not reader's sorry but you will have to imagine the french accent. Oh and sorry I kept saying Oh!!!!!

Pickles