The Dreamer

The Missing Wand

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“Oh, bleeding hell!” shouted Hermione as she bounced off the wards just outside Hogwarts main door. No wonder Rita Skeeter used an animagus form to spy. It would have been a lot easier roaming around as a beetle under a tabletop inside the establishment than having to perch by a wall and mess everything up from outside. And then there was the fallout when she’d skipped using the sticking charm on those unnecessarily loud boxes. Prize bit of thinking that had been.

Hermione took a deep shaky breath. She was near tears from the stupidity of it all. She was better than this, really.

Picking herself up unsteadily, she checked to make sure all her parts had arrived intact. All limbs and bits were accounted for. Hermione was even relieved to see her quick quotes quill and note pad were still clutched fast at hand. It could’ve been so much worse if her notes had been discovered in the wake of that less than stealthy disappearance. However, she beyond mortified to find she’d lost her wand. Surely she hadn’t apparated all the way back to Hogwarts without it!

After a fruitless search, Hermione realized that indeed she had made the trip without the aid of her wand. Ordinarily this discovery would have been a happy one, as a new ability was always welcomed, but she felt quite sick with the knowledge that anyone could stumble across it. Swallowing back a sob, she tried to ignore the pounding headache that was coming.

And it wouldn’t be just anyone who would find her wand either. No, she knew better than that. Malfoy or Parkinson could very well be in possession of the wand and there was literally nothing she could do about it. She knew without doubt, Malfoy would recognize her wand.

Popping back for it was out of the question; she didn’t dare entertain the idea given her current state of mind. The carriages were gone. All around her she noticed the sky was long past twilight and stars were out. Walking back would be ridiculous now.

With a sigh of resignation, she knew she’d have to contact the Head Mistress and ask for a floo. If the evil duo had miraculously managed to overlook her wand, then perhaps someone at The Hogs Head might still be able to retrieve it.

She had a sinking feeling they wouldn’t find it, but for now this course of action was the only sensible outcome. Damn sensibility! She stifled another sob. Crying was pointless; she had to subdue the swell of self-pity threatening to overtake her. Choking off another sob, Hermione quickly patted her eyes with robe’s sleeve.

She had to be off, she had to get started. The quicker the better, it was just like a Muggle Band-Aid reasoned Hermione. Soon she’d have to face Padma and explain why she’d come back without the items on her list. Hermione knew that she would have to dance about with the truth. And looking like drowned rag doll was not going to aid in that endeavor, for Padma possessed a keen sense of observation.

In the distance carriages could be seen dotting the road back to Hogwarts, their lanterns bobbing up and down as they made steady time. Parkinson and Malfoy would be in one of them and Hermione didn’t want to stick around for their return either.

Hermione stretched and cracked her back to ease the pent up tension. Taking deep breaths, in and out, she focused on remaining calm, or at least trying to look outwardly composed, and if nothing else, less agitated than she truly felt. She resolved to get this taken care of before Malfoy and Parkinson returned. If it hadn’t been found, then she’d know by the time of their arrival that one of them had to be in possession her wand. And from there she could draw new plans.

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As Hermione dreaded, the wand could not be found by dinner. And just as she was about to climb the stairs to Gryffindor Tower she was startled by a familiar voice.

“Oh, Granger, tell me you came back with my items!” ruffled Padma, who ascended the stairs after her. Hermione’s temper flared. Of course, she’d meant to find Patil earlier, but now would have to do.

“Uh, about that...” Hermione turned around, plastering a smile on her face. “You know, I really meant to…”

“I thought, oh, never mind what I thought!” Padma cried, pinching the bridge of her nose and shaking her head. “I just can’t believe it. I won’t believe it.”

“Now before you go making assumptions,” Hermione interjected, “I have a very good reason. I thought I’d heard something and in a panic I accidentally apparated myself back to Hogwarts.”

“You heard something?” Padma’s head perked up, her dark eyes meeting Hermione’s.

“Well, yes. Harry and I had a row about those Death Eaters that had yet to be caught, and I guess it just stuck in my mind and next thing you know, a clash in the alley way made me think there was about to be an attack and in a blind moment of fear I just absolutely panicked!” Hermione spit out as her hands finally caught up with everything she’d been saying. “And poof, I was back at Hogwarts without my wand.”

Padma was in Ravenclaw for a reason. And as the two witches stared at each other, it was Hermione who was the first to feel squeamish.

Then Padma’s laugh broke the silence. “You expect me to believe that ‘the Hermione Granger’, who could lie while being crucioed by one of the most deadliest witches to have ever lived, rob a Gringotts bank vault only to have ridden off into the sunset on the back of a dragon, and fought in the final battle…” Padma gasped for air, “I’m really to believe this witch was scared off by an alley cat?”

Under such close scrutiny, Hermione was sticking with the most plausible lie she had while relying on a little misdirection. Hermione nodded curtly, her eyes narrowing on the other girl, “Yes, I’ve just gone terribly soft in my old age. Had I only known how much my little panic attack would have affected you, I might have tried to be braver. After all, can’t let the Head Girl down, can we? Now if you’ll excuse me, I lost my wand during that whole episode, and I’m completely knackered from all the fuss.”

“Your wand?” Patil asked truly perplexed. It was as if she was just now hearing this fact for the first time.

Hermione crossed her arms and looked hard at Padma, “I told you, I panicked. And like I said, I apparated without my wand and now it can’t be found.”

“All the way back from Hogsmead?” Padma whistled contemplatively, her dark eyes raking over Hermione’s slightly disheveled appearance.

“All the way back from Hogsmead,” said Hermione flatly. “And now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go lay down. I’m sorry I wasn’t more useful to you today.”

“There’s no need to take that tone.” Patil sniffed. “I didn’t expect you to make Yule Ball the center piece of your life, you know. I’m just surprised that you of all people could flake so much in one day.”

“Clearly.” Hermione droned. “And how is it you’re missing my sarcasm? Not all the happenings of Hogwarts are about you or this stupid ball.”

Patil bristled, “Well, if you’re going to be a real…”

“I don’t have the energy for a cat fight, see you at breakfast, Padma.” Hermione cut.

Hermione ignored Patil’s harried puff in favor of making the ascent up to her tower. Typical girl bullshit! thought Hermione. For her part, Patil did nothing to stop Hermione from leaving.

She was too tired to really care about the whole mess, and opted to skip dinner in favor of trudging up to her room. She reluctantly fished out Bellatrix LeStrange’s wand from the chest at the foot of her bed, crawled into the four-poster, and commanded the curtains to shut. The wand was sluggish, but obeyed. Casting a few routine charms since the nightmares had started in again with a vengeance, Hermione buried her head into her pillows. She cried more tears than she would have thought herself capable of. She really missed her true wand.

As she lightly dozed off, she hoped that Malfoy was eating with the others in the Great Hall and would not be making an appearance in her dreams. For one night all she could hope for was reprieve from her awful day and all the freakish knowledge it contained.

---

Draco Malfoy returned to Hogwarts in a better mood than when he left. He was currently stroking Granger’s wand in his pocket as he descended the stairs towards the Slytherin dormitory. He was annoyed with Astoria Greengrass, he hardly liked her plan to ensnare his fortune and future via what few friends he had left. It was a very Slytherin thing to do, admittedly, but her days were numbered.

He began tapping his index finger on the side of the little sneak’s wand as he wandered on in thought. As Draco walked through the Slytherin portrait, he smiled quite wickedly. Yes, on the ever-evolving situation concerning Miss Perfect Little Prefect, he did have a plan.

Draco’s twice-pardoned father had been right when he declared that forgiven sins did little to clear the Malfoy name. Either way Draco planned to exploit Hermione’s intrusions into his life to find out what little else the Ministry could possibly have against them, and if she happened to be worth the trouble of seducing, then he’d happily accept what she had to offer.

Upon entering the Common Room, Draco nodded at Theo. Draco then realized that somehow Theo had not been caught up in Astoria’s scheming. It made sense in a way; Theo’s discretion was legendary. Theo nodded back with a knowing look in his eye, and Draco shook off any lingering doubts on Theo’s possible involvement with Astoria. If Theo knew anything of the current situation it would have been because Theo had been approached by Astoria and managed to see his way out of her blackmailing scheme.

Returning to his thoughts, Draco made his way over to the fireplace to have a seat. When Hotchkins left, Draco knew Theo would come. Till then, he was left to contemplate both his stalkers.

If Granger wasn’t trying to entrap him, and Draco consider that a big “IF”, perhaps he’d even allow himself to feel something in the event of that kind of situation too. If she wasn’t spying, then the circumstances would change drastically. It could only mean she was infatuated with him somehow, and was in deep denial about it. He honestly didn’t know how he should feel if the latter ended up being the truth.

Draco had to concede there was the added bonus of a public relationship with Granger. Some of his social stigma would evaporate over night, and of course it would enrage countless others, especially those who’d been betting against his successful reintegration into an openly mixed Wizarding society. Astoria would be less than pleased, but for that he could care less. He’d already decided on a plan of action for her, and it hinged on extorting the extortionist.

The way Draco saw it, he had Astoria one of two ways. First he’d have her on trying to blackmail another student, and if he was really lucky, Theo might actually have some other dirt on Greengrass too. Everyone had skeletons in their closet; it was just a matter of picking the worst one. And second, there was setting up a situation in which she admitted her guilt.

Draco considered that he’d have to go on a few dates with Astoria if needed, but weighing that against the horrors of Sixth and Seventh year, he felt the youngest Greengrass was of little consequence. He’d been through a lot worse. And if Granger was into him, and not the minion of the Ministry, then he could use Greengrass to incite her jealousy.

“Got girl problems?” said Theo cutting into Malfoy’s thoughts.

“Escaped blackmail did you?” Draco mumbled before reclining on the green lounge. He felt sleepy.

“Always.” Theo replied simply. “I already know what you’re going to ask. She tried, game face is nearly flawless on that one, but I remain immune.”

“Good at the game, well, at least Zabini probably gave as good as he got. Must have cracked at some point.” Draco mused; rubbing his forehead he yawned and arched his back again. It’d been a long and twisted day.

“I know your hand. Still, it’s advised you to be especially cautious with Greengrass Jr. Greengrass Sr. may be as sweet as they come, but Jr. is going to become quite the handful for whatever unlucky bloke she manages to Impervious into domestic bliss.” Theo looked contemplative. “Hope that’s not you mate.”

“You forgot to mention what you had on Astoria.” Draco groused, this was taking too long. He just wanted to get to bed. “Also, do you know anything about the motives of my other stalker, because I’ll be honest, that one gives me more to worry about.”

“Other?” Theo grinned like a Cheshire cat now. “Or do you want me to guess, because I could go for a guessing game too…”

Draco shook his head. Pansy and now Theo, this was turning into a news announcement of some sort, he was sure. “How many more do you think know?”

“I don’t think others really know, but Pansy shared a few tidbits with me. Divinations seemed quite lively that day, didn’t it?” Theo was holding back, Draco could tell and this greatly aggravated him.

“You know bloody well what I’m driving at, is there going to be a conflict between my stalkers or not?”

Theo chuckled quietly before leaning in to whisper, “If Jr. hasn’t figured it out yet, she will if you don’t resolve some of the tension going on with You-Know-Who. Someone’s accidental magic is getting a bit unstable, and really, I can’t take credit for this observation. You strictly have Pansy to thank for that little morsel.”

Draco groaned. So it was back to you using You-Know-Whos, was it.

“Let’s call that one something else.”

“Just give me a pet name,” smirked Theo, his eyes narrowing on Draco. “I’ll only be too happy to use it.”

Draco was fed up with Nott’s games. “Oh, get a hobby or girlfriend, Nott, you have too much time on your hands if you’ve got nothing to do but pester me.”

“Pester you?” Theo grinned widely now, “How is that not a hobby?”

Standing, Draco ignored Theo and made his way back to his bed. That last little retort and mention of pet names clenched it. The day needed to be officially over.

Before he could clear the Common Room, Draco turned around and leveled a glare at Nott, “High Grades, when I want information about that one, we fall back on High Grades.”

Whatever else Theo was going to complain about he abruptly stopped once it became clear Draco was not going to engage him further.

Shutting the door behind him, Draco sighed. He needed sleep, and sleep would come to him readily, but the dreams, he didn’t know if he could keep up the game when his subconscious was called on.

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Finally! I know there was a huge break between chapters but I have another half written that I hope to have up by the end of the week.