The Holidays Are Here

Chapter Nine

Harry and Ron got off the Witch\'s bus, and decided to wait out the storm before going to Hagrid\'s to let him know they were back. Neither one of them knew what to do about Malfoy. They were certain that if they met him later, they would be walking into a trap, but they had wanted to shut his smart mouth for five and a half years now, and the bait was nagging at both of them. The opportunity was as sure as it could get.

“I think we should go.” Ron sounded determined to do it.
“I agree. If we stand him up, he\'ll just do something rash tomorrow.” Harry didn\'t want Ginny or Hermione to be hurt in any way.

“Then it\'s settled. Gryffindor score.” Ron said, as they reached the common room. Ginny and Hermione were both sitting near the fire at a table, doing homework. Looking up, they both had smiles that showed their curiosity. “How did the shopping go, Ron?” Hermione asked. “Yeah, tell us all about it,” Ginny said. “Give us a clue Harry.” They both stopped when they saw the seriousness on Ron and Harry\'s faces. “What\'s wrong Harry?” asked Ginny.

“We went out for two things,” Harry started, “and returned with three,” Ron finished for him. “Two of them you don\'t get to see until tomorrow, but you can see this now if you like.” He handed Hermione the note from Draco. Her face went flat, the happiness all but gone now.

“But you\'re not going,” Hermione argued, trying to see into what he was thinking, “are you Ron?” He just looked at Harry. “You are, aren\'t you?” She continued. “Don\'t you see what Malfoys\'s doing?”

Ginny took the note from Hermione. “What\'s this all abo-” She stopped as she read the note. Ginny didn\'t know what to say or do next. She wanted very badly for Ron and Harry to go teach Draco a lesson, but was worried about them getting hurt. “They already have their minds made up, Hermione. Look at their faces, you\'ll see their determination looking back at you.”

“Don\'t tell me you\'re taking their side now.” Hermione was becoming frustrated.

“It\'s not about taking sides.” Ginny had to think fast. She turned her back on the boys to face Hermione, and gave her a wink that told her to follow her lead. “I know they are going to do it no matter what. The best thing I can do now is support them, and trust that they\'ll bring each other back in one piece. I just feel we need to ”

“We will, sis.” Ron was thankful to have at least one of them support him and Harry.

Hermione had taken Ginny\'s cue. “Ron, if you two don\'t, I\'ll never speak to you again.” Ron smiled. “It\'s not like I haven\'t heard that from you before.” He walked around the table to give her a hug. Instead, she slapped him on the chest, and gave him a scornful look. “I\'m being serious.” She stamped her foot to the floor to accentuate her point.

Ron wrapped his arms around her small waist and hugged her. “I know you are. I\'ll be okay, \'cause Harry will be there to save my neck..”

“Great, just what I need, more pressure.” Harry ran his fingers through his shaggy hair.

“Speaking of pressure, Harry” Hermione said, “I need to borrow your cloak tonight. There\'s a book in the restricted section of the library that I need, to finish some work. In exchange, I may let you and Ron borrow my notes.”

“Deal.” Ron was quick to sell that bargain. He didn\'t want to spend any more early days in the library pouring over old texts and scrolls. “Right then, after dinner, we\'re off Harry.”

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Harry and Ron emerged from the other end of the secret tunnel leading from the whomping willow tree to the Shrieking Shack. The snowstorm still raged on, and the Shrieking Shack was veritable wind tunnel with the wind whipping through it like crazy. It made a lot of high pitched sounds that had both of them a little spooked.

Instinctively, they first went to the very room where they had confronted Sirius Black almost three years ago. As they opened the door, they saw Draco standing there waiting for them, wand out. Crab and Goyle were standing on either side of the room, as if waiting to be let loose like two caged dogs.

“Potter. I didn\'t think you had the nerve to actually show. And you brought Weasley. This is perfect.”

Harry went for his wand, but was stopped by Draco. “Expelliarmus!” Harry\'s wand flew across the room, almost striking Crabbe in the face. Ron figured he should wait for a better opportunity to pull his out, but before he could finish his thought he found himself victim of Draco\'s Incarcerous charm, and couldn\'t move.

“Accio Wand!” Harry shouted.
“Wingardium Leviosa” Draco rebutted. Harry\'s wand floated in the air between them. “Your move, Potter.”

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“Gryffindor score.” Hagrid forced himself through the small entrance of the Gryffindor dormitory. “\'arry! Ron! You guys make it back yet?” There was no response. He shouted out for Hermione and Ginny, with the same results. “Probably still eating.” He sat on the hearth for warmth, ready to wait up like a worried parent. Looking around, he wondered why the house banner was missing. With his suspicion raised, he began to look around the room. Looking at the table, he found Draco\'s note. “Oh boy. Oh boy indeed. What have they gotten themselves into now?” Hagrid squeezed himself through the door again, and left immediately for the Shrieking Shack.

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“My father taught me the Crucio curse over the summer holidays, you know.” Draco sneered, trying to lure Harry. “I perfected it on one of our house elves.”

“You wouldn\'t dare, Malfoy.” Harry recalled what it had felt like to be the victim of the terrible curse.
“Try me. Lord Voldemort will reward me well for handing you over to him.” He lowered his eyebrows and sneered. “I\'ve already sent an owl to father, explaining where we are, and how I have you in my custody.”

“You\'re an idiot, Malfoy.” Ron tried his best to distract Draco.
He looked to Crabbe and Goyle. “Shut him up.”

Crabbe pounded a fist into his hand. “Steady him,” he said to Goyle. With one swift punch to the jaw, Ron went limp, bleeding from his nose. Goyle let him go, and he fell to the floor. “What about my turn?”

“Kick him if you like,” said Crabbe, “but don\'t get any on your shoe.”

Goyle kicked Ron in the side hard enough to wake him before both thugs crossed back to their original places in the room. Ron struggled to find he was still under the Incarcerous charm. “How we doing Harry? Did I miss much? Damn, Hermione\'s gonna kill me.”

“You\'re damn right I am,” she said, as she threw off the cloak to reveal herself and Ginny standing by Ron, wands out and in use. “Expelliarmus!” shouted Ginny. Draco\'s wand flew across the room, almost hitting Goyle as Harry\'s wand fell to the floor. Both he and Crabbe charged at the girls. “Crabbi-wasi!” shouted Hermione. Suddenly, Crabbe flew across the room at high speed, smashing into Goyle head on, knocking them both out.

“Accio Wand!” Harry retrieved his wand, and pointed it at Draco as Hermione dispelled the charm on Ron. She and Ginny helped him to his feet.

“Now what, Potter?” Draco was still certain that he had won. “My father is sure to receive my owl any minute, and then he\'ll apparate himself here.”

“Then I had better be quick.” Harry replied. “Do you still want to see your own heart?” His fury grew, and the wind whipping through the house stopped completely. The house was so quiet that Ron actually thought he heard his eyes dilate. Then he heard a deafening scream.

“Harry, no!” It was Ginny. She wouldn\'t live with herself if she didn\'t stop him from becoming a murder. Draco\'s certainty had now faded, and left him fearing for his life for the first time tonight.

Waving his wand hand, he started saying something that confused Draco, as well as Hermione, Ginny and Ron. “Olympica long jumpica, bobsledica, hockey!” He whipped his wand at Draco with the final word, and watched him flinch, as well as wet himself.

Hermione took advantage of Draco standing there with his eyes closed. She ran at him at full speed and punched him in the mouth, knocking him down. She straddled his chest, pinning his arms to the floor with her knees and repeatedly punched him in the head, all the while screaming at him between blows. “THIS IS FOR WHAT YOU DID TO RON! THIS IS FOR SENDING HAGRID TO AZKABAN THIRD YEAR! THIS IS FOR CALLING THE WEASLEYS POOR! THIS IS FOR ALL-THE-TIMES-YOU-CALLED-ME-A-MUD-BLOOD!” All the crying and punching and screaming wore her out, but she didn\'t stop. As bad as she wanted to, she couldn\'t stop.

She knew that Hermione Granger didn\'t fight.

This isn\'t fighting. It\'s justice.

She knew Hermione Granger didn\'t lose self control.

I\'m not out of control!

She definitely knew Hermione Granger didn\'t enjoy hurting people.

He\'s not a person. Not to me.

Yet, here she was, enjoying hurting him. It was as if something possessed her. Draco was barely conscious now, his face swelling and covered in blood. She wasn\'t beyond rage, she was rage, her self control gone as if it had never existed.

She kept swinging, not caring if she hit him, herself, the floor or anything else, as long as her small hands hit something. She wanted to self destruct on him. Her knuckles were bloody as she continued to throw fatigued blows. “This is,” she could barely speak or breathe any more. “for what you did...to that poor...house elf.” Her voice was gone, her lungs ached from shouting. “This is...for...”

Hagrid stormed into the room and pulled her off of Draco, carrying her across the room. He leaned over to set her down, saying “Off yeh go. That\'s a good good girl now. Calm down, it\'s all right.” She clutched Hagrid and cried out five and a half years of frustration on him. He patted her on the back and told her everything would be okay.

He turned to Ron and Harry. “We\'ll discuss this later. I\'ll carry Malfoy\'s boy. The rest of you grab someone. We need to leave before Lucious gets here.” Ron and Harry each carried one of the other Slytherin boys, and Ginny shouldered as much of Hermione as she could bear.

They all headed back, and Hagrid took them to the infirmary at once. Madame Pomfrey was in shock when they burst in through the doors, Hagrid laying a bloodied Draco down on the nearest bed. She looked from his bloodstained face to Hermione\'s bloodied knuckles. Ron and Harry both put Crabbe and Goyle on beds.

“What the ...he\'s...she\'s...bloody nose there, what\'s wrong with these two?” She pointed to Crabbe and Goyle, trying to calm herself.

“Nothin\' really, \'cept fer the fact that they\'re knocked out.”
“The rest of you seem to be fine, then?” she asked, rubbing her hands together nervously.
“Yes Ma\'am.” They all answered.
“Right then,” Madame Pomfrey said, finally calming herself. “Hagrid, I\'ll suppose you\'ll be wanting a private word with the rest of them?”
“Like there weren\'t gonna be no tomorrow,” He replied.

“There may not be, if I have anything to say about it.” Lucius Malfoy entered the room. “What is the meaning of all this?” He looked at his son, then to Harry. “Not likely. I hear you punch like a girl, Potter, same as your friend here.” He gestured to Ron. He looked to Ginny, and gave a snort of contempt. “Not to mention your parents couldn\'t afford boxing lessons, let alone gloves.”

Hermione began to step forward, but Hagrid put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. Lucius\' eyes fixed on her bloodied hands. Quietly, he walked over to his son, who was beginning to come around. He snorted in contempt again. “Beat up by a girl.” Then he whispered, feigning to speak in secret so that the others could actually hear him. “A mudblood at that.” He turned to Hagrid. “I would really like to know how all this transpired, you giant fool.”

“So would I, Lucius.” Dumbledore was standing in the doorway, quiet as could be, with his hands together at the fingertips.
“Dumbledore. I heard you were on holiday.” Lucius\' voice held his surprise poorly.
“I was.”
“Well, now that you\'re back,” his volume and contempt raised with each word. “I would like you to punish the individuals responsible for what has happened to my son!”

“And I will, Lucius. As soon as we find them.” Dumbledore spoke calmly.
“What?” Lucious was furious.
“Calm down Lucius. I can\'t begin to look for your son\'s attackers until our business is concluded, and you have left. It wouldn\'t be an unbiased search if you were still here, now would it?”

Lucius turned to Draco again, and lifted his walking stick to point it at Hermione. “By a filthy mudblood.”

“That\'s enough, Lucius.” Dumbledore showed great restraint, but his voice grew louder. “Your son\'s attackers are getting away at this very moment. How long will you have me stay here speaking with you, instead of conducting my inquiry?”

“Inquiry?” He snorted again. “Your inquiry? Why is it that I get the feeling there will be no inquiry?”
“Rest assured, Lucius. I will personally submit my full findings to the Ministry, of everybody\'s actions tonight. As soon as the Ministry gets back from holiday, of course. Now, I would like to start with you while you are here, if you don\'t mind. Tell me, how did you happen to know to come here so urgently.”

“I don\'t have time for this.” Lucious turned and walked out. “I have other pressing matters to tend to. I see you are capable of handling things from here.” He slammed the door and stormed out of the infirmary.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. “Miss Granger, a word if you please.” He motioned for her to enter Madame Pomfrey\'s office, and followed her, closing the door. Hermione was trembling with fear of expulsion. “Dumbledore, please! It wasn\'t our fault! Malfoy was-”

“Now, now, calm yourself, Miss Granger. If you want to talk about blame, I shall do so.” He held up her hands, and turned them so her bloody knuckles stared back at her. “Starting with you.” She began to cry. He calmed her again, and resumed. “I would like to ask a favor of you, consider it official Order business.” Her face lit up. He was tasking her with official business for the Order of the Phoenix!

“Go back to the dormitory, send word to me by owl to be here promptly at about, oh, ten minutes ago. Do you understand what I\'m asking?” He procured a letter for her. “You may borrow this, if you like. I trust you know how many turns you will need?” Hermione read the letter. It was in her handwriting, and the parchment was covered in blood. It read:

“Dumbledore, please come to the infirmary as fast as possible. It would be of great interest of the OOP. Respectfully, Hermione Granger”

“The second line was a good touch,” he said. “It is what urged me to make haste.”

She stood up, a final tear rolling down her cheek. “Thank you.” She turned and left the office, stopping to hug Ron on her way out. Dumbledore could have sworn he saw her mouth the words “I love you” to Ron. He came out of the office, and asked Hagrid and Madame Pomfrey to please excuse themselves for a few minutes.

Shutting the door, he turned to the six children left in the room. Crabbe and Goyle were coming around now, and were shocked to find themselves in the infirmary, with Dumbledore standing in the room. “Now then,” Dumbledore started. “Have you all settled this matter, or shall I begin my inquiry now?”

One by one, they all nodded their heads and mumbled a “Yes sir” to him, except Harry. He looked to Draco. “I don\'t think any good will come from going at it again, do you?”

Draco shook his head, barely able to speak. “No one else needs to know, Potter.” Blood spittled from his mouth as he said Harry\'s name. “No one”.

“Good,” Dumbledore continued, “because if I were to come back from holiday to find you were in fact not finished with this nasty business, I should be quite put out. And trust an old man on this one. You don\'t want to see an old wizard, such as myself, ever be put out.”

He turned and walked to the door. “I shall return to my Christmas eve meal now. I suppose I\'ll have to move on to dessert though, as the main course must be cold by now. What a pity.” He left the room, and Hagrid re-entered with Madame Pomfrey. “Let\'s go, off to yer rooms then. \'cept you Malfoy, you need to stay here for a few more days. Madam Pomfrey\'s orders.”

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Harry, Ron and Ginny entered the common room to find Hermione by the window, watching the snow dissipate. She was in tears, and still holding the original note Dumbledore gave her. Ron rushed to comfort her. She just sat there motionless for several minutes. Harry and Ginny walked closer to her, but didn\'t know what to say.

Finally, Hermione turned to everyone, her face stained with blood from where she had been wiping her tears away. “I\'m sorry I broke down like that earlier. It\'s not the way any civilized witch, or person for that matter, should act.”

“Maybe not,”Ginny said, “but I\'ll bet it felt good. I wish it had been me instead, not you.”
“Or me.” Harry said. “Not you.”
“Or me.” Ron said, “But not Harry. He was too busy trying to save my neck.” They all smiled, and agreed that Ron would never be able to take care of himself.

“I want to clean up, and turn in for the night.” Hermione hugged Ron and Harry, and waited for Ginny at the stairs. Ginny Hugged both the boys and joined her, holding her hand as they went to their room.

-End Chapter