Classroom "C" was locked, but not protected by charms. Hermione opened the door with ease, her heels clicking loudly on the worn wooden floor. A hanging skeleton clacked its jaw in greeting, and plaster heads stared with empty eyes. Harry stood in front of a mirrored cabinet, clenching his new cypress wand in a gloved hand. His back was to her, but Hermione would always recognize those tense, narrow shoulders and that perpetually disheveled black hair. Despite the bright lamps, darkness seemed to swirl around him. The same tormented wizard from the Forest of Dean was before her again. What do you want to hear from me? I need you. Do you want me? Please. Please want me.
Hermione's breath hitched at the memory, but she said nothing. Harry turned to her.
"A Boggart used to live in this cabinet," he said quietly. "For me, it always took the form of a Dementor."
She nodded.
"Now, I think my Boggart would be you... in a green shirt, with that hair..." Harry squinted behind his glasses. "...For him."
Hermione tensed.
"You want me to be like that... for you?"
"No." He winced slightly. Thank Merlin. She nearly fainted with relief.
"Not that you weren't beautiful before," Harry added hastily. "You're very pretty, and... sweet, and... uh, soft, but..."
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"It's okay, Harry. Honestly. More than okay."
He exhaled, still upset, but not as gloomy.
"I know I took advantage of the situation back then... of you... in that tent."
She bit her lip. They should have discussed what happened in the tent long ago, and it was a shame the conversation was happening now, with Tennant on the loose, Draco moping somewhere, and Harry still reeling from all the drama. But what could she do...
"No, you didn't take advantage of me," she said firmly.
"Of course I did. I drove you out of the bedroom, got you drunk, and begged."
Hermione blushed.
"You didn't..."
"I took your..."
"Harry." She walked closer and squeezed his hand. "You didn't take anything from me that I didn't want to give. Yes, you needed me, but I needed you too. When Ron left, my heart was broken..."
"You were vulnerable," he whispered.
"So were you, Harry. Look at me."
He looked up—his eyes were glistening. Harry—with his soul laid bare—was so different from the secretive Draco and his endless masks. She squeezed Harry's hand tighter, feeling the warmth of his leather glove.
"You helped me when I needed it. Thank you, Harry."
"I hated myself," he whispered, releasing her hand. Merlin, Ginny's right—we're both idiots.
"Stop that immediately," Hermione commanded. "What, do you imagine yourself a great seducer? Do you think you corrupted me and pushed me into the arms of Draco Malfoy with his perverted sexual games?"
Harry winced.
"In Merlin's name, Hermione, do you always have to say all that out loud..."
"Fear of a name only increases fear of the..."
"I'm not afraid of perverted sexual games!"
Judging by the look on his face, he was definitely terrified. Hermione smiled wryly.
"Draco and I had a negotiation yesterday."
"A negotiation?"
"Yes. I like clear boundaries."
"Boundaries," he repeated in a weak voice.
"Draco doesn't quite understand subtle hints," Hermione continued. "So I decided to immediately outline what types of sexual activity are permissible."
Harry shuddered.
"Overall, I was happy with the result," she added cheerfully. "It was even difficult for me to keep from violating the terms myself, but being consistent is important."
The Auror groaned and slumped into the nearest chair.
"Stop, stop... I can't listen to this anymore."
Hermione stared at him sternly, her hands on her hips.
"If you're going to barge into the castle to judge me, at least listen to the whole story."
"No, no, I don't need the whole..."
"One night, I took the initiative and removed his..."
"I'm sorry!" Harry yelled. The skeleton rattled its bones in fright. "I'M SORRY, Hermione! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
She looked at him intently.
"What exactly are you apologizing for, Harry?"
"I shouldn't have talked to you like that yesterday." Harry looked up at her with wide, desperate eyes. "And I certainly shouldn't have shamed you. Or thought that you would allow someone to use you. Please, Hermione."
Hermione looked over at the plaster heads, which were listening to the conversation with obvious interest.
"What do you say?"
The heads nodded in unison, and the skeleton clacked its jaw in support.
"Fine," Hermione said, sitting down opposite him at a student desk. "I forgive you."
"Thank you."
Harry dropped his head onto the table.
A short silence fell, after which he lifted his head again.
"Just asking... as a friend. As a supportive friend. Does it really have to be Malfoy?"
"Draco needs me too. He's all alone."
"Then he should join the club," Harry grumbled. "There are other ways to help people, Hermione."
She shook her head.
"Between Draco and me... it's hard to explain, but there are real feelings between us."
"If you need feelings, can't you find someone better than Malfoy? I heard you and Justin..."
"Justin?" Hermione scoffed. "The same wizard who is staying in Isobel's ward?"
"But Hermione, Justin claims that Malfoy Stunned him right here!"
"Yes, but Draco was forced to..."
Harry jumped to his feet.
"And Malfoy threatened to throw him off the Astronomy Tower!"
"Yes, he threatened Justin, and that was stupid. Sit down, Harry, I'll explain everything."
He obeyed, and Hermione continued:
"Tennant Rowle is a little... let's just say... obsessed with me, but he couldn't catch me alone. So he decided to follow Justin to get to me. Draco tried to warn me, but I didn't listen. Then he tried to scare Justin into not seeing me anymore, but that didn't work either."
"This is completely crazy, why would..."
"Let me finish," Hermione interrupted. "Draco thought it was important to maintain the pretense that he was on Tennant's side. He Stunned Justin for Tennant, and when Tennant somehow Stunned me..."
"It was a Stunning Hex trap," Harry said. "I found traces of magic in the hallway."
"Well, that explains everything," Hermione replied, annoyed that she had fallen for such a simple trap. "Draco Stunned Tennant, brought me back to my senses, and then I helped Justin. Since then, Draco and I have been working together against Tennant." She clenched her fists. "Tennant Rowle has been harassing witches for several months, probably since the beginning of the school year."
"Why didn't you report it?" Harry asked. "That's enough to get him expelled."
"I don't want him expelled. I want him in Azkaban. He's continuing the work of the Death Eaters, I'm sure of it."
Harry got up again and began to pace the room restlessly, stopping at the mirrored cabinet to try to smooth down his perpetually unruly hair. Then he turned to Hermione.
"You can't prove that version of events," he said. "It's good and it explains all the facts, but there's another one."
He returned to the desk where Hermione was sitting, leaned his hands on the surface, and looked her in the face. She noted with satisfaction that his lightning-bolt scar was almost invisible.
"What if... just hear me out... what if Malfoy is obsessed with you?" Harry spoke each word as if it were a Stunning Spell. "Malfoy tried to scare off Justin. When that didn't work, he Stunned him. Tennant Rowle is also interested in you, so Malfoy hexed him too."
Hermione almost groaned. It really did sound logical.
"Draco would never harm me or Isobel."
Harry looked at her skeptically, then straightened up.
"I checked the details of Tennant's trial," he said in a sharper tone. "The documents are still classified, but I spoke with the Wizengamot prosecutor."
"And what did she say?"
"Not much. But she's still furious. A few witnesses, some of the prisoners held at Malfoy Manor, seemed to recognize Tennant, but he and his father look so much alike that the witnesses weren't sure. Even Death Eaters under Veritaserum were evasive. The prosecutor was afraid that if she pushed harder, it could jeopardize Torfinn's conviction."
Hermione jumped up, her eyes flashing.
"That's absurd! Tennant is impossible to confuse with his father. He's much bigger, his eye shape is completely..."
Harry groaned.
"Seriously, Hermione? You think prisoners and Death Eaters during the war were comparing the eye shapes of different Rowles? Half the time the Death Eaters were wearing masks anyway!"
She crossed her arms, displeased. People were so inattentive. She was proud of her testimony about her time at Malfoy Manor—down to the color of the curtains in the living room (heavy blue silk brocade, by the way), which strangely billowed as if they wanted to...
"My contact at Durmstrang also sent an owl this morning," Harry continued. "Their DADA teacher was arrested a few months ago for training unregistered Animagi. There was no seminar that Rowle could have attended. He was at Durmstrang for less than a day and left yesterday."
"He's recruiting new Death Eaters," Hermione said with conviction.
"I have no doubt about that." Harry rubbed his hands over his face. "Listen, Slughorn allowed me to stay in the castle today, even gave me a room. I plan on patrolling the corridors. Do you have the Map?"
"Of course," Hermione replied, pleased that she had already taken the Map from Draco. She took it out and handed it to Harry. "I haven't seen Tennant on it all day."
Harry's eyes scanned the parchment.
"Maybe he's hiding on the grounds outside the castle or in a place that isn't on the Map."
"In the Room of Requirement?"
Harry nodded.
"But tonight he's sure to be active, and I'll be ready. For now, only you, Justin, Slughorn, and Malfoy know I'm here."
"And Ginny," Hermione said.
"Ginny." Harry sighed and adjusted his glasses. "I can't believe you told her everything. That witch is completely insane."
"I had to tell her. She heads the Student Protection Squad."
"She's crazy," Harry declared. "She tracked me down with some kind of creepy mist and held her wand on me. How am I supposed to know what Mrs. Weasley's favorite mixing bowl is?" He frowned. "I need to try to confiscate Mad-Eye's stuff again."
"Good luck with that."
Harry unrolled the Map and checked the parchment again.
"Tennant Rowle still isn't visible."
He frowned.
"What's W.E.W.?"
Hermione hurried to distract him.
"Harry, about tonight—you'll see my dot in Draco's room."
He looked up.
"I suppose there's no point in asking you to stay in your own damn room while a sociopath is prowling the castle?" His voice sounded resigned. "Of course there isn't."
"Thank you, Harry." Hermione hugged him, and he hugged her back. "You're a good man."
"Malfoy..." he sighed. "Are you really happy with him?"
"Yes," Hermione whispered, burying her face in his leather cloak. "He understands me."
The Auror shook his head.
"Merlin. This war has made us all fucked up."
At half past nine, Hermione was standing in the middle of her bedroom again, wondering what to wear. Lace lingerie was out of the question, so she put on blue cotton pajamas and braided her hair. Now she looked perfectly respectable for a serious conversation. Romilda, surprisingly, was in her bed and had even drawn the curtains. Maybe she had fought with Cormac again.
Hermione climbed into her bed, shooing Crookshanks away and drawing the curtains, and then cast protective charms just in case. She held her wand in her hand—Draco might be a little annoyed about...
A flash of white light, and Hermione found herself on a bright pink comforter.
"Expelliarmus!" a low voice hissed, and her wand flew out of her hand.
She blinked, and when her vision cleared, she froze. As always, she was in Draco's bed, and as always, the Slytherin was lying next to her, dressed only in silk boxers. But this time, it was Tennant Rowle.