True Slytherin Intentions

Chapter 2| Fire Or Whiskey

Once the train had pulled into its usual station, the seventh years held back waiting for everyone else to already be on their way before gathering their things and hurrying off into the cool night air. Hermione remained close to Ron's side, Harry and Ginny walking ahead of them in silence. 

It all felt so different now.

The journey back familiar yet so strange and not a single person returning back could deny the hurt that swirled around with the slightest sense of nostalgia bubbling away in their chests. Yet not a single one of them stood frozen staring wide-eyed and lost in thought up at the castle. Hermione had thought she would have spent a few minutes having to gather herself, having to force the terrifying past away and cling to the small happy memories she could still recall. But she didn’t. 

None of them wanted too.

So just as quickly as the large round towers penetrating high in the sky broke free into view they had disappeared inside. 

Walking the grounds was almost eerie. The hallways were lightly lit by candles, a few arched halls lurking in that charming darkness that seemed to cast the greatest of shadows across the courtyard under the shimmering full moon above. Nothing had changed. The smell of pumpkin spice and cinnamon apples wafted through the air battling with the scent of old musk and candlelight. If you focused hard enough on the latter, you could almost smell the bricks burning all over again. The art that carved its way through cement was as prominent as ever, the architecture still as beautiful and the old hints of faded paint replicated without fault. The trio walked the halls as they had before, knowing each turn confidently but their eyes scanning for any sign of the horror they had lived not long ago. They searched for any sign that it had been real but just looking at each other was enough of a reminder. 

Harry, as if suddenly sensing home once more straightened his shoulders and glanced at his two best friends. “It feels just like yesterday.”

“Yeah except it doesn’t at the same time,” Ron added, nodding at the gathering of the most unlikely bunch. 

Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs and a few of the Gryffindors that had all chosen to come had gathered in a growing group. Their faces lit with small smiles and the hint of excited chatter but the reason they were here, the reason they waited to enter together despite house was that they needed it. Things may seem the same but they weren’t and the only people who could understand that damage caused was those that were there. They would face this year as they did Voldermort. Together. 

Even the Slytherins that had chosen to return gathered around. Of course, most simply stood with that dead set glare of knives and ice not really embracing the support offered to them by everyone else here but needing it. They may be at battle with their own conflicts and there may still be hatred towards the other houses but at the end of the day, no one else understood. Cause even this was better than strolling into the Great Hall alone. There were a large number of Slytherins that fought for the side of good but even Hermione knew returning as a Slytherin was perhaps an automatic life sentence. Perhaps why not many did return. They had more to fear than anyone else returning but she couldn’t deny that it wasn’t like they didn’t have it coming.

She scolded herself for that thought, sympathy hitting her square in the chest as she pulled a small smile to a Slytherin girl she had remembered helping in a dual during the last few moments of the battle.

Once they had made their way in and the group had split into four smaller ones, they all sat at their tables. Eyes glued to the front where a row of Professors sat, McGonagall, gliding across to stand by the large golden phoenix. 

No one sat there could deny the lump that had rose to their throats. 

There was no hiding it. 

Everything had changed.

McGonagall addressed the school, welcomed them and thanked them. She gave tribute to those that weren’t there, those that couldn’t be and those that should have been. A moment of silence passed before the Headmistress finally eased into the new routine introducing the new Professors and their classes. It was at this point that Hermione's eyes tore from the front and fell to her plate that held a single chicken drumstick picked at but not eaten. 

All these speeches, what good did it do? It wouldn’t make anything better, it would just continue to remind her that she survived and others didn’t. Fred, Lupin and Tonks didn’t. They didn’t get to survive and she did. And what of her parents? Since removing their memories of her, Hermione had not set eyes on them, the idea too painful. She had lost everything. 

What now?

As her eyes filled with tears Hermione felt the anger settle in her jaw as it tensed and creases spilt across her forehead. It’s not fair! None of it was. At that moment Hermione felt it, the pair of cold sharp daggers glaring at her face, burning at her skin until she looked up and past Ginny’s fiery red hair to see the culprit staring right back at her.

Malfoys arms were neatly spread together on the table in front of him, his empty plate pushed into the centre as he sat leaning in, his eyes reading Hermione’s. For a second she thought she saw him smirk as if understanding the rage that slithered before her eyes for that tiniest moment but she knew better than that. Again he was sneering at her rolling his eyes away as she refocused her attention. It was simply him taking bliss from a moment of her misery.

Typical Malfoy.

McGonagall ended with the rules. The first being no autographs and no harassment. She wondered how long those would last before some first year would undoubtedly think the punishment was worth it.

No one apart from the new students stayed down there late, the allure of the castle too much for them to refuse. The other students had retired to their common rooms and those that knew the first night of Hogwarts would be one of the hardest things they’d done since the war, headed to the newly introduced ‘Safe Room’. 

McGonagall had believed that the few students that returned would need a place away from everyone else, a place that only they could go to be alone but not alone. Only those that had stood on that rubble, that kissed death and came back to dance with their new reality could go. You were alone but you weren’t, you had a space filled with people that got it. 

The headmistress hadn’t mentioned the room during Dinner but rather notified all the relevant students through owl with the location and password. 

It was set from the beginning where they would all gather.

The three of them walked down the halls and hurried across the changing staircase before passing their old Gryffindor common room. A few moments later and they were near the astrology tower, a narrow long gaping hall met them, the light from various floating candles cast only a slight streak to illuminate barley anything but there wasn’t much that could scare the trio anymore.

Walking towards the large Crow with multi-coloured jewels for eyes at the end of the Hall, Ginny let go of Harry and stepped back next to Hermione. “I have the sneakest feeling this room is going to be the cause of so much scandal.” 

Ginny wiggled her eyebrows at Hermione and she couldn’t help but laugh, grateful for the lightheartedness her friend had managed to bring. “Really? The first night back and your mind is already-”

“Come on ‘monie, now there's no one or thing to save, what do you think a room full of horny, emotionally unstable and s****l repressed teenagers with massive trauma issues are gonna be getting up too?” the thought hadn’t actually accrued to Hermione. I mean sure she knew this year was bound to be different given the fact she could actually focus on her for a change but at the same time, Hermione hadn’t really thought what that meant.

She wanted to be free to just live how she should have when she was sixteen, to learn the parts of herself outside of who she was when danger was knocking on their doors. She wanted to know herself on all levels but she didn’t have a plan on how she’d do just that. But with Ginny's suggestion, did that make it a scandal? Was she on a one-way ticket to messing up the reputation she had spent so many years building?

“Well, if it happens to turn into some large orgy room of pain I’ll be the first to Avada Kedavra myself out of there. The last thing I need to see is Harry giving it to you while Rons. . . “ her voice trailed off, the look of disgust scrunching her nose together was mirrored back by Ginny.

“That's disgusting do not finish that sentence!” the firey ginger warned, throwing her hands into the air and shaking her head. 

“Sorry!” Hermione mumbled quickly, her cheeks flushing red.

Ginny calmed down, still shaking the part image from her mind before taking Hermione's arm again and pulling her further towards the ‘Safe Room’. “So I take it that means you guys took it to the next level?”

Hermione's eyes dropped to the ground, “No. He’s still pretty much waiting on me to make the move.” it wasn’t that she hadn’t made a move but all the moves she seemed to make weren’t enough. Nothing gave him the confidence to throw her down on his bed, rip her clothes off and take her until nothing was left of her. She had even told him she was ready! But still, once her shirt was off he was a nervous wreck and there’d always be an excuse to cut it short. “He is a big i***t at times.”

It got the point Hermione didn’t know if she was desirable. Was there something wrong with her? Ron never seemed to have an issue when it was Lavander Brown. For a while, she put it down to everything that had happened. Ron was still healing like everyone but then surely wouldn’t she be the best escape? 

“Wait, you mean my brother still hasn’t . . .” Ginny looked pissed off and slightly grossed out. Hermione shook her head in response.

“You would think he would want nothing more than to just . . . do it.” Hermione whispered the last part slightly embarrassed. “But it's like he’s just not interested.”

Ginny wrapped an arm around Hermione's waist giving her a reassuring squeeze. “No! Of course, he is, I’ve seen the way he looks at you. He’s just . . . an i***t. He can’t keep his hands off you!”

True. But it was all so boring now. The affection Ron would show were typical now, not surprising or shocking. Just typical. He would start but then he couldn’t finish it. It felt more like it was something done to placate her, to keep her. 

“Yeah, just a shame he doesn’t put those hands to use.” 

Reaching the door Harry whispered the password, his hand pressed to the beak of the crow before the walls seemed to rumble and the wings of the crow shifted back and outward lifting into the air to reveal two large entries both leading to the common room. 

“Draco! Wait up,” the name had almost caused all of them to jump a foot in the air and reach for their wands as they turned to see that platinum blonde hair emerges behind them. His hands tucked into his robes with his buttons undone as they always had been. His grey eyes narrowed in annoyance as he turned his head to the side waiting for Blaise and Goyle to reach him. 

How long had he been behind them? The thought had Hermione’s body turning into ice. The idea that Malfoy had somehow overheard her and Ginny’s conversation was too much embarrassment to bare. She didn’t wait for his eyes to fall on her or for any recognition that he had heard their discussion. Instead, Hermione dipped her head under into pitch blackness and felt her way through the passageway until a burst of orange and yellow light broke through the darkness. 

She stepped down into the new safe room. It looked much like any of the other common rooms, except it was far larger to fit them all comfortably in and the various couches were fashioned from various houses. The walls the same, all houses colours represented. It was insane how similar and different the place looked. Right at the back sat two winding staircases opposite each other leading to two different rooms. One she assumed was the girl's dormitory and the other the boys if they ever wished to stay the night here instead of the usual.

“It's safe to say Hogwarts just got waay more interesting!” One boy yelled, throwing himself down on one of the yellow and black sofas pushed right up to the left wall. A few plants crawled down the ceiling to the wall decorating it in beautiful ivy moss and rosebuds still waiting to blossom. 

It was stunning.

The room soon filled with chatter and Hermione took a seat on the floor next to the soft red love couch that held Harry and Ginny cuddled together. She leaned back against Ron, his arms engulfing her from behind as the place began to settle. A few small groups had formed to different sides of the room, engrossed in different conversations. She knew not everyone was okay with who was in the room, not everyone was ready to forgive and she was no one to judge but strange things had happened since the war.

Whilst forgiveness wasn’t one of them, they had learnt tolerance and by the way, Shamus never hesitated a second to take the seat on the long dark emerald sofa that held a few Slytherins, showed her that. One of them being Malfoy sat at the edge, one arm draped over the armrest and his other hand gripping his knee as if being here took too much out of him. Hermione noted how next to Blaise Malfoy looked lost, his eyes always staring through something and his mind racing. 

She knew Neville kept to the furthest side of the room away from him and so did a few Ravenclaws. She could feel a few eyes dart towards Malfoy and the other Slytherins yet no one seemed to mind Blaise and a few others as much. Over the few trials the ministry had managed to hold, the Slytherins were one of the most important eyewitnesses. They ended up spending more time with their once arch enemies and the hate and tolerance seemed to mould into something more civil. Except for Malfoy.

Malfoy never hung around. He showed up when called, answered what needed to be answered and left.

His mother had taken the lead in forging alliances, rebuilding their tarnished image and holding together whatever fort they had left. Malfoy simply appeared by her side. How much of him actually changed was still unknown.

Yet she had to wonder how bad the halls of Hogwarts actually was for him to choose that a room filled with wizards and witches that wanted nothing more than to watch him rot in Azkaban was better.

The mood had begun to turn sombre until Shamus came out with one of his recently typical suggestions. “How about a round of Fire or Whiskey?” he roared, producing a grey bottle of firewhiskey. How he had managed to get that in was behind her. 

“Ay!” students roared, a few coming forwards and forming a circle at the centre where they sat, Shamus, edging himself forwards on the couch and placing the bottle flat on the ground. Hermione rolled her eyes, let the scandals begin. She clearly wasn’t the only one looking to let her hair down as far too many people agreed. 

The rules were simple. If it lands on you pick between Fire and Whiskey. The fire was simple, a dare. You had to do a dare that stirred something in your life. Most of the time it was embarrassing for the person playing and a massive wind up on whoever was attached to the player in whatever scenario the dare was based on. Whiskey was a truth, a truth that in all honesty, you’d probably never answer unless you were drunk. Once you received your question, you take a sip of the drink and answer. Shamus tapped the bottle three times with his wand and slowly mumbled the incantation to start the game.

Three red and silver sparks flew into the centre of the oddly shaped circle above the bottle, letters forming in front of them in thin air. The drink was now enchanted so if you lied it would know. Once the player was selected the spell would pick your dare or question making it personal to you. Overall it was a fun game and Hermione had made some great memories playing it but she was slightly intoxicated then and the company had been . . . different. She didn’t trust half the people here like that and mixing that game with a group of witches and wizards that hadn’t sorted all their issues out didn’t sound the best.

The game began and Hermione, much like the rest of the room, was crying with laughter. Only two people had dared lie during their turn but Hermione didn’t blame them given the fact that the question involved their ex and their newly found love interest. A few times she had noted how close it came to a fight breaking out but Dean was always ready to pull the humour back where it was needed reminding everyone it was game and ignoring the fact there was too much truth in it all. 

Harry had chosen Fire and his dare had brought bright red scorch across his cheeks as his eyes danced to Hermione and straight back to the ground. Ron’s arms seemed to have tightened around her and his laughing suddenly halted. Ginny had stilled, her eyes rereading the dare as Hermione wiped the remaining tears from her cheek and looked to see what had her friends all choked up.

Kiss Hermione Granger.

It was obvious why it had chosen that.

Hermione was Harrys only female best friend. They spent days with each other, knew everything about each other. It was a great way to piss off Ginny and Ron. Especially Ron who had already dealt with his paranoia about them. But get Harry's girlfriend and best friend riled up and the goal of the game was achieved. 

“Oh Hoggle-squash with this,” Hermione mumbled, feeling everyone's eyes on her. She stood and turned to face Harry. “Everyone knows we’re just friends.”

She reached down and gave Harry a quick peck capturing his cheek leaving everyone slightly annoyed and Harry incredibly confused. “It said kiss, didn’t say where. Did you really think I was going to kiss you?” she asked wiggling her eyebrows as Ginny smiled at the outraged cries of disapproval.

Hermione could feel Malfoys eyes on her the same way she felt them at dinner but she refused to meet his gaze not wanting any more reminders.

She sat back down into Ron’s arms sensing his smile against her cheek as he hugged her. “You are so bloody smart, you know that?”

“I’m acutely aware,” she mumbled back with a smirk proud of herself until she felt Ron's lips press to the side of her neck. She tilted her head to the side allowing him to gently place a trail of kisses. 

But it just seemed to trigger an annoyance in Hermione for two reasons. The first, she knew it would lead to nothing but the usual and she was too wound up to be made any tenser without any kind of realise insight. Then there was two because after all this time he still had not learnt to read body language properly. He never pressed hard enough, never kissed the exact right spots. Ron just couldn’t seem to read Hermione and right now she didn’t need that.

“I’m going to get some air, go to the library quickly before bed and pick up some last-minute books. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” Hermione muttered, capturing Ron's lips in a quick peck before she jumped up smoothing out her skirt.

She could see Rons face morph with confusion as he nodded watching her say goodbye and walk away out from their new spot.