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Chapter 10

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The frames of the headmasters of the past loomed high above us as we waited it the chairs in front of the headmaster's desk. Headmaster Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen. His phoenix was resting with it's head under its wing as it slept on an ornate golden perch.

Professor Snape glowered at as Faulkner as we waited for the Headmaster.

“I don't know what you were thinking, attacking Mr. Higgs like a common muggle, but we will get to the bottom of it. You will both be punished for your assault upon your classmate.” Snape continued to lecture us. “We don't condone that kind of behavior and you will be punished.”

Headmaster Dumbledore came through the door behind us as we sunk lower into the seats. I was more than a little intimidated. I cursed myself for my need to show off as he looked us over. I tried to avoid eye contact as I thought only of Hermione as the headmaster gave me a peculiar look with his twinkling eyes.

The headmaster did not have a kind look on his face. In fact, he looked down right pissed off.

“What have the boys Done, Severus?” The Headmaster questioned as he took a seat.

“I was coming to address the Slytherins about the” He paused. “Unfortunate news about the quidditch pitch, when I discovered these two assaulting mister Higgs like a pair of muggles.” He launched into the tale of my kicking Higgs across the face followed by Faulkner kicking him in the balls.

As the Headmaster began to speak, his fireplace lit itself and the flames soared high and green in the giant fireplace. I flinched back as I felt the heat from the flames from across the room.

“One moment, Severus.” The Headmaster raised his hands to silence the potions professor and turned to face the flames.

Two red robed aurors exited the floo connected fireplace and took positions on either side of the fire-place. I felt my heart stop. They knew about our using the unspeakable curses. They were coming to take us to Azkaban.

“Auror Kingsley and Auror Dawlish, to what do I owe the pleasure?” The headmaster asked in a strained voice.

“You know why we're here Dumbledore.” Auror Dawlish snarled. “You can't protect him this time.”

The fire rose once more as two more aurors exited, followed by a short and round man in a three piece suit and bowler hat.

I recognized him from the cover of the Daily Prophet.

It was the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. I was so fucked. I looked over at Faulkner. He was pale and shaking. He looked like a dementor was sucking his soul out already.

“Cornelius.” The headmaster began. “What can I do for you today?”

“We already know about the incident.” Fudge retorted with a red face. “You can't sweep this one under the rug.”

I was sooooo fucked. Faulkner was soooo going to prison. I might escape with a lighter sentence, simply because I hadn't performed any of the illegal spells, but my main and only enforcer was going to Azkaban for life. There was no question if the Minister himself was coming here to take us in.

“The press will have my head if I don't do anything about this.” The Minister gestured at the Aurors. “There is no way you can sweep this under the rug.”

I sank lower into the chair. I was so going to be raped in prison. I was too pretty in Draco Malfoy's body not to be an attractive target for the depraved and sex starved wizards in Azkaban.

“There is no need for-” The Headmaster began to talk before Auror Dawlish interrupted.

“Students were attacked!” He shouted “In your school!” He pointed a long bony finger at Dumbledore.

How did they find out about Blaise and Nott so quickly? I was sure to cover all of my tracks. Perhaps a detection ward or something?

“I have to be seen doing something,” The Minister continued “I'm going to have to take him in.”

I was trembling and staring at the floor.

“Hagrid made an honest mistake.” Headmaster Dumbledore made a calming gesture with his hands. “I'm sure we can come to an arrangement about this matter.”

“A dragon attacked the quidditch pitch full of students practicing!” The Minister yelled back. “There is no other option!”

I felt my tension ease a little.

A dragon?

What dragon?

Oh. I remembered the Norbert all of a sudden.

I thought Harry smuggled it out of Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been visiting Hagrid when he had hatched the...

I had lied to Harry about Hagrid killing a second year girl. Had he gone to find out the 'truth' from Moaning Myrtle? Had he stopped being friends with the giant? Had I gotten students attacked by a dragon by ruining Harry's friendship with Hagrid?

The Headmaster turned back to us. “Severus, I'll leave their punishments to you. I have to deal with this situation.” He waved at us. “I'll leave their punishments up to you.”

Professor Snape grabbed the back of out robes and hauled us out of the chairs and marched us from the room. The door slammed behind us, cutting off the argument starting within.

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Faulkner and I ended up with a month's detention with Filch and a warning about using our fists like 'common muggle brutes'. Faulkner lost his Hogsmeade visit privileges for the rest of the year and I lost my permission to have Hermione sit with me at the Slytherin table.

Hagrid I heard, was stunned around twenty times before being hauled off through the school gates. I doubted he would be back. I heard the aurors killed the dragon before they left. The whole school could hear Hagrid's wails from the great hall as they killed his pet.

Harry Potter had his arm in a fling. There were rumors going around that he had been chased by a dragon during quidditch practice and had knocked it out with a perfect Wronski feint. I bet the rumors were true, yet, he showed up to dinner that night with his arm in a sling.

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easter break was soon approaching as Hermione and I sat in the room of requirement working on wandless magic. She had learned to find the energy and was working on moving it to different parts of her body.

While she practiced snapping her fingers and levitating a feather, I practiced filling my nose with the energy and twitching it to get a desired affect.

Every time I gathered enough energy in my nose to perform a spell, the tickling feeling of the energy made me sneeze. I was working on desensitizing myself to the tingling of the energy. I had a dream of being able to twitch my nose and making magic happen like the TV show Bewitched.

Hermione squealed as her feather blew up in a pillar of sulphuric smoke. “I can't seem to do it right.” She complained.

“You are putting too much energy into it, darlin'.” I said before sneezing again. “Try it again with less energy.”

“Snap.” I snapped my fingers and the air cleared of smoke.

“Snap.” I snapped them again and conjured a new feather.

“Here, Take a hit of this to concentrate more.” I loaded a little bong I'd had Dobby 'acquire'.

Hermione loved the magic Cani herb. “I don't know what I'd do without you.” She whispered before the she brought the water-pipe to her lips. “I was so lonely before you.”

“I was lonely before I met you too.” I whispered. “I don't know what I would do without you either.” I lied. I'd probably be practicing alone in the room of requirement. That or terrorizing a certain thief who was now the laughing stock of Slytherin.

“When are you going to tell your parents about me?” She questioned before we left the room. “I feel like I'm your dirty secret.”

“I'll tell them soon.” I promised. “I'll go home for the Easter holiday and tell them then.” My southern drawl had slowly started to disappear over the last few months as I was immersed in the accents of the UK.

I was dreading telling Lucius Malfoy that I had been dating a a muggleborn all year. Maybe telling him in a British accent would take the edge off the sting. I doubted it.

“Are you coming to the group meeting tomorrow?” I asked as we held hands in the hallway outside her dorm. “I'd like you to invite some Gryffindors to the study group as well.”

“I'll try, But you know how they treat me.” She looked at me with wet eyes. “My only friends are you and your roommates.” She whispered sadly. “Everyone else hates me.”

I'd made my fellow year-mates make nice with Hermione and to treat her with kindness. She took it as them liking her now that she had proven how smart she was and how much she loved me.

“Oooh.” Cooed a voice behind us. “If it isn't the ickle Slytherin lover-boy and know-it-all Granger.”

Know-it-all was Hermione's nickname from the Gryffindors. She didn't like it, but I'd pointed out that they couldn't find any other flaws than that she knew more than they did. I told her to wear her nickname like a badge of honor.

Hermione and I turned to face the voice. The Weasley twins were standing in front of us, grinning.

“I were wondering where you two disappear to all the time.” One started speaking.

“And then we noticed the two of you appearing on the seventh floor.” The other finished.

“We are studying, dudes.” I retorted. Hermione stayed silent.

“Every night?” Left asked.

“Until curfew?” Right continued.

“All year?” They said together.

I nodded, feeling nervous.

Left walked up to me and put an arm around my shoulder while right walked up to Hermione to sling an arm over hers. Hermione pushed right's arm off her shoulder. “Don't touch me.” She hissed.

Right backed away. “No touchy, understood.”

“Heres the thing.” Left started.

“We know you two found a secret passageway.” Right continued.

The back and forth between the twins was making me dizzy.

“And my brother and I pride ourselves on knowing every secret passage in the school.” Left stared speaking again.

“We've seen you both walk up to the seventh floor and disappear time after time, But you never appear anywhere else in the school.”

“So, we think that you found a passageway outside of the school.”

“And we want to know how to use it.” they finished together.

Hermione looked at me nervously. “I'll handle this Hermione. Go on to bed.” She was used to doing as I said and just nodded. “I'll be fine.” I added to get her to move.

As the fat lady's portrait closed behind her I turned to face the twins.

“I'll make a deal with you two.” I reached into my pocket and into the mole-skin pouch. “I need someone to test out my new project.” I pulled out a tiny little packet of coke.

“If you two try out my new Wake-up powder, I'll give you the instructions on using the passage.” I held out the little plastic bag. “All you need to do is test this right here, right now.”

The twins grinned at each other. “Is the ickle firsty trying to prank us?” The grinned at me. “I think he may be trying my dear brother.”

“But it won't work.” They said together.

“I'll swear a magical oath that I'm not pranking you.” I said. “I'll show you if you test it for me for, say ...” I paused “A day.” I shook the baggie. “I just want to see if it will keep you up all night.” I added. “I wanted to use it to be able to study all night and still be awake the next day.”

“Why don't you test it on yourself then?”

“I did. It seemed to work, But I can't be sure. I want a second opinion before I introduce it to Hermione.”

They looked at each other and shrugged. “He is just a firsty. Any prank he can do can't be that bad.”

“Okay, Lover-boy.” One said.

“We'll test it for you.”

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Since I was banned from letting Hermione sit at the Slytherin table, she invited me to sit at the Gryffindor table jokingly. I accepted to her surprise.

So, Sunday morning, with the great hall practically empty, I strode over to the Gryffindor table to sit next to Hermione.

“I'm not so sure this is a good idea, Draco.” She whispered as I took a seat across from her.

“Nonsense, dear.” I gave her a smile. “I'm sure it will be fine.”

“What are you doing here?” A loud and obnoxious voice startled me as the food appeared on the table. “You slimy snakes don't belong here.” The voice continued.

Ron Weasley stood behind me with Harry Potter standing next to him. “I told you before, Hermione, You shouldn't be hanging around with his type.”

“Will you stop trying to bully me with Potter, Weasley?” Harry looked surprised at my question as I called him out on his bullying. “I don't do anything to hurt anyone.” I added. “I'm just trying to eat in peace with my girlfriend.”

Ron's red face went redder as He pulled his wand out of his pocket. “Get lost, Malfoy.” He fingered his wand nervously. “This is our table you-” Ron stopped and turned to look at the person tapping his shoulder from behind.

“Lets leave them alone, Ron.” Harry said.

“But hes sitting-” Ron was interrupted by a loud pair of voices.

“Draco!” The Weasley twins cheered as they walked over to us. They took a seat with Hermione and I and shooed Ron away. Ron looked confused as the twins leaned over the table and began whispering with me.

“So we need some more of that powder to test.”

I smiled.

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I sat in the train with Hermione as we headed home for the Easter break. I'd written mother that I'd like to spend the previous Christmas break at the school. She was disappointed but hadn't outright ordered me to come home.

I was dreading their reaction to revealing Hermione as my Girlfriend, But I'd amassed enough money to continue paying my school tuition if Lucius decided to disown me. I hoped he didn't plan on killing me.

“I'm sure it will be fine.” Hermione gripped my pale hand in her own. I managed to grimace a smile through the fear I felt. “You don't have to do it now.” She said. “I'll understand if you don't want to tell them.”

I'd already worked up my nerve to do so however.

“No, I'm going to tell them tonight.” I said. “It's not right to hide you from them.” I smiled at her for real. “I think they will be surprised with how powerful you are.”

Hermione giggled around the bong in her mouth. “I have been using a lot of the Cani herb recently.” She coughed a little after she took a hit. “Are you sure I can't use it during the holidays?”

I nodded solemnly. “Your parents can't find out about it.” I began to lie again. “Its a family secret. We can't take the risk of them finding out about it.” I implored.

“I'm going to miss it.” She looked forlornly at the bong. “It will feel weird without smoking it.”

“What about me?” I asked with a pout.

“Of course I will miss you.” She said with a laugh as she hugged me.

The train whistled and began to slow.

“I'll see you in a few weeks.” I promised as we separated on the train platform.

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I went to the train platform's public floo and threw a pinch of floo-powder into the fireplace. “Malfoy Manor.” I spoke clearly and stepped into the glowing green fire.

The swirling fire whipped around me for a few seconds before I landed face first in Lucius Malfoy's study. I rubbed my stinging nose as Narcissa rushed over to help me up off the floor. I looked around the familiar room. It looked the same. Walls covered in books, An antique table with two plush chairs in front of it.

“Are you okay, Precious.?” she cooed as I hauled myself to my feet. I was covered in black soot.

“I'm fine, mother.” I pushed her away a bit as she fussed over me. She flicked her wand and the soot vanished.

“Welcome home, Darling.” She smiled brightly. “I see your accent is returning to normal.” She gave me a hug, squashing my red face into her deep cleavage. “Oh how you've grown.” She fussed some more with my hair before Father entered his study.

“Severus told me that you are the top student of your year in Slytherin. I'm proud of you.” He let out a slight smile on his cold face.

Thank god professor Snape hadn't told him the bad part yet.

“I have a few confessions to make, Father.”

His eyebrows rose as he waved me to a seat in front of his desk. Mother took a seat next to me and held my hand as I faced Lucius.

“What do you have to tell us, Draco?” Father asked, his face cold once more.

I took a deep breath. “I tricked a fourth year into signing a slave contract.” I let it out in a rush. Father's eyes went wide.

“You what?” Mother screeched.

“And then I did the same to all of my classmates in my dorm-room.” I let the next bombshell dropped.

Father's eyes had widened so much I think they were about to pop out of his head. “The Nott boy is enslaved to you?” He whispered, shocked.

Mother gripped my hand so hard it hurt. “Why?”

I nodded to father and ignored mother's question. “Thats not all.”

“What else?” Lucius whispered in the pervading silence.

“I've isolated the brightest witch in our year and am grooming her to be my consort.” I let out in a rush.

“Why?” Father echoed mother as he leaned across the table.

“For power of course.” I said slowly, as if talking to small children.

Father burst out laughing as mother burst into tears.

“The Notts! Enslaved by a Malfoy!” He howled in laughter. “By an eleven year old Malfoy.”

“Why would you do this, Draco?” Mother whispered through her tears “You were such a sweet boy.” She continued. “Crabbe and Goyle were your friends. What will their parents think?”

“No one knows I enslaved them.” I said. “I've kept it quiet.” I added “Their parents don't know. They won't know unless you tell them.”

Father eventually came down from his hysterical laughter. “Let me see the contracts, Draco.”

“Dobby!” I called.

He appeared with a pop.

He wore a little girl's yellow sun dress over a pair of blue jeans. He wore a bright red scarf around his neck and little air Jordan's on his feet. “What can Dobby be doing for master?”

Mother and father looked at Dobby's attire in open mouthed shock. “Bring me the contracts out of my trunk please.”

Dobby bowed and disappeared with another little pop.

“Theres more to tell.” I continued.

Father leaned forward once more, staring at me intently. “What else, Draco?”

“I've become skilled enough with wandless magic to do all of the first year spells with it.”

Father chuckled. “You had me believing your tales there for a minute, Draco, but that is simply impossible.”

Mother let out a sigh of relief.

“Snap.” I snapped my finger.

Father's black robes became pink.

They stared at the robe.

They stared at me.

'Pop' Dobby reappeared with five scrolls of parchment under his arms. I took them wordlessly and set them on Lucius's table.

“I learned it from the girl I've been grooming as a consort. She does anything I tell her to already.” I half lied.

Father took the parchments with shaking hands and read them one by one. He set them down and leaned back into his chair. “This is a lot to take in at once.”

“The girl is a muggleborn too.” I added at last.

Father ignored that statement and stared down at my enslavement contracts. “After your injury, we were very worried about you.” He sniffed a little “We thought we had lost you to those nasty muggles.”

Mother looked at me with tears in her eyes. “What you did was horrible.”

“You enslaved your classmates.” Lucius continued.

“Awful.” Mother added.

“You forced the fourth year into helping you get better grades, didn't you?” Lucius asked, with wet eyes.

I nodded.

“You've tricked that mudblood into serving your every whim, haven't you.”

I nodded.

“Despicable.” Mother added, tears trailing down her cheeks.

“I'm so proud of you.” Lucius said at last.

Mother gasped and turned to face him. She pointed at me. “What he did was-”

“Inspired.” Lucius interrupted.

“You are grounded for a week and I'm confiscating your broom” Mother insisted. “You can't go away unpunished for this.”

Farther grinned at me over mother's shoulder.

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“Father, mother, I'd like to introduce you to my 'girlfriend'” I put extra emphasis on the word 'Girlfriend'. “Hermione.”

Mother smiled at her lightly “A pleasure to meet you.” She said. “Draco has told us all about you.”

Father humphed and stayed silent. He looked at everyone passing on the train platform but Hermione. “I need to speak with someone.” He said and walked away. “Do remember to behave yourself, Draco.” He added over his shoulder.

“It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Mrs. Malfoy.” Hermione curtsied.

“Can you show me a little wandless magic that Draco has been talking about?” Mother continued. “Its not that I don't believe him, I just want to see it for myself.”

“What would you like me to do?” Hermione asked nervously. “I can only use first year spells.”

“You know the tripping jinx don't you?” Mother asked as she pointed at Father's back. He appeared to be in a heated argument with Mr. Weasley.

Hermione flushed of color. “Are you sure?”

Mother nodded.

“Snap.” Hermione snapped her fingers.

Father fell on top of Author Weasley in a tangle of limbs.

Mother laughed and patted Hermione on top of her frizzy haired head.

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“We need more, Draco.” Fred implored

“We're desperate here, Draco.” George added.

I'd given them about four ounces of coke before Easter break. I'd found that the Gemino spell worked on it just fine. The spell made duplicates of objects that lasted for up to a year. The coke I'd used it on seemed to work just fine.

“The ingredients are expensive.” I replied. “I don't think you could afford it.” I added.

Their faces twisted in despair. “We're out of it.” Fred whispered.

“What do you want for more?” George asked.

“I will go broke just giving it out to you.” I said back. “I'm not made out of gold.”

“How much?” George asked emptying his pockets a few sickles and a handful of knuts.

“More than either of you have.” I answered.

Their faces fell.

“But...” I let my words linger for a moment in the broom closet's air. “I could give it to you if you did me a favor.”

“Anything.” Fred said. George nodded. “Whatever you need.”

I smiled at the boys.

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