Vanish

The next morning, Hermione felt like someone was burying an axe into the back of her head over and over again, and as the pain swelled, so did her absolute mortification.

She'd gotten intoxicated with siren sweat.
She'd fucked Malfoy.
She'd fucked Harry.
She'd fucked Malfoy and Harry together.

She sat up, and the room spun. Her mortification flew up her throat and came out all over the floor as the remnants of last night's dinner.
Hermione banished the mess and lay back down.

Another two hours passed before she made it out of bed, downed the pepper-up potion Pavarti left on her nightstand, and changed into her comfiest school robes.

She dragged herself into the Great Hall in time for lunch and sat down next to Ron and Lavender as they snogged across from a disgruntled-looking Harry. 

She didn't want to talk to him but knew the longer she waited, the worse it would be. Harry obviously did not handle betrayal well, and even if she hadn't done it on purpose, she knew he would never laugh this off as a mistake. Hopefully, since she felt so awful, her face wouldn't give away the lie after lie she was about to tell.

He looked up as she sat across from him and narrowed his green eyes at her.

"Can you two get a room?" He barked at Lavender and Ron.

Lavender giggled in a way that made Hermione want to vomit again. 
"Sorry," she said, pulling Ron's hand to stumble away from the Gryffindor table, leaving Harry and Hermione alone.

"How long have you been fucking him?" Harry asked.

"What? Harry, no!" She had not been expecting that.

"Don't fucking lie to me, Hermione. I know you've been sneaking around with someone. I hoped it was someone stupid like Mclaggan or..."

"It...It is Mclaggan," she said, so grateful he'd come up with the lie for her. "Harry, last night Malfoy found me in the potions dungeon."

"He found you." 

"Yes! He found me after I'd already spilled the siren sweat on myself. I…I sent you a patronus."

"I got it. I can't always drop everything to save you, Hermione," he said, and she felt an outpouring of sweat from her pours. Tears pricked her eyes, but she blinked them back.

"So you're telling me that he found you like that," he continued, "and instead of bringing you to Madame Pomfrey, he shagged you."

"Well, he didn't want anyone to see," she said, the gears in her brain turning at half speed, "I was all over him."

"So he took advantage of you."

"What?" Hermione said, horrified, "No, that's… that's not how I see it."

"You weren't in a space to consent, and he still fucked you."

"I, Harry, I…I begged him."

"Doesn't matter," Harry whispered, "Unless…Hermione, why don't you think he took advantage of you?"

"Because, because of what I said. I begged him. If he'd taken me to Pomfrey, I'd have been trying to shag him through the whole castle. It would have been mortifying. And Honestly, Harry, I don't want to make a big thing of it. I made a mistake. It's up to me whether I feel taken advantage of. Not you." He sneered and looked up again. 

"So you're shagging Mclaggan."

"Yeah," she said.

"Why didn't you send him a patronus?"

"I did, but he was asleep."

“So me, Ron, Mclaggan, Malfoy. Is there anyone else?"

"Harry, that's not....No."

"Right."

"Harry," she pleaded, "come one. You know me."

He barked a laugh that made several first-years look over. They smiled and giggled behind their hands to each other. Hermione huffed.

“Padma, Romilda, Cho, Luna…You have girls hanging off your every word. How can you judge me for this?"

"I don't sleep with those girls."

"Oh, come off it," she rolled her eyes.

"I don't! I don't because I know they only want me because I'm bloody famous."

She gave him an incredulous look.

"I guess I also have you in that category now, huh?" He asked, folding his arms.

"Excuse me?"

"You've liked Ron forever. Now you hear the prophecy, and suddenly, you're all over me?"

"That's not… it's not like that."

"And now that you've made your way through the Gryffindor common room, you're moving over to the Slytherins. Does Mclaggan know?"

More tears formed in her eyes. This time, they spilled down her face. Harry shook his head.

"But you said you understood," she hiccuped. "When you carried me back last night, you said you weren't mad. That you didn't blame me."

"You know what, Hermione, be more careful. Be more careful about what potions you spill and whose dick you fall on. We have a war coming, and you just fucked the enemy."

He stood quickly, grabbed his bag, and stocked out of the Great Hall. Great, sopping tears streamed down Hermione's face. Her nose ran, and spit gathered at the corners of her lips. She soddened the sleeves of her robes as she tried to make herself get up - away from prying eyes. Through her tears, she saw blond hair across the room. She blinked to see Malfoy watching her - his face inscrutable. Finally, she grabbed her bag and hurried from the Great Hall.

Once in an empty corridor, she heard a voice behind her.

"Oy, Granger." She hurried.

"Granger, stop." Malfoy's voice was low and soft. The same voice that had woken her up in the Room of Requirement, that had held her and told her that she didn't scare him. He caught up to her and led her into an empty classroom. He pulled her into an enveloping hug, resting his chin on her head. A fresh wave of weeping overcame her.

"What did he say?" He asked.

"He accused me of messing around with you. He basically called me a slut."

"Hey," he said, lifting her chin with his finger. "Fuck him, right?"

"No, Draco, not Fuck Him." she smacked his hand away, "He's the damn savior of the wizarding world."

"Oh, bollocks. Just 'cause he was a part of the Dark Lord's demise as a baby doesn't make him a hero."

"That's not what I mean, there's…" She'd almost said it. Nearly let the prophecy slip to Malfoy. She pulled away and moved for the door, but he grabbed her hand.

"Honestly, Granger, I thought you were adorable last night."

"Oh fuck off," she tried to pull her hand away, but he held steady.

"I mean it! I will be on my deathbed remembering that performance and thinking I had a good bloody life."

She laughed and hiccuped.

"You made a mistake," he continued, "Hell, you barely made a mistake. It was an accident. Don't let Harry sodden Potter make you feel bad for getting in over your head with magic."

"He's not mad about that, he's mad about…"

"Me," he said, and she nodded.

"Why did you have to say all that? Fuck Malfoy, you basically told him we'd been messing about." 

"When?" 

"Oh Merlin, I don't know, it's all so bloody hazy. I just know you antagonized him."

Malfoy sighed. "He looked so angry, and you know how I feel about him," he said, but when she rolled her eyes, he pulled her close. He bent to run his nose along hers. "In that moment, as I held onto your hips and felt you squeeze around me, I wanted him to know," he whispered.

"That I was yours," she said.

"What he was missing out on," he corrected.

It must have been the residual mermaid sweat in her system that made her grab his collar and kiss him. He smiled and pulled away. He held up a pumpkin scone from breakfast.

"Eat something, Pet," he said. And when she took it from him, he backed away. He ran his tongue over his bottom lip before turning out the door.

Hermione slid down the wall and bit into the scone. 

In the coming weeks, Harry avoided all talk of love or shagging with Hermione or Ron. Lavender spent most nights in the boy's dormitory, to the chagrin of Seamus, Dean, and Harry, and Hermione spent most of her time in the library. She was sitting in a stall of the loo off the library when she heard a group of girls talking.

"Maybe I'll try shagging his red-headed friend. What's his name?"

"I think it's Ron, maybe?"

"Yeah, Fred and George's kid brother."

"Well, I got some sweets coming from their shop," said another voice, "Let's just say Harry Potter won't know what hit him." Hermione stormed out of the stall.

"You know that's rape, right?" 

"Excuse me, did anyone ask you?" It was Romilda Vane. Of course, it was Romilda Vane.

"If you give Harry love potion-laced sweets and you shag him, then that's rape."

"Who said anything about shagging, buck teeth?"

"Twenty points from Ravenclaw. Get out of here," she said, and the girls scoffed and filed out. Hermione was walking back to her corner in the stacks when she saw Cormac Mclaggan studying alone at a table. For once, he wasn't surrounded by his meat-headed quidditch loving friends.

"Hey, Cormac!" She called, and he turned and smiled at her. Her heart fluttered in her chest.

"Granger, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I just…I know you're taking NEWT potions, and I, well, I got an exceeds expectations, and I wondered if you'd be willing to study with me sometime?"

"Oh, uh," he looked around as though weighing whether spending time with her was worth spending any extra time in the library. But then she sat on the desk, and he looked down her thigh.

"Yeah, sure, alright," he smiled.

"Brilliant. Not now, I've got to get to class, but I'll find you in the Great Hall, and we'll set a date, yeah?"

 
They never did study. Instead, she'd chat him up at meals, always sure to touch his arm or shoulder when Harry looked over. She often caught Malfoy watching her across the hall, and he'd rolled his eyes.  When she was in the library and not chatting up Mclaggan, she looked for more information on the cabinet. 

She'd given up trying to understand what had happened to Dumbledore's hand. She had to hope that he'd tell Harry when the time was right, not that Dumbledore had ever done that before.  She'd been fighting with an idea that seemed too stupid, too simple to be true. Finally, one snowy weekend, she decided to approach Malfoy about it.

She'd posted up outside the Room of Requirement to study for exams, and after a few hours, he appeared. He didn't notice her as she snuck in after him.  He flicked his wand to turn on an old gramophone that she recognized as Remus Lupin's when he taught in third year. Soft, slow jazz sounded from the conch.

"Malfoy," she said, and he jumped.

"You know, we tried for ages to get in last year when you and Potter led your little terrorist group. How are you able to follow me?"

"Not sure," she mused. "Maybe because it's in a sort of default state like this?" He grumbled and turned back to the cabinet.

She looked at him. She hadn't noticed the other day, but the bags under his eyes were even more pronounced. 

"What's going on with you? Why do you look so...are you sick?" She asked. He scoffed.

"Nice, Granger."

"No, I mean, sorry. You…are you sleeping?"

"Pansy keeps me up most nights," he said, and she rolled her eyes. 

"Seems like that Cormac bloke has your knickers in a twist."

"It's just to throw off Harry."

"Ah."

She'd wondered if the cabinet had anything to do with the job Malfoy had to do for Voldemort. 

"So what are you trying to do with this cabinet then?"

"Present for my mum for Christmas."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Are you going to buy her the matching one at Bourgin and Burkes, too?" She asked. He hesitated.

"Yes."

"You'll want to warn her. In there, I felt like I was waking up from a nightmare, but the nightmare was reality - it was my life. There was nothing - no happiness, no pain. To be honest, if you hadn't pulled me out, I don't know that I would have wanted to leave."

"I'm… I'm sorry I did that, Granger."

"I know you are. Did you ever talk with Graham about what it was like?"

He looked up at it and sighed.

"Yeah. He said he could hear voices from Hogwarts."

"Could he…could he also hear voices from Bourgin and Burkes?"

His head whipped so hard towards her that she knew her theory had been right. He thought the cabinets were linked.

"So it's broken, then," she said, "and you're trying to fix it?"

"Well, yeah, I wouldn't want to give my mum a broken cabinet."

She laughed. "No, Malfoy, you wouldn't."

She reached over and touched the lip of the door.

"I wonder if it runs similarly to the floo network..."

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her away and into his arms.

"Are you going to Slughorn's Christmas ball?" He asked her. He put his hand on the small of her back and took her right hand in his before pulling her close.

"Yes, I have to. I'm part of the Slug Club, after all. Are you?" 

He shook his head with a smirk and started to sway with her in time to the music.

"I wasn't invited. I don't think he likes me," he said.

"I don't think he likes your family."

"It's too bad, you know. If I'd been invited, I could have taken you."

"Yes," she laughed, "that's the only thing keeping you and I from being seen in public together."

"I bet you look incredible, all done up."

"I got dressed up for the Yule Ball," she retorted.

"Yes, but that was to Krum's tastes, not mine." After a moment, he continued. 

"I'd buy you something low-cut, sheer, and more expensive than a bloody unicorn."

She laughed and put her head against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat, feel his warmth, and smell his cologne. She lifted her chin, smelled his neck, and found his own smell, like deep winter, beneath his cologne. Her eyes fluttered. He leaned his face down, and she felt the softness of his lips against hers. 

"I'd wear you on my arm with pride, Hermione."

When she blushed and rolled her eyes, he said, "I think you should sneak away from Mclaggan for a quick shag." 

She scoffed, and he smiled and raised his eyebrows as though her laugh meant she was in for it.

"I can't, Malfoy, that would be so unfair."

"I'd argue it's unfair to me that I'm not allowed to go. It's really the least you could do."

"I'm not stopping you from going!"

"Aren't you president of that damn Slug Club by now? I'd expect nothing less from Hermione bloody Granger than to oust the old walrus from his own seat."

"It's Jean," she said.

"Eh?"

"My middle name. It's not bloody, it's Jean."

"Ahhh. Well, meet me in the hall around the corner by the portrait of Hecate," he whispered in her ear, "nine o'clock."

"You've already staked out a location?"

When he only smiled as a response, she said.

"Show me what I'd wear."

He looked devilish.

"Don't show me you taking it off of me for Merlin's sake. Show me what we'd look like together."

She thought of the incantation, and he let her into his mind. 

They danced much like this, only she wore a deep, dark plum dress. Sheer embroidery revealed a neckline that plunged nearly to her navel and covered her chest and arms in lacy intricate patterns. The silk fabric that barely covered her nipples also barely 
 covered her bum, but the lace draped to the floor in an elegant bell. Her hair was somehow even wilder than usual, and poofed up at the back. It was pinned at the sides by expensive and elegant diamond clips.  "I look like your aunt Bellatrix," she said.

"Now, why would you go and say a thing like that," he asked, kicking her swiftly out of his mind. 

But Hermione couldn't go to Slughorn's party with Draco, so she had to go with Cormac. 

He stood with his back to her by the common room fire, and she bit her lip as she walked down the stairs from the girl's dormitory. He turned and gave her a dashing smile. She couldn't help but feel giddy as she sauntered up next to her hot, older, totally unproblematic date.
 
They walked through the halls and up to the sixth floor.

"You know a normal bloke might feel emasculated that he was asked to a party," he said.

"Oh?" She asked.

"Yeah, but not me. And if I knew you'd look like this, I'd have been petitioning you for weeks, years even. Hell, I'd have run a bloody campaign."

Hermione blushed and laughed. When she'd seen Malfoy's idea of them dancing together, she'd snuck out to the second-hand stores in Hogsmede that very night. With some pretty daring transfiguration, she'd mostly recreated the look and only destroyed two dresses in the process. However, instead of the diamond-encrusted clips, she'd opted for a high, slicked-back ponytail, her baby hairs pressed neatly along her temples. Now, she held onto Cormac for dear life, as she hadn't been able to resist a second-hand pair of stiletto pumps. Three disinfecting charms and a cushioning charm later, and she could mostly walk in them.  When she tripped on the first step of a long staircase, he looked down at her shoes.

"Merlin, Granger. How are you walking in those?"

"Evidently, I'm not," she blushed.

"Come on, then," he said, and he picked her up, newlywed style, and carried her up the remaining stairs, with her giggling and protesting along the way.

He still carried her as they rounded the corner and ran into Harry and Luna. Suddenly, the silly way he held her reminded her of the night Harry carried her back to the common room, and by the way Harry's face reddened, she was sure he was thinking the same thing. Cormac coughed and put her back on her feet.

"Evenin, Potter," he said, his tone clipped. He'd never forgiven Harry for choosing his best mate for the quidditch team.

"Mclaggen, Hermione," Harry said, but Luna smiled, mouth wide with surprise like she hadn't seen Hermione in years.

"Hermione! I didn't know you were coming!" She said.
"Yeah, well, I'm a part of the Slug Club, so I got an invite." 

Luna put her arm through Hermione's, and the two walked toward the growing sound of music together.

"Oh, that's right! Daddy says Professor Slughorn brewed the veritiserum used by the Death Eaters in the first wizarding war, so he said I should stay clear, but I can't resist a party."

"Huh, is that so," Hermione said. The worst part about Xenophilius Lovegood and, by extension, Luna, was sometimes they said something that could be true and useful, but their credibility was shite.

"Anyway, Harry asked me because he said he had no one better to come with," said Luna.

"Oh, please don't tell me he said that to you," Hermione gasped.

"No," Luna looked at Hermione, a little hurt, "it was a joke."

"Oh," she said, "right."

She'd always seen similarities between herself and Luna. Both girls could make a conversation come to a screeching halt, and Luna was the best in her year. But their respective brands of oddness were somehow mirror opposites of each other. Try as they might over the years, they'd never hit it off.

"Well, I'm going to get some punch for Harry," Luna said, "will you save me a dance?"

Hermione smiled. "Of course, Luna, I'd love that."

"Only if Cormac doesn't mind," Luna said, her eyes wide.

"He won't," Hermione laughed, and when she rolled her eyes and turned, she nearly ran into him. He grabbed her hand and, pulled her close by her waist, and began to sway in time.

"Did I tell you how hot you look tonight?" He asked.

"Yes, Cormac, a few times."

"Well, get used to it because I'm bound to say it a dozen more."

She saw Harry eying her across the room, so she reached her chin up and pressed her lips to Cormac's. He tasted lovely, and he kissed her simply. They turned slowly in the dimly lit room, and she wondered if she'd never met Draco in Knockturn Alley if this would be a fairytale moment. If she could clear her mind, then it could still be. She eyed the clock - 8:55. So much for fairytales.

"I'll be back in a minute, Cormac," she said, smoothing her palms against her dress. Harry watched her go until Luna reached his side, and suddenly, his ear-to-ear smile was for her as he leaned his ear down to hear what she had to say.

Out in the hall, she turned to see Cormac close again, standing just next to the picture of Hecate. 

"Did I mention how hot you look tonight?" He breathed.

"Godric's green thumb, Mclaggen, would you give it a rest?"

"Never."

He pulled her into an adjacent corridor and pushed her against the wall. Suddenly, his lips were nipping at hers, and his hands cupped her breast above her gown.

"This alright, Hermione?" He asked.

Godric, she loved the way her name sounded in his brogue. As her nipple started to pebble and her core began to heat, all thoughts of why she was in the corridor vanished.

"More than alright," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. 

She groaned as he squeezed his hand, and he moved his mouth to her neck. His hand trailed down from her breast to her stomach and down to her core. She gasped and bit her lip. 

Hermione reached her hands down and fumbled with his trouser buttons until they came loose, and reached in to wrap her fingers around his absolutely massive cock.

She looked up at him with her mouth hanging open.

"Something the matter?" He asked, looking up from her neck with a devious smile.

"Nothing, you're just…"

"Just…"

Was he really going to make her say it? Who was she kidding? Of course, he was going to make her say it.

You're huge!"

He nipped at her lip again until his smile faltered.

"Wait, are you a virgin?"

"No, no, nothing like that. I just hope you're going to fit." He looked into her eyes, searching for permission.

"Want to find out?" She asked, one eyebrow raised.

"More than anything, literally ever."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he lifted her against the wall. After several seconds of them giggling as he fumbled with her dress, he found the opening and readied himself at her entrance. 

"Ready?" He asked, and she nodded.

He pushed in, and it hurt.

Hermione bit his shoulder as he began to thrust.

"Alright there, Granger?" He gasped, and she squeaked

"Mhm!"

After a few seconds, she had to adjust, right? Maybe after a minute?

She looked up through the pain and saw a silhouette in the hallway, dark but for a coif of white blonde hair. 

She watched the silhouette as he watched her jolt with each thrust.

After a minute, it had not gotten better, and she squeezed her eyes against the pain.

The silhouette waved its wand, and Hermione fell from the wall, nearly going ass over tits as Mclaggen clattered backward onto the floor, pulling her, by the cock, with him. She barely caught herself as he hit the floor, still out and at attention, in a full-body bind curse.

"The hell, Malfoy!?" She sputtered.

"Confundus!" She said, pointing her wand at Mclaggen, whose look of fury turned to light confusion.

"You didn't look like you were having much fun. Thought I'd be your knight in shining…holy mother of Lancelot," Malfoy said, looking down at Mclaggen's member, mouth agape.

"I know." 

"Are you ok? Do you need the hospital wing?"

"I'm fine," she sighed, "I asked him to shag me."

"That's not what I meant," said Malfoy, "I mean in case your internal organs need putting back in place."

"Oh, stop it. What are we going to do?"

"Leave him here?"

"We can't do that."

"Can't we?"

"No. He's not a bad bloke, just a…well, he will make some other girl very, very happy someday."

"If we leave him here, he'd make a lot of 'em happy, I reckon. The Weasles in Diagon Alley wouldn't be able to keep love potions in stock."

"The spell's wearing off, come on," she said, pulling Malfoy away from the light. He pinned her to the wall as Mclaggan stirred. Mclaggan tucked himself away with a groan.

Malfoy kissed Hermione's ear as they hid, and he pushed himself so hard against her that she struggled to breathe. 

Mclaggen got to his feet and stumbled back to the party, slurring her name into the crowd.

"Poor bloke," she mumbled. Malfoy backed off her, and for the second time in as many days, he reached his hand around to her back and grabbed her other in his palm. He began to sway in time to the faint music from the party.

"I can't help but recognize this dress, Granger."

"I know, I'm sorry I wore it for…well, not for him, but not with you."

"So you didn't wear it for him?"

She shook her head.

"Then you always planned to meet me."

She nodded.

"So what, were you hoping for, then, a threesome? Cause if that's what you're looking for, come by the Slytherin common room tonight."

"No, he followed me out here."

"Well, he's not here now."

Draco kissed her and dragged his hand down her sternum and stomach. But as he reached her core, she hissed and pulled away. He stepped back.

"I'm so sorry, I'm just, well, sore," she said, wrapping her arms around her chest.

"Oh," he said, "right, of course." He reached to pull her back into dance, but she resisted.

"Draco," Hermione stamped her stiletto a little, huffed, and crossed her arms.

"Why aren't you…Do you really think so little of me that you're not at all jealous?"

He freed her arms and pulled her back to him. They began to sway again, as he thought. He lifted his arm and smiled as she twirled under it.

"I don't stake claim on your pussy, Granger," he leaned into her ear and whispered, "unless you want me to."

"Fuck," she breathed.

"Yeah?" He smiled against her ear. When she didn't respond, he asked.

"Who does your pussy belong to, Granger?"

She giggled.

"Well?" He prodded.

"You, sir."

"That's my girl," he muttered and chuckled and grabbed her arse closer against him.

"But in all seriousness, it's your bloody carnival. I just ask for a ride now and again."

"Thinking about you and Pansy made me so jealous at first."

"I know," he said, and she could feel his smirk against her ear. "Will you tell me about it?"

"When I saw you touching her in class, I was furious. I was so furious I lost bloody points for giving Snape bad answers."

"Furious?"

"Yes!" she said, and he snorted, "I couldn't believe you'd have the audacity, and…"

"Spit it out, Granger."

"Not really my style."

He squeezed her arse, and she yelped. She sighed into the truth.

"And I wanted it to be me. Honestly, even if it wasn't you, I wanted someone to want me so badly they couldn't keep their hands off me."

He stopped swaying and backed up. He grabbed her chin and held it steady.

"Hermione Granger, I would be lucky, no I would be honored, to fuck you during any boring lecture with my fingers or my wand or my tongue or…"

She barked a laugh, and he pulled her close again.

"That's not what I meant," she said.

"I know, pet. I said it before, and I meant it. I'd wear you on my arm with pride. I'd wear you out in class with pride, too."

"You and the bloody jokes tonight," she muttered. She leaned against his chest and stared at the faint light shimmering around the hallway bend. "What if Harry sees."

"You know what, no," she said, righting her head and looking up at him, "For the rest of the night, I don't want to think about Harry Potter. I don't want to talk about Harry Potter. I'm so sick and tired of my whole world revolving around him."

"Want me to hold you to it?"

"I do." 

"You sure?"

"Yes," she said, and sighed. "But I should go back in there. Cormac will be fully functional…"

"Salazar's heart, I hope not," muttered Malfoy, and Hermione snorted.

"Mentally, he'll be back, and he'll be looking for me. She backed up until she was just holding his hands and looked up at him.

"Sorry, we couldn't…"

"Don't be. Merlin, you really do look exquisite."

"Better than your aunt?"

"Enough out of you," he said, pulling her hands until she fell into him. He kissed her deeply, holding the back of her head. Finally, she broke away.

"Get in there, Granger," he smirked and smacked her arse. She fell on her heels a little as she jolted forward. 

After she'd turned toward the light, she looked over her shoulder.

"Were you serious about my coming to the Slytherin common room tonight?" He held his hand to his heart as he walked backward.

"Like I'd ever joke about you…"

"Alright, alright!" she yelled, "Merlin's wrinkly..." She turned around. She was still giggling as she heard Argus Filch begin to holler.