The clue
On the pice of paper was written some unknown words and underneath was a line with what appeared to be a spark at the end of it.
"Undeviginti, viginti, quinque, duodecim, duodecim, unus, quattuor, decem et octo, unus, tres, quindecim, quattuordecim, novem, undeviginti"
☆——
Hermione couldn't for the life of her work out what it was, it seemed like gibberish. She wondered if the line at the bottom meant to shine a light on it or something. She held out her wand. "Lumos." She said. And with that the end of her wand started to glow. She held the light over the pice of paper and not to her surprise, nothing happened.
After an hour she was still stumped at what it even was. So she decided to leave and go to the rest of her lessons that day. Time flew by in charms and defence against the dark arts, the later now being taught by Bill Weasley.
After dinner that night everyone was sat in the common room, either chilling from the busy day, doing homework or trying to work out the clue.
Just as Hermione was about to sit down next to Ginny and continue reading Pride and Prejudice she heard a high pitch giggling coming from the entrance and immediately turned her head to see Ron and Lavender walk into the common room. She instantly walked away back to her dorm room and walked over to the window. She quickly unlatched the window and opened it wide, letting in the evening air.
Suddenly she felt calmness rush over her as she breathed in the cold night air. It wasn't that she felt awkward around Ron and Lavender but it was more that she was worried what she might do. As she looked out upon the rest of the school and the black lake she saw something white out of the corner of her eye and as she turned to see what it was she saw a small origami crane flying towards her, clearly enchanted.
The paper bird flew straight into her room and landed on her desk then unfolded its self into a letter. As she reached towards it she noticed how it was written in an elegant scrawl, the letters curling and looping like writing from the eighteen hundreds. It was definitely no one she was close with. She could spot Harry's neat printed writing and Ron's untidy scribble a mile of.
Dear Granger,
As I said earlier I think it is best that we meet in private so I will meet you tonight at nine thirty in the astronomy tower. Might I suggest using whatever it is that Potter uses to sneak around at night without getting caught.
Yours Miserably, D
As soon as she read it the letter burst into flames, the only remnants a pile of ash on her desk that was quickly blown away by a night breeze. She quickly looked at her watch and realised that it was nine o'clock.
There was no way she was going to be able to get past Ron and Harry with out one of them talking to her unless she was invisible. She left her room with the clue in her pocket and headed over to the boys dorm. Just as the door was in reach she pointed her wand at the door and whispered "Acio cloak." Whilst visualising the cloak clearly in her mind.
Then in no time the door creaked open and the cloak came flying straight into her hand. With in seconds she was invisible, walking through the crowds in the common room no out the door towards the astronomy tower.
When she got there it was so dark the her eyes had to adjust to the only light source being the moon, casting a cold glow over every surface. As she moved closer she noticed a figure stood looking over the balcony, silver hair almost ethereal in the moon light.
She took of her cloak and stashed it in her beaded bag, the same bag that gad been key to her, Harry and Ron's survival the last year. A sudden chill went down her spine as she thought about the last year. Everyone else had gone back to normal, almost as if the war never happened but Hermione just felt as though things would never be over, things would never go back.
"Granger?" Her last name was like venom on his tongue.
She was instantly brought back to reality by Malfoy's voice and she looked up to see his stormy eyes on her.
She stepped out from the shadows of the doorway and went and stood by him by the balcony. "So why did you want to meet here then."
"Well as everyone one wants this prize I have suspected that some students will probably turn to foul play at some point and I can't let them find out that we are working together."
"What is it you were saying about Ravenclaw earlier?"
"Jeez Granger I would have thought you would figure it out by now. They have split the entire house into three teams apart from a few stragglers here and there."
"So they can combine their intelligence and get the most out of the prize."
"Yes, and we can't let them win."
"How are we suppose to win if we have to meet up in secret then Malfoy, that would take so much time that it wouldn't even be worth it."
"Which was why I was going to suggest the room of requirement."
She had to admit that that idea was rather brilliant and she was ashamed at herself for not thinking of it first. God she hated him.
"When shall we meet then?"
"I was thinking eight o'clock in the evening for two hours, that should give you enough time to obsess over studying for long enough that you won't complain about it."
"As if you don't study as much as me, I have seen you in the library when I go in and you are still there when I leave."
"Were you watching me Granger?" He smirked.
"Why you must be the most arrogant person I have ever met."
"Well what can I say." He said admiring his own nails.
She sneered.
"So Granger, do you have any ideas about this clue of yours."
"Maybe, but I'm not going to tell you until you up hold your end of the bargain."
He scowled back at her through his lashes. "Fine then, I'll show you how to manipulate people tomorrow. I don't know how you are going to manipulate Weasel but it would be funny to watch you try."
"So long as you up hold your end we have a deal." She said turning to look out at the grounds of Hogwarts. The moon was now relatively high in the sky and was casting rippling white reflections into the Black Lake.
Suddenly she found that she was glad of the pice and quiet up in the astronomy tower. The cold air that stung her face making her feel more herself than she had in months, probably since Dumbledore died because it was at that moment that she realised that things were never going to be the same. Malfoy turned and rested his elbows against the railing, leaning forward as if trying to get away from that place.
"Why did you choose for us to meet here?" She felt her self say without even realising what she was doing. His brows furrowed as if he were deciding wether or not to even answer.
"Trust me, if there was somewhere else we could have picked I would have. I certainly feel more uncomfortable in this room than you do."
"Why? You didn't kill him, Snape did."
"You probably wouldn't understand being part of Potter's little gang of heroes. To you this is the place Dumbledore died, to me it's the place that I almost became the person I swore I would never become." His eyes were ablaze like white fire as he quickly turned around and stormed of into the shadows. The last thing she head was the click of the latch on the door and then she was alone in the dark.