The Real Truth

Series 4 Chapter 12

The Real Truth
Series 4 Chapter 12

Harry grabbed Draco's hand and they walked back with Hermione to the twins's personal quarters. Harry and Hermione joked and talked while Draco examined the house around them, trying to remember the way they were going. Once they got back to their common area they split apart, Hermione going into her room, Harry and Draco going into Harry's. Harry was about to ask if Draco wanted to read something when he felt hands go around his waist, Draco pulling him in for a hug.

Harry smiled, "What's with you today? You're a lot more cuddly than usual."

Draco hummed in response making Harry roll his eyes.

"I can't understand whatever this humming language is that you're speaking."

Draco spoke softly, Harry could feel his warm breath against his neck, "You've been teasing me all day."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

Draco, pulled his a little closer, "This morning when you kissed me and the pushed me away, all the quick small kisses where I could rarely kiss back through the day, how you'd sit on my lap whenever we were on a couch."

Harry was confused, he was about to reply, but Draco bit down on a sensitive spot on his neck, a small sound escaping from Harry who was unable to clasp his mouth shut fast enough. He felt Draco smirk and he started sucking hard on the spot, sliding one of his hands under Harry's shirt.

"Draco-" Harry began but his hands soon flew up to cover his mouth when another sound escaped.

Draco chuckled and teasingly ran his tongue over another spot on Harry's neck. A shiver ran down Harry's spine and he was doing everything he could to stop himself from pinning Draco onto the bed in one swift motion. Draco brought his other hand under Harry's shirt as well, pulling it up to reveal the slight six pack that Harry had accumulated.

"Draco, wait a second-"

Draco bit down again, Harry covering his mouth again, snapping it closed before any other sounds could escape.

"Harry, don't cover up your mouth, I like the little sounds you make when you're surprised and turned on."

Harry shoved Draco's hands out from under his shirt and spun around, pinning Draco to the wall, holding one of his wrists and having one hand on the wall. Draco stared into Harry's eyes, a shiver going down his own spine and the man's gaze.

"You're a prat you know." Harry told him, "Riling me up and all."

Draco smirked, moving his arm that wasn't being held and draping it over Harry's shoulder, he smirked, "Did it work?"

Harry rolled his eyes and claimed Draco's lips, pushing himself right up against him. Draco kissed Harry back just as passionately. Harry removed his hand from Draco's wrist and moved it to cup his face. Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's neck, being pushed up against the wall he wrapped his legs around Harry. Harry slid his tongue into Draco's mouth while Draco ground down on him. Harry detached himself from Draco, breathing heavy, putting their foreheads together.

"You do realize how sore you'll be tomorrow if we do this right now?" Harry asked.

Draco didn't answer, he just kissed Harry again. Harry kissed back and grabbed Draco's hands, pulling him over and pinning him down to the bed. Draco pulled off Harry's robe along with his shirt, Harry spelling away the rest of their clothes...

Hermione pulled a book off of her shelf and sat down in one of the chairs in her library. She was about to open it when her hand slowed down, she looked at the cover.

Dark Arts: Advanced spells and incantations

Hermione stared at it, she hadn't even realized she had picked this one out. She'd been avoiding it and the ones like it, she did want to become someone like the Death Eaters she saw. Hermione got up and walked back over to where she'd gotten the book, but he hand stopped right before she slid it back into place. Hermione realized this and cursed herself inside her head. She shoved the book back as hard as she could and swiftly left the library, running into her bathroom. She placed her hands on the edge of the counter, looking at herself in the mirror. Her long cascading hair fell down to her waist, she looked down at the shirt and skirt she was wearing, she felt ashamed. They were both bought from a high class muggle store. Hermione looked into her own eyes. Instead of the chocolate brown orbs she'd become so used to they were an emerald green, on the edge of being an electric green. Hermione grabbed a lock of her hair, the silky waves slid through her fingers. What had she become?

She was beginning to look just like the people who had insulted her, beginning to act just like the Death Eaters that surrounded her. She looked towards the door of the bathroom, she wasn't the only one who had changed. Harry looked completely different, he'd even grown out his hair so that it brushed his shoulders. He swung around dark spells as if it was nothing, he talked casually with their father, he'd even at some point started going by Hadrian again among them. Hermione bit her lip and turned back to the mirror. No... Harry hadn't changed who he was... he was just finally being who he was. Dumbledore had changed him, Dumbledore had changed both of them, and she was holding on to that change.

A tear escaped Hermione's eye, followed by another. Hermione blinked, for a second she thought she saw someone else in the mirror behind her. He head spun around, but no one was there. Hermione shook her head and turned back around, closing her eyes. The image of the women still in her mind. The long blood red hair and electrifying eyes.

"Mother.... I'm so sorry..." Hermione gave a cloaked sob.

She sank down and buried her head in her hands. Why couldn't she just let go of who Dumbledore changed her to be? Why couldn't she just let go of the manipulations?! Something always held her back, something always kept her from pursuing the dark arts, or from detaching herself from muggles. Something always kept her from changing... no... something always kept her from herself. Hermione lifted her head, fear. It was fear that she would regret it. Fear that people would leave her, like Ginny. Hermione shook her head, Ginny wouldn't leave her.

Shaking a bit, Hermione stood up, she pushed herself out of her door and into her bedroom. Opening her wardrobe doors she threw out every single thing that was from a muggle store, they were going to reveal everything anyway so why should she keep the clothes? Grabbing her wand, Hermione pointed it at the pile.

"Incendio." She whispered.

Hermione watched as the clothes lit up, burning away until all that was left was ash, which she flicked away with a swish of her wand. Hermione pulled out a set of robes, throwing on the under clothes to the set and tearing apart the clothes she had on. Once they were gone from her sight Hermione felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She sighed and sat down on her bed, resting her forehead on her hands. A smile made its way onto her face. She lifted her head up and looked at the ceiling of her room. She wasn't some muggle girl, she wasn't turning into one of the people who had insulted her, she wasn't changing to be like the Death Eaters. She was just like them, she always was. Hermione got up off of her bed and walked back into her bathroom, she took a severing charm to her hair, watching as the long locks she had always had fell away.