The Beauty of the Beast [Dramione]

Plans and Problems

Hey guys, sorry about the delay in updates, but I was traveling for the holidays and we had no wifi! Oh well, hope you enjoy the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter!

Before either wizard could react, Hermione's wand was out and put to good use. "Stupefy!" She cried. A jet of red light streamed towards the blond youth, knocking him to the floor with a dazed expression on his face. Harry grit his teeth and said with them clenched tight, "Hermione, that wasn't Malfoy. I'll explain everything in depth later, but you've just stunned our means of communication with the outside world. His name's Jacob Amanar, he came from Romania a few days ago to help us, and I thought I had figured out a way he could be useful, as a Draco Malfoy look-alike. See, look." He pointed down to the floor, where the boy lay stunned.

The boy was starting to stir, his blond hair fading to a darker hue of brown, and his grey eyes turning to a brilliant blue. His facial features became less sharp and refined, and became more fair and gentle. He sat up slowly, rubbing his head where he had fell, and looked around, unsure of what had just happened.

Spotting Hermione, he scrambled to his feet, and blushed a brilliant shade of red. "Ms. Granger! This is amazing! I had always hoped to meet you one day, I've read quite a bit about you, mostly from Luna's father though, how intelligent you are, though your pictures do you no justice at all... I'm sorry if I'm rambling, it's just I never thought that I would ever have the honor to meet you..." he stuck out his hand in a fluid motion as greeting. Hermione blushed and shook it, apologizing profusely for stunning him. "I'm so sorry, I thought you were someone else, I'm so terribly sorry, I'm jut a bit edgy from the recent battle and all, you startled me..."

Jacob just smiled. "Yes, this Draco Malfoy person must be a character, if the smartest person known to mankind hates him, understandibly so. Harry told me that I would be traveling around as Draco to get some information for us, so I've been learning what he's like, how he acts, how he walks and talks for, what, the past few days now? I was getting ready for my test just then, Harry was going to send me out onto the battle field to find out some more of what has happened, see if anyone was captured or such." He stopped his talking abruptly, with a sense that he had said to much, and sat down, a faint blush once again gracing his features. Harry smirked, Jacobs awkward mannerisms and speech reminded him altogether too much of Neville.

Hermione frowned, trying to process all the information that had just been dumped upon her thanks to the loose mouth of Jacob, but after a few moments she smiled again. It was an uptight professional smile, one that foretold disapproval, not a genuine one. "Well, I hope that you've enjoyed yourself here for the short time you have been here, but there's a war going on, and Harry should have more sense than to send in an amateur. No offense Mr. Amanar, but you haven't exactly been here long enough to work for the Order, I'm surprised they inducted you at all actually, but how do we know that we can trust you, how do we know that you are what we're looking for, that you won't shirk away from your duties? How do we know that you won't betray us when you're caught and faced with torture or worse? I'm sure that you are a man of great character, and I look forward to working with you in the future, but I feel that someone more qualified should be sent in for this particular mission, someone who knows more about Malfoy's past and the present situation."

Harry listened patiently to her, knowing that her rant would soon finish and he would be able to speak yet again. "Hermione, that's why we brought him in. He's not a top Order member, he's not even a member, so he knows nothing of our plans, which is useful if he's captured, and he's dedicated. He can work diligently, he was an active part of a force driving the Dark Lord's forces out of Romania. He's perfect. Also, if you'll notice, he makes an excellent Death Eater. Or, more correctly, an impersonation of one. Anyway, who else besides you, me, or some of Malfoy's friends know enough about him to impersonate him? There's a limited list, and I'm not about to go have a catch-up chat over a cup of coffee with Pansy Parkinson." Harry looked at Hermione with an exasperated smile.

"Look 'mione, I'm glad that you're cautious about this, but there's a border between cautious and paranoid. Don't worry, Kingsley and I will take care of everything. I'll let you know how it's getting on." He took her hand and squeezed it softly. She smiled back at him and left the room after giving Jacob an apologetic look, closing the door softly behind her.

After her leave, Harry sighed and ran his hand through his already messy hair. Jacob gulped. "Merlin, she's scarier than anything I've seen in my short eighteen years of life! I'd rather face You-Know-Who himself than be on the wrong end of her wand!" Harry smiled.

"She doesn't mean it, she's exhausted, with the battle and the magic transfer, and Ron…" He broke off, wiping his eyes as they began to spill over. Jacob averted his eyes, shifting from one foot to another, unwilling to talk about the topic. Thankfully, he didn't have to. As if on cue, the door once again opened. "Boys, dinner is ser-" Ginny Weasley walked in and stopped dead seeing Jacob nervously shuffling looking white as a sheet and Harry looking like he was about to burst out crying. Jacob blushed again, and excused himself from the situation, heading to the dining room where Mrs. Weasley was dishing out supper helped by Mr. Lovegood (who himself was causing more chaos then help).

Harry sank back down on the chair after the door closed behind the Romanian, his eyes staring blankly in front of him, barely blinking. "What am I going to do without him, Gin? He was my best friend, he had a life before him. I was supposed to die, not him. Not anybody. I just can't believe that, that" Ginny hurried over and wrapped her arms around him, her small hands stroking his hair like a mother would to a child. He leaned into her shoulder, his body wracked with sobs over losing his friend.

"I know, I know." She murmured softly over and over, silent tears slipping down her own cheeks. After a minute, Harry's sobs ceased. "I'm sorry Gin. I know that it's even worse for you, losing Ron and Fred." He took her hands in his and pressed his forehead to them. They remained in silence for a while, until only the last call of "Dinner!" roused them and sent them away.

That night, Hermione tossed and turned, nightmares drifting in and out of her few dreams. She was still at the battle, trying to fight Bellatrix, but her wand wasn't working for her, until she looked down at it and realized it was Draco Malfoy's wand. She looked behind her, and there he came, killing people all around him merely by looking at them, Ron, Harry, Mrs. Weasley all succumbing to his wrath, until his murderous gaze turned on her. His eyes burned red and she screamed, trying to run away, but her body betrayed her, she was running through thick mud. She looked back terrified, and Malfoy transformed into Voldemort, laughing a high-pitched cruel laugh.

Hermione awoke in a cold sweat, gasping as if all the oxygen in the world couldn't support her. Her blankets were twisted around her legs, locking them in place. She tried in vain to free herself, but became so frustrated she grabbed her wand. "Diffindo" She muttered. The sheets tore and fell away, relinquishing their grasp. She eased out of bed and walked down the hallway, still clothed in her nightgown.

A light in the kitchen attracted her, where hushed voices were arguing. She headed to the door, but hesitated to knock, remembering what had happened earlier that day. Pressing her ear to the keyhole, she was able to make out a mutter Kingsley's deep voice. She strained trying to hear more, until she heard something that made her blood run cold.

"They're on the move. And they're headed for London."

Adding Jacob into the mix... Please, pretty please review, that's how I know what I can fix! (It also keeps me motivated long enough to write the next chapter.)

Hope you liked it, I'll try to get the next chapter updated sooner then later, but it might be a little longer.