Broken Against a Stone-CH. 1

"Stop smiling like that Harry, you're making me nervous," said Hermione as she smoothed the creases of her gown.

Harry and Hermione were in Yvonne's Enchanted Frocks shop in Diagon Alley. Hermione was looking at herself in a three-way mirror. She was trying to keep Harry from making her feel uncomfortable. She had selected a lovely satin forest green evening gown with gold accents at the neckline. She looked absolutely radiant.

"I'm soooo sorry Hermione," said Harry. "Don't get so bent out of shape. I'm just amazed that's all.

"What's so amazing about it Harry? It's almost like you've just now realized that my body chemistry is made up of a little known substance called estrogen," said Hermione.

Hermione was trying to find a suitable gown to wear to the first annual Halloween ball for 7th year students. Harry had come along with her for company, although not willingly. After two days of badgering, Harry finally gave in.

"Well, if you really think it suits me Harry, I suppose it's the right choice," said Hermione. "I just want to finally be thought of as a glamorous woman. Everyone seems to think I'm just a boring bookworm."

Harry looked at her with warmth glowing in his eyes. He really felt for Hermione because he knew she had suffered over everyone thinking she was the brainiest person in Gryffindor.

"I'm sure Ron doesn't think that about you Hermione," said Harry. "You know that he's loved you forever. Why are you so stressed out over what you'll look like? We're just going to have a good time after all. And Ron loves you for what you are, not what you look or dress like." Harry chewed the left side of his lip ever so slightly and looked down at the floor. Hermione sighed rather loudly and looked at him.

"Well, no one's ever said that you were a plain school nerd," said Hermione. "I just want to feel sexy this time. I want to feel like a woman instead of a geeky and studious schoolgirl."

Harry sent an encouraging smile her way. "I think you look gorgeous," said Harry. "Now buy that dress before I find the nerve to hex you."

Hermione smiled and nodded. She bought the dress and they both walked out of the shop to greet the late afternoon sunshine that was warm and soothing.



Three days before the Halloween ball, Hogwarts was alive with chatter and excitement over the event. Students were discussing what they were going to wear with one another, while others were talking about the great music that was planned for the evening. A band that was made up of four ghouls was going to provide the entertainment. They were a Danish punk band called "Seedy Pumpkin." They were very famous among young wizards in Great Britain.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione were all sitting at breakfast in the great hall. They were looking over their assignments and nibbling on various bits of food.

"You know, I cannot believe that at this time next year, we will be working for a living and not having the time of our lives anymore here at Hogwarts," said Ron. He had a mouth full of kippers and was spraying Hermione with smelly spit. She glared it him in a disgusted fashion as she wiped her face with a napkin.

"Yeah, time passes by so quickly. It's kind of depressing really, what with my particular situation and all," said Harry. He had been feeling sorry for himself recently. He was worried that once he got out in the real wizarding world, Voldemort would surely hunt him down. In some way, Hogwarts always felt like a protective barrier against evil for Harry. Hermione glanced a both Harry and Ron with annoyed disapproval.

"Oh shut up you miserable sods. You act like you've already got one foot in the grave (Harry raised an eyebrown at this). We have got so much to look forward to," said Hermione.

But on the inside, Hermione was unsure of herself and what her future held. She was interested in working in the research field for the ministry. Since her knack was fact finding in the library, she though this was a great area to explore in her career. She was comfortable with that aspect of her life. It was her personal life that caused her to experience many sleepless nights. She and Ron had been seeing each other for a year. Although she really loved him dearly, she often found herself feeling very domestic with Ron. He was a great boyfriend and really kind to her, but Hermione began to feel like they were an old married couple. She longed for something out of the ordinary. Plainness and the everyday sense of things were beginning to slowly waste her away. She was stuck in something that she did not know how to deal with at the moment.

"Did you ever figure out whom you might ask to the Halloween ball Harry?" said Ron as he fidgeted with his spellotaped book bag. Harry turned the color of a tomato. He suddenly became very interested in the porridge he had been eating.

"Oh come on mate! I know you've at least thought about it. Everyone has been scrambling for dates," said Ron.

Harry looked up at him feeling a bit less red in the face. He still looked uncomfortable with the question he was being asked though. He shrugged.

"I don't know yet to be quite honest," said Harry. I might ask Parvati tomorrow if I can remember it."

"Well done Harry," said Ron. Hermione smiled with a big toothy grin ad winked at Harry.

"You should have seen Parvati in the evening dress she was trying on in the shop. It was a gorgeous taffeta dress with a wonderfully fitted bodice. She really looked-

Hermione's words had been cut off in her throat. At that moment, all eyes were on a dark hooded figure that moved into the great hall towards the Slytherin table. Harry gasped at first thinking that a dementor had walked in. But the figure was much shorter than an actual dementor and did not have the ghostly skin of a dementor. As the chatter stopped abruptly among all of the houses that were seated, the figure moved to whisper something in Draco Malfoy's ear. Whatever the figure said to Malfoy made him turn paler than he usually was. Draco nodded silently to the figure and began to stare at the plate before him. The odd figure left the great hall with everyone's eyes following it. After a few moments, the talking among the different houses proceeded.

"Wonder what the hell that was all about," said Ron as he continued to look towards the Slytherin table with great interest.

"Beats the hell out of me," said Harry. That's very unusual that a creature such as the one we just saw was allowed on school grounds. Enchantments over this school forbid any dark arts. Anyone who is associated with the dark arts must see Dumbledore for permission to come on campus."

Hermione's eyes were as wide as saucers. She appeared to be deep in thought about something.

"But that might not have been someone with a dark nature," said Hermione. Ron looked at her in bewilderment.

"What are you talking about Hermione? We're talking Draco Malfoy here. His father probably sent one of his death eater buddies over to give him a message or something. It was most likely information so highly sensitive that it could not be owled for security purposes. Lately, there have been so many rumors circling around about Voldemort's followers getting larger in numbers," said Ron. Hermione sniffed.

"Ron, you always think the worst of everything don't you? Perhaps it was just a family friend or something," said Hermione.

Harry and Ron just stared at Hermione like she would be a new contender for the nearest psych ward. They seriously could not believe what they were hearing from her.

"Hermione, what's gotten into you? It's almost like you are trying to say that Malfoy receives strange messages from creepy hooded beings all the time that are just sending him their finest regards. Hermione was steadily getting angry.

"Ron, please excuse me for saying anything remotely rational. It's all doom and gloom for you all of the time. You are suspicious of fucking everything! Just shut up and drop it. I'm sick of this shit," said Hermione.

Harry and Ron could not fathom what they were hearing. They just gawked at her while it seemed like Ron was desperately trying to hold back the tears in his eyes. He was a sensitive person deep down and felt really hurt that Hermione had chosen to go off on him publicly. There was a silence as vast as the sea that followed Hermione's rant. Hermione was getting tired of the stifling silence and got up to go to their next class. It was potions with the Slytherins.

Harry and Ron remained rooted in their seats. At last, Harry decided it was the right time to say something to Ron.

"I think she is tired mate. She's been working herself into a terrible state over this Halloween ball trying to get everything sorted out," said Harry.

Ron could not grasp his feelings at that moment. He could not decide if he wanted to beat his fist against a wall, or just wail on the spot. He slowly began to speak to his friend.

"Harry, she was trying to make Malfoy seem somehow presentable to the human race," said Ron. "I mean, a family friend coming to see him?" Harry shrugged.

"I'm sure it was nothing. Let's get going before Snape gives us a detention for breathing. I certainly don't fancy cleaning up slime from the floors of the dungeons for a week," said Harry. With that, Harry and Ron started for their potions class.