All The Pretty Little Horses

Author: Rhapsody

Chapter Summery: Magical messengers show up. Ginny wakes up in the boys' dormitory, and Hermione reads some textbooks.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Note: This story was written before the release of Order of the Pheonix. It does not reflect OotP canon and any characters appearing from OotP may not be in character.

Hermione woke up with a start and shook her head involuntarily. She had managed to even get Ginny in trouble with her stupidity. She scolded herself. She pulled out her dairy and wrote down what had happened. As she wrote she pondered over what was causing these weird dreams. She had just finished writing and was about to blow out the candle on her bedside table when she heard a click and a dark cloaked figure stepped through the door.

Chapter 5

Kissed Her Good

Hermione could feel her heart pumping in her chest. She felt like any moment it would rip itself out of her chest and land on the other side of the room it was pumping so hard. She looked over at the cloaked figure again and then quickly looked away. It wasn't moving and that was only making her more nervous. She reached for her wand on her bedside table. Her hand brushed the tip of it and it rolled off the table and hit the floor with a bang. Hermione froze.

The figure laughed. It was a feminine laugh. Hermione's dread subsided momentarily, only to come flooding back as the figure took a step closer.

"Hello, Hermione, I've been looking for you." The feminine voice cooed.

Hermione squeaked. It knew her name, what was it going to do to her?

The figure pulled down its hood and the fear drained out of Hermione as she looked at a girl no older than thirteen. She had long brown hair and big blue eyes, and she was smiling.

"I'm terribly sorry if I scared you, Hermione. My name is Sapphire and I have come to bring you a message from the future."

Hermione stayed silent. This can't be serious, she's only a little girl, she thought.

"This is totally serious, and for your information I am most definitely not a little girl. I didn't think someone of your intellect would make that mistake." Sapphire looked offended. Hermione jumped. Could this girl read minds?

"Yes, yes Hermione I can read minds, if that's how you'd like to think of it," Sapphire laughed at her own joke. "But it'd be easier if you'd just say everything then I wouldn't feel like I was prying." Sapphire looked at herself and frowned suddenly; her cloak disappeared.

Hermione gasped, "Wandless magic…"

"Yes, yes and I'm sure you are secretly wondering where I got my extraordinary powers. Actually, to be totally frank, I know you're wondering where I got my powers, there is nothing secret about that."

"Yes," Hermione confessed, "I'd like to know."

Sapphire suddenly turned into a spitting image of Ron and said, "Well, you're the smart one, look it up or something!"

Hermione sat there, wide-eyed, as Sapphire returned to her ordinary shape and size. Not that she shrunk much being as she was almost Ron's height.

Sapphire looked down at herself again and gasped at the clothes she still donned. She was wearing the same thing Ron had worn that day.

"How could that have happened?" Sapphire said to herself and suddenly the clothes melted away revealing a medieval style forest green dress.

Hermione sat on her bed in silence, trying not to think about anything just in case Sapphire took it upon herself to read her mind.

"It is not for you that I was sent here, but you play a big part in this, Hermione. Someone is playing mind games with you, and if you follow my instructions you could gain much from these games, and perhaps save the life of your friend, Harry."

Hermione scowled, "I know it's Draco, he's using me..."

"No!" Sapphire said rather suddenly, making Hermione start. "It is not Draco you should worry about." She paused for a second, closing her eyes and concentrating on something.

"He can be trusted. He has a bad temper, and a bad reputation, but you may need his help if you are to do what must be done." Sapphire shook her head. "I take that back - you will need his help."

"I don't understand, what can I do? What are you talking about? What do you mean 'follow my instructions'? What can I do? It's Harry who's the hero! I'm not cut out for this type of things."

"You possess powers that you don't yet comprehend, Hermione. This all may seem very big right now, but your task at the moment is very easy."

"I still don't understand." Hermione gazed with pleading eyes at Sapphire.

Sapphire smiled softly, making her look like a wise old woman, not a little girl. "Hermione, just listen. The dreams you have been having are crucial. You're smart, you have been writing them down. That is a wise thing to do. I know you have been thinking of them lately. You were troubled by one as I came in."

"Yes, but I - " Hermione started to say.

"Just listen," Sapphire said quietly. "My sisters and I can help you with this. Continue to write these dreams down, but don't dwell on them. As you will soon understand, dwelling on dreams can turn them into reality."

Hermione nodded.

"I must go now and visit Draco. His task is much more difficult than yours. It will not only be physically difficult, but it will cause great emotional pain."

"What does he have to do?"

"That is for him to know first. If you want to know, you will have to ask him."

Hermione nodded again.

"You have to support him, Hermione. Draco does not trust easily, you must earn his trust. You must forgive him for what he has done; he never intended to hurt you. He was just following instructions."

"Wait," Hermione gasped, "everything he's done… everything we've had together is just because he's following instructions? So it's not real..." Hermione looked hurt.

"Don't be angry or hurt, Hermione. Sometimes Draco needs help learning what he wants. Give him time, Hermione, and he may surprise you."

Hermione nodded, understanding coming over her face, "As long as it's not just an act..."

"It is definitely not an act, my dear," said Sapphire smiling. "I must go, you will find that much time has passed since I arrived and you must go to breakfast. You'll need your strength, you may find yourself more hungry after having the dreams."

Hermione was about to say something in return, but before she could Sapphire was gone.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Ginny woke up in the boy's dormitory curled up in Harry's bed. Harry was asleep on the floor with some blankets and pillows he'd stolen from Dean Thomas. "Oh, he won't notice 'till tomorrow morning," Harry had said. Ginny rolled over and drifted off to sleep again.

Harry had convinced her to come up to the boy's dorm, as she couldn't get into her own. Harry told her she could sleep in his bed and he'd just sleep on the floor After much protesting about those arrangements, (Ginny didn't want to make Harry have to sleep on the floor) Harry finally dragged her up the spiral staircase and kissed her good night. Seamus woke up and saw Ginny.

"There's a girl in here!"

Harry got up and silenced him. "Shhh! You'll wake her up!" He carried the blanket back and threw them on top of the sleeping Dean, causing him to wake with a start.

"What the ---? Harry! What was that for! Oh… I see someone brought a girl up here! Good job, Harry, I'm proud! I believe you are the first here to - "

Ron cut him off, his jaw working quite a while before he could say anything.

"Harry, why is Ginny up here? You - didn't! You - and Ginny didn't…" Ron trailed off.

Harry laughed. "No, I slept on the floor, Ron."

"Good, 'cuz she's my sister and you know she's still really young and all…" Ron had apparently gotten over his anger with Ginny.

"She's sixteen, Ron, almost seventeen. You keep forgetting she's only a year younger than you. Ahh, she's so peaceful looking." He sat down on the bed next to the sleeping Ginny. Ginny stirred and he eyes fluttered open.

"Ohm… morning," Ginny yawned. "I had the most delightful dream." She reached up and pulled Harry into a deep kiss.

"I trust you slept well then." Harry was filled with a warm feeling, like he had drunken a whole tankard and a half of butterbeer. He felt almost lightheaded.

"I would have slept better if you had been here." She patted the bed with her palm. Ran gaped at them.

"I thought - you said - Harry?" Ron sputtered. Ginny hopped out of bed, revealing that she was only wearing a bra and some panties.

"You're just as overprotective as Mum," She smiled. Neville had woken up and was staring at Ginny's chest open mouthed.

"Umm… good morning, Ginny," he had a strange tone in his voice. Ginny pulled her shirt over her head and was looking for her pants and robes.

"Will you stop checking her out, Neville! Oh, your robes are over here sweetie." Harry glared at Neville, who immediately covered his eyes with his hands.

Ginny turned slightly pink and continued getting dressed. The boys decided if Ginny was going to get dressed in front of them she wouldn't mind seeing them in their boxers. They hopped out of bed and started dressing.

Within 10 minutes everyone was dressed and ready to go to breakfast. Ron had claimed he wasn't hungry and stayed in the common room, so Harry and Ginny walked hand in hand down the corridor on the way to breakfast. Draco walked up behind them.

"Have either of you seen 'Mione?" He asked in a surprisingly neutral tone. Harry just glared at him. Even if he and Hermione had a "thing", it didn't mean he had to be Malfoy's best friend.

"I'd think you'd keep better track of her, Malfoy. Did you lose her? What a pity." He and Ginny walked away.

"That was mean, Harry!" Ginny looked into his bright green eyes.

"He acts as if I follow Hermione around… and, oh, do stop looking at me like that Ginny."

"Well, it was mean, though… what if it had been you looking for me? Then how would you feel?" Ginny asked. Harry's eyes glittered as he thought of the marauder's map and he suddenly grinned.

"Well, let's see. I've had no problem finding you when I've needed you in the past. You know there are a few things you do not know about me, Miss Virginia Weasley." He had backed her against the wall and her heart was racing.

"Like what? Tell me something I don't know…" She smiled, playing along.

"Well, there are the obvious things about me that everyone knows, like that I an frighteningly sexy."

"Oh, really," Ginny pushed his hair aside and traced her finger along the delicate lightning bolt scar on his forehead, "I hadn't ever really noticed."

"I'd think a beautiful girl like you would be able to hunt out a sexy guy like me."

"First the complements, then you're trying to get me in bed!" She smiled flirtingly.

"If I'm not mistaken, you were the one trying to get me in bed this morning."

"And last night too!" She corrected Harry with a naughty glance.

"So, let me get this straight: we're both agreed that we want to jump each other as soon as possible, so why don't we just go back up to the dorm…"

"Because I'm hungry and I want some breakfast first!" Ginny kissed him lightly on the lips and pulled him off towards the Great Hall.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Sapphire stood in Draco's room with an evil look on her face. She shut her eyes and concentrated on the Malfoy boy. He was in a corridor, apparently on the way to breakfast. Sapphire supposed he wouldn't be back for a while. Her mischievous blue eyes sparkled. She raised her hand and the wardrobe flung open.

She walked over to it and looked inside. She ran her hands over his black school robes. Her smile widened as she noticed a box at the bottom of the wardrobe. She flicked it open and pulled out a pair of underwear.

"Well, that answers the all famous question, boxers or briefs?" she said aloud, tossing the blue boxers into the air.

She dug further into the box, magically flinging Draco's multicolored underclothing all over the small room. She heard the doorknob turn and immediately turned into Hermione. She ducked quickly inside of his wardrobe.

"What the hell!" Sapphire heard Draco yell. She began to giggle.

"I heard that!" Draco grabbed the blue boxers off the ground and walked towards the wardrobe. "Pansy, is this some sort of joke? I tell you to stay out of my room, and then you come in here and mess with my boxers! Are you trying to piss me off?"

He ripped open the wardrobe, almost dismembering the handle. Sapphire stepped out from behind his robes. She still looked like Hermione. She gazed at him amusedly and walked a haughty circle around him.

Draco's jaw dropped, "Hermione..."

"No, I'm the queen of the Nile!" Sapphire said sarcastically, instantly morphing into Cleopatra. "Oops, sorry, I didn't mean that! I haven't visited people for a few hundred years, I think I'm getting a little rusty." She turned back into Hermione.

Draco took a step back and stared at her. What was she? Some kind of banshee? His anger took control of him. "Who are you and why the hell are you in my room?"

Sapphire morphed into Professor McGonagall, "I'm here to tell you that you have detention, for a month!"

"Why?" Draco said annoyed.

"Because," Sapphire replied, changing back to her normal self, green dress and all, "you ruined my fun!"

Draco looked at her in bewilderment, "You look like a third year!"

Sapphire paused, and then said, "I feel insulted!" She looked at him in disgust.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Sapphire," she said, curtseying with great embellishment. "And I've come to deliver you an important message from the future."

Draco laughed, "Wait, let me guess, in the future they only make briefs, so you come to rob me of my boxers."

Sapphire became suddenly serious. "This is not a joking matter, Draco. This is about your father."

Draco's shoulders stiffened. "What about him?"

"Destiny has set up a task for you." Sapphire's gaze pierced his. "You must kill Lucius Malfoy."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione burst into the Great Hall and ran to Harry and Ginny. She was rather hysterical, but no worse than how she got before final exams. She looked as though she had dressed very fast and she was talking at 100 kilometers per hour.

"Oh, Ginny, I'm so, so sorry. Please forgive me. I was just angry with Ron. But now I have so many other things to worry about. Oh Ginny, please tell me you aren't mad."

"Hermione," Ginny said, placing a hand on Hermione's shoulder and forcing her to sit down for a moment, "It's okay. Just slow down, you need to eat something."

On cue Harry handed Hermione a piece of toast, which he had buttered while Ginny talked.

"Thanks, Harry," Hermione continued very quickly, taking bites of toast in between phrases. "Ginny, I'm so sorry for locking you out of our dormitory," she took another bite of toast. "I hope it wasn't too much trouble for you to have her stay with you, Harry."

"No problem," Harry smiled devilishly.

Hermione coughed, choking on a piece of toast. Ginny automatically poured her a glass of juice. She drank it slowly. Harry noticed that Hermione's hands were shaking.

"Are you okay, Hermione?" Neville was standing behind her and seemed to have noticed her shaking as well.

Hermione squeaked and dropped the glass. It shattered, splashing juice all over the four of them. Hermione started quickly picking up the pieces and muttering her apologies.

Harry couldn't take watching his friend like this anymore. "Hermione!" he said sharply, making her look at him. "You're coming with me!"

He grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the floor. Ginny pointed her wand at the mess and cleaned it up instantly.

"Ha ha, forgot that I could do that!" Hermione laughed half-heartedly.

"Must I remind you that you're a witch? That thing in your pocket is called a wand. And when you point it at things and say words, things happen!" Harry threw his hands into the air, as if he were surprised.

Hermione laughed genuinely. "Oh Harry, you know I didn't grow up being magical and I just seem to forget when I'm frantic, like this."

She put the remainder of the glass, which had been in her hand on the table. She was still jittery and Ginny and Harry started to walk her back to the Gryffindor tower. About half of the way there she stopped.

"Wait, can we just go to the library? I need to look something up. That's what I needed to tell you about."

Ginny looked at Hermione questioningly, "Hermione, you're bleeding!"

Hermione looked down at her hands, "It's nothing, just a few little cuts, I'll be fine."

"We should go to the hospital wing," Harry said in concern.

"No, we don't have time, I need your help. There is something important I need to tell you," Hermione pleaded, "Trust me, I'm fine. It's not like I sprouted whiskers or anything!"

Harry and Ginny agreed reluctantly and they set off towards the library. They followed the familiar corridor until they found the staircase leading to the fastest route to the library, which happened to pass the stairway leading to the Slytherin common room. Harry would do anything to avoid Malfoy right now, so he steered Hermione down the corridor adorned with bloody battle scenes.

"Arg," A familiar voice sounded ahead. "Where ye be goin'?" the picture asked.

"We have to go to the library," Ginny said politely, "I'm sorry, we're in a hurry. We have to go!"

Ripped Leg bid them farewell, snarling at Harry.

"That picture seems to be rather sexist," Harry commented as the entered the library, "He seems to have something against boys."

"At least he doesn't threaten to rape you and kill your children," Ginny said. "He just insults you."

"I think he's funny," Hermione said.

Harry looked at her like she had gone mad. They stopped by the front desk and Hermione started telling them about Sapphire. Ginny just gaped at her. Harry seemed unsurprised that he was, apparently, once again in danger.

"I figured that you two had the right to know. If I hadn't been such a bitch, Ginny, you would have been there. And Harry, you are the one who is in danger. I'm not sure but this one seems difficult, very difficult."

"How is it any different than any other time someone was trying to kill me?" Harry asked wearily.

"Think about it, Harry. If you're going to try and kill someone, you'll want to finish them off before they can apparate and use magic. You'd want to do it before they could fight back. This is their last chance. I'm afraid it's not going to be as easy as it was before."

Harry sighed. "You're acting as if it was a piece of cake before. You know as well as I do that it wasn't."

"That's my point," Hermione replied, "It was difficult enough before, now it's going to be worse."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco sauntered into the library lazily. He was hoping to get some peace and quiet. He wasn't in the mood to be bothered by Crabbe and Goyle, so he went to the one place they never ventured into, of course: the library.

He sat down at a table and began to work on his Herbology homework. He had to look up the Japanese Teapot Tree. He had gotten a book out and laid it upon the table, propping it open using his other textbooks.

He took out a quill and began to write: "The Japanese Teapot Tree originally grew in Japan in the 1930's. They started growing when a Muggle (who is thought to have been under the influence of Muggle narcotics) left an enchanted teapot on her windowsill and it fell into her lawn, sprouting there on the spot. The tree has a brown trunk and blue-green leaves. It grows fruit that are white and have handles and spouts, resembling a teapot. The fruit are commonly used in pies and taste like honey tea and yams. Many muggles believe that this tree is actually a pear tree with a disease and they commonly cut it down, out of fear that it will infect other trees. There is currently a sanctuary for endangered magical plants in Magical Tokyo. This is one of the only places to find the Japanese Teapot Tree."

Hermione, Harry, and Ginny bustled into the library moments later. They sat down at a table in the corner or the library, hidden behind a shelf of old, nasty looking books. Draco got up and approached them cautiously, for fear Hermione would lash out at him in uncontrolled rage.

"I'm sorry, Hermione, I - " Draco began.

"No," Hermione cut him off. "I'm sorry, you didn't do anything. It's my fault."

"But let me explain."

"There's nothing to explain. There are more important things we need to talk about first."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione and Ginny sat at a small table in the corner of the library, talking in low voices. Across from them sat Draco, looking impatient, and Harry, obviously plotting ways to dispose of the Slytherin.

Hermione suddenly looked up at Draco and asked anxiously, "What exactly did she say to you, Draco?"

"Ugh, not this again. Honestly, Hermione, why are you so obsessed with what the stupid little girl said?"

Ginny looked at him impatiently. She hated Malfoy for hurting Hermione and her brother. Although she herself doubted Ron's sanity most of the time, at least lately. She was also heavily biased towards Harry's opinions of Malfoy, especially after the previous night.

"Listen to her, Draco. I doubt someone with your intelligence could possibly understand something like this." Ginny turned to Harry and whispered, "I think all of the hair products are corrupting his brain."

"Shut up, Weaslette! At least I comb my hair," Draco said. He glared at Harry in particular.

"Draco," Hermione looked earnestly at him.

"Fine, if it's so goddamn important. She said Destiny had a task for me, and I have to kill my father, but I seriously doubt she was being literal." There was a brief silence between all four of them before Draco continued on. "Come on, some freak girl breaks into my room, messed with my underclothing, and tells me to knock off my dad. Would you believe her?"

"This is very old magic we are dealing with, this is important. Why can't you see that?"

"What is there to see? Some 3rd year cracks and says some nonsense and you're getting all worked up about it."

Ginny had had enough. She pulled her wand out of her robes and pointed it at him, putting a silencing charm on him. Draco tried to speak, but no words came out, so he just crossed his arms and sat in his chair, sulking.

"That should keep him quiet," Ginny said victoriously.

Hermione suddenly cracked a smile, "I found it! It says here: There are five Immortals: Destiny, Prophecy, Dream, Time, and Reality. They bore three children: Ruby, Emerald, and Sapphire. Each have their own special powers and are immortal, like their kin. They inherited one trait from each of their elders. Ruby, the oldest, has the greatest power. She has mysterious red eyes and black hair. She has the ability to enter people's minds (Dream), to see the future (Prophecy), to control the sun (Time), to cause or cure any illness (Reality), and to do magic with her mind (Destiny)." Hermione paused.

Harry looked at her in concern. "What is it Hermione."

"This makes too much sense," She replied slowly, as if thinking about something. "Ginny, you take it."

Ginny put on her reading glasses and took the book, "Emerald is the middle child. She is blond with large green eyes. She posses the power to make people remember dreams (Dream), to fly (Reality), to control the moon (Time), to gift people with the art of Divination (Prophecy), and to give muggles magic (Destiny)," Ginny stopped and eyed Hermione.

Hermione had leaned forward and was resting her head on her arm. She had her eyes shut. It looked as if she was either in immense pain, or very deep thought. She sat up.

"Wha -? Oh, I'm, umm, fine. Please continue."

Ginny picked up the book again and read the last paragraph on the page, "Sapphire is the youngest child of the immortals. She has been known to visit people to deliver messages. She can be recognized by her brown hair and blue eyes. She has the power to change into any form (Prophecy), to read minds (Dream), to time travel (Time), to perform magic with her hands (Destiny), and to locate anyone with her mind (Reality). All three of the sisters are known to wear green dresses, and despite their ages they maintain the appearance of young teenagers." Ginny sighed and tossed the book back on the table.

Hermione nodded and reached for the book. Her hand grazed Draco's and she blushed slightly, but no one noticed.

"That was interesting," Ginny commented, flipping her hair behind her shoulder.

"It explains a lot," Hermione added, still looking anxious.

"It explains nothing!" Harry suddenly blurted out. Everyone, including Draco, looked at him in bewilderment.

"What?" Hermione flushed and looked at him, apparently twice as anxious.

"It explains nothing," Harry repeated, "We already knew what Sapphire's powers were, and all that rubbish about her sisters is irrelevant. It tells us nothing about Draco's 'task,' if you'd call it that."

Draco was obviously trying to speak, but the silencing charm prevented his speech.

"Ahh, I see you've taken to reading fairy folklore," A voice sounded from behind a shelf of books.

Hermione leaned forward and whispered to Harry, "That's Cypris. She's very, erm, high maintenance."

Harry nodded just as the currently blond girl stepped out from behind the books and smiled cockily at them.

"Hello Ginny, Harry, Hermione." When she said Hermione's name she got a strange tone in her voice. It made Hermione nervous. "Oh, Draco! I didn't even notice you were here!"

Draco glared at her and mouthed the words "go away!"

"Who did the silencing charm? It was a very good idea."

Ginny smiled, and knowing that if Draco could speak he'd probably just hex Cypris away, she undid the charm from under the table.

Draco's smile widened, "I'm sorry you feel that way, darling, but I seem to have regained my ability to speak. Now," he began to speak very softly as he stood to face her, "I expect you will sod off and stay out of my business... or else." He had a threatening glint in his cold grey eyes.

"I warn you, Draco," Cypris said in hushed tones, "I've listened to everything you have said. No matter what we do we cannot resist our Destiny. It must be fulfilled or we die in vain. Timing is everything. Remember that. Miss Le Fay over there was right, it is very old magic you are working with. Few are allowed to handle this power. Use it correctly and you could do great things. Use it incorrectly and the world may crumble."

Draco just stared at her in wonderment. Obviously she knew something he didn't. He would find out before the end of the coming night, but for now he was lost in thought. Draco merely resumed his seat at the table.

"I bid you all good day," Cypris said with a smile as she walked away with a book in her arms.

Hermione's eyes were filled with dismay. "Are you okay, Draco? You look concerned. What did she say to you?"

Draco was shaken from his thoughts. "What? Oh… nothing. I'm fine, I'm just tired. I should go." He got up abruptly and left the library hurriedly. He looked up and down the hall, trying to see which way Cypris went. He had to find her.

Ginny looked at Hermione with an odd grin plastered on her face, "Where do you think he went?"

A glint of jealousy was recognizable in Hermione's features for a split second as she gathered her books and shoved them hastily into her bag. "I don't know, but I intend to find out," was all she said in reply before dashing out of the library.

Harry broke into a smile, "Brilliant!"

"Do you think Hermione or Malfoy suspect anything?" Ginny asked, leaning in and touching the tip of Harry's nose.

"We kept a friendly distance, they won't suspect a thing."

Ginny grinned, "Remind me why we're keeping this a secret..."

"Because, it's more fun that way!" Harry winked and stood up, taking Ginny's hand in his and kissing her fingers one by one.

Ginny giggled and moments later she and Harry left the library hand in hand.

Upon the table sat two forgotten books - a black book of fairy lore and a purple bound diary.

Ron stepped out of the shadows and picked up the two books. He opened the diary to the most recent entry. Ron's smile faded. He produced a quill and ink from his bag and began to write:

Mister Malfoy,

The plan is going well, but I fear the immortals are trying to assist your son in your downfall. He has not yet begun to follow their orders. He must be convinced it is all a joke. The immortals' third child has visited him, and the girl is having dreams of our plan. You must act quickly. The book and time turner must be planted as soon as possible. The girl will be the most vulnerable in October of last year. If all goes well, Potter will be disposed of in no time. It will be like he was never born. The time is near.

Sincerely,

T. M. R.

~*~*~*~*~*~