The couple backed to the wall; everywhere they looked there was either a
Slytherin or Gryffindor shouting insults. Hermione's heart beat faster as
she murmured, "I told you they wouldn't like it." Draco didn't have enough
time to reply as people began casting spells. A shield coming from outside
the crowd appeared yet none of the teachers were anywhere in sight as they
had been asked to leave for this particular 'special announcement'. They
were all suspicious except Dumbledore who ushered them out with a twinkle
in his eyes. Rain began to fall outside in the darkness of the night.
Hermione and Draco had left their house tables and stood at the front of the hall. Everyone watched, puzzlement in their eyes. Why was a Gryffindor and a Slytherin making an announcement together? Not only that, why was a mudblood and a pureblood even going anywhere near each other? And why the hell was Hermione and Draco, two people adversaries from the beginning, holding hands?
Hermione took a deep breath and looked to Draco for support. Draco smiled back; the crowd gasped at the display of complaisance between them and held their breath. She finally spoke, "We're. . . " she began nervously, "dating." Draco finished emphatically. There was a second of silence as if everyone in the room was slowly processing the words through their minds before a tremendous uproar began.
"How could you do this to Ron, you slut? Do you know how much he sacrificed for you? How much he loved you? And you go off with that insufferable git!" Ginny yelled at Hermione. "Draco honey, how could you? How on earth could you choose that mudblood over me?" wailed Pansy, clinging onto Draco's sleeve like a leech. Draco gave no reply, using every ounce of strength he had to refrain from slapping her.
"Stop it! Just stop it!" yelled a normally calm voice from the back of the room, which only just made it above the crowd. Automatically, the crowd looked around angrily to see who dared to interrupt their riot. They turned to face Angel (A/N: My own character; she's Harry Potter's sister). Her generally warm sapphire eyes now had a slight hint of silver in them. The crowd parted slowly as she walked through it towards the couple. When she reached them, Hermione made as if to speak but she took no notice. She paused in front of them but did not speak, her eyes closed and her face revealing no expression. Instead, she turned to face the crowd.
Slowly, she looked up, opening her eyes. The silver in them was little yet stood out dangerously. "So," she began with a smirk, "This is how we act when the truth comes out, is it? Everyone is always telling us, don't worry, you can trust me, tell me the truth, I won't get angry. . . and yet, what do you do when someone finally has the courage to speak the truth? Glare in anger and attack like savage beasts! How would you feel if you had an unacceptable relationship? You love this person and yet. . . you know you will never be accepted. Do you take a chance or ignore true love? Well?" she asked angrily; her eyes seemed to flare as the crowd stayed silent in embarrassment.
"This is love. This is Hermione and Draco's choice. Who are we to go against them? Who are we to deny them the love they wish to have?" she asked, softer this time, still watching for the crowd's reaction. "No, we cannot. How can you possibly argue about this when there are Slytherins paired with Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors paired with Ravenclaws. Why let them alone and yet attack this couple? Because Gryffindors and Slytherins aren't allowed together? Who said? Where is it written in the Book of Rules that Slytherin and Gryffindor couples are to be attacked by angry mobs when they announce their love? No, this is a silly rule, part of the Unwritten Laws. Well, if previous generations were too stupid to break it, then let this generation break it. Voldemort is rising. House unity is needed. This is their first step; what is yours?" she spoke not with anger but sincerity now, watching everyone flinch at His name.
Sneaking a glimpse at Hermione and Draco, "When true love is shown, even a fool knows it cannot be stopped. This. . . massacre," she waved her hand to prove her point, "will not make anything better, but it may make things worse." She stopped again and took a deep breath before continuing, "I say, give them a chance. Who knows what shall happen? If they have survived this long, who is to say they will not last longer?" she pleaded, watching their response.
She turned, "I hope you know what you are doing," she murmured to Hermione, avoiding Draco's eyes for fear she might join in their chants of destroying hermione and Draco's love. To the crowd, she spoke bravely, "Who now goes against their love? If they do, step out of the crowd and prepare to face the Gryffindor Angels," she looked pointedly at Ginny who sniffed and turned her back on them, "and Draco, in a wizard's duel. Well?" she asked, loudly, daring anyone to accept. But noone spoke. Some shuffled a bit but made no attempt to walk out. Pansy tried but Crabbe and Goyle held her back, screaming and kicking. No one wished to go against Angel; sweet, kind, loving Angel who helped them in their time of need and one of the top students in all her classes. There was a mutter in the crowd as everyone backed off to their own house tables. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, however, watched with interest glittering in their eyes but one dangerous look from Hermione, Draco and Angel sent them eating as if there was no tomorrow. When Angel finally turned around, they started chatting away like mad.
"Angel . . ." Draco started but Angel shook her head for him to stop. She looked up, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, a fake smile upon her face, "Hey, no need to thank me, I'd do it for anyone . . . well, maybe except for Pansy." She said, laughing unconvincingly, still holding that fake smile for as long as she could; Draco felt his heart break. "Anyway, if I stay here any longer, Ginny and co. will have my head, so yeah." she said and made to turn but stopped halfway and turned back to face them. "By the way, I suggest not sitting at your house tables for a while," she managed to say with a grin even though she felt her voice break. She turned and ran to the Gryffindor house table. Draco began to follow but Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder, making him face her, "Let her be, she's suffered enough for one day," she said gently. Draco clenched his fists and walked out of the hall with Hermione.
Behind Dumbledore, Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall were arguing which house needed their points taken off. Dumbledore smiled lightly, "Such bravery and wisdom beyond her years, and yet she doesn't know her own heart." He murmured before facing the two very heated up teachers behind him with a sigh.
Hermione and Draco had left their house tables and stood at the front of the hall. Everyone watched, puzzlement in their eyes. Why was a Gryffindor and a Slytherin making an announcement together? Not only that, why was a mudblood and a pureblood even going anywhere near each other? And why the hell was Hermione and Draco, two people adversaries from the beginning, holding hands?
Hermione took a deep breath and looked to Draco for support. Draco smiled back; the crowd gasped at the display of complaisance between them and held their breath. She finally spoke, "We're. . . " she began nervously, "dating." Draco finished emphatically. There was a second of silence as if everyone in the room was slowly processing the words through their minds before a tremendous uproar began.
"How could you do this to Ron, you slut? Do you know how much he sacrificed for you? How much he loved you? And you go off with that insufferable git!" Ginny yelled at Hermione. "Draco honey, how could you? How on earth could you choose that mudblood over me?" wailed Pansy, clinging onto Draco's sleeve like a leech. Draco gave no reply, using every ounce of strength he had to refrain from slapping her.
"Stop it! Just stop it!" yelled a normally calm voice from the back of the room, which only just made it above the crowd. Automatically, the crowd looked around angrily to see who dared to interrupt their riot. They turned to face Angel (A/N: My own character; she's Harry Potter's sister). Her generally warm sapphire eyes now had a slight hint of silver in them. The crowd parted slowly as she walked through it towards the couple. When she reached them, Hermione made as if to speak but she took no notice. She paused in front of them but did not speak, her eyes closed and her face revealing no expression. Instead, she turned to face the crowd.
Slowly, she looked up, opening her eyes. The silver in them was little yet stood out dangerously. "So," she began with a smirk, "This is how we act when the truth comes out, is it? Everyone is always telling us, don't worry, you can trust me, tell me the truth, I won't get angry. . . and yet, what do you do when someone finally has the courage to speak the truth? Glare in anger and attack like savage beasts! How would you feel if you had an unacceptable relationship? You love this person and yet. . . you know you will never be accepted. Do you take a chance or ignore true love? Well?" she asked angrily; her eyes seemed to flare as the crowd stayed silent in embarrassment.
"This is love. This is Hermione and Draco's choice. Who are we to go against them? Who are we to deny them the love they wish to have?" she asked, softer this time, still watching for the crowd's reaction. "No, we cannot. How can you possibly argue about this when there are Slytherins paired with Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors paired with Ravenclaws. Why let them alone and yet attack this couple? Because Gryffindors and Slytherins aren't allowed together? Who said? Where is it written in the Book of Rules that Slytherin and Gryffindor couples are to be attacked by angry mobs when they announce their love? No, this is a silly rule, part of the Unwritten Laws. Well, if previous generations were too stupid to break it, then let this generation break it. Voldemort is rising. House unity is needed. This is their first step; what is yours?" she spoke not with anger but sincerity now, watching everyone flinch at His name.
Sneaking a glimpse at Hermione and Draco, "When true love is shown, even a fool knows it cannot be stopped. This. . . massacre," she waved her hand to prove her point, "will not make anything better, but it may make things worse." She stopped again and took a deep breath before continuing, "I say, give them a chance. Who knows what shall happen? If they have survived this long, who is to say they will not last longer?" she pleaded, watching their response.
She turned, "I hope you know what you are doing," she murmured to Hermione, avoiding Draco's eyes for fear she might join in their chants of destroying hermione and Draco's love. To the crowd, she spoke bravely, "Who now goes against their love? If they do, step out of the crowd and prepare to face the Gryffindor Angels," she looked pointedly at Ginny who sniffed and turned her back on them, "and Draco, in a wizard's duel. Well?" she asked, loudly, daring anyone to accept. But noone spoke. Some shuffled a bit but made no attempt to walk out. Pansy tried but Crabbe and Goyle held her back, screaming and kicking. No one wished to go against Angel; sweet, kind, loving Angel who helped them in their time of need and one of the top students in all her classes. There was a mutter in the crowd as everyone backed off to their own house tables. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, however, watched with interest glittering in their eyes but one dangerous look from Hermione, Draco and Angel sent them eating as if there was no tomorrow. When Angel finally turned around, they started chatting away like mad.
"Angel . . ." Draco started but Angel shook her head for him to stop. She looked up, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, a fake smile upon her face, "Hey, no need to thank me, I'd do it for anyone . . . well, maybe except for Pansy." She said, laughing unconvincingly, still holding that fake smile for as long as she could; Draco felt his heart break. "Anyway, if I stay here any longer, Ginny and co. will have my head, so yeah." she said and made to turn but stopped halfway and turned back to face them. "By the way, I suggest not sitting at your house tables for a while," she managed to say with a grin even though she felt her voice break. She turned and ran to the Gryffindor house table. Draco began to follow but Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder, making him face her, "Let her be, she's suffered enough for one day," she said gently. Draco clenched his fists and walked out of the hall with Hermione.
Behind Dumbledore, Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall were arguing which house needed their points taken off. Dumbledore smiled lightly, "Such bravery and wisdom beyond her years, and yet she doesn't know her own heart." He murmured before facing the two very heated up teachers behind him with a sigh.