Hermione tensed a bit hearing his name.
"What happened between you two Hermione? You and Harry?" Ron asked softly through partially gritted teeth. He honestly wanted to know why she was so distant lately.
Hermione stared at him, shocked that he sounded so... intruigingly sincere... in his simple question. Her eyes clouded a tad as a small single tear fell from her gentle brown eyes. It was so quiet she could hear the sound of the tear hitting the floor, and her breathing in slow rhythms against her chest.
flashback
"Hermione wait!! Where are you going?" Harry called after her.
"NO!!" She yelled furiously at him. "I'm going somewhere far away from you! Like my room! and don't you DARE try to stop me Harry. Don't you dare. It's none of your business. You're NOT my father, not my brother, and DEFINITELY not my husband or boyfriend. So back off Harry. Now." She was storming away from him, leaving him standing alone.
"Hermione! Hermione... Please... just let me explain! Please!!! I didn't mean what I said." He shouted, trying to catch up. He caught her arm and forced her to face him. She spun around, her curls in a dissarray, rage showing clearly on every line of her face.
"You.didn't.mean.what.you.said." She seethed, wanting very much to hurt him. "Why don't you try that excuse after you call me someting other than a 'wannabe has-been friend who's no good anymore because she won't tell you everything '!! I am SO curious what you meant by that Harry James Potter!" and with that she whirled and stormed away, fury glowing like a halo around her small body, leaving Harry Potter to mentally curse himself for what he'd done.
Hermione quickly dashed down the corridor, skidding to a halt and whispering her password just as Harry rounded the corner. She ducked inside and slammed the door shut.
Outside she could hear Harry yelling in protest of her stubborn refusal to listen. She giggled lightly to herself as she danced her way to the small library in the heads' common room.
As soon as she stepped inside she felt at ease. Peaceful.
'THIS is more to my liking.' she thought happily. She skimmed through the aisles, brushing her fingertips delicately across the spines of many age old books. All of the different textures made her fingertips tingle. Finally she reached the book she was looking for. Small, purple velvet and hidden in a back corner. She reached in and pulled the tiny book out, removing the pink satin ribbon marking her spot. She found a small table and settled with her quill and ink. She began scribbling away quickly, writing on the empty open space of her book. This was her story. This was to be her memoir, her life. She prized this small book as though it were a trophy.
'Dearest friend,' she wrote, speaking the words under her breath. 'I know we should never meet, and possibly may never have the chance, but I want you to know my story.First, remember this: Life is not a game. It is too short to hold grudges. Live and let live. Tell those you care for, that you do. Let them know how you feel. Take a chance, a risk. And never hold any regrets.' She smiled, looking at her handiwork.
"Oh how sweet." A sarcastic voice drawled behind her. Hermione jumped slamming the book closed and getting to her feet quickly.
"Malfoy!!" Yes, it was him that got the privelege of scaring her. Ironic.
"What? Did I frighten the poor dirty mudblood?" he pretended to pout in mockery of her. "Oh goody for me." he snapped. His mouth pulled into a warped smirk and she wanted to hit him.
" How much did you read? And what do you want Malfoy? I've had a bloody terrible day and I am at my wits end. If you push me I will snap and I WILL hurt you. Now spill." she prompted, grasping her wand tighter.
He looked at her evilly, his cold eyes sending chills down her spine. Draco Malfoy rather liked scaring her. She fought back.
'Your little spazoid friend is in the hospital wing, calling out your name. Dumbledore sent me to fetch you. He wants to speak with us. Heads' business I suppose." Hermione jumped and instantly started for the door. She heard chuckling behind her.
'And what, Malfoy, pray tell is so funny?' she glowered. Her brown eyes held small red sparks, ignited by her need to send this boy, this thing, far away from her.
'Well, mudblood, I actually just said that for the hell of it. But unfortunately the old coot does want to see us." he laughed cynically, his cruelty echoing in her mind.
"How dare you!!" she ground out forcefully. "You have no right Malfoy!! None! Don't ever talk like that about my friend again!!" she drew her wand with her left hand only to ball up her right and punch him square in the gut. He doubled up a bit, groaning as he clutched his now injured stomach.
"JESUS CHRIST" He choked out. "Granger, you'll pay for that you filthy scum sucking mudblood!"
She glared for a moment before quickly pasting a sweet smile on her face, kicking him in the shin, and skipping away with her curls bouncing tenuously against her shoulders. Behind her, frozen in his spot, was the ash blonde pure-blood that she'd left in pure pain.
Hermione entered the Headmaster's office with a pissed off Draco Malfoy in tow.
"ah, Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy. come in, come in. Do sit down." Dumbledore gestured to their seats. Draco flopped onto his chair as Hermione gracefully slid into hers. Dumbledore gave Draco an inquiring look, his wrinkled brow raising a bit.
" She puched me in the gut then kicked my shin." Draco spat, nodding his head toward Hermione. "left bruises too, little wench." he muttered to himself. Dumbledore looked over to Hermione to see her rather red-faced and embarassed.
"He deserved it Professor!!" she blurted out trying to defend herself. " I swear!!" the Headmaster chuckled slightly then cleared his throat.
"Well then... if you two can behave," he gave them a look over his half moon spectacles " I have some business I would like to discuss. Hermione threw a small sidelong glance at the Slytherin boy sitting three feet away.
"Now as you know, our Valentine's Day Formal is fast approaching." Dumbledore's words snapped Hermione's attention away from Draco's passive face.
"wha- what?" she stammered. Dumbledore ignored her question and continued.
" I would like it very much if you two would handle that. I'm afraid I don't fare so well with decorations, and since you two are currently teenagers, that should imply that you have more knowledge of the teenage mind than I have. You'll know what decorations will be good. We'll need a selection of music as well. I leave it to you. Oh, and don't forget to post each house their invitations. I'm afraid I've kept this dance a bit of a secret." Dumbledore smiled, pleased with himself. They both nodded begrudgingly and got up to leave. Draco had his hand on the doorknob when Dumbledore spoke up again.
"oh, also, I would like the two of you to accompany one another." Draco and Hermione froze.
'what?" they echoed, incredulous. Dumbledore pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose a bit and repeated himself.
"you two, will be accompanying one another. It would be a perfect display of our interhouse unity and cooperation. Now I am finished. Please, enjoy your dinner." he smiled warmly as they walked out.
Outside the door, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger stood, facing each other. They both had one common thought.
'Please merciful God, KILL ME.'