"Mudblood scum," Draco Malfoy spits at me, knocking into me and causing my books to fall. I glare at him and try to gather my stuff, the other students in the hallway paying no attention to me. He kicks me in the side as I try to collect the papers that had flown everywhere. "Go back to where you came from."
Crabbe and Goyle laugh and follow him down the hallway, probably to bully a first year. Everyone disappears into their classrooms as the last period starts, but I finish gathering my things and make my way to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom instead of Charms.
"Has itty bitty little Granger come to pay ol' Myrtle a visit?" she shrieks as I drop my bag on the floor with a loud thud.
"Shove off Myrtle. I'm not in the mood," I growl, trying to fight off the tears that will inevitably fall.
"I just want a friend!" The ghost bursts into tears and flushes herself down the toilet dramatically.
"So do I, Myrtle. So do I." A few tears escape my eyes and I lean over the sink to get a better look at my reflection. My brown eyes stare back at me full of sadness and anger. Draco was right, I was scum. No one would ever love the know-it-all bookworm with bushy hair and buck teeth.
With a glance over my shoulders to make sure no one else was in the bathroom with me, I flick my wand at the door to lock it and pull out my pocket knife. It's silver blade reflects the lights, shining on my face.
"Come on, Hermione. You deserve this," I mumble to myself, resting the sharp edge on my forearm. I gasp as the blade slowly slides into my skin, shiny droplets of blood forming in the spots I press down. My eyes squeeze shut as I focus on the pain, which takes my mind off the bullying for a little while. A few drops of blood fall onto the floor, and I watch them splatter on the bricks.
The sound of rushing water comes from Moaning Myrtle's stall, and I quickly heal my wounds as best I can. Three faint lines remain where I had cut, a reminder that I was ugly and that no one would love me.
"Still here?" Myrtle cackles, walking right through me. I shudder and turn, picking up my stuff and swiftly exiting the loo. Class lets out just as I leave, and Harry and Ron fall into step with me, holding Ginny and Lavender respectively.
"Rousing lesson, huh?" Ron asks, grinning at me.
"Flitwick really has a way of teaching," Harry adds. They obviously hadn't noticed that I wasn't in the lesson.
"Yeah," I mumble, keeping my head down as I walk faster. "I'll be in the common room if you need me." They don't seem to hear me, and I make my way to Gryffindor Tower trying not to be noticed.
I make it almost all the way there in solitude before I run into none other than Mr. Malfoy himself. Again.
"Yo, Granger! Watch where you're going!" He yells, shoving me to the side.
"Leave me alone, Malfoy," I say through gritted teeth. He smirks and moves closer to me again.
"What if I don't?" I whip out my wand and send a silent stinging hex his way. He falls to his knees but pulls out his own wand, pointing it at my face, causing huge boils to form on my skin. I mutter a quick healing spell before making my way up to the common room.
I collapse into an armchair in the corner of the room and pull up the sleeves of my uniform, looking at the small cuts crisscrossing my arms. Tonight, I think to myself. It has to be tonight. Harry and Ron were planning on taking their girlfriends to Hogsmeade, so they wouldn't miss me.
After making my decision, I pull out my copy of Alice in Wonderland, my favorite book, and read by the fire until dinner.
"You coming to dinner, Hermione?" Neville asks me, I nod and shove my book back into my bag, following him to the great hall.
Throughout the meal, I try and act as normal as possible, so as not to raise suspicion.
"What do you think, Hermione?" Parvati asks me, interrupting my thoughts.
"I'm sorry- what are we talking about?" I say, looking over to where she's sat on Dean's lap.
"When's Ron gonna propose to Lav?" I look blankly at her, not sure if she was serious. We were only sixth years, after all.
"Um, after we graduate?" Parvati looks at me as if I'm crazy, and ignores me the rest of dinner, which I appreciate. Afterwards, I make my way to the library and settle into my favorite table in the far corner, surrounded by stacks of books. Something falls off one of the shelves, and for a moment I suspect someone followed me here, but shrug it off. No one would want to follow me, anyways. I pull out a quill and some parchment out, beginning to write my letter. It takes me four tries to get it exactly right, but I finally figure out what I want to say and shove it into my pocket for later.
Slowly, I begin my journey to the astronomy tower, taking in everything I pass. The paintings chat and argue with each other, something that had freaked me out in my first year. Now it comforts me, the familiar voices and faces around every corner making me feel secure.
"Alright, Ms. Granger?" Sir Cadogan asks me as I pass. I smile and nod at him, continuing on my way. The higher I climb, the less people I encounter, until eventually I'm the only one. Nervous butterflies flit around in my stomach as the cool February air hits my face.
I sit down against the low wall that prevents people from falling off and reread my letter a few times. My nerves worsen as time passes, but then I remember the absolute hell I'd been put through in my time at Hogwarts, which reminds me of why I'm here in the first place.
At 11:55, I strip off my clothes and step up onto the ledge. With a deep breath, I step forward and let myself fall.
Draco's POV
I watch, horrified, as she launches her beautiful naked body off the top of the Astronomy Tower, and run from my hiding spot out to look at the note she left.
"I couldn't bear to live with the teasing, the bullying and the name calling, so I've decided to end it. Things will be easier for everyone.
xxx Hermione Granger"
I can't stop the tears from falling as I gather her robes into my arms and breathe in her flowery scent. This never would've happened if I wasn't so rubbish at showing my feelings. My mind blinded by shock and sadness, I pull out my quill and add my own note to hers.
"I couldn't bear to live without her.
xxx Draco Malfoy"
I remove my clothes and step onto the ledge where she had stood minutes before, and before I can change my mind, jump after her.
A/N: I was in an angsty mood today, and this happened. I wrote it instead of doing my school work.
x Sarah