"Come on 'Mione," he whined, not noticing how Hermione tensed up at the use of her old nickname. "Don't be such a bore. Come out and party with us for tonight," he begged, ignoring the tension that filled her shoulders.
A bitter laugh bubbled up in her throat and escaped her lips as she thought of all she had lost and how hard she had fought to bring it all back.
"Oh Hermione," she started in a mocking tone, like that of two Gryffindors that would come to adventure through these halls. "Why don't you come outside to play? Hermione, stop being such a stick in the mud. Hermione, books aren't the only friends you have here." She chuckled again, managing a more hollow and empty sound than her friend had ever heard. "I know all about being a bore. But you know what? I don't care. You can go party and get drunk all through the night. I'm going to stay here and live my life the only way I know how to. By surviving."
After that peculiar speech she once more absorbed herself in her reading.
"You can't be serious Hermione," he asked, confusion and curiosity battling for dominance in his voice. "We're only fourth years! There's no way that a little homework can mean surviving, whatever you mean by that."
"And here I was believing that this was supposed to be a house of cunning individuals who recognize how important knowledge is to staying alive," Hermione spat.
He took a step back, only now realizing how much of a mistake he had made. He realized just how far she was pushed over the edge. Her voice trembled, the fingers that automatically closed her current book were shaking, her eyes darted to his face and back to the scuffed wooden table in front of her.
"Jus go away Sev. Before someone gets hurt."
"But I would never hurt you!" He protested, confusion shining through his eyes as he tried to figure out what was going on.
"I know," Hermione replied in a small, tired voice. "I know."
~OoO~
A/N:
BOOM! New prologue and hopefully style of writing!
No promises on the rest of the story though...