Silver Release
"Harry, I don't know what you were thinking! I mean, really, cheating??" Hermione was thoroughly flaying Harry after he finished his five hour detention after being caught cheating by Professor Snape on a Potions exam. Harry was, naturally, fuming.
"Hermione, what the hell is that old bat's problem?" Harry exclaimed through gritted teeth. His emerald eyes burnt with a green flame of hatred. Hermione rolled her eyes and dragged the seething teen away from their mutually disliked Professor's classroom door.
"That doesn't tell me why you cheated on the exam… That was the most basic potion this year. We did that potion in second year," Hermione pressed. She was used to having to keep after her two friends, Harry and Ron, to get the vital information, especially if they were upset. They could brood and storm for a week without giving any information if you allowed them. Well, she wouldn't let them, it was that simple.
"Uh, I don't know. I didn't get a lot of sleep, I'm exhausted. Maybe that's why I got caught this time," Harry yawned and walked a little faster, to be in front of Hermione.
"Wait," Hermione quickly caught up with Harry, and turned to confront him, "this time? Harry, you've cheated before? Why? This class is so easy, just follow the instructions exactly. You've cheated before now?" Hermione was obviously concerned, but Harry was in a very foul mood and scowled at her.
"Can't you ever just leave me the fuck alone, you nosey, smartass bitch? I can't stand you're stupid whiney voice any more!" Harry yelled and pushed past her, leaving Hermione recoiling from a crippling blow to her fragile heart. Her concerned face quickly melted into a tortured face of sadness and tears began to make that familiar path down her cheeks. She began to quiver and the shivers turned into all out sobs and she collapsed onto the floor.
All the rest of the school was eating dinner, including that bastard, Harry, and Hermione was free to sob and cry all she wanted without risk of being caught. Hermione hated it when people caught her crying, they made such a damn fuss over it 'Are you okay?' 'What happened?' it made Hermione sick and angry when they showered her with obviously fake concern. She was so angry when this happened that she felt an urge deep inside her to use physical violence. The urge wouldn't subside until she was in her room, sometimes still crying, sometimes just seething with burning rage. She'd open her white leather toiletries bag and pull out the tooth brush and toothpaste, and then she'd rip out the stitching directly behind their assigned loops. There, gleaming in the soft moonlight, cold and yet inviting, was one of her fathers razor blades, the kind you put in a box cutter. Gently, she'd remove this shining silver release and would lie awake bleeding after drawing the blade vertically up the length of her shins. She would never bring the blade to her wrists, she was not suicidal, but the pain and taste of the sweet coppery blood would soothe her and she'd sigh as her strength left her temporarily. She'd have to fight hard not to fall asleep and let herself bleed to death. Then she'd magically repair her legs and the red blood cells would be replaced before morning. She'd magically clean her bed and the floor and whatever else was bloody. She'd manually repair the rent fabric of her toiletries case however, because she felt finally at peace with this final step. Then she'd sleep and wake cheerily as usual.
And so Hermione quickly padded as silently as she could for her shivering anticipation for the pain and blood. She'd complete her ritual again tonight. She'd used this ritual ever since second year. It helped her cope; it helped her to not kill someone or to take the next step in killing herself.
The next morning, however, she still felt edgy and angry. She dressed and went to breakfast, where she felt famished. The complete regeneration of two pints of blood really requires a lot of energy, which made Hermione feel as if she hadn't eaten in three days. She piled on her plate four eggs, two rashers of bacon, eight sausage links and three biscuit s slathered in gravy. Ron looked at her plate and started. He cocked an eyebrow but then yawned.
"'Mione, Why are you eating so much?" he blushed deeply and leaned in, whispering quickly, "You're not pregnant are you?"
Hermione nearly choked on a slice of bacon when she drew in an astonished breath. She slammed her fists onto the table, causing goblets of drinks to jump and several to fall over and spill. Several of the tablemates looked their way in surprise.
"Damn it, Ron, why can't you just leave me the fuck alone! I never liked you, ever! When I saw you, I pitied you, but now you flat out disgust me!" Hermione exploded. In a long sweeping movement, Hermione sent her thankfully metal plate, food and all, crashing into the wall behind them. She then rushed out the door, aware that the whole hall was now watching her leave after her extraordinarily loud outburst.
Ron sat back in stunned disbelief. Had Hermione just completely lost her mind? He turned to Harry, who was now also fuming. Ron decided it was best not to say anything further and just settled into breakfast.
Hermione ran out into the hallway and fumed, she felt lost; where could she go? It was much too early to go to her room again, but class wouldn't start for another three hours because it was Saturday. What could she do? Not go to the library that was for sure, that was her clichéd "Area". She'd never go there unless absolutely necessary.
Angry, she ran out the main doors and without knowing where she was going, she ran straight to the Quidditch pitch. Where there were scant few people from all four teams practicing. As she watched some of the players in the masculine dance of Quidditch she became suddenly more interested than she'd ever been. Used to be that all she went for and all she watched was Harry, she missed out on most if not all of the actual game. As she watched the intricate moves of towards the goal, away from the bludger, she became almost hypnotized. With a heavy sigh, she sat down on the bleachers and continued to stare up at the players for a moment.
Back in the Great Hall, Seamus Finnegan leaned over the table and, with the concern unmasked in his eyes, he asked, "Harry, what's wrong with Hermione, I've never seen her blow up like that," His lilting Irish accent stronger when he thoroughly was concerned and not paying attention. Harry shrugged and took one last bite of bacon before the food on all the dishes and platters and the table in areas where messy eaters ate.
"Seamus, I don't really know. This has suddenly just happened and I don't think Ron or I did anything to her," He said, his voice rising a bit when students stood to do whatever they wanted in the two hours they had before class, now that breakfast was over. Did what I yelled at her make her THIS angry? He pondered to himself.
"Pity they didn't schedule any Hogsmead visits until two weeks from now, There's nothing to do for two whole hours," Ron complained as He and Harry went outside toward the Quidditch pitch.
"At least we can get some practice in before the game on Wednesday," Harry conceded as they dressed in their gear and grabbed their brooms. Ron raised his eyebrows as he looked over Harry's shoulder. Harry, confused, turned to look as well. What he saw shocked him. Hermione was having a fairly civil looking conversation with Draco. He would listen intently as she said something and would comment. Harry scowled and dragged Ron away into the pitch.
"I don't know what's wrong with me anymore, Draco, It's just suddenly just all exploded into something I can't handle," Hermione said, blinking away some invisible tears. Draco shook his head.
"Hermione, I'd just severe all ties if I were you, It's not worth the grief they give you day in and day out," He said, his steely eyes softened slightly by concern. He seemed to be unsure of how to console her, so he tentatively patted her on the arm.
"You know, you're right, Draco, Why do I even care about those… idiots is the best word for them, anyway? I don't need them," Hermione said firmly and Draco nodded. Hermione led the way and Draco followed and they went to a quieter place, near the lake, because some spectators had arrived at the Quidditch pitch and were getting rather raucous.
"Can you believe that cow? She turns her back on you the first second she can. I'm in the right mind to stir up some stuff," Ron grumbled angrily as he and Harry flew lazily around the pitch. Harry was intently looking for the Snitch and Ron was distracting him. Harry bit his lip against an angry retort and continued to search the area. "I mean, it wouldn't be so bad if she was with someone else, but Draco? You think they're… like, seeing each other? Ugh, that'd be disgusting if that happened, wouldn't it?" Ron continued, watching the game below them.
"Yeah… Disgusting," Harry muttered and sighed when he still did not catch the golden glint of the Snitch. Ron nodded conspiratorially. There was an hour left until classes.
"Draco, how can I avoid them, they are in nearly all my classes and they share the same common room with me," Hermione whispered, watching a duck swimming silently in the water. The water rippled malevolently near it and a dark pink tentacle grabbed at the duck from below. It squealed and flew off.
Draco had watched this in reverent silence and then responded, "You can hang out with the Slytherins and I until they get the point and leave you alone," he suggested almost distractedly as they both watched the tentacle slap the surface of the water angrily and then disappear.
"Do they feed that thing, do you think?" Hermione scratched her head. Draco shrugged and Hermione checked her watch that her mother had given her in an attempt to make up for some problems they were having recently, "It's almost time for class, I'll meet you there, I have to get my things," Hermione left Draco, who soon left in a different direction.
Harry and Ron were putting up their gear and heading out of the broom closet when Seamus came limping up on crutches. Harry stared as if he couldn't understand why Seamus would ever be injured.
"Hi guys, I'm sorry, I may not be able to play the game on Wednesday," Seamus said with obviously fake cheer.
"Why, what happened?" Ron asked with mixed concern and agitation.
"I tore something, a tendon or ligament or something. Madame Pomfrey said if I don't get better after a month, I'll have to leave school for a while, maybe for a few months until I heal," Seamus said with slightly more sadness. He pulled up his robe to reveal a plaster cast encase with a plastic brace. "I shouldn't be walking, but those blasted wheel chairs are too cumbersome."
"Why can't she just use magic to heal it? She re-grew my arm bones," Harry said deflatedly.
"She said that this sort of injury is very severe and not magic related, so magic really can't help, besides, I need physical therapy, which Madame Pomfrey isn't qualified to administer," Seamus said, wobblingly he turned around and they all three headed toward the school, They had double potions twice a day now, which really irked Harry, because the exact same people where in both classes, so he'd see Draco at least twice today. Thinking of Draco talking to Hermione the way they were talking just an hour ago really pissed him off. If Draco said anything to him, Harry may just explode.
"Alright, after yesterday's incident," Snape scowled at Harry, who was positively steaming, "Any more exams will be done with more secure measure, for example, You'll put all books in this bookshelf Dumbledore has graciously lent me, furthermore, you will not leave your stations, I'll set out samples of the ingredients for you to measure yourself on your desk. Finally, there will be absolutely NO talking between partners except to read ingredients, and I CAN tell the difference."
Harry clutched to side and front edges of this table with such force, his knuckles were white and they popped slightly. He was glaring at Hermione, blushingly coy amidst those Slytherin bastards, Draco, of course was sharing her table and Zabini, Crabbe and Goyle were all clustered around them, Hermione and Draco where passing a note written on parchment.
Draco, Is Harry looking this way?
Yes and he's furious, serves that mother fucker right.
Yeah, But I feel kind of bad, for exploding at him.
Don't feel anything but hatred towards him, He doesn't deserve you as a friend.
Oh Draco, I'm so lost right now. I hate him so much, but I don't really know why.
You finally see what a poser he is. He doesn't care about any of the wizarding world. He doesn't want to be a hero; he wants all of the damn glory with a minimum of work, He'd put your and Weasley's lives in danger just so he could live to see the galleons.
You think he's really like that? I never imagined something like that.
He let Diggory die, didn't he? I don't fully believe he DIDN'T kill him, but either way, Diggory died and Harry lived, and was hailed as a hero, yet again.
Snape was discussing further the rules of the New Potions as he was pompously calling it. There would be no new lesson begun today. Harry was thoroughly violet when Hermione read Draco's last message, she looked at his face and he looked back, his pale eyebrow cocked. She looked past him to Harry, who was so angry his face was shadowed in a sort of rage she'd never seen. Hermione became afraid and shuddered. Draco pursed his lips and shook his head.
He looks as though he could kill me now.
I'm sorry he's such an ass… He looks like he's choking, ha-ha.
That doesn't help, Draco. Please be careful not to make him mad, I don't want a confrontation.
I'm not afraid of him; I could destroy him with one spell.
Okay, I retouched this one, someone finally commented on the extraordinarily large amount of blood I allowed Hermione to lose, so I reduced it. But for future reference, she's my character and if I want her to be extremely sick from loss of blood, I can. But to keep my readers happy, she now loses only two pints, just like giving blood twice in a row. She's woozy, but not dead.