Hey Guys! The first chapters are never the best, but I'll try to make them good! I have so many twists in my mind right now to use for this story, it's insane! Anyways, here's the second chapter; Enjoy and remember R&R!
Chapter 2
The whistle on the train blew and Harry, Hermoine, Ron, and Ginny all looked out the window to see Mrs. Weasley teary-eyed, waving them off just like it was first year all over again; as if nothing had changed. Only everything had changed.
Hermoine's mind drifted off through all the adventures that Ron, Harry, and her have gone through. Starting with Harry saving the Stone all the way to a few months ago when Harry brought down Voldemort with the help from her and Ron. Hermoine's mind then flashed back to the kiss between her and Ron in the Chamber of Secrets after destroying one of the final Horcruxes. She couldn't deny she felt something between them, but could it be the something she was looking for? They haven't talked about what had happened yet and she could only wonder if Ron felt the same way. Sure, everyone assumed they were together, but neither of them confirmed it. Ron would just turn tomato red every time somebody would ask him and Hermoine could never think of a response. She would just stammer and ramble on without giving any response. She came to wondering if they would ever confront each other about the kiss.
"'Moine?"
Hermoine snapped her head back up and realized she was staring at the ground for quite some time.
"I'm sorry," she said. "What was that?"
"I asked," Harry said clearly, "if you think Malfoy will show back up again this year."
Before Hermoine could answer, Ginny scoffed, "HA! I'd be surprised! After everything he did, I don't think-"
"You don't think what, Weaslett?" Malfoy's cool voice appeared.
Everybody turned their heads to see him standing at the compartment door with Theo Nott, Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, and Goyle all standing behind him, a cool look on his stone hard face. Goyle was staring intently at Hermoine.
"Oh, please. Don't let me stop you. I'm curious, though. What were you going to say?"
"Nothing," Hermoine said quickly for Ginny. She'd never admit this to anyone, but after what happened at the Manor, she was afraid of Malfoy. When she was being tortured, he had done nothing. He just stayed in the corner, face expressionless. If he didn't have the humanity to do anything then, she was only confident that his lack of humanity could drive him to do anything unimaginable.
"Awe, don't be that way, Granger," Malfoy said, smirking and walking close to her. He rubbed his thumb against Hermoine's chin and she turned her head away from him, disgusted and uncomfortable. "Please, do tell. I'm always in for a good laugh."
Hermoine did the best she could to give him a ferocious glare.
"C'mon, Granger! Don't be like that," Malfoy fake-pouted.
"Leave her alone, ferret!" Ron said, standing up. "Sod off!"
"Oh! Found your voice now, did you, Weasel? I see all it takes is for me to talk to your little girlfriend here."
Rons face reddened then Ginny piped up saying, "Just leave, Malfoy. Nobody wants to talk to you."
"As you wish, my Weasel," Malfoy said, dramatically bowing. This earned a loud laugh and applause from his gang around him. When coming up from his bow, he smirked at them and then left, chuckling to himself.
"Can you believe it! The nerve of that stupid death eater!" Ginny exclaimed. "How can you let him even do something like that to you?"
"Ginny's right, 'Moine. It's one thing to let him talk to you, but for him to do so much to lay a finger on you is way to far!" Harry said.
"Let me choose me battles, guys. Please," Hermoine pleaded.
"Whatever you say," they all said.
"I'm going to find Luna. I want to ask her about this one article from the Quibbler," Hermoine said.
Harry and Ron looked at her questioningly and Ginny said, "About some new theories involving magical creatures," clarifying it for them.
"Ahhh," they nodded understanding.
Hermoine left the compartment and searched for Luna.
Hermoine's POV:
I was pretty glad to leave. The air in there just felt so stuffy and it's nice to get my mind off everything. And Malfoy had just set me off edge when he stroked my chin. I would have done something to him if I hadn't felt a weird shock jolt through me. I could see it in his eyes too, he felt something. It reminded me of the the shock I felt when Ron and I had kissed but this was different. It was weird. Maybe it was weird to have an enemy like him make skin contact.
I continued to walk past more and more compartments, not yet having any luck of finding Luna Lovegood until I suddenly heard someone called my name from behind.
"Granger!"
I whipped around to see Gregory Goyle behind me, making long strides toward me. I notice how since the war he isn't as chubby, but more muscular and more hard looking. He cut his hair shorter and his eyes stand out more now. He keeps walking to me, not breaking eye contact. I stand my ground, not sure what to expect from (ex?) death eater and former/ current tormenter.
"What?" I snapped at him. I have to keep my composure. I am in no way going to accept any crap from this man anymore.
He didn't stop walking my way until he was only inches away. I could feel his breath on my face, as I continued to stand my ground. He leaned down until his lips were right next to my ear. I felt a shiver run down my spine.
"I was wondering, you know, since you're not really worth anything, it's pretty easy to assume you don't know what great things there are in life."
"And please oh great pureblood! Do tell what I am missing out!" I spat at him, with sarcasm dripping off every word. Goyle seemed to dismiss it as he carried on.
"Well, with a wizard like me. I can maybe make you worth something. I mean, it'll take a lot of work, but hey, I'll always be here to show you a good time." He said with a wink.
"Excuse me?!" I snapped, shocked at what he just said. "Are you meaning to tell me-"
"It doesn't even have to mean a thing," Goyle continued on whispering in my ear. More shivers ran down my spine. "It's just that, I've noticed you look a little more sophisticated; in more places than one," he added looking me up and down.
I've had enough, completely taken aback by what he had just spoken to me! I took a step back and as hard as I could, slapped him across the face. Goyle stumbled back a few feet before recovering and registering what had just happened, his face looking positively furious!
"You stupid, filthy mudblood!" Goyle said, seething. He took two big steps towards me and before I had time to react, I found myself on the ground, my jaw practically instantly numb with pain.
"Oye! Goyle! What the hell are you doing, mate?!" I heard Malfoy yell at his friend, his footsteps sounding closer.
I looked up and thought, "Oh great. Just what I need." But to my surprise, when Malfoy reaches us, he doesn't laugh at me, nor does he jeer and mock me like his normal self. No, I hear him yell at Goyle.
"I told you not to touch her!" "Leave her alone!" "I don't want to see you by her again." " . .Compartment."
None of this made any sense and yet all of it was coming out of Draco Malfoy's mouth. Was he sticking up for me? No, he couldn't be. He must have some sort of an angel! Why is he doing this?
Pretty soon, I heard Goyle walking away muttering under his breath and cursing Malfoy. When I looked up, I saw Malfoy kneeling by me. I jumped back at his sudden close proximity and he chuckled.
"Goyle gotcha good, didn't he?" Malfoy said examining my law line. I turned my head away from him so he couldn't see the damage done to me by his friend.
"Go away, Malfoy," I snapped at him. "I didn't need you here."
"Oh but you did. You see, Granger, you may be good with a wand, but Goyle is one to pick a muggle fight, regardless whether it's with a male or female. You should see how many times he and Parkinson get at it- it's not like he can ever win against her though, she's tougher than she looks."
"Why are you here, Malfoy?" I snapped at him again.
His face hardened as if he suddenly realized he was in the presence of Hermoine Granger, Harry Potter's best friend and helper of the downfall of Voldemort- in whom all his beliefs were.
"I need to talk to you." he said seriously.
"I'm sure you do. But My friends are waiting for me and I am not in the mood for your insults today. Or any day really. I've put up with them all through my Hogwarts career and I can't do it this year, okay? So can you please just leave me alone?"
Malfoy nodded slowly and stood up. He held out a hand for me to use in assistance of standing up. I simply stuck my nose up at him and pushed myself up on my own. In the process though, my hand naturally back further than it should've. Did I sprain it on the fall down? I knew pain showed on my face, but I did my best to make it look as unnoticeable as possible. I could see Malfoy flinch, noticing me pain, but ignored him.
When I got up, I shoved past him, in hope to be intimidating, but failed drastically as I lost my balance and toppled over. As I was ready to be acquainted with the floor once more, I shut my eyes tight and tensed all my muscles, but to my surprise, nothing happened. Carefully, I opened my eyes and gasped to find myself in Malfoy's arms. He looked at me, eyebrows fixed and a strange look in his eyes. I tried studying them, to all these possibilities of emotions he could be holding flying by my mind, but before I could choose one that fit his expression, his face hardened and was replaced by a cold look again. He shoved my off him and I stumbled back to the wall, finding my balance.
"Watch your step, Granger. I'm not always going to be around to catch you." And with that, he left me standing alone in the middle of the hallway, dumbfounded by his last comment. He's not always going to be around to catch me. What is that supposed to mean?
