I slipped down the stairs just in time to catch Harry and Ron. We walked to the Great Hall in awkward silence. I felt the sudden need to break the silence before Ron beat me to it.
"So you really believe we should trust him now?"
"No. I'm just saying we should at least try to be the bigger people here and forgive him," Harry said calmly.
"Right, whatever you say," Ron said uneasily.
The doors of the Great Hall were open and I scanned the room for familiar faces. I happened to look in the direction of Slytherin and found Draco gone. We took our seats at the end of the Gryffindor table. The delicacies were laid out on an array of silver dishes. The levitating candles glowed brightly in the air above the tables. The ceiling was magically showing the clear winter night sky with its breathtaking beauty. Professor McGonagall stood in for Dumbledore and gave our after holiday welcoming speech.
She would be filling in for the late headmaster until a new one was brought in. Harry decided that he would like the job much more than taking a Ministry job. When she finished she told the assembled students to dig in. I tucked into the steak and mashed potatoes laid out on the tray in front of me while I buttered a sweet roll. I looked at Harry who scarcely touched his food.
"What's the matter?" I asked concerned.
"Nothing, it's just…should we trust him?"
"Not fully I suppose, but we could at least give him a chance."
Right as I spoke, Draco walked into the Great Hall with a strange folded piece of paper. He looked at me, smiled, and took his seat at the end of the Slytherin table. It was far from his friends and I guessed it was due to his recent involvement with Him.
He bent his head over the paper and started scratching something onto it with his quill. Draco read and reread what he wrote as if he was nervous it could spell disaster. When he was finally satisfied with it he nodded, whispered a charm, and it disappeared. I was puzzling over what he had written and where he had sent it. A little, sparkling puff, so small no one around us had seen, formed in between our plates.
It was the note Draco had written on just moments ago. I picked it up and examined it. The outside said "Hermione," and I opened it. The minute I opened it and read the words, the ink seemed to soak into the paper. I looked at the back and nothing was there, but I had read the words already. It had said, "Hermione, I feel strange asking you, but would you tutor me for NEWTS?"
I zapped it back to him. I replied with, "Why? You're smart. I'm sure you'll do fine." He read it and began to scratch with his quill what I supposed would be an argument. He struck it with his wand and it was gone. Moments later, it appeared in my hand.
"No, I'm really not. My father's position bought me favor with the teachers. Now that he's gone, I have to catch up."
I sighed. I guess I would have to give in to my relentless need to help others or feel the guilt of letting someone fail when I could have helped. I wrote that he was to meet me in the Library at 11:30 a.m. sharp, tomorrow, since it was a Saturday. If he really wanted to learn he'd have to work for it. When he unfolded the magic note, he looked up at me and smiled so greatly that it lit up his whole face, eyes included. He'd thought I would have refused.
I smiled and nodded while Ron and Harry watched our exchange with some interest. Ron eyed me suspiciously and Harry just looked a bit confused.
"What was all that!"Ron exploded when we left the Great Hall.
"What was what?" I asked.
"That little exchange between you and Malfoy, perhaps?" he replied venomously.
"He just asked for a tutor to help him since he was falling behind, that's all."
"Well, I suppose that would be fine as long as you kept your wits about you," Harry said.
"WHAT?" Ron yelled, "What do you mean!"
"All I'm saying is that it if she wanted to help someone in need and she could offer the help, as long as she stayed safe, it would be fine with me. Though I'm sure she would have gone despite our thoughts if she believed it was the right thing to do."
"You've all gone mad!"
Ron fumed as we walked to the Gryffindor dorm. I've never seen him this mad since he wore You-Know-Who's mother's locket which made him think that there was something going on between me and Harry, something more than a friendship. He eventually came around, though, I was put out with his fit and gave him the cold shoulder.
He refused to look me in the eye or even speak to me except the occasional, "okay," or "goodnight,". I'm starting to believe Ron was jealous of the attention I was giving Draco. Nonetheless, I would continue with my agreement to tutor Draco.
