Hermione laughed aloud as she read his latest letter. Oh she could not resist the temptation to send him a reply.
Malfoy
It would appear that I was correct, no big surprise there, honestly. You do need to crack open some books every once in a while. Let us go over how you began your letter, shall we? Now I appreciate that you wanted to insult me, you pathetic excuse for a man, but I would appreciate it if from now on you insulted me properly. Sanctimonious, meaning, excessively or hypocritically pious. Pious, meaning, having, showing, or expressing reverence for a deity. So in other words, you just called me a farm animal that either excessively or hypocritically shows reverence for a deity. Now I'm sure that you can do better than that! Honestly, I do not particularly care if you want to call Ronald a weasel. I am not exactly on the best of terms with him at the moment after all. I am sure that I have called him worse things than you have, truth be told. As far as my constantly having had my nose in a book, does not mean that I am prejudice, it merely means that I do not care to be an uneducated ferret. Much like you are as a matter of fact. Now, you want me to learn more about your traditions, is that right? Do they include torturing people that are not "pure blood", as your aunt did? Or just being bias against all that don't share the same beliefs about a witch or wizard's blood status? Honestly Malfoy, no one is better than anyone else in the sense that you are referring to. That being said, I do not need to respect one that has never shown me any respect.
Get a clue,
Hermione Granger.
Hermione laughed once more as she sent the letter off with the owl, and picked up a book to read. Her first one in seven months!
Granger:
Only a complete bint would correct my grammar whilst I was insulting them! And do not accuse me of my aunt's crimes. I have no love for the woman, and she had less for me. I have the scars to prove it. I'm not the only one with a lack of respect for others beliefs. Have you ever stopped to ask WHY I was brought up the way I was? Or WHAT the purpose of it was? Or even WHO decided this? Of course not. You just blamed me, and laughed in my face when I was sentenced. I wished many many things on you Granger, but until that moment, I never wished your death. So, as you see, I may learn to respect you, but only if you learn to respect me.
D. Malfoy
Draco slammed his head back against the thin excuse for a pillow. He was sore, and the blisters on his hands had broken open again. He dearly hoped that he hadn't left any blood on that letter. He didn't need the witch getting a hold of anything tied to him. He turned over and tried to get comfortable, listening to his bunk-mate snore above him. Tears came to his eyes as he let his mind drift. How pathetic was it that the only person who deemed to remember his existence was the one who had every reason to see him rot here. He shook off the melancholy feelings and let himself drift to sleep. After all, morning came too soon in this hell hole.
Hermione stared in horrified shock at the back of the letter, it wasn't much, but it was still there. Plain as the nose on her face, she was staring at blood, and she instinctively knew that it was his. Taking a deep breath she pulled out a blank piece of parchment and sat down to write another response.
Draco,
You are right. I never have asked. Well I am now. Please explain to me why you did what you did. After you tell me that, then I shall decide whether or not you deserve any of my respect. Until that point, I shall talk to you and treat you and way I deem you're worth. Now, with that being said, I am not sure what caused the blood, but I am enclosing some healing salve. I do hope that it will help. Before I lose my wits completely, I will end this. Else I might go completely round the bend and try and help you any more. Otherwise, Harry might start think I care what happens to a miserable tosser such as yourself.
Have fun!
Hermione Granger
Deftly, she put together a healing salve mixed together from different plants, thanking Merlin that she'd excelled in all her classes in school, including herbology. She put the salve into a small package, then attached it and the letter to the owl's leg, and sent him on his way. Hermione pulled out her book again and curled up on the couch to read, but found it difficult as she kept wondering what had caused Draco to bleed.
Draco looked at the letter, than at the salve in his hands. He couldn't believe she had sent him the stuff. The wheels in his brain kept spinning until something clicked. He started shaking as he quickly scribbled a note.
Granger:
I want that letter back. Send it.
D. Malfoy
A few hours had passed, and Draco had fallen asleep. He awoke to a lot of noise, curses and hexes flying around. He stuck his head out of the door to see a full scale riot going on. He turned to duck back into his room only to be hit by a nasty curse. As he watched the world fade to black around him the only thought on his mind was if she would care that he was dead.
Dear Ms. Granger,
This letter is written to inform you that the prisoner you have been corresponding with, Draco L Malfoy, is currently in St. Mungo's undergoing treatment for the injuries he received in a riot occurring last night. If you wish to make further inquiries as to his well being, I suggest you contact the ministry as he is no longer an inmate with this facility.
Warden C.J. Buckett