Chapter Two – Remembering Gryffindor
She wondered aimlessly back through the courtyard and over a few moving staircases till she stood outside the portrait of the fat lady. "Oh my dear! Back so soon?" The fat lady cheered from her golden frame. She seemed to of walked there without noticing "Actually it been awhile" Hermione said. She didn't dare to try and guess the password so she instead she looked upon the picture letting herself reminisce.
The fat lady just stared at her hoping she would say something until she wondered away. She went up some more stairs to the 7th floor and into the room of requirement, where McGonagall had enchanted a bedroom for her during her time of visit. It was nice and quaint. The room was painted a light red and the wooden floor shined underneath a small black carpet that was in the centre.
Next to the king size 4 poster bed was a picture of Hermione with Harry and Luna one day last year. They all wore enchanted halos above their heads and they were wearing angel wings from one of Hermione's favourite muggles fancy dress shops. They looked happy.
Next to the picture was a small vase of wilting flowers which Hermione immediately healed upon entering, and perched on the window sill, that overlooked a beautiful meadow , (the view was enchanted of course) lay a small cream envelope that was not properly sealed at the back.
Hermione walked over to it curiously .She remembered how the room had been earlier that evening before she left, and the letter was new. What's more interesting is the fact an owl couldn't possible got into the room unattended. She knew that from her experiments during her 5th year. Picking up the paper she felt the parchment in her hands and then examined the papers texture to try and identify where it had come from. A blue glow then came out of her wand in her other hand and searched the letter for curses. The letter was unexciting but after the experiences Hermione's had, you can't be too careful.
After all the books and stationary she has used, from the smell and texture of the paper she could tell this was the brand that the school used. The letter had obviously been put there, by either McGonagall or someone who knew she was here and required entry to her room.
How about meeting Granger? I might be able to surprise you, after all you can't single handily destroy ten death eaters at once by being predictable.
Malfoy
She placed the letter down carefully. His handwriting was still hard to read. She still didn't know what to think about her meeting with Malfoy earlier today. She has heard he had become successful and that he had helped to lock up his own parents for their crimes against the ministry. But seeing him for the first time since she saw him flee at the battle, she couldn't picture the new him. She just couldn't shake the feeling that he was being fake or evil underneath his caring persona, but she also wanted to know that side of him more. He intrigued her, so she sat on the edge of her bed and stared at the letter hoping it might give her answers.
She was so happy seeing him earlier that day and he made her forget about everything. Malfoy had never actually been able to carry anything Voldermort asked, even when he was given the opportunity. He looked Dumbledore in the eyes and he didn't kill him... but he didn't stop Snape either. Maybe he was in on Snapes plan? He also hesitated before his parents dragged him onto the side of the death eaters at the wizarding war. She needed to know what was going through his head. Not knowing was not in her nature! But is he worth it?
She laid back against the knitted covers laid across her bed. Stitched into the patchwork was the logo of Gryffindor. She stroked it carefully with her fingers, feeling the thread on her skin. Her hair spread out in all directions across the sheets and she shut her eyes to focus her mind. She saw the tent in the woods that her and harry hid in during exile. She saw Dumbledore throwing his hands up in the air welcoming them to a new year, and him biding them a good summer.
She saw green flashes, Quidditch matches, wizarding chess, duels, herbology lessons and the library at night. Tonks. Lupin. Fred. Mad eye... Cedric. Hermione opened her eyes quickly, painting and sweating. She couldn't breathe until she turned her head into the quilt the felt the logo once more. Lifting her head enough to see the logo probably and despite the horrors she saw whenever she closed her eyes, the Gryffindor logo comforted her. She didn't remember the heartbreak and death but she did see the first Christmas at school, her footprints in hogsmeds snow and her gliding around the Yule balls dance floor.
She had had enough tragedy for a lifetime and she didn't think she could handle more. However she had also experienced life's most amazing stories and attended the school of her dreams. At the age of 10 she could never have imagined any of it and that was exactly why she needed to see Malfoy again. He could be a mistake, but she wouldn't know until she tried.