A/N: Yep. Third chapter that you could have read in my other account. Sorry for late update. Life got to me.
CHAPTER 3: LEAD THE WAY
I can feel the pain in my back and I stretched as much as I can. When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to find a different surrounding than the usual red and gold covers of the dormitory. I looked around and realized that I was in the kitchen and it suddenly all went back to me.
I looked at my right and saw the blanket neatly folded and the pillow was placed on top of it. There was a note on the pillow. I took it and read it.
"Thank you." I read. That was it, a simple thank you with her sign Granger at the bottom.
I sighed. At least, she said thank you. I smiled at that and stood up. I rushed to the dormitory to freshen myself up and hopefully catch her at breakfast.
As I entered the great hall, my eyes surveyed the room and I was truly disappointed when I didn't saw her. I went to sit beside with Ron who, as usual, had his plate and mouth full with foods. I took a sandwich and ate it rather slowly. Every time someone entered the hall, I looked to see if it was her. Unfortunately, it's always not her.
"Who are you looking for, Harry?" Ron asked with his mouth full. Ugh.
"No one." I answered nonchalantly and he shrugged.
The door opened again and I looked hoping that it was her. I sighed when I saw that it was a rather beautiful red head and then, I smiled at her.
Ginny sat down beside me and greeted me good morning.
"You seemed cheerful today." I told Ginny. She smiled at me brightly.
I'm improving well with my training and sooner or later I'd be able to take her on." Ginny said. I sighed. I do that frequently now.
"You're still going through with it, then?"
"Of course. I have no reason not to." She said.
I turned to face her a little. "Gin, don't you think you should just let it go?" I asked her softly, hoping not to piss her off.
"What? Why should I do that?" Ginny said narrowing her eyes on me.
"Err… I just think that err… she's not really bothering us anymore, is she? I think it would be best if we just ignore her." I said meeting her eyes nervously. Not the bat-bogey hex please, I prayed.
"In case you forgot, Harry, she humiliated me. I can't forgive her for that." Her voice was rather poisonous, if you know what I mean. I know that I can't persuade her so I dropped it. For now.
As soon as I finished eating my sandwich and drinking a glass of pumpkin juice, I decided to go out and look for her. I have a bad feeling when I don't see her.
I kept on wandering and on the third floor, I saw students running towards me. I asked a third year Gryffindor.
"What's going on?" I asked calmly.
"Granger's fighting –" I didn't need to hear the rest of what the boy has to say. I rushed to where they were running away from.
I turned right and saw Hermione dueling Smith, the tall, dark and ugly seventh year Slytherin that Hermione was fighting last night, I also saw the other two but this time there were two more additional seventh year Slytherins.
"Reducto!" Smith said and my heart jumped out of my chest due to nervousness. In impulse, I casted a protego on Hermione and backed it up with stupefy.
Hermione and the other seventh years looked at me and I rushed to her side. Five against two, how great is that?
I casted protego on us and Hermione attacked or vice versa. Hermione and I were keeping up pretty well but still, we were outnumbered.
"Stupefy!" I casted it on Smith but he dodged it. The spell almost hit Professor McGonagall who was suddenly behind him. Shit.
"Stop this fight this instance!" McGonagall bellowed and all of us cease fired.
"What is the meaning of this?" She hissed.
I looked at Hermione and saw her touching her neck. When she removed her hand, I saw that she had a deep cut. Shit. I panicked.
"Professor! Granger's wounded and bleeding." Professor McGonagall looked at me then at Hermione. I looked at Hermione too and saw her staring blankly at her hands.
"Support her, Potter. We will all continue this at the hospital wing." And she walked briskly ahead of us.
Hermione followed her and I followed them, staying alert in case the Slytherins behind us try to do anything funny.
As soon as we arrived at the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey rushed over to check over Hermione and I was able to release the breath I was holding.
Hermione was bleeding furiously all the way to the hospital wing and when I offered her my hanky to help stop the bleeding, she just ignored me.
"Would someone care to explain to me what that was all about?" McGonagall asked sternly.
I looked at the Slytherins including Hermione and they don't seem to be planning to answer her.
"Smith and his group attacked Granger, Professor." I said and she looked at me.
Smith shouted. "You don't know anything, Potter! You weren't there!"
"Then, would you tell me what happened, Smith?" McGonagall walked towards them and I saw all of them stiffened.
"It wasn't our fault Professor! It was Granger!" Smith said.
"Professor." Hermione whispered after Madam Pomfrey tended her. "Potter's right."
"They really did attack me. He knows because last night while I was doing my patrols, Smith and his group also attacked me. Potter was also doing his patrol and he saw us and helped me." She stated as if it was scripted but McGonagall knew it's just the way she is.
"Ten points from each of you including you Mr. Potter. And detention for all of you seventh years." McGonagall told us and led the seventh years outside.
She entered a moment later.
"Both of you are prefects and I expected much more than this. If this ever happen again, I might have to take your badges."
"Yes, Professor."
"We're sorry, Professor."
Hermione and I said at the same time. McGonagall just nodded her head off and told us to go to our classes if we're feeling alright and left.
Hermione stood up and head for the door. I followed her. When we were walking on the deserted corridors and heading for the dungeons for our potions, she started to talk.
"Once again, thank you." She said devoid of emotions but what do I expect? It's just the way she is.
"No problem." I said.
Silence took over for a few minutes before I had the courage to speak again.
"Will you be alright?" I asked her softly.
She stopped and turned to me. "What?"
"That's twice in twenty four hours. Will it be alright for you to go back to your dorm?" I looked at her worriedly.
She smirked and started walking again.
"It depends on your definition of 'alright'?"
I looked at her oddly. Huh? She looked at me and probably saw the confusion on my face.
"If you're asking if I'll survive then I'll be alright but if you're asking if there wouldn't be anything like that again then no, there would be and that's not alright, is it?"
"What's your plan?" I asked.
"You don't think the house elves will mind if I stay there for a few nights, do you?" she looked at me and I stared at her. What?
"You're planning to sleep in the kitchen?" my eyes grew big, shocked.
"Well, yeah, until I find another secret place to stay." She turned right.
We're almost at our classroom. I looked at her and see her beautiful brown, curly hair, reaching her mid-back, following her sway. She is a beautiful woman with curves at the right places. I can't believe such a girl will sleep in the kitchen with the house elves. I remember the pain I felt when I woke up earlier. I can't let her go through that every morning, I have to help her.
"I got it!" I exclaimed. Bloody brilliant, I am. "Meet me after class." I said as I hurried off to open the door. I winked at her and went in. This is going to be lovely.
Potions class was as dreadful as it usually is. I kept on looking at Hermione. Ron was completely oblivious beside me. I don't understand why time pass so slow when you really want it to pass fast and fast when you want it to stop. Hell.
The bell rang and I can't help but smile. I will see her after class and help her. Lovely.
"Granger, stay after class." Snape said and I had to stop packing my things to look at him and Hermione.
Hermione just nodded and sat down. I sigh. Snape is a git.
I went out the room but stayed just outside it.
"Harry, let's go." Ron said.
"Err… you can go first Ron. I forgot something inside. I'll follow." I lied.
"You sure?" Ron asked and I nodded. He shrugged and walked away.
I leaned on the wall and waited for about five minutes before Hermione appeared. She looked at me and I smiled a little. She ignored me and walked away.
"Hey!" I called her. "I know a place where you can stay."
She stopped. "Lead the way."
I smiled. I led us in secret passages that I learned through the Marauder's map but it seemed that she knew it as well as I do. I can't believe it. Did she explore the whole castle already?
"What did Snape want?" I asked as I looked at her. She continued walking.
"None of your business." I sighed. Even after everything, it is still none of my business. I guess it really isn't but I wanted to know.
When we arrived at the hall on the seventh floor, I stopped.
"Pace back and forth three times while thinking of the room you want to stay in." I told her.
She looked at me blankly.
"Are you playing with me, Potter?" she hissed.
"Just do it." I took a step back and watched her walk back and forth. Her eyes were empty as it usually is but this time she even looked bored.
She snapped her head to her right when the door to the room of requirements appeared. I took the handle and opened the door for her.
She looked at me then walked past me. I followed after her. I saw a room full of green and silver. Slytherin colors. I saw the bed with green and silver bed sheets. Two bookshelves full of books at another corner beside a fireplace, a little sofa and a small table. Simple but elegant. Just like her.
"What is this place?" She asked me as she went to the bookshelves.
I followed and took a sit at the sofa.
"The room of requirement. It provides you anything you need."
Silence followed as she scanned the bookshelves and checked the stuffs. She stood in front of me and spoke.
"Thank you, Potter." I met her eyes and smiled at her.
"It's nothing. But you can't spend most of your time here. Other people use this room too and they might get suspicious if they can't enter." She nodded.
I stood up to leave.
"I'll go down to the Great Hall. I might miss lunch. You should come too." I told her.
"I'll pass."
I nodded. As I was about to walk out through the door, she called me.
"Potter." I turned around and I saw her fidgeting with the hem of her blouse. That was the first time I saw her did that.
"Why are you doing this?" She asked.
I smiled at her as warmly as I could. "Because you're the second friend I had here in Hogwarts."
I turned my back on her and left.
It's true that she's the next person I met after Ron. But why am I doing this? Truth be told, I feel something for her. Something so deep that it cuts me and makes me bleed.
A/N: Next chapter will be uploaded soon. Stay tuned!
