Chapter 8— Not Afraid
"I'm not Afraid,
To take a stand,
Everybody,
Come take my hand,
We'll walk this world together,
Through the storm.
Whatever Weather,
Cold or Warm"
-Eminem; Not Afraid
Hermione slumped into the empty prefects compartment. It's the prefects' break and everyone else, including Ron, grasped this opportunity to visit their friends. Hermione decided not to go to visit Luna and Neville with Ron because of the awkward tension with Harry.
Harry and Hermione hasn't spoken a word—absolute silence—since the last "talk". The last couple days flew past quick and the Weasleys were more concerned on the journey to Hogwarts. But of course, there was the empty silence between Harry and Hermione here and there. Hermione felt it's almost like she lost an arm without Harry there. Harry was Hermione's right-hand man and vice versa.
Without Harry there is not normal. There were times where she just wanted to scream into the loud silence that separates the space between them. Most of the time, Hermione wanted to apologize and make up.
She wanted it to stop. She wanted everything to stop. She just wanted everything this summer to be erased; as if none of this ever happened. The perfect apology would surface to the tip of her tongue whenever Harry appeared. Her heart urged to admit her wrongdoings and just become friends again. She wanted it soo badly.
But the apologies never came.
Her throat would choke up and no sounds would come out. Hermione stood her ground. And it seemed like Harry stood his ground too.
Hermione could see, or maybe she's imagining it, that Harry wanted to friends again too through his eyes. She could see the slight change of emotion in his eyes whenever they made eye contact—harsh to pitiful to sad to harsh again.
But she stood her ground. And he stood his.
She had her own concerns with Harry; but to the rest of the Wizarding World, there were bigger issues. Two months ago, Neville, Luna, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Harry broke into the Ministry of Magic based on Harry's perception of Sirius's capture. Of course, Old-y Mr. Vold-y planned it. So the entire Wizard community is scared out of there tits that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back. To Hermione, the Ministry intrusion seemed ages ago. But to everyone else, it is the fresh horror movie.
On the train, she decided not to visit Neville, Luna, and Ginny's compartment. She planned to stay in the prefects compartment the entire time. Nothing fun happened though, not without her gang—Neville, Luna, Ginny, Ron, and Harry.
Except for that new professor. Professor Slughorn.
A little while after the train rolled out of the station, Hermione had patrolled the aisles as part of her duties. But her mind was a little pre-occupied. A group of seventh years had to break her train of thoughts because they were bullying a group of third years. She stepped in the dispute but the Slytherin seventh-years kept pushing to her limits. Hermione was already pretty annoyed from her own thoughts at this point. She threatened the tallest Slytherin with an ancient Macedonian spell she read somewhere. Apparently, at the wrong time and at the wrong place. The new professor, Professor Slughorn actually stood right behind Hermione all this time.
The seventh years realized that he was a teacher and started cracking up. Hermione stood there horrified that the new teacher would punish her. To her surprise, he asked her if she knew the spell and its counterspell.
Hermione had nodded.
Even more adding to her surprise, Slughorn had asked Hermione to perform it. That had shut up the laughing seventh years. Hermione was speechless but performed the spell anyway on the seventh year.
The inner organs of the guy turned inside out. Disgusted by the sight, Hermione instinctively performed the counterspell to undo it.
"That is particularly excemplary job of this ancient traditional jinx. Most adults could not have executed this spell as well as you have." Professor Slughorn clapped loudly as the seventh years stared with horror at the new professor. Did he just promote the usage of spells as punishment? Hermione was confused too.
"Miss…?" Slughorn continued.
" Granger, sir. Hermione Granger."
"Miss Granger,I'm your new professor. Professor Slughorn. In order to know my students more better , would you mind coming by my compartment later around 4 and have a mid-train snack?" He asked while the seventh years are still there, goggling.
He suddenly acknowledges their presence and simply waved a hand to them. Shoo, shoo. Hermione agreed but cautious whether it's a trick or something. Still, she showed up and she met a couple of other scared, surprised, or sullen people. Neville and Ginny were there. Cormac Mc Laggen, Blaise Zabini, and Marcus Belby were also there. And Harry was there.
It wasn't particularly awkward—actually no, there was still the sense of awkwardness there. Slughorn was more than overjoyed that almost half the group of children who invaded the Ministry were in his compartment. He did most of the talking.
And that's how the Slug Club was created
*BAM*
The compartment door slammed open and Hermione looked up.
It's none other than Draco Malfoy and his posse.
Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. On the outside, she wanted to appear calm and collected as possible. But frankly, she was a little apprehensive since she wasn't with her usual gang.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" She asked the question straight-forward.
"I'm a prefect, thank you very much. I'm allowed here." He said.
"What about your friends? They are not. I'm not sure if they can even comprehend the word prefect." Hermione glanced at Crabbe squinting around. " Hey, do you think they even know they where they are?" She asked with sarcasm, tilting her head as if with a genuine question.
Malfoy ignored this. "What about your friends, Granger? Did they finally realized how much of a loser you are and ditched you?"
"No."
" You know," He continued, "I usually would never applaud Potter. But ditching Granger calls the need for some acknowledgement." He claps lightly while smirking.
"No."
"No? Then, what are you doing here? All by yourself? Lonely?"
"You know what, Malfoy. Get out. You have no life."
Malfoy tilted his head back and laughed. "Me? No life? Look at you. Dumped by your friends. And you're calling me with no life."
"Look at your friends, Malfoy. They equal as much as none. I bet a dog could outsmart Goyle."
Goyle clenched his fist and stepped forward. Inside, Hermione flinched but on the outside, she merely raised an eyebrow. Malfoy glared at Goyle and Goyle stepped back in line.
"Well, Granger." Malfoy said, turning back to her, "When you said dog, I hope you weren't counting animaguses. That wouldn't be fair, would it?" He smirked, knowing that he had hit home.
Hermione felt like he just punched the wind out of her. Did he just-he just said—NO. WAY.
"Mark. My. Words. Malfoy." Said Hermione once she regained speech. "You are going to pay this year. I don't care how much trouble it takes. You are going to wish you did not just say that."
Malfoy smirked. "You're bluffing. Granger, I know you. You've got nothing on me. Besides, you are too much of a coward, too much of a teacher's pet, a goodie-two-shoes to even think about fighting me."
"Malfoy. Get out. Get out now." Hermione stood up. " You don't know me anymore. That bookworm, teacher's pet, goodie-two-shoes is gone. She's changed."
Malfoy laughed and motioned his gang to head out.
"And for the record, Malfoy. Potter didn't dump me. I. Dumped. Him. "
Right before he closed the door, Malfoy heard this and stopped laughing and stared at Hermione for a long time, slightly confused.
Malfoy's face left the door. Hermione turned around and sat back down. She exhaled a long sigh. She didn't have any more moments of peace since the prefects started to file back, getting to prepare for arrival. And then suddenly, Hogwarts came into view.
"Where's Hermione?" Ginny asked Ron as they both sat down in the Grand Hall, waiting for the usual First Day Feast, Speech, and Sorting, "We didn't see her throughout the entire train ride?"
"Where's Harry?" Neville asked. "We saw him right before the train arrived."
"Harry, I don't know. But as for Hermione—oh wait, here she is." Ron scooted over as Hermione came striding in and plopping down next to Ron.
"Hermione, where were you al l this time? We didn't see you all day!" Neville exclaimed. "Do you happen to have seen Harry?"
Hermione sees Ron giving her a side-glance, as if apprehensive that she would burst into a fit or something at the sound of his name. But Hermione appeared collected as she shook her head.
"Nope. Sorry guys. I was really busy with some prefect duties. I did meet the new Professor though. He took up most of the time since he seemed really interested in the prefect's duties and I felt obliged to inform him."
This wasn't entirely true but Hermione had to come up with some excuse. She didn't talk to Harry anymore but she still wanted to stay friends with everyone else.
"Wait, but didn't the new professor come to this school? So wouldn't he know about the prefects system?" Ginny asked. "And was this before or after the meeting with Slughorn?"
Oh crap.
"Yeah, I thought that was weird too. But maybe the system changed? I'm not sure. And this was before the meeting with Professor Slughorn?" Hermione lied.
"Slughorn?" Ron asked.
"The new professor. Remember I didn't show up back to the compartment for a time during the train ride? Slughorn wanted to call a meeting with a couple people. Hermione, you were there? And you too, Neville?" Ginny replied.
"Right." Neville said. "That Slughorn sure is something. He's just way to jolly for my taste."
"Shh.." Hermione shushed everyone. "It's Dumbledore speaking."
After the speech and the sorting, Harry still hasn't shown up. Although this was a little intriguing, Hermione spent her time wisely and caught up with everyone and their summer. She knew that once Harry had shown up, she would've needed to leave.
Midway through the feast, she saw Harry with Snape straggling through the doors. Time for her exit.
"Hey guys, I just realized. I need to…pee. Yeah, I need to pee. See you guys back in the common room." Hermione said abruptly and left the table. She looked back and saw Neville and Ginny stare at her as she walked away.
She was about to walk through the grand doorway when someone grabbed her arm.
"I need to talk to you."
Hermione exhaled loudly in pure frustration but didn't turn around.
"You know what. Just shove it." Hermione squeezed her eyes and use the rest of her remaining courage to continue. "You're not going to talk to me. I'm not going to talk to you. Let's not make this harder than it is, Harry. We're done here. You called shots remember. And now you want to make up in Hogwarts, of all places. No. we're done, Potter."
"Well, well, well, didn't think I'd see the day when Granger goes against Potter."
Hermione's heart stopped beating. That's not Harry. That's…
She whirled around.
Malfoy.
"Feisty."
Hey guys,
I'm sorry for the long period of time with no updates. I'll try the best I can these next couple of chapters because I really want to get into Hogwarts and its dramas but I cannot make any promises. I would like your help too. Remember that ancient Macedonian spell that turns human organs of the body inside out? Would you guys want to help me create a spell for that? Submit your spells in the review section. It's something about Human organs turning inside out. If you don't want to create a spell, write a review on your favorite spell so far and I'll tally up whose spell is liked the most. I'll add it in my story and it'll be accredited and disclaimer-ed to the author of that spell. Question? Inbox me.
Thanks for all the reviews. I hope I can keep writing.
