Ron's Attack
Draco slid into the seat next the her as class started. She glanced at him sideways before asking him anything, but he looked okay.
"What did Snape want?" She whispered, curious and worried at the same time.
"Not much. He wanted to know where I was living since I'm not in Slytherin Dungeon anymore. So I told him I was living in the Room of Requirement." She stared at him. He'd said it so matter-of-factly, like it was no big deal.
"How much trouble did you get in?" She asked. She hoped it wasn't much. He was helping her, but could he still get in trouble for it? Apparently not.
"None, actually. He said as long as my grades don't drop, it's fine and he won't tell Dumbledore or my father." She couldn't help sighing with relief. She hadn't gotten him into trouble. A dark look passed over his face as she watched, and she wondered if it had to do with Dumbledore or his father. She opened her mouth to ask him, but a test was plopped in front of her face by Professor Babbling and she abandoned the thought.
After dinner she was in the common room studying when someone knocked on the door. She stood up and looked through the peephole. Ginny was standing in the corridor, fidgeting. Hermione smiled and let her in.
"Hey Ginny. What's up?" Seeing her best friend always cheered her up. Ginny didn't seem too happy, though.
"Hermione, I wish you would come back to Gryffindor Tower. It's lonely without you, and I miss you." Ginny said, a strange hollowness in her voice. Hermione laughed; she couldn't help it.
"Gin, I see you every day. The only time I don't see you is during class, really." Ginny shook her head, eyes squeezed shut.
"Hermione, I'm not Ginny." As the words left her mouth, Ginny looked Hermione in the eye. Indeed, Ginny's eyes, such a vivid sapphire normally, had a touch of green to them. Hermione felt the smile slip off her face.
"What do you mean you're not Ginny?" She asked, unease bubbling inside her. The person standing in front of her paused, like they didn't want to tell her but at the same time did want to. Then she (Or is she even a she?) answered Hermione.
"I mean I'm Ron. I had Dean and Seamus help me brew up more Polyjuice Potion, and well, here I am. Please don't be angry. I knew you'd never let me in if I was me. I've been standing outside your door for almost an hour, I had to work up the courage to knock. I did what I had to." Ron looked around. Hermione felt like someone had closed the passageways to her lungs. "You did a good job with this Room. It looks nice. You've got a common room, a bedroom, and a library?" Hermione didn't bother answering him; if Harry and the real Ginny hadn't told Ron about Draco she sure wasn't.
"Ronald Weasley, leave right now or you'll regret it." She reached into her robes for her wand - then realized it was up in her room. She panicked, and was about to run for the stairs when Draco appeared at her side, wand drawn.
"You really will regret it." She could hear the hatred in his voice, and wondered if Draco would dare to seriously injure Ron at Hogwarts. Ron's face twisted into a look of pure loathing.
"What's he doing here, Hermione?" He demanded. "What's Draco Malfoy doing living with you?" He wasn't completely stupid, after all. She didn't realize she was shaking until she reached a hand up to push her hair out of her face. She spoke as calmly as she could, Draco still pointing his wand at Ron's chest.
"Ronald, calm down. He's here because of you. I asked him to be here so you'd leave me the bloody hell alone." Ron's eyes flickered to Draco's face, and whatever he saw there infuriated him to a breaking point.
"STUPEFY!" Hermione watched the red jets of light leave his wand, felt the violent shove from Draco, and fell over. Next she knew she was hanging half off the couch, eyes staring at the ceiling. She couldn't move. Why couldn't she move? Then she realized: Ron had just Stunned her. She heard Malfoy's voice, and then his face appeared over her.
"Ennervate." She slumped to the floor and landed in Draco's lap, his arm around her shoulders. "Are you okay?" She was already struggling to get up, and missed the concern in his voice.
"Of course, I'm fine, let go of me," she snapped. She let him help her stand, then took a step towards the stairs but felt herself lose balance. Draco caught her again, and this time she saw the worry in his face. She softened. "Actually, I think I hit my head when I fell." She let him steer her to the couch and sat down. She could do nothing but watch and hope she didn't have to clean up blood. Draco faced Ron, and she watched interestedly as he seemed to try to relax himself. His body still rigid, his voice hard, Draco's next words startled her.
"It's time for you to leave, Weasley. I don't want to hurt you in front of Hermione. Don't come back or I won't control myself." Ron looked back and forth between them for a moment, then snarled and jumped out the door. Hermione heard Draco whisper, "Arachnellegra," then watched with horror turning to amusement as a huge spider flew from Draco's wand and followed Ron. The door slammed shut right after it caught up with him and started dancing with him. She and Draco burst into peals of laughter.
"That was brilliant," Hermione said a few minutes later. "I wish I'd done it." She wiped her face - she'd laughed so hard she started crying. Draco looked at her sternly.
"Well, you could've if you'd had your wand. Don't go anywhere without it from now on. If I hadn't been here you would've been stuck with him." This thought seemed to bother him, and Hermione found that puzzling.
"Stop talking like that, Draco. I might start thinking you actually care." She stood, hoping she wouldn't fall again. Fortunately, she had Draco to help her. He placed a gentle hand on her arm and helped her up the stairs to her room. She sat on the bed, watching Draco take his first look at where she lived. She noticed with a funny jolt in her stomach that his eyes lingered on the books that he had sent, the week she skipped class. She'd put them on her desk instead of on a shelf. It had just seemed a more appropriate place for them; he and they had helped her through a hard time. She dropped her gaze as he looked back at her. "Thanks, by the way." She whispered. Her voice seemed to have left her. The silence stretched on, until Draco sat on the bed next to her.
"It was nothing. Besides, that's what I'm here for." His voice was soft, and more gentle than she'd ever heard it. "Are you sure you're okay?" He seemed genuinely concerned about her, and that made her smile even as the tears started again.
"I just never thought Ron would do something like that. I mean, we've been friends for six years. I used to wish he'd pay more attention to me. Now I just wish he'd leave me alone. How did we end up like this?" She broke down, her pride and dignity forgotten. Ron had been such a big part of her world, her life, her...self, and now he was a black stain that couldn't be washed away. It tore her up inside. Draco, thankfully, just sat there and let her cry. He didn't fidget around like he was uncomfortable with her outburst, but he didn't touch her to try to comfort her, either. He just let her cry it out. That was what she needed, and she felt grateful for it. When she'd calmed down a little, and was no longer sobbing, he finally said something.
"If it makes you feel better, he was aiming for me." She smiled at him then, sadly, and realized that she had lost Ron in time to find another friend.
"For some reason, it doesn't." She said it more to herself than him, and he stood as her mind began to drift.
"Are you sure you don't want to go to Madam Pomfery, or should I just leave you alone for a while?" She felt him watching her as she thought about it. On one hand, she wanted him to stay there with her. On the other, she really needed to think about what had just happened. She also wanted to write to her mystery Slytherin friend, get his opinion on the mess. She made her descision.
"I'll just sleep some, and if I don't feel better in the morning then I'll go to see Madam Pomfery." She meant it, too. She was feeling a bit light-headed again. Draco nodded, his normally icy grey eyes pools of warmth. He turned and left her there, and she waited until she heard his bedroom door close before she shut her own. She sat down at her desk and wrote down everything that had happened and all her mixed-up feelings towards Draco Malfoy. The black and white owl showed up just as she finished writing, like it had sensed her need. When Hermione saw the owl, she smiled and attached the letter to its leg and watched it fly off around the castle. She lay down on her bed fully dressed and fell to sleep.
Protecting Hermione
"What did Snape want?" Hermione asked as he slid into his seat in Ancient Ruins.
"Not much. He wanted to know where I was living since I'm not in Slytherin Dungeon anymore. So I told him I was living in the Room of Requirement." Hermione's eyes widened.
"How much trouble did you get in?" She asked.
"None, actually. He said as long as my grades don't drop, it's fine and he won't tell Dumbledore or my father." At the thought of his father knowing he was living with a Muggle-born, he felt like ice cubes had dropped into his stomach. He didn't care what his father did to him, but if he ever found out, what would he do to Hermione? The thought made him feel sick. He shook himself mentally and brought his focus back to Hermione. She was looking at him with a puzzled expression, as if she'd seen something she hadn't expected. She opened her mouth to say something, but the bell rang and Professor Babbling was passing out their tests.
Hours later, after dinner, Draco was sitting in his room when he heard a loud knocking. He peeked out of his door and watched as Hermione peered through the peephole, smiled, and opened the door. The Weasley girl stepped in.
"Hey Ginny. What's up?" She asked brightly. Draco sat just outside his door, out of sight of the two girls, and watched them.
"Hermione, I wish you would come back to Gryffindor Tower. It's lonely without you, and I miss you." Ginny said. Hermione laughed.
"Gin, I see you every day. The only time I don't see you is during class, really." But the usually cheery Ginny shook her head morosely.
"Hermione, I'm not Ginny." Draco sat up straight. What in Merlin's name is going on? He pulled out his wand and stood up, ready to sprint down the stairs to the common room at any second. He watched Hermione's smile drop.
"What do you mean you're not Ginny?" She asked slowly.
"I mean I'm Ron. I had Dean and Seamus help me brew up more Polyjuice Potion, and well, here I am. Please don't be angry. I knew you'd never let me in if I was me. I've been standing outside your door for almost an hour, I had to work up the courage to knock. I did what I had to." Draco stood, rooted to the spot, as Ron looked around. "You did a good job with this Room. It looks nice. You've got a common room, a bedroom, and a library?" He guessed. Hermione didn't acknowledge it.
"Ronald Weasley, leave right now or you'll regret it." Draco watched her put her hand in her robes to draw her wand, watched the panicked look cross her face, and realized at the same time she did that she didn't have it. That was enough for him. He raced down the stairs and stood beside her, wand pointing at Ron's chest.
"You really will regret it." He said venomously. The furious look on Weasel's face was glorious.
"What's he doing here, Hermione?" He demanded. "What's Draco Malfoy doing living with you?" Hermione was shaking, but when she spoke her voice was steady.
"Ronald, calm down. He's here because of you. I asked him to be here so you'd leave me the bloody hell alone." Draco smirked at Ron. Ron snapped.
"STUPEFY!" Ron yelled. Draco tried to push Hermione out of the way, but the spell hit her dead on. She fell over, landing half on the couch, half on the floor. Draco turned to face Ron, his ice grey eyes pools of fury.
"Oh, you'll pay for that." He murmered softly. He knelt down by Hermione's still figure and pointed his wand at her chest. "Ennervate." Hermione's now relaxed body slid to the floor, and he caught her. "Are you okay?" He asked, worried that Ron's spell had somehow harmed her.
"Of course, I'm fine, let go of me," she snapped. He couldn't help but be amused. He let her stand up, but caught her again as she tipped slightly to the left. "Actually, I think I hit my head when I fell." She muttered, more to herself than him. He sat her down on the couch and spun around to face Ron. Focus...he's still Hermione's friend. He calmed himself down and was pleased to see that the Weasel looked horrified at what he'd done.
"It's time for you to leave, Weasley. I don't want to hurt you in front of Hermione. Don't come back or I won't control myself." He said, his voice dripping acid. Ron looked from him to Hermione, and when she didn't say anything he snarled and left. Draco couldn't resist. As Ron went through the door, his whispered, "Arachnellegra." And a five-foot spider burst from his wand, followed Ron on four of its back legs, caught up with him and spun him around in a weird sort of waltz. Draco and Hermione burst into laughter as the door swung shut.
"That was brilliant," Hermione panted a few minutes later. Tears were leaking from her eyes as she tried to control her laughter. "I wish I'd done it."
"Well, you could've if you'd had your wand." Draco said, suddenly serious. "Don't go anywhere without it from now on. If I hadn't been here you would've been stuck with him." And who knows what would've happened? I want to hurt him for what he did just now, but if I hadn't been here and she'd made him mad, it could've been worse. He was so scared of her getting hurt. Hermione was looking at him thoughtfully.
"Stop talking like that, Draco. I might start thinking you actually care." She stood up slowly, testing her balance. He reached out and gently took her arm, then guided her up the stairs to her room. It was a soft blue, with a wall of books. He noticed with a funny jolt in his stomach that the books he'd sent her were in a place of honor on her desk. "Thanks, by the way." She whispered, not looking at him. He stared at her for a long minute.
"It was nothing. Besides, that's what I'm here for." He sat her down on the bed. "Are you sure you're okay?" She smiled, and this time the tears were bitter.
"I just never thought Ron would do something like that. I mean, we've been friends for six years. I used to wish he'd pay more attention to me. Now I just wish he'd leave me alone. How did we end up like this?" He let her cry for a bit before he said,
"If it makes you feel better, he was aiming for me." Hermione smiled, a beautifully sad thing.
"For some reason, it doesn't." She murmered, her voice distant. She looked like she needed alone time, so Draco took a step for the door.
"Are you sure you don't want to go to Madam Pomfery, or should I just leave you alone for a while?" He asked. He watched her think about it for a minute before deciding.
"I'll just sleep some, and if I don't feel better in the morning then I'll go to see Madam Pomfery." He nodded, and went to his own room. He plunked down on his black oak bed, staring at the green walls in thought. That was the most Hermione had ever opened up to him. At least, when she'd known it was him. An hour or so later, Lec'ita flew through the window with a letter. He smiled.