I have a feeling that this is the chapter most of you have been waiting for! My goal is to make each character a little flawed and for you to gain insight on why a character acts a certain way. I hope that I'm achieving that goal, but definitely give me feedback. I'm always looking for ways to improve!
Chapter 10:
Hermione woke up with a start. It had to be a bad dream. There was no way in hell that she would willingly kiss Draco Malfoy. At least that's what she was trying to convince herself. She felt like smacking herself on the head. Draco had made it clear that he didn't have feelings for her over dinner and now she had to go and make a fool out of herself. Hermione didn't even want to think about was going through his mind. And she had been placed in Gryffindor! She clearly wasn't a Gryffindor if her first instinct was to run away. Well Hermione was not going to take the rejection lying down. She was going to take a page out of Pansy's book and look her best today. It was winter outside, but if she stayed inside the castle she could always wear a skirt. Smiling at that thought, she pulled out an outfit that would make her look great but not reveal too much. A girl had to be classy after all. Hermione let getting ready distract her from thinking about Draco. She knew that Ginny would see through her ruse and call her out on being upset. Thankfully, she could fool herself since Ginny wasn't around.
Thankfully Hermione didn't run into Draco on her way to breakfast. She realized that she had woken up fairly early and not very many people were out of bed yet. Surprised, she spotted Blaise already sitting at the Slytherin table and Hermione went to join him. He actually looked a little disheveled, which was a strange state to see Blaise in.
"Is everything alright?" Hermione asked him when he finally noticed her arrival.
Blaise looked up at her with tired eyes, "I should be asking you the same question. Looks like we're both a couple of messes this morning."
"Would you like to talk about it?" she asked as she grabbed some fruit and yogurt as well as some porridge.
"Not really. You?" he asked her.
"Not really," Hermione repeated.
The duo ate their breakfast in silence deep in their own thoughts. Slowly the students trickled in and Hermione noticed that most of them looked hung over. Apparently in all the drama, she had missed another party. Hermione couldn't really find it in herself to care. Even her breakfast didn't taste as good as it usually did. Thankfully, Draco hadn't arrived yet. Hermione hated to admit that each time someone entered the hall she looked for him. He really couldn't leave her thoughts.
"You missed a great party last night Mia," Theo said as he sat beside Blaise.
"Oh I didn't know there was one," she admitted.
"I thought Blaise would have told you," he answered as he grabbed his own breakfast.
"How was the party Blaise?" Hermione asked hoping to get something out of him.
"It was alright. Nothing special," Blaise answered.
"Well it sure looked like you had a great time! I'm pretty sure he had a threesome," Theo laughed trying to lighten the mood.
"You had a threesome?" Hermione answered horrified, "Why?"
"Don't judge me," Blaise retorted, "I did it because I felt like it. There were two great looking girls and I wanted to get laid."
"I'm sorry, I'm just not used to seeing this side of you," she said embarrassed.
Pansy sat beside Hermione looking frazzled, "I think Pucey has finally made his move."
"What are you talking about?" Theo asked them confused.
"We'll fill you in later. What happened?" Hermione asked.
Pansy looked at Blaise, "Draco is happy."
"So, I don't understand what that has to do with anything," Blaise answered.
"He's acting the same way that he did the time that third year slipped him that potion," Pansy explained.
Blaise's eyes widened, "No. That was annoying. Did you see anyone suspicious hanging around him? Did anyone slip him anything?"
"I don't know, but we need to start looking into it," she told him as she grabbed a muffin.
Theo joined in the conversation, but Hermione was silent. Draco was really happy? Could he be happy about the kiss yesterday? That was impossible. There was no way. What else would explain his behavior? Hermione had been with him most of yesterday and she hadn't seen anything abnormal happen and the chances of Pucey wanting to make Draco happy didn't make any sense. Wouldn't he want to see Draco suffer instead? At least Pansy and Blaise were talking again even if it was only temporarily. It was nice to see that they could come together if they thought something was wrong with someone in their group. Hermione got up suddenly.
"Where are you going?" Pansy asked her confused.
"There's something that I have to ask Professor Flitwick, I'll see you later," Hermione told them as she grabbed her book bag and left the hall in a hurry.
The entire day was torture. Draco was always in sight but there was never an opportunity to talk to him. He was so close yet so far. Hermione couldn't tell what he was feeling, but he wasn't ignoring her that was certain. His stormy gray eyes kept glancing at her often throughout the day and part of her was dying to know what was on his mind but the more rational side of her was scared. It was torture waiting to find out his reaction. When class finally ended, Hermione quickly left hoping that she could escape Draco. She had changed her mind. She wanted to prolong his rejection of her. She sighed in relief when she lost him. Suddenly she was pulled into an empty classroom. Scared that Pucey had gotten her alone, she turned around with her wand in hand and sighed in relief when she realized it was just Draco. Then her fear of rejection returned.
"I thought you were Pucey!" Hermione said as she hit his arm, "Don't do that!"
Draco laughed, "Your reaction was priceless. Sorry. You were avoiding me all day. This was the only way I could get you alone."
"True and on that note, I'm going to leave now," Hermione said, but Draco's hand kept her in place.
"Not so fast. You kissed me and you didn't give me the opportunity to kiss you back. It's time to change that," Draco said as he stepped forward and kissed Hermione.
Hermione was frozen in shock, but after several seconds she realized that Draco Malfoy was kissing her. His hands were on her waist pulling her against him and Hermione kissed him back with fervor. His lips were soft and cold. She softly grabbed his jawline and brought him closer to her craving his touch. Finally after five minutes, they pulled away but their hands remained where they were.
Hermione looked up confused, "What does this mean?"
"It means that this is mutual," he answered using her word from the previous night, "I thought it was quite obvious that I liked you."
"Well I was hoping it wasn't obvious that I liked you. I also wasn't sure how you felt about me," Hermione admitted blushing.
"Well I can safely say that I've liked you since I broke up with Astoria," Draco smirked.
"Really?" she asked shocked, "I didn't know that. I've been in denial about my feelings for you for awhile. So what does this make us?"
Draco kissed her again before replying, "Well I hope this means that you would like to be my girlfriend. I don't want to share you with anyone else and Theo's been hanging around us a little to often for my liking. Will you be my girlfriend?"
Hermione smiled, "I'd love to. This means that you have to start taking me out on dates! Blaise and Pansy thought that someone slipped you a potion and that's why you were acting weird today."
"They talked to each other? Well they'll be surprised when they find out we're dating," he answered as he kissed her again.
"Let's go find them and make sure they don't kill each other. I actually told Blaise how I felt about you, so I don't think he'll be that surprised," Hermione admitted as she pulled him outside of the classroom.
Hermione had expected Draco to let go of her hand as soon as they left the classroom, but to her delight he kept holding it. She supposed that the rest of the school wouldn't find it a huge shocker since they had started spending so much time together already. It was only natural that it would lead to something more. Hermione couldn't keep the smile off her face. She finally had gotten the guy and not just any guy. Hermione knew that she would most likely have to deal with his fan club. It was a small price to pay in her opinion. As soon as they entered the common room, Blaise started laughing.
"What's so funny," Pansy exclaimed.
"I think I've figured out why Draco was so happy this morning," Blaise answered pointing towards Draco and Hermione.
Pansy looked at them in shock, "Since when did this happen?"
"Well it's been going on for awhile, but it hasn't been official until about half an hour ago," Hermione answered smiling.
"Wow," was all that Pansy could say.
"Well on that note, I believe I need to start making up for lost time. I'm off to find Janelle!" Blaise said as he left the common room.
"I thought it was Lucy," Pansy asked confused.
Draco chuckled, "Well, it seems like Blaise is exploring his options."
"Are you okay?" Hermione asked concerned.
Pansy stood up suddenly, "Well it doesn't look like I have much of a choice now do I? Hermione do you want to come study with me?"
"Sure, I'll go grab my stuff," Hermione said as she rushed up to their dorm to grab her stuff.
"You better not hurt her Drake or I will hurt you," Pansy threatened him.
"Pans, you should know me better than that. I care about her a lot. I wouldn't do that to her," he responded.
"Okay. There's enough going on already," she answered.
"Come here," he said as he hugged her, "I know you're going through a lot. Just give Blaise time. He'll come around eventually."
"I just don't know what I'm supposed to do at this point. I'm so mad at him, but at the same time I understand. It just sucks," Pansy told him.
"I'm not in your situation, so I don't know what to tell you. Obviously you have your reasons behind the decision you made. Just trust in yourself. It'll work out if it's supposed to," Draco told her as he pulled away.
"Thanks. Sometimes I feel like I'm alone in all of this," she said sadly.
Draco sighed, "You're never alone. You have Hermione and me. It's just difficult to show you and Blaise sometimes that we support both of you without one of you feeling cheated. Hermione and I are trying our best. Whether we're actually balancing you two is one thing, but we're doing everything that we can."
"I know. This just sucks," Pansy answered as Hermione came bounding down the stairs.
"Let's go. See you later," Hermione said after she kissed Draco goodbye.
Blaise stormed into an abandoned classroom and slammed the door behind him. He cast a silencing charm on the room and started to grab whatever was in his reach. Blaise threw it as hard as he could at the wall. This only seemed to fuel his anger and he started kicking tables and chairs over. He was absolutely furious. One hour was all it took for him to remember why he was in love with her. One fucking hour. It was so hard to go through each day acting indifferent. Acting like those girls he surrounded himself with meant something. Part of him hated himself for making that ultimatum with Pansy. If he hadn't, they could still hang out together. If he hadn't made the ultimatum, he would still be hoping for a chance with her. Clearly she didn't care enough about him. He had hoped that not only would those girls serve as a distraction, but that she would realize what she was missing. Of course he was unlucky. She really didn't care. At least Draco and Hermione were finally happy. Blaise knew even before Hermione did that she liked him. It had been so obvious. He had been surprised with Draco. Draco hadn't been serious about a girl in a long time. His best friends were good for each other. At least they were together. One of them had a happy ending. Blaise threw a couple more things around the classroom before magically fixing it. He took a deep breath, put on his façade, and left the classroom.
He was walking towards the Great Hall when he heard a strange noise down the hallway. Blaise had chosen an abandoned area of the castle to release his anger, so it was odd that someone else would be here. The closer he got, the more it sounded like a whimper. Blaise's senses were on high alert as he rounded the corner.
"Get away from him!" Blaise yelled as soon as he saw what was going on.
"What are you going to do about it kid?" Pucey said as he turned to face him.
"Get lost Samson. I'll deal with him," he told the fifth year Pucey had been threatening.
Pucey stepped towards him, "What are you going to do about it? Fight me? I'm a professor. You can't do anything."
"Do you really think you're going to get away with all of this? I don't care if you're a Death Eater. You're a coward. I told you to stay away. There's going to be consequences," Blaise answered angrily.
"Like. I. Said. What are you going to do about it?" Pucey said menacingly, "You're just talk."
Blaise finally lost control of his anger and punched Pucey square in the nose breaking it. Pucey grabbed ahold of Blaise and tackled him to the ground. Blaise flipped him over and started punching him. Pucey was still smirking at him even though there was blood trickling out of his nose and onto the rest of his face. It only took Blaise a couple of seconds before he stopped and took a step back surprised at what he had done.
"Well kid, I didn't know you had it in you," Pucey chuckled, "I believe that'll be three weeks worth of detention with Professor Snape. You should consider yourself lucky that I'm keeping this incident between the two of us. Now if you do that again, I'll make sure you're expelled."
After saying that, Pucey stormed down the hallway to get himself cleaned up. Blaise sat back down on the floor not believing that his anger had gotten the best of him yet again. Never in his life had he been so angry. He had actually rarely gotten angry, but it felt like this year a flip had been switched and he just couldn't control his anger. It was something he needed to work on. He couldn't let his anger get the better of him especially with Pucey around. Well at least he was able to kick the shit out of him. That made him feel a lot better. A few minutes later, Blaise got up and went to clean himself off too. Hopefully no one would ask him any questions.
"So when did you and Draco happen?" Pansy asked Hermione curiously after they finished setting up their stuff in the library.
Hermione smiled, "I don't really know. We've been hanging out so often lately and I just kept thinking about him way too often to be normal. Last week was probably when I realized that I liked him, but those feelings have been growing for a long time. Apparently he's liked me since he broke up with Astoria."
"That would make sense. He hasn't been with a girl since he dated her. Well he must really like you. Just be careful. He might act really tough, but he gets hurt just like the rest of us," Pansy warned her.
"I know. Honestly, I'm just so happy. I've never been this lucky before. Either I've liked someone and they weren't interested or they liked me and I wasn't interested. I've just seen this side to him that made me like him even more. You were right about what he's like when he trusts you. It really is the best feeling," Hermione admitted.
"Well I'm really happy for you. You two deserve this," Pansy smiled.
"Thanks," Hermione blushed, "I dated Theo for a little bit, but this doesn't feel anything like it. It feels like this is my first time dating."
"That's cute. Enjoy yourself and be happy," she answered, "Shall we start working? I haven't been listening in potions lately and I have a feeling that Professor Snape is going to pick on me next class."
Hermione and Pansy both smiled as they took out their Potions textbook. It was nice to have an afternoon of normalcy where they could talk about anything and focus on ordinary things. Hermione couldn't help but think back to what it was like kissing Draco. He was such a great kisser. Of course Hermione had always expected that, but he was better than what she had expected. Maybe it had to do with the chemistry they had together. Whatever it was, Hermione was happy for it. She observed Pansy while she was working and Pansy seemed to be holding it together. It was strange, because Hermione had expected her to be more upset about Blaise and Pucey. Maybe she was missing something or Pansy had talked to Draco about it. Hermione decided to let it go for the time being, but to pay more attention to Pansy. Clearly there was something more going on that she didn't know about. Maybe Pansy would tell her in her own time. Hermione turned back to her textbook and started reading ahead for the next class.
After dinner that night, Hermione decided to finally pay Professor Dumbledore a visit. He had been away most of the time during the past few weeks and he had finally returned late yesterday evening. She had finally had enough time to sort through everything. She was ready to find out about her family. Hermione walked up the stairs with a sense of dread. She knew that Professor Dumbledore wasn't expecting her and he also wasn't expecting the conversation she wanted to have. Maybe Professor Dumbledore had his reasons for keeping the truth from her. It was the first time she had doubted what she had been doing. Why would she doubt herself? Hermione had a right to know where she came from and to get to know her family. It was her decision, not Professor Dumbledore's. Finally, she reached his door and tentatively knocked on the door. When he told her to come in, she slipped in the door and took the seat he had offered.
"What can I do for you Miss Granger?" Professor Dumbledore asked as she sat down.
"I've come here for some answers," Hermione said as she looked for his reaction.
"What are the questions you want answers to?" he asked looking weary.
Hermione sighed, "I'm aware of the glamour spell and charm that you've put on me, Professor. I just found out last summer that I'm adopted and I was hoping that you could tell me who my family is and why I've been put under a glamour?"
"I was hoping we wouldn't have this conversation for at least another couple of years," Professor Dumbledore said as he got up and retrieved something from a shelf in his office, "I believe that this letter will explain things better than I can."
"What about the glamour? Shouldn't you remove it?" Hermione asked.
"Why don't you read that letter and then you can decided what to do from that point on," he suggested.
"Were you ever going to tell me, sir?" she asked.
Professor Dumbledore looked at her seriously, "It's a rather complicated situation. I would not have brought it up, because I didn't want to jeopardize your safety. If the war was over, it would be a different story. I'm sure you've heard of the rumors that your friends have told you."
"Yes I have. Are they true?" Hermione asked hesitantly, "I promise I won't tell anyone. It's just different hearing this from you than from then. It'll make it more real."
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but they are right. Lord Voldemort is rising to power as we speak. That is why I want you to think very carefully about the decision you're going to make," he replied, "Is that everything Miss Granger?"
"I believe so. Thank you for your time, Professor," Hermione said as she walked out of his office.
Hermione walked back to her dorm in a daze. A couple of students had greeted her, but she was too distracted to notice. In her hands, she held the secret that she had been trying to learn for the past six months. It was strange that a piece of parchment could hold so much power. Suddenly she was scared. Did she really want to read what was in that envelope? What if it changed everything? Hermione was finally in a place where she was so happy with everything. Should she take that chance? Hermione was surprised to find that she was already at the Slytherin common room entrance. As soon as Hermione entered, she had made her decision. She was going to put it away for now. Now that the answer was so close, she felt like she needed to enjoy her last few minutes as Hermione Jean Granger. Hermione hid the letter away and returned to the common room.
"Is everything okay?" Draco asked as he noticed her enter the common room once again.
Hermione looked confused, "Of course it is, why would you ask?"
"I said hi to you when you entered the common room, but you ignored me. I was just making sure you weren't angry or anything," he told her.
Hermione sat beside him on the couch and rested her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her, "I'm okay, I just had a lot on my mind that's all."
"What's going on?" Draco asked curiously.
"Nothing much, just thinking about everything that's going on," Hermione said vaguely.
"Is there anything I can do?" he asked.
Hermione smiled and softly kissed him, "You're already being great. Thank you for asking."
"What are you doing for Christmas vacation?" Draco asked.
"I'm not quite sure yet. I usually spend it at the Weasleys. I don't really want to go home. I think I'll stay here," she answered him.
"Why don't you want to go home?"
"Things are pretty weird with my parents right now. We got into a fight over the summer and we haven't really resolved it. I've been writing them since the school year started. I feel like we're both writing out of obligation. I don't really know how I feel about it," Hermione replied.
Draco kissed the top of her head, "I had no idea. I'm sorry that I didn't ask. There's so much going on with Pansy and Blaise that I haven't spent enough time worrying about you. Do you think it'll help if you go home?"
"I think I need a little bit of space from them. I love my parents and they've been really supportive through everything. I just need things to calm down a little more," Hermione said as she thought about the letter she had stashed away in her dorm.
"Well in that case, I think you should join Pansy, Blaise, and I at the Zabini's for Christmas. Every year Pansy and I go there and it's honestly a lot of fun. There are always parties and things to do. Would you like to join us this year?" Draco asked.
"Would Blaise mind? He hasn't mentioned anything about it," she hesitated.
Draco laughed, "His family has practically adopted me as his other son. Blaise probably assumed you already knew about it. It'll be fine."
"Well if you're sure that he's okay with it, I would love to come. We should have a meeting right now," Hermione smiled suggestively.
"Lead the way," Draco replied as they stood up.
Hermione couldn't help but smile. Who would have guessed that they would end up at this point? Maybe it was because she hadn't kissed anyone in such a long time or because she just couldn't get enough of Draco, but they ended up spending the rest of curfew in their classroom kissing and talking.
"I don't understand how running and going through obstacle courses are going to help me," Pansy whined.
Harry sighed, "We've been over this. You're pretty good with a wand already. What happens if you get separated from it? Could you fight Pucey?"
"No, but I'm a girl. It's not fair!" she exclaimed.
"Life isn't fair. Obviously there's something more going on that you're not telling me. What is it?" he asked impatiently.
"He's watching me all the time. No matter where I go in this school, he's always there in the background just waiting for an opportunity when I'll be alone," Pansy mumbled.
"Don't let your guard down and don't go anywhere alone except for when we meet. We already know that Pucey is in a meeting with the professor at this time. Let me show you why what you're doing is important. Start throwing spells at me," Harry ordered.
Pansy looked uncertain, but Harry gave her an annoyed look. She took a deep breath and started throwing spells at him. Harry never once used his wand and managed to dodge them flawlessly. Pansy decided to increase her speed and was breaking a sweat with how fast and hard she was sending her spells. Harry looked like he was working hard, but he still hadn't been hit.
Pansy stopped. She wondered where he had learned how to dodge spells, but she knew it wasn't her place to ask. They weren't' even close to being friends. This was only an arrangement that they had made. Harry wouldn't report Pucey if she let him teach her self-defense. Suddenly a wall appeared behind her and Harry had her pinned to it. Pansy felt fear overcome her. Harry was even stronger than Adrian.
"What are you doing?" Pansy asked nervously.
"Making yourself stronger and building your endurance won't just help you dodge spells. When Pucey pins you against a wall, you'll be able to break away or even avoid getting put in this compromising position," he explained as he released his hold on her.
Pansy shoved him hard, "Don't ever do that again. You scared me."
"Good. You should be scared. What do you think Pucey will do to you if no one comes to interrupt you like I did the other day? It's the fear that will drive you to push harder."
As soon as he finished speaking, an obstacle course appeared. She hated the obstacle courses more than running laps. She often had to climb things then suddenly drop flat on the ground because something was going to hit her. Sometimes she had to walk across a rope. It was quite obvious she was extremely out of shape because she often fell or got hit. Once that happened, she had to start over. Even if she was really struggling, Harry wouldn't help her. He told her that he wanted her to figure it out for herself. She was most likely going to get confronted by Pucey alone, so she needed to get used to working and thinking on her own. After a couple of hours, she could barely move her body she was so exhausted. Harry handed her a towel to wipe her face.
"You did a good job today," Harry commented.
"It doesn't feel like it. I'm not making any progress!" Pansy complained.
"You are. It's little steps, but the improvement is there. You'll notice a huge difference in a couple of weeks. Did you hear what Zabini did to Pucey?" he asked her.
"What did he do? I haven't heard anything," Pansy replied.
"They got into a fight and apparently Zabini kicked the shit out of Pucey. He only got a detention this time, which is lucky for him," Harry explained.
"How could he be so stupid? I told him and Draco to stay away from him," she said angrily.
"I just thought you should know. Before I head to my common room, I wanted to ask you: How is Hermione doing?" he asked her curiously.
"She's doing really well," Pansy smiled, "I haven't seen her this happy before. She has been worried about so many things that she hasn't really relaxed until her and Draco started dating. Don't make that face! They're really good for each other, I promise."
Harry held his hands up in surrender, "I'll take your word for it. Pucey is still in the meeting so it should be safe for you to walk back alone."
"Okay, thanks," she said as she grabbed clothes from her bag.
Pansy walked back feeling absolutely exhausted. She had changed into clean clothes after Harry left so that no one would question where she had been. She was getting closer to the common room when she saw a couple up ahead. Blaise was kissing a girl passionately. The girl moaned as Blaise started to kiss her neck. Pansy tried to ignore her jealousy but she couldn't. Finally, she walked up to Blaise and tapped his shoulder.
"What do you want? I'm busy!" Blaise snapped.
"I can see that. Don't worry whoever you are," Pansy said talking to the girl, "I'm doing you a favor."
Pansy yanked Blaise away from the girl and used all her strength to drag Blaise into an empty classroom.
"What do you want?" he demanded.
"What do I want? Is this really how you're going to act now? Get over yourself. What are you doing? I understand that I hurt you and I am so sorry for that, but that doesn't give you the right to hurt other people! How many girls have you gone through? You're developing a worse reputation than Draco. What happened to the guy that hated that lifestyle?" Pansy asked frustrated.
"You happened. What's wrong are you jealous?" Blaise taunted, "This is me moving on with my life. Moving on from you. You lost the right to have an opinion about my life."
"Fine, if you're going to be that immature you're right. You're not my problem; except for why would you attack Pucey? Are you completely stupid now? He hinted at the fact that he's a Death Eater. He's not the same guy that we went to school with. You can't hit him and not expect any repercussions. How could you be so careless?" she lectured.
"He was using physical force on a fifth year. I think that I have the right to get angry with that without your permission. I took out my anger on him. Big deal," he replied.
"I didn't know," Pansy admitted.
"Of course you didn't. Fuck Pansy, I can't keep doing this," Blaise said angrily.
"Doing what?" she asked confused.
"This! I can't be your friend or have anything to do with you. You're welcome to come over for the holidays, because my parents would kill me if you didn't show up. After that though, I don't want to have anything to do with you," Blaise explained.
"So you're throwing away seventeen years of friendship? You don't even want to fix this?" Pansy exclaimed upset.
"I can't move on if I'm near you. Even talking to you hurts! I'm serious Pans; you made your choice. This is the result. You don't get to be selfish with this. I'm serious. We're finished," Blaise said angrily as he stormed out.
Pansy felt her eyes water as Blaise left the classroom. As soon as the door slammed shut, she started to cry. Part of her wanted to chase after him and ask for him to take her back, that she had changed her mind. Pansy knew that she couldn't. They still had the same issues as before. Pucey was still around and Pansy knew that she had hurt Blaise. Blaise wouldn't forgive her for what she had done.
Hermione looked around the dorm. Pansy still hadn't returned from hanging out with Daphne and the other girls were all asleep at this point of the night. The letter would not leave her alone. Draco had managed to distract her for a little while, but it was always at the back of her mind. Every question she had would be answered as soon as she opened it. She had wanted to spend a little more time as Hermione Granger, but then she realized that everything had changed this year. She was no longer the girl that Harry and Ron constantly bothered to do their homework or the bookworm who didn't have many close friends. This year had been difficult so far, but it had changed her for the better. It was time to finally take a step forward and decide what her plan was from here on out. With trembling fingers she opened the letter slowly.
My dear daughter,
The first thing I want to tell you is that I love you. That is the most important thing a mother could ever tell her daughter and I want you to know that just because we had to give you up for adoption did not mean your father and I didn't love you. You're probably confused and I think it's about time you found out the truth.
These are dangerous times. Currently there is a war going on between Lord Voldemort and the Order of Phoenix. Lord Voldemort is a, for lack of a better word, monster that is trying to wipe out muggleborns, half bloods, and muggles. At this point in time, he is quite successful and has gathered a large amount of supporters. You're probably wondering what this has to do with you. It is in your father and I's opinion that he might very well win the war. Not only does that thought terrify us, but it makes us fear for your safety. Because of our family history and our financial status, he is very keen on us joining him. Your father and I have refused. We would never join his cause even if it means our death.
When I found out I was pregnant, I was overjoyed. I have always wanted a daughter and my wish has finally come true. We kept my pregnancy a secret. We didn't want Lord Voldemort to find a weakness he could exploit. He forced the Parkinson family into submission when he threatened their unborn child. His methods so far have been quite persuasive. We had never imagined having to give you up, but times have started to change. Lord Voldemort is targeting an old and powerful family, the Potters. We were staring to get scared, but then something unimaginable and unforgivable happened. When we refused to join him once again, he murdered my sister and her family. I can't even begin to describe the amount of fear that I feel now that you're born. Your father and I went to Professor Dumbledore and he convinced us to give you up for adoption. He knew of a nice couple that couldn't conceive that were looking into adoption. I fought against him, but finally your father made me see sense. As much as we love you and want to raise you ourselves, we want you to grow up happy and safe even if that means giving you up.
Our family is next on the line of targets after the Potters. We know of an ancient spell and potion that will alter your appearance. We don't want anyone to hurt you by realizing you're one of us. I never imagined having to do this. Ever since your father and I have found out that I was pregnant, we've started to imagine what it would be like to raise you. Your father insists on teaching you how to play quidditch. I've dreamed of reading you a bedtime story every night before tucking you in. Your father wants to teach you how to cook and I want to hear about your first crush and see you fall in love for the first time. There is not enough parchment in the world to express everything we want to experience with you.
When you receive this letter, your father and I might be dead. I want to prepare you for the worst case scenario. I sincerely hope that Lord Voldemort is no longer in power by the time this letter reaches you. I trust Professor Dumbledore to use his judgment. The world is a dangerous place and it could become more dangerous if someone finds out who you really are. Keep this secret guarded. If we are still alive, we will help you get through this. If we aren't, be careful and use your judgment. I can already tell that you're going to be an intelligent girl. I don't know if this interests you because you probably have a different name, but we named you Elizabeth after my mother. Your father and I love you very much.
Love,
Your mother
Adelaide Bristow
Hermione slowly folded the letter once more and took a deep breath. Tears started to slowly stream down her face. What was she supposed to think? How was she supposed to feel? She could feel the pain in her biological mother's words and she hated Voldemort. She had always hated him for all the pain he had caused, but it had never hit home until now. They thought that they were going to die. They better not be dead, because she wouldn't know what to do. She was so upset. She felt so conflicted. She had had an amazing childhood with her parents, but part of her also wished to experience a childhood with her biological parents. They had named her Elizabeth Bristow. She had two names: Elizabeth Bristow and Hermione Granger. With that thought she completely broke down. Did they survive? Or did they end up murdered like Harry's parents? Not even the thought of Draco could bring her out of her state. Hermione spent the rest of the night crying trying to figure out what to do with this information and her potentially dead family as well as her adopted family. When had things gotten so far out of control?
After an hour, Pansy had run out of tears. She couldn't get the picture of Blaise's expression out of her mind. He had looked so angry and hurt. When had she become the monster? Three months ago they were laughing and told each other everything. She was the one that he was kissing. Blaise deserved better than her anyways. She would only bring him more pain and misery. It seemed to be the theme of her life. Deciding that she was going to get nowhere by staying in the classroom, she decided to leave. Pansy was walking, but she had the feeling she was being watched once again. Of course Adrian Pucey had to be lurking when she wasn't in any state to face him
"What do you want?" Pansy said angrily as she turned around to face him.
"What do I want? Really? What do you think I want? I went through hell so that we could be together and I found out that it was all for nothing! How did you think I was going to react?" Adrian said without missing a beat and getting straight to the point.
"We broke up and I meant it when I said it was over. What you went through was your own choice. Did you really think you would still have my respect after all of this? After everything you've done?" Pansy asked incredulously.
"Yes because love is supposed to be unconditional!" Pucey said raising his voice.
"Well then I guess what we had wasn't love then," she retorted knowing that it was a lie.
"Don't you dare say that! What about that moment by the lake? Or when we were in the Forbidden forest? Your friends betrayed you and I was the only one who stuck around during your darkest hour. Do you really think that Granger would have been there for you?" he said angrily.
"Yes she would have and that wasn't my darkest hour. Being with you was my darkest hour. You never loved me. You loved power and only used me for your image. I was a possession. Something you could hit and call names," Pansy answered him feeling her anger grow as well.
"You knew I was in a difficult place last year. My mother was murdered! Did you really think I would stay perfect? My entire world fell apart. I admit that I handled it very poorly and that you suffered. If I could take it back I would, but I can't no matter how much I wish that I could!" Pucey yelled.
"Finally you're actually speaking your mind! I don't trust you and I won't ever be able to trust you again. A relationship is based on trust. We can't be together. Not again. I'm not that weak, insecure girl that you met. You also joined Him and I could never forgive you for that. You know how I feel about Him," Pansy said disgusted.
"I did it because I needed to become more powerful. Some of us aren't lucky enough to be born into the right pureblood family. I did what I had to do to bring my mother's death to justice," he argued.
"Do you really think that she would approve of your methods? She would hate this monster you've become. Leave Hogwarts," Pansy said suddenly, "Don't ever come back."
"I'm not giving you up that easily. You loved me once. You'll love me again, especially now that you and Zabini are over. Looks like he betrayed you once again. I won't leave. You know my purpose at Hogwarts is more than just getting you back," Adrian said smiling darkly.
"I can't believe you," Pansy said looking at him with pure hatred.
"Miss Parkinson, it is past curfew. I won't warn you again. Let me escort you back to the common room so that I am certain you don't test my generosity," Professor Snape interrupted as he spotted the scene in front of him.
"Yes Professor," she answered nervously.
"I was about to escort her," Adrian interrupted.
Professor Snape looked at him with disdain, "I assure you that I am capable of escorting someone from my House back to the common room. I believe your rounds are scheduled every Thursday night. Come on Miss Parkinson. I would like to finish my rounds sometime tonight."
Pansy followed Professor Snape immediately and felt relieved. She didn't think that Adrian was going to get physical, but it was hard to tell with him. His moods constantly changed and she wasn't ready to take him on yet. Pansy would have probably left him immediately, but her emotions clouded her judgment once again. Thankfully Professor Snape was silent. He really didn't like Adrian and Pansy was curious what had brought that on. She couldn't remember them interacting at all when Adrian was here as a student. When she entered the common room, she was scared. Draco Malfoy was waiting for her on the couches and he did not look happy.
"I believe you can take it from here," Professor Snape said to Draco before leaving.
"I'm really tired, so I'm going to head to bed," Pansy said quickly.
"I don't think so. What were you thinking walking around the castle on your own? You're lucky that Professor Snape found you!" Draco said frustrated, "I thought something had happened to you!"
"I'm sorry. I got in a disagreement with Blaise and I was upset. I didn't realize how much time had passed until I left the classroom," Pansy told him reluctantly.
"We need to figure out a way to get rid of him," Draco replied stressed out, "It's only a matter of time something happens. I can't believe Blaise attacked him. Once we get back from Christmas break, we need to deal with him immediately."
"I know Draco, we've gone over this a million times. I got back safely. I'll be more careful in the future. I hadn't expected having to confront Blaise. That was what threw me off, but that won't be a distraction anymore," she said as she sat beside him, "Where is Hermione?"
"She already went to bed; she was pretty tired. I would talk to Blaise, but the only one he's willing to talk to is Hermione," Draco commented.
"I know. He's changing and I don't know what to do about it. There's nothing I can do actually. I'm the reason he's changed. I'm going to bed. It's been an exhausting day," Pansy said as she gave him a quick hug.
"Alright. Try to be careful," Draco said cautiously as she went up to bed.
Draco felt like hitting something, but unlike Blaise, he could restrain himself. He was lucky he had an ally in Professor Snape. Professor Snape had always had a soft spot for his mother and was willing to help Draco out if he needed it. Draco had never asked for anything until now. He needed to make sure that Pansy and Hermione would be safe. Every day Hermione spent in Slytherin was a day she was in danger. Thankfully, she seemed to be oblivious to it. It meant that he was doing his job if no one had approached her yet. This year it has been harder than usual to stay as Slytherin's leader. It most likely was because he no longer sided against muggleborns, half bloods, or blood traitors. The older generation didn't bother him, it was the younger generation that worried him. They had no concept of what the war had been like and would be sheltered for the beginning of this one. That meant that they had no idea what effect their hate could have on people. He would have had no idea until he came across that Ravenclaw scene and that journal his grandfather kept. Hermione also went against everything his parents had ever told him. Draco smiled as he thought of her and decided he too should retire. Nothing else could be accomplished tonight.
There we have it. Hermione's biological family, why Pucey was an abusive boyfriend, and where the quartet is doing over Christmas break. What do you think? Which characters annoy you? Which ones do you love? I'm always looking for feedback and I tried to do each character justice. Next chapter will be the start of Christmas break. Thank you and please review :).