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Another argument. But this time Hermione and Draco went out of their way to avoid each other, and if they were in each other's presence, they glared so hard it was surprising they didn't burn to the ground.

Hermione felt as if she were back at school. It was all very childish, but it brought back memories of when she would glare at him in corridors or across the Potions classroom every time Professor Snape would unfairly give Draco points. She knew he wasn't the same person and yet he could still make her feel this kind of anger.

Zena found it all rather amusing. "You two are so alike," she laughed dreamily.

"Alike?" Hermione scoffed, taking a sip of her steaming hot chocolate. "Don't make me laugh. I'm nothing like him. He's vile."

"You don't really think that."

Hermione glared. "Yes I do. If I didn't mean it I wouldn't say it."

At this Zena laughed again and raised her eyebrows. "Are you telling me that you've never said something you haven't meant? In that case, you've probably been a massive bitch."

Hermione's mouth dropped open in shock at Zena's blunt words, but realised she was speaking the truth and shook her head in disbelief. "What is it with you?"

Zena smiled knowingly but said nothing.

The pair were sat outside a café in the centre, but Hermione had made sure it was not the one she and Draco usually went to. October was nearly over and Hermione had a thick cardigan on, but wished she'd brought a jacket. As far as October days went, there was not a cloud in the sky, and so the girls had braved the decision to sit outside for perhaps the last time that year.

"God, who'd have thought it would be so difficult? So much for dying being the easy way out. You've gotta bloody live up here or go to hell or be a stupid ghost," Hermione ranted.

"Yeah, I thought it would be the easy way out. It wasn't, but I'm considerably happier up here than I was down there," said Zena.

Hermione realised in that moment that she had never asked Zena how she had died. Was she really that stuck up and self-absorbed?

"What happened?" she asked quietly.

Zena, normally dreamy and happy, looked downcast and sad. "I killed myself," she whispered.

Hermione covered her hands with her mouth, horrified. Had she known she would have been more considerate, she would have - Well, what else would she have done? Perhaps it was a good thing she hadn't known until now. It hadn't clouded her judgement on Zena's personality and she hadn't had to tip-toe around what she said in case she thought it may have made her upset.

"It's ok," Zena said quickly. "I'm so much happier. Really."

Hermione removed her hands from her mouth and reached out with one to pat Zena's arm comfortingly.

"Thanks," Zena gave a small smile. "I didn't have a very nice family. They didn't like what I was, because they were Muggles. I was constantly bullied, and blamed for what was happening to the world because of You-Know-Who. They grouped all wizards together as bad people and didn't listen to me when I told them that I was fighting on the good side. They didn't think there even was a good side. There was nowhere else I could go. I couldn't take it. Just one quick spell..."

She trailed off and Hermione realised she had tears on her cheeks and wiped them away hastily, not wanting Zena to see. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Zena said decisively. "It's all the past. The past doesn't matter any more. Nothing in your past matters. Only the present."

She said this with a meaningful look and Hermione couldn't help but wonder if she was talking about Draco and how he had changed since when Hermione was younger. She didn't voice this opinion, though, not wanting to bring him up again. How the hell did Zena always know what she was thinking?

She didn't like not talking to him. They had spent time together every day, getting to know one another properly without prejudice or worry about what others were saying about them. Hermione liked it. She liked him. He was smart and funny, and knew how to make her laugh. She sighed.

"Well well well," came a voice Hermione hadn't heard for a long time.

She whipped her head around and caught sight of those dark brown locks and the eyes that had once made her melt. Draco's words echoed in her mind. "The prick."

"What the hell do you want? Leave us alone," Hermione snapped.

"It's rather rude to talk to a Ministry employee that way, Miss Granger," Will said calmly, pulling up a chair and sitting himself down uninvited.

"I said, what do you want?" Hermione said through gritted teeth, her grip on her glass tightening.

Will seemed to enjoy making her angry and leaned back against the chair, stretching out his legs and placing his arms behind his head. "Just came for a little catch up. It has been a long time, hasn't it?"

Hermione caught the disgusting glint in his eye and turned up her nose, looking down on him with a sneer.

"Checking me out, are we?" he smirked, before leaning forward and saying with a wink, "Ever want a good time, Hermione, you know where I am. Just don't be a bitch like last time."

Hermione stood suddenly in anger, and snarled at him. "We all know what happened last time. You're lucky I haven't reported you, but it's never too late. You should watch your back."

He laughed, sparking more annoyance within Hermione. "You think they'd believe you, a boring little Muggleborn, over me, a respected Ministry employee?"

Hermione had opened her mouth to retort when Zena stood beside her and she felt her hand on her arm. "They will believe her when they get reports of exactly the same thing happening to me. And several other girls who may not have been so lucky as to escape you like we did. You are a disgusting, filthy letch, and if you come near either of us any time soon, you'll never know your arse from your elbow ever again. Get out of my sight."

Hermione's jaw had dropped open. So that was why Zena had warned her? She hadn't just heard about Will Mack, but she had fallen for his trick too? Merlin, Hermione thought, I really have been self-absorbed.

Will looked extremely angry at being addressed in such a way, but knew Zena was right, and so stood and stormed down the little street towards the fountain plaza.

"Holy shit," Hermione breathed. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me anything?"

"I don't like to talk about myself," Zena said, sitting down and sighing. She paused. "But there is one more thing I have to tell you."

"What?" Hermione asked, alarmed.

Zena had the decency to look sheepish. "I died one year ago tomorrow."

It took Hermione a moment to process what Zena had said. "Wait - so that means..."

Zena nodded. "I'm leaving."

Oh poor Hermione! Zena is leaving. Also, how much of a jerk is Will?

Also, I've been asked to post this link to petition against the removal of stories from ff! Please take a look!
www. change (dot org) /petitions/ fanfiction- net-stop-the- destruction-of- fanfiction-net