Chapter 26

Repercussions

Hermione sat in her usual seat beside Harry on the train, only this time she wasn't laughing with him and Ron over something utterly ridiculous like she usually would, she wasn't reading a book like she usually would, she wasn't even reading to be honest. Yes, she may have had the newspaper in her hands for some time now but the words held no interest for her, it was the image that had her transfixed, Voldemort's face in the clouds with a snake coming out of his mouth. She had been staring at the picture for nearly an hour, unable to look away despite wanting so badly to forget a vast part of what happened that night.

It wasn't likely though, considering she had twelve stitches in her right leg and probably would do until she was back at Hogwarts where Madame Pomfrey could see to it, she didn't want to admit aloud that it was painful, it would make her look weak and childish, two things she certainly didn't want to be if the beginning of this term was anything to go by.

She was too lost in her thoughts to hear the trolley lady ask if she could get them anything, she didn't hear Ron ask for a Licorice Wand or see Harry's worried expression.

Hermione only looked up from the paper after both lads had finished ordering from the trolley and sat down, Harry had the faintest of smiles on his face, she had obviously missed something, though she wasn't sure she was even curious as to what it might be, there were more important things to worry about than why her best friend was smiling when she could see nothing amusing about the situation,

"This is horrible." she finally spoke for the first time since they boarded the train, "How can the Ministry not know who conjured it? Wasn't there any security?"

"Loads." Ron replied, chewing his Wand, "That's what worried them so much, it happened right under their noses."

She glanced from Ron to Harry and caught him trying to discreetly scratch the scar that was clearly bothering him,

"It's hurting again, isn't it?" she asked, knowingly, her eyes locked onto his,

"I'm fine." Harry lied, shaking his head,

"You know Sirius will want to hear about this...what you saw at the World Cup and the dream."

Harry just stared at her, he knew she was right, she was always right, then he turned away from her to look out the window, letting out a breath, she couldn't fathom why on earth he insisted on trying to hide these kinds of things from her, she was his friend, she'd helped him on countless occasions, the only thing she'd ever ask of him was not to shut her out when they both knew full well that two heads were better than one, still Harry seemed reluctant to include her in such things, Ron he didn't mind, which only served to make her feel more unwanted.

It's because I'm a girl, isn't it? She thought.

"Speaking of the World Cup, what happened with you and Malfoy?" Harry asked, facing her once again,

"What do you mean?" she replied, awkwardly, she really did not want to talk about that right now,

"Oh, I don't know," Ron said, sarcastically, "one minute he hates you the next he's helping you get away from Death Eaters."

"Exactly." Harry agreed, "Why would he bother trying to save you -a...a 'mudblood'- when he could easily just save his own skin? It doesn't make any sense."

Hermione set her paper down and stood, she hated hearing that foul word on anyone's lips, she'd become accustomed to Draco using it, but Harry, well, that was taking it one step too far, and then there was also the tiny little fact that she didn't want to have to lie to her friends, besides what would she tell them? That she and Draco had once been friends too and he'd no doubt only saved her out of courtesy? No, she couldn't say that, Harry would probably fly off the handle, so instead she decided to exit the cabin without saying a thing, leaving him to regret his particular choice in words.

She limped down the aisle, every now and then having to squeeze past someone who was looking for the trolley or the bathroom or something, she peered in through the frosted glass of every cabin until finally she found him, she slid open the door and there he was, sitting with Goyle and Blaise, he didn't look up, his eyes glued to the same paper she had been staring at earlier, only unlike her he seemed to actually be reading it,

"Get out, Parkinson." he said in a bored tone at the same time Goyle spoke,

"What'd you want, Mudblood?"

She ignored the tall, curly haired boy and met Draco's gaze,

"A word?" she said, firmly but polite, the blonde nodded once and stood, handing the paper to Blaise, who took it with raised eyebrows, while Goyle gawped at them.

Hermione led Draco further down the back of the train, out of earshot of his goons and everyone else for that matter, they stood there for a moment, both silent, she couldn't help but think back to the last time they'd been like this, she'd gone to him for reassurance when Harry and Ron had gone missing in second year and things had quickly gone downhill from there, she wanted to believe that this time would be different, that maybe they could be friends again, but she doubted it,

"How's the leg?" he asked, startling her from her thoughts,

"Ghastly." she admitted, "Can't wait to get it fixed up properly, at least then I'll be able to walk without looking like Filch."

Draco smirked, he tried to stifle a laugh but couldn't, soon they were both laughing, with Draco doing rather good impressions of the deranged keeper, leaving Hermione short of breath, she'd almost forgotten how funny he could be, she could've used a bit more laughter last year, she would probably need it this year as well, slowly the pair sobered, the silence was back but it was considerably less uncomfortable, Draco was staring at her, a wistful smile his lips, she missed this,

"Thanks for helping me." she said, having felt the need to thank him for a while now, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels,

"It's alright." he gave her that lazy half-shrug of his, "Just means you owe me one."

She crossed her arms over her chest, returning his grin,

"Yeah. I guess I do. Maybe I'll buy you a Butterbeer one day."

He stared back at her in mock horror,

"A Butterbeer? That's all? Heh, cheapskate."

"Unfortunately, we're not all as rich as the great Draco Malfoy." she giggled, her voice hinting at sarcasm,

"Terrible, isn't it?" he said, arrogantly fixing his jacket, she bit her lip to stop the smile that seemed reluctant to leave her face, she stuck out her hand for him to shake, he glanced down, his own smile faltering, "Granger..." he began hesitantly, "I can't. Look what happened last time."

She shook her head, finding herself slightly disappointed,

"It's just a truce, Malfoy. That's all, I swear."

He appeared to be fighting some internal battle, his brows furrowed, he closed his eyes as he ran a hand through his hair, while she stared up at him, her own hand itching to hold his so much that she rubbed it against the hard denim of her jeans to try and rid herself of the longing sensation, but in the end he took it and they shook, her hand tingled from the contact,

"I'm sorry." he mumbled, sounding like he meant it, she nodded, looking him over once more before making her way back down the aisle -albeit ineptly.

Draco didn't offer to help her, she didn't want him to, it was bad enough with what had just happened, she wasn't sure what it was exactly but it hurt a lot to remember how great things used to be between them, how much fun they had, how he would confide in her, and no-one else, about his problems without dragging her down and Hermione knew that it would only end badly if they continued to get close again. Besides she could take care of herself.

She slipped back inside her own cabin to find Ron nearly asleep and Harry staring out the window, she closed the door, making as little noise as possible, and turned to face her conscious friend, he opened his mouth then closed it, mentally editing whatever it was he had been going to say as to make certain he didn't offend her again,

"I didn't mean what I said earlier, well, I-I meant it, just not, um, how it came out." Harry fumbled for the words whilst twiddling his thumbs,

"It's fine, Harry, but honestly I don't think Malfoy is as bad as he's made out to be. I think he's just...scared."

The Boy-Who-Lived scoffed,

"Yeah. Right." he muttered, than added as an after thought, "He's on the wrong side, Hermione."

"I know." she replied, both annoyed and tired of this particular topic, "But I don't think he had much choice in the matter."

Harry put his hand on hers, she curled her fingers around it. Sometimes she wished she'd been nastier, so she would've been placed in Slytherin, then she wouldn't have to sneak around just to thank Draco for saving her life. But then she'd have never been put in that particular house anyway, would she? She'd have had to be a pureblood. And she wouldn't have been friends with Harry, or even Ron.

It was like she was no longer just Hermione Granger, like she was two separate people, around her friends she was the naive, bossy bookworm who was always right, but around Draco she was just herself, flaws and all, whether she liked it or not, it was easier that way, which probably made it so hard to think they could never really be friends again, never mind they were too old for those sort of games.

"What do you suppose he's dreaming about?" Hermione asked, desperately wanting to change the subject, she nodded to Ron, who was smiling with drool running down the side of his mouth, Harry sniggered,

"Probably Madame Rosmerta. He fancies her, you know."

"Oh, I forgot, they're a pair star-crossed lovers, those two, aren't they?" Hermione smirked,

"A real Romeo and Juliet." he agreed, in a light-hearted, teasing tone, "Why must we always go for the ones we can't have?"

She looked down at her lap, the question ringing far too true for her liking, she'd been told to stay away from Draco, she'd known he came from a prejudice pureblood family and she'd witnessed him being placed in Slytherin, surely that was enough reason to steer clear? But, no, she'd gone after a friendship she knew wouldn't be able to last, she was actually surprised it had lasted that long in the first place or that now after everything they'd done to one another, after she'd hit him, he'd agree to a truce.

"Exactly." she blew out in a whisper,

"Mione? Are you alright?"

Her dark orbs darted to his face, there was something there, something she recognised, she'd seen it on someone else's face before, it was more than simple friendly concern, it nagged at her, she could taste the word on her tongue but still she was at a loss, she didn't understand it, whatever emotion it was it filled her with a strange sense of nervousness,

"I'm fine." she insisted, he looked like he wanted to protest, tell her that he knew there was something bugging her but he refrained from doing so, turning to gaze out the window as he usually did, "Harry?" his head snapped round to face her, "Do you think we'll have a normal term this year?"

He gave her that happy smile of his, the one that lit his eyes up, brightening every single one of his features,

"You're a witch, I'm a wizard, we get money from a bank run by goblins, we have pictures that move, we've fought trolls and werewolves..." he paused for a breath and she laughed, "Define normal?"

She rolled her eyes, giving him a playful nudge,

"Harry!" she scolded lightly, rolling up the newspaper to hit him on the head, the both of them laughing, suddenly Harry stopped fighting with her, in fact he stopped moving all together, she backed away, frowning, his face was dark as he glared at something behind her, she hoped against hope it wasn't another bloody Dementor and when she turned around, she found it was much worse.

Draco Malfoy stood outside the cabin, even through the frosted glass she knew he was looking right at her and though his handsome face was a blur she could see the hurt there, he seemed paralysed for a moment then quickly made his way down the aisle.

Leaving them alone.