.22.

Dorian almost shrank under the weight of the glares sent his way, somehow reminding him that a disgraced king had no power or authority in this world. But in that moment, Dorian was also filled with a sense of hatred, petty as it was. Who were these people, strangers all of them, to tell him what to do? Who did they think they were, to presume to question him?

"I asked you a question, Dorian," Tamlin hissed. "What the hell is going on here?"

"And I chose not to answer," Dorian stated bluntly. "Who are you to question me? What, are you jealous of all the time that I've been spending with Hermione? If you had any friends of your own, Tamlin, you'd understand why I have been spending time with her."

"I have friends," Tamlin snarled.

"Who?" Dorian questioned. "Harry and Ginny here? I was rather under the impression that they were Hermione's friends. Not yours."

"Don't be stupid," Tamlin said, still snarling. "Of course they're my friends. You don't know what you're talking about."

At this Harry and Ginny started looking extremely uncomfortable. "Ah, actually," Ginny piped up awkwardly, "but in case you hadn't realised it, Tamlin, we aren't exactly friends."

Tamlin whirled on her. "What are you blithering about? Of course we're friends. I have known you for nearly a year now."

"That doesn't necessarily mean that we're friends," Harry grumbled bitterly, glaring at both Tamlin and Hermione. "I've known plenty of people here for nearly eight years, and there's no way in hell that I'd call all of them friends."

"You must be joking," Tamlin said haughtily. "In a place this size, with this many residents, you have thousands of friends."

"No we aren't," Ginny retorted. "Hate to break it to you, but most people can't stand you. You're a haughty, arrogant, stuck up, spoiled brat who thinks that the entire world revolves around you. You're very plainly a narcissist. No one likes you. Personally, I find it a miracle that Hermione has been able to tolerate your presence for so long."

"I don't know why you'd think I hate him, Ginny," Hermione mumbled almost inaudibly. "You know me better than that. You know how I usually tend to ignore people's bad qualities once I've made friends with them. Even more so after I've fallen in love with them."

A terse, dead silence followed Hermione's words. After a few moments, Harry spoke up. "But, Hermione, you don't love him," he said kindly. "He's just your rebound."

"Yes, I actually do love him, Harry," Hermione said stubbornly, "And no, he's not just a rebound. I've never felt this way about anyone before. Not even about Ronald. Good God, Ronald is such a wimp especially when compared with Tamlin."

At the sound of the insult, Ginny slapped Hermione round the face. Hard. "Don't you ever talk about my brother like that. Ron is brave and strong, a true Gryffindor. If I didn't know better, I'd say that you were the one who was meant to be in Slytherin. Not my brother."

"No matter what you say, Hermione," Harry said authoritatively. "Nothing excuses you lying to us the way you have this year."

"But I wasn't lying, Harry," Hermione said almost meekly. "I only found out who I really was this summer. I told you all this."

"That still means that you have been lying to us for nearly a year," Ginny said. "And that really is unforgivable."

"Why on earth—" Hermione began, but was cut off.

"Because the boy who has tormented us for years, is your brother!" Harry yelled, whirling on her. "Draco Malfoy is your brother!"

Hermione looked to be on the verge of tears. Despite knowing of her true heritage for nearly a year now, she had never really accepted the fact that Malfoy really was her brother. But Harry's words were forcing her to face the uncomfortable truth. Draco Malfoy, her bully, really was her brother. And it was a fact that she hated almost as much as she hated Malfoy. She could hide from the truth no longer.

"That doesn't necessarily mean that I'm an exact carbon copy of him," Hermione said, struggling to hold back her tears. "How can you honestly believe that I am? You've known me for years, Harry."

"How can I believe that?" Harry said coldly. "How can anyone trust you, after you lied to us all for so long? How do you expect me to trust you, Hermione?"

"Have I not earned your trust over the years?" Hermione looked even more devastated at Harry's words, if at all possible. "Have I not been a good and loyal friend to you these last several years? Have I not been by your side, no matter what? Did I not stand by you during the war, even when Ronald wavered? Am I not deserving of your trust, friendship and loyalty?"

"When it comes down to it Harry's right, Hermione," Ginny said sadly. She was clearly heartbroken at the thought but refused to back down. "When it comes down to it you are a Malfoy, and everyone knows that Malfoys cannot be trusted. You cannot rewrite history. You've seen firsthand exactly how cruel your family has been to mine, just because we're poor. You've seen firsthand exactly how cruel your family has been to you – just because they thought you were Muggleborn. Much as it pains me to say it Hermione, you absolutely cannot be trusted."

"Please!" Hermione cried out desperately. "Please! I thought you were meant to be my friends!"

"That friendship ended," Harry said callously, "exactly when you lied to us about who you are. For all I know, you could have deliberately concealed the truth all these years just to be able to spy on me for Voldemort."

"But I'd never!" Hermione cried. "You know that I'd never! Does our past mean nothing you at all? You're my friends. You aren't meant to be treating me like this!"

Harry and Ginny only stared at her distastefully. It was clear – in their eyes, at least – that their friendship with Hermione was over.

"They aren't meant to be treating you like this?" Dorian said sarcastically, making everyone jump in surprise. They had all forgotten that he was there. "What about the way you were supposed to be treating them? Do you normally lie to your friends about major, life changing events? Do you purposefully conceal information from them?"

"But what about if it was a matter of life and death?" Tamlin suddenly interjected. "Because that's what it sounds like, to me."

Dorian snorted derisively. "Were Hermione's secrets going to get her killed? No, I don't think so. The only thing that Hermione has lost because of her secrets is all of her friends. Which is something that I understand as I have also lost all of my friends. Do you even understand the meaning of the phrase life and death, Tamlin?"

Both Tamlin and Hermione looked flustered by Dorian's comments. But something in Tamlin's jealous chest eased. So that was why the bastard boy king has been spending so much time sniffing after my girl, he thought savagely. Because he's been trying to cling to the only friend he has within this pathetic castle. Still, if Hermione and I are ever going to make something out of our relationship, that friendship will have to end. I will brook no competition.

On the other hand, Harry and Ginny both appeared vindicated by Dorian's words. It was as though they now thought they had some justification for being so cruel to Hermione. Both Harry and Ginny hated Tamlin, but deep in their hearts and minds, the hatred of a Malfoy was so much deeper. Stronger. The hatred of Hermione's family, and therefore Hermione herself, was so deeply rooted that it was never going to budge.

Suddenly Harry thought of another question. Something that had been bugging him ever since Hermione had told him who she really was. "What does your brother Draco know about all this?" he asked suspiciously.

"I don't know," Hermione whimpered. "But I think that his father told him everything. Mr Malfoy keeps no secrets from his son."

"But Mr Malfoy keeps secrets from his only daughter? His long lost daughter?" Ginny asked sarcastically. "Yeah, right."

"But Mr Malfoy isn't my father?" Hermione demanded, but it came out more as a question than as a statement.

"If you're a Malfoy, then that makes Mr Malfoy your father," Harry growled angrily. He was furious that Hermione had had the temerity to lie to him. Especially about something like this. It was unbelievable. It was unforgivable. "But that at least explains why Malfoy has been so vile and cruel this year. If there's anyone he hates more than me, Hermione, it's you."

"But you know how much I hate the Malfoys!" Hermione moaned. "That surely has to count for something! That means that I can't be a Malfoy! Please! Maybe I explained myself badly earlier, but I love you all very much. You are my family, not the Malfoys."

"But that doesn't mean that you are any less a Malfoy!" Ginny snapped. "And we all know that the Malfoys are not trust worthy. They were on Voldemort's side during the war. It's obvious that it's only a matter of time before you start going Dark on us."

"I would never!" Hermione cried out indignantly. "You KNOW that I would never! Why don't you trust me? You know that I'm not like the Malfoys! I am not like them! I would never go Dark! I hate – despise – Dark magic! I would have thought that would have been obvious by now!"

"That may be, but you lied to us, Hermione!" Harry shouted. "And you lied about something that is truly unforgivable. You cannot expect us to forgive you. We never will."

Suddenly Tamlin, who had been silent for some time now, spoke out. "You all have some nerve to speak to my Hermione like that. I shall never be able to forgive any you for being so downright nasty to her," Tamlin said haughtily.

"As if we care about what you think, Tamlin," Dorian said, irritated. "You forget that absolutely no one here likes you. And Hermione's stock is still pretty low, too."

"And I don't care about what you think, either," Tamlin said stiffly. "I shall always protect my Hermione from malicious gossips like you. And now, my Hermione and I would appreciate it if you all left us alone for a moment."

With disparaging glances, Dorian, Harry and Ginny walked away without another word. They walked away without a backward glance. They wanted nothing more to do with either Tamlin or Hermione.