Disclaimer: I own nothing, besides the idea, I wish I did, but these are the ideas of the ever wonderful JK Rowling.
Tee hee.. thanks to Jada for editing!
The two walked across the Great Hall together. Hermione gazed up to the beautiful enchanted ceiling.
"It never becomes less wicked does it?" Ron smiled as he watched Hermione.
"Never. I think this is my favourite room in the whole school."
"What!" Ron exclaimed, shocked, "I thought it would be the library!" he laughed as she scowled at him. "Well, here we are," he said as he gestured to the large staff table in front of him.
Ron walked along the table as Hermione followed. It was odd for her to be standing where she was, looking out over the four house tables. She remembered many hundreds of meals spent sitting on the benches, looking to the staff table. As Hermione walked, many faces greeted her, Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Professor Trelawney, and many others, both old and new. Some of the students she once knew, and was friends with were also there. Ernie Macmillan, Lavender Brown, Susan Bones, and - to Hermione's dread as she neared the end of the table - Draco Malfoy.
"Why didn't you tell me he was here," Hermione whispered, narrowing her eyes in Draco's direction.
"I didn't think it was a big deal. I guess I'm just so used to him now," Ron said, shrugging his shoulders.
As the two neared their seats at the end of the table, there were murmured greetings to Hermione. The new activity caught Draco's as he was looking down the table talking to Ernie. A sneer came across his face as he saw Hermione.
"Granger, welcome back," Draco said as they passed him with a devilish, knowing grin.
All the blood rushed from Hermione's face. She was as pale as Nearly Headless Nick. Many old, terrible memories flashed through Hermione's head. The many night she had snuck from her dorm to see him. The lies she had to tell Harry, Ron, and Ginny to keep them from knowing. Waking up in the morning, having to live with herself after letting him use her the way he did. She didn't see it at the time, she thought he loved her, she thought they would be together.
Ron pulled the chair next to his out for Hermione to sit in, then took his own.
"What's the big deal? I thought you of all people would be able to get over this," Ron said looking at her now very pale face.
"It - it's not a big deal," Hermione couldn't look into Ron's eyes and lie to him, so she looked to the plate of food in front of her. But, that didn't look so appetizing anymore.
"So, what else have you been up to?" Ron asked as he ate his meal.
"Oh, you know, the usual," Hermione answered trying to look convincing. "But, I've got to get going, Ron. I want to prepare some lesson plans," she smiled at him as she rose from her chair.
"But, you didn't even touch your food!" Ron looked shocked as she started to walk away.
Hermione didn't turn back to him. She just wanted to be alone. How could Ron not have mentioned that Draco was there. Or even Dumbledore, but he didn't even tell her that Ron was there. For the first time, Hermione was doubting her acceptance of her new position.
Tee hee.. thanks to Jada for editing!
The two walked across the Great Hall together. Hermione gazed up to the beautiful enchanted ceiling.
"It never becomes less wicked does it?" Ron smiled as he watched Hermione.
"Never. I think this is my favourite room in the whole school."
"What!" Ron exclaimed, shocked, "I thought it would be the library!" he laughed as she scowled at him. "Well, here we are," he said as he gestured to the large staff table in front of him.
Ron walked along the table as Hermione followed. It was odd for her to be standing where she was, looking out over the four house tables. She remembered many hundreds of meals spent sitting on the benches, looking to the staff table. As Hermione walked, many faces greeted her, Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Professor Trelawney, and many others, both old and new. Some of the students she once knew, and was friends with were also there. Ernie Macmillan, Lavender Brown, Susan Bones, and - to Hermione's dread as she neared the end of the table - Draco Malfoy.
"Why didn't you tell me he was here," Hermione whispered, narrowing her eyes in Draco's direction.
"I didn't think it was a big deal. I guess I'm just so used to him now," Ron said, shrugging his shoulders.
As the two neared their seats at the end of the table, there were murmured greetings to Hermione. The new activity caught Draco's as he was looking down the table talking to Ernie. A sneer came across his face as he saw Hermione.
"Granger, welcome back," Draco said as they passed him with a devilish, knowing grin.
All the blood rushed from Hermione's face. She was as pale as Nearly Headless Nick. Many old, terrible memories flashed through Hermione's head. The many night she had snuck from her dorm to see him. The lies she had to tell Harry, Ron, and Ginny to keep them from knowing. Waking up in the morning, having to live with herself after letting him use her the way he did. She didn't see it at the time, she thought he loved her, she thought they would be together.
Ron pulled the chair next to his out for Hermione to sit in, then took his own.
"What's the big deal? I thought you of all people would be able to get over this," Ron said looking at her now very pale face.
"It - it's not a big deal," Hermione couldn't look into Ron's eyes and lie to him, so she looked to the plate of food in front of her. But, that didn't look so appetizing anymore.
"So, what else have you been up to?" Ron asked as he ate his meal.
"Oh, you know, the usual," Hermione answered trying to look convincing. "But, I've got to get going, Ron. I want to prepare some lesson plans," she smiled at him as she rose from her chair.
"But, you didn't even touch your food!" Ron looked shocked as she started to walk away.
Hermione didn't turn back to him. She just wanted to be alone. How could Ron not have mentioned that Draco was there. Or even Dumbledore, but he didn't even tell her that Ron was there. For the first time, Hermione was doubting her acceptance of her new position.