A/N: Yes, I know this chapter's short but read the bottom and find out how to make them longer! And, I hope I'm not asking too much if I were to ask you to recommend this to your friends… Please? Oh, yes, and I've dedicated this chapter to Birdie, not to mention Snape in Spandex. Anyway, enjoy…
What She Thinks: Chapter 16: Pure Denial
Argus Filch stood, barring down at the to, Miss Noris purring cruelly at his side. Hermione didn't find it at all mysterious that Filch had found them, what with all the noise she was making Hermione was surprised the whole staff hadn't been waiting for her in the corridor. She heaved a low exhausted sigh, wondering what else could go wrong.
Hermione dared not look at Harry as she whipped the tears harshly from her face, too annoyed and enraged to be scared.
She turned the swept silently through the corridors after Filch and soon found herself stepping into Filche's shabby office.
"Oh, the teachers will most certainly hear about this…." He muttered gleefully, practically flying behind his desk and shuffling papers triumphantly.
Hermione let out another sigh and seated herself, arms crossed, in a musty chair infront of Filches desk.
Keeping her head bowed, determined not to look at Harry, Hermione began to count off the number of rules they had broken as Filch named them aloud wile scribbling on their forms, unable to sit down in all his glory he took to dancing around behind his desk.
As her anger slowly died away a much less welcome emotion took its place, pure shame.
She hung her head and slumped in the chair, Filche's constant muttering made her feel much worse.
"Two students out of bed in one nigh…. How wonderful…We've been needing the bubble gum scrapped off the desks for a while now… Oh yes! And the bathrooms…" He sniggered, continuing his quickstep.
Hermione suddenly stopped and looked at Harry, wide eyed, for the first time. As she looked at him she saw the color slowly drain out of his face--the Invisibility Cloak!
She propped her arm on the edge of the chair, resting her cheek on her hand…Now what?
Harry and Hermione were escorted by Filch back to the Portrait hole. Slipping inside Hermione walked stiffly to the girl's staircase, not saying anything to Harry, much less looking at him.
Her speed slowed as she reached her dorm and her eyes filled with tears. 'Why,' She thought miserably, 'why did he call me a…a…And after he kissed me! ' She curled up on top of her sheets, not bothering to stop the steady flow of tears that itched as they skimmed her nose and fell.
Hermione missed Quidditch practice the next morning, even if the game was in two days, she didn't care. She also felt like calling sick and not going to Herbologey, and to her relief, it was canceled. With one whole class gone Hermione headed for the library. She passed a window and stopped, stepping back she glanced briefly out the lower pane and almost smiled. Ron and Harry were heading down to Hagrid's when Ron hit Harry in the head with a snowball. She hung her head and continued down the deserted hall to the library.
With the library in sight she was suddenly grabbed. Her books hit the floor with a clatter that echoed around the empty hall, her attempted screams for help were muffled by a giant hand. She knew there were two of them, one holding her off the ground around the waist and restraining her hands. The other had their hand around her mouth and upper arm.
She struggled, in utter shock and surprise.
Unable to look behind her and too afraid to close her eyes she stared strait ahead. A silver haired boy trotted triumphantly in front of her.
"Well, well, well, no Potter to save you now is there, Miss Granger?" He smirked.
Malfoy's sneer widened as his eyes caught sight of the wand in her right pocket. She struggled harder, but knew it was no use. Pocketing her wand Malfoy raised his own.
"Silentius!" he hissed, sending a blue ribbon swirling around her head and vanishing. She didn't have to try to talk to know what Malfoy had done. He jerked his head in the direction of a room off the hall and Hermione was carried in.
She now knew who must have hold of her, if Malfoy was with them. Her arms were tied behind her back, which she didn't see why. She no longer had her wand and the room was bare besides a couple of musty desks and unused caldrons.
She watched Malfoy lock the door as she was released. For a fleeing instant Hermione considered scurrying to the corner or taking shelter under a desk but threw her head back with trembling pride and glared at Malfoy who began to laugh.
"No Potter to save you here," He repeated, malice gleaming in his eyes. "He's out visiting the oaf, Hagrid, but I suspect you already knew that." He began to circle her, like a vulture. Hermione remained stiff as a board, her spine tingling with a mixture of horror and rage.
Crabbe and Goyle gawfed stupidly behind her.
Hermione opened her mouth to ask indignantly for a fair duel when she remembered that his spell enabled her to talk, and closed it again.
"This," said Malfoy, advancing on her, "is exactly what I've been waiting for." He shoved her harshly up against the wall, holding her up by her shoulders as to not let her slide down to the floor.
He leaned in to kiss her when she raised her foot out of denial and instinct and kicked him hard in the stomach.
Malfoy hit the floor with a grunt and Hermione saw her wand skid across the floor, her attempted leap was disrupted by two tree-trunks of arms catching her hard by the shoulders.
Malfoy raised himself to his feet, but crouched in agony. Recovering to the point that he was able to straiten up he turned his face to hers. His eyes were full of hate, and murder lit his features. Hermione made for the door but was stopped a second time. She struggled to free herself and stumbled forward when Malfoy raised his hand stiffly for them to release her.
Hermione retreated to the door and began kicking helplessly at it. Draco slowly made his way toward her, his chin raised, as though he was truly sickened by her appearance. Hermione couldn't help but notice with great satisfaction the slight limp in his walk. She flattened her back against the wall and struggled to keep her breathing steady and her mind ready.
In her state of horror Hermione was quick to notice her wand, which still lay, forgotten on the floor, visible between Malfoy's legs. Her eyes shot from Draco to the wand and back again. Knowing she was soon to be cornered and there was a slim chance in which she may reach her wand without being turned into a frog, she dove.
A/N: Yes, I'm becoming rather--well, anyway…. 10! The magic number! And if I get 20 reviews I'll make the next chapter extra long… Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!
~Gabbi D.