Starting Over
Chapter Three
"Excuse me for a minute, will you? I need some fresh air." I stood up so abruptly that I almost knocked Hagrid's drink off the table.
"Are yeh' alrigh', Hermione?" Hagrid asked, looking concerned.
"You look kind of pale. Are you sick?" Penelope asked.
"Yes... I mean, I'll be all right. I just need some air. It's quite stuffy here, don't you think?"
"Oh... okay... We'll just be here if you need anything." Penelope replied.
I stumbled out of the bar and breathed the fresh air. I tried to calm myself.
Draco Malfoy was the son of Lucius Malfoy, one of the people who killed Ron. I knew that Draco Malfoy was also now part of Voldemort's supporters. I couldn't believe it. I hadn't been prepared to face such a cruel reminder of how Ron died. I remembered how I saw Harry and Dumbledore, flanked with almost a hundred Aurors and powerful wizards and witches. I heard all the students cheered. I cheered with them. But then I saw their faces. Dumbledore looked dismal. Then I saw him. Ron. Carried by an Auror. His lifeless body and dead eyes.
I remember how I screamed and fell to the ground. I couldn't believe it. Ron was gone. I could also remember the whole Weasley family coming to the castle, expecting to see their son running towards them. But when they heard the tragic news, I could feel their pain and sorrow. Mrs. Weasley was sobbing hysterically while Percy and Bill looked so aghast. Charlie comforted Ginny who was also crying. Even Fred and George looked as if they'll never laugh again. Mr. Weasley was so angry and grievous at the same time that he swore so loud and even Mrs. Weasley didn't reprimand him.
I remember how the Gryffindor common room was so silent till the last day. I also saw how Harry changed. We both changed. We sat there in front of the fire, thinking what we could be doing if Ron was alive. Harry said that Ron shouldn't have died. Ron shouldn't have even come. I couldn't understand how he died and how he was able to come with them.
Harry visited me right after we all went home. I was so depressed that I shut myself up in my room. It was Harry who made me realize that Ron wouldn't like what I was doing. So I decided to get my life back. Though it was hard and slow, I was able to do it. Even though at times I suffer from traumatic flashbacks. Even at Percy's wedding, I could see how the Weasley family changed. Fred and George became more serious and even Ginny seemed to lose her childlike faith. Mrs. Weasley definitely lost a lot of weight. Mr. Weasley lost a lot of hair and looked more tired than usual...
I took a last deep breath. It won't matter if I felt worse now. I decided to go back inside and face the situation on my own. But then I didn't have to face it inside after all. As I turned to go in, I hit another person going out.
I finished my red currant rum in one swig. I was hurrying to get home, since I hadn't been home for six straight days. I plunked the tankard down and tossed ten Sickles onto the counter. In order to forget my fear of going home, I had to drink some alcohol.
I felt the rum burning in the back of my throat and on my chest. I breathed inwardly, trying to calm myself.
I swept out of the Three Broomsticks quickly when suddenly I collided into something. As a few Sickles and several Knuts fell out of my pocket, I felt my temper rise.
"What d'you think you're doing, standing in front of the door?" I growled as I furiously began to pick my coins up.
The person who I hit said nothing. As I finally straightened up, I realized it was a woman. Her brown hair was a bit bushy and harassed. She looked surprised.
"Well?" I said impatiently, waiting for an apology.
"W-well what?" She replied. Her voice seemed to be shaking.
"Don't you think I deserve an apology?" I asked.
"Oh... yes... I'm sorry." She hung her head, looking like an insecure little girl.
Then I realized that there was something familiar about this girl. Her brown bushy hair reminded me of an irritating little schoolmate in my Hogwarts years. Granger. It made me dislike her more.
"I'm off to go somewhere else now. Get out of my way." I said as I hurried past her.
Suddenly she spoke up in a very serious tone.
"Still ill-mannered, I see, Draco?"
I turned around.
"What did you call me?"
"I called you Draco. Isn't that your first name?"
"It is. But how-?"
Suddenly it dawned to me. She was my irritating little schoolmate.
"You're-you're Hermione Granger!" I stuttered, not believing my eyes.
"Glad you remembered. But I hope that you remember your manners as well as my name next time. Good day." The same irritation I had towards her seventeen years ago returned to me in an instant.
"You're still that same prissy little schoolgirl, aren't you?" I shot back.
I saw her eyes flash angrily.
"And you're still the same pointy-nosed boy whose mission in life is to make everybody's life miserable."
"Nice of you to judge me. Are you a teacher in Hogwarts? I see you're with Hagrid." I said trying to make good conversation. The last thing I would want was her to hex me.
"I am. Transfiguration."
"Can't leave the castle, can't you?" I replied.
"So what? It's none of your business." Then I knew that I must've hit a nerve. She suddenly went pale and looked down on her feet.
Then I realized a possible reason of why she didn't want to live the castle. Ron Weasley.
"Look, Hermione. I'm sorry. Let's just be friends, all right? There's no point in holding grudges towards each other."
For a second, I thought that she was going to agree. Then she looked up.
"You're wrong, Draco. Sometimes there is. Good day to you." She said softly.
Then she was gone.
Chapter Three
"Excuse me for a minute, will you? I need some fresh air." I stood up so abruptly that I almost knocked Hagrid's drink off the table.
"Are yeh' alrigh', Hermione?" Hagrid asked, looking concerned.
"You look kind of pale. Are you sick?" Penelope asked.
"Yes... I mean, I'll be all right. I just need some air. It's quite stuffy here, don't you think?"
"Oh... okay... We'll just be here if you need anything." Penelope replied.
I stumbled out of the bar and breathed the fresh air. I tried to calm myself.
Draco Malfoy was the son of Lucius Malfoy, one of the people who killed Ron. I knew that Draco Malfoy was also now part of Voldemort's supporters. I couldn't believe it. I hadn't been prepared to face such a cruel reminder of how Ron died. I remembered how I saw Harry and Dumbledore, flanked with almost a hundred Aurors and powerful wizards and witches. I heard all the students cheered. I cheered with them. But then I saw their faces. Dumbledore looked dismal. Then I saw him. Ron. Carried by an Auror. His lifeless body and dead eyes.
I remember how I screamed and fell to the ground. I couldn't believe it. Ron was gone. I could also remember the whole Weasley family coming to the castle, expecting to see their son running towards them. But when they heard the tragic news, I could feel their pain and sorrow. Mrs. Weasley was sobbing hysterically while Percy and Bill looked so aghast. Charlie comforted Ginny who was also crying. Even Fred and George looked as if they'll never laugh again. Mr. Weasley was so angry and grievous at the same time that he swore so loud and even Mrs. Weasley didn't reprimand him.
I remember how the Gryffindor common room was so silent till the last day. I also saw how Harry changed. We both changed. We sat there in front of the fire, thinking what we could be doing if Ron was alive. Harry said that Ron shouldn't have died. Ron shouldn't have even come. I couldn't understand how he died and how he was able to come with them.
Harry visited me right after we all went home. I was so depressed that I shut myself up in my room. It was Harry who made me realize that Ron wouldn't like what I was doing. So I decided to get my life back. Though it was hard and slow, I was able to do it. Even though at times I suffer from traumatic flashbacks. Even at Percy's wedding, I could see how the Weasley family changed. Fred and George became more serious and even Ginny seemed to lose her childlike faith. Mrs. Weasley definitely lost a lot of weight. Mr. Weasley lost a lot of hair and looked more tired than usual...
I took a last deep breath. It won't matter if I felt worse now. I decided to go back inside and face the situation on my own. But then I didn't have to face it inside after all. As I turned to go in, I hit another person going out.
I finished my red currant rum in one swig. I was hurrying to get home, since I hadn't been home for six straight days. I plunked the tankard down and tossed ten Sickles onto the counter. In order to forget my fear of going home, I had to drink some alcohol.
I felt the rum burning in the back of my throat and on my chest. I breathed inwardly, trying to calm myself.
I swept out of the Three Broomsticks quickly when suddenly I collided into something. As a few Sickles and several Knuts fell out of my pocket, I felt my temper rise.
"What d'you think you're doing, standing in front of the door?" I growled as I furiously began to pick my coins up.
The person who I hit said nothing. As I finally straightened up, I realized it was a woman. Her brown hair was a bit bushy and harassed. She looked surprised.
"Well?" I said impatiently, waiting for an apology.
"W-well what?" She replied. Her voice seemed to be shaking.
"Don't you think I deserve an apology?" I asked.
"Oh... yes... I'm sorry." She hung her head, looking like an insecure little girl.
Then I realized that there was something familiar about this girl. Her brown bushy hair reminded me of an irritating little schoolmate in my Hogwarts years. Granger. It made me dislike her more.
"I'm off to go somewhere else now. Get out of my way." I said as I hurried past her.
Suddenly she spoke up in a very serious tone.
"Still ill-mannered, I see, Draco?"
I turned around.
"What did you call me?"
"I called you Draco. Isn't that your first name?"
"It is. But how-?"
Suddenly it dawned to me. She was my irritating little schoolmate.
"You're-you're Hermione Granger!" I stuttered, not believing my eyes.
"Glad you remembered. But I hope that you remember your manners as well as my name next time. Good day." The same irritation I had towards her seventeen years ago returned to me in an instant.
"You're still that same prissy little schoolgirl, aren't you?" I shot back.
I saw her eyes flash angrily.
"And you're still the same pointy-nosed boy whose mission in life is to make everybody's life miserable."
"Nice of you to judge me. Are you a teacher in Hogwarts? I see you're with Hagrid." I said trying to make good conversation. The last thing I would want was her to hex me.
"I am. Transfiguration."
"Can't leave the castle, can't you?" I replied.
"So what? It's none of your business." Then I knew that I must've hit a nerve. She suddenly went pale and looked down on her feet.
Then I realized a possible reason of why she didn't want to live the castle. Ron Weasley.
"Look, Hermione. I'm sorry. Let's just be friends, all right? There's no point in holding grudges towards each other."
For a second, I thought that she was going to agree. Then she looked up.
"You're wrong, Draco. Sometimes there is. Good day to you." She said softly.
Then she was gone.
