Chapter 3: The Story at the Library

So far, it seemed as if the only place Hermione could get some decent work done was in the Library, and even then, it wasn't that easy. First of all, there was a class going on for the second years in there, and most of the tables were taken over by giggly, prissy girls, or hormone driven boys, or both, trying to do their best at looking busy.

Secondly, Malfoy was there.

Hermione managed to find a table over in the corner all to herself. She pulled out her book, Advanced Study of Muggles, and began to color code parts of the notes she had written about it. After all, final exams and O.W.L.S. were only nine months away. She would never write in a book. Firstly, it would give answers away to the next student who used it, and that would be just cheating, and secondly, that would be desecration. From her perch, Hermione had a good view of the checkout desk and the front door, so she was rather miffed when Malfoy came plodding through the door. His father stalked behind him closely. Malfoy walked up to the desk and cleared his throat.

"Madam Pince?" he asked. Hermione couldn't see her because she was surrounded by books. "Do you have any more copies of Monster Book of Monsters? Mine seems to have gotten away." Draco's father glared at him, and, for the first time, Hermione noticed he was sporting a bandage on his left arm. She could only giggle at what had happened to the slimy git. Madam Pince gave a muffled reply and waved her arm back towards where Hermione was sitting. Hermione buried her head in the book, not wanting to be seen by the unsavory duo. They made their way back to the end of the library, and Draco started scanning the shelves for the book, while his father rambled on about a topic that they had undoubtedly been discussing before they entered the library.

"...absolutely humiliating having that...thing attach itself to my arm in front of all the Death Eaters. I am not sorry for blasting that thing into a million pages. Your mother was right (for once) in suggesting that I shouldn't buy you a new one. Why do you even like that class?"

"The teacher-"

"Ruffian!" Lucius muttered under his breath.

"Hagrid seems to enjoy working with the animals. I plan to be an animal caretaker myself after I graduate from this abominable school."

"You dolt! You don't get glory or power from working with animals! You stupid, git!"

"Wanker!" Draco hissed. Lucius turned bright red. "Draco! If I've said it once, I'll say it again..." Draco mocked his father by mouthing back the words behind his father's back. "Never, EVER be rude to your mother or me! That's how you'll be killed by the Dark Lord, and Hell knows that we want him to pass his powers onto you!"

"Maybe I don't want his powers." Draco mimicked a whine.

Lucius stared at his son as if he had just said he loved a Muggle. "You will kill people and you will like it!" Lucius said with all sincerity. Hermione couldn't help but stifle a giggle. It wasn't often that A parent said that to a child.

Draco let out an exasperated sigh. There was just no arguing with his father. Draco had given up on calling him "Daddy" long ago. Now he just called him by "Lucius," seeing as their relationship was only held together by his mother. He poked through the books, and eventually he found what he had been looking for. There, hidden amongst the other books was an old, worn out, Monster Book of Monsters. It was snoring quietly, looking quite blissful in its slumber. Draco poked it. It didn't move. He poked it again. It opened one bleary eye out of instinct. Its eye had a milky-white film covering it.

"Great." Muttered Draco to no one in particular. "A blind book." He poked it. "Come on, you're coming with me." The book turned on its side, and then turned right back around so its back was to Draco, then went back to sleep. Draco, exasperated, poked it again, a little harder. "I said, 'You're coming with me!'" The book turned around and snapped at thin air. Draco smirked. "Well. At least I'll have the upper hand." He picked up the book by its spine (it was still flailing, trying desperately to snap his hand off) and dropped it none-too-gently into his bag. He looked around. His father had gone off somewhere else. Draco snorted. It was just like his father to leave him all alone.

"Is that the only thing you do around here, Malfoy?" Hermione called out from her corner. "Torture books?"

Malfoy turned towards Hermione and was just about to say something, when his father materialized out of nowhere.

"Who's that you're talking to, Draco?"

Hermione crossed her arms haughtily. "My name is Her-" Draco slapped a hand over her mouth.

"This is Millicent Bulstrode, Lucius." Draco shot Hermione a meaningful look. If his father ever met Hermione, alone like this, he'd kill her without a backward glance.

Lucius' face broke out into what seemed like a pleasant smile. "Pleased to finally meet you, Millicent. Your father and Draco have told me so much about you."

"Charmed, I'm sure." Hermione said without moving her barred teeth.

Lucius continued. "For a second, there, I was beginning to think that you associated with mudbloods, Draco." Hermione's face tinged red. "Forgive me for saying so, dear." Lucius added hastily. He had heard about all of the feats of strength Millicent had accomplished, not realizing that the girl in front of him was actually the Hermione Granger who had beaten his son so many times in being the top of the class.

"No offence taken." Hermione growled, still attempting to keep her winning smile, even though it was slipping rapidly.

"I shall see you later Draco...Unless, that is you mange to stay in the school without failing!" Lucius stalked off.

Once he was out of earshot, Hermione shot Draco a look. "What did you do that for?" she hissed, throwing a book in his arms. He managed to catch it, but it knocked the wind out of him.

"Look, my father would have killed you without a second thought-" "I know that! But, why did you save me?" Draco was silent for a while. He gently placed the book on the table.

"Once, when I was about five or six years old, I had a friend from the village nearby. He was a muggle. When my father found out, he captured him and made me torture him. I couldn't do it. I can still see his helpless eyes begging me for mercy today. When I finally broke down, my father killed him right in front of me." Hermione's mouth dropped open. "Your father killed your best friend?" she asked, horrified.

Draco nodded. "Then, he told me something that I'll never forget." Hermione paled. "What?" she whispered.

"Muggles are only toys for Wizards to play with." There was a very long pause. "That's why I can never love my family. For what they do to others. I...I used to try to act tough and I tried to please my father, but he could never be pleased. So...I eventually gave up...I couldn't bear to see another person die in front of me." Suddenly, Hermione felt a pang of guilty well up in her throat. All those times she's insulted him...slapped him...Hermione shook her head. What if this was a trap? Could Draco just be trying to humiliate her? But the story was so vivid, that she couldn't possibly not believe him. She wanted to trust him, but...

"I'm sorry." Hermione whispered.

"I-It's not your fault...Hermione." This was the first time Draco had ever said her name without some spite to it. She looked up at him. His head hung forward, letting his blonde bangs hang in front of his face. His eyes looked saddened and tired, as if telling her the story drained his energy. He got up to leave. She reached out and caught him by his arm.

"Draco." He turned around.

"I'm sorry." She repeated. He walked off.



You like? YEAH! REVIEW, or...or...I shall send...something over to destroy your beloved computer...maybe a troll, or an ogre, or THE HANSON BROTHERS, AND THEN THEY'LL SING!!!!!!!! (MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA)