A/N: yes, last chapter was long. Over 2,000 words*_* Okay, this one I will keep under 1,999. Yes I will. Oh yes I will. This one, also is going to be a result of slight writers block.
Chapter 7:
The days were slow before the first sign of snowfall. Hermione woke up to Cho running into her room ordering her to open her window.
" Cho, its only five am. Go back to bed!"
" Hermione! It's snow!" she said opening her red and gold curtains. The sun forced Hermione to look out the window, where she saw nothing but pure whiteness. A blanket of snow as far as her eye could reach stretched across the land, leaving the trees in the forbidden forest covered on top with snow, and still piney green underneath.
" That's lovely Cho, It really is. Please shut my curtains now and go back to bed!" she said crankily.
" Yes, sir-ma'am..." she said shutting the curtains and shutting the door behind her.
Two hours later, Hermione woke up. Not many Heads woke up at this hour, not many students woke up at this hour. She normally sat in bed reading or thought. It had been a month and a half that she didn't talk to Harry and she started to miss him. No matter how much she planned though, she could never bring herself up to him and say she was sorry for even avoiding them.
" God how I miss him..." she said, looking at her cat. A tear streaked down her face as she bit her lip. ' I wish none of this had ever happened...whenever I'm with Draco though, I seem to lose all thought of Harry and my missing him. I really need to talk to Susan.'
She got out of bed after a half-hour and got dressed. She put on her brown sweatshirt that had 3 pink diamonds go across it, and a pair of blue jean pants. Over that she put on her winter cloak. She walked to the Hufflepuff Commons room and looked at the portrait. It was of a witch and wizard next to a cauldron. They were obviously asleep, and Hermione didn't know the password.' crap' she thought.' I walked all this way and forgot about passwords...'
" Miss you're a Gryffindor, no other house members unless invited by one or know the password. Well, go on, spit it out. Go on," urged the wizard who woke up the witch.
" For pities sake Sandrom, let her speak you foolish old prune. You woke me up with that racket of yours" spat the hag witch.
" Galandra, look at that badge she's wearing, she's a Gryffindor you blind bat!"
" Um, excuse me," they stopped fighting." I don't know the password but I am friends with Susan Bones. Do you know if she is up yet?" asked Hermione.
" You have to know the password miss!" he spat.
" Yes, but, look!" she showed them her badge." I'm Head girl! isn't it shiny and well, I can get in!?"
" Miss! We've-"
" Sandrom, shut-up! She's a Head Girl and I've seen her with Susan Bones in the corridors when I visit my friends. Yes Miss, you may enter. She is still inside" said Galandra, who made a smile which showed no teeth, and they were yellow if she did have them.
Inside, the Commons Room was very fancy. More than Gryffindor or Slytherin Commons Rooms. There was a student sleeping with a book in his hand on the couch, and one was at a desk, fast away finishing an essay. Two girls who looked like sixth or fifth years walked out from the girl's dormitory and they recognized Hermione at once.
" Oh, hello Hermione" said Courtenie Shadoes.
" Hello Courtenie. Do you know where Susan is?" she asked.
" Oh, Susan. Yes she's in the dorm. I believe she's awake. Go up and take a left and you will find a door that says Sixth years number two. Go in there, you may want to knock first" answered the other girl, Cindy Johnson.
Hermione thanked them and walked up a shirt flight of stairs. There were doors on each sides of the walls once she took her left. Three doors on one side and three on the other, starting with fourth year, dorm one on one side of the wall, dorm two on the other. Then she passed the fifth year dorms and finally at the end of the hall was sixth year. She knocked on the second door and was greeted by her friend, Susan Bones.
" Hermione!" she shrieked.
" Hello Susan. I just wanted to say hi. Hey, why aren't you at home. Don't you seize any opportunity to go back home?"
Susan's face turned grim." Yes, well, mum has got teeth surgery in the Wizard hospital in Russia. Dad owled me five days ago saying that they will both be gone..." she then turned her face to a smile." It snowed today! Did you see?! I can't wait till my friends get out of the shower so we can play in it! I swear they are ridiculous, they are going to make their hair wet then go out into the snow!" Hermione laughed. Susan had a reputation of being very shy, but when she knew someone, she tended to be extremely hyper and Hermione knew that she would be better off listening." So how did you manage to get in?"
" Oh well the witch and wizard, after much quarreling, decided to just let me in since I was Head Girl and I knew you and all-"
" The password is Chocolate covered apples" she interrupted." Oh! Derek said you're going out with Draco Malfoy! Is it true?!"
" Yes... please don't skip around announcing it though...something inside me gets embarrassed whenever a passing Slytherin who knows about that..."
" Your secrets are safe with me!" she said.' Its not a secret though-oh well, its better off if she thinks it's a secret anyways..." thought Hermione." Woah you must be brave though! Draco? I could never gather enough courage to even talk to a Slytherin, and Draco, like he resembles the house in general...that's tough." Susan tended to exaggerate also and get hyped up about it.
" Not that tough, you've just got to read between the lines with him-"
" What about Harry?!" she interrupted, again." I heard that when you two were going out, he was found snogging Parvati Patil. Bet you were bloody mad!"
" I sure was" agreed Hermione rather glumly, Susan interrupted her two times...
" Uh, look I have to get changed then I am going to eat. You can meet me downstairs for breakfast or not. Anyways, I might spend all day in the snow."
" Yeah okay. I'll see you later Susan!" she said leaving the Dorm.
" Bye Hermione! Thanks for coming! Remember the password!" she yelled down the hall. Hermione laughed at how much of a child Susan still acted alot. She wasn't that gorgeous that men were falling at her feet, her chubby cheeks, blue eyes and long blonde hair though worked its charm on a few Hufflepuff men before. Susan also always knew the latest gossip and rumors and loved to spread them more than anything. She also acted like a ditz at times but in reality scored fair grades and talked ALOT.
***
Hermione walked down the corridors to the Great Hall. On her way, she saw a hall that she passed before, but never took the liberty of going into it. It had some dark places here and there and the paintings on the walls seemed to be illuminated with magic light. She always loved to stop at paintings and look at them. Her favorite was of a girl laying on a grassy hill with her cat. There were many other joyful paintings also, some were just mysterious and some were plain scary. She saw one in the middle of the hall and it looked as though no one was in it. It was a meadow with dead grass. On both sides were a forest and she saw a herd of unicorns galloping across the field to the other end of the painting. They looked so real.
She walked a little further and heard noises coming from a hall to the right. As she walked closer, it sounded as though three voices were talking, and one she recognized-Draco. She walked into the dark little hall and saw a light at the end of it (not far because it was a very short hall)." Draco? Is that you?" she called.
Draco turned his light to her and she saw that the two other people were Blaise and Pansy, right next to each other." Oh Hermione, yes...come on."
" What, are you doing?!" she asked.
" Oh," he looked at Pansy and Blaise and chuckled." I was just, talking to them...and obviously they weren't listening because when I turned my light towards them they were busy snogging in the darkness." Pansy and Blaises face went pink. He walked up to Hermione and slipped his hand around her waist, bringing her where they were also. They stayed silent in the darkness for a long time and then Pansy walked over between Draco and Hermione, shunning Hermione away.
" Draco...its ok, you can keep on talking. I will listen." Hermione glared and as though Pansy had eyes on the back of her head, she violently turned her head around." What are you glaring at you Mudblood. Stop it because I just took a shower today and I do not want your vision destroying it. Got that Granger?" she asked.
" Shut up Pansy...You bitch. You will never stay clean as long as you're in Hogwarts you ugly pug-faced hag" said Hermione rather ferociously. Blaise was behind Hermione glaring at Pansy as well and Draco looked as though he were enjoying this catfight.
" Is that the best you can say, Mudblood? Sure wasn't offending...but don't worry, if that doesn't work your face will do just the job."
Hermione looked as though she were about to burst. Before Pansy could laugh at her own comment, she slapped her hard across the face." There, that'll put a little more pigment into your skin whore, if you want to talk about ugly faces" she stormed out of the hall and Into the Great Hall. She sat next to Cho who was sitting next to Derek.
She saw Draco enter the great hall as she walked out." Hermione, sorry about Pansy back there..." he said.
She was still very mad, but not at him." It's ok. You don't have to be sorry it wasn't your fault she's such a butt-ugly whore."
He didn't know really what to say to her comment so he said, " Want to go outside right now? Maybe in a few hours we can go to Hogsmeade?"
" Sure..."
Outside they saw Harry and Ron throwing snow balls at Lavender and Parvati." Everyone! Look its Hermione!" said Ron as he threw a snowball at her as though she were still friends with them. The snowball in fact hit Draco smack in the face.
The two girls walked up to Hermione." Want to help beat the shit out of those two?" asked Parvati timidly.
" Yeah Mione! Come on! You can play also Malfoy!" Harry yelled and said Malfoy as if it were a swear word. Hermiones heart sunk, lower and lower the more she looked at Harry. She turned around and muttered loudly so Parvati and Lavender could hear," Leave me alone you asses. Lets go Draco..." Draco took her hand and gladly walked her away.
" Hermione! Hermione! I'm so glad to see-" Susan Bones stopped when she saw Draco's face turn around. His expression was blank and it scared her just a little.
" Susan!" yelled Hermione running into her arms." I'm glad to see you also! Hey we'll be back though, we're going to Hogsmeade to finish up some shopping. I'll buy you something if you'd like."
" Oh..." she looked sad." Okay. I'll, see you later then. She walked back to her three friends who were flying on broomsticks.
****
In Hogsmeade, Draco and Hermione scavenged the shops quickly. By noon, they entered the Three Broomsticks and sat at the bar.
" Hello Hermione and-" Rosmerta stopped when she saw Draco," Draco. What would you two like?" Her eyes still fixed on Draco." What am I saying? You always want Bottlebeers! Two Bottlebeers straight up!" she said rather happily and walked into the kitchen quickly.
" What WAS her problem?" asked Draco." She stared at me the whole ti-"
" She's used to seeing me with Harry and Ron. Surprised that you were with me I guess." All of a sudden, someone tapped Hermione on the shoulder. She turned around and saw Rosmerta gesture her to an empty table near the corner." Yes?" asked Hermione.
" Are you mental?!"
" What? What are you talking about?"
" Hermione! I've known you for more than two years. It's not like you to be hanging out with a, well a Malfoy. Especially since he has a family name to live up to by hating Mixed Bloods. I'm only trying-"
" Oh PUHLEASE Rosmerta! He's changed and he's not mean to me. I don't care what you think. I'm a big gir-"
" Hermione, I know what I'm talking about. When I went to Hogwarts, Lucious Malfoy liked me and we were going out. Then he turned his back on me, and my friends. Later on he killed my friends, but that was after we graduated. While we were still in school, he cheated on me for his fellow Slytherin, Narcissa..." Rosmerta stopped when she saw Hermione stomp back to Draco.
Hermione grabbed his arm and yanked him out the pub. Outside, they stopped and Hermione's eyes welled up with tears.
" Hermione? What's the matter? What did Rosmerta say?!"
" Draco, I'm so sick of people worrying about me. I had enough with Harry and Ron, and now that we're going out, well everyone is even more worried for me."
" Are you saying that we should break up?!" he asked rather scared but shocked.
" No Draco!" she started to cry as Draco's grip on her forearms tightened." No. I am just pissed about everyone's worrying. I don't think the time will ever come when we have to break up..." with that her head faced the ground. Draco took his hand and made her look up at him." Oh Draco! I'm so sick of everything! I wish nothing happened and it was just us two in a little, I dunno, a white box. Away from everything" her arms thrust around him.
Draco felt rather embarrased." Come on Hermione, let's go before you soak up my robes" he teased. She laughed and they walked back to the carriage station. In the carriage, Hermione was about to fall asleep in Draco's arms, as she thought ' Why did I say that? I made him think that I didn't want to be with him anymore. Oh gosh. Part of me wants to and part of me wants to be with Harry. Another part wants me to just lay in bed with Crookshanks and sleep-forever and peacefully. Not dead though.'
As she thought, a plan brewed in her mind. One that she wanted to do since she started to ignore her friends. She had to talk to Harry. If she didn't, she would be so lost. Draco was important to her but she felt empty without Harry.
Chapter 7:
The days were slow before the first sign of snowfall. Hermione woke up to Cho running into her room ordering her to open her window.
" Cho, its only five am. Go back to bed!"
" Hermione! It's snow!" she said opening her red and gold curtains. The sun forced Hermione to look out the window, where she saw nothing but pure whiteness. A blanket of snow as far as her eye could reach stretched across the land, leaving the trees in the forbidden forest covered on top with snow, and still piney green underneath.
" That's lovely Cho, It really is. Please shut my curtains now and go back to bed!" she said crankily.
" Yes, sir-ma'am..." she said shutting the curtains and shutting the door behind her.
Two hours later, Hermione woke up. Not many Heads woke up at this hour, not many students woke up at this hour. She normally sat in bed reading or thought. It had been a month and a half that she didn't talk to Harry and she started to miss him. No matter how much she planned though, she could never bring herself up to him and say she was sorry for even avoiding them.
" God how I miss him..." she said, looking at her cat. A tear streaked down her face as she bit her lip. ' I wish none of this had ever happened...whenever I'm with Draco though, I seem to lose all thought of Harry and my missing him. I really need to talk to Susan.'
She got out of bed after a half-hour and got dressed. She put on her brown sweatshirt that had 3 pink diamonds go across it, and a pair of blue jean pants. Over that she put on her winter cloak. She walked to the Hufflepuff Commons room and looked at the portrait. It was of a witch and wizard next to a cauldron. They were obviously asleep, and Hermione didn't know the password.' crap' she thought.' I walked all this way and forgot about passwords...'
" Miss you're a Gryffindor, no other house members unless invited by one or know the password. Well, go on, spit it out. Go on," urged the wizard who woke up the witch.
" For pities sake Sandrom, let her speak you foolish old prune. You woke me up with that racket of yours" spat the hag witch.
" Galandra, look at that badge she's wearing, she's a Gryffindor you blind bat!"
" Um, excuse me," they stopped fighting." I don't know the password but I am friends with Susan Bones. Do you know if she is up yet?" asked Hermione.
" You have to know the password miss!" he spat.
" Yes, but, look!" she showed them her badge." I'm Head girl! isn't it shiny and well, I can get in!?"
" Miss! We've-"
" Sandrom, shut-up! She's a Head Girl and I've seen her with Susan Bones in the corridors when I visit my friends. Yes Miss, you may enter. She is still inside" said Galandra, who made a smile which showed no teeth, and they were yellow if she did have them.
Inside, the Commons Room was very fancy. More than Gryffindor or Slytherin Commons Rooms. There was a student sleeping with a book in his hand on the couch, and one was at a desk, fast away finishing an essay. Two girls who looked like sixth or fifth years walked out from the girl's dormitory and they recognized Hermione at once.
" Oh, hello Hermione" said Courtenie Shadoes.
" Hello Courtenie. Do you know where Susan is?" she asked.
" Oh, Susan. Yes she's in the dorm. I believe she's awake. Go up and take a left and you will find a door that says Sixth years number two. Go in there, you may want to knock first" answered the other girl, Cindy Johnson.
Hermione thanked them and walked up a shirt flight of stairs. There were doors on each sides of the walls once she took her left. Three doors on one side and three on the other, starting with fourth year, dorm one on one side of the wall, dorm two on the other. Then she passed the fifth year dorms and finally at the end of the hall was sixth year. She knocked on the second door and was greeted by her friend, Susan Bones.
" Hermione!" she shrieked.
" Hello Susan. I just wanted to say hi. Hey, why aren't you at home. Don't you seize any opportunity to go back home?"
Susan's face turned grim." Yes, well, mum has got teeth surgery in the Wizard hospital in Russia. Dad owled me five days ago saying that they will both be gone..." she then turned her face to a smile." It snowed today! Did you see?! I can't wait till my friends get out of the shower so we can play in it! I swear they are ridiculous, they are going to make their hair wet then go out into the snow!" Hermione laughed. Susan had a reputation of being very shy, but when she knew someone, she tended to be extremely hyper and Hermione knew that she would be better off listening." So how did you manage to get in?"
" Oh well the witch and wizard, after much quarreling, decided to just let me in since I was Head Girl and I knew you and all-"
" The password is Chocolate covered apples" she interrupted." Oh! Derek said you're going out with Draco Malfoy! Is it true?!"
" Yes... please don't skip around announcing it though...something inside me gets embarrassed whenever a passing Slytherin who knows about that..."
" Your secrets are safe with me!" she said.' Its not a secret though-oh well, its better off if she thinks it's a secret anyways..." thought Hermione." Woah you must be brave though! Draco? I could never gather enough courage to even talk to a Slytherin, and Draco, like he resembles the house in general...that's tough." Susan tended to exaggerate also and get hyped up about it.
" Not that tough, you've just got to read between the lines with him-"
" What about Harry?!" she interrupted, again." I heard that when you two were going out, he was found snogging Parvati Patil. Bet you were bloody mad!"
" I sure was" agreed Hermione rather glumly, Susan interrupted her two times...
" Uh, look I have to get changed then I am going to eat. You can meet me downstairs for breakfast or not. Anyways, I might spend all day in the snow."
" Yeah okay. I'll see you later Susan!" she said leaving the Dorm.
" Bye Hermione! Thanks for coming! Remember the password!" she yelled down the hall. Hermione laughed at how much of a child Susan still acted alot. She wasn't that gorgeous that men were falling at her feet, her chubby cheeks, blue eyes and long blonde hair though worked its charm on a few Hufflepuff men before. Susan also always knew the latest gossip and rumors and loved to spread them more than anything. She also acted like a ditz at times but in reality scored fair grades and talked ALOT.
***
Hermione walked down the corridors to the Great Hall. On her way, she saw a hall that she passed before, but never took the liberty of going into it. It had some dark places here and there and the paintings on the walls seemed to be illuminated with magic light. She always loved to stop at paintings and look at them. Her favorite was of a girl laying on a grassy hill with her cat. There were many other joyful paintings also, some were just mysterious and some were plain scary. She saw one in the middle of the hall and it looked as though no one was in it. It was a meadow with dead grass. On both sides were a forest and she saw a herd of unicorns galloping across the field to the other end of the painting. They looked so real.
She walked a little further and heard noises coming from a hall to the right. As she walked closer, it sounded as though three voices were talking, and one she recognized-Draco. She walked into the dark little hall and saw a light at the end of it (not far because it was a very short hall)." Draco? Is that you?" she called.
Draco turned his light to her and she saw that the two other people were Blaise and Pansy, right next to each other." Oh Hermione, yes...come on."
" What, are you doing?!" she asked.
" Oh," he looked at Pansy and Blaise and chuckled." I was just, talking to them...and obviously they weren't listening because when I turned my light towards them they were busy snogging in the darkness." Pansy and Blaises face went pink. He walked up to Hermione and slipped his hand around her waist, bringing her where they were also. They stayed silent in the darkness for a long time and then Pansy walked over between Draco and Hermione, shunning Hermione away.
" Draco...its ok, you can keep on talking. I will listen." Hermione glared and as though Pansy had eyes on the back of her head, she violently turned her head around." What are you glaring at you Mudblood. Stop it because I just took a shower today and I do not want your vision destroying it. Got that Granger?" she asked.
" Shut up Pansy...You bitch. You will never stay clean as long as you're in Hogwarts you ugly pug-faced hag" said Hermione rather ferociously. Blaise was behind Hermione glaring at Pansy as well and Draco looked as though he were enjoying this catfight.
" Is that the best you can say, Mudblood? Sure wasn't offending...but don't worry, if that doesn't work your face will do just the job."
Hermione looked as though she were about to burst. Before Pansy could laugh at her own comment, she slapped her hard across the face." There, that'll put a little more pigment into your skin whore, if you want to talk about ugly faces" she stormed out of the hall and Into the Great Hall. She sat next to Cho who was sitting next to Derek.
She saw Draco enter the great hall as she walked out." Hermione, sorry about Pansy back there..." he said.
She was still very mad, but not at him." It's ok. You don't have to be sorry it wasn't your fault she's such a butt-ugly whore."
He didn't know really what to say to her comment so he said, " Want to go outside right now? Maybe in a few hours we can go to Hogsmeade?"
" Sure..."
Outside they saw Harry and Ron throwing snow balls at Lavender and Parvati." Everyone! Look its Hermione!" said Ron as he threw a snowball at her as though she were still friends with them. The snowball in fact hit Draco smack in the face.
The two girls walked up to Hermione." Want to help beat the shit out of those two?" asked Parvati timidly.
" Yeah Mione! Come on! You can play also Malfoy!" Harry yelled and said Malfoy as if it were a swear word. Hermiones heart sunk, lower and lower the more she looked at Harry. She turned around and muttered loudly so Parvati and Lavender could hear," Leave me alone you asses. Lets go Draco..." Draco took her hand and gladly walked her away.
" Hermione! Hermione! I'm so glad to see-" Susan Bones stopped when she saw Draco's face turn around. His expression was blank and it scared her just a little.
" Susan!" yelled Hermione running into her arms." I'm glad to see you also! Hey we'll be back though, we're going to Hogsmeade to finish up some shopping. I'll buy you something if you'd like."
" Oh..." she looked sad." Okay. I'll, see you later then. She walked back to her three friends who were flying on broomsticks.
****
In Hogsmeade, Draco and Hermione scavenged the shops quickly. By noon, they entered the Three Broomsticks and sat at the bar.
" Hello Hermione and-" Rosmerta stopped when she saw Draco," Draco. What would you two like?" Her eyes still fixed on Draco." What am I saying? You always want Bottlebeers! Two Bottlebeers straight up!" she said rather happily and walked into the kitchen quickly.
" What WAS her problem?" asked Draco." She stared at me the whole ti-"
" She's used to seeing me with Harry and Ron. Surprised that you were with me I guess." All of a sudden, someone tapped Hermione on the shoulder. She turned around and saw Rosmerta gesture her to an empty table near the corner." Yes?" asked Hermione.
" Are you mental?!"
" What? What are you talking about?"
" Hermione! I've known you for more than two years. It's not like you to be hanging out with a, well a Malfoy. Especially since he has a family name to live up to by hating Mixed Bloods. I'm only trying-"
" Oh PUHLEASE Rosmerta! He's changed and he's not mean to me. I don't care what you think. I'm a big gir-"
" Hermione, I know what I'm talking about. When I went to Hogwarts, Lucious Malfoy liked me and we were going out. Then he turned his back on me, and my friends. Later on he killed my friends, but that was after we graduated. While we were still in school, he cheated on me for his fellow Slytherin, Narcissa..." Rosmerta stopped when she saw Hermione stomp back to Draco.
Hermione grabbed his arm and yanked him out the pub. Outside, they stopped and Hermione's eyes welled up with tears.
" Hermione? What's the matter? What did Rosmerta say?!"
" Draco, I'm so sick of people worrying about me. I had enough with Harry and Ron, and now that we're going out, well everyone is even more worried for me."
" Are you saying that we should break up?!" he asked rather scared but shocked.
" No Draco!" she started to cry as Draco's grip on her forearms tightened." No. I am just pissed about everyone's worrying. I don't think the time will ever come when we have to break up..." with that her head faced the ground. Draco took his hand and made her look up at him." Oh Draco! I'm so sick of everything! I wish nothing happened and it was just us two in a little, I dunno, a white box. Away from everything" her arms thrust around him.
Draco felt rather embarrased." Come on Hermione, let's go before you soak up my robes" he teased. She laughed and they walked back to the carriage station. In the carriage, Hermione was about to fall asleep in Draco's arms, as she thought ' Why did I say that? I made him think that I didn't want to be with him anymore. Oh gosh. Part of me wants to and part of me wants to be with Harry. Another part wants me to just lay in bed with Crookshanks and sleep-forever and peacefully. Not dead though.'
As she thought, a plan brewed in her mind. One that she wanted to do since she started to ignore her friends. She had to talk to Harry. If she didn't, she would be so lost. Draco was important to her but she felt empty without Harry.