Title: Complicated
Author's name: Tracy_Lou
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and any other character.
Chapter 3 – Trouble in the office
Hermione woke up the next morning and tried to remember why she was so upset. Then she remembered the fight she'd had with Ron. Her pillow was wet where her tears had fallen. She looked into her mirror at her reflection. She looked awful. Her bushy hair was worse than normal; standing up in different directions. Her eyes were red from where she had been crying.
Draco woke up and pulled back his emerald curtains around his four poster bed. He was still tired and felt as though he wanted to stay in his warm bed and sleep his troubles away. He thought to himself that he hoped he'd see Hermione today, he stopped himself; he had to get over this 'crush'.
Hermione walked down the staircases and into the Gryffindor common room. She saw Ron sitting in a chair with his head in his hands. "Ron?" Hermione asked timidly. Ron looked up into Hermione's eyes, which were still slightly red, the same as his own. "Hermione! I'm so sorry about yesterday; I never meant to snap at you like that, I was in a bad mood" He said this rather quickly and looked apprehensive for her reply. "Oh Ron, I'm sorry too. I should have been more grateful" after she said this, she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him.
Harry walked in and smiled at the two hugging. "Oh good! You two have made up!" "Made up? I have no idea what you're talking about" Ron lied. Hermione raised her eyebrows at him and Ron shut up, his ears turned red. Ginny walked down the staircases and stepped into the common room. She was holding a brush in her hand; trying to tame her red hair. As she brushed, her hair flicked in Harry's face. "Oh sorry Harry" Ginny said. "That's ok" Harry replied with a rather dazed look on his face; Ginny's hair smelled like peaches.
The four of them made their way down to the great hall. Ron and Hermione were holding hands and both had smiles on their faces. Draco walked in their direction and stopped in front of them. "Oooh! Granger and weasel are holding hands!" Malfoy said forcefully. "Shut up Malfoy" Ron replied. Draco couldn't help but feel hurt as he saw their hands together, their fingers entwined. "What are you staring at Malfoy?" Hermione asked with a suspicious look in her eyes. "Nothing" Malfoy lied and he stalked off. "That was strange" Hermione said suspiciously; "he didn't call me-"she broke off, not wanting to say the word. Ron kissed her on the cheek and said: "don't worry sweetie, you don't have to say it".
After their breakfast, Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way to care of magical creatures. Today they were looking after Jobberknoll's. "Today we're gonna look at Jobberknoll's; now, who can tell meh wha Jabberknoll's feathers are used for?" To know ones surprise; Hermione's hand shot up. "Yeh Hermione?" "Jabberknoll's feathers are used in truth serums and memory potions". "Righ yeh are Hermione, ten point's fer Gryffindor. Ron looked at her with admiration; so did Malfoy.
Harry thought the Jobberknoll's looked sweet. They were tiny blue speckled birds and loved to eat small insects; which was what everyone was feeding them. Malfoy tiggled one under its beak and it nipped his finger; he gave the bird a dirty look. "So Harry, Quidditch is coming soon isn't it eh? Slytherin versus Gryffindor, lookin forward to it?" Hagrid said as Harry was feeding a worm to his Jobberknoll. "Yeah, should be a good game".
Every time Hermione looked up, she caught Malfoy's eye. 'What is his problem?' she thought to herself as she petted the Jabberknoll she was feeding on the head. After the lesson had finished, Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way to lunch in the Great Hall. Hermione stared into her food not eating anything. "What's up Mione?" Ron asked as he chewed his sausage. "It's Malfoy, his acting weird around me, I think his up to something" Hermione replied with a troubled look on her face. "Don't worry; Malfoy can't do anything to you if we're with you" Ron told her as he touched her hand with his own. "Thanks" Hermione said, smiling.
The rest of the afternoon went by as normal. Hermione thought to herself: 'it was a good afternoon because Malfoy wasn't there'. Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way to the common room after their dinner and were greeted by Ginny who had tears in her eyes.
"Ginny! What's the matter?" Harry asked concerned. "It's about dad" she said to Ron in particular. "What is it?" She handed Ron a letter and burst into tears; Harry gave her a tight hug. Ron read aloud:
Dear Ginny, Ron, Fred and George.
I'm afraid I have some bad news. The ministry have decided to expand another office to do with muggle artefacts and find no need to keep your fathers open. I'm sorry but your father has lost his job.
Love Mum xxx
Ron looked up from the parchment and had his own tears swelling in his eyes. "But- they can't… how will we be able to live without… any money... They... They can't!" Ron started to cry as much as Ginny and Hermione embraced him.