Chapter Five – She Is
"She is strange," Ron commented as he slowly masticated the sandwich. Swallowing, he took another bite, and added, "And not very pretty, is she?"
Hermione furrowed her brow. "Ron, that's rude! She seems nice enough. You two are always judging people. Yes, you too, Harry," she added as Harry opened his mouth to protest. "I believe you both prejudged me before getting to know me. Just because I'm smart and not exactly pretty—"
"You're pretty."
Hermione blinked at Ron. "Pardon?"
Ron shook his head and blushed into his tuna salad. "Nothing."
Harry smirked at both of them, but frowned as he watched the girl who had been the topic of conversation enter the hall and smile at them. She headed towards the trio: he groaned.
"What?" asked Ron, his skin slowly turning back to normal color.
"Ruby...she's coming over here." Harry groaned again, silently to himself. He grimaced as Ruby sat down next to them at the Gryffindor table. He forced a smile at her and was able to pull of a happy sounding, "Hello, Ruby."
"My!" Ruby exclaimed, looking around the Great Hall. "This is quite a lovely castle. Much different than...oh never mind." She stuck her hand out to Hermione. "We weren't formally introduced. I'm Ruby Rocale. Hermione, right?" When Hermione nodded, Ruby beamed with joy. "Wonderful! I'm so terrible at remembering names..." She turned to Ron and pouted harshly. "Weasel, was it?"
Ron bit his tongue and restrained himself from telling Ruby off. But he was able to manage a fairly friendly, "Weasley. My name is Weasley."
Ruby blushed with embarrassment. "Oh! Oh, how silly of me. Of course your name is Weasley. Professor Snape said it so much, you think I'd have remembered!" She laughed lightly but stopped uncomfortably when the trio did not join in on the supposed humor. "Sorry," she whispered unhappily, ashamed of her stupidity.
At that point, Draco Malfoy smoothly walked over to the table, after chatting with his less-friendly Slytherin "friends". He sat between Hermione and Ruby, across from Ron and Harry. He beamed at Hermione, then took a look at Ruby.
"New, right?" he asked her.
She nodded. "Just came in from...ah, it doesn't matter." She looked down at a plate of green salad. "You know, I really don't feel hungry. I suppose I should go get some supplies ready for my next class..."
"I'll go with you," Hermione offered, and then shrugged at Ron and Harry's slightly surprised faces. "I'd also like to get some things together," she added. Ruby smiled at her and they both stood and left the hall, leaving Draco, Harry and Ron to stare after them.
"Curious girl," Draco said, turning back to the Gryffindors. "Seems okay, though."
"Do you trust her?" Harry asked. "I don't think I do. I just don't like her. Too much for me."
Ron nodded. "Yeah, she seems rather flamboyant and too involved with fitting in. Especially with us."
"Well of course she wants to fit in with you three."
"Why?" Ron asked.
Draco rolled his eyes. "The famous Harry Potter and his two best goons. Who wouldn't want to join them?" He smiled at Harry and Ron's slightly angry faces. "You two will have to get over it. It's what you'll be going through the rest of your lives, if you two stay friends. Harry, you'll always get the attention. And Ron, as long as you are buddy-buddy with him, you'll get it too. Same with Hermione."
"Seems silly, if you ask me," Ron muttered to himself. "She doesn't even know us."
"And you don't know her," Draco shot back. "So before you go deciding if people are trustworthy or not, walk a mile in their shoes. But before you do, remember to take off your own." He then stood and left the hall, leaving both Harry and Ron in grim moods.
^*^*^
Blazing flames filled the room with a warm glow, and heat flew from the fireplace. He was positioned how he had been a little over two years ago. It was the same, tall chair that held his strengthening body that had held him before. Nagini was in his view on the rug in front of the fireplace, and Wormtail was standing right beside him. It was just as it had been. Only this time, he knew there would be no disruption from a senile old Muggle man. There was no planned murder tonight, and he doubted there would be any surprise ones as well.
Voldemort was currently quite pleased with himself. Neville Longbottom was out of his hair: his parents had been restored to sanity. They had been sitting up, talking with him...Voldemort had conjured some kind of human kindness enough to leave them be and get reacquainted. He was very proud that he pulled them back. It was more difficult spell and potion than he had planned for. And though Wormtail's potions usually worked brilliantly (Voldemort had never admitted this to the fool), he was still worried he would fail and Longbottom would never let him hear the end of it. That was not something to be proud of; when a stupid idiot like Longbottom wouldn't let you, the most powerful wizard in all the land, forget how you fucked up.
The mood he was in was surprisingly happy. The Messier family was gone, they had been growing too powerful, and all seemed to be doing well. Harry seemed to be breaking slowly...but too slowly was better than not at all. Voldemort figured Harry would be out of the picture by the end of the school year...if not sooner. As long as no one interferes, he reminded himself. He just wished that he could get Albus Dumbledore out of the picture. But that was easier said than done.
"Sir!" "
Voldemort looked up. A man was standing above him.
"What is it, Crabbe? I don't have the patience," Voldemort scolded.
Crabbe bit his lip. "It's the Longbottoms, sir. Neville is here, but his parents...they've fled."
Voldemort jumped up from his chair, his red eyes seemed to burn holes into Crabbe. "What?! Where have they gone?!"
"I don't know, sir!" Crabbe replied, his face bursting with salty sweat. Voldemort stared down at him. He studied the man who should have been keeping an eye on the family. The more Lord Voldemort thought about it, the more he realized that Crabbe wasn't worth it. That he wasn't worth the title of Fifth Man. So he decided to do the only thing he could do.
"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort screamed, and smirked as the failure dropped to the ground.
So much for no murders tonight.