The trio emerged from the office, Hermione feeling about every
emotion possible.
"Thanks for that." Hermione told Harry once they got outside. "I couldn't find my voice in there."
"No problem." He told her. Ron stood back, looking awkward.
"You too, Ron!" She told him, shaking her head and linking his arm. His face immediately broke out into a smile.
"I don't know what I'd do without you guys." They stopped and she looked gratefully at them. "I mean, you guys sorted everything out when everything was so confusing." They smiled. Ron and Harry stood looking at Hermione for a moment until she grew uncomfortable and said, "Dinner is in two hours! You have Quidditch practice!" She told Harry and shoved him playfully. "Go!"
"You're sure I don't need to-"
"Harry! Go!" She said, smiling. Harry smirked a little and shook his head. She heard him mumble something that sounded like 'same Hermione.' But she didn't let it bother her.
Hermione felt as if everything was perfect. It wasn't of course, not yet, but knowing that she had real parents, not to mention purebloods, and that she had such good friends . . . well, it made her feel really good inside. She felt a little braver and a little less vulnerable. Maybe everything was going to be okay, she thought to herself as she and Ron walked back to the Common rooms. Classes ended in about forty-five minutes. She plopped down on a couch happily.
"Well, you're in a good mood now." Ron observed, looking sideways at her.
"Yes." She said, not quite sure of how to verbalize her feelings. She smiled a little. "You know what, Ron?" He turned and looked at her, focusing all his attention. "I guess I feel this way because . . .well, it's hard to say because I've never felt like this before. But it's sort of," she paused, "sort of calming, that everyone's taking care of things." She was waiting to check the reaction on his face. She was expecting him to burst and start yelling at how selfish she was being. Instead, he just nodded, motioning her to continue. "Well, I was always in charge of things. You know, being a leader, making sure everything was right, and perfect, and in it's place. But I feel so. . . so carefree. I'm not in charge for once. It feels so odd, but" she sighed. "Am I being selfish?"
"Of course not, 'Mion." He told her, taking her hand and moving closer. "You've worried about things so much. You deserve a break. You're not young for very long. You should enjoy it!" His eyes lit up.
"I've missed out on so much!" She exclaimed out of worry and eagerness. She suddenly stood up, and Ron stood with her. "Get your coat!" She told him, running towards the door. Ron laughed and grabbed it off one of the couches and dashed out the door, following Hermione.
"Where are we going?" He asked her once they were on the grounds and out of breath.
"I don't know!" She exclaimed, running and laughing. "It's that fun?" She turned around to see a look of bewilderment on Ron's face. This made her laugh more. "It's a beautiful day!" She stared up at the sky and it really was. The air was cool and fresh, the sky was a perfect blue color, a few fluffy white clouds scattered around. She was staring at the sky and spinning, feeling like a little girl. She fell on the grass and laid back, watching the clouds move across the sky. It wasn't long before Ron joined her.
"This is perfect." She breathed, still staring at the sky. She smiled and sat up, looking at Ron.
"What are you thinking about?" He looked shocked at the question.
"What am I thinking about?"
"Yes." She replied, titling her head a bit to the side.
"I'm thinking about how happy you are right now." He said, after thinking a little bit. (Ironic, I know.) "And how I wish you would always be like this." It was quiet for a minute, but Hermione pounced on Ron and hugged him.
"Ron! What would I ever do without you!" She said into his hair. What was supposed to be a friendly hug struck her as odd, though. She felt differently when her body was against his. Butterflies were fluttering in her stomach. When she finally got control of her feelings, she pulled away, staring at him differently. Her face broke out into a smile and she grabbed his hand. "C'mon, we're going to be late for Harry's game!" (Okay, forget everything I said about classes before. Now there's a Quidditch game.) He laughed a little and ran with her.
They made it to the fields breathless, but just in time. It was a match against Hufflepuff. The team looked shy and nervous, Gryfonddor looked brave and ready. This match was surely already won. Hermione sat, Ron directly beside her and they were both entranced by the game. That is, for about ten minutes. Ron stayed, glued to the field, but Hermione got bored. She decided to stretch her legs and walk around the outside of the field.
"I'll be back in a bit." She said in Ron's ear. A mere 'Mmhmm' was his reply. Hermione rolled her eyes. She'd never understand the fetish boys had with Quidditch. Once she was outside, she shivered a little and wrapped her coat tightly around her.
"Granger." Immediately she knew who it was. She turned to see Draco leaning on a tree to her left. His cloak was open, flying in the wind, and his arms were crossed above his chest. When he said her name, he stood up properly.
"Malfoy." She said, not completely annoyed. Yet.
"Have you heard about the rumors?" He asked coolly, smirking.
"Rumors?" He knew she was going to say that.
"Yeah. They're saying that your parents didn't really die. You have some smart rich pureblooded parents somewhere. But I don't believe it. I know a mudblood when I see one."
"Oh really?" She said, his comment not bothering her cause she knew the truth. "Well, for once, Draco Malfoy, you're wrong. They are true. And don't call me Granger anymore. It's Brockbow." She walked away and he choked.
"Brockbow?" He asked, being the victim this time.
"Did I stutter?" She turned back to him like he was a waste of time.
"Don't get smart with me, Gran- I mean, Brockbow." That's a mouthful, he thought to himself.
"I can get smart with you if I want to." She said, moving closer.
"Oh really?" He asked, smirking. She stopped walking. They were about 5 feet apart.
"Surprised, Malfoy?" She lifted an eyebrow.
"I always knew you were too smart to be a mudblood." He said, shaking his head.
"You what?"
"Did I stutter?" He asked, teasingly. She shook her head. He moved closer. "You should really be hanging around other **good** wizards." She opened her mouth to protest. "I know, I know, Ron and Harry are purebloods." He mumbled something under his breath. "Listen, Bro- Hermione, I've heard about your parents. Respectable." Hermione lifted an eyebrow.
"I'm glad you approve." She said, half sarcastically.
"You should be." He smirked. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"You are so cocky." She turned to walk away. Draco grabbed her arm. She was surprised that her blood didn't turn cold at his touch. She felt butterflies in her stomach. Her knees felt week. She couldn't look in his eyes or she knew she'd swoon. Draco's hand lingered on her arm for a minute, then moved to her hand, taking it and gently letting go.
"Meet me here tonight, after dinner." He said, raising his eyebrows oh-so-sexily. Hermione got her strength back and licked her lips.
"Don't be so sure." She said, even though they both knew she was gonna be there. She eyed him and walked away.
"Thanks for that." Hermione told Harry once they got outside. "I couldn't find my voice in there."
"No problem." He told her. Ron stood back, looking awkward.
"You too, Ron!" She told him, shaking her head and linking his arm. His face immediately broke out into a smile.
"I don't know what I'd do without you guys." They stopped and she looked gratefully at them. "I mean, you guys sorted everything out when everything was so confusing." They smiled. Ron and Harry stood looking at Hermione for a moment until she grew uncomfortable and said, "Dinner is in two hours! You have Quidditch practice!" She told Harry and shoved him playfully. "Go!"
"You're sure I don't need to-"
"Harry! Go!" She said, smiling. Harry smirked a little and shook his head. She heard him mumble something that sounded like 'same Hermione.' But she didn't let it bother her.
Hermione felt as if everything was perfect. It wasn't of course, not yet, but knowing that she had real parents, not to mention purebloods, and that she had such good friends . . . well, it made her feel really good inside. She felt a little braver and a little less vulnerable. Maybe everything was going to be okay, she thought to herself as she and Ron walked back to the Common rooms. Classes ended in about forty-five minutes. She plopped down on a couch happily.
"Well, you're in a good mood now." Ron observed, looking sideways at her.
"Yes." She said, not quite sure of how to verbalize her feelings. She smiled a little. "You know what, Ron?" He turned and looked at her, focusing all his attention. "I guess I feel this way because . . .well, it's hard to say because I've never felt like this before. But it's sort of," she paused, "sort of calming, that everyone's taking care of things." She was waiting to check the reaction on his face. She was expecting him to burst and start yelling at how selfish she was being. Instead, he just nodded, motioning her to continue. "Well, I was always in charge of things. You know, being a leader, making sure everything was right, and perfect, and in it's place. But I feel so. . . so carefree. I'm not in charge for once. It feels so odd, but" she sighed. "Am I being selfish?"
"Of course not, 'Mion." He told her, taking her hand and moving closer. "You've worried about things so much. You deserve a break. You're not young for very long. You should enjoy it!" His eyes lit up.
"I've missed out on so much!" She exclaimed out of worry and eagerness. She suddenly stood up, and Ron stood with her. "Get your coat!" She told him, running towards the door. Ron laughed and grabbed it off one of the couches and dashed out the door, following Hermione.
"Where are we going?" He asked her once they were on the grounds and out of breath.
"I don't know!" She exclaimed, running and laughing. "It's that fun?" She turned around to see a look of bewilderment on Ron's face. This made her laugh more. "It's a beautiful day!" She stared up at the sky and it really was. The air was cool and fresh, the sky was a perfect blue color, a few fluffy white clouds scattered around. She was staring at the sky and spinning, feeling like a little girl. She fell on the grass and laid back, watching the clouds move across the sky. It wasn't long before Ron joined her.
"This is perfect." She breathed, still staring at the sky. She smiled and sat up, looking at Ron.
"What are you thinking about?" He looked shocked at the question.
"What am I thinking about?"
"Yes." She replied, titling her head a bit to the side.
"I'm thinking about how happy you are right now." He said, after thinking a little bit. (Ironic, I know.) "And how I wish you would always be like this." It was quiet for a minute, but Hermione pounced on Ron and hugged him.
"Ron! What would I ever do without you!" She said into his hair. What was supposed to be a friendly hug struck her as odd, though. She felt differently when her body was against his. Butterflies were fluttering in her stomach. When she finally got control of her feelings, she pulled away, staring at him differently. Her face broke out into a smile and she grabbed his hand. "C'mon, we're going to be late for Harry's game!" (Okay, forget everything I said about classes before. Now there's a Quidditch game.) He laughed a little and ran with her.
They made it to the fields breathless, but just in time. It was a match against Hufflepuff. The team looked shy and nervous, Gryfonddor looked brave and ready. This match was surely already won. Hermione sat, Ron directly beside her and they were both entranced by the game. That is, for about ten minutes. Ron stayed, glued to the field, but Hermione got bored. She decided to stretch her legs and walk around the outside of the field.
"I'll be back in a bit." She said in Ron's ear. A mere 'Mmhmm' was his reply. Hermione rolled her eyes. She'd never understand the fetish boys had with Quidditch. Once she was outside, she shivered a little and wrapped her coat tightly around her.
"Granger." Immediately she knew who it was. She turned to see Draco leaning on a tree to her left. His cloak was open, flying in the wind, and his arms were crossed above his chest. When he said her name, he stood up properly.
"Malfoy." She said, not completely annoyed. Yet.
"Have you heard about the rumors?" He asked coolly, smirking.
"Rumors?" He knew she was going to say that.
"Yeah. They're saying that your parents didn't really die. You have some smart rich pureblooded parents somewhere. But I don't believe it. I know a mudblood when I see one."
"Oh really?" She said, his comment not bothering her cause she knew the truth. "Well, for once, Draco Malfoy, you're wrong. They are true. And don't call me Granger anymore. It's Brockbow." She walked away and he choked.
"Brockbow?" He asked, being the victim this time.
"Did I stutter?" She turned back to him like he was a waste of time.
"Don't get smart with me, Gran- I mean, Brockbow." That's a mouthful, he thought to himself.
"I can get smart with you if I want to." She said, moving closer.
"Oh really?" He asked, smirking. She stopped walking. They were about 5 feet apart.
"Surprised, Malfoy?" She lifted an eyebrow.
"I always knew you were too smart to be a mudblood." He said, shaking his head.
"You what?"
"Did I stutter?" He asked, teasingly. She shook her head. He moved closer. "You should really be hanging around other **good** wizards." She opened her mouth to protest. "I know, I know, Ron and Harry are purebloods." He mumbled something under his breath. "Listen, Bro- Hermione, I've heard about your parents. Respectable." Hermione lifted an eyebrow.
"I'm glad you approve." She said, half sarcastically.
"You should be." He smirked. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"You are so cocky." She turned to walk away. Draco grabbed her arm. She was surprised that her blood didn't turn cold at his touch. She felt butterflies in her stomach. Her knees felt week. She couldn't look in his eyes or she knew she'd swoon. Draco's hand lingered on her arm for a minute, then moved to her hand, taking it and gently letting go.
"Meet me here tonight, after dinner." He said, raising his eyebrows oh-so-sexily. Hermione got her strength back and licked her lips.
"Don't be so sure." She said, even though they both knew she was gonna be there. She eyed him and walked away.