Chapter 4
Moving On
A day had gone by and Hermione was actaully sitting at the Gryffindore table in the Great Hall. She was sitting at the far end, as far away from Ron as she could get. That morning he had tried to apologize, but Hermione wouldn't hear it. She didn't want to admit it, but she was afraid of Ron now.
She had told him in a far and distant voice that their relationship was over. Ron had been crushed. Harry had witnessed the whole thing and wasn't really suprised. He couldn't believe Ron would do such a thing, even drunk. Harry felt horrible for Hermione. But when he tried to comfort her she had brushed him off.
He hadn't been paying attention to her and now he was paying for it. He hadn't meant to push either her, or Ron away. But he had. These days most people thought he was demented, because he didn't talk all that much. He was just thinking alot more and not flapping his lips uslessly.
Harry looked at where Hermione was sitting, just four people away from him. He watched as she kept her head lowered the whole time except to look over at the Slytherin table twice. Harry glanced in that direction. Draco Malfoy, his arch enemy, was sitting there looking at Hermione anxiously.
He knew.
Harry didn't know how, but something in the way Malfoy was acting told him he knew somehow. When Hermione had told Harry what had happened, after he had badgered her for maybe an hour (she was looking so glum and put out he had to know what was wrong), she had just said someone had pulled Ron off of her.
The person that had saved Hermione was most likely the one that was openly staring at her now. Harry pondered this. Would Malfoy actually help a muggle-born? Harry knew Draco wasn't as bad as most people liked to make him out to be. He was just a pushy little brat. But even brats have feelings right?
Draco hadn't believed it when he looked up from that day's Daily Prophet and saw Hermione walking in. She was looking at her feet and her hair was kind of messy, but on the whole she didn't look all that bad. Just shaken, was all Draco could see.
He noticed when she took a seat twenty miles from where Ron was sitting flanked by his kin. She hadn't even sat with Harry, which had shocked Draco. He hadn't noticed, until now, how far apart the trio had drifted. Draco kept staring at Hermione. For some twisted reason he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away.
She looked like a scared little rabbit with a bunch of wolves closing in on her. She had her head down and every once in a while would look around shiftily and take another big bite of her food. 'Well at least she hasn't lost her appetite,' Draco thought.
He hadn't wrote Hermione back yet, the thought just came to him out of no where. He hadn't had the time last night, not with trying to escape Pansy and then being hounded by Grabbe and Goyle, over who would get his extra Chocolate Frog that he had foolishly left lying around.
He would write to her later. He would tell Pansy he had an assignment that he had to research in the library. He knew she wouldn't set foot in that place, so he would be safe to just find a little corner table and write back to Hermione.
Once or twice, Hermione had looked up from her meal and each time her and Draco's eyes had met. Everytime this happened, it seemed like after she looked away, she would sit up a bit taller and she'd lift her head a little bit higher. It was like she was taking strength from Draco. He could almost feel his energy draining away. He was almost willing her to stop and shouting for her to look his way once more, all at the same time.
Finally the meal was over and Draco exited as fast as he could, Pansy at his heels yapping about some girl that she didn't like. Draco really should have been paying more attention, because the girl she was talking about was, in fact, Hermione Granger.
Pansy didn't like the way Hermione dressed; she was too preppy. She hated Hermione's hair; it was bushy and ugly. She hated how Hermione had good grades and the fact that many boys liked her. All in all Pansy just hated Hermione for living, because she was a mudblood; the lowest filth on earth.
Draco just went on ignoring Pansy's rantings. She was stupid, and she wouldn't get the hint that he hated her and that he would rather date a slug than her. Draco turned the corner and just stopped. Pansy ran into his back and clung there whispering in his ear, what ever she wanted to tell him. Draco was looking at something else. Hermione was standing with Ginny Weasley. The Weasel's little sister was patting Hermione's back as she cried into her shoulder.
Draco had never seen Hermione cry. Even after the incident the tears had just sort of fallen out of her eyes. He had said some pretty nasty stuff to her before and she had always just answered right back. But now she was standing there helplessly bawling into Ginny's cloak. It was depressing. Draco took one last look at Hermione's face, which was scrunched up as though her heart was breaking, and walked away. There was nothing he could do after all. She was a muggle-born, if anyone saw him comforting her they would most likely tell his father and then there would be a beating.
"It's all right Moine, its alright. There, there, let it all out", Ginny cooed as Hermione sobbed.
"I need to calm down", Hermione hiccuped between sobs.
"Shhhhhhh, its alright. Calm down, it's okay. Tell me everything thats wrong when you can", Ginny said softley.
Ginny had been frightened when she had been saying something about how Harry had gotten a new broom and Hermione had just burst into tears.
Hermione hiccuped one last time and wiped her tears and her nose on her sleeve.
"Well, I know it was weird when I burst into tears at the mention of Harry getting a new broomstick. Well the reason it triggered me getting uspet was because I just feel so bad. Harry tried to comfort me this morning and I pushed him away," Hermione said, laughing bitterly. "Isn't it crazy that the first time Harry speaks to me in maybe three months and I brush him off. I mean its awful that something like this had to happen just so he would talk to me, he's supposed to be my best friend," Hermione wipe a single tear that had started rolling down her, now rosy, cheek.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. Look Hermione, I know I've said it before, but I am really sorry for what my stupid brother did to you", Ginny said.
"Ginny, again, it's alright. It wasn't your fault. I am sorry it all had to end this way.", Hermione siad looking away down the hall where a few younger students where congregating.
"I know. Hey, Hermione you never did tell me who stopped Ron," Ginny suddenly said.
"Oh, now your not going to believe this, but it was Draco Malfoy", Hermione said sheepishly.
At this Ginny laughed. And laughed. And laughed until she had tears in her eyes.
"I don't see why it's all that funny", Hermione said crossing her arms across her chest and pouting a bit.
"I'm sorry Mione, but Draco Malfoy is so rude to you and then he saves you from one of your best friends. Does life get any weirder", Ginny said gasping for breath in between giggles.
At that Hermione had to laugh to. It was quite funny how events had a way of working out.
But Hermione wasn't laughing later when she recieved a letter from her mother.
It read;
Dear Hermione,
I can't believe it! Are you all right dear? I still am in shock that there was alcohol at a school dance. How dare they! If I was a more petty person I would sue. But dear I think the only way to move you out of harm's way and to make the situation better, is if you transfer to a different school. At least for a year, then if you don't like it you can go back to Hogwarts if you want. What about attending that one school you where telling me about, Beauxbatons? Oh honey, I really wish this wouldn't have happened, so that you could graduate from Hogwarts, happy and care free. But I guess that wasn't meant to happen. Your father agrees with me on the school change. I will be owling your headmaster about the matter. Love you dear,
Keep your head up high honey,
Love Your Mum,
Bridget
Hermione's heart skipped a beat. She was angry, she didn't want to go to Beauxbatons, she wanted to stay here.
She got out some parchment and penned back,
Dear Mum,
I am fine mum, but about this whole going to another school bit, NO! I don't want to go to Beauxbatons. They are all a bunch of snobs and the other school I told you about, Durmstrang, that is out too. They study the dark arts and are mostly evil! Do you want your daughter to die young or something like that? I don't want to go, please mum, I beg you don't send me away. I am getting along fine, why ruin my life by changing schools? Please think about this,
Love,
Hermione
Hermione set her quill down and tied her letter to the leg of the owl that had carried the first letter. He hooted happily and flew out the window. Hermione sat on her bed and looked around glumly. She may not like all her room mates, but that didn't mean she wouldn't miss them.
'What to write', thought Draco as he sat at a a table in a far corner of the library. His plan to get rid of Pansy had worked and now he sat alone, stumped about what to write to Hermione about.
He pulled a very wrinkly peice of parhcment out and unfolded it on the table. It was Hermione's letter and it was very creased from the many times Draco had opened it to read it, still disbelieving it was there. He read it over once more before dipping his quill into his inkwell and writing:
Dear Hermione,
We are on first name terms now, are we? You are right we have never gotten along and I think if this would have never happened, I would have gone right along hating you until I gradutated and turned into a misrable old man sitting alone at a bar somewhere. I see no reason either. Things change, so do people. You should have more important things on your mind, like what did your mom say about this whole thing and what does she intend to do? I don't mean to pry or anything I just am wondering. Ha! You have far too much to blackmail me with, for me to tell anyone. If word got out that I helped a muggle-born I would be labeled a sissy and a traitor to my house. Your welcome, Granger. That is strange who would have thought? I was in the right place at the right time, what can I say? I am sorry it took me so long to write back to you, what with my every move being watched by that sniveling wench Pansy, it was hard to get away. Good thing she almost looks at the library as a church. Well, I guess my time of being nice has run out,
Draco D. Malfoy
He smirked as he blew on the ink to dry it. That was a nice reply to her letter. Not too overly friendly, but not all that rude either. Once the ink was dry Draco folded it carefully and briskly walked up to the Owelry to give Hoffer, his owl, the letter to deliver.
