Disclaimer: If you haven't figured it out yet, Harry Potter isn't mine.
A/N: I made up a character again, and this one I based on a close friend... I think most people who know me will figure it out just by the name. O, and the star in the middle of the chapter means something, it's at the bottom of the page.
Waking the next day long before the others, Hermione had a curious feeling she should get up and get ready, for what she wasn't sure, but she did get ready and was set to go as the sun rose. She walked into the common room, which was empty, and then out the porthole into the corridor. Without reason, she walked down to the Great Hall alone. She saw no one about except Peeves who was sticky unpleasant looking objects to the walls on the second floor.
She walked into the trophy room, which she did sometimes because she liked to read the names on the trophies. She would let her mind wander, trying to come up with reasons as to why these people received the trophies... She especially loved to imagine about the people who received awards for service to the school... Ron and Harry had both received awards for this, and Hermione imagined the other people on the wall had done things far more exciting. This morning, however, she was not alone to create stories in her mind, there was someone there, staring intently at one award on the far side of the room. Blond hair, pale skin, holding a broom in one hand, and fingering a gold galleon in the other. Draco Malfoy. He turned to her, "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same." She knew he had gone to see his father and it had taken awhile- he wasn't in potions the day before- and now he was back, but in the trophy room? This early?
"It's a bit early, isn't it Granger, to be throwing my own questions back into my face?" He said.
"I don't think it's too early at all." She said, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm looking at the trophies, obviously, Granger, what else does someone do in the trophy room?" Draco spat back at her.
"Don't you think strolling through the trophy room is often better done during reasonable hours?" Hermione said.
"No, I don't think its too early at all." He said, imitating her, "Besides, you're in the trophy room."
"I like it here." Was all she had to say.
"So do I."
"Why?" Hermione didn't think she cared, but she sort of did...
"Does it matter?" Draco asked harsher than he meant.
"Not if you're going to be a prick about it." Hermione turned and looked at the award he had been looking at, "Christine Brawn. Ravenclaw chaser*... Looks like she graduated at the end of last year. How do you know her?"
"Who says I know her?" Draco asked defensively.
"I do." Hermione said, turning back to him, "This was the award you were looking at. The only award you were looking at. How do you know her?"
Draco scowled at her, "I don't want to talk to you about it."
"Why?" Hermione asked, curious, "Is she like your girlfriend or something?" Draco scowled, shaking his head, "Then.. o my god... the girl you and Alisa were talking about... this is her... is she nice?"
"Why do you care, Granger?" Draco said. He did not want to talk about it.
"Well, Malfoy- Draco, I don't really care, you see, I'm just pretending to after all, I don't give a frick about your life...the only one that matters is mine," She said sarcastically, "God forbid I show interest in your life, I mean it's not like you're on the same side as I am or anything."
"So fuck with me, Granger." Draco said.
"I don't want to, and from the scowl on your face," Hermione said wickedly, "Christine doesn't want to either." And she walked out quickly, heading away from the Great Hall. Harry and Ron would be expecting her to be in the common room when they came down. She was surprised to hear the clicking of shoes behind her, she continued walking.
"Stop, Granger." Draco's voice rang out behind her. She kept walking, "Stop, or I'll follow you all the way to your common room. I'll go in if I have to." She stopped and turned to him impatiently.
"The least you can do is call me by my first name, if I have to call you by yours." Hermione said.
"Fine, Hermione." He said, putting accent on her name, "I'll tell you about Christine, but you have to promise not to tell a soul."
"Why are telling me at all?" Hermione asked.
"Because you already know, and I don't want you to even mention it. To anyone." Draco said.
"Fine." Hermione said, "I won't tell anyone."
"Good." Draco said, "Let's go back to the trophy room." And Hermione followed him back and right over to Christine's award, "I met her before I met Alisa." He started, staring at the award, not looking at Hermione, "Everyone was convinced she and I would both be in Sytherin when we got to school, but even then, I deep down, though I never said a word, she didn't want Slytherin, and she wouldn't be in Slytherin. So she went to school and was put in Ravenclaw. I was afraid they'd disown her... but they didn't. They didn't even change their plans. I'm supposed to marry her, you know." He said, looking at Hermione for the first time, "And I want to... I mean to. She is... still what I want. She stopped talking to me as much... and she stayed in her family, but pulling herself from all having to do with Voldemort. And they let her... They let her! Because she was put in Ravenclaw. She would never be any good for the dark arts anyway. And now, here I am, helping with this side, though she thinks I'm helping theirs... and I can't tell her that I'm helping... I'm not hindering... But what can you do, right?" He paused.
"I hadn't seen her in so long... and when I did, she was so beautiful... I gave her the wood Alisa asked me to give her... I'm not sure what it does or means. I don't think it's for me to know, either." He thought for a moment, "I just... wish she could know, and I wish she wanted me the way I want her. But she doesn't... and I'm going to have to live with that." He looked at Hermione again, "So now you know. I have loved, and my love does not love, I share the story with few, and now you know. Now you know." He repeated almost in disbelief.
"I do know, and I'm sorry you can't tell her, and I'm sorry she doesn't love you. I'm glad you told me. It's nice to know you're not a totally insensitive prick." Hermione said.
Draco breathed deeply, "And now," He smirked slightly, "A story from you."
Hermione looked at him like he was crazy, "I have no stories,"
"Oh come on, haven't you ever cared about someone?" He asked.
"Well of course, but..." Hermione said.
"So tell." Draco said.
"Well... there was Viktor..." She paused, "But he was more into me then I was into him... it was weird... you know, when he was trying to convince me to date him... I just.. I wasn't into it." She said.
"And?"
"And that's it. That's my story. There was a guy, only one guy, who took interest in me, but I wasn't interested in him that way, so I turned him down." She looked at Draco, "I mean, we're still friends, we're just not.. together."
"That can't be it." Draco said.
"It is."
"You mean you're not interested in anyone right now. Not a soul." Draco said.
"Well-" Hermione didn't want to tell him, "I am interested, you could say, in someone... but it doesn't matter, really."
"I don't care if you think it matters- I want to hear it." He demanded coolly.
Hermione hesitated. What could she say? "Well... it really doesn't matter... I just..." She took in a breath, "I did like Ron for a bit... but it doesn't matter now because he has Alisa... and we're best friends... and o god, it was stupid, forget it."
"Really? Weas- Ron? I would have thought you were interested in Potter- Harry." Draco said.
"Ha," Hermione laughed, "Never Harry... he's not remotely my type. He's a great guy, but I've been known to have troubles with great guys..." She smiled, thinking of Viktor, "Harry's more of a brother- one that takes care of you while depending on you."
"I know what you mean," Draco said, "So are you just giving up on Ron?"
"Absolutely. Have you seen the way he looks at her?"
"I have," Draco paused, he didn't know if he should say what he thought of the relationship, "It's just..."
"It's just what?"
"Well..." he paused again, but caught Hermione's piercing eyes, "Alisa is mystical... she is beyond here and the people here... she's an elf- or soon-to-be elf, I don't know if it could work for them."
"They could try."
"Yes, they could. I'm sure they will." Draco said, "But Alisa never stays in one place longer than she should."
"Are you saying she shouldn't stay here with Ron?"
"I'm not sure what I'm saying." He said, but he knew the look in Alisa's eyes when she looked at Ron. It was a look of wishing, wanting, and sadness. She didn't know what would happen with them, if it was even right for her to be with him, or how long she could be with him, "I wish them the best- by which I mean I wish Alisa the best, and if Ron is the best she wants right now, then so be it."
Hermione's thought suddenly turned, "O my god! Ron! Harry! They've got to be freaking out... they don't know where I am!" She turned to run out of the trophy room, but turned back, "How did it go with your father, by the way?"
* = Sorry Sparkles, but seeker is already taken by Cho, so you know...
A/N: I made up a character again, and this one I based on a close friend... I think most people who know me will figure it out just by the name. O, and the star in the middle of the chapter means something, it's at the bottom of the page.
Waking the next day long before the others, Hermione had a curious feeling she should get up and get ready, for what she wasn't sure, but she did get ready and was set to go as the sun rose. She walked into the common room, which was empty, and then out the porthole into the corridor. Without reason, she walked down to the Great Hall alone. She saw no one about except Peeves who was sticky unpleasant looking objects to the walls on the second floor.
She walked into the trophy room, which she did sometimes because she liked to read the names on the trophies. She would let her mind wander, trying to come up with reasons as to why these people received the trophies... She especially loved to imagine about the people who received awards for service to the school... Ron and Harry had both received awards for this, and Hermione imagined the other people on the wall had done things far more exciting. This morning, however, she was not alone to create stories in her mind, there was someone there, staring intently at one award on the far side of the room. Blond hair, pale skin, holding a broom in one hand, and fingering a gold galleon in the other. Draco Malfoy. He turned to her, "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same." She knew he had gone to see his father and it had taken awhile- he wasn't in potions the day before- and now he was back, but in the trophy room? This early?
"It's a bit early, isn't it Granger, to be throwing my own questions back into my face?" He said.
"I don't think it's too early at all." She said, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm looking at the trophies, obviously, Granger, what else does someone do in the trophy room?" Draco spat back at her.
"Don't you think strolling through the trophy room is often better done during reasonable hours?" Hermione said.
"No, I don't think its too early at all." He said, imitating her, "Besides, you're in the trophy room."
"I like it here." Was all she had to say.
"So do I."
"Why?" Hermione didn't think she cared, but she sort of did...
"Does it matter?" Draco asked harsher than he meant.
"Not if you're going to be a prick about it." Hermione turned and looked at the award he had been looking at, "Christine Brawn. Ravenclaw chaser*... Looks like she graduated at the end of last year. How do you know her?"
"Who says I know her?" Draco asked defensively.
"I do." Hermione said, turning back to him, "This was the award you were looking at. The only award you were looking at. How do you know her?"
Draco scowled at her, "I don't want to talk to you about it."
"Why?" Hermione asked, curious, "Is she like your girlfriend or something?" Draco scowled, shaking his head, "Then.. o my god... the girl you and Alisa were talking about... this is her... is she nice?"
"Why do you care, Granger?" Draco said. He did not want to talk about it.
"Well, Malfoy- Draco, I don't really care, you see, I'm just pretending to after all, I don't give a frick about your life...the only one that matters is mine," She said sarcastically, "God forbid I show interest in your life, I mean it's not like you're on the same side as I am or anything."
"So fuck with me, Granger." Draco said.
"I don't want to, and from the scowl on your face," Hermione said wickedly, "Christine doesn't want to either." And she walked out quickly, heading away from the Great Hall. Harry and Ron would be expecting her to be in the common room when they came down. She was surprised to hear the clicking of shoes behind her, she continued walking.
"Stop, Granger." Draco's voice rang out behind her. She kept walking, "Stop, or I'll follow you all the way to your common room. I'll go in if I have to." She stopped and turned to him impatiently.
"The least you can do is call me by my first name, if I have to call you by yours." Hermione said.
"Fine, Hermione." He said, putting accent on her name, "I'll tell you about Christine, but you have to promise not to tell a soul."
"Why are telling me at all?" Hermione asked.
"Because you already know, and I don't want you to even mention it. To anyone." Draco said.
"Fine." Hermione said, "I won't tell anyone."
"Good." Draco said, "Let's go back to the trophy room." And Hermione followed him back and right over to Christine's award, "I met her before I met Alisa." He started, staring at the award, not looking at Hermione, "Everyone was convinced she and I would both be in Sytherin when we got to school, but even then, I deep down, though I never said a word, she didn't want Slytherin, and she wouldn't be in Slytherin. So she went to school and was put in Ravenclaw. I was afraid they'd disown her... but they didn't. They didn't even change their plans. I'm supposed to marry her, you know." He said, looking at Hermione for the first time, "And I want to... I mean to. She is... still what I want. She stopped talking to me as much... and she stayed in her family, but pulling herself from all having to do with Voldemort. And they let her... They let her! Because she was put in Ravenclaw. She would never be any good for the dark arts anyway. And now, here I am, helping with this side, though she thinks I'm helping theirs... and I can't tell her that I'm helping... I'm not hindering... But what can you do, right?" He paused.
"I hadn't seen her in so long... and when I did, she was so beautiful... I gave her the wood Alisa asked me to give her... I'm not sure what it does or means. I don't think it's for me to know, either." He thought for a moment, "I just... wish she could know, and I wish she wanted me the way I want her. But she doesn't... and I'm going to have to live with that." He looked at Hermione again, "So now you know. I have loved, and my love does not love, I share the story with few, and now you know. Now you know." He repeated almost in disbelief.
"I do know, and I'm sorry you can't tell her, and I'm sorry she doesn't love you. I'm glad you told me. It's nice to know you're not a totally insensitive prick." Hermione said.
Draco breathed deeply, "And now," He smirked slightly, "A story from you."
Hermione looked at him like he was crazy, "I have no stories,"
"Oh come on, haven't you ever cared about someone?" He asked.
"Well of course, but..." Hermione said.
"So tell." Draco said.
"Well... there was Viktor..." She paused, "But he was more into me then I was into him... it was weird... you know, when he was trying to convince me to date him... I just.. I wasn't into it." She said.
"And?"
"And that's it. That's my story. There was a guy, only one guy, who took interest in me, but I wasn't interested in him that way, so I turned him down." She looked at Draco, "I mean, we're still friends, we're just not.. together."
"That can't be it." Draco said.
"It is."
"You mean you're not interested in anyone right now. Not a soul." Draco said.
"Well-" Hermione didn't want to tell him, "I am interested, you could say, in someone... but it doesn't matter, really."
"I don't care if you think it matters- I want to hear it." He demanded coolly.
Hermione hesitated. What could she say? "Well... it really doesn't matter... I just..." She took in a breath, "I did like Ron for a bit... but it doesn't matter now because he has Alisa... and we're best friends... and o god, it was stupid, forget it."
"Really? Weas- Ron? I would have thought you were interested in Potter- Harry." Draco said.
"Ha," Hermione laughed, "Never Harry... he's not remotely my type. He's a great guy, but I've been known to have troubles with great guys..." She smiled, thinking of Viktor, "Harry's more of a brother- one that takes care of you while depending on you."
"I know what you mean," Draco said, "So are you just giving up on Ron?"
"Absolutely. Have you seen the way he looks at her?"
"I have," Draco paused, he didn't know if he should say what he thought of the relationship, "It's just..."
"It's just what?"
"Well..." he paused again, but caught Hermione's piercing eyes, "Alisa is mystical... she is beyond here and the people here... she's an elf- or soon-to-be elf, I don't know if it could work for them."
"They could try."
"Yes, they could. I'm sure they will." Draco said, "But Alisa never stays in one place longer than she should."
"Are you saying she shouldn't stay here with Ron?"
"I'm not sure what I'm saying." He said, but he knew the look in Alisa's eyes when she looked at Ron. It was a look of wishing, wanting, and sadness. She didn't know what would happen with them, if it was even right for her to be with him, or how long she could be with him, "I wish them the best- by which I mean I wish Alisa the best, and if Ron is the best she wants right now, then so be it."
Hermione's thought suddenly turned, "O my god! Ron! Harry! They've got to be freaking out... they don't know where I am!" She turned to run out of the trophy room, but turned back, "How did it go with your father, by the way?"
* = Sorry Sparkles, but seeker is already taken by Cho, so you know...