A/N: I really don't have much to say, except thanks for reading, sorry the last chapter was sooo short (to make up for it, I won't post until this is 10 pages long!), and I hope u enjoy this next chapter =)
"His magical myth
As strong as with I believe
A tragedy with
More damage than a soul should see
And do I try to change him
So hard not to blame him
Hold on tight
Hold on tight"
My morning went quite well, and I don't think the smile that had placed itself upon my face at the end of breakfast left my face throughout any of my classes. To the unknowing eye, even potions was making me extremely happy. Then came lunch.
Harry, Ron, and I were situated in our usual seats at the Gryffindor table. I was just about to grab a helping of vegetables when a snowy white owl grandly swooped down over our table, and dropped a plain white envelope on my plate, then left as quickly as he came. As soon as it had been dropped, Harry and Ron began eyeing my mail with great interest. In fact, most of the Great Hall, though still continuing their conversations, had turned in my direction, presumably wondering why I would be getting a letter at lunch instead of breakfast, when the mail normally arrived.
"Aren't you going to open it? See who it's from?" asked Ron, questioning the fact I was just looking at the envelope on my plate with much more interest than it merited.
It was true, the envelope was nothing special. It was an off-white color, and of normal texture, style, size, and shape. 'Hermione' was all that was written on it, in plain black ink. Nothing at all about the envelope was foreboding. Anyone seeing me eye it as I did, would assume me mad. But they wouldn't know that it was what was inside the envelope that I didn't want to see. Because I knew the owl that dropped it off. And I knew that if I opened in the Great Hall, I would have to answer questions from my friends I didn't want to answer, because they would surely cause a scene. I even knew why it was arriving during lunch instead of breakfast.
Stupid Bulgarian time difference.
So, knowing all the repercussions of opening the letter in front of everyone, I knew exactly how to reply to Ron. "No."
"Why not?" He asked, the crease in his forehead deepening as he scrunched up his face in confusion.
"Because I already know who it's from."
"Are you sure?
"Quite."
"Well..." obviously Ron was searching for some reason to get me to open the letter in his presence, "what if...what if it's an emergency?" He finally asked, triumphantly, as though there was no way for me to get out of opening it now.
Not all that sorry to burst his way-to-sure-of-himself bubble, I replied simply, "It's not."
Before Ron could retort, Harry jump in, asking, "Well, who it from?"
"And why are they sending you a letter at lunch?" added Ron.
I sighed heavily. Since when did everything having to do with me become their business? I mean there are loads of things both of them don't tell me, so why should I be expected to tell them everything? "Look, if I say it's no big deal, then it really doesn't matter who it's from or why it's arriving at lunch. I promise, if you need to know something in this letter, I will tell you, but I already know you won't." I started to get up as I said, "Well, I'd better go, I have loads of homework to do. 'Bye." As I left, I could see my two friends exchanging confused looks, and distinctly heard Ron say, "She's not telling us something."
[A/N: Until further notice, the story will be in third person, because it's gonna be easier that way. Sorry for any confusion, but I'm hoping to avoid confusion by doing this.]
As soon as she left the Great Hall, Hermione went directly to the library. She wove her way through the dozens of musty smelling stacks until reaching a nearly always empty section near the back. Sitting down at one of the small wooden tables, she proceeded to finally open the letter. It was dated yesterday.
Dearest Hermione,
How have you been? I have been missing you much. Bulgaria was much more fun when you were here. We have much fun. I don't know if you have read, but I was given a raise, I will now be making fifty-thousand galleons a game. I had much excitement when I hear. I think I will be buying new house. One much bigger then mine now. And I was hoping that you will come visit Bulgaria again during your holiday break, and perhaps help me decorate my new house. I hope everything is well at Hogwarts. I will see you soon, I hope.
Love from,
Viktor
Hermione sighed as she finished. She couldn't help it, but the first thought that came into her head was not, 'how sweet' or about how much she missed him, it was, Wow, he sure knows how to butcher the English language.
"Amazing," said a condescending voice from behind a shelf of books. "The Mudblood got a letter? Someone out there actually like you? I thought it was only Weasel and Pot-head who wanted anything to do with you."
Hermione turned around to see the person she had expected, Malfoy. "Aww, isn't that cute. Someone taught a ferret to talk. Can you do any other tricks?" she as though he was a dog.
"Well, well, isn't the Mudblood funny."
"Actually, I'm not known for my humor," Hermione explained calmly as though she were teaching a class. "But do you want to know what I do find hilarious? The fact that every time you insult me, it's always the same. Mudblood, mudblood, mudblood. The word has lost all meaning thanks to you. See, know, I on the other hand, like to change my insults from time to time. Sometimes it has to do with ferrets, sometimes with how dumb you are, other times about your family. I think it keeps the retorts fresh and the people interested."
Malfoy sneered, "I'm glad you think your so clever, but I just came here to let you know that I'm going to appeal to Binns to get my topic changed for the report."
"Okay. Well, firstly, I think you mean our project, although I'm not all that keen to admit that I am working with you either, and secondly, there's no chance that Binns will change the topic. Maybe you could work your "charms" aka threats of death and destruction to be carried out by your Father and the rest of his Death Eater chums, on other Hogwarts teachers, but Professor Binns is a ghost. He's not going to be scared of your Father."
"You seem to forget that I've already told you where my Father is, and that no one at this moment is very scared of him." Hermione was about to speak, fumbling over words, but Malfoy cut her off, "But it doesn't matter because I have other connections and ways that don't involve my Father."
Hermione sympathy immediately was withdrawn. He was still the same cold, heartless, and arrogant Malfoy he had always been. He Father's arrest certainly didn't seem to change him. So instead of offering him an apology, she offered him a challenge, "If you have so many "connections and ways" then why don't you use them to get us un-partnered? Certainly neither of us would be left crying if that happened."
"Obviously that would be the optimum solution, but I thought I'd start small. By getting out of that ridiculously degrading topic you chose," he spat at her.
Hermione couldn't help it, a smile played across her lips. "What the hell are you smiling about?"
Still smiling, Hermione stood up and placed her letter from Viktor between the pages of one of the books she had had out, then looked back up at Malfoy and said, "I'm smiling because I'm in a win-win situation. If you get Professor Binns to un-partner us, I win, if you don't I still win, because we will be doing my topic."
"And what if we're still partners, but he lets me change our topic? Then you'd lose, but I'd have won."
"Yes, but that won't happen, because when I gave Binns our topic he asked me twice if I was sure this was the topic we wanted, because he wouldn't tolerate it being changed, as that would mean we hadn't started working on it yet." Hermione smiled even wider as she saw Malfoy's jaw drop, and with much satisfaction, turned and walked out of the library, leaving Malfoy, standing in shock.
********************************************
"I don't get it. I just don't get it," sighed the tall red head.
"You never get it Ron. Neither of you do. And do you want to know why?" asked Hermione.
"Not really, but I'm sure your going to tell us," said Ron, exasperated.
Hermione, obviously ignoring his last comment went on. "You never get any of your homework, because you never listen in class, and you never to the assigned reading when your supposed to. You do it all at once before a test, and then you get all the facts confused. If you would only listen in class, and perhaps, oh I don't know, take notes once in awhile, you would actually understand your homework, and get decent grades."
"Yeah, but then we'd be you, and who'd want that?" Ron knew as soon as the words came out they were the absolute worst thing he could possibly say. He sat staring at Hermione wide eyed a Harry looked at him in horror. The comment he had just made wasn't even a comment they would Ron and Hermione would argue about. Just one that would cause silence between them for days, maybe even weeks.
Hermione only looked at him for a moment, her face completely unreadable.
Ron, to Harry's bewilderment, tried to make things better, "Hermione...I...I was joking...I didn't mean it how it sounded." He was apparently trying to get Hermione to start a verbal fight with him, which was a much better sign than her not talking to him at all. She didn't bite the bait however. And simply turned around and wordlessly escaped up the stairs into the 5th year girls dormitory.
Ron sighed and put his head into his hands the moment they heard, what was most logically, the door to her dorm room slam shut quite loudly. "Why do I say such stupid stuff? Things we're going so well!" Ron asked to no one in particular, his head still in his hands.
Ron's last statement was very much the truth. Ron and Hermione had last almost a week and a half with out any bickering whatsoever. A record for the two friends. However, after his last comment, Harry was quite sure that a new record was about to be made--longest time that the two refused to talk to each other.
Ron suddenly looked up, his defensive side obviously kicking in. "What I said to her wasn't even that bad, was it? I mean I've said loads worse to her, and she's never gotten this mad. It must be something else going on, and this just set her off. She's so touchy--always taking things the wrong way."
Harry stared at his red-haired friend in bewilderment for a few moments before speaking, "Ron, you said to her 'who would want to be you?' There really isn't more than one way to take it. And sure you've said some pretty mean things to her, but even I know that that was the worst. It one thing to call her a know-it-all, but another to say that no one would want to be her."
"Your taking her side?" Ron asked in disbelief. "Harry, we're both males. We're supposed to sick together when it comes to the opposite sex. Guys stick together!"
Although Harry knew very well that this was a completely false and idiotic statement that had just come out of his best friends mouth, he had for a period of time during fourth year not been on speaking terms with Ron, and therefore knew from experience it wasn't something he'd like to go through again, and so he decided it best to go along. "I wasn't siding with Hermione."
"Good," yawned Ron. "Well, now that that's settled, why don't we go to bed?"
"We haven't finished our essays yet."
"We can do them at breakfast," said Ron, as he was already walking up the stairs to their dorm room.
Harry looked down at his barely half finished essay and shrugged as he let out a sigh. Then just as both of his friends had, left his books laying in the middle of the Gryffindor common room.
*********************************
"Ron," asked Harry the next morning, "What are you doing?"
Both boys were up early, and sitting in the middle of the empty Gryffindor common room trying to finish their essays. Well, Harry was trying finish his essay, Ron however, was preoccupied with looking through Hermione's books and folders.
"Looking for Hermione's essay," said Ron, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Harry cringed, this would not be good if Hermione came down while they were copying her essay, especially after last night's row, or lack there of, with Ron. "Are you sure you should do that? I mean, she's already really mad at you. Maybe we should just do it ourselves."
"What's the point, if she's still not talking to me, it won't matter because she'll already be mad, and if she is talking to me, me copying her homework won't get her that riled up."
Harry cocked an eyebrow and look at Ron, who was still searching through papers, "This Hermoine were talking about right? And you're saying she won't get riled up about homework?"
Ron either had not heard Harry, or had chosen to ignore his last comment, because he searched for a few more moments, before triumphantly pulling a piece of parchment out of Hermione's Charms book. He waved it in front of Harry coaxingly which was all Harry needed to push his qualms aside. He got to his feet immediately and ran over to Ron.
"Is that the essay?"
Ron, who had noticed he had also pulled out an envelope with the piece of parchment, got a sly grin on his face as he said, "No, but I think it's better. It's the letter she got yesterday that she wouldn't open or talk about. Shall we read it?"
Despite ever part of him screaming that this was very, very wrong, and a much worse offense than copying Harry's homework, his curiosity got the best of him, and he ended up speaking before thinking, "Yes."
Ron began to read the letter out loud, "Dearest Hermione-oh, bloody hell--it's from Krum!" he spat.
Now Harry's conscience was getting the best of him. He absolutely knew that reading this letter was a very bad idea, but when he verbalized this to Ron, he merely received a 'SHH!' as Ron continued to read, spitting out each sentence with more venom then the last. When he had finally read the last sentence, he voice was dripping with disgust. "Well that's just the-" But Harry never got a chance to hear just what Ron thought of the letter, because just as he finished it, someone came from behind them and plucked the parchment from his hands. Harry, and he assumed Ron was also feeling the same, had a sinking feeling that he knew exactly who had grabbed the letter.
There feeling was proved correct when the slowly turned around and saw Hermione standing before them, glaring.
"Reading my personal mail now are you? That means you had to go to great lengths to find it, seeing as I put it in one of my school books in my book bag. You do know that reading someone else's mail, and going through their things it not only despicable, but illegal."
"We weren't looking for this stupid letter. We were looking for your essay," spat Ron. Harry didn't see how this comment made the situation better, and apparently neither had Hermione. "So now we can add cheating to the list of crimes this morning. Very impressive boys, three illegal activities, and it's not even breakfast yet," said Hermione, her voice oozing sarcasm.
Ron, as usual, turned on his defense once again, as he said, "I'm sure you wouldn't mind Vicky copying your homework. And I'm sure it'd be okay with you for him to read your mail too. I'm mean your helping him decorate his house and all. I'm guessing that's gonna be your new address soon, as well. Have you set the date of the wedding yet?" Ron's voice contained a fair amount of sarcasm as well, as well as a trace of jealousy, which Hermione did not recognize, Harry chose to ignore, and Ron wouldn't allow himself to admit to himself.
"Ron, I would like to let you know," Hermione began, her voice rising with each word, "that you are the most insufferable, intolerable, and unbearable PRAT I have ever had the misfortune of speaking to!" And with that, Hermione turned around and began walking towards the exit.
" 'Insufferable, intolerable, unbearable'? She's a walking thesaurus that one is," commented George Weasley who had, along with a few other Gyffindors apparently came down to see what all the yelling was about so early in the morning.
Ron merely shrugged, turned to Harry, and said, "Well, it appears she talking to me again." No sooner had the words left his mouth, Hermione poked her head back in through the portrait hole.
"And just because in order to set you straight I had to yell at you," her voice still above normal tone, and still filled with anger, "that doesn't mean I'm talking to you. Because I'm not!" And with that, her head once again disappeared from the common room, the portrait hole door slamming behind her.
Now, most of Gryffindor had showed up and witnessed the last part of the argument. Realizing that it was now over, they all began to slowly filed out.
As Fred and George walked by their baby brother, they each placed a hand on his shoulder, and Fred whispered into his ear, "There's nothing in the world worse than a woman's scorn." And then they too left, leaving Harry and Ron alone in the common room.
"Well, let's go to breakfast, shall we?" asked Ron abruptly. "I'm starved."
Harry stared at Ron in bewilderment. Hadn't he realized the extent of the argument Hermione and he had just had? How could he have nothing better to say then, 'I'm starved'?
Ron seemingly read Harry's mind, because after seeing the expression on his friend's face shrugged, and replied, "Nothing makes me hungrier than an argument was Hermione. It takes a lot out of a person. Besides, I'm not too worried. She'll be talking to me by lunch." He said all this as he was already heading out the door, and although Harry was quite positive Hermione would not be talking to Ron by lunch, he said nothing, and merely followed.
*******************************
Harry's inkling was correct, and Hermione was not talking to Ron by lunch, and as the news of the argument traveled fast, most of the fifth year girls were not paying any attention to Ron in support of Hermione. Hermione wouldn't even sit near them at lunch. Harry and Ron took their normal seats at one end of the Gryffindor table, and Hermione sat with Parvati, Lavender, and Ginny all the way on the other side of the table.
Dinner was the same, and it was 10 minutes after it had finished, and when she was already half way up to the common room, that Hermione remembered that she was supposed to meet Malfoy in the library to work on their project. It took everything in her not to keep walking up the stairs, but her conscience got the best of her, knowing that no matter how angry she was, school work should never be put off. She didn't even think about dressing herself up, and just headed down to the library how she already looked. She had taken her school robes off before dinner as most students did, but was wearing nothing exciting none the less. She had on a black pleated skirt that came about two inches above her knees, a short sleeved, red, button up blouse with the first two buttons undone (not tucked into her skirt), and a pair of Mary Janes on her feet. Her hair, which that morning fell in springing curls, had been loosely tied back in a ponytail, few strands continually fell around her face, and the curls we're no longer as 'springy.' Anyone who saw her would think was rather disheveled, a looked that was not Hermione at all. But the truth was that she was rather disheveled because she was too preoccupied with thinking about the fight between her and Ron. He was such a dolt sometimes.
When she finally reached the library, and was maneuvering her way through the shelves of books, she was about 20 minutes late. Silently Hermione hoped that Malfoy would have gotten tired of waiting and had left. It wouldn't exactly be out of character for him. He'd probably give some excuse the next day such as, "I wasn't about to waste my time waiting for a Mudblood to decide to show up." And upon thinking this, Hermione smiled, because she was absolutely positive that he wouldn't still be in the library, and that she would be able to return to Gryffindor dormitories, and get some sleep. The smile soon fell however when she had finally past the Rare Potions sections and had a clear view of the History of Magic shelves. Sitting at small wooden table was the platinum haired boy she had planned on meeting. He looked thoroughly annoyed. When he noticed her, he, of course, had something to say about the tardiness.
"I swear Granger, if your late one more time, it better be because your dead."
"Yes, but see, if I was dead, I wouldn't be late, I would never come," she replied, as she took a seat across from him.
"Well that really wouldn't bother me that much," he said with a sneer.
Hermione smiled sweetly as she sarcastically said, "Malfoy, you are just a big ball of charm, aren't you?" Malfoy didn't say anything, merely gave her a sarcastic half smile as she continued, "By the way, I never found out- how did your meeting with Professor Binns go?" She batted her eyelashes innocently though she knew perfectly well, if they had been given new partners he would have been in the library with her tonight. He voiced her precise thoughts quite openly as soon as she asked the question.
"You know bloody well enough that I wouldn't be here in this library with some Mudblood, if I had gotten a new partner."
Since Hermione already had guessed his answer, he had barely finished speaking when she continued, "Well then, I guess we should get on with our project. Though if you want to start tomorrow, I wouldn't exactly be crying over it."
"Oh, no, because you only cry over the fights you have with your redhead boyfriend."
"I didn't cry over our fight," she said, before realizing the second half of his comment. She therefore added, "He is not my boyfriend. Just because you can't be friends with a girl without sleeping with her, doesn't mean other members of your sex can't."
Apparently ignoring the last part of her comment, Malfoy continued to push, "No, that's right he's not your boyfriend. That would make things too complicated to add a third person. How you even got one to be interested I don't know. But tell me, did you ever chose Potter or Krum?"
Fire flashed in Hermione's eyes, "Harry and I never dated. And Viktor is none of you business."
"Trade you in for someone better? I can't say I'd blame him. Your not as awful to look at anymore. It was a good decision for him to get what he wanted out of you, then get a real woman." Hermione stared at him, was there a compliment hidden in the insult- 'your not as awful to look at'- but then he continued, and she remembered her anger. "Though, I heard that he was what your argument with the Weasel was about. So I guess you didn't break up. Though maybe it was just Weasel finding out what you had done with Krum?"
To be perfectly honest, Hermione was finding the conversation she was having with Malfoy close to humorous. Firstly, because it reminded her of the many she had had with Ron, and secondly, because he was reaching so hard for anything that could make her angry. He was actually trying, and that itself made the situation seem funny. So, hoping that she wouldn't start laughing, Hermione glared at Malfoy, "Why do you care so much about my personal life?"
"I care, because it makes you angry. And that is after all why I'm here on earth. To make life hell for all Mudbloods and Mudblood lovers."
"Really? I thought you were here as a warning about the terrible results of inbreeding." Though she said this with a straight face, she was inwardly smiling. Fighting with Malfoy seemed to make her mind sharper. The insults came quicker than when fighting with Ron.
It seemed as though Malfoy didn't have a response to her last comment, as when he spoke, it was almost 90% free of insult. "Why don't we split the paper up. Each can do half, and then well put them together. That way I'll only have to see your face a maximum of one more time."
"Ha, yea right. I don't trust you to do have of our grade, and besides, the papers wouldn't blend at all since mine will so muggle borns in an unbiased light, while your, will show them as horrible half breeds."
"I just call them like I see them."
"Yea, well you see through distorted lenses. We're working on this together," there was finality in this statement, and Malfoy for once, didn't question it. It seemed that he was beaten--though he'd never admit it.
Hermoine walked over to the section of shelves labeled Muggles/Muggle Born Witches
Throughout History, and Malfoy followed, though grudgingly. She pulled eight books off the shelf, and handed four to Malfoy. "Here, you can start with these four, and I'll take these four. Take notes, and we'll meet here--same time--tomorrow to go over what we each read, and then get some more resources."
"Who do you think you are giving orders, Granger?" asked Malfoy with a disgusted look on his face.
"The only one who is taking this project seriously." And with that, she flipped a few loose strands of hair as she turned around, grabbed her books and left the library without a second look back at Malfoy.
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A/N: YAY!! Finally I'm done with this chapter! According to my word count, it was--drum roll please-- 4,578 WORDS! It was also 7 ½ pages long. I think that's probably the longest chapter I've written of any story (the previous record held by 6 pages of GG, though it was in script format, so definitely not as many words.). Well, I hope, hope, hope you enjoyed it since I made you all wait so long for it, and I don't want ya'll disappointed. So let me know by clicking that little purple box that says 'submit review'. Thanks so much =)