Chapter 17- Bad News
"Miss Granger a word," Professor McGonnagall called to Hermione as Hermione gathered up her books at the end of Transfigurations. Hermione looked up surprised, but figured McGonnagall wanted to compliment her essay on "Transfiguring Humans: Why This Must Be Ministry-Approved". Hermione turned to the front of the classroom slowly.
"I'll see you at lunch." Draco whispered in her ear as he gently pushed past her, winking. Hermione smiled back hurriedly reaching her Professor's desk.
"Miss Granger," Professor McGonnagal started as she sat in her high back chair, motioning Hermione to the similar seat across from her. "I am aware of your new responsibilities, however I'm afraid I can not let this go by." Hermione looked at her, suddenly alarmed.
"Your grades, Miss Granger." McGonnagall continued gently. "For the past few weeks almost all of your Professors have informed me that your work of late is not up to your usual standards. I understand that you have a lot on your mind, however you are barely scraping by in all of your classes. Unless you bring up your grades by the end of the term, your Head Girl privileges and duties will be passed to someone else so you can give more time to your studies. I'm very sorry Miss Granger but we cannot raise suspicion." McGonnagall looked at Hermione anxiously.
Hermione sat in shock. She had never failed in anything. Anything. Now her farvorite Professor was telling her she wouldn't be able to be Head Girl anymore if she couldn't do better. She went numb. Had there ever been a Head Girl or Boy that had been asked to pack up because they were failing? She had been a little preoccupied in class lately but failing? She heard McGonnagal's voice droning in the background and tried to pull her thoughts back to her. She saw a worried look on Professor McGonnagall's face and stood up quickly, knocking the chair back.
"I got to go." She said softly, backing from the room. "Thank you for informing me, Professor." She strained her voice to sound remotely normal.
"Miss Granger?" McGonnagall questioned, but Hermione had already left the room.
~
Hermione made it down two corridors before stopping and leaning against a wall, tears streaming down her face, streaking her makeup. She knew she shouldn't be crying, but this was everything she had worked for. It had all been so important to her. What had changed? "Well, Hermione" a voice in the back of her head answered for her. "You did decide to put your life at risk to help the second war, you lost your two best friends, and you fell in love with your mortal enemy…" Hermione teary eyes opened wide. "Fall in… love? With Draco?" She whispered to herself. "You know its true." The same voice in the back of her head responded. Hermione slumped to the floor, exhausted. Yes, she did love Draco, but is that worth giving up everything she ever worked for, her future? Her eyes narrowed, and she knew what she needed to do. Grabbing her books she headed to her sanctuary, the library.
~
Draco was searching around the school, anxiously looking for Hermione. He hadn't seen her at lunch at all, and she had Charms class after lunch in a different part of the school. It was now past ten and she hadn't come to dinner or practice with him and Snape. "What if something happened to her?" was a reoccurring thought that kept flashing through his mind as he quickened his pace.
Draco entered the library, panting. He immediately saw a bundle of brown curls cascading around the form of a sleeping girl at one of the far tables and mentally scolded himself for not thinking of coming here first. "Hermione," he called her name softly while gently shaking her. "'Mione?" He repeated.
"Dragon?" she asked, groggily.
"You fell asleep in the library." Draco said soothingly, biting back the laughter forming in the back of his throat.
"Oh, I came to finish some assignments and I guess I lost track of the time, McGonnagall said…" Hermione instantly bolted up and the memory of her encounter with her professor hit her. "I have to get back to work." She mumbled frantically, shuffling papers around trying to cover up her slip. Draco however noticed.
"What about McGonnagall?" he pressed gently.
"Forget about it." Hermione snapped, her eyes flashing. She stood up quickly.
"Woah." Draco was alarmed at the sudden attack. He gently grabbed her free hand and held it in both of his. Hermione looked down at him and gave an angry sigh before sitting again.
"What happened?" Draco asked, knowing instantly Hermione was really upset.
"I- I think we should take a break." Hermione said softly, avoiding his intense gaze. Draco drew back suddenly.
"That doesn't explain what McGonnagall said." He replied coolly.
"I just think we should take some time to get our lives back on track." Hermione's gaze was now fixed intently on the bookshelf ahead of her. Draco was livid.
"What brought this on?"
"I just… think it would be best." Hermione felt her face flush.
"Fine. You don't want to tell me about it, that's fine. I mean we're not really friends are we? We're enemies. Its not like we got the dark mark together, or have to work together. So yeah, great idea we can take a 'break', and you can go back to Potter and Weasley telling them all your problems. It's not like I would care or anything." Hermione turned her gaze on him suddenly, eyes blazing in fury.
"Do you think I want this? We're still going to have to meetings together, live together and go to classes together! Do you really think I would want any animosity between us? You can be so stuck up sometimes!" Hermione stood up quickly.
"So I'm supposed to take breaking up with my girlfriend good and be polite about it? What do you expect from me Granger!" Draco was so infuriated he didn't notice the use of her surname.
"Nothing, Malfoy. I expect nothing from you." Hermione turned quickly and stormed out of the library. Draco's stormy gray eyes followed her as she turned the corner and out of sight. He ran a hand through his hair aggressively, making it stick up on end, giving him a very windblown look.
"Fine then!" he shouted to no one in particular, as no one was around to hear. Grabbing his cloak, he stormed out of the library himself.
~
Hermione had no idea where to go. If she headed back to her common room, she would be sure to run into Draco. She couldn't go into the Gryffindor common room now that they all hated her, but she still had a lot of work to do. She bit her lip nervously, and then suddenly heard footsteps. Scared they might belong to Draco, she drew into a corner, holding her breath. She released it as she saw Ginny rounding the corner, finishing her nightly prefect patrol.
"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise, stepping out of the shadows quickly. Ginny looked up in surprised, but immediately moved closer to give her a hug. Hermione was bemused until she remembered the tears that were streaming from her eyes for the second time that day. She looked a mess.
"Thanks Ginny." Hermione said throatily, choking back a sob.
"Is everything alright?" Ginny's face was etched with concern. Hermione was on the verge of saying "yes," but then slowly shook her head from side to side.
"Let's go back to Prefect's common room, Hermione. No one will be there at this time." She placed a reassuring arm around Hermione's shoulders, steering her in that direction.
~
Draco stood in the shower, letting the steaming hot water pound his body mercilessly. He angrily smashed his hand against the wall, which wasn't such a good idea he realized as he arm started throbbing. He didn't know what to do with himself. He and Hermione were fine this morning, what changed? "Why do women have to be so god damn complicated?!" He yelled to no one. He was even angrier that thoughts of her had plagued him even in the shower, which usually was soothing. "It's because you love her," taunted a voice in the back of his head.
"Great." He suddenly realized the winter ball was in two weeks. "I get to go to the ball with my ex." As if things weren't complicated enough.
~
Hermione sat on the couch with Ginny, drinking a large mug of hot chocolate that the house elves had kindly brought up to her. She had just told her everything. Her and Draco taking a "break", being a spy for Dumbledore, failing all of her classes, she hadn't been able to stop once she started. She was now extremely nervous at her reaction.
"Oh, Hermione!" Ginny's eyes were brimming with tears of pity for her friend as she pulled her into a strong hug. "I never knew! You're so brave." she sat back, gazing at Hermione intently.
"Can I see the mark?" she asked, softly. Silently Hermione rolled up the left arm of her sleeve, revealing a faded but visible mark of a skull with a snake protruding from the mouth. Ginny gasped.
"You can't tell anyone Ginny, I mean it! You can't even think about it or ever mention it again! Not even to me! If Dumbledore finds out I told you…" Hermione rambled on.
"Hermione! I swear I will not tell anyone. Ever." Hermione looked at Ginny with a faint smile.
"Thanks Gin."
A/N: review!!!! Haha I felt so special I got a lot of reviews last chappie it motivated me! Thanks so much!!! ;-)