R22Blood Lost
Chapter 4
Hermione was distracted.
He wouldn't talk to her. She spent her time in their common room, wanting for him to come in. And then, when he did, he didn't even acknowledge her. He just sat at his desk and studied. Sometimes he wouldn't come back from wherever he had been until very late, and Hermione was obliged to go to bed so as not to seem to be waiting for him.
So Hermione did what she always did, she buried herself in her studies. Soon the days flew by, and the weather turned colder. Before she knew it, it was Halloween.
"It's Halloween, Hermione! Come to the feast!" yelled Ron, knocking at her door. She could hear Harry's laughter as well, and Hermione could appreciate that he was able to laugh now, when for so long..but those times where over.
"I'm coming!" Hermione called, and with a broad smile she dashed down the stairs to join her friends.
"Hermione, Hedwig just got back with a letter from your parents," Harry said, holding out a white envelope.
"Oh, thanks for letting me borrow her, Harry. Just a minute, and I'll leave this here." Hermione went back up the stairs to put the letter by her bed for later reading. When she came back out, Malfoy was coming out of his room as well; they were standing face-to-face, ten feet away.
When he didn't move, Hermione realized that he meant for her to go first. Moving with a quick burst of speed, she mentally scolded herself for standing there like a fool. She hurried down the steps to rejoin her friends, and (hopefully) forget about Draco Malfoy.
"You seemed to have been holed up in there for the last month, Hermione," Harry said. "We haven't seen you much."
"We do have our N.E.W.T.s this year, Harry. In fact, this is the most important year of our schooling," Hermione said. "And now that the war's over, we'll have a lot more time to devote to our studies."
"You're already on us about N.E.W.T.s? Honestly, can't we just have fun for once? It's our last year, we have to make it count!" Ron said, not letting anything keep him down.
And then they entered the Great Hall. It was decorated in grand splendor, with gigantic pumpkins carved and charmed so that their mouths screamed or grew long teeth. All above them, ghostly shadows and dark bats waltzed and whirled, and cast long shadows across the walls of the hall. The tables were full, overflowing with the feast as well as buckets of candy and jugs of pumpkin juice. Hermione was able to relax and enjoy the feast somewhat.
She felt ice strike her in tiny pinpricks. She wasn't fast enough to catch his eyes on her from the other end of the hall, but the fact that he would not meet her stare gave away the fact that he had been watching her.
She dared not spare a glance at him for the rest of the evening.
****
When Hermione awoke the next morning and saw the white envelope on the table beside her bed, she realized she had forgotten all about it. The familiar rectangular shape, manufactured whiteness, and blue penned address gave away the fact that it was from muggles. Tearing open the letter neatly, Hermione read it even before she had brushed her teeth(which was saying a lot, since her parents were dentists):
"Our Dearest Hermione,
We are glad to hear that your last year of schooling is going well. We'd like to congratulate you once more on becoming Head Girl, and we hope you know that whatever you do, we will always be proud of you.
We had a strange encounter the other day, with a wizard of your kind. It was odd, and neither your father nor I remember much of what happened. However, we can see that you will be well cared-for and happy, and we wish you to know that you have our blessing.
With Love, Your Mother and Father"
Something was definitely not right with this letter. Hermione rushed about, quickly getting dressed and brushing her teeth. Her hair she simply sprayed a bit of de-frizz, and hoped a ponytail would hold the bushy curls.
And then as she rushed out to her common room, she didn't know what to do. Should she go to Dumbledore? Her parents did not seem to be in any grave danger, and there wasn't much danger to be found. No, it wasn't important enough to go to Dumbledore over, it was just a silly feeling that a silly little girl had.
Hermione calmed herself down, and made her way down to the Great Hall for an early breakfast.
There were a few students up, but not many. Usually by this time the Hall was half-full, but many had slept in after the feast. More filed in as Hermione ate, and soon the post came. Hermione was perusing the pages when something caught her eye:
"Announcing the Engagement of Draco Malfoy,
son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy,
to Hermione Granger.
To be wed on Midsummer's Day of the coming year."
Hermione gasped out loud. How dare he do something like this! She couldn't be engaged, they hadn't..Draco hadn't even..Thoughts flew back and forth across Hermione mind, creating quite a clutter. She had a fleeting thought about the mysterious letter from her parents, then one of Draco seeming to always be avoiding her, and the thought that he hadn't after all, 'Thought of something' and taken care of this like he said he would. This simply could not be happening..
And yet it was. Hermione looked about the Great Hall, grateful that many had slept in, and fewer still read the Prophet. Her eye was caught by a giggling group of girls that kept sending glances her way, and Draco Malfoy was no where in sight.
Hermione leapt out of her chair, and marched out of the Great Hall, her parents letter clenched in one hand, and in the other the Daily Prophet Special Notices page was becoming quite crinkled. She had a very belated appointed with one Slytherin Prince.
Chapter 4
Hermione was distracted.
He wouldn't talk to her. She spent her time in their common room, wanting for him to come in. And then, when he did, he didn't even acknowledge her. He just sat at his desk and studied. Sometimes he wouldn't come back from wherever he had been until very late, and Hermione was obliged to go to bed so as not to seem to be waiting for him.
So Hermione did what she always did, she buried herself in her studies. Soon the days flew by, and the weather turned colder. Before she knew it, it was Halloween.
"It's Halloween, Hermione! Come to the feast!" yelled Ron, knocking at her door. She could hear Harry's laughter as well, and Hermione could appreciate that he was able to laugh now, when for so long..but those times where over.
"I'm coming!" Hermione called, and with a broad smile she dashed down the stairs to join her friends.
"Hermione, Hedwig just got back with a letter from your parents," Harry said, holding out a white envelope.
"Oh, thanks for letting me borrow her, Harry. Just a minute, and I'll leave this here." Hermione went back up the stairs to put the letter by her bed for later reading. When she came back out, Malfoy was coming out of his room as well; they were standing face-to-face, ten feet away.
When he didn't move, Hermione realized that he meant for her to go first. Moving with a quick burst of speed, she mentally scolded herself for standing there like a fool. She hurried down the steps to rejoin her friends, and (hopefully) forget about Draco Malfoy.
"You seemed to have been holed up in there for the last month, Hermione," Harry said. "We haven't seen you much."
"We do have our N.E.W.T.s this year, Harry. In fact, this is the most important year of our schooling," Hermione said. "And now that the war's over, we'll have a lot more time to devote to our studies."
"You're already on us about N.E.W.T.s? Honestly, can't we just have fun for once? It's our last year, we have to make it count!" Ron said, not letting anything keep him down.
And then they entered the Great Hall. It was decorated in grand splendor, with gigantic pumpkins carved and charmed so that their mouths screamed or grew long teeth. All above them, ghostly shadows and dark bats waltzed and whirled, and cast long shadows across the walls of the hall. The tables were full, overflowing with the feast as well as buckets of candy and jugs of pumpkin juice. Hermione was able to relax and enjoy the feast somewhat.
She felt ice strike her in tiny pinpricks. She wasn't fast enough to catch his eyes on her from the other end of the hall, but the fact that he would not meet her stare gave away the fact that he had been watching her.
She dared not spare a glance at him for the rest of the evening.
****
When Hermione awoke the next morning and saw the white envelope on the table beside her bed, she realized she had forgotten all about it. The familiar rectangular shape, manufactured whiteness, and blue penned address gave away the fact that it was from muggles. Tearing open the letter neatly, Hermione read it even before she had brushed her teeth(which was saying a lot, since her parents were dentists):
"Our Dearest Hermione,
We are glad to hear that your last year of schooling is going well. We'd like to congratulate you once more on becoming Head Girl, and we hope you know that whatever you do, we will always be proud of you.
We had a strange encounter the other day, with a wizard of your kind. It was odd, and neither your father nor I remember much of what happened. However, we can see that you will be well cared-for and happy, and we wish you to know that you have our blessing.
With Love, Your Mother and Father"
Something was definitely not right with this letter. Hermione rushed about, quickly getting dressed and brushing her teeth. Her hair she simply sprayed a bit of de-frizz, and hoped a ponytail would hold the bushy curls.
And then as she rushed out to her common room, she didn't know what to do. Should she go to Dumbledore? Her parents did not seem to be in any grave danger, and there wasn't much danger to be found. No, it wasn't important enough to go to Dumbledore over, it was just a silly feeling that a silly little girl had.
Hermione calmed herself down, and made her way down to the Great Hall for an early breakfast.
There were a few students up, but not many. Usually by this time the Hall was half-full, but many had slept in after the feast. More filed in as Hermione ate, and soon the post came. Hermione was perusing the pages when something caught her eye:
"Announcing the Engagement of Draco Malfoy,
son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy,
to Hermione Granger.
To be wed on Midsummer's Day of the coming year."
Hermione gasped out loud. How dare he do something like this! She couldn't be engaged, they hadn't..Draco hadn't even..Thoughts flew back and forth across Hermione mind, creating quite a clutter. She had a fleeting thought about the mysterious letter from her parents, then one of Draco seeming to always be avoiding her, and the thought that he hadn't after all, 'Thought of something' and taken care of this like he said he would. This simply could not be happening..
And yet it was. Hermione looked about the Great Hall, grateful that many had slept in, and fewer still read the Prophet. Her eye was caught by a giggling group of girls that kept sending glances her way, and Draco Malfoy was no where in sight.
Hermione leapt out of her chair, and marched out of the Great Hall, her parents letter clenched in one hand, and in the other the Daily Prophet Special Notices page was becoming quite crinkled. She had a very belated appointed with one Slytherin Prince.