Hearts Combined
~* Starting work on this chapter, it may take a long time, so sorry about the wait! Thanks to all who reviewed so far, I'll keep the chapters coming! *~
Chapter 6 ~ Promises
The next day, Hermione woke to the sound of Draco trying to move the Wizard Chess Set out of their room and back downstairs to the Hogwarts Common Room. He looked over at her as she stirred, and sat up.
'Sorry Hermione, did I wake you?' Draco said in a voice just above a whisper. Hermione rubbed her eyes and yawned.
'Just a bit Draco.' Hermione said, and yawned again. She got out of her bed, and opened her trunk, pulling out her school robes.
'Sorry for waking you, I was just moving the Chess Set back downstairs, I'll be back up in a minute.' Draco disappeared out of the door, lugging the large chess set downstairs. Hermione watched as he left, a single tear falling down her cheek as she remembered the events of the previous night.
'How am I supposed to choose?' Hermione said aloud to no one in particular. She quickly changed into her school robes while Draco was out of the room. This morning, she wasn't in the mood to straighten her hair, so she left it bushy, and in a single ponytail placed neatly on her head.
Leaving the bedroom, Hermione wondered why her best friends would make her choose between them and Draco. If they were really her friends, they wouldn't have made her choose. Meaning that there really was no choice.
On her way down the stairs, she bumped into Draco, who was going back upstairs.
'Hey Hermione.' He said as they passed each other on the stairs. Hermione looked back at him as he disappeared up the stairs.
Upon entering the Hogwarts Common Room, Hermione was greeted by an unwelcoming Ginny. The other Prefects were no where in sight.
'Good morning Hermione.' Ginny said in a cold voice. 'Have you made your decision yet?' She asked. Hermione looked at Ginny with a look of disgust in her eyes.
'Why are you doing this to me Ginny, you and everyone else? I have the right to be friends with whom ever I please.' Hermione said in a voice to match Ginny's.
'Why? I'll tell you why. Because Gryffindors were never meant to be friends with Slytherins, and I've been monitoring your behaviour when you're around Draco, and I believe that it's best that you stay away from him before your relationship with him becomes more serious.' Ginny began. 'I talked it over with your friends, and they all think the same as me.'
'Who are you to decide who I can and can't be friends with?' Hermione yelled. Phillip came down the stair case which had his and Ginny's name above the entrance.
'Hey! What's going on you two?' He said.
'Stay out of this Phillip.' Ginny said warningly. 'Hermione, we're not trying to run your life, we're simply trying to make you see what's best for you!'
'Would you please let me decide what's best for me? I'm old enough to make my own decisions now! I'm not a little kid anymore, and you guys have NO right to tell me who I can't be friends with! If I want to be friends with Draco, then I most certainly will be friends with him!' Hermione shouted.
Draco had been standing at the entrance of the staircase leading to his and Hermione's bedroom, he had heard everything which Hermione had said to Ginny, and he was quite shocked that she would stand up to her friends all because of him.
'Fine! Be that way! If you would rather be friends with a no good, lying, cheating prick who made your life hell for the past six years, then be my guest.' Ginny yelled, and she stormed out of the Hogwarts Common Room, and headed down to breakfast.
Hermione broke down, and fell onto her sofa, defeated. Phillip walked over to her and sat down on the sofa next to her. Draco remained at the entrance of the staircase, hidden from view, listening eagerly to what was about to be said.
'Don't worry about Ginny, she's just a little worried about you, we all are.' Phillip said comfortingly. Hermione stared at him with a blank expression on her face.
'I don't know why they're doing this?' She said. 'It's not as if Draco's been horrible to me this year. Infact, he's been everything but horrible! Why can't they see that Phillip?' Hermione wailed.
'I don't know, but what I do know is that they're looking out for you Hermione. They only want what's best for you. They don't know that Draco's changed dramatically, they must think he's using you for something.' Phillip said, trying to make Hermione change her mind about her friends.
'I just don't want to lose anyone.' Hermione said, and started sobbing softly. Phillip hugged her.
'You're just about to lose your best friends, Hermione. I know you didn't ask for this, but this is what is happening. You cannot throw away six years of solid friendship, can you?' Phillip told her.
'I know Phillip, but it's just so hard! Draco's been there for me when I needed someone to comfort me, he listened to me about Harry, he really cares.' Hermione began. 'He's changed, he's not the same jerk he was last year, and the year before that, and so on.'
'But why would he make the sudden change?' Phillip asked. Hermione felt a tingle run down her spine.
'It's not my place to say, he'll tell everyone when he's ready to talk about it. Until then, you just have to believe me when I say he has a good reason to mellow out.' Hermione said.
'Why won't he just come out and say his reason? It'd make everyone believe that he really has changed.' Phillip suggested.
'I don't think he's really ready to talk about it, he has only told me.' Hermione said softly.
'How can you defend him like this? Do you have feelings for him or something?' Phillip asked. Hermione said nothing for a few minutes.
'I'm not sure Phillip, I might. . . it's just that he's been so kind, and sweet, while my friends have distanced themselves from me.' She said finally. Phillip wore a look of shock on his face.
'How can you, Hermione Granger, have feelings for a Slytherin? And this in particular Slytherin who made your school years miserable!' Phillip cried.
'He's changed, he apologised for all his wrong-doings, and I forgave him. Don't you believe in second chances?' Hermione said defensively.
'Of corse I believe in second chances, but he went way beyond having a second chance.' Phillip said. 'I watched as he tormented you, Ron and especially Harry. Harry was one of your best friends, and now he's gone! How would he feel if he could see you today, fraternising with the enemy.'
'How dare you bring Harry into all of this!' Hermione cried. 'You leave him out of it, this has absolutely nothing to do with Harry!' Hermione stood up in rage, and looked down on Phillip with a gleaming look of pain in her soft brown eyes.
'I'm sorry Hermione, but you must see reason, and if bringing Harry into this mess is the only way to make you act sensibly, then I will bring Harry into it.' Phillip said, trying to stay as calm as possible in the situation.
'You bastard!' Hermione yelled and slapped Phillip across the face. 'I thought you were a better person than you have proven to be!' She said, open tears streaming down her face. Hermione ran up her staircase, right past Draco, who she did not see.
Draco walked out into the Hogwarts Common Room, glowering at Phillip, who hadn't noticed him yet.
'You think you can get away with treating her like that do you?' Draco growled. 'She lost her best friend and you go and bring him up at a time like this! She's fragile at the moment, can't you see that?' Draco was now yelling.
'No need to yell.' Phillip said, not looking at the Head Boy.
'There is every need to yell! You and your fellow Gryffindors are probably hurting Hermione more than I have in the past six years! How can you make her choose like that? You mustn't be good friends after all.' Draco yelled.
'We just want what's best for her!' Phillip yelled, standing up to face Draco.
'Go back to your corner Gryffindor boy.' Draco snarled.
'You're bad for her.' Phillip said calmly.
'Who are you to decide what's bad for her?' Draco said menacingly.
'I am a friend, and I have known her for longer than you have.' Phillip said.
'Excuse me, I knew her for a whole year longer than you did.' Draco said.
'Yeah, but you never took the time to get to know the person she really is, you took her for granted and you don't deserve her friendship now.' Phillip growled.
'The only thing that's bad for her right now is her best and closest friends trying to run her life.' Draco said rationally. 'You have no right to decide what she has to do in her life.'
'You must have her brainwashed. She actually believes that you're a decent person.' Phillip shook his head in shame.
'You really are a nasty piece of work.' Draco said. 'What possible reason would I have to brainwash Hermione? She's the nicest person to me in the world, and I don't want to lose her, don't you see that? Can't you Gryffindors understand that?' Draco pleaded.
'What about your mother, she's always been nice to you.' Phillip said dully.
'You leave my mother out of this, you arse hole!' Draco shouted, and he walked out of the Hogwarts Common Room and up the stairs which led to his and Hermione's room. Phillip watched him leave with a stunned look on his face.
'Weird.' Phillip muttered, before leaving the Hogwarts Common Room and heading down for breakfast.
~***~
Hermione was no where in sight when Draco reached their bedroom. He knew that she was either in her bathroom, or in the secret passageway hidden behind the portrait of Harry. Draco strode over to the portrait of Harry, knowing that he wouldn't be able to get into Hermione's bathroom even with the most powerful magic.
Harry frowned at Draco as he walked in front of the portrait.
'Harry, I know you and me never clicked, but is Hermione in there?' Draco asked. Harry remained silent. Draco punched the wall beside Harry's Portrait.
'Look Harry, Hermione's upset, and I have to talk to her. So just swing open and let me past!' Draco growled. Harry's Portrait swung open, to reveal nothing but wall.
'The room is only there when Hermione is standing in front of me.' Harry said. 'Anyone else cannot view it, only Hermione. That's the way that Dumbledore and I discussed it. This is Hermione's private room, so only Hermione can access it.'
'Then why was I able to see down there the last time it was open?' Draco asked suspiciously.
'Because Hermione opened it. If Hermione wants someone to go with her, then that's quite fine.' Harry explained.
'Oh, okay then. So could you at least tell me if Hermione's in there?' Draco sighed, accepting defeat. Harry nodded his head. 'Thank you.' Draco said sadly, and walked towards the door.
'Malfoy.' Harry called. Draco stopped, and faced Harry's Portrait.
'What?' Draco asked.
'Thanks for being there for Hermione, she's told me what Ron and the others are doing, and I think it's a load of crap. I expected better from them, and I'll be asking to have a word with them in the near future.' Harry said softly.
'That's okay, I just don't like seeing Hermione sad.' Draco said, and walked out of his and Hermione's room.
~***~
Ginny was sitting at the Gryffindor Table in the Great Hall telling Seamus, Ron, Dean and Neville about her talk with Hermione earlier that morning in the Hogwarts Common Room.
'. . . and then she yelled at me and said that we shouldn't be running her life, and that we don't know what's best for her.' Ginny finished.
'What if we do know what's best for her?' Ron asked. 'What if Malfoy turns on her, and what if he's putting on an act for her? She'd better not get herself hurt, I hope she knows what she's doing.' Ron took a bite of a piece of toast.
'I hope Malfoy turns on her, it'll show her who was right.' Seamus said angrily.
'You can't blame her, she sees a side of Malfoy that no one else sees.' Ron said defending his friend.
'Wonder why no one else sees that side.' Dean sneered sacrastically.
'Yeah, 'cause Malfoy's putting it on, so he can build up her trust, and then come crashing down on her in the end.' Seamus added, in his heavy Irish Accent.
'Don't be so quick to judge. If Hermione says he's changed, then he's changed.' Ron said. 'Hermione wouldn't be friends with him if he hadn't. She hated the old Malfoy, there's no way she would go near him if he was the same person he has been these past six years at Hogwarts.' Ron continued, in Hermione's defence.
'I don't believe you Ron, you're just as bad as Hermione!' Ginny cried.
'Hermione's been my friend for six years, and I'm not going to let a pathetic thing like this get in the way of our friendship, especially not with Harry gone. . .' Ron trailed off, pained at the memory of his former best friend, Harry.
'He's right you know.' Neville put in his opinion.
'You two make me sick. It's almost as if you want to go and be friends with Malfoy as well!' Ginny spat.
'You're my little sister, and I have duties as an older brother to care for you, so I'm not going to let you go ahead with this. You love Hermione! We all do. We can't turn on her now.' Ron said, trying one last time to make his fellow Gryffindors see reason.
'I say we exclude her.' Parvati said. She and Lavender had walked over to the conversation, and had heard most of it, but had remained silent. All five Gryffindors who had been talking spun around to see Parvati and Lavender standing there.
'Why do you say that, Parvati?' Neville and Ron said in unison. Parvati sneered.
'If she wants to go around fraternising with Slytherin Scum, then she can stay with Slytherin Scum. Hermione Granger is no longer a worthy Gryffindor, and anyone who does not agree, will be outcasted with her.' Parvati said, glancing evilly at Ron and Neville when she said the last part.
'How can you say that Parvati! She was your friend, she was your room mate, and you just write her off like she's no body.' Ron glowered at Parvati. He and Neville got up from the Gryffindor table, and headed out of the Great Hall. The five Gryffindors of whom they left behind stared loathingly at Ron and Neville as they walked out.
'Traitors.' Ginny muttered.
Ron and Neville had just entered the Entrance Hall when they ran into none other than Draco Malfoy. Draco sneered, but Ron sighed.
'Malfoy.' Ron said.
'What do you want Weasley? Here to tell me to keep away from Hermione? 'Well I've got news for you -' Ron cut him off.
'I'm not here to tell you anything of the sort.' Ron sighed. 'I would just like you to know that Neville and I believe that the others are being unfair, and I don't want to lose Hermione as a friend anymore than you do.' Ron paused. 'However, if you do anything to hurt her, I will personally rip your throat out and feed it to Pig.' Draco stared. 'My owl.' Ron confirmed.
'Oh.' Draco said.
'If Hermione says you've changed, I believe her. I'm sorry for going against her like that, do you know where i can find her so i can apologise?' Ron said.
'I want to apologise too.' Neville added.
'You can't find her, but I can give you the password for the Hogwarts Common Room. She'll be down there in good time.' Draco said.
'What do you mean we can't find her?' Ron asked.
'You'll see. Just go to the portrait of the Prefects, me and Hermione, say "Rainbow Jellybeans", and go up the staircase with mine and Hermione's name on it. When you get to the bedroom, go to the red and gold side, and there you will find a portrait of Harry. He will explain the rest.' Draco said, and brushed past Ron as he walked into the Great Hall.
'Hey Malfoy!' Ron called over his shoulder.
'What?' Draco called back.
'Promise me your intentions are good.' Ron said. Draco looked confused, but nodded.
'I promise.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
~* I hope you all liked that chapter! Sorry it took a while to get up, but I think less than a week! I didn't get sidetracked with this chapter, in fact I wrote it all in one go! Don't forget to review everyone! *~
~Gryffindor Gal~
~* Starting work on this chapter, it may take a long time, so sorry about the wait! Thanks to all who reviewed so far, I'll keep the chapters coming! *~
Chapter 6 ~ Promises
The next day, Hermione woke to the sound of Draco trying to move the Wizard Chess Set out of their room and back downstairs to the Hogwarts Common Room. He looked over at her as she stirred, and sat up.
'Sorry Hermione, did I wake you?' Draco said in a voice just above a whisper. Hermione rubbed her eyes and yawned.
'Just a bit Draco.' Hermione said, and yawned again. She got out of her bed, and opened her trunk, pulling out her school robes.
'Sorry for waking you, I was just moving the Chess Set back downstairs, I'll be back up in a minute.' Draco disappeared out of the door, lugging the large chess set downstairs. Hermione watched as he left, a single tear falling down her cheek as she remembered the events of the previous night.
'How am I supposed to choose?' Hermione said aloud to no one in particular. She quickly changed into her school robes while Draco was out of the room. This morning, she wasn't in the mood to straighten her hair, so she left it bushy, and in a single ponytail placed neatly on her head.
Leaving the bedroom, Hermione wondered why her best friends would make her choose between them and Draco. If they were really her friends, they wouldn't have made her choose. Meaning that there really was no choice.
On her way down the stairs, she bumped into Draco, who was going back upstairs.
'Hey Hermione.' He said as they passed each other on the stairs. Hermione looked back at him as he disappeared up the stairs.
Upon entering the Hogwarts Common Room, Hermione was greeted by an unwelcoming Ginny. The other Prefects were no where in sight.
'Good morning Hermione.' Ginny said in a cold voice. 'Have you made your decision yet?' She asked. Hermione looked at Ginny with a look of disgust in her eyes.
'Why are you doing this to me Ginny, you and everyone else? I have the right to be friends with whom ever I please.' Hermione said in a voice to match Ginny's.
'Why? I'll tell you why. Because Gryffindors were never meant to be friends with Slytherins, and I've been monitoring your behaviour when you're around Draco, and I believe that it's best that you stay away from him before your relationship with him becomes more serious.' Ginny began. 'I talked it over with your friends, and they all think the same as me.'
'Who are you to decide who I can and can't be friends with?' Hermione yelled. Phillip came down the stair case which had his and Ginny's name above the entrance.
'Hey! What's going on you two?' He said.
'Stay out of this Phillip.' Ginny said warningly. 'Hermione, we're not trying to run your life, we're simply trying to make you see what's best for you!'
'Would you please let me decide what's best for me? I'm old enough to make my own decisions now! I'm not a little kid anymore, and you guys have NO right to tell me who I can't be friends with! If I want to be friends with Draco, then I most certainly will be friends with him!' Hermione shouted.
Draco had been standing at the entrance of the staircase leading to his and Hermione's bedroom, he had heard everything which Hermione had said to Ginny, and he was quite shocked that she would stand up to her friends all because of him.
'Fine! Be that way! If you would rather be friends with a no good, lying, cheating prick who made your life hell for the past six years, then be my guest.' Ginny yelled, and she stormed out of the Hogwarts Common Room, and headed down to breakfast.
Hermione broke down, and fell onto her sofa, defeated. Phillip walked over to her and sat down on the sofa next to her. Draco remained at the entrance of the staircase, hidden from view, listening eagerly to what was about to be said.
'Don't worry about Ginny, she's just a little worried about you, we all are.' Phillip said comfortingly. Hermione stared at him with a blank expression on her face.
'I don't know why they're doing this?' She said. 'It's not as if Draco's been horrible to me this year. Infact, he's been everything but horrible! Why can't they see that Phillip?' Hermione wailed.
'I don't know, but what I do know is that they're looking out for you Hermione. They only want what's best for you. They don't know that Draco's changed dramatically, they must think he's using you for something.' Phillip said, trying to make Hermione change her mind about her friends.
'I just don't want to lose anyone.' Hermione said, and started sobbing softly. Phillip hugged her.
'You're just about to lose your best friends, Hermione. I know you didn't ask for this, but this is what is happening. You cannot throw away six years of solid friendship, can you?' Phillip told her.
'I know Phillip, but it's just so hard! Draco's been there for me when I needed someone to comfort me, he listened to me about Harry, he really cares.' Hermione began. 'He's changed, he's not the same jerk he was last year, and the year before that, and so on.'
'But why would he make the sudden change?' Phillip asked. Hermione felt a tingle run down her spine.
'It's not my place to say, he'll tell everyone when he's ready to talk about it. Until then, you just have to believe me when I say he has a good reason to mellow out.' Hermione said.
'Why won't he just come out and say his reason? It'd make everyone believe that he really has changed.' Phillip suggested.
'I don't think he's really ready to talk about it, he has only told me.' Hermione said softly.
'How can you defend him like this? Do you have feelings for him or something?' Phillip asked. Hermione said nothing for a few minutes.
'I'm not sure Phillip, I might. . . it's just that he's been so kind, and sweet, while my friends have distanced themselves from me.' She said finally. Phillip wore a look of shock on his face.
'How can you, Hermione Granger, have feelings for a Slytherin? And this in particular Slytherin who made your school years miserable!' Phillip cried.
'He's changed, he apologised for all his wrong-doings, and I forgave him. Don't you believe in second chances?' Hermione said defensively.
'Of corse I believe in second chances, but he went way beyond having a second chance.' Phillip said. 'I watched as he tormented you, Ron and especially Harry. Harry was one of your best friends, and now he's gone! How would he feel if he could see you today, fraternising with the enemy.'
'How dare you bring Harry into all of this!' Hermione cried. 'You leave him out of it, this has absolutely nothing to do with Harry!' Hermione stood up in rage, and looked down on Phillip with a gleaming look of pain in her soft brown eyes.
'I'm sorry Hermione, but you must see reason, and if bringing Harry into this mess is the only way to make you act sensibly, then I will bring Harry into it.' Phillip said, trying to stay as calm as possible in the situation.
'You bastard!' Hermione yelled and slapped Phillip across the face. 'I thought you were a better person than you have proven to be!' She said, open tears streaming down her face. Hermione ran up her staircase, right past Draco, who she did not see.
Draco walked out into the Hogwarts Common Room, glowering at Phillip, who hadn't noticed him yet.
'You think you can get away with treating her like that do you?' Draco growled. 'She lost her best friend and you go and bring him up at a time like this! She's fragile at the moment, can't you see that?' Draco was now yelling.
'No need to yell.' Phillip said, not looking at the Head Boy.
'There is every need to yell! You and your fellow Gryffindors are probably hurting Hermione more than I have in the past six years! How can you make her choose like that? You mustn't be good friends after all.' Draco yelled.
'We just want what's best for her!' Phillip yelled, standing up to face Draco.
'Go back to your corner Gryffindor boy.' Draco snarled.
'You're bad for her.' Phillip said calmly.
'Who are you to decide what's bad for her?' Draco said menacingly.
'I am a friend, and I have known her for longer than you have.' Phillip said.
'Excuse me, I knew her for a whole year longer than you did.' Draco said.
'Yeah, but you never took the time to get to know the person she really is, you took her for granted and you don't deserve her friendship now.' Phillip growled.
'The only thing that's bad for her right now is her best and closest friends trying to run her life.' Draco said rationally. 'You have no right to decide what she has to do in her life.'
'You must have her brainwashed. She actually believes that you're a decent person.' Phillip shook his head in shame.
'You really are a nasty piece of work.' Draco said. 'What possible reason would I have to brainwash Hermione? She's the nicest person to me in the world, and I don't want to lose her, don't you see that? Can't you Gryffindors understand that?' Draco pleaded.
'What about your mother, she's always been nice to you.' Phillip said dully.
'You leave my mother out of this, you arse hole!' Draco shouted, and he walked out of the Hogwarts Common Room and up the stairs which led to his and Hermione's room. Phillip watched him leave with a stunned look on his face.
'Weird.' Phillip muttered, before leaving the Hogwarts Common Room and heading down for breakfast.
~***~
Hermione was no where in sight when Draco reached their bedroom. He knew that she was either in her bathroom, or in the secret passageway hidden behind the portrait of Harry. Draco strode over to the portrait of Harry, knowing that he wouldn't be able to get into Hermione's bathroom even with the most powerful magic.
Harry frowned at Draco as he walked in front of the portrait.
'Harry, I know you and me never clicked, but is Hermione in there?' Draco asked. Harry remained silent. Draco punched the wall beside Harry's Portrait.
'Look Harry, Hermione's upset, and I have to talk to her. So just swing open and let me past!' Draco growled. Harry's Portrait swung open, to reveal nothing but wall.
'The room is only there when Hermione is standing in front of me.' Harry said. 'Anyone else cannot view it, only Hermione. That's the way that Dumbledore and I discussed it. This is Hermione's private room, so only Hermione can access it.'
'Then why was I able to see down there the last time it was open?' Draco asked suspiciously.
'Because Hermione opened it. If Hermione wants someone to go with her, then that's quite fine.' Harry explained.
'Oh, okay then. So could you at least tell me if Hermione's in there?' Draco sighed, accepting defeat. Harry nodded his head. 'Thank you.' Draco said sadly, and walked towards the door.
'Malfoy.' Harry called. Draco stopped, and faced Harry's Portrait.
'What?' Draco asked.
'Thanks for being there for Hermione, she's told me what Ron and the others are doing, and I think it's a load of crap. I expected better from them, and I'll be asking to have a word with them in the near future.' Harry said softly.
'That's okay, I just don't like seeing Hermione sad.' Draco said, and walked out of his and Hermione's room.
~***~
Ginny was sitting at the Gryffindor Table in the Great Hall telling Seamus, Ron, Dean and Neville about her talk with Hermione earlier that morning in the Hogwarts Common Room.
'. . . and then she yelled at me and said that we shouldn't be running her life, and that we don't know what's best for her.' Ginny finished.
'What if we do know what's best for her?' Ron asked. 'What if Malfoy turns on her, and what if he's putting on an act for her? She'd better not get herself hurt, I hope she knows what she's doing.' Ron took a bite of a piece of toast.
'I hope Malfoy turns on her, it'll show her who was right.' Seamus said angrily.
'You can't blame her, she sees a side of Malfoy that no one else sees.' Ron said defending his friend.
'Wonder why no one else sees that side.' Dean sneered sacrastically.
'Yeah, 'cause Malfoy's putting it on, so he can build up her trust, and then come crashing down on her in the end.' Seamus added, in his heavy Irish Accent.
'Don't be so quick to judge. If Hermione says he's changed, then he's changed.' Ron said. 'Hermione wouldn't be friends with him if he hadn't. She hated the old Malfoy, there's no way she would go near him if he was the same person he has been these past six years at Hogwarts.' Ron continued, in Hermione's defence.
'I don't believe you Ron, you're just as bad as Hermione!' Ginny cried.
'Hermione's been my friend for six years, and I'm not going to let a pathetic thing like this get in the way of our friendship, especially not with Harry gone. . .' Ron trailed off, pained at the memory of his former best friend, Harry.
'He's right you know.' Neville put in his opinion.
'You two make me sick. It's almost as if you want to go and be friends with Malfoy as well!' Ginny spat.
'You're my little sister, and I have duties as an older brother to care for you, so I'm not going to let you go ahead with this. You love Hermione! We all do. We can't turn on her now.' Ron said, trying one last time to make his fellow Gryffindors see reason.
'I say we exclude her.' Parvati said. She and Lavender had walked over to the conversation, and had heard most of it, but had remained silent. All five Gryffindors who had been talking spun around to see Parvati and Lavender standing there.
'Why do you say that, Parvati?' Neville and Ron said in unison. Parvati sneered.
'If she wants to go around fraternising with Slytherin Scum, then she can stay with Slytherin Scum. Hermione Granger is no longer a worthy Gryffindor, and anyone who does not agree, will be outcasted with her.' Parvati said, glancing evilly at Ron and Neville when she said the last part.
'How can you say that Parvati! She was your friend, she was your room mate, and you just write her off like she's no body.' Ron glowered at Parvati. He and Neville got up from the Gryffindor table, and headed out of the Great Hall. The five Gryffindors of whom they left behind stared loathingly at Ron and Neville as they walked out.
'Traitors.' Ginny muttered.
Ron and Neville had just entered the Entrance Hall when they ran into none other than Draco Malfoy. Draco sneered, but Ron sighed.
'Malfoy.' Ron said.
'What do you want Weasley? Here to tell me to keep away from Hermione? 'Well I've got news for you -' Ron cut him off.
'I'm not here to tell you anything of the sort.' Ron sighed. 'I would just like you to know that Neville and I believe that the others are being unfair, and I don't want to lose Hermione as a friend anymore than you do.' Ron paused. 'However, if you do anything to hurt her, I will personally rip your throat out and feed it to Pig.' Draco stared. 'My owl.' Ron confirmed.
'Oh.' Draco said.
'If Hermione says you've changed, I believe her. I'm sorry for going against her like that, do you know where i can find her so i can apologise?' Ron said.
'I want to apologise too.' Neville added.
'You can't find her, but I can give you the password for the Hogwarts Common Room. She'll be down there in good time.' Draco said.
'What do you mean we can't find her?' Ron asked.
'You'll see. Just go to the portrait of the Prefects, me and Hermione, say "Rainbow Jellybeans", and go up the staircase with mine and Hermione's name on it. When you get to the bedroom, go to the red and gold side, and there you will find a portrait of Harry. He will explain the rest.' Draco said, and brushed past Ron as he walked into the Great Hall.
'Hey Malfoy!' Ron called over his shoulder.
'What?' Draco called back.
'Promise me your intentions are good.' Ron said. Draco looked confused, but nodded.
'I promise.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
~* I hope you all liked that chapter! Sorry it took a while to get up, but I think less than a week! I didn't get sidetracked with this chapter, in fact I wrote it all in one go! Don't forget to review everyone! *~
~Gryffindor Gal~