An Acceptable Risk


A.N. Thanks to Arabella at the Sugar Quill for the use of Gwen. Gwen can be found in the wonderful stories Hermione Queen of Witches Books 1-4
If you are a Harry Potter fan, you need to read these stories.
 
Chapter Seven ~ HQoW

Hermione stepped into the welcomed silence of her room, and firmly closed the door behind her. Opening her trunk, she reached inside and removed her diary. She sat down at her desk and began to write.


September 3
HQoW

Hi Gwen,

Sorry I haven't written since school started.

Wait; don't tell me, you've been in the library all this time.

Gwen, that is not funny. We've barely even had any classes yet. No, something has happened, and I really need to talk to you about it.

Sorry Dear, but really, you can understand why I would think that way, now wouldn't you?

Gwen, do you want to hear about what's going on, or should I just close you up?

Sorry, please do continue.

That's better. Well, you know how worried we've all been about Harry. He's just been so withdrawn. It gets worse every day. Ron and I have been going crazy trying to figure out a way to make him snap out of it.

Well, the poor boy does have an awful lot on his plate, after all.

No, it's more than that. He doesn't seem to care whether he lives or dies.

What! Surely not!

No, it's true Gwen. Actually, Ginny and I talked a lot about it this summer. It stared right after Cedric died. Harry just seemed to pull into himself. It was understandable, really. I mean, he felt so responsible, even though he wasn't. He feels so responsible for everything that Voldemort does. And it got so much worse after what happened last year. Nobody ever expected Voldemort to try and attack all those muggles. Poor Harry, his scar hurt so badly. He knew something horrible was happening before anybody else, and it killed him that he couldn't do anything about it.

I remember dear, but I thought he was going to spend some time with you and Ron this summer. Surely that helped him somewhat?

No Gwen, nothing seemed to help. Ron's tried talking to him, I've tried, Mr. And Mrs. Weasley even tried, but he just can't shake the idea that he's responsible.

Did Ginny try and get through to him dear? I thought for sure something was developing between the two of them.

Actually, that's what I want to tell you about. Somewhere along the line, Ginny came up with a plan to save Harry. But Gwen, I'm so afraid. It's so dangerous. She wants to become a Death Eater.

What! Excuse me Hermione. I thought you just said Ginny wants to become a Death Eater. I must have misunderstood.

No, I'm afraid you didn't, and actually, if you think about it analytically. Ginny's plan makes perfect sense.

Hermione!

No Gwen, it's true. Ginny thinks if she can convince everyone here at school that she is changing, becoming evil, that she has a chance of becoming a Death Eater. Once she gets in, she can work from the inside along with Snape to bring Voldemort down.

But how is that sweet girl ever going to convince anybody that she is becoming evil?

Actually, she's doing a good job of it so far. She's staged several very public disagreements with me where she has said some very hateful and hurtful things to me.

Hermione, what could she possibly say that would convince people she hates you and is turning evil?

Well, she's making quite a show about how much she hates a certain interfering, know it all, busybody Mudblood.

What, she certainly is not using such a horrid word!

Yes, she is, and it's working. Everybody in Gryffindor is already ostracizing her, and Gwen this is the best part. Draco Malfoy is starting to pay attention to her. He's always been attracted to her on some level; you could see it whenever he looked at her. And now that he thinks she hates me, and everybody else who isn't from an ancient wizarding family, he is paying more attention to her.

And this is supposed to help, how?

Well, if she can convince Draco, he may tell his father, and you know Lucius Malfoy would do just about anything to get a Weasley on his side, just so he could rub it in Mr. Weasley's face. But the best part is, seeing Draco pay attention to Ginny is really making Harry angry. Anger isn't the best emotion in the world, but it's better than the lump he's become.

Well, yes, I can see where that would upset him very much, but Hermione, I don't like this at all. Perhaps you should tell the Headmaster.

Dumbledore already knows all about it Gwen, and he thinks it's a good idea. He was against it at first, but he also realized that Ginny was going to do it no matter what he said. So he figured he'd better go along with it and offer her as much protection as possible. But nobody else knows, not even Ron. I may not be able to talk to you as much this year, but I wanted you to know what is going on.

Hermione, I must insist you check in from time to time. The strain of this deception is going to be difficult to bear.

I'll do my best to write once a week or so. Now I really must get to the library.

I knew it; I knew the library would come into play somehow.

Good night Gwen.

Good night Hermione.