CHAPTER 11
Confrontation
The next morning (for he couldn't do anything the previous night), Harry shook Ron up. "Ron! Ron, get up!" he whispered urgently.
Ron stirred. "What's the big idea?" he asked, obviously annoyed.
"I know who attacked Hermione yesterday!"
The redhead snored. Harry knew that it would be of no use to spend time on him, so he rushed downstairs, hoping to get to Hermione before anyone else. He found the common room empty. Unless she left Gryffindor Tower altogether, she was safe. He decided to stay there, that way he could catch her either leaving or coming back.
It seemed like an eternity before Harry heard footsteps. He abruptly stopped what he was doing and waited impatiently to see who it was. He let out a sigh when he saw that it was only Colin Creevey, a fourth year who absolutely adored everything about Harry, coming down. "Hi, Harry!"
Harry responded with an unenthusiastic, "Hey, Colin."
"Like my new haircut Harry?" Harry, not wanting to be mean, looked up at Colin's hair. "Well, there's not much difference," Colin continued, "but it's shorter! It's not really new, I've had it like this for the past few days. Of course, I ran out of Flobberworm mucus, so it doesn't look like it did for the past few--"
"Look, Colin, I'm looking for someone. I'm sorry to cut you off but it's imperative that I find her."
"Who are you looking for?"
"Hermione."
Colin looked absolutely delighted. "I know where she is! I was down here earlier. She went off to the library."
"How long ago was this?"
"I'd say about an hour and a half ago."
Harry kicked himself. He had just missed her! Harry launched out through the portrait hole, screaming, "Thanks, Colin!"
* * * * *
Harry ran to the library. Upon his entrance, he knocked Hermione (and himself) to the ground.
"Harry! Watch where you're going, will you?" Harry got up, brushed himself off, and offered a hand to Hermione. She was all too pleased to accept. He pulled her up.
"I've got something important to tell you, Hermione," he said.
"Well I'd imagine so, at your pace. What is it?"
"I think I know who. . .you know. . .did. . .THAT. . .to you," Harry told her, blushing furiously. "I think it was Malfoy. I found some of his hair," and then, thinking quickly, he added, "around the scene of the incident."
"Really, Harry? Are you sure it wasn't from that bra that you obviously stole, seeing as it was the only article of clothing I didn't get back?" Harry felt like someone put a Jelly-Legs Jinx on him. He was found out. "It's okay, Harry. You can keep it. You've seen me in less, after all." She began to blush, too. "Well, what do you plan to do about Malfoy?"
"I'll beat him to a bloody pulp, that's what I'll do!" Harry exclaimed, embarrassment turning into sheer hatred.
"What about Professor McGonagall? She might be able to punish him."
"She'd need more evidence than hair. Wait here; I'll go find that piece of--"
"I'm coming, too." Harry didn't argue. He simply nodded. Hermione, overwhelmed with emotion, kissed him on the cheek and hugged him, quietly sobbing. Harry knew better than to move, and placed his hand on her head, gently holding her to him.
"How touching," drawled a familiar voice behind Harry. Harry slowly let go of Hermione.
"Are you alright, Hermione?" She nodded. Harry smiled. He turned around swiftly, face suddenly dangerous. He lashed out at Malfoy and his hand made contact with his face. Draco staggered numbly for a moment. Seizing this opportunity, Harry pushed his enemy down to the floor and started punching him as fast and as hard as he could. Four years of hatred flowed through his veins.
"That's enough, Harry!" shouted an obviously scared Hermione. Noting the urgency in her voice, he stopped.
He grabbed the bleeding Draco by the collar. In the most menacing voice he could find, Harry warned Malfoy, "Don't you EVER try to rape Hermione again!"
Using a great deal of energy, Malfoy responded, "I don't know what you're talking about, Potter. Why would I want to rape a Mudblood like Granger?"
Harry punched him one more time before petrifying him and getting up. He walked off to Gryffindor Tower, closely followed by a scared Hermione.
Confrontation
The next morning (for he couldn't do anything the previous night), Harry shook Ron up. "Ron! Ron, get up!" he whispered urgently.
Ron stirred. "What's the big idea?" he asked, obviously annoyed.
"I know who attacked Hermione yesterday!"
The redhead snored. Harry knew that it would be of no use to spend time on him, so he rushed downstairs, hoping to get to Hermione before anyone else. He found the common room empty. Unless she left Gryffindor Tower altogether, she was safe. He decided to stay there, that way he could catch her either leaving or coming back.
It seemed like an eternity before Harry heard footsteps. He abruptly stopped what he was doing and waited impatiently to see who it was. He let out a sigh when he saw that it was only Colin Creevey, a fourth year who absolutely adored everything about Harry, coming down. "Hi, Harry!"
Harry responded with an unenthusiastic, "Hey, Colin."
"Like my new haircut Harry?" Harry, not wanting to be mean, looked up at Colin's hair. "Well, there's not much difference," Colin continued, "but it's shorter! It's not really new, I've had it like this for the past few days. Of course, I ran out of Flobberworm mucus, so it doesn't look like it did for the past few--"
"Look, Colin, I'm looking for someone. I'm sorry to cut you off but it's imperative that I find her."
"Who are you looking for?"
"Hermione."
Colin looked absolutely delighted. "I know where she is! I was down here earlier. She went off to the library."
"How long ago was this?"
"I'd say about an hour and a half ago."
Harry kicked himself. He had just missed her! Harry launched out through the portrait hole, screaming, "Thanks, Colin!"
* * * * *
Harry ran to the library. Upon his entrance, he knocked Hermione (and himself) to the ground.
"Harry! Watch where you're going, will you?" Harry got up, brushed himself off, and offered a hand to Hermione. She was all too pleased to accept. He pulled her up.
"I've got something important to tell you, Hermione," he said.
"Well I'd imagine so, at your pace. What is it?"
"I think I know who. . .you know. . .did. . .THAT. . .to you," Harry told her, blushing furiously. "I think it was Malfoy. I found some of his hair," and then, thinking quickly, he added, "around the scene of the incident."
"Really, Harry? Are you sure it wasn't from that bra that you obviously stole, seeing as it was the only article of clothing I didn't get back?" Harry felt like someone put a Jelly-Legs Jinx on him. He was found out. "It's okay, Harry. You can keep it. You've seen me in less, after all." She began to blush, too. "Well, what do you plan to do about Malfoy?"
"I'll beat him to a bloody pulp, that's what I'll do!" Harry exclaimed, embarrassment turning into sheer hatred.
"What about Professor McGonagall? She might be able to punish him."
"She'd need more evidence than hair. Wait here; I'll go find that piece of--"
"I'm coming, too." Harry didn't argue. He simply nodded. Hermione, overwhelmed with emotion, kissed him on the cheek and hugged him, quietly sobbing. Harry knew better than to move, and placed his hand on her head, gently holding her to him.
"How touching," drawled a familiar voice behind Harry. Harry slowly let go of Hermione.
"Are you alright, Hermione?" She nodded. Harry smiled. He turned around swiftly, face suddenly dangerous. He lashed out at Malfoy and his hand made contact with his face. Draco staggered numbly for a moment. Seizing this opportunity, Harry pushed his enemy down to the floor and started punching him as fast and as hard as he could. Four years of hatred flowed through his veins.
"That's enough, Harry!" shouted an obviously scared Hermione. Noting the urgency in her voice, he stopped.
He grabbed the bleeding Draco by the collar. In the most menacing voice he could find, Harry warned Malfoy, "Don't you EVER try to rape Hermione again!"
Using a great deal of energy, Malfoy responded, "I don't know what you're talking about, Potter. Why would I want to rape a Mudblood like Granger?"
Harry punched him one more time before petrifying him and getting up. He walked off to Gryffindor Tower, closely followed by a scared Hermione.