Chapter 9: Face-to-Face

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"Ron," Harry said to Ron as he saw Kelly Richmond walking toward them, Draco beside her, "don't look now, but she's coming this way."

"Harry," Ron complained, "why can't I look she...she...is so fine..."

"Ron, your engaged," Harry reminded him. "So...just pretend it's Ginny and talk to her normally."

"Ok, I will," Ron said. "Here she comes."

"Hello, my name's Kelly Richmond," she said to her two best friends. "I'm the hostess. Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything is alright," Ron said. "Why do you ask?"

"Because you're outside of the library."

"Oh, nothing's wrong," Ron said. "It's just...um...kinda...hot in there."

"Oh, I'll tell a maid to turn it down," Kelly said as she looked at them in the face. "I don't believe I caught your names."

"I'm Harry Potter," Harry said. "You met me and my wife and kids a couple of days ago. We watched Trish for the day while you looked for a house."

"Oh, yes, I knew I recognized you," Kelly said. "What's your name?"

"Ron Weasley."

"Nice to meet you. This is Draco Malfoy."

"Yes, we know him," Harry said. "So, Malfoy, I heard you're becoming a teacher."

"Yeah," Draco said to Harry.

"Potions, right?" Harry asked.

"Yeah."

"I would have thought maybe you would teach Quidditch," Harry said, "'cause I heard Snape is looking for someone new."

"Nope, I prefer Potions, Potter."

"Oh."

"Umm, guys, do you mind moving into the library? I need everyone to gather up."

"Sure, that's fine with me," Ron said to Kelly as he turned and walked back into the library.

"Nice seeing you again, Kelly," Harry said, following Ron back into the library. "Maybe next time it'd be in better surroundings."

"Draco?" Kelly asked the blonde as he started to walk into the library.

"What, Kelly?" Draco said as he turned to look at her.

"I have an idea. But don't laugh."

"You got my promise, Kel."

"I want to be the Quidditch teacher."

"You're joking right?"

"No, I'm not," Kelly said. "I can play good. And I'll prove it to you tonight. Meet me in the backyard at 11:00, and I'll show you my skills. Now, I must go and finish greeting my past." Kelly walked into the library. "Draco, are you coming?" Kelly said, looking at Draco, whose mouth open. "Draco! Come on, Butt-face!"

"What did you just call me, Kelly?" Draco said, his mouth still open as he walked toward the door.

"Butt-face, now go inside and shut up," Kelly said. "Oh, and can you see how Trish is doing?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Draco said while opening the library door.

"I can't believe she called me a Butt-face," he muttered to himself. "No one has ever called me something like that. And since when did she learn how to play Quidditich? She was always into books!"

"Draco."

"Yeah, Kelly?"

"I can hear you."

"Oh, you can?"

"Yeah, and all your questions will be answered tonight at 11:00pm." Kelly said.

Finally, Draco left her all alone.

"Breathe, Kelly, breathe. Ok, just do it," Kelly said to herself as she swung open the library door. Kelly went in front of everyone and began to give the speech about Anna Granger.

:-:-:-:-: Headmaster Snape and Professor McGonagall's Conversation :-:-:-:-:

Headmaster Snape and Professor McGonagall were standing in the back of the library listening to their very good friend, known as Kelly Richmond, give a speech on how lovely Anna Granger was. "Minerva?"

"What is it, Severus?"

"It's a shame Granger's not here, isn't it? To see her own mother's funeral. It's a shame. She was always so bright and caring-"

"And always hung around with Potter and Weasley."

"Yes...yes she did."

"Oh, did you hear about Weasley and Parkinson?"

"No, what about them?"

"Going to be getting married on June 8th next year. That's what I recall, seeing how I overheard Weasley telling Potter about it."

"Shocking. By any chance, have you found us a new Potions Master and Quidditch teacher?"

"Potions, yes, Quidditch, no."

"Who for Potions?"

"Mr. Draco Malfoy, and according to him, he thinks he found a new Quidditch teacher as well."

"Oh, good, very good."

"It's a shame about Hermione, though, isn't it?"

"Yes, very much," McGonagall said, a twinkle in her eye. "But she may be in this very room. Remember now, she was a very powerful witch, Severus."

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"-And I know that she will be greatly missed in all of her hearts," Kelly mourned, "so now may we please have a moment of silences?"

Within a moment, Kelly got up and walked away from the front of the room.

"Mommy, Mommy!" Trish said, crying, running towards Kelly.

"What is it?"

Trish's attitude and voice suddenly increased. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! NEVER EVER COME UP TO MY ROOM AGAIN!" Trish yelled at the top of her lungs. Everyone was now looking at Kelly and her weeping daughter. "You're the reason grandma died! You were never with her!" Trish whispered so only Kelly could hear her, and then just before Trish walked out of the room, she mouthed, "Hermione Caroline Granger." Then she left, running up stairs.

"Kelly, you alright?" Draco said as he came up behind her.

"No, no I'm not," Kelly answered very softly. "Come out into the hall for a moment."

"EVERYBOBY EAT AND WE'LL BE BACK IN A SHORT WHILE!" Draco yelled right before he left the library.

"What's a-matter, Kelly? Tell me!"

"My daughter hates me for never letting her see my mother," Kelly answered, crying, "my husband is dead and has only been dead for a couple months, and I think I'm starting to like you! I'm Hermione Stupid Granger deep down inside and no one knows other than you and Trish! And she almost said out loud who I really am. My life is crumbling as I know it."

"Kel," Draco said, pulling Kelly into his arms, "right now you have some bumps in your roads, but I know you can face them. Stop worrying about who you are and who you're not. Just focus on the things you like, like wanting to be the Quidditch teacher. Remember, you're Kelly Lily Corbett Richmond, and no longer Hermione Caroline Granger. Just remember that, okay? And if you like me, and I know I like you, we can wait and just be friends for a couple of months since your husband just died and you're not ready. And Trish should be fine in a couple of days, probably less. Just breathe. Now let's go back inside for some punch."

"Okay," Kelly said, feeling much better as Draco lead her back inside the library.

Just as Kelly and Draco were out of the library, a black figure came into light.

"So I see, Miss Granger is here after all. I wonder what Potter and Weasley would think if they found out that Granger faked her kidnapping." And then the black figure walked towards the door and left.

Then a small man came from the other side of the room, "I wonder what the Dark Lord will say when I tell him the news I just found out." And then the man quickly turned into a rat.

And then on the top of the staircase, Trish just watched the whole thing, and she knew that her mother was in deep trouble and it was all her fault.

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A/N: Who is the man who came from the dark? Is the Dark Lord really back, even though Harry Potter supposedly killed him? Will Trish tell her mother what she saw? REVIEW!