Beautiful
"Hermione. Wake up." Someone said.
I turned over, I am tired, I need five more minutes. I could hear Ginny yawning, someone had woken her up too. Wasn't she tired? I'm tired, I'm going back to sleep.
"Hermione, wake up." The person shook my shoulder gently. "Wake up." I needed five more minutes.
They shook my shoulder again. FIVE MORE MINUTES. They shook again.
"Come on, Hermione." The person sat down on the bed, the mattress sank and my legs hit the person. "Wake up."
"Hermione." Another voice. Ginny's.
I gave up, I wasn't going to get my five minutes, I wasn't even going to get two. I sat up. Lupin was sitting at the edge of my bed, Ginny was standing at the mirror brushing her hair.
"Finally. Molly wanted me to come walk you two up, she's starting breakfast." Lupin said. Getting up and walking to do the door. "Oh, and I'd hurry up if I were you. Molly's going on and on about how nothing's ready, claiming you're going to be late and miss the train."
I grabbed my watch off the desk. "It's eight o'clock." I told Ginny. Most of the time I can wake up early on my own, without an alarm clock or someone waking me up but this morning I just felt so tired. Maybe I should take a nap on the train.
"Come on, let's go eat something before we get ready." Ginny said.
I was about to say no, but my stomach growled. "Yeah, let's go."
The door to the boy's room was open, "Rise and shine." I heard Lupin say then the sound of the blinds being pulled up, Ron and Harry groaned loudly. Ginny and I laughed.
"Girls, you aren't even dressed yet." Molly said frantically when we got downstairs.
"We just woke up." I said, I sat down and poured myself a glass of orange juice. Ginny walked over to the fridge and got herself a glass of water.
"Where are the boys?"
"They'll be down in a minute." Lupin said calmly as he walked into the kitchen. "They're wide awake, they're completely packed and are not going to be late."
Molly looked at him as if she was mad that he was calm, as if he was supposed to be freaking out too. "There are four children in this house, they all are going to Hogwarts . They have to be at King's Cross for eleven, and I intend to have them there early. They are not about to miss the train." She put a plate in front of Ginny, and one in front of me.
"You have almost three hours." Lupin said as Ron and Harry walked in. Ron sat at the other end of the table, Harry ,confused, followed Ron.
"Say what you want Remus, I don't care. I want them there early."
I looked at my watch, the hands pointing to 10:15. Ron ran through the barrier and Ginny followed. I looked around and saw quite a few people, it was early so I didn't expect many people to be there. I saw Lavender talking to Dean Thomas. Pansy was surrounded by a bunch of Slytherin girls, showing them something. Draco and his father were talking, I wondered about what.
Draco looked straight over in our direction, looking at Ginny. As Lucius turned around to see where his son's attention had gone I kicked something off my trolley. It suddenly occurred to me that I was covering for them . I bent down to pick whatever I had kicked over and stuck it back on my trolley. Lucius looked skeptically at me then turned back to Draco.
Harry arrived a few minutes later and after we put away our luggage , we found a place on the train.
"You do know that Dean was talking to Lavender?" Ron said to Ginny when we sat down.
"So?" She asked. I kicked her foot to remind her of the rumor she started.
"Don't you care?"
"We broke up a month ago." She shrugged her shoulders. "He can do what he wants. I'm going to go find Luna." She said and left the compartment. I'm guessing she actually had to meet Draco somewhere on the train.
Neville arrived a few minutes later. "Wow, you don't even look like yourself, Hermione. Your hair's looks different."
"Thanks, Neville." I said. I looked at my watch, the meeting didn't start until eleven o'clock, in twenty-five minutes. "Ron, we've got to go meet with the Head's."
"Oh, yeah." He pulled his Prefect's badge out of his pocket and stuck it on crookedly.
After we left, we walked a little further down the hall. I had to get him into an empty compartment. I didn't want to be the one to say something first, but somebody had to. Now, how was I going to get him into a compartment. I thought for a minute and came up with nothing.
"Ron." I said loudly. He turned to look at me and I pushed him into the nearest compartment. He hit the seat and landed on the floor. A few second years from Hufflepuff gave me an odd look.
"Oi, what was that all about." He said, getting up from the floor.
"We need to talk." I said.
"So you attack me?"
I said nothing.
"Look, we have a meeting to go to."
I stood in front of the door. "We have to talk, now."
"Hermione."
"The meeting doesn't start for twenty minutes." I said.
"Alright." He sat down on the seat.
"Why?" I asked.
Ron looked at me.
"Why did you kiss me?" I asked.
He sighed. "I couldn't tell you if I tried."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means I don't know, Hermione. I don't know why I kissed you, I don't know what I was thinking. You're my friend, we have a good friendship, it's not perfect, we fight a lot but that doesn't really matter and I don't know why I went and messed it up." "You're right Ron, it's not perfect. It's flawed, we're always fighting, we never actually agree on anything." I stood up, I felt really short next to him, I was only up to his chin. I looked up. "Can we just look at this as another flaw."
He nodded. "Another flaw."
The Head Boy and Girl turned out to be Cho Chang and Ginny's old boyfriend Michael Corner. Ron gave Michael a dirty look as he passed out a piece of parchment containing a list of rules for us. Cho looked at a small list in her hand and then at all of us.
"There' s someone missing." She said.
Pansy spoke right away. "It's Draco."
"Where is he?" Cho asked. "He's ten minutes late."
"Um, I don't know. I saw him earlier."
"Does anyone know?" Michael asked, when no one answered he pointed at Ron. "Could you go look for him please?"
"I know where he is." I said loudly. "I can go." I must've sounded eager but I couldn't let Ron find Draco and Ginny together.
I got up right away and left, I would have to find him fast and considering I didn't know where he was it could take me a while. I thought of asking someone in Slytherin, but since there relationship was being kept a secret no one would know anyway. After about fifteen minutes, I was nearing the end of the train and still hadn't found them. It was starting to seem empty now, I passed a sleeping seventh year Ravenclaw and a girl who was in Hufflepuff reading a book. Until, finally I found them.
I looked through the compartment window. For the first time since I found out, their relationship didn't seem unbelievable or wrong. Of course , this was the first time I saw them up close and alone . Ginny was laying on the seat using his lap as a pillow, she was holding a book and laughed lightly pointing at something on the page. He nodded, but he wasn't even looking at the book, he was looking at her and twirling a strand of her hair around his finger and unraveling it again. I wished I didn't have to do this. I didn't want to disturb them. They looked relaxed, care-free, happy. They looked perfect. They looked like they were in love.
Now that I was here, I didn't know how to do this. Draco wasn't supposed to know I knew but if I didn't get him out fast, they'd come looking for us. I opened the compartment door and closed it quickly behind myself. They both stood up, the book hit the floor with a loud thud.
"Granger, what are you-"
I backed up, he seriously looked like he was going to hurt me.
"Draco." Ginny grabbed his arm, he looked at her. "Don't worry, she knows."
"Did you tell her?" He asked in a calm voice, as if he couldn't get mad at her.
"I had to. She saw us, in Diagon Alley, after you had that fight with Ron." Draco opened his mouth to say something but she kept going. "Ron didn't see us so you don't have to worry. Hermione didn't want to tell him because she knows how Ron would react if he found out. I had to explain everything to her and she promised not to tell."
Draco looked at me. "I haven't told a soul." I said. Even though Tonks knew, I wasn't the one to tell her so that couldn't count.
"Did you send that woman-" Again, Ginny cut him off before he got to finish. "That was Tonks, she found the letter with the finalized plans on it when she was cleaning and got worried so she came and got me."
"You haven't told anyone?" Draco asked.
I shook my head. "No." I was sort of surprised, this is the first time he's talked to me without insulting me.
"Look, I really didn't want to interrupt you two." I looked at my watch, 11:45. "Cho sent me to come find you, Draco. Our meeting with the Head's was supposed to start forty-five minutes ago."
"Forty-five minutes ago?" He looked at Ginny." I'll see you when we get back to school, okay?"
Ginny nodded and we left.
"What took you so long? Where were you?" Pansy said when we got back, Draco took a seat beside her and I went back beside Ron.
"I thought you knew where he was. What took you so long?"
"I couldn't find him." I said.
"Alright." Cho said. "Let's get started."
I stood outside and held one of the doors as a first year came out, having an extremely hard time with his trunk. "Do you need some help with that?" I asked. The boy nodded and stepped aside. I heard Hagrid "firs years over 'ere , firs years over 'ere.". I was to busy helping the kid that I couldn't wave or look at him but I could hear Ron. "Hey, Hagrid." Then the door he had been holding open slam shut.
"Ron." I yelled.
"Oh right." He said and ran back to the door and opened it again. A few people came out, giving Ron rude looks.
"Anthony." One of the prefects from Ravenclaw. "Take this to the luggage carriage."
Anthony took the trunk and I looked back at the little boy. "Just follow Hagrid and I'll see you back at Hogwarts ." I smiled and pointed to Hagrid. The boy's eyes widened and he walked towards Hagrid.
"Come on, get out you bloody-Dammit, you stupid-." Ron. I looked over, he was struggling with a trunk.
"firs years over 'ere." Hagrid called, he saw me and waved, I waved back. Hagrid went over to Ron and pulled the trunk out for him.
"Thanks. Just give it them." Ron said and pointed to Draco and Anthony who were loading the luggage carriage.
Hannah and Padma went into the train to see if there was anyone still in there, the train was empty. The carriages were filling up fast. Neville was standing outside on of them, Harry, Luna and Ginny must have been inside. They were probably waiting for us.
There were two carriages that were always reserved for the Prefects and one for the Heads. No one ever used them, usually wanting to sit with their friends. I ran over and told Neville that they could go on without us.
"Are you sure?" He asked.
"Yes. Go ahead."
"Alright." He said, sounding as if he wasn't if it was okay to go. Anthony and Padma joined Lavender, Dean, Parvati and Seamus and they all got into a carriage together.
There weren't many things left. Draco, Ron, Hannah, Ernie and I loaded what was left into the luggage carriage. Meanwhile, Pansy did nothing. Since she was going to help him, I picked up the other end of the trunk Draco was carrying. Ron gave me a 'what do you think you're doing' look.
Hannah and Ernie left us. There was only one trunk left afterall. "See you at school." They called to us as they got into a carriage with some friends.
"Come on, Draco. Let's go. Blaise and them have got a carriage." Pansy complained.
Draco looked at me. "Thanks, Granger."
Ron and Pansy looked at him right away. Why was he thanking her? They were probably thinking. All she did was help him with the trunk. Of course, they didn't know I was keeping his secret.
~*~
Author's Notes. (hehe, author)
I wasn't sure about ending the chapter there. It's pretty long (on my computer, 7 pages almost 2300 words. Almost) Longer than most of my chapters normally are. Hopefully, it will keep you guys busy for awhile, I'm have trouble with the Sorting song and don't know when it'll be up. Before the twenty-fifth, for sure. In this chapter, I think Hermione got a little bit of an understanding on Draco and Ginny's relationship.
Keep in mind- Draco and Hermione are NOT friends. They're just not enemies anymore. It's hard to explain. Okay, Hermione knows about the relationship and realizes Ginny cares about him, and keeps their secret as not to ruin the relationship. Draco, knowing that Hermione is keeping it a secret kinda gives him the thought that even though they'll never be friends, she's not too bad. Hermione accepts the relationship a bit more, and he accepts her a little bit. Still don't get it?
The Sorting, Welcoming Feast and all that stuff is coming up in the next chapter. But, I need names for the Sorting. So, can you guys maybe e-mail your names and what house you want to be in to me? Maybe a detail to put with it. You have dark hair, something like that. Only if you want to. My only problem is the Sorting song.
"Hermione. Wake up." Someone said.
I turned over, I am tired, I need five more minutes. I could hear Ginny yawning, someone had woken her up too. Wasn't she tired? I'm tired, I'm going back to sleep.
"Hermione, wake up." The person shook my shoulder gently. "Wake up." I needed five more minutes.
They shook my shoulder again. FIVE MORE MINUTES. They shook again.
"Come on, Hermione." The person sat down on the bed, the mattress sank and my legs hit the person. "Wake up."
"Hermione." Another voice. Ginny's.
I gave up, I wasn't going to get my five minutes, I wasn't even going to get two. I sat up. Lupin was sitting at the edge of my bed, Ginny was standing at the mirror brushing her hair.
"Finally. Molly wanted me to come walk you two up, she's starting breakfast." Lupin said. Getting up and walking to do the door. "Oh, and I'd hurry up if I were you. Molly's going on and on about how nothing's ready, claiming you're going to be late and miss the train."
I grabbed my watch off the desk. "It's eight o'clock." I told Ginny. Most of the time I can wake up early on my own, without an alarm clock or someone waking me up but this morning I just felt so tired. Maybe I should take a nap on the train.
"Come on, let's go eat something before we get ready." Ginny said.
I was about to say no, but my stomach growled. "Yeah, let's go."
The door to the boy's room was open, "Rise and shine." I heard Lupin say then the sound of the blinds being pulled up, Ron and Harry groaned loudly. Ginny and I laughed.
"Girls, you aren't even dressed yet." Molly said frantically when we got downstairs.
"We just woke up." I said, I sat down and poured myself a glass of orange juice. Ginny walked over to the fridge and got herself a glass of water.
"Where are the boys?"
"They'll be down in a minute." Lupin said calmly as he walked into the kitchen. "They're wide awake, they're completely packed and are not going to be late."
Molly looked at him as if she was mad that he was calm, as if he was supposed to be freaking out too. "There are four children in this house, they all are going to Hogwarts . They have to be at King's Cross for eleven, and I intend to have them there early. They are not about to miss the train." She put a plate in front of Ginny, and one in front of me.
"You have almost three hours." Lupin said as Ron and Harry walked in. Ron sat at the other end of the table, Harry ,confused, followed Ron.
"Say what you want Remus, I don't care. I want them there early."
I looked at my watch, the hands pointing to 10:15. Ron ran through the barrier and Ginny followed. I looked around and saw quite a few people, it was early so I didn't expect many people to be there. I saw Lavender talking to Dean Thomas. Pansy was surrounded by a bunch of Slytherin girls, showing them something. Draco and his father were talking, I wondered about what.
Draco looked straight over in our direction, looking at Ginny. As Lucius turned around to see where his son's attention had gone I kicked something off my trolley. It suddenly occurred to me that I was covering for them . I bent down to pick whatever I had kicked over and stuck it back on my trolley. Lucius looked skeptically at me then turned back to Draco.
Harry arrived a few minutes later and after we put away our luggage , we found a place on the train.
"You do know that Dean was talking to Lavender?" Ron said to Ginny when we sat down.
"So?" She asked. I kicked her foot to remind her of the rumor she started.
"Don't you care?"
"We broke up a month ago." She shrugged her shoulders. "He can do what he wants. I'm going to go find Luna." She said and left the compartment. I'm guessing she actually had to meet Draco somewhere on the train.
Neville arrived a few minutes later. "Wow, you don't even look like yourself, Hermione. Your hair's looks different."
"Thanks, Neville." I said. I looked at my watch, the meeting didn't start until eleven o'clock, in twenty-five minutes. "Ron, we've got to go meet with the Head's."
"Oh, yeah." He pulled his Prefect's badge out of his pocket and stuck it on crookedly.
After we left, we walked a little further down the hall. I had to get him into an empty compartment. I didn't want to be the one to say something first, but somebody had to. Now, how was I going to get him into a compartment. I thought for a minute and came up with nothing.
"Ron." I said loudly. He turned to look at me and I pushed him into the nearest compartment. He hit the seat and landed on the floor. A few second years from Hufflepuff gave me an odd look.
"Oi, what was that all about." He said, getting up from the floor.
"We need to talk." I said.
"So you attack me?"
I said nothing.
"Look, we have a meeting to go to."
I stood in front of the door. "We have to talk, now."
"Hermione."
"The meeting doesn't start for twenty minutes." I said.
"Alright." He sat down on the seat.
"Why?" I asked.
Ron looked at me.
"Why did you kiss me?" I asked.
He sighed. "I couldn't tell you if I tried."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means I don't know, Hermione. I don't know why I kissed you, I don't know what I was thinking. You're my friend, we have a good friendship, it's not perfect, we fight a lot but that doesn't really matter and I don't know why I went and messed it up." "You're right Ron, it's not perfect. It's flawed, we're always fighting, we never actually agree on anything." I stood up, I felt really short next to him, I was only up to his chin. I looked up. "Can we just look at this as another flaw."
He nodded. "Another flaw."
The Head Boy and Girl turned out to be Cho Chang and Ginny's old boyfriend Michael Corner. Ron gave Michael a dirty look as he passed out a piece of parchment containing a list of rules for us. Cho looked at a small list in her hand and then at all of us.
"There' s someone missing." She said.
Pansy spoke right away. "It's Draco."
"Where is he?" Cho asked. "He's ten minutes late."
"Um, I don't know. I saw him earlier."
"Does anyone know?" Michael asked, when no one answered he pointed at Ron. "Could you go look for him please?"
"I know where he is." I said loudly. "I can go." I must've sounded eager but I couldn't let Ron find Draco and Ginny together.
I got up right away and left, I would have to find him fast and considering I didn't know where he was it could take me a while. I thought of asking someone in Slytherin, but since there relationship was being kept a secret no one would know anyway. After about fifteen minutes, I was nearing the end of the train and still hadn't found them. It was starting to seem empty now, I passed a sleeping seventh year Ravenclaw and a girl who was in Hufflepuff reading a book. Until, finally I found them.
I looked through the compartment window. For the first time since I found out, their relationship didn't seem unbelievable or wrong. Of course , this was the first time I saw them up close and alone . Ginny was laying on the seat using his lap as a pillow, she was holding a book and laughed lightly pointing at something on the page. He nodded, but he wasn't even looking at the book, he was looking at her and twirling a strand of her hair around his finger and unraveling it again. I wished I didn't have to do this. I didn't want to disturb them. They looked relaxed, care-free, happy. They looked perfect. They looked like they were in love.
Now that I was here, I didn't know how to do this. Draco wasn't supposed to know I knew but if I didn't get him out fast, they'd come looking for us. I opened the compartment door and closed it quickly behind myself. They both stood up, the book hit the floor with a loud thud.
"Granger, what are you-"
I backed up, he seriously looked like he was going to hurt me.
"Draco." Ginny grabbed his arm, he looked at her. "Don't worry, she knows."
"Did you tell her?" He asked in a calm voice, as if he couldn't get mad at her.
"I had to. She saw us, in Diagon Alley, after you had that fight with Ron." Draco opened his mouth to say something but she kept going. "Ron didn't see us so you don't have to worry. Hermione didn't want to tell him because she knows how Ron would react if he found out. I had to explain everything to her and she promised not to tell."
Draco looked at me. "I haven't told a soul." I said. Even though Tonks knew, I wasn't the one to tell her so that couldn't count.
"Did you send that woman-" Again, Ginny cut him off before he got to finish. "That was Tonks, she found the letter with the finalized plans on it when she was cleaning and got worried so she came and got me."
"You haven't told anyone?" Draco asked.
I shook my head. "No." I was sort of surprised, this is the first time he's talked to me without insulting me.
"Look, I really didn't want to interrupt you two." I looked at my watch, 11:45. "Cho sent me to come find you, Draco. Our meeting with the Head's was supposed to start forty-five minutes ago."
"Forty-five minutes ago?" He looked at Ginny." I'll see you when we get back to school, okay?"
Ginny nodded and we left.
"What took you so long? Where were you?" Pansy said when we got back, Draco took a seat beside her and I went back beside Ron.
"I thought you knew where he was. What took you so long?"
"I couldn't find him." I said.
"Alright." Cho said. "Let's get started."
I stood outside and held one of the doors as a first year came out, having an extremely hard time with his trunk. "Do you need some help with that?" I asked. The boy nodded and stepped aside. I heard Hagrid "firs years over 'ere , firs years over 'ere.". I was to busy helping the kid that I couldn't wave or look at him but I could hear Ron. "Hey, Hagrid." Then the door he had been holding open slam shut.
"Ron." I yelled.
"Oh right." He said and ran back to the door and opened it again. A few people came out, giving Ron rude looks.
"Anthony." One of the prefects from Ravenclaw. "Take this to the luggage carriage."
Anthony took the trunk and I looked back at the little boy. "Just follow Hagrid and I'll see you back at Hogwarts ." I smiled and pointed to Hagrid. The boy's eyes widened and he walked towards Hagrid.
"Come on, get out you bloody-Dammit, you stupid-." Ron. I looked over, he was struggling with a trunk.
"firs years over 'ere." Hagrid called, he saw me and waved, I waved back. Hagrid went over to Ron and pulled the trunk out for him.
"Thanks. Just give it them." Ron said and pointed to Draco and Anthony who were loading the luggage carriage.
Hannah and Padma went into the train to see if there was anyone still in there, the train was empty. The carriages were filling up fast. Neville was standing outside on of them, Harry, Luna and Ginny must have been inside. They were probably waiting for us.
There were two carriages that were always reserved for the Prefects and one for the Heads. No one ever used them, usually wanting to sit with their friends. I ran over and told Neville that they could go on without us.
"Are you sure?" He asked.
"Yes. Go ahead."
"Alright." He said, sounding as if he wasn't if it was okay to go. Anthony and Padma joined Lavender, Dean, Parvati and Seamus and they all got into a carriage together.
There weren't many things left. Draco, Ron, Hannah, Ernie and I loaded what was left into the luggage carriage. Meanwhile, Pansy did nothing. Since she was going to help him, I picked up the other end of the trunk Draco was carrying. Ron gave me a 'what do you think you're doing' look.
Hannah and Ernie left us. There was only one trunk left afterall. "See you at school." They called to us as they got into a carriage with some friends.
"Come on, Draco. Let's go. Blaise and them have got a carriage." Pansy complained.
Draco looked at me. "Thanks, Granger."
Ron and Pansy looked at him right away. Why was he thanking her? They were probably thinking. All she did was help him with the trunk. Of course, they didn't know I was keeping his secret.
~*~
Author's Notes. (hehe, author)
I wasn't sure about ending the chapter there. It's pretty long (on my computer, 7 pages almost 2300 words. Almost) Longer than most of my chapters normally are. Hopefully, it will keep you guys busy for awhile, I'm have trouble with the Sorting song and don't know when it'll be up. Before the twenty-fifth, for sure. In this chapter, I think Hermione got a little bit of an understanding on Draco and Ginny's relationship.
Keep in mind- Draco and Hermione are NOT friends. They're just not enemies anymore. It's hard to explain. Okay, Hermione knows about the relationship and realizes Ginny cares about him, and keeps their secret as not to ruin the relationship. Draco, knowing that Hermione is keeping it a secret kinda gives him the thought that even though they'll never be friends, she's not too bad. Hermione accepts the relationship a bit more, and he accepts her a little bit. Still don't get it?
The Sorting, Welcoming Feast and all that stuff is coming up in the next chapter. But, I need names for the Sorting. So, can you guys maybe e-mail your names and what house you want to be in to me? Maybe a detail to put with it. You have dark hair, something like that. Only if you want to. My only problem is the Sorting song.