Chapter 29: Assumptions

Disclaimer: WE DON'T OWN ANYTHING! LEAVE US ALONE! WHY ARE YOU TORTURING US LIKE THIS!

Harry's POV

I rant to the Astronomy towers, like Ron said, but nobody was in any of them. I quickly ran to the library, common rooms, and then I heard the dinner bell ring.

'Of course!' I thought to myself. She's probably at dinner. I ran to the Great Hall and looked around. She wasn't there. I made my way towards the empty seat next to Ron.

"She wasn't there. Where do you think she is?" I asked.

"Oh, she wasn't in any of the towers?" he asked.

"No" I answered as I hung my head. "Maybe I should wait to see if she comes later."

"Sure. Do you want me to check anywhere for you?"

"No thanks. I'll find her later, I mean, what if she's in an emotional state now and doesn't want to be disturbed." I was trying to think of an excuse to not find her. What am I supposed to say to her? 'I'm sorry I got angry at you for being the offspring of the man who wants me dead', I don't think so.

"Mate, I know what you're thinking. But c'mon, you guys have been friends since first year. Remember? Don't worry, I'll announce myself as a squib if she doesn't forgive you." Ron said. I gave him a weak smile.

"Thanks"

We stayed there until dinner was almost over. I decided that by now she was probably in the dorms, or the library.

I told Ron that I was going to go look for Hermione, I mean Emma, some more.

As soon as I got to the stairs, I realized that maybe Hermione was still in the Room of Requirement, so I turned around and headed there.

Halfway there, though, I heard some noise from outside. I looked out a window and noticed a girl who looked familiar, but I couldn't remember where I knew her from. Then it hit me. IT WAS HERMIONE! She lengthened her hair and was wearing a different outfit, but I knew that it was her. I ran to the pitch because that looked like where she was headed.

"Everything! Look at those morons, only interested in the way I look. I don't think they even recognized me." I heard someone say. I looked under the stands and saw Hermione with a guy, but I couldn't tell who he was. "Now all the E.R. fans will be disappointed when they see a stranger come onstage instead of E.R." she giggled and then started to crack up. The boy began to laugh and then I recognized his voice. It was Malfoy! Why was she with him! Isn't she supposed to be in a fight with him or something? I began to walk away, but decided to see what they were up to. What if it wasn't Hermione? Or what if Voldemomrt convinced her to be evil? Or something else?

Throughout the entire time when the two talked, they acted like best friends. She acted with him like she never acted with me and Ron. A feeling rushed through me. I took it as anger. If she preferred having that thing's company over us, than she could have it. Why would I ever want something conceived by Voldemort as my friend! They began to come in my direction. I quickly hid behind a pole and watched them. They both changed their looks. Probably so they could parade around with a neon sign saying 'look at us!'.

Malfoy always loved attention and would do anything for it.

I decided to follow them around, just to see what they were up to. All I found out, though, was that there was something that they were upset about, unimportant information about their friends form America, and some stuff that Hermione will have to answer to.

Nobody's POV

Hermione and Draco walked around until 9:46.

"SHIT!" Hermione said

"What?"

"We have to be back in our houses in fourteen minutes and I forgot that I was supposed to meet someone in the library at eight!" she quickly said

"Damn!"

They ran to the castle. A second after they split up Hermione called to Draco.

"Draco!" he took a step towards her. "Remember what I said when I told you about how we cant be together?"

"Yeah"

She leant up and kissed him. "Well what if nobody knows?" before he could say anything, she walked to her common room, leaving Draco stunned.

When Hermione got to her dorm, she was bombarded by a group of boys. They apparently forgot about the rumors and began to flirt with her. After a while, she was able to sneak into her dormitory. When she got there, she saw Parvati, Lavender, and Ginny.

"Hi" she said quietly.

"We were just talking with Ginny. She was telling us about how the potion thing is true and proved us wrong. We're sorry about our assumptions and everything we did." Parvati said.

"Yeah. It was stupid and we were just confused." Lavender put in.

"And?" Ginny stressed.

"And we were jealous that you were getting so much attention, especially from the guys."

"And the whole 'PMS'/ 'E.R.' thing."

"Yeah. We'll understand it if you're pissed off at us for life and-"

"It's OK." Hermione said. She sat down on the bed next to Ginny, who offered her some cookie dough that they got from the kitchens.

The four spent the whole night having a girls' night. They talked until 2:30 in the morning.

"Who do you think is the hottest person in our year?" Parvati said.

"That would have to be Harry, I mean, look at how fit her is with all of those quidditch practices" Ginny said automatically.

"Well I think, sorry Ginny, but Ron. He has such a boyish face but a manly body." Lavender said, even though she was dating Ernie MacMallian (we think that that's how you spell it).

"You girls may be right that those guys are hot, but you're forgetting someone. Draco Malfoy" Lavender, Ginny and Parvati squealed. "Even if he is a Slytherin, I mean, did you see him before! And we know that you were with him Hermione! Nothing gets past us" Parvati finished before the three of them continued to giggle.

"What do you mean? I would never go anywhere near Ferret Face except in class, and even then I sit as far from him as possible. Y'know, I don't even think that he's a him. He's more like an 'it'"

"We know that you like him." Ginny said

"You guys are mental" Hermione insisted.

"Then not only explain why he was at all of your concerts but also you two have been at each other's throats more than usual this year, and the thing that happened at the station, and-" Lavender said

"OK! Do you guys really want to know?" Hermione said.

"This summer we met up at a club and he didn't recognize me so I decided to play him for a fool when we got back here, but he found out too soon and he's such a big baby that he isn't willing to let me live it down." She lied.

"OMG Hermione. You are our new idol" Parvati said. "I could never imagine playing Malfoy. I would get totally caught up"

"Same" Lavender and Ginny sighed.

"Oh my god! Hermione! Your lip-gloss is smudged! Talk!" Parvati urged.

"W-what do you mean" Hermione stammered.

"SPILL!" Ginny said

"What is there to spill, it's not like I've been kissing anyone lately."

"Who said anything about kissing?" Lavender said with a smile on her face. Hermione was cornered.

"I broke up with my boyfriend. He snuck into Hogwarts and I dumped him for cheating on me with my best friend" she said in a sarcastic voice.

"C'mon, you HAVE to tell us. We'll explode if you don't!" Lavender said.

"YAWN in the morning. I'm exhausted." Hermione said. Admitting defeat, Ginny went to her dorm, and Lavender and Parvati went to their beds (they were at Hermione's).

Harry made his way to Ron in the back of the crowd.

"RON!" he yelled, trying to get his attention. Ron saw Harry and walked over to him.

"Hey man! How'd it go?" Ron said as he made his way.

"We need to talk." Harry took his friend's arm and pulled him into their dorm.

"What is it?" Ron asked as Harry shut the door (the room was empty).

"I saw something I wish I hadn't, but that I'm glad I did" he said as he began to pace in front of his bed.

"What? You're not making any sense."

"I saw Hermione spend the entire evening with MALFOY!" Harry said.

Ron jumped up from Harry's bed (which he was sitting on). "WHAT!?"

Ron was surprised. He thought that she would have tried to find Harry and the two would have been back to being best friends. "B-but,"

"How could o have been such a fool to think that after spending her entire summer in a house full of Death Eaters she would still be our Hermione! I mean, how thick could we have been! And I thought she was hurt!" before he could continue, Ron popped out of his daze and said: "SHE WAS HURT! SHE WAS SO HURT THAT WHEN I WENT BACK TO THE ROOM OF REQUIREMENT SHE WAS STILL THERE, CRYIN' HER EYES OUT! (which is somewhat true because it says that 'she hung her head, still upset about before', or something like that) ALL SHE COULD TALK ABOUT WASHOW ALL SHE WANTED WAS FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP BACK! DAMNIT! CAN'T YPU SEE THAT?" he paused. "I don't even know why I'm fighting with you about this? As much as I hate it, the bitch means something to her, but I know that she's smart enough to-"

"I saw them kiss"

"WHAT! But how could she? Can't she tell that he's only using her? We have to go talk to her, maybe find out what's going on in her head"

The two walked out of the room and headed for the common room.

"Seamus, do you know where Ginny is?" Ron asked.

"Um, I think she's with Parvati and Lavender in one of the dormitories." He answered.

"Shit. Let's try to owl her" Ron said.

The two ran to their dormitory. Pig was flying around, being the hyper, fuzzy tennis ball that he is. Ron grabbed him and looked at him in the eye.

"OK Pig. This is very important. Send the letter directly to Hermione." He turned to face Harry "You got the letter?"

"Yeah" Harry gave Ron a piece of parchment. Ron let go of Pig and the tiny owl flew outside.