Chapter Eleven
Hermione and Pansy boarded the Hogwarts Express at the end of their two week holiday. They talked excitedly about the summer term, and about the holiday behind them. Hermione headed for the compartment she usually shared with Ron and Harry. Pansy shrunk back.
"I should sit with my friends," Pansy told Hermione. Hermione nodded. She gave Pansy a big hug.
"Thank you for a wonderful holiday!" Hermione exclaimed. She hurried to find Harry and Ron.
The two boys were sitting glumly in the compartment, not looking at eachother.
"You two didn't have a fight did you?" Hermione asked. Harry shook his head.
"Ron's been out of sorts all holiday because he didn't get to see Sorcha the entire time we were away. And she owled him this morning saying she was returning to Hogwarts late, so he's been really foul all day," Harry explained. Ron glared at Harry.
"You wouldn't understand," Ron said accusingly. "You've never had a girlfriend."
"That's what you think," Harry said under his breath, no one hearing him but himself.
"Well I had an absolutely wonderful holiday," Hermione gushed, sitting down on a bench. "I spent the entire time at Pansy's house, and he- "
"I don't see how you can call that a wonderful time," Draco quipped, popping his head into the compartment. "She's almost unbearable in such large doses."
"Oh, shut up, will you?" Ron said, glaring at Draco. Draco shrugged and shut the door. Ron looked surprised. "Never expected that to actually work," he chuckled. The others shrugged. Hermione gazed out the window as they pulled out of the station. She wasn't sure how she'd ever manage to readjust to Hogwarts after staying with the Parkinsons, where every time they left the house they showered her with gifts and every day brought exciting new possibilities. They had eaten dinner in dress robes every night and stayed up late watching muggle movies on the giant projector in Pansy's bedroom. It was going to be difficult, that was for sure.
* * *
Hermione hurried up to her dorm after the feast that night. She wanted to double check her homework and make sure it was all done correctly. As she entered the room she noticed that her trunks had been set out for her, and they now were crowded into her portion of the room, whereas in the past they had barely taken a small fraction. Her section looked almost exactly like Lavendar and Parvati's. Hermione looked through her trunk and changed into some black satin lounge robes that Pansy's mother had bought her. They were shape-fitting but not tight, so they were very comfortable.
Hermione was going through her assignments when Draco's essay fell out from between two other essays. Hermione picked it up and read through it. It was better than she had expected. She made some suggestions and re- rolled it, tucking it into her pocket. She hurried down to the library, in hopes of re-tracing her steps back to where Draco had taken her.
She managed to find her way there, but Draco was not to be found. Hermione rolled her eyes and sat down on one of the couches. She wasn't sure why she had agreed to help him, but it hadn't taken much time or effort either, so she wasn't exactly sure why she would object. Something told her it wasn't as simple as that, but she couldn't pinpoint any other reasoning, so she let it go.
Draco strode into the sitting area and sat down on the sofa facing Hermione. He put his feet up on the coffee table between them.
"So, how was your holiday?" he asked, making casual conversation. "Does Pansy still talk in her sleep?"
"Not that I ever heard," Hermione stumbled over her words. "Draco, why are you being so nice to me?"
"Listen, Granger, let's think about this. We have to be potions partners for another three years. You're one of the smartest girls in the school. It's the smartest move I can make right now. If you and I are on good terms, not only will Potions class not be hell, I'll also have the added benefit of asking for your help on essays and projects," Draco explained. "Besides, you never know what will happen next. Maybe you'll need my help with something at some point."
"It just seems rather strange that one day we're barely speaking, and the next you're calling me a friend and asking me to edit your essays," Hermione explained. Draco shrugged.
"You're a muggle born, haven't you ever heard the saying, 'Never look a gift horse in the mouth?'" Draco teased. Hermione rolled her eyes and passed him his edited essay. "Thank you, Hermione," Draco said. He put the parchment in his pocket. He turned to leave, then paused. "Have you started studying for the Transfiguration exam yet?" he asked. Hermione nodded. "Good luck," he told her. She smiled.
"You too," she said. He left the room. Hermione sat there for a minute. Draco was right. It was better if they were friends since they'd have to put up with one another for the next two years and a few months.
* * *
Ron paced back and forth in the Gryffindor common room. He had nothing to do, and he was bored out of his mind. All of his homework assignments were complete, even the ones due next month. He had studied until his mind was numb. Ron had even done all his laundry and re-organized his sock drawer. He had moved on to Harry's before Harry had seen him and stopped him. Now he was going out of his mind.
"Ron, why don't you go for a walk outside?" Hermione suggested. "Or I have library books you can return for me, if you really want something to do."
"I'd love to!" Ron said, taking the books from Hermione. She and Harry exchanged glances. Under normal circumstances, Ron wouldn't come anywhere near the library unless he absolutely needed to. Ron all but skipped out of the room, thrilled to have something new to do.
Hermione and Harry sat by the fire, working on essays for Transfiguration.
"Say, Hermione, if I were to write an essay on why you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, would you have any books that would provide counter-examples?" Harry asked. Hermione shrugged.
"That's not really a very good topic," Hermione said. Harry looked at her in surprise.
"It's the one McGonagall assigned us," Harry reminded her. Hermione blushed.
"I'm sorry, I must not have been listening," she admitted. Harry looked at her parchment.
"What are you reading?" he asked. Hermione quickly rolled it up.
"Nothing," she said quickly. Just then Ginny walked into the room, and Harry was busy eyeing her. Hermione tucked the parchment quickly into her pocket. When Ginny was out of the room, Harry had forgotten all about it.
"I'm sorry, Hermione, what did you say?" Harry asked, turning to look at her. Hermione just laughed.
"I didn't say anything, Harry, but I should warn you not to let Ron see you looking at his little sister like that," Hermione teased.
"I put up with that all holiday," Ron said, coming into the common room with a huge stack of books. "I brought you some books I thought you'd like," he explained, seeing the looks on Hermione and Harry's faces. Hermione got up to look at the books.
"Wow, Ron, I'm impressed, I've never read any of these before!" Hermione gave Ron a big hug.
"Me too," Harry said. "I didn't think there was anything Hermione hadn't read." Ron shrugged. He sat glumly on the sofa with the others.
"She didn't even explain where she was going," Ron moped. Harry and Hermione looked at eachother.
"Maybe we should take the afternoon off," Harry suggested. "Let's visit Hogsmeade. Take your mind off things." Ron shrugged, and Harry and Hermione dragged him out of the chair and down the hallway to the secret passage.
Hermione and Pansy boarded the Hogwarts Express at the end of their two week holiday. They talked excitedly about the summer term, and about the holiday behind them. Hermione headed for the compartment she usually shared with Ron and Harry. Pansy shrunk back.
"I should sit with my friends," Pansy told Hermione. Hermione nodded. She gave Pansy a big hug.
"Thank you for a wonderful holiday!" Hermione exclaimed. She hurried to find Harry and Ron.
The two boys were sitting glumly in the compartment, not looking at eachother.
"You two didn't have a fight did you?" Hermione asked. Harry shook his head.
"Ron's been out of sorts all holiday because he didn't get to see Sorcha the entire time we were away. And she owled him this morning saying she was returning to Hogwarts late, so he's been really foul all day," Harry explained. Ron glared at Harry.
"You wouldn't understand," Ron said accusingly. "You've never had a girlfriend."
"That's what you think," Harry said under his breath, no one hearing him but himself.
"Well I had an absolutely wonderful holiday," Hermione gushed, sitting down on a bench. "I spent the entire time at Pansy's house, and he- "
"I don't see how you can call that a wonderful time," Draco quipped, popping his head into the compartment. "She's almost unbearable in such large doses."
"Oh, shut up, will you?" Ron said, glaring at Draco. Draco shrugged and shut the door. Ron looked surprised. "Never expected that to actually work," he chuckled. The others shrugged. Hermione gazed out the window as they pulled out of the station. She wasn't sure how she'd ever manage to readjust to Hogwarts after staying with the Parkinsons, where every time they left the house they showered her with gifts and every day brought exciting new possibilities. They had eaten dinner in dress robes every night and stayed up late watching muggle movies on the giant projector in Pansy's bedroom. It was going to be difficult, that was for sure.
* * *
Hermione hurried up to her dorm after the feast that night. She wanted to double check her homework and make sure it was all done correctly. As she entered the room she noticed that her trunks had been set out for her, and they now were crowded into her portion of the room, whereas in the past they had barely taken a small fraction. Her section looked almost exactly like Lavendar and Parvati's. Hermione looked through her trunk and changed into some black satin lounge robes that Pansy's mother had bought her. They were shape-fitting but not tight, so they were very comfortable.
Hermione was going through her assignments when Draco's essay fell out from between two other essays. Hermione picked it up and read through it. It was better than she had expected. She made some suggestions and re- rolled it, tucking it into her pocket. She hurried down to the library, in hopes of re-tracing her steps back to where Draco had taken her.
She managed to find her way there, but Draco was not to be found. Hermione rolled her eyes and sat down on one of the couches. She wasn't sure why she had agreed to help him, but it hadn't taken much time or effort either, so she wasn't exactly sure why she would object. Something told her it wasn't as simple as that, but she couldn't pinpoint any other reasoning, so she let it go.
Draco strode into the sitting area and sat down on the sofa facing Hermione. He put his feet up on the coffee table between them.
"So, how was your holiday?" he asked, making casual conversation. "Does Pansy still talk in her sleep?"
"Not that I ever heard," Hermione stumbled over her words. "Draco, why are you being so nice to me?"
"Listen, Granger, let's think about this. We have to be potions partners for another three years. You're one of the smartest girls in the school. It's the smartest move I can make right now. If you and I are on good terms, not only will Potions class not be hell, I'll also have the added benefit of asking for your help on essays and projects," Draco explained. "Besides, you never know what will happen next. Maybe you'll need my help with something at some point."
"It just seems rather strange that one day we're barely speaking, and the next you're calling me a friend and asking me to edit your essays," Hermione explained. Draco shrugged.
"You're a muggle born, haven't you ever heard the saying, 'Never look a gift horse in the mouth?'" Draco teased. Hermione rolled her eyes and passed him his edited essay. "Thank you, Hermione," Draco said. He put the parchment in his pocket. He turned to leave, then paused. "Have you started studying for the Transfiguration exam yet?" he asked. Hermione nodded. "Good luck," he told her. She smiled.
"You too," she said. He left the room. Hermione sat there for a minute. Draco was right. It was better if they were friends since they'd have to put up with one another for the next two years and a few months.
* * *
Ron paced back and forth in the Gryffindor common room. He had nothing to do, and he was bored out of his mind. All of his homework assignments were complete, even the ones due next month. He had studied until his mind was numb. Ron had even done all his laundry and re-organized his sock drawer. He had moved on to Harry's before Harry had seen him and stopped him. Now he was going out of his mind.
"Ron, why don't you go for a walk outside?" Hermione suggested. "Or I have library books you can return for me, if you really want something to do."
"I'd love to!" Ron said, taking the books from Hermione. She and Harry exchanged glances. Under normal circumstances, Ron wouldn't come anywhere near the library unless he absolutely needed to. Ron all but skipped out of the room, thrilled to have something new to do.
Hermione and Harry sat by the fire, working on essays for Transfiguration.
"Say, Hermione, if I were to write an essay on why you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, would you have any books that would provide counter-examples?" Harry asked. Hermione shrugged.
"That's not really a very good topic," Hermione said. Harry looked at her in surprise.
"It's the one McGonagall assigned us," Harry reminded her. Hermione blushed.
"I'm sorry, I must not have been listening," she admitted. Harry looked at her parchment.
"What are you reading?" he asked. Hermione quickly rolled it up.
"Nothing," she said quickly. Just then Ginny walked into the room, and Harry was busy eyeing her. Hermione tucked the parchment quickly into her pocket. When Ginny was out of the room, Harry had forgotten all about it.
"I'm sorry, Hermione, what did you say?" Harry asked, turning to look at her. Hermione just laughed.
"I didn't say anything, Harry, but I should warn you not to let Ron see you looking at his little sister like that," Hermione teased.
"I put up with that all holiday," Ron said, coming into the common room with a huge stack of books. "I brought you some books I thought you'd like," he explained, seeing the looks on Hermione and Harry's faces. Hermione got up to look at the books.
"Wow, Ron, I'm impressed, I've never read any of these before!" Hermione gave Ron a big hug.
"Me too," Harry said. "I didn't think there was anything Hermione hadn't read." Ron shrugged. He sat glumly on the sofa with the others.
"She didn't even explain where she was going," Ron moped. Harry and Hermione looked at eachother.
"Maybe we should take the afternoon off," Harry suggested. "Let's visit Hogsmeade. Take your mind off things." Ron shrugged, and Harry and Hermione dragged him out of the chair and down the hallway to the secret passage.