Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter. If that happens to change, I'll inform you. But it won't, so we don't have to worry about it, now do we? Warnings: None for this chapter, either. Just good, clean fun. Author's Notes: Thanks so much to all of you who reviewed!! It gave me the inspiration to get this chapter out so quickly. ::violin music and single tear:: Well, once again, review and tell me what you think!
Sincerely,
Me.
Chapter two:
With your hand on my shoulders, a meaningless movement, a moviescript ending
It was the first time in a long time they didn't all arrive at the station together. In fact, Ron didn't see Harry or Hermione until he was safely on platform 9 ¾. And then, it was only a glimpse of the back of Harry's head as he boarded the train. After realizing it was useless to call out, Ron had sighed and bid his mother farewell for the hundredth time.
"Now don't forget, study hard for your N.E.W.T.s You won't get very far in life if you don't have many N.E.W.T.s." She chided.
"But, mum, Fred and George own their own very successful business, and they never even took the test," Ron had pointed out. Mrs. Weasley smiled.
"Hush, child," she murmured with a proud glint in her eye, then pushed him aboard the train. Ginny smiled at him and hurried off to find the car Harry was in. Ron, as he had for the last two years, walked towards the prefects car. It was already filled with the fifth year perfects, getting their instruction from the ambitious head girl.
"Now, you need to be conscious of what you're doing at all times, as younger students will be looking to you to set an example. We have had problems in the past of prefects who seemed burdened by their titles," she shot a look at Ron, who leaned casually against the doorframe. "But I daresay you all are excited to be prefects, are you not?" There was a murmur of agreement, and Ron stepped into the car.
"Of course, life as a prefect isn't all set an example, don't step out of line, stand up straight, loose all the friends you have. It's a lot more than that. You want to be someone that students feel they can come to for advise if they don't feel comfortable going to a teacher. They need to see you as a peer, as well as an example. That's the paradox that is 'prefect'," he explained, taking his place next to Hermione. She smiled at him with a look that said 'I didn't know you knew what a paradox was.'
Turning back to the fifth years, she explained, "And, now that he has been kind enough to grace us with his presence, I give you this year's head boy, Ron Weasley."
"Thank you, Hermione," Ron said, enjoying the situation. They began explaining the duties of the prefects as the train started out on its journey, and finished around noon. They all left the car, the fifth years heading to their friends cars while Hermione and Ron went to patrol the train. It was the duty of the head boy and girl to peek into each cabin and make sure there were no problems.
When they were a third of the way through the train, Ron felt her eyes burn the side of his face in between the cars. He turned to her like an old friend, but was greeted by a look that didn't quite match. It made his stomach churn again, but all he could do was smile at her.
"You know, you're better at this than I thought you'd be," she explained as they walked to a car full of first years. She checked on them as Ron leaned against the wall, smiling.
"What, did you think I was going to be some babbling idiot? Why Hermione! I'm hurt!" he joked with mock pain. She laughed cherubically twisting Ron's stomach further, but he only smiled at her.
"No at all, Ronald, I just thought you might resent it a bit," she responded, opening the next door and checking on some sixth years. After closing the door, she jabbed his stomach playfully, "You know, like you did being made prefect." It was then that they both realized how close their faces were. They lingered for a moment, in the limbo between friends and something more, before Ron coughed and opened the next door.
-----
It was nearly one thirty by the time they walked into their usual cabin in the back of the train, greeted by Harry, Ginny, Neville and Luna. This group of six had been close friends ever since the ordeal at the ministry two years before, just like Harry, Ron and Hermione had been friends ever since the troll in first year. Certain things would bond people, and nearly dying was one of them.
"You won't believe what just happened!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly as they sat down. "Malfoy came by."
"Actually, I do believe that," Ron muttered sarcastically. "It wouldn't be a ride on the Hogwarts Express if Malfoy and the goon squad didn't feel the need to show their ugly mugs in our-"
"Actually," Harry interrupted, "It was just Malfoy. No goon squad. And he was different. Way different."
"How so?" Hermione inquired, looking intrigued. It was very rare to see Malfoy by himself; he was generally surrounded by at least 3 other people. Maybe he had problems, but they couldn't bring themselves to care. That was just Malfoy. Needless to say, this new development had piqued their interest.
"If I dare use this word in relation to our own Draco Malfoy, he seemed... humbled," Harry elaborated. Hushing a shocked look from Ron, he continued. "And it gets better. He basically offered up a truce. Not a personal truce, but... political was the word he chose."
"I think the phrase he used was 'My father and I don't see quite eye to eye anymore.'" Ginny took over. "I think something happened over the summer. His robes weren't looking as pristine and his hair wasn't styled. Like he hasn't been living in the Malfoy mansion."
"Which, something tells me, might just be the case," Harry agreed. Hermione looked thoughtful and Ron looked shocked.
"Wait," he said. "Wait just one minuet here. Are you telling me Draco Malfoy is on our side now?" Everyone looked quiet, no one wanted to admit that the impossible seemed to have happened.
"That... seems to be the case," Harry admitted after a few moments.
"And we're just going to believe him?!" Ron sputtered. "After everything he's done! Harry, don't you remember how he SET YOU UP last year! He wanted you dead, and you would have been if-"
"If he hadn't let it slip that something was waiting for me in Hogsmead. Remember that part?" Harry couldn't believe he was sticking up for that.. that.. Malfoy! But he had no choice. "I don't think he wanted me as dead as we all thought. I didn't tell anyone, but I saw him over the summer. He was glad that I hadn't died. Said that something would've been missing from Hogwarts. And as much as I hate to admit it, if he were gone, we'd all feel that something was missing."
"Yeah, an annoyance!" Ron scoffed. This couldn't be happening. Malfoy was not a good person. That was just one of the things that didn't change. One of the things that made Hogwarts the place it was for him. Malfoy just couldn't be good.
"You didn't see him," Neville said quietly. It was the first thing he had said since Ron and Hermione had returned. "You didn't see the way he said those things. Like he really meant them. Like it hurt to say them, but that he meant every word. And I don't give Draco Malfoy that much credit as an actor. We have to believe him." This seemed to quiet Ron for a moment.
"He said it wasn't a personal truce?"
"Yeah."
"So, he's still gonna give us hell."
"Most likely."
"He just isn't going to...."
"Help Voldemort anymore. Or his father."
"And if Dumbledore needs help? An insider look at the goings on?"
"I guess Malfoy will help."
".....Weird..."
"You're telling me."
The car was silent for a few minutes, everyone wrestling with their own thoughts, trying to believe that Malfoy might be on their side for once. Or maybe they had other thoughts to wrestle. Ron caught Hermione looking at him out of the corner of her eye. The same look she had given him in the hallway. What was with her? Why was she looking at him like that? Was she trying to tell him something? Was she going to play a horrible joke on him? The look did have a rather secretive quality to it. That was it, she had some terrible joke that she would unleash upon him when he was least expecting it and he would be forced to suffer unspeakable humiliations and everyone would laugh and laugh and point and laugh and- wait. That didn't seem like a very Hermione thing to do. That was a Fred and George thing to do. And Hermione didn't like Fred and George things. What could it be, then? What kind of secret could she have? And why the bloody HELL did she keep looking out of the corner of her eye?!?! Ron was about to accuse her of something after a fourth look when Luna spoke. Most of them had forgotten she was there, per usual, so more then one jumped at her detached voice.
"I saw him this summer," she mentioned. As if it were no big deal to break a silence like that; though it probably wasn't for her. "In Diagon Ally. It was a few weeks ago. He was walking around with this girl, smiling a whole lot. It was strange to see him smile like that. Also strange because I knew the girl. She was in Ravenclaw a few years ago. Odd for Malfoy to enjoy being with her, considering how he is."
"Why is that?" Ron inquired, tiring of her round about way of storytelling.
"Oh" Luna said, as if just remembering she was talking to people. "Because she's a half blood. Her father is a Muggle. I really thought Malfoy hated people who aren't pure blooded."
"He does," Hermione assured. "Or, at least, he did. This might have something to do with his new change." A few of them nodded in agreement, and the car was silent again. The silence lingered for nearly ten minuets, before they started idly chatting again. The only one who didn't join in was Hermione, who looked like she had something on her mind. In fact, she didn't speak to them again until they reached the Great Hall for the feast.
-----
They walked into the Great Hall as a group, the way they always had and steered toward the Gryffindor table as Luna parted with a dreamy wave, wandering to Ravenclaw. As they walked further, Hermione started to walk slower. Finally she came to a complete stop. Ron stopped too, almost immediately.
"What's wrong?" he asked. She looked up at him, as if seeing him for the first time. It took him a moment to notice the tears in her eyes. She smiled pitifully at him, trying to hide her sadness.
"I just realized that it's almost over," she explained. "This is the last time I'll walk into the Great Hall on the first day for the feast. This is the last feast we'll all be at together. This is our last year here, then we have to go out and..." she trailed off, and for the first time since she had returned, Ron saw that she wasn't all that grown up after all. She was just as afraid as he was of leaving. He smiled slightly, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Well, then, let's make it the best year ever," he tempted. She smiled brightly at him, the tears forgotten. At this moment, Harry trotted up.
"What's up, guys?" he asked in a concerned voice, seeing Hermione's tears. Ron shook his head.
"Nothing much, just... anxious about where we'll be this time next year," he explained. Harry nodded as they started walking again.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. this place is kind of a safe haven for me. Like we can't really be touched here, not by the Dark wizards waiting out there. But after this year, we won't have that. It'll just be them and us, the whole time. No breaks or anything. I can't exactly say I'm looking forward to it." Ron nodded silently and suddenly didn't envy his friend at all. He had spent his whole summer helping the Order, sensing out with his Legilimency what move You-Know-Who would make next. Most of the time he couldn't just sit at the Headquarters, either. He had to be in harms way, fighting for his life every day. He hadn't told them much about the actual missions and battles, but whether that was because they were confidential or just because he didn't want to relive them was yet to be seen.
Now seated, Ron noticed Hermione glaring up at the staff table with a mix between shock, confusion and anger. He followed her stare to the newest staff member, presumably the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
"Wow, he's young," Ron noticed. Hermione was silent. "Wonder if he knows that the job is jinxed?" he wondered. No response. "Hopefully he'll last. This school really needs a good Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Still she was silent. "Then again, he looks so young, I doubt he really knows what he's doing."
"Oh, I assure you, he does," Hermione responded with venom, still not removing her angry glare from the teacher who was chatting idly with Professor Flitwick.
"How do you know that?" Ron asked with curiosity. She wouldn't look at him, but mumbled something about Dumbledore not hiring a bumbling idiot. He was about to bring up Lockhart when he got the distinct impression that the conversation was over. He was overcome with an awkwardness for a moment before the new first years were let in. Professor McGonagall set down the stool and the Sorting Hat, which began with a song nothing out of the ordinary. Ron listened carefully for hidden warnings, but found only the description of each House and the students in them. He clapped with everyone else when the song was finished and watched the anxious first years step forward as their names were called. "Arenstien, Carla" became the first new Gryffindor of the year and Ron whooped and yelled with the rest as she joined their table, looking relieved. The Sorting was probably the least eventful of their whole Hogwarts lifetime, which slightly disappointed Ron. He wanted their last year to begin with a bang. Then again, looking at Hermione greet new Gryffindor "Thomas, Evan" with a grin, he realized that this was the perfect start. Every year the had been their, something drastic and bad happened in the Sorting or the Great Feast, but this final year, they might get to, at last, enjoy their meal like regular students. Ron smiled, shaking "Verot, Emily"s hand as the last two people were Sorted into Ravenclaw and Slytherin.
The Hall grew quite as Dumbledore stood. "A few words before we begin our excellent Feast. To those of you here for the first time: Welcome! For those of you returning: Welcome back! We have a new member of our staff this year, who will be bestowing upon you the knowledge of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Please welcome Professor Ross." The young professor stood slightly and waved to the students before sitting again. Ron heard Parvati and Lavender whispering and Hermione making and angry "humph!" as the Professor looked in their direction. Dumbledore didn't see any of this and continued with his speech. "Please make him feel welcome this year. And, as always, the Forbidden forest is forbidden, meaning that it is off limits to all students. Now, with that taken care of, Tuck in!"
Their food appeared magically, as it always did, and Ron grabbed a turkey leg, eating hungrily. They had missed the food cart again on the train, so he hadn't had a descent meal since breakfast. Harry ate at a normal rate, talking softly to Ginny, who was laughing at some story. Neville was catching up with Dean and Seamus, who had spent a portion of their holiday together in Australia. Hermione had gone back to glaring at the new Professor Ross. Only this was able to slow Ron's rate of food consumption, and he watched an odd exchange out of the corner of his eye. Ross looked over at their table again, saw Hermione's glare and smiled slightly. He raised his glass at her, causing her to look around, then frown even more. This teacher laughed slightly, then went back to chatting with Professor Flitwick. Before he realized that she was looking, she had seen him watching her. She tried to smile at him, but only managed to twitch her cheek.
"I don't like the new Professor," she stated obviously. Ron laughed.
"Yeah, I can tell that, but I can't think of why. You haven't even met him yet. We haven't had any classes or anything." Ron observed. Hermione blushed, shrugging quietly then turned to her meal and ate in silence. Ron again lapsed into awkwardness until Harry asked him what he thought of the new first years, and they began discussing the merits of eleven year olds.
-----
Hermione's temper seemed shorter as they led the first years up to Gryffindor tower. "You'll need to be back in the tower every night by 8 o'clock. In the Common Room, you can study, which I suggest you do; or you can just relax" she added under her breath "Which is what most of you will end up doing." shaking her head, she continued. "The perfects will be happy to help you with any problems you have, be they school related or personal. Please don't be afraid to come and ask for help." The irony was, she was saying all this with such venom that many of the first years looked as though they might be afraid to talk to her. "You will be receiving your schedules tomorrow, and your classes will begin then. The castle is very large and you will probably get lost but.. If.." she suddenly seemed to loose steam, and Ron only had to glance at her to know she was in no state to continue, so he finished for her.
"If you do happen to get lost, just ask a perfect where you need to be, we'll all be happy to help. If there are no perfects, then just ask a portrait. They are all very happy to help out students. And don't worry if you get lost, it happens to everyone. In my first year, I think Harry and I got lost every day in our first week. But eventually you learn your way around. Ah, here we are, Gryffindor tower!" They had reached the Fat Lady's portrait. "To get in, you just have to tell the Fat Lady the password, and she let you in. This year's password is Bamboozle. Please, don't write it down, if you have trouble remembering things, just stay in a group until you know it. And, if you get locked out, just wait and someone will eventually come in or out. If the password has to for any reason be changed, Hermione or I or one of the perfects will tell you. Now, boys follow me to your dorm, girls, follow Hermione."
They walked up the spiral staircase leading to the dormitories, up to the top where last years seventh years had spent their Hogwarts days. The door now said "First year boys" in swirlly writing and Ron opened the door.
"You'll find all your things in there already. If you have any questions or problems, don't hesitate to come and get me, I'm in the fourth room down the staircase." He closed the door and knew that the boys, there were five of them this year, would not come to bother him that night. They, like all first years, would fall into their beds the second they had changed, and sleep until they had to wake. He couldn't blame them, they had had a very busy day. In fact, he could use a good sleep right about now. But something was bothering him.
The Common Room was already near empty when he walked down into it. She was there, just like he knew she would be, carefully knitting by the fire. Or, rather, her needles were knitting and she was reading a thick book.
"You're not still on about that house elf thing, are you?" Ron asked, sitting by her in a cushy chair. She looked up absently.
"Freeing all the Hogwarts house elves? No. Dobby just takes everything. I stopped that sometime last year, went down to the house elves and talked with them and everything. I can tell that they really don't want to be freed, so I promised them that I wouldn't leave any clothes on purpose, and that if I left any accidentally, they could pretend they hadn't picked it up."
"So you've given up, eh?" Ron said with a smirk.
"Oh good heavens, no!" she exclaimed, turning a page in her book, "I just won't try and free them myself. I may not even try and free them. All I want to make sure of is that they aren't mistreated. I guess when I'm older and have more of an impact at the Ministry I'll try and get them to pass some Elfish Welfare laws. But until I'm older and taken more seriously, I can't do anything, really. They don't want to be freed, and I can't force them to take freedom."
"It's really about time you realized that. I've been trying to tell you since you started on about this whole thing," he joked, but soon saw her face harden.
"Well, then, doesn't that make you smart," she said coldly. Ron frowned, trying to decipher this change in mood. Not getting very far, he looked at her knitting.
"A sweater," he stated, its form very clear. "Wow, Hermione, you've gotten really good at that!" He expected her to beam at him proudly, but she just absently flipped the page in her book. "What are you knitting it for?" She shrugged.
"It's a hobby. I'm doing it for the sake of doing it. Like you and your chess, it has no point but you-"
"Chess has a point and I thought you of all people would know it!" Ron exclaimed. "It sharpens your mind, helps you think things through! Why do you think Harry and I always play on the nights before tests? Because we want to avoid studying? Partially, but mostly because it helps you think." He paused for breath. "But it's not something perfect Hermione would do to study, so obviously it doesn't help anyone in anyway ever." He looked at her, daring her to strike back. But she just sat there for a moment, then closed her book.
"I don't feel like fighting with you tonight, Ron," she stated weakly, sending him a deadly look. She waved her wand and the knitting ceased, then she stood and looked at Ron again. "I'll see you in the morning. Good night."
She walked away, leaving confusion in her wake. Usually quarrelling with him would take her mind off of whatever was bothering her long enough to be able to think clearly about it. Why else would he have jumped on her about something as stupid as chess? But she wasn't having it. This had never happened before, and he didn't know if he could handle it. Sighing, he stood and walked slowly up to his dorm. Not saying a word to Harry, who sat quietly cleaning his broom, Ron slipped into his pajamas and climbed into bed, remembering the little blue notebook. He decided to read another letter, just to put him in a better mood before going to bed.
"Ron!!
I can't believe I'm about to do this! Jamie just convinced me to join his band. I know! That is so not something I would do! But.... Somehow, it's something I want to do. We're meeting up tomorrow after work, then we'll ... do whatever it is bands do. Play songs, I guess. I really cannot believe I'm going to do this.
I miss you a lot. I can just hear your voice in my head right now, asking me who I am and what did I do to your Hermione. It's what you were thinking wasn't it? Don't deny, you know I know you better than you know yourself. I wish you were here right now. You or Harry or Ginny or all of you, because I need to talk to someone who really knows me. See, things have been going on. Things that I don't understand. Things that should not be happening in my summer of research and working. I wish I could talk to someone! I'm half tempted to call Harry's family, even though the call would be really expensive and there's a chance they wouldn't even let me talk to him. ...I'm being weird and vague, aren't I? Well, I'm going to stop that. I'll write more later.
With love,
HermioneXOXO"
The plan had backfired and Ron's mood was worse. What could have happened? Why did she so desperately want to talk to someone? Why had she changed the way she usually wrote? Why in the bloody hell did she join a band? A million other questions raced through his head and it was an hour, after Dean and Seamus came to bed and Harry put his broom away, before Ron finally drifted into a fitful sleep.
--------------------------------------------
Wheeee! Chapter two is done! Review and I will be oh so happy. And when I'm happy I write more!
Sincerely,
Me.
Chapter two:
With your hand on my shoulders, a meaningless movement, a moviescript ending
It was the first time in a long time they didn't all arrive at the station together. In fact, Ron didn't see Harry or Hermione until he was safely on platform 9 ¾. And then, it was only a glimpse of the back of Harry's head as he boarded the train. After realizing it was useless to call out, Ron had sighed and bid his mother farewell for the hundredth time.
"Now don't forget, study hard for your N.E.W.T.s You won't get very far in life if you don't have many N.E.W.T.s." She chided.
"But, mum, Fred and George own their own very successful business, and they never even took the test," Ron had pointed out. Mrs. Weasley smiled.
"Hush, child," she murmured with a proud glint in her eye, then pushed him aboard the train. Ginny smiled at him and hurried off to find the car Harry was in. Ron, as he had for the last two years, walked towards the prefects car. It was already filled with the fifth year perfects, getting their instruction from the ambitious head girl.
"Now, you need to be conscious of what you're doing at all times, as younger students will be looking to you to set an example. We have had problems in the past of prefects who seemed burdened by their titles," she shot a look at Ron, who leaned casually against the doorframe. "But I daresay you all are excited to be prefects, are you not?" There was a murmur of agreement, and Ron stepped into the car.
"Of course, life as a prefect isn't all set an example, don't step out of line, stand up straight, loose all the friends you have. It's a lot more than that. You want to be someone that students feel they can come to for advise if they don't feel comfortable going to a teacher. They need to see you as a peer, as well as an example. That's the paradox that is 'prefect'," he explained, taking his place next to Hermione. She smiled at him with a look that said 'I didn't know you knew what a paradox was.'
Turning back to the fifth years, she explained, "And, now that he has been kind enough to grace us with his presence, I give you this year's head boy, Ron Weasley."
"Thank you, Hermione," Ron said, enjoying the situation. They began explaining the duties of the prefects as the train started out on its journey, and finished around noon. They all left the car, the fifth years heading to their friends cars while Hermione and Ron went to patrol the train. It was the duty of the head boy and girl to peek into each cabin and make sure there were no problems.
When they were a third of the way through the train, Ron felt her eyes burn the side of his face in between the cars. He turned to her like an old friend, but was greeted by a look that didn't quite match. It made his stomach churn again, but all he could do was smile at her.
"You know, you're better at this than I thought you'd be," she explained as they walked to a car full of first years. She checked on them as Ron leaned against the wall, smiling.
"What, did you think I was going to be some babbling idiot? Why Hermione! I'm hurt!" he joked with mock pain. She laughed cherubically twisting Ron's stomach further, but he only smiled at her.
"No at all, Ronald, I just thought you might resent it a bit," she responded, opening the next door and checking on some sixth years. After closing the door, she jabbed his stomach playfully, "You know, like you did being made prefect." It was then that they both realized how close their faces were. They lingered for a moment, in the limbo between friends and something more, before Ron coughed and opened the next door.
-----
It was nearly one thirty by the time they walked into their usual cabin in the back of the train, greeted by Harry, Ginny, Neville and Luna. This group of six had been close friends ever since the ordeal at the ministry two years before, just like Harry, Ron and Hermione had been friends ever since the troll in first year. Certain things would bond people, and nearly dying was one of them.
"You won't believe what just happened!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly as they sat down. "Malfoy came by."
"Actually, I do believe that," Ron muttered sarcastically. "It wouldn't be a ride on the Hogwarts Express if Malfoy and the goon squad didn't feel the need to show their ugly mugs in our-"
"Actually," Harry interrupted, "It was just Malfoy. No goon squad. And he was different. Way different."
"How so?" Hermione inquired, looking intrigued. It was very rare to see Malfoy by himself; he was generally surrounded by at least 3 other people. Maybe he had problems, but they couldn't bring themselves to care. That was just Malfoy. Needless to say, this new development had piqued their interest.
"If I dare use this word in relation to our own Draco Malfoy, he seemed... humbled," Harry elaborated. Hushing a shocked look from Ron, he continued. "And it gets better. He basically offered up a truce. Not a personal truce, but... political was the word he chose."
"I think the phrase he used was 'My father and I don't see quite eye to eye anymore.'" Ginny took over. "I think something happened over the summer. His robes weren't looking as pristine and his hair wasn't styled. Like he hasn't been living in the Malfoy mansion."
"Which, something tells me, might just be the case," Harry agreed. Hermione looked thoughtful and Ron looked shocked.
"Wait," he said. "Wait just one minuet here. Are you telling me Draco Malfoy is on our side now?" Everyone looked quiet, no one wanted to admit that the impossible seemed to have happened.
"That... seems to be the case," Harry admitted after a few moments.
"And we're just going to believe him?!" Ron sputtered. "After everything he's done! Harry, don't you remember how he SET YOU UP last year! He wanted you dead, and you would have been if-"
"If he hadn't let it slip that something was waiting for me in Hogsmead. Remember that part?" Harry couldn't believe he was sticking up for that.. that.. Malfoy! But he had no choice. "I don't think he wanted me as dead as we all thought. I didn't tell anyone, but I saw him over the summer. He was glad that I hadn't died. Said that something would've been missing from Hogwarts. And as much as I hate to admit it, if he were gone, we'd all feel that something was missing."
"Yeah, an annoyance!" Ron scoffed. This couldn't be happening. Malfoy was not a good person. That was just one of the things that didn't change. One of the things that made Hogwarts the place it was for him. Malfoy just couldn't be good.
"You didn't see him," Neville said quietly. It was the first thing he had said since Ron and Hermione had returned. "You didn't see the way he said those things. Like he really meant them. Like it hurt to say them, but that he meant every word. And I don't give Draco Malfoy that much credit as an actor. We have to believe him." This seemed to quiet Ron for a moment.
"He said it wasn't a personal truce?"
"Yeah."
"So, he's still gonna give us hell."
"Most likely."
"He just isn't going to...."
"Help Voldemort anymore. Or his father."
"And if Dumbledore needs help? An insider look at the goings on?"
"I guess Malfoy will help."
".....Weird..."
"You're telling me."
The car was silent for a few minutes, everyone wrestling with their own thoughts, trying to believe that Malfoy might be on their side for once. Or maybe they had other thoughts to wrestle. Ron caught Hermione looking at him out of the corner of her eye. The same look she had given him in the hallway. What was with her? Why was she looking at him like that? Was she trying to tell him something? Was she going to play a horrible joke on him? The look did have a rather secretive quality to it. That was it, she had some terrible joke that she would unleash upon him when he was least expecting it and he would be forced to suffer unspeakable humiliations and everyone would laugh and laugh and point and laugh and- wait. That didn't seem like a very Hermione thing to do. That was a Fred and George thing to do. And Hermione didn't like Fred and George things. What could it be, then? What kind of secret could she have? And why the bloody HELL did she keep looking out of the corner of her eye?!?! Ron was about to accuse her of something after a fourth look when Luna spoke. Most of them had forgotten she was there, per usual, so more then one jumped at her detached voice.
"I saw him this summer," she mentioned. As if it were no big deal to break a silence like that; though it probably wasn't for her. "In Diagon Ally. It was a few weeks ago. He was walking around with this girl, smiling a whole lot. It was strange to see him smile like that. Also strange because I knew the girl. She was in Ravenclaw a few years ago. Odd for Malfoy to enjoy being with her, considering how he is."
"Why is that?" Ron inquired, tiring of her round about way of storytelling.
"Oh" Luna said, as if just remembering she was talking to people. "Because she's a half blood. Her father is a Muggle. I really thought Malfoy hated people who aren't pure blooded."
"He does," Hermione assured. "Or, at least, he did. This might have something to do with his new change." A few of them nodded in agreement, and the car was silent again. The silence lingered for nearly ten minuets, before they started idly chatting again. The only one who didn't join in was Hermione, who looked like she had something on her mind. In fact, she didn't speak to them again until they reached the Great Hall for the feast.
-----
They walked into the Great Hall as a group, the way they always had and steered toward the Gryffindor table as Luna parted with a dreamy wave, wandering to Ravenclaw. As they walked further, Hermione started to walk slower. Finally she came to a complete stop. Ron stopped too, almost immediately.
"What's wrong?" he asked. She looked up at him, as if seeing him for the first time. It took him a moment to notice the tears in her eyes. She smiled pitifully at him, trying to hide her sadness.
"I just realized that it's almost over," she explained. "This is the last time I'll walk into the Great Hall on the first day for the feast. This is the last feast we'll all be at together. This is our last year here, then we have to go out and..." she trailed off, and for the first time since she had returned, Ron saw that she wasn't all that grown up after all. She was just as afraid as he was of leaving. He smiled slightly, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Well, then, let's make it the best year ever," he tempted. She smiled brightly at him, the tears forgotten. At this moment, Harry trotted up.
"What's up, guys?" he asked in a concerned voice, seeing Hermione's tears. Ron shook his head.
"Nothing much, just... anxious about where we'll be this time next year," he explained. Harry nodded as they started walking again.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. this place is kind of a safe haven for me. Like we can't really be touched here, not by the Dark wizards waiting out there. But after this year, we won't have that. It'll just be them and us, the whole time. No breaks or anything. I can't exactly say I'm looking forward to it." Ron nodded silently and suddenly didn't envy his friend at all. He had spent his whole summer helping the Order, sensing out with his Legilimency what move You-Know-Who would make next. Most of the time he couldn't just sit at the Headquarters, either. He had to be in harms way, fighting for his life every day. He hadn't told them much about the actual missions and battles, but whether that was because they were confidential or just because he didn't want to relive them was yet to be seen.
Now seated, Ron noticed Hermione glaring up at the staff table with a mix between shock, confusion and anger. He followed her stare to the newest staff member, presumably the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
"Wow, he's young," Ron noticed. Hermione was silent. "Wonder if he knows that the job is jinxed?" he wondered. No response. "Hopefully he'll last. This school really needs a good Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Still she was silent. "Then again, he looks so young, I doubt he really knows what he's doing."
"Oh, I assure you, he does," Hermione responded with venom, still not removing her angry glare from the teacher who was chatting idly with Professor Flitwick.
"How do you know that?" Ron asked with curiosity. She wouldn't look at him, but mumbled something about Dumbledore not hiring a bumbling idiot. He was about to bring up Lockhart when he got the distinct impression that the conversation was over. He was overcome with an awkwardness for a moment before the new first years were let in. Professor McGonagall set down the stool and the Sorting Hat, which began with a song nothing out of the ordinary. Ron listened carefully for hidden warnings, but found only the description of each House and the students in them. He clapped with everyone else when the song was finished and watched the anxious first years step forward as their names were called. "Arenstien, Carla" became the first new Gryffindor of the year and Ron whooped and yelled with the rest as she joined their table, looking relieved. The Sorting was probably the least eventful of their whole Hogwarts lifetime, which slightly disappointed Ron. He wanted their last year to begin with a bang. Then again, looking at Hermione greet new Gryffindor "Thomas, Evan" with a grin, he realized that this was the perfect start. Every year the had been their, something drastic and bad happened in the Sorting or the Great Feast, but this final year, they might get to, at last, enjoy their meal like regular students. Ron smiled, shaking "Verot, Emily"s hand as the last two people were Sorted into Ravenclaw and Slytherin.
The Hall grew quite as Dumbledore stood. "A few words before we begin our excellent Feast. To those of you here for the first time: Welcome! For those of you returning: Welcome back! We have a new member of our staff this year, who will be bestowing upon you the knowledge of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Please welcome Professor Ross." The young professor stood slightly and waved to the students before sitting again. Ron heard Parvati and Lavender whispering and Hermione making and angry "humph!" as the Professor looked in their direction. Dumbledore didn't see any of this and continued with his speech. "Please make him feel welcome this year. And, as always, the Forbidden forest is forbidden, meaning that it is off limits to all students. Now, with that taken care of, Tuck in!"
Their food appeared magically, as it always did, and Ron grabbed a turkey leg, eating hungrily. They had missed the food cart again on the train, so he hadn't had a descent meal since breakfast. Harry ate at a normal rate, talking softly to Ginny, who was laughing at some story. Neville was catching up with Dean and Seamus, who had spent a portion of their holiday together in Australia. Hermione had gone back to glaring at the new Professor Ross. Only this was able to slow Ron's rate of food consumption, and he watched an odd exchange out of the corner of his eye. Ross looked over at their table again, saw Hermione's glare and smiled slightly. He raised his glass at her, causing her to look around, then frown even more. This teacher laughed slightly, then went back to chatting with Professor Flitwick. Before he realized that she was looking, she had seen him watching her. She tried to smile at him, but only managed to twitch her cheek.
"I don't like the new Professor," she stated obviously. Ron laughed.
"Yeah, I can tell that, but I can't think of why. You haven't even met him yet. We haven't had any classes or anything." Ron observed. Hermione blushed, shrugging quietly then turned to her meal and ate in silence. Ron again lapsed into awkwardness until Harry asked him what he thought of the new first years, and they began discussing the merits of eleven year olds.
-----
Hermione's temper seemed shorter as they led the first years up to Gryffindor tower. "You'll need to be back in the tower every night by 8 o'clock. In the Common Room, you can study, which I suggest you do; or you can just relax" she added under her breath "Which is what most of you will end up doing." shaking her head, she continued. "The perfects will be happy to help you with any problems you have, be they school related or personal. Please don't be afraid to come and ask for help." The irony was, she was saying all this with such venom that many of the first years looked as though they might be afraid to talk to her. "You will be receiving your schedules tomorrow, and your classes will begin then. The castle is very large and you will probably get lost but.. If.." she suddenly seemed to loose steam, and Ron only had to glance at her to know she was in no state to continue, so he finished for her.
"If you do happen to get lost, just ask a perfect where you need to be, we'll all be happy to help. If there are no perfects, then just ask a portrait. They are all very happy to help out students. And don't worry if you get lost, it happens to everyone. In my first year, I think Harry and I got lost every day in our first week. But eventually you learn your way around. Ah, here we are, Gryffindor tower!" They had reached the Fat Lady's portrait. "To get in, you just have to tell the Fat Lady the password, and she let you in. This year's password is Bamboozle. Please, don't write it down, if you have trouble remembering things, just stay in a group until you know it. And, if you get locked out, just wait and someone will eventually come in or out. If the password has to for any reason be changed, Hermione or I or one of the perfects will tell you. Now, boys follow me to your dorm, girls, follow Hermione."
They walked up the spiral staircase leading to the dormitories, up to the top where last years seventh years had spent their Hogwarts days. The door now said "First year boys" in swirlly writing and Ron opened the door.
"You'll find all your things in there already. If you have any questions or problems, don't hesitate to come and get me, I'm in the fourth room down the staircase." He closed the door and knew that the boys, there were five of them this year, would not come to bother him that night. They, like all first years, would fall into their beds the second they had changed, and sleep until they had to wake. He couldn't blame them, they had had a very busy day. In fact, he could use a good sleep right about now. But something was bothering him.
The Common Room was already near empty when he walked down into it. She was there, just like he knew she would be, carefully knitting by the fire. Or, rather, her needles were knitting and she was reading a thick book.
"You're not still on about that house elf thing, are you?" Ron asked, sitting by her in a cushy chair. She looked up absently.
"Freeing all the Hogwarts house elves? No. Dobby just takes everything. I stopped that sometime last year, went down to the house elves and talked with them and everything. I can tell that they really don't want to be freed, so I promised them that I wouldn't leave any clothes on purpose, and that if I left any accidentally, they could pretend they hadn't picked it up."
"So you've given up, eh?" Ron said with a smirk.
"Oh good heavens, no!" she exclaimed, turning a page in her book, "I just won't try and free them myself. I may not even try and free them. All I want to make sure of is that they aren't mistreated. I guess when I'm older and have more of an impact at the Ministry I'll try and get them to pass some Elfish Welfare laws. But until I'm older and taken more seriously, I can't do anything, really. They don't want to be freed, and I can't force them to take freedom."
"It's really about time you realized that. I've been trying to tell you since you started on about this whole thing," he joked, but soon saw her face harden.
"Well, then, doesn't that make you smart," she said coldly. Ron frowned, trying to decipher this change in mood. Not getting very far, he looked at her knitting.
"A sweater," he stated, its form very clear. "Wow, Hermione, you've gotten really good at that!" He expected her to beam at him proudly, but she just absently flipped the page in her book. "What are you knitting it for?" She shrugged.
"It's a hobby. I'm doing it for the sake of doing it. Like you and your chess, it has no point but you-"
"Chess has a point and I thought you of all people would know it!" Ron exclaimed. "It sharpens your mind, helps you think things through! Why do you think Harry and I always play on the nights before tests? Because we want to avoid studying? Partially, but mostly because it helps you think." He paused for breath. "But it's not something perfect Hermione would do to study, so obviously it doesn't help anyone in anyway ever." He looked at her, daring her to strike back. But she just sat there for a moment, then closed her book.
"I don't feel like fighting with you tonight, Ron," she stated weakly, sending him a deadly look. She waved her wand and the knitting ceased, then she stood and looked at Ron again. "I'll see you in the morning. Good night."
She walked away, leaving confusion in her wake. Usually quarrelling with him would take her mind off of whatever was bothering her long enough to be able to think clearly about it. Why else would he have jumped on her about something as stupid as chess? But she wasn't having it. This had never happened before, and he didn't know if he could handle it. Sighing, he stood and walked slowly up to his dorm. Not saying a word to Harry, who sat quietly cleaning his broom, Ron slipped into his pajamas and climbed into bed, remembering the little blue notebook. He decided to read another letter, just to put him in a better mood before going to bed.
"Ron!!
I can't believe I'm about to do this! Jamie just convinced me to join his band. I know! That is so not something I would do! But.... Somehow, it's something I want to do. We're meeting up tomorrow after work, then we'll ... do whatever it is bands do. Play songs, I guess. I really cannot believe I'm going to do this.
I miss you a lot. I can just hear your voice in my head right now, asking me who I am and what did I do to your Hermione. It's what you were thinking wasn't it? Don't deny, you know I know you better than you know yourself. I wish you were here right now. You or Harry or Ginny or all of you, because I need to talk to someone who really knows me. See, things have been going on. Things that I don't understand. Things that should not be happening in my summer of research and working. I wish I could talk to someone! I'm half tempted to call Harry's family, even though the call would be really expensive and there's a chance they wouldn't even let me talk to him. ...I'm being weird and vague, aren't I? Well, I'm going to stop that. I'll write more later.
With love,
HermioneXOXO"
The plan had backfired and Ron's mood was worse. What could have happened? Why did she so desperately want to talk to someone? Why had she changed the way she usually wrote? Why in the bloody hell did she join a band? A million other questions raced through his head and it was an hour, after Dean and Seamus came to bed and Harry put his broom away, before Ron finally drifted into a fitful sleep.
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Wheeee! Chapter two is done! Review and I will be oh so happy. And when I'm happy I write more!