Disclaimer: Now we all know that J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter, but some of us can wish, can't we?
CHAPTER 6: MAKING EXCUSES
Ginny, Ron, and Harry, who had just made it inside the Hall, were yanked right back out by a very pale Madam Pomfrey. She told them to go straight to the Infirmary immediately, where the Headmaster was waiting for them. The three raced down the corridor and appeared moments later out of breath. Pushing open the doors, Ginny fainted at the sight in front of her. Both boys took no notice of the room's inhabitants as they caught the redhaired girl and carried her to the closest bed. As they straightened her out, they heard Dumbledore behind them clearing his throat. When they turned around to face the Headmaster, they both gasped for breath at the sight in front of them. There Hermione sat in a daze. She had not spoken since she had reappeared in the hospital wing,no matter how much the elderly Headmaster had tried to get her to talk. But once both boys had set their gazes on Hermione, her mouth opened.
"Will someone please tell me what is going on and why I'm in the hospital wing?" she said, sounding confused.
"Miss Granger, you were attacked on the train and have been in a coma. Earlier today you stopped breating and layed here dead. However, you my dear are now very much alive. Madam Pomfrey will be in here in just a few moments to check you out. If that's okay with you? I'm sure that you would like to join your classmates for dinner. Mister Potter, Mister Weasley, may I?" he motioned to the door.
Once they were in the corridor, Dumbledore began to talk. "Okay gentlemen, she seems not to know what she did earlier so let's keep this afternoons events quiet until we can figure something out." he instructed. Then made his way out of the corridor. Within a few moments, a tiny girl appeared, suddenly grabbing the sleeves of their robes.
"Okay guys, Madam Pomfrey said I can go. Come on I'M STARVING!" Hermione tugged them along with her.
Once they had reached the entrance to the Great Hall, Hermione stopped and hesitated. Almost reading her mind, Ron put a hand on her shoulder for emotional support. "Ready Hermione? We'll try to keep everyone from asking you too many questions so just in case, you're sitting between us."
Inside the Great Hall everyone was talking about the lastest gossip, their homework, or something off-hand when the doors burst open. Afew turned to see who was coming in late for dinner but they all seemed to be abit quieter all of a sudden. Then three figures strode into the Great Hall confidently making a grand arrival. The Golden Trio looking more golden then ever. Two tall and very handsome boys flanked the sides of a short yet beautiful girl. Most of the girls attending the school would have loved to be in her shoes. By the looks the they were recieving, everyone could guess who ran the group. Everyone thought that because Harry Potter was the BOY-WHO-LIVED that he was the one in charge of their inside group, but these two boys who swarmed the Granger girl's sides followed her very command. (Yes ladies and gentlemen, she had them at her heels!) As they made their way down to their seats, Hermione waved in passing and smiled at those who looked at her except for the blonde Slytherin who was gaping at her bold entrance. He got a glare that could kill in a second which then surprising turned into a smirk that matched the one that stayed plastered to his face. With a nod of her head to him, she sat down. Everyone returned to what they were doing before except for Draco. His blue-gray eyes wandered the Hall for the mysterious girl that haunted him.
Over the last three weeks he had seen only glimaces of her passing through hallways while he was stuck in a class or doing what was asked of him by Dumbledore. Then today at the lake. He was sure that he would never be able to talk to her. As if on cue, she passed the doors to the Hall and looked in, never slowing down or stopping. Draco, upon seeing her, dashed out the Hall after her since he was finally able to. Once in the corridor he saw the girl was gone. With a sigh he turned back to the Hall, bumping into the very girl he was looking for to begin with.
"Well met, Sir Slytherin." she said with a laughing girly confidence.
"Lady Gryffindor, you seem to wander the corridors but I never see you in the Great Hall?" he drawled out in a low voice..
"You do not see me in the Hall because I eat in my room." she said with indifference.
"Would you please tell me your name, Lady Gryffindor?" he asked impatiently.
"Sir Slytherin, I happen to like our pleasantries as they are. I can be anyone to you as you can be to me. If I told you my name, would it make any difference as to who I am? A name has no real importance. See you around." she said with a smile full of..........mischief? And with that she brushed past him with her crimpy hair blowing backwards as she walked away leaving behind a scent of peanut butter cookies.
After dinner was over, Draco came to collect Hermione from Potter and Weasley at the Gryffindor table to escort her to the Heads' dorm. When they reached their common room Draco finally began to speak.
"Ummm.....Granger? Can I have a moment?" he asked.
"Sure." Hermione said walking into her room.
Not knowing if he should follow, he decided to walk to her doorway. Her room was exactly like his but done in Gryffindor colors. A king size bed positioned between two large bay windows with a white down comforter with several maroon and gold pillows. She sat on her bed talking off her platform shoes and school robes, when she stood up Malfoy realized how small she really was.
"Listen......Dumbledore has made it a point for you to be guarded after the incident on the train. When you are not with Scarhead and the Weasel you are to be with me. No exceptions. I'm sure you're not too happy but you're stuck with me. I'm not happy about it either. Dumbledore is really off his rocker with this but he is right. You do need protection............" he said sizing her up. "but wait til my father hears of this! Me bodyguarding Potters filthy mudblood. Thanks to Dittledore I've been wasting my time with you in the hospital wing. Not that I care or anything, but what exactly happened on the train, anyways? I mean, I watched you die today and now you're acting like you've been alive all this time. Talk about freaky, Granger!"
"How long were you in the hospital wing with me"
"Everyday.
Hiding under an invisbility cloak watching for an attacker on
Dumbledore's orders. Part of being Head Boy means taking
care of the Head Girl." he said in a mock mimick.
"Oh. Fine"Malfoy expected a fight from her. "Wait, that's it? Fine"
"Oh.......umm,
goodnight then." she said sweetly already pushing his buttons by not
putting up a fight and acting dumb. With that she walked into the
bathroom that attached their bedrooms together.
He stood in the doorway of her bedroom, completely baffled that she didn't put up a fight. Had she been a normal Hermione, she would have protested fiercely. Maybe even strike at him for his insults to her, but nothing had come. That always gave him pleasure to know that he could make her squirm at the sound of his voice or to have to be stuck anywhere close to him. He began to wonder, still standing in her doorway if he was loosing his touch, when a scent flooded his senses. The smell of peanut butter cookies! Her room was scented with the smell of peanut butter?
With that smell filling his head, he ran to his room to lose himself from her scent.
A/N: Is everyone enjoying this so far? To those of you who review, thank you so much! If you are reading and not reviewing, I will always update faster with more reviews.
To Stella Blu, you have been awesome to me. If I could write all day, and you review just to get out of doing your homework, I would. But you teachers would not appreciate how wonderful Harry Potter is. Maybe Draco Malfoy, cuz we all know what a hottie Tom Felton is!
HalfBloodPrince15: you as well have been with me from the beginning! I'm so sorry that you almost fell out of your chair and all. I didn't mean it, honest. And yes I have read I didn't know You cared. It's not on my faves, but I do keep up with it. A very funny d/hr story as well is The Knee Trembler. check it out. i give that author mad props.
I checked my stats and was stoked that 18 people have me on their author alert list! I did another happy dance. To those of you that I am on your alert list, but I have noticed because you haven't reviewed, I would like to acknowledge that I now know that you are reading along, too.
Artemis Teranika Ryann, ShylaMalfoy, Charolastras, Dinkle, mickey823, yuna1103, busyetbored, intoxicated-pen, forbiddenlight, and solarae.
Hugs from a fruit,
Cherry