A/N: Wow....I almost made a person cry with the first part...that has never happened with my writing before. But yes I had to make it sad...It's a dramatic series. It's not about the jokes, it's about people and emotions and how you can get over the bad stuff.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does.
Hermione Granger had changed. She it clear the minute she stepped out of her newly bought townhouse in a wizard community, not far from Diagon Alley. After spending the holidays, mostly in bed, she had dyed as much of her school wardrobe black. She colored her hair a bit darker. Not to mention she rimed her eyes with black make up and her nails with black nail polish. Some might have said it was taking it too far, but too Hermione, it was how she felt. She quickly walked to the train station. She ignored the stares she got. They didn't know her. They didn't care. She prayed that the magic would numb her pain as she boarded the train.
Harry Potter had spent the holidays with the Weasley's. But they did have Christmas dinner at Harry's newly bought house, also near Diagon Alley. The holiday had been alright. Another Christmas, another Weasley sweater. Harry was glad he had a house now. No more Dursley's and he knew he could escape his fame there, with his friend Hermione, around the corner. He had recovered from the battle almost completely. But he was worried about Hermione. He didn't like the look she had when she came out of the Hospital. It was almost, a hallow look. Like she had realized something and yet were still processing it. He shuddered. But he knew this was Hermione, he was thinking about. A Prefect and now Head Girl, why would he have to worry about her? I mean, of course she would have to deal with the battle, but he supposed in short order she would be ok. Or at least he hoped so.
Ron Weasley wasn't exactly thrilled to be going back to Hogwarts. After the battle, he had, had a nice Christmas with his family and Harry. Of course after all the press they had to manage. His arm was no longer broken and he could it freely now. He was waiting for Hermione and Harry to come into his compartment. He knew Hermione would come and spend the ride with them since Malfoy was the Head Boy. As he watched as numberous people rushed by, a loose owl or two fluttering around, and some of the younger ones a bit emotional at leaving their families again. He smiled, to be so young and unafraid again.....
Harry was packing his things into the train when he ran into Luna Lovegood. She was a bit shy. She was also a bit odd and usually talked in quiet tones but Harry liked that about her.
"Hello Harry." she said quietly, smiling.
"Hello Luna, have a good break?"
"Yes, thank you for asking. How was yours?"
"Alright." He started to walk away when Luna caught him by the arm.
"Harry are you....are you guys really ok?" she said a bit sadly. Harry looked at her. Had she been reading his mind?
"Yea, just it'll take some time I suppose...." he trailed off. Luna smiled.
"I'm always here to listen if you want to talk." Luna said reassuring, and then walked away.
Hermione entered the Head compartment. She set her things down. The last time she had done this was at the beginning of the school year. She could remember the glow of the pride of her getting Head Girl and her parents waving goodbye. She didn't know it would be the last time she would see them. She could feel tears well up but she wouldn't let them fall. She had to be strong. She had to be brave. Everyone looked up to her, and crying wouldn't show her in the best light. She shook her head and sighed. Another group of months and she would never ride this train again. She would miss the school. So many expriences that she wouldn't trade for all the gold in China. She didn't know what she would do if Malfoy came into the compartment. She wanted to scream at him, she wanted to punch him, she wanted to say so much......it was his family that cost her almost everything she had. She leaned against the wall. But she remembered what she did feel before everything. She even had liked the guy. In the beginning of the year, she remembered how he waltzed in, acting like he owned the place. She remember how part of her wanted to hate him but yet another part wanted him to like her. Malfoy had grown up, his ice blue eyes had softened up and his blonde hair wasn't slicked back anymore, it was loose. He had grown quite a bit and those qudditch practices were showing their effects. She remembered that herself, along with hundreds of other girls agreed with her. She had a ghost of a smile. But now when she looked at Malfoy, she felt nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Ron waited. What was taking them so long? He sighed, he supposed that maybe it was a long shot. Hermione took her work seriously and Harry....he was probably being mobbed at the moment by girls. Ron sighed again. He was a bit jealous of his friend. With all of his brothers going off and doing wonderful and successful things, and his friends so popular and famous the pressure was a lot to take sometimes. And he had his one shot and he retreated. He got the feeling that maybe everyone thought of him as a type of sidekick and nothing really more. He could see why. No girlfriend. Same friends he had since he ever started school. He wasn't a star student in the marks. Not to mention his family's money problem. He didn't have the most impressive thing to bring to the table but he knew that he was special. He didn't know how, but he was determined to show everyone that Ron Weasley, while not the most rich or brave could be just as good as everyone else. But how was he going to do this was the question.....
As if Ron had been reading minds, Harry at that moment was trying to get away from a mob of girls. Harry personally didn't get it. One minute he was just trying to get some chocolate frogs and then next minute he heard dozens of running feet. But as they got closer and closer by the moment, he needed a hiding place fast. He opened the first cart door he saw and shut it behind him. He waited till the pounding of their feet went away, sighed and opened his eyes. He was greeted with Ron, grinning at him with a I-knew-it-was-going-to-happen look. Harry rolled his eyes. Now was not the time.
As Hermione entered the Great Hall, people gasped. She stared at them with an icy stare. The Slytherins were stunned, the stare was colder than any stare they could hope to give. Hermione smiled evilly. Now you notice me.... She walked along, almost floating like a foreboding mist until she sat across from Harry and Ron. They couldn't believe what they saw. This wasn't Hermione. The real one, had a sparkle in her eye. The real Hermione would be telling them about her summer. She didn't have her books, she wasn't complaining about the schedule and she wasn't correcting people. This Hermione looked like a ghost of herself. The sparkle was no more and replaced with cold and hard brown eyes. And it scared them.
"Hermione? Are you alright?" Harry asked.
"Me? Oh Harry I've never been better!" she said with a new tone she couldn't tell what it was exactly. A twist of coldness and wickedness. The response disturbed them. How could she be ok when she looked like a ghost? She was pale and very thin....... She was starting to look like a Slytherin.....They shuddered. What had happened to their Hermione?
Only Hermione knew the answer to that, but she wasn't sharing. She quickly ate so she wouldn't have to endure the stares any longer. She remembered the way Harry and Ron looked at her. She saw the look, the teachers had given her. Everyone had the same look, shock, surprise and for those who knew her well, sadness. She didn't want their pity. They didn't care. She then headed to the Head Girl's room. She picked up a blade from her collection. She made the mistake of picking up the one from the battle. The one that still had blood on it. She quickly dropped it. Shakily she put it away, not looking at the blood. The cold reality was with her now. She had actually killed someone. Yes, they were evil but they were still people. She was a murder, and it wouldn't let her forget it. But when she killed them, she liked it. She liked seeing the warm blood on the blade. And that is what trully scared her. People weren't suppose to love killing people, no matter who they were. People were still people. And she had enjoyed killing every last one of them. She was ashamed, some of those killed were fathers to some of the students....How could she live with seeing their son's or daughter's faces everyday? She knew that her parents didn't want their girl to turn out this way........but this darkness....the darkness she had fallen into....it saved her. Whatever it was, didn't care about what she did, it just welcomed her without question and didn't judge her. It calmed her mind and while the whispers were dark, they took care of her fears. She liked it, even if the price was for her heart to become stone. But it was always there, it wouldn't leave her....just like her books....no matter what they were always there. She knew it wasn't ok.....but she didn't really care anymore. She looked at the blade of another sword....so shiny and sharp...it could cut her skin easily....No, she wouldn't go that dark. She had done that already, and she didn't want to do it again. She looked in the mirror. She didn't see the bright young student she once saw. She didn't see the potiental. She didn't see hope. All she saw was herself. The monster.
Ok everyone that's part 2! I know this is a dark series and everything but I think it's kinda neat seeing another side to all the characters!
You know what would get me really inspired and put out more parts? If you review!!
