Malfoy's face twisted into an even larger sneer. "For being the 'smartest' girl in school, you're not really that intelligent, Granger."
Hermione felt her chest rise even more rapidly as she glanced around. She heard Malfoy chuckle again, and her temper began to rise. He was the one who was dead, standing right in front of her, not even knowing it. So what did he have to laugh about?
Hermione heard sharp steps coming towards the dungeon. She knew those footsteps, Professor Snape was the only one to walk like that. Not in the mood to deal with a dead Malfoy, and a-should-be dead Professor, Hermione clutched her bag and darted behind a divot in the wall.
Malfoy's malicious chuckle grew loud. "Think he won't see you, Granger?" he was quiet a moment and Hermione took a deep breath. "I think the Head Girl needs a reminder about what time class starts."
Silence.
"Professor?" Malfoy called. "Professor Snape?"
Hermione heard the heavy door to the class clang shut.
"What have you done," Malfoy demanded. He was suddenly very close to her. His pale cold face inches from her. "Did you think it would be funny to pull a practical joke?"
"Like I could convince Snape to participate in a practical joke," she snapped. Sidestepping him and taking off quickly up the stairs.
She heard the quick rapt of his expensive shoes on the floor as he suddenly ran after her. "What did you do to me, you—"
"Say it, and I'll find a way to bring your dead body back to life, just so I can painfully murder you again," she snarled. The look on Malfoy's face was priceless. His sharp features rounded in surprise, and he momentarily lost his sneer.
"Wow, Granger, didn't know you had that in you."
Hermione briefly wondered if her clenched fist would just past through a ghost, then she took a deep breath and shook her head, walking on. She slowly exhaled and closed her eyes. She was not seeing Draco Malfoy when Professor McGonagall had announced his death. She wasn't talking to the boy who had stumbled into the common room, and fallen, dead onto the floor.
She made it to her common room and sat down on the couch.
"What is with you, Granger?" that voice sneered.
Hermione squeaked and fell off the couch.
Malfoy snickered.
Dusting herself off, Hermione glared at him.
"Not quite dead, am I?" He seemed tickled with himself.
Hermione stomped off towards the stairs without a word. She didn't fling open the door with the Gryffindor crest, instead grabbed the opposite door, the one still bearing the Slytherin crest.
Inside, the walls still a deep green, with silver accents along the walls, and a silver colored carpet, the bed sheets were perfectly made, but white. The room was entirely devoid of anything of personality. In fact, if it did not have the Slytherin colors, it would have looked like a spare forgotten room.
She held open the door and glared back at Malfoy who had followed her. He was entirely too predictable.
Malfoy stepped into the room. His expression was shocked, confused. He walked over to the dress and grabbed the handle. But his hand slipped straight through.
Malfoy's jaw dropped. He tried it again.
Still nothing happened.
He wheeled around to face Hermione. "You filthy, disgusting—"
"I didn't do a damn thing!" she snapped, amazed at how angry she was feeling at him. "You were the one who came in so late. You were the one who left any way! You were the one who didn't think you needed to study!"
Malfoy's face fell. His eyes looked slowly around the room then back at her.
"You need to go to Dumbledore," Hermione stated softly.
He glared at her. "I'm not talking to that Muggle Lover."
"You're an idiot." She turned on her heel and stormed down the stairs. Flinging herself on the couch, she pulled her potions book with her. Missing class wasn't the smartest idea she had, especially considering the difficulty of the potions they would be making. She tried to read, but for the same reason she wouldn't have been able to sit through class, the ghost upstairs. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples.
"So, Snape and Weasel-be couldn't see me?"
"His name is Ron, or Weasley at least. And obviously they couldn't see you," she sighed.
Malfoy muttered something she didn't care to find out. "And they couldn't hear me either."
"Lucky them."
"So why can you?" he asked.
"I don't know," Hermione stated slowly. "I have no idea what would cause me this many problems."
"Well, you've got find out what happened."
Hermione wrinkled up her nose at him and let out a scoff. "I don't have to do a thing. The only thing I have to do, is read Harry and Ron's notes on the potion I missed today."
Malfoy looked dumbstruck. It was not a good look for him.
Hermione stood up and crossed the room to the fireplace.
He stared after her.
"No one else can see me."
"Oh, you don't know that," she mocked. She had never known that she had this much of a mean streak in her. "Why don't you run screaming through the Great Hall and see what happens."
"Mudblood," he growled.
"Oh, and now I just can't wait to get started helping out someone who has so much respect for me," she snapped, walking away from him again, and straight out of the portrait hole.
She was halfway to the library when she slowed down enough to look over her shoulder. He was gone. She felt a large sight of relief sweep through her. Whenever he glared at her, or came towards her a feeling she couldn't pin point spread across her chest and she just knew she had to get away.
As usual when things happened that she didn't understand, Hermione buried herself in books. She had so many piled in front of her self she couldn't see. She paged through musty old pages, looking for something, anything on ghost.
Sure each of the four houses had ghosts, but everyone could see them. Why couldn't anyone see Malfoy?
Time passed quickly, but she felt like she'd learned nothing more, except the fact that ghost weren't happy when they died. Other than that she didn't have a clue. With her head bussing with questions, Hermione realized she was overlooking not only one, but two of her biggest sources, Dumbledore, and Malfoy himself. Dumbledore wouldn't answer questions, if he would have, he would have told her, not McGonagall, and he would be so busy with The Order now. That left only one option…
Picking up her books, she made her way out of the library. Going down the hallways, she kept looking over her shoulders, partly for Filch and for any teachers, but mainly for Malfoy.
She had no side of anyone until she was back inside the common room.
Malfoy was sitting on the floor, defeat written on his face until he looked up and saw her. That defeated face was quickly replaced with a sneer. "Where the hell have you been?"
"Reading," she replied coolly. "I figured you'd follow."
Malfoy looked like he wanted nothing more than to retort, but he said nothing.
Hermione took a deep breath as she placed her books on the table. "Malfoy…"
He turned towards her, raising his eyebrows but not saying a word.
"How did you die?" she asked softly.
AN: Welcome back! Forgotten souls of Hogwarts, thanks so much, you were my first reviewer, and to get a great one like that was just cool. It is so nerve racking to wait and see if anyone likes it. VikinChick15, thanks so much, and you'll have to let me know as soon as you write something, I can't wait to read it. AuthoressMegaRose, Now, if I told you that would it be any fun at all to read? Hope you liked this chapter! -Subtle love- I hope I continue well, and don't disappoint. This story is already a lot of fun to write. Sln1987, I'm really glad you liked, and I hope this was just a good for you.
Anyone else, let me know what you think. It makes it so much easier to write, when you know people are looking forward to it.
Oh yeah, characters not mine, nor school, nor any of the other cool stuff Ms. Rowling already did, wish it was though…CAN'T WAIT TILL BOOK SIX:)