THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE COMES OUT TOMORROW!
Disclaimer: After learning that my little brother is almost taller than me I came to the conclusion that I don't own Harry Potter….
Author's Note: Well, you're in for a rather long chapter, but I personally think it's well worth it.
525,600 Minutes: In Truths That She Learned, or in Times That He Cried-
-Chapter Fifteen
Hermione walked in between Harry and Ron as the three made their way down to the Great Hall for dinner later that same night. Hermione's head was spinning. She had spent just about the entire day sitting at her parents bed side and they hadn't so much as moved. They would open their eyes occasionally, but they wouldn't acknowledge that they had five people sitting next to them. Despite the immobility of her parents Hermione talked to them. She talked about everything and anything she could think of. She told them of her classes, the weather, her friends, what it was like being Head Girl. Ron, Harry, Mr. And Weasley talked to them too. At one point the three teenagers were telling them a rather funny story, and Hermione allowed herself to laugh. Talking seemed to calm her. They didn't respond, but she didn't care.
"Where have you been!" the voice of Ginny Weasley snapped Hermione from her thoughts. She could see Ginny, Luna, and Neville running towards them. "Luna, Neville, and I have been-what's wrong?" the red-headed girl from Hermione, to Harry to Ron. Ron and Harry both looked at Hermione. Hermione stared at the ground. Finally lifting her head Hermione began to tell her story once again.
The Great Hall was packed with people as the six friends entered the great hall, the five Gryffindor's biding a good bye to Luna who made her way to the Ravenclaw table. The five sat down towards the middle of the table next to Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan.
"Hiya." Seamus said through a mouthful of soup.
"Hi." Harry replied.
Dean was about to ask what was wrong when he caught Ginny's gaze who quickly shook her head and mouthed 'I'll tell you later.' He gave her a nod of understanding and went back to eating.
Hermione absentmindedly sipped her soup as dinner went on. Not getting involved in the conversation or paying attention to anything around her. She hadn't even heard the group of owls come in from above to deliver the Evening Prophet.
Draco was one of the few students who received copies of the Evening Prophet. The rather small brown barn owl gracefully swooped down and landed lightly next to his drink. He dug in his robes, gave the owl a few knuts, and watched the bird fly away before he turned to the paper.
The front page was devoted to the 'hunt for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named'. There were several mini articles that filled the page, each talking about different attacks or apparent sightings of the Dark Lord and his followers. He had skimmed through most of the articles when his eyes fell on the very small article in the bottom most right hand corner of the page. It read:
Two Muggles Attacked
Two muggles, Tom and Jane Granger, were attacked late last night in their home in London. "We're not sure of who is responsible for the attack," says Auror Hank Hickleston, "But we are sure that Death Eaters are responsible."
The couple was taken to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, where they are currently being treated for their injuries.
Draco only knew one other person with the last name of Granger. "What is it?" he heard Annabeth ask as he turned his head to the Gryffindor table.
Malfoy was not the only one who read the small article. Those who had received that edition of the Prophet were turning to their neighbors or looking towards the Gryffindor table to try and get a glimpse of Hermione.
Luna, who had been enjoying that months edition of The Quibbler when her Michael Corner showed her the article, was now sprinting towards the Gryffindor table, the Evening Prophet clutched in her hand.
"Ginny." she hissed as she approached her friend.
"Luna? What is it?" she got no response except for a paper being shoved under her nose. Luna quickly pointed to the article about Hermione's parents, her protruding eyes growing even wider.
"What's that?" Ron asked, but was soon answered when Ginny tossed the paper across the table and whispered 'article in the bottom right corner.' Luna was now in the process of telling Neville what the article was about. Ron read it before reaching around Hermione and handing the paper to Harry. Harry quickly read the article before looking at the others. All had looks that meant that they were encouraging him to be the one to show Hermione. Without much choice Harry lightly tapped Hermione on the shoulder. "Hermione."
At the sound of Harry's voice Hermione was drawn out of her thoughts. She was surprised to see that the usual loud chatting in the Hall had all but died down to whispers. She was even more surprised to see people from all the tables, except Slyterin, giving her sympathetic glances. "What?" she asked Harry quizzically.
"I think you might want to read this." he said, placing the article on her and pointing to the article. Hermione looked at all of her friends before turning to the article. As she read, her face fell even more. Not only were in parents in St. Mungo's for being attacked by Death Eaters, but now the whole school was aware of it.
The month of November passed slowly for Hermione. The weather outside reflected her inside. The cold days seemed happy and bright. The light that snow that had fallen was covering the ground, a nice welcome to play and a lovely sight to see, hiding the deep and dark dingy ground below that was home to unpleasant things. The days were cold, but not freezing. But at night, the temperature dropped, and the nice day seemed to vanish to dark, bitter cold, not something people wanted to encounter. This was Hermione
During school she would plaster a smile on her face, and sometimes she meant it. She would talk to her friends, laugh, have snowball fights, study, and as always participate in class. But as the day wore on and night approached were she was left alone to her thoughts her parents would come to mind. She would divert into herself and use the thoughts of her hurt parents in the hospital as her only means of comfort.
She often thought of them most when on her patrols with Malfoy, due to the fact that she did not have her friends, a book, homework, or sleep to keep her mind off of it. Every Friday night during the deadly silent patrols she would think about the past Saturday and Sunday and the next ones to come.
She visited ever Saturday and Sunday of that month. She would sleep until nine, eat breakfast, and talk a little bit with her friends, or sometimes take a walk around the frozen lake. When II:OO came around she would make her way to the Headmasters office, where she would use the Floo network to travel to St. Mungo's.
She sat by her parents bed in the same chair every time. And she would talk to them as she did the first day, every once and a while she would read them stories by the Grimm Brothers, author's of muggle fairytales that they read her as a small child. She, also, would often read them snippets out of the Daily Prophet, or the muggle newspaper.
They had made progress over the month, slow progress, but progress none the less. They were no able to sit up in their beds. But their eyes still had that hazed look to them, as if they were dreaming, and they couldn't talk. Whether it was a matter of couldn't or wouldn't Hermione did not know.
When her parents slept she would talk to the witch who changed colors, Amelia, and the weary looking wizard, whose name was Herbert, and the Healer in charge: Pam, who was very nice. Amelia's color changing problem was slowly going away as the colors became lighter and lighter with each passing day. Hermione never figured out why Herbert was in the ward.
On the Sunday of December First Hermione made her way into the ward as usual. Both Herbert and Amelia where sleeping and Pam wasn't in the ward. She quietly made her way to the back of the small ward. As she turned the corner around the curtain her stomach dropped. Her parents weren't there. She began to panic, she didn't even register the fact that the beds were nicely made and everything was clean. She quickly turned and made her way towards the door just as Pam walked in.
"Pam! Where are my parents!" she asked, quickly approaching the Healer.
"You weren't told?" Pam looked at the scared look on the young girls face. "They've been taken to the Janus Thickey ward." Hermione's heart dropped as low as her stomach. She had only been in that ward one other time before. During her fifth year when she, Harry, Ron, and Ginny, who had been visiting Mr. Weasley after he was attacked by a snake, came across Gilderoy Lockhart on their way to get tea on the fifth floor. It's where they also came across Neville, that same Christmas Day, and learned that his parents stayed in the Janus Thickery ward. It was a long-term resident ward…
Hermione sat in the kitchens of the school that night after dinner. She had wanted to be alone, but it was to cold out to go outside so she figured the kitchens where a good place to hide. Her parents had been moved to a long-term resident ward, and Hermione couldn't believe it. She could no longer walk into the ward because it was locked, she knocked and the same witch who she had met two years ago let her in. She walked to the back of the ward to find her parents beds across from the Longbottom's, Neville's parents.
"Why were my parents moved?" she had asked the Healer.
"Oh, there's nothing to worry about deary. You're mother and father's recovery is just going slower than expected, that's all. I'm sure they'll be fine and out of here in no time…."
But Hermione had hardly been reassured. When she sat next to her parents, she had looked behind her too see the Longbottom's. They had been cursed to insanity. When she turned back to her parents she couldn't help but imaging that they, sitting there acting like they were in dreams, would soon be diagnosed like the Longbottom's.
So, she now sat at the copy of the Gryffindor table in the kitchens, crying softly and drinking a Butterbeer that Dobey the house-elf had given her.
"Granger?" Hermione's head snapped to the portrait entrance at the sound of someone's voice. She groaned.
"Go away Malfoy." But he said nothing, he just walked to the same table as Hermione and sat diagonally opposite her.
"Would the master like a drink?" a house-elf asked, bowing so low that it's stubby nose touched the ground. "Butterbeer," he mumbled as he kept his gaze on Hermione.
"What do you want Malfoy, come to make fun of me? Or are you looking for someone to argue with? Well don't waste your breath." Hermione snapped after five minutes of silence.
Malfoy looked up from the spot in the fire that he had been staring at and met Hermione's glare. He slowly shook his head.
Hermione gave a small sniff of aggravation and moved farther down the table. He was acting odd. In fact, he had been all month. She had expected him to shoot snide comments and remarks about her parents all month, but they never came. And now he was sitting in the kitchens with her, not even talking. It was almost as bad fighting with him.
Malfoy swig of his second Butterbeer and sighed deeply. "I-"
"What."
"I-I know how you feel." Hermione stared at Malfoy. He had not looked from he fire, she could see the flames dancing in his eyes. As she looked on something inside her snapped. The feeling of loneliness, anger, frustration, and guilt that had been building inside her these past months, especially the last month, erupted. His small little comment was the last thing she could take.
"HOW! HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY NO!" she couldn't believe that he, Draco Malfoy, of all people had said that her. The idea was absurd. "YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT'S LIKE MALFOY! YOU HAVE YOUR PARENTS!" his head finally turned from the blazes to Hermione, giving her a challenging gaze. "Oh sure," she lowered her voice just slightly. "ONE OF THEM IS ON THE RUN FROM THE LAW. BUT YOU HAVE THEM! THEY'RE THERE FOR YOU!" she stood up now, and walked over to where he was, standing directly across from him, staring him in the eye. "ME, MY PARENTS CAN'T EVEN SIT UP, LET ALONE OPEN THEIR EYES. AND WHEN THEY DO THEY JUST SIT THERE, STARING OFF INTO SPACE. I LOOK AT THEM AND WHEN THE LOOK BACK IT'S LIKE THEY DON'T EVEN SEE ME! IT'S LIKE I'M NOT THERE! SO DON'T TELL ME
YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL!" she stood there, her hands supporting her weight on the table, glaring at Malfoy. How dare he say such a thing to her.
He sighed deeply again. "You wouldn't understand." he said, simply. Not once changing his blank expression.
She let out a frustrated breathe and threw her arms into the air. "There it is again!" she seethed. "It's always the same thing. 'You won't understand.' and 'Don't mention my father in front of me!'. Well, maybe if you told me I would understand, Malfoy. So go on! If your so certain that you know how I feel explain it to me. Go on, enlighten me Malfoy." she hissed the last line as if daring him as she harshly sat down on the bench.
With a third deep sigh Malfoy did something that Hermione thought he would never do. He told her.
Author's Note: And that's the chapter! KIDDING! I'm just kidding…..please, if you would like, continue on. (smiles)
(Harry Potter comes out tomorrow::dances a sad pathetic dance:)
"My father killed my mother." he whispered, looking down at his hands that were wrapped around his drink.
The color drained from Hermione's face. He had really told, after she had just finished screaming at him. And what was worse was that he did know…he knew how she felt.
"That's," her voice was barely above a whisperd, "That's why he was sent back to Azkaban, wasn't it?" He nodded. What was left of Hermione's pigmentation left her face. She remember the words she had spoken a few months ago: "What did he do this time? Kill someone?" she had been right. And it wasn't just anyone, but Malfoy's own Mother. Hermione felt even worse than she did before he entered the kitchen.
"I'm so sorry. But why?" Hermione couldn't contain her curiosity.
Again, Malfoy surprised her by telling her, and not just a short version of the story, but the whole story. "Understand something Granger. My Father loved my mother and I very much. My mother was probably the most precious person in the world to my father."
"Then wh-"
"The Dark Lord." Hermione continued to stare at Malfoy, who continued to stare at hie hands.
"When I was younger a wizarding family moved into the manor next to ours. They were wealthy, and respected, a typical pureblood family. My family quickly befriended theirs. There was three of them, the mother, father, and a son. The son was my age, his name was Jacob. We quickly became the best of friends. When we started I school, I obviously went the Hogwarts but he went Beauxbatons. While at school my mother became very good friends with Jacob's.
"During our Fourth year my mother learned that both of Jacob's parents were Muggle born and my mother was always a weak person, so something happened to her. She couldn't understand how people who were Muggle-born were just as wealthy as Purebloods. She had always been taught that Muggle-borns were lower than she, that they would never be as wealthy as she. But they were, I even think that they were wealthier than we were. And what's more is that they acted like Purebloods. Slowly, her point of view began to change, and instead of disowning her friend she became closer to her.
"The summer after our Fifth year my mother told me. She told me that the family I thought to be purebloods were in fact, not. Well, naturally, I couldn't believe it. So I asked Jacob himself, and he confirmed it. I spent days thinking about it, Jacob would come over wondering if I wanted to play some Quidditch and would brush him aside.
Then my mother began to talk to me. Telling me I couldn't just throw years of friendship with my best mate out the door just because his parents were both muggle-born. I saw the reasoning in idea. But, my Mother begged my never to tell my Father, knowing I couldn't disagree with her I promised I wouldn't. As I continued to talk to Jacob and his parents I began to wonder how it was possible that these Muggle-borns could be so wealthy. How what I had taught to be filth was just like me. Just like my family. When my father wasn't around my Mother tried to convince me that she and my father had been wrong.
After last year, for the first weeks of summer, my mother tried to persuade me yet again. I won't lie. She was making sense, Granger. Then, everything changed. Five months ago today. July 1st." he paused. He didn't know why he was telling her. Why he had chosen Granger of all people to tell, but for some reason he didn't mind. It was nice enough to tell someone. Someone who had just the slightest idea of what he was feeling.
"I was sitting at the desk in my room, writing a letter to Blaise when I heard a scream from down stairs. I put down my quill and ran to the entrance way to see a group of Death Eaters surrounding my father, my mother, and the Dark Lord himself. I stood on bottom stair, I couldn't move." he paused again and Hermione could see that he was reliving it. She could almost see the figures of hooded people flashing across his eyes.
"My mother was sobbing. 'How could you.' she cried to my father. 'They were our friends. And you killed them!' I knew exactly who she was talking about. Jacob, and his family. 'But they were mudbloods Narcissa.' the Dark Lord said, he-he sound like a snake. 'And you knew, didn't you? You knew what they truly were?' She didn't answer him, but she continued to shake. My father just stood there, not believing it.
'You've known for quite some time, Crucio!' he yelled the words and my mother yelled in pain. I remember closing my eyes willing the sound to go away. She screamed a 'yes' through her pain.
'Lucius.'
'Yes, my Lord.' it was the first time I had heard him speak since I got there.
'Kill her.' I froze, I didn't believe that he would do it. I didn't think that he could. My father loved my mother. Surely he wouldn't kill her. I saw his head turn, and looked at the Dark Lord 'Kill her, Lucius.'
'Yes, my Lord.' My stomach dropped. I couldn't believe that he was going to kill the love of his life. I watched as he raised his wand, muttered those-those-those horrid words, and saw the green light fly from his wand. Hitting my mother who immediately went limp.
"I couldn't believe it. The man who had always loved my mother so much, loved her more than anything, killed her. They had been happy. I remember when I was younger and I used to think that if I ever got married it should be just like theirs. But he killed her and all because she had befriended people the Dark Lord didn't like, and on the Dark Lord's orders. And he did it without even questioning his masters orders. He just did it." Hermione saw a single tear escape Malfoy's eye.
"Everyone had disapparated except for my father, who stood there staring at my mother's lifeless body. I remember he turned and saw me standing there, no doubt a look of horror on my face. He tried to explain it to me, but I ran. I ran to my room, grabbed my trunk and tossed anything I could find into it and the I disapparated.
"Well, running was a big mistake. I had already promised my allegiance to the Dark Lord, but I ran from that. Something you don't do. I couldn't serve someone who ordered a man to kill his own wife, and I couldn't live with the man who killed his wife without even trying to avoid it." More tears had started to fall down Malfoy's face, he couldn't believe that he was openly crying in front of Hermione Granger.
"He let out an aggravated, frustrated breath. "I'm, I'm weak."
Without realizing what she was doing Hermione stood up from her spot, walked around the table and sat next to Malfoy. She lightly touched his shoulder.
"No, no you're not." she paused, and he looked at her. "You're good."
Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed!
Draco's-Ice-Princess666: 2:34! Well, thanks for the review!
Exploded toilet bowl: I didn't thank you! Oh, no! I'm so sorry! Yeah, definitely no love at first sight with Hermione/Draco. Well, I thank you now for your review!
joliesse43: How you were able to control yourself from not sneaking a peak at the books is beyond me! Thank you for the wonderful compliments and the review!
A Happy Little Bumble-bee: "CHECK!" lol. Rent is awesome! Have you seen the show? No Day but 11/11/05! Thanks for reviewing!
phylicia13:lol. Great combination, isn't it? Have you seen Rent? Thanks for the review!
CB: It was no problem answering you questions. I was happy to. Thank you so much for the review!
x.advent.x.child.x: Welcome! Thank you for reviewing!
Well, I believe that that was everyone, and if it isn't I'm so sorry!
If you feel that Draco opening up that much was rushing it please let me know, because I'm debating whether or not it was. So you're input is greatly appreciated. I won't be explaining why he opened up that much in the story, so if you are wondering why he did then ask, but I feel that I don't need to explain it in the story…
I don't know when I will be updating again, because as we're all well aware Harry Potter is released tomorrow and I will be spending a lot of my time reading. So I will update as soon as possible!
Thank you all so much!
The Lonely Goatherd