Chapter 2: The Suffering
Author: HYPERdingdong39
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything to do with Harry Potter. I only own the plot, although I must have gotten influences from somewhere, so I'm giving credit to them as well.
My grades got worse and worse after that. I felt as if there was no point in trying to get good grades. Who would be there to acknowledge them if I did get them? Who would even care about my achievements?
I used to think I got good grades because I wanted them. But then I knew better. I had tried only to make my parents happy. I used to love making them smile and laugh. I loved to make them proud.
No one smiled anymore. Even those who had their families intact were grieving for their friends. Life was almost unbearable for me at that point.
Strangely, I kept thinking back to the incident with Malfoy. He was part of this unhappiness. How could he support those making life so horrible? People like him have no place in this world. How could he go on living when he was causing such devastation?
And yet, I appreciated him. I hated him, and he confused me, but he made me feel normal. The only time I wasn't thinking about ending my life, and about the many tragedies around me was when I was angry with him. He treated me as if nothing had happened. Although this may seem heartless to you, it helped me as well. When I was treated with pity, it only reminded me of my unhappiness.
I found my gaze wandering to his figure during classes we had with Slytherin. He was so full of secrets. It was obvious from the way he carried himself that he had a past. A past. No one understood Malfoy, not even his fellow Slytherins.
Ron wasn't saved from pain either. His family was suffering more than it ever had before. His father worked day and night, and hardly got a penny for it. Everywhere, supplies of things were running short. Everything was rising in price. Many families had actually gone bankrupt, and had come to stay at Hogwarts.
Ron came to talk to me one day after supper. He was looking especially downtrodden. I was in the library, although I wasn't doing my homework. He walked in, looking out of place and refusing to make eye contact with me. He sat down next to me and looked away.
"Ron?"
"Hermione…" he said slowly. He looked up at me, his ears red. "Well… I… You know, with You-Know-Who in power and everything… I feel like… our time here might be short. So IwantedtoletyouknowthatIthinkIloveyou."
"What?" I asked, not able to believe what I was hearing. I didn't know what to say. Ron was my best friend, but I wasn't sure I wanted to go further. And yet, his words had really affected me. This was probably the last chance we were going to get, and might as well take the chance.
'I mean… okay…" I said slowly, unsure of how to respond. He bit the side of his lip, and managed to make eye contact again.
"So… um… I guess…" he mumbled, obviously not knowing how to respond either.
I smiled slightly, and kissed him on the cheek. "I love you too Ron," I said. He grinned shyly, and hugged me.
"Well…" he said awkwardly. "I guess…"
"Ron," I said, laughing at his uncomfortable speech. "I have to do some homework now, so I'll talk to you tonight after I'm done okay?" He nodded, and stood up. "Thank you Hermione… I know you don't really feel the same way I do but… But... Thanks…" He practically ran out of the library, his face bright red.
I wasn't sure how I felt about this new development. I knew that Ron was bound to ask me out sometime, but I felt as if there was something not completely right in this. I shook of the feeling and headed off to bed, trying to keep my mind off of everything.
"Hermione Granger," a familiar voice drawled as I sat in the library after lunch, and I sighed inwardly. I turned to see Malfoy's usual sneering face.
"Malfoy, haven't you realized that I don't want you near me? It's hard enough for me without you being here," I said angrily.
"Temper, temper Ms. Granger. You'd best be more respectful to your superiors," he said, smiling.
"Malfoy, are you sure you understand the definition of superior?" I asked, rolling my eyes. He didn't try to respond, instead watching me with a nasty smile. "I don't understand you. What is it that made you so cruel?" I asked, truly curious.
"As hard as it is for you to accept, mudblood, there are things that are beyond you in this world. There are beings more powerful than you and more knowledgeable than you. You don't understand me because you don't have the ability. You are worthless in my eyes," he hissed at me in a low tone. He spun around and walked away before she had a chance to retort.
Instead of feeling angry like usual though, she only felt curious. Who was Draco Malfoy and what were his intentions?
Okay, wow… even longer between updates than last time… I'll try to update sooner next time but I'm not making any promises…
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