Chapter 3: Changes
"Is Harry or Ron sitting here?"
Hermione looked up at the compartment door to see Ginny Weasley standing shyly. She had always liked Ginny, regardless if she was shy. She had always been the bashful type since Hermione had known her. Hermione had a gut feeling that Harry would find someplace else to sit but she wasn't sure about Ron.
"Harry's not, no. Please sit down, Ginny." Hermione offered, smiling as warmly as she could. The events that had happened in such a short time had shaken her up in a way that she couldn't exactly smile the same as she used to.
Ginny smiled back and sat across from her Gryffindor friend and noticed Hermione's facial expression. She looked almost sad, but afraid at the same time.
"What's wrong, Hermione?"
"It's just...something happened over the summer, and I don't really want Ron to know about it. He'd go mad." She looked at the floor, her smile faded.
Ginny became anxious, not sure if she should question her more about it or not. She wasn't one to butt into everyone's business but she was curious now.
"What happened over the summer, Hermione?"
Hermione sighed as she prepared to tell the story. "Draco Malfoy came over to my house. I'm not even sure how he found my house. He claims that he overheard someone telling someone else where I'm living in the summer. Anyway, He looked badly bruised and he was bleeding from his lip a-and a part of me felt sorry for him so I let him in. He was telling me how his father wanted him to be a death-eater, like him. Then, he sort of...he sort of kissed me. Twice."
Ginny's face glowed with a mix of amusement and shock. It wasn't any less than what Hermione had expected though.
"Draco Malfoy? That even little ferret! What in Merlin's name was he thinking? What did he tell you? Did you like it?"
Questions flowed faster than Hermione could answer them. She looked around to make sure that no one was near or listening in.
"He told me...he told me he loved me. I did not like it, Ginny. That bloody ferret doesn't have a chance with me. Harry came over and we had a bit of a row and then he walked out. I still have yet to see Ron." She explained to her.
"Harry hadn't come over all summer, Hermione. I saw him on the train but he didn't even look at me. He said something about not caring anymore."
Hermione blushed furiously. Why did she always have to get her way? Why didn't she care about Harry as much as she used to? Was it because of her need of independence? Maybe it was because Harry and Ron had watched over her for years and she wanted to not depend on them anymore. Perhaps she just wanted to watch over herself, since she knew that both boys wouldn't always be there for her when she needed them to. It was time to be really independent and depend on herself.
"Harry told me that he wasn't going to protect me and Ron anymore and then he went on about how I used him for protection and everything. Ginny, you know that I had never used anyone, right?"
The redhead nodded and smiled warmly. "Of course you wouldn't, Hermione. Harry never had to protect you but he did. He and my brother protected you from the little ferret and from getting detention and Harry chose to protect you from the Dark Lord. He chose to do all those things for you. You were his friend and you never used him for protection. Don't listen to what he told you. You know that we all say things that we don't mean in a fight. He was just angry." Ginny reasoned, placing a cool hand on Hermione's own hand.
Hermione looked into her eyes and smiled friendly. "I suppose you're right. Thank you, Ginny. You're such a wonderful friend."
"Well, wasn't that just precious?" asked a malicious, icy voice.
Hermione looked next to her and nearly jumped when she saw an unfortunate familiar face. Her blood started to boil with anger but she did her best to remain calm.
"Do you mind, Malfoy? What is your obsession with coming into the Gryffindor part of the train? Do we have to set a boundary for you so you stop getting lost?" snapped Hermione as she stood up.
Hermione looked at Draco and could tell that he looked somewhat uncomfortable. His eyes kept glancing at the floor, unable to keep his eyes on the seventh year. When Draco did look up, he only looked past Hermione's face and at her caramel curls.
"Beat it, Draco! You're obviously unwelcome here." replied Ginny in a cold tone.
Draco's icy stone eyes instantly shot Ginny an annoyed look. He stepped closer to her threateningly.
"That's rich coming from someone who wears hand-me-down robes and ragged books. Save your ambitious efforts at scolding me and use it towards helping yourself be worth something to someone." He said coolly.
"Oi! Leave my sister alone!" yelled a voice.
Hermione looked behind Draco and watched as Ron shoved Draco against the compartment door.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Hermione looked at Draco, who no longer looked angry, but almost scared. She said the fury in Ron's eyes as he pinned Draco hard against the door.
Hermione cleared her throat. "Ron, let him go. He's not worth it!"
Draco just stared into Ron Weasley's eyes with no sign of anger or discontentment. After about several seconds, Ron let him go.
"Get out of the Gryffindor compartments you prick."
Draco took one last glance back at Hermione before exiting area. In that one glance, Hermione felt a tingling feeling go up and down her back. She scolded herself for protecting Draco. She knew that if she hadn't said anything, Ron would have harmed Draco. It wouldn't have been any less than what he deserved though.
"Are my two favorite girls alright?" Ron asked after Draco was out of sight.
Hermione and Ginny rolled their eyes.
"Oh yes, my big, brave knight in shining armor. Thank you ever so much for protecting me from the big mean dragon. You're a lifesaver, Ronald." Hermione replied sarcastically. She realized that there would never be a time when Ron wouldn't be there to "save" her. Hermione wanted to live independently without her friends always trying to protect her from everything. She sat down again and stared out the Hogwarts Express window as rain lightly tapped the glass.
"Welcome everyone, once again to another glorious year at Hogwarts! Pleasant day outside, is it not?" The headmaster asked sardonically as he smiled at the tables of students. There were a couple of chuckles from several people but they soon ceased.
"First years, welcome. Seventh years, my hope to you all this year is that you enjoy your final year in this school and you learn all you can. This year, the Christmas dance will be on Christmas Eve, but I shall talk more about that as that time nears. For now, eat, drink, and be merry. When you are finished, you may go up to your dorms and get situated. This year, as all years, will be filled with surprise and possibility. Friends will become enemies, and enemies will become your friends. Keep this in mind as you go about your day-to-day classes and outings to Hogsmeade. Without further adieu, I will leave you to talk amongst your peers and eat your dinner. May you all enjoy your year!"
Clapping then erupted the Great Hall as Professor Dumbledore stepped down and sat at the teacher's table. After a few minutes, the clapping broke down into almost nothing as the students continued to eat again.
"Harry! Harry! Over here!" yelled Ron, signaling to Harry who was walking down the Great Hall in long strides.
"Ronald, don't bother. He doesn't want to be around us anymore." Hermione replied shortly as she began to eat a slice of bread.
Ron looked at her in confusion. "What? Hermione, that's crazy. We've been friends since our first year. What makes you say that he's purposely ignoring us?"
She looked up from her food and saw Draco staring solemnly back at her. His glare was content and still as they stared at each other.
"Hermione? Answer me! Hello? Did a pixie steal your mind?"
Hermione broke away from the stare and looked at her friend. "Sorry, Ron. I've had a confusing summer. Harry came over to my house and accused me using him for protection and everything just got...so complicated. I'm not sure what's going on anymore. He told me that he's not going to protect us anymore and he doesn't want to see us anymore either. Harry just changed so much in one summer." Hermione replied sadly, poking at her lamb chops.
Ron put a comforting arm around her and took a drink from the goblet of water. "Hermione, forget about Harry. People change every year, and we're just going to accept it and welcome it. We can have fun without Harry this year," Ron said encouragingly as he raised his goblet. "To friendship, fun and laughter. To change. To a new year."
Hermione smiled slightly and raised her own golden goblet to his. "Cheers, Ronald."
"Cheers, mate."
Hermione drank to the toast all the while looking across the room at the blonde-haired boy at the Slytherin table.
"Yup, this was going to be a new year and there will, indeed, be lots of changes." Hermione thought to herself.