Restrained Secrets

Hermione walked down the corridor, thinking to herself about what she was about to do. Once again she questioned herself, 'how did I find this?', and, more often, 'why me?'. She stopped in front of a large door; sure that she had heard something.

Scratch, scratch!

There it was again! She opened the door, and…

(&)

Harry and Ron sat in the Gryffindor common room, leaning over a small chess board. They seemed to stare at the board for minutes at a time, and it was rather boring to watch, but in only fifteen minutes, Ron had already said, "Checkmate!"

"How is it that you always beat me?" Harry asked, dismayed. This was the fifth game in a row he had won.

"Practice, mate. And a bloody lot of it, too."

"Hey, what was with Hermione this morning? You two had another row?"

"Yeah, but that wasn't all. She seemed nervous about something. Probably just schoolwork or something. You know her, always…"

"Always what?" Hermione had snuck up behind them, and whispered in Ron's ear, menacingly.

"Ahhh! Wha? Hermione, don't do that! You scared me right out o' my bloody mind!"

"Well, I…Ron! No cussing!"

"Jeeze, 'Mione. You always say that."

"Oh, good. Anyhow, I came up from the library to tell you guys the news!"

"What news?"

"Igottaboyfriend!" she squealed, delighted.

"What?" Ron and Harry said in unison.

"I. got. a. boy. friend. Isn't it great!" she said slowly, as if speaking to a couple of 2-year-olds.

"You got a boyfriend? Who?" asked Harry, glancing at Ron. Ron was turning redder by the second, and looked as if he was going to burst out laughing, screaming his head off, and crying all at the same time.

"Oh. Umm…Draco Malfoy," she said in a small voice.

"DRACO MALFOY!" Harry and Ron cried in anguish.

"What?" Ron spluttered. "You can't be serious, you hate that guy! We all hate him!"

Harry interrupted, "Is this a practical joke, or something, Hermione, because it's not funny."

"It's true! And I think he's the most wonderful, amazing, scrumptious, and not to mention hot boy in all of England! And you don't go spreading bad things about him, because I absolutely adore him!"

"Hermione, are you feeling all right, because…"

"No, she's just fine," Ron interrupted. "It's obvious that she's chosen Malfoy over us. So therefore, we must say to you, Hermione, this is our last conversation. We will no longer hold civil conversations with you, but taunt you and tease you. We will simply take the place of Malfoy."

"Ron…" warned Harry.

"No, Harry. Ron is right. If you can't deal with me going out with Draco, then so be it. I'll just…um…stay with my books! And Draco!" Hermione shouted, and stormed off to the library, no doubt.

"I…can't believe it. She's turned into a complete bitch!"

"Something's wrong with her. She's not thinking clearly," reasoned Harry.

"No! She can't get away with this! She's thinking just fine! I would have known if she wasn't thinking clearly!"

"How would you know!"

"I pay more attention to her than you think."

"Oh. Ron, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault."