Chapter 2
Hermione woke up with a smile on her face. She couldn't remember ever being this happy. She stretched luxuriously and felt her body tingle with the memory of his hands. She got up and dressed quickly. Just then an owl swooped in the open window. It dropped the letter it was carrying on her bed and flew back out. She went over and picked it up. Opening it she saw that it said one simple sentence:
Good morning my love
She smiled and put it under her pillow, then walked down to the common room. She found it full of students. Ron walked over to her with a nervous smile on his face. He handed her a stack of toast and said, "I'm sorry, Hermione. It was my fault we were late."
Hermione was in too good a mood to stay mad at Ron. She smiled, taking the toast and said, "It's alright, Ron. You can copy my Transfiguration homework again if you like?"
Ron looked bewildered. "N…No that's okay."
Hermione smiled and walked over to the bulletin board where students were crowded around talking excitedly. She saw that a paper had been posted with the next Hogsmead weekend. December 17th. That was next Saturday; she could do her Christmas shopping then. She walked over to the fire and sat down in one of the chairs and began eating her toast. Harry and Ron walked over and watched her eat. She had a dreamy look on her face Luna Lovegood would be proud of.
They looked at each other then back at Hermione. "Are you alright, Hermione?" Harry asked.
"Huh….what?" she looked up.
"Are—you—all—right?" Ron repeated.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She said.
"We were about to send Ginny to wake you up." Harry said. Hermione didn't say anything. Harry saw Ron's disappointed look and said, "Hey, lets visit Hagrid today."
"Okay," said Hermione brightly. She wanted to get some fresh air and she liked the look of the sunshine coming in the windows.
They got up and left the common room through the portrait hole. They walked the length of the hall and down the many staircases to the entrance hall.
Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were just coming in rosy cheeked and looking very cold. "It's freezing outside. You're not going out are you?" asked Fred seeing them walking toward the doors.
"Yeah, we are. We're going to visit Hagrid," said Ron.
"You don't even have your cloaks," said George. Hermione looked around and saw he was right. They'd forgotten them in there rush to get outside.
"The snow's really deep. You'll be soaked!" said Fred.
"Yeah, you should go get your cloaks." said George.
"We'll go fast!" said Ron indignantly.
"No! Go get your cloaks!" said Fred forcefully. Hermione was surprised there wasn't steam coming out of his ears.
"Temper, temper, Weasley." said a drawling voice. They all looked toward the Great Hall and saw Malfoy with Pansy Parkinson on his arm flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.
"Mind your own business, Malfoy." snapped Ron.
"Watch it, Firecock!" snarled Malfoy. Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy sniggered. Ron's ears went red as he clutched his fists angrily. Malfoy smirked with satisfaction.
To Fred and George he said, "You shouldn't bother. We could do without all three of them. Potter's so infamous, we could do without hearing his name so often, and Granger's a filthy mudblood and an annoying know-it-all." Pansy snickered. "And well, we could do without all you Weasleys." He smiled nastily. Ron threw himself at Malfoy but Fred, George, and Harry blocked him just in time.
"What's going on here?" asked a silky voice.
"Nothing, professor." replied Malfoy. Hermione looked at him surprised that he didn't tell on Ron. Malfoy looked at her a winked. She looked down and smiled in her hand.
"Move along then." said Snape. Professor Snape then turned and glided into the Great Hall.
"I would get your cloak, Granger, so we don't have to drag you in to thaw." said Malfoy with a sneer.
"Why don't you follow Snape, you brown-noser." spat Harry.
"You should get your cloak, too, Potter so you don't faint from the shock. With that he turned and walked away with Pansy still on his arm.
"Rotten little weasel!" bit George.
"We'll teach him a lesson one day." said Fred.
"Come on guys. Let's go get our cloaks." said Hermione. Harry and Ron followed her reluctantly. They climbed back up the many staircases and down the hall to the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"Blimpuggle." said Harry. The portrait swung forward and they entered the common room. They all went and got their cloaks.
Hermione found an owl with another letter, on her pillow. She opened it and read:
You really should wear you cloak.
I don't want you to freeze.
I couldn't live without you.
With love,
Draco
Hermione smiled and put this letter under her pillow, too. She grabed a leaf of parchment from her bag and scrawled a quick note.
Thank you for caring.
Can I ask you please not to bait Ron?
Harry might not always be there to stop him.
I don't want anything to happen to you, or him for that matter.
Love,
Hermione
She gave the note to the waiting owl who flew out the window with it firmly clamped in it's beak. She watched it fly out of sight around the castle then grabbed her cloak and ran down the stairs to meet the boys. The "Golden Trio" then went back down to the entrance hall. They put on their cloaks and opened the door. Fred was right! The snow was really deep. Like 3 to 5 feet deep. They saw the tracks that the twins and Lee had made and followed them to Hagrid's hut. They saw snow balls stuck to the door and two huge foot prints right past the doorstep. They assumed that the boys had been throwing snow balls at the door and Hagrid came out to scold them. They floundered through the last few feet of snow to the door. Harry knocked. Fang started barking immediately. Hagrid opened the door and smile3d down at them. "Harry, Ron, Hermione!" he said happily.
"Hi, Hagrid!" said Harry. Hagrid let them in and Fang went straight to Harry trying to lick his face. The three sat down at the large table. Hagrid got three huge teacups from the shelf and pored them some tea. He put a plate of rock cakes on the table which the three looked at in apprehension.
Hagrid sat down and said, "So? Wha' brings ya here on this fine day?"
"We just wanted to come visit you Hagrid." Said Ron.
"Oh. So wha' ya been up too?" Hagrid asked conversationally.
"Just dealing with a lot of homework." Harry answered.
Hermione meanwhile was gazing fixedly out the window. Ron saw this and asked, "What are you lookin' at?"
"Nothing," she said looking down at Fang who was drooling on her robes. She scratched him behind the ears as Harry looked out the window.
"Oh," he said, seeing what Hermione had been staring at.
"What?" asked Ron.
"Nothing," said Harry, picking up a rock cake and biting into it forgetting what it was. He winced at the pain in his jaw. Ron seeing this looked from Hermione to Harry.
He let out an annoyed sigh, got up and went to the window. He saw a group of Slytherins including Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy standing not to far away from Hagrid's cabin. "Now what are they up to?" Ron asked angrily.
"Who?" asked Hagrid, wondering what was going on..
"Malfoy," said Harry, timidly.
"Oh." he replied, as if that explained everything.
"He's a stupid prat!" spat Ron. "You know what he called me? Firecock!" he grimaced. "Wonder where he got that colorful phrase?" Ron stormed around the room, swearing under his breath. He said some colorful phrases himself.
"Ron!" Hermione gasped.
Hagrid had had enough, "Hey! Watch your mouth in my presence." he growled, standing up and walking over to Ron.
He looked up sheepishly, "I'm sorry, Hagrid. It's just…… he makes me so mad!"
"I know he does. You just have to ignore him." said Hagrid, smiling down at him.
"You're better then he is, Ron, mate," said Harry. Ron smiled at Harry.
Hermione watched this whole scene with a frown. She'd have to have a word with Draco; thought she didn't think she'd have much success, only just getting on Draco's good side last night. She stood up, "Well, we better go, Hagrid. We have homework."
"What!" said Harry and Ron in unison.
"We have a lot of homework to do." said Hermione, heading for the door.
"Hermione's right, Ron. We do have a lot of homework to do." said Harry standing up.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." said Ron, dejectedly.
"See ya later, Hagrid." Hermione called over her shoulder as she opened the door.
"Thanks for stopping by." Hagrid said, patting Ron on the shoulder as her followed Harry out the door.
"Bye," said Ron.
They tried to walk back to the castle without being seen by the Slytherins. But since they were the only other beings outside, they didn't get far. "Hey, Granger!" yelled Pansy. "you might want to watch out for "Firecock" there. He might burn you on one of your many nights together."
The whole group burst out laughing. Hermione noticed Malfoy forcing a laugh and glaring at Pansy with the deepest loathing. Ron's ears has gone very red. "Come on." said Harry, pulling Ron towards the castle. Harry and Ron turned away while the group continued to laugh hysterically. Malfoy took this opportunity to give Hermione an apologetic look before turning away and laughing with the rest. Hermione turned and followed the boys who were almost to the steps.
The rest of the day was spent in the library doing homework. When Mrs. Pince kicked them out at 8 o'clock, one Slytherin 4th year whispered, "Firecock," in a singsong voice, as he passed. Ron was so mad, he didn't even notice they had missed dinner.
The three trudged up the marble staircase, arms full of homework and books. They returned to find the common room packed with students just returning from the days activates.
"I'm going to bed," said Ron wearily.
"Me, too,'" agreed Harry, walking away with Ron. "Good night, Hermione." He called over his shoulder.
"Good night," she called back. She walked over to the fire and sat down in her favorite chair, which surprisingly was empty compared to the buzzing common room. She sat there while the room emptied as students went off to bed, wondering what Draco was doing.