Chapter 2

Misfortunes of Hermione

The task of getting Hermione alone was extremely difficult that first night. She was back to her old buzzing self shifting from friend to friend. Even when she left to the bathroom, Ginny was there at her side. Draco still wanted to know why girls go to the bathroom in groups. Draco finally gave up on his quest for the night knowing that soon enough she will be alone.

What Draco didn't know was that Hermione wasn't as happy as she seemed to be back. Inside she was fighting a battle about whether to tell her friends about what really happened over the summer, and what caused her to become emo. She was a wreck on the inside and tried to pry herself away from Ginny but she couldn't even seek solitude in the bathroom. Hermione wasn't the type that needed to be escorted to the bathroom. She tried to tell Ginny but it was to no avail. The young girl told her that she had to re-do her lipstick anyway and it was a perfect time to get away. Hermione didn't even want to ask why she needed to reapply her lipstick. The night seemed to drone on for Hermione and finally she pulled herself away from the party. She needed some rest, she told them and headed to her room.

When she got upstairs she opened her trunk and grabbed the picture of her father. Hermione could hardly look at the happy face of a man who would die for his family and did. Early into summer before the trial death eaters ransacked her small home to kill her and her father did everything he could to fight them off. But all it took was one unforgivable and he was taken care of. Hermione was luckily out that night at a muggle friend's but could see the dark mark in the sky. She ran home to see her father on the living room floor dead. Hermione was in shock about the event and went into a shock blackout. She awoke in the hospital, her mother at her side. Her mom told her of what she saw and Hermione mourned the lost of her parent immensely. She and her dad were a team and a force of wits to be reckoned with. Hermione couldn't move on knowing that the only reason he was gone was her. Her mom noticed the change in her daughter and knew that she had to leave the house. She sent Hermione to her aunt's house where Hermione could get out her sadness through the music around her.

This evening Hermione bawled in the moonlight, a rock ballad playing in the background. She needed this time to remember her dad. She couldn't live her life happily knowing that he could never be happy again. So she cried and thought of all the times with her father not even considering that someone was nearby.

Harry Potter was outside the door to Hermione's room just going in to see if she was okay. He heard the music faintly and could hear Hermione call for her father and in her tears. It didn't take him long to figure out what was going on. He opened the door to see his friend curled up holding a photo in her hands. He came behind her and just held her for a moment until she noticed what was going on.

"So I guess you know now. I wasn't sure how I was going to tell everyone, but this defiantly wasn't it." She whispered.

"It's okay to miss someone Hermione but I think that you are dwelling on it to much. It is hard to lose a father figure. I would know now wouldn't I? You need to remember that he is in your dreams and in your heart and that one day you will get to see him. That sounded so Disney but I think you get the point." Harry told her. Hermione laughed for a moment being she was the only one in the house who would know what Harry was talking about. She stopped crying and went to turn the music off.

"It's really hard Harry. I think I didn't give you enough credit when Sirius died. I thought you were being a baby after awhile but look at me. I went into a state of extreme depression where I thought that crying and feeling terrible would fix it, make it right somehow. I know better now. I think." Hermione replied.

"You can still cry and miss him you know? But the making your life miserable over it isn't worth it. Go on and live your life and enjoy it just like you would if he was here." Harry hugged her tight and didn't seem to let go. Hermione loved that her friend cared so much for her.

"What do I see here? Potter and Granger trying to hide their love affair from the weasel?" Draco was in the doorway of the room. He was trying to get a chance to talk to Hermione.

"You know that's not how it is Malfoy. Just because you don't have any friends doesn't mean other people don't. What are you doing here anyway?" Harry hollered at the blonde boy.

"I just wanted to speak with your girlfriend a bit but seeing that you two are busy I will wait until later." Malfoy turned on his heel and walked from the room. He knew that this wasn't a good start at making friends with the muggleborn but his old self really took over in that one. He wasn't sure what the feeling was when he saw Harry holding her, and he had no idea that feeling was jealousy.

"What do you think he wants to see me about?" Hermione asked once Malfoy was out of hearing range.

"I don't know but I don't think its good. Well I think that I need to get back to the party. It is for me you know. Whenever you need to talk just come and find me."

Hermione laid in her bed thinking of what in the world would Malfoy want with her. She was contemplating if she should go find out now or just wait until Malfoy found her. What was the look in his eyes when he saw her and Harry? Was that the look of anger, of jealousy? No it can't be Hermione thought. Why would Malfoy care about what her and Harry did?

Soon enough she could hear the familiar footsteps of Ginny. Hermione decided not to pretend to be asleep this time. She wanted to know who Ginny spent her night with this time.

"How was the rest of the party?" Hermione asked when Ginny entered the room.

"It was great. I danced with Dean all night. He was a blast and a great kisser too!" Hermione could tell that her friend was drunk and wondered how she didn't get caught. Ginny wasn't a quiet drunk!

"Who gave you the fire whiskey this time?" Hermione asked.

"Umm… ah…" Ginny rubbed her temple like she was trying to remember something. "Oh yeah. Draco gave it to me. He can be very nice sometimes!"

"GINERVA WEASLEY! What were you thinking taking a bottle of whiskey from Malfoy? Think of the things that he could have put in there without you knowing!" Hermione was outraged and left the room. She needed to know what Draco would have put in her friend's drinks. It took her a bit to find the room with Malfoy's name but soon enough she did and pounded hard making sure to wake Malfoy up if he was sleeping. He wasn't lucky enough for him and he opened his door to see a very upset Hermione.

"Good Evening, Love." Draco said in a sarcastic tone. "And for what do I deserve this pleasure?"

"WHAT DID YOU PUT IN GINNY'S DRINKS? SHE'S NOT OLD ENOUGH TO DRINK AND YOU GAVE HER SOME POISONED VERSION OF FIREWHISKEY ANYWAY!" Hermione yelled.

"What makes you think its poison? For I know the consequences I would receive if I did such a thing. She's not showing any signs of poisioning last time I checked she just had extreme drunkenness. One has to be to be all over Dean like that." Draco simply stated.

"Well she shows nothing yet but she will. Why else would you give a Weasley a drink?" Hermione snapped the question back.

"I wanted to see if the rumors of Ginny being a wild drunk were true. Which they are if you wanted to know."

"Why are you doing this Malfoy? Why are you being so hard?"

"I'm not being diffucult with you. I am trying to be the opposite. I need to make allies here and because you saved me like you did I wanted you to be the first one." Draco explained.

Hermione stood in shock at what Draco just told her. It wasn't everyday that Malfoy wanted to make friends. She didn't know what to say. Should she be nice? Or should she be mean like he had always been to her. She never wanted to be friends though. She knew she would have to play nice.

"Allies? You mean like a friend?" Was the only thing that came from her mouth.