The Similarities of Love and Hate

By Jinxd n Cursed

Disclaimer: Not mine, check the bank account.

Chapter Eight

Reasons

XxXxXxXxX

Hermione sat at a table in the library, working on a Transfiguration assignment that was due the first class after the Christmas holidays. It dealt with non-verbal human transfiguration. Hermione was fascinated by the idea of it and had read sixteen books on the subject. The process of becoming an animagus started by mastering the verbal technique, then the non-verbal technique with a wand, and finally transformation without a wand or words. Proficiency in non-verbal techniques of human transfiguration was hard to gain and even the most powerful wizards often took years to master it. That was why animagi were rare.

"Miss Granger, why are you working on an assignment not due for three months?" a voice behind her said. It was Professor McGonagall.

"I like to be ahead in my work," she replied. "I'm this far ahead or farther in all of my courses."

The Professor shook her head. "Potter and Weasley could do to be more like you my dear. Then perhaps they would be making more than Acceptable in my class."

Hermione laughed. It was an unfamiliar sound coming from her lately. She hadn't had much to laugh about.

The professor sighed as Hermione's laughs faded. "I'm afraid I have some bad news, child," she told her brightest student.

"What is it?" Hermione asked.

"You will not be allowed to come to my class until the baby is born," she replied.

"Why?" Hermione asked. "I've looked up most of the things on the syllabus. It's safe to do all the spells up through the second trimester."

"If it were a class full of experts, it would be perfectly safe. As it remains, you are the only student who ordinarily has a full grasp on the concept when we start out. If a spell were to go awry—as they often do—you or your child could be hurt," she professor explained.

"I see," Hermione said. "Then what am I to do? I have to take the class in order to qualify for an apprenticeship."

"You mean to study Transfiguration?" she inquired.

"Possibly," Hermione said. "I will study either Transfiguration or Potions. I'm not entirely sure."

Professor McGonagall nodded. "You would be good at either. As you are a superb student, we shall work things out. Hand in what work you have completed and we will schedule a time for you to be tested in the practical area."

Hermione nodded. "I shall get the work to you this evening."

"Thank you my dear," she said, turning to walk away. "And take some time to relax my dear. It will not be long before you have a child to take care of."

"I shall try," Hermione said, returning to her work. She heaved a heavy sigh. Transfiguration was one of the few subjects she was taking the full class in and now she couldn't participate in class. There was a niggling feeling that Snape was right but she pushed that thought away.

She paid no attention to the door of the library swinging open. The footsteps against the carpeted stone did not register in her mind. In fact, she did not even glance up briefly until Draco Malfoy was standing directly across from her.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I have some questions I want answered, Granger," he said.

"If I won't help Harry and Ron with their homework, what makes you think that I'll help you of all people?" she asked.

"This has nothing to do with school," he said.

She looked at him blankly.

He pulled the chair out and sat down, leaning in so only she could hear him. "Why were you at the meeting the night Blaise—the night you got pregnant?"

She looked at him for a moment. "I was there because I had to be." She stood and gathered her books, walking toward the doorway.

"But why did you have to be there?" he asked, following her.

"Because Snape needed to prove his loyalty. What else is a better prize than the mudblood bitch of Harry Potter?" she explained. "The dark lord wanted me for the initiation of the new brother."

"Why you?" he wondered.

"Ask them that, not me. To get at Harry would be my guess. I didn't tell him until recently though," she said.

"Why didn't you tell him? You know perfectly well Potty would have gone out and castrated Blaise to avenge you," Malfoy pointed out.

"And he would've gotten himself killed. I, personally, would rather not be responsible for the death of the boy who can save us all from the Dark Lord," she said. "I didn't know I was pregnant until after the school year started."

"Precious, precious Potty, the boy wonder with his sidekicks Weasel and Long-molared Mudblood," Draco said.

"Shut up," she said. "You may not have feelings but I certainly do and I don't appreciate your comments."

"Oh shut up with your saintly act, Granger. You know perfectly well that as I human being, I do indeed have feelings," he said. "I might even feel a little so—"

She wheeled around fast, pointing her wand between his eyes. "Don't you dare finish that sentence if you're going to say you feel sorry for me."

"Okay, okay, I won't say it," he said.

She held her angry look for a moment longer before, pointing her wand away and continuing down the empty hallway with him trailing her.

"Why won't you accept sympathy?" he asked.

"What you're offering is not sympathy. It's pity," she said. "Oh the poor little mudblood. Raped and knocked up and too stupid to get rid of her only child."

He was silent.

"I thought so," she said. "No one understands this, you least of all."

"Of course I don't. All I understand is that you're capable of correcting the mistake and yet you refuse to. You refuse help. You refuse sympathy. You ignore your friends and spend time with your enemy," he said.

"You're the one who keeps seeking me out," she pointed out. "You're just trying to cover your little pal's ass on this one."

"You're right, damn bloody know-it-all. Maybe I am trying to cover for Blaise because I'm a slightly more decent person than Blaise and my father," he said. "But you're avoiding the point. If you don't want help, sympathy, or friendship, what exactly do you want? You plan to do everything on your own?"

"No I don't," she said. "What I want is for everything to go back to normal. It never will but for now, I'm pretending it'll be normal any day now. Maybe tomorrow, I'll be ready to face this but not yet Malfoy."

"You've got to face it sooner or later."

XxXxXxXxX

And so concludes the latest installment. Reviews are appreciated and much loved.