A/N: Hi all! A special thank you to lexy0199, Lost O'Fallon Girl, and Sadistic Sapiosexual for their comments on the last chapter. I appreciate it to no end!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
As always, enjoy!
Chapter 3
Hermione cracked open her eye, the sunlight filtering into her window causing her head to throb. She groaned, dragging her hand over her face. She opened her eyes fully to find Ginny Weasly sitting with her legs crossed on Hermione's living room floor, eating a plate of scrambled eggs.
"Headache?" Ginny said smugly.
"Shu p," Hermione muttered into the couch cushion.
Ginny laughed, pulling a vile out of her robes, slapping it to Hermione's hand. "Drink this, you light weight."
Hermione grumbled, sniffing the potion before downing it. Her headache cleared instantly, and the sunlight was no longer an invasive pest.
"Better?" Ginny said around a mouthful of egg.
Hermione sat up, stretching her legs, "Much, thanks, Gin," Hermione said, reaching over and plucking the slice of toast on Ginny's plate.
Hermione hummed happily when she bit into the toast, finding it nicely buttered and warm. She finished up as Ginny watched her, finishing her breakfast.
"So," Ginny said, "where did you go off to last night?"
Hermione's stomach churned with disgust.
"I slept with Cormac," Hermione said.
"Again?"
Hermione narrowed her eyes at Ginny, snatching another piece of toast from the redhead's plate, biting into it angrily.
"Hermione, you hate the guy," Ginny said in disbelief.
"I know," Hermione whispered, "it just happened. We were drinking, and one thing left to another. It's been so long, Gin, I was hoping that I could maybe I could be in the realm of normal, not that Ive ever been, but I'm just tiered with it all. I just wanted to feel like a normal functioning person even if it was because of that prat."
Ginny nodded, listening to Hermione.
"I'm pathetic," Hermione sighed.
Ginny rolled her eyes, "you're not. It takes time."
"It's been seven years, Gin."
"War affects everyone different, 'Mione," Ginny said, "you know that better than anyone."
Hermione stood up and walked to the kitchen, deciding to make herself a more satisfying breakfast. She cracked eggs and fried them, the only sounds in the small flat the sizzling of the oil.
Ginny followed Hermione to the kitchen, sitting at the counter.
"You should move back in with us," Ginny said out of no where, "you might start smiling again."
Hermione froze. They knew why she had to move out of Grimmauld Place, her health problems took up a lot of energy and even though it had gotten easier in the last two years since she's moved out on her own, having Harry, Ron, and Ginny tip toe around her was not an ideal.
"I am happy," Hermione said, focusing moving her eggs off the stove and onto a plate.
Ginny rolled her eyes, "I never said anything about you being happy, but that just proves my point," she scoffed, "you're so happy that you slept with Cormac McLaggen for what? The fifth time? Hermione, this isn't the way to live. You isolate yourself. It's not good for you."
It was Hermione's turn to scoff, "I do not isolate myself, hell, I went out with you all yesterday."
Ginny's lips pressed into a thin line, "That was the first time you've come out with us in a month, you haven't been to the Burrow in three," Ginny's voice softened, here eyes slightly watering, "we miss you, 'Mione. All of us."
Hermione gaped at Ginny, "It hasn't been that long… has it?"
Ginny reached over and squeezed Hermione's hand. Hermione braced herself for the pain that shot thorough her hand where Ginny touched her, breathing it out like she was used too. "I miss my best friend," Ginny said softly.
Hermione's shoulders sagged, "you're right," she whispered, "maybe I need to just do more…"
Ginny smiled, giving her friend a side hug. She didn't notice how Hermione froze as pain from her touch shook through her. "Listen, we aren't saying change over night, but we want you to be happy again…"
"I understand, Ginny, I really do," Hermione said.
Hermione finished up her breakfast in higher spirits. Seeing her friends always put her in a better mood. Ginny rattled on about her next Quidditch game and how they were going to beat the Chudley Cannons, much to Ron's distaste.
The redhead mentioned needing to stop by the new Quidditch Supply store in Diagon Alley and Hermione perked up. The store was by Florish and Blots, and Hermione had been itching to go and search the shelves, to run her fingers over the spines of tomes.
"Can I come?" Hermione blurted before her brain could comprehend the words coming out of her mouth.
Ginny froze in the middle of her rant about the quality of the dragon hide gloves she bought a month before. Her head snapped towards Hermione, her eyes wide and motioning.
Hermione flushed at the excited look Ginny gave her, "I— I mean, Flourish and Blots is right next door, and I haven't been there in such a long time! Merlin! There must be an updated version of Hogwarts a History."
Ginny nodded with vigor, her eyes lighting up, "Of course!" she exclaimed, "Please come!"
Hermione beamed. She hadn't felt this good in a long time.
Hermione showered quickly and through on a jumper, careful to pull her sleeve down to hide her Mudblood scar. She took a minute go through her medicine cabinet, downing a simple calming draught, knowing that she would be needing it if there were too many people around.
She gave the option a minute to work before she plastered a smile onto her face before she went back into the living room.
The brunette let herself be pulled out of her flat by the sleeve of her jumper, giving her just enough time to ward her home before Ginny appareled them away.
The first thing that Hermine noticed Diagon Alley was not too busy. Hermione silently thanked Merlin that the streets weren't packed with people despite the fact that Hogwarts was out for the year.
Hermione sighed, content, as she always was through the fog of the calming draught.
"Let's stop by WWW to pick up Ron," Ginny said, "Harry should be there, too!"
"Let's go then," Hermione said, following Ginny's lead.
Weasley's Wizard Wheezes was as busy as it always was; school age children running in and out of the doors. Hermione stopped walking when she saw a familiar group of Slytherins.
"I think I'll stand out here," Hermione said, averting her eyes when Astoria Greengrass looked in her direction.
Ginny's eyes furrowed, understanding dawning on her when she saw the Slytherin's in the store. "Are they still following you around?" she added, "How did they even know you were here?"
Hermione opened her mouth to talk when Ron, who spotted them from inside, poked his head out of the window and yelled over "Hey, 'Mione! It's good to see you! Come in!"
Hermione stared at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. Did he not see the Slytherins in the store? Was he trying to get her trapped in their confusing, scarf stealing, game?
Ginny, however, huffed, "what am I?" She yelled back, "Chopped liver?"
Ron shrugged, disappearing back into the store.
Parkinson's eyes landed on Hermione, her nose scrunching back in distaste, her eyes narrowing into a glare. Hermione felt herself shrink, the quiet scrutiny eating away at her.
"I guess we should go in then," Hermione mumbled.
Ginny nodded, her eyes now back onto the Slytherins. "Harry told me that you made the younger Greengrass cry yesterday… and she looks like she's about to cry now, Merlin, what did you say to her?"
Hermione shrugged, "She complemented my perfume, I told her I wasn't wearing any… Any good Potion's Master knows what the Dolor Potion smells like."
Ginny looked at Hermione in shock, "Are you still taking it?" She asked.
"Not as often as I used too," Hermione lied smoothly. Her friends didn't need to know that she had upped her dose in the last few months.
Hermione waked to the front doors of the wizarding joke shop and held it open for Ginny, who was eyeing her suspiciously. Luckily for Hermione, Harry ran towards them as soon as he saw the brunette's wild curls.
"'Mione!" Harry said enthusiastically, wrapping his strong arms around her in a bone crushing hug, "you disappeared again last night, we were worried!"
Hermione tried to speak but her face was planted firmly into Harry's broad chest.
"She was with McLagan again." Ginny said, picking off a random toy from the shelf to inspect it.
"Again?" Hermione heard Ron say, "I thought we hated him."
"We?" Hermione said, her words muffled by Harry's jumper.
"Yes, we," Harry said, "we're in this all together, aren't we?"
Harry finally let Hermione go, and before she even had a chance to breath in deeply, Ron pulled her into another tight hug. Thankfully, his was much shorter, letting her go after a minute.
"Then yes," Hermione said, smoothing her hair, "we hate him."
Ron looked at her in question, his eyebrow raised, "then why did you sleep with him?"
Hermione flushed. How was she supposed to explain it to them? It was hard enough with Ginny, but with her two male friends? That was harder than Hermione could fathom the thought.
"Yeah, Granger," Parkinson said from down the aisle, "please tell us, did you wander off with McLagan because of his extensive knowledge of broom sticks or simply because you're just a slag?"
Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione's heads snapped to Parkinson's direction. She was standing two meters away, her hand on her hip. She was flanked by Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini, both of whom eyed Parkinson cautiously but said nothing. The Greengrass sisters gasped harshly at Parkinson's words, the older of the two taking a step towards the black haired witch before the younger gripped her arm.
"You would know something about being a slag, wouldn't you, Parkinson?" Ginny retorted almost immediately, coming to Hermione's defense with her lip pulled back in a snarl.
Parkinson snorted, rolling her eyes. She moved towards Hermione in an almost predatory way, making Hermione's unease grow, the calming draught she took earlier immediately soothing it to nothing.
"Yes," Parkinson said, "and I would know a slag when I see one… and I see one."
"Pansy," the older Greengrass said, pushing past Nott and Zabini who stood dumbstruck, "stop."
Parkinson turned her head, giving the Greengrass girl a look. Ron took the opportunity to move protectively in front of Hermione, his hand moving to his wand, his Auror training kicking in. Ginny and Harry followed suit, standing straight, hands on their wands ready to fight.
Did her friends really think that she was that fragile?
"Why should I?" Parkinson asked over shoulder, turning back to Hermione, advancing on her again, "When she doesn't even know—"
The room stood still when Nott stormed over, grabbing Parkinson by the arm, pulling her back, "Enough," he hissed. Parkinson pulled her self out of his hold, sticking her nose in the air. Nott looked at the black haired witch with badly concealed disappointment.
George, who must have heard the disturbance, walked over, "If all you're going to do is insult my family, please leave."
Nott gave a curt, but respectful nod. "Let's go,"
Nott walked out of WWW first, Zabini closely after. Parkinson took the opportunity to bump Hermione's shoulder with her own before hissing slag under her breath. The Greengrasses followed, Asoria's eyes watering when she locked eyes with Hermione.
Hermione was bewildered. What was that?
George turned to Harry, his arms crossed, "what was going on?"
Harry shrugged, "Honestly, we don't know. Parkinson just came up to us and called Hermione a slag."
George's brows furrowed, "Well…" he said, turning to Hermione, "Are you okay?"
Hermione chocked down a laugh, "About Parkinson calling me a slag?"
The group nodded.
"I've survived worse," Hermione said.
A dark cloud loomed the group's head when Hermione spoke those words, but in proper George fashion, he through his arm across Hermione's shoulder, causing her to cringe for a moment.
"Then," George said, "wanna see my new Bubble Blow Ups?"
Hermione nodded, but her thoughts stayed on Parkinson and the Slytherins. What did they want?
And why did her friends treat her like she couldn't take the words?