Breaking Boundaries
By: Somewhere Sky
Disclaimer: Of course, as always - the rights to the Harry Potter realm of fiction belongs solely
to J.K Rowling and her brilliant mind. Although I may admit, I shall always be slightly jealous.
Chapter 9:
Her World Beneath
Hermione awoke the next morning completely exhausted. Her eyes seemed almost stubborn upon opening, having not gotten much sleep listening to the ramblings fo one Ginny Weasley. After Ron's unnecessary outburst, Hermione found herself with a redhead in her lap for the remainder of the evening. Not a tear shed from Ginny's eyes but you could tell that she had been hurt by the words that seemed now to echo in the common room. Neither girl had expected Ron to react in such away, and thus was Ginny's response:
"How dare he judge me? That sore Chizpurfle, this is my life... my life! Why doesn't he interfere in someone else's doings! So what if I'm snogging a girl, and ugh - the nerve of that prat!" she had shouted countless times at Hermione - only with a subtle difference in her choicce of words. Hermione had remained silent through Ginny's rampage; she hid her emotions well from the girl that lay in her arms. Of course Hermione was upset - the whole situation was uncalled for - unlike Ginny though, Hermione was beginning to believe that Ron had a point.
Hermione's alarm sounded.
As the alarm perforated the silence of the dorm room Hermione reached a hand to muffle its screaming. It was a Saturday morning and unlike all the other females in the dormitory Hermione had an appointment to make. One that was unfortunately even less pleasant than Ron's existence.
Hermione was meeting Draco Malfoy for Butter beers in Hogsmeade to "chat" as requested by McGonagall. However, Hermione was in no mood to be dealing with a Slytherin, let alone the worst of the worst. To be honest, Hermione had actually prepared a speech along with a dramatic entrance that would involve marching into the Headmistress' office and explaining to her the torture that she had placed upon Hermione.
Stepping out of the shower Hermione attempted to shake her thoughts. Her night had gone terribly and her morning was already dimming in excitement, but with dressing herself and gathering a few remaining belongings she was prepared for the nightmare ahead of her, such as grabbing her coat before she walked out into the crisp autumn air.
"Hermione?" a small voice called as Hermione began stepping into the hall.
"Go back to sleep Gin," she said to the young Weasley as she rubbed her eyes, "I'll be back soon I promise." Hermione told her with a sincere smile.
"Where could you possibly go on a Saturday, you twig" Ginny laughed.
"I have to go to Hogsmeade - Ms. McGonagall asked me to spend some "quality time" with a certain, unkind slytherin." Hermione said with a roll of her eyes as she marched up the staircase and hugged her pajama ridden girlfriend.
"Please don't say -"
"Draco Malfoy." Hermione said barely above a whisper," McGonagall wants more unity amongst the houses."
"Here..." Ginny said as she grabbed the nervous brunette closer to her, pulling her in and without a moment for Hermione to comprehend what was happening, the two girls were kissing. It wasn't the average kiss - it was much more intimate and, gosh did Hermione ever just want to stay in the dorm to continue doing just that, kissing.
"What was that for?" Hermione asked with a smile as the girls pulled there lips apart.
"Why for good luck of course!" Ginny winked and ran back into the girl's dormitory.
Blushing, Hermione finally left. She was ignoring the fact that she was late and regretting not giving McGonagall a decent lecture. Had Hermione not been meeting a greasy-haired Slytherin she could have been spending her Saturday cooped up in bed with the girl she loved. The concept seemed simple: argue with McGonagal + no meeting with Malfoy = a day with Ginny. Unfortunately, Hermione was a lover of all things perfect and she couldn't bare to disappoint her well-respected head-mistress.
Hermione began nearing Hogsmeade, and she could feel herself being torn over with nerves. The entire situation was out of character and completely mental, what had she been thinking to agree to this? Draco Malfoy was not kind, he was far from it - the memory that flashes through Hermione's mind were not good ones, but the ones that left her in bed crying from the sting of words that seemed to crawl from Malfoy's foul mouth. What was Hermione to say to him? She hadn't ever spoken to someone so hated with civility; this experience was forming to be even more and more strange as time progressed.
Her feet pedalled through leaves and she ignored the cold breeze on her hands as the Three Broomsticks came into view. Hermione was far from ready for this, she had anticipated having harsh feelings, but what she hadn't expected was for the nerves to dominate her mind. She stepped into the pub with utter confidence, not a wizard would know the wiser (that being her lack-there-of confidence moments before) and she continued towards the blonde boy across the room.
"Second chances." she whispered.
It took every ounce of strange as it had for Bellatrix Lestrange not to kill her that day in the mansion for Hermione to remain cool-headed at just the sight of Draco Malfoy.
"Granger."
"Malfoy." she replied in a similar tone.
Both adults sat in an awkward silence, both were aware of their past but also very conscious of how force their presence felt. Hermione noticed a few men and women at the barstools staring at them completely shocked and in awe, you could see their lips twittering as they whispered what Hermione imagined were horribly predictable comments to the person next to them.
"McGonagall is concerned that even with Volde-"
Draco flinched upon hearing the name.
"- mort gone that the school is still going to find itself divided. She wants us to set an example." Hermione finished after rolling her eyes at Malfoy's fear of Voldemort's name.
"An example?" Malfoy questioned.
"Yes, an example as in; an illustration, a demonstration, the showing of some -"
"I know what an example is Granger, I'm no idiot. I was asking what we are supposed to be an example of exactly because it's obviously not companionship." he told her smirking.
"No - of course not. We're trying to bring the house together by demonstrating to them that's it is not such a terrible thing to make friends within other houses. We just won a war, it's no longer a time to choose sides, we all have to find away to make peace and work together." Hermione said to him, a proud smile on her face. She had suddenly gained her confidence back, she pretended that this was merely homework - just another silly assignment that she would ace without difficulty.
"Where do you and I fit in this?" he asked.
"We're the example."
Draco glared, "Obviously."
"We are both a representations of our houses; Gryffindor house and Slytherin House have been in a constant state of revenge and battle since Salazar Slytherin left. If we were to be seen together without the sparks of our wands flying or whatever - the other houses will feel inclined to follow. Not to mention everyone knowing our ridiculous history." she told him, with what seemed like the hundredth roll of her eyes.
"Yes, our history." he replied.
"We need to move past it -"
"Find a common ground - "
"Solve our issues - "
"And work towards a solution." finished Draco.
"Basically." Hermione said, her eyes wandering not noticing that both students had began nodding in unison.
"You know, had I been another person growing up - you wouldn't be Hermione Granger." Draco began saying, he took a sip of his butter beer and looked at her with his charming eyes and a guaranteed smirk behind the butter beer glass.
"It's not as if you birthed me Malfoy, I am who I am despite of you."
"Well, technically, had I not been mean to you - you wouldn't have developed such a hard-headed hatred for me. i gave you an unbreakable wall of strength."
"You're not making sense." Hermione told him, beginning to get frustrated with his egotistical rubbish.
"I'll simplify it for you Granger dear, had I been raised differently - I might not have been so cruel - had I not been cruel to you - you wouldn't feel so protective, get it?" He finished sarcastically.
"Don't flatter yourself."
"It's just an observation Granger."
"You haven't changed a bit you silly prat."
"On the contrary, I've changed a heck-of-a lot. You just don't have the heart to see past your selfishness and notice the fact." He said to her, all sarcasm gone but replaced with what seemed like anger.
"I have a heart." Hermione defended.
"Yes well, you're supposed to be setting an example and you're not getting very far by judging who I am based on who I was." and with that statement Malfoy was gone. Hermione was left by herself to think about his words.
"Drama Queen." she said aloud and she too retreated back to her dorm room after what seemed like a complete waste of her time.
Finally! It took me forever but I finally posted the next chapter, I have the next two written out - it's the typing and editing that I dread so much. I hope you all like it, I understand it's short and a bit of a teaser chapter but you'll get the next two soon enough I promize.
Somewhere Sky