Chapter two.
…By to late, I mean everyone who had put his or her trust in me had gone. And the only person I put my own trust in was despised…
"Mione'!" A croaky voice called out as Hermione sat staring into the common room fire. Looking up she saw a flash of red hair before she was enveloped into a great bear hug by one of her best friends Ronald Weasley.
"Ron! Your alright?" The boy nodded into her shoulder. She pulled away and smiled at him.
"I've missed you! Me and Harry both!" Hermione's smile disappeared.
"Where's Harry?" Shifting uncomfortably he replied,
"He's at the order, ever since Fred was killed…" He paused then went on, as if unable to bear it, "…he's been uncontrollable. He's been out on every mission and has been staying up every night researching." Hermione nodded sadly.
"He doesn't want anyone else to die." Then, from months of exhaustion, Ron broke down and, he cried. Hermione held him, like he had held her so many times before. She patted his head, like his mother would…when she was alive of course.
So many of the order had died, yet so many remain…
They stayed like that for a long time, her contemplating how hard it must be for him, him thinking about the feel of her arms around him.
Sooner or later they had to let go, and it came sooner than expected.
There was a small nock on the portrait of the fat lady, so Hermione went to see who it was while Ron went and got some blankets for him to sleep on the couch. He wasn't going to school this year, he and Harry had both decided that. Hermione was more of an honorary student, she lived in the castle, and was free to go to any class but she did order research instead and sent it to them in person or through Prof. McGonagle.
Reaching the portrait she swung it open and was greatly shocked to see a quivering Draco Malfoy on the other side.
He sneered at her, but seeing she was about to close the portrait on him, he stopped.
"Wait!" Hermione paused, seeing the beads of sweat drip from beneath his pale blonde hair.
"It's not what you…I…can you…" He sighed not able to finish what he was going to say. Hermione suddenly remembered what he had said, well more like whispered, last night, by the library.
Now, in even less than a whisper he said,
"I need your help." Hermione's eyebrows rose and disappeared beneath her bushy brown hair.
He glanced up at her, and at once she saw the fear, sadness and defeat in his eyes. Tears sprang into her own just at the thought of what he might have been through.
Glancing behind her, she checked to see if Ron was asleep, then shut the portrait and said,
"Follow me!"
Six minutes later they had arrived at the room of requirements, she paced back and forth three times thinking I need a place thats comfortable, but researchable.
A door appeared and she opened it, glancing in she saw books on ancient spells and dark magic around the walls she also saw a couch and table, and a double bed. Plain, but in her eyes, heaven.
Stepping inside she beckoned for Draco to follow, he eyed her suspiciously but followed her anyway.
Once they had settled down she asked,
"Why do you need my help?" Her tone wasn't harsh but it made him flinch anyway.
"I…I can't do it anymore." His voice was scratchy and his tone defeated.
"You cant do what?"
"This…I don't want to follow in my fathers footsteps. I want out."
Hermione narrowed her eyes. He could have been sent as a spy, she had to find out.
"What do you mean you want out?"
"I don't want to do…his…bidding anymore. I cant, he's torturing me!"
Now Hermione was confused.
"But, aren't you one of his…aren't you a…a death eater?" She barely whispered the last part. Immediately he jumped up.
"I told you! In the library! I am NOT one of them!" He was fuming. As if trying to convince him as well as her, he through up his sleeve and revealed pale white skin, untouched, except for a scar that she assumed was a battle wound.
"Ok." She said in the same low voice.
"I'll see what I can do."