Hermione was rummaging through the supply closet in the empty potions room when she heard the handle slowly turn, the pin mechanism clicking softly. Ducking down behind the storage unit, Hermione listened as someone walked in; she watched their shadow stretch across the floor as she slowly breathed in and out very nervously. The shadow stopped,
"Hello?" said the soft voice, startled – Hermione slipped onto her backside, letting out a large exhale of air as she landed, the voice spoke again,
"HELLO?" this time it was more stern, Hermione knew she was going to get caught, so being smart, she surrendered herself,
"Hello?" she whispered as she stepped out from behind the closet, her hands were full of viles and her hair was untameable. The owner of the voice stepped forwards so she could see who was in the room with her,
"Granger? What the devil are you doing in her so late? And what is with all those viles?" the girl was a Slytherin housemate, Daphne Greengrass, sister to Astoria Greengrass, a well known Mudblood hater. Swallowing, Hermione looked into the face of Daphne,
"I...I was just... getting some supplies" she stuttered as her cheeks burnt a violent red,
"Oh, supplies..." she nodded falsely, "because you need those with only 2 weeks of term left..." she patronised, Hermione's story hadn't fooled her, she knew she was in trouble if she played this the wrong way,
"it's a gift, for someone..." she tried to keep her cool, slowly replacing the viles, but Daphne caught on, taking a vile from Hermione's hand.
"This gift, what would happen if I were to drop this vile?" Asked Daphne, her long, curly ginger hair matched the liquid in the vile, Hermione suddenly looked very, very shocked
"Please don't, just don't... I need that" she stared into her green eyes, Daphne stared at the bottle, the look of temptation crossed her face more than once, Hermione nervously bit her lip, waiting to see if she was like her fellow housemates. Sighing, she eventually handed back the fragile vile and Hermione slipped it into her robe packet.
"Always let yourself in Granger?" she smirked but inoffensively.
"I have permission" Hermione proudly nodded. For a while the two stood in silence for a while before one spoke again,
"Why are you here Greengrass?" Hermione asked as she sorted out the viles, lifting up a piece of parchment, Daphne spoke out,
"Handing in an assignment." She answered bluntly as she put down the parchment on the altar.
"Are you leaving or..." asked Hermione as she watched Daphne silently. Daphne snapped her neck around to look Hermione in the face,
"I'm walking back now, why?" she asked, smirking slightly as Hermione approached her,
"Well I was wondering if you want someone to walk back with you, you know, it's dark and bad things happen at night." She looked around trying to avoid eye contact,
"Why so nice Granger?" she asked curiously,
"Just want to talk is all" she smiled sweetly as Daphne made her way to the door, jolting her head as in invitation for Hermione to join her. The two walked down the corridor, talking about the paintings and the ghosts, the Quidditch and the Quibbler magazine until conversation ran dry,
"So... how is... everything?" asked Daphne, Hermione nodded once before speaking,
"everything is okay, I don't have much spare time, I do all the extra classes and then have to look after Ron and Harry – you know, prevent them from doing anything extraordinarily stupid!" she laughs slightly, so did Daphne,
"Yeah, I look after my sister, she keeps getting in trouble lately, it's hard to be so passive with her, we argue you see..." she reeled off as she stared at the paintings.
"How so?" asked Hermione reluctantly,
"Blood, she has this obsession with purebloods, we come from a pureblood family and she is repulsed by mudbloods'" She didn't refrain herself when talking about her sister Hermione assumed, "I don't share the same views so we argue. A lot more than we used too" she continued, Hermione made an audible gulp due to the awkwardness of the conversation,
"I'm sorry to hear that. But I'm sure matters of blood won't come between sisters" she almost whispered, laughing slightly Daphne replied,
"I hope you are right!" The two stopped walking through the corridor when they reached the Slytherin portrait,
"Well, this is me. Will you find your way back ok?" she asked nicely, Hermione nodded,
"I know this place like the back of my hand, I walk it often enough, to clear my mind." Hermione smiled, shocked by the next comment,
"Well, maybe you can show me around, properly, so I don't get lost!" Smiled Daphne, Hermione grinned,
"Goodnight!" called a smiling Daphne, Hermione waved back and paced down the darkened hallway. Daphne sat on the large, green couch thinking to herself,
"Did I really just befriend Hermione Granger?"
