Chapter Four ...The Lighted Flame

Hermione woke up early on Monday morning. All Sunday she had thought about the letter and asked herself , " Who would write such a thing?" She didn't dare show it to the other girls, for they might have gotten jealous or spread rumors. Hermione sighed. Life was so difficult sometimes.
Hermione walked into the common room. Harry and Ron were waiting for her there.

"Hi!" said Hermione cheerfully. Ron grinned and stood from his chair. Harry sat, and muttered , "H'lo." He was writing on a piece of parchment and looked deep in thought.

" What are you doing Harry?" asked Hermione.

"Huh? Oh...I'm writing a letter to Blossom." he said. He scribbled a bit more on the paper, then stopped. " Done." Harry stood and smiled as he read. Hermione and Ron looked over his shoulders to see what he wrote.

Dear Blossom,

I know you didn't mean what you wrote in your last letter. I know that you REALLY love me. Don't worry, my love, I love you too. Don't have any doubts. Maybe someday we'll get married! Blossom, I love you!!


Love,

Harry Potter

P.S. Please write back!!! )

" Hmm... don't think you're being a bit too foward, Harry?" asked Hermione. Harry grinned. " Not at all! Blossom loves it when I'm foward. Let's go eat and then I'll mail it." They all walked to the Great Hall.
As they sat, Hermione felt a pair of eyes on her. She looked around. It wasn't Malfoy like last time. No, it was coming from someplace else. She turned towards the teacher's table, and saw to her dismay that Professor Snape was looking at her. Their eyes connected, and Hermione gasped. Her heart began to thump crazily in her heart. Snape looked away and began to talk to the teacher next to him.

" What's wrong Hermione? You look troubled." said Ron. Hermione shook her head. " It's nothing..." she said. They finished eating and went to the owlry. Harry attached his note to Hedwig and off the owl went went.

" Blossom better write back!" he said happily. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Whatever...we better get to class." replied Hermione.

"What do we have now?" asked Harry.

"Potions."

"Oh great...just what I need...Snape is such an ass...WHY DO WE HAVE TO HAVE HIM FOR POTIONS!?!?!" exclaimed Harry. Hermione and Ron laughed as the three made their way to class. As they made their way into the dungeon, Hermione bumped into Draco by accident. She was about to say sorry when he replied first.

"Oh, sorry Hermione. Didn't see you there," said Draco. He smiled at her and began walking down the stairs. Hermione's face flushed. She couldn't believe her ears. Draco was usually so rude and conceited, and yet...

Hermione shook her head rapidly, trying to deprive her mind of any thoughts of Draco and....herself. Ron Weasly wasn't surprised at what Draco said, and his hands began to form fists.

"You think you're all that, don't you Malfoy?" said Ron, a bit of anger rising in his voice. "You think you're so bloody perfect, don't you? You think you can do whatever you want and get whoever you want, don't you? Well, not this time." And with that, Ron swung his fist at him. Draco's eyes became wide and he didn't have time to duck. The fist landed on the side of his cheek. Draco caught his balance and winced in pain. His finger touched his lip, and he saw that he was bleeding. Hermione gasped, and Harry couldn't believe what Ron had just done.

"Weasly, you bastard..." Draco bleeted. He grabbed his wand and was ready to destroy Ron when a voice rang out.

"Draco, what is going on here?" asked Professor Snape. " You and your classmates are supposed to be in Potions, which started five minutes ago." He stopped. "Draco, you're bleeding? Go to the nurse right now to get that bandaged up. As for you Weasly, detention tonight." Snape spun around and descended into the dungeon. Harry and Hermione followed suit, whispering about what had just happened. Draco and Ron were left standing outside the dungeon door.

"I won't let you have what's mine," whispered Ron in a menecing voice. "Hermione is mine. She always was mine, and will always be mine." Draco stared at him and began to walk away to the nurse. He paused and turned around.

"Some things can change..." he said slowly, and began to walk again. Ron stood there, his head slightly down, and looked at his fist. It was raw from the punch and had a bit of blood on it. He took his fist and wiped it with his robe.

"So it begins..."