Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Fear - chapter 6

Hermione's POV

I wake up and my vision slowly blurs in as I'm blinded by the light. I want to breathe but I can only do so trough my mouth for some reason. I reach for my nose and pull out two crumpled pieces of parchment stuck in my nostrils.

"What the hell…?!" I exclaim throwing the improvised nose plugs away. I hear laughter next to me and turn to see Parkinson's snickering face.

"Well, that was fun." She says wiping the tear of laughter from the corner of her eye.

"Don't do that again!" I say in a calm but threatening manor.

"Pfff… you're always so serious, so boring. Try and have some fun…" She goes on mumbling, sliding a big plate in front of me.

"What's this?"

"Strawberry cake, I saved you a slice." She says.

I usually avoid shugary stuff like this, but I'm as hungry as hell. Last time I ate must have been a whole day ago, not to mention I threw up everything from day before and my stomach is completely empty and it won't be ignored. Instinct takes over and I grab the fork of the plate and stick it in the tasty looking strawberry cake. "Wait!" I manage to stop myself. "Did you put something in this?"

"Give me that!" Pansy yanks the fork from my hand and cuts off a corner of the slice with it. She puts a mouthful in and starts chewing. "Happy?" She asks, handing me back the fork.

"I guess." I say and wipe the fork on my shirt thoroughly, catching a sour gaze from Pansy. As if she wouldn't do the same.

Finally I dig in. The cake tastes heavenly and I stuff fork after fork in my mouth, and the plate is clean before I know it.

"Wow! Granger you ate that in record time!"

I wipe my mouth with the sleeve of my flannel shirt that's already been trough a lot today. "You could have brought a napkin."

"Well soooorry!" She exclaims sarcastically.

"The cake was great though." I say honestly, not wanting to be completely ungrateful.

"It's from bakery here in Hogsmeade, it's good but you should try the cakes my grandma makes, now those are flawless, we always have one for desert after Sunday dinner."

I'm surprised she's talking to me about her family, it feels strangely uncomfortable. For someone who's been unfriendly for so long especially. "Cut that out!"

"What?" She asks confused.

"That! Why are you acting nice, what do you want? Talking to me about your family all of a sudden, I don't buy it!"

I observe her expression change upon saying that. "What did you think, I was gonna call you over for dinner at my house? A mudblood at our dinner table? That would be a disgrace. Not in a million years!" She exclaims with a bitter scowl.

I actually regret saying that now, she shifted back to her usual self, just like that. I wonder if she really feels that strongly about it, or just responds when provoked. I get a strong urge to ask. "What in particular do you all hate about muggleborn?"

She pauses for a moment, stumped by my question. "I'll tell you what!" She says angrily. "Cause you're all a simple, greedy lot. And you want to claim more and more leading roles in our wizarding society. You're pushing us out! Us, who are the true connoisseurs of knowledge and power!" She says proudly, but I can sense it's a line repeated and rehearsed.

"I don't know who told you that, but…"

"Who ever did was right!" She cuts me off angrily. "I can see that clearly now, after spending just half a day with one of you people."

"You mean me?"

"Yes. You-know-who had the right idea wanting to get rid of you lot."

She actually said that. I shake my head in disbelief. "I can't believe you're mentioning that monster in any sort of positive sense. Even form you, I didn't expect that." I say getting off the chair, going for the tall bookshelf to continue my search. I can feel her stare on the back of my head.

"I'm leaving!" She says picking up the empty plate of the table. "You know I really wanted to help you! But now…"

"Yeah right, you wanted to help yourself, and get the pat on back from Snape in the process. Helping me is probably the last on the list."

"Still, I wanted to help, but now I don't care what happens to you!" She says angrily but with a shaky voice. I wonder if this is really affecting her.

I don't respond, but with a sigh. I really don't need this unnecessary drama and quarrel right now.

She turns around and taps the wall with her wand a few times. The passageway opens. "I hope that demon kills you! I couldn't care less!" She snaps and proceeds to squeeze trough the narrow passageway like some agile cat.

Damn! Why did that actually hurt? I stand there thinking while the wall closes up making a low soothing noise of stones rubbing against each other. "Wait!" I yell running to it, but the wall closes before I can get there.

I slam my fist against the cold, unyielding stone wall. Shit! She didn't tell me how to open up the secret passageway out of the library. That was the first things I should have asked while things were going somewhat well. Should have known something like this was bound to happen.

This means I can't get out without being seen by Madame Pince. Damit! I'll have to try and sneak out somehow, but not before I find that book! Being kicked out seams less and less terrible to me, my main objective now is getting rid of that demon that seams to be haunting me. I do not want to see that thing again!

Pansy's POV

My father often tells me; Pansy, don't mix relationships and politics! I guess he was right… What am I saying?! Relationship and Granger, now those two words don't mix, if you can even call complete and utter antagonism a relationship. I'm spending way to much thought over this, I bet she just went about her day as if nothing happened. I feel tears coming.

I try to hold them beck and think of something else, but I come up blank. I rush into the closest empty bathroom and lock myself in one of the stalls. I put the seat and the cover down. I put the plate with the fork on the tiled floor and let go of my restraint. I sit down and start crying, burying my face deep in my hands.

What's wrong with me? Why the hell am I crying over this? Whatever! I say to myself, wiping my cheek. She'll be out of here in less than a week, I realize, so I won't have to see her again, probably ever. Instead of comfort, this makes me start crying again, even more than before.

I manage to calm down after some time. How can so many things go wrong in one day? I wonder feeling the painful streak on my neck that I got this morning, when I was nearly choked to death. I need to just forget about everything and recover, I realize. I should just go to bed, screw everything. I feel so emotionally drained. I'm sure I'll fall asleep in a blink.

I pickup the plate of the floor and exit the stall. I throw it in the garbage bin along with the fork. It was my favourite plate, but I don't want it reminding me of this day, of how weak and stupid I feel right now.

End of ch6-