Author's Note:
Hullo everyone! Great to see your smiling faces! Or, frowning ones, because I skipped last week's posting...
But I can explain that! And no, I didn't just forget, how dare you assume that! The truth is: I took a writer's privilege, and that meant, being able to skip a week to keep you all in suspense after last week's chapter. You know why? Because I can! Mwahahahah! And because, it's plain torture, trust me, I know.
Enjoy this extra long chapter! It may just be longer than the last, idk, but a little less fangirling.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Snowy days
I was beginning to think I was possibly the stupidest person on earth.
What kind of person immediately kisses one of their most unfriendly and unkind classmates right after he gives a small apology for one of the many things he did to you and your friend? What kind of person?
He did apologize for EVERY time he had called you a mudblood, I thought to myself.
Yes but he didn't even mention half of the other things he's done to, not just me, but lots of kids, I chided back, it's not like he's become nice.
But he DID show a side to you you've only ever seen glimpses of, he's softer then you think.
"Oh just shut up." I mumbled aloud to Crookshanks.
My large orange cat sat curled at the end of my bed as I did some light reading in The Encyclopedia of Modern Day Curses, Spells, and Bewitching. It was another pleasant Saturday afternoon, and many of my classmates were outside playing in the light amount of snow that had fallen overnight, but I chose to stay inside, where there was a better chance I wouldn't see Draco.
Even if he knew where the entrance to the common room was, there was still the entry password, and of course the male-proof stairs up to the girls rooms. He was probably outside with everyone else, making snow balls to hurl at innocent bystanders, light, flaky snow threaded between his blond hair...
I could really not snap out of it that day. It seemed the more I was cooped up with my own thoughts, the more danger I was in of... Day dreaming. I shuddered at the thought. I, Hermione Granger, was daydreaming about a guy.
"Hey, Hermione, Harry is calling for you from the common room." Said Lavender Brown as she walked into the room.
"Why?" I asked, starting to shut my book and lay it next to me on my four-poster.
"I have no idea, he just asked me to fetch you, and he's doing a terrible amount of swearing under his breath about the whole 'stairs turning into a slide' when he tries to come up." She laughed, sitting on her bed, and taking off her mittens.
"Okay, I'll go see what he wants." I opened up the door to the stairs, now a slide, and flew down at an all-too pleasant speed.
"Hermione! There you are! C'mon, let's go outside. It's starting to snow more and I'm pretty sure George and Fred are planning to set off something that will turn all the snow from white to purple."
"Oh, I'm not really up for going outside right now." I said with a shrug.
Harry paused and looked at me. "...Hermione? Are you okay? You've been cooped up in your room ever since breakfast."
It touched my heart that he was caring, even in his own little way, but it's not like he was the person to talk to at that moment.
I, of course, wouldn't dare mention my boy problems with Harry of all people, especially not about this particular boy. "I'm fine... And you know what? Purple snow actually does sound enjoyable." I laughed. "Let me go get my coat and hat and things."
I wrapped my gold and red scarf around my neck as we pushed aside the large front doors, out into the winter wonderland before me. Light snow drifted down, a little heavier than it was before, coating the ground in it's chilly embrace. Everywhere young first years were being attacked by the strong seventh years, and everyone was throwing packed snowballs at their friends and classmates. I laughed as soft flakes fell on my eyelashes, and I bent down to begin scooping up snow in my mitten-incased hands. Mid-snowball, I suddenly stumbled forward at the sudden impact of a hard cold ball tossed at my back. Looking up, I saw Crabbe laughing hysterically at his direct hit. I smirked and, quicker this time, began shoveling snow for my amino, keeping my eyes searching around me. As I stood up, I caught sight of someone in particular. A boy with shinning green eyes, that perfectly matched his scarf, was standing against the walls of the great castle, talking with another boy a little taller than himself. My smirk grew, surprising myself at my sudden thought.
To this day I don't think even Ron and Harry know that I played in the junior soft-ball league when I was nine. My mother, although a great reader herself, had insisted that I join a club or sport of some kind, so I decided to go for softball, since my father used to be a great baseball player in high school.
Well, I thought to myself, Draco was about to find out.
With extreme care, I sent a snowball flying right towards Draco's shoulder and neck area. With a satisfying smack it hit right on target, sending Draco on his knees in the thick layer of snow. He looked around wildly, demanding to know who had hit him, and could not have missed me as I doubled over in laughter at his threatening look. I watched as he, in one swift motion, pressed a pile of snow into a odd round shape, and turned back to me. This time I managed to duck out of the path of the snowball, and whirled around to gather more snow. I paused, inspired by another thought. I grabbed my wand out of my pocket and twirled it around in my hand, saying the spell in my head so that he wasn't able to copy it. The snow around me whirled in a small tornado and packed together to make a sturdy and thick wall, high enough to hide behind, but low enough to throw from. I smiled at his amazed face and ducked down to start on my pile of snow.
I looked up just in time to see Draco twirl his wand around and create the same snow fortress. I couldn't say I wasn't impressed. He definitely knew his spells, at least, when it came to snowball fights. I flung another one after another one, and he returned them with much force. Soon enough, however, about a dozen Slytherins came and joined him. His wall grew to make more room. I was definitely outnumbered.
The snow was falling harder now but they managed to still hit me many times. All the sudden, a snowball whizzed through the air from behind me, hitting one of the green and silver-clad students. I turned around to face Harry, Ron, Seamus, Lavender, and more students, not just Gryffendors, but Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws too, ready to help. I smiled as I saw Florence join them, and was glad no one seemed to care she was also sporting the Slytherin house colors.
Neither side could really agree who won, as a bell rang to get everyone inside for lunch, and everyone was too cold to go back out after our meal, but I enjoyed every minute of it. The snow, had in fact, been changed to a light lavender color, which made everything a bit more exciting. All the houses seemed to agree on one thing, that Fred and George deserved some praise, which they took in the most humble way they were able to.
That night everyone enjoyed hot cocoa before bed, left by the common room fire, curtsy of the house elves. As I fell asleep, I realized I was extremely glad I had decided to go outside with Harry. Maybe shut inside with a book all day wasn't the only way to enjoy myself.
"Heck of a Saturday, wasn't it?" Harry said, reclining at the common room table Sunday afternoon.
"Yes, it was. I had a lot of fun. But now, we have to get our homework done since we all ignored it yesterday." I replied seriously.
"Fine, but I need to get a book from the library for the potions homework." Harry said, about to stand up.
"And I need a few books for potions and divination." Ron sighed, also setting down his quill.
"Wait just a moment you two." I stopped them, "You guys have much more homework left to do than I do. I'll get your books and you start working. You can write the book titles down on some parchment and I'll get one of my books while I'm there."
Grumbling mindlessly, they scratched down their needed material and I exited the room.
The smell of book spines, whether old or new, dusty or clean, or large or small, had always been relaxing to me. I walked by the shelves, my fingertips skimming the book's spines, while I took in the sweet smell.
I quickly snapped out of my daze, however, and began collecting books from the list in my hand, moving along the shelves to find each one. I could guess what was happening in the common room right then. The boys were probably goofing off and talking about anything in particular to keep themselves busy- from doing homework. They would probably always be like that, but, I guess I would have to learn to accept that.
The library was silent, except for a slight rustling of books two shelves down from where I stood. I checked the aisle section: it was history of magic. When I referred to the list, I saw I needed to go and get a book from there anyway, so I walked over.
"Oh! Ginny, I didn't know you were here!" I exclaimed when I spotted her red hair leaning over a book.
"Hey Herms! What's up?" She asked, her brown eyes looking over at me. "Nothing in particular. Just getting books for Harry, Ron, and I." I shrugged.
She paused for a moment, searching in my eyes, and quite frankly, creeping me out a little.
I almost asked what was wrong but she beat me to it.
"Hmm? What do you mean? Nothing's wrong!" I said, confused at her question.
"You just look... Troubled. Like there's something on your mind that's always there, and won't go away."
I had no idea how she got all that from a simple look, but I wasn't going to just spill out everything going on in my life just then. That didn't mean I wouldn't tell her anything.
"Honestly, it's nothing, Ginny. I'm just a little overworked right now-"
True.
"And I haven't been sleeping well-"
Also true.
"But besides that, I'm perfectly fine. Thanks for your concern, though."
Not really true.
"Okay, I won't press it, even though it's a little obvious when you lie, but let me know if you need anything." Ginny responded with a smile.
I returned her smile. "Of course. Now I just need one last book..."
I really needed to stop showing all my emotions plain on my face. Both Harry and Ginny had guessed something was wrong already, and I doubted I could go much longer without bursting.
Stay Awesome,
ThePondFamily3