Chapter 8: Brain fart?
After getting all of the other counselors into their cabins: Hermione and Sarah in the Blue Jay, Jessica and Allison in the Cardinal, Megan and Trisha in the Hummingbird, Josh and Mark in the Hawk, Andrew and James in the Sparrow, and Philip and Kevin in the Eagle, the six friends went and sat in the living room of Draco's cabin to talk.
"Spill Jay!" Jessica said before she even sat down.
"Was there a horrible nasty break up?" Sarah asked expectantly.
"Did he cheat on you?" Jessie said scandalously.
"If he hurt you, I'll kill him!" Mark said.
"Let her breathe!" Josh said being the voice of reason. They all turned and looked at Hermione.
"Well, Mark, I don't think you'll have to kill Ron reason being he's already dead. Jessica and Sarah gasped, and amazingly they said nothing. They knew Hermione well enough to tell that this was a hard thing for her to talk about, mostly judging from earlier when she ran off. Draco discreetly reached over and took her hand; Hermione turned and gave him a small smile.
Jessie and Sarah were openly letting the tears fall down their faces, while Mark and Josh solemnly sat and stared at the wall opposite them. Very quietly Jessie and Sarah came over and they both gave Hermione a hug. Jessie whispered, "I'm so sorry Jay." Hermione gave her a small nod. Mark came over and gave Hermione a hug and a kiss on the forehead, and Josh came over and gave her a hug.
"We're going to go finish unpacking all of our stuff and we'll see you at dinner okay?" Josh said.
"All right, I'll see you guys at dinner." Hermione answered. The four of them turned and left the cabin, leaving Draco and Hermione alone.
"Are you going to be okay Hermione?" Draco asked.
"Yeah I think I'll be okay, and that means you can let go of my hand Draco." She said smiling at him.
"Oh, okay." He said letting go of her hand. "So are you going to tell them how Weasley died?" he asked.
"No. That part they don't need to know. It would probably worry them more, you know?"
"Yeah, I understand what you mean." Draco stopped and looked over at Hermione. "Seriously, are you sure you're okay because you don't look okay to me."
"I'm fine."
"Really?"
"I'm fine." She said getting a little irritated with him.
"Are you sure? You're saying that so much it doesn't even sound like a word anymore." He said, beginning to snicker a little bit.
"SHUT UP MALFOY! I AM FINE!" she screamed at him. Draco cracked and started laughing at Hermione. She glared at him, but she couldn't help it. His laughter was infectious. She began to laugh along with him. Soon they were both clutching their sides, trying to breathe. Through his laughter Draco said," I can't help it; you're so funny when you're mad."
"Well you can just… I mean…BUGGER!" Hermione said frustrated. Draco started laughing even harder.
"I never thought I would see the say when the greatest witch of the age Hermione Granger had a brain fart!" Draco said howling with laughter.
"Brain fart? What are you five-years-old Draco? What sane person over the age of 15 says brain fart?" she asked raising an eyebrow at him.
"A person who lives and works with kids for a living, of course."
"I never knew you liked kids so much because you were such a bully in school."
"What can I say, I grew up!"
"Well I guess you did."
"Draco you need to be careful about the talking about magic... only Jessie and Sarah know, and we're kind of working at a muggle camp." she told him.
"I've been here for 5 years Hermione, I know." he replied. They talked for a little while longer and before they knew it, it was time for dinner. They walked down to the Mess Hall where everyone else was just getting in and sitting down for dinner. When they entered the Mess Hall, Hermione and Draco went and sat down where she had always remembered Tony sitting down for meals. Jessie and Sarah came over and sat down with them. Once everyone was seated Draco stood up.
"I'm really glad you all came out to C.S.R to be counselors this summer. Tomorrow all of the campers will be arriving, and then the fun begins! I'll give my big long lecture when the campers come tomorrow, so for not let's eat! Wait, lastly, I just wanted to say that I hope that this year is less sticky than last year. Right?" When Draco finished that last comment the Hall erupted in laughter, but it quickly died down as people began to go up and get their dinner. The table closest to the food, Table 1, went up first. So Hermione turned to talk to Draco.
"Hey Daniel, what was that last sticky joke about?" she asked. Everyone at the table started snickering, and Draco looked a little irritated and slightly unamused.
"Last year on the last day of camp, the counselors thought that it would be funny to play a little prank on me. So when I wasn't looking, they put a plate of pancakes on my seat. Now half of the campers call me Mr. Maple." Draco said in a sort of monotone voice. Everyone was smiling but they knew better than to laugh. After about 45 minutes, everyone had finished eating and they began to head back to their cabins. Draco left with Hermione and walked her to the Blue Jay cabin.
"Well, here we are milady." Draco said. Motioning towards the cabin very dramatically. Causing a smile to appear on Hermione's face.
"Draco, I want to thank you for all that you've done for me this past week. You've helped me so much, especially letting me come back here. I really appreciate it." She said to Draco. He smiled at her.
"No problem Hermione. I know it was hard for you to tell them about Weasley, and even seeing me here with our not so good history together. Just remember what I've said, I'm not the same kid I was in school. So if you ever need anything, I'm here for you." He said. Hermione looked at him, and with happy tears in her eyes, she gave him a hug.
"Thank you Draco."
"Anytime Hermione." They stood together, locked in their embrace, both of them being comforted by the presence of the other. Unknown to them, Sarah and Jessie were in the Blue Jay cabin waiting for Hermione. They looked out the window just in time to see Hermione reach over to hug Draco.
"Did they know each other before?" Jessie asked Sarah.
"I don't think so. She wasn't here when Draco started working here at C.S.R." Jessie and Sarah turned to look at each other, both a little confused and suspicious.
"We'll talk about it later, and maybe we'll ask her but for now act natural, here she comes." They both plopped down on Hermione's bed and acted like they had been waiting for her, and not spying. Hermione came through the door, a smile plainly plastered on her face, all traces of tears no longer there. Seeing Jessie and Sarah on her bed Hermione said "Guys, can we talk tomorrow, I don't really feel up to it tonight." Hermione said to her two friends.
"Sure Jay. We just wanted to make sure that you were okay." They asked.
"Yeah, I actually am okay, now." She replied softly, Draco's kind word replaying in her mind.
"Well, I'll see you two in the morning then!" Jessie said. She left to go back to her cabin after giving Sarah and Hermione hugs. Sarah then climbed up on to the top bunk.
"Night, Hermione."
"Night, Sarah." Hermione turned out the lights and drifted off to sleep, where her new "friend" found his way into her dreams.