Hey guys sorry it took so long to add another chapter! I was gone on vacation! Well anyways on with the story thank you for all those that reviewed!
Chapter 7
Hermione was finally let out of the hospital after two days. She couldn't stand to be in there any longer, but was also afraid to go back and try to be normal again. She new almost all to well that everyone new about the accident, nothing in Hogwarts stayed secret for long.
Hermione made her way down to the break fast Hall; she had missed Harry and Ron and knew how furious they were with her by not letting them come see her. But they did not understand how dangerous she was, how could they not see?
She entered the Great Hall as she felt all eyes on her. Hermione kept walking but could feel the emotion behind there curious eyes. Some were staring at her with amazement, and respect in there eyes. Others (mostly the Slytherin table) had hate written all over them. Blaise was among them, Hermione looked into his eyes with the same amount of hate. His face was cold, watching her every move as she walked toward Harry and Ron. Her glare became fiercer and her emotions started going high, Hermione calm down, don't let that happen again, she scolded herself. Suddenly she felt Blaise's eyes became calmer and started to smirk at her. Hermione looked away disgusted.
Hermione also caught sight of Will down further down the table; He smiled and nodded to Harry and Ron. She had not noticed them running towards her.
"Hermione!" Ron and Harry said together, jumping up giving her a hug.
Hermione couldn't have been more thankful to Harry and Ron then at that moment. She knew that they truly cared about her and were just happy to have her back; Hermione could feel tears forming once again around the rim of her eyes. Stop crying, you've done enough of that already, she told herself.
As she ran to give them a group hug, Hermione could feel almost the whole Hall's eyes on her now, whispering buzzing around like mad, but Hermione didn't care.
"You better tell us why you didn't let us even look at you in the hospital," Said Harry after his caring phase was over.
Hermione rolled her eyes, she didn't want them to worry about her, "I'm fine really, and if you came into the hospital you would have just been worrying about me,"
"No we wouldn't!" Ron said loudly.
Hermione gave him a skeptical look.
"Ok maybe we would have," Ron said more quietly but still stubborn.
"Hermione!" a voice called running down the isle. Hermione turned to see Ginny's red hair flying towards her. Hermione stood to give her a hug.
"Hey Ginny," She said smiling.
"Are you alright?" She asked worriedly, the look of concern on her face reminded Hermione of Mrs. Weasley.
"Yes Gin, I'm fine," Hermione lied.
"Are you sure? You gave me a down right scare! And why wouldn't you see me?!" She asked angrily.
"Ginny give Hermione some space," Harry whispered to her, Ginny gave him a glare.
"I deserve an answer Harry, she kept us all worrying," Ginny said turning back to Hermione, "Well?"
Hermione knew that Ginny, even above Harry and Ron would be upset, looks likes she thought right. She also knew that this was a reasonable reaction.
"Ginny I couldn't face anyone… I didn't know what you would think," Hermione said quietly. This seemed to make Ginny's face soften a little.
They all were quite, now knowing what Hermione must be thinking. I shouldn't have said anything I should have just let them be, she thought to herself.
"Hermione," said Harry after the long pause, "If you thought that we wouldn't want to be your friends after this because it's to dangerous than your wrong," He said his voice was getting angry, "I can't believe that you could possibly even think about that! Like it wasn't like I never put you and Ron in danger because of what I had to do," he said he was truly angry now, "You stood by me in my darkest times and when I was not really myself, if you think I would leave you…your wrong,"
Hermione was truly touched. She never thought Harry would put so much on the line for her. She looked at Ron, his face showing the same concern in his eyes.
"Thank you Harry," She finally said. Harry calmed down and gave her another hug; this didn't bother Ginny like it usually would.
"Come on, we better get going to class, Hermione has some work she's just dying to make up," Ron said smiling teasingly. Hermione had almost forgotten about homework.
"Oh shoot! How could I forget about homework?!" Hermione said getting up quickly from her seat when she noticed Harry and Ron laughing at her. Hermione realized how pathetic she sounded and started laughing to.
Classes went by extra slow; Hermione couldn't even look at any of the Slytherin's without them giving her a death glare. She could hear whispers of her all around the school but Harry and Ron were being helpful to keep her distracted with funny drawings.
Hermione was trying to avoid Malfoy, had he seen the illusion? Would he not want to be her potions partner anymore? She had seen him walk her direction many times but she had always walked the opposite direction.
Potions class finally came when she could no longer avoid seeing him. Upon entering the room she felt a jolt go through her stomach. She could only guess where that came from. Malfoy was sitting at there usual table with the ingredients spread out on the table. Harry and Ron noticed her eyes.
"You can sit with us today if you want, I don't want you having to deal with the ferret today," Ron said coldly.
Malfoy looked up giving Ron a cold look, making it obvious that he had herd.
"It's alright it's just making a potion," She said trudging towards Malfoy, Sitting down awkwardly, Hermione found that her breathing had become uneven. He probably thinks the same as the other Slytherins, that I was wrong to hit a pure blood with a curse…
They were silent for a while before Malfoy broke the silence, "Well you've had an exiting week," He said smirking slightly.
Hermione paused confused for a moment. Didn't care about her attacking someone from his own house?
"Ya I guess you could say that," Hermione said giving him a weak smile, recovering from the long pause. She finally looked up to take a look at his eyes. They were the same gray color, the same mysterious darkness in them; Hermione found that she had missed them terribly.
"Where did you learn that spell?" He asked curiously, "I've never heard it before,"
Hermione truthfully had no idea of what spell she used. She only thought of what she wanted to happen and the spell did what she wanted it to.
"I made it up," She said, which was true. She had just made it up according to what she wanted to happen.
Malfoy looked amazed, "Wow Granger, Who knew you could do something like that,"
Hermione also looked amazed, did he just complement me? She asked herself. Finally she couldn't help but ask.
"You're not disgusted at all by what I did to Zabini?" She asked.
Malfoy seemed to give this some thought then said, "I herd what he was saying to you," He said looking into her eyes, "And honestly I would have done the same thing,"
Hermione looked at him with unbelieving eyes. He herd what Zabini had said about her and Malfoy and about being a mudblood…the strange thing was Malfoy seemed as thought he could care less.
She looked a little deeper into his eyes and almost saw anger in them. He finally looked away as Snape started the lecture for the day. Malfoy seemed to be tense. Every time she even moved his eyes locked to her. This happened at least four times before Hermione whispered.
"Would you stop doing that?" She asked, "I'm trying to concentrate."
She waited for a snide remark.
"Why am I distracting you Granger?" He said grinning. Hermione felt her face go beat red.
"N-no" Hermione said trying to be confident.
"Ganger, don't lie to me because you're horrible at lying," He said.
"And how would you know when I am lying?" She snapped.
"Because you always have a higher pitch in your voice," He said looking away.
Hermione stared at him. Ron and Harry always said that to her when they caught her lying. Did he really watch her that closely?
Hermione rolled her eyes to cover up her pause and to concentrate on the lesson, but Malfoy was making it difficult. She bit her bottom lip.
Hermione felt his stare continue for at least five minutes strait now. Hermione was trying to think of what he was looking at. Was he looking for some hint of anger that might come out again?
She
looked at her surroundings and realized that the class was moving to
get started on there potions and to get ingredients. Malfoy didn't
seem to have noticed either.
"Malfoy come on we have to get
this done before I grow old," She said getting up.
Malfoy finally seemed to come out of his daze by the sound of her voice, "Oh ya, right," He said getting up as well.
Potions seemed to fly by after that. They worked silently on there potion when finally the bell rung. Hermione grabbed her things and was about to leave to join Harry and Ron when Malfoy gave her a glare.
"Where are you going Granger?" He asked.
Hermione gave him a confused look, "I'm…leaving,"
"We still have another potion to brew since your lack of attendance we need to at least start on it," He said his voice harsh.
Hermione paused then finally nodded.
"Let's see what Snape say's about staying after," He said in a softer tone already striding up toward Snape.
Hermione stayed behind to gather there things as she watched Malfoy talk to Snape. There was something different about Malfoy this year… he seemed as if he had feeling. The years before she couldn't see any emotion except hate in his eyes, but now there seemed to be something there…he seemed complete now.
She came out of her thoughts as Malfoy reappeared in front of her.
"We'll have to go somewhere else, Snape has another class," He said to her.
Hermione nodded slowly, "Where do you want to go? The room of requirement?"
Malfoy pulled a face and shook his head, "No, Snape said the Astronomy tower would be fine…plus I don't like going in there,"
Hermione was confused at first but then she remembered. Malfoy had let the Death Eaters through the door; he probably wasn't even allowed to go near it anymore. Dumbledore didn't want something like that to happen again.
"Come on," He said getting there things, he surprised Hermione by grabbing her things as well.
"Hermione!" Harry called, "Are you coming?"
Hermione glanced at Malfoy; he had a look of annoyance on his face.
"I'll wait for you out side," He said as he walked casually out of the class room.
Hermione walked over to Harry and Ron.
"I need to make up for the work I haven't done…Malfoy and I have to finish our potion," She said.
"Are you nuts? You're going to homework with him?" Ron said shocked.
"Ron we are partners and it's my fault he's behind," Hermione said defending him.
Harry started to say something but Hermione got there first, "I got to go, I'll see you guys later alright?" She said and turned and walked quickly away.
She walked into the corridor to find Malfoy talking to Pansy and Zabini, apparently in deep conversation; they didn't notice her come out of the class room. She hurried and hid behind a doorway still close enough to hear them.
"-She's not like us Malfoy why can't you see that?" Blaise said to Malfoy.
"Blaise she is no different than me or you and you know that," Malfoy said coldly, "You were so impressed by her almost killing you that you even can't deny that you want her now!"
Hermione herd Pansy gasp, she could feel the rage from the conversation from here; Blaise clearly didn't like this comment.
"Malfoy, don't talk about things that you know nothing of," Blaise said gritting his teeth.
"You know what Blaise, I think I know a lot more than you want me to," Malfoy said his voice getting stronger, "You were actually thinking about her joining-"
"Malfoy keep your mouth shut!" Blaise snapped, "So maybe I was impressed by her, so what?"
"Don't go near her again Blaise," Malfoy said slowly and venomously. Hermione jumped at the coldness of his voice, she had never heard his voice like that as long as she had known him, not even to Harry.
"What is wrong with you Malfoy?" Pansy shrieked, "Why are you defending-"
"Drop it Pans, will finish this later," He said glaring at Malfoy as he walked away with long strides.
"Oh and by the way Malfoy," Blaise said turning around, "I can go near anyone I like and that includes Granger,"
And before Malfoy could reply the both turned the corner out of sight. Malfoy was fuming from Blaise.
I never thought Malfoy would do that for me…But I can't figure out why it would bother Malfoy so much if Blaise talked to me?
Hermione gathered all her courage and pretended to just come out of the class room.
Malfoy was leaning up against the wall with his eyes closed.
"Sorry I took so long," Hermione said watching his face carefully. It looked so perfect…his pale skin…the blond hair, it took all of Hermione's self control to not reach out and touch him. He looked as though nothing had happened.
Malfoy shrugged, and turned his head to look at her his gray ones looking into hers…was it almost with concern?
"Come on Granger let's get going," He said as she followed him down the corridor.