I though this was a well written chapter. I promise to upload soon, after next week, as it is my last week of school, and there are exams to study for. I do not own Harry Potter.
HP
Chapter 2 – Funerals and Train Stations
Getting ready and fancy for a funeral (on which on the contrary, Hermione has sadly gotten used to, since she was now famous and many people had asked her to attend funerals of people she didn't even know; and she couldn't have said no to them without feeling guilty), was not what Hermione wanted to do for somebody she cared about. Even Fred, she felt like crawling in a corner with her knees tucked in to her body, wearing a robe and not getting ready for the day; and cry. Fred was somebody that she felt was part of her life growing up, and although she always yelled at the two twins for always goofing off at school, she actually enjoyed it. Now it's over and she won't be able to turn back time. She has been telling herself this for the past seven years actually.
Pulling her dress over her body and straightening it out, she felt slightly guilty for inviting a certain Malfoy over, but she knows he won't come. No matter what.
Sighing, she forced herself to take her mind off other things and just focus on getting through the day. The Weasley family has been so busy, they already had a private burial for Fred, but they haven't had a full validate funeral. Several months later. This is sadly due to the full schedule of Hermione, Ron, and Harry. The Weasley family respected that, and so the trio respected that as well. Today is the one free day the three has had in months, and now they were going to a funeral.
Hermione slipped on her shoes and looking in the mirror, finding herself acceptable, she fled down the stairs of the burrow. Ginny was still getting ready, but everybody else was getting things ready in the yard. Hermione went to help, but when she finally got to the porch, everything has already been completed. Feeling like she should be doing something, she headed to the gate to help Percy welcome everybody and thank them for coming.
When the time came, everybody in the Weasley family were in their positions as people began to apperate to the outskirts of the family's home. As Percy spoke, I smiled kindly in a sad way and shook everybody's hand and took some of their coats. Twenty minutes later, feeling like everybody that was invited had come; Percy set off to meet his family again. Hermione that was adorned with a few coats went to put them inside when she heard a slight 'pop' behind her. Turning around, she was surprised to find a disgruntled Draco Malfoy dusting himself off on which he looked like he was covered in a nice layer of dust.
Letting go of the pile of coats, which automatically floated in the air; I walked over to Malfoy.
"What happened to you?" I asked. Looking up, he gave me an annoyed look and giving himself one more good pat, he replied grumpily. "My mom is what happened, I told her last minute. She was freaking out, threw a dust pan full of dirt at me."
My eyebrows rose a bit. "I thought you wouldn't have come, guessing that was the reason why you were late?"
He nodded earnestly. "Yeah; are you sure the Weasley family is okay with me coming?"
I shrugged, "As long as you give them support, it shouldn't be a problem." He nodded in understanding.
"Are you carrying those coats inside?" He nodded towards the floating pile of clothing dangling in the air.
"Yeah," I answered. "Why, do you want to join me or something?"
He looked nervously at the small crowd talking to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.
"I don't mind." As we trudged towards the house, we tried a light conversation, but today wasn't the day.
Dropping the pile of clothes on a table next to the backdoor, we turned around to the family and crowd. Everybody was sitting down, Hermione and Draco followed suit. Some gave him awkward stares and others barely looked at him at all. Mr. Weasley had invited Hermione to give a speech, but she turned him down kindly telling him that she had nothing to say, everybody already knew how she felt about him. He accepted the answer just as kind as Hermione and patted her hand walking away.
Ron was sitting with the rest of his family near the front of the podium, Hermione had chose to sit father back as she didn't like people watching her cry. After the sad speech's and after many tears had fallen, everybody apperated to Fred's grave to pay last respects. Hermione's eyes stained red and face streak with tears, she laid down bright orange flower at his grave and slowly cried into her handkerchief. Malfoy stood back behind the crowd; you could tell he felt really awkward being there. Ron had turned around after paying his respects and crushed her in a tight hug. They held each other for a few minutes before everybody left back to the burrow to collect their things. Hermione had decided to stay since Malfoy hadn't left yet.
When everybody left and Hermione and Malfoy were the only two in the graveyard, she curiously watched Malfoy take something out of his robes pocket.
It looked like a piece of lined muggle paper. He cast a quick ever-lasting charm on it, and tied it to my bouquet of bright flowers.
Knowing I was still there, he answered my unspoken question out loud. "I got that note in my fifth year after I got them kicked off the Quidditch team. I was mad and almost burned it in a fire, but instead put it in my journal. I found it yesterday and I just realized how funny it is of a note. When I first got it and opened of, it burned my eyebrows and most of my hair off. They knew how much I cherished my hair, you know?" He laughed lightly to himself, but then his face screwed up into a scowl again.
"They never were mean to me, I just acted prejudice towards the whole Weasley family and now I feel totally guilty. That's the main reason I came today." He continued.
I nodded in understanding and after a few more minutes, I spoke. "They are probably wondering where I am, you can either go and talk to them or go home from here."
He didn't reply for a while, and then finally replied. "I'll go from here,"
"Okay," I said awkwardly. "Well, bye." Before I could apperate, he quickly spoke. "Thanks," a slight pause. "Thanks Hermione, for inviting me." I smiled kindly towards him. "It was nothing." Then I disappeared leaving him alone in the graveyard staring blankly at the grave of Fred Weasley.
"I wish he was like that during school, and then I would at least be able to get along with him." I spoke later on the next day. The three friends sat together in front of a crackling fire at Harry's home, finally taking a day off before heading off to school the next morning. Ron grunted slightly in response. "I don't even know why he came yesterday; the guests were all worried for their own safety. Stupid death eater ferret always ruins everything, even personal matters." Harry nodded in agreement. Hermione's face scrunched up in anger, "What are you talking about?" she said quietly, not wanting to scream. "He was perfectly fine; he didn't say one rude word towards anything while he was there yesterday."
"Oh yeah," Ron snapped back. "You were with him the whole time."
Hermione narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend. "Well, back on what you said; I am the one who invited him actually. I know we barely know him, but I know he has changed. Harry knows that as well, right Harry?"
Harry looked annoyed with the fact that they were fighting at all, "Hermione, I forgave him; I didn't become best friends with the man."
"Ha!" Ron pointed at her. Hermione was too tired at the moment to fight anymore. "Just forget it; I'm going to go home and get ready for school tomorrow. I still have to move my things back into my parent's house, I'm going to have to call my landlord and let him know I won't be paying for awhile and that he can have the apartment available again." Hermione said standing up.
Ron looked a bit relieved for Hermione's taste, but Harry spoke up. "We still have a few hours until dinner, can't you just wait Hermione? We finally have a break today!"
Hermione lightened up a bit at Harry not wanting her to leave. She smiled, "You know me Harry, I always plan ahead, and at the moment, I'm behind. Sorry." He sighed in defeat. As she was leaving, she heard Harry talking to Ron. "At least knock off the ferret thing Ron, it's getting old and is obviously on her nerves." Ron grunted something back, but Hermione had not heard; she was already out the front door.
That night, Hermione barely had slept. Nightmares of death and dying were filled with screams and agony. When she woke up in the morning, she had dark bags underneath her eyes, and she could barely wake herself up. Since she was in her old house again with her parents after moving out last night, she felt like the war had not even happened, that she was starting 7th year right after her 6th. She actually tried to force herself to think that way, but she knew it would never happen.
After taking a hot steamy shower, she got dressed and ate breakfast in silence. Her parents were still sleeping, as it was a Saturday that September 1st and that is usually when people sleep in. Digging through her old items since she had time to spare, she found her old journal again that she just wrote in a few days before and read her past entries. When she got bored with that, she started reading a 7th year book on defensive spells, but she already knew these things and got bored with that. Giving up, she came downstairs around nine to find her parents up wandering around getting the kitchen drinking tea. I told them I would be leaving early today to meet up with my friends. They gave me a satisfying hug and told me to look after myself. After letting them know that I would, I left with my trunk to the burrow.
When I got there, Ron had welcomed me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek in which I knew he was trying to make up for yesterday. Hanging out with the Weasley's made time pass as quickly as possible as usual. I was fed full to the brim by Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasley kept pestering me about muggle things like back then. I quickly obliged. When I was telling him about America landing on the moon, his face lit up in surprise; that was when Mrs. Weasley cut in the middle of our conversation to let me know that it was thirty minutes before eleven. I thanked her and told Mr. Weasley that I would continue talking with him during Christmas break all he wanted.
At the train station, it was crowded with even more kids than usual. Mostly due to the fact of last year, many kids were repeating their years and then you add on the extra kids that were starting this year caused the double amount of first years running around. Hermione received the role of Head girl; she tried to kindly tell Professor McGonagall on how she didn't want that type of responsibility and just wanted to relax this year. For some reason though, the Professor would not let her. Finally after the tenth objection, she threatened to turn Hermione into a chocolate frog when she finally decided to agree and said that it wouldn't be that bad. She quickly apologized to Hermione for her behavior, but Hermione didn't mind.
"I've go to the Head's compartment, I'll meet you guys in the great hall." The two boys frowned and Ron ran up and gave her a sloppy kiss (which she fought with laughter while Harry was groaning about how gross they were). After departing and settling herself in a private compartment, she got bored again. Not able to concentrate to read a book (which is really rare for her), she decided to take a quick nap when the compartment door slid open with a loud bang.
"Oh sorry," Malfoy said a little bit rude. "Did I wake you?" I frowned at his behavior. "No, I wasn't even asleep." He shrugged and started tugging his trunk inside the compartment. "What are you doing?" I said loudly. "This compartment is meant only for the head girl and boy!" He stopped what he was doing and looked me annoyed at my comment. "You think I'm that stupid? Why would I come in here if I didn't know what it was meant for?"
I crossed my arms and frowned rudely. "It's what you do Malfoy, and when the Head boy comes, he won't be very pleased."
Malfoy stared at her in annoyance. "Yes, I wouldn't want to make the Head boy mad, now would I?"
Hermione narrowed her eyes feeling the old feeling of anger towards the blond headed git. "Why did you come in here for, to annoy me? That's very thick of you contemplating the fact that you are a 'changed person'."
He still stared at me as if I just changed into some type of strange alien.
"Well?" I asked, my temper rising.
He shook his head and finished pulling his trunk in and pushing it up on the rack.
When he finally turned back to me, he said "I thought you were supposed to be the brightest witch of your age, right?" I nodded slowly, feeling a little bit self-centered every time somebody asks me that. "Then how come you are being so thick Hermione Granger?"
It took me a second to think, before the realization dawned on me. "Oh," I muttered, feeling my face getting really hot with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry Malfoy, I just…" I never finished my sentence, and picked up a book I left out just in case I got too bored. I could hear him laughing and it made the anger in me burn a bit more.
After awhile, Malfoy spoke up. "So, did you know that the Head boy and girl have to share a room?" I looked up in shock and wide eyes. "WHAT?"
He just laughed. "I'm just kidding Granger, calm down." My eyes narrowed at him.
"Anyways, now that I got your attention; I got this checklist of things me and you will have to do as everybody leaves the train."
I sighed and replied. "You and I, Malfoy." He looked at me confused. "Come again?"
"You said me and you, it's you and I." I corrected him. He stared at me waiting. "Oh, alright. I know, I got the same list. I'll take the right side of the train; you take the left since that is where the Slytherin compartments are." He stretched out a bit. "Sure thing, whatever."
So after we took turns using the compartment to change clothes, we headed on our specific parts of the train to let them know to change, as it was getting dark out. After we had pulled up in Hogsmeade and everybody had exited, we made sure to scout the train to make sure no luggage or people were left behind. Letting the train driver know all was good, Malfoy and I met outside and took the last carriage available that led us to Hogwarts. It was a long and quite ride.