Chapter 6: Arnold Parkinson

Six weeks later, and everyone was still talking about the events of the Halloween ball. And even though only the seventh years, a few faculty members and one gossiping redhead sixth year had been present when it all happened, the whole school knew in full detail about what had happened, or at least they thought they did.

When the students returned to their houses that night, they began telling the younger students about what they had witness. Most couldn't believe it at first, the fact that international famous Quidditch player, Victor Krum had actually been in the castle only a few hours ago was over whelming, and the fact he had challenged a student at the school to a duel to the death, (or so most of them assumed) was truly epic.

By breakfast the next morning everyone knew and the rumours began.

The rumours ranged from Ron Jinxing Victor Krum in a split second and threating to kill him if he ever so much as looked at Hermione again, to Hermione having an affair with both Ron and Victor at the same time.

Girls would often go up to Hermione and ask her which one was better in bed.

At first Hermione paid no attention to these questions and simply walked away. But after the second week it was really starting to get under her skin, and by the end of the third week, 90% of the girls in the school where wearing "Team Victor" badges while only 2% were wearing a "Team Weasley" badge, the other 8% didn't wear a badge, and just wanted to see which boy, would kill the other first.

There was even an article about it in Witch weekly magazine, luckily it wasn't written by Rita Skeeter so it wasn't as vicious as the one written during the Triwizard tournament, still like before the hate mail came in. most of the time Hermione simply ignored them and just throwed them in the fire without even opening them, the only ones she couldn't ignore where the howler's, which became more and more frequent.

All of this became too much for Hermione, she felt stressed out and as a result her relationship with Ron began to strain, she feared that he may break up with her any day now.

She took to hiding out in moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and luckily now that everyone knew that it was the entrance to the chamber of secrets people avoided it, even more than before (despite the fact that the basilisk had been dead now for four and a half years now). The only person who bovvered her in there was Pansy Parkinson, who came in daily to demand a update on the potion.

"What is taking so long" spat Pansy, as she leaned over Hermione's shoulder, watching her as she brewed the potion in a cauldron on the bathroom floor. Hermione had decided that this was the safest place to brew the love potion, because it had been the safest place to brew the polyjuice potion in her second year.

"These things take time!." Said Hermione angrily. "If I get just one thing wrong I could end up making things worse. Besides I've got as much riding on this as you do."

That was true. Despite the fact that Ron now knew about the letters from Victor, she still didn't want her mother and Pansy's father getting married.

"Well how much more time do you need?"

"Another week, just in time for the Christmas holiday"

"Good." Pansy Said with a smirk.

The day before the Christmas holiday; Hermione had finally finished the potion, it just needed cooking for one more hour. She waited in the bathroom with Pansy and Myrtle.

But unfortunately Pansy just didn't seem to get on with anyone, living or dead. Both Pansy and Myrtle argued with each other like there was no tomorrow

"Oh stop moaning" snapped Pansy, she just could't stand Myrtle's continuing sobs and wails

"No, I won't "said Myrtle in a long and unnecessary moan.

"Stop moaning or I'Il get the bloody Baron in here to sort you out."

"No you won't!" shouted Myrtle. "this is a girls bathroom, he's not allowed in here. Besides you wouldn't want the bloody Barron to know what you're up too."

Pansy seemed lost for words; she really didn't want the bloody Barron to know what they were up too. But Hermione knew this wasn't over, Pansy Parkinson didn't like to lose an argument, and that this shouting match had only just begun. She decided to leave the bathroom and take a walk while the potion finished cooking.

While walking around the castle grounds she was approached by professor Snape.

"Miss Granger, the head master wish's to have a word with you. He is waiting in his office. The password is snickers." And with that he walked away without another word.

Hermione was a little spooked by this, but made her way to Dumbledore's office anyway. Once there she said the password and the stone gargoyle moved a side and the stone stairs appeared. She went up the staires and knocked on the door. She heard Dumbledore's voice telling her to enter, and through the door she went to find Professor Dumbledore sat at his desk with Arnold Parkinson beside him.

"Ah Miss Granger. so good of you to join us, Please sit down"

Hermione hesitantly sat down on the chair that was on the other end of Dumbledore's desk.

"Professor Dumbledore sir, what is this about?"

"Well you see Miss Granger, certain recent events have been brought to my attention. Well not quite so recent as you know, but I understand they are still the subject of much conversation. Now as I understand it you've been getting a lot of hate mail lately because there was an artical, about one of those events in Witch weekly magazine, something about you, Mr Weasley and Victor Krum I believe. Now from what the other Professors have told me, it hasn't effected your performance in class. But I did receive a letter from your mother asking me to check on you. She read the article in witch weekly magazine and…"

"How did she get a copy of Witch weekly magazine?" interrupted Hermione.

"I gave it to her" explained Mr Parkinson. "I was reading a copy and saw the article, I thought she better see it."

"Oh" said Hermione.

Dumbledore then started speaking again now in a softer and heart filled voice. "Hermione, your mother and Mr Parkinson here, are worried about your wellbeing. They tell me that you haven't written to your mother since the school year began. And Mrs Weasley also tells me that you didn't go see your father before the start of school. I have also been in contact with your father, he tells me you haven't written to him ether. And what's this I hear about you spending all night in the restricted section of the library?"

Hermione thought fast, she knew she couldn't be truthful about her reasons for spending all night in the library, but she could at least be truthful about her reasons for not wrighting to her parents.

"Professor Dumbledore sir, I'm sorry you have been dragged through all of this. The reason I haven't rote back to my parents is because I really don't know what to say to them. I'm still angry with them for getting divorced and I don't think that's something you write in a letter. And as for me spending all night in the restricted section well… I've always wanted to have unrestricted access to all the books in the school and now I have, I thought studying would take my mind off things."

"I see" said Dumbledore, he seem satisfied by these answers. "Well, I think now's a good time to talk about why your still angry with your parents. And I also think now is a good time for you to finally get to know Mr Parkinson here. "

Dumbledore suddenly got up from his chair and made his way to the door. "I'll be right outside" he said, then closed the door behind him.

Mr Parkinson then took Dumbledore's chair; he looked nervous, like a man at a job interview. He looked like he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. So Hermione took it upon herself to speak first.

"So… What happened between you and Pansy's mother?" asked Hermione, she thought she might as well ask, after all it seems like the most logical question to ask in this situation. Mr Parkinson looked relieved that the awkward silence was over, but also uncomfortable about been asked that question.

"Well we started dating in our final year at Hogwarts. As you can imagine we were both in Slytherin so we naturally gravitated to each other. Back then I wasn't the man I am now and like Pansy and her mother I didn't think much too muggles and muggle borns. But after leaving school I went to work for the ministry, back then I expected it to be full of pure bloods, but it wasn't. I was surprised at how many half-bloods and muggle borns were actually there. I even became friends with a muggle born, Frank Henderson. He told me all about his life before going to Hogwarts, and his family members who were muggles. He even invited me to meet them, and out of curiosity I did. We had a Sunday dinner together and I got to know each member of his family. After that we went to a muggle pub, where we had a few drinks and played darts. Frank insisted we don't use magic, which I'll admit I wasn't keen on at first but after a while, it became great fun. I even met a few other muggles there at that pub, whose names for the life of me I can't remember. But what I do remember is what I learned that day; that wizards and muggles are not so different after all. A year later I married Pansy's mother, who at the time didn't know that my best man and friend was a muggle born. Another year later, Pansy was born and over the next nine years I did my best to teach Pansy not to hate muggles and muggle borns. But it was no use. Pansy is just too much like her mother, don't get me wrong she is my daughter and I love her to the end of the earth. But her mother… oh how I grew to hate that bitch, every day she filled Pansy's heart with hate. I could not be with someone like that, so I decided to leave. I wanted to take Pansy with me but I knew she wouldn't go. The bond between her and her mother was too strong "

Hermione was silent. She couldn't help but wonder what kind of person Pansy would have been if Mr Parkinson had taken her with him. She hated to admit it but Mr Parkinson seemed like a decent wizard. Yet somehow she still hated him. Sure he had made some mistakes in his passed, but he admits that he was wrong and was trying to be a better person. And yet Hermione still hated him. She really wished it was as easy to stop hating as it was to start. But that was the thing about hate; it consumes you until there is no love left. Hate was like a dementor.

"Did my mother leave my father for you?" asked Hermione. She never asked her parents why they had gotten divorced, she had been too afraid of the answer. But now she had to know.

"Yes" said Mr Parkinson.

Hermione was disappointed but not surprised. Ever since she had learnt that her parents were divorced she'd had a feeling that one of them had had an affair. But if she'd had to of guessed she would have thought it would have been her father, not her mother. Her next question came with thinking.

"How did… How did you two meet?"

"We met on one of those muggle computer chat rooms. We sent messages to each other for over a year before we actually met. "

This was unbelievable; she knew that there where wizard like Mr Wealsey who had a fascination with muggle artefacts. Yet even after learning that Mr Parkinson was not a Death-Eater she'd never would have imagined he was one of them.

"How did you learn to use a computer?" asked Hermione

"From Frank, He showed me how"

"I see" said Hermione "So did my mum know you were a wizard when you were sending messages?"

"Actually no. I always thought if I ever told her she'd think I was nuts. Then we actually met and she saw my wand in my jacket pocket. She asked if I was a wizard. I denied it. Then she told me that she knew about the wizarding world and that her daughter, you were a witch."

Over the next hour Hermione asked question after question. But each answer led to another question. But after a while Hermione felt that she had an understanding of Mr Parkinson. He was a good man and he had made her mother happy.

She then remembered the love potion that was brewing in moaning Myrtle's bathroom. By now it was done cooking and needed to be bottled up. She said to Mr Parkinson.

"I'm sorry, I've just remembered that there is something I have to check on. Would you excuse me?"

"Oh, sure" said Mr Parkinson "and I'm glad we could get to know each other a bit better. Can I tell your mother you'll be coming home for the Christmas holiday then?"

"Oh… Yes of course" said Hermione as she ran for the door.

Through the hallways of school Hermione ran. Once she was back at Moaning Myrtle's bathroom she saw that Pansy had already poured the potion in a bottle.

"Where were you Granger?" asked Pansy in a snide tone.

"I took a walk and lost track of time" said Hermione not wanting to tell Pansy that she had just had a word with her father.

"Well, lucky I was here to bottle this potion before it over cooked" said Pansy as she held up the potion bottle.

"Yeah, about that" said Hermione. "I don't think that using that potion is a good idea"

"What do you mean Granger?" said Pansy confused.

"I mean I have changed my mind" said Hermione.

"What!?" said Pansy now angry and confused.

"Look I'm still not happy about my mother and your father being together. But using that potion is wrong"

"I don't care Granger. I want my parents back together and I'm using this potion to do just that."

"I can't let you do this" said Hermione.

Pansy merely sneered and said "just try and stop me, Granger"

And with that Hermione drew out her wand and shouted "Reducto!" so fast, that Pansy didn't realise what had happened until she felt the potion bottle vibrate and smash in her hand. The potion, which was light pink, was now all over the floor along with bits of broken glass.

Pansy, who was still in shock by this, turned to face Hermione.

"YOU STUPID BITCH!"