Hermione crashed on the couch in the Gryffindor common room. She stared outside the window with misty eyes. Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks. Her hair was a wild mess around her red face. This was exactly how Ginny Weasley found Hermione. She sighed and gently placed her hand on the angry girl's shoulder. A sobbing Hermione turned around to face her. Ginny felt pity take over. She sat down next to the crying girl, "what happened?" Hermione took a shaky breath," I...I... Lavender... Ron...well at the library we were... Lavender...Ron..." Ginny quickly pulled her into an embrace and patted her back,"s'okay 'mione, it happens. I don't think he meant it...you have to calm down. Brace yourself 'mione". Hermione nodded and pulled away. Ginny patted her shoulder. "How about you start doing your rounds and catch some fresh air?" Hermione nodded and stood up "oh, and wash your face", Ginny called. Hermione blushed before rushing into the bathroom.
Hermione resumed her rounds around the castle. The silver badge on her uniform gives her the authority to go anywhere. She took in the cool breeze and felt more refreshed than ever. She rounded the corridor to get on the moving staircase towards the slytherin tower as she caught the sight of Ron and Lavender leisurely strolling, Ron's arms wrapped around lavender and both of them were chuckling. Ron paled at the sight of Hermione watching them. However' this time she simply said," detention with Trelawney and 20 points form Gryffindor." She said and walked by them to the slytherin tower. Just then she caught sight of a classroom whose doors were left ajar. The light was on and she could see two shadows. As she moved closer she could hear two voices whispering. "Blaise get me out of this!" the first voice pleaded. The silhouette shook, "sorry mate. I know it's hard on you but I can't reason with him!" She recognized the voices as Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini.
Hermione was frustrated now she barged into the room. She glared at a sobbing malfoy and a sorry-looking blaise. "How much did you hear?" demanded blaise? "Enough. I heard enough for me minus 20 points from slytherin! What do you think you are doing so late in the night?" Hermione retorted. She crossed her arms under her chest. Blaise let out a sigh of relief, "Draco here was having trouble with a lesson in defence against the dark arts. It thought I could teach him". Hermione was convinced...she was almost convinced... but that sigh of relief spoilt the show. She continued to scrutinize the two young men, "oh really? Maybe I could be of some use..." Draco cut her off,"we've all had a hard day Granger ... especially me. So just mind your own bloody business!" Hermione glared at him," you selfish prat! So you're the only one who has the right to be pitied now? I was just trying to help ". With that she stormed out of the room, leaving both of the men shocked.
Though Hermione was angry she found the conversation a bit too fishy to leave so soon. She mimicked sounds of footsteps and stationed herself outside the door." I can't kill Dumbledore", Draco quietly admitted, assuming granger had left. Hermione gasped a bit too loudly. Blaise's head cocked his head back, his gaze stopping at a shadow of a girl on the door,"Draco... granger is still here..." he said as Draco paled. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She couldn't help it. Dumbledore was the best headmaster and she couldn't afford to lose him as well. She ran away heading toward the Gryffindor tower, tears were streaming down her cheeks her feet ached but she ran and kept running.
She stopped outside the tower when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to face the last person she wanted to see. Draco malfoy. "Look granger, you cannot tell ANYONE about what you just heard!" Hermione frowned, "why shouldn't I? You are the one trying to kill one of the most cherished professors. Why shouldn't the school know?!". "Because, it wasn't my choice to kill him. I still don't want to go ahead with THIS!" he said quietly. Hermione almost pitied him but she simply retorted, "That doesn't change anything." Draco became furious," Not all of us are a part of the golden trio mudblood. Not all of us are happy with our lives and not all of us are always in the spotlight. Not all of our parent's aren't muggles that doesn't force you to kill their headmaster!" Hermione really pitied him."Oh" is all she managed to say. Draco simply glared at her, "so are you still going to spill the beans?"
Hermione now was caught in a hustle between her mind and her heart. Her mind told her to tell everyone and save the headmaster. Whereas her heart felt pity and saw sorrow and regret in the steel gray eyes she intently stared at. What should she do? What will she do?