Okay, okay. I kinda broke my promise that it won't take a week. Sorry. -_- Nursing school. You know. Le sigh
When the clock struck quarter to seven pm, Hermione Granger was already in McGonagall's office. Sitting on one of the couches near the fireplace. She was with, to her surprise, Luna Lovegood. Who is sat just across from her on another seat.
"Um. Luna.. Why are you here?"
"We.. we got into a food fight."
"We?"
"Padma, Theo and I."
"Nott." grumbled Hermione. "That trouble-making Slytherin. He's not much different from Malfoy."
"Who's not much different?" asked a voice from behind. It was Theo. Speaking of. Thought Hermione.
The curly-haired Gryffindor rolled her eyes and glared behind her. "Who do you think?"
Flopping down on the couch beside her, Theo shrugged. "Poor bloke," he tsked. "being compared to Malfoy of all people."
Hermione rolled her eyes again. And she noticed Luna resisting the urge to do so.
"You idiot." of course, that was Blaise. He situated himself beside Theo and Hermione. He now sat between the earlier comers. "She was talking about you."
"No, she wasn't." Theo denied.
"Actually, I was." Hermione confirmed.
"I'm not like him!"
"Well, Malfoy IS a lot smarter than you." Blaise said in a playful tone. But Theo still doesn't get it.
"No, he's not-"
"Hermione? Zabini? What are you doing here?" it was Padma. At least, they thought it was. The four of them turned to see if it really was her. Yep.
Sitting down on a single seater, Padma awaited their answer. Theo and Luna also listening in.
"Well," Hermione was about to explain their story when someone bursts inside, noisily.
"This is a bad dream. A really, really bad dream." Draco said. Gazing at the five other occupants sitting inside the room. "Why is it, that when I get in trouble I always get you five?"
"Say for yourself." Hermione retorted.
Draco looked at her blankly, with a terrifyingly straight face, "And why is it, that if I say something, it is always you who answers?"
"It's because she's the only one who has a huge grudge against you." Blaise chimed in.
"What? Granger? Having grudges? How very un-Gryffindor." the young Malfoy sarcastically replied.
"Why are you here anyway?" Hermione hissed, gritting her teeth. The Gryffindor heard Theo cough out a laugh. Luna saying he threw a pudding on the Headmistress's head. Hermione forced back a giggle and instead, glared at Draco.
"That was an accident! We can't be all perfect and saintly, just like Potter worshipper over here."
"Oh, fuck off, Malfoy." Hermione spat. "Or better yet, fuck that cow Parkin-"
"Will you just let that go?!" Draco screamed, still standing up. "I fucking told you that was nothing!"
Hermione also stood up and crossed the room to poke Draco on the chest. "You bastard! Why didn't you just tell me you don't want me anymore instead of going behind my back and- You lying.. cheating-"
"Oh for fuck's sake! Just let me explain, Hermione!"
"There is nothing to explain! You are a coward and won't tell me you don't want-" Hermione's sentence was cut off when Draco's lips descended heavily upon hers. It only took Hermione a second to respond and kiss him back. For a moment, both of them forgot that there are other people inside the room. Pulling back for air, Draco rested his forehead against hers.
"Would I kiss you like that if I don't want you anymore?" he whispered. Hermione, not able to respond with her voice, only shook her head no.
Silence.
Throat clearing.
That was when Hermione and Draco remembered where they were and what they did. Fully aware that their secret is now out. The couple were met by two pairs of shocked eyes and two pairs of amused eyes.
"Oh my.." whispered Padma.
"Holy shit." says the dark-haired Theo across from her.
"I knew it!" Blaise pointed, accusingly.
"They look perfect, don't you think?" Luna says, dreamily.
Hermione and Draco looked at each other then. Both with a look that clearly says 'what-are-we-going-to-do-now'. Well, that kind of thing.
"I knew it!" Blaise exclaimed, still pointing at them. "I knew there was a reason why Draco was acting all nice all the damn time!" with a shush from Luna, he muttered a soft' sorry'. His eyes then turned to Hermione. "And I knew there was a reason Granger was acting like a Slytherin!"
"That's preposterous!" shouted Hermione.
"Sorry, too far." Blaise had the sense to look sheepish. "My point is, is that, Draco is acting like you. And you're acting like Draco." Tapping his index finger on his chin, looking like someone analyzing a problem, Blaise continued, "So I came to a conclusion that it's either you two switched bodies," there was a protest heard from the two people in his topic. Blaise held up a hand. "Let me finish. It's either you two switched bodies, which is far more believable than the second one; that you two are dating."
"It seems one of your conclusions is correct, Blaise. I thought I was the only one." Luna stated, with that angelic, feather-like voice of hers.
"Well, I never noticed a thing." says Padma.
"Me either." Theo seconded.
Blaise's excitement faded. His entire mood sombered when he heard the other two's statements. Turning to look at them, he shook his head in what looked like disappointment. "Theo," he began, "for a bloke who proclaims his love every now and then for Patil right here, you couldn't sense love even if it's just right beside you? Let me ask you something, is this real love you're actually feeling?" he made to look at Draco and Hermione, who were curiosly listening in. To an outsider, they were just standing close to each other. But to a friend, they were standing TOO close to each other. As if it's painful to stand this close and not be able to hold one another. Draco is Theo's oldest friend, how can he not notice this? This brought back his disappointment with the black-haired Slytherin. "Come on, even Goyle knew." at this, Theo had the decency to look surprised. Blaise then stared at Padma. "And you,"
"What? What about me?" defensively, Padma questioned.
"For a girl who has many suitors, you couldn't sense love? I think, you know, being exposed to too much affection blinded you for seeing what true love actually is." the dark Slytherin heaved a deep breath, as if explaining this to her was too painful. "Patil, you're a really smart girl. But, you are insenstive to others' feelings." he stole a look from Theo, who is avoiding staring at him. Padma noticed this and guilt flooded through her. It showed in her face. "I know you're scared," Padma was about to protest but Blaise held up a finger, silencing her. "how can you learn when you're too afraid to fall?"
As if on cue, Professor McGonagall entered her office. All of them immediately took their seats. This time, Draco and Hermione and Padma sat on the couch, Padma and Draco sandwiching Hermione. The other three sat on single seaters.
"Alright," situating herself behind her desk, she gazed sternly at the six students in front of her. "You all very well know, why you are here, yes?" this earned her a few nods and yes's from the people in front of her. "And you think I am not aware of the peculiar muggle truck hanging off a tree by the edge of the forbidden forest?" all their eyes widened, some opening their mouths but none came out, Theo in particular looked like a fish out of the water. "I trust, according to your reactions, that you are responsible for that mischief as well?"
"Professor, that wasn't any of our faults!" forgetting her good manners, Hermione stood up and shouted in protest.
"Miss Granger, let me finish." Hermione reluctantly sat back down.
Sitting straighter, McGonagall continued, "As I was saying, because of your behavior, you are each given, instead of a month's detention, I made it two. You are also taken another 50 points." pausing and looking like it pained her to say this, the Headmistress still carried on. "Each."
There were a chorus of outrage from all of them, they stood up, even McGonagall, and started arguing altogether with their former Transfiguration Professor, except for the young Lovegood. She cleared her throat to get their attention but it didn't work. She murmured a soft, 'guys' but it was a futile attempt. Again, she tried to get their attention by saying it was all her fault, nothing. Lastly, she stood up on her chair and screamed, "It was all my fault, Professor!" that did get all of their attention. Smiling in triumph, she climbed down and sat straighter on her chair. Still smiling.
Straightening her robes, McGonagall made to sit back down, "Are you telling the truth, Miss Lovegood?"
"Yes, Professor."
All of them screamed in disagreement.
"Luna!"
"What the bloody hell are you doing, Lovegood?!"
"We were all in this! Don't take the blame, you silly Ravenclaw!"
"We're all capable of being responsible for this!"
"I was there, they were there, you were too, you can't all take credit for this, Luna."
Luna looked around the room at all of them. Confusion marring her features. "But I drove the car and got you all in it, unwillingly sticking around. Literally."
"Well I was the one who brought an unlicensed flying muggle pick up truck!"
"Miss Granger!"
"And I was the one gathering potion ingredients to bring back life!"
"Draco Malfoy!"
"I was there! He's going to use it to bring back the dark-"
"Mr. Zabini! Do not jest about that thing!"
"I was going to say dark-haired mammal who got killed when we were playing Quidditch!"
"What dark-haired mammal?!" it was Padma.
"Filch's cat." answered Draco.
"WHAT?! You killed Mrs. Norris!" McGonagall stood, losing her cool.
"We were bringing it back to life, Professor!" Blaise defended.
"Bringing back life is equally forbidden as taking it!"
"Well, Professor, I was climbing up a deadly hibernating baby Whomping Willow!"
"Miss Patil, you know that is not allowed!"
"I was flying on my broom above a herd of wild unicorns!"
"That is highly unbelievable, Mr. Nott!"
"I'm kidding Professor. I was indeed flying on my broomstick near a bunch of flesh-eating plants!"
"Still not believable, Mr. Nott." McGonagall scolded. "But flying on a broomstick inside the Forbidden forest is not allowed!"
"There we go."
"Do you children want to lose points and get expelled?!"
"No!"
"Then why are you all doing all of this and telling me?!"
Silence.
Head Scratching.
Fidgeting.
More Silence.
"Very well, I think I know why." sighing and putting her hands on her lap, McGonagall regarded her six young students. Maybe not so young anymore. The effect of the war changed all of them. They were forced to grow up too fast.
The competitive Hermione Granger is now a shell of the one she once was. Having been the one to help Harry Potter defeat the Dark Lord. She knows that without Hermione, Harry would be long dead and gone. She isn't just a sidekick, she was the brains. The mastermind. Harry and Ron were HER sidekicks.
Draco Malfoy's confidence fell down faster than the Hogwarts Express. She still remembers that arrogant little eleven year old boasting to his classmates. How much he is loved and spoiled by his parents. The loud annoying little kid did grow up. Realizing he wasn't loved as much as he believed. Not at all.
Luna Lovegood's optimism is slowly fading away, and the small of amount of innocence left in her eyes was long gone. After the death of all her family members, she still remained positive. Although, McGonagall knew, it was all just a mask. But of course, she is still the youthful Lovegood she always knew.
She still remembered Padma Patil's face when she saw Parvati die in her sister's arms. When the deceased Patil twin's body grew cold, she was pretty sure Padma's heart did as well. Since the start of their first year, the Headmistress already knew the twins were close. But were forced to sepearate after the sorting.
Blaise Zabini, the poor lad, lost his mother. Turned out, she was killed by her seventh husband, a follower of the Dark Lord. Not wanting to worry the young Blaise, she begged McGonagall not to let Blaise go home that time. And she did. She never forgave herself for that. But didn't regret her decision.
Theo. Theodore Nott is one of the most frustrating students she has ever handled. Just like Draco, he has a Death Eater as a parent. Unlike the young Malfoy, Theo was ignored. He only had his house-elf, Hiccup, by his side. 'Young Master Nott' was the sentence heard from the creature before his last breath.
She knows the war affected all of them. But the six young souls in front of her were one of the most involved, influenced, changed. And not in a good way. This was a tragedy she is forced to live in.
"It seems we are all tired. I'm letting you go. You can come back tomorrow, the same time. Have a good night." and with that, McGonagall disappeared out the door. Leaving, six confused students in her wake.
More Silence.
Throat Clearing.
"So," started Theo, "you two never told us why you were here."
"Cutting Classes." both Hermione and Blaise answered together.
"And you got caught?! Bully for you."
"Way to go break the tension, Theo."
TBC.