Her day had gotten remarkably better. She had aced a pop quiz in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Snape had been looking much too smug the past couple of days so she knew it had to be coming. And she had done much better than she thought on her Ancient Runes essay from over the Holidays…
So she had a happy smile on her face when she turned to go into the library, intent on using the time of her break before Arithmancy wisely... She needed to double check an equation that she was pretty sure she had transcribed incorrectly. Trying not to waste time, she had already started to study the parchment in front of her to find the probable blunder, so she was not paying attention when she walked straight into the back of a student who was blocking the entrance.
She dropped the parchment in her hands and mumbled a curse under her breath as she bent down to grab it. When she stood up she gave a quick apology as she tried to step around the body and surrounding group. Hermione's eyes flicked up to find the face of Draco staring down at her over his shoulder and her lame excuse got stuck on her tongue.
She had to fight off the instant desire to smile up at him and wrap her arms around his waist. The faces of his companions were a reminder of where they were... And that such acts were not permitted around any sets of eyes. Her gaze broke away from his and landed on Nott and Parkinson. Nott looked bored with the turn of events but as usual the witch's eyes brightened at the chance to torment her favorite toy.
"Nevermind..." She sneered, stepping back from the group. Responding in the way she would have if she wasn't sneaking around with the self appointed head of their little group. She tried to go around them again but Pansy stepped in front of her, stopping her from entering.
"You should show your betters more respect." The girl's jet black eyes narrowed at her.
"When I find some, I will. Now if you would please excuse me..." She had to fight herself back from rolling her eyes at the tired routine. Once again she moved to try and go around.
Pansy grabbed her at the elbow and pulled her back in front of her, before leaning down to hiss in her face. "One day you will be where you belong... At the bottom of a grave. Just you wait and see Mudblood."
The anger that the girl's words flamed inside of her was dangerous. She knew she was about to lose control and she had heard worse but her patience was still thin from her hectic morning. Her hand twitched towards her wand, itching to use it against her. She stopped herself and yanked her arm from the witch's tight grip. "For being such a smart girl, you really are quite unintelligent. It truly is sad... Such potential to only end up as another witless bigot. You should work on your threats, Parkinson. They are getting old real fast."
She turned to leave, no longer worried about the potential mistake. She would take the docked point over this ridiculousness. She heard the girl shriek and then something hard hit the back of her head, making her vision tunnel for a second. She blinked a couple of times before it returned to normal and then whipped back around. Her gaze found the offending object and her glare centered on the witch, who looked just as shocked at her outburst as her two companions. "Did you just throw a book at me?"
A snarl crossed Hermione's face as she closed the short distance between them. She put her face right up into Pansy's so there was only a short distance keeping them apart. "Why are you so afraid of me?"
The girl's eyes widened at her challenge, but she didn't step down. Instead she moved like she was going to physically attack Hermione, on instinct she pulled out her wand and placed it under the taller girl's chin, causing her to instantly still. Pansy hadn't been expecting her to retaliate. Usually she just ran away, too afraid of her losing control over her emotions to be willing to verbally spar.
Swallowing hard around the tip of her wand Pansy continued to shoot daggers at her. "I am not afraid of your disgustingly vile existence bitch."
"Oh but I think you are..." Hermione's eyes narrowed as she leaned up even farther, forcing the witch to make eye contact with her as she started in. "I think you are paralyzed with fear... Why wouldn't you be? Your perfect little world is being invaded by the one thing you hate most. We are like cockroaches after all. You exterminate one and another ten take its place."
A smirk worked its way across her lips as she kept her rant up. Draco and Theodore were enraptured by her tirade. It wasn't like they would be able to do anything to help anyways... Not without her hexing the poor girl under her wand. "It really is too bad that you need us. Oh yes, that is right Parkinson... How long do you really think your little Pure Blood Utopia will last? Your birth rates are dropping fast. So even if you are able to keep up a sustainable population... Just how long do you think your offspring have until they start showing the signs of incest? How long do you think you have before they all start coming out looking like the tumors of their parents' hatred instead of wizards? Hmmmm? Just how fucking long do you think you have until the whole of Wizarding Europe is extinct? Like I said... So much potential wasted... Especially when what you are cheering for is your own dimwitted demise."
Another hard swallow was her reward. The girl started to reply but she moved the tip of her wand down to her voice box, sneering. "I didn't tell you that you could speak yet. Now... I do not expect us to leave this little heart-to-heart as friends. I don't even expect you not to harass me in the future like the inbred piece of trash you are. But I do expect you to leave me alone for the rest of the day. Is that clear enough for you?"
She waited for a response before realizing that she had not loosened her hold on her wand... Or told Pansy that she was allowed to speak…
Nott cleared his throat and announced in a sing song voice. "Pince is coming..."
She pocketed her wand and took a couple steps back from the fellow student. She peaked over the other girl's shoulder and saw that he was correct... The tall librarian that had an unfortunate resemblance to a vulture swooped in on the confrontation. Her wide eyes centered on the two girls. "What in the Fat Friar's name is going on out here?"
"Nothing... Just a simple misunderstanding." Hermione tried asserting.
"Miss Granger, do not lie to me! I witnessed you threatening Miss Parkinson with your wand and I would like to know why." The woman said matter-of-factly, staring down her long nose at her.
"She ran into Draco and when I asked her to apologize she attacked me!" Pansy cried, using the victim card to try to sway the woman into believing her faux innocence.
A roll of the eyes was Hermione's only response to the accusation. The fact that she had threatened the girl looked suspicious enough. Trying to deny it would have made her look even more guilty…
The older witch tutted for a second before turning her full attention on Hermione. "I am afraid I will have to notify Professor McGonagall about this Miss Granger. I am extremely disappointed in you. Normally you are such a nice girl... Expect a summons sometime today."
She nodded, acknowledging her appalling actions for exactly what they were. Now that she had calmed some she was disappointed in herself more than the librarian ever could be. Even if her words had been earned and Pansy had gone to attack her... She was still a Prefect. Physical or magical violence against another student was extremely frowned upon. Abuse of power and all that. She looked down at the ground before replying. "Of course... Is that all? I must get going or I will be late for Arithmancy..."
"Yes, you may go." Pince said prior to turning towards Pansy. "And you, Miss Parkinson, your Head of House will also be made aware of this little interaction. See to it that you tell him the truth about the events that took place here. It would be such a shame to end up with an even longer sentence for something as rude and unavoidable as lying..."
She took a great sense of satisfaction at watching the girl's face turn a shade of magenta before she nodded. Madam Pince tutted again as she turned and walked back into the library. Off to find the next offenders…
Pansy turned back to her and spit out. "You are going to regret this."
A laugh sprung from her lips and she smiled up at the girl who was towering over her threateningly. "Dear Sweet Pansy... I regret many things in my life, but telling you the truth about the pathetic little lies you tell yourself... You know, the ones you whisper so you can calm down enough to sleep at night. Will. Never. Be. One. Of. Them. Have fun with your arranged marriage to your first cousin, I hear that they can be a mixed bag. Hopefully Daddy picked a good one for you. Now have a wonderful rest of your day!"
She quickly turned around so she could leave and her eyes met Draco's. Both his eyebrows were raised in shock at just how vicious she had been, but there was a hint of admiration there too. Her smile reached her eyes as she flounced away with an air of confidence she wasn't sure she had truly earned. Regardless, she was proud of herself. No matter the consequences. She had finally stood up to one of her worst tormentors. In the long run it probably wouldn't make much of a difference and, in all actuality, probably make all of the bullying from her worse... But that was a worry for another day.
-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-
As she laid there that night she still had that weird feeling of pride floating around inside of her, as if she was riding a high from her assault on Pansy. McGonagall had given her four detentions. A sentence that was lowered from fourteen once Hermione had confided what had actually happened. The woman had sworn that Parkinson would be dealt with in the strictest way possible, but they both knew that was up to Snape. Each Head of House was allowed to dispense punishment as they saw fit. And she couldn't complain considering…
She thought back to what she had said. There was a hope that her words would sink in, just a tiny bit. Even though she had been raging mad, she still had enough wits about her to know straight out wounding the chit would leave no lasting impression. Only more bad blood, no pun intended. Maybe her point would wiggle something in her and Nott's heads, it was a slim chance, but one she couldn't give up. The more followers of the Voldermort's that had seeds of doubts about his insane plans, the better.
Draco had, of course, kept silent through the whole bizarre encounter. Something he had taken to do whenever anyone started in on her. He no longer joined in on the fun. Just stood or sat there with that cocky smirk firmly in place. The cold and unnerving mask proudly on display. She knew it had to make him as uncomfortable as it did her. There was no joy having to stand to the side when anyone from "her group" sent insults his way. It was one of the harder parts of their little... relationship... thing they had going on.
Slowly her body started to relax towards sleep. She didn't know what the future held. No one did. But she couldn't shake the feeling that something about hers had changed. Like everything was starting to tilt and her current choices were constructing a different path than the one originally meant for her…
Her last thoughts were of how she would be forced to face it head on. Good or bad…