Chapter 15
The atmosphere in the Gryffindor common room was filled with joy and excitement. After the Gryffindor Quidditch team's great victory, everyone rushed to the common room, preparing for a grand celebration. Laughter, congratulations, and the rhythm of songs echoed throughout the room as people danced and sang as if there were no tomorrow.
The flickering light from the torches on the walls illuminated the joyful faces of the Gryffindor members as they gathered together. The crowd clapped their hands, and voices blended together in praise. All attention was directed at Ron, who had brought the victory to the team. Ron stood in the middle of the room, his face beaming, his eyes shining with pride, his back straight. He couldn’t help but smile when he heard the cheers from his friends.
“Ron! Weasley is our King!” everyone shouted, clapping continuously.
The clapping grew louder, and the cheering intensified, making the atmosphere even more lively. Ron couldn’t stop smiling, his eyes sparkling. He spread his arms wide, accepting the praise and honor as a natural consequence, a reward for all the effort he had put in.
Meanwhile, Harry stood quietly, smiling as he watched his friend. He was happy for Ron’s victory. The congratulations and the surrounding excitement didn’t overwhelm him; instead, he felt an unusual calm amid the commotion.
Hermione stood next to Harry, her eyes seemingly not sparkling with joy like the others around her. She stood there, silent, just observing. Her curly hair swayed slightly to the rhythm of the crowd, but in her eyes was only indifference, a feeling far removed from the celebration around her. She simply stood there, silent as a shadow in the room filled with laughter and excitement.
Meanwhile, Ron seemed unable to escape the praises. He stood amidst the crowd, waving his hands, accepting the compliments he was receiving. All eyes were on him. Suddenly, Lavender Brown ran over, hurriedly leaping into Ron’s arms and kissing him passionately on the lips. The crowd fell silent for a moment, then the applause erupted again as they watched the two of them in their kiss.
Ron didn’t refuse; on the contrary, he eagerly returned the kiss, making the entire common room gasp in admiration, and the girls couldn’t hide their admiration and jealousy. Lavender smiled smugly as she released Ron, her eyes gleaming with triumph. Ron stood there, still smiling, but the excitement seemed to have fully captured his attention.
Hermione stood nearby, emotionless, her eyes distant, her expression cold. She quietly turned and walked away without saying a word, without looking back. The commotion made it hard for her to breathe.
Harry watched Hermione walk away, surprised by her silence. He didn’t understand, but immediately felt that something was wrong. After glancing at Ron again, he quickly followed Hermione, pushing through the crowd still gathered around Ron, still cheering and clapping.
“Hermione, wait!” Harry called, quickly moving toward her.
Ron didn’t notice them. He was the center of attention, and nothing could stop his joy in that moment.
–––––––––
Hermione quickly walked down the long corridor, leaving behind the music and endless cheers in the common room. The suffocating atmosphere of the party made her uncomfortable, as if every sound was digging deep into her mind, stirring emotions she didn’t want to face.
Harry followed from a distance, his footsteps careful. He knew Hermione didn’t want to be disturbed, but her unusual silence made him worried.
Hermione didn’t realize she was being watched. She just walked, her eyes straight ahead, but her mind was lost in a whirlwind of emotions. When she reached a quiet corner, she stopped, leaning against the cold stone wall and sighed.
“It’s a rare sight.”
The cold voice startled Hermione. She looked up, and in front of her stood Draco Malfoy, leaning against a pillar, his gray eyes gleaming with mockery.
Hermione straightened up, her gaze as cold as ever. “What are you doing here?”
“That’s a question I should be asking you,” Draco shrugged, a faint smile appearing on his lips. “Didn’t your team just win? Aren’t you going to stay and enjoy the glory with King Weasley?”
“I don’t have an obligation to explain myself,” Hermione replied, her voice flat, devoid of emotion.
Draco took a step forward, his gaze scanning her face. “I’m just curious. No need to get angry, Granger.”
Hermione didn’t respond, her brown eyes still locked on Draco’s gaze. She knew he was trying to provoke her, but she wouldn’t allow herself to waver.
Harry, hidden around the corner, furrowed his brows. He had never seen Hermione and Draco speak this way before – bluntly, with none of the usual hostility. He was about to step forward when a soft sound came from behind.
“Harry? What are you doing here?”
Luna appeared, her dreamy voice ringing out. She tilted her head, looking at Harry with curiosity. Harry turned around, raised a finger to his lips signaling for silence, but the sound had already caught Draco and Hermione’s attention.
Draco glanced quickly toward the noise but merely smirked, uninterested. He turned back to Hermione, his voice even. “Let’s go. I know there’s something that will interest you.”
Hermione stared at him, her brows slightly furrowed, but in the end, she followed him without saying a word. Her intuition told her something was off, and as she turned around, she saw nothing. She continued walking after Draco.
Harry stood frozen, his eyes wide as he watched Hermione walk beside Draco, their shadows fading into the dim light of the corridor. Harry looked on, a sense of unease rising within him.
Draco led Hermione through the dark hallways, the cold walls making the air feel even heavier. The room he brought her to was an old classroom, silent, empty, with no one around. The door closed behind them, creating a dry sound, as if marking the end of something.
Hermione said nothing, quietly stepping inside, but she could feel the tension in the air. Every step Draco took seemed like a step toward a plot she couldn’t anticipate.
When Draco stopped in the middle of the room, he turned to look at Hermione, his gray eyes gleaming, cold as an unfathomable deep lake.
“You saw me in that room last time,” Draco began, his voice steady but cold. “Now I want you to keep that secret. No one must know what you saw.”
Hermione didn’t answer, only looked at him calmly. She wasn’t surprised, but she didn’t expect him to come to her now.
“Why should I listen to you?” Hermione asked, her voice as cold as ice. She wasn’t easily manipulated, not the type to simply follow anyone’s commands.
Draco didn’t rush to answer. He raised an eyebrow, remaining silent for a moment, as if evaluating her. “That’s the only thing you need to do.”
Hermione stepped closer, unafraid. “I don’t think it’ll be that easy. You should remember what we are, enemies, Malfoy. I could easily tell Harry everything.”
Draco furrowed his brow, speaking softly, “I see your relationship with Potter is already cracking. Not as perfect as you thought.”
Hermione stood tall, her eyes never leaving his. “So what if it’s true? We’re still enemies. And I don’t intend to spare you.”
Draco didn’t reply immediately. He walked around the room, as if thinking over what Hermione had just said.
“So what do you want?” Draco asked, sneering. “Run off to tattle or torture me to death?”
Hermione smiled, but the smile wasn’t joyful. “No need to be brutal. I want to cooperate with you, Malfoy.”
Cooperate?
Draco stood still, his gaze still on Hermione, but something in his look made it impossible for her to read. He seemed to be struggling with himself. She knew Draco was not easily swayed.
“Cooperate with you? You want to cooperate with your enemy, Granger?” Draco said coldly.
Hermione stepped closer, the distance between them almost gone. “We both have our own goals. And I think cooperation is the best option for both of us. You want me to keep a secret, and I want your help.”
Draco frowned slightly, his gray eyes sharp. “Hermione Granger is asking for my help? That’s unexpected.”
“Help, not charity, Malfoy. We’ll work together and both benefit,” she explained, her gaze firm.
Hermione stopped, watching him closely, as if reading his thoughts. He finally spoke, his voice low but unmistakably determined. “So, how do you want me to help?”
Hermione didn’t answer immediately. She stepped forward, her cold eyes still on him. “I want everything. Power, control, everything I’ve lost. And I want you to help me get it back.”
He walked around her, studying the expressions that crossed her face. “You know you won’t listen to anyone unless you know exactly what they’re after. Especially if it’s you, Granger.”
“You’ve heard it, Malfoy. I want power, and what belongs to me. Wasting time with foolishness is pointless. I’ve wasted too much of my own, and now I need to break free and turn everything around. You’re the one who can help me, Malfoy. Only you,” she said firmly, her eyes unwavering. The purity inside had to give way to the darkness.
Her words "only you" made him think. He couldn’t understand why she had to say that. Everything else was just part of the original reason he wanted to meet her. She had always been in his mind as someone who only read books, followed Potter and Weasley, boring and unattractive. But now, she was different, making him not recognize her anymore.
“What will I get for this contribution? I don’t want empty praises or some worthless Gryffindor hug.” He crossed his arms and looked at her with half an eye. Her ambition was pulling him in.
She calmly sat down on the dusty chair, looking at him like a slave about to be rewarded. “Everything you want.”
He chuckled, not because he was happy, but because he was curious what she could offer him. “Even if it’s you?”
She didn’t answer but only nodded. He received the answer and moved closer to her. Draco gently knelt down on one knee, taking her hand in his. He bowed his head in a gesture of reverence.
“My goddess.”