~ Golden Pools ~
Hermione Granger stood amid the crowd, her bushy brown hair slightly tousled from the hustle. Her honey eyes kept darting around, scanning the sea of faces, hoping to catch sight of her two best friends, a red-haired guy with freckles and a blue-eyed one with a characteristic lightning mark on his forehead,Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.
Just like on the first day of every year before, platform 9¾ was really chaotic, filled with the sound of chattering students, the hoots of owls, and the occasional puff of steam from the Hogwarts Express.
Hermione, dressed in her Muggle clothes with her wand tucked safely away, clutches her trolley with her belongings, her expression both anxious and determined.
The brunette kept seeing familiar faces everywhere, but not the ones she wanted to see. She continued to drag her heavy trolley with difficulty looking for the two 17-year-old boys,they were surely late,again.
It was their penultimate year at Hogwards the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Hermione had a feeling it wasn't going to be easy.
Hope always dies last though,right?
She stood on tiptoes trying to peer over the heads of taller students, her heart racing with the excitement of returning to Hogwarts and the anticipation of reuniting with Harry and Ron. As she searched,she occasionally glanced at the large clock above the platform, aware that the train will be departing soon.
Suddenly,as her attention was surely not at where she was going,she bumped into something hard and strong,which felt awfully close to a wall.
Hermione quickly looked up apologetically in order to say sorry but she stopped short when two silver eyes,pierced through her soul looking down at her.
“Watch where you’re going, mudblood.” Draco Malfoy hissed, his tone dripping with disdain. His pale blonde hair and sharp features gave him a slightly menacing appearance amidst the bustling crowd.
Hermione, taken aback but quickly regaining her composure, responded with a tight, controlled voice. “Excuse me, Malfoy. I didn’t see you there.”
Draco raises an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “Obviously.”
"I'm trying to be polite here." She said in a restrained tone and the tall boy with platinum hair raised his eyebrow in arrogance.
"I thought that you at least had some manners,Granger. But of course what am I even saying,you mustn't have the word 'respect' in your dictionary." He spat and towered over her,she gulped but didn't take a step back,she was mad,like she always was around him.
"And you know what respect is?" She chuckled ironically and added." Good one. You should go and tell your father about it." Hermione scoffed and tried to walk past him when the grey eyed boy did something that made her yelp in surprise.
He blocked her path, shoving her gently but firmly against the wall of the station. His hands brace on either side of her, trapping her in place. The move is deliberate, meant to intimidate rather than harm and due to the height diffrence they had,he needed to title his head down to look at her, his expression absolutely serious, maybe angry too.
"Watch that pretty little mouth of yours Granger,I don't need my father to make your life a living hell. Don't push my buttons." Draco Malfoy voice was low and edged with malice as he was looking only into her eyes while she parted her lips in shock at his proximity and harsh voice.
Malfoy was always a jerk but most of the times,especially after she punched him two years ago,he avoided getting close to her,and just shot his insults at her from afar.
"Don't you have something else to suggest Malfoy? My life is already a living hell. Maybe you should be more...creative." Hermione spoke up her tone sarcastic, she was feeling more frustrated than before as she tried to push him off,unsuccessfully since he grabbed her wrists tightly, his whole demeanor changing from serious and angry to his usual arrogant,narcissistic self.
He chuckled darkly and without a second thought he whispered in her ear, almost touching her lobe with his lips. "Where are your little pets-sorry,friends- mudblood? Have they left you all alone?" His low voice infuriated her just as much as made her breath shaky.
Why the bloody hell was Draco Malfoy so close to her?
Hermione’s breath became shaky with both anger and the uncomfortable proximity. "Get off me, you ferret! You’re invading my personal space!"
Draco notices her flushed cheeks and smirks, though he keeps the comment about it, to himself. "I don’t think mudbloods deserve to breathe the same air as me, or purebloods in general. I’m doing you a favor by invading your precious personal space."
Before she could say anything more a loud familiar voice came from behind Draco.
"You heard her Malfoy,move."
Harry Potter’s voice cut through the tension, his arms crossed and gaze stern. Draco Malfoy rolled his eyes but kept his smirk fixed on Hermione. He released her wrists and took a step back,shotting her a last look and turning to face Potter, his expression shifting to one of feigned surprise.
"If it isn’t the Chosen One," Draco mumbled sarcastically. He glanced at the figure standing next to Potter,and not to his surprise he saw his bestfriend Ron Weasley,who was looking at him just as murderously.
"And Weaslebee. His little side kick." He sneered.
"Shove off Malfoy," Ron begun and stepped closer to Malfoy which made him smirk even more. "And stay away from Hermione." He said with his voice steady and Draco shaked his head amused.
He finally looked into Ron's eyes. "And what if I don't want to stay away from your little girlfriend?What will you do then huh?"
Before Ron could respond,Malfoy turned back to Harry who was looking unamused while Hermione stayed behind Draco not really knowing what to do,her mind racing as she absorbed his word,making her feel a mix of frustration and something else she couldn't exactly pin point.
What if I don't want to stay away
"Nice to see you again Potter,I look forward to this school year."Draco said, his tone dripping with insincerity.
Harry rolled his eyes,focusing on Hermione as she finally walked up to them,moving past Malfoy.
Draco's eyes followed her, noting with a smirk that she seemed slightly...different, though he didn't elaborate.
"See you around Granger."Draco called after her, giving a playful wink as he joined his group. Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, Theodore Nott, Crabbe, and Goyle stood by the train, waiting for him.
To his unpleasant surprise, with Marcus Flint standing next to them too.
As Malfoy walked away,Hermione rolled her eyes at his arrogance but kept her frustration and approached her two bestfriends,finally smiling.
They haven't changed a lot over the summer. Harry's hair grew more, it suited him a lot. He also had a new pair of glasses that were identical to his previous ones. She assumed he broke his last ones,like he always did.Ron was a lot more muscular than when she last saw him,it was clear he had been working out. He was also a bit taller,but she noticed it.
"Hey guys." She said softly and the boys turned their attention from Malfoy's back to her face,they both flashed her a smile and Harry was the first to give her a gentle hug.
"Hermione,long time no see. I missed you." He said enthusiastically and pulled away from the hug,she chuckled. "I've missed you too Harry."
The truth was,she didn't really get to hang out with them this summer. They would normally spend most of the summer at the Weasley's house but this year,Hermione went on vacation with her parents so she was kind of left out of all the fun.
It was okay thought. She loved her parents even though she missed her bestfriends over the summer. She also knew that she would see them everyday,all the bloody time as soon as school started,so it didn't bother her much.
Hermione turned to look at Ron. Ron looked back at her and felt his muscles tense as he nervously took his left hand out of his pocket to give her a handshake. She took his hand equally nervous and smiled shyly.
There was always some tension with those two. Hermione didn't view him as a brother like she did with Harry and he surely didn't see her as a sister either. They got nervous around eachother and even since they were kids,every time they hadn't seen eachother for a long time,they never hugged and just had a little handshake to blow off the nervousness.
"Hey Mione." He mumbled and gave her a small smile,holding on to her hand a bit longer than he was supposed to.
"Hello Ronald." Hermione said softly and avoided the eye contact smiling slightly at the ground,letting him hold her hand for a bit longer than he was supposed to.
"Sorry for interrupting-this- but I think we should go inside,the train is about to leave." Harry chimmed in with an awkward smile and both of them hurriedly took their hands back and grabbed their lagguage.
Hermione widened her honey eyes." We have to find an empty comparatment too and we are already late as always and-ugh bloody Malfoy."
She walked past them anxiously and entered the train,the two boys exchanged a knowing look and snorted a bit having missed their friend's...perfectionism,following right behind her. After a while,just minutes before the train started,they thankfully found an empty comparatment.
After they put their lagguage at a high self, with Ron putting Hermione's suitcase up there too since she couldn't reach it,Harry Potter and Ron Weasley sat besides eachother,while Hermione Granger sat right across them.
They talked about their vacation,and laughed a lot even thought Hermione couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic. She adored the Barrow and she would love to spend at least 3 days there over the summer.
•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•
An hour or so later after they didnt have a lot to talk about anymore,having covered all their latest news,and Hermione begun having a terrible headache,she started reading a book. As usual Ron was being a bit...pushy? Annoying? Childish? However she put it,he wouldn't stop besides her constant complains and Harry's warnings that the brunnete would kick his ass if he didn't stop.
Normally,Hermione would brush it off with a laugh. It took everything to make Ron realize that what he was doing actually bothered the other person,and when he did realize it,he would never apologize for it.
This time since Hermione had a terrible headache,which was weird because normally she didn't get any headaches, she was more bothered at Ron that she would normally be.
When Ron tried to grab the book she had been reading for the past 10 minutes as an effort to calm her nerves down,her build up anger flooded and she got up abruptly.
"For Merlin's sake Ron! What dont you understand?" She raised her voice and looked into his eyes with pure rage as Harry's and Ron's laughs were cut short.
"Hermione chill out,I'm just messing around." Ron said half smiling but not in an arrogant or playfull way,more like curious at why she was acting like that. He,like Harry, was used to Hermione being really receptive. And calm. And patient too.
She sighed and rolled her honey eyes as she closed her book and grabbed the metal knob,opening the comparatment's door."You are not messing around Ronald,you are being an idiot!I'm going for a walk." Hermione said sternly.
"Hermione wait a minut-" Harry's voice was cut off by her slamming the door closed.
Without thinking about it she started walking along the long route in the train.She was very, very irritated and annoyed. No matter how quickly she felt nervous around Ronald Weasley,he could anger her just as quickly. This man just didn't know when to stop.
She tried to calm herself by walking and observing her familiar surrondings, the corridor she was walking on was not that wide so there weren't many people, in contrast to the comparatments which were full of groups of friends who were laughing and talking like there was no tomorrow.
They all looked so happy, a fact that made Hermione also happy but skeptical too.
Just thinking about what she and her two friends have been through in the last few years made her wonder.
Why her? Why did she happen to be friends with the famous Harry Potter, the boy who lived? She was just a muggleborn, she wasn't that important, was she?
Along with the joys that her two friends have offered her, she has also faced a lot of pain. She has traveled through time, she has faced a troll, she has been hunted down, all of them, and sometimes she wondered what it would be like to live a normal life.
She is grateful for her friends and wouldn't change a single thing, she kept telling herself she had her role in all of this for a reason.
Everything happens for a reason.
Out of the corner of her eye she noticed something unusual. An empty wagon, or rather an almost empty wagon. There was only one person sitting inside and it was none other than Draco Malfoy.
Hermione narrowed her eyes at his form and stopped walking, In a compartment to her left, Draco Malfoy sat alone, a stark contrast to the arrogant, sneering figure she had just faced. The usual group of Slytherins was nowhere in sight. Instead of the cocky smirk she expected, his face was etched with fatigue.
Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his posture was slouched as if the weight of the world was pressing down on him. His elbows rested on his knees, and his hands were clasped together tightly, as though he was trying to hold himself together.
For a brief moment, she hesitated, her curiosity piqued. This wasn’t the Draco Malfoy she was used to seeing. He looked troubled, almost as if he were carrying a burden too heavy to bear. The sight of him like this stirred something in Hermione, something she couldn’t quite name—pity, maybe, or perhaps just a sense of unease.
Hermione's breath hitched when she felt two piercing gray eyes looking right at her.
Draco's gaze flicked up, catching her in the act of watching him. Hermione froze, her heart skipping a beat. For a moment, Draco looked genuinely surprised to see her standing there. The vulnerability she had seen just seconds before was still in his eyes, a brief flash of something real, unguarded.
But it didn’t last. Almost immediately, it was as if he put on a mask, his expression hardening, becoming the Draco Malfoy she knew all too well. He straightened up and stood, his posture regaining its usual confidence as he approached the compartment door.
Hermione braced herself, expecting a sharp insult or a cutting remark, something to restore the status quo between them. But instead, Draco did something entirely unexpected. Without a word, he reached up and drew the little curtain across the compartment window, , his gaze was absolutely serious, without a trace of arrogance or intention for games like earlier, before he blocked her view of him entirely.
Now she could no longer see him, and for some reason, that simple gesture unsettled her more than any insult he could have thrown. Hermione stood there for a moment longer, staring at the now-covered window, before finally turning away and continuing down the corridor, the encounter leaving her with a strange, lingering sense of confusion.
She didn't read much into that and decided to head back to her comparatment. At least she tried to not read much into that,her thoughs were interrupted when she was pushed roughly inside an empty comparatment which made her yelp.
Looking up she faced a dangerous smirk and glistering green eyes.
It was Marcus Flint. She recognized him,they had never spoken before but it was clear how much of a douchebag he was. He was part of Malfoy's circle afterall.
What was it with boys growing much more this summer?
He had cut his brunnete hair in a buzz cut and was taller than she remembered him walking in the corridors laughing with his friends and certainly much more muscular than when she and Ron faced the slytherins on the quidich field,when Draco Malfoy became seeker out of jealousy of Harry,which was also the first time he addressed to her as 'Mudblood'.
She shaked that thought away and exhaled a breath she didn't know she was holding,looking into Flin's mischievous eyes cautiously. She didn't even have her wand with her to defend herself. She had left it at her comparatment.
"Flint?"Hermione exclaimed defensively. "What the hell was that for?" She demanded and a low chuckle left his lips.
His emerald eyes traveled up her body as he smirked,before landing on her eyes again.
"Hermione Granger. I've had my eye on you for a long time now you know...The Brightest Witch of your Age " He started off taking a step towards her,as she took a step back. He left a chuckle. "And a Mudblood."
Hermione stumbled and her back came in contact with the compartment's window. The curly haired girl cursed under her breath as he stepped even closer.
"What is that supposed to mean?" She breathed and Marcus Flint took one of her curls to his finger making her shiver. What the hell was he doing?
"Don't touch-"
"Oh butterfly, let's just say that I will be watching you. Don't be scared you have just...peaked my interest." He whispered right next to her ear His hot breath fell to her neck and she suddenly felt an intense jolt inside her,her chest filled with...panic?
"Also,havent you been getting lots of attention lately? Its time you remember your place Hermione Granger. You are nothing but a mudblood. And lets just say,i'll make sure to put you in your place." and with that he left the lock of her hair,stepping backwards,finally letting her space to breath.
He gave her a last,unsettling,wink and left the comparatment closing the door behind him.
What was that? It was like she paralyzed, she couldn't even push him off,Flint had a dangerous look in his eyes that she had never seen before.
It almost screamed lust and that made her physically sick. Why all of a sudden,was Marcus Flint interested in her?
It was...irrelevant.
Her chest was pounding and she slid down the comparatment's window to calm herself,Hermione decided to first take deep breaths and then force her body up to her feet,and then she would walk to her comparatment.
Unsuccesfully, since the feeling of panic worsened,like her lungs were slowly burning.
She was too focused on her thoughts,her eyes closed shut,running a trembling hand in her bushy hair,feeling like she wanted to cut them short now that Marcus had touched them.
As time passed she didn't feel like she was getting better,instead, her head was throbbing even more than before,her breathing was strange and she felt as someone was choking her.
She breathed heavily not realizing the comparatment's door opening slowly and a tall man standing and observing her...little panic attack.
He assumed. She assumed.
"We have to stop meeting like that,Granger." The characteristic low voice made her head shot and look up at two piercing silver eyes.
She hated looking weak and vonurable and especially infront of this jerk? She despised it.
"Not now Malfoy." She mumbled hating that her voice broke a bit.
She was cursing at her self. She was panicking. Why was she panicking?
Marcus Flint had barely touched her.
Maybe it was the scary feeling that consumed her. Maybe that she felt powerless and helpless without her wand and even thought she was the only one she knew in school that could perform silent magic,she didn't seem to have the right mind to do so. She was just...frozen.
Thinking how if he wanted to,Flint could do so much more than press her against a wall and play with her hair. And she wouldn't be able to push him off.
Because she was powerless.
"Granger,calm down,you are panicking." He pointed out his voice slightly more serious than before and his hands fell to his sides nervously. All she could hear was buzzing in her ears, it was like his voice sounded from underwater.
This has never happened to her before. Not when she was having panic attacks about school and exams.
This didnt feel like a panic attack.
"Leave Malfoy." She found the voice to speak but the air stuck in her throat.
She couldn't breath.
She started gasping for air and Draco Malfoy,closed the door behind him and hurriedly kneeled next to her. Besides feeling like her lungs would explode,she turned away refusing to show Malfoy any sign of weakness.
"Something is not right." He mumbled and hesitantly reached his hand to her shoulder but she jerked away,she started seeing black dots and her vision blurred.
"Stop being so bloody stubborn Granger and let me fucking help!" He exclaimed more firmly this time,he himself feeling a jolt of panic, and he grabbed her chin gently turning her face to look at him, and even if she wanted to,she couldn't protest.
Hermione felt her muscles giving up. It was like she was getting paralyzed,again.
Her whole body squirmed at the lack of breath.
"Malfoy." She choked on air and her eyes started closing,Hermione couldn't see his eyes clearly but by his rushed movements she felt as he was...worried? No,how silly of her,Draco Malfoy would never be worried for someone other than himself.
"Don't pass out on me Granger,look at me-hey!look at me!" He raised his voice and she tried to focus into his silver eyes,her eyelids getting heavier.
Draco Malfoy,was stunned.
He didn't know what to do,laying in front of him,was Hermione Granger,the Brightest Witch of their Age,unable to breath,pale as the snow while he could watch the life leaving her eyes.
Which for some odd reason,made his heart beat so fast he though it would explode and he'd die right there.
Right then a terrible tought came to his mind.
No it couldnt be,could it?
He searched her eyes manically,he couldn't leave and ask for help,he couldn't leave her alone.
He wouldn't leave her alone. Not like this.
He searched and searched into her honey eyes he had been watching from afar for 7 years now,hoping it wasnt what he thought it was but when he noticed a glimpse of gold,his intense grey eyes widened,his limps felt paralyzed from shock and he gulped.
In the grand, darkened hall of Malfoy Manor, Lucius Malfoy stood tall, his cold eyes gleaming with malicious intent. Around him, a group of Death Eaters watched in grim silence, their faces masked by shadows. At Lucius's feet lay a man, broken and bleeding, his body trembling from the torment he had already endured. The man gasped for breath, his eyes wide with terror as he looked up at Lucius, knowing more pain was about to come.
"Punico!" Lucius hissed, his wand aimed with deadly precision.
A sickly, golden light erupted from the tip of Lucius's wand, striking the man on the ground. The effect was immediate and horrifying. The man’s eyes dilated, his breathing became erratic, and a look of sheer, uncontrollable panic overtook his features. He clawed at his chest as though trying to stop his heart from bursting, his mind overwhelmed with the sensation that he was dying, suffocating, every nerve screaming in agony.
"No, please! I don’t know anything!" the man cried out, his voice raw with desperation.
But Lucius was unmoved. He sneered down at the man, his pale face devoid of any sympathy. "I’m afraid that’s not the answer I’m looking for," he said coolly. And with a flick of his wand, he cast the curse again. "Punico!"
Once more, the golden light struck, and the man screamed—a blood-curdling, soul-wrenching sound that echoed off the stone walls. His body convulsed violently, and his eyes—now filled with golden pools—reflected the sheer terror that consumed him. The curse didn’t just inflict pain; it created the unbearable feeling of impending death, a panic so intense that it drove the mind to the brink of madness.
Draco Malfoy stood nearby, forced to witness the torment his father was inflicting. His heart pounded in his chest, each scream from the man like a dagger twisting in his gut. He tried to keep his face emotionless, to appear as cold and detached as the other Death Eaters around him, but inside, he was crumbling. He wanted to look away, to shut his eyes and block out the horror, but he couldn’t. His father’s expectations and the presence of the others kept him rooted to the spot.
Draco Malfoy,his painfull memories interrupted by Hermione's gasp for air,instantly took out his characteristic wand."Bloody hell." He murmered and within a second a golden beam shot from the tip of his wand and landed in the center of Hermione's maniacally panting cheast.
"Reversio Punico" he mumbled with a steady voice as he saw the golder pools disappearing from Hermione's honey eyes.
At least for now.
He let out a relieved breath and crawled to the other end of the comparatment, leaning his back against the wall, eyes slightly wide. He ran a hand through his platinum hair and let out a sigh as he saw Hermione Granger gasping for air and finally being able to breathe, her own eyes also widening.
The usual pink color returned to her cheeks and her eyes looked warm and lively again, not like the colorless and cold ones Draco had been looking at seconds before.
When she finally managed to breathe normally and look around, she saw an almost shocked Draco Malfoy, clinging to the opposite wall and she crawled panting to the opposite wall across him, as well not knowing what to do,she felt as she couldn't even speak yet.
What the bloody hell was that? Was she about to die?
She looked up at Draco Malfoy who didn't budge from his place,or looked at her,or got up to leave,he just stared at the ground and looked like he was having an existential crisis.
Did Malfoy just saved her life,somehow?
"Malfoy-" she started but was interrupted by his cold and dark whisper. "Don't. Don't..."
He sighed distressed and didn't dare look her in the eyes when her lips closed abruptly. "Please." He added with his voice a little softer as he stood up, quickly opening the door of the compartment.
Would he leave?
She couldn't just let him go.
He couldn't leave without giving her answers,something, anything at all.
She stood up abruptly, a big mistake given the fact she got dizzy and was forced to sit back down again, this time in a seat and not on the cold, uncomfortable floor.
"Malfoy wait I-" Draco suddenly turned to look at her harshly but just for a split second, and if she didn't know him well enough, she could swear she saw his muscles tense and his body stiff under the black shirt he was wearing, when he saw that she couldn't even stand on her feet.
"Look mudblood, don't say a word about this to anyone. Never. For your own good, I have a reputation to uphold, understood?"
He growled harshly and normally,she would insult him back about his so called reputation or about anything really,but Draco Malfoy had just probably saved her life.
From something she did not understand and she just needed to. It burned her that something happened to her and she didn't know how to reverse it but Draco Malfoy did,and he wasn't telling her anything.
Hermione stayed silent unsure of what to say and Draco didn't need another second to wait for her respond, he quickly walked out the comparatment and closed the door behind him gently.
Several moments passed when Hermione noticed the train slowly stopping and she shaked her head putting all of her thoughts in a bookself in her mind,to process later.
Right now she needed to go back to Ron and Harry,clear the air and most of all...
Hermione stood up and left the comparatment she was in and walked to her own.
Most of all she needed to visit the library tonight.
•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•
As Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley entered Hogwarts for their sixth year on September 1st, the atmosphere was filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension. The castle loomed grandly in the distance, its turrets and spires bathed in the soft, golden light of late afternoon. Students, both familiar and new, bustled around the grounds, their voices merging into a hum of anticipation.
Like every time in the last 6 years of Hermione's life, entering the huge stone castle which was surrounded by walls of beautiful magic, magical creatures, and mostly unbelievable wizards, still left speechless.
Harry Potter smiled first at Ron Weasley and then at Hermione Granger, both of whom returned the enthusiastic smile. The boy who lived was determined and optimistic that this school year would be different, better and more normal, what could possibly go wrong again?
Unfortunately, the only thing that was certain was that it would be different.To be exact, so different that the golden trio could not have imagined what would follow next.
"Do you think Malfoy and the others will behave this year." Ron started as the trio made their way towards the entrance of the Great Hall, their footsteps echoing on the stone pathway.
As they passed through the large oak doors into the Great Hall, the sight of the enchanted ceiling reflecting the twilight sky above brought a sense of wonder and nostalgia. Hermione felt a twinge of excitement for the challenges and discoveries that awaited them in their sixth year, knowing it would be one of their most pivotal yet.
As they sat,the tables, adorned with golden plates and goblets, were filled with students eagerly chatting about their summer vacations and speculating about the year ahead.
The Gryffindor table, where they usually sat, was already buzzing with the energy of their fellow housemates. To the left, the Slytherin table was lined with students, their expressions varying from smug to indifferent. She caught herself searching for two silver eyes,but she stopped herself immediately.
On the opposite side, the Ravenclaws were engaged in deep conversations, likely about their summer readings, while the Hufflepuff table exuded warmth and friendliness, as always.
The trio found their usual spots at the Gryffindor table,Hermione on one end and Harry and Ron across her,Harry shaked his head. "Of course he is not,but we shouldn't give so much credit to Malfoy guys,it's just Malfoy,it's certain he is gonna be a jerk."
Hermione nodded in agreement and looked around as thousands of students sat on their tables while after what felt like two minutes,Mc Gonagal entered with a bunch of first years which made Hermione smile. As they passed from the Gryffundor table fo reach the shorting Hat,she noticed some look terrified,they also had Ron's scared expression from when they were at their first year. Others were enthusiastic and in awe, so shocked by this whole...magical scenery unfolding infront them,that all they could do was smile widely.
They reminded her of Harry when she first glanced at him,in the train and then next to her in line as they waited for their name to be called to learn in what house they'd be in.
Some little kids also seemed really anxious,agony across their faces.
As the first years passed by the Gryffindor table, Hermione spotted a small blonde girl with bright blue eyes, near the end of the line. The girl looked particularly anxious, her hands fidgeting nervously as she glanced around, her eyes filled with the same mix of excitement and fear that Hermione remembered feeling on her own first day at Hogwarts.
Catching the girl’s eye, Hermione offered her a warm, encouraging smile, hoping to ease some of her nerves. The blonde girl hesitated for a moment, then smiled back shyly, some of the tension visibly easing from her shoulders.
"Come on children,quickly,quick!" Minerva Mc Gonagal exclaimed as she lead the sea of first years up to the Shorting Hat.
The truth was that Hermione Granger was never one to ask for help with any problem she had, or any feeling she dealt with,she was usually the one who gave very good advice and was useful to others. So it was not a big surprise that she decided not to say anything to her friends about her panic attack, or rather her non-panic attack, that she suffered earlier.Which someone probably caused her, because there was no other way to bloody explain ,whatever it was that nearly killed her,or at least it felt like it. Something went wrong, even Draco-even Malfoy, pointed that out.
It was also obvious that the curly haired brunette didn't say anything to Harry and Ron about either of her two interesting encounters with Draco Malfoy, their sworn enemy. The selfish, arrogant narcissus with the platinum hair and the ironic style, who happened less than an hour ago, to have saved her life precisely after she saw him inside a comparatment alone,and exhausted.
Her eyes began to wander the Great Hall, observing everyone, when her gaze locked with two silver eyes that collided with hers at the same time.
She turned her head in another direction almost as quickly as the Slytherin prince stared down at his silver, empty, plate.
Draco Malfoy glared at his plate so hard that if a look could kill,the plate would be shattered by now. Not that Draco couldn't actually shatter it with his magic,he had been practicing a lot over the summer,not just practicing but mastering a lot of spells and of course,wandless magic,which he would need. As it was requested.
He felt his stomach clenching and slowly looked up searching for a certain brunnete,he managed to find her sitting and laughing to something probably dumb that Weasleybee has said,he watched how her smile widened and her eyes lit up when Ginny Weasley,sat next to her smiling and giving her a tight hug.
Draco shaked his head, subconsciously slapping him self as he glanced if anyone saw him,of course no one payed attention to him.
Right now.
No one was paying attention to him right now,because everyone was too caught up catching up with their own friends and he couldn't be more grateful. He sighed silently as conversations spread all over the Great Hall,he hated this place,not as much to see it burn in ashes though.
Draco gulped and squeezed his eyes shut. Into his mind Hermione Granger popped up breathless,struggling to stay conscious. He shot his eyes open again and his brain started working non stop.
He had seen that. He had seen people,he had seen men flounder like fish under the influence of this spell,just like she did.His jaw clenched. Mainly because his father had created it. For...interrogation purposes. Obviously for the sake of a certain person, if he could even be considered a person.
It was the first time in his life that his father's cruel teaching paid off,his daily trainings, all day and of course all night, the evenings when he sat alone in the library of the huge Malfoy Manor, reading books with spells and potions that Hogwards did not have in its possession.
His father had used this spell on a man, a father of one 4 year old girl and 11 year old boy,if Draco could recall right,in order to learn some information, information that Lucious Malfoy forbade his son to ask about, despite forcing him to stay and watch.
Everything.
As the life left the man's black eyes, he tried to tug at Draco's cloak in an attempt to call for help, but Draco simply looked at him with an impassive gaze as the man defuncted infront of his trembling legs.
Draco Malfoy didn't want to see Hermione Granger defunct infront of him.
Of course she wouldn't, he could sense it.
Whoever casted that spell on her,wasn't powerful enough and the spell it self wasn't mastered by the person either,it was strong but of course,not like when his father casted it.
So she wouldn't die.
So why was he so worried she would?
And even if she was about to die,why was he so concerned about Hermione bloody Granger? The Gryffindor Princess? The bloody mudblood.
"I would start bawling my eyes out if I was Draco's plate." Someone joked,which made him jerk up and lose his train of thought.
He was unsure of who exactly said it but given the fact all of them laughed looking at Blaise he assumed it was him.
"Real funny. Really witty." Draco mumbled a small smirk forming on his lips.
Blaise Zabini,he transferred three years ago and also happened to be his best friend,maybe his only real friend. Crabbe and Goyle? They were idiots, he didn't hate them, he had for them some...respect? A concern? Given that they were together from a young age, but they both behaved as if they were his minions, at first he liked it, but as Draco grew older, no matter how much he said that he wanted everyone to fear him, which he succeeded in, he didn't want them to be scared of him, he needed friends not slaves who did what he told them.
"You know mate,you are either really hungry or you hate silver plates."
A giggle came from next to his ear and he turned to look at a green eyed brunnete laughing at what Blaise said.
He guessed he could consider Pansy as a friend too. It was a weird situation between them. Pansy Parkison and Draco Malfoy were meant for eachother, at least according to their parents and most Slytherins who adored their King and Queen. They had been childhood friends long before either started attending Hogwards. Pansy was his first time and she was his so they shared...something.
He was never in love with her though,he didn't even like her that way,he couldn't see her as more than a friend but she had a crush in him since forever.
They used to date when they were 14,which made their parents very proud given the fact their families were close. Thirsty for more power.
As they both grew up,Draco told her he wasn't ready for a relationship so they broke up.
Three years later at 17, he could confidently say that Pansy probably didn't want him anymore, at least not romantically, to be perfectly clear they still had sex whenever they wanted. Especially in the last year, Draco could break out all his pent up anger and distress by fucking her, and she had left him because she still had feelings, now she just thinks it's fun, and he has some plesure in all the pressure he's under.
Not that he wasn't inding plesure in other desperate girls too. Almost every time he felt like it since he was 16.
Draco could say that he loved her as a person, just like he loved Blaise. Maybe they were the only people ,along with his mother ,who he didn't want to hit himself when he used the word love for.
Just a tiny segment of love though, one for all of them. He didn't trust love. He didn't want it. He didn't feel like he was truly loved.
It was like a little rusty shelf,that he had placed only those three people in and hid it away,too shameful to look at , even for himself.
"You are not funny Zabini,do you want to take the plate's place? You will for sure start bawling your eyes then." Draco Malfoy smirked arrogantly at him self and heard some snickers feeding his pride as Blaise shaked his head smiling as he threw his hands up in surrender.
"You win Malfoy. You win,again. " the others attention went back to their conversations.
His usual group of people was obviously Crabbe and Goyle,who were chewing on food like idiots and laughing with eachother,Pansy who was being a bitch to a girl next to her as she always was,which sometimes irritated him because she actually had a great personality but she always chose not to show it.
She always said 'I guess it is better to be feared' but Draco knew it was just a defending mechanism from the world. Her family. Basically everyone.
Then there was Theodore Nott,he came into the school last year and he immediately became popular,firstly because Draco liked him and let him hang out with them and secondly because he was a good-looking ,arrogant ,brunnete guy with green eyes,so the female population was won over in an instant.
He was having chit chat right now with Marcus Flint. He never liked the guy,when he was younger he used to idolize him since he was leading the quidich team besides him being a jerk to him,then he reminded himself and him who Draco Malfoy was.
Now he was the one being idolized.
Nothing was special about Marcus really,he could die and Draco wouldn't care,truth to be told he was hanging out with him because of the group,he surely had the power to just kick him out and no one would have a say in it,but he didn't care.
There were a few more superficial members of the group like Astoria Greengrass and Lorenzo Berkshire, but they didn't matter either.
They were there because Draco Malfoy let them be there.
Only when Blaise Zabini leaned a bit forward over the table and whispered quietly,did Draco realize he had zoned out.
"Hey mate,are you okay? You seem off."
He felt Pansy next to him tense besides continuing her conversation.
She was listening too.
He looked at Blaise again and nodded,smirking as conveniently as he could. A mask covering his whole demeanor, a mask Blaise could clearly see through but decided not to point It out.
"Yeah,i just want this ridiculous thing to end and then sleep. I feel like I'll fall asleep on the bloody chicken." Blaise snickered and nodded." Well-" His bestfriend was cut by a loud clear voice which also stopped short all the other conversations in the Great Hall,creating nothing but loud silence.
"My dear children welcome back to Hogwarts of Witchcraft and Wizardry, it's lovely to finally see so many lively faces again. Some familiar and some new" Dumbledore narrowed his eyes and looked at the first years through his nearsighted glasses with a smile before continuing.
"Before the shorting for our first years take place,I'd like to say some things. Firstly I'm happy to announce to you that we have a new professor for the class of potions, Horace Slughorn!" He said and whispers spread across the room.
"What about Snape?"
"Who is that guy?
"Did Snape retired or something? I hope he did."
Hermione,Harry and Ron all looked at eachother enigmaticaly but didn't get to say anything when an old man with dark grey hair and a smile waving at all of them,appeared on the dais where all the teachers and headmaster Albus Dumbledore were standing.
"Hello students,I'm so happy to be back into this wonderful school that I happen to have teacher over a decade ago. You all look so...ambitious, I'm grateful I'll be able to coopora-"
"Yes Horace,please save us the speech."
Severus Snape appeared right behind him with a subtle smirk as his black robes were stroking the marble floor. There were some chuckles from the Slytherin table as Slughorn nodded smiling one last time and stood to the side.
Albus Dumbledore not so enthusiastic as before stepped next to Snape gesturing to him." And after a lot of tries,finally 'Defense Against the Dark Arts' that only students of the fifth year and then will be able to attend,will be taugh by Severus Snape."
The Slytherin table turned wild,cheering and clapping theis hands together laughing. The goldern trio synchronized a long,tired sigh.
Great,now Snape would be an even bigger pain in the ass,and he was also teaching a class that Harry didn't trust him to.
A class that reminded him awfully much of Lupin and his uncle,Sirius Black.
"Yes yes,thank you Albus." Snape mumbled with his characteristic low voice, his black as the eclipse eyes searched the room,until his eyes locked with Harry Potter's. It was like a staring contest only Hermione had noticed. Out of a sudden,his black eyes turned to her honey ones and her lips parted by the surprise, Harry Potter turned to look at her and Hermione broke the eye contact with Snape,looking at Harry as curiously as he did.
"This chicken is amazing." Ron murmured,snapping them both out of their stupor, they turned to look at him as he chewed on a piece of chicken, Hermione slapped his hand with a critical look.
"Ronald Weasley! You are not supposed to eat before Dumbledore finishes his speech!"
Before Ron could protest, Harry let out a chuckle and added, "One would think you would have learned by years now."
"Don't bother you guys,it's a miracle he haven't eaten the whole table yet." Ginny chimmed in after cutting her conversation with Padma who sat on her left.
Ron Weasley smirked and shrugged his shoulder "I am just very hungry."
Harry,Ginny and Hermione spoke at once with an unamused look." You are always hungry."
Albus spoke up again with his loud and firm voice." Through out this school year,there will be more announcements. The last announcement for today, as I don't want to delay the Shorting Hat ceremony any further, is that the west wing of the 5th floor is off limits to all students and teachers.Now,let the ceremony and the feast begin." He sat back to his chair as he dropped this massive bomb that of course the Golder trio and Ginny were curious about.
The laughter, the discussions and the happy voices started immediately after Dumbledore hit his silver goblet with the metal fork, creating the characteristic sound that marked the beginning of the meal, but also the ceremony of the Shorting Hat.
There were also hushed discussions regarding the forbidden wing of the 5th floor, discussions that Hermione couldn't focus on as Ginny Weasley leaned over the wooden table looking at all three of them, frowning. "Forbidden wing? Why would there be a forbidden wing all of a sudden?"
Hermione nodded first looking at the girl with the bright red hair, then turned her gaze to the two pairs of blue eyes.
"Exactly. Dumbledore didn't even mention the reason the wing was closed, which makes it even more suspicious."
The dark haired boy nodded thoughtfully as he felt a skewer on his head,right at his scar,but ignored it mumbling in a low voice. "Hermione's right. Something tells me that whatever this is, it's not good."
Ron Weasley groaned as he kept on chewing a piece of the delicious chicken the elves had cooked." When is it ever good?"
"We will figure it out,for now let's just...enjoy it okay? There is no need to get so worked up. It might be nothing."
Hermione suggested encouragingly in an attempt to reassure them, and indirectly reassure herself who really hoped that this was all a misunderstanding and that this year would be normal and good in contrast to the previous ones.
This year, the Head Girl and the Head boy would be chosen, who organized everything and were the supervisors of the entire school.
She remembered how much she envied and admired Ron's older brother, Percy Weasley, when he was Head Boy and she would ask him endless questions about it late at night in the common room.
He would always answer her politely, willingly.
That was all before he too became a jerk and left his family behind.
They all nodded not responding to her so she assumed it was okay. Her insides clenched,her stomach growled but she didn't even take one bite until the feast ended.
The Shorting Hat did its magic and the only name Hermione managed to retain was that of the blonde girl she had smiled encouragingly at earlier, who happened to be placed in Gryffindor.
The curly haired brunnette,started believing that if she consumed anything but water, she would become nauseus, and the heaviness in her chest had not completely lifted despite the heroic intervention of Draco Malfoy.
Heroic?Malfoy? She scoffed at the thought.
Which was a reason why that same night, her feet came into contact with the cold wooden floor of her dorm, sending shivers down her spine, when she placed all her weight on her feet the floor creaked and she cursed herself. Right next to her own bed was Ginny's so she tried really hard not to wake her, which she succeeded in.
She was wearing a long white nightgown and her hair was untied, reaching her bare shoulders gently. She tip toed and grabbed her wand from the bedside table, slowly walking out of her dorm, heading to the common room.
Hermione whispered softly at the painting with the fat lady. "Forbidden fruit."
The door opened slowly and Hermione mumbled a thanks even thought the fat lady gave her a critical look,she walked past it and the door closed behind her.
It was past carefew so she tried to be as quiet as she could so Flinch wouldn't hear her and especially this infuriating cat of his,Ms. Noris.
Hermione rounded the corner, her footsteps quiet on the cold stone floor, but as she did, she froze mid-step and instinctively pressed herself against a nearby pillar. Her heart raced as she clutched her wand tightly against her chest, as if trying to keep it—and her rapid heartbeat—from giving her away. The corridor was dimly lit by a few flickering candles, casting long shadows that danced eerily on the walls. In the darkness ahead, she saw Severus Snape, his dark robes blending almost seamlessly into the shadows, pinning a tall, muscular man with familiar platinum hair against the wall.
Hermione’s breath hitched as she recognized Draco Malfoy, his face twisted in anger and frustration. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to steady her breathing, knowing that if she made even the slightest noise, she would be caught. But she also couldn't help but strain her ears, focusing intently on the tense whispers between the two men.
"You're playing a dangerous game, boy. Don't be a fool," Snape whispered, his voice low and menacing. Hermione could barely make out his words, but the tone sent shivers down her spine.
Malfoy’s voice, sharper and louder, cut through the stillness of the corridor. "Don't tell me what to do!" he hissed, the sound of robes rustling indicating that he had shoved Snape off him. "I know what I'm doing. Don’t meddle in my business."
"Draco, I promised your mother—"
"My mother isn't here. No one is, so do me a favor and stop this hypocrisy of the protective mendor. I can protect myself. I can do it. Even he knows I can, he's given me all the leeway this year to prepare and next year ill be ready to-"
Suddenly, a soft mewing sound echoed from the shadows beside her. Hermione gasped and stumbled, her heart nearly stopping as she realized the source of the noise: Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat. The blood drained from her face as she realized her mistake. The slight noise she made was enough to attract attention, and she knew that any second now, Filch would be on his way.
Bloody cat.
She tried to remain absolutely still,her breath stuck in her throat, but the dread in her chest only grew when she heard Malfoy stop speaking. She could almost feel the piercing gaze of Mrs. Norris on her, and she knew that any second now, Snape or Malfoy would discover her presence. Flinch would come running down this corridor,and yet she still couldn't stop herself from remaining frozen at the thought of Snape and Malfoy's discussion. What were they talking about? Who was he?
"Who's there?" Snape snarled his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. Hermione’s heart pounded in her chest, and she felt a cold sweat break out on her forehead. The sound of approaching footsteps made her panic, but before she could react, Draco’s voice echoed coldly through the corridor, filled with the arrogance she had come to loathe. A voice that now kind of saved her.
"It's probably this stupid cat," Draco muttered dismissively",don't avoid the conversation. You are not my dad Snape,I'll be fine. You'll see. I'll make it. And I'm gonna make my father and him proud. So stay,out,of,my,way." He snarled sharply and after Snape let out a heavy sigh, Hermione seized the opportunity.
Summoning every ounce of courage she had, she quickly but quietly slipped away from the pillar and darted toward the library entrance. Just as she managed to slip through the large wooden doors undetected, she heard Filch’s heavy footsteps approaching the corridor.
The brunette girl slid down the library's huge wooden door and whispered.
"Sonorus"Hermione whispered urgently, pointing her wand at the door.
Now she could hear more clearly Flinch and the other two,besides the fact they were on the other side of the wall.
"Bloody Malfoy and-oh...professor Snape? What are you doing here?" Flinch's voice started off with an annoyed, almost gleeful edge, likely at the thought of catching Draco out of bounds. But it quickly faltered into confusion as he recognized Snape.
"Mr. Malfoy was just heading to his dorm,in the dungeons. It's past curfew so i came to confront the young man,and you really shouldn't be asking me what I am doing here,Flinch." Snape replied, his tone dripping with condescension.
Draco, sounding as though he was barely restraining an eye roll, cut in quickly, "Yes, I was just leaving, so bye and goodnight."
"But—" Flinch began, but Snape’s strict voice interrupted him. "Have a good night, Flinch."
The corridor fell silent again, leaving Hermione alone with her racing thoughts.
What had she just witnessed?
It felt like more than just an argument—there was something deeply unsettling about the exchange. Malfoy was up to something, and Snape, despite his supposed role as a protector, seemed complicit.
The secrecy of their conversation in a dark, deserted corridor only added to Hermione’s suspicions.
And just like that the corridor turned quieter and the thoughts in Hermione's head,louder.
What even was all that? Was she reading too much into this conversation?
But still,it was Malfoy,basically their mortal enemy and Snape wasn't exactly fond of her,or Harry and Ron.
It sounded like they were scheaming but maybe she was wrong.
The girl found it utterly strange however that they had this conversation,in the middle of the night,in the middle of a dark corridor away from sore eyes.
It was suspicious and she didn't trust Malfoy. She didn't trust him at all.
"Lumos" She whispered after catching her breath,her voice barely audible in the vast emptiness of the library.A spark of intense white light flared at the tip of her wand, casting long, eerie shadows across the towering bookshelves.
The Hogwarts library, usually a place of comfort and solace for her, seemed almost menacing in the dead of night, with its dark corners and endless rows of books stretching into the darkness.
It had been three months since she last set foot in this haven of knowledge, and she realized just how much she had missed it. The library was a treasure trove, filled with countless volumes on every subject imaginable. Even though she had often dreamed of reading every single book within its walls, Hermione knew it was an impossible task. Yet, that didn’t stop her from trying.
She walked slowly through the darkened aisles, her wand providing the only light besides the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the enormous windows that lined the walls. The silence was profound, broken only by the soft sound of her footsteps and the occasional creak of the old wooden floorboards. Despite the familiar surroundings, the oppressive quiet and the shadows made the space feel slightly foreboding.
Her mind focused on the words 'intesional panic attack' 'spells' and in general all her symptoms she had in the train,momenteraly forgetting Malfoy's and Snape's conversation.
She needed answers, and she hoped the library could provide them.
Taking a deep breath, Hermione stopped in front of one of the long wooden tables and closed her eyes, concentrating. With a twist of her wand, she murmured, "Accio."
There was a faint rustling sound as three books responded to her command. One came from a nearby bookshelf, another from a distant part of the library, and the third—a thick, heavy tome—emerged from the Restricted Section, its ancient cover slightly dusty. The books floated gracefully through the air and landed softly on the table in front of her.
Hermione gulped, feeling a mixture of anticipation and anxiety as she sat down. The table, large and imposing, seemed to amplify the quietness of the room. She pulled the book from the Restricted Section closer to her, its leather-bound cover worn with age and use. She could feel the weight of the knowledge it contained, and the secrets that might be hidden within its pages.
Hermione opened the book and began her research. The dim light from her wand illuminated the old parchment as she read, her eyes scanning the text for anything that might explain what had happened to her on the train earlier.
What caused her this...panic.
The words were dense, filled with complex spells and theories that required all of her concentration to decipher. None of them close to what she was searching for.
Despite the eerie atmosphere, Hermione’s focus was unwavering. She was determined to uncover the truth, no matter how unsettling it might be. The library, with all its hidden corners and forgotten knowledge, held the answers she sought. And she wouldn't rest until she found them.
•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•
After what felt like two exhausting hours of pouring over texts, Hermione let out a frustrated groan and slammed the third book shut. The sharp sound echoed through the empty library, emphasizing her growing irritation. She rubbed her temples, trying to ease the pounding headache that had developed from the strain of intense focus. Fatigue weighed heavily on her, but she couldn't just give up. Something deep inside her insisted that what she had experienced earlier wasn't just a panic attack—it felt too sinister, almost like one of the Unforgivable Curses. But how could she be sure? She had never experienced any of those curses firsthand, thankfully, and the uncertainty gnawed at her.
Her eyelids grew heavy, and for a brief moment, she allowed them to close, her mind desperately needing a reprieve from the endless worrying.
But just as she was about to drift into a brief respite, a cold shock surged through her veins. Her eyes shot open, wide with alarm, as a cold palm clamped over her mouth, silencing the scream that threatened to escape.
Before she could fully register what was happening, a strong arm yanked her up from the chair, pulling her forcefully against a hard, muscular chest.
Her heart pounded wildly as her mind raced in panic. She tried to fight back, reaching up with her hands to grab at the one that was suffocating her, but her attacker was too strong, easily immobilizing her.
She was on the verge of a full-blown panic when a familiar, menacing whisper froze her in place. "Didn't mommy and daddy ever tell you not to eavesdrop, Granger?"
~~~~~~~