How Hard Could It Be?
As Hermione was scrubbing the last of the cauldrons, detention already has been let out, but she refused to not do what she was supposed to do. Everyone had left, including Snape, but not without him giving a warning that he had eyes all over the castle. She thought she was the only one in the room, but alas, she was wrong. As she turned around, taking off her gloves, she came face to face with Malfoy.
"What do you want" She glared, already annoyed as her hands were aching.
"Just wanted to know why little Miss Goody Goody went crazy?" He continued.
"First the hair, and now your attitude? You are on a roll Granger" Malfoy snickered.
Hermione rolled her eyes and walked past him, dumping her gloves in the bin. It was dark out, and nearly no one was in the halls. The only sound that could be heard were Malfoy's footsteps trailing after hers. They walked in silence for a bit before she gave in to the silence.
"Why is everyone so hung up on Quidditch? It's just a stupid game! I mean, I get loving a sport, but bullying one because they don't is crazy!" She ranted.
As Hermione continued on her anti-quidditch rant, Malfoy stopped in his tracks. As soon as Hermione realized she only heard the sound of her footsteps. She turned around and raised her eyebrow at Malfoy.
"Wait, so you mean to say you got detention because you dislike Quidditch?" He chuckled.
"Of course not!" Hermione hollered.
"I got detention because I decked Flint in the nose and sent him to the infirmary" And with that being said, she stormed off toward the Gryffindor common room, leaving Malfoy behind, staring at her as she walked away.
As she entered the common area, there were few people there. She looked around and caught Ron and Harry sitting by the fireplace playing wizard's chess. She walked over to them and sat down on the couch with a huff.
"Wow, Mione! That was great! You really showed Flint who's boss! He yelled happily.
"Are you okay?" Harry asked, looking away from the chessboard.
"No! I'm not okay!" Hermione yelled, maybe a wee bit too loudly as some were staring to look over. "Why is it such a crime that I can't play or even want to learn about Quidditch?"
"It's just a game and it is never that serious!"
Ron and Harry glanced at each other, saying nothing.
"What? You think I'm wrong?" She questioned.
"No, it's not that, it's just that..." Harry started. The murmuring was making her annoyed.
"What is it? Speak up."
"It's just that everyone knows that every proper witch or wizard understands quidditch!" Ron huffed.
"Even if they don't know how to play" He mocked.
Proper? What did he mean proper? Hermione looked towards Harry to see if would say anything in her defense, but he continued staring at his chess piece.
"So what? You guys are saying I'm not a proper witch because I don't like some dumb game?" It seemed like that was the last straw for Ron.
"Hermione, don't you see? This is exactly why so many people doubt you! Everyone loves quidditch, whether they're new to the wizarding world or not!"
Everyone was now staring at their little group. Tears were now threatening to spill from her eyes. She looked around and even though she couldn't actually hear anyone, she felt them all laughing at her.
She stormed up the stairs, leaving Ron and Harry behind.
"Wait! Mione!" Harry's voice traveled.
She slammed the door shut. And crashed on her bed. As her curtains closed, she heard Lavander.
"Gosh, what's up with her?"
Is this what people actually thought of her? That she wasn't a "real" witch? All her accomplishments diminished to being able to understand some game. Tears started streaming down her cheeks. She could now feel herself turning red.
She couldn't think of anything other than the whispers she knew were around her. Not her Charms essay she had due tomorrow, or her history project she was getting a head start on.
Hermione cried herself to sleep that night.
The next day, she got up earlier than she usually did with puffy cheeks. She spent 10 minutes in total trying to minimize the redness in her face.
Hermione got up that morning, certain about one thing.
She was a Real Witch. And she was going to do whatever it took to prove that FACT to everyone.
She walked to the best place to get new information. It was also coincidently her favorite place. The Library.
Hermione walked in, smiled at the librarian, and went into a section she never thought she would enter again after her initial Wizarding World information search.
The sports section.
Since it was so early, not many people were up, and if they were, they were in the Great Hall eating breakfast.
She skimmed for a while, before stopping for the Quidditch books. She picked three out. One book on the history of quidditch, one on best quidditch techniques, and one she was not very proud to have taken, "Quidditch for Dummies".
As she turned away from the bookshelf, she was met with a disbelieving laugh.
"Quidditch? This is comedy cold." Malfoy laughed meanly. Malfoy was one of the few people who she didn't want to see this morning, or any morning for that matter. "Why do you have those, Granger? It couldn't possibly be your attempt at understanding Quidditch"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Malfoy. My business doesn't concern you." As she was about to storm off.
"I hope you don't think you'll be able to learn quidditch by reading a book," Draco questioned while crossing his arms.
"It doesn't concern you," She scoffed and she walked off.
What does he know? She's learned almost everything out of her books, and a quidditch one wouldn't be any different.