We looked at each other but didn't say anything else. After a few moments I remembered why I had ran into the room and wiped at my face hoping that he couldn't see the path my tears had previously made, or my probably blood-shot eyes. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment when I realized that he had seen everything from my break down to my confrontation with Ron and Lavender. As I thought about it I realized that Malfoy had already been in the room, but for what purpose? Curiosity rang through me as I tried to figure out what exactly Malfoy had been doing. Also, why had he disillusioned himself?
"What are you doing here Malfoy?" I asked, not able to contain my curiosity any longer.
"I think I should be the one asking you that myself, but I think it's obvious that the poor Mudblood wasn't even good enough for the blood traitor. Even he didn't want to be seen with the likes of you." Malfoy's hurtful words cut through me.
I choked back the tears, not wanting him to once again see me cry tonight. I didn't care that he had called me a Mudblood, as in that moment I truly felt like one. I felt rejected and humiliated and there was no worse person to witness these feelings in you then Malfoy. He would somehow find a way to humiliate me further; the whole school would probably know by tomorrow that I had run to a classroom to cry alone. It would be horrible to have the whole school know that I was upset because Ron and Lavender are now an item. I was sure to be mocked.
Turning on my heel I headed towards the door, but before I had gone even two steps Malfoy's hand had shot out and grabbed a hold of my arm. I looked down to where his hand held onto me tightly, not sure what he was doing or what he wanted. I put my guard up instantly as I watched him curiously. He didn't do anything but held onto me and stared back. It took a while for me to notice the slight pink of his grey eyes but when I did, I realized that he had escaped to this room for the same reasons that I had. He had been looking for a place to run to that would hide him so nobody else would see the tears in his eyes. I gasped slightly, trying to figure out what could affect Malfoy so much that he had to take cover in an empty classroom. Malfoy must have known that I figured it out as he threw my arm roughly and stormed past me towards the door. When he reached it he turned back around and glared at me.
"You better not tell anyone Granger or you will wish you hadn't. So, if I were you I would keep my mouth shut." Malfoy said heatedly to me before he turned back around and left the classroom.
I stared at the empty space that Malfoy had previously been in. If I hadn't been here to witness this I would have never believed that it had happened. Maybe this was a dream, maybe Ron and Lavender weren't actually dating and I wasn't actually in a classroom by myself. I was probably lying in bed with my red covers pulled up over me, fast asleep. Closing my eyes I counted to ten before opening them again, expecting to see the sixth year Gryffindor girl's bedroom but I still only saw the grey stone walls and the brown wooden door to the empty classroom. Next I tried pinching myself, that was always supposed to wake you up from a dream, but all it did was hurt and leave a red mark on my left arm. I guess I wasn't sleeping. Everything was real from Ron and Lavender to Malfoy.
I sat down on the cold stone floor and let the tears fall once again from my face. It wasn't just the thought of Ron and Lavender that brought the tears to my eyes this time; instead Malfoy's hateful words also fueled them. I knew I couldn't be gone from the common room much longer; I at least needed to make it back before Ron and Lavender did. It was hard, however, to stop the tears. I didn't want to go back and have to pretend that I was happy for them and for the Gryffindor Quidditch team in defeating the Slytherins earlier today. It hurt to smile, to fake such a wonderful emotion in a time when all I wanted to do was drown in my sorrows.
Finally, I found the courage to stand on my feet again and head back to the Gryffindor Common Room. The walk back was long and lonesome and left me with way too much time to think about things that I didn't want to think about. As soon as I walked into the common room I regretted coming back. Everyone was still up and partying over the Quidditch team’s success; it just seemed to heighten the sadness that I felt as I watched everyone else laugh and have fun. I felt like I didn't fit in with them. A few minutes after I entered the common room Parvati walked over to me.
“How is your night going Hermione?” she asked me.
“It’s alright Parvati, and yours?” I politely asked back.
She began to tell me all about the night’s events that I had missed while I had been gone. Apparently Ron wasn’t the only Weasley being kissed in the middle of the common room as Dean had kissed Ginny not long after Ron and Lavender disappeared. Then the conversation turned to me and where I had gone to.
“Yeah Hermione, you were gone for a pretty long time. What were you doing?” Katie Bell a seventh year Gryffindor asked.
“I was, uh, I was in the library studying. Just because it’s the weekend and we have won a Quidditch match doesn’t mean that we should stop studying.” I figured that my excuse worked when Katie walked away. I looked up at Parvati, who seemed really bored with the conversation and my answer, and decided to take my leave.
I saw Harry over in a corner watching Ginny and Dean dance to the slow song that was currently playing. I knew how it felt to watch that now. To see the person you liked in the arms of another just ripped you to pieces. I walked over towards Harry and sat down next to him. We didn't say anything; it was enough for us to just be near each other to be comforted. There was nothing between me and Harry, other than friendship, although sometimes I wondered if there ever would be something more. I mean, we have been such good friends for so long and we don't get into the fights that Ron and I do. Sometimes I feel like it would just be natural for that to happen but I know that Harry's heart is already given away to Ginny, even if he doesn't realize it himself.
"I think I'm going to call it a night Harry. You did great today." I spoke to him quietly as I got up from my spot.
"Thank you Hermione." Harry called to me.
Walking up the steps to the sixth year girls’ room I felt a little better. As bad as it sounded, I was glad that I wasn't the only one wanting someone who was not available and it felt nice to have someone that I could relate with. The room was empty when I entered it. I could see that Lavender hadn't put away her makeup before going to the Quidditch match earlier as it was still littered all over her bed. Just thinking about her made me angry; all she really cared about was boys. She was nice to talk to sometimes, but most of the time she was pretty annoying. I put on my plain blue pajamas and climbed into my bed.
I laid there for over an hour, trying to fall asleep, before anyone else came up. It turned out to be Parvati Patil, which was a bit of a relief to me to know that I wouldn't have to be alone with Lavender tonight. The feelings were just too strong right now for me to be alone with her, I was afraid of what I would end up saying to her. I closed my eyes once more and tried to fall asleep. The last thing I remember seeing before finally drifting off to sleep was the face of Malfoy with his slightly pink tinged eyes.
AN: I hope you enjoyed the second chapter! Please remember to review as they help me stay inspired to write.
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