A/N: Hello lovely readers! If you're new to my story welcome :) if you've been here before, thank you to infinity and beyond for staying with me! I've been so busy with so many things recently! I'm preparing to go on holiday and then there's school starting back up at the end of the month…Not to mention, I've been cheating on the Harry Potter series with the Divergent Trilogy (plus the fourth random book) I fell in love (well sorta, at least I love the concept and characters!)
Anyway, enough about me! Let's get to the story. This chapter is really a set up chapter for more exciting things to happen, but it also has a great moment between Ron and Harry. Please, please tell me what you think! What did you like? What didn't you like? I'm open to all compliments, criticism, and feeback as long as it is done in a respectful manner :) Even if you just want to say update more or love this story, it gives me motivation to write faster! I love hearing from you guys!
Lozzy035: Right?! I was kinda excited as well…Ginny/Harry are not my cup of tea! Hermione will have more help in the coming chapters, although they might not know what exactly they're doing! You'll see very soon! Maybe Draco only thinks he likes Ginny…the next chapter will be more revealing and have more Draco in it for you Draco lovers :) I'm trying! I'm trying! :)
Covered in Bruises: I'm sorry you feel that way. I know it's a little weird that I like Draco, but I like to think everyone in the world has a good soul. There are reasons that he is the way he is, and maybe with some help he can be fixed…it might involve medicine, it might involve therapy, but I hope everyone can be healed. It can be a tad irrelevant, but I think you'll see that he's maybe not essential, but fun to have in the story for another subplot!
Jharry 1960: I always welcome and enjoy reading what you have to say! :) I do love how you redeemed Draco (the PM) and I'm thinking about adding that in, but now I'm also considering another option regarding Draco's future…I'll ask you about that! I really think your input is helping my stories become better! I love the Ginny/Oliver pairing! I think that will happen, although it won't be a major point of the story. I agree, Ron never loved Hermione. We know that, but does Ron? Do you think he knows that difference between loving and wanting to love? A few questions to leave you with, and I hope you keep reviewing! Hijack away :)
EisleyGirl: Thank you so much! That's so sweet to hear! Let me know what you like and what you don't! You never know if I'll agree and incorporate something you've said! (with acknowledgment that it was your idea, of course!)
ElizabethAnneSoph: You're right, we all know where that plot line is going…although it may take longer than I had anticipated…Yay! Both of them will acknowledge their feelings, but acting on those feelings are another issue…Yes, Draco surprised me a bit as well, but his plotline may change a bit. I'm not sure exactly where he'll go, but somehow he will be redeemed.
Guest: Oh how I wish you would sign in/create an account! Then I could know who to thank for the review! :) Touché about Luna sitting at the wrong table…I didn't even think about that when I wrote it! It was just because I wanted to show that she was more incorporated in the group somehow. Sorry about not remembering when Susan's parents died, in all honesty, I skimmed the books and probably missed that part or forgot about it. I didn't mean to change cannon. I agree McGonagall would be very busy as headmistress and head of house, but I honestly don't see anyone more fit to look over the Gryffindor House, do you?
Thunderlee: Woah, I didn't even consider that pair! Why do you like Draco/Luna? It seems so foreign to me, so I'm curious about your take on it! I'll keep it in the back of my mind however! Thanks for reviewing, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Vegasman59: I completely agree that Draco cannot completely change; maybe he really hasn't…We'll have to wait and see! Do you have a certain foreign witch in mind or just another creation? I kind like Ron and Susan Bone; I've never thought about them together either! What made you suggest them? I also like the Ginny/Dean suggestion, but I really like Ginny/Oliver Wood! Can you see them together? Why/why not?
Pawsrule: I'm glad you're enjoying my story! I'm sorry to take a lot longer than I usually do on the next chapter! I've been so busy this week! In addition to the end of the summer, I'm moving so that's been a big focus this week! I hope you like this chapter and thanks for reviewing!
Guest: I understand your concern; maybe it would be better if I split that up so it's not so fast paced right there! I'll consider it! Yeah, I was thinking about that when I wrote it…but I wanted to try to keep all the actors and actresses from either North America or England…I guess it doesn't really matter and I would be more interesting. My thought was that the actors don't have connections to other areas and I wanted to stay true to who they were, but saying that now it doesn't really make sense. I'll consider a change!
Bee: Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm so glad you're enjoying it and it seems realistic to you! I still don't know about the Draco/Ginny…I might be going in a completely different direction which doesn't require a mate for Draco…we'll have to wait and see!
Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Harry Potter…otherwise the fourth and fifth books would not have been as painfully long…all plot and character rights go to JK Rowling (Elspeth is mine however)
Hope you enjoy!
Chapter 8:
"Oi!" Ron called from a table in the corner of the room as soon as Harry entered the Three Broomsticks. Harry sighed nervously and walked over to Ron and Luna who were both sipping cold butterbeers. "Where ya been? Where's Ginny?" Ron asked, bobbing his head from left to right trying to see if Ginny was somewhere behind Harry as he approached the table.
"Uh, she went back to Hogwarts…" Harry answered as he pulled out his seat and sat down across from Ron.
"What? Why would she do that? She was really excited to go out an hour ago," Ron continued, taking another gulp of butterbeer. Luna looked at Harry with her spectre specs still on, reading him like an open book. Ron clearly wasn't catching on as quickly as Luna.
"I don't believe Ginny wanted to sit here with Harry after he broke up with her," Luna blurted as she grabbed the untouched cup of butterbeer meant for Ginny. Harry felt as though Ron was staring daggers into him; he didn't dare meet his eyes.
"What?" Ron asked, raising his voice. He didn't dare take his eyes off Harry. "How do you know?"
"It's written all over his face…you don't need these things to see it," Luna said simply as she took off her spectre specs and waved them in front of Ron. "Can't you see it?" Luna asked looking Ron in the eye as he turned to meet her gaze; he shook his head. "Well, I'm going to get a refill," Luna stated blankly as she grabbed her cup and went to get another butterbeer from the bar, hoping that Ron and Harry would be able to work out whatever needed attention.
"You broke up with Ginny?" Ron asked sternly. Harry looked up slowly, expecting to see Ron almost in a rage, but when he did so Ron only appeared to be a little shocked.
"Well, if you ask me…I didn't think we were ever together really," Harry said quietly retracting his neck into his chest as if to seem a little confused by their entire relationship. He was trying to feel out where Ron would take this conversation.
"Well, good for you buddy," Ron smiled and sipped more butterbeer. "I never knew why you and she started dating in the first place, and to be honest, it made me a little crazy. You snogging my sister…ick!"
"Thanks for your support," Harry said sarcastically as he shook his head with a smile, relieved that Ron wasn't upset at all.
"I mean, Ginny was obsessed with you since we were little kids…it would have just been too weird if she actually ended up with you," Ron noted with a shrug. "She even planned your wedding once when she was five…it was actually quite beautiful come to think of it…" Ron said as he recalled exactly how Ginny had planned their wedding.
"Ron." Harry sighed as he took a sip of his butter beer, hoping his friends would understand how uncomfortable the conversation was making him.
"But seriously…what were you thinking?" Ron asked with a smile as he slapped the table and laughed at the thought of Harry and his little sister together. "You gotta admit…it was a little peculiar for you to choose Ginny…and especially her after Cho Chang!"
"I know…"
"I'm not saying Ginny isn't pretty or anything; I think she's decently attractive." Ron looked around the room, checking to make sure no one was listening. "But she is no Cho Chang."
"Ron!" Harry cried as he looked up at the ceiling, trying to move past how awkward the conversation had become.
"It would have been kinda cool if you two had gotten married though. We could have been brothers!" Ron smiled sadly. He had let his mind drift to the thoughts of Harry and him becoming brothers by marriage, and he would have been more than alright with it. But in the end, he didn't think he could get over Harry and his little sister snogging or even worse…shagging.
"Ron, we're already brothers," Harry smiled back at him and flicked his fingers, making a few biscuits appear before them.
"Oh, perfect! You're right Harry; how can we not be brothers already? You know me too bloody well!" Ron cried as he reached for a biscuit; his sad thoughts almost immediately vanishing. "I'm starving! I told Luna to get us some food once you and Ginny came…maybe she'll bring back some pumpkin pasties or custard tarts…Harry, if you don't mind me asking, why did you go out with Ginny in the first place?" Ron was still curious to get this information from Harry himself, because although he knew Ginny's reasons for picking Harry by heart, he could never determine Harry's exact reasons for going out with his sister.
"I'm not sure exactly… I mean one year Hermione, you and I just started hanging out with her more…" Harry honestly didn't know the answer. He knew that as they got older, Ron was less apt to push his sister out of his life completely. Ginny had also been in more of their elective classes, and she certainly had helped during the war against Voldemort. She had also made the Quidditch team. But the more Harry thought about it, the less he and Ginny had in common. Harry knew that most people needed at least some common grounds to make a relationship work, but he didn't see enough common grounds with Ginny for them to have even started a relationship.
"Well, either way, I'm glad you guys are done! Now she doesn't have to follow us around as much. We can go back to being a great threesome!" Ron shouted a bit too loudly, and a few people began to stare at the two. Harry stifled a laugh. "I meant three best friends!" Ron said loudly. "Get your minds out of the gutter people!" Ron lowered his voice and continued to Harry, "You, me and Hermione – our own special trio! We can go back to normal! None of us have feelings for each other!" Ron cried as he took a large bite of the biscuit.
Harry nodded his head in agreement, but Ron caught the quick flicker of distress in Harry's eyes. As much as Harry knew Ron, Ron knew Harry, and Ron could sense the slight unease in Harry's eyes, although most others would have simply let it be. "Harry…" Ron began as he tilted his head toward the left. "You fancy Hermione. Don't you?"
"No, Ron. Of course not! Why would you think that?" Harry asked, trying to brush his feelings aside for Ron's ex-girlfriend. How could Ron have picked up on that but not that he had broken up with his little sister? Harry asked himself.
"Harry…you may be the conqueror of Voldemort, but you're still an awful liar," Ron laughed as he took another bite of the biscuit he was holding. "I've known you for ages…what's it been seven, eight years? I don't know how I didn't see it earlier…" Ron said as Harry slid down in his seat a bit and blushed. "You're not the type to speak up over something like this…even when I went out with Hermione…you probably wouldn't have said anything, so I might even assume you've liked her since before we went out…the question is when did it all begin…" Ron continued as he stroked his chin, trying to figure out when Harry began to fancy Hermione.
"Ron, stop!" Harry said, trying to urge Ron to end the conversation.
"What? It's not like I care about it," Ron said as he patted Harry's hand that rested on the table. "I never really liked her…remember? I don't care if you go out with her…and you shouldn't either!" Ron cheered, urging his best friend to follow his heart. Ron didn't even feel the least bit jealous as his feelings for Hermione were completely in the dust. "We never did anything…" Ron looked left then right, and then cupped his hands around his mouth and whispered to Harry, "She's still pure!" Ron winked.
"Merlin, Ron!" Harry shrieked as he threw his arms up in the air. "I don't care if she's…pure…or whatever…I just don't want to step on either of my best friends' toes. You two are too important for me to lose."
"Gee thanks Harry; that means a lot to me," Ron smiled, "But don't worry! I don't have any hard feelings. You go for her…Just don't leave your best mate out to dry when you two become inseparable…" Ron said as he glanced toward Luna who was still at the bar.
"I promise." Harry smiled as he glanced in the direction Ron was staring.
"I think I might actually ask Luna to the Yule Ball, you know. So really…I'm moving on; you should too!" Ron continued making the case for reasons that Harry should ask Hermione out.
"Alright Ron," Harry smiled thinking about if he could actually work up the courage to ask Hermione to be his date to the ball.
"So how long have you liked her?"
"I don't know…" Harry said as he thought back years ago. He honestly couldn't recall when he truly saw Hermione in a different light; he knew when he realized his feelings for Hermione. That had been while he was staying at the Granger house over the summer. He still didn't know if the light he saw her in was all that different; it just seemed right to be with her. He also knew that once he realized his feelings for Hermione, he had become very nervous every time she looked at him. He would get butterflies in his stomach every time he glanced in her direction. He felt torn when he saw Hermione enjoying her time with another lad. "I'll let you know when it comes to me though…All I know is that this…this feeling's been…growing."
"Well then you certainly have to ask her to the Yule Ball!" Ron cheered as Luna arrived back at the table and sat down. She placed some chicken wings and a mound of French fries on the table as well. "Oh, wonderful! I'm starving!" Luna giggled and Harry just shook his head.
"What about this?" Neville asked as he showed Hermione a page in one of the large books he was skimming though.
"Um, I don't think Skunk Cabbage is the way to go on this, Neville," Hermione smiled as she continued to look through her book. "It only smells bad; it won't help awaken the dead."
"Right; I'll keep looking then," he said as he got up from his seat and went to get another book.
Hermione and Neville continued to flip through book after book; together they had been looking for a total of six hours. Hermione wasn't sure how many more books there were in the library; then again, she knew Madam Bunn was brought to Hogwarts this year for precisely that reason. If a book existed that could help Hermione, it was her job to find it.
"Hermione?" Neville asked again as he pushed a book toward her, "How about the Angel Trumpet? It releases many toxins that once heated correctly can-"
"So it does…" Hermione said as she continued to read where Neville had left off. When she arrived to the bottom of the page though, she knew the plant could never work. "Oh this one was so close Neville…but one of the toxins produced, no matter how we sweat the flower, is hyoscyamine. It's poisonous to humans."
Hermione continued to skim the pages of the book she had in front of her rejecting the Gympie-Gympie, the New Zealand Tree Nettle, the Spurge Laurel, and the Giant Hogweed. She knew it would be difficult to find a plant to heal the dead, but she figured with Neville's help they would have found at least one plant to use by now.
"Hermione?" a voice called from the door of the restricted section. Hermione and Neville looked up to see Ginny poking her head into the room with tears streaming down her face.
"Ginny?" Hermione asked as she motioned for Ginny to come take a seat next to her. "What's happened?"
"I just…I wanted a girl to talk to…one who I'm close to…and one who's close to him…" Ginny sniffled as she sat in the vacant seat next to Hermione. She glanced quickly at Neville and then at the table.
"I'll go ask Madam Bunn if there are any more books we could have missed," Neville said as he stood up and walked out of the Restricted Section of the library, closing the door behind him.
"I'm sorry, Hermione," Ginny said as she sniffled again. "I don't really know how I wound up here…I wanted to be alone when I came back to the castle…and then my legs carried me here."
"You all came back already?" Hermione asked as she closed the book in front of her, but not before she snuck a quill between the pages she was looking at. "It's not nearly time for the third years to come back yet."
"Not, not all of us…just me," Ginny said softly as she looked up at Hermione. Ginny took in the concern and care Hermione held in her eyes, thinking that this was the woman that Harry Potter loved. How could she ever be mad at the woman he loved?
"Why just you Ginny? What happened?" Hermione asked softly as she put a comforting hand on Ginny's shoulder. Ginny remained silent and looked down at her lap again. "It's alright Ginny; you can tell me. Whatever it is I'll help you." As much as Hermione hated that Ginny and Harry were together, she hated to see any of her friends suffering so much. She cared for Ginny just as much as any of her other friends, especially because she was one of her best friends' siblings.
"When we got to Hogsmeade, Harry just…he broke up with me…he said he never considered us a couple to begin with," Ginny sobbed and put her face in her hands. Although Hermione knew something like this might happen from her conversations with Harry, it was still somewhat of a shock to know that Harry actually broke up with Ginny.
"Oh, Ginny," Hermione said as she pulled Ginny into a hug. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry." Hermione was sorry for Ginny's suffering, but she was also excited that she truly knew that Harry did not love Ginny. Perhaps he would want to be with her now. She quickly pushed this thought away; how could she be so cruel to her one of her good friends, thinking of herself at a time like this.
"I don't know why I'm coming to you with this, but you're his best friend…and you're a girl…and you're my friend too," Ginny said as she pulled away from Hermione's hug.
"So?" Hermione questioned, waiting for Ginny to continue.
"I just…I thought you might know who he actually has feelings for…he said he might be in love with someone else, and I just thought…well…you two are always together…you seem rather comfortable…"
Hermione didn't know what to think; she did talk to Harry about virtually everything except who the other one fancied. They had only just begun to talk about their relationships this summer, so the only think Hermione knew for sure about Harry's love interest was that she was not Ginny. "Ginny. I don't know who he has feelings with…the only girls that I've talk to him about are you and Cho Cheng," Hermione paused, fearing that Harry might still have feelings for Cho; it wasn't impossible. She remembered when Harry wanted to asked Cho to the last Yule ball, and she remembered how much she wished that Harry or Ron had asked her instead. But then Viktor stepped up, not Harry. Hermione never saw Viktor as more than a friend, but she accepted his invite knowing that neither Harry not Ron would ask her. Harry might have asked her to go as friend, which would have been fun, but Ron wouldn't even ask her to go as friends back then.
"Do you fancy Harry?" Ginny asked looking into Hermione's eye trying to sense any emotions that Hermione would give away, and Hermione began fiddling with her hair. "It's alright if you do, Hermione…I just want to know." Ginny said as she looked down at her lap and the quickly back to see Hermione's eyebrows scrunched together and uncertainty pooling out of her eyes. "Harry doesn't love me…and I understand…and I want him to be happy. I think you might make him happy." Ginny smiled, waiting for Hermione to respond. No matter the heartache Ginny was feeling at this moment, she did want her friends to be happy. And if being together is what made them happy, then she would just need to get over it.
"I've fancied him since fourth year…before he won to Goblet of Fire," Hermione sighed. She was surprised that the words just spilled out so easily. She felt relief just saying aloud what she always knew deep down. "I guess if I'm completely honest, I've like him since third year when we went back in time to save Buckbeak and Sirius, but I didn't realize until his name popped out of the Goblet. To think he had to put his life on the line in a silly tournament for me to realize it."
"But why didn't you ever tell him?" Ginny asked with a small smile. She didn't know how to feel exactly now that she knew both Harry and Hermione fancied each other; she wasn't as upset as she thought she would be, but she wasn't entirely overjoyed either.
"Well…I certainly didn't want to distract him while he was one of the competitors in Tri-Wizard Tournament. He had much too much to worry about…and he took an interest in Cho later that year…a big interest. I don't think it ever really went away until he started dating you."
"But that's just it…Harry never fancied me," Ginny admitted; another tear began to form. "Oh bullocks," Ginny mumbled as she closed her eyes and wiped the tear away, "I thought those had stopped." Ginny sniffled a little and continued, "He only agreed to go out with me when he knew you fancied Ron."
"I never really fancy Ron all that much…certainly not as much as he fancied me…and well, I thought we could give it a go because I thought Harry wasn't interested in me," Hermione answered as she put her palm on her forehead and scrunched her forehead.
"Well, now that this teenage mess is over, why don't you tell Harry that you fancy him?" Ginny suggested with a rather happy tone. "You both deserve to be happy."
"Oh Ginny," Hermione sighed as she opened her book again. "I can't…not now at least…I need to finish this project before I get involved in anything else. N.E.W.T.s would be one thing this year, but this project that I'm doing is a really big project…and a big opportunity. Maybe once I'm done…"
"What is that project again?" Ginny asked as she rested her head on her hands. "I don't remember you telling me."
"It's very secretive…I can't tell anyone without McGonagall's permission."
"You are so stubborn, Mione," Ginny said shaking her head. "Not only with school rules, but also when it comes to your love life. I mean, I could never imagine you dating my brother, and when you two went out, I was in shock. He is such a rule-breaker and you – well…you aren't." Ginny laughed.
"Hey I can too break rules…I made the polyjuice potion in my second year…and I didn't even attend school last year."
"Well both of those examples were to save the world form He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, so that doesn't even count… and the last school year didn't count for anyone, so it certainly cannot be seen as you 'breaking a rule.' We all need to attend this year to make up for it. Don't we?" Ginny asked rhetorically as she put her hands on her hips. "Come on, Hermione. Please tell him? I want you both to be happy!"
"Well I don't know for a fact that he likes my Ginny...and neither do you…I couldn't possibly admit to Harry that I like him unless I know he likes me back; for all we know he might just want to be best friends," Hermione concluded as she began to flip through more pages of plants. "Besides, until today you were with him, and I don't think he could get over you that fast. You're very attractive…much more than me-"
"Hermione!" Ginny said as she slapped her shoulder. "Don't you dare! You are gorgeous! I can't believe you think that. If you'd only hear all the boys in my year talk about you…" Ginny said as she shook her head. "Actually, you probably don't want hear it…But still you're very desirable."
"And you're smart-"
"Please, Hermione. You're the best student among all the classes!"
"And you're kind and honest-"
"As are you-"
"Are you just going to counteract everything I say?" Hermione asked with an exasperated sigh as she looked up from her book.
"Yes," Ginny said with a large smile.
"Hey, Hermione!" Neville said as he entered the room. "Madam Bunn found us two more books for the time being."
"Are you working with Neville on your project for McGonagall?" Ginny asked as she looked back and forth between Neville and Hermione.
"Well…Hagrid thought he would be able to help me with this part of the project," Hermione said as her cheeks began to redden.
"So it has something to do with plants?" Ginny asked. Hermione nodded sheepishly.
"But that's all I can tell you!"
"Oh please, Hermione!" Ginny whined as she grabbed Hermione's arm and shook it. "Can't I know? Why is it such a big secret?"
"The end result would be really catastrophic if it gets into the hands of the wrong people."
"I'm not going to tell anyone!"
"I can't, Ginny…not right now," Hermione sighed. "Maybe soon though…as soon as McGonagall allows me tell others. But not right now."
"I'm still mad at you, Hermione," Ginny growled. "You're just so stubborn!"
"Yeah, she is," Neville said as he sat down and handed one of the books to Hermione. Hermione huffed in response as she grabbed the book and opened it.
"I'm going to go wash up…maybe I'll take a bubble bath or something," Ginny said as she rubbed her eyes once more.
"Good idea, Gin," Hermione said as she began flipping through pages. "Maybe I'll join you later…I haven't exactly gotten all the dirt out of my fingers yet," she said as she stopped to pick at her nails once again.
"And the twigs," Neville piped in, pointing at Hermione's hair.
"What dirt?" Ginny asked wondering where Hermione had gone and what she had been doing to get dirt caked under her nails so badly. "Wait, were you in the F-"
"Well, talk to you later, Gin," Hermione said as she stood up and ushered Ginny toward the door. "Maybe I'll see you later? In the bath?"
"Alright," Ginny sighed and left the room.
"That was close," Neville added as Hermione closed the door leaning back on it. She smiled in response.
"Hermione?" Elspeth shouted as she entered the library.
"Dear!" cried Madam Bunn from behind her desk. "Please try to keep your voice down. There are students in here who are trying to study."
"Yeah, alright," Elspeth said as she walked toward Madam Bunn's desk. Although Elspeth was one of the top students in her class, she utterly refused to go to the library so long as she didn't have to. If there was a book she needed, she would simply check it out and read it somewhere more cozy and less dark and gloomy. "Sorry Madam Bunn…may I ask you a question?"
"Of course, Dear," she responded as she put down the book in her hands and straightened up. "What book are you looking for?"
"Oh no. I'm not here to study," Elspeth laughed at the thought of actually using the library for studying; she knew Hermione was the only person who actually used the room to its full advantage. "I'm looking for Hermione Granger. Have you seen her?"
"Oh, of course. She's visits me quite a lot in here," Madam Bunn smiled sweetly at Elspeth. "Today she came in with a boy, and they asked me where the nature and earth section was in the library-"
"Great!" Elspeth said as she turned around. "Thanks!"
"Wait!" Madam Bunn cried. Elspeth turned around and raised her eyebrow, wondering what else this woman wanted from her. "They are working in the Restricted section books. I'm afraid you can't see them right now, unless you have a prefect pass."
"But I need to speak to Hermione now!" Elspeth whined and stomped her foot. She silently hated that Hermione and she were both Gryffindors; with both of them constantly vying for top spot, although Hermione usually won, Elspeth was hardly awarded the top positions and perks that Hermione got. Although this never made her angry, and Elspeth welcomed the competition, in times like these, she wished there could have been more than just two prefects allowed.
"Why do you need her so badly?" a voice from behind Elspeth asked. She turned to see Ginny Weasley standing a few feet from her. Her eyes were red and her nose looked itchy. She was holding a few tissues in her hand, which Elspeth assumed she was using to dry her eyes.
"Um…I just wanted to talk to her…but if you want to…um…talk…I'm open to that as well," Elspeth offered seeing as her friend was clearly distraught with something. Ginny and Elspeth weren't entirely that close, but they still knew each other well. However, this would have been the first time either one of them asked the other to console them.
"I was just on my way out from seeing Hermione," Ginny admitted as she nodded in the direction of the Restricted Section of the library. "I'm all talked out right now though actually…Maybe some other time…"
"Well, alright…" Elspeth said as she nodded warmly, welcoming Ginny's friendship.
"Well do you want to see Hermione or not?" Ginny asked motioning for Elspeth to follow her. Ginny led Elspeth toward the restricted section and opened the door.
"What about the Dionea muscipula?" Neville said with Hermione leaning over a book that he was showing her as Elspeth and Ginny walked in. Hermione glanced up, noticing the door open.
"Neville!" Hermione growled as she looked up to see Ginny and Elspeth enter. "I thought you were going to bathe Ginny."
"I found someone else who wants to talk to you; you're very popular today, Hermione," Ginny smiled as she backed away from the group toward the door.
"Hi guys," Elspeth said as she took a seat across from Hermione and Neville.
"See you later," Ginny said as she began to close the door.
"By Gin," Hermione called.
"Bye," Neville added with a wave; he then immediately went back to searching through the book before him.
"What's up?" Hermione asked Elspeth as she rested her head on her hand. "How was your…outing with Malfoy?"
"It was good," Elspeth smiled as leaned toward Hermione. "Draco has a crush on Miss Ginny Weasley," she whispered.
"What!?" Hermione cried in outrage. "I know he's supposedly good and all, but seriously? He could still be an awful human being! No, scratch that…he is still an awful, dreadful human being. He's always been a lying, cheating, no good-"
"I get it, Hermione," Elspeth sighed as she shifted in her chair and fiddled with her hands. "You don't know-"
"I'll prove he's still a no-good dark wizard. I bet the first exam he'll cheat off me! He always has in the past every single-"
"But Hermione, you didn't spend a whole summer with him like I did," Elspeth offered with pleading eyes. Hermione stopped talking and shrugged, waiting for Elspeth to continue. Hermione wanted to believe Draco could change, but she certainly didn't think him capable of such a thing. And she most definitely did not know how she could ever trust him again after every awful thing he had done. "Draco's changed. His father was taken to Azkaban, and his mother isn't very much a mother at all. He's somewhat lucky to have ended up the way he did, because when we rekindled our friendship this past summer, he spent every minute he could at my house. Draco told me about his family's history, how his parents conditioned him to hate anything associated with muggles…but during the war he changed. He saw the evil in his father, in Lord Voldemort, and in himself. He's trying to change, but he just doesn't know how. His mother was no help this summer; all she did was whine, whine, whine about how she had lost her husband…she couldn't tear herself away from her self-pity to greet me when my mother and I showed up at their mansion."
"Alright, I understand Elspeth, but Draco has done many students great harm. He's going to need to prove his allegiance before any of us begin to trust him…"
"That's why I'm coming to you Hermione," Elspeth said. "You're smarter than me and anyone else at this school; you must be able to think of some way Draco can show he's not a bad person anymore."
Hermione thought for a minute. "Well, perhaps Draco should speak to someone whom he has greatly wronged first…if that person can forgive Draco, maybe others will learn to do the same as well," Hermione suggested, although she had a particular person in mind with him Draco should seek.
"Oh wonderful! Who do you think would be best?" Elspeth asked.
Neville stifled a laugh causing both girls to look at him with grave expressions. Neville explained "Well honestly, who do you think?"
"I think Draco needs to pick the person on his own," Hermione growled, causing Neville to blush. "I think Draco will know who to speak with."
"Ah, that totally makes sense," Elspeth smiled as she scooted her seat back and stood up. "I'll go speak with him right now!"
"Good luck," Neville said as he waved good bye.
"Thanks Nev," Elspeth smiled warmly and walked out of the restricted section. Before Neville continued his work, he stared blankly after Elspeth, wondering why someone so kind would be willing to help someone so evil. Then again, Elspeth was the most forgiving person he knew; she mustn't have needed much convincing to believe that Draco was good. He was a little worried about her because she was so quick to trust others, especially ones who tried to murder other students.
"Neville!" Hermione said aggressively as she snapped her fingers in front of his face. "What are you staring at?"
"Umm," Neville stuttered as he looked from Hermione to the door, "Nothing." Neville hoped Hermione wouldn't pick up on his lie. Either she did and didn't think much of it or she didn't care, so she continued to her next topic.
"What do you think about the Camas Muertes," Hermione said as she put the book under Neville's face and pointed to a section with specific information on the flower. "It has specific healing powers; many animals eat it, if they can find it, when they're very sick even near death. It's unknown whether the plant has more powers when it is cooked or brewed because it is so hard to find in nature…I'm sure this is something that can help; I don't know why I didn't think of it before. I know we don't have much to go on from this book, but I just have a feeling-"
"This is it," Neville said interrupting Hermione. "My grandmother's talked about this flower before…she said if there was one thing that could cure my parents, it would be this flower…but it's almost impossible to find. How are we going to find it?"
"It's rumored to only be found somewhere amongst the cliffs of the Tristan da Cunha Island…" Hermione sighed, reading the fine print in the book. "I guess I'm going to have to talk to McGonagall about this…"
"I'll go with you!" Neville smiled excitedly as he closed his book and got up from his seat.
"Thanks Neville, but I think I need to go about this alone," she sighed as she stood up and walked out of the room. Hermione knew McGonagall had to approve of any trips such as these, but she had a sinking feeling that she would not be allowed to go. This island was one of the most dangerous islands in the world; there were only twenty inhabitants and countless cliffs and ridges. The Camas Muertes only grew in the cracks of said cliffs, so somehow she'd have to fly on a broom and harvest this flower – all while not being seen by one of the twenty muggles living there. She had to though…the danger was worth bringing Harry's parents back.
Before Hermione knew it, she was at McGonagall's door about to knock, but before she did, she knew she was getting that flower with or without McGonagall's permission.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter…I know it's not much, but it's a lot of set up. I did a lot of planning in detail in the chapter (in my big huge story document) I know more about where the story is going in detail and hope to write more soon soon soon! I really hope you review! Happy reading and writing my lovely readers!
Love, hearts and happy reading
xoxo