the prisoner - f.weasley

- c h a p t e r - t h i r t e e n -

    Gemma's face drained of all colour as Hermione passed her the letter.

    There were tear stains all over the page that nearly destroyed the message, but Gemma read:

Dear Hermione,

We lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts. Execution date to be fixed. Beaky has enjoyed London.

I won't forget all the help you gave us.

Hagrid 

  

        "They..." Gemma shook her head in anger. "They can't do this! They can't! Buckbeak isn't dangerous!"

        "Malfoy's dad's frightened the Committee into it," Hermione wiped her eyes. "You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope... Nothing will have changed."

    "Yeah, it will," Ron retorted firmly. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help."

    "Oh, Ron!"

    Gemma watched in surprise as Hermione hugged the tall boy tightly and wept into his chest.

    Ron gave Gemma a What do I do look?

    Gemma made a gesture for Ron to comfort Hermione, and he resorted to patting her head which was good enough for Gemma, who was just relieved that they were gonna be friends again.

    "Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers..." Hermione wept when she pulled away.

    "Oh — well — he was old," Ron cleared his throat, shrugging. "And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now."

    Gemma tried to grin, but she was too distracted to do so as she became anxious to talk to Hagrid during Care for Magical Creatures class.

    When she ran over to him, she could already see the effects of his sorrow written all over his features.

    He looked hollow and oh so very hopeless.

    "S'all my fault..." Hagrid explained, his dark eyes filled with a variety of emotions. "Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me, Hermione, Gem. An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em..."

    Gemma's blood boiled under her skin at his words.

    Stupid Malfoys.

    "There's still the appeal!" Ron exclaimed, his voice vicious. "Don't give up yet, we're working on it!"

    Gemma's ears perked as she listened to Draco and his stupid friends laughing from ahead.

    Part of her wanted to run up the hill they were hurrying up and just punch him, but she had gotten into enough trouble over the last few years and did not want that pile of reports to keep growing.

    But when they reached the entrance of Hogwarts and she heard Draco laugh, "Look at him blubber! Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic? And he's supposed to be our teacher!"

    As if moving on a track, all four of the best friends moved towards the Slytherin boys, but Hermione reached them first.

    With an unquenchable fire, Hermione wound up her hand and hit Draco square across the face.