Monday came and Hermione was able to successfully avoid Ron. He tried to talk to her many times but was always surprised to find Draco at her side. On Sunday, he tried to have a word with her at the library and Draco appeared out of no where, right behind her as he glared at Ron. He wanted to say something but he couldn't open his mouth.
Monday morning, she was dressed in her robes and waiting in the common room with her book bag. After seeing how desperate Ron was to talk to her, she wanted to stay near Draco more.
Ron wouldn't dare speak to her around him, not wanting to beg for her in front of him. He questioned Harry and Ginny about why Draco was always with her but no one answered him.
She heard a door open and glanced up. Draco walked over, dropping his bag on the couch. "I see you're no longer trying to leave"He noted, sitting on the coffee table in front of her.
"Oh just be grateful for it"Hermione rolled her eyes, shifting her eyes onto the book in her lap. "It slightly terrifies me if I'm honest"He said. "So me finally agreeing into something you forced on me is now terrifying?" She questioned.
"You and I both know you're much more stubborn then this"Draco stated, leaning forward and snatching the book from her.
"You don't have to keep taking my books" She snapped, trying to reach for it but he hid it behind him. "What's changed your mind?"He asked.
"Why does it matter?"She said, leaning back in her chair as she raised an eyebrow. He held her gaze, thinking of any reasoning she might have behind it. "Have you been possessed?"He questioned. She scoffed as she got up from her seat.
"Come on, we're going to be late for Potions"She told about to walk past him before he grabbed her hand. She let out a quiet groan, her back to him. Why wouldn't he just drop it?
"You're hiding something Granger" Draco said, standing as well. "Why does it matter..." Hermione repeated in a mumble, staring at the portrait.
He stayed quiet for a bit. "It's because of Weasley, isn't it?"Draco asked. Hermione closed her eyes, before nodding slowly. There was no point hiding it, he'd notice sooner or later. To her surprise, he didn't ask questions. "Let's go then"He said, his hand still around hers as he walked out of the common room.
The way he walked was gentle and a bit slower than normal. He usually just dragged her along as they argued. Draco stopped in front of the great hall doors. "I'm guessing I won't have to drag you in?"He said. She rolled her eyes, walking past him as she pushed up the doors.
He followed after her, over to the Slytherin table. Hermione sat down next to Astoria, who was glaring at her sister in front of her. "You're annoying"Astoria snapped as Daphne grinned. Before Draco or Hermione could question it, they heard footsteps behind them. Pansy, Blaise and Theo joined them at the table.
"We're going to Hogsmead soon, Slughorn cancelled class today because there's an awful smell in the dungeons and he's scared it's toxic"Pansy told, putting food on her plate. "And McGonagall cancelled class too because she has to inspect it" Daphne added. "So we have the day off"Blaise said.
They had double Potions, double Transfiguration and a free period at the end of the day.
"Are we going to Hogsmead now?"Astoria questioned when she saw them eating quickly. "Obviously! We have to get there before everyone else! You two go change out of your robes"Pansy said, adding the last part to Draco and Hermione.
"I don't feel like going to Hogsmead-"
"You're going Granger"Draco interrupted instantly.
She glared at him, "I'll stay in my room-"
"Don't lie to me"He scoffed. "Being alone in the head dorm won't kill me"She snarled, knowing that McGonagall had added extra charms for their dorm. "Granger if you're worried about running into the press, we won't exactly be going through Hogsmead" Pansy told before Draco could speak.
"We're gonna go get some sweets and sit by the Great Lake for a bit"Blaise added.
Astoria and Daphne shared a look as Draco and Hermione continued to glare at each other. They ate quickly and left the great hall. Pansy, Blaise, Theo, Astoria and Daphne sat in the head common room as Draco and Hermione changed out of their robes. Hermione left her room soon after, wearing all black with her jacket on folded over her forearm.
She was about to sit down in the common room when the portrait announced that someone was outside. Sighing, Hermione got up and walked to the portrait. As She pushed it open, she felt a shiver come over her. She glanced behind her, practically watching Draco rush out of his room. So that was the spell they'd put around her, she thought.
Hermione turned back as she heard someone clear their throat. She pushed the portrait further open and She froze. Ron.
"Hermione, I've been trying to talk to you since I got back"Ron said, taking a step forward. Hermione stepped back, but bumped into something. Her head turned and she didn't like the wave of relief that went through her. Draco glared at Ron as he stepped to Hermione's side.
Ron glanced between the two. "Were you... err... going somewhere? Together?"He asked slowly and cautiously. "We were Weasley"Draco snapped. He heard shuffling in the common room, someone stood.
"Hermione- do you mind if we spoke for a minute?" Ron asked, turning to Hermione as he tried to contain his jealousy. "We- we really have to go"Hermione muttered, avoiding his eyes. "It's fine, I'll just talk to you in the common room-"He began as he stepped forward.
"Are you daft?"Draco barked, unintentionally taking a step closer to Hermione. "You aren't entering this dorm after that stunt you pulled in September"He snarled.
"Malfoy this doesn't involve you"Ron snapped. Hermione grabbed Draco's arm as he took a step forward, pulling him back. Ron stared at her hand, his ears going red in... anger?
"This involves me as much as it involves Granger" Draco snarled. "What are you, her boyfriend? Get out of my way!"Ron demanded as he tried to force his way into the common room. The second he passed the frame of the portrait, Ron was blasted back into the wall.
"You aren't entering this dorm"Draco repeated, glaring at Ron. Draco stepped back, his hand on Hermione's hand as he made her step back as well. The portrait closed and Draco dragged her with him back to the common room.
"What happened?"Blaise asked. He was standing as if he was about to walk over to the portrait. "Precious Weasel"He snarled, dropping Hermione's hand as she sat down in an arm chair. "What happened in September? What stunt?"Daphne asked. "What'd he do in the common room?"Astoria questioned.
The other 4 in the room glanced at Hermione, who had her eyes on her fidgeting hands. "He broke into the common room"She mumbled. They wouldn't have heard her if the room hadn't been dead quiet.
"He broke in? How?"Daphne questioned, sitting up straight. Hermione closed her eyes for a second, letting out a sigh before opening her eyes again, about to continue. "He broke in and drank his ass off"Draco spoke.
"Is he daft? For what?"Astoria scoffed. "For me"Hermione muttered. They stayed silent for a second. "Something happened..."Daphne stated rather than asked.
They were all staring at Hermione, waiting for her to go on. It didn't seem like she was going to continue. She got up and walked towards the portrait. "Come on, let's go to Hogsmead" She told, changing the subject. As the others got up, Hermione put her jacket on.
They walked out of the common room, Hermione first and Draco right behind her. Draco rolled his eyes as Hermione just stared. Ron hadn't left.
"Hermione, it won't kill you to spend a minute with me"Ron snarled. "It'll kill us, we have reservations" Astoria scoffed, walking forward. She grabbed Hermione's hand and dragged her away, the others following.
After about a corridor or two, They slowed down. "What an ass, can't take a hint" Astoria shook her head. She stopped walking suddenly before glancing over her shoulder. "But I do have one question"She said, turning to Hermione. "Whatever he did, it's the reason you can't leave without someone, right?" Astoria asked. "And the reason you've been going with her everywhere for the past 3 days?" She added to Draco.
Hermione didn't do anything, her eyes on the ground but Draco gave Astoria a silent nod. She glanced at Hermione in pity, before she began walking again. "Let's go then, no doubt a lot of people are gonna be in Hogsmead" She said.
They made it down to the main floor and walked out of Hogwarts. They got into a carriage and half way through, Pansy, Draco and Hermione got out. "We'll meet you at the hide out"Blaise told, before the carriage began moving again.
"Hide out? I thought we were sitting by the Great Lake?"Hermione questioned. Pansy and Draco exchanged a smirk before Pansy grabbed her arm and raced off, Draco walking behind them.
Pansy didn't stop till she was on the edges of the forbidden forest. "This is not the Great Lake!" Hermione snapped, glancing around. Pansy dropped her arm and walked over to the closest tree. She pulled out her wand and tapped on it 3 times. "Password?"
"Slytherin"Pansy said.
The tree split in half and moved apart slowly. Pansy walked through the tree as Hermione stayed in place, confused. Draco gave her a light push forward, and she hesitantly followed after Pansy. Draco went in as well and the tree closed. Hermione glanced around, they were still inside the forbidden forest.
"We're in an invisible room"Pansy told. Hermione looked over at her and found her sitting on a log, using it as a bench. There was many logs around, even tree stumps that had a few empty cups. "We usually come here when the common room is too full, or when we want to have our own private hangouts"Pansy explained, waving her wand and the cups disappeared.
"So this is an invisible room? No one can see us?"Hermione asked. "No one can see or hear us. Not teachers, not students, and not even magical creatures"Draco said, sitting on one of the logs.
"And how exactly did you make this?"Hermione questioned. "Oh we didn't make it. Someone wrote about it on Theo's bed, like under his mattress. It was made in 1975"Pansy told.
"Under his mattress?"Hermione repeated. "We were having a mattress fight"Draco explained, knowing what she was thinking. "It said tap the wood on the edges of the forbidden 3 times, Slytherin. And it had Half-blood Prince - 1975 signed under it"Pansy went on.
Hermione stared at her, her eyes wide. "Half blood Prince?"She repeated. "Yeah, strange name, but we were curious"Pansy shrugged. "Do you know who that is?"Draco asked, seeing the look that crossed her face. "Yeah..." She mumbled, running a hand through her hair.
How had Snape been able to make a hideout- one this extreme, at his years in Hogwarts? Sirius And Lupin graduated with him in 1978, meaning he had to be at least 15 when this was made.
"Well who is it?"Pansy questioned, sitting on the edge of the log. Hermione was about to speak when the tree rattled. Stepping to the side near Pansy, Hermione watched the tree open once more. "Oh great"Tracey snarled as she walked in, glaring at Hermione.
"Don't start Davis" Someone said behind her. Adrian Pucey walked in, and Hermione glanced at Pansy, smirking. Pansy looked away instantly, seeing Draco out of the corner of her eye, smirking at her.
"Where's everyone else?"Pansy asked after Graham Montague walked in, the tree closing behind him. "We can't leave all at once, someone would notice" Montague said.
Hermione sat down next to Pansy as everyone else came in. Sally Smith, Lily Moon, Crabbe, Goyle, Gavin pike, Millicent Bulstrode, Grayson Bletchley and Noah Urquhart, all of them were there before the others got back.
As the tree shut once more, Hermione glanced behind her when she heard talking. Blaise, Theo, Astoria and Daphne were walking over to the tree. They each had 3 bags on their arms, completely full. Daphne put her bags on the ground as she pulled out her wand.
A second later, the tree rattled again and they entered. "Perfect"Theo grinned, glancing around the invisible room. They put the bags down in the centre and sat at the only two logs left. Food was levitated up from the bags, going around and dropping at each of them.
"Isn't it great, who would've thought of this!" Theo said, leaning on the log towards Hermione. "You were about to say who the half blood Prince is" Pansy said, now remembering.
"You know who the half blood Prince is?"Blaise questioned. Some glanced over at them, overhearing their conversation. "Who is it?"Draco asked. Feeling a bit uncomfortable with how many eyes were on her, Hermione shifted in her seat before speaking. "It's Snape" She told.
They stared at her, as if waiting for her to laugh and say she was joking. "Snape? Professor Snape?" Lily Moon repeated. Hermione nodded, shifting in her seat once more.
"There's no way Snape is called the 'half blood Prince', she's lying" Tracey scoffed.
"And why is that?"They heard. They all jumped, glancing around. Gliding through a tree, a ghost stared at them, the ghost of Severus Snape.
They stared at him like they'd just seen Voldemort. "H- How?"Draco muttered, staring at his Godfather. "Minerva just accepted my ghost to enter Hogwarts" He said simply, his eyes wandering to each person there. "Well if it isn't Ms. Granger, what's brought you here?"Snape questioned.
"She's my sister Professor"Blaise told before Hermione could open her mouth.
"Mhm, you were a bit too powerful for a muggle born" He thought aloud, his eyes going back around to his other students. Some snickered at his comment.
"Lily Potter was a muggle born, professor"Hermione stated, glaring at his ghost. His head snapped towards her. He narrowed his eyes at her, and she raised an eyebrow. "I suggest you watch your words and don't make the same mistake twice"Hermione added, knowing very well he'd understand what she meant.
He stared at her for a few seconds before he nodded his head slowly, then turning and gliding out of the forest.
"You made him speechless"Theo muttered.
"What does Potter's mother have anything to do with this?"Pansy questioned.
"What mistake?" Blaise asked.
Hermione didn't answer, having a pumpkin pastry fly over to her. She shook her head, indicating she wasn't going to answer as she took a bit from the pastry.