"Professor McGonagall!" Hermione said as she ran into the Transfiguration classroom. It was empty, but that didn't really matter.
"Ms. Granger? Whatever is it?" McGonagall said, sitting at her desk.
"Well, Professor, Harry's gotten a new broom."
"Well, that's great! We can have our Gryffindor Seeker back, then!"
"No, you don't understand. He's gotten it as a Christmas present. The person who left it dropped it off with no note or name."
"So you think..."
"Yes. I think it's him."
"Thank you for telling me, Ms. Granger. I must have that broom straight away."
"He's in the courtyard with it, Professor."
"Very well." Professor McGonagall hurried to the courtyard with Hermione trailing behind her. "Mr. Potter," McGonagall said. Harry's smile froze on his face, still clutching the broom.
"Professor! I've gotten a new broom! I can play for the team again!" Harry said.
"I'm afraid I need to confiscate this." McGonagall seized Harry's new broom from him.
"Professor-" Harry now looked like a sad little boy who's dog had just passed away.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter. I will have it back to you as soon as I can. If I can." McGonagall gave him a look of grief and bustled off to her chamber with the broom. That let Hermione staring sadly at Harry.
"It was you," Harry said. "You got my broom taken away."
"Harry, I-" Hermione searched for words, but had none.
"Don't, Hermione."
"Come on, Harry. Do you know why I did it?"
"No, I don't, but now I can't play anymore. You took that away from me."
"Harry, I did it because the broom might be from Sirius Black!" Hermione whisper-yelled, not wanting anyone around them to hear.
"The man that's trying to kill me is going to send me a brand new shining Firebolt? Nice reasoning, Hermione. You've really hit an all time low." Harry stormed off with Ron, a furious look on his face. Ron rammed into her shoulder as he walked past. Hermione felt tears growing in her eyes. She looked across the courtyard to Draco. She walked past him in order to get him to come see her. She felt a tap on the shoulder.
"Hermione, what was that?" Draco asked.
"Don't you think it's a little suspicious that someone just sends Harry a broom out of nowhere? The best model in fact?" Hermione said.
"I mean, I guess I really didn't think about it that much."
"What if that broom was from Sirius Black? Couldn't it be hexed? If Harry rode that broom again, it could kill him and Black would get exactly what he wanted."
"I suppose..."
"Yes. Even though Harry might be angry with me, I still feel that I did the right thing."
"You did. Don't feel bad about it. He'll come around eventually once he realizes what you've done for him."
"Thanks, Draco." Hermione threw herself into a hug with Draco.
"You're welcome." Hermione thought of something.
She gasped. "I have to go see Hagrid! See you later, Draco!" Hermione ran down the hill and looked back once to see Draco smirking. She thought he was so cute.
She burst through the door to Hagrid's hut, but he wasn't inside. Instead, fang was sitting on the floor, staring at her. "Fang? Where's Hagrid?" Fang drifted his eyes out the window to the Black Lake. "The Black Lake? Why is he at the Black Lake?" Hermione stopped for a second. "Thanks, Fang!" She ran out of the hut to the lake where she saw Hagrid, knee deep, for him, skipping rocks. "How'd it go, Hagrid?" Hermione said, out of breath.
"Buckbeak liked London," Hagrid skipped a rock.
"I meant the hearing."
"Oh, that. Well, I got up an' said my bit. You know, how Buckbeak was a good Hippogriff an' as long as yeh treated 'im with respect, he'd treat you the same. Then, Lucius Malfoy got up an' said his bit. You know, how Buckbeak was a deadly and dangerous beast that no teacher in their righ' mind would expose their students to-" A fat tear slipped down Hagrid's rough cheek.
"And?" Hagrid flung another rock across the water. "You musn't blame yourself, Hagrid."
"Draco," Suddenly, Ron came into the lake clearing. "It's him the Committee should punish. It's him they should send off to the forest, not Buckbeak."
"Buckbeak's not going back to the forest," Hagrid sniffled.
"Where's he going, Hagrid?" Hermione asked, dreading the response.
"He asked fer the worst, yeh see, Lucius Malfoy did. An' the Committee granted it. Buckbeak's been sentenced ter death," Hagrid sobbed.
"Oh, Hagrid," Hermione said. She was beside herself, but there was a boiling anger inside of her. If Draco had just shut his little mouth about getting a little scratch, none of this would've happened. Next time she saw him, she was going to pulverize him. "I'm so sorry. Karma will catch up to them. I know it will."
"Oh, Buckbeak," Hagrid whimpered as Ron and Hermione walked away from him.
"Don't think Malfoy is so kindhearted now, do you?" Ron said.
Hermione ignored his comment. "Thought you and Harry weren't speaking to me."
"Well, Harry might not see it as the right thing to do, but he's mad so I have to pretend to be mad."
"Right," Hermione scoffed and turned her back to him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hermione avoided Draco for the rest of the day, as well as Harry. It hurt her that she had to sit across from Harry at dinner, but couldn't talk to him. The next morning, she skipped breakfast. She saw no need to go, as she wan't hungry and she didn't want to see Harry or Draco. On her way to Divination, she was suddenly pulled into the closet.
"We have to stop meeting like this," Draco smirked at her. Hermione crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall, a cold expression on her face. "Alright, then, don't say anything. Did you skip breakfast this morning, Hermione?" Hermione gave a slight nod and nothing else. "Why?" Hermione remained quiet. She looked down at her feet. "Fine, then. Here." Draco shoved an apple and a small biscuit into her hand and shut the closet door harshly behind him. Hermione was shocked, but alas, it was time for Divination. Hermione walked in to find crystal balls set up on the tables. Hermione sat far apart from Ron and Harry.
"Crystal gazing requires that you clear the Inner Eye. Only then, will you See. Oh my, what do we have here?" Professor Trelawney bent down next to Harry's crystal ball.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Here we go again. It's the Grim! It's the Grim!" Hermione mocked.
"My dear, from the moment you first arrived in my class, I sensed that you did not possess the proper spirit for the noble art of Divination. You may be young in years, but the heart that beats beneath your bosom is as shriveled as an old maid's, your soul as dry as the pages of the books to which you so desperately cleave." Hermione thought of something she could say in response, but came up with nothing. Hermione, offended, stood up and pushed the crystal ball to the floor. Hermione stomped out of the classroom, the crystal ball rolling apathetically behind her.
"In late spring, one of our number will leave us forever! You knew, Professor! You saw," Lavender Brown said. Hermione rolled her eyes from outside the classroom.
"On these occasions, I take no joy in my gift, Ms. Brown."
Later, Ron, Harry, and Hermione met up in the Courtyard, unintentionally. Harry was still upset with Hermione. Hermione stopped in her tracks, standing opposite from Ron and Harry. Ron jabbed Harry in the arm. "Spit it out, mate," Ron said.
Harry swallowed hard and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry," Harry mumbled.
"What was that?" Hermione asked.
"I'm sorry," Harry said louder, probably too loud. Hermione crossed her arms. "Oh, come on, Hermione."
"And, Harry?"
"And you were right. You were right. Is that what you want to hear?"
"Maybe."
"McGonagall gave me my broom back after she inspected it for jinxes and curses and you were right. You were right to tell her about it. I should be more careful. I can't let him kill me before I kill him. I'm sorry, Hermione. I shouldn't have gotten angry with you."
"It's alright, Harry. I forgive you." Hermione gave him a smile, but Harry attacked her with a hug.
"Merlin, Hermione, you have no idea how hard it is to be mad at you! I wanted to talk to you so bad after you stormed out of Trelawney's class! Ron and I have stuff to tell you."
"You always have stuff to tell me. Right now I have something much more important to do."
"What?" Ron asked.
"Buckbeak is being executed today. I was on my way to Hagrid's to check up on him."
"We'll come with you," Harry said.
"Perfect." Hermione, Ron, and Harry started towards Hagrid's hut. On their way, they saw a man sitting on a bench, dressed in all black. His hooded mask had eye-holes and a mouth-hole cut out of it with scissors. He smiled and waved, surprisingly cheerfully. Hermione stared at the man gravely, for he was bound to be Buckbeak's executioner. "I can't believe they're going to kill Buckbeak. It's too horrible."
"It's just got worse," Harry scoffed. Hermione looked up to see Draco standing with Crabbe and Goyle. Draco. Even though Draco was her boyfriend, she couldn't decide whether she wanted to walk straight through him or absolutely pulverize him. The three boys had binoculars in their hands, peering at Hagrid from atop the hill.
"Did you see the big fat blubbering oaf?!" Draco laughed with Crabbe and Goyle. "Oh, this is going to be rich. Did I tell you? Father said I can keep the head." Draco noticed the trio. "Come to see the show?"
Hermione advanced to him with her wand outstretched. "You, foul loathsome evil little cockroach!" she growled. She jabbed the tip of her wand under his chin. His adam's apple quivered, it was kind of hot, but never mind that. Hermione listened as she heard his troubled and terrified breaths.
"Hermione, no!" Ron called from behind her. Hermione didn't move. "He's not worth it." Hermione nodded quietly and softly before turning and unbrandishing her wand. She heard his breath release and she just couldn't help it. It happened in slow motion for her. She whirled around on her feet and then time sped up. She punched Malfoy straight across the face. Draco stumbled onto the ground. A wave of sadness came and went for a split second before he stumbled away with his goons.
"Well, that felt good," Hermione smiled a tiny bit. But it didn't. It didn't make her feel better. It didn't change the fact that Buckbeak was still going to die today.