Estranged • Harry Potter {2}

6

Date night.

Not something I thought I would ever say. Not even my parents did a date night. I decided to actually try and look decent but it wasn't as easy as I thought. My clothes were alright, nothing special. I decided on a jean skirt, despite the bite of the cold air outside and a green tank top with a black cardigan. It would all be covered with my coat but just in case, maybe Slytherin clothing would make it less awkward.

Brushing the knots from my hair, I put it into a neater braid down my back. It had been like that all day and I didn't always find the loose strands cute. I was interested in as neat as possible.

I left the bathroom, finally okay with my appearance. The door opened just as I was putting on my black knee high boots as the door opened. Glancing up, my heart skipped a beat as Hermione slowly let the door close behind her.

"You're going out?" She asked.

"Yeah." I stood up and put on my scarf.

"Hey," Hermione was quick to cross the room and grab my jacket before I could. "What are you doing?"

"What are you talking about?" I sighed.

"Look... I understand the position you're in."

"Except you don't! Not really! You can't! You're not in my shoes, you don't get it." I snapped.

"Then help me to." Hermione retorted.

I groaned, balling my fists. Looking around, I knew no one else was in the room but us, but maybe that's what made it worse. The walls were closing in on me and I couldn't do anything about it.

"Hermione-"

"I just want to understand-"

"He's a Deatheater!" I burst out. Hermione stepped back and my eyes welled up instantly. "Draco is having his final initiation soon. I believe it's over Christmas. You will never understand how suffocating it is to watch someone you love, do something that can save your life. He's not doing this for anyone else but all you, Harry and Ron see is the family name! And if you only see that, then obviously you don't really see me."

"What?" Hermione breathed. "That's not true!"

"What did you think when you saw me with Blaise?" I spat.

Hermione stammered, opening and closing her mouth.

"Come on, tell me. I want to understand." I mocked.

Hermione scowled. "We might have thought you were telling him information about Harry."

I smirked. "Thought so." I snatched my coat back from her.

"But it's not true."

"Who are you trying to convince, me or you?" I fixed my collar and my sleeves.

Hermione sighed. "It's a tough position to be in."

"Don't lecture me about tough positions, I know all about those! What if Harry and Ron weren't friends with you because you're muggle born? What if, because of your family name, nobody in this house wanted to be around you?" I explained.

"We want to trust you. I want to trust you." Hermione explained.

"I want you to. I don't mean to pull away, like you said you don't know what happened to me over the summer. But when your best friend, looks at you like she betrayed you, what am I supposed to do? I never thought I had to re-explain my life choices to you.

"And a boy you never thought would ever look at you like anything other than a bully because of the way your family treated his, was my friend too. I learned how funny and not so book smart he is and I get why you like him.