The Last Riddle

39. Girls need to stick together

"So has Malfoy spoken to you yet?" Blaise asks me as we sit in the library together, our desk is piled high with books and pieces of parchment as we try to finish an essay assigned by Snape.

I laugh coldly "of course he hasn't, he missed breakfast this morning and has been keeping a safe distance for the rest of the day." I lean backwards in the chair feeling sore from all the writing. "Weirdly enough though Flint did apologise."

Blaise stops writing and puts his quill down "what did Flint apologise for?"

"He didn't apologise for anything really, just said he was sorry about what happened and that Malfoy had no right."

Blaise taps his finger against his chin "hmm well we know that much for sure." Blaise stretches his arms up and lets out a loud yawn. "He's been avoiding me as well, considering we sleep in the same dorm I've barely seen him since last night when Flint dragged him out of there."

"Ahem" a delicate cough catches both Blaise and I's attention and we look behind us to see Granger stood there with a pile of books in her arms.

"Can we help you Granger?" Blaise asks in a very chilly tone.

"Umm" Granger stands up straighter and repositions the books "actually I was hoping to talk you Angelica."

I shoot Blaise a confused look before looking back at my brothers best friend "uh yeah sure? Why don't you put your books down on the floor and we can take a walk outside the library as we talk?"

Hermione nods and does as I say. We walk besides each other out of the library and begin to wander the corridors in silence. Having enough of the awkwardness I break it "so what's up Granger? How comes you wanted to talk to me of all people?"

Hermione stops and gestures to a bench against the wall "can we sit here?" I shrug uncaringly and sit down next to her.

"What is it Granger?" I snap finding myself to be rather impatient.

Granger straightens her skirt out "well I wanted to talk to you about a rumour I heard." I raise an eyebrow to show I'm listening as she continues "well I heard from Ginny, who heard from your friend Poppy who heard from her cousin Cedric that Malfoy and you had a rather tense encounter last night."

I laugh shaking my head "wow word does travel fast doesn't it? But yes Draco and I did have a tense encounter you could say, why is this of interest to you?"

Hermione sighs "because the disgusting word that Malfoy called you is one that hurts. We pretend it doesn't and we shrug it off but being called any kind of demeaning slur hurts, you know that and I know that."

I watch her curiously and tilt my head wondering where she is going with this.

Hermione looks at me with wide sympathetic eyes "I'm reaching out to you now for several reasons. Firstly I owe you an apology, I've treated you rudely and spitefully in the past and there is no excuse. I won't be as pathetic as to blame it on my overprotective nature or my friendship with Harry because that isn't good enough. I think I was just jealous, jealous of your intelligence, your looks and your personality."

I shake my head "you were jealous of me? Granger you're the smartest person I've ever come across, you don't need to be jealous of me."

Hermione laughs "always being the smartest isn't what I look for. You're so beautiful and every boy seems to fancy you, I even thought that Ron might at one point. I got jealous and petty and bitter and I'm sorry for that Angelica."

I smile softly "thanks Granger, I'm sorry as well. For anything that I've said or done in the past against you."

Hermione nods gratefully "it was important to me that we make up, especially after what I heard about last night. The word that Malfoy called you, it was meant to dehumanise you and make you feel worthless.