Rise of the Death Eaters [3]

Chapter 12: Library Deals

"Hermione, wait!"

I raced down the cobblestones after a familiar bushy head of hair that moved faster than a comfortable pace. Her bag moved with momentum over her shoulder as she barreled around a corner I followed after.

I knew she was angry at me and to be completely honest, I didn't blame her.

Earlier during potions, a few people carried out on their many promises to me. Pansy was early enough to sit in her usual chair with the silver gang as promised. And Draco's familiar grey stare was ever present to watch me make a rather important choice, depending on your thoughts on pleasing teachers.

You see, Hermione had offered me a space with Ron and Harry for the remainder of my time in fifth-year potions, should I need an escape from Draco and his gang. But Draco, ever the thorn in my side, reminded me not too long ago that Snape, the teacher I was trying for a while now to impress, would not be pleased to find a fellow Slytherin sitting with someone like Harry Potter.

Why Snape chose to bully Potter all the time was beyond me, but the point I'm trying to make is that in the end, I chose to sit with Pansy's friends, Daphne, Millicent, and Tracey over Hermione during potions.

She didn't make eye contact with me all lesson and made a b-line out of there before I had a chance to explain.

Speed up to the late afternoon, I found her on her way out of Muggle Studies and waved. My mistake of course. She wasn't exactly pleased to see me and started off leading up to now with this fox chase.

Around the corner, I found her slowing down as she entered the library. Think she'd get me to not talk during study hour? Not exactly a stupid idea but if she didn't want to hear from me, she would have just walked off to the Gryffindor common room.

I followed her in until she found a seat in a row of books and unloaded her bag.

"Was that really necessary?" I asked out of breath, as I took a seat beside her. She looked up at me and blinked, before saying "Oh hello," in a voice too sweet to be her own.

"Really?" I questioned with an amused glance over. "Hermione, you may be academically smart but when it comes to putting on a fake façade, you're a bit pitiful."

"And you could use some work on starting an apology," she said meeting me levelly. I bit my tongue and nodded to my empty desk. For a moment, there was silence as Madam Pince walked past the opposite bookshelf adjacent to ours.

"Look, there's no way I can show my actions in a good light or whatever from earlier because in the end I blatantly snubbed you. And I am sorry for that."

"What possible reason could you have to sit with the likes of Greengrass and Davis?" Hermione questioned, losing her cool instantly. I grimaced at her tone. Guess I couldn't play kiss-ass on this one.

"I'll tell you, but I know you're not going to like it," I said slowly, turning back to watch Hermione. She gave me a quizzical glance before taking the last thing from her bag; a bundle of green yarn with knitting needles sticking out in an odd X shape. Not exactly what I would have expected to find in Hermione's bag.

"Let's hear it then. I'd rather have honestly than a made-up excuse."

"Fair enough," I said with an understanding smile which quickly dropped at the darkened gaze Hermione shot my way. I gulped and began. I told her about Snape inviting me to the potion's exam, followed by the first class with him directing me to the Slytherins and the expectations that he had for me. I explained how Draco, as much of a pain that he is, knew Snape was petty enough to judge me for my friends. Including the likes of Harry.