||Now It's Just Us||

Chapter 14

It was a Saturday morning. Since Thursday, when Carson and his true identity had been revealed, she had been jittery and on edge. She only just managed to turn in her paperwork on time, causing Penelope to look her over carefully. Harry had noticed the change as well. He had asked her several times if she was alright, and Hermione always replied saying that she had a terrible cold and headache. When she would return from work, she would check Malfoy's arm for any signs of self afflicted harm. The gash on his torso had healed well, and was now only faintly pink. Hermione made sure to check his arm every morning and every evening.

Today, finally, she was free from people giving her curious glances and asking if she was alright.

Hermione dragged herself out of bed. She pulled the curtain aside to get a view of the outside, and was hit in the face with a gust of crisp, autumn smelling wind, and she inhaled deeply. The leaves were all yellow and brown and red now, and the ground below was scattered with them. She spotted a store downstairs in front of which a man was stringing up a garland of fake bats. A little confused at his choice of decoration, Hermione let her eyes travel down the rest of the street that she could see. There were a few large pumpkins placed in front of the local library which Hermione and Carson - no, Malfoy - frequented.

Pumpkins. Autumn.

Halloween.

There were nearly three weeks left until Halloween. But everyone outside was enthusiastically putting up decorations and getting into spirit. Hermione had loved going trick or treating until the age of six. Her parents would make sure to dress her up well, and she would skip from house to house shouting "trick or treat!" with the other kids. In the year of her seventh birthday, there had been an incident in her primary school. Miles, the class bully, had chosen to torment her that day. Hermione was angered beyond explanation, and soon Miles was covered from head to toe in large, painful blisters. Hermione, thoroughly surprised, had begun crying, and was sent home. Since then, none of the other children came near her for fear of ending up the same way as Miles. So, naturally, she had been alone until Hogwarts. She took to books and learning. She read and observed things. Trick or treating hardly seemed exciting anymore.

Hermione sighed at the memory, and wondered whether Miles had been scarred for life by that event. She hoped he had. Atleast he wouldn't be a bully anymore.

"Granger?"

Hermione huffed. Could she not have one peaceful moment to herself and simply do what she wanted?

"Granger, are you even listening?"

"No, go away."

"Fine, I'll just let the kitchen burn down then?"

Hermione was across the room in two strides. She pulled the door open.

"Leave it to you to ruin a perfectly nice day," Hermione said through gritted teeth as she stalked her way to the kitchen. On arriving, she found everything in a perfect state. Not a single particle of dust was out of place. She placed her hands on her hips and turned to face him, livid, "Where is the supposed flaming object?"

"It was just a way to get you to leave your room," Malfoy smirked.

"What for?" Hermione gasped dramatically, "Don't tell me you're bored without me?"

"Shut it, Granger," Malfoy gave her a half-hearted glare.

"Your arm," Hermione walked to him, and stood in front of him with a foot of space seperating them. She reached out and took hold of his left arm, pushing his sleeve up.

The Dark Mark was dull now, and faded like an old photograph. It was scarred right down the middle, and smaller cuts peppered all around it. She didn't know since when he'd been hurting himself, he wouldn't tell her. His skin was pale, and surprisingly warm. Hermione traced her wand along the most recent cuts, making the skin look less pink.