Born From Madness (Harry Potter Fanfic)

15

Hermione sat in the Great Hall, eating her meal, while darting her eyes between her plate and where Ron and Harry sat. She was listening in on their conversation about Harry becoming the new Gryffindor's Seeker. Sure, Hermione was happy he wasn't expelled but she wasn't exactly happy Harry hadn't been punished for what he did. He went against a Teacher's orders. He should have detention or something similar but he was rewarded for it. Soon after Fred and George joined in to congrats Harry about becoming Seeker and claiming how Gryffindor was sure to win the Quidditch cup now. 

Hermione rolled her eyes. She didn't see what's so special about Quidditch that it allowed Harry to get away with not listening to a Teacher's orders. She was about to take a bit of her mash potatoes when her ears picked up on a familiar voice. 

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?" Draco asked while walking past the table with his goons following behind. Hermione rolled her eyes, knowing Draco was probably jealous that he hadn't any real friends. However, she wasn't exactly in a position to point out who didn't have friends and who did. After all, she didn't have many. She was nice with Neville, however, she wouldn't say they were close to call each other best friends.  

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," Harry shot at him. 

"I'd take you on anytime on my own." Malfoy stated (which Hermione knew was a lie), "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only--no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?" 

Hermione nearly choked on her juice. She knew how dangerous a duel was when you had powerful wizards fighting each other, remember reading about Dumbledore's duel with Grindelwald, but to have two untrained wizards dueling each other? That could be even worse, especially if a spell goes wrong. 

"Of course he has," Ron blurted out, "I'm his second, who's yours?"

Oh Harry's a dead man if Ron's his second, Hermione thought, remembering how terrible Ron was with their first lesson in charms. 

"Crabbe," Malfoy stated, "Midnight all right? we'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked." 

Soon they were gone and Harry and Ron started to discuss about dueling and what it meant. Hermione had to say something. She knew she had to. She slowly moved over to Ron and Harry and cleared her throat. 

"Excuse me," she spoke, catching their attention. 

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" Ron grumbled. Hermione ignored Ron, Harry needed to hear her out so he didn't do anything stupid and get himself hurt or killed. 

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying--" she started when Ron cut in. 

"Bet you could," 

"--and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night," Hermione continued on, "think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. You'll also risk injury to yourself or to others... or worse you could accidentally get yourselves killed. It's really very foolish of you." 

"And it's really none of your business," Harry stated before Ron and him rose from their seats, Ron mumbling a nasty good-bye to her then leaving her, wondering how could she stop this madness. 

Hermione sat in one of the chairs in the common room. She had stayed there as long as she could. She was going to make a last attempt to stop Harry and Ron from doing something so stupid. After awhile without seeing them walking down the stairs, she thought maybe they had decided to be smart about it. However, the moment she started to shift in her chair to stand, she heard two sets of footsteps hurrying down the stairs. When she saw it was Ron and Harry, an anger rushed through her. 

"I can't believe you're going to do this!" she shouted, turning on a lamp. Harry and Ron nearly fell onto the ground from her surprise shout. 

"YOU!" Ron growl, "Go back to bed!" 

"I should have told your brother, Percy! He's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this." Hermione stated to them. Harry grabbed hold of Ron's arm, mumbling for Ron to come with him as they headed through the portrait and climbed out. Hermione growled before racing after them, trying to reason with them. 

"Don't you care about Gryffindor? Do you only care about yourselves? I don't want Slytherin to win the House Cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells." Hermione ranted on. 

"Go away!" the two shouted at her. Hermione huffed. It was no use. They weren't going to listen to her. She turned to go back to the dorms, mumbling how they'll remember what she warned them on their train ride home, when she saw the Fat Lady wasn't in her portrait. 

"Now what am I going to do?" She asked herself. 

"That's your problem. We've got to go, we're going to be late." Ron shot at her. Hermione turned around as she hurried after them. 

"I'm coming with you." 

"You are not!" 

"Do you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me? If he finds all three of us, I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you and bring you back." Hermione claimed. She knew it was harsh, but she wasn't going to get expelled because of these two. 

"You've got some nerve--" Ron started when Harry hushed them. 

"I heard something." Harry whispered to them. And there it was. A quiet shuffling sound that was heading there way.