Born From Madness (Harry Potter Fanfic)

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Hermione stood in her dorm, packing the last of her things, as she caught herself staring out the window. She had wanted to ask her Grandma Elka about what Voldemort had said. About her being related to him. Was it true? Was it just a trick to get under her skin? She wasn't sure. She reached up to her hair, where she felt the missing lock of hair. She vowed the first thing to do when she got up was fix it. 

Suddenly the door creaked, causing Hermione to turn to see Winky standing in the doorway, peering in like she was trying to decided whether or not to enter the room. 

"Hi, Winky." Hermione said. Then suddenly Winky burst into tears then rushed over to Hermione and wrapped her tiny arms around her legs. 

"So sorry, Mistress! Winky didn't mean for you to get hurt! Winky so sorry! Winky was just following orders like good house-elves do! Winky didn't know it would lead to Mistress getting hurt!" Winky cried to Hermione. She picked up Winky as she gently hugged her. 

"It's okay, Winky. You didn't know and that's okay." She assured Winky, "Hey, lets go home." 

Hermione walked down the courtyard with Harry and Ron. They were paused a few times. Fleur told them how she was planning to get a job here and to improve her english then told them how it was great to meet them before departing. Krum stop by as to say his goodbyes and asked Hermione to write to him when she could.  

When they were on the Hogwarts Express, Ron and Harry picked up one of the Daily Prophet newspapers. 

"There's nothing in there. Nothing at all. They didn't even mention Cedric. If you ask me, Fudge is forcing them to keep quiet." Ron mumbled. 

"He'll never keep Rita quiet." Harry mumbled, "Not on a story like this." 

"Oh, Rita won't be writing anything at all for a while." Hermione mumbled with a smirk. Ron then jumped from his seat as he pointed right at her. 

"Alright Hermione! Come clean! We know you did it! Admit it!" Ron shouted at her. Her eyes narrowed. 

"What?" 

"You made that dementor of yours give Rita Skeeter the Dementor's Kiss! We saw the dementor, Hermione! You can't hide it anymore." Ron told her. Hermione rolled her eyes. 

"I didn't kill her, Ron! Yes, I send the dementor on her, but not to give her the Dementor's Kiss!" Hermione shot at him. 

"Then what did you make the dementor do, if you don't mind us asking?" Harry asked her. 

"Well you know how we've been trying to figure out how she's been getting around to hear our private conversations? Well-- turns out, Dementors aren't good at just giving the Dementor's Kiss, but they are actually good at fetching." Hermione said as she pulled out a shatter proof jar. Harry and Ron leaned forward to see a large beetle inside. 

"What is-- wait! Is that--" Harry stuttered. 

"At first when the Dementor brought the beetle to me, I was confused until I noticed the markings around the antennae are exactly like those foul glasses she wears." Hermione stated to them, "She's an unregistered Animagus! I've told her I'll let her out when we get back to London and she's to keep her quill to herself for a whole year. See if she can't break the habit of writing horrible lies about people." 

"That's really brilliant! We actually thought--" Harry asked till the door of the compartment slid opened. 

"Very clever, Granger." Draco mumbled with Crabbe and Goyle standing behind him, "You caught some pathetic reporter and Potter's Dumbledore's favorite boy again. Big deal." 

Hermione felt a rage rushing inside her. 

"Trying not to think about it, are we?" Malfoy asked, glancing at the three of them, "Trying to pretend it hasn't happened?" 

"Get out," Harry demanded. 

"You've picked the losing side, Potter! I warned you! Too late now, Potter! They'll be the first to go, now the Dark Lord's back! Mudbloods and Muggle-lovers first! Well-- second-- Diggory was the fir--" 

They didn't have time to speak as a firework came flashes and caused the three of them to the ground. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood up as they saw they all three had down it, but having used different hexes... nor were they the only ones. 

"Thought we'd see what those three were up to." Fred said as he and George walked over towards them. 

"Interesting effect. Who used the Furnunculus Curse?" George asked. 

"Me," Harry said. 

"Odd. I used Jelly-Legs. Probably shouldn't mix those two. We should try to move them away." George said. They proceeded to push the three over to the corridor before returning to the compartment. 

"Exploding Snap, anyone?" Fred as pulling out a pack of cards. 

After their fifth game, Harry suddenly blurted out. 

"So how's the Joke Shop plan going?" 

"Oh-- that?" George said, darkly. 

"It doesn't matter." Fred mumbled. 

"What? What's wrong?" 

"You remember that bet we made at the Quidditch World Cup? That git paid us in leprechaun gold he'd caught from the Irish Mascots." George claimed, "At first we thought it was a mistake, but as we tried to have a talk with him, he ignored us or made excuses. After weeks went by, we asked for our money back..." 

"But he refused!" Fred growled, "We found out what he was doing in the end! He had some big trouble with goblins. Borrowed loads of gold off them! Depended he pay it back, but couldn't so that's why he ran out after the third task." 

"But that was all your savings!" Ron said. 

"Wait!" Harry and Hermione blurted out as they turned around to their trunks then drew our their winnings. 

"Take it." Harry said as he and Hermione handed the bags to George and Fred. 

"What?" George and Fred mumbled in surprise. 

"Take it." Hermione repeated to them, "Call it investigating in your joke shop." 

"Just don't tell your Mum where you got it." Harry stated to them. 

George and Fred jumped from their seats as they hugged Hermione and Harry tightly. 

"Thank you! This means so much!" they said in union as they hurried out of the compartment onto the King's Cross. They shared their goodbyes and hugs and stated that they hopped that maybe later in the summer they will be lucky enough for them to visit the Burrow. As Hermione walked alongside her parents, she couldn't help but feel that everything was going to start changing.