Chapter 20: Silverhawk's Identity
Hogwarts felt different. Better. Brighter. Dumbledore had come back to school, Voldemort's return had been proven and Draco Malfoy. He was different, kinder, than she had thought he was.
Hermione was folding her shirts and packing them into her trunk when Ginny came into the room. Everyone else had already moved out.
“Hey, Hermione,” said Ginny. “Almost ready?”
“Almost.”
Ginny flopped down on the bed. “Good. I'm ready to go home. You?”
“Yeah,” said Hermione. She wasn't really listening. Her mind was on Silverhawk and, yeah, Draco Malfoy too.
“What's going on?” asked Ginny. “Something is up with you.”
Hermione sighed. Was it that obvious? “Nothing is up.” She felt heat rush to her cheeks.
“Right.” Ginny rolled her eyes. Hermione zipped her suitcase.
“Fine. He's meeting me today.”
“Who?... Oh! You-Know-Who.” Ginny winked.
“Not funny.” Hermione dragged her trunk off the bed. It clunked against the wooden floor.
“So you're really meeting him?” asked Ginny.
“If he shows.” Hermione couldn't help but be worried about a repeat of what happened at Christmas.
“He'll show. If he didn't want to meet you, he wouldn't have agreed to it a second time. Are you nervous?”
Hermione laughed. “I've never been this nervous in my life.”
“...”
“What?” Hermione asked. Ginny's eyes were squinted like she was trying to use leglimens on Hermione, though Hermione knew she couldn't.
“It's just back at Grimmauld Place you seemed a little cozy with a certain blonde Slytherin with abs like cement.”
“Ginny!” Abs like... they weren't...
“What? It's true.”
Hermione's heart pounded at the thought of Draco Malfoy. His pale face made paler by the candlelight. The sparkle of his silver eyes. She had to stop thinking about him. Silverhawk was the one. He was. He had to be.
“He's not... that wasn't.”
“I'm just trying to figure out what would have brought a Malfoy over to the good side. It's one of two things. Money or chicks. That's all I'm saying. And we're certainly not paying him.”
Hermione had tried not to think about what changed Draco's mind. Whenever she tried to figure it out, it just made less sense. It was contradictory to everything Hermione had ever believed.
“Come on, Ginny. Let's go.”
“Sorry,” she said, standing up from the bed. “I just want you to be happy.”
Hermione nodded. “Thanks, Gin.”
It was a chilly spring day. Hermione almost regretted the blue flower print dress she was wearing but she wanted to look her best for Silverhawk and it was her favorite dress. She wore a light cashmere grey cardigan over the dress.
Ginny was standing by her side when she caught a glimpse of Draco standing by himself, the sun shining down on his face. Hermione smiled.
“I'm just gonna go talk to Luna.” Ginny nudged Hermione, laughed and walked over to Luna, who was tying her shoes. Guess she finally found them.
