When Hermione Fights

Hogsmeade

Hogsmeade

The next morning I woke with a smile on my lips and during my run around the snowy Quidditch patch, where my breath condensed into small, white clouds in the freezing air, my thoughts drifted back to the day before. In my mind the encounters with Draco and Snape replayed again and again in an infinite loop. If the icy wind hadn't colored my cheeks already, they would have been red with shame and from the butterflies in my stomach, 'cause, hell, they both knew how to kiss. I myself couldn't believe it. First the heavenly kiss with Draco and then the kiss with Snape that I had initiated. What the hell was driving me to carry things so far with two men on the same day. I mean, I was no slut, right? Was it slut like to kiss two guys on one day?

Arrg, my thoughts moved in circles. Damn it! At first I had only wanted to shut Snape up, feeling furious and helpless, as he had been driving me mad. And apparently nothing better had come to my mind as to seal his mouth with a kiss... But, shame on me, I had enjoyed it immensely. If only he would kiss me as Minna! I regretted this circumstance deeply.

I drifted off into a dream world.. He was no handsome man, not like Draco! Who was sometimes almost too pretty to be real. Snape though was impressive, charismatic in his whole demeanour and attractive in his own way, but not handsome, not beautiful... Mh-hm, I think my behaviour had turned the good professor's world upside down, at least I hoped so. I loved nothing more than to make him speechless.

And then I breathed in deeply and felt the piercing pain in my lungs when it was filled with cold December air. Ow, that hurt and called me back from my daylight dreams.

Today it was freezing cold and now I was on my way back, covered in sweat and out of breath. Meanwhile I pondered how right he was with his analysis that it was impossible to punish me! He was an excellent observer and took stock from his collected knowledge with precision and without mercy. The resulting insight had not pleased him and when he presented his observations to me, which I had never given thought before, they didn't appeal to me as well, as it portrayed me as quite... Yes, well, as what? As a not very nice, friendly or kind person. What should I do with this new perspective which he had disclosed to me? I knew, I had to analyze such a critical perception of myself and draw the necessary conclusions. In this dangerous game we were playing here thanks to the permanent danger to be nearly unpunishable or unsusceptible to blackmail could be worth one's weight in gold or better yet worth one's live.

There were so many fronts one had to think about and fight on. Here the Dark Lord, there the Order of the Phoenix, the ministry, and then Hogwarts with its professors and students and at last the people I was most closely attached to, like Harry, Ron, ... Snape and Draco. I had to think about all of this unhurriedly... but then I had arrived at the showers and had to clean up for classes.

When we had all gathered, well wrapped up against the cold, we set off for Hagrid's hut across the grounds, which were covered more and more in snow, as we had Care of Magical Creatures today.

"I don't know for sure, but I have a bad feeling because of the Bitch. Do you think she is going to inspect his class today?" Ron inquired distressed at the thought and looked around slightly chilled through.

"I'm certain. Now that he is back to teach. She is through with everybody, only Hagrid's missing!" and groaned quite hopelessly, as I couldn't imagine our slightly awkward and clumsy giant handling this evil woman well.

The class had arrived completely when Hagrid joined us. His wounds still hadn't healed and if I weren't mistaken a new one had been added, for his nose hadn't been looking that crooked the last time, had it? Or were I seeing things?

"Hagrid isn't looking good, he has new... Is that a broken nose?" Harry whispered into my ear, which Draco complemented with a venomous glare, whereon I gifted him with an appeasing roll of my eyes. This totally not jealous Malfoy was hard to bear.