Hermione Gaunt

16-schedule

Draco Malfoy was a mess. He could almost never sleep or eat. He got angry easily and he felt like the world he had control over a year ago was slipping out of his pale fingers. But there was one thing that kept him sane. It was Hermione Gaunt.

To him, her laughs or the small glint she got in her eyes when she was happy was just so rewarding.

She was the one that made sure that he was asleep before she would. It became a routine. He would come in her room and tuck in her bed, usually dosing off quickly.

During meals Draco would refuse to eat reasoning that he simply was not hungry. She knew better than that.

With her, he slowly started to feel like he was in control of his life again. She was, although it sounded too cliche for him, the light in his life.

Snow fell on the ground, reminding students of the winter that was just around the corner. Hermione and Draco were expected to go home for the holidays while Blaise chose to behind.

Hermione did not know why, for Blaise had always been willing to do anything to get away from this school. He truly disgusted homework and tests, and the thought of Hogwarts would make him shiver.

Christmas trees were placed around the school and lights twinkled in the old classrooms. The ghosts sang Christmas Carols and students skipped through the halls with the feeling of joy of the holidays.

Since the incident of Katie Bell, Hermione and Draco decided that on Saturdays at 1:00 they would take a long walk around the school. It would be a break from the real world, it was the time where they could truly be teenagers.

They would talk about their homework in charms or their memories from when they were young. They would laugh about their friends or occasionally have snowball fights.

It was the last day before the Christmas holidays, before Hermione would be able to leave to see her parents again.

She tapped her fingers on her arms impatiently waiting for the bell to ring, signaling the end of the last class.

Sure, Hermione had always been considered the know it all. The one who enjoyed projects and homework, the one that truly loved the smell of new textbooks. But today was different.

She had worried about her parents a lot. They wrote to her once in a while, but not as often as they used to.

The golden couple of hogwarts climbed onto the train stopping at their usual spot. The corridor was a little quieter than usual but it was a nice silence that they were able to enjoy.

She rested her head on his shoulders feeling it go slightly up and down while breathing. He put her arms around her protectively, giving her extra warmth.

Draco and Hermione shared their goodbyes at the cold station before hurrying off to their respective manors.

The Gaunts apparated back to their manors and Hermione huffed, fixing her tousled lightly curled hair.

Her parents hadn't spoken a word to her or her brother. They would nod or shake their heads but never muttered a word out of their mouth.

Hermione recognized the expression on her parent's faces. Guilt, sorrow, and shame. But for what? She would ask herself.

Ashamed of being a death eater? She had forgiven them already for it was to protect her and Charlie.

She felt a little dizzy from the apparition. She had totally forgotten how it had felt like! With a zap her brother and father appeared behind them. Charlie clenched his eyes before opening them again, fixating his eyes to the lights.

"You okay there Charlie? You look a little dizzy" Hermione smiled, trying to lighten up the mood. Her brother smiled at her but it quickly faded away when seeing the setting around him.

It was then she realized that someone was in the room with them. She had overly black curled hair and dark brown eyes. She looked absolutely sickening.

"Come quick dears, we don't want to keep the Dark Lord waiting" she smiled creepily, showing her rotting teeth.

Hermione glanced at her mother who only kept her head high, focusing on the lone tree outside.

"For what may I ask?" Hermione asked rather politely to the stranger.

"For your death eater initiation ceremony of course" the witch smirked slightly, raising her eyebrows.