Short Change Hero

Chapter 5: Can't Breathe

Chapter Five

Can't Sleep, Can't Breath

'I'm taking you down with me 'til you,

Can't sleep,

Can't breathe,

You met your enemy,

Can't sleep,

Can't breathe,

Won't get no peace with me...'

Can't Sleep, Can't Breath by Digital Daggers

Friday September 20th, 1996

The classroom was almost still, aside from the distinctive echoing sound of professor Slughorn's retreating footsteps as he left to his personal office. Pushing away the knowledgeable idea that this was what misplaced judgment probably felt like; Hermione started her advance towards the three Slytherin's standing just before her. Talking to Malfoy with his two friends present was reasonably the wrong choice to make, and she knew it.

Making sure to keep her distance from them, she stopped no less than five feet before them and gave her books a reassuring squeeze. Feeling her two friends just behind her, she silently thanked Merlin they had stayed to back her up if needed. She watched Draco step just a little closer, while an unreadable emotion danced in his steel irises, as she cleared her throat.

"May I have a word with you alone for a moment Malfoy?" She said loudly trying to remain polite, which was considerably hard to do with the current looks she was receiving. Lifting her chin slightly, she watched him closely, trying to read him.

Not being able to see how he was going to respond to her was something she despised greatly. Since the night in Diagon Alley, she had noticed there was something quite different about him now. The way he stood, the new way he held himself. Something definitely happened to him, she deduced. Something that changed him from the Draco Malfoy she had known over the past five years. There was something darker about him, and it was more refined than she originally thought.

In the past she had been able to read his emotions, he would show them often in past terms. However, lately the only time she could get a reaction or any type emotional response was when he was angry, only because of her. It irritated her, but did not confuse her. His behavior almost made her wonder what exactly had changed over the span of just one summer. With You-Know-Who's return, things were probably difficult at home to say the least. Then the crucial fact about his father's current predicament came back, causing her to feel a new level of guilt for what she had said.

Turning her attention back towards Malfoy, she raised an eyebrow hoping to elicit some sort of response from him. Noticing the remarkably subtle tensing of his jaw, he then stepped even closer. A hand to her right instinctively grabbed her arm just above her elbow, and she glanced at Harry. Looking back to Malfoy, who was close enough to reach out and touch.

With a sneer he was about to say something when the annoyingly stupid Pansy Parkinson stepped out in front of him. The Slytherin girl pursed her lips tightly, looking up to glare at Hermione.

"How dare you! How dare you, just waltz over here to talk to him, after thinking you can touch him like you did. You are nothing more than a disgusting Mudblood." She snarled at Hermione, looking as vile as ever. Not being able to help it, Hermione flinched at the distain in her sickeningly sweet voice, feeling a slight pang inside her. "Seems you've forgotten your place-" Pansy pointed her wand at Hermione.

An abrupt brush of fear washed over Hermione as she watched Pansy mumbled what was presumably a spell, under her breath. Then the books she had been holding were magically ripped them from her grasp while her red bag emptied everything else onto the floor. With a gasp, Hermione looked at her things strewn everywhere, furious Pansy Parkinson had the gall. Reaching for her inside pocket, Hermione was about to yank out her wand when the hand on her arm pulled her backwards.