Queen of Gorgeousness

If You Can't Take it, Don't Give it

As always: rights go to J.K. Rowling

Chapter Fourteen - If You Can't Take it, Don't Give it

Hermione was still in shock from the events that had occurred at the bookshop. It was quite a shock for anyone to watch a person die in such a way being that it was so sudden and gruesome. It also worked as a horrible threat for Hermione. A part of her wanted to run and hid if that was the sort of things that Marcus did to people. Yet another, larger part of her just felt more determined to get to the truth.

She knew the sensible and responsible thing would be to tell someone of what she had witnessed and the dead man she had left behind. However, some small voice inside her was telling her not to say anything. The situation was fishy enough as it was and would be made more complex if it was known that she was involved. As it was she was getting enough grief from Blaise and Draco combined. Blaise had finally gotten though apologizing to Hermione, stating how sorry he was and that he just got angry with her because it was a sore subject for him.

Hermione hadn't really forgiven him but whether Blaise knew that or not was a different matter. Hermione had been deeply hurt by Blaise's comment that it was none of her business and it would take a great deal for her to forgive him. Draco was also giving her grief. He stood firmly by Blaise's side in the matter but he was also suspicious of Hermione and her current actions. It was after all, Draco who had found her in Hogsmead all alone and he had been keeping a special eye on her ever since.

The guilt was slowly eating her up and she wondered where the rule abiding Hermione Granger had gone. Had she simply disappeared the moment she'd become Hermione Zabini? She desperately needed to tell someone what she'd failed to report. As she made her way to breakfast she prepared herself, intent on informing McGonagall as soon as breakfast was over. However, she never got that far. What caught her attention was a side article in the Daily Prophet which had all colour draining from her face.

BOOKSHOP FOR SALE

In a surprising turn of events the old bookshop in Hogsmead Village is up for sale. Customers say the book owner mysteriously packed up and left one day. Some regard this as suspicious while others are happy for the owner who had reportedly been thinking of retiring for some time. One customer, Mrs. Featherton explained how thrilled she was that the owner had finally retired and hoped he'd gone somewhere warm and sunny as a retirement treat. Who knows why the book store owner suddenly had a change of heart and retired from his beloved book shop and who knows if the bookshop will remain? The question is what prompted this unexpected retirement and who will now buy the shop...

Hermione read and reread the article with confusion in her eyes. How could the bookshop owner have this article about him when he was dead and not retired? Who had written this article? Who had given the information?

Oh my god thought Hermione, was Marcus Boyle in Hogsmead? Did he come to dispose of the evidence? Though she wished to the high heavens that he hadn't realised there were any witnesses to his murder, she hoped that if he suspected that he didn't know it was her. Shit, shit, shit chanted Hermione as she completely lost her happy outlook for the day. She would keep her silence about her involvement now. Perhaps it was selfish but she didn't want to end up like the book store owner. She wasn't about to give up on her quest to find her Father but she didn't want to continue her search right now, not when things seemed so dangerous. She'd have to do more research first.

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Did you ever wonder what happened to Ginny after the ball? She'd been so quiet and withdrawn lately that Hermione had almost forgotten about all the insults she'd thrown. There was always Pavarti picking up the slack but she had always been a bitch. Even Ronald had quietened down but that might have something to do with his nightly stuffed visitor rather than anything else...