Blitz

Chapter 7

A/N: All of the thanks in the world to infallible angel and her excellent alpha/beta skills.

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blitz - any swift, vigorous attack, barrage, or defeat

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January 1942

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Hogsmeade, Scotland

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Hermione felt like she had been very patient with Tom and his research into his family. She hadn't even mentioned it once this year, but she would have appreciated an update from Tom. She told herself that he must not have found anything, because if he had, surely he would have told her. She hoped so anyway. Tom may have been her best friend, but sometimes she wondered if she was Tom's. Tom didn't seem to have any friends other than Hermione, although she knew he liked going to Hogsmeade with the rest of the boys in his dorm. She tried not to begrudge him, boys needed to spend time with other boys, but it left Hermione to explore the village on her own. She didn't necessarily mind it, but she was lonely. She had hoped that after the Christmas holidays, their friendship would go back to normal, but now it was the first Hogsmeade weekend of the new year and she could see Tom ahead with the pack of Gryffindor boys from their year.

Wrapping her cloak around her tighter, Hermione followed the rest of the Gryffindors to the village. She didn't have money to buy anything, Tom generally kept control of the meager funds they had, which prior to this year hadn't mattered that much. Mostly, she went to Hogsmeade to get out of the castle for a bit and because she could. She wandered down the streets, window shopping when the first assault came. It didn't surprise her anymore. Every Hogsmeade weekend had been like this.

"Poor, Mudblood, orphan, can't buy anything," Marjory Doyle hissed, kicking snow at Hermione. Her shoulders tensed and she clenched her fists but refused to acknowledge the slur or the insult. It wasn't worth getting in a fight over.

"Please, even if she could afford to buy something, she doesn't have the taste for anything of proper wizarding quality," Rose Brown sniffed.

"As if any proper establishment would even have her in it," Patricia McLaggen scoffed.

Hermione kept her face pointed toward Gladrags Wizardwear. Perhaps if she ignored them, they would go away.

"Look at me when I am speaking to you, Mudblood," Marjory hissed and pulled Hermione around by her shoulder. She let go with a shove, and Hermione hit the panes of the window behind her so roughly, they rattled.

"Yes, yes, laugh at the Mudblood," Hermione said tiredly. "Get your fun in."

Patricia pulled her wand and pointed it at Hermione's chest. "You better listen up, Mudblood. Nobody here likes you, why don't you go take a short jump off of a tall cliff."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You said that to me last week, get some new material, Patricia."

"Why—"

Patricia was cut off by Matilda Ross, the fifth year prefect for Gryffindor.

"McLaggen! What on earth are you doing? Are you trying to lose Gryffindor house points? You can't pull your wand on another student! Especially in Hogsmeade. Get back to the castle, all three of you." She shooed Hermione's dormmates back toward the castle, while Hermione just watched.