Revelatio

As They Sail By

~•~•~•~•~•~

Without contraries

is no progression.

Attraction and repulsion,

love and hate,

are necessary to

human existence.

- William Blake

~•~•~•~•~•~

The day hadn't gone particularly well. Ron and Harry were as usual not on  speaking terms. She was quite ashamed to admit that Ron, not unlike a certain grey eyed ferret could be a pompous and stubborn git sometimes too.

It was afternoon now. Afternoon meant a double period Potions session. Potions meant Malferret.

She just loathed the thought.

Some people shouldn't exist...

As she walked with Harry to the dungeons, she saw a message in luminous red letters that burnt brightly in the dimly lit underground passage-

Support CEDRIC DIGGORY-

the Real Hogwarts Champion!

"Like them Potter?", said Malfoy loudly as they approached. "And this isn't all they do- look!". He pressed his badge into his chest and the message upon it vanished, to be replaced by another one, which glowed green:

POTTER STINKS

The narrow passage filled with raucous howls of Slytherins' laughter.

Hermione felt sick.

She turned towards Malfoy, who in turn was looking intently at her for the whole time. A very short, eternity long stare match ensued; grey to brown, brown to grey.

Storm to chocolate, chocolate to storm.

"Really witty", she said at last to him. He faltered for a second and then regained his composure. She noticed his falter. Interesting, she mused inwardly to herself. He just smirked haughtily to cover his minute moment of losing his suave style.

"Want one Granger?", he asked.

"As if I would."

"Really, no?"

"Yes, No!"

"Enough of this Malfoy!", a third voice spoke. It was Harry; his bottled anger of many days was pouring out.

"Oh Potter, you have the nerve to break a pleasant conversation." He glared at Harry, as if he had had interrupted the world's most important talk. In his angry haste, Harry drew out his wand.

She felt helpless. "Harry!", she cried out warningly but it seemed to have no effect on her friend.

"Go on, then Potter," Malfoy said quietly, drawing out his own wand. "Moody's not here to look after you now- do it, if you've got the guts."

Then something wholly unexpected happened.

She didn't know what came over her. In her blind fury directed at both Harry and Malfoy, she didn't see whose arm she was tugging at and began yelling, "Stop! Stop! Stop! For Merlin's sake, Stop!!!"

In the background she could hear a multitude of whispers and someone shouting, "Hermione what are you doing?!"

"Granger, what are you doing?", a cool drawling voice coming from somewhere near her left ear, asked.