Don't Act Like You Know Me

Year 1 - This Piece of Me

Hermione woke up groggily the next morning, still clutching Draco's scarf from the night before. It smelled like him. She rolled out of bed and could hardly walk. Her limbs were so tired from carrying Ron all the way from the chessboard to the Hospital Wing. Hermione staggered down the stairs and out of the common room. She kept one hand on the wall as she walked down the hallway. She turned the corner and was met by Draco. Hermione collapsed in his arms. "Whoa, Hermione," Draco carried her to a bench and sat down beside her.

"Sorry," she muttered.

"No, don't apologize," Draco looked at her with sympathetic eyes. "What in the world happened, Hermione?" Draco wrapped his arm around Hermione and held her hand with the other.

"Oh, Draco. I'm so tired," Hermione sobbed. "I'm worried about Harry."

"What happened to Harry?"

"The truth is, when the vault at Gringotts was broken into..." Draco nodded for Hermione to continue. "It was Snape. He was trying to get to the Philosopher's Stone, but Hagrid got it before him. It was hidden in the castle and guarded by a bunch of obstacles. Snape released the troll into the school so he had a distraction to go get the stone. So Harry, Ronald, and I decided to stop him."

"Why would you do that?"

"Nevermind that. The Philosopher's Stone is in a trap door guarded by a three-headed dog named Fluffy. All you have to do to get into the trap door past Fluffy is play him music. Music makes him fall asleep. When we'd got there, Snape had already bewitched a harp and Fluffy was passed out. But, the harp stopped playing and Fluffy almost got us. We jumped into the trap door and fell into Devil's Snare. Ron wouldn't stop thrashing, so I had to use the sunlight spell on it. Then, there was a room full of keys with wings! Harry had to get on a broom and catch the key that matched the door to get through. Then, there was the hardest task of them all."

"What happened?" 

"It was a gigantic chessboard. Wizard chess. Harry, Ron, and I had to take the spots of empty chess pieces. Ron ended up having to sacrifice himself for us to win the game. He was knocked unconscious. Harry went on by himself so I don't really know what happened. I had to carry Ron unconsciously back through the flying keys and the Devil's Snare and Fluffy and carry him to the Hospital Wing last night."

"Lord, Hermione."

"I was on my way to the Hospital Wing when you came along."

"Do you want me to walk you there?"

"Are you sure you won't get in trouble with your father?"

"Screw him," Draco smiled at Hermione, stood up, and offered her his hand. Hermione took it and stood up slowly. "I got you, I got you. It's okay." Draco didn't let go of her the entire way to the Hospital Wing.

"Ron," Hermione said as she entered the room to see Ron sitting up in bed. Hermione bustled over to Ron as fast as she could.

"Hermione," Ron smiled the best he could. Hermione sat down next to him.

"How are you feeling?" Hermione asked.

"Fine, actually. My head hurts just a little bit still."

"That's great."

"I'm sorry that this is the second time you've had to carry me unconscious to the Hospital Wing."

"It's okay." Ron looked behind Hermione.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Ron hesitated. Hermione looked back at Draco. He had a jealous look on his face. "Oh," Ron said quietly.

"It's not what you think, Ron. Draco saw me staggering in the hallway and escorted me to the Hospital Wing. I'm afraid I'm quite too weak to make it on my own."