Don't Act Like You Know Me

Year 2 - Their New Seeker

"What did he do to you?" Hermione was worried about him, but she couldn't show it on her face.

"What do you think?" Draco asked. Hermione didn't really want to guess, but she had a feeling...

"You don't mean-"

"It's probably exactly what you think."

"You mean, Lucius..." Draco nodded silently. "Why?"

"To keep me away from you. He said he didn't want me to get any ideas since he spoke with you and your parents at Diagon Alley."

"Well then, get away from me!"

"Hermione-"

"I don't want you to get hurt, Draco, but I'm also not the keenest on talking to you at this moment in time." Hermione and Draco sat in silence for a minute.

"I won't back off of you, Hermione. You mean a lot to me."

"You have to. I won't let your father do that to you because of me."

Draco ignored Hermione's comment. "Do you still have the scarf?"

"It's in my trunk."

"Good." Silence. "Where are your mindless goons?"

"You mean Harry and Ron?"

"Yeah, whatever."

"I have no idea. They didn't come in through the barrier. They were right behind me the whole time, though."

"Maybe they decided not to come. That would be nice for me."

"I seriously doubt that, they had all their stuff packed and Harry even put Hedwig in her cage. Plus, I don't think Harry would want to go back to his alternative."

"What is his alternative?"

"His aunt and uncle's house. They don't give a rat's ass about him. He wears all hand-me-downs and they put bars on his window and locks on his door just to keep him from Hogwarts."

"If only the bars had worked," he scoffed.

"I'm a bit worried, but they'll figure it out or Dumbledore will."

"Yeah." Hermione and Draco were once again silent.

"I'm sorry about your dad."

"There's nothing I can do, really."

"I wish you were a Gryffindor." Draco stood up and sat beside Hermione. He took her small hand in his.

"Me too." Hermione laid her head on Draco's shoulder. They remained like that for the rest of the ride. Draco even bought Hermione a Pumpkin Pasty. She split it in half and they shared it. "I'd better get back to my compartment before we get off. Crabbe and Goyle will get suspicious." Draco got up out of his seat and opened the compartment door. She gave him one last smile before he walked away.

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When the train arrived, all of the returning students shuffled into the Great Hall. She sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Neville. Still no evidence of Ron or Harry.

"Where's Harry and Ron?" Neville asked before the sorting started.

"I have no idea," Hermione said back.

Hermione went through the whole sorting ceremony and first dinner without seeing Harry or Ron. It was a joy to see Ginny Weasley be sorted into Gryffindor, although it was no surprise. Hermione retired back to the common room for bed time. She sat in her bed and read a book that she had brought from home.