Our story had just begun...
September 27, 1996
"Hermione, you should've just listened to Harry. His potion came out well." Ron giggled. Hermione shot him a nasty glare and went back to reading. Harry laughed, pushing his glasses back to the bridge of his nose.
She stared out the window. Into the open. She can't believe she lost him. The only family she had left. Other than Harry. It feels like yesterday where they were all sitting together, laughing about how Ron was afraid of spiders.
"Hey" Harry said, sitting next to her. "You alright?". She turned to him with bloodshot eyes. It startled Harry. He's never seen her like this and it pained him.
"I just miss him. I miss Sirius."
Harry pulled her into a soft embrace. "I do too. More than you can imagine. But he wouldn't want to see you like this." Harry said.
"Yeah- I- you're right. Sorry" she wiped her tears. Harry stared at her, sadly. It hurt him more than anything to just sit here and watch her be so broken- so numb.
Sirius took her in after her family died. Kept her fed and happy. She thought of him as a father figure. And now he was gone too. What more could she lose?
The bell rang, Professor McGonagall's voice echoed in the halls. "Please make your way down to the Great Hall for tonight's feast". Hermione, Ron and Harry got up and made their way to the portrait hole.
"Rye, you coming?" Harry turned back and said. She looked up at him and said, "Yeah, I'll be there. You three go on". Harry didn't want to leave her but respected her decision and left.
She was broken. She had hatred running through her veins. Hatred towards Bellatrix Lestrange. She wanted her to feel pain. She wanted to torture her. She clenched her jaw and closed her eyes. This isn't her. What is she thinking? She would never use the Unforgivable on anyone. Why was she suddenly so angry?
—
She made her way to the Great Hall, taking heavy steps. The corridors were empty and quiet. Everyone was at the Great Hall. As she was about to turn around the corner-
"Ah, it's just Ryera." a cold voice mirrored. She stopped at her feet. She looked over her shoulder and huffed. Her day couldn't get any worse. "What do you want?" She asked.
He walked casually towards her, hands in his trousers pockets. "It'll be sooner or later that you and your filthy friends get thrown into Azkaban for breaking into the Ministry." He stopped a few feet away from her.
Her hands clenched tightly onto the leather cover. His icy eyes trailed down to her hand. He smirked. "What's that you've got there?" He nods towards her hand. "That's none of your business, Malfoy" she grits out. He clicks his tongue.
"Ah, so we're on last name basis now. You're right. It isn't. Have fun at dinner, mud blood" he scoffs and walks in the direction she was heading.
Furious, she yanked her wand out of her robes and points to to him, yelling "Incarcarous". Malfoy is startled and is immediately tied up with ropes and pushed against the wall. She looks up at him, with tight eyes and stabs the tip of her wand into his neck, slightly. Malfoy smirked.
"You know you're right. I might as well just walk-in at my own account. Surrender myself after killing you. But I won't go alone. I'll be taking your fucking aunt with me."
The tip of the wand was now piercing into Draco's neck as the rope tightened around him. A drop of blood covered Ryera's wand.
Malfoy hissed and stared back with no emotions. "Stay away from me" she says. "Diffindo". The ropes cut and falls to the ground, vanishing after seconds. She gives Malfoy another look at heads off to the Great Hall. Not before catching him holding his neck.
She joins Harry and the others. "What took you so long, Rye" Ron asked, munching on a chicken piece. "I went to the lavatory. Had to freshen up" she nods and starts eating. Harry gives her a glance and continues to eat himself. A few moments later, she catches Malfoy at the entrance. He locks eyes with her before glaring. He makes his way to the Slytherin table and sits with Blaise, Pansy, Theo, Goyle and Crabbe.
She scoffs and plays around with her food.
"It'll be sooner or later that you and your filthy friends get thrown into Azkaban for breaking into the Ministry."
Malfoy's words circled around in her head. She really did have no one to bail her out. Where would she go now afterwards? Back to her orphanage. Back to that hell hole. She can't. Her eye brows met and she scowled.
"Rye, are you okay?" Harry asked, putting a hand on her knee. "Just a little drowsy, that's all" she forces a smile. Harry nods.
Everyone was done their meal and was now having dessert. "These strawberry jellies are brilliant" Ron said, stuffing his face. Hermione gave a disgusted look. Harry shook his head.
She stared at the wood table top and thought about her times with Sirius. All the laughs, dances, cries, duelling. She misses it more than ever. Harry noticed her silent behaviour. He's always noticed. He can read her like a book and will know somethings up.
He places his hand on hers and gives her a tight squeeze. "I'm here for you" he whispers, only for her to hear. She nods in gratitude.
"Goodnight and be safe. You may now go off to bed" Dumbledore said. The hall was filled with chatter and soon emptied. She followed her fellow Gryffindor's to the common room. The fat lady smiled brightly at them and said "Password".
Seamus laughs. "Abstinence" Dean says. The portrait hole opens and they all skip through the hole. "I'm so tired. I'm going to head to bed. Goodnight mate" Seamus says and Dean follows him up the spiral staircase. The the trio and her get seated by the fireplace.
"You know Harry, you should really get rid of that book and hand it in to a teacher" Hermione roars. "Hermione, you're just mad that Harry's doing better. Give the guy some credit, yeah?" Ron sighs. "Well, if you're going to keep it, don't you want to find out who the Half-Blood Prince is?" Hermione reasons.
She glances at Harry. Harry looks back at her, with a plead for help. "Mione, leave Harry and that stupid book alone. Let him do what he wants with it, yeah? It's his anyways" she beams. Hermione was alarmed by the sudden outburst. "Right um- sorry Harry" Hermione chuckles, in embarrassment.
Harry looks back at her with a smile. She nods back.
Closing her eyes in fatigue, she finally went through another day of this hell.
