Consequences

Chapter 2

Hermione was up ready to go the next morning in good time, humming to herself while brushing her hair and gathering her books at a leisurely pace. Needless to say Lavender and Parvati resented her mood.

Hermione was an early riser, but had still had a good night's sleep - unlike most of the older Gryffindor girls, who had spent most of night playing spin the bottle with a certain Irishman. Hermione walked out of the dormitories and through the common room, where she saw Seamus collapsed on the sofa drooling. She rolled her eyes, but made not move to wake him up.

Walking through Hogwarts castle at eight o' clock on a Saturday morning was a pleasant experience; the sun shining in through the glass windows, the castle peaceful. Hermione was heading to the library to return some books she had finished and hopefully find one which would help with her Charms essay. What she was not expecting, however, was to be dragged behind a tapestry while approaching the library. She soon found herself looking into the snarling face of Draco Malfoy,

"Roles reversed now, mudblood," he snarled, still with a firm hold on her arm.

Hermione whimpered, he was hurting her arm and she was scared, there was no one around. He abruptly let go of her arm and stared at her, as Hermione began to massage her bruised skin.

"I'm a bit pissed off, Granger."

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "No," she gasped sarcastically, "you're not, are you?"

Malfoy ignored her and carried on. "See, word has somehow circulated round half of Hogwarts that it was you who broke my nose. People are laughing at my every move- the Malfoy name demands respect and fear, not taunts." Malfoy was looking at her accusingly, with no small amount of anger in his voice.

Hermione spoke, ignoring the pain in her arm. "It's hardly my fault, if you hadn't been so close mouthed about it no one would suspect anything. You should have just made something up."

Malfoy snarled. "It bloody well is your fault, my nose wouldn't have been broken if you didn't slam a door straight into it."

Hermione threw up her hands. "It was an accident!"

"I don't care - you still broke my nose, Granger, and now I'm a laughing stock. Now, what do you suggest I do about that?" He stepped closer to Hermione, towering a good few inches over her.

"I don't know, it's not my problem," Hermione replied, backing into the wall.

Malfoy snarled. "I'll make it your problem Granger. If you don't see to it that the rumours and humiliation have gone away by tomorrow after dinner," he paused, only for effect, "then I'll tell your little boyfriend that you don't really like him."

Hermione laughed. "That I don't like him? That the best you got, Malfoy?"

"I think I can scare him enough to give the desired effects, after all," Draco added, "Krum, Potter, Weasley; you're surrounded by the male population, a small rumour could put doubt in his mind."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "But he won't believe it - he trusts me."

Malfoy smirked, "Of course he does, the idiot, but the rest of the school will believe it." And not even giving Hermione a chance to respond, Malfoy smirked and backed out. Hermione sighed, he was trying to be threatening, but in reality his plan wasn't actually that well thought out.

Hermione left it a minute, before leaving the tapestry and heading to the library; she didn't want to run into Malfoy again. She returned her books and sat at one of the library tables thinking about what Malfoy had just said. After a while she came to a conclusion; she'd just tell Blaise what had happened. Honesty was, after all, the best policy.

She packed up her bag a few minutes later; she had been delayed to the extent that breakfast would be in full swing. Hermione walked out of the library towards the great hall, passing only the odd person on her way. When she entered the hall she headed to the Gryffindor table and went immediately for Harry, Ron and Ginny.

"I need to talk to Blaise," she muttered urgently, "Malfoy's been snooping." All of them nodded their heads in understanding. Hermione then did something that was never done. That no one had dared to do. She, a Gryffindor, strode the length of the whole hall and took a seat at the Slytherin table, next to Blaise. Muttering broke out immediately. Ignoring the rest of the table she spoke to Blaise, who was looking at her questionably.

"Malfoy's stirring trouble," she muttered quietly." He's going to spread a rumour, something about me not liking you and having it off with either Victor, Ron or Harry." Hermione paused. "And probably Theo as well, if it crosses his mind."

Blaise looked at her in some alarm. "How do you know that?" he asked, surprised.

"Malfoy cornered me; he threatened, sneered - the usual Malfoy intimidation. Not too awful really."

Blaise however looked angry. "He cornered you? Did he hurt you?"

"My arm's a bit sore, but that's it. I think he was trying to freak me out, but it didn't work.".

Blaise still looked angry "I'll have a word with him," he mumbled. Deciding constant muttering would look suspicious, Hermione and Blaise looked up, and came out of their own little world.

Hermione smiled across the table at Theo, who was eating a bowl of cereal, paying no attention to them, looking like he was in a world of his own.

"Morning Theo, how you feeling?" Theo's head snapped up abruptly, he looked at Hermione.

"Oh, morning. A bit sleepy. I hear you had a good time last night."

Hermione smiled, shooting Blaise a sideways look. "It was lovely." Theo smiled mildly and went back to his cereal.

Hermione looked sideways at Blaise who was eating sausages and suddenly felt quite isolated, a lone Gryffindor in a den of Slytherins. She lent forward and put some toast on a plate. "Can you pass the marmalade please?" she asked a girl on her other side.

The girl looked round and stared at her for a second, before handing her the marmalade. "Thanks," Hermione replied, opening the top and spreading some on her toast.

Blaise looked at her, smiling. "Glad to see you're making friends."

Hermione took a bite from her toast and smiled. "Inter House Unity is very important," she replied primly.

Blaise grasped her hand under the table, grinning. "Oh, so that's what they call it now days?"

Hermione smiled back and polished off the rest of her toast, the odd bit of conversation colouring her breakfast. Once she was finished she stood up and brushed her robes off. "I've got to go; it's Potions." She cringed slightly.

Blaise smiled, stood up and kissed her on the lips. In front of the whole school. Hermione smiled against his lips and kissed him back.

"I have to go," she whispered, pulling away. Blaise grinned at her as she walked back to the Gryffindor table to get her bag. Hermione dodged the cheeky smiles of Harry, Ron and Ginny, picked up her bag and went to class.