Seven Reasons Not to Love

Part Seven - Truth in the Enemy

Hermione stared at Pansy, who glared across the room at her. Everyone watched Snape leave, and followed the vicious looks she and the girl across the room were exchanging. But no one spoke. After a final malicious glance, Pansy skulked off and everyone else seemed to follow, muttering quietly amongst themselves. Hermione shuddered. Pansy was nasty, there was no doubt about it, but Hermione had always thought that she and Malfoy got on well. Or at least, that Pansy respected Malfoy, even if he didn't give her the time of day.

She looked at the blonde boy, lying in the bed next to hers. He seemed barely conscious as Madam Pomfrey busied herself with trying to force-feed him a potion. Hermione noticed that Dean Thomas too, seemed to be asleep again already. But then, the four of them had been closest to the accident. Which led Hermione back to her memory of the event. Though hazy, she could swear that she saw Pansy drop something into Malfoy's cauldron. Maybe she was stupid to say it out loud; Snape would never believe a Slytherin did it, but that didn't change what she'd seen. Pansy had walked to the front of the class and collected a glass vial, she'd then turned and looked at Malfoy, who looked away. In that moment, she'd dropped something in. Yes, she was sure of it.

"Granger." A cool voice made her jump and she looked around for its source. She found herself staring at Draco Malfoy, now completely awake. He was only a few feet away, and though far from looking at her without hatred, he wasn't glaring. His features seemed strained, his skin paler than usual and his expression completely blank.

"Er...yeah?" she said timidly.

"Were you telling the truth?"

"What?" she'd said before she could stop herself, even though she heard perfectly well.

"I want to know if you saw what you said you saw."

"About Pansy?"

"Yes." He pushed himself up in his bed a little and reached for his potion, keeping his eyes fixed on her. She shivered involuntarily, knowing that now the moment had passed, she could never be certain she saw correctly. She nodded anyway.

"Yes. I saw her walk past you, and you looked away. She dropped something into your potion and as she sat down, it exploded." They kept their gazes fixed as both seemed to take in this information for the first time. Draco was drinking his potion thoughtfully, and Hermione was wondering why he would ask such a question, as though he seriously thought it a likely possibility. Then Draco downed the last of his potion and slid off the bed.

"Thanks Granger," he said, collecting his bag and turning towards the door. A mini battle took place in Hermione's mind as she pondered letting him just leave, or asking him what was going on. As a consequence of this, she both tried to jump out of her bed and stop him, and stop herself doing so at the same time. She crashed into the screen, her legs too weak to hold her, and let out a shriek. She closed her eyes and stuck out an arm, anticipating hitting the floor any second. But the thud never came. Instead, two hands grasped her firmly around the waist and pulled her back upright. Hermione opened her eyes, surprised to see Draco Malfoy holding her up. He dragged her back over to her bed and leant her back against it, crossing his arms over his chest and staring at her. She sat back down on her bed. She stared at him.

"Yes?" he said.

"Er, thanks?" she said uncertainly.

"No, what did you want?"

"Oh, I er...nothing." She started to look away, but he raised his eyebrow and pressed on.

"So you half leapt out of bed for no reason?"

"Well, I was just...thinking. Pansy and you..."

"Were never friends. We never liked each other."

"Oh. Okay, but then...do you...do you believe me?" she spoke quietly, bringing her eyes level with his. He was silent a moment as if considering her.

"Yes. I think I do."

"Why?" she found herself asking. She was leaning slightly forwards, and, realising this leant back in bed again.

"They're trying to kill me," he said quietly.

"I mean, you, I thought you hated us. You made it pretty cl..." she stopped. "They're what?" Draco unfolded his arms and looked at the floor. His hair flopped over his face, and she couldn't see his expression when he spoke, but if she could've, she knew it would have been both angry and regretful. But she thought she saw a flicker of a smile touch his lips.

"Yes, it's true. And you know, sometimes what you think and what you see or do are completely different things," he said, turning and hitching his bag onto his shoulder. He was at the door, and Hermione was still watching after him when he turned back. "Oh yeah. You might want to drink that before trying to get up again." He added, nodding towards her table, and with that, he left.

Hermione looked back at her table where there was a purple potion that bubbled and emitted a little yellow smoke. Next to it was a label, Strengthening Potion. Hermione picked up the potion and took a gulp. It tasted like sherbet, but was so fizzy it made her eyes water. She rubbed her eyes and stared at the hospital wing door, lost in thought. What the hell was going on? First Luna Lovegood goes missing. Then Ron goes all weird and claims to know she's dead. And Pansy, trying to kill Malfoy. Hermione didn't know what to think. Or who to believe. Normally, she'd have no doubt believing Ron, and telling Malfoy to shove off. But this time...what was up with Ron? He was acting so strangely. And Malfoy...Hermione would swear she saw Pansy drop that leaf.

"Miss Granger?"

"Oh, Madam Pomfrey!" Hermione started, and a little potion spilled down the edge of the beaker.

"Are you feeling okay? No pain, dizziness? Confusion?" Madam Pomfrey pushed Hermione's chin up as she said this, looking her in the eye. She waved her hand in front of Hermione's face, checking her eyes could follow it.

"I'm fine," Hermione said. Though she knew she certainly felt confusion now. Of course, whether that had anything to do with the gone-wrong potion...she doubted. Madam Pomfrey let her go.

"Good. Drink the rest of that and you can leave. Really. I've never seen such stupidity from students...the professor's furious..." she continued to mutter as she walked over to Dean's bed. Hermione closed her eyes and swallowed the rest of the potion as quickly as she could, and carefully, she tried to stand. This time her feet seemed willing to support her. Leaving the cup on the bedside table, she picked her bag up and hurried from the room.

As soon as Hermione reached the Gryffindor common room, Harry stood up and walked straight over to her.

"Hermione! Are you okay?"

"Yes, why?"

"I heard about what happened in potions." He dragged her over to the corner and they both sat, leaning towards each other so they could talk quietly. "What happened?" he asked.

"Pansy Parkinson tried to kill Malfoy."

"What?" Harry leant back. "No way?"

"No really. I'm not kidding. I saw her. She dropped hemlock leaf into his potion." At this Harry looked blank and Hermione let out an exasperated sigh. "Hemlock's a poison that comes from this plant with white flower! Only, we were making a freezing potion..."

"I know what hemlock is, Hermione. Are you seriously asking me to believe that someone tried to kill Malfoy? Someone from his own house?"

"I. SAW. HER!"

"Maybe it was an accident?"

"Fine. Don't believe me. I can't believe that Malfoy believes me and you don't."

"Wait...what do you mean, he believes you?"

"He asked me about it. If what I saw was true. I said it was and he thought so too. It was really weird. Then he said that they're trying to kill him. Didn't say who."

"I don't like this. Everyone seems to be going crazy around us..." Harry continued, but Hermione wasn't listening any more. She was wondering why on earth someone would want to kill Malfoy. Then, suddenly she noticed something wrong.

"Harry, where's Ron?"

"Oh, I meant to tell you that. He disappeared about half and hour or so ago. Ginny's gone after him."

"We have to..."

"No, Ginny wants to try and talk to him first. She's noticed he's been disappearing a lot lately too, but she said if they aren't back by eight, then we get out the map and look for them."

"Hmm. Okay then." Hermione looked away from Harry and into the fire. Her mind whirled with possibilities. Possible dangers and she glanced back at Harry, who was bending over the arm of his chair to pick up a book. She felt a quiver of fear rush through her; fear for Harry; that someone was planning something that ultimately was going to come down to him.