Playing with Fire

~*~Playing with Fire~*~

*~*Vengeances*~*


It was a wonderful year for Hermione. She had been nominated as the Head girl and though she had expected it, it made her ecstatic. She didn’t know who the head boy was and hoped truly that it would be either Harry or Ron her best friends back in Hogwarts. But much to her annoyance Draco Malfoy, the boy whom she loathed with zeal, was nominated the Head Boy. Her fears had now come true. But she tried to condemn her dislike towards him by completely ignoring him. She figured that appointing both the Head boy and Head girl from Gryffindor might cause conflicts among houses.

The thought that this would be the last year at Hogwarts made Hermione a bit sad. But the prospect that she would be able to work in the Magical World gave her some consolation. Hogwarts had been like her home from the age of 11. She had had some life risking adventures through out her school life with her friends Harry Potter, the boy who escaped Voldemort, and Ronald Weasley, the red headed boy who was a bit difficult to manage at times.

She sometimes used to laugh thinking about the silliest reason which made Ron angry, though on the spot she would be thoroughly angry with him. For instance her going out with Victor Krum the Bulgarian seeker and the student of Dumstrang had made Ron go completely bonkers. She didn’t know why it made him so upset and at times she thought he was jealous, but quickly shook those ideas thinking he was just a good friend and no more. After all he was also upset about Ginny, his younger sister dating Michael Corner, a Ravenclaw. She figured that he would never agree to anyone whom he cared to go dating some one. How ridiculous! But then … each person is different from the other, who could blame him?

Harry on the other hand was a bit different. Not completely different … both Ron and Harry were poor when it came to girls and excellent when it came to Quidditch, a wizarding game. Harry had once dated Cho Chang, a Ravenclaw, who was a year elder to him. He fancied her, Hermione knew. She felt a bit guilty that it was because of her that they had broken up. But who could blame? He should have been a bit more tactful. Alas! They are such idiots when it came to girls, she thought. She was probably the only girl with whom they were close and she loved being with them.

“Bloody hell Hermione, don’t you ever get bored sitting in that god forsaken library all the time?” Ron asked her shaking his head slightly confused as to what was so special about the library.

They were now coming after their Prefect meeting and Hermione had insisted on going to library to get some peaceful hours of reading.

“Oh shut up Ron. Come with me once and you’ll know the importance of library. They are the source of knowledge” Hermione advised.

“Nah, I’m fine with the books I have. I don’t want to read more books. I already got plenty of books which remain untouched,” he said with an innocent shrug.

Hermione rolled her eyes, “Honestly Ron, will you ever change?” They were now almost near the library.

”Why should I? Here you go. I might have probably gone to bed by the time you come, so good night.” Ron said stopping in front of the huge oak door of the library. It was older than Albus Dumbledore, Hermione sometimes used to muse jokingly.

Hermione smiled, “Good night, and I think you do need to change a bit,” she said and disappeared into the library before he could argue.

She went straight to the charms section and began to search for a book on healing charms. She wanted to read about them as she felt the importance and significance of learning them. She figured it would pay off during emergency purposes especially with the raising of Voldemort, they were all in great danger and it would only be advisable to learn them.

She was deeply engrossed in the reading of a certain healing charm which slightly helped in the improvement of the physical and mental condition of a person subjected to Cruciatus Curse, when she heard some one cough slightly to get her attention. She looked up to see Madam. Pince standing with her arms folded, looking gruffly at her. Hermione’s eye brows furrowed, in confusion. She did not know why Madam. Pince was standing there.

“Yes?” Hermione asked curtly.

Madam. Pince’s eyebrow shot upwards until they disappeared behind her hair. She stared at her as if she had asked a ridiculous question, “Its 1a.m in the morning Ms. Granger and though you are a Head girl I am afraid you need to leave the library,” she said her eyebrow’s not appearing at all.

“Oh, I am terribly sorry; I was just too engrossed in this book that I didn’t notice that it was this late.” Hermione said truthfully doing all sort of actions with her hand, trying to explain. She remembered entering the library at 10 in the night and had no idea it was that late.

“I guessed so Ms. Granger,” Pince said dryly and shoved her hand towards the exit, “Now if you will please go to bed?” she added sternly.

“Uh, yeah right, I will.” Hermione said awkwardly turning red a bit. She quickly got up and stuffed the book in the Charms section making a mental note to come and continue reading the book next time she came to the library. She looked back and flashed a smile at Madam. Pince before she walked to the exit.

The old oak door opened with a creak and Hermione stepped out sighing with relief. She stopped for a second or two to check if she had got her book which she had carried inside. When she was sure that all the books were there she nodded and was about to walk when she crashed into some one.

“Well, well, well if it isn\'t for the big bushy headed mudblood.” she heard an arrogant voice speak.

She didn’t need to look up to see who it was. The arrogant demeanor and the way he called her was enough to tell her it was the famous arrogant bully of Slytherin, Draco Malfoy.

Hermione bent down to retrieve the books which had dropped down when she bumped into him and he continued to speak, “Where are your body guard Weasel and Potty?” Malfoy asked with a sneer she could sense even without looking at him.

Draco was thoroughly annoyed when Hermione didn’t even bother to argue with him even though he called her ‘mudblood’. He unlike Hermione thoroughly hated Harry and Ron and would do anything to bring pain and insult to them. He hated Potter for getting credit for no fucking reason except of course some small mistake on the part of Dark Lord, which caused the fall of Voldemort and the unnecessary praise of worthless Potter. He would have preferred the destruction of Potter along with the Dark Lord than the survival of the former. He knew though that his preference wasn’t of any use in this matter.

“Snogging Parkinson were you Malfoy? Didn’t see you in the meeting few hours back?” Hermione asked still picking her books not bothering to respond his question about Harry and Ron.

Draco glared at her obviously annoyed, “Yeah got some problem? And what the devil are you doing at this hour?” he snapped indignantly.

Hermione smirked jubilantly when she noticed his annoyance. She finally got up holding her books close to her chest, “I like you have all the right to be here Malfoy, cause if you have forgotten, let me remind you that ‘I am a Head Girl’” she replied stressing the last words making sure she had him annoyed to death.

Draco rolled his eyes in exasperation much to the pleasure of Hermione, he noted from her smirk which played across her lips, which only made him more furious. He didn’t know why he was so annoyed but was irritated all the same. Maybe because it was night and he was sleepy? Who cared now, all he wanted to do was to cause Mudblood to repent for what she said, “Yeah right, that’s what happens when you hand power of Head Girl to a mudblood like you,” he said smirking slightly.

Hermione flushed with anger at first, there was a limit for everything. This was the second time he was insulting her, but she knew perfectly that he was trying to make her angry and frustrated and she wouldn’t let him have the satisfaction of doing so. She turned to look at him for the first time since he had arrived. She flashed him a fake smile as if to say ‘there was no effect’. Giving him a once over she turned the other way round and walked away in the direction of Gryffindor tower. Her hips swayed in feminine fashion as she walked away.

Draco was absolutely irritated as he was outspoken by a Gryffindor, a girl, worst of all a mudblood! He hated himself for this and hated her for bringing him to this state. It was true that she had outwitted him when it came to studies, but not in an argument. The insult, the agony, he would make her repent. Oh yes he would, someday…


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