The Purest

She sat there staring at them. Those who had once been her best friends. Those who now walked on eggshells around her, they who were now short in their conversations.

Two weeks ago when she woke up in the hospital wing she had sat up expecting to see her friends, but instead found nothing. Not a card or flower, nothing. She had gone to see if anyone knew that she was there. But had found out the whole school knew. Later she had found out from Malfoy that he and his father had apperated her there, and placed her in a seldom used hallway to be discovered. She had been furious, but realized that it was so they would not be discovered having left. She knew that if anyone had truly known it would have been Dumbledore, but he had yet to make his knowledge known.

She sat there thinking how her life had changed so drastically in a few short weeks, how she now was almost feared by her fellow classmates. Everyone evaded her, was scared of her. She became withdrawn. She immersed herself in her studies. Which had been easy now that she had the knowledge passed to her from her parents. This quickly became a bore as she quickly finished her homework, and was left with nothing to do.

So now here she was sitting by herself at supper with nothing to do, and no one to share her misery with.

“You see now how a name or standing can change how one is perceived?”

The voice broke her concentration, but she continued to stare. Malfoy. How he had really been the only one to speak to her these days. She had no compulsion to respond, and simply sat there.

“They look at you and treat you different. They smile in your face and speak kindly. The lies they spin to make you feel like your still connected. And yet they never seek you out they way they used to. Slowly they separate you from their lives until you become nothing to them. And they don’t have to feel anything about you.”

He had been staring at them too as he spoke these words to her. He saw them laughing amongst themselves. He turned to her now and saw a single tear make it’s way down her cheek.

“Welcome to the other side.”

And turned to walk away, but stopped when he heard her begin to speak.

“How do you deal with this indifference?”

She looked at him now. Pleading with him to give her something that might save her from this desolate state.

The previous few weeks he had watched her wither. She was no longer vibrant but distant. She was like a robot in the halls. Her very recent pompousness diminished almost as quickly as it manifested. How she hid away in the library burying her nose in countless books to pass the time. The way she had talked to him in front of his father was a distant memory, and if he hadn’t been the one it was directed to he would have thought he had been mistaken in it ever having happened. He stared at her for a moment. Here was a the heir to one of the most powerful wizarding families in their world, and how she seemed to loath it. He did not feel sympathy towards her. He wasn’t jealous or compassionate. And yet he felt the need to bring her out of the blackness she had enveloped herself in.

“You need to realize that no matter what, we live in a world where people are judged from where they come from. Where in one moment you might be accepted and in another dismissed. There are no mercies in mankind for where there is difference there is also contempt and hatred. Where you were once accepted as a ally in your previous place in life, Now you are an unknown and the possibility of your name might make you an enemy to your previous companions.”

“I see.” She looked at them again. All hopes for her previous life vanished.

“Accept this and move on. Being a waste is unbecoming of a Slytherin, and I will not have you becoming a disgrace to our house.”

His arrogance was almost comforting. The familiarity of hatred, but she quickly dismissed itself from her mind. She would not compromise the one person who would still speak to her. As much as she did not care for him. She needed this communication, and knew that he would never lie to her. He was too proud in his ability to speak his mind when ever possible, and she would allow every word no matter how much she cringed under his scrutiny. In a matter of weeks she had changed and she knew it. She also knew that she had to get out of her self made pit. Her life had changed and now she had to find her place again.

“You know as well as I that I am of no significance to be a disgrace. That I am merely a nuisance to you as well as the other members of our house. So do not berate me for things I can not change.” She stated pointedly.

“Your absolutely right. You are a nuisance. Continue to wallow in your piteous state and be nothing. Nothing to yourself and nothing to everyone else. You had more purpose to me as a know-it-all mud blood, even if was just to provide me ruthless entertainment. Now that you’re a pureblood you know nothing of what it means to have pride, to rise above those who would look down on you. Your pitiful.”

Tears began to well in her eyes. For a minute he thought he saw anger, but it was replaced with hurt. The two intermingled in her eyes and fought for dominance.
“Fuck you!” Tears running down her face she got up, gathered her things, and ran out the doors.

She ran to her room. She knew that what he had said was right. She let herself become this. When she was in Gryfindor she would never have allowed herself to fall this low. Harry and Ron would have been there to help her through, now she only had herself. Leaning against the wood she slid down and let the emotion take over.


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Malfoy watched as she ran out. Unperturbed by her outburst he thought that he had seen a little of the old Hermione for a moment. That was enough to know that she just would need a little more prodding to bring it out of her again. He was determined to get through to her.

When she had fainted the Dark Lord had told him to keep an eye on her, the prophesy made clear that what ever side she took that side would be victorious. That had been one of the reasons that he still spoke to her, another one was that he did not like to do what others did. So if his fellow students ignored her he would not follow suit. He did not like to follow the crowd, he wanted to lead it. He knew that if he could turn her his house would follow, and that would piss everyone else off. Especially her recent companions. They would be utterly devastated no matter how much they played it off now. But knowing them they might write her off. Thinking it had something to do with her blood line. Those idiots.

He had left the Great hall and headed towards his room. When he entered the common room he shared with her he paused. He could hear her sobs. How they seemed to wail and end in a series forced mutterings. Grabbing a tissue box he went to her door, and without hesitation he entered and threw the box at her.

“Stop your blithering. It does no use to cry. It does nothing except make you look weak.”

“Leave me alone!” She sobbed. “Get out!”

“Not until you stop. I’m going to stay here until you stop feeling sorry for yourself and realize that it does nothing. You need to get over it. Grow up and move on.”

Looking at him she saw his eyes. They were so cold and unfeeling. She knew that he did not have it easy growing up. He didn’t have to tell her, she could see years of practice hiding behind the steel. Dealing and moving on were not one of the things that she was equipped to do on a day to day basis. All her problems took months if not years to overcome. He wanted her to do in a few minutes if not sooner. She didn’t want him looking at her anymore.

“GET OUT!!!” She screamed. Getting up she advanced on him.
He stood his ground. When she reached him she began to beat on his chest.

“GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!” Her screams echoed off the walls of her room, and yet he remained.

Not wanting to be hit by her again he grabbed her wrists, backed her against the wall and pinned her there. Anger flared in his eyes, his breath harsh.

“If you ever hit me again so help me…..”

Tears stained her face. Fear locked in her eyes. She met his glare. Exaustion took over her body and she fell against him.

Draco had to catch himself before she sent them both falling to the floor. Taking hold around her waist he supported her upright.

“What the bloody hell? “ She had collapsed, and now what was he going to do with her.

He picked up her light frame and carried her to her bed. Pulling the covers up he saw her relax into a deeper sleep. He then pulled up a chair and sat there staring at her.

What just happened? One minute she was yelling and hitting him the next defeated, now passed out. He thought something might be wrong, and so resolved to keep an eye on her.

He liked seeing her helpless. It made him feel powerful, but for some reason it brought a different satisfaction. He knew that everyone had deserted her and he was the only thing she had that resembled any kind of communicative relationship. That ment the she needed him, and he liked being needed. Even though he didn’t care for the recipient.


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She was running through a cemetery. Her hand held fast by her companion. Their cloaks billowing around them as they ran. The moon was bright and glistened off the headstones they ran by.

Familiar voices surrounded her, but she knew that these people were not her friends. They were closing in. She had to move faster. Tightening her grip on the hand she held, she forced herself to move.

Coming to a clearing they stopped. The Dark Lord was there, and he was waiting.

“Prepare yourselves this it! Remember whom ever you kill, leave Potter to me!” His word rang in the clearing. The tension crackled as all awaited.

She turned to her companion. His Hood darkened his features, but the moon reflected in his eyes. Two silver orbs looked on her with worry.

“Hermione remember that no matter what happens. I love you.”

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He had sat there for two hours already, and was soon tiring. Thinking that she would be fine he rose to leave, but stopped when she began to toss and turn. She kept mumbling to herself but he couldn’t hear her. Fifteen minutes later he again tried to leave. He leaned in to make sure she was breathing normally and was taken aback when he saw her smile. As he turned he heard her this time clear and resolute.

“I love you too, Draco.”