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Services Rendered	By : Jennlee Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 35321 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Chapter 2
Hermione was in the library at her usual table working on extra credit for charms. Her eyes looked up warily as Draco Malfoy entered the room. She started shoving her books back into her bag as he approached her.
Malfoy walked past the table casually, and did not stop or sit down. He said a single word to her as he breezed past.
"Tomorrow."
Hermione didn't sleep well that night, thinking about what Draco Malfoy said and what he meant. Should she do something? Tell someone? What was he up to? Even if she told someone, what could they do? She thought of her parents. Defenseless Muggle dentists. Were they in danger? She decided to send them an owl in the morning to tell them to be on their guard.
Hermione tried to write the letter the next morning but she didn't know what to say. "Be careful of the Death Eaters?' That sounded ridiculous and wouldn't be helpful. Maybe it would be better to write to Ron's dad. But then she'd have to tell Ron. Ron didn't need more trouble with Malfoy, especially on her behalf. Hermione decided there was nothing to do but wait and call Malfoy's bluff. Nothing would happen, she reassured herself. He was a stupid prat who was just trying to rattle her.
Hermione was dreading potions class that afternoon as usual. She normally dreaded it for Snape's brutal treatment of his Gryffindor pupils. Today she dreaded being in the same classroom as Malfoy. She found his eyes staring at her time and time again, trying to meet her gaze. She refused to look at him. They prepared their potions, she and Neville at their usual table next to Harry and Ron.
As Hermione was stirring crushed beetle eyes into her potion, the dungeon door opened. Professor McGonagall entered the classroom. Her face looked distressed but like she was trying to hide it in her customary stern expression. The pupils all looked up, intrigued at the interruption. Snape must have been surprised because he made no sarcastic comment about the interruption to his class.
"May I see Mr. Finnegan, please, Professor Snape?" McGonagall asked, her voice sounding strangely calm.
"Certainly Professor. Mr. Finnegan?" Snape motioned to Seamus, who was stirring his potion to keep it from boiling over. Dean took the stirring rod from him and Seamus started up to the front of the classroom.
"Please bring your things with you, Seamus." Professor McGonagall said.
Seamus gathered his things, his expression worried. Dean whispered that he would clean up Seamus' potion and bring his cauldron back for him. Seamus nodded and took his books. The class was silent as Seamus left. When the door closed behind him with a loud clang that echoed through the dungeons, the pupils started to whisper among themselves.
"I will have order in this class." Snape growled menacingly through the ruckus. "Continue with your assignments."
Hermione quickly stirred her cauldron, her potion starting to turn a brilliant puce, just as indicated in the instructions. The Gryffindors were not to be shushed. Before class was over, Harry and Ron got twenty points taken off for whispering. Just after Seamus left, something made Hermione look up. She found herself gazing at Draco Malfoy. He was staring at her with a cold, satisfied expression on his face. As she looked at him, the corners of his lips curled slightly into a cruel smile that she could tell was just for her. Hermione hastily looked back into her cauldron and stirred her potion. She refused to look at Malfoy for the rest of the class. She ignored Neville who was whispering speculations about Seamus' absence.
The bell finally rang and the pupils packed up their things. As he left the classroom, Malfoy walked past Hermione. "Remember what I said." The whisper was quiet enough that only she could hear it. She looked up, frozen for an instant, dread like a coiled viper, ready to strike at any moment.
Back in the Gryffindor common room, the Gryffindors found that Seamus was not there. They speculated fearfully amongst themselves for a while and finally the portrait hole opened and Professor McGonagall and the headmaster clambered through the entrance. The group of Gryffindors milling about the common room came to silence in an instant at the presence of the gray bearded wizard.
"I have some news for you. Terrible news, I'm afraid." Dumbledore said to the group of silent Gryffindors, his normally twinkling eyes sadly dull this night. "We received word this afternoon that Mr. Finnegan's home has been attacked by Death Eaters. Unfortunately, his father was killed." Dumbledore paused as the Gryffindors expressed their shock.
"Mrs. Finnegan, fortunately, escaped the attack. Seamus is with her now. Please send your good thoughts to them so they can begin to heal from this terrible tragedy."
Hermione's stomach lurched. She felt stunned and sick.
Dean Thomas stepped forward. "Professor Dumbledore? Is there anything else we can do?"
"Mr. Finnegan will be returning in a few days. At that time, I would imagine he could use the support of all friends and classmates. The ministry and the aurors are doing their best to end these attacks. If anyone knows of any information they wish to share to help in this effort please come to me." Dumbledore looked around the room somberly.
"I'll be in my office if anyone needs to talk. It is a troubling and stressful time. Please see me or Madame Pomfrey if you need any assistance." Professor McGonagall said, her eyes betraying her emotion. With that, the two professors left the room. The subdued quiet among the Gryffindors didn't last long. Hermione's brain seemed frozen. She heard snatches of conversations from her shocked schoolmates.
"I can't believe it!"
"Poor Seamus."
"But his Mum's OK, isn't she?"
"Wasn't his father a Muggle?"
"I've got to send an owl home."
Ron was tugging her shoulder. "Hermione? Hermione Are you OK?"
"What?" Her reverie broken, she said hurriedly, "Yes, I'm fine."
Ron's gaze looked somewhat anxious. "It'll be OK, Hermione. Everything will be all right. Don't worry."
"I'm tired. I'm going to bed." She turned without another word and left the common room, Ron's hand dropping off her shoulder as he watched her depart. He moved to follow but Harry stopped him, saying Hermione might need some time alone.
Hermione didn't sleep that night. Guilty thoughts pounded in her brain. She was responsible for this. If only she had believed Malfoy. If she had told someone or done something then Seamus' father might still be alive. Why hadn't she taken Malfoy seriously? She should have known. Something inside her must have known. That was why she had been so frightened. It must have been. If she had trusted her instinct...
What could she do now? She couldn't bring Seamus' father back. All she could do was try to prevent it from happening to anyone else. She decided to go to Dumbledore the next morning. He'd asked for anyone with information to come forward. The great wizard would know what to do, wouldn't he? Could he keep Draco Malfoy from destroying her life or someone someone else's? Could he protect her?
Hermione shivered, realizing that Dumbledore would know that she was responsible for this. He would know that she could have prevented it but she hadn't. She'd just sat around waiting and doing nothing. She should be punished, she thought. Punished for her stupidity. The smartest witch in school and she'd caused this through her stupidity and inaction.
Her head hurt. Rubbing her temples she tried to hold back her tears. There would be plenty of time to cry when she was in her dormitory. It couldn't be helped, she thought. She'd have to see Dumbledore, consequences be damned. There was something frightening and yet comforting about that. Hermione needed consequences. Her guilt was almost unbearable.
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