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ღ chapter forty five ( come as you are )
"SO DUMBLEDORE RECKONS You-Know-Who's getting stronger again as well?" Ron whispered.
Harry had just told them all about the Pensieve, Barty Crouch, Ludo Bagman, everything. Jules, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat up late in the Gryffindor common room once again that night.
Ron stared into the common room fire. Jules thought she saw Ron shiver slightly, even though the evening was warm. "And he trusts Snape?" Ron said finally. "He really trusts Snape, even though he knows he was a Death Eater?"
"Yes," Harry nodded.
Hermione had not spoken for ten minutes. She was sitting with her forehead in her hands, staring at her knees. Jules thought she too looked as though she could have done with a Pensieve.
"Rita Skeeter," she muttered finally.
"How can you be worrying about her now?" Ron said, in utter disbelief.
"I'm not worrying about her," Hermione mumbled to her knees, Jules rubbing a gentle hand over the small of her back. She had feelings for Hermione. It was a startling realization but one that had been coming for a while. She was pushing it aside for Harry's sake though, they had to make sure he made it out of the tournament. Madeleine had promised to remain just friends and they'd made arrangements to pen-pal. Their kiss had been nothing but being caught in the heat of the moment.
"I'm just thinking . . . remember what she said to me in the Three Broomsticks? 'I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl.' This is what she meant, isn't it? She reported his trial, she knew he'd passed information to the Death Eaters. And Winky too, remember . . . 'Ludo Bagman's a bad wizard.' Mr. Crouch would have been furious he got off, he would have talked about it at home."
"Yeah, but Bagman didn't pass information on purpose, did he?" Ron pointed out. "And Fudge reckons Madame Maxime attacked Crouch?"
"Yeah," Harry nodded, "but he's only saying that because Crouch disappeared near the Beauxbatons carriage."
"We never thought of her, did we?" Ron mumbled slowly. "Mind you, she's definitely got giant blood, and she doesn't want to admit it —"
"Of course she doesn't," Hermione interjected sharply, looking up. "Look what happened to Hagrid when Rita found out about his mother. Look at Fudge, jumping to conclusions about her, just because she's part giant. Who needs that sort of prejudice? I'd probably say I had big bones if I knew that's what I'd get for telling the truth."
"She's right you know," Jules nodded. "Everyone still thinks my father murdered twelve muggles and is a Death Eater. I'm a social pariah."
Hermione looked at her watch. "We haven't done any practicing!" she said, looking shocked. "We were going to do the Impediment Curse! We'll have to really get down to it tomorrow! Come on, Harry, you need to get some sleep. Jules, you can spend the night, I don't want you getting caught by Filch right now."
