Leila Lestrange- pure problems

Part 31

"Its a beautiful day," I say, smiling as we leave the castle. Ron glares at Hermione and says, "If when you say beautiful you mean ripped to pieces, I'd agree."
"Ripped to pieces?" Harry splutters. Ron is under the impression that I am on Hermione's side of the argument they've been having, and he isn't in a good mood. Hermione groans, "Ronal has lost his rat."
"I haven't lost anything!" He protests, "Your cat killed it! You've seen the way that blood thirsty thing looks at anything smaller than it."
"Maybe you should take better care of your pets!" Hermione snaps. I groan, "Both of you need to calm down-"
"WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?" They both yell. I shake my head and hang back with Harry as we walk to Hagrid's hut. Hagrid is skimming stones by the lake, sadness engulfing the area. The trees stretch up to the sky, birds and owls singing as they fly by. I sigh as Hermione asks, "How did it go Hagrid? The hearing?"
Hagrid mutters, "Well, first off, they stared with talking about why they were there. Then I was asked, and I said Buckbeak was a good beast, never hurt anything. Then, Lucius Malfoy, you can imagine what he said. Buckbeak is apparently a deadly and dangerous creature?"
"And then?" I ask.
"Not sacking you!" Ron scoffs. Hagrid shakes his head and cries, "Buckbeak's been sentenced to death!"

Hagrid sends us to the castle again as night falls, and Hermione rants as we settle down. I put my book down to listen as she snaps, "Disgusting! I mean, Crookshanks would never kill a rat. But I suppose you really have to think about Lupin now."
"Hermione," I sigh, "I love you, I really do, but do you think that maybe, just maybe, you are reading a bit too much? I mean, a werewolf? Remus Lupin is a respectable man, and I'm not having you accuse him of this for no reason."
"It's not no reason though!" Hermione says, "He gets 'myseriously ill' and unfit to teach around every single full moon. He told us we didn't have to do the essay. He ignores questions about werewolves. I believe he is scared of us finding out."
"Mines," I say, "Do you really think Dumbledore would hire a werewolf?"
"He hired an idiot last year, and don't get me started on Quirrell!"
"Quirrell had already had the job for a year or more, and nobody knew."
"What if nobody else knows about Lupin?" Hermione asks, "Come on Lei, you must see some inconsistencies in his story?"
"I'll admit I do," I shrug, "But a werewolf? How much thinking has really gone into this?"
"Enough!" She begs, "Leila Ophelia, I beg of you. Please just think."
"I'll think this evening," I sigh, "Goodnight Hermione."
"Night Leila."

The next day, I sit outside divination and wait for the group. There is muttering, but I can hear Hermione scoff. Then, there is a pretty loud bang, and Hermione storms out. I follow her down the corridor and she rants, "I'm done. I hate that class. A waste of my time, a waste of my energy, and a waste of my breath. She can try get me to see the future all she wants, but I am done. Leila, can you actually seriously believe anything she says?"
I shrug and say, "Can we slow down? You are really pacing!"
Hermione glares at me and picks up speed. I groan and storm after her as she says, "I hate her class. She would be a good teacher if she did anything. I feel so done all of the time in her classroom. Honestly, I am so done."
"You've said," I sigh, "Mines, you should chill. You are doing more lessons than any other student here, and maybe it is getting to you."
"Getting to me?" She yells, "I'm fully competent!"
"I never said you weren't," I soothe as she sits down against the wall. I follow suit and say, "But Beakbeak's last moments will be today, and you've got a lot on your plate. I'm worried that it is too much for you."
"Oh my god," Hermione gasps, suddenly sitting up, "We need to get to Hagrid now!"

I convince her to wait for the boys, but as soon as they are both with us, Hermione races through the courtyard. We can barely keep up, but she pauses very suddenly. I hiss, "I'm going to punch Draco so hard for getting this to happen."
"He's here..." Hermione sighs. Draco and two of his friends are crouching down, staring at the hut from above. Hermione storms over, her wand out, yelling, "YOU FOUL, LOATHSOME, EVIL LITTLE COCKROACH!"
"Hermione, no!" Ron says, "He's not worth it."
Hermione looks at me and I shake my head. She drops her wand, and just as Draco calms down, she pulls back her first and punches him square in the nose. He gasps, falling to the floor and I laugh, "Oh Merlin's beard, Hermione that was beautiful!"
"That felt good!" She squeals. I hug her and we run down to Hagrid's hut. Buckbeak is waiting outside and Hermione sighs as we walk passed. Hagrid lets us into his hut and says, "Look at him. The sound of the wind in the trees... a great little thing. Dumbledore wants to be down here with me for when... when it happens. Great man, he is."
"We'll stay with you Hagrid!" Hermione says, standing up.
"You'll do no such thing," Hagrid say as he pulls something out a little box, "Found something for you Ron."

He pulls Scabbers into view and hands him to Ron, who cradles the rat like a baby. I scoff, "I think you owe someone an apology?"
"Oh right," Ron says, turning to Hermione, "When you see Crookshanks, tell me, will you?"
"She means me!" Hermione snaps, "You can't get away with being so horrible to me for ages."
The vase on the table smashes, and Harry suddenly turns round, clutching his head. Lucius, the minister and Dumbledore walk up the path talking. I gasp and Hagrid ushers us to the back door, whispering, "If anyone sees you out at this time of night, you'll all be in huge trouble. Especially, you, Leila and Harry. Now go."

We are sent out, racing into the edge of the forest. We hide behind a wall of pumpkins and I groan, scratching my hand on a rock. Hermione suddenly looks away, and whispers, "I thought I just saw.... never mind."
"Let's go," Ron mutters. We run up the hill, and far away enough that we can breathe and talk normally. Buckbeak is just out of view, but we see the axe go up and then come back down. Hermione cries and I stand in disbelief. Ron gasps, "He bit me!"
Scabbers races away from us and we race after him. I dive, grasping Scabbers and passing it to Ron. We are told to run, but I can't breathe as a dog grabs Ron's leg. I grab Ron and I'm dragged into the tree with him.