Amour

RETALIATION

It was their final year at Hogwarts and Hermione had been made Headgirl.She was honoured but was a little skeptical about the added responsibilities.Ron accused that she was following in the footsteps of Percy but then checked himself.Since the time his brother had supported Fudge and accused Hermione of being a lier,his name was not spoken in the Weasley family."Me and my father always believed every word you said.He even published so in his paper,The Quibbler."Luna said,handing her a copy.Hermione thanked her,rolling up the very eccentric looking daily in her hand and went to give a routine patrol of the Hogwarts express.She was halfway down when her snowy white owl rapped on a window.She took two letters from him,one from Slughorn who invited her to join in his Slug Club this year, and the other from Dumbledore informing her that he would have private lessons with her during the course of this year."Did you hear about the Granger girl?"Hermione whipped her head up with the mention of her name and saw some Slytherins talking in the compartment right next to where she was standing.One was saying,"Heard she has been chosen Head-""I couldn't care less about these lesser mortals!"Malfoy snapped."I have far more important things in mind.""Like what Draco?"Pansy Parkinson asked,shifting closer to him.Hermione slipped on her invisibility cloak and pulled herself up onto the luggage rack,just above their heads.She could'nt miss this opportunity of Malfoy sharing his secrets with his accomplices."Just that...how things would be so better when the Dark Lord takes over the world."he said."We won't have to bother about petty things like going to school.""How's your father doing ,Draco?"one of his friends asked."Say that again?"Malfoy glared at him."I mean,wouldn't you wanna have revenge on Granger for what she did to get him captured?"he said,taken aback.Malfoy let out a breath,looking up,as if calculating and said,"Oh,she won't go unscathed."And Hermione had the feeling that he was looking right at the place where she was hiding......................................
As Hogwarts drew near,the train screeched to a stop and Hermione wondered whether her friends would be concerned about her absence or whether they would think she had gotten off on her own.Draco coaxed his friends to go on without him,saying he would be right behind them.And as soon as they left and the train was empty,he whipped out his wand and jinxed Hermione,forcing her to fall down from her seated position up at the racks.She had been sitting so still for so long that her muscles had cramped and she wasn't quick enough in drawing her wand.On the floor she scrambled to get a hold of her wand but a leg swung out of nowhere and hit her in the stomach,under the ribs.She clutched the place instead and her body heaved as she wretched out blood.He pulled her up by the front of her shirt  so that they were face to face."I can take care of you muggle filth without using any magic.I so want to punch the shit out of you.This one is for my father."He pulled his fist back and brought it back on her face so hard that she was knocked down and hit the floor.She was seeing stars in her eyes but she made out Malfoy's wiry figure smirking maliciously down at her and then disperse from the bogie...........................................
Snape was standing like a caped sentinel as students filed in through the gates marking the perimeter of Hogwarts.He ticked off each name while Filch grabbed hold of anyone who behaved even slightly suspiciously and demanded to check their trunks."Isn't Hermione with you?"Snape asked as he saw her friends walk away without her."She didn't return from her Headgirl duty.Must be still at the back of the train."said a disgruntled Ron after Filch had tossed and turned through his luggage unnecessarily.Snape was a little anxious but let them go."It's a cane you halfwit!"He looked up to see Malfoy shout at Filch."It can be used as a weapon."Filch said inspecting the stick."Yeah,to stick it up your ass!"Malfoy retorted."That'll be all now Mr.Filch,let the boy go."Snape said,coming forward.Filch left with a grunt and Snape turned on Malfoy."You are late.What were you doing?"he asked him suspiciously.Malfoy gave a wicked grin and said,"There was some mud under my boots,I was wiping it clean."Snape grew perplexed as he stared after the back of Malfoy and checked the list,and the only name left to be ticked off was Hermione Granger."She hasn't arrived?"Tonks appeared beside,startling him."I'll go and check."she said and strolled off towards the end of the train.After a few minutes,while Snape was putting the protective enchantments back on the walls,he saw two figures approaching out of the shadows,one seemed to be leaning on the other."My God!"he gasped as he saw Tonks supporting Hermione down the pathway,her mouth and the front of her shirt covered in blood."She was lying on the floor of the train compartment.Someone beat her up."Tonks said,out of breath as she half-carried the injured Hermione.Snape rushed in and quickly put her arm around his neck."I'm okay...I'm-"but Hermione suddenly felt her feet dissappear from under her as he lifted her up by the knees and back.She was still a little groggy because her head had hit the hard floor of the train and she just clung onto his neck as he practically flew down the road,leading to the castle and brought her straight to the hospital wing......................
"What hurts,dear?"Madam Pomfrey asked as she dabbed at Hermione's mouth and cheek with cotton balls.She pointed at the back of her head, saying nothing as she saw how angry Snape looked and Madam Pomfrey pressed the spot with her fingers,making Hermione wince."Tender?"she asked and after Hermione nodded she prescribed some medication."He also kicked me in the stomach."Hermione told smally and pulled up her top slightly to show her the bruise.Snape cringed when he saw the reddish-black skin which clearly imprinted a boot-mark.To hit someone when they are down...and to hit a woman in that way...Pomfrey tutted and said,"I need to check for internal bleeding.""It was Malfoy wasn't it?How dare he?!"he asked,fuming.Hermione looked at him and sighed,"We won't be able to prove anything,would we?So let it go."Snape ran his hand through his hair and told Pomfrey,"Might as well check her for a concussion."and stormed out of the room.Hermione knew he would be like that but she couldn't do anything.....................
"A word,Mr.Malfoy."Snape said out of the corner of his mouth the next morning during breakfast.He controlled his anger till the two of them had come out of the Great Hall,away from all the people.Then he fisted Malfoy's shirt and pushed him back into a wall."What do you think you were doing?The Dark Lord has set you a task and suggest you get on with it."Snape hissed.Malfoy tried to push him away,"What are you say-""Don't play dumb with me.I know you injured Her-the Granger girl last night.Forget about her and plan how you're going to do the thing you were chosen to do.If you get distracted like this I might have to tell the Dark Lord that he has chosen wrongly."Snape said.Malfoy tried to wrench free,"I know you have been trying to steal my thunder.I'm the chosen one,this is my moment!""Did you forget that I have sworn to protect you.I made the Un-"but he stopped as at that moment Hermione came down the corridor on getting discharged from the hospital.He quickly let go of Malfoy and he straightened up;she looked from one to the other suspiciously."Nice face,Mudblood."Malfoy sneered and stalked off.Hermione had a band-aid across her cheekbone and a swollen and cut lip.Snape came towards her and asked after her health.They were in public so he just ran his finger on the bruise of her lip and went away promising he would see her soon.Hermione was still deliberative over what they were talking about.