Hermione Riddle, the Dark Lady

Silence and fights

The next days I am quite silent. My thoughts were still by the dead Karkaroff. Not that I felt remorse or regret. It was just... weird to have blood of a dead man on my hands. I told Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle of what I had done and they comforted me.

I was happy I had them as friends now, but Harry, Ginny, Neville and Ron didn't know anything, which made me feel terrible. They probably think my silence is because of Cedric's dead. If they only knew.

Every night I step in my bed feeling terrible and wake up feeling that my whole day would be terrible. I try to break that circle, but it is hard. Maybe my vacation by the Weasleys will help.

Fred's P.O.V

"Don't you all think something is going on with Hermione," I ask. "Probably mourning over Cedric, just as everyone," mutters George. "Isn't it strange she hasn't said ONE WORD after the 3th task?"

"Well, Cho hasn't spoken much either, has she," says Ginny gloomy. "But Hermione wasn't even that close to him," I protest again. "MAYBE IT IS JUST HER CHARACTER, FRED," screams Ron at him. He looks very angry. Probably worried about Hermione like everyone else.

"There she is," mutters Harry. We all look up to see Hermione walking to us with a face without emotion. She didn't even say anything like 'Good morning' or 'Hi'. She hasn't done that since Cedric's dead.

"Hermione, can you please talk again," begs Ron. She looks up, a tear running down from her eye. "Leave her alone Weasel, don't you see she doesn't want to talk," snaps a voice behind Hermione at my brother.

It was Blaise with Draco, Crabbe and Goyle next to him. Blaise puts an arm around Hermione and whispers something in her ear. She nods and stands up. Blaise hugs her and he looks with an angry face at us. He pulls Hermione with them, out of the Great Hall.

"Isn't she seeing that they are using her," mutters Ron angrily. "Probably not, otherwise she would have done something about it," reacts Ginny. "We have to protect her, don't we," I ask. Ron slams with his fist on the table. "We have to save her from those snakes," he snaps.

Hermione's P.O.V, A couple of days later

I sit in a compartment with my Gryffindor friends. I read in a book my dad had sent me. It explains Dark Magic, but I wasn't supposed to use it, he said. The train finally stops and we walk towards the Weasleys. We want to walk to King's Cross Station before we are stopped by: 

"Hermione, wait!" Blaise, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle walk towards us. The Weasleys, Harry and Neville, who is staying for the first time at the Burrow, are all looking in disgust. They think their parents are Death Eaters.

"Hey boys, what's going on," I ask. "I had to ask you formally if you want to stay the last three weeks of summer vacation at Malfoy Manor," Draco says with a big smile. I look at the Weasleys but they sign I had to make my own choice.

"I would really like that, but are you sure your parents don't mind?" "No, they really want to get to know you more," he ensures me, "controlling who my friends are, you know." "Great, see you in the last three weeks then," I say and I wave them goodbye. I walk towards the Weasleys.

"So, talking again," snaps Ron at me. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU RON!" "NO HERMIONE, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? BEFRIENDING SLYTHERINS! NOT TALKING WITH US FOR DAYS, BUT WITH THEM IT IS TOTALLY NORMAL!" 

I just look at him. "I think I don't really like it to stay my first three weeks of vacation with you anymore. Excuse me please," I snap at the Weasleys and I bump Ron against his shoulder, walking with my trunk to big Muggle-London.