Hermione Granger and the Prisoner Of Azkaban (Completed)

Chapter 13 - The Final Quidditch Game

Dedicated to Xx_marina_luna_xX

Hermione stared at the parchment, not knowing what to do or what to think. Hagrid must have got it wrong. Buckbeak couldn't be executed!

She decided to go and visit Hagrid. Right now, he was her only friend, and he probably needed a shoulder to cry on. She put the letter in her pocket and, almost in a daze, walked back out of the common room. She was walking down the corridor when she was knocked out of her dreamy state by hearing Ron's voice. She froze and watched as he and Harry walked towards her
"It's my fault" he was saying "I persuaded you to go. Lupin's right, it was stupid, we shouldn't've done it-"
He stopped talking when he saw Hermione. She took out the letter and walked towards him. They deserved to know. She had forgotten about Harry going to Hogsmeade until Ron brought it up
"Come to have a good gloat?" he growled "Or have you just been to tell on us?"
"No" said Hermione, now fighting back tears "I just thought you ought to know... Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed"

There was a very long silence as Ron and Harry took this in, both wearing equally shocked expressions
"He sent me this" Hermione said, giving Harry the letter. Ron read it over his shoulder
"They can't do this," said Harry, giving it back "They can't. Buckbeak isn't dangerous"
"Malfoy's dad's frightened the Committee into it" said Hermione, her eyes widening as she realised "You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope... Nothing will have changed"

"Yeah, it will" said Ron. Hermione stared at him "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help"
"Oh, Ron!"
Hermione hugged Ron's neck and dissolved into tears. Ron uncertainly hugged her back and patted her on the head. Her numbness seemed to melt away from her. Ron smelled of mown grass, for some reason

She let go of him and blushed when she saw how terrified he looked. She wiped her eyes
"Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers..." she said
"Oh - well - he was old" said Ron "And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now"
Ron and Harry both decided to go to Hagrid's with her, and on the way they finally, finally started talking to her

***

As new security measures had been put on the castle, Harry was forbidden to go onto the grounds in the evening, and Professor Lupin had confiscated the Marauder's Map. That meant the next time they were able to talk to Hagrid was during their next Care of Magical Creatures lessons. Just like Hermione, Hagrid seemed to have gone numb
"S'all my fault" he said "Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me, Hermione. An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em..."
"There's still the appeal!" said Ron "Don't give up yet, we're working on it!"
They were walking back up to the castle at end of the lesson. Hermione wasn't looking, but she could hear Malfoy's cold laugh up ahead, and she could guess what he was laughing about
"S'no good, Ron" said Hagrid "That Committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that..."
Hagrid turned and walked back down the hill
"Look at him blubber!"
Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were standing in front of them, and had clearly been listening to every word
"Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" said Malfoy "And he's supposed to be our teacher!"

All of Hermione's anger finally burst. She strode towards Malfoy and punched him in the side of the head. Malfoy staggered away from her. She raised her hand again
"Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul - you evil-"
"Hermione!" said Ron. He tried to stop her as she swung her hand back again
"Get off, Ron!" she demanded. She was too angry to think about consequences, and she pulled out her wand. Malfoy stepped back again, which made her feel oddly triumphant
"C'mon," he said, and he quickly ran away, Crabbe and Goyle following him
"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed. Hermione was pleased to hear how impressed he sounded
"Harry, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final!" she said "You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!"
"We're due in Charms" said Ron, still sounding stunned "We'd better go"