The Squib Fiasco!!!

Chapter 15 - Friends, requirements and Green Apples

"Wait up!"

Hermione ignored the demanding and slightly annoying voice and continued her journey to the Great Hall, quickening her pace so much that it was clear to everyone that she did not want to talk to Ronald Weasley.

Except for him.

"Mione, it's urgent!"

But this time she did pay heed. Not because she changed her mind about talking to Ron, God no, but because this was a different voice. A voice belonging to –

"Harry?"

She turned around immediately.

"What is it?"

Harry looked a bit sheepish, as if he was afraid of how she'll react. Finally, he said,"You know, I'm not really hungry. You want to go to the room?"

Aah... Hermione recognized their code for skipping meals and going to the RoR. She was a bit conflicted. She had wanted to meet up with Draco and finish her Charms assignment quickly after lunch, but this seemed more important. She turned around to see if she could spot Draco.

She saw him entering the Great Hall. I guess I spend enough time with him... And I can do my assignment at night.

"Okay..."

~~~~~~~~~~~(time lapse)~~~~~~~~~~~

"OK, so let me get this straight: you have a notebook belonging to the 'Half-Blood Prince', which contains instructions, that aren't tested for all we know, and you're not going to tell anyone about it?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Harry nodded.

"Merlin's beard! Do you want an explosion in the dungeons? Not to mention last time we found an old mysterious book, Ginny almost died." Hermione exclaimed, trying to convince Harry it was a bad idea.

Ron, who had been quiet till now, piped up at this,"Well I don't see Tom Riddle anywhere on this, do I? I think you're just worried you finally have someone that meets your level in some subject."

Several expressions could be seen on Hermione's face. Hurt, betrayal which slowly filtered down to shock, anger, and finally, pure annoyance.

"Ronald Weasley, you insensitive, tactless fool? When will you grow up? Harry's let it go, why can't you? You really are a weasel," Hermione fumed.

Ron and Harry were both left speechless at that. Harry was mostly surprised but the former was still out to get her.

"Weasel, huh? Guess Malfoy really has changed you."

Hermione stared at him in disbelief.
"You're impossible."

In an act of giving up, she turned back to leave, the old Potions book long forgotten.

"We never wanted your friendship! You just clinged onto us and didn't take the hint when we wanted you to leave."

At this, Harry finally decided to do something. He gestured to Hermione from behind Ron, that clearly said, I don't know what he's talking about.

She didn't respond to that though.

What she did was turn to Ron with a challenging look on her face and simply said,"Then why did you always copy my homework? In any case, you're not getting it now."

All Ron could do was stare at her back as she quietly walked out of the Room of Requirement.

When Hermione reached the Great Hall, the food had already been transported back to the kitchen by the house elves. Most of the students had left, except for some raucous Gryffindors and Draco Malfoy, sitting alone on the Slytherin table.

"Are you waiting for me?", Hermione asked upon reaching him.

"I might have been."

Hermione smirked. "Aww, the bad boy was waiting for someone."

Draco blushed, but tried to cover it up by acting indifferent. "So what?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Okay, let's go now, we have Transfiguration."

"Wait!", said Draco, holding her wrist to stop her,"Aren't you going to eat?"

"Uh...no," replied Hermione, a bit confused as to why he was asking such a question.

"Well, then, you can't just skip lunch."

"What else do I do? The food is gone and I can't really go to the kitchens right now."

Draco thought about this for a moment, then suddenly pulled out a green apple from his robes.

Hermione was incredulous. "How is it possible that you always have an apple?"

Draco smirked, "That, my lady, is for me to know, and you to figure out."