Partners

Part 29: Avoidance By Nature

Ginny had thought she seen her friend low before- but never like this.

Never had she seen Hermione cry and avoid people, homework, and above all classes.

She missed her classes as Monday rolled around.

She had spent all Saturday and Sunday stuck up in her bed- crying into the pillow and falling asleep because of sheer exhaustion.

Ginny would bring her meals and sit with her as long as humanly possible- until the tears and choking sobs became too much.

When she wasn't being a support animal, she was out looking for Blaise and Draco- who both were conveniently missing and out of sight.

Her anger had been growing all weekend because of this.

What the fuck happened Friday?!

Trudging into the Great Hall, she goes up to the Slytherin table and spots Pansy Parkinson with the Greengrass sisters.

"Where are they?" She angrily asks.

"Who?" Pansy asks confused.

"Zabini and Malfoy! Where are they?!"

"In their rooms. Been held up in there all weekend. Why?"

"Because one or both of them hurt Hermione and I need to know who's arse I need to hex." She threatens and Astoria looks at her.

"Well, it must be Blaise because I took Draco to the dance Friday."

"Or it's Malfoy because he's back to being an arsehole." Pansy states. "Blaise is too nice a guy to hurt someone. I wouldn't put it passed Malfoy to hurt Granger."

"Well somebody better figure out which one it is because I have had Hermione crying hysterically and shaking like a Mandrake Baby for the last five days!" Pulling from the table, Ginny goes off to the Gryffindor table and Astoria and Pansy look at one another.

"I wonder what happened?" Pansy says. "Also- why did you go to the dance with Draco? I thought you liked Blaise?"

"I do- but Blaise asked me to take Draco because he had some sort of plan for him. He offered to do my whole divination project- so I jumped on the opportunity."

"Wow...your love knows no bounds." Astoria shrugs and they continue eating.

***

Sitting in his part of the room, Draco lays in bed for the last five days. He's missed three days of classes and honestly- at this point, he doesn't exactly care.

He's trying so hard to quell is aching angry heart. He's trying to calm himself enough so he doesn't kill Blaise for molesting Hermione.

Yet his whole body is eating away at itself again.

"Hey...Mate...can we talk?" Blaise asks as he stands at the archway of the door. Draco doesn't speak or look up at him. "I need to tell you the truth, Mate. The honest truth and you'll probably hate me for it."

"Bold of you to assume I don't already hate you." He doesn't, but he's just so fucking angry.

"I know..." Coming in, he leans against the black ebony wood best post and looks at his pale friend staring at the dark green tapestry of the canopy top. "I don't love Hermione. We're friends...or we were...anyway..."

"Why the bloody Hell would you hurt her? Especially in that sort of way?" He bursts up into a sitting position. Sure, Friday he was rather chill about the whole thing, but not any more. The more he's thought about it- the more he wants to murder Blaise.