The Dragon and the Angel - [Draco/Hermione]

Chapter Nine - Conversing with Poltergeists

Chapter Nine - Conversing with Poltergeists

Draco lowered his wand and hung his head. He swore angrily. He had just become friends with her and now he made her cry. Ron and Harry didn't look too pleased with themselves either. Without another word to them, he turned around and trudged back to the Slytherin common room.

"Why so glum, chum?" Peeves cackled when he crossed him downstairs.

"Shut up, Peeves, I'm not in the mood." Draco grumbled. "Pure-blood." He entered the common room as Peeves trailed behind him. "Are you even allowed in here?"

"No, but that's never stopped me before. Poor Hannah Abbott; she's been having nightmares about me since the first day back." Peeves laughed.

"You're sick." Draco told him as he sat down in his favorite armchair next to the fire.

Peeves looked taken aback.

"What's this?" he asked, seriously. "A Slytherin student against me scaring other houses? What happened, Malfoy? Have a fight with your girlfriend? Loose your favorite pair of socks? Get embarrassed in front of the whole school? Did you-"

"Thanks, Peeves." Draco cut him off. "I made a girl cry."

"Granger?" Peeves guessed, shocking him. "She sitting on the bed in her dormitory crying into her hands. Something about 'Immature supposed friends' was mentioned in the bawling."

Draco's stomach plummeted. He suddenly had an idea.

"Peeves, can you do me a favor?" he asked.

"Absolutely not." replied Peeves.

"Aw, come on, have a heart." Draco whined.

"I don't take orders from you." Peeves spat.

"You took orders from Fred Weasley about four years ago."

"And look where it got him; he's dead now."

Draco couldn't believe his ears. Peeves was mocking the dead.

"Yeah, well he wasn't a coward, like you." Draco found himself saying. "He actually went on! You just chose to become a ghost and create as much mahem as possible."

Angry, Peeves reached for the nearest vase.

"If you smash stuff, McGonagall will know you were here." Draco warned.

Peeves froze.

"You play smart, Malfoy. What do you want with the Granger girl?" he asked, floating next to him now. "I'm not taking a picture of her while she's dressing-"

He was cut off by Draco chucking a book through his head.

"I just want you to tell her I'm sorry, okay?" 

"So," Peeves huffed, crossing his arms over his see-thorugh chest. "You're one of the immature supposed friends, eh?"

"Go!" Draco ordered.

Cackling, Peeves floated upwards and flew right through the ceiling. Draco heard some shrieks overhead and wondered what common room was up there. Hufflepuff, maybe?

"Poor Hannah." Draco muttered.

Draco waited for Peeves to return. It actually didn't take as long as he had expected. Five minutes later, Peeves returned looking very angry.

"She threw a book at me as well! Then she started bawling louder and woke a few other girls so I had to leave. I couldn't deliver the message. Sorry, mate." he said, though he didn't sound very sorry. "She just wouldn't listen to me. Started throwing a fit."

Draco sighed, feeling extremely guilty.

"She's really hurt." Peeves added not-so-helpfully.

"It wasn't just my fault!" Draco defended himself. "Potter and Weasley started it."

"Ooh, Potty and Weasel?" Peeves cackled. "I like them." Under his breath, Peeves started singing the victory song he had composed the night of the battle. "... now Voldy's gone moldy so let's have some fun!"

Rolling his eyes, Draco said. "Anyway, thanks, Peeves. You can go now." But Peeves didn't move. "Leave!"

Swearing creatively at Draco on his way out, Peeves left him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Hermiiiioneeeeee...." Ron moaned from at the bottom of the staircase, unable to get up into the girls' dormitory. He and Harry had tried, running as fast as he can, but the Glisseo charm always caught up to them. "Please answer us!"

Lavender, though she was Ron's girlfriend, had not answered when he called her either, begging her to bring Hermione down. Hermione had told Lavender what had happened and she and Parvati sided with her.

"They were being real jerks." Parvati said soothingly, patting Hermione on the back.

"Malfoy was the worst though, willing to perform the Cruciatus curse on them!" Lavender added.

"He was provoked, though." Hermione found herself saying. Though she was extremely sad and mad at Draco, she couldn't help but realize what he'd been through. "He's been trying to befriend them, but Harry and Ron can't let the past go! Though I do admit, it was horrible of him to threaten them with an Unforgivable..."

"That's right." Lavender agreed.

"Let it all out." Parvati encouraged.

"HERMIONE!" Harry yelled.

"LEAVE ME A-ALONE!" Hermione's voice cracked as she broke back down into sobs.