The Secret Riddle {Wattys2017}

12: The Next Day

~ Hermione ~

The next day in halfway through Potions class a note landed on my desk. I look around for a second and see Draco looking at the note expextantly. We haven't spoken a word to each other since yesterday.

Sighing, I uncrumple the letter and quickly read it.

Sorry for being a dick yesterday. You didn't do anything to deserve being yelled at.

DM

I sigh and see that Harry is looking at me from across the room. He mouths 'are you okay?' at me. I mouth back 'yes' and he nods unconvinced. Ever since I started hanging out with Draco, Zabini, and Parkinson Harry always thinks somethings wrong.

I make sure that Slughorn isn't looking and quickly write a reply to Draco's letter. We're supposed to be doing a report on the last potion we made and I had just finished before Draco's note landed on my desk.

It's fine, don't worry about it. And quit passing notes in class

HG

I spin around in my chair and throw the note back at Draco. He swiftly catches it and quickly opens it. I turn back around and stand up, grabbing my report.

I walk up to Slughorn's desk and give him the report.

"Nicely done, Ms. Granger! You may leave class early" Slughorn says cheerily.

Smiling to myself, I grab my bag from my desk and leave the dungeons. I walk a few steps before I hear the door open behind me and someone walk into the hallway.

I turn around and see that it's Draco. I give him a friendly smile before continuing to walk down the hallway. I hear him jog for a second to be able to walk next to me.

"What's your next class?" He asks.

"Charms" I reply simply.

"Oh, I have Transfiguration" Draco replies, sounding kinda bummed.

"Sounds like fun" I reply.

"Where are we going?" He asks.

I stop walking and turn to look at him. I cross my arms in front of my chest.

"I'm going back to Gryffindor Tower. I don't know where you're going, Draco" I reply, slightly snapping at him.

"I was following you, Maddy" He said, a slight grin on his face.

I roll my eyes before I start walking again. He starts walking again and soon were walking in sync. I'm going back to Gryffindor Tower so I don't know why he's coming with me. The Slytherin dormitories are in the dungeon so he literally can turn around and walk down two hallways and be at his dormitory.

"Don't call me that in public" I growled at him.

"Fine, fine. Haven't told Potty and Weasel yet I assume?" He asked, a smug grin on his face because he knows that I haven't told them yet.

So what if I hadn't told them? It's not like they need to know anyways. It's not like who my biological parents are will effect them. Or will it? Voldemort is my biological father after all.

"No, I haven't told them yet. Why, do you want me to?" I asked, raising a brow at him.

"No, and neither does He. He probably thinks that if you do you'll be expelled and hunted or something like that" Draco replies.

"And now I don't want to tell them" I said, smiling sarcastically at him.

"I don't blame you. I wouldn't want to tell them either. Especially Potty" Draco said, using his childish nickname for Harry.

"His name is Harry, not Potty. And why?" I frown.

"Why do you think? Your father murdered his parents" Draco said, whispering the second part.

"That isn't my fault!" I whisper yelled, thankful that no one else is in the same corridor that we're in right now.

"But don't you think that he'll somehow blame and resent you?" Draco said, looking at me with a serious look in his eye.

"I...don't know" I weakly reply.

We continue walking down the corridor for a few minutes in silence. But that silence is upruptly shattered.

"Hermione!" Someone yells behind me.

I spin around and see Harry and Ginny jogging up to Draco and I. They both glare at him and he glares back at them. He still thinks that they're a threat to me and that I shouldn't be friends with them anymore. But I know that neither Harry, Ron, or Ginny would ever hurt me. Right?

"What's up?" I say as they got closer to Draco and I.

"Are you going to the Quidditch match tomorrow?" Ginny asks.

"Yes, why?" I asked, confused.

Why is she asking if I'm going to the Quidditch match? I always go when the Gryffindor team is playing so I can cheer for Harry and the rest of the team.

"Okay, Ron wanted to know but was too chicken to ask you himself. He's playing Keeper" Harry says.

"Oh, okay. Well I'll be there" I said, flashing them both a friendly smile.

"Alright, see you later" Ginny says.

Harry and Ginny continue down the corridor, whispering to each other. I heard my name along with Draco's. They're talking about us. I know that Draco heard them talk about us but, thank Merlin, he doesn't bring it up.

"You're going to the match?" Draco asks, even though he knows the answer.

"Yes, I just said that" I said, looking up at him.

"Cool. Try not to check me out too much" He joked.

I pretended to laugh for a second before I playfully punch him in the arm.

"In your dreams, Malfoy" I say, rolling my eyes.

"More like yours, Maddy" Draco says, laughing.

"Don't call me that" I said, punching him in the arm again.

"Ow! That hurt!" He exclaimed.

"Really? I'm sorry" I said, actually sorry.

At one point in my life I had actually enjoyed slapping him across the face. But now I don't know. He's my friend but only because my father is forcing him to protect me.

Or is that not the only reason?