The Secret Riddle {Wattys2017}

15: The 'Talk'

~ Hermione ~

"So...we need to talk" Harry says seriously.

I look at my three best friends cautiously. Or should I even call them my best friends anymore? I'm closer with Draco than I am with them. Hell, I'm closer with Zabini and Parkinson then them at this point.

They all sit down on the couch and chairs around me. Ginny sat down next to me while the two boys sat down on the two chairs closest to Ginny and I. Ron and Harry look at each other with apprehensive looks on their faces. They both look at me with a mask of determination written upon their faces.

"About what?" I ask, my nervousness present in my voice.

"The fact that you've been hanging out with Malfoy and his friends a lot lately. Why are you even hanging out with them?" Ron asks.

"Because Draco and I have decided to put our differences behind us and we've stopped acting like eleven year olds who actually care about what House someone is in" I reply, partly honest.

If I were to tell them about my identity I wouldn't tell them in the Common Room, where anyone in Gryffidor House could overhear our conversation. I don't need more people knowing about my personal life than necissary.

"What about Zabini and Parkinson?" Ginny asks.

"They've done the same thing. If you guys want to do that you can" I said.

"And hang out with a bunch of Slytherin's, no thanks" Ron scoffed.

"Knock it off, Ronald" Ginny said, giving her older brother a slight glare.

"Are they being mean or cruel to you?" Harry asks.

"No! I wouldn't be friends with them if they were" I said, shaking my head at the same time.

"Have they talked about being Death Eaters?" Ginny asked.

"They are not Death Eaters! Their parents may be but they aren't their parents!" I said, defending my friends.

I actually don't know if Draco is a Death Eater or not. I just know that he hasn't gotten the Dark Mark, unless he lied about that. But would Tom really make him a Death Eater if his only responsibility was to keep me safe?

If Voldemort's my father does that make me a Death Eater? Or simply a Voldemort supporter/ sympathizer? How can I go to war against my own parents? How could I go to war against my best friends and everyone else I care about?

"Have they talked about Voldemort?" Ron asks.

"No, Ronald, they haven't" I flatly lied.

He doesn't need to know everything we talk about. Is it a crime to talk about Tom, no it's not. It's just heavily looked down upon.

"Are you sure you and Malfoy aren't dating?" Ron asks.

"Draco and I are not dating, Ronald. We're just friends and it's going to stay that way" I said, frowning at him.

What is up with him and asking whether Draco and I are dating? I've always sorta known since fourth year that Ron's had a crush on me but he needs to stop asking that. If he doesn't he'll definitely be stuck in the Friendsone.

"Is that it?" I ask, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"No. We over heard Draco calling you 'Maddy'. Why did he call you that?" Harry ask.

Shit.

What am I supposed to say to that? I don't want to and can't tell them about me. What would they say if I did?

"Uh...I don't see how that's relevant. Are friends not allowed to have nicknames for each other?" I ask, my voice void of any emotion.

"Nicknames? How did you get settled with Maddy?" Ron asks, arching a brow at me.

"Inside joke, Ronald. And it's supposed to stay that way" I reply.

"Okay, jeesh" Ron says, rolling his eyes.

"Is that it?" I asked, standing up anyways.

"Yeah" Harry says.

Wordlessly, I walk upstairs to my dormitory. I still have an hour to dinner and I've already completed my homework. Maybe I could write a letter to Tom and Arabella?

I need to find Draco before or after dinner. I need to tell him that Harry, Ron, and Ginny overheard him calling me 'Maddy'. He's such an idiot, he almost made me tell them!