New Chapter! We've felt sorry for Draco so far, so let's remember why we don't like him as well...

Chapter 7: The End of Term

22 Dec.

The Great Hall was bustling with joyful, frenzied activity. The students were thrilled to be done with the term and on their way home to celebrate the holidays with their families. There were hugs, kisses, presents being exchanged, and lots of “Happy Christmas” wishes by students, teachers, and ghosts.

Hermione, Ron, Harry, Ginny, Neville, and Luna headed down together toward the Hogwarts Express. Harry would be spending Christmas with the Weasleys, Hermione was excited to be with her parents, and Luna’s father was taking her to Ireland for the holiday. Luna noticed that Neville was quietly shuffling along, not looking up. “I’m sorry that your parents are in the hospital; it must be difficult for you and your grandmother during the holidays”, she said softly. “Um, yeah,” he replied awkwardly. “W-We’ll go to see them of course- we always do.” After another awkward pause he looked at her, gratitude shining in his deep brown eyes. “Thanks, Luna.”

Hermione boarded the train first, squeezing herself past several other students to find a compartment. She spied one and, keeping her eyes on it, neglected to see the student standing a few feet in front of her. “Oof!”-she ran into his back. “Watch where you’re go- ugh, Granger! You smeared your filthy mudblood on my coat. Now I’ll have to take it off and burn it.” "Charming as usual, Malfoy. Move out of my way!” Hermione spat, attempting to push her way past him. He blocked her path with his arm. “Sorry- these are the first-class compartments. No filth allowed,” he sneered. The other Slytherin boys around him snickered and called out a few nasty comments of their own. Hermione’s eyes filled with angry tears, and she turned away. She didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She was too late. “Aww, are you going to cry now, mud-baby?” Draco jeered. The Slytherins cackled, mocking her with “Waah, waah” sounds like a crying baby. It was just too much for her. She burst into tears and pushed her way back through the students, shoving her way past her friends.

“Hermione, what happened?” said Harry. He and Ron looked in the direction she’d just come from. It was easy to piece together what happened since they were staring at a group of hi-fiving Slytherins. “Alright Malfoy, what did you do to her?” Harry shouted, barging his way forward with his wand drawn. Instantly, five Slytherin wands were pointed back at him. Malfoy stood in front of them, wand at the ready. “I’d back off if I were you, Potter! Go back and wipe the crybaby’s nose for her”. “You shut the hell up, Malfoy!” Ron’s voice bellowed from behind Harry. He aimed a spell at Draco, shooting over Harry’s shoulder, but it ricocheted off the ceiling and cracked the glass door to one of the compartments. Students close by jumped at the sound and began pushing their way away from the fight. Draco fired a stunning spell that hit Harry right in the chest, knocking him, Ron, and three other students down like dominos. Now there were more wands drawn from both sides, each shouting threats at the other. The first-years panicked and either hid in the compartments or fled from the train.

“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE??!!” Every student on the train froze in their tracks. Severus Snape was standing in the doorway, his eyes flashing and his face livid. “Put. Your. Wands. Away. NOW!” Everyone quickly pocketed their wands and suddenly looked very busy finding their seats. Harry, Ron, and the Slytherins glared at each other once more, and stormed away.

Harry and Ron found Ginny with her arm around Hermione, comforting her. “Why do they have to be so mean?” gasped Hermione, her breaths shaky from crying. She was forcefully wiping her eyes with her sleeves, determined to stop her tears. “I don’t know,” said Ginny, “I think they’re just born foul, loathsome, evil little cockroaches. Nasty pureblood bullies. It’s their blood that should be called filthy!” she spat.

Harry sat down next to her. “Hermione, you can't let Malfoy and his gang of idiots get to you like that; they’re never going to change. I know it’s hard- you've seen them get to me too. But my Uncle Vernon used to say: ‘Never expect anything from a pig but a grunt’. Half a minute- did I just quote my Uncle?!” Harry shook the bizarre thought out of his head. “But the point is: never expect anything better from Malfoy, or any of them. They could never be anything but the scum they are.”

“At least you won’t have to deal with any of them for 3 weeks,” Ron encouraged her. “That’s a Christmas present right there!” Hermione managed a small but grateful smile. “You’re the best presents I could ever have.”