Fallen

                                    

                                          
"So," Fred said at the end of his tale. "Whose side are you on, Nova?" 
They had moved from the landing to an empty classroom, so nobody would see them. Hopefully, nobody did. 
"Well," Nova sighed. "I think I'm going to have to be on Hermione's side. She just wanted to protect you, not hate you." 
Fred wasn't happy to hear that. "Fine," he responded. He got up and headed towards the door. 
"Fred," Nova stopped him. "That's just my opinion, though. If you think you're right, then don't fix this." She left him with that and said goodbye.
****************
A couple weeks had passed since that Sunday. It was a chilly October day, and Hermione hadn't said anything to Fred, nor did he say anything really to her. She would sometimes lightly greet him, but mostly ignored him. He just said 'excuse me' to get through crowds in the common room. In most situations, they had to sit very close in the Great Hall, and they would just ask each other to pass the salt, or something simple like that. 
Ron had owled Hermione a few times, saying how she was meant for him and that she was with the wrong Weasley. She never owled him back. Hermione knew that she wasn't meant for Ron. If she was meant for any Weasley it was Fred. It would be a while, even though the argument was the stupidest thing ever. 
Draco had not gotten a letter back from his mother about Nova. The owl had returned back to him, he had known, but no letter was attached. Nova kept engaging in conversation with Draco and Ariana, if she met up with them. But nothing was about his mother or his father. 
Nova and Fred met up often still, but they just talked about their troubles, even though Nova really didn't have much problems. She's only eleven years old, anyways. She's lucky. 
Draco hadn't found out anything more from Ariana, but she kept talking about when she was going to get them into Hogwarts. Hermione keeps thinking that there's more than Draco is telling her, but she didn't say that aloud. 
Ginny and Harry's relationship was the same as it always was- snogging, and giggling all the time. 
Hermione was walking down near the Slytherin common room, during her free period, to see Draco. She needed updates on how to stop Ariana. She has no idea what she is going to do, she has no ideas. 
"Hermione Granger?" Somebody behind her asked. 
Hermione whirled around, realizing it was Draco's cousin, Nova, who said her name. 
"Yes, Nova, right?" Hermione asked, even though she knew the answer. 
"Yeah, can I talk to you really quick." She asked. 
Hermione nodded. "Can we make it quick, I have to go see-" 
"Draco." Nova cut off "I know. Fred told me you go and talk to him for unexplained reasons, really." 
Fred must have befriended Nova, Hermione thought. And she's the one Fred disappeared with when I hurt myself. 
"Yeah," Hermione sat on a bench against the corridor wall. "What did you want to talk about?" 
Nova sat next to her. "You, obviously, know Fred, right?" She continued when Hermione nodded. "He told me what happened between you guys." 
"Of course," Hermione raised her arms in frustration. "You think I'm a terrible person. Well, I'm not, okay. He probably told you a messed up version of the story." 
"No, no, no. He told me what happened, honestly. I agree with you, Hermione. He's still my friend, too." Nova said sincerely. 
Hermione stood up in shock. "What? What did he say after that?" 
Nova thought for a minute. "It's because you're both girls." 
Hermione sat back down. Her curls bounced as she hit the bench. That's something Fred would say. He won't be wrong. Well, neither would she. 
Hermione said it was nice to meet Nova, and they should talk again sometime. Nova skipped away, leaving Hermione in the corridor near Slytherin's common room. She went to the door, which was a statue of, who she instantly recognized, Lord Voldemort. 
Of course, Hermione thought solemnly. This isn't fair. 
 Draco didn't tell her the password. She knocked on the bronze wall that stood behind Voldemort. It probably wouldn't do much. Hermione waited for a few minutes, hoping somebody would come out. Nobody did. 
She ran back up to Gryffindor common room, and found Harry, studying an astronomy map. He looked a little upset, when Hermione noticed that one of the stars was named Sirius. 
"Harry," Hermione said, careful not to hint her sadness about Sirius. "Can I borrow your Cloak?" 
"Yeah," Harry smiled, rushing up to his dormitory. He returned within a minute, with his Invisibility Cloak. It was slightly ripped in spots, due to being in the Forbidden Forest. 
"Thank you." Hermione smiled, taking it from him. 
"What do you-" Hermione was gone when he tried to ask. "Doing with it?" He finished anyways. 
***
Hermione's free period was almost up. She needed someone to come out of the common room. She ran with the Cloak on her, hoping somebody would think whatever was showing was just dust. When she made it to the statue of Voldemort, she was exhausted. She waited right at the entrance of the statue, when Draco appeared, leaving his common room. He was paces ahead of her. 
"Draco," Hermione said, forgetting about the Cloak. 
Draco turned around. He looked all around him like an idiot, trying to find where the voice came from. He didn't see anyone, and shook it off. 
"Draco," Hermione repeated. She realized the Cloak was on, and she wanted to bother him now. 
He looked around again, knowing for sure there was someone calling him. "Granger," Draco said in the empty corridor. 
Hermione giggled, peeling the Cloak off. Draco's cheeks brightened a little, feeling stupid. 
He walked closer to her. "Why?" 
Hermione couldn't stop laughing. 
"Why do you have the Cloak?" Draco asked. 
"You didn't tell me the password, so I was going to sneak in when someone came out." Hermione said as if it were perfectly normal. 
"My bad," Draco said. He commented on how the Cloak could help them with catching Ariana. 
He didn't have any news for Hermione. She told him don't worry too much, but he had to get information before it happened. He agreed.
Hermione had to run, once again, to Defense Against the Dark Arts and sat right before a new professor started his lesson- Professor Spinnet. She didn't see why that was a class still at the beginning of the year. Now she can see why. 
The paranoia about Ariana and the Death Eaters was getting stronger everyday. When would they strike and why doesn't Draco know yet? Why doesn't Ariana update him if she thinks they're in this together? Does she know that he is lying to her and that he's going to defy her? And aren't all the Death Eaters locked up in Azkaban? 
"Hey Hermione." Ariana broke her thoughts. Hermione slightly jumped at her. "Little jumpy, you okay?" 
"Yeah, fine." Hermione said awkwardly. "What's going on?" 
"Nothing." Ariana answered. 
Hermione wanted to stupefy her right now, but Hermione knew better than that.
Hermione knew she'd have to act like nothing is wrong. She still had to confront Ariana about Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Ariana hadn't said anything about it, but Hermione was certain it was her. She can't remember if Draco said if she did it or not. It was a few weeks ago, after all. 
"Hermione, you're smart," Ariana started. Hermione nodded. "Do you think there's a possibility of the Death Eaters to come back?" 
"No," Hermione lied. Hermione couldn't let Ariana know she knew what was going to happen soon. 
"I don't either." Ariana answered, barely convincing. 
******
Fred couldn't help but notice Hermione in Defense Against the Dark Arts. She was smiley, but looked a little uneasy. Was something bothering her? Why should he care, he's not her boyfriend. He still desired to make it go away. 
For Merlin's sake, Fred! She doesn't want you anymore, Fred thought sadly. 
He tried his best to focus on Professor Spinnet, but Hermione and Ariana were drawing slight attention to themselves. They were making smalltalk, which probably nobody could hear. But still, everything was better than learning spells that you already know. Fred didn't pay attention. 
Hermione smiled slightly, and shook her head slightly and responded after Ariana asked her something. She turned away from Ariana and she looked deep in thought. 
Fred looked down, trying to forget about it. It doesn't matter, Fred told himself repeatedly. She doesn't need my help. Don't worry about it. Why do I even care? Do I like her still? Do I... Love her still? Maybe. Holy crap Fred, stop! 
Thoughts raced through his mind. He tried to stop them, but ended up falling to the floor with a THUD! 
"Mr. Weasley!" Professor Spinnet exclaimed. Everyone turned their attention to the mess Fred made of himself. He was curled up on the ground, hands over his head. He was stressed, and felt like his brain was going to explode. Fred felt as if he were being strangled, and it was just thoughts doing this. 
"Fred, are you okay?" Harry, who was sitting next to him at the table, asked, kneeling at Fred's side. 
Fred didn't respond. Strange noises just came from him. 
"Fred," Harry rubbed his arm. "What happened?" 
Fred shook his head. What really did happen? 
Harry and Neville brought him to the hospital wing. Fred was dizzy, and confused. How did his thoughts do this to him? Why did he collapse? He had hyper-brain, which is what he liked to call it. He was feeling exhausted. 
"What happened to him?" Madam Pomphrey asked, rushing to the boys carrying Fred. 
"We're not sure." Harry replied. 
She shooed Harry and Neville and asked Fred some simple questions. 
"How are you feeling?" 
"Dizzy, sick, confused." Fred stated with slight pauses between each word. 
She nodded, giving him some weird-smelling potion, and he fell asleep in seconds. 
***
It was midnight, and Ariana snuck to the Room of Requirement, where she was to meet Draco. Draco was a few minutes earlier than her. He had told her about this a while ago, how two of his friends died in there. He didn't seem any more grim about it that any other place. 
"Hey, Ariana." He smiled. 
"Hermione has no clue." Ariana fired quickly. 
"Wait, what?" Draco walked over to her, taking her hand and kissing her lips. It was a long, sweet kiss. Draco couldn't decide if he wanted it to mean anything. Did he still love her? Was it just an act? He thought it was mostly an act now. 
"Hermione doesn't think there's a chance that the Death Eaters will come. She's the smartest person I know. This will work." Ariana smirked. 
Draco smirked back, and chuckled slightly. He had to seem like he wanted this. 
"Great," Draco said.