The two of them walked to the Great Hall; the stares of students who had witnessed yesterday's drama the last thing that they payed attention to. Ginny and Hermione greeted Luna, had a brief talk about the Quibbler, then walked to the Gryffindor table. The two sat on the opposite end as Ron and Lavender, and glared whenever the two looked their way. Soon, Harry came to sit across from them.
"There is something completely wrong with him." he mumbled, taking a few deviled eggs from the large plate in front of him. Hermione nodded, but didn't speak. She grabbed a slice of toast, and slathered it with raspberry jab. Ginny did the same.
"Harry," Ginny started, glancing at Hermione. "You'll never guess who happened to be at the Lake the same time as Hermione last night."
"It was coincidence!" she said insistently, rolling her eyes and swallowing. "I didn't ask for it."
"Malfoy." Ginny spat, quickly taking a bite of toast as if to get the name off her tongue.
Harry stared at Hermione, his emerald green eyes full of confusion. "Wait, you and that- that git just happened to go to the black Lake at the exact same time? And you didn't kill each other?"
She nodded.
"Wow, Hermione. I'm impressed."
Ginny rolled her eyes. Hermione gave a small smile, and turned her attention back to her breakfast. While Ginny and Harry talked about who-knows-what, the memories kept replaying in Hermione's mind. She, for some reason, couldn't seem to take her mind off what Malfoy had been like. He seemed so normal, that it was almost hard to believe that he was the same person who has mercilessly tormented she and her friends through their previous five years at Hogwarts. It was their sixth year, now. And it seemed like, only to her, that Malfoy had...changed somehow. he didn't seem like the same bloody prick from previous weeks, months, and years. He seemed like a normal teenager. It's funny how running into someone once can totally change the way someone perceives someone else. This is what Hermione kept thinking about. How that coincidental meeting with Malfoy had let her see a different side of him. A...genuine side.
Her eyes roamed the Great Hall. Hermione wasn't looking for anyone in particular...she just liked looking around and seeing people talk with their friends. That's what life at Hogwarts was supposed to be like. One was supposed to make friends and create relationships with people. It wasn't supposed to be like what her life was now. As she looked around the hall, she made eye contact with someone. Silver met mahogany, and their gazes lingered for the slightest time. As Hermione was startled with a laugh from Ginny, she broke eye contact. But, through breakfast, she continued to glance that direction whenever she could feel a pair of grey eyes on her.