Harry Potter 1. So What, I Like To Read

_Summary: They called her a know-it-all. They wanted to burn her books. Was something wrong with her? Could no one else understand her love for books? A two-shot about an unlikely friendship during times of need._

_Written for some special friends. Happy birthday! _

**Cleverness And Books!**

**PART I : So What, I Like To Read**

Hermione beamed as she packed up her books after Charms. She couldn't believe that she had cast the levitation charm correctly on the first attempt! It had worked out exactly as the textbook had described it!

As she left the classroom, Hermione spotted fellow Gryffindor firsties, Harry and Ron in front of her. Hermione jogged to catch up.

"Hi!" Hermione greeted them. "I was just wondering if you wanted me to help you work on the levitation charm?"

The redhead, Ron, snorted derisively.

"You're mental." He spat loudly. "Such a know-it-all. No wonder you don't have any friends."

Hermione gasped, dumbfounded. Why had those boys been so mean to her? She had been just trying to be nice! Feeling the emergence of salty tears in her eyes, Hermione turned and ran into the nearest girls' bathroom. She was followed in by Lavender and Parvati.

"Don't cry, Hermione!" Lavender cooed. "We can teach you how to ditch the books!"

"Yeah" Parvati insisted. "We can even hold a book burning ceremony in our dorm tonight!"

That was not what Hermione wanted to hear at all.

"Leave me alone!" She wailed as she scrambled back out of the bathroom. Blindly, Hermione ran to the one place which had always felt safe – the library.

Hermione found herself a desk in an isolated corner of the library. Hermione clutched her backpack of precious books to her chest. Could no one else understand her love for books?

She remembered being teased by bullies at her muggle primary school. They would call her names such as 'bookworm' and 'nerd' relentlessly, detouring others from becoming her friend. Hermione was told that if she wanted to make friends, she would have to change, and abandon her bookish traits. There had been several weeks where Hermione had tried to not read any books. But she had felt so abject and empty on the inside that she quickly returned to her pages with fervour. So the ribbing continued and Hermione was forced to keep dreaming of finding companionship while wondering – was something wrong with her?

Hermione buried her face into her bag as the sobs took over. When she had been accepted into Hogwarts, Hermione had hoped that circumstances would change. That surely, someone else would share her appreciation of books.

Yet, Hermione was crushed. At Hogwarts, it was more of the same. Here she was 'mental' and a 'know-it-all.' Maybe she was a freaky abomination after all.

Well, Hermione scowled. She swiped her sleeve across her face, wiping at the tears haphazardly. She didn't need friends. She had her books. She didn't need friends, as long as she had her books. Hermione told herself.

Hermione sniffed. She was lying. She knew that. But she couldn't keep holding onto her silly childish hopes. Hermione nodded. She had to convince herself. She had to compose herself and seal her heart. She couldn't take any more of the disappointments. She knew that too.

Hermione pulled her books out and placed them on the table in front of her. Her fingers grazed against their spines.

"This is all I need." Hermione muttered through clenched teeth.

But that wasn't enough. Books. She needed more books! Hermione darted towards the nearby library shelves and grabbed more books. She used them to build a wall around her, so that she was shielded from sight, even if someone else happened to walk into her deserted corner of the library. And that would be a good thing, Hermione didn't want anything to do with them anyway.

"Whoa, that's a lot of books you've got there, Granger." A loud drawl cut through Hermione's mantra.

Hermione shrieked, knocking some of her books over.

Hermione fumed. It was Draco Malfoy, arrogant jerk.

"So what Malfoy, I like to read." She snarled.

"Oi Granger, you alright?" Draco asked.

"Yes!" Hermione snapped; realising her face was damp, Hermione turned her back, hoping that he would go away.

He didn't.

"You know what, Granger." Draco stated simply. "I like reading too."

"You what?" Hermione was so surprised that she whipped back around, uncaring that her face was blotchy and tear-stained.

"Yeah." Draco glanced at the mountains of volumes on the desk. "Mind if I look at some of these books?"

Hermione nodded mutely. Draco reached for one book and gently parted its pages.

"So you don't think that because I'm a bookworm I'm a freak?" Hermione queried.

"No, of course not." Draco answered as though that was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. "I've seen you in potions class and you know what you're talking about. That's why I wanted to get to know you. And then I saw you coming into the library, here. People like Daphne or Pansy who are complete airheads or Vincent and Gregory who couldn't read to save their life – those are the freaks to me."

"Harry and Ron don't agree." Hermione mumbled with a choked hiccup.

"Potter and Weasley?" Draco scowled. "Quidditch boy and Scarhead are idiots. You deserve better than them."

"Here Granger, read this one, it's good." Draco passed her one of the books.

Hermione contemplated as she began to skim through it. Could it be that searching for acquaintances within the wrong places? She had not connected with anyone in Gryffindor house but just a short conversation with a supposed enemy Slytherin had made her feel much better about herself.

"So Granger, any relationships to Hector Dagworth-Granger, founder of the society of potioneers?" Draco enquired after a while.

"No, I don't think so." Hermione replied. "I'm a muggleborn."

"Oh." Draco fidgeted.

"Is that going to be a problem?" Hermione challenged.

Hermione was nervous. What if this meant she wasn't good enough to be his friend anymore?

"No, it's fine." Draco reassured her. "I learnt from my mother and godfather not to have issues with muggleborns. It's my father who has problems. He could make life difficult if he found out. It just means we should always meet up here, where people are not likely to come across us."

"Ah okay." Hermione understood.

There was a comfortable silence, interrupted only by the rustling of pages.

"Oi Granger." Draco interjected suddenly. "You can call me Draco."

Hermione beamed.

"Hi Draco, I'm Hermione."

_-clevernessandbooks-_

_Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed the start of this fic! The second chapter will be posted within the next week._

_Reviews?_

_~livebyinsanity_


	2. Even If It Means Starting A Revolution

**PART II: Even If It Means Starting A Bloody Revolution**

"What?" Hermione yelped.

"Shh." Draco hushed. They were in a concealed alcove near the Great Hall.

"I don't care if this will make it harder for us to meet face to face!" Hermione insisted in a soft yet firmer tone. "I'll use the bloody owl post if I have to!"

"I am a death eater now." Draco grimaced. "Things are different."

"And you don't want to be one!" The brunette shot back. "That makes a difference too."

Hermione sighed.

"Look the opening feast is about to start, I need to get back to Harry and Ron."

"Potter and Weasel?" Draco scowled. "I have no idea what you see in them – over the past five years as well."

"They did save my life when a troll managed to break into the Gryffindor common room during first year." Hermione smiled wryly and then winced. "And now I have to make sure they don't get themselves killed. Can you believe that they broke into the Ministry last June – the ministry!"

Hermione rolled her eyes in exasperation and Draco smirked as though to say '_yes, he could'_

"Anyway, we need to get to the feast." Hermione hurriedly pulled her bag onto her back, making sure not to jostle her books too much.

"Hey Hermione." Draco called out, causing her to turn around. "Meet at the library tonight?"

"Of course." Hermione grinned.

_-clevernessandbooks-_

Hermione sneaked into the hospital wing and pulled off her invisibility cloak. She gasped and rushed towards the prone figure on the bed.

"Draco?" Hermione exclaimed. "What happened? Harry said he almost _killed _you using a dark spell he found in a potions textbook!

Draco sat upwards. His jaw was clenched in the moonlight.

"I wish he had killed me." Draco stated.

Hermione gaped at him. The flatness in Draco's voice absolutely chilled her. He sounded lifeless. Hermione scrutinised his face carefully. He may as well have been carved out of marble and stone. Hermione shuddered.

"Why would you say that?" Hermione breathed.

"Bell, Weasley." Draco spat those names out. "I nearly killed _them._ I'm a fucking monster, Hermione. It's fair enough that I die as well."

Hermione's breath hitched. She watched as Draco moved to turn his away, attempting to shield his face but it only exposed him to the reflection of the moonlight. Hermione noticed the glassy tears glistening in his eyes. She could see Draco's pain and desperation. His eyes burned with a silent anguish, like a shipwrecked sailor, clinging to driftwood in the aftermath of a storm.

Hermione forced herself to picture herself in Draco's shoes. She imagined herself hiding in a Hogsmeade ladies' bathroom, waiting for an unsuspecting victim to place under the imperius curse. She imagined, her hesitation, not wanting to commit such a gross violation of another person's free will. Hermione thought about herself staring at the wand clenched in her trembling hand as she considered throwing the wand away.

But then, there would be a moment where Hermione froze. Images of parents flooded into her mind. Reminders of the terrifying reality – they would die if she failed. So, Hermione would grit her teeth and grip her wand tightly. She was out of options – she would have to do the deed.

Even if she hated herself.

Like Draco despised himself.

"It's not your fault." Hermione soothed.

"How could it not be?" Draco howled. "People are dying! They could die! Of course it's my fault!"

"Look at me. Draco, look at me!" Hermione waited until his eyes reluctantly met hers. "You needed to protect your parents. Anyone in your situation would do the same. It's completely understandable."

Draco scoffed and shook his head.

Hermione reached forwards and caressed Draco's cheek.

"You can't keep doing this to yourself." She murmured sadly. "We need to do something. Have you considered talking to Dumbledore?"

Draco swatted her hand aside.

"He knows!" Draco growled. "Dumbledore fucking knows!"

"I know that my godfather, Snape told him about me." Draco continued spitefully. "And the old wizard doesn't even care. He's too busy favouring the Scarhead. Never mind helping out the rest of us mere mortals."

Hermione got out of her stupor.

"That's unbelievable!" Hermione shrieked, outraged.

Draco made a shushing gesture but Hermione was unbothered, knowing she had already cast a silencing charm on Madam Pomfrey's door.

"Yeah well, as if I matter to a guy like Dumbledore anyway." Draco shrugged.

"No! Don't say that!" Hermione yelped. "But it's true that he's always been focusing on Harry and neglecting the rest of the student body! That is unacceptable. Like in our third year when there were dementors around Hogwarts and Dumbledore only properly took action when Harry fell off his room. Or during fourth year when…"

Hermione paused.

"I'm going to expose him!" Hermione suddenly declared.

To Hermione, it was unacceptable that as headmaster, Dumbledore was ignoring the suffering that Draco was going through and failing to look out for the interests of the wider student body. It was like her crusade for the rights of house elves. Hermione resolved to do everything in her power to make sure everyone knew about Dumbledore's shortcomings. Hermione nodded resolutely. Even if it meant starting a bloody revolution, refusing to do homework and storming out of classes.

"No you can't do that." Draco interjected; Hermione started, unaware that she had started venting out loud. "You'll hurt your grades and chances of becoming head girl. I'm not worth it."

"You helped me out so much during first year and this is my chance to help you." Hermione responded. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things like friendship and bravery."

"Why participate in the charade that learning matters if the headmaster neglects the basic needs of the students?" Hermione continued hotly. "Besides, the fact remains that since everyone knows that I am studious, if I stop showing up to classes, a lot of people will take notice. Dumbledore will have to take action."

Hermione paused to catch her breath.

She glanced over at Draco who still looked dejected.

Draco exhaled. "That's not going to change anything."

"Then I'll go to the bloody Order!" Hermione cried. "And then I'll do more of the same!"

Hermione knew that were already Order members who were dissatisfied with how Dumbledore had vanished without a trace during her fifth year. Hermione was certain that she could start a revolt against Dumbledore's name so that the Order were convinced that Draco had been unjustly treated by Dumbledore. Hermione thought about how Dumbledore had placed Harry with the Dursleys, a negligent borderline abusive household; in the dorms, Hermione had heard of other stories of students being assigned unfit guardians. How could people look up to Dumbledore as the leader of the light when he often caused misery to the lives of children? Hermione was sure that she could get the Order to take Draco and his parents in refuge.

"But why would you do that?" Draco asked.

"Because I'm your friend." Hermione stated as though it was the most obvious thing possible. "Friends help each other out."

"No, why would you help my parents?"

Hermione could see that Draco was hopeful but dubious at the same time.

"Because they matter to you." Hermione answered simply. "And you matter to me."

Hermione leaned over and wrapped her arms around Draco. Draco's jerked but Hermione did not allow him to pull away.

"And even if none of that worked," Hermione whispered. "You're always welcome to stay at my place. Can't see You-Know-Poo taking a vacation in the muggle world any time soon, can you?"

Draco chuckled. For the first time that night, a small smile appeared on his face.

Draco sank into his friend's hug. He rested his head against Hermione's shoulder. She smiled back.

"Thank you, Hermione."

_-clevernessandbooks-_

_Hey everyone! Thanks for reading! I'm not 100% happy with how this fic ended but I still hope that you guys enjoyed it. Reviews will be greatly appreciated :)_

_Also, if there's any BBC Merlin fans reading this, I'm currently posting a Harry Potter/Merlin crossover called 'The Second Rising of Arthur Pendragon.'_

_~livebyinsanity_

_(ps happy birthday again!)_


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Harry Potter, Friendship, Hurt-Comfort