Hermione had never felt so alone in her life.
The terrible traitor Ronald Weasley snogging Lavender Brown in the common room so loudly she could hear it up here in her dormitory, and Harry spending every waking moment thinking about Ginny Weasley, who by the way was too busy with her boyfriend Dean Thomas to pay her any attention. Even Luna had been spending time with her friends, or else studying for her O.W.Ls which were coming up fast. She didn't feel like writing to her parents, who worked night and day, either.
Hermione wiped a tear from her cheek and headed out to the lake. She stood by its waters, calmly breathing in the scent and smell of the waves, listening to the evening birds chirp, and the laughter of some far off first-years playing in the autumn leaves.
"Fancy seeing you here, Mudblood."
Hermione spun around to see Draco Malfoy twirling a quill between his fingers, smirking at her shocked expression.
"I-I didn't think anyone would be out so late in the evening," Hermione stuttered, unable to think of anything smart or witty to say.
"Me neither, but apparently we ran into each other. Funny, isn't it? How things like this can happen even between a pure-blood like me and a filthy Mudblood like yourself." Draco Malfoy tossed his quill into the Black Lake and they both watched as the giant squid swept it into the deep abyss.
"You look sad," said Malfoy suddenly, catching a glimpse of Hermione's red and puffy face. "Am I that hilarious?"
Hermione spun around, outraged, but Malfoy's face caught her eye. It wasn't sneering or smirking anymore. It was...almost compassionate.
And against her will, she fell into him, sobbing.
Draco, startled, tried to jump back, but Hermione was clinging onto his robes.
"What the heck! Get off me, you Mudb...." But the word died in hid throat. He patted her back clumsily. Never before had anyone cried on him before. In fact, most people he knew barely cried at all.
But Hermione Granger was not one of those people.