One: Detention

Monday 2nd September

Ron is so ignorant.

I didn't want to have sex with him last night so he stormed out of my dorm. We're at breakfast now and he hasn't spoken a word to me.

I'm still a virgin. I'm not ready and as my boyfriend, Ron should respect that.

He always tries to argue that I'm too old to be a virgin but I'm only 18 which is still very normal.

I don't really know why I'm not ready, but with him, I'm definitely not ready to make the big commitment of not only having sex with him but giving him the last part of my innocence and child years I have left.

It's really stressful when he tries to force me into it.

I always end up in tears, shouting for him to stop and by the time he gives up, I can't be in the same room as him. He makes me feel unsafe and uncomfortable.

He scares me.

If this continues, I'll have to break up with him. I can't keep doing this with him. He never even apologises.

He's suffocating me, not literally but I can barely breath around him out of extreme fear.

I need to know what life without him is like. We've been inseparable since before the blossoming of our relationship. Since first year. Since we were 11.

I need to figure out what I want and with him, I can't do that.

Last night was fun, until he ruined it with his horniness. We had a bit of a party in the common room. It involved a few drinking games and a lot of fire whiskey.

It was just me, Ron, Harry and Ginny. We asked some of the others but they didn't feel like it. They said it was bad enough that they have to come back here after last year.

We were celebrating. We hadn't had the chance to celebrate the end of the war or our win. We spent most of the summer commemorating the lives we lost.

I'm quite hungover so my appetite is almost nonexistent today. It would be worse if we hadn't got caught by McGonagall. Garry hid with Ginny under the invisibility cloak but me and Ron we're left to febd for ourselves.

You'd think it would be allowed since we're all legally allowed to drink.

Our punishment is a day if detention, today.

Normally, i would be freaking out but I'm starting to realise how annoying my know-it-all antics were.

I already studied for my N.E.W.T.S a few years ago so I don't need to worry about passing those this year. This year should be chilled. I just want to get it over and done with. I need to move on with my life.

My 19th birthday is in just over two weeks, making me the oldest Hogwarts student ever.

It's quite strange.

I like it though.

It makes me feel special, like I have authority over the rest of the school, under the teachers of course.

"Hermione?" Harry's words snap me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah?" I reply.

"Did you hear me?" He's looking at me, slightly concerned.

"No, sorry. I zoned out." I answer feeling guilty.

"It's alright." he smiles, sympathetically.

"What did you say?"

"I asked what everyone's real opinion on this special '8th year' was since we were all drunk last night." he replies chuckling lightly.

"Oh. Well, I think it's a good idea. I mean it would've been a shame if we couldn't finish our studies. And... I know Hogwarts will always have a special place in my heart." I declare.

That's not entirely true.

I fucking hate it here. I just don't want my friends to know that. They can't know that I'm not the same person I was in the previous years at this fucking school.

"Yeah, I get that. Although I wasn't sure at first. There's always some form of drama here." Harry counters.

I just nod before staring down at my empty plate.

"Are you alright?" Ginny leans over and whispers.

I turn my head to look her in the eyes. "Yeah. Just tired. And hungover." I smile in an attempt to make it more believable.

"Okay." She looks suspicious but I send her another smile and she relaxes.

After a few minutes, she turns to me again. "What's up with Ron? He hasn't said a word all morning."

I shrug. "I'm not sure. Maybe he's just tired?"

"Yea... maybe."

With that, the conversation came to an end.

Towards the middle of breakfast, I decide to leave the Great Hall. There's not much point in staying here if I'm not eating.

I grab my stuff, say a quick bye to Ginny and walk out.

I go straight back to my dorm. I don't want to around the halls for another 45 minutes.

As I walk up the steps to my dorm, I hear the porthole close then fast footsteps nearing my location.

I quickly go into a panic.

I almost begin to have a panic attack until I see familiar ginger hair.

It can't be Ginny though. It's not long enough.

It's Ron.

Shit.

I walk faster up to the dorm and slam the door. Knowing Ron wants to talk, I promptly mutter "Colloportus, " locking the dormitory door.

"Hermione! Open this door right now!" Ron yells from the other side of the large oak door. I can barely hear him over his pounding fist against the wood.

"Silencio", I murmur another spell, temporarily muting Ron. "Piss off Ron! I'm not ready to forgive you!"

The pounding suddenly stops and the sound of receding footsteps invades my ears.

I sigh in relief before flopping on my bed and closing my eyes. I slowly drift off to sleep.

...

I wake up to more pounding on the door. Followed by a familiar voice shouting, "Hermione, Open the door! You're going to be late for charms!"

I quickly Aberto the door to let Ginny in as I begin to wonder how long I slept for.

"Don't worry, you're not late yet. You've got 5 minutes."

I sigh in relief.

She smirks, knowing how stressed I would be if I was late. "Now go to Charms. I told Harry to wait for you downstairs." she chuckles.

I nod before straightening my robes and heading down to the common room. It turns out I'd only been asleep for just less than an hour.

We walk to Charms in silence because there isn't much to be said.

...

The rest of the day has flown by. I'm guessing Ron decided it would be best to give me some space for the rest of the day. He seems to be avoiding me which I don't mind considering he's in all of my classes and I could do with a break.

My day was going great until I remembered that I have 2 hours of detention with Ron.

Ugh. Could this get any worse?

"Right. That's it for today. Those of you who have detention can stay in your seats." McGonagall announces.

Both the Slytherins and Gryffindors begin to stand up and shuffle around attempting to squeeze out of the doors, through the crowd.

I turned around to see who was left and that's when I realised my day could, in fact, get worse.

Still perched on his bench behind Ron was none other than the Slytherin prince himself, Draco Malfoy.

I instantly groan as he locks his eyes on mine, a smirk playing on his lips.

I turned back around with a roll of my eyes.

This is going to be a long two hours.

"I cannot supervise detention today as I'm needed elsewhere. So Mr Filch should be here any minute now, to take over." McGonagall clarifies.

I nod in understanding and I'm guessing the boys did the same since no more words were spoken until Filch joined us.

"I'll be off now." McGonagall states before strutting out of the doors, her robes swaying with each step.

I silently pray that we're not doing any physical labour because my whole body is aching. It's probably the hangover.

"Right. Follow me to the Bell Tower." Filch snaps in his usual gravelly tone.

I groan before getting up, dusting myself off and following the grumpy old sod out of the doors.

When I look back, Ron is definitely steering clear of me as he is a good few metres behind Malfoy, who is several metres behind me.

We stop at Filch's office, he goes in, then returns with buckets full of soapy water and sponges.

Fuck this.

We cut across the courtyard before coming to a halt outside of the small door leading to the bell tower staircase.

"Here you go." he grins slyly handing each of us a bucket and sponge.

"This is outrageous!" Malfoy roars. We all know that if it wasn't for the current circumstances, his next line would be: 'My father will hear about this!'

"Don't winge, Malfoy! Or I just might make you do them every week." Filch threatens sternly through gritted teeth.

I know that Filch is trying to withhold his anger because he's on his last warning, with McGonagall, before he gets sacked.

"But-"

I cut him off. "Malfoy! it's not fucking worth it! Let's just get on with this shit so it'll be over quicker."

He doesn't say anything he just looks at me then slowly nods and turns away.

"Up you go." Filch asserts opening the door.

I walk in first followed by Malfoy, then Ron.

"I want to see every single step shining by the time I come back!" he exclaims before slamming the door. I heard a click.

He locked us in!

I'm glad that git can't do magic otherwise we wouldn't even be able to disapparate out of here.

"I'm going to the top and I'll work my way down. One of you should do the middle and the other should do the bottom." 

"I'll do the middle." Malfoy sighs.

Ron stays silent so I just continue with my plan.

...

After about an hour of cleaning, I'm almost done when I hear ascending footsteps. I silently hope it's not Ron but I know that it is since I can see Malfoy on his knees, scrubbing away.

"Hey," he says while I stare at the floor.

"Hi." I murmur.

"Can we talk?" he asks calmly.

"Yeah... I guess." I stay seated on the step I was cleaning.

"I wanted to apologize," he mumbles.

"Go on." I snap.

"Why are you so angry? If anything I should be the angry one!" He yells.

"You?! You tried to force me into having sex with you then tried to just apologize and make it all better!" I screech.

"You're the one who won't put out! And when you do, you're dryer than a desert! At least with Lavender, she is actually wet for me!" he bellows.

"Dry?- We've never-" I cut myself off gasping for air. I now have an explanation for the pain I mentioned earlier. I put the Lavender thing away for now. I have too much to deal with.

"Shit." he mutters to himself.

I don't know what to think. I'm in shock. I feel sick to my stomach but I'm too furious to care.

"I want an explanation now!" I hiss.

"No!" he grunts.

"YES!" I boom.

"Fine." he huffs.

At this point, I don't care how hurtful his next lot of words will be.

I need the truth.

I look at him with raised eyebrows as if to say 'carry on'.

"Last night... I slipped some sleeping draught into your drink. I'm sorry...I just love you too much. I-" he stops when he sees me doubled over on the floor gasping for air, yet again.

I'm having a panic attack.

All of a sudden I feel my limbs weaken and I know what is to come. Everything goes black as I feel my head hit the stone-cold floor.