Chapter 18: Thief or Prostitute

"It's morning again" I said as I got up and stretched.

Yesterday I caught Hermione wandering around at night, so now... how am I going to use that to annoy her? I'll see what comes to mind. I got ready and went to train like every morning.

It was breakfast time and to my surprise, Hermione was here, it seems her last night's adventure didn't let her read books until late. I'll play my offended role, I looked at her seriously when I could feel our eyes meet and then I left for the Slytherin table. I didn't plan on talking to her for a while to upset her, but I didn't get such a chance.

When she saw me and noted that I wasn't going to the Gryffindor table, she stood up herself and followed me to the Slytherin table. When I saw that she was getting too close and the snakes were about to show their fangs I stood up to stop her and lead her away.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her.

"I wanted to find you to talk" she told me as if there was nothing wrong.

"And why don't you call me from a distance, stay away from the Slytherin table" I admonished her, it would be dangerous if she took liberties right now.

"You always come to our table" she complained dissatisfied.

"Yes, but it's different, most of the Slytherin have very little consideration for others, even less with those of your house, if you come here they will probably try to do something horrible to you"

"It's not like I can't defend myself"

"You may have the ability to do it to a certain extent, but at that time you may not necessarily have the opportunity, not everyone has the righteousness to fight fairly and I will not be able to always be by your side to defend you from it"

"Stop treating me like a little kid you have to be taking care of"

"Stop putting yourself in danger as if you were one. Now let's put this aside, let's get away from here before I have to blow someone's teeth out, let's go to your table if that's what you want so much" I sighed not being able to fulfill my task.

Hermione wasn't happy with how she was treated, but she got me to come to her table, so she let it go because at least she could talk quietly with me. We ended up sitting near Lavender and Parvati, as well as other older Gryffindor girls.

"Red"

"..."

"Stop ignoring me"

"..."

"I know you're just bothering me, stop now"

"..."

"You can stop doing this"

"Maybe, maybe not. Maybe I'm not just joking and laughing with a serious face, maybe I'm not strong enough to bear that you lied to me, I'm not able to accept that you cheated on me so you could leave with a couple of boys without me knowing it. That I can't help but feel bad believing that you didn't want me to be with you so you had to say you didn't want something, that I can't have your confidence to tell me to my face that you want to have an affair with them without me getting involved or simply telling me that you don't want to be with me..." a complaint and pain was heard in my voice

"..." she pretended to speak with her lips, but nothing came out of her mouth.

"Well, this time you were bothering you, but I want you to know that I am also a being with feelings. Keep in mind that I am fragile... and vindictive, neither of those characteristics is good for you" I ended my joke when I saw her gape.

"Hmmm" She snorted, for a moment she felt that she had actually done something wrong, but it seems that she couldn't expect more from me. I did it so she knew it wasn't just going to be games and jokes with me... and because it was fun.

"So you're not mad at me?"

"Not as much as I look"

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about what happened last night" she said causing the surrounding girls to look at us, they seemed to feel that there was some new rumor to catch, Hermione, seeing this, began to speak in whispers to avoid them finding out.

"Malfoy didn't go, did he? I saw him go to his room normally yesterday" I told her before she had a chance to speak

"No, he didn't go" she complained, "the worst of all is that Filch almost caught us because of him... we hid in the forbidden area on the third floor to escape" she said the latter with some emotion.

"Did you meet the dog then?"

"Did you know?!" She asks, amazed and disappointed that she can't reveal this secret to me.

"Yes, I go out a lot at night and sometimes I walk so I could see it once" I lied, I never saw it, but nobody knows that. I wonder what it will look like, I don't know if it will be like in the movies, it would be funny if it was a giant three-headed poodle or a three-headed pug.

"That too. Like you go out at night, that's wrong, if you get caught you get in trouble. And ¿what do you do? If you need money, I can lend you something..."

"You don't need to know what I do, I've been doing it since I came to Hogwarts. And although I'm grateful for your kindness I won't take your money, I prefer to earn my own, not that it requires much work, but it's my own sweat and tears that earn it. If not how do you think I could buy what I'm wearing today, if it wasn't for that I'd be wearing old clothes like Ron, it may sound unhumble and something frivolous, but I like it to have nice things"

Hermione listened to me, but while she was doing it, her look was not correct.

"Red... what do you do at night? How is that not right?" She exclaimed, worried that she was doing something wrong.

"I'm not going to tell you what, the only ones who know it are me and those involved and I prefer to keep it that way for now" I was referring to Luna, her father, and my sister

"Those involved? What are you talking about, why don't you want to tell me?" She questioned, she didn't understand who I was talking about, and her mind started trying to fill in the blanks.

"Because it's better, it's not a big deal if no one finds out. Why do you think I do it at night? I could do it during the day, but it's too risky and I might get caught." I didn't tell her specifically what I was doing to annoy her for a while, besides I don't want to tell her about the room of all requirements yet, not until I have the crown in my hands and I can make sure she doesn't tell others, I plan to use that place as a base when I need it.

"RED, WHAT KIND OF WORK DO YOU DO AT NIGHT?" She exclaimed, with her face beginning to show an expression of horror.

"Calm down now, I don't plan to tell you, you wouldn't agree and try to stop me or tell someone to do it, I know it's not quite right, but it's not a big deal, it's not like anyone gets hurt from all this" I know it's stealing, but no one will miss those things so I didn't do any harm.

"Red... you... you..." She froze, I didn't understand why she got like that, she seemed completely confused "Red stop it now, you can't do this, this is not something a child should do" she said almost as if crying.

"See, I told you that you wouldn't agree, I didn't even tell you what I'm doing and now you want to stop me" I complained "Besides, this doesn't discriminate against age, usually in low-income areas children are raised in an environment that makes it look natural" In my previous life I knew that there were small children who are raised as thieves. Besides I only take lost things, it's not like anyone is going to complain much" Just relax, let's just leave last night and this talk never happened. I've done it since I discovered that I could make money with it so it's not something new, I'll tell you in the future when you mature a little and can accept it, don't worry" Certainly the merchant helped me a lot, without him, I would not have been able to reach my level of studies with the resources of my family.

"No...I have to tell some teacher" she said terrified as she got up from the table.

"Stop, you won't" I told her as I also stood up and stopped her by grabbing her arm.

Everyone at the table was looking at us, we didn't speak out loud, but some people could hear us, and when they did, they fell silent causing more people to hear our conversation. Even Harry and Ron were listening, but they had question marks in their heads as they didn't understand what we were talking about. On the other hand, Lavender as well as other older Gryffindor girls had expressions of pity, embarrassment, or disgust on their faces, although I hadn't noticed them.

"Let me go Red, you can't do that, it's wrong, even if you need money you shouldn't come to that, selling your body for money is not right" she told me as she clung to my clothes and looked at me in the eyes with pity.

"Wait to?" I said confused at Hermione's reaction and behavior until I connected the dots.

She looked at me dismayed even having bad ideas in her head, but when she noticed that I didn't understand what she was talking about she also stopped for a moment, and when she saw a smile forming on my face she began to think that maybe not everything was as it looked like. She realized that I had never specifically said what I did, and maybe she might have misunderstood something, when she saw my smile she realized that she might have put a hole in herself.

"Hermione… you thought I was a…" I tried to say, but a pair of hands pressed against my mouth prevented me from speaking.

"Red... don't you...?" She asked, whispering doubtfully and nervous about the answer, neither of the two possibilities is good, not for her at the moment.

"It seems that Hermione's head has thought very bad things about me" I approached and said in her ear.

"...Red, you did all that to make me think...?"

"hahaha, no, but if I had known, I would have done it a long time ago" when I said this she seemed to want to run at full speed, but my hands were holding her by her arms "Thinking all this about me... it won't be that the little Hermione wants to hire my services" I teased her.

"That, no, I was worried about you…for a moment I thought you had to do…that…because you had no money and I was worried, why would I want that?" She tries to explain anxiously and impatiently.

"Hermione, I know how I look. Also, don't forget the way you looked at me when I was changing on the train, you can call me a pervert and blame me all you want, but I know you looked at me too hard, not like someone who didn't want that to happen"

"You're wrong…" she said as she backed, looking away.

"Now tell me, Hermione, the fact that you believed that about me does not mean that in your subconscious you wanted it to be that way. Even if I did not clarify what I was doing, you were sure that I was selling my body" I told her, I was not going to waste this opportunity "You should know that it would be very difficult for me being my first year at Hogwarts, especially considering that it's only the first few weeks, it's not like I could come out of a corner offering myself to anyone. Rumors about me would also fly if did something like that, and it would be unlikely that he would have been able to hide it from the teachers, don't you think?"

"..." She didn't speak because she knew that it was unlikely that I would dedicate myself to that now that she thinks about it.

"So… Hermione thought that because she believed or wanted me to lower myself to that level." Although it's not like it wouldn't if necessary.

"No, I didn't... I just misunderstood it, I'm still tired from yesterday, so I'm a bit confused, we can just forget about it" she kept excusing herself as she walked away from me.

"Tell me, did Hermione want to take advantage of my unfortunate situation so you could buy my services and do whatever you want with my body?" I said as she rubbed my hands over me.

"What? No, of course not!" She said before starting to make her way out of the great hall to try to get out of this embarrassing situation, not noticing that behind us several people from the Gryffindor tables were murmuring as they watched us.

"Seriously, I can already see it. 'A Hermione waving a gallon bag of gold before my eyes, laughing at my lack of money, offering me two knuts and some bread in exchange for letting her defile my body, so that when I'm done alone I was left lying on the bed crying, completely humiliated after all the perverted things she forced myself to do'" I was saying as I chased her.

"I would never do that, shut up" she said, completely red as she tried to avoid the people passing by.

"It's just that I can't help it, I can't help imagine your face with a malicious smile and greedy eyes on my body, your lack of ethics in using my poverty as a means of obtaining your own satisfaction. I can't help but think how much you would enjoy it." having me at your mercy, leaving me sweaty, desecrated, and humiliated, just covered by the sheets of your bed with a lifeless look in my eyes"

"That I wouldn't do those things. Why the hell do you keep repeating it?" She turned around to yell at me angrily.

"Because now you won't be able to get it out of your mind, now you will always have in your head the image of me letting you rape my body for a few gold coins, this is my revenge for lying to me"

"That's not so, why would I think of that"

"I can assure you that that is the image you have in your head right now, or are you going to tell me that in your mind right now I am not lying on a bed naked holding a bag of coins watching with teary eyes and terrified as you approach to do very bad things to me" I whispered in her ear.

"What? NO, of course not... No... NO... AAASSHHHHH!" She screamed scratching her head with her hands hard as she screamed to the ground.

Hahaha I just fucked her brain, now she won't be able to stop thinking about it, even more so the more she fights against it. I know it wasn't her fault last night and using this as revenge isn't fair, but this is too much fun to pass up.

And it would have stayed that way if it wasn't for the fact that we saw Harry and Ron running past with a long package. When we saw them pass, we also noticed how they met Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. Malfoy had taken the package from Harry and opened it to see the contents. When it was revealed to be a broom, everyone was shocked, Hermione didn't understand why Harry had a package with a broom in it, so she sneaked up on them, forgetting her problems with me.

"It's a broom," Malfoy said as he saw the contents, then snapped it back at Potter with jealousy and envy in his eyes. "You'll be in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them."

"It's not just any broom, Malfoy," Ron said, unable to resist, "It's a Nimbus 2000. Which one did you say you had at home, Malfoy, a Comet 260?" Ron smirked "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus"

"What do you know, Weasley, if you can't buy half the stick?" Malfoy replied, "I suppose you and your brothers have to gather the broom twig by twig."

It seemed that the discussion was going to continue, but they were stopped by the appearance of Professor Flitwick.

"Not arguing, I hope, boys?" he squeaked.

"Potter's been sent a broom, Professor," Malfoy said quickly.

"Yes, yes, that's right" said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry. "Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances, Potter. And what model is it?"

"A Nimbus 2,000, sir," Harry said, trying not to laugh at Malfoy's horrified face, "And it really is thanks to Malfoy that I have it."

Meanwhile, behind a column, Hermione asked.

"What special circumstances? Why would Professor McGonagall allow her to have a broom?"

"You remember the incident in flying class where Potter was given a ride by her. Let's just say instead of getting punished he joined the Quidditch team, so it's likely that the teacher allowed him to have his own broomstick, in fact, it is possible that she herself has sent it"

"But why would she do that? Professor McGonagall is one of the fairest people I know, why would she reward him when Harry broke the rules...? They're leaving, let's follow them" she said before chasing the pair.

Harry and Ron made their way up the stairs, holding back laughs at Malfoy's obvious anger and confusion at the situation, while we followed stealthily behind them.

"Well, it's true," Harry continued as they reached the bottom of the stairs, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembrall, I wouldn't be on the team…"

"So you think it's an award for breaking the rules?" Hermione spoke irritably. Hermione was walking up the stairs next to me and looking at them disapprovingly.

"I thought you weren't talking to us," said Harry.

Hermione tried not to speak to them after what happened last night, but this situation didn't allow her to keep quiet.

"Yeah, keep it up" Ron said, "It's much better for us" he said before looking at me with disgust and then walking away with Harry.

Hermione seemed to want to reproach them, but she stayed silent as she went the other way, angry at not understanding 'how bad things don't happen to bad people' I followed her while she listened to her complaint about them.

"How can Professor McGonagall do something like that? I already understand how he could be so calm, he didn't even receive the slightest sanction" she said while waving her arms in discontent and then suddenly stopping "Wait... if he got into the team of quidditch because of the Neville incident, so Red you won the be..." she said turning around realizing what this implied. She wanted to ask me if I assumed that something like that would happen to make such a bet, but when she saw my face she stopped for a moment and turned very red from one moment to another and then shouted "Damn Red"

She stormed off after that, but she knew she would be completely embarrassed for the rest of the day. She surely saw the image I posed to her again, so she couldn't go on with what she was saying.

We had classes as on a normal day, but Hermione sat as far away from me as she could to show her disagreement with my action today, or rather because she couldn't face me. Every time we looked at each other, she buried her face in some book or looked for a way to escape from her. Not only that, she couldn't concentrate in class either, she could be seen turning red from one moment to another or throwing me accidental glances and then hitting her head. It was the first time that she was seen to be wrong in the questions that the teacher gave, causing her to get even angrier and to be irritated all day.