Summary: No one is supposed to be there when Hermione Granger goes inside the Charms classroom to retrieve her quill, but instead of finding just her quill, she discovers a hidden secret between two enemies... or more like two lovers.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters.

Author's Notes: I decided to take up peanutbutterperfect's challenge found on the Portkey message board. This will be a one-shot D/G fic. Enjoy!

Absit Omen

"May the presentiment not be realized"

By: Lillian


Hermione Granger walks down the empty halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her feet cast echoes as her heeled shoes come into contact with the dull stone floors. It's a Thursday night, and everyone else remains busy with finishing off homework for tomorrow's classes. She however, forgets her quill in the Charms classroom, leaving her to retrieve it. Ron had offered to lend her one of his own, but upon seeing the chewed up writing utensil, she politely declines and leaves it at that.

Her eyes land on one of the closed doors. She hurries her pace and reaches out for the doorknob, relief rushing through her as she feels the brass knob turn without any problems. Even if it were locked, a simple 'Alohomora' would have done the trick. She pushes the thought in the back of her mind. Hermione scans her desk up in the front of the classroom and smiles. There, lying just where she left it is her quill. She picks up the precious feather object and turns to leave, that is, until she hears a voice.

It is a muffled voice, as if someone had cast a poorly constructed silencing barrier somewhere within the large room.

"Lumos," she whispers and outstretches her arm, hoping the light would catch the troublemaker. Nobody except prefects is allowed out of their common rooms at this hour.

A glint of red hair appears before Hermione, and she squints to see who it is. She stares in shock at Ginny Weasley, who at the moment remains preoccupied with the person in front of her.

"Malfoy," Hermione hisses out, her lips dripping downwards into a frown. She notices a foggy substance surrounding the duo, both in standard dueling position. She read about that kind of fog. It keeps outsiders from coming in or noticing them unless the viewer was trying to find them. Hermione herself would never use that spell, since it doesn't effectively keep the people within from being seen.

Bright blue sparks emit from Ginny's wand, ramming straight towards Malfoy. Malfoy, on the other hand, tips his wand to the right, and like a magnet, the blue light is forced down to where Malfoy's wand points.

Hermione shakes her head, knowing she has to stop them before they kill each other. It is then that something peculiar happens. Even years later, this very moment always remain fresh in her mind, for what she sees next horrifies her.

She stares at the couple, for that is what they seem to be at the moment -- Ginny walking ever so closely to Malfoy and Malfoy grabbing the girl by her waist. Malfoy places his thin, vile lips over Ginny's innocent mouth. Okay, maybe not as vile seeing as Ginny seems to enjoy the actions the spoiled Slytherin has wrought on her. And definitely not innocent by the way Ginny begins to trail her lips seductively down Draco's neck. Oh, they were dueling all right, dueling with their tongues. Ginny locks her mouth onto Draco's, a moan emitting from the tall girl.

Hermione herself faintly touches her own lips, never experiencing a kiss quite like that one. Merlin, she called him Draco! Traitorous mind! It's Malfoy, rotten bastard Malfoy.

She should speak up; tell the couple to stop their foolhardy ministrations. If their actions continue even further, it could lead to a big consequence, something she herself would not let happen to Ron's sister, especially with Malfoy.

She tries to voice out her objections, but discovers her voice to be missing. She closes her eyes and hides behind her hands, only to peek like a naughty child. Both now lay on the ground, robes carelessly around them as they continue their snog-fest.

Even Hermione Granger has her limits. Quill still in hand, she runs out of the room, making sure to slam the wooden door as she leaves.

It's next morning, and Hermione stares across the vibrant redhead, who at the moment is discussing the fallacies about their Potions Master.

"It's the potion fumes that keep his hair in that disgusting state. Why, if only he weren't in that room so much, I'd say he'd look pretty decent."

One of Ginny's friends, a pretty brunette with dark blue eyes, shakes her head. "That's disgusting, Ginny. However did you come up with such a notion?"

Ginny smiles innocently at her and shrugs. "Think about it, won't you? He really isn't all that bad."

"I'm trying," Ginny's friend says, wrinkling her button nose, "but by going so far as to saying Professor Snape would look decent..." The girl shivers in disgust.

"Ginny?" It's now or never. "I'd like to speak to you after breakfast, if you don't mind of course."

Ginny nods, merely raising an eyebrow before going back to her discussion. Ron however, is tougher than that.

"What-cha want to talk to Ginny for, 'Mione?" he asks, shoving food into his mouth as he speaks. "Not in trouble, is she?" A concerned look flashes through his face, but is quickly overridden by curiosity.

Hermione sinks deeper into her chair, not sure on how to tell her best friend about his little sister's betrayal. "I'll tell you later Ron, okay? I just need to speak to your sister first."

Ron nods. She earns a look from Harry, he too wanting to know what is happening.

She sighs. "I'll tell you too Harry, only if Ron will let me."

Ron's face grows red. "What's this about, 'Mione?"

She shakes her head. "Nothing Ron. Just be patient for me."

Hermione gets up from her seat, shrugging on the strap to her bag holding all her books. "Come on Ginny."

The younger girl nods and follows her outside the Great Hall. Once out of eyeshot from everyone, Hermione turns toward Ginny and purses her lips tightly, a motion she imitates and perfected from her mentor, Professor McGonagall. "I know Ginny," Hermione says simply.

Ginny laughs, obviously not taking her seriously. "You know everything Hermione. It's no wonder you're top of your class," she replies affectionately.

Hermione closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She opens them again to see a worried Ginny peering down at her.

"I saw you last night, you and Draco Malfoy. I saw you kissing, and maybe doing even more than the usual snogging," Hermione blurts out and winces at the girl's shocked expression.

"When?" she asks in a solemn manner.

This surprises Hermione; this being the cold tone Ginny now takes on. She must have gotten lessons from Malfoy, that git.

"Last night," Hermione admits, "in the Charms classroom. I went in there to get my quill..." She strays off, remembering it's her who should be doing the questioning. "How long has this been going on for, Gin?"

The girl looks up at the ceiling, trying to control the oncoming tears. "A few weeks, I guess. A month or two even. Please Hermione, you can't tell anyone! Promise me," Ginny begs, holding onto the other girl's hand in a tight grip for life. "You can't tell me brother or my other family members. You just can't. I really do love him, Hermione. I love him so much that it scares me. I know my family hates him, so that's why we didn't tell anyone... not yet at least."

Hermione is surprised by Ginny's declaration of love. "But why the bloody ferret boy?" Mentally, she scolds herself. It is something Ron would say, not she. Yet still, the words seem to slap the poor girl in the face, causing the Weasley anger to rear its ugly head.

"Why the ferret boy?" Ginny says, her voice near hysterical.

Hermione looks around the corridor, worried someone might overhear.

"Have you not been listening to me, Hermione? I love the bloody prat! That's why!" Ginny shakes her head as she wipes the tears pouring out of her chocolate colored eyes. "You know what?" she says after a moment's time. "I don't care. I really could care less who finds out anymore." The girl runs away from Hermione, away into her lover's arms, which stands passively waiting a few feet off.

"What was that about?" she hears Malfoy question the girl. He must be surprised to have Ginny show public affection. Maybe he even overheard their chat. Hermione hopes not, for she doesn't want another confrontation.

Hermione leaves, going off to find Harry and Ron.

The sun sets in, and the Quidditch players pack in their gear. Hermione waits patiently on the stands for Harry and Ron to finish. Like a red tide, the Gryffindor team still in their red robes trudge back into the castle and towards their common room. As soon as they get in there, Hermione will tell Ron about his sister and Malfoy. The guilt for keeping it quiet throughout the day is tearing at her inside.

"What the bloody hell!" she hears someone yell from upfront. Harry, Ron, and she rush to the front.

"Get away from my sister, Malfoy!" Ron screams, throwing himself between the two.

Harry tries to pull Ron away from Malfoy, who is now smirking at the two of them. Hermione stares at Ginny, seeing how she's taking this. Pretty well it seems. At least she's not fighting.

"Enough!" the young Weasley screams; stomping her foot for extra effect. She turns to Ron. "Ron, Malfoy and I are dating. We love each other. Accept it without complaints, alright?"

Hermione stifles a laugh. Ron would never give up that easily. It seems Ginny knows this too.

"Come on Draco," Ginny says to him, and they leave the Gryffindor entrance behind.

Everyone stands there in surprise, all except for Hermione, who had all day and night to ponder about the unlikely couple.

"She'll come back," Ron growls as he mutters the password and storms into the room. Everyone else follows, still dumbstruck about what happened. Lavender and Parvati speculate when the two got together. Hermione groans. Those two would spread the news in a second to the whole school.

Morning arrives once more, but it isn't as peaceful like last time. Owls flutter in through the high vaulted windows, a certain owl appearing from the Weasley household. In its talons is a very familiar envelope.

"Oh Ron, you didn't," Hermione says as she watches the letter drop down onto Ginny's plate.

No doubt about it. It's a howler.

Ginny immediately grabs the letter and runs out of the Great Hall, hoping no one but herself would hear the message from her mother.

The Great Hall is silent now, everyone trying to hear the faint Mrs. Weasley's voice screaming at her daughter. Everybody knows what the message is about though. Word spreads fast, especially if it involves Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley, two sworn enemies.

Hermione glances at Malfoy, only to see that he isn't there. Ron notices and grins.

"Mum told the Malfoys' as well."

Hermione shakes her head. In a way, she feels sorry for the two's ill chanced love. It would be ruined, not because they grew apart, but because society will break them apart.

Hermione sits now in Potions, calmly listening to Ron as he rants back and forth between Harry and her. He throws a few glares in Malfoy's direction as well, only to be returned in kind by the blond.

"You're ruining their lives, Ron," Hermione whispers to him.

Ron shrugs. "As long as I ruin his as well, then I'm fine." He scowls at the boy. "You stay away from my sister, Malfoy. If I see you even touching her accidentally, I swear I'll hex you into oblivion."

Professor Snape, who appears to have been listening this whole time, is fed up by the red head's voice. "Mr. Weasley, my classroom is no place for you to be discussing your sister's love life... or the lack of your own."

The Slytherins snigger at their professor's comment.

"Now, enough of this nonsense. If the youngest Weasley and the Malfoy heir wish to be together, then so be it. You don't see them trying to stop you from having your own relationships."

Hermione is impressed. Who knew their Potions Master was a romantic? And did she just see a tear roll down the Professor's cheek? No, it must have just been grease that dripped down from his hair.

fin