"Granger." His grip was tight on Hermione's upper arm, and she started to regret the short sleeves.
"Yes, Malfoy?" He roughly pulled her to a corner of the hall.
Draco spoke quietly and hurriedly. "Why are you wearing green?" Hermione burst out laughing in surprise.
"I'm sorry. I thought it was actually something serious." She choked out between giggles.
Malfoy seemed unaffected by her laughter. "My friends have just asked why we match so well. They seem to think we are… together." His nose wrinkled on the last word, and Hermione finally calmed down.
"Well, you dragging me off into a dark corner and making me laugh probably won't help with that," she pointed out, glancing over at the group – they were dressed mostly in varying shades of green. Slytherins, she thought with a roll her eyes.
Malfoy released his grip on her arm, as if he realised that he was still touching her. "They know what I'm asking. They want to know; so do I." She looked down at her arm - red marks stood out against her skin. Great, she sighed.
"Because I like the colour green. And we're not required to wear house colours." She folded her arms in response to his huff of annoyance.
"Fine," he spat out, and stormed off, leaving her alone in the corner of the hall.
Hermione felt his eyes on her for what seemed like the majority of the night – she didn't understand why she could feel his gaze there, like a light pressure between her shoulder blades, but she didn't like it. She refused to rise to his bait and look back.
"You alright? You look a bit distracted?" Neville asked during their dance, after she stepped on his foot for the second time.
"Sorry, I'm only an average dancer at the best of times." She avoided his question skilfully enough that he didn't notice, and their dance finished with his feet mostly still intact.
"Hey, Granger." Hermione gritted her teeth as Pansy's voice echoed through the corridor. All I want is to use the loo. She turned round slowly to see Pansy, surprisingly, alone.
"Yes, Parkinson?" Hermione replied impatiently.
Pansy stopped about a meter away from her, hands on her hips, her tight emerald dress pulled tighter over her chest at the movement. "What do you think you're doing?"
Lack of sleep and general annoyance had shortened Hermione's temper somewhat. "Right now, talking to someone while I really need the loo," she snapped
"What's with the dress, Granger? Developing secret feelings for Draco?" Pansy jeered.
"You Slytherins put far too much stock on appearance. It. Is. Just. A. Dress." Hermione spoke slowly, as if to a child. "And you're an idiot. So go back to the party and whine to someone else." Hermione turned on her heel and stormed off. After a few seconds she felt a ripple along her back, but when she turned there was nothing.
She only found out what that ripple was a week later.
"I am perfectly capable on handling patrol myself, Malfoy." Hermione stormed up the Astronomy Tower staircase, an infuriated Malfoy following her.
"Really? Because you'd be in hospital wing right now if I hadn't saved your stupid arse," Malfoy replied as they reached the top and found no couples.
Hermione rolled her eyes at his dramatics. "Oh, please, because being Stunned is that detrimental to my health."
"I meant after the ball, with Pansy," Malfoy clarified, and he smirked as the colour drained from Hermione's cheeks.
"Nothing happened?" She thought back; nothing out of the ordinary.
"Yeah, because of the shield charm I cast. You felt it, you turned round." Malfoy was openly baiting her now, the light in his eyes of triumph rather than anger. Hermione stared at him for a moment, speechless, before a thought came to her.
"Well, why'd you bother? Would've thought you'd love to see me out of action for a while." She pushed past him to walk back down the stars, knowing he'd follow.
"Because I didn't want Pansy in trouble."
"Ah yes, darling Pansy," Hermione muttered.
"Jealous, Granger?" He was walking beside her now, the light from the torches flickering over his smirk.
"You wish." The finished the patrol in silence, but she could feel her unease, and his smugness seething between them.
"You're turning your back on a Slytherin again, Granger? Really?" Draco shouted after her as she stormed off.
"I will get in trouble; I don't need you fishing me out of it all the time." She spun round and yelled back, spitting hair out of her mouth.
"I don't fancy looking after you either, but I've got to. Awfully sorry." Malfoy stopped mid stride as he realised what he'd said.
Hermione crossed her arms, challenging. "What, have you been charged with my protection?"
"Trust me, I didn't want it. McGonagall's weird."
"Weirder than Dumbledore?" Hermione bit down on her tongue – that had sounded far too teasing.
"Yes." Malfoy had noticed the change of tone too, but his had become more hostile in response. "So if you'd be a dear and not get into any trouble on the way back to your dorm."
"I'll do my best." She let sarcasm drip off of each syllable.
"This doesn't make us friends," Malfoy shouted after her, which she acknowledged with a wave of her hand before she disappeared around the corner, leaving Malfoy more confused than he had been.