Chapter 1: Draco's Plan
Hermione was lying on her back by the Black Lake, enjoying the sun.
"Well, well, well. Would you look at that. It's not everyday you see a mudblood out tanning in the sun." Draco said as her walked over to where she was lying. She glared at him.
"What do you want Malfoy?" She said, not wasting the effort to stand up.
"A little more lake with a little less Gryffindork. You're in my usual spot. Granger." He glared back. She shrugged.
"You're blocking my sun Malfoy."
"Well then I guess you better move, huh?' He crossed his arms, his eyes glaring but the faintest of a smirk on his lips.
"You aren't getting rid of me that easily Malfoy." She said sitting up and glaring at him.
"Well then maybe a simple slug hex will get rid of you. That seemed to work a few years ago on Weaselbee. Where are you two little boyfriends anyway?" He looked around the lake, seeing if they were anywhere in sight.
"I dunno where they are. I don't particuly care."
Draco chuckled. "Do i sense a little bit of attitude, mudblood? Did we have a fight with our poor, ickle boyfriends?" He asked mockingly in a baby voice. She leapt up and yelled in his face.
"They are not my boyfriends!"
Draco laughed back in her face, his smirk growing. "What's the matter Granger? Upset because the boy you're obviously in love with won't even notice you in that light?"
Hermione sat down with her back to him. "Shut up!" She yelled, tears welling in her eyes. Draco suddenly felt a bit of pity for the gryffindor. He frowned at his feelings, wondering why he was even feeling them in the first place.
"Woah, calm down, Granger. It was just a joke. You know, I can guarantee if Weaselbee saw you talking to me right now, he'd be paying you all the attention in the world."
A few tears spilled silently down her cheeks. "I don't love Ronald! I hate him!" She said through her teeth.
Draco chuckled slightly, not able to help himself. "Well... that was unexpected. What'd the twit do now?"
"He cheated on me with that Brown girl."
"Eww. Who would cheat on you with that... thing. I mean, not like im complimenting you or anything... but compared to that Brown, you're... not bad." Draco glanced around the lake, hoping he wasn't being too nice. He had a reputation to uphold.
She blushed, Draco complimented her. It wasn't much but it was better then he normally was. "Obviously Ronald would. And thanks."
"Yeah... well there's only one person who can make my enemies cry... and that's me. Don't get used to it though, Granger, It was a one time only thing." He took a seat next to her on the ground, looking out at the lake. She half smiled and quickly wiped the tears away before he could notice.
"So... Weasley pissed you off. Why don't you piss him off now?"
"What can I do to piss him off? I can't think of anything."
Draco laughed, turning to face Hermione. "Become friends with one of his biggest enemies."
Hermione grinned and turned to face him, drawing her legs up to her chin. "Are you suggesting I become friends with you?"
Draco pondered it for a second. Did he really know what he was getting himself into.
"Depends. By me being friends with you, you'd get the satisfaction of watching Weasley and Potter squirm with annoyance. What would I get in return for your friendship?"
She shrugged. "What do you need in return?"
"Hmm... I'll tell you what. You get me Gryffindor's quidditch game plans so I can finally beat Potter, and we have ourselves a deal." He smirked. "I'll make Weasley so jealous he won't even know what hit him."
She thought for a moment and held out her hand. "Deal."
He glanced down at it for a second, his instinct not to touch a mudblood, before he was able to convince himself it was the right thing to do, and shook her hand. He couldn't wait to beat Potter and watch Weasley turn as red as his hair in anger as he pretended to be close to Hermione. "You get me the info, and once you do, I'll hold up my end of the bargain."
"Meet me outside the Room of Requirement at 7 tonight and I will have the info." She said thoughtfully. She was almost positive she could get hold of the plans while Harry was at dinner.
Draco smirked. "Don't be late, Granger."
"Don't you be late." She smiled. Draco chuckled, continuing to smirk at her before turning his back on her and walking away.
Draco stood outside of the room of requirement five minutes before seven, waiting with his arms crossed for Hermione to show up. Hermione had taken the plans while Harry and the team were at dinner. She ran quickly along the 7th floor and snuck up behind Draco. He jumped slightly, Hermione having surprised him.
"Thought for a second you were gonna be late." He smirked. "Did you get them?"
"Of course I got them." She said holding out the plans.
Draco chuckled. "You have always been so over confident." He took the plans from her hand and quickly shuffled through them. "You know, it's actually quite embarrassing how simple these plans are."
"That's what I thought. They were so easy to steal as well."
Draco laughed. "Oh, you Gryffindorks are so simple. Hard to believe you're one of the most popular houses. Behind Slytherin, of course." He grinned. "I guess i should hold up my end of the bargain then, huh?"
Hermione laughed softly, an evil tone to her laugh. "You better. If not...I might let it slip that you stole the plans." Draco laughed, shaking his head slightly at the gryffindor.
"Look at that, Hermione Granger with some Slytherin backbone. Maybe we will be good friends after all." He glanced down at her messenger bag hanging over her shoulder. "Got any light books in there? I know, stupid question for you, right?" She smiled and laughed with him.
"Well, your definition of light is significantly different to mine." She dug through the bag and pulled out a thin book. "There's this one."
"Perfect." He took the book from her hand. "Now, around roughly what time do you think Weasley will be in your common room with you late?"
She scrunched her nose at the mention of his name. "I could get him to stay longer I guess. No later then 9 though."
"That'll work just fine. Just go to your common room and wait for about fifteen minutes. Make sure Weasley is there! Or else this is pointless. Oh... and keep a window open."
She looked a little confused and nodded. "I'll drop a dungbomb in his room or something. That will get him out." Draco laughed at the thought of Hermione doing something rebellious.
"Good." He tucked her book under his arm. "You'll have your book back by tonight." He turned to start to leave. "Ill be seeing you at breakfast tomorrow, Granger."
"Won't you see me tonight?"
He stopped walking and turned to look at her, a smirk on his face. "Did YOU want to see ME tonight, Granger?"
She blushed and looked at the ground. "No! I just assumed I would be seeing you because I would have my book back." Draco continued to smirk at her.
"Maybe one day you'll understand the magic behind being a Slytherin. We're born cunning." He paused, looking her up and down real quick. "I'll be seeing you for breakfast, Granger. Remember... common room, fifteen minutes. Window open." He quickly disappeared around the corner. Hermione hurried back to the common room, thoughts running through her head. How was she going to get Ron out, what was Draco going to do?
Ron was already sitting in the common room when Hermione entered. He looked up at her and smiled slightly. "Hey Mione! Where have you been all day? Me and Harry were just talking about you." She smiled back at him, pretending nothing was wrong as she went and opened a window.
"I was studying and finishing the potions essay."
"You missed dinner for a potions essay? And why are you opening the window? It's freezing out?" Ron looked at Hermione with one eyebrow raised.
"I am feeling a bit woozy and need air. It's so stuffy in here." She said, fanning herself with a book.
"Oh." Ron said, glancing down at the ground. "So, Hermione. I was kinda hoping we could talk about what happened with Lavander."
Her face darkened and she snarled. "What about that git?"
There was suddenly the screech of an owl from outside and a huge brown barn owl came flying through the window that Hermione had just opened. It swooped into the room and landed on the arm of the chair Ron was sitting at. Attached to its leg was the book Hermione had just given Draco a few minutes before and a note. Ron glanced over at the bird, reaching for the note with Hermione's name on the front, the owl pecking at his hand, drawing blood. Hermione smiled slightly at the sight of his blood and reached out for the note. She patted the bird and undid the letter and book.
The note read:
Granger,
Thanks for lending me the book. You were right, like always. It was rather good. I have one in my personal library that you might enjoy yourself. I'll give it to you tomorrow at breakfast.
Malfoy
Ron walked over to Hermione to read the note over her shoulder. She smiled as she read it, allowing Ron to read over her shoulder.
"Wait..." Ron snatched the letter from her hand. "What the hell is this? You and Malfoy! Are you guys... friends?"
"Why should you care who my friends are?" Hermione snarled at him.
"Because you're my girlfriend and I love you!" Ron snapped back.
"You are not my boyfriend!" She yelled through tears. "You were kissing Brown last night! Don't deny it! I saw you." The tears flooded her cheeks.
Ron softened at the sight of her tears. "Hermione... I'm sorry. It was a mistake. And she kissed me, technically. I just... couldn't help myself to kiss her back. I'll do anything to make it up to you. Please." He added in an attempt to calm her.
Hermione shook her head and glared at him. "Nothing can make it up to me. Nothing. You still kissed her. What about last week? And the week before that?"
Ron hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry." He said under his breath, holding back his tears. "I just... have needs. I'm a guy Hermione. And well... to be honest, you concentrate so much on your school work that my needs haven't been being met."
"I don't care about your needs Ronald." She hissed. "I don't care about you."
He bit his lip, holding back tears as he looked back up at Hermione.
"Well, regardless, I'm still sorry. And just becuase you're mad at me doesnt mean you should go off and become friends with DRACO MALFOY. Don't you remember what he did to us?"
Her heart ached seeing him close to tears but she couldn't stop now.
"I'm allowed to be friends with whom I wish. You don't own me."
He sighed. "If you dont want to be my girlfriend anymore, Hermione, then that's fine. I accept what i did. I know it was wrong and I know I dont deserve you. But I am NOT going to stand for you being friends with this bloody asshole!"
"You can't stop me." She whispered venomously.
Ron looked up at Hermione one more time, a tear rolling down his cheek. He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it, changing his mind. He shook his head at her and then turned and walked up the stairs towards the boys' dormitory. "I'm sorry I hurt you Hermione." He said before disappearing. She ran into her dormitory, and curled up in a ball. She didn't sleep a wink that night, crying until she had run out of tears and then sitting and shaking.
Hermione dragged herself out of bed the next morning, avoiding Ron's eyes as she walked down to the Great Hall. Her eyes were red and puffing due to crying and she felt like she could drop dead at any minute. Draco looked up just as Hermione entered the great hall and immediately frowned. She was in bad shape. Maybe his plan hadn't worked after all. He excused himself from the table and walked over to where Hermione was.
"You okay Granger?"
She shook her head, her eyes shiny with tears. He felt bad for her. He couldn't help it. For some reason, he felt obligated to help her. Maybe it was because deep down he felt like this was his fault.
"Come on, Granger. You really shouldn't be around all these people right now. You're a mess." He placed his hand on her back and gave her a small push back out towards the entrance hall. She stumbled out of the Great Hall, feeling his reassuring hand on her back.
"Wait here, Granger. I'm gonna go get you something to eat." He walked back into the great hall and then emerged a couple minutes later with a plate full of a little bit of everything.
"Come on, Granger. We'll go eat in the room of requirement." He led the way up to the room. She followed him with her hands wrapped around her chest, trying to hold herself together, trying not to cry.
Draco opened the room when they reached it and sat Hermione down in one of the chairs he had thought up, placing the food in front of her.
"Eat. You look like you could use it." Hermione picked at the food, not really eating at all.
Draco sighed. "I've never seen you so bummed out, Granger. What happened?"
"I-I hurt him, Malfoy. More than I intended." She said as she stopped eating.
"Good." Draco said. "He deserves it. Look what he's doing to you now."
Hermione drew her knees up to her chest and stared into the fire. "I didn't mean to hurt him that much."
"Oh, come on Granger, For once, stop being such a pushover. Where's the girl that slapped me across the face third year? That's what you should have done to HIM."
She laughed weakly at the memory. "You were a git back then. I should have slapped him, maybe he would have left sooner."
Draco smiled at her sadly, sighing. "Oh, Granger. He doesn't deserve you." He said in a whisper barely loud enough for her to hear. Hearing Draco being nice to her made the tears trickle out of her eyes. Draco noticed and bit his lip. He couldn't help but feel bad for her.
"It's like... you're a different person right now. It's weird. So stop." He was hoping that by being slightly mean to her, he could at least make her laugh.
Hermione quickly wiped the tears away and punched him on the shoulder. "Better?"
"Ow." He gripped his shoulder where she had punched him. "No... not better. I didnt tell you to be mean to mean. Merlin, I'm trying my best to be nice to you, Granger."
"Sorry..."
"Ahh, don't worry about it." He waved his hand in dismissal, smiling at her slightly. "You seriously need to eat, though. And brush your hair... and put on some makeup. You look like shit. ...No offense."
"I don't wear make-up you douche. I did brush my hair, it's always like this." She started eating again.
Draco smiled at her calling him a douche and the fact that his insults were cheering her up... strangely enough.
"You know Granger, I bet if you did wear makeup, you'd have a lot of guys chasing after you and wouldn't need Weasley anymore. Hell, even I'd be attracted to you." He hadn't meant to say it. It had just slipped, and he regretted admitting it right away.
Hermione blushed brightly as he said he might be attracted to her. "Maybe I will one day, to see your reaction."
Draco grinned at her. "Are you flirting with me, Granger?"
She grinned back, her eyes alight and happy for the first time in weeks. "What if I am?"
Draco laughed. A good, real laugh.
"Oh, boy. What did I start?" He asked sarcastically. He grabbed the plate from the table. "Come on, Granger. We have to go to potions."
Hermione groaned and stood up.
"Do we have to?"
Draco stared at her, mouth open slightly with sincere shock.
"Do my ears deceive me! Hermione freaking Granger wanting to skip a class?"
She blushed and mumbled.
"It's potions. I can't stand double potions with the Slytherins on a good day."
"Well then I guess it's a good thing today's a great day then." He smiled at her. "Besides, you only hated potions because I was always being a git to you. Now, you got me as your partner." Her face brightened.
"Do I?" She grinned happily.
"Duh!" He punched her playfully on the arm. "It will really piss Weasley off... and Pansy." He chuckled to himself. "That's always a plus." She laughed.
"Pissing off Ronald and Pansy...this day gets better and better."
"You can say that again, Granger. And just picture the look on Snape's face when he sees us sitting next to each other. AND Potters. God, it'll be priceless."
Hermione giggled. "Merlin, I can't wait to see that."
He grinned at her.
"I guess we better get going then, huh?"
"Yeah I guess." She picked up her bag and walked out of the Room of Requirement, followed by Draco.