In the Heat of the Moment
by Aurora and Drosera
A/N: *Aurora here* Our first joint effort! It was very entertaining to write and we hope it is as enjoyable to read... not really very serious. Mild PG-13 rating for kissing, some innuendo and one instance of violence (hehe) I don't *think* there's any swearing... at least there wasn't last time I looked. Ooh, and there's some (very) brief Ron nudity. Nothing too graphic, we promise. Anyway, D/H find themselves irresistably attracted despite their dislike for each other... Buffy fans may find this has slight similarities to the whole Xander/Cordelia thing, but only vaguely. Please, please R/R! We'd love to hear from anyone who reads this. But now, On with the show!
"Pass me that Shrivelfig, Granger,"
Malfoy's voice broke Hermione's fierce concentration and her elbow knocked her carefully weighed and shredded newt livers off her brass scales. They slithered slimily onto the floor right in front of Ron's overlarge feet.
"I'm coming, Harry!" Ron yelled, waving the measuring phial he had gone to collect in the air. One step forward sent him skidding wildly across the stone-flagged floor, right into Neville's bubbling cauldron. Purple fluid erupted over Ron's robes, the strong acidic solution turning the clean cotton into charred cinders. Ron hastily attempted to cover himself up, but realising it wasn't going to work, sped from the dungeon, his face a violent shade of crimson.
Snape followed him down the corridor, shouting,
"Fifty points from Gryffindor. And detention, Weasley!"
When the Slytherins (and most of the Gryffindors) had stopped laughing, Malfoy's voice could be heard again.
"I asked you for that Shrivelfig, Granger"
"Yeah?" Hermione snapped. "Well you forgot the magic word."
"Oh, sorry," Malfoy sneered back. "Next time I'll remember to add 'mudblood.'"
Hermione raised her arm and she hurled the shrivelfig directly at Malfoy. He ducked, and the Shrivelfig ended its brief journey on Seamus Finnigan's face.
Damn, Hermione fumed inwardly. How come that always works for Harry?!?
Without stopping to apologise to Seamus, she had advanced on Malfoy, her palm raised ready to strike.
That mudblood fool! Draco thought almost amusedly. Look at her! She's already angry enough to hit me, and I've only insulted her once. God, I love making her life hell...
He reached out and easily stopped her hand making contact with him. She struggled furiously as he twisted her arm round behind her back painfully. She yelped in pain and he let go, spinning her around to face him and pinning her against the desk.
"Get off me! You scum! You filth!" Her voice was barely louder than a whisper. Draco's eyes flickered. Somehow, her words infuriated him, more so than when anyone else had said them. But what was he thinking? He, Draco Malfoy, caring what some common mudblood thought of him? He? Scum and filth? He laughed quietly. It sounded strangely loud in the now silent classroom. Everyone's eyes were on them. He felt Hermione go limp in his vice-like grip. She would be so easy to overpower...
The shrill bell signalled the end of the lesson. He let her fall to the floor. Bending down, he whispered,
"We have very different ideas of what constitutes filth, Granger." His voice was soft, dangerous. Hermione sobbed and buried her face in her arms. But after a moment she raised it again and when she spoke, her voice was calm and composed, if quiet.
"That has been clear to me from the day we met, you slimy, evil"
Malfoy fixed her with a last, contemptuous stare, as she lay, prone, on the cold stone floor. He spat bitterly at her feet, before striding silently from the classroom, this time leaving Crabbe and Goyle speechless behind him.
*
Why? Why had she gone limp? All she had done was to show him how weak she was. She had never felt so powerless
It must have been the heat of the moment. It had all just been too much the fumes from Neville's cauldron, her anger, more all consuming than she had ever felt it before Yes, that must have been it
Slamming her books shut in frustration, she hurried out of the common room. She couldn't concentrate with all the noise. Fred and George were still teasing Ron about his robes dissolving, and they kept joking loudly. She didn't want to be reminded of that lesson Making her way to the library, she paused to pick up a book someone had left on the floor Defend yourself against Mysterious Attackers' the front depicted a dramatic scene where a pretty young woman was being held at wandpoint by a sinister masked figure. Shuddering, she tucked the book away under an Encyclopaedia of Toadstools and quickened her pace.
*
Draco woke up late. Very late, in fact. Luckily it was a Saturday; it was almost twelve when he dragged himself out of his four-poster. He cursed as he realised he'd missed Quidditch practice. He'd never slept so fitfully. The night before, he had found it impossible to drift off, when his mind kept making him relive that scene in the dungeons That mudblood wasn't even that pretty WAIT! What was he thinking? Her? Bucktoothed Granger? Pretty in any way? Shaking his head with a wry smile, he headed for the showers.
*
The most common form of Fungi to be found in Britain today is the wild toadstool. These have many uses in modern potion making, and have the properties of deceiving the senses. They give off a strong odour, which can make those in close contact with it feel weak and temporarily confused'
Hermione's quill hovered over the parchment as she read over what she had written. She had already recopied this part of her Herbology essay twice, and was finding concentrating extremely difficult, especially when words like Close contact weak temporarily confused' kept drifting through her head. Pulling herself together, she opened her textbook once more.
Wild toadstools are usually pale grey' just like his eyes
"Oh, for God's sake!" Hermione slammed her books shut and rolled up her parchment. She HATED him. She HATED what he was doing to her. She had to get out of here. She stormed out of the library and slammed the door, for once not caring that Madam Pince was shouting after her angrily. It was pouring with rain outside. Good, she thought. Maybe it'll help clear my head. She found herself making her way towards the Quidditch Pitch. She checked her watch. Oh no she'd missed the Gryffindor team practise! And she'd promised to meet Harry afterwards! Perhaps he was still there The rain felt pleasantly refreshing on her skin. She let it drench her until her robes were sodden, walking alone and in silence.
*
Draco threaded in and out of the goalposts, urging his broom to go faster faster maybe if he went fast enough, he would be able to leave his turbulent thoughts behind. Did she realise what she was doing to him? Did she realise how much power she had over his mind? He felt hate coursing through him at the thought of her having any amount of control over his life. He was so angry, it took him a while to notice the slight figure who made her way through the stands to a seat in the top row. Her head was bent he couldn't see who she was through the mist he swerved his broom violently, curiosity getting the better of him. He could hardly believe it when he made out Hermione. Where were Potter and Weasley? What did she think she was doing, here of all places? A surge of determination seized him and he swooped down to where she was sitting.
*
What was he doing? He was the last person she felt like seeing at the moment she wanted him to go away, to leave her alone. NO! She thought suddenly. You're doing exactly what he wants you to do. You have to confront him. Get it over with. She stood up, strengthening her resolve as Draco landed lightly a few feet away from her.
"Ah, Hermione my mudblood friend. Minus Potty and the Weasel I see?"
"Just shut up for once, Malfoy. I'm going to say this and you're going to listen." Hermione felt annoyance at the fact that she couldn't keep her voice steady.
"Really? Well, just keep it short."
What could she possibly have to say to him? But he had to admit he was curious. He threw himself lazily into one of the plastic seats in the stands and stretched, before putting his feet up and closing his eyes. Hermione glared at him, but as his eyes were shut it didn't have much effect.
"Get on with it, then," he prompted. Taking a deep breath, Hermione began.
"I want you to leave me alone. Not that I should care what a a" Hermione searched around for a word strong enough to express her feelings, but she didn't find one.
"Someone like you thinks, but it gets to you after a while if you're being constantly degraded for something you can't even help." There you go again, she thought. Showing him how vulnerable you are. If he knows how much he's getting to you, then it'll just show him it's working.
"Leave you alone?" Malfoy opened his eyes briefly to stare at her. "Believe me, Granger, I have no intention of coming anywhere near you ever again if I can possibly help it. And besides, getting at you is one of my favourite pastimes. It makes your company more bearable."
"Well if my company's so dreadful, what are you doing here talking to me? I for one would be happy never to see you again."
"Listen to yourself, Granger. If you never want to see me again, why were you watching me flying? Oh, and the only reason I came over here was to tell the idiot disturbing my Quidditch practice to get their stinking mudblood carcass out of the stadium."
"Funny you should say that," Hermione spat. "If you knew it was a mudblood, then you must have known it was me. So why did you land? I'm guessing it wasn't for a chat about this nice weather we're having." She indicated the rain, which was coming down harder than ever.
"No, you're right as usual, it wasn't. Actually, I wanted to know what you were doing here in the rain on your own."
Hermione blushed. The truth was, she was wondering that herself. He was the reason she was here, and the reason she didn't want to be here. Why couldn't she just tell him how she felt? Something inside her snapped. She dived at him, and, because her attack was so unexpected, she knocked him off his guard. Kicking and lashing out with all her strength, she screamed,
"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU SO MUCH!"
She had pinned him to the ground. She was breathing heavily and sobbing with rage. Malfoy just looked shocked, more shocked than she had ever seen him. But he hadn't quite lost his quick reflexes, and, seeing that all the pent-up wrath had now left the girl holding him down on the floor, he rolled out from under her, this time pinning her down. Hermione gave a yelp of surprise. Now he was in control.
"Well, well, well, Granger." He shook his head in mock reprimand. "I'd never have thought it. I'd never have realised that my little bit of harmless fun could have haunted that brilliant mind of yours so persistently"
So he knew. HE KNEW. Hermione just felt numb. She couldn't bear another moment of staring into those cold, cold eyes. She averted her gaze. Still, she felt nothing. He had complete control. He could hardly believe it himself. So he wasn't the only one with a lot on his mind lately.
"Here's a little something extra for you to think about"
He leaned over and kissed her, and more to her surprise than his, Hermione put her arms around his neck and kissed him back. What was she doing? She hated him. She hated him for making her admit to feelings she wished she'd never felt, had tried to suppress as soon as they started. Their kiss deepened. Draco tightened his hold on her, his strong arms holding her so firmly that his fingers pressed into her back. Hermione revelled in the tingling sensation this contact sent through her. This can't be possible, she thought.
Draco was amazed. What had come over him and caused him to act in this manner? With Granger?!? If father could see me now he shuddered.
She couldn't stop herself. His hair was brushing her forehead, his touch electrifying. She ran her fingers through his hair and they kissed again
*
A slight rumbling in the ground made them both gasp and spring apart.
"The Quidditch match!" Draco's usual contemptuous drawl was gone, now replaced by a hoarse, terrified whisper. They both paused for a moment, too stunned and horrified to say anything more.
Hermione turned to Draco her eyes narrowing.
"You tell anyone" she hissed, "then-"
"I? I have no intention of" Draco abruptly cut in.
"Then clear off to the Slytherin end of the stadium, unless you've magically decided to become a Gryffindor."
"I don't wish to stay, thank-you. I've no desire to catch fleas. I'll go, then you can boast to Freckle-face and Cripple-head."
Hermione clenched her fists. "Boast? How dare you? I hate you! I couldn't I mean," she paused. "You started it," she finished petulantly. You didn't look at him when you said that, said a nasty little voice in her head.
"Didn't try too hard to stop me," Draco muttered, his face unusually pink. He wrenched his sleeve from her grasp and, broomstick in hand, he ran off.
*
"Woooo! Come on, Harry!" yelled Ron, leaping up and down and screaming himself hoarse. Hermione, on the other hand, was sitting bolt upright in her seat, her eyes following one particular green blur
"Are you alright, Hermione?" asked a quiet voice beside her. It was Parvati Patil.
"Fine," said Hermione briskly. "Why shouldn't I be?"
Parvati looked taken aback by the sharp tone in Hermione's voice.
"I just wondered you seem a bit tense. It isn't because" she took an uneasy breath. It looked as though she was having difficulty saying this.
"I just wondered if it was because of Neville and I. I know he asked you to the Yule Ball last year, and I thought that maybe you" she trailed off uncertainly.
If Hermione hadn't had so much on her mind, she would have laughed. Neville?!?
"Parvati. It's not because of you and Neville. Really. I have lot of homework and I feel a bit drowsy. But totally Neville-free problems, honestly." Parvati looked very relieved and went back to talking to Lavender Brown.
*
Fifty feet up in the air, Draco was feeling dizzy. He felt as if his top racing broom was lurching and swaying like a drunken ox. The sun was blinding him, and through a haze of red and green there was a blobby, faceless crowd. One of those blobs is Hermione "No!" He said out loud, and cursed. Filthy mudblood, he thought. How dare she ensnare him like that? A filthy Mudblood with very nice smelling hair He became vaguely aware of a streak of red zooming right past him towards something gold and shiny. There was an explosion of cheering and he knew that Gryffindor had won the match.
*
"C'mon, Hermione," wheedled Harry. "Just have some Butterbeer, or a cake or something."
"Harry, I don't want anything, apart from some peace and quiet away from all this row."
"Party, Hermione," corrected Ron. "It's a P-A-R-T-Y. Gryffindor won. It's time to celebrate!"
"Look, you party. I'm going to bed. I've got a headacheor something."
And leaving Ron and Harry looking quizzically at each other, she scooped up her books and sped upstairs to the girls' dormitories.
*
"Uh, Drac," Grunted Crabbe, obviously trying to conceal much mirth.
"Crabbe It's three am. Tell me in the morning."
"Y'said something in your sleep."
"Hooray. Call for the Minister of Magic," Draco snapped.
"Y'said, Hermione'"
Draco took a sharp intake of breath. They know. Crabbe and Goyle. They all know! He cleared his throat.
"Crabbe, in my sleep I have been known to speak of trolls, homework, and even on occasion you and Goyle. Now kindly remove your idiotic faces from my berth and let me get some sleep!"
Crabbe and Goyle trudged back to bed, still snickering to themselves. But Draco couldn't get back to sleep. If I sleep, I'll think about that mud- something stopped him. He didn't feel right saying that anymore.
*
"There must be something here somewhere," Hermione mused to herself. "Toxic Substances and their Effects' No, tried that one The Deadly Nightshade family and other Poisonous Varieties of Plants' Yeah maybe something here"
"Hermione" It was Lavender. "Hermione, It's three a.m. and you're still studying? I haven't finished Professor Sprout's essay either, but I wouldn't worry too much about it!" She paused, looking anxiously at Hermione, hoping for some explanation of her behaviour. Hermione put her quill down and hastily shoved her notes under her pillow. What are you doing? Look at what a frantic state you're in because of him. This is what he wants.
"Yeah sorry Lavender. I suppose I just lost track of the time. I'll do my Herbology tomorrow, eh?"
"Ok, Hermione. See ya!" Lavender pulled her head out of the gap in the curtains, still looking a bit dubious.
Having spent half the night researching the causes of emotional confusion and temporary weakness, it was only halfway to Herbology that Hermione realised she had not finished the set essay.
"What shall I do? I can't get detention and lose Gryffindor points, Harry!"
"Hermione, just relax. I've lost hundreds of points before and they've all been sorted. Just copy my..." Harry bit his lip as Hermione glowered at him.
"Harry, you know I don't approve of cheating. I'm going to go back to the dormitories and grab some books. And I'll try and finish the essay while Professor Sprout is explaining about the new plants. What are they, anyway? Oh, Harry, I'll see you later. Tell Ron... where is Ron, by the way?"
But before Harry could answer either of her questions, she had sprinted off towards the castle.
"You'll get wet," Harry shouted after her, indicating the huge fat drops of rain that were beginning to fall. But Hermione didn't appear to have heard. Harry held his bag over his head and began running to Greenhouse four.
Draco panted heavily as he bounded up the stairs from the Slytherin common room. He would be late for Transfiguration. That old hag will probably give me a month's detention, he muttered through huge gasps as he tried to get his breath back. Having had a sleepless night, Draco had been doing his Transfiguration homework all the way through breakfast and after, instructing Crabbe and Goyle to go on ahead. He was so pre-occupied with what fate Professor McGonagall might have in wait for him that he collided with a figure coming from the opposite direction.
"Look where you're going, you clumsy-" he stopped as he saw it was Hermione who he had knocked to the floor in his haste.
"Hey, you knocked me over, you pompous slimeball. Now help me pick up my books, unless you want that pretty little head of yours to be transfigured into a turnip."
Draco automatically crouched down to help Hermione retrieve her books. They picked almost all of them up in silence until there was only one of them left. Draco reached out for it but Hermione's hand got there first. Draco put his hand down on top of hers, then removed it, red-faced as though he had been stung.
"Thanks," said Hermione briskly as she rammed the last volume into her already bursting bag.
"I don't usually aid pathetic mudbloods, you know. So next time you decide to spill your belongings all over the place, you may not come running to the Draco Malfoy patented Book RetrieverTM."
SMACK! Hermione had walloped Draco in the face as hard as she possibly could.
"A free trial of the Hermione Granger patented Slap-o-MaticTM," Hermione snapped angrily. Draco hunched his shoulders and his handsome face contorted into a twisted expression of rage. Scarlet faced, he pushed Hermione against the wall and growled,
"If you were a boy, which admittedly looks-wise you practically are, I'd knock you flat, mudblood!"
"You mean you'd get your great lumbering cronies to knock me flat. If I was a boy, then you'd soon see your delicate lily-white nose in a broken mess on that cowpat you like to call your face!"
They were almost nose to nose now.
"Frizzy-haired hag!"
"Arrogant prat!"
Hermione could feel his warm breath on her face, and his arm pinning her to the wall. Last time they had ended up in a situation like this, (which was not so long ago, Hermione reminded herself) they'd ended up...
As if their movements had been specially choreographed, Draco gently tilted her chin upwards and kissed her slowly. Hermione dropped her bag on the floor and her books scattered again. Draco put his arms around her waist and their kiss deepened, both moving instinctively. Hermione felt like a huge weight was being lifted off her shoulders as he moved his head and started kissing her neck. She had given up pretending. She had given up fighting him and herself. Her conscience and sense of guilt were smothered by something more powerful, an elemental drive so strong that she was helpless to resist.
They were interrupted by an accusing screech from a small ragged head poking out from behind a suit of armour. Mrs Norris. Without thinking, Hermione pulled Draco's wand out of his pocket and hissed,
"Impedimenta!" The cat stopped, totally frozen in her tracks. Draco eyed the cat suspiciously, then lifted his eyes to meet Hermione's gaze. No words came out of his half-open mouth.
"Well," Hermione said, "she would have gone for Filch. Just think what that would have been like."
Draco looked ready to answer but the piercing tone of the lunch bell prevented him from doing so. Hermione gasped and hurriedly started scooping up her possessions.
"I missed Herbology! Oh no, Professor Sprout will be sooooo angry! She'll think I just missed the lesson to avoid giving in the homework. I'll bet I missed something really important and then I'll fail the exam and Ron and Harry must have been so worried and-"
"Stop ranting, Granger, or you'll hyperventilate," Draco chided.
"Oh... you're right of course," Hermione agreed absently. And then, snapping out of her trance, said suddenly,
"You're a fine one to talk! I thought you were going to pass out when Mrs. Norris caught us..." she trailed off.
"Granger, it would hardly appear prudent for someone of my position, of my social status, to be seen with the likes of you."
"Didn't stop you though, did it?" Hermione seethed. "I know I've said this before, but honestly! I don't know why you try and defend yourself. It's not like it's anything to be ashamed of... being attracted to me, I mean."
"I don't know what you-"
"Stop worrying about your stature, Draco. If you don't like me, as I don't like you, then why did we-?"
"Shut up!" said Draco, hotly.
"Kiss, Draco! Kiss, that's what we did!" Hermione almost screamed. She looked flushed and furious. "This has got to stop happening, Draco!" She paused, still breathing heavily from her outburst. "Meet me tonight."
Draco nodded.
"Outside the astronomy tower," he suggested, "I don't particularly want Filch interrupting our... conversation..." He gave her a last fleeting glance and then set off down the corridor, hopping nimbly over Mrs. Norris' still board-stiff frame.
Hermione ran to the Great Hall, her heavy bag grazing and digging in to her shoulder. She skidded to a halt outside the door and attempted to swallow before taking a deep breath and striding in, her head held high. All eyes from the Gryffindor table were fixed on her. She pretended not to notice, and glanced over to the Slytherin table, where Draco, she spotted, was not yet there. She slid into the empty seat beside Ron and looked up at Seamus, who was eyeing her strangely.
"What?" she snapped.
"Hermione, isn't it obvious?" Ron said, disbelievingly. "Why didn't you turn up in Herbology? Where were you?"
Hermione felt small spots of pink appearing in her cheeks.
"I, er... went back to the Gryffindor common room to get my books, and er... um... I was so tired that I just...fell asleep. On my bed. Ahem." She was surprised that none of them looked too doubtful of this mumbled explanation.
"If you wanted to sleep, Hermione, then you needn't have bothered going back to the dormitories," Seamus said, "that was the boring lesson ever!"
"Yeah," Ron chipped in, "Professor Binns was taking over from Sprout today, because she's in the Hospital Wing. Got poisoned by some crazy plant. Don't think old Binnsy even noticed you weren't there!" They all laughed, and Hermione felt glad that none of them had asked any questions about what she was sure they all suspected.
Draco sat idly toying with his food, while feeling tense and worried. Granger was lucky. She only had that foolish Hufflepuff woman to contend with. But that Gorgon of a Gryffindor... his ears were still sore from the ragging Professor McGonagall had given him for missing one of her lessons.
He felt the corners of his mouth curl into a strange smile. That mudblood keeps throwing herself at me, he thought. What is going on? I should be resisting. If anyone ever finds out, then I'm pretty much done for. He could just imagine his father's usually icily calm expression twisting into spasms of rage if he discovered his son's... associations... with a lowly mudblood such as Granger. He would meet her tonight. Despite himself, he longed for the taste of her sweet lips, the feel of her silky, peach-like skin under his fingers. Damn this stupid human body, he cursed. Why did he have such a strong urge to hold, to kiss and to touch someone who he so strongly disliked? Desire, he thought, desire that he could not control.
Hermione shivered and pulled Harry's invisibility cloak tighter around her. She wasn't taking any chances. She spotted a lean figure shrouded in darkness just inside a small passageway she had never noticed before. Walking into a nearby patch of shadow, she removed the cloak and shoved inside her robes. She knew Harry wouldn't want Draco knowing about his useful possession. She walked cautiously into the tiny alleyway where Draco stood waiting for her.
"Well?" he asked, rather impertinently, Hermione thought.
"Draco... I know that certain things have happened, and I, er..." she stammered awkwardly.
"Come on, Granger. You didn't make me come all the way out here, in the dark, just to have a little natter, did you?"
Hermine's eyes flew to his, read the unmistakable meaning glinting in them, and she coloured to the roots of her hair. Her furious protests were stifled at source as he pulled her to him, clumsily kissing her until she was silenced. This time, through huge effort involving much struggle, she did not yield to him. She pushed him away forcefully.
"What the blazes do you think you're doing?" he yelled indignantly.
"You despicable...dirty...foul...evil... I came here to talk, Draco, not to... to-"
"Yeah, right," he began sarcastically. "However much you, and I, dislike the idea, Granger, there's no getting away from the fact that you and I are highly compatible... purely in the physical context, of course. Otherwise, we have very little in common."
Hermione looked in horror and amazement at the smug and confident expression on his face, his eyes gleaming with what could only be described as mischief.
"What kind of girl do you think I am, Draco?" she screamed violently.
He snorted with surreptitious laughter.
"That question, Granger, does not even deserve an answer."
"You RAT! You FILTHY RAT! I can't believe you could ever think such a thing of me. You're rotten to the core, Draco Malfoy. A Slytherin through and through! And now, I am leaving." But before she could do as she said, Draco grabbed one of her shoulders and spun her round forcefully, pinning her to the wall so that her shoulders were square to the stone.
"Draco Malfoy, this is assault. I'll scream and then Professor McGonagall will come and-"
He put a finger to her lips, his pale face smouldering passionately. He whispered seductively something he remembered seeing in a muggle book Goyle had been reading one day (well, perhaps looking at' was a better phrase, he wasn't sure Goyle could read.)
"Wilst thou leave me so unsatisfied?"
Hellfire blazed in Hermione's eyes.
"Yes," she spat, before bringing her knee swiftly up into his groin with astonishing force. He fell to the floor, choking something brief and excessively vulgar. Hermione swept away into the blackness, pulling Harry's cloak tightly around her as she left Draco writhing on the cold stone floor, clutching his loins.
The next morning at breakfast, Hermione was still furious with Draco. How could he have got such a wrong idea about her? She would never have thought it of him, much as she hated him with a fiery passion. From the Slytherin table came the sound of ridiculous giggling. Hermione raised her eyes to see Draco with his arm around Pansy Parkinson, who was tittering hysterically as he whispered something in her ear. He's fast, she thought bitterly.
After they had eaten, Harry Ron and Hermione left the Gryffindor table, eagerly discussing what they would do in Hogsmeade later that afternoon. Their path was blocked, however, by Draco Malfoy, Pansy still clinging limpet-like to his arm. Crabbe and Goyle were planted unmovingly behind them.
"Taking your little freak show to Hogsmeade today I suppose?" Draco said nastily to Harry. "Step right up to see Weasley - the amazing Red-headed freak. A living miracle - he actually survives in his menial existence with no money at all! Impossible you would think, Ladies and Gentlemen!"
Ron stepped forward, in what he hoped to be a menacing manner. Draco opened his mouth as if to say something else cutting, then he caught Hermione's eye.
I'll tell them, she mouthed at him, purposefully.
He froze, looking as though he had just come from a fresh encounter with a basilisk.
Hermione raised an eyebrow at him.
"C'mon," Draco muttered to his followers.
"Aren't you going to say something to him, Draco? Put the Ginger Freak in his place?" Pansy Parkinson lisped insistently.
"Er...no." Draco hastily stumbled off, with Pansy looking puzzledly at him, and Crabbe and Goyle looking... well, the blank confused expressions on their gormless faces rarely altered anyway.
"Did you see that?!?" Asked Ron excitedly. "I stepped forward, and Malfoy obviously saw that I was going to punch his lights out, so he skedaddled before I could do him any serious damage!"
"Yeah," said Harry, amazed. "I dunno what came over him. He looked well scared about something..."
Hermione smiled to herself.
A/N: So Hermione got her own back in the end... and managed to keep the whole thing a secret! What an achievement. Anyway, please, please R/R with your comments. We'd love to hear them.
Aurora and Drosera
16/1/01