Written for:
Mary for GGE 2018
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Auction
Prompt - Hermione
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Bingo
Prompt - Hermione
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Arithmancy
Task Six: The Nurturer: write about a devoted person meddling in a loved one's affairs
Interfering Friends
xXx
Hermione glared. "You are so annoying!"
"Big words for such a know-it-all brainiac."
Hermione let her irritated expression fall away as she began laughing. "You really are annoying."
Draco shrugged. "I've never denied that."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and dragged his lips to hers for a sweet kiss.
They ignored their gobsmacked peers. Today, they had decided to stop trying to hide their relationship. They weren't ashamed, but they didn't want to have to deal with everyone interfering.
Their argument turning into a kiss was going to be the talk of the school.
Against her lips, Draco murmured, "Things are going to get crazy."
Hermione nodded slightly before pressing her lips even more firmly against her boyfriend's.
She hoped people would lose interest quickly, but she doubted she'd be that lucky. Oh well. There was no turning back now.
X
Harry sighed. "You're nuts."
"Maybe about Draco," Hermione quipped.
"And corny."
"I can't go against that," Hermione conceded.
"How can you trust him?" Harry asked more seriously.
Hermione saw the look in her best friend's eyes. "I can't explain it, but I do. Maybe it's love. I do hope you'll find a way to be happy for me."
Instead of verbally answering, Harry marched away.
Hermione still had hope, though. Since the war ended, Harry was much more level-headed(?) than Ron.
X
"How do you know she's not just playing games with you?" Blaise demanded.
Draco's eyebrows rose. "Have you met Granger? She's not the kind of person to play games."
"During sixth year, Weasley used Brown to make her jealous. Maybe she wants to return the favor," Blaise tried.
Draco shook his head, refusing to believe the possibility.
X
Hermione rested her head on Draco's shoulder. "Is there a reason Astoria Greengrass keeps looking at you like your dinner and she can't wait to devour you?"
"I thought she understood when I said I wasn't interested in her, but she has renewed her efforts to capture my attention."
"That's interesting because Ron has as well."
"I don't believe in coincidences," Draco said.
Hermione let out a short laugh. "I don't either. Mine's Harry. Who's yours?"
"Blaise."
"Do you think they'll give up on their own?"
"Maybe, but Harry can be stubborn."
"Blaise too."
Hermione lifted her head off of its resting place and shared a look with her boyfriend.
X
Blaise and Harry glared at each other.
Hermione snapped her fingers to regain their attention. "Okay, Draco and I asked you to meet us here so we don't have to keep dealing with your thinly veiled attempts to separate us."
"Hermione and I are together. We want to be together."
"You can't trust her," Blaise exclaimed."
"I don't want you to get your heart broken," Harry tried.
Draco rolled his eyes. "Blaise, you don't know Hermione like I do. She's probably the most trustworthy person I know, and nothing you say is going to make me doubt her. Get over it."
Hermione recognized that Harry was genuinely worried about her, so she was a tad more gentle with her reproach. "Harry, you're my best friend. I love you, but you don't get to dictate my life. I'm choosing to put my faith in Draco, and if he breaks my heart, at least I know I tried. You can't protect me from everything, and it's my choice to take the risk. If you can't trust Draco than trust me. I know what I'm doing."
Draco wrapped his arm around her waist. "Well said. Now both of you, we know you mean well, but stop interfering in our relationship."
Blaise and Harry were left alone when Draco and Hermione turned around to go to the library.
X
Hermione and Draco sat across from each other in the Three Broomsticks.
"This has been great!"
Draco nodded. "I guess Blaise and Potter got the hint."
"I do hope you and Harry can become friends. I know I'll try with Blaise, but I know there might be too much bad history between you and Harry, so I'll settle for you two being polite to each other."
Draco wanted to scoff at the idea of him and Potter ever being friends or even just tolerating each other, but he knew Hermione would try with his friends. The very least he could do was try, and if Hermione liked him, he couldn't be all bad. So all he responded with was, "Okay."
Hermione was facing the door when something caught her attention. Her eyes widened. "Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing?"
Draco turned in his seat, and his own eyes widened. "Is this even possible?"
"What happened when we left them alone together?" Hermione asked.
Draco shook his head, too stunned to answer because two people walked into the Three Broomsticks holding hands. And it was two people they least expected to see together: Blaise and Harry.
What happened?
That was the question.
xXx
(word count: 822)