Indeed, pride was a deadly instrument.
...30 minutes earlier...
He knew he was prideful. Egotistical. In love with himself.
And should he ever forget, Granger would always be there to remind him, with a, "Malfoy, you stupid, egotistical jerk!"
But however egotistical he was, however prideful he was, wasn't it justified by his exceptional grades (if Granger was left out of it), snappy comebacks (again, let's leave out Granger), his beautiful face, amazing quidditch skills (Harry did not count), and his position as Head Boy?
Yes, it was, wasn't it?
He walked to class, deep in thought.
High self esteem never hurt anyone, he thought, suppressing the sudden urge to smile.
It was very possible Draco Malfoy may have stayed in this cloud all day, except...
oomfht. "Oi, Granger! Watch where you're going!"
"You're the one who ran into me,Malfoy."
"Do I have to explain why it will always be YOU bumping into ME, Granger?"
"Oh? Why is that?"
"Because. I'm great at potions-"
"So? I'm better."
He glared at the petite brunette, but continued his list. "-I get wonderful grades..."
Hermione looked amused, "I get higher ones,"
"- well I'm athletic and I'm the captain of the Slytherin quidditch te-" he spoke rapidly, urgently, as if trying to get his point across.
"Oh, Malfoy. Have you forgotten that Harry's the captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team and they've beaten you every single year?" She smiled innocently. "But please, continue."
Draco snarled, his anger rising, mind racing for something, anything, that he could say that she was couldn't rebuff. Finally, he shouted, "WELL I'M PRETTIER!"
Hermione just smiled. "Pity that you don't have a girlfriend. What, no one wants you?"
"You don't either." The other said this quite smugly, despite the shock of the previous insult.
"But we weren't talking about me, were we?" She gathered her books into her arms, "Amazing. I always thought that you had at least a semblance of pride. But, judging from today's little conversation, I take it that you obviously have none."
He glanced up, uncomprehending.
"If you had any pride at all, Malfoy," she explained, "You wouldn't have been beaten into the ground like this. If anyone has pride here," she leaned in, conspiratorially, and Draco got the sudden feeling that he wouldn't like what she was going to say, "It's me."
She gave him a smirk (suspiciously Slytherin-like, Draco noticed) and walked away, "See you in Potions, Malfoy"
And she left Draco standing there, wondering how he could've gone from saying "Do I have to explain why it will always be YOU bumping into ME, Granger?" to "WELL I'M PRETTIER!" as a means of rebuttal. He glared at Hermione's retreating back.
Pride, he thought, is a double edged sword.
He was not going to let it get the better of him again.
A/N: Review! :) They make me smile :D
written for the dramionedrabble easter 2008 challenge
prompt word: Pride.