How's My World Treating You?
Draco Malfoy's smouldering ash coloured eyes flashed in anger.
"How dare you!" he hissed, "You have no right to say something like that to me, Mudblood!"
Hermione glanced at him, her eyes amused.
"Oh, please, Draco. Where do you get your comebacks? They're so weak. All I meant by my comment was that you're narrow minded. It had nothing to do with your appearance, though, if I do say so myself, you're one of the vainest boys I have ever had the displeasure of meeting."
Malfoy trembled from head to toe with fury.
"Get out," he hissed, but she merely smiled.
"Really, Draco! You may be a Malfoy and a pureblood, but even you don't have the power to send me out of Care of Magical Creatures class. Why don't you save your insults for somebody who cares? Oh, wait a tick! That means that you can only use it on, per say, Pansy Parkinson? Well, she's pretty irritating, that just might work..."
Hermione turned to Harry and Ron, who remained unfazed. Ever since Hermione and Draco had broken up the month before, they had bickered endlessly. Thankfully Hermione had picked up on some of Draco's temper, and shot it right back at him when he decided to launch another argument.
"So, Herm," said Ron, grinning devilishly, "How was your date on Saturday night?"
Hermione grinned with her perfect set of teeth.
She and Ron had been dating for a week now, and Ron took every possible chance to rub that fact in Draco's face.
"Oh, yeah, Hermione. How was the date with carrot top? He didn't actually pay to go somewhere, did he?" Draco drawled, his eyes wide and innocent as Ron's face burned with anger.
Hermione, however, answered cooly, "We went dutch. He respects me as a woman and an equal. Not like some sexist pigs I know... We had a lovely time, for your information. And, by the way Malfoy, please try not to eavesdrop on any more of our conversations. You may just hear things that you don't want to hear."
She winked at Ron, then turned to talk to Hagrid loudly about whether ferrets made good, obedient pets.
Draco's eyes followed her reproachfully for the rest of the class, and once it ended he 'accidentally' bumped into her as they left the field.
"He's got to get over her," said Ron, laughing slightly to Harry.
Harry nodded silently, but he didn't laugh. He had the slight feeling that Hermione wasn't completely over her obnoxious ex either.
*
"So, what do you guys want to do tonight?" Hermione said, stretching her legs out in front of her as she sat lazily in the easychair in the common room.
"How about sneaking into Hogsmeade? We could go for a Butterbeer..." Ron pulled her up and winked.
Harry decided to go upstairs. There was no use in staying in the common room when it was so obvious that they were going to be making out in any second.
As he walked slowly to his room, he bumped into somebody. Once he raised his head to apologize, he stared right into the icy grey eyes of Draco Malfoy.
"What the hell, Malfoy?" he said, his eyes narrowed.
"You Gryffindors, man. You're so damned trusting! I mean, you've had the same password for four months!" he said uncomfortably.
"Yeah, I'll look into that. Right now you either tell me what's going on or I report you to Dumbledore." Harry said icily.
Draco sighed.
"I was waiting in the common room for Hermione, and then the Weasley twins came in, and then I hid, and then she came in but she was with Mr Head On Fire, in more ways than one, mind you, and so I decided to come further up here and try and figure out if I could fly out of here or something."
Harry sighed this time, "Haven't you ever read~"
"Yes, Potter, I've read Hogwarts: A History. She made me, do you think she'd ever go out with anyone who hadn't read the damn book? I knew I couldn't, I was just trying to get out of here without being seen."
Harry was surprised.
Draco Malfoy had read Hogwarts: A History, for Hermione?
Weird.
Just before Harry was about to open his mouth again, he head pounding on the stairs.
And, before Harry could move or speak, there stood Ron, staring at him like he had three heads.
"Harry? What's he doing here?" he said slowly, staring at Malfoy.
"I found him up here."
"Oooh, let's report the bugger!"
"No!"
"What?"
"Oh...some seventh year sent him here, you know, they're so mean and all..."
"Why? I still don't see why we turn him in."
"No. Anyways, why aren't you still downstairs?"
"Because she started talking to me about Hogwarts: A History, and I decided to come to bed." Ron was still staring at them.
"Well, you really care about her, don't you? How's my world treating you, Weasley?" Draco spoke up angrily.
Ron stepped back, and snarled, "Your world? You were never her world, Malfoy, I'd stop dreaming if I were you."
"Sure, sure. Say that now. Who read Hogwarts: A History for her? Who did everything for her that he ever could? I did, Weasley, and you can't even be bothered to read a damned book for her? Are you as stupid as you look and take her for granted? Are you that dumb, Ron?!" he yelled, then went white as he stared over Ron's shoulder.
Harry could see Hermione's pale face looking over it, looking strangely sad.
"Malfoy, get out." she said quietly, and he bowed his head and quickly left.
*
The next day in the Great Hall, Professor Dumbledore showed up.
"Hello, students. I would like to announce something new and interesting to Hogwarts: Karioke!"
Harry groaned.
"Any volunteers?" Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling.
Then, to the entire school's amazement, a pale hand arose from the Slytherin table.
Malfoy.
"Come on up, Mr Malfoy!" said Dumbledore, smiling surprisedly.
Draco sat up slowly from his seat and made his way to the front.
"Can I choose the song? It's...a Muggle one." he asked hesitantly.
"Of course. Go ahead." Dumbledore handed him the microphone (which was magically enhanced to work at Hogwarts) and said, "As soon as you start it will do the proper music"
Draco took a deep breath and began to sing, staring at the Gryffindor table all the while.
This is just a business call
It won't take no time at all
If she don't want to talk, that's fine
Tell her that I got those papers signed
I'm sure that she'll be glad to know
This thing is finally coming to a close
That was really all I had to say
But since we're talking
Hey, by the way
How's My World Treatin' You?
Are you happy there in my shoes?
While I've got you on my phone
Tell me, does she make you feel at home?
You got everything I had to lose
Is she makin' all your dreams come true?
Tell me, How's My World Treatin' You?
She used to treat me like a king
Oh she was my everything
You took my castle
And you stole my crown
You walked in and turned my world around
How's My World Treatin' You?
As he sang the last note, he closed his eyes and Harry darted a look at Ron, then Hermione. Were they going to understand the meaning of what he had just done?
Hermione had her hand on the table, and the other over her mouth. She looked like she was about to cry.
Ron looked thunderstruck.
"He knows a Muggle song?" he said to Harry a moment later.
Harry's eyes widened. Ron hadn't realized that Draco was singing that to him?
"Ron," Harry began, but then watched as Hermione slowly got up from her seat, the entire Great Hall watching her.
Draco was standing completely still at the front, and stayed that way until she had reached him.
She said something into his ear, then grabbed him in a big hug.
Nearly the entire Great Hall erupted with applause.
Ron shrugged.
"I guess he was right," he said sheepishly, " He did deserve her more than I did. I just wanted her because I wanted to rub it in his face. Damn. I feel awful."
Harry sympathised with his friend, and grinned broadly at Draco from over Hermione's shoulder. He wasn't really that bad. Not if Hermione was into him, after all, she was the smartest person he knew.