October
Blaise leaned back into the chair and let out a breath of relief. After a difficult Quidditch practice, his legs were killing him. Draco had been in a horrible mood after a fight with Granger. Merlin, those two were always fighting. McGonagall was crazy to make them both Heads, but Blaise knew it made sense.
Unsurprisingly, a few minutes later Draco stormed into the Slytherin common room, despite the fact he now lived in the Head's dorm.
He didn't even look as Blaise as he sat down and started mumbling furiously. "She thinks she's so amazing." He said to himself and Blaise was tempted to point out that the blonde haired boy look crazy talking to himself. "Who bloody cares if she got a better grade than me? And then trying organize a Hogsmeade weekend on Quidditch days? Who does she think she is?"
"The Head Girl." Blaise said and Draco jumped as if he hadn't noticed there was another person there.
"When did you get here?"
"Before you. Might I point out that I actually live here," Blaise said calmly.
Draco huffed, "I can't spend another moment with her."
"So I hear."
"She said Quidditch isn't important." Draco seethed.
"Why do you argue with her?"
Draco folded his arms indignantly. "She starts it." Blaise seriously doubted that, but he wasn't going to argue with Draco when he was in this state. "She wanted me to patrol tonight! She knows that I have practice, but she thinks Head duties are more important."
Blaise knew for a fact that Draco took his Head duties very seriously and the only reason he was arguing was because it was Hermione who suggested he patrol. If a prefect had come to him and asked him to trade places, Draco would have made it work, or gotten another prefect to cover.
But it was Granger who said it, so he had to fight back.
"How dare she…" Blaise deadpanned, but Draco missed the sarcasm.
"I know!" Draco thrust his hands into his hair, despite the fact that it was slicked back with gel. "And she keeps inviting Weaslette into our dorm! You should come camp out there just to get back at her."
Blaise coughed. "That seems like a very bad idea. Can't you just ignore her? Why do you care what she thinks?" As Draco sputtered, Blaise was tempted to laugh. He had a theory, but if he ever voiced it Draco would have his man-bits cursed off.
"It's the principle!" Draco announced finally.
Blaise wasn't sure which principle he was referring to, and he was positive Draco didn't know either. He was simply making up shite.
"Whatever you say."
November
"Can I move back into the Slytherin dorm?" Draco said seriously, collapsing on the bench at the Slytherin table. Blaise looked up at his best friend and noted that his usually proper appearance was completely disheveled.
His trademark gel was missing from his hair. That was saying something.
"I thought Heads had to stay in the Head's dormitories," Blaise raised an eyebrow.
Draco sneered and propped his elbows up on the table. "She's driving me insane! I can't stand it for another minute." He threw his head into his heads and Blaise had to laugh. There was no question about who the "she" was, as Blaise had been listening to his friend complain about her for years.
"Who?" He asked sarcastically.
"Granger!" Draco spat, missing Blaise's duh-look.
"What this time?"
In hindsight Blaise really shouldn't have asked. Draco would just get riled up recounting the details of the story and no doubt Blaise would have to clean up his best friend, after having have a total breakdown. Only Granger could reduce Draco Malfoy to a hyperventilating, incoherent mess of a person.
Blaise was surprised Draco had even come to the Great Hall. It was unlike his best friend to appear unkempt in public. Merlin forbid, anyone think their esteemed Head Boy wasn't perfect.
"Do you know what she did?" Draco growled.
"No, that's why I asked."
Draco continued as if he hadn't spoken. "She used the bathroom this morning! Is she fucking kidding me?" He shouted and several younger students looked alarmed. Blaise smiled at one third year who scooted away from Draco. "She uses the bathroom at night and I use it in the morning! I didn't have time to shower or do my hair-"
"Did you set aside bathroom times?" Blaise asked, mindlessly playing with eggs.
"Well… no, but she likes to shower at night! I think she was just doing it to mess with me!" Draco hissed menacingly. Blaise wasn't even going to ask why Draco knew Granger's bathroom schedule and when she liked to shower.
"She probably didn't have time last night." Blaise shrugged.
Draco shook his head, "She showered last night. We're going into Hogsmeade today, I bet she wanted me to look like crap." Blaise was about to respond when he saw the Head Girl enter the hall, approach a seventh year Ravenclaw, and leave the hall with him. Blaise smirked when he realized why she had wanted to spend extra time getting ready.
"I don't think that's why," Blaise sang and motioned to the couple leaving the hall.
Draco's head whipped around and Blaise was positive that if he had moved any faster, Draco's head would have snapped off his neck.
The blonde boy stared at the couple and then stared at the place where they had been when they were out of site. Blaise observed his friend's face, but it just seemed surprised. It was a rare moment when the mention of Granger didn't bring a look of rage to his friend—
Blaise spoke too soon. A moment later a look of disgust appeared on Draco's face. "Why would anyone want to go out with that squid?" He made a gagging noise, but beneath that Blaise could see the disappointment on Draco's face.
"She's not ugly," Blaise said, mostly to get a reaction.
He wasn't disappointed. Draco's face contorted into a sneer, "She's hardly attractive. I mean… that hair!" Draco seemed to be struggling for words. Or maybe it was that he was struggling for insults.
"I think her hair looks nice." Blaise commented. It was certainly better than it used to be- longer and more tame, falling in soft waves instead of a frizzy mess.
Draco choked, "Please, she's been putting this new potion in it and it's not working at all." Blaise raised his eyebrows.
"What potion?"
Draco didn't hesitate, "Madam Fine's Silky and Smooth potion. And the smell is all wrong… much too sweet." Blaise pressed his lips together. Draco was so caught up in his inner battle that he hardly noticed Blaise chuckling to himself. "That Ravenclaw bloke won't be able to stand her for more than ten minutes."
"You're the only one who dislikes her."
"I'm the only one that has to share a dorm with her."
"She lived with the girls in her year for six years, they all seem fine with her." Blaise pointed out and Draco shot him a glare. "You spend a lot of time thinking about her."
"She's annoying."
"So is Pansy, but you never complain about her anymore."
Draco shrugged, "Granger is worse."
"Maybe you like arguing with her," Blaise said slowly and as expected there was a huge amount of backlash.
"WHAT?" Draco demanded. "I don't like anything about her! I wish I didn't have to deal with her at all!" He said firmly… and yet, Blaise watched a shadow of doubt flash in his eyes.
"Whatever you say."
December
An unsuspecting Blaise was grabbed and pulled behind a tapestry, hanging in front of an alcove. He yelped and lifted his arms to push his attacker away, until he saw that it was Hermione Granger.
He huffed, "Granger, what are you doing?"
She folded her arms indignantly. "Malfoy is being a git and I need you to get him to listen to me."
"There isn't a person alive who can get Draco to do something he doesn't want to do." Blaise replied, noting her stance was a similar position to the one Draco took when he was frustrated.
Hermione rubbed her temple. "Just tell him that we need to meet before break starts."
Blaise raised his eyebrows. "You see him every day. I know because he complains about it every single day."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, but we never have an actual conversation. We only argue." Blaise was pretty sure that's because arguing was foreplay for them. Merlin, when they finally realized that they loved each other, what were they going to talk about.
"That's seems like your problem."
"So you like hearing him complain about me all the time?"
Damn, she had a point. But Blaise wasn't going to help them have a mere conversation- he was going to help them realize their true feelings for each other. And he knew the perfect way to start.
Blaise was supposed to meet Draco at the end of this hallway in a few minutes. Would it be such a bad thing for him to see Blaise and Hermione exit the tapestry together? Was it manipulative? Yes, but hey he was a Slytherin. And it was for their own good… and his sanity.
"I'll talk to him, but don't expect him to listen." Blaise told her.
She sighed, "I suppose that's all I can ask."
"Do you mind me asking why you argue so much?"
"He starts it!" She snapped.
Blaise held up his hands. "I'm sure he does."
"If he wasn't such a prat…" She muttered.
"Wouldn't it be easier to ignore him?"
"That's impossible! He's always there… ready to come at me."
Blaise raised a brow at her choice of words. He had no doubt that Draco was ready to come at her. Or go at it with her. "I suppose we should go." She nodded absently and he pulled back the tapestry.
Draco was waiting by the corner and Blaise made a show about stumbling into view and Hermione followed him out. Draco's eyes widened as he saw the two of them. Hermione blushed when she saw Draco and stomped off in the opposite direction. Blaise walked slowly to Draco, but his friend was storming towards him.
"What was that?" He hissed. "Why were you with Granger?"
"We were just talking," Blaise shrugged vaguely.
"Behind the tapestry?" Draco demanded.
"She just grabbed me." Alright, that was a bit mean of Blaise but the look on Draco's face was worth it. For a moment, Blaise thought he might get punched, but Draco's only clenched his fists. "She wanted me to speak to you."
Draco relaxed in surprise. "About what?"
"She wants to speak with you before break. Like an actual conversation, not just arguing." Blaise received a suspicious look from Draco. He didn't say anything for a while, instead he seemed to be thinking about why Hermione would want to speak with him. Blaise was sure he saw a glimmer of excitement on his friend's face.
Then the cool mask appeared on his face. "Fine, I'll try to have an actual conversation with the wench." Draco scowled.
Blaise smirked as he watched Draco stalk away.
January
Blaise was enjoying the peace and quiet for all of five minutes before Draco stormed over to the table. Madam Pince gave both of them a dirty look and Blaise shushed his friend, not wanting to get kicked out of the library again.
"What's she done now?" Blaise asked immediately, not bothering to look up from his Transfiguration textbook.
"Nothing." Draco spat. Blaise looked at his friend questioningly.
"Then why are you so pissed off?"
Draco's mouth opened and closed like a fish. Blaise's mouth slowly twisted into a knowing grin.
"You miss fighting," Blaise said.
Draco snorted, "Hardly. In fact, my life has improved ten fold since we came to that agreement before break. I rarely even see her anymore." The words were supposed to be happy, but Blaise was definitely getting undertones of sadness… and regret.
"That's good." Blaise looked down at his book.
"But I can feel her judging me from afar." Draco blurted out. "She is so damn annoying."
Blaise sighed, "So why don't you go pick on her?" He suggested half-heartedly. Draco jumped up.
"You're right! She is going to get a piece of my mind."
Blaise stared at his friend for a moment, and then jumped up, realizing that Draco was really going to start a fight with her for absolutely nothing. Draco was walking determinedly out of the library and Blaise followed after him.
He turned around a corner just as Blaise rushed out of the library. He ran after him and came to a halt when he saw Draco stalk up to Hermione. He watched from around the corner and grimaced.
"What now?" He heard Hermione say.
Draco didn't have a response. Blaise peeked around the corner and saw the pair staring heatedly at each other, but not saying anything.
Finally, Hermione snapped, "Did you just want to glare at me?"
"You are a complete bitch."
"Ditto, Ferret." Blaise smirked.
"I'm sick of this truce."
Hermione folded her arms. "I'm surprised you made it this long."
"Are you saying I can't control myself?"
"Yes." Hermione raised an eyebrow. "You couldn't even go three weeks without insulting me. And we were on break for one of those weeks."
"If I wanted to be nice I could."
Hermione took a step closer and Blaise swallowed thickly. "Prove it." She said slowly, giving him a daring look. Draco's nostrils flared and he looked ready to explode.
A moment later Draco grabbed her and pulled Hermione against him. His mouth hadn't even reached hers before she was throwing her arms around his neck. Their mouths collided sloppily and Blaise stared at them with an open mouth.
Speaking of open mouths, Blaise could see their tongues from where he was standing. Draco back the girl against the stone wall and ground his body against hers. Moans echoed through the corridor. Blaise slapped his forehead, they hadn't even bothered to see if there was anyone else in the corridor before they started defacing that wall.
"Draco," Hermione sighed as he pressed kisses to her throat.
"Say it again." Draco demanded and Blaise noted the emotion in his voice.
"What?"
"My name," Draco said throatily and then resumed sucking on her neck. Hermione breathed shallowly, trying to get a deep breath in.
"Draco, don't stop." She said breathily and Draco seemed to go into a frenzy. He hoisted her up against the wall and her legs wrapped around his waist. His hand travelled under her skirt and Blaise jumped out from behind the corner.
"Guys!" He shouted and their mouth broke apart. Draco nearly dropped Hermione. "You're in the middle of a corridor! The Heads having sex with each other in public is definitely frowned upon." He walked up to them as they rearranged their disheveled clothing.
"Blaise," Draco looked frantically at his friend.
"It was nothing!" Hermione said immediately and Draco turned to her.
"Nothing? Are you kidding me?"
"You assaulted me!" Hermione seethed and just like that the world was right again.
Draco scoffed, "Please, like you didn't enjoy it."
"That's beside the point! You can't just go around playing-"
"You always assume the worst! Merlin, I hate you! Did it ever cross your mind that I might like you? No, of course not."
Blaise looked back and forth between the two of them.
Hermione glared, "Are you saying you want to date me?"
"Only so I can make fun of you whenever I want." Draco snapped.
Hermione looked at him. "Then ask nicely."
"You are so annoying!"
Sometimes Blaise thought 'annoying' was the only word in Draco's vocabulary.
"Fine. Will you go on a date with me?" Draco practically shouted.
Hermione gave him a distasteful look. "I'll see you at the next Hogsmeade weekend." She scowled and started to walk away.
"Meet me at 10 o'clock. And you better be on time!" Draco called after her.
Hermione glared over her shoulder and then walked away.
Blaise blinked, "What just happened?"
"I think I love her."
"Well, duh."
