Bravely they walked into the great hall holding hands, barely anyone noticed at first, but then Goyle, the oaf, shouted,
"Eeeeee! What's that mudblood doing to you"? Draco immediately took a defensive pose in front of Hermione "Don't call her a mudblood" he snarled. She rested her hand on his arm as the great hall stared… "Leave it," she whispered "I'll see you soon" with that she kissed him lightly on the lips, and walked quickly back to the Griffindor table, keeping her head down
"Hermione," Harry whispered furiously "what do think your doing? … He's… He's Draco malfoy," he concluded lamely
When she spoke Hermione's voice was clear and calm, but with white-hot anger burning under the surface "I am fully aware of who he is Harry, do you have anything else to say"? And her eyes were alight with the challenge.
She glanced over to Ron who had stopped eating, and turned a distinct shade of green. "He's made our life hell," he murmured "and now your… what? Dating? He's going to hurt you 'Mione, and I, for one, can't see my best friend get hurt at the hands of that… that… bastard"
During this speech Hermione turned crimson, and glared down and her plate. Ron had just voiced every doubt she had, she loved him, but he wasn't capable of love was he? He had spend the past years calling her mudblood, could she forgive that?
Yes, she could, she remembered what he said to her,
"The only reason I made an enemy of potty and weasel was to see you. I love you"
he wasn't lying, she could see it in his eyes..
Goyle and Crabbe stared stupidly as Draco approached the table, and as he sat down pansy Parkinson said, "so, you're fucking a mudblood? I wouldn't have thought even you could sink that low"
"What's that supposed to mean"? Draco retorted "don't you think I know she's a mudblood? Lord, I've called her one enough over the past few years." Was that a hint of remorse in the boys voice? His voice steadied, and a moment later he spoke again, back to cool calm Draco malfoy "I like the way you lot assume that I'm just fucking her cause I want to, maybe I've got some reason… Maybe I'm just doing it to hurt her. And potty and weasel too"
Maybe, he thought sadly, but no, I love her, but they wont understand it, I'll just play along with what they want me to think…