It was morning already and Hermione didn't particularly want to move from her bed. She turned to her window and could see the sun and clouds. It looked like a nice day but she wasn't in the greatest of moods.
She was exhausted from the ordeal last night with Malfoy. She didn't know what to think or do or even believe.
"Maybe it was just a dream, a horrible nightmare." She said to herself as she sat up in bed. She just wanted to pretend that nothing had happened and that she didn't even see Malfoy at all after leaving the train, better yet she wanted to pretend he didn't even exist. She closed her eyes and let out a long sigh, what's the point? She thought to herself. With that she stood up from her bed and walked to her private bathroom. As soon as the hot water touched her skin she became relaxed almost as if the hot water was washing away all the emotional turmoil that she had from last night.
The shower rejuvenated her enough to be able to get ready for the first day of classes. She found her robes and uniform and looked over her schedule. She had Advanced Charms first, then Advanced Potions second, and Defense Against the Dark Arts for third and also her favorite class, Ancient Runes after for fourth. She then had Herbology fifth, Arithmancy sixth after lunch, and lastly Care of Magical Creatures seventh. She grabbed her school bag and took her wand. She headed out for breakfast even with her long shower she still had an hour before her first class, which started at 8 in the morning. She liked being early to breakfast it allowed her to be alone and relax and she enjoyed taking her time with her food.
She sat down at the Gryffindor table and began to fill her plate with a muffin some eggs and a few strips of bacon. As she ate she pulled out pulled out her iPod, placed one headphone into her ear, and began playing some music to pass the time.
"What's that Hermione?" she heard a dreamy voice coming toward her and of course that was Luna. She looked so intrigued by Hermione's iPod.
"It's an iPod Luna." She smiled at the fair-haired girl as she sat down with her.
"What does it do?"
"I can put music in it or pictures or even films."
"Why would you do that? It seems strange."
"Oh well you'd listen to the music when you're not home. Or you could watch movies on the go or look at pictures you want to see most."
"What a strange contraption." Hermione laughed a little at Luna's reaction. Luna and Hermione began to discuss their new classes and about things that happened over the summer.
"Why do you always wake up so early Hermione?" she heard a sleepy Ron coming toward her. She was amused at the sight of her two best friends. Harry was barely able to keep his eyes open as he walked with Ron. His unruly black hair was flopping over his eyes. Ron's hair was also disheveled but not as shaggy as Harry's and he had dark circles under his eyes and looked like he had gotten absolutely no sleep.
"You both look like Hell." Ron gave her a mocking laugh, which only made Hermione laugh more. They both sat down and began to devour their breakfast.
"Are you guys happy with your class schedules? We have every class together, well except for Arithmancy. You guys have a free period when I have Arithmancy but I'm still excited about this year it's going to be great." She handed back Harry and Ron their schedules. Harry and Ron looked at her with a confused look. Hermione returned it. "What is it guys?"
"Well I like the classes I got and the fact that they're all with you and Harry, well except for your Arithmancy, but didn't you hear that Gryffindor and Slytherin are going to be together in almost every class? I thought you'd be kind of upset about it. I mean I was mad and so was Harry so we expected you to be at least a bit annoyed at the very least." Hermione was more than just annoyed she was mortified.
"I need to go to the library before Charms begins. I'll see you both in class." She could hear Harry call for her as she left abruptly. She was so upset. She didn't know if she would have Malfoy in any of her classes but the fact that it might be a possibility made her want to run away. She didn't want to see his face at all. She didn't know why he was affecting her so badly but she just wanted to leave. She ended up in the hallway not having the energy to actually make it to the library but she at least knew she was out of the sight of her friends. Hermione leaned against the wall and sat down. She pulled her knees close to her body and began to silently cry not caring who would see her.
Malfoy was walking towards the great hall when he saw Hermione sitting on the floor with her face in her knees holding herself close. As he began walking towards her, he heard someone coming toward him. He turned around and saw Ron. He looked like he wanted to kill Malfoy but Ron just continued walking till he reached Hermione.
Draco saw Hermione look at Ron as he kneeled down. They were speaking but Malfoy couldn't hear what they were saying. He saw Ron wipe a tear from Hermione's eyes and she smiled warmly at him and he at her. He then saw her hug him tight and at that moment Malfoy felt something strange, something he didn't like at all. He just walked the other way refusing to acknowledge the feeling he had gotten at the sight of Hermione hugging Ron.
"Thank you Ron I needed the pep talk." Hermione said to Ron as he helped her off of the floor.
"Hermione there's no need to thank me. That's what I'm here for. Harry and I won't let Malfoy come near you. We have your back through this Hermione you know we love you to death. We can't bear seeing you upset. I think you actually dislike him more than either of us." Ron let out a low quiet laugh and she could help but smile back. She looked at her dear friend and just hugged him one more time. His arms wrapped around her waist tightly but she felt secure. It was a nice feeling.
"We better start heading out to Charms it's starting in 5 minutes." He grabbed Hermione's bag and handed it her, she reached for it and he took her wrist.
"Hermione what happened?" Ron examined the bandage on Hermione's wrist.
"Ron don't you remember? I had burned my wrist while helping my mother cook. I guess you just forgot about it the last time I saw you at your house. It should heal soon no need to worry about it."
"Can I take a look? Ma-"
"No!" Hermione cut Ron's sentence short and he just looked at her confused. "I mean no Ron, I just put some ointment on it to help it heal faster and unwrapping it will cause for me to reapply the ointment and well we just don't have the time for that. Just drop the subject and let's hurry to Charms, Harry's probably waiting for us."
"Oh yeah you're right we best hurry then." They both walked in silence as they entered the class. Ron sat next to Harry who was in the middle of the three-person table and Hermione sat in the last remaining seat on the other side of him. She didn't even notice that Malfoy was sitting in the back of the room.
"Welcome seventh year students to Advanced Charms. I hope you will find this class both invigorating and maybe even a bit challenging." Professor Flitwick's voice became a faint hum in Malfoy's head. He just stared at Hermione from the back of the room. What could I do to prove to her that I have changed? He thought to himself. He wanted to go up to her when he found her in the hall but Weasley beat him to it. I must be losing my mind he thought to himself as he remembered what he had felt when he saw Weasley holding Granger. I can't be jealous of Weasley. Why would I be, because he was holding Hermione? I don't want her. Maybe I mistook the feeling for something else? He continued thinking to himself but snapped out of it when Blaise nudged him.
"Draco, what's wrong?" Blaise, his only true friend, was the only one who could tell the difference between Malfoy's I-really-don't-care-about-what-the-professor-is-saying-so-I'll-zone-out face and the there's-something-bothering-me-but-I'm-keeping-it-to-myself face. To anybody else it'd look like he's just zoned out but Blaise could tell.
"Nothing at all." He said in a yawn. Blaise raised an eyebrow at Malfoy and this irked Malfoy a bit.
"Blaise I'm telling you the truth."
"No you're not."
"What makes you think that?" Malfoy said with a fake hurt look playing upon his face. Blaise just chuckled.
"Because you're a Slytherin." They both chuckled at this and Malfoy was glad that Blaise let the subject drop. He really didn't want to tell his friend what was going on. Could I like her? He asked himself the question and looked at Hermione. He never noticed how small she was. She was thin but had nice curves. He noticed that she had a small little waist and he had to admit she did have a nice ass. She shifted her body in her seat in a way that made her sit parallel to the table but kept her looking forward. She had her legs crossed and her skirt hung off her thigh nicely. Malfoy noticed it all he liked it too and then out of nowhere he began imagining Hermione wearing nothing but a bikini. He imagined how her fair skin would feel like under his hands.
"Shit!" he blurted out loud. He realized he had gotten an erection because of his fantasies. He didn't realize he had said "shit" out loud until he looked up to see everyone looking at him.
"Pardon Mr. Malfoy?" asked Flitwick with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh I apologize for my outburst professor please continue your riveting lecture." The professor smiled at Malfoy's comment and so let it go and continued with his "riveting" lecture. Everyone else just turned back around except for Hermione. She looked at him for a little while longer and then Malfoy found himself thinking of her once again. He thought about how her lips were so rosy and plump and how her hair fell perfectly onto her shoulders and how some strands made their way to lie atop of her breasts. Fuck! He screamed internally this time. Why was he thinking so much about her all of a sudden? He had never thought of her in any way before. He must be coming down with something, he thought to himself. He decided to just pay attention to whatever Flitwick was rambling on about. Thankfully since it was just the first day of school all the classes were a bit shorter and so Charms ended soon enough and he headed out as fast as possible towards Potions with Professor Slughorn.
He was the first one to arrive and decided to go to Slughorn and ask him if maybe someone may have slipped him a love potion somehow. He hoped that maybe one of the Slytherins slipped it to him as a cruel joke. He hoped that's what had happened otherwise it would mean that he actually thought Hermione was attractive. He hoped to god that it was a potion.
"Professor Slughorn sir? May I ask you a question sir?"
"Oh why of course Draco, what is it my dear boy?"
"Would there be any way of knowing that one has been administered a love potion?"
"Oh my do you fear you've been given one?"
"Yes sir, I keep thinking of a person I would never think about in my entire life and I feel as if maybe I was given a Love at First Sight potion."
"Come with me I do happen to have a universal love potion antidote. If you were truly given a love potion then this should put an end to the nasty affects. Here drink up dear boy." Slughorn handed the vile containing a sparkly purple liquid that smelled like roses. Draco drank that as if it were a shot. He hoped that it was just a love potion and not that he had begun to truly think of Hermione as attractive, beautiful even. The potion slid down his throat and Draco handed back the vile to Slughorn.
"Thank you sir."
"You're quite welcome my boy. If you were given a love potion it should no longer bother you. Now let's get back to the others they might have all arrived by now." Draco followed the professor out of his office and took a seat in the back with Blaise. He was quite happy that he had all his classes with him. He couldn't bear the constant babbling Pansy Parkinson or the idiocy of Crabbe or Goyle. It's not that he didn't like Pansy she was a nice person just that she liked him; well love was the better word. He was told that he and Pansy were going to end up marrying but Malfoy wasn't one to be told what to do. He was still friends with her and all but didn't like her that way; she on the other hand wanted him. And well Crabbe and Goyle were well Crabbe and Goyle, enough said.
He actually enjoyed potions so he could ignore Hermione's presence. He had seen her sitting on the other side of the room with the Potter and Weasley and didn't really want another incident. If it were to happen again he might not be able to be so smooth about it.
"God I hope he's not in all of my classes." She put her face into her palms as Ron put an arm around her shoulders.
"Hermione we have 6 out of 7 classes with you, we won't let him come near you during those and during Arithmancy we'll make sure that someone will be by you. Hermione just groaned into her palms.
"Ron's right Hermione. He won't come near you. We won't let it happen." Harry said as he pulled Hermione's hands down away from her face.
"But Harry I can't just hide behind you guys, or anybody for that matter, forever. I don't even know why he's affecting me this way. I'm pathetic aren't I?" she looked down at her lap.
"Hermione Jean Granger pathetic? Well I have never heard of such a thing. A bit of a bookworm but that adds to your charm." She smiled at Harry's comment.
"Harry's right Hermione. You aren't pathetic, he has made your life a living hell I'd feel the same but you know what, don't give him the satisfaction of seeing you this way. You've fought against Voldemort's army for God's sake. You can most definitely take on a ferret like Malfoy. Just ignore him and don't let him get to you."
"You're right Ron, I shouldn't let him get to me anymore. It's a new year we're done with the Voldemort stuff and I want to just live up my last year in Hogwarts. I can do this." She took in a deep breath and let it out. She smiled at both Ron and Harry "Thank you both you two are the greatest."
"We know." Harry said and all three laughed in unison.
The day went by so quickly after Advanced Potions. She had discovered that Lupin would be teaching the Defense Against the Dark Arts class which she was happy about because she missed him from third year, he was one of the best teachers that had ever taught at Hogwarts. Arithmancy went without a hitch and lunch was wonderful. She was almost euphoric. She had a wonderful day regardless of the fact that Malfoy was in all of her classes and now she sat at the dinner table with her close friends.
"I can't eat anymore Harry I feel like I'm going to go into a food coma." Ron put down the fork and Harry laughed at his redheaded friend.
"I'd be surprised if you weren't full Ron. You probably ate a whole cow." Harry just laughed harder at Hermione's comment.
"It wasn't a whole cow just 3 steaks and 4 slices of pie and maybe 4 or 5 glasses of pumpkin juice. That is not a cow."
"Might as well be." They all laughed it off and so did Ron after a second.
"How can you not be fat Ron?" Hermione said jokingly as she patted his stomach while they walked her to her dorm after dinner.
"I'm the Gryffindor keeper remember? I need all the food I can take to stay nice and buff, how else will I possibly feed thunder and lightening?" he said as he flexed his biceps. Harry and Hermione couldn't help but burst into laughter. They were still trying to catch their breath by the time they arrived at Hermione's dorm.
"Ok I get it, it was hilarious." Ron said with a pout.
"Ron, we all know you're very muscular but if you saw me say and do what you did you'd be on the floor laughing." She smiled at Ron and he smiled back. She gave them both hugs goodbye. "Goodnight Harry, goodnight Ron, I love you both see you in the morning."
"We love you too Hermione." They each gave her one last hug and went on their way. She turned to the painting and said the password. It allowed her to enter and she walked into the common room. She didn't see Malfoy anywhere, which was a good thing. Regardless of her new goal to not allow him to affect her, she was a bit nervous of how things would go if they were alone in the room. She ran up stairs and put on her tight black spandex shorts and a light blue tank top. It was her cozy outfit when it wasn't too cold. It felt so comfortable and she was able to move in it freely. She curled up onto the couch and began to listen to her iPod once more. One of her favorite songs came on and it made her want to dance. No one was around and so she got up and danced to the music blasting into her eardrums.
Malfoy arrived at the dorm to see Hermione in the middle of dancing. He chuckled at first at the sight of her jumping around to the music but then he realized what she was wearing and it made his heart beat a little faster. He saw the contours of Hermione's butt and how it was nice and firm looking. He also noticed how her tight tank top showed off her breasts just perfectly. It wasn't too low cut to be called vulgar but showed just a hint of cleavage and fit snuggly around her breast making her look so alluring. Suddenly she screamed and this is what woke him up from his trance.
"Oh my God! You scared the living crap out of me!" Hermione screamed as she put her hand on her chest. She was blushing a deep rose and this made Hermione look even more alluring to Draco. "How long have you been standing there?" she said as she finally calmed down enough to speak again.
"I came in maybe 2 minutes ago. You seemed to be having a lot of fun and so I didn't want to bother you. I guess I'll see you when I see you, I'll just go to my room, umm goodnight I guess." He began to walk away when he heard Hermione speak again.
"You aren't going to make fun of me for dancing like an idiot?" she said smiling at him. He was so taken aback by this. Hermione Granger was actually smiling at him. It took a moment for Draco to gather his thoughts in order to speak.
"You seemed to be having a blast why spoil it for you?" he returned the smile.
"Well that was very umm considerate of you Malfoy." She looked down at the floor in a way that said she didn't know what else to say. He figured this was a time as good as any other to ask why she had been in the hallway that morning.
"Hermione, today before Charms I saw you holding yourself in the hall like you were upset. Can I ask what was wrong?" He looked at her and she kept her eyes on the ground but moved one of the strands of her brown hair behind her right ear and fidgeted with the bandage that he had seen the night before.
"It's really nothing, everything's fine now. Umm Malfoy, thank you for the concern, it was very sweet of you." She said it in almost a whisper. Malfoy's heartbeat quickened and he didn't even realize that he had crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her and held her close. He heard her gasp most likely due to his rash action and that made him snap out of it. He let go of her and she just stood there frozen in place. He felt so idiotic for having done that.
"Hermione…I…I should go I'm sorry goodnight." He almost sprinted to his room. When he entered his room he closed the door and faced it blankly and just stood holding the doorknob. He slammed his head into the door and jumped into bed.
"I am such an idiot." He said to himself in the dark. "Why did I hug her? I'm so stupid." He said to the dark window as he stared at the moon. "What's wrong with me? I'm losing my mind so everything."