Twenty First: I'm back.
Young Hermione Granger was restless in her sleep, waking up every few hours. Sometimes she felt like screaming, and at other times she felt like kissing Malfoy. Was being eleven always this unpredictable? she wondered absentmindedly when she had woken. Nobody else was awake, and when she looked out the window there was not a hint of the sun.
She wondered why she had to do this on her first day. After all, she had known the guy for hours, not even days, when she had blurted his name out to Katie. Why couldn't she just have said Ron or Harry instead? They were annoying enough, but Malfoy just had that spark of pure meanness, the kind she couldn't help but despise.
Hermione lightly got up, taking care to be silent as possible when she opened the door and closed it behind her. She stepped quickly down the staircase, biting her lip in humor when she saw Katie. The older girl was passed out on a scarlet colored couch, unfinished homework scattered across the floor.
She had until six tonight, it could wait, she thought. Hermione picked up Katie's quill and one essay assignment, writing and writing until she had finished it all and the sun was starting to dawn upon them. She sighed quietly, dropping the quill and putting the parchment where it had been before. She whispered in her Master's ear, "Why did you make me do this?" and then fell asleep, her head leaning on the side of the couch.
)_(
"Come on, you can do it, Granger! How hard could it be? Come on, Granger!" Katie cheered.
Hermione fingered the thin, metal ring in the pocket of her robes, her knees almost shaking. But when Katie said this, she froze, her eyes narrowing and looking up at the girl. Her eyes were troubled, yes, but there was an almost scary determination there, and she would do it, now. Hermione stood up taller, watching Malfoy walk around the Quidditch pitch with another boy, the Italian one.
She turned to Katie and replied softly, "That's what he calls me. Granger. Are you going to get rid of the Italian boy or should we wait?"
"We can't miss this chance, you've only got two hours left. Don't worry, though, I have a plan for Zabini. I met him at Diagon Alley, and I have some unfinished business to attend to with him."
Hermione raised her eyebrows, and said nothing but, "When?"
Katie ignored her, walking up to the two Slytherins, side by side with Zabini. She wrapped an arm around his waist, leading him off the Quidditch pitch, somewhere by the lake. Malfoy rolled his eyes in their direction, starting to whistle as he walked. Hermione took this time to run up to him and call his name as she went.
Malfoy, surprised, looked behind him. His eyes widened and he ignored her, walking hastily away. Hermione ran faster, and when she had caught up with him she snatched his arm. She could see Katie hiding in a bush, a large, magical camera set up on her shoulder. It was trained on them completely.
"Will you marry me, Draco Malfoy?" she asked quickly.
He didn't get a chance to respond, because suddenly his head got all dizzy. He could feel the blood pounding in his ears, and his breaths quickened and shortened all in a matter of seconds. He was supposed to ask her, not this way, and even worse was that he couldn't even say anything!
Malfoy wanted to sit down and curl up into a ball, but he had to show more dignity than that, of course. Malfoys did not do that sort of thing, even in private. Trying to ignore all the symptoms that led to the fact that he would likely faint, he replied, "Get away from me, Granger." His voice was so hoarse that you could barely make out the words. He took his arm back, as she had still been holding it. Probably the reason why he hadn't fallen over before.
"I suppose that would be a no," she whispered to herself, then turned to Katie, who was stepping out of the bush. Her robes snagged a bit, and she let out a short string of curses. Hermione widened her eyes, but said nothing. This was all just so weird.
"Bloody- I mean, Granger!" exclaimed Katie. "I forgot to start the camera! You'll have to do it again!"
Hermione hissed back angrily, "How about this, Bell? When he asks me, you can use your stupid camera and tape that!" Katie just grinned back, because she knew something that Hermione didn't know, but would- hopefully- soon find out.