Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER, AND I AM NOT MAKING ANY MONEY OFF THIS PIECE OF WRITING.
Chapter Four
The next few weeks passed quite peacefully. The Hogwarts students got on well with the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. They were generally spotted on the grounds or in the library, studying constantly, and this prompted a lot of teachers to make their students work a lot harder.
Soon, it was time for the next Hogsmeade weekend. Draco had wanted to spend the entire day with Pansy, but she had an errand to run, but had promised to meet him at The Three Broomsticks for lunch. He dropped her off at Madam Puddifoot's and then proceeded to stroll down the snowy street alone. He walked into the sugary warmth of Honeydukes and browsed though a selection of sweets, wondering what he should buy for Pansy. In the end, he decided on some heart shaped marshmallows which sang 'I love you' in your mouth.
He was at the counter when he caught sight of Granger, Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown looking in his direction and whispering. He frowned and took his package, intending to leave before he became too embarrassed, but found his way blocked by Granger. "May I walk with you?" she asked.
Draco rolled his eyes. "Sure why not?" he said sarcastically, as the pain hit him again. Once it had subsided, he looked at her reprovingly. "Am I right in thinking that if you lose, nothing of the sort will happen to you?"
Granger smiled but didn't reply. They walked out of the shop together, and Draco tried to ignore all the surprised stares that they were receiving. One third year walked into a pole, and his friend fell into a pothole. They still continued to stare as the pair walked off.
"So," asked Draco, as they walked past the pubs and took the path which led to the Shrieking Shack. "Why are you suddenly so interested in walking with me?"
"Oh, no reason," said Granger. "I just wanted to see whether you'd rather take the pain and keep your pride, or not face it and have everyone laugh at you." Draco inhaled slowly and tried not to scream at her.
"You know, if you had perhaps had anything important to say to me, I don't think I would have minded."
"Really?" she asked. Draco nodded.
Of course I would have minded you filthy Mudblood! Simply being seen around you is bad enough, without having to actually carry out a civilised conversation with you!
"Wow," said Granger. "You really don't like the pain do you?" Draco shook his head. He had a very low pain threshold, which at times, could be extremely embarrassing. He tried to make up for it by working out in order to become stronger than the rest of the boys, so that he didn't get beaten up at any time.
"Last year, with the Hippogriff, I wasn't faking," he said. "In the beginning anyway," he added. Hermione pursed her lips.
"You tried to get Buckbeak executed for something that wasn't even his fault!"
"What can I say?" said Draco. "I didn't like him."
"Still, you have no right to do something like that."
"As much as you'd like to be right," said Draco holding the railing. "It's human nature. We tend to avoid or eliminate things we don't like, unless it's impossible. Like now," he said, looking at her.
"You know you can leave whenever you want to," she said. "All you have to do is say you have to leave."
"I have to leave," said Draco promptly. Granger laughed.
"I don't want you to." Draco sighed and leaned against the railing again. It had started to snow, and his gloves were already covered in glittering snowflakes.
"Why are you doing this Granger?" he asked, feeling a prickle of pain in his abdomen. "I mean Hermione."
She was rather taken aback by the use of her first name. "Doing what?"
"This bet. Why did you agree?"
"I wanted to prove you wrong," she said staring straight into his eyes. "You act like you're so great all the time, I just wanted you to know that there are other people who are worth it too."
"Well you don't act too modest either," said Draco. "Maybe all of you might have gotten it into your head that we are the villains, but on this side of the fence, you aren't too pious."
Granger chuckled softly, her breath steaming up in front of her. "Can we call this jealousy?"
"I suppose so," he said.
Granger sighed. "You know, you aren't so bad I guess. Even though it took a jinx to prove it, it's nice to know that you can have a civilised conversation with someone that you hate." Draco shrugged. She continued. "I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your girlfriend might not be what she seems."
Draco looked at her, confused. "What do you mean by that?"
"Do you really love her Draco? I mean really?"
"Yes I do," he said. "I love her with every fibre of my being, and being away from her, even for a moment, hurts more than your stupid, ow, jinx."
"How did you fall in love with her?" she prompted.
"Well, I suddenly began to notice things about her. She might have not been as pretty back then, but she definitely had a personality to make up for it."
"I distinctly remember you calling her an annoying little pug during second year."
"I was talking to Goyle!" he retorted. "And besides, once I started paying proper attention to her, I realised that there was more to her than I had first seen."
"Have you ever considered the fact that she might be slipping you a little something during breakfast?"
"Aside from kisses, no," said Draco. "What are you trying to say? She's giving me love potion?" Granger merely nodded, and Draco burst out laughing. "That is the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard! Love potion, my arse!"
"Thanks," she said. "That's all I needed to know. You can go now." She left Draco by the railing looking extremely bewildered. Then he realised that he was late for Pansy.
"Stupid Mudblood," he thought. "Love potion indeed!" He trudged through the snow, eager to get into the Three Broomsticks and out of the cold. As soon as he walked inside, he ordered two Butterbeers, and looked around for Pansy. She didn't seem to have arrived yet, so he decided to wait for her. He sipped his Butterbeer and watched as people came in, and went out of the pub. He saw Granger come in with Patil and Brown, and wondered where Weasley and Potter were. As he slowly became aware of most of the females in the building staring at him, he immersed himself in his drink, and then proceeded to finish Pansy's as well. He wished that he'd chosen a table in the corner; this was embarrassing.
Once he'd finished his drink, he stood up and left. Hurt and confused, he walked through the snow, and headed back to school. Slowly, he walked down towards the common room, earning a reproving stare from Mrs. Norris. "What?" he said. "Is it a crime to be back early?"
He lay on his bed for about an hour, wondering why Pansy had stood him up like that. When he heard his roommates outside the door, he closed the curtains around his bed.
"What's wrong with you?" asked Theodore.
"Stomach ache," he replied instantly. He thought he heard Blaise and Theodore snigger, and he couldn't understand why they, as his closest friends, would take pleasure in his pain.
"Are you sure?" asked Blaise. "Someone told us that Pansy stood you up." Draco didn't reply. The curtain's were pulled back, and Draco squinted in the sudden light.
"Yeah she stood me up but that doesn't prove anything!" he said. "She might have been held up somewhere or something of the sort!"
"Or she might have just stood you up," said Blaise, cutting smoothly through Draco's ranting. "Tough luck mate."
"Is she back yet?" asked Draco, sitting up. Blaise and Theodore looked at each other and shrugged.
"Dunno," said Theodore. "Hey, where are you going?"
"I need to find her!" Draco walked straight out of the dormitory and rushed towards Daphne Greengrass, who was walking with her sister Astoria. "Have you seen Pansy?" he demanded.
"The last time I saw her she was at Honeydukes," said Daphne looking terrified. "That was just before we left." Draco rushed out of the common room, intending to find Pansy and force the truth out of her. He was barrelling down the corridor that led towards the Entrance Hall when he crashed into someone and fell on top of her.
"What's the hurry Malfoy?" said Granger. Draco stood up and helped her to her feet before the pain could hit him again. Patil and Brown glared at him.
"Sorry, I need to find Pansy."
"Well you're in luck," she said breathlessly. "There she is now."
"Where were you?" she asked, rushing inside. "I was waiting for you at the Three Broomsticks for ages and you never showed!" Draco suddenly felt relieved, but then he frowned.
"I was only late by five minutes. That's hardly ages."
"We promised to meet up at half past one," she said. "I waited till two!"
"I was there by twenty-five to," he said grimly. "I remember perfectly well. Maybe your watch is fast."
"Well maybe yours is slow," she retorted. "Next time, try and be on time!" She walked off, the pink paper bag in her hand swinging.
"You weren't there!" he shouted. "I waited for a whole hour!" She ignored him and kept on walking. For the first time since their relationship began, Draco felt rather annoyed with her. "Wasn't my bloody fault," he muttered, and realised that the girls were still standing exactly where they had been when he had knocked Hermione down. "What are you looking at?" he said, and walked back towards the common rooms.
He distinctly heard Granger say, "It must be wearing off," before he went down the stairs.
The potion's wearing off? Pansy better hurry if she wants to keep her man… Speaking of which, where did she disappear off to anyway?
Oh, and it's still a little slow, but Dramione will come soon. Just give it time. Please review =)