OK, the last chapter was short, so I did a long one! Yay!
Harry spent the next few days wondering what to do about Slughorn. He decided to leave it for a while, and hopefully Slughorn would forget, and Harry could have a chance to try again. And, though Slughorn certainly didn't change with Harry during class, he didn't throw any more parties, to Harry's dismay. He had asked Ginny and Hermione, and niether had heard anything.
He and Hermione were talking once more, and Harry couldn't help sense Ron's disappointment.
And talking, for Harry and Hermione, now meant holding hands and pecks on the cheeks every now and then.
But he hadn't told Hermione about his and Ron's conversation; it was kind of payback for her behavior after potions. And yes, it was childish.
Since Harry and Hermione were talking again and stronger than ever, Ron was once more in Lavender Brown's arms. Or mouth.
"Ugh, it's just disgusting," Hermione complained as she and Harry left for the library, where they spent most of their time together. "Other couples don't do it, it's not just us, you know."
"Yeah, I know," Harry said. He was rather happy about Dean and Ginny. They had been keeping their distances and hadn't been snogging nearly as much. Which just brightened Harry's day. Every day.
"I'm not just talking about Dean and Ginny, though. And yes, they have been hitting... a rough patch in their relationship," Hermione smiled.
"Yeah, I know," Harry repeated gleefully.
"Harry! Hermione!" They both spun around to find Ginny walking up to them.
"Um, hi, Ginny-" Harry stuttered. Hermione did her best to give him a jealous glare, and was rather proud of herself. She kicked him too, just in case.
"Hello, Ginny," she greeted. "What are you doing here? I mean, I'm not trying to be rude, but-"
"I was wondering if I could hang out with you guys," Ginny said. "It's just, Dean's being a jerk-" Harry's heart lept, "Luna is... I don't know where she is, she said that she was going to hunt wrakspurts or something, and my brother-" she made a face and flicked her red hair out of her eyes, and frowned. "Well, I wasn't going to hang out with him anyways. So... unless you're busy."
Hermione looked at Harry, unsure - she was sure that she could be a good actress, though. But she didn't think that there were actresses in the wizarding world. And what would she want to be an actress for?, she had enough brains to find a respectable job elsewhere, and in the wizarding world. Being a witch was... amazing.
But now she was looking pleased with herself.
Ginny raised her eyebrows.
"Oh, sorry... I got lost in thought. Being magical is great, isn't it?" she asked the both of them, bringing out her wand.
Both Harry and Ginny looked at her, confused.
"Sorry," she said, putting her wand down, making the birds she had easily conjured disappear.
"Well, it seems that you two are busy," Ginny said, frowning at Hermione. She continued to stop Harry from arguing, "So, do you mind if I ask you something?"
Harry shook his head, and Hermione said, "no, not at all."
"Good, because... I've been hearing a few rumors, and I wondered if they were true."
"Rumors about what?" Hermione asked, curious.
"Well... I heard Draco Malfoy saying that all of this," she pointed at Harry and Hermione, "was some sort of stupid plan you two cooked up."
"You heard Malfoy say that?" Harry asked, surprised. He hadn't heard much from Malfoy all year. Well he certainly thought about him. Harry had had his own ideas over what Braco might be doing, and he found it hard to believe that - being a death eater, as Harry suspected - Draco would have time to spread rumors about Harry and Hermione, or even care about what they were doing.
"Well, actually it was Neville who told me - he heard Malfoy say that. But I don't know." She paused. "Is it true?"
"Well..." Harry started.
"Not at all," Hermione cut in. "Me and Harry are together, I don't know what you might have heard," she said confidently, while Harry stuttered some more.
"Oh. OK. Whatever. Well, see you guys - talking about Neville, he was supposed to help me with my Herbology homework." She waved, and with another flick of her long ginger hair, she walked away.
Hermione looked at Harry.
Harry looked at her.
In the library, they discussed the improbabilities of that actually being true.
"I don't think Malfoy should care at all... Ginny probably made it up in an attempt to foil us. She is rather clever..."
"Yeah, she told me the theory at Slughorn's party..."
"Hey... pst!" Harry looked behind him and found Romilda, looking at him. Hermione gave him a knowing look, and pretended to be looking at the shelves. "Harry! Is it true?" Romilda whispered.
"Is what true?" Harry whispered back.
"Are you guys split?"
Harry dared a look at Hermione, who had paused what she was doing.
"Who told you that?" he asked, looking back at Romilda.
"Some fourth year..." she said simply. "Is it true?"
"No, it's not. Me and Hermione are together. You can tell your fourth year that, OK?" Harry said harshly.
"Well, it's not just her. The whole school is talking about it."
Harry froze. "Wait... what?"
"Yeah, they all said that they heard it from Malfoy," Romilda continued, eager to be the one to share gossip. "But he says that he said no such-"
They were silence by an angry Miss Pince. Harry turned back around, and Hermione sat back down next to him.
"That's just absurd!" Hermione finally said, slamming down a book.
"Did you hear-"
"Yes, but I'm rather annoyed at the fact that I can't find a single thing about Horcruxes! Not a single thing! I've been through the restricted section and through the most horrid books! They tell you how to brew the most gruesome potions..."
"Hermione, I think that we should talk about the-"
"All I could find was this, in the introduction of Magic Most Evil - listen - 'of the Horcrux, wickedest of magical inventions, we shall not speak nor give direction'... I mean, why mention it then?" she said impatiently, slamming the old book shut, which gave out a ghostly wail. "Oh, shut up!"
However, on the way back from the library, they ran into the one and only, Draco Malfoy.
Only then did Hermione seem interested in the full seriousness of the other situation.
They looked at each other, separated and grabbed one of his arms each, steering him into an empty classroom, oblivious to his protests.
"Get your filthy hands off of me, you filthy little Mudbl-"
"Don't you dare, Malfoy," Harry said, threatening him with his own wand. Draco freed himself of their grip and spat on the floor.
"What the hell do you want? I'm busy."
Hermione saw his hand reaching for his wand.
"Expeliarmus," she hissed, so as not to draw attention to passers by. Malfoy growled at her. "We only want to ask you a simple question-"
"Which involved abducting me?"
"Shut it, Malfoy. We're not abducting you." Harry rolled his eyes. "We just want to know if you spread the rumors-"
"Oh, that one." Malfoy laughed. "No, I didn't. I couldn't really care about you and your Mudblood girlfriend, I have more important things to think about-"
Harry just couldn't help himself. "Like what, Malfoy? Following in your father's footsteps?" Hermione winced.
"Not that, Harry."
Draco took a step towards Harry.
"Nice nose, Potter," he spat and glared at him. "I'm sure you needed help from your girlfriend to fix that one... and unless you want a replay, you're going to let me leave."
Harry was beginning to get annoyed. "Give me your best shot, Malfoy! You aren't nothing but a coward, attacking me when I couldn't do anything to protect myself."
"Oh, so you do want a replay?" Malfoy snarled, rolling up his sleeves.
"Stop it!" Hermione yelled, putting herself in front of them.
Malfoy glared at her. "What makes you think that I won't hurt you, Granger?"
"The fact that I have a wand and you don't," Hermione said fiercely, pointing her wand in Malfoy's face. Harry wondered if he was remembering three years ago, when Hermione had punched him. Hard.
It took much glaring, but Malfoy soon leant on the door to open it, and took his wand. Hermione's gaze never left him, and her wand never missed his face.
"Figures, Potter. Getting your girlfriend to do your dirty work," Malfoy sneered, and then he left.
Harry breathed out. "Thanks, Hermione-"
She swung round, pointing her wand at him. This time, he was the one to step back.
"What were you thinking?" She lowered her wand. "Don't do that again!"
"Do what?"
"Listen, I don't care about your suspicions about Malfoy being a Death Eater - I mean, I do - and that's the point. If he is, you could get in much more trouble than it's worth!"
"Wait - he rolled up his sleeves! Dammit, this could have been it, we could have had him!"
Hermione sighed. "Listen, Harry, leave it."
"You just said that I could get in more trouble than it's worth-"
"And I also said if, Harry."
She looked at him, her eyes starting to fill with tears.
"Hermione-" Harry started, not meaning to make her cry.
"Just don't get yourself killed over Draco Malfoy," she moaned.
"Come on, Hermione-"
She turned away, to hide her face.
"Wouldn't that be obnoxiously stupid? Survive the killing curse only to get yourself in deeper trouble by having a fight at school!" She reached the back wall and swung around, facing him.
"It was just once-"
"And don't tell me that if I hadn't been here you wouldn't have carried it out."
Harry was quiet.
"OK, Hermione. I'm sorry."
"It's not me you should be sorry for. Harry, you're my best friend. I couldn't stand loosing you."
Please review! This time I want 30 xD
And, sorry for the AVPM reference, I just can't help myself! :D See if you can spot it.
