7. The Dancing Trolls.

After much bickering about when to hold the Quidditch practices, Hermione made here way down to Hagrid's cabin with Harry and Ron trailing behind her. Ron was animatedly retelling the tryouts to Harry, who was indulging him with great tolerance.

"My first save was brilliant, but that one from Ginny was close…I dunno what she was playing at. Did you see the third though, Harry?" asked Ron eagerly.

"It was brilliant, Ron," Harry answered loyally.

"I thought I was going to miss that fourth penalty," Ron said happily. "Tricky shot from Demelza, did you see, had a bit of a spin on it – "

"Yes, yes, you were magnificent," said Hermione. She was beginning to regret jinxing McLaggen; Ron's misplaced smugness was a sentence she was not willing to pay.

"I was better than that McLaggen anyway," said Ron in a satisfied voice, clearly beyond noticing her annoyance. "Did you see him lumbering off in the wrong direction on his fifth? Looked like he'd been Confunded…"

Hermione looked at the ground fiercely, biting the inside of her cheek harshly to stop herself from blurting out that that she had in face Confunded the fool. Ruddy git.

Hermione quickened her pace only to stop abruptly when her eyes fell on Buckbeat, Hagrid's giant Hippogriff. He was tethered in front of the cabin and was eyeing her suspiciously.

"Oh dear," said Hermione, "He's still a bit scary, isn't he?"

"Come off it, you've ridden him, haven't you?" said Ron. Hermione glared at him. At the amount he irritated her, she was rapidly coming to the conclusion that saving his dignity was a waste of her time.

"Ro – " Hagrid cut her off abruptly before she could finish her sentence.

"Oi!" called Hagrid shifting the sack of potatoes he carried; he advanced towards them from around the corner of his cabin. He was wearing a large flowery apron with Fang at his heels. "Git away from him! He'll have yer fingers – oh. It's yeh lot."

Hermione yelped as Fang bounded past Hagrid and jumped at her, trying to lick her face. Hagrid stared at them briefly before turning on his heel and slamming the door to his cabin behind him.

"Oh dear!" Hermione repeated.

"Don't worry about it," said Harry with a stubborn look in his eye. He banged on the door loudly. "Hagrid! Open up, we want to talk to you!"

There was no answer.

"If you don't open the door, we'll blast it open!" Harry pulled out his wand.

"Harry! You can't possibly – " said Hermione impatiently. She rolled her eyes at Harry's dramatic antics.

"Yes, I can! Stand back – "

The door flew open and Hagrid glared down at them.

"I am a teacher!" he roared. "A teacher, Potter! How dare yeh threaten ter break down my door!"

"I'm sorry, sir, " said Harry, putting great emphasis on the 'sir.' He put his wand back in his robes.

"Since when have yeah called me 'sir'?"

"Since when have you called me 'Potter"?"

"Oh, very clever," growled Hagrid. "Very amusin'. That's me outsmarted, innit? All right', come in then, yeh ungrateful little…"

He mumbled darkly as Harry walked past him, Hermione followed him quickly.

"Well?" said Hagrid as they sat at the table. "What's this? Feelin' sorry for me? Recken I'm lonely or summat?"

"No, we wanted to see you," said Harry.

"We've missed you!" added Hermione. She stared at him beseechingly.

"Missed me, have yeh? Yeah. Righ'."

There was a squelching sound that came from a large barrel standing in the corner. Hermione shrieked as Ron jumped up from his seat and hurried to the other side of the table.

"What are they, Hagrid?" asked Harry. Hermione peered uneasily into the corner; the barrel was full of maggots, foot-long ones. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Jus' giant grubs," said Hagrid.

"And they grow into…?" asked Ron.

"They won't grow inter nuthin'," said Hagrid. "I got 'em ter feed ter Aragog." He burst into tears.

"Hagrid!" Hermione leapt up and put an arm on his shoulder. "What is it?"

"It's…him…" he gulped. "It's…Aragog…I think he's dyin'…he got ill over the summer an' he's not getting' better…I don't know what I'll do if he…if he…we've bin tergether so long…"

Hermione bit her lip, she couldn't think of anything to say that would comfort him. She had never seen Aragog, but she'd read about Acromantula; and Ron had certainly given her an earful about the time he and Harry had escaped the colony in their Second Year. They were giant spiders, and in both Harry and Ron's opinion not entirely friendly spiders.

Although if they'd ever taken the time to open a book on the Forbidden Forest they would have been more prepared for what they might of run into. Served them right. They certainly ought to take her advice and read Hogwarts, A History.

"Is there – is there anything we can do?" Hermione ignored Ron's frantic head-shakings. She glared at him.

"I don't think there is, Hermione," choked Hagrid. "See, the rest o' the tribe…Aragog's family…they're gettin' a bit funny now he's ill..bit restive…"

"Yeah, I think we saw a bit of that side of them," said Ron in an undertone. Hagrid didn't hear him, he was too busy blowing his nose in his giant apron. Hermione shot another dirty look at Ron. Insensitive git.

"I don' reckon it'd be safe fer anyone but me ter go near the colony at the mo'…But thanks fer offerin', Hermione…it means a lot…"

………….

"Ar, I always knew yeh'd find it hard to squeeze me inter your timetables – "

"We couldn't have done, we smashed the entire stock of Ministry Time-Turners when we were there in the summer. It was in the Daily Prophet."

"Ar, well the," said Hagrid. "There's no way yeh could've done it…I'm sorry I've bin- yeh know – I've jus' bin worried abou' Aragog…an' I did wonder whether, if Professor Grubby-Plank had bin teachin' yeh – "

"That old hag has nothing on you, Hagrid," said Harry stiffly. He looked at Hermione darkly.

"And, well…..we certainly never got as much hands-on experience with her, Hagrid!" Hermione added nervously to satisfy Harry. They continued their assurance that Professor Grubby-Plank was a terribly teacher until at dusk, when Hagrid told them to head back to the castle.

"I'm starving," said Harry on their way back. "And I've got that detention with Snape tonight, I haven't got much time for dinner…"

Hermione saw Cormac McLaggen entering the Great Hall….or trying to at least. Hermione frowned as he succeeded on the second attempt. Ron laughed and followed him but Harry grabbed Hermione's arm before she could follow suit.

"What?" she asked impatiently, frowning again.

"If you ask me," he whispered, "McLaggen looks like he was Confunded. And he was standing right in front of where you were sitting."

Hermione blushed.

"Oh, all right then, I did it," she said quietly. "But you should have heard the way he was talking about Ron and Ginny! Anyway, he's got a nasty temper, you saw how he reacted when he didn't get in – you wouldn't have wanted someone like that on the team."

"No," agreed Harry. "No, I suppose that's true. But wasn't that dishonest, Hermione? I mean, you're a prefect, aren't you?" smirked Harry. Hermione's stomach dropped. The expression was far too familiar.

"Oh, be quiet," she said quickly, biting her lip.

"What are you two doing?" came Ron's voice. He was standing in the entrance looking at them suspiciously.

"Nothing," Hermione and Harry said together, they hurried after him towards the Gryffindor table. Suddenly Professor Slughorn appeared in front of their path. Hermione's teeth clenched at the sight of him. Stupid Potions, she thought darkly.

"Harry, Harry, just the man I was hoping to see! I was hoping to catch you before dinner! What do you say to a spot of supper tonight in my rooms instead? We're having a little party, just a few rising stars. I've got McLaggen coming, and Zabini, the charming Melinda Bobbin – I don't know whether you know her? Her family owns a large chain of apothecaries – and, of course, I hope very much that Miss Granger will favour me by coming, too."

Slughorn made a bow to Hermione as he finished speaking, she blushed as he rose.

"I can't come, Professor," said Harry. "I've got a detention with Professor Snape."

"Oh dear!" frowned Slughorn. "Dear, dear, I was counting on you, Harry! Well, now, I'll just have to have a word with Severus and explain the situation, I'm sure I'll be able to persuade him to postpone your detention. Yes, I'll see you both later!" He bustled out of the Hall.

"He's got no chance of persuading Snape," laughed Harry. "This detention's already been postponed once; Snape did it for Dumbledore, but he won't do it for anyone else."

"Oh, I wish you could come, I don't want to go on my own!" said Hermione anxiously.

"I doubt you'll be alone, Ginny'll probably be invited," snapped Ron. He started walking to the table leaving Hermione and Harry staring at each other nervously.

"I really do wish you could come, Harry," she said again.

"It won't be so bad," said Harry as they made there way after Ron. "He's right, you know. Ginny will probably be there."

After dinner they went up to the Common Room, it was very crowded, they managed to find a free table. Ron folded his arms and frowned at the ceiling and Hermione reached for the copy of the Evening Prophet, which had been abandoned on the chair next to her.

"Anything new?" Harry asked her.

"Not really…" Hermione scanned the next page. "Oh, look, your dad's in here, Ron – he's all right!" she added quickly. Ron had looked down from the ceiling in alarm. "It just says he's been to visit the Malfoy's house." Hermione blushed at the name, but neither of the boys noticed. She cleared her throat quickly and continued. "This second search of the Death Eater's residence does not seem to have yielded any results. Arthur Weasley of the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects said that his team had been acting upon a confidential tip-off."

"Yeah, mine!" cried Harry. "I told him at King's Cross about Malfoy and that thing he was trying to get Borgin to fix! Well, if it's not at their house he must have brought whatever it is to Hogwarts with him – "

"But how can he have done, Harry?" said Hermione patiently. "We were all searched when we arrived, weren't we?"

"Were you? I wasn't!"

"Oh no, of course you weren't, I forgot you were late…well, Filch ran over all of us with Secrecy Sensors when we got into the Entrance Hall. Any Dark object would have been found, I know for a fact Crabbe had a shrunken head confiscated. So you see, Malfoy can't have brought in anything dangerous!"

Harry frowned and looked away. Hermione sighed and began to read again.

"Someone's sent it to him by owl, then. His mother or someone."

"All the owls are being checked, too. Filch told us so when he was jabbing those Secrecy Sensors everywhere he could reach."

"Can you think of any way Malfoy – "

"Oh, drop it, Harry," said Ron.

"Listen, it's not my fault Slughorn invited Hermione and me to his stupid party, neither of us wanted to go, you know!" yelled Harry.

"Well, as I'm not invited to any parties, " said Ron, getting to his feet, "I think I'll go to bed." He stomped towards the boys' dormitories without another word. Hermione stared after him.

"Harry?" Demelza was standing next to him, he turned away from Hermione.

"Hey," said Ginny, she sat next to Hermione. "So are you going to Slughorn's party?"

"I'm not sure, were you invited?" asked Hermione?

"Yes, and Dean as well. The old bugger invited me right in front of him." Ginny grimaced slightly.

"Oh, well Harry has detention with Snape so I wasn't sure."

"Well you have to, I'm not going alone."

"You just said that Dean is going."

"Oh, you know what I mean. Come on, it'll be fun," pleaded Ginny. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

…………………………..

Hermione slumped against the wall. She had finally managed to escape McLaggen by saying she needed the loo. Apparently he was still unaware of the fact that she was the reason he didn't make the Quidditch team…and still under the impression that his advances were appreciated. She turned on the tap and splashed cold water on her face.

Did she really have to go back? Probably…. Hermione sighed in frustration. She glanced at her reflection, Ginny had put her hair up and it was actually staying put. She had to give Ginny credit.

She took a deep breath and then opened the door and looked down the hall. There was no sign of McLaggen so she hurried out of the bathroom and hurried towards the end of the hall. She was almost to the stairs when she heard the door to Slughorn's office opened, she dashed behind a tapestry with dancing trolls and held her breath. Hermione winced when the edge of the tapestry was pulled aside shortly after.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing, Granger?"

Hermione gasped and looked up to see Draco Malfoy staring at her.

"I'm hiding from Cormac," she whispered.

"McLaggen?"

"At Slughorn's party, he was hanging off of me all night. I only just escaped," explained Hermione.

"He just went into the Girls' Loo; I thought that was odd." He smirked. "I'm assuming he was looking for you," Malfoy laughed.

"That means he'll come out soon!" Hermione bit her lip for a moment and then pulled him behind the tapestry. She exhaled shakily at their close proximity.

"What are you doing, Granger?" he repeated. Hermione's back was to the stone wall and he was far too close to her. There was a small space in the wall behind the thick cloth but he was still pressed against her.

"If he'd seen you talking to a tapestry he'd have come over," she whispered.

"Is that all?"

"What else would it be?" she snapped. Malfoy chuckled. "Are you seriously suggesting that – "

Malfoy pressed a finger to her lips and moved closer to her. Hermione froze.

"McLaggan's coming," he whispered. She could feel his breath against her neck. She clutched his shoulder in the dark as the footsteps passed by them.

"Malfoy… "

"Shh."

Hermione frowned, trying to ignore the feeling of Malfoy pressing her into a wall. She was positive that Malfoy could feel her heart pounding, with his chest pressed against hers as it was.

"There, he's gone now," he pulled away slightly. Hermione nodded.

"That was close," Hermione looked up at him, biting her lip nervously. His eyes flickered down. "Um, thank you for…going along with that." His eyes met hers again.

"Your welcome…."

……………………………….

Draco quickened his pace, he was not in the mood to be caught by Filch or his blasted cat. He was just leaving the Room of Requirement when he saw a girl duck under a tapestry a few paces in front of him. He frowned. What the hell was Granger doing? With his curiosity getting the better of him, he started to make his way towards her when he saw McLaggen, some Gryffindor, go into the Girls' Lavatory down the hall. He smirked. Clearly the idiot was in pursuit of Granger. But was she actually hiding?

He pulled back hanging to see her huddled in the darkest corner of the wall with a pained expression on her face.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing, Granger?" he asked.

She gasped, her eyes flying open. She stared at him a moment before answering him.

"I'm hiding from Cormac," she whispered.

"McLaggen?" he played along.

"I was at Slughorn's party, he was hanging off of me all night. I only just escaped," she complained. Draco let out a relieved lungful of air he hadn't known he was holding.

"He just went into the Girls' Loo; I thought that was odd. I'm assuming he was looking for you," Malfoy laughed.

"That means he'll come out soon!" He watched as she bit her lip. He hated it when she did that. Well, whom was he kidding? He loved it, really. It was just that it killed him every time that he couldn't bite it himself. His eyes widened when she pulled him behind the tapestry with her.

"What are you doing, Granger?" He said shakily. He could feel all of her. He swallowed. There was no room for one person to stand let alone two people. She was so close…too close.

"If he'd seen you talking to a tapestry he'd have come over," she whispered. Her scent was all around him, he inhaled sharply…it was so sweet…almost painful. He inhaled again, shakily.

"Is that all?"

"What else would it be?" she snapped. Malfoy chuckled at her outrage. "Are you seriously suggesting that – "

Malfoy pressed a finger to her lips, there were footsteps coming towards them. He inhaled a ragged lungful of air before pressing closer to her so that McLaggen wouldn't see their shape through the fabric. He felt Hermione tense.

"McLaggan's coming," he whispered.

"Malfoy… "

"Shh."

She was so soft against him. Her left hand clung to his shoulder and he could feel her tense against him.

"There, he's gone now," he stepped away from her.

"That was close," Hermione looked up at him, biting her lip again. Sweet Merlin, she's trying to kill me. "Um, thank you for…going along with that." His eyes met hers again.

"Your welcome," he said huskily and then suddenly his lips were on hers.

Hermione froze but Draco slid his hand up her neck to cup her cheek, anxious to make her relax. He gently stroked the soft skin below his fingers as he pressed her up against the stone wall. He groaned when her lips slowly began to move with his. Draco slid his hand from her arm to the small of her back, arching her slender hips into his. Hermione shivered, moaning when his tongue dragged across her bottom lip and he tilted her chin with the palm of his hand, allowing himself access to slip his tongue into her sweet mouth. Hermione clutched his shoulder pressing closer to him so that he could feel the entire length of her against him.

He pulled away and started kissing and licking his way down her jaw to her creamy throat. Draco smirked when Hermione tilted her head to the side. His hands slid down to rest on her hips. Draco groaned as her hands slid into his hair, she was panting and tugging his head back to her lips. He obeyed willingly, sucking on her bottom lip eagerly.

He froze when she moved her right leg so that his slid between hers. He pulled away from her lips and leaned towards her ear.

"We need to stop," he whispered huskily. "Hermione?"

Hermione shook her head and shifted so that she rubbed against his leg, quite effectively grinding herself against his thigh.

"Fuck," he groaned loudly, dropping his head into the crook of her neck. He felt her smirk against his neck and her was lost.