Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Harry Potter universe, nor do I claim to. It all belongs to J.K. Rowling. This story contains some details and dialogue borrowed directly from the text of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I reiterate that I am making no money off of this, and that it's all in good fun.
Chapter 6 – Dance to the Burning Flame
She hadn't planned on ever talking to Malfoy again. She certainly hadn't planned on sleeping with him again. But… Things didn't always go as planned. The situation arose, and at that moment, Hermione made the conscious decision to sleep with the so-called enemy. She did, however, find it slightly immature of Ron and Harry to refer to Malfoy as the enemy still. Were they still twelve years old? I'll add that to the list of things they do that annoy me. Sure, Malfoy was a complete and total tosser, but he was just a boy, really. Other than calling her "Mudblood," and making other disparaging remarks, he was fairly harmless in her eyes.
Someone like, say, Voldemort… Now he was the enemy. He was somebody who could do some harm. Sure, Malfoy's daddy was a Death Eater, but he was also locked up in Azkaban, right where he belonged. Hermione knew better than to underestimate Draco Malfoy, but she had seen enough of his humanity over the years to know that he wasn't truly evil. Not to the extent that his own father was, anyway.
Maybe it was just her Gryffindor idealism at work, but she believed that there was still hope for Malfoy. Not much hope, unfortunately, she thought with a smirk, but a little, anyway. Hermione wished that it would be enough, for his sake. He was still an arrogant prick, at least as far as she could tell, but they had formed some strange kind of bond by willingly sleeping with one another. They had both acknowledged the fact that Hermione was using their encounters as a means to deal with stress, but Malfoy hadn't made any excuses as to why he was sleeping with her. She supposed that part of it was the thrill of conquering "Hermione Granger, Mudblood and best friend of Harry Potter," but she felt that there was more to it.
She had seen the look in his eyes when he snuck up on her the night before. He, unsurprisingly, had donned the cool, controlled mask that he so often wore, but Hermione noticed a flicker of something else there. It was a look that she knew well, after being so close to Harry for the past several years. It was a combination of things: anxiety, frustration, calculation, and determination. There were very few doubts in her mind that Malfoy wasn't using sex with her as a release, just as she was doing.
All in all, Hermione had come to the conclusion that sleeping with Malfoy wasn't as bad as she had originally believed. She'd had a good time, and so had he. What was so wrong with having a good time? It felt nice, actually, to do what I wanted. Not what Harry wanted, not what Ron wanted, and not what Professor McGonagall wanted. What I wanted. It didn't hurt that Harry and Ron would flip out if they ever found out. That fact gave Hermione a small sense of satisfaction. It was her own private mini-rebellion against the boys who viewed her as an asexual bookworm. There was certainly nothing asexual or bookish about what I did with Malfoy!
Deep down in her heart, she knew that the boys didn't mean to treat her like an encyclopedia, but that didn't stop her from wanting to be more than that to somebody else. She wasn't sure what exactly she was to Malfoy, and it probably didn't matter anyway, but she was sure that it was at least slightly sexier than a reference book. She had certainly felt pretty sexy the other night in the Room of Requirement.
"Er, Hermione?" Ron prodded gently. "Are you alright? You're looking a bit flushed, and you haven't turned a page in ten minutes."
Hermione snapped out of her reverie. "Oh. Yes. I'm fine," she said as she shook her hair out of her face and stretched her arms. Ron looked somewhat unconvinced, but he turned back to his homework after Hermione smiled reassuringly at him.
I'll have exercise more caution when having those thoughts! It won't do to get all riled up over Malfoy while I'm supposed to be studying in the library… It was just after dinner, and Hermione had a short study date with Harry and Ron before the usual Friday night festivities in the common room. It had been almost a week since Hermione had Confunded McLaggen at the Quidditch tryouts, and three days had passed since her last encounter with Malfoy.
"Are you sure you're fine?" Harry and Ron were both staring curiously at her this time. Damn! I spaced off again.
She closed her book rather forcefully. "Yes, I'm fine. I promise. My brain's just gone to mush after all the work we've done this week. I think I'm done for tonight, how about you two?" she questioned unnecessarily. Of course they were ready to be done. They both nodded enthusiastically.
The trio made their way back to the common room together. The boys immediately gravitated toward the corner where Seamus and Dean were sitting, probably up to no good. "I'm just going to head off to bed early, I think," she called to them as they sat down.
They all looked up and waved. "Probably for the best, if you're not feeling well, Hermione. See you in the morning," Ron responded.
She smiled at them and then disappeared up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. It was sweet of Ron to be so concerned about me. I don't know what to think about him sometimes. Days like today, he can be such a sweetheart. But other days, he's the world's biggest prat. She shook her head and sighed as she pushed the door open to her dormitory.
She was met with an interesting scene. Her roommates, Lavender and Parvati, were sitting across from Ginny Weasley and Demelza Robbins. All but Ginny wore guilty expressions and had their hands concealed behind their backs. A smile crept over Ginny's face, and she held a bottle out to Hermione. "It's been a long week. We're playing drinking games. Want to join?"
The other girls all looked at Ginny as if she were crazy, then looked back at Hermione apprehensively. "Drinking games, huh?" Hermione asked slowly. One hand reached up and brushed the prefect's badge on her lapel. The girls gulped nervously. Swiftly, Hermione whipped off her school robes and tossed them on her bed. "Hand me a glass please, Ginny," she requested as she took a seat next the other girl.
"You drink, Hermione?" Lavender gasped incredulously.
"Upon occasion, yes, I drink," Hermione responded as she took the glass that Ginny offered. Smiling at the shocked looks that Lavender, Parvati, and Demelza were giving her, she continued, "Not excessively, by any means. But when my school work is all done, and I have nowhere I need to be, sometimes I celebrate."
"Wow, I had no idea! I would have never guessed that you, of all people…" Parvati trailed off in amazement.
Ginny shot dark looks at the other girls. "What? You would have never guessed that Hermione is a normal human being who likes to do the same things that we do?"
Demelza spoke for the first time. "It's not that, it just caught us off guard. That's all. I, personally, didn't realize that you were able to find time for things like that, Hermione. It seems like every time I see you, you're doing school work, or prefect duties, or saving house elves."
"Well," Hermione started as she took a sip of her drink, "it is hard to find time for it. That's why I don't go to parties much during the school year."
"But during the summer, it's a different story," Ginny continued. "Speaking of which, what was that game that the twins taught us last summer?"
"Umm… I'm trying to remember," Hermione answered. "Oh! It was called 'Never Have I Ever,' wasn't it?"
Ginny clapped her hands in delight. "That's it! It's really easy to play," she said to the rest of the group. "You sit in a circle and take turns saying something that you have never done. If somebody else in the group has done what you've said, then they have to take a drink. You guys want to give it a try?" she asked.
The girls all shrugged and nodded. "I guess I'll go first, so you can see how it works. Hmm…" Ginny thought for a minute then said, "Wait, I almost forgot. Remember the parchment we signed last year for Dumbledore's Army? We should do something like that, to make sure that nobody can lie, and also that the things we share tonight stay between us only." She looked at Hermione. "Can you do that again?"
"No problem." Hermione went over to her nightstand and retrieved a piece of parchment and a quill. She quickly wrote the rules, and then waved her wand over it. "Okay, I put an enchantment on it that will make your… nether regions… burn horrifically if you break the rules."
The group looked rather grim at that description, but signed anyway. "There," Ginny murmured as she signed her name with a flourish. "I'll go ahead and begin, then. Never have I ever changed my hair color." Lavender and Hermione each took a drink.
"Are we supposed to explain our answers if we drink?" asked Lavender.
"You don't have to, no. But if it's a really interesting topic, we might ask you to elaborate a bit," Ginny said with a sly smile.
Hermione looked around. "It's my turn then?" Everyone else nodded. "All right. Never have I ever gone skinny-dipping."
This time, Demelza was the only one who drank. The rest of the group looked at her expectantly. "Fine," she said, giving in to their stares. "Last summer, I was on holiday with my family in France, and I went swimming. I met a boy from Durmstrang there, and somehow I ended up naked in the water with him."
"Did you sleep together?" Parvati asked.
Demelza smiled at her. "That has nothing to do with the game. I don't have to answer that."
Parvati smiled back. "Okay, Demelza. It's my turn anyway. Never have I ever had sex with someone from Durmstrang," she declared triumphantly. She was thrilled to discover that her assumption was correct, but what really caught everyone's attention was the fact that Hermione had taken a drink.
Once again, all eyes were trained on Hermione. She sighed and began to explain. "I lost my virginity to Viktor Krum at the end of fourth year. He was a skilled and considerate lover, and though the first time was a little awkward and painful, it got better after that."
Lavender interrupted the silence that followed Hermione's statement. "I'll just take my turn now. Never have I ever used mind-altering potions."
Ginny looked at her questioningly. "Yes, you have. You've used the Patented Daydream Charm from my brothers' shop, haven't you?" Lavender nodded. "What do you think that is?"
"Oh," Lavender said thoughtfully. "I guess I'll take a drink then!" she laughed, tipping her glass up to her mouth. The other girls all laughed and took a drink with her.
A few moments later, they had settled back down, and were waiting for Demelza to take her turn. "Never have I ever slept with one of the Weasley boys," she said, beginning to snicker again at the appalled look on Ginny's face. Parvati joined in on the laughter when Lavender took a drink.
Oh no. Hermione tried to covertly sneak a sip out of her glass, but Ginny spotted her. "You both slept with Ron?" she asked, a mixture of disgust and curiosity in her voice.
Oh no. "Umm… No, I never slept with Ron," Hermione muttered. But Lavender apparently has, she thought bitterly.
"You can't lie, remember, Hermione? You took a drink, and that means… Oh," Parvati trailed off as realization dawned on her. Peals of laughter rang out as the rest of the girls caught on.
"So, which one of my brothers did you sleep with?" Ginny asked, cocking an eyebrow at her.
Hermione took another drink. She had a feeling she would need it. "It was George," she answered finally.
Demelza smiled appreciatively. "Do give details."
Ginny wrinkled her nose. "I want to know how it happened, but please don't give details."
Draining her glass, Hermione looked at the group. Demelza and Parvati were waiting excitedly, Ginny sported a look of morbid curiosity, and Lavender appeared slightly relieved. "I'll tell you on one condition." The girls blinked at her. She sighed. "Can we quit playing this game? It's making me look like a tart."
"Sure, Hermione," Parvati said.
"Of course, Hermione," Ginny said.
"Whatever you want, Hermione," Demelza said.
"Now tell us the story!" Lavender demanded.
Hermione pressed her eyes shut for a moment. When she opened them, the other girls were still staring at her in anticipation. "Fine," she relented. "The summer before this past summer, when we were staying at Grimmauld Place," she started, glancing at Ginny, "I was up late one night. I was reading in the library, and George came in. I guess he couldn't sleep either. He sat down with me and we talked for a bit, flirting a little. Then, he noticed the book that I had hidden inside the book that I was pretending to read and…"
"Wait, what book were you reading?" asked Parvati.
"A muggle book called The Guide to Getting it On. It's about… You know, getting it on."
Lavender burst into laughter. "Of course you were reading a book about sex! Did you have it hidden inside Hogwarts, A History?"
Hermione grinned. "Actually, yes, I did."
Ginny chuckled and said, "How appropriate!"
"So, George saw the book, and asked to look at it. I let him, and after reading for awhile, he asked if I had any experience with the first part of chapter thirty-eight. I told him that I didn't, and he said that he didn't either. One thing led to another, and the next thing I knew, we were experiencing the first part of chapter thirty-eight together," Hermione concluded.
"What was the beginning of chapter thirty-eight about?" Demelza asked slowly.
Blushing, Hermione responded quietly, "Bondage."
Parvati shrieked and threw a pillow at her. "Hermione, you naughty thing! I'm starting to think that maybe you are a tart!" she joked.
"Oh, stop it," Hermione exclaimed, throwing the pillow back. "I am not a tart. I haven't had enough partners to be a tart! And besides, it's just that my view on sex is the same as my view on school."
"You have to know everything there is to know, and be the undisputed best?" Ginny supplied.
"Exactly. Now can we talk about how much of a tart somebody else is? Demelza, you never elaborated on your skinny-dipping story," Hermione prompted.
The girls turned their attention to Demelza as she began telling her story. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. That was awkward. At least Malfoy never came up, she thought gratefully. She shook her head to banish all thoughts of Malfoy, and fixed her attention on Demelza's story as well.