Chapter 7
Ron's face filled with emotion at the sight he never before expected to see. Why the hell was Hermione even with Malfoy, never mind the fact that she was laying by the lake with his arm around her.
Ron's eyes showed all emotion. Rage; at how comfortable Hermione had looked next to his mortal enemy. Anger, at how Malfoy had somehow gotten close enough to his Hermione to be able to hold her in his arms. Guilt; because he had never been able to comfort Hermione, never been able to console her. Sadness that Hermione was peacefully laying in the ferret's arms, head on his chest, breathing with him. Ron suddenly felt dizzy, his mind was too overtaken with thoughts to properly analyse what he was about to do. He knew Hermione had noticed him and she had promptly pulled away from Draco at the sight of the emotion in his eyes. Draco felt Hermione leave his side and so opened his eyes to see what was going on. All he saw was Hermione grasp her cheek in horror and pain. He looked around and he saw the weasel's raised right hand. Ron had just slapped Hermione. Draco was having none of it. He jumped to his feet and flew into a rage.
"YOU JUST HIT HER! SHES SUPPOSED TO BE YOUR BEST FRIEND, HOW COULD YOU?"
"I- I…" Ron had no words; he couldn't believe what he had just done. He had just hit the girl he bloody well loved. Before he knew it a pale white fist was coming straight for his face and he hadn't even the slightest desire to move away he knew he was going to get what he deserved. He let it hit and fell backwards, clutching his nose. He moved his hand away from his face and saw that it was filled with blood. Draco had now rushed over to Hermione who stood in utter shock as to what had just happened and started babbling like a fool.
"Hermione, are you okay? Oh Merlin, I am going to kill that weasel. How dare he lay a hand on you. Just wait until-"
"Draco, please stop for a minute."
Hermione's mind was reeling with the events of the previous few minutes. Her best friend had just slapped her and the boy who used to be her mortal enemy but was now practically her boyfriend had punched him in the face. She felt her knees growing weak and Draco pulled her up by her waist.
"Let's go to the library 'Mione, you need to sit down somewhere."
Draco held Hermione until they reached the library and he found a table in between two bookshelves and sat Hermione down at it. He walked to the end of the bookshelves and set a charm on it that would assure anyone who went near it would suddenly remember a very important meeting or errand they had to run. He blindly whisked around and fell to his knees in front of Hermione. He asked if she was okay and she just silently nodded, after a few minutes Draco had her mumbling conversation and talking him over what had happened.
"… And I told him that we were getting closer and resolving our differences as head pupils and he started laughing, I thought that would be it, but then he practically screeched in my face he said, 'that's what you call resolving differences, I call it being a stupid slag' and that's when he slapped me, but Draco he really didn't mean to hurt me. I could tell by the look on his face as soon as he'd done it."
Draco filled with rage, not only had he hit his best friend, who was also a girl! He had called her a 'stupid slag'? Ron would not know what hit him when Draco was done with him. Fortunately Hermione knew the look on Draco's face and stopped his train of thought.
"Don't dare do anything Draco! Please, I know he didn't mean it. Besides next time I see him I'm just going to tell him to keep his distance from me until he can realise that I'm not interested in him and can control his emotions."
Hermione was waiting for a forceful and angry retort from Draco but she saw his eyes soften and a smile spread across his face.
"Well, how would you like to give him a reason?"
"Draco, a reason for what?"
"Reasons to help him realise that you're not interested in him. I believe I can arrange a reason…"
"I beg your pardon… what are you saying?"
"Hermione, how about this. You send the message loud and clear to the weasel by becoming my girlfriend?"
"What?"
"Sorry, I should really ask more properly. Hermione would you like to be my girlfriend?"
"Well, yes but-"
"Then it's settled… we make it official tomorrow at breakfast. Walk into the great hall hand in hand to add effect… I'll even sit at the Gryffindor table."
"Do you really wa- wait a minute… did you just say you'd sit at the Gryffindor table?"
Draco nodded and lowered his gaze.
"You would do that for me?"
"I'd do anything for you 'Mione."
With that Hermione leapt into Draco's arms and squeezed him tightly. She told him that nothing would make her happier than to do exactly what Draco had said. Her heart was thumping in her chest. He wanted it to be official, public even. He was not ashamed of her. He rose from his knees holding Hermione up and sat on the edge of a chair. He lifted the charms he had put on the bookcases and spoke softy into Hermione's ear.
"I swear 'Mione from the moment this becomes public, I'm going to make sure that no other guy comes anywhere near you. I'll have you know that us Malfoy's are extremely possessive guys. I'll not have anybody trying to get off with you. You're mine now."
From any other guy this could have sounded desperate and clingy but she knew this was Draco trying to be sweet and she wasn't going to turn it down. She did wonder what he meant though. Why would any guy try to 'get off' with her, she was a 'bookworm prude' as she had been so eloquently reminded most of her days at Hogwarts.
Little did Hermione know that soon she was about to understand fully what Draco had meant because although she hadn't noticed it, most of the guys in Hogwarts had been staring at her for the past two days, and it was only about to get worse.
