Chapter Seven
"Ron plans to confront Hermione."
Draco looked up from the essay he was writing. Ginny Weasley was incredibly close. He blinked and pulled back instantly. She was super pretty.
"And I care?" he finally asked.
"Well, since you are dating her and since she and Ron are like destined to be together, I thought you might want to know that you're going to lose her and soon."
"She is not going to dump me for him," he said with more bravery than he felt.
"You are such a bad liar. I know that the two of you are trying to get her and Ron together."
"No. I'm doing this to fuck with anyone I can fuck with. It's super fun. Try it some time."
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Malfoy. Have fun with the break up."
"She's not going to break up with me," Draco said with as much vehemence as he could muster.
"Yeah she is," Ginny drawled. She blew him a kiss and sauntered off.
Draco scowled after her but before he could make a move to follow her, Hermione walked into the study room. She looked exuberant and a bit repentant.
"Oh hell," he muttered and braced himself.
"I'm just going to hide under here for a little while," Ginny said, ducking under the table. Harry leaned over and looked down at her.
"Why?" he asked.
"I'd give it about five minutes and you'll know," she said, winking at him.
He looked up as Pansy took a seat opposite him. "Hello, Parkinson," he said.
"Potter," she said, her tone slightly stiff.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Getting a front row seat for this," Pansy said, jerking her head towards the far door. Harry looked around as Draco stumbled into the Great Hall. He was closely followed by Hermione who was looking apologetic.
"I don't believe this!" Draco said quite loudly.
"What is it?" Blaise asked, rising to his feet and walking over to his friend.
"Like you care," Draco snapped acerbically.
"Draco, mate, be careful," Blaise began.
"You're with that Ravenclaw, Blaise. What do you care?"
Blaise went an interesting shade. "Blaise and Lovegood. Who would have guessed," Pansy muttered.
"Draco," she said, rising to her feet and walking towards him. "Honey, what is it?"
"I just got dumped," Draco groaned.
"Draco, I'm so sorry!" Hermione cried.
"Quite the little actress, aren't you?" Pansy sneered.
"Pansy, don't be a bitch," Draco sighed.
He looked at Hermione and a devilish little smirk touched his face. "It was quite fun, princess. Mind if I get a last kiss?"
She blushed to the roots of her hair. Draco sauntered closer and took her face. It was about then that Ron tackled him from behind.
"Get off my girlfriend!" Ron screamed.
Things continued much in this vein for about twenty minutes. Draco and Ron punched and kicked at each other until Blaise and Harry pulled them apart. Ron then proceeded to make out with Hermione. Draco grabbed Hermione away and tried the same thing, which lead back to the slapping contest between the two men.
It finally ended when Snape and McGonnagal came in and began doling out detentions.
"That was interesting," Harry said to Draco. They were both up in the library with the rest of the group. Snape and McGonnagall had forbidden Madam Pomphrey from healing them but Luna, for all her dreaminess, was a surprisingly good mediwitch and was languidly healing bruises and cuts on them all.
"I think our point is made," Draco said, sounding quite pleased with himself.
"So Ron and Hermione get together and live happily ever after and you go console yourself with Pansy," Harry said. He sort of hoped Draco would correct him. It wasn't that he fancied Pansy or anything, but he almost felt that Draco had made some progress over the past three weeks. That his relationship with Hermione, however false it was, had changed him a little bit, let him take a step towards becoming a better person. If he dated Pansy, who Harry knew Draco had no attraction to, it would be a backslide and he would never be good enough for Ginny.
"I have a better object in mind," Draco said, his eyes going hooded as he stared beyond Harry. Harry followed his gaze and saw Ginny talking to Neville.
"Neville? Very forward thinking of you, Draco," Harry said and wasn't surprised when the Slytherin smacked him across the back of his head.
"Don't be crude, Potter. You know I speak of the redhead."
"Good luck," Harry said.
Draco glanced at him with narrowed eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Harry shrugged, knowing full well what he was doing- throwing gas on a fire. "I just don't think she's quite your...type."
"Type? What does that have to do with anything. I don't have a type. I just need some consoling."
"Then by all means," Harry said, gesturing.
Draco's eyes went narrower still.
"What do you know, Potter?"
"Oh, nothing. Just that you don't stand a chance."
Please, Harry prayed. Let him be the idiot I think he is.
Draco rose to the bait. "Potter, just because she used to be your little clinger-on, doesn't mean she still is. Now watch and learn. If you're real nice, I'll put in a good word for you when I break her heart."
Harry started to protest but Draco rose to his feet and stalked over to Ginny. The pair were far enough away that Harry couldn't hear all they were saying but he got the gist.
CRACK!
Draco fell to the floor, staring up at Ginny with surprise and more than a bit of admiration.
"Go to Hell, Draco Malfoy," Ginny snapped, her voice resonating. Everyone in the room had to hear her. "I'm no one's rebound girl."
Ginny turned with a flick of red hair and stormed from the library.
Harry looked back at Draco who was grinning even as half his face was turning red from Ginny's slap. "Potter," he said as Harry helped him to his feet. "I think I'm in love."
"I'm sure you are," Harry said, congratulating himself on a successful plan.
(A/N: Who knew Harry could be so devious?
