CHAPTER EIGHT

Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter franchise.

Author's Note: I apologize for the immense amount of time that I took in updating this chapter, but I feel I should tell you all that I'm considering abandoning it completely. I've felt less motivation to continue this plot but would start another Dramione, which I may do regardless of my decision on this one.

Shit. Draco swore to himself, how was he planning on explaining Weasley's black eye to Hermione? He knew that the first thing Weasely would do would be running to Hermione to tell on the big bad Slytherin. It also just occurred to him that he was surrounded by the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He swore again. Weasely smirked, something he was not good at, despite that fact that he'd just been punched in the face. That son of a bitch baited me, Draco realized. Draco only glared back at him and decided to leave before the Gryffindors realized what happened.

"This isn't over, Weasely" He threatened before heading back to the castle. He half expected to be hexed from behind, but playing the victim worked so much better for Weasel. He still had no clue as to how he would justify his punching Weasely out to Hermione; she would never believe the real reason. He swore a third time to himself.

His thoughts were shoved away by the sudden whining voice of Pansy Parkinson.

"Drrraaaakey!"

She latched on to his arm before he could escape.

"Drakey" she repeated, "Why did you pair me with that horrid Blood-Traitor?" She stuck out her bottom lip in what Draco was sure she thought was an adorable pout.

"Did I? I didn't notice, I was trying to get done with the scheduling as soon as possible" He lied again.

"Afraid that the Mudblood germs with rub off on you?" Parkinson managed to say this ridiculous sentence as if it meant sense. Rubbing off on me…His mind started to wander in a dangerous direction. He felt a weak punch on his arm and he realized that he hadn't answered Parkinson.

"Yeah." He answered pathetically. Parkinson seemed happy with his response though, and hooked her arm around his. This would have made him feel guilty for his treatment of her, but he knew she was only interested in him because of the weight that the Malfoy name carried.

Since she had nothing left to do, Hermione decided to go watch the Quidditch practice with Ginny. Her companion talked only of one subject the whole way down, and Hermione thought it unwise to be discussing Draco with so many irrational teenage boys around.

"Ginny, will you please give it a rest already?" Hermione begged. It was so strange to hear Ginny Weasely pushing for her to be with Malfoy. It was more emotion than Hermione liked to deal with, there was no logic when it came to relationships. That's not to say that she didn't desire a relationship, but not now. When she had graduated and was settled with a good job, that was when Hermione planned to consider dating.

Ginny suddenly let out a very girlish squeal, the kind that Hermione considered annoying and juvenile. Ginny pointed down at the Quidditch Pitch and when Hermione followed her finger she saw something she never thought she'd see; Draco Malfoy talking to Ron while the Gryffindor team practiced.

They were clearly arguing over something, when weren't they? Then Ron said something with a smirk on his face that Hermione had never seen before and Malfoy punched him.

"Ron!" She and Ginny called out at the same time. They both started running down the pitch, Hermione pulled out her wand in anticipation of breaking up a fight, but Ron didn't hit back. Malfoy remained standing by Ron long enough for a couple harsh sentences to be exchanged then rushed off in the opposite direction, toward the Slytherin side of the castle.

Hermione rushed to Ron's side immediately, he wasn't bleeding, but she still had to make sure he was okay.

"Hermione, did you see how that prat hit me out of nowhere?" Ron said in a form of greeting.

"Yes, now sit still and let me see if you're hurt." She didn't see the glint of smugness in his eyes.

"I really don't think he hit you out nowhere" Ginny said, reminding Hermione of her presence. "You must have said something that pissed him off"

Ron glared up at his younger sister.

"I don't recall asking for your opinion." There was a coldness to his voice that they had all heard many times before, Ron was such a hothead. Hermione frowned at him, he shouldn't take out his anger at Malfoy on his sister like that.

"There's no need to be so rude, Ron" She defended Ginny.

"Don't tell me what to do Hermione. You obviously believe Malfoy is blameless too." He shoved her away roughly. Hermione and Ginny looked at him with equally confused expressions.

"I never said he was blameless, I just know you have a habit to shoot off your mouth when you shouldn't" Ginny said, the Weasley anger sparking up in her. Ron opened his mouth to replay, but Hermione wasn't in the mood to hear him.

"We'll talk to you when you feel like being civil" She said, sounding colder than she meant to. She turned and walked up toward the castle. She heard Ginny following her, but she was too impatient to get Malfoy's explanation to wait for her.

When she entered the Head's dormitory she didn't greet him at all, she threw the nearest thing she could find at his head and said harshly "Talk."

After escaping Parkinson Draco went to his dormitory, intent on planning some explanation for socking Weasely, he knew he didn't have long until Hermione found out. After about ten minutes of fruitless efforts he heard the door slam shut, before he had time to turn around he felt a pillow hit him in the back of the head.

"Talk." Hermione was obviously trying to sound threatening but she couldn't pull it off. Draco decided to play innocent.

"Okay…rather chilly today isn't it?"

"Don't play stupid with me, Malfoy! You know what I'm talking about, why did you hit Ron?" She glared at him.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Great response, he thought sarcastically, that'll make her stop asking.

"Try me." This was just her stubbornness, she refuses to admit that Weasel isn't the picture of innocence like she is.

"Why don't you ask him?" Draco stalled, trying to think of something she would believe.

"Just answer me." She put her hands on her hips, impatient. Well, no one ordered a Malfoy around, no matter who she was, what his feelings for her were. Despite of this fact, he heard himself speaking.

"He insulted someone very close to me." Well, it was half true…

"Be more cryptic, please." He couldn't help but laugh at this, she was so adorable. She did not seem to like being laughed at and tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for him to stop.

"You remind me of Umbridge when you do that." She didn't, but he knew how much that would bug her. And sure enough, she reacted just as he hoped she would.

"Never compare me to that horrid woman!" she threw another pillow at him. He caught it easily and threw it back at her. She caught it by hugging it to her chest, like a child would. He felt a smile creep across his face, he realized that he'd smiled more with her than he had all summer.

Malfoy turned around and looked at her with an innocent expression.

"Okay…rather chilly today isn't it?" Oh, he was so infuriating! How could it be that she was kissing him such a short time ago?

"Don't play stupid with me, Malfoy! You know what I'm talking about, why did you hit Ron?" Hermione fixed him with the glare she used on Harry and Ron when they bugged her to help them with their procrastinated schoolwork.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." How dare he assume that! I'm a very reasonable person! Hermione thought angrily.

"Try me." There, she thought, nothing says no nonsense like short, choppy sentences.

"Why don't you ask him?" Draco replied, clearly avoiding answering her. Why doesn't he just spit it out already?

"Just answer me." Hermione put her hand on her hips.

"He insulted someone very close to me." Oh, well that just answers everything!

"Be more cryptic, please." She said sarcastically. Malfoy had the nerve to laugh at her! How dare he! She tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for him to stop.

"You remind me of Umbridge when you do that." He said in an offhand manner, as if he forgot how much she despised that woman.

"Never compare me to that horrid woman!" She cried angrily and picked up the nearest object to throw at him for such uncalled for rudeness. Unfortunately, it was only a pillow and he caught it easily. He threw it back at her, and caught off guard she caught it by pulling it close to her. For some reason that made Malfoy smile at her. She still wasn't used to seeing that, but she wished he did it more often, it made him look so handsome. No! she scolded herself, he just hit Ron, you're not allowed to think he's attractive! But she did.