Chapter 9

A.N. I have decided to make a resolution, even though it's august. My chapters need to be longer; from now on I am going to aim for 1000 words per chapter excluding my author's notes. Thank you everyone who has reviewed so far in this story, I'm overwhelmed by the amount of reviews I got!

Anyway enough of me dribbling on!

Hermione stared at Ginny for a couple of seconds unsure of what to do or say. Ginny's face was a picture of shock, intrigue and horror. She got up and began to drag Hermione out of the common room. At this sudden movement against her own will, Hermione yelped and said

"Ginny! What are you doing!" People turned to look and Ron made a move towards Hermione but Ginny just dismissed them all by saying

"Hermione, don't you remember, you've got to help me revise for tomorrow's Charm's test, which I'm going to fail without you?" This was said in complete and utter sweetness and innocence but she was glaring at Hermione to play along.

"Oh yeah. Sorry I forgot Ginny." Hermione had realised what Ginny was doing and with that, they walked out of the common room. When they had left someone in Ginny's class murmured

"There is a Charms test? Why didn't I know about this?" This caused a riot as every person in Ginny's class surged to get their Charms books out of their bag.

Unaware of this riot she had created, Ginny led Hermione to the Room of Requirement where Hermione and her could talk. When they got in they were presented with a dingy room with a table two chairs and a naked light bulb hanging above, which as Hermione realised was like a questioning room in bad muggle movies. As soon as the door was locked, Ginny turned on Hermione.

"Hermione Amelia Granger! What are you thinking, people in Slytherin are plain evil, evil do you here me?" Hermione looking slightly terrified and oddly reminded of Mrs Weasley sat down on one of the chairs. Hermione paused, so she could gather her thoughts (a useful trick she had learnt whilst watching an interview with a celebrity when she was at her house; to pause after the question is asked so you don't blurt out the first thing that comes to your mind).

"Harry nearly went in Slytherin and look how good he is…" She said weakly after a while. Ginny however had worked herself up into a towering rage.

"But he wasn't put in Slytherin was he! For heavens sake, you can't trust any of them, look at the pain they've caused you over the years. " Ginny also sat down on a chair and winced as the plastic buckled slightly (not implying Ginny was heavy just that the chair was really rickety and weak.) Hermione thought about this, wasn't this the very same thing she had thought about with Draco?

"I know, but he's changed, at least to me." Ginny turned puce at this remark

"Who is he? He is lying and manipulating you Hermione, just wants something from you, the only time they are ever nice is when they want something. You're supposed to be the clever one Hermione and you've just made the biggest mistake of your entire life!" Hermione was also getting angry by now.

"Do you not think I hadn't thought about that? I've been worrying about it for weeks!" Ginny's eyes widened and Hermione realised the mistake she had made.

"You've liked him for weeks! For goodness sakes Hermione. Now who is he?" Ginny yelled. Hermione who was edging away from the volatility of Ginny's temper replied tartly.

"Goodness as Mae West said has nothing to do with it." Ginny looked at her fury on her face.

"So his name is Mae West then, I'm going to tear him and you apart!" Hermione laughed and said

"Mae West was a muggle actress. If you really want to know its Draco." Ginny stopped her ranting and raving and just looked at Hermione, rendered speechless from this news. For a while no one said anything until Hermione said rather timidly

"Let me explain, Ginny…" Ginny turned on her, her eyes full of ice.

"What's there to explain Hermione, you've fallen in love with the enemy, someone that has treated you like shit for years and who is probably only going out with you to get information on Harry!" With contempt in her eyes, Ginny stood up ready to go. Hermione stayed where she was and said with anger in her voice

"Can you stop over reacting, you're being histrionic and hysterical over something that is none of your business!"

"None of my business Hermione, you're one of my friends and I don't want to see you get hurt." With that Ginny turned and walked out of the door without a backwards glance.

Hermione remained sitting there for a while. Then eventually she got up and walked out of the door. She wandered aimlessly around the school, with no sense of direction, ignoring curious stares from the portraits when she suddenly bumped into someone. Looking at whom she had hit, she saw Draco and she burst into tears on his shoulder.

Draco who had been walking around trying to find Hermione anyway, was surprised when they suddenly collided and was confused when she began to cry on his shoulder. Patting her awkwardly for a while, he decided they needed to get out of a main corridor where people could see them and gave her a fireman's lift on his shoulder. Hermione squealed and began to hit him, rather uselessly on the shoulder, but Draco kept walking till they reached the portrait of a woman with a snake wrapped around her shoulders and ankles. Muttering shortly

"Eden." They were allowed admittance through the portrait. Inside was a sumptuous and elegant sitting room, entirely decorated in green and black. After putting Hermione down on a diamond-patterned sofa (diamond shapes in green and black) he asked her gently.

"What's wrong Hermione?" She looked at him and said quietly.

"Ginny knows." Draco looked at her and decided to play the naïve card.

"Knows what?" Hermione threw her arms in the air with frustration.

"About you and me." She said. Draco looked at her once again and said amiably.

"What about you and me?" Hermione scowled at him but replied slightly unsteadily.

"That we have feelings for each other." Draco began to understand what was going on and knowing the explosive redhead's temper, it was no wonder Hermione was crying.

"Well she would have found out sooner or later."

"Yeah but she hates it, she said you were using me to get near Harry and lots of terrible things." Hermione cried, her voice wobbling, revealing she was close to tears again. Draco thought for a while and then said

"If she doesn't respect and understand that it is your decision she isn't a true friend. She would know that you would have analysed and analysed the situation and made sure nothing like that would happen. That is if she really is a true friend…" Hermione looked at him and was about to reply when the portrait door began to open….

A.N. So who do you think is coming through the door? I love leaving you guys on cliffhangers! By the way I managed 1,144 words excluding the authors notes at beginning and end, I'm impressed!

Trivia Question: If you were a magical animal/creature/being what would you be and why? Witch and wizard excluded of course!

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