A/N: Edit 2-25-16 -Reading back through this, I feel kinda bad about making Pansy so... one-dimensional... I promise I don't hate Slytherins! It was just that, a lot of the Dramione fics that I read had Pansy as a jealous Draco fangirl and I guess that stuck in my head. I had plans for making her come around originally as well but I might bump that up a little sooner than I had intended XD But I needed to add in some credibly drama somehow and Pansy seemed like the most plausible source. Man... wow... Self, get it together!
*Dungeons*
"Yo, Draco, please tell me I didn't see what I thought I saw earlier at breakfast?" Blaise started as soon as Draco cleared the entrance to the common room.
"Drackie, tell us someone was playing some mean prank on us," Pansy pleaded, wrapping her arms around him.
Draco managed to pull himself out of her grasp and sat on one of the couches, waiting for the questions to stop. His friends recognized his posture and quieted down, wanting answers.
"I'm going to assume you are all talking about the fact that I saw with Granger at breakfast?" Draco inquired, everyone nodding.
"It's quite simple, as much as any Pure-blood here is loathe to admit, Granger is the smartest witch in our year. Also as you know, I'm in charge of something quite important this year," Draco paused, making sure everyone was paying attention. All of them were in the train compartment when he was bragging about his new mission. He blinked to keep his face stoic, remembering that he needed to sound tough. He couldn't let his friends to see him scared, so he acted like he was always expected to- cool and calculating. "Well because of that, I've been rather busy. Mother of course keeps telling me that school is important, although, with the way things are going, I doubt I'll really need it, don't you all agree?" he chuckled, keeping up the façade. After he saw a few smirks he continued, "Well in order to appease my mother, I've decided to enlist the help of Granger, simple as that."
"You're consorting with the Mudblood, just to keep your mother happy? Don't you think she'll be upset with your choice?" Pansy asked, disbelief evident in her voice.
"No one here can argue that they are smarter than her, especially you Pans, don't kid yourself," Draco sneered. He had grown tired of her clinging to him, she needed to learn to move on. "Your best subject is Potions and I'm better in that class than you. She's really the only plausible choice. Besides, my father always told me that I need to assert myself over those of lesser breeding than us, so I'm taking what I want. He'd understand and I'm sure he'll bring Mother around, I'm not worried about that. But all that aside, you are to leave her be, I don't want to hear about any threats. Threats to her means threats to my mother's happiness, and I won't stand for that. So just get used to the fact that I'll be hanging around her for the time being."
"Well you could be doing worse, she's definitely grown up eh Draco?" Blaise snickered. He'd seen her around the castle without her school robes a few times. "So you're really going to be dating her? For her brains? What about the Golden Boy and Weasel?"
"Yea, essentially, but it's nothing to worry about- I'll have her falling all over me in no time. As for them, it's just an added bonus that I'm going to be pissing them off," Draco laughed. He knew his fellow Slytherins would appreciate seeing Weasley and Potter suffering because of him.
"Well as long as you know what you're getting into man. Like you said, she's smart, aren't you worried she'll figure out that you're doing something on the side?" Crabbe asked him.
"Naw, I'll keep her plenty distracted from the truth, she just has to stay pretty and do my homework. She'll have her hands full with Potter and Weasley anyways, they aren't going to like this at all. So, if that answers all of your questions, who wants to play some chess?"
The group of 6th year Slytherins looked around, trying to decide if he had lost his mind. But they came around, trusting him to know what he was doing; none of them were too keen on the idea though, but they'd go along with it, for now.
*Gryffindor Common Room*
As Hermione opened the portrait, she saw Harry and Ron playing chess by the fire, waiting for her and Ginny to return. They both sighed, readying themselves for the questions; they went and sat next to the boys and watched the chess game. It was silent for awhile, neither Harry nor Ron wanting to ask the first question and start an argument. But eventually the silence had to be broken, Ginny huffing with impatience.
"Well, is one of you going to say something? You were full of words earlier," she sighed, wanting to get it over with. None of them were fun when they were arguing with each other, especially when she had to choose between Hermione and her brother, and Harry usually sided with Ron.
"Well is Hermione going to listen to what we have to say?" Ron questioned.
"Only if you treat me as your friend and not as your property," Hermione shot back.
"Hermione, how did this happen?" Harry asked quietly, trying to keep the peace.
Hermione looked over at Harry, face softening, "Well it was all by accident really, I came across Draco when we were both rather… stressed out. We startled each other, but for some reason, we also kinda connected." Hermione paused, not sure how much she should tell them about their first encounter. She didn't want to tell them anything they might try to use against Draco. "We got to talking, both wanting to just forget about everything for awhile. You know, just relieve stress and not worry about our situations for a moment or two… and we realized that we're really not that different- obvious blood-status aside. So he asked me on a date, and I said yes. We actually had a great time."
"But Hermione, he's been so mean to you since first year! Have you forgotten that?" Ron asked.
"No I haven't forgotten, but I have forgiven. And that is my right to do so, can you understand that?"
"No, I can't. How can you forgive that prat after all the things he's said and done?"
"I just have Ron, forgiving someone is very liberating, you should try it some time. I saw a new side of Draco that I hadn't seen before, one that was worth forgiving. I know that you haven't seen much good in him, and I can't ask you to forgive him yet but I'm hoping you'll at least respect my decision."
"So you two are officially together then, after one date?" Harry wanted to know.
"Yes, we are," Hermione answered, smiling.
"I'm going to be sick," Ron mumbled.
Ginny shook her head at her brother's immaturity, "I think Draco is pretty cool, we had a lot of fun today."
Ron sputtered in disbelief- his own sister? "Ginny, I can't believe you fell for his act too? I thought you were both smarter than that!"
"Ugh, Ron, will you ever grow up? Have you thought that maybe you're the one that needs to smarten up?" Ginny retorted.
"Yea, is it really so hard to believe that Draco can change, that there is another side to him?" Hermione asked.
"There can't be anoth-" Ron started to say.
"Hermione, I know you don't want to hear this right now but, remember what I was telling you about him? You can't also forget about that too, can you?" Harry interrupted.
"I haven't forgotten Harry, I just don't fully believe it that's all. I was never as sure as you were about it. I'm sorry."
Ron just stormed off, not wanting to listen to any more. Ginny just shrugged and gave them both a hug, mentioning that she was meeting some of her other friends for lunch.
"Hermione, I'm not going to get mad like Ron, I know you are smart, and I know you are a very caring person. I'm worried about you, that maybe Malfoy is taking advantage of your caring nature. But I still want us to be able to talk and I'll do my best to keep Ron from getting mad okay? That's the best I can do right now," Harry conceded.
"Harry, that's more than enough, I know it can't be easy for you, you two have a very troubled history and you have no reason to forgive him yet. But I would appreciate not losing you guys as friends over this," Hermione admitted, giving Harry a hug. "Ready for a light lunch, then we can go over some homework?"
"That sound good Mione, homework sounds like a safe subject, I'm sure Ron will join us."
Harry called Ron over and asked if he was going to lunch; he agreed after Hermione promised to not mention Malfoy (who promised that she wouldn't as long as no one else did). The trio went back down the stairs, quieter than usual, unsure of what to talk about. When they got to the Dining Hall, they sat by Ginny and her friends, Lavender was already sitting with Parvarti, none of them were keen on joining the trio right now, knowing things were tense. As they ate lunch, they gradually warmed into conversation, talking about classes and how much homework they had. Harry snuck a few glances over to the Slytherin table while they were eating, watching Draco closely. He wondered what he had said to Hermione to get her to trust him; he must be a really good actor to fool her. Suddenly he got an idea, he mentally kicked himself for not seeing it earlier. Now he just needed to find the right time to broach the subject.
When they made it back to the Common Room, Harry secured them a place by the fire while Hermione and Ron got their school bags. He'd have to be really careful when bringing up the subject; he couldn't have either of his friends getting mad right now. But this wasn't something that could wait… the sooner he suggested the idea to Hermione, the better!
"Alright, do you guys want to work on Charms homework first? Or maybe Transfiguration?" Hermione asked, pulling out her parchment.
Ron and Harry agreed on Transfiguration, deciding they'd need more help with that than Charms. The group worked quietly for awhile, Hermione occasionally answering questions and looking over what they'd written. As the group tired of homework and Ron was scribbling on his parchment, Harry decided to bring up Malfoy again.
"Hey Hermione, I wanted to ask you something, about what we talked about earlier," Harry mentioned, eyeing Ron.
Luckily Ron hadn't noticed anything and Hermione nodded for him to continue. Harry took a deep breath and took the plunge. "Well I was thinking about it during lunch, um, I don't want you to get mad if I say this wrong but… well, is it possible that, maybe you could spy on Malfoy?"
Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, was he seriously asking if she'd spy on her boyfriend for him? Not that she could tell him anything anyways, but Harry didn't know that. This… this wasn't what she was expecting- how could she keep a secret from Harry when he was asking this of her? Because of the Fidelus Charm… did that mean she'd have to outright lie to one of her best friends? This was more than just omitting information…
"I mean, if you really do believe he's not the person we think, maybe you could come up with some evidence, something I'd believe. And if on the off chance you find out that he's been lying to you, do you think you would keep me in the loop?"
"So, you want me to find you some redeeming information on Draco? If I can, although you don't really think it's possible. And if it turns out I was wrong, you want me to continue to date him so I can gather information on his actions?" Wow… hadn't she just told Draco the other day that Harry was supposed to have more tact than Ron? Hermione sighed… but the more she thought about it, the more she realized, Ron would have just demanded she spy for them. At least Harry did try to word it a bit more politely. Still though, this was going to cause a lot of stress for her…
"Yea, pretty much," Harry admitted.
"Harry sometimes I wonder about you," Hermione sighed, although she couldn't fault him for it. In a way he had been right about Draco, just for the wrong reasons, but she had to keep quiet about it for now. "If it will make you feel better, I'll keep an eye out alright? Although I honestly don't know what you'll think I'll find out either way. He's either the changed person I think he is and he'll just continue to be nice to me, or he's lying and I doubt he'll let me catch him in the act."
"So you aren't mad right?"
"No, I'm not mad Harry, I know you are concerned about his actions, you have been all year. Just don't get too obsessed okay, there are other things to pay attention to," Hermione told him, glancing over at Ginny and giving Harry a knowing look.
Harry blushed at what she was implying, wondering at how he felt about Ginny. Hermione stood up, letting them both know she was going to take a break from homework before dinner, heading up to her room to think about her situation.
*Dungeons*
Draco felt like he had won his friend's over for the time being, he was sitting back on the couches, watching Blaise and Theo play chess. Pansy was throwing him dirty looks but she was just jealous that he wasn't giving her any attention. She had come over and sat in his lap earlier, coyly smiling at him; he had all but shoved her to the ground and told her he wasn't interested.
"You're only pretending to date the Mudblood to use her, that doesn't mean that you can't still give me attention right? I mean, it's not like anyone here will tell her. Mudbloods don't even have feelings so it's not like you're cheating on her," Pansy sneered.
Draco saw red when she started spouting off about Muggle-borns like that. But he had kept his cool, barely, and told her that he just wasn't into her anymore- which was completely true. They had broken up at the end of 4th year, she was way too clingy for him, and always calling him 'Drackie' which irked him to no end. She had been told repeatedly not to call him that but she insisted. He just couldn't find himself to stay with her when he was infuriated by her more times than not; she had good intentions but they just weren't for him.
Soon he found himself thinking about Hermione , wondering how things were going for her. They couldn't sit together all the time and he doubted she'd feel safe enough to come eat at the Slytherin table… honestly he didn't want her there, he knew Pansy and her friends would try their hardest to upset her. Blaise and Theo would be alright as far as he could guess, and Goyle and Crabbe, they hardly said anything anyways. He'd really have to watch himself around Theo, the biggest unknown, his father was a Death Eater as well, but overall he kept to himself. As long as he didn't get wind of their real relationship it should be alright. Draco supposed he might be able to manage lunch with her during the week and maybe breakfast on the weekends. Draco definitely wanted to see her after the 'conversation' with Pansy. Looking over at her again, he wondered what she was thinking… if he knew Pansy, which he did, she was going to try something to get Hermione to leave him. She just couldn't stop herself from interfering, truly believing that he belonged to her. It drove him mad sometimes, although it did have its advantages the last few years. At least he never had to go to any dances alone.
