I couldn't post the two earlier updates by Wednesday (15th) because my wifi was blocked, ugh. So I'll be making you another chapter while I wait for my dad to pay the bills. Which means you have three chapters to read. Consider it my present to you all. This chapter is full of fluffy dramione and a jealous Harry (wink wink), but it plays a big part in the next few chapters.
So here you are, the Ninth chapter.
"He'll be there".
"How would I know which one he is?"
A smile, "you'll know when you get there".
Brown eyes studied the scarf she received just days ago and the jacket of the still unknown guy. Harry did say he was waiting for her on the nearest Hogsmeade day and it turns out to be the week after the Triwizard Tournament's Second Task.
She memorized the feel of the fabric on her fingertips and held the jacket to her nose, sniffing it. It still feintly smelt of the perfume she found this jacket covered in and then smelt the scarf. The smell was exactly the same and she knew it, it was him all along. The idiot really could be sweet and kind when he wanted to.
Hermione Granger kept away the two clothing items and prepared for the day, a cheerful smile on her face. Little did she or anyone for that matter, knew that it was all going to take a big turn of events in the near future.
The day went on anomally until breakfast ended, Draco didn't do anything troublesome and did his dare gracefully as though it was a second nature to him. This, as she had obviously predicted, had made the whole school scared and feared him more.
Hermione laughed, remembering one part where his friends were bullying first year student and Draco suddenly stepped in saying, "don't you know it's not good to bully people? You should be ashamed of yourselves", he lectured, mocking one of the professors at the same time. He was lucky there wasn't any professors around when he said that, or he would be doomed.
She would tease him of the day's happenings as well as share the rumors the students had also spread in conjunction with Harry's boycotting and he would laugh with her.
Most of the time, they shared the precious moments of silence, just sitting there. Hermione liked the feeling and she wanted to know his thoughts but she never voiced it out, she was afraid that this friendship would just.. Fade away like that.
Hermione's thoughts were cut short when a hand kept waving in front of her, a noise buzzed next to her ear. She realized it was Ron and raised a brow. "You've been spacing out lately 'Mione, still worried for Harry?"
She mindlessly nodded, never wanting to know how these two boys or the school would react. I mean, a Gryffindor and Slytherin befriending? That's practically impossible. Not even Salazaar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor see eye to eye, even if it was a stated fact that the two houses (and persons) were quite similiar in many aspects.
Ron shrugged it off but after telling her "-not to worry, Harry did pass the first two tasks, a'right? Come on, he's waiting for us already". "Okay, let's go", she agreed, picking up her pace to match the others who were way almost nearing the front gates of Hogwarts.
The school was allowing their students to head to Hogsmeade, hence the many students in casual wizard clothing (no robes, excuse me) and loud excited chattering.
(A/N: I'm skipping the part where they went to talk to Sirius and
Harry breaking the rules)
The girl fakely smiled at the others, not finding it in herself to talk to any of them and soon they all started on their journey to Hogsmeade. Harry and Ron not at all having a single clue to her weird behavior.
"Hey 'Mione, let's go to the Three Broomsticks― 'Mione?" Harry turned around to see no Hermione, just thin air.
"Hermione?" Ron called, looking around them, searching the small crowd but there was no bushy haired brunette around. Ron was so close to going in an all out panic mode when Harry rested a hand on his shoulder, "she's at Honeydukes, I saw here go that way".
"Does she know we're going to the Three Broomsticks?" Ron asked,
calming his nerves down.
"Yeah, let's go", Harry nodded, hurrying the redhead to The Three Broomsticks without further adieu. Ron said nothing further and they both left the scene.
Hermione skillfully went to Honeydukes underected and looked around; there was many children squealing over the wide selection of candies and a few of the Hogwarts students choosing what to buy. She didn't see any blonde anywhere.
She shrugged, took her time choosing between butterscotch and caramel chocolates and whatnot. When she reached the more secluded part of the shop, she finally saw the blonde she was looking for. Draco was staring at his hands, she notes it was dark chocolate in one hand and another had white chocolate.
"Hey", she greeted, standing next to him. He raised his head and nodded, holding the chocolates he was choosing towards her, "which one?"
"White", she quickly said, watching as he went with both and they started to head to the cashier to pay then leave.
It was unusually silent but the two of them didn't mind. They went to the Hog's Head Inn and away from the Three Broomsticks since "the Potter and Weasleys are contaminating the area", as Draco would like to put it.
Hermione sat next to Draco with an excited smile which she failed to hide all together. Draco raised a brow at her questioningly. "You're the one who led Harry to me on the Yule Ball night, aren't you?" She finally said.
Draco's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he recomposed himself and covered it up with his own question, "what's your proof?"
"The smell on the jacket matches your cologne, and you asked what was my proof, you didn't ask what happened that night, which means you knew what happened, right, Draco?" Hermione smartly said, popping a candy into her mouth.
Draco sighed and leaned into his chair, "even if it was me, why do you care?" Hermione stopped sucking the candy she had in her mouth and paused, hugging his arm lightly, "because that means you have a soft spot!"
Draco turned his head to look at her but he didn't shrug her off, "and what is that, may I ask?"
Hermione grinned up at him, "you can't stand crying girls". He shook his head, "all boys can't stand that".
"Right, I needed to be more specific, huh? You can't stand to see me cry", Hermione guessed, her arms already at her sides as she continued eating her candy nonchalantly. Draco didn't say anything, he just stared at the girl for a minute before shaking his head, "you're conceited, you know that?"
"So it's true? I didn't know you were soft", Hermione cooed, laughing at the blush creeping onto his pale face. Draco quieted her down by pinching her nose lightly which earned his offending hand a swat. Their little banter was stopped when an elderly couple who say next to them gushed, the woman saying, "oh honey, I remember when we used to be like that, don't you?"
Draco quickly retracted his hand and Hermione focused on eating her neglected food, the both of them had a faint blush dusting their cheeks. The old couple laughed about something and Hermione felt like wishing the floor would open up and eat her right there and then.
Draco and her left the shop soon after and Hermione noticed that his ears were red and started giggling. "What's so funny?" he demanded, bemused by her not telling. She motioned at his ears and squeezed out a "you're ears are red" from her system.
That revelation prompted the boy to cover his ears, "no they aren't". Hermione could only shake her head and smile. They talked about almost everything and laughed the whole way to the Three Broomsticks as Hermione had promised to meet Ron and Harry there, much to Draco's chagrin but he didn't say a word, he had to meet his friends there as well anyway. Not to mention one noisy Pansy was there as well.
About the dare, Draco had done his part so now they were thinking up something for Hermione to do for a whole week as long as it wasn't embarrassing. "I'll tell you when I come up with something, see you later 'Mione", Draco said, entering the shop after her.
Ron and Harry stared out the window, or more specifically the two people approaching the shop, Draco and Hermione. They were talking to each other with smiles brightening up their faces and laughing.
Ron noted that they looked like the happiest couple around and blanched. Harry, on the other hand, wondered to himself if letting their friendship deepen was the right choice. He felt like something was going to happen, and it's not happy news. He decided to remain silent though, as the two of them entered the shop.
Draco took a right, to where his friends were and Hermione went to Harry and Ron. The Slytherin and Gryffindor acted like they hadn't entered togeher, heck, it was like they were never friends to start with.
Harry smirked at Hermione, which went unnoticed by the redhead. Before she could even sit between them like always, Ron dropped the bomb, "Hermione, since when did you start being chummy with Malfoy?"
If she was drinking or eating anything, she could've choked. Hermione decided to play it cool, since Harry had went through with the lecturing at her a week back.
"What's up with you and Malfoy? You haven't fought with him since forever", Harry asked randomly, taking her by surprise.
"We kind of got tired of it? I don't know", Hermione nonchalantly shrugged, flipping through a magazine she had with her. Harry gave her a look, "you're kidding, I saw you laughing with him".
"I didn't know how that happened but it did, are you jealous? Because I don't see a reason why you should be, why don't you run along with Ron or Ginny or something? They seem to be more important than I am", Hermione suddenly flipped, sulkily looking out the window.
Harry tensed, "that's not what I meant, 'Mione, I wanted to ask if he was causing you trouble, I know we've been neglecting you and you feel left out but I'm not ignoring you, okay? I'm glad if you made friends with Malfoy, even if I hate his sole existance, and I don't want us three to fall apart because of something as petty as you befriending him, now stop being a baby and come here".
Hermione looked up from her seat to Harry, who had his arms wide and waiting for 's just say there was a lot of secrets spilled as well as tears and laughter.
"For a month I guess, I'm surprised you didn't notice sooner, Ron, but Draco and I are just friends", she said. Ron wanted to lash out but was stopped when he felt an evil aura eminating from Harry. The black haired Gryffindor was glaring at a distance, rather, the youngest Weasley's direction.
Hermione and Ron studied their friend's expression, then at the object that was receiving teir friend's wrath of fury that was his glaring, then at each other.
Ron almost fell out his chair by this time, because he was seeing his baby sister making out with Michael Corner, "bloody hell" was all he could muster to say.
Hermoine bit her lower lip, and to think she was the older one, she hadn't had her kiss yet! She sighed and watched Harry and Ron glaring at Ginny. The girl was unaware of it all, if she knew the effect she had on those two, she was hiding her expressions well.
At the corner of her eye, she realized someone had been watching her. Not Harry, her. She tried to ignore the ugly feeling she had in the pit of her stomach but it wouldn't go away. Hermione just hoped that it was only her being paranoid.
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