AN: I wrote this a few days ago, but was hoping to have more inspiration to lengthen it. Alas, when none came I figured you would just rather read what I had. If you have not read it yet, I posted a new one-shot THE BATTLES WE'VE WON. It's a little dark and different from my other stories. Also, I have a second chapter written for A Veela Gets What A Veela Wants, but I have not decided if I will continue passed that. Therefore, I am not sure if it worth posting. Anyways, thank you for reading and I hope this is fair punishment for Pansy!

Chapter 10

Dear Mrs. Malfoy,

I apologize for not replying to your letters earlier; do to certain circumstances, Draco and I were not available to receive mail for the last five days. I have looked over the colored fabrics you so kindly sent, and have two of the twenty-five selected that I like best. However I am unsure as to what the fabrics are for which made my decision a little difficult. I am available the weekend of November 14th, when we have a Hogsmeade trip planned. I will ask the headmaster for permission to meet at a different location if it is not convenient for you to travel there. Hope you and Mr. Malfoy are doing well,

Sincerely,

Hermione Granger

"So what do you think?" Hermione asked Draco. She knew how important the… well the 'art' of letter writing was to an old family like the Malfoy's. Although she would not admit it to herself, she didn't want the letter to be any less than the level to which a wealthy pureblood was taught to write.

"It's fine Hermione. Mother will be thrilled to finally receive a reply." When Hermione stood there biting her lip, rereading the letter, he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, placing his chin on her shoulder. "It is just a letter to my mother. I promise she won't scold you if you forget to dot an "I" or use a comma." He finished with a smirk.

"Yes, but it is my future mother-in-law. I do not want her to think I am incompetent just because I cannot word a letter well."

"If she ever thinks you are incompetent, she is the incompetent one. You are as far from that as possible. You are a brilliant witch who helps keep the boy-wonder alive, in addition to being the top student at the best school of magic in the wizarding world." He said as he turned her around in his arms. "You never have to worry about bad opinions of you, because you are amazing and they would all be rubbish."

Hermione felt herself blush in appreciation of his high opinion of her. She reached up and kissed him before hugging him as he rubbed his arms slowly up and down her back.

She sighed, "Alright. Do you want to go up to the Owlry with me then?"

"Gladly" Draco replied with a smile.

The two walked hand-in-hand across the grounds and up to the Owlry. It was known by all that Hermione and Draco were officially an engaged couple, so neither had any qualms about walking so intimately down the corridors.

It was nearing dinner time as the pair exited the Owlry and began their trek to the Great Hall. They were in the main corridor when they were approached by Blaise and Theo.

"Did you hear about Pansy?"

Draco and Hermione both shook their heads in the negative.

"I don't know what she did to finally piss Snape off, but he has made her the social pariah of Slytherin."

"What exactly did he do?" Draco inquired.

"He has been monitoring the dungeons more often lately and kept walking in on Pansy with different guys. Finally he told her that if she wanted to sleep in the boys' dormitories he could make that happen. Apparently she didn't get the hint because two nights later he caught her again. Astoria and Millicent were furious at her because she was caught with both of their boyfriends by Snape. The next night her bed and things were missing from her dormitory. She went to Snape to complain because she thought it was the girls' fault, and he said he would show her exactly where her things were." At this point both boys were laughing so hard they had to take a breather. "He took her to the first year boy's dormitories and there was her bed and stuff. He just said 'good evening' and left!"

Draco and Hermione glanced at each other with incredulous faces. Hermione thought to herself that she needed to buy that man a present. Negative social spotlight was a Slytherin's worst nightmare.

"That is not the oddest part though; Snape dropped her from his class so now she won't get her Potion's N.E.W.T. She was only trying for three, so her career options for after school have just significantly dwindled." Blaise finished.

Theo snickered, "No one from our year is going to want to marry her either. I mean maybe if she had kept her legs together she would have had a shot, but she has slept with just about everyone and she was a terrible lay, don't you agree Draco?"

Draco had been staring intently at Hermione, but snapped a glare at Theo before ignoring his inquiry with a cleared throat.

"Right. Sorry, anyways, are you sitting with us at dinner, Draco?" Draco looked to Hermione. He decided he would sit wherever she sat tonight. When she nodded, he told the guys to save them two seats.

Draco took Hermione by the arm and walked her to a deserted corridor. He whipped around to face her, "Why exactly would Snape have a reason to punish Pansy so severely?"

Hermione struggled to keep a straight face. "Why would I know, Draco?"

"'I need to buy that man a present?' Sound familiar to you?" Draco asked.

"It was a random nice thought?" It was the most unbelievable, ridiculous sounding sentence to come out of her mouth in a long time.

"It was her wasn't it? She was the one to put you under the imperious." He asked, even though he already knew the answer.

"Does it matter? Professor Snape's punishment is perfect, in my opinion. In her eyes, her life is ruined; even though to a normal person, they would simply have to work a little harder. I think it is great." Hermione was not a vengeful person, but Pansy almost allowed Draco to die; she thought it was deserved.

"Hmph."

As the two walked into the Great Hall toward the Slytherin table, Hermione noticed Pansy sitting alone at the end of the table. She grabbed her Veela a little tighter and was sure to let her engagement ring show ostentatiously on his arm as she walked by the girl.

When they both sat across from Theodore and Blaise, Hermione thought to herself that perhaps she was spending too much time with Slytherins in order to be picking up so many traits…

'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`