"Good morning!" Hermione chirped as she ascended down the stairs and into the Gryffindor common room. However, all she got were odd looks. The smile faded from her face as she trotted over to Ron and Harry. "Why is everyone looking at me strangely?" she asked. Ron looked over his shoulder at her with a slight look of disdain. Hermione was taken aback. "What is that for?" Ron rolled his eyes. "You should know."
"Why?" Hermione was beginning to feel very warm.
"You went to the Yule Ball with Draco. Malfoy." Ron said seriously. It only made Hermione laugh. "Oh, is that all?" she asked. Ron and Harry looked at each other. "What do you mean 'is that all?' Of COURSE it is! We stuck our heads out to defend you two years ago when he called you a mudblood and now you're DATING him!" Harry exclaimed. Hermione's smile once again faded. "He apologized for that," she whispered. Ron's cheeks when bright red. "So he apologizes and you just forgive him? I never thought you could be so stupid, Hermione," Ron said. Anger rose in Hermione. "Stupid? STUPID! How dare you insult me! I've helped you out numerous times with your schoolwork you twit! What I do in my personal life is none of your concern!" Hermione slapped him across the face, leaving a hand indentation on his cheek. She stormed out of the common room, leaving Ron flabbergasted and Harry happy that he hadn't said much...
Draco avoided most Slytherins when he went to his dormitory last night. In fact, he was the first one up in the boys dormitory and was downstairs so fast that he thought he'd made it. "Where do you think you're going, Mr. Malfoy?" said an uneven, girly voice from behind a greenish-black leather chair in the corner. Oh no, he thought. "Well, Draco? Are you going to answer me?" He sighed. "Hello Pansy."
"Thank you. Now, are you going to tell me what you were doing at the Yule Ball with that mudblood when you could've gone with me?"
"Watch it, Pansy. You're talking about my girlfriend," Draco warned. Pansy laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry! You two are dating now? How disgusting! You're dating a Gryffindor, Draco! You could do SO much better! Why would you even date Hermione, especially since she's a mudblood!" Pansy scoffed, getting up from her chair and walking towards Draco. Draco turned around, letting his anger grow at Pansy's stupid ignorance. He turned around, his face holding a determined expression. He grabbed her wrists, her clammy skin between his smooth palms. How different from Hermione, he thought. "You have no right to judge Hermione. She's much more than a muggle-born and much better than you. She's kind, smart, cunning, caring, and a much better person all around. And you? You're just a vain little sh**," Draco said. He let her go and stalked out of the dorm room to find Hermione...
Pansy was left shocked, her wrists red from his tight grip. Now, Pansy was no pansy, but what Draco had said really shook her to the core. She fell in a heep to the ground and crawled back to the chair she had been sitting in. Pansy began to cry...
Hermione had been waiting for Draco in the library for fifteen minutes before he arrived. When he got there, she ran to him for comfort. Draco embraced her, noticing her tears. "What's wrong?" he asked urgently. Hermione looked up at him, her eyes blood shot from crying. She went into her story. When she finished, Draco slammed his fists on one of the tables. "Those gits!" he exclaimed. Hermione smiled at him, her cheeks still moist. Draco couldn't help but smile back. "Well, something of the sort happened to me this morning, too. Pansy confronted me in the common room." Hermione was intrigued, for it was well known that Pansy fancied Draco. "What happened?" Draco told his story. When finished, Hermione walked over to him and kissed him. "Thank you," she whispered.
"For what?" he asked, trying to kiss her again.
"For defending me," she replied, finally giving in to him. They kissed passionately until they needed air. "What time is it?" Hermione panted. Draco looked around for a clock. "I don't know, but we should probably go to breakfast, huh?" he asked, yet again trying to kiss her. Hermione smiled and backed away a little. "I'm hungry," she said. Draco smiled: "Me too." He pulled her closer. Hermione giggled and said: "Not like that. I need to eat." She looked at his disappointed face and smiled, kissing him. "Come on. You need to eat, too." Draco got up and let Hermione lead him to the Great Hall...