A/N: Second part of my double chapter special tonight since I missed Friday's deadline! Please excuse the lateness and roughness of the chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 10: Cormac

Despite Hermione's new look, she was still the same old Hermione on the inside when it came to her studies. She still managed to study in the library every day and get all her work done. However, the library atmosphere had changed since her makeover. Hermione found more people sitting around her usual table, more guys to be specific. Most weren't even studying, the majority of them were just staring at her with a book open in front of them that remained on the same page for a half hour. She didn't mind this however since they weren't bothering her or keeping her from her work. Harry, on the other hand, was as uncomfortable as could be.

With the absence of Ron, the trio became a duo in the library. Harry's presence didn't stop the guys wanting to be around Hermione, much to his dismay. He noticed his popularity increasing even more than it already was with Hermione's change in wardrobe as well. Classmates were stopping him in the halls more often for trivial matters such as how the weather was or how challenging an exam they just got out of was. Harry wasn't a fool. He knew the only reason why people were paying more attention to him now was because of Hermione, and it was really starting to push his buttons. Especially every interaction with Cormac McLaggen.

Harry already disliked Cormac with a passion, however that plain dislike blossomed into complete despise for his being since he was the one who bothered Harry the most whenever he had the chance. From corning him in the common room to corning him in the bathroom, Cormac always found a way to get a word in with Harry about Hermione. And the library was no exception.
Harry left Hermione alone to get a book pertaining to advanced cures and poisons, resulting in every seat around their table to be taken by some fellow Gryffindor males. Instead of ambushing Hermione, Cormac, decided to corner Harry against the shelves.

"Potter," he hissed. "Potter I need you," he pressed himself against Harry against the shelf.

"Ugh, too close Cormac," Harry scowled and shoved him aside. "What could you possibly want this time? I don't know what Hermione got on the charms exam or what her favorite muggle band is. Leave me alone."

"I want to know if she's interested in me."

"Well how should I know?" Harry reached past him and grabbed the book he was looking for. "We don't talk about that sort of thing."

"Oh come on Potter, you have to know something about her. Looks like Weasley is out of the picture, and I don't need to worry about you. So then, who does she have her eye on?"

"First off Cormac, Ron is still our friend. Second, I'm just as much of a threat as Ron is, if not more because I actually listen to her. Finally I don't bloody know and I don't bloody care! If you're wondering if she likes you so much then why don't you ask her yourself?"

Harry noticed the gleam in Cormac's eyes and instantly regretted his last sentence. He shoved Harry aside and told everyone at Hermione's table to beat it. Harry grumbled under his breath and went to sit alone somewhere far, far away from Cormac.

"Oh, um, hello Cormac," Hermione faked a smile.

"Mind if I sit?"

"Go ahead," she mumbled.

Cormac took his seat and scooted as close to Hermione as possible. With every inch forward he went, Hermione went one back until she got to the end of the table and was forced to deal with him invading her personal space.

"So, really liking this new look you have here," he put his hand on her shoulder until she quickly brushed it away. "Anyways, I was wondering if you wanted to go out sometime, maybe get some drinks at The Three Broomsticks or something."

"Erm, thanks, but I have a lot of studying to do," she used her books to create a wedge between them.

"Well, when won't you be studying?"

"I'm always studying Cormac."

Hermione spotted Ron coming into the library with Lavender trailing behind him like a little lost puppy. He sat down at a table close to them and she caught him taking a couple sneak peaks of her.

"Actually Cormac, maybe when I finish studying, we can go get some drinks together at The Three Broomsticks," Hermione said loud enough for Ron to hear. Ron looked down at an open book and scowled, making her grin out of spite.

"Great! So when will you be finished studying?"

"I'll get back to you," she mumbled while grabbing her belongings and rushing out. Hermione made it a point to swing her hips by Ron who was still scowling, this time at Cormac instead of the book he never intended to read in the first place.

"Listen to him," Ron grumbled the following day in the library with Harry and Neville Longbottom. "Bragging about Quidditch even though he's not even on the team." Ron's eyes narrowed at Cormac who was sitting with Hermione along with a couple other followers lurking at a distance. "Why's he hanging around Hermione so much anyways? She didn't agree to go out with him directly and they're not exactly the best of chums, right?"

"He's just talking with her Ron," Neville said quietly. "I mean, lots of guys talk to Hermione, why is Cormac any different?"

"He just thinks he's so great, and for what reason? He doesn't even do anything but sleaze around girls."

"Sounds to me like you're a bit jealous that he's spending time with Hermione Ron," Harry smirked.

"Shut up I am not," Ron grumbled. "I have Lavender, I don't care who she decides to spend her time with. I could care less..."

Ron stared at Hermione through the window Harry and Neville's heads provided. Though he hated seeing Cormac hit on her in the most obnoxious manner possible, he took some comfort in knowing that she didn't seem the least bit interested. Just because Hermione agreed to go get some drinks with him at some point in time didn't mean that she particularly liked him. Ron figured she must have agreed to go for drinks with him in order to shut him up. But even still, it was odd to see Hermione with any guy other than himself and Harry.

"Cormac cut it out," Ron heard Hermione say. Cormac was playing with a lose strand of her hair. "I'm trying to finish writing my essay for an Advanced History of Magic."

"You're just so pretty though."

Cormac's hand went on Hermione's thigh and Ron stood up abruptly, knocking books down from his shared table. The students around exchanged glances. Hermione stared up at Ron from her seat. Cormac took his hand off of her.

"What are you staring at Weasley?" he sneered.

Ron didn't get a chance to say anything since Lavender rushed to his side, much to his displeasure given his current state.

"Ron, are you okay?" she held his hand.

"Yeah, completely fine," he kept his gaze on Hermione who was looking back at Cormac now that Lavender arrived at the scene.

"So, about those drinks Cormac," Hermione said, "Are you free tomorrow?"

That was all Ron needed to hear. With those words, he pulled Lavender out the library with a forced grin. She did her best to keep up with him as he rushed over to god knows where.

"Where are we going?" Lavender asked, a bit shaken from his spontaneous actions.

"Come on Lavender, let's go have some fun," he smirked at her and led her into an empty broom closet. Doing anything with Lavender was better than seeing Hermione happy with a guy like Cormac.

Anything was better than seeing Hermione happy with anyone other than him.

A/N: That's it for the weekend chapters! Need to use this day off I have on Monday to get some more writing done. Hope you enjoyed the last three chapters (though they were roughly edited. Please stay tuned for next Friday and Saturday where more chapters will be published. Have a lovely day!