AUTHOR'S NOTES: I thought I wouldn't, but I think I'm going to end up putting Malfoy and Hermione together.
Next chapter we find out what Harry and Cedric got up to after the Yule Ball.
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Chapter 10
Lucius Malfoy's words couldn't have been more plain.
Draco read and reread his father's letter, still not certain of how to respond.
Theodore Nott had divulged the knowledge of Draco's infatuation with Hermione Granger and now Malfoy Sr. had issued his son an ultimatum: Renounce his relationship with Hermione Granger or be disowned from the Malfoy family
And truth be told, Draco didn't relish either choice. He had grown used to the luxury and power that came with the Malfoy name. But losing Hermione wasn't a pleasant prospect either. Looking around, Malfoy saw Harry leaving the Great Hall and in a moment of either stupidity or brilliance, Malfoy grabbed his things and quickly followed Harry down one of the hallways. "Potter!"
Harry stopped, wheeling around to face his rival. "Malfoy. What do you want?"
"I need… your advice…" Malfoy admitted. "My father had found out about Hermione Granger and he's threatened to cut me off unless I break up with her."
Harry crossed his arms as he asked, "Do you want me to tell you what you should do or what I know you will do?" He was both annoyed and amused by Malfoy seeking his advice but the greater question was whether or not Malfoy would actually take his advice.
"What do you mean by that?" Malfoy asked, with more of a snap in his voice than he'd intended.
"Personally, I think you should tell your father to piss off," Harry replied. "But I know you like having money more than you like having someone actually like you so you're going to dump Hermione." An evil grin spread across Harry's face. "And I hope I'm around to see her hex you into oblivion."
"Even if I did choose my father," Malfoy thought out loud. "—he would try and hurt Hermione just to make sure it wasn't a trick. And he… he can't hurt her because I think I actually—"
"Actually what?" Harry asked, smirking. "Love her?"
"She's an insufferable know-it-all but… she's really not that bad to be around," Malfoy said.
"Look," Harry said with a sigh. "Talk to Hermione. Figure this out with her." Harry caught sight of Cedric coming down the hallway and as he wheeled towards his boyfriend, he added, "Get your father arrested or something."
Malfoy sighed and headed to the library where he found Hermione working on her homework for Transfiguration, Charms, and Arithmancy. Not bothering with small talk, Malfoy said, "My father found out about our… relationship. He has given me a choice: you or my family."
"So why are you here?" Hermione asked, not looking up from her essays. "I presume that you've already written him back claiming that I had you under the influence of a love potion or a spell."
"I haven't replied yet," Malfoy said, shortly. "And thinking on it… I think I'd rather like to tell him to piss off."
Hermione looked up from her homework and gave Malfoy a pointed look. "Really?"
"I've always gotten what I want," Malfoy replied. "If I work for the Weasley twins that will give me some money. And I can contact Gringotts before replying to my father and secure my own vault with enough galleons to last me for a few years." Sitting opposite Hermione, Malfoy went on. "My greatest concern is you. My father would hurt you to hurt me."
"I can take care of myself," Hermione assured him. "Besides, the Ministry has all former Death Eaters under constant surveillance."
"Are you… Are you saying that you want to date me?" Malfoy asked, confused.
Hermione leaned back in her chair and replied, "Would that be a bad thing?"
Malfoy gave her a smile. "No… I suppose not."
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As Harry sat before the mirror on the Gryffindor boys' dormitory the night of the Yule Ball, he couldn't help feeling nervous about the night ahead. Oh, his dress robes looked fine and his hair was—well, messy, but less messy than usual. Everything seemed to be going like clockwork. But he still felt nervous.
"Are you coming, Harry?" Neville Longbottom asked as he grabbed something off of his bed and headed for the door, holding it open for his friend.
"Yeah," Harry replied, as he turned away from the mirror. Looking at the small, clear, plastic container Neville held, Harry grinned. "Is that a corsage?"
"D-do you think Ginny will like it?" Neville asked, hesitantly.
"She'll love it. She loves orchids," Harry replied. Catching Neville's look, he added, "She told me when I was at her house summer before 4th year."
As the two headed out of Gryffindor Tower and down to the Great Hall, Neville asked, "How are you dealing with… well, you know…?"
Harry shrugged. "It's… hard sometimes," he admitted. "I know I'm never going to have the life I had before, but… I'm dealing with it."
At the bottom of the main staircase, Harry saw Cedric waiting and as he approached his boyfriend, Harry tried to cover his nerves.
"You look great, Harry," Cedric said with a smile as he saw Harry.
"Thanks," Harry replied, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach. "So do you." Looking around at the other students starting to head into the Great Hall. "Have you seen Ron or Hermione yet?"
"Ron came by a few minutes with Luna Lovegood," Cedric replied, opening the door of the Great Hall for Harry. "I haven't seen Hermione yet. Why do you ask?"
"I was just curious," Harry replied as he and Cedric headed for one of the small tables near the front of the hall.
"Harry, is something wrong?" Cedric asked, taking Harry's hand.
"It's nothing," Harry shrugged with a smile. Seeing that Cedric wanted to press the issue, Harry started looking around the room for Hermione. Catching a glimpse of a familiar blue gown out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Hermione coming towards the table on the arm of Draco Malfoy. The blue evening gown Hermione wore fit her perfectly and the snowflake pendant and earrings she wore sparkled in the glow of the white and silver candles floating near the ceiling.
'She doesn't feel that way about you,' said a small voice in the back of Harry's mind as he watched Hermione. 'She's not attracted to you. You're just a friend to her.'
--
As the night wore on, Hermione started to get the impression that she wasn't welcome at Harry's table. After a while, she looked at Malfoy and Cedric and said in as sweet a voice as she could, "Would the two of you mind if Harry and I had a moment alone?"
Cedric nodded, giving Harry and Hermione a smile before standing but when Malfoy stood, he gave Hermione an 'are you sure?' look.
Hermione gave a tiny nod and watched Cedric and Malfoy walk away before turning to Harry. "Harry, I've always felt closer to you than any of my other friends. And I know that you and Cedric care about each other… But why don't you tell me what's been bothering you?"
"I do love Cedric," Harry said, not wanting to look at Hermione. "But… The past few days… I've been… more and more attracted to you…"
Hermione gave Harry a smile as she reached for his hand and waited patiently until he looked at her. "Harry, you're my best friend. But that's as far as it goes between us."
"I know," Harry muttered. "I just… I had to say it." Looking over at where Malfoy and Cedric were Harry wondered what they would think about he and Hermione sitting alone.
--
"You trust Hermione and Potter to be alone together?" Malfoy asked when Cedric handed him a cup of punch from the refreshments table.
"They're just friends," Cedric replied. "And I know Harry wouldn't do anything."
"Really?" Malfoy questioned, amazed. "And why is that, exactly?" Studying Cedric closely, he smirked as he said, "Potter can't do it, can he?"
"That's crass, even for you, Malfoy," Cedric snapped, a note of disgust in his voice. Still glaring at Malfoy, he admitted, "It's… No… I mean… we haven't actually…" After a moment Cedric bristled. "And… Why am I even talking to you about this?" But after a while, Cedric's brow raised in incredulity. "Wait—you—you think that Harry and Hermione…?"
"You can't tell me you didn't see the way Potter was eyeing Hermione," Draco persisted. "Hell, I've been looking at her that way myself lately." Seeing that Cedric was about to protest, he went on. "I trust Hermione for the most part. But what's to stop them from snogging when we're not around? And don't tell me you're not worried," he added when Cedric opened his mouth to speak again.
After a moment, Cedric smiled, but it was a bittersweet smile. "The difference between you and me, Malfoy," Cedric said, calmly. "—is that I would give Harry up if he met someone else who made him happier than I do."
"Really?" Malfoy asked, a twinge of doubt in his voice. "As much as you care about Potter you'd just let him go if he fell in love with Hermione?"
Cedric hesitated but he nodded. "Yes… I would." After a moment, he asked, "Would you give up Hermione?"
Malfoy grinned and shook his head. "Are you bloody joking? I've just now started to win her over. I'll fight to keep her." Starting to head back to the table, Cedric following, Malfoy added, "As I'm starting to learn… if anything is worth having it's worth fighting to keep."
"So I'm worth fighting for?" Hermione said as Draco walked up.
"I have done a lot to win your favor," Malfoy said, with a charming smile, offering his hand to Hermione. "And now I do believe I would like to dance with you, Miss Granger."
"I'd like that, Mr. Malfoy," Hermione replied, taking his hand and letting him lead her to the dance floor.
As Hermione and Malfoy headed off, Cedric smiled at Harry. "Do you want to dance?"
Harry rolled his eyes as he said, "Ha ha, very funny…"
"So was Malfoy right?" Cedric asked, flatly. "Were you and Hermione…?"
Harry sighed. "Hermione's my best friend. Nothing more."
"But you've thought about her like that," Cedric said, softly.
"I love you, Cedric," Harry replied, sincerely. "But I won't deny that Hermione has a place in my heart as well."
"But you… you're not in love with her, are you?" Cedric asked, nervously.
"I love Hermione like she's my sister," Harry said. "She's my best friend. It's just… seeing her in that dress…"
"She does look smashing," Cedric agreed, watching Hermione and Malfoy dancing before looking back at Harry. "But I'll take you any day." Taking Harry's hand, Cedric said, "I love you, Harry."
Hermione glanced over at Harry and Cedric before looking back at Malfoy. "May I ask you a question?"
"Of course," Malfoy replied, twirling Hermione.
"Why are you with me?" Hermione asked, simply. "You hate mudbloods…"
Malfoy smiled as he pulled Hermione close. "Because you do what no one else has ever dared to do… Stand up to me… Give me a swift kick in the arse… You are a force, Hermione Granger… One which I hope that… someday… I'll be able to understand…" Leaning forward, Malfoy met Hermione's lips in a kiss.