Hermione stood next to Draco, gaping at Harry and Ron. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out how they could have come to such a conclusion. They hadn't asked if she was dating him, just sleeping with him. She could feel her anger rising at the accusation, when both should have known better than to assume she would stoop so low without a commitment.
"Wren, David, could you leave us alone?" Draco asked, nodding as they complied with his request. "Thank you."
Hermione gazed back at Draco, glad that he wasn't planning on abandoning her to the wrath of her friends, instead, was clearly planning on delivering the news with her.
"Please sit down and stop glaring at me, both of you," Hermione said, voice trembling from anger and apprehension. Harry and Ron sat on the couch, perching on the edge, ready to attack if need be. Hermione planted herself in front of the fireplace, legs spread apart to brace herself and hands of her hips. Draco leaned against the fireplace behind her, looking bored and very elegant, his long legs crossed at the ankles and his hands in his pockets.
"Hermione, why is that git still here?" Ron asked rather violently, his face red and fists clenched menacingly.
"I'll explain that when we get there. The first thing that I would like to know is why you would accuse me of something like that?" she responded, the anger evident in her voice.
With a final glare at Draco, Harry answered her. "Parkinson. She came across us after we had left the library."
At that statement, Draco started chuckling. "I should have known…"
Hermione turned around to look at him, understanding clear in her eyes. "She is doing exactly what she said she would, just not how we thought," she said quietly, just for Draco's ears. He looked at her tenderly, resisting the urge to stroke her cheek. The look he gave her was not missed by Ron or Harry, who both jumped up off the couch.
"There IS something going on, isn't there?" Ron exclaimed, slowly approaching them. Hermione swung around to face them again, a stern look on her face.
"Sit down, now!" she said, finger pointing at the couch they had just left. They hesitated at the look on her face, but finally sat back down.
Hermione glanced back at Draco, hoping for some guidance, but he looked slightly nervous. Sighing, she faced Harry and Ron again, resuming her commanding pose.
"Parkinson told you a lie. I am not shagging Draco." Both of her friends flinched at the use of his first name. "I am appalled that you would accuse me of that. You know me better than that. Or at least I thought you did. You know what? Get out. I don't want to see your faces until Monday."
Harry stood up quickly, shock on his face. "Hermione? You can't be serious…"
Ron stood up more slowly, suspicion etched on his face. "You're still hiding something, Hermione. I know it. And I will find out what it is."
Draco stood up straight and placed himself in front of Hermione. "You heard the lady. You have insulted her enough that she doesn't want you around right now. I would suggest you listen to her."
Ron clenched his fist even harder and advanced on Draco, "How dare you…?"
He was stopped short by Harry's hand on his shoulder. He shook his head, "Come on, Ron. You know Hermione. She is pretty stubborn." And without even a goodbye, he and Ron left the common room, leaving Hermione alone with Draco.
Once the portrait door closed behind them, Hermione sank into the nearest armchair, face in her hands. Draco knelt before her, checking to make sure she wasn't crying.
Her muffled voice escaped her hands, "Those gits…"
Draco put his hand on her knee, gently rubbing it. "Pet, you know that they only care about your well-being. They just don't want you to get hurt."
Hermione sat up straight, looking Draco in the eye. "I know that, it's just that there are so many other things that they need to protect me from, instead of you. I know that you would never do anything to hurt me, even though we have only been together for less than a week." She chuckled a little. "I must be going insane, getting this serious this fast. What would my parents and Alice say?"
"They would probably tell you to follow your instincts. You are never wrong."
Hermione looked deeply into his eyes, surprised by the tenderness in which he referred to her muggle family. But just as she was leaning down to kiss him, an owl swooped in the open window and landed in front of them. In its beak was two letters, addressed to each of them.
Hermione frowned as she pulled the letters away from the owl and handed Draco his. "Who would be contacting us this late…" she said, opening her letter.
Dear Miss Hermione Granger,
I apologize for the late hour, but I require your presence in my office immediately.
All the best,
Albus Dumbledore
Her head snapped up to look at Draco, who held a similarly worded letter in his hand. "Is this what I think it is about…?" she asked.
Draco nodded, his face pale and his hand trembling. "We had better get going."
Ron and Harry were walking back to the Gryffindor Common Room, still talking about the incident with Hermione.
"The gall of that ferret to tell us to leave! Can you believe it?" Ron said angrily, fists clenched and his gait quick and hard.
Harry, just as angry as Ron, however, better able to manage his anger, nodded in agreement with him. In his head, he continually replayed the scene in his head, how Malfoy had defended Hermione and that she wasn't avoiding his company. It almost seemed like they were getting along, if her referring to him as Draco was any sign.
Ron continued to mumble insults Malfoy's way as they continued walking. Harry decided to interrupt his musings by asking his question.
"Did it appear to you that Pansy may have been right, to a point?"
Ron stopped in his tracks, caught unaware. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that although we did insult Hermione by insinuating that she would do something like that, that we jumped to that conclusion, that Hermione may be involved some way with Malfoy?"
Ron's mouth snapped shut, anger building in his eyes. It took him a full minute to reply, "How do you figure?"
Harry sighed and began to tick off the reasons on his fingers. "First, she calls him Draco. Second, she allowed him to stay for our accusations. Third, he defended her. All that points to them being friends or something more than friends. And what had Pansy said? That it benefited her plans to tell us? I say that gives some us some substantial evidence."
Ron's face had begun to turn a dangerous red color, slightly reminding Harry of his Uncle Vernon, when Professor McGonagall's voice interrupted them.
"Potter, Weasley, the headmaster wishes to see you in his office immediately. Please follow me."
A/N: Thanks to all of you who reviewed. I'm sorry for the slow update, but I've been busy with school and I hadn't received many reviews at all. I feel like a broken record. But I hope you enjoy this chapter. I know it's rather short.