Chapter 11
Pansy sighed, "I never said I didn't like him, Ginny. I just said that I didn't think he and I were right for each other. It's not like he's no good with anyone."
"But, Hermione?!" Ginny shook her head. "What were you thinking trying to set them up? I can't believe she didn't jinx you to bits!"
Pansy shook her head, "Well, I thought she would, too, but um, she, well, when we talked, uh…"
Ginny just looked at her, "Spit it out, Pansy."
"Well, she said she might be interested in him, too," Pansy confessed. The look on Ginny's face made her rush to add, "But, I don't know if I'm supposed to say anything to anyone, so you can't tell her I told you, okay? I don't want her even more upset with me. Let her tell you in her own time please."
Ginny nodded mutely, but looked across the room to Hermione's bent head. The very idea that her intelligent friend would even think of falling for the one person who had hurt so many people with his actions and words, and Hermione specifically, so often, boggled her mind.
"There can't be that much change in the world," she muttered to herself. "Is she crazy?"
Pansy laughed a little, "Well, I think we're all feeling a little crazy right now, don't you? Look at me? In only two days I have completely given up on my parents' dreams for me, set my sights on a man who doesn't know I exist, who barely even notices me, actually, and made friends with the two most unlikely witches in the whole school. And, you…you've broken up with Harry and…"
"What? No, I didn't!" Ginny interrupted. "I didn't!"
Pansy nodded, "Okay, okay. It's just, well, everyone's talking about some fight you two had, and then all day you've been really distant from one another and all, so I just guessed that you…"
"Well, it's not true! We did not break up," Ginny hissed. "And, people should mind their own business! We had a fight, that's all."
Pansy tried to calm her down, "Hey, I get it. I'm sorry. It's okay. Relax, Ginny. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. I'm so sorry."
Ginny took a deep breath and then another as she gripped the edge of the table. Then she looked at Pansy, "I'm okay. And, stop apologizing. It's annoying!"
When Pansy put her hands in her lap and looked down, Ginny felt bad for snapping at her, "Look, I'm just more than a little stressed, you know. It's been a crazy few days. Hell, a crazy year. And, I have all this Head Girl stuff I have to do and I have to do it with Blaise the Butthead! And, you know what? It's not all me! It's a fair bit of pressure being his girlfriend sometimes. He's always hovering. I can barely excuse myself to go the loo without him watching me and asking if I'm okay. I just need some space is all. That's all. I wasn't breaking up with him. I just want him to stop being so damn protective all the time. I can take care of myself; I did for almost a year! Why can't he see that?"
Pansy lifted her eyes to Ginny's and said softly, "Because he loves you," as if that was the answer to all of life's ills.
Ginny shook her head, "Love doesn't solve everything, Pansy."
"I know," Pansy said defensively but with a shrug, "but, at least you have someone you know cares about you more than anything. Even with all his savior issues, isn't that worth something?"
"Yeah," Ginny agreed with a glance over at Harry and Theo's bent heads. She wondered what they were whispering to each other, but turned back to Pansy, "Yeah, it is. I guess I have to just figure out how to be me with him. I've never really done that, you know?"
"No, I don't," Pansy shook her head. "What do you mean?"
Ginny sat back a little and sighed, "I've loved that man, in one way or another, since I was ten years old. I grew up doing everything in my power to make him see me, I made myself into a person he would want, would be proud to have at his side. But, along the way I kind of forgot to figure out who I really was, I guess. It's always been about Harry. How to get him, how to keep him, how to get him back after he left last year; it's never really been about me. Now, with nothing to keep us apart, and nothing for him to think about, but me, I guess I worry that once I do figure out who I am, he won't like the person I've become."
Pansy sat quietly for a moment before she nodded, "So you've stamped down all that's really you and have been trying to be the person you think he wants you to be. No wonder it's finally making you crazy."
Ginny smiled at Pansy's intuition, "Yeah, something like that."
xxxxxx
Ron never claimed to be the sharpest quill in the set, but he had relatively good intuition. Once he put together all that had happened over the past couple of days, he came to the conclusion that Hermione might actually be interested in the pasty-faced git across from him. She had been distracted and argumentative, gnawing on her lip like she was starving, and she couldn't seem to keep still. He'd suspected that her snapping at him had meant that she had a lot on her mind and now he knew what it was.
Draco Malfoy.
Ron scowled at the thought and watched Draco steal another glance over at Hermione's table. Part of him wanted to jump across the table and make the man eat his own eyeballs. But, the mature part of him held back for one reason only. If Hermione was actually interested in the ass, was it his place to stand in her way? He knew Draco wasn't a physical threat to anyone any more, but he was pretty sure no one really knew how vulnerable and insecure Hermione could be.
He thought back on how long it had taken him to get her, and wondered how much had been his hesitance and how much had been her reluctance to put herself out there to be hurt. And, whether or not Malfoy meant to do it or not, planned to do it or not, if Hermione liked him, he had the power to hurt her. And, that was something Ron wouldn't let happen. Even if they were no longer together, he loved her and wanted her happy. If she wanted Malfoy for real, then he would stay out of it, but he would keep an eye on things just in case. If she wasn't interested, then he would happily take pleasure in rubbing it in the man's face for the rest of the year.
Ron wondered what Harry would say when he found out and looked across the room to see Harry and Theo in deep discussion. As Ron watched he saw Harry look at Draco and then over at Hermione and knew it wouldn't be long before he would find out. Harry looked incredulous, murderous, and then shocked in quick succession before he fell back in his chair and said an, "Oh shit," that Ron could read quite clearly from his seat.
Ron laughed to himself as he nodded in agreement and went back to staring at Draco. He didn't expect those icy eyes to be looking back at him.
Neither had spoken to the other since Draco's confession the night before. Now, as students started drifting away from the table on their way to classes, Ron felt he should make himself clear.
"I'm willing to acknowledge that things, circumstances, and even people change, Malfoy, but, listen up. I don't personally care what you think you feel or how different you think you now are. I don't feel sorry for you or your family. You all got what you deserved, nothing more, nothing less. It's not even personal, as I simply don't care enough about you to even hate you anymore. I don't even pity you. You're a non-entity, really. But, she is someone I do care for deeply. And, while who she chooses to be with is her choice, one that I will learn to live with no matter who it is, I give you this one warning. If you hurt her, if you try to hurt her, if you even think of hurting her, I will crush you. There will be nowhere for you to run, nowhere to hide. I will spend the rest of my days finding ways to make her pain yours ten-fold. Do we understand each other?"
Draco stared back at the red-haired man across from him in silence for a long moment. He had been shocked at first to hear Ron addressing him directly, but then was floored by what was said. He had never considered "The Weasel" to be much of a threat, as his hot headed actions and inability to keep his mouth shut normally got him in more trouble than Draco could have ever dreamt up for him. But, sitting across from the deadly serious man, he was forced to reevaluate Ron Weasley. Gone was the rash young boy he had always known; in his place sat a man with complete confidence in himself and his beliefs. For the first time ever, Draco took a threat from the other man seriously.
But, he was still Draco Malfoy and he was not about to let Ron know he had gotten to him. He plastered a bland look on his face and answered in a soft, low voice, "Piss off, Weasel! You don't scare me."
Ron stood as Draco did and as he rounded the table Ron grabbed his arm and pulled him close. His voice was a bare whisper as he spat confidently, "Your eyes said differently, Ferret! And, though you may not believe it, I am more than capable of backing up my words. So, watch yourself."
Draco refused to let Ron see how much his words affected him and pulled his arm roughly away, "Don't touch me! And, stay out of my business!"
Before Ron could retort Draco swept passed him and out of the doors. Ron huffed and clenched his hands into fists. He almost swung around and punched the person who dared touch his shoulder before he realized who it was.
"Oh, sorry, Harry."
"S'okay," Harry answered. "Figured it out, too, huh?"
Ron didn't need to ask what and just nodded as he angrily gathered his belongings and the two headed to class.
Each stayed lost in his own thoughts on the turn of events and didn't speak as Harry walked with Ron to his Muggle Studies class. When they reached the door, the new professor, Peyton Mills, was already ushering people into the room. Ron cast an evil glance at the back of Malfoy's head and then turned to Harry.
"Meet you back in the common room after?"
Harry nodded and smiled a bit, "Yeah, and try not to hex him in front of witnesses, okay?"
"No problem," Ron laughed with him. "There's no magic allowed in this class, remember?"
Harry smiled at the thought of the entire class of witches and wizards learning to do things without magic and laughed, "I can't wait to hear all about this class. You have to remember to take extra notes on the Slytherins reactions, okay?"
"Will do," Ron nodded. "I better get going. See you after." After one last wave at Harry, Ron entered the room.
He noticed that everyone was still standing and looked to the new professor to find out what was going on.
She smiled at the room as she began to walk around the classroom, "Hello, everyone. My name is Professor Peyton Mills. I am a fully qualified and trained witch, although I grew up in Australia and did my schooling there. I sat and passed my O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. We don't have magical schools like Hogwarts there. Our magic is homeschooled, but our book learning is done in regular schools along with everyone else. As such, school and magic were separated and played no part in who we befriended or the schooling we received. Unlike here in England, there wasn't a lot of emphasis on people's blood status, although I assure you, we found plenty of other reasons to not like one another, as children are wont to do. I say all this to explain how I am qualified to teach this class."
She paused momentarily to wave her wand at the blackboard and they saw a seating chart appear on it.
Then she looked back at them and continued, "Now, as is done in most classes back home, you will sit in your assigned seats unless you are told to do differently. They are alphabetically assigned, so there is no favoritism or house judgment. Now, if you will all take your seats?"
When everyone was seated she asked, "Before we begin our introductions, are there any questions?"
Parvati raised her hand and was granted permission to speak, "I thought we couldn't use magic in here?"
"You can't, but I can," Professor Mills laughed not unkindly. "Your wands were deactivated, so to speak, the moment you crossed the threshold of the room. But, I promise you I will not use it often, as I want you to really experience a regular classroom."
Greg timidly raised his hand and when she called on him he turned a bit red in embarrassment. "Um, Professor? Why do you keep saying regular school? Are you saying we're not normal?"
The smile on her face softened as she shook her head, "Oh no! Absolutely not. I didn't mean to offend any of you. It's habit more than anything, I guess. I mean, think about it, ninety-five percent of the world goes to school and does the same things as we are going to do. But, here, and at Beauxbaton and a few other places, you all never get to see any of that. To you this is normal, but to me, what I know is normal. Does that make sense?"
Several students nodded, but the others continued to stare at her blankly, so she tried a different tactic.
"Okay, how about this? How many of you were homeschooled before coming here?" When every hand raised she nodded and continued, "And, how many of you knew non-magical people before you came to school?" Most hands dropped, and she asked, "And, how many of you ever wondered why it was that you weren't made privy to the happenings and actions of over ninety percent of the population of this planet?"
No one raised their hands, but several people shifted nervously. She didn't want to scare them, but she wanted to make them understand. She moved to her desk and leaned back on it.
"In this class, you will learn about all those things you've missed. You will get to decide what you like about the whole world around you, not just the magical one. You will be able to feel comfortable going anywhere in the world and knowing you understand those around you. You may not have shared those experiences before, but my hope is that when you are done this year, you will be able to go out there into the world and choose to be whoever you want to be, whether it be magical or non. I hope to open up a whole new world for you; one with endless opportunities, brand new options, and new chances. You never know. One of you may be an upcoming Minister of Magic or English Prime Minister. You could be a star quidditch player or a star footy player. You could date, fall in love with and marry anyone, magical or muggle. You will no longer be limited to the people, places and events you know now. My hope is that by the end of the year, you will be free to decide who you are, to make your own choices."
All of the students stared up at her in awe. She had made it sound plausible, possible, even attainable. She had made them want it. Peyton Mills hid her tiny grin of triumph and tucked her head to take attendance.
xxxxxx
Nearly two hours later Hermione stood outside of the door and grinned to herself as she heard the teacher's homework assignment. Each student was to figure out how to send off for a subscription to one muggle newspaper and one muggle magazine. They were to present their completed applications at the next class along with an explanation of what their next steps should be. Their subscriptions were to start arriving by the next week. She knew the easiest way to do it, as it had been the way she and her parents had sent mail during her earlier years at Hogwarts, but Hermione laughed out loud at the thought of Ron and Ginny trying to figure out the muggle post at Hogsmeade.
Her laugh was interrupted by the classroom door opening and the students pouring out of the room. Hermione was happy to note that most looked excited about the class. She heard exclamations about how great their new professor was and how much fun the class would be, and part of her wondered if she could get permission to at least audit the class. But, before a plan to do so could completely form in her head, she found herself staring up at Draco Malfoy. She hadn't even noticed him come out of the room, and most certainly hadn't seen him come to stand in front of her.
She felt her heart lurch and her stomach flutter as her eyes travelled up his long, lean body, taking note despite herself of how good he looked. When she finally reached his face she had to curl her hand into a fist at her side to stop herself from reaching up to brush his hair out of his eyes. Eyes that held her mesmerized for a long quiet moment. In them she read interest that made her want to blush, question that made her want to answer yes to whatever he asked, and something else she couldn't quite decipher, but its heat made her flush a bit.
"Malfoy?" she asked when he just stood there staring at her, with his head tilted slightly in confusion.
"Is it your shampoo or perfume?" he finally asked his voice soft in inquiry.
She blinked up at him for a second before she found her tongue, "I'm sorry. What?"
"That scent, strawberries, vanilla and something else, what is it?" he asked as his eyes moved around her face and hair.
"H…herbs," she finally stuttered. "And, I guess it's my shampoo. Why?"
He looked down into her eyes when he heard her voice turn defensive on the last question. He allowed a small smile and said softly, "Because it's stuck in my head, Granger. And, since I can't seem to get rid of it, I thought I should at least know what it is."
"Oh," she murmured. Then she looked very confused as she stared up at him, "Why is it stuck in your head?"
He shrugged and his cheeks reddened just a little as he said with a grin, "I guess because you are."
Before she could answer he turned and walked away from her. She followed him with her eyes until he was gone from the hall, chiding herself the entire time for wishing he wasn't wearing robes that covered his backside. Then she reminded herself to breathe and turned back to see Ron, Ginny, Theo, Parvati, Greg and Millicent all staring at her. She blushed a brilliant shade of red as she realized what they must have looked like with Draco leaning into her and her against the wall looking up at him.
"Well, maybe I won't have to say something to him after all," Theo mumbled. Then he turned to Parvati, "Shall we go get to work on our assignment?"
She nodded at him and took his offered hand. As they walked by Hermione, Parvati leaned in and whispered, "Tonight, we have your first hair and makeup lesson!"
She didn't get to answer before they swept passed her and down the hall. Greg mumbled something about needing to get a nap and took off rather quickly, refusing to meet Hermione's eyes as he went by her. Millicent hurried after him and Hermione saw her cuff him on the arm as they walked away. She felt badly about possibly hurting Greg's feelings, but when she turned back to Pansy, Ron and Ginny, she forgot all about it.
"Uh, hi guys," she ventured nervously. Pansy smiled knowingly at her, Ginny looked to be in a bit of shock, and Ron looked both ticked and resigned.
"Hi yourself," Pansy chirped.
"What exactly was that?" Ginny asked without preamble.
Ron jutted out his chin as he asked, "Was he threatening you?"
"No," she answered Ron's question with a shake of her head. "He was just…he…he asked about my shampoo," she finished lamely.
"What?" Pansy asked as Ginny said, "Huh?!" Ron's "What for?" was louder than both of the women's voices.
Hermione shook her head and looked once again down the empty hall, "I don't know. But, that's what he asked me about."
She looked back at their confused faces and laughed as they mirrored her own feelings. She shrugged and didn't know what else to say. She hadn't revealed her feelings to Ginny or Ron yet, and she wasn't quite sure how to say whatever it was she was going to say to explain it. Especially when she didn't really know what was going on herself.
xxxxxx
Professor Mills poked her head out of the door and called, "Hermione Granger?" and saved her from having to handle anything just yet.
"Yes, I'm here," she called out to her assigned Mental Health professor. Then she turned back to her friends, "I'll see you guys back in the all-house common room in a while, okay?"
They nodded and smiled at her with varying degrees of warmth and she hurried into the solace of the classroom. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding when the door clicked softly shut and the professor turned around to look at her.
She gasped in shock and embarrassment when Professor Mills laughingly mumbled, "Well, someone's had a busy two days."
Then she bristled as she realized her teacher was making a reference to her private life. Before she could stop herself she snapped, "Am I being spied on or something?"
Professor Mills shook her head and held her hands up defensively, "No, no. I'm sorry. I do that sometimes. I apologize. I usually control my tongue better than that."
"So, what exactly did you mean?" Hermione asked, her eyes darting around the room as if looking for a clue as to the woman's behavior.
"Okay, let's start over. My name is Peyton Mills, you can call me Peyton, if you'd like. And, I, as you know, am the new Muggle Studies professor. But, I also suffer uncontrollable, very strong, legilimens skills and I often pick up the thoughts of others without meaning to do so. Normally, all the sounds blend in my head, kind of like background noise. Most often, although it takes a fair bit of concentration, I can block it all out, but your and Mr. Malfoy's thoughts were fairly shouting in my head. Again, I apologize. I wasn't intentionally eavesdropping, I assure you. And, I didn't mean to say that out loud."
Hermione was quiet for a moment as she absorbed what the relatively young woman said. Then she forced herself to think quite clearly, Yeah, right. I bet you're as big a fraud as Trelawney!
"I am not!" Peyton answered with a gasp. "That woman is a disgrace to…well that is neither here, nor there. Suffice it to say, I…"
She broke off as she noticed Hermione staring at her with huge eyes and her mouth hanging open. "You're a mind reader!"
Peyton flushed at the sound of accusation in Hermione's voice, but nodded, "Yes. I suppose that's the best word for it. Although, as I said, I don't do it on purpose."
"But, that's…that's intrusive! And, unethical! And, dangerous! How can they let you teach when…"
"Miss Granger, my disability does not in any way hinder my teaching and was, in fact, very helpful during the war! Nor, does it endanger the lives of any of my students! I don't go around blabbing what I hear to others, and most people don't even know of it unless I slip up, as I did with you. Why can't people ever see past this one stupid thing?! All my life I've been judged because of it! I thought you, of all people, would understand what it's like to be a little different! That is why I asked to be put with you. I can see I was wrong."
Hermione was shocked at the anger directed at her, but repeated stupidly, "Disability?"
"Well, what would you call it?" Peyton snapped. Then she rounded her desk and grabbed a quill. She leaned over to grab a piece of parchment and began scribbling furiously.
Hermione was sorry she had upset the woman, but still a little shocked to know such a thing existed. "May I ask what you are writing?" she finally asked softly.
Peyton's head shot up and she pinned Hermione with a glare. Then she heaved a sad sigh before she looked back down, signed her name, folded the letter and handed it to Hermione. "I am letting you off the hook, Ms. Granger, so you don't have to suffer my disability. This is a letter to the Headmistress explaining that we are not well-suited for these meetings."
Hermione's fear of failure instantly dwarfed her sorrow at having so deeply offended the woman, "What? No, Peyton. I'm sorry. I was just shocked, that's all. I am sure we can work through this. There's no need to bring Headmistress McGonagall into this. I didn't mean to upset you. I didn't know there was such a thing as a magical disability, other than being a squib. I've never read about it before and it was a surprise. I believe you weren't spying on me, I do. Please don't do this. Please. I am so sorry."
Peyton, although still hurt, was taken aback by the pleading in Hermione's voice, as much as the sheen of tears in her eyes. "Hey, hey, calm down. I was just trying to…"
"I can't fail," Hermione wailed a she rang her hands. "Please don't give up on me yet."
Peyton stared at the distraught woman for a minute before she nodded and sat back in her chair.
Neither spoke for a moment, then Hermione breached the silence. "Can we, um, maybe, uh, start over?"
Peyton nodded and said, "If you are sure."
"I think I am," Hermione nodded. "But, may I ask a couple of things up first?" When she received the nod from the professor, Hermione cleared her throat. "Well, um, how old are you?"
As this was the last question she expected to be asked, Peyton answered, "Twenty on my last birthday. Why?"
"You just kind of remind me a lot of Tonks, er, Professor Tonks. She's rather young, too, and you got rather, um, defensive, you know? Kinda like she does when you call her Nymphadora."
"Sorry," Peyton muttered with a small grin, "I'm guess I am a little defensive about it. People start to act rather strangely toward you when they know, and it starts to…Wait a minute. This is supposed to be about you, not me. I'm supposed to be helping you get over whatever issues you have since the war. Again, I apologize, Hermione, may I call you Hermione? Okay, good. I am not dong this very well."
Hermione smiled at the other woman and shrugged her shoulders, "Actually, this has been helping?"
"How so?"
"Well, Peyton, for the past ten minutes, I haven't thought about me or my problems even once," Hermione laughed. "And, for a person like me, who can sometimes have a tendency to obsess, that's a good thing."
Both women relaxed in their laughter and were soon chatting away. Neither noticed the passing time until a tentative knock on the door announced Peyton's next class. They parted company with smiles and promises to talk to each other again soon, and not just in their sessions. Hermione admired the other woman's desire to overcome her disability and the strength it took to teach despite the attitudes of others. Peyton had already admired Hermione from all she'd read about her, and the few times they had worked near one another during the war, but she had been surprised by how well-adjusted the young heroine actually was. Their session became more of two-way advice session, than a Mental Health check, but neither seemed to mind as they parted company and Hermione went to meet her friends.
xxxxxx
Draco smiled smugly to himself when he saw Hermione enter the all-house common room, meet his eyes and then blush a red that would have made the Weasley family proud. He didn't know what had prompted him to approach her after his last class, but he hadn't been able to stop himself. And, he was glad he had. Afterward, he, Theo and surprisingly, Greg, had had a long talk about it and they had helped him remember that life was too short to not go for what you wanted. Theo had logically suggested that Draco might want to consider the fact that he was still engaged to Pansy in the mix. And, Greg had told him that he wasn't upset with Draco, so much as disappointed that Hermione hadn't seen him as an option. Theo then told Greg that there were other fish in the proverbial sea and that maybe he didn't need to look so far to find someone who might be interested. He hadn't given up a name, but Greg's spirits had lifted slightly, and Draco was once again thankful that he had been given the chance to get to know Theo better.
As he sat once again with a group of people he wouldn't have believed it possible to sit with and not have a fight break out, Draco wondered what Hermione would do when she reached them. Ron had just left for his Mental Health meeting, Pansy was in History of Magic, and Parvati was in Divination with her sister and Lavender Brown. Greg filled one chair with his books spread out around him and Millicent sat sneering beside him as she read a muggle novel of some sort. Theo worked diligently on his Arithmancy homework in another large chair, but kept glancing at the clock as he impatiently awaited Parvati's return. Harry and Ginny sat together on one sofa, and Harry was concentrating on his book, while Ginny and Blaise battled out the Prefect's patrolling schedule. That left Draco on a sofa alone and the empty chair Ron had vacated when he'd left.
When Hermione finally reached the group and everyone greeted her, Draco saw her look at the empty space beside him and the empty seat across from him next to Harry. He saw her turn to the chair, but she made the mistake of glancing at him. He held her eyes and raised his brow in a silent challenge that made her straighten and lift her chin proudly. He smiled a little at her and had the pleasure of seeing her eyes widen a bit before she daintily stepped over Greg's books and sat down next to him. Granted she sat at the very end of the sofa, but she had chosen to sit with him, and he was pleased with even that little bit of progress.
Take that, asshole! he thought to the invisible guy Pansy wanted to set Hermione up with.
He didn't say anything to her, but instead took a deep breath and inhaled her scent. He couldn't explain it, and wasn't sure he wanted to analyze it too deeply just yet, but something about it made him feel calm, more settled; almost happy. He didn't even care all that much that she wouldn't look at him again as she talked to everyone else.
"You know what? I'll do it by myself then!" Blaise exploded loudly, interrupting everyone else's conversations.
Ginny crossed her arms, "I didn't say I wouldn't do it, Zabini! I simply said I couldn't until after quidditch practice!"
"And, I told you I don't care!" he shouted in her face. "Do whatever you want!"
Draco's eyes went to Potter's to see what he would do and he watched the man clench his fists, but keep his head down as if the fight wasn't happening. Surprised the "Savior of the World" wasn't jumping to his girlfriend's defense, he turned to Hermione and saw that she too was watching Harry, but she had a tiny smile on her face.
Ginny gritted her teeth and said carefully, "Look, Zabini, we are supposed to patrol together. That means both of us, not one, and then the other. Why can't you just change it to Wednesday nights after your astronomy class?"
Blaise sat back in a huff and said through his clenched teeth, "Maybe I want to study then, Weasley!"
"No, you just want to be difficult!" she hissed.
Blaise glanced around the group and caught everyone staring at them. He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Fine. Wednesdays it is. But, I won't be doing Sunday nights then."
Ginny nodded and accepted her win gracefully, "I'm sure we can find a couple of prefects to shift around for then."
They went back to planning and Draco saw Harry unclench his hands and breathe out slowly. He wondered if the dark haired wizard was doing some kind of impulse control exercises or something. He looked over at Hermione and saw her smiling at Harry proudly. When she glanced his way, Draco couldn't help but stare. In all the years they had known each other, her smile had never been directed at him and he felt his stomach clench at the giddy feeling that gripped him.
Harry, it seemed, had been silent long enough, and put down his book, "So, Greg, Theo, Bulstrode, how was Muggle Studies?"
Draco rolled his eyes at the way Harry purposely left him out, but didn't look over at the dark-haired man. Millicent grunted, but Greg and Theo launched into stories of their pretty young teacher and all the things she promised to teach them. Soon their stories turned to the things they hoped to see and do in the class and they had even drawn Ginny and Millicent into the conversation.
Draco listened to Harry and Hermione correct some of their more incorrect pronunciations and then simply sat back and enjoyed the sound of Hermione's soft laugh. It amazed him that the same sound that used to drive him mad, he now longed to hear. Soon, even Blaise had entered the conversation, though he made sure his statements or questions were directed at his friends only.
"Come on, Hermione, just tell us some!" Ginny begged.
Greg added, "Yeah, at least give us a name or two to ask for, so we don't look stupid."
"You wouldn't want us guys to mistakenly pick out a woman's magazine or something, would you?" Theo asked jokingly.
Hermione laughed with them, but shook her head, "Nope. You will just have to get yourselves over to that little section over there and look up some magazine names on your own."
After a lot of teasing and good natured griping, only Harry, Hermione and Draco remained in their seats. The silence was awkward, as they all looked everywhere but at each other.
"Uh, Drac…Malf…Dra…(cough), uh, aren't you going to go look up muggle magazine names with everyone else?" Hermione finally asked softly.
Draco glanced at Harry and saw him looking at Hermione strangely, and then looked at her. There was a trace of vulnerability in her deep brown eyes that mingled with the bravery that showed in her tilted chin, and he found himself unable to speak for a second. Instead he swallowed and simply shook his head.
He finally smiled at her when she said, "But, you have to do your homework, too!"
"You sound like Pansy," he remarked with a laugh. "But no worries, I have it taken care of already."
Harry sounded completely gobsmacked when he said, "You do?!"
Draco forced himself not to sneer as he nodded at Harry, "Yes, Potter, I do." Then he turned and winked at Hermione, "I've been subscribed to GQ since I was three years old."
He laughed inwardly when her mouth dropped into an O and her eyes ran quickly over his body. He thanked God that he had removed his heavy robes before he'd sat down and tried not to preen when she blushed softly, smiled and looked down and away from him.
Harry saw Hermione's blush and rolled his eyes at both of them. He thought it time to remind both of them how things really were. "So, Malfoy, Ginny tells me you and Pansy are engaged. Congratulations."
He felt a little bad for his actions when he heard Hermione's gasp and saw her move more fully away from Draco, but he continued to stare into the other man's icy eyes.
"Thank you, Potter," Draco said evenly, even though his eyes shot sparks of anger. "But, it seems, as always, you are misinformed about things of any real importance."
Harry started to retort, but was cut off by Hermione's question, "Wait, but Pansy said…"
Draco turned to her his voice softer, the anger gone, "Well, I haven't actually told her yet, either."
"Huh?" she asked.
"Well, Grang, ahem, Hermione…" he smiled at her gasp and flush at the use of her first name and then continued, "according to a letter from my mother this morning, she feels it would be unfair to the Parkinson family to saddle them with our burdens, our name, so she is breaking the contract."
Hermione looked shocked when she asked, "And, Pansy doesn't know yet?"
"Pansy doesn't know what?" Theo asked as he retook his seat.
Draco gave Hermione and Harry a quick warning look before he glanced over at Theo, "Nothing. Just talking about some homework."
Hermione looked at Draco almost tenderly when she realized he wanted to be the one to tell Pansy, and not have it spread throughout the school before he could. Harry understood as well, but rolled his eyes again when he saw the look on Hermione's face. He consoled himself with the thought that at least their little, whatever it was, wouldn't go too far or too long. Harry was convinced they were too different to get along together and would soon see the stupidity of their ways. He just had to tough it out, keep his bile down, and keep an eye on her, until Hermione came to her senses.
Ginny plopped down in her seat next to Harry with a laugh, "You should have come with us, Harry. It took us forever to talk Greg out of subscribing to Memory Makers."
"Well, how was I supposed to know it was about some girly craft crap?" Greg laughed with her. "I thought it was some kind of magical muggle magazine."
"Say that three times fast," Harry joked under his breath.
But, Ginny heard him and tried, "Magical muggle magazine. Mugical maggle mugazine. Maggical mugle mugglezine."
Everyone peeled with laughter and when Greg tried it, they doubled over. Only Greg noticed when Draco's laughed died in his throat. Hermione's hand had fallen on his thigh as she tried to hold herself up, and when he subconsciously flexed it, her giggle stopped abruptly. Her eyes went to her hand and then quickly traveled up his body to his face before she snatched her hand back as if burnt.
In a move he would later question and relive over and over, wondering what possessed him to do it, he grabbed her hand before she could pull it back completely and held it tightly in his. Their eyes met and he saw the question in hers, mixed with just enough fear to give him pause, before she slowly pulled her hand out of his grip. He felt the silk of her skin slide through his fingers and had to refrain from grabbing her again. Not understanding his feelings, thoughts, or the sudden wild beating of his heart, he took a breath and stood up.
His abrupt movement silenced everyone as they stopped laughing to stare at him. No one but Greg, who had watched the entire interaction, noticed Hermione's flushed cheeks.
"Where are you going all of a sudden?" Theo asked Draco.
Draco grabbed blindly for his robe and books as he said, "Flying. I need some air."
Before anyone else could ask any other questions he was quickly striding away from them.
Harry shook his head at Draco's apparent abrupt departure and looked pointedly at Hermione. It was only then that he noticed the look on her face and wondered what he had missed that had really caused Draco to suddenly run out of the room.
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