A/N: Hey everyone, sorry about only posting one chapter, unfortunatly I was sick over Xmas. But you will have your two chapters this weekend, one of which is my favourite. Anyway, I've EDITED this one a little and I hope you all like it. XXX


Chapter 43

A Tale of Two Boys

Hermione wanted nothing more than to get out of that room; her were cheeks still flushed with embarrassment as she recalled their faces at the revelation that her parents were dentists. No, it wasn't a life-threatening job, but in the muggle world it was a good one! Surely they must have known that. Either way, she still couldn't rid herself of the humiliation and the thought that she should have said something else. Perhaps, she should have told a tiny fib or changed the subject at least.

She and Harry made their way down the halls, him in a dark pin-striped shirt and brown velvet jacket and her in a conservative knitted jumper and jeans.

There was still tension between Harry and her and she didn't want to make things more awkward than they were already. She loved Harry. As more than just a friend even, but he had hurt her in a way she'd have never have thought possible of him.

And then with Draco being the way he was...Hermione supposed she wasn't in the right mind for a relationship.

She still shuddered at the thought of that awful Cormac McLaggen. Really! He was a total lech! She had felt actually heaved during dinner when he gazed at her with what he thought was seductiveness and licked the whipped cream off his fingers. He was vile. He couldn't even eat properly for goodness sakes! Even if she weren't in love with two of her best friends McLaggen would need to scrub up on his table manners and his studies before he'd ever have a chance with her. Not to mention his personality left a lot to be desired.

Hermione would always be substance over style at the end of the day.

"Hermione, are you even listening?" Harry said, sounding slightly frustrated.

Her head snapped around to look at him, eyes a little wide and mouth hanging open, taken aback and bewildered.

She hadn't even heard him talking!

"Sorry. What were you saying?" she asked politely.

Harry stopped walking and so did she, his face was deadly serious,

"I want you to talk to Malfoy. See what you can find out."

Hermione stared at him now in horror.

What was it with these two? First Draco wanted her to get Harry's Liquid Luck for him, now Harry wanted her to spy on him? Would they ever grow up and get over their petty rivalries?

"Stop it, Harry."

The muscle in Harry's jaw flexed at her dismissal,

"He cursed Katie!" he hissed.

She could only glare at him as she remembered that day at the Three Broomsticks.

Yes, she had seen Draco in the pub and yes, he may have seemed shaken and had disappeared through a door up the stairs and yes, it was suspicious when no less than forty minutes later she, Harry and Ron had found Katie Bell outside in the snow, hanging in the air, screaming and thrashing about uncontrollably...but that did not mean that Draco had cursed the necklace or charmed her to bring it to Dumbledore!

It was a shame what happened to Katie and it had clearly traumatised the girl a little but Harry had no place making accusations at Draco.

"I'm telling you he's up to something. I've seen him, on the Marauder's map, walking around the halls at night and everynight he vanishes. Gone. Can't find him anywhere. Tell me that's not strange."

Hermione blew out a hot breath, trying -and failing- to reign in her temper,

"Maybe the map is wrong, did you ever think of that?" she snapped,

"The map is never wrong." he said, defiantly.

She rolled her head in exasperation, a move she'd picked up from the very boy they were talking about,

"Have you even looked at the state of him, Harry? He looks ill. Besides what on earth do you think Voldemort would want with a student? He has more than enough followers as it is, I highly doubt he needs a sixteen year old to help him take over the wizarding world!" she pointed her finger at him, her movements brusque and angry, "Now unless you have any proof that what you're saying is true then I suggest you shut up about it because, frankly, I'm getting rather sick of hearing it."

Hermione began to stride away from him in the opposing direction, heading for the one place where she knew she'd find solace; the library, but Harry's voice stopped her,

"You know I'm right." he shouted, "You just don't want believe he's a Death Eater because you have feelings for him."

She turned on her heel and shook her head,

"How dare you?" she hissed, "I trust him! If –and I mean if- he was one of them he'd tell me." she

It was Harry's turn to roll his eyes, he glanced away, dubiousness playing on his face,

"Oh, would he?" his voice was dripping with sarcasm,

"Yes!"

She couldn't believe him.

For weeks he'd been making accusations against Draco. Who had done nothing mind you! He'd hardly even spoken two words to Harry thus far, other than breaking his nose he hadn't done anything to deserve Harry spreading rumours about him.

And after all it wasn't like the Boy-Who-Lived had simply kept it to himself, her and Ron, he'd even told Professor McGonagall and Snape what he thought. She was thankful that both teachers had told him not to be so hasty in his judgements. She really did think he'd have let it go by now but he hadn't. Evidently even the teachers weren't enough to stop him thinking of Draco as his enemy.

"Let's say he is one and he told you, would you still trust him then?"

Hermione bit her lip, not sure of the answer herself. She couldn't picture it. Draco wearing one of those masks, clad in death black robes, his wand aimed at her. It just wasn't feasible. The question though, wasn't could she picture it, but would she still care about him afterwards. Honestly? Yes.

But that wasn't the answer Harry was grasping for.

Harry's expression became incredulous, she could see the censorious glint in his green orbs. He clenched his fists.

"You're going to have to pick a side one day, Hermione, and it better not be him."

She let her gaze drop to the floor, debating on how best to keep her friendship to both boys intact.

"Not everything has just two sides, Harry."

When she looked up she found Harry focused on something behind her, his eyes narrowed into tiny slits. Hermione sucked in a breath and turned around slowly, afraid of whom she may find behind her.

Her heart sank when she saw who it was and she would have rather had anyone else standing there.

His face was sombre, almost painfully so. He turned and walked briskly in the direction she'd been heading before Harry stopped her, she was about to run after him but Harry grabbed her arm,

"Hermione..." he said in a warning tone,

"I'm sorry, Harry."

And with that she chased after the blonde haired boy, having to run to catch up with him. She followed him around the corner and down a few steps, calling out to him. He ignored her, refusing to even look back. She ran. Pushing her limbs harder. Finally she managed to catch up with him and keep pace though her breathing was quite heavy.

"Draco..." pant, "please! Just listen!" she said breathily,

He looked at her once than turned back to face the direction in which heading, which, she soon realised, happened to be the entrance for the Slytherin common room.

"You shouldn't be here." was all he said.

Fuming, she ran in front of him and drew her wand,

"Draco Malfoy you will stand here and listen to me right now!" she ground out in that shrill, mothering tone of hers, the one many people were scared of, "Or I swear to Merlin I will-"

He glared at her,

"I hate to break it to you, Granger, but your not my mother." he said cuttingly, "As a matter of fact, you're nothing to me."

Pain shot through her at those words.

Oddly enough, Hermione found it easier to believe that than to believe the past five years of friendship...or love...or, well, whatever in Merlin's name they were. She'd never understood why he would put everything on the line to be friends with her. She was nothing special after all. Hermione had always been afraid that one day he would tell it had all been a joke, that he was playing with her -and that was exactly what he'd said those few months ago in Diagon Ally. Worse of all he was saying again now. Did that mean he meant it? No. No! A voice in the back of her head spoke. He's lying! But even the voice was fraught and unconvinced.

She didn't show her self-doubt or the agony he'd inflicted on her. No. Hermione Granger rolled her head and scoffed very much the way he would if he were on the other end of this conversation,

"I find it very hard to believe that, Draco."

He ground his teeth, visibly fighting the urge to scream at her, or possibly even hit something. His fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles were whiter than usual.

Though she wasn't afraid that the victim of his anger may be her, it was more likely to be the wall. Draco may gave had a temper, but she knew he wouldn't hit her. He hadn't thus far. If anything she was likely to hit him.

"Heh, our precious little know-it-all mudblood in denial...! Isn't that new?"

With each word she felt her resolve slip. Logic told to turn around and walk away, that maybe he was telling the truth, and if so she couldn't force him to care about her, but something else...something much more powerful told her otherwise. Her gut told her exactly what she wanted to hear and that was the problem. Hermione had always had good instincts, that combined with quick mind meant she could spot a liar from a mile off.

With him though she was always out of her depth.

"If that's the case," she started slowly, her brown orbs angry and hurt despite her cool demeanor, "why did you tell me to get out the forest in first year? And why did you visit me when I Petrified? Better yet why save me during the World Cup?" Hermione glared at him, "I suppose you expect me to believe that you did all that because you wanted to torture me further or something utterly ridiculous?" her tone became ever so softer as she shook her head, "I know you're scared, Draco, but please don't treat me like I'm stupid."

He face contorted with rage and something else, something akin to fear and, strangely, relief,

"You know what pisses me off?" he forced a snarl, she raised her brows briefly, "For the first time in my life I agree with Potter and you don't."

She narrowed eye, not in anger but in uncertainty, she wondered where he was going with this.

He shook his head and laughed a laugh that pierced her soul,

"See, Granger, I don't want you."

She smoothed her furrowed brow and jutted her chin out slightly in a frail attempt to mimic the mask he always put up. She was not going to let him see how much he'd hurt her, she would not cry in front of him or beg him to tell her he loved her. Hermione Granger was tired of crying, she'd done enough of it over te past few years and now she was going to be strong. If and when Draco grew up and told her what was bothering him then –and only then- she would tell the truth.

That his words had torn through her and that she'd decided to use his own weapon of mass destruction against him.

Although not has talented as him, she had learned many things from Draco over the years.

"Well...that changes things." she replied, calmly. Too calmly.

He said nothing and merely stared at her, his sneer faltering just a tad,

"Seeing as I was going to ask you to accompany me to Slughorn's Christmas do."

Hermione looked up at him, wanting to witness his reaction, praying he would feel slightly put out knowing he'd ruined his chances. He didn't. He rolled his eyes, his expression both angry and incredulous,

"And what did you think the school -or Potter and that Oaf for that matter- would think of that?"

She gave a half-hearted shrug, her face still a decent enough mask of arrogance and nonchalance,

"I didn't particularly care." she said honestly.

Hermione had thought of asking him, she'd already known he probably wouldn't come but she would've at least tried and if he had said yes then she really would not care that there fellow students would see them together. After all it was about time.

They couldn't keep playing these silly games anymore.

He gave an acidic laugh and wrinkled his nose in distaste,

"I suppose you'll be bringing McLaggen then instead." he said, having noticed the boy's ridiculous crush on her, "He's in the Slug Club, isn't he?"

She very nearly stomped her foot. Why did boys have to be so bloody frustrating? Why couldn't they see what was right in front of them?

Hermione tried not to gag at the nauseating idea that came to mind. She really, really, really did not want to do it but she could think of no other way to make Draco see sense! He had to realise how much she cared about him and how much his lying hurt her, if it meant she had to take Cormac to the Christmas do, then why not? He played games with her she had more of a right than anyone to spite him like this!

"Actually," she said, "now that you mention it I think I just might."

Hermione had the satisfaction of seeing him clench his jaw.

With that she turned around and walked away. Ready to immerse herself in some spell book in a quiet corner of the library where she would spend the next two hours crying angrily and trying to decipher the stupid blonde haired Slytherin that she was in love with.

Dear Merlin, she hated how easily he could break her.