Chapter 10
Hogsmeade

After the little argument Malfoy and her had in the Room of Requirement, Hermione walked to her safe harbor: the library. It was the one place where everything was familiar and nothing tried talking to her. It was quiet and since she always went to a secluded corner where nobody was able to bother her, she found it a great place to get some privacy and some time to herself. Which she greatly needed right now.

She was finding him more irritating than usual. And he wasn't saying many things that should irritate her either! It was that he didn't say many things to her anymore that bothered her. Before, he would constantly have some snide remark and rude name to say to her. Now, he doesn't even do that anymore. Hermione couldn't even recall when the last time he called her a mudblood was. Shouldn't that mean something?

Draco seemed to have this effect on her everyday. Everything he did would make her over-think. Everything he said would cause her to say it again in her head as if she didn't understand. He just never sounded like himself anymore. Well, she couldn't say that because he sounded like himself, but he just wasn't. There was something in him that was odd, different.

He'd look at her like he was trying to figure out a puzzle. Like she was some big, huge enigma that was impossible to figure out. Maybe she was, but to herself, she didn't seem that confusing. She's a girl who loves books, cares a great deal about school, is clever and smart, and dislikes a certain Malfoy.

Hermione almost gasped when she realized that she thought of disliking Malfoy rather than hating him.

What, so she just disliked him now? It had to be more than that. Sure 'hate' is a strong word, but she strongly hated him. With a passion. But she just thought of just disliking him, so maybe that wasn't true.

What was going on in the world?

So she dislikes Malfoy.

That's fine, right? It's okay if she dislikes him. It's not like she fancied him or anything...

Hermione just sat there for a while, a novel she didn't intend on reading in her hands, thinking about her last thought.

Now this is not fine. She had to think about if she fancied him or not! This is absurd, completely delusional.

She tried thinking of a reason about why she had to think about that, but couldn't come up with one. She almost started going crazy. Then, she thought about something Ginny said a while ago.

"I think he's starting to fall in love with you, if not already."

It didn't seem so funny now. And that annoyed her further.

Hermione got up from the empty table and made her way out of the library, coming to the conclusion that she was tired and not in her right mind. She went up to the Gryffindor Common Room to go to bed since there was no patrols today. Thank God.

- x -

The next day was Saturday, which was when yet another Hogsmeade trip was taking place. Draco and Hermione went earliest out of all the students, for they needed to be at the drop-off before anyone else to monitor and patrol. It was cold, snowing, and everyone bundled up to keep themselves warm on the cold December afternoon.

The two Heads stayed standing at the drop-off, not saying one word to each other the whole day. They would simply just nod their heads at each other and somehow understand what the other was saying.

Draco didn't like the realization he made the night before and he also didn't like the fact that he was always showing signs that it was true.

Hermione, on the other hand, didn't want to think too much into it today and decided to think one thought the whole time they had to be together for the day: I dislike him. I dislike him. I strongly dislike him. Yes, I do.

"Here they come," she muttered, referring to the group of carriages getting closer and closer to them. Draco didn't say anything.

For a half an hour, they assisted the first years that needed help, lead the carriages to a 'parking' spot, and counted them up. Harry, Ron, and Ginny agreed to meet with her in Honeydukes when she was finished.

When they were done, they parted without a word. Draco sighed and concluded that he needed a drink. Arriving at the Three Broomsticks, he got what he needed.

- x -

When Hermione saw them at Honeydukes, the boys and girls parted and decided to meet at the Three Broomsticks in about a half an hour or so. The boys said they wanted to get something at Zonko's Joke Shop, which neither Hermione nor Ginny wanted to go, so they separated.

The girls first went to Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, for Hermione said she needed anouther new quill. Then, they went to Gladrags Wizardwear because Ginny wanted to get a piece of clothing for Harry for Christmas. However, when they went in, they simply walked up and down the men's section once and walked out. Ginny said something about how all their clothes were ghastly. Next, they walked into Dervish & Banges, where Ginny found a gift for him that satisfied her, and bought it. By then, they had to meet the boys at the Three Broomsticks and the two girls made their way there.

"You and Malfoy looked pretty awkward when we arrived at Hogsmeade. You two weren't even speaking either," Ginny said, bringing up the subject out of nowhere. Something in Hermione's stomach flipped when he was mentioned. "Now that's odd especially for you. You always have something to say."

"I guess neither of us felt like saying anything."

"When you were helping us with our carriage and Malfoy was helping with someone else's, I saw him look at you." She looked at Hermione.

"Okay?"

"He looked awfully miserable if you ask me."

"Ginny, if you're going to bring up that whole 'he's falling in love with me' thing again, I don't want to hear it because it's ridiculous."

"Oh, I'm not going to bring that up," she assured, "because we both know that he's already in love with you."

Hermione rolled her eyes and gave up. However, she did think about what Ginny said.

They arrived in the warm Three Broomsticks and searched the crowded pub for Harry and Ron. Each of them spotted one another at the same time and pointed at each other. The two boys were at a table with the usual group of Gryffindors they hang out with: Dean, Seamus, Neville, Parvati, and Lavender. Hermione and Ginny made themselves comfortable and took a seat. A waitress came and asked them what they would like. All the girls got butterbeers, while all the boys got firewhiskeys.

The group of Gryffindors were still chatting animatedly for almost an hour. Hermione stopped listening to the gossip Parvati was informing them with when she saw a flash of blonde hair in the corner of her eye. She looked in the direction in which she saw it and saw Draco. He was sitting with another girl from Slytherin in which she did not recognize. Probably a sixth year, or someone who just wasn't in any of her classes.

"...and then he said..." Parvati continued on, everyone else listening intently.

Hermione watched them from the corner of her eye. She didn't know why, but she wasn't able to stop looking at them. They were sitting at the bar in tall chairs and bodies facing each other. Hermione had a side view of the two of them. The girl was exceptionally pretty with shiny, long, straight, dark brown hair. It looked like a girl he'd snog, but then he snogged her, so she didn't really know anymore. The both of them were talking normally, laughing at something once in a while. A bartender gave both of them firewhiskey bottles.

"...then she started screaming at the top of her lungs! And..." Okay, so Parvati was still telling her story and everyone was focused on her. It was safe to keep looking.

When she looked back, the girl was telling him something and Draco was looking at her, listening. Hermione couldn't see if his expression was bored, miserable, or interested because she only had a side view. Draco took his firewhiskey and took a long drink from it. His face scrunched up as he swallowed the strong liquid down. He smashed the bottle down on the table, sounding a small clunk. In one quick motion, he wrapped his hand around her neck and pulled her lips to his.

Hermione's stomach seemed to flip over and jump into her throat to keep her from breathing. Her mouth felt dry and she couldn't swallow. Something in her chest shattered and broke into pieces. It hurt in every sense of the word. That spot in her chest hurt so much, she just wanted to die in that moment. She felt tears threatening to come out, but she didn't dare let them. She heard a ringing in her ears and wasn't able to listen to Parvati's gossip any longer.

Hermione got up from her seat, drawing everyone's attention to her. "I just remembered," she said. "There's this book I had my eye on before and I need to buy it now before I forget."

Ginny looked at her quizzically. Everyone else merely nodded and said that they'd see her later.

Before she went out the door, Hermione looked over at the bar again, where they were still snogging. Shaking her head and looking away, she went outside and leaned against a wall near the Three Broomsticks. As she was out there, in the cold December weather, she wondered why exactly she had to get out of there, take deep breaths, and fight back tears. She didn't care about him and it didn't matter what he did, right? Why was she here, then?

Her stomach was still filled with uneasiness and was flipped upside down. Her breathing came out deep and slow and there was something going on in her chest.

Her mind was going absolutely insane.

She jumped to the conclusion that she's jealous. But that can't be right. Since when does she get jealous when he snogs another girl? So what if it's been three months since he kissed a girl. That three-month streak didn't have to be broken by kissing her. However, she felt like it should have.

Hermione groaned and pulled her back off the wall. She started walking back to the Three Broomsticks since she was out there for a long time and if she went back inside, it'd seem like she just came back from the bookstore. When they asked her where the book she was supposed to buy was, she'd reply saying that they didn't have it anymore. And she would not look at the bar. Hermione had it all planned out.

But when she was about to pull the handle to open the door, someone ran out of it and knocked right into her. She tripped a few steps backwards because of the big impact.

Hermione looked at whoever just knocked into her and took another big step back immediately.

"Malfoy, what do you think you're doing?" she said, dusting herself off. She was angry at him and she didn't not want to see him now. Besides, shouldn't he be inside snogging that girl senseless?

"Ahh, Granger, just the girl I've been thinking about," Draco said, slurring on his words. He smelled like alcohol and every step he'd try to take was wobbly.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. He was drunk.

"You know, I have to tell you something." He was pointing his finger at her, but looked like he was tired of holding it up. He took a step toward her and slipped on something icy. As if it was some kind of reflex, Hermione caught him. She was surprised. Before, she'd probably just let him slip and fall.

Hermione didn't want to be seen with him like this, so she walked him to a nearby alley so that no one would be able to find them. She actually did the most walking, though. He was tremendously heavy.

"Malfoy, what do you think you're doing getting drunk?" she asked, frustrated with him. "Professor McGonagall is here and I don't think she wants to see the Head Boy like this, you stupid piece of rubbish!"

Draco pressed her against the wall. She held her breath so she couldn't smell his firewhiskey breath. "You know, I didn't hear a word you said. Those are gonna be the first words that won't play endlessly in my mind later."

Hermione didn't even know what to think of that. "Get off me, Malfoy. We have to get you back to the castle before someone sees you like this."

His hand slipped around her waist and pulled her closer. She tried to push him away, but not as strongly as she could have.

"Granger, I'm drunk," he whispered to her.

"No kidding," Hermione said sarcastically. She finally made it successfully out of his grasp and grabbed his arm. "We're going to Apparate to the carriages. And I don't care how much it'll make your head hurt. It's what you get, you sodding idiot."

And with a deafening CRACK and an uncomfortable pull, they appeared at the sight of the carriages. There wasn't anyone there yet, for people never left Hogsmeade this early.

"That wasn't smart," Draco said. He was clutching his stomach with both of his hands. "That hurt."

Hermione groaned. "You're a baby when you're drunk."

"I am not!" he said as if he were a little kid. She crossed her arms, her point proven.

"Hurry up and get into the carriage. Lean over and puke at the sides if you need to."

She let him get into the carriage first before she sat in it herself. He had a hard time finding the step to get in it, but he made it in. She gave the horse a couple slaps on its back to get it going.

"Okay, now that we're going," Hermione started, "what are you doing getting drunk, you stupid twit?"

Draco had his hand at his stomach, looking like he could throw up any minute. "Well, you of course," he said, slurring.

"That's rich, considering you had a snog with some Slytherin girl at the Three Broomsticks." Her arms were crossed again. Draco was too drunk to notice the fire he loved so much was back in her big brown eyes.

"Had to get drunk enough to do it, though."

Hermione got confused. "What?"

"I figured out I can't kiss a girl that isn't you without drinking a couple bottles of firewhiskey. Or a lot more than a couple."

"So you got drunk just so you'd be able to have a good snog?"

"Of course not. I originally got drunk so I could get my mind off of you. Then I saw this girl who looked pretty decent, started talking to her, and thought, 'Hey, she should kiss better than Granger.' So I gave it a shot after I drank enough. It didn't work out."

Hermione's mouth was slightly open, speechless.

"Now I feel like I need another fucking drink because, for some reason, you still look so goddamn beautiful even when my vision is cloudy."

Draco didn't seem to realize what he just said, for his eyes didn't widen and he didn't freak out. Hermione, on the other hand, felt her heart mend itself back together and her stomach turn into butterflies. Breathing was difficult, though.

"Lean over the edge, Malfoy. You look like you need to puke."

"It's odd because you look like you need to, too."

Funny.

But sure enough, he leaned over and threw up over the edge of the carriage. His throat was dry and his head started hurting. His vision was still foggy and he still won't remember anything that will happen now when he gets sober.

The carriage stopped and Hermione helped him out. Draco was leaning on her shoulder as if she were his life and dragged his feet to wherever she was taking him. When they entered the castle, she looked both ways to see if anyone would see them. They could not be seen leaving Hogsmeade early. Together. While Draco's drunk. And Hermione taking care of him. You know what rumours that can start?

Every hallway they would turn into, she'd check to see if the coast was clear and trudge him along with her.

After using an abnormal amount of energy, they arrived where Hermione intended to: the Room of Requirement.

I need a room with things that a drunk person would use. Where they can throw up when they need to and where they can collapse when they need to sleep, Hermione thought. The door appeared right before their eyes and she hurriedly dragged him in there, closing the door shut. In the room, there was a sink, a chair, and a twin bed good enough for one person. The room looked funny because of all the random items in it, but they were definitely things they needed.

Draco walked lopsidedly to the sink and threw up again, washing it out when he was done. Hermione could smell his horrible breath several feet away from him, so she cast a spell to eliminate the odor.

He always had a hold on either Hermione's arm, waist, or hand. She found it quite odd, but he was drunk. He wasn't in the right state of mind. Whenever she'd shrug his hand away, it always found its way back to her.

Hermione was helping him walk to the bed when, suddenly, he turned to her and pulled her by the waist closer so that their bodies were touching. This happened very quickly and she didn't even expect him to do anything like this.

"Granger..." He was still slurring on his words and his eyes were still clouded. However, his breath no longer had a wretched smell because of the spell Hermione cast on it.

"Malfoy, you should go to sleep."

Draco leaned his forehead on hers. Her breath quickened. "I'm drunk... and I ended up snogging this random girl, but I still end up wanting you."

She took a step back, but he ended up walking her into a wall. "Okay, as you said, you're drunk. Don't end up doing something you'll regret later. I don't want to experience your mood swings again."

"I never regretted kissing you, Granger."

Hermione noted that he is oddly truthful when he's drunk.

"I know you'll regret that you told me that later when you're in your right mind."

"I won't remember it."

"I will," she said. "You should go to bed."

"Not until you let me kiss you."

Hermione felt his grip around her waist tighten. She brought her hands to both of his and tried pushing them away.

"You're not gonna stop me," he said with a smirk.

"I'm stopping you now, aren't I?" she told him, pushing him away.

Then, he leaned in quickly and kissed her before she could say or do anything else. Hermione made a surprised sound, not expecting him to do that. After a couple seconds, she pushed herself away from him and walked aside to get out of his grasp.

"Stop, Malfoy! I don't want to experience your temper later, so to make it easier for both of us, you should either go to sleep, or if you think you can make it all the way there without help, go to your dormitory and sleep there. Either way, I'm leaving now. I've done enough for you today," she stated firmly, getting herself out of his grasp.

"Then just do one more thing for me and stay," he said as she made her way to the door. "Granger--"

Hermione stopped right before the door. "Just go to sleep. What more can I do?" She turned and saw him already making his way over to the bed.

"My head hurts," Draco said, sitting down with his hand clasped on his head.

"You're such a baby," she told him, walking towards the bed. "Come on now, lie down." She fluffed up the pillow on the small bed.

"Granger," he said, "I'll go to sleep--"

"I'm glad."

"--if you kiss me again," Draco finished. Hermione froze. "It can even be just a peck."

"No," Hermione said. "Lie down, Malfoy."

"I won't until you do it."

"I'm leaving."

"I'll follow after you like a sick, drunk puppy."

"No, you won't."

"Why not? I'm drunk. I'll do anything."

"I'll slap you."

"I'm not letting you leave until you do it."

"I can leave you right now."

"But you're not."

How was he more intelligent at comebacks when he was drunk? Odd.

"I am now," Hermione said, turning around. He grabbed her wrist before she could take another step.

"I won't remember it."

"But I will."

He let go of her. "Fine then. Don't blame me if I'm all cranky tomorrow because you made me feel like a bloody idiot."

"Well you should feel like an idiot because you are, Malfoy!"

It was silent for a while before he said something again. "Just stay," he said lowly.

Hermione stared at him for a long time, amazed at how vulnerable he sounded at the moment. The way he said it made her want to stay and formed butterflies in her stomach. A funny feeling filled her whole body and she found herself walking back to the bed and sitting on the chair beside it. Draco seemed fairly shocked by her reaction as well, for he looked at her with curious, cloudy eyes.

She didn't know why she was doing so much for him. Taking care of him while he was drunk? Getting him out of Hogsmeade before anyone saw? Staying with him now? It all didn't make the least bit of sense to her, but she proceeded to doing those things anyway. A new, odd feeling settled on her mind and it tried to make her admit it to herself, but she was too stubborn to let it get through her head.

Yet, as she watched him for that long amount of time as he slowly drifted off to sleep, Hermione couldn't help but think of the possibility that she may be in love with Draco Malfoy.

A/N: Well, won't you look at that. Last chapter, Draco realized his feelings and this chapter, Hermione does(in a way). How interesting. Now, you know what I'm going to say next. I'M SORRY for the tremendously long time it took! I actually blanked out while writing this chapter and wasn't able to write it for quite a few days. But I finished it, and now I think you should review. (:

Thank you, my fantastic readers! Promise not to give up on me, okay?