Two nights later, Malfoy and Hermione were out patrolling the corridors before going to bed. It was a tedious activity normally, but was frequently made interesting by surprise kisses and banter.
"All right, all right!" Hermione gave up. "I'll go to the match. There, are you happy?"
"I'm never happy," Malfoy returned, the glee in his voice contradicting his statement. He leaned down a bit and kissed Hermione on the cheek. "But, you're the best."
"Flattery will get you nowhere," Hermione huffed, blushing nonetheless.
"Your face tells me otherwise," Malfoy chuckled.
"The only place we have left to patrol is Gryffindor tower," Hermione said, pointedly changing the subject. "Let's go, shall we?"
"Yes we shall!" Malfoy exclaimed. "Time to hand out detentions to and dock points from Gryffies." He rubbed his hands together like an excited child.
"Draco," Hermione began.
"Yes, Mum, I was only joking," he retorted, sticking his tongue out at her.
"Ssshhh," Hermione hissed, holding up a hand. "I can hear some people in a classroom."
"Points and detentions, points and detentions," Malfoy sang softly to the tune of "Ring Around-A-Roses".
"Shut up!" Hermione snapped, tapping him lightly upside the head.
"Ouch, woman, what was that for?" Malfoy demanded belligerently. Hermione glared him into silence and slunk down the corridor.
"I mean, really," Lavender's voice came from the room, "why on earth are you this angry about Ferret and Beaver?"
"I'm not angry, Lav!" Ron's voice indicating just the opposite. "I just don't understand how she split with me and went to him so easily."
"Won-Won," Lavender said testily, "they deserve each other. The Mudblood and the Death Eater. Don't you see? It's better off like this. You don't want people like that to bother you!"
Hermione and Draco exchanged looks of indignation.
"Yeah, but," Ron interrupted, trailing off uncertainly. "I still don't understand how. In the past, Hermione never would have fallen for that prat. She would constantly come to us and tell her how much of an arse he was, and now…Maybe he has her under some type of charm."
"You've hit the nail right on the head, Won-Won," Lavender said gleefully. "But it's not Malfoy who has them under the spell, it's your sister and her friends!"
"What do you mean?" Ron demanded.
Hermione and Malfoy's eyes went wide and they crept closer to hear what was coming next.
"I overheard them at the Gryffindor table one day," Lavender explained. "Ginny and Zabini came up with the plan. It was purely for revenge on you, actually. You remember the spell you put on Parvati, don't you? To make her join in with us that one time?"
"Yeah…"
"Well," Lavender went on, "that's the one they used on them! To make it seem as though the two arch-enemies were in love because you hate the Ferret! Make you horribly jealous on seeing the person you loathe with your ex-girlfriend!"
"Really?"
"Yeah, they thought they were being so quiet about it, but your sister and her boyfriend have got quite loud whispers. Not to mention that I was listening."
Hermione felt her heart lurch and her stomach twist into a knot. She didn't want to believe it, but somehow, she felt that it was true. How was it that the same day she had brought up the charm, she felt an inexplicably strong attraction to Malfoy? And how, at the same time, did Malfoy seem to reciprocate the same feelings?
The same thoughts were running through Malfoy's head. He was more angry than upset – angry that Blaise, his best mate Blaise would have agreed to such a thing.
The air around them seemed to alternate between very hot and very cold. Hermione was breathing very heavily, and Malfoy felt as though he'd had the wind knocked out of him. They looked at each other and gulped.
Malfoy entered the classroom first, wand out. He didn't want to believe it any more than Hermione did, but logically, it was the only explanation that made sense. Surely, given more time, they would have ended up together, but this quickly? Impossible.
"Weasel, Brown," he growled, stepping out of the doorframe. "You know it's past curfew. Back to your dorms, and detentions with Hagrid for the next two weeks. Next time I hear you out and slandering our names, I'll have you both by your throats. Lavender, 20 points for inexcusable language."
"Oh, please," Lavender scorned. "Like you care. You're only under the effect of a love charm, which, if I'm not wrong, you heard me talk about a minute ago."
"Nevertheless," Malfoy snarled, "you are breaking rules, and Hermione is still very dear to me. Aside from that, I am Head Boy, and I am allowed to dish out punishment however I see fit. Just be glad I didn't have you tending to the Giant Squid and cleaning up the Black Lake every day. Now. Get. Out."
The secret is out! **GASP**! I wonder how they'll come back to each other...? Keep reading to find out! ;)
Also, again, LiilianMarie2, you are awesome. 3 ^_^