Chapter Fourteen
"Harry," Ginny said nervously, "there's something I have to tell you."
Harry stopped midway through his story about Hermione, Draco and the Amortentia.
"What is it?" he asked.
"It's about Hermione," Ginny said slowly. "Harry, I really need you to stay calm but Hermione –"
"Is in love with Malfoy?" Harry finished for her.
"Well love is a very strong word, Harry," Ginny said, sitting up. "Love is what you and I share. Hermione … Hermione has feelings for Malfoy."
"She told you this?" Harry asked, his eyebrows raised.
"Not in so many words," Ginny explained. "It was more a conversation about her thinking she had feelings for Malfoy –"
"The day Malfoy's sex life was discussed?" Harry asked, remembering the day.
Ginny beamed at him. "Yes, exactly –"
"Hermione's shagging Malfoy?" Harry asked incredulously. "What the hell is she thinking?!"
"Calm down, Harry!" Ginny cried, looking around the Gryffindor common room carefully. Thankfully the few students that were there weren't paying them any attention. "Hermione isn't shagging anyone. She just has feelings for Malfoy."
Harry scanned his girlfriends face. "Why are you telling me this Ginny?"
Ginny sat back slightly. "Because if the Amortentia story you were telling me is true than I thought you ought to prepare yourself for unpleasant news."
Harry groaned. "Why Malfoy?" he asked. "Her and Ron were –"
"A disaster," Ginny finished for him. "Besides, Malfoy's changed."
oooooo
"Oh, Lav, just a little bit longer…"
Draco and Hermione stood quietly, staring at the door to the closest room to the Ravenclaw common room.
"I think I am going to be sick," Hermione breathed.
"Please, Ron, my jaw is starting to seize up," a female voice whined from the same room.
Draco gagged slightly.
"Just a couple more minutes, Lavender. Please…"
"We should go," Hermione stated bluntly, looking at Draco. "Please can we go…?"
As they headed away, Draco looked at Hermione. "Please tell me you didn't give Weasley that same treatment."
"Whatever that treatment was," Hermione stated, her tone dripping with disgust, "I didn't come close to giving it to Ron."
"That treatment was –"
"I know what it was, Malfoy," Hermione snapped. "I just don't like thinking about Ron receiving it."
"Brown's rubbish at it anyway," Draco assured her.
"How would you know?!" Hermione cried, staring at him in a panic.
"Nott told me last year," Draco explained. "Apparently he was all in the mood and yet it took him ages to c-"
"Stop right there, Draco Malfoy!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Granger, stop being a prude," Draco complained. "You'll ruin my fantasies."
"You have fantasies about Lavender Brown?!" Hermione screeched. "I thought your fetish for lacewing flies was disturbing enough –"
"Not Brown," Draco said quietly, avoiding her eyes. "I am a healthy male with healthy images in my head about an apparently prudent witch."
Hermione flushed. "Well I'll just have you know that all fantasies are to remain within that head of yours."
They had reached their common room and Hermione raised her stone to allow them entrance.
"We'll have to head back there some night Weasley isn't getting lucky," Draco yawned, gracefully taking a seat on the couch beside Hermione.
Hermione nodded, reaching for a book when suddenly there was a knock from the entrance.
"Hermione, it's me!" Called Ginny's voice. "Can I come in?"
Hermione looked at Draco who, sneering slightly, nodded his head.
"I'm coming, Ginny!"
Hermione opened the entrance and there stood Ginny looking extremely happy with herself.
"I just shag-"
"Two Weasleys and Potter are getting laid tonight?" Draco cried aggressively, looking over in disbelief. "This is far more information than my head can handle, Weasley!"
"Shut up, Malfoy," Ginny snapped. "I'm talking to Hermione. Just because we're getting more than you ever have."
"You were saying, Ginny?" Hermione asked, guiding her into an armchair and sitting back down in her seat at the couch.
"I shagged Harry," she said. "It just happened. We were just snogging and then Harry started to undress me. It was really nice too. Harry was so careful –"
"Only because he wanted to beat Weasley's two second average –" Draco interrupted. Ginny ignored him.
"- But it still hurt a little. But Hermione, after a while it feels really good."
Hermione flushed. The subject of sex was flying around a little too much for Hermione's liking.
"Have you -?" Ginny started.
"No, Ginny, I haven't," Hermione sniffed. "I don't feel I'm really."
She looked at Draco, who was looking back at her, suddenly speechless. Ginny, who was not oblivious to the tension, decided a subject change was in order.
"Dean and Luna broke up today," Ginny said. "I thought I'd let you know because you were –"
"No, Ginny, I wasn't," Hermione said quickly. "But please – go on – why did Dean and Luna break up?"
"Well they were always an odd couple anyway…"
Draco blocked out the conversation entirely. He looked up occasionally when Hermione moved in her seat or accidentally nudged him, but all in all he was content with his thoughts. The girl beside him was becoming positively breathtaking. She was so unlike any other girl he had ever known. She was intelligent and she was wise, she was beautiful and she was strong.
He certainly admired her ability to understand her own feelings, her own thoughts and he own intentions. As Ginny said goodbye and sent a contemptuous look Draco's way, he came out of his thoughts. Hearing Hermione sigh heavily beside him, he moved his hand so it covered hers.
Hermione jumped and looked up to be greeted with Draco watching her again. She was suddenly struck with just how beautiful he was. His white blonde hair looked soft and inviting, while his face was almost flawless and highly attractive, though Hermione could see a very faint scare running across the right side of his face. Hermione understood that it was from Harry's Septumsempra curse two years previous and felt a lump rise in her throat. She immediately shifted her gaze so she looked straight into eyes which, at that moment appeared to be calculating and content.
"You're better off waiting until you're ready, Granger," he said lightly. And in his head he realised that he admired her for being so proud, so determined and so decided.
"Thank-you, Malfoy," she said as Draco pulled his hand away.
That moment between them kept Hermione's brain busy all night.
ooo
"You honestly think the rumours are true?" A third year hissed.
"Of course, look at them!"
"Since when have Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger had breakfast together?"
"They did at Christmas!" A Hufflepuff chimed in.
"Yes but no one was here then! Why now?"
"Draco Malfoy is not dating Hermione Granger!"
"Oh please, Kaia, just admit you're jealous already!"
Draco sat beside Hermione at the Gryffindor table, causing a great deal of stares from all tables.
Harry coughed, exchanging a glance with Ginny. "So – err – Malfoy," he said, "how's your mother doing?"
"She's doing well, Potter," Draco replied rather awkwardly. "She's taken a liking to golf. Never would have thought she would consider trying a muggle sport but it is becoming common with us wizard folk."
"Golf?" Harry repeated, nodding in a way he hoped showed interest. "Really?"
"Your uncle likes golf doesn't he Harry?" Ginny piped in.
"No, Ginny," Harry said, directing his gaze to her. "He likes his Japanese Golfer joke. Not playing golf."
"Oh," Ginny frowned. "And Hermione, you're well?"
Hermione, who had been frowning at Harry and Ginny for the past ten minutes merely narrowed her eyes. Ginny shifted uncomfortably under her gaze and grinned at Draco nervously.
Draco twitched and looked at Hermione. "I'm going to go, Granger," he stated blandly. "Thanks for keeping me away from Parkinson."
"Just keeping the rumour mill happy, Malfoy," Hermione muttered, not looking at him.
As he headed away, Hermione turned on Harry and Ginny. "What was that?!" she cried in a whisper.
Harry sighed in relief. "Ginny told me you're falling for him –"
"Ginny told you, did she?" Hermione hissed. "She really had no right to say –"
"Hermione, everyone knows anyway," Ginny said hurriedly. "They're not just rumours anymore. People know it's the truth."
"The truth is that everyone should stay out of my affairs!" Hermione snapped, standing up. "Including you two!"
Hermione threw down her napkin and headed for the exit.