Chapter Twenty-one: Suspicions

Hermione stared down at her partially-filled plate. So many things were on her mind that she wasn't even paying attention to the ongoing conversation amongst her friends. She was lost in her thoughts until the sound of Harry's voice brought her back to reality. "What do you think, Hermione?"

She looked up from her bronze plate. "I'm sorry, what?"

Ginny laughed a little from the seat next to Hermione. "Harry here thinks that Hagrid's got some skrewts again."

"I sure hope not," Ron said from across the table. "Those things are evil!"

"I haven't heard anything," Hermione replied. "But, then again, I haven't visited Hagrid in a while." She smiled sheepishly.

Hermione glanced across the room to the Slytherin table. Draco was looking right at her, a smirk barely noticeable on his lips. He winked at her before getting up from the table and leaving the Great Hall. She knew he wanted her to follow him.

Ron noticed her staring. "Hermione, what are you looking at?"

"Nothing," she replied quickly. "I was just thinking."

"Thinking about what?" Ginny asked her with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"My charms essay." Hermione shrugged. "I still haven't finished it."

"And you're going to go to the library right now to work on it?" Harry questioned her.

"How did you know?"

"Lucky guess."

Hermione smiled as she stood up from the table and said goodbye to her friends, leaving the Great Hall to meet Draco in the astronomy tower.

"I don't think she's really going to the library," Harry said once she had left.

Ginny looked up at him. "Why's that, Harry?"

"She was looking at Malfoy."

"How do you know?" Ron chimed in.

"Oh, come on," Harry said, somewhat annoyed. "I know I'm not the only one who noticed."

"Maybe not," Ginny replied, "but you're the only one making a big deal out of it."

"Yeah," Ron added. "I broke up with her because I knew she wanted to be with him and that she wouldn't be happy if she stayed with me. I'm okay with her being with Draco."

"How can you two be so accepting of this?!" Harry was becoming irritated with his friends. "It's Malfoy!"

"It shouldn't matter who she's with as long as she's happy," Ginny said, sensing Harry's growing anger at her and Ron.

"I don't get it!" His voice grew louder. "Earlier this year, you hated her for being with Malfoy." He spat out the name. "What happened?"

"I just wanted her to get back with Ron." Ginny shrugged as Ron nodded in agreement. "Why are you so against it anyways?"

"I'm just trying to make sure that nothing happens to her," Harry said.

"Nothing is going to happen to Hermione," Ginny assured him. "Draco really cares about her and would never hurt her because he knows what the consequences would be."

"How would you know?"

"I've talked to him before."

Harry sighed exasperatedly. "You know what? Never mind. I'm going to go look for her." With that, he got up from the Gryffindor table and left the Great Hall. He headed straight for the astronomy tower, knowing that Draco and Hermione have met there countless times before.

Draco and Hermione stood at the balcony of the astronomy tower, looking out over the lake and watching the giant squid as it swam. It was Draco who broke the peaceful silence. "I think Potter knows."

"What makes you think that?" Hermione asked, looking over at him.

I don't know," he replied. "I can just feel it."

Hermione turned to him and took his hands in hers. "I'm sure he'll be fine with it. Ron and Ginny are."

Draco raised a silver-blonde eyebrow at the Gryffindor. "Um, do you remember sixth year when he almost killed me?"

"That was an accident and you know it. He felt absolutely horrible afterwards."

He looked down at their joined hands. "If he does know, what's to stop him from telling the whole school again? I'm not going to lose you because of him."

"He wouldn't do that," Hermione assured him. "It's not like him."

Draco smiled at her. "You always see the good in people, don't you, Granger?"

She shrugged. "I try."

Draco chuckled and he leaned down to gently kiss her soft lips as he slid his arms around her waist. He rested his forehead on hers, still smiling.

Hermione pulled back from him, sensing something was wrong. She looked over towards the stairs and gasped. Harry was standing there, his wand out in front of

him. "Stupefy!"

So, I finally figured out where I'm going with this story! Yay!