"Well at first no, but after that first week it became pointless"
"But I don't understand..how did you end up topless if you both were fighting?"
Lavender laughed, as she explained a whole section of the latest Witches Weekely which went to lengths on the passion and angst of make-up sex. A few days after the second task, Hermione heeded Harry's advice, and brought the topic of their Yules again.
Parvati blushed, averting her eyes. "Well I slapped him, he stepped real close, and I-I don't know next thing we're making-out, heavily,"
"And after the whole thing you both chatted?" confirmed Hermione
" 'Mione, it's called pillowtalk" chided Lavender, teasingly.
Hermione rolled her eyes. Turning her gaze back to the indian-brit. The latter nodded.
"So what? You tell him everything, even the things we talk about?"
Parvati giggled "At first yes, you know I didn't want to anger him again. And he would get all flustered whenever I mentioned periods, now he's realized he'd rather not know everything"
"But…?" pressed on Hermione
"If it involves him, or if he asks then yes 'Mione, I'm not lying to him ever again,"
"So he's ok if you tell us -what you both talk about?"
Parvati smiled "Yeah, sure. Plus he knows it'll stay in the room." answered Patil, with a significant look to Lavender, who shrugged.
Hermione looked between them, who would've thought, Gryfindor's resident chatterboxes could keep their traps shut.
"I don't think she's being honest" muttered Lavender, when Parvati went to the toilet
"Hmm?" asked Hermione,
"About the things they do."
"You're right, I'm pretty sure its-" water-downed
But Lavender was on a roll of her own "I mean they barely hold hands, I wouldn't even think they're dating, if it weren't for their little walks..and they barely do that anymore,"
"Right because they're-" indoors now
"I have actually slept with someone so Parvati feels pressured her relation is sub-par…" continued the blond, in a world of her own
Hermione rolled her eyes. Well, well look who might be feeling green. Hermione didn't bother commenting, her own life twisting.
She still spent hours holed up in the library. Carrying out little shenanigans with Krum in between shelves.
She hadn't heard from Malfoy in two months. Post-brunch at Suraj mahel, they'd all taken the floo back home. Hermione was ready to put the eerie Yule break behind her and keep a focused, logical head. Until rumours began circulating around her; two Hufflepuffs even asked her if she was the secret daughter of Kingsley.
Hermione had been furious, because one she didn't know who he was; an esteemed Auror at the ministry, she found. And two; he was black. She couldn't believe her housemates would be so racist, so judgemental.
Slytherins, such as Nott and Zabini began conversing with her when the pieces fit. She'd stormed off to a corner in the library where he sat.
"How dare you?" she snarled, her lip curling in white rage
"Good'day to you too Granger,"
"Cut the crap Malfoy, did you spread the rumours about me?"
He'd looked up from his paper and studied her,
"Yes," he sighed
She slapped the table with a resounding thud "Why?!"
"Granger, it's just a ru-"
"Why Draco? Why do you keep messing with me? You squeeze yourself in my Yule break, say you want to be reluctant friends, don't communicate for months, and now spread the rumour?!"
"I spread the rumour so we could talk"
She scoffed indignantly "And why would you need to-"
"I thought you were smarter than that Granger,"
He gave her a significant look, and she huffed,
"No I get it Malfoy, Kingley's a pureblood which would make me halfblood in the least, I-I just can't believe y-you don't think any better of muggleborns. Even after you repeatedly said you'd changed. I should have known you'd stay an utter prick"
"Granger, calm your hot head and listen to rational thought."
Her breathing calmed, her glare still sharp on him, but she let him indulge her question.
"I give no care to your blood status, the Slytherin common room however, is an actual snake pit. We're not cosy, jumping up to save each others lives, like Weasley did this morning..Potter told me they barely ta-"
"What's your point?"
"We might show an united front, but we're governed by self-interest. I wasn't ready to be cursed in my sleep, in my own dorm, just for talking to you, so I found a way out that harms no-one"
She had crossed her hands as she looked down at him, with not a flicker in her expression.
"Have you not noticed less hostility from the houses? Slytherins actually talking to you?"
He was absolutely right, a few Ravenclaws -Boot and Goldstein- had even invited her for a Hogsmeade trip, which she had politely declined.
"Not this way, none of it's true!"
"Merlin Hermione get your head out your arse. Don't you think, deep-down we all know? It's just..politics,"
Politics? Why she would murder someone, or something.
"Fine" she snapped "Don't think I'll take you back, arms open just because you have more than two brian cells Malfoy & manoeuvred a political ruse" spit Hermione as she stormed away.
Draco's 'dragon' actually twitched, as he watched her hips sway in her hasty departure. He couldn't want her more.
The next day he found her stacked around books in the library and propped on the empty seat opposite, there was just enough space to fit a scroll of paper. It gave the semblance of work being done. She'd barely looked up, eyebrows furrowing him and decidedly not replying. Malfoy managed to give a commentary about various students. Her expression would change, flashes of a smile. But she was resolute.
He tried again the next day, this time she was flustered -Merlin knew how books did that- she didn't talk, but scowled less. In fact a small smile determinedly kept creeping on her face. Creeping, just as her hair would determinedly curl, despite all the products his mother had bestowed on her. The next day was her Ancient runes and Arithmancy study session with Nott and Zabini. She had to interact, she answered him in one word answers. Draco couldn't care less, it was progress.
After another fight, where Hermione was determined to speak her mind, did the two fallback in a comfortable witty banter. They would study for an hour or two daily. She would evidently remain for much longer. It was going rather well.
He wrote to his mother on his progress, she insisted he waited. Hermione had slowly let down two more boys -daring or stupid, likely both- to ask her out. A couple times Krum had joined them, the blush on her cheeks palpable. Draco knew Krum had to be gone before he could think of beginning charming or wooing her. In the meantime, he would cement his friendship. The so-called 'golden trio' was dwindling away. Harry occupied in unthinkable things with Patil, Weasley skulking and being dumb in general. The ginger began to third-wheel on Thomas and Finigan. Not that Malfoy was looking or cared.
"Granger, I was thinking-"
"Oh dear, that's never a good idea."
"Hardy har har-"
She giggled, falling back on her armchair, they'd bought the singular tomes they were reading to the sparse lounge chairs, the only place one could really relax in there.
"Your wit knows no bound" he commented dryly,
"Of-course there's not a thing, us Shackelbolts can't do"
Just then a girl passing them looked up, gasping, before she turned to her friend and whispered urgently.
"Fuck me" she muttered, gladly he thought.
"Half of hogwarts would do so gladly, Granger"
"Is that so?" heat rose to her cheeks, but she kept her tone cool.
"How longs the list?" he chided
She pushed a stray strand behind her ear, increasingly embarrassed
"Just four, they-Merlin I should've never told you. Boot can't look at me now," she whispered urgently.
"I'd just asked him if he had actually asked you to Hogsmeade."
"In front of the Great Hall!"
"He shouldn't have asked, Malfoys-"
"Get what they want, gee that sounds familiar."
"Perfect then it's settled"
"What is?" as she narrowed her eyes.
"You'll be my Potions partner"
"Is this the fuck you Snape gesture Harry's planing?"
"Why yes,"
"And you've joined teams?" she asked sceptically,
"Indeed, good to know they call you brightest Witch of her Age for nothing,"
She smacked his arm "And the terms are?"
He opened his mouth when she cut him off "Don't you dare lie to me Malfoy,"
"I get to work with you, in exchange for getting my house to pair with you lions" That was as close to the truth he could get.
Hermione thought about it a moment, not liking how, she too, jumped to an emotional response. She tried to meditate and practice Occlumency in her dorms before bed and during wakeup.
"How generous…" she said simply alas.
"You approve?" asked Draco, a bit shocked
"Well yes, your conditions aren't entirely fair since we could be helping others of err…"
"Pure idiots?" he supplied
She swatted his arm again.
"So violent," he murmured, feigning a wince.
"Less skilled ones, but it would let Harry get his Os, all Griffs actually,"
"Os all round?" chided Draco surprise
"No, not all, because-"
"-of pure idiots?"
"Draco." she warned
"'Mione" he kept smirking
She sighed and turned to the list her boys made. That took her back a moment, her boys? Hermione shook the thought out of her head and scanned the names.
Lavender-Bulstrode
Parvati -Davis
Potter-Zabini
Longbottom-Nott
Granger-Malfoy
Thomas-Greengrass
Finegan-Parkinson
Weasley, Crabbe & Goyle.
She didn't need to praise him, the list was rather harsh on the Slytherins. Draco read it in her appraising look,
"I am, Potters loyal servant after all," he spoke solemnly,
Hermione snorted "Don't inflate your sense of self-importance," she mock scolded "Harry was rather peculiar that day, I'm glad he managed to contain whatever that was." she shuddered involuntarily, at the mere memory of raw energy in the air.
"Barely, it's spread all over him,"
Hermione burst out laughing, "Harry, please!"
"He's a deviant snake 'Mione, you wait & watch,"
"What, for creating this simple list?"
"Think, would Potter have thought or done anything of the sort before Yule?"
She considered his statement but chose not to agree "It's likely Parvati, men mature faster around girls,"
"Salazar, the pair of them are abominable,"
She swatted his arm a third time that evening,
"Merlin woman control that lose hand of yours," exclaimed Draco
She smirked "Make me,"
"Challenge accepted"
Glint in his eye, he suddenly stood up and stood in front of her armchair, her brown eyes fluttered to his face,
"Draco? I-I was just..n-noo" she burst out in the middle of her laughs as he tickled her sides. Her laughs echoed along the candle lit corridor.
Suddenly a dark shadow fell upon them, the students looked up to see the menacing face of Madam Prince. They suddenly stilled and detached from one another.
"Out,"
"Madam Prince we sinc-" tried Hermione, ever the goody-two shoes
"Out," she repeated, more forcefully.
Hermione gulped and shoved her many items in her tote bag before shuffling out of the library. Her heart beating fast, something coming up her throat.
When she reached out, and a distance from its entrance, Malfoy tugged her robes "Granger, I'm so so-"
As soon as he made contact a fresh round of laughter ricochet from inside her. He looked shocked at her reaction, but joined soon on.