There it is people! The last chapter. I'm sorry for the delay, but inbetween school and holidays I had little to no time to write. It's finally here, though, and I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Stay safe out there everyone and Happy holidays!
Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me since Chapter one:)
Chapter 17
"Don't forget to write us frequently."
"Cissy, I see her red hair – you can do the talking, I'll just-"
"Quiet, Andromeda! And have fun – it's one of your last terms there."
"Okay, Cissa."
"We will, Mother."
"All right, what if I just hex her from here – a good aim will do the trick-"
"Collect yourself, sister" Narcissa hissed.
"Don't worry, Andy, I had a great Christmas" Hermione placated her. "Thank you for inviting me."
"It was no problem for us, Mia, now get on that train, I'm sure Cissy is stopping me for the sake of a good example."
"I will not have you hexing anyone with or without the children present..."
Their voices faded away when Hermione climbed into the train with Draco in tow.
"Do you think Mrs Weasley will get home in one piece today?" she asked conversationally.
"My Mother has self control and she will keep an eye on my Aunt don't worry" he smirked.
"I hope she does. The Ministry will make a big deal of it otherwise" Hermione commented, enjoying the sight of his smirk momentarily switching to a look of surprise.
"More and more Slytherin material coming out of you, Granger."
They soon saw Ron and Ginny's flaming red hair in a compartment and opened the door.
"Mione!" Ron stood up to hug her.
"Hello to you too" she smiled, hugging him back. Ginny settled for a pat on the shoulder and they sat down, talking about the holidays.
"So how was it at your house?" Draco asked the redheads matter-of-factly after Hermione finished telling them about her stay in Black Manor.
"As usual" Ron said, slightly surprised at Draco's question.
"Don't look at me like that Weasley, can't I try to be polite?" the blonde snapped.
"There he is" Ron grinned. The other boy sighed.
"Normal as in no strange things happening? No Howlers or mysterious hexed presents?"
"Hexed presents?" Ron looked confused.
"This couldn't have to do anything with the fact your aunt was glaring daggers at us and practically trying to run away from your mother, Draco, could it?" Ginny asked suspiciously.
"She may, or may not, have heard Hermione wasn't invited to the Burrow."
"And she would have sent a hexed present?" Ron asked incredulously. "Andromeda Tonks?"
"Black, Weasley. She will always be one."
"But she didn't, so let's admire her self-control and talk about something else" Hermione tried to change the subject.
"It's Mrs Malfoy's self-control I'm going to admire" Ginny said. "I'd have thought she'd be the one to go and hex people."
"Black, Ginevra" Draco corrected again. "And she is more collected than either of my aunts."
"Your mother's downright cold, Malfoy" Blaise announced, standing in the door with Theo, Susan, Hannah, and Harry. "Sorry to interrupt but we just found you."
"Nice of you to join us" Ginny said, not showing any emotion at her boyfriend walking in. "We thought the Muggles had locked you up again, Potter."
"Make a little space, Weasley, and don't be ridiculous" Harry retorted.
"Since you're here, Blaise, I want to thank you for the Christmas present" Hermione said quickly.
"No problem, Granger, I hope you'll help me in the exams" he winked. The two of them laughed and the newcomers sat down, filling the whole compartment. Everyone turned to Theo and Susan whose families had spent Christmas together. Ginny demanded details and they started telling the story. Hermione was glad everyone seemed to have a good Christmas and looked out of the window when they finished, zoning out. The brunette didn't actually participate in any conversation until she heard the door slide open again. Wondering if it was a first-year who wanted an autograph from one of them, she looked at the door to see Pansy standing there awkwardly. Hermione also realized that everyone was looking at the raven-haired girl, waiting for her to speak.
"Um, hello guys" Pansy finally said. "I saw you in here and wondered if I could join you?"
"You didn't see it was full?" Blaise asked disbeievingly.
"And where is your girlfriend?" Theo added impassively.
"We broke up" Pansy answered shortly.
"And on Christmas, too. What a shame!" Draco groaned mockingly.
"Spare me your sympathy" she glared at him.
"Trouble in the Slytherin group?" Ginny piped up obliviously. "Aren't you supposed to be friends?"
"Well, we are, don't worry, Ginny" Draco smiled, but Hermione noticed something was off. This wasn't his usual smile, nor was it a smirk. It seemed... fake.
"So can I stay, or should I go?" Pansy huffed.
"Well, I mean, if you insist" Blaise said slowly. "You'll have to sit on the floor though, there's not enough space as you see."
"Not necessarily" Hermione said coolly. "She can take my place, I need to use the bathroom."
The brunette stood up and exited, ignoring everyone's quizzical faces. She had no nee to go to the bathroom at all, of course, but since she really didn't want to wander the train aimlessly she just slipped into the bathroom and leaned on the wall. The young woman was feeling somehow better than she had during the holidays. She supposed it had something to do with the fact that Pansy and René had broken up. Hermione really couldn't help but smile at the thought Pansy was no longer going to be walking around hand in hand with that girl-
"Granger!"
The brunette stopped her inner musings upon hearing the loud uttering of her name. She looked around and saw René standing in front of her looking worried.
"Finally. I thought I might have to go get someone" the Slytherin said relieved.
"What would you go get someone for?" Hermione asked confused.
"I said your name about ten times and you didn't answer" René explained. "Having some me-time, eh?"
"What do you want?" Hermione snapped rather harshly.
"To wash my hands, you're blocking the sink" the other girl said. "And there's no need to lash out at me, I just wanted to make sure you're fine."
"What do you care?" Hermione moved away from the wall and stood behind the girl, watching her in the mirror.
"Actually, I do" René replied. "Or someone I care about does if you want to put it that way."
"Well, I'm fine so I'll go" the Gryffindor turned on her heel and reached for the door handle.
"Wait, Granger, I need to tell you something" René said.
"What?" Hermione sighed, turning around again to face her.
"I wanted to apologize. For the whole thing with Pansy."
"You're apologizing to me because you dated her?" Hermione asked incredulously. "I think I need to go get someone."
"Very funny. And no, not because I dated her." The Slytherin sighed. "That's the point – we didn't date. We pretended to because I wanted to come out and Pansy agreed to help."
Hermione stared at her in shock much like she had when René had told her she and Pansy were dating. Outside, she was showing that, but inside of her her heart fluttered hopefully.
"What?" she managed to croak out when she found her voice.
"We didn't date, and before you say how low and mean that is, it was my idea, not Pansy's. So don't hold her responsible."
"I can hardly imagine you forcefully making her go along with it" Hermione scoffed.
"She agreed after some persuasion" René said carefully. "What I mean is don't blame her for that, her friends are giving her quite the hard time anyway."
"She did promise she'd be better. She broke the promise. I think she deserves the treatment" Hermione said flatly.
"Oh, for the love of Merlin, Granger, fine, make her the villain in your story. But at least now that she's 'free' stop dancing around the fact that you two like each other and go for it!" the Slytherin snapped.
"We what?"
"For the Brightest witch of the Age you're rather dumb" René rolled her eyes. "Ask her out already!"
And she left Hermione in the bathroom to stare at her reflection, thinking...
"Hey!" Pansy gasped when a hand showed up out of nowhere and pulled her into a small nook behind a statue on the second floor.
"Shut up, it's me" Hermione whispered.
"Granger?" the Slytherin sounded uncertain but upon seeing the smile on Hermione's face her voice gained more confidence. "Didn't take you for the girl that pulls people in like that."
"You bring out this side of me" the brunette shrugged. Pansy smiled slightly.
"Not that I'm complaining, but what does this side of you want from me?"
"To apologize for leaving like that on the train" Hermione said rather quickly. "I shouldn't have reacted like that."
"Woah, Granger wait, if anyone has to apologize it has to be me" the raven-haired girl sighed, bracing herself.
"René told me."
"I-What?"
"René told me everything" Hermione repeated. "You're really stupid, you know?"
"Oh, believe me, I do" Pansy laughed nervously. "I realized it the moment I saw your face when we lied to you."
"You're not helping."
"Sorry."
They stood in silence for a while, both wondering what to say next.
"Why did you stop the act?" Hermione asked suddenly.
"I realized I've been just as oblivious as you" Pansy answered without hesitation.
"Out of the blue?"
"Draco."
Hermione needed a moment to think, then it hit her.
"The letter he said he wanted to send!" she gasped.
"Oh, a letter?"
"Yes?"
"He sent a Howler, but I'm sure it was by mistake."
"You deserved it" Hermione grinned evilly. "What was in it?"
"I'm not telling you!" Pansy cut her off. Another few moments of silence passed before the Slytherin spoke again. "So... now we're in the clear about everything... would you maybe want to go out with me?"
"Wow, is Pansy Parkinson actually nervous?" Hermione teased.
"How am I supposed to take that, Granger?" the girl hissed.
"As a yes, obviously" Hermione rolled her eyes. "And stop calling me Granger."
"And how should I call you?"
"I don't know, Parkinson – Mione, Mia – anything but my family name when you just asked me out!"
"Not those. I like your name-your whole name, I mean."
"Then use it."
"All right. I'll be waiting for you on the edge of the Forest tomorrow after dinner, Hermione" Pansy said softly.
"Not so hard was it" Hermione smirked, placing a quick kiss on the other's lips to soften her expression. "Don't pout."
"I do not pout!"
"Mhm, sure."
They entered the Great Hall hand in hand and walked to the Ravenclaw table where all the eighth-years sat. Hermione was smiling widely and ignored the stares they received. When they sat down, she enjoyed some of her friends' dumbstruck faces.
"Finally" Blaise rolled his eyes.
"Congratulations!" Hannah said excitedly.
"That's called a Christmas wonder" Terry whistled.
"You and Parkinson?!" Ron spat.
"Yes" Hermione said timidly. She had hoped he would understand. The redhead scowled and turned to his food, shoveling it into his mouth. Tears sprang to Hermione's eyes and Pansy looked murderous, but Harry quickly diffused the tension.
"He'll be fine, don't worry" he whispered. "Most of that anger's coming from the fact he has to pay around twenty galleons to some of us."
"Twenty galleons?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"You had bets going on?" Pansy hissed.
"Yep. There you go, Potter" Blaise said, throwing Harry a bag full of coins. "You two had better buy me an awesome birthday present for all the money you've cost me."
Hermione and Pansy looked at each other, their faces morphing into identical smirks of pure evil.
"I think we've got an idea" Hermione said.
"Merlin, Parkinson, what have you done to her?" Ginny asked worriedly.
The thirteen of them laughed as Professor McGonagall stood up to greet them all.