Beta'd by Maddiechu. AN: I would just like to say something, given the slew of negative reviews, and the equal amount of PM's from people telling me to ignore them. I don't ignore reviews. I publish every single one, no matter what it says. Your opinion on this fic is valid; and in a lot of cases: I agree. This fic was started as a way to get me back into the habit of writing. It was poorly planned out, and there are problems with it from the get go. Grammatical, plot errors, continuity errors... In light of that, I feel like I need to remind some of you that this is When
:: :: ::
She smiled, watching the group of third years throw galleons into the collection dish by the entrance to the hall; they would soon have enough money to put on a real show come November fifth.
"Happy?" Parvarti asked, filling her bowl of cereal with a curious twist of her lips.
"Yeah," Hermione replied, turning her eyes away from the collection dish, "I'm just excited about all the fireworks I'll be able to order. Hagrid has already started to build the bonfire, and George will be sending the first delivery of fireworks soon. I'm just…excited."
"What? No feelings about the party tonight that you created?" Parvarti said, grinning at her as Ginny clambered on to the bench with a thrilled expression. Hermione smiled knowingly, as Ginny looked as though she were about to interrupt.
"So, I got the best news ever." She announced, immediately filling her plate with bacon and eggs.
"Harry coming to the first Hogsmeade weekend?" Parvarti guessed as Ginny blushed.
"It's on par with that," Ginny admitted, as Hermione looked stunned.
"Ok, what is on par with seeing Harry?" Hermione asked her, as Parvarti's expression changed to one of hunger at the idea of gossip. Ginny gave a wicked grin, and leant forward slightly as if she were about to reveal something completely scandalous.
"The Slytherins are in the shit." She whispered as Parvarti's hungry face fell to one of disappointment, and Hermione looked confused. "Their Quidditch captain has had his position removed. He's not even allowed back on the team." Ginny continued, as both girls perked up slightly.
"That…Kerven guy?" Parvarti asked, suddenly interested as Hermione attempted to not look like she was hanging onto Ginny's every word.
"Yeah, turns out, one of the beaters trying out talked. Malfoy's arm being broken wasn't an accident at all, Kerven told them to aim for Malfoy. First two to harm him would instantly get on the team. That idiot Jacks was bragging about it to one of the Slytherin girls, Astoria? I think that's her name, anyway, turns out she's a prefect, so she went straight to McGonagall. She feared that if she knew something and didn't speak up she'd get her prefect status removed. McGonagall was furious. She then went and spoke to Hooch, and they decided it was a massive violation of Quidditch try-out rules, and malicious at that. McGonagall has just given the Captaincy to a fourth year girl. Jenna…something." Ginny revealed, rolling her wrist in the air as she struggled to recall the girls name; throwing Hermione a knowing look as she leant back, ready to dig into the meal she'd been collecting before speaking.
"Doesn't surprise me it was a Slytherin that grassed the other one in," Parvarti admitted, filling up her goblet as she tucked a stray strand of ebony hair behind her ear, "they're a complete mess."
"A mess?" Hermione asked confused, looking to the Slytherin table with a curious expression.
"Yeah, they're doing nothing but fight between themselves, some are pissed that Malfoy is their Head Boy; whilst others are delighted. Not to mention, their reputation is the lowest it's been in years, and some of them aren't particularly helping improve it." She said, lowering her voice as Pansy swanned past them, her pug nose in the air, and her eyes on the platinum blonde man with his arm in a sling. The Slytherin table was quieter than usual, and gaps had opened up where friendship cliques would previously merge. Dirty looks were being thrown at the different groups constantly, while members of the groups would huddle together; almost as if they were seeking safety. Draco was on his own, a wide berth given to him from either side until Daphne sat beside him, Pansy on the other side; winding her arm about his broken one as Draco's previously placid expression broke into a snarl. His long fingers untangling her arm from his as if she were a spider. He turned to Daphne and nodded with a greeting which she returned, her focus elsewhere as Pansy began to hiss furiously. With a start, Hermione realised that Pansy's spiteful spits were the only sounds coming from the Slytherin table; the atmosphere surrounding them was rotten, and it only clung to that house.
"Why are they so split over Malfoy being Head Boy?" Hermione asked as Pansy began to simper at a now irritated looking Draco.
"Some are pleased that he's Head Boy because he's a pureblood, others because he's like…I dunno, supposed to be the poster boy for reformation; the one that the Slytherins need. Others are pissed because he didn't deserve it, not with being a Death Eater and all. A lot of people…in fact, most of the people back here think the trial was fixed and he should have been sent to Azkaban. There have been protests over it." Parvarti told her as both Ginny and Hermione looked at her in shock, Ginny's fork falling to her plate with an overly loud clatter as Pansy's shrill laugh swallowed the other noises in the room.
"You've been practising your Patronus!" Pansy trilled amused with the idea for some reason, "I don't get why, you'll never need it!" The three girls rolled their eyes in unison, their own conversation forgotten as Pansy's comments became impossible to ignore. Her cackles died down, and Hermione restrained herself from looking over to her newly crowned boyfriend curiously, attempting to ignore the Slytherin girl as Ginny gritted her teeth, shaking it off to consider what had been said.
"There have been protests?" Ginny asked stunned, as Parvart's words sunk in; Hermione's focus now plastered back to her housemate.
"How the heck did you not know? It's been all over the papers, same with anything they can get with anyone who is now a War-Hero." Parvarti replied, blinking with surprise.
"Ah, well…we've sort of stopped getting the paper at home." Ginny admitted as Hermione nodded the same.
"I suppose I understand," Parvarti shrugged.
"Just easier to…get away from everything when you're not seeing what people are saying about your life nowadays," Hermione sighed, buttering a slice of toast.
"Want me to fill you in?" Parvarti asked with a sly grin, and Hermione laughed, suddenly intrigued.
"Oh go on then."
"Well, they're really disappointed about you and Ron. They're over the moon about Harry and Ginny. Harry in Auror training they just adore. Same with Ron. Ginny they're really intrigued about you; they haven't been able to get much about you though. They're unable to control themselves when it comes to you and Malfoy, Hermione, but still compare him to Ron. Malfoy on his own, they hate him. With you…they love him." Parvarti said with a wry sparkle to her eyes, as if she suspected something must be true in all of the nonsense the paper printed.
"Malfoy and I?" Hermione asked blankly, as Ginny became overly interested in her drink, hiding a smile behind her goblet.
"Yeah, they got several pictures of you two throughout the summer, and they keep re-printing them. When they found out you were Heads of Hogwarts together they started to predict a possible romance, stating it as the only real way Malfoy could truly redeem himself."
"Oh Merlin," Hermione sighed.
"It gets better, there are huge fights about the Malfoys, some wish they all would have got the Kiss, to end the Malfoy line for good. Some say that all they are are trouble makers some say. Others call them opportunists, and think that the youngest Malfoy is going to start looking for all the opportunities he can to make himself look good again; you being an ideal one. Some think he put the imperious on McGonagall to become Head Boy." Parvarti continued as Pansy gave another shriek and a strange, sighing like noise followed, making them drop their conversation and turn to stare at the Slytherins with confusion.
Daphne and Pansy were standing up glaring at each other, Draco between them, his arm in his sling as he ate his omelette with a bored expression over his features. His eyes met Hermione's, and he smirked at her, making her insides ruffle with pleasure.
"So what if he's been practising his Patronus! We're all supposed to be doing it you idiot!" Daphne said exasperated, as Pansy sneered furiously.
"He won't fucking manage it!" Pansy spat as a collective gasp echoed down the table, and Draco continued to look disinterested.
"And why is that Pansy?" Daphne challenged as Hermione looked ready to stand to break the argument up.
Pansy's face contorted, as if her cheeks were stuck in high winds, but her lips were drowning. Her skin changed a strange puce tone, the anger destroying her ability to communicate as Daphne began to lean over Draco viciously.
"If you can't think of a good reason, just shut up Pansy! You're not helping things for Slytherin! You're actually making things worse! We both know who would have had us all killed last year Parkinson, and it wasn't Malfoy offering us up to the Dark Lord was it?" Daphne bellowed, as silence began to fall like snowflakes over the hall, knives forks and goblets being lowered with gentle metallic clangs, as bodies began to twist to look at the argument. Pansy had attempted to step forward, forgetting Draco was between them. He rolled his eyes, picking his plate up and standing up, moving back to the wall and continuing to eat as he leant against it; apparently making his stance on the matter clear. Ginny had frozen in place, her fists clenching with a rage that seemed to suck all the air out of the room, slowly and carefully, she stood.
"She's right." Ginny said in a deathly quiet manner, stepping over the bench as the eyes of the room fell on her; her own pair glued to Pansy who seemed to be confused as to why she was joining in.
"And?" Pansy asked carelessly facing Daphne again, "You're a god damn pureblood, you would have been fine." She said offhandedly as Daphne looked stunned and Ginny exploded.
"SO AM I!" Ginny roared, as the room collectively jumped, not expecting the sudden loud noise, a few students removing their wands from their pockets cautiously. "BUT I WOULD HAVE BEEN MURDERED JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS ROOM!" She screamed, suddenly uncontrollable. Pansy stepped backwards, falling with a thud onto the bench she'd forgotten was there, before she climbed over it, attempting to look graceful and giving Draco a pleading look. He smirked at her amused, using his fork to cut the remainder of his omelette and looked back to Ginny with intrigue behind his eyes.
Ginny was trembling, her hair in its ponytail betraying her seemingly strong stance, its quivering in time with her shakes. Her fists clenched and stark white, her expression out for blood, her wand still safely tucked away.
"And?" Pansy repeated, enjoying the spectacle. "Why should I care? You're no loss." She continued, as Daphne picked a plate up from the table unnoticed. McGonagall began to stand, as Dawlish copied, his wand expertly aimed at the three girls, Slughorns own wand also aimed with a slight tremor.
"I don't care if I die!" Ginny spat, "But you offered up my boyfriend to be murdered!"
"Are you saying the wizarding future of this country is 'no loss?'" Daphne asked in less than a whisper as Ginny stepped forward. "Don't Weasley!" Daphne shot as she spied Ginny's movement. Ginny stumbled, catching herself as her furious expression changed to one of confusion. Hermione jumped to her feet, her wand out as McGonagall began to stride towards them, her lips drawn tightly together. Daphne's fingers were white about the plate, Pansy's face daring and amused, still uncomprehending despite the position she was in. "Fuck it bitch, I'm done with you. I'm no prefect or Quidditch captain, I've nothing to lose." She said, her voice gaining traction as she lifted the ceramic plate.
Daphne brought the plate down swiftly over Pansy's head, watching as she reeled disorientated and several jets of light shot towards them. Draco ducking quickly, letting his own plate go as he shielded his head with his hand. Daphne fell gracefully, as she began to levitate, her blonde hair hiding her beautiful face as the rest of the plate fell out of her hand. Pansy was as still as a board on the floor, her eyes wide and shifting with terror as McGonagall hurried towards them. Dawlish at a flat out run, his wand lowering Daphne to the floor as whispers began to break out. Draco brushed himself off, looking towards a stunned Hermione with a strange expression on his face, his robes slightly mussed from the egg he'd accidentally thrown. Ginny had stumbled back on to the bench, and was now staring at the scene with a humiliated expression.
"Miss Greengrass!" McGonagall said her voice tight and measured as she studied the girl, "can you hear me?" She asked as Daphne's head rose unnaturally upwards.
"Yes," she whispered, her cheeks stained with her blush, her eyes watery.
"One hundred points from Slytherin, and a detention every Saturday for a month." She said, waving her hand to Dawlish who lifted her restraint on Daphne immediately. Daphne covered her face with her hands at once, and fled from the hall, a younger blonde girl getting up from the table and following her.
"Astoria…" Hermione breathed to herself, finally connecting the dots as Draco stepped back to let her pass, and Parvarti slipped her wand away.
"Miss Parkinson," McGonagall said in the same dangerous tone as before, "you didn't attack anyone, but I wouldn't be surprised to hear you provoked people. Fifty points from Slytherin." Pansy seemed to relax suddenly as she gathered herself together, standing with a proud smirk on her face. With a deliberate look at the rest of the room, McGonagall turned to walk back to the staff table, the whispers becoming louder as chat began to develop, an avalanche unleashed.
"See. Totally messed up." Parvarti said, referring to their conversation from earlier as Draco grabbed his bag from under the table, readying himself to leave.
Hermione shook her head bewildered, as Ginny began to look ashamed, noticing McGonagall hadn't returned to her meal, but was instead heading straight towards her.
"Professor…"Ginny started as McGonagall neared, only stopping as McGonagall raised her hand.
"I don't want to hear it Miss Weasley. Thirty points from Gryffindor for getting involved in an argument you shouldn't have, and provoking Miss Greengrass to escalate the situation." Ginny nodded mutely, her eyes misting over as McGonagall seemed to read the girls emotion better than Hermione could. "I understand the need to protect those you love Miss Weasley, but…we are not at war anymore; let us not resort to those tactics ever again." She continued with a curt look to Hermione and Parvarti.
"Yes Professor." Ginny nodded, as McGonagall began to retreat back to her meal. Watching her go Ginny sighed, "I really was going to bash Parkinson's head in. I didn't want to curse her, I wanted the satisfaction of hurting her myself, not my magic; me. She was going to…" She sighed again, shaking her head with despair, "I feel bad. McGonagall's right, doesn't matter what she did then, I can't react like that."
"Not when Greengrass obviously did what she did to keep you in your captaincy," Parvarti said pointedly with an amazed tone, "I mean, that's what she said, 'I'm no prefect or quidditch captain'." Parvarti grinned, picking her drink up as Hermione copied, looking to Ginny with concern.
"Let's just get to classes and get ready for the party tonight," Hermione said as the two girls nodded in agreement, dwelling on the events with confused minds.
:: :: ::
"Granger," He drawled, watching the Gryffindor girl walk out the Great Hall with a distracted expression. Her head snapped about looking for the source of her summoning as he chuckled to himself, walking towards her. "Here, Granger." He said to her as he neared her, she smiled brightly, her face lighting up like the sun and she walked towards him.
"Getting involved in fights already Malfoy? You're supposed to be Head Boy," she chided playfully as they fell into step together.
"I'll have you know they were fighting over me, literally." He responded as Hermione laughed. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you a couple of things before first period. Firstly, the trick or treating event. The Hufflepuffs want us in costume. Feel like matching?" He asked her, raising his eyebrow suggestively.
"As in…like a couple?" Hermione whispered as he smirked at her, nodding. "Then sure. Think of something we can go as!"
"Excellent, question two; I don't get the happy memory thing with the patronus." He admitted, lowering his voice and leaning into her as a pair of ravenclaws walked past them, openly staring at the two known enemies chatting together as if nothing was wrong.
"What don't you get?" Hermione asked, oblivious to the stares and the intimacy of their walk, their shoulders brushing together, Draco's sling resting on the top of her bag.
"Just…all of it."
"You need to think of something you've experienced that has made you so happy. Then focus on that thought, the way you felt, the memory while you cast the spell. You need to be happy." She told him, cocking her head to the side as they walked by the house point timers. "Merlin." She breathed, staring in horror.
"You hadn't seen?" Draco asked her astonished, noticing where her gaze had gone and the fact she'd stopped dead still, staring in shock.
"No." She replied, as the rubies and emeralds rose and fell, the sapphires of Ravenclaw suddenly rising in a lone rush as Hufflepuff remained steady. The four timers were all almost completely empty of any points. An unusual occurrence so early in the term when points were being given out in an attempt to coax the students back into the habit of school, and to create the habit itself with the teachers.
"Yeah, there is…trouble, with the house unity thing; and you saw McGonagall, is being really harsh with fights this year." He told her, gripping her wrist gently to encourage her away.
"Is this what this year is going to be like? Points just lost in their hundreds?" She asked him forlornly as he laughed.
"We said it a while ago Granger, it's going to be hard work."
:: :: ::
"You managed to get muggle vinyls to play on a wizarding…?" Hermione was asking a fifth year Ravenclaw in awe, as the girl she'd never met before nodded with pride.
"Yes! It was quite simple really," she began, setting down the gramophone she was clutching on a flat surface and pulling out several large covered disks from her bag as her friend began to help set it up. "It was basically a case of duplicating the music and putting it onto a wizarding vinyl. Once you understand the two work differently, you can get the music on to one or the other." She explained as Hermione looked delighted.
"Queen? You have Queen!?" She asked thrilled as Draco looked confused, and a muggle-born Hufflepuff dashed over with excitement.
"Of course!" The Ravenclaw exclaimed, placing the vinyl in question on to the gramophone and dropping the needle in place.
"I heard the 'claws had muggle music at their parties!" the Hufflepuff said victoriously, his suspicions confirmed as the distinct beats of Queen's 'We Will Rock You', began to echo about the common room. Hermione laughed, clapping along with joy as those with less of a muggle upbringing began to look confused at the collective clapping and stamping beginning to build up. Hannah starting to unlock several cases of butterbeer on the tables as guests began to stream in.
Draco looked at her with his expression tormented; the parties start clearly not what he was expecting. Dean pressing a butterbeer into his hand, not recognising who he was handing a drink.
"Thanks," Draco said dully, nodding gratefully as Dean looked a little abashed.
"No worries." He said, as the common room began to fill, more people arriving on time than expected. An air of anticipation and excitement was causing the common room to become a loud giggling mess.
Banners with all the house colours had been hung up, with bowls of snacks put on every conceivable surface. Several of the fireworks Fred and George had invented were primed and ready to go. The music had managed to get several of the muggleborns singing and clapping along loudly, their bottles of butterbeer waving in the air; or microphones to the bemusement of the pure-bloods.
"Hermione," Draco said to her quietly, leaning down to speak by her ear as they both watched Seamus leap onto a table and air guitar to 'Bohemian Rhapsody' "What the fuck?" He asked her, as she laughed loudly, taking a swig of her butterbeer.
"Queen is a really popular muggle band, and these are some of the best songs. It's a good way to get the party started actually." She acknowledged, watching as several couples started to dance together, while a group of Ravenclaw boys had wrapped their arms about one another on the sofa, and were stood, bellowing the lyrics while rocking side to side. Dean was laughing and clapping as Seamus acted out the air guitar suspiciously was twirling a dreamy Luna about the common room with a grin on her face.
"And this is how Gryffindor partied?" He asked again in disbelief; causing her to laugh once more.
"Oh no Draco, no one is really drunk yet, and this has only just started; it'll get much better." She answered as Parvarti took hold of her hand and pulled her away from him. Daphne began to sidle up to the pair with a hopeful expression on her face. The events of earlier seemingly forgotten, Pansy mysteriously missing from the gathering.
"Come dance Hermione, you're muggleborn, you should know this!" Parvarti squealed, pulling her towards the table Seamus was now commanding, belting out the lyrics to 'Don't Stop Me Now,' His arms reaching towards Hermione as if he were about to pull her up on to the table with him.
"Oh no," She groaned, as Seamus grabbed her upper arms, hauling her onto the table; and promptly twirling her as Parvarti was helped up by Dean.
"Oh yes!" Seamus laughed, as a different vinyl with a far more dance like beat was put on the gramophone, and the lights switched off. Lots of dim lights begun to pop up. A cheer burst from the revellers as Draco shook his head in wonder, and the dancing begun to pick up in full. The party beginning to truly start as someone charmed the gramophone to become much louder than it was previously. A firework was let off, and the Gryffindors cheered, the memories of the Quidditch victory parties fresh in their minds as the other houses stared in astonishment.
Groups of people had gathered to dance with one another or talk in corners with a drink and food as they bobbed their heads in time to the music, Seamus had moved over to Hannah as Ernie looked on with bemusement, a bottle of Butterbeer nearly empty in his hand. The common room was packed, the bedrooms had been filled with the chess tables and things they didn't want broken and locked away, but still the room gasped for space; the party had proven more popular than Hermione could have imagined.
The Slytherins who had chosen to attend were being pointedly ignored by other houses, with the exception of Nott who was talking to Ernie heatedly about gobstones, the pair of them enthralled with their own conversation. Segregated to the corners and sides of the room were wary looking members of the house of the snake, drinks gripped closely, eyes watching with awe and wariness. They were clearly torn between leaving early and wanting to join in.
Draco was talking to Daphne and Blaise; the small group were looking about with astonishment, Daphne's classically beautiful face was split with a huge smile. Blaise seemed to look as if he were considering other things as another firework was set off above his head, and a Hufflepuff girl squeezed her way past him with a bunch of glowsticks in her hand. Draco looked quizzically at the girl, before looking up and catching Hermione's eye. He grinned at her and raised his drink, before going back to talking with Daphne.
:: :: ::
"Look at her like that again, and I'll smash your face in." He said threateningly as Draco turned in confusion.
"What?" He asked, meeting the livid eyes of Dean Thomas, the stench of Butterbeer strong on his breath.
"I know you're Head Boy, and she is Head Girl, but all she belongs to Weasley. They just have to figure it out is all." Dean hissed, as the party goers continued to dance about them, spilling their drinks and cheering as their favourite songs came on.
"What?" Draco repeated, clutching his bottle of drink closer to him, his expression stunned as Dean clenched his fists.
"You don't get to look at girls like Granger the way you are Malfoy." Dean said, stepping closer and invading Draco's personal space. "People who lock others up in their fucking cellars to have them tortured and killed, do not get to have girls like Hermione Granger." He said carefully, a dangerous thread stinging every syllable in a way that managed to chill Draco's blood; the heat of the common room not managing to pierce his skin.
"I'm not looking at her badly," He attempted to defend himself as Dean began to glower, the auburn locks of Ginny beginning to come into view behind him, her eyes narrowed quizzically.
"Oh yes, yes you are. You look like you could eat her alive. Knowing how depraved you are Malfoy, I wouldn't put it past you to actually kill her and eat her; you're just that low of a human being." Dean spat, as a wave of sickness came over Draco.
"I'd never kill." He said dumbly, the image of Dumbledore attempting to talk him out of it flickering before his eyes, his own wand out stretched.
"Oh I'm sure. I'm really sure." Dean said sarcastically as Ginny moved closer, obviously listening.
"Good." Draco said dully, not really listening anymore.
"Malfoy!" Hermione said out of nowhere, dancing beside him clearly tipsy, her eyes alight with pleasure, her hair messed up. "I told you a party is good fun!" She laughed, not noticing the tense situation between himself and Dean.
His expression softened immediately, smiling warmly at her.
"You did." He agreed as a furious roar came from Dean. Without warning, pain splintered up his broken arm, shattering it into a million little pieces and stabbing his chest furiously. The dark room seemed to become darker, and a girls scream that wasn't Hermione's pierced over the music.
He staggered, swaying as another blow fell onto his forearm, and a sharp crack made several of the nearby dancers stop and stare at the source of the noise.
"I TOLD YOU NOT TO LOOK AT HER THAT WAY!" Dean bellowed, as the lights switched on, but the room still seemed dark to Draco.
Wands started to be drawn, aimed at the Slytherins who were clinging to the walls in horror.
"Don't you fucking dare!" Ginny yelled as the music came to a sharp stop, her own wand drawn, Daphne pinned to the wall behind her; Ginny standing protectively in front of her.
With a heavy slump; Draco fell to the floor, clutching his arm and fighting for consciousness as Seamus grappled with Dean beside him. Wands continued to be pointed in every direction, many Slytherins standing with their hands up, throwing terrified glances between each other as Hermione stared at Dean with horror. The laughter that had previously filled the room, gone. Her body sobering up immediately.
With dread, she realised Draco hadn't fought back. He couldn't. He was Head Boy. McGonagall had set him up to take the beatings of an entire angry, distrusting school.
People thought his trial was fixed.
People wanted him to have the Dementors Kiss.
There was nothing he could do or he'd face a fate worse than death. His future would be completely decimated. The chance to redeem himself would be gone.
Hermione raised her wand, and with a loud bang, she found herself the centre of attention.
"If this is not your common room, you leave now. Dean, fifty points from Gryffindor for attacking another student, your Head Boy." She said quietly, as Dean let out a frustrated yell, members of other houses looked at her in surprise for removing points from her own house, "Ginny, help me take Malfoy to the Hospital wing." She said, hoping to Merlin McGonagall wasn't on her way.
:: :: ::
"Merlin, this is what happened to Potter isn't it? When that damn prat Lockhart tried to fix him after Quidditch." Draco groaned, watching his previously broken arm flop about like a limp fish, the bones completely removed by the expert wand touch of Madam Pomfrey.
"Sounds like you paid an awful lot of attention to Harry way back then," Hermione smirked, confirming Draco's suspicions. He threw her an agonised look as the medi-witch returned with the bottle of Skele-grow, Draco's face screwed up with distaste as she poured out his dose.
"You're not going to like this one bit," she warned him, offering him the glass with a sympathetic glance, "but that arm was completely shattered, I wasn't able to do anything with an arm that broken." She said apologetically as Hermione gave her an understanding nod.
"Bottoms up." Draco grimaced, raising the glass above his head in a mock toast before bringing it to his lips. He chocked the concoction down, spluttering in disgust as he forced himself to swallow it.
"Now, Miss Granger, I'm afraid you'll have to leave, Mr Malfoy here needs to sleep and it's well past bed time for everyone in this school." Madam Pomfrey said briskly, and Hermione jumped, realising she'd somehow been expecting to stay; despite that being impossible given where they were.
"Oh, right of course, I must be tired," she said with a strange high pitched voice, as Madam Pomfrey nodded in agreement. "I'll see you tomorrow Malfoy, when we can go over the Prefect timetables," she smiled wishing she could lean over and kiss him without a million questions being raised. His expression was careful, his eyes longing as he smiled back at her.
"Sounds thrilling," he replied drolly as Madam Pomfrey began to pointedly draw his curtains closed.
"Sweet dreams!" Hermione said, leaving the hospital wing, her mind filled with distress and shame.