A/N: ...sorry for the long wait. I got rather stressed because I didn't want to give out a lame chapter. Oh the pressures of being a fanfic writer :P
thanks for reviewing, following & favouriting :)
Chapter 19
"So...rumor's state you were caught in the fields...together..." Ginny said wagging her eyebrows, before helping herself to some pudding. Ginny glanced around the Hall and scooted herself closer.
"And here I thought you had to study for a test!"
'Ugh, not this again...' Hermione huffed a breath. Draco-no, Malfoy was trying to get her back! But the rumors turned it into something completely outrageous!
'I swear the nerve of some of these people!'
"Well you heard wrong! Honestly do you believe I have no pride in myself?!" Hermione snapped as she viciously stabbed her mashed potatoes. "He slithered his way out of expulsion and you believe I would just throw myself at him?" She shuddered at the thought.
Ginny smirked, "You did this morning, didn't you?"
Hermione nearly choked on the potatoes she was chewing.
A passer-by, a fifth or sixth year Hufflepuff, she did not know the name of, gave her a few pats on the back, "Alright there?"
Hermione nodded hastily before the Hufflepuff strolled on. She helped herself to a few gulps of water before continuing.
"That was a completely different circumstance! I... I was..." she could feel the heat crawling up her spine of the memory and how intense his stare was had rendered her completely still. The heat of his touch as he had his hands upon her waist. How heavy her chest felt as she stared down upon him. The softness of his lips against hers when she kissed him.
She shook her head, "Listen I had every intention of studying! I did not in any shape or form shoo you away to be with Draco! I mean Malfoy! Were you not listening? I am still mad at him! If not more!"
"No you're not" Ginny said under her breath before taking another spoonful of pudding.
Hermione eyed Ginny with a narrowed eyes, "What was that?" she muttered out of the corner of her unmoving lips before turning back to her dinner.
Ginny shrugged her shoulders, "You're not mad at him! Clearly with what happened this afternoon! You're just embarrassed!"
Hermione took a deep breath, now pushing around the remaining food on her plate. It was true, as now students actually had evidence that she was with Malfoy. Her mind flashing briefly to what happened that afternoon. Feeling rather odd of how Malfoy would do such a thing as tickle her.
The sensations of having been beneath him came back, causing goosebumps to spread all along her arms and legs. She recalled the fact that he had stopped at one point to study her face.
She remembered the light brush of his fingers along her forehead before he looked at her eyes gave off that same alluring gaze he did in the morning when the roles had been reversed, where she was on top of him. Then he attacked her sides with his fingers once again.
"Please, a simple tickle attack is hardly anything to be considered embarrassing!"
Ginny said waving her spoon at Hermione, "Hermione, really, stop lying to me"
"Lying?! I never once lied to you about anything! And honestly, I'll ask you again, why would I just throw all morals out the window and just... throw myself at him?!"
"Why else would your shirt be inside out? Obviously you did more than just...tickle"
"WHAT?!" Hermione screeched earning a lot of stares from the people in the Great Hall.
Ginny motioned with her spoon, "Look for yourself. I can see the tag"
The air escaped her lungs as Hermione dropped her gaze down without moving her head. 'How in the world?'
**flashback**
McGonagall cleared off the crowds, as she led the three of them out of the grounds; all while Hermione struggled to free herself from Draco's grasp on her wrist.
"Let me go, dammit!"
Draco made no response, he only grinned. Hermione yanked and yanked to the point where she thought it would break.
"You'd want to be careful, kitten, you don't want to break anything"
Hermione was ready to comment with her own, before she heard a distinctive, 'ahem'. Her eyes shot to the Headmistress.
"Sorry Professor," Hermione mumbled shifting her eye contact to the dark-haired wizard at McGonagall's side. Something about the gleam in his eyes made her feel edgy.
"This way," McGonagall said before walking onward. Hermione inhaled and then shoved Draco right in the shoulder so he could release his hold on her.
"Prat,"
She stalked passed Theo, feeling a sudden gush of wind upon her torso, but thought nothing of it.
**end**
'That...that...UGH!' Hermione shook her head and licked her lips before she met Ginny's eyes.
"It's not what you think," Hermione said in a soft whisper, "It really... really isn't. I... we..." Her heart was starting to beat faster, as the anger rushed through her veins, causing her speech to break up.
"It wasn't like that... isn't like that! You have to... understand I... he did it. Switched it around when I wasn't looking. I... I felt it but... but I obviously thought... thought nothing of it!"
"Oh so this was magically done? A little Switch Spell? Please Hermione, Malfoy can't perform magic as long as he has that bracelet"
"It wasn't him!" Hermione snarled balling her hands into fists. "I never... I would never! It was a trick! I-"
"What are you doing here? No Slytherin slut is welcome to eat with the Gryffindors!" Sneered a harsh voice at her side. Hermione raised her eyes all to see the shocked, yet disgusted look on Ginny's face before she turned her gaze to her side.
Ron scowling at her with Harry at his side, gently tugging on Ron's arm to gain his attention. She took notice that most of the people in the Great Hall were watching her, anxious to know what will happen next.
"What did you just say to me?" Hermione said standing up to be face to face with him. Already annoyed for what Malfoy and his friend had done to her, she was ready for a fight!
Ron's frown deepened as he stepped backward from her, his eyes falling upon her appearance.
"You're sleeping with Malfoy!" He said pointing to her shirt, "So you go sit with him, not here..." his eyes darted up and down the Gryffindor table. "Us lions are proud and loyal beings, and we hate snakes..."
Hermione folded her arms as her face went completely set. Her eyes flicker over to Harry, seeing him bury his head in his hands, shaking it lightly.
"Sorry, are you insinuating that I was disloyal to you, Ronald Weasley?" She said acidly; her eyes flashing dangerously as she studied her ex's equally stoney expression.
"Not me," Ron corrected just as angrily, "Every one of your friends! You can't have it both ways, Hermione. You can't... shag Malfoy and then claim to be on our side!"
"Bit hypocritical of you, don't you think?" Hermione whispered harshly. "Shag one girl, than get jealous if the one you had is doing the same? You've made your bed Ronald, now go sleep in it!"
Ron furrowed his brows in confusion at the words his mouth opening slightly.
"Live with the consequences of your actions," She spat. "That's what the saying means." She glanced back to Ginny, "We're also finished. I... need to take care of something" and with her head held high, she roughly knocked her shoulder into Ron's before she stormed out of the room.
She got two feet out the door before she was face to face with a person that was found aiding Draco in using magic, Theodore Nott. He was grinning broadly as he shoved his hands into his pockets.
"Well, well, what do we have here?"
He studied her appearance for the second time that day. Subtle curves hidden beneath two pieces of fabric, and broke out into a wicked grin, 'Her shirt is still inside out. Nice'
"YOU!" Hermione said sharply. "You did this to me!"
Theo raised his hands up in defence, "I... haven't the foggiest idea what you're on about, princess"
Hermione just scoffed, knowing it was better to just leave, but Theo to block her path again.
"Hold on a minute. I wanted to ask you something that I didn't get a chance to earlier..."
For a brief moment, she looked at the Slytherin like he had grown two heads; eyeing him suspiciously.
"After what you did to me?! Forget it," She said shifting her gaze to over his shoulder to see if anyone else was walking down the corridor, "you're wasting your time AND mine." She added fiercely. She went to step around him only to be stopped once more.
Theo raised one eyebrow, "Hey now, it was just a statement, no need to get all feisty. Of course I already knew you were," he gave her a wide grin and a wink.
Hermione gasped slightly as she stepped backward from him. She glared at him, wanting nothing more than to stab and poke him in the eyes for what he did to her!
'And to think I was walking all around the school like this! UGH!'
"Now what was that word Draco called you again? Kitten?"
Hermione turned her head to the side, to hide her expression. Theo felt his lips twitch as he watched the witch before him swallow hard.
"It suits you, Granger. What with the way you kept clawing at him..."
Hermione felt the hairs on the back of her neck tingle at his words. She knew better than to just stand here and endure the Slytherin's taunting - it was bad enough she had to deal with such comments from Draco! 'Stupid... slippery... snakes!' She decided that fighting him wasn't going to accomplish anything so she made her leave to go the other way to her dorm, but Theo had reached out and took a hold of her wrist before she could take two steps.
"Don't-" Hermione stilled as she felt a sudden cool sensation on her arm.
"Okay, okay," Theo released his hold on her, "I get it. You hate compliments! But I gotta say, you sure are easy to rile up, no wonder Draco has so much fun,"
'Not to mention what a minx you'll be in the sack' He thought licking his lips.
Now she was even more frustrated! 'Compliments?! UGH! He's even worse than Draco!' With a newfound strength, Hermione freed her arm from Theo's grasp, then reached into her pocket to pull out her wand where she jabbed it right into his throat.
"Back off,"
Theo tsk'd, "You Gryffindors really need to stop being so uptight, it's unattractive"
Hermione put more force into her jab that she was sure it would leave a nice small red mark in the Slytherin's neck.
"What is going on here?!" hollered the agitated voice of one, Argus Filch.
"She... she's trying to hex me!" whimpered Theo, "I was just minding my own business and then this here Gryffindor decided to have some fun!"
With even more force than before to the point that Theo was actually wincing, before Hermione let up and pocketed her wand.
"Not even worth it," she said before she turned to Filch. "Sorry, for the bother. I'll just go now." And she left, all matters of approaching Draco out of her mind.
Filch gave a gnarled growl, as his eyes followed the young witch scamper off. He turned back to Theo, who nearly jumped before sprinting off himself.
"Bloody kids..."
Draco sat, staring at the fire as he absent-mindedly rubbed his chin as he replayed the afternoon's events on loop.
He hid the growing smirk on his face with his hand as he remembered the way she squirmed about to try to escape his attacks. How her spine bended so easily out of instinct, how warm and smooth the skin on her stomach had felt; how if he just moved it a little higher he could see what colour she wore today. He felt a sudden warmth on his neck and down his spine, that he knew had nothing to do with the fire before him.
He was glad he wasn't actually on her when he took her to the ground, or else things could have easily escalated into a repeat of this morning, but with the roles reversed of course.
Draco itched his chin as he tried to wrap his mind around the fact that time was ticking; and as it stands, she wasn't all that pleased with him, even after the tickling.
"Trust me, mate, this'll work to your advantage" he recalled Theo's voice from that afternoon before he went and switched Granger's top to be inside out. He tried to picture her reaction if someone asked her why... but he had more important matters at the moment. His bracelet.
The couch he was sitting on sagged a bit as the person beside him, fellow seventh year, Daphne Greengrass shifted herself closer. She had been working on said device for a good two hours, and Draco was easily becoming quite reckless. He could've easily spent the time with a certain brunette - trying to get things back under his control.
"I've tried everything, Draco." Daphne said with an exasperated sigh, "Seems to me McGonagall put on some kind of ward to prevent any magic from breaking it." She tossed the limb from her grasp. "Even the ones I made myself. You're stuck with it,"
"Wonderful," he groaned. 'Makes me feel loads better,' "Thanks anyway..."
Daphne nodded then got up to leave his room. No sooner than ten seconds, did Blaise show up at his door.
'Even better,' Draco really was not in the mood to deal with him either.
"Theo just told me, he got in detention because he helped you." Blaise huffed with a growl, "I thought things were clear, Draco, no help. It is not my fault you can't use magic"
"Actually Theo was just careless." Draco said as he got up from his bed to leave his room. "Didn't keep a look out for any Professors. That is not my doing," Dinner was ending in twenty minutes, and it he wanted to catch Granger before he was off to detention, his time was now.
However, Blaise refused to co-operate and remained solid.
"You're in my way, Blaise"
Ready for his retort, Blaise pointed a finger to the white-blond before him. "I-huh? What is that?" he said once he caught something blue in Draco's haven of silver and green.
"That belongs to Granger." He said smugly without turning away from Blaise.
Blaise stormed by Draco to inspect the fabric, "Y-"
"As I said before, you better make that trip to Diagon Alley."
Blaise snapped his gaze back over to Draco, sneering.
"I would leave, but I don't trust you with that," Draco motioned with his head for his company to leave. "That's mine, and so will she... soon enough"
"You..."
Draco put up a hand as a way to silence Blaise, "No need to look so upset, Blaise. A deal is a deal. Now leave,"
Grumbling Blaise dropped the bra and stormed by Draco, roughly sauntering his way down the corridor.
"What's your problem?" Said Pansy as she pressed herself against the wall as to prevent colliding with the dark Italian. "Don't you watch where you're going? You almost knocked me over!"
The only answer she got was a rough slam of a door.
"Whatever!" Pansy glanced over her shoulder to look at Draco, "So you are here! Why didn't you come to dinner? Theo said you had detention, but I-"
"I do have detention. I am just about to leave,"
"Without dinner though?" Pansy pouted. "I... I brought you up stuff cause... well you can't go to detention on an empty stomach!"
Draco eyed the package of food in her grasp. "I'm fine,"
"No you're-" she broke off in a gasp, her brown eyes widening once she spotted his bracelet. "What is this?"
She ignored his protests and latched onto his arm to look at it properly.
"Is this...? I..." She took a breath and tried again, "This isn't an Anti-Magic Device, is it?"
Draco scratched the back of his neck, "Yes."
"And?" She pressed with a brow raised, "Why are you wearing it?! What did you do to get it?! Was it that Mudblood's doing? I swear I knew-"
"Actually, McGonagall found out I used the Imperius, so..."
Pansy grunted, "Found out? No doubt that Mudblood ratted on you! She is such a tattle-tale"
'If you only knew, Pansy...' Draco just took a breath, "Can I have my hand back now? I really need to go. Uh... I'll eat on the way," he added awkwardly as he took the package of food from her grasp, then left her side before she had a chance to speak to him more.
Hermione sat on the windowsill, with her chin propped upon her knee cap as she gazed at the moon, barely paying any attention to the commotion going on behind her as the rest of the Gryffindors turned in for the night. She opted out of going to her room as she actually wanted to have a word with Harry.
'I cannot believe the nerve of him!' She vented in her head, grinding her teeth together. First it was Draco, then Ginny...Theodore...and now Ron! She felt like a lonely piece of meat stuck in the middle of a pack of wolves. 'And Ginny... thinking I would just... sleep with him! UGH'
"Say Hermione?" said a soft voice, "I don't mean to bother you... I just...uh can you help me with my essay?"
Hermione took a deep breath, 'Lovely, can't they know I don't want to be bothered?' before she faced the speaker. It was Neville. She felt a small tinge of guilt for thinking the way she did. Neville was harmless.
"I already got everything done and such... it's just...my brain's hurting now. I need a break and a fresh pair of eyes I think,"
Hermione eyed the three pieces of parchments in his grasp, and then smiled, welcoming the distraction.
"Which class is it for?"
Surprised, Neville bowed his head, "Care of Magical Creatures. I uh... it's supposed to be about our dragon's progress, but I can't seem to send it off properly. Everything else is already in order, but it's the conclusion that stumps me. I know it's a lot to ask and I understand if you don't cause you don't have the class but-"
"Not at all, Neville" She said slipping off the windowsill to join him at a nearby table; "Hand it over, let's see what you got."
No sooner before she could lay her eyes on the first word, the portrait flew open, followed by the echoes of voices.
"I mean, honestly..." echoed Ron's voice, "She tells me she's not ready and then... then... this happens."
"Bloody hell Ron, how many times are you going to complain about this?" Seamus responded, "It was bad enough when Dean was doing the same-"
"Hey don't bring me into this!"
"Look," sighed Seamus, "You said all you needed to say back in the Great Hall. Truthfully I will be surprised if she even looks at you again!"
"Yeah, calling Hermione a..." Dean left his comment unsaid as his eyes caught sight of Hermione sitting with Neville near the tables.
"A tease? A slut? Take your pick," Ron questioned, "She betrayed us all. If any of you speak to her I swear I-oh. Hermione"
Hermione glance at Neville, catching his sympathetic look. "It's fine, Neville. I... I've got this"
She slowly made her way over, to which Harry, Dean, and Seamus all took a step back, leaving Ron in front.
"You know, I was going to go about this like adults, but..." Hermione shook her head, "If you insist on being so... so... pathetic... so be it. It's hardly worth the effort." She stormed passed the four of them, ignoring Harry's attempts to stop her.
"There she goes" Ron called, "Off to go shag her Slytherin slime of a boyfriend..."
Hermione stopped dead in her tracks before she turned back to face Ron, "I was there you know!" Her voice eerily calm, as she fought of the tears threatening to fall. How could someone who was once so in love with her be so bitter and cold? 'He sure is ugly when he's so jealous'
She watched his face twitch as he battled with his emotions. She licked her lips and clasped her hands together, rolling her shoulders in a lazy shrug, "I was ready to take that step with you. I thought about it over and over and over again and again and how I was being so... silly of it all. Really. I loved you, I trusted you and I felt..."
She blinked back the tears and sighed, "That if I were to surprise you by going to your room I..." she sniffed, "Well I sure was surprised wasn't I?" Her face was completely void of any emotion.
Ron's frown deepened, "What are you...saying?"
Hermione took a deep but calming breath, "What it isn't clear enough for you?! This is why I was so hurt when I saw you with her... again. I was ready! I wanted to be with you! I really, did! And then when I saw that you didn't even bother to respect...no. No, I am not rehashing this again. There's no point"
Hermione looked down at herself, pink tank top with matching, kitten print flannel pants. "I need to change,"
"Change?" Ron whispered. "It's almost ten! You can't go!"
'Well you already suspect I am sleeping with Malfoy, so...'
"Well I can't go to meet my boyfriend looking like this can I? Completely unacceptable!" She said with a mock sweetness, not caring if she was acting childish, before she made her leave.
But Ron wasn't going to have it. She can't just say those things and then leave!
"Wait a minute, hold on, you-"
"Get out of my way, Ron!"
"You said you were ready..." Ron mumbled trying to meet her eyes.
Hermione held her chin high and smiled, "That's right, I was. It's just unfortunate you weren't the one to benefit from it,"
And with that, she left, leaving Ron completely dumbfounded. He looked to the four boys staring at him, each with their mouths slightly agape.
Hermione was back down no later than five minutes, with her Hogwarts cloak wrapped tightly around her body, ready to make a b-line toward the portrait hole, only to be stopped by Ron again.
"Wait one second here Hermione, you're not-"
"Move over Ron, I need to go."
Ron physically shuddered. He tried to reach for her, but Hermione just stumbled back to escape his hand.
"Move it, Ronald!"
"Listen I'm sorry I-"
"Like hell you are," Hermione said with a monotone before she withdrew her wand, aiming it at his face, as the other kept her cloak closed.
Ron's eyes dropped down to see her bare legs.
"Oh bloody hell, you're not naked under there are you?" He gulped, trying not to imagine what she would look like.
Hermione's eyes widened, "Well if I am a slut... what difference would it make?" She then knocked Ron roughly in the shoulder before she stormed out.
Ron blinked a few times, mentally willing for Hermione's imagine to reappear before him. His eyes then fell to his friends, which neither of them looked in his direction. Even the other Gryffindors around the Common Room had stopped their activities to see what was going on.
Hermione stared at the Fat Lady as the portrait closed with a somber expression.
"My, my, dear, aren't you cold?" said the Fat Lady sleepily.
Hermione sniffed and vigorously shook her head, tightening her hold on her robes, "Just... nervous"
She could feel the Fat Lady's scrutinizing gaze. "May I ask of what?"
Hermione internally rolled her eyes, 'Great now she thinks I'm a slut too'
"Sorry... no... it's personal" She could feel the heat warming her neck as she tried to take deep breaths to calm her rapidly beating heart.
'You can do this' she thought before strengthening her spine and walked down the corridor - destination, Slytherin Common Room.
E/N: before anyone asks, NO Hermione isn't naked... she's just in her undergarments ;) Now I don't believe she was too OCC here... as blinded anger makes you do crazy things, and even level-headed Hermione can crumble...