A/N: It has been 2 months! I'm so bad I'm sorry :(( I haven't had a great couple of months, I've had no motivation to do anything and I've basically been staying in bed all day. I started stitching again last week, but I couldn't bring myself to write anything because a.) I felt bad about leaving it for so long and b.) I tried writing and I hated everything I came up with. I was also given tablets that help me fall asleep since I was going to bed at around 5am, and waking up at 2pm, so the time I normally write in I've actually been asleep (it's a win-lose situation haha). But I finally found the motivation to actually write something! Also after this chapter there's going to be a time jump of about 2 weeks to bring us up to Christmas! Thanks for reading, I appreciate you all so much. If you're still here after my 2 month absence you are absolutely amazing, and I'm so thankful for you! I hope you enjoy this (very, very, very late) chapter of And Malfoy Caught the Snitch! Love, CrazyAsACupcake x
Malfoy changes quickly, sauntering back onto the pitch with a smirk on his face and his back on his shoulder. She's stood opposite the changing room door with her arms crossed, waiting. His smirk grows – if that's possible. "All yours, prude."
She scowls at him, marching past him with her nose in the air. She stops in the doorway, turning towards him. "There's nothing prudish about wanting to get changed in private, Malfoy. Nothing wrong with not wanting people staring at you."
"Oh, but it's the other way around when I'm the one getting changed isn't it," he fires back, his eyes glimmering as he watches her face shift. "Don't think I didn't know you were ogling me that day, Granger."
"I didn't mean to! I was trying to talk to you and you were getting changed and- I'm sorry!" Her ears feel hot, and she can't begin to imagine what her face looks like.
"I'm not asking for an apology," he shrugs, grinning. "I was just letting you know I knew." He checks his watch. "Hurry up, lessons about to end and I don't want to get caught in the crush on the way to the hall."
She spins around, leaving him alone on the pitch for about five minutes, kicking at the grass with his hands stuffed deep into his pockets. When she comes back out, she's got his folded jumper in front of her, and holds it out to him. He wrinkles his nose in mock disgust.
"I don't want it."
"Why not?"
"It's got girl germs on."
"Malfoy!" She snaps, thrusting the jumper towards him. He recoils away, his hands up.
"Besides, I don't want to carry around two jumpers. It's only fair if you carry one."
"Oh yes, because it's so fair for me to carry around a jumper I didn't even want you to bring." Sarcasm drips from the drawled words, and he grins.
"See! You get it!" He places his hands on her shoulders. "I'm glad we understand each other." He begins walking past her, out of the pitch, and as she opens her mouth to respond he cuts her off. "Besides, the nights are getting colder, and it is exceptionally warm to sleep in. Not that you'd need to know that, of course."
She runs her thumb in circles over the soft material, biting the inside of her cheek as she thinks. Finally, she sighs, and shoves the jumper into her bag. He smirks and she glares at him. "Don't think you've won. I'm just done arguing with you."
"Of course," he nods sagely in agreement before bending to pick the Nimbus up from where it rests on the floor, then claps his free hand on her shoulder. He grins down at her. "Just remember to tell yourself that tonight when you put it on for bed."
Her eyes roll as she starts out of the pitch, hearing him behind her, the grass crisp beneath his springy steps. His left hand is deep in his pocket, the Nimbus held loosely in his right. He passes her, spinning around to walk backwards as he speaks to her.
"So, what're we getting for lunch today, little miss? Shall we have sandwiches by the lake?"
"Sandwiches instead of apples," she laughs. "Daring today are we?"
"I didn't say anything about 'instead of', did I? One can't live solely off of apples, Granger, surely you know that."
"So it's sandwiches and apples," she smirks at him, folding her arms tightly over her chest as a chilling breeze washes over the grounds. He shivers, not exaggeratedly, but enough for her to notice. "I don't think by the lake is a good idea."
"Yeah, it doesn't seem like it, does it?"
"What's your next lesson?"
"You have a very high image of me if you think I'm actually planning on going to it."
"Of course you're going to go; if it comes down to it I won't hesitate to imperio you."
"You're going to imperio me to go to the library?" He laughs. "I'm free next lesson, so I'm probably going to nap for an hour or so."
"You're free?"
"Honestly, you think I took Care of Magical Creatures or Ancient Runes?"
"Well, I knew you didn't take Ancient Runes, since I'm in that lesson." She huffs, blowing a strand of hair from in front of her eyes. "You should go to the library and do some work. You'll fall behind."
"Who cares if I fall behind?" He wrinkles his nose, turning back to face the way they're walking and falling into step beside her. He pushes the giant door open and she ducks under his arm and into the Entrance Hall. The Hall is empty; they just missed the crush, everyone is already in their seats scoffing their lunch down their throats before they trundle to their next lesson.
"You, presumably. At least somewhere underneath this," she waves her hand in his general direction as the door booms shut behind them.
"You just gestured to all of me."
"Did I? I didn't notice." She smirks and he nudges her slightly with his shoulder.
"There's bigger things on my mind than falling behind, Granger." He runs his hand through his hair.
"How many times do I have to tell you to stop doing that?"
"As many times as you want; I'm not listening."
"Charming, aren't you?"
He smirks, turning towards her and leaning in until they're nose to nose. "If you want to see charming, Granger, all you need to do is ask."
She scoffs, rolling her eyes and twisting away from him. "I don't think I should have to ask. If you really wanted to charm someone, surely that's up to you."
They reach the Great Hall, Malfoy shifting the Nimbus from hand to hand.
"I'll go in," Hermione hands him her bag and smooths her skirt.
"Ham, please. For the sandwich."
She nods, smiling as she stares at him. "Never knew you were one for simplicity, Malfoy."
He smiles back. "Not everything has to be extreme. It's nice to not have to think about things every once in a while."
"I guess it is."
They stand there for a while, just smiling at each other.
He breaks first, clearing his throat. "So…"
"Sandwiches."
"And apples."
"Anything else?"
"Pumpkin juice. If possible. Please."
"What a combination," she laughs. She reaches into her bag that he is holding rather awkwardly, pulling her water bottle out. After downing the last mouthful of water, she steps towards the door. "See you in a minute."
He loops her bag handle over his shoulder before holding his hand up in a half-wave. "See you in a minute."
She slips into the Great Hall, sidestepping people stood in the aisles before she gets to the Gryffindor table. Without bothering to sit down, she picks up some slices of bread and assembles two sandwiches.
"Not staying, 'Mione?" Harry is sat across from where she is stood, cradling a mug of tea. A scowl is etched across his face.
"I'm going to go to the library for a bit. We have a test in Ancient Runes and I just want to go over a few things first." Her voice is just above a murmur as she slices the sandwiches into triangles.
"Are you going alone? You never have two sandwiches – you hardly ever manage to finish one."
"Yes, I'm going alone. I'm just a bit hungry."
"Well, me and Ron were worried about you. You left and didn't come back. You didn't even give a reason for leaving, you just ran out."
"I felt a bit sick, if you must know. Dizzy. I went to see Madam Pomfrey and she made me lie down for a bit. I did tell her I would be fine but she insisted." She reaches across the table and picks up two green apples, shoving them into her robe pocket.
"Two apples." Harry notes, his frown deepening. "I'm glad you're feeling better now. We're all going to have a Wizard's Chess tournament in the common room tonight, if you want to join. It'll be better with an even number."
"Oh, yeah? What's the prize? Can you pass me that jug?" Harry leans down the table for the jug and hands it to Hermione, who unscrews the top of her bottle and fills it with the pumpkin juice.
"Yeah, the prize is 15 galleons, a pack of Bertie Botts, and a chocolate frog." He grins, taking a long, slow sip of his tea. He's added so much milk it's nearly white. "That is, if Ron doesn't eat it first."
"Tempting… tempting indeed," she hums as she screws the lid back on, picking her sandwiches up in her free hand. "If this test goes well then I'm in. If Ron doesn't eat the chocolate frog first."
"I'll make sure he doesn't," Harry laughs. "Good luck on your test, not that you need it."
"Thanks, Harry." She smiles at him before she weaves her way out of the Hall.
Outside, Malfoy is drawing patterns in the dust on the bricks with his fingertips, and he smiles when he sees her come out. She hands him his sandwiches, to which he says: "Thank you very much, angel."
She cringes slightly. "Don't call me that."
"Why not?"
"I don't like it."
"What about angelcake?" He teases.
"I miss angel cakes." She murmurs, taking a swig of pumpkin juice from her water bottle. He looks at her quizzically as he takes a bite from his one of his sandwiches. "They're these little cakes, pink and white. They're so nice. I wish they had them here."
"I'll make you some."
She laughs, taking a bite of her own. She covers her mouth with her hand. "Oh, I'd love to see that. Draco Malfoy baking. That'll be the day."
He gapes at her. "I'll have you know, Miss Granger, I am an exceptionally good baker."
"Oh yeah? And what proof do you have?"
"I challenge you to a bake-off. Over Christmas. Your parents can judge."
"That's a biased audience; they'll pick me because I'm their daughter and they love me."
"When faced with the beauty that is my baking, they'll have to say that I'm the best."
She pats him condescendingly on the cheek as she begins down the corridor, towards the dungeon entrance. "Keep telling yourself that."
As she daintily eats her sandwich, he scarfs his down as though he doesn't know what food is. "So, if you're angelcake-"
"I'm not angelcake."
"If you're angelcake, then what am I?"
"Bane of my existence?"
"Come on, Granger, what's my nickname?"
"You can be…" She pauses, thinking (but mainly just finishing her sandwich) before she pulls his apple from her pocket. His eyes light up as she hands it to him. "You're called Drapple."
"What on earth is Drapple?"
"Draco plus apple is Drapple. Since it's obviously your one true love."
He bites off a large chunk of apple, his eyes glittering as he pieces it together. "I see! So you just… smushed both the names together?" She laughs, nodding. "So that means…"
"So what means what?"
He pauses on the stairs, and she turns to look at him. He really was a picture, stood there in his uniform – no robes, but otherwise uniformed – her bag slung across his chest, his Nimbus by his side in one hand, an apple in his other. His face creased as he does some serious addition in his head.
She can't help but smile at the sight of him.
"That means that us, me and you," he waves his hand in the space between them, pointing back and forth. "We're Dramione."
She laughs. "That's seriously what you were thinking about?"
He shrugs, grinning. "Why not?"
"I was talking about you being in love with the apples. We aren't in love." (Are we?) "We don't need a special little code name." (Do we?)
"It doesn't need to be love. That can be our friend name. Our spy name. That's just us. It doesn't need to be labelled as anything."
"By giving it a name you're labelling it. You don't need to label friendship."
"I think it's a nice name."
"You can think that all you want, you sap."
He laughs, his head flung back. He jumps the last few steps and lands beside her, holding his arm out. When she doesn't take it, he raises his brows at her, smirking. She rolls her eyes, but takes his arm nonetheless.
As they begin walking down the corridor, he speaks. "I think that's a great word to describe this." (Whatever this is) "Dramione."
"It's not describing anything, it's just our names."
"Exactly!" He goes to bite the apple but struggles to reach, so she takes it from his hand, holding it up to his mouth. He smiles, going for a bite, instead kissing her thumb softly. She almost drops his apple. "Isn't that the best way to describe this?" He bites into the apple. "Two separate people who you think wouldn't get alone – who didn't get along – who now are… friends. It's perfect."
"Whatever you say," she mumbles, smiling. As they get closer to the entrance of Slytherin dungeon, her thumb begins rubbing along his arm absently, her head leaning against his upper arm slightly.
"Dramione." He whispers, more to himself than to her. "Us. Me and you," he says louder.
"Against the world."
He laughs. "Most definitely."
"In a strange way, I'm glad."
"Oh yeah?"
"One less enemy to worry about." She holds the apple up to him again, hoping that he'll kiss her hand again. He doesn't.
"I never considered you an enemy, Granger. More like a tolerable co-worker."
"That's a lie, you didn't tolerate me one bit."
"I don't even tolerate you now."
"Well that makes me feel better; I don't tolerate you either."
He shakes his head and chuckles to himself. "Merlin, we really were made for each other weren't we?" Her heart almost stops – almost. "Just shows we were always destined to be friends."
Stop saying friends, she hisses at him in her head. You kissed my hand, you said we were made for each other – Jesus, Malfoy!
"You know what?" She turns the word over in her head once more. "It's kind of grown on me."
"I knew it would."
"Not that I'm going to use it – ever."
"It's us."
"You and me."
"Against the world."