Hermione
The cornflower had been resting on the side of Hermione's side table for around three weeks now, encased in resin. Parvati had found Hermione staring at the flower one day and offered to turn it into a necklace to keep it from dying, to which Hermione agreed and thanked her for. As soon as Parvarti had delivered it back into her hands, the necklace had been placed around Hermione's throat and hadn't once left her. She had placed a protective spell over the chain to ensure that it never rusted or broke so that she could be confident that she would never lose it. Blaise had been teasing her about it and how it was her 'lucky charm' (as if she would need one), but the delivery of the cornflower was still surrounded in mystery. Hermione had not heard anything from her 'admirer' since the morning that it had been delivered, but she found herself looking into her surroundings for any sort of clue, and had hoped that she would find a note or message slipped into her school bag, yet here she was, disappointed that there was a mystery that she would be unable to solve.
She had been chatting with Blaise in the library about their latest potions assignment when Ginny had strolled past their table, stopping to say hello and invite her down to lunch, claiming she needed some 'girly time', although Hermione could recognise any excuse for her to 'accidentally' come across Blaise. Ginny's fascination with the Slytherin had grown since Harry had been dating Cho in the previous year, and had outgrown her enchantment of 'The Boy Who Lived', to the happiness of Ron. After packing her books and parchment into her bag, Hermione waved a quick goodbye to Blaise, who proceeded to wink at Ginny, to which a huge red blush spread across her cheeks, and left the library linking her arm around the redheads. They were barely five steps out of the door when Draco Malfoy ran into them. His hair was uncharacteristically messy and in his eyes, with an extremely pale complexion, eyes wide with shock. Moments passed where he stood, resembling a statue, failing to drop his gaze from hers, before changing his expression and pushing past them towards the library doors. The breath had all but escaped from Hermione's lungs, and was shocked to realise that there had been a lack of words to escape from his lips; no horrid names or rude comments towards her. She had heard Ginny exclaim about Malfoy being an "absolute prick" and "who does he think he is" in the back of her clouded mind, before being pulled away from the library. A quick glance over her shoulder had found an empty corridor, with no signs of the blonde, before she shook her head and smiled at Ginny before wiping the event from her mind.
Draco
He had come too close to her. The smell of parchment and ink refused to leave his nose, and he hadn't noticed that Blaise had appeared before him, a concerned expression held on his face. It had taken his best friend's hand on his shoulder to shake him out of his confused frame of mind, mumbling about a lack of sleep as an excuse for his behaviour. The look on Blaise's face was once of disbelief, but a shrug of his shoulders made Draco believe that he had hoodwinked his friend and was in the clear.
"So I heard McGonagall gave you another detention. Not looking so good for the Head Boy so far, and we're only..what.. Two months into the trimester?" Blaise smirked, trying to antagonise the Blonde. "As if I care Zabini. Do you really think that in a few years we are going to care about turning a pinecone into a chair? I have more important issues to deal with" he said gravely, keeping his voice low around the other students in the room. Blaise pulled him into an alcove near to the back of the library, and cast an allusion and silencing charm. Draco ripped his hand from his friend's grasp and moved over to the window seat, throwing his feet up and staring out of the window. "People will talk if you continue to pull me into dark corners Zabini. I'm sure the Weasley girl will be severely disappointed if she sees you doing that" he drawled, smirking at his friend. Blaise gave a short laugh and moved over to the seat opposite Draco, twirling his wand through his longer, slender fingers. "No need to be jealous Malfoy, it's not that hard to catch a Lioness. Although I suppose you wouldn't know, they all seem to avoid you at all costs". Draco gave his friend a dark glare before returning to look across the school grounds.
The smile on Blaise's face dropped as he watched his friend. He'd been keeping an eye on Draco over the summer, and had seen him withdraw into himself. He had lost weight and couldn't be found easily upon his return to Hogwarts, preferring to spend his time alone on the Quidditch pitch, or even disappearing completely from time to time. "Are you alright Draco? Is there something going on?" he questioned, tilting his head to try and catch the Blonde's eye. Draco chewed on his lip, and questioned whether he could, or should, involve his friend. The Malfoy's were well known for being in collaboration with the dark arts, and people were already suspicious that they were connected to the Dark Lord, although nothing had been proven. Draco knew better of course. Tom Riddle had been residing in his family's home for the last year, and had taken over control of the manor, with his father giving up everything just to be the Dark Lord's right hand man. Draco had become a prisoner in his own home, and had been ecstatic at the chance to get out of the situation and return to Hogwarts. Following his father being sent to Azkaban, Voldermort had decided that it was time that Draco took his father's place by his side. The Zabini family however, even though they were part of the Sacred 28, had managed to keep out of the Dark Lord's grasp, to Draco's jealousy. He couldn't imagine bringing his best friend into any situation that would put him at risk of Voldermort's persuasion. He knew he had to keep his task to himself, and so shook his head and gave a short laugh. "Nothing to worry about Zabini, just keep that pretty head of yours out of trouble. Listen to the Head Boy and stay out of it". Draco swung his legs off of the window seat and stood, before leaving the room, cloak billowing behind him.
Hermione
"I just can't get away from it 'Mione, everywhere I look, there they are! Snogging! I'm his sister, I shouldn't have to put up with this torture! And she's such a bimbo! I don't understand what he sees in her" Ginny complained, rolling her eyes and huffing at Ron, who was sitting further down at the dining table with Lavender Brown in his lap, faces molded together. Hermione smiled at Ginny and laughed as Harry came and sat opposite them, wearing his quidditch uniform. There was a practice match after breakfast, which Hermione had promised she would attend, seeing as she had made excuses for the last month about 'being behind on homework', which they all knew wasn't true. It was the weekend, and they hadn't planned to do anything until later in the day, needing a break from school work. Harry had quickly recognised Ron sat further down at the table, and feigned being sick before pushing away his breakfast plate. "I know what you mean Gin. Completely put me off my breakfast" he grinned, "Maybe if we slip him some liquid luck, they'll break up. Whaddya' think Mione?". Hermione laughed and rolled her eyes "No-one is that lucky Harry, although I can't imagine this will last too long, surely?". Ginny and Harry had bursted into laughter, before dropping deadly quiet as Ron decided to join them. "What's so funny?" he said, sliding in next to Harry, grabbing pancakes, eggs and bacon from the table in front of him before shovelling food into his mouth. "Oh nothing Won-Won, just trying not to be sick after your public display of affection" Ginny returned, giving him a sickly sweet smile before dodging a sausage that Ron had decided to use as a projectile. Hermione laughed and gathered up her books, making sure that none of Ron's breakfast hit her work; the last thing she needed were grease stains and crumbs over her parchment and books. After Ron had finished, the four of them had headed down to the quidditch pitch, Hermione heading over to the stands whilst the other three headed towards the pitch. After an hour of sitting in the cold, rain had started to fall, and Hermione sent over a Patronus to Ginny to let her know she was heading inside and that she would see her after Practice. She watched as the Otter swam through the air towards the middle of the pitch and circled around Ginny before receiving a wave.
A few days into the school year, McGonagall had approached Hermione to inform her that she would be moving up to the fifth floor, to where the Head Dorms were. Apparently the Day before everyone returned to school, Peeves had somehow gotten access to the private dorms and had himself a little party, making a mess of each of the two head's rooms, which had meant that Hermione had to stay in the Gryffindor Dorms until her room had been cleaned and set back to normal. Heading towards the fifth floor, Hermione jumped as she heard a door slam, and hid behind a column as Pansy stomped down the corridor towards the staircase. Thanking Merlin that she hadn't been spotted, she stopped hiding and walked towards her room, keeping a look down the corridor in case the Slytherin decided to return, as she walked into something hard and fell to the floor. No, not something. Someone. She rubbed her back and looked up, before realising that the hard surface had been Malfoy. "Sorry" she whispered, before grabbing her bag from the floor. As she looked up again, ready to stand, she saw that he had extended his hand to her. Blinking in confusion for a few moments, Hermione had reached out and grasped his palm as he assisted her back to her feet. She had met his eyes and noticed his blank expression. There was no hate, no smirk, and Hermione realised that she didn't recognise the man in front of her. Her cheeks heated and she averted her gaze as she let go of his hand before whispering a quick "thank you", and disappeared behind him, heading back to her room. After getting to her dorm and locking the door behind her, she leant against the door and let go of a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding.
Draco
Again. He had come across her again. Surely she had noticed by now that he hadn't said anything either time they had come into contact. And he had helped her up. What the fuck was going on. He had held her hand and helped her up. And found himself speechless. As she stared at him on the cold ground, he'd noticed the chain around her neck. The blue cornflower shone in its casing as it sat on the front of her jumper. He hadn't even noticed that he had extended his hand out to her until she had held it. Within moments she had been a breath away from him, and he realised that he didn't hate the proximity to her. They had been working together for a while during the nightly checks of the castle, but they had never spoken a word or even been within 6 meters of each other by choice. He hadn't been this close to her in years, not since Diagon Alley before first year had even started. He recognised a cold sweat on his brow, and his heart palpated as he stood there, waiting for his body to move as he wished. Heading back to his room and grabbing a towel, Draco left the dorms and headed towards the prefect's bathroom, locking the door behind him and hoped that he wouldn't see another being for at least the next few hours.
Hello everyone! I am sorry for the long wait for the next chapter! There has been so much going on in life and I haven't had a chance to sit and write for a long time. This chapter has literally been written in the last hour. And I've decided that I'd like to head in a different direction. But don't worry dear readers, The only thing i'm changing is the ending, as I want to write more for this story :)
I hope you enjoy the chapter, please contact me if you have any comments or questions
(as we have to, Characters do NOT belong to me)
(although I wish they did).
Lots of Love, AcaciaKnight x