Disclaimer: I do not own the characters but I wish I did :/
The next day….
Hermione woke up to someone's voice coming from the common room. She got up and sat up on the bed to look around and found that almost everyone was up from the noise. She looked at the time and it was just five thirty in the morning. That was too early. Hermione had initially planned to get a nice sleep today but it seemed like things weren't going as planned.
Suddenly the door opened and a fuming Ginny Weasley marched towards Hermione. Hermione widened her eyes at the She-Weasley.
"Hermione, you are needed downstairs" Ginny said folding her hands.
"Why, what happened?" Hermione narrowed her eyebrows at her friend.
"I don't know! I just wanted to do one thing and that was to have a nice long sleep but apparently my bother thought that it will be great to wake us all up from his hoarse voice!"
"Ron?"
"How many more brothers of mine are studying in Hogwarts right now?"
"Oh. Yeah. I'm sorry" Hermione suppressed her urge to laugh at her comment.
"Just go down, will you? And do me a favor and kill my brother please"
Hermione laughed at that, "Calm down, Ginny. I am going downstairs and finding out what the havoc is all about"
"You better do that" Ginny said with a small smile.
Hermione got up from the bed, grabbed her robes and books and went downstairs in the common room.
She entered the common room to find Ron and Harry arguing over something.
"What's the deal?" Hermione asked, walking towards the boys.
"Oh, Hermione, you are here" Ron said getting up and with a relieved smile.
"What were you two arguing about?" Hermione said taking a seat beside Harry at the couch.
"Ron is supposed to go and take his corrected assignment from Professor Vector right now and he is being coward to do so" Harry filled in for Ron.
"What's the problem in that?" Hermione asked looking at Ron.
"I…well-"
"Just spit it out, for Godric's sake!" An annoying Harry said out loud.
"Ifailedinit" Ron said.
"Sorry, come again. I wasn't able to catch it" Hermione said shaking her head.
Harry banged his head gently on the nearby wall. It was no surprise that Harry was annoyed for some reason.
"I failed in it" Ron said it clearly this time.
"You what?" Hermione got up from the couch in shock.
"Come on, Hermione. It's not what I am worried about. It's Professor Vector I am worried about. He already hates me and now, after this, he is definitely going to yell at me and give a detention"
"Ronald Weasley! How did you fail? You know how important these assignments are!" Hermione stated in disbelief that his friend had failed. "How are you going to get a decent job if you continue to be like this?"
"Hermione, the last thing I want is to get lectured by you" Ron said closing his eyes.
"I am not lecturing you! I am stating facts you idiot!" Hermione exclaimed in anger.
"Oh boy" Harry muttered looking at Hermione. She was dangerous when angry and Ron was in trouble.
"So what? You are going to be yelled at even if you don't go and collect your assignment right now." Hermione said after taking a long breath. "And I think Professor will get even angrier than he probably is now"
"I know that! But I don't want to go" Ron said sitting down on the couch. "I had thought about a plan, you know"
"And he's dead…" Harry whispered to himself looking back and forth between his to best friends.
"What plan?" Hermione enquired.
"I was thinking that….maybe if you can go and get my assignment in my place?" Ron said looking at Hermione with hope.
"Oh no, not happening any time" Hermione said shaking her head.
"Please, Hermione"
"No, Ron. It's your responsibility" Hermione said looking at the Weasley.
"Hermione, try to understand. Professor Vector likes you and maybe if you say that I will give my best the next time, he will agree"
Hermione thought about it. He did have a point there. Professor Vector admired her and there were possibilities that he will reduce some punishment of Ron's. But it was not right! But then again he was her best friend.
"Ok, I'll do it" Hermione said with a small smile directed at Ron.
"You are the best, Hermione!" Ron exclaimed in joy and hugged her.
"Try not to murder her, Ron" Harry said looking at how tightly Ron was hugging Hermione.
"Shut up, Harry" Ron said and pulled away from the hug.
The two boys started talking about something but Hermione wasn't listening. A realization had just his her. Professor Vector's office is on the same way where the Slytherin Dormitory is located. 'Not again'
In the Slytherin Dormitory…
Draco looked around the room and figured out it was still very early in the morning. He hadn't slept peacefully last night thinking about what Theo had said. Why did Theo even think that something is going on between him and Hermione? Sure, Draco was trying to get in the good graces of Hermione for completing the dare but he hadn't even made a single move yet.
Draco shook his head and cursed Theo for being such an ass. He got up and changed into his robes. He decided to go to the Great Hall because he didn't know what else to do and he definitely didn't want to lay down on his bed like a maniac.
He grabbed his books and opened the door to enter the common room. He found the common room was empty. It looked everyone was enjoying their sleep unlike Draco. 'Screw, Theo'
He opened the main door and was just about to exit when-
"Going somewhere?" A voice called from behind.
Draco turned around to find a grinning Theo leaning on the wall. 'Oh no, not him'
"What are you doing up so early?" Draco asked trying not to focus why he was grinning like an idiot.
"I could ask you the same question" Theo said walking towards Draco.
"I woke up pretty early so I thought to go to the Great Hall" Draco said.
"Oh" Theo exclaimed with a smirk. "And this is not related to a certain Gryffindor?"
'Here we go again' Draco thought. Why was Draco friends with him in the first place?
"I am not in the mood to beat the shit out of Potter the first thing in the morning" Draco said making it look like he had no clue what Theo was implying.
"Don't try to act saint, Draco" Theo said knowing that Draco was lying. "You know that I am not talking about scarhead here"
"I seriously don't know what you are talking about" Draco said trying to dodge the question.
"Oh, you do" Theo said. He was enjoying this more than anything.
"You are officially an asshole!" Draco said with annoyance and exited the dormitory.
"Why won't he just admit?" Theo said rolling his eyes and walking back to his room.
Draco slammed the door shut behind him and cursed his fellow friend for being such a git. He turned around to walk towards the Great Hall but he bumped into something. Or rather 'someone'.
Hermione looked up to see who she bumped into. When she looked up, her eyes met up with a certain blonde. She hadn't expected this and neither did he. Their eyes locked with each other's. And for a moment, the rest of the world became blurry. Like both of them forgot about anything else.
Draco looked into the brown eyes and there was something in them which made his stomach twitch. Her eyes were beautiful. Magnificent. He felt some tension growing. Something he had never felt felt with someone else.
Hermione looked into Draco's eyes and felt that her heart was pumping faster than normal. She definitely could feel the tension between her and Draco. She looked down at his hands which were holding her waists.
Draco followed her gaze and quickly removed his hands from her waist. 'Fuck'. It must have happened when they collided.
Both of them took a step back at the same time. Hermione looked at the ground in awkwardness while Draco was busy admiring the ceiling.
Draco cursed himself for being so awkward. He bloody needed to say something. Anything. The awkwardness was killing him. He cleared his throat and addressed her, "Granger"
Hermione looked up from the ground after hearing her name.
"Malfoy" She nodded in response.
"What are you doing here?" Draco asked the first genuine question. "Didn't find your badge yet?"
"I…n-no" Hermione cursed herself for acting so clumsily.
"Then?" Draco raised his eyebrows at her response.
Before Hermione could open her mouth to answer, both of them heard some noise coming from the Slytherin dormitory.
Draco tensed. That voice sounded like Theo. Heck, it was Theo's voice! If Theo saw Hermione and him standing together, he definitely would make a drama out of this and Salazar knows what not.
Draco turned to Hermione and said quickly, "We should talk while walking"
"Oh" Hermione blinked at his words. "Yeah, sure"
Draco nodded and gestured her to walk with him.
They had walked a few steps when he asked again, "So, why were you exactly there?"
"Oh that" Hermione remembered. "I was getting Ron's assignment from Professor Vector"
"Why in hell were you collecting Weasley's assignment?" Draco looked at her and enquired.
"Uhh...actually Ron failed in the assignment and Professor is not much of a fan of him so he was afraid that he would yell at him" Hermione said trying not to make Ron sound like a coward.
Draco laughed at that, "Yeah, that does sound like Weasley"
"Hey, don't be a git!" Hermione smacked him with her book.
"Ouch, Granger. That hurts" Draco said rubbing his arm where she had hit her.
"You deserved it" Hermione said matter of factly. "And besides, a single person can't be good in everything"
"Well, we have you to prove that theory wrong" Draco said giving a side smirk.
Hermione stared at Draco after he said those words. Did he just praise her?
"You think I am good at everything?" Hermione asked him.
"No" Draco said looking directly at her. "I know that you are"
Hermione smiled at that. She had heard this compliment several times and was bored of listening this to be honest. But this coming from Draco sounded different. She had never thought that Draco would ever say those words.
They walked a few more feet in complete silence. Well, the silence was just outside. Inside, there was war going on. Both of their minds were filled with millions of thoughts.
Draco was thinking about what he had just said. He hadn't planned it beforehand. It just came out from the mouth.
Hermione was having a debate with her mind about the changed behavior of Draco's. This boy, walking beside her was definitely not the Draco who had bullied her for years.
"So, what were you doing so early?" Hermione directed the question at Draco.
Draco looked at her at the question. He was not going to tell her the true reason. He stormed his brain to make something up.
"Malfoy?"
"Hmm? Yeah…. It was because of nightmares"
"Oh" Hermione nodded her head. "Have you ever tried sleeping draught?"
Draco shook his head 'no'.
"You should!" Hermione implied. "It is very helpful"
"I'll give it a go" Draco replied. "Thank you"
"Mention not" Hermione smiled back.
Soon they reached the Great Hall. It was the time for them to split up.
"See you later, Malfoy" Hermione said and turned around to walk towards the Gryffindor table.
"Yeah. Later, Granger" Draco whispered softly and looked at her walking away.
In the Transfiguration class….
"No, Harry" Hermione shook her head. "I'm not helping you cheat"
"Come on, Hermione" Harry pleaded his best friend. "You know, I will fail if you don't help me"
"We both will" Ron added.
"I can help you in studies but cheating?" Hermione slammed her books on the desk. "Not happening"
Harry and Ron took their seats on the either side of Hermione. Ron was just going to open his mouth when some unwanted guest appeared.
"Trouble in paradise, Granger?" Theo said leaning on their desk.
"Sod off, Nott" Ron said waving his hand.
"I am not talking to you Weasel" Theo said directly looking at Ron, giving a fake smile. "So, kindly shut the fuck up"
"You-" Ron got up to hit Theo when Harry and Hermione stopped him by holding him back.
After making Ron calm down, Hermione got up and dragged Theo by his hand in a corner to talk about whatever he came for.
"What are you doing here anyways?" Hermione asked him folding her hands.
"I came to rescue you from those two baboons" Theo said with a smirk and gesturing to her best friends.
"Oh my hero" Hermione replied sarcastically. "What will I do without you?"
"Don't worry Granger, I'll always have your side" Theo assured her in a sarcastic tone as well.
Hermione smacked him on his left arm.
"Oww" Theo said rubbing his arm. "Violence doesn't suit a woman"
Meanwhile, a certain Slytherin was watching the exchange between the Head Girl and Boy. He knew that nothing was going on between Theo and Hermione but he didn't like this 'bond' between them. And he certainly wasn't liking that Hermione was standing so close to Theo and was so comfortable about it. Draco watched the conversation intently.
"Get to the point, Nott!"
"No, I think that can wait" Theo said. "I'm rather enjoying this"
Hermione glared at Theo which was rather a very scary.
"Ok" Theo surrendered after her glare. "You made your point. You are scary. Anyways, McGonagall called all the prefects and us after this class"
"Why?"
"How will I know?" Theo shrugged.
"So, that's it?" Hermione asked so that she could return to her seat.
"Pretty much yeah" Theo nodded. "But if you want you can stand this close to me for as much as you want"
It was then, when Hermione realized that she was standing pretty close to Theo. She blushed at that and stepped back. Theo laughed at her actions.
"You are such a git"
"So I have been told" Theo assured her grinning.
Hermione gave him a disgusted look and returned back to her best friends.
"What was he talking to you about?" Harry enquired.
"Oh some prefects stuff" Hermione replied to which Harry nodded.
Theo went back and took a seat beside Draco. Draco looked at Theo as he sat down.
Theo noticed that Draco was staring at him so he turned to him and asked, "What? Is there something on my face?"
"What were you doing with Granger?"
"Nothing in particular. Some prefects stuff" Theo said and then grinned at his friend. "But, why do you care?"
"I don't" Draco said sternly and turned to look forwards again. "Why will I care?"
Theo rolled his eyes at his friend for being so stubborn.
The Professor entered the class and greeted the students and soon the class began.
Minutes had passed and Theo was sitting staring at nothing in particular because he had completed his task a while ago and now he had nothing to do. Suddenly his gaze fell on Hermione and she was staring at something…..beside him. He followed her gaze and found that she was rather staring at someone. His best friend. Draco Malfoy. And Draco was doing his task, oblivious to all this.
'And they say they don't like each other' Theo said rolling his eyes.
Hermione had completed her task and her mind was filled with the thoughts of Draco. He hadn't been rude to her at all till now. She looked back at Draco and thought what changed him.
"Miss Granger, please pay attention rather than staring at the Slytherins" The professor pointed out.
Hermione's face reddened and she turned around to face forwards. Theo grinned. And everyone looked at Hermione at that. Even Draco.
"She was staring at us?" Blaise asked from the back.
"I would rather say she was staring a Draco" Theo said softly so that only he and Draco could hear it.
Draco blinked at that, "She was staring at me?"
"Did I speak French?" Theo said matter of factly. "Yes she was!"
Draco turned his gaze from Theo to Hermione. Was she really staring at him? Draco felt the twitch again. He was not falling for her, was he? Damn it. He was supposed to make her fall in love not vice versa.
"I won't be surprised if I find you both snogging each other at this point"
"Shut your trap, Theo" Draco waved his hand at him.
"Whatever" Theo rolled his eyes at his friend again.
In Professor McGonagall's cabin…..
"So, we are all gathered here for an important discussion" McGonagall said addressing the prefects and the two heads. "As you can see, students are still not as cheery as they were before the war so I think we should organize something fun for everyone. Something that will take their minds off the disturbing things"
Theo flinched at the memory of war and all that had happened.
"That's a great idea, headmistress" Hermione agreed.
"Thank you, Miss Granger" McGonagall smiled at Hermione and continued, "So, do any of you have any ideas?"
"Umm…maybe we can host a pop quiz about Hogwarts castle" Michael Corner suggested.
"That's the shittiest idea I have ever heard, Corner" Theo said giving a disgusted look to the Ravenclaw prefect.
"Mr. Nott, language!" The headmistress warned Theo.
"I apologize, Professor" Theo said.
"Michael, I know you love studies but we want something that is not related to studies" McGonagall said.
Michael looked down in embarrassment.
"Professor, I have a brilliant idea" Theo raised his hand. "Let's cancel all the exams this year"
Everyone nodded and agreed to it except Hermione and McGonagall.
"No, !" The headmistress said not only to Theo but to everyone. "That's not going to happen. Ever."
Then one by one everyone started saying their ideas out loud but McGonagall wasn't impressed by any.
All out of sudden, Hermione blurted out, "We can organize a ball. Like the Yule Ball"
Everyone stopped speaking at that moment and turned to look at Hermione with an impressed expression.
"That's an amazing idea, Miss Granger" McGonagall clapped both her hands and smiled widely.
"Indeed it is" Theo said to Hermione.
Hermione smiled at that. She was happy everyone liked her idea.
"So, it's final. We are going to have a ball. I'll inform everyone tomorrow but let's add something different to it this year"
Everyone looked at the headmistress at her revelation.
"This year, the ball will start with an opening dance and only prefects and the heads will be doing that"
"Us?" Hanna Abott asked.
"Yes, you all" McGonagall nodded. "You can choose any escort. It doesn't have to be from among you. But you all have to take part in the opening dance. Understood?"
Everyone nodded at the headmistress's words.
"Ok than, you all are free to go back to your respective classes"
Author's notes: Like it? Didn't like it? Tell me in the reviews and check out my Instagram profiles ( usernames given in my bio).