"I can't believe this!" Pansy's shriek could be heard from miles around. Draco's eyebrows twitched in faint vexation. Merlin's pants, why did Pansy have to scream that in the middle of a crowded corridor?
But apparently, the news of The Slytherin Prince getting together with the war hero and Brains of the Golden Trio had reached her ears. Honestly, Draco was surprised at how much time it took for the news to reach her; after all, she was always the one who had the newest gossip in their friend group.
"Can you please," Draco looked over annoyedly at her, gritting his teeth, "not make such a big deal about it?" But when their eyes met, he was a bit taken aback when determination glinted in her eyes instead of a submissive one that she often had when talking to him. She had a look in her eyes that told Draco she knew exactly what he was up to. And his shocked and bewildered reaction confirmed her beliefs.
"It can't be true," Pansy smirked, "You would never voluntarily date that Mudblood. Tell me the problem, Draco, and I'll teach her a lesson."
"It's true, Pansy," Draco sneered, "We're together, so would you quit whining already? Just drop it. I'm hungry and I want to get to the Great Hall as soon as possible." Dinner had already started and everyone was rushing back to the Great Hall to grab a seat.
"I know you, Draco," Pansy crossed her arms and jutted out her chin, "You still believe in the ancient Pureblood traditions. They're ingrained in you, like how these scars will be forever ingrained in your skin." She pulled Draco's hands and flipped them upward forcefully so that the scars on his palms were fully exposed. Nearly half the people in the corridor now had slowed their steps, their conversations dwindling, no doubt trying to eavesdrop on their argument. With a snarl, Draco snatched his hand out of her grasp. Just as he was about to spit a curse at her, Pansy pushed forward resolutely, her eyes fixed on his.
"If you two are really together, prove it to me," Pansy's mouth curled into an unpleasant smile, "Prove it to me by kissing her. Kiss her and you'll be forever an outcast of the Pureblood society."
Draco swallowed, a chill tingling down his spine; but on the outside, he only stared at Pansy stonily before turning and continuing down the corridor. When he had agreed to the duo act that Hermione had brought up, he should have anticipated something like this from Pansy. There was no going back.
Pansy did not say anything else after that, but Draco could feel her steely gaze fixed on his back. The group trudged into the Great Hall with all the other students and immediately, Draco spotted the bushy brown hair of Hermione by the Gryffindor table. Pansy, apparently, had also glimpsed it, for she gave Draco a rough push on the back.
"Go on then, darling," Pansy's voice dripped with sarcasm, "Good luck."
But as she saw Draco taking large, steady strides toward the Gryffindor table, her large smile faltered as her eyes clouded over. He would never… would he?
By then, Draco had reached the bustling table adorned with magenta table cloth and gold candelabras, utensils and plates filled with food. Hermione was talking animatedly to a redhead girl, no doubt Potter's girlfriend and most popular girl in school —Ginny Weasley. Just as Draco was trying to figure out how he was going to start the conversation and somehow kiss her without embarrassing himself, Ginny turned and her eyes locked with his.
"Malfoy?" Her voice was filled more with surprise than animosity.
Hearing what she had said, Hermione, too, turned to look behind. When her gaze found his, Draco sucked in a deep breath. Her eyes crinkled into half moons as she looked at him and her coral lips twitched upward slightly. She looked absolutely amazing, and he was sure he would have just stood and stared if she hadn't spoken and shook him out of his trance.
"Hey Draco," Hermione tilted her head questioningly, "Shouldn't you be over there with your friends?" At the mention of his friends, Hermione crinkled her nose disgustedly.
"Oh, uhhm," Draco stuttered before composing himself. I've wooed countless girls, this is going to go just fine and will shut Pansy up for good, he thought. Throwing on his cocky grin, he moved toward the two girls.
"I just came here to grab some of that Eton mess you Gryffindors get for dessert, " Draco gestured at a bowl on the table which was overflowing with large chunks of strawberry and cream, "We Slytherins only get pound cake." He pulled a face. It was true, the House Elves gave all the nice treats to the Gryffindors after Hermione came through with her abolitionist act.
"Here, let me help you," Hermione turned back to the table, started scooping up large chunks of strawberry and cream into a small cup. When the cup was filled, she pushed a small silver fork into the mixture of cream and sugar.
When she turned back however, Draco was already munching on a slice of plum pudding also taken from their table.
"Sorry," Draco drawled, licking his lips, "I changed my mind, I wanted this instead."
Hermione flashed him a glare before sighing and letting it go. Draco could not help but notice that ever since he arrived, the normally talkative redheaded girl had gone completely silent, and instead watched their whole conversation with wide eyes and an equally wide grin.
"You might as well eat it then," Ginny finally spoke, nudging Hermione, "It'll go to waste if you don't."
"Fine," Hermione grumbled, before stabbing the fork ferociously into a fat chunk of strawberry.
Draco shuddered. Hermione really was scary when she was mad. But it was okay, he was going to make it up to her in a little bit. He turned his head back and saw Pansy still staring in his direction, her lips pulled back in a triumphant smile, no doubt thinking he had failed. Draco smirked back. As if.
As the strawberry chunk was brought up to Hermione's mouth and the fork withdrawn so that the chunk rested between her upper and lower lips, Draco bent down. His teeth sank into the juicy fruit and his lips pressed up softly upon hers. Hermione let out a surprised cry but did not withdraw. His tousled hair fell forward and blocked his vision momentarily, brushing against her brown locks. Both their breaths had quickened and Draco had a uncontrollable urge to deepen the kiss. For a moment, he wished he could stay in that position forever. Then, remembering that this was all supposed to be "pretend", he pulled out of the kiss quickly, and with it, biting the strawberry chunk in half.
"I changed my mind again," he whispered, "I guess I wanted that Eton mess more." Turning, he strode back toward his own table, leaving a flushed and stunned Hermione as well as a squealing Ginny behind.
Before he could join his table, however, he was accosted by a bawling Pansy.
"Draco, h-how could you do this to me?" She wailed loudly, all her attitude before gone, "W-we were — tog-gether! How c-could you?!"
"We were never together, Pansy," Draco could finally snarl in her face, "Sorry if I ever gave you that impression. Now would you please bugger off." His tone was adamant and Pansy knew that he was dead serious. Thus, she promptly turned, and fled out the Great Hall. Seeing her go, Draco breathed a sigh of relief. Pansy was a bitch, but she had been a good friend at times. There will be someone better out there for her.
However, when he finally reached his table, ten pairs of eyes regarded him with disbelief and cold anger. Draco recognized them all as the children of the elite Pureblood society. His father had once commanded all their families, but after the war, almost all of the elite families were sent to Azkaban or sentenced to death.
"We've been trying to get ahold of you all day now," Theodore Nott, a wiry boy with large spectacles and a pointed face, spoke stonily, "In private." Blaise Zabini, Draco's best friend, would not meet his eyes.
"We will talk now," Nott continued in his pinched voice, "outside the Great Hall."
