Chapter Four!!! Ah, I must be on a roll. This isn't the most interesting chapter, really, but it IS important...sorry, no yummy kisses in this one. Maybe in the next chapter, though...yes, probably!
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Ms. J.K. Rowling, the lovely genius. The plot is MINE *bwahahaha* ENJOY!!!
The Messenger and the Dragon
Chapter Four: Yellow Polka-Dotted Chicken?!
Draco was idly scribbling all over Madam Pince's book-return checklist. It was now 11:32. Hermione was slouched in a corner reading about Hippogriffs, mainly just to annoy Malfoy, because he had "something" against them.. The clock on the wall read: Time for all good students to be in bed.
Lavender and Parvati crept down the hall, looking for Professor McGonnagal's bedroom.
"Lavi, it's got to be somewhere around here...I wonder what Malfoy did to 'Mione...I'm really kinda worried..."
"Oh, c'mon...I bet they're off snogging somewhere...you know, they would make the cutest couple..."
"Lavi, this is HERMIONE we're talking about...she doesn't go around snogging boys...you know how heartbroken she was when she got that owl from Viktor..."
"Which is precisely why she needs a good hot boy like Draco Malfoy...Ooh...this looks like her room..."
They knocked on the door, first quietly, then with heavy, pounding fists. Finally McGonnagal opened her door a crack, wand pointed at them.
"Who is it?"
"It's Lavender and Parvati, Professor."
McGonnagal opened the door. She was in a pink flowered night-robe, with her hair up in curlers, and her glasses askew on her face.
"What is it, girls? And how ever did you find me?"
"It's Hermione. She had detention with Malfoy until 11, but she hasn't come back to the dorm...we thought that maybe she was in some sort of trouble..."
"Oh, good God! I plum forgot about the two of them...what time is it?"
"It's 11:43, Professor."
"You two just come with me, I hope they're both alright..."
The three of them crept down the dark Hogwarts hallway until they got to the first lamppost. McGonnagal promptly lit it, and continued to drag Lavender and Parvati along behind her. After going through the labyrinth of hallways, they finally reached the Library, almost ten minutes later.
Suddenly Hermione froze. She had heard something. Since she was now only able to use her wand for light, she stumbled over to Draco.
"Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"I heard footsteps."
"Maybe it's Filch."
"I hope not..."
"Or maybe its some big, bad monster..."
"Oh, shut up, Malfoy..."
Despite his joking, he was now on his feet standing almost protectively (although not quite) next to Hermione, wand steadily held, and pointed at the doorway. Somehow, this made Hermione feel better, although she reckoned she would have felt safe even if it had been Neville standing in Malfoy's place. Anyone was better than being alone. Well, almost anyone...
Suddenly the door swung open, revealing a very scary in pink Professor McGonnagal, Lavender, and Parvati. Malfoy lowered his wand.
"What-what *happened* to you two?!" Lavender was doubled over in laughter.
Both Hermione and Draco instinctively touched their hair, glowered, and pointed an accusing finger at each other.
"Well, at least they aren't dead. Although that will force me to assign the two of you another detention, tomorrow night...I'm sorry that I'm an hour late, I forgot about the two of you, and no one heard any screaming after about 8:30...so...."
Draco's jaw was hanging wide open. "That's because she" he jabbed his finger onto Hermione's arm, "thought it would be wise to give me a mild form of Shutupiserum...but that backfired, and she got some too..."
"I wouldn't have if you hadn't hit me with a book!"
"Wouldn't have needed to if you weren't such an insufferable know-it-all!"
"I was just trying to sort the library books!"
"Liar!"
"Beast!"
"SHUTUP!!!" McGonnagal was stomping her foot. Lavender and Parvati were doubled over in a fit of giggles, which quickly ceased at the glare they got from Malfoy. Even if he did have purple hair, he could still scowl.
"Lavender, Parvati, do you think you can escort Hermione back to the common room? I will take care of Draco. Thank you. Good night, hope to see you two looking a bit, erm, better, tomorrow morning! Sleep well."
Lavender and Parvati each grabbed one of Hermione's arms and led her towards the Gryffindor house. As soon as they were inside the portrait hole, Parvati and Lavender insisted on knowing every single detail of what had happened.
"Well...first of all, Lavender, remember how you said you had taken a muggle coiffure course?"
"Yeah..."
"D'you think you could, um, fix my hair?"
"I would love to!"
"Can I do your makeup?" This was Parvati.
"I don't wear makeup!"
"Exactly." The two girls were staring at her with slightly evil glints in their eyes.
"Why don't we get up early to do all of this? I'll tell you everything in the morning. Right now I just want to go to sleep..."
"But, Hermione..."
"Please?"
"Fine..." The two girls sighed and climbed into their beds.
*Draco's POV*
No one was awake to greet him. He felt slightly upset at this, but why should anyone wait up for him? He climbed up to his dorm, and went to take a shower. He took a lot of showers. He liked the feeling of the hot water on his cold skin. It was quite a sensation. Sort of like kissing the Mudblood. Anyways.
He glanced in the mirror, and almost got a headache just from looking at himself. His hair was...well, bright was an understatement. It looked hideous. Maybe Goyle could do something to help him. Last summer Goyle had taken a class on haircutting and styling. It was a muggle class, but the teacher was a wizard, and Goyle had stayed after and learned a couple good spells. Maybe he would just have his hair cut sort of short (it was kind of longish right now) and spiky. Then the purple might be bearable. The Mudblood would surely come up with the countercurse, though, because she didn't want the whole school to, well, know...
He didn't really want to tell the whole school. But maybe if she didn't get him the countercurse, he would just go rub the fact in Potter and Weasley's faces...yeah, that sounded good...he could always try to bombard her dorm room, too, if he felt like it. He was certain that Lavender and Parvati would like to know...
*Hermione's POV*
The alarm went off way too soon. It was six A.M. Parvati and Lavender both jumped out of bed, and dragged Hermione out.
Lavender turned the light on, set a chair in front of their big, round mirror, pulled out a small box full of hair colorings, scissors, razors, and hair products. "Sit."
"What are you going to do to my hair?"
"I was thinking I would make it into a sort of bedhead style. I don't think you want to spend a long time on your hair each morning, so..."
"What is 'bedhead'?"
"Basically, I'm going to cut your hair into a choppy bob, and teach you how to style your hair so that it falls in little waves and ringlets...instead of...poof!"
"Ok. Sounds good to me...did we have any homework yesterday?"
"No. Now, what happened?"
"Well, I suppose it all started with a little name calling. Y'know, he has that nice little nickname for me, 'Mudblood'. I said his hands looked like ugly plaster when he refused to help me sort the books...he didn't want to get dust on his hands."
Lavender was chopping busily, and nodding her head every once in awhile. Parvati had crept up on Hermione and was plucking her eyebrows.
"Then?"
"Then he dropped a book on my head. I dropped three on his, he pulled me by the back of my head and really hurt my neck, I kicked him, and turned his hair purple. Then he did some charm that chopped mine off. That's about it, I think."
"No...kisses?" This was Lavender.
"Lavi, c'mon, does that sound like a romantic situation to you?" This was Parvati.
"Thank you, Parvati."
"No problem, 'Mione."
"But then, WHAT did you DO for the rest of the time?"
"Lavi, it was detention. We put books on the shelves."
"Oh...that must've sucked. I can't believe you turned his hair purple. It's just not his color..."
"Precisely."
"'Mione!"
"What, did you think I was giving him a makeover?"
The two girls exchanged glances.
"Oh! You did!" Hermione started to laugh.
"You just messed up the hottest wizard in our school! Now who are we going to stare at during Potions? Snape? Or McGonnagal?"
"Take your pick..."
Hermione's mind had wandered off. She was wondering if Malfoy would tell the whole school about The Kiss or not...She hoped he wouldn't, but it would be too good of an opportunity for him to humiliate her. She doubted he would pass it up. Then she smiled. She could always add in that she had bit his tongue and spat in his face...No, not-so-big, bad, Draco Malfoy wouldn't miss such a perfect opportunity...
"Hermiiiiioneeeee...is anybody in there???" Lavender was waving a hand in front of her face. "Something tells me that you've left something out..."
"Yeah. What'd you leave out, Granger?" Malfoy was standing in her dorm room. "Or do you have a counter curse?"
Hermione gulped. Somehow, the insufferable git was back to looking hot. His hair was still purple, but it was shorter, and spiky.
"No countercurse. Sorry!"
"Well then. Do you want to tell them, or should I?"
"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY BEDROOM, MALFOY!!!"
"Fine. See you in Potions, Mudblood." Then, he was gone. Hermione collapsed on the chair.
"Ummm...'Mione...you seem to have left something out...what's the matter?" this was Parvati, who was always a little more considerate, and really knew how to go about getting juicy gossip in a nicer fashion.
"Malfoy is the matter. He is always the matter. I wish he was---d-dead!" Hermione held back any tears.
"Yeah, but what happened last night?" This was Lavender, who was still chopping away at her hair.
Hermione sighed. She supposed that she had better tell them...it would be better for them to hear from her, rather than him.
"He...k-kissed me..." Hermione started sobbing uncontrollably.
"'Mione, that's a good thing!"
"No! It's not! Because I didn't WANT to be kissed! And I felt...so...violated! Then...I bit his tongue, hard! And spat in his nasty face! Aaaargh...I HATE him!" her fists were clenched, and she was shaking, but she had stopped crying.
Lavender had stopped cutting. She was staring at Hermione with a look of envy on her face. Parvati decided to speak before Lavender got a chance.
"'Mione, look at it this way. He has no way to humiliate you. He's gonna be going around humiliating himself. Don't worry!"
"If he tells the truth, no. But when does a Malfoy tell the truth?"
"Listen. He can't see you like this. Now, I've got one eyebrow tweezed, let me do the other and perk your face up. Lavi's almost done with your hair, it looks magnificent, and you're gonna go down there and no matter what anyone says, you'll at least look stunning. Mr. Malfoy himself won't be able to say otherwise. Now, cheer up. He has to at least be a GOOD kisser. You've got to admit that, 'Mione!"
"Well...maybe. If I had WANTED to be kissed, I suppose it would've been good...I don't want to go downstairs!"
Lavender's face had softened. She was looking at things from a more personal standpoint, and was remembering the time Dean had kissed her. She had certainly felt violated. He had told the whole Gryffindor table, too. It had been awful. "Listen, Hermione. I know *exactly* how you feel. You remember the whole Dean thing. But trust me, if you walk in there looking terrific, and like none of it really bothers you, if you act like you just think he's an insufferable git, which he obviously is, then he won't get to you much, and no one will bother you too much. Plus, you're smart, you can come up with some good things to say back to whatever it is he says. You are, after all, top of the class!"
"Thanks, Lavi..."
"Oooh! Your hair's done! Hermione, you look positively stunning! Oh, I'm so proud of you! Parvati, we did a marvelous job, if I do say so myself!" Lavender wheeled Hermione around to face the mirror, and was rewarded by a gasp of surprise.
Hermione stared at her reflection. Her hair was now right above her shoulders. It was cut so that no two pieces were the same length, and hung in wavy, loose, almost naughty looking curls. It was definitely messy. And, best of all, as Lavender pointed out, it only took five minutes to style. All she had to do was spray a few spritzes of muggle hair spray into her hair, blow dry it for about three minutes, and rub something called pomade through her hair. Parvati had given her a mainly natural look. She had put a little concealer under Hermione's eyes---all that late studying had gotten to her---rubbed a little blush on her cheeks, covered her face in powder, and finished it off with some dark brown eye shadow and clear lip gloss. She looked great!
"Parvati, Lavender, I can't thank you enough! You guys are-are geniuses! This is great!" Parvati and Lavender stood there staring at Hermione grinning and cooing. They looked like very proud mothers. Then they remembered that they, too, had to get ready, and ran for the showers. Right before she went in, Lavender asked Hermione one last question. "'Mione...I was just wondering...what did Draco smell like? Does he wear cologne???"
Hermione laughed. "Ummm...I wasn't paying that much attention. Sort of like leather, lemon and mint, I guess. It didn't smell like cologne. Now, please!"
Lavender cooed and ran into the shower.
Hermione gulped. Now she was on her own. She changed into her black school robes, gathered up her books and book-bag, and headed down the stairs into the Gryffindor common room. It was empty. Phew. She checked the clock on the wall. It was 7:56. Breakfast didn't start for another four minutes. Ron and Harry would probably be down in about five minutes. She sat down into an armchair and waited. Normally she would've sat there reading some book, but she was too nervous about what sort of lies Malfoy was telling everyone to even bother.
Then she heard Harry, Ron, Dean and Seamus come jogging down the stairs, talking about---surprise, surprise---Quidditch. They walked right past her. She jumped up.
"Harry! Ron! Excuse me!" All four boys turned around at once.
"Hermione?!" Their mouths were wide open. "Uh, how are you? How was your, er, detention?"
She laughed. They all looked really funny, looking at her like that. Her. Plain, bookworm-y, top student, Hermione Granger. "My detention was unbearable. He-he chopped my hair off! I turned his purple, of course. I'm sure he will fill you in on all of the OTHER lovely details. Then I'll tell you what the truth is, of course."
"He-he's rather good at cutting hair, though, Hermione." This was Neville. He had just walked up.
"No. Lavender *repaired* it for me. No, he doesn't have any talent whatsoever, Neville." Except maybe kissing...but it was still really very rude of him. And she still hated him!
"Well, why don't we go down to breakfast, now?" This was Harry.
"Sounds superb!" Hermione was trying to be brave. At least she would be flanked with five Gryffindor boys to punch his two front teeth out. They walked down the hallway, her leading the way. She was NOT going to go in there hiding behind Harry and Ron. They got to the doors leading into the Entrance Hall. Dean held the door open for her, and said, "Ladies first!" He was grinning merrily. She tried to smile, but it came out all funny. She took a deep breath, and stepped over the threshold, into the Entrance Hall. She felt his eyes on her. She felt EVERYONE'S eyes on her. She heard a few snickers, and saw a lot of open mouths. She kept walking, her head held high. She looked straight ahead of her. Then he blocked her line of vision.
"Well, well, what happened to you, Granger?" He smirked, and looked her up and down. Harry and Ron were instantly on either side of her, which made her at first feel better, but then her heart sank like lead in a fishbowl. He would tell them, of course.
"Lavender and Parvati attacked me. And you?" She was stalling.
"I had someone help me fix up after your little mistake."
"Oh, trust me, it was no mistake."
"Does that mean that you don't have the counter curse, Granger?"
"I didn't have it when you came so rudely into my dorm room, did I? Of course I don't, you filthy piece of scum."
"Suit yourself. You know, Potter, Weasely, you should start looking at her as more than just your friend. She makes an excellent kisser. Some sort of mudblood slut, really, I presume." He started to turn around. She blocked him. "Oh, you want more, Granger?"
Fred and George, along with the rest of Gryffindor, and most of Slytherin, were now surrounding them. "Like hell I want more, Malfoy. Like you'd be able to give me any even if I wanted it. I must've bitten your tongue so hard it bled. I'm willing to spit in your face again, though, if you'd like." She smiled grimly at him. She raised her head a notch higher. Fred patted her shoulder. Ron was turning red. Malfoy was still grinning in a way that made her uneasy. Like maybe he still had something coming. "If you'll excuse me, now, I would like to go eat breakfast." She started to walk past him. He never broke her gaze. She knew that his eyes would be following her wherever she went. She knew he had something else planned. She didn't really feel very hungry.
Lavender and Parvati pulled out a seat for her. Then she remembered Ginny. She apologized, and went to sit by Ginny. Ron and Harry followed.
"Hermione, what he was saying-about you...kissing him...that wasn't actually *true*, now, was it?" Ron was red and shaking, and looked like maybe HE had just kissed Malfoy (which would have been an unpleasant experience, no doubt).
"Which part?"
"Well, the whole thing, of course!"
"Ron, I didn't kiss HIM. He forced me into a kiss. Which doesn't mean that I responded in the least, except, of course, when I bit his tongue. So, really, HE kissed ME!"
Harry choked on his orange juice. He looked at Hermione. She looked so completely different. She looked beautiful. He had never looked at her as beautiful before. At last years' Yule Ball, she had been very pretty. And she had always been beautiful-in her own, Hermione-ish way. Now, she was, well, something more. He knew that even Draco had noticed it. Which, of course, bothered him to no end. But the idea, that this girl-had been forced to KISS Draco Malfoy, well, if he had anything to do with it, it would never happen again. Ron, he noticed, was taking immediate action. He was already halfway across the hall, charging like a bull towards Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe. Ron had even forgotten his wand. Naturally, he jumped up with both wands, and went to join him in the fight.
Hermione grimaced. The day had just gotten a hundred times worse. Malfoy had cursed Harry and Ron so bad that they would have to spend at least the morning, if not the whole day, in the hospital wing. Madame Pince had been furious at the state of her library, and so Draco and her were assigned yet another detention. At this rate, they would have detention for the rest of their lives. She stared sourly into her coffee, before downing the whole cup in one gigantic gulp. She couldn't make herself eat a thing. One bite of toast was churning in her stomach, and it was enough to make her feel sick.
There was no point in staying at the Gryffindor table. She hadn't heard a word Ginny had said, and could still vividly see the gigantic purple boils all over Ron and Harry's faces. They had also suffered the jellylegs curse, and two levitation curses, which made them hit the ceiling. All for her. She loved them, but why couldn't they have just stayed where they were, and been there to protect her in Potions? At least McGonnagal would be there, for today. She got up, and headed for the Dungeons. With any luck, McGonnagal would be there already. She noticed Dumbledore's smiling gaze follow her out of the room. He really seemed to find her and Draco Malfoy amusing.
The Potions room was empty. She sighed and slumped down into her seat. She buried her face in her hands, relishing the quiet darkness. She was all alone, all by herself. Right now, that was just what she needed. Later, though, she would have to face hell, and she had never done that without Harry and Ron right by her side. A little voice in the back of her head encouragingly said, "S'alright, 'Mione. You're a big, bad, brave girl. You can make that Malfoy cower any day!" The voice was a strange combination of Ron's, Viktor's, her fathers, and Mr. Malfoy himself. It was actually really funny. So, she started to laugh. Then she took her hands away from her face, and looked straight into the cool, gray eyes of Draco Malfoy.
He was sitting backwards on the chair in front of her. She had no idea how long he had been there. She tried to repeat what her little voice had said, which only widened the grin on her face, making Malfoy look at her quizzically.
"Why are you here? Want to spend more time with me than you already have to? What's your problem?"
"I don't have a problem, Granger. You're the one with a problem. Poor, poor mudblood. Stuck all alone, all by herself. Awww..."
"Don't make awwwing noises at me, Malfoy. It's rather disturbing."
"Stop trying to act so brave. I see right through it, you know."
"Oh, do you?" Now she was amused.
Just then, Neville walked in. "Malfoy, get away from Hermione! She doesn't want you around, you know."
"Want to join your friends in the infirmary? What can you do to keep me away?"
Hermione grinned. "This." She pointed her wand at his head.
"Oh, God. What are you going to do, make my hair even more purple than it already is, and get us yet another three hour detention? Might want to reconsider."
Damn it. She had wanted to curse him from here to the other end of the rainbow. Instead, she pulled back her wand. Neville muttered something to Malfoy that sounded strangely like 'Yellow polka-dotted chicken, you filthy piece of ferret scum!'
hmmmm....interesting vocabulary...maybe she had heard him wrong...
"Did you just call me a yellow polka-dotted chicken, Longbottom?"
"Damn right I did!"
Hermione tried hard not to snigger. Well, it was creative...
Malfoy shook his head and went to his seat, behind her. Just then, McGonnagal walked in.
"Well, I'm glad to see that you two have cleaned up so nicely. And sitting there like two civilized friends..." under her breath she muttered, "I wonder how long this will last..."
Yippeeeeeeeeeeee!!! Well...um, yeah. So, what's going to happen in their class during the day? And what about detention? When will they finally realize that they actually can't bear to NOT be around one another? And will I manage to make this not too overly mushy? (I hope!)
Once again, thanks to all my reviewers! You are all the most awesome people on this Earth!!! I love you all!!! If you have any suggestions, please tell me! Thanks! ~Lily~
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Ms. J.K. Rowling, the lovely genius. The plot is MINE *bwahahaha* ENJOY!!!
The Messenger and the Dragon
Chapter Four: Yellow Polka-Dotted Chicken?!
Draco was idly scribbling all over Madam Pince's book-return checklist. It was now 11:32. Hermione was slouched in a corner reading about Hippogriffs, mainly just to annoy Malfoy, because he had "something" against them.. The clock on the wall read: Time for all good students to be in bed.
Lavender and Parvati crept down the hall, looking for Professor McGonnagal's bedroom.
"Lavi, it's got to be somewhere around here...I wonder what Malfoy did to 'Mione...I'm really kinda worried..."
"Oh, c'mon...I bet they're off snogging somewhere...you know, they would make the cutest couple..."
"Lavi, this is HERMIONE we're talking about...she doesn't go around snogging boys...you know how heartbroken she was when she got that owl from Viktor..."
"Which is precisely why she needs a good hot boy like Draco Malfoy...Ooh...this looks like her room..."
They knocked on the door, first quietly, then with heavy, pounding fists. Finally McGonnagal opened her door a crack, wand pointed at them.
"Who is it?"
"It's Lavender and Parvati, Professor."
McGonnagal opened the door. She was in a pink flowered night-robe, with her hair up in curlers, and her glasses askew on her face.
"What is it, girls? And how ever did you find me?"
"It's Hermione. She had detention with Malfoy until 11, but she hasn't come back to the dorm...we thought that maybe she was in some sort of trouble..."
"Oh, good God! I plum forgot about the two of them...what time is it?"
"It's 11:43, Professor."
"You two just come with me, I hope they're both alright..."
The three of them crept down the dark Hogwarts hallway until they got to the first lamppost. McGonnagal promptly lit it, and continued to drag Lavender and Parvati along behind her. After going through the labyrinth of hallways, they finally reached the Library, almost ten minutes later.
Suddenly Hermione froze. She had heard something. Since she was now only able to use her wand for light, she stumbled over to Draco.
"Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"I heard footsteps."
"Maybe it's Filch."
"I hope not..."
"Or maybe its some big, bad monster..."
"Oh, shut up, Malfoy..."
Despite his joking, he was now on his feet standing almost protectively (although not quite) next to Hermione, wand steadily held, and pointed at the doorway. Somehow, this made Hermione feel better, although she reckoned she would have felt safe even if it had been Neville standing in Malfoy's place. Anyone was better than being alone. Well, almost anyone...
Suddenly the door swung open, revealing a very scary in pink Professor McGonnagal, Lavender, and Parvati. Malfoy lowered his wand.
"What-what *happened* to you two?!" Lavender was doubled over in laughter.
Both Hermione and Draco instinctively touched their hair, glowered, and pointed an accusing finger at each other.
"Well, at least they aren't dead. Although that will force me to assign the two of you another detention, tomorrow night...I'm sorry that I'm an hour late, I forgot about the two of you, and no one heard any screaming after about 8:30...so...."
Draco's jaw was hanging wide open. "That's because she" he jabbed his finger onto Hermione's arm, "thought it would be wise to give me a mild form of Shutupiserum...but that backfired, and she got some too..."
"I wouldn't have if you hadn't hit me with a book!"
"Wouldn't have needed to if you weren't such an insufferable know-it-all!"
"I was just trying to sort the library books!"
"Liar!"
"Beast!"
"SHUTUP!!!" McGonnagal was stomping her foot. Lavender and Parvati were doubled over in a fit of giggles, which quickly ceased at the glare they got from Malfoy. Even if he did have purple hair, he could still scowl.
"Lavender, Parvati, do you think you can escort Hermione back to the common room? I will take care of Draco. Thank you. Good night, hope to see you two looking a bit, erm, better, tomorrow morning! Sleep well."
Lavender and Parvati each grabbed one of Hermione's arms and led her towards the Gryffindor house. As soon as they were inside the portrait hole, Parvati and Lavender insisted on knowing every single detail of what had happened.
"Well...first of all, Lavender, remember how you said you had taken a muggle coiffure course?"
"Yeah..."
"D'you think you could, um, fix my hair?"
"I would love to!"
"Can I do your makeup?" This was Parvati.
"I don't wear makeup!"
"Exactly." The two girls were staring at her with slightly evil glints in their eyes.
"Why don't we get up early to do all of this? I'll tell you everything in the morning. Right now I just want to go to sleep..."
"But, Hermione..."
"Please?"
"Fine..." The two girls sighed and climbed into their beds.
*Draco's POV*
No one was awake to greet him. He felt slightly upset at this, but why should anyone wait up for him? He climbed up to his dorm, and went to take a shower. He took a lot of showers. He liked the feeling of the hot water on his cold skin. It was quite a sensation. Sort of like kissing the Mudblood. Anyways.
He glanced in the mirror, and almost got a headache just from looking at himself. His hair was...well, bright was an understatement. It looked hideous. Maybe Goyle could do something to help him. Last summer Goyle had taken a class on haircutting and styling. It was a muggle class, but the teacher was a wizard, and Goyle had stayed after and learned a couple good spells. Maybe he would just have his hair cut sort of short (it was kind of longish right now) and spiky. Then the purple might be bearable. The Mudblood would surely come up with the countercurse, though, because she didn't want the whole school to, well, know...
He didn't really want to tell the whole school. But maybe if she didn't get him the countercurse, he would just go rub the fact in Potter and Weasley's faces...yeah, that sounded good...he could always try to bombard her dorm room, too, if he felt like it. He was certain that Lavender and Parvati would like to know...
*Hermione's POV*
The alarm went off way too soon. It was six A.M. Parvati and Lavender both jumped out of bed, and dragged Hermione out.
Lavender turned the light on, set a chair in front of their big, round mirror, pulled out a small box full of hair colorings, scissors, razors, and hair products. "Sit."
"What are you going to do to my hair?"
"I was thinking I would make it into a sort of bedhead style. I don't think you want to spend a long time on your hair each morning, so..."
"What is 'bedhead'?"
"Basically, I'm going to cut your hair into a choppy bob, and teach you how to style your hair so that it falls in little waves and ringlets...instead of...poof!"
"Ok. Sounds good to me...did we have any homework yesterday?"
"No. Now, what happened?"
"Well, I suppose it all started with a little name calling. Y'know, he has that nice little nickname for me, 'Mudblood'. I said his hands looked like ugly plaster when he refused to help me sort the books...he didn't want to get dust on his hands."
Lavender was chopping busily, and nodding her head every once in awhile. Parvati had crept up on Hermione and was plucking her eyebrows.
"Then?"
"Then he dropped a book on my head. I dropped three on his, he pulled me by the back of my head and really hurt my neck, I kicked him, and turned his hair purple. Then he did some charm that chopped mine off. That's about it, I think."
"No...kisses?" This was Lavender.
"Lavi, c'mon, does that sound like a romantic situation to you?" This was Parvati.
"Thank you, Parvati."
"No problem, 'Mione."
"But then, WHAT did you DO for the rest of the time?"
"Lavi, it was detention. We put books on the shelves."
"Oh...that must've sucked. I can't believe you turned his hair purple. It's just not his color..."
"Precisely."
"'Mione!"
"What, did you think I was giving him a makeover?"
The two girls exchanged glances.
"Oh! You did!" Hermione started to laugh.
"You just messed up the hottest wizard in our school! Now who are we going to stare at during Potions? Snape? Or McGonnagal?"
"Take your pick..."
Hermione's mind had wandered off. She was wondering if Malfoy would tell the whole school about The Kiss or not...She hoped he wouldn't, but it would be too good of an opportunity for him to humiliate her. She doubted he would pass it up. Then she smiled. She could always add in that she had bit his tongue and spat in his face...No, not-so-big, bad, Draco Malfoy wouldn't miss such a perfect opportunity...
"Hermiiiiioneeeee...is anybody in there???" Lavender was waving a hand in front of her face. "Something tells me that you've left something out..."
"Yeah. What'd you leave out, Granger?" Malfoy was standing in her dorm room. "Or do you have a counter curse?"
Hermione gulped. Somehow, the insufferable git was back to looking hot. His hair was still purple, but it was shorter, and spiky.
"No countercurse. Sorry!"
"Well then. Do you want to tell them, or should I?"
"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY BEDROOM, MALFOY!!!"
"Fine. See you in Potions, Mudblood." Then, he was gone. Hermione collapsed on the chair.
"Ummm...'Mione...you seem to have left something out...what's the matter?" this was Parvati, who was always a little more considerate, and really knew how to go about getting juicy gossip in a nicer fashion.
"Malfoy is the matter. He is always the matter. I wish he was---d-dead!" Hermione held back any tears.
"Yeah, but what happened last night?" This was Lavender, who was still chopping away at her hair.
Hermione sighed. She supposed that she had better tell them...it would be better for them to hear from her, rather than him.
"He...k-kissed me..." Hermione started sobbing uncontrollably.
"'Mione, that's a good thing!"
"No! It's not! Because I didn't WANT to be kissed! And I felt...so...violated! Then...I bit his tongue, hard! And spat in his nasty face! Aaaargh...I HATE him!" her fists were clenched, and she was shaking, but she had stopped crying.
Lavender had stopped cutting. She was staring at Hermione with a look of envy on her face. Parvati decided to speak before Lavender got a chance.
"'Mione, look at it this way. He has no way to humiliate you. He's gonna be going around humiliating himself. Don't worry!"
"If he tells the truth, no. But when does a Malfoy tell the truth?"
"Listen. He can't see you like this. Now, I've got one eyebrow tweezed, let me do the other and perk your face up. Lavi's almost done with your hair, it looks magnificent, and you're gonna go down there and no matter what anyone says, you'll at least look stunning. Mr. Malfoy himself won't be able to say otherwise. Now, cheer up. He has to at least be a GOOD kisser. You've got to admit that, 'Mione!"
"Well...maybe. If I had WANTED to be kissed, I suppose it would've been good...I don't want to go downstairs!"
Lavender's face had softened. She was looking at things from a more personal standpoint, and was remembering the time Dean had kissed her. She had certainly felt violated. He had told the whole Gryffindor table, too. It had been awful. "Listen, Hermione. I know *exactly* how you feel. You remember the whole Dean thing. But trust me, if you walk in there looking terrific, and like none of it really bothers you, if you act like you just think he's an insufferable git, which he obviously is, then he won't get to you much, and no one will bother you too much. Plus, you're smart, you can come up with some good things to say back to whatever it is he says. You are, after all, top of the class!"
"Thanks, Lavi..."
"Oooh! Your hair's done! Hermione, you look positively stunning! Oh, I'm so proud of you! Parvati, we did a marvelous job, if I do say so myself!" Lavender wheeled Hermione around to face the mirror, and was rewarded by a gasp of surprise.
Hermione stared at her reflection. Her hair was now right above her shoulders. It was cut so that no two pieces were the same length, and hung in wavy, loose, almost naughty looking curls. It was definitely messy. And, best of all, as Lavender pointed out, it only took five minutes to style. All she had to do was spray a few spritzes of muggle hair spray into her hair, blow dry it for about three minutes, and rub something called pomade through her hair. Parvati had given her a mainly natural look. She had put a little concealer under Hermione's eyes---all that late studying had gotten to her---rubbed a little blush on her cheeks, covered her face in powder, and finished it off with some dark brown eye shadow and clear lip gloss. She looked great!
"Parvati, Lavender, I can't thank you enough! You guys are-are geniuses! This is great!" Parvati and Lavender stood there staring at Hermione grinning and cooing. They looked like very proud mothers. Then they remembered that they, too, had to get ready, and ran for the showers. Right before she went in, Lavender asked Hermione one last question. "'Mione...I was just wondering...what did Draco smell like? Does he wear cologne???"
Hermione laughed. "Ummm...I wasn't paying that much attention. Sort of like leather, lemon and mint, I guess. It didn't smell like cologne. Now, please!"
Lavender cooed and ran into the shower.
Hermione gulped. Now she was on her own. She changed into her black school robes, gathered up her books and book-bag, and headed down the stairs into the Gryffindor common room. It was empty. Phew. She checked the clock on the wall. It was 7:56. Breakfast didn't start for another four minutes. Ron and Harry would probably be down in about five minutes. She sat down into an armchair and waited. Normally she would've sat there reading some book, but she was too nervous about what sort of lies Malfoy was telling everyone to even bother.
Then she heard Harry, Ron, Dean and Seamus come jogging down the stairs, talking about---surprise, surprise---Quidditch. They walked right past her. She jumped up.
"Harry! Ron! Excuse me!" All four boys turned around at once.
"Hermione?!" Their mouths were wide open. "Uh, how are you? How was your, er, detention?"
She laughed. They all looked really funny, looking at her like that. Her. Plain, bookworm-y, top student, Hermione Granger. "My detention was unbearable. He-he chopped my hair off! I turned his purple, of course. I'm sure he will fill you in on all of the OTHER lovely details. Then I'll tell you what the truth is, of course."
"He-he's rather good at cutting hair, though, Hermione." This was Neville. He had just walked up.
"No. Lavender *repaired* it for me. No, he doesn't have any talent whatsoever, Neville." Except maybe kissing...but it was still really very rude of him. And she still hated him!
"Well, why don't we go down to breakfast, now?" This was Harry.
"Sounds superb!" Hermione was trying to be brave. At least she would be flanked with five Gryffindor boys to punch his two front teeth out. They walked down the hallway, her leading the way. She was NOT going to go in there hiding behind Harry and Ron. They got to the doors leading into the Entrance Hall. Dean held the door open for her, and said, "Ladies first!" He was grinning merrily. She tried to smile, but it came out all funny. She took a deep breath, and stepped over the threshold, into the Entrance Hall. She felt his eyes on her. She felt EVERYONE'S eyes on her. She heard a few snickers, and saw a lot of open mouths. She kept walking, her head held high. She looked straight ahead of her. Then he blocked her line of vision.
"Well, well, what happened to you, Granger?" He smirked, and looked her up and down. Harry and Ron were instantly on either side of her, which made her at first feel better, but then her heart sank like lead in a fishbowl. He would tell them, of course.
"Lavender and Parvati attacked me. And you?" She was stalling.
"I had someone help me fix up after your little mistake."
"Oh, trust me, it was no mistake."
"Does that mean that you don't have the counter curse, Granger?"
"I didn't have it when you came so rudely into my dorm room, did I? Of course I don't, you filthy piece of scum."
"Suit yourself. You know, Potter, Weasely, you should start looking at her as more than just your friend. She makes an excellent kisser. Some sort of mudblood slut, really, I presume." He started to turn around. She blocked him. "Oh, you want more, Granger?"
Fred and George, along with the rest of Gryffindor, and most of Slytherin, were now surrounding them. "Like hell I want more, Malfoy. Like you'd be able to give me any even if I wanted it. I must've bitten your tongue so hard it bled. I'm willing to spit in your face again, though, if you'd like." She smiled grimly at him. She raised her head a notch higher. Fred patted her shoulder. Ron was turning red. Malfoy was still grinning in a way that made her uneasy. Like maybe he still had something coming. "If you'll excuse me, now, I would like to go eat breakfast." She started to walk past him. He never broke her gaze. She knew that his eyes would be following her wherever she went. She knew he had something else planned. She didn't really feel very hungry.
Lavender and Parvati pulled out a seat for her. Then she remembered Ginny. She apologized, and went to sit by Ginny. Ron and Harry followed.
"Hermione, what he was saying-about you...kissing him...that wasn't actually *true*, now, was it?" Ron was red and shaking, and looked like maybe HE had just kissed Malfoy (which would have been an unpleasant experience, no doubt).
"Which part?"
"Well, the whole thing, of course!"
"Ron, I didn't kiss HIM. He forced me into a kiss. Which doesn't mean that I responded in the least, except, of course, when I bit his tongue. So, really, HE kissed ME!"
Harry choked on his orange juice. He looked at Hermione. She looked so completely different. She looked beautiful. He had never looked at her as beautiful before. At last years' Yule Ball, she had been very pretty. And she had always been beautiful-in her own, Hermione-ish way. Now, she was, well, something more. He knew that even Draco had noticed it. Which, of course, bothered him to no end. But the idea, that this girl-had been forced to KISS Draco Malfoy, well, if he had anything to do with it, it would never happen again. Ron, he noticed, was taking immediate action. He was already halfway across the hall, charging like a bull towards Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe. Ron had even forgotten his wand. Naturally, he jumped up with both wands, and went to join him in the fight.
Hermione grimaced. The day had just gotten a hundred times worse. Malfoy had cursed Harry and Ron so bad that they would have to spend at least the morning, if not the whole day, in the hospital wing. Madame Pince had been furious at the state of her library, and so Draco and her were assigned yet another detention. At this rate, they would have detention for the rest of their lives. She stared sourly into her coffee, before downing the whole cup in one gigantic gulp. She couldn't make herself eat a thing. One bite of toast was churning in her stomach, and it was enough to make her feel sick.
There was no point in staying at the Gryffindor table. She hadn't heard a word Ginny had said, and could still vividly see the gigantic purple boils all over Ron and Harry's faces. They had also suffered the jellylegs curse, and two levitation curses, which made them hit the ceiling. All for her. She loved them, but why couldn't they have just stayed where they were, and been there to protect her in Potions? At least McGonnagal would be there, for today. She got up, and headed for the Dungeons. With any luck, McGonnagal would be there already. She noticed Dumbledore's smiling gaze follow her out of the room. He really seemed to find her and Draco Malfoy amusing.
The Potions room was empty. She sighed and slumped down into her seat. She buried her face in her hands, relishing the quiet darkness. She was all alone, all by herself. Right now, that was just what she needed. Later, though, she would have to face hell, and she had never done that without Harry and Ron right by her side. A little voice in the back of her head encouragingly said, "S'alright, 'Mione. You're a big, bad, brave girl. You can make that Malfoy cower any day!" The voice was a strange combination of Ron's, Viktor's, her fathers, and Mr. Malfoy himself. It was actually really funny. So, she started to laugh. Then she took her hands away from her face, and looked straight into the cool, gray eyes of Draco Malfoy.
He was sitting backwards on the chair in front of her. She had no idea how long he had been there. She tried to repeat what her little voice had said, which only widened the grin on her face, making Malfoy look at her quizzically.
"Why are you here? Want to spend more time with me than you already have to? What's your problem?"
"I don't have a problem, Granger. You're the one with a problem. Poor, poor mudblood. Stuck all alone, all by herself. Awww..."
"Don't make awwwing noises at me, Malfoy. It's rather disturbing."
"Stop trying to act so brave. I see right through it, you know."
"Oh, do you?" Now she was amused.
Just then, Neville walked in. "Malfoy, get away from Hermione! She doesn't want you around, you know."
"Want to join your friends in the infirmary? What can you do to keep me away?"
Hermione grinned. "This." She pointed her wand at his head.
"Oh, God. What are you going to do, make my hair even more purple than it already is, and get us yet another three hour detention? Might want to reconsider."
Damn it. She had wanted to curse him from here to the other end of the rainbow. Instead, she pulled back her wand. Neville muttered something to Malfoy that sounded strangely like 'Yellow polka-dotted chicken, you filthy piece of ferret scum!'
hmmmm....interesting vocabulary...maybe she had heard him wrong...
"Did you just call me a yellow polka-dotted chicken, Longbottom?"
"Damn right I did!"
Hermione tried hard not to snigger. Well, it was creative...
Malfoy shook his head and went to his seat, behind her. Just then, McGonnagal walked in.
"Well, I'm glad to see that you two have cleaned up so nicely. And sitting there like two civilized friends..." under her breath she muttered, "I wonder how long this will last..."
Yippeeeeeeeeeeee!!! Well...um, yeah. So, what's going to happen in their class during the day? And what about detention? When will they finally realize that they actually can't bear to NOT be around one another? And will I manage to make this not too overly mushy? (I hope!)
Once again, thanks to all my reviewers! You are all the most awesome people on this Earth!!! I love you all!!! If you have any suggestions, please tell me! Thanks! ~Lily~