Disclaimer: A few characters are mine & the plot of course, but the rest belongs to J.K. Rowling
Author's Note: OMG! It's only like 9 more days until Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets come out in theaters!!! I'm sooo excited to watch it! *takes a deep breath and slowly calm myself down* OK, OK, I think I just needed to get that excitement outta my system. Thank you all for your never ending reviews. I am enjoying writing this fic now thanks to all the good, positive, and even constructive reviews I'm getting...keep 'em coming guys and enjoy this next chappie!
Summary: Hermione & Draco received a nasty blow to the head when an out of control bludger careened towards where they stood bickering during a Quidditch practice. They woke up in the hospital wing not knowing each other--but they know everyone else--and an instant attraction towards each other soon formed.
Setting: 6th year
Pairings: Draco & Hermione
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XIX. Ron's Return
It was a gorgeous Saturday afternoon and the last stages of autumn before winter sets in at Hogwarts. Ginny and Hermione were particularly feeling lazy on this fine day that they both decided to have a picnic by the lake while Harry and company--with the exception of Ron, he was still in the infirmary recuperating from his broken ribs--were practicing Quidditch before their next match against Slytherin before the school postpone the games to make way for winter.
Ginny was busy interrogating Hermione about what happened in her History of Magic class yesterday afternoon--it was Ginny's idea to ask for Harry's help and put on a show for when Draco enters the classroom, just to give him a dose of his medicine--when a tall shadow loomed over the two of them. Raking both their gaze up slowly, it took them a while to see the intruder's face since he was standing right under the path of the sun. It it hadn't been for the fiery red hair Hermione wouldn't have recognized him.
"Ron!" she exclaimed excitedly and leapt from the ground she was lounging on. She threw her arms around the older Weasley and pulled him for a hug.
"Welcome back, big brother." Ginny smiled and pushed herself from the ground, "Madam Pomfrey gave you the OK sign to be released?"
Ron smiled and slowly pulled away from Hermione's tight embrace, but he let his arm linger around his best friend's waist when he turned and addressed his sister, "I told her that I'm okay and that I've been going crazy locked up inside the hospital wing for days."
"What about your ribs?" Hermione asked.
Ron looked down at the petite brunette in the circle of his arm and smiled. He already forgot all about their argument the night he got into a fight with Malfoy. Hermione visited him religiously while he was recuperating and they got to talk. She soon opened up to him and explained what he saw Friday night of the previous week.
"I'm wearing bandages still. Madam Pomfrey gave me strict orders not to overexert myself."
"So that means no Quidditch practice or game for you for a while, huh?" Ginny frowned, crossing her arms over her chest and looking up at her brother, "And to think that Harry and the rest of the team are at the pitch right now practicing for next Saturday's game against Slytherin."
"Ah damn, then I'm gonna be missing out on a good match then." Ron pouted.
"Aww, poor baby." Hermione teased and led him back to the picnic blanket she and Ginny laid on the grass overlooking the lake, "Don't worry, Ron. You can still watch it from the stands." she assured him, handing him a slice of sweet bread one of the house elves prepared for her for this impromptu picnic.
"Even so. I want to join in on the action, not just be a spectator."
"Well too bad, Weasel. Guess you'll just have to be a bench warmer this time." came Draco's sneering remark.
The trio turned their head to the direction of Draco's voice and found him standing flanked by Crabbe and Goyle on either side of him. He was looking very smug as usual, and extremely hot too that Hermione had to control her blasted hormones from taking over her entire body!
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Ginny snapped at the Slytherin sixth year.
Draco gave her a laconic glance, slowly raking his steely gray eyes over the fifth year Gryffindor girl, sending goosebumps up Ginny's spine. She felt like she was being undressed by Malfoy with the way he was looking at her right now, and Hermione knew that look! Dammit, she has been the recipient of that particular look from Malfoy one too many times, and the last time she did receive it she was pressed up against a wall with his hands and mouth ravishing her.
"You know what I want, Red. But alas, it's something you can't give me." he sniggered and let his eyes graze over her appreciatively one last time before taking it away and returning it to look at Ron who was fuming with anger.
"Don't be molesting my sister, Malfoy." he threatened.
"I am doing no such thing, Weasel." he denied with a hearty chuckle. "Do you always have to be every Gryffindor girls' knight in shining armor charging to their rescue every time I am nearby, hm?" he taunted.
"At least he can be classified as a gentleman, unlike you who thinks every girl is nothing but a decoration to boost your ego." Hermione couldn't keep herself from sniping back at him. He was being too cruel to her friends and if she remained mute throughout this whole thing it wouldn't be right.
Finally Draco looked at her. Hermione's breath steeled in her throat as she received the full impact of Draco's icy glare. His upper lip twitched into a sardonic smirk and he raised an eyebrow, looking her up from head to foot very carefully, his eyes caressing her exposed legs from the skirt she chose to wear then slowly raked his gaze back and held her gaze.
"And who are you trying to be, some martyr saint who's as unspoiled as a virgin spring?" he taunted.
Hermione's fists clenched tightly on her sides and her eyes became icy, shooting daggers at Draco.
"Actually I am, although there was that one incident not too long ago when I felt so wretched for letting somebody get away with doing something that felt so disgusting and so unappealing to me. Thank God I finally hit my head against a brick wall and realized I never really loved him anyway before I made a complete, utter fool of myself!" she flung back at him, her eyes challenging him to remember, remember that night over a week ago when he almost had her.
A blazing static electricity fringed the suddenly still air that clouded over Hermione and Draco. They were locked in a glaring match, neither moving nor uttering something. Finally Draco withdrew and without saying anything further, he turned his back to the three of them and ordered his goons to follow him back to the castle.
Hermione didn't know she was holding her breath until she released a huge sigh once Draco had gone.
God, did she actually just tell Draco she didn't enjoy what almost happened between them?
What a convincing liar you are, Hermione Granger.
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to be continued...
A/N: Okay, this one is a sucky chapter. Sorry, just wanted to show how Ron and Hermione's relationship changed after what Ron witnessed in chapter 16. Although I know Ron & Hermione wouldn't get together, it wouldn't be bad if the two of them become good friends and I think it would be nice to also let Ron in on a little secret that only Harry and Ginny seems to know about regarding Hermione and Draco...
ju, Drac's one and only: breaking Draco & Hermione's heart--and splitting them apart for now--is all part of the master plan...hehehehe *winks*
Jubliations: I see that you were shocked to read chapter 16 *lol*
kristatwen: now don't be going crazy, hopefully these chapters I have uploaded is enough for now, hehehehe
Hermione18: I hope you like/enjoy this couple of chapters I uploaded today
maxzoid: I'm glad cliffies aren't pet peeves of yours...or maybe they are, but nevertheless read & enjoy this couple of chappies I uploaded today
[anonymous reviewer]: thanks for liking the chappies uploaded, hope you enjoy this one and the one before
Queen Li: I'm glad I didn't disappoint you with chapter 17. Hope you enjoy this next two chapters
Rebecca: thanks for enjoying the introspective part of chapter 17. I was having a hard time deciding on whether I should post it or not, but I think it's more relevant to the story plus you guys needed to know what the two main characters are feeling inside after their escapade the night before, hehehehe
Hannah4Daniel: thanks for leaving your mark and I hope you enjoy the rest of the chappies