Disclaimer: Nope I don't own anything. Nope not at all…
(A/N: Tis the beginning of the end…. Bless…)
That One Day Where Things Happen…By The Redundant Goddess!
What The Hell Happened Again?
Hermione felt bad. Not the kind of bad that lead to her newly discovered homicidal tendencies. Oh No. This kind of bad feeling came with a name that every one knew and understood. Guilt. Although why she was feeling guilty was beyond her. Okay, just because I yelled at Malfoy for something he didn't do doesn't mean it was wrong. Although I guess it was wrong. Even thought he deserved it for being a prat, however not being a prat about sending me that card, which Justin actually sent me. How I didn't know it was from him I shall never live down. Hell! He's been banging on about that ruddy band for the past year! But… I shouldn't feel guilty for Draco, Which was why Hermione had just spent the whole of her dinnertime worrying about why she was feeling the way she, was feeling. And it didn't help the fact that Harry was hanging all over his "new girlfriend" right next to her.
A Cheery faced girl, with a sort of nuclear version of cherry coloured hair giggled and blushed as "The Boy Who Lived" But probably for not much longer if he keeps going like this… whispered things into her red little ears. All of these utterings were probably very very rude and very very dirty, which was why Hermione was trying with all her might not to over hear anything that Harry said. Which is bloody hard when he is bang right at the side of you. Urgh… someone kill me now…
So Harry wasn't the only one who was happy about finding out who their "RANDOM-ATOR 4000" valentine was. Ron didn't seem to be at the dinner table, which was just as well. He's been behaving very weirdly ever since this morning. Wonder who he got a valentine from? All the other boys including Neville also had dreaming, lusting looks on their faces. So it only seemed to be Hermione that was in a gloom and doom sort of mood. That was until Ginny sat down beside her.
"Dear god, this day is just too much." Sighed the smaller red head girl as she dug in deep into a heap of mashed potatoes.
Hermione gave a weak smile.
"Your day been as shit as mine?"
"Yep" Ginny nodded.
"Well do tell. They do say misery loves company." Said Hermione as she poked a fish finger around her golden plate.
"Well, if you mean shit as in getting a hundred different cards from different people, who all expect replies, even though you don't know who the cards are from" She snorted as she took a long swig from her goblet while sneaking a glance at the happy couple near Hermione. "And then getting shouted at by some random little Slytherin girl in my year for having ago at Malfoy, who bloody bumped into ME in the corridor. Saying how I should leave him alone because he seemed depressed!"
At this Hermiones cardio vascular system plummeted to the bottom of her black leather shoes. For upon hearing Ginny's statement about Malfoy her bad feeling just got worse.
"Er? What do you mean by Dr- I mean Malfoy being depressed?" Asked our dear Miss Granger, who was trying her best not to sound too interested about Malfoy's mental state. Which caused Ginny to give her a funny look.
"Well, the girl kept saying he was really down after third lesson, which was potions, coz Ron always complains about that apart from today funnily enough. Any way she kept screaming that ever since then he hadn't been his normal annoying evil self." She shrugged as swallowed some of her meal. " I dunno, perhaps Malfoy has finally flipped. I mean look! He isn't even here for dinner. He must be mad!" She chuckled softly as she pointed out the empty spot where the annoying little ferret should have been.
Hermiones bushy brown head went face first into her large pile of scrummy mashed potatoes. The bad feeling, which had gotten worse, had now gone down to the level of " Kill me now this shit is way to bad for me." Level. Of course Ginny couldn't help but laugh.
"What the hell?" She giggled.
"Ginny." Whispered Hermiones, whose head was now out of the pile of potato goop, but only just. "I have done something. Bad. Probably. I'm not sure…"
And thus Hermione spilled the beans onto her meal and then metaphorically to Ginny and told her what exactly happened, which of course caused the red head to raise her eyebrow a few times and eventually come up with this summery.
"Ohhhhhhhhhh." She said. "I was wondering why he was looking at that card I drew and you sent him when he bumped into me. I mean I know he has been acting and looking at you funny ever since his dad got busted by the Ministry, but still…"
Geez can I get any guiltier? The answer is yes apparently…
But of course, by telling the young Weasley girl, our dear 6th year Gryffindor girl was kinda hoping she would also tell her what to do. More precisely that what she did to Malfoy was okay and she was just being a silly cow. Only, Ginny didn't say that. Even when Hermione did actually ask her.
"You know," the younger girl started. "Even though it's Malfoy it does seem kinda bad. Okay if Ron had done it then maybe not. But you're a girl and we have something my brother doesn't have. Common decency. So… really you should go and do the decent thing."
"Kill myself?" Hermione muttered.
"You know what I mean Hermione…" Scowled Ginny.
The bushy one sighed heavily and got up from the Gryffindor table.
"I know I know, I'll go apologise, but don't blame me if he never lets me forget this night and I end up killing him. This is your idea Gin!"
Ginny gave her older friend a smile as she looked over at Harry and his friend, who now looked like they were snogging for the whole of wizarding kind.
"Yeah yeah, oh and if you see my brother, tell him I want a word. He's been acting really weird!" Hermione heard the girl call out just in time as she left the great hall looking for the notorious ferret.
After an hour and forty-five minutes of searching for one supposed depressed Draco Malfoy, Hermione finally admitted defeat and retired to her only sanctuary, her spot in the library. Her massive dose of guilt still ever present in her body to the extent it made her want to lie down and die from a massive vomiting bout. Needless to say she was feeling down and although the library was a pretty dark and dinger and very usual place for Hermione to be, it had to be said it did cheer her up. Although she wasn't sure it was going to do her much good. I'm am feeling pretty low and after busying around the castle looking for Malfoy I can safely say I am a tad bit tired. Although I am starting to wonder if I'll ever see that git again, I wish I could say sorry to him though. This guilt is killing me!
Which, when looking back on it, was probably a really stupid wish, because as soon as she reached her destination someone was already sitting in her hallowed place. Someone with longish blonde hair tied back in a black bow and someone who happened to be the very person our dear Miss Granger was looking for. One not so happy looking Draco Malfoy.
Hermione couldn't help but feel even guiltier as she looked at his candlelight pale face, which looked sad and not full of the same annoying life it once did. And it was probably that reason why our dear Gryffindor friend approached him with caution of someone who was about to poke a sleeping dragon in the eye and take a picture.
"Er… hello?" Said Hermione not much above a whisper.
As he turned to face the voice that had disturbed his peace, the brainy wonder could have sworn she saw a sad almost warm look in his usually cold eyes. That was of course before he swiped that it away and returned to a much weaker version of his annoying self.
"Well hello there." Malfoy smirked, his eyes not as sparkly with sarcasm or eve life as per usual. " Do you mind if I sit here, only I figured if I did I would get better grades?" He chuckled as Hermione moved closer. The guilt trapped within her body now felt more present than it had ever been. So she closed her eyes and decided to think of Britain. Time to get this over with I suppose. Just breathe and try not to get too pissed off…
"Malfoy…" She began her speech, trying to get it over and done with as soon as possible. However upon hearing her… un-naturally dull, yet anxious tone, Malfoy nodded slightly and began to gather his things.
"No you're right, this is your place and not mine. Shouldn't tread in a lioness' lair I suppose. I'll just be on my way then. Don't want to get another earful now do I?" But just as he was starting to move from his seat. Hermione forced him into his place.
"Malfoy sit down and shut up!" She snapped. She didn't really mean to come off sounding pissed off again, but she was so nervous about apologising and he wasn't exactly helping. Which was why Malfoy probably replied to her orders thusly.
"Jesus Granger! What have I done now?" He groaned as he sat back down, trying hard not to make eye contact.
Hermione sighed as she sat down next to him, noticing he had gotten out the book he was reading.
"Hogwarts: A History?" She sounded puzzled as her soft brown eyes looked at him with amusement.
The longhaired boy gave another off putting sigh.
"Yes, I was trying to figure out why you find it so interesting. To be honest I can't see what's so great about it. But then again I'm not you, which I suppose is a blessing really. I don't think breasts would suit me, do you?"
Ah! The lovely feeling of annoyance was slowly ebbing it's way back into Hermione's system, thus counter balancing the guilt, but it still wasn't enough to ease her conscience. Plus the fact that the image of Malfoy with breasts was now squarely set into her minds eye. I'M BLLLLLLLLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIND!!!
"Malfoy please shut up…" She groaned whilst trying to get that rather disturbing image out of her mind. "… I'm trying to be nice here."
Now this caught the little ferret off guard.
"Nice?"
"Yes you know, the opposite of horrible, which I am sure you know all about."
"Ohhhhhhhh and I suppose that was nice was it?"
"Grrrrrrrrrrr, MALFOY!" Hermione snapped, yet again.
"Okay okay!" Malfoy said holding up his hands defeat.
This was getting to be more of a challenge than Hermione first thought. He just won't shut up! Grrrrrrrr… I don't even think he cares! Not that I want him to care or anything. Awwwwwwwwwww bugger! There's that damned guilt again! She gave herself a deep breath before she continued, with Malfoy listening attentively, although trying hard not to make eye contact yet again.
"Malfoy…"
"Draco if you please." He smirked. "You get to have me call you a different name my dear, so I think I get the same right. Malfoy does sound annoying when coming from your pretty little mouth."
She sighed and gave in. Anything to shut him up! Is it just me or does this conversation resemble anything like the one we had in here yesterday?
"Draco, I would like to apologise for…" she coughed. " how can I put it… blaming you for something that you didn't do."
There was a short pause when slowly the pale face of Draco Malfoy finally made eye contact. His steely ice coloured eyes looked genuinely shocked and yet had regained some of their Malfoy-ness. If that even made sense. The sparkle of annoyance and fun was slowly coming back into his eyes, which for some reason Hermione couldn't stop looking into at the moment in time.
"Oh?" He chuckled.
"Yes, I am sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I was wrong. Sorry."
Yet again there was another pause. Before a small, yet, welcomed smile played across Draco's pale lips and perhaps, although Hermione wasn't sure, a faint sign of a blush?
"Apology accepted…"
Few… that wasn't too bad I guess…"And thanks for the card by the way!" A large grin was now plastered all over his face, which made the guilt slip away and the annoyance return in superb fashion.
Hermione growled with frustration and, you guessed it, annoyance, but also a sense of slight relief. At least he knows whom his card was from, which I guess was the point of my evil plan…
"Ahem, why do you think it was from me?" Said the Gryffindor in a very coy and mysterious voice.
In reply, the sneaky Slytherin Seeker opened up " Hogwarts: A History." To wear a seemingly harmless bookmark was and pulled the offending item out. It turned out to be a very beautifully designed card with a carefully drawn and charmed Lion slapping a Snake, which looked more like a dragon depending on who you were, in front of a broken heart. He held the make shift card up and raised an eyebrow.
"You're telling me, Little Miss Know-It-all, that you didn't have anything to do with this?"
Hermione gave her best politician like smile. "Maybe…"
Draco just rolled his eyes and chuckled.
"My dear Herm-Own-Ninny…" He said doing a better imitation of her Ex-boyfriend than before, which made her frown slightly and giggle. "… Only you could come up with such a witty and topical inscription. Ahem!"
And after he cleared his throat the young master Malfoy began to read out the inscription in a very formal and posh way, which made Hermione want to collapse in fits of laughter. His serious looking face was just perfect. Just how she imagined he would react. Hoping that a small flicker of annoyance would flicker across his face to show signs of her desired affect. Come on! It is funny!
" Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Shut your trap!
'Cause I'm better than you!"
A small frown formed on his brow before looking at Hermione again, who was currently not trying to smile too smugly for her own good. If he can annoy me with mere word than so can I! When he saw her facial expression his frown softened and he gave a short and silent laugh.
"Only you could come up with that my dear little Herm-Own-Ninny!" He smirked a knowing smirk. While Hermione just cringed at her new Malfoy-fied nickname. "Although I must confess I did start to wonder whether there was a time bomb like hex on this, thus why I got bollocked in potions. I thought if it went off in there I would have a chance of living past this day. Of course I also happened to like the design, it's rather good and has a personal touch that I quite admire."
Yet again Hermione almost thought she saw a blush grace his pale cheeks. But to be honest she was quite enjoying the fact that he knew, however she was slightly pissed off he hadn't risen to the bait she had set I.E get to the point of anger and annoyance that she was in yesterday. Typical Malfoy I guess…
"Well you know." Shrugged our dear Bushy haired friend. "I do aim to please using the wonderful gift that is my intelligence."
Malfoy just snickered.
"Pfft! If you had used that intelligence we wouldn't be here right now! I have to ask why did you think it was me that sent you that card? I mean really why?"
Hermione gulped. Unfortunately she didn't foresee this turn in the conversation she was having and panicked slightly. Since she knew damn well the explanation was pretty piss poor by logical terms and her reason for actually suspecting Malfoy was caused by the events which happened in that very same spot the other night. Oh and the fact Pansy told her, which would make it even worse. Although it had now been shown that Pansy did indeed give her false information. So she simply replied the best way she could have.
"I have my sources…" She muttered looking around the library in no place in particular.
Of course Draco just smirked and rolled his eyes.
"I take it Pansy "Bumped" into you then. I told her she would get that clue wrong and obviously you got it wrong too, which quite frankly surprises me."
"Oh?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"I gave Pansy a small clue to whom I was going to give a card to. Of course the Ditz got it wrong and thought it was you. Which I suppose is understandable considering the clue I gave her." A small smile crossed his lips, while Hermione was just left guessing.
"And the clue was what exactly?" she asked getting more interested by the minute.
"Bushy."
"Bushy?"
"Yes Bushy. Although as you know now, it's not you. So I'll ask you. Can you think of any one? Male or female. Who you consider to be bushy or have bushy features?"
Of course once her had said that Hermione's mind took about 1.29 seconds to work out whom Draco was on about and it all made sense.
"You got Hagrid?"
The blonde boy nodded and a satisfied grin adorned his face yet again.
"Well done dear girl! You got it after all. Yes I got that oaf! Can you believe it?"
"No I can't to be honest with you Dear Draco," She hissed. "But if you call Hagrid an Oaf again I'll make you wish you were never born!"
The grinning Malfoy sighed in defeat, again.
"Okay, I got him. So I thought what would be a nice sneaky way to make fun of him and get away with it. Since I noticed you seemed to have a liking for my beautiful work of the old bag McGonnagal being eaten by a well drawn dragon, I though I could have fun with this…"
"You drew a picture of Hagrid getting eaten by a dragon didn't you Draco?" Her brainy-ness concluded.
The young Malfoy nodded the affirmative.
"Yes, but unfortunately he took the picture for something else. Say a certain dragon her cared for in our first year giving him what he calls " Dragon kisses"! Dear god! How stupid can one person get! I mean he was looking at that bloody card with tears in his eyes the whole bloody lesson! Well apart from looking at that other card, which didn't bare thinking about…"
At this Hermione gave a dark chuckle.
"Serves you right for trying to hurt a lovely man's feelings." The bushy wonder smirked.
Unfortunately the pale boy's eyes glistened dangerously. Some how Hermione knew what was coming next…
"You know you can talk My Dear Hermione, you tried to challenge me yet again and how rude it was too!" his voice trying to sound hurt and offended, but it didn't quite work.
Our Gryffindor girl rolled her brown eyes.
"What are you talking about Draco? I have never challenged you!"
The blonde just smiled, yet again, like a Cheshire cat on speed.
"Yes you did! You said on two separate occasions that you were better than me at everything! Now if that isn't a challenge then I don't know what is?"
Oh god, I know where this is going!
"Damnit Draco! Don't blame me for you chickening out the other night! But if you're still up for it, I'm game. I'm quite happy to prove I am better than you in every way." She smirked. Hell I have made up with him, may as well kiss him as well. Like I say anything to shut him up!
Of course Malfoy was up for it, even though he was blushing a bit and so was Hermione come to mention it. And just as they were about to get it over and done with, a fraction away from their lips meeting to prove who was the best, a loud giggle and fumble could be heard.
"Did you hear something?" They both said at the same time.
Meanwhile a couple of bookcases away…
"Are you sure no one will Spot us Ronny?" a rather posh girly girl voice asked.
"Pansy, this is the Library! Who ever comes in here?"
And thus the two began their "Activities" again, which can be described with the phrase " Like rabbits". Well at least someone managed to get some this Valentines Day….
THE END… or is it?
(A/N: Well that's the end of this little story. There's every possibility I could write a sequel to this, but that's only if I get very nice reviews for this fic. I hope you enjoyed the ending, I know it was a very long chapter, but it did tie up a few loose ends. I am sorry if you thought I was going to let Hermione and Draco get it on, but I really couldn't see that happening, Oh and I apologise for causing any warpage of the mind due to the Ron/Pansy thing, but come on! It was funny and unexpected! So like I say thanks to all those who read my silly little fic and enjoyed it. If you want a Sequel I will consider it, but tell me in a review right? Cheers again!
Love
The Redundant Goddess…)