A/N: Okay, my hands still hurt from correcting all the typos in this
chapter. But it will all be worth it if you kind people will just review!
Thanks a lot! Also try reading: You Ought To Know in the original poetry
section. I wrote it and I'd love to know what you think about it. Thanks
for those who reviewed!
Disclaimer: All of this belongs to J.K. Rowling except for the plot, which is mine!!!
Chapter 8 -The Peculiar Treat
The next day dragged on like any other until it was finally Friday. Hermione was still looking a little groggy and unfocused but that might as well be because she wasn't getting enough sleep preparing for the N.E.W.T.s as everyone thought, except Ron. He noticed that Hermione was making it a habit to disappear after classes. At first he thought she was with Harry but as he and Harry were together yesterday, he discovered that Hermione hasn't been ten feet near Harry or anyone this past week. And his suspicions were getting the better of him. It was Draco who was bothering him the most. He hadn't been himself lately, although he was still quite as annoying, he didn't seem to fancy targeting Hermione anymore. And even worse, he kept catching Draco casting glances at Hermione as though they had an understanding or something.
"Umm, Harry" Ron started, poking Harry in the ribs with his quill.
"What?" said Harry, looking annoyed. Ron saw that he had been making circles in his paper with the names of the Gryffindor Quidditch team in them.
"Does Hermione tell you where she's staying after classes?"
"Why, do you care?" Harry asked peering over him with a very irritating look.
"No." he said plainly. Fine. If Harry was still going to bug him about making up with Hermione, then he just decided it wasn't worth it.
Harry leaned back in his chair, now jabbing his quill hardly on the parchment. He hated Ron for not talking to Hermione until now. It was stupid and it was being a pain in his ass lately because Hermione kept landing him the It's-just-like-Ron-to-ignore-me-get-used-to-it-Harry line every time he brings up the issue. And he can't blame her since now that he'd thought about it, it was becoming even more plain to see that Ron was the one out of line. But the way Hermione was reacting towards the situation-so nonchalantly, was very annoying too. "They are both being self- centered." Harry decided as an ugly rip started in his parchment. Snape turned at the sound of ripping paper.
"Is there a problem, Potter?" he snapped, eyeing him coldly.
Harry didn't even bother to answer. He was so annoyed. He looked at Hermione at his side, saw her lids flutter a bit, then to Ron who raised his eyebrows at him. It was hopeless. He was just about to return to his lazy drone when the earsplitting bell rang. He stood up quickly and gathered his things. He hurried outside the dungeon, eager to get to his Quidditch practice when Hermione dashed from his side, almost knocking him out. He was about to call her out when he saw that he didn't have to. Ron had just cornered her and was holding on her bag strap firmly.
"Hey!" Hermione started, but after seeing Ron, she tried to tag the strap away. Ron held on tight.
"No.wait-er-Hermione." he said, still not letting go of the bag.
Harry glanced nervously around. They were causing a hold up in the corridors and everyone was starting to look curiously at Ron and Hermione.
"Uh-oh" Harry muttered silently.
"Let me go, Ron-ald." she said coldly as a few Slytherins sniggered.
Ron's face went red and Harry could see a huge row coming. So he placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder and went to her side, casting a meaningful look at Ron.
"No I won't, Hermione. Not until you tell me where you are going." snapped Ron, taking himself by surprise.
"I think Hermione's going with me today, Ron. End of story." Harry was saying when Hermione piped in,
"No, I think I won't, Harry. I'm not going anywhere near that Quidditch field of yours, no thanks. I have better things to do than that." she replied almost sarcastically. Harry stared wildly at her. Was she mad at him for playing Quidditch or something? Why didn't she tell him?
"Hermione? Are you okay?" Harry asked.
"Of course she's not okay. She's been cracking her head open for that exams, Harry. But I don't want to be the one to break the ugly news to her. So please, do the favor for me." Ron said, staring daggers at Hermione.
For a moment, Harry saw Hermione's shoulders quiver, in anger or despair, he hadn't had time to guess as she started speaking again.
"What's the bad news Ronald? Did you just nip me out of your Priority Friends List?" There, she said it-exactly what she had in mind. There was a very pregnant pause in the hall that was quickly broken by the hearty laughter of not only the Slytherins, but everyone else in the hall. Harry looked around, desperately thinking of what to do. Should he just snatch Hermione and pull her somewhere away from Ron?
"What if I tell you I just did, Hermione?" Ron asked tentatively but the effect it had on Hermione was irreversible. She staggered backwards and Harry could see hot tears escaping her eyes.
"Who'd want to be in your smelly list, Weasel?" said a voice from the crowd suddenly. It was the drawling voice of Draco Malfoy. Apparently, he had been standing there, watching the whole scene.
"Everyone, Malfoy, everyone." Ron retorted nonchalantly.
Harry almost flinched at this.
"Too stupid to know that, aren't you Malfoy? Who are you playing the fool?" Ron continued coolly.
"The only fool I see here Weasel, is you. You and your bloody list." Draco snapped as Hermione's sobs echoed in the hall. Harry went for her but Draco was on the way.
"Back off, Malfoy before I get my hands on you." Harry heard himself say.
Draco gave him a cold stare. "You heard her, Potter. She's not getting anywhere near you, so I think you ought to back your own ass off" Draco replied.
Harry simmered with anger. The guts of Malfoy! But what he saw next that surprised everyone made him stop from barging on the git and skinning him alive: Draco actually heaved Hermione up and was brushing her tears away. Harry was too stunned that he just stood there gaping. Hermione looked flabbergasted and shoved Draco's hand away. Then she sped off towards the staircase-her hands hiding her face. Draco then turnned to them and gave Ron one last scathing look. Then he headed towards the opposite direction. The whole crowd murmured excitedly as they too scrambled towards their own common rooms. Harry was only able to catch 'Is that Malfoy?' and 'What's eating Ron?'. This was nothing to what was bugging him at the moment. He turned around and saw Ron still standing at the same exact position with the open mouth expression still plastered on his face. Harry went to him and looked at him square in the eyes.
"What do you want?" he mumbled distractedly
"I want to talk to you about Hermione, Ron."
"What for? Didn't you hear her? She said she didn't want us anywhere near her!"
Harry was greatly annoyed at this. "Don't let Malfoy get to you, Ron. Hermione said she wasn't going anywhere near the Quidditch field, not us. Get a grip."
But Ron just shook his head dispiritedly. "Sounds the same to me." he said.
"Look, you started the fight. If you just asked her offhandedly, then maybe she answered you back."
"And why should I do that?" Ron snapped stubbornly. "Because you wanted to know Ron!" Harry answered exasperatedly. Ron was being so dificult.
"Well, I've just decided I don't wanna know."
"Well, I've just decided I don't care." Harry said quickly then added "You have to talk to her, Ron. There must be something really disturbing her. Didn't you see her face when you told her 'bout the List?"
Ron stopped grunting at this. He looked away, shuffling his feet consciously. "But didn't you see the way she looked at Malfoy?" he said, not looking at Harry.
"No, I don't think I saw her. But Malfoy was acting weird."
Ron snorted and gave Harry an incredulous look.
"Are you trying to tell me that he likes Hermione? Because if that's what you're getting at..." Ron was saying when Harry cut him.
"No, Ron, I didn't mention anything about Draco liking Hermione. I was just saying that perhaps we are overlooking something here. I mean, I haven't talked to Hermione this whole week and I can see that you haven't either. Don't you think."
"That Malfoy is brewing up something on our backs?" Roon finished for Harry who nodded slowly.
"That is impossible, Harry and besides I have more important things to do than sneak around trying to flgure out this nonsense." Ron said simply, walking away.
Harry had a sudden urge to hit Ron in the head but he got hold of himself in time. Snape's dungeon was just a few meters away.
"So that's it, eh? All this nonsense is getting the better of you Ron- er(Harry had almost said Ronald)? Oh, sorry, I forgot. Still got autograph signing to do, right? No, just go on. Don't mind me and Hermione..." he was saying as he walked past Ron who froze. "We don't want your goddam autograph. The time we do is the time we're ready for St. Mungo's." Harry said coldly, casting the dumbfounded Ron one last look.
Ron stared after him. He hadn't meant to get Harry mad at him. What was he saying back there? Sure, he cared about Hermione and that slimy Malfoy. In fact Malfoy's big smely plan was killing him. But then again, Hermione had been very rude and he just can't put up with her talking to him like that. It was downright-annoying.
"You deserve it Hermione. If you hadn't considered those blasted N.E.W.T.s in the first place, then we wouldn't have gotten in the wrong foot." he muttered to himself as he scrambled back to the Gryffindor common room. He was going to throw himself in bed and forget about all this before it got into his nerves.
Meanwhile, Draco slipped out of the Slytherin common room after he was sure everyone thought he was in bed (He made sure everyone heard what he told Crabbe and Goyle about cursing the first person to disturb him in his bunk) He hurried to the Library and was lucky enough to dodge out of Madam Pince's sight as was pretty hard to imagine what sort of excuse he'd come up with again after he disappear within the shelves for the fifth time in a row. He clambered into the chambers and slipped in the secret niche. Hermione was already there as expected and she wasn't sobbing anymore. Draco edged near her but Hermione moved her chair backwards.
"Hermione.what the?" Draco was saying when Hermione raised a hand to stop him from going any nearer.
"Stay away from me, Malfoy." she said silently but with definite hardness in her voice.
Draco narrowed his eyes at her but did just that. He sat at the far end waited for her to get over her mood. And for a long while, nobody said anything. Draco was starting to guess that this has something to do about him flattening out the git-Weasley.
Hermione finally shifted in her seat and raised her face to meet Draco's. She had to get it over and done with and NOW.
"Draco." she started quietly. "What did you do that for?"
"What? Why did I slam the Weasel and told him the hard truth that he stinks bad?"
"No, I mean, why did you go up to me in font of all those people?"
There was a pause as Draco tried to figure out what Hermione meant with that. Then he looked at her darkly and said, "Oh, really sorry about that Hermione. I forgot that I'm supposed to be a non-existing f*ck to you and that I shouldn't be anywhere around ten feet near you when everyone's looking. As a matter of fact, I think I should disappear right now, shan't I?" he said all this very fast and he hadn't had time to think what it made him look. He was already standing when Hermione went up to him and stood in his way. She was looking at her feet.
"No, Draco don't leave. Forget what I said. I don't know what I meant with them. I just wanted to say thanks for whatever you did earlier. That's all." She told him hastily but Draco could see that she meant it.
"What about the you're my worst enemy and stay away from me part, huh?" Draco asked her coldly.
"Oh, I guess you could drop that. Besides, you can't be that horrible, can you? So what do you think.truce?" she asked hopefully.
Draco looked at her and smiled.
"I was thinking if we could be friends."
Hermione grinned at this, completely surprised at him. Perhaps he was just sympathizing with her or perhaps he just needed her for the N.E.W.T.s. Either way, he couldn't get himself to leave Hermione in the crummy place alone. And besides, he was starting to like her company-although he thinks she could be lot better without a single book in sight.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Draco asked Hermione tentatively. But this was enough to make her beam rather self-consciously at him.
"I mean as you are in my Priority Friends List-you've got to be okay." After Draco said this, he looked at Hermione to make sure she saw that this was a joke No offense to Weasley-the pitiful. But Hermione just shrugged and suddenly flung her arms around Draco (much to his disgust).
"Oh, Draco, I am so glad you told Ron that. I mean, I can't bring myself to tell him but...umm, did you really have to tell him off in front of all the people?" he heard her say to him in a very muffled voice.
"I had to. That'd make him learn. After what he told you." Draco felt Hermione stiffen at this. The memory of that still stung. "Are you done, Hermione?" he joked as Hermione finally let go of him apologizing again and again. He watched her fumble for her wand inside her robe and for the first time, noticed how she looked. Sure she always had this wild, brown hair that came to her shoulders but it was certainly her eyes that made her stand out of the lot. They were so full of life-sharp and piercing yet warm and bright. These thoughts could have given him a sort of glazed look because he noticed that Hermione's eyes darted nervously at him.
"Draco?" she asked.
"Nothing." he said simply, pulling a chair out for Hermione. She took this peculiar gesture quizzically but sat down anyway. She still kept her x-ray look on him though. Draco leaned at the table and waved a hand in front of Hermione.
"Granger, I demand that you stop staring and start the teaching." he said watching Hermione's cheeks go from pink to fiery red.
"0h, sorry." she said shortly, reaching out for a few books and flinging them open. At a certain illustration of the Furnunclus Curse she smiled at Draco and gestured, "Closer, do you think?"
Draco noticed the slight twinkle in her eye as she watched him move right next to her. He overdid it a little though they were now facing each other, their noses barely an inch apart. Draco watched Hermione's eyes glint nervously and laughed silently to himself.
"Was she? Could she possibly think that I." He was having a bang musing about what Hermione could possibly be feeling right now when a sudden stab in his chest told him that he had been holding his breath. "Holding his breath...for what though?!" He thought, feeling a little alarmed Then he noticed that Hermione was muttering wordlessy at him, blushing furiously. It was quite a pretty sight. Then, feeling a bit ashamed at himself for enjoying it, he moved his chair politely backward and opened the nearest book to him. He tried to focus his eyes at the age-old manuscript, but in vain. He could still feel Hermione looking at him. Until he can't stand it anymore.
"What?" he snapped at her, whirring at his side only to find that she wasn't looking at him at all. She was tracing some illustrations in a book with her wand.
Hermione faced Draco who suddenly looked pale. She couldn't help but stifle a laugh. He was being stupid. She could just figure out the shocked expression in his grayish-blue eyes when he looked down on the book again with an amazingly stiff stare.
"Are you planning on reading that at all, Draco or are you just gonna stare at it all night?" she asked him in a teasing manner. Draco didn't answer. Typical. Hermione closed her book and prodded him.
"I think we can't have learning tonight. Our mind's too distracted to pick up anything."
"Distracted?" stammered Draco, his voice a little higher than the usual. Why should she think that? Draco thought alarmed, the color draining from his face.
"I mean, I am too distracted with Ron and Harry, I can't think straight. We can't possibly learn tonight." Hermione explained, finding the queer look in his face.
Draco agreed to this. And besides, this was the last night of the week. They weren't supposed to be worrying about homework or anything else. If only Ron didn't choose this the time to rap Hermione with his stupidity. Then, Draco thought of something that was definitely going to take Hermione's mind away from those imbeciles. He stood up and grabbed her in the wrist.
"Come with me."
"To where?"
"To a walk in the field?" Draco answered, opening the hole with the Incantation 'clover'. Hermione was staggering behind him and he helped her up after getting out of the niche himself. They straightened their cloaks and slid out of the library.
"Why will we go to the field, Draco?" Hermione asked him as they passed a dozen rooms on their way to the spacious Quidditch grounds.
"To watch the Quidditch tournament." Draco told her impatiently,
"It's not until Wednesday, Draco. Are you trying to pull a trick on me?" Hermione said, stopping just before they reached the Great door.
Draco Wlirred around at her and smiled. If she were somebody else, Crabbe perhaps, he would have cursed her with the Body slam hex or something. Patience wasn't really his best virtue.
"I have a surprise for you. Now, if we could just go on?"
Hermione peered at him then shrugged.
"Well, okay. This has to be worth it."
"Trust me, it is."
They rushed hurriedly outside as soon as the door opened. They didn't stop to rest until the Quidditch field was at sight. But as soon as the green grass of the grounds was already at Hermione's feet, she suddenly became aware of the cold, night breeze sweeping her hair. And looking up at the empty stadium, she was able to appreciate the grandeur of the stands for the first time. The stadium could hold a hefty 5,000 crowd but when bewitched, as it usually was, it could hold double. If this was what they came here for, well, it was fine, not really amusing, but quite relaxing. She could already feel her troubles drift away with the wind.
"Hermione, over here." Draco called to her.
She whirred around to see him at the middle of the deserted field, his grayish-blue eyes blazing with excitement.
"What now?" Hermione thought, as she walked towards Draco puzzled. She saw him raise his hand in the air and heard him call out 'Accio Narcissa!'.
"Narcissa? His mother? Why would he bring her there for? And the summoning charm was not for people miles and miles away!" Hermione thought alarmed. But in a few seconds, she was able to recognize the thing Draco called 'Narcissa' and it was, to her relief, not Narcissa Malfoy.
The swishing sound was getting more and more distinct. Hermione could sense it getting nearer and nearer until it was finally in view. It was Draco's broomstick, the latest Nimbus 3000. She realized how magnificent it was as it landed smoothly in Draco's outstretched hand. It was the best broom money could buy although second only to the Firebolt. Hermione watched Draco mount it but could not believe what she saw next: Draco was flying a few feet above the ground right in front of her, extending a hand to help her in.
"What? Me in that thing? Oh no, Draco. You can't make me." she was saying, staggering backwards.
"Hermione, come on." Draco insisted. "Trust me" he told her as she watched him wide-eyed. The phrase 'trust me' hit Hermione a little hard. She was terrified when she rode Buckbeak, a huge majestic creature with Harry. But in a small, frail, broomstick with Draco-she was scared to death. But she knew she couldn't say no. He went all through the trouble to get her on it alhough she didn't really thought it was enough trouble compared to what they were going to face later on that stick. Still thinking of how falling from a hefty fifty feet would feel like, Hermione felt herself extending a hand to Draco. He helped her ride in front of him, carefully positioning his arms around her until his hands found the steering handle of the broom in front of Hermione securely. Then with a soft kick on the ground, they lifted in the night sky. Hermione was clutching the handle tightly, with her eyes shut when she heard Draco's voice almost indistinguishable through the whirring wind.
"What?" she shouted, not daring to look behind her.
"Open your eyes, Hermione. It's a pretty sight."
"How could flying with the likely possibility to crash fifty feet below be such a pretty sight?" Hermione thought desperately. But just then, she felt Draco lean over to her again and found his hands on top hers on the steering handle. She heard him say, "Now, Hermione, now." With all the courage she could muster, Hermione slowly opened her eyes and looked around. Draco was right. Everything was beautiful from above. The thousand rows of seat in the stadium looked so much smaller and so unbelievably shaped like a round saucer. The trees in the forbidden forest at the North looked nothing more but a freely mixed green paint in a drawing. It looked less dangerous from fifty feet above as she could no longer see the monsters that lurked the place. And Hagrid's hut Where is it? Oh, right there across the lake where the Whomping Willow was swaying its branches innocently in the wind. And of course, the night sky-words had failed her. She had never seen the stars seem this close before.
"Like it?" Draco asked from behind her.
"Yes, very. It's beautiful." Hermione gushed.
Finally, after what seemed like five forevers, the ride was over. They slowly lowered to the ground and skidded to a halt at the center of the field. Draco hopped down first then helped Hermione dismount the broom. She was looking flustered as she had never ridden a broom before even if Harry, the Gryffindor Quidditch seeker, was her bestfriend. She had never thought it was possible too until then.
"That was fun. Thanks." she mumbled as she hopped down the broom that was now floating lazily around them. But Draco did not let go of her hand yet. He was still clutching it lightly as his eyes watched the broom do a sort of dive.
"That broom is very special to me." he told Hermione.
"Like sort of a friend?"
"Yeah."
"So that's why you call it Narcissa, after your mother. I assume-if you don't have a girlfriend named Narcissa, of course." Hermione stammered. She didn't quite understand why the idea of Draco naming it after another girl bothered her.
"Yeah...I mean, yes it was after my mother." He said peering curiously at Hermione. "What if it was a girl?" He added nonchalantly.
"What? I was just wondering.didn't mean to put emphasis on...Why do you ask me such anyway?" wheezed Hermione, her cheeks warming up. Draco just chortled. Then after a few infuriating moments for Hermione, he finally stopped and gave her a measuring look that she didn't like at all.
"What?"
"Y'know, Granger? You're pretty but..." Draco started, his measuring look still lingering at Hermione.
"But what?" Hermione didn't dare hear what was next but Draco's answer came anyway.
"But you're a Muggle and that's something." she heard him say before her vision blurred. She wanted to slap Draco but a part of her asked. "Why should you even bother? He always calls you that. Reality check Hermione, this is Draco Malfoy-not some goddam prince."
And with that infuriated thought, she dashed away, feeling hopelessly drained of energy. She had almost believed that Draco wasn't half the jerk she thought he was. She was still cursing silently when two hands suddenly grabbed her.
"What is this?" she started to say when the person held a hand on her mouth. "Why is everyone jumping up behind me?" Hermione tried to shout but her voice sounded weak and muffled.
Disclaimer: All of this belongs to J.K. Rowling except for the plot, which is mine!!!
Chapter 8 -The Peculiar Treat
The next day dragged on like any other until it was finally Friday. Hermione was still looking a little groggy and unfocused but that might as well be because she wasn't getting enough sleep preparing for the N.E.W.T.s as everyone thought, except Ron. He noticed that Hermione was making it a habit to disappear after classes. At first he thought she was with Harry but as he and Harry were together yesterday, he discovered that Hermione hasn't been ten feet near Harry or anyone this past week. And his suspicions were getting the better of him. It was Draco who was bothering him the most. He hadn't been himself lately, although he was still quite as annoying, he didn't seem to fancy targeting Hermione anymore. And even worse, he kept catching Draco casting glances at Hermione as though they had an understanding or something.
"Umm, Harry" Ron started, poking Harry in the ribs with his quill.
"What?" said Harry, looking annoyed. Ron saw that he had been making circles in his paper with the names of the Gryffindor Quidditch team in them.
"Does Hermione tell you where she's staying after classes?"
"Why, do you care?" Harry asked peering over him with a very irritating look.
"No." he said plainly. Fine. If Harry was still going to bug him about making up with Hermione, then he just decided it wasn't worth it.
Harry leaned back in his chair, now jabbing his quill hardly on the parchment. He hated Ron for not talking to Hermione until now. It was stupid and it was being a pain in his ass lately because Hermione kept landing him the It's-just-like-Ron-to-ignore-me-get-used-to-it-Harry line every time he brings up the issue. And he can't blame her since now that he'd thought about it, it was becoming even more plain to see that Ron was the one out of line. But the way Hermione was reacting towards the situation-so nonchalantly, was very annoying too. "They are both being self- centered." Harry decided as an ugly rip started in his parchment. Snape turned at the sound of ripping paper.
"Is there a problem, Potter?" he snapped, eyeing him coldly.
Harry didn't even bother to answer. He was so annoyed. He looked at Hermione at his side, saw her lids flutter a bit, then to Ron who raised his eyebrows at him. It was hopeless. He was just about to return to his lazy drone when the earsplitting bell rang. He stood up quickly and gathered his things. He hurried outside the dungeon, eager to get to his Quidditch practice when Hermione dashed from his side, almost knocking him out. He was about to call her out when he saw that he didn't have to. Ron had just cornered her and was holding on her bag strap firmly.
"Hey!" Hermione started, but after seeing Ron, she tried to tag the strap away. Ron held on tight.
"No.wait-er-Hermione." he said, still not letting go of the bag.
Harry glanced nervously around. They were causing a hold up in the corridors and everyone was starting to look curiously at Ron and Hermione.
"Uh-oh" Harry muttered silently.
"Let me go, Ron-ald." she said coldly as a few Slytherins sniggered.
Ron's face went red and Harry could see a huge row coming. So he placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder and went to her side, casting a meaningful look at Ron.
"No I won't, Hermione. Not until you tell me where you are going." snapped Ron, taking himself by surprise.
"I think Hermione's going with me today, Ron. End of story." Harry was saying when Hermione piped in,
"No, I think I won't, Harry. I'm not going anywhere near that Quidditch field of yours, no thanks. I have better things to do than that." she replied almost sarcastically. Harry stared wildly at her. Was she mad at him for playing Quidditch or something? Why didn't she tell him?
"Hermione? Are you okay?" Harry asked.
"Of course she's not okay. She's been cracking her head open for that exams, Harry. But I don't want to be the one to break the ugly news to her. So please, do the favor for me." Ron said, staring daggers at Hermione.
For a moment, Harry saw Hermione's shoulders quiver, in anger or despair, he hadn't had time to guess as she started speaking again.
"What's the bad news Ronald? Did you just nip me out of your Priority Friends List?" There, she said it-exactly what she had in mind. There was a very pregnant pause in the hall that was quickly broken by the hearty laughter of not only the Slytherins, but everyone else in the hall. Harry looked around, desperately thinking of what to do. Should he just snatch Hermione and pull her somewhere away from Ron?
"What if I tell you I just did, Hermione?" Ron asked tentatively but the effect it had on Hermione was irreversible. She staggered backwards and Harry could see hot tears escaping her eyes.
"Who'd want to be in your smelly list, Weasel?" said a voice from the crowd suddenly. It was the drawling voice of Draco Malfoy. Apparently, he had been standing there, watching the whole scene.
"Everyone, Malfoy, everyone." Ron retorted nonchalantly.
Harry almost flinched at this.
"Too stupid to know that, aren't you Malfoy? Who are you playing the fool?" Ron continued coolly.
"The only fool I see here Weasel, is you. You and your bloody list." Draco snapped as Hermione's sobs echoed in the hall. Harry went for her but Draco was on the way.
"Back off, Malfoy before I get my hands on you." Harry heard himself say.
Draco gave him a cold stare. "You heard her, Potter. She's not getting anywhere near you, so I think you ought to back your own ass off" Draco replied.
Harry simmered with anger. The guts of Malfoy! But what he saw next that surprised everyone made him stop from barging on the git and skinning him alive: Draco actually heaved Hermione up and was brushing her tears away. Harry was too stunned that he just stood there gaping. Hermione looked flabbergasted and shoved Draco's hand away. Then she sped off towards the staircase-her hands hiding her face. Draco then turnned to them and gave Ron one last scathing look. Then he headed towards the opposite direction. The whole crowd murmured excitedly as they too scrambled towards their own common rooms. Harry was only able to catch 'Is that Malfoy?' and 'What's eating Ron?'. This was nothing to what was bugging him at the moment. He turned around and saw Ron still standing at the same exact position with the open mouth expression still plastered on his face. Harry went to him and looked at him square in the eyes.
"What do you want?" he mumbled distractedly
"I want to talk to you about Hermione, Ron."
"What for? Didn't you hear her? She said she didn't want us anywhere near her!"
Harry was greatly annoyed at this. "Don't let Malfoy get to you, Ron. Hermione said she wasn't going anywhere near the Quidditch field, not us. Get a grip."
But Ron just shook his head dispiritedly. "Sounds the same to me." he said.
"Look, you started the fight. If you just asked her offhandedly, then maybe she answered you back."
"And why should I do that?" Ron snapped stubbornly. "Because you wanted to know Ron!" Harry answered exasperatedly. Ron was being so dificult.
"Well, I've just decided I don't wanna know."
"Well, I've just decided I don't care." Harry said quickly then added "You have to talk to her, Ron. There must be something really disturbing her. Didn't you see her face when you told her 'bout the List?"
Ron stopped grunting at this. He looked away, shuffling his feet consciously. "But didn't you see the way she looked at Malfoy?" he said, not looking at Harry.
"No, I don't think I saw her. But Malfoy was acting weird."
Ron snorted and gave Harry an incredulous look.
"Are you trying to tell me that he likes Hermione? Because if that's what you're getting at..." Ron was saying when Harry cut him.
"No, Ron, I didn't mention anything about Draco liking Hermione. I was just saying that perhaps we are overlooking something here. I mean, I haven't talked to Hermione this whole week and I can see that you haven't either. Don't you think."
"That Malfoy is brewing up something on our backs?" Roon finished for Harry who nodded slowly.
"That is impossible, Harry and besides I have more important things to do than sneak around trying to flgure out this nonsense." Ron said simply, walking away.
Harry had a sudden urge to hit Ron in the head but he got hold of himself in time. Snape's dungeon was just a few meters away.
"So that's it, eh? All this nonsense is getting the better of you Ron- er(Harry had almost said Ronald)? Oh, sorry, I forgot. Still got autograph signing to do, right? No, just go on. Don't mind me and Hermione..." he was saying as he walked past Ron who froze. "We don't want your goddam autograph. The time we do is the time we're ready for St. Mungo's." Harry said coldly, casting the dumbfounded Ron one last look.
Ron stared after him. He hadn't meant to get Harry mad at him. What was he saying back there? Sure, he cared about Hermione and that slimy Malfoy. In fact Malfoy's big smely plan was killing him. But then again, Hermione had been very rude and he just can't put up with her talking to him like that. It was downright-annoying.
"You deserve it Hermione. If you hadn't considered those blasted N.E.W.T.s in the first place, then we wouldn't have gotten in the wrong foot." he muttered to himself as he scrambled back to the Gryffindor common room. He was going to throw himself in bed and forget about all this before it got into his nerves.
Meanwhile, Draco slipped out of the Slytherin common room after he was sure everyone thought he was in bed (He made sure everyone heard what he told Crabbe and Goyle about cursing the first person to disturb him in his bunk) He hurried to the Library and was lucky enough to dodge out of Madam Pince's sight as was pretty hard to imagine what sort of excuse he'd come up with again after he disappear within the shelves for the fifth time in a row. He clambered into the chambers and slipped in the secret niche. Hermione was already there as expected and she wasn't sobbing anymore. Draco edged near her but Hermione moved her chair backwards.
"Hermione.what the?" Draco was saying when Hermione raised a hand to stop him from going any nearer.
"Stay away from me, Malfoy." she said silently but with definite hardness in her voice.
Draco narrowed his eyes at her but did just that. He sat at the far end waited for her to get over her mood. And for a long while, nobody said anything. Draco was starting to guess that this has something to do about him flattening out the git-Weasley.
Hermione finally shifted in her seat and raised her face to meet Draco's. She had to get it over and done with and NOW.
"Draco." she started quietly. "What did you do that for?"
"What? Why did I slam the Weasel and told him the hard truth that he stinks bad?"
"No, I mean, why did you go up to me in font of all those people?"
There was a pause as Draco tried to figure out what Hermione meant with that. Then he looked at her darkly and said, "Oh, really sorry about that Hermione. I forgot that I'm supposed to be a non-existing f*ck to you and that I shouldn't be anywhere around ten feet near you when everyone's looking. As a matter of fact, I think I should disappear right now, shan't I?" he said all this very fast and he hadn't had time to think what it made him look. He was already standing when Hermione went up to him and stood in his way. She was looking at her feet.
"No, Draco don't leave. Forget what I said. I don't know what I meant with them. I just wanted to say thanks for whatever you did earlier. That's all." She told him hastily but Draco could see that she meant it.
"What about the you're my worst enemy and stay away from me part, huh?" Draco asked her coldly.
"Oh, I guess you could drop that. Besides, you can't be that horrible, can you? So what do you think.truce?" she asked hopefully.
Draco looked at her and smiled.
"I was thinking if we could be friends."
Hermione grinned at this, completely surprised at him. Perhaps he was just sympathizing with her or perhaps he just needed her for the N.E.W.T.s. Either way, he couldn't get himself to leave Hermione in the crummy place alone. And besides, he was starting to like her company-although he thinks she could be lot better without a single book in sight.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Draco asked Hermione tentatively. But this was enough to make her beam rather self-consciously at him.
"I mean as you are in my Priority Friends List-you've got to be okay." After Draco said this, he looked at Hermione to make sure she saw that this was a joke No offense to Weasley-the pitiful. But Hermione just shrugged and suddenly flung her arms around Draco (much to his disgust).
"Oh, Draco, I am so glad you told Ron that. I mean, I can't bring myself to tell him but...umm, did you really have to tell him off in front of all the people?" he heard her say to him in a very muffled voice.
"I had to. That'd make him learn. After what he told you." Draco felt Hermione stiffen at this. The memory of that still stung. "Are you done, Hermione?" he joked as Hermione finally let go of him apologizing again and again. He watched her fumble for her wand inside her robe and for the first time, noticed how she looked. Sure she always had this wild, brown hair that came to her shoulders but it was certainly her eyes that made her stand out of the lot. They were so full of life-sharp and piercing yet warm and bright. These thoughts could have given him a sort of glazed look because he noticed that Hermione's eyes darted nervously at him.
"Draco?" she asked.
"Nothing." he said simply, pulling a chair out for Hermione. She took this peculiar gesture quizzically but sat down anyway. She still kept her x-ray look on him though. Draco leaned at the table and waved a hand in front of Hermione.
"Granger, I demand that you stop staring and start the teaching." he said watching Hermione's cheeks go from pink to fiery red.
"0h, sorry." she said shortly, reaching out for a few books and flinging them open. At a certain illustration of the Furnunclus Curse she smiled at Draco and gestured, "Closer, do you think?"
Draco noticed the slight twinkle in her eye as she watched him move right next to her. He overdid it a little though they were now facing each other, their noses barely an inch apart. Draco watched Hermione's eyes glint nervously and laughed silently to himself.
"Was she? Could she possibly think that I." He was having a bang musing about what Hermione could possibly be feeling right now when a sudden stab in his chest told him that he had been holding his breath. "Holding his breath...for what though?!" He thought, feeling a little alarmed Then he noticed that Hermione was muttering wordlessy at him, blushing furiously. It was quite a pretty sight. Then, feeling a bit ashamed at himself for enjoying it, he moved his chair politely backward and opened the nearest book to him. He tried to focus his eyes at the age-old manuscript, but in vain. He could still feel Hermione looking at him. Until he can't stand it anymore.
"What?" he snapped at her, whirring at his side only to find that she wasn't looking at him at all. She was tracing some illustrations in a book with her wand.
Hermione faced Draco who suddenly looked pale. She couldn't help but stifle a laugh. He was being stupid. She could just figure out the shocked expression in his grayish-blue eyes when he looked down on the book again with an amazingly stiff stare.
"Are you planning on reading that at all, Draco or are you just gonna stare at it all night?" she asked him in a teasing manner. Draco didn't answer. Typical. Hermione closed her book and prodded him.
"I think we can't have learning tonight. Our mind's too distracted to pick up anything."
"Distracted?" stammered Draco, his voice a little higher than the usual. Why should she think that? Draco thought alarmed, the color draining from his face.
"I mean, I am too distracted with Ron and Harry, I can't think straight. We can't possibly learn tonight." Hermione explained, finding the queer look in his face.
Draco agreed to this. And besides, this was the last night of the week. They weren't supposed to be worrying about homework or anything else. If only Ron didn't choose this the time to rap Hermione with his stupidity. Then, Draco thought of something that was definitely going to take Hermione's mind away from those imbeciles. He stood up and grabbed her in the wrist.
"Come with me."
"To where?"
"To a walk in the field?" Draco answered, opening the hole with the Incantation 'clover'. Hermione was staggering behind him and he helped her up after getting out of the niche himself. They straightened their cloaks and slid out of the library.
"Why will we go to the field, Draco?" Hermione asked him as they passed a dozen rooms on their way to the spacious Quidditch grounds.
"To watch the Quidditch tournament." Draco told her impatiently,
"It's not until Wednesday, Draco. Are you trying to pull a trick on me?" Hermione said, stopping just before they reached the Great door.
Draco Wlirred around at her and smiled. If she were somebody else, Crabbe perhaps, he would have cursed her with the Body slam hex or something. Patience wasn't really his best virtue.
"I have a surprise for you. Now, if we could just go on?"
Hermione peered at him then shrugged.
"Well, okay. This has to be worth it."
"Trust me, it is."
They rushed hurriedly outside as soon as the door opened. They didn't stop to rest until the Quidditch field was at sight. But as soon as the green grass of the grounds was already at Hermione's feet, she suddenly became aware of the cold, night breeze sweeping her hair. And looking up at the empty stadium, she was able to appreciate the grandeur of the stands for the first time. The stadium could hold a hefty 5,000 crowd but when bewitched, as it usually was, it could hold double. If this was what they came here for, well, it was fine, not really amusing, but quite relaxing. She could already feel her troubles drift away with the wind.
"Hermione, over here." Draco called to her.
She whirred around to see him at the middle of the deserted field, his grayish-blue eyes blazing with excitement.
"What now?" Hermione thought, as she walked towards Draco puzzled. She saw him raise his hand in the air and heard him call out 'Accio Narcissa!'.
"Narcissa? His mother? Why would he bring her there for? And the summoning charm was not for people miles and miles away!" Hermione thought alarmed. But in a few seconds, she was able to recognize the thing Draco called 'Narcissa' and it was, to her relief, not Narcissa Malfoy.
The swishing sound was getting more and more distinct. Hermione could sense it getting nearer and nearer until it was finally in view. It was Draco's broomstick, the latest Nimbus 3000. She realized how magnificent it was as it landed smoothly in Draco's outstretched hand. It was the best broom money could buy although second only to the Firebolt. Hermione watched Draco mount it but could not believe what she saw next: Draco was flying a few feet above the ground right in front of her, extending a hand to help her in.
"What? Me in that thing? Oh no, Draco. You can't make me." she was saying, staggering backwards.
"Hermione, come on." Draco insisted. "Trust me" he told her as she watched him wide-eyed. The phrase 'trust me' hit Hermione a little hard. She was terrified when she rode Buckbeak, a huge majestic creature with Harry. But in a small, frail, broomstick with Draco-she was scared to death. But she knew she couldn't say no. He went all through the trouble to get her on it alhough she didn't really thought it was enough trouble compared to what they were going to face later on that stick. Still thinking of how falling from a hefty fifty feet would feel like, Hermione felt herself extending a hand to Draco. He helped her ride in front of him, carefully positioning his arms around her until his hands found the steering handle of the broom in front of Hermione securely. Then with a soft kick on the ground, they lifted in the night sky. Hermione was clutching the handle tightly, with her eyes shut when she heard Draco's voice almost indistinguishable through the whirring wind.
"What?" she shouted, not daring to look behind her.
"Open your eyes, Hermione. It's a pretty sight."
"How could flying with the likely possibility to crash fifty feet below be such a pretty sight?" Hermione thought desperately. But just then, she felt Draco lean over to her again and found his hands on top hers on the steering handle. She heard him say, "Now, Hermione, now." With all the courage she could muster, Hermione slowly opened her eyes and looked around. Draco was right. Everything was beautiful from above. The thousand rows of seat in the stadium looked so much smaller and so unbelievably shaped like a round saucer. The trees in the forbidden forest at the North looked nothing more but a freely mixed green paint in a drawing. It looked less dangerous from fifty feet above as she could no longer see the monsters that lurked the place. And Hagrid's hut Where is it? Oh, right there across the lake where the Whomping Willow was swaying its branches innocently in the wind. And of course, the night sky-words had failed her. She had never seen the stars seem this close before.
"Like it?" Draco asked from behind her.
"Yes, very. It's beautiful." Hermione gushed.
Finally, after what seemed like five forevers, the ride was over. They slowly lowered to the ground and skidded to a halt at the center of the field. Draco hopped down first then helped Hermione dismount the broom. She was looking flustered as she had never ridden a broom before even if Harry, the Gryffindor Quidditch seeker, was her bestfriend. She had never thought it was possible too until then.
"That was fun. Thanks." she mumbled as she hopped down the broom that was now floating lazily around them. But Draco did not let go of her hand yet. He was still clutching it lightly as his eyes watched the broom do a sort of dive.
"That broom is very special to me." he told Hermione.
"Like sort of a friend?"
"Yeah."
"So that's why you call it Narcissa, after your mother. I assume-if you don't have a girlfriend named Narcissa, of course." Hermione stammered. She didn't quite understand why the idea of Draco naming it after another girl bothered her.
"Yeah...I mean, yes it was after my mother." He said peering curiously at Hermione. "What if it was a girl?" He added nonchalantly.
"What? I was just wondering.didn't mean to put emphasis on...Why do you ask me such anyway?" wheezed Hermione, her cheeks warming up. Draco just chortled. Then after a few infuriating moments for Hermione, he finally stopped and gave her a measuring look that she didn't like at all.
"What?"
"Y'know, Granger? You're pretty but..." Draco started, his measuring look still lingering at Hermione.
"But what?" Hermione didn't dare hear what was next but Draco's answer came anyway.
"But you're a Muggle and that's something." she heard him say before her vision blurred. She wanted to slap Draco but a part of her asked. "Why should you even bother? He always calls you that. Reality check Hermione, this is Draco Malfoy-not some goddam prince."
And with that infuriated thought, she dashed away, feeling hopelessly drained of energy. She had almost believed that Draco wasn't half the jerk she thought he was. She was still cursing silently when two hands suddenly grabbed her.
"What is this?" she started to say when the person held a hand on her mouth. "Why is everyone jumping up behind me?" Hermione tried to shout but her voice sounded weak and muffled.