Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling still owns everything…but it will all change in the very near future…muahaha…
Author's Notes: morpheus: I so didn't use the 'jeebus' did I? I don't remember using it….crystalnia: Draco got away from Lucius cuz erm…well….heehee, Lucius was done beating up Draco I guess…oh, and thanks for the song….no one's ever sang to me in a review before, lol…
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Hermione got two more visitors that she wasn't exactly excited to see.
"Oh, Hermione, when we heard, we were soooo worried," purred Lavender.
"But we also wanted to tell you congratulations," said Parvati, face tight. "You won both bets." She dropped a pillow case full of silver sickles, bottles of nail polish, perfume, and other assorted things onto Hermione's lap. Hermione's mind raced.
"We made a list of the guys, ranked," said Lavender, dropping a list on top of the pillowcase. Next to number one, there was Draco's name. Hermione looked lovingly at the name then looked at number two. Number two was some random Ravenclaw that she didn't know personally, only by reputation. He was one of the Ravenclaw catchers. Then at number three, there was Harry.
"Malfoy went alone and Dan was injured in a Quidditch game, he spent the Yule Ball in the infirmary. And you went with Harry so you got the hottest guy," said Lavender, explaining very, very slowly. Hermione wasn't really listening, only trying to find out how they had found out the second part of the bet…
"And a certain friend of ours tipped us off," said Parvati, leaning in close. "About the second part of the bet." Lavender nodded along and suddenly the two looked extremely vicious.
"We have you, Hermione," hissed Parvati. "We have the power to take away your preppy, good girl image in a second. So you better stay away from Harry, Hermione, or you'll be sorry." Hermione stared at Parvati.
"Get. Out," Hermione growled. Parvati shrugged and flipped a dark plait over her shoulder and nodded at Lavender. The two of them slunk out, half students, half snakes. So who tipped them off? It was either Harry, Draco…or Ron. Take your guess, it can't be that hard.
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"Something happened, didn't it?" asked Draco. He was lounging next to Hermoine on the bed, sampling some chocolates that she had received. Hermione sighed and rolled onto her side, supporting her head with her hand.
"Parvati and Lavender know," she finally said. Draco's almost invisible eyebrows raised.
"Know everything?" he asked.
"They know enough," answered Hermione. "They're like the two newscasters of Hogwarts. Now everyone will know." She groaned. She told Draco everything that had happened.
"Then it's easy," he said. "Stay away from Potter."
"Knowing Parvati and Lavender, it can't be that easy," said Hermione. "Oh, and look." She produced the parchment of the Lavender and Parvati's list of guys, in order of good appearance. Draco glanced at it and smirked.
"Well, of course I'm number one," he said. Hermione rolled her eyes and pushed him slightly. Looking at it for the second time, Hermione was surprised to see that Dean was pretty up there on the list, right after Harry.
"Potter at number three?" said Draco. "He must be really wounded." Hermione giggled. She glanced at the bouquet of flowers on her bedside table which reminded her again of Dean.
"Something perfect happened," said Hermione, leaning close, eyes wide.
"What?"
"Dean asked me out." Draco frowned slightly.
"Is this some sort of joke I'm too evil to understand?" he asked. Hermione smacked him lightly.
"No stupid," she said. "Going out with Dean would make people less suspicious of you and me and now, of me and Harry."
"Potter, Dean….you're roping up all the good guys," he said, with a smirk.
"But I got the best guy," said Hermione, leaning even closer. She gave Draco a slight, teasing kiss.
"You should get to class," said Hermione. "That might be one good thing about being stuck here, I don't have to go to class."
"Granger doesn't want to go to class?" asked Draco. Hermione pushed him off the bed.
"Talk to you later," she said. Draco disappeared out the door. Hermione leaned back on the pillows. She had to think of a way to shut Parvati and Lavender up…
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Draco walked down the hallway, hair blowing slightly, book bag digging into his shoulder. He swore under his breath and with his wand, he made it lighter. As he passed, some people greeted him but he only nodded in return, his mind elsewhere. So Hermione would go out with Dean. That was perfect…right? And then no one would suspect them of going out…but Draco couldn't help wishing that maybe it would be nice if people knew that he and Hermione were together. And the fact that it was Dean slightly bothered him. He wasn't blind, he saw the list. Dean was up there, Hermoine would get attention for going out with him. He felt like he was being pushed to the side. Uh oh, the ugly green eyed monster is rearing its head…he was so deep in his thoughts he didn't notice the petite redhead in front of him and collided with her.
"Watch where you're going!" she cried, shrilly. Draco swore again, silently. Of all the people. It was the Weasley girl, possibly the second most annoying person at Hogwarts after her big brother Ron of course.
"Sorry," he said, not really meaning it.
"If you're going to apologize, say it like you mean it," she snapped. Draco almost snapped back when he got a good look at her. Her face was blotchy, eyes red and puffy from crying and her nose looked like a tomato. And he felt sorry for her. Draco blinked. Hermione's goody goodness seemed to be rubbing off on him…
"Sorry," he said again. "So what's up?" Ginny glared at him.
"None of your business!" she cried. She turned away but Draco saw the shiny tear that slid down her cheek. Draco rolled his eyes.
"I ran into you, I said sorry twice and now I'm curious. What happened?" Ginny sniffled slightly.
"Harry doesn't like me," she finally said, with another pathetic sniffle. Draco's eyebrows knitted in confusion.
"Er…I'm sorry?"
"You won't understand," bawled Ginny. "You're perfect, just like Harry and Hermione. You guys all must be made for each other!" Draco awkwardly stroked Ginny's hair.
"Um…well Harry must not be that perfect, if he can't see what a great person you are," he said. It came to him completely out of the blue. Ginny looked at him, eyes shining with tears, strands of hair stuck to her pale cheeks.
"You really think so?" she asked. Draco felt uncomfortable but what was he supposed to say?
"Of course," he said, trying to sound sure of himself. Ginny looked at Draco.
"You're nicer than my brother says you are," she finally said.
"Well, I didn't think I'm exactly your brother's favorite person but it all works out because I don't like him that much either." Ginny's face was brightening.
"Could you do something for me?" she asked. Ginny's stomach felt like it was tightening and spinning around and around, as if she was on a roller coaster, but she wasn't. She was standing on the ground. Was it Draco that was having his effect on her? Of did it have to do with the fact that she was about to ask him something completely outrageous?
"Will you go out with me?" she squeaked. Draco almost fell over, he was so surprised.
"What?" Ginny looked so embarrassed that he knew that she wouldn't be able to repeat the question.
"I thought maybe then Harry would notice me," she said, half lying. Draco pushed his hair out of his eyes. What did he have to lose? He eyed Ginny. His reputation? But when he looked at her again, he decided she wasn't half bad and he really did feel sorry for him. Why the hell didn't Potter just go out with her? Then he wouldn't be standing here saying…
"Sure, Ginny," he said. Ginny looked shocked.
"Really?" she whispered.
"Yeah," said Draco. Ginny put her arms around Draco in a surprisingly tight hug.
"Thank you," she said. Draco couldn't help feeling slightly good. He had just done something nice, hadn't he?
"Now go to class before I change my mind," he said, trying to sound gruff. He wasn't about to let anyone know that he was turning into another do-gooder like Potter. Ginny rushed off to class. Draco went to Professor Binn's class and sat down, looking at the empty seat next to him where Hermione sat that one day. He felt oddly lonely even when surrounded by Slytherins and he started wishing that Madame Pomfrey would grow a brain and let Hermione go back to class.
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A/N: yay, I finally updated! I hope you all enjoyed that…some Ginny angst might be coming up…but I'm not revealing anything else! muahaha…thanks for reading, please R&R!