Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns everything but the plot I guess...
Author's Notes: To all those worrying (not that many I think) Hermione and Draco's relationship, at least this is what I'm planning, will never be shaken. And for the sake of my story, Snape and Myrtle would have been around the same age and went to Hogwarts around the same time...
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Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?
~Avril Lavigne
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"Keep stirring, Ms. Granger," ordered Snape. Hermione gagged slightly. The smell that was rising with the steam was disgusting. Draco was sitting a considerable distance away from the cauldron, slicing up some unidentifiable herb. Snape surveyed everything going on and suddenly swore under his breath.
"We forgot the dragon's tongue," he said. "I'll have to run down to Diagon Alley and get it."
"Run?" Hermione and Draco echoed. Snape scowled.
"You know what I mean. Preceed as you are, I won't be more than twenty minutes." With that, Snape was out the door. Hermione shifted uncomfortable as she stirred the cauldron. Draco noticed Hermione's silence too.
"What's wrong?" he finally asked. Hermione stubbornly looked into the cauldron and refused to look at Draco. Draco stood up and walked around until he was standing across from her, the steaming cauldron between them.
"What's wrong?" he asked again. He caught Hermione's hand that was holding the ladle and stopped her from stirring.
"Nothing," Hermione said. The steam was starting to make her eyes water but she still refused to look up.
"Don't lie." Hermione sighed.
"What's going on between you and Ginny?" she asked. Draco's eyebrows raised.
"This is what this is about?" he asked, incredulously.
"Yes," snapped Hermione.
"It's nothing," said Draco. "Honestly. It's all a scam."
"A SCAM?" she repeated. "Are you leading Ginny on?!"
"No, no," said Draco. He was desperately trying to calm Hermione down. "It's nothing like that. She likes Harry, you know that, right?" Hermione nodded. "So she wants to go out with me to see if that'll get Harry jealous..." Hermione eyed Draco.
"You know I'd never go out with anyone behind your back Hermione," said Draco, wishing that Hermione would relax. Hermione glanced at him one more time and really did relax.
"I saw you guys and I wasn't sure what was going on," said Hermione. Draco gave her a look. Hermione grinned sheepishly. She went back to stirring when Draco put her arms around her and Hermione dropped the ladle.
"Could you please keep the lovey dovey behaviour until you are without company?" asked an annoyed voice. Snape was back and was clutching a black plastic bag.
"Yes Professor Snape," said Hermione, eyes wide.
"Cut the sweet act, Ms. Granger, you know I don't fall for it."
"Yes Professor," answered Hermione, grinning.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"I just wanted to thank you again," said Ginny. She hugged herself. She was wearing her soft-knit cardigan but she still felt chilly. "For doing this, you really didn't have to."
"It's okay," said Draco, distractedly. He sighed. They were walking down the hallway together, heading for the dining hall. Ginny suddenly stiffened so much that Draco could feel it.
"What's wrong?" he asked softly. Ginny was surprised to find shivers run down her back at the softness of Draco's voice.
"It's Harry," she finally managed to say back. Harry was heading down the hallway, looking to the side. In a minute he would turn his head and see Ginny and Harry.
"Okay then," whispered Draco. He could feel Harry's eyes roaming and just about to lock on his when he turned around and pulled Ginny close and kissed her. From his peripheral vision, he could see Harry stop and stare.
*Oh My God* thought Ginny. *I can't believe I'm kissing Draco Malfoy. THE Draco Malfoy!* She could also feel Harry's eyes on them but suddenly, she couldn't care less. Finally, Draco pulled away and was satisfied to see Harry walk away with a sick look on his face.
"I think we did it," Draco said, to Ginny. But Ginny was barely listening, there was a roaring in her ears and she couldn't help feeling as if she and Draco were the only people in the school, in the whole world in fact. She leaned up onto her toes and kissed him.
"Gin-, Ginny," said Draco. "Harry's not here to see anymore but we did it if that's what you're worried about." Ginny looked at him.
*Shit* thought Draco, as he started to realize what was happening. *Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?*
"I'm sorry," Ginny mumbled. "I can't help it but you've treated me like I matter. You've said more to me in the past two weeks than Harry has in the past six years." Draco felt paralyzed. What would he do from here?
"Ginny," said Draco. "I'm sure if you talk to Harry, he'll understand. You guys are friends, right?" Ginny felt her eyes starting to well up with tears.
"I don't know what I am to him," she said bitterly. "And now, I'm not sure if I even care." Draco took her hand and led her back to the portrait of the fat lady.
"What now, Ginny?" asked Draco. Ginny glanced at him.
"We're still friends, right?" Draco pulled Ginny into a hug.
"Sure Gin, we're still friends." Ginny didn't know how much more of this she could handle. Her heart was shattered into a million pieces like broken glass and she wasn't sure if she had the strength to gather all the shards and put them back together.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"I think it's ready," said Snape, after looking at the thick potion bubbling in the cauldron. It still smelled horrible and in an attempt to make it less disgusting, Hermione had added lavender oil. It only made it smell even more sickening. Hermione took a big breath.
"Alright then," she said. "Let's go see if we did this right." They poured some of the potion into a small glass vial and headed towards the girl's bathroom. They were standing in front of it when Snape scowled.
"Hold on, I am not going into a ladie's lavatory." Draco rolled his eyes.
"There's no one in there, Professor," he said. "Except Myrtle but she doesn't count. It's the twenty-first century, we're more liberal now." Draco gave Snape a push and Snape, giving Draco a glare, pushed open the door. Myrtle jumped in surprise.
"Who's there?" she asked, looking around.
"Now Professor!" cried Hermione. Snape, wand raised, started to speak an incantation.
"What are you doing?" shrieked Myrtle. She found that she couldn't move. Hermione rushed forward and doused the ghost with the potion the best she could. A lot of it slid down to the ground but a fair amount now covered Myrtle. Slowly, she began to change and Snape stopped the spell that was holding her paralyzed. Myrtle's feet touched the ground and all three watched her, eyes wide. Myrtle was now, quite obviously, solid. Myrtle glared at them.
"How dare you all come in here?" she cried, shrilly. Not noticing that she was no longer in spectral form, Myrtle lunged for the sink, thinking she would fly down the drain. Instead, she hit her head hard on the porcelain bowl and slid to the ground. Hermione groaned and put her leather book bag underneath her head and all three of them waited for Myrtle to get up.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Where am I?" asked Myrtle, dazedly. She looked at them. She wasn't very pleasing to look upon, her hair was thin and mousey colored, she was wearing an outdated Hogwarts uniform and from behind her thick glasses, her eyes blinked rapidly. She looked at Hermione, Draco, and Snape who were crowding around to see if she was okay. Myrtle's honey colored eyes lightened with recognition when she saw Snape.
"Severus," she said, sweetly with an acid tone underneath.
"Myrtle," said Snape, with a quick nod. She surveyed him up and down.
"You grew up well," Myrtle murmured. Draco watched with amusement as Snape's usually sallow face grew the lightest color pink. Snape stook up hurriedly.
"Well then, you two talk to Myrtle and I'll see you in class."
"No Professor," said Hermione. With a casual wave of her wand, she locked the door.
"You helped us," she said. "So I think you deserve to stay around." Snape looked desperately at the door.
"I didn't know you and Myrtle had a history," said Draco, grinning.
"A HISTORY?! Is that what you call it?!?!" screamed Myrtle. Snape winced. "Oh Severus. Don't you remember that one HILARIOUS prank you played on me?!"
"Which one?" asked Snape, meekly.
"The YULE BALL!!!" Snape blanched.
"Would you like to hear what HAPPENED?!" asked Myrtle, looking at Hermione, eyes wild. Then her eyes rested on Draco and Myrtle turned extremely red.
"But, I'm sure they would all bore you," she said, voice much more quiet. She sidled up next to Draco.
"So what brings an evil Slytherin boy to this part of Hogwarts?" she asked, looking at Draco. Hermione swore she was batting her eyelashes from behind those glasses. Draco looked suitably uncomfortable.
"Business," said Draco.
"BUSINESS?!"
"Wrong thing to say," muttered Snape. Myrtle whirled around and headed for one of the stalls....and hit her head hard on the door.
"You think we should have told her she was solid?" asked Hermione. They all glanced at the prone figure on the floor.
"We'll tell her when she wakes back up," said Snape. "And hopefully that won't be for another hour or so." They all looked at Myrtle again.
"Maybe two hours won't hurt," said Draco, rubbing his ear. Hermione nodded.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N: Hope you guys liked it...please R&R on your way out!
Author's Notes: To all those worrying (not that many I think) Hermione and Draco's relationship, at least this is what I'm planning, will never be shaken. And for the sake of my story, Snape and Myrtle would have been around the same age and went to Hogwarts around the same time...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?
~Avril Lavigne
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Keep stirring, Ms. Granger," ordered Snape. Hermione gagged slightly. The smell that was rising with the steam was disgusting. Draco was sitting a considerable distance away from the cauldron, slicing up some unidentifiable herb. Snape surveyed everything going on and suddenly swore under his breath.
"We forgot the dragon's tongue," he said. "I'll have to run down to Diagon Alley and get it."
"Run?" Hermione and Draco echoed. Snape scowled.
"You know what I mean. Preceed as you are, I won't be more than twenty minutes." With that, Snape was out the door. Hermione shifted uncomfortable as she stirred the cauldron. Draco noticed Hermione's silence too.
"What's wrong?" he finally asked. Hermione stubbornly looked into the cauldron and refused to look at Draco. Draco stood up and walked around until he was standing across from her, the steaming cauldron between them.
"What's wrong?" he asked again. He caught Hermione's hand that was holding the ladle and stopped her from stirring.
"Nothing," Hermione said. The steam was starting to make her eyes water but she still refused to look up.
"Don't lie." Hermione sighed.
"What's going on between you and Ginny?" she asked. Draco's eyebrows raised.
"This is what this is about?" he asked, incredulously.
"Yes," snapped Hermione.
"It's nothing," said Draco. "Honestly. It's all a scam."
"A SCAM?" she repeated. "Are you leading Ginny on?!"
"No, no," said Draco. He was desperately trying to calm Hermione down. "It's nothing like that. She likes Harry, you know that, right?" Hermione nodded. "So she wants to go out with me to see if that'll get Harry jealous..." Hermione eyed Draco.
"You know I'd never go out with anyone behind your back Hermione," said Draco, wishing that Hermione would relax. Hermione glanced at him one more time and really did relax.
"I saw you guys and I wasn't sure what was going on," said Hermione. Draco gave her a look. Hermione grinned sheepishly. She went back to stirring when Draco put her arms around her and Hermione dropped the ladle.
"Could you please keep the lovey dovey behaviour until you are without company?" asked an annoyed voice. Snape was back and was clutching a black plastic bag.
"Yes Professor Snape," said Hermione, eyes wide.
"Cut the sweet act, Ms. Granger, you know I don't fall for it."
"Yes Professor," answered Hermione, grinning.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"I just wanted to thank you again," said Ginny. She hugged herself. She was wearing her soft-knit cardigan but she still felt chilly. "For doing this, you really didn't have to."
"It's okay," said Draco, distractedly. He sighed. They were walking down the hallway together, heading for the dining hall. Ginny suddenly stiffened so much that Draco could feel it.
"What's wrong?" he asked softly. Ginny was surprised to find shivers run down her back at the softness of Draco's voice.
"It's Harry," she finally managed to say back. Harry was heading down the hallway, looking to the side. In a minute he would turn his head and see Ginny and Harry.
"Okay then," whispered Draco. He could feel Harry's eyes roaming and just about to lock on his when he turned around and pulled Ginny close and kissed her. From his peripheral vision, he could see Harry stop and stare.
*Oh My God* thought Ginny. *I can't believe I'm kissing Draco Malfoy. THE Draco Malfoy!* She could also feel Harry's eyes on them but suddenly, she couldn't care less. Finally, Draco pulled away and was satisfied to see Harry walk away with a sick look on his face.
"I think we did it," Draco said, to Ginny. But Ginny was barely listening, there was a roaring in her ears and she couldn't help feeling as if she and Draco were the only people in the school, in the whole world in fact. She leaned up onto her toes and kissed him.
"Gin-, Ginny," said Draco. "Harry's not here to see anymore but we did it if that's what you're worried about." Ginny looked at him.
*Shit* thought Draco, as he started to realize what was happening. *Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?*
"I'm sorry," Ginny mumbled. "I can't help it but you've treated me like I matter. You've said more to me in the past two weeks than Harry has in the past six years." Draco felt paralyzed. What would he do from here?
"Ginny," said Draco. "I'm sure if you talk to Harry, he'll understand. You guys are friends, right?" Ginny felt her eyes starting to well up with tears.
"I don't know what I am to him," she said bitterly. "And now, I'm not sure if I even care." Draco took her hand and led her back to the portrait of the fat lady.
"What now, Ginny?" asked Draco. Ginny glanced at him.
"We're still friends, right?" Draco pulled Ginny into a hug.
"Sure Gin, we're still friends." Ginny didn't know how much more of this she could handle. Her heart was shattered into a million pieces like broken glass and she wasn't sure if she had the strength to gather all the shards and put them back together.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"I think it's ready," said Snape, after looking at the thick potion bubbling in the cauldron. It still smelled horrible and in an attempt to make it less disgusting, Hermione had added lavender oil. It only made it smell even more sickening. Hermione took a big breath.
"Alright then," she said. "Let's go see if we did this right." They poured some of the potion into a small glass vial and headed towards the girl's bathroom. They were standing in front of it when Snape scowled.
"Hold on, I am not going into a ladie's lavatory." Draco rolled his eyes.
"There's no one in there, Professor," he said. "Except Myrtle but she doesn't count. It's the twenty-first century, we're more liberal now." Draco gave Snape a push and Snape, giving Draco a glare, pushed open the door. Myrtle jumped in surprise.
"Who's there?" she asked, looking around.
"Now Professor!" cried Hermione. Snape, wand raised, started to speak an incantation.
"What are you doing?" shrieked Myrtle. She found that she couldn't move. Hermione rushed forward and doused the ghost with the potion the best she could. A lot of it slid down to the ground but a fair amount now covered Myrtle. Slowly, she began to change and Snape stopped the spell that was holding her paralyzed. Myrtle's feet touched the ground and all three watched her, eyes wide. Myrtle was now, quite obviously, solid. Myrtle glared at them.
"How dare you all come in here?" she cried, shrilly. Not noticing that she was no longer in spectral form, Myrtle lunged for the sink, thinking she would fly down the drain. Instead, she hit her head hard on the porcelain bowl and slid to the ground. Hermione groaned and put her leather book bag underneath her head and all three of them waited for Myrtle to get up.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Where am I?" asked Myrtle, dazedly. She looked at them. She wasn't very pleasing to look upon, her hair was thin and mousey colored, she was wearing an outdated Hogwarts uniform and from behind her thick glasses, her eyes blinked rapidly. She looked at Hermione, Draco, and Snape who were crowding around to see if she was okay. Myrtle's honey colored eyes lightened with recognition when she saw Snape.
"Severus," she said, sweetly with an acid tone underneath.
"Myrtle," said Snape, with a quick nod. She surveyed him up and down.
"You grew up well," Myrtle murmured. Draco watched with amusement as Snape's usually sallow face grew the lightest color pink. Snape stook up hurriedly.
"Well then, you two talk to Myrtle and I'll see you in class."
"No Professor," said Hermione. With a casual wave of her wand, she locked the door.
"You helped us," she said. "So I think you deserve to stay around." Snape looked desperately at the door.
"I didn't know you and Myrtle had a history," said Draco, grinning.
"A HISTORY?! Is that what you call it?!?!" screamed Myrtle. Snape winced. "Oh Severus. Don't you remember that one HILARIOUS prank you played on me?!"
"Which one?" asked Snape, meekly.
"The YULE BALL!!!" Snape blanched.
"Would you like to hear what HAPPENED?!" asked Myrtle, looking at Hermione, eyes wild. Then her eyes rested on Draco and Myrtle turned extremely red.
"But, I'm sure they would all bore you," she said, voice much more quiet. She sidled up next to Draco.
"So what brings an evil Slytherin boy to this part of Hogwarts?" she asked, looking at Draco. Hermione swore she was batting her eyelashes from behind those glasses. Draco looked suitably uncomfortable.
"Business," said Draco.
"BUSINESS?!"
"Wrong thing to say," muttered Snape. Myrtle whirled around and headed for one of the stalls....and hit her head hard on the door.
"You think we should have told her she was solid?" asked Hermione. They all glanced at the prone figure on the floor.
"We'll tell her when she wakes back up," said Snape. "And hopefully that won't be for another hour or so." They all looked at Myrtle again.
"Maybe two hours won't hurt," said Draco, rubbing his ear. Hermione nodded.
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A/N: Hope you guys liked it...please R&R on your way out!