Disclaimer: I do not own what is not mine. Quite simple when you think of
it. (JKR owns it.)
A/N: Aaaarrrgghhh! I'm sorry... action will be coming very soon, I promise, but the story has to get farther first, and I feel bad for skipping so much time, and... just bear with me, ok?
Chapter 12- How 'Bout No
Hermione's POV
Draco and I finally finished the groups around the end of November, after many late night hours. We had put us four in a group, on second- thought orders from Dumbledore. I was pissed. I had planned on being in a group with Ron and Harry. At least they got in a group together.
Things had definitely changed between Harry and I. How could they not? But it wasn't that bad. Neither of us had any bad feelings... except Ginny.
Ginny had approached me several times, all anxious and babbling about not wanting me to hate her. No matter how many times I assured her that I was perfectly fine with her and Harry, she didn't seem to believe me. She was still worried that I had some bottled up emotions or something, and I would someday just blow up at her. I wish she would just accept the fact that I was over Harry and get on with life.
It was Thursday, and I was getting dressed while thinking about all this. I buttoned up my shirt and slipped into my robe. I didn't even bother searching for a hair tie, I just called it into my hand, and then put my hair in a messy bun, which had been my normal hairstyle lately. As usual, I almost ran into Draco while coming out of my room. (We'd both learned to go slowly, since we always seemed to get the timing right on.)
'Great,' I thought while washing my face. 'I get to go the Hall and eat with Ginny watching me anxiously the whole time.' I was not looking forward to that. I exited the bathroom to see that Hannah and Terry had already left. I guess they had realized that waiting for me and Draco could take all day, and not to bother.
I lay down on my couch and put my head on my hands on the arm of my couch. Draco was scowling when he exited the bathroom, and grinned wryly when he saw me. "Can we just go get something from the kitchens?" he begged me.
This was turning into a habit of ours. "You read my mind. That's just what I was thinking. I don't think I can stand one more meal with Ginny hovering over me, asking if I'm POSITIVE I'm alright with her and Harry." I shuddered, and Draco laughed.
I followed him out of the picture and down the now too-familiar hallway to the kitchen. We got some coffee and donuts (extra chocolate) from Lilly, and quickly gobbled them up, not wanting to be late to class yet again. (It was potions class first thing again.)
I drained the last of my cappuccino and saw Draco waiting for me to finish. "Ready?" I nodded and got up with him, heading back to the room to grab books and things for the first classes of the day.
We were early for potions, for what was probably the first day so far that year. When Snape came in and saw us already in our seats and not breathing heavily, I could have sworn I saw a look of surprise cross his face. But it was gone almost as soon as it appeared, so I couldn't be sure.
We started a new potion, since the next ingredients after that day for the Aucunes Craintes ones wouldn't need to be added for a few weeks. Draco handed me vial after vial of multi-colored powders, mixtures, roots, and who knows what else. I wasn't really paying attention to what I was doing, and Draco seemed to take advantage of the opportunity to catch me off-guard.
I was about to dump a vial of something into our cauldron when he suddenly grabbed my wrist and grinned at me.
"What?" I demanded, somewhat annoyed. He just grinned, and gestured with his other hand to what I was holding in my hand. Looking closer at it, I saw that it was powdered wormwood roots. I glared at him. "Draco! Do you realize I almost added this in here, with werewolf blood? You could have caused me to kill us!"
"Oh, relax, Mione," he said, releasing my arm and leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head. "I knew what I was giving you, and I stopped you. I just wanted to keep you on your toes. You were paying no attention to what you were doing."
He had me there. I wasn't, and if he had accidentally given me something, I would have blown up the whole room. I winced. "Sorry. I'll pay attention." He grinned, and handed me the correct vial this time.
The rest of potions passed uneventfully. I caught up with Harry and Ron and headed with them and the rest of the Gryffindors to herbology, watching as Draco parted with the rest of the Slytherins to go to Transfiguration, in the opposite direction. I felt a twinge of... something. I was disappointed that I wouldn't see Draco for the next two hours.
'What the hell?!' I thought. 'Where did THESE feelings come from? I shouldn't care about ferret boy like this!'
But my heart was telling me that he wasn't ferret boy anymore. He wasn't even Malfoy anymore. He was Draco, and Draco seemed to be a person I was fal-
'No, God dammit! This is not happening!' I wasn't sure whether this was coming from my brain or my heart. I decided to forget about it, and ponder it sometime later, on a rainy day.
I tuned back into the conversation. Harry and Ron were discussing the upcoming Quidditch match, in three weeks, against the Slytherin house. I was walking along beside Harry, making small talk, and without warning, he threw his arm around my shoulders. Normally, this would have been fine, but under the circumstances of the last few weeks, it made me feel uncomfortable. I politely shrugged him off, and he shot me a confused look. We continued talking to Ron for a while, and then Lavender called from up ahead. Turning to us, Ron gave us a quick look of apology, then ran up ahead to her, grinning. I smiled. "They're so happy together."
Unexpectedly, Harry turned to me. "I want us to be like that again."
I was shocked, to say the least. "What?!" I stopped dead in my tracks. What the hell was he saying? He had just broken up with me! He said he wanted Ginny!
He sighed and tried to explain. "I never thought Ginny would feel so bad about it! I thought she was ready for a relationship. I guess I was wrong. All she's been doing since we broke up has been feeling guilty for 'stealing me from you'. She isn't ready. I want you back, Mione." He grinned at me.
Oh my God! Did he seriously think I would take him back, just like that, after what he had done? "Harry! In case you've forgotten, you broke up with me a few weeks ago! I'm just getting over you, okay? You can't just decide you want me again, and expect to pick it up where we left off! It just doesn't work that way!"
He was looking genuinely puzzled. "Oh, come on Hermione," he tried again. "I didn't think she would react like that."
"Oh, I see!" I said sarcastically. "You dumped me for Ginny, and found out she didn't want you, so now you'll settle for me again?"
"No, come on, you know it's not like that!"
"Oh really? Do I now? And how would you know? It's not like you've really spent all that much time considering my feelings lately!" Okay this was just wrong. I couldn't believe this. Harry wasn't really like this, was he? I shook my head slowly. "I don't think you really know what you're saying right now, Harry, so I'm just gonna let it slide, okay?" And with that I turned and ran back to the castle, totally freaked out. I had no idea what was going on anymore.
I didn't slow until I was in my common room. I flopped down onto my couch, staring at the ceiling. I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I didn't notice Draco sitting on his couch, staring in horror at the piece of parchment clutched in his hand.
A/N: Yay, another chapter. I have up to ch. 15 typed and I'm working on 16 right now, so you can expect updates every day for at least three or four more days. I'm sorry for everyone who doesn't like what I've been doing, such as the pairings and everything. Thanks for the definition of a beta reader, Snickerz. And Hermione18, OOC means out of character. Look for another chapter tomorrow, hope this one's ok.
P.S. For Harry lovers out there, I'm sorry, and I know this may look bad, and next chapter will look even worse, but it will ALL be explained. He's not a complete jerk.
A/N: Aaaarrrgghhh! I'm sorry... action will be coming very soon, I promise, but the story has to get farther first, and I feel bad for skipping so much time, and... just bear with me, ok?
Chapter 12- How 'Bout No
Hermione's POV
Draco and I finally finished the groups around the end of November, after many late night hours. We had put us four in a group, on second- thought orders from Dumbledore. I was pissed. I had planned on being in a group with Ron and Harry. At least they got in a group together.
Things had definitely changed between Harry and I. How could they not? But it wasn't that bad. Neither of us had any bad feelings... except Ginny.
Ginny had approached me several times, all anxious and babbling about not wanting me to hate her. No matter how many times I assured her that I was perfectly fine with her and Harry, she didn't seem to believe me. She was still worried that I had some bottled up emotions or something, and I would someday just blow up at her. I wish she would just accept the fact that I was over Harry and get on with life.
It was Thursday, and I was getting dressed while thinking about all this. I buttoned up my shirt and slipped into my robe. I didn't even bother searching for a hair tie, I just called it into my hand, and then put my hair in a messy bun, which had been my normal hairstyle lately. As usual, I almost ran into Draco while coming out of my room. (We'd both learned to go slowly, since we always seemed to get the timing right on.)
'Great,' I thought while washing my face. 'I get to go the Hall and eat with Ginny watching me anxiously the whole time.' I was not looking forward to that. I exited the bathroom to see that Hannah and Terry had already left. I guess they had realized that waiting for me and Draco could take all day, and not to bother.
I lay down on my couch and put my head on my hands on the arm of my couch. Draco was scowling when he exited the bathroom, and grinned wryly when he saw me. "Can we just go get something from the kitchens?" he begged me.
This was turning into a habit of ours. "You read my mind. That's just what I was thinking. I don't think I can stand one more meal with Ginny hovering over me, asking if I'm POSITIVE I'm alright with her and Harry." I shuddered, and Draco laughed.
I followed him out of the picture and down the now too-familiar hallway to the kitchen. We got some coffee and donuts (extra chocolate) from Lilly, and quickly gobbled them up, not wanting to be late to class yet again. (It was potions class first thing again.)
I drained the last of my cappuccino and saw Draco waiting for me to finish. "Ready?" I nodded and got up with him, heading back to the room to grab books and things for the first classes of the day.
We were early for potions, for what was probably the first day so far that year. When Snape came in and saw us already in our seats and not breathing heavily, I could have sworn I saw a look of surprise cross his face. But it was gone almost as soon as it appeared, so I couldn't be sure.
We started a new potion, since the next ingredients after that day for the Aucunes Craintes ones wouldn't need to be added for a few weeks. Draco handed me vial after vial of multi-colored powders, mixtures, roots, and who knows what else. I wasn't really paying attention to what I was doing, and Draco seemed to take advantage of the opportunity to catch me off-guard.
I was about to dump a vial of something into our cauldron when he suddenly grabbed my wrist and grinned at me.
"What?" I demanded, somewhat annoyed. He just grinned, and gestured with his other hand to what I was holding in my hand. Looking closer at it, I saw that it was powdered wormwood roots. I glared at him. "Draco! Do you realize I almost added this in here, with werewolf blood? You could have caused me to kill us!"
"Oh, relax, Mione," he said, releasing my arm and leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head. "I knew what I was giving you, and I stopped you. I just wanted to keep you on your toes. You were paying no attention to what you were doing."
He had me there. I wasn't, and if he had accidentally given me something, I would have blown up the whole room. I winced. "Sorry. I'll pay attention." He grinned, and handed me the correct vial this time.
The rest of potions passed uneventfully. I caught up with Harry and Ron and headed with them and the rest of the Gryffindors to herbology, watching as Draco parted with the rest of the Slytherins to go to Transfiguration, in the opposite direction. I felt a twinge of... something. I was disappointed that I wouldn't see Draco for the next two hours.
'What the hell?!' I thought. 'Where did THESE feelings come from? I shouldn't care about ferret boy like this!'
But my heart was telling me that he wasn't ferret boy anymore. He wasn't even Malfoy anymore. He was Draco, and Draco seemed to be a person I was fal-
'No, God dammit! This is not happening!' I wasn't sure whether this was coming from my brain or my heart. I decided to forget about it, and ponder it sometime later, on a rainy day.
I tuned back into the conversation. Harry and Ron were discussing the upcoming Quidditch match, in three weeks, against the Slytherin house. I was walking along beside Harry, making small talk, and without warning, he threw his arm around my shoulders. Normally, this would have been fine, but under the circumstances of the last few weeks, it made me feel uncomfortable. I politely shrugged him off, and he shot me a confused look. We continued talking to Ron for a while, and then Lavender called from up ahead. Turning to us, Ron gave us a quick look of apology, then ran up ahead to her, grinning. I smiled. "They're so happy together."
Unexpectedly, Harry turned to me. "I want us to be like that again."
I was shocked, to say the least. "What?!" I stopped dead in my tracks. What the hell was he saying? He had just broken up with me! He said he wanted Ginny!
He sighed and tried to explain. "I never thought Ginny would feel so bad about it! I thought she was ready for a relationship. I guess I was wrong. All she's been doing since we broke up has been feeling guilty for 'stealing me from you'. She isn't ready. I want you back, Mione." He grinned at me.
Oh my God! Did he seriously think I would take him back, just like that, after what he had done? "Harry! In case you've forgotten, you broke up with me a few weeks ago! I'm just getting over you, okay? You can't just decide you want me again, and expect to pick it up where we left off! It just doesn't work that way!"
He was looking genuinely puzzled. "Oh, come on Hermione," he tried again. "I didn't think she would react like that."
"Oh, I see!" I said sarcastically. "You dumped me for Ginny, and found out she didn't want you, so now you'll settle for me again?"
"No, come on, you know it's not like that!"
"Oh really? Do I now? And how would you know? It's not like you've really spent all that much time considering my feelings lately!" Okay this was just wrong. I couldn't believe this. Harry wasn't really like this, was he? I shook my head slowly. "I don't think you really know what you're saying right now, Harry, so I'm just gonna let it slide, okay?" And with that I turned and ran back to the castle, totally freaked out. I had no idea what was going on anymore.
I didn't slow until I was in my common room. I flopped down onto my couch, staring at the ceiling. I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I didn't notice Draco sitting on his couch, staring in horror at the piece of parchment clutched in his hand.
A/N: Yay, another chapter. I have up to ch. 15 typed and I'm working on 16 right now, so you can expect updates every day for at least three or four more days. I'm sorry for everyone who doesn't like what I've been doing, such as the pairings and everything. Thanks for the definition of a beta reader, Snickerz. And Hermione18, OOC means out of character. Look for another chapter tomorrow, hope this one's ok.
P.S. For Harry lovers out there, I'm sorry, and I know this may look bad, and next chapter will look even worse, but it will ALL be explained. He's not a complete jerk.