Disclaimer: Me no own, you no sue.
Changing Chapter 27
Hermione's POV
The days came and went, and I continued keeping up with my schoolwork and seeing Draco in secret, although we could now be open with each other in the common room, since Hannah and Terry thought we made a very cute couple and swore not to spill about our relationship. Before I knew it, the snow began to melt, and it was the middle of March. The four of us prefects sat around the common room one night, in the two couches in the middle of the room, which happened to be Draco's and Hannah's.
"Okay, we have the groups made up," I announced, setting aside parchments tied together in a bundle with string around them as Draco ticked it off on his finger, only somewhat mockingly. "We have where each year is going to be going to." Another stack made it's own pile on the floor in front of the couch as I plopped it down. "And we have made up a list of places that each year needs to visit to get credit. The only thing we have left to do is make arrangements for hotels, and that sort of thing." I sighed. "The hard part."
"Alright," Terry suggested. "Do you think we should split up again, to get it done faster?"
"Sounds good, you and Hannah can handle everything for third and fourth year, and Draco and I can handle fifth, sixth, and seventh. You can help if you finish before us." Hannah and Terry nodded, and went up to their rooms to start planning things.
"So, I guess we can't call for reservations at this hour," Draco sighed, putting his arm around my shoulders and pulling me with him to lean against the back of his couch.
I glanced at him quickly, surprised that he knew anything about the Muggle world. He caught my look, and laughed. "I've had my share of Muggle experiences." Seeing my look of disbelief, he continued. "It got pretty boring up at the Manor, all by myself, so I take little vacations sometimes."
A picture popped into my head of Draco lounging in a blown-up tube in a pool, sipping from a plastic cup with a little pink umbrella. Before I could stop myself, I broke into a smile and failed in suppressing a giggle. Draco persisted on knowing what was so funny. "Oh, it's nothing!" I insisted, waving a hand to dismiss him.
"Anyway," he continued. "We need to start thinking up a list of places we could stay, ways of transportation, and stuff like that, and then we can make reservations later. Sound good?"
"Sure." I started to get up to get a piece of parchment and a quill, but he tightened his grip around my shoulders.
"Wait," he asked. "Just sit with me for awhile, okay?"
"Yeah, sure," I said anxiously. "Draco, what's wrong?" I hadn't noticed anything earlier, around the others, but when they left he let his shields down, and I could sense something behind his eyes.
"I got another owl today, from my father."
"Draco!" I exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me before?"
"I just got it before I came down here to plan this," he told me. "Besides, I didn't want to worry you. And I still don't want to. Hermione," he said, seeing the fear in my eyes. I wished I could hide my feelings as well as he could. "What's going on is between me and him, do you understand? I won't let him hurt you. I swear, I'm trying to keep you out of this, okay?"
I gave him a small smile. "I know, Draco. I know. Just don't worry about me, alright?"
"I can't help it." He looked down at his lap.
"Your father doesn't even know about us yet, and that's how I intend on keeping it for a long time, okay? As long as he doesn't know about us, do you think he'd really try to do anything to me? I mean, why would he pick me, Hermione Granger, out of a million others just like me?"
"Yeah, I guess you're right... he has no reason to pick you out, as long as he doesn't know about us."
"See? So what did the letter say, anyway?" As far as I could remember, it was the first letter he had gotten since that one in December telling him he was disappointed he hadn't gone to the deatheater meeting. The last letter since Lucius had cursed Draco's broom and sent him to the hospital wing.
He sighed again. "He said that I was a coward for not coming to the meeting in December and facing my destiny. And he said there was another meeting coming up that he wanted me to go to, when we'll be on our trip. At least he won't be able to do anything to me there."
I leaned back against the couch and let my head rest on Draco's shoulder, hoping with everything in me that he was right.
A/N: Sorry it's so short, but I'm trying to get to the class trip, and next chapter is when they'll hopefully be leaving. Please review, I LOVED all the constructive criticism, PLEASE keep it coming it helps TONS. Thanks!
Changing Chapter 27
Hermione's POV
The days came and went, and I continued keeping up with my schoolwork and seeing Draco in secret, although we could now be open with each other in the common room, since Hannah and Terry thought we made a very cute couple and swore not to spill about our relationship. Before I knew it, the snow began to melt, and it was the middle of March. The four of us prefects sat around the common room one night, in the two couches in the middle of the room, which happened to be Draco's and Hannah's.
"Okay, we have the groups made up," I announced, setting aside parchments tied together in a bundle with string around them as Draco ticked it off on his finger, only somewhat mockingly. "We have where each year is going to be going to." Another stack made it's own pile on the floor in front of the couch as I plopped it down. "And we have made up a list of places that each year needs to visit to get credit. The only thing we have left to do is make arrangements for hotels, and that sort of thing." I sighed. "The hard part."
"Alright," Terry suggested. "Do you think we should split up again, to get it done faster?"
"Sounds good, you and Hannah can handle everything for third and fourth year, and Draco and I can handle fifth, sixth, and seventh. You can help if you finish before us." Hannah and Terry nodded, and went up to their rooms to start planning things.
"So, I guess we can't call for reservations at this hour," Draco sighed, putting his arm around my shoulders and pulling me with him to lean against the back of his couch.
I glanced at him quickly, surprised that he knew anything about the Muggle world. He caught my look, and laughed. "I've had my share of Muggle experiences." Seeing my look of disbelief, he continued. "It got pretty boring up at the Manor, all by myself, so I take little vacations sometimes."
A picture popped into my head of Draco lounging in a blown-up tube in a pool, sipping from a plastic cup with a little pink umbrella. Before I could stop myself, I broke into a smile and failed in suppressing a giggle. Draco persisted on knowing what was so funny. "Oh, it's nothing!" I insisted, waving a hand to dismiss him.
"Anyway," he continued. "We need to start thinking up a list of places we could stay, ways of transportation, and stuff like that, and then we can make reservations later. Sound good?"
"Sure." I started to get up to get a piece of parchment and a quill, but he tightened his grip around my shoulders.
"Wait," he asked. "Just sit with me for awhile, okay?"
"Yeah, sure," I said anxiously. "Draco, what's wrong?" I hadn't noticed anything earlier, around the others, but when they left he let his shields down, and I could sense something behind his eyes.
"I got another owl today, from my father."
"Draco!" I exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me before?"
"I just got it before I came down here to plan this," he told me. "Besides, I didn't want to worry you. And I still don't want to. Hermione," he said, seeing the fear in my eyes. I wished I could hide my feelings as well as he could. "What's going on is between me and him, do you understand? I won't let him hurt you. I swear, I'm trying to keep you out of this, okay?"
I gave him a small smile. "I know, Draco. I know. Just don't worry about me, alright?"
"I can't help it." He looked down at his lap.
"Your father doesn't even know about us yet, and that's how I intend on keeping it for a long time, okay? As long as he doesn't know about us, do you think he'd really try to do anything to me? I mean, why would he pick me, Hermione Granger, out of a million others just like me?"
"Yeah, I guess you're right... he has no reason to pick you out, as long as he doesn't know about us."
"See? So what did the letter say, anyway?" As far as I could remember, it was the first letter he had gotten since that one in December telling him he was disappointed he hadn't gone to the deatheater meeting. The last letter since Lucius had cursed Draco's broom and sent him to the hospital wing.
He sighed again. "He said that I was a coward for not coming to the meeting in December and facing my destiny. And he said there was another meeting coming up that he wanted me to go to, when we'll be on our trip. At least he won't be able to do anything to me there."
I leaned back against the couch and let my head rest on Draco's shoulder, hoping with everything in me that he was right.
A/N: Sorry it's so short, but I'm trying to get to the class trip, and next chapter is when they'll hopefully be leaving. Please review, I LOVED all the constructive criticism, PLEASE keep it coming it helps TONS. Thanks!