Chapter 9- Chaos
I threw my hands off of Draco's neck and whipped around, heart pounding in my chest as I turned to face him.
Ron was bright red. His hands were clamped at his sides in rage, and disbelief mixed with fury was twisted upon his face. Neville stood behind him, glowering and grim- faced, looking more Goth than he ever had before.
"What in the Hell are you doing?" Ron shouted again.
"Ron- don't be angry! Malfoy's not bad!" I managed to get out without thinking over my words. I hoped that he could read in my face that I too was confused, and that I did not know what was happening either. I wanted him to know that I wasn't some traitor, and that I was telling the truth.
Ron covered his frown with a tight- lipped smile, " Excuse me, but I think I'm lost. WHY WERE YOU JUST MAKING OUT WITH MALFOY!?" he yelled.
"Now, now, Weasley. Don't get your knickers in a twist," Draco responded coolly.
"I don't think I remember asking for your words of advice, you bleeding, dirt- mouthed poufter," Ron snarled.
Draco sneered. "I don't really care who asked what. I can say what I want, especially when you're being an immature, angry, little bugger! And I can kiss who I want, so you'd better get your damned freckled nose out of my business!" He made a fist. Ron also made one.
Neville strode forward, and stated," You keep off of Hermione, Malfoy." He actually looked quite deadly.
"Oh, don't even get me started with you. Bloody freak of nature..." Malfoy trailed off.
They all began to roar along together. Well, actually, Ron and Draco were roaring at each other. Neville just looked blankly at the two of them, his one moment of bravery lost.
"SHUT UP!" I shrieked. They turned, and stared.
Ron shook his head. "I can't believe this. I DON'T believe this! I suppose you felt that nice boys were too boring, so you decided you'd move on up, is that it? It seems as though Ms. Granger's looking for a little attention."
"Firstly," I fumed," WHAT nice boys? I've never had a boyfriend, unless you're counting Victor Krum, and he turned out to be a cruel idiot. Secondly, HOW DARE YOU suggest that I'm looking for attention."
"Is it his money?" Ron questioned. "You haven't given me a second glance, but you kiss your worst enemy! Is there a hidden message in all of this?"
"That is so stupid, Ron!" I huffed. "Can't you think about someone beside yourself for three minutes?"
"Yes, Ron," Neville nodded. "She was my date, and you don't see me making a fuss."
Ron ignored him. "Are you saying that I'm self- absorbed? Sorry, but I'm not the one who makes up excuses so she can go out in the hall and snog!"
I glared at Ron. "Can't you listen to me? Draco isn't mean! You just don't know him!"
"Sure, and Snape's favourite colour is purple," Ron returned hotly. " I can't believe this, Hermione! You stinking little hypocrite. You don't know him either! You've never shown an interest in him before, and now- bam! 'Stay away from Malfoy, he's not worth it'. 'Don't him any attention, Ron.' That's what you said. So can you please tell me why all of a sudden, you're out here swapping SPIT?"
"I don't really know," I said truthfully. "It happened."
"My, aren't you a slag!" Ron declared.
"Don't you dare speak to her that way," Draco hissed poisonously.
"Yeah, Ron. Don't speak to her that way," Neville agreed, then looked at Malfoy, and looked very confused.
"What is going on here?" Ron demanded, looking at me in befuddlement, and then pointing at Malfoy. "Since when do you defend her?"
Draco growled," Since I felt like it. Okay? Does that satisfy you?"
"Draco, quit!" I exclaimed. "Tell him how you really are. Just tell him! He'll understand!"
For a moment, Draco's face changed back to that nice innocence, and he opened his mouth to speak.
But Ron interrupted him with," Well, go on, then, before I get a mind to bash your nose in! I don't see how you or anyone else could kiss him, Hermione. You know who he sacks every night!"
"Get stuffed, Weasley," Draco snarled sharply, his smirkish expression returning. "It isn't worth it. Forget everything I said, Hermione." His sneer grew," I was lying anyhow."
With that, tall and elegant Draco Malfoy turned around, and walked away from us calmly, in the direction of the Slytherin common room.
I was in complete and total shock. My spirit seemed as though it had crashed to the floor. It seemed ironic after the great leap it had just taken. I was the one feeling angry and played now. I kissed Draco- almost liked him, REALLY LIKED HIM, and then he went and acted totally indifferent- like always!
I stared at his form hurrying along the corridor. He was running away from himself once again. I knew he wasn't speaking the truth when he said he had been lying the entire time. He couldn't be! What if I could change Draco Malfoy? What if we could become the first Slytherin and Gryffindor to date?
All of this was running through my head as it all seemed impossible. But what if I could bring Draco over to our side? What if I could bridge the gap?
Of course, there was always the possibility that he HAD always been lying, but somehow, wasn't able to bring myself to believe that.
"Look at that twit go!" Ron scoffed in disgust. "I'm sorry he tricked you into thinking he was some almighty being, but really, Hermione- you should have known! I can't even come close to unde-"
"Don't even speak to me right now, Ron. What you said was awful. I don't care if you think it's the truth, but you shouldn't go around talking about people! Draco Malfoy is different then you think. He actually lets me know his emotions, instead of hiding them like you!" I spat out, and then raced after Draco, leaving Ron behind me with his mouth opened.
I lowered my speed, and pulled Draco's arm, breathless. "Draco-" I gasped. "I know you're just covering! Please come back!"
He turned around slowly. "Go back there to Weasley. He obviously can't live without you, and to be honest, I don't need him in my face at this moment."
"Don't you even tell me to go back there," I sputtered. "Don't you just kiss me and think you can forget about it, because trust me, I won't let you. There must have been something there, Malfoy. I don't know what it was if you were lying, but you must have been pretty desperate, kissing a Mudblood."
Draco sighed. "I wasn't being desperate, I was being stupid. I should have never told you I liked you, especially since half of Gryffindor likes you all ready. I knew this whole bloody thing would blow up in my face someday. That's why I waited six years. But I should have waited forever."
"Why wait forever, Draco? Why would you put yourself through that kind of torture?" I questioned sharply. I paused and then asked," And what are you talking about when you say that 'half of Gryffindor likes me all ready'?"
He shrugged. "Well, that's sort of an exaggeration. But I do know that Neville and Ron both fancy you"
"How do you know that?"
"From in the lavatory," he replied. "Where else?"
I smiled, despite the situation. "Ron likes me, then?"
"Well, yeah, isn't it obvious?" Draco declared.
"No. Not really. I mean, it's probably easy for you to tell, since you're of the male gender and all," I replied thougtfully, wondering why it had to be this hard to find out that Ron liked me. I would have never, in a million years, believed what happended next.
I threw my hands off of Draco's neck and whipped around, heart pounding in my chest as I turned to face him.
Ron was bright red. His hands were clamped at his sides in rage, and disbelief mixed with fury was twisted upon his face. Neville stood behind him, glowering and grim- faced, looking more Goth than he ever had before.
"What in the Hell are you doing?" Ron shouted again.
"Ron- don't be angry! Malfoy's not bad!" I managed to get out without thinking over my words. I hoped that he could read in my face that I too was confused, and that I did not know what was happening either. I wanted him to know that I wasn't some traitor, and that I was telling the truth.
Ron covered his frown with a tight- lipped smile, " Excuse me, but I think I'm lost. WHY WERE YOU JUST MAKING OUT WITH MALFOY!?" he yelled.
"Now, now, Weasley. Don't get your knickers in a twist," Draco responded coolly.
"I don't think I remember asking for your words of advice, you bleeding, dirt- mouthed poufter," Ron snarled.
Draco sneered. "I don't really care who asked what. I can say what I want, especially when you're being an immature, angry, little bugger! And I can kiss who I want, so you'd better get your damned freckled nose out of my business!" He made a fist. Ron also made one.
Neville strode forward, and stated," You keep off of Hermione, Malfoy." He actually looked quite deadly.
"Oh, don't even get me started with you. Bloody freak of nature..." Malfoy trailed off.
They all began to roar along together. Well, actually, Ron and Draco were roaring at each other. Neville just looked blankly at the two of them, his one moment of bravery lost.
"SHUT UP!" I shrieked. They turned, and stared.
Ron shook his head. "I can't believe this. I DON'T believe this! I suppose you felt that nice boys were too boring, so you decided you'd move on up, is that it? It seems as though Ms. Granger's looking for a little attention."
"Firstly," I fumed," WHAT nice boys? I've never had a boyfriend, unless you're counting Victor Krum, and he turned out to be a cruel idiot. Secondly, HOW DARE YOU suggest that I'm looking for attention."
"Is it his money?" Ron questioned. "You haven't given me a second glance, but you kiss your worst enemy! Is there a hidden message in all of this?"
"That is so stupid, Ron!" I huffed. "Can't you think about someone beside yourself for three minutes?"
"Yes, Ron," Neville nodded. "She was my date, and you don't see me making a fuss."
Ron ignored him. "Are you saying that I'm self- absorbed? Sorry, but I'm not the one who makes up excuses so she can go out in the hall and snog!"
I glared at Ron. "Can't you listen to me? Draco isn't mean! You just don't know him!"
"Sure, and Snape's favourite colour is purple," Ron returned hotly. " I can't believe this, Hermione! You stinking little hypocrite. You don't know him either! You've never shown an interest in him before, and now- bam! 'Stay away from Malfoy, he's not worth it'. 'Don't him any attention, Ron.' That's what you said. So can you please tell me why all of a sudden, you're out here swapping SPIT?"
"I don't really know," I said truthfully. "It happened."
"My, aren't you a slag!" Ron declared.
"Don't you dare speak to her that way," Draco hissed poisonously.
"Yeah, Ron. Don't speak to her that way," Neville agreed, then looked at Malfoy, and looked very confused.
"What is going on here?" Ron demanded, looking at me in befuddlement, and then pointing at Malfoy. "Since when do you defend her?"
Draco growled," Since I felt like it. Okay? Does that satisfy you?"
"Draco, quit!" I exclaimed. "Tell him how you really are. Just tell him! He'll understand!"
For a moment, Draco's face changed back to that nice innocence, and he opened his mouth to speak.
But Ron interrupted him with," Well, go on, then, before I get a mind to bash your nose in! I don't see how you or anyone else could kiss him, Hermione. You know who he sacks every night!"
"Get stuffed, Weasley," Draco snarled sharply, his smirkish expression returning. "It isn't worth it. Forget everything I said, Hermione." His sneer grew," I was lying anyhow."
With that, tall and elegant Draco Malfoy turned around, and walked away from us calmly, in the direction of the Slytherin common room.
I was in complete and total shock. My spirit seemed as though it had crashed to the floor. It seemed ironic after the great leap it had just taken. I was the one feeling angry and played now. I kissed Draco- almost liked him, REALLY LIKED HIM, and then he went and acted totally indifferent- like always!
I stared at his form hurrying along the corridor. He was running away from himself once again. I knew he wasn't speaking the truth when he said he had been lying the entire time. He couldn't be! What if I could change Draco Malfoy? What if we could become the first Slytherin and Gryffindor to date?
All of this was running through my head as it all seemed impossible. But what if I could bring Draco over to our side? What if I could bridge the gap?
Of course, there was always the possibility that he HAD always been lying, but somehow, wasn't able to bring myself to believe that.
"Look at that twit go!" Ron scoffed in disgust. "I'm sorry he tricked you into thinking he was some almighty being, but really, Hermione- you should have known! I can't even come close to unde-"
"Don't even speak to me right now, Ron. What you said was awful. I don't care if you think it's the truth, but you shouldn't go around talking about people! Draco Malfoy is different then you think. He actually lets me know his emotions, instead of hiding them like you!" I spat out, and then raced after Draco, leaving Ron behind me with his mouth opened.
I lowered my speed, and pulled Draco's arm, breathless. "Draco-" I gasped. "I know you're just covering! Please come back!"
He turned around slowly. "Go back there to Weasley. He obviously can't live without you, and to be honest, I don't need him in my face at this moment."
"Don't you even tell me to go back there," I sputtered. "Don't you just kiss me and think you can forget about it, because trust me, I won't let you. There must have been something there, Malfoy. I don't know what it was if you were lying, but you must have been pretty desperate, kissing a Mudblood."
Draco sighed. "I wasn't being desperate, I was being stupid. I should have never told you I liked you, especially since half of Gryffindor likes you all ready. I knew this whole bloody thing would blow up in my face someday. That's why I waited six years. But I should have waited forever."
"Why wait forever, Draco? Why would you put yourself through that kind of torture?" I questioned sharply. I paused and then asked," And what are you talking about when you say that 'half of Gryffindor likes me all ready'?"
He shrugged. "Well, that's sort of an exaggeration. But I do know that Neville and Ron both fancy you"
"How do you know that?"
"From in the lavatory," he replied. "Where else?"
I smiled, despite the situation. "Ron likes me, then?"
"Well, yeah, isn't it obvious?" Draco declared.
"No. Not really. I mean, it's probably easy for you to tell, since you're of the male gender and all," I replied thougtfully, wondering why it had to be this hard to find out that Ron liked me. I would have never, in a million years, believed what happended next.