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esp. Kristen!!)! If it weren't for you I'd have abandoned writing long ago!
XOXO, Thanks again!
Chapter 13
"Ginny, how did it go?" Said Hermione, leaning back into the couch in the prefects' room.
Ginny had come over after breakfast to collect her clothes, return Hermione's sweater, and tell her what happened.
Ginny's eyes shone. "Well, I told him honestly how I felt about him, and I said that even if he had eyes for another, I didn't care, just as long as I could admire him from afar, it was good enough for me!"
"And?" Said Hermione, looking excitedly at her friend, who was seated on the same couch, facing her.
"Well, he was stunned, obviously. He didn't say anything for a while, and when he looked back at me, he said he had to admit that he had some feelings for me... But he just wasn't sure of himself yet. So I said that's okay, as I didn't want to rush him into anything. So he said that if I gave him the chance to get to know me better, he'd definitely think about it," said Ginny, her eyes alight at the memory.
"Oh, Ginny! You're so lucky! Did he say anything else?" Said Hermione, eager to hear every detail.
"Well, I don't know if I should..."
"What?" Said Hermione, not wanting to miss out on anything.
"Well, it's something Ron told Harry... It's about you..."
"What did Ron say about me, Ginny Weasley? DON'T keep me in the dark! You better tell me, or I'll never speak to you again!"
"Okay, okay!" Gave in Ginny, laughing. "Well, Harry said that Ron has been going on and on about you lately. As in not, 'Herm's so bossy' or, 'She's such a know-it-all', but...."
"WHAT?!" The suspense was killing Hermione.
"But, 'Hermione looks nice in that sweater', or 'Her skirt is really cute' and other stuff," said Ginny, carefully studying Hermione's expression.
"Yeah, right, Ginny! He did not!"
"Did too! And there are a couple of others! Like, 'Hermione's hair looks nice today, Harry. Do you think I could touch it?' and 'Shall I offer to carry her books for her after our lessons, Harry?' that kind of thing! Harry said it's been going on since you two made up and you... Oh, Hermione, just asking, did you hug Ron?" Said Ginny.
"Er- yes. When I apologized. Why?"
"No wonder he's over the moon about you! Tell me your secret, Hermione! Did you have some kind of Love Potion perfume on you?"
"NO!" Said Hermione, laughing. "Come ON, Ginny! Have you lost your head? Ron's just a concerned friend!" Said Hermione, although something was stirring in Hermione's heart.
"Come on, Hermione! Don't be BLIND!" Said Ginny, looking at Hermione as though willing her to believe it. "You know Ron has had some feelings for you since your fourth year! Remember Viktor Krum?"
Hermione remembered. Of course she did. How could she ever forget? She remembered thinking that Ron was the most over-bearing git she had ever known, and was so mad at him. She'd never forget that, all right.
"Well, I'm not believing it until I hear it from Ron himself, Ginny. You know how I never believe anything unless I hear it from the person's mouth!"
"Hermione Granger, I swear, you're the most stubborn girl I have ever met!" Ginny exclaimed, as Hermione threw her head back and laughed.
Ginny liked Hermione's laugh. The way her wavy curls fell backwards when she threw her head back, and the way her eyes crinkled into two stars when she smiled. Hermione was turning into a very pretty girl.
"Well, I've got work to do, Hermione. It's best I'd be on my way. Oh, and don't mention this to Ron, okay?" Said Ginny, picking up her back and standing up.
"Promise," said Hermione, standing up and seeing her off.
When she went back to the common room, she found it was empty. Grateful for the peace, Hermione went upstairs and grabbed her Arithmancy homework, and Transfiguration notes. Humming softly under her breath, she slowly descended the steps, her eyes on the cover of her Arithmancy textbook.
"I see the little know-it-all is going to study now, isn't she?"
Hermione's head snapped up, and she tensed up. "What do you want, Draco?"
"Now, now, don't need to be so tense," said Draco, smirking, as he fell back onto one of the couches near the long study table in the common room. "I'm merely making a comment, and that bushy head of yours goes wild."
"My head is not bushy, you filthy ferret," snapped Hermione, slamming her thick books down onto the study table, and sitting down, facing him. "And I do NOT go wild. If you don't mind, I'd like some peace, so I can do my work!"
"Doing work?" Draco stood up, and looked over at Hermione's small pile of work. "I was thinking of doing some work too, actually. So why not -," Draco lifted his wand, and with a swift wave, a few of his textbooks and notes landed with a gentle thud on the table, opposite Hermione. "We study together."
Hermione stared at Draco in disgust. "Can't I study on my own? Some of us around here value peace and quiet, you know."
"Of course you do," said Draco, still smirking as he slowly lowered himself into the chair across from Hermione. "I imagine it's hard to have those, especially when your best friends are Potty and Weasel. Especially so when Weasel is busy asking Harry if he can touch your hair, or hold your -."
Hermione shut her Arithmancy textbook with a bang. "Just what did you hear, you slime ball?" Said Hermione in a low and dangerous voice. "You were eavesdropping, weren't you, you slimy little ferret?"
"Well, I was about to ask if I could join in, but, no, you two were all submersed in your girly talk, I couldn't bring myself to interrupt your interesting conversation. Hope you - Ow, you little -." Draco's hand flew to his left cheek.
Hermione, who had completely lost her temper with him, had flung one of her textbooks into Draco's face.
"Take that, you dirt bag. For being a sneaky eavesdropper, and for kissing me! Wait till I tell Ron and Harry, you ferret!" Hermione said, her eyes filled with anger.
"Still need your faithful sidekicks to fall back on to, huh, Granger? Wait till Potty and Weasel hear that YOU KISSED ME BACK!!" Roared Draco.
Hermione's eyes filled with tears. "You will not," she whispered. "You can't! I won't let you!"
"Stop me, Granger," said Draco, brushing his hand over his throbbing cheek.
Both of them whipped out their wands at the same time. "It's either you or me, Malfoy," whispered Hermione, her tears spilling over. "Expelliarmus!"
Draco's wand flew out of his hand. "Accio!" Yelled Hermione, before Draco could make a dash and grab his wand. "I have it right here, Malfoy," said Hermione, waving the wand in front of Draco, as though tempting him. "Want it back?"
Draco was furious. "GIVE IT BACK, YOU MUDBLOOD!" He yelled, feeling defenseless and vulnerable without his wand.
Hermione's eyes narrowed, and her tears continued in a steady flow down her cheeks. "Take that back, Malfoy," she whispered, her arms falling limply to her sides.
"No," said Draco, his glare, cold and icy.
Hermione dropped his wand, let out a sob, turned and pushed the portrait open. Justin, Parvati and Lavender, who were about to come in, were pushed aside, as Hermione ran past them.
"What happened, Malfoy?" Snarled Parvati, diving him a death glare.
Draco smirked at her, and retrieved his wand from the floor.
"You're Hippogriff chow, Malfoy!" Said Justin, helping Lavender to gather Hermione's homework. "You really are!"
"Shut up, Finch-Fetchley. None of your friggin business," Draco snarled, in an extremely foul mood. Then, he turned, with a swish of his cloak, and went up to his room; his books lay forgotten on the table.
As he was about to shut his door, he heard Lavender say, "He's too cocky for his own good". Changing his mind, Draco slammed the door and locked himself in, never wanting to see anyone again.
Chapter 13
"Ginny, how did it go?" Said Hermione, leaning back into the couch in the prefects' room.
Ginny had come over after breakfast to collect her clothes, return Hermione's sweater, and tell her what happened.
Ginny's eyes shone. "Well, I told him honestly how I felt about him, and I said that even if he had eyes for another, I didn't care, just as long as I could admire him from afar, it was good enough for me!"
"And?" Said Hermione, looking excitedly at her friend, who was seated on the same couch, facing her.
"Well, he was stunned, obviously. He didn't say anything for a while, and when he looked back at me, he said he had to admit that he had some feelings for me... But he just wasn't sure of himself yet. So I said that's okay, as I didn't want to rush him into anything. So he said that if I gave him the chance to get to know me better, he'd definitely think about it," said Ginny, her eyes alight at the memory.
"Oh, Ginny! You're so lucky! Did he say anything else?" Said Hermione, eager to hear every detail.
"Well, I don't know if I should..."
"What?" Said Hermione, not wanting to miss out on anything.
"Well, it's something Ron told Harry... It's about you..."
"What did Ron say about me, Ginny Weasley? DON'T keep me in the dark! You better tell me, or I'll never speak to you again!"
"Okay, okay!" Gave in Ginny, laughing. "Well, Harry said that Ron has been going on and on about you lately. As in not, 'Herm's so bossy' or, 'She's such a know-it-all', but...."
"WHAT?!" The suspense was killing Hermione.
"But, 'Hermione looks nice in that sweater', or 'Her skirt is really cute' and other stuff," said Ginny, carefully studying Hermione's expression.
"Yeah, right, Ginny! He did not!"
"Did too! And there are a couple of others! Like, 'Hermione's hair looks nice today, Harry. Do you think I could touch it?' and 'Shall I offer to carry her books for her after our lessons, Harry?' that kind of thing! Harry said it's been going on since you two made up and you... Oh, Hermione, just asking, did you hug Ron?" Said Ginny.
"Er- yes. When I apologized. Why?"
"No wonder he's over the moon about you! Tell me your secret, Hermione! Did you have some kind of Love Potion perfume on you?"
"NO!" Said Hermione, laughing. "Come ON, Ginny! Have you lost your head? Ron's just a concerned friend!" Said Hermione, although something was stirring in Hermione's heart.
"Come on, Hermione! Don't be BLIND!" Said Ginny, looking at Hermione as though willing her to believe it. "You know Ron has had some feelings for you since your fourth year! Remember Viktor Krum?"
Hermione remembered. Of course she did. How could she ever forget? She remembered thinking that Ron was the most over-bearing git she had ever known, and was so mad at him. She'd never forget that, all right.
"Well, I'm not believing it until I hear it from Ron himself, Ginny. You know how I never believe anything unless I hear it from the person's mouth!"
"Hermione Granger, I swear, you're the most stubborn girl I have ever met!" Ginny exclaimed, as Hermione threw her head back and laughed.
Ginny liked Hermione's laugh. The way her wavy curls fell backwards when she threw her head back, and the way her eyes crinkled into two stars when she smiled. Hermione was turning into a very pretty girl.
"Well, I've got work to do, Hermione. It's best I'd be on my way. Oh, and don't mention this to Ron, okay?" Said Ginny, picking up her back and standing up.
"Promise," said Hermione, standing up and seeing her off.
When she went back to the common room, she found it was empty. Grateful for the peace, Hermione went upstairs and grabbed her Arithmancy homework, and Transfiguration notes. Humming softly under her breath, she slowly descended the steps, her eyes on the cover of her Arithmancy textbook.
"I see the little know-it-all is going to study now, isn't she?"
Hermione's head snapped up, and she tensed up. "What do you want, Draco?"
"Now, now, don't need to be so tense," said Draco, smirking, as he fell back onto one of the couches near the long study table in the common room. "I'm merely making a comment, and that bushy head of yours goes wild."
"My head is not bushy, you filthy ferret," snapped Hermione, slamming her thick books down onto the study table, and sitting down, facing him. "And I do NOT go wild. If you don't mind, I'd like some peace, so I can do my work!"
"Doing work?" Draco stood up, and looked over at Hermione's small pile of work. "I was thinking of doing some work too, actually. So why not -," Draco lifted his wand, and with a swift wave, a few of his textbooks and notes landed with a gentle thud on the table, opposite Hermione. "We study together."
Hermione stared at Draco in disgust. "Can't I study on my own? Some of us around here value peace and quiet, you know."
"Of course you do," said Draco, still smirking as he slowly lowered himself into the chair across from Hermione. "I imagine it's hard to have those, especially when your best friends are Potty and Weasel. Especially so when Weasel is busy asking Harry if he can touch your hair, or hold your -."
Hermione shut her Arithmancy textbook with a bang. "Just what did you hear, you slime ball?" Said Hermione in a low and dangerous voice. "You were eavesdropping, weren't you, you slimy little ferret?"
"Well, I was about to ask if I could join in, but, no, you two were all submersed in your girly talk, I couldn't bring myself to interrupt your interesting conversation. Hope you - Ow, you little -." Draco's hand flew to his left cheek.
Hermione, who had completely lost her temper with him, had flung one of her textbooks into Draco's face.
"Take that, you dirt bag. For being a sneaky eavesdropper, and for kissing me! Wait till I tell Ron and Harry, you ferret!" Hermione said, her eyes filled with anger.
"Still need your faithful sidekicks to fall back on to, huh, Granger? Wait till Potty and Weasel hear that YOU KISSED ME BACK!!" Roared Draco.
Hermione's eyes filled with tears. "You will not," she whispered. "You can't! I won't let you!"
"Stop me, Granger," said Draco, brushing his hand over his throbbing cheek.
Both of them whipped out their wands at the same time. "It's either you or me, Malfoy," whispered Hermione, her tears spilling over. "Expelliarmus!"
Draco's wand flew out of his hand. "Accio!" Yelled Hermione, before Draco could make a dash and grab his wand. "I have it right here, Malfoy," said Hermione, waving the wand in front of Draco, as though tempting him. "Want it back?"
Draco was furious. "GIVE IT BACK, YOU MUDBLOOD!" He yelled, feeling defenseless and vulnerable without his wand.
Hermione's eyes narrowed, and her tears continued in a steady flow down her cheeks. "Take that back, Malfoy," she whispered, her arms falling limply to her sides.
"No," said Draco, his glare, cold and icy.
Hermione dropped his wand, let out a sob, turned and pushed the portrait open. Justin, Parvati and Lavender, who were about to come in, were pushed aside, as Hermione ran past them.
"What happened, Malfoy?" Snarled Parvati, diving him a death glare.
Draco smirked at her, and retrieved his wand from the floor.
"You're Hippogriff chow, Malfoy!" Said Justin, helping Lavender to gather Hermione's homework. "You really are!"
"Shut up, Finch-Fetchley. None of your friggin business," Draco snarled, in an extremely foul mood. Then, he turned, with a swish of his cloak, and went up to his room; his books lay forgotten on the table.
As he was about to shut his door, he heard Lavender say, "He's too cocky for his own good". Changing his mind, Draco slammed the door and locked himself in, never wanting to see anyone again.