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Chapter 8

Hermione wondered why Draco would tell Harry and Ron about their deal and everything about it. It was just strange. He just suddenly came forward and told them. And in the process, it made everything in her life easier.

**

Hermione yawned as she woke up. She stretched and smiled. She had been smiling and been so happy for days now. It was because she, Harry and Ron were alright again. She was about to sit up when suddenly she felt something touch her feet. She immediately curled up and screamed, covering herself up with the blanket.

As soon as she did this, she heard laughing. She uncovered herself and slowly sat up. She saw Harry and Ron, seated on the edge of her bed, doubled up in laughter. She put her hands on her hips.

"It's not funny!" Hermione said.

"Yes, it is," Ron said, clutching his stomach.

"No, it's not!" Hermione insisted, turning red.

"Oh, come on, Hermione," Harry said. "You were dead scared and that's always funny."

"Hmph," Hermione said, lying back down again.

Harry and Ron stopped laughing and crawled over to Hermione's side. Ron was on her right and Harry on her left.

"We're just kidding you, Hermione," Harry said, grinning.

Hermione became quiet and her face turned serious. Ron and Harry looked at each other and shot each other worried looks.

"We were just joking," Ron said worriedly. "Please don't get mad."

"No, I'm not mad," Hermione assured him. "I was just thinking about something."

"What about?" Harry asked curiously, sitting up.

Hermione closed her eyes and whispered, "Draco."

Harry looked at Ron, who shrugged uncertainly.

"Oh. Him," Harry said quietly. "I noticed you haven't been talking to him."

"Because he's avoiding me," Hermione answered, opening her eyes. "What I don't understand is, why would he do that? I mean he hasn't done anything wrong. I know he's not mad at me because he helped me. He told you guys. He must've done that for a good reason."

"Unless he doesn't want to have anything to do with you anymore," Ron suggested. "I mean, he did use you."

"But it's weird. Why would he tell us? If he was trying to make Hermione suffer, why would he suddenly tell us?" Harry asked.

"Because he cares," Hermione muttered to herself.

**

Hermione had studied on one of the benches, and was now walking towards Hagrid's hut. She had promised to meet Harry and Ron there as soon as she was done. She was flipping through her books when suddenly she realized she forgot one of her notebooks. She turned around immediately to go back for them and gasped.

Draco was standing in front of her, her notebook in his hand. Her mouth hung open in shock. She hadn't seen Draco for quite some time and seeing him again just made her feel weird, she didn't understand why.

"You forgot your notebook," Draco said, handing it to her.

She smiled as she got it from him. "I was just going back to get it. Thanks."

"No problem," he said, turned around and began to walk away.

"Wait!" Hermione said, touching his shoulder.

Draco looked over the shoulder that Hermione touched. Then he slowly turned around. He looked at her expectantly.

"Don't you have anything to say to me?" Hermione asked gently.

"What?" he asked.

"Some explanation of why you told Harry and Ron would be nice," Hermione said frankly.

"Why do you care if I told them? It made your life better, right?" Draco said.

"Is that why you did it? To make my life better?" Hermione asked softly.

Draco looked down. "It did make your life better, right?"

"Draco--."

"Answer me," he interrupted.

"It--it did. But--," Hermione began.

"Then what's the problem?" Draco asked. "Why do you have to ask why?"

"Because I deserve an explanation. You told me not to tell anyone and then you go telling Harry and Ron. I thought it was supposed to be a secret," Hermione said.

"It was my secret to keep, Granger," Draco said.

"No. It was our secret," Hermione said, correcting him. "If I remember correctly, we were in this together."

"Well now we aren't," Draco said.

"What?"

"I'm in this alone from now on. I blew our cover. It's over," he said.

"But... Can you just answer this one thing? Why did you need me in the first place?" Hermione asked.

Draco looked straight into her eyes. "I wanted to disobey my father."

Hermione looked back at him, confused. "What did he want you to do?"

"Become a deatheater."

She looked at him with disbelief. He said 'become a deatheater' as if it was nothing. As if he didn't care. "So the plan was... you needed me so that your father would doubt your credibility to become a deatheater?"

"That was the plan," he said.

Hermione felt relieved that she was released from that burden. But then... now that she knew Draco's situation, she just felt that she couldn't leave him. They've gotten this far and it would be too late to formulate another plan. She looked at him with a determined look on her face.

"My offer still stands," she said.

"What offer?" Draco asked, his eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"About making your plan real," she said, reminding him.

"Do you realize what you're saying? You're falling into danger if you do this," Draco said. "And I don't want that."

"Look I know you care and all, but--."

"Who said anything about caring?" Draco asked incredulously.

Hermione smiled slightly at him. "You told Harry and Ron, right?" Draco nodded slowly. "That means you do care because you wanted my life to be better."

"Maybe I just felt guilty," he said.

"It's the same thing," she told him.

They become quiet for a while.

"What if I don't want it to be real?" Draco asked.

"I don't care. Then we're going to find some other way for you to get out of this deatheater business," Hermione said stubbornly.

"We?"

"Yes, we. I am not going to leave you, Draco. You got me into this and I'm not going to leave you," Hermione said. "And making our relationship real is the only way. Don't you see? It's perfect!"

Draco smirked. "No need to tell me it's perfect. That's why I wanted to do it, Granger." He paused. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm sure," Hermione answered firmly.

"Okay then," Draco said.

Hermione smiled then leaned over and wrapped her arms around his waist. Draco stiffened, not knowing what to do. She looked up at him, with a smile on her face.

"Thank you, Draco," she said.

"For what?"

"For caring about me."

**

She and Draco began to walk around the school grounds. They talked a bit more about the plan. The only thing missing was the execution. Now, that they agreed to it, Hermione began to feel nervous.

"Are you nervous?" Draco asked her. He felt that he needed to ask her that.

"A little," Hermione said. "You're going to be my first boyfriend."

Draco smirked. "Don't worry. I'll take care of you."

"I know," Hermione said. "It just scares me," she muttered silently.

Draco didn't say anything and they continued walking. Suddenly, Draco reached out and held Hermione's hand. Hermione looked at their hands, then at Draco. He just looked straight ahead. They walked more in silence.

"Were you going to do something before we talked?" Draco asked.

"Uh, I was supposed to meet Harry and Ron in Hagrid's," Hermione replied.

"You should go then," he said.

"What?" she asked, feeling confused and surprised.

"You wouldn't want them waiting," he said.

"You're not... going to get mad or anything?" she asked.

"No," he said, smirking. "Hermione, I promised to take care of you and not imprison you."

Hermione smiled at him and squeezed his hand. "Thanks! I guess I'll see you later."

"Yeah," Draco replied. Then he leaned forward and gave Hermione a soft kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you later."

"Bye," Hermione said faintly as Draco walked away.

**

"What was that, Hermione?" Hagrid asked. He, with Harry and Ron, saw the exchanged that she and Draco had.

Hermione blushed. "I... It's...um..."

Ron raised his eyebrows so high that it looked like it would disappear under his hair. Harry just watched her and didn't say anything.

"Well?" Ron prodded.

"We... we talked about--," Hermione began.

"You didn't just talk," Ron argued.

"It was just a kiss on the cheek, Ron," Hermione insisted. "It wasn't anything."

"Well, what did you guys talk about?" Harry asked.

"Us," Hermione answered, looking down.

"What exactly about you?" Harry continued.

"He's... he's my boyfriend now," Hermione said very quietly.

"What?!" Harry, Ron and Hagrid exclaimed.

"He's your boyfriend?" Ron said again. "How did that happen?"

"It doesn't matter how it happened," Hermione said hastily.

"Yes, it matters," Ron said. "Hermione, what if he just hurts you? And Malfoy?! Of all people."

"Yeah, Hermione," Harry said. "What if he does hurt you?"

"Malfoy is a very slimy kid," Hagrid added. "I don't trust him one bit."

"I want this, guys. I want this to happen," Hermione said. "I can't explain why. I just do."

Harry, Ron and Hagrid looked at each other. Harry was the first one to speak.

"Okay, Hermione. If you're sure," Harry said. "But if he does something to you, you will tell us, okay?"

Hermione smiled. "I will." She wrapped her arms around Harry's waist and hugged him tight. Harry hugged her back and kissed her head. Then Hermione hugged Ron.

"You just take care," Ron said. "I'll kill Malfoy if tries something on you."

"Nothing bad will happen. I promise," Hermione assured them.