A/N: As you all can see, this chappie is long!!! Yay for that! LOL.
So… still no-one has said anything about the Christmas thing… oh well, lets see what's gonna happen... :)
DISCLAIMER: You know the thing guys. I don't own them… blah, blah, blah…
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CHAPTER IX – Ouch!
Weeks passed. People seemed to be happy that Christmas was almost here. Everybody else, but Ginny. She was worried about the ball and that she had to go with Neville. Hermione felt miserable because of her. Ginny's complaints made Hermione angrier and several times she had snapped at Ron and Harry for no good reasons. Hermione also was little bit angry because no-one had asked her to the dance. She didn't admit it though. But if she didn't anyone, she would go alone.
Hermione had noticed that Draco was, much to her surprise, little nicer towards her. Just LITTLE. He could actually act civil when they talked about things. But obviously Draco was only able to be nice to her when no-one else was around. He still was the same annoying prat towards her if she tried to make a conversation in public. And though he was sometimes acting civil, he still insulted her. She still was a mudblood to him.
When they talked, they usually talked about some little things, like Quidditch. Hermione had tried to ask Draco something about books but it just made him yawn. She didn't take the yawning as an insult though.
Draco was obviously very enthusiastic about the coming Quidditch match. He had made a long conversation about it one evening. Draco was very determent to make the Slytherin team win. Hermione wasn't interested in the match though. It would be just Slytherin against Ravenclaw.
"ahh, there you are Miss Granger!" Dumbledore said happily when they bumped into each other one day.
"professor Dumbledore."
"could you try to find Mr Malfoy and then both come to my office?" Dumbledore asked.
"of course professor", Hermione smiled to him.
She knew Draco was killing time in their common room so she went there.
"Malfoy!" She screamed at the portrait hole.
"what?!"
"we have to go see professor Dumbledore", Hermione said as he walked towards her.
"what is it? Detention again?" he mumbled.
Hermione didn't answer. He never really made it sound like it was a question. They walked along the corridors in silence. Soon they reached the gargoyle which was an entering to Dumbledore's office.
"umm. Granger… how are we supposed to get in?" Draco asked carefully.
"er… I dunno…", Hermione answered trying to find out how the gargoyle would let them in.
"I don't know the password…"
Suddenly the gargoyle moved. It revealed stairs.
"but- but- but we didn't do anything", Draco said in amaze.
"I guess Dumbledore has some cameras out here so he knows when people are trying to enter his office", Hermione thought out loud and they stepped to the moving stairs.
"cameras?" Draco asked.
"umm. Yeah the little things", Hermione munbled quickly. "But it's not important. Forget it."
They walked up an opened the door to the office.
"Mr Malfoy, Miss Granger… sit down", Dumbledore gestured politely.
Draco and Hermione sat down in front of Dumbledore's desk.
"I wanted to see you two because I need to talk to you about the ball", Dumbledore said a twinkle in his eye.
Hermione glanced at Draco.
"umm. Is everything ok?" Hermione asked bit worried.
"no, no", Dumbledore laughed, "everything is fine. I was just wondering if you two already have partners to the dance."
"I don't have yet", Hermione said.
"you Mr Malfoy?"
"no", Draco mumbled.
"good! Then you could go together, as Heads!" Dumbledore announced happily clapping his hands together.
"no!" Draco and Hermione yelled in unison.
Dumbledore's smile fainted.
"are you sure? It would be fun"
"no, it wouldn't!" Draco protested, "I'm not going with that mudbl –" He trailed off.
"with who, Mr Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked very seriously.
"with… Granger", Draco said and glared at Hermione.
"professor", Hermione started carefully, "I agree with him. I don't think it's good to go with him."
"but why on earth, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked sadly.
"because…" Hermione thought what to say.
She wanted to tell Dumbledore what kind of moron and terrible git Draco was but she didn't. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow and waited her answer.
"because we hate each other", Draco finished Hermione's sentence.
That was true but Hermione wasn't sure if that was something you can say to Dumbledore. Instead of adding anything, she just nodded in agreement.
"oh", Dumbledore said and sighed.
"I guess I can't force you two go together but if you change your mind then…" Dumbledore smiled.
"don't worry. We won't", Draco muttered.
That day there was going to be a Quidditch match. Hermione knew that Draco was playing, and thought that maybe she could go and have a long nice bath when he was away. Then she remembered the embarrassing incident and decided not to have any baths, ever.
When Draco had left to the Quidditch match, Hermione sat down on the couch and opened an interesting book she probably had read many times before. Suddenly she heard a knock on the portrait.
"stop hitting my stomach!" Hermione heard a cry.
Hermione ran to the portrait and opened it. She saw Ginny who was blushing.
"Ginny?"
"hi. Er.. I thought I'd come here and visit you when Draco's not around"
"she hit my stomach!" The mermaid on the painting yelled.
"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings", Ginny said blushing.
"hmph!"
Hermione snickered.
"I will let you in if you don't go to Malfoy's room again. Ok?"
"ok", Ginny nodded.
"and Malfoy mustn't know about this. Remember last time?" Hermione said.
"yeah", Ginny nodded again.
Hermione let Ginny in and they sat on the couch.
"wow! This common room hasn't changed at all!" Ginny announced.
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"so you didn't go to the Quidditch match then?" Ginny asked.
"nope. I have better things to do", Hermione said and pointed the bookshelf.
Ginny giggled.
They talked and talked. Many times they giggled when Ginny told Hermione silly stories about Ron. Like what he had done when he was little. Few times Ginny had mentioned something about Neville but didn't say much. She knew Hermione hated that subject.
Soon Ginny left leaving Hermione alone with the books. Even though all the books on the bookshelf were very tempting, she got easily bored. And she hated to admit it, but she kind of missed Draco. Or actually she missed his annoying way to make her jump over the edge. She couldn't describe that feeling. She hated him when he was around but also hated the moments when he wasn't around.
"damn I miss that slick-haired git", she muttered and laughed.
She walked circles almost making a hole to the floor thinking what she should do next.
"boring, boring, boring, boring…" She sang.
Suddenly the portrait swung open. Hermione saw two Slytherin team players enter to the room. They were helping Draco to walk.
"what happened?!" Hermione asked as the Slytherins walked to the nearest couch.
Draco was pale and looked like he was about to throw up. He was obviously hurting very bad.
"a bludger hit him", the other Slytherin said.
"where to?" Hermione asked.
The two Slytherins burst into laughter.
"shut…up!" Draco exclaimed between his breathes.
"what? Where did it hit you? To the stomach?" Hermione got bit worried.
The two Slytherin boys laughed now even harder.
"the bludger hit him to his genitals!" they laughed.
"shut up!" Draco screamed.
Hermione blushed.
"oh…"
The two boys laid Draco on the couch. The other one had an ice bag and he gave it to Draco. Draco put it on his… well… on his middle section.
"aah!" he let out a deep sigh.
Hermione started to snicker.
"what are you snickering? Do you think this is funny?" Draco asked grumpily.
"you just look so… vulnerable"
"shut up" he said half-glaring at her.
"you have said that now like three times"
"what ever."
"well, if you don't need us here Draco, we'd better get going", the boys said.
"yeah, yeah", Draco muttered.
"why didn't they take you to the hospital wing?" Hermione asked when the boys were out of the common room.
"I didn't want to go."
"why?" Hermione asked.
"quit asking stupid questions, Granger! Can't you see I'm hurting!?" Draco snapped.
"do you need any help?" Hermione asked carefully and sat next to him.
"no", he said and closed his eyes in pain.
There was a silence between them. Hermione watched him, feeling sorry for him. In a way it was funny though… She snickered so soundlessly that Draco didn't hear her.
"maybe you should stop playing Quidditch", Hermione muttered.
"what? No way!" Draco exclaimed.
"well, if you're going to continue playing this way, you won't be able to have kids when you turn twenty", Hermione said quietly.
"who cares?" Draco asked.
Hermione didn't answer. He was obviously very stubborn. It wasn't her business anyway. Hermione noticed that Draco changed his hands, which held the ice bag, more often. His hands were freezing and he couldn't hold the bag long.
"let me", Hermione said and grabbed the bag.
"no! Get your hands off it!" Draco yelled.
'must be embarrassing', Hermione thought.
"your hands are freezing. Let me!" Hermione claimed.
She accidentally hit him somewhere near his… umm… genitals because next thing she knew he was crying in pain.
"oh, sorry", Hermione said trying to think what to do to make him feel better.
"just go away!" Draco exclaimed.
Hermione thought it was the best thing to do, and left. On a half-way to her room she stopped and looked Draco.
"at least we're now even…" She said to him.
"what?!" Draco snapped.
"you didn't give me my towel, you git", Hermione pouted.
"you're crazy, Granger, you know that", Draco said lazily.
"thanks", Hermione laughed and left him there suffering.
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A/N: phew! Here it is again. I hope you people liked it. I sure did ;) Did you find any mistakes? Hehe… Next one coming soon!!! :P
Thanks to my reviewers:
Daystar428 – I liked that chapter too! LOL! I know. It would be sooooo embarrassing! :O I think I would die! ;)
Totaloser – LOL. Thanks for reviewing!
Meg – I knew someone was going to ask the bubble thing! :) You see, she has her muggle ways ;) like she had a bubble bath bottle with her, so she didn't need magic. Thanks for reviewing!
AAAAAA – nice name ;) I will! :D thanks for reviewing!
I love you guys! You are so honest! Thanks for that :)
~Angel Innocent~
