Chapter Six- Tuesday Evening
"It all happened so fast!" Hermione remarked to Ginny the next day. Ginny was visiting Hermione's dormitory after dinner and classes, and Hermione was updating Ginny on everything that had happened. At first Ginny had been skeptical that Draco could possibly have a soft side, but was eventually convinced after Hermione had told her the whole story.
"I mean, one day he's my enemy, and the next we're kissing!" Hermione sighed with joy. "I haven't been this happy in a long time," she said, looking over at Ginny and smiling.
Ginny giggled. Hermione's cheerfulness was contagious. "I know how you feel. When Harry asked me out, I was on top of the world."
"I know!" laughed Hermione, throwing a pillow at Ginny. "I had to listen to you moon over him for months!"
"So where is Draco now?" Ginny asked, glancing around Hermione's open door into her and Draco's empty common room.
"It's his first shift out patrolling the halls," Hermione answered. "My first shift is tomorrow night. Hey Ginny, promise me you won't tell Ron or Harry about Draco and me. I just know they wouldn't accept him like you. Promise?" Hermione pleaded.
"But I tell Harry everything!" Ginny protested. "And besides, they're going to find out sooner or later." Hermione gave her a sad, overly-mournful look. Ginny sighed. "Oh fine, but if you don't tell them soon I will," she warned.
Hermione squealed and hugged Ginny, who then glanced at her watch. "Well, it's almost nine o'clock and I still have some homework to do. I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast?"
"Sure," said Hermione as Ginny walked out the unicorn portrait.
Hermione remembered she had her own homework to finish. As she took her quills, parchment, and books out of her bag, she smiled.
"For once, everything is working out this year!" She thought. "Boyfriend, Head Girl, and Ginny isn't going to tell Ron and Harry!" Hermione stopped. Ron and Harry. She hadn't been exactly friendly to them until today, and they were probably wondering what was going on with her and her extreme mood swings. She hadn't yet stopped at the Gryffindor common room to see how they were doing this year.
Hermione looked at her watch. "Just a quick visit with them, then I'll do my homework."
Apparently Ginny had already reached the Gryffindor common room, because Hermione didn't meet her in the halls on the way there. Nor did she meet Draco out patrolling, unfortunately.
Hermione reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, and pulled out a small sheet of paper that Dumbledore had given her. On it were the passwords to all four Houses' common rooms.
"Chocolate Frogs," Hermione said, and the portrait swung open. As she walked into the crowded, noisy common room, a pang of nostalgia hit Hermione. No matter how many times she complained about the noise to Ron and Harry over the past six years, Hermione realized she actually missed these evenings in the common room. She quickly shook off the feeling and searched for Harry and Ron. She found them sitting on two huge armchairs near the fireplace, playing Wizard's Chess. Ginny was sitting on the couch across from them, absorbed in a huge book labeled One Thousand and One Lethal Magical Creatures. Hermione smiled; Ginny reminded her of herself.
"And why aren't you two completing your homework?" Hermione asked Harry and Ron in mock severity. "Ginny here seems to be working hard at her studies."
"We already finished," said Harry, laughing as Ron's knight smashed his pawn.
"Well, you'll be pleased to know I've only done about half of mine," Hermione said ruefully.
"Did you hear that Harry, for once we beat her!" said Ron gleefully. "First time in six years!"
"So how are you guys? Seems like the common room is as crowded as ever," said Hermione, as she glanced around the room. Lavender Brown was doing her very best to ignore Hermione as she chatted with Parvati Patil.
"We're fine," answered Ron. "So Hermione, how is it being Head Girl when Malfoy is Head Boy?"
"Oh!" Hermione glanced worriedly at Ginny, whose head had shot up at the sound of Draco's name. "It's-it's-We just don't really see each other, you know, what with hall patrol and everything," Hermione finished. Ginny looked at her warily before resuming her reading.
"But anyways, Transfiguration was rather hard today, wasn't it?" said Hermione quickly, desperate to change the subject.
"I couldn't believe McGonagall." Ron chattered away happily, but Harry looked from Ginny to Hermione, who were both trying to pay no attention to him. He knew something was up, but figured Hermione would tell him in time.
~*~*~*~*~*~
The four talked for another hour, but when Ginny finally finished her homework Hermione was reminded of her own.
Hermione excused herself and climbed out of the portrait hole. As she walked down the halls, she remembered that Draco's patrolling shift ended at ten o'clock.
"Maybe he'll already be there!" thought Hermione excitedly. She quickened her pace.
"Earthly dragon," she muttered impatiently. The unicorn portrait opened and Hermione stepped inside.
Draco was sitting in an armchair, doing his own homework. He looked up to see Hermione standing in the doorway, smiling. He smiled back and put his homework aside.
"I was wondering where you were," said Draco as Hermione sat on the arm of his chair.
"Ginny was here for a while, then I went to visit Ron and Harry," Hermione answered.
"Oh." Draco's voice had turned cold. "You didn't tell them about us, did you?"
"No, of course not," said Hermione, not mentioning the fact that she had told Ginny. Draco's change of tone was not lost on her. "But Draco, please try to like Harry and Ron, or at least tolerate them. They've been my best friends for six years, and you can't expect me to just drop them."
At Draco's look of supreme annoyance, Hermione pleaded again.
"Please Draco? It would mean so much to me if you would just try."
Draco sighed. The thought of Hermione spending time with any boy (or boys) other than himself made him more jealous than he had ever been in his life.
Draco looked into Hermione's worried eyes, and couldn't help smiling. "I guess I could try," he said reluctantly. He was still staring into Hermione's eyes, and wasn't exactly sure what he had just agreed to.
"Oh thank you Draco, you're the best! I'll try and get Ron and Harry to be nice to you, too." Hermione quickly bent down and kissed Draco on the cheek.
"Now I really have to get to that homework!" said Hermione, standing by the chair while searching the room for her school supplies. "I thought I put them right over there."
"Not so fast, Miss Granger." Draco's tone had turned playful; the kiss on the cheek had quickly changed his mood.
Draco pulled an unsuspecting Hermione down into his lap. She shrieked and giggled, then wrapped her arms around his neck. Draco put one arm around Hermione's waist, and pulled her closer. With his other hand, he reached up and guided Hermione's lips to his for a soft kiss.
These gentle, soft kisses soon turned to passionate ones. Hermione ran her hands through Draco's hair, and Draco pressed his hand into the small of Hermione's back, urging her even closer.
"I believe. my homework. can wait." murmured Hermione breathlessly.
"It all happened so fast!" Hermione remarked to Ginny the next day. Ginny was visiting Hermione's dormitory after dinner and classes, and Hermione was updating Ginny on everything that had happened. At first Ginny had been skeptical that Draco could possibly have a soft side, but was eventually convinced after Hermione had told her the whole story.
"I mean, one day he's my enemy, and the next we're kissing!" Hermione sighed with joy. "I haven't been this happy in a long time," she said, looking over at Ginny and smiling.
Ginny giggled. Hermione's cheerfulness was contagious. "I know how you feel. When Harry asked me out, I was on top of the world."
"I know!" laughed Hermione, throwing a pillow at Ginny. "I had to listen to you moon over him for months!"
"So where is Draco now?" Ginny asked, glancing around Hermione's open door into her and Draco's empty common room.
"It's his first shift out patrolling the halls," Hermione answered. "My first shift is tomorrow night. Hey Ginny, promise me you won't tell Ron or Harry about Draco and me. I just know they wouldn't accept him like you. Promise?" Hermione pleaded.
"But I tell Harry everything!" Ginny protested. "And besides, they're going to find out sooner or later." Hermione gave her a sad, overly-mournful look. Ginny sighed. "Oh fine, but if you don't tell them soon I will," she warned.
Hermione squealed and hugged Ginny, who then glanced at her watch. "Well, it's almost nine o'clock and I still have some homework to do. I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast?"
"Sure," said Hermione as Ginny walked out the unicorn portrait.
Hermione remembered she had her own homework to finish. As she took her quills, parchment, and books out of her bag, she smiled.
"For once, everything is working out this year!" She thought. "Boyfriend, Head Girl, and Ginny isn't going to tell Ron and Harry!" Hermione stopped. Ron and Harry. She hadn't been exactly friendly to them until today, and they were probably wondering what was going on with her and her extreme mood swings. She hadn't yet stopped at the Gryffindor common room to see how they were doing this year.
Hermione looked at her watch. "Just a quick visit with them, then I'll do my homework."
Apparently Ginny had already reached the Gryffindor common room, because Hermione didn't meet her in the halls on the way there. Nor did she meet Draco out patrolling, unfortunately.
Hermione reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, and pulled out a small sheet of paper that Dumbledore had given her. On it were the passwords to all four Houses' common rooms.
"Chocolate Frogs," Hermione said, and the portrait swung open. As she walked into the crowded, noisy common room, a pang of nostalgia hit Hermione. No matter how many times she complained about the noise to Ron and Harry over the past six years, Hermione realized she actually missed these evenings in the common room. She quickly shook off the feeling and searched for Harry and Ron. She found them sitting on two huge armchairs near the fireplace, playing Wizard's Chess. Ginny was sitting on the couch across from them, absorbed in a huge book labeled One Thousand and One Lethal Magical Creatures. Hermione smiled; Ginny reminded her of herself.
"And why aren't you two completing your homework?" Hermione asked Harry and Ron in mock severity. "Ginny here seems to be working hard at her studies."
"We already finished," said Harry, laughing as Ron's knight smashed his pawn.
"Well, you'll be pleased to know I've only done about half of mine," Hermione said ruefully.
"Did you hear that Harry, for once we beat her!" said Ron gleefully. "First time in six years!"
"So how are you guys? Seems like the common room is as crowded as ever," said Hermione, as she glanced around the room. Lavender Brown was doing her very best to ignore Hermione as she chatted with Parvati Patil.
"We're fine," answered Ron. "So Hermione, how is it being Head Girl when Malfoy is Head Boy?"
"Oh!" Hermione glanced worriedly at Ginny, whose head had shot up at the sound of Draco's name. "It's-it's-We just don't really see each other, you know, what with hall patrol and everything," Hermione finished. Ginny looked at her warily before resuming her reading.
"But anyways, Transfiguration was rather hard today, wasn't it?" said Hermione quickly, desperate to change the subject.
"I couldn't believe McGonagall." Ron chattered away happily, but Harry looked from Ginny to Hermione, who were both trying to pay no attention to him. He knew something was up, but figured Hermione would tell him in time.
~*~*~*~*~*~
The four talked for another hour, but when Ginny finally finished her homework Hermione was reminded of her own.
Hermione excused herself and climbed out of the portrait hole. As she walked down the halls, she remembered that Draco's patrolling shift ended at ten o'clock.
"Maybe he'll already be there!" thought Hermione excitedly. She quickened her pace.
"Earthly dragon," she muttered impatiently. The unicorn portrait opened and Hermione stepped inside.
Draco was sitting in an armchair, doing his own homework. He looked up to see Hermione standing in the doorway, smiling. He smiled back and put his homework aside.
"I was wondering where you were," said Draco as Hermione sat on the arm of his chair.
"Ginny was here for a while, then I went to visit Ron and Harry," Hermione answered.
"Oh." Draco's voice had turned cold. "You didn't tell them about us, did you?"
"No, of course not," said Hermione, not mentioning the fact that she had told Ginny. Draco's change of tone was not lost on her. "But Draco, please try to like Harry and Ron, or at least tolerate them. They've been my best friends for six years, and you can't expect me to just drop them."
At Draco's look of supreme annoyance, Hermione pleaded again.
"Please Draco? It would mean so much to me if you would just try."
Draco sighed. The thought of Hermione spending time with any boy (or boys) other than himself made him more jealous than he had ever been in his life.
Draco looked into Hermione's worried eyes, and couldn't help smiling. "I guess I could try," he said reluctantly. He was still staring into Hermione's eyes, and wasn't exactly sure what he had just agreed to.
"Oh thank you Draco, you're the best! I'll try and get Ron and Harry to be nice to you, too." Hermione quickly bent down and kissed Draco on the cheek.
"Now I really have to get to that homework!" said Hermione, standing by the chair while searching the room for her school supplies. "I thought I put them right over there."
"Not so fast, Miss Granger." Draco's tone had turned playful; the kiss on the cheek had quickly changed his mood.
Draco pulled an unsuspecting Hermione down into his lap. She shrieked and giggled, then wrapped her arms around his neck. Draco put one arm around Hermione's waist, and pulled her closer. With his other hand, he reached up and guided Hermione's lips to his for a soft kiss.
These gentle, soft kisses soon turned to passionate ones. Hermione ran her hands through Draco's hair, and Draco pressed his hand into the small of Hermione's back, urging her even closer.
"I believe. my homework. can wait." murmured Hermione breathlessly.