A/N: You all are probably wondering what caused such a delay and I really
do have an excuse. TRACK, well that and an obsessive coach. After spring
break, back in April, we had a series of Invitationals and that lead into
our post season (county, conference, sectionals, regional, state, then
nationals). Fortunately in the track sense we qualified for all of it,
unfortunately, in the fanfiction sense, that left no time for writing. So
this is my excuse filled apology. I will try to get a new chapter out
about every two weeks and maybe at times every week until this story is
finished I think there are going to be five more chapters.
Disclaimer: I lie here wishing upon a star
Where clouds rush by and dreams not far
That I could claim it as my own
Even just the Sorcerer's Stone `-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`- `-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-
Falling Head Over Heels
The Story of Hermione Granger and
her relationship with Draco Malfoy
By: Befuzzled
Chapter Twenty-Seven ~ The Secret of the Necklace
Cause baby I cried a little too hard, a little too long.
What I thought was right was way to wrong and too far gone
I can't bring back the love it just ain't enough
Unshakeable, Impossible, Unsaveable.
~Faith Hill
The group of four soon returned to the castle they called home for the school year after a most enjoyable night. The topic for most of the night had been about the untrusting lady from the boutique by occasionally switched to topics about what they should do next. They were stumped; two dances and a trip were hard enough to plan. They were unsure of where to go from there, perhaps if they were lucky Dumbledore would give them another push in the right direction.
The prefects had all decided that the following day they would take a break from each other and rejoin their houses to prove that they really still did exist as individuals not just as a unit. Hermione walked now to the common room early the next morning, surprised to see Harry and Ron playing Wizard's chess with Gunny leaning over Harry trying to help. Even with the two on one advantage Ron was still managing to beat the duo.
"Good morning, everybody." Hermione interrupted their concentration.
"Oh, hello."
"Good morning."
"I haven't seen you for a while."
"Yeah, sorry about that. We had a lot of finalizations about the trip in the past few weeks."
"So where did you disappear to last night?" Ron asked almost accusingly.
Hermione ignored it, "The headmaster gave us the night off, to explore Paris, since we never really got to enjoy it ourselves. We were jumping back in forth between the two cities all day to make sure nobody needed anything."
"Sounds like fun," Ginny said excitedly. "What did you do?"
"Hannah convinced everybody to go shopping and then we just went out to eat." Hermione took the opportunity to sit on the couch closest to their on going game.
"What did you get?"
"Just an outfit for dinner. Hannah, imagine that, insisted that we had to fit in with all the celebrities that came out at night. There were none that I saw but it was still fun."
"Why didn't you just do the spell you used on everyone yesterday?" asked Harry thinking logically.
"That would have taken the fun away from shopping. Plus it was entertaining to watch Draco and Terry try to find matching pants and shirts not to mention the fact that they didn't have a clue at how to tie a tie." Hermione was on the verge of laughter from the previous evening's affair.
Ginny pointed at her neck, "Did you get that last night?"
"Um, no, I've had this for a little while." Hermione reached up to play with the charm that hung around the multi-colored chain.
Ron's attention was now drawn to it. "When? I've never seen it before."
"The day after Valentine's day."
Harry wasn't as intrigued about the gift but still as the question the brunette was dreading. "Who gave it to you?"
She was half tempted to lie, but everyone was going to have to find out eventually. "Draco," she said quietly, barely above a whisper.
"Who? Did you just say Draco? As in Draco Malfoy?" Ron's face was red with confusion and anger.
Hermione nodded not looking up. She felt guilty, though she had done nothing wrong. But unfortunately when you're one part of the Dream team you don't go making friends with any Slytherin, let alone the one who has been the enemy since you stepped onto the grounds of Hogwarts.
"Why'd he give it to you?" Ginny asked throwing a dirty look to her brother.
"It was just a gift from a friend to another friend. " 'Right before he asked me out,' she added to herself.
"Yeah that's likely. A Malfoy doesn't do anything unless he gets something from it. What's with the hearts?" Ron was really suspicious.
"What Ron? Is it so hard to believe that you and Harry aren't my only friends? Can't I have friends outside of Gryffindor?"
"Of course you can, any Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw of your choosing."
"What's wrong with some Slytherins?" Hermione stood up and Ron followed her motion, completely forgetting the game.
"What's wrong with Slytherin? Do you really have to ask that? They are the epitome of all evil. There wasn't a wizard who had gone bad that wasn't in Slytherin. And we aren't just talking about any Slytherin; we are talking about the model Slytherin. Draco Malfoy was molded to be the prefect Slytherin."
"So are mad because he's a Slytherin or because he's a Malfoy?"
"Both. Don't you get it? You're supposed to be smart, Hermione. Malfoys use any means to get what they want. He's a deatheater-"
"He is not!"
"If he's not yet, he will be. Harry saw his father in the inner circle-"
"Does that mean you're going to work in the muggle department at the ministry just because your father does?"
"That's completely different?"
"How? Just because you're sir name's are different?"
"No, because I wasn't bred to be evil!"
"He's not evil, he's father might be, be he is defiantly not."
"And how would you know?"
"I know, because I actually have sat down and had numerous conversations with him. I know because I've talked with him about his family. I know, because I spent time with him. I know, because I'm going out with him. And if you can't trust my judgment after all of these years, how are we even friends?" It took almost a full minute to sink in.
"Did you day you were going out with him?"
"No, it was a figment of your imagination. Of course I said it." Hermione crossed her arms and sat on the arm of the couch.
"How could you?" he spat.
"What did I do Ronald Weasley? I did something to make myself happy; Draco makes me happy. He doesn't use me for last minute assignments; he doesn't judge me. He's been there when I needed him. Did you know he saved my life? No, you wouldn't, would you? You know almost nothing about what I've done this year. You only think about how I can help you."
"Count on me not asking you for help anymore. I wouldn't know if I could trust you, or count on if your brain is working. This is the stupidest thing you could have possibly done. You didn't even think about how we would be affected, did you?"
"No, Ron, I guess I didn't. I got caught up in a happy moment and forgot to think if the rest of the so called dream team would approve. I guess I just chose to overlook the outcome of my decision. Ron, I have done nothing but think about your reaction over the past week. Why do you think I never told you? If sacrificing my happiness is required to be friends with you then, I'm sorry, but I can't."
"You said it not me. Don't come crying back to us, when this blows up in your face!" Ron stormed out of the common room, presumably going to the great hall or the owlery to vent.
Hermione sank into the couch's depth pushing back tears. Ginny went to sit next to Hermione in an attempt to comfort her. "Ginny how do you live with him? He never thinks anything through; he just acts."
"I don't know Hermione, I really don't know."
"I really messed up didn't I?"
"No. Ron did though. He lost a really good friend."
"Do you think I'm being stupid?"
"No. If you're as happy as you say you are go for it. I can't say that I see all the good you claim to see in Malfoy, but like you pointed out done of us have every actually have had a real conversation with him." Hermione nodded.
"What about you Harry?"
"I'm still kind of confused right now. Did you say he saved your life?"
"Yes," she paused she couldn't tell him of the recent rescue effort but there was that broom incident at the beginning of the year. "Remember the first practice I ran with you guys? I forgot Draco had scheduled a flying lesson right after that."
"Wait! How come you never told us that he actually went through with making you do those?"
"Cause I didn't want Ron to overact. I could just see him getting himself expelled over Malfoy. It wouldn't have been worth it. Anyway, my legs were tired after running, let's face my whole body was tired. I lost my balance and Draco caught me. He said he would and he did. That's when I started to trust him. I wouldn't admit it to anybody but I did."
"I see. Then being forced to spend with him as a prefect escalated the relationship?"
Hermione nodded. Ginny broke in, "Hermione it's nothing to be ashamed of. If I spent that much time with a person, I'm sure I would start to like him to."
Harry tried to lighten the mood with a realization. "Since Ron left and essentially forfeited, does that mean I win?"
The girls just shrugged. "Yes, after six years, I have finally beat Ron. Granted it, it's on default, but a win's a win." They all feel to the ground in a mild fit of laughter. It was rather funny to see the Boy-who- lived get excited about a simple game of chess, and the tension that was high suddenly plummeted to a normal level well he folded himself in his personal joy.
"So how about we go get some breakfast. I'm sure it will be the last peaceful one I'll be able to enjoy before Ron's big mouth spreads rumors around the school." She sounded depressed, again.
"Oh, Hermione it will be alright, you'll see. People will have to understand."
"Ginny I don't care about people. I just want Ron's approval. I don't know why, I guess the last couple of years do mean something to me, anyway, and I want him to trust me."
"He does trust you. He just thought you should be hooking up with somebody else."
"Who's that, Harry?"
"Um, well I'm really not supposed to say. But in light of the new situation, he wanted to hook you up with Gold."
"Paul?"
"Yeah."
"Oh. I'm sorry but we really don't have anything in common. I was just trying not to make him feel guilty about the whole bludger thing. Granted his awful nice and everything, but we're nothing alike."
"Don't get offended, but what could you possibly have in common with Malfoy?"
"Lots, I think."
"Like what?"
"Obvious things first: we're both Prefects, the top students of our year. We both sleep on our stomachs; I asked that's not from experience. We're both Virgos."
Ginny tried to add to the list, "You're both only children."
"Well that's not quite true. But you have to ask Draco about that not me."
"Okay, whatever, that's not likely to happen."
"Oh please you two, try to be civil to him. He has been trying all year, without any encouragement."
"Oh and to think I thought he was just avoiding us."
"No, that was him spending time with me. Haven't you noticed your reduced amount of detentions this year?"
"Well yeah, but I thought Malfoy was required to be decent because of the whole Prefect status."
"When does Draco do something he doesn't want to?"
There was a new voice that answered, "Never." Harry and Ginny stopped dead in their tracks. They had been caught gossiping about the Slytherin prince himself. Should they run or turn around and face him and deny that they said anything at all?
Hermione immediately spun. "Oh, hi, I didn't hear you come up."
"Yeah, it's a skill. So you couldn't keep your mind off of me?"
Hermione laughed, "I wish it were that simple. I got in an argument this morning with Ron about you and let it slip about us; he's not talking to me, I broke off our friendship, and now I am trying to convince Harry and Ginny, that you aren't an evil git."
"Oh, but I am." Harry and Ginny had decided to borrow some of Hermione's faith and face the dragon. Their doubts were already low but he confirmed them.
"That doesn't exactly help."
"You didn't let me finish. I am, when I chose to be, or forced. Hello Weas-Ginny, Harry."
They both nodded, "Draco." All the first names were slow and extended like the different parties were trying to sound out each syllable of the short words for the first time.
"Do you mind if I borrow Hermione for a moment I have to ask her something?"
"No, and why don't you ask her, she is her own person you know."
"I know, and she doesn't let me forget it. We just all made a deal that today would be spent with our houses, so I don't want to interrupt anything."
"Oh, well we were just going to get some breakfast, so it doesn't bother us. We'll see you there Herm."
"Alright." She waved them off before hugging Draco. "That was so sweet. You didn't have to ask them."
"I know, but I have been hogging you all year. Are you okay?"
"Yes, why wouldn't I be?"
"The fight with Weasley. I don't like him but I know he was a good friend of yours."
"Oh, I'll be fine. There's only four months left of the school year, we've gone longer not talking. He'll get used to the idea eventually, or Harry will yell at him until he gets through his thick skull. It's really Harry you have to worry about, he's stuck in the middle."
"You know you can let the defenses down sometimes. It is okay to cry."
"Thanks, but I'll save it for when I can't take it anymore. After a day of dirty looks, that will even surpass the ones you used to give me I'll cry myself to sleep."
"Meet me in the common room at eight, so you don't have to be alone. I after all am the cause for the fight."
"No, its Ron's accusing nature. He's rash and brash and doesn't think about anything. He speaks with his hear not with his head. Sometimes it can be a good thing, but most the time it gets him into trouble. Remember second year? Eat slugs."
Draco laughed and slung an arm around her waist before leading her off to the great hall. "Well I suppose I have to give you back up to the Gryffindors, now."
"Yes, and you get to go have fun making fun of all of us with your Slytherins. Until later." She squeezed his hand and walked though the big wooden doors.
~*~
They prefects waited for several weeks for the headmaster to give them a push in the direction of their next project. No effort was made. The combination of houses chose to lie around their common rooms reading, playing games, where they didn't keep score, and never declared a winner. They themselves tried to think of ideas for a while, but each idea came out ridiculously stupid, and they soon gave up trying.
Hermione was tiring of the happy façade she put on. She was trying to balance out her relationship with Draco while proving to Ron that she was still loyal by spending lots of time with Harry. He still only looked at her with rage and suspicion, across the room while he played games of exploding snaps with Paul Gold. Obviously the two found something in common, hating Draco Malfoy and despising Hermione for getting along with him.
Hermione was to the point of giving up, her pride could only take so much, she had at some point explained to Harry.
It was stressful on him just as well. He was in the middle trying to convince Ron to trust Hermione while not sounding directly on one or another side. He was straddling a barbwire fence and he's legs were tiring. He was just as relieved as Hermione when she said she was giving up. She didn't want Harry to lose his best friend over a silly fight he wasn't involved in.
Draco was great, on the other side of the spectrum. He understood the up and down spouts of depression Hermione was experiencing over the squabble. He wanted to go beat the living daylights out of Ron for making her feel that way, but figured it wouldn't help the situation. He settled on being her pillar. He had figured out each habit, or sigh, that let him know if Hermione wanted to talk about it, sit quietly together, or be left to her own thoughts.
Hermione had finally gotten around to giving him his new nick name: Knight in Shining Armor, her Prince Phillip. He didn't really understand it, but all was well since it led to reading another book together: Sleeping Beauty.
Hannah and Terry learned by watching the two that these were not times to interrupt or comment. It was their time to escape the realities of the harsh world around them. It was their chance to forget about upholding their images and house feuds. It was their time to let their friends slip from their minds and the opportunity to neglect the thoughts that their relationship would probably not last.
How could it? Hannah, Terry, Harry, and Ginny, along with the headmaster were the only ones really willing to accept it. Their own Head of Houses had doubts it ever working out, though they hoped for the best. There were already all these problems and they hadn't even approached the already burning bridge that led to the right hand of Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy.
They weren't going to seek his approval - it would be a frivolous effort. They just had to be sure he wouldn't come in the middle of the night to kill either one of them. Draco had become vague in his letters, he was fine, busy, studying, keeping his grades as high as ever. And the most important part, he was still thinking about becoming a death eater. That kept his father hopeful and both the students hoped it would postpone action until Draco had to the chance hide after graduation. It was working well.
Hermione especially like listening to Draco read the words off the page. It was not unlike a melodic rendition of a singer voicing the lyrics off a sheet. She was mesmerized by his deep, seductive voice and often forgot to listen for the meanings of the words. She instead concentrated on the way his mouth formed every syllable, the way his tongue clicked against the roof of his mouth, and they way his eyes scanned ahead on the page not wanting to interrupt the flowing river of words.
They sat in the same spot every time. On the indigo couch facing the fireplace, Draco inclined comfortably in the corner and Hermione using him as a pillow, leaning he head against his chest. He held the book so she cold look at the words if she so chose, but that rarely ever happened. She took the time to study him, to reconfirm to herself that she had made the right decision.
~*~
"Draco?" Hermione started one afternoon leaning against Draco's chest.
"Yeah?"
"Would you mind terribly much if I didn't stay here for the holiday?"
"Yes, but not as much if you have a good reason." He stated simply, talking more to her hair than to her as a person.
"I do. I have to get something. It's for you."
"Oh? What is it?"
"It's your super, super, super, I-can't-apologize-enough late Valentine's present?"
"So you found it?"
"Essentially. I just have to make sure everything has gone over smoothly before you can see it."
"What are you getting me? A car?"
"No, it's not that, but how do you know about buying a car?"
"Oh you know the whole keep your friends close your enemies closer."
"I see." Hermione reached for her bag. "Speaking of enemies what did you write about for the History of Magic essay?"
"Essay? Which one?"
"The one about the Salem Witch Trials. The muggles were victimized because some witches and wizards were having fun."
"Hey, that's not very fair. The muggles were being nosy."
"Oh come on, being noisy is a gene located in every women why do you think all the supposed 'witches' who were burned were women?"
"Then it serves them right."
"How can you say that? The magical people had the know how to put up wards to keep unwanted people out. Why didn't they do anything to prevent it? They could have at least had the decency to use a memory charm."
"Yes, but if women are as meddlesome as you say, they would have found away around the wards. Or, my people would have been doing charms all day long."
"Your people?"
"Yes, my people, as in wizards and witches." He looked at her. "Oh I didn't mean it like that. You know, you're the smartest witch that I know."
"That's good don't forget. I still don't see how you can find the magic folk not in the wrong. Innocent people were burned because of them."
"Would rather have been burned?"
"Yes. We all know charms to protect us from the flames. It would have been like using stationary floo powder. It couldn't have hurt more than a tickle."
"A tickle you say?"
"Yes." Draco moved his hands around her waist. "Draco? What are you doing?"
He started to tickle her with a passion. "I'm proving my point." He managed to find every painfully irritable spot. A wide smirk, of accomplishment spread across his face.
"Okay, stop, stop. Draco!"
"Say that I'm right!"
"No, never." Hermione was now finding it hard to breathe through all the laughter.
"Then what do I get when I stop?"
"Nothing." He kept tickling her.
"Try again."
"My gratitude?" He stopped suddenly.
"I can work with that." They were both breathing rather heavily from all the laughter which was slowly dying out. "So are you going to change your essay? I believe I proved my point."
"You proved your point half way but I still have my own points to prove. I doubt Professor Binns even reads the essays; I never get any marks on mine, not even a grade."
"You're probably the only one. I always get marks across mine. Do you always have to be perfect?"
"I'm not. No body can be perfect. I just approach school like you approach Quidditch, you put as much heart and effort into it as you can."
"I can see that." They relaxed for a bit more. "So when is break?"
"Not for another two weeks."
"Good, that's perfect."
"Perfect for what?"
"Snogging."
"Draco Malfoy. I can't believe I heard that come out of your mouth. That's appalling; I won't have any part of it."
"Come on Mina, calm down, you know I was just kidding." He entwined his hands with hers. "We only can snog for half the time; we still have classes, after all."
Hermione let out a groan. "What am I going to do with you?"
~*~
Hermione was in the Gryffindor common room, double checking that she had all her stuff for the two week holiday. Harry came up behind her with an angry Crookshanks. "I thought you might like to say good bye to him before you left."
"Oh thank you Harry." She took the cat from his arms, he purred quietly. " I haven't seen him in ages."
"I found him with Malfoy's cat. Lucifer or something?"
"Lucy."
"Yeah. Whatever."
Hermione gingerly put the cat down and he ran to the portrait hole, waiting for someone to open it for him. "Thank you Harry. You and Ginny have been great these past few weeks." Hermione gave him a hug.
"What are friends for?"
"I don't know, but you guys are perfect." She looked around nervously. "Have you seen Ron anywhere? I wanted to give him something."
"I think I saw him up in the dormitories." Hermione sighed. "Oh go on, Hermione, I think he's the only one up there. I'll go up with you to check before you go in."
"That would be great." She went into her bag and pulled out a rather thick envelope before following her friends up the stairs.
"Ron? Are you in here?" Harry called, pushing open the door.
"Right here mate," he said pulling back the coverings of his bed. His happy toned changed when he saw Hermione. "What's she doing here?"
"She wanted to talk to you. So listen, okay? She's trying maybe you should too." He turned to Hermione and dropped his voice a level. "I'll wait right outside the door." She nodded silently and turned to Ron.
"I know you really don't want to see me right now. I've been thinking about what you've said, over the past weeks, and I see your point and you do deserve and explanation." Ron gave a small 'hmph' that claimed he knew he was right all along. "I know you won't want to hear it from me directly, and I refuse to put Harry in the middle, again. So I wrote this out." She put a large sheaf of papers on the edge of his bed. He looked at it like it was poison, or an extremely ugly rat. "I'm going home for break, so you don't have to worry about giving me all those dirty looks. I think you could use the break. I wouldn't want your face to stick like that."
Hermione stopped she didn't know if she should just walk out, or give him a hug, or just say good bye. Before she could decide her feet propelled her forward, but she stopped. "Just say that you'll read it."
He stared blankly at her. "Oh well, then I'll see you after the holidays." She walked out without another word from either of them. She said her happy good byes to Harry and Draco and left on the train to finalize Draco's gift so to speak.
`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`- `-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-
Okay this was really easy to write, except for the part where I lost five pages of it and had to rewrite it. Oh well, kind of a little fluffy and I know I skipped a few months in there but I didn't want this to drag too much.
I'll try to post as soon as I can.
Disclaimer: I lie here wishing upon a star
Where clouds rush by and dreams not far
That I could claim it as my own
Even just the Sorcerer's Stone `-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`- `-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-
Falling Head Over Heels
The Story of Hermione Granger and
her relationship with Draco Malfoy
By: Befuzzled
Chapter Twenty-Seven ~ The Secret of the Necklace
Cause baby I cried a little too hard, a little too long.
What I thought was right was way to wrong and too far gone
I can't bring back the love it just ain't enough
Unshakeable, Impossible, Unsaveable.
~Faith Hill
The group of four soon returned to the castle they called home for the school year after a most enjoyable night. The topic for most of the night had been about the untrusting lady from the boutique by occasionally switched to topics about what they should do next. They were stumped; two dances and a trip were hard enough to plan. They were unsure of where to go from there, perhaps if they were lucky Dumbledore would give them another push in the right direction.
The prefects had all decided that the following day they would take a break from each other and rejoin their houses to prove that they really still did exist as individuals not just as a unit. Hermione walked now to the common room early the next morning, surprised to see Harry and Ron playing Wizard's chess with Gunny leaning over Harry trying to help. Even with the two on one advantage Ron was still managing to beat the duo.
"Good morning, everybody." Hermione interrupted their concentration.
"Oh, hello."
"Good morning."
"I haven't seen you for a while."
"Yeah, sorry about that. We had a lot of finalizations about the trip in the past few weeks."
"So where did you disappear to last night?" Ron asked almost accusingly.
Hermione ignored it, "The headmaster gave us the night off, to explore Paris, since we never really got to enjoy it ourselves. We were jumping back in forth between the two cities all day to make sure nobody needed anything."
"Sounds like fun," Ginny said excitedly. "What did you do?"
"Hannah convinced everybody to go shopping and then we just went out to eat." Hermione took the opportunity to sit on the couch closest to their on going game.
"What did you get?"
"Just an outfit for dinner. Hannah, imagine that, insisted that we had to fit in with all the celebrities that came out at night. There were none that I saw but it was still fun."
"Why didn't you just do the spell you used on everyone yesterday?" asked Harry thinking logically.
"That would have taken the fun away from shopping. Plus it was entertaining to watch Draco and Terry try to find matching pants and shirts not to mention the fact that they didn't have a clue at how to tie a tie." Hermione was on the verge of laughter from the previous evening's affair.
Ginny pointed at her neck, "Did you get that last night?"
"Um, no, I've had this for a little while." Hermione reached up to play with the charm that hung around the multi-colored chain.
Ron's attention was now drawn to it. "When? I've never seen it before."
"The day after Valentine's day."
Harry wasn't as intrigued about the gift but still as the question the brunette was dreading. "Who gave it to you?"
She was half tempted to lie, but everyone was going to have to find out eventually. "Draco," she said quietly, barely above a whisper.
"Who? Did you just say Draco? As in Draco Malfoy?" Ron's face was red with confusion and anger.
Hermione nodded not looking up. She felt guilty, though she had done nothing wrong. But unfortunately when you're one part of the Dream team you don't go making friends with any Slytherin, let alone the one who has been the enemy since you stepped onto the grounds of Hogwarts.
"Why'd he give it to you?" Ginny asked throwing a dirty look to her brother.
"It was just a gift from a friend to another friend. " 'Right before he asked me out,' she added to herself.
"Yeah that's likely. A Malfoy doesn't do anything unless he gets something from it. What's with the hearts?" Ron was really suspicious.
"What Ron? Is it so hard to believe that you and Harry aren't my only friends? Can't I have friends outside of Gryffindor?"
"Of course you can, any Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw of your choosing."
"What's wrong with some Slytherins?" Hermione stood up and Ron followed her motion, completely forgetting the game.
"What's wrong with Slytherin? Do you really have to ask that? They are the epitome of all evil. There wasn't a wizard who had gone bad that wasn't in Slytherin. And we aren't just talking about any Slytherin; we are talking about the model Slytherin. Draco Malfoy was molded to be the prefect Slytherin."
"So are mad because he's a Slytherin or because he's a Malfoy?"
"Both. Don't you get it? You're supposed to be smart, Hermione. Malfoys use any means to get what they want. He's a deatheater-"
"He is not!"
"If he's not yet, he will be. Harry saw his father in the inner circle-"
"Does that mean you're going to work in the muggle department at the ministry just because your father does?"
"That's completely different?"
"How? Just because you're sir name's are different?"
"No, because I wasn't bred to be evil!"
"He's not evil, he's father might be, be he is defiantly not."
"And how would you know?"
"I know, because I actually have sat down and had numerous conversations with him. I know because I've talked with him about his family. I know, because I spent time with him. I know, because I'm going out with him. And if you can't trust my judgment after all of these years, how are we even friends?" It took almost a full minute to sink in.
"Did you day you were going out with him?"
"No, it was a figment of your imagination. Of course I said it." Hermione crossed her arms and sat on the arm of the couch.
"How could you?" he spat.
"What did I do Ronald Weasley? I did something to make myself happy; Draco makes me happy. He doesn't use me for last minute assignments; he doesn't judge me. He's been there when I needed him. Did you know he saved my life? No, you wouldn't, would you? You know almost nothing about what I've done this year. You only think about how I can help you."
"Count on me not asking you for help anymore. I wouldn't know if I could trust you, or count on if your brain is working. This is the stupidest thing you could have possibly done. You didn't even think about how we would be affected, did you?"
"No, Ron, I guess I didn't. I got caught up in a happy moment and forgot to think if the rest of the so called dream team would approve. I guess I just chose to overlook the outcome of my decision. Ron, I have done nothing but think about your reaction over the past week. Why do you think I never told you? If sacrificing my happiness is required to be friends with you then, I'm sorry, but I can't."
"You said it not me. Don't come crying back to us, when this blows up in your face!" Ron stormed out of the common room, presumably going to the great hall or the owlery to vent.
Hermione sank into the couch's depth pushing back tears. Ginny went to sit next to Hermione in an attempt to comfort her. "Ginny how do you live with him? He never thinks anything through; he just acts."
"I don't know Hermione, I really don't know."
"I really messed up didn't I?"
"No. Ron did though. He lost a really good friend."
"Do you think I'm being stupid?"
"No. If you're as happy as you say you are go for it. I can't say that I see all the good you claim to see in Malfoy, but like you pointed out done of us have every actually have had a real conversation with him." Hermione nodded.
"What about you Harry?"
"I'm still kind of confused right now. Did you say he saved your life?"
"Yes," she paused she couldn't tell him of the recent rescue effort but there was that broom incident at the beginning of the year. "Remember the first practice I ran with you guys? I forgot Draco had scheduled a flying lesson right after that."
"Wait! How come you never told us that he actually went through with making you do those?"
"Cause I didn't want Ron to overact. I could just see him getting himself expelled over Malfoy. It wouldn't have been worth it. Anyway, my legs were tired after running, let's face my whole body was tired. I lost my balance and Draco caught me. He said he would and he did. That's when I started to trust him. I wouldn't admit it to anybody but I did."
"I see. Then being forced to spend with him as a prefect escalated the relationship?"
Hermione nodded. Ginny broke in, "Hermione it's nothing to be ashamed of. If I spent that much time with a person, I'm sure I would start to like him to."
Harry tried to lighten the mood with a realization. "Since Ron left and essentially forfeited, does that mean I win?"
The girls just shrugged. "Yes, after six years, I have finally beat Ron. Granted it, it's on default, but a win's a win." They all feel to the ground in a mild fit of laughter. It was rather funny to see the Boy-who- lived get excited about a simple game of chess, and the tension that was high suddenly plummeted to a normal level well he folded himself in his personal joy.
"So how about we go get some breakfast. I'm sure it will be the last peaceful one I'll be able to enjoy before Ron's big mouth spreads rumors around the school." She sounded depressed, again.
"Oh, Hermione it will be alright, you'll see. People will have to understand."
"Ginny I don't care about people. I just want Ron's approval. I don't know why, I guess the last couple of years do mean something to me, anyway, and I want him to trust me."
"He does trust you. He just thought you should be hooking up with somebody else."
"Who's that, Harry?"
"Um, well I'm really not supposed to say. But in light of the new situation, he wanted to hook you up with Gold."
"Paul?"
"Yeah."
"Oh. I'm sorry but we really don't have anything in common. I was just trying not to make him feel guilty about the whole bludger thing. Granted his awful nice and everything, but we're nothing alike."
"Don't get offended, but what could you possibly have in common with Malfoy?"
"Lots, I think."
"Like what?"
"Obvious things first: we're both Prefects, the top students of our year. We both sleep on our stomachs; I asked that's not from experience. We're both Virgos."
Ginny tried to add to the list, "You're both only children."
"Well that's not quite true. But you have to ask Draco about that not me."
"Okay, whatever, that's not likely to happen."
"Oh please you two, try to be civil to him. He has been trying all year, without any encouragement."
"Oh and to think I thought he was just avoiding us."
"No, that was him spending time with me. Haven't you noticed your reduced amount of detentions this year?"
"Well yeah, but I thought Malfoy was required to be decent because of the whole Prefect status."
"When does Draco do something he doesn't want to?"
There was a new voice that answered, "Never." Harry and Ginny stopped dead in their tracks. They had been caught gossiping about the Slytherin prince himself. Should they run or turn around and face him and deny that they said anything at all?
Hermione immediately spun. "Oh, hi, I didn't hear you come up."
"Yeah, it's a skill. So you couldn't keep your mind off of me?"
Hermione laughed, "I wish it were that simple. I got in an argument this morning with Ron about you and let it slip about us; he's not talking to me, I broke off our friendship, and now I am trying to convince Harry and Ginny, that you aren't an evil git."
"Oh, but I am." Harry and Ginny had decided to borrow some of Hermione's faith and face the dragon. Their doubts were already low but he confirmed them.
"That doesn't exactly help."
"You didn't let me finish. I am, when I chose to be, or forced. Hello Weas-Ginny, Harry."
They both nodded, "Draco." All the first names were slow and extended like the different parties were trying to sound out each syllable of the short words for the first time.
"Do you mind if I borrow Hermione for a moment I have to ask her something?"
"No, and why don't you ask her, she is her own person you know."
"I know, and she doesn't let me forget it. We just all made a deal that today would be spent with our houses, so I don't want to interrupt anything."
"Oh, well we were just going to get some breakfast, so it doesn't bother us. We'll see you there Herm."
"Alright." She waved them off before hugging Draco. "That was so sweet. You didn't have to ask them."
"I know, but I have been hogging you all year. Are you okay?"
"Yes, why wouldn't I be?"
"The fight with Weasley. I don't like him but I know he was a good friend of yours."
"Oh, I'll be fine. There's only four months left of the school year, we've gone longer not talking. He'll get used to the idea eventually, or Harry will yell at him until he gets through his thick skull. It's really Harry you have to worry about, he's stuck in the middle."
"You know you can let the defenses down sometimes. It is okay to cry."
"Thanks, but I'll save it for when I can't take it anymore. After a day of dirty looks, that will even surpass the ones you used to give me I'll cry myself to sleep."
"Meet me in the common room at eight, so you don't have to be alone. I after all am the cause for the fight."
"No, its Ron's accusing nature. He's rash and brash and doesn't think about anything. He speaks with his hear not with his head. Sometimes it can be a good thing, but most the time it gets him into trouble. Remember second year? Eat slugs."
Draco laughed and slung an arm around her waist before leading her off to the great hall. "Well I suppose I have to give you back up to the Gryffindors, now."
"Yes, and you get to go have fun making fun of all of us with your Slytherins. Until later." She squeezed his hand and walked though the big wooden doors.
~*~
They prefects waited for several weeks for the headmaster to give them a push in the direction of their next project. No effort was made. The combination of houses chose to lie around their common rooms reading, playing games, where they didn't keep score, and never declared a winner. They themselves tried to think of ideas for a while, but each idea came out ridiculously stupid, and they soon gave up trying.
Hermione was tiring of the happy façade she put on. She was trying to balance out her relationship with Draco while proving to Ron that she was still loyal by spending lots of time with Harry. He still only looked at her with rage and suspicion, across the room while he played games of exploding snaps with Paul Gold. Obviously the two found something in common, hating Draco Malfoy and despising Hermione for getting along with him.
Hermione was to the point of giving up, her pride could only take so much, she had at some point explained to Harry.
It was stressful on him just as well. He was in the middle trying to convince Ron to trust Hermione while not sounding directly on one or another side. He was straddling a barbwire fence and he's legs were tiring. He was just as relieved as Hermione when she said she was giving up. She didn't want Harry to lose his best friend over a silly fight he wasn't involved in.
Draco was great, on the other side of the spectrum. He understood the up and down spouts of depression Hermione was experiencing over the squabble. He wanted to go beat the living daylights out of Ron for making her feel that way, but figured it wouldn't help the situation. He settled on being her pillar. He had figured out each habit, or sigh, that let him know if Hermione wanted to talk about it, sit quietly together, or be left to her own thoughts.
Hermione had finally gotten around to giving him his new nick name: Knight in Shining Armor, her Prince Phillip. He didn't really understand it, but all was well since it led to reading another book together: Sleeping Beauty.
Hannah and Terry learned by watching the two that these were not times to interrupt or comment. It was their time to escape the realities of the harsh world around them. It was their chance to forget about upholding their images and house feuds. It was their time to let their friends slip from their minds and the opportunity to neglect the thoughts that their relationship would probably not last.
How could it? Hannah, Terry, Harry, and Ginny, along with the headmaster were the only ones really willing to accept it. Their own Head of Houses had doubts it ever working out, though they hoped for the best. There were already all these problems and they hadn't even approached the already burning bridge that led to the right hand of Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy.
They weren't going to seek his approval - it would be a frivolous effort. They just had to be sure he wouldn't come in the middle of the night to kill either one of them. Draco had become vague in his letters, he was fine, busy, studying, keeping his grades as high as ever. And the most important part, he was still thinking about becoming a death eater. That kept his father hopeful and both the students hoped it would postpone action until Draco had to the chance hide after graduation. It was working well.
Hermione especially like listening to Draco read the words off the page. It was not unlike a melodic rendition of a singer voicing the lyrics off a sheet. She was mesmerized by his deep, seductive voice and often forgot to listen for the meanings of the words. She instead concentrated on the way his mouth formed every syllable, the way his tongue clicked against the roof of his mouth, and they way his eyes scanned ahead on the page not wanting to interrupt the flowing river of words.
They sat in the same spot every time. On the indigo couch facing the fireplace, Draco inclined comfortably in the corner and Hermione using him as a pillow, leaning he head against his chest. He held the book so she cold look at the words if she so chose, but that rarely ever happened. She took the time to study him, to reconfirm to herself that she had made the right decision.
~*~
"Draco?" Hermione started one afternoon leaning against Draco's chest.
"Yeah?"
"Would you mind terribly much if I didn't stay here for the holiday?"
"Yes, but not as much if you have a good reason." He stated simply, talking more to her hair than to her as a person.
"I do. I have to get something. It's for you."
"Oh? What is it?"
"It's your super, super, super, I-can't-apologize-enough late Valentine's present?"
"So you found it?"
"Essentially. I just have to make sure everything has gone over smoothly before you can see it."
"What are you getting me? A car?"
"No, it's not that, but how do you know about buying a car?"
"Oh you know the whole keep your friends close your enemies closer."
"I see." Hermione reached for her bag. "Speaking of enemies what did you write about for the History of Magic essay?"
"Essay? Which one?"
"The one about the Salem Witch Trials. The muggles were victimized because some witches and wizards were having fun."
"Hey, that's not very fair. The muggles were being nosy."
"Oh come on, being noisy is a gene located in every women why do you think all the supposed 'witches' who were burned were women?"
"Then it serves them right."
"How can you say that? The magical people had the know how to put up wards to keep unwanted people out. Why didn't they do anything to prevent it? They could have at least had the decency to use a memory charm."
"Yes, but if women are as meddlesome as you say, they would have found away around the wards. Or, my people would have been doing charms all day long."
"Your people?"
"Yes, my people, as in wizards and witches." He looked at her. "Oh I didn't mean it like that. You know, you're the smartest witch that I know."
"That's good don't forget. I still don't see how you can find the magic folk not in the wrong. Innocent people were burned because of them."
"Would rather have been burned?"
"Yes. We all know charms to protect us from the flames. It would have been like using stationary floo powder. It couldn't have hurt more than a tickle."
"A tickle you say?"
"Yes." Draco moved his hands around her waist. "Draco? What are you doing?"
He started to tickle her with a passion. "I'm proving my point." He managed to find every painfully irritable spot. A wide smirk, of accomplishment spread across his face.
"Okay, stop, stop. Draco!"
"Say that I'm right!"
"No, never." Hermione was now finding it hard to breathe through all the laughter.
"Then what do I get when I stop?"
"Nothing." He kept tickling her.
"Try again."
"My gratitude?" He stopped suddenly.
"I can work with that." They were both breathing rather heavily from all the laughter which was slowly dying out. "So are you going to change your essay? I believe I proved my point."
"You proved your point half way but I still have my own points to prove. I doubt Professor Binns even reads the essays; I never get any marks on mine, not even a grade."
"You're probably the only one. I always get marks across mine. Do you always have to be perfect?"
"I'm not. No body can be perfect. I just approach school like you approach Quidditch, you put as much heart and effort into it as you can."
"I can see that." They relaxed for a bit more. "So when is break?"
"Not for another two weeks."
"Good, that's perfect."
"Perfect for what?"
"Snogging."
"Draco Malfoy. I can't believe I heard that come out of your mouth. That's appalling; I won't have any part of it."
"Come on Mina, calm down, you know I was just kidding." He entwined his hands with hers. "We only can snog for half the time; we still have classes, after all."
Hermione let out a groan. "What am I going to do with you?"
~*~
Hermione was in the Gryffindor common room, double checking that she had all her stuff for the two week holiday. Harry came up behind her with an angry Crookshanks. "I thought you might like to say good bye to him before you left."
"Oh thank you Harry." She took the cat from his arms, he purred quietly. " I haven't seen him in ages."
"I found him with Malfoy's cat. Lucifer or something?"
"Lucy."
"Yeah. Whatever."
Hermione gingerly put the cat down and he ran to the portrait hole, waiting for someone to open it for him. "Thank you Harry. You and Ginny have been great these past few weeks." Hermione gave him a hug.
"What are friends for?"
"I don't know, but you guys are perfect." She looked around nervously. "Have you seen Ron anywhere? I wanted to give him something."
"I think I saw him up in the dormitories." Hermione sighed. "Oh go on, Hermione, I think he's the only one up there. I'll go up with you to check before you go in."
"That would be great." She went into her bag and pulled out a rather thick envelope before following her friends up the stairs.
"Ron? Are you in here?" Harry called, pushing open the door.
"Right here mate," he said pulling back the coverings of his bed. His happy toned changed when he saw Hermione. "What's she doing here?"
"She wanted to talk to you. So listen, okay? She's trying maybe you should too." He turned to Hermione and dropped his voice a level. "I'll wait right outside the door." She nodded silently and turned to Ron.
"I know you really don't want to see me right now. I've been thinking about what you've said, over the past weeks, and I see your point and you do deserve and explanation." Ron gave a small 'hmph' that claimed he knew he was right all along. "I know you won't want to hear it from me directly, and I refuse to put Harry in the middle, again. So I wrote this out." She put a large sheaf of papers on the edge of his bed. He looked at it like it was poison, or an extremely ugly rat. "I'm going home for break, so you don't have to worry about giving me all those dirty looks. I think you could use the break. I wouldn't want your face to stick like that."
Hermione stopped she didn't know if she should just walk out, or give him a hug, or just say good bye. Before she could decide her feet propelled her forward, but she stopped. "Just say that you'll read it."
He stared blankly at her. "Oh well, then I'll see you after the holidays." She walked out without another word from either of them. She said her happy good byes to Harry and Draco and left on the train to finalize Draco's gift so to speak.
`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`- `-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-
Okay this was really easy to write, except for the part where I lost five pages of it and had to rewrite it. Oh well, kind of a little fluffy and I know I skipped a few months in there but I didn't want this to drag too much.
I'll try to post as soon as I can.
