Disclaimer – How many times do I have to repeat this? I own nothing. Unfortunately, -sigh-, I get almost everything I want (haha) except for HP rights. (If I did own HP rights, you can bet your life on it that I'd be making crazy plots and there would be tons more snogging… That's probably why the movie people probably won't ever invite me to plot for them. Ah well, their loss) Ok, on to A/N.
Author's Notes – I've got the cutest bag! It's just adorable! And it's just so cute! And I've got these gorgeous grungy HP stickers. (I'm almost positive their legal…) Right, anyway, enjoy.
Hermione groaned, throwing her head over her folded arms. She hadn't had a full night's sleep in days, not since the beginning of August, and barely made it through each day. She sighed, then rubbed her bleary eyes. She looked down at her watch, and realized that it was a quarter 'til dinner would be served. She groaned again, and stood up, gathered up her books, and walked out through the doors, ignoring the questioning glances of the librarian. (She had been spending all her free time there, and usually didn't leave until after midnight.)
Outside, she was greeted by Harry and Ron, who threw her accusing looks. They began firing questions at her.
"Have you been studying again?"
"Did Malfoy do anything to you? Because if he did…"
"Shut up, Ron. Hermione, you can't do this to yourself! You've got to at least take a fifteen-minute break, then!"
"Yeah, if you keep this up, you'll be in no shape to take the actual NEWTs! Besides, Harry and I need up with our homework."
Harry jabbed his friend in ribs. Ron yelped and glared at Harry.
Hermione rolled her eyes, took a deep breath, and turned back to face her friends.
"No Harry," she lied, "I've just been doing some light reading."
Ron glanced at her overflowing bag.
"Is that what you consider to be light?"
Hermione rolled her eyes again. "Yes, Ron. It's quite enjoying you know, you should try it. Now come on, I'm starving!"
With that, she moved ahead.
Behind her, she could hear Ron muttering, "If I read as much as her, I'd be starving too." Harry chuckled.
Hermione threw a glare at Ron. "I heard that!"
Ron started whistling nervously and looked away.
Hermione shook her head and laughed.
Same old, same old.
Hermione ate quickly, all the while sneaking glances at Draco, who could be seen entertaining a group of Slytherins. She rolled her eyes and got up. She said a quick goodbye to Harry and Ron and was about to walk out the double doors that lead to the Great Hall when she was stopped by a disheveled Professor McGonagall.
"Miss Granger! Before you go…"
Hermione turned and waited for her huffing professor.
"Yes, Professor?"
Professor McGonagall stopped to catch her breath, still panting, then swallowed and took a deep breath.
"Miss Granger, I need you and Mr. Malfoy to meet me in my office. Please make haste. I expect you to be there within ten minutes."
Then she turned and walked away.
Hermione sighed, then headed towards the Slytherin table, bracing herself for whatever rude comment was thrown at her.
When she got there, she headed straight for Malfoy, ignoring all the glares and scowls she received.
"Malfoy, McGonagall wants to see us in her office."
Pansy Parkinson, or Parkinass, as Harry liked to call her, snickered and yelled, "Hey Mudblood! Trying to seduce my Drakey?"
Hermione rolled her eyes, and went back to talking to Draco.
"She wants to talk to us about something."
Millicent Bulstrode decided to join in with her friend's jeering.
"Yeah, Mudblood! You're mudblood-ness is spreading! Go away before one of us catches it!"
Hermione rolled her eyes again, and was about to continue her prodding when Pansy said, "I'm sure Potty would love to get down your pants tonight! Why don't you go and find out?"
It took all of Hermione's self-control to keep herself from deepening the dent in Pansy's pug-face.
She and Harry had dated for a period of time, and all had gone well, until Harry brought up wanting to have sex. Hermione had told him she wasn't ready, and he had gotten pissed and left. He had apologized later on, but their relationship was never the same, so they decided to end it and go back to being 'just friends'.
Her fists clenched and unclenched at her sides while she fought to control her boiling rage.
"Malfoy, McGonagall wants to see us in her office. Are you coming or not?" she asked through clenched teeth.
Draco continued chewing on his roll, plainly ignoring Hermione. She waited for him to answer. When he finished chewing and swallowed, he replied, "I'll be there." Then he went back to buttering another roll. Hermione practically screamed, but walked away, making sure to flash the Finger at Parkinass and her over-sized friend. Draco saw this gesture and snorted into his stew. The Mudblood really had changed.
Ten minutes later, both Draco and Hermione stood before McGonagall while their Transfiguration professor paced the room. They glanced at each other, then Draco cleared his throat.
"Professor? You wanted to see us?"
Professor McGonagall stopped pacing and turned to face Draco and Hermione.
"Do you recall me telling you about the dances and trips planned earlier today at the meeting?"
Both Draco and Hermione nodded. Where was she
going with this?
"Well, it turns out that there'll be some changes… You've no need to know the cause, just that the dances have all been cancelled, and the special events as well… I trust you two will tell the other Prefects?"
Hermione frowned, confused. She decided to press the professor for details later on.
If Draco was surprised, confused, happy, or sad, he didn't show it. Hermione often wondered how he did it.
"We'll let them know, Professor. But… Will there be anything planned to replace them?"
Professor McGonagall looked up, and her eyes flashed. She had obviously forgotten about that fact.
She hesitated, then replied, "Yes, of course… But we'll discuss that later. For now, just let the others know."
With that, she turned away and continued pacing, muttering quietly to herself. Hermione caught "inconsiderate" and "fuckers". She wondered what had gotten their usually calm and in-control professor so worked up. Apparently, Draco had heard this too, and Hermione saw him holding back laughter.
When she noticed that Hermione and Draco still stood before her, she waved them off with a hand.
"Go on. Thank you both for being prompt. I'll see you in class tomorrow."
Both Hermione and Draco nodded, then exited.
Once outside, Draco turned to Hermione. "Is our study date still on?"
"I wouldn't go as far as to call it a date, Malfoy."
Draco shrugged. "Fine, session, then. Is our study session still on?"
Hermione paused, then said, "Yes. Meet me in the library in an hour. I need time to come up with an excuse to tell Harry and Ron."
Draco almost seemed hurt. Almost.
"Is it that much of a shame to have a study session with me?"
Hermione sighed.
"No, it's not that. Ron would probably think we're doing something more, and try to poison you, and Harry would get all quiet and stop talking to me. I really don't have time for that."
Draco smirked. "What? Don't want to lose precious studying time?"
"Well, yeah."
Draco shook his head, chuckling. Hermione decided she liked his chuckle.
Where had that come from? She decided she liked his chuckle? Maybe she should take those fifteen-minute breaks in-between studying…
"Whatever, Granger. See you in an hour."
He swept past her, and disappeared down the torchlit hallway.
Hermione couldn't help but smile.
For some strange, and somehow wrong, reason, she enjoyed talking to Draco.
If Harry and Ron knew, they'd probably ship her off to St. Mungo's.
Hermione rolled her eyes, and followed after Draco.
Fifty-six minutes, forty-five seconds until her study session with Draco.