Hm… I don't like this chapter at all…But Hermione has to be annoyed with him, so read it and move on.
Chapter Eleven – AvoidanceThe next morning, Hermione got up extra early and made sure she looked perfect for Draco. She sighed as she looked into the mirror of her vanity desk, her thoughts of him had turned into dreams of him, and she never knew love could take you so quickly. She stared at herself in the mirror, wondering when she became so obsessed with her looks, but then shook her head, whatever it took for Draco to like her.
Humming to herself, she entered the common room, there was still an hour until breakfast, so she had plenty of time to finish her homework.
About ten minutes later, Draco came slamming into the room in his usual morning attire, his underwear. Hermione shook her head and smiled.
"Morning Draco," but Draco just slammed into the bathroom without even acknowledging her. This hurt Hermione a bit but she bit back the pain, "he's never been a morning person, when he comes out of the bathroom he will be a totally different person."
But when Draco came out of the bathroom, he was even worse.
"Morning Draco," Hermione smiled at him, "Did you sleep well?" But to this question she got no answer, not even a nod. Draco didn't even look at her as went into his own room, dressed, and then left. "Draco, breakfast isn't for half an hour!" Hermione called, but Draco had left.
"Huh," Placing her quill on the table, she picked up the blue liquid that she had made the night before. "What's up with him?"
***
Hermione tried to catch Draco's eye all through breakfast, but he didn't even look her way, he looked as if he was having an intimate conversation with Blaise Zambini. She left for Care of Magical Creatures totally crushed.
This year, the Gryffindors had Care of Magical Creatures with Ravenclaw, which was a gift to them, as all other six years had been with the Slytherin, but it meant Hermione would have to wait until that evening to talk to Draco.
Not wanting to join the celebrations of a no-slytherin class, Hermione slumped against the wall of Hagrid's hut and sighed.
"Cheer up, it's Friday tomorrow," said a joking Irish voice. She looked up and saw Seamus standing in front of her. "What's the matter?"
"Nothing." Hermione mumbled, wanting him to go away.
"Is it them four?" Seamus sat down next to her and pointed at her old friends. The boys were doing there impression of the time when Draco was turned into a ferret, nearly three years ago. None of them looked her way.
"No," she said truthfully. In fact, she hadn't thought about them since yesterday lunch, she had been so wrapped up in her thoughts of Draco.
"Is it Malfoy? Has he been being ….a slytherin at you?" Seamus looked at her seriously.
"Well, sort of…" Hermione conceded.
"Do you want me and Dean to beat him up for you?" Seamus' eyes twinkled and Hermione laughed.
"No, no, it's not that serious, it's just…."
"a lover's tiff?" Seamus looked at the ground.
"No, me and Draco aren't an item." Hermione replied. 'yet.' She added mentally.
"Then why worry about him." Hermione nodded and smiled. Seamus got to his feet and held out his hand to help her up. "Do you want to be my partner? I heard we've got a big project this year for our NEWTs. I could use someone of your intellectual level to assist me."
"Sure." It was true, Seamus had progressed a lot since fourth year, he was a serious contender for Head Boy. Hermione grinned, and Seamus jokingly put his arm around her shoulders, as they joined the group that was gathering around Hagrid.
***
Draco wandered into the common room that evening, looking around to see if Hermione was there, but she wasn't. Breathing a sigh of relief, he flopped on the sofa and shut his eyes. He had been avoiding her all day, and it was killing him. All lunch and break he had hidden in the slytherin common room with Blaise, but he can't hide there forever, there was a much bigger risk in seeing Pansy.
"Draco, is that you?" Hermione came out of her room and Draco cursed under his breath. No avoiding her now.
"Yeah, it's me." He sat up and smiled at her, and mentally kicked himself for doing it, because she looked even more beautiful as she smiled back.
"Where have you been all day?" She flopped down next to him and he breathed in her scent as she did so.
"No where." He sighed, trying to resist the urge to do anything stupid.
"Come on, you just, stopped existing?" Hermione smiled at him again and cocked her head to one side.
"No, I just, haven't been anywhere."
"Really? Oh and here's me thinking you were avoiding me." She stretched out her arms and yawned. Draco coughed and stood up. "What's the matter, Draco?" Hermione stood also and walked closer to him, looking straight into his eyes.
"Nothing," he staggered backwards, half of him screaming 'kiss her you fool!' another part of him forcing him away.
"Oh," Hermione flopped back onto the sofa and hunched her knees. She looked so utterly depressed that Draco flopped down next to her again. Her hair fell down over her face, and he reached up and tucked it behind her ear. It was silky under his touch, and sent tingles down his fingers. He shifted a little further away from her on the sofa, and pretended to be examining the arm of it.
"Draco, tell me what's wrong." Hermione shifted closer to him, until they were almost touching. Draco sprang from the sofa again.
"Look I told you, nothing. Leave me alone" He snapped, she stood and glared at him.
"Fine. There is something wrong, and if you don't want to tell me, then we aren't as good friends as I thought we were so I will leave you alone, goodbye." She stormed off into her bedroom, leaving him kicking himself.
