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Hermione woke up the next morning to find a letter awaiting her on her brown desk. Through her half-awake eyes she glanced through it paying absolutely no attention, whatsoever to what she was reading. Hermione finally woke up when she read through the three words, Draco Malfoy, Charms, and lessons. Damn it! I forgot the charms tutoring sessions start tonight! Why must I spend an hour of my studying time helping him? For Merlin's sake this is making matters worse not better! Hermione sighed and ripped the letter into thousands of pieces before throwing it into the trash. A knock suddenly startled Hermione. Not comprehending that someone was actually at the door Hermione stood their stunned. What's wrong with me? I'm getting worked up over a dumb one-hour session with the pureblood- King Slytherin. I mean this weekend... Hermione's heart pumped faster …I HAD to talk with him. Their was no one else besides Dra-Malfoy. Hermione was shocked at her last comment. Did I just say I, book worm Hermione Granger, would rather talk to Dr-Malfoy then study notes? I'm not like that for Merlin's Sake! Well anyways who could study with him always there? I... Hermione snapped back to reality when she heard a pounding on the door and her friends' worried voice, "Hermione are you in there?" Hermione sighed full of relief. For some odd reason she thought Draco would be outside wanting to come in. Damn! Hermione muttered under her breath. Hermione you are not on first term bases with Malfoy anymore! And…he wouldn't be in the same room from you for bloody sake! This isn't the weekend anymore! It's time to snap back to reality and realize that... Hermione once again was interrupted by the knocking. "COME IN!" Hermione yelled frustrated.
Ginny entered the room and studied Hermione. "For Merlin's sake Hermione, what the bloody hell is going on? First you don't say hi to me when you get back and now you blow up at me for no apparent reason. I thought we were friends…"
"No Ginny I'm so sorry I just have a lot on my mind. I didn't mean to…of course we are friends!" Hermione said trying to calm down. After all Ginny had no idea what was going through her brain that moment.
"Then tell me something," Ginny said so seriously Hermione started to think it was about a certain pureblood wizard who's name just happened to be Draco Malfoy.
"Er…what?" Hermione said muttering stay calm to herself.
"What in bloody hell is going on with you and Malfoy?" Ginny said studying Hermione's face more.
"Nothing is happening between us," Hermione replied calmly. There, staying calm, good job. Now to change this subject…
"Then what is Malfoy's owl doing on your windowsill!" Ginny said pointing to Malfoys owl. "And there is an 'us' now?"
Hermione stared at the window and opened it finding that Ginny was correct. Malfoy's owl was in her room now carrying a letter. "Its. None. Of. Your. Bloody. Business," Hermione said while trying to snatch the letter. Ginny was too quick for Hermione though. She snatched the letter and read it. Then, she threw it to Hermione saying, "Explain that!"
Hermione,
I know that we discussed this in New York about you know…but I think we still need to talk. See you after meals for Charms.
D.M.
"Oh Ginny, how can I explain it?" Hermione sighed. "I can hardly make sense of it myself."
"How about you start off with the romantic time you seemed to have in New York," Ginny suggested, sitting besides Hermione, who was now on her bed.
Hermione told Ginny the entire story about her, Draco, Henry, Robert and everything. She concluded with how hard they were trying to ignore each other but the Charms tutoring sessions were beginning tonight.
"Oh Hermione! Go for it! He is so hot!" Ginny squealed getting all excited.
Hermione was stunned. Ginny wasn't mad. "I knew you would understand!"
"Of course I would but Mione how are you going to tell…Ron…and Harry?"
Hermione's stomach churned. "Er…"
Ron stormed into the room. Hermione let out a quick scream and Ginny looked helplessly at Hermione. Ginny decided to go with the flow and pretend Ron hadn't heard anything neither one of them just said. She knew also that Hermione would catch on and continue to play along. "Ron, hi," Ginny replied.
Ron spoke, his tone was very serious, "I heard the whole thing."
"Ron I…I was going to tell you…but…Ron….I…I can explain…it" Hermione panicked.
"Hermione, how could you believe that he actually changed? His father is, LUCIUS MALFOY! He is in Voldemort's inner circle Mione! He is a Death Eater!" Ron tried to stay calm replaying the story Hermione told Ginny before. "And Ginny, how dare you…you should tell Hermione the mistake she is making instead of going all Lavender Brown on me here! At the mention of Lavender Ron's face went slightly pink.
"Ron…,"Hermione looked helplessly at Ginny who was stunned at how upset her brother was. "Look, I swear he changed, I saw a completely different side to him that's normally covered with his smirks. I know it sounds weird but it's true! And wait…how can you judge him by his father? Harry is nothing like the Dursleys! You…you…you don't even know him!" At this point tears started to stream down Hermione's face.
"No Hermione, I do know him. He is the arrogant prat who made our lives miserable the past years at Hogwarts, he is the perfect pureblood who calls you mudblood, he is the no good…"
"RON WEASLEY!" Ginny screamed. "I'm sick of you yelling at Hermione and not letting her speak. Just stuff it and listen!"
Ron ignoring Ginny completely was unconvinced still and continued to speak, "Hermione do you know why you didn't tell us? It's because Malfoy probably asked you not to when you two were snoging. He is using you for something! He is manipulating you and he already schemed you to help him…"
"RON," Ginny tried to interrupt seeing the upset face of her friend, Hermione but Ron kept blabbing on like a stubborn mule. Ginny finally slapped her brother in the face.
Hermione who was listening to her friends argue for her sake for the past few minutes decided it was time to talk with Ron, alone. She turned to Ginny and politely told her to leave and then turned to Ron. Helplessly she admitted, "Maybe…your right okay? Maybe I did screw up. But, maybe I'm right. And…maybe he is nothing like Lucius. We will never know if we don't give him a chance will he?" Hermione saw Ron open his mouth to protest so she quickly continued, "Ron, we always said that everyone should give people chances. What would happen if Dumbledore never gave Hagrid a chance? We would never have him as a friend, would we?"
Ron gave up. "Be careful Hermione and if you er want you maybe should stay away from him now that you two are back." Hermione nodded and smiled. She nocked Ron over giving him a tight hug. "Thanks for trying to understand."
"I don't but you are the most brilliant wizard I know and I guess I can trust your judgment." Hermione now was hugging Ron even tighter and his ears were bright pink matched his pink face. "Hermione …. I … cant … breathe," Ron said.
"Sorry, Ron but thanks and…" Hermione started but somehow Ron already knew what she was going to say.
"I wont tell Harry don't worry," Ron replied.
"Oh…"Hermione started but once again was interrupted by Ron giving his advice.
"But I think you should."
*****
Pansy knew what was going on. After all she wasn't blind. Her Dracy-poo fell for the mudblood. "Its social suicide," she thought. Pansy knew what was going on. It was obvious. Last night when he slipped. Pansy smiled. At that point she was just assuming that it was true- the pureblood and mudblood were in love. Then, she realized she was 100% correct. She saw him write a letter to her! She saw with her own two eyes, his owl deliver it to Hermione Granger. Hermione Granger… what does she have that I don't? She totally doesn't have my looks just the brains… Well Drakey has been avoiding me also after that weekend. Pansy then knew what she had to do. Pansy at first thought she should send a letter to Lucius Malfoy, this way he would be proud of her as well as her parents, who would hear about how she saved Draco from the awful dirty mudblood, but Draco, her Draco, would be once again free to fall in love with- her. Then she decided it wasn't only about making Draco become 'free' again but making the horrible mudblood which suffer too. That was- of course when it hit her. Pansy sat down at a common room desk and took out her 'lucky quill'. Then, she began to write, "Mixing of the houses- a romance gossip" by your number one reporter: Pansy Parkinson.
*****
Nighttime seemed to come a lot faster than Hermione hoped. At the Great Hall she knew Ron was kind of ignoring her. She wasn't surprised and admitted to herself that she expected him to be more upset.
Draco meanwhile couldn't stop staring at Hermione wondering why she wouldn't even take a glance in his direction. Then again Draco, why would she look at you when she has her friends to keep her occupied? Draco immediately remembered that letter he wrote this morning. Draco realized it helped him take out his anger when he wrote things down. A slight bit of panic ran through him. I burned that letter didn't I? Draco ran up to the common room relived not to find the letter anywhere. Calmly, he walked back through the halls to the Great Hall to finish his meal before his dumb tutoring sessions with Hermi-Granger. Damn! Draco cursed. Your not on fist term bases with the – Draco didn't have the heart to call her mudblood. Your turning soft, a voice inside him told him. Draco just sighed and decided to try and listen to Pansy who was blabbing away about the latest robes she got from England.
Hermione glanced at the time and pushed her plate away. "Charms…" Hermione started but Ron said," Tutoring Malfoy – good luck Mione." Hermione knew it must have been hard for Ron not to blow up –again. She smiled and said joking- to Ron, "Be careful of what?"
Ron gave her a look and Hermione said quietly, "I'm joking."
Harry just looked at both of them getting the feeling that they were hiding something from him. Harry knew not to ask Hermione. She seemed in good spirits to him and didn't want to bring up anything that would make her upset. Harry also knew that he would get it of Ron sooner or later.
Hermione headed into the room in which Dumbledore gave her permission to use for their sessions. It was that same room they used in fifth year for their DA meeting (Dumbledore's Army- Book 5). Hermione walked into the room which was set up perfectly. Their was a big brown desk with quills parchment on top. There was the two seats by the desk and the huge bookcase of books, each one having to do with Charms. Amazed Hermione started to browse through the books considering she was 15 minutes early. In a few moments, Hermione saw a couch, a red comfy couch, in the corner. Hermione knew that that this room was for the purpose of whoever needed it. Everything in it would be something they would need. Then what was the couch doing their when they had desks and chairs? Hermione didn't want to know. If everything had a purpose then that meant this session would be more than a study session.
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A/N- Okay chapter 12 is done! Next chapter is basically the tutoring session and maybe Pansy's newsletter should come out? Hmmm. Please review! Almost 300! Okay I know 260 isn't close but one can dream right? Anyways I love my current reviewers! You all rock! Can't wait to hear what you think and your lovely suggestions!