(Aw, come on, you guys are ruining the fun! Don't ask questions! Then I make myself confused... and you know you don't really want me to answer and blow the gaff, eh?
dreamingmaggie - A word or two, if you don't mind. I used the word 'loved' because, to my knowledge (which is pretty profound, seeing as I'm writing the damn story) he loves her. And they thought of each other as Granger and Malfoy until only the last couple chapters, because they're starting to, for the most part, accept their feelings. It's unconscious, what they're doing, and this plays into the story in a bit. And, to the best of my recollection, McGonagall DID, indeed, give them points off AND detention for 'disturbing the peace'. So I have no idea what you're talking about there.
Also, sorry if my updates come a day or so later than usual. I've been getting in trouble for being on the computer too much (no such thing!) and I actually managed to go to bed before midnight last night. Shocker there.)
Scrubbing desks with Crabbe and Goyle was not by far a fun task. It was much more fun to just sit back and watch them bumble around, knocking over buckets and desks.
Harry and Ron sat on the other side of the room, talking.
Well, Harry was talking.
"Ron, do you remember the other morning?" he asked his red-haired friend, who was staring off into space. Harry poked his side.
"Ron?"
Ron jumped. He looked at Harry.
"What was that for?"
"I was asking you if you remembered when Hermione gave Malfoy the potion, there's something not quite right about it" Harry repeated impatiently.
Ron was already looking dreamy. "Yeah, she's excellent, eh, mate?"
Harry stared at him.
Ron blinked, then blushed. "Carlee. She's the best... good kisser, too...."
Harry sighed, exasperated.
"I'm sure it was nothing, Harry," Ron said, going back to cleaning his desk.
Harry shook his head, still bothered.
"Doesn't it seem odd to you, though?"
Ron shrugged, daydreaming once again. Harry continued anyway.
"I mean, potions usually take time to have their effect, right? Malfoy's hair started changing the instant the potion touched his lips,"
Ron grinned. "That was brilliant,"
Harry glared at him.
"That's not the point.. although it was rather cool," he admitted to himself before getting back on track. "The point is, it couldn't have been the potion that did that,"
Ron shrugged again.
"So?"
Harry frowned at his rag.
"So... if that's not it... what was the potion for?"
--
Giselda Hawhee crouched in the bushes, looking for her cat. Stupid little thing. Always running after the girl cats. But she loved him, so it was okay.
She was poking her head around a bush when she caught the silhouette of two people by the lake. She decided to take a closer look.
Trying to be as noiseless as possible, she crept around until she could see the outline of their faces. She would recognize that hair anywhere, shimmering softly in the moonlight. And the other person.... was.... aha!
She squinted a little, unsure of what she was seeing. They were too close together to be talking... what in the world were the two of them doing outside so late, alone, so close together... realization slowly dawned on Giselda. Her jaw dropped.
This wasn't possible. It couldn't be happening. She blinked and peered a little closer. They moved apart and she was sure.
Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy?
A twig snapped and she jumped. She looked around and saw Pud padding towards her. She shook her head at him, alarmed.
He mewed.
Frantic, Giselda scooped him up and crawled back under the bushes. She couldn't wait to tell everyone about this.
--
Hermione jumped. She looked around.
"Was that a cat?"
She turned back to Draco and all thoughts of nocturnal prowling felines prowled their way out of her mind.
For a moment the two just stood in silence, looking at each other. Hermione knew her face was flushed but she didn't care. Her head still held traces of fuzzy, floating feeling she'd had earlier, but she mentally shook those out. She needed to concentrate.
She watched him warily for any reaction, shoving her own emotions in the back of her mind. She'd deal with those later.
After a few minutes, Hermione was about to give up. Draco hadn't said a word, just standing there looking at her. She opened her mouth to say something. He finally spoke.
"So,"
And that was it. Hermione blinked a few times.
"So."
After a few more minutes she'd decided it was getting ridiculous. Just as she opened her mouth to speak again, he cut her off (again).
"What was that?"
Before she could think of a suitable answer, he continued.
"Why did you ask me here? ......... Why did you kiss me?"
Hermione felt the blood rise to her face. She couldn't answer that. She couldn't answer any of those. What was she supposed to say, 'Hi, I mixed an illegal love potion and decided to test it on you because I'm a lonely jealous nut case'? Yeah, that'd work real good.
She played the defensive.
"Why did you come?" she demanded. "Why did you kiss me back?"
That seemed to get him. He stood silent, his face slowly but surely turning a deeper shade of the pink that was already there. Hermione felt a chill go down her spine.
It had worked.
Somewhere in the distance an owl hooted, and brought them both to their senses. Hermione looked at the ground.
"We should...go back," she whispered before turning towards Hogwarts.
Thinking of something, she turned back.
"I almost forgot..." she pointed her wand at Draco's head and muttered something under her breath before spinning and taking off to the school.
--
Alarmed, he reached up to touch his head. Not feeling any odd growths, he shook his hand to rid himself of the annoying sparklers. He was amazed to see that there weren't any. His hair was back to normal.
Draco stared after her.
This was getting to be a familiar pattern.
Ah, well.
It's not like the view was bad.
--
When she got back to Gryffindor Tower, Harry and Ron weren't back yet. She considered staying up and waiting for them, but decided against it. She was tired, and she wouldn't be able to act normal around them, anyway.
She trotted up to her bed and silently slip under the covers.
She had a feeling she'd have sweet dreams that night.
--
The next morning Harry and Hermione walked down to breakfast alone, Ron having gone and met Carlee so they could walk together. Hermione, still in good spirits after last night, found this extremely amusing.
"It's cute!" she insisted to a disgusted Harry as they watched Ron trot around the corner ahead of them. "He really fancies her,"
Harry shook his head. "He spends all his free time with her, probably snogging, and then he comes back so he can share every detail with us - especially the snogging," he added, repulsed. Hermione laughed.
"Excuse me, I seem to remember you being very hung up over a certain raven- haired Ravenclaw yourself, Harry," she teased. Harry turned red. Hermione laughed again.
"Exactly,"
"Well what about you?" Harry asked changing the subject.
Hermione's heart sped up. 'Draco,' she thought wildly. Then she pushed the thought aside. There's no way he could know about that.
"What are you going on about?" she asked with mock annoyance.
"Krum," Harry stated calmly.
Hermione spluttered. "That wasn't...that was only.. nothing... it was just..." she blushed furiously. "That wasn't anything. Besides, we're not... together anymore, as you know,"
Harry grimaced. "Yeah, yeah..."
They joked around with each other all the way downstairs, but they stopped outside an empty classroom about halfway to the Great Hall.
They could hear muted noises coming from inside. Obviously, it was not so empty.
Harry grinned at Hermione wickedly. "Probably somebody snogging,"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "You are so immature," she sighed. But, really, she was as curious as he was as to whom was in there. He opened the door a crack and peered in. He turned to Hermione, eyes wide.
"Look in there!"
"Really, Harry, if it's all the same, I'd rather not... honestly, haven't you heard of privacy..."
Harry cut her off. He was trying not to laugh.
"It's Ron!"
--
Draco woke up early, but he didn't move to get ready. He stared at his ceiling, listening to his dorm mates wake up around him. He listened to them get ready, joke around, and leave.
"Draco?"
It was Crabbe...or Goyle... one of them. Draco ignored it. After a couple seconds he heard them both crashing down the stairs. They wouldn't wait too long to go to a meal.
He sat up and sighed, putting his face in his hands.
It wasn't so much that he fancied ...Hermione.... he was still in shock from last night. He couldn't believe that had happened.
He started laughing. He was on the verge of hysteria. None of this made sense.
He started getting ready, shaking his head. Maybe it was a dream.... he knew he'd feel a lot better if he had imagined it all.
He walked down to the Great Hall slowly. He wasn't really hungry. But he had to make an appearance. They'd start to suspect something was wrong if he didn't.
He sighed. What he did for his image.
--
Hermione and Harry watched Ron and Carlee make out for a whole 15 seconds before they burst out laughing. The pair sprang apart, looking around guiltily. When Ron looked over at the two of them, he turned bright pink. This caused more laughter between Harry and Hermione.
It took them about five minutes to calm down enough to talk. Ron was glaring at them, bright red, and Carlee was staring nervously at her feet, fidgeting with the hem of her robes.
She was slim, almost mouse like. She looked even shorter next to Ron's gangly frame. Her red-auburn hair fell to just past her shoulders, framing delicate features and dreamer's eyes, cloudy green framed by long lashes. At first glance you'd think she was shy, probably a pushover. That was a common misconception. Carlee was, in fact, a very animated person. She spoke loudly and clearly, surprising people who first met her. She had wild opinions and you'd have to be prepared if you were going to get into an argument with her about one of them
All in all, they thought she fit very nicely with Ron.
Hermione struggled to keep a straight face.
"We're very sorry for interrupting you," she said politely. Harry snorted. Hermione nudged him in the ribs.
"But...um... we should be getting to breakfast now," she looked meaningfully at Ron before towing Harry out of the room by the elbow. Ron appeared by their side a few moments later, and Carlee scurried past them.
Harry and Hermione were careful not to look at Ron, in case they started laughing again. He was still pretty pink.
"You know very well neither of you is sorry," he grumbled as they walked.
"Harry made me," Hermione pointed out.
Harry pretended to be offended. "Me? Invade someone's privacy like that?"
Hermione rolled her eyes, smiling.
"We're happy for you, Ron, really," she said after a minute of comfortable silence. Harry nodded. Ron just mumbled something.
As they entered the Great Hall, for the second time they became aware of a hushed silence followed by whispers.
Harry rolled his eyes.
"Malfoy spread another rumour?"
Hermione wasn't so sure, though....
She kept hearing her name.
--
Just as Draco was about to walk into the Great Hall, Pansy burst out.
"Draco!" she exclaimed, surprised.
He looked at her sourly. "What?"
"I was just going to look for you!"
"Really? That's nice. Well, you found me. 'Bye," He started to walk in.
Pansy grabbed his arm.
"I really don't think you want to go in there," she warned him.
He looked at her hand in disgust. "I think I do," he sneered, jerking his arm out of her grip and walking in.
He caught her saying something that sounded eerily like "Your funeral,"
-/-
(Whew. Sorry. I'm on curfew now, and since I usually write my chapter at night... :d Ain't gonna go so well. And about all the Carlee stuff.... it's nice to have something a little extra, eh? And I'm doing it for my friend, so don't yell at me. You know you all wanted to see Ron snog. I love that word. Can't use it enough. Snog.
Anyway.
I kind of get distracted by sub-plots and...yeah..... but I will finish this story, I swear on.... the Dog That Ate My Sandwich. Yes. That's it.)
dreamingmaggie - A word or two, if you don't mind. I used the word 'loved' because, to my knowledge (which is pretty profound, seeing as I'm writing the damn story) he loves her. And they thought of each other as Granger and Malfoy until only the last couple chapters, because they're starting to, for the most part, accept their feelings. It's unconscious, what they're doing, and this plays into the story in a bit. And, to the best of my recollection, McGonagall DID, indeed, give them points off AND detention for 'disturbing the peace'. So I have no idea what you're talking about there.
Also, sorry if my updates come a day or so later than usual. I've been getting in trouble for being on the computer too much (no such thing!) and I actually managed to go to bed before midnight last night. Shocker there.)
Scrubbing desks with Crabbe and Goyle was not by far a fun task. It was much more fun to just sit back and watch them bumble around, knocking over buckets and desks.
Harry and Ron sat on the other side of the room, talking.
Well, Harry was talking.
"Ron, do you remember the other morning?" he asked his red-haired friend, who was staring off into space. Harry poked his side.
"Ron?"
Ron jumped. He looked at Harry.
"What was that for?"
"I was asking you if you remembered when Hermione gave Malfoy the potion, there's something not quite right about it" Harry repeated impatiently.
Ron was already looking dreamy. "Yeah, she's excellent, eh, mate?"
Harry stared at him.
Ron blinked, then blushed. "Carlee. She's the best... good kisser, too...."
Harry sighed, exasperated.
"I'm sure it was nothing, Harry," Ron said, going back to cleaning his desk.
Harry shook his head, still bothered.
"Doesn't it seem odd to you, though?"
Ron shrugged, daydreaming once again. Harry continued anyway.
"I mean, potions usually take time to have their effect, right? Malfoy's hair started changing the instant the potion touched his lips,"
Ron grinned. "That was brilliant,"
Harry glared at him.
"That's not the point.. although it was rather cool," he admitted to himself before getting back on track. "The point is, it couldn't have been the potion that did that,"
Ron shrugged again.
"So?"
Harry frowned at his rag.
"So... if that's not it... what was the potion for?"
--
Giselda Hawhee crouched in the bushes, looking for her cat. Stupid little thing. Always running after the girl cats. But she loved him, so it was okay.
She was poking her head around a bush when she caught the silhouette of two people by the lake. She decided to take a closer look.
Trying to be as noiseless as possible, she crept around until she could see the outline of their faces. She would recognize that hair anywhere, shimmering softly in the moonlight. And the other person.... was.... aha!
She squinted a little, unsure of what she was seeing. They were too close together to be talking... what in the world were the two of them doing outside so late, alone, so close together... realization slowly dawned on Giselda. Her jaw dropped.
This wasn't possible. It couldn't be happening. She blinked and peered a little closer. They moved apart and she was sure.
Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy?
A twig snapped and she jumped. She looked around and saw Pud padding towards her. She shook her head at him, alarmed.
He mewed.
Frantic, Giselda scooped him up and crawled back under the bushes. She couldn't wait to tell everyone about this.
--
Hermione jumped. She looked around.
"Was that a cat?"
She turned back to Draco and all thoughts of nocturnal prowling felines prowled their way out of her mind.
For a moment the two just stood in silence, looking at each other. Hermione knew her face was flushed but she didn't care. Her head still held traces of fuzzy, floating feeling she'd had earlier, but she mentally shook those out. She needed to concentrate.
She watched him warily for any reaction, shoving her own emotions in the back of her mind. She'd deal with those later.
After a few minutes, Hermione was about to give up. Draco hadn't said a word, just standing there looking at her. She opened her mouth to say something. He finally spoke.
"So,"
And that was it. Hermione blinked a few times.
"So."
After a few more minutes she'd decided it was getting ridiculous. Just as she opened her mouth to speak again, he cut her off (again).
"What was that?"
Before she could think of a suitable answer, he continued.
"Why did you ask me here? ......... Why did you kiss me?"
Hermione felt the blood rise to her face. She couldn't answer that. She couldn't answer any of those. What was she supposed to say, 'Hi, I mixed an illegal love potion and decided to test it on you because I'm a lonely jealous nut case'? Yeah, that'd work real good.
She played the defensive.
"Why did you come?" she demanded. "Why did you kiss me back?"
That seemed to get him. He stood silent, his face slowly but surely turning a deeper shade of the pink that was already there. Hermione felt a chill go down her spine.
It had worked.
Somewhere in the distance an owl hooted, and brought them both to their senses. Hermione looked at the ground.
"We should...go back," she whispered before turning towards Hogwarts.
Thinking of something, she turned back.
"I almost forgot..." she pointed her wand at Draco's head and muttered something under her breath before spinning and taking off to the school.
--
Alarmed, he reached up to touch his head. Not feeling any odd growths, he shook his hand to rid himself of the annoying sparklers. He was amazed to see that there weren't any. His hair was back to normal.
Draco stared after her.
This was getting to be a familiar pattern.
Ah, well.
It's not like the view was bad.
--
When she got back to Gryffindor Tower, Harry and Ron weren't back yet. She considered staying up and waiting for them, but decided against it. She was tired, and she wouldn't be able to act normal around them, anyway.
She trotted up to her bed and silently slip under the covers.
She had a feeling she'd have sweet dreams that night.
--
The next morning Harry and Hermione walked down to breakfast alone, Ron having gone and met Carlee so they could walk together. Hermione, still in good spirits after last night, found this extremely amusing.
"It's cute!" she insisted to a disgusted Harry as they watched Ron trot around the corner ahead of them. "He really fancies her,"
Harry shook his head. "He spends all his free time with her, probably snogging, and then he comes back so he can share every detail with us - especially the snogging," he added, repulsed. Hermione laughed.
"Excuse me, I seem to remember you being very hung up over a certain raven- haired Ravenclaw yourself, Harry," she teased. Harry turned red. Hermione laughed again.
"Exactly,"
"Well what about you?" Harry asked changing the subject.
Hermione's heart sped up. 'Draco,' she thought wildly. Then she pushed the thought aside. There's no way he could know about that.
"What are you going on about?" she asked with mock annoyance.
"Krum," Harry stated calmly.
Hermione spluttered. "That wasn't...that was only.. nothing... it was just..." she blushed furiously. "That wasn't anything. Besides, we're not... together anymore, as you know,"
Harry grimaced. "Yeah, yeah..."
They joked around with each other all the way downstairs, but they stopped outside an empty classroom about halfway to the Great Hall.
They could hear muted noises coming from inside. Obviously, it was not so empty.
Harry grinned at Hermione wickedly. "Probably somebody snogging,"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "You are so immature," she sighed. But, really, she was as curious as he was as to whom was in there. He opened the door a crack and peered in. He turned to Hermione, eyes wide.
"Look in there!"
"Really, Harry, if it's all the same, I'd rather not... honestly, haven't you heard of privacy..."
Harry cut her off. He was trying not to laugh.
"It's Ron!"
--
Draco woke up early, but he didn't move to get ready. He stared at his ceiling, listening to his dorm mates wake up around him. He listened to them get ready, joke around, and leave.
"Draco?"
It was Crabbe...or Goyle... one of them. Draco ignored it. After a couple seconds he heard them both crashing down the stairs. They wouldn't wait too long to go to a meal.
He sat up and sighed, putting his face in his hands.
It wasn't so much that he fancied ...Hermione.... he was still in shock from last night. He couldn't believe that had happened.
He started laughing. He was on the verge of hysteria. None of this made sense.
He started getting ready, shaking his head. Maybe it was a dream.... he knew he'd feel a lot better if he had imagined it all.
He walked down to the Great Hall slowly. He wasn't really hungry. But he had to make an appearance. They'd start to suspect something was wrong if he didn't.
He sighed. What he did for his image.
--
Hermione and Harry watched Ron and Carlee make out for a whole 15 seconds before they burst out laughing. The pair sprang apart, looking around guiltily. When Ron looked over at the two of them, he turned bright pink. This caused more laughter between Harry and Hermione.
It took them about five minutes to calm down enough to talk. Ron was glaring at them, bright red, and Carlee was staring nervously at her feet, fidgeting with the hem of her robes.
She was slim, almost mouse like. She looked even shorter next to Ron's gangly frame. Her red-auburn hair fell to just past her shoulders, framing delicate features and dreamer's eyes, cloudy green framed by long lashes. At first glance you'd think she was shy, probably a pushover. That was a common misconception. Carlee was, in fact, a very animated person. She spoke loudly and clearly, surprising people who first met her. She had wild opinions and you'd have to be prepared if you were going to get into an argument with her about one of them
All in all, they thought she fit very nicely with Ron.
Hermione struggled to keep a straight face.
"We're very sorry for interrupting you," she said politely. Harry snorted. Hermione nudged him in the ribs.
"But...um... we should be getting to breakfast now," she looked meaningfully at Ron before towing Harry out of the room by the elbow. Ron appeared by their side a few moments later, and Carlee scurried past them.
Harry and Hermione were careful not to look at Ron, in case they started laughing again. He was still pretty pink.
"You know very well neither of you is sorry," he grumbled as they walked.
"Harry made me," Hermione pointed out.
Harry pretended to be offended. "Me? Invade someone's privacy like that?"
Hermione rolled her eyes, smiling.
"We're happy for you, Ron, really," she said after a minute of comfortable silence. Harry nodded. Ron just mumbled something.
As they entered the Great Hall, for the second time they became aware of a hushed silence followed by whispers.
Harry rolled his eyes.
"Malfoy spread another rumour?"
Hermione wasn't so sure, though....
She kept hearing her name.
--
Just as Draco was about to walk into the Great Hall, Pansy burst out.
"Draco!" she exclaimed, surprised.
He looked at her sourly. "What?"
"I was just going to look for you!"
"Really? That's nice. Well, you found me. 'Bye," He started to walk in.
Pansy grabbed his arm.
"I really don't think you want to go in there," she warned him.
He looked at her hand in disgust. "I think I do," he sneered, jerking his arm out of her grip and walking in.
He caught her saying something that sounded eerily like "Your funeral,"
-/-
(Whew. Sorry. I'm on curfew now, and since I usually write my chapter at night... :d Ain't gonna go so well. And about all the Carlee stuff.... it's nice to have something a little extra, eh? And I'm doing it for my friend, so don't yell at me. You know you all wanted to see Ron snog. I love that word. Can't use it enough. Snog.
Anyway.
I kind of get distracted by sub-plots and...yeah..... but I will finish this story, I swear on.... the Dog That Ate My Sandwich. Yes. That's it.)