Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the other characters in this story. Wish I did though.
Chapter Five
Cats and Dogs
'By the way, Malfoy...thanks for the book,' Hermione smiled. Draco looked up from him parchment, stunned. When had Granger ever thanked him? He shook his head and muttered something inaudible, then continued trying to perfect the face. He had stopped ordering Hermione to be still about an hour ago, mainly because he knew she wouldn't be, but also because he found himself liking her company. Her chattering could be as charming as it was annoying.
Hermione rolled her eyes and continued to pet Crookshanks. She was going to pose reading for Malfoy as promised, but she finished her history essay before she left for the Room of Requirement. The reading had been unbearable. She usually liked history books, but this one was incredibly sappy and its tone reminded her of Professor Binn's. Namely, a monotone. So this time she decided to bring Crookshanks instead, wondering what Malfoy would say. She could tell as soon as his eyes lit over the prospect of drawing an animal that he was delighted; as she got to know him better, he had a harder time hiding his emotions from her. However, he tried to hide his enthusiasm and gave her a bitter shrug. Draco waved his hand vaguely at a velvety, plum colored chair.
'You know,' she said after an awkward silence, filled only by the dull scraping of quill on paper, 'you haven't shown me any of those things that you've drawn.'
'Those things are called artwork, mudblood,' Draco muttered, glancing up and studying the chair she sat on.
'Don't call me that,' Hermione commanded sternly. Draco jerked his head up, because he could have sworn it had been McGonagall speaking. He'd always suspected Hermione was the old hag intoxicated with Polyjuice potion or something.
'I will if you stop taking that tone with me,' he replied evenly. That seemed to shut her up, or at least make her quiet until he finished.
'Can I see it now?' Hermione asked timidly when she saw him finish. He looked at her for a minute, thinking it over, and finally nodded. The muggle girl trotted over and looked over the three pictures of her, and a few others he pulled out of his bag. She blushed slightly as she came across a naughty one of Pansy Parkinson, and hastily stuffed it at the bottom of the pile. She couldn't help but wonder, though, if he'd had anyone posing for that one.
'Well?' he asked when she handed them back. Hermione was careful to treat them like glass, because if she ripped one Malfoy was liable to explode. That would be a mess to clean up in the morning, she thought to herself with a grin.
'Brilliant, Malfoy,' she said 'The shading is quite good.'
'You really think so?' he asked eagerly. But then, before he could forget himself, he returned to the usual sneer.
'Yeah,' Hermione said. And for a few minutes, it would seem to any passerby that they were holding a staring contest. Malfoy would have lost, because he pulled away first and muttered a quick goodbye. Hermione waved distractedly, and ran to her room as fast as she could carrying a cat and several tons of books . How could his silver eyes be so warm of emotion, and yet cold at the same time?
She despised him for doing this to her.
'Sure, I'll go out with you Harry,' she muttered wearily. He grinned and leaned over her. She thought he might give her a kiss and couldn't stop herself from cringing at the thought, but instead he started whispering to her.
'Hermione, I know you don't really like me like that,' he hissed.
'What are you talking about?' Hermione squeaked. It was true, she had never liked any boy like that-except Viktor, perhaps, if only for a little while- but definitely not Harry Potter. Still, she didn't want to hurt his feelings. She hastily continued, 'Harry, you're a very nice boy and'-
'Hermione, I'm not really asking you out,' Harry told her.
'Yes you are, what do you think you just did?' Hermione was getting confused, and she didn't like it. Not one bit. She gazed curiously at Harry, stammering to find the right words, and even he noticed she was starting to scowl. He decided to finish this up quick, hoping she'd just agree. He'd picked now to ask her this, because she looked like she'd agree to anything just to get back to the dorm and get some shuteye.
'Look, Hermione, please try to understand this...' he muttered, as if speaking quietly would help the situation. 'Don't get mad... I just want you to pretend to be my girlfriend so that...well, you know I want Cho and all, so if you could just help me make her jealous...' He looked down at her hopefully.
'Harry!' she almost yelled, half shocked and half furious. 'I will do no such thing!' He looked crestfallen, worse than a child whose only Christmas present was a lump of coal.
'Please,' he pleaded. 'If she thinks we're going out, she'll'-
'Only get angrier!' Hermione finished. She couldn't believe Harry was asking her to do something so...well, something so downright wrong.
'When I go out with someone, it won't be to help them get back at their ex!' she shouted. Hermione thought she noticed people staring and whispering at them. Not that she cared about what other people thought, but it was still kind of embarrassing to be making a scene like this with Harry, of all people.
'Its not to get back at her,' Harry murmured, struggling to stay calm. 'It's to get her to want me.' It was then that Hermione snapped. She took a bold step forward and slapped Harry clean across the face. People were definitely staring now. He gazed at her for a minute, looking hurt, and Hermione was almost ready to apologize. But then, a minute later, he was screaming 'What did you do that for you bi'-
'Hmmm, Potter, you had better watch you language,' someone drawled from behind Harry and Hermione. They both turned around to see who it was, Hermione looking pale and Harry with his fist raised.
'Bugger off Malfoy,' Harry spat. 'This is none of your business.'
'Oh contraire, Potter,' Malfoy replied, circling Harry like a predator. 'You know it's not polite to hit a lady. One of us had to be the gentleman, and obviously it's not going to be you. Calling nice ladies dogs, hmmm...'
Harry was seething. He turned his attentions from Hermione to Malfoy, and she couldn't help but give Draco a gratified smile. He returned it with a smirk.
'Since when has she ever been a nice lady to you?' Harry spat. It sounded she wasn't much of a nice lady to him at the moment either, judging by his tone. Harry dramatically paused to push his glasses up his nose until his lashes brushed against them. 'I thought she was nothing more than a filthy little mudblood,' he growled. 'Bet you two are having fun during those little posing sessions, eh?'
Draco faltered in his step. She had told? She told Potter and Weasly? He glowered at the filthy little mudblood. After all the nice things he'd been doing for her lately, too...
'Ah, got you there,' Potter said. He smirked, which made Draco angrier, if that was possible. That was his smirk, not damn Potty's.
'Leave now Malfoy, and I won't tell,' Harry hissed. 'Don't butt into my business or you'll find your pretty little pictures plastering the school.' Draco looked around. Was there anything worth saving here? His last shreds of dignity, that was for sure. The little mudblood could get the beating she deserved and he could just walk away with an unscathed reputation, it was all very simple. He took one last look into her pleading eyes and began to walk away, when he heard faint moan. He twirled around and saw Potter practically dragging Granger out of the hall. Wondering what the hell Potter thought he was doing, Draco decided to follow.
If there was one thing that could happen to make him detest Potter even more, it was what he saw as he rounded the corner.
'Stupfey!' he shouted. Potter crumpled up into a head on the floor.