Can't Let You Go
Chapter Ten
Thank you so much for the reviews: skittles713, burgunyred, foxychic4u, Draco+Hermione=love4eva, friedrice03, harry's girl, draco's luva, and ofleewild. I'm sorry if I forgot anyone!
A/N: I'm so, so, so, so, sorry! I've been working on this chapter for a long time, trying to keep it from sucking so bad, but I'm not having that much success. Well the next chapter is going to be a really important one, and hopefully I won't take so long.
Last Chapter
"It's just, I have a feeling my father's up to something. Don't you think it's slightly suspicious that he never tried to find you again after what happened?" Hermione nodded, she'd been thinking the same thing for the past few days, but didn't want to mention it. She reached across the table and grabbed Draco's hand.
"I've been thinking the same thing Draco, but we'll just have to be prepared for whatever Lucius has planned for us."
Christmas was approaching, and Hermione was out buying decorations and presents with Harry. It was a Saturday morning, so Hermione and Draco didn't have work. Draco had still been asleep when she'd left so she wrote him a note. She'd asked Harry to go with her because Draco didn't think it was safe for her to be out alone, and they had no way of knowing what Lucius was up to.
Hermione and Draco's relationship was blossoming more and more each day. He was always there for her, listening to what she had to say and doing things to make her laugh when he knew that she was upset. They had fights occasionally, but what couple didn't? Some nights they stayed up nearly all night snogging, and others they were content just sitting curled up on the couch, watching movies. Hermione and Draco had watched Titanic the other night, and Hermione could swear that she saw tears in Draco's eyes at the end of the movie, though she knew he would never admit it.
Hermione still couldn't believe what Ron had said to her. It had been like a slap in the face. She knew that Ron had tendencies to say mean and stupid things when he was angry, not to mention drunk, but she never knew he could be so harsh and spiteful. And what's more, he hadn't even written her an owl and tried to apologize. Molly had sent her a letter, inviting her and Draco over for Christmas dinner, but she didn't think she'd be comfortable visiting The Burrow if Ron was going to be there.
Hermione had no clue as to what Draco would want for a Christmas present. She knew he loved television now, so she was thinking of giving him some movies. She couldn't help but wonder what Draco planned on getting her. She would appreciate some new books, but most likely, her whole family would end up buying her some of those, and she wanted Draco to give her something unique.
"Mione, what do you want me to get you for Christmas?" She smiled at him.
"Well, there's a new edition of 'Hogwarts a History' at Flourish and Blotts.
"Hermione, we don't go to Hogwarts anymore!" Hermione gave him a look.
"Just because we don't go to Hogwarts anymore, doesn't make the castle and it's history any less fascinating!" Harry rolled his eyes and changed the subject.
"So, are you going to The Burrow for Christmas?" Hermione sighed.
"I'm still furious with Ron, and I don't even want to think about the nasty pranks Fred and George would play on Draco. You know those two haven't grown up one bit."
"Just think about it Herms, I doubt Malfoy actually had a real Christmas before, I'm sure he'd like it at the Burrow."
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Draco woke up to an empty bed, and a note on the refrigerator saying that Hermione was out shopping for Christmas presents with Potter. It reminded him that he need to get her something for Christmas. He had no clue what he should buy Hermione for a present. He knew everyone was going to buy her books, so he wanted to get her something different.
Two hours later Draco was bored out of his mind. He had eaten breakfast, and watched the telly, but on weekends there were never any good shows on. As he looked around the flat he could tell that it was beginning to become messy again, so he thought he would clean it a bit so when Hermione got home she'd be happy.
A few cleansing charms later and the flat was spotless- except for the laundry. He'd watched Hermione do it a billion times, it couldn't be that hard, could it?
He gathered up the clothes and threw them in the washing machine. Then he reached for the detergent and read the directions. It said to put a capful of detergent in, and then to turn the water on. It didn't look like there was enough detergent to clean all of the clothes, so he added the rest of the bottle.
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"Hermione, we've been shopping for hours, can't we just go home?" Harry whined. Hermione sighed. They had been shopping for a while, and she hadn't seen Draco all day so she agreed.
Harry ended up appartating her to her flat, and then taking off. Hermione walked into the flat, expecting to find Draco in the kitchen, but she heard him yelling from the laundry room. She hurried in there to see if he was ok, and gasped at the sight before her. Draco was wading around in bubbles that were waist high, coming from the washing machine. His face was red and she watched as he kicked the washing machine in frustration and then slipped and fell on the floor, his body partially hidden by the bubbles. Hermione ran over to him and knelt by his side.
"Draco, are you ok?" He nodded.
"What happened?"
"I wanted to do the laundry, so I put the detergent in and turned the water on. And then all of these blasted bubbles started coming out and I couldn't get them to stop! These stupid muggle appliances are so unreliable."
"How much detergent did you put in?"
"I only put in one bottle." Hermione burst out laughing and Draco scowled at her.
"What's so funny?" He demanded.
"Only one bottle?" She gasped as she continued to laugh harder. Draco glared at her.
"Well if you think it's so funny perhaps you'd like to join me." He said with an evil smirk as he grabbed her arm and pulled her beside him in the bubbles. He leaned over and brushed his lips against hers. She glared up at him.
"Prat." She said. He just smirked and pulled her closer for another kiss.
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A few days later, Hermione had decorated the flat and it looked cozy and cheerful. She had bought a dozen reindeer and Santa Clause stuffed animals and put them on the couches in the living room. She changed the curtains to ones that were navy blue with white snowflakes that she had charmed to drift up and down the curtains. She had even baked cookies and Draco tried to help, but as usual he was more of a hazard than a help. The only thing left that they needed to get was a Christmas tree.
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"Hermione, love, why don't we get this one?" Draco asked while pointing to a tree that would go perfectly in the living room. Hermione nodded and he grinned.
A few hours later the Christmas tree looked beautiful. Hermione had hung up dozens of ornaments, garland, and lights while Draco lounged lazily on the couch. She let Draco put the star on the top because he was easily about a head taller than her, and could reach the top of the tree without difficulty.
"Draco, it looks so beautiful!" She said, her eyes sparkling with delight. Draco smirked at her before replying.
"You Gryffindors are so sentimental."
A few hours later, Draco and Hermione were snuggled up on the couch gazing contentedly at the Christmas tree.
"Draco?"
"Hmm?"
"What would you think of going to The Burrow for Christmas ?" She felt Draco stiffen.
"Why would you possible want to go there? I don't want to be within a one hundred mile radius of The Weasel, never mind in his house, or should I say hut?" Hermione sighed.
"Mrs. Weasley invited us and it would be rude not to go. I know it's going to be tough with Ron there, I'm still furious with him myself, but I go every year, it's tradition! Can we at least show up? If he acts like a prat then I swear we can leave." Draco sighed.
"Alright, I'll go, but if that git says one thing we're leaving!"
"You won't regret it!" Hermione said as she kissed him on the cheek. Seeing Draco's disbelieving look she rolled her eyes. The two sat in silence for a while, when Draco asked her a question.
"Hermione, if apparation is one of the requirements to become an Auror, than why don't you know how to apparate?"
"Well, on the day of my apparation test things didn't go so well, because I was so nervous. Instead of apparating at the apparation point right outside Diagon Alley, I ended up `In some muggle's apartment! The Ministry had to come over and perform a memory charm on the muggles. Needless to say, I failed the test. I was so humiliated that I didn't go back for a re-take."
"Hermione, I doubt you were the first person to fail an apparation test, and why did they let you become an Auror if you can't apparate?"
"They said that they were willing to overlook it, as long as I did my job well."
"Hey, that's not bloody fair! Why did you get special treatment?" He demanded.
"When your Harry Potter's best mate, things often work to your advantage." She said with a sly grin while Draco rolled his eyes.
"It figures that Potter had something to do with it." Hermione just yawned and snuggled closer to Draco, who pulled a blanket over them.
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Christmas was in two days and Draco still hadn't found a present for Hermione. She'd dragged him to the mall because she insisted that they just had to take a picture with Santa Clause. Draco really didn't see the point but he was willing to go along with it to make Hermione happy. They were in one of the many muggle malls in London, so unfortunately, Draco had to deal with the incompetence of muggles.
"This line is so bloody long!" He complained, and Hermione elbowed him in the ribs.
"Draco, don't swear in front of all these little children!" Draco rolled his eyes.
"Can you please explain to me what the point of this is?"
"Because, this is our first Christmas together and we need to have something to remember it by!" Draco just rolled his eyes. After seeing a little girl run up to Santa and sit on his lap, he turned to Hermione.
"Just so we're clear, you are not sitting on Santa's lap!"
"Draco, it's just a picture!" She said in an exasperated tone.
"I don't care! No fool dressed up in a Santa suit is going to get his jollies by having my girlfriend sit on his lap!" Draco said a little too loudly and a few parents turned around to glare disapprovingly at him. Hermione rolled her eyes and didn't bother to respond.
After the pictures were taken, Hermione suggested that they go off separately to buy Christmas gifts for each other. She decided that she was going to buy Draco some a muggle CD player and some CD's. She had a feeling that he would enjoy something like that. But now that she was in the music store she had no idea what music he would like, so she decided that she would get him a variety.
First she picked out some music from American muggle bands that she liked, so she figured he might like them to. She got him the first Something Corporate album, along with Dashboard Confessional and Sugarcult. Then she was looking in the rap section. She didn't particularly care for rap, but Draco might enjoy it. She bought him a Fabolous CD, and also Eminem's latest album. She also bought a few CDs of classical music, anything Draco didn't like he could just return or she would keep it for herself. She also bought him a bunch of movies she thought that he would like.
Draco was wandering around the mall aimlessly. He had no idea what he should get Hermione for a present. He was just about to give up when he saw Ginny Weasly coming out of a store.
"Ginny!" He called her name and she turned around. She smiled when she saw him and walked over.
"What's up?" She said.
"I've got no clue what to get Hermione for a Christmas present! I can't get her books, because everyone's going to be getting those. I want to get her something special." He said while looking at Ginny, who was struggling not to laugh.
"What's so funny?" He demanded.
"Well, this whole situation! If a few move from now someone had told me that Draco Malfoy would be asking my advice on what to get Hermione Granger for a Christmas present, I would have suggested that they check themselves in at St. Mungo's." Draco rolled his eyes.
Draco glared at her.
"Just because I happen to be dating your friend, doesn't mean that I'm not superior to you. I am still a Malfoy, after all." He said in a superior tone which she ignored.
"Well, how about jewelry? I know she wouldn't want anything too fancy, but something simple might be nice."
"Like what?"
"A necklace, or a nice pair of earrings."
"I think I'll get her a necklace, I've never seen her wear one." Ginny smiled at him.
"That's a good choice, now come on, I'll help you pick something out!" And she grabbed his arm and dragged him off to the jewelry store.
Draco and Ginny spent about a half an hour arguing about which necklace he should buy Hermione. He wanted to get her a diamond necklace but Ginny insisted that it was too showy for Hermione's taste. She thought that Draco should get her a necklace made up of emerald gems with a silver chain.
"I'm telling you Draco, she would like this necklace better, and it comes with a matching bracelet. And if it makes you feel any better, those are Slytherin colors." The woman behind the counter watched Ginny and Draco argue with an amused look in her eyes, though she had no clue what the word Slytherin meant.
"Alright, I'll get her the one with the emeralds!"
After Draco and Ginny bought Hermione's necklace they found Hermione at the food court. Draco didn't want to eat there since there wasn't a Burger King, so he took them to a restaurant instead.
The restaurant Draco had taken to Hermione and Ginny was fairly casual, but the food was good.
"I'm famished!" Ginny said, sounding much like Ron, while she opened her menu.
"So, what did you get me?" Draco asked Hermione. She shook her head.
"Nope, I'm not telling you. You'll just have to wait until Christmas."
"Fine, well then don't expect me to tell you what I bought you for Christmas!" Draco said as the waiter approached the table.
"Hi, my name's Andy, and I'm going to be your server today. Would you like to order now, or shall I just fetch your drinks?" Much to Ginny's disappointment, the trio ordered their drinks first.
It wasn't long before the waiter came back with their drinks, handing them to each person in turn. Draco noticed that the waiter's gaze was lingering a little too long on Hermione, and he didn't like it one bit.
"So, are you three ready to order?" Andy asked, with as he smiled at Hermione. Draco had to try his best not to glare at the waiter.
"Yes, we're ready!" Came Ginny's overenthusiastic reply. Draco rolled his eyes, and then turned to Andy.
"Yes, I would like a cheeseburger." He said while Andy scribbled the order on a piece of paper. The waiter then turned to Hermione and smiled at her.
"And what would you like?" He asked in a flirtatious tone that caused Hermione to look uncomfortable, and Draco to clench his fists under the table.
"Um, I want the Caesar salad, please." He smiled at her again.
"That's an excellent choice. Tell me, are you seeing anyone?" Draco pounded his fist on the table causing his drink to spill and the waiter to jump.
"I took my girlfriend to this restaurant to eat, not to have her being hit on by some lowly waiter! Now if you wouldn't mind taking this woman's order," He said while pointing to Ginny "and then kindly removing yourself of my presence, I would be very much obliged." He finished in a deadly tone while fixing the waiter with a glare to match it. The waiter turned to take Ginny's order, and then practically scurried away from their table.
"Draco, there was no need to be so harsh!" Hermione scolded, though she was slightly relieved that the man was gone. She grabbed some napkins and began mopping up Draco's mess.
"No it wasn't. No one is going to hit on my girlfriend while I'm sitting right here!" He hissed, and then took a deep breath.
"Haven't you ever noticed that nearly every time we go out someplace, you get harassed?" Hermione nodded.
"But that's just the way life is, Draco."
"Not if I have a say about it, it isn't."
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It was Christmas Eve and Hermione and Draco both put the gifts they had gotten each other under the tree. Hermione eyed the wrapped packages that Draco put under the tree with interest. She picked one up and attempted to shake it but he snatched it from her hand.
"Sorry, love, you'll just have to wait until the morning." She pouted at him and he smirked back. Scowling, she walked into the kitchen to get a glass of milk. She smiled when Draco came up behind her and snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her close while his chin came down to rest on her shoulder. The two of them stood there in a peaceful silence for a while, until Hermione heard a tapping at the window. She walked over and opened the window, allowing Hedwig to fly in. She took the letter from Hedwig and opened it. Draco came behind her to read the letter over her shoulder.
Dear Hermione,
How are you? I've just spoken with Ginny and she told me that, unfortunately, Ron will be at The Burrow for Christmas. I hope you're still planning on coming. Malfoy, if your reading this over Hermione's shoulder, bugger off! Anyways, I've got to go, but I hope to see you at The Burrow tomorrow.
Harry
"I can't believe the little sod told me to bugger off! Potter thinks way too much of himself. I mean, I don't believe I've met anyone with a more inflated ego than him." Hermione snorted into her milk, but chose not to comment. Draco heard her.
"You think it's quite funny, do you?" He said while taking the glass out of her hands, "Well let's see if you think this is just as funny." He said while bringing his arms down around her waist and beginning to tickle her. Hermione squealed and tried to pull away from him but couldn't get out of his grasp.
"Stop!" She screeched while making futile attempts to push his hands away.
"Nope, sorry, I don't feel like it." He said in a calm voice while he continued to tickle her. She struggled wildly under his hands, while gasping for breath.
"Alright, I'll stop if you say that Draco Malfoy is the sexiest wizard ever."
"Draco...Malfoy...is the sexiest wizard ever!" She said in between giggles. He stopped tickling her and she collapsed into his arms gasping for breath. He chuckled.
"You know, you're pretty cute when your laughing like that." She looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Did Draco Malfoy just call me cute?" He smirked.
"Don't get used to it."
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A few hours later, Hermione and Draco were snuggling up in bed, eagerly awaiting the morning. Hermione was desperate to know what Draco got her for Christmas.
"Draco?"
"Hmm?" He mumbled sleepily.
"Can't you give me just a little hint?"
"Nope. Good-night."
"But-"
"Good-night, Hermione." He said while pulling her closer and kissing her cheek.
The next morning, Draco was awoken to Hermione's persistent shaking. He groaned and rolled over, attempting to ignore her.
"Happy Christmas, Draco!"
"Leave me alone." He mumbled while pulling the covers over his head.
"Come on, Draco, I've been waiting two hours for you to get up!" She whined, sounding like a little five year old.
"What time is it?"
"Seven."
"Bloody hell, you can't be serious!" She didn't reply but continued shaking him.
"Alright, alright!" He said and allowed himself to be pulled out of bed and into the living room.
Once they were settled on the floor by the Christmas tree Hermione turned to him with a smile.
"Open yours first."
"No, you go first, I insist. Remember the saying : Beauty before brains?" He said.
"Well, I happen to posses both of those in this relationship, which is why I'm being nice and allowing you to go first." She said smugly.
"Ouch, Granger, you wound me right here." He said while pointing to his heart. She shrugged.
"The truth hurts." He rolled his eyes. He took the box containing the necklace and handed it to Hermione. She ripped the wrapping off of the box and opened it. He watched as her eyes lit up as she eyed the necklace. The next thing he knew, he was nearly knocked over as she jumped into his arms and throwing her arms around his neck.
"Thank you so much! It's beautiful!" She said while kissing him on the cheek. She reached over and grabbed a present that she'd gotten for him. He opened the package slowly, knowing that it would annoy her. She gave an impatient sigh and he grinned at her. When he finally opened it he had no clue what it was. He looked at her in confusion.
"It's a discman, it's used to play music." He smiled at her.
"You'll have to show me how to work it later, then." He said while handing her another one of the gifts that he had bought her. She ripped open the package with the same excitement and Draco had to smile. She opened the box and saw the bracelet that matched the necklace. She smiled at him.
"Thank you so much! You sure know how to buy jewelry." She said, and Draco decided not to tell her that Ginny picked it out. She handed him his next present. He opened it a little faster this time, and saw another object he didn't quite recognize. It was a square box that was extremely thin, with a picture of a group of muggles on the front. He looked at her again in confusion,
"It's a CD, that's what you put into the discman to listen to music."
"Thanks." He said while reaching over to give her an affectionate kiss on the cheek She smiled shyly at him as he handed her his next present.
After all the presents were opened, Draco watched in amusement as Hermione got herself into a tizzy.
"Draco, we have to be at The Burrow in three hours and I still need to bake!" He smirked.
"Mione, incase you've forgotten, that's what magic is used for."
"Yes, but you can tell if something is hand baked or just made by magic! I want to show some Christmas spirit."
Draco watched Hermione bake the brownies in total fascination. He didn't understand how muggles could stand to spend so much time on a task that would be so much simpler with the use of magic. Once she was done with the brownies she turned to him with a smile.
"Do you want to help me with the chocolate chip cookies?"
About an hour later, the cookies were done and Draco thought he did a rather good job. He was waiting in the living room while Hermione was in the bathroom getting ready to go out. She'd been in there for ages and Draco was bored. He decided that he could probably figure out how to use the discman on his own. He reached over and opened one of the thin packages that Hermione had called CDs. He opened it and took out the round disc wondering what he could possibly do with it. He took the discman and began pressing all of the buttons. Finally, he pressed one and the discman opened. He took the CD and put it inside and closed the discman. He didn't hear any music. He began pressing the buttons again and eventually he be began to hear a low buzzing sound. He took the round fuzzy things and held him close to his ear and he heard music!
A few minutes later, Draco nearly dropped the CD player in shock when Hermione walked into the living room. Hermione was standing there wearing a jean skirt that accentuated the curve of her hips and made her legs seem to go on forever. She was wearing a snug fitting forest green v-neck sweater that matched with the necklace and bracelet she was wearing, and it also showed just a hint of cleavage along with a jean jacket over it. The thing that shocked him the most was her hair. Her normally curly hair was now straight and soft looking. It was a good few inches longer too, causing it to reach down nearly to her waist. She was wearing a hint of makeup, and some lip gloss. She was holding a stack of presents under her arm that he assumed were for the Weasley's, thought that's not what he was paying attention to right now.
"So, how do I look?"
Draco walked over to her and pulled her into a kiss. His hands automatically tangled themselves in her hair that felt so smooth now, and he felt her arms go around his neck. He tried to deepen the kiss but she pulled away.
"Not now, we have to get going!" He groaned.
"Are you telling me that you'd rather go eat with some Weasleys, instead of staying home and snogging your boyfriend?" He said while trying to pull her closer. She pushed him away.
"Yes that's exactly what I'm telling you! Hurry up and apparate us over, or we're going to be late!" He sighed, wrapped an arm around her waist, and then with a pop they were gone.
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A few moments later, they were standing outside The Burrow in the cold air. Hermione shivered and Draco wrapped his arms around her.
"You should have worn something warmer, love." She just shrugged.
"Are you ready to go in, then?"
"If it'll make you happy." He said and was rewarded with a smile from Hermione. She knocked on the door and Molly answered. She smiled at the two of them before wrapping Hermione in a hug.
"It's wonderful to see you again, dear!," She said while turning to hug Draco also " And it's wonderful to see you, too!" Draco was shocked at first but returned her hug. She retreated into the warmth of the house and they followed her. Draco could hear the sounds of happiness and laughter coming from the kitchen, but when he and Hermione entered, all eyes riveted towards Draco and silence overcame the group. The only ones Draco immediately recognized were Fred and George, and they were looking at Draco like he'd gone slightly nuts. Ginny was smiling at him encouragingly. Percy, Bill, and two others, looking at him with mild interest, but not really paying much attention. After all, he hadn't had that much of affect on Percy's school life, and he'd never met the oldest two before. The older man was looking at him a bit suspiciously but not without reason. Draco had been there on a number of occasions when his father insulted Mr. Weasley. He also knew that The Manor had been through several ministry raids, most of which, Arthur Weasley had been involved in. It was Harry who broke the silence.
"Mione, it's nice to see you, and um, you too Malfoy." Draco smiled gratefully at Potter. The tension in the room was thick enough to be cut with a knife.
"So, it's true, isn't it?" Asked Fred."
"You two are really dating?" George demanded.
"Why?" They asked in unison.
"That's none of your buisness!" Molly snapped, " I have the feeling that Draco is going to become part of the family soon, and we should all treat him as such!" He looks over at Hermione who was blushing. Did Mrs. Weasley mean what he thought she meant? Mrs. Weasley took the cookies from Hermione, who went over to pass out the presents to the Weasley's and Potter. Potter looked so much at home, he might as well dye his hair orange and he'd fit right in.
Soon they were all squeezed around a small round table, that could be considered as a coffee table in at The Manor. The food looked and smelled delicious, and Draco helped himself to some chicken, mashed potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes and just about every thing else he could fit on his plate. Hermione was sitting between him and Ginny, and Ron still hadn't showed up. Draco took a bite of mashed potatoes, and suddenly he felt strange. The next thing he knew, he was flapping about on the table! The Weasley's, Potter, and Hermione were laughing hysterically. A few moments later Draco turned back to his normal self. His cheeks were flushed in humiliation. He turned to glare at Fred and George, before he did something that surprised everyone, including himself - he started laughing. Fred and George stopped laughing at him abruptly.
"What?" Draco demanded.
"Well, it's just that we didn't know that Malfoy knew how to laugh." George said. Draco rolled his eyes.
"Well I don't know where you got your education from, but the last I heard, emitting human laughter is not a skill one has to learn, Weasley."
"Yes, but seeing as how you don't exactly fit the qualifications to be human those rules don't apply to you." Said a voice coming from the doorway. Draco turned around to see an angry Ron standing there with a timid looking- Lavender Brown. She was staring at Draco as though she expected him to hex the pair of them on the spot.
"Ron, that wasn't called for! Draco's just as welcomed here as anyone else in this house!" Molly scolded, and Draco had to resist the urge to smirk. He knew it would infuriate Ron further and on most occasions that would give him great satisfaction, but not when he was trying to make a good impression with the rest of the Weasleys.
"He's welcome in our home? Him? Have you forgotten what he's done to us? He claims that he has changed, but i've yet see the proof of that."
"Shut up, Ron, you stupid prat! Draco has changed! Would he be dating Hermione if he hadn't?" Demanded a red-faced Ginny.
" He's pretending. He's just using her!"
"For what?" Ginny said, growing angrier at the minute.
"Come on, Gin, your not dense. What do you think he's using her for. It sure isn't the money, god knows he has enough of that. He's obviously using Hermione to take care of his needs, and I'm upset that she's going along with it. I thought she had more self-respect for herself than that."
"You take that back!" Draco shouted while getting up to move towards Ron, but was held back by the twins.
"Why, Malfoy? Why else would you be dating Hermione?"
"Because I love her, you sodding idiot!"
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A/N: So what did you think of this chapter? I know it was super long, and probably really boring. I didn't like it much at all. Please Please Please review.