Disclaimer: I am not going to keep putting this up!! I don't own anything you recognize.
A/N: Oh mushy! It went all gooey at the end of the last chapter didn't it? I must admit that I don't like writing mushy. I enjoy reading it. We don't want everyone to think I'm soft now do we? Lol. Well here's the next chapter and I'll see if I can do anything to amend Draco's sudden ascent into the clouds.
Chapter 14; He's a Slytherin
Hermione lay on her back in the grass in the middle of the lawn in front of the castle entrance. It was one of those unusually hot days that sometimes occur at the end of September. Most likely, just to remind people that this was the last they would see for a long time. She looked up at the cloudy bright sky, the clouds were moving very fast. She was sure that she had never seen them move that fast before. Smiling, she closed her eyes.
The light disappeared from behind her eyelids as a shadow passed and stopped over her, or more precisely, someone. She opened her eyes to stare at red hair that looked even more flaming when framed against the sun and jet black hair.
"Harry? Ron? Anything the matter?" she asked with a yawn and sat up.
Harry shrugged and sat down next to her while Ron occupied the other side. "Nope, we were just wondering why you would expose yourself like this when there are so many Slytherin's about ready to take out Gryffindor's at a moments notice."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I can take care of my self guys. Besides," She pulled the book that she had been using as a pillow, onto her lap. "I know hexes that they haven't even heard of."
"And because you now have a Slytherin bodyguard?!" Ron teased.
"You're one step away mister!" Hermione growled. "I don't need a bodyguard."
Harry took the book out of Hermione's hands. "What book is it? I can't believe that you were sleeping on a book instead of reading it. Anyway, I hear that grass is more comfortable."
Hermione snatched it back and put it into her backpack that was next to her. "It's the same as anything I read. Schoolbooks."
Harry raised an eyebrow at her, green eyes aglow. "Do we even need to expect some diversity in you?"
Hermione stood up. "Well excuse me but did I actually ask for my best friends to come around and take the piss out of me?"
"We weren't taking the piss." Ron said.
"Yeah, great but I have to go anyway so if you don't mind…"
Hermione turned and left.
"We have to stop doing that don't you think?" Harry observed.
"We're just not very good at the whole 'girl conversation' thing."
"Here here."
* * * * *
"Ginny?" Hermione called to the red haired girl with her back to her.
Ginny turned around. "Yeah?"
"What are you doing?"
"Thinking of what to do for the Hogsmeade weekend. It's on Saturday and I don't know what I want to do."
"Shop?"
Ginny's face lit up. "Do you want to come? Unless of course, you're going with Malfoy."
"Are you suggesting that we are an item?" At Ginny's silence, Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Ginny, you live with us. You know very well that Draco and I are not together."
Ginny smiled. "That doesn't prove anything, you could be dating on the sly."
"You and Draco are dating!?" Shrieked a new voice. Both girls turned to see Julie. Ginny's grin widened and Hermione groaned. "I knew it! Hold on," she said more quietly. "I did already know that."
"No we are not Julie. Stop this, both of you."
"So does that mean that you'll be coming to Hogsmeade with us?" Ginny asked eagerly.
"I don't know." Hermione said, readjusting her bag strap onto her back. "I normally spend those visits with Harry and Ron. And shouldn't you be with us? Harry is your boyfriend after all."
Ginny shook her head. "I told them that they could have some time off without us dragging them down. They want to go to sweet shops and joke shops. We want to go to robes shops and café's. so are you in?"
Hermione nodded. "It's tomorrow right?"
Ginny nodded.
"Good. We do live together." She told both girls. "Just be up before 7 am. We're allowed to go and return whenever we want so I think it would be best to leave early and return uncommonly late." Hermione said.
* * * * *
It was quarter past six in the morning and Hermione was sitting in front of the fire. She was always up so early and she didn't know why. The homework was finished and she had revised until she couldn't revise anymore for fear of her brain exploding and it just seemed as if her brain didn't want any rest. Or it could just be a simple subconscious thing like waiting to see if Draco would come down so that she could talk to him.
Hermione lay down on the log Gryffindor couch and thought about her horrible life. She had great friends, a wonderful education, many happy and dangerous times and the ability to break any rules without getting expelled just because she was helping in saving the world from a murderous fiend. Helping in delaying his return to power. Well that was before he had returned and tortured her half to death. All in all, her life really wasn't that bad. She was still alive after all.
"I guess some people need time to reflect when they have nothing better to do huh?" someone asked from behind the couch.
"You know what, I wonder why people always speak before I can see them. Does everyone have to be so bloody secretive?" She asked without looking over the couch. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that it's rude to talk to someone without looking them in the eyes?"
Jason laughed and walked around the couch. "Yes they did, but that doesn't mean that I can't surprise people every now and then."
Hermione righted herself and sat on the couch properly. "It takes more than a voice to surprise me Jason. Something like kidnapping and such would about do it."
Jason's smile vanished, he sat on the Gryffindor couch next to her. "I know we're not very good friends. We don't do a lot together and I don't know you very well." He looked away. "But I want you to know that when you were gone, a lot of people were worried about you. Ginny cried a lot but she was forbidden to go and help. Boys have this weird notion that girls just aren't as good as them. I think I even saw a spark of concern in Malfoy's face."
Hermione smiled. "Well it was him that eventually got me out of there wasn't it? Virtually unharmed."
"Well you can see how many people were willing to help. Just look at the amount of people came."
Hermione laughed aloud. "Yeah, and how many of them were girls? We're not completely pathetic you know? Did you know that I didn't even scream when he tortured me? I didn't want to give him that satisfaction. And Women give birth."
Jason laughed. "It didn't take long to round up the gang you know. Does it feel at all weird, talking about it I mean."
Hermione shook her head. "No. It was bleeding scary at the time and I really expected it to leave some really bad emotional scars…but it…hasn't. I wonder if that means that there's something wrong with me."
Jason shook his head. "It just means that he doesn't have the same affect on people that he used to before he was ripped from his body."
"Or that I'm somehow emotionally impaired." Hermione said cheerfully.
"Hey Hermione, you're up early. A bit too early. Hello Jason."
Jason looked up and acknowledged Draco's presence.
"Are we allowed to sit on each other's house couches?" Draco asked, eyes narrowed at Jason.
"Nope." Hermione said happily. "Go and sit yourself down at your Slytherin couch."
Draco, with his eyes still narrowed at Jason, shook his head. "I'm going to get food. Going to Hogsmeade?"
Hermione nodded. "I'm having a right old girls day out. Ginny, Julie and I are touring the town."
"Ah, good for you."
Hermione couldn't stand looking up. "Draco, for God's sake, will you please sit down. Sit here if you have to.
Are you going into Hogsmeade?"
"Yes, with the Slytherin's."
Hermione's smile fell. "Good for you. Look, Ginny and Julez
will be down soon and I have to get ready. Bye."
* * * * *
Hermione and Ginny walked around Madam Malkin's with Julie lagging behind, looking at some clearly 'adult' robes. "Ginny, did we come here to shop?"
Ginny shrugged. "Well window shop with the occasional touching. I like to look at clothes that I can't afford." Ginny had long gotten over the fact that she was poor. She still had all the emotional stability that she needed.
Hermione smiled. "I'm not exactly Joe Millionaire either. Although, I can buy coffee. I don't like coffee though so how about some butterbeer?"
"Later. Hey Hermione. Look at this." Ginny held out a deep red satin robe with gold trim, a v shaped neckline with silver beads running an inch from the neckline down. Sequins dotted around the robe and made it sparkle as it shimmered. Hermione loved it instantly.
"It's so…Gryffindor, and way out of my league. I could never afford something like that." Hermione said sadly.
Ginny took hold of the tag, looked down at it and gasped. "Damn straight. It's 200 Galleons." She hung it back onto the rack carefully. "Definitely not for us."
"Harry can afford it." Hermione said, looking pointedly at her friend.
"I would never ask Harry for something so expensive. I don't want his money, just his body." Ginny said, mock scandalized.
They laughed together and exited the shop, Julie at their heels. Hermione turned to face her. "Would you stop acting like a faithful puppy dog and more like a friend? Do you want to go to The Three Broomsticks? We are getting some butterbeer."
Julie fell into step beside them and nodded. "I'm sorry. It's like I don't want to be seen with Gryffindor's it's just that, when I shop, it's takes a very long time."
"Yeah, besides, you're seen with us all the time at school." Hermione smiled and entered the pub, intent on leading the girls to a table near the front of the pub where there were less adults. Her smiled fell from her face when she saw Draco Malfoy sitting there, kissing Blaise Zabini like his life depended on it. Her heart hitched repeatedly. The world fell away as she saw them two at it.
When she heard roaring in her ears, Hermione turned to her friends, he face plastered with an extremely fake and unconvincing smile. Her eyes were stinging and she couldn't, for the life of her, work out why. She was perfectly correct in telling her friends and acquaintances that there was nothing between herself and the Slytherin Bad-Boy but she couldn't help feeling isolated.
"I…I just realised that I'm not that…thirsty. I'm going back to school okay." Hermione said, her own hearing seemed a bit dulled down.
Ginny made to open her mouth and speak but Hermione cut her off before she could even think. "No, stay and drink. I…have homework and I need to visit the library and revise and…" Hermione didn't finish, she left the pub quickly, rushing out of the door so fast that the door to the pub banged, tearing the couple away from each other to stare at the door but they didn't see who had left, or entered.
Ginny and Julie stood their ground, glaring at the two Slytherin's. "He'd never do anything wrong again, my foot(!)" Ginny muttered the exclamation. Julie nodded vigorously next to the Gryffindor.
Blaise and Malfoy watched the Slytherin next to the Gryffindor, glaring as if to end the world and they both wondered why a Slytherin would glare at a fellow Slytherin.
Hermione ran all the way back to the school, heart pumping hard and in more pain than she could ever remember being in.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
He's such a prick!! Hahahaha. Review and please don't flame. Thank you.
Dina
P.S. I hope you weren't waiting too long for this chapter. I am extremely lazy at times. Sorry.
