Hannah Abbott woke Hermione the next morning, telling her that it was her turn in the shower. Hermione sleepily rolled out of bed and shuffled to the bathroom. She undressed, took a shower, and walked back out of the bathroom in her towel, feeling refreshed. Hannah and Padma had left, Pansy was nowhere in sight, and Lavender was still asleep on her bed.
"Get up, lazy butt," Hermione said, pulling Lavender's sheets off of her. She rolled over and fell onto the floor with a thunk. Hermione tried not to laugh and helped Lavender up. As Lavender took a quick shower, Hermione changed into green corduroy pants, a crème-colored sweater, and black sneakers. Lavender came out of the bathroom, fully dressed, and Hermione brushed her hair out. With a flick of her wand, it was dry, and Hermione and Lavender left the room for breakfast.
Halfway down the hallway, Lavender stopped and turned around, running back to the room. "I left my bag!" she called over her shoulder. By the time the door to their room closed behind Lavender, the door to the boys' room opened. Draco stepped out from behind it.
Hermione looked up and down the hallway for signs of anyone before sauntering over to Draco. She knew that Lavender wouldn't find her purse anytime soon—it had been under the bed last time she saw it—and so she pressed her chest against Draco's, looking up into his eyes.
He cupped her chin with his hands and brought her face up to meet his. They passionately kissed for several minutes, trying to get out all of their pent-up lust. Draco's hands held Hermione's waist close to him, and Hermione's hands traveled over Draco's chest.
"OH MY GOD!" Draco and Hermione pulled apart, getting as far away from each other as possible. Lavender had dropped her bag on the floor and the contents were scattered everywhere. Her mouth was open in disbelief.
Draco rubbed his forehead hard. Hermione knew that there was no way out of this. "Look, Lav," began Hermione.
Lavender shook her head, as though she didn't believe what she had just witnessed. Hermione and Draco shot each other "we're screwed" looks.
"Seriously, Lavender, come on," Hermione said, grabbing her motionless friend by the arm. She motioned for Draco to follow them as she led them into the girls' room. She sat Lavender down on a bed.
"Oh my god," Lavender repeated. "That's Draco Malfoy! You're Hermione!"
"No, really?" Draco replied, unable to contain himself.
"Not the right time, Draco," Hermione said, nudging him in the ribs. Draco shut his mouth. "Ok, so I wish I could explain what was just happening..."
"What, you snogging the living daylights out of Malfoy?"
"I believe I was snogging her..."
"I believe we were snogging each other," Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "Really, anyways. Lavender, you can't tell a soul. We'd be so screwed. Don't you dare tell anyone."
Lavender nodded, grinning. "Oh, my poor innocent Hermione is growing up."
"Shut up," Hermione said, grabbing her friend by the arm and hoisting her up.
"So are you guys going to the ball together?"
"Of course not, remember how I just told you that nobody can know?" Hermione said as they followed Draco back out of the room.
"Right. Well, that's just adorable. You two should go do your 'Head Business'. I'll catch up with you later," Lavender said, heading down the hallway in the opposite direction.
"We're screwed," Draco said.
"By dinner, the whole school will know. And most of Hogsmeade," Hermione said as the couple walked down the stairs and out onto the street. Each house was in charge of buying something, so Hermione and Draco found themselves with nothing to do. They walked down the street, cautiously staying far away from each other.
"You know, you're going to have to tell wonder boy before the news gets to him," Draco said, pushing his hair out of his face. Hermione watched her feet move beneath her. Of course she had always known that she would have to tell Harry about her and Draco. She had just wished that she could get away without it.
"Yeah. When we get back, you have to make me go tell him," she said, still interested in her shoes.
"Do you want me to come with you?"
"No, you'll just get in a fight. Or Harry will try to kill you. Not good either way," she said. Draco nodded, understanding. "So anyways, did you get a costume yesterday?"
Draco smirked famously. "Of course. And it makes me look oh-so-hot."
"Of course it does, you're Draco Malfoy. You could make a frog costume look hot."
"Indeed. What about your costume? What's it look like?"
"You'll have to wait and see."
"Oh. I like mysterious women," Draco said, arching an eyebrow suggestively. Not that everything he did wasn't suggestive. They walked in silence a little more before Draco broke it. "Hey, you know how Lavender asked if we were going together?"
"Yeah, but we can't, if that's what you mean," Hermione said, looking at a crystal swan in a window.
"No, you're right," said Draco. "But will you save a dance for me? We'll be in masks so nobody will know."
Hermione looked up at him to find Draco smiling genuinely. That's a first, she thought. "Of course I will."
Something in a shop window behind him caught her eye. She rushed over to it and saw a necklace with a silver chain and one enormous ruby hanging from it. "It's beautiful," she sighed.
Draco looked over her shoulder to see the gem. "Not as beautiful as you," he said.
Hermione turned and giggled. "That was so cheesy," she said.
"But true," Draco replied.
Hermione heard bell chimes coming from a store. "Oh, it's already noon! We have to go back to the castle."
Hermione dropped her bags off in her room and told Draco she'd meet him after dinner. Straightening her sweater and fixing her hair, she headed off to Gryffindor tower to talk to Harry. She said the password to the portrait and entered the common room.
"Hey, Hermione!" said Harry. Ron slid behind a chair, trying to remain unseen. Hermione did him a favor and ignored him.
"Hey, Harry, can I talk to you?" she asked.
"Sure, where?" Harry said, getting up.
"I dunno...outside?" Hermione walked back out through the portrait hole and Harry followed her. There were at least 10 students in the hallway.
"Do you want to go to the Room of Requirement?" he asked. Hermione nodded and followed Harry down to the room before walking back and forth in front of it and concentrating hard on what she needed. The door appeared and they walked into a large room with a sofa, a bookshelf full of old books, and a table with many breakable objects. Hermione winced. Probably for Harry to throw when he gets mad.
"First, before you tell me anything, what's up with you and Ron?" asked Harry, as soon as they walked into the room.
Hermione proceeded to give him a quick recap of the previous evening, leaving Draco out of the picture.
"Oh, so that's why he tried to hide from you today," he said.
"Right. So, anyways, I had to tell you something..."
"Wait," Harry said, gripping her shoulder gently. "This isn't about me and Ginny, is it?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, I actually think that's awesome for you guys. And I think you guys are great."
"Ok," Harry sighed, relieved. "So what is it about?"
"Well, I don't know how to say this. Promise me you won't take out your anger on me," she said, pulling Harry down onto the couch.
"What on earth would make me that mad?"
"Well, I'm dating someone. And I wanted you to know before anyone else, but Lavender found out today and I was worried you'd hear this from someone other than me. And that would be sleazy."
"Right, so who are you dating? There's no way I'd be really pissed off unless it was Malfoy. And I know you'd never in a million years go out with Malfoy."
Hermione bit her lip. She should've seen this coming.
"YOU'RE GOING OUT WITH MALFOY?!" Harry exploded, rising quickly from the couch. Hermione remained silent. Harry's fists clenched into balls as he tried to control himself.
"Harry, wait," Hermione said as a glass sphere shattered against the wall opposite her. "Harry. Harry, WAIT! HARRY!" she screamed. He spun around.
"How dare you try and tell me to calm down! You dumped me for Malfoy! I don't believe you!" Harry said, throwing another sphere at the wall. Hermione pulled her knees to her chest, put her head down into her knees, and listened to the objects shatter against the wall. When all of them were gone, Harry began to rip apart books and throw them around.
Finally the noise stopped. Hermione heard Harry walk over to her and she felt him sit on the couch next to her. She dared raise her head and found a calm looking Harry sitting next to her, watching her.
"Ok. I think I can handle this if you just explain why on earth you'd ever do this," Harry said, looking intently at Hermione.
"Well, Harry...I think"—Hermione took a deep breath—"I think I love him."
"What about all those times he called you a mudblood? What about Malfoy the sex god? What about me and Ron? What about your voice of reason, Hermione? Have you lost that?" Harry asked her.
"He hasn't called me a mudblood since...a long time ago. He's not really a sex god, he told me so. You can get along with him fine, he'll be ok, I promise, and...well...him and Ron aren't going to get along."
"Understandably."
"And I don't appreciate you insulting my voice of reason, Harry. My heart is telling me to follow it, and I am. So I might be screwed, but I might be able to change him. So I'm going to try."
"But he's Malfoy, he can't change."
Hermione stood up. "Harry Potter, if you can't accept this, then I don't know what I'm going to do with you. You've been my best friend since first year, and I came here to tell you something because I cared that you knew! This is very important to me, and I want you to accept it. I swear to Merlin, Draco's different, and I hope you'll try and make peace with him." She turned on her heel to leave when she heard Harry's voice.
"Thanks for telling me, Hermione," Harry said timidly. Hermione turned around to see him standing, looking down at her very humble and pathetic indeed. She threw her arms around him and began sobbing into his shoulder uncontrollably. Harry held her reassuringly until Hermione could regain her composure again.
"Harry, please don't desert me. I won't have any friends after this gets around school."
Harry squeezed her tight. "Don't worry, Hermione. You'll always have me."
"Will you bring me back to my room?" she asked him, wiping her eyes.
"Of course, let's go," Harry said as he led them out of the and down the hall. When they reached the tapestry, Harry turned to go, but Hermione insisted that he follow her inside to see if Draco was there.
Hermione said the password, grabbed Harry's wrist, and pulled him through the tapestry to come face to face with Draco. Draco took little notice of Harry, and pulled Hermione into a warm embrace. Harry cleared his throat and Draco jumped a little. Hermione stepped back and watched the boys face off. Draco had always hated Harry, but he regarded the boy-who-lived with the utmost respect. Harry's livid expression was quickly replaced with a resigned surrender, and he extended his hand.
Draco took it, and they shook. "Take good care of her," Harry said. "I've got my connections...I'll find out if you don't."
Draco laughed. "You don't need to worry about me, Potter."
Hermione pulled them both in tight, hugging them with all her might. This wouldn't be so bad, would it?
A/N: Yay! Ok, so my new goal is to get at least two chapters up every weekend. But I might be working double-time this weekend, so maybe more than two? I don't know. Thanks so much for the reviews! And keep in mind, everyone...more reviewsmore chapters! And constructive criticism is always welcome, as are story ideas. I'm suffering from writers' block, so if anyone has any brilliant thoughts, feel free to share! You guys are great!