As with any other juicy occurrences in the school, the entire population of Hogwarts knew about the Hermione and Draco within a mere twelve hours of the incident. Within that twelve hours came the division of Hogwarts – the supporters and haters of either parties.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dumbledore's Office – Twelve Hours Earlier
"Miss Granger, Mr Malfoy,"
Dumbledore sight as he pushed up his half-moon spectacles, "I must say, I'm very disappointed in you. As Head Boy and Girl,
I expected a better example of civility."
"Yes Professor."
"You two will undeniably serve
detention for your display."
"Yes Professor."
"But that was not the intention of my
calling you up here."
Hermione and Draco both looked up.
"Although it has not been long in the school year, the teachers have noticed a decline in your marks and study habits. Although your marks have not dropped to such levels in that your position is being threatened, it has brought concern to your teachers. Is there something you two would like to tell me?"
Of course, the two were not about to confess everything due to one incident to the Headmaster. Besides, they liked their change.
"I'm aware of my position
Professor," Draco started, "however,
under certain circumstances I am in, specifically being in my seventh year, I
thought it would be best for me to be more social instead of going through
obsessive study sprees. I guarantee you however, that this will not affect my
results for the N.E.W.T examinations."
"Understandable. Very
good then. Miss Granger?"
"As what Malfoy
said Professor."
"I must warn you two, if your study
habits continue to decline and we see a decline in your duties as Head Boy and
Girl, we will have no choice but to suspend you both of your title."
"I understand," the two said.
"Well then. I guess that settles it
– the staff doesn't have anything to worry
about. Continue on with your work then Mr Malfoy.
Miss Granger."
"Thank you Professor."
With that, the two left. And for a brief second before the two headed out the door, they could almost swear they saw a mischievous glint in the Headmaster's all knowing eyes.
"Hermione wait up!" Draco called out as they were out of the office.
"Don't you
'Hermione' me Malfoy!"
"I can explain-"
"Explain what?! That it's okay
to call me mudblood? The name
that's taunted me continuously for five years – by you?"
"Hermione, you know that's who
I'm supposed to be-"
"Oh so it's all about your
image?! Damn it Draco, is that what everything is for
you? Does it not matter that you hurt other people?"
Draco, even though a kind person at heart, had a temper. And it just so happened that at that comment, Hermione pushed him over the edge.
"You know what Hermione?! Forget sorry! Yes it does matter that I'm hurting other people. But you know what?! I'm doing this for my family – so my parents aren't exiled or killed by my corrupted extended family! What about you?! Everything about you is all for personal gain. If you didn't care about image, you would've told Potter and Weasley about our relationship when it begun! You're nothing but a hypocrite Granger."
Draco whispered the last part. It was not filled with hatred, but the tone wasn't a kind one of scolding either. Hermione stood with a stony look on her face and Draco, after his outburst was exactly the same way. Without a single word, the two turned around and left for their common rooms.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Her View
I entered the common room where I was met with applause. Though I came in angry, the applause felt good. This was the praise that I wanted. And I was getting it from a room, an audience, and it was backed with respect.
"Hermione! I can't believe you did that!"
Harry and Ron came for me, and they sat me down on my usual plush study chair.
"So? How did it feel to punch that git one?"
"Yeah Hermione, you must be the only
person to have hit Malfoy twice and not end up in the
hospital wing."
I smiled.
"It felt good."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------His View
"Oh Draco! I heard that filthy mudblood punched you! Is it true?"
After a night like this, Pansy's simpering high-pitched squeal was the last thing I needed.
"No Pansy, I fancied seeing how
much I'd bleed if I punched myself."
"Why would you
do such a thing?!"
Good grief, what was the matter with this woman?! I just couldn't respond to that. Quite honestly, I have no idea how she made it into Slytherin – let alone a House. Once I met her, I thought it would be best if the Sorting Hat yelled that she's too dumb to learn Magic. How she ever became a Prefect was beyond my logic as well..
To a certain extent, I did feel bad about what I said to Hermione. I did get self-gain out of my image. My image built my reputation in the school, did it not? Okay, now I feel bad. How could I call her a hypocrite when I was the hypocrite?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------One Week Later
Her View
One entire week without Mr. Malfoy. One entire week of pure Ron and Harry. And one entire week of pure agony. Sure, Ron, Harry and I were best friends. But after knowing me as "smart, know-it-all Hermione" for now seven years I couldn't exactly go and act like the real me. I missed having a break from my act. I missed just being crazy, half-lazy, aggressive Hermione. I missed Draco.
One week, we didn't talk to each other. Admittedly, I was ignoring him but it wasn't for anger. It was for shame. He was completely right. I'm even more selfish than I thought. So for one week, I avoided eye contact with him and any Head work that had to be done such as preparing the Patrol Chart was done by myself and was given to the Prefects without even checking it over with him.
"Oi, Hermione, don't you find that funny?!" Ron said, nudging me. He was apparently telling Harry and I some Quidditch story that I obviously wasn't listening to.
"What?
Oh, sorry Ron I wasn't
listening. I was thinking about the Astronomy assignment that Sinistra
gave us. Do you support subsection three of Mundhtik's Theory
indicating-"
"Hermione, you lost us after 'astronomy'"
"Well that's Hermione for you!"
Yeah. Right. I really need to swallow my pride and apologize. I think I'll look for him after classes are finished.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------His View
This week has undoubtedly been the worst week of my school life. Not only was Hermione ignoring me all week, she's making me feel useless by doing all of the Head duties by herself. And without her, I've been sneering and making life horrible for the other students without having a form of release afterwards.
Let's see how classes went today:
Potions:
Total guilt trip having to see the back of
Hermione's head the entire class. Felt a strange aura the whole hour and
realized too late that my supposed to be runny potion was rock hard.
Herbology:
In addition to the fact that I have no
patience whatsoever to plants, I was repeatedly bitten by the Cypripediums and had to go up
for an antidote. Repeatedly.
Defense Against the Dark Arts:
Was managed to be disarmed
by Zabini. Which wasn't so bad. Then I was disarmed by Crabbe and Goyle.
History
of Magic:
The one class where
nothing happened. Then again nothing happens in this class.
And now here I am, walking back to the common room from dinner – of which I didn't even eat. Maybe I should just die of starvation. Perhaps it'll let me forget my misery that is my life.
"Draco!"
I turned. Hermione?! Yes, it was her. Running… or more like sprinting towards me. Is she here to make up? Or no wait… here comes the official saying that we're through. Draco Malfoy, you are one pathetic idiot.
"I am one pathetic idiot."
"What? No you're not. Anyway, Draco I'm sorry."
What?!
"Nyuh-ugh… wha?!"
"It was wrong for me to just explode
on you like that. We've both been keeping up these images for seven
years, and I know how it's
like. And I realize that you had to do it. Everything you said was right…
and I'm just… I'm really sorry."
Is what I'm hearing right? She's apologizing? She's not breaking up with me?
"Hermione… don't be
sorry. It's-everything's hard I know. And I realize that we only
have each other."
"So… you still want me?"
"Yes, silly!"
And with that, Draco and Hermione kissed for the first time. It was both different for them – it wasn't like their other kisses. This was one filled with understanding, feeling and it felt so right. It didn't feel like they had worries. Titles didn't mean anything. Grades didn't mean anything. Image was nothing. To Hermione, Draco was everything. To Draco, Hermione was everything. Their own little world was everything. Even if it was a tangled world of lies, they were the centre and that's all they needed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A/N
Fluff and romance is soooo not my thing, so hopefully I did good. Hmm.. do you think so?
Anyway, even though I'm not getting a lot of reviews (I do realize how huge the D/Hr section is… I remember when I'd have to scan 20 pages of fics to find at least 5 D/Hr fics), I will still keep writing. But it doesn't mean stop reviewing! Honestly, the reviews are what compels me to continue so… review if you're liking this!
GIANT THANKS TO:
XxGuMmYbEaRxX – I have to admit, the excitement in your reviews can't stop me from not smiling. ) I don't read back on my chapters after I've written (it makes me feel cheesy P) so when you mentioned 'the story where Draco asks her out in the back of the book' I was gonna ask you which story it was! Alas, I did skim through my story last night only to realize it was mine. I'm such a dork!
Kiyoko – Definitely watch KareKano (Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou) if you can! I will admit the second half is dragged, and the ending is quite weird, but the first half is entertaining beyond belief! …just watch the first half )
chiLlinpNaY – Yes, the movie was 'My Sassy Girl'. I totally loved Jun JiHyun!