Disclaimer: As always, these characters unfortunately don't belong to me :-(
A/N: Hey! How is all? Lol, This time I didn't take 5 months to update! Now that the summer's here I have more time to write =). I can't believe in a few days it will be a whole year since I started this thing! Sadly, I can feel this fic starting to end, there should only be maybe 3 more chapters, but I'm so excited lol. I made this an extra long chapter to make up for that 5 month hiatus :o). Anyway thanks to all who reviewed, I do appreciate your comments, and don't forget to review this time. And a BIG thanks to Susan, aka Susamina (who btw has to update her fic!), I appreciate all your help so much!!Hope you like it!
Chapter 13: Surprises, Suspicions and Completed Missions
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I worry, I wonder all the time why worry?
It's killing me. Forget about it.
I whisper, remember what she did, don't miss her.
Set me free, she won't allow it.
Angry and gone, and the list goes on and on.
If it's love, I will differ.
I'm being lost being with her.
I can't move on, I can't take it.
She, she says we won't make it now.
I can't move on, I can't take it.
She, she says we won't make it now.
Believing, the things I did were wrong,
I'm leaving. It fades away, forget about it.
She's binding, can't do a thing alone, rewinding.
Times before, can't live without it.
Angry and gone, and the list goes on and on.
If it's love, I will differ.
I'm being lost being with her.
I can't move on, I can't take it.
She, she says we won't make it now.
I can't move on, I can't take it.
She, she says we won't make it now.
I don't know.
But you did, but you did, but you did.
Please don't go.
Now my feelings for you, they're now lost
'Cause we're through anymore.
I'll write you , I'll call you, now.
I'm being lost being with her,
I'm being lost being with her,
I'm being lost, forget about it.
I can't move on, I can't take it.
She, she says we won't make it now.
I can't move on, I can't take it.
She, she says we won't make it now.
-Why Worry?, All American Rejects
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Hermione went back up to her room, tired after the long day at Hogsmeade. She gathered up her things to go take a relaxing bath, hoping to unwind and wash away the worry that still lingered somewhere in the back of her mind, despite the fun-filled day. As she walked down the hallway toward the bathroom, reflecting on the happenings of the past few days, she looked down to see she had almost tripped over a person sitting against the wall. At first she thought the person had passed out, but at second glance saw he was just in deep contemplation. Then, getting a closer look she realized that of all people it was Draco Malfoy. She was about to turn around, thinking that he hadn't noticed her, when his cool voice echoed down the silent hall.
"Granger, are you going to stand there staring at me all bloody night?"
Taking this as a sign he wanted her to leave, she instead sat down right next to him.
"What do you think you are doing?" he asked giving her a 'how-dare-you-disturb-me' look.
"I'm sitting down," she stated simply in that matter-of-fact tone that grazed his nerves. "I didn't realize it was illegal for me to sit here."
"No, not illegal. Extremely unwarranted, but not illegal."
"So, why are you just sitting slouched against a wall in the middle of the Charms corridor?"
"It's certainly none of your business. Why would you care anyway?"
"I don't care. But being a Prefect in this school, I think it is my business."
He rolled his eyes at that comment, but then an unnerving thought suddenly popped into his head that caused his body to become tense. He hadn't talked to her since yesterday, what if she'd been talking to that Weasley girl? Was she here to discuss more than what she was letting on?
"Granger?" "Malfoy?" they questioned at the same time.
"You go," he said, with more politeness than Hermione had seen from him in a while.
"Well, I was with Harry, Ron, and Ginny today..and well, Harry seems like he's getting suspicious of something. You aren't going to tell him what happened between us, are you?"
"What happened between us?" he asked with a look of pure un-Malfoyish innocence plastered on his face.
"You know...in the hallway the other day, and then in the bathroom yesterday."
"What was this?" he questioned, still pretending to be clueless, amused at her growing agitation.
"Draco Malfoy, you know perfectly well what I'm talking about! You know, when we...well...when you kissed me!"
He put on a look of confused intrigue and said with fake surprise "Oh, that was you?" and couldn't help smirking at her irritation.
"Ugh!" she said, letting out a sound of frustration. "Why do you have to act like such a prat?!"
"I am not acting like anything. I am calmly sitting here, but you had to interrupt me."
With that she let out a huff and crossed her arms. Ooo how he could get on her nerves sometimes.
"Granger, don't have a conniption fit, I wasn't planning on telling anyone what happened. If you haven't noticed, that would ruin my reputation just as much, if not more than yours."
"Oh, right," she said now feeling a little sheepish. "I hadn't thought of that."
"Obviously. If you stopped thinking about yourself so much, maybe you would have."
"I don't believe it! The nerve of you saying something like that to me. Mr. Draco-I- can't-get-myself-out-of-my-head-Malfoy."
"Well at least I'm someone that's worth thinking about," he retorted, flashing her his most cocky grin.
Hermione wanted to wipe that smirk right off of his face. He seemed to love getting under her skin, and knew exactly the right ways to do it. But instead of showing him how much he bothered her, she took a deep breath and calmed herself down.
"So what are you still doing here?" he asked, while sighing, brushed his hair back, then closed his eyes and put his head back against the stone wall. Hermione was about to question this odd behavior when something clutched in his hand caught her eye. She spotted familiar blonde and brown slightly bushy hair and school robes and snatched at his hand. Realizing her intentions he pulled his hand back, and she missed. She tried to grab at his hand again, but unfortunately for her, his reflexes were quicker than hers, and instead she ended up sprawled over his lap, not able to reach what was in his hand.
"Oof," she muttered while blushing, and trying to get up.
"Granger, why the sudden urge to molest me?" he couldn't help smirking more than ever now at the compromising situation she had put herself in.
"Oh yes, that was exactly what I was trying to do," she said while rolling her eyes. "Now give me what's in your hand."
Draco, who had swiftly managed to stuff the picture into his pocket while Hermione had been composing herself, was now showing her his empty palms.
"What hand?" he asked her with feigned innocence.
Hermione appeared puzzled, but her gaze quickly traveled to his pocket and before he could see what was coming, she had dug her hand into his robes and was now clutching the photograph with a startled and bewildered expression on her face.
"So now you really are molesting me. I would have thought you'd have more self control."
Hermione however was too surprised to make a comeback and instead fumbled with her words.
"What are you...? Why do you have...? Where did you get this?"
"So articulate Granger. If you must know, that Weasley girl had it and questioned me about it."
"G-Ginny saw this?!" Hermione asked incredulously.
"You're lucky that's all who saw it. It almost ended up with Potter and the other Weasley girl. Wouldn't that be fantastic?"
Hermione was still too shocked to really notice his crack at Ron, and continued with her barrage of questions. "What?! Well, where did it come from??"
"How should I know? If you didn't notice I was a little preoccupied at the time."
"So, what are you doing with it?"
"Trying to keep it out of the wrong hands," he replied while deftly removing it from her grip. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do....like sit back down and stare at this interesting wall in front of me."
"Wait a minute, if you didn't want the picture to be seen, why didn't you just destroy it?" she asked, eyeing him suspiciously and curiously.
"What? Are you implying that I actually wanted to keep the damn thing? Well don't flatter yourself." And with that he again left the picture as scattered pieces on the stone floor.
"Well you can't just leave it like that, here..."She motioned her wand to clear away the torn pieces, but Draco suddenly stopped her and said rather hastily, "Here, let me do it. I believe the little Weasely is awaiting an explanation from you."
Hermione furrowed her eyebrows together, wondering about his strange actions, but just dismissed it, knowing she'd have to have a dreaded conversation with Ginny about Malfoy. So, forgetting about her bath, she said a faint goodbye and left Malfoy again slouched against the wall as she had found him. She was now halfway down the corridor, but still managed to hear him call out after her, sarcasm in his voice as always, "You know how much I love spending time with you, but we do have to eventually meet up sometime to finish solving this thing for Dumbledore."
She didn't reply, but smiled to herself, then continued on her way, thinking of how she might possibly begin to explain herself to Ginny.
Draco, unbeknownst to Hermione, found himself for the second time that day restoring the picture, this time putting a charm on it, so only he could see what it really was. He then proceeded down the hallway, not quite sure where his feet were taking him. Realizing he hadn't eaten lunch that day, and that dinner was almost over, he started to head in the direction of the Great Hall. He sat down at the only empty seat at the Slytherin table, which was unfortunately next to Pansy. He started to eat the dinner that had magically appeared before him, but dropped his knife as the other person next to him, Goyle, bumped into him. 'Clumsy goon,' he thought angrily as he bent over to pick up the silverware, but the picture of he and Hermione, charmed to turn into whatever the first person who looked at it wanted to see, fell onto the ground. Before he could pick it up, Pansy had leaned over, and was now squealing in delight.
"Oh Draco! I just knew you felt the same way! Who knew that you secretly kept a picture of me with you? How romantic!"
'Damn. Could my luck get any worse? Why did she of all people need to be the first one to get hold of that picture?'
Draco roughly snatched the picture out of her hand and stuffed it into his pocket, saying "Yeah. Right," and suddenly losing his appetite, decided to just go back to his room, ignoring Pansy's questions of where he was going, 'just when she had discovered his undying love.'
Now in the Gryffindor common room, Hermione was starting to head up to her dorm when someone came and blocked her from going up the stairs.
"Hermione, we need to talk."
Ginny Weasley pulled Hermione up the stairs into the 5th year girl's dorm room, which was luckily, and not surprisingly, vacant.
"Ginny, I can explain..."she started, but Ginny cut her off, with a smirk that oddly resembled Malfoy.
"Who would have ever thought that the infamous pureblooded wizard Draco Malfoy would ever fall for Muggle-born Hermione Granger!"
"Oh, don't be ridiculous, he hasn't 'fallen' for me! Now be serious about this!"
"Oh really?" Ginny asked skeptically, still teasing her. "Well something's certainly happened to him if he kissed you!"
"Ginny, that was all just a misunderstanding!"
"Ok, Hermione, I'll be serious. Is there something going on between you and Malfoy??"
"Of course there isn't!" Hermione replied, looking as though Ginny had lost her mind.
"Well, then what was this picture about? From what I could see he looked pretty smitten" she said while giggling, remembering what she had seen in the photograph.
Hermione, however did not agree, and looked scandalized. "Of course he didn't! And even if he did, I would have certainly noticed it."
"I'm sorry to say this, but no you wouldn't have, you may be very intelligent, but you can be terribly oblivious sometimes."
Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and replied "Well, in this case, there is absolutely nothing to be oblivious of. Now let me explain, it's not what you think."
"Ok, 'Mione, then spill," Ginny demanded, eager to know what had happened.
"Well, it's a long story...it's all so confusing, I don't know where to start."
"Well, start from the beginning," Ginny answered, getting comfortable, as she sensed a long story was coming on.
"Do you remember when I went on that 'special secret assignment' for Dumbledore with Malfoy?" As Ginny nodded Hermione continued. "Well, there was no special secret assignment," she admitted. When Ginny's eyes became wide, her curiosity raised and attention held, Hermione took this as her cue to continue with her explanation. She told Ginny the whole story of what had happened since then between she and Malfoy, sparing no detail, watching Ginny's various expressions of amusement and surprise flickering across her face. It actually felt good to tell someone, to get it all off her chest. It was way too confusing to have all that bottled up inside, and was glad she had Ginny to talk to, who she knew was much more understanding than Harry or Ron would be. After Ginny had absorbed all of this, she sat for a few minutes, seemingly speechless.
"Wow, Hermione. I really don't know what to say. But do you think Malfoy meant it when he said he didn't hate you as much as he used to?"
"Well, he doesn't really humiliate me as much as he used to, it's just kind of like teasing and taunting. And I haven't heard the word mudblood out of him for a while. He's just so stubborn, it's like whenever I see glimpses of politeness from him, he immediately brushes it off and feels like he has to insult me to make up for it or something. I just don't understand it, it's all so odd."
"Well, he's not the only stubborn person around here," Ginny replied while smiling innocently in her direction.
"Hey!" she said while glaring half-heartedly, and then laughing, knowing it was the truth.
"Hmm...well, it is a very strange thought you being friends with Malfoy, but it's obvious he's changed some how, even if it is slightly."
"Me, friends with Malfoy? I doubt that will ever happen. It's more like, we have a.....tolerance for each other now. I just wish he'd stop going back to being a total prick all the time."
"Well it sounds to me like he's in denial," Ginny said while giggling.
"Oh give me a break, that's absurd."
Ginny shrugged and replied, "I don't know Hermione, from what you've told me, it really sounds like he's just as confused as you are. I know it sounds really strange, because this is Malfoy, but maybe there's something he's not admitting to himself."
Hermione felt almost sick to her stomach at that idea. Imagine, Malfoy being confused and in denial? It was just crazy! "Oh Ginny, stop filling my head with preposterous ideas. It is true that Malfoy's been pretty tolerable, but that doesn't mean anything! He has fun teasing me and gets pleasure in seeing me annoyed or infuriated. He was probably just trying to make the best of the situations we were in. Anyway, thanks for understanding Ginny, I know you must have been getting some crazy ideas after seeing that picture."
"It's all right Hermione, anytime." She stifled a yawn and said, "Well, I guess I should be going, we had a busy day, and we do have classes tomorrow. I'll see you later."
"Bye Ginny."
As the younger girl left, Hermione couldn't help thinking about the conversation they had just had, Ginny had filled her with some doubt about Malfoy. Was he really as bad as he tried to seem? She wasn't sure anymore. Sure he could be tolerable, maybe even a tad nice some of the time, but other times he could really be a prat, and she seriously doubted he thought of her as anything more than bookworm, teacher's pet, mudblood Granger. However, a tinge of doubt remained somewhere in the deep recesses of her mind. She was now exhausted and ready to go to bed herself, but something on the floor next to her trunk caught her attention. It was a book Hermione had completely forgotten about with all the commotion the past few day- Hogwarts: A History; First Edition. 'I can't believe I forgot about this!' Hermione thought, mentally slapping herself. She sat down on her bed, opened to the table of contents, and started skimming through the chapter titles. They were all quite familiar to her, but eventually she stopped at one that wasn't. "That's strange...I've never seen a chapter titled 'The Founder's Curse' before..." Hermione flipped to the page number and immediately became engrossed in the words before her.
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was, as mentioned earlier, founded in 1432 by Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin. The four shared a common room in the early beginnings of Hogwarts, still located in the school today. It is known that the four were very close friends when the school started out, but differences between who should be able to attend the school forced Slytherin to stray from the rest. However, it is said that someone had unknowingly cast a spell 'Conturbo-phasma Donec-rivalas' on the four of them. According to legend, this spell caused their spirits to become unrestful, trapped together in Hogwarts. The spell would not be lifted until two rivals, that by fate were meant to be together, fell in love and created peace between the feuding houses that the four had created. It is said that the founders still to this day haunt their special common room, awaiting the day when the curse is lifted, and their spirts can finally be at rest..."
"Oh my god! Oh my god, this is it! This must be it!" Hermione could hardly contain her excitement about finding out the secret to the mystery that Dumbledore had asked them to solve.
"Hermione, are you all right?" asked her roommate Parvati Patil, who had walked in a short while ago.
"Oh, of course I'm fine, just excited about something I found here. If you'll excuse me, I have to go do something, I'll be back soon."
Hermione didn't even turn back as she headed out the door to see Parvati's mildly surprised face behind her. She had to go find Malfoy to let him know she had solved the puzzle. 'No doubt he'll be relieved about not having to spend so much time with me now. Of course I'll be relieved too.' But would she really be? However, she was so enthralled about finally discovering this new bit of information, she didn't stop to think about it too much. She scoured the hallways looking for any sign of the Slytherin, checking the hallway he had previously been in, the Great Hall, and the library, but there was no sign of him anywhere. Feeling a bit disappointed now, she started back to her own room in Gryffindor. 'Hermione, look at yourself, running around like a fool to find Malfoy of all people, get a grip, you can just tell him tomorrow, or the next time you see him.' With that last thought, she gave the Fat Lady the Gryffindor password, climbed the stairs to her room and into bed, falling into a much-needed slumber.
The next day, Friday, and the day before the Valentine's Ball, Hermione woke up with an early start. Her classes seemed to fly by that day, and before she knew it, she was packing up her Charms books and seeking out Malfoy yet again to tell him the good news of what she had discovered.
Draco was heading to the Slytherin common room after his last class of the day, Blaise next to him making idle conversation.
"So Draco, why exactly did you have a picture of Pansy 'pug-face' Parkinson with you in your pocket?"
"Blaise, the day I willingly carry a picture of Pansy around with me is the day I'd be carried to St. Mungo's by a pack of ravenous wolves. The picture was under the Occultatio charm."
"Oh, yes that makes much more sense. You really should have seen her face after you left last night, all sappy and pathetic looking, staring dreamily at the spot you had been sitting. I can't believe she won't give up, even after her love spell failed."
"Yeah, she really can be quite dense. Hey, wait a minute...how did you know she tried to put me under a love spell? When I told you what had happened with me and Granger I don't recall telling you that bit of information."
Blaise quickly flushed, and cursed to herself at her slipup. "Erm....well...she sort of...asked me for help."
"WHAT?! Are you daft?! Why would you ever help Pansy with a love spell to use on me?!"
"It's not like she could have gotten it right anyway. Even with my help I knew she'd mess it up somehow. And do you realize how annoying her constant begging, squeaky voice can be? Besides, if she hadn't done anything, you wouldn't have a crush on Her-mi-oneee," she said dragging out the girl's name in a sing-song voice.
"I do not have a crush," he spat out the word as if he had a bad taste in his mouth, "on Her-mi-oneee," he finished, mocking the same sing-songy voice.
"Whatever you say. Anyway, if that picture wasn't Pansy, then what is it?"
"Nothing."
"Oh, nothing, huh?" At this, Blaise caught him off guard when she started digging through his pockets for the photograph, oddly reminding him of what Hermione had done.
From a distance, Hermione spotted Malfoy's bright blonde head in the hallway, in the midst of many of students eager to get to their common rooms. As she neared him, pushing past some Hufflepuffs headed in the opposite direction, she stopped dead in her tracks, the sea of people around her however still continuing their flow of movement. Suddenly a conversation that they had not too long ago popped into her head....
"Why would I want to be paired with her when I like someone else?"
"Oh.....is it that Blaise Zabini girl? I've seen you two around each other a lot lately."
" Yeah Granger......it's Blaise."
And there was the proof to back this up, for there Hermione saw Draco with Blaise Zabini, looking as though they were flirting and playfully fighting. Hermione, getting an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach, thought it best not to disturb him just then, turned around, and trudged back to Gryffindor, all earlier excitement about her discovery now gone.
"Give me the damn picture back."
"Just let me see it. Now how do I turn this back to it's original form? Oh yeah..."
"Accio photograph!"
"Hey!" the girl cried as the picture flew out of her hands and back into Draco's.
"Blaise, you can't see this. At least not now in the middle of a crowded hallway."
"How come? Oooh, I bet its Granger," she said, teasing him again, not really knowing just how right she was.
Draco just glared at her and continued walking at a fast pace, Blaise smiling smugly behind him. As he turned around to see if she was still coming, he could have sworn he saw Granger's retreating figure, but decided it just must have been a figment of his imagination as a result of having her on his mind so much lately and continued toward the Slytherin dungeons.
Hermione was now at dinner, and seemed to be rushing through her meal so she could finally tell Malfoy that she had found the answer they had been looking for, but then slowed down when Harry and Ron started throwing her odd looks.
"Hermione, you're eating like Ron, are you ok?" Harry asked, giving her a curious glance, while Ron muttered something under his breath, giving Harry a look.
Hermione, who wasn't really paying attention, didn't seem to hear Harry, but Ginny, who picked up on Hermione's distracted look, quickly jumped in. "Oh, yah she's fiiiiine, all that working so hard lately must have caught up to her, right Hermione?"
"Hmm? Oh yes, that's it. I'm ok. Really, you can stop looking at me like that," she finally replied, as Harry and Ron's concerned expressions eased up. The truth was, that she was thinking about how she felt earlier when she had seen Malfoy in the hallway. Was she actually jealous of Blaise? No, it was impossible, what would she have to be jealous of? Still, she knew after tonight she wouldn't need to be spending so much time with him anymore. 'Thank God for that,' she thought to herself, although it may have been halfheartedly.
Draco, who had decided to skip dinner that night, instead decided to go back to the mystery room to see if he could figure anything out. He was wondering just when he'd see Hermione again, and although he hated to admit it, he had actually gotten used to being around her. Maybe even started enjoying her company. 'Now don't go too far Malfoy,' he slightly joked to himself. Just when he sat down on the comfy sofa that he had spent so much time on a few weeks ago, the door burst open, and in came a slightly panting Hermione. He noticed she was carrying a large book under her arm and thought with a slight smile, 'What else is new?'
"There you are! Finally," she said, coming over to him, and plopped herself down on the sofa.
"Been looking for me, eh?" he replied, giving her an interested look.
"Yes. And you can stop smirking before I pop that balloon you like to call a head. Here, I wanted to show you this," and with this she handed over the large book sitting in her lap over to him.
"Is it your diary, Granger? Come to show me all the wonderful praises of admiration you've secretly been writing about me?" However, when he looked down at the title, Hogwarts: A History; First Edition, he said, "Oh sorry, my mistake, it's your Bible."
"Very funny, but once you see what I found, I think it'll be you praising me," she countered, opening up to the page about the secret of the founders, ordering him to read.
As he quickly skimmed the passage, his eyes widened in shock. .He couldn't believe it, she had found the answer to what they were looking for, and without him for that matter. He was a little put off that she solved the mystery on her own, but then felt oddly letdown, realizing there was no need for them to spend any more time together with the answer sitting here in front of them. 'You must have known this was coming Malfoy, why would she ever want to spend more time with you then necessary?'
"Why do you have to be so bloody brilliant? You solved the whole damn mystery on your own, and now Dumbledore will probably give you all the credit."
"Oh don't be ridiculous, with after all we did trying to figure this thing out, of course you'll get credit. By the way, did you just compliment me?"
"So what if I did?" he snapped, putting an irritated look on his face to hide his disappointment, and turned to face her.
"Nothing, it's just odd is all..."
"Oh right, I forgot, I'm Malfoy, not capable of actually being polite or agreeable because I'm just a big prat."
"Hey, it's not like I'm the only judgmental one around here, you seem to always find plenty of reasons for me to think of you that way."
He sighed, now looking grumpy and said "Whatever, let's just show this to Dumbledore." Truth be told, he had let the compliment accidentally slip, but was glad she had caught it, thinking maybe she still didn't hate him... 'But I guess I was wrong...' He now stood up, book in tow, getting ready to leave, but suddenly Hermione pulled him back and shouted "Wait!"
Hermione, now realizing what she had actually done, looked very confused. She had gotten a strange urge when he had gotten up, not wanting him to go just yet, but now that she had stopped him, she had no idea what to do or say.
An even more confused Draco was now half sitting, half laying on the couch, where he had fallen when Hermione pulled him back. "What Granger?" he asked her, with a slight tinge of hope showing in his eyes.
"Umm..." she started to say, feeling very awkward, but became even more uneasy when she saw how close they were sitting, and that she still had a fistful of his robes clenched in her hand. She snapped out of it when she realized they had been staring at each other, and as she let go, he cleared his throat and turned away, trying to think of a way to break the uncomfortable silence.
"So," he stared, and she jumped when he had finally spoken again. He was now leaning on his elbows and before he could continue, the picture of Pansy, yet again slipped out of the pocket of his robes. 'God damn it, why does this thing have to give me so much trouble?'
Hermione bent down to pick it up, and seeing who it was, changed her expression from confusion to annoyance. "You know, I saw you with Blaise today, so why do you have a picture of Pansy with you?"
"Stalking me now, huh?"
"No, I was just looking for you so I could show you this book."
"Then why didn't you come over to me then? Afraid of what Potter and Weasley will think of you if you were seen associating with the likes of someone like me?"
"Actually, you looked quite cozy with Blaise Zabini, I thought you wouldn't want to be disturbed."
Draco could hardly believe his ears. Was she actually jealous of Blaise?
"Granger, are you dumb, blind, or maybe both? I did not look remotely close to getting cozy with her. It seems to me like you're just jealous..."
"I most certainly am not! I'm just stating what was obvious. Besides, if I remember correctly, you even said it was Blaise that you liked."
Draco looked confused for a minute, but then recalled the conversation they had not too long ago about the Valentine's Ball. Thinking it over, he couldn't believe she had actually taken what he had said seriously, she was incredibly oblivious.
"Granger, I think you really need to learn how to pick up on sarcasm."
"What? What are you talking about?"
He put his head in his hands and let out a frustrated sigh. "I think you just must be in denial."
"What? Denial about what??"
"About this."
And suddenly, Hermione Granger felt Draco Malfoy kissing her. Again. For the third time! But this time, it was like he was pouring everything- all the anger, frustration, confusion, all his pent up emotions into that one single kiss, trying to say what words could not. And this scared her. It scared her because she was worked up and confused and surprised and overwhelmed all at once. But it actually felt right, and this unnerved her to no end. So she did what instinct told her to do. She pushed him away. "What the HELL do you think you are doing Draco Malfoy?"
He was a little breathless, and his confusion mirrored her own, but he actually looked a little hurt that she had pushed him away. "I-I don't know, I don't know what I'm doing, and I don't know what I'm thinking, and I don't know what I'm feeling, but I don't think you really know either. But I DO know that it was NEVER Pansy, and it wasn't Blaise."
"Who was it?" she asked, fearing that she already knew the answer to her question.
Draco picked up the picture of Pansy now lying on the floor, pointed his wand at it, muttered "principialis", and watched as the picture slowly turned back to its original state. Handing the picture back to her he swallowed and whispered "It was you."
Hermione's eyes widened, her head shaking back and forth as if saying 'no'. Draco noticing her expression, realized that she must not reciprocate his feelings. He was so frustrated at the girl he didn't even stop to really think what he was saying as he continued. "WAS being the important word. But obviously you haven't felt the same way, and I won't waste any more of my or your time. I keep forgetting you are a mudblood after all." He couldn't seem to stop himself, he didn't handle rejection too easily, and didn't exactly have the best temper. As soon as the word was out of his mouth he deeply regretted it, but figured maybe it was for the best if Granger wanted to stay in denial.
Hermione looked like the wind had been knocked out of her and felt her heart drop down to her stomach. She tried to hide her feelings of hurt that such a low blow had caused her as she replied, "I don't believe it. Who are you trying to kid? I just KNEW it! Maybe on the surface you've changed and learned to be friendly, but deep down you'll never be able to completely forget our differences will you? Even if you do have a different side that can be nice, you've obviously just shown me which side you favor more."
Draco was about to apologize, but realized it would probably be futile. She believed he could never completely change, and if that's the way she wanted it, that's what she was going to get. He turned around to leave again, but stepped on something that had been near his feet. He looked down to see 'Similar Spells and How to Determine Their Differences' staring back up at him. He picked up the book and again turned around, but turned back to Hermione and said "You know, did you ever even read this?! For someone who's supposed to be as smart as you, you sure can be airheaded, there's an interesting bit of information in here you overlooked, but don't worry, it's not too important anymore, especially not to me."
Hermione closed her eyes and shook her head again, grabbed the book out of his hands, pushed roughly past him and stormed out of the room. Draco forcefully slammed the door behind her and put his back to the wall, closing his eyes and sliding down to the floor, angrily brooding about how stubborn Hermione was and what a big mess he had gotten himself into.
"Ginny," Ron coaxed, sitting with Harry in the Gryffindor common room, "Is Hermione really ok? She's been acting pretty strange lately."
"Oh, don't worry about her. She had a bit of a--situation-- with Malfoy, but it's sorted out and everything's perfectly fine now."
At this they heard the portrait of the Gryffindor Tower slam shut, and Hermione's furious face coming towards them.
"'Mione, are you-," Harry started but was cut off by an angry Hermione who didn't even glance in their direction. "No one. Talk to me." The three friends watched as she stormed by and headed towards the stairs to the girl's dormitories, stomped up the stairs, and winced as they heard a door angrily slam shut.
"Oh yah," Harry said casually. "Everything's peachy."
Hermione slammed her door shut, and threw the book Malfoy had given her onto her bed, frustrated with him, as well as herself. She just couldn't understand what was going on with him. 'One second he kisses me, the next he calls me a mudblood!' She sat down on her bed and smacked her hand down onto the mattress, then sighed, thankful that her roommates weren't there to see the scene she had just caused. Looking at the book that seemed to be calling her name now, she picked it up and opened up to a page that was book marked. Maybe an explanation to Malfoy's actions would be in here. The spot she had opened to turned out to be the same one she had read before, and as she reread it, images of the time trapped in that room popped into her head. When she had gotten to the end of the paragraph about the spell they had been put under, she hadn't noticed anything at all....what was Malfoy talking about when he said she missed something. But then she noticed an asterisk indicating a footnote at the bottom of the page, and her vision blurred as she saw the words before her that he must have been talking about.
*Further research on this topic has shown that the spell can only be performed on people that by fate, are meant to be together.'
The book dropped out of Hermione's hands and landed on the floor with a loud thud. "Oh my God......... Oh my God!" With that, Hermione rushed out of her room and down the steps, almost falling in her haste and ran out of Gryffindor, not even bothering to close the portrait behind her.
"Oh, you call that fine!" Ron exclaimed at Hermione's retreating figure, and with that, the three went after to her to see if they could get a much needed explanation out of their friend.
A/N: So0o, how did yah like it? Tell me in a review! For the spells, I used an English to Latin translator, so they might be kinda messed up, but roughly they mean....1.unrestful spirits until a rival is in love, 2.concealment, and 3. original. Wellll, usually my author's notes are longer but, what can I say, my life's boring now that I'm off from school LoL. Hope you all liked it, thanks again for reading, and remember to please review =) Luv ya!
~SweetWater~