Title: The What If's of Life

Rating: PG  just in case for hardly a bit of language

Summary: What if? Don't you ever find yourself asking the same question? What if? Hermione and Ron are going out but what if…? Hermione and Ron are having troubles so what if…? Find out the what would've happened just if…RR!

Ships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Sad day.

A/N: Alright, this chapter is a bit longer. I hope you enjoy and RR! PLEASE!

NOTES:

Chapter 3

While Hermione was leading the Prefects' meeting, Harry and Ron decided to indulge themselves in a round of chess. Ron being the fanatic chess player, had received one for his birthday.

"Checkmate," exclaimed Ron. There was no winning in the end when playing with the Ron-myster!

"That's it!" Harry threw his hands up in the air in surrender. "Do you enjoy smothering my face in defeat?"

"Course I do, mate. I see no reason of life if I didn't."

"ahem, I'll give you one, perhaps Hermione?"

"Hey, don't try and pull that one on me…"

"Speaking of Hermione, where is she? Run off with Malfoy, has she?" came a silky voice. Both boys' heads turning to the door, setting their eyes on Hogwart's most gorgeous girl, Lavender. Both eyes could be seen going up and down her body, seeing her shortened skirt, her shirt unbuttoned too low at the top and her silky hair flowing around her shoulder, framing her beautiful face perfectly. They literally gaped at the sight. She seemed to notice it and flaunted evermore herself. She sashayed in, taking a seat next to Ron who had started to get red in the face. He'd seemed to forget her last comment of Hermione going off with Malfoy. She leaned in closer, placing a hand on his upper thigh… "So, Ron, I've been waiting ever so much over the summer to see you," she says with a cute pout. Ron turned to face Lavender only to find her face mere inches away from his. Going a bit crossed eyed, he gulped and just sort of froze. "SO, Ron," butted in Harry who was watching this in front of him. "What have you got planned for your 4 month anniversary with HERMIONE?" he asks a bit loudly and obnoxiously, emphasizing Hermione's name. Ron turns to Harry and getting the reaction Harry had wanted from Lavender. She makes a face of irritation as she slides her hand off Ron's thigh, sending shivers up his back. "Well, I'm………going to go get a cup of water," he says quickly. Not feeling so comfortable, he quickly gets up before anyone could stop him.

Malfoy spoke on and on. Actually he was a very good speaker but the fact that it was a Malfoy that was speaking; his voice was automatically drowned out by her own thoughts. She sat irritably at the side, waiting desperately for this meeting to end. How was she going to survive having to share the Head common room with MALFOY!

She looked up and around at the people seated at the table in front of her. She couldn't help but feel proud of herself. Who would've thought that bookworm Hermione would become Head Girl? Well, actually the whole school knew with the exception of Hermione who was always so modest. She would be taking care of these mentee and they would be looking up to her as a mentor. But before she could lose herself in her thoughts again, she caught Malfoy smirking at her. Oh, that smirk! She just wanted to rip those lips off his face. Why was she thinking of Malfoy? Ugh! Just the thought of him made her shudder…..especially their last encounter.

She had just gotten her midterm back in Potions. This being about 30 of her grade, she had studied day and night for this and was most pleasantly happy when she had gotten an E for excellent, the highest score you can get. She automatically looked to her sides where Harry sat on her right and Ron on her left. They had gotten an A for average and she grimaced but they seemed happy with their scores. She couldn't help but look around herself when she caught a glimpse of Malfoy. He seemed rather pissed off. She saw Snape walk over to him and have a few exchanged words only for Snape to shake his head at Malfoy. It didn't look so good for him.

"Wow, an E! Snape actually gave you an E!" Ron exclaimed. "This has got to be the first."

"Congrats, Hermione," Harry congratulated as they made their way to the Great Hall. The halls were nearly empty, no in better words it was empty. Snape of course made the trio stay behind and clean up after everyone else.

As they turned the corner, they spotted a red head bouncing their way. "Harry, what took you so long?" she pouted. "Oh, hello Hermione, brother," she says, stating her brother in a duller manner. "Hey, Ginny," Hermione replied as Ron just rolled his eyes.

"You know dear, if you do that too much, you're eyes will get stuck," came a silky voice. Ron went beat red. Even if Ron and Lavender had been going out for a bit, he'd always seemed to go red at the sight of her. And of course at this time Harry was going out with Ginny. The two couples were picture perfect. Hermione, looking on the four of them, not much minding Harry and Ginny getting together but the sight of Ron and Lavender clinging together made her sick in the stomach. She had founded her new feelings for the red head about 2 weeks too late. Suddenly loosing her appetite she made a poor excuse of saying she'd forgotten a book in her room.

"My, my, what have we got here? A stray?" Ron, Lavender, Harry and Ginny had gone to the Great Hall, buying into her excuse. Hermione could hear the noises from the Great Hall as she reached the top of the stairs. That's when she heard the cruel, all too familiar voice of Malfoy. She turned to him, the one to usually be calm and composed stood in front of him with a blank face. "Malfoy," she greets then turning to leave again. "Hear you got an E," he states. "What'd you do cheat?"

Hermione stopped dead in her track. She was not going to let some ferret boy degrade her hours of studying. "Malfoy, do I hear a hint of jealousy?" she smirks back, seeing the blonde try to hold his anger in.

"Jealous of a mudblood?" He used that all too many times and now it was just a word to her.

"Yes, me. What? All the kiss up didn't get Snape to change your grade?"

Takes a step closer. "Mudblood, watch what you say…!"

"…Or else what?" getting fed up with his empty threats. "I've still got the better grade."

"You're just a filthy mudblood, you hold no importance to me."

"Well, I guess I can be the mudblood who gets better grades than a Malfoy."

She could see the rage building up behind those blue-silver eyes and she was rather enjoying herself. His jaws shut tight. Then suddenly rising his hands to her shoulder, he pushes her hard. Hermione stumbled backwards, hitting the stone wall behind her. She was utterly surprised at his actions. She had not expected this, not even from a Malfoy. "Malfoy…" she cut herself off. He had placed his hands on the wall on either sides of her face, leaning in so they were mere inches away. "How does it feel to be rendered speechless by your inferior?" she comments harshly though inside she was trembling like mad, taking all her energy to not go weak in the knees. She was searching in those eyes of his; trying to see any signs of anything in them but they were blank, empty. That's when the impossible happened. He kissed her, hard. His lips bruising hers……….

She shudders.

"Miss Granger, something the matter?"

Hermione snaps out of it, seeing all eyes on her. The warmth seemed to spread in her face as she looked into those silver eyes which were smirking. "Again, I ask, is there anything else you would like to add?"

"No," she states lamely.

"Well, that concludes the first meeting. Check on the bulletin daily for updates." The prefects filed themselves out, leaving Hermione and Malfoy alone. Hermione quickly gathers her papers and without a word hastily leaves.

She let out a sigh of relief. How could she just space out like that?

"Was it cold?" came the unwanted voice.

"What?" she says not bothering to turn around.

"You shivered."

"I don't know what you're talking about," trying to brush him off.

"What a picture you painted for the Prefects, dozing off like that at your own meeting."

Hermione swiveled around. "Malfoy, what do you want from me?" she asks defeated.

"I want you to beg for me?"

"What?" she asks utterly confused.

"I know what you were thinking about," he says with a smirk, walking around as Hermione kept her eyes on him. He placed himself in front of her, in the narrow hallway causing their bodies to be pressed up against each other. Hermione tried to keep her breath steady but not wanting to retreat which in his eyes would mean accepting defeat. He slowly lifted his hands up as he had in their last encounter. He smirked maliciously but before he could speak….

"…Hermione?" both heads turning to see Ron who had gone ghostly white.

Hermione reacted at once, pushing aside Malfoy with abrupt force she or he did not know she had. "Ron…" but before she could utter a word out he had turned on his heel and started to march away. "Ron!" she called after him. "I don't want to hear it!" he yelled back. A few heads popping out in between the distance that now held its place between the two of them. She watched defeatedly as her shoulder was suddenly rammed into by Malfoy as he made his way past her. Of course not letting a smirk go passed unseen; he disappears into a compartment. However, she didn't care. Her eyes on the red head. She knew from past experience to just let him be for the time being, let him cool off. She'd go find him later, apologize and make up. That's just the way it was, always.

Unexpectedly she sees the compartment door in which she knew was the one Harry must be occupying alone, opened. She had expected Harry to walk out but instead it was…Lavender. She could not see her face but just could tell it was her. Her stomach flipped inside her guts and suddenly feeling nauseated. She could see her slender hands cupping Ron's face in comfort. What are they saying? Hermione seemed riveted to the spot. Ron's head swiveled back towards Hermione and they met eyes. Holding it for a few seconds, Ron was the one to break it.

Then what happened next felt as if someone had torn out her heart, ripped it to shreds and done a Crucio spell on it.

Ron, instead of going inside and Lavender taking her leave…………..walks passed their compartment………………hand in hand…………

A/N: So how did you like this chapter? RR!