Hermione and Draco lay on the couch together through the morning. Draco was the first to wake. His eyes fluttered open. He looked to the side and saw Hermione's face. His arm was wrapped around her, holding her close to him. His other arm was down by her side, and his hand was holding hers.
'How is this possible?' He wondered. 'How could I, Draco Malfoy, have fallen for Hermione Granger?'
He looked at her once more. She was beautiful and she was his.
'I'm going to have to withhold from shagging...this is true.' He thought.
Then he thought about who they were. She was a Gryffindor...he was a Slytherin. Their friends would never let them be together without harassment...and their parents! (Well his father at least...Draco didn't know anything about Hermione's parents...all he knew is that they were muggles...ewww)
'What are you thinking about?' He heard a voice below him ask.
Draco looked down and saw Hermione's eyes on him.
'You, beautiful.' He responded. He leaned down further and kissed her cheek.
She smiled up at him.
'What are we going to do about all this?' Hermione asked.
'What?'
'Us?' She asked.
He was quiet. He was trying to figure that out too.
'That's what you were thinking about. Wasn't it?' Hermione asked.
He nodded.
'I don't know how we are going to have a healthy relationship.' Draco sighed. He then noticed her face drop. 'But I want to!' He added quickly. 'And if you can be strong, I think we can tough it out.'
'I have to tell Seamus still...' She sighed.
'Oh yeah. You already have a boyfriend.'
'He's not really. I told him we could try it out. We never even did anything together yet.'
'Well, go tell him.'
'Now?'
'Yes. You can't keep snogging me while you are going out with him, can you?' He asked smirking. 'That's not a very Granger-like thing to do.'
'Snogging a Malfoy isn't a very Granger-like thing to do either.' She grinned.
'That is true...hope that doesn't mean you are going to stop.'
'I don't want to.'
'Good. Cause I won't let you.'
Hermione looked at a wall clock. It was 10.
'I should get up.' Hermione said letting go of Draco's hand to stretch.
Hermione then lifted her upper body, followed shortly after was standing up.
'I don't think I should have kissed you last night...I'm still "technically" going out with
Seamus.' She said.
'Did you ever go out on a date?' He asked.
'Well, no.'
'Then you were never going out.'
'We've never gone on a date.' She replied smartly.
'That'll change by tonight.'
'Are you asking me out?' Hermione asked grinning.
'Yes. Will you?'
'Yes.' She smiled.
'Alright. I'll pick you up at eight.'
'Haha, so much effort. I live right across from you.'
'That's not my fault. I'm still picking you up.'
'Ok. Well, I have to get dressed and go tell Seamus...and Harry.'
'Hermione?'
'Yes Draco?'
'You don't think we should keep this secretive?'
Hermione had never really thought about keeping it a secret.
'Because of our peers?'
'And parents.' Draco added.
'Modern day Romeo and Juliet.' She sighed.
'What?'
'Never mind. It's a muggle thing.'
'Oh.'
'Well...I have to tell Seamus no...and if I do that Harry will know I decided about you. There's no way of keeping this from Harry.'
'Stupid Potter. Why do you have to tell him everything?'
'Well, I figure he's going to find out for himself eventually so why not save myself the trouble and tell him so he doesn't get mad?'
'Umm ok. But I still think Potter shouldn't know. He won't like it.'
'He won't like you. But he'll like "it" if I'm happy.'
'So you're happy with me?'
'If I weren't...would I want to be with you?' She asked. 'Even though I know it's a big risk?'
'What are you risking?' Draco asked. 'The cold shoulder from your little friends?'
'Yes. That's not fun.'
'Humph. That's not risking anything.'
'Really, Mr. Malfoy? And what are you risking, may I ask?'
'Let's see. The wrath of my father. The wrath of my fellow Slytherins. The wrath of all your little friends. And umm...I think their's one more...ohhh yeah. The wrath of the Dark Lord himself.' He said as he sat up.
'What are you talking about, Draco?'
'The wraths I have to fear by going out with you.'
'Voldemort? What does he have to do with us?' Hermione asked.
'Don't forget my little Granger. My father...is a fucking death eater. I'm his only heir...a Malfoy. I'm expected to become one too.'
Hermione's eyes got wide.
'What do you mean? Why are you to become one!?' she asked hysterically.
He looked at her in confusion.
'Hermione? Do you know nothing about me?'
'No. I don't. Remember how you harassed me for seven years? We really didn't get too close.' She snapped.
'I apologized. Don't bring that shit up.'
She crossed her arms and sat next to him.
'Draco...if you become a death eater...'
'I'm not going to become one.'
'But you just said-'
'I said that I'm expected to be one. I'm not going to be though.'
'Why not?'
'I'm not like my father. We had this discussion, Hermione.' He said, quickly wanting to stop talking about Lucius.
'What will happen to you if your father finds out about me?' Hermione asked in a whisper.
'He won't.'
'What if?'
'I don't want to think about it. He won't find out.'
'How are you going to hide this?'
He looked into Hermione's eyes.
'Hermione, please, can we keep this secret?'
'But Harry will know.'
'For god sakes, fine fine. Tell Potter, but tell him not to say anything. He's your friend, he'll listen to you.'
'Harry won't tell. I promise. I know him.'
'Let's hope.'
'So...what does this mean for our lives outside this room?' Hermione asked Draco.
'Around the other students you mean?'
She nodded.
'We have to be our previously normal selves I guess.'
'Cruel?'
'Can you handle it?'
She nodded.
'I don't want to hide this...but I will if it will keep you safe.'
'Alright. Go talk to Finnigin and Potter now.'
'I will. So, tonight at eight?'
He smirked and nodded.
She got up and went to her room, getting ready quickly.
After a few minutes she went to the Gryffindor common room.
Many students were awake and talking.
Lavender and Parvati ran over to Hermione as she as she stepped into the room.
'Oh! Hermione!' They giggled. 'You're going out with Seamus?'
'What?' Hermione asked in surprise. She didn't think anyone knew, but Harry and Seamus.
Hermione spotted Harry and mouthed 'Did you tell?'
He shook his head 'no' and pointed to Seamus.
'I have to go talk to Harry.' Hermione told the giddy girls.
'Well, okay, but make sure and tell us when you shag!' Lavender cried.
Hermione shook her head and walked over to Harry, who was once again sitting with Ginny.
'Harry, how did the gossip queens find out?'
'Well, Seamus told Dean...and Dean is going out with Parvati...so on and so forth.'
'Bloody hell.' Hermione sighed. 'Where's Seamus? I have to talk to him.'
'To me, Hermione?' A voice asked from behind.
Hermione turned to face a smiling Seamus.
'Yes. We need to talk.'
His smile turned to a frown.
'Umm...yeah, ok.' He said sadly.
She walked into a corner where no one was and he followed.
'Seamus,' She started, 'I think we'd be better off as just friends.'
'But-'
'No, Seamus, I really think we would be. I mean, we've known each other for so long. It would be too weird.'
'Well okay, Hermione. If it's what you want.'
'It is, Seamus. I was really flattered that you like me, but we should just be friends. Will you be okay?'
'Yes. It's fine.'
'Alright. Thanks, Seamus.' She smiled.
She left him and walked back over to Harry.
He gave her one of those 'I-know-you-broke-up-with-Seamus-cause-of-Malfoy' looks. Well, actually, she's never seen his look before so she assumed that's what it was...and Lord knows she's never seen the real 'broke-up-with-Seamus-cause-of-Malfoy' look before.
'Ginny, I am really sorry. Whenever I need to talk to Harry, I feel horrible because I'm always interrupting you.'
'It's fine. As long as you let him come back.' Ginny smiled.
'I will. A few minutes that's all I need.'
Ginny nodded, Harry got up and he and Hermione went into the corridors once again.
'Please tell me you broke it off with Seamus just because you wanted to and not for Malfoy.'
'Now, Harry, don't me mad.' She started.
'Oh bloody hell. You did, didn't you? I asked you to think about it for a few days.'
'I thought about it last night.'
'And Malfoy also wants to be in the relationship?' Harry asked.
'Yes, a lot. But...Harry, you can't tell anyone.'
'About you and Malfoy?'
'Yes.'
'Why? Malfoy doesn't want his stupid friends to find out he's going out with a "mudblood"?' He asked.
'Harry, stop. No. He doesn't want his father to find out, because his father is dangerous.'
'I know that. If his father finds out will he hurt you?'
'I don't know. He'll hurt Draco, because Voldemort will find out.'
'Hermione, this sounds like a dangerous thing for you to do. To go out with Malfoy...it's a big risk. Lucius and Voldemort could come after you if they find out.'
'That's why they won't find out.' She said. 'Besides, it's more of a risk for Draco, and he still wants to be with me.'
'I won't tell.'
'Thank you, Harry.'
