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Love Sex and a Bottle of Vodka

Chapter Nine

Hermione stood at the platform, feeling strangely lonely. So things went the way she knew they would and against her wishes. She and Draco had both decided to go back to the way they were.

"God Hermione, you know how I feel, but I can't. For your own safety," said Draco. He closed his eyes as though seeing her stand before him, eyes filling with tears, was too painful.

"It's because of your reputation isn't it?" Hermione spat out the word.

"No." Draco opened his eyes again. "I know you won't believe me but it's true. If the Slytherin boys or girls find out about us, they'll hurt you Hermione. They don't like their own dealing with other people, especially Gryffindors."

"I know," said Hermione, softly. "It'll be the same way. Ron would have your throat if he knew."

"You know I love you, nothing will change that."

"Going back to school will."

And with those final words, Hermione left Draco. It didn't work out the way either of them wanted it to. And Hermione knew, in spite of Draco's words, that he was terribly afraid for his reputation. But that was Hermione's problem, for getting involved with someone like him. Hermione shook her head. It was a summer thing and that's it. Deep inside, she wished desperately that it wasn't just a summer fling but she refused to acknowledge it.

"Oh my god, I told you it was her, Hermione!" someone called. She spun around to see Ginny, looking cheerful and adorable in a big sweatshirt, pleated skirt, and sneakers. She hurried over, earning several sidelong glances from several Hogwarts boys standing nearby. Behind her followed Harry with his trademark tousled hair and Ron wearing one of his mom's knitted maroon sweater.

"Hey, how are you?" Ginny's copper eyebrows knitted into a frown. "You don't look too good."

"Nice of you to notice," said Hermione, somewhat wearily in Ginny's opinion. Ginny tugged at Hermione's sleeve.

"How about having this train ride just you and me in a private compartment away from these monkeys?" she said soothingly. Hermione, grateful, nodded. She leaned her head on the other girl's shoulder, finally letting some of her sadness go.

Finally the Hogwarts Train arrived and was soon full of students. Ginny lead Hermione to a quiet compartment and they settled back for the long ride to Hogwarts.

"So," said Ginny. "Do you feel like telling me what happened?"

"Ginny," Hermione started. Her face started to screw up and turn red. Ginny had seen this transformation before and she knew it was when the older girl was about to cry.

"He said he wanted us to go back to the way we were." Ginny gently stroked other girl's hair.

"It's for your safety and who knows? Maybe for the better. But if it's meant to be, you will know that when you go to Hogwarts." Hermione was quiet for a long time but when she looked back up, Ginny could tell Hermione was trying to act as though everything was okay.

"How are things between you and Harry?" she asked, in a too "normal" voice. Ginny decided not to mention the fact that she knew Hermione was only acting.

"Pretty good," she said, lips curving up into a grin. Hermione's eyebrows rose, fleetingly forgetting about Draco.

"Don't give me your Virgin Mary look, Hermione, because we both know that you're not as innocent as you pretend." Hermione giggled which Ginny took as an opening to tell her all that she had missed that summer.

"Draco!" He spun around, hearing a vaguely familiar voice call his name. It was Pansy, looking considerably healthier, walking fast towards him.

"Pansy?" Draco stood dumbfounded, unable to comprehend that she was back. Of course he had somewhat missed her, it was to be expected; they had grown up together. They lived in the same world.

Pansy threw her arms around Draco's neck and hugged him as he returned the gesture.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, eyeing her cautiously.

"Much better," she answered brightly. They were still pretty close though they called their relationship quits after Draco made Pansy go into counseling. She did look much better; she must have gained some weight.

"I know what happened," she whispered. Draco stiffened.

"What?"

"I know what happened between you and the Gryffindor girl. I'm sorry Draco, it's all my fault."

"What?" Draco's vocabulary seemed to have shrunken into one word.

"I left you," she said emphatically. "I left you and you didn't know what to do, how to react. But it's okay now. I'm back and you're back. Back home. In our world Draco."

"What world is that." His voice sounded dead in his own ears.

"Of magic and wealth, Draco. Haven't you heard our parents talking?" When he shook his head, Pansy looked at him curiously.

"You didn't hear our parents talking? At all?"

"I've been alone this summer, remember Pansy?" She seemed to take that as a reasonable excuse. Draco, on the other hand, knew what the talks were going to brew up to so he had left to live alone for a while, to escape his parents and their wild plans to trap him into their dream.

"Draco," said Pansy; a note of urgency laced her voice. "We're going to get married. Us. Together. The year we both turn twenty one." Draco's ears roared.

"Let's talk about this, when we get on the train," he said, tightly.

Ginny has finished her story about twin boys that she was dating at the same time, unwittingly.

"But it was lucky, for me anyway. They were both adorable and real nice too. I swear for the longest time I thought he just had two names."

"God Ginny," said Hermione, laughing. The door to their compartment slid open.

"Harry? Ron? I thought I said that we wanted some privacy," snapped Ginny. It wasn't the boys, but a boy, more specifically, the boy. Draco frowned, a crease appearing on his forehead.

"Excuse us we didn't know there were people in this…" His voice trailed off as he saw Hermione behind Ginny.

"See you at Hogwarts," he mumbled and walked away, Pansy following close behind him. Hermione bit her lip but willed herself not to cry.

"I don't see what he sees in her. She still looks like a pug. Maybe Draco misses his pet dog at home," said Ginny, loudly. Hermione smiled in spite of herself.

"God Draco, you've gotten polite," Pansy commented. They finally found an empty compartment. "Just a year ago you would have thrown them out just so you could have the compartment."

"I was immature. I've grown up. It's about time the Slytherins let go of all the tedious, petty rivalries with the Gryffindors. It's not going to solve anything anytime anyway." Pansy looked at him strangely but Draco didn't notice. He was too busy looking out the window, watching the scenery fly by, thinking about a certain brown-haired girl who was, at the exact moment, trying to forget about him.