Disclaimer: For the last chapter, the line "When you talk to yourself Granger, do you get any answers?" was taken from a play script that most of you probably don't know. MG, you'll recognize it, but I just need you to know it wasn't my genius coming through.
A/N: Also, you need to know that occasionally I make fun of myself and fanfiction clichés in my stories. If you think something I've written seems stupid or unrealistic or just unlike me, it's probably because I'm making fun of myself. That's all folks! Please enjoy, and thanks for reading this abnormally long author's note.
"Granger. Get up, get moving. Someone is bound to find us, and they always get the wrong impression." His voice was commanding, unfeeling, and arrogant. Almost like…Almost like….Almost like how he used to be. Before you turned him soft, said the nagging voice.
"Malfoy. I thought I was the only one who had a problem with mornings," Hermione replied, somewhat irritable at the sudden change in attitude.
"Yeah, well…" he replied, not able to come up with a vicious response. All he really wanted to do was kiss her again and again, as sappy as it seemed, but Blaise was throwing a monkey wrench into his life and he was going to fight back. He'd resolved, late at night, that what ever hate-fueled passion he and Hermione used to have and Blaise and Hermione had was going to be re-installed into their relationship.
"That's all you can come up with?"
"Just get out of bed Granger."
"Stop being such an ass Malfoy."
"What did you expect?" he replied nastily.
She spun to face him, and he couldn't help but notice the hapless state her clothes were in. Her skirt was hitched up, her shirt was unbuttoned, revealing a lacy camisole, and her hair was messy. "I expected the same person I've been talking to and actually enjoying myself with the past few days. Not the person who tormented me and who I hated with all my being."
"You were expecting someone I'm not."
"So for the past few days you've been what? Having that time of month or something?"
"Actually, I've been trying to get you to sleep with me and-"
"Don't pull that crap Malfoy. If you'd wanted to take advantage of me, any time when we were sleeping in the same bed, or when I was vulnerable because of Zabini. But you didn't, which firmly backs my belief that, while you're still a Slytherin, there's some part of you that liked me as more than a sex object, no flattery to myself meant."
"What a beautiful tirade, Granger, really. Believe what you want to, but the main thing to remember is that I'm an impeccable actor."
"Malfoy. Kiss me."
"I don't take orders from mudbloods."
She gave him a disgusted though slightly amused look. "Just kiss me Malfoy. "He leaned forward and gave her a slight peck. She laughed. "Malfoy, you womanizer you, is that the best you can do?"
"Are you issuing a challenge?"
"Maybe. Would it help if I was?"
He leaned forward with all the suspense and gusto he could manage and kissed her. He kissed her passionately, and, as it always is in these cases, with all his emotions, right down to the 'deep embers of his soul.' Poetic, huh?
She didn't kiss back. When he had finished, she held his shoulders and looked straight at him. "What did you feel? And, by Merlin Malfoy, if you're not truthful I'll steal some veritiserum and use it on you."
"I felt…." He looked at her, at the wall, at the ceiling. This, in his opinion, was a moment of truth. He could lie. He could keep pretending it was all a façade, or he could tell the truth. "Just like I feel when I kiss any other girl."
Hermione nodded, mouth set in a thin line, and straightened herself out. "I'm going to breakfast, if you'll excuse me, Master Malfoy." There was sarcasm, loathing, and disgust in her voice as she stood up, grabbed her things, and stalked out the door. Once the door had clicked firmly behind her, he let his head drop into his hands.
Blaise was waiting for her.
"Hermione!" he exclaimed, full of fake enthusiasm.
"Shut up Zabini."
"I figured," he whispered, leaning in closeto her ear and abandoning his utensils on the table, "That we would be civil while in public."
"And then what? When not in public, we'd keep up our little hate passion fest? Just leave me alone."
"Granger?" he asked, his tone perfectly innocent.
"What part of 'leave me alone'-"
"Something happened with our mutual friend Draco, right?"
"Zabini, I swear I'll hex you from here to-"
"Granger," he broke in, chuckling in what can only be described as evil manner. "I win, don't you see?"
"Over who, Zabini? Malfoy? And what, pretell, did you win?"
"Power."
"Is that all that matters?"
"Yes. You mean nothing. Power means everything."
Hermione leaned forward and kissed him. "Tell me you didn't feel anything," she whispered into his ear. There was a ghastly silence, then a wave of murmurs as Hermione stalked out of the Great Hall, and then full out speculation.
I believe it is another time for a rumour update.
Lavender and Parvati had decided that clearly Hermione was cheating on Malfoy. What they couldn't figure out, and therefore what they didn't speculate about for very long, was why she would kiss him so openly.
A few others with larger imaginations whose minds just happened to be in the gutter had theories about threesomes gone wrong, and I really don't want to go into details about that particular rumour.
Many others, mostly girls, believed Hermione was a slutty bitch who should just stop stealing two of the cutest boys in school. After all, she did have the third cutest boy in school as a best friend. (Sadly, they weren't talking about Ron.)
Most of the guys thought Hermione and her scandalous adventures in and out of the bedroom were a big turn on, and were already hatching ideas on how to steal her for themselves.
Harry and Ginny were giving each other worried looks, while Ron was still staring open-mouthed at the spot Hermione had vacated. There were countless other rumours which involved baking products, children's toys and one or two other things. It was amazing what sort of things people could formulate from just one kiss.
Most people, however, were wondering about one thing. What was going to happen on opening night? Had there been a scandalous breakup and neither Draco nor Hermione would perform? Would they start doing something totally inappropriate on stage, whether it be fighting or making out?
As questions and speculations were discussed throughout the Great Hall, Hermione Granger stalked towards her room. Somehow, it didn't surprise her to find Draco Malfoy there.
"Would it surprise you to know I don't just think of this as a game?" she said, barely noticing his bare chest.
"No," he replied calmly, looking up at her from his spot lying on her bed.
"Would it surprise you to know I don't hate you as I much as I want to?"
"No."
"Would it surprise you to know I just kissed Blaise Zabini in front of everyone in the Great Hall?"
He sat bolt up right. "You did what?"
Hermione said, sitting down next to him. "I kissed Blaise Zabini in front of everyone in the Great Hall."
"Why?"
"He said he'd won."
"Won what?"
"Me. Power. I don't know. What ever it was, he'd beaten you."
"Must have been power then."
"Why? Because no self-respecting man would ever want a mudblood like me?"
"No. Because no one can win you, Hermione Granger."
"What's with the sudden change in attitude? First you were an ass. Then you began to get all soft on me, which was, admittedly, slightly unnerving. Then you became an ass again this morning, saying you'd just wanted to get me in bed, and now-"
"Granger-"
"Honestly Malfoy, you'd think you'd just hit menopause."
"Yeah, that's definitely it," he replied, giving her one of his charming smirks.
"I knew there was something wrong with you."
"Apart from me being a Slytherin? And an ass? And pompous? And egocentric, arrogant, and for calling you mudblood?"
"Apart from all that, Mister Draco Malfoy, you seemed perfectly normal. Now, fix this problem I've gotten myself into."
"How do you propose I do that?"
"Actually, before you do that, tell me why you did change personalities all of a sudden. Truthfully this time, since I know you love me."
He smiled. "I was jealous."
"Of who?" Hermione asked, astonished. "I would never sleep around with someone, Stud Muffin."
"I was jealous of you and Zabini; what you had."
"We had bruises, or at least I did," Hermione retorted.
"You liked having him kiss you. And, by Merlin Granger, if you're not truthful I'll steal some veritiserum and use it on you."
"Maybe. But Malfoy, really, I love kissing you."
"So? There was some weird passionate lust hate thing you two had. We used to have that."
"Yeah, until you started acting like a normal person; well, as normal as a Slytherin like yourself can get. Then I started liking the 'real' you, if you'll excuse the cliché. And we still fight."
"But Zabini…"
"Zabini who?" Hermione replied firmly, before moving to straddle him and kiss him.
"They'll talk you know."
"Do they ever do anything else?"
"Yo, Blaise," began the smart aleck from the back of the crowd when the Slytherins has first been deciding their course of action. "When I said 'lay the mudblood' I didn't mean it literally."
"Chris. Shut up. Seriously. And you should try it sometime."
"I don't sleep with the enemy," the other replied, sneering.
"Who's fighting?"
"We're always fighting. You can't throw it away for some chick you're sleeping with to beat Draco."
"I'm not trying to beat Draco."
"No? Last time I checked, you weren't in to mudbloods."
"Last time I checked, neither was he."
"I'll just pretend she kissed you, and it wasn't voluntary on your part. It'll help me sleep at night."
"Sweet dreams Chris." And then, under his breath, "It was all for the lip gloss."
"Granger."
"Yes Malfoy?"
"You're going to want to stop doing this soon."
"And why is that."
"Because I'm going to forget myself."
"And?"
"And you probably don't want that."
"Why not?"
"Stop being all seductive. It's unnerving."
"The Draco Malfoy I once knew wouldn't have stopped. So stop being so caring and sweet. It's unnerving."
"You made me soft. It's not my fault."
"I'm nearly positive I made you something other than soft," she replied, smirking at him.
"That was a cheap shot, and you know it. Like I said, it's weird to have you all daring."
"Can I be daring after our fake date?"
"Yeah. I think I'd like that."
"I'm sure you would."
Hermione was walking down the hall with a spring in her step when she was grabbed and yanked into an abandoned hallway in an all-too-familiar manner. After being pushed into a wall and kissed ferociously for a few seconds, she got over her shock and hexed Blaise into the far wall.
In light of her almost defined relationship with a certain Draco Malfoy, she was filled with rage that Blaise would even dare to….Then again, she had kissed him in the Great Hall, which might have sent mixed messages.
"I don't think you understand women very well," she snarled, standing over the dark-haired boy.
He gave a short laugh. "Don't worry your pretty little head Granger. I'm fairly sure you and Draco have everything peachy now. I just needed to do this once more, for old time's sake." He stood up shakily. Leaning forward, gave her an urgent kiss, but only his lips touched her. His hands stayed limp at his side, and he made no move to push her backward.
To his surprise, she kissed back. After a few minutes of kissing, they stood. "Granger…"
"Zabini, what ever it is you do to me isn't half of what he does to me."
"I suspected as much."
"I always knew you were smart."
"Granger?"
"Yes?"
"What flavour is your lip gloss?"
"It's Satsuma," said a voice from behind them. Malfoy stood looking at them, a cool expression on his face.
"Oh," replied Blaise weakly, while Hermione gave Malfoy a small smile.
"Bye Zabini."
"Bye Malfoy." And with that, Blaise Zabini waltzed out of Hermione's life for good.
"How did you know that?"
"It must be from being permanently attached to your lips."
"That's my line," she replied playfully.
"And you cry in your sleep."
She took a step backwards. "How did you know that?"
"I've been sleeping in the same bed as you…"
"You make it sound so wrong." She replied easily as they walked down the hall, prodding him in the stomach.
"Yeah. I know."
"Don't get all mushy on me Malfoy."
"Granger, please shut up."
"Is that the best you got?"
"Can't you just kiss me?"
"Not until you provide a better come back."
"Fine. Malfoys don't get mushy Granger."
"Except for a certain blonde-haired teenager who has gotten all mushy over some girl."
"Some girl?"
"Yes."
"I don't see just 'some girl' around here."
"You really are going soft on me. I may just have to dump you."
"That's gotta be a new record. Dumped before it even began."
"It's been going on for a week or two now."
"That was fake though. We still hated each other then, remember?"
"Something like that."
Lavender and Parvati stood watching. Love triangles were an amazing source of gossip. Incredibly juicy gossip.
"What did you get from that?"
"Your typical soap opera."
"Seriously."
"Hermione two-timed Blaise for Draco and he found them in their special dungeon room a week or two ago. That was the break up."
"Has the search party come back from searching the dungeons for that room yet?"
"No, but it's not surprising. I mean, they are the two top students in our year."
"Good point. Anyways, my theory is that she was one of their sex slaves, or maybe both for both of them, and then developed feelings for one or both of them."
"Impressive. I like that one better."
"Shall we spread the news?"
"Lead the way."
A/N: End of chapter 12. I think I'll wrap it up in the next chapter, so this is your final chance to tell me about parts that you liked, to give suggestions, etc. Garfield16 gave me one idea for this chapter; just goes to show I will do my best to incorporate them into the story. The Satsuma lip gloss thing was a tribute to my friends who actually don't support this pairing, but are addicted to the lip gloss. I felt the lip gloss thing was a loose end that needed tying. See anymore? Well then, tell me!