Chapter 10: You BITCH!

Hermione wanted to cry. Her little yelp must have been louder than she thought, because Draco started screaming.

"Granger? THANK GOD! Granger, your sister's MENTAL! Get her off of me!"

Hurrying closer, she realized that Beth had him in a bear hug, and he was continually moving his face away, trying to avoid her. Her legs were wrapped around his, making him unstable, and his hands were unable to reach his wand from his captured position. She managed to wretch Beth off of him and get her facing herself. Beth's face lit up.

"HERMS! Did, did you know that, that, there's this stuff, this stuff that's called…uh…uh…BUTTERBEER! Yeah, yeah, that's it. And, it, it, it doesn't even have –he he he- any butter! It's soooooooooo bet, bet, better! Than vodka!"

She began laughing hysterically, and then passed out cold. Hitting the floor with a hump, Hermione used every single ounce of self-control she had to not kick her. Oh, how she wanted to! Normally, when she needed to calm herself, she started to count. The highest she had ever reached was 17 before she pushed it in, ignoring it. It took her almost a minute. When she finally looked over to Draco, he was wiping off his neck, a disgusted look on his face.

"Malfoy, I'm sorry about her. She gets this way when she's drunk and there's hardly anything I can do. I really am so, sorry about this."

"Granger, stop apologizing, it's not your fault. She just came up behind me, I nearly fell. I'm quite ashamed to say I was just harassed by a muggle girl. But you've got to understand I couldn't do anything. It was like a deathgrip, I couldn't move my arms."

"Look, Malfoy, I won't tell anyone."

"Oh…well, good. So, neither of us will tell anyone about this, and I'll just go now."

"Right."

He practically ran out of the room and into his own. Hermione sighed a breath of relief, then cast a silencing spell. She woke up Beth, who was no longer hysterical, but had a rather bad hangover.

"YOU BITCH! I cannot believe you! You violated my classmate!"

"Oh, come on, he wanted me. Everybody wants me."

"What? No, Beth, you trapped him in a bear hug to the point where he could hardly move his arms."

"Herms, don't be like this. I thought you hated him."

"That doesn't matter right now. Leave him alone Beth!"

"Well, hey, I can't help it that everyone –"

"Get it through your head you mental bitch, he doesn't want you! Leave him alone!"

"What is your problem? God…"

"What…what is MY problem? Oh, you are UNBELIEVABLE! Get out, right now! Go to the room of requirement and stay there! I don't want to see you again until the school year is over!"

"Stop yelling."

"GET OUT!"

"Fine, fine you bitch. God you really need to get high." Beth muttered on her way out.

Hermione didn't care anymore, and just stood there screaming. When she felt herself close to crying, she stopped, removed the silencing charm, and went to read a book. This was supposed to be a good day. It was a wonderful morning, and then this. Beth always managed to make Hermione mad. Beth always managed to just ruin her day. But not today. She adapted her inner optimism again. Checking her time before lunch, she reached into her trunk and pulled out her 'relaxing bath' necessities. Vanilla scented candles and rain scented incense. Magic was wonderful, but you couldn't get the scent and the burning smell by casting a scent charm. And the candlelight was always wonderful in the bath. After setting everything and lighting everything, she turned the lights off, and got in. She soaked for nearly two hours, the water never going cold. Finally, she got out, cast a cleaning charm on her clothes so she wouldn't feel dirty and got dressed. Looking herself over, she decided to leave her hair down.

She made her way to the Great Hall in record time, and sat down next to Ginny. She appeared to be deep in thought, but snapped out of it the moment she noticed Hermione.

"Hermione, when was the last time we did something?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well lately we've all been hanging out with Beth, and it just seems as if you never want to. Are you mad at me?"

"No! Not at all, I just…Beth and I don't get along well, and we only would have argued."

"Oh. Well, we were all planning on going into Hogsmeade today. I was just thinking, why don't I skip out on them, and we spend the day together? The boys will be back soon, and we haven't hung out in such a long time."

"But you already have plans."

"So what? It doesn't matter. Truth be told, Beth is just…I don't know, but I'd rather spend the day with you. She just doesn't compare, ya know?"

"Alright, where would you like to go?"

Ginny started talking right away of plans for the afternoon, and inside, Hermione was so thrilled. Ginny chose her, over Beth! Ginny ditched Beth, for her! It was the most any friend had ever done for Hermione, and she decided to let Ginny know her gratitude. Interrupting her, she announced.

"Ginny, I'll pay for everything today. Whatever we get, it'll be on me. Aright?"

"No, I can't let you do that Hermione!"

"Of course you can! You have no idea what it means to me that you would rather spend the day with me than Beth, and I intend to show you just how much."

"Why is that surprising, Hermione? And no, you can't!"

"It's important to me because it's never happened before. Whenever my friends meet Beth, they always end up being her friends, and I'm absolutely thrilled that you haven't done that. And yes, I will be buying everything today. So don't hold back, I insist."

Hermione put that glint in her eye, and knew Ginny wouldn't try to argue again. Ginny on the other hand, kept her shock in check, and instead, promised to herself that she would become Hermione's best and most trusted friend. And if that meant excepting her gifts, well, she just wouldn't tell her parents about it. But that certainly didn't mean she was going to take advantage of Hermione. Once in Hogsmeade, they headed to all the usual places and ended up at the Three Broomsticks with armloads of bags. Hermione was very thankful that she had accepted Draco's offer earlier that year. She would have never spent that much money on herself, and a friend, had she not known how much of it there was. And Draco had said she could spend some, just not an ungodly amount, and Hermione really didn't think that she spent an ungodly amount of his money. Ginny now had a few new quills, some muggle-inspired clothing, and some girl stuff. Hermione had gotten new quills as well, said she had enough muggle clothing and got a new robe, and let Ginny convince her to buy some girly things. Ginny broached a subject she had been dying to ever since lunch.

"Hermione?"

"Yeah?"

"Why did you think I would abandon you to hang out with Beth? Do you really not trust me to be your friend?"

"No! That's not it, Gin, really. It's just…difficult to explain. Don't feel bad, it's not your fault, you're a great friend, it's me. I just have some problems that I need to work through. That's all."

"Is that why you wouldn't go out with Ron?"

"Yes, actually. And, I really do see Ron as a friend only."

"Are you sure? He seems so sad."

"Yes, I'm sure. I only like one boy right now, and it's not Ron. Oh! I mean, nobody."

"You liar! Who is it?"

"Ginny, I'm sorry but you're not privilege to that info."

"Oh, come on! You can trust me, I swear I won't tell anybody, no matter who it is!"

"Ginny I'm sorry, but no. I just can't tell you. Look, it's getting late, we should head back."

"Aw, come on. Please?"

Ginny whined to Hermione the whole way there, through the castle, up to her room, and back out into the hall on the way to Hermione's room. Hermione didn't give in.

"Look, Ginny – I'm not gonna tell you. Please stop whining, say thank you for the gifts, and let me go into my room with peace."

"Oh, all right, but you will tell me eventually, right?"

"Yes, eventually. When I'm ready to trust, you'll be the first person to know."

"Okay. Thank you for the gifts Hermione, have a good night. I won't forget your promise."

"Goodnight Ginny."

"Goodnight Hermione."

Hermione waited until Ginny was around the corner to say the password and walk into the common room. Draco was sitting on the couch in front of the fire, reading. She had just reached her door when her parents came in. Draco didn't acknowledge them, and they just looked at him, waiting. Hermione broke into their stare.

"I'm going off to bed early, already had dinner. Night."

"Hermione wait! Did Beth ever show up?"

"Of course. She was drunk and did something that was simply inexcusable, so I sent her back to the Room of Requirement."

"What did she do?"

"Oh, I found her rooting through my things. You know how I don't like people to touch my possessions, and she was being insufferable." She had to fight to keep the smile from showing. What could he possibly be thinking right now, she thought.

'Possessive, huh? I wonder if she came up with that on the spot. She's good, way better than I am at Pretending. God, I can't wait till tonight! Oh, if only she knew.'

"Oh, alright dear. We'll be leaving early in the morning tomorrow, and it'd probably be best if you didn't visit us, so we want you to know, we love you."

"I love you guys too. I'm tired, so I'll be in my room."

She left the room and flopped onto her bed, wishing it was midnight already. The whole week had been so suspenseful, it was almost unbearable. Now she only had hours to go. Who knew what he would do? What he would say? Who knew what would happen after tonight? So many questions that she couldn't even begin to hypothesize about. So she lay and waited for what seemed like forever.

Well? Next chapter is when they finally meet in the tower. Who knows what will happen up there? And Ginny will play an important part in the future, but that's all I'll say, cause the end is a while off. So, basically, pay attention to details. I want to thank all you marvelous reviewers out there for well, reviewing! It means a lot to me, and I can't say it enough. You loyal reviewers encourage me to keep the story up, to keep writing. I can only hope that one day, I'll write enough Draco/Hermione fan fictions to finally get all the ideas out of my head. And just think, there'll probably be even more after the sixth book comes out! Guess what? I just spent four straight hours reading the fourth Artemis Fowl book, and it was great! There was something else I wanted to say, and now I can't remember. Oh bum! See you all later then!

Dizzy