The Extra Long Detention
Over the next few weeks, Hermione and Malfoy grew to be almost friends, although Malfoy would never admit it. He refused to let it be known to the public that they no longer despised each other, so he and Hermione only hung out in the privacy of their own common room. They played muggle games (like Twister) and wizard games (like Wizards Chess), which Hermione could still not conquer. However, they never spoke about their feelings towards anything. Hermione did not want to talk about Ace with Malfoy, and Malfoy didn't really want to talk about anything with Hermione. So, it was a pretty fair situation.
However, no matter how much she was trying to move on and enjoy Malfoy's company, Hermione could not get Ace off of her mind. Perhaps it was because he was her first kiss, or perhaps it was because he had dumped her so suddenly without anything so much as a warning, but no matter what it was it was tearing Hermione up inside. She kept thinking about going to talk to him, but what good would that do? None, that's what.
Harry and Ron weren't talking to Hermione, either. Hermione believed that Harry had told Ron his twisted version of the story and Ron sided with Harry, like he always does. So, Hermione was left eating every meal by herself and sitting by herself in classes. Malfoy made it all a bit more bearable though; during class he would magically levitate notes to Hermione; some were jokes, some were topics of conversation and some were rude drawings of whichever professor happened to be teaching at the time.
Anyway, during a particularly boring Potions lesson, a note came flittering under Hermione's desk. She saw her name scribbled hastily on it and opened it to reveal one word: Twister? She accidentally laughed out loud, reminiscing about the last time that they played Twister when Malfoy fell flat on his face and threw a hissyfit because he lost.
"Miss Granger, I would appreciate it if you would pay attention in my class and not send private love letters to Potter." Snape sneered. Across the room, Harry was turning a violent shade of red.
"Sorry sir, I-" Hermione began.
"Accio parchment!" Snape ordered, pointing his wand at the note. Once it reached his hand, he read it aloud. "Twister. What does this mean, Potter?"
Harry looked bewildered at being addressed by Snape for writing a letter that he most obviously did not write. "I'm not sure, sir. Maybe it's a warning."
The whole class cracked up laughing, causing Snape to give them all two hours worth of detention that night. Everyone turned their nose down at Harry as they filed past him, causing Harry to fume. He walked straight up to Hermione as she was packing her Potions things into her bag.
"I don't know what the hell you're doing or who you're sending little love letters to, but I would appreciate it if you didn't make the class hate me and think that we were girlfriend and boyfriend, because that's obviously what you don't want to be!" Harry cried.
"I'm sorry, Harry!" Hermione apologized. "Snape jumps to his own conclusions, I didn't initiate-"
"Save it, Hermione!" Harry said. He turned and left without a backwards glance, beckoning for Ron to follow him.
"Oh, what a shame." A voice drawled from behind Hermione. She turned to see the unpleasant Snape standing there. "The love triangle has been fractured by the insufferable know-it-all. How is Mr Krum doing anyways? Are you with Potter by day and Krum by night? Perhaps you're breaking curfew and sneaking off to Durmstrang to see Mr Krum. It wouldn't surprise me; you and Potter never did seem to abide by the rules-"
"Shut up, Professor!" Hermione cried. The professor seemed to have a slight bit of respect in the otherwise rude outburst. "You have no idea what my love life is like, okay! None at all, and I'd appreciate if you stopped trying to butt in, too!"
"That's another hour for you on tonight's detention, Miss Granger. And twenty points off of Gryffindor for pure disrespect to your teacher." Snape sneered.
"Professor, perhaps that's a little harsh." Apparently Malfoy had been listening the whole time. "Granger's had a rough time, she's just a bit touchy-"
"Do wonders never cease? Mr Malfoy has developed feelings for Miss Granger here. An hour on top of tonight's detention for you too, Mr Malfoy, for disputing my actions. I'll see you both tonight." He grinned evilly and left the classroom.
The silence between Malfoy and Hermione was incredibly awkward; why had Snape gone and said that Malfoy had feelings for Hermione? As if. Hermione thought to herself.
"You know what mudblood, this is obviously not working out." Malfoy said. "Us being friends just won't fly. Others will hate it and it's evidently getting us into trouble, so if you don't mind I'm going to go back to the way things were before you starting getting all sappy-"
"I started getting sappy!" Hermione exclaimed. "You're the one who invited yourself to join me in the bathtub and you're the one who started that little snowball fight back then, not me!"
"It was fun while it lasted, Granger." Malfoy smirked. He turned and followed Snape out of the classroom, leaving Hermione to watch one of the only friends she had walk out of her life.
That night, Hermione prepared to go to her detention. Once she arrived there, she realized she was early because there was no one else present in the room. She took a seat and waited until students started filing into the room ten minutes later. She spotted Harry and Ron (who gave her a dirty look). She had been prepared to make up with them after the detention, but when they gave her that look she immediately decided against it. Screw them. If they want to be immature little children then that's their problem, not mine. Then Hermione spotted the last person she would have expected to be there: Ace McGonagall. He was one of the lasts to enter the room, looking as sexy as ever. Clearly he had gained himself a detention from Snape as well for one reason or another. Hermione could not see how Snape could do that; after all, Ace was not a student, therefore Snape should not have been able to put him in detention. Perhaps McGonagall gave permission to the teachers in case Ace was misbehaving. Hermione thought.
About five seconds before the detention was due to start, Malfoy strutted into the classroom. He looked infinitely bored as he took a seat by himself at the far end of the room. Snape was right behind him.
"You all know why you're here. Because of Potter's smart mouth. Keep that in mind." Snape directed. "Detention starts now. No talking. You can all spend these two hours thinking about Potter ruining all of your evenings."
Everyone shot a murderous look at Harry, who was blushing madly. Hermione felt a pang of guilt.
"I'm not here because of Potter." Ace muttered.
"Excuse me, Mr McGonagall?" Snape demanded.
"I said I'm not here because of Potter." Ace repeated. "I refuse to give Potter the satisfaction of dragging my ass here, thank you."
As much as Snape looked as though he enjoyed Ace's resentment towards Harry, he said, "Then we shall tell the class why you're here, although Weasley is already aware. Mr McGonagall seems to believe that because he is the relative of a high figure of authority at this school, he has the right to perform magic in the hallways."
"I never said-" Ace began.
But Snape interrupted. "Oh yes, I'm sure that several of you are curious why Mr McGonagall chose to break the rules. Well, it is all because of our insufferable know-it-all, Hermione Granger." Hermione looked shocked and began to turn a deep shade of red as the class all turned to look at her. "It appears as though her love triangle has become a love square, which Mr Weasley was only too eager to point out to Mr McGonagall earlier this evening, causing Mr McGonagall to perform advanced magic on Mr Weasley. Thank the heavens that Mr Weasley was okay." Snape said, not sounding at all concerned. "I warn all of the boys in this room right now, watch out for Miss Granger. She is not only an intolerable little girl, but also an intolerable heartbreaker." Snape finished, sounding superior and proud.
Ace and Harry glared at Snape, then at each other. Hermione stifled a sob; how could her professor embarrass her so immensely in front of her classmates?
"Oh, and Mr McGonagall, you're unnecessary outburst has earned you another hour of detention this evening." Snape ordered. "And the next person to talk will also get an extra hour."
The next two hours were possibly the worst of Hermione's life; it was so difficult to have two hours to think of nothing but Ace, and even more difficult having him in the same room as her, breathing in the same air as her. Every so often she peaked a glance at him, and he was always one step ahead, gazing at her first. She sighed and rested her head in her hands.
"Okay, you may leave." Snape addressed the class once the two hours were up. Everyone looked extremely tired and anxious to escape the dark and dingy room. Hermione, Malfoy and Ace were the only three remaining as everyone else filed out. "Malfoy, McGonagall, up here." Snape ordered, pointing at the desks beside Hermione. Malfoy took a seat to Hermione's right and Ace to her left.
"Now, you three all know why you're here. You have made me despise students more than any of the other students here put together today," Snape said. "With the exception of Potter." He added as an afterthought. "Further talking will result in an even longer detention."
With that, Snape sat himself behind his desk and watched the three of them menacingly, just waiting for one to say the slightest word. After all, Snape was under the impression that both Malfoy and Ace were infatuated with Hermione; surely some sort of argument would break out, giving Snape more incentive to publicly humiliate Hermione. However, after half an hours time, there was not even the slightest sound. Bored, Snape said, "I have someplace to be. I will return in five minutes; any talking and I will know about it." With that, Snape left the dungeon.
Three seconds after Snape left, Ace leaned over and whispered in Hermione's ear, "Come to my room tomorrow night at eight o' clock."
Startled, Hermione nodded before she had a chance to think about it.
"I believe I said no talking," A voice echoed through the room. They heard a light trickling sound in the background. Hermione stifled a laugh as she realized that Snape had gone off to the toilets. "Mr McGonagall, you can join me here for another hour tomorrow night at eight o' clock, sharp."
"Okay then, make that nine." Ace whispered to Hermione.
Malfoy looked over at Hermione, who felt his eyes on the back of her head and turned to face him. His facial expression clearly said, Don't go. However, Malfoy had completely dropped Hermione as a friend earlier that day, and had he not done so then Hermione may have just took his request into consideration. But he did, so she decided to see Ace the following night, totally unaware of what she would be getting herself into.
The second that the detention finished, Ace zoomed out of the room as though he were a piece of metal being attracted to a magnet somewhere far beyond the room.
Hermione and Malfoy filed out of the room; Hermione did not look at Snape, because she thought that if she did she just might curse him.
The moment they were out of earshot of anyone, Malfoy rounded on Hermione. "Granger, you're not going to see that idiot tomorrow night."
"Excuse me!" Hermione exclaimed.
"I said you're not going. End of story." Malfoy ordered.
"You're not the boss of me!" Hermione cried shrilly. "If I'd fancy going to see Ace then that is my decision!"
"Fine, but I expect you're going to be in for a lot more than you're bargaining for." Malfoy warned.
"Oh, shut up, Malfoy. You don't know me." Hermione said.
"I know you well enough to know that you're not ready to date someone like him!" Malfoy shot back. "I was young and innocent once too, you know-"
Hermione snorted. "Right! You were always a foul little child who always got what he wanted, and now that your father is dead you're even worse than you were before!"
Immediately she knew she'd gone too far.
After a few moments of silent, Malfoy said, "You're right, Granger. I do always get what I want."
In a fleeting moment, Malfoy stopped right in his tracks, grabbed Hermione's arm and spun her around so that she was facing him. He swiftly leaned in for a soft, gentle kiss, catching Hermione completely off-guard.
SMACK!
For the second time that year, Hermione slapped Malfoy around the face. She then ran as fast as she could towards the common room, cried the password for admission and ran straight to her bedroom, slamming the door and laying down on her bed, and meanwhile never looking back.