Bathroom Break

Hermione spent the next few days trying to remember what happened that night after Lavender and Parvati's party. She was behind on her homework and less sociable during classes. Harry watched her like a hawk; wherever Hermione was, Harry was two inches behind her. Harry couldn't understand, though. No one could. How could Malfoy do that to her? That was the only question that ran through her mind. If he didn't do it, then he would have denied it to McGonagall and she would have taken the extra steps to ensure that he was telling the truth. But obviously he didn't deny it; otherwise, he'd still be at Hogwarts. And Ace. Ace was gone for good. It was unreal. How could one night that was impossible to remember change Hermione's life for the worst? And of course, there was Harry. He was like an insect that would not go away! I don't like Harry in that way. Hermione continuously told herself. But she could not bring herself to "break up" with him. She had already hurt him so much; how would it look if she just broke up with him for no reason?

The biggest factor had to be Malfoy though. He had tried to rape her, and that was the bottom line. The same guy she had been sharing a dormitory with for the past few weeks. The same guy she had befriended for a little while, even with the events of the past six years still fresh in their minds. The same guy who was prepared to take her to the party, even though she never said yes.

"Hermione? Are you okay?"

Hermione looked up to see Ginny staring down at her. Suddenly, she realized that there were silent tears sliding down her cheeks. She had been trying to catch up on her overdue homework in the library, but apparently slipped away into her own mind once more.

"Hermione?" Ginny repeated.

Hermione quickly brushed the tears out of her eyes. "I'm… I'm fine. Honest." She smiled a fake smile that did not seem to work on Ginny.

"You are not." Ginny said. "What's up?"

Hermione sighed. "It's Malfoy."

"What about him?" Ginny asked, quizzically. "He's gone now, you don't have to worry about him."

"But the thing is… the thing is that I think I actually liked him. Before all this happened. There were some sort of feelings there, I think."

"You liked him?" Ginny cried.

"Shh!" Hermione shushed, glancing around the library to make sure that no one was listening.

"Sorry." Ginny whispered. "You actually liked Malfoy? The same Malfoy who tortured you and Harry and my brother since the day you all arrived at Hogwarts?"

"One in the same." Hermione sighed. "I just don't understand why he would try to rape me. It doesn't make sense. Not at all." She tried to stifle her tears, but failed miserably as a fresh, hot batch began to stream down her face.

"Oh, Hermione!" Ginny cried. She wrapped her arms around Hermione and held her for what felt like a century. Once they released each other, Ginny said, "There's a Hogsmeade trip coming up next weekend. Do you want to go with me?"

Hermione sniffed. "I expect Harry's going to want me to go with him."

"Forget Harry." Ginny said. "He'll understand. We need girl time. So, do you want to go with me?"

Hermione smiled. "Yeah. Definitely."

The Hogsmeade weekend approached faster then expected. It was as though the days just flew by, and Hermione still could not remember what happened that night; the block that separated that night's recollection from everything else was not fading, and it was frustrating Hermione to a great extent.

"Ready to go?" Ginny asked excitedly as Hermione emerged into the Entrance Hall.

"Yup. Let's go." Hermione smiled. The two walked out of the castle and down the stone steps, following the rest of the school towards Hogsmeade.

"Hermione! Hey, Hermione! Wait up!" Harry came sprinting alongside Hermione and Ginny.

Hermione sighed. "Hello, Harry."

"Harry! We already explained to you that it was just me and Hermione." Ginny said.

"I know. But Ron ditched me. He chose to stay at school and go flying with Hannah rather then come to Hogsmeade with me. Not too much of a shame, though. Now I get to spend some time with my beautiful girlfriend." Harry slipped his hand into Hermione's and gave her a peck on the cheek. Hermione still couldn't remember when she had become Harry's girlfriend.

Once the three of them entered Hogsmeade, they went straight for the Three Broomsticks, anxiously awaiting a warm, delicious Butterbeer. When they were seated with their drinks, Harry leaned over and began whispering things into Hermione's ear, like how beautiful she looks and how she's made his life perfect. Ginny looked rather awkward.

"I think I'll go get refills." Ginny said, even though the glasses weren't even half empty.

"Don't bother!" Hermione cried, desperate to get away from Harry. "I'll get them. I have to go to the bathroom, anyway."

Harry looked disappointed, but Ginny immediately lured him into a conversation about Quidditch.

Hermione sighed as she walked towards the back of the Three Broomsticks, looking for a bathroom. Why does Harry like me so much? When did all of this start? Maybe I said yes to being his girlfriend that night, and I just can't remember it. Whatever happened though, it was definitely sickening Hermione. She wanted to give him a good old smack around the head and tell him to go away, but she just couldn't do it.

Without even noticing, Hermione walked into the boys' bathroom. A guy was crouched on the floor with his back to her, scrubbing dirt off of each, individual tile.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Hermione cried. "I didn't even realize-" She immediately stopped in mid-sentence. It was just then that she noticed how blond this boy's hair was. How muscular his arms were. How he looked as though he had never cleaned anything in his life.

"Draco?" She asked, timidly.

The boy did not turn around. It was as though he didn't want to. He didn't want to face what was inevitable. But, he had no choice. So, he slowly picked himself up off of the floor, brushed the dirt off of his knees and turned to face Hermione.

"Hello, Granger." Malfoy smirked.

"I… I wasn't watching where I was… what are you doing here?" Hermione stammered.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but I've been suspended." Malfoy said, stating the obvious. "When you've been suspended you're expected to come to Hogsmeade and do some volunteer work until your suspension is over. I've been sentenced to clean the boys' washrooms while you're here, so that we wouldn't see each other. Obviously that didn't work out."

"Obviously." Hermione said, heading towards the door. "Look, I have to be getting back to-"

"Wait a moment." Malfoy said, stopping Hermione dead in her tracks. "We have to talk."

"I don't think we do." Hermione said, her anger suddenly replacing her fear. "All I have to do is shout for Harry and he'll come running. I don't think you want that so if you'll just-"

"What is your problem?" Malfoy asked. "Why are you so jumpy around me? I was almost sure the shock of my amazing good looks had worn off by now."

"Do you forget what happened the night of Lavender and Parvati's party as well?" Hermione challenged, sarcastically.

"As well? So I was right. I told you that you'd have no recollection the next morning, didn't I?" Malfoy asked, superiorly.

"I've gotten the gist of it!" Hermione cried. "First Ace spikes my drinks and then you come acting as Mr. Knight-In-Shining-Armor-"

"Acting?" Malfoy asked, skeptically. "Come on! If I hadn't stopped you from leaving that party with Ace then you would have regretted it in the morning, take my word for it!"

At that moment, an innocent bystander entered the bathroom. "Uh, this is the guys' washroom, isn't it?"

"Get out!" Hermione cried.

The guy scampered out of the bathroom like a dog with his tail between his legs.

"A bit angry, are we?" Malfoy smirked.

"Shut up, Malfoy!" Hermione shouted. "So you come along and pretend to save me, only to take me back up to our dormitory and attempt to rape me yourself! You are sick, you know that? Absolutely, positively sick-"

"So you believe the story too then?" Malfoy interrupted. He picked up a broom and began sweeping the dirt into a neat little pile.

"What story?" Hermione cried. "You did and you know you did! I don't remember anything, Harry and McGonagall obviously believe the story and you don't deny it! How dare you deny it now!"

"Well I am, so deal with it." Malfoy said, coolly.

Hermione took a deep breath. She was so confused. A bit of her wanted to believe what he's saying is true, but the rest of her found it unbelievable. "What happened that night?" She asked calmly.

"Obviously you already have your mind made up, so I'm not even going to bother trying to change it." Malfoy said while he bent over to sweep the dirt into the dustpan.

"Malfoy, you're the only one who was there for the entire thing. What happened?" Hermione persisted.

Malfoy sighed. "Fine. To make a long story short, I took you upstairs, you kept pushing to have sex with me, you undressed yourself and me and then Potter walked in on us and knocked me unconscious. That's about all I can remember."

"I was pushing to have sex with you? Preposterous! Absurd! What a load of crap! That's the best you could come up with?" Hermione laughed.

"I'm serious, Granger." Malfoy said. "I said no, but you kept pushing. Damn, you're horny when you're drunk."

"I am not!" Hermione cried, revolted. "How dare you!"

Malfoy smirked. "None of this would have happened if you didn't keep pushing yourself on me, Granger. This is all your fault. And who gets reprimanded for it? Me."

"Something's not right here." Hermione said, slowly. "If this story is true (which I highly doubt), then you shouldn't be here. If you told this story to McGonagall, then she would have found a way to clear your name."

"That's because I didn't tell the story to McGonagall." Malfoy said as he began cleaning the mirrors.

Suddenly, two unrecognizable heads appeared in the bathroom. Both were sniggering.

"What do you want?" Hermione growled, obviously angry at being interrupted once more.

"We heard there was a girl in here." One of the boys said. They looked like fourth-years. "What are you doing?"

"I'm about to make hot, passionate love to this guy right here. If you want to see then stick around." Hermione said in an angry yet serious tone.

The boys looked abashed but hesitated for a second before scurrying out of the bathroom at top speed.

"Now, where were we?" Hermione asked, frustrated with all of the distractions.

Malfoy looked impressed at Hermione's outspoken ferocity, but he did not voice his feelings.

"Oh, yes." Hermione remembered. "You didn't tell the story to McGonagall. And why didn't you, Malfoy? I would just love to know."

"Because." Malfoy said, lamely.

"Because…" Hermione continued for him. "Because what, Malfoy? Spit it out already."

"I didn't tell McGonagall the truth because of you." Malfoy said, quietly. He hated himself for saying it. Loathed every part of himself for feeling the way he felt.

"Because of me?" Hermione asked, skeptically.

"Yes, because of you Granger." Malfoy repeated. "I thought you needed your space, and I certainly needed my space. You don't remember what happened that night, but I do. I remember everything. You were throwing yourself at me like some desperate virgin who needed to lose her virginity by midnight. And you know what? I said no. Me. Draco Malfoy. But you kept persisting, and I gave in. I did. If Potter hadn't interrupted us, then trust me, we would have gone all the way."

"Well if this is all true then of course you gave in! It's expected of you, you being a guy and all." Hermione said.

"You don't seem to understand, Granger. I would have taken advantage of any girl at Hogwarts that night and any night, except for you. But then I almost did, and I realized that this whole you-and-me thing is wrong and it shouldn't happen. If I stayed in that dorm with you for even a few days more then my feelings would have overcame me and you're not ready for that."

"Why except for me?" Hermione asked. "What you-and-me thing? What feelings?"

"You are so stupid!" Malfoy exclaimed. "Granger, I like you, okay? I like you."

Hermione was speechless. Absolutely lost for words. Draco Malfoy likes me. The mudblood he's enjoyed torturing over the past six years. Unbelievable.

"I…" Hermione began. But nothing came out. "I have to go."

And with that, she turned swiftly and left the boys' bathroom, leaving a confused and lost Malfoy behind with it.