Disclaimer:
This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
A/N: This was what popped into my head after reading a plot bunnie on FAP. The specific plot bunnie is "Malfoy is in Divination Class when Trelawny makes a prediction. You choose if it's real or not, Malfoys reaction, etc., but the prediction must be about that certain someone he loves, which has now been revealed to the other Slytherins!"
Predicted
VIII. The Realization
The next morning turned out to be a very exciting one, for the rumor mill at Hogwarts. The students had much to talk about as several Slytherin girls had been hauled to the potions classroom to be questioned.
One by one, they were taken to a separate classroom, where Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape presided. Dumbledore had lost that twinkling in his eye, McGonagall looked sterner that ever before, and Snape...Snape looked livid. The other two, of course, let Snape handle the girls, since they were from his house.
To each one, his speech was the same. It was meant to intimidate, and it succeeded. Greatly.
"Sit down," Snape barked, at each girl. "Would you care to know why we've brought you here?"
Each girl would give a similar response, a tremble here, a whimper there, basically a sign of timidity. That is, except one. Curious, thought Dumbledore.
"Answer me!" Snape would snarl. When no answer came, he would go on, cruelly. "Yes, you say? Or shall I go with my suspicion that you already know?" At this point, he would slam his hand down on a desk, causing the student to jump.
"Y—Y—Yes, P—P—professor," each one stammered.
Eventually he began to mock them and grow impatient, until he'd finally elicited the same result that Pansy had gotten from them, except to an extremer degree. He'd broken them, and made them turn on each other. Most were crying. Snape let them each return to the holding room, while he talked over the interrogations with the Headmaster and the Headmistress.
"Well, they each seem to be equally guilty," McGonagall said.
"Somehow I don't think so," Snape replied.
"What are you suggesting, Severus?" Dumbledore asked.
"Most of them seemed too timid to do something like that on their own. Most likely they were bullied into it."
"But they're Slytherins! Each and every one of them would have had it in them to do something like that." Professor McGonagall blanched. "I didn't mean that how it sounded."
Professor Snape smirked. "I take no offense."
All the while, Dumbledore stroked his beard. "That Evelina girl is an interesting character. She didn't seem as fazed by this cross-examination as the rest of them."
They called her in again, for further, more extensive questioning. When she had been gone longer than before, the other girls began to realize she had become a person of interest. It took them two seconds, after realizing this, to band together and turn against her.
By noon, each girl had her things packed up and was ready to go. After each girl's parents had been notified and collaborated with, the professors had come up with a suitable punishment. Each girl was taken from their dorm and given a tiny dungeon room, for in-house suspension. There, they would be isolated. They would go to their classes, but that was the only interaction with the other students. They would not be able to eat in the Great Hall and all their other privileges were suspended. After supper, each girl would have to report to Professor Snape for the detention they would be issued, every day, for the rest of the term. Each girl that is, except for Evelina. She had an entirely different fate.
At five past noon, Evelina stormed down to the entrance doors of Hogwarts, which were right next to the Great Hall. She caused a great commotion, and detaching many curious students from their lunch. A crowd was gathering, and she truly loved this attention. When she saw professors approaching, she held her head up high and stuck her nose in the air.
"I always hated it here anyway!" she exclaimed, like the drama queen that she was. "This school is worthless!"
And then she stomped out to a waiting carriage.
"Finally!" someone screamed, when the carriage was finally out of sight. Her departure elicited similar responses, as well as a round of applause, hoots and hollers. It seemed, almost everyone had wanted her gone.
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Hermione watched all this play out, with a bit of shock. She had been one of the last ones down for lunch. As soon as she had seen a crowd was gathered, her curiosity got the best of her, and she had inched closer, to get a better look. When she saw the girl in the middle, she practically collapsed.
The girl's face had triggered something in Hermione's mind, and memories rushed back. She could remember everything clearly now, and it overwhelmed her. The crowd shuffled around her, but Hermione took no notice. Her fingers were trembling, as she stayed rooted to the spot. Harry and Ron reached her, as the crowd was dispersing.
"It's her," whispered Hermione, as Harry laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Who?" Ron asked, confused.
Hermione clutched at Harry's arm trying to stay upright, her eyes bright with unshed tears.
"That girl, she was one of them."
Ron finally understood and his anger showed.
"She's a Slytherin," Ron spat. "I should've known."
Harry looked sharply at him. "Isn't Pansy a Slytherin too, Ron?" Harry asked, tersely.
Ron looked at him, and then looked away.
Hermione stared at them, watching their exchange. "Pansy?"
Ron blushed.
"It doesn't matter," Hermione said. "Harry's implication is right. You shouldn't have said that. Not all Slytherins are like that."
"I know," muttered Ron.
"Yes, well, just informing you. It was a rather prejudice remark. Much like..." she trailed off.
"Like what?" Ron prodded, as Hermione's attention fell elsewhere.
"Never mind, I've got to go." She replied, walking away from them.
"Where're you going?" Ron shouted after her. "It's lunch!"
Hermione just waved a hand back at them and shouted, "Not hungry."
Ron scratched his head, as Harry pulled him towards the Great Hall. Odd creatures, women, he thought.
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A few minutes later, Hermione burst into Draco's room, and said, "Malfoy, we need to talk."
Draco looked irritable, to say the least. He'd been doing so well, trying to hide from Pansy and Granger. What had gone wrong?
"How did you know I was here?" he asked her, scowling, as he put the book he had been reading down.
Hermione blushed, shoving the Marauders' Map into a pocket of her robe. "I guessed."
"Right. Well, whatever you have to say..."
"You have to listen."
"No."
"But..."
"Listen, Granger. Are you sadistic or something?"
"No!"
"Then why do you keep trying to talk to me of all people?"
"Because, I have something to say to you."
"About our relationship?"
Hermione blushed.
"Granger, there is no relationship. There can and never will be a relationship."
"Why not?"
"Because I am Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy. I am a ferret, according to some. And you are Hermione Granger, friend of the Boy Who Lived. A self-righteous know-it-all."
Her cheeks reddened, at his comment. "Things have changed."
"Not that much."
"Draco..."
"Granger," Draco said harshly, as he stood up, "just stop."
"Why won't you give it a chance?"
"We've had this conversation already!" he shouted, getting up close and personal.
"No we haven't!" she shouted right back, pushing him back onto his bed. "What we've had is a lot of arguing, my tears, and you saying it won't work."
"Because it won't!"
"You're acting like a coward, Draco Malfoy."
"Well there you go. See things haven't changed."
She huffed, in frustration. "Yes they have! Draco, you saved my life. You are not the boy you once used to be."
"If you had bothered to listen last night, I said I would have done it for anyone in danger."
"No...this was different."
"It wasn't. You just want it to be. You just want to make me into a project or something. Like your spew thing."
"It is not spew. It's S-P-E-W. And it's nothing like that! Draco, over the last few weeks, I've come to genuinely care for you and your well being. As you did for mine, that night."
He stared at her.
"You've changed Draco Malfoy. You've just got to admit it to yourself." She paused. "I mean do you realize that throughout this whole conversation, you have not mentioned my Muggle background at all? That is a major change, considering how you used to comment on it at every opportunity."
"I—I—"
"At a loss for words? Amazing." She smirked. He scowled.
"Just think about it, Draco. I won't wait forever." And without waiting for his answer she left the room. She paused just outside the door, taking in deep breaths. The conversation had been led down a road that she had not intended to take. She had wanted to talk about something completely different at first, but mouths had minds of their own. Needless to say, it had rattled her nerves. Now the rest was in the hands of Draco Malfoy.
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Think about it he did. He actually did. He went through every pro and con in his head. Then, he wrote them down on parchment, just to make sure he didn't miss any. He couldn't believe what he was coming up with. He just couldn't bloody believe it. She just always had to be right, didn't she?
He grabbed tufts of his fine blonde hair, and pulled slightly, letting out a grunt of frustration. Several passing students gave him an odd look, but he just glared at them. So he had changed...slightly. Appearance wise as well as mentally. But that didn't mean he had changed enough to be good for her...
Draco set aside his parchment and quill, and thought some more. He thought about the events that passed, all leading up to that fateful night that had brought him close to Granger. Could that barmy professor's prophecy be right?
"Draco?" a feminine voice called, breaking him out of his reverie. He turned; ready to bite the person's head off, until he found it to be Pansy.
"What do you want, Pans?"
"Just wanted to let you know that it's nearly supper."
"I can tell time, thanks," he muttered, sarcastically.
"Yeesh. Just thought you might want someone to let you know. You looked faraway."
Draco ran a hand over his face. "Yeah, sorry Pans. Been thinking about...stuff."
"S'okay."
"Hey, would you like to walk down together?"
"Sorry. Raincheck?"
Draco gave a small frown. "Sure. But why can't you?"
"Nosy, Draco. I've got a date, if you must know."
"A date?"
"Yes, Draco. It's where two people, who want to get to know each other better, get together and do something together."
Draco scowled at her. "I know what a date is. I meant, on a school night? How can you go anywhere?"
Pansy smiled at him. "We're staying in the castle. There's plenty to do you know."
She got up to leave. But before she did, Draco grabbed her arm. "Who's it?"
"You really are nosy."
Draco gave her a look.
"Oh, all right. If you must know, it's Ron Weasley."
"Weasel? Weasel."
Pansy gave a slight frown. "Would you mind not calling him that?"
"Only if he stops with the name calling too."
Pansy rolled her eyes. "Boys."
Draco shot her a grin. "Have fun Pans. Tell Wease—Weasley, I mean, that if he hurts you he'll have me to deal with."
Pansy smiled. "Thanks Drakie."
Draco grimaced at the nickname. She knew he hated it.
He thought about Pansy and the Wease—Ron, he quickly amended, as he walked down to supper. It wasn't so bad. And Pansy looked genuinely happy. Which was just as rare for her, as it was for him. If that could work then maybe...
He sat down next to Blaise and mulled over his thoughts some more. His gaze sliding towards the Gryffindor table every once and a while. He saw Pansy sitting there, sticking out like a sore thumb. Everyone was staring, but Pansy didn't seem to mind. At least Granger and Potter were being polite, talking to her. But mostly his eyes would skim over Granger.
He made a spur of the moment decision. He got up out of his seat, eliciting a curious glance from Blaise and looks from other students, and walked over to sit down at the Gryffindor table, plopping down right next to Hermione Granger.
The school had something to really stare at now, and Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.
"What are you doing, Malfoy?" Hermione muttered.
"It's back to Malfoy now, is it?" Draco retorted.
"No."
"If you must know," he paused, catching her hand in his under the table, "and I know, you must. I've come because of you."
Hermione blushed. She seemed to do a lot of that around him. "Is it about?"
He sent her a look that told her to keep quiet, and then he moved his head slightly towards the exit. She gave a small nod, saying that she understood his signal. This would cause more gossip for the rumor mill, but she didn't care. Draco had made his decision, and she wanted to know what it was.
Of course eyes followed them as they left, even if they did leave individually. But neither cared. Once they were far enough so that they wouldn't be interrupted, Draco stopped her.
"This will be hard," he started, causing Hermione's hopes to plummet slightly. Was he going to tell her that he'd really thought it out, but found that a relationship could never ever happen?
"Go on," she whispered.
Draco let out a breath. "We're both different now, than our earlier years. I concede that. But that doesn't mean we've changed, enough." Her hopes dropped more. "But I guess that's the challenge in it right? Growing together?" He smiled at her, and her hopes began to rise again.
"Does this mean?"
He nodded, curtly. Hermione beamed.
"You've persuaded me. We'll give it a try, I suppose."
Hermione jumped him with a hug, almost toppling them both over.
"Like I said, it will be hard."
"Of course," she replied. "But we'll get through it."
And then she pressed her lips to his, in a chaste kiss, as moonlight spilled into the corridor from a window nearby.
FIN (almost)
A/N: This is the longest chapter, to date, I believe. And the story is done! Woo! I was on a roll this month. Maybe I'll complete some chapters for other stories? xD There will be an epilogue, I think. I hoped to finish this before the HPB came out, but oh well. Better late than never. Have fun reading HBP, if you have it. Hope you enjoyed this one, and tell me what you think, please. :) Did it move too fast? Constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated. ;)
For my reviewers, who had questions, etc.:
ImmaculateInanimate: My first reviewer for this fic. Woo for you! Haha. Draco and Hermione are definitely meant to be! Definitely!
KayeRyoko: Answering your one question about Hermione and why she can't remember. She had her memories locked away, because she didn't want to remember...the pain and trauma. So everything dealing with that event has been put away. Until, of course, something jogs her memory and all the memories become whole again. ;D Thanks for your reviews!
Lila Berylla: Oops. I didn't know that Slytherins didn't take Divination. I should've looked it up. That's an error on my part. But oh well. I had fun writing this story anyway. Thanks for letting me know. :D
Hermione Charlotte Granger: I never knew Pansy could be like that either, but that's how she came out when I wrote her. And I like her that way. Lol. Thanks for reviewing. :)
nuttinbutanangel: Of course I wouldn't take it badly. Thank you for letting me know. I think Malfoy is a bit out of character too, but he needs to be for this story to work. At least that's what I think. :)
Thanks to Q-BriarXJade-Q, colorguard06, Tinkbelle, Red Satin and Black Silk, draco 4eva1, bella natty, PinkTribeChick, smiling inside, annomous, foxcrchik99, Slayergirl1326, Bea, Semine Midnight, Fallen Angel, LillyOfTheValley, lilnovelist, A reader, andsnowmousue. Thanks for taking the time to read my fic and review. To all my reviewers: You guys are the best!