Disclaimer: I own only the plot, not the characters; they're J.K. Rowling's.
Nice Try
It was after dinner before all four of them were together again. They had been called to a prefects meeting and all four of them were sitting together in Dumbledore's office waiting with the other prefects. It was a grey rainy day, they could tell just by looking out the bay window behind the professors mahogany desk. It was a day that perfectly reflected their moods. It made them even more upset when Dumbledore finally entered the room with a smile on his face, eyes twinkling like nothing was wrong. He raised his hands in greeting to them all and sat down behind his desk.
"Welcome everyone. The year has just started and we need to get going with our projects and patrolling schedules." He nodded to Jordan Xavier, the head boy for the year, who handed everyone a laminated form that outlined who they would be patrolling with, what days and the times. As Dumbledore and McGonagall had planned earlier, Blaise and Ginny were patrolling together, as well as Draco and Hermione. This was the first step of their plan being put into action, and it couldn't have come at a better time. "You're partners for patrolling will also be your partners for any other projects that might require it. Your first task now is planning this years Halloween Ball. You will be coming to my office every Friday after dinner until everything is set. Patrolling starts tonight. You may go." As everyone stood and began to leave Dumbledore said, "Oh, could you four stay for a minute?" He waved his hand, gesturing for Blaise, Hermione, Ginny and Draco to take a seat in front of his desk. "I have heard of the unfortunate events that have taken place and I have taken the liberty of giving you four leave for the two days required. If you need anything else never hesitate to ask me. Also, I believe it is tonight that you four patrol, is it not? So I will let you leave and know you have my deepest sympathy," he said with a more solemn expression.
"Thank you Professor," Blaise answered, looking at the oak floor. They stood once more and left his office.
"I don't feel like going back to our common room," Ginny said to Hermione.
"Me either, what time do you two patrol?" She asked Blaise and Ginny together. Blaise looked over his schedule for the first time.
"Um, 9:00 until 10:30," he said distractedly. Ginny could tell that the meeting with Dumbledore had upset him so she did what she always did in a situation like this. She took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. He looked up and smiled at her.
"You know we're all here for you, you don't need to take this alone," she told him, giving him a small smile for emphasis.
"I know, and I really appreciate it." He squeezed her hand back and let go, walking up the stairs to the library. The rest followed.
"So we patrol from 10:30 to 12:00," Draco said to Hermione, trying to break the silence.
"That seems to be the case," she answered, looking over her own schedule. She could feel his eyes on her but didn't mind at all, though it did make her feel a little self conscious. She tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear and looked up at him. "What time is it now?" He looked at the watch on his wrist. It had a silver band, with a green metallic face.
"It's just after 8:30, they'll be going to patrol soon," he said, nodding towards Blaise and Ginny who were just now stepping through the double oak doors of the library. Hermione and Draco followed them, past the rows and rows of books to the table in the back left corner that they had silently claimed as their own. Blaise leaned back and sighed.
"So the viewing is tomorrow, are you all sure you want to go?" he asked, looking straight up at the ceiling.
"Of course, Ginny and I do for sure," Hermione answered enthusiastically, making him smile slightly, but he didn't move his gaze from the ceiling.
"You know I'll be there, she was like my second mother." Draco said the last part a little more quietly. Hermione looked at him with concern. She just realised that this was going to be hard on him too. She took his hand, making him jump slightly as he was lost in his own thoughts.
"Are you ok?" she asked, giving his hand a slight squeeze. He looked down and blushed under her intent gaze. No one had been concerned when he was upset before, except for Blaise of course, but he just listened to his problems, and related his own. Neither of them were good with words when it came to comforting one another. Because of that, Draco had an intensified appreciation for that small gesture. She ran her thumb along his hand when it took him awhile to answer. He almost didn't want to answer so she would keep up with this affection. That would be rude though, and he had no desire to be rude her anymore.
"Yes Hermione, I'll be fine, thanks for asking." He smiled up at her, his smile getting closer to a real one each time. He was almost there. Lucky for him, she didn't stop running her thumb along the edge of his hand, it seemed to comfort him and that's what she wanted to do. He stared at their hands happily, with a goofy grin on his face. Blaise and Ginny had been watching this and were holding back laughter at how Hermione's simple touch had changed his whole demeanour. Not to mention, the grin on Draco's face was something no one would expect to see on anyone in the vicinity of him, let alone on Draco himself. The whole situation seemed absurd, to anyone who didn't know better at least. Ginny and Blaise were well aware of their friend's unspoken feelings for each other.
"We should start patrolling now," Blaise said standing up and extending his arm to Ginny. This made her blush; she was always terrible at keeping her emotions hidden. Blaise knew this might take time and figured he might as well start now. So he helped her to her feet and stood aside. "Lady's first," he said with a slight bow which made Ginny laugh.
"Ah Blaise, the perfect gentleman," she giggled, putting her hand over her heart and changed her features to that of a dreamy expression. He smirked at this.
"Only to the perfect lady," he said, linking his arm with hers, leading her out of the library. This shocked Ginny but she decided to keep playing this game. She liked the feeling he gave her when he talked to her like that. She smirked back at him.
"I'm far from perfect," she whispered playfully. He lifted his brow at her.
"Oh? How's that?" Her smirk widened at this.
"No lady is perfect without the perfect man," she said as if disappointed. Blaise was just about to answer her when they heard talking around the corner.
"I saw the way he was looking at her, what does that mudblood have that I don't have? Not to mention the fact that she IS a mudblood. What am I going to do?" A whiny voice Blaise recognised as Pansy's was complaining to someone.
"Why, do what we do best! Make him jealous! Steve Jones in Ravenclaw has had his eye on you. Just go out with him, make a big spectacle of it. Draco is bound to get jealous and forget all about that filthy mudblood." Blaise couldn't decipher this voice. He laughed to himself.
"Yeah, maybe if Draco cared," he whispered to Ginny who couldn't help giggling at this comment. The two of them walked around the corner to see Pansy and another girl neither of them recognised, but was obviously in Ravenclaw.
"What are you two doing down here?" Blaise asked in a cold tone. Pansy just batted her eyelids and smiled at him. Blaise and Ginny both had to try and not retch at the sight.
"Oh Blaise, just the person I wanted to see. I haven't had a chance to talk to Drakie all day! Do you know where he is?" Blaise decided to play with her. He looked at her puzzled.
"Um, I think he went somewhere with Hermione, why?" he asked pretending he actually cared. She looked appalled.
"Why would he go anywhere with that filthy little mudblood!" she almost screeched. Blaise and Ginny had their wands out in seconds.
"If you ever call Hermione that again I will not be held responsible for my actions." Blaise was almost ready to do something then and there but knew there was still a lot of suspicion circulating about Crabbe and Goyle and the last thing he needed was the attention put on him.
"Why do you care Blaise?" She whined even more. Blaise was resenting having ears at the moment.
"Because Pansy, she is my step-sister and I do not appreciate you talking about my family like that." He spat out her name like venom. She crinkled her nose at the thought.
"Oh you poor thing!" She tried to give Blaise a hug but he pushed her away. This enraged Ginny even further than she already had been.
"You just don't get it do you? They're brother and sister now, they care about each other! This is more than anyone can say for you. Who would care about an incompetent pig such as yourself?" Her face was now red with anger. Blaise chuckled at this and put his arm around Ginny's shoulder to try and calm her.
"She has a point," he said, watching the anger surge through her eyes. This was the most satisfying thing to Blaise.
"I don't believe this!" she yelled storming off, the mystery girl following timidly behind her. Blaise just couldn't hold back.
"Oh and 30 points from Slytherin and Ravenclaw for foul language and being out after hours!" he yelled behind them, a triumphant smirk graced his face. Pansy stopped momentarily as if she was about to retort but just kept going after a second. Once they were out of earshot, Ginny and Blaise burst out laughing.
"That was beautiful!" Ginny said, crying with laughter. They sank to the ground, their legs not willing to support them anymore.
"Incompetent pig, no two words could describe her better!" Blaise was slowly but surely calming down.
"Why else would I have said it?" she answered, panting from her fit of laughter. Blaise just shook his head at her, still smiling. They stood up to continue with their patrolling. It went relatively well. They had caught two more Ravenclaws up but other than that, it was pretty uneventful. So they returned to the library, where they found Draco and Hermione in a heated discussion about becoming an Auror.
"I'm glad you don't want to follow your dad, no offence but he's kind of scary," Hermione said sheepishly. Draco just smiled at this.
"Yes, yes he is. He's in Azkaban now though so you don't have to worry about him."
"So how do you feel about the fact that you'll be fighting against him?" she was almost afraid to ask this question but was too curious to let it go.
"He'll probably be dead by then," he said with no remorse, only cold hatred. Before Hermione could say anything else, Blaise and Ginny came over to them.
"Hey guys, it's your turn. Oh, and Draco, Pansy was looking for you." Blaise laughed as his friends face contorted in disgust.
"Oh great." He rolled his eyes at Blaise.
"Yep, says she's going to make you jealous by flaunting the flavour of the week in your face."
"Well as long as it keeps her off of me, I couldn't care less." Draco said standing up. He extended his hand to Hermione and pulled her up with him. "We'll see you guys in the morning ok?" He was already on his way out of the library hand in hand with Hermione.
"Yup, see ya later." Blaise said after him.
They did most of their patrolling in silence, talking occasionally about classes. They couldn't really think of anything else to talk about. Draco made sure he kept hold of her hand though. He liked the feeling, like he was attached to her. It made him feel like he belonged, where he wasn't sure. Maybe with her, he hoped anyway. The hour and a half went by slowly but it ended. Draco was slightly disappointed but not completely, he would be seeing her tomorrow anyway, at the viewing.
"Well, its 12:05, we'd better go before we get in trouble," she said facing him. He didn't want to go just yet. Not until….without thinking, he pressed his lips to hers. It was a moment before he realised what he was doing, and another before he realised he should stop. When he pulled back, they were both flushed and Hermione looked slightly dazed. Draco couldn't believe what he had just done. Did he just mess up everything they had going? They had just become friends!
"Uh, um, I'm sorry," he stammered before turning around and running as fast as he could back to the dungeons. Hermione just stood there for a moment, touching her lips. She didn't know if she was supposed to, but she liked it.