Head Business

Hermione sat in their common room the next morning, waiting for Draco to appear. She needed to explain why she'd run away the night before. Well, I don't even really know why myself, she thought.

Finally she heard his footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Draco," she began when he finally appeared.

He stopped when he heard his name, glanced at her for a second, but then exited the portrait door without saying a word.

"That went well," she said to the air. I don't even know why I bothered. After a few minutes, Hermione got up and followed Draco's trail to the Great Hall. Ginny waved Hermione over as soon as she entered.

"What's up, Hermione? I thought you were going to come by the common room last night."

"Sorry, Ginny, I got a little caught up."

"With what?" asked Ron.

"Oh, just a little Head business," Hermione said.

"Oh really?" Ginny asked, lowering her voice.

"Well…ok, no," Hermione said in a whisper. "Draco and I kind of had a run-in."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, we, umm…we, uh, got into it, if you know what I mean."

"You shagged him!"

"No!"

Ginny looked at her unconvinced.

"No, I didn't," Hermione repeated. "But he was talking about it in the Heads' compartment…and in the Heads' carriage…"

"And you didn't shag?"

"No!"

"So what did you do then?"

"Well…" she looked nervously around, "he just…" Hermione exhaled and rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to discuss this with you."

"Come on, Hermione," Ginny begged. "You have to give me detail—extreme detail."

Hermione gave her an amused look. "This isn't porn, Ginny."

"I know. But it is very surprising. Go on, spill it…"

Hermione shook her head as if disappointed, but continued. "Well, he kissed me a lot. And he had his hands up my shirt…" Hermione paused in thought. It was actually quite pleasant, now that she thought about it.

"So then why didn't you shag him?"

"Stop saying shag…I didn't want to." Hermione frowned.

"Oh." Ginny looked over to the Slytherin table. Sitting directly across from them was Draco, whose gaze was currently locked on Hermione.

"He's looking, Hermione," Ginny stated.

"What? Oh…" Hermione looked up. Draco looked down. "No he's not."

"He just looked away. Honestly, Hermione…"

Hermione resumed eating and Draco resumed staring. Ginny rolled her eyes. He was so intent on Hermione that he didn't even seem to notice that Ginny had noticed him.

"How do we manage to have Potions, first, with the Slytherins, yet another year in a row?" Ron suddenly yelled out.

"I don't know Ron, but we'd better leave now if we don't want to be late," Hermione said. She gathered her books and exited the Great Hall, Harry and Ron rushing to catch up with her. There was a crowd when they all reached the entrance of Snape's classroom.

"Quiet down. Now, since we all know each other," the professor smirked, "find a partner and we will begin immediately."

Hermione looked worriedly around the classroom. Harry and Ron had already gone off to sit at one of the benches.

"Sorry," Harry mouthed to her.

"Lavender," Ron said.

But Lavender was already with Parvati. Everywhere Hermione looked, people had already partnered up. Even Neville had partnered up with Dean. Now there were only three other people left standing besides Hermione: Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode—and Draco.

Finally, an easy choice.

"Come on," she said, walking over to Draco, then began looking around for a seat.

"Draco!" Pansy yelled. "What are you doing with Granger?"

"She's my partner," Draco said.

"But she's a—"

"The Head Girl, yes. And I am the Head Boy. So we have to work together."

"You know, promoting school unity," Hermione couldn't help but add. Pansy glared at her, then stalked over to Millicent.

Draco and Hermione took the last open bench in front of Professor Snape's desk.

"Thanks," they both said simultaneously as they sat down.

"For what?" Hermione asked Draco.

"For saving me from the displeasure of having to work with Pansy."

"I thought you guys were close."

"No, she just won't stop following me around," Draco said. "And you?"

"What? Oh yeah, same thing," Hermione said and Draco smiled.

Snape glared at them before he began to speak. "Today's potion may seem a little familiar to you, and especially anyone who's Apparated before. That should be none of you yet. Wizards of the past used this potion before the apparition spells were created." He pointed to the board, and instructions appeared. "Begin. Now."

Hermione stood up to get the ingredients, and when she returned, Draco immediately threw them into the cauldron. They began mixing the potion and, in about thirty minutes, were done.

"Wow, that was fast," she commented.

"Yes. But I don't like everything fast, you know. Sometimes it's good to go slow," he said, fixing his eyes on her. "Of course, fast is always nice too."

Hermione rolled her eyes, then remembered why she'd gotten up so early that morning.

"Draco, about last night…"

"You enjoyed it?"

She ignored him and continued. "I didn't mean for that to happen."

"Well, why not? You seemed to mean it up until the point you ran away."

"I didn't run away, I just didn't know what to do. I didn't mean to let things go that far. I mean, I haven't even ever…" She stopped.

"Shagged before? Yes, I know."

"No, not that," she said.

"Wait, what…you mean you've never snogged someone either?"

"Well…yes…"

"Hmmm…" Draco considered this for a second. "Very well done for someone who's never kissed anyone before. Quite pleasurable."

She ignored that too. "Look, basically it can't happen again," Hermione said.

"Alright. Alright, I understand." Draco paused. "And this is why I think we both need a good shag to straighten us out—"

"Will you stop talking about shagging for once?"

"How do you expect me to do that with you there?"

"What?"

"Hermione, you are an enticing creature." She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "It's true, you just don't know it."

Hermione looked up at him. He was gazing at her fixedly; or at least at a part of her.

"Ugh. Stop looking at my chest," Hermione said.

"I don't think you could if you were in my position."

"Stop it."

"Just one quick shag. Or slow if you like, and I promise I won't bother you anymore," Draco said he trailed his hand up her thigh.

"Will you get your—"

"Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy, will you kindly stop talking? I realize you are finished, but that is no warrant for interrupting the rest of the class."

"I apologize, Professor," Draco said. "We were just discussing some Head business."

"Yes, well, discuss your 'Head business' some other time." Snape returned his glare to the papers on his desk, then looked up again. "Since you two are done, I suppose you will have no trouble testing your potion." Draco removed his hand from Hermione's robes and reached for a vial. "Miss Granger," the professor added.

Draco reluctantly filled the vial with some of their potion and handed it to Hermione. What if he'd left out an ingredient? They did sort of rush through it…Oh well. At least if it were botched he'd have the chance to see her embarrassed. He had to get his kicks somehow.

The class had become extremely quiet by then so as to hear the exchange going on between Snape and the two Heads. Hermione put the vial to her lips, tipped it back, then disappeared.

Draco's expression remained blank as he debated whether or not to panic. Gods, was that supposed to happen? Maybe he should've been paying attention to what Snape had been saying. He waited a few more seconds and with a POP! Hermione was back in her seat.

"Whoa," she said.

"Well, I see your potion has gone off just fine. Even had the little extra pop and everything. Very well, you are done for the day. I suppose I won't have to check your potion for a grade." Snape scowled, then returned to the seat at his desk. "Do not resume talking," he said before looking down at his papers. "I will not hesitate to take points off a Head."

Hermione knew that one was meant specifically for her.