Chapter 3:
Draco
The two of them had sat at the table silently for what seemed like forever.
Why was he being so nice to her? Why was she being so nice to him? So many questions ran through Draco's head as they sat at the table, silently watching couples dancing. Had he actually felt a hint of attraction for Hermione when she had walked through the door? Granger? A mudblood? He ignored the nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach and looked back to her. She looked upon him attentively.
"Want to dance with me?" She asked in almost a forced voice.
"Excuse me?"
"Never mind."
For a brief amount of time he thought about what she had said and if she really had asked it. Her eyes wandered back to the crowed of dancers. It was turning into a slow again. Hermione rested her chin on her hand and sighed.
"Do you want to dance with me?" It was only right after all, for the guy to ask the girl.
For a moment her face seemed to glow with happiness or maybe she was sick, he couldn't tell. But when he extended his hand for hers she took it. He had never been turned down by a girl at Hogwarts before, but still it was surprising that Hermione had actually asked and accepted a dance from him.
"I'm only doing this for Stacy's sake." Hermione defended her actions.
"Shut up and dance."
He saw her smile as he pulled her body close to his. The two swayed back and forth to the music letting the crowed now watch them. Draco felt something towards Hermione that he hadn't ever thought he would. Comfort. With her arms around his neck, her chin resting against his shoulder, and his arms under her robes, around her tiny waist he felt comfortable. He couldn't remember actually ever feeling this way toward any one. Not even his family.
Hermione started giggling lightly in his ear.
"What?" He asked automatically taking offense to this.
"I just never expected to be dancing with Draco Malfoy. The Slytherin bad ass."
"Well, I never expected to be dancing with Hermione Granger, the Gryffindor Mud-" Her stopped as he felt her body tighten at what she knew he was about to say. "The Gryffindor know-it-all."
"So, how mad were Snape and McGonagall?" She asked.
"At you? Hardly. At me tremendously!"
"You told them what happened?"
"I told them you were sick and I forgot to say so. It's rescheduled for tomorrow at 3."
"oh...?" She asked surprised. That was all she could manage to say.
She relaxed and they spent the rest of the song in each others arms. Swaying gently to the soft music.
Hermione
Hermione woke up early the next day. It was around ten. The night before she had stayed up until midnight but only two dances of that was spent with Draco. Most of it they spent talking and playfully (or she hoped it was playfully) making fun of each other. She grabbed her robes and thought about how un normally nice Draco had been. She could almost say he was her friend!
While she changed there was a light knock on her door. She quickly pulled up her skirt and threw her Gryffindor robes over her. "Coming!" On her way to the door she slipped on her shoes.
When she opened the door Draco stood in front of her giving her a toothy grin.
"Hello Hermione."
Hermione? She looked up at him confused. 'Since when does Malfoy call me Hermione?' But then she remembered he was last time he was here.
"What do you want?" She asked with a roll of her eyes.
He leaned against the door frame in his Slytherin robes. "I've come for you."
"Excuse me?"
"We're eating breakfast with Stacey. Don't you remember?"
She shook her head. "But I haven't even brushed my hair."
"Hurry up. I'll wait."
He stepped in her room uninvited. Hermione shrugged off the feeling of wanting to slap him and went into the bathroom. She combed her hair quickly and then brushed her teeth. She left the door open to make sure Draco wasn't getting in to anything.
He was really confusing her. He hadn't even been this nice to his friends as far as Hermione could see. At least she could be thankful he wasn't being an ass.
Draco
'At least it had been more tidier this time.' Draco thought as Hermione closed the door to her room and locked it. They walked down the hall together and Draco slipped his key into the wall that led to the main hallway. They continued on the path to the dinning hall.
"You know Hermione?" He started. "You could at least try to show me some respect. I'm trying myself to do the same."
"Why are you calling me Hermione? Did I ever give you permission?" She waited for a second. "I think not! And since when are you nice to anybody, Malfoy?"
They both stopped. Draco look down at the floor. "Do you have to be so-" He stopped talking. What good did talking ever do for Hermione? She could out talk anyone. Even himself. "Forget it Granger. It's too bad you can't accept anyone being nice to you."
He walked away from her and into the dinning room to sit at a table with Stacey and her two friends, Morsha and Tia.
"Where's Hermione?" Stacey asked, in her most chipper tone.
"She'll be here in a few. Where are the others?" Draco asked dryly.
"Change of plans we need to go." Tia said.
"Yeah. Your breakfast is made for Draco." Stacey replied. "Tata!"
The three stood and walked out of the room, walking past Hermione and smiling at her on the way.
Why did Draco feel like they were trying to set them up? It didn't matter. No one could set up him with the likes of Granger. She was far too bitter and cynical. And to think he thought he might have had the slightest bit of attraction towards her last night. That didn't matter now either. She'd never understand him anyway. No one could.
'Why does he have to confuse me so?' Hermione asked herself as she slowly walked through the glass doors that led into the dinning hall.
She watched bitterly as Stacey and her two friends, who she still didn't know, stand and walk away from Draco. 'How could they be so nice to Draco?' She wondered. Hermione didn't know why she was being so rude to Draco. She knew she didn't want to get close to him seeing as how everyone who was close to him hated her.
Stacey, followed by the two other girls from the night before, passed her and gave her a few innocent smiles. Her head followed them as they headed for the door and exited the room. What was going on? Why would anyone ever try to set up a Gryffindor, especially one who was friends with Harry Potter and a "mudblood", as Draco often put it, with a pureblood Slytherin such as he?
Hermione caught Draco's eyes with her own. She should leave. She kept telling herself to walk out the door and never talk to Malfoy again, but she knew he was genuinely trying to be a little nice to her. She could show him a hint of the respect he wanted.
She sat down across from him. He scowled at her.
"Listen, I can't believe I'm saying this to you," She started, looking him straight in the eye. "I'm sorry. You know it's your fault!"
"How is it mine?" He laughed at her slightly.
"I said listen." She rolled her eyes and continued. "You being nice all of a sudden. It's just weird. It's scary..."
"Well," Draco remarked with a hint of amusement. "I always thought you'd want me to be nice to you."
"Would you still continue your attitude, like you are now, towards me at school?" She paused and waited for him to answer. He didn't. "That's what I thought. I'm going back to my room. Thanks for the dance last night."
She stood and walked quickly for the exit, in the back of her mind hopping Draco would stop her and tell her she was wrong. He never did. When she made it into the empty hallway she crashed against the wall and let out a heavy sigh. She could never befriend Draco without hurting the one thing that mattered most to him.
His reputation.
Slowly she gathered herself and made her way to the comfort of her hotel room.
The Next Day
Hermione realized she had wasted a total of three days of her vacation. Most of which was spent arguing with Draco about petty things. It really needed to stop.
She now sat in her room in her Gryffindor best preparing for the dinner with her teachers. It was a beautiful sunny day and there was nothing she'd rather be doing at that moment then sitting on her window seat at home that over looked their tiny garden and reading or studying.
Hearing the loud screech and beating of wings caused Hermione's head to turn towards one of her windows. There, perched on the window sill, sat a very familiar bird. Snowy white and carrying a scroll in her beak.
"Hedwig? What're you doing here?" She took the scroll and unfolded it, exposing Harry's horrid handwriting and Ron's, which was even worse.
Hermione,
We just wanted to drop a line to ask how you're surviving with Malfoy. News travels fast. I can't believe he's headboy. I'm staying at Ron's for the rest of the summer so it's been great. We visited so many wizard museums and castles. Enjoy the rest of your summer, if you can. You know with Malfoy being there and all!
Love,
Harry
P.S.
Please be careful around the Malfoy's. In case you haven't noticed the whole family is there. I over heard Ron's parents talking about Voldemort and he seems very much connected with them.
Herm,
I'm sure Harry bored you with his mumbo jumbo so I'll make it quick. Congrats on being headgirl. But, of course I hadn't expected anyone else to be. Too bad you can't be here with us. I really miss you. Watch out for the Malfoy's and see if you can figure out anything for Harry's sake!!
With Love,
Ron
It was so wonderful to hear from her friends who cared so much about her. She felt a twinge of pity for Malfoy. He had no friends. Well, he had Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy, but she knew when push came to shove they were only pretending to be friends for his reputation and the money his family had. It wasn't her fault though, so why should she pity him?
She quickly scribbled a note to both Ron and Harry.
Ron and Harry,
It's so great to hear from the two of you! I miss you both so! I'll watch out for the Malfoys don't you worry. I've only seen Draco and he is acting a little curious.
Curious was not the word. It was just downright abnormal how he had been acting but there was no need to worry them.
The hotels magnificent and I even found a few of your fans here who recognized me as Harry and Ron's friend... How flattering! I'll be talking to you very soon and I'll let you know if I see or notice anything strange.
Hermione
She rolled up the parchment and dug around in the food cabinet for some bread or something. It was completely bare. "I'm sorry Hedwig..." She told the large owl as she set the paper in her beak.
The bird muzzled against Hermione's hand and then flew off.
Draco
Draco sat at the table uncomfortably eyeing McGonagall and Dumbledore. They each took turns staring at him as if he was planning on doing something. Snape and Hermione hadn't arrived yet. Although Draco had debated going to get Hermione and walk her to dinner he didn't. It was five to three when Snape walked in the door. Hermione arrived less then a minute later.
She seemed to light up the room with her smile burning brightly. She sat beside Draco, across from her teachers. Smelling the apple fragrance coming from her so strongly made Draco dizzy. But it was a good dizziness which he enjoyed.
"Felling better I suppose Ms. Granger?" McGonagall asked with a smile.
"Very much so, thank you."
In a split second, in front of them sat plates filled with meats, vegetables and some fruit. The five started digging into the food. Especially Hermione who hadn't eaten all day long. Draco watched the way she dipped her fork into her mashed potatoes and the way she put it in her mouth so slowly as though to tease him.
She turned her head towards him and gave a small smile which caused him to focus on his food.
This could not be good. Something was going on inside Draco, something he couldn't explain, something he feared more than life it's self. Love. Yes He was almost sure of it. Love for the mudblood, Hermione Granger.
"Every headboy and girl has certain tasks that they must perform. It's your duty and responsibility." McGonagall explained.
"Yes. You two will need to make friends and put the pettiness of your houses rivalry behind while you are head students." Dumbledore paused and looked thoughtfully at the ceiling almost in a daze. He snapped back to reality. "Dances, seventh year field trips. Working together is the only way you'll ever accomplish anything."
Hermione
'I get the point.' Hermione thought. She brushed her hair back with her hand. She glanced at Snape, waiting for him to chime in at any moment. He hadn't spoke at all during dinner. He simply sat and stared. Setting down his napkin Snape stood.
"Now I must excuse myself." He said in a lifeless sort of way.
"As do I." McGonagall also stood. Both teachers exited the dinning hall.
Dumbledore smiled as though he had something up his sleeve. "Your first task is to make a confusion potion. Hermione, if you haven't noticed, there is a rather large library in Goldwaters and you both are free to use whatever you need as long as it is done together."
"What rubbish!" Draco remarked suddenly. "What good could this possibly do?"
"This will determine if we need to find two new head students, Mr. Malfoy."
"You wouldn't."
Dumbledore said nothing. He just stood and left the two there. A piece of paper fluttered into Hermione's lap. She picked it up, read it and passed it over to Draco.
Be done by tomorrow at noon. -Dumbledore
"Preposterous!" He remarked. His mouth was hanging wide open. He had a stunned look that threw Hermione into a fit of laughter. "What are you laughing at?"
"You!" She stopped and looked at him. He was looking at her in a different, curious way. It kind of reminded her of her Mother and father's wedding pictures and how he looked in them. It was like a haunted, bewildered look, like his breathe was being taken away by how lovely his mother had looked at that moment. "Please discontinue looking at me that way."
He glanced at the paper. "Well, I suppose we ought to get started on this potion soon. I'm sure you still want to be headgirl by this time tomorrow."
Hermione stood and lead Draco out of the room. Eyes seemed to watch them closely. IT was as if they were all too engrossed in the conflicts of Draco and Hermione to eat. Uneasiness swept over Hermione. Something bad was going to happen. She didn't know where or when, but it would happen soon.