OMG! I am so sorry! NO! TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO REVIEWED ABOUT IT BEING THEM SPOILING THE 6TH BOOK! IT WASN'T YOU! IT WAS SOMEONE ELSE! IF YOU'VE READ IT, CHECK THE REVIEWS YOU'LL SEE WHO IM TALKING ABOUT! Again, I am sooo sorry I made some people feel guilty! I am sorry!
Tell you what; to make up for it I'll post another chapter? How's that?
'So, have a good day?' Hermione asked, barely concealing her grin.
Malfoy scowled in response. This made Hermione happier.
'Anyway, continuing our conversation, why did I have blood near my temple?' Malfoy asked, watching her face carefully for reactions.
'Malfoy, I really can't answer that…now…' Hermione said, trying to get distracted by an ink stain on the table she was working at.
'No! You're not getting out of it this time!' and he walked over to her and slammed his hand on the table, covering the ink stain and Hermione's essay.
'Malfoy-!' Hermione yelled angrily, trying to push his hand off the table.
Suddenly, Hermione got scared. Very scared. There was something in Malfoy's eyes that now scared her. He looked hungry…but he had just eaten…. Then without warning, Malfoy's hand extended around Hermione's chin, lifted her head up, and he looked for something.
Obviously not seeing what he wanted, he dropped her chin and looked away angrily and got to his feet.
'Malfoy?' Hermione said, gingerly getting to her feet. 'Can I ask you something?'
Over his shoulder, Malfoy looked at her and saw her positively shaking. He nodded his head and turned to face her.
Hermione was relived to see the "hunger" gone. 'Did…didyougivemesomethingforChristmas?' she said very fast, but still hoping he understood. But by the look on his face he only caught the word "did" at the beginning.
'Er.' Was his response. But he knew. He knew by the fact she said Christmas.
Hermione sighed before trying to say it again. 'Did you give me something for Christmas?' there, she could control herself.
She watched every feature of his being. Then, very very slowly, he closed his eyes and did the tiniest of nods.
But Hermione hadn't caught it.
'Sorry?'
'I didn't give you anything.' Malfoy said, a little shocked, but surprised she hadn't caught his nod. Than again, she wasn't supposed to.
'I don't believe you.' Hermione said at once.
'And I don't believe you about not knowing about the blood!' Malfoy spat back.
Hermione looked away at this.
'Tell you what, you answer me truthfully, and I'll…answer truthfully.' Malfoy said, sitting himself in a chair.
'Fine.' Hermione said, then sat as far away from him as she could.
'So, Granger, how did the blood get on my forehead?'
'I don't Malfoy,' Hermione answered with her most fake-truthfulness face. 'Maybe you played rough last night and they didn't like it…' again, Malfoy scowled and narrowed his eyes.
'And Malfoy, answer me mine. Did you give me anything for Christmas?' Hermione knew the answer before he said a word.
'Yes.' Ok, maybe not the answer she expected. 'A packet of dungbombs but I don't think they found their way there!'
'Malfoy, you're a prat.' Hermione sneered before collecting her books. She walked over to her door, but some large ferret was blocking her way.
'Malfoy move.'
'say something.'
'Move.'
'Something else.'
'Ferretvervio!' Hermione said, pointing her wand at Malfoy.
Ahh, back to old times. Hermione thought happily as a white ferret ran around the common room, bouncing, squealing and biting- Hermione's leg.
Hermione screamed as Malferret dug his teeth deep into her leg. She fell to the floor as Malferret crawled over her body and up to her face. Baring his teeth at her, Hermione saw her own blood dripping onto her white blouse. She tried swiping Malfoy off, but her clung to her shirt.
'Oh, so this is why the girls say you're rough.' Hermione smirked, knowing Malfoy head her though the ferret ears.
His little eyes widened.
Hermione forced herself to her feet, but a burning pain in her chest- Malfoy was dangling off it, determined not to let go and cause Hermione pain.
Hermione again pointed her wand at Malferret. 'Petrificus Totalus!' the ferret stopped moving, and clung still to Hermione's blouse. Conjuring up a cage, Hermione gently pulled him off and put him inside. She would put him up in his room and leave him there. Later on she would release him…maybe in the morning.
Just as Hermione approached his door, however, someone knocked on the portrait. Hermione sighed, put Malfoy down beside the door and walked over and opened the portrait to see Aj and Jamie standing there.
'hey!' Hermione greeted and stepped aside to let them in.
'Hello!' Aj hugged Hermione, then walked through into the common room and sat down.
Jamie smiled.
'So, how's Malfoy doing?' Aj asked.
'He's erm…bouncing around.' Hermione grinned. Jamie and Aj looked at each other.
'What have you done to him?' Aj asked, smiling and winking.
'Oh, nothing.' Hermione said, looking all innocent.
'What's in the cage?' Jamie asked, pointing to the wooden one Malfoy was frozen in.
'Malfoy.' Hermione said casually.
'Malfoy could fit into that?' he asked, disbelieving. He then got up and walked over.
He opened the door and pulled out Malferret.
'I'm calling him Malferret!' Hermione said happily.
'Erm Hermione, you know you have blood on your blouse?' Aj asked, taking the ferret from Jamie.
'Oh yeah well…'
'This isn't Malfoy is it?' Aj asked incredulously.
'No!' Hermione laughed but they weren't fooled, they knew it was him.
'I'll go put him up in his room.' Hermione grinned, taking him and putting him back in his cage.
She walked up the stairs to his dormitory and put him on the bed. Smiling at her work, Hermione left and talked with Jamie and Aj for about an hour before Aj began to fall asleep.
'I'll take her back.' Jamie said, then prodded her awake. 'Come on.' He helped her to her feet, said goodnight to Hermione and left.
Hermione got her books from the floor and went upstairs to bed herself.
The next morning, Hermione woke to some screaming and hurried footsteps. She sat up in her bed, though off the covers and grabbed her wand. Listening carefully, Hermione could tell they where in Malfoy's room.
Crossing the bathroom carefully and silently, Hermione opened his door a crack and saw pansy standing over Malfoy's bed, looking at something on the bed.
Hermione opened the door fully and walked over to pansy. 'Pansy what the hell are you doing?'
Pansy looked at Hermione, narrowed her eyes and pointed to Malferret who was in the cage still. Hermione took a 5 second long blink which peeved pansy off and looked again.
'So?'
'SO? WHERE IS MY DRACO!' pansy screamed. She reached for Hermione's neck but she was too quick for her. Before pansy's hands could grab hold, Hermione had blasted pansy off her feet.
'I don't know where your Draco is, and I don't care. Probably snogging some other whore in a broom cupboard.' Hermione spat for an answer and left to get ready for school. Today, she didn't forget to wear Harry's ring or the necklace who now she had a good idea who sent it to her.
She heard pansy leaving Malfoy's room, screaming and sobbing- she believed what Hermione had said. Ha! What an idiot!
Finished getting ready, Hermione walked back into Malfoy's room. She got malferret out of his cage and put him on the bed. Hermione cast the counter curse for her spell, and malferret began to transform into the Malfoy. He was still frozen, but Hermione moved somewhere where he would see her. His eyes tired to narrow, but couldn't. Instead, the hatred and dislike in his eyes were enough.
Bracing herself for what was about to come, Hermione unfroze him. He only laid there staring at her in the exact same position he was when he was frozen.
Hermione didn't move. Then, he did. He got to his feet in one quick movement and was on top of his prey, who was cornered in a corner of stone cold wall.
He closed his hand around her neck. Again, Hermione saw the hunger in his eyes. This time, instead of getting angry, Malfoy saw the necklace. He dropped her with more force than necessary, but looked somewhat pleased.
'You…you nearly chocked me!' Hermione screamed, rubbing her throat.
'That was not all I could do.' Malfoy answered, looking with his stormy eyes at her face.
'You…you look like a mess.' Hermione mumbled before walking from the room and into hers. Here, she grabbed her bag and ran all the way down to the Great Hall.
Harry was there, without Ron.
'Where's Ron?' Hermione asked but coughed.
Harry looked up and saw the redness around Hermione's throat. 'What happened to you?' he asked immediately.
'Nothing,' was Hermione's swift reply as she attempted to cover her neck.
'Hermione. Tell me what happened to your neck. It's as red as a tomato.'
'It's…nothing Harry please, just drop it.' Harry could tell Hermione was begging him, so he let it drop and answered her question.
'Practicing Quidditch…match tomorrow…nervous…'
'Oh…'
Hermione looked around and saw Malfoy enter the hall. By the look on pansy's face, she had defiantly believed what Hermione suggested back in Malfoy's room, and by the appearance, her suspicions was confirmed.
Malfoy's hair was ruffled, all over the place, he had bags under his eyes, he had red marks on his face and a bit of Hermione's blood was still on his lip.
'You Cheating basted!' pansy screamed before running from the hall, tears pouring down her face. Malfoy looked confused but sat down anyway.
'Rough night eh Malfoy?' blaise asked winking.
'Shut it.' Malfoy spat.
Half way through Divination, someone walked in the door, carrying a scroll. She walked up to the professor, handed him the scroll and almost ran from the room.
Professor Cherly read what was on the scroll and looked up.
'Mr. Malfoy, Miss. Granger, Professor Dumbledore wants to see you now.'
Hermione looked over at Malfoy, who looked at her then sneered and walked out. Hermione sighed and followed.
Malfoy kept ahead of Hermione throughout their walk and didn't say anything.
They reached Dumbledore's office, spoke the password and entered.
When they reached the door, Malfoy knocked and waited for a "enter." When it came, he opened the door, walked through and slammed it in Hermione's face.
Rubbing her nose, Hermione opened it again and walked through to see Malfoy already seated and watching Dumbledore who was watching Hermione walk into the room and seat herself as far away as she could.
'Well, don't you two look happy.' Dumbledore smiled over his spectacles. Neither answered. 'well, you will have to act nicer when I send you with a class of second years to Hogsemade next Tuesday.'
'What!' both Hermione and Malfoy yelled together.
'Yes, they have an essay to write, and they have never seen it before. They are, as muggles go on sometimes I believe, and Excursion. You two will accompany them, tell them where they can and cant go, and most of all you must stick together. Right, now, no questions, off we go.' Malfoy got up at once and left, but Hermione stayed.
'Sir, what is the essay about?'
'I knew I'd have to tell one of you this. The essay is for History of Magic, and as you know, I am sure; Hogsemade is the only village that is completely wizard- inhabited. You will set some boundaries for them and make sure they get a good look around. I am trusting you will do this?'
'Yes, of course.' Hermione smiled and left.
Hermione made her way back up to the tower when the bell went. Sighing, Hermione about-faced and headed off for Transfiguration. Harry and Ron met her there and they waited for Professor McGonagall to open the class room door.
Malfoy turned up with Crabbe and Goyle in tow.
'Mudblood!' he called, seeing her.
Hermione turned around, a stone cold expression on her face. 'What Malferret?' she snapped.
'Come here!'
'You come here! With all of the snakes around you, I think not. Come over here where the lions are.' Hermione answered smiling sweetly.
Malfoy sneered and came over, shaking his head at his thugs who had attempted to follow.
He reached her, and grabbed her arm. He dragged her into the middle of the "snakes" and "lions"
'This is fare. Close to snakes, close to lions.' He said, then turned to face her, looking down. 'Why did you stay with Dumbledore?'
'I asked him what the essay was.' Hermione answered truthfully.
'Don't give me that crap.' Malfoy spat.
'It's not. But I guess to a Slytherin snake, the truth is crap. Now, I'll tell you what his answer was in the common room. I have a class to attend to.' Hermione said then turned her back on him and walked over to Professor McGonagall who was holding the door open.
All through the lesson, Malfoy kept trying to read Hermione's face. He was very happy that she wore his necklace but was scared that she knew who gave it to her. If she did, he would have to hurry up. He didn't even know if his father knew he gave the necklace to Hermione. Though, he reasoned with himself, it was his necklace to give…but still…
Hermione noticed he was watching her every now and then but pretended not to notice…He'll stop in a minute…maybe he's looking at me cause I have something on my mouth…Hermione whipped her mouth…damn! He's still watching me! Hermione tried to avert her attention to Professor McGonagall but the blond head that was still facing her was too tempting.
Finally, Hermione turned sharply to face him and he looked away. Smiling, she tried to pay attention for the rest of the lesson, slightly angry at him because she missed some of the class talk.
When the bell rang for lunch, Hermione packed her things up and waited for Harry and Ron who took their time.
'Come on!' Hermione said, though she was patient.
'Who are you in a hurry to meet?' Harry said, winking and raising an eyebrow.
'My lunch.' Hermione smartly replied.
Nodding knowingly, Harry received a whack over the back of the head. Hermione stuck her tongue out. Ron rolled his eyes, thinking Harry was flirting with his ex-girlfriend.
They left the class room, Harry and Hermione still smiling, while Ron lost in jealous thoughts. He knew the thing between Hermione and Malfoy was over…well he hoped, but there are still signs…signs he didn't like. He had said he didn't mind Hermione doing what she wants, but now, he though, even for a moment, of getting back together with her to prove he still had a thing for her…but he knew what Ginny and Harry would say. He would have to live with his mistakes first…well, they weren't really his fault, but he was apart of it…he had to fix it then think of Hermione. Yes.
Half way through lunch, Harry remembered he had left one of his essays for Snape in the common room table. Saying a quick goodbye to the other two, he ran, hoping he could make it to the top of the castle, well nearly, and back to the very depths of it before the bell went. He knew Snape would love to give him detention, but he wasn't going to give him a chance…oh no.
Ron thought about telling Hermione what Harry had said in the common room the other night when Hermione forgot to attend class. He had called her "sleeping beauty". Of course, when Ron confronted Harry with this piece of evidence, he had denied it and laughed, but Ron hadn't believed him.
'Hermione, I don't think you remember, but Harry called you sleeping beauty when you visited us in the common room after Malfoy's lake thing…' oh yes, that would work real well! Instead, he re-worded it and tried his first and only approach.
'Hermione?' he asked.
'Hmm?' was her reply- she was, of course, reading some fact and figure in a potions book.
'do you know what sleeping beauty is?'
Hermione looked up and eyed him wearily. 'Yes. Why?'
'Could you tell me?'
'Sleeping beauty is a muggle fiction character…it's a fairy tale.'
'Fairy tale?' Ron asked, confused. 'A fairy tells it?'
'No Ron!' Hermione laughed. 'Fairy tale is a make believe story. See, to muggles, fairies aren't real. And tale is a story. So, make-believe and tale. Fairy Tale.'
Ron still looked confused so Hermione broke down her explanation.
'Ok, to us, fairies are real right?' he nodded 'Yes, but to muggles, anything to do with magic isn't real, you with me?' he nodded again 'So, to muggles, fairies aren't real. And tales, to muggles, tales are stories.' Again, he nodded, slowly looking like he knew what she was saying. 'So, something they don't believe is real, and tale. Fairy tale. They have books and movies and they call them fairy tales. Something that to them, isn't real.'
'Oh ok.'
'And, in the case of Sleeping Beauty, she was a princess who spun a wheel and it pricked her. She fell asleep, under a spell. A witch, an evil witch had done it.'
'So, this is real?' Ron asked, looking like a 4 year old hearing this tale for the first time.
'No, its not real to muggles or witches and wizards. It's made up Ron. Muggles do that for entertainment.'
'Ah ok.' Ron said, and then fell silent thinking about Hermione's explanation and what Harry said. It made sense. Hermione said sleeping beauty was a princess who had fallen asleep. When Harry said it, she was asleep. Suddenly, Ron felt like an idiot. He rolled his eyes at his own stupidity and continued with eating lunch.
Hermione wondered why he had asked that because he had no idea who Sleeping Beauty was, or what a fairy tale was…hmmm. But Hermione hadn't noticed that Malfoy was sitting behind her, listening to her definition.
Later that day, once all classes were over and people were once again sitting in the great hall, talking and laughing and mostly eating. Hermione whispered to Harry though divination and told him about her conversation with Ron at lunch while Ron was busily trying to find page 321 and get something off a shelf.
Harry grinned when he heard what Hermione had said and what Ron had asked. 'Yeah, I know why he asked it. When you came to the common room, and you fell asleep, I called you sleeping beauty and he thought I was trying to hit on you.'
At this, Hermione laughed and put two and two together. 'makes sense why he wanted to know what sleeping beauty was…' at that point, Ron returned and the two ended their conversation.
After dinner, which was uneventful, Hermione bayed the others goodnight and headed to her common room intending to do some of the homework Snape had given them that day.
Awaiting her in the common room however, was Malfoy and he wasn't going to let her concentrate.
'You told me before Transfiguration that you would tell me what Dumbledore had said.' He pressed for the 100th time while Hermione sat at one of the tables and tried to write about Billywigs.
'He said Malfoy!' Hermione snapped 'that the essay is for history of magic and as Hogsemade is the only full wizard inhabited area, they are to study it and write about it. We are to set them boundaries and tell them what to write and help them. But…' here she stopped then continued quietly. 'we have to stay together.' She looked at him, his expression hadn't changed. 'But of course, Malfoy, being the all knowing, knew all of that which I had just remindedyou of I am sure.'
Malfoy raised his head smugly and said 'Yes, Mudblood, you did only remind me. Though, I am not happy with us having to stay together. Its almost like the teachers are trying to get us together!'
'Well Malfoy, we gave them a good head start.' Hermione said matter-of-factly.
He raised an eye brow. 'How do you figure?'
'Well, we share a common room and neither of us is dead, we erm…kissed in front of the whole school for that kissing thing and we kissed in the great hall.'
'True but still, if we get together, we get together.'
'And the fact that you sent me the necklace for Christmas.' Hermione added very quietly.
Malfoy's eyes widened then he regained his composer.
'What does it mean?' Hermione asked, pointing to her necklace and his ring.
Malfoy held up his hand and looked at the ring as if it would give him the answer. 'It is something for the Malfoy's. To own one means a lot. The necklace is for the women and the ring is for the men. The boy- me- are given a necklace to give to whom ever they like and the ring is theirs.'
'Why did you give it to me?' Hermione asked, then undid the lock on the back and took it off.
'I think you know the answer to that.' Malfoy said, and actually smiled.
Hermione looked down to her lap and smiled. 'Yes, I think so too.' Looking up again, Hermione asked something she had wanted to know in the back of her mind for years. 'Are you promised to pansy?'
Malfoy snorted. 'Honestly granger, and they say your smart.' Hermione narrowed her eyes. 'If I was promised to pansy, would I be giving you the Malfoy necklace?' he had a point. 'No, me and pansy are not promised to be together though the families on either side are doing all they can to try and make it happen…'
Then as an after though, he added 'It probably would have worked if you weren't thrown into the picture.'
'Right.' Hermione said, then placed the necklace on the table. 'So this necklace isn't a marriage proposal?'
He laughed. 'No way, the Malfoy marriage proposal is much more impressive, and what's more, you get a ring.'
'Oh ok. But I have to like you before I accept.' Hermione said, smiling cheekily.
'True. And I you.' He said, and then winked. 'Do you like me?'
'I think you know the answer to that.' Hermione replied, imitating Malfoy.
'Ok. Then, if your not going to answer that, then kindly explain why I got the blood on me the other day.'
'Oh that!' Hermione laughed. 'I don't know if you remember Malfoy, but I transformed you into a ferret and you bit me…'
Malfoy's eyes flashed angrily before he replied stiffly. 'Yes I remember, but im talking about the other blood.'
'I know what you meant.' Hermione hadn't wanted to answer. 'Hey, did you know pansy thinks you and I are going out?'
'We are aren't we?'
'WHAT?' Hermione screamed. 'We are not going out you arrogant little...well.' Hermione said regaining her composure. 'You will always be my little malferret.'
'I will not.' He said calmly though his eyes flashed again.
'Yes you will. You will be until we go out.' Hermione coughed. 'Anyway, we have the Hogsemade trip to organize.'
'Meh, you can.' And he left, up to his room.
Next morning, Malfoy walked into the common room and saw Hermione fast asleep, her head on the table.
Shaking his head, he walked out and it occurred to him in the great hall that that would have been a very good time to get her back for the blood thing. But it was too late, she was probably already up and racing around trying to get ready.
And indeed, when she entered the great hall ten minutes later, she was looking a tad flushed.
Hermione walked over to Harry and Ron and sat between them as usual.
'Morning.' Ron said.
'Morning.' Hermione replied then took a bit of toast.
'Hey.' Was Harry's greeting.
To Hermione, things seamed to be a little tense around her. Harry and Ron weren't joking or laughing like they normally did.
The hall was full in another ten minutes, so Hermione couldn't ask them if anything was out of the ordinary.
But then, at lunch, when this had gone on through double potions which was bad enough, Hermione asked them if anything was wrong.
'No, nothing.' They both replied at the same time, then glared at each other and looked in opposite directions.
'Harry?' then Harry told her with Ron listening.
'Ron still thinks I have something for you other than friendship.' Harry muttered.
Hermione rolled her eyes. 'Why Ron? We are just friends, I promise you.'
'Then why did he call you Sleeping Beauty!' Ron said angrily.
'I explained about that Ron.' Hermione answered calmly though she was sure her blood pressure was rising.
'You two have been doing something behind my back!' he then said angrily.
'Ron, we haven't-' Harry said, but Ron cut him off
'Bull.'
'Ronald, stop it now!' Hermione said, and sounded very much like Mrs. Weasley.
'Don't try and be my mother Mudblood.' Once said, Hermione knew he whished he could take it back.
At the word Mudblood, people around them looked up surprised and shocked.
Tears burned Hermione's eyes even though she knew he didn't mean it. Harry looked shocked that Ron had called one of his best friends that.
Hermione got up and crossed to the great hall, now many eyes on them. At the doors, she turned, walked along to the Slytherin table, walked right up to Malfoy who was watching her wearily and kissed him.
The kiss wasn't as nice as others to Malfoy as she was crying…it was salty.
When Hermione broke it, she was faced with a hall so quiet she thought everyone was dead. Looking at Ron, Hermione saw he was looking like a goldfish- mouth moving, no sound.
'WOULD I KISS MALFOY IF I WAS GOING OUT WITH HARRY!' she screamed and ran from the hall, whipping so many tears Hermione was shocked she hadn't fallen over from dehydration.
Hermione ran through the castle till she came to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
Here, Hermione cried and cried while the ghost watched.
'What is wrong?' she asked after a while.
Hermione and Myrtle had always gotten along semi well and seeing Hermione in such distort, Myrtle felt very sorry for her.
Still sobbing, but bringing it under some control, Hermione explained about Ron and Harry then what she did with Malfoy.
'Ooo, I like him. He's nice and cute.' Myrtle said dreamily, then snapped to attention as someone walked into the bathroom. Ginny.
'Hello.' Ginny said as warmly as she could to Myrtle who waved. 'Hey, come on Hermione, off the cold floor.' Ginny helped Hermione to sit on a crate as she was currently lying on the bathroom floor.
'Friend of hers are you?' Myrtle asked.
'Yes.' Ginny said smiling. 'Thankyou for talking to her.'
'It was nice to have someone to talk to…' Myrtle said waving it away.
For the rest of the day, Ginny and Hermione missed classes, Ginny muttering comforting words to a shaking Hermione. Myrtle was watching, and occasionally dropped into the conversation agreeing with Ginny that things could be worse.
It was then that Hermione was glad she had Ginny, and Myrtle to.
Now, for those who said I had to lengthen the chaps, I hope this is long enough!
Like? Dislike?
Don't worry all you Ron fans! He isn't a basted. It was, as it explains in the next chapter, in the heat of the moment. Everything is cool.
Now, Malfoy! Hahahaheheheeh he had to be included.
Tell us what you think!
Aj.