Disclaimer : I don't own anything you might recognize. This is to say that the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling and that this story is written only for enjoyment; as such, I do own the plot and non-canon characters and plot for this fanfic, but that is all.
Authors Side Note : Please read and review that is what keeps me going on and on with my stories. If you see any mistakes then please inform me and don't be afraid to give me any pointers or such. Critique me loads please, I will write more, long chapters with more detail and get them up a few chapters at a time! Hopefully in time they will get longer and more detailed, I felt rushed with this chapter.
september seventh
Chapter Three: wanna bet?
Hermione had locked herself up in her chamber the last few nights since the scene with Draco. He had never taken points from her but she knew that if he crossed her again she would be likely to loose house points and then she would really be in the dog house. Allowing her door to swing open Hermione entered the common room. Blake was off in the corner doing his studding and gave her a nasty glair as she walked past him. It was Sunday and she knew that Draco must have been out practicing already, being the captain of the Slytherin team.
Hermione entered the bathroom and walked to a stall. After stripping her body of her clothes she threw them on a bench and turned on the hot water. Steam rose up and filled the room as she allowed her body to soak in it for quite sometime, never reaching to get the shampoo yet. The thought of her mothers' death was heavily upon her mind and she always seemed to be out of it now a days. Never wanting to study as much, which was a real drag in her opinion but it brought back to many memories, Hermione spent most of her time curled up looking at her photograph book.
Soon enough she had wandered out of the day dream that held her captive for many minutes and washed her hair and then allowed the conditioner to soak in while she saved her legs. She rinsed out her hair and turned the water off, allowing her hands to ring out her hair. It wasn't long before Draco Malfoy showed up; talking to Blake who must have thought Hermione had left the common room because neither of them where aware that a Gryffindor "mudblood" was in their presents.
"Did you get what I asked Mitchell?" Draco hushed his voice down as he looked around.
"Of course, why did you wish for something like this to be brought into Hogwarts?" Blake sounded childish but was ruggedly handsome for being a Slytherin. "Wouldn't it have been better for me to send it away to your father?"
Draco's eyes widened as he snatched the package away from Blake, his cold gray eyes turning sharply on him. "Do you think I am a fool? I know how to handle myself and as for Dumbledor, he will never find out about this."
Hermione had been leaning against the wall so she could hear as much and as best as possible, she didn't want him to find her but if this had anything to do with Voldemort then she had to know. Dumbledor and Harry had fought off the last of he-who-must-not-be-named. But There was still a chance that and even more powerful wizard had taken his place. Not all of the death eaters had been caught, and were still freeing those of their own kind out of the prison of Azkaban.
"Yes well mind you I got it for you; it was tricky business so don't come crying to me if you need anymore help." With that Blake turned and led himself out of the bathroom. Hermione of course didn't know that Draco had not followed because only her ears were in check, not her eyes.
Slytherins were all the same even to each other. Cold, cruel and heartless… she wondered constantly on why Dumbledor still allowed the slimy gits to take schooling within Hogwarts, it gave them a rather horrid name now didn't it?
Her hand reached out as it grabbed the scarlet large towel which she wrapped around herself. Pulling her curtain back she exposed herself to Draco who allowed his gray eyes to swarm up and down her while taking a few steps back. He never liked seeing her with any close on and he never would have liked to see the filthy little mudblood in only a towel. How had he not noticed her clothes lying upon the bench right in front of the shower? Maybe he was too preoccupied but what ever, it didn't matter really anymore Hermione was already caught and there was nothing she would be able to do about it.
A loud and petrified screech echoed throughout the room as Hermione stumbled backwards and pressed herself up against the wall. Her eyes swiveled down to the package that was almost all the way free of its wrapping. There was a book and a letter which held the name Draco Malfoy in gothic lettering; no doubt it was from his father. She looked back up as Draco suddenly advanced on her pushing his feelings from his head. Hermione had grown up in the past year, her body clearly showed that information.
Hermione was tall and lean; she had never been that perfect girl that had a thin waist, big boobs and a nice ass. She had actually worked out almost every single day and went on daily jogs. It seemed when ever she went on the eight mile jogs a day she was always running away from something, which made her push herself to run even faster, like she was escaping what ever was behind her, like her past. The muggle customs she had always grown up with had caught up with her so she straightened her hair every once in awhile but her regular bushy and curly hair had always appealed to her more. Make up was worn on special occasions but of course she was old fashion and liked to roll out of bed, jump into the shower, and pull on her clothes.
Hermione had grown and her stomach was flat now and hard, a six pack would have been there if she worked herself super hard but she thought that was sick for a girls body to look like a guys and eating the right food and exercising somewhat helped out a whole bunch. Her boobs had grown and looked much bigger then they actually would have if she had her old body but she was proud of her tall figure standing around five foot six inches.
"Get your bloody hands off me Malfoy!" She spat angrily towards Draco as he came up to her and pinned her up against the wall with only one of his lean and muscular arms. His right hand whipped out his wand and pointed it at Hermione's throat which made her gulp. "You wouldn't…"
"Who is to say what I would and wouldn't do you filthy mudblood? What all did you hear anyways Granger?" He sneered; light shaggy blond hair fell lightly upon his crown.
"I don't know what you are talking about, should I be interested?" Her voice was almost in a whisper as she tired to free her hands from him and get out from being cornered. Draco moved in closer to her as they wound up almost touching nose to nose. His silvery gray eyes shot down to her lips then back up into her deep brown eyes, almost threatening about what he could do to her right now.
"Granger, do not mess with me! If you heard something you had better keep your trap shut, and if I hear otherwise, I won't be afraid to make you keep your mouth shut." He moved in only a tad bit closer and then threw her hands down and backed away. His deep black robe wavered behind him as he stalked away out of the bathrooms hiding the package beneath his robe from view.
Something was going on with him this year… he wasn't the same Draco Malfoy that she had know for the past six years. His father was put away in jail but somehow he was still getting in contact with him, she just knew it. The thought flashed in her mind about the dark lord but she doubted that he could return. They had seen Harry defeat him and take him down once and for all. Maybe he was the chosen one, the one to follow in Voldemort's footsteps? That was a foolish thought; she didn't even know why she had allowed that thought to cross her mind. Hermione swore at herself as she rushed over to her pile of clothes and quickly picked them up.
She needed to get back into her room where she could think privately without the constant thought of Draco coming back in and doing what she thought he might have done if the threat of others wasn't looming around so thickly. Ginny and Neville, accompanied by Harry and Ron where sitting in the common room in deep conversation as they watched a very flustered and worried Hermione fly from the bathroom and rush across the room down the hall to her chamber. She could have sworn she had seen Harry and Ron's faces gape as she walked so freely around the chamber. It almost made her want to turn around and yell at them for making such a foolish and down right immature choice and what they had lost. Something for Ron had always lingered in her heart but it had seemed to die the day he chose to forget about her.
So without even a peek over her shoulder to take a glance back at the four Hermione disappeared into her chamber and got into her pajamas. She leaped into her bed and allowed the cackling sound of the fire to consume the noise around her as she tried hard to figure out what Draco Malfoy would be doing with an informational book on Animagus….
september thirteenth
The week had flown by quickly and with so much homework piled upon her Hermione hadn't gotten to think back to that night about Draco and his mysterious doings with that book. Snape had gotten harder at his studies especially with Gryffindor members almost like he wanted them to fail in some way or another. That had never set right with Hermione so she had always studied extra hard almost wanting to know more about the Potions subject then Snape new himself so nothing would be able to surprise her.
Transfiguration had come up first and so the beginning of the day went by smoothly. Hermione was learning to now transfigure pigs into sheep and rats into dirt, the typical thing. She herself had always been fascinated by the subject of transfiguration and something always tugged at the back of her mind to study up more about Animagus and maybe one day she herself would become one. Any book on such a subject was strictly forbidden within the castle walls unless they were within Dumbledor's office or Professor McGonagall's.
Next came Herbology and Hermione had never had a problem with that class so it flew by rather fast as they where learning how to make dangerous potions on how to make those that where not who they really were Polly Juice Potion for example to expose themselves in a rather horrible and terrifying way. The Slytherins had a lot of fun in that class, no surprise to Hermione of course those sick foul blooded in human things.
Of course Neville always helped her out in the class when she was struggling, and lately she had been. It was a mystery to her but she would figure it out, all the stress of this being her last year and her teachers cramming piles and piles of homework on them. Neville loved Herbology and would probably become a professor here at Hogwarts if they ever needed one.
Lunch had come and gone in a flash, it seemed this year was rolling by faster then the other years had but Hermione wasn't all too happy about that. She had always remembered wanted life to hurry up so she could see if she would get good enough marks on her major grading assignments and so far she had passed with flying colors, the reason why she was probably pronounced as head girl this year.
"Hey Hermione, why are you all the way back here?" Neville questioned as he made his way into the Potions room and spotted Hermione in the very back of the class room practically in the shadows. She had her head down upon her books and looked up and sighed as Neville sat next to her. "You do know whose seats were in don't you? They won't be happy about this at all." He was heading to the point that Draco Malfoy and his henchmen Crabbe and Goyle usually took resting at this table and wouldn't like it when he found his seat that. When ever Draco Malfoy came into the Potions class he had made a habit out of strutting through the door like he owned the place.
Hermione allowed her eyes to gaze up and almost lock onto his charming smile, which was rarely seen. "It's almost like he wants to be the center of attention." Hermione allowed her voice to quiet down as they neared their table. "Yes Draco?" She questioned as he stood in front of them glairing down.
"Get out of my seat mudblood!"
"Well now why would you want it if I have already been sitting down here? Doesn't it have germs on the seats and table that you're oh so noble hands might touch?" She glowered at him but was soon relieved as he turned and took the seat right in front of her. She had actually won a battle against him in front of his own friends! It was a miracle and had never been done before just by herself. She had of course popped him a good one in their third year but never since then had she gotten even with him.
Neville allowed a wide grin to fall across his face.
"Where were we class?" Snape allowed his long and drawn out voice to proceed all around the class room. A more unusual look was upon his face this morning as he glared at the class rather boredly. Hermione allowed her hand to shoot up into the air wavering it around a bit to catch Snape's eye. One thing had not changed and that was the face he would not call on Hermione. Draco had instead rose his hand and answered and got ten house points, pathetic. The stupid bloke knew nothing about this subject he was empty headed dimwit if you would ask her.
After brewing the potion and adding liver wood and snails tongue to it they were told it if brewed a bubbling purple stew it was ready. Of course Snape had no one to test it on so those that was good, including Miss. Granger and Mr. Longbottom's potion was accepted and put into a vile that he would save for later use down in his potions cellar.
"I want a five page essay one the history of this potion due next class, shouldn't be too hard for your little minds to conger up over the weekend." Snape spoke as the students stood and headed for the door as the bell rang which meant classes were over for the day. The whole class groaned at the though of having to do such work but they gave in knowing if they made any more ruckus that he would add on another page or so.
"I don't know what I am going to do about that class Hermione…" Neville whimpered almost to himself but included Hermione in on it as he shoved everything into his book bag that would be allowed in and carried the rest. "It is like he wants us to fail!"
"Believe me you are not alone on that one, he is seriously out to kill us all!" Her voice was in a hushed tone as the scuttled out of the classroom together.
Ginny soon met up with the two and linked arms with Neville. "Hey darling!" He cooed to her and kissed her forehead which made Hermione gag out loud in a joking way. It made the two of them laugh at Hermione as they finally separated away from her and made their way back to Gryffindor's main common room. Hermione sulked away to find herself a nice cozy spot close to the fire in the prefect and head common room.
Blake was sitting in one of the rather large arm chairs and seeing as he had never said anything to Hermione or even acknowledges that she existed she took in that it was safe and wandered over to the love seat and leaped on it and rolled onto her back. Suddenly another head appeared out of the corner of her eye as he strode from the bathrooms over to the other large arm chair right across from Blake. It was Blaise who had been one of Draco's friends, but that prat was no were to be seen.
"Well-well-well, hello there Granger." A deep voice reached her ears as she looked up into Blaise's cool and collect deep brown eyes.
"Blaise…" Hermione trailed off wondering why he was talking to her, an interesting book lay open on her lap as she stared at him wondering what he wanted.
There was silence for awhile as he looked over to Blake and back to Hermione a few times and finally spoke again, his voice still deep. "You have changed and I don't know what to compliment first your figure or your attitude."
Her brow cocked up in confusion as she watched his eyes eat her up. Now why in the hell would he have said that hello didn't he understand that she was a Gryffindor, he was a Slytherin, the two were both suppose to be arch enemies!
"Well anyway nice look Granger." Blaise continued ignoring the weird look he was getting from Blake. "You wanna meet me up in the astronomy tower sometime soon?" In almost a charming tone Blaise turned his full attention onto her.
"Let me think about it no. Now why in the hell would I want to do that so when I get up there you can rape me or make fun of me for falling for a Slytherin and actually thinking he was going to catch me?"
Blake suddenly stood up and walked out over to the two sets of staircases and disappeared up into his room. Hermione suddenly turned her work back onto the subject of the book which was Quidditch A History. She had learned all about the two teams that were within the United States and every other one of them but was quickly going over all of the fouls that could be called in the game. Of course there was seven hundred but not that many were really in this book because it hadn't been updated in ages.
"See no one is around here, I aint leading you on Granger…" He trailed off as a sly smile arose upon his face. He looked ruggedly handsome with his jet black hair cut nice and neat not shaggy like all the boys were falling into that sort of state.
"I will pass."
Soon enough Lily found herself lying lazily upon her bed. Dinner wasn't for another hour or so which gave them all time to do homework. Suddenly it hit Lily that she also had a Head meeting after dinner with Draco and their main professors and the headmaster. Hermione knew that Fridays from now on would be jammed back with classes and then homework and then dinner and meetings. The distant thought of sleeping arose in her body as her eyes began to droop lazily.
All of the sudden without warning her door burst open and Blaise stalked in and made a move to sit at the food of Hermione's bed, his chocolate orbs gazing over her once more happily. The horny men at the age made her want to hurl but she contained herself as she pressed herself up against the head board, staring down to Blaise for awhile and then suddenly allowing her voice to pipe up.
"What are you doing in here?"
"Nothing, well actually I wanted to strike up a conversation. I know that you're a Gryffindor and all, and also a muggle born but well…"
"Get out of my room I don't care what you know, what you don't know and what you might want to find out!"
"Wait... I was thinking we could make a deal!"
Hermione was about to protest but she kept her mouth shut this time, nodding her head stating she wanted to hear more about what this Slytherin wanted with her.
"You go out with me, or at least take me up to the Astronomy Tower just once and I will personally stick up for you in front of and to all the Slytherins no matter what…"
"I am listening."
"So I bet you that you won't be able to resist my charm for one week. By next Friday you will have already fallen in love with me, of somewhere close to that state."
She collected everything within her head, so if she won this little bet and didn't fall for him he would stick up for her in front of all the Slytherins no matter what and if she lost she would have to go out with him, or at least accompany him up into the Astronomy Tower. Everyone knew that the Astronomy Tower was the place where couples went to get some, anything they could out of each other. Professors also knew about this little meeting place but never wandered up there because they didn't want to walk in on something they never should see.
Holding out her hand Blaise took it was a surprised and yet delighted look upon his face. What was there to loose? If he was sincere then she would have all the Slytherins shocked that Blaise was sticking up for her. She had nothing to loose, if they hated her or found out she would just be laughed at until some dumb kid did something stupider the next day.
Suddenly he leaned in and allowed his lips to touch her cheek, they were warm and for a second there Hermione didn't want him to leave but she didn't protest when he backed away and allowed himself to escort himself out of her room.
dinner and later that night
The rest of the hour had flown by and before she knew it Ginny was pouncing on her telling her to wake up. She must have fallen asleep and that is why it went by so quickly. "Hey there Gin, where is Neville?"
"He is going to meet us down there lets go!"
"Hey… what if I told you Blaise wanted to-have his way with me?" Hermione was serious which took Ginny completely by surprise and unable to answer for quite sometime.
"Shag him, have you way with him and leave him before he has the chance to leave you!" Not being the answer Hermione was hopping to get she just chuckled almost silently to her friend and followed her out of her room and down to the Great Hall. The sound of noise within the Great Hall drowned out most of each other so you could only hear those that were sitting right next or across from you.
"Hey there Herm, hope you don't mind!" A sudden handsome voice, yet all to familiar voice exploded as Blaise came and sat down next to her, pushing a fourth year over so he had room to squeeze in.
Ginny allowed her eyes to widen as she looked from Hermione's shocked glaze to Blaise and then to Neville who looked half scared and half like he wanted to shoo the intruder away from the Gryffindor land which he was treading upon.
"Um hi there Blaise, this is Ginny and Neville." Her tone was flat as she looked like she just might as well have been killed right then and there. Well she asked for it now didn't she!
He nodded a hello to the two but didn't seem interested. A lot of evil glances were coming from the table now as well as the Slytherins. Malfoy looked like he might of shit a brick and it would have been rather funny if that was the case but she knew that it wasn't. Blaise placed his arm around her neck and tightened his grip almost pulling into a hug but failing at the last minute because Hermione ducked out from under it and kept his arm away from her.
The feast was just as amazing as always and Hermione was actually talking to the usual quiet Blaise. He was still a little timid but was opening up now and Hermione still wanted to know why he was so interested in her all of the sudden. That was the main reason why she took on the bet. Of course he wasn't all that bad looking anyway.
"Heads will you please meet me in your common room, Prefects you will not be attending this one." Dumbledor allowed his voice to amplify across the Great Hall, quieting all of the students down. Everyone was finished with their food but conversations have aroused over the past ten minutes which was brought to and end by the headmaster.
Everyone made their way out of the Great Hall and following just behind Hermione was Blaise was kept trying to grab her hand and tickle her side. Some would have thought that it was annoying but some part of Hermione was really enjoying it! Maybe it was the fact she had never had a boyfriend before, Krum didn't count. He was more like a fling that was still going on and off. As Ginny and Neville broke apart from them Hermione turned and started to walk away, pretending to not take interest in the lost puppy that wanted to come home with her.
She walked down long passageways and crawled threw a few portrait holes in the wall which Blaise liked a great deal since all she was wearing was her skirt and of course her robes but is usually tagged behind her just a tad but she knew he was playing when he made the "ooh" noises and stuff. She disappeared behind a banner and finally came to a stone wall which made Blaise walk straight dap into her, not looking where he was going.
Stumbling back Hermione had been pressed up against the wall by Blaise and a smirk rose across her features. What was with her and Slytherin boys? He went in for a kiss but of course Hermione had ducked out of it just in time and shook her head at him.
"That is a no-no dear Blaise. You best keep your lips and your genitals away from me." Hermione said in a casual yet slightly happy voice. She hadn't even felt this happy for sometime now, probably before her mother's death at least. Of course nothing would be able to make her happy enough to forget that horrible scene. "Good-bye Blaise I will see you tomorrow!" Hermione turned and just as she almost spoke the password his lips were pressed up against her neck and his hand traveled into her robes and landed on her sides.
Hermione didn't know what to do and quite frankly she didn't want to do anything but thought about the bet and whispered the password which Blaise probably heard and a door appeared. She walked away from him and then door shut and vanished. "How does she resist me!" He shook his head in half disbelief and have happiness, glad she wasn't some bimbo that all the other girls he had ever met were. In all truth he didn't knew why he had made the bet with the mudblood, the Gryffindor but quite frankly Blaise didn't care anymore. There was something about here that made him, well he didn't know…
Hermione entered the common room to fine Professor Dumbledor, Snape, McGonagall and Malfoy within the room just waiting on her. She blushed and said her apologies as she sat down next to Professor McGonagall. Dumbledor brought up a discussion about a Halloween ball, something out of the ordinary. They wouldn't have been able to do such a thing when Voldemort was around so why not kick back and relax, rejoice in his disappearance.
"How about inviting Durmstrang and Beobaxton sp? for another school get together Professor? Meet up with old friends and meet some new ones!" Hermione's shot it out in the open in surprisingly every one of them agreed with her, even Malfoy.
"Let us have a bonfire too out by the lake and so we can all go swimming if we want, maybe get a band to come for the night? Have trips into Hogsmead even though it falls on a Thursday and have no school!" Hermione allowed her imagination to flow, thinking back to Hedrick for a moment and then pushing it out of her mind. She didn't need to get back into that stuff until she was of age, seventeen birth days, hers would be coming up soon.
They went deeper into the discussion and soon enough Hermione and Draco were left alone in the common room. "What have you don't to Blaise?" He spat at her, eyes narrowing in savagely.
"I haven't done anything, maybe he really likes me Malfoy and isn't such a prick like you and the rest of your little gang is!" As soon as she finished the four prefects wandered into the room and the two heads disappeared into their quarters. It took her no time to fall asleep but she couldn't help but think Draco Malfoy, the pure blood was getting a little jealous of her.
Hey everyone I just added a bit of spice to it, hope you all like it! Sorry it has taken me so long to update I have been kind of busy and my sister said she was going to beta read all of chapters but only has done chapter one and already it doesn't matter because well yea it just doesn't! No one really cares if I have too instead of to do they I mean come on! Lol Hope you guys all READ and REVIEW my chapters and look to see a new chapter to be coming up very shortly!
3 always
Akkiella Lupin