Hello again faithful readers!
I hope you're all enjoying the story so far; I'll try and make it as good as I can for all of you, as you all rock my socks off with all your wonderful reviews! It's a great help and encouragement! Suggestions welcome!
I actually named this chapter after one of my favourite songs of all time: Bathwater by No Doubt. Now there's a classic – listen to it, I urge you all
Seatbelt fastened? Here's chapter 14…
Bathwater
I was sitting with Mudblood Granger on the bank beside the lake watching the sunset.
I was sitting with Mudblood Granger on the bank beside the lake watching the sunset.
Draco repeated this sentence over and over in his head, but still couldn't come to grips with it. As far as he could see, he had no motives for what had just happened. He had a motive to go down to Hermione, he saw her sitting with Weasley down by the lake and they appeared to be having an argument. So he felt that he should go down and see what was going on, stir it up a bit maybe. But for what happened as he was talking to her, he couldn't justify. He had absolutely no reason, except perhaps the way her eyes drew him in.
There was something about those hazel eyes.
Draco shook himself furiously. What's the use of thinking about that silly girl's eyes? Of course there was a reason. Moment of weakness. Romantic atmosphere with the sunset and all. I mean, would things have been different had it been any other girl? Granger is just another girl, there's nothing about her, and certainly nothing about her damn eyes.
Hermione walked off in the opposite direction to Malfoy, up to the Library. Her mind was numb; all she could see was how close Draco's face had been to hers and the way it had felt. It had been so different to all her clumsy encounters with Ron, all of which had been extremely awkward and embarrassing. She didn't know what it was, but just the fact that there was an 'it' – that there was something there – made her mind reel.
How could he do this to me? She asked herself, almost aloud. There couldn't be anything between her and Malfoy. She'd always imagined that it was an impossibility for a relationship like that to change in any way. Hate is a strong word, so Hermione had always been careful when using it, but had always applied it to Malfoy without a thought. Surely feelings like that were irreversible?
I'm with Ron she told herself. Forget Draco. Who is he to dominate my thoughts anyway?
No matter where she went or what she did, however, Hermione couldn't ignore the fact that she had almost cast aside her best friend tonight, and had almost welcomed in the enemy.
"Ron, are you okay?" Harry asked Ron concernedly after Quidditch practice the next day. "On the pitch you seemed kinda…unfocused. I mean, you really shouldn't fly that close to the willow."
"Hermione."
"Ah."
"Yeah. It's bad."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Malfoy."
"Ah."
"Yeah. What's his problem?"
"He's a Malfoy. What's he done?"
"I don't know! Hermione just doesn't seem to hate him like she used to!" Ron exploded, even though he was aware that what he was saying sounded extremely immature.
"I don't know, Ron, maybe she's just found some sort of way to put up with him. They do have to spend a lot of time together, Hermione must be going crazy." Harry replied wisely, scraping the mud off his Quidditch boot.
Ron slumped onto a bench next to him, hanging his head despairingly. "I just don't want to loose her, Harry. She puts me through hell worrying, but she's the best thing that ever happened to me."
"Yeah. Yeah I get it." Harry replied, thinking wistfully of a certain red-haired someone. "Women, eh?"
"But if that scum of the earth Malfoy is feeding some sort of potion to Hermione to screw her up, I swear to Merlin I will rip him limb from limb."
"Don't worry, mate. We'll make sure he doesn't get a chance to do anything."
Snape's Dungeons were colder than ever that afternoon in Potions. Harry sat awkwardly between Ron and Hermione, as the latter was refusing to speak to her boyfriend at all.
"Today, we will be testing and studying the effect of these three potions. One is an engorging potion; the other two are engorging potions with problems. By the end of the lesson I expect you to have been able to identify each potion, and what's wrong with it (if anything), and how you could possibly improve it. You have 1 hour. Anyone who fails will have a detention cleaning out Professor Hagrid's Skrewts." Said Snape lazily to his class, he had clearly not had a good day.
Each table was given three beakers of steaming potion to share and study. Hermione immediately got out her parchment and quill and began writing furiously, ignoring Ron and Harry's dismayed faces. She wasn't in the mood to talk or help anyone; she just needed to get her mind, and eyes, off Malfoy.
Ron and Harry exchanged worried glances, but neither was brave enough to ask Hermione for help.
"Okay, Ron, get out the advanced potions textbook then." Said Harry, wearily.
As Ron was getting out the textbook, Harry observed Malfoy walking up to the front of the class and whispering something to Snape, who, in turn, nodded Malfoy out of the class. Harry raised an eyebrow, and was immediately desperate to investigate.
He decided not to tell Ron or let on what he had just seen – he knew Ron would just overreact and ruin everything. Instead, Harry decided to follow Malfoy. So, he swiftly reached out and picked up an empty vial lying on the table and smashed it on the floor.
"Potter, what is the meaning of this interruption? Merlin knows why you're in this potions group if you cannot even keep hold of a small vial! What are you waiting for, Potter? Pick up the glass and dispose of it immediately!" Snape roared, gleeful to vent some of his anger onto one of his least favourite people.
Harry didn't reply, but simply obeyed Snape, and as a result 'accidentally' cut himself on a shard of glass.
"Sir, I'm bleeding. I need to go to Madam Pomfrey to stop the blood." Harry said to Snape, showing him a shallow yet bloody wound on his palm.
"Ten points from Gryffindor for your clumsiness, Potter. Go on then, boy, and be quick!" Snape said scornfully to Harry.
Harry swiftly left the dungeon, leaving a confused Ron behind him as he went. As soon as he had set foot out of the dungeon door, he pulled out a small scrap of parchment that had served him well for many years.
I solemnly swear I am up to no good.
His eyes scanned the page for signs of Malfoy, and to his surprise saw that he was very nearby. He had only gone round the corner to the dungeon at the end of the corridor. Harry sidled stealthily down the Malfoy's dungeon and put his ear to the door, he could hear a cauldron bubbling a hissing loudly. He was desperate to see what Malfoy was doing, what was he trying to make? Suddenly, he heard a 'bang' come from what he supposed was Malfoy's cauldron, so took the opportunity to push open the door slightly so he could look in.
He could now see Malfoy standing over a large pewter cauldron, stirring a shining light purple potion slowly. A slightly grey mist was floating gently off the top of the potion, and the surface was bubbling calmly
The sun was setting outside in the Grounds, and Hermione could see its pinkish tinted beauty through one of the large windows overlooking the Lake. She could see the spot where she had sat with Malfoy the night before and smiled secretively to herself. Suddenly she heard heavy footsteps. Malfoy. She could tell he was standing just behind her and her heart skipped a beat (although she was ashamed to acknowledge it), it was the first time they had been around one another since the night before.
For a while Malfoy just stood there, and Hermione pretended she hadn't noticed that he was behind her. Then he finally said something:
"What are you doing up here?" He demanded sharply, his tone surprising Hermione, so she turned and glared at him.
"I live here, Malfoy." She replied angrily, a little bit confused.
"Yes, yes, I know that, but shouldn't you be making up with that stupid weasel by now?" Asked Malfoy mockingly, with an edge of bitterness in his voice.
"How do you know that I haven't already made up with him?" Said Hermione, and then she stood up trying to draw herself up to her full height, this proved fruitless however as Draco still towered over her.
"You didn't sit together at Lunch. And he didn't attempt to grope your thigh in any lessons today." Said Draco slyly, smirking when he saw Hermione flinch at the use of the word 'grope'.
"We don't always sit together, that's no evidence at all and besides, we're not fight…Ron doesn't grope my thigh!" Hermione protested indignantly, and was slightly worried that Malfoy had noticed Ron's irritating under-the-desk shenanigans.
Draco chuckled mirthlessly, taking a slight step closer to Hermione, who continued to glare up at him.
"Maybe you have other reasons for hanging around here today." Said Draco sneakily, with a self satisfied smirk.
"As a matter of fact, I was just watching the sunset, so leave me to it…unless you're going to join me - again…" Replied Hermione innocently, with a slight devious sparkle in her eyes.
Malfoy's eyebrows immediately narrowed and he took a step back from Hermione. "No. I wouldn't spend another evening with you for a thousand Galleons," Malfoy paused before sounding out two more syllables clearly and contemptuously "Mudblood." Then he swept into his bed chamber leaving Hermione standing alone in the darkness as the sun had almost completely disappeared below the horizon behind her.
Hermione was speechless. She hadn't realised how long it had been since he had called her that, and it hurt like it had the first time all those years ago. Her eyes filled with angry tears, she was furious that she hadn't been able to make any kind of retort, and was desperate to pay him back for this. She wanted to see his grey eyes burn with envy again.
Ron,
Come up to the Head Quarters (password: bathwater), I need to talk to you.
Hermione
Ron clutched the note blankly in his hands, which were starting to get very clammy. His heart began to hammer against his rib cage uncomfortably – and his mind couldn't help but ask the question is she going to end it?
He looked around the Common Room despairingly for support from his best friend, but then remembered that he was with Ginny giving her flying tips. He didn't stop to think that it is a bit odd that they are doing this in Ginny's dorm room.
Ron proceeded up to Hermione's Quarters, the note now screwed up tightly in his sweaty palm.
"Bathwater," He muttered, half heartedly. The moment he stepped into the Head Common Room, a bushy haired face came crashing towards his bemused, ginger haired one, and kissed him like it was going out of style.
"Hermione! What's gotten into you? Not that I'm complaining or anything…" Ron asked, bewildered after they finally broke apart.
"I don't know Ron…I've been under appreciating you recently…so I want to make it up to you…" Hermione replied perhaps a little over-suggestively. Ron's eyes opened wide with joy. "Okay, well not that far Ron, but I do want to make you happy…" Hermione was perfectly aware that she was shamelessly lying through her teeth.
"I don't have a problem with that!" Said Ron joyfully, grinning inanely.
"Good…so…" And with that, they resumed their little 'session' on one of the plush sofas by the fire. Using her friend for the sole purpose of making her worst enemy jealous was by no means acceptable to Hermione, and even she couldn't rationalise the situation when her boyfriend's lips came crashing down on hers once again.
Ron doesn't notice, but Hermione certainly does when in walks Draco Malfoy. Her eyes had been open and waiting for the moment when he walked in and she could finally triumph over him.
His grey eyes darkened when he sees the entwined 'lovers' before him and his heart pounded angrily when he saw Hermione's eyes twinkling innocently up at him. Through the appearance of purity, those eyes were jeering at him.
Revenge is sweet.