Hermione stirred in bed.
What happened last night again?
Oh yeah, the broom ride.
Boy, that was terrifying.
What time is it?
Where am I?
Hermione's eyelids flickered, then half opened.
Sunlight that flooded the room scorched her tired eyelids. She felt like getting up and closing the heavy green curtains, but she was too lazy and too comfortable.
Wait a minute… green curtains?
Hermione fully opened her eyes. Heavy, dark brown oak furniture covered the room and everything was covered in green and black. Green and black? No, her house colors were gold and maroon. Something wasn't right.
Hermione twisted her head to the right and smiled when it all came back to her. Draco lay next to her on the bed, his chest rising and falling with every steady breath he took. Not wanting to wake him up, Hermione slowly and carefully slipped out of the bed and tiptoed towards the door. Closing it softly behind her, she made her way to the bathroom, dragging her feet on the warm carpet that lined the hallway.
She took a quick shower and brushed her teeth, taking her time in the bathroom, knowing that Draco wouldn't wake up for at least another hour, and she was right. When she got out of the bathroom and peeked into Draco's room, he was still sound asleep, his body splayed across the bed like a fan.
Hermione giggled softly and closed the door, going into her own bedroom, whose bed was still made from the day before. She changed into a knee-length brown peasant skirt with embroidered pink flowers and a white long sleeved boat-neck shirt. Slipping on her favorite pair of brown flipflops, she made her way to the common room, planning to go to the Great Hall for breakfast and maybe catch up with Harry, Ron, and Ginny for plans later in the day.
Hermione was surprised to see Draco leaning against one of the couches in the common room. He was already fully dressed and freshened up.
The only thing that was in Hermione's mind was, Do I really take that much time getting ready in my room?
Draco smirked. "Where do you think you're going?"
Hermione blushed, hoping her hair covered her cheeks. She was still embarrassed about last night, but Draco didn't seem as jumpy as she did. He was calm and cool.
She cleared her throat. "I'm going to breakfast. Do you, er, want to join me?"
Draco checked his watch. "Yeah, alright."
They silently made their way down to the Great Hall, stopping right before they went in through the closed doors.
Hermione cleared her through yet again. "Um, it might look… kind of suspicious with us going in… you know, next to each other."
"Uh, yeah, okay. I'll wait a while after you go in." He gestured towards the door and Hermione gave him a small smile before going inside.
"Hermione?"
Hermione's hands rested on the heavy wood, the door not yet opened. "Yeah?"
"You know we'll have to tell everyone about last night eventually, right?" His platinum blonde hair fell over his eyes in an adorable sort of way.
Hermione looked out the window, and then back at Draco.
"We'll let them know when the time is right." After a few silent seconds, she walked over to Draco and gave him a kiss on the cheek before going into the Great Hall.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
"We have… Herbology next," Ron said, stuffing his schedule card back into his robe pocket. Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked out of the Potions classroom after double with the Slytherins. Hermione had felt eyes on her for the whole class, and when she finally turned around when everyone was distracted, Draco was looking at her.
Hermione checked her watch. "Actually, guys, can you tell Professor Sprout that I'm in Dumbledore's office? I have a meeting with him about now. I'll catch up with you guys later?"
Harry and Ron nodded, bidding her farewell.
Hermione quickly made her way through the throngs of people towards an empty corridor. Near the end, she made a right and stepped in front of the stone gargoyle.
"Fizzing Whizbees," she said. The gargoyle turned, and she walked up the steps to Dumbledore's office, where she saw that Draco had already arrived. She sat down on a puffy blue chair.
"Good! You are both here," Dumbledore said. "How are you both? Your classes?"
"Good, Professor," they said.
"Good, good, good," Dumbledore said, smiling and holding his hands neatly in front of him. "Now, the Yule Ball is coming up very soon, and I would tell you all of the details, but you both were prefects last year and heard my talk during last year's meeting, yes?"
They nodded.
"Good. Then you know that is tradition that Head Boy and Head Girl go to the ball together, am I right?"
They nodded, but this time, Hermione dared not to look at Draco.
"Well, then! The ball with be on December 24th at seven o'clock, and it is custom that the Heads share the first dance, so I am letting you know before hand." Dumbledore waved his wands and two pieces of paper appeared out of this air. "These are passes," he said. "They allow you to go to Hogsmeade during the day whenever you wish. At first I was going to ask for them after you bought your robes for the ball, but I've decided I trust you two enough that you can keep them and use them whenever you need them."
Hermione and Draco smile. "Thank you, sir."
"My pleasure." Dumbledore smiled. "So I will post a bulletin on the board tomorrow so the school will be informed of the date and time." He gestured to the door. "You may go."
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
The stone gargoyle turned as Hermione and Draco walked down the steps and into the empty, damp corridor. A few ghosts whisked past them, talking in hushed tones, not wanting to disturb the classes that were in session.
"The ball is only a few weeks away, so we might want to go to Hogsmeade sometime soon to buy our robes," Hermione said.
"Yeah," Draco said. He checked his watch. "Class is about to end, so I think we don't have to go. It's the end of the day, anyway."
Hermione nodded, and then turned stopped walking. Draco looked at her, stopping also.
"What's wrong?"
Hermione looked away before choosing her words carefully. "Listen… while things are still smooth with Harry and Ron, I think… I think I should tell them sometime soon. I mean, we don't want to act like we hate each other during the ball, right?"
Draco nodded, listening carefully.
"I know Ginny will be alright with it, but you know…" Hermione broke off then started speaking again. "Things may not be so smooth after I tell them." Tears appeared in her eyes. "No offense to you or anything, but you know they hate you. I don't know what they're going to say once I tell them. It just seems so… impossible. You know what Harry and Ron are like when they get upset…"
After a few silent seconds, Draco walked over and put his arm around Hermione's shoulders. She rested her head on his chest and let the tears spill down her cheeks.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
"Harry, Ron, I need to talk to you." Hermione sat down on a couch in the Head common room. Harry and Ron entered through the portrait hole and exchanged glances before sitting down slowly.
Hermione could feel tears welling up in her eyes but forced them not to come out before she started speaking.
"You know how Malfoy is Head Boy and I'm Head Girl…"
Ron jumped up. "Did he do something to you? What did he do? I'll kill him for you!"
Harry pulled Ron back down. "Let her finish." He looked at Hermione. "Yeah, we know. Go on."
Hermione gave Harry a small grateful smile before continuing. "Well… we started not to hate each other so much. You know, since we've been spending so much time together. And he's not really that bad of a guy…"
Harry didn't raise his voice or flinch. All he did was look straight at Hermione and say, "He's a Death Eater."
"No!" Hermione said quickly. "He isn't. He told me, and—"
"And you believe the git?" Ron said angrily. "Really, I thought you were smarter than that, Hermione. He's a MALFOY! He was destined to become a Death Eater. It's what their kind DOES. He's nothing more than a pompous evil git."
Hermione angrily stood up. "Ronald, you know NOTHING about him. As far as I'm concerned, he's nicer of a guy than YOU ever will be! At least he doesn't judge people on their past. People CHANGE, Ronald. Not everyone is the same as they used to be. And if you were my true friend, you'd believe me."
"He probably put a spell on you," Ron said, seething. He took out his wand. "I'll get it off, Hermione, don't worry."
Suddenly, Harry wrestled Ron to the ground before he could go any damage.
Hermione watched as Ron stared at Harry with wide, shocked eyes.
"Not you to, Harry," he whispered.
"I said, if you were my true friend, you'd believe me," Hermione said, her eyes glistening with tears. "Obviously, you're not my true friend." She pointed a shaky finger towards the door. "Get out. Not you Harry, Ron. Get out."
"Hermione!" Ron took a step towards her and Hermione stepped backwards.
"GET OUT."
"Hermione, he's a Malfoy! You don't know what you're getting yourself into!" Ron looked at her with pleading eyes.
"GET OUT! GET OUT OF MY COMMON ROOM!" Hermione whipped out her wand with a shaky hand.
Ron, not being that foolish, took a few steps back before looking at Hermione with loath in his eyes and angrily walking out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
Hermione fell onto the couch, her shoulders heaving, and sobbed onto Harry's shoulder. He soothingly patted her back.
"Don't worry, Hermione," he said. "He'll come around. He always does. You know how Ron is. Don't worry. I believe you."
Hermione looked up at him, giving him the smallest smile she could muster. "Really?"
"Of course. You're my best friend. How could I not believe you?" He smiled back. "I know people change. Who knows? Maybe Malfoy is one of them who did."
Hermione smiled then sniffled. "One more thing…"
"Well, after what I just heard, I think I can handle anything!" Harry said, smiling.
Hermione gave a shaky laugh. "Well, we're kind of… I'm kind of… his…"
"Girlfriend?"
Hermione looked down and nodded.
Harry smiled grimly. "I thought it would come down to this." He sighed. "It's okay, Hermione, I know you always make the right decision. I trust you, but I hope that you're not wrong."
Hermione smiled sadly. "I'm not. But I wish Ron was trust me like you do."
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Hermione knocked on Draco's door.
"Come in," came a muffled voice.
Hermione quietly opened the door. Draco was sitting by his desk reading a book with his glasses on. He closed the book and quickly stood up when he saw Hermione standing there with a tear-stained face.
"What's wrong?" he asked, but he had a hunch.
Hermione slowly walked over to his bed and sat down gingerly on the edge. Draco followed her and sat down next to her.
"Let me guess," he said, slipping off his glasses and putting them on his night table. "Ron and Harry?"
Hermione shook her head and a few loose curls tumbled down from her ponytail. Absent-mindedly, Draco brushed them away. "Just Ron."
Draco rubbed his tired eyes and sighed. "What'd he say?" But he didn't have to ask to know that something had gone terribly wrong.
Hermione turned her head away as another stream of unexpected tears fell down her cheeks. Draco held her tightly around the waist and waved his wand, making a cloth appear out of thin air. He gave it to Hermione who dabbed away her salty tears.
"So I guess Harry was fine with it?" Draco asked.
Hermione nodded, looking at her bare feet.
Draco scratched his forehead. "And let me guess again… Ron was total freaking out and you told him to leave because he would've believed you if he was your true friend."
Hermione looked at him with wide eyes.
"I heard you screaming from the common room." Draco smirked. "You know, for a pretty light and small person you have a really loud voice."
Hermione laughed for the first time that day. "So I've been told." She leaned her head on Draco's shoulder and inhaled his sweet scent of Drakkar Noir cologne.
Draco was doing the same thing, inhaling the smell of Hermione's strawberry kiwi shampoo. "Do you wanna go to Hogsmeade today? Maybe…" he paused. "You could invite Harry and Ginny to come with us."
"But they aren't allowed to go—" Hermione said, but Draco smirked, holding up the two passes. Hermione stuck out her tongue.
"Smart-pants."