Heya, hope you're enjoying the read so far.
And you are right! Hermione is getting much too OOC, hopefully I can fix things.
Enjoy!
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Hermione and Draco felt like a great weight had been lifted off their shoulders after the interview and the mood between them had improved greatly.
They returned to Hermione's apartment where Hermione found an owl from Harry.
Hermione and Draco,
I hope your interview went smoothly today, if you're free we should have lunch some time. Maybe tomorrow?
Owl me.
Harry.
"We most certainly won't be having lunch with scar head." Draco spat after he read the letter.
Hermione didn't understand why Harry was being so nice after his letter to Draco earlier. "Of course we will go, he's my friend." She answered, picking up her quill.
"No, and I'm not arguing with you about this either." Draco plucked the quill from her grasp and dragged her to the lounge. "You should read something."
"Draco, I will not just throw off my best friend because of the grudge you hold against him." Hermione reached for the quill in his hands but he pulled away.
"The grudge I have against him? He's the one who came and forced me out of the game just so he could get into the international team!" He sighed inwardly, wishing that he didn't have to argue with Hermione all the time.
"I know, but you can't just expect me to throw our friendship out the window!" Hermione felt helpless, torn between her best friend and fiancé.
"I don't want to fight anymore, Hermione." Draco breathed, sitting down suddenly. He looked very tired and Hermione reflected on their time together.
She felt so selfish and realised she had been acting like a right little cow since he had moved in with her. She had gone mental with the house elf; it was wrong.
Coming to terms with these feelings was a difficult task and she felt overwhelmed by her own actions. Slowly she slipped out of the room and lay on her bed. This engagement had changed her and she didn't like the new Hermione.
Draco looked up, she was gone. 'Great' he thought bitterly 'you've screwed up again Malfoy, oh well done.' He stretched on the couch and tried to contemplate what he had done wrong, again. Is it really just who he is? 'Can't do a damn thing about it if it is.' He thought stubbornly.
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"Hermione?" Draco tapped lightly on her door.
"Yeah?" Hermione got up and went to the door, knowing she needed to apologise.
"Can I come in?" He asked.
Hermione thought for a moment, then decided that they were engaged after all and she couldn't possibly force him to sleep on the couch for much longer. "Yes, come in." She stepped away and sat on her bed, plucking up the courage that Griffindors are supposed to have.
Draco closed the door behind him, he saw her sitting there, an intense expression on her face and suddenly felt awkward. He didn't like feeling awkward and his brain told him that he was feeling a lot of new emotions that he had never felt before since he had gotten together with Hermione.
"I uh…" He began, forgetting what he was going to say.
Hermione looked up, smiling forcefully "I'm sorry." She blurted.
Draco stared at her in shock. "You're what?" He was stunned. Hermione was apologising to him? Why? Perhaps he hadn't done something wrong after all!
"I'm sorry. I've been such a living hell to be with over the last week; I'm sorry for that." She looked down at her hands, feeling a blush creep up from her neck.
Draco continued to stare in shock. "Oh." He said, as relief began to seep through his skin. So he hadn't done anything wrong; something had gone right at least.
"You're right by the way, we shouldn't be fighting so much." She continued.
It seemed like a terribly sentimental moment and Draco shifted from one leg to the other, showing his discomfort. "I guess you want to go to lunch with Potter then?" was all he could say.
Hermione looked up, she stared at him for a long time, her expression calculating. "No. We won't. And we can have some house elves at the Manor." She smiled.
Draco smiled back, feeling as though he hadn't really smiled in a long time. It shocked him how much pleasing her meant to him, but he did have to spend an awfully long time with her, so he thought pleasing her was best. "I'm glad that's over."
Hermione laughed, she stood up and hugged him tightly, reminding him of the press conference. 'Maybe Potter's plan wasn't so bad; parts of it.' Came the after thought.
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At eleven, a livid Harry apparated into the apartment.
Hermione and Draco were looking over his finances when Harry arrived, taking them both by surprise.
"You didn't owl me." He said, looking at Hermione. She smiled brightly, ignoring his frustration with her.
"Oh Harry, so nice to see you! Come, have a seat." She indicated to the chair next to her.
"No, I will not 'have a seat' Hermione, we need to talk." His words were tight and she came to the conclusion that Harry had been affected more than she thought by the war.
"Harry, we can talk here. Sit down, I'll make you a coffee." She got up and gave him a concerned look before going to the kitchen to get drinks for everyone.
Harry sat down stiffly, glaring at Draco. "You had to go and ruin everything." He snapped.
Draco frowned. "What is it this time Potter?"
"You had to go a completely ruin everything!" He shot back. Harry continued to fume silently.
Hermione brought in their coffees and sat down, noting the tension in the air. "What did you want to talk about?" She asked.
"Malfoy, since when are you worth 500 000 000 Galleons?" Harry looked icily at Draco who raised his eyebrows.
"Since my father died, Potter. Your point?"
Harry looked away for a moment "You just decided to flaunt that along with your quiddich hopes?" He said bitterly.
Draco tensed "Listen Potter, if you think I did this all because of quiddich you are sorely mistaken!"
"Oh don't act stupid Malfoy!" Harry's voice rose causing Hermione to look around fearfully for reporters. "I know you just said that because you know the team is going to come running to you for their money!"
Draco stood up sharply his eyes blazing "Listen to yourself Potter! Look at the conniving, vindictive blabbering idiot you've become!"
Harry looked ready to burst "WHO IS THE TRAITOR HERE?" He bellowed, standing up so abruptly his chair fell over. Hermione rushed around him, pulling it out of the way in case it should cause an injury.
She knew that both men were beyond her reasoning now, they weren't going to listen to a word she said.
"You dare call me a traitor? I have proven myself to you and every other doubtful wizard that I AM NOT IN LEAGUE WITH VOLDEMORT!" Draco's face was pasty white while his clenched fists trembled at his sides.
Harry breathed deeply, trying to calm himself. He looked away and his lips moved slightly; Hermione guessed he was counting.
She took the opportunity to speak. "There is no reason to fight."
Harry turned to her, his anger barely hidden. "Are you saying this is my fault?"
"No." She answered looking deep into his eyes. He was her best friend, he shouldn't be acting like this.
Harry looked at her and a flicker of gratitude passed over his features. He then turned to Draco who stood, simply radiating anger. "Go and celebrate Malfoy, you won this time."
Draco sat, stiffly, and glared. "This was not a competition." He replied shortly.
Harry seemed confused for a moment. "They haven't owled you?" His voice was nothing like it was only a few moments ago.
'And they say women have mood swings.' Hermione thought wryly.
"Who?" Draco asked, equally calm.
Harry ran a hand through his naturally messy hair and breathed out loudly. "You're in the team." He mumbled.
"What?"
"I said, you're in the team." Harry seemed to be trying very hard to avoid looking directly at Draco and was clearly embarrassed.
Draco stood again, also running a hand through his hair. "Oh. I am? How do you know?"
"They owled me, saying they were sorry they couldn't put me as permanent seeker. Privileges of being me I guess." He added dryly.
Draco was frowning but appeared pleased. "So you're on the team too?"
"Yes, back up if you're not there; which I doubt will ever happen." Harry looked back at Hermione and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry Hermione." He said quietly.
Hermione tilted her head, trying to see what had made Harry like this; so angry all the time. "Are you alright Harry?" She asked walking closer to him.
"Yes, I'm fine." He replied pulling her into a light hug. She returned it, smiling.
"You were joining us for coffee Potter?" Draco smirked. The air between them lightened considerably.
Harry shook his head. "No, I have to go. I'll catch up with you both later." And he disparated with a small 'pop!'
Hermione stood, stunned by the events that had just occurred in her dining room.
"Well I guess I'm on good terms with Potter again." Draco smirked.
"Really?" Hermione raised an eyebrow at him causing him to chuckle.
Draco went over and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her forehead. "We were a bit loud weren't we? I hope you have recovered you're ear drums."
Hermione laughed, knowing it was an apology she was receiving, from Malfoy. 'Wonders will never cease.' She thought happily.
"I think they will be alright."
Hermione broke away and glanced at the scattered parchments over the table. "So will you donate to your team?" She looked back up to him, waiting for an answer.
"Don't worry, there will be plenty left for you." Draco smirked looking over the figures.
Hermione leaned her forehead against his chest, breathing in his musky smell. She liked the smell and his arms around her, they made her feel safe; a feeling she had wanted for a long time. "It really doesn't matter about the money, you know that don't you?"
Draco hugged her tighter. "I know." He whispered resting his cheek on her ginger locks.
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Well I hope that makes things better. Sorry Harry fans…
And I've come to realise that I like Draco much more than Hermione and so he seems to be in a nicer light all the time doesn't he? It is a bit OOC…you don't mind do you?
Please review! Thank you for reading!
