Chapter Five: Will You Be My Girlfriend
Hermione woke the next morning, surprisingly, full of energy. She skipped across the common room to the bathroom, not even noticing Draco sitting on the couch by the fireplace, watching her.
She seems lively today? Draco thought, as he watched Hermione skip merrily to the bathroom. Damn, how the hell am I going to explain why I stopped Pansy form choking her to death. Come on, Draco think!
Hermione came back down stairs wearing her robe, and smelling of fresh baked bread, and apples, which seemed to blend well with the other. She skipped to their kitchenette, and popped opened a cupboard door, removed a small tin from it, and set it on the counter, she then turned, raised a hand to her mouth and called, "Crookshanks!"
A few seconds later, Crookshanks came bounding the stairs, from Hermione's bedroom. It curled itself around Hermione's legs as she open the tin, poured its contents into a dish, and set it on the ground. Crookshanks dug into it without hesitation.
"You seem happy today," Draco said.
Hermione looked up at Draco in surprise. She had, obviously, not realized that he was there until just that minute, her hands instantly went to the collar of her robe holding both sides of it together, "When did you get in here?"
"I've been here all along," Draco told her, then eyeing how nervous she looked, he suddenly felt as though he needed to apologize for something, but, he was a Malfoy, and Malfoy's never apologized! "I'm sorry," well, there's a first time for everything.
Hermione looked at him in surprise, "What?"
"I'm sorry." Draco repeated, "and don't you dare make me say it again!"
"For what?" Hermione asked.
Draco turned his thoughts over in his mind, trying to find the answer to her question, "for almost kissing you."
Hermione stared at him, with a look that clearly said that she wasn't buying it.
"Don't look at me like that," Draco pleaded, "I'm telling you the truth."
Hermione just stood there, looking at Draco, then, she turned on her heels and walked out of the common through the portrait hole.
Fifteen minutes later, Hermione was sitting with her friends at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. Ginny, Ron, and Harry weren't mad at her at all, and she was glad.
"Oh, yeah, by the way, Ginny, you asked me yesterday when I had set the Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts for." Harry was asking.
"Oh, yeah. Have you set a date, yet? Ginny asked, going slightly red.
"Yeah, for this Thursday, at 7:00, is that okay?" Harry told her.
"Yeah, okay, thanks!" Ginny said with a smile, going even redder.
Hermione had to laugh; she knew Ginny had a huge crush on Harry, no matter how many times she tried to hide it. Hermione, at least, always found the truth, though she never really had to, Ginny usually told her, which happened to be the case with Harry. Ginny knew that Harry had a crush on Hermione, and had told her numerous times, and Hermione knew that Harry liked Ginny, so she told Ginny. They had both agreed that no matter what happened, no matter who Harry choose, if he ever did choose, that they would remain friends, and be happy for the other.
"Oh, and Hermione, how was your first night with ferret boy?" Harry asked Hermione with a smirk.
"Huh?" Hermione said as she pulled herself away from trying to figure out if Harry would choose her, or Ginny.
"Ferret boy, how was your first night in the same dormitory as him?" Harry restated to her.
"Oh, Malfoy?" Hermione said; she, involuntarily, stole a glance at Draco, who was sitting over at the Slytherin table talking with Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, and Blaise. "He, actually, to tell you the truth, wasn't that bad."
Hermione's friends goggled at her, and Ron looked angry.
"What?" Hermione asked them, and then realizing what she had just said, added, "Well, I mean, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary, I mean, there was, um, you know, 'mudblood', and things like that. Nothing, too, bad, though."
There was a murmur of discussion at this, and Hermione took that moment to take another glance at Draco, he was talking with Blaise Zambini, only, and Pansy was, now, hanging all over him. She returned to her food, but was now feeling to sick to eat, was it just my imagination, or did Malfoy look like he didn't particularly want Pansy near him?
"Hermione?" Ron asked, his voice shaking slightly.
"Yeah?" Hermione answered, looking at Ron.
"Do you like Malfoy?" Ron said in a blunt manner.
Hermione's jaw dropped, along with all her friend's jaws.
"WHAT?" Hermione exclaimed.
"Do you like Malfoy?" Ron repeated.
"Why on earth would I like that ferret?" Hermione asked feeling insulted.
"Well, you keep looking over at him," Ron told her, "and every, now, and then, he steals a glance at you."
"He, what?"
"Steals a glance at you," Ron repeated himself, yet again.
Hermione turned her head to see Draco looking at her. Not even when he noticed her watching her did he turn away. He just continued to stare at her, with those gray-blue eyes.
Hermione finally shook her head, and broke the gaze between her and Draco. She turned back to her friends, who were watching her expectantly, she shrugged, "I have no clue what's going through that sick, Slytherin's mind."
"You didn't answer my question," Ron pointed out, "Do you, or do you not, like Malfoy?"
"Are you really that stupid!" Hermione half-shouted, aware that they were in the Great Hall were many pairs of ears were just waiting to hear anything that they could twist into some interesting gossip.
Ron just looked at her, and then repeated himself once more, "Do you like Malfoy?"
"NO, YOU JERK!"
"Whatever," was all Ron said in response turning back to his, now cold, breakfast.
"Hey, Hermione?" Harry asked her after a minute.
"Yeah?" Hermione answered, turning to him.
"I know this isn't the best time, but I was wondering if I could talk to you," Harry asked her, not looking her directly in the eye, then added, "privately?"
Ron suddenly looked up from his bacon, eggs, and sausage, though he didn't turn even the slightest bit towards them, she knew he was listening intently, now. Ginny, too, Hermione noticed, looked up from her breakfast, and looked at Hermione with a mixture of hurt, and happiness, looked like there deal was still standing.
"Sure, Harry." Hermione answered, after a short pause.
Hermione saw Ron slump back over his food, and, it might have been Hermione's imagination, but he seemed more slumped then before. Sorry, Ron, Harry got here first, so live with it! Hermione thought to herself, allowing a small smile to pass over her lips.
Harry stood, and started to walk towards the deserted Entrance Hall, Hermione followed. Once in the Entrance Hall, Harry stopped, and turned to face Hermione, who also stopped.
For a moment Harry was completely silent, then, looking very red in the face, and then said, in a complete mumble, "Hermoinewillyoubemygirlfriend?"
Hermione looked at him, she was sure she knew what he had said, and she blushed, but, just wanting to be sure, said, as politely as she could, "Sorry?"
Harry took a deep breath then repeated his phrase, more slowly, "Hermione, will you be…my girlfriend?"
She had been right, and she blushed even more, than finally, after she took a deep breath herself, answered, "Yes."
The moment the word left her lips, she was in the air; Harry had picked her up around the middle and spun on the spot, a smile as bright as the sun plastered across his face. Hermione couldn't help, but laugh and smile along with him; she'd never seen him so excited before, not even when he had come and told her that he was the new DADA teacher.
After spinning on the spot, once, with her in his arms Harry placed Hermione back down and pulled her into a warm hug. Hermione fell in love with him the instant that his arms were around her, they felt so safe, comfortable, and good. She looked up at him, and he caught her eye, he brought his head down and placed the sweetest of all kisses on her lips.
For a moment, time seemed to stand still. They broke apart, than, not at all wanting to return to the Great Hall they headed to there first class, Transfiguration, and sat outside the door, and talked, and fell even further in love.
Hermione, even though she loved Harry very much, and was very much in love with him, she couldn't help but notice that something seemed to be missing. She shook the feeling off quickly, she loved Harry, and she knew he would never harm her, so she knew she was safe with him. This thought brought a content smile to Hermione's lips; she looked over at Harry and saw that he still seemed to be blushing immensely. She smiled again, thinking, he's so shy! Did he think I might have said 'no', especially, after that kiss yesterday? Ginny said that she told him that I liked him very much, but he's still shy about it?
"Here early, I see."
Hermione and Harry looked up, it's seemed that not only Hermione had been deep in thought; they hadn't even noticed Professor McGonagall walk up.
"Oh, hello Professor." Hermione greeted, kindly.
"Hello, Miss Granger," McGonagall replied, then, nodding to Harry, "Mister Potter."
"Hello Professor." Harry said, repeating Hermione's words.
She nodded again, then let herself into her classroom, then called back to them, "You may come in if you like."
Harry, and Hermione stood then made there way into the classroom.
"I was, actually, wanting a word with the two of you," Professor McGonagall informed them, after they had found their seats. She then added, once they had acknowledged this, "Potter, I was hoping that you could inform me about your plans for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Miss Weasley says that you have already placed the date for tryouts for this Thursday at 7:00, is that correct?"
"Oh, yes Professor." Harry answered her.
"Alright, Potter." McGonagall agreed, nodding to him once more, than turning to Hermione said, "Miss Granger, I would like to have a word with you, and Mister Malfoy, concerning some Heads business, I've sent a message to him, and he should be here shortly," than turning back to Harry, "Potter, I would like you to wait outside, this is Heads business, after all, so its only for the Heads to hear, and I'm trusting you," turning to Hermione, "Miss Granger, and Mister Malfoy as well, will keep it that way."
"Yes, Professor." Hermione told her.
"You wanted to see me Professor?"
Hermione, and Harry, who had been standing with their backs to the door, turned around to see Draco Malfoy standing there.
"Ahh, yes, Mister Malfoy," McGonagall said, gesturing him forward, he walked up in between Hermione, and Harry, who automatically stepped back, as not to be to close to him.
"Potter." McGonagall said, in a reminding tone.
"Oh, yes, Professor." Harry said, then quickly, after muttering a "Good luck," to Hermione, he exited the classroom, leaving Hermione, Draco, and Professor McGonagall in the quiet stillness of the classroom.
"Now," McGonagall said, turning her attention to Malfoy, and Hermione, who stepped forward a bit so that she was now directly beside Draco. "I would like to inform you that you to will be planning four school dances this year, together."
"Together!" Draco complained, in a nothing but rude tone of voice.
"Mister Malfoy!" McGonagall said harshly, "I would appreciate if you would watch your tongue!"
"Yes, Professor." Malfoy said, looking down in, what looked like, defeat.
"Where was I?" McGonagall started again, "Ahh, yes, there will be four dances to be planned, and organized be you both. Professor Flitwick, and a few of the other teachers, and the prefects, of course, have agreed to help put up some of the decorations, but what those decorations will be, is completely up to you two, almost."
"Almost, Professor?" Hermione spoke up.
"Yes, after you have come up with a theme you will present it to Professor Dumbledore. He will then tell you if you can proceed with you planning of the dance, or if you will have to choose a different theme for the dance if the one you have chosen is, well, simply put, inappropriate. You will do the same for the plans, and decorations, present them, and then either proceed, or change them, accordingly."
"When is the first dance set for, Professor?" Malfoy asked.
"Halloween night, speaking of which, you will also be allowed to set the approximate time, all the dances will be held at night, but as for when at night, and for how long, is up to you." McGonagall answered.
"When are the other dances set for?" Hermione asked, getting kind of excited at the idea of being able to plan a dance.
"There's a Christmas dance, set for December twenty-second. There will be a spring dance, though we haven't yet decided on a precise date, yet. Although, Professor Dumbledore, thought that this could be the one dance you two could decide the date upon. In any case, there will, also, be an end of the year dance, which, by the way, will be the one dance that we give one rule out about the theme, it will be a formal, also, it is for seventh years only, since this is their last year at Hogwarts. The other dances can be up to you whether they are to be formal, or not. Do you have all that?"
"Yes, Professor." Hermione, and Malfoy, answered in unison.
"Oh, and, also, Mister Malfoy," McGonagall called out as Malfoy, and Hermione, had turned to go to there seats (class was in five minutes), Malfoy turned, and Hermione continued to her seat, as McGonagall spoke to Malfoy, "as I was telling Miss Granger, you are not to tell anyone of the dances until you have discussed there themes, and plans, to Professor Dumbledore, do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Professor." Malfoy answered, then turned and took his seat towards the back of the classroom.
"Miss Granger, you may call Mister Potter back in if you wish." McGonagall said to Hermione.
Hermione got up, and went outside to find Harry leaning against the wall just outside the classroom, his head turned away from her, listening to Ron, who stopped talking the moment he saw Hermione. He tapped Harry on the arm, looking slightly disappointed and pointed towards Hermione. Harry turned, he gave a smile to Hermione, who only half returned it, she was, too, angry that Ron had, obviously, not forgiven her, yet.
"Professor McGonagall says you can come in, now." Hermione told Harry, making sure she didn't break the deadly glare she was giving Ron.
"Oh, okay." Harry said, looking, uneasily, between his two best friends, "let's go, shall we?"
Harry shrugged, Ron did nothing, and Hermione went back inside the classroom without another word; Harry followed, with a reluctant Ron at his heels.
A/N- I apologize for it being Harry saying that little sentence, and not Draco, but, don't worry, this is a Draco&Hermione story, never fear! I, also, apologize for this chapter not being very long, please, forgive me.