Disclaimer: Yup, don't got anything to call my own.
Chapter 6: Vindicated
Shiver
So I look in your direction,
But you pay me no attention, do you.
I know you don't listen to me.
'cause you say you see straight through me, don't you.
On and on from the moment I wake,
To the moment I sleep,
I'll be there by your side,
Just you try and stop me,
I'll be waiting in line,
Just to see if you care.
Did you want me to change?
Well I change for good.
And I want you to know.
That you'll always get your way,
I wanted to say,
(chorus)
Don't you shiver? shiver, shiver
I'll always be waiting for you,
So you know how much I need ya,
But you never even see me, do you?
And this is my final chance of getting you.
On and on from the moment I wake...
Did you want me to change? ...
Sing it loud and clear.
I'll always be waiting for you. (x3)
Yeah I'll always be waiting for you.
And it's you I see, but you don't see me.
And it's you I hear, so loud and clear.
I sing it loud and clear.
And I'll always be waiting for you,.
So I look in your direction,
But you pay me no attention,
And you know how much I need you,
But you never even seen me.
Draco turned off his CD player and pulled down the head phones as he heard the port-hole slam shut. Well, he knew that Hermione was back. There's not much good that will do him. She had refused to look at him since the day before. What hit him hardest was the fact she was right on most counts. He did only consider this when she became attractive. He was shocked she would admit something so personal as to why she works so hard... even if it was just to spite him. Now he couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with her. Her heard her running up the steps to her room, muttering the passwords under her breath as she went.
Far be it from him to admit he thought about her every second of every hour since their big argument. He couldn't help it. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't wipe those words, her harsh true words, from his mind. He couldn't forget how her face changed when he announced that he wanted a truce, and now she had run into her room and slammed the door closed behind her. What could possibly be wrong?
Hermione had just gotten her timetable and almost every single class was with Slytherin! She couldn't stand it. She knew he'd be looking at her like he had every single meal time since the day before. How was she supposed to concentrate with him drilling holes in her neck with his eyes? She was starting to doubt whether or not she was right about everything she had said, but she pushed these thoughts away to be disposed of when she could think straight. All she should think about it what she will do when the mail comes.
The first class she had the next day was N.E.W.T. Level Herbology with Ravenclaw, thank the gods. She wasn't sure she could stand having a class with him that early in the morning. After that she had N.E.W.T. Level Arithmancy with Slytherin, but she was fairly sure he didn't take that class so it was ok. She, in fact, didn't have a class with him until that afternoon, and by then she was steady enough on her feet to ignore him completely.
Things went like that for the rest of the week. Her trying her hardest to ignore him, and his obvious devotion to making her uncomfortable. Finally it was Wednesday morning. The day the prank was to be delivered. She went down to the Hall almost completely oblivious to anything that was going on around her until the owl started to fly in. Then she was more than coherent. One particular owl veered in her direction.
Hermione couldn't help but sing and dance with joy. The package from Fred and George had just arrived! The package was thin and cylindrical. To most people's eyes it would seem like nothing, but Hermione knew otherwise. This was her prank. This is what she had been waiting for the past three days.
She opened up the letter attached to the top of the box. It read as follow:
Dear Hermione,
Okay this was your idea, so we're sure you can figure out how to use it on your own, but all you need to do is write on the charmed parchment we sent you with the red ink with whatever you want him to do. Then write over it with the black ink to make the spells in the ink and parchment active. Write something you know would catch his eye, so he reads the whole thing and doesn't just throw it away before the spell has a chance to take affect. You're going to want to owl this to him, so he doesn't suspect anything.
Okay, that's it for instructions! We hope you have fun messing with that jerk. Make him wish he never heard the name Hermione Granger. Keep in touch.
Yours truly,
Fred and George
'Yes! This is exactly what I wanted! Those two truly are brilliant!' she thought with mirth. 'This is going to be good.' She sat down and started her 'instructions' for him. This got out the black ink and scribbled down a fake letter on top. She was going to enjoy this.
Once she was done she ran straight to the Owlery in the West Tower. She found a common school owl and whispered her instructions in it's ear. The owl seemed happy to help her, if owls can look happy at all. She attached the letter to the owls leg, fed it a treat, and slid back out of the room.
The owl would deliver the letter during lunch, when everyone was sure to witness the prank. She wanted this to be as humiliating as possible. He would pay for everything he has ever done to her and then some. This was going to be something legendary. People would talk about it for years after and laugh their arses off.
Her next class was in an hour because she had a break the first period, so she went down and sat by the lake under the oak tree. The water was dark and fathomless, or at least it seemed to be. She knew from experience that their was in fact a bottom. She had been placed down there as bait for Viktor Krum during the Triwizard Tournament. If it wasn't for Harry, she would have stayed down there too. The very thought sent shivers up her spine. As a reminder of that day, a tentacle of the giant squid raised up out of the water slow then slammed back down causing a humongous wave. The wave broke on the shore sending spurts of the mucky water farther onto the bank. Luckily Hermione was far enough back not to get wet.
Before she realized it, it was time to go to her next class. She stood up and headed off towards Defense Against the Dark Arts.
The class seemed like it was never going to end, but finally the bell rang and it was time for lunch. She stood up and collected her things. Harry and Ron were waiting for her at the door. She greeted them and they walked along in comfortable silence until Ron decided to say something stupid.
"Hey, 'Mione, can you help me with my Potions homework?"
"What you mean to say is 'Mione, will you do my Potions homework for me?' and no I won't, but you can bring it to me once you finished and I'll look over it for you," she said, her annoyance clear in her voice, but, of course, Ron was too thick to notice even that.
"Thanks, 'Mione! I'll come by your common room later to drop it off," he said smiling like an idiot without the faintest clue that she was having a hard time agreeing even to that. But Harry noticed.
"Don't worry about it, 'Mione. I'll help him out. You just relax. You've seemed stressed about something lately?" he said it more as a question than a statement.
"It's just Malfoy." She didn't even glance at them when she said this, just stared fixedly ahead of her, as if she could see the tunnel of light ahead of her, as if she saw her salvation but was too stubborn to come at anything faster than a walk.
"If he hurts you, just ask and he's dead. You know I'd do anything for you," Ron said protectively. Regardless of their breakup last year, he still was in love with her. The boy just didn't know when to quit. That was one of his endearing points.
"Ron, I told you I could handle this on my own, and I will. I already have a plan in action as we speak," she said monotonously. She smiled a little at this when she thought of her letter. "Oh, and sorry in advance Harry."
"What for?" he asked quizzically.
"Can't tell you. It'd ruin the surprise."
They opened the doors to the Great Hall. Everyone was eating and chatting away merrily, completely clueless of what she had in store for them. (A/N Kind of like you guys, right?) She sat down at her usual spot and waited for the sound of the owl's wings. Five minutes later, a lone owl flew into the Great Hall. This attracted much attention since most owls arrived at breakfast. Hermione didn't so much as turn her head. She just sat back and waited for the fun to start.
The owl swooped and landed in front of Draco, preening itself and basking in all the attention. Draco picked up the owl and notice a piece of parchment addressed to him attached to its leg. He removed it and began reading:
Dear Draco,
I know that I was rude the other day, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that. There you were offering me friendship and I pushed it back in your face and basically said, "Fuck you." I should have given you a chance. Maybe we should give this truce a try. I guess what I truly want to say is, I'm sorry and I really couldn't be happier if you want to work with me from now on in friendly peace.
Sincerely, with all my heart,
Hermione
Draco stood up thinking he was going to go talk to Hermione. He realized quite suddenly that he had no control over his own body. The only thing that could have done this was the letter from Granger, but how did she do it. That's what he wanted to know. He reached the Gryffindor table and walked to where the Golden Trio were sitting. Then as if possessed, he bent down and grabbed Potter and planted a huge kiss straight on his lips. That being done he turned around and addressed the Great Hall, who by now were now completely in a state of shock, though some had recovered and were laughing except Potter who looked disgusted.
"I want everyone to know, I am in love with Harry James Potter! I only pick on him because I know with all his fame he is out of my league," his mouth announced. Then to his horror, he began...to sing:
Oh, his eyes are jade,
His heart is brave, (and then the dancing started, hip-swaying, cheesy Broadway-inspired dancing)
When I saw his face,
My heart just caved, (turns a spin)
Now I'm free to say,
My love is given away, (disco pointing)
I want everyone here,
To know that I'm a queer, (leaping)
I'd die a million deaths, (climbs onto the Gryffindor table and stalks up and down the table like a catwalk)
If only to give him two more breaths, (star-burst)
There is now nothing I have to hide, (slides on his knees knocking food everywhere)
I want you forever by my side, (jumps off table)
Please take this oath, (kneels in font of Harry)
And here it well,
I love you, (grabs Harry's hand and holds it to his heart)
And I am forever under you spell!
Finally, Draco's body was his own, and he used this new control to flee the now uproarious laughter of the Great Hall. He ran to the Heads' common room and fled to his room. He would get that Mudblood Granger back if it was the last thing he did.
Back in the Great Hall, the laughter still carried from wall to wall. Harry, of course, looked horrified. Hermione looked quite pleased yet a little guilty...of course she was laughing until her sides hurt as well, but that's a given. Ron just plain looked confused, but then when was he not? Hermione had to admit, he had a really good singing voice. The look on his face was priceless. His eyes looked terrified and murderous at the same time. She had to write a letter to Fred and George when she got a chance to tell them thank you and that it worked perfectly.
"I am so sorry, Harry. It's the only thing I could thing of that would really get him...okay the only thing that was original," she said apologetically.
"What did you do?" Harry said finally coming out of the shock.
"Well I'll explain the details later, but let's just say I could never have done it without the twins' help," she replied cryptically.
"Does this have anything to do with what you had me look up in their stock flyer?" Ron asked.
"Everything to do with it, but as I said I'll tell you later." The people closest started telling everyone else that it was Hermione's doing.
"Well, if it really matters, I think it was a lovely song. I assume you wrote it yourself, 'Mione?" Ron said, getting laughs from all the people who had recently recovered around him.
By the end of lunch, almost every member of the House of Gryffindor had come up to Hermione and asked how she did it. She told them they'd have to wait a month or so, or at least until the twins had perfected the process and openly sold the product to the public. With their brilliance, it shouldn't take long.
Hermione returned to her room that night with the praise still ringing in her ears, but, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself he deserved every second of it, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty. 'What does it matter? He's Malfoy! You know he had it coming to him!' her brain said in her defense.
'Then why do I feel so bad?' she wondered.
A/N Hello again, my faithful fans! I want to thank all you who reviewed I really appreciate it. I'll update soon...once I figure out what will happen next...
elizabeth1216- To get the Anonymous Reviewer to go away, go to the Review section, click on Anonymous, and click the Disabled button
Steelo- See? Draco's not dead...yet
mysteriouscharm- Here's the update, and I hope you get that computer of yours to agree with you soon.
Alyssium- hehe...did you like the prank? no seriously, please tell me. I came up with this idea at like 4:30 AM...and I don't mean I just woke up.
Queen of Duct Tape- Well, this is it... that's the prank and I hope you like it.
Babiblue754- Ta-da! Update complete! NOW REVIEW ME! Please?
