Hermione knew that Professor McGonagall was right. She needed to take control of her own narrative. Not only so she could go to school like a normal student, but also, she knew being in control is what made her feel most at ease. Hermione woke up Monday morning like it was any other Monday, except today she got dressed fully herself- or as fully herself has she could be from the outside. She got dressed in her normal robes, brushed her hair, and through it back into a braid. She did put on a little make up, "just in case" she told herself.
Hermione walked into the great hall, feeling eyes turn towards her. She looked around, spotting Ginny and Luna sitting with the Gryffindor boys, and on the other side of the room there was Draco and Blaise with their friends. Hermione made eye contact with Draco, before heading the opposite way.
As Hermione approached the table the conversation died down. "Scooch", she said to Harry and Ron as she nestled in between them. "How was everyone's weekend?"
They all mumbled 'Good' 'okay' 'quiet' without really looking at her.
"Why is everyone being awkward?" Hermione said annoyed.
"I think they don't know how to treat you now that everyone knows" Luna said airily, continuing to eat her eggs.
"Come on, are you serious? You guys all knew!"
"Not me" Neville said, "no one ever tells me anything."
"Don't let it bother you, Neville. I didn't know either and we used to snog." Seamus added, winking at Hermione.
"First of all, we snogged once. Secondly, you should be happy you can say you snogged a princess now. Thirdly, I didn't really tell anyone they just found out."
"I walked in on Professor McGonagall and Snape talking about our in second year" Harry said.
"And by that he means he was spying on Snape under his cloak" Ginny added, "I'm just a super sleuth and found out on my own during my third year."
"I've known forever" Luna said lightly, "My mother was a huge royalist."
"I only found out last month" Ron added shoving toast into his mouth, "when Princess Maria stormed into the hospital wing."
"See, no one knew because I told them" Hermione said with her hands up, "even the entire school knows now because of someone else."
"I didn't tell them, Hermione" Harry said turning towards her.
"What? I never thought you did."
"Well your boyfriend seemed to think so. He cornered me outside the locker room."
Hermione sighed, "not my boyfriend and I haven't talked to Malfoy since I saw the paper."
"Well you seemed to know who Harry was referencing when he said boyfriend" Ginny pointed out causing Hermione to roll her eyes.
"Well anyway" Hermione said changing the subject, "how's everyone doing with their Partners?"
"Blaise doesn't really speak to me when we study together, so I guess could be worse" Neville said.
"Boring, I'm hoping to get Pansy as my next partner" Seamus said with a wink, making Ginny burst into laughter, "what?"
"You could not handle her, Finnegan."
"Ginny's right" Lavender chimed in, "She's too much I can't wait to get rid of her in a month."
"Should be interesting to see who we get next" Harry said, "I wonder when McGonagall will tell us?"
Hermione never really thought that she would only have a month or so left of forced interaction with Malfoy. Her heart hurt at the thought that he might not want to be with her voluntarily. Then she remembered what she saw Saturday morning and wondered if it would be better off. As she was deep in thought she caught eye contact with Ginny across the table, who eyed her suspiciously, before Hermione changed the subject.
"who's going to Slughorns dinner?" she asked.
Harry groaned next to her, "I forgot that was this week."
"Of course, you two got the invite" Ron said.
"what's that supposed to mean?" Hermione said whipping her head around towards him.
"Chosen one. Princess." Ron said pointing to each one respectively.
"Hey, I'm actually good at potions!" Hermione said annoyed.
"You might be good but it's a fact that Slughorn picks people based on who their family is or how famous they are" Neville said, agreeing with Ron.
"Well I got asked too" Ginny chimed in.
Ron nearly spit out his porridge, "HOW?! Why did I not get picked then?!"
"Because Ron, you're rather stupid" Ginny retorted, which started an all-out brawl before they all headed off to class for the day.
Hermione managed to avoid Draco for most of the day. She waited till a class filed in to take a seat on the complete opposite side or stayed close to Harry and Ron so he would stay away. She didn't know how she wanted to approach the situation. Should she ignore that she even saw it? Or ask him about it? Would he get defensive, and angry with her? Or reinforce her idea that it was forced upon him because of his parent's choices? She knew she couldn't tell Harry, because it would put both of them at risk of hurting each other.
Hermione got nervous as she walked to potions, she knew she was going to have to see him. However, she paused, around the corner from the room, as she heard someone say her name.
"Hermione could never be with him long term anyway, so I'm not surprised she has been avoiding Draco all day."
"But why wouldn't her mother want her to marry him? He is pure blood and his family is loaded."
Marriage? Hermione thought, a little soon don't you think.
"I don't know with all the rumors going around, I think she should just avoid him, plus they aren't really that cute together."
Not cute together? Did you see our picture in the paper? ADORABLE, Hermione thought.
The girls suddenly got quiet, then Hermione heard why, "I think it's best if you both keep your opinion about other people's love lives to yourself" Pansy tutted, "Don't you think?"
Hermione smiled, as she leaned against the wall.
"Thinking about me?" Draco whispered in her ear, making her jump.
"You scared me!" she swatted at him.
"Weren't expecting me? Since you've been avoiding me all day" Hermione frowned at him, "is that why you're hiding back here?"
"One not avoiding, and two I'm hiding because people were talking about us."
"Oooh, we're the topic of gossip again?" Draco said with a tone of sarcasm.
"Doubt we've ever stopped being, but Pansy actually put them in their place."
"Oh really?" Draco said, surprised.
"I know surprised me too. We better head into class" Hermione said, turning away, before being pulled back.
"Actually, it looks like we have three minutes" Draco said glancing towards his watch.
"You're insufferable" She said as he leaned into her.
"What can I say I've missed you this weekend, plus you can make up for avoiding me." He murmured onto her lips as he kissed her. As her lips parted into his, any thought of why she was avoiding him in the first place erased her mind. Hermione's heart picked up speed as Draco's hands trailed down her back, finding a place on her bottom as he grabbed both cheeks pulling her into him.
As quickly as they joined together, they jumped apart at the sound of a group of 3rd years giggling as they passed by. Blushing, Hermione flatted out her skirt before looking up at Draco who just watched her with a smirk on his face, "what?"
"You're cute when you're all hot and bothered" Draco said grabbing her hand as they walked around the corner.
Hermione shook his hand off, "we have to be more careful now that everyone's watching us."
Draco threw his arm over her shoulder in retaliation, "didn't you hear, Granger? according to the prophet 'Her majesty, the crowned princess Maria of Monaco, should be so elated that her daughter found herself in the arms of the most eligible bachelor at Hogwarts, if not all of England.'"
Hermione rolled her eyes and poked him in the side, "Oh I did hear that, but didn't they also say 'if not second to Harry Potter at the very least'"
"Story of my life" Draco murmured, thinking she wouldn't hear.
"So, what's your problem?" Ginny said throwing her books down on the library table that Hermione had been studying at.
"I mean other than the fact that I can't find the one book with a detailed history of extinct magical creatures from the 1600s?"
"Oddly specific" Ginny paused, "but no not exactly what I was looking for."
"Then you'll have to elaborate Gin" Hermione said finally looking up from her parchment, clearly having just finished an important sentence.
"Your face this morning, at breakfast."
"Gorgeous, I know, but I told you Ginny you don't have to keep complementing me."
"Well clearly someone took your mind off whatever it was this morning" Ginny eyed her raising her eyebrows, "I'm assuming that person rhymes with Wow-foy and grabs your ass in the hallway."
"Now where did you hear that?" Hermione huffed, "I told him we need to be more careful."
"A bunch of 3rd year girls giggling about it, and how Draco was about to get you naked right then and there and take your royal virginity."
"Oh my god!" Hermione said, way too loudly, prompting a shush from the Madam Pince.
"I'm joking" Ginny whispered, "kind of, but still who cares what a bunch of little girls think. You're in your ass grabbing prime, Hermione."
"McGonagall told me I need to start taking control of my own narrative, but I feel like nothing I do is really controllable" Hermione groaned.
"Maybe part of taking control is doing what you want even if a good section of it is out of your control" Ginny said as she opened her book.
"what do you mean?"
"You're so used to being in control of who knows what about you, and what happens in your life, but I think it would be beneficial for you to let go a bit. Go where your heart takes you Hermione. You're smart, and so is Malfoy, the rest of it will figure itself out."
"But what if I'm walking into a trap by following my heart?"
"I'm assuming this is why you were in a mood this morning so I'm going to need you to elaborate."
Hermione leaned across the table and whispered even lower, "Malfoy's a death eater."
"Since when you do believe Harry!" Ginny all but screamed, prompting another shush from Pince.
Hermione glared at her before continuing, "Since I saw it" she said gesturing toward her own forearm.
"Oh" Ginny said in shock, "when?"
"The night we snuck into the Slytherin dorms."
"Why didn't you tell me!"
Young Ladies! Shhh!
"I tried to tell you on Saturday, but Malfoy walked over to the table and then the whole thing with the prophet happened."
"I'm sorry, but Death Eater boyfriend news trumps your Princess-hood getting exposed" Ginny whispered back aggressively.
"Look we had an amazing evening and then I rolled on of him to get you when I saw it. I think he knows I saw it 'cause he woke up while I was staring at it, but he hasn't said anything yet."
"Well are you going to say something? Or just pretend you didn't see it?" Ginny asked.
"I think I have to say something because I have a feeling, he knows somethings off. Is it crazy that I still want to be with him even though I know he's bonded to you-know-who?" Hermione asked honestly.
"Crazy? Yes, but love is crazy and makes you do crazy things. Dangerous? Also, possibly yes, but do I think it's worth both to be with someone you love? 100 percent yes" Ginny said, making Hermione sigh knowing she was right, "Look Hermione, odds are very high he didn't want this and was forced into it, so it doesn't make him a bad person. Just a guy stuck in a bad situation. You know what it's like to be forced to do things you don't want by your parents."
"Since when did you get so wise?" Hermione asked with a smile.
"ehh with old age I suppose" Ginny shrugged, turning to her bag to pull out a piece of parchment, "just don't tell Harry you saw it unless absolutely necessary. I can't see that ending well."
"Oh I agree" Hermione added before changing the subject, "I saw Luna wasn't mad at you anymore"
"Yea I guess she got over whatever it was."
"It was Blaise."
"Blaise?" Ginny questioned.
"Yes, she admitted it to me, well kind of. She was definitely jealous that Blaise took you away from her, Gin."
"Jealous? I mean I guess we didn't spend enough time with her that night, but she seemed to be having a good time on her own."
"Not we – Gin, You."
"I don't get it."
"I take back my comment about you being wise, you're totally oblivious" Hermione scoffed.
"Oblivious? Oblivious to what?"
"She clearly likes you Ginny!"
The two didn't realize how loud they were getting until a pile of books slammed on the edge of the table. The girls looked to see Pince peer out from behind the pile, Both of you out! Now!
Hermione's cheeks went beet red, as she scurried to grab her things without arguing. She shoved her parchment and quill into her bag, and grabbed her pile of books, walking out of there with Ginny right behind her.
The second the library doors closed behind them; the two girls burst into a fit of giggles.
"Did you see her face?"
"I can't believe you got me kicked out of the library!"
"Me? You're the one who started yelling first!" Ginny argued back, "She's lucky we could even hear her from behind that pile of books."
As the two regained their composure, Hermione thought it better to find a distraction and not bring back up the topic of Luna again. "Come on, I don't want to study anymore. Let's go spy on the Slytherin quidditch practice."
"My my Hermione, maybe your Death Eater boyfriend's evil ways are rubbing off on you."