Ginny waited at the end of the hallway, looking out the window as the sunset over the lake.
"Hey Ginny," Harry said, walking up to her with his hands in his pockets.
"Hey Harry."
"Going to a slughorn's thing?" He said, scratching his head awkwardly.
"Yep, just waiting for Hermione."
"So, what actually happened with her and Malfoy?" Harry asked awkwardly.
"Are you asking as a friend, or because you're convinced he's a death eater?" Ginny snapped.
"As a friend, promise" Harry said, raising his hands in defense.
"Essentially, Malfoy's trying to be tough and hiding things from Hermione even though he's clearly in love with her."
"Well, Hermione can do better than him anyway."
Ginny rolled her eyes, "You wouldn't know love if it hit you on the head, Harry."
"Waiting for me?" Hermione said, as she turned the corner.
"It speaks," Ginny grinned.
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"None of us should walk into the Lion's den alone" Harry said walking with the two girls.
"More like Snakes Lair" Ginny said, getting a giggle out of Hermione.
Harry raised his eyebrows at Ginny as he opened the door for the pair.
Harry still looked funny to Hermione in muggle clothes, hisis shirt and tie just not fitting him right.
Ginny, however, couldn't look more flawless in her baby blue dress. The girl bled confidence Hermion wished she could have.
Well, she could have it, she thought as they approached Slughorn's quarters. Unnatural to her, but she'd try.
The three sat in open chairs next to Blaise at the large circular table.
"Weasley. Cousin. Potter" he greeted them.
"Blaise" Hermione smiled at him.
"Aahh she speaks," he teased.
"Jesus Christ" Harry mumbled beside Hermione.
"Everyone here?" Slughorn asked, getting everyone's attention.
They sat around the table, finishing their dessert. Slughorn mostly led the conversation throughout the evening, telling his own personal antidotes, which the students responded by laughing when appropriate, whether or not it was a funny story.
"Mr. Zabini, how is your mother doing? still living in Paris with Mr. Waxzby?"
"Uh, no sir" Blaise said, taking a sip of his pumpkin beer, "Mr. Waxzby sadly passed, of a heart attack. Plus, my grandmother has been ill so she's back in Italy caring for her."
"Oh well then, pass on my sympathies, and well wishes." Slughorn said, taken aback, "and you, Mr. McLaggen- how is your father doing at the ministry?"
"Very good" he responded through a mouth full of pudding, "just got promoted actually"
"Oh wonderful- I must remember to send him a congratulatory letter!" Slughorn cheered, "Miss Granger, I hear congratulations are in order as well to your brother."
"Yes sir they are" she said, sipping her drink.
Hermione felt all eyes on her as Slughorn continued, "Miss Granger's brother, Alex- another one of my star pupils just got engaged to Nicolina Simonetti. They both met in my class I believe in their 4th year!"
"First Potter's parents, now Granger's brother," McLaggen said not taking his eyes off Hermione, "looks like your class is a romance breeding ground" he concluded with a wink.
Hermione blushed and smiled at Cormac. Actually smiled. Her three friends looked at each other and back at her like she was losing her mind.
"Yes yes, i guess you could say that" Professor went on.
Hermione rolled her eyes, turning to meet Ginny's eyes "Are you blushing over McLaggen?" Ginny whispered, prompting a shrug from Hermione.
Ginny turned towards Harry, meeting not just him but Blaise leading forward from Harry's side. All three were wearing the same confused look, while Hermione listened intently to Slughorn's latest story.
"Aah look at the time" Slug horn said at about 9:30, "looks like we should wrap it up for the evening.
After professor Slughorn dismissed them, Hermione barely got out of her seat before McLaggen was towering infront of her.
"Cormac," she said with a charming smile.
"Hermione," he paused, looking down at her.
"Is there something…?"
"Oh right" he said catching himself, "I was wondering if you'd like to get a drink with me in Hogsmeade at the next outing?"
"I'd love that," she said, swinging her purse over her shoulder.
"Wait really?" he said surprised.
"Yes silly" she smiled touching his arm, "I'll see you then" she bounced off to her friends.
"McLaggen?" Potter questioned, "interesting way to make Malfoy jealous."
"I'm not trying to make him jealous!" she said.
"Yes because McLaggen can have such stimulating conversation" Blaise said sarcastically.
"He's cute! Plus I'm trying to live life a little more like Ginny!"
The two boys glared at Ginny like she did something wrong.
"Goodnight boys. Ginny." Hermione said as she took off towards the Ravenclaw tower.
She was rounding a corner when she felt someone behind her.
She flipped around, her wand at the person's throat.
"Draco" she breathed when she saw his face, "so you've resorted to stalking me?"
"Desperate times" he shrugged, "can we talk?"
"I don't want to talk, Malfoy," she snapped.
Malfoy was honestly relieved to get even retaliation.
"I'm not going to stop trying," he admitted.
"Because you care about me or to cover your own tracks?"
"Because I care about you Hermione" he stepped closer to her, but she backed right up against the wall.
"Can we talk in Hogsmeade?" he asked again.
"No," she said quickly, "I can't. Plans."
"Oh" he said deflated.
"I will be in the library tomorrow if you want to join me to get more study hours in" she finally said.
"Right" he said rubbing his hands through his arm, "yea i'll be there."
"Goodnight Malfoy"
Draco nodded, "Granger" and disappeared into the dark hallway.
As Hermione made her way up the stairs, her eyes flickered tears away.
The next week went by smoothly but not without incident of course.
Hermione kept her mouth shut and went through a routine with Draco. Most of which involved ignoring his passive aggressive comments about her newly acquired attention from Cormac or whatever her new look is.
Draco wouldn't give in though. Every study session he'd bring something new for her, like flowers or chocolates. He'd even sent for her favorite muggle candy to be delivered.
It all ended in the same, "thank you Draco", and her head returning to her book of choice.
"Why is McLaggen walking with Hermione?" Draco all but growled to Blaise as they gathered to head into Hogsmeade.
Blaise shrugged, "He's been following her around like a sad puppy all week."
"She doesn't seem to be upset about it" Pansy said offhandedly, prompting a glare from Draco.
"I can't believe she's even entertaining the fool." Draco mumbled to Blaise as they walked down the path to town.
"Take a shot everytime he mentions it," Theo says.
"What are you going to do then Draco?" Pansy asked.
"What?" Draco said, confused.
"Are you just going to complain?" Pansy questioned, prompting an "ooo" from Blaise and Theo.
"You like her," Pansy continued, "a lot. So are you just going to let her go out with McLackin' brains?"
"What can I do about it? She won't just stop talking to him just because I say no."
"That's not what I'm suggesting" Pansy said, exacerbated. "Look" she said turning towards the three boys, "you're jealous of McLaggen having time with Granger right?"
"I mean jealous is a strong word I-"
"So just turn the tables" Pansy continued, "make her jealous."
"Aah this is why we keep her around" Blaise said.
"How can Draco Malfoy make Hermione Granger, the princess of frickin Genova, jealous?" Theo added.
Draco glared at Theo, but nodded for Pansy to continue.
"Well it's simple" She stated, "who does Hermione not like? you take her out where Hermione is"
Draco thought for a second, and just then the answer walked right in front of him, "Cho Chang."
Just like that Draco pushed past Pansy, jogging after the girl.
"You're welcome!" Pansy shouted.
Blaise through his arm around her, "Genius is almost never recognized."
"Cho!" Draco shouted as he caught up to the ravenclaw, "what's up?"
"Draco" Cho said surprised, "what's going on?"
"What… uhh, what are you up to ?" Draco said, raking his hand nervously through his blonde hair. The boy caught himself remembering his mission, "how about we grab a drink at the three broomsticks?"
The seeker was clearly caught off guard, but quickly responded, "I'd love to!"
Soon Draco's friends were watching him walk off into the sunset with his arm around Cho Chang, "Well they grow up fast" Blaise said, then pondered, "why don't we grab a little crowd for this show we're about to see?" He scanned the crowd walking into Hogsmeade, "Aah there they are"
At the end of the group of students, Harry Potter and friends approached the group of Slytherins. "What are you looking at, Zabini?" Ron Weasley snided.
"Weasley, Weasley." He nodded to the brother and sister, the ladder one with a quink before turning to Potter and Lovegood, "You all would love a front row seat to this show"
"What show?" Potter asked.
"The hornbees mating ritual?" Luna asked.
Everyone turned to Luna for a brief second before turning their attention back to Blaise, "Hermione and Draco"
"What are you on about, Zabini?" Ron barked.
"Hermione's on a date with McLaggen in the Three Broomsticks, and Draco is about to walk in there for a date with Cho Chang." Blaise explained
"Oh Merlin" Ginny and Luna said together before pushing past the boys towards the bar.
"I'm guessing we should follow?" Harry said, pointing out the obvious.
"Come on you idiots" Pansy called waving them on.
Hermione sat in a corner booth as McLaggen brought them over butterbeers.
"So- I heard you tried out for the Quidditch team?" She said in an effort to make conversation, as the boy had just been staring at her without saying anything.
"Yep I'm second goalie- apparently Weasley is better than me but I don't see it" he said, "Potter definitely just wanted to pick his friend."
"Oh" Hermione said, holding back her eye roll "what else do you like to do besides play quidditch"
"Watch quidditch," he said seriously, "the Ballycastle Bats are my team."
"Oh cool" Hermione said, looking around the bar. The door swung open and she spotted Draco's blonde hair immediately.
"Is that Chang with Malfoy?" McLaggen said. Up until then she hadn't even noticed the small girl next to him, "Classic Malfoy getting up close and personal with the enemy."
"Enemy?" Hermione said, confused.
"She is Ravenclaw's seeker after all, and they'll play slytherin in a few weeks time" He said as if it was obvious.
She knew what Draco was really playing at, and she felt his icey eyes staring at her as she reached across the table for McLaggen's hand. It wasn't long before the two were going tit for tat. Draco's arm around Cho's waist, Hermione sitting on the same side of the booth as Cormac, Draco brushing Cho's hair out of her face, Hermione touching Cormacs arm as she laughed at a joke that wasn't funny.
The two didn't even notice that their friends had gathered to watch. Blaise was even taking bets, ignoring Pansy's disapproval, of which one would crack first.
"So if your mom's a queen, that means you'll be one too? and whoever marries you a king?" That question from McLaggen brought her back to reality.
"um no" she said harshly, inching a bit. "Monaco does not have kings and queens."
"Oh" he said confused, "you were going to be queen."
and him, king she presumed he thought, "excuse me for a minute."
Hermione didn't wait for his response before she stood and headed outside for some fresh air. She leaned against the far side of the building, pulling her blue hair into a bun as she let the cold November air hit her skin.
"I'm surprised it only took McLaggen this long to say something stupid" Familiar voice said from far too close to her.
Hermione inhaled sharply before turning to him, "what do you want, Malfoy?"
"Just wanted to check that you were okay" He said, "I saw you abandon your date in there."
"Well, it seems like you did the same thing to yours since you're out here talking to me."
"I'm not on a date"
"Well you'd fool anyone with how close you two were- cozying up in there" Hermione snipped.
"I didn't realize we had an audience," Malfoy smirked, "it seems like you were paying more attention to me than you were to McLaggen."
"Oh don't flatter yourself" she said walking away from him, but he caught right up to her.
"Oh come on Granger, we both know you were only giving McLaggen the time of day to make me jealous."
"Fuck you, Malfoy" Hermione went to storm off, but he grabbed her arm.
She snatched it back, not paying attention to the crowd gathering near them, "You do not get to touch me! You… you…"
"Hermione, " Draco said, desperately.
"Draco, I can't- You're.." she couldn't finish a train of thought when the group of teenagers around them was breached by Paparazzi.
"Princess Hermione!" "Princess!" "Mr. Malfoy!"
The two froze for a second. Then Hermione grabbed Draco. With a crack they were gone.