Hermione watched the retreating form of Draco Malfoy with a frown. She had been dreading this very encounter since the day she received the flowers and it had finally happened. But what else could she do? Hermione thought. If he found out she was spending time with Draco again, it would make him furious.
She nodded as if reassuring herself that everything was alright and headed back to her cabin. On her way back she spotted Padma and couldn't resist herself.
"Hey Padma!" she greeted.
"Hi. Are you done with the reports?" she asked without taking her eyes off the files in her hands.
"Um..yes. It's almost done. I actually wanted to ask you something else" Hermione finished hesitantly.
"What?" she closed the files, pushed them aside to one side and looked at Hermione.
"Well I just saw Malfoy a few minutes ago, do you have any idea what he must be doing here?" Hermione asked, while fidgeting with the quill in her hands.
"Malfoy? Doesn't he have his own potion business? I heard that he's partaking in a deal with the ministry about the same"
"Oh…" Hermione nodded thoughtfully. So he really was here because of professional reasons, she thought.
Padma narrowed her eyes. "Why are you asking?"
Hermione gave a nervous smile. "Nothing…just wondering"
Padma apparently bought it. "So what are your plans for tonight?"
"Nothing. I'm just going to go home and relax."
Padma looked at her incredulously. "That's how you are going to spend you're Friday night? Dear merlin even my grandma has more fun than you" she exclaimed.
"Maybe that's because my idea of fun is different than your idea of fun"
"Fine!" she sighed dramatically, "see you on Sunday then".
"Sunday?" Hermione looked at her quizzically.
"Don't tell me you forgot!" Padma began.
Suddenly it dawned on her, "The ministry ball!" Hermione exclaimed. How could it have slipped her mind? Hell she had even made plans with Ginny to go shopping for the same.
"Yes exactly! I hope you're coming"
"Yeah I am" Hermione replied, reluctantly.
"Great! I'll see you later then." Padma smiled and walked off.
Hermione inwardly groaned. That was just perfect!
…..
It was Saturday afternoon and Hermione had just finished her lunch when she heard a knock on the door. A sudden wave of anxiety washed over her and she looked at the door. She stood up and walked towards the door with uncertainity. For while she stood there wondering if she'd just imagined the sound but she heard it again, louder this time and she rushed to the door. After a deep breath she pulled it open. She was greeted by the smiling face of Ginny Weasley, Hermione gave a sigh of relief.
"What took you so long?" Ginny questioned and walked inside.
"Nothing"
"And why are you not ready yet? We are already late" Ginny rebuked.
"Actually I have a gown for the ball tomorrow night, I really don't need a new one" Hermione began.
Ginny scowled. "Firstly, even if you have something to wear you have to go with me because I need some help to look for something to wear and you know how fussy Harry can be. Secondly, if you tag along maybe you will find something better than what you already have."
"I just don't feel like it"
"Hermione you need to get out of your house and get some fresh air, some sun. Look at you, you look so pale. Are you okay?" she asked in a concerned voice.
Hermione looked at her disbelievingly, why did Ginny always ask her that. "I am fine, really I am" Hermione assured her, "and okay I'll go with you". Hermione didn't want Ginny to keep pestering her about the same things again and again so she reluctantly agreed.
…..
About an hour later Hermione and Ginny were standing in the midst of a very crowded street. Ginny had been very picky, she was adamant that none of the dress robes at Madam Malkin's were of her type. They had been roaming around, trying to look for something that Ginny liked but without any success.
"Ginny, if this goes on then you will you never find a dress for yourself. It's not your wedding' it's just a stupid ministry ball, just pick something already!" Hermione said exasperatedly.
"I know. There is one more shop down the alley, let's check that out, it's the last one I promise" Ginny said pleadingly and dragged Hermione in the direction.
Once inside the shop Ginny got busy in searching for something good, Hermione too wandered around glancing at all the dresses on display. Soon Ginny appeared from behind a shelf.
"I love them!" she exclaimed. "Which of these is the better one?" she continued, holding up two dresses in both her hands.
Hermione examined them carefully. One of them was a green halterneck gown and the other one was a maroon gown, with a plunging neckline.
"I think the green one is better" Hermione said.
"Really?" Ginny asked, sounding a little disappointed.
"Well, both of them are beautiful but I just think that green would look better on you"
Ginny nodded. "To be honest I liked the maroon one a little bit more. Nevermind, I'll try them both on and then decide" she said and rushed in one of the changing rooms.
Hermione looked away and started looking around again, that was when she saw it. A dark blue gowm resting on one of the shelves. She took it in her hands and stared at it in awe, it looked so elegant and classy.
"That is a great choice!" Hermione heard Ginny exclaim from a distance. She was wearing the green dress.
"Wow Ginny! You look stunning!" Hermione said in an impressed voice. Ginny indeed looked beautiful, the color enhanced her eyes.
"Thanks! I like it too" she exclaimed, staring into the mirror. "What about you? Do you like the blue one?" she continued.
"Yes. Isn't it amazing?" Hermione ran her fingers over the smooth fabric.
"Well then what are you waiting for? Go try it on"
Hermione picked up the dress and walking into the dressing room, so did Ginny to try the other one. Hermione wasn't actually considering buying the dress, she just wanted to see how would it look on her. She removed her clothes hastily and put on the gown. She couldn't take her eyes off the mirror and only when Ginny knocked on the door she emerged outside.
Ginny was waiting for her in the maroon gown, no doubt looking as stunning as she had in the previous one.
"Dear merlin Hermione! You're looking so pretty!" Ginny gasped.
Hermione gazed at her own reflection. The gown fitted her perfectly, it was strapless and had a knee high slit. She really was looking better than usual.
"Yeah" Hermione replied with a small smile.
"As for me, this one is perfect" Ginny swirled around with a smile and continued, "I have fallen in love with this, and I'm going to buy this"
"Finally!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Hey!" Ginny lightly patted on her shoulder. "And please tell me you're buying that" she said persuasively.
Hermione looked into the mirror again before whispering, "Yes I am".
"Great!" she said in a cheerful voice and hurried back to the changing room.
Hermione was about to do the same when her eyes caught the sight of someone familiar on the street. The glass panes of the shop provided a clear view of what was happening outside. It was Malfoy and he was with someone. A brunette, she realized. She was about to look away when Malfoy caught her eyes. Hermione froze on the spot. He stared at her for a few seconds with an unfathomable expression on his face. Only when the girl with him patted his shoulder to show him something in the other direction he looked away. Hermione looked away too, and hurried back into the dressing room, her face flushed and pink.
...
Hermione sat in a secluded corner of the library, her nose buried in a book. She was busy completing an essay which wasn't due for atleast two more weeks. She was surprised when she heard the sound of footsteps, no one came to the library during this time of the day. She peeked up from her book to see who was it and saw Malfoy sitting on a table a few feet away. He was engrossed in the book that he was reading.
She suddenly started feeling self-conscious.
She had been patrolling the castle with Malfoy since the past one month, whenever it was their turn. Now that they were in the fifth year, being the prefects it was their duty to do so. The partner that Hermione had been assigned at the beginning of the year was not Malfoy, it was Ernie Macmillan, a fellow Hufflepuff but Hermione had patrolled only once with him. After that Malfoy had showed up one night saying that Macmillan had asked him to switch places because Hufflepuff's Quidditich practice days always clashed with those of his patrolling days. According to Malfoy, Macmillan had urged that after a strenuous game of quidditch he didn't have the energy to patrol the grounds.
Hermione wasn't exactly pleased with the arrangement but she had no other choice. Surprisingly, for her, she and Malfoy had gotten along pretty well. Malfoy was still the same prat, showing occasional arrogance, passing snide comments and having the same condescending smirk plastered on his face most of the times but he had been tolerable. Hermione had noticed that none of the things had been directed her way, he hadn't called her a mudblood even once nor had insulted her other than calling her hair a bird's nest almost every time they met.
Even after all of this Hermione hadn't given it much of a thought, until yesterday.
Yesterday Hermione had run into Macmillan in the corridors and had casually asked him how his quidditch practice was going and what she learnt had shocked her. MacMillan's patrolling schedule was actually aligned perfectly with his quidditch practice. But Malfoy had cornered him one day and had demanded that they should exchange places. MacMillan had no choice but to agree because Malfoy wouldn't take no for an answer. And poor MacMillan's patrolling schedule now clashed with his quidditch practice timings, wearing him out. On the top of all this Malfoy had asked him to tell everyone that it was him who wanted to exchange places.
Hermione's cheeks burned whenever she thought about this. Malfoy actually wanted to patrol with her but he made it look like he was the one who was forced to do this. But why? Why would he do such a thing? Why would he want to willingly spend time with her? After years of bullying and harassment now he had suddenly started developing feelings for her? It was hard to believe.
Hermione tossed and turned over in her bed for the hundreadth time that night as the memory floated in her head. She felt a pang of nostalgia when she remembered her time at Hogwarts and a single tear ran down her cheeks. She didn't know why she was crying, she honestly didn't. These days even the slightest of inconveniences seemed to bother so much that she cried out in frustration.
Finally at about three in the morning Hermione drifted into a deep sleep, the images of a certain blonde plaguing her dreams.
A/n : I am very excited for the next chapter and the one after that and so on. Stay tuned and drop your opinions, views, advice if any in the comments.