"Ugh, why must I be a year behind the rest of you? I would've paid to see that," Ginny complained, a genuine frown on her features.
"Merlin, no! I didn't tell you to brag or anything, but because…it's embarrassing," Hermione sheepishly replied, voice low as she warily glanced around the pub.
"Oh, please," Ginny scoffed. "They had it coming."
Hermione sighed, fingering her glass and eyeing her butterbeer.
"I've never done that before, Ginny, lost control like that. I completely…cracked, and for what? For Ron and his girlfriend? It was so unlike me," she pouted.
"We're all allowed to mess up, sometimes, Hermione," Ginny reassured.
"Yeah, but… Not like that," she finally disagreed, shaking her head. "That was extreme, and pretty soon it might start affecting my schooling. Malfoy was right."
Ginny perked up at that, eyeing Hermione.
"…you two seem to be getting on rather well. I'd say extremely well if he's regularly offering advice," she slowly said.
Hermione pursed her lips in thought before eventually nodding.
"Yeah…we are, actually. As crazy as it sounds, he makes a lot of sense a good majority of the time. Do you know that he told me about Ron and Lavender an entire month before I found out?"
Ginny's eyebrows rose, eyes widening just a bit in surprise.
"Really…"
"Yeah. I thought he was just messing with me, at the time," Hermione scoffed, shaking her head. "Who would've thought that he was actually being more decent than my supposed friends were?"
Ginny got a strange look in her eyes, leaning her elbows on the table as she listened.
"What other advice has he given you?"
Hermione shrugged.
"Just what you know. I should do what I want, this whole thing with Ron might start bleeding into other areas of my life, and…that's it. I mean, aside from him telling me to grow some and ask Ron out before this whole mess."
"Looks like Malfoy and I have agreed on quite a few things," Ginny commented. "You never did tell me what he said to you when he apologized? Verbatim, I mean…"
"It was basically just a whole bunch of words about the ridiculousness of blood purity," Hermione answered dismissively.
"No, but in his apology to you specifically. What did he say that was for you?"
Hermione frowned in confusion, but leaned back nonetheless as she thought.
"Um…"
Hermione blew out a breath, face pinching.
"He said that he was sorry, regretted his actions and all that jazz, and…that he had been a fool…in more ways than one," Hermione quoted.
Ginny suddenly hummed, leaning back in her seat, arms folded over her chest with a small smile.
"I see…"
"What do you see?" Hermione questioned.
Ginny hummed again, glancing away before leaning forward and taking a sip of her drink.
"Hermione," she began, looking up at the other girl beneath her lashes. "I think Malfoy likes you."
Hermione frowned again, rearing back a bit.
"I… What?"
"Malfoy fancies you," she repeated.
"He wants to shag me, Ginny, there's a difference," Hermione deadpanned.
Ginny shook her head.
"He said that he'd been a fool…in more ways than one, and he tried to get you with Ron before this whole mess, because he knew it was what you wanted," Ginny elaborated.
"No," Hermione dragged the word out. "He tried to get me with Ron, because he said, and I quote, that he pitied me and I should get it over with and put myself out of my misery."
"Listen, between the two of us, you're the brains of the operation. There is no doubting that, but we both know that boys are my specialty."
"I-."
"I mean, why else would he only apologize to you?"
"…because he knows how Ron and Harry are. It would've been pointless."
"Did he tell you that?" Ginny questioned.
Hermione paused, realizing that he'd never actually told her that, and that that was her own assumption.
"Well…no, but…," she trailed off as Ginny leaned back, crossing her arms again with a flirty smile on her lips.
"He only apologized to you, because you're the only one of the bunch he gives a rat's ass about."
"That doesn't mean he likes me," she scoffed.
"Why is this so hard to swallow for you?"
"…because! It…it's preposterous."
"Why…?"
Hermione found that she couldn't voice a valid reason as to why besides it just was. The thought of her and Malfoy ever being more than the acquaintances that they were at the moment was…unthinkable.
"It just…is," Hermione lamely replied.
"You say that, and yet, I bet you've thought about that night you saw him in the shower on more than one occasion."
"I don't want to talk about this anymore."
Ginny sighed.
"All I'm saying is…entertain the thought, okay? Maybe a nice fling will do you some good. Maybe that's where you need to channel all of that anger," Ginny commented. "We can't go blowing up cauldrons forever."
"Merlin, it was an accident," Hermione groaned.
Ginny's laughter filled her ears as she dropped her head into her hands.
"You don't mind, do you?"
Hermione looked between the two of them, opening her mouth to answer when Ginny beat her to it.
"Dean will be fine, Hermione. Right?" she questioned, glancing at him. "I can meet up with him, anytime."
"No, Ginny, go. Have fun, I'll be okay," Hermione reassured.
Ginny deflated, and Hermione knew that the younger girl was worried about leaving her in Hogsmeade by herself while she ran off with her boyfriend. Hermione didn't fully realize how little friends she had until two of them practically abandoned her.
"No, Hermione, I-."
"Go snog your boyfriend, Weasley. I can babysit Granger for you," a new voice interrupted, startling Hermione.
She glanced to her left, eyes landing on her roommate, a grand smirk on his face at his little joke.
"You're hilarious, Malfoy," Hermione sneered as he guided her away from her friend.
"You two kids have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't," he dryly commented.
Hermione barely had time to wave goodbye to Ginny as they walked away, the other girl staring with that stupid smile on her face.
"For the record, there isn't anything you wouldn't do," she said.
"I wouldn't do Potter…or Weasley," he replied, nose turned up.
"Why not? Harry bears some resemblance to Nott, no?"
Malfoy shot her a frown, informing her that her teasing wasn't amusing in the slightest.
"That's an insult to Theo, and I'm telling him you said that," he replied.
Hermione waved him off, eyes landing on her favorite shop in all of Hogsmeade.
"You don't have to babysit me anymore, Malfoy. I'm going to Tomes and Scrolls, and then I'm heading back to school," she said, turning away from him.
"What, you think I don't enjoy a good book as much as you, Granger?" he questioned, his stride matching hers.
"I just know how I can get in here, and even an avid reader like yourself would grow bored of my antics."
Malfoy simply smirked, holding the door open for her, the top of her head brushing underneath his stretched arm as she walked in. She shivered when his arm lowered over her shoulder, guiding her into the shop as he leaned his head down.
"I'll never grow bored of your antics, Granger," he said, lips next to her ear. "You keep me on my toes."
He finished with a light chuckle, pulling away to walk past her and browse a few books himself. She stared after him with a frown, Ginny's suggestion coming to mind before Hermione shook the thoughts away, following after him.
Hermione browsed the books for what seemed like an hour, feet carrying her past one book in particular again. She eyed it, a slight sigh escaping her, knowing that if she bought it, she'd be spending all of her spending money on it. Her parents may have been dentists, and while that certainly provided a comfortable life one could say, Hermione was still a rather frugal person. It would be silly and somewhat irresponsible of her to spend all of her money on that one book.
Before Hermione could even resign herself to the fact that the book would have to wait, a familiar pale hand reached past her and snatched it up. She turned to Malfoy with wide eyes, glaring at his back as he approached the shop owner.
"Just what do you think you are doing?"
"Buying myself a book," he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Hermione opened her mouth to protest before thinking better of it, and slamming her mouth shut. What was she going to do? Throw all of her money away on a book just because she wanted to have it instead of Malfoy? She resisted the urge to cross her arms over her chest like a child, silently fuming as she reluctantly followed Malfoy out of the shop. They'd barely taken two steps out of Hogsmeade, Hermione uncharacteristically silent the entire time, when she stumbled to a halt.
Malfoy had thrusted the book at her, the large tome colliding with her stomach. She looked up at him in confusion as he glanced down at her with that stupid smirk on his face.
"You think I'd actually be interested in a stupid book about the history of…," he glanced at the title "…unicorns and their magical qualities?"
Hermione blinked as she fully realized what had just happened, face heating up.
"It isn't stupid," she bit back, looking away as she gingerly took the book.
She pursed her lips, looking down at the text with a slight frown.
"Malfoy, I can't take this. It's too-."
"I'm rich, Granger. Wealthy law dictates that I must throw at least a third of my fortune away on nonsense each week, or else I won't be invited to any of the socialite dinners. Didn't you know?"
"Malfoy, I'm serious," she said, staring up at him.
"I wanted to buy it for you," he said, all traces of humor gone, now.
"Why?" she demanded.
"…because you looked like a sad child whose mum just told her to put the toy back."
Hermione bit back a rude retort, bristling a bit as he made fun of her.
"Are you doing this to make up for all those years you mistreated me? Is that why you're going out of your way to be so nice to me?"
Malfoy didn't answer, simply raising an eyebrow at the poorly hidden suspicion in her voice. He seemed to sense that she had more to get off of her chest, and he was right.
"You encouraged me to just ask Ron out, and when that crashed and burned, here you are offering more advice on how to move on. Now, you're trying to help me do just that and keep me from lashing out any more than I already have. Why are you helping me? I seriously doubt it's purely for my benefit…," she finished with a huff.
Malfoy tilted his head to the side, taking a heavy step forward.
"…and why couldn't it be purely for your benefit? Maybe I just want to make you feel good," he quietly answered, eyes seeming to stare through her.
Hermione swallowed, wondering if she was imagining that double meaning behind those words.
"Why did you only apologize to me? Why not Harry and Ron too?"
Malfoy snorted, a very unlike him sound.
"…because they're irrelevant to me," he answered.
"So what does that make me? How am I relevant to you then?" she asked, taking a step forward.
Malfoy did the same, towering over her, eyes bright and hypnotizing.
"Careful, Granger," he murmured. "You're asking for answers that you can't handle."
"You don't know what I can handle," Hermione replied.
Malfoy raised his other eyebrow, both of them lifted in surprise as he processed her words. The atmosphere was tense, filled with something she couldn't name…or didn't want to. He slowly raked his eyes over her, and a shiver traveled through her frame, and she knew that it had nothing to do with the chilling temperature. The sound of footsteps crunching on the cold ground broke their spell, and they both stepped back just as Ron and Harry came into view, the boys halting at the scene before them.
Hermione glanced at them for a split second, opting for turning away entirely as a sigh escaped her. Without saying anything, she brushed past Malfoy, slowly making her way back to school. She slowed to a stop as she realized that she could only hear her footsteps, and she turned around, eyebrows furrowing. Malfoy was unmoving, seeming to stare at Ron and Harry as they all but tried to kill him on the spot with their eyes.
"Malfoy," she called, watching as he turned to face her, Harry and Ron's eyes doing the same. "Let's go."
Hermione was determined to do whatever she wanted, and at the moment, she didn't want to deal with Ron and Harry. Therefore, she wasn't going to. The last thing she wanted was to be involved in an unnecessary altercation. It would only serve to give her a headache.
Malfoy looked back to briefly glance at the two Gryffindors before turning around and following after her, a smirk on his face.
"No fighting," she suddenly said as he approached.
"You wound me, Granger. You think I'd waste energy on them when I have far better things to focus on?"
She eyed the smirk on his lips before rolling her eyes and heading back to the castle, her roommate in tow.
"Why are the two of you always here? At this point, I should just move out and have you two move in," she snidely commented as she stepped into their dorm.
"Well, hello to you too, Granger," Nott grumbled from where he was lounging on the couch.
"I second your suggestion, Granger. Merlin knows, I'll definitely pretty this place up," Zabini lazily replied, flipping through a book.
Hermione ignored his comment and looked around, frowning as she found the dorm empty of a certain blond.
"Where's Malfoy?"
Blaise smirked, glancing up at her.
"Missing him, are you?"
"No! I was just wondering why you two are present if he's absent," she was quick to deny.
"Do we bother you that much?" Nott asked, sounding somewhat offended.
"Mostly Zabini," she honestly answered.
"The feeling is mutual," the handsome boy replied.
Hermione sighed, making her way to the coffee table and plopping her bag down before doing the same for herself. She'd barely cracked open her text when Zabini spoke again.
"Aw, look at the three of us, getting along like old mates. Draco would be so proud," he cooed.
Hermione sent him a glare.
"Why are the two of you even here?"
"It's quiet," Nott replied from behind her, clearly stuffing his mouth with something edible.
"Is that the book Draco bought you?" Zabini suddenly asked, nodding to her open tome.
"No," she replied with a frown. "He told you?"
She didn't like the thought of Malfoy bragging to his friends about that. After all, hadn't he supposedly done it to be nice? Zabini rolled his eyes.
"Hardly. He let something slip, and I wouldn't leave him alone until he 'fessed up. It's sweet," Zabini sarcastically commented.
"Yeah, he's never bought me a book," Nott complained.
"He's never bought me anything," Zabini added, a fake pout on his lips.
"What's your point?" Hermione sighed.
Zabini simply stared at her with that stupid smirk on his face. Merlin, she wanted to wipe it off.
"No point, at all," he said with an innocent shrug. "Just commenting on how nice that was of him. It's inspiring to see the two of you get along so well."
She heard Nott chuckle behind her, and she could tell that there was something hidden behind it.
"If you're implying that he did it, because he wants something in return, then you can save your breath. I'm well aware that he wouldn't be opposed to…spending an evening with me," she confessed.
"Spending an evening? That's a nice way of putting it, I suppose," Zabini laughed.
Nott joined in, and she jumped as he leaned over, shoulder brushing her own as he grinned.
"Malfoy would-."
The slam of the portrait door halted whatever Nott was going to say, and they all looked up as Malfoy entered the dorm. His eyes briefly ran over the three of them, narrowing at Nott, and the dark haired boy leaned back.
"I didn't know you two were stopping by," he drawled, sounding a bit annoyed.
"Well, you know us. We just can't stay away for too long," Zabini said with a grin.
Malfoy didn't respond, opting instead for staring at the dark skinned boy with a blank expression. Zabini eventually pursed his lips before shutting his book.
"Let's go, Teddy. I'm sure Pansy is wondering where we are," he said, rising from the chair and gathering his things.
It seemed that in no time at all, Zabini and Nott had quickly packed up their schoolwork and left the dorm. Hermione's eyes remained on Malfoy as he sat on the couch, heaving a sigh.
"…growing tired of your friends?"
He leaned his head back, eyes falling closed as a chuckle escaped him.
"Never. They're actually likeable, unlike…,"he trailed off, and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Ha, ha. I'm surprised you're here, at all. No hot date, tonight?"
"Why? Do you want there to be…?"
"No," she almost barked. "I was just… It's a Friday night, is all. Surely, you have better things to do than sit here with me of all people."
"I like sitting here with you, Granger," he said, a small smile forming on his lips. "I told you, you keep me on my toes."
"Is that why you only apologized to me, because I keep you on your toes? And Harry and Ron don't?"
His smile transformed into a smirk.
"…partially…"
Hermione huffed, fed up with the secrecy.
"What answers do you think I can't handle? I'm Hermione Granger. There's hardly anything I can't handle…"
Malfoy's smirk grew, and she knew exactly what he was thinking.
"Oh, shut up. You know exactly what I meant," she snapped.
"Maybe I want to keep you on your toes, too," he murmured, sounding almost tired, but Hermione didn't care.
She stood, stomping to stand directly in front of him as he sighed. She knew that he knew she was there, and Hermione crossed her arms over her chest.
"Are you messing with me, Malfoy? Was Harry right?"
He opened his eyes, and Hermione was tempted to step away from the intensity of his glare, but she resisted. His lip curled over his teeth as he regarded her, hair falling into his eyes.
"I already told you that I have no desire to hurt you, Granger. Do you take me for a liar?" he questioned as he stood, and at this, Hermione did take a step back.
"No, but… What else am I supposed to think?"
"You were the only one worth apologizing to. It's as simple as that," he said with a shrug.
Hermione chewed on her lip before responding.
"I don't believe you," she finally said.
He smirked again, taking another step forward.
"What do you want to hear? What ulterior motive do you think there is? Do you think this is all some elaborate scheme to shag you? Throw Potter off of his game? Tell me," he urged.
"Ginny thinks that you like me," she voiced, the words flying out.
Malfoy paused, tilting his head to the side as he studied her.
"…maybe I do."
Hermione blinked, a part of her not expecting that answer. Malfoy raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest.
"What are you going to do about it?"
Hermione's lips parted, taken aback by that.
"I…"
He frowned.
"I thought you were prepared to handle whatever answer I gave you," he mocked.
"If you're messing with me, Malfoy…"
Her voice was quiet and unsure.
"Maybe I do fancy you, Granger…," he repeated.
Malfoy invaded her space, sizing her up before brushing past her to make his way to his room, the scent of him clinging to her robes.
"…perhaps you should do something about it."
"Can we talk?"
Hermione looked up in surprise, eyes landing on Harry as he stood before her, cornering her at the entrance of the Great Hall. It was the first day she'd stepped foot into the hall since the night of the first Quidditch match. Hermione looked past him, eyes landing on Ginny as she mouthed apologies. Ron was seated next to her, Lavender tucked into his side, but his eyes were on the two of them. She finally returned her attention to Harry, a frown crawling over her face.
"…no," she eventually said.
Harry seemed to be expecting that, releasing a sigh.
"Please-.'
"No. I don't have anything to say to you, at the moment, and unless it's an apology, I don't want to hear anything you have to say either," she evenly stated, moving to walk around him.
"Hermione, it's about Malfoy-."
"You have some nerve, you know that?" she threw at him as he blocked her path. "Don't talk to me."
"Hermione…," he tried again, reaching for her hand.
"Go talk to your best friend," she snapped, snatching her arm away. "…because you've made it clear that that's not me."
Harry went to open his mouth when one look over her shoulder had him snapping it shut. His jaw clenched, eyes turning venomous as he glared at something past her. Perhaps, someone was a more appropriate term. The smell of jasmine reached her nose, and Hermione's shoulders involuntarily relaxed, tension leaving her frame.
"Problem, Granger?"
His voice was just over her head, and she knew that he was close. She stared at Harry with a deep frown, crossing her arms over her chest as she did so. The words were on the tip of her tongue. No, she was going to say. Everything is fine. That was what she should have said. Instead, she said;
"Yes. Harry won't leave me alone, and I've definitely asked him to."
"Harassment, Potter? My, how the mighty have fallen," Malfoy drawled.
Harry blanched.
"Harassment? I simply wanted to talk to my friend, and then-."
"It seems that your friend doesn't want to talk to you," Malfoy interrupted, causing Harry's face to heat up in anger.
"Well, that's between Hermione and I," Harry spat.
"Is there any particular reason the three of you are standing here, taking up space and inconveniencing those of us trying to enter the hall?" an annoyingly familiar voice drawled.
Hermione cringed, ready to open her mouth with an excuse when Malfoy said;
"Potter seems to think that bullying someone into talking to him is the proper way to handle things, Professor."
Both Hermione and Harry turned to look at Snape, the dark haired man looking down his nose at Harry.
"Those haughty genes of yours are finally kicking in, are they, Mr. Potter? No matter, I'm sure a night's worth of detention will rectify that," Professor Snape ordered, flurrying past them with one final glare at Harry.
As soon as he was out of ear shot, Harry turned on Malfoy, stepping forward as Malfoy did the same.
"You slimy, son of a-!"
"Son of a what, Potter?" Malfoy urged, looking down at Harry with a sinister smirk on his lips.
With one look at the blond, Hermione could tell that he was itching for a fight.
"Harry, just go," Hermione said in exasperation.
Harry turned on her, eyes wide and accusatory.
"You don't want to talk to me, but him you'll talk to? You'll tattle on me to him? What is he, your bodyguard, now?"
"Want to find out?" Malfoy hissed, reaching for his wand as he stepped beside her.
"Harry, just leave me alone," she practically screamed.
"No, no," he said, shaking his head. "…because if I do, you'll just run straight to him, and he'll-."
"He'll what? What was it you said? Fuck me and toss me aside? Well, he's already done that, and I'm still here, so what's your next argument?"
The words flew out of her mouth before she even had time to process what she was saying. She heard Malfoy's sharp intake of breath, and she could only imagine how annoyed he would be with her. Harry's reaction was instantaneous, eyes widening in a mixture of shock and horror as his mouth fell open. He stared at her like that for a painful amount of time, looking almost ill as he took a stumbling step back.
Hermione simply stared at him, determined to stick to the lie she'd just told.
"What?" he gasped out.
Hermione didn't reply, swallowing and looking away, wondering what the hell she'd just done. Harry turned his heated gaze on Malfoy, looking as if he could strangle the blond with his bare hands. Malfoy finally righted himself before shrugging, a mocking smirk curving along his lips.
"What can I say? I can never resist someone so pretty and willing-."
The words were barely out of his mouth when Harry drew his wand, a curse already on his lips when his wand was ripped away. Professor Snape was there again, face thunderous as he glared at the dark haired Gryffindor.
"Congratulations, Mr. Potter, you just earned yourself an extra six days of detention," he sneered.
Hermione took the distraction as an opportunity to slip out of the hall, Malfoy hot on her heels after a few moments.
"You want to explain, Granger?" Malfoy asked, following her as she all but ran up the stairs.
"Please, just go away, Malfoy. I'm already embarrassed enough that I just did that, and I really don't need-."
She cut herself off as she was spun around to face him, his hands settling on her shoulder. She refused to look at him, finding the floor much more interesting as he stared at her.
"I'm not angry, Granger," he finally said, voice low.
"Well, you should be!" she looked up at him, eyes wide. "We already talked about this, and you said no, and I just went ahead and did it anyway."
She tapped the heel of her hand against her forehead a few times.
"I'm so stupid," she hissed at herself.
"Okay, that's enough of that," he snapped, grabbing her hand in a firm grip. "Why did you do it, Granger?"
"He just made me so angry. Talking about me like I'm some child who can't think for herself. The nerve of him! I just wanted to wipe that pitiful look off his face and get him to back off," she ranted.
"No," he said, stepping closer, chest brushing against her own as he drew patterns into the skin of her hand with his thumb. "Why did you do it, Granger?"
She frowned in confusion, both the question and his close proximity throwing her for a loop.
"What do you mean? I just told you-."
He shushed her, reaching up with his other hand to press a finger to her lip. He stared her down, face unreadable and eyes penetrating. His breath intermingled with hers, and Hermione could practically hear her heartbeat in her ear drums.
"Why did you do it, Granger?" he asked again.
She blinked, finally releasing a soft sigh.
"…because I wanted to."
Malfoy nodded, eyes brightening.
"…and do you regret it?"
"No," she whispered.
He raised an eyebrow, finger trailing from her face, and down her neck.
"Are you sure? Everyone will be talking about us come tomorrow morning. They'll call you all sorts of names, because they think you're spending every night beneath me. Are you okay with that?" he quietly inquired.
Hermione swallowed, and Malfoy's eyes seemed to follow the movement of her throat.
"They can say whatever they want."
Malfoy frowned, faux concern crossing his features as he tilted his head.
"…but they're all such nosey buggers… They're going to ask questions. They're going to want to know if it's true…"
"Then I'll tell them it's true," she immediately replied.
He twirled a stray curl around his finger, lightly tugging on the tresses, nose barely brushing against hers.
"What if they want to know everything? What if they want all of the details?"
"Then I'll give it to them. I'll tell them…"
She trailed off, lips trembling as she stared at him.
"What will you tell them?" he whispered.
"I'll tell them…that you ruined me."
~ Let me know what you think! ~