I told myself that I wasn't going to do this, but oh well. There was a review that rubbed me the wrong way. I'm sure they didn't mean for it to, but it did. Let's get one thing straight; please don't presume to assume that you know what I'm going to do with my story. Having your own theories and trying to guess whats going to happen next is fine. I enjoy that. What I don't enjoy is someone telling me that they 'hope I can do better than blah, blah, blah'. The review made it seem like this person had my story all figured out and they were ready to throw in the towel because of something that they assume is going to happen. Not that I have to explain myself to anyone, but there will be absolutely no love triangles in this story. Three of my stories already have love triangles, so believe me when I say that Worst Mistake will have none of that. And if I want to do love triangles I can because, hey, guess what? It's my story.
I promise guys I'm super nice. That just really got under my skin. Anyway, lets get on with it...
They walked along the street of Hogsmeade, weaving past talkative and hurried students. The sound of excitement and overzealousness buzzed around them as they talked, Hermione's head tilted up and Blaise's tilted down. The two of them were so wrapped up in their conversation that they did not take note of the fact that students parted for them like the Red Sea as they walked. This was done subconsciously of course. The two of them together gave off this authoritative vibe that demanded respect. The two of them had already eaten, engaging in the longest conversation ever about Herbology while doing so. Blaise had an impressive basis of knowledge about plants. Hermione was impressed. Now he was telling her a story about his mum and her latest husband.
"So I'm standing here, thinking I'm going mental because there's this strange half naked man in our kitchen. I quickly come to my senses and realize that there is in fact some half naked man in our kitchen. So, what do I do? I curse him," he shrugged.
"Oh, no," Hermione laughed, covering her mouth.
"Yeah, he's on the floor twitching and screaming. Mum runs in and screams at me like I did something wrong. How was I supposed to know?"
"So that's the story of how you met-"
"Father number eight."
Hermione abruptly stopped and turned to look at him with wide eyes. Number eight?
"Number eight," she asked.
Hermione immediately scrunched up her eyes and rubbed her forehead.
"Sorry. That was so incredibly rude of me. I didn't mean-"
Blaise laughed, cutting her off.
"It's alright. It's nothing I haven't heard before. Besides, I have the same reaction every time," he said, shrugging it off.
"Is it…it must be awfully weird to…," she trailed off, not wanting to overstep her boundaries.
"To come home to a new daddy every seven months or so? You get used to it after about the fourth one."
"I'm sorry," she found herself saying.
"It's not that bad, Hermione. A new father usually equates to her paying less attention to me. Which I am more than happy with," he said.
Hermione couldn't exactly relate. She loved spending time with her parents, but she found out a long time ago that Pureblood society was a tad…different. A shop beside them caught her eye and she couldn't help the excited grin that broke out over her face.
"Do you want to go in?"
She glanced up at her date as he gestured to the bookshop. She hesitated before shaking her head.
"No. We're on a date and…well, I can get a bit carried away in there," she sheepishly replied.
Tomes and Scrolls was her favorite shop in Hogsmeade. She could stay in there for hours. Actually, she had been known to do just that on occasion. Hermione may not know a lot about dating, but she was sure that dragging your date into a bookstore wasn't exactly fun. Besides, this was why she was on this date in the first place. She was trying to prove that she was more than just…books and schoolwork. She was brought out of her thoughts by Blaise's laugh.
"You're too cute," he said before grabbing her arm and dragging her into the shop.
Hermione fingered the stack of books in her arm with awe as he walked her back to her dorm.
"You really didn't have to…"
"You wanted them. Besides, I'm trying to win you over, remember," he joked.
She looked down at the books.
"Well, consider me won," she mumbled with a blush, not intending for him to hear.
"Good," he whispered.
She looked up just in time for his lips to cover hers in an unexpected kiss. She clutched her books to her chest with one hand and laid her other on his arm. Kissing Blaise was…nice. Of course, it wasn't like she had kissed many guys. Although, kissing Draco was like kissing six different guys in one. Blaise pulled away after a few seconds. It was a quick kiss, but nice either way.
"Have a good evening, Hermione," he said as he backed away with a smirk.
"Okay. You too," she said before he turned the corner.
Hermione turned around and touched her lips, walking up the stairs with a smile. She hadn't expected the date to be so enjoyable. Her sole reason for agreeing wasn't just to prove something. She was lonely. She felt like she was slowly losing her friends and she just wanted to stop feeling sorry for herself for a bit. She just wanted to feel good for a little while and she did. She felt great. Her good feeling, however, disappeared as soon as she walked into her dorm.
She slammed the portrait shut with a tad more force than necessary. She exhaled and rubbed her temple with her free hand as Lavender practically flew off of Draco's lap. Hermione shook her head and walked down the steps. Ron was screwing Lavender's best friend and Lavender was screwing Ron's worst enemy. When had her life turned into a Soap Opera?
"We're so so-"
"I don't even care," Hermione said in exasperation as she walked past them, not sparing them a glance.
She could hear Lavender's footsteps as she ran to the door.
"Please don't tell-"
"I don't care, Lavender. It's none of my business," Hermione said, walking up the stairs.
She heard the portrait open and shut. Immediately after she heard Draco's footsteps.
"I thought you were on a date," she heard him say.
Hermione slowly turned around and looked down at him. His shirt was open, displaying a chest full of love bites.
"I was, but dates have to end some time," she snapped.
Draco shrugged.
"Excuse me. I just figured that it would go really well," he hinted, raising an eyebrow.
Hermione's mouth opened in shock as she caught on. He is unbelievable.
"Was the date a disaster or something," he asked.
Hermione slammed the books down onto the bannister with a loud thud before facing him again.
"You think that just because…" she flailed her hands around "…you know, that I would just fall into bed with Blaise? It was one date," she scoffed.
Draco looked at her with an unreadable expression before shrugging.
"It's Blaise," he replied as if that justified his assumption.
"So what? Besides, that doesn't give you the excuse to use our common room as your own casting couch setup," she snapped.
Draco raised an eyebrow with a slow smirk creeping onto his lips.
"What do you know about the casting couch, Hermione?"
"Stop trying to change the subject. The fact of the matter is that once again you've completely disregarded how I feel about that. You don't respect me as a dorm mate should!"
Draco rolled his eyes.
"I thought me fucking your brains out was supposed to remove that stick from your butt," he said.
Hermione gasped at his crude language before walking down the steps.
"Let's get one thing straight. I did what I did because I hate not knowing. It was a onetime experiment of sorts and you know that. Don't get cocky and start thinking that you have some magic snake in your pants that will completely change my morals and opinions or something. I didn't like you entertaining your guests in here before and I don't like it now. I wasn't a slag then, so I won't be one now. Got it?"
"Whatever…"
He began to turn away, but she reached out and grabbed his arm, halting all movement. He looked at her with an expression that screamed exasperation.
"No, not whatever. This is my dorm just as much as it is yours. You have to meet me halfway, understand?"
"Yeah, mum. I understand," he said.
She screamed in frustration before turning around, about to grab her books and go into her room, when Draco took a page out of her book and grabbed her arm.
"So, how was the date," he asked as she turned around.
She pulled her arm out of his hand, confused. Why was Draco asking her about her date? He looked at her with a serious expression.
"It was fine," she slowly answered.
"I'm just asking because, well, it's Blaise," he repeated as if that explained everything.
"And…?"
"And it's just odd that…"
"That what," she asked.
"Just be careful," he said before turning around and walking into the kitchenette.
Hermione walked down the steps with a humorless chuckle.
"Are you worried about me? I wasn't that good in bed," she said.
"Don't get so full of yourself. Believe it or not, I'm not as big of a jerk as you think. I'm just trying to do the right thing by warning you. I know what Blaise is like," he replied.
She crossed her arms over her chest.
"And what is he like," she asked.
"He gets what he wants," he deadpanned.
Hermione blinked at the implication.
"Blaise doesn't really seem like-"
"The type? Yeah, I know. It's that cute boyish smile thing you girls love so much. Look, it doesn't matter if you believe me or not, I did my part. I grew up with him so I know what I'm talking about, Hermione."
"Well, I appreciate the concern but-"
"But I can handle myself," Draco mocked, imitating her.
"Just what is your problem," she questioned, placing her hands on her hips.
He turned around to face her.
"My problem is that just because you've finally gotten some dick, you think you know what you're doing. You have no idea what you're dealing with. Blaise isn't like your cookie cutter housemates, okay? He's going to get impatient and fast," Draco snapped.
"I hear you, okay? I'm not some silly bint who doesn't know how to use her wand, Draco. Besides, this isn't your concern…"
He frowned.
"So that's what I get for trying to do the right thing? It's none of my concern," he repeated.
"It's not that I'm not grateful-"
"Really? Doesn't look that way to me. You know what, if it wasn't for me you wouldn't have even had the courage to say yes to him. If I hadn't agreed to let you ride me into the sunset you'd still be walking around here with that pathetic look on your face because all of your friends are ditching you-"
"Shut up, Malfoy."
"Oh, its Malfoy again, is it?'
He walked towards her, forcing her to back up. His chest brushed against hers with heaving breaths as he leaned over her.
"You listen here, Hermione. Never forget that I am the one who took away your Virgin Mary status. I can easily make sure that this whole school doesn't forget either," he hissed.
Hermione jerked back as if he'd slapped her. She stared at him with wide eyes and gulped. They had a deal!
"You-you wouldn't do that," she whispered.
"Try me," he purred before shoving past her, almost knocking her off of her feet.
"Hermione! Hermione!"
Hermione slowed her pace with a sigh once she realized that she wouldn't be getting away from her. She turned around just as Lavender bounded up to her, face flushed and panting with shortness of breath.
"Hermione I-"
"I'm not going to tell him, Lavender," Hermione interrupted, glancing around at the busy corridor.
Lavender's shoulders sagged with the release of tension as she exhaled.
"I-I wouldn't blame you if you did, Hermione. I don't even know why-"
Lavender broke off with a sob. Hermione awkwardly looked around before grabbing Lavender's arm and pulling her into an emptier corridor. There were only about five other students walking along this one. Hermione bit her lip, not sure what to do as Lavender cried.
"I'm sorry," Lavender cried, gesturing to her flustered state.
Hermione transfigured a piece of parchment into a tissue and handed it to the blonde. Lavender took it with a quiet 'thank you'. Hermione waited for the other witch to compose herself.
"I don't even know why I went to him. I was just so upset that Ron was blowing me off and I just didn't want it to seem like all I do is wait around for him. I mean, we're not even officially together yet. How would it look if I was going around demanding to know where he was and who he's with," she sniffed.
Hermione fidgeted. She wanted so desperately to tell Lavender the truth, but it was none of Hermione's business. Hermione scratched the back of her head.
"You can…you can do so much better than Ron, Lavender. I know it may not seem like it, but it's the truth," she quietly said.
Lavender's eyes snapped to her.
"Why? What do you know," Lavender desperately asked.
"Nothing! I'm just saying-"
Lavender grabbed Hermione's arms.
"You're lying. You know something! Hermione…I-I know that we're not friends and I know that in the past I wasn't always the friendliest where Ron was concerned. Hermione I…I really care about him. A lot. Just tell me," Lavender pleaded.
Hermione swallowed.
"I know that he's your friend, but from one girl to another, I am begging you…"
Hermione sighed.
"There…are others," Hermione finally said as she looked away.
She looked back when Lavender made a slight choking sound.
"Others," she squeaked.
"…yeah."
"Who," she quietly asked?
"Lavender, I answered your question. Please, don't make me-"
"Who, Hermione?"
"Look, I only know one, okay? It's not important-"
"Who is the one that you know," Lavender demanded.
Hermione exhaled before rubbing her forehead.
"Parvati," Hermione quietly answered.
She looked away again as Lavender's face crumbled.
"Parvati?"
Hermione looked down at her feet and nodded. She clutched her bag as Lavender started crying again.
"I'm really sorry, Lavender," Hermione whispered as she looked up.
"Have…have they…," she trailed off through her sobs.
Hermione, knowing exactly what she was asking, looked away. Lavender's sobs grew louder. Hermione wrapped her arm around the other girl.
"Come on…"
"I really liked him, you know?"
Hermione handed Lavender a glass of water as she sat on the couch beside her. The same couch where she had found her and Draco in a rather compromising position a few days ago. Hermione discreetly put her hands in her lap and moved to the edge of her seat.
"I know," Hermione whispered.
Lavender gulped the water down and slammed it onto the coffee table.
"Parvati of all people! Gah, how cliché are we? The guy I practically love has been messing around with my best friend this whole time and I was none the wiser."
Hermione didn't exactly know how to respond to that. She couldn't relate…
"Why are you being so nice to me," Lavender suddenly asked.
Hermione turned to look at Lavender, finding the blonde girl staring at Hermione in wonder. Hermione slowly rubbed her hands together with a small sigh.
"We've had our differences, yes. However, it just seems silly to me to…be unkind to you because of something so trivial. You're hurting and I'm not the kind of person to take pleasure in your pain," Hermione answered.
"If I were in your shoes, I'm not sure that I'd do the same thing. You're decent like that, Hermione. Maybe that's why this happened to me…because I'm not decent," Lavender said with a shrug.
"No, don't say that. Bad things happen to good people all the time, Lavender."
"We both know I'm not good people. A few years back…even a few months ago, I knew how you felt about Ron. Hell, everyone knew. I didn't care, though, even if it was obvious that he'd end up with you in the end. Everyone knows it's true…"
"I don't agree with that. At one time I did, but my feelings are different now. I've…woken up, so to speak. I see Ron for what he is and I don't like it," Hermione replied as she played with her own fingers.
Lavender laughed, really laughed. Hermione looked at her in shock.
"Ron won't like that," she chuckled.
"What are you talking about?"
Lavender stared at the curly haired girl in confusion. She opened her mouth in shock.
"Oh! You don't…you don't know," Lavender said, more to herself than to Hermione.
"Know what," Hermione asked.
"Ron still fancies you," Lavender carefully explained.
"What? No! I…even if he does, it doesn't matter."
"Are you sure? You know that he does now and that doesn't change anything," Lavender curiously asked.
Hermione shook her head.
"He has nothing that I want, believe me," Hermione said.
Lavender nodded.
"So, what are you going to do," Hermione asked.
"I don't know. What should I do," Lavender asked as she faced Hermione.
"What? You're asking me," Hermione shrieked.
Lavender gripped Hermione's shoulders.
"Yes! You always know what to do. I need your help. Please…"
Hermione heaved a sigh.
"Okay."
Hermione looked up from her parchment in surprise, her quill falling from in between her fingers.
"Harry," she said in shock.
She wondered just how long he had been standing there.
"Can I sit," he asked, gesturing to the seat in front of her.
"Of course."
He sat down with a sigh before resting his hands on the table. Then his lap. Then the table. He finally settled on leaving them in his lap. She stared at him in curiosity, wondering what this visit could be about. Neither he nor Ron had talked to her since last week when she had respectfully told them to mind their own business. Harry cleared his throat.
"How was your, um, your date?"
Hermione forced herself to keep a straight face. Ah.
"It was nice. We went to Tomes and Scrolls. He bought me a few books…"
"Really," Harry asked in surprise.
"Just because the two of you hate the store…," she started.
"I'm sorry. I just… I'm glad you enjoyed it."
"Why are you here, Harry," she asked, getting straight to the point.
Harry huffed.
"Look, I don't like the thought of you going on dates with blokes like Zabini and Ron…," he trailed off.
Hermione crossed her arms over her chest.
"Ron still fancies me, so he doesn't like the idea of me with any guy. Yeah, I get it."
"Who told you," Harry asked in shock.
"It doesn't matter who told me. Just know that you can tell Ron I'm not interested whenever you feel like it," she answered.
"Hermione-"
"Am I interrupting?"
They both looked up and Hermione gave Blaise a small, nervous smile as she recalled Draco's words.
"No, you weren't. I was just leaving," Harry coldly replied, glaring at Hermione before rising.
Hermione sighed as Harry left and Blaise took his place.
"That didn't look friendly," Blaise said.
"He's upset with me."
"He doesn't like me," Blaise guessed.
"No, he doesn't. I've recently been told by a fellow Slytherin of yours that I shouldn't like you either," she replied.
Blaise chuckled.
"So…what did Draco say now?"
Hermione was thrown.
"Wait a minute. How-"
"Draco is always finding new lies to tell about me to all the ladies," Blaise said with a shrug.
Hermione was skeptical.
"And why would he do that?"
"He's jealous."
Hermione laughed.
"Excuse me if I find that hard to believe. Care to explain," she probed.
"I'm the only other lad in this bloody school with a reputation as infamous as his. He doesn't like that very much," he chuckled.
Hermione too found herself chuckling with him.
"Well, that does seem like something Draco would do," she agreed.
How had she not realized it before? Draco didn't take competition too well.
"Doesn't it? Hey, I didn't know that the two of you were so close. Do your friends know that the two of you are on a first name basis?"
"Oh, no. We're not close. Not at all. We live together, so we figured we might as well try to keep it peaceful," she answered.
Blaise made a humming sound as he gazed at her.
"So did you just come to chat?"
"No, actually I came to see if you wanted to hang out with me tonight," he proposed.
"Tonight? Didn't we just go on a date like, what, three days ago?"
Blaise shrugged.
"I enjoy your company," he whispered.
Hermione blushed.
"I don't know…"
"I can be very persuasive," he sang.
She laughed with a nod.
"Okay. You've got yourself another date."
"I'll be by your dorm later on," he said before rising.
She waved him goodbye before he was out of sight.
It was much later and Hermione was just getting back to her dorm to hurriedly get ready for their second date. She hadn't meant to be running so far behind, but her homework had taken longer than she thought it would. It didn't help that she had actually dozed off while in the library. Now she had to get ready within the next fifteen minutes. She had just gotten to their portrait when it came flying open and Daphne Greengrass came rushing out, crying.
"Greengrass," she questioned as she moved out of the way.
The other girl simply kept going as she fixed her hair. Hermione stared after her in confusion before walking inside. She looked around in confusion, seeing that nothing looked out of the ordinary before her eyes landed on Draco. He was seated on the couch, elbows resting on his knees and chin resting on his clasped hands.
"What did you do to her," Hermione demanded as she cautiously approached him.
The air around him buzzed with his magic. He was not happy. Draco scoffed before abruptly standing, causing Hermione to stumble back in fright.
"What did I do? She's the one who doesn't know how to give a proper blowjob and that's what I told her. Not my fault if she's an oversensitive b-"
"Draco! She looked really upset-"
"And," he asked as he walked past her.
"Well, I think that you should apologize," Hermione quietly said.
"And I think that you should fuck off," Draco snapped.
She followed him as he walked towards the door.
"What is wrong with you? I'm just trying to help-"
She jumped back as he turned on her, eyes blazing. She stood her grown.
"Seriously, Granger, stay the fuck away from me," he hissed before leaving the dorm.
Hermione stared with wide eyes as the portrait slammed shut. She heaved a sigh before going to her room. She didn't have time for this, she needed to get ready.
Twenty minutes later found her not even ready yet. She had on a nice shirt and pair of jeans. She was just looking for some shoes when she heard a knock on the portrait door.
"Shoot," she exclaimed as she ran downstairs.
She gave Blaise a sheepish smile as he waggled his eyebrows.
"I'm so sorry. I was running late and-"
"That's okay. Another time-"
"No, no! I'm almost ready, I promise."
She moved out of his way.
"Just take a seat. I'll be done in a little bit," she offered.
Blaise stepped inside and the portrait closed behind him with a soft click.
Can you feel the Hermione/Lavender friendship brewing? Can you feel it! Wait for it, wait for it...