Hermione's Dormitory

Thursday, February 20th, 1999

6:45AM

Hermione let out a groan of complaint at the buzz of her alarm, nestling further into her pillow. Eyes still closed, she frowned at the firmness of it and reluctantly opened one eye. What she had thought to be her pillow squirmed away and she realised that at some point during the night, she had burrowed against Draco's chest.

"Morning, Granger," Draco said, a sleep tinged voice. "You're lying on my arm."

She smiled as he curled that arm around her, pulling her body in close to his beneath the covers. "Good morning." Looking up at him through her eyelashes, she took note of how messy his hair was in the mornings, how bleary his eyes were.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to waking up with you," Draco said, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes with his free hand.

"I'm going to take that as a compliment," she decided and rolled away from him, stretching as she stood. "I've got to shower."

"If these slumber parties are going to become a regular thing then I should bring a change of clothes or two with me," he said. He reached out and began to scratch Crookshank's ears, the feline ambling across the mattress to him after Hermione stood. The cat began to purr and settled beside him. "Your cat is hideous."

"Be nice," Hermione chastised. "And I'm sure a change of clothes wouldn't go amiss so you don't have to sneak back into your dormitory every morning."

"Every morning?" Draco quirked a brow. "Got a taste for me, Granger?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Fine, you don't have to come up if you don't want to. I'm sure I can find someone to replace you."

Draco ceased in pleasing Crookshanks who gave him a disgruntled stare. He tossed his sheets away and approached Hermione, standing close enough that she had to force her head up to look at him. Though his jaw was set, his eyes twinkled. "Think I'm that replaceable, Granger?" he asked. "Hermione?"

Involuntarily, she shuddered. "Only joking," she whispered, stood on her toes to press her lips to his quickly, and darted into the bathroom, locking the door and pressing her back against it. After a few moments, she heard him snigger, the floor creak as he moved away. Colour still in her cheeks, she turned the shower on cold, stripped off, and leapt in. Turning the water back up to scalding, she washed quickly, shampooing and conditioning her hair.

Hopping out of the cubicle, she shook her hair out, splashing water across the tiles, the bathmat, her pyjamas. It was only after it she realised there was no robe in the room, her clothes now soggy. Towels were her only way to cover up and she cringed when she heard Draco cough in the next room. With her wand in the other room and no way of transfiguring anything into clothes or drying her pyjamas, Hermione found the largest towel she could find and wrapped it around herself.

Summoning her Gryffindor bravery, she unlocked the bathroom door and stepped back into her room. Like the day before, Draco was lounging on the bed, this time with a purring Crookshanks at his side.

"Well," he said when she entered, looking at her from head to toe. She tried to wiggle it down past her mid-thigh but to no avail. Any more shifts would cause her top half to be exposed. "This is...something."

"I forgot my clothes."

"I gathered." Again, he moved from the bed to stand in front of her. This time, she quaked. He ran a finger from her temple down her jaw line, along her neck, across her collarbone. Hermione tensed when he reached one of her scars, but he made his touch lighter than a feather. "I should go," he said, "before I do something either of us may regret."

"Probably," Hermione nodded, but she knew she would be sad to see him go. "See you in class."

Before he made a quick getaway, Draco leant down and placed his lips against her cheek, so gently that she could barely feel it. "Later, Granger."

Hogwarts Library

Sunday, March 2nd, 1999

2:00PM

Hermione chewed on her lip, staring at the chart she had designed in front of her. She wasn't sure where the time had gone, but somehow March had begun and she was only just starting work on her study timetables for her N.E.W.T. exams which were now only a couple of months off. Factoring in all the extra work she had as Head Girl, late night patrols, supervising extracurricular activities and trips to Hogsmeade, hearing and trying to deal with the problems of students, and general rule enforcing, plus her usual load of homework and projects, and her new relationship with Draco, she was preparing herself for an exhausting few months.

She had almost had enough of the looks and whispers she had heard about her relationship since its public reveal in The Daily Prophet. The paper, no longer a credible news source and instead almost as much of a tabloid as Witch Weekly with fluff pieces by Rita Skeeter more frequent than proper reporting, had insisted that Hermione had lost her sanity in the war. Their other possible explanation for her new romance was that Draco had cursed or drugged her into his arms, and although their peers had readily accepted their relationship at the initial reveal, the article (and then ensuing follow-ups attempting to chronicle the bond) had sparked plenty of rumours in the school. She could no longer go anywhere without overhearing snide remarks about her boyfriend and though she had endured worse comments and her skin was thick, Hermione was beginning to tire of it.

Seeking refuge in the back corner of the library where no other students ever ventured, unless they were on a hunt for her, she had worked solidly since eight o'clock that morning after worming her way out of Draco's grasp and studying through both breakfast and lunch. It had been a welcome break from the constant companionship she had had since returning to Hogwarts. Though loving Ginny and enjoying the time with new friends in Slytherin, she preferred the solace of being alone or with just Draco, whom she could sit in silence with and work. He was currently forcing his Quidditch team through an intense training session, the weather having cleared up a bit, and so she had been granted a day by herself.

She sighed at the timetable which granted her little to no free time and slid it into her satchel for safekeeping, beside the ones she had drawn up for Draco and Ginny in case they required any assistance with organisation. As she reached for an Ancient Runes textbook and a fresh piece of parchment, ready to begin an essay on magical translations from Ancient Greece, she heard footsteps and the quiet clearing of a throat and looked up.

"Hermione, hello," Daphne smiled. "I didn't mean to disturb you."

Somewhat grateful for the interruption, Hermione shook her head. "It's fine. Do you want to sit?"

The Slytherin accepted the offer, settling into a seat beside her so they wouldn't attract the attention of Madame Pince. "Have you been in here all day? I didn't see you at either meal. Draco was a bit concerned you weren't eating."

"I'm okay, I promise," Hermione said. "Just a bit stressed. It's been a difficult year back, the past few weeks especially. Time just got away from me and I must have worked through lunch. Is Draco still training?"

Daphne nodded. "He booked the pitch for the whole day, so they started at nine, broke up for lunch, but I think he'd keep them out there until midnight if he thought it would boost their chances at the cup." The blonde paused, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She was wearing the glasses she usually donned for classes and Hermione noticed ink stains on her hands, a sure sign the Slytherin had been studying. "And look, I know that it can be hard to be in the public eye, particularly with something as private as your personal life, but you just have to persevere. At the end of the day, the press can say all they want, but it's what you feel that matters."

Hermione stared at her friend for a few moments. "You should definitely have been sorted into Ravenclaw," she decided, her friend smiling. "But I'm thinking you didn't chase me up here to discuss the tabloids with me, did you?"

"That's where the Slytherin comes in. Butter you up and then ask for a favour." The blonde smiled wider now, a dazzling sight. "I was wondering you wouldn't mind being a bridesmaid at my wedding this summer."

"Are you serious?" Hermione asked, dropping her quill. Daphne nodded. "Of course! I didn't realise you would be getting married so soon. And there was no need to butter me up for that one. All you had to do was ask."

"I just wasn't sure we were at the stage in our friendship when I could ask so much of you," Daphne explained. "Of course, my family are covering all of the costs for dresses, so you needn't worry about that. Blaise is going to ask Draco to be his best man, so he will be there. Tori is my maid of honour, though that's more a family tradition than my choice, and you and Pans will be my bridesmaids."

Hermione smiled at her friend. She could see the excitement in Daphne's eyes, how her gaze kept flickering to the diamond on her finger, the way her voice softened when she said Blaise's name. It occurred to her that what her friend was experiencing was true love, such a rush of emotion and happiness and sheer joy at the thought of spending forever by one person's side. It was most certainly not something Hermione had felt with Ron during their brief engagement, and though she had never been one preoccupied with relationships, part of her yearned for a similar experience.

"And we're having an engagement party over the Easter break, too," Daphne continued, drawing Hermione back to their conversation. "I'd love it if you could come. It's going to be held at my house and I would really appreciate your ideas with the planning."

Hermione frowned. "I'm not very good at planning those sorts of things. I never even had a clue what wedding dress I wanted when I was with Ron, let alone the little details of the actual event. But I'll absolutely come."

"You mightn't think you know much, but I'm certain some part of you would like to help out. But if not, then I would like it if you would stay at my house for the duration of the holiday. My mother is going to be out of her mind planning the engagement party and the wedding but with you there, she'll have to act at least somewhat normal." Daphne let the smallest frown grace her lips for a second before it vanished. "And Blaise will be there a lot, too, which means Draco and Theo should be around for a bit of fun."

"I'd love to," Hermione said sincerely. "I'm just so honoured you asked me to be a part of the wedding party at all."

"I'm just so pleased that you said yes," Daphne said, adjusting her glasses once more. "Anyway, I should get back to studying. I still have to draw up a study plan for the exams and work on that Ancient Runes translation."

"Give me a moment and I'll walk out with you." Hermione checked her watch and noticed it was nearing three o'clock and she could feel aches of hunger in her stomach. "I think I've been cooped up in here long enough." She packed away her parchment and books, lugging the satchel over her shoulder and gesturing for Daphne to lead the way. They continued to chat about the impending engagement party and Daphne's wedding until reaching Hermione's dormitory where they parted ways, Daphne headed back towards the Slytherin common room.

Hermione trudged up the stairs to her room, bag heavy on her shoulder, but excited for the upcoming holiday.

It was close to seven o'clock when she heard footfalls on the stairs to her room. Having just finished the last of her homework, she was in the mood to be social. Draco came in, smelling of soap, hair still wet and cheeks a bit pink from a hot shower.

"Hey," she said, standing up and picking her way out of the pieces of parchment and textbooks she had strewn across her floor. Draco kissed her forehead and frowned.

"You are absolutely filthy," he said, running a thumb down her cheek. He pulled his hand away and showed her the black smudge that had collected on his finger, traces of ink from her frantic day of studying. "Go clean up and then we can go down for dinner. I'll wait out here."

"You're incredibly bossy," she said, rubbing at the ink spot on her cheek. But she obeyed, heading to her bathroom and filling the basin with water. She noticed a few more splotches of ink, a couple of tiny droplets on the opposite cheek, too. Likewise, her hands were a mess and her hair had taken on a life of its own. She scrubbed away the ink and pulled a brush through her hair, plaiting it quickly down her back. When she deemed herself respectable enough, Hermione returned to the main room.

Draco was lounging across one of her couches, book in hand. He had made an effort to tidy her mess, her work stacked neatly on the counter of the kitchenette and the textbooks returned to their shelves. "Much better," he said, rising. "Your hair looks good like that, Granger." He lifted the plait and played with it for a few seconds. "Come on. You can tell me all about your day on the way down to dinner."

Letting her hand slip into his grasp, they left her dormitory. "Daphne asked me to be one of her bridesmaids today," she said.

"Yeah, she mentioned she was going to do that. Blaise asked if I'd be his best man just after Quidditch practice." They reached the Entrance Hall, students milling into the Great Hall for dinner. "Are you going to the engagement party over Easter?" When she nodded, he continued. "Looks like I'll be seeing a lot of you over the holiday, then. And would you do me the honour of accompanying me to the party?"

Hermione rolled his eyes at his swotty tone. "I suppose I could do that," she said, unlocking their fingers as they prepared to head to their separate tables. "See you after dinner."

Ginny had saved her a place at the Gryffindor table, slightly separated from the rest of their house. Gryffindor had been the least accepting of her decision to be with Draco though they still held too much respect for her to say anything to her face. Instead, she was largely being ignored by her housemates, Ginny and Neville the two exceptions.

Neville shuffled down the table to join them, sitting beside Ginny. "Hey, Hermione," he said, pouring drinks for everyone. Though Neville had been one of Draco's most bullied victims, he was keen to turn over a new leaf, trying to find the good in everyone. Hermione hadn't seen them converse, but Neville had told her that if she believed Draco had truly changed, then he would believe it too, respecting her decision to be with whomever she wanted. "Good day?"

"Productive," Hermione nodded. "I spent most of it in the library and the rest of the afternoon working on an Ancient Runes translation. You?"

He grinned. "Spent most of it in the greenhouses. Professor Sprout is trying to integrate some of Luna's plants in with the other plants. Luna and I were working on replanting a few Dirigible Plum trees. Funny plants, they are."

Hermione remembered the strange, floating fruits outside the Lovegood house when she, Ron and Harry had visited the year before. "I'll have to come down and see all the work you guys have put in down there."

"Professor Sprout offered me a position as assistant professor, starting next year," Neville said, beaming.

"Neville!" Ginny said, hugging their friend. "That's amazing!"

"Congratulations, Neville," Hermione offered, smiling widely. Neville blushed. After all his mishaps and difficulties in his first years at Hogwarts, she was genuinely thrilled that he was finding his own way, had found his one true passion, and was head over heels for Luna. After a few more sentiments of congratulations which left Neville as red as the smoke in a Remembrall, Ginny opted to change the subject.

"So, Hermione, have you got any news about Daphne's wedding?"Ginny asked. Daphne, being the least Slytherin of the lot, was the only one from the emerald house which Ginny could be in close proximity to without arguing.

"She asked me to be a bridesmaid," Hermione said. "And I'm going to the engagement party over Easter. Keep up with the niceties and you might just get an invitation."

"I hope so." Ginny swallowed the last of her pumpkin juice. "It's going to be the wedding of the century, I swear."

Hermione smiled. "Don't worry, I'll keep you posted on all the details." She saw Draco rise from the Slytherin table on the other side of the hall, cocking his head towards the door when she caught his gaze. Having finished her dinner, she rose, farewelling her two Gryffindor friends with a wave and offering a final congratulations to Neville on his new job offer.

Draco was waiting in the Entrance Hall, leaning against the furthest wall with his arms folded across his chest. He pushed himself off the stone when she arrived and they fell into step together en route to her dormitory.

"Good dinner?" he asked.

"Not bad. Neville got offered a position teaching Herbology here next year," Hermione said.

"Congratulations to Longbottom." Though Draco's tone wasn't sarcastic, it was still dry, bored.

"You should be a bit nicer to my friends, Draco. Or at least Neville and Ginny. They're trying really hard to accept my decision to see you, alienating themselves in the process," Hermione explained. "And I've made a serious effort to get to know your friends, even Pansy, and that was a hell of an effort." Though she and Pansy still weren't friends and Hermione doubted they ever would be, the Slytherin girl had stopped passing off casual insults directed either to her or to Gryffindors in general.

Draco reached forward, tickling the tentacle of the Giant Squid and opened the painting up to let Hermione through first. "I'm never going to be buddies with your friends, Granger," he said.

"I'm not asking for friendship, Draco. I'm just asking for a little bit of civility." Hermione noticed an owl fluttering outside the window, bobbing up and down and hooting excitedly. She let the creature in, recognising it as Ron's owl, and untied the note from its leg. "Ron wants me to meet him for lunch in Hogsmeade next weekend."

She heard Draco scoff and chose to ignore him, penning a quick reply on the same piece of parchment and saying yes to the meeting. "Are you going?" he asked as Pig fluttered out the window and Hermione settled in an armchair.

"Of course I'm going. He's one of my best friends."

"And your former fiancé."

"Pansy is your ex-girlfriend and yet you spend as much time with her as you do with me," Hermione pointed out, feeling herself get riled up. "I don't see why my past romantic relationship with Ronald should be of such concern to you when it's so clearly in the past."

Draco rolled his eyes. "And it really wouldn't concern you if I said I was going off to have lunch with just Pansy?"

"Do you realise that this is one of the reasons Ron and I ended our engagement? You have no right to tell me who I can and can't be friends with, Draco. It's absolutely none of your business."

"Pardon me for not wanting you to go on a cosy little date with your ex-fiancé, Granger," Draco snapped, for the first time losing his cool tone. "I get that Weasley is your best fucking friend but I don't like him and I'm not going to like you running off to be with him. Would you have even told me if I wasn't here when you got the owl?"

"Of course I would, Draco, but lucky for me, your opinion is irrelevant in the situation," Hermione said, "and if you don't like it, you don't have to wait around and see how it goes." She regretted the words the moment they left her mouth but, too caught up in the argument and her Gryffindor pride, refused to retract them.

For a split second Draco recoiled. "Fine," he said, the sneer he had worn for their first six years of schooling on his face, voice level, detached. "I won't."

A/N: Please review!