A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews, favorites and follows after last chapter! I am so glad you all enjoyed Max and his hijinks. He needs to do less, for real! You can follow me on tumblr (nauticalparamour) where I post sneak peeks, story updates and answer questions.
Please let me know what you thought of chapter fifteen and be on the lookout for chapter sixteen soon!
Although Hermione had never imagined how her first snog with Adrian Pucey would go (aside from a few vivid dreams that she wouldn't acknowledge), she never would have imagined it ended by being smuggled out of his apartments via a window. She'd whinged to the wizard that she didn't like flying, but he promised that he wouldn't let anything happen to her. He was quite good at Quidditch, after all, he'd quipped with that smug air that he'd had since she revealed that his involvement in the sport was at least part of the attraction.
Hermione was reminded that they didn't really have any other options. They both were convinced that Max would be lurking around in the corridor to see who Adrian's mystery guest was. They agreed it was better if he didn't know it was her; keeping Max in the dark that they were working together was their best bet to figure out who he really was and what his purpose was at Hogwarts. Adrian offered to let her stay over, but Hermione had shyly decided that that would be too much too fast. After all, they had only just realized that they fancied one another.
In the end, Hermione had hopped on the back of his broom and out of the window. She wrapped her arms tightly around his middle and pressed her face into his back, unwilling to look at the ground below the castle when they were this high up. She was certain that his scent would be forever imprinted into her brain.
He deposited her safely in her own room in Gryffindor Tower, coming in when invited. Adrian had left her with a very passionate snog which nearly had her dragging him to her bed. He regretfully reminded her that it would defeat the purpose of him bringing her back, and left with a promise to see her the following day.
When she tucked herself into bed, her body still radiating pleasure from the realization that she fancied Adrian Pucey and that he was an amazing kisser, Hermione recognized that him bringing her back was the best option. Hopefully, she would escape Ginny's notice of slinking back to the Common Room, too. Eventually, she knew that she was going to have to share the developments with her ginger friend, but for now, she wanted to reveal in the secret a bit longer.
The next morning, Hermione was annoyed to remember that she had never actually owled Harry about the Marauder's Map. Sitting down at her desk, she quickly penned him a note to request to borrow it, and decided that she would go send it off before breakfast.
She got ready for the day and couldn't hide the skip in her step. Ginny noticed immediately when she came down the stairs.
"Okay, you aren't getting out of it this time!" she said, with a look that would rival Mrs. Weasley. "Where were you last night? I didn't see you at all after potions."
"I had a headache," Hermione lied, not ready to tell the truth. "And so I went to bed right after classes. I swear that I slept for fifteen hours. And it's put me in such a good mood."
Ginny narrowed her eyes at her, making it clear that she did not entirely believe it. "Are you sure that's what happened?" she asked.
"Yes, I went right to bed," Hermione said, not allowing herself to bend to Ginny's scrutiny.
"That's weird," Ginny said with a frown. "Because I checked in your room and you weren't there. And your bed wasn't slept in either. Want to tell me the truth, Granger?"
Hermione sighed, knowing that she was finally found out. "Okay, but you can't tell anyone," she insisted.
"I would never," Ginny answered, suddenly serious.
"I was over at Adrian's apartment," Hermione said, quietly.
"Oh, Adrian, is it now?" Ginny asked, trying to fight the grin that tugged at the corner of her lips.
"Yes, and he and I have had a bit of a talk, and come to an understanding," Hermione continued, trying to ignore Ginny's excited reponses. "That he and I both like each other quite a bit. We spent the afternoon snogging and then he flew me back to my room."
"You snogged Adrian Pucey?!" Ginny practically shouted.
Hermione shoved her hand over Ginny's mouth. "Shut up!" she hissed. "We only just figured it out ourselves. We don't need the rest of the castle gossiping about it as well."
"Too late for that," Ginny answered. "It's been obvious to basically everyone that the two of you have the hots for one another. I don't think anyone would be surprised that you finally snapped. So what was it like? The snog?"
She immediately sighed when she remembered the weight of Adrian's body pressing her back into the settee, the hot feel of his fingers gliding over her skin. "It was perfect," she answered. "I really like him a lot. He's invited me back over tonight."
"I'm pleased for you," Ginny said, her happiness obvious. "I think you guys will work well together. Just don't go too fast."
"That's why he dropped me off," Hermione said. "But I will keep your sage advice in mind. My brain has a tendency to go a bit fuzzy whenever he is around."
"Aw, Hermione Granger, in love!" her younger friend sighed. "Well, shall we go off to breakfast then?"
"I'll meet you there," Hermione promised. "I have to stop off at the owlery to send a letter to Harry, but I will be right down."
With that agreed on, Ginny and Hermione went their separate ways. Casting a tempus charm, Hermione knew that she would have to hurry if she wanted to make it in time to eat more than just a piece of toast. The hallways were completely deserted, so at least she didn't have to go out of her way to avoid conversation with anyone.
Hermione selected a fast looking owl and attached her letter to its leg, before giving it instructions to deliver to Harry Potter. She hoped that it might make it to him in the early evening, and maybe he'd send the Marauder's Map back with Hedwig. She might even have the map delivered the following morning if she was lucky.
Thinking that her day was off to a great start, Hermione was eager to get down to breakfast, as she was starving from missing dinner the night before. She wasn't watching where she was going, and walked right into someone as she was leaving the owlery. "Oh sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going," she said.
Looking up, she realized that it was Max. "It's no trouble at all," he answered. "Can I walk you down to the Great Hall?"
"I suppose," Hermione agreed. "What were you doing up here?"
"My apartment isn't too far away from here," he explained. "And I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. But it's always good to know where the owlery is. Who were you writing?"
"My friend Harry," Hermione answered. "But I don't really see how that's any of your business."
"Sorry, I was just trying to make friendly conversation," he answered. "My apartment is right next to Adrian Pucey's."
"Oh?" Hermione lied, pretending as if she didn't know exactly where they stayed in the castle. "And why would I care where Adr- where Pucey was staying?"
Max smiled at her. "I don't think that you would care about where he was staying of course," he replied, smoothly. "But I thought you might be interested in knowing that he had a lady friend over last night."
"He did?" Hermione squeaked out, completely unsure of where he was trying to go with this. Was he suggesting that he knew that she'd been over at Adrian's apartments the prior evening.
"Yes, and he looked well-loved if you know what I mean," Max continued. "I didn't hear her leave either. I don't think his room is set up for floo access, but maybe the Headmistress has given him special permissions because of his position at the Ministry."
Or she escaped out the window on broomstick, Hermione thought, hiding her smirk. "I don't know why you think I would care what Pucey chooses to do with a witch or otherwise," she said firmly, hoping to end this topic of conversation firmly. "It's really none of my business."
"Oh, to be sure, it makes sense that you wouldn't care," Max answered, trying to get a read on her face. "But, I just figured that if he was dating a witch that he might not be so strict in the library. If he's too busy snogging random witches, he won't have as much time to torment you."
Hermione swallowed. "That's...thoughtful of you to think of me," she said, hoping that it came off as disinterested.
Yes, she was sure that Adrian would spend much less time tormenting her in the library, now, but she wasn't sure that he wouldn't torment her in new ways. He seemed to enjoy trying to make her squirm by withholding his lips from her when she was literally arching towards him with desire.
She blushed furiously. "But, I'd really rather not think about Pucey more than strictly necessary, Max," she continued after a brief moment. "So, if you could please keep any future gossip about him to yourself, I would be grateful."
Max looked somewhat disappointed by her reaction, but agreed nonetheless.
Hermione was glad to see that they had finally reached the Great Hall, and she could part ways with Max. Finding her way to the Gryffindor tower, she thought over how strange it was that Max had given her the details about Pucey's love life. It was almost as if he was trying to ...make her jealous of him? Feeling a bit sick, she wondered if Max hoped she would fall into his arms if she thought Pucey was no longer available.
But that couldn't be it either. If he was interested in her surely he wouldn't spend all of his time avoiding her around the castle. Hermione was still annoyed that he'd managed to evade her. She was going to get to the bottom of that mystery one way or another.
She thought back to Malfoy's insistence that Max said he was looking for him, and then Max's cautious way that he informed her of Adrian's female visitor. It was almost like he was trying to make them both think that they had other romantic interests. But, it was poorly executed. Everyone in Hogwarts knew that Draco Malfoy was in love with Astoria Malfoy. No one would think that Hermione and Malfoy were having some sort of secret relationship.
And, in any case, how would Max know that either of them would care about the other romantically? Both she and Adrian had been very clear in their interactions with Max that they loathed one another (something that they had both believed to be true).
Max Purney was getting odder and odder. Taking a bite of her toast, Hermione determined to share the moment with Adrian that evening when she joined him in his apartment for dinner. It was a Friday night, so there would be no special need to rush back to Gryffindor tower. She was rather excited to have her first 'date' with him, even if most of their time would be spent researching the remaining census records.
They might be giddy in their new feelings for one another, but they were both very driven and wanted to get to the bottom of this mystery.
Maybe they could get permission from the Headmistress to go to Hogsmeade one evening for a real date. Surely, with Hermione's status as an eighth year, she could have special permission to go to the village one extra time.
Smirking, Hermione wondered if Adrian would be willing to accept her getting that sort of special treatment, if it only benefited him as well. It would be an fascinating character study when she ran it past him that evening.