I hope you will enjoy this! Good reading!

Chapter 5

Hermione cringed at the picture she had in front of her eyes: A brunette and a blond boy were standing in front of each other, at King's Cross Station Platform 9¾, few metres away from the camera lens. The boy was holding the girl's arm, and with his other hand he was grabbing a package from his pocket and putting it delicately in the girl's palm. They were looking romantically at each other like real lovers exchanging gifts.

Hermione knew exactly what had happened that day since the brunette girl was herself and the boy was much to her dismay Draco Malfoy. It wasn't at all a romantic comedy playing out then; it was a horror movie! Appearances were deceptive and she wanted to scream it to every single soul who understood otherwise. But here they were, depicted like two lovers in a moving photograph, over and over.

When her gaze finally left the photograph to focus on the article itself, Hermione was on the verge of a breakdown.

FORBIDDEN LOVE BETWEEN THE GOLDEN GIRL AND THE MALFOY HEIR

By Rita Skeeter

First day of September, last day of holidays, Hogwarts students are rushing through King's Cross Station. In the middle of this excited crowd, two connected souls oblivious of the surrounding chaos are exchanging more than just presents. Promises of love and support can be read in their amorous eyes.

These two lovers who are they? Hermione Granger, top class student, golden girl, and Draco Malfoy, heir of the Malfoy's fortune, son of the former death eater Lucius Malfoy. Do not be surprised readers, love is blind, innocent and kind, it strikes without notice. These two lovers are incompatible in every way; their families' legacy, their morals, their education and above all their prejudice for blood purity. But once more this little mischievous Cupid has amazed us with the impossible; a 20th century star-crossed love.

[…]

And the article went on and on, describing more lies that everyone in the wizarding world would soon know and believe.

"That's bollocks!" whispered Hermione in chock. "And Malfoy among all people!"

She looked at Harry and Ron sitting in front of her. They looked curious. Did they believe what the article said about her? She frowned.

"Are you believing the lies told by this evil bitch?" whispered Hermione angrily showing the newspaper to Harry and Ron.

"No, we are not of course!" answered Harry quickly, "How could we, this is Malfoy they're talking about"

Ron stayed quiet and looked at the floor, frowning.

"So why are you like that? This is outrageous, you should be mad right now, like me! This is the same story all over again, but this time instead of a fictional love with Harry I upgraded to the next level of torture; Draco fucking Malfoy! Why is this always happening to me?" cracked Hermione.

"What's always happening to you? What's happening?" asked Ginny, who was joining them at the breakfast table with Parvati. Harry gave them the article. She read it in chock.

"Malfoy? This is crazy! Skeeter chose the most prejudiced of them all! This stupid bitch how could she do that?" said an angry Ginny.

"Oh god! This is bad. More unbelievable the story is, more convinced people will be; you will see Hermione." Added Parvati with concerned.

Hermione looked around her, people were still staring and whispering. Parvati was right, they were believing it. How could they? She looked at the Slytherins' table, searching for the blond ferret. No sign of him, where was he?

"This is awful" said a desperate Hermione. "You are right everyone seems to believe it!"

Ginny looked angrily at Parvati. "You can't know that for sure. They are just surprised by the news. They will soon realise that nothing is happening between you and this snake, and they will find something else to talk about" said Ginny with a reassuring voice.

"Well I would say that the picture is pretty convincing!" mumbled Ron before Ginny hit him on the arm "But it's true look at the photograph, they are exchanging romantic presents!"

"I knew it, you are believing these lies" said Hermione hurt.

"Well you did have changed; your clothes, your new friendship with Zabini! Malfoy being your boyfriend is no lightning in a blue sky. Plus, you couldn't stop talking about him in the train." Said Ron arms crossed.

Hermione was offended and outraged. How could he say that to her? He was her best friend! He chose to believe an evil harpy instead of her. She felt heartbroken, how could he do that to her?

She felt her eyes tingled. She was on the verge of crying and she decided that it wasn't something she would do in front of everyone.

"I can't believe you are saying this to me Ron. I can't handle your behaviour right now. I will see you all in class later" She said trying to keep her voice as neutral and cold as possible. She grabbed a piece of bread and left the great hall.

….

Hermione managed to keep herself from bursting into tears until she was locked in her bedroom. When she finally felt safe, and hidden, she leant on her bedroom's door and let herself go. Her tears were streaming down her face slowly. She felt bitterness more than sadness.

How Ron could cause her to cry so much over the years. Already in first year, after a few mouths in Hogwarts, she cried because of him and his lack of tact. How stupid it was back then to go hide in the bathrooms, crying because of him. Isolating herself in her sadness when all the other students were enjoying the feast in the Great Hall. And because of the troll that Quirrell released in the school back then, her pathetic behaviour almost cost her life. And here she was, all over again, locked in her room crying because of the same boy. Did she learn anything since then?

She whipped her tears, angry at herself and her behaviour. She forced herself to regain composure and fixed her appearance with some hair and red puffy eyes spells.

She thought about the "plan" she made this summer and her urge to make Ron her boyfriend. It was the worst idea she ever had. Ron and she were too different, they wouldn't work as a couple. Even as friends sometimes their differences were problematic.

Hermione was glad she finally realized it. Better late than never she thought.

She grabbed her books and went to the dungeons where she had her first class of the day. She would arrive in advance and she could therefore review her textbook one more time before her first potion class.

…..

Hermione sat at one of the double desks in the classroom. She took out her potion's schoolbook from her bag.

She was fully focused in her reading, when someone entered the classroom. She looked at her watch. They still had 20 minutes before the class began, and she wondered who could be here early? Before she could turn and see who it was, someone sat next to her. She looked up and recognized Draco Malfoy. He was settling, taking out of his bag his textbook and lining up different potion ingredients on their shared desk.

"What are you doing Malfoy?" asked Hermione sharply. "The whole classroom is empty; you could just choose any seat and yet you chose the one taken desk. I'm not in the mood, leave me alone." she said rubbing her temples.

"Well, am I not allowed to sit next to my girlfriend?" asked Malfoy looking at her with a smirk before continuing preparing the ingredients for their class.

What did he just say? Girlfriend?

"HA HA HA, very funny Malfoy. Someone please call Skeeter we have a breaking news! Seriously stop with that, you're making my day worse than it already is and I didn't think it was possible"

He stared right into her eyes "I'm definitely not joking. I'm dead serious Granger; there is no other place I rather be than this one"

What the hell? He was looking at her with very grave eyes and not an ounce of mockery. By Merlin's bear he did look serious indeed and more serious than ever she ventured to think. He wasn't joking at all. At least it looked like it. She was watching him now open mouth, in chock.

"Are you okay love? You seem to have once more lost your tongue." he said making himself busy with the potion's ingredients.

"What the hell are you talking about Malfoy? Don't act like all of this was normal! What the fuck is wrong with you? Is this linked to the article, are you making fun of me or something?" said Hermione trying to contain her anger.

"I wouldn't dare make fun of you Granger, I know what you are capable of" he said before scratching his nose. And she knew he was referring to the punch she gave him at the end of last year when he called her a mudblood.

"It didn't stop you before, making fun of me, my teeth, my hair, calling me names!" she said angrily. "And stop this! Look at me when you are talking to me" Hermione said before taking from him the vial he was holding. He finally stopped whatever he was pretending to do and looked at her in the eyes. She couldn't say if this was better, she suddenly realised that he was very close to her, few centimetres away actually.

"I know. It won't happen again Hermione." he said calmly. Her name felt weird on his lips. She couldn't understand what was happening. Why was he suddenly trying to be nice to her? Malfoy would never act like this! Something was definitely off.

"None of this make any sense! I'm not your girlfriend Malfoy. It's not because, an article written by the most incompetent journalist of England said it, that it makes it true!" Hermione said frowning.

"Then, allow me to be your friend" demanded Malfoy taking back the vial from her, brushing his fingers against hers longer than necessary.

"What is wrong with you? Are you not mad about the lies that Skeeter wrote about us?" asked Hermione astonished by his behaviour.

"Why would I? Being depicted as your boyfriend and the whole school knowing about it was the best thing that could have happened" said Malfoy staring right into her eyes and closing dangerously the distance between them.

"I am not stupid Malfoy. I know that you are planning something" said Hermione suspicious. She tried to push him away with her hand, but he stopped her by grabbing it before. "I will find out. Be sure of that" she whispered. They were so close it was hard for her to focus on their conversation. The dungeons never felt so warm before. Why was he acting like that?

They got suddenly interrupted when students entered the classroom. It was some Gryffindors and Slytherins and they all stopped their conversation to stare curiously at them both. Hermione realised that she was VERY close to Malfoy and that they were almost HOLDING hands. Shit! This couldn't look worse. She quickly pulled away from the snake and pretended to make her desk ready for class, blushing furiously.

Her glare was stuck on the floor. She couldn't look at anyone in the eyes, she didn't know why but she was ashamed and still blushing.

When she realised that Harry and Ron were already in the classroom, sitting next to each other, she tried to catch their attention. But it was a complete failure. Ron never looked as pissed and Harry was staring at her in chock. Shit none of this was good, and she thought that moving to another desk with another partner was maybe the best thing to do right now. But as she started reuniting her belongings, Snape entered the class. It was too late. She was stuck next to Malfoy and that wasn't helping her at all.