Sorry about posting this chapter this late. As an apology, I'll post the next one also as soon as I've done some minor edits to it.
The portrait of the Fat Lady closed quietly behind Hermione as she arrived at the common room. She almost fell over Crookshanks as the cat came to greet her. He meowed indignantly and she picked him up. Her dear Crookshanks had been waiting for her, she could not help smiling. She had really missed him and did not mind running into him.
"Hermione! Are you alright?" Ronald Weasley was running towards her and bumping into furniture. Hermione grimaced at a pile of books that fell from a table. Harry was perched on a couch with Ginny leaning on his shoulder. They had a big piece of parchment spread on a table in front of them and there was no-one else in the room. She was not happy to see them right now.
"Yes," Hermione answered and looked at the purring creature in her lap.
"Thank Merlin. I thought that greasy git was going to keep you there forever! And then even Malfoy showed up! What did he do to you?" Ron demanded and after stopping spread his hands as if to hug Hermione.
"Nothing?" Hermione stepped back and looked at the parchment on the table pointedly. "You've been spying on me?"
"You weren't at the Great Hall for dinner, so we got worried," Harry said quietly from the sofa. "And it's very late."
"It's awful he didn't even let you eat. We got Colin to get some snacks from the kitchen for you, but he's not back yet," Ginny said.
"Oh, you shouldn't have. Professor Snape did actually feed me..." Hermione noticed her friend's doubtful looks and chuckled. "It's true. Also, regarding Malfoy, I just ran into him on my way to the loo. Professor Snape made me drink too much tea."
Ginny snorted and looked away. Harry patted her back and a giggle escaped her and soon she was laughing out loud.
"I wish I could have seen his face!" Ginny managed to say. "Harry, I told you it's not likely that Malfoy would suddenly attack Hermione around the corner. Don't you remember how he helped her with those bullied first years last year?"
"But they were so close together for at least a minute..." Harry grumbled.
What, Hermione did not remember co-operating with Malfoy on any incident with any first years. What on earth had this timeline's Hermione been doing?
"I ran into him pretty hard. He just helped me up," she told them and did her best to keep her face straight. She remembered how close the boy had held her and his minty breath on her face... But now definitely was not the time to think about minty breaths and close encounters.
"I see," Ginny suddenly said with a sly look on her face. "Just helped, eh?"
"Yes," Hermione replied curtly. She noticed Ron had gotten a bit closer to her and his ears had gone red. His fists were clenched.
"What did Snape make you do in detention? Your positions were a bit odd on the map," Harry hurried to change the subject, and Hermione would have been thankful had the question not been as interrogative as the previous one. If she read the signs right, Ron was close to a temper tantrum and she had no idea in which direction he would slash.
"He... made me write lines," Hermione lied. She avoided Ginny's eyes; she would not buy it. It was strange how naturally she had told Professor Snape her story, and she was pretty sure he had not put anything in her tea. But she did not think she should explain herself to more people before she knew what was going on. It could have unexpected consequences and she was not much in control in her situation for the time being either.
"Just lines? He always made me wash the dirtiest cauldrons without using magic or something else as awful," Harry complained.
Hermione started moving towards the sofas, but at that moment the portrait opened to let in a student who was carrying so many sweets and pastries that they did not see his face.
He rushed in and his foot got caught on a corner of a mattress. The food flew around as he fell and he collided with Hermione's behind. Crookshanks had the sense to hop off her lap before she fell as well.
The cat hissed angrily at the boy, who slowly lifted his head up... From under Hermione's skirt. Hermione's knees and elbows had caught most of the impact with the floor, but her bum also hurt. Ron, Harry and Ginny rushed to her side. Hermione blushed and let Ronald help herself up before looking at the accidental sex offender. The collider was Colin.
"I'm sorry! Are you okay? I didn't mean to... I'm so sorry!" pink faced Colin babbled pathetically on his knees in front of Hermione. From that angle that close he probably would see her panties again if he just sifted his head a little bit. Hermione backed away.
"I've had enough for today," she huffed. "Good night, everyone!"
When she turned to leave, she did not miss the baffled look on Harry's face, Ginny's hands on her hips in a mollylike fashion as she looked at Colin, nor Ron's now completely red face. Crookshanks followed her to the stairs and up. Two collisions with two boys this evening. She did not remember colliding with people much before tonight. It was true she was rather tired.
-x-x-x-
Hermione had to catch her breath when she reached the painting of a bowl of fruit next morning. She leaned on the wall and sneezed before she lifted her hand to tickle the pear. However, before her finger touched the paint of the fruit, the painting flew over and a frowning Draco Malfoy appeared in the hole.
"You're late," he stated as a matter of factly.
"I'm sorry," Hermione said and pulled a paper napkin out of her pocket to blow her nose. Malfoy looked at the procedure with distain and Hermione apologized again after vanishing the napkin. Hermione had not been able to get sleep last night despite the purring feline calming her on her lap. Thoughts had been running circles in her head until she had decided to take a bath. Unfortunately she had fallen asleep in the bath, not after the bath, and woken up with her fingers and toes looking like raisins and shivering all over. The water had gone cold during the couple of hours that had been left of the night. She had also not set an alarm, but her clever cat had meowed her awake before she had completely frozen to death and missed the meeting with the boy.
"Come," Malfoy told her and pulled her through the portrait hole. She was flooded by the sight of dozens of house elves preparing meals for the students upstairs. Before she even had time to think about resisting, Malfoy had led her through the room with a hand on the small of her back and pulled a seat for her. At that point she hesitated, but the impatient look Malfoy gave her made her sit down. He sat down on the seat in front of them.
"Dobby?" Malfoy called, and the elf separated himself from the crowd and came next to their little table in the corner.
"Yes? Hello, Miss Hermy," Dobby said cheerily. He smiled at Hermione and she smiled back.
"Good morning, Dobby. How do you do?"
"Dobby is well, Miss. Is Miss also well?"
"Yes, I am," Hermione answered and wiped her nose with a new paper napkin. "How is Winky?"
"Winky is also well!" Dobby chirped. "I could go get her..."
"No, Dobby. We don't have time for this right now," Malfoy interrupted. "Could you get us a few sandwiches?"
"Coming, right away!" Dobby hurried away.
Hermione's smile disappeared when she looked back at the boy. It irked her how casually commanding he had sounded towards Dobby.
"Here, take this," Malfoy handed her something small and soft. "If you must blow your nose in public, at least use something proper."
In Hermione's hands was a fine white handkerchief with green DM embroidered on its corner.
"Malfoy..." Hermione started, closing her eyes with annoyance.
"Just keep it, okay? Please?" Malfoy pleaded. "I really can't handle watching you with those paper napkins, and we need to get to the topic before class. You know, we need to arrange that class trip somewhere and the Halloween party, and I suppose the plans for those need to be ready soon."
"Yes," Hermione sighed and dropped her animosity towards him, for now. They really needed to discuss the plans. He had been right in inviting her to talk with him this soon after the school year began.
The pair managed to stay on topic for the half an hour they had their breakfast and they succeeded in making a rough outline on what needs to be done for the trip and for the party. The conversation flowed smoothly on which charms should be used for the Halloween decorations and they were unanimous about using portkeys for transporting the students for the trip. Malfoy was more polite than usual and Hermione was as polite as usual and she even forgot who she was talking with for a moment.
As they had the same class next, they continued their discussion after saying goodbye to Dobby. Malfoy made smart observations about the plans and Hermione was happy that he agreed going out of the country for the trip was out of question. It would be nice to see the world, but when you have all Hogwarts' sixth and seventh years to look after, it was much safer to not go all too far.
"I would have loved to visit some Nordic countries, though. I've read that their laws are much more permissive towards magical creatures than ours," Hermione mused.
"We could go anytime you wish, you did promise to go on a date with me anyway," Malfoy said with a charming smile. Hermione stopped on her tracks.
"WHAT?"
"The bet, remember? If I became the head boy you promised you would go on a date with me." Malfoy did not look like he was joking. He even stepped a bit closer to her. Hermione's eyes were wide and her fight of flight instincts tried to kick in.
"I didn't do-" she started, but shut her mouth when the realisation hit her. It was possible that this timeline's Hermione had made such a bet. She could not know, and when she thought about it, it was not completely out of character for her. "Never mind..."
"You don't actually remember?" Draco said sounding a bit hurt. His eyes shone in the magical light of the corridor but his face was blank until he frowned. "I have proof, you know? We did make the deal on paper."
"Could I see that?" Hermione was torn. On one hand Malfoy was an enemy, but on the other, he did seem genuinely devastated about her not remembering she promised to go on a date with her. But she did not know the facts of this world...
"Just a moment," Malfoy mumbled as he dug through his bag. His hand sunk so deep in it that Hermione was sure it was enchanted in a similar manner she had enchanted her beaded bag, which reminded her that she had not found that item among her belongings. Her regular back had been charmed feather light whether it contained anything or not, though.
Finally his hand emerged from the bag with a roll of parchment. She handed it to Hermione.
13th January 1997
A bet between Ms. Hermione Jean Granger and Mr. Draco Lucius Malfoy:
If Mr. Draco Lucius Malfoy becomes the head boy of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in year 1997, Hermione Jean Granger is obligated to go on a date with him.
If Mr. Draco Lucius Malfoy does not become the head boy of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in year 1997, Draco Lucius Malfoy is obligated to pay for the costs of Free House Elves -campaign Hermione Jean Granger arranges in year 1998.
The definitions of "date," "Free House Elves -campaign" and paying for the costs of it, are attached to this document as appendices.
The ink used for the signatures looked like dried blood. Hermione attempted to leaf through the parchment and sure enough it revealed the appendices. The requirements for the date were that they accompanied each other for at least two hours without communicating with anyone else, except possibly for paying or ordering services like food or amusement, in a place of Malfoy's choosing. The requirements for Hermione's campaign were much more complex. She would not have wanted to do the campaign at all anymore anyway, but had Malfoy failed to become the head boy, she would have had to do it so that he could have filled his end of the contract. It was a magically binding contract, and she had no idea what sort of punishment they had decided on failing to comply.
"A-alright," Hermione finally said after reading the documents twice. She handed them back to smiling Malfoy and she awkwardly smiled back.
"So, that's decided, then. We'll go on a date in the Nordic countries..." Draco began, sounding confident, but that confidence faltered as he continued. "I mean, if you'd really like to go there? Where in there would be best?"
"Uh..." Hermione tried to think. What was with the boy? Did he really have that big a crush on her, or, this timeline's Hermione? "The contract said that you have to decide where we spend our date?"
"I want to have a date you also like, so I need to know your opinion," Draco Malfoy smirked. Hermione looked away just to have her chin turned back by a gentle hand. "Look at me."
And Hermione looked. The light haired boy was looking down at her with a soft expression. His lips were slightly curved upwards and his pale eyebrows were wrinkled hesitantly. She could hear and feel her own heartbeat. His young, misty grey, eyes were wide open. He looked innocent. In the war Hermione had killed people he probably knew. She looked down while he still held her chin carefully. As far as Hermione knew, the boy had not killed anyone even in her own timeline despite joining the Death Eaters. Dumbledore would have been his first and only kill.
"Do you still hate me?"
Hermione's eyes snapped back to his at his hurt words. The definition of his brows had gotten stronger. His lips were not upturned anymore. The look in his eyes was pleading. Hermione sighed.
"Look, Malfoy," Hermione started and stepped back hesitantly. "I don't think I hate you anymore. But- I can't just suddenly jump out of joy when I hear I have to go on a date with you."
Malfoy looked down at his hand that had held Hermione's chin. She could not read his expression from this angle. She drew her arms to her chest and crossed them before sneezing again. He chuckled a little keeping his head down and Hermione wiped her nose with the handkerchief he had given her. He clenched his fist and lifted his head and his expression was determined.
"Alright, but I'll make sure you enjoy the date. On Malfoy's honour," he told her, looking fearlessly straight in her eyes. His eyes sparkled more than they had just a moment ago. Was that moisture?
"We should go to class..." Hermione reminded him avoiding his gaze. He pulled a pocket watch out of his robes. Wizards sure did not seem to be very up to date.
"We're already late," Malfoy said and Hermione's face fell. "Maybe we should just skip class and go on the date right away!"
"No," Hermione said sternly and started walking fast towards the classroom. Malfoy quickly caught up with her.
"I was just joking!"
Next chapter coming up very soon, as I explained at the beginning.
