King of Hearts

Chapter Two: Arrogance

Blaise's POV

"She's awake." Blaise half-expected the words 'Your Majesty' to come out of his mouth.

"Yes," Draco murmured happily, fingering the playing card. "Now it's only a matter of time before she comes running to me."

Blaise Zabini rolled his eyes behind Draco's back. That girl doesn't know what she's got coming. I almost pity her. Almost.

Hermione's POV

Hermione had no idea where her card could be. Neither Harry nor Ron knew where it was, and she had torn apart the Common Room at least eight times. She was starting to get worried.

"'Mione, you have a dozen decks of cards. Why is one card so important?" Ron asked, confused.

"It's this deck I want to play with. It's my favorite. I have to find that card!"

Ron sighed, exasperated. Who would ever understand Hermione Granger? "It's not like someone came into the Common Room just to take that card."

Hermione stopped in her tracks and looked at Ron admiringly. "Ronald Weasley, you're a genius! I never thought to ask the Fat Lady!"

"But—I didn't actually—I was joking…oh well."

Hermione dashed out the door to the Common Room and whirled around to face the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Slow down, dearie. What's wrong?"

"Did anyone come into the Common Room late last night?"

"Why yes, there was one young man who came in at about eleven. He was only in there for a few seconds before he darted back out again. Usually, I would have said something, but he was wearing a Head Boy badge."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Blaise Zabini."

Dracos' POV

It wasn't too much longer before Draco heard the argument out in the corridor. He motioned for Blaise to get the door, allowing the bushy-haired girl inside the Slytherin Common Room. She stomped angrily into the room, but instead of facing Draco, she turned to Blaise.

"Where's my card, Zabini?"

"Not one to beat around the bush, are we, Granger?" came Draco's voice behind the furious sixth year.

"Don't play games with me, Malfoy. I will have my card back, one way or the other." She placed her hand on her wand, whirling around and putting her free hand out, palm side up, in front of the blonde-haired boy.

"No need to resort to magic, Granger. I'll give you your card." He passed it in front of her eyes, slowly and confidently. "I just want to hear you grovel first."

"What? Never."

"Oh, come off it, mudblood. Grovel to the Slytherin Prince."

"Maybe you should put that ego away before you injure someone with it."

Draco smirked. "Witty. I like that. It's cure. But I still want to hear you grovel."

"In your dreams, ferret boy." Hermione raised her wand.

"Expelliarmus!" A voice shouted from behind her, reaching out to snatch he wand from midair.

Draco turned, amused. "Nice try, darling. But you'll need to work a lot harder than that."

"Don't. Call. Me. DARLING!" Hermione shouted through clenched teeth.

"What are you going to do about it?" Draco paced the floor slowly, his smirk still firmly in place, and began to twirl the playing card in his fingers.

Hermione stared at it, as if in a trance. Suddenly, her gaze snapped to Malfoy. Her face turned red from anger, and, before Zabini could stop her, she smacked Malfoy right between the eyes.

"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" He screamed, grasping his broken nose and trying to stop the steady stream of blood flowing from it.

Hermione smiled and watched as the King of Hearts slowly drifted down to the cold dungeon floor. She bent down and picked it up, then retrieved her wand from Blaise, who was preoccupied with helping Draco. "Don't mess with me, Malfoy," she whispered before straightening and sauntering out of the room, wearing the smirk off Draco's face.

"I guess that wasn't the best method of winning her heart," Blaise pointed out dryly.

Draco smacked him across the back of the head, still holding his bleeding nose.