Till Death Do We Part

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy and company do NOT belong to me. They belong to the very skilled writer, Ms JK Rowling!! I wished I owned Draco Malfoy, but I don't! I repeat, I OWN DRACO MALFOY . er - I meant I don't own him, he, he, he.

Summary: It's Hermione's seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She's doing quite well, being Head Girl and all... that is until a certain Slytherin comes along and ruins everything. Is Draco Malfoy trying to turn Hermione into the dark side, or is he really in love with her?

Author's Note: Ah! Another story updated! I would very much like to dedicate this chapter to "XPOPCORNX," for inspiring me and being my 300th reviewer on The Bet! Even though I have abandoned that story, I've started revising it, so a chapter 12 may come up in a month or two and I am working on The Devil Next Door and Dreaming of You. Enjoy!

Chapter Six – A Very Awkward Position

--

"What do you want, Malfoy?" the Head Girl grumbled under her breath. She had merely a couple of minutes in peace, when he strolled on in their dormitory. Already, Hermione could feel the throbbing beginning to form in her temples. He was sure to want something, or if not, wanted to bug the hell out of her for the fun of it.

But Draco Malfoy merely shrugged, and flopped down on the seat beside her. She raised her eyebrow at him, uncertain of his actions and took out another book to read. "Advanced Arithmancy Level 7," was one Hermione had read many times, but never got tired of. She honestly swore that she had read at least half of the library's books. Turning to the first page, the Head Girl began reading. Maybe if she ignored him, the little prick would get the idea and leave.

He did not.

Instead, Draco began fiddling with his wand, circling it between his fingers. Hermione glanced at him from her book. It was very distracting. She almost snorted at the thought. Leave it to Malfoy to disrupt her evening reading. Hermione put her book down on her lap and coughed, hoping that he would get the point and maybe continue his little circus act in his own bedroom.

Again, he did not stop, nor did he bother looking, or acknowledging her presence. Purposely, he twirled the wand around his pale fingers and did so merely inches from her nose. The Head Boy seemed to be very well amused by his own act and didn't notice Hermione's glaring face.

She angrily slapped the wand away from his hands, grabbed her book and scampered off to her room, grumbling something about annoying gits and spoiled, rich brats.

Once she had vacated the common room, Draco smirked and picked up his wand. He headed off to his room and slipped off the cloth that hung on his rusty mirror. The face appeared in the shady glass and yawned, before asking him for the password.

Draco scowled at this. The mirror was fully aware that he was its owner, and still, every time he was in need of assistance, the bloody thing would ask for a sodding password. He mumbled the word "Draconis," and the mirror gave him a sly smile.

"Back for more?" it said.

"You bloody said it would work and it did not," Draco started, "I tried ignoring the little bint and she just ended up slapping my wand away, before running to her room. Merlin help me, I swear that the woman is impossible."

Valen blinked, "Well, did you do something to annoy the little duckling?"

Draco glared at him, "What on earth are you talking about?"

The mirror raised his eyebrow at his master and Draco replied, "Well, I was twirling my wand in her face." Valen chuckled at this. "What?" Draco asked, "It was the only thing I could do and occupy myself with while she was reading her bloody book. What was I supposed to do? Stare and gawk at the ceiling?"

"A little duckling's very fragile and adorable, but when it is annoyed or threatened, it flaps its wings about in anger," the mirror said.

Draco blinked, having a sudden image of Hermione Granger, being an ugly duckling and flapping her dirty wings at him to throw off his wand. He snickered at the thought. "So, what am I supposed to do now?"

"Ignore the little girl, Drakie poo," Draco shot him a death glare at his little comment, but let him continue, "She will come to you eventually. Do not even glance at her or acknowledge her presence. Women are weird creatures, they seek attention and thus, if you ignore her, she will start to wonder why, and eventually seek you out in the end."

Draco pondered for a bit. "Fine," he drawled out, "but if this doesn't work I will most certainly finish what my mother was about to do with that chair."

The mirror gave him a frightened look and laughed nervously. "Yes, yes, it will work, Master. Trust me."

--

"Don't you lie to me!" Ginny squealed and tugged on Hermione's sleeve. "Tell me, tell me!" she asked. "What was he like? He is very handsome, isn't he and not at all like Malfoy—no, not like Malfoy at all! I heard he's a very quiet fellow. Oh, Hermione! Tell me what you two talked about."

Hermione rolled her eyes at the red haired girl. Supposedly, people had spotted her with Diablo Malfoy in the library and had begun talking. Weird things apparently, from what Ginny told her. That they were snogging, and tugging at each other's robes in the public eye. What complete rubbish.

"We didn't talk about anything," she started, "not like what people are saying, anyways. He just told me a bit about Durmstrang, and how he likes it here a lot better. You know little bits of this and that, nothing special really. I don't get where people are getting all this snogging business from!"

Ginny seemed uncertain, "Does he seem interested in you, Hermione?" she asked and her bushy haired friend gave her a blank look. "I mean, you have been the first person he's spoken to, other than his cousin, I believe. Do you suppose he fancies you? That's what the others have been rambling on about."

Hermione seemed taken aback and glared at her friend. "He's a very nice guy, Ginny, not at all like Malfoy, but I've only met him and he's only met me, once. There is no way someone can take a fancy in another if they've only just met them," she answered. "We don't even know anything about each other!"

"Well," Ginny started, "maybe he has just taken a liking to you," she said and Hermione gave her a weird look. "Come on, Mione. You aren't completely unattractive!"

"I never said I wasn't," Hermione said hotly, "Now let's stop this nonsense and hurry up to the Three Broomsticks. I'm in dire need of a butterbeer."

Ginny shrugged at her and strolled along side her friend. A day in Hogsmeade was always relaxing. It gave the students time to let their minds wander from their studies and actually find some time for fun, especially those who were in their final and seventh year. It was the perfect place for the Head Girl to spend her day to get her mind off things.

The two pushed past the bustling crowds of people and hurried themselves to find Harry and Ron. They were not, much to their disappointment, at the Three Broomsticks. Hermione seated herself on the wooden chair and immediately ordered her butterbeer.

The whole incident with Diablo Malfoy had completely caught her off guard. Everyone had been talking apparently, and the news of their supposed relationship had not even reached Hermione's ears, until Ginny had come storming from the Gryffindor common room to confront her. She, of all people, with a Malfoy? How absurd. The thought was positively ghastly, but Hermione admitted silently to herself that Diablo would have been a much better candidate than his snot of a cousin, Draco.

"Where do you suppose Harry and Ron went off to?" Ginny's asked. She was turning her head in all directions to see if she could spot them from the crowds.

Hermione shrugged. "You know those two. I've barely spoken to them since we've started classes," she said, "and to think that they're my best friends and have never come down to see me in my own dormitories." She shook her head at the thought of the kind of trouble that the two might have gotten to by now and gripped her glass, before taking a sip.

Ginny gasped. "Do you think that they heard about the news between you and Diablo Malfoy?" she exclaimed, clamping her hand over her mouth. "I reckon that they would be pretty shocked if they heard that bit of gossip. Nice or not, he's still a Malfoy, and you know how Harry and Ron hate Malfoys."

"I hope not," Hermione said, "but I think that if they have, they would have gone through the whole school to find me."

"Hmm." Ginny leaned her arm against the table. "So, now will you tell me about what you and Malfoy talked about?" She gave Hermione a little wink.

"Nothing happened, Ginny! You don't honestly believe those people, do you?" she asked, her lips twisting into a frown.

Ginny waved her arms in front of her chest. "No, no, no! Of course not," she said. "I just wanted to know what you guys talked about, that's all."

The ends on Hermione's lips twitched a bit. "Well...um, well, Ginny?" Her friend looked at her attentively and suddenly Hermione felt nervous. "Well...," she started. "What do you suppose flirting is like? I mean, what does flirting even sound like?"

Her eyebrows raising uncertainly, the Weasley girl gave her friend a confused look. "What?"

"Well, it just... when Diablo was talking to me, it seemed rather strange. He kept making comments such as—"

"Such as?" Ginny was in full alert now and her lips in a wide grin.

Hermione gave a heavy sigh. Ginny wasn't making it any easier. "Well," she said, "he told me that... I looked cute when I was blushing," the last words came out in a bare whisper and Ginny looked confused.

"Excuse me, what?"

"I said..." Hermione leaned over the table, across Ginny, and whispered in her ear.

"He said that?"

"Yes."

Ginny's smile broadened. "Well, you're right to ask, Hermione!" she said all too enthusiastically. "That, my dear, is an entrance and beginning to the act of flirting."

"It is?"

"Of course!" Ginny exclaimed. "My goodness, Hermione, you really need to be more aware of these things." She said. "I have very little doubt that he's uninterested in you! I mean, if he's a Malfoy, he wouldn't be caught dead as to flirt about with well...you know, a muggle-born, and the fact that he does, is a complete indication that he fancies you."

Hermione knew that Ginny meant no offence, but it certainly made her feel a lot worse. She had not held herself back from talking with Diablo and the thought of him flirting with her and having a chance of maybe liking her, was certainly very appealing, until Ginny made her little comment. So what if she was muggle-born?

Ginny, who seemed to have noticed her friend's sudden silence said. "It's not that I'm saying he won't be interested," she said quickly. "You said so yourself, that he's very nice and from what I heard, probably nothing like Draco Malfoy."

That was the thing. Didn't Draco Malfoy say weird things to Hermione too? Besides the fact that he did the most outrageous, ghastly things to annoy her, he had said some pretty peculiar things that Hermione wasn't quite sure of. Was it flirting as well or maybe his way to make fun of her?

"Well, Draco Malfoy is an arrogant, sodding bastard, but," Hermione hesitated. "But, he's said things too, like—"

Ginny suddenly gasped ignoring her, grabbed a hold of Hermione's hands and her face seemed to freeze. She cocked her head to the side and her eyes motioned Hermione towards the door. Diablo Malfoy had just walked in alone, and his eyes were scanning the room.

Hermione turned to look at him then whipped her head around to stare down at her empty glass. This was just what she needed, another Malfoy to make her feel uneasy.

He, on the other hand, noticed her and strode on by their table. He gave Ginny a quick nod and looked down at Hermione's bushy head. She refused to look up at him. Already, she could feel her face burning up. Wasn't she and Ginny just talking about him a few seconds ago? What a coincidence that he should happen to stroll on by and come towards their table.

"Hello," he drawled out to her.

Hermione snapped her head up to look at him and gave him a small smile. "Hello," she said. Her face was heating up, and she swore that when she spoke, her bottom lip trembled.

"Mind if I take a seat?" he asked. "The others are full."

Ginny looked very much excited. "Yes, yes, of course!" she said and offered him the seat next to hers.

Unfortunately for her, the dark haired boy seated himself next to the Head Girl, and noticed her empty glass. "Two butterbeers, please." He glanced at Ginny and raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, sure," she said quickly and Diablo nodded.

"Make that three," he announced.

Hermione fidgeted at the hem of her skirt and Ginny gave her a knowing look. How could she even talk to him? What if he had heard the rumors or what if he thought that she was the one telling people about their so called relationship. My Gods! That would be embarrassing.

Diablo seemed to be amused by the certain conversation the two females had, with only the use of their eyes and smirked, taking a sip of his butterbeer. "So, ladies," he said, "I find it hard to believe that you two are alone on a fine day like this... in Hogsmeade, no less."

--

Draco pushed past a couple of third year students as he hurried himself to the Three Broomsticks. He had recall Valen telling him that Hermione Granger spent a great deal of her time at Hogsmeade in the so called pub, but he was still unsure of what to do. Ignore the little bint, then... she would come to him? Women were compete idiots, he had decided.

A frown appeared on his face and he shoved a hand in his pocket, holding the little mirror in his hands. He had convinced it to shrink its size so that he could bring it with him. Draco never did understand what it was with women and their uncertainty for everything. It was very irritating.

With a flash, Draco had threw open the door to the Three Broomsticks, causing a few third and fourth year students to fall from their seats in shock. He smirked knowingly and looked around the room.

'Uh, oh,' the mirror said. 'Isn't that your beloved cousin sitting too comfortably with your little duckling?'

Valen almost yelped as his master gave him a squeeze, threatening to break his glass.

Draco muttered a few curses under his breath and seated himself to a table not too far from theirs. He had a pretty good view and tried not to make himself too noticeable by bringing the Daily Prophet up to his face to read. His mouth twisted into a frown as his eyes bore into the back of his cousin's dark hair.

They seemed to be having an interesting conversation. The Weasley girl was frantically trying to make small talk with the dark haired Malfoy and Draco nearly gagged. Diablo must be desperate if he were to actually seat himself willingly with a Weasley.

Rolling his eyes, Draco watched, peeping over the newspaper and saw that Diablo had turned his attention to Hermione, ignoring the Weasley girl completely. His eyes narrowed as he watched the mudblood flush a dark pink at his cousin's sudden interest.

So that was his game. Playing the nice guy, eh? He was trying to win her over with kindness and all that nonsense. It was complete nonsense, but then again, it was working, or so it seemed. The bushy haired girl was a complete mess. Draco could see she was stuttering as she spoke and felt the impulse to seat himself next to them, just to irritate his cousin.

"This is clearly not working," Draco muttered under his breath.

The mirror twitched in his pocket. 'Just stay still...' it warned him.

"So I am just supposed to sit here, while that twit of a cousin of mine is mere inches away from the prey? Sit here and wait for her notice that I am ignoring her completely, and hope that she comes like you say?" Draco hissed.

'Don't do it...' Valen warned as he felt his master stiffen slightly.

Draco stood up abruptly, leaving his discarded newspaper behind on the table and stalked on towards the lovely group. He stopped inches from them and looked down as his cousin's head turned towards him. Without a moment's hesitation, he seated himself next to the Weasley girl, so careful as to not brush any part of his body against hers. She was, to his knowledge, a complete disgrace to the word, "pureblood."

He saw the clear, confused look on Granger's face when he sat down. It was supposedly awkward that Draco Malfoy would come out of nowhere and seat himself in the presence of his two enemies. No doubt that if Harry Potter and Ron Weasley saw them, a raging war of insults and screaming would occur.

Diablo spoke first. "Ah, Draco," he drawled out, his eye twitching in annoyance, "What brings you here?"

"I could as you the same thing." The drawl of the two Malfoy's were almost completely identical and it was difficult for Hermione and Ginny to distinguish who spoke first.

"I've heard that this place is a good hang out, especially if you're in dire need for a butterbeer," Diablo said, and his eyes flickered to Hermione for a second. "I thought you hated being in the presence of muggle-borns."

Draco cocked his head to the side. Diablo really was playing the good boy, wasn't he? His cousin always used the term "mudblood," instead of "muggle-born," as did all Malfoys, and his sudden change of conscience wasn't going to fool anyone, especially Draco. "I am Head Boy," he said with a sneer, "I have important matters I need to discuss with Granger. No need to question my tactics, dearest cousin."

"Oh," Diablo raised his eyebrows questioningly, "and what might those important matters be, dearest cousin?" The dark haired Malfoy slouched in his seat.

"Nothing that I need to discuss with you," Draco spat back.

By now, the room had gone quite silent as the two Malfoys bickered to themselves and the two Gryffindors looked at one another nervously squirming in their seats. They both wanted to frantically just run away from the scene and it was Ginny who spoke first.

"I-I guess, I'll just go," she stuttered, getting up from her seat.

Hermione caught the gesture and tried to follow. As soon as she stepped up, Diablo Malfoy quickly caught hold of her wrist and pulled her back to sit down.

"Don't go so soon, Hermione," he said, "Draco was just going to tell us the important business he wishes to discuss with you. What good would it do him if you were to leave now?"

Hermione glanced at her friend, who gave her a sympathetic look and crept out of the pub. Suddenly, the Head Girl felt an urge to strangle the red haired girl for leaving her in such a situation.

"The Weasley girl is wise," Draco drawled out, "Why don't you follow her example and scoot on out of here. Granger and I need to talk."

"Oh? And what is so important that you can't discuss it in front of your own flesh and blood, Draco?"

Draco, by now, was positively seething as Diablo kept his firm grip on Hermione wrist. The kick was that the little bint wasn't fighting him off. If it were him that had grabbed her so unpleasantly, she would throw a fit, screaming at him for being an arrogant son of a bitch and take off. There she was, however, a pink tinge on her face. She neither moved, nor glanced at him, but kept her eyes down.

He almost rolled his eyes. How he wished his cousin would leave, but he knew that Malfoys never backed down. Ha! And neither would he.

"It's Head Boy and Girl business," he hissed trying to keep in control, "surely you must understand..."

Diablo smirked at him. "Well, let's hear it," he said, "I want to know about all the fun activities you two are planning to discuss. I'm sure these important matters have everything to do with the student body, and the last time I checked, I was a student. Care to enlighten me?"

Hermione wanted to bury her face in her hands. She hated Malfoy for ruining her evening. Diablo had been so nice and sweet to both her and Ginny and he just had to come by with his big arrogant head and spoil everything. What was worse was the fact that Diablo, being a nice guy that he was, wouldn't let her leave because of the supposed Head Boy and Girl business Malfoy had to discuss with her.

She now knew that both of them didn't get along very well. No, not at all. In fact, it seemed that both Malfoys were fighting the urge to throw themselves on each other in a fist fight or a battle of insults. Why did she, Hermione Granger, have to be stuck in between them?

--

Ha, ha, ha. UPDATED FINALLY. Oh gods. Well, I've decided that I need to at least finish one of my fanfiction, so here I am doing just that. R/R!