Hello! Okay, I know I said I wouldn't update for a week, but because I'm so awesome, I decided to squeeze in a chapter before I went on vacation. Yes, yes hold your applause, because I have this feeling your going to hate me after this chapter.
Chapter Six
"I win!" Draco said, as he entered the Slytherin common room. It was still early in the morning, and not many students were up. But Blaise Zabini was an early riser, and Draco knew it. He immediately noticed Blaise sitting in the corner of the Slytherin common room reading the Daily Prophet, and stuffing his mouth with toast. "I win!" Draco repeated with a huge smirk on his face.
Blaise was startled to see his best friend storm into the common room at such early hours. "What did you win? An alarm clock?" Blaise replied, spitting food all over the table and looking at Draco curiously. "I've honestly never see you up before 8:00 on the weekend."
"Well, I'm up early because I've got news."
"Yes, that's obvious. So, what did you win?"
"The bet, you moron!" Draco said, looking at Blaise as if he was the stupidest thing in the world. "Remember? You promised me 32 galleons plus your shoes if I got Hermi---uh---the Mudblood to fall for me."
"Oh yeah! Right." Blaise replied, suddenly remembering the whole situation. "What about the bet?"
"I won, you ignorant pig!" Draco was slightly annoyed at his friend for being so clueless.
"Yes, I heard, but I want details mate!" Blaise said as he spread marmalade on his toast.
"She's fallen for me, hard." Draco said with a sneer. "I knew my charismatic personality was good for something."
"Hmm." Blaise said as he loudly munched on his toast. He found Draco's cockiness to be quiet irritating, and wanted to drown out the noise.
"It was so simple, too. I did the whole "I'm so weak and lonely, and because I'm so manly, I'm not afraid to admit" act and she totally bought it. Winning that girl's heart is too easy. All I did was show I was sensitive, but also secure with my manhood, and snap she's as good as mine." Draco said with a pompous smirk, as Blaise rolled his eyes subtly. Blaise knew that Draco had a tendency to exaggerate things to the point where it's a lie.
"Congrats! So, here are my shoes, and I'll pay you later." Blaise said monotonously, as he pulled off his shoes and tossed them towards Draco, and finished off his toast.
"Thanks, mate. You don't actually have to pay me. Do I honestly look like I need the money?"
Blaise watched Draco, his best friend of 5 years, and wondered how the insensitive jerk could even get girls to look at him. Sure he was handsome, but he's an arrogant asshole. Yet there were always girls hanging on to him everywhere he went.
Draco carried his newly won shoes and turned towards the exit, yelling one last sarcastic comment before leaving. "Better go wake up my sweetheart."
-:-
Hermione awoke on the couch feeling...alone. Where's Draco?
At the thought of Draco, Hermione was reminded of night before. She was a hopeless romantic, and last night was just so sweet and romantic. They had danced the night away, literally, and fell asleep on the large Head's couch in each other's arms. Awwwww! Hermione sighed dreamily. She hadn't really opened her heart to anybody after the messy break-up with Viktor Krum, but she knew Draco was different. She was about to get up and look for him until she saw him walk through the common room entrance.
"Morning sleepy!" Draco said with a million-dollar smile when he noticed she'd awaken.
Hermione smiled and watched her beautiful blonde beau (Haha, three B's) walk towards her and kiss her forehead. "Where were you?"
"I brought you breakfast." He said lifting his hand to show her the toast and eggs. Hermione gladly took the food and wondered if they should talk about last night, but decided against it when she noticed he took his fireplace seat and was in deep thought about something. She looked at him with concern, lust, and happiness all mixed in one.
"Why is Granger looking at me like that? Why did I bring her breakfast? Why am I still here with her when I've already won the bet? Why didn't Blaise look shocked when I won the bet? Why do I purposefully act like a jackass around Blaise? Why can't I just admit I like her to Blaise, but I can admit to her I like her? Why am I not making any sense? Why? Why? Why? Why?"
"Draco! Draco? Hello? Anybody there?" Hermione was waving her hand in front of Draco's face trying to get his attention, but he still had the same struggling look on his face. Hermione gave him a light smack on the back of his head, breaking Draco out of his trance.
"What!" Draco exclaimed, startled by the interruption of his innermost thoughts.
"Well, uh, you had this scrunched up constipated look." Hermione said with a smile that was hiding a giggle.
"Thanks, I'm flattered. It's so endearing to be called constipated" Draco said sarcastically and quite rudely I might add. Hermione knew something was definitely wrong, because he only spoke like that when he was in an extremely irritated state.
"What is it?" Hermione questioned.
"What is what?" he replied in the same sarcastic and rude tone. Hermione just looked at him, willing him to tell her. "I'm just…worried about my mum, but don't worry about me." He said as he leaned in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. Hermione looked at him disbelievingly, but continued to eat her breakfast anyways.
"I'm going to get dressed." Hermione said suddenly, wanting to look nice for Draco, and walked towards her dorm. "Wait here for me; I'll be down in half an hour."
"Alright, I think I'm going to get some reading. Just come down when you're ready." Draco replied with a smile. She's so adorable, with her spontaneous actions
Draco picked up a nearby book, pretending to read it, but really, he was thinking about Hermione. Last night, Draco was telling the truth. He really did like her, but what would his friends think of him if they found out that he liked a mudblood? Draco shuddered at the thought, and tried to read the book in front of him.
Just as he read the first sentence, he heard a loud pounding on the common room door, and a couple of guys yelling out his name. He opened the door to find Zabini, followed by Crabbe, Goyle, Warrington, and Flint. Ahh. My posse.
"Is it true, Draco?" asked Goyle, hurriedly. "Blaise told us that you actually kissed the mudblood."
"Did you really get her to fall for you?" Warrington asked, incredulously.
"Yes, I did." Draco replied gloriously. Despite how much mellower and better he's become over the years, he still loves attention.
"How did you do it?" asked Crabbe with a look of stupor on is face.
"Well, it was quite easy." Draco said with a knowing smirk. "The rumors about us the past week helped the situation entirely. I used them as an excuse to talk to her showing her my quote-unquote sensitive side. I also put my mother into play. Nothing like a bit of pity to have her crawling at my feet. And add a bit of charm, and she's in love with me."
Draco felt a twinge of guilt saying all those insensitive words about Hermione, especially since they were all lies, but quickly forgot about it when he saw the looks of awe in his friends' eyes. He always regretted his amazing ability to lie, to impress his friends, but he couldn't help but add "That mudblood is easier than a whore."
Blaise's expression quickly changed, and he looked nervously at Draco, and then somewhat apologetic.
"Is that what you really think?" said a chilled voice behind him.
Draco turned around to see Hermione silently crying at the top steps of the staircase, looking at him with so much hatred and hurt that he could feel it exuding off her.
Shit.
Okay, I know chapter 5 was like the fluffiest cloud in the sky, but keep in mind that the title of the story is Tough Love.
Anyways…thanks for the reviews! Have I told you lately…that I love you! Haha… alright keep it up, and I'll try to add some fluff to the story. If that's what you want…
Oh…btw…I was wondering if you guys wanted me to title the chapters, because I'm not sure if I should…does it really matter? REVIEW! Please tell me what I should work on, what I should stop working on, what I should change, etc... Merci beaucoup!