Disclaimer; I don't own Harry Potter.
A/N Hi everyone! Here is the next chapter. I hope you like it. I am suffering from slight writer's block on this story. I have written up to like chapter 11 or so so don't worry, i will be over it and finish up soon. Happy reading everyone and don't forget to review! I love reviews! I live for them! Maybe more reviews would cure my writer's block. lol. Thanks!
Anti-Malfoy propaganda
The weeks seemed to fly by for Hermione. She was lost in a whirlwind of romance and pleasure and she was having the time of her life. Harry and Ron noticed this change and were none to happy about it.
"Hermione, what on earth is going on with you?" Harry asked after she had gotten an A on her charms pre-N.E.W.T exam.
"What do you mean?" she asked Harry as she looked over her paper.
"An A? You have never gotten an A in all your years at Hogwarts." he said adjusting his glasses. Ron looked at her just as confused. She was still not talking to him, but she was not yelling at him anymore either.
"Nothing is the matter, I just have been busy." she said blushing.
"Busy with what? Or should I ask who?" Harry said eyes fiercely glaring.
"Just stuff. Look I am a normal teenage girl. Just because I like school doesn't mean I don't also enjoy the company of smart, funny young men." she replied.
"Like Malfoy? He is smart and funny? Since when?" Ron blurted out.
"Well Ronald," she said emphasizing his first name. "Since I got to know him better. He's not the prick he used to be."
"Right." Ron muttered under his breath.
"Anyway, my grades are still better than both of yours so don't worry about me, worry about your own upcoming N.E.W.T.s." she said as she stood up to leave.
Right outside the charms classroom Draco was waiting for her.
"Hey you." he called. "How was class?"
"Great." she said handing him her paper with a big 'A' across the top.
"I see." he said looking over her answers. "Nice."
She threw him a big smile which he returned warmly.
"Let's go into the village and have a drink." he said.
"It's the middle of the week, we aren't scheduled to go to Hogsmeade until next weekend." she told him.
"I know other ways around that." he said with an evil grin.
"Well," she said looking around. "Okay, meet me in the common room in half an hour." He nodded and started to leave. She sprinted down the hall racing to get changed as quickly as possible. Meanwhile Harry and Ron caught up with Draco just down from the charms classroom.
"Malfoy!" Harry yelled.
"Yes Potty?" he replied.
"What do you think you are doing with Hermione? You could not possibly like her, so what is this some sort of sick cruel joke? Are you planning on crushing her in front of the entire school or something?" Harry asked. Ron just stood there cracking his knuckles in a very Crabbe like way.
"Contrary to popular belief Potty, Hermione is a fascinating person. I can't believe the two of you are so dim that you didn't realize it for the six years you were friends with her. I have only been talking to her for two months and I probably know her better than you do." Draco said trying to push Harry and Ron's buttons.
"You do not Malfoy. WE are her best friends." Harry said pointing between himself and Ron.
"Then you are even dumber than I thought. How could anyone be her friends and not fall in love with her." oops, he had said the 'l' word. His pale face blushed.
"LOVE? You are not in love with her." Ron yelled. "I love her; I have loved her since we were eleven."
"Well you sure have an odd way of showing it. Do you realize how you two have made her feel over the past couple of years? Like she was one of the guys. Like she was just there to help you with homework, but if either of you had a date she should clear off. Then weasel here pressures her to have sex and when she turns him down, wise choice on her part, he runs off to the first slut who will have him. She has told me all of these feelings, and the two of you who claim to be her best friends don't even realize how much you have hurt her. Thank the gods you turned me down to be my friend on our first day here Potty or I might be just as big of an emotional wreck as you turned her into." He looked at them both with their mouths hanging open and smirked before walking off to change for his date.
Hermione was up in her room fussing over what to wear. Being November it was bitter cold outside and she could see the wind whipping the trees out of her bedroom window. She finally decided on a soft blue cashmere sweater and her favorite jeans. She pulled on some ankle length boots and an off white wool overcoat with a soft knitted scarf. Her hair fell in loose but messy curls and she put on some light make up. Looking in her mirror she smiled. She was happy with the way things were going. Hermione was falling in love.
Down in the common room Draco was waiting for Hermione patiently. He wanted to tell her about his conversation with Potty and the Weasel. The look on their faces had been almost priceless. He wished he had one of those muggle cameras to capture the moment forever. Just then she stepped out of her room and headed down the stairs. She looked lovely. His breath got stuck in his throat for a moment.
"You…wow, uh…you look…perfect." he mumbled, blushing deeply. Hermione giggled.
"Thank you. So how are we going to get to Hogsmeade?" she asked as they walked out of the portrait hole hand in hand.
"Walk." he said smiling.
"Walk? I thought you knew ways?" she asked.
"I do, we walk. Being heads we can come to the village whenever we want, didn't you know that?" he said smirking. She pouted her lips.
"No."
"You look beautiful when you pout." he said wrapping his arm around her shoulder. The wind whipped her hair around her face.
"You lie so well with a straight face." she replied.
"Will you stop and take a compliment?" he said annoyed. She smiled back at him.
"So where are we going?" she asked wrapping her scarf around her neck a little tighter.
"Three broomsticks, I am sick of being stuck in that castle." he said looking off towards the tiny village. "Unless you want to do some shopping." he asked.
"No, just a drink. I have loads of homework to finish." she told him.
"Oh, how is that going?" he asked.
"Fine." she replied. "Just a little behind."
They walked the rest of the way in a comfortable silence. A few minutes later they reached the three broomsticks. Draco opened the door for Hermione and she took a seat by the window. He went up to the bar to get them both drinks. She looked out of the window and contemplated how things were now going in her life. She was feeling something for the blonde boy who accompanied her to the pub and frankly it was scaring her. True they had not made love since that first night, but they could spend the night together, wrapped in each other's arms, and not do anything. Draco turned around and faced her carrying two warm Butterbeers.
"Here you go." he said handing her the glass.
"Thank you." she replied taking a long sip. The warm liquid ran down her throat warming her chilly body instantly.
"Just what I needed." she smiled as she took another long sip.
"Too right." he replied.
"So what should we talk about?" he asked her. She shrugged her shoulders.
"What ever you want." she said as she fussed with her drink.
"Hmmm…" he said mimicking thinking. "How about my conversation earlier with Potty and the Weasel?" he said. She nearly choked on her drink.
"WHAT?" she blurted. "When was this?"
"Right after I asked you out for a drink in the charms corridor." he said. "They were not too happy." he smirked thinking of the looks on their faces when he had walked away from them.
"What was said?" she asked wide eyed.
"They basically accused me of using you. And I told them you were a fascinating person and if they had a brain in their tiny heads they would know that. After all they have known you a lot longer." he said smiling. "And I also told Potty I was glad he turned me down when I offered to be his friend on our first day at school."
"Why?" she asked.
"I figured if you are his friend, and this is how he treats his friends, I am better off not being his friend." he said smiling. Hermione beamed.
"You really stood up for me?" she asked through somewhat teary eyes. He nodded.
"Oh you." she said throwing her arms around his neck. He opened his arms and wrapped them around her back hugging her tightly. Draco felt strange about this sudden show of public affection, he didn't hate it, but he was slightly uncomfortable. She must have sensed it because she backed up a little.
"Sorry." she said demurely.
"Its okay." he replied. "Let's talk about something else."
Meanwhile back at the castle Ron was in a right foul mood.
"We can't just let that little ferret do this Harry. We have to do something." Ron said banging his hand on the table.
"Like what Ron? Kidnap her and force her to watch anti-Malfoy propaganda?" Harry said jokingly. Ron's face reddened.
"I don't know Harry. But he is going to hurt her. I know it." he yelled.
"Not to be taking sides, but you hurt her too." Harry immediately knew he had said the wrong thing. Ron's temper was always just at the brim of boiling over.
"SO YOU ARE ON HER SIDE NOW?" he asked.
"No, I am not on anyone's side. I just said that you did exactly what you are accusing him of doing. She looks happy and as much as I hate to admit it I think we need to let her make her own mistakes. She will figure out what he is eventually."
"So you don't care whether or not that evil little ferret hurts her or not. Some friend you are." Ron spat.
"I just think we can't shield her from everything." Harry admitted.
"I intend to do something about this. I can't stand by and let the woman I love do something drastic with him." Ron said staring into the fire.
Hermione and Draco made their way back to the castle in the middle of a fierce storm. The wind whipped at their faces and the rain pelted their bodies. Every inch of Hermione was soaking wet. By the time they reached the large entrance doors Hermione was chilled to the bone. The head's common room had a roaring fire blazing when they entered filling the room with a warm glow. Hermione stripped off her sopping wet woolen coat and tossed it by the fire.
"I am freezing." she said rubbing her hands in front of the flickering flames.
"Me too, you should get out of those dripping wet clothes before you catch cold." he said with an evil twinkle to his eyes. She smiled.
"Yeah, that is the only reason right?" He nodded.
"Fine." she said standing up ands stripping off her shirt as she walked up the stairs to her bedroom. He looked at her in shock.
"Wait." he said chasing after her.
"I am going to change." she joked. "You wouldn't want me to catch cold right?"
"Uh…right." he said defeated.
"Okay, be right back. You should go change as well." she said closing the door on him. He groaned and slid down the wall to a sitting position. Never in his life had he been with someone who could tease him with her actions driving him to the point of madness. Just the sight of prim and proper Hermione stripping off her shirt gave him goosebumps. He made his way into his room to change his clothes. He threw on some flannel sleep pants and a white t-shirt before sitting in front of the roaring fire waiting for her. He just couldn't explain his feelings right then.
'I love her.' he suddenly thought to himself. Another voice in his head asked 'Where did that come from?' and yet another told him in no uncertain terms that she was unworthy.
"Shut up." he muttered staring into the fires dancing flames.
"Who are you talking to?" Hermione asked walking down the stairs.
"No one." he replied before turning to face her. She looked more beautiful than anyone could ever imagine. She kept her appearance hidden most of the time. Now as he looked at her walking down the steps with all the grace of a pureblooded witch he was speechless.
"What's the matter?" she asked again tilting her head slightly so that her brown curls fell across her nearly bare shoulders.
"Wow." was all he could manage. Hermione blushed.
She came closer sitting next to him on the sofa.
"I feel much better. I hate being in wet clothes." she said. His face was still frozen in a stunned look.
"You are making me nervous. Should I go change?" she asked.
"Uh…no, sorry." he said looking over her nightclothes once more. It was a long green silk gown with a large slit up the side revealing her entire leg. It came to a long 'V' in the front showing off the sides of her soft breasts. Her bare shoulders were only marred by tiny green straps that held the gown up. She smelled strongly of vanilla. He was so confused. He didn't know what she was feeling for him. And he was worried that if he told her, she would reject him. He didn't know what to do.
"Draco? Is something on your mind?" she asked lightly touching his hand. His heart jumped into his throat.
"No." he lied. She raised her eyebrow at him studying his face.
"You are lying." she said sternly. "Maybe I can help." She laid her head on his shoulder and he inhaled the scent of her hair. She felt his breath on the nape of her neck and her body tensed up. She tilted her head upwards slightly looking into those eyes. As if in slow motion he leaned in and kissed her lips. An electric jolt rocked through Hermione's every cell. She reached her hand up and ran her fingers through his hair pulling him into the kiss even more. He ran his hand over her smooth shoulders and down her arms ending by gripping her hand tightly in his. His heart was racing as he gently pushed his tongue into her mouth. She opened her lips willingly kissing him deeper than ever before. She laid her head on his chest and listened to his rapidly beating heart. The rhythm put her to sleep almost instantly.