Chapter 9

(Updated on March 3, 2006.)

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As Hermione and Draco went into the office, they could hear Professor Snape bark to the rest of the students that class was dismissed.

They heard a tinkling of glass, a shlurping noise, and the sound of a cork being placed into a vial.

Then the professor stormed back into his office with a small bottle of glowing blue potion.

"What is the meaning of this!"

Hermione and Draco looked at each other, confused.

"I'm sorry sir. All we did was follow the directions that you put on the board." Hermione said.

Snape collapsed into his chair, and said in a rather tired voice, "You don't realize it, but there are three outcomes to the Aeval Potion. One silver, like the rest of your class mates brewed, one a pale orange, or, one like yours, a luminous neon glowing blue."

He rubbed his throbbing temples, while the two students watched his with expectancy.

"The silver means you really shouldn't get together. Something bad would be bound to happen. The orange means that you are moderately compatible. The blue means you are destined to be together. So, in the face of your blue potion, it's safe to say tha-"

"Sir," Draco put in. "We already knew that. We didn't need a potion to tell us."

"What do you mean, Mister Malfoy?" Snape said with menace.

"I mean, we're in love. We didn't need a silly potion to tell us that." He looked at Hermione and widened his eyes a little. She got the hint and played along.

"Sir, we wanted to keep it a secret, but since you've found us out, maybe we shouldn't be so..." She pretended to be at a loss for words and bit her lower lip. She was speaking in a bit of a higher voice than she normally would, playing the part of a young girl head over heels in love. Draco himself would have been convinced, if he had not known what was going on. And she just looked so damn cute at the same time.

"Uh huh." Snape said, hesitantly.

"Well, Professor, if you don't need us anymore..."

"Yes, yes, very well Master Malfoy, you may leave." He dismissed them, and then watched as they left the room.

Draco, very much aware of his teacher's gaze, took Hermione's hand and laced their fingers together, and they left the office. Passing through the classroom, he wrapped an arm around her waist, and the other held her hand. He kissed the top of her head as they reached the stairs.

"Draco?"

It was Pansy. She was in the corner, apparently waiting for him to come out of Snape's office. "I thought we-" There were tears glistening in the corners of her heavily made-up eyes.

He rolled his eyes and said in a hardened tone, "What did you think Pansy? That I would fall in love with you and take you away? Or that we would get married and have a million kids and you would get expensive new toys all the time?"

He waited for an answer, tapping his foot.

"Sorry Pansy. Gotta run. Hermione and I have got better things to do than to stay here and whine with you."

They went up the stairs, and Hermione said, "So, since we know Pansy likes to gossip and Snape is liable to tell the teachers, we may as well pretend we're dating."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. It can not be that bad though. Just try not to be like Pansy."

"Like I could if I tried, Drakie-poo. Well, I will not be eating dinner in the Great Hall tonight. The Gryffindors will try to kill me with their eyeballs."

They reached a small corridor. There were few people in it, but those few people were some of the largest gossips in the school and bound to tell more people. Soon the news of the new couple would be all over the school. Better to accomplish their plan.

"Well then, baby, I'll see you tonight." He spoke loudly and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. He was reminding her about their meeting, though to the rest of the world it would seem a lot dirtier.

"Alright. Bye for now."

Draco leaned down and kissed Hermione fully on her luscious lips, licking them for the hell of it. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled him closer, and then broke the kiss.

"I'll see you tonight," She said seductively, then walking away, swinging her hips a bit more than necessary.

Turning into another corridor and climbing the stairs, Hermione bit her lip and smiled to herself. She just kissed Draco Malfoy.

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Draco went the other way, with his hands in his pockets and whistling. He just kissed Hermione Granger, and he liked it. Something must definitely be wrong with him. Maybe he should go see Madame Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing.

He was headed to the Slytherin dungeons when a hand went to his shoulder. Turning, he saw Blaise.

"I saw that, you sly old dog you. You said you weren't doin' anything with her!"

"Well things change, don't they Blaise? If you'll excuse me, I've got to eat something, I'm starved."

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"Hermione!" Ginny squealed. "I heard from Lavender who heard from Padma who heard from Sally-Anne Perks that you and Malfoy were snogging in the hallway!"

Hermione blushed crimson and sat on a sofa. They were in the common room, which, unfortunately, was not completely deserted.

"Ginny, did you have to say it right now so loud?" She shifted her gaze to the various people scattered throughout the room.

"Oh sorry!"

"Never mind. It's fine."

"Is he a good kisser?"

"Is who a good kisser, Ginevra Weasley?" Ron said. He and Harry had just gotten back to the common room from the library.

"Draco Malfoy!"

"Ginny!" Said Hermione.

"Oh bugger. Sorry again."

Harry just looked at Hermione with that look he got when he was pissed. Ron looked like he was about to blow a gasket.

"You know what guys? I need a nap." Hermione retreated to the safety of the girls' dormitory, slamming the door behind her.

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