Out of the Room and Into the Fire

By Greenfly

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone recognisable, and this applies to EVERY chapter of ALL of my fics.

Chapter Seven - Interlude

Draco and Hermione sprang apart.

"Er… hello." Hermione waved a timid hand at her two frozen friends.

"Hello? Ron Fire-Top Weaselbee and Harry My-Temper-Freaks-Out-Even-The-Dark-Lord Potter have just caught you snogging their worst enemy behind a tapestry and all you can think to say is 'hello'!"

Hermione subjected Draco to a deathglare.

"And do you, Mr I-Am-King Malfoy, have a better idea?"

"Well, obviously anything is better than a pathetic 'er hello?'"

Hermione turned to her friends in desperation.

"Harry, help me out here. What should I have said?" Harry broke out of his shock and a small smile appeared on his face.

"Acting casual and denying everything would have been your best bet." He advised in a wry tone. Ron's eyes slitted.

"And exactly what did you think you were doing?"

Draco shook his head in disbelief.

"Are you deaf as well as brainless Weaselbee?" Draco spoke the following very slowly. "I was snogging your goody-two-shoes best friend Granger." He leaned in conspiratorially. "Get over it."

Ron's face was priceless. He looked over to Hermione who was avoiding his gaze and instead staring at Draco's shiny, shiny shoes. He looked over to Harry who just shrugged. By now Ron's eyes were so slitted they were practically closed. Turning around dramatically, he flounced out of the passage and away, narrowly missing the corner. Shrugging once more, Harry followed. Hermione was about to as well, but found a hand holding tightly onto hers and preventing her.

"So much for keeping it a secret, eh?"

Draco grinned back at her. That was… odd… A grinning Draco. Hmmm… Was disturbing the right word?

"As long as my Father doesn't find out, or any of the Slytherins, or Snape, or anyone that knows the above people, I'm happy."

"That leaves out just about everyone Draco." Hermione felt the need to point out as she sank to the floor.

"Oh yeah…" His face fell as he joined her, sitting side by side and leaning against a wall.

"How are we going to work this Draco? I mean, it's all very well and good, but I'd quite like to keep my friends and I'd quite like to keep you alive."

"Kinda rules out having a relationship, doesn't it?"

"Ron and Harry will come round, and if you renounce your family…"

"WHAT? Er… hello? Malfoy here!" He waved a hand in front of her face, which Hermione grabbed and kissed before leaning in and doing the same to his neck. "Oh, oh… er… I guess I can see to that… Damn females and their charms… do that again, oh… oh that's nice…" Hermione grinned against his neck. Pathetic. Truly pathetic. She pulled away and gave Draco a hand up from the floor.

"If you need to talk Draco, I'm here. But now I'm going to go and give Ron his lemon drops back and beg for forgiveness."

She began to pull away once more but was stopped again as Draco caught her lips with his. Next thing she knew was Draco waving a cheery goodnight and disappearing back behind the tapestry and into the corridor, leaving her feeling slightly weak-kneed.

When Hermione returned to Gryffindor Common Rooms that night, Harry and Ron were not to be found either in the common room or in their dorms. What she didn't notice was that neither were Parvati or Lavender. Or for that matter: Ginny.

When Draco returned to the Slytherin Common Rooms that night, not much happened because the moment Blaise saw him, he was stupefied, levitated to his bed and enervated behind locked and silenced hangings.

Harry, feeling confident that nothing could ever possibly happen between Draco and Hermione (come on, they are COMPLETE opposites!), decided to try and talk Ron into giving them a chance, during which they went to Hogsmeade to get sloshed.

They didn't notice the three girls following them either.

A/N

Ok… well last chapter's competition didn't work out at well as planned because, well, nobody guessed the right answer. But to be completely honest it was a trick question, so honorary prizes go to the following FABULOUS people:

Machika, xXWitchXx and mrsbnm-of09.

Well done, you've won. Pick a line or situation that you would like to appear and mail me. I can't wait.

-Greenfly

xxxxx