A/N:Even though I only got a review for the last chapter, I'm still grateful :)
This chapter is dedicated to Just Your Above Average Malfoy. Don't worry, you'll see what happens :)
And as for those who added this story to their favorites/story alert, thank you so much. I would appreciate it more if you leave a review so that I will know your opinions. Good day!
Chapter 6: Preparation
The week has passed really quickly and the next thing they knew was that they were waiting for their Muggle Studies teacher.
After detention, everything about Hermione's perspective of Draco changed and vise versa. Things aren't the same for them anymore but they're still friends.
"Let's play truth or consequence!" Professor Cezar beamed as she entered the room with a new gadget they haven't seen before; except for Harry, Hermione and the other classmates who's muggle-born.
"What do we do, professor?" Ron asked.
"You will pass this rock around until I stop the song and whoever gets it will have to be asked about a truth; nothing but the truth or else the rock will explode in your hands. Or you can take the alternate way which is the consequence; you'll have to do something that one of your classmates tells you. If you don't, the rock will explode" she showed them a Ruby red rock and put out the thing she brought. "By the way, this is called a radio and it's for entertainment; when you want to listen to music or news or drama, use this" she explained.
"Are you crazy? That's a dangerous thing!" Pansy scowled.
"Twenty points from Slytherin for being impolite. The purpose of this is to know how honest you are when it comes to yourself and how courageous you are to do the task that's given to you. Now, everyone gather at the center, form a circle and push the chairs out" Professor Cezar commanded as she turned on the radio and started passing the rock to a Slytherin.
[Time Isn't Healing by Tom Felton]
Tick tock goes the clock.
Time is going so slow.
And I'm supposed to be fast asleep,
Like a couple hours ago.
When the rock was passed to Draco, he quickly gave it because he doesn't like the idea of this game. He doesn't want to be interrogated and he doesn't want to follow anything.
So I – I need to exercise
The right I've got to rest these eyes.
The rock was now with Gryffindors.
And I – I need to knock on some doors,
Then I won't have to lie here by myself—.
Ron passed it to Harry and Harry passed it to Hermione.
—anymore.
But before she could pass it, the song stopped. Harry apologized silently. Everyone turned to Hermione and their professor asked, 'truth or consequence?'
Hermione weighed her chances. If she picked truth, she can answer anything. Especially about academics but if it is consequence, she hesitated as to seeing the looks on the Slytherins in front of her.
"Truth" Hermione said and saw the faces of the Slytherin fell. Victory! She smiled to herself.
"Who wants to ask her a question?" Professor Cezar said.
"What kind of feelings do you have for your two best friends?" Pansy said out of nowhere.
Hermione stopped. Her heart thumped really hard because she hadn't thought about personal question. Just before she decided to open her mouth someone interrupted.
"That's not a good question, Pansy. I'll be the one to ask then. Of all the Slytherins you know, who do you like the best?" Draco smirked. Hermione was really thankful to him for that but she didn't know the answer to his question as well.
Since it is Draco, Pansy agreed that her question was thrown away.
"I… Uhmm…" She had thought about saying a name from different level but when she looked at the rock on her hand, it was glowing brightly and it was heating up, ready to explode. "Draco" she said. Everyone hooted except for her two best friends and Pansy. Draco blushed and Hermione felt embarrassed.
"He's mine!" Pansy shouted but her voice was dissolved because of the continuous hooting and shouting of their classmates.
"But he's the worst, 'Mione" Ron broke the screaming of joys in the classroom.
"No. Actually he's not" Hermione almost whispered.
"You'll have to tell me about this, 'Mione" Harry said and pat her hand encouragingly. Good thing she has Harry's side or else, she wouldn't know what to do.
"Let's proceed!" Professor Cezar said and turned the radio on again.
'Cause time isn't healing…
I'm getting sick of staring at my ceiling.
And I – I can't help the way I feel about you.
The rock was back to the Slytherin.
'Cause time isn't healing…
Pretty sick of staring at my ceiling.
And I – I can't help the way I'm falling for you
"Blaise!" Draco smirked but was nervous because if he had taken the rock, it would be him.
"Consequence" Blaise sighed. He doesn't want other's sneaking on his business.
"Kiss Granger for three minutes" Pansy said out of anger.
"WHAT?" said a little voice on Hermione's and Draco's head. They were thinking about the same thing again.
"That isn't fair!" Hermione retorted then looked at their professor. "Can it be changed?"
"No. Only the question about the truth can be changed—but only for once." Professor Cezar looked at her student apologetically.
"I guess I have to do it then" Blaise was about to stand up but Draco grabbed him. Their classmate didn't notice this two because they were busy looking at the Gryffindor princess and their professor.
"I know, mate" Blaise smirked and walked towards the flushing Hermione. He was about to kiss her but the rock heated up that it almost burned his palm. "Ouch!" he said but didn't drop it. The special property of the rock is that it'll stick with the 'victim' until its work is done. It can be removed though but only for an hour a day.
"I only go for true love" the rock suddenly talked.
Everyone looked stunned; Even their professor. She didn't know that the rock can talk willingly.
"Just kiss her on the cheeks" Ron suggested.
Blaise then kissed Hermione on her cheeks for three minutes. But before he parted from her, he said, "Nice cheeks. Really soft"
I have a smoke to try and send me to sleep,
But things aren't all that they seem.
"Let's reverse it. Give it back to the left, Malcolm" Professor Cezar said. And instead of the rock going to the Gryffindor, it was back again to the Slytherin.
The only time I seem to spend with you
Seems to be in my dreams
"Oho-ho! It's Draco, dear" this time it was Blaise who smirked.
Hermione felt more nervous. And thought, 'Draco'
"Consequence" Draco said.
"Go on a date with Granger for three weeks and kiss her on the last day!" Blaise was enjoying this.
"Is that all you've got?" Draco glared at him but Blaise tried to look innocent.
"That's all I ask" Blaise replied. All of the Slytherins was shocked. Their prince is going to do this.
"But the rock says it'll only go for true love" Ron complained.
"Yeah but technically, Granger just announced awhile ago that she likes Draco" Blaise said firmly. There was no way anyone can ruin his dark plans.
"Of all the Slytherin" Ron muttered under his breath.
"And that would be it for now since we can't take the rock off of Malfoy's hand. Take a break for ten minutes" Professor Cezar said and popped out.
"What did just happen?" Hermione said, astonished.
"You'll be on a date with Malfoy for three weeks and kiss him on the last day" Harry mimicked Blaise's voice.
"Harry, I'm sorry. Draco's really nice from the inside. I can feel it. You have to believe me." Hermione quickly said.
"I trust you, 'Mione. It's just… Let's take it this way: it's just hard to look at a pickled turnip like a French fries, you know" Harry said and Hermione laughed.
"Way to go Harry. But I'll tell you, I'm starting to become fond of him" Hermione admitted.
"I don't know what to say to that" Harry said hesitantly and Hermione chuckled a bit.
"Class, I'd like to tell you that our other lesson today would be about dancing" Professor Cezar beamed at her students brightly when she arrived. She must've loved dancing so much that she's in a good mood. "There's an old muggle song entitled, 'Nothing's Gonna Stop Us' and that's what we will dance. Alright, let's do this!" She turned the radio on.
"Now, I'll dance it first and after that, you'll have to follow. Do it with your partner, alright?" She looked ecstatic but her voice was firm. The Slytherins and Gryffindors all nodded, stood up and went near their partners. Their professor grabbed a Gryffindor and made it her partner temporarily.
Nothing's Gonna Stop Us (Starship)
Looking in your eyes I see the paradise
This world that I found is too good to be true
Standing here beside you
Want so much to give you
This love in my heart that I'm feeling for you
Let them say we're crazy
I don't care about that
Put your hands in my hand baby
Don't ever look back
"This is fun" Professor Cezar mumbled to herself. She stopped dancing to see how her students are going.
"Ten points to Slytherin for being able to catch up" she said.
"Why do we have to do this?" Pansy hissed, trying hard to hide the fact that she was enjoying it.
"Longbottom, I didn't jump while I was dancing! Why are you jumping?" Professor Cezar said as she surveyed the Gryffindors.
Neville looked nervous. Even though he was scolded and all of Gryffindor looked at him, the Slytherins laughed at him, he was enjoying it.
"It's... It's how I express my passion for dancing, professor" he said confidently.
"Fabulous! Twenty points to Gryffindor!" There was a sparkle in their professor's eye. "But stop jumping. It's unnecessary. Your partner looks awkward" she eyed Neville and his partner.
"One time she was taking all our points away and now she's giving them like there's no tomorrow" Astoria whispered. She was amazed by this.
"Yeah, right" Pansy agreed and continued dancing.
Hermione looked happy with the thought that they're dancing to muggle music but this kind of dance—she's not really good at it so she kept low profile.
"Great job, guys! Now, let's get to the next one. Stand REALLY close to your partners, alright!" Professor Cezar grinned as they did.
Hermione looked at Draco awkwardly while he smirked.
"This is quite simple. You'll just have to dance to a slow song" their professor smiled. "This will bring out the romantic side of you" she thought.
"Uhmm… may I ask why do we have to learn this?" Lavender asked.
"Oh, I forgot. As you see, this would benefit you for the coming—" Professor Cezar stopped before she could blurt it out. "You'll have to wait about that" there was finality in her tone and nobody dared to break the silence even though they were curious with what she was going to say.
Then she pressed the play button on the radio and there was music again. The guys put their hands on the waist of their girl partners while the girls, who all hesitantly, placed their hands on the shoulder of their guy partners.
Draco looked straight into Hermione's eyes and leaned. She felt butterflies on her stomach.
"You're nervous" he chuckled slightly.
Hermione opened her mouth to say something but decided to close it. There's no point in lying to her partner. She then looked away and saw Ron and Pansy who looked like they're about to kill each other. She silently laughed at the thought.
[Last Chance by Allure]
This is my last dance with you
This is my only chance to do
All I can do to let you know
That what I feel for you is real
Professor Cezar stopped the music and said, "Students, you all look awkward with your partners! I'll do a switch but only for today" she said and started pulling each girls from their partners and partnering them with new ones. When she tried to pull Hermione, Draco didn't let go of her. Professor Cezar looked at them. Their other classmates didn't seem to notice it because they were happy with their new partners; Slytherin-Slytherin and Gryffindor-Gryffindor.
"Let go or she'll get mad" Hermione murmured to Draco but she was sure that their professor heard it.
"I don't want to" he grinned, still not tearing his gaze away from her. The next thing they knew was that their professor proceeded with pulling the other students from their partners.
"Why did you do that?" Hermione asked when their professor was out of earshot.
"Why do you think?" Draco said with a wink. Hermione rolled her eyes at this.
"Let's start again. This time, I'll keep the light dim so that you can feel what you're doing." Professor Cezar announced and looked straight to the only two persons who didn't change partners. "Young love" she smiled and pressed play.
"What's your problem, Malfoy?" Draco kept on staring at Hermione and she felt rather conscious. He didn't answer and so they swayed and swayed.
"Drake, why is she still your partner?" Theodore Nott asked. He was partnered with Pansy and she frowned when she saw Draco with a mudblood. Draco just shrugged and swayed again.
"Why are you still with him?" Ron, whose partner was Lavender, asked as they went nearer to them while dancing.
Hermione looked at them with a hint of small jealousy in her eyes but didn't say anything. It felt awkward.
"Were they really meant to be together?" she thought to herself.
"Maybe" Draco answered. Hermione looked at him with puzzled look.
"I heard what you said in your mind" he smirked when he saw her blushing.
"'Mione!" Ron said and this brought Hermione out of her trance.
"Oh! I… Uhmm…" but she couldn't find any words to say.
"The brightest witch of the century couldn't even have anything to say to this?" He smirked while she threw him dagger looks before looking at Ron.
"She's with me, Weasel. She's my partner after all" Draco answered for her. She felt relieved all of a sudden. Ron glared at them and their professor saw this.
"You're all losing your focus!" Professor Cezar shouted.
And everyone started dancing with a slight grace again. Draco continued to stare at Hermione.
"What is it, Malfoy! You can't stare at me all day" Hermione snapped.
"I can. After all we're in one room, aren't we?" he smirked.
Then everyone gasped and stopped dancing.
"Uh-oh" Hermione said as she realized that everyone heard them. Harry and Ron were the first to approach her.
"Is it true?" Harry said without showing any emotion.
"Oh my gosh! Why didn't I know that? Of course they'd share the room. They're both Heads" Pansy's voice was higher than usual.
"Then I guess it is" Harry said and distanced himself from them along with Parvati.
"Great job, mate" Blaise smirked at Draco.
"You're both alive. I didn't know that you two can live together" Parvati said and Draco glared at her.
"Don't make this any worse for me"
"Wait, I just thought about that!" They both said at the same time. Hermione covered her mouth with her hands while Draco looked amazed.
"What is happening? I don't get it" Pansy said. "What did you just think?"
But she got no response because Draco and Hermione started laughing.
"Things are getting out of hand" Astoria said.
The rest of the time, they had a long break and then the class has ended.