CHAPTER FOUR
Draco was at a loss for what to do.
How was he supposed to get Ginny Weasley to go out with Blaise Zabini? They were both pureblood, but that was where the similarities ended. And he fervently hoped Zabini didn't realize that Ginny couldn't even go to Hogsmeade - she wasn't old enough.
Besides. He didn't think anyone would want to go out with Zabini, much less Ginny Weasley.
He sighed and took a swig of pumpkin juice. He had to do it, or he and Hermione were in a duel without a wand. What was he going to do? He didn't know Ginny at all, her older brothers would be no help whatsoever, and the only person he knew smart enough to get him out of this situation was-
That was it!
﴾ ﴿
She was waiting for him in the library, her glorious locks of frizzy brown hair spread across her shoulders, her beautiful eyes - no. He mustn't get distracted. That's what Father had always told him, anyway.
"Er, Hermione?"
She looked up suddenly like she was surprised to see him. "Oh. Uh, yeah, Malfoy, we ought to study."
Was it his imagination, or was she blushing? No matter. He cleared his throat and ran his hand through his gelled blonde hair. "I was just wondering . . . before we started . . . um . . . can I . . . ask you something?"
Merlin's beard, this was awkward. Hermione nodded. "Yeah, um, sure, I don't - I don't see why not."
Good. She sounded nervous too. He wouldn't be the only one. "It's just . . . er. . . ." Great. He sounded like a fool already. Nice start, he thought to himself bitterly. "You know . . . ah. . . Ginny Weasley?"
Hermione nodded again, restacking the books in front of her. "Yeah - yeah, I know her."
"Right . . . so do you think . . . er . . . is she . . . is she . . . is she seeing anyone?"
"Seeing anyone?"
"You know." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Is she . . . is she dating anyone? Or is she available?"
"Oh." Hermione looked down at her hands, and Draco suddenly realized how this had to seem.
"Not - not for me! It's for . . . it's for a friend."
"Oh." She looked disappointed. He wasn't sure whether or not he should be happy about that.
"No - no, seriously, I mean it!"
"No, it's fine. You can date whoever you want."
"I - Hermione - it's not -"
She shook her head. "It doesn't matter, Draco. It's not like we were ever. . . ."
By Salazar Slytherin's pet snake, she felt that way about him, too. He was simultaneously overjoyed and horrified. "I - Hermione - no - I swear - Merlin - I wasn't - I didn't -"
"It's fine, Draco." Were those tears in her eyes?
He had a sudden urge to put his arms around her, to whisper into her beautiful thick hair that everything would be fine, and he didn't give a magical sock about Ginny Weasley, and that it was all Zabini's fault. . . . "No, Hermione, I swear -"
"No, Dra - Malfoy. Don't. It's fine."
She picked up her stack of books and just like that, she was gone, leaving Draco alone in the library.
This was going to be harder than it looked.
﴾©﴿
Draco woke abruptly in the middle of the night from yet another nightmare.
As he took stock of his surroundings, he could feel something on his face. He reached up.
There was a note taped to his forehead.
Tape was not a common occurrence in Hogwarts. Most people just used permanent sticking charms, or tacks, which he was very grateful had not been used in this circumstance.
He peeled the note off his forehead and read it.
Tick . . . tick . . . tick.
Draco was going to kill that Zabini.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This fanfiction was not a one-woman effort. I'd like to credit one Miss Cassiopeia Khizana, AKA Macbeth99, for all of her invaluable help. Once you're finished with this, you might want to check out some of her stuff too. It's that good.
