A/n: Hi everyone! It's awesome me again with a new chapter! hehehehehe, just kidding! I had a little fun in this chapter, I hope you would too! Now, I'm too pissed off!! I always get incomplete links when I publish my stories, I always paste them completely!! But when I come to check the live preview, it malfunctions!! I'm so tired of replacing the chapters so I'm posting it in myspace! find me there, my email's kmy9794 (at) yahoo (dot) com. I've posted it in my blogpost! Oh, and please review!!
Chapter 9: Undecided Expectations
Hermione was real troubled about everything. She found it hard to concentrate on her lessons and her D.A.D.A. training. She did not know what was bothering her, most of the time she found herself staring out the window and not paying attention to class. Numerous times she stumbled in the corridors; she quietly picks herself up and continues walking as if nothing happened. Harry and Ron noticed this gloomy change in Hermione as well. But when they tried to ask her what was wrong, they would get an inaudible jerk of a head and utter silence.
"Hermione," Harry stated tentatively. "You've been like that for a while now."
"Huh," Hermione suddenly realized Harry was talking to her. "Sorry Harry. It's just…Something's been bothering me for some time now."
"As much as I hate to be nosy about what's bothering you, I'd have to ask you, what is it?" Harry said sarcastically as he opened his Transfiguration book.
"I can't…you'll, it's just I…well, you'll laugh at me and…I just can't bring myself to that anymore." She hesitated while her cheeks gone scarlet.
"Don't worry, I won't. We haven't been friends for almost seven years for nothing, right?" he replied reassuringly.
"Well," Hermione faltered once more then Harry gave her a pleading look. "Alright. It was the night of the Halloween dance. I, I kind of danced with, with Malfoy."
"You what?!" exclaimed Harry, finally registering what she had said.
Hermione whimpered at the sound of Harry's voice raising. Apparently, she did not want to see Harry in one of his livid modes anymore.
"I told you, you wouldn't like it." Hermione watched Harry as he massaged his throbbing temples.
"You know, you're lucky Ron's not here, or he couldn't have controlled his temper and of course, Malfoy's sorry arse would've been beaten to hell." Harry contemplated furiously.
"I know what you mean." Hermione answered, thinking of Ron. "He'd be like a wild gorilla out of his cage. Anyway, I didn't know who he was of course, he was wearing a mask. And besides, he was the one who asked me to dance. I figured he would've known it was me and decided to fool me into…well, doing something so un-me. But what hinders my brilliant theory is his reaction after we took off our masks, it was like, he was as surprised as I was. He also walked out arrogantly when he realized it was me. And I was left so confused"
"I get your point, so the only explanation for that is he fancied you that night." Harry muttered smugly.
"He does not!" Hermione blushed a dark shade of red. "Why would he!?"
Suddenly, Harry realized something and laughed so hard that he fell off his seat.
"What's so funny?" Hermione interjected irately.
"I just remembered that you and Malfoy are partners in this project at Defense Against the Dark Arts!!" he muttered through shrieks of laughter. "Imagine how awkward it is for him!"
"Well, as awkward as it would be to me! Dear, dear, it's been over a week and we still haven't started." Hermione narrated anxiously.
"Same here," Harry replied. "That Slytherin girl's acting as if she's put an Anti-Potter jinx on herself. She's been avoiding me for a long while now, you know."
Hermione jolted in her seat, remembering that she too has been acting that way towards Draco Malfoy.
"I've started research by myself anyway," Harry stated, opening the book he found in the library. "It says here you'd have to find the Latin translation of what the spell should do; that would be the incantation. Then you'd have to find out the correct wand movement, that's the hard part, you've got to solve and all that measuring rubbish. I wish I've gotten the chance to study Physics; it would be a lot of help. Oh yeah, and you'd also have to calculate the right amount of magic to exert to the spell."
"Yeah, I reckon its simple enough, if only Malfoy would cooperate, which he undoubtedly wouldn't." Hermione responded crossly.
"Well, I guess you'll have much luck with Malfoy than me with that Rosser girl, now that he fancies you, anyway." Harry had to duck hastily as Hermione threw her school shoes at him.
"Much luck with that little confession of yours, Draco?" Professor Vivien said sweetly.
"I told you for the hundredth time, I DO NOT FANCY HER!!" Draco roared at his sister, who merely chuckled at his choice of words. The first years nearby squealed and ran away upon hearing Draco's furious voice.
"You know, Draco, the more you deny it, the more you admit it, too." Professor Vivien seemed to enjoy herself while torturing Draco. "You know the saying "the more you hate, the more you love"?"
"Well I see no truth in that saying. Its muggle hogwash and I refuse to believe it."
"Whatever! Have you even started on your project?" she inquired intently.
"You did that on purpose!!!" He bellowed at his sister.
"Did what on purpose?" she said in a sing-song voice.
"You set us up on purpose!! You're more vile and evil than Voldemort!" Draco yelled frustrated.
"Surely not!"
"Well I hope you enjoyed playing Cupid, 'coz it's going to be over in less than a month!" Draco retorted once more and strode away from his sister.
Plan's working just as I wanted it to be." Professor Vivien told herself while smirking evilly.
