Friends & Lovers

The month of November past in a blur for the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry but none more quickly than the seventh years who on top of studying for their Newts had piles of homework that never seemed to end, Quidditch season was just beginning, so those on a team had extra practice and for the Head Students they had a relationship to keep secret.

Of course the head students were no longer on their own in their deception and without the help of their classmates they would have indeed been 'caught in the act' more than once. They were becoming careless and the more people who knew of the relationship the more possessive Draco became, feeling the need to remind the witch of his love for her several times a day and often in empty hallways or between classes.

Their closest call had come just the week before when he had had her pressed against the wall behind a statue of Wilfred the Wistful. His wandering hand had just made it up her skirt and was lightly tracing the flesh where her stockings stopped mid-thigh when an explosion of noise sounded behind them. It was Peeves the Poltergeist.

"Oooh what do we have 'ere?" cackled the wide mouthed nuisance. Draco spun around and glared at the little man who was sitting on top of the statue.

"Get lost Peeves" he growled. The poltergeist blew a raspberry then held up what appeared to be a handful of cutlery that he must have pilfered from the kitchens when the house elves weren't looking. With a gleeful glint in his eyes he threw them up into the air and watched as the fell one by one to the ground, hitting the others and making plenty of noise in the empty corridor.

Classroom doors slammed open and irate Professors looked out to see what the noise was. Draco who had slipped out from behind the statue to try and stop the falling silver wear was caught standing in front of the offending objects. Hermione remained to be seen behind the statue and he hoped she was smart enough to stay there until everyone else went back inside; it would not do to be caught together.

"What is the meaning of this?" Professor McGonagall demanded storming down the hall from her classroom.

"It was Peeves Professor" Draco supplied. The Transfiguration teacher turned a funny shade of red and looked like she was about to say something else but decided against it. Turning on her heel she left the Head Boy to deal with the mess, feeling her lesson had been disrupted enough.

When all the teachers were out of sight Hermione moved to his side and they began to make their way down the hall toward their dormitory.

"That was close" she sighed quietly taking hold of his hand and giving it a light squeeze before letting it go again. That's when they both heard the distinct sound of a throat being cleared right behind them. Hearts pounding they spun around only to be confronted by the grinning face of Harry Potter.

"You guys really need to be more careful. I could have been anyone" he said cheerily stepping around them.

"I could hex you for that Potter" Draco spat, running a hand through his hair.

"Oh hush Draco. It's not Harry's fault we were careless." Hermione said soothingly.

"What did you want anyway?" Draco asked choosing to ignore the witch's words, unable to deny the truth of them.

Harry examined his nails with an amused expression on his face. "I just wanted to wish you good luck for tomorrows match. I hear the new Ravenclaw seeker is pretty talented."

"Yes well, talented he may be but I am still better. Slytherin will win easily" Draco replied confidently; he too had heard the rumours about the new seeker but he wasn't worried.

Harry smiled at this then turned to Hermione "Neville wants to know if you can help him with his Astronomy homework if you have time?"

"Sure, I have the afternoon off now. Is he in the common room?" she asked and the two Gryffindor's wandered off toward the marble staircase without a backward glance at the Slytherin who couldn't help but feel a little ignored.

"What do you mean you're not coming?" Draco exploded

"Draco, please be reasonable. This may be the only time I have to sit and do homework without being interrupted. You know what it's like trying to write an essay only to have to stop and deal with some second year argument or give relationship advice to a love-sick fourth year. Everyone will be at the Quidditch match and I will be able to get through all of this without interruption." She explained not looking up from her book on Advanced Potions but flicking a hand toward the pile of books and parchment on the table in front of her.

Draco watched fuming as she chewed on the end of her quill before storming into his room. "I still think you could come to at least part of the game" he yelled out to her, flopping on his back and staring at the ceiling.

"I will try to make it if it really means that much to you" she said quietly and he raised his head to look at her leaning against the door frame.

"It does. Sorry I yelled, I'm just a little stressed … it's this new Ravenclaw seeker" he explained softly running his hands through his hair distractedly. He felt the mattress dip as she sat on the bed by his hip.

"You will be fine. You've been a seeker much longer than he has. And you said it yourself Slytherin will win" she placed a small hand on his chest in comfort. He covered it with his own and bought it to his lips.

"Come and watch me win" he asked again looking into her eyes. She sighed again and stood up.

"Sorry Draco, homework over Quidditch"

He sat up and watched her leave the room before following her out, his anger having returned "You just said all those things to shut me up. I'll probably come back from the match and you will still be sitting there stuck in your books. You couldn't care less if I win or loose" he accused. She spun on her heal to glare at him.

"Of course I care. But you should care too Draco, I need to get this work done" she yelled at him, her fists clenched at her sides.

"Why can't you do it tonight after curfew? Nobody can bother you then and you can get it done" he yelled back, their faces were now inches from each other.

"You will bother me Draco! I tried that approach but every time I sit down to work when we are alone you jump me and nothing ever gets done. I end up having to finish it in the Library between classes and during lunch"

"Me? You are the one who throws herself at me every night. It's your own fault if you have to do it during the day" he yelled back running his hand through his hair again in frustration making it stick up on end.

"How dare you?" she cried indignantly and he noticed tears begin to shimmer in her eyes, a pang of guilt hit him "You are so unreasonable. I'm going to the library and you can sit here with your super-ego for company" and with that she swept up her books and stormed from the dormitory. Draco flopped on the couch and let his head drop back, kicking himself for being such an arse.

Draco was flying badly. He knew this fact but didn't really care as he drifted high above the Quidditch pitch not even looking for the snitch. He had nearly lost them the match four times already and had intercepted the Ravenclaw seeker just in time only to loose the golden winged ball himself. Each time he received boos and hisses from his fellow housemates.

He couldn't seem to get the argument with Hermione out of his head and wanted nothing more than to run to the Library and get down on his hands and knees to apologise for being such a git. He had even contemplated flying over there when no one was watching him and gaining her attention through a window but he knew that wouldn't work. He turned his focus back to the game rather unsuccessfully.

One of his team mates scored another goal and a cheer went up in the crowd, students stamping their feet against the wooden stands in their excitement but Draco still failed to engage in the game. He floated a little closer to his opposition who was scanning the pitch for the flash of gold and half heartedly attempted to do the same when something else caught his attention.

Over in the Gryffindor stands where the red and yellow scarves hung colourfully in the midday sunshine a shock of bushy hair caught his attention. He flew a little closer trying to see it again when he saw her face, smiling like an angels. His heart soared; she'd come.

He was about to raise a hand to wave to her when something brushed against him. Looking up he saw it was the snitch just floating there above his head and without thinking he reached up and grabbed it. It took a few minutes for people in the crowds to realize the match was over and everyone was looking at each other in confusion wondering where the excitement was and what had happened to the thrill of the chase. But as soon as that thought crossed their minds another entered; Slytherin had won the match.

The slow clapping soon become outright roars and cheers as his team converged on him all zooming around in their excitement at having won the first match of the season. Draco managed to extract himself from the throng to search for Hermione again. When he finally saw her his heart dropped and he went cold.

He saw her standing there in the middle of the stands her lips locked with Ronald Weasley's. The last thing he remembered before falling off his broom and hitting the ground with a sickening thud was the sight of her hand creeping down the other boys back and grasping his backside. He felt his heart harden like ice before it shattered into a million pieces and everything went black.

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