Hermione sat there the following day at dinner. There were only a few days left until Christmas Break was over and then Ron and Harry would be back. Until it was back to life for them with people like Pansy Parkinson being obnoxious and Viktor Krum constantly watching her study. She only had a few days left of this bittersweet memory of the one holiday that she got to enjoy not being herself with Draco Malfoy and yet she couldn't even enjoy it. Every time she looked in his general direction, her blood started boiling at the thought of what he had suggested. Sure, Draco may be a cheater, one who claimed his good grades and brains based off of the knowledge of others but Hermione wouldn't, no she couldn't do it. She was better than that and although they hadn't talked since he had left her sitting by herself the day before at the lake, she couldn't help but feel the slightest bit lonely without his company.
Draco continued to sit there and wondered what he was going to do. He knew how much Hermione cared about her grades and he wanted to show her that...that what? That he cared about what she cared about? That he cared...about her? No that wasn't right. This was just something to fill the gap during break. The loneliness during break and that was all, because once break was over he was back to being a Malfoy and nothing would change that. But, break wasn't over yet and he'd be damned if he was going to let himself be bored and lonely for the rest of the time he was stuck at the school without anyone else he knew. Quickly pulling out a piece of parchment and grabbing his quill he wrote a short note to Hermione, then he folded it into the form of a bird and casting a quick enchantment on it sent it flying in her direction.
Hermione raised her eyebrows in disbelief as the bird flew down on the table in front of her before opening it slowly, shaking her head as she did so. As she read the letter in disbelief, she found herself both excited and relieved that he was still talking to her. Scanning the words he'd written she quickly read,
I'm sorry about lunch. Meet me at the Library at 7:00? I want to show you something.
Hermione rolled her eyes before reaching into the back of her potions book, where she normally kept her extra parchment, just in case she had to write down some important tidbit of information that she had read in one of her many books, and grabbing one of the blank pages she began to write.
And why should I? You want to show me the answers to our next Potions exam too?
Hermione quickly folded the letter and with a quick twirl of her wand sent a bird back to Draco that hovered above him for a minute before smacking him in the forehead and landing on the table in fornt of him. Shaking his head with a grimace he quickly read her note and then taking his time jotted down another snarky response to her that simply stated,
Why? Would you write out my part of the essay for me if I asked you too? Listen, I'm not trying to be a twit right now but you're sure acting like one. I'd like to spend the last few days of break not sulking by myself in the dungeons. So will you meet me or not?
P.S. I really do have something to show you.
He quickly folded the note back up and sent it back to her to the looks of a few first years who quickly turned away once they got a look at his piercing gaze.
Hermione couldn't help but gasp in shock at what he had wrote. He had called her a twit and...for some unknown reason, it had actually hurt her. It hurt worse than when he had called her that horrible name their second year, bringing tears to her eyes. This...this almost felt like it had come from a friend. She looked across the hall, her eyes meeting his as she nods her head softly.
Seeing her nod made Draco feel better. He knew he'd been a bit rude in the last note but he didn't really know another way to get through to the stubborn girl, because at this moment he was having a hard time seeing her as anything more than a stubborn little girl.
As Draco sat impatiently waiting in the library next to the window in the back row of books, he waited secretly praying for Hermione to show up. He was actually quite excited at the surprise he had to show her and hoped that she would truly appreciate it since it wasn't something that he was normally up for sharing with someone who wasn't a fellow Slytherin. A glimpse into something he actually enjoyed doing, into his…personality.
Hermione slowly walked into the library, looking around for the boy who she knew she shouldn't be wanting to meet. If Harry and Ron knew, well to be honest if Harry or Ron knew they wouldn't believe that she had even agreed to meet him anywhere, for any reason. After walking past three different rows of books, she finally spotted him towards the back of the library. Rushing over to where he was she sat down across from him and forced a soft smile as she took off her coat and placed it on the back of her chair waiting for him to…to what? To explain? To apologize for even suggesting what he had?
Nodding Draco said, "Thank you for coming. I'm glad you decided to come, because the dungeons do tend to get awfully cold during the holidays. Especially if there's no one there." Picking at the table with his fingernail he waited for a response from her because he wasn't quite sure where they stood after their last few days together. He had come to the conclusion that if Hermione Granger wanted to have skewed ideas of what constituted cheating and what didn't that he of all people wouldn't be the one to try to change her mind about them.
She nodded her head in response. "Well, I thought about everything you said and I guess I should be enjoying the holidays by doing other things than just studying." She answers, realizing her own faults as well. She shouldn't have blown up on him, not that it was right that he had been cheating, but at the same time it wasn't like her, Harry, and Ron had never broken any rules either. "Besides, I have had fun these past few days with you. Much more fun than just sitting in the dormitories trying to do schoolwork while Lavender and Pavarti giggle over fashion."
Draco's face made a scorn and he would have sworn on his grave that he saw a similar look of disgust on hers as well. "Well I wanted to show you that even though I may be a Malfoy, even I can have fun doing what you would consider a "Muggle" game..." He said while he reached down and pulled out a standard set of playing cards and a long wooden board with holes back and forth down the length of it that corkscrewed in the shape of a snake bent back on itself.
"But...but that's Cribbage." Hermione answers quickly. "My dad used to play that after dinner every night against me and my mum. How...Why...You know how to play?" She answers, finally getting a full thought to come out of her mouth.
With a wicked grin Draco nodded and said, "Of course. You do know the history behind Cribbage right? Don't tell me in all the reading you do in the library about wizard and muggle relations you've never even heard the history of how it was created?"
Hermione shakes her head from side to side, now completely confused. "No, it...it's not something that I think I could use." She answered, "Not like spells or charms or the history of the wars."
Draco shook his head before replying, "There is actually history out there that's just nice to know Hermione. That won't be on any test or quiz or exam or anything else. Just history that is interesting history to know in and of itself. We non-bookworms refer to it as icebreakers or conversation starters..." He honestly couldn't believe that as smart a witch as she was that she had no idea how the game of cribbage was invented. "It was originally called Noddy many years ago by ancient wizards who used the combined numbers of tarot cards to move the pegs. Some Mudblo-...some muggle servant stole the idea and changed the game a little bit and then sold it to the masses. Now everyone plays cribbage but a long time ago, Noddy was the game to play for witches and wizards."
Hermione listens intently, absorbing every word Draco was telling her as he told them to her. "So, does the wizarding world still call it Noddy then? Or is it called Cribbage here too?" She asks as her eyes lighting up at the knowledge like a child getting a fairy tale read to them.
"Unfortunately it's Cribbage everywhere now. Wizarding or Muggle, it doesn't matter both sides call it the same now." Draco began arranging the pegs on the starting line and then proceeded to shuffle the cards over and over again, his hands shuffling with the practiced skill of a seasoned player. "Ready?" He asked hoping for the crib on the first round.
"I was actually thinking..." Hermione answers, "When I used to play against with my dad, we would make bets before we played. It was always something simple, but it kept the game more interesting. We normally bet on who would do dishes after dinner but if you like...maybe we could bet on something a little more worthwhile? To spice things up?" She offers.
"Well, I rather like getting to spend time with you." Hermione answered, thinking about how to best phrase what she was trying to say. "How does this sound? If I win, we continue to see each other, without telling anyone of course. And if you win, we stick to the original plan. As soon as Christmas Break is over, we stop talking all together. You can go back to being a loathsome, selfish little ferret and I..." She took a deep breath, holding her head high. "I will be the mudblood that hangs out with Harry and Ron."
"I don't think that I'm really winning anything here. I'll get the thing we originally agreed to if I win? Doesn't sound like much of a spice up if you ask me. I think I want a little more . What else have you got to offer?" Draco asked with a sly grin that would make even the slickest of foxes proud.
Hermione looked at Draco strangely. What was he insinuating? "Fine, I stated what I want if I win. What do you want if you do?"
Leaning back in his chair Draco rubbed his chin thoughtfully. What did he want? And was he really willing to risk being caught hanging out with Hermione Granger if he lost? What was worth it to him? "I want you to cheat. If I win then you have to agree to cheat on your next Ancient Runes test. If we're going to make this worthwhile then what I want is to see just how far your willing to go...Just how much of the darkness are you willing to let slip out and take over. That's what I want if I win." Draco nodded pleased with himself that it was a fair deal, though he was almost sure she'd back out now.
Hermione sighed heavily at the thought. She had to cheat? Hermione wasn't a cheater and Draco knew it but here he was, raising the bets to a dangerous new level. How much did she like the visits they had shared these past few days? Enough to cheat? Enough to risk getting caught? She knew cribbage and knew it well. It was a 75/25 game, according to how many games she had played so far growing up. Seventy-five percent of winning was what cards were drawn, pure luck. The other twenty-five was what you did with the cards. Which ones you kept, which ones you threw out, and what order you played them in. It couldn't be that hard. She knew how to do that. She could beat Draco, even if statistically speaking, the odds were more fair than not. She could use that twenty-five percent to her advantage. "Deal." She answered, holding out her hand for him to shake and make it official.
"What's this? A handshake? Are you a witch or not? We lock wands on this one Miss. Granger. If you break a wand lock your wand will crack and you know what that means..." Draco said with a smirk. Just how far was she willing to go? He wondered.
Hermione sighed, hoping she was right with her odds before softly nodding her head. "Fine." She answers, desperately hoping she would win.
Draco drew his wand and held it up in front of him waiting for Hermione to do the same. When she brought hers up and placed it beside his, he instantly felt a hum come from the spot where the two wands met and traveled down the length of his wand to his hand. "Let us play Miss. Granger. By the end of this cards will be played, pegs will be moved, tears will fall, and darkness will ensue," Draco said with a slightly nervous grin as he silently prayed the tears would not be his own.
Hermione nodded her head, cutting the deck first to see who would draw the lowest card. She smiled to herself as she saw the two of hearts come up. A great card to start with, she told herself. The only card Draco could draw was an ace in order to beat her. He had a one in thirteen chance, minus the card that she had already drawn, to get a card lower than her and start the game himself. She couldn't help but gleam at the odds. She could defiantly use the advantage of having the first crib.
Draco could tell by the sudden shift in Hermione's demeanor that she had drawn a lower card, which meant he could only hope that he drew a lower one than hers in order to secure the first crib and hopefully the win. Drawing a card from the deck, he slowly pulled it across the table and holding it up revealed the queen of hearts. "So who's the lucky winner Miss. Granger? I've got the queen of hearts and guessing by the sudden smile across your face I assume you've got something better?" Draco asked crestfallen that he was already looking at the back half of the board right at the start.
"Two of hearts." Hermione answers, flipping the card around to show him as she gathered up the deck, shuffling it again as she smiled silently to herself. She was never really one for competitive games and sports. Her idea of competition was better left in the classroom where it was useful but already she was having fun as she dealt them out. Six cards each, two she would have to put in the crib, which would only help her. Ten, Ten, Three, Four, Four, Five. She tried to keep a straight face, a poker face as her father called it as she didn't even have to think about it and threw the Tens into the crib. It was risky but possibly best.
Gathering up his cards while trying to ignore the smirk on Hermione's face, Draco felt his stomach drop even farther. Eyeing his cards he had a low hand that would yield almost no points. He could feel his luck slowly going from bad to worse as he threw his king and 7 away keeping a pair of nines and a pair of fours hoping that Hermione wasn't as good a player as she thought she was. As the game progressed Draco made up little ground and Hermione managed to gain a substantial lead. Once they had played five rounds and Draco was just breaking the sixty point line while Hermione was already past the Ninety point marker or 'Skunk' line as it was commonly referred to Draco said, "I need a break. You're not bad Miss. Granger. I have to admit I never saw you as much of a cribbage player..."
"Thank you," Hermione answers with a blush as she stared down at the board, standing up and stretching herself. "You aren't too bad yourself." She said, trying to ease up the tension a bit and keep Draco from becoming a sore loser. "The cards just aren't in your favor this game. You are counting all your points like you need to, not leaving me any room to mug them."
"I've got a lot riding on this game. I mean if I can get the 'Brightest witch' of our age to cheat then I just have my proof the world isn't a perfect place," Draco said as he stretched his back but never tearing his gaze away from her so he could see her response.
She blushes slightly. "If I was truly the 'Brightest Witch of Our Age,' then I wouldn't have to cheat." She said with a sigh of defeat. "I don't know why everyone calls me that. For being so 'bright' supposedly, I defiantly don't feel very smart whenever I have to face some of these exams." Hermione knew she couldn't tell Draco the truth. He wouldn't understand. No one would that there were nights where she would stay up studying by the light of her wand until the dormitories started to lighten up from the morning sun, only earning herself two, maybe three hours of sleep before she had to wake up and do it again. She couldn't tell him that there were times she got so frustrated with what she was reading, she wanted to just throw the book across the room and call it quits but what would that make her? Nothing more than what Draco had always assumed, a muggle-born who couldn't handle the stress of the wizarding world.
"Besides, you can only get me to cheat if you win." She answered with a smile, trying to fight back the urge to giggle at the fact that she actually had Draco Malfoy, THE Draco Malfoy, stressing out over something besides his devilishly good looks...wait, did she just think that?
Seeing the look of sudden concentration crossing her face Draco guessed he had better get the game going again before she found a way to get out of playing the rest of it. Sitting back down he asked her again, "You ready for this?"
"As ready as I'm going to be." Hermione answered, sitting back down across from him as she dealt out another hand and the game continued.
As they continued to play Draco's luck only continued to get worse and as Hermione counted her final crib and pegged her last two points the game was over. Running his hand over his face Draco steeled himself for the inevitable onslaught of torture that he was sure she was going to toss his way about being an arrogant twit. "Well that was...interesting." What more could he say? Looking down at the board and seeing the gap between her back peg and his forward peg he shook his head noticing once again that not only had Hermione Granger beat him but she had 'Skunked' him as well meaning it counted as a double loss.
Hermione nods her head, looking down at the board herself. She had beat him, beat Draco Malfoy at something. The first thing she wanted to do was jump for joy, laughing and rubbing it in his face that he lost to 'tainted blood' as he would call it but she knew better. Her father had taught her not to gloat about your own winnings. No one liked someone who rubbed their own good fortunes in someone else's face. "It wasn't that bad." She answered instead, "I mean, like I said, sometimes you just lose. It's mostly in the cards anyway. It has less to do with personal skill and never once did I get to mug points from you so it wasn't your fault but, the Skunk Line would mean I get two prizes, right?" She asked, confused by the thought.
"Yes. It is. So Miss. Granger you've already got me to agree to sneaking away to meet up with you for our little get togethers even after breaks over. What else could you possibly want?" Draco asked crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair but not in a angered way but more of a thoughtful persona.
Hermione sat there, biting her bottom lip as she so often did when she was deep in thought. What did she want? More so, what did she want that Draco Malfoy could offer? She wasn't one for pride, for the 'finer' things in life. Sure, it was nice seeing the wizarding plays from the best seat in the house, but it wasn't something she needed. Her thoughts went wild as to what she could want before finally it clicked. "I want you to stop calling me a filthy mudblood." She answered firmly. "I am a muggle-born and my name is either Hermione or Granger, not mudblood." She says, a firmness to her words.
Draco leaned forward in his chair and started cleaning up the cards and board off the table. "Thats what you want?" He asked thoughtfully as he threw the game back into his back and looked across the table at her. He had already been working on not saying it around her, but now it was serious since they had crossed wands and he was at serious risk of cracking it if he let it slip once around her.
Nodding his head as he stood Draco replied, "Very well then. You won so your prize is whatever you choose. I'll send you a note the next time we can meet then." As he turned to walk away he looked back just long enough to say, "But just so you know you wasted your prize. I would have done it for free..." and then he walked away leaving her sitting there once again in a state of utter shock.