So, the title for this chapter was too long; but it was too good to leave out!
Also, I love the way I wrote Blaise! He's modeled after two of my friends, so I had to incorporate them into the story.
Warning, there is mild violence in this chapter regarding a Beater's bat and an ill intentioned game of Quidditch.
Other than that, enjoy and review!
A Guide to Dealing With Gay (And Alcoholic) Best Friends, Mean Girls, and Establishing Dominance
Hermione's body tingled. Her lips ached. Her head was spinning. She couldn't believe it.
I made a choice. I chose him. I chose Draco.
She found herself smiling, whilst walking to the Great Hall. Her stomach was rumbling, but her hunger wasn't as strong as the feelings that she currently had for Draco.
I chose Draco. And that means I'm with Draco. Draco Malfoy and I are dating. Draco Malfoy is dating me, Hermione Granger. Oh god, I've gotta tell Harry. I've gotta tell Ron.
Wait no, not yet. Ron doesn't need to know yet.
She finally arrived in the Great Hall, and beelined towards the Gryffindor table. She made a slight gagging noise when she saw Ron being hastily pulled into a open-mouthed, revolting kiss by Lavender. Bitch. Ugh.
Ron was surprised for a moment and dropped the chicken leg he had been munching on down on the plate, and gradually put his arms around Lavender, enjoying the kiss. Hermione rolled her eyes, and sat down next to Harry, who, unfortunately, was sitting across from the young couple, an equally disgusted look on his face.
Ignoring the face battle going on across from her, Hermione turned to Harry. "How was your day, Harry? Anything exciting happen?" Hermione asked, pouring herself a goblet of pumpkin juice.
Harry shook his head with a mouthful of dinner roll. He chewed briefly then swallowed, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Not really, no. Luna and I took a walk after Potions and sat by the lake, but that was about it."
Hermione smirked, pleased that Luna and Harry were doing well. "How is Luna? I haven't talked to her in what seems like ages."
Harry opened his mouth to speak, but was rudely interrupted by Lavender.
"So, Hermione, anyone special caught your attention yet?" Lavender asked snidely, her nose slightly upturned.
Hermione looked at the blonde witch, her disdain evident. "I hardly think that's any of your business, Lavender."
Lavender smirked, and examined her nails, a pretentious look on her face. "No need to be rude. I was simply asking a question."
Hermione's blood began boiling, her eyes clouding with red. It took a lot to get Hermione angry, but this stupid witch seemed to know what buttons to push. She silently counted to three, and turned her attention back to Harry, who had an amused look on his face. "What were you about to say Harry? Before you were rudely interrupted?" She glanced pointedly at Lavender.
"Oh yeah. Luna's doing great. She's happy."
Hermione smiled. "That's good. You should ask her if she would like to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend. Have a girls day, so to speak. Just me, her, and Ginny."
Hermione heard Lavender sniff haughtily, clearly peeved that she wasn't invited. Hermione had an idea.
"Oh, Lavender, I guess you can come too. If you want."
Lavender turned away, and looked at Ron, who had continued eating, completely unaware of the exchange going on between the two girls.
Harry, on the other hand, looked slightly uncomfortable.
"Unfortunately, Hermione, I won't be able to make it; Won-Won is taking me to Madame Puddifoot's this Saturday. Maybe some other time." She said, her voice sickly sweet, the malice underneath it almost unrecognizable.
Hermione looked away, and ignored Lavender. "So Harry, would you pass along the message for me?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah. Luna'll be delighted."
Hermione grinned. "Great! Tell her to meet us by the tower in the courtyard at three."
Harry smiled. "Okay Hermione." He turned back to his plate, and continued eating. "Anything exciting happen to you today, Hermione?" he asked, after chewing for a few moments.
Hermione blushed, bursting to tell Harry about Draco. "Well, I did make a decision about what we talked about earlier this morning."
Harry stopped chewing, his face screwed up in concentration, clearly trying to remember what Hermione was talking about. Then it dawned on him. "Ohh." He looked at her. "What did you decide?"
Hermione hesitated, trying to find a way to word this without giving too much away in front of Lavender.
"I decided to take a chance, and I'm happy with my decision." She looked down at her plate, grinning stupidly. "Really happy."
Hermione looked up to see Lavender looking at her curiously, puzzled by her purposefully vague answer. Behind Lavender's head, though, she saw the object of her affections staring at her, two tables away. Her brown eyes met his cold grey ones, and he smiled at her, and Hermione could feel her face getting hot. Goodness, I'm not used used to this. It's like Victor all over again.
She smiled back, and caught the even more puzzled, if terrified, expression on Lavender's face. She realized it looked like she was smiling at Lavender, and it was clearly scaring the blonde witch. She stopped, and continued eating.
Draco, on the other hand, couldn't help but stare at Hermione from across the Great Hall. Merlin, she was so beautiful. Her lips still looked slightly swollen from the kiss they had shared, their first official kiss. He remembered the ache he felt all over his body, and how his lower half started to burn with desire. It had never happened to him before, and it scared him a little. He was reluctant to press further with the kiss, considering Hermione's feelings towards sex. Wait, why am I even thinking about sex? I haven't even taken her on a date. Oh shit. How am I supposed to do that? We can't be seen together. Fuck.
While Draco was pondering this dilemma, Blaise sat next to him, and lightly punched Draco on the shoulder.
"Stop thinking so hard, Draco. You'll burn your brain," he joked, and spooned green bean casserole onto his plate.
Draco smirked sarcastically, and returned the punch. "Hey, at least I have one, and it isn't always soaked in alcohol."
Blaise put on a fake wounded expression. "Oh Draco, dear, you're breaking my poor, shriveled heart."
"What heart?" Draco countered, and the two young men laughed.
"Ah, you know me all too well, Draco." Blaise replied, taking out a small flask from his robes. He unscrewed the cap, and tipped it into his goblet, and screwed the cap back on. "Bottoms up, my dear friend. To heartless bastards, and black widow mothers, and alcoholic teenagers; may I never seek help!" He raised the glass to his lips and drank heavily, the smell of firewhiskey pervading the air.
Draco screwed up his nose, and laughed. "Mate, you couldn't wait to get back to the dorm to get blasted?"
Blaise shook his head, and took another swig. "Nope. You know us heartless, handsome, and well dressed alcoholics have no patience. If given the chance, I'd drink myself into a stupor just to get through Binns' class. He's more boring than a rock."
Draco snorted. "Blaise, you have drunk yourself into a stupor just to get through Binns' class. Don't you remember?"
"Obviously, my dear, sweet, naive, beautiful Draco, I wouldn't be able to remember if I was piss drunk." Blaise smirked, and sipped on his goblet some more. "By the way, what day is it?"
Draco rolled his eyes. "It's Thursday, mate. Are you sure you weren't already drunk before you sat down?"
"Possibly. Days just blur together for me." He finished off the goblet. "So, Draco, my precious friend, what went on in your day today?"
"Well, Blaise, I think I'm dating a girl."
"'Think'? There is no think when it comes to dating. You either are, or you aren't. Oohhh," Blaise waggled his eyebrows, "did precious virginal Draco finally got some?"
"No! Blaise, I'm waiting, mate. This girl, though, I'd give her everything I have. She's perfect."
"Bloody hell, is my ickle Drakie in love?" Blaise said bemusedly, a big grin crossing his features. "Draco is in love!"
"Shut up, Blaise. Don't patronize me, you wanker."
"I'm not patronizing you, you pureblooded asshole." Blaise laughed, and slapped Draco on the back. "So, who is she? Is she pretty? Is she pureblooded? Tell me about her!"
Draco hesitated, then lowered his voice. "If I tell you, will you freak out?"
"Draco, I've known you too long to judge you. If you decided to marry a Blast-Ended Skrewt, I'd still be the best man at your wedding." Blaise shuddered. "It isn't a Blast-Ended Skrewt, though, is it?" he said, almost fearfully, opening up his flask and pouring the rest of the whiskey into his goblet.
"No! Blaise, you are just impossible, you know that?"
"Then tell me, you blond bitch! Keeping me in suspense, you wretched dog."
Draco sighed, then whispered faintly. "It's Hermione Granger."
Blaise sputtered, spitting whiskey all over himself. "Come again?"
"Hermione Granger."
Silence. "Oh. Nice. She's pretty. I understand your attraction to her."
Draco looked at his best friend, bewildered. "You're okay with this?"
"Honestly, Draco, it's your life. I'm glad you found someone who makes you happy. Even if loving that person is dangerous. Be careful, mate. He has eyes and ears all over the school."
Draco sighed. "I know. But I want to make this work with her. She's like sunshine, Blaise. She makes me feel drunk, high, like I downed an entire bottle of Odgen's. She makes me feel, well, normal."
"Normal is good. Normal is great. Hell, I'd give anything to be normal, and not to be some constantly drunk and utterly sassy homosexual, with a mother who kills her husbands every year and a half," Draco rolled his eyes; Blaise always had to point out his homosexuality and his problematic mother, "but I see a problem here, Draco. How're you going to take her on a date without risking Him knowing about it?"
"Believe it or not, Blaise, that's what I was thinking about before you decided to grace me with your presence."
"Say no more, my blond friend; I'm already gone. And if it's Thursday, like you said, then that means I've got to go see a certain Hufflepuff about a certain bathroom 'incident', or several, I mean." Blaise said, and waved at Ernie MacMillan, who reluctantly waved back, a deep blush on his face. Ernie was Blaise's latest conquest.
Draco chuckled, and patted Blaise on the back. "Really? Ernie and you? Didn't think he swung that way."
"He doesn't; but I'm working on it!" And with that, Blaise got up, conjuring a glass flower, and beckoned to Ernie, who followed him timidly.
Draco smiled, amused at his friend's antics. He's just gradually going to turn the whole male population of the school school gay, one bathroom 'incident' and glass flower at a time.
After the dinner was done, Draco left the Great Hall, fuller and happier than when he had started his day, a big big grin on his face. Then he remembered he had to deal with Crabbe's behavior and threat from earlier.
Draco sighed, utterly disappointed at Crabbe. Why is it he can't seem to understand that I'm in charge? It seems like I must establish my dominance every week. Last week I gave him a bloody nose. You'd think that would teach him.
Draco waited for his two dimwitted followers to exit the Great Hall, and called out to them as they were absentmindedly making their way back to the dungeons.
"Oi! You two! Crabbe! Goyle! Let's go!" Draco shouted, grabbing their attention.
They walked over to Draco, weary and rounder than when they had entered the Great Hall.
"Draco, it's late. Can't we go back to the dorms?" Said Goyle, rubbing his stomach, having eaten too much.
"Yeah, mate, I'm tired. Can't we do this tomorrow?" piped in Crabbe, rubbing his lower back.
"No, it can't wait you buffons. Let's go."
They followed him, reluctantly, grumbling the entire way, shuffling their shoes and kicking random rocks. Finally, they got to the Quidditch pitch and Draco had made sure there were three brooms available, having put them out there shortly after his meeting with Hermione. He'd also managed to grab some of the Quidditch balls, but the thing he wanted most was the Beaters bats. He had plans with those.
"Goyle, you take that broom, and Crabbe, you take the other one. Crabbe, you're going to be a Keeper, and Goyle and I are going to be Beaters. So go down to the end of the field."
Crabbe mounted his broom and zoomed off down the field, and waited patiently. Draco leaned down and grabbed the beaters bats and handed one to Goyle. He grabbed a ball from the Quidditch ball chest and swung a leg over the old Cleansweep and kicked off, hovering in the air, and sat for a little bit.
"Ready?" he shouted loud enough for Crabbe to hear, and he heard Crabbe yell back audibly,
"Ready!"
Draco threw the ball in the air, and swung at his target. And wouldn't you know it, it hit exactly where it was supposed to; right in Crabbe's face. Crabbe instantly brought his hands up to his nose, and pulled them away quickly, howling in pain, blood covering his fingers.
Draco had broken his nose, again.
Draco smirked, and let out a soft chuckle. Goyle, on the other hand, looked slightly terrified. He zoomed towards Crabbe, and helped him back to the ground.
Draco flew towards them effortlessly, jumping off his broom in one swift motion. "So, Crabbe, what did we learn today?"
Crabbe glared at him, trying to set his nose for the second time in the past two weeks. "That you're a sadistic wanker?!"
Anger flashed across Draco's features and then softened to a leer. "No, Crabbe; we learned not to FUCKING THREATEN ME!"
Goyle jumped slightly at Draco's outburst, but said nothing. He moved Crabbe's hands away from his face, and pointed his wand at Crabbe's nose, and murmured "Episkey."
Crabbe stopped whimpering and sat for a few minutes, staring dejectedly at the ground, refusing to look at Draco. Finally after several minutes of silence, he peered up at Draco, and mumbled a soft apology.
"I'm sorry, Draco. I won't threaten you again."
Draco smirked, then offered his hand. Crabbe took it, and Draco pulled him off the ground.
"Off to bed, you two. I've got some business to take care of in the owlery."
The two boys quickly hurried off, not wanting to upset Draco even more. Satisfied that they had gone back to the castle, Draco made his way to the owlery.
He was greeted by his owl, Orion. Orion was a stubby barn owl with amber eyes the size of the moon. He had almost a comical look about him, as if he was holding back from laughing at a joke.
Draco scratched the side of Orion's head, and pulled out two envelopes from his robes. One was from his father, the other from his mother. He had gotten them shortly after Potions class, when he had gone to get things ready for the Quidditch pitch.
He remembered what his father's letter had said, how it had been devoid of any emotion. He pulled out the letter to read it again.
Draco,
I trust you are almost successful with the repairs to the Vanishing Cabinet. Let me remind you that the Dark Lord doesn't give second chances too readily. You remember last time; next time, you won't be so lucky. It'll be your mother paying the price.
The Dark Lord sends his regards.
-Your father
Draco had snorted, reading the last part of the letter.
Your father. More like overbearing sadistic asshole that he just happens to share the same genetics with.
Draco opened the letter his mother had sent, and a warm feeling invaded his heart.
My dear Draco,
Oh, how I miss you! It still pains me every time you have to go to Hogwarts.
Your father misses you too, you know. In his own way. Aunt Bella sends her regards. He, on the other hand, wants to know how you're progressing on the Cabinet. I honestly could care less, because I miss you so!
How are things at school? Are you getting along? Is there anyone special in your life? And will you be coming home to visit for Christmas? It wouldn't be the same without you, you know. Oh, I miss you so so much, my precious boy! Dear me, I've probably said that too many times!
Write back as soon as possible, my dear. I love you!
-Love, Mum
Draco smiled, and ran his fingers over his mother's signature. He loved her dearly; and he would do anything for his mother. That's the only reason he's doing these tasks for the Dark Lord: to protect his mother. And by the He in her letter, Draco knew she meant the Dark Lord.
Draco sat down and pulled out a quill, ink and two pieces of parchment from his robes; thank god for Undetectable Extension Charms.
He decided he would pen out the letter to his father first, just to get it out of the way.
Father,
I am well aware of the circumstances if I fail; reminding me of the punishment I will have to endure isn't helpful in the least. You may not care much about Mother, but I do. Just know I'm doing this for her.
Your son, Draco
Draco laughed bitterly at the last part, knowing that it would peeve his father to no end. He folded the parchment in half and stuck it in an envelope, and started on the reply to his mother's letter.
Dear Mum,
I miss you terribly too, more than you'll ever know. And I know father misses me, and tell Aunt Bella I said hi.
I'm almost done with the Cabinet, so no need to worry. I'm getting along great, classes are going well, and I met someone, a really great girl. Mum, you would love her. She's smart, pretty, and witty. I adore her.
I'm not sure if I'll be home for Christmas, but as soon as I know, I'll tell you.
I miss you lots, Mum. I love you.
-Draco
Draco looked at the letter, and sighed deeply. He wished he could say more to his mother about Hermione, but he was already risking so much just by saying he met someone. He folded the letter and placed it in another envelope, and tied both letters to Orion's leg.
"Straight home, you silly bird. No side stops." He instructed, placing a treat in the owl's beak.
Orion stared at him, and bobbed his head in apparent understanding. He took off, leaving Draco staring at the now raised moon in the sky, reminiscing about the day's events.
Tell me what you think! Love it, hate it, undecided? Leave a review, promise I won't bite!