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Chapter Seven
Hermione pulled a turquoise feathered quill from her bag and set it on the desk infront of her. It was first class of the day – Potions – and she was sitting beside Ginny. Draco sat infront of them, alone.
"Hermione why is he hanging around you like a bad smell?" Ginny whispered under her breath.
Slughorn sauntered into the classroom, a broad smile stretched on his wide face.
"He's not a bad smell Ginny! And I don't mind him being around. He is my friend. He's different now, I promise. Please get to know him, for me?"
Now it was Ginny's turn to scowl. Hermione actually thought that Ginny was being quite hypocritical. She had, in fact, been the one who had invited him to Harry's birthday party. It was all well and good for her to expect Harry should make amends with Draco, but she wasn't so willing to do it herself.
"Why should I just immediately forgive him for all the shit he's caused?"
"You don't have to forgive him immediately." Hermione told her, "Have one conversation with him and tell me he's not a changed man."
Slughorn cleared his throat.
"Welcome back, everyone. It is wonderful to see some familiar faces return to me again. I hope this morning finds you well?"
A general grumble of consent ran through the class, not convincing anyone that the morning did, indeed, find them well.
"Well… it is early I suppose." Slughorn mumbled, "Anyway! Onwards and upwards! This morning we will be brewing a complex little potion that causes the drinker to take on the abilities of a chameleon. But take heed! Even inhaling the fumes of this potion can sometimes cause a person to change colour temporarily. Okay, everyone please gather around my table please and I'll do a demonstration!"
Hermione slotted back into the routine of classes as if she had never been out of it. As if she hadn't spent a year absent from school, sleeping in forests and on hillsides, living on one meal a day.
Potions turned out to be a very enjoyable class, apart from the potion smelling uncannily like boiled cabbage. But the fact that some students, who stood to close to the brewing potion, left the classroom in various shades of rainbow colours went down a treat.
After double potions, they had Defence Against the Dark Arts.
Hermione couldn't wait to see how Fleur was going to approach the subject.
"Welcome to my class." Fleur addressed them briskly, with a thin smile. She stood at the top of the classroom, ringing her hands and wearing robes of silvery pale blue. Her silvery blond hair was piled on top of her head in a bun, and her eyes were sparkling with nerves.
"I have a few things to say to you all before we begin. Firstly, in my class you will listen when I talk." Everybody was listening, rather more than necessary on Seamus Finnegan's part. Fleur continued, "Also, I want you all to stand up, and take a seat beside somebody 'oo ees not a member of your house." On saying this, Fleur caught Hermione's eye and winked. The pieces fell into place, Fleur must have seen the I.R.I.S fliers and decided to help Hermione 'Redefine Friendship!'
Hermione smiled back and stood up with her books in her arms.
Draco walked to her side.
"Do you want to sit together?" he asked her politely, his jumper hanging over one shoulder and his shirt un-tucked.
"Erm, yeah, alright then." She smiled and sat back down where she was standing. Draco slid into the seat next to her, his long arms folding infront of him on the desk.
Ginny had moved across the room, and was now sitting beside the black haired boy that had scowled at her the night before. She didn't look too happy, and neither did he.
Draco was picking at the skin on his thumb again.
"Okay, so now ve can begin." Fleur moved around her desk and flicked on a projector with her wand.
"Ve are going to 3atch a slideshow on Muggle Weapons, and the reason they are evil. They are muggle forms of defence and are extremely complex and dangerous. If you are to survive along side ze muggles you should know 'ow zey arm themselves."
Draco's eyebrows shot up as a gun appeared on the screen and he leaned forward in anticipation. Hermione wondered why he was so eager to learn about anything that had to do with muggles.
But maybe, she thought, he always has been this interested, but it was never allowed before. Or maybe the fact that this was a killing weapon just endeared him.
Hermione couldn't wait until lunch time, she wanted to talk to Draco about the class, and if that meant sitting at the Slytherin table again then she would do it.
When class was over, Fleur walked over to Hermione, a smile tugging on the corners of her lips, nervously she asked,
"Zeed you think it vas okay? For zee first lesson?"
Hermione felt a rush of emotion towards this woman, her sister in law. She had fought so bravely in the war, alongside her husband, who she simply adored, despite his scars. She was annoying at times, and completely full of herself, but she was kind, she was loyal, and she was a brilliant teacher. Hermione admired her for what she was doing, sharing her knowledge with others and trying to educate students in a way that was new, but not wrong.
"It was great Fleur, really different, but really great!"
"Oh zank heavens!" Fleur looked relieved, and a proper smile took over her features, "I vas so worried!"
Hermione thought that Fleur's life had been nothing but worry for the last few years, and she deserved to be happy again.
At lunch, Hermione had planned to sit once again at the Slytherin table, but Draco and Ginny had walked on ahead of her when she had been talking to Fleur, and when she entered the great hall it was to see something very different.
Ginny and Draco were sitting together at the Gryffindor table, across from Dean and Seamus. And they were all talking. As she walked closer to them she realised that Draco looked extremely nervous, and a sheen of sweat gleaned on his forehead. Hermione sat down beside him on the bench and let her book bag fall to the floor at her feet. Draco looked over at her, his eyes becoming relieved at her presence.
"Hermione, it's good to see you again – finally." Seamus was grinning at her.
"You too Seamus." She tore her eyes from Draco's, "And Dean- how've you been."
"Not to bad Hermione. Glad to be back."
Hermione ate lunch with her friends, and she laughed a lot. Seamus and Dean were willing to give Draco a chance, and when he realised that – he relaxed a bit and had fun discussing who would win in a battle – A wizard with a gun or a wizard with a wand.
They had Herbology and Charms before dinner, and then a triple free period.
The day went well, and Hermione enjoyed falling back into the comfortable routine.
It wasn't until she was walking back to the common room alone after dinner that she started to feel homesick. She missed Ron.
It was when she passed the huge portrait of the man stroking his pointed goatee that a pang of pain shot through her heart and she longed for his presence by her side.
She slipped quietly into the common room and up into her dormitory where she dissapeered inside a romance novel. Only a few days before she would see Ron again.
When Draco reached his dormitory that night, alone, he wondered how he had been so lucky. Today he had talked a lot, and strangely he enjoyed it. Seamus and Dean were great, and Ginny tended to drive him insane. But he didn't hate her anymore. She was annoying as hell but she was funny sometimes.
He lay down on his green quilted bed and his hands fell behind his head. He closed his eyes for ten minutes and allowed himself to daydream. Ten minutes and then he would start his homework. Stupid fucking homework.
It was, however, only three minutes and fifty three seconds before his eyes shot wide open and he sat up fast, reaching for his school bag to begin his potions essay, pronto.
Daydreaming about Hermione, pressed up against the bookshelf in the corner of his dorm, his body merely inches from hers, inches that were closing to centimetres by the second, millimetres… Her breath hitting his lips and his lips closing the gap between them… No, daydreaming was not safe. Daydreaming was not good. And daydreaming about Hermione, and Hermione's body, and the way it would mould so well against his defiantly was not allowed.
The rest of the week passed much in the same way, and when Friday rolled around, Hermione woke at half six with a leaping heart. Today was the first I.R.I.S meeting – and tonight she would be back in the burrow with Ron. It was going to be a great day, she could feel it.
She showered as usual and when she returned to the dormitory Ginny was awake and up.
"You're genuinely excited about this meeting, aren't you?" she asked Hermione.
"It's going to be great Gin, I can feel it."
"You're not worried about, um, low attendance?"
"Of course I am, but it's only the first meeting. Even if it's only five people, we can start making a difference can't we?"
Ginny smiled, "I guess so Hermione."
Hermione smiled back.
The whole way through the day Hermione was wishing the classes to end quickly. She couldn't wait for six o'clock to roll around, and at half five she dragged Draco and Ginny up to the room of requirement to help her set up.
When they entered the room it has transformed into a small, bright classroom.
The walls were a green-blue swirl of paint and were plastered with posters that displayed inspirational quotes and pictures. There was a large round table in the middle of the room, and a vase stood in the middle. Hanging on the wall behind the table was a banner sporting the club name. Hermione looked around approvingly and nodded at Draco and Ginny.
"It looks great, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, I mean it's perfect." Draco replied, his fingers trailing around the rim of the table as he walked around it, his shirt half un-tucked again.
She smiled at him, then hauled a brown satchel onto the table, the contents of which clinked metallically.
"What's in the bag Hermy-own?" Ginny asked, taking a seat at the sunny wooden table.
"Bracelets." Hermione answered, and tipped some out on the table. "Every member can take one. As a symbol, I suppose, a type of badge to say they belong to this club."
The bracelets were plain, silver bands, elegant and simple. Engraved on the inside of each was was the the letters IRIS.
"Wow Hermione these are really cool!" Ginny commented, impressed.
"Thanks! You can take one, both of you, and then sign your names on the member ship board."
At exactly six o'clock, the first prospective member entered the room. It was the black haired boy that had sit with Ginny in DADA.
"Morgan! Come on in!" Ginny smiled.
Hermione was dumbstruck. How did Ginny not only manage to befriend the stand-offish Slytherin, but somehow also convince him to come to the meeting? She had no idea, but she didn't really care. If Ginny had managed to get him to come along, that was good enough for Hermione. At two minutes past six, three timid first years entered.
They signed their names as Caitlin Carlton, Ivy Fenlon and Orlaith Allen.
They were followed closely by Luna, Seamus, Dean and Neville.
At five past six, two blond haired Ravenclaw twins entered the room and apologized for being late. There names were Gordon and Nicholas Grady, and they wore identical, handsome grins.
At ten past six, the thirteen members sat down at the round table and Hermione passed out bracelets.
"Okay, well. Thank you all so much for coming. The aim of this group is to promote the fact that it's okay, and allowed, to be friends with people from different houses. There has been some… er… discrimination between houses in the past, and we want to put an end to it. Okay lets go around the table. How about if… you say your name and house, and maybe one fact about you? Just so we can all get to know one another.
"I'm Draco. Slytherin. And I play as seeker." Draco caught Hermione's eye and winked.
"My name is Ginny, and I'm in Gryffindor. I know how to tie other peoples shoelaces using just my toes."
A small muttering of laughter ran around the table.
"Em, I'm, uhm, Orlaith. I'm in Gryffindor and I, uhm, I like to write."
"I'm Caitlin, I'm a Slytherin, and I play piano."
"My name is Ivy, I'm in Hufflepuff and I love Poptarts."
"I'm Morgan. Slytherin and I can probably beat you in Wizards Chess with my eyes closed."
So modest, Hermione thought sarcastically, what a git.
She smiled to herself. Ron would call him a git if her were here. And he would probably challenge him to a game.
"I'm Luna, I'm a Ravenclaw and I was once bitten by a Gernumbli Gardensi." Hermione grinned at Luna.
"Dean. I'm a Gryffindor and my middle name is Tobias."
"My name is Seamus. I belong in Gryffindor and I have mastered the spell that turns water into rum."
"I'm Gordon. I'm from Ravenclaw and I like, uhm, painting."
"I'm Nick, I'm Ravenclaw too, and I have no idea what to say because I'm pretty boring."
"You're not boring." Orlaith said quickly, then proceeded to blush hysterically, apparently surprised that she had said that aloud and that people had heard her.
Nick beamed across the table at the embarrassed girl.
"Well, I'm Hermione, I'm a Gryffindor and I think that there's no better weather than thunder storms."
Draco flinched. Thunder storms? Why on earth did she like them? His brain immediately began to replay the Vision and he pushed it aside, sick of it taking over his thoughts and not being able to decipher its meaning.
"So, did everyone get a bracelet?"
Nods and yeses echoed around the table.
"Good. Okay, so the first matter of business before we leave is for me to ask you all too just… talk to everyone. See how much of a difference you can make by being friendly. And if you can, recruit more members for next weeks meeting!"
For the next half hour, everyone chatted happily and got to know each other better. When half six rolled around, and the meeting ended, Hermione left the room with a glowing smile.
"Brilliant! That was brilliant!" She jumped on the balls of her feet as Draco chuckled at her.
"Yeah… it really was. You were brilliant."
Ginny had walked away with Luna, and Hermione took his hands in hers and made him twirl.
"We're doing it Draco! We are slowly but surely taking over the world!"
He laughed at her and twirled her around, loving how she seemed to be glowing.
She draped an arm around his shoulder as he walked with her to the Entrance Hall. A group of seventh years were assembled there, waiting to go out of the castle bounds and apparate home for the weekend.
"Hermione!" Ginny called her over. "Ron gave me this, he told me to give it to you and tell you to apparate to this address."
She handed Hermione a slip of Parchment with a scribbled street name in London, written in Ron's messy scrawl.
"He said it was a surprise." Ginny beamed.
"Okay, thanks Gin." Hermione told her, smiling to herself and wondering what on earth Ron had planned.
Professor McGonagall escorted the group outside to Hogwarts front gates, and then bid them a due for the weekend.
Hermione hugged Ginny and watched her dissaperate - back to her apartment, where Harry would no doubt be waiting for her.
Hermione turned to say goodbye to Draco and found him intensely looking into her eyes, his own eyes looking pained.
"Hermione would you mind if I apparated back with you, to that address in London? It's just, I don't like the idea of you ending up on some dark street alone – i-if Ron isn't there yet. I just want to make sure you get there safely."
Hermione smiled at him and nodded.
"You're too kind Draco. But it would be an honour to apparate with you." She chuckled. "Thank you." She told him, brown eyes serious now. She was really delighted that he cared so much about her as to want to see her off safely.
He took her small, warm hand in his and she read off the name of the street they were apparating too. Her hand was the only thing real as they whizzed through time and space, the world closing in upon them. He hated apparating, hated it with a passion. The minute his feet hit solid ground he breathed out a sigh of relief. But when he opened his eyes, it was to find angry blue ones staring back into his.
Ron was standing under an orange street light, his red hair tussled and coppery, he was wearing a black suit.
In his arms he held a large bouquet of flowers. Hermione's heart jumped when she saw him and she smiled, but his eyes were not on hers. His eyes were on Draco Malfoy, and they were filled with hatred, fiery hot hatred. Hermione should have said no, she should have considered the possibility that Ron would not have been late to meet her, and that he would hate seeing her with Draco. She dropped his hand like it burned her and didn't notice as his face shattered.
"Ron…" she walked to him and his eyes finally met hers.
"'Mione." He grinned. She reached him and his arms enveloped her, and she let her lips fall onto his like it was the most natural thing in the world. But it felt all wrong. She pulled away and smiled gently at Ron, before turning around and walking towards Draco. She felt like a right git for dropping his hand like that, he didn't deserve it, he had brought her here safely.
Hermione walked to him, her eyes holding guilt. Then she hugged him and his hands absently trailed gently down her spine as he breathed in her scent. He should probably stop looking like he was enjoying this so much when her boyfriend, the Weasel, was right infront of him.
"Thank you. I'm safe now." She whispered softly in his ear.
You're safe in my arms Hermione.
She pulled away and kissed his cheek.
"C'mon 'Mione I made, uh, a reservation for dinner." Ron called.
Draco scowled.
"I better get going." He said quietly, "Nice to, erm, see you Ron."
Ron glared at him.
"Ron maybe we should invite Draco to eat with us?" Hermione smiled at Ron.
"NO!" Ron blurted, "I mean, Hermione I have something I need to talk to you about, in private."
"That's okay, I would have declined anyway Hermione. But thank you, I hope you guys… have a great time." Draco tried to smile, but it turned out as more of a grimace.
Having dinner with Hermione and her boyfriend was not exactly on his list of things he's like to do.
"See you Monday." He told her, and before she could say anything else, he turned on the spot and was gone.
"I've missed you so damn much." Ron smiled at her and handed her the flowers. Hermione beamed.
"Oh Ron, me too. It's great to be back. But why are we here?"
"Well, I had this idea see, and I thought it was good but now I'm re-thinking because what if you don't – I mean, you might not like-"
"Ron, I love you, but you're rambling. What is going on?"
He shrugged his shoulders.
"I really hope you like it 'Mione, I mean, if you don't we can always sell."
His eyes trailed away from hers and up the steps that were beside them, up the steps to a midnight blue painted door with a gold door knocker. It was surrounded by a creeper of roses.
Hermione's eyes widened and she stuttered.
"Ron, what is it. R-ron is t-that o-our-?"
He cut her off, throwing a pair of keys into her hands.
"That-" he gestured up towards the blue door, "is ours."
Hermione's breath caught in her throat momentarily, before she threw her arms around his neck.
"What!? Ron you can't be serious! That beautiful – That house- It's really ours?"
He nodded, his hands hanging loosely around her waist and a broad smile on his lips.
"It's ours 'Mi."
She couldn't believe it, this couldn't be real.
"Ours…" she whispered, then kissed his lips again.
"But you said you made a reservation? What did you mean?"
"Well, I may have lied just a little there. You see, I made us dinner. Without using magic mind you! To be honest I just didn't want Malfoy to be there with his stupid blond head at our first dinner together, in our new house."
Hermione frowned, she couldn't really blame Ron, could she?
"Can we go in?" she asked him, excitement brimming in her eyes.
"Of course we can go in. Let's go, Madame." He laughed and scooped her off her feet.
She protested profusely.
"Ron put me down I'm way too heavy!"
You're light as a feather 'Mione so shut up. We both know your skinny ankles couldn't make it up these steps anyway." He grinned, and with a flick of his wand the front door flew open as he carried her across the threshold.
"Welcome home." He whispered, and then kissed her for what was the third time that night but would certainly not be the last.
Ron had made them lasagne, and it was delicious. Hermione couldn't stop her mind from straying towards thoughts about Draco. She wondered was he home yet, and if he was lonely all alone. She wondered if he was warm enough and if he had enough food for the weekend. She wondered if he was thinking about her. She wondered all the way up until Ron took her hand and showed her their new bedroom. Then she forgot all about everything except for the fact she was so bloody in love.
Draco apparated home and fell into bed. He didn't want to think, he didn't want to
Breathe, he didn't want to picture what Ron and Hermione would inevitably do tonight.
It was all too vivid in his head. His apartment was freezing, so he pulled out a bottle of the finest old Fire-whiskey and poured himself a glass. When he opened his fridge all he found was a bowl of grapes.
Are grapes meant to be kept in the fridge? Probably not.
He picked them off the stalk one by one, peeled them, and then popped them into his open mouth. One grape, one mouthful of whiskey. He hated the texture of peeled grapes, but peeling them was just too much fun. That and the fact he had nothing else to do. He peeled and drank and peeled and drank until his fingers became to clumsy to peel and his hands too shaky to pour. Then he fell asleep and forgot about it all.
A/N: Thanks for reading and thanks to everyone who followed or favourited!
LUNA GURLZ and Dramione'sInTheStars, I appreciate you're comments as always (:
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