The next few days came and went and soon Hermione was starting to feel herself fall back into a familiar rhythm of being back to school. Most days she would wake up, head off to class, go to dinner, get started on homework and meet up with Malfoy for her daily dose of forbidden medicine. Before she knew it, it was nearing the end of their second week back at Hogwarts.
Harry had of course spent many long hours serving his detention sentence with Umbridge and it was becoming clear to everyone that not only did they greatly dislike their newest teacher, but they would be lucky to learn anything at all in class before their looming O.W.L examinations. Hermione and Ron were as frustrated with Umbridge as Harry was and both detested her strongly, although arguably not as much as Harry must have having been forced to write lines with a quill that cut the message "I must not tell lies" deeply into his skin.
Another thing that Hermione was noticing more and more was Harry's change in behavior. These days he was rather short tempered with everyone and would often snap at them for no reason or make mean comments to her and Ron when they were together. The most irritating thing was that he seemed to be taking out his frustrations with the world on his two best friends and Hermione had started to get her fill of it. She had tried politely reminding Harry several times that it wasn't her and Ron he was angry with and they were on his side to support him, yet the pattern of behavior still continued to show itself regularly.
One evening, Hermione and Ron waited up in the Gryffindor common room for Harry to return from his final detention with Umbridge.
"It's nearly midnight!" Hermione exclaimed, fussing over a bowl of yellow liquid, "She can't still be keeping him?"
"Knowing that hag I wouldn't put it past her…" Ron growled.
Hermione was looking very concerned but gave a weak laugh when Ron referred to Umbridge as a hag, "She's just a dreadful woman." She got to her feet and began pacing back and forth in front of the fire as a silence fell between them.
"Hermione enough! You're making me nervous." Said Ron as his eyes followed her left to right and back again.
"Oh…." Hermione breathed, stopping in her tracks, "I didn't even realize I was doing it."
"C'mon, Harry's survived much worse than this I'm sure he's fine. Umbridge is just probably trying to milk his last detention for all it's worth."
"I suppose you're right, he's always getting into something though so I never can be sure with him."
"Say 'Mione," Ron began and Hermione's eyes darted up at the sound of her favorite pet name, "I know what will help you take your mind off things…."
Hermione was certain her heart stopped for a moment as Ron's voice trailed off. The first thing she thought of upon hearing these words was that Ron was going to make a comment about her rushing off to find Malfoy and that he knew everything that was going on; but she quickly vetoed this idea and let her imagination run wild with other possibilities. She thought that perhaps Ron was starting to work up the courage to make a move and that for once he would take advantage of their copious amounts of alone time together.
"Really?" She asked after a long moment, "And what exactly did you have in mind?"
"You've got a knack for astronomy, mind giving me a hand with Sinistra's essay?"
Hermione blinked dumbfounded, "I certainly will not! I already told you Ron, I'm not helping you with all your homework this year. You are going to have to learn this stuff sometime and you had best do it now before the O.W.L.s!"
Ron looked dejected as he picked up his quill again, "Right, okay then." He muttered and Hermione resumed pacing.
After a few more minutes, the door of the common room finally swung open and Harry stepped inside.
"Here," Hermione said anxiously as she pushed the small bowl of yellow-looking liquid towards him, "it should help your hand if you soak it in here."
Harry obeyed her instruction and a feeling of relief instantly washed over his face, "Thanks." He said gratefully as he settled deeper into one of the oversized armchairs.
"Oi, I still think you ought to complain to someone about this!" Ron suggested.
"For the last time—no." Harry replied irritably.
"McGonagall would have a field day if she knew about this—"
"And what's your point?! How long do you think it would take before Umbridge passed a decree that immediately sacked any staff member who complained?" Harry snapped.
Ron fell silent and Hermione searched for something to say, "She really is an awful woman. I was just saying so to Ron before you came in…we've really got to do something about her."
"Poison?" Ron questioned.
"No…something about what a terrible teacher she is. I mean, how are we going to learn any defense from her at all?"
Harry snorted, "I reckon it's too late to do anything about it now. She's got the job and she'll be here to stay if Fudge has anything to say about it."
"Well…"Hermione began tentatively, "You know I was thinking one day that maybe it's time we just do it ourselves."
"Do what ourselves?" Harry questioned, still bathing his hand in the curious solution Hermione had provided him.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts—we could teach ourselves." She suggested.
"Are you mad? All this homework already and you want to do extra work?" said Ron in disbelief.
"It's far more important that homework. After all, we need to prepare ourselves for what's waiting out there, just like Harry said in Umbridge's first lesson. We need a teacher and a proper one at that." Hermione explained.
"Well that much is obvious but I'm afraid we're fresh out of eligible Defense teachers at the moment." Harry sneered in contempt.
Hermione shot Ron an uneasy look, "See that's what got me thinking…I thought you might be able to teach us Harry."
"Me?" Harry asked alarmed.
"Yeah, that's an idea!" Ron exclaimed.
"What's an idea?" Said Harry, still in confusion.
"You teaching us of course!" Ron replied.
Hermione began explaining, "Think about it Harry; you're the best in our year at defense, you've beaten me in every test, first year you saved the Stone from You-Know-Who, second year you killed the basilisk and destroyed Riddle, third year you fought all those dementors and last year you fought off You-Know-Who again!"
"It all sounds great when you put it like that but I had a lot of help with that stuff."
"Oh stop being modest Harry…" Hermione began.
"No I'm not being modest!" Harry countered, almost angrily, "I know what I did but I didn't get through any of it because I'm some expert on Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"But surely you have a knack for it. Hermione's got a great idea mate; you'd make an excellent teacher." said Ron.
Harry suddenly leapt to his feet, spilling the solution and causing the glass bowl to shatter on the floor, "Listen to me! The pair of you haven't a clue what it's like! Have you ever had to face him? No. You think it's as simple as learning a bunch of stuff and memorizing spells? Well it's not like you're sitting in class when he's attacking you—you're about a second from death at any given moment. Try concentrating on anything other than dying, or him killing your family, or torturing your friends. You two sit there acting like I'm such a clever boy, as if Cedric was stupid or he messed up but you just don't get it…that could have just have easily been me!"
"Harry please," Hermione interrupted, "we weren't trying to insult Cedric. This is exactly why we need you to teach us because we need to understand what it's really like."
"What it's really like?!" Harry roared, "It's really horrifying, there is nothing as terrible as being confronted by him! Haven't you been listening? There is no way I can teach you what it's like because you are so clueless about it all."
"Please, calm down Harry, you don't need to be angry with us." Hermione said softly.
"Hermione's right!" Ron piped up, "What are you mad at us for? We're on your side after all."
"Yeah loads of good that is being that every single other person at this school hates me and thinks I'm nothing but a liar." Harry said hotly.
"Well we believe you and we always have! Since when have you cared so much about what everyone else thinks of you? I think I speak for both Ron and I when I say that we wish you would stop snapping at us for no reason. I was only making a mere suggestion and—"
"—And a stupid suggestion at that!" Harry spat.
Hermione was so taken aback by Harry's fowl response that she had an inkling to give her a piece of her mind, "If that's what you think…."
"Yeah, that is what I think Hermione now drop it! Where do you even get this stuff sometimes?"
Hermione was so furious she couldn't think clearly enough to give a scathing retort. In one quick motion, she gathered her belongings from the table and stomped away from Harry and Ron into the girl's dormitory.
She couldn't believe how irrational Harry was behaving! After all, she had done nothing wrong and was only trying to show Harry how highly she and Ron thought of him. Hermione seethed all the while she readied herself for bed, trying to refrain from slamming things around as not to wake the other girls. This new side of Harry was getting old and at that moment Hermione would have given anything to be able to alleviate her frustrations using Draco. It was far too late for her to sneak out now however, she would be caught for sure if she set foot outside Gryffindor tower.
Hermione sighed heavily as she pulled the covers over herself and attempted to push the encounter from her mind. She turned her thoughts instead to that of Malfoy's tongue in her mouth as there seemed to be few problems that it couldn't solve these days. For a moment she wondered if she was depending too heavily on him for a distraction but quickly forgot this train of thought when an image of Malfoy's steel-grey eyes flashed into her mind.
When she awoke the next morning, Hermione was feeling particularly groggy. She hadn't slept well the night before as her thoughts kept shifting from Harry's outburst, to fantasies of her and Malfoy, to Ron and what he would say if he knew she was sneaking around with Malfoy at every possible opportunity. While she was beginning to regain her ability to push aside her guilt, Hermione was finding it incredibly difficult to spend time with Ron this year. Her feelings for him were greater than ever and she didn't want to do anything to jeopardize a relationship with Ron. She often worried about what would happen if he found out and if he would ever talk to her again. Whenever she began thinking about this, she would immediately try to rationalize her behavior by telling herself that no one was ever going to find out and that there was nothing wrong with enjoying Malfoy's company while Ron got his act together. Still, her conscious ebbed at her all while she readied herself that morning.
Today was Saturday and Hermione found the girl's dormitory to be empty that morning. Not feeling very hungry, she decided to pass on breakfast and instead indulge herself in a little light reading. She made her way to the common room where she curled up in her favorite chair and opened a new novel that her mother had sent to her. Not long after she had begun reading, Hermione was interrupted by the portrait hole swinging open.
"Must be nice not to have a mountain of homework piled up…" She heard a voice mutter.
Hermione instantly looked up and saw Ron skulking by, "Excuse me?" She asked crossly.
"All I mean is you don't need to rub it in Hermione. You know full well Harry and I are drowning in homework!" He whined.
"I fail to see how that is my problem. You two are the ones who have been putting it off, shame on you for not having your priorities straight." Hermione scolded.
Ron rolled his eyes and started to set off in the direction of his own dormitory, "We've asked you for help about a dozen times but you're too bloody good to help us with anything."
Hermione felt anger, just like the night before start to swell, "That's what you're upset about, that I wouldn't help you with your homework?! And of course by help, you mean cheat!"
"Yeah, that's right I'm upset because you have all the free time in the world and must just love watching Harry and I suffer. You probably enjoy watching us idiots trying to figure everything out while you sit back and relax."
"Oh please Ron, don't be ridiculous." Hermione said dismissively.
"Ridiculous am I? Well tell me then, who is it then who had so much time on their hands that they could dream up some nutty plan about Harry teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Said Ron, turning round to face her direction again.
"You didn't seem to think it was a nutty plan last night!" Hermione spat, slamming her book closed and getting to her feet.
"Harry's right you know, we don't have a clue what it's like. And you know how much stress he's been under lately but I guess you just thought, 'gee I've got a brilliant idea, let's force Harry to teach us about all the horrible things he's lived through so he can re-live them all over again!"
"Now you sound just as absurd as he did!" Hermione struggled to explain herself, "All I was doing was trying to help. And at least I've got our best interests in mind, unlike the two or you who have become so irresponsible and careless lately that I barely recognize you!"
"Pfft," Ron snorted, "'our best interests.' yet you can't be bothered to help Harry or I with even one stinking ounce of homework. If you really had our best interests in mind you'd see that we're drowning over here and it's only the second week and if we could focus on anything other than all this bloody schoolwork we might be able to figure something out about You-Know-Who!"
"Ugh, you are unbelievable Ron!" Hermione snarled, throwing her arms in the air.
At this moment in time Harry swung open the door to the common room and stopped in his tracks. "My god do you two EVER stop bickering?!" He shouted when he caught sight of them.
Hermione's head whipped around to look at him, "Well if Ron would grow up—"
"Both of you grow up!" Harry roared in outrage, "All you do is fight constantly."
Ron opened his mouth to defend himself by was quickly cut off by Hermione, "Right, well seeing as how you boys have a problem with every single thing I say or do then perhaps it's best if I leave you alone!" She replied cattily before shooting each of them a nasty glare and dashing out of the common room.
Hermione felt rage with Harry and Ron that she had never felt before. Why was it always something with those two? She wondered to herself. Even when she was trying to be polite and helpful it was as though Harry found some flaw to criticize or a reason not to listen to her. Ron on the other hand just had a tendency to say things he didn't mean whenever he was feeling cranky and she was quite sure this situation was no different, but nonetheless, she was fed up! Hermione also felt a new source of anger burn inside her when she thought how Ron had acted the previous night when she was pitching her brilliant Defense teacher idea to both of them. At first, Ron had agreed and tried to chime in with support, but within moments he gave up and rather than defending Hermione, he sat idly by as Harry once again snapped at her for no reason.
She walked only a few paces from Gryffindor tower before running into Ginny in the hallway.
"Hi Hermione," she said in a chipper tone.
Hermione was sure her face was a bright shade of red from the rage she was feeling but Ginny seemed not to notice. "Er, hi Ginny." She managed to say through clenched teeth.
"Is everything alright?" Ginny inquired.
"NO!" Hermione spat more forcefully than she intended to, "And no, I do NOT want to talk about it." She added when she saw Ginny preparing to question her further.
"Oh," Ginny said dejectedly, staring down at her shoes.
"I'm sorry Ginny, I don't mean to take out my anger on you. It's just…your idiot brother and Harry….afraid I've had my fill of them already today." Hermione explained.
Ginny hesitated before speaking again, "Well if you want I can talk to them for you."
"No, no, that's quite alright." Hermione said dismissively, "But would you mind doing me a favor?"
"I suppose not."
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, "Great, could you just run up to the dormitory and grab my school bag? It should be on the floor near my night table." In all the chaos, she had completely forgotten to retrieve it before sprinting away from Harry and Ron and there was no way she was about to walk back in there.
Ginny nodded and gave the password to the Fat Lady. As the door began to close behind her, Hermione heard her shouting across the room, "What've you lot done now?! I don't think I've ever seen Hermione this upset."
After Ginny had returned with her school bag and study materials, Hermione politely declined further conversation and told Ginny she wanted to spend some time alone. She didn't know why she had said this to her friend as she didn't have any plans for that day other than getting a jump start on her assignments, but she supposed some alone time would do her some good.
As the day wore on, Hermione's anger with Harry and Ron still pulled at her. She was finding it very difficult to concentrate on much of anything with their fight hanging over her head. She couldn't decide what she found more irritating: their irrational behavior or how she couldn't stop letting it bother her as they clearly weren't bothered by it at all. She was finding herself becoming more infuriated with them with every hour that ticked by, especially Ron who she thought to have some nerve complaining to her about his mountain of homework that she was supposed to drop everything to assist him with.
"You know, I'm really starting to regret showing you this place, Granger."
Startled, Hermione whirled around so quickly that she nearly fell backward off the bench she was sitting on whilst pouring over one of her textbooks. Catching the familiar sight of Malfoy breezing into the room she said, "Sorry, I just….I just needed to get away from those fools." She replied, swiveling back to look at her book even though concentrating on it was next to impossible.
Malfoy gave a low chuckle and unbuttoned his collar as he sauntered over to the table. The abandoned room on the sixth floor was a regular meeting place for them now but it was almost always Hermione that discovered Malfoy lurking here and not the other way around.
"Do I sense tension?" He trilled taking the seat next to her so that he was sitting the wrong way round on the bench with his back leaned against the table. Hermione said nothing and continued to stare at the open book. "I'll take that as a yes." Malfoy said after a long minute of silence.
Hermione slammed the book closed forcefully and stuffed it back into her bag, rendering her attempt to study useless. "I should just go." She said bitterly.
"You don't need to do that. Why don't you tell me what's going on?" Malfoy asked in a perplexed tone, this was so unlike the girl he was used to seeing in this room.
"No. I can't; just got calmed down." Hermione replied, still arranging her bag rather violently.
"Because this is calm…" he muttered, "Who is it you think you're fooling? Remember I'm not as daft as the company you usually keep."
Hermione thrust her bag viciously onto the floor, "They are daft; dense as they come I reckon…"
"Now you're catching on, Granger!" Malfoy said approvingly but when Hermione didn't reply with her usual banter he fell silent again. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it? You know I don't mind if you complain about them."
She thought it was incredible how she didn't need to so much as provide an explanation for her anger and that she and Draco immediately translated the use of the word 'them' to mean 'Harry and Ron'.
Hermione shook her head, "No, not this time. I can't distract myself with anything long enough to stop thinking about what happened today and I'm afraid if I started talking, I'd never stop." She answered, fists clenched in anger at the recollection of the fight with Harry and Ron.
"Is that a challenge?" Malfoy asked eagerly.
This time Hermione gave a weak laugh and met his eye-line for the first time that evening, "No Draco, I'm afraid not even you are a big enough distraction for me this time."
Malfoy nodded and looked away from Hermione as she bent to retrieve her book bag and placed it back on top of the heavy table. A long moment of silence fell between them as Hermione drew in a long breath and exhaled as if trying to calm herself. She then began paging through her Transfiguration book and tried once more to focus on her studies.
Suddenly, without warning, Malfoy placed a hand on Hermione's back and dipped her low to the ground, pressing his lips tightly against hers. Hermione's book instantly slipped from her grip and landed loudly on the floor as she felt herself melt at his embrace.
Before she could fully registerwhat was happening, Malfoy had tipped her upright again so that she was sitting correctly on the bench. She felt completely winded, her heart thumping loudly in her chest. Hermione exhaled sharply, "Wow." She said breathlessly. Malfoy had a smug, pleased look about him now that drove Hermione crazy. "I—er—didn't quite catch that." She finally managed to say after a moment.
Malfoy smiled and scooted closer to Hermione on the wooden bench. He reached up and caressed her cheek with his hand as he leaned in for another kiss. This time he kissed her slowly and more deliberately as his fingers became tangled in her long locks of hair. Hermione gently bit his lower lip and ran her hands down his muscular torso, stopping to rest on his inner thighs. Her heart was beating wildly with every second that passed. Hermione could hear the loud echo of it in her ears as Draco's tongue began tickling her lips lightly and started to travel down her neck.
After several flirtatious minutes had passed, they parted and Hermione struggled to steady her breathing. The incident with Harry and Ron was so far from her mind that it may have not happened at all. Malfoy was gently twisting a piece of her hair when he spoke again,
"I want to show you something Hermione, something I've never showed anyone before."
Hermione wondered what this could be; she was learning that Draco was a very secretive person and was always surprised by when he would open up to her. "Sure, what is it?" She asked.
"It's better if it's a surprise I think. Besides, the mystery will give you something to distract yourself with when you're trying not to kill Potter and Weasley." Draco replied coolly.
Her stomach gave an odd twinge at their names and instantly reminded her of the anger she felt with her two friends, "Aren't you going to show me now?"
"No, not yet." He said casually, rising from the bench, "Just meet me outside Flitwick's classroom on Tuesday night at seven." Then in one quick motion, he grabbed Hermione and spun her around so that her back was resting against the table. He leaned in and kissed her passionately one final time before straightening up and shuffling out the door leaving Hermione positively speechless once more.
Somehow, he had done it again. Not only had he managed to temporarily tear Hermione's thoughts away from the problems she was facing with Harry and Ron, but he had also succeeded in provoking her curiosity. Malfoy had become a master of teasing her, leaving her longing for more every time they were together.
Tuesday would never come soon enough.