AN!!: Again, I suck. I keep making promises and then getting hopelessly busy or sidetracked. ect. thank you to all who have stuck with me. b-ball is over so i should hjave more time if track doesn't decide to dominate my time now. anyways...enjoy!
Chapter 25
The rest of the day was calm for Hermione. She had no homework to do, or lessons to get ahead on. She was simply enjoying her free time. She wandered the halls until she came to the library. It would be the first time in a long time that she would be there for purely recreational reasons. She sat at a back table and pulled an Ancient Magic book from the shelves.
She sat comfortably, immersed in its pages, for once not taking notes with a quill in her hand. A smirk slowly grew on her face. She looked up to see a certain blonde Slytherin coming towards her. Her smile somewhat lessened as she prepared herself.
He sat next to her and smiled.
"Hey babe." He said, leaning in to kiss her on the cheek.
She ducked away and he looked at her, confused.
She took a deep breath.
"Draco, we need to talk."
His eyes dimmed a bit.
"The worst words a guy can ear."
She sadly reached out and touched his cheek.
"I'm sorry Draco, but I just can't be with you anymore."
"You're in love with someone else." He observed.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
"How did you-"
"It's in your eyes when we're together. A wistful look, like you wish I was someone else."
He turned away.
She turned him back to face her.
"Draco, you're right about me being in love with someone else, but I would never want to replace you. You're like a brother to me, which I another reason we can't be together. Kissing you is like kissing a brother."
"A hot, sexy brother." He added with a grin.
She laughed.
"So you're not mad?" She asked.
"Never. Besides, you're right about the kissing. It was like making out with my sister."
"Your hot, sexy sister." She finished.
"Precisely."
Hermione smiled and put her hand out.
"Friends?" She asked.
"Friends," He agreed, shaking her hand. "So…What about the little Weaselette?"
"What about her?" Hermione asked warily.
"Is she single?"
Hermione laughed and shook her head.
"Draco! You don't waste any time, do you?"
"Nope." He responded cheekily.
"Come on." She said, putting her book back. "We'll go meet her for lunch."
Draco pumped his fist in success, and followed her down to the great hall.
"Wait here." She said.
Draco nodded.
Hermione slipped inside and walked over to where Ginny was sitting.
"Gin, you want to join me and Draco for a picnic on the grounds?"
The redhead's eyes narrowed.
"So you two can make out the whole time? Not likely."
"Gin, we just broke up."
"Really? Well, in that case I suppose I can go."
Hermione grinned.
"Let's go then."
Se grabbed the redhead and pulled her into the entrance hall where Draco stood, leaning casually against the wall.
"Well?" He asked.
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Well what?"
"Well, don't we need food for a picnic?"
"Are you a wizard or not? We'll just conjure it when we get there."
"Well, after you then."
Ginny shook her head and looked over at Hermione.
"I can see what you dumped him. Charming personality."
Draco grinned.
"I'm insulted. Everyone knows that Malfoys are always gentlemen."
"Everyone should reside in the St.Mungo's psyche ward hen."
Draco scoffed, "Fine, then I shall prove it." He walked over to Ginny and offered his elbow.
"My lady?"
Ginny rolled her eyes and took the proffered elbow.
Draco looked over at Hermione and raised his other elbow.
She smirked.
"No, I can walk myself thanks."
Draco shrugged and led Ginny out the front door, Hermione trailing behind them.
After a few minutes of walking, and Draco and Ginny chatting, the two noticed that they were still walking.
"Oi! Hermione! Where exactly are we going?" He shouted over his shoulder.
"Just keep going. We're almost there."
She led them to the side of the lake, where a sort of beach sat, the lake water rippling onto the sand.
Ginny nodded appreciatively.
"Where did you find this place, Hermione?"
"I found it when I was running yesterday. I figured it would be a good picnic spot."
"I believe you're right." Draco said. "And I'm hungry. Can we conjure some food now?"
"Stop whining." Said Hermione.
She took a spare cloak out of her bag and transfigured it into a blanket, which she spread out on the sand. She conjured a plate of sandwiches and a few bottles of butterbeer and set them out, before gesturing for the group to sit down.
Draco eyes the food hungrily.
"You'd think he hadn't eaten in months," Commented Ginny.
Hermione laughed as Draco looked affronted.
"What? I'm a growing boy."
"No offense babe, but you're just about done growing." Hermione said with a smirk.
"Just about, but not yet. So technically I m still growing." He replied with a grin.
Hermione shook her head.
"Whatever. Go ahead and eat."
Draco took 2 sandwiches and quickly bit into one of them and then the other.
Ginny giggled.
"What?" He mumbled though bites.
She reached up and brushed some crumbs off his lips.
"That." She said, as her cheeks began to color. She looked down at her food quickly. Hermione and Draco shared a brief look before he winked and went back to his food.
Hermione smiled to herself.
Who would've thought…two so opposite…like fire and ice
Remus's staff meeting was the usual boring event. The entire staff argued about what was needed where and why and how much. It gave him a headache. And then, to finish off the blessed event, the female staff members sat and gossiped afterwards.
"Honestly Minerva, you can't possibly think that." Chided Poppy Pomfrey.
"Well, why not? It seems blatantly obvious to me." McGonagall responded.
"It just doesn't seem like something he'd do." Remarked Professor Sprout.
"Well apparently it is." Said Madame Hooch with a grin directed towards Remus.
He was sparked with intrigue, and decided it couldn't hurt.
"Alright, who are you ladies talking about this time?" He asked dryly.
"Funny you should ask," Responded Professor Sprout.
"As we were talking about you." Finished Minerva.
He raised his eyebrows.
"Me? What could I possibly have done to become the center of attention in your gossiping."
"Well, Irma here," Minerva motioned to Madame Pince. "Saw you and Miss Granger at the Hogesmeade bookstore together."
"Ok…" He said slowly. "And this is a big deal because?"
"Well, that isn't the big deal. The big deal is that you were also seen leaving together, and neither of you were at dinner." Said Professor Sprout.
"And," Minerva added. "When I went looking for Miss Granger in the Gryffindor Tower, she was nowhere to be found."
Remus looked affronted.
"Honestly, you old birds have some nerve insinuating something like that. I am a teacher, and I do involve myself with students. Besides, if you hadn't noticed, Miss Granger has a boyfriend."
"Actually she doesn't." Said Madame Pince. "She broke up with him in the library earlier. I overheard the whole thing. She also confessed to being in love with someone else." She winked at him.
Remus rolled his eyes.
"It's probably the young Weasley in the golden trio, and regardless, I am a teacher and there are rules."
"No there aren't, and you know it. The only possible problem would be favored grading, which wouldn't be a problem because someone else would grade her work for you. I'll even volunteer." Stated McGonagall
Remus snorted.
"And why would you suddenly volunteer to help your favorite student to date a teacher?"
"Because I think both of you deserve a little happiness. We are in the middle of a war after all."
"Another reason not to pursue anything, as there is a good chance I won't like through it."
"Don't even start to talk that way. You know better than that, and you know Albus will protect you. And we know that despite your protests you do feel something for Hermione."
He shook his head.
"I am a werewolf. She deserves better than someone as tainted as I." He said, hardening his features and leaving the staff room.
Minerva reached up and brushed away a tear that had rolled down her cheek.
He has a lot to learn about love.