Hermione woke up feeling groggy. She'd never had a hangover before, but she guessed it will feel similar. Her head hurt and her body ached, and she didn't remember how she'd gotten into bed.
The last thing I remember is finishing my potions essay…how did I forget an entire night?
Hermione brushed her hair and her teeth, changed her clothes, and then made her way to the Common Room expecting to see Draco, but he wasn't there. Hermione checked the time and realized that she had slept through breakfast, so he wouldn't be in the Great Hall either.
I'll check the Library! That'll also give me a chance to check out that book on the Goblin Riots of the 18th century…
She grabbed her book bag and headed toward the Library, trying desperately to remember what had happened the night before, but it was all blank. She couldn't remember a thing.
I wonder if Draco won the Quidditch Match…ugh, why can't I remember?!
After a brief run-in with Peeves, Hermione finally entered the library. She saw Draco's blonde head immediately, and made her way to his table. She set her bag down and slunk into the chair across from him.
"Good morning." She said, smiling.
He looked up at her, not looking at all like himself. His eyes, usually so full of life, looked glazed over and dead. He set down his quill.
"Hermione we have to talk." He was painfully aware of Theodore Nott sitting at the table next to him, watching his every move. He prayed that Hermione was smart enough to get the hint he was about to give her, but then he remembered who he was talking about. Of course she would.
Ok, Hermione. Please, listen carefully. Get the hint, Hermione!
"What's wrong, Draco?"
"I think that this." He motioned between them and spoke slowly. "…has run its course."
Hermione paused, not sure that she had heard him right. "You mean…you think that we should stop…"
"Yes."
She stared at him, a lump forming in her throat. "Why?"
He looked deep into her eyes, trying to make this hint meaningful. "You and I are just a ticking time bomb."
Hermione paused for only a second before she registered his words.
Time bomb…
She looked into Draco's eyes, and knew something was wrong. She took a deep breath, and played along.
"Draco, don't say that. We can work on this…"
He shook his head. "No Hermione, we can't."
"But, Draco-"
He held a hand up to silence her. "We're done, Granger."
Tears welled up in her eyes and she let one fall, turning her head purposefully toward Nott so he would see. She grabbed her bag and stormed out of the library.
Nott took Hermione's empty seat and Draco glared at him. "Happy?"
"I'm getting there."
Hermione ran as fast as she could to the Gryfindor Common Room, desperate to find Harry. He would know what to do.
He said time bomb…he said it on purpose. He needs my help.
She muttered the password, and then climbed through the hole, looking around for Harry. She saw him doodling in the corner, ignoring his open Charms text book. She ran to him.
"Harry, I need your help."
He looked up and saw that she looked worried. "Hermione, what's wrong?"
"Draco is in trouble." She held up a hand before he could interrupt. "I'll explain everything later; just come with me now. Please."
He nodded and grabbed his book bag, stuffing his text book into it roughly. He followed Hermione out of the Common Room and down the hall toward her Common Room. She led him to her bedroom and shut the door.
"What's going on, Hermione? You're scaring me a little."
Hermione began to explain her relationship with Draco, and to her surprise, Harry didn't look like it was new information to him. He didn't interrupt as she explained what happened with Nott in Potions class, then what had just occurred in the Library.
"How do you know that he is trouble?"
Hermione sat down on her bed and ran a hand through her tangled hair. "He used a word, a word that I used once to describe Nott. I think it was a hint or something."
She closed her eyes and thought back to a conversation her and Draco had had, only a few days before.
"I hate him." She said to Draco as she sat down on the couch next to him. He nodded.
"I know you do. I do too. But don't let him scare you; Theo's all talk."
Hermione kicked her shoes off. "I'm not scared of him. But I just have this feeling, like he's going to explode. He's like a time bomb."
Draco put his arm around Hermione's shoulder. "I wouldn't worry about it. Theo's a git, but, like I said, he's all talk."
He kissed her temple, and she snuggled closer to him.
"I think he was trying to tell me something." Hermione began to pace around her bedroom while Harry watched. "But I don't know what."
"I'll find out. We work together in Potions. I'll talk to him tomorrow, and see if I can figure it out."
"Be careful, Harry. Nott is in the class too, and if he overhears, Draco could get in trouble."
He nodded in understanding. "I'll be careful. You can count on me."
She smiled and gave her best friend a hug. "Thanks Harry."
Meanwhile, Draco found Nott waiting outside the Great Hall for him. Draco wanted to punch that smug look off his face, but restrained himself. "It's all done. I talked to Slughorn, and you're back on the team."
"Perfect." Theo smiled and gave Draco a wink. "I'll see you at practice."