Disclaimer: As much as I wish it was mine, it isn't. Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling, alone.
Summary: It's their last year at Hogwarts. Hermione Granger is the Head Girl and Draco Malfoy is the Head Boy. They have to live together in the Head's Quarters. Will they be able to see each other in a different light this year? Will it lead to a friendship and then to something more or will their ego and pride come in between making them throw everything away? Read on to find out! This is my first story! Read and Review!
A/N 1: Yay! I finally have a Beta Reader! Thank you so much, Secondary Luminescence, for agreeing to help me out. I am beyond grateful to your valuable comments. I have a feeling that I shall be learning a great deal from you! This chapter is dedicated to you girl!
Chapter 4: Hogsmeade Sunday
Hermione's POV
Hermione had had a wonderful morning, complete with breakfast in the Great Hall and a shopping trip for Ginny, on the High Street, in Hogsmeade. Ginny bought some clothes from Gladrags Wizard Wear and after that, they stopped at Honeydukes to refill their depleted supplies of sweets. Then they wandered on to Zonko's, the joke shop. Ginny had a very detailed and long list of items that she wanted to purchase from there. While Ginny filled her basket, Hermione wandered around the shop, observing various items.
Hermione wasn't a fan of practical jokes or pranks. Ron always told her that she just 'didn't get it'. Maybe that was true. Maybe she never would comprehend the appeal of Dungbombs, Nose Biting Teacups, or any of the other various items sold in the shop. She thought that the paraphernalia was insensitive and the idea of using it to make a mockery of someone didn't hold much of an appeal to her. In spite of this, if a dung bomb were to be used on her current roommate, she wouldn't stop herself from laughing at him.
She walked over to the door of Zonko's and looked outside. Hermione loved Hogsmeade. It was the only all-wizarding village in Britain. She had a thing for small towns and was never the one for mansions. She loved this picturesque village, with its cosy-looking cottages, little shops and narrow access roads. Over the years, she had even grown to appreciate The Hogs Head, a dingy pub at the end of the High Street. She smiled slightly for thinking such a thing.
Ginny was done with her shopping at last. With two mysteriously bulging bags in hand, she walked towards Hermione and said, "I'm done here. Are you sure you don't want anything?"
"No. I'm good. Although, are you sure it's wise to be shopping at a joke shop with the Head Girl?" asked Hermione, mischievously.
"Oh no. I didn't realize that I was shopping with such a badass. What are you going to do? Give me detention? Take points from Gryffindor?" asked Ginny mockingly.
Hermione smiled and said, "I could do that you know. But I'm letting you go this time, since it's the first week. Anyway, let's go eat somewhere. I'm starving."
"Ok then let's get some lunch at the Three Broomsticks. It'll be way too crowded, so there's no chance of being overheard. We could even get a private booth. I know there's been something bothering you since we met this morning," said Ginny as she glanced knowingly at Hermione.
Hermione smiled at Ginny and said, "What would I do without you! Here, let me help you with the bags." She took a couple of bags from Ginny's hand, and both of them walked to Three Broomsticks, smiles on their faces and bags in hands.
Ten minutes later, the two of them were sitting in their private booth. Hermione had no idea how Ginny had convinced Madame Rosmerta to let them have one, considering that she generally saved it for the teachers, who occasionally came to the village along with the students.
Ginny cast a covert Muffliato as she sat across Hermione. She looked at Hermione, eyes lit with excitement and asked with a sly grin, "Tell me, how has the first week been, with the ever-so-hot but ever-so-annoying Draco Malfoy?"
Hermione sighed and said, "Where do I begin?"
Ginny teased Hermione by saying "Oh don't be shy. Tell me everything, even if the details get too grotesque". She winked at Hermione, who glared at her and hissed, "Quiet!" even though they were in a private booth.
Ginny raised her hands and said "Calm down! I was just trying to lighten up the mood. So, tell me everything."
Hermione smiled and began telling her everything that had happened from the Hogwarts Express, till a few hours ago, in the Head's Quarters.
Ginny gasped and said, "So Malfoy was a douche on the train and with the weird password act he pulled, and then for a week he pretended like you didn't exist, and then again today he started with his douche-bag-ism?!"
Hermione laughed and said, "Yep. That pretty much sums it up. Honestly, on our second day back, when he started ignoring me, I thought he had silently agreed to my peace treaty. I kind of liked that. But today, he got back to tormenting me. I don't know what's on his mind Ginny. He is extremely unpredictable, and unstable at that. I've observed how he treats Parkinson too, his supposed girlfriend."
Ginny thought for a while and after taking a swig of butterbeer, said, "I think that ignoring him is the best idea we have right now. Even though he said that it gave him an incentive to try harder, how long can he continue annoying you without getting a response? Considering that his satisfaction lies in your reaction, if you were to stop reacting, then the reason for his bugging you would have vanished. Trust me; I would know," she added with a grimace.
Hermione knew that Ginny was very good with advice about boys. She grew up with six of them, even though she was the youngest, there was a lot she had learnt about boys, over the years.
Hermione nodded in agreement and said, "I'm trying to control myself. But he just… aggravates me! Somehow or the other, he just ends up annoying me and making me react or say something in retaliation. It's been only a week, and maybe over time I'll get used to it and be able to follow our policy of ignoring blissfully." She sighed and shook her head, pushing a slice of fried potato around on her plate with a fork. "Anyway, how was your first week back?"
Ginny smiled and went on to tell Hermione about her first week. She already had detention for a week after arguing with Snape in Potions, which Hermione knew would've happened even if Ginny hadn't argued since Snape was infamous for being unfair to everyone from any House other than Slytherin. Harry had already begun Quidditch Practice. Added together, detention, practice and the mounting homework had kept Ginny pretty busy.
They finished their lunch soon and got up to leave. Ginny was undoing the Muffliato when Hermione stepped out of the booth and bumped into Malfoy.
"Watch where you're going, Granger," he scowled.
His voice brought back memories of the incident that took place that morning. Granted, Malfoy hadn't looked at Hermione whilst she was in the bathtub, but nonetheless, he had invaded her privacy and she was still angry and she wanted to get even. Swiftly, she moved and stood the heel of her shoe on his foot, before he could walk away. She glared at him and said, "You watch where you're going, Malfoy. Keep up this attitude and I'll handicap you, and I won't even need a wand to do it."
Draco's POV
Granger had dug her heel into his foot. It was excruciating, but Draco wasn't going to let her know that. Instead he smirked and replied, " Of course you wouldn't need a wand, you filthy little mudbloo-"
Granger slapped him before he could even complete his sentence and she was surprised at what she had just done. 'Well, I am probably angrier at him than I thought I was.' He heard her mutter to herself.
"Easy Granger," said Blaise as he nudged the Gryffindor to move. He had been observing their bickering and could have stopped them before got so far, but he was a Slytherin. He enjoyed causing strife and mayhem from behind the scenes. However, as soon as he saw what Granger had done, he rushed to help.
Sensing the tension, he paused for a bit and continued, "You don't want to kill the guy do you? Just because he bumped into you? Getting a bit violent, aren't we? Is it that time of the month?"
"Eat slugs, Zabini," sniffed the Weasley girl, who was loitering at the doorway of the booth. She stepped forward, to stand beside Granger.
"Are you sure that's wise? You remember what happened to your precious brother when he wanted me to eat slugs a few years back, don't you?" Draco pointed out.
Granger was about to say something when the red head pulled on her arm and whispered, "Let's go. We're making a scene." Granger nodded at her words and glared at Draco one last time before leaving.
Draco looked at Blaise with a smirk. "Now wasn't that entertaining?"
"You look oddly calm for a guy who just got slapped by his enemy and dorm-mate. I hope you're not up to anything," said Blaise blithely.
"Only time will tell, Zabini. Now let's get lunch, shall we?"
Blaise's POV
Blaise decided to not press the issue further. He knew that he would be able to coax Draco to tell him his plan, whatever it might be, when it was ready, if Draco even intended to have a plan. Maybe he'd talk Draco out of it. He enjoyed tormenting Gryffindors, but he knew what Draco was like when he was angry, and a Malfoy's payback never ended well. If he didn't want his friend sent to Azkaban, he'd either talk him out of whatever he was planning, or help him cover up the trail.
Hermione's POV
As soon as they stepped out of Three Broomsticks, Ginny said mockingly, "Now what happened to 'ignore blissfully'?"
Hermione laughed and replied, "The satisfaction from slapping Malfoy trumps every good intention. But yes, from now on I'll control myself better."
"True that, especially because Malfoy isn't the one to let go of something like that easily. He will do something to get back at you," said Ginny with a slightly apprehensive look on her face.
A/N 2: Thank you notes:
Thoselioneyes: Thank you so much for the review! Hope this chapter fuels your curiosity a little further and keeps you coming back for more! I'm on your alerts list! Yay! Thanks for that!
Fandom4Life16: Awww. You are too kind! Thank you so much for the review and for adding me to your favourite/alert list! Well, Draco isn't going to fall for Hermione so quickly. He's spent a major portion of his formative years, hating her. It'd be cruel to make him change his opinion so soon, isn't it? But don't you worry, it'll happen soon. Also, I'm taking your advice. I shall not talk about the next chapter. I do end up editing way too often. Keep reading! Also, I'm looking forward to your updates as well. Keep them coming girl!
DracoHermionelover98: Thank you sooo much for the review and for adding me to your favourites/alert list! I like being favourited! You asked for an update, here, you just got it! Hope this makes you love Draco/Hermione more than you already do!
IzzyRascal, MDilirium, sasusakuxnaruhina, Iluvbookfandoms, katnisscato28, nvangel: Thank you for adding me to your alerts list. I hope this chapter entertains you!
To everyone else who read my story: Keep those hits coming people! Happy reading!
A/N 3: In view of my Beta's suggestions, there are some things that I need to update in chapters 1 to 3. I have begun my rework on them, and I'll probably be updating the first three chapters soon. There wouldn't be any major plot changes, don't worry. I just need to throw some light on a few things, which I now realize that I haven't written properly.
A/N 4: Review! Review! Review!
Love,
Jessica.