Chapter 6
Hermione wasn't ready to face the day; that much she was certain of. Yesterday's catastrophe rolled through her mind as she lay in her four-poster bed, fighting off the morning light and the sound of the too happy birds. She breathed deeply trying to give herself her usual Gryffindor courage, when she smelt that familiar smell of the man who'd been living with her these past few months.
Her eyes flew open and she turned to look at the sleeping Slytherin who had saved her life, although she had been certain she wanted it to end at the time. But then last night, not a single dream. She tried to remember if she had consumed her potion, and realised she hadn't. Draco Malfoy had saved her life, and given her a dreamless sleep too. She smiled softly as she looked down at him, and didn't fear the repercussions of looking so closely into the young man's face.
She sat up, to better look at him and she really looked. She took in the curve of his aristocratic nose, and the faint pink in his lips. She examined the colour of his eyelids and eyelashes, pale like the first rays of the sun. His cheekbones were high, and sunken from malnutrition for a year. His jaw was strong and prominent and his forehead was kissed with the first traces of wrinkles, no doubt from years of a sour outlook on life.
Draco's mouth curled up into a smirk and he slipped his eyelids open. They didn't say anything at first, but Hermione's heart thumped from being caught out at such an intimate inspection of his face. Her cheeks flushed, but Draco and Hermione looked into each other's eyes a little longer.
Draco broke the spell and rolled over, throwing the blanket off of him. He swung out of bed, wearing only his trunks, and Hermione watched him pull on his pants and then button up his shirt. He buckled his belt and tied his tie, before pulling on his shoes.
He turned back to Hermione and looked a little longer. He didn't see her the same way anymore. Since he realised Hermione was haunted by demons so terrifying to her that she would rather end her life, Draco had to look at her, really look at her. She wasn't the same and he had to get to know this knew woman.
"What do you want to do?" he asked her.
Hermione shrugged her shoulders. The woman in the bathtub yesterday didn't feel like the same woman she was now. She hadn't been haunted last night, and it was because of Draco.
"I want you to sleep with me every night," she replied, her cheeks blushing a deeper red and her eyes downcast from embarrassment.
"I can do that," he breathed, leaning across the bed so he was but a breath away.
Hermione looked up and was once again startled at how close he was. This new Hermione was not used to being in awe of the Slytherin. But she was. She wanted him to want her. She wanted to walk down the halls with him and have all the girls stare in envy. She wanted things beyond anything the old Hermione would have dreamed of, but instead she pulled away and stood up. She walked to her wardrobe and withdrew her uniform. She undressed in front of Draco, her back to him, and got herself appropriate for a new school day. He'd already seen her naked anyway. Ready for the day the two left Hermione's room, which felt full of secrets, and went to breakfast.
The two walked into the great hall together, which was nothing new to them. However to the students of Hogwarts this was scandalous. They smiled at one another before separating into their own house tables.
Pavarti Patil stood and waved to Hermione as she walked down the table, beckoning her to go and sit with them. She sat with Seamus, Dean and Ginny, the Gryffindor remnants of Dumbledore's Army.
"What classes do we have today?" Seamus asked Dean, turning to him confused as Hermione plonked herself down next to Ginny.
Ginny gave Hermione's knee a squeeze and a smile, and Dean pulled out his timetable. "We have Transfiguration, then Defence, a free period and then Muggle Studies."
"Oh, I have Arithmacy in stead of muggle studies," Hermione smiled. She loved subjects such as Ancient Runes and Arithmacy. This felt familiar. This felt good. It's amazing how a good night's sleep can help. "How is Harry going?"
Ginny screwed up her face. "He's going so well, and I'm stuck here."
"Did you get quidditch captain?" Dean asked eagerly, leaning around Hermione to ask the red head.
"I did," she smiled. "Something to make sticking around worth while. Especially now I live with the stinking Slytherin witches."
Hermione frowned at the comment, but didn't say anything. Prejudice would always remain, but it needed to be beaten. "It can't be that bad, can it?"
"They transfigured all my thinks pink! I hate pink!" Ginny exclaimed, clearly annoyed by the act. "It took me all of 4 hours to turn everything back."
"Gin, that's hardly the end of the world," Hermione sad, matter-of-factly, scooping some scrambled eggs onto her plate.
"You can say that 'Mione, cause you like your Slytherin," Pavarti said, her face also showing her distrust in the Slytherins. "I'm the only Gryffindor in my dorm! There's 10 Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, who we all know are weird, and then there's Parkinson, Bullstrode and Greengrass, who keep sneering at me. I'm scared they'll jump me, especially after how Parkinson tried to turn Harry in in May!"
The bunch of nineteen year olds all had bitter expressions and all tried to jump into conversations of abuse to the other houses, when Hermione banged her fist down on the table, causing the nearby plates to jump.
"Would you all shut up!" she screeched. Conversations nearby dropped immediately and everyone turned to look at the livid witch. "Don't you get it? If you can't learn to like one another, the instability of our community will crumble! Our children will grow up in fear, and might not even have a school to come to. I know I would hate to send them to a place where they're picked on by others purely because they think differently and have different traits!"
Even the teachers were watching the young witch as she gained momentum. Professor Sprout sat with her mouth hanging open, lettuce hanging from it. Hermione rose to her feet and everyone in the hall was silent as she gave a speech that would echo in the halls forever.
"Do you know what caused that damn war in the first place? Do you remember how it felt to live in fear of your own sanctuary? How easily you forget that it was prejudice that caused hundreds of our peers and friends to die! I myself call Hogwarts my home, and I know nearly every student here can agree. We need to befriend one another. We need to eliminate this hate. How similar are you to those in your house? Look at these Gryffindors beside me! We are all different colours and sizes. We have different blood status and different ambitions. Some of us grew up reading Cinderella, others the Tales of Beedle the Bard! It disgusts me that we are so ready to hate one another. Everyone ultimately wants to love and be loved," a tear slid down her cheek and her voice wavered, but she brushed the tear off her cheek and stood up taller. "My point is, everyone is different and unique, and yet the people who sit at the tables beside us we choose to hate purely because they wear a different colour. Ask yourselves this: have you not been educated by amazingly powerful wizards and witches, all who come from different houses? Look at Dumbledore. He was Gryffindor. And Snape! A Slytherin. Professor Sprout a Hufflepuff, and Flitwick a Ravenclaw! You all need to seriously reconsider why you are so ready to hate one another, when in reality our species is dying out."
Hermione fell into her chair, her speech ended. The hall was silent, before Professor McGonagall stood to her feet and slowly applauded the young witch, a smile beaming off of her face. The other professors, one by one, stood and applauded the brightest witch of her age. The sound of chairs scraping and feet shuffling lifted Hermione's head, as she looked around herself. Every student had stood to his or her feet. Every student, from every colour and house was standing and smiling at Hermione. Every student drew their wands and pointed them high into the air; white lights lit the cloudy sky above. They were tributing Hermione Granger. They listened and understood. They were ready for a change.
Time dragged on as Hermione stood and looked at the hall around her. Her students were ready to embrace one another. She was unaware of time, until Professor McGonagall waved her arm and her cat shot out the end of the wand. Patronuses shot from each way and what, and soon the room was full of light, greater than the halls had ever seen. Cats and goats and birds and horses chased one another in happiness. Hermione's own otter shot out of her wand and joined the fun. Many of the Slytherins watched in awe, unable to conjure one single happy thought. Hermione urged her otter their way, and it danced around a familiar blonde man, who laughed and raised his arms high, trying to touch the creature. It soared back towards Hermione and danced around her, and Draco followed it, knowing whom it belonged to.
It belonged to the woman who was stealing his heart.
"Miss Granger!" a voice called from behind her. Hermione stopped where she was walking with Ginny and turned, waiting for who ever it was to catch up with her. "I wanted to thank you for your speech. I am excited to see the change in my students."
Professor McGonagall pulled Hermione into a hug so tight; Hermione felt her head would blow off. She let do and stepped back, looking into the eyes of the curly haired witch. "I wanted to propose something to you, if that is okay?"
Hermione nodded and urged the Head Mistress on. "I want to start a new extracurricular class, and I wondered if you would teach it."
"Oh?" was all Hermione could say, she was slightly shocked at the proposition.
"Today, when the students let off their Patronuses, I realised there is a great need for students to learn to defend themselves in such a way. Patronuses, while not only defensive, are also amazing communication tools, and I want my students to be equipped to send for help if they need it. I want you to teach them to our grade eights. They will learn in class, but will unfortunately not receive the one on one training Harry gave some of you select students. I want you to train them."
Hermione was shocked but honoured with such a praise and felt herself bursting out an excited "Yes!" Professor McGonagall beamed and clasped her hands.
"I am so glad. I will be in touch with you later," she smiled, her Scottish hints resounding in her voice. She turned and her cloak spun behind her, giving her a dramatic exit.
Hermione beamed and ran up her friends who were waiting excitedly, and all offered congratulations to the witch. The group started walking, but Hermione was again called away, but this time by a particularly familiar voice that knotted her stomach.
"Granger!" he drawled, hands in their familiar pockets.
Hermione walked over to him and they walked on together, falling into step. "Lets go down here," he pointed down an abandoned corridor. "I want to talk to you alone."
They followed down the unfamiliar corridor until it opened up into this untouched courtyard that's trees moved and swayed with the breeze. They walked over to a bench and perched on it beside one another, their forearms touching.
"Your speech was wonderful. I was worried you're taking on to mu-"
He was cut of by Hermione cold hand holding onto his, her other found its way to his cheek and they looked into one another's eyes, grey meeting brown. Hermione moved her face closer to his, and looked down at his lips, before closing her eyes softly. Draco leant forward carefully, and placed the softest kiss on her lips. Her eyelashes fluttered and she opened her lips softly. His lips moved along her calmly at first, before a desire so strong overwhelmed him and they were kissing deeply, hand moving to waists and necks.
Hermione pulled away and smiled at him, a smile so full of joy.
"Bloody hell, I just kissed Draco Malfoy."