REPUTATIONS
by MODA
Malfoy was staring up at Professor McGonagall, his pointed chin resting on the tips of his steepled fingers, a slight crease between his brows. Hermione, too, was entirely focussed on the Headmistress as she stood behind the desk in her office.
"I have come up a few ways in which we can try and encourage fraternisation between the houses. Firstly, Quidditch competitions will be held between teams of mixed houses. The members of these teams will be selected through a drawing of lots after lessons next Thursday. There will be four teams, and the members of each shall be members of each of the four house's pre-existing teams, only switched around. I'm hoping this will force members of rival houses to learn how to work together as a team," she paused, "Well, either that or it will end with brawling. Perhaps changing teams will help Quidditch players to learn different techniques of playing, and improve the quality of Quidditch at this school overall..." A slight glint appeared in her eyes at this. "I am also considering the possibility of another Yule ball, like the both of you will have experienced in your fourth year here, during the Triwizard competition. The only catch will be that everyone attending must attend with a partner from another house. We'll meet to organise a ball committee in a few weeks time. Finally, there will be a new tutoring program, where all those wishing to be tutored will be tutored by someone of a different house. Does this all sound agreeable to you?"
Both Malfoy and Hermione nodded quickly.
"Good. You may both be excused. I am relieved to hear that you've both been getting a long, or at least I have heard nothing of your disagreeing."
"Everything is fine, Professor," Hermione reassured her, the lie slipping off her tongue with ease. With that, she and Malfoy stood. "Nice to see you, Professor Dumbledore," she nodded to the portrait behind McGonagall's desk. Out of the corner of her vision, she saw Draco avert his eyes.
Hermione shifted slightly where she sat on the floor of the Gryffindor common room, back against Neville's knees, the owner of which was slumped, asleep, in his seat on the sofa by the fire, a Herbology textbook still open in his lap. Ginny was talking quietly with Dean and Seamus, but otherwise the common room was empty.
Hermione moved again, feeling her spine crack in several places from not having been moved in so long. Neville groaned slightly, and she turned to see his eyes flicker open slowly.
"What time is it?" he muttered sleepily.
Hermione checked her watch, "About half eleven. I really should go."
"Mmm, I should get to bed. Let's hope Malfoy's already asleep when you get back."
Neville stood and offered her his hand, helping her to her feet.
"Hmm, me too."
"I don't know how you can stand it; he's bad enough to me and I'm pureblood."
"He didn't just help defeat Voldemort, though, did he? We have so much more to us than blood status to define ourselves; he's just to narrow-minded to see more than that in anyone. Knowing that keeps me sane. See you in the morning, Neville."
"Night, 'Mione.
Unfortunately, Malfoy wasn't asleep. He was sat where she often found him on returning to their tower – on the sofa, staring into the fire, waiting. Whether for her or for something else, she was never sure. Once the door had clicked shut behind her, he spoke, but his eyes remained fixed on the fireplace.
"You're back rather late, Granger. Off cavorting with men round school, are we? Didn't think it'd be your sort of thing, but I will admit to being wrong about such things before. The bookish ones often turn out to be the most... frivolous."
Hermione snorted. "You would know, wouldn't you, Malfoy? And why aren't you out much? Pansy turn you out?"
"I have no interest in her in that way. She's far too... loud."
"I didn't think you would care about such semantics, Malfoy. I'm surprised you actually have any preferences with your women, other than "willing", though maybe you don't even need that."
Finally, he turned.
"Is that what you think?"
"Do you care?"
He paused. "Not at all."
They fell into an uncomfortable silence, and Hermione wasn't sure whether the conversation was over or not. Malfoy turned back to the fire, and she stepped across the room to the foot of the staircase that led to her room.
"Granger? Just be careful about this beau of yours; we wouldn't want Weaslebee finding out about it, now, would we?"
Hermione scoffed. "Night, Malfoy."
She was by his side mere moments after his cauldron exploded.
"Merlin, Neville, are you okay?"
It was a stupid question; there was a deep gash where a piece of shrapnel had caught his cheek, and scarlet burns were appearing over everywhere the greenish potion had hit, vivid against his shock-white skin.
"I, um," Neville said dazedly, staring at the remains of his cauldron.
Hermione delved into her pocket for a handkerchief and dabbed at the potion on his face. "Come on, let's get you to the hospital wing." She grabbed his wrist and began to pull him to the door when he remained motionless.
"Isn't this sweet?" A drawling voice came from across the dungeon. "Longbottom, of all boys? Really Granger, I didn't think you could get much worse than Weasley. Once again, you have me mistaken. I commend you." Neville finally looked away from the molten reckage to stare confusedly at Malfoy.
"What're you on about, Malfoy?" Hermione asked, trying to keep the exasperation out of her voice, aware of everyone else in the room.
"The reason you've been coming back late most nights is because you've been sneaking off with Longbottom? This is hilarious."
Everyone had stopped working now, and were staring between Malfoy and Hermione as if they'd never seen the two argue before.
"And you've been keeping tabs on the whereabouts of a Mudblood? I'm sure your Slytherin chums find that "hilarious'."
Malfoy seemed to falter for a moment, restraining himself from glancing around the room to see his classmates' reactions.
"A little on the defensive side, there. I would take your boyfriend to the hospital quickly Granger, he looks like he's about to burst a blood vessel. Wouldn't want to add to the mess now, would we?"
Hermione glanced at Neville, and couldn't tell if the shade his face had gone was from embarrassment or anger. Judging by the tick in his jaw, she guessed the latter.
"Can it, Malfoy!" Neville snarled, his voice only wavering slightly. Malfoy laughed, looking around at his friends, expecting to see them laughing with him, only to find them standing around him looking wary. His expression of mirth turned sour.
"Longbottom's learned to try and defend him self? At last! About time you grew a pair."
"Urgh, just lay off, Malfoy!" Hermione yelled, "You don't even know what you're talking about! You're just trying to stir things up again, and it's pathetic! Don't you get it? It's all over now! You lost. You and you naïve, prejudiced family lost. You have even less right to go swanning around the place like you own the world than you did before, and that's really saying something. Your Slytherin buddies have at least taken their heads out of their own arses for long enough to realise that for their own good they should probably keep their mouths shut, but for some reason you haven't. I advise you do something about it." Silence fell in the dungeon. Hermione turned to Neville. "Come on, let's get you to the hospital wing."
Neville was silent all the way back up to the ground floor.
"Are you okay?" She eventually asked him, when his silence began to worry her. He stopped behind her.
"Hermione, you do realise what just happened, right?" He was giving her a weird look.
"Yeah, Malfoy was a prat, what's so new about that?"
"You two are the heads."
Hermione froze.
"Damn Draco Malfoy to the fieriest pits of hell!" she swore, "He had to go messing things up, didn't he? McGonagall is going to be furious." Neville just stood as she continued to insult Malfoy, pacing back and forth before him, their trip to the hospital wing forgotten, but his skin still blistered. She suddenly seemed to remember this.
"Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry! Come on. I'm going to kill Malfoy..." she muttered as she headed towards the marble staircase once more.
A/N: Sorry for the wait! And sorry this chapter is so short! It's been really busy over the past few weeks. But hey, something's better than nothing, right! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!