"I hope you know The Weasel is following us."
"Oh, please. Like I didn't notice." Hermione rolled her eyes, lying through her teeth. She had no clue, but didn't doubt that Malfoy would not act this way were it not for Ronald.
"Isn't your intention to make him jealous..?" Malfoy questioned quietly.
"Of course. I want him to suffer. I want to prove my point. If that gets rid of Lavender, all the better. But the last thing I want is him to think I want to get together with him." She shuddered at the thought.
Taking advantage of the opportunity she'd just given him, Malfoy said loudly, "You're shivering. Must be cold.." and snaked an arm around her shoulders pointedly. He could practically feel Weasley's eyes glaring into his back. Malfoy grinned and turned to look at her.
As Hermione glanced up she was nearly blinded by the smile on Malfoy's face. Sure she was surprised that he'd touched her, but knew it was all for show. The smile, though, she knew Ronald couldn't see. Still, she was glad it was dark out so he couldn't see her blush. She also realized she shouldn't be blushing at a simple grin from a guy she used to despise with all she had. After the war, he wasn't so bad. Proof was in the fact that he was helping her, and hadn't called her names yet, and was willing to actually touch her.
"Malfoy..?" She began tentatively.
"Hmm?" He asked, looking up at the moon and stars with a passive expression on his face.
"I'm not sure I've said thank you, yet.." She attempted. It was awkward to try and thank or apologize to anyone you usually had difficult relations with.
"I don't think you have.." He gave the traditional Malfoy smirk.
"Well.. Thank you." she whispered, leaning into him a bit.
He glanced down at her and chuckled. "No problem. You know my reasoning behind it all.."
"Right." She frowned suddenly. "Getting Ronald back.."
"Hey, now.." He said, stopping their walk by a tree. Putting his hands on her shoulders, he turned her so that her back was leaning against the trunk of the tree. "I'm also in this for you, alright? It may not seem that way, I know. But through the war, I watched you suffer more than most of the others." He ran a hand down her arm, making her shiver again, and began rubbing his thumb back and forth across the scars Bellatrix had left there. "You're strong, and you don't deserve to feel how he made you feel. Know that."
Hermione simply stood there, her breathing shallow. Unable to formulate an answer, she just nodded slowly.
"I could elaborate more, but Weasley is getting too close.." He whispered.
"That's okay." She nodded, expressionless.
They stood there in silence for a minute or two, almost waiting for Ron to do something.
"It's getting late.." She said finally.
"Yeah. We should go in." He agreed slowly.
The walk back inside was slightly awkward, neither speaking. Both had the feeling that Ron was still watching them, but neither said anything about it. As the ascended the stairs, Hermione failed to catch footsteps behind her. She chalked it up to being extremely anxious about the Slytherin walking next to her.
"I think I'm going to drop by the Gryffindor common room before I head back to mine.." She said, hoping to catch Ginny before she headed to bed.
"Think you can make it, then?" He asked, noting how far he was getting from the dungeons. "I don't think either of us want to be out past curfew and get in trouble." He smiled teasingly.
"I'll be fine, thanks." She nodded, smiling faintly in return.
"Goodnight, then." He said after a short pause.
"Night, Draco." She replied, turning and walking away before he could register the name change.
After a few minutes of walking, she entered the portrait hole into the Gryffindor dormitories.
"Ginny!" She called softly, noting that it was after ten, and many of the students were getting ready to head to sleep.
"Hermione?" Ginny replied from a corner table in the common room.
Hermione hurried over and sat down across from her best friend. "Where's Ron?"
"Over there." Ginny pointed to another table, where Harry and Ron were apparently halfway or so through a wizard chess game, and Harry was furious that he was still unable to beat Ron.
"Has he been there all night?" She asked slowly.
"Played nearly five games now." Ginny rolled her eyes. "Why? What were you up to?"
"That dirty liar.." Hermione scowled at nothing in particular. How dare he make up Ron's being outside near them. Ginny stared at her, a bit scared it seemed.
"Are… are you alright, 'Mione?" Ginny questioned slowly, leaning across the table towards her.
"No. I.. Can I stay with you tonight, Gin?"
"Of course." Ginny nodded quickly. "Come on, let's go upstairs."