A/N: Helloooo! I wrote this chapter very quickly so that I could start working on the next one as soon as possible, which should be an exciting one. Hope you're all enjoying it so far. Here's CHAPTER 5 (?!)
Not even a fraction of HP is mine.
Draco coughed awkwardly at the figure with her back to him. When this failed to grasp her attention, he finally spoke.
"Good morning, Granger." The stiffness of his tone was second nature, but he was surprised to find that yesterday's reluctance had to be consciously forced into his words. The girl turned slowly, already aware as to who the voice belonged to. She nodded slightly and, without another a word, they advanced from the reception desk towards the heart of the school.
They had agreed to meet in this way each morning, both admitting it would be simpler to have a designated spot than roam around the school trying to find each other.
"I would like to go and see Harry and Ron." Granger stated, the absence of her friends clearly getting to her. Draco's face conveyed his feelings toward the idea better than any words could have.
"Oh, come on! It's for a few minutes and you don't even have to talk to them. Are you three seriously so pathetic-"
"Fine, fine! Anything to shut you up." Draco conceded, mainly because he wasn't pathetic, and being called it bothered him.
"Thank you." She huffed pointedly and he followed her through the gradually filling corridors.
She evidently knew where she was going, as a minute or two later a shout from a male voice caught her attention. Potter and Weasley came towards them, both beaming like idiots. Granger hugged them and swiftly began chatting to them avidly.
Draco leaned back against a wall, picking at his fingernails. He didn't, however, fail to pay attention to the reunion happening in front of him, anticipating his mention in the conversation, which soon came.
"Is he giving you hell?" The Weasel murmured, nodding his head towards Draco, but not removing his eyes from the girl's face. Draco snorted with suppressed laughter, partly because of how obvious it was that Weasley was talking about him, and partly because of how blatantly smitten the guy was with Granger. The ginger couldn't keep his eyes off the girl, and they lit up in a weird sparkly way (which Draco found pretty creepy) whenever she spoke to him. Draco looked on this with contempt but also slight pity. Despite what he had said a few days ago, and however little he liked to say it, Granger was way too good for the little Weasel, and Draco was pretty certain she would never see him as more than a friend.
"It's been fine." Granger answered, a little half-heartedly.
"It's not been fine, has it? What's he done?" Weasley raised his voice, frustrated. He turned on Draco suddenly.
"You'd better stop this, Malfoy. If I hear you've done anything to her, I'll – I'll..." Draco pushed himself off the wall and over to the aggravated boy.
"You'll what, Weasley?" he drawled, drawing himself up threateningly. Weasley opened his mouth to retort but Granger cut him off.
"Back off, Ron." She ordered, surprising the whole party. "Why do you jump to the conclusion that he's done something? Malfoy hasn't done a thing, actually, so leave him out of this." She crossed her arms indignantly as Weasley (not to mention the other two) stared at her, astounded.
"How can you be on his side right now? After all he's done to you, you're going to go against me? Whatever, Hermione, I get it. We're going." He turned to leave and Potter stepped to follow him, but thought twice and turned to address Granger.
"Harry, I-" she began apologetically.
"It's fine, Hermione, I'm really not bothered." He smiled to prove he took no offence. "He'll come round. Don't worry." He added finally, referring to Weasley. Before he left, he nodded at Draco as if he was unsure what he was doing. "If Hermione's decided to give you a second chance, then I will too." Draco was also slightly confused by the whole situation, but nodded in return nevertheless.
"Are you giving me a 'second chance'?" Draco asked when both boys had disappeared from sight.
"Let's just say I'm bored of fighting with you and we should call it quits. What d'you think?" she suggested lightly.
"I think you've gone mad, quite frankly. But whatever you do, I do better – so alright." Draco teased.
"Ok, well, you owe me one anyway, for sticking up for you back there.
"No way." Draco objected reproachfully. "I could've dealt with it, stepping in was your choice."
"If what you were doing was 'dealing with it' then you weren't doing a great job, you ungrateful idiot!" she said this laughingly as they walked to their first lesson, the bell having just rung. "Besides, what's so bad about owing me?" she challenged.
"Because I might have to ask you a massive favour," Draco said, in a moment of desperate genius.
"What is it?" Granger asked cautiously.
"Well, tomorrow is Blaise's birthday…" Draco began, already expecting rejection.
"Skip to the part that involves me, Malfoy," she pushed impatiently.
"Blaise won't let me in without a date and, well, I don't have one." He stated bluntly. "I can't miss it – he's my best mate, and he's going to be sixteen. So, if you'd just walk in with me, then you can do whatever the hell you want, even go home if you must." Draco offered, as close to begging as he'd ever been.
"Calm down, it's fine, I'll do it. I was already coming anyway, just with Harry and Ron." She said
"You will? Wait, you were?"
"Yeah. Blaise invited the whole year." She revealed casually, as if it were nothing. Of course he did, thought Draco.
"Now I owe you." Draco said, finally feeling relieved.
"You're welcome." Granger replied, rolling her eyes, knowing that that was all the thanks she was going to get.
So they finally got over their differences, at Ron's expense, and Draco can still go to Blaise's party. I'll probably skip straight to that for next chapter. Let me know what you think in a review, I love seeing your comments! See you next time :)