DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter, nor am I affiliated in any way with J.K. Rowling.
Draco spent the rest of the night in his common room, confused. Ghosts weren't supposed to have that effect on people. So, what had happened? Was he going insane? Unlikely. Although it was a plausible excuse for when his father demanded to know why he had feelings for someone other than a pureblood. Yes, definitely an excuse to keep in mind.
"You seem distracted," Pansy commented, sitting herself down next to him.
"Yes," he agreed. "But it's fine."
"You've been distracted a lot recently," Pansy pouted. "You've not spent a lot of time here these last few weeks. Always in the library. I know they have a lot of books and everything, but come on, it can't be that interesting."
"Maybe it's someone in the library rather than something," Blaise suggested, appearing suddenly to sit on Draco's other side.
"Merlin, Blaise, why do you keep popping up out of nowhere?" Draco snapped, his heart racing.
"Part of my mysterious charm," Blaise answered easily. "So, Draco has a girlfriend?"
"No."
Rather than Draco answering, it was Pansy. She looked ready to kill anyone but her who would dare call Draco Malfoy their own. Draco glanced her up and down. He wasn't worried; Hermione could take her.
"I'm asking Draco, not his stalker," Blaise told her coolly before turning back to his friend. "So, who's your girlfriend and how much are you paying her?"
"Moaning Myrtle and a lot more than she deserves."
Pansy giggled uncertainly, not quite knowing if a game was being played.
"You know I've had my eye on Myrtle for some time," Blaise mock-scowled. "How could you do this to me?"
"Money, my friend," Draco grinned. "The answer to all of life's problems."
"One day I'll be richer than you and Myrtle will be mine," Blaise warned lightly.
"But until that day…"
"I'll stay in the shadows."
"Good man."
Pansy, apparently bored with their conversation, pulled out a book and opened it halfway through, pulling out an emerald green bookmark as she did.
"Taking another crack at learning to read, Pansy?" Blaise asked.
"Shut up, I can read better than you can," Pansy retorted.
"Okay, but if you get stuck on any of the big words then just sound them out."
Pansy didn't look up from her book but responded with a two-fingered gesture that made Blaise smile. Draco caught his eye and lifted an eyebrow before glancing at Pansy. Blaise's eyes went wide before quickly narrowing and shaking his head swiftly. Draco smirked. Apparently he wasn't the only one with a crush.
Crush? What a stupid word. He instantly reprimanded himself for thinking it. There had to be a better word.
"Oh Pansy, I believe Blaise has something he wants to tell you," he said instead after a moment. This may prove to be very fun.
"If it's how much he doesn't like me, then I'll pass thank you," Pansy answered, again not looking up from her book.
"Oh, it's definitely not-"
"I was about to invite you to Draco's public execution, midnight tomorrow," Blaise cut in, shooting a deadly smile at Draco, who was about to reply with something along the lines of 'good, it'll save me from witnessing your five year olds idea of courtship' when he spotted Trayton in front of the fire.
The ghost was staring into the flames intently, a frown on his handsome face. Draco watched him for a moment, debating whether to approach him. He was obviously here to see his descendant, unless he was feeling nostalgic and wanted to see the inside of his old common room.
"Your ghost friend's over there," Blaise muttered, having also spotted Trayton.
"I know," Draco replied quietly. "I'm waiting to see if he-" at that moment, Trayton looked up at him "-never mind." He got up wearily and traipsed over to the spectre. "Everything alright?"
"I need you to call a meeting with Hermione tomorrow night," Trayton murmured, his eyes reflecting the blazing flames in front of him.
"If this is about trying to set us up together-" Draco began warningly but Trayton cut him off with a growl.
"This is much more important than that. Will you please just ask her?"
"Alright," Draco frowned. "Where, when and why?"
"I'll tell you tomorrow morning, I need to leave," Trayton answered quickly, glancing suddenly behind himself at the busy room.
"You're a ghost, where exactly do you need to be?" Draco asked, but Trayton had already vanished. He sighed. "Stupid ghost."
With one last glare into the fire, he went back to his friends, pointedly sitting so that Pansy and Blaise were next to each other. Diabolical.
Hermione got up the next morning feeling refreshed and energized. She missed Zella's company, but had to admit that undisturbed sleep was definitely one of life's luxuries that people took for granted. Plus it was the weekend and that fact would cheer anyone up.
From the stolen glances she took at Draco, he looked incredibly smug about something at breakfast. He kept muttering in Zabini's ear about something, who would in turn scowl. Whatever was being discussed clearly amused Draco, and Hermione found herself hoping that she wasn't their topic.
Her heart jumped up when Draco stopped talking and glanced her way. He gave her a discreet smile before turning back to his conversation. Hermione cursed herself for not smiling back in time and quickly looked away to where Ron and Harry were discussing their plans for their day.
"I think we should stay in and do homework," Ron was saying seriously. At the looks Hermione and Harry threw him, he laughed. "No, I'm kidding, can you imagine if I was really like that?"
"Oh, good, I thought it was a sign of the apocalypse for a moment there," Hermione teased, nibbling at her toast.
"No, that day comes when I pass all of my subjects with flying colours," Ron informed her. "I fancy a bit of a relax day."
"Ron, all you ever do is relax," Harry pointed out with raised eyebrows.
"Not true," Ron argued. "Tomorrow, I'm in the common room knuckling down to some revision and homework."
"Bet you've changed your mind by tonight," Harry sighed.
Ron retorted something back and so the cycle continued, with Hermione smiling contentedly at her friends.
Two hours later, Hermione was ambling (a sure sign she was in a good mood, she usually strode everywhere) alone down the steps to the grounds. Harry and Ron had pestered her to 'lend' them her potions homework so that they could get a head start on it, promising her that they'd join her later.
"Granger!" a voice hollered.
Hermione smiled privately before arranging her features into a scowl and turning around.
"What is it, Malfoy?"
"Ghost problems," he answered shortly.
He glanced quickly at the two beside him, Parkinson and Zabini and Hermione understood. Had to keep up appearances in front of friends, after all.
"Can't solve them all by yourself, you need me to help you?" she asked in what she hoped was a scathing tone. While she hadn't exactly forgotten how much Draco used to (still sometimes did) annoy her, she found it odd speaking to him with anything other than familiarity.
"Can you think of any other reason I'd be talking to you?" he drawled, making his cronies laugh. However, there was something in his eyes that sparkled with genuine amusement at what he was saying, as if having an inside joke was a new phenomenon.
"Hey Pansy, maybe Granger is Draco's new girlfriend!" Zabini snickered, nudging Parkinson who, far from being annoyed, seemed to like it. Then his words registered and her face darkened.
"Shut up Blaise," Draco muttered, throwing a glare backwards. He noticed Hermione trying very hard not to smile and frowned. "And what, pray tell, are you smirking about?"
"Nothing," Hermione said with a shrug and a stifled laugh. "I just can't imagine you with a girlfriend."
"I believe you're being insulted," Zabini told Draco lightly, although there was a dark undertone to his voice. "Should we retaliate?"
Hermione didn't like the way Zabini was glaring at her, his dark eyes promising pain. Apparently, neither did Draco as he quickly shook his head.
"No, that's fine, I can handle her. After she helps me," he added, hinting.
Hermione rolled her eyes and began to walk away, assuming that Draco would just follow her. When his footsteps matched hers, she slowed down slightly.
"You could've let me be the one to walk away," he muttered irritably. "Save at least some face in front of my friends."
"That really wasn't going to happen," Hermione informed him happily. "So, where are we going?"
"Just walk," Draco told her.
"You're not going to kill me for showing you up, are you?" Hermione asked suspiciously.
"If only I could," Draco teased. "Then I'd have three angry ghosts."
"Technically, you'd only have two," Hermione corrected as they took a small path she'd never been down before. "Zella is still a no-show in my dreams. It's relaxing, but I'm worried."
"You worry too much. It isn't healthy. One of these days your brain will explode," Draco warned, kicking aside a stone.
"My health concerns you?"
"I don't want to be left alone with Trayton," Draco told her, receiving a laugh and light swat on the shoulder from Hermione, who then, realizing what she had done, froze slightly.
"Did you just hit me?" Draco asked, amused.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't-"
"I can't believe you hit me again," Draco said, unable to keep the grin from spreading on his face. "I should talk to Dumbledore about this, it's getting to be a serious problem."
He glanced sideways, his eyes assuring her that it was okay to joke.
"I'm pretty sure Dumbledore will take my side," Hermione said slowly.
"And why's that?"
"Because you deserve it."
"No one deserves to be punched the way you punched me," Draco argued.
"Come on, it was barely a tap!"
"I meant the first time."
"Oh. Well, no, you definitely deserved that."
"Fine, I'm not going to tell you where we're going," Draco retaliated smugly. He knew that not knowing things drove Hermione insane.
"That's not fair!" Hermione protested.
"You don't deserve to know."
Hermione was contemplating hitting him again, she really was. But as they walked in silence through the crisp December air and serene yet sinister trees, she was glad of his presence. She'd have a hell of a time explaining to Harry and Ron where she'd been, of course, but at the moment she didn't care. The trees that lined their current path gave off a timeless quality and Hermione thought with a pang that Trayton and Zella had probably walked through here once upon a time.
"Are we near the lake?" Hermione asked a few minutes later when the trees began to thin and her world got a little lighter.
"Yes," Draco answered, taking the lead as the path became narrower. "Watch your step."
"I'm - ouch!" Hermione broke off as a sharp branch scraped through cloak to her arm.
"What did I just say?" Draco sighed, looking back to check she was okay before continuing.
"You told me to watch my step, not for knife-like trees!" Hermione accused.
"I meant it in the general sense. Can you be careful or do I have to carry you?"
Hermione considered this for a moment before firmly deciding that being carried by Draco Malfoy wasn't the wisest choice. No matter how appealing it may have sounded for a second.
"Thank you, Mr. Sarcasm, but I'm sure I'll be fine."
Her mild irritation faded when the path expanded and the trees dispersed to make way for a small grassy patch of land just before the shimmering lake.
"Wow," she breathed, taking a few faltering steps forward. "How did you find this?"
"I found the path one time and followed it," Draco answered with a casual shrug. "Although I only found it because I was trying to escape from Pansy."
"She really likes you, doesn't she?" Hermione promised herself that the new tone in her voice was down to amusement and not jealousy.
"I'm sort of trying to set her up with Blaise," Draco admitted sheepishly.
"Speaking of, you have a girlfriend?"
"No," Draco answered quickly. "It's just Blaise being a prat. Sit down?" He gestured to the grass which was sparkling under the weight of the morning frost.
Hermione sat, worrying only briefly that her cloak would get damp when the frost melted. She had never been to this side of the lake before and it made her think about all the other things she didn't know about Hogwarts and its grounds. A few months ago she never would've imagined that something as terrible as Zella's death could have occurred within the castle walls. Secretly, Hermione was grateful. She hated that Zella had died the way she had, at the hands of the man she loved, but it had brought Hermione closer to someone she thought she could only hate.
"I like it here," she decided after a moment. "It's serene. Peaceful."
"Despite the various murders and betrayals that have happened here over the years, Hogwarts is actually quite a beautiful place," Draco agreed. "And if you ever tell anyone I said that, I'll push you in the lake and let the Giant Squid decide your fate."
"Two angry ghosts, remember?"
"I doubt Squid would let you die," Draco told her, leaning back casually and watching the overcast sky above them. "He's too noble for that. Although his wife, Giant Lady Squid, won't be too happy that you've caught his attention so you'll just have to resurface."
"And spend time with you?" Hermione pretended to shudder. "I think I'll take my chances with Giant Jealous Lady Squid."
"But then you'll have to shorten her name, because calling her Giant Jealous Lady Squid is clearly ridiculous. No, you're staying on dry land."
Hermione looked at him, a smile on her face.
"How will you make sure that I don't tell everyone about your deep feelings for Hogwarts?"
"I'll have to use my powers of persuasion."
Hermione's smile grew slightly as she laughed, but quickly broke eye contact and looked down at the grass. She entangled her fingers in the blades and softly wrapped them around and around until they broke. The ice on them melted, turning her fingers damp. She frowned slightly and placed her hands back in her lap.
"What are you doing for Christmas?" Draco asked out of nowhere.
Hermione glanced up at him and shrugged.
"Not sure. I might be going home to see my wonderful relatives who can't wait to ask me about wonderful Spence, the wonderful boarding school filled with wonderful people." At Draco's look, she smiled. "My parents weren't sure what to tell everyone about my absence, so I think they went a little overboard."
"Just a little," Draco agreed. "Why didn't they tell them the truth?"
Hermione was quiet for a long time and Draco feared he'd said the wrong thing.
"I don't think they'd understand," Hermione said at last, choosing her words carefully. "My mother and father were brilliant about it, so supportive and proud. I wanted to tell the rest of my family but…I don't know, I was too scared to, I suppose. I was going to tell them in the summer holidays a couple of years back but then Harry mentioned that Lily - that's his mother - had lost contact with her sister because she came out as a witch." Hermione sighed and started twisted the grass again. "I didn't want to lose my family over something that I didn't have to tell them. So I took the coward's way out and just kept quiet." She looked back up at Draco, who was watching the lake silently. She smiled sadly. "And I've made things awkward."
"No," Draco assured her. "I'm just thinking." His eyes still fixed on the lake, he continued. "I don't know what my family would've done if I hadn't been a wizard. The Malfoys have prided themselves on their blood status and their magical abilities for centuries and if I did anything to alter either of those things…" he trailed off, suddenly becoming angry. "But it shouldn't be up to them how I live my life or who I choose to spend my time with."
"Would you have noticed me earlier if I'd been Pureblood?" Hermione asked quietly.
"I've always noticed you, Hermione," Draco replied softly. "Not always liked you, but always noticed you."
He looked at her, and this time she didn't look away. Instead, she gave him a soft smile, which he returned. There was no need for speech; they understood each other.
A whole day had passed in conversation and laughter, revelations and admissions before Hermione remembered that she should be getting back to the castle. Only…she didn't want to. Staying here forever getting to know Draco better seemed like a good idea. She found out things she never would've expected (when he was five, he was so scared of the monsters under his bed that his mother had to cast a 'monster repellent' spell in his room before he could sleep) and learnt things that hadn't surprised her, such as Lucius Malfoy's deeds.
"I've scared you," Draco had said worriedly after telling her one particularly horrible story.
"No," Hermione had answered, although her eyes were slightly wider than usual. "I just can't understand how you're a member of the same family as him."
"Kind of wish I wasn't sometimes," he had admitted, bringing his knees up to his chin in a way that had made him look a lot younger. "It's not just all the Death Eater stuff. It's having to live up to every expectation just because I'm a Malfoy."
"It has some benefits though," Hermione had argued. "Snape would rather jump off a cliff than shout at you."
"But I have to prove myself to the rest of the teachers. They all know what role my father played back when You-Know-Who was at large."
"We all have to prove ourselves," Hermione had explained gently. "As soon as I realized that Muggleborns are considered bottom of the blood statuses, I worked even harder to show everyone that I deserve to be here just as much as they do."
"It used to infuriate me that you were better than me in classes," Draco had grinned.
"Is that why you didn't like me?"
"No, I didn't like you because you were friends with Harry Potter. Also, your hair's annoying me at the moment."
And then he had reached over and flicked a few stands of her hair behind her ear as if it were the most natural thing in the world. No hesitation, no awkwardness. Then he had leant back and nodded approvingly.
"There," he had said. "And don't even say anything about my hair in return, because you've already tried that and it didn't work."
Which brought them back to the present.
"We should get going," Hermione said, moving to get up.
Draco's hand shot out to gently rest on her arm and she stopped to look at him.
"We're not doing anything wrong," he told her with a frown. "If anyone saw us, they'd just think that we're sitting here like friends do."
"But we're not-" Hermione burst out before stopping herself. "I mean, we shouldn't be together. Be seen together," she corrected herself.
"Why not?" Draco challenged. "Because of what people might think? I don't care."
"I don't want to end up like Zella and Trayton," Hermione whispered. "And I don't mean the way Zella died. I mean that once everyone found out, something went really wrong and Trayton betrayed her. I like just being around you…why do we have to complicate that?"
"Because I want more than to just be around you!"
His shout echoed across their clearing and Hermione shrank back slightly from shock. Recovering, she stood up swiftly and wordlessly turned to leave.
"What are you so afraid of?" Draco called after her angrily.
When she didn't slow down or reply, he kicked the ground.
"Bloody women," he spat before running after Hermione.
He caught up to her in seconds and stood in front of her, blocking the narrow pathway.
"I know that you want more, too," he told her quietly, his eyes almost boring into hers. They were standing closer than ever before, with her hair sweeping his cloak. When she looked up, her eyes were blazing.
"So what if I do? It won't happen. Do you really think they'll let us be together?"
"They can try and stop us," Draco told her confidently.
"They can try and they can succeed," Hermione finished for him, unwilling to admit how fast her heart was beating at their proximity. "It's literally us against everyone else."
"So long as it's us, does it really matter?"
She glared up at him, his face shaded by the trees around them and the weak afternoon sun struggling to shine through the branches. He was attractive, there was no denying that, and she liked him, there was no denying that either. But she was a logical person and there was also no denying that, as a couple, they just didn't make sense. When she voiced her thoughts, Draco scowled.
"Then we'll make it make sense!" he promised. "I want to be with you."
He was surprised at the conviction in his voice. A few days ago he was confused about what he wanted, but now it was all too clear. He just had to make Hermione see that. "Tell me you don't want me."
Hermione continued glaring at him for a moment before looking down.
"Just get out of my way, I want to go back," she muttered.
Draco only crossed his arms stubbornly. "I'm not moving until I get an answer."
"I'm not going to give you an answer, so move!"
"It's a simple answer!" Draco argued back. "You do or you don't."
"You already know the answer," Hermione frowned, giving in already. "Please just move."
"Say it out loud and I'll move."
"I do. Now move."
Draco stepped aside smugly. His tactics may be childish but they worked. Hermione brushed past him and began to walk briskly away.
"Want me to walk with you?" Draco shouted after her.
"No," she called back.
That night, Hermione sat in the common room, annoyed and confused. Harry and Ron had given up asking her what was wrong hours ago and were quietly doing some homework. When the portrait hole opened and Neville stepped through it, no one paid him much attention. Hermione glanced up, noted that he was walking slightly oddly, and looked back down again, brooding. She didn't look up until Neville was standing next to her chair.
"Hello," Neville greeted with a nervous smile. "I've got a message for you. From Draco Malfoy."
Hermione noticed Harry and Ron look up, murder in their eyes. With a roll of her own eyes, Hermione stood up and led Neville away from the fire and into a quiet corner.
"I don't care what he has to say, I'm mad at him," she clarified.
"He'll be mad if I don't tell you," Neville informed her. "I won't repeat the things he threatened to do to me if you didn't get the message."
Another fine reason for us to be together, Hermione thought sarcastically. He threatens my friends.
"Go on then," she said wearily. "Let's hear it."
Fully expecting to hear either a grovelling apology or an arrogant excuse for an explanation, Hermione was surprised at what came out of Neville's mouth.
"He wants you to meet him tonight at midnight outside the portrait of the sneezing wolf on the fifth floor."
Hermione sighed. "Look, Neville, I appreciate you telling me, but-"
"He says it's important. About Trayton and Zella?" Neville frowned, not knowing the relevance of these names.
That could just be an excuse, of course, but what if it wasn't? She could be missing out on helping Zella. The guilt would gnaw at her all evening if she didn't go, she knew that. So it was with a sigh and another roll of her eyes that she found herself agreeing to meet Draco.
A/N:
Hello all, hope you enjoyed the chapter!
It was my birthday last week, so if you feel inclined to send me a review as a gift, go with that feeling! Y'know, I'm pretty sure I said that last year as well on my previous fic…ah well, I love reviews! (:
Speaking of, thanks for all your reviews. They, and you, rock.
Well, it's late, I have Psychology first thing tomorrow and I really need to be alert for that, so I'll love you and leave you.
Have a great week!
- Momo