"Hey, Granger!"
Draco's head whipped around as the loud voice came from the person directly behind him. He scowled at McLaggen who was ignoring the fact he had just bellowed in Draco's ear in favour of trying to wave down Hermione. They were all heading towards the Great Hall and in the dinner rush the crowd was pushing towards the double doors so there was nowhere to escape as the three ended up squashed together, jostling with the crowd.
"What's the hold up?" McLaggen boomed at Hermione whose smile was more of a grimace.
"Peeves I think, he was trying to start a food fight."
"What do you think about try-outs?" he didn't sound the least bit interested in what she had just told him and immediately puffed out his chest, "Potter is holding them on Saturday right? I'm going out for Keeper. Fancy coming to watch me make the team?"
Draco resisted the urge to snort. While McLaggen was built like a gorilla and could probably cover most of the hoops just by hovering near them, he thought it very unlikely that Potter would trade in his sidekick. Hermione didn't look convinced either and for a moment their eyes met while McLaggen continued to push forwards, and Draco swore she almost smirked back at him.
It was gone in a flash however as they finally entered the hall and he was forced to watch Hermione get swept off by McLaggen towards the Gryffindor table, and a sour taste entered Draco's mouth. He threw himself down on the bench next to Pansy, and then instantly regretted it as she ran a hand up his arm. "Where have you been?"
"In the library."
She pouted, "I'm beginning to think you go there for more than studying- why so obsessed with homework all of a sudden?"
"Because it looks suspicious if I don't keep up with my classes," he ladled strew onto his plate and let the silence gain more weight than it was due. Pansy was so determined to see him as some kind of hero that she lapped up any hint of working for the Dark Lord and she instantly smiled and snuggled closer.
"You know, I can help you if you need. I bully this really brainy Ravenclaw from the year below to do all my essays for Transfiguration, and Snape will let you skip Defence work if it means-"
"What part of covert don't you get?" Draco sneered, leaning away as far as he could. "I don't need or want your help Pansy."
Blaise appeared opposite them and threw an amused glance over his shoulder, "Wait until you hear this, you know that brute McLaggen?"
Draco's eyes wandered to the Gryffindor table where he was displeased to see said brute was still bothering Hermione. He wasn't sure if he was any happier when Potter and Weasley showed up and relieved her of his company; sure it meant that McLaggen was left sulking over his pork chops, but Hermione's sudden brilliant smile did not improve his mood.
"What about him?" Pansy asked instantly, the girl was like a bloodhound with a nose for gossip.
"Heard him bragging all the way down the Charms corridor, apparently he's become a favourite of Slughorn, and his plan is to use his fancy little dinner parties to woo a certain bushy-haired Muggleborn."
Pansy shrieked with laughter, "McLaggen and Granger? Oh that is too good, I mean he's an oaf but at least he's a Pureblood. Don't you think he could do better?"
She turned to Draco as if she expected him to back her up, but he remained silent. Blaise frowned, "What's wrong with you?"
"Why do I care which Gryffindors are hooking up?"
"I didn't say they were hooking up, I said he was planning on cornering her first chance he got."
Draco pursed his lips and the plates on the table vanished to make room for the desserts. "Unless Draco thinks that maybe it's Granger that can do better than McLaggen," Pansy put in sulkily.
Draco was relieved when Blaise burst out laughing, "Just because he isn't showing you any affection doesn't mean he'd stoop so low to consider a Mudblood."
The conversation luckily dissolved as the puddings arrived, but Draco was no longer hungry. He stood up and pushed away from the Slytherin table with a murmured excuse, before he bolted for the library. He was in such a foul mood he barely noticed who he was pushing past as he rushed up the main staircase, and only stopped to breathe when he reached the cool, empty library.

It had been a very strange evening for Hermione. First she had been accosted by McLaggen on her way to dinner, and maybe, possibly shared a moment with Malfoy in the process. Then as dinner had drawn to an end, her rescuers in Ron and Harry had failed her when Lavender had sidled over to chat about Quiddich try-outs, even though they were all well aware she knew next to nothing about the sport other than to cheer for the team in scarlet. Eventually the awkwardness and forced conversation had left her with little choice other than to fabricate some outstanding homework and flee the Great Hall. She had been trudging her way up to Gryffindor Tower when someone had bumped her shoulder in their hurry to pass her. She didn't even think that Draco had noticed her, there was a look on his face that wasn't one she'd seen before, at least not on him. It was a raw mixture of fear and an anguished determination; like a boy caught in a trap.
For a moment she hesitated at the top of the stairs, she should go back to Gryffindor common room and wait for Harry and Ron. She should get a head start on her reading for tomorrow's classes. She should… not be following Draco Malfoy to the library.