ADMIRE YOU
CHAPTER 4
By: hermioneeeeeee
Ron used a spell to cast the newspapers into the Great Hall. He watched the papers flutter down onto tables. People used spells or their own hands to catch them. Ginny snatched one out of the air.
"Cormac McLaggen Cheats on Girlfriend Hermione Granger with Sixth Year Ravenclaw." she read aloud.
"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY!" she yelled as loud as possible. She was surprised that no teacher had told her to calm down. Ron came over and smiled cunningly.
"You said." Ron smirked.
"Yes but, I didn't know you were actually going to do something about it. You need to tell everyone that it's fake." Ginny insisted.
"Why would I do that?"
"Making up a fake news story won't make Hermione want you back. She's smart, she'll figure a way to prove that this is wrong."
Ron sighed and sat down.
"Is this true?" Hermione asked Cormac indifferently.
"No! I swear on my life! Get Veritaserum! Do anything, I promise I would never do it!" Cormac said. Hermione nodded and went to go talk to Ginny.
"Do you think-" she began.
"No. My idiot brother made this up for a chance to get you back."
"But, he has Daphne! She really likes him, I spoke to her earlier and she's honestly happy with him!"
"If he won't then I will."
"Do what?"
"ATTENTION EVERYONE! THIS NEW STORY IS NOT TRUE! IT WAS MADE UP AS A JOKE AND I APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE IN THE SIXTH YEAR WHO'S IN RAVENCLAW. PLEASE GO BACK TO YOUR BREAKFAST!" Ginny said, using the Sonorus charm.
"Done!" she smiled. Hermione smiled.
"Are you going to beat him up?" Ginny asked.
"No, but I will speak to him." Hermione said. Ginny nodded slowly.
"I'm sorry. It was wrong of me." Ron admitted.
"It was. Anyway, Daphne loved spending time with you."
"Can I at least say goodbye?"
"What?"
"One more kiss."
"Fine. But only one."
Ron scooped her up bridal style and the two kissed lovingly. Hermione smiled as he set her down and she walked off.
"Goodbye, my love." he whispered into an empty room.
A month had passed and it was the beginning of December. Hogwarts was going to try a new tradition which was popular amongst muggles: Secret Santa. Everyone was getting their partners today and everyone was chattering excitedly.
"Attention! I am going to give you the names. You may not tell your partner that it was you who is giving them the gift. If you do before Boxing Day, you will not be permitted to continue the Secret Santa. Do I make myself clear?" Professor McGonagall said. Hundreds of heads bobbed up and down. Tiny slips of paper floated into people's laps. Hermione hoped that it was Cormac but it wasn't. It was Malfoy. She sighed and made a mental note to talk to Daphne about what to get him. Everyone rushed to their common rooms and talks about partners and gifts.
"Daphne!" Hermione shouted. The Slytherin pushed her way through to Hermione.
"Hermione! Hi! What's the matter?" she asked.
"Nothing much. But, what sort of things does Draco like?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, Honeydukes. He actually has a real sweet tooth."
"Thank you so much! By the way, I'm happy about you and Ron."
"Really? Me too. He's wonderful. I think it should've been you and Draco, though. I've said it from the beginning. He's always had that little crush on you and I'm surprised nobody else has been able to notice."
"Ha! The one who called me mudblood for over four years? I don't think so."
"You say that now!" Daphne said, winking. Then, with another wave of people, she disappeared.
"Ginny, we're going to have to go to Hogsmeade." Hermione stated.
"Of course! All of us will." Ginny said.
"Professor Flitwick put up a poster with Hogsmeade dates on it in our Ravenclaw Commons." Luna said.
"Perfect! What are they?" Hermione asked.
"Well, the soonest one is this Friday afternoon." Luna smiled.
"Okay, see you Friday!"
The group split up and went to their separate places. Hermione went into Honeydukes with Luna.
"Who did you get?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, I got Astoria. I'm fairly sure that sweets are the safest way to go. At least, that's what Daphne said." Luna said.
"I got Malfoy. Maybe I should get him an acid pop so his tongue will burn off." Hermione said angrily.
"Hermione..."
"Sorry. It's just hard to forget years of torture from that ferret."
"I understand. People always stole my things and talked about me behind my back. It was nice to have a friend like Ginny. No one calls me 'Loony' anymore but, sometimes I feel as if they still think I'm too odd be friends with you all."
"I really shouldn't be complaining then."
"It's okay. Now, let's find some good candy."
By the end of the Honeydukes trip, Hermione had a large gift box of assorted sweets. Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Cauldron Cakes, Charm Choc, Chocoballs, Chocolate Cauldrons, frogs, skeletons, wands, Choco-Loco, Crystallized Pineapple, Drooble's Gum, Exploding Bonbons, Fizzing Whizzbees, Fudge Flies, Glacial Snow Flakes, Honeydukes Best Chocolate, Jelly Slugs, No-melt Ice Cream, Nougat Chunks, Pepper Imps, Peppermint Toads, Pink Coconut Ice, Pixie Puffs, Pumpkin Pasties, Shock-o-Choc, Skeletal Sweets, Toffees, Tooth-Splintering Strongmints, Treacle fudge, and Wizochoc. Hermione had hand-picked all of the sweets and stuffed them into a large Honeydukes box that was over-flowing with mouth-watering candy.
"You're very generous, aren't you?" Luna noted. Hermione smiled.
"It only cost five galleons, actually." Hermione said.
"I think Astoria will be happy with what I got her. Daphne is very nice, maybe her sister will be, too." Luna said. The girls walked to the carriages and lined up. The Thestrals were visible to almost everyone because a lot of the students had seen death.
"How did it go- Hermione! Wow, that's a lot of candy!" Ginny said, interrupting herself. Hermione blushed and put it into the carriage. They all climbed in and talked about Christmas along the way.
"Cormac!" Hermione said, dropping her box and flinging herself into his arms.
"I missed you while you were away." he said.
"Who's that for?" Cormac asked.
"Oh, Malfoy. For Secret Santa." she replied.
"You didn't need to get him so much." Cormac said coldly. Hermione levitated the box and brought it into the common room.