ADMIRE YOU

CHAPTER 6

By: hermioneeeeeee

"The partners are being revealed!" Ginny said excitedly, hugging Hermione.

"I know! I'm so excited; I really want to know!" Hermione said, bouncing up and down.

"THE PARTNERS FOR THE SECRET SANTA ARE GOING TO BE REVEALED THE SAME WAY YOU RECEIVED THEM." Professor McGonagall said. Once again, slips of paper flew across the room and to their destination.

"Ginny? You were my Secret Santa!" Hermione said. Ginny nodded knowingly and opened her piece of paper.

"Oh, it was Susan Bones from Hufflepuff! I never would have guessed that." Ginny said.

"Luna got me the Herbology books." Neville told Harry.

"Seamus gave me my present." Ron said.

"My Secret Santa was Zabini from Slytherin. I'm surprised that he actually got me something I liked." Harry said. At the Slytherin table, Draco and his friends were exchanging names.

"Granger was the one who got me all of this?" Draco asked rhetorically.

"Surprised, are we?" Daphne asked.

"Daph, she was one of Draco's enemies. And a Gryffindor." Blaise said.

"Hey! I date a Gryffindor! Besides, Hermione's actually very nice." Daphne said defensively.

"Sorry, Daphne. Old prejudices get in the way." Draco apologized. The Great Hall was getting less crowded as people walked up to their common rooms. Hermione and Ginny were just getting up to leave when someone blocked their way.

"Hermione, could I talk to you where the old Mirror of Erised was?" Draco asked. Hermione looked at Ginny who gave her a sly wink and left her with Draco.

"Um, sure." Hermione said, following him. The two walked in silence and then saw the door that opened to the room.

"Oh, I remember this place. Harry told me about it when he came here and saw his parents." Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Hermione, I just want to apologize." Draco started off.

"Apologize? Hermione?"

"Yeah, I guess I'll start calling you by your first name."

"What do you want?"

"Can I honestly not even apologize without being thought as of a bully?" Draco said, getting up to leave.

"Wait! I'm sorry. Old prejudices get in the way."

"What did you say?"

"Old prejudices get in the way. I'm sorry."

"That's funny; I said that to Daphne and Blaise earlier."

"Speaking of Daphne, how are she and Ron doing?"

"Oh, she loves him. You're with McLaggen, aren't you?"

"Yeah. He's changed a lot. Definitely less arrogant. Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I just wanted to apologize; on my parents' behalf as well. They treated you horridly when you came to Malfoy Manor. They aren't well right now and we've been going through some difficult times. You've actually been on my mind a lot during the summer and your Christmas card to me was nice: Candy for you because I know there's a sweet side to you. I don't know why I teased you. You're better than me in every way. I was a bully to you and your friends for years and I don't think anything can make up for that but, I want you to forgive me." Draco said, taking Hermione's hands.

"Draco, I-I'm-" she stuttered.

"Oh, so it's Draco now?" he said, pulling her closer. Their foreheads touched and their eyes met.

"Has anyone seen Hermione lately?" Cormac asked in the Gryffindor Common room.

"No, Malfoy wanted to talk to her." Ginny said.

"Malfoy...see you later, Ginny. Thanks!" Cormac said, setting off to find her.

Draco started it. He kissed her soft lips sweetly and, to his surprise, she continued it. Hermione found herself enjoying it. Too much. She snogged him back and he ran his hands through her curls.

"MALFOY!" an outraged Cormac yelled. Hermione broke the kiss and took a deep breath.

"What were you doing to her?" Cormac asked. Draco kept cool and replied with the obvious: 'snogging her'.

"That's not for you to do! I am her boyfriend!" he said. Cormac grabbed her hand and pulled her into a kiss in front of Draco.

"It's her decision." Draco said.

"Alright then, who do you choose?" Cormac said, pointing to him and Draco.

"I-I-I'm sorry, Cormac! I shouldn't have done that." Hermione said, sinking to the ground on the verge of tears.

"No, it's not your fault."

"Yes, it is."

"Malfoy, I ban you from seeing her!" Cormac decided.

"Well, that's a bit hard seeing as I have classes with her." Draco smirked.

"Except for classes, you idiot." Cormac said, rolling his eyes. Hermione was dragged away by Cormac and shared a look with Draco as she left the room.

"Are you okay?" Cormac asked.

"Yes, he wasn't hurting me. Aren't you mad at me for kissing him?" Hermione said nervously.

"No, of course not. He forced you into it."

"Not really."

"Well, it doesn't matter. I'm not going to leave you."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'll never find someone like you." Cormac said. They kissed at the top of the stairs and walked into the Gryffindor Common room.

"We have Charms, right?" Ginny asked Hermione.

"Yeah." Hermione blushed.

"What's going on? Why are you blushing? Cormac's not in our Charms!"

"It's not Cormac."

"Well, who is it?"

"Draco." she whispered.

"Ferret?"

"Shhh!"

"What did you guys do yesterday?"

"Talked."

"And..."

"Snogged. Cormac saw."

"Hermione! Woah! Did you like it?"

"Yeah, a lot."

"Dump McLaggen, then!"

"No, I can't. He told me that he likes me a lot and I don't want to break him."

"Fine but there's only so long you can go like that."

Hermione and Ginny walked into the Charms classroom and took their seats. Everyone started to file into the lesson and finally all of the students were there.

"We're going to be doing independent work today and if you all work well and there's time left, you can have free time. Get out your books and read as much as possible." Professor Flitwick said. Books flapped open and the room was silent. After over an hour's worth of reading, Professor Flitwick wrote in the air with his wand to let them know that they could talk. Draco sauntered over to Hermione's desk.

"So, you free tonight?" he asked.

"Yes and no." she said.

"What do you mean? It can't be both."

"Yes I am free but we can't happen. At least, not right now."

"Okay, fine. Your hair looks good today."

"Thank you, Draco."

"What?"

"I know what you're doing!"

"Complimenting you."

"Flirting and I'm not going out with you yet."

"Ah ha! There's a 'yet' now."

"If something happens between me and Cormac, I'll definitely date you."

"What if..."

"I can feel it, I know it will happen!"

"When is that?"

"I don't know."

"Well, I hope it's soon." Draco said walking back to his desk.