Chapter Four

I sat in front of the fire long after Granger had gone to bed. My eyes were focused on the flames, but all I could see was the look on her face when Weasley wouldn't let go of her. Granger was always so confident and fierce that most people don't realize that she's really just a tiny, petite girl. Hell, even I didn't realize just how small she actually was until I saw her being manhandled by a man who was much larger than herself. Despite the fact that she was obviously scared and being overpowered, she had masked it well. The only way you could tell she was scared was when you saw her eyes. I admired that about her; she was always going to put up a brave front. Gryffindors, I thought exasperatedly as I shook my head. I turned my thoughts to Weasley. Bloody bastard. What kind of man would try to force himself on a woman? I don't exactly have a glowing record with Granger, but even I respect her more than that. I may be a Slytherin through and through, but I've got more bloody standards than the weasel.

I sighed and shook my head lightly as I stood up and stretched. I extinguished the fire and walked to my room. Why did I even care? It was just bloody Granger. So what if she was basically attacked? She's always been able to take care of herself before. Granted, I wouldn't really want to hex one of my best friends either. Unless it was Pansy. Bloody clingy woman. Still, Granger should have hexed him. Any man who would try to force himself on a woman isn't really a man at all. Just remembering the look on her face when he had hold of her wrist was enough to make my blood boil. I closed my door behind me and grabbed a pair of boxers from my dresser. I walked into the bathroom and stopped in my tracks. Granger was sitting in the tub portion of the shower, her head resting on the ledge and bubbles covering her body from her shoulders and down. She was asleep, tear tracks visible on her cheeks.

How to go about this? I thought awkwardly. I'm not sure she'd like to wake up to me. Which is strange. All girls like to wake up to my face, but Granger is a special case. She might actually hex me if I scare her.

I slowly crept over to the tub and reached a hand down hesitantly to touch her shoulder. She jerked awake and her head popped up as she looked around, startled. As her eyes landed on me, she shrieked and her arms came up to cross over her chest.

"Malfoy! What are you doing?!" she screamed at me.

"You fell asleep! I wanted a shower and you were sleeping in the tub!" I said defensively

"Can't you at least cover your eyes?!"

I slapped a hand over my eyes and heard water sloshing around followed by the sound of wet skin slapping on the tile floor.

"You can look now." Granger said softly.

I slowly lowered my hand to see her wrapped in a towel, standing in front of me. I dipped my head down and stared at the floor awkwardly.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"It's alright, Malfoy. Just knock next time." I heard Granger say, amusement plain in her voice.

"What's so funny?" I asked defensively

"You." She giggled, "You look like a child who's been scolded. Your cheeks are flushed and everything."

"They are not!" I cried as I felt my cheeks redden even more

"Are too."

"Hmph." I crossed my arms over my chest, "Whatever, Granger. Are you gonna get out so I can shower or not?"

"Hmm.. I don't think so."

I snapped my head up in surprise and stared at her with wide eyes.

"I'm just kidding, Malfoy." She said with a soft smile, "I'll see you tomorrow."

I stood stock still, staring after Granger with a look of surprise on my face.

So she does have a sense of humor. I thought in shock.

"Bloody weird girl." I murmured as I shook my head and stepped into the shower.

I giggled as I shut the door to the bathroom, glancing one last time at Malfoy's surprised features.

Silly kid. I thought. He acted as if he'd never seen a girl's body before.

I snorted at that thought and dropped my towel to the floor. I rummaged through my dresser and threw a large shirt over my head then pulled my knickers up my legs. I crawled into bed and sighed as I snuggled into my pillows. It had been a long day and I was glad to see it end.

Maybe tomorrow will be better.

The morning dawned cloudy and cold. I had never wanted to spend the day in bed so badly. I glanced once more out the window and decided that I deserved a day to myself. It was Saturday, after all. I could spare to spend another couple of hours lounging around in my bed. I snuggled deeper into my blankets and closed my eyes blissfully.

"Oi! Granger! Get up!" Malfoy yelled as he pounded on my door.

I shrieked and rolled off the bed in my hurry to sit up. I glared at the door as I rubbed my arse where it had connected with the floor.

"What do you want?" I growled loudly

"It's Saturday. We've got a meeting with the Prefects in half an hour and I bet you're not dressed!" Malfoy called smugly through the door

"Fine, fine." I grumbled, "I'm up."

I stomped over to my closet and took out an orange and pink striped sweater dress. I grabbed a pair of black leggings from my dresser and slipped into my clothing. I swept my hair up into a loose ponytail and slipped a pair of black flats onto my feet. I walked over to my vanity and applied a light amount of mascara and lip gloss.

That's as good as it's gonna get today, I sighed to myself and exited my room.

"About bloody time." Malfoy mumbled as he pushed himself off the wall beside my door and walked across the common room.

I shuffled after him, wistfully glancing back at my bedroom door, "What do we have to cover today?"

"We need to get the Halloween Ball all organized and set up the Hogsmeade trips."

"Okay. Any ideas about the dance?" I yawned

"I've got a fair few." Malfoy smirked

I rolled my eyes and we continued the walk in silence. Malfoy held the door to the Charms classroom open and directed me in. The Prefects were already inside and seated, waiting expectantly. I hopped up onto Professor Binn's desk and kicked my feet while waiting on Malfoy to make his way up to the front of the room.

"Right, you lot, we're planning the Halloween Ball today. We also need to set up Hogsmeade trips. Any suggestions?" Malfoy said briskly as he stood beside the desk I was sitting on.

"We're having a Halloween Ball?" a Hufflepuff Prefect squealed

I rolled my eyes and slid off the desk to stand beside Malfoy, "Yes. We're also having a Christmas Ball that will be planned after Halloween. Now, does anybody have any decorating suggestions for the Halloween Ball?"

"Granger and I were thinking about a Masquerade. We also tossed around the idea of having it outside before the weather got too cold." Malfoy said when nobody put forth any effort of a response.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. We'd discussed no such thing, but I was curious as to why he'd given me some of the credit for what was obviously his idea.

"Outside would be nice. Especially for a Halloween Ball." One of the Ravenclaw Prefects said quietly when all other Prefects were staring at Malfoy stonily.

I smiled and nodded in gratitude at the Ravenclaw boy. At least not all of them are opposed to the fact that people change, I thought as I stared around the room.

"Guys, come on. Malfoy is your Headboy and you're all going to have to accept that. He's got some good ideas. You can't just ignore everything he says." I sighed in exasperation.

"Wanna bet?" muttered a Gryffindor Prefect.

"Get out, Davis." I said as I pointed to the door

"What? What do you mean "get out?"" said Davis, the Gryffindor boy Prefect, outraged

"I'd think you should know what I mean. Get out of your seat and march yourself out of this classroom. Consider yourself suspended from your position until farther notice. Now, leave." I ordered sternly.

Davis stood and stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind himself.

"Does anybody else have any objections?" I asked sweetly as I looked around the room, "Didn't think so. Now, we need to get this ball planned out."

Malfoy cleared his throat and pointed at the Hufflepuff girl, "O'Dell. Let's hear a suggestion."

The girl, O'Dell, jumped slightly and cleared her throat, "Um.. How about candle-lit pumpkins as the light source?"

"Great! Good idea for Halloween. Other suggestions, anybody?" Malfoy said as I wrote the idea on the board. The meeting carried on for another hour with no more mishaps. The Prefects started talking more freely and Malfoy pretty much took control of the meeting while I wrote the ideas down on the board. It had been decided that the dance would be a Masquerade, it would be outside, we would have candle-lit pumpkins spread over the grounds for light with strings of lights strung through the tree's and around the main entrance to the castle, all years could attend, and there would be a table of refreshments located down beside the lake. We'd decided to have Hogsmeade trips on the first weekend of each month. With those plans made, Malfoy and I called it good enough and dismissed the Prefects.

"Well, I think we made some good progress." I stated as Malfoy and I walked back to our common room

"Yeah. I think you scared them when you suspended Davis, though." Malfoy chuckled

"Well, they need to grow up." I stated with a sigh, "The Wizarding World is changing and they need to realize that."

"Well, looks like you've got another one who hasn't realized that yet."

I looked up and saw an angry Ron stomping toward us.

"What the hell, Hermione?" he asked angrily

"What do you want, Ronald?" I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. I could feel a migraine forming already.

"You suspended Davis from his Prefect duties? Why? Because he doesn't like Malfoy?"

"No, Ronald. I suspended him from his Prefect duties for being a royal git and not respecting his superiors." I explained tiredly

"Bullocks! You can't do that!"

"I can and I did. Now drop it and get out of my way."

"What's gotten into you, Hermione? First you refuse me, then you run off with the ferret, and now you're defending him?" Ron asked heatedly.

"First off, you attacked me and tried to force yourself on me! Malfoy came along and saved me, so yes, I went with him. Excuse me for choosing to leave with the man who won't try to attack me! And I am upholding my duty as Headgirl to ensure that Prefects do their jobs without prejudice and with respect! Now, for the last time, get out of my way, Ronald!" I said, my eyes blazing with anger. How dare he?

"I can't believe you, Hermione! You're abandoning your friends to be with him, of all people! You are such a traitor!" Ron took a menacing step toward me and before I could even reach for my wand, Malfoy had pulled me behind his back.

"Move along, Weasley. You're done here. Granger is the Headgirl and you will treat her as such or you'll be dealing with me." Malfoy said coolly.

"Shove off, Malfoy. You don't even know what you're getting in the middle of."

"Oh, I beg to differ. You're trying to guilt trip Granger here into believing that she's done something wrong. Which she has not, mind you. So what if she didn't want to kiss you? I wouldn't want to be anywhere near that drooling mess either. She is not abandoning her friends, as you put it, but she is simply distancing herself from you. She is no more of a traitor than you or Potter are, so I suggest you back off and leave her alone."

I stood there frozen, staring at Malfoy's angry profile. Why was he defending me? And why was Ron being such a prick? Ron took another step forward, trying to get around Malfoy and to me, but before I could even register what was going on, Ron was knocked down to the floor.

"I warned you, Weasley. You need to leave." Malfoy said softly, "I will not hold back next time."

Ron stood, rubbing his jaw where Malfoy had punched him, "Fuck you, Malfoy."

And with that, Ron turned around and walked back down the hallway.

"I don't understand why he's trying to start fights." I mused

"He's angry and jealous." Malfoy shrugged.

"What's he got to be jealous about?" I asked, confused.

"Well, look at what he's seen. To him, it must really look like you're choosing me over your friends considering the fact that you left with me the other day and the fact that you're defending me to the Prefects."

"When did you learn to be rational?"

Malfoy chuckled and just lifted one shoulder into a shrug, "And maybe he's realized that he's messed up and lost something that he'll never get back."

"What did he lose?"

"You."

I didn't answer, but looked at the ground, contemplating what all Malfoy had said.

"Granger? Hello? Are you even paying attention?" Malfoy waved his hand in front of my eyes

"What? Paying attention to what?" I asked as I snapped back to reality.

"Are you going to step through the portrait hole, or what?" Malfoy asked, impatiently.

"Oh, right." I stepped into the common room and walked over to sit on the sofa in front of the fire.

"Hey, Malfoy?" I asked softly as he walked toward his room

He stopped and turned to look at me.

"Why do you keep stopping Ron?"

"No woman deserves to be treated like he's treating you. And I just really don't like Weasley."

"Oh. Okay." I said, disappointed for some reason that the only reason he defended me was because he didn't like Ron.

"What?" Malfoy said, picking up on my tone.

I shook my head vigorously, I shouldn't be disappointed about that. This is Malfoy, for Merlin's sake. The Slytherin boy who's been my enemy since we started school. Why should I care if he's defending me just to annoy someone else?

"Nothing. Goodnight." I said as I stood and entered my room, closing the door softly behind me and leaving Malfoy behind with a slightly confused look on his face.