A/N: Surprise! Enjoy and don't forget to favorite :) Happy reading ^~^
Hermione woke with a sudden jolt. Draco's chuckle vibrated against his chest. She looked up at him groggily.
"Fall in your dream, Mione?"
She murmured and rested her head back on his chest, her eyes closed. "Maybe." He kissed the top of her head. She smiled and nuzzled him some more. He rubbed her arm up and down, "Come on Sleepy, we gotta get going soon." She hugged him tighter and let out a large sigh. "Do we have to?" He squeezed her shoulder. "Unless you want to get locked up in the library." She sighed again. "No I suppose not."
"Hey now," he said, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. You just make a really great pillow."
"After everything we've been through, is that all I am? A pillow?" Hermione laughed and shook her head. "You're so annoying Malfoy." He pulled her close, so that their lips were just a breath apart. "You're worse, Granger." She pecked him on the lips and rolled her eyes.
He stood up off the couch and stretched out his arms. It showed off his muscles beautifully, and Hermione couldn't help but stare. She rested her head back and smiled. She had just had a nap, she had a great boyfriend, and she had eaten chicken for dinner. Things were good.
"How are the nightmares?" he asked, picking up his book. "Not as bad," she said, still smiling. He smiled back at her. "Good."
"What about yours?" she asked. He shrugged. "I mean they're definitely not as bad as they used to be." She went up on her tippy toes to kiss his cheek. "They start fading." She told him, "I promise."
"Ours are a bit different, Mione." She scrunched up her features. "How so?" He shook his head. "Don't worry about it."
"If you tell me, maybe I can help-" He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hard on the lips. Hermione forgot to breathe. "You're all I need Granger." He brushed her hair behind her ear and her cheeks reddened.
When Hermione entered the common room, something seemed off. Harry and Ron were seated on the couch, as though they had been waiting for her to arrive. "How was your day Hermione?" Harry asked, his voice somewhat stiff. Hermione took the seat across from them and made a funny face. "Fine, I guess."
"Where were you just now?"
Hermione yawned. "The library."
"And why were you with Draco Malfoy?"
Hermione made a face. "What do you mean?"
Ron sighed and rolled his eyes. "Harry's been using the map to spy on you."
Hermione looked straight at Harry, her face solid. "You what?!"
Harry held up his hands defensively. "I was worried about you! And then I saw you with Draco and I thought-"
"He's my potions partner Harry. Some of us like to do actual research for class. Not that you two would understand any of that. How dare you?"
Suddenly Seamus entered the common room. "Hey Hermione!" he said, jumping into the seat next to her. "Is it true you're shagging Malfoy?"
Hermione's eyes grew wide and her mouth hung open. She couldn't seem to muster a sound.
"Seamus! Goddamnit." Ron blurted.
"You told him?" Harry screeched.
"I didn't know what to do! I figured I'd ask around a bit, just a few people-"
"Not a soul Ron! Remember?"
"Someone please tell me what's going on." Hermione's voice was small and dry.
"I'm sorry Hermione," Harry said, "it's just, we saw you."
"Saw me…" Hermione shook her head, running her hands through her hair, "Saw me what?"
"You and Draco. Kissing." Ron blurted.
The silence that hung in the air after that could only be described as 'uncomfortable.'
"I have to go." She said finally.
As she rushed down the halls, she didn't care how loud she was. The taps of her feet echoed and she kept a steady rhythm, trying to focus her thoughts. One foot in front of the other, she thought. One, two, step. Keep running. She finally stopped at the base of some stairs; she didn't fully know where she was and she didn't care. Her mind was buzzing. Without running to keep her focused, every possible thought was flooding her brain. She pulled out her phone, trying to catch her breath.
September 29 9:48pm
Hermione: Harry and Ron found out. They saw us. It won't be long before all of Gryffindor knows.
Draco: I know. Some Slytherins were talking about it today.
Hermione: What?
Draco: Don't panic. It'll be fine. I promise.
Hermione: We're going to be hounded. You know that right?
Draco: Do you want to just call it a rumor?
Hermione: Not really…
Draco: It's about time everyone knew anyway
Hermione: Yeah I guess
Draco: Just breathe. Where are you?
Hermione: I don't know. At the bottom of some stairs.
Draco: Just take a few breaths and go back to your room. Get some sleep love. It'll be better in the morning.
Hermione: I just don't feel like seeing anyone.
Draco: You know the dungeons are always open for you ;)
Hermione: Stop that. You can't make me smile when I'm in panic mode
Draco: Sure I can
Hermione: Promise it'll be better tomorrow?
Draco: Promise.
As much as Hermione would have liked to believe him, she knew it simply wouldn't be. She made her way back to the common room, ignoring all the questions and words that were thrown at her, and when she got up to her room, she slammed the door. But even then she couldn't find peace. The girls who shared her room crowded around her, wide-eyed.
"Is he a good kisser?"
"Forget that! How is he in bed?"
"He looks strong! He's strong isn't he?"
"You're so lucky Hermione!"
"Does he have a soft side? He like hardly ever talks these days-"
"HEY!" Ginny's shout was loud enough to shake the room.
"Give her some space, yeah?"
Hermione sighed as Ginny brought her in for a hug. "I'm sorry my boyfriend is such an asshole." Ginny said.
"It's not your fault." Hermione said, "This was bound to happen at some point."
"As soon as I get the chance I'm ripping up that stupid map. Harry just gets so obsessed."
Hermione sighed. "Ron wasn't too big of a help either."
Ginny nodded, agreeing.
"What am I going to do?"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Girl, if you've got it, flaunt it. And trust me, Draco is something you definitely want to flaunt." Hermione smirked, trying to hide her smile. "Fine. I think I just need to sleep. It'll be better tomorrow right?"
"Of course!" Ginny told her, smiling genuinely.
It wasn't. By the next morning, all of Hogwarts was buzzing with the new piece of gossip. As Hermione entered the dining hall for breakfast, every eye turned to look at her. The silence was unnerving. Hermione's face turned a deep purple and she hid behind Ginny as they made their way to their seats. "Don't worry about them." Ginny told her. Eventually the hushed whispering started back up again, and to Hermione, it felt like the entire hall was talking about her and Draco. She swirled her food around with her spoon. Ginny nudged her. "Cheer up, buttercup. This'll boil over soon." Hermione sighed. "I hope so." She glanced around the hall. Whispers coated the room like a blanket. She caught a glimpse of Draco. Or, the back of him really. She wondered how he was handling all of this.
"Hermione?"
She looked up at the sound of her name. When she saw who it was she looked back down, swirling her food boredly.
"I'm sorry Harry. I just don't feel like talking to you right now."
He cleared his throat awkwardly.
"What about me?" Ron asked.
Hermione cringed slightly. "Even less so."
"I really am sorry, for everything."
"Oh give it a rest Ron." Ginny said, rolling her eyes.
Just then the room seemed to go quiet once more. Hermione tried to will herself to not look up, but she couldn't help it. The eerie silence was more than she could bear. She looked up from her bowl of soggy cereal. "What?" she said, feeling self-conscious again. Someone tapped her shoulder. She turned around and was met with Draco's lips brushing against hers, his hand on the back of her neck. "Good morning," he said, "Shall I walk you to class?" His voice echoed in the quiet of the dining hall. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath. Draco extended his hand out to Hermione, to help her out of her seat, and she took it, standing up rather shakily.
He wrapped his right arm around her waist and led her out of the dining hall. It wasn't until they were out that Hermione felt she could fully take a breath. "Sorry," he said, once they were a good distance away, "But all those stares were starting to creep me out." Hermione laughed. "I know. I felt the same way. It was like they all turned into zombies."
"Crazy what gossip will do to people."
"It's not really gossip though," Hermione said sheepishly.
He kissed the top of her head. "You're right."
"I hope you haven't been harassed too much." She said.
He shrugged. "Not really. Some of the guys were surprised but nothing really worth harassing over."
Hermione looked up at him, confused. "Really?"
He looked down at her, his expression perfectly average. "Well, yeah. I told you it's not a big deal. Not in Slytherin anyway."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I wish I could say the same about Gryffindor."
"Is it that bad?"
"Girls are different. They want to know everything."
"Well then," Draco said, bumping her playfully, "I'm glad I'm not you."
She bumped him back, smiling, "Yeah I bet."
She sighed as they approached her class. "Well, this is me. I'll see you in Charms?"
He nodded and kissed her on the cheek. "I'll see you then."
She couldn't help but watch as he walked away, smiling stupidly to herself, and finally mustering up the energy to open the door to her classroom.
This was going to be a long day.