Chapter VIII - Next Day – Part Two

'HERMIONE GRANGER!'

Hermione sat bolt upright in her bed, her heart beating madly. A figure had pulled the bed curtains unceremoniously apart and was standing there looking livid. When Hermione recognized that it was in fact, Ginny and not, say, Lord Voldemort with his wand drawn her heart steadied somewhat. She then flopped back down on the bed and pulled her pillow up over her face. Hermione felt the bed dip as Ginny crawled in next to her. Ginny snatched the fluffy barrier away from Hermione's face and gave the older girl a stern stare which Hermione thought was scarily reminiscent of the red-head's mother.

'Where in the name of Merlin's arse have you been?'

Trying to look as innocent as possible, Hermione said, 'What does it look like? I've been sleeping—'

'Oh, don't give me that crap!' Ginny cut in, 'You know exactly what I'm talking about.' Ginny then said meaningfully,

'I noticed yesterday morning when I passed you in the hall that you finally tried on my perfume.'

Ginny paused for a moment, expecting an answer. Hermione stuck her head around the curtain to check if they were alone, which they were; it seemed that her roommates all had gone to breakfast. She then turned back to glare at Ginny, remembering that she should be annoyed with her best friend for setting her up so sneakily.

'Now we're on the subject of you practically drugging me—'

'Oh, come on Hermione- it was for your own good! Now', she settled herself down on the bed and said in a business like tone, 'Can you please tell me why Ron and Lavender are still together? That was my intent you know, for him to drop Lavender and get with you.'

Hermione looked blankly at Ginny for a moment.

'Ron?'

Ginny sighed exasperatedly. 'Yes, you remember my brother, Ronald— tall, red-haired, has a massive crush on you but is too idiotic to do anything about it?'

Hermione just stared at Ginny for a moment. It all seemed so long ago! She remembered yesterday morning, putting on the perfume as a last minute addition to her plan to forget about Ron, but of course all the Ron related thoughts had been wiped from her mind. And really, who could blame her? Draco had been a very good distraction for her Ron associated woes. Speaking about which, now that she thought about it, she was well and truly over the git! Hermione rooted around inside her, just to make sure she wasn't fooling herself. But no, there was no denying it, she was really over him. A smile broke over Hermione's face and she actually leaned forward and joyfully hugged Ginny.

'I'm over him! I well and truly am!'

'What? Ron?' Ginny looked surprised, then suspicious. 'Really? What happened?'

At this, Hermione did not answer right away, knowing exactly what had happened. It was as if Ginny had read her thoughts because the red-head then said, fixing her with a knowing look,

'Oh, of course! The perfume, you disappearing… so, tell me; what's his name?'

Though Hermione knew that the gig was up, she wasn't quite sure if she wanted to divulge anything just yet. Draco was after all a Slytherin and everything that Hermione, a Gryffindor, shouldn't like. She pulled back the curtains and got out of the bed so Ginny wouldn't see the grin which had been momentarily fixed to her face. Just thinking about him sent tendrils of happiness though her which produced these idiotic grins.

'I still don't know what you're talking about.' Hermione said airily making her way to her dresser to comb her hair.

'Oh, I think you know exactly what I'm talking about. The Hermione Granger that I know does not disappear for a good twelve hours, skip out on plans for meals… or have suspiciously crumpled clothes in her schoolbag.' Hermione stopped mid comb through and whipped around to see Ginny looking at her open schoolbag with her clothes from the previous day. Crap, Hermione thought and she blanched. Ginny was now looking at her with a pleading look.

'Come on Hermione, I'm not going to tell anyone who it is, but seeing as I am your best girl friend, and the one who probably got you into this situation, I think I deserve to know.'

Hermione moved to sit in the edge of the window seat.

'Alright, fine I'll tell you, but you can't say anything judgmental until I tell you the entire story.'

A quick flash of intrigue flitted across Ginny's face, but she just said, 'Okay… now tell me!'

'So, I suppose it all began when I put on the perfume you gave me yesterday morning…'

Hermione recounted the previous day's events, beginning with the spontaneous hook up in the hallway and ending with walking back from the Room of Requirement. She skimmed over the particularly steamy bits; Hermione didn't think that Ginny needed to hear those in detail. When Hermione had finally named her mystery man, her best friend looked completely taken aback. Ginny just sat there for a moment, looking stunned when Hermione finished telling her story.

'Malfoy. Draco Malfoy, the blond haired, pointy faced git that has been a pain in our collective arses for six years?'

'I know it's really unexpected, but seeing as I was wearing the perfume when he first kissed me, that would mean he likes me, right?'

'Yes, that would make sense…' Ginny trailed off and Hermione took a deep breath and said,

'Listen, this was startling for me as well. When I put on the perfume yesterday morning I had no idea that this would happen. But,' Hermione paused, 'I really like him; this isn't a rebound after Ron thing either. And, I think he really likes me, as well.'

Ginny looked at her best girl friend and for the first time that day a grin appeared on her face.

'You've got it bad. I've never seen you like this before and to tell you the truth, I think this will be good for you, whatever this is. And while I may not completely approve of Malfoy…I think that you should go for it.'

Hermione grinned and said,

'That means so much, I was worried, you know.'

'Listen Hermione, relationships are odd things.' Ginny said sagely. 'You never really can understand one unless you're the one in it.'

Hermione nodded. Though Ginny was a year younger than her, she already had a couple of relationships under her belt.

'Speaking of relationships, how are you and Dean doing?'

'Oh, fine. You know.'

And Hermione did know. She knew that Ginny was really only going out with Dean because Harry was currently oblivious of the fact that Ginny had liked him since she first saw him on the Kings Cross platform when she was 10. It was hard, but Hermione had a feeling that Harry was coming round. She had noticed lately that Harry had started to take a 'subtle' interest in all things Ginny. Hermione did not tell her best friend this though; she knew Ginny would be crushed if Hermione was wrong. Hermione sighed and looked over to check the time. It was ten in the morning, a perfect time to go down for breakfast.

'Gin, have you had breakfast yet?'

'No, not yet, want to go down soon?'

'Merlin, yes. I'm absolutely starving!'

Ginny chuckled and told Hermione to meet her in the common room in ten minutes. As Ginny left the dormitory, Hermione got up and moved to continue combing her hair. She then got dressed wondering if Draco would be there in the Great Hall. Just the thought of that possibility sent panicky butterflies rocketing around in her stomach. They had not discussed how they were going to act, or not act in public. She figured that she would just play it by ear. He might not even be in the Great Hall when I am, she thought. No need to get yourself worked up prematurely… Hermione's thoughts trailed off as she went through the automatic motions of getting ready. She soon was; she had paid special attention to her hair to make sure it was perfectly fine, just in case she thought.

As the pair of girls made their way down the corridors to the Great Hall, Hermione's thoughts were elsewhere. Ginny seemed to understand this and they chatted about arbitrary things. When Hermione walked into the Great Hall, her head immediately snapped to the Slytherin table. To her dismay, she couldn't find Malfoy's blond head anywhere. Ginny tugged on her arm and they continued to walk to the Gryffindor table. Ron and Harry weren't there; undoubtedly they were off flying down on the pitch avoiding doing their homework. Hermione sat down so that she wasn't facing the door. Instead she nudged Ginny, who got the gist and sat so she was the one facing the door; basically, she would be the one to tell her if Malfoy entered the Great Hall.

'Stop being such a nervous wreck.'

'Ginny, you're not helping.'

Ginny sighed and reached over the table for the pastry basket. She took her usual croissant and then began to pour herself some pumpkin juice. Hermione began searching for her usual cranberry muffin in the basket and reached over to grab a pot of tea. She mentally tried to calm down; her behavior was becoming completely irrational and just plain stupid. She could handle this. Yes, she thought, I can do this. I will not freak out.

After a couple cups of tea and numerous muffins, (she was really hungry) Hermione decided then to go to the library to get working on the rest of her homework. She did not have that much to do, just finish her Moonstone essay and read a few chapters for Ancient Runes. Once Hermione's thoughts were set on her schoolwork, she became decidedly less frantic and panicky; having an agenda always calmed her down. Just then, Dean sat down next to Ginny and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Hermione decided that this was her cue to leave.

'I'll see you later Gin, I'm off to the library.'

Dean looked up at her and said sincerely, 'Don't leave on my account.'

'Oh, no, I'd better be off anyway.' Hermione grabbed another cranberry muffin and made her way out of the library. As she passed the Ravenclaw table, she saw Luna Lovegood look up and wave energetically at her. Hermione smiled and waved back at Luna, but did not stop and chat. She exited the Great Hall and walked through the Entrance Hall up the staircases to the library. She did not meet many students along the way because it was still relatively early in the morning.

Hermione settled herself in her usual spot in the back of the library. Sighing, she grabbed her school bag and began pulling out ink jars, parchment and books. Just as she pulled out One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, she noticed that intermingled with her school work was the Mauraders Map; she supposed she had forgotten to take it out of her bag that morning. Hermione suddenly had an idea. She quickly looked around her to make sure she was alone and pulled out her wand. Then she tapped the map and muttered 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.' At once, the spindly lettering on the map illustrated the mysteries of the castle. Her eyes roamed over the page searching for Malfoy's black dot. Like the previous day, she checked the Great Hall, the Syltherin Dormitories and even the Owlery. Finally, she found him—it seemed that Draco was actually in the library somewhere near her own dot. Hermione put her hand to her heart and felt her heart beat madly. Get a grip, she thought to herself. All thoughts of her homework forgotten, she got up, stowing the map in her bag as she went, and crept surreptitiously through the rows of towering books.

The map had shown Draco's dot somewhere near hers, so Hermione pretended to be searching for a book on the passing shelves in addition to peering through gaps in the bookshelves to look for Draco. Hermione silently crept along the aisles for a couple of minutes before coming across another configuration of study tables and chairs. On the nearest table was a book bag and a Slytherin scarf which was most likely Draco's. Hermione's heart beat even faster as she moved towards the table with his things. It seemed as though he too was working on Slughorn's essay because moonstone related books were strewn all over the table.

'Boo.'

Hermione, very startled gave out a loud 'eep' when she felt two hands around her waist.

'Merlin, Granger, it's just me.'

Hermione turned around and poked Draco in the chest.

'You nearly made my heart stop.'

Draco just grinned and said,

'What were you doing poking around my things?'

Hermione turned pink, huffed and said,

'I was doing nothing of the sort; I was looking for a book and came across your things…'

As she trailed off, Draco's smirk grew and she knew that he did not believe her in the slightest.

'Hmm, Granger you are a bad liar. You're going to have to work on that if you ever want to fool me.'

She looked indignantly up at him and said without thinking,

'Fine, here's some honesty: since I didn't see you at breakfast, I was wondering where you were. When I saw that you were a couple of rows away in here I thought I might try to run into you. And here we are.'

Hermione turned even brighter pink and looked away from him. Draco chuckled and Hermione looked at him questioningly.

'For a Gryffindor, you are quite the sneaky one Granger.'

Hermione said in a slightly lofty tone, 'I assure you that it's a recent development.'

Draco moved close to her and then said silkily in her ear, 'well how about you get your sneaky self up to the Room of Requirement at eight tonight and I can show you how sneaky I can be.'

A shiver ran through Hermione and she nodded. Draco gave her a blazing look before sauntering off back into the library, leaving Hermione standing by the table.

Hermione did not think that she would get much work done in the library if she stayed, so she made her way back through the walls of books, gathered her things and left. She decided to finish her work back in her dormitory, though it was unlikely that she would be able to concentrate on anything for awhile.

5/1/12:

Sorry this one took so long, but its getting to be the end of the semester for me and I have so much other work I should be doing! Just know that I would rather be dreaming up fanfic stories than writing my finals. I highly doubt that I will get another chapter out before the 11th, so this one hopefully will tide you over till then!

As always, reviews are the best! Please review!