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Ch. 9

It had been nearly two weeks since my encounter with Draco Malfoy in the abandoned corridor, and I could safely that things had gotten a bit better for me since then. Ron and I had talked things out some more and were working on becoming as close as possible, and Ginny was trying to make more of an effort to talk to me. It seemed as if people were starting to forget about all about me and Draco's little connection in Charms class, and I was well…..happier. Another great thing was that the dreams of him had finally started to stop, becoming less and less vivid each time I had one. Everything was finally beginning to go back to normal.

All except for Harry.

Since the little scene in the corridor, Harry had become increasingly moody towards me. He rarely talked to me, except for when he had to during classes, and when he did, it was short and curt. He did not talk to me during meals, even asking someone else to pass a plate that would be sitting right in front of me. Ron had tried to talk to him many times about this, but he always changed the subject. I wanted us to be on good terms again. I truly, really did. But we couldn't be if I was the only one trying to make an effort. I t was Saturday, and the cool breeze floated in through the massive window of my room. I was reading '100 Foolproof Ways to Conjure the Perfect Spell', when I had realized how beautiful it was outside.

It was only mid-morning, but I felt that if I didn't take advantage of the weather outside, I would be missing out on a gorgeous opportunity for some fresh air, and more importantly, some peace and quiet. Putting my book down I walked over to my closet for something to wear. I pulled out a simple long sleeved sweater in my favorite shade of light purple, and some jeans. Getting dressed, I wondered if I should invite Ron or Ginny to come along. In the end, I decided against it, because Ginny would just want to talk about Harry, her boyfriend, who I was currently not on speaking terms with, and Ron would want to mess around and bother me if I tried to read in peace. Plus, they would both bring back thoughts of the current situation that I did not want to think about. This day would be perfect, even if I did spend it alone.

After leaving my room with a bag filled with at least five books, I decided that it would be smart to get something to eat. Breakfast would still be going on, and I was sure I would be hungry while I was out. When I reached The Great Hall, I wasn't surprised when I ran into Ron, Harry, and Ginny, talking casually. Well Harry and Ginny were, while Ron was extremely busy stuffing his face. I reached over him and grabbed two pieces of toast, already buttered.

"Hi b'Mionde", I heard Ron say stuffily. I smiled, laughing slightly.

"Hello Ron, and Ginny" I replied, purposely leaving Harry out. I saw him glance in my direction, and I ignored him. Two could play at this game.

"Where are you off to?" Ginny asked me curiously, eyeing my bag of books.

"Oh just outside. It's a nice day today, and I figured it would be even nicer to read out there and have some time to myself, that's all."

Harry scoffed quietly, and Ginny elbowed him in the arm, trying to be discreet. I didn't want to be here if things got awkward, so I decided to be on my way.

"Well I'll see you guys later I guess. Bye Ron and Ginny….bye Harry."

He grunted, as I had expected, and with that, I was on my way. I was going to enjoy myself, and I wasn't about let Harry's attitude get in my way.

I ate my two pieces of toast as I searched for a nice place to sit outside. The first few areas in front of the castle were cluttered with students, chattering about things they thought were important, or lovey-dovey couples, littering the grounds with tons of their PDA. How was I supposed to read when at each side of me people were snogging furiously? I didn't think so. I walked over to the side of the castle, to some grounds by the lake, and was satisfied to see that there wasn't really anyone there. It was nice and private, with great huge trees with lovely shade where the warm sun couldn't get to you. Not wanting to go too far from the path, I settled for a large tree with just enough shade, just around the corner from the castle. There was a faint noise of voices laughing or joking around at the front of the castle, but it didn't really bother me now that I was far away. Looking for a long low branch, I made my way up the tree, climbing up to about the middle of it, where there was a nice little hollow between two giant branches. I sat down, hanging my bag on a close limb.

It really hadn't been long since I'd been reading outside, although it seemed like ages. I was just so busy these days, between Head Girl duties, meeting with staff, homework, and problems with friends, that I rarely had time for myself. I was thankful that this weekend I had almost no homework, and no meetings. I sighed, leaning my head against the hard wood of the tree, and continued to read about Wendelin the Weird and his escape from The Ministry of Magic in 1508. I stayed like that for a while, caught in my own little world of stories, legends and facts, not even bothering to count the time. I stayed lost in the world in my head for quite awhile, until I'd heard the crunching of grass beneath feet, that is. It came nearer and nearer, and as it came closer, I'd felt the need to bury myself even deeper into the trees. I wasn't really in the mood to be bothered, but at the same time, I wanted to know who it was. I realized that the noise had stopped. Had I imagined it, perhaps? Then, I heard a loud, crisp crunch. Whoever this was, they were right under my tree. It wasn't fair. The one time I wanted to be left alone and someone had to interrupt it?

This was my tree, damn it!

I wanted to tell them to leave me alone, and to find their own tree, but didn't. It's not like they could even see me in here anyways. I was sitting between large clusters of branches, almost like a nest, each limb carrying an abundant amount of leaves. A thought came to my head as I heard another loud crunching noise. If they couldn't see me, then that didn't mean I couldn't see them. I grinned slightly, as I tried to imagine who it was, surprisingly coming up blank. To my knowledge, no one ever really came here besides me. Trying to be as quiet as possible, I stood up and leaned against the branches. I hadn't brought my wand, so I couldn't do a Muffliato spell, or keep the branches from breaking off if my weight became too much for them. Thankfully, there were loads of thick, strong ones that barely made any noise as I stepped on them, and it was pretty easy to dodge the leaves. From my view all I could see was a black, leather bound messenger bag that seemed oddly familiar, but I still couldn't see its owner. The loud crunching continued, probably covering any noise I'd made pretty well. I grasped the branch that held my bag tightly for extra support as I peered at the ground. I was anxious and determined to see who this…this….intruder of my tree was. The sun was almost blinding and hot from my location in the tree, and it definitely didn't help me see. Trying to shield my eyes, I raked the ground until I spotted something.

Sitting right against the trunk of the tree, was none other but a tall boy with pale, creamy blond hair. My breath caught in my throat, and an unspeakable feeling appeared in my stomach. Out of all people, Draco Malfoy, the source of almost all my current issues, had to be sitting under my tree? There were hundreds of trees here, why hadn't he picked any of the other trees to bask under? 'Lazy git', I thought to myself. Maybe, I thought again, maybe it wasn't him? I was just lying to myself. Who else had that wondrous shade of silken hair?

Wait a minute. Did I just call Malfoy's hair, that bloody, ruin it all, git's, hair, wondrous and silken? Something was wrong here. And as for that irritable crunching noise, he was munching on a fresh, bright green apple. For some reason, I hadn't been paying attention to my grip on the tree, and as I leaned closer, a branch snapped under my foot. I took in a sharp breath, and tried to retreat to my original spot, but it was too late. My foot got caught in a group of weak branches, and I fell right through, my attempt to grasp my bag pointless. I screamed as I fell and hit the floor with a thud. I moaned, feeling my head ache and my arm cramp beneath me. The crunching stopped. For a moment, I thought maybe it was all just a figment of my imagination, and I had fallen, landing face down in the soft grass because I had failed to keep my balance as I read. Then my mind came back and I almost let out a cry as I felt my arm beneath me, hurting so badly I could cry. Slowly, I took my arm from beneath me and lifted myself on my hands and knees, groaning. At least there was really no one here to see me in this state.

"Well damn Granger", I heard an unwanted, familiar sarcastic male voice say, "I knew you were insatiably attracted to me, but I've never thought you'd try to pounce on me from a tree."

I raised my head venomously, standing up to face the bothersome blond. He was smirking, not moving an inch from where he had sat under the tree, a bright green apple in his hand. As I stood up, I ignored the aching in my body.

"I wasn't. I was actually reading in peace till you came, crunching up a storm with that stupid fruit of yours. I was simply coming down to tell you to shut it and find your own tree." I glared at him, refusing to let him get the best of me. I wasn't about to run away from him, or get all bothered. I already knew he had a thing for trying to get to me, as he always had. He laughed.

"Simply? You call falling face first from a huge tree, simple? It's obvious that we both have different view of what is simple, and graceful, for that matter. "

I seethed. "Well I don't really care if you aren't pleased Malfoy." I had to make an extra effort to call him by his last name, so that he wouldn't make a big deal of me being fond of his first one. He still said something about it anyways.

"Oho! Calling me by my last name now are you? Have Weasel and Potty been teaching you?" he said sarcastically, standing up.

"Not at all, Draco", I said blurted out. Oops.

He smiled slightly, and his voice lowered as he said, "There it is." I almost wondered if it had been a sigh. There was an odd silence between us, before he picked up one of my books, scanning it as he bit into the apple again. He swallowed.

"The First and Last Spellinger Charm of the 18th Century? Wow, you must have a lot of time on your hands to read all these. ", he mused, tossing my book onto the grass. I wanted to lunge for it, but decided against, no matter how much I hated for my books to touch the ground.

"Actually no", I replied smartly. "I've rarely had any time for anything relaxing until today, of course before you decided to ruin it with your stupid crunchy produce." I leant down to pick up my books and as I did, he made a little laughing noise in the back of his throat. I looked up to see a full, bright green apple close to my face, being held gingerly in his long fingers.

"Want one?" He replied almost mockingly, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." He paused for a moment, looking me up and down. Then he did that stupid thing where his small smile reached his eyes as he said, "And by the looks of it right now, it seems a doctor is exactly what you need." If I wasn't so annoyed with him, and if he was a genuinely nice person, I wondered if maybe I'd find that a little cute. But he wasn't a nice person, and I was annoyed with him, in fact, past the point of annoyed, so at the moment, I didn't find anything rather cute at all. I stood up, four books clutched to my chest.

"No thanks, I'd rather not be poisoned by you, although I will need my bag back."

He grinned. "You don't have your wand, do you?" he asked knowingly. I looked down, only slightly embarrassed.

"No."

"What are the magic words?"

"Not now!"

Laughing, he took out his wand, and flicked it at the tree. He was almost as good at magic as me, and was able to do spells and charms without saying the words out loud. There was a rustling from the trees and my bag came flying out, hitting me square in the chest, and causing me to lose balance. I fell back onto the grass with a hard thud for the second time in less than an hour. I struggled to breathe, after having the air knocked out of me. Draco stood over me, looking…...guilty?

"Sorry."

And then he reached a hand out toward me. I laid there in shock, it must have shown on my face, because he looked like he was determining whether he keep his hand out or not. Wordlessly, I reached up and clasped it, his hand entangling with mine. I tried to ignore the weird feeling in my stomach when our hands met. He made a move to pull me up, but out of nowhere, I let out a surprised cry of pain as my body, namely my back and arms trembled with pain.

"Whoa there", he breathed, seeming concerned.

It hurts.

"I know it does, so there's really no need to state the obvious Granger." I clenched my teeth in pain. I hadn't realized I'd said that out loud. Slowly, he leaned down towards me, and without a word, suddenly scooped me up in his arms, bridal style. I moaned in pain, but tried to hold it back, still surprised that he would go as far as carrying me in his arms. Hearing my moan, he smirked.

"You like this, don't you?" he teased. I ignored him.

"What do you think you're doing?" I said incredulously, although I was in no state to talk, and definitely not to argue.

"What do you think?" he said to me as he headed towards the front of the castle, me attempting to squirm out of his arms. His grip tightened. "I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing. You need to get checked by Madam Pomfrey, for broken bones." He was taking brisk strides, as if my weight to him was nothing at all. It was then that I realized that he was indeed, strong. "And stop squirming, you're only making it worse!" he scolded me.

I cried out in pain again, wanting to sob at the fact that I was in Malfoy's arms and that I had to go to the Hospital Wing. Plus, the pain was slowly becoming unbearable. "This is all your fault", I replied murderously, wanting to hit him, my voice muffled by his robes. He nodded grimly.

"Of course it is. That's why I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing." We were nearing the front of the school now, and the voices of students were becoming louder and louder. Everyone would see me cradled in Draco's arms, and it would start a whole new environment for gossip. It was also embarrassing.

I couldn't let people see! My friends might be out there!

"Draco, put me down!" I urged, "I'm feeling better, I promise, I promise!" He made a tut-tut sound with his tongue. Any minute, any second, everyone would see me, Hermione Granger, nestled in Draco Malfoy's arms.

"I know what you're thinking. Don't be silly, you can't even walk!" He insisted.

"Please!" I begged him, and he smirked. I prayed to myself, hoping he would release me.

"No."

I let out a noise of anguish as he turned the corner, and the voices were basically in my ears. Not knowing what to do, I buried my head against his chest, shielding my face. I could feel his heart beat. As people began to see, I heard mutters of confusion and whispers. The gossip had started. I could only imagine how Draco felt, probably smug, with the smuggest, most victorious smirk plastered on his face. He loved looking like the hero, the twat. As we passed large groups of people, I heard some of the voices stop entirely some, sadly, didn't. There were whispers, whispers everywhere.

"Is that Hermione Granger?"

"His father-"

"Look at his face!"

"Look at her!"

"Bunch of leaves-"

"There were probably snogging like mad-"

"Oh how sweet! She fell asleep and he's carrying her to-"

"What the bloody Hell-"

"Oh my God!"

"They're together?"

I felt Draco's grip tighten on me. I wanted to hurl. How could I have let this happen? Just let people have their own free will, their basis of opinion on us, on our-

'On our what?'

As the voices faded slightly, and I heard Draco climbing up the stairs to the castle, so I revealed my face again. My eyes fell on green and black fabric, and I realized he was wearing his Slytherin robes.

"Why are you wearing robes?" I heard myself ask him. "It's a Saturday." He smiled slightly, and I didn't know why.

"I'm supposed to. You are as well. It might be Saturday, but there's still a Head meeting we're supposed be attending in thirty minutes. Did you not know?" He smiled, trying to be innocent. With my mouth open in shock, I tilted my head back, and as I did, something caught my eye just before we entered the castle.

Ron and Harry were standing on the grounds nearby, staring right at me. I saw them, looking at me, Ron with his mouth wide open in shock, and Harry with the stoniest look he had ever given me, just before we entered the castle and a wall of stone blocked them from my vision.

I groaned.

VVVVVVV

So what did you guys think? I know it's been a couple of days since I've updated, but it's because school has started. Gah. Plus I went on a holiday this weekend and there was so internet, so I had to wait to update this. I just want to thank you guys, those of who who've been sticking with this story, and reviewing and story alerting, and faving and all that jazz. Thanks a bunch, seriously! And keep doing so! Reviews anyone? :D Love to all!