Chapter – 4

"Hey Harry?"

"What?" Came the snarky reply.

"You're glaring holes at them. Please, stop it." Ron said calmly. He honestly felt like they have reversed roles – Harry was acting like him and he was acting like Harry.

"What does she see in that git?" Harry growled.

"Beats me." Ron shrugged as he sipped his Butterbeer.

While Hermione was sipping her Butterbeer, a bit distracted – sighing at the warmth it gave. She should start getting over Harry – it was a lost cause. He would never return her feelings. Moving on was the best.

"Granger."

"Hmm?" Hermione replied, circling the rim of her jug of butterbeer.

"Why is Potter staring at me like he would like nothing more than feed me to Blast-Ended Skrewt?" Draco drawled with a smirk, leaning against his chair. Oh he knew… Potter finally realized. Took him quite a while.

Draco gave one glance to the pretty brunette that was sitting across him, staring at her Butterbeer, deep in thought with those flushed cheeks. She was adorable. He never thought himself of a lover type – never. But, the trial he had and Granger went to such lengths to save him made him see her in a whole new light. He saw a kind, cunning, clever, bright and of course a very beautiful and attractive witch who could talk sense.

He fancied her quite a bit.

Maybe a lot.

He pressed down a blush.

Hermione stiffened at his question and turned to look around at a fuming Harry. She frowned.

"What's wrong with him?" Hermione wondered out loud.

"Maybe he's just jealous." Draco said, wincing mentally. He knew he wasn't the one for Granger, and he had a debt to pay to Potter – a life debt.

But this witch was fucking tempting.

Hermione laughed a weary laugh, it made Draco frown.

"No way, Draco." Draco ignored the way his stomach erupted butterflies when she said his name, "He never saw me like that, and never will. I'm just his best friend to him… I'll never be more, never be less."

"Hey… don't cry." Draco softened, closing the distance between them, rubbing the moisture on her cheek. Hermione looked surprised at her tears. She chuckled nervously.

"I'm so silly… crying over this!" Hermione sobbed silently. Draco's heart wrenched.

And it gave him an idea.

He shifted her chair very close to Hermione, closing her body to his chest and looking at the table where Weasley and Potter sat. Weasley was talking to Thomas, but Potter was smart – he was still staring.

Draco sneered at him – and kissed Hermione's hair.

The glass in Potter's hand broke with the pressure of his hand. He didn't even wince as his eyes flashed dangerously. The message was clear: Don't you dare touch her.

"Oi Harry! Your hand!" Ron exclaimed loudly.

It was too far for Hermione and Draco to hear. Harry glared at them menacingly as Draco whispered something in Hermione's ear. She nodded and protested when Draco insisted on paying. Hermione finally gave up as they walked away.

Seamus was clutching his hand, the glass shards on his hands were hardly the distraction from that.

Frustratingly he picked out all three big pieces of glass shards, wrapped a cloth that was on the table and ran to follow them.

Ron, Dean and Seamus stared at the closed door.

"Does he realize he could have healed himself with magic?" Dean asked.

"No he didn't." Seamus said, "He didn't even notice what happened."

Harry glared as they walked to the Black Lake, strolling around a bit. He sighed; maybe he was the one acting like a git. But Hermione didn't let him finish his sentence at all! He shook his head; he can't let Hermione misunderstand his feelings. Before his potential girlfriend, she was his best friend – the one he trusted the most.

He ran towards her and almost called for her-

"Hey Hermione-"

A scream broke him off. Hermione turned around to look at him in surprise, but then soon turned back at the source of the scream.

Someone was drowning.

Before Harry could react, Hermione already raced and jumped in the Lake.

"HERMIONE!"

Hermione was frantic with her search, as she swam across the cold water, part of her mind still trying to figure out what Harry meant.

She heard Harry's yell. Okay, he had a level mind; he could call for Madame Pomfrey…

Hermione swam, her hand cutting the waves of water as the boy struggled. Fear engulfed her as his wild movement went to twitching, hardly flailing on the surface. A shining locket was loosening from his grip as she finally grabbed it.

Hermione forced all the energy she had in her arms and legs, finally reached the boy, placed an arm around his shoulder and swam them back to land. She staggered under the boy's weight and the heaviness of her clothes as she dragged him, Harry reached them and dragged them further where Draco was looking very angry.

"100 POINTS FROM SLYTHERIN! YOUR HOUSEMATE NO LESS!" Hermione was hardly listening, her attention fully to the pale boy.

"I've already asked a Hufflepuff for Madame Pomfrey." Harry said heavily, checking for the boy's breath. His eyes widened.

"He's not breathing!"

Hermione dropped beside the unconscious Slytherin, ignoring the crowd that was surrounding them by now.

"What're you doing Granger?" Draco asked cautiously. Hermione didn't answer.

She closed her ear to his lips. He was not breathing.

She took a deep breath… CPR… she had to perform CPR.

Hermione lifted up his chin gently with one hand while pushing his forehead with the other, tilting his head back, clearing the airway. No, nothing happened.

She panicked. Oh no, oh no, oh no…

She felt Harry's hand on his as Hermione met his green eyes. They were calming, soothing ocean of green as he squeezed her hand.

"I trust you Hermione, with my life. So why not his?" he said quietly.

Hermione's eyes burned with tears, her mind snapping back to reality. Ignoring that he couldn't really jeopardize lives like that just to gain her confidence, she just shook her head.

"Has Madame Pomfrey arrived yet?" she called back to the Draco.

"No." Draco replied back.

Hermione nodded, yes she could do this. She. Could. Do. This!

Harry's warm hand gave her what she needed. He trusted her.

She pinched the boy's nose shut and leaned inhaling quick breaths and pressed her mouth with his.

"What is she doing?!" someone said from the crowd in astonishment.

He felt the boy's chest rise. She did quick and effective breaths on him and then started pumping his chest on the sternum, giving the blood circulation.

He spat out water. The boy coughed loudly, groaning.

"The locket…" he wheezed, "my…"

"Right here." Hermione whispered, clasping the locket back to his neck. The boy's blue eyes met hers for a moment, he smiled.

"Thank you angel," he smiled serenely and then lost consciousness.

Hermione blushed, leaning against Harry and sighing in relief.

"Move! Let me in! Let me in!" Madame Pomfrey cleared the crowd and reached Harry and Hermione as they moved away and let Madame Pomfrey do her work. She muttered few well chosen diagnostic spells and turned to them.

"He's fine. A bit tired only. What did you do?" she asked her and Harry.

"She kissed him!" someone said from the crowd.

"It was a kiss of life!"

"She did kiss him." Draco nodded as he squeezed Hermione's shoulder. She glared at him as he shrugged.

"CPR, Madame Pomfrey." Harry explained quietly. She nodded back in understanding.

"CPR?" Draco asked in confusion.

"Cardiopulmonary resuscitation." Hermione said absently, rubbing Harry's hand.

"Er…"

"She was just providing some oxygen." Harry snapped. Draco sneered back at Harry.

"Oh lookie here, he thinks I asked him."

"Just keep your shit shut in that dirty mouth of yours." Harry snarled.

"Keep your jealousy to yourself, Potter."

"I said shut it, you git."

"Potty."

"Ferret."

"Are you two done bickering like five year olds?" Hermione asked from five feet away, both Harry and Draco looking at her surprised as she continued walking with Madame Pomfrey who was Levitating the unconscious fifth year.