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Blaise couldn't stop, no, wouldn't stop laughing. He would look at the pair, and then start laughing again when he stopped. Draco had called him to the empty Slytherin Common Room, hoping that the Italian would help, but of course he couldn't. No. Again, he wouldn't.
"I think it's fucking brilliant. I wish someone would have thought of it sooner. I wish I would have thought of it." Blaise started laughing again.
"It's not fucking funny, Zabini!" Draco yelled.
Blaise looked at Granger, sitting to the side and quietly seething. The Gryffindor had said nothing since Blaise had come down from bed, and she seemed adamant to stay that way. She had her hands crossed and was tapping her foot impatiently.
"Granger couldn't even fix this?"
That was the wrong thing to say. The girl stood up got in Blaise's face.
"Despite everyone's surprise and consternation, no! I don't have everything in life figured out Zabini, I'm not bloody perfect!"
Blaise stood back with widened eyes as Granger stormed off, heading to the portrait that would let her out. She made it a few more steps before Draco stumbled sideways and fell.
"Damnit Granger! You can't keep doing that!"
"Well, it's your fault in the first place! You started the argument in the first place!"
Blaise watched with awed amusement as the pair was jolted toward each other and slammed into the other, creating a thump. They fell to the floor, both cursing at one another. The more they cursed one another, however, the closer they were dragged to one another. They tried prying themselves off of the other, but they snapped right back as if connected by some sticky, stretchy substance. It got so ridiculous; Blaise couldn't stop the small chuckle that burst from his lips.
"Do you see what I mean, Blaise? We need your help." Draco was trying to situate himself and Granger so that it didn't look like they were trying to jump each other's bones. It didn't work.
He contemplated it, Blaise really did. The more he watched them fumble awkwardly, though, the more he realized how this was for the best.
"No."
The struggling pair froze and stared at him.
"I beg your pardon?" Granger asked with a cocked head.
"I said no."
"Blaise-"
"No."
"Zabini please-"
"No. No I'm not going to help. Valerie was right. You know how old it gets with the two of you bickering? No. You two get to experience how annoying your fighting is."
"Zabini." Draco was looking at Blaise as if he was going to Avada him. Blaise didn't care.
"Hate me all you want, Draco. This is good for you two." He looked between his best mate and the Gryffindor girl. "Well, I'm hoping so."
With that last remark, Blaise went up to bed. Draco and Hermione were left standing, albeit attached to one another, watching him go up the stairs. Hermione looked up at Malfoy at the same moment he looked down at her, and they became aware of how awkward the situation was. Their faces were only a few inches from each other, and their breathing had slowed. Draco broke his stare and peered over at the couch.
"Let's just...sit down." He steered them over to his spot, but at most, they ended up doing a weird dance over to the couch. Draco sat down in an abrupt manner, causing Hermione to fall on top of him, sitting in his lap. She tried to move off of him, but all that it accomplished was Hermione and Draco halfway sitting and lying on the couch, facing each other.
"This is getting fucking ridiculous." Draco tried to sit up and turn and that pulled Granger back to him so that she was snuggled against his shoulder.
They both sat tense at how they were situated and how awkward it was. Neither spoke a word as they just sat there, staring into the fire.
Draco did not remember falling asleep.
But he would remember the look of Pansy's face as she stood there looking at the two on the couch.
Pansy had gotten her own night clothes about a week back, so now she was dressed in a green silk nightdress. She was standing with her arms crossed, hip to the side, and one of the most ridiculous faces Draco had ever seen. It was a look that had her mouth open, one eye narrowed, and a raised eyebrow.
Draco sat up which caused Granger to stir beside him. Sometime during their little nap, Granger's arm had become slung across Draco's torso. She was still snuggled up to his shoulder.
Draco shook his shoulder waking Granger up. She sat up, looked at Malfoy with confusion, widened her eyes, and scrambled back to the other end of the couch.
"I'm not sure if this is a dream or if Blaise spiked my pumpkin juice again, but were you two...sleeping together?" Pansy asked.
The two on the couch looked at each other then back at Pansy.
Pansy rubbed her eyes with her hand. "I must be asleep still."
"Unfortunately not." Draco said.
Pansy looked up. "So you two were sleeping together?"
"No!" Granger said in an affronted tone.
Pansy rolled her eyes. "Fine, you were snuggling then. That still leaves the question as to WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU TWO WERE LIKE THAT!"
"Pans be quiet! Do you think I want the rest of Slytherin to know about this?"
"Well, then start bloody explaining."
Draco leaned forward and put his head in his hands. "I'll leave this in your capable hands, Granger."
"I don't see why you can't tell the story," Granger stated.
"Because, you daft bint, I'm-"
The pair was jerked toward one another to the center of the couch.
"Not fucking again!" Draco exclaimed.
Pansy looked back and forth between the two and pointed at them. "Uh, Draco...what..."
Granger let out a sigh. "Let me explain."
Draco threw his arms up with frustration. The action caused Granger to be yanked to his side with more force so that now it looked as if she was hugging his side.
Pansy was still quiet and watching the two in confusion. "Just start explaining somebody."
Where to begin?
XXXXX
Hermione was enjoying the sun on her face. The past few days she had been cooped in the castle with a mountain of homework, and it was nice to get out in the fresh air. She, Ron, Harry, and Ginny were lounging next to the lake. Hermione was lying in the grass on her stomach with Ginny cuddling with Harry next to her. Ron was laying back in the grass on her other side with his hands tucked behind his head. It was a Saturday, so Hermione was in her Muggle jeans and jumper, glad to be out of her drafty Hogwarts uniform.
Harry and Ginny were whispering annoying sweet nothings into each other's ears when Valerie strode up.
"Hey guys," she called. The Gryffindors called out their own greeting.
"What brings you out here?" Hermione asked.
Valerie smirked. "Can I not just soak up some rays? It's been forever since I've had a tan. Plus, I want to read something other than Charms and potions ingredients." Valerie held up a book.
Hermione laughed. "Well come have a seat," Hermione said, patting the ground next to her.
Valerie walked forward and sat down next to her. She sat with her legs crisscrossed and opened her book up and started reading. Hermione should have brought a book herself, but it was such a nice day she didn't care.
It had been maybe an hour since Valerie had sat down with the Gryffindors when Malfoy walked up.
"Valerie!" Malfoy called.
The group looked up at the new comer. Harry and Ron grimaced and Hermione kept her expression neutral. She hadn't talked to Malfoy since the argument in the hallway, when they found out about Felix's Veela nature. When they had potions together, Hermione sat at a separate table in the library, or didn't talk to him in the classroom. Which, she noticed, really annoyed him. She smiled at the thought.
"Blaise is looking for you. He says that-" It was then that Malfoy noticed who it was that Valerie was sitting with. He gave only small glances to the Weasleys and Harry, but gave a lingering stare to Hermione before Valerie spoke.
"Blaise says...what?" Her voice was laced with amusement.
"Erm, he says that he found something. For your potion." Malfoy answered.
Valerie fell back in a huff of annoyance. "One day. Just one day without homework! But alas." Valerie got up with her book and started walking away with Malfoy following.
"Figures," Ron mumbled.
Malfoy stopped.
"So close," Valerie cursed.
"What figures, Weasle?" Malfoy asked, turning around to face the group. He glared at Ron.
"Oh, just that you wouldn't apologize to Hermione," Ron said, staring back.
He looked at Ron in disbelief when he turned his look at Hermione. "You told them?"
Hermione straightened her back up and gave Malfoy a cool stare. "Yes I told them. They were curious as to why I was so angry that afternoon at lunch. They were worried. It's called having friends."
"I'm familiar with the notion." He said in a low tone.
Hermione snorted.
"Alright, come on Draco. Let's go find Blaise." Valerie said, waving her hand.
"No." Malfoy said to Valerie. He turned back to Hermione. "I'm curious Granger. Did you immediately run to Potty and Weasle after our little incursion in the hallway? Do you always run to them after we have an argument, hoping they'll come and avenge you or something?"
"No, I-"
"Because that's what it sounds like. You tattling to the witless wonders," he gestured to Harry and Ron, "every time something happens in the perfect little life of yours." Ron and Harry gave an outraged "Hey!"
Hermione got up from her seated position. She had had enough. Did this boy's arrogance have no bounds? Did he think that he could just strut around as he used to? She wanted to smack him like she had in third year.
Hermione's plan to treat Malfoy like a problem had gotten her nowhere. Then again she hadn't really tried, but every time opportunity arrived she just got so angry!
"You know Malfoy, I'm not the one acting like an arse all the time! I don't go around starting arguments for the sake of starting arguments! Yes, I'm Hermione Granger, I'm the bloody smartest witch of my age and I happen to like learning! Or as you put it, I have a hard-on for knowledge. But despite what you think my life is far from perfect!"
There was stunned silence by the lake-side. Which, of course, Malfoy ruined.
"Give me a break. So the Weasle broke up with you, boo bloody who."
Hermione lunged. She was aware of Harry, Ron, and Ginny trying to hold her back, as Ron yelled at Malfoy.
"OH, THAT IS ENOUGH!" Everyone froze. Valerie stood off to the side watching the entire scene play out in consternation. She had never met a more conflict-riddled group of people! And she said as much.
"You know how many times I've seen you guys fight? Whenever you're freakin' around each other! Especially you two!" She pointed at Hermione and Draco. "For crying out fucking loud, your sexual tension is getting too much! Just make out with each other, and get over it!"
Ron's mouth dropped and Harry's face twitched uncontrollably. Malfoy stood there with an expression that was equal parts horror and disgust. Ginny was oddly unreactive and Hermione stared at Valerie with an expression equal to Malfoy's.
"Sexual tension?" Malfoy asked.
"Make out with each other?" Hermione asked as well.
Valerie was aware of the strange stares she was getting. Oh well.
"Yes, sexual tension. See, at first I thought you two just hated each other and fought like cats, but no. People who hate each other don't go out of each other's way to poke and prod at the other like you two! And it's getting annoying! So either make out or whatever; just get if fucking over with!"
"Well I'm sorry if your delusional mind thinks the things it does," Hermione didn't think she'd ever heard Malfoy sound so ineloquent, "but Granger and I do not have sexual tension. It is just pure hatred."
"Yes, well tell that to my Veela friend who can smell said sexual tension!"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Just because Felix said something doesn't mean-"
"It wasn't just because of Felix. I have my own thoughts and opinions." Valerie said.
Malfoy sneered. "Well so sorry that our bickering gets in your way, but we have no intention of stopping it for your benefit."
"It's not just me it's everyone."
"I severely doubt that. You'll just have to live with it."
Valerie glared at them. "Then so do you."
Hermione and Draco gave her a look in confusion. Valerie raised her wand and said "moribus magnes."
Her wand flashed purple and nothing happened.
"I don't think your little spell worked," Malfoy said.
Valerie gave a small smirk. "Maybe." Then she left.
"What do you suppose that spell was?" Ginny asked. She had been rather unreactive throughout the entire ordeal.
"I don't know, but it doesn't appear to have worked," Hermione commented.
"Unsurprising." Malfoy said.
Hermione rounded on him. "Why? Because she's Muggle-born?"
Malfoy looked up and sighed in exasperation. "No Granger. Not everything I say is-"
"Racist?" Hermione laughed bitterly. "Surprise there."
"Would you stop assuming you know me, Granger?"
"Well, if you would give me any indication that I-"
The two were jolted forward and slammed against each other. Everyone present looked around in confusion. Hermione tried to step back, but that brought Malfoy with her, and the two lost balance and fell. Malfoy landed on the ground with Hermione on top of him.
"Granger get off," Malfoy said, trying to push Hermione off of him.
"I'm trying," she mumbled into his shirt.
The best the two could manage was a weird position, lying side by side facing the other.
"What the bloody hell?" Ron asked.
Ginny rolled her eyes and moved to help the fumbling pair off of the ground. Harry helped her a moment later and they managed to get the two standing, albeit slowly.
"Well it's obvious isn't it?" Ginny said. "It's the spell Valerie cast."
"And how would you know that?" Malfoy asked. Ginny rolled her eyes again.
"I don't know. Valerie casts some spell because you and Hermione bicker all the time, the spell doesn't appear to work, you argue a moment later and now...this!" She raised her hands to gesture at the pair.
"Maybe," Ron started, "we just have to pry them apart."
Harry looked at his friend, shrugged, and pushed on one of Malfoy's and Hermione's shoulders. Nothing. It's like they were glued.
"Well...bloody hell I don't know." Harry said lamely.
The five students stood there in silence, contemplating what to do. They hadn't the foggiest idea.
Anytime Hermione moved, Malfoy moved with her, and vice versa.
"Ok, Granger. Since we got this way from bickering, maybe by being...nice, we can get unstuck."
Neither said anything.
"Just complement each other or something," Ginny said, annoyed.
"Umm..." Hermione said. "You have nice...you're very...uhh..."
"Oh, come on Granger, it's not that hard to compliment somebody." Malfoy rolled his eyes.
"Well then you do it!" Hermione yelled.
Malfoy was silent.
"Try apologizing!" Harry exclaimed.
"Really Potter, that's your grand idea?" Malfoy mocked.
"Do you have a better one?" Harry shot back.
Hermione and Draco looked at one another, she up at him, and he down at her. The last time any sort of apologizing had happened, it had not ended well. After Hermione's reaction, Malfoy was loath to try it again, which was why he had not apologized for his insult in the hallway.
He didn't have to be the one to start the apology because Granger got there first. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. It wasn't very sincere sounding, but nonetheless, Malfoy apologized right back.
Immediately the two became less attached. Hermione stepped back once, twice, and a third time before Malfoy was pulled forward.
"Ok, so that got us some space but not much." Hermione said.
"Better than a moment ago," Malfoy commented.
There was, again, silence as people thought what to do.
"Let's go find Valerie," Ginny said.
They made their way up to the castle.
XXXXX
"Sooooo, what? Valerie cast some sort of sticking charm on you two?" Pansy asked.
"More or less," Draco answered.
"Ok, so you went to find Valerie, what then?"
Hermione breathed in and let out a sigh. "We went to find her, but Blaise said she had spoken with him briefly and then left. Blaise didn't know where. Although she told Blaise to tell us to 'play nice'."
"That's strange. I haven't seen Valerie all day either." Pansy said.
Draco furrowed his eyebrows. "Wait, didn't you see her when you went to bed?"
"No. Valerie wasn't up there when I went up, and she wasn't up there when I came down."
"Why did you come down," Hermione asked in genuine curiosity.
Pansy answered too quickly. "I was hungry."
Draco gave her a strange look. It was obvious that she was lying, but he didn't press it. Not now.
Pansy breathed. "So she wasn't with Blaise. What'd you do next?"
"We asked a few others, but they hadn't seen her either. We didn't even see Felix."
"Maybe he needed to 're-charge'." Draco said dryly.
Hermione shook her head. "No, I don't think so. There was a younger year who told Felix that McGonagall needed to see him later on yesterday."
"And you just decided to share that now?" Draco asked.
"I wasn't about to interrupt a meeting with the Headmistress. It could have been important." Hermione looked offended.
Draco shook his head. "When we didn't find Valerie we did the only thing that we could do. We went to the library for research. And there was nothing. We looked everywhere and there wasn't a spell like the one that Valerie had used in any book. When we couldn't find anything in the library, we came here to ask Blaise for help."
"Which he didn't give," Hermione added. Draco filled Pansy in on Blaise's reaction.
Pansy didn't know whether to laugh or to cry for Draco. She opted for the former.
Both Draco and Hermione glared at her.
"This is too perfect!" She exclaimed.
"Too perfect? A minute ago you were freaking out about us sleeping together, by accident, on the couch!" Draco gushed out.
"Yes, but that was before I knew the story. And it is rather hilarious."
"You wouldn't be laughing if you were in this situation." Draco shot at her.
"But I'm not in the situation now am I?" Pansy smiled. "I'm with Blaise on this one. You two deserve a taste of your annoying behavior. While your arguments are funny at times, having one every time you see each other does get rather repetitive. So," Pansy said, getting up, "I shall bid you two goodnight."
"But what are we supposed to do?" Draco asked.
Pansy turned to him and Hermione. "You're the two smartest people in all of Hogwarts. You'll figure something out."
Needless to say, they were still stuck to each other by breakfast.
The two had found an abandoned corridor to hang out in because they feared that people in the Slytherin rooms would start to wake. They hadn't been able to go farther than a foot or two from each other because as soon as Pansy left, they got into another fight.
Malfoy had wanted to go and grab a change of clothes from his room, but Hermione did not want to risk sneaking up to his room and having to explain to his dorm mates if they were caught. Hermione couldn't get her own clothes for the same reason, so the best they could do was scourgify their robes and their selves. It was horrible.
They were silent in the hallway, both trying their hardest to ignore the other. Ignoring wasn't fighting, so they should be fine.
Hermione was sitting there thinking of ways to undo the spell when she was jerked sideways. She face planted onto the floor, though it wasn't too bad since she was sitting. She looked up to glare at Malfoy who was standing there with an impatient look on his face.
"I'm getting hungry," he said.
Hermione picked herself off of the floor and dusted off her robes.
"We've been sitting here for Merlin knows how long-"
"Two hours." Malfoy glared at her.
"Well, I'm starving. We haven't said a word to each other and haven't fought so we should be fine."
Hermione wanted to argue with him but 1) she didn't want to become magically attached to the blonde and 2) she was hungry herself. So she gave into her hunger and meekly followed Malfoy as he wound his way down to the Great Hall.
They were outside the Great Hall a moment later when Hermione stopped to fix her shoelaces. She had little time before she was pulled forward again.
"What?" Malfoy asked incredulously. "We haven't spoken to each other in two hours, we should have more space then that!"
Picking herself off of the floor, again, and brushing herself off - sigh, again- she looked at the space between them. Malfoy was barely two feet from her.
She furrowed her eyebrows. She took a step back and Malfoy was forced to follow.
"Great," Malfoy started, "how are we supposed to eat?"
Hermione had an idea, but she didn't like it. "Well, we could-"
"Granger, I swear, if you suggest that we play Hufflepuff and sit next to each other, I will hex you."
"Do you have a better idea?" Hermione said in a slight shout. "You said you were hungry-"
"I'd rather starve."
"- and so am I!"
One peered at the other, a silent standoff.
"Fine. But we're sitting at the-"
"Gryffindor table."
"Like hell!"
"Oh, yes Malfoy, sit the Muggle-born at the table with the people who have tried to kill her. Grand idea."
"Valerie doesn't have a problem."
"Well they didn't try to kill Valerie, did they?"
"She still has no problem with-"
"WE ARE SITTING AT THE GRYFFINDOR TABLE!"
Malfoy stood there, blinking rapidly. Hermione Granger didn't yell. She chastised, reprimanded, and punched people when they were being evil heartless gits, but she never yelled.
And to tell the truth, Malfoy was quite frightened.
So he stood there and stared at Hermione until she moved forward and shoved him toward the entrance of the Great Hall.
She stopped to gather her breath before plunging into the fray. Malfoy followed behind.
As is the custom of the Great Hall, it was loud, though not as loud as lunch or dinner. People had just woken up from sleep and were rather slow. However, they were not so tired that they did not notice Hermione Granger walking with Draco Malfoy.
The entire Hall was stunned into silence when they sat next to each other. Forks clattered on plates, pieces of toast fell from mouths, and some students splashed water or pumpkin juice on their face to make sure they were seeing right.
Hermione shot her three best friends a pleading look.
"So Hermione," Ron asked loudly, "how is the potion you and Malfoy are working on coming along?"
Hermione looked around the hall and her gaze fell on the Slytherin table, where Blaise and Pansy Parkinson were sitting. Blaise face palmed himself and Pansy shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"Oh, um fine Ron. We were just in the library and we found new information."
The conversation in the Hall started in a quiet and slow motion. The group at the Gryffindor table was silent hoping for the noise to pick back up, and it eventually did. About them. They ignored it.
"Did I miss something?" Felix was sitting next to Harry, across from Hermione. There was porridge dripping off of his spoon. For once, Ginny was not sitting next to Harry, but across form him, next to Hermione.
"Yes," Malfoy said in a huff. "Valerie took it upon herself to cast some sort of magnetizing spell that won't let me and Granger leave each other's sides."
"Granger and I," Valerie corrected.
She appeared next to Ron with no warning. Ron spewed out the pumpkin juice he was drinking. Harry and Felix were saved from the mess from sitting next to Ron, but Hermione, Malfoy, and Ginny got sprayed. With a flick of her wrist, Valerie vanished the mess.
Valerie sat her chin in her hand. "I trust everyone had a lovely nights rest last night?" She asked with innocence.
Malfoy made to stand up but Hermione pulled him down. "Don't cause a scene Malfoy!"
"Yes Malfoy, don't cause a scene. Your presence at the Gryffindor table is already drawing attention."
The group of Gryffindors looked around, and indeed, people were staring.
"Look, Jacobson, take this spell off or-"
"Or what, Malfoy? You'll hex me? I hardly think that will work in your favor." At the two students' furious glares, she smiled. "Look, you two wanted a solution to your bickering, I gave you one."
"This isn't a solution, this is a problem!" Hermione exclaimed. "We ignored each other for the better part of two hours, and for Merlin's sake, we slept together!" Hermione whisper-shouted.
The group all looked affronted and this time it was Harry who spit out his pumpkin juice. Hermione threw her hands in the air and groaned. "I meant that we fell asleep on the Slytherin Common Room couch together! Stuck!"
Ron placed a hand over his heart. "Oh, thank Merlin. You almost gave me a heart attack Hermione. Oh, bloody hell, the mental images!" Ron put both of his hands on the side of his head and shook rapidly. The group turned its attention back to Valerie when she chuckled.
"Look, the spell doesn't work that way. Like I told Blaise to tell you two: play nice. The spell will remain dormant if you two are civil, but if you start fighting, then the spell takes effect. Ignoring each other is just ignoring the problem, so the spell does the same. You won't get the whole 'peace and harmony' relationship thing you two are looking for if you ignore each other. You can't fix it like that."
"Well, how are we supposed to sleep? To shower?" Hermione asked frantically.
"If you two are nice enough to each other, then the spell should allow enough space for you two to sleep in your own dorms or shower. Simple," Valerie said.
"How do we get rid of it?" Malfoy seethed. Another chuckle.
"You don't. Only I can take off the spell, and I'll take off the spell when I think you two have learned your lesson."
"Valerie," Felix warned in a low tone.
"Oh, don't even start Felix." Valerie waved her hand in annoyance.
"Look, whatever problem they have, it's none of your business."
Valerie shook her head and said something to Felix in that strange language. Felix replied in the same language and an argument between the two ensued.
"Oi!" Ron called. "Speak bloody English!"
Valerie looked at the redhead, shook her head and stood to leave. She had gone a few paces when Felix stood up.
"Remove it Valerie or I'll-"
Valerie whirled around and stalked up to Felix until they were nose-to nose.
"You'll what Felix?" She asked dangerously. Felix stayed silent.
"Or. What?" Valerie ground out.
Felix replied in the strange tongue. Valerie's eyes widened and she stepped back. Her expression changed from angry to stony. She simply said "No," and then left.
Felix sat down with a defeated sigh and continued to eat his porridge.
"Anyone going to tell me what that was about?" Ron asked.
"We don't know either," Ginny said. She looked spaced out before her attention snapped back to the people at the table. "So you and Malfoy were forced to sleep on the couch together?" She asked with the barest hint of a smile.
Malfoy grabbed a piece of toast on the floating tray. "Yes, unfortunately. And Granger here apparently likes to snuggle," he said with a smirk. Harry and Ron frowned and turned green.
"Oh don't flatter yourself Malfoy. At least I don't snore."
Malfoy jerked his head around in her direction. "I don't snore!"
Hermione laughed. "Malfoy I had to listen to all night. You snore."
"Do not."
"Do too."
"Do not!"
"Do too!"
"Granger, I swear-"
Malfoy was jerked toward Hermione so that he slid into the spot next to her. Hermione dropped her fork and put her head in her hands. "This is a nightmare."
"Why don't you two just apologize again?" Ginny asked.
Malfoy looked at Hermione, who was still holding her head. They hadn't apologized since yesterday, and neither was willing to make the effort.
"Doesn't work," Malfoy said.
Ginny snorted. "Well if you don't try it...I want to know where Valerie found the spell."
Felix spoke up. "We had a teacher, a rather old one, at Salem who got sick of students fighting. If she caught anyone fighting, she'd cast the spell. Worked like a charm, no pun intended."
Hermione beamed. "So there's a counter spell!"
Felix chuckled. "Yes, but sad for you two, only the caster can use the counter curse. Our teacher figured people would try to get rid of it, so she designed it a specific way that only the caster can undo the spell."
Ginny laughed. "I think it's a perfect idea."
Hermione noticed Ron and Harry's dejected and slightly angry expressions.
"Is that why you two aren't sitting next to each other?" Malfoy was the one to ask this. Hermione raised her eyebrows in surprise. Malfoy noticed her look and rolled his eyes.
"I'm not an idiot, Granger."
Felix started coughing and choking on his toast. He pounded his chest with a fist, trying to clear his airway.
"Today is not a good day for breakfast," Ron muttered.
Hermione and Draco looked at the American boy when he finally stopped choking. He looked at the entire group, opened his mouth, closed it, got up and left without a word. The group watched him leave with curious gazes.
"Yes." Ginny said. The four others brought their attention back to the ginger girl. "When Harry, Ron, and I got back to the Gryffindor common room, I told them how I thought that Valerie had a point and that what she did was brilliant."
"You and Blaise should get together," Malfoy muttered.
Ginny gave him a weird look.
"Look Gin," Harry started, "it's not that I don't think it could help, but there has to be a different way than-"
"What way Harry? You and I both know that these two have just been dancing around each other. This way they're forced to deal with it." Ginny looked at Hermione now. "You're the one who wanted a nice and normal year Hermione."
"Well fighting with Malfoy is normal," Hermione said. Malfoy snorted. "And besides, the only reason we have to deal with each other now is because of that stupid potion assignment."
Ginny looked at the two sadly and shook her head. "You don't get the big picture do you?"
"And what picture would that be, Weaslette?"
Ginny smiled, though it was a sad, sad smile. "You'll see." And then she too, left.
Harry sighed and gathered his things.
"Where are you going?" Ron asked.
"To go get my girlfriend back." Then he left.
"Bloody bleeding hearts," Malfoy said.
The remaining three sat there in silence, finishing their breakfast. After a minute, Malfoy spoke up again.
"We should go to the library Granger."
"Why? We didn't find anything that-"
"Not for our current situation. We're stuck together unfortunately. Might as well use the time to our advantage. We have a potions assignment."
Hermione coincided and got up as Malfoy did the same.
Ron was left there all alone.
"If you ask me, it's justice."
He jumped for the second time that day, although he didn't spew pumpkin juice thankfully. He looked behind him to see Blaise Zabini, standing with Pansy Parkinson. Ron didn't say anything, although he stuttered some unintelligible words.
He had tried everything he could to figure out if what Felix said was true. That Pansy Parkinson liked him. Of course at first, he didn't want to believe it. The girl had been horrible to the trio since they met. Hell before that! She was just a downright cow. However, she seemed changed this year. She wasn't as bitchy; she didn't go out of her way to torture those she considered beneath her. At least she had not called Hermione Mudblood. Ron had even seen her helping a younger year out in the library the other day. Helping! Ron was waiting for the act to drop, for the old Pansy Parkinson to make a show and start belittling him about his heritage. But in the time they had been partners in Potions, she had not made one remark. No Weasle-King, sneering, or overall cowishness. Her appearance had even changed. She no longer had the squashed, pug nose look. Instead her nose seemed to have grown out of her face with an elegant slope. It was the first time that Ron had noticed that Parkinson's eyes were a lovely twilight blue.
But of course he didn't like her back. Of course not. Preposterous.
Pansy raised a well-trimmed brow at the boy and smirked, then walked away. Amusement was written all over Zabini's face.
"Past excursions aside, Weasley, you're not half bad."
"Uhhh...," was all that Ron could manage.
Zabini laughed. "Just what I said Weasley." The Italian followed behind Parkinson.
XXXXX
Hermione was surprised. She and Malfoy had managed to make it an entire study session for their potion without bickering once. They had worked together rather nicely if they put their mind to it. Since it was Sunday, there were quite a few people in the library trying to cram to get their assignments done. She and Malfoy had opted at the usual table in the back where they studied during Potions.
"So you add the Eye of Newt before the Asphodel stem while you simultaneously stir in four drops of dragon's blood."
Hermione nodded at Malfoy. They had gotten their ingredients list and were working on the directions of their potion. Their first month of the project was almost up and they were almost to the phase where they could start making their potion. The potion itself was easy, but it had many directions and certain ways that things needed to be done, so it was easy to imagine why this was a complicated potion. So far they would need to take five leaves from a flux weed, cut them in half diagonally (Hermione and Draco had shared a look over that one), and stir them together. They needed to stir clockwise for one minute and five seconds before adding the flower from an asphodel plant, stir counter-clockwise three times. They needed to let that sit for a week. After that they needed to add the juice from the hellebore plant and let that sit for another three days. Then, cutting the Eye of Newt into three pieces they needed to add one piece, stir clockwise three times, another piece, counter-clockwise stir for two minutes, and then the last piece while mixing in the four drops of dragon's blood. After the blood, they needed to keep it simmering over the fire for at least a day before they took it off and cooled it down dramatically. The last thing to do was add the Asphodel stem and then they were done. By the end of the potion, it should be a deep purple color.
Both Hermione and Malfoy were happy with themselves and the work they had achieved. Hermione wanted to start working on the report.
Malfoy chuckled. "Slow down, Granger. We just got the steps written down and perfected. Take a break."
Hermione bit her bottom lip. "I suppose." He chuckled again.
"It's about lunch, so I guess we can be finished for the day."
"Alright."
Hermione grabbed the potions books they had been using and got up to put them away. She wound around the shelves until she found where they had gotten them and put them in their original spot. Hermione was walking back to the table where Malfoy was gathering his things - courtesy of Blaise - when Hermione stopped in her tracks.
"Malfoy."
"Yeah?" He looked up. There was at least three yards between the two currently, and Hermione didn't feel the pull on her when she put the books up. Malfoy came to this realization and his eyes lit up.
"We have space."
"Yeah."
It wasn't an awkward silence this time. It was a happy I'm-not-currently-attached-to-someone silence. They made their way out of the library and headed in the direction of the staircases.
"So all that's left is the report. Oh, and making the potion," Hermione said.
"That shouldn't be a problem."
Hermione gave him a curious look. "Why do you say that?"
Malfoy snorted. "I'm partnered with you. I don't think the report will be too hard."
Hermione clenched her jaw and breathed angrily.
"What now, Granger?" Malfoy asked in annoyance.
She stayed silent and pressed forward. Malfoy's hand shot out and grabbed her arm.
"What's the problem now?"
Hermione spun around and faced him. "Oh there's no problem. Why would there be a problem when people keep expecting you to be this perfect brainiac that they've built in their mind. I don't know everything." She moved to storm off, but Malfoy kept his grip firm.
"I didn't mean it like that," he said. "Granger, there's a reason people call you the brightest witch of our age. You study, you pay attention. Besides myself, you're one of the smartest people I know."
Hermione's anger simmered and she gave him a strange look. "If I didn't know any better Malfoy, I'd say you just gave me a compliment."
"See I can be nice," he said with a smug grin.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "You ruined it with your ego."
"What ego?"
Hermione looked at him incredulously.
They were walking down the staircases when Malfoy spoke up. "So why are you offended if someone calls you smart? You nearly tore off Blaise's head last night when he said something along the same lines."
Hermione didn't say anything. This was weird, talking to Malfoy. To be honest, she didn't think that she wanted to talk to him, but when he wasn't being a slimy git, he was actually pleasant company.
Pleasant company aside, however, she wasn't going to start sharing her thoughts and secrets with Malfoy.
"Granger?" he asked. She stayed tight lipped.
"You could either tell me, or I could just use Legilimency."
Hermione rounded on him. "You wouldn't dare!"
Malfoy shrugged. "I wouldn't put it past me."
Hermione stamped her foot in frustration.
"Just act like a child, why don't you Granger?"
She opened her mouth to yell at him, but she thought first. They had done so well in the past few hours that Hermione didn't want to ruin their achieved space. But she was by no means going to roll over and let Malfoy win this round.
"Fine. I answer your question, and you have to answer one of mine."
Draco almost blew it off, almost. However, this was a chance of a lifetime. He got to learn a secret - and he knew it was a secret, it was all over her face - about Hermione Granger. Of course the part of why he didn't want to agree was obvious. He didn't want to share anything, with anybody, and there was no telling what Granger would ask. But for information about his enemy...
But is she really an enemy?
Draco hadn't thought of Granger as an enemy since she had healed his wounds after the Battle of Hogwarts. Hell, he didn't even think of the scarred dunce and the red haired witless wonder as his enemies. That is to say that he still hated their guts, but he didn't think of them as enemies.
"Fine," he said after a moment. Granger turned around and started walking again.
She didn't answer right away. She did that adorable thing where she bit her bottom lip and-
WOAH! Adorable? No, it's not adorable. Well, it is adorable, just not on Granger. Other girls do the same thing and it's still adorable. Nope. Not because of Granger.
Thankfully, Granger was not privy to his psychobabble.
She took a deep breath and started to explain. "When Harry, Ron, and I were on the run, hunting for horcuxes, I didn't know what to do. I'd read everything there was on the subject, backward and forward and I didn't know where to begin, with hunting all of Voldemort's horcruxes. They could've been anything, and although Harry and Dumbledore had talked about it and said the most likely of objects, it was still speculation that we were going off of. Well...we found a horcrux, but we couldn't figure out how to destroy it. We had to keep the horcrux safe though, so we took turns wearing it, and Ron..." She paused and took another deep breath. "It affected him the most. It was awful. He, he wasn't himself. Well, the horcrux affected him so bad that he went off on a sort of...rampage, you could say. He started talking about Harry and I and how the entire thing was pointless...and, and how if I was actually smart like people thought I was, I would have figured it out, and we could have found more horcruxes. And he was right. If I just knew more, if I studied-" Her eyes were starting to water.
"Granger, no one could have expected you to do differently," Malfoy said softly. "And if the Weasle honestly thought that then-"
"You don't understand. It wasn't Ron, it was the horcrux. But that it was coming from him at the time...it still hurt. More than it should have. That's why I get so...offended. Because you can't expect too much from people when they're trying their hardest. And I tried."
"Well, from our current situation, I'd say you didn't do too badly of a job."
Hermione gave a small smile. She sniffed and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
"So your turn."
Damn.
"Ask," he said in a detached tone.
She thought about it for a moment. "What was it like being transformed into a ferret?"
Draco stopped in his tracks. "Seriously Granger? That's your question?"
She gave a mischievous grin. "Of course not." She continued walking and he followed.
"Ok, then what is?" Malfoy asked, irritated.
"Did you warn me in Fourth year? At the World Cup?" She asked it so softly that Draco almost didn't hear her.
Out of everything in the world, and that had to be her question?
"What makes you ask that?" He asked.
"Well, it's just...I've wondered. It sounded like an insult and you were being an arse about it, but I just wondered..."
Draco sighed. "Sort of. I guess."
"That doesn't really answer the question, Malfoy."
Draco rubbed the back of his neck. "Well...I honestly don't know."
"How do you not know?" She asked with disbelief.
He turned to her. "Because I just don't Granger. I would like to think that I did, but...no,"
He said, finishing the sentence. Granger stood there with her head cocked to the side for a moment before nodding. "Ok." she said. They had reached the entrance to the Great Hall and she walked forward toward the Gryffindor table. There wasn't a pull, not this time. She went to her regular spot with the rest of the trio.
Draco stood there at the entrance for a moment more when he heard a chuckle. He turned around to see Valerie standing there, leaning against the wall with her arms folded. She had that weird look in her eye.
"I don't think I've ever met a bigger liar, Malfoy."
He put his hands in his pockets. "What are you talking about?"
She chuckled again and shoved off from her spot on the wall. "Stupidity doesn't work, Malfoy. Try it on someone else." She walked past him and made her way over to Blaise and Pansy at the Slytherin table.