Bad Blood

Cause baby now we got bad blood

You know it used to be mad love

So take a look what you've done

Cause baby now we got bad blood.

It's so sad to think about the good times

You and I.

Now we've got problems

And I don't think we can solve them

You've made a really deep cut.

"What on earth were you thinking Draco?" Astoria asked as she threw the Witch Weekly into his lap. On the cover was a large blown up photo of himself and Hermione, leaning in close to each other at the Snug. The photo was indeed scandalous, for it looked like the two of them were just about to kiss. Draco didn't know what he was thinking, he hadn't thought at all that night. When he saw her in the bar his heart wanted to jump out of his chest.

He needed to clear his head, and the best place to do that was with alcohol in a bar. He went to The Snug because it was their place, his and Hermione's. Only she was there too, sitting in the same booth the two of them usually sat in. It was too much for him to take. She didn't remember all the memories they had in The Snug, but he sure did. He remembered camping out there for a whole day, just because they wanted to avoid the prying eyes at the castle. They brought their books and studied together, they were first and second in their class after all. They spoke about the war and the choices they would have to make soon. Draco told her that he would do anything to keep her safe, even if it meant getting the dark mark on his arm. She wanted him to forsake the Dark Lord and join them, but he couldn't. His mother and father were at stake. His family was at stake, and most importantly Hermione was at stake. If he left the Death Eaters for her she would have been killed, and he could not live with that. Both of them has choices to make back then, and he made his choice. Seeing her in The Snug brought all those memories back, and the way she was looking at him made him think that she remembered some of those too.

Could it be possible, was she fighting the spell? Was she regaining his memories. It should be impossible, he was good, hell even great, the spell should be holding.

"Are you even listening to me?" Astoria asked, waving her hand in front of Draco. He snapped out of it, focusing instead on his livid fiancé.

"Yes I'm listening."

"Good, you've made a complete and utter mess Draco. This could undermine our whole arrangement! People will question it, and when the truth comes out..." Astoria trailed off, smoothing down her hair. "You need to fix this."

Draco looked down at the magazine in his lap.

Golden Scandal!

He snorted, throwing the magazine back on the table. "How do I fix it?"

"Talk to Hermione, and the press. Say the photo was manipulated, I don't care, just do it!" Astoria snapped, turning on her heel and walking out of the room. Draco sighed, sitting back in the couch. He had no idea how to fix this, and did he really want to? He was in love with Hermione, not Astoria, but he had to marry the latter to keep his Estate from falling into the hands of Harry Potter.

His head and his heart was in a constant battle, but usually his head won. His head won when he decided to take Hermione's memories from her, and his head has been winning ever since. He could just tell her, but she would never believe him, even with all that she's seen.

She would think that he was just trying to trick her, and that he didn't care for her at all. Exactly the opposite was true, but he made her believe that he was just a stuck up, pureblood brat.

There was a knock on the door and Malfoy's head snapped up, he was in no mood for company and he was tempted to ignore it, but whoever was knocking was persistent. When he pulled the door open six Slytherin's fell into the room, stumbling over each other.

"Move you big ape," Abby said, pushing Marcus into the room. Tehillah followed, and then the rest of them. Malfoy wiped his face, raising his eyebrows at the kids.

Things have certainly improved for Slytherin House over the past few months. They had made friends in other houses and they were doing well in the Quidditch Cup. Things were finally beginning to heal, and the kids were also a lot happier.

"Shut it Abby," Marcus told her, ruffling her hair. The kids made their way to Draco's living room, sitting themselves down on the green couches.

"Come right in guys, make yourself at home," Malfoy said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Thanks professor," Marcus gave him a cheeky smile as he made himself comfortable.

Malfoy rolled his eyes, closing the door and walking over to the kids. "Why are you here?"

"We need to know if the stories are true professor," Abby said, holding out her copy of Witch Weekly. "Are you and professor Granger a thing now?"

Draco wanted to apparate out of there, maybe to a beach somewhere. "No, professor Granger and I are not a 'thing'."

Tehillah raised her brows, as if she didn't believe him, but she didn't say anything. Abby on the other hand was a talker.

"Seriously? But the two of you are meant to be!" She said dramatically, flailing her arms about.

"Excuse me?" Draco asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "How did you reach that conclusion Abby?"

Abby was bouncing up and down on the couch now, her pigtails hopping off her shoulders. Someone probably gave her too much sugar this morning. "Oh come on professor, everyone knows it by now. The two of you were arch enemies during the war, but I think she's the one you were trying to protect. We've all seen the way you look at her professor, and the way she looks at you. You're the Slytherin Prince and she's the Gryffindor Princess! Two forbidden lovers! It practically writes itself!" Abby said, her voice getting higher with each sentence she spoke. Draco could only sit and listen, stunned by what this little girl was telling him.

"Sorry professor, she's been reading way too many romance novels these days," Tehillah apologized.

"It's alright Tehillah. Look kids, I'm going to marry Astoria, and Hermione will probably end up with Weasley some day. There are just some things that can't be changed."

"I disagree professor," Marcus spoke up and the rest of them nodded in agreement.

"You can always change things, nothing is set in stone, it's just a question of do you want them to change."

Hermione didn't plan on leaving her bed anytime soon. She pulled the covers over head and just imagined that she was somewhere else, anywhere else.

This morning's copy of Witch Weekly had been especially delivered to the woman who was on the front page by express owl. Hermione threw the magazine into the fireplace without even opening it. She knew what she would find if she did. She was once again part of a big scandal involving Draco Malfoy.

The first scandal was the first time they made the front page, when he was seen leaving her apartment in London. Wherever Draco Malfoy went, trouble followed.

This time it was a little worse, since they were actually accusing him of cheating on his fiancé, and that Hermione was his dirty, slutty, mistress.

Those were three words that were never associated with Hermione. She hated that bloody magazine.

There was a knock on her door and she groaned. "Go away, I'm not here."

She was aware of how utterly ridiculous she was being, but she didn't care. Bed was a good place to be. She preferred her bed, nothing bad happened in her bed. Her life had the tendency of falling apart when she got out of bed.

Whoever was knocking didn't let up, so Hermione pushed her covers back and stormed to the door, pulling it open without even asking who it was.

"What do you want?" She asked a little harshly before she realized who was standing in front of her.

Draco Malfoy, in all his glory, was standing in front of her, his hands shoved into his robe pockets. His silver eyes travelled up and down her body, as if he was undressing her with his eyes, which he probably was.

"Nice PJs," he said with a smirk on his face that made her want to smack him and kiss him at the same time. It was very frustrating. Hermione looked down, heat immediately rushing to her cheeks as she saw what she had on. She was wearing one of Ron's oversized shirts that she kept after they broke up. It barely covered anything.

"What do you want?" Hermione asked again, attempting to pull the shirt down a bit. He was wearing his teaching robes and she had no idea why, since it was a Sunday.

"You forgot didn't you?" He smirked, as if he couldn't believe that Hermione Granger ever forgot anything. She was supposed to the brightest witch of their generation.

"Forgot what?" She asked, raising her brows.

"We promised the dueling club that we would show them a thing or two. You know, being war heroes and all that," the smirk was glued to his face as he kept his eyes on Hermione. She was pulling the shirt down to cover her legs, but that in turn left part of her breasts exposed.

Fuck if she doesn't cover up right this second, Draco thought to himself.

"Oh bollocks! How could I have forgot?" Hermione asked herself as she left the door open, walking back into her room. She headed straight for the bathroom, grabbing her wand and accio-ing her clothes into the bathroom. She was not going to let Draco Malfoy keep watching her like that.

She quickly brushed her teeth and hair before pulling her robes on. When she finished the two of them walked in silence to the Great Hall.

Hermione was actually looking forward to the duel. It would be good to kick his ass again.

Cheers erupted as Hermione and Draco entered the Great Hall. The whole school had gathered, not just the dueling club. Hermione guessed that the opportunity to watch two professors and war heroes duel it out was too good to miss. Most of the staff were there too, Professor McGonagall included.

"Students! Professors! Welcome!" Chad Murray, Ravenclaw and Head Boy said from where he was standing on one of the tables. It was placed in the middle of the Great Hall, and Hermione guessed that it was going to be their stage. The Hall quieted down, everybody waiting in anticipation for the duel of the century.

"We all know their stories, we all know what they have done and what they have lost. Today, two legends, two heroes, two old foes in fact, have agreed to show us their skills in a duel. Let's hear it for Professor Granger!" Murray announced and the Hall erupted with cheers again. The Gryffindors were going wild, cheering their Head of House on.

"And Professor Malfoy!" The Slytherins, with some help from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, cheered loudly for him and he smirked, giving them a small bow.

"The rules are simple professors, whoever falls off the table first, loses."

Malfoy smirked at Hermione, shrugging out of his cloak before getting on the table. Hermione was not going to let him win this one, he was not about to get the best of Hermione Granger.

Hermione shrugged out of her cloaks, climbing onto the table behind him. He walked over to the far side of the table, turning to face Hermione, his wand at the ready.

"Hope you're ready to lose Granger," he said with a wink.

"Not bloody likely Malfoy," she said, returning his wink.

The Great Hall was silent as everyone held their breath. Murray got off of the table, giving both of the professors a look.

"Let the games begin!"

Hell guys, I am so sorry. I've had the worst luck ever. I blew through two laptops in two weeks, and exams start tomorrow. I am so, so sorry for the late update. Hopefully you'll enjoy the next two chapters. Next one comes on Friday, promise!