Summer was exhausting. In a good way.
Hermione spent her days split between her house, her uncle's new residence that he bought to be closeby, or at Malfoy Manor.
Days at home were what she considered lazy days. Painting nails with Pansy. Laying out in the garden talking about nothing with Harry. Draco tinkering away with her dad while she read a book or cooked with her mum.
Days with Uncle Hector were like summer school, the man teaching her the true art of potioneering. By the time summer drew to a close, she had helped him brew an extensive list of obscure potions, all of which he donated in her name to St. Mungo's. He insisted he tutor her if Severus Snape wouldn't.
Days at the Manor were like a dream. She laughed with her friends. She went to events with Narcissa and Draco, often Theo and Pansy as well. They danced at galas and had dinners with influential people. Somewhere along the way, things shifted between Hermione and Draco. Not a lot, nothing to comment on, but there was an awareness now that hadn't truly been there before.
Hermione went to the Burrow sparingly. She had nothing against the Weasleys, but since Harry insisted Lucius had given Ginny the book, they'd been making…insinuations. Implications. Remarks.
Hermione wasn't the naive soul Pansy or the Weasley family thought she was. She was fully aware that the Malfoys weren't very strict about right and wrong. They had their own views on where the line was and that line wasn't always on the side of what one considered to be morally good. Hermione knew these things about them and still loved them despite that.
Narcissa Malfoy was like a second mother to her. Hermione spent as much time with Narcissa as she did Draco. Hector had told Hermione how vicious Narcissa had been when Hermione was petrified.
Lucius Malfoy was a little more distant, but he would introduce her at parties as family and was her secret source for more restricted reading materials. He never failed to answer questions when she asked about darker branches of magic, insisting that there was no dark or light, magic was just magic.
Draco Malfoy was her best friend. Simple as that.
So when the Weasleys told her things about the Malfoy family, she knew there was probably truth to it, but how could she not love them anyway?
This year, Narcissa offered once more to take her school shopping. Only this time, Hector accompanied them.
"What an interesting choice for a book." Her uncle grinned when the harried shopkeeper attempted to wrangle the monster book of monsters out of its cage.
Hermione made a face when she noted pages shredding and flying about, but Hector simply conjured a leather binding to go across its…mouth.
"Anything else on your list my dear?" Narcissa asked as they walked towards Madam Maulkins. Hermione didn't need refitted, but Draco had grown a few inches and his Hogwarts robes needed measured once more.
"Actually, while you all are doing Maulkins I might have Hector pop into the menagerie with me." She stopped outside the green shop windows, "I can't keep stealing Draco's owl to send letters."
Draco made a face, "Yes you can. It's one of the family owls, so you're more than welcome to it."
"I'll just look. Maybe I'll find one that speaks to me." Hermione insisted.
"Granger, you won't find any speaking animals in there." Draco sounded exasperated with her.
"It's a muggle metaphor, Draco." She laughed, "I'll only be a bit."
Hector told Narcissa they'd meet at the new cafe on the south side of the alley. Narcissa agreed and they hurried along as Hermione and Hector stepped inside.
All manners of creature greeted her as well as the smiling faces of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.
"Hermione!"
"Harry! Ron!" She grinned, "What are you two doing here?"
"Scabbers is looking peaked. I'm getting some rat tonic and-" he was cut off when a great blob of orange landed on his head.
Draco stared at Hermione walking towards them happily with her purchase. She'd bought not an owl, but some miserable orange beast that had clearly seen better days.
"Isn't he gorgeous!" She cooed softly at the creature who blinked large yellow eyes at him from a squashed misshapen face.
"He's very…large." Draco tried, "Unique coloring certainly."
He caught Hector's eye and tried not to laugh when the man winked as they sat down. The ugly thing was purring in Hermione's arms as she stroked his raggedy fur.
"For now, into your carrier Mr. Crookshanks. I'll leave the flap open if you promise not to go wandering." Hermione's uncle told the thing, as if it could understand him.
"The shop owner said he's extremely intelligent." Hermione told them once they'd ordered. Apparently the miniature zouwu was an ordinary cat.
Draco personally thought Hermione had been had, but since she wasn't doing something silly, like wasting her money on an owl, he let it go.
He felt the prickly feeling of eyes on him and looked up at the same time his mother glanced with just her eyes, finding themselves being scrutinized by a group with worse hair than Hermione's ugly feline.
One of the pack had dark hair and glasses and waved towards their table. Potter.
Disgustingly friendly after they'd called truce just for the polyjuice potion. Draco would have to remedy that this year.
He nodded slightly so as not to be impolite and then returned to the conversation, his mother and Hector discussing something at length.
"Draco, that murderer that escaped was sighted nearby." Hermione must have known he hadn't been listening. "The one…your cousin."
Draco looked at her and noted she was already worrying, "He's not going to bother us, Granger. He and mother were never close and I'm a Malfoy now. Besides, what could he want with a bunch of kids?"
Apparently a lot was the answer to that.
Draco was scowling as Hermione looked back and forth between the Slytherins and Harry.
"Go on Hermione, Pansy will have a cow if you don't sit with her." Harry grinned while the Slytherin girl scoffed, "Look I'll even take this cabin nearby so you can flit between the two and not feel bad."
That seemed to settle her and she nodded, Draco taking her hand to pull her towards their compartment.
She let Crookshanks out and introduced him to their group, the cat seeming to like Pansy the best. Blaise made the comment that maybe the cat just didn't like men and it hissed at him and swiped at his hand with extended claws.
"Nonsense, he just doesn't know you yet." Hermione insisted, as both girls cooed over the ugly creature.
Even his purr sounded like a stilted, rumbling engine similar to the busted car Richard Granger had let Draco tinker around with over the summer.
Once they'd been chugging along to well past the halfway point, Hermione stood and told them she'd be back in time to go to the carriages.
She didn't make it past the door however when the train lurched to a stop. Hermione fell back and landed roughly on both Draco and Pansy. Her elbow jabbing hard into Draco's stomach while her head cracked against Pansy's shoulder and the wall.
All three groaned, Draco struggling to catch his breath as he tried to help Hermione straighten herself to sit between him and Pansy.
The lights flickered off and he felt Hermione grab his hand and he knew she was probably doing the same to Pansy. A faint golden glow from the girls' bracelets was the only light as the sun had already set.
Something jumped in Draco's lap, moving towards Hermione and when a strip of fur wrapped around his nose, he realized it was Hermione's bloody cat.
The temperature seemed to bottom out, Draco noting that in the extremely dim light, he could see puffs of his breath.
"Whats going on?" Pansy whispered from the other side of Hermione.
"I don't know." Hermione replied, and she adjusted her hand to link their fingers together making Draco flush a little, glad for the darkness because this was not the time to be pleased over a girl wanting to hold his hand.
Something was outside the compartment, and Draco pressed closer to Hermione as what could only be described as claws tapped against the glass. Blaise was practically climbing onto Theo's lap.
Hermione was squeezing his hand past any hint of flirtation now as she shuffled away from the door, pulling Draco with her.
The door creaked open and a cloaked figure floated there, sticking its shrouded head in. It had no eyes, but seemed to be looking for something.
The air was ice cold and Draco felt it all the way into his chest. As if this creature had sucked all the warmth and happiness out of the room with its very existence. Hermione's hand was trembling.
Crookshanks hissed and the thing shift it's head towards the cat and Hermione, making Draco yank her closer. After a moment it pulled out of the compartment, going further down the corridor.
Draco and Blaise both leapt forward after a shuddering pause to slam the door shut.
"T-Theo?" He heard Hermione's voice and whipped around. He couldn't see well so he fumbled for his wand and cast a weak lumos.
Theo had curled his gangly limbs into a ball, trembling head to toe. Blaise wrapped a shaky arm around his shoulders while Hermione was setting a very wobbly hand on Theo's arm.
She was murmuring soft assurances as Pansy joined her kneeling in front of the boy, also speaking softly. The boy slowly relaxed and allowed the girls to fuss over Theo.
"I-I'm alright." He tried to tell them. Clearing his voice to repeat himself more firmly.
The lights flickered on at that point, but the train remained unmoving. Draco's limbs still felt icy, but his brain was working once more at least.
"Those were dementors. The guards of Azkaban. Mother talked about them when discussing the prison."
"Why were they on the train? What did they do to Theo?" Hermione asked, still fluttering her hands around Theo's face, touching his cheek and his forehead. Draco didn't like that, but he knew Theo didn't see Hermione that way.
"I'd say they're searching for Sirius Black." Draco replied, glancing at Theo who shook his head very slightly, "Everyone has different reactions to their presence. It just varies."
He wouldn't tell her those with the worst nightmares had the worst reactions. Theo didn't want his business out there and Draco wouldn't be the one to announce it.
No one had good response to a dementor, but Draco had a happy and loved childhood. Blaise was the center of his mother's world. Pansy was the only girl in several generations and her father thought she hung the moon.
Hermione was shakier than the others, but Draco suspected that was from last years basilisk encounter. She was beloved though, by her parents, her uncle, and her friends.
Theo's life was much darker. His father was abusive, cruel, and a sociopath at best. Malfoy Manor wasn't just Theo's best friend's house. It was Theo's escape, his safe place.
The train began moving and it seemed to stir Hermione into action. She jolted to her feet and walked on somewhat unsteady legs to the door.
"Granger?"
"I'm going to check on Harry." She told them, "I'll be right back."
Draco was torn between staying with Theo and going with Hermione, glancing back and forth until Theo jerked his chin.
"Go on mate." Theo told him. "I'm alright."
"She will probably find a way to fall off the train or something. Someone needs to go with her." Pansy sighed.
Draco didn't wait to hear more, going out into the corridor just in time to see her three compartments down pulling open the door.
He hurried along to join her and plastered on a mildly annoyed expression.
He found Potter, both Weasels, and Longbottom in the compartment. They were munching on chocolate of all things and seemed to be alright, even though Potter was pale and shaky.
"I heard a woman screaming." Potter was saying while Hermione frowned glancing back and forth between Harry and Ginny. Draco could practically see her working out some puzzle in her mind.
"Malfoy, what do you want?" The boy Weasel snapped. "She's allowed to see her friends without a snake shadowing her."
Draco's mouth curled into a sneer, but before he could reply Hermione whipped her head around and hit Ron's leg. Hard by the sound it the smack.
"Will you stop? Draco is my friend and came with me because there was just a monster on board in case you somehow missed it." She hissed, the boy's ears flushing and looking properly chastised.
Hermione sat with Harry a while longer, Draco remaining in the doorway until someone said, "Pardon me."
He moved, to allow an absolutely raggedy man coming into the compartment. Draco's skin was screaming at the sight of threadbare cotton. Hermione would have told him he was being unbearably posh.
"How is everyone feeling now? I took a little time to check in with each compartment and I'm quite low on my chocolate stash now." He smiled, making the scars that shredded across his face pull tightly.
"Sorry Professor Lupin, I was just checking on Harry." Hermione told the man, getting to her feet and walking towards Draco.
Draco raised a brow wondering how she knew his name and she flicked her eyes upwards. Ah. His suitcase.
"It's quite alright. Feel free to stay." The man told her, his eyes lingering on Draco for a long moment.
"We had someone in our compartment react badly as well, so we will go check on him if you're alright Harry?" Hermione hesitated, looking to the boy.
"I'm alright Hermione. Go ahead." Harry nodded. "See you at the feast."
Hermione smiled and then grabbed Draco's hand, as was habit by this point. He caught the sight of Weasley's ears turning red as he stared at their hands, bringing out Draco's mean streak.
He adjusted his hand slightly, linking their fingers back together as they'd been earlier. He kept his face neutral and innocent, so that when she glanced at him he didn't reveal anything.
He stepped aside to let her out first and so he could see Ron Weasley's deep scowl as he shut the door with a smirk.
Hermione wanted to like Remus Lupin as a teacher. She truly did. She'd been excited for this class hearing about it from the older students at lunch when she finally got Ron to quit bringing up her class schedule.
He was kind to his students. He was relatable and made easy jokes. He even had managed to make Neville smile.
He seemed to know what he was talking about which was more than could be said of last year's Professor. The pixie incident and Harry having to regrow all the bones in his arm remained fresh in her mind.
She'd been excited to learn about boggarts, answering the questions rapidfire and earning points for Gryffindor left and right. Draco had playfully waved his fist at her after she'd managed twenty points in one lesson.
Then her enjoyment of the lesson came to an abrupt halt.
"Professor…" She hesitated, but she could see Neville practically turning green and her Slytherin friends were all stone-faced. "You want us to publicly reveal our biggest fear to everyone in this class?"
Harry and Ron were shushing her, but she stared the graying man down, hoping he would see reason.
"It's just an exercise Miss Granger. I believe in hands on learning and the laughter will help to keep the boggart at bay. Nothing to fear." He told her kindly. She fidgeted and glanced once more at Neville. It wasn't that she thought the boggart would harm them. Her concerns were more mental.
"I don't.." She trailed off under his gaze, feeling small and quite embarrassed when Harry yanked her backwards.
"Let him teach Hermione!" Harry whispered, his green eyes excited for such a lesson. Neville swallowed and walked forward.
She bit her lip and her stomach sank when Professor Snape stepped out of the wardrobe. Neville was already tormented by the man. Once he heard about this? Potions would become Neville's personal hell.
She stepped forward once more to protest at Neville's terrified expression, but Ron and Harry pulled her back again. She turned to admonish them when Ron was pushed out of the way as the Slytherins came to stand with her.
Draco's hand on her waist pulled her between him and Pansy, his signature sneer already directed at Ron's angry frown.
She was too late to intervene again when Neville cast the charm, making Snape appear to be wearing a ghastly set of witches robes, complete with a red handbag and a taxidermy vulture sitting atop a massive hat.
The room was filled with laughter as Lupin called for the next student and Neville came to stand beside her and Pansy, still chuckling.
"Well this lesson wasn't so bad!" He grinned at her, but it was quickly wiped away by Theo's hobby of bursting people's happy bubbles.
"Not so bad until Snape finds out about it." Theo drawled from behind them. Neville's face went ashy gray and he moaned in horror. Theo patted his shoulder with a grin.
On and on the students went, revealing their fears to the class, the Slytherins holding back purposefully.
Harry stepped forward and Hermione was filled with dread. Would a dual-faced Quirrell be popping out of the cupboard? A basilisk? Tom Riddle?
The boggart transformed into the shadowy figure from the train, the air growing cold again and she instinctively reached back for Theo's hand. It was clammy.
Lupin jumped in front of Harry, and a large white orb appeared. He turned it into a balloon losing air and dismissed the class for the day.
"Didn't realize a DADA teacher would superstitious." Ron was saying to Harry, "Scared of crystal balls. Maybe divination will be more exciting than I thought."
Hermione scoffed at this. Their first lesson had been a load of crock. If that woman had an ounce of the sight, Hermione would eat her hat. McGonagall agreed and Hermione found her favorite teacher was not often wrong.
Her eyes did linger on the wardrobe of the boggart, then flicked to the prematurely graying hair on Lupin's head. A fear of fortune telling must be stressful indeed.
Their first lesson of the next day went as badly as it could possibly have gone.
Draco had decided he was in a mood. She knew he didn't like Hagrid one bit, but he was particularly nasty today. She was trying to reign him in as much as possible. Hagrid was rough around the edges, but he was unfailingly kind and he was already nervous enough without Draco's snark.
The Slytherin boy snapped about the books and Hermione silently agreed, even as she told him to lay off. She gave Hagrid what she hoped was an encouraging smile, but she worried it was more of a grimace.
The large man seemed excited for the lesson so she hoped it would go well. Draco was pouting after her scolding, but when she went to stand beside him instead of Harry and Ron he perked up considerably.
Boys were so simple, Hermione thought as she rolled her eyes.
The hippogriffs were beautiful, but they made her nervous. Those front talons were longer than her hand and the steel colored beak was easily tearing into the flesh of a ferret.
Harry raised his eyebrows expectantly at her and Ron when no one stepped forward and she eased towards the giant creatures even as Pansy tried to pull her back.
She managed to grab onto Hermione's robes and yank her back with the group when Hagrid asked for volunteers. Harry of course went and soon the rest of the class was bowing and petting the gorgeous creatures.
Hermione and Pansy were cooing over the chestnut colored one when a scream split the air.
Malfoy was on the ground while Hagrid was physically restraining the same hippogriff Harry had been riding. Blood was covering Draco's arm and white shirt. Hermione rushed over towards her friend, uncaring of the raging gray beast nearby.
Hermione gently grabbed Draco's arm where it had a deep slice from elbow to wrist. She almost gagged when she realized she could see white bone through the shredded meat. There were two long tears that ran the length of his arm where it had attempted to claw much more of him.
Draco hadn't stopped screaming profanities by the time Hagrid lifted him up. Hermione ran to open the paddock gate, her stomach churning as blood splattered onto the dirt, dripping from Draco's butchered arm.
She followed behind, noting Theo running after her, weighed down with her bag and his own. She saw Blaise was grabbing Draco's and comforting Pansy.
"Merlin Hermione, are you packing bricks in this thing?" He asked once he caught up to her, moving to shove it into her hands, but stopping when he saw her hands were covered in blood. "He'll be alright. Come on."
He took her by her elbow and hastened them along, she realized Hagrid was almost to the castle. They'd fallen behind.
It was only the second day of lessons.
Draco wasn't speaking to Hermione. Hermione wasn't speaking to Draco.
He hated it.
They'd never fully agreed on many things when it came to morals. Where she say black and white, Draco had been raised in shades of gray. However, even if they didn't agree on everything, they had also never actually fought.
Not like this.
She'd fussed and worried over him just like he wanted. She hadn't left his side in the hospital wing unless they forced her to go to class or bed.
She even defended him from Harry and Ron's accusations that Draco had done it on purpose, even though she had admonished him when he'd admitted he hadn't paid attention during the lecture part of class.
It wasn't on purpose, but he didn't realize saying it was a brute would offend the blasted thing and now here he was. She'd sighed and reprimanded him, but insisted that she knew it wasn't purposeful.
She'd drawn the line though when his father insisted that Buckbeak be put down. She'd went pale and then flushed red as her temper spiked.
"You can't kill it Mr. Malfoy!" She'd cried, making his father raise his brows at the girl. Draco had too, not because he was surprised she was defending the beast, but because she'd never spoke to his father in such a tone.
"It harmed Draco. So yes, I can and I will." Lucius had told her sternly, making Hermione flush even more, but she'd been furious. When his father had left she'd begged Draco to see reason, but he hadn't budged.
"I'm not going against my father and besides, he's right Hermione. That thing is a danger and shouldn't be around students." He'd snapped, tired of talking about the bloody bird beast.
"I agree on that part, but we could have it sent off somewhere or something! We don't have to kill it! It's just being an animal Draco!" She'd insisted and her brown eyes were so earnest he almost caved.
He had managed to hold firm however. "That thing sliced my arm open, Granger. It actually carved a groove into my bone. Father wants it dead and frankly I don't care for it to live. I just hope that oaf gets fired as well. Between the dragon and this, I don't know why he's even still here."
She'd gaped at him, then snapped her mouth shut, angry tears in her eyes. She took a deep breath though, and of course tried again.
"Draco it can't defend itself I know you're upset, but-"
"Will you lay off it Granger. No Gryffindor savior complex will change my mind. It's done!" He snapped harshly and she flinched back.
He instantly regretted it, but if Draco had one fatal flaw it was pride. So he just kept glaring at her, refusing to back down.
She grabbed her bag and left. He hadn't seen her outside of classes since and hadn't spoken one word.
Their friends were torn between the two, Pansy taking to switching back and forth on where she spent her time.
Pansy stomached the Gryffindor table every other day and he'd come across her and Hermione laughing in the corridors often enough to know the girl was still hanging out with Pansy quite frequently.
He was surprised she hadn't approached him if he was honest. She was usually the softer one, but he shouldn't be shocked really. Hermione might be the kinder of the two of them, but she had a stubborn streak that rivaled his mother's.
His mother who inquired after Hermione at the end of each letter, fretting over the two of them fighting.
Draco wouldn't budge though.
He didn't acknowledge her when his friends called their greetings during the first Hogsmeade weekend, even as he wanted to demand why she was spending it alone with the Weasel.
Pansy had taken pity on him and joined Hermione for the day, even when Weasley scowled at her for tagging along. Draco insisted he wasn't jealous or anything so she didn't have to do that.
If Pansy found a spread of Honeydukes most expensive chocolates on her bed later, it was purely a coincidence.
Draco managed to keep his silence through the attack on the Gryffindor portrait that same evening. He did give in and send Pansy and Theo to check on Hermione when they had to camp in the Great Hall.
Theo had returned with an update while Pansy had stayed to sleep with Hermione, refusing to budge even when the Gryffindor prefect threatened to take points from Slytherin if she didn't return to her section.
He didn't slip up when she started looking tired and haggard. If she knew that the sugar quills that appeared whenever she skipped a meal were from him, she never acknowledged it.
He was miserable at Christmas. He'd finally given in to sending her present so he wouldn't keep staring at it. He painstakingly attempted to copy his mother's handwriting before he sent it off. Hopefully she didn't realize that it was odd for Narcissa to give her so many gifts this year.
He broke however when he found her sobbing in a quiet corridor near the library. She looked so thin and even with her face buried into her arms, he knew he'd find dark smudges of exhaustion.
Draco found himself furious with Potter and Weasley. He had noticed her withdrawing from socializing and burying herself in books, and they weren't even speaking. Why weren't her other friends taking better care of her?
He lowered himself to sit beside her, catching the way she froze, but she didn't look at him. She didn't move even as Draco slid a hesitant arm around her shoulders. She just waited silently.
"I'm sorry, Granger."
That burst open the floodgates and she was sobbing once more, turning to wrap her arms around him and cry into his chest. He didn't say anything even when he felt tears and what was probably snot seeping through his robes.
He put his cheek on her head and rubbed his face against her curls. She smelled like cinnamon and coffee. He sighed in contentment, but hoped she thought it was a sigh of guilt. Draco had missed her.
Her sobs calmed down and then she sat up to look at him for a moment. He stared back at her and was completely unprepared for a slap across the face.
"What the hell?" He snapped, grabbing his cheek as she continued hitting his arm, his chest, anywhere she could reach.
"You absolute arse! You loathsome little cockroach!" She hissed, still hitting him, "You haven't talked to me in months!"
"You haven't exactly tried to talk to me either you stubborn bint!" He snapped, grabbing at her hands to stop the assault.
"You were the one being a prat! You practically curled your lip anytime you saw me! What was I supposed to do?" She argued back.
"That wasn't towards you! It was towards your ugly ginger shadow!" He retorted, anger swelling once more when he remembered Weasley lingering about her for the past few months.
"What a load of rubbish! He'd have to be speaking to me to be my shadow!" She told him angrily. "The only people speaking to me are Pansy, Theo, and Blaise, but even then that's not often because I have to split them with you!"
Draco narrowed his eyes, seeing his victory, "How awful it must be to have to split time with your friends because they insist on being friends with someone that you hate."
She pressed her lips together and he felt the joy of winning spread through him. And he'd gotten in a dig at Potter. Sweet victory. The feeling withered away when her eyes welled up with tears again.
"I…I don't hate you Draco. I've never hated you." She whispered. Draco looked to the heavens for patience. "I was just angry."
"That's not what I meant, Granger. I was making a dig at Potter and the Weasel." He sighed, "I didn't hate you either. For the record."
Her lip was wobbling again when she hugged him, her curls practically suffocating him as it covered his nose and mouth.
"Swear?"
"I swear, Granger. I could never hate you." Draco murmured, then cleared his throat, "You know that you have me wrapped around your finger, so quit fishing for assurance. Tell me why the Weasel isn't talking to you."
She pulled back to look at him her cheeks pink from his confession and he knew his probably matched.
She didn't ask about it though and instead told him about the last few months. About the firebolt, about hating Divination, feeling like she'd taken on too much of a load with coursework, and finally about her mangy cat apparently eating the Weasley's rodent.
When he asked her to clarify if she meant his pet rat or his sister, she huffed and bit back a smile. He felt like he'd won the quidditch cup. Which was unlikely if Potter had a firebolt, but he'd think on that later.
"Well that's silly. Crookshanks is a cat, at least that's what you claim. Cats are going to do what cats do." He reasoned, glad they were both finally against Weasley.
"Yes. Animals will do what animals do." She replied, her eyes sparkling and Draco knew he'd been had.
He groaned, "I can't do anything Granger. Father has taken it to the ministry and even if I'd sided with you from the beginning I don't think it would have mattered. Familia super omnia is the unofficial Malfoy house motto."
"Family above all. It hurt you and so now nothing else matters." Hermione mused, then sighed. "I knew you couldn't really do anything about it Draco. I guess I just wanted you to side with me."
She blushed after saying that, opening her mouth to likely take it back so Draco spoke quickly.
"I'm always on your side Granger. It might seem like I'm not, but that's just the Slytherin in me."
She beamed, looking a little better now that she wasn't crying in a corner. A bell tolled somewhere and she got to her feet, smoothing down her skirts.
"Do you want to get some lunch?"
Draco nodded and got up to walk with her grabbing her impossibly heavy bag and throwing it over his shoulder. He was smirking at her when her hand slipped into his. She just rolled her eyes and tugged him along.
"Thank fucking Merlin." Theo groaned when the Slytherins saw Draco and Hermione walking into the Great Hall together.
"I don't think I could have done another month." Pansy said, "I was about to shove them into a broom closet and hex it so they couldn't leave until they made up."
They quieted when Hermione didn't go to sit with Harry, instead coming to plop down beside Pansy with Draco taking a seat on Hermione's other side. It was the first time she'd ever sat with them.
"I'm starving." Hermione announced, ignoring the looks from her friends and the rest of the Slytherin table. Some expressions were less than friendly.
Theo and Blaise slowly grinned and looked towards the Gryffindor table, expecting to see Weasley's head explode. They were rewarded when they saw Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom slowly easing away from the red-faced ginger.
"Fred said Lupin is out again." Harry groaned as he grabbed the makings of a sandwich. Hermione patted his hand sympathetically when he reached for the treacle tart.
Hermione knew why the man was absent from lessons, but she wasn't going to share that with anyone. It wasn't her business and he was a professor. His private life was his own.
She did however suspect that Professor Snape knew that she knew. He seemed almost disappointed that she hadn't told someone.
Someone like her blonde best friend. Her best friend who would have told his mother, creating a domino effect that would have ended in Lupin surely being fired.
What she didn't understand was why the potions master hated the other Professor so much that he wanted to ruin his career.
It couldn't just be that he wanted the DADA position. She suspected maybe it had something to do with the boggart, but even then how could Lupin have known Neville's greatest fear was Professor Snape.
It was a puzzle. One her mind turned over repeatedly during her admittedly limited free time.
Someone sat beside her and she smiled at Draco who was ignoring Harry and Ron's glares. The truce was over, as they were convinced it was Draco that had told on Harry for being in Hogsmeade.
Harry was certain that one else would have been able to see his bobbing head of messy black hair against the snowy white hills surrounding Hogsmeade. That was just too farfetched apparently.
"Sit with us in potions?" He asked her, tugging on a wayward curl. He was a lot more playful and affectionate since they'd made up. Hermione didn't mind it one bit.
"Oh, I promised Neville I'd be his partner today. I'll sit with you in Defense though?" She offered. He nodded and tugged her curl again before getting up to return to his table.
"I wish you'd open your eyes and see he's a wanker." Ron grumbled and Harry nodded, but she knew it was just because he was angry about Hogsmeade.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "I'm fully aware of Draco's habit of being an arse."
"But you keep being his friend. He didn't even talk to you for months!" Ron retorted accusingly.
"Neither did you. Yet I'm still your friend." She shrugged, seeing Pansy walking out and getting up to meet her before Ron could respond.
Notes:
This was a long chapter. I'm going to attempt to revise two more chapters to post tonight, but that's probably not going to happen.
I'll promise at least one more tonight for sure.
Chapter 7: Not Betrothals
Summary:
Quidditch World Cup, first part of fourth year
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
"Draco, you don't have to loom. I know you're angry, but we can talk about it instead of the silent glaring." Hermione muttered at him from her bench in the courtyard.
Draco crouched down in front of her before he replied in a measured tone, "Yes let's talk about your little jaunt with Potter."
"I told you all what happened. Pansy has already yelled. A lot. Loudly." Hermione groaned.
"Pansy yelled about Potter and Weasley. I want to talk about the second adventure with just Potter. The one where you used your time turner. Illegally." He continued casually.
He watched her go pale and start stammering, unable to form a coherent sentence.
"How…what…I…Harry…how?" She finally managed, brown eyes wide.
"I thought about it seeing how many classes you had, but decided not to bring it up." Draco gave her a slow smile, "Do feel free to try and explain away how it was that I saw you from the clocktower going towards Hagrid's hut with Potter and Weasel, but when I looked down to this very spot a moment later I saw you and Potter coming out of the castle to follow yourself."
"Well…uh…so maybe there was a little bit more to the adventure than accidental encounters with murderers and werewolves." She admitted slowly, then took a deep breath and told him about the time turner portion of the night.
By the end he was gripping his hands together so tight the tips of his fingers were purple.
"So you knew about the killer tree, the murderer, the werewolf, the dementors and you decided to go back in time with Potter to confront them all again. Only the second time was without Snape to help you or any other adult. Is that it?"
She slowly nodded, but he held his hand up dramatically, "Oh let's not forget that you also howled at a moon-mad werewolf to make it chase you."
"Draco I know you're very upset, but I'm fine! Just a couple scratches really. The Whomping Willow did more damage than anything else." She insisted, as if that made it any better. He blew a harsh breath out through his nose. "Plus the howling technically saved myself so in a way it was a very Slytherin sense of self-preservation. You should be proud."
"I don't know why I get upset. I should have known better than to adopt a Gryffindor." Draco sighed dramatically, "You're all bloody daft and too brave for your own good."
"Rude!" Hermione laughed, "I really am sorry it's just I couldn't-"
"Couldn't let Harry do it alone. Trust me. I know, Granger."
"Please just don't tell your mum or Uncle Hector." She pleaded, "I'm not unconscious this time."
"This time! I'll give you a free pass, but you have about ten minutes to figure out a story. Snape made it a point to tell mother that you were one of the students Lupin transformed near. She's probably almost here."
Hermione put her head in her hands and groaned again. Almost exactly ten minutes later, Narcissa Malfoy was storming across the yard to drag Hermione into her arms, already ranting about the dangers of this wretched school.
Draco grinned when Hermione just smiled and squeezed his mother right back, letting the blonde woman fuss over her.
Hermione was so happy for the summer to start, especially when Draco's father announced over an informal dinner that he'd procured tickets for all of them to attend the Quidditch World Cup. Including Hermione and Theo.
Hermione wasn't quite as enthusiastic as Draco and Theo were, but when Narcissa talked about the magical creatures each team brought and the festivities, she began to show more excitement.
"Thank you so much Mr. Malfoy! I'll have to tell Uncle Hector, he will be so jealous!" Hermione told them as their dinner was served.
Narcissa smiled, "Actually we invited your uncle as well, but he declined. He said he had a conference in France he couldn't miss. He didn't want to ruin the surprise."
"He didn't even hint! I'll get him back for that." Hermione grumbled playfully. "I do have to ask though.."
"Yes dear?" Lucius encouraged. Since Buckbeak had got away and he'd sent Hermione a first edition Hogwarts: A History as an exceptional apology, things had returned to normal between them.
"Which team are we supposed to cheer for?" She asked innocently, keeping her face straight when the boys both sighed.
"Granger, Malfoys support the Bulgarians obviously." Draco told her as if she was slow.
"I suppose I'll support them too, even though I'm not a Malfoy." Hermione teased and pretended not to hear Theo muttering under his breath. Draco's mother wasn't so subtle.
"A Malfoy in all ways, but name." Narcissa smiled, a sly look in her eyes that made Hermione blush and Draco change the subject.
"Ron's upset that you don't wanna go." Harry said while they laid out in the garden after a large lunch, "I know you don't like quidditch, but it could be fun."
Hermione sighed, "I am going Harry, I just didn't know how to tell him. The Malfoys asked me weeks before Ron did and I accepted."
"Oh." He turned his head to look at her, "You could have told me at least, you know."
"Do I? You both aren't really rational about my relationship with the Malfoys."
"I think we just worry. I know you're not muggleborn, but close enough. I just stress about what would happen if your Uncle Hector wasn't in the picture."
"He is in the picture though." Hermione sighed, wondering if they'd ever finish having this conversation. She bit her lip before deciding to finally talk to someone about it. Someone who wouldn't meddle like Pansy would. "Harry my relationship with Draco is…different now."
"Hermione I wear glasses, but that doesn't mean I'm blind." Harry snickered and she smacked at his arm, "I'm glad you're finally admitting it. Pansy was about to pull her hair out while you two were fighting."
"Oh, I didn't realize Pansy complained to you so much." Hermione said slyly, noting his face flush.
"She doesn't. She just complains out loud. All the time." Harry waved her off when she started wiggling her eyebrows.
"Sure Harry. Whatever you say." Hermione giggled, "It feels good to talk about it though. I give it another year before he finally works up the courage make a move."
"I say he already thinks he's staked some snakey pureblood claim on you. Slytherins are weird remember?" Harry joked, laughing harder when Hermione admitted he was probably right.
She'd spent several summers with them and still found the pureblood rules and traditions hard to follow. For all she knew, Draco tugging her curls and carrying her bag was as good as a betrothal.
Draco escorted Hermione through the tents, pointing out this and that while Theo had stopped a couple tents back to collect Pansy.
"Some of these tents in no way pass for being muggle." Hermione giggled as he pointed out a two story tent complete with canvas gargoyles situated along a tower.
"True, but that's what the oblivating team is for." Draco shrugged, making her look at him curiously until he clarified, "Memory charm to make them forget."
"Oh, I see." She waved at several Gryffindors as they passed, seeming to not care when they'd stared at her arm linked with Draco's.
They were forced to stop their walk when Harry Potter ran over waving like a loon. Trailing behind him was the Weasley girl and her pouty older brother.
"Hermione! Isn't this brilliant?" Potter asked her, looking around excitedly at all the tents.
"It is! We've seen Seamus Finnegan and Susan Bones so far. Ginny, it's so good to see you. And you Ron!" She beamed at the two, the girl smiling back, "Theo and Pansy are around her somewhere too."
Draco looked back the way they'd come to see Theo and Pansy along with a third person.
"Looks like Theo and Pans picked up a stray." Draco gestured with his chin so he didn't have to let go of Hermione's arm. She hadn't pulled away either despite the Weasel's pointed glare.
Hermione smiled and called out, "Neville! Fancy seeing you here!"
"Hello Hermione. Theo found me." He exchanged greetings with everyone, the shyness he exhibited at school smothered with excitement from the event, "Did we want to go exploring? It's my first time to a World Cup."
"We were going to the food booths. Granger threatened to start gnawing on my arm when she smelled the fresh baked cauldron cakes." Draco drawled, grinning when Hermione smacked his arm with her free hand.
"I'm up for food." Longbottom shrugged, "Lead the way."
Draco nodded and started to pull Hermione along with him, but she looked hopefully at Potter.
The boy sighed when Weasel started walking the opposite direction with his sister. Potter waved sadly and hurried to catch up.
"You can go with them if you'd be more comfortable, Neville." Theo said quietly. Longbottom rolled his eyes in a shocking display of personality.
"Come on Theo, I'll buy you a butterbeer." Longbottom said, walking ahead as Theo trailed after him. Draco blinked and realized he might need to start referring to the boy as Neville.
"I didn't see it coming either." Pansy snickered beside him.
"Theo helped Neville study for potions all of last year every Monday and Thursday after the boggart incident." Hermione revealed. "I might have let it slip that Neville thought his eyes were pretty."
"Hermione how positively manipulative! I love it!" Pansy praised her and Draco just laughed.
Narcissa hid her smile behind a glass of wine when Hermione yawned and leaned her head against Draco's shoulder. The girl was watching the boys as they played wizard's chess and barely keeping her eyes open.
She glanced over to Lucius who was hiding his own smirk, when a loud shriek cut through the celebratory noises from outside.
Narcissa looked to her husband again. He'd gone to look outside and when he came back in he was pale, but his wand was out.
"Narcissa, gather the children. We must leave." His gaze flickered to Hermione who was sitting up now that the shrieks were getting closer.
Narcissa held her wand firmly, "Children, come along. There seems to be some party crashers tonight."
She was pleased to see the boys flank Hermione, Draco taking her hand tightly in his own.
Lucius went out first, ushering his wife and the children ahead so he could guard their backs.
Fires blazed on all sides, but Narcissa knew the trees were their safest bet, so that's the direction she led them.
She held her wand at the ready, having no qualms about brutally cutting down anyone who got too close.
When a man shoved into her, Narcissa blasted him back with a non-verbal repulso. If she heard a snap of bone when he landed, that wasn't her problem.
She blasted back three more people and almost sliced off a man's hand when he grabbed onto Theo, screaming hysterically and knocking the children off balance and to the ground. He'd pulled away in time, so he'd only lost the tips of two fingers. Lucius tossed him several feet away.
They were almost to the tree line when Narcissa saw them. A family of muggles screaming in terror as they were suspended in the air by a group of masked figures in black robes.
Masks that looked just like the one in the hidden vaults below the manor. The silver and intricately detailed mask that her husband had last worn fourteen years ago.
She picked up speed and once they were in trees, she relaxed a fraction. They stopped once they could no longer see the fires or hear the screams.
Narcissa began casting defensive spells around the area, making sure she added muggle repelling charms as well as a nasty burning hex to anyone who crossed through it. She warned the children to stay away from the barrier she'd made.
Theo and Draco were with Lucius, the man wrapping his arms the boys and talking quietly. She didn't have to wonder what the subject was.
Narcissa looked down when she felt a shaking hand grab her arm. Hermione clung to her like a small child, and Narcissa pulled her arm away to wrap it around Hermione's shoulders. The little witch burrowed into her side instantly.
"Those were muggles weren't they?" The girl whispered.
Narcissa stroked her thick curls, matted with smoke and sweat. She had a smudge of soot across her cheek where she'd likely wiped her face.
"Yes, but you are safe, my dear. We wouldn't let anything happen to you." Narcissa promised, pressing a kiss to the girl's forehead.
They stood like that for a while, Narcissa relinquishing Hermione to Draco when the boys came over to check on her.
She managed a smile when she watched how soft Draco was being with Hermione, gently rubbing the soot from her cheek and brushing away her curls.
Lucius came over to speak when the sky lit up, a smoky green skull eating a snake masking the stars. Lucius gripped his forearm tightly, and she looked over to where the children stared up at the mark.
Draco and Theo looked terrified, knowing the implications behind the mark. Narcissa expected confusion or fear from Hermione, but instead the girl just had an expression of grim acceptance as she held onto Draco.
The next morning, Hermione asked Narcissa to teach her the defensive spells she'd used in the woods. They spent two hours studying each day the girl was over.
Draco knew what the mark meant, but he also knew his father hadn't been one of the masked figures. He hadn't answered the call.
Draco hadn't been told exactly how that changed things, but he didn't let it derail his mission. His mother had agreed that it didn't matter and to continue with his plans.
The day before they were due for the train, he was with Hermione at her house. Richard and Jean were in the kitchen cooking dinner and for once Pansy wasn't lurking about.
They were sitting together on the garden swing, rocking silently, Hermione's head on his shoulder.
Draco pulled out the small white box without saying anything and handed it to Hermione.
"It's not my birthday yet!" She smiled as she pulled the pale green ribbon off to open it. "Oh!"
Inside was a small three-dimensional star on a thin chain, made of blackened silver and etched with impossibly tiny runes for protection and commitment.
The metal was twisted expertly around a white uncut gem. Draco knew it was a diamond, but he would lie for now and tell Hermione it was a mere crystal. She was odd about such things.
"Draco, it's beautiful." She whispered, then looked at him with a wry smile, "Now tell me what this means."
He was a little nervous, but his mother had helped him practice this part once he'd gotten her to stop gushing about how thrilled she was.
"Not quite a betrothal, but a promise. A promise of a future together." He told her, pausing between each sentence in case she had a question, "I know you weren't raised to view such customs as normal, but this isn't uncommon in the wizarding world."
"I haven't seen any girls wearing necklaces like this?" She wondered, touching a delicate finger to the star once more.
"It's not always a necklace. It can be any kind of jewelry, but it's usually picked with both parties in mind. I'm sure you've seen the Abbott girl wearing that gold bracelet everywhere since second year."
Hermione nodded and then handed the box back to him, making him want to apparate away. She didn't want it.
During his moment of misery, she turned her back to him and lifted her hair up, "Help me put it on?"
He smiled and took it out of the box, clasping it around her neck. She turned back to face him and lifted it to look at once more.
Draco wanted to know what she was thinking, but his thoughts left his head when she looked up and kissed him. It was over quickly, just an innocent press of her lips, but they both blushed and smiled stupidly at each other, Hermione's hidden dimples on full display just the way Draco liked.
Hermione then frowned in thought, lifting her wrist to look at the little moon dangling from her wrist, "Does this mean I accidentally kinda betrothed myself to Pansy in first year?"
Draco rolled his eyes and shoved her off the swing. Hermione's beastly cat pounced on him in retaliation, coming from seemingly nowhere.
On the Hogwarts Express, Pansy insisted that it did mean that Hermione was promised to Pansy, so Draco could just find another witch to court.
Theo and Neville were cackling when Draco merely replied that he could melt the bracelets down to make new cuff links if Pansy truly felt that way.
The Slytherin girl had put her nose in the air and waved him off, telling him he was free to have her sloppy seconds if he wished.
Hermione had almost choked on a chocolate frog then started smacking at Pansy for calling her sloppy.
"I told you he'd do it in some weird pureblood way." Harry told her when Ron walked ahead of them towards herbology.
"Yes, yes Harry. You're so very smart and wise." Hermione replied drily with a pat on the cheek.
"You're getting too sarcastic. A side effect of snogging Malfoy I reckon." Harry quipped, barking out a laugh when Hermione flushed.
"Shut up!" She shoved him, rolling her eyes when the silly boy started making kissy faces at her.
"Draco and Hermione sitting in a tree!" He sang, picking up the pace when she went to push him once more.
"Harry Potter!" Hermione screeched, chasing him down the well worn path, passing several confused classmates. Only Professor Sprout saved Harry from a well-aimed stinging hex.
He kept singing the silly rhyme under his breath, making Neville look at them curiously. Hermione had the thought that this must be what is was like to have a sibling.
The moment Professor Sprout's back was turned, Hermione shoved a handful of wet soil down the back of Harry's robes. He retaliated with a glob of fertilizer thrown at her chest.
Of course that meant she had to swipe mud across from his forehead to his chin, glasses and all a casualty in this particular war. Obviously such a direct assault meant that he was forced to blow singing daffodil pollen in her face causing her to start singing random notes.
Sprout was less than pleased and by the time class ended, they'd lost twenty points for Gryffindor. It was only their third day of classes.
She'd been secretly enjoying the fight so much that she couldn't even be upset about it.
Bring back Remus Lupin. Hell, she'd even take Lockhart, befuddled brains and all.
She put her hand on Neville's arm and glared at Professor Moody with all the hatred she could muster.
Neville was trembling as the disfigured man casting the torture curse on the arachnid. He'd already made it dance across Ron's head and fling itself into Draco's face with imperio.
"Can anyone tell me the final unforgivable curse? Miss Granger?" His magic eye whirled wildly in her direction.
She pressed her lips together and ignored the man, turning her attention back to Neville who was now gripping her hand tightly.
"The Killing Curse." He announced, "Avada Kedarva!"
A flash of green and the poor creature lay dead instantly. Hermione felt her stomach churn with rage, glaring at the man as he spoke about the only known survivor of the curse.
Harry's jaw was clenched, but he didn't say anything.
After the lesson was dismissed, Hermione turned Neville over to Theo while she hurried away to find Harry and check on him.
If Dumbledore managed to hire one competent teacher for this class, she'd probably die of shock.
Harry rolled his eyes when Ron made a face at Malfoy and Hermione as they entered the library.
The pair stopped to gather the books they needed for the essay, clearly in no hurry to get to the study session as they disappeared around the shelves bickering about something.
"She's not going to help you with your essay if you don't stop glaring at her." Pansy remarked in a bored tone. "Potter, what do you think, blue or purple?"
"Er…blue?" He guessed. She hummed in consideration, then continued flipping through her magazine. Neville shrugged when Harry glanced his way for clarification.
"She's wearing that bloody necklace without any idea what it means!" Ron hissed angrily, "He's clearly playing her!"
Pansy's head snapped up, her blue eyes furious, "Excuse me?"
Neville shifted uncomfortably while Theo just leaned back to watch the scene.
"He is playing her! Someone should tell her she's being stupid." Ron insisted, "You claim to be her best friend. Why aren't you looking out for her?"
Pansy closed her magazine slowly, her eyes not leaving Ron's and when her hand disappeared under the table, Harry dreaded what was about to happen.
"I am her best friend. Which means when I tell you that if you insult Hermione's intelligence or Draco's integrity one more time in my presence Ronald Weasley, I will hex you so badly that you'll wish you'd kept that gaping hole in your face closed." She sneered, lifting her arm to reveal her wand that she was twirling aggressively. Red sparks were shooting off the tip.
Harry looked back and forth between the Slytherin girl and his best mate, not knowing what to do. Neville was absolutely no help when he just sunk lower in his seat.
Theo spoke up then, "I don't recall you being this upset when she exchanged jewelry with Pansy nor when she's friendly with me, so seems to me that it's not that she's close with a Slytherin. I wonder what it is specifically about a good-looking boy like Draco that has your wand in a twist."
Ron went impossibly redder and shot to his feet, grabbing his bag and storming out without another word. Harry didn't know if he was supposed to follow or stay seated. Neville seemed to be under the same conundrum.
Theo went back to rolling out his parchment while Pansy put away her wand to flip back through her magazine, like nothing had happened.
"Where did Ron go? I thought he wanted to work on the revelio essay?"
"Oh, he decided he'd had enough revelations for the day, I suppose." Pansy shrugged, "You know how hard it is when the unfortunate thing thinks too hard."
"Pansy, don't be mean." Hermione chided, sitting down in Ron's vacated seat to pull out her parchment while Draco deposited the books onto the table.
"You never let me have any fun," Pansy whined and Harry most certainly did not blush when the Slytherin girl winked at him.
"Harry didn't do it." Hermione declared, her tone allowing no room for argument as she loomed above the Slytherin's table. Neville was standing behind her looking both fond and amused with the Gryffindor witch.
"Well obviously Granger. The boy barely remembers to wear his glasses without you reminding him." Draco drawled, making his girlfriend frown even as his friends snickered.
"He's not exactly the brains of the group, love." Blaise told the girl as he patted her arm amicably.
"A few nuts short of a galleon." Theo quipped, moving aside for Neville to take a seat.
"He's got slightly more brains than the Weasel, at least." Pansy added, always generous with praise she was.
Hermione huffed and sat down, remaining stiff when Draco put his arm around her shoulders pulling her in to kiss her cheek, "You're all terrible. I don't know why I came over here."
That sent them all into another round of cackling, even Neville cracking a smile. Draco tugged Hermione closer to him and glanced towards her abandoned table.
"You came over here because you love us." Pansy informed her haughtily.
"Also because it looks like the Gryffindor table is not the popular place to be right now." Draco mused, sneering at the ginger boy shooting daggers at them from his eyes.
"Well mainly the first reason." Hermione admitted, finally relaxing against his side. "Ron doesn't believe Harry didn't do it."
"I'm sure most of the school will think the same way." Theo shrugged indifferently.
"He hates the spotlight and he was so excited to watch this tournament." Hermione sighed, leaning her head into Draco.
"Maybe we will be a tad nicer than usual." Pansy made a show of screwing up her face in consideration before she promised solemnly, "I promise I'll stop calling him a bespectacled wanker for a whole month."
"Pansy is so generous, truly. Best I can do is two weeks of abstaining from using the word scarhead." Theo rejoined making Neville shake his head as the Slytherins were clearly about to go off on another long-winded joke.
"I won't hex his shoelaces during potions anymore. For two months. Let it be known the Zabini's are very charitable." Blaise declared.
"I'll call him by his first name two times of your choosing, Granger." Draco vowed, his tone making it seem like it was such a personal sacrifice. They all fell into a fit of laughter once more.
"Neville, I think we made a wrong turn. We seem to have sat with the hyenas instead of the snakes." Hermione said flatly, then looked up at Draco, "You don't even call me by my first name."
"It's a privilege that must be earned, Granger." Draco replied, feeling her elbow jab into his ribs in retaliation.
"Potter?" Pansy called, seeing the boy with his face quite literally pressed into a book.
He lifted his head to look at her and she frowned at how stressed he looked. She glanced around for Hermione, before noting that her bracelet was dull.
She shifted awkwardly, where was a damn Gryffindor when you needed one. The boy clearly needed some cheery lion roar or something.
"You're not suicidal or anything, right?" She asked him hesitantly.
Harry let out a startled laugh, "Is that the Pansy way of asking if I'm alright?"
"Well you're laughing so I'll assume you're fine." Pansy smirked, looking down at the book. "Why are you studying shrinking charms?"
"I don't know. I've just been grabbing anything and everything to be honest. They didn't really give us a hint for the first task." He replied misery clear in his voice.
"Where's Hermione? She'd normally be helping you."
Harry grinned mischievously, "Malfoy stole her away. Wonder what they're up to hmmm?"
She scoffed, "Draco is probably writing a poem about her dimples or some other nonsense. They're disgustingly adorable."
Harry laughed again, seeming surprised by it. Then he sighed as he looked back at the book. Pansy almost felt sorry for him, that was the only reason she kept this conversation going.
"Why aren't any of the other Gryffindors helping their fellow champion if the brightest witch of the age isn't available?"
"Oh. I'm still being shunned. Even by Ron, but now I'm just angry about it instead of hurt." Harry shrugged, "S'okay. I just have to wait for Hermione to finally snap and hex them all. Hope Malfoy knows she's got a mean temper."
Pansy was struck by how honest Harry was with her, openly admitting Ron had hurt him. She pushed that thought away to smile evilly, "Oh, he does. She slapped the posh out of him last year when she finally let her temper go."
Harry cackled, "That was the best present you could have given me Pansy. The image of Hermione slapping Malfoy will warm me when I'm cold and dead after I fail this first task."
Pansy smirked, "You always end up making it out alive, Potter. I'm sure you'll do just fine. Goodnight."
She sauntered away without saying anything more, but heard him mutter a goodnight at her back.
"Draco Lucius Malfoy!" Hermione snarled, "What the fuck is that?"
She jabbed him in the chest where the Potter Stinks badge flashed at her. He leaned back to look at her where stood over him.
"Oh. Theo made them." Draco looked down and shrugged. "Potter is wearing one too."
He pointed to where Harry was strolling across the lawn with the bright green badge on display. It flashed to yellow and she knew it read Support Cedric Diggory.
"Pansy told him wearing it would mess with everyone's heads and it seemed he liked the idea." Draco added before peering back up at her, flirtation in his gray eyes, "You're hot when you swear, Granger."
Hermione flushed and shoved at his chest, turning to walk away rather than engage in his public teasing.
Hermione had just arrived outside the potions room to find Draco and Ron brandishing their wands. Before she could speak she was blasted in the face with a hex that she was pretty sure was meant to hit Draco.
She cried out, gripping her face in pain and screaming again when she felt her teeth dig sharply into her palm.
"Granger, are you alright?" Draco's hands held her face gently. His eyes widened when she felt her teeth jab into her bottom lip.
"You tosser!" He snarled and turned to lunge at Ron only to be stopped by Harry. Ron was attempting to apologize around Harry's back, but Hermione didn't quite care.
Pansy was by her side now, promising her it would be ok and Hermione started crying when she realized her front teeth where getting longer by the second, now quite past her chin.
Snape intervened, handing out detentions to Ron and Harry, who to her knowledge hadn't done anything at all. Then the man looked at her and sneered, "I see no difference."
She let out a sob and rushed down the hall, Pansy calling out after her, but she just kept running.
Her teeth had always been her biggest insecurity, and that foul man had just made it so much worse.
She was trying to get to the hospital wing quickly, but by now her teeth were to her collarbones and she was starting to become hysterical, tears blurring her vision.
"Come on, Granger." Draco's voice and his hand in hers as he led her towards the infirmary.
She was both happy and dismayed to see him. She just sobbed harder and when they made it to Madam Pomfrey, she instantly began shrinking her teeth back.
Hermione had a brilliant idea during this process. Figuring her parents couldn't force her to change them back, she let the woman shrink them a little more before she told her to stop.
Looking in the mirror, she was pleased to see a row of perfectly sized, straight teeth. It probably would have looked better if she didn't look ghastly from crying so hard.
Draco's jaw was clenched as he led her out and finally he looked at her. A frown pulled at his face.
"You made them too small. We need to go back in." He turned to lead her back inside and she pulled back, digging in her heels.
"I did it on purpose. Mum and Dad forbid me from fixing them with magic years ago. Now I'm not lying when I say I didn't do it." She told him.
"They were fine the way they were." He insisted, crossing his arms across his chest.
"I like them better this way. Now people like Snape can keep their comments to themselves." She shrugged, rage coming back full force at the thought of the greasy Professor before she realized something, "Wait. Why are you here? I can't believe he let you out of class."
"I'm sure I have a detention waiting on me, but I don't care. I wasn't going to let you run off crying by yourself. Have a little more faith in me, Granger." He chided her.
"I have all the faith in you." She fluttered her eyelashes dramatically and was rewarded with an eye roll. Better than an angry clenched jaw.
"Let's go face the music." He told her, taking her hand and pulling her along.
"Who did your hex hit?" She asked, swinging their arms playfully as they walked slowly, in no hurry.
"Neville." He grimaced, "Theo is going to retaliate even if it was an accident. It broke his nose."
"Why isn't he up here?" She gasped.
"Snape fixed it himself and then told him to get to class." Draco winced, "He's my godfather, but sometimes he is a real arse."
"Indeed."
Theo burnt Draco's transfiguration essay just before class. McGonagall was not happy.