Chapter 20 - Year 4, part 1
September 7th, 1994
The first week of school was almost over, and Hermione was sitting in the library waiting for her study group and their newest member. While doing that, she was reading today's Daily Prophet more closely - hoping that it would remove some of the nervousness.
The world had succumbed to something akin to chaos since the end of the Quidditch World Cup. People had gone missing. A house elf was said to have conjured the dark mark at the cup and been freed because of it. The school had gotten a new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, who seemed to be slightly out of the loop. Or just nearly insane - Hermione was having trouble separating the two when regarding the ex-auror. Just hearing the 'Stomp. Stomp.' from his prosthetic leg anytime he was walking near her, was enough for chills to erupt everywhere on her body.
Now, the Prophet was all about throwing shade on anyone and everyone. Even the head of the Department of International Magical Co-operation - Barty Crouch, Sr. Why the 'Sr' was so important Hermione didn't know. She didn't think she'd ever heard a 'Jr' mentioned. Anyway, apparently it was his house elf that was said to have conjured the mark at the worldcup, so maybe it made sense… But it just sounded like throwing guesses and accusations.
Then there was the whole aspect of what was to be going on at their school.
The Triwizard Tournament.
She simply couldn't believe it. They were going to host this outrageously prestigious sports-event with visitors from both Beubatonx and Durmstrang. Her stomach lurched at the thought of the North-European school, because she knew who went to school there. She knew from their previous letters that this was going to be his final year. Would he be here?
Hopefully not.
"Hermione!" Someone exclaimed, and Hermione was so focused on the newspaper that she gasped loudly, and looked to the noise. "Sorry, I hadn't seen you were so engrossed." Theo said in a low voice, softly grasping her shoulder in greeting as he sat down beside her. Behind him, Draco walked around the corner, followed closely by Daphne whom he looked to have a very animated conversation with.
"It's alright - I just - I didn't hear you arriving." She said, trying to get her racing heart under control. "Hi Draco - Daphne." She smiled, trying to look casual and friendly. If it worked, she didn't know. But Draco smiled brightly at her in greeting, so it must have been alright.
"I'm just saying - if I'm to start the day out with a free period after having been awake for most of the night because of bloody astronomy, I'd really rather be in bed than study - like the rest of our year." She sniffed as she looked around the completely deserted library.
"I thought you agreed that now would be the best time to meet up for the first time. To see how our schedules align." Hermione inquired. On the one hand, she was pretty upset at her suggestion being muffed so soon after having agreed, considering that early study-sessions had never been a problem before for the three of them. But on the other hand, Daphne did have a point when taking their Astronomy into account.
"I did, and I do. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to miss my bed for the entire time that we'll be here." Daphne yawned loudly, but snapped her mouth shut when they heard Madam Pince walking towards them. The woman only just looked around the corner at them, giving piercing looks to as many as she could muster, before disappearing again the same way she had arrived. "Merlin, I'd kill for some invigoration drought right now." Daphne whispered.
I'd make it for you - if it didn't mean I'd take it myself as well. Hermione thought bitterly to herself, before pulling out her schedule hoping that scheduling would bring her thought to something else than her first - and hopefully only - experience with addiction.
"That's a bit below our level of potioneering, don't you think Daph?" Theo questions as he picked up his own schedule. Daphne only grunted in reply.
"I'm free every evening except… Monday." Draco said, frowning at his own schedule, before looking around at the others. "Merlin Hermione - your Wednesday… It's-" He went quiet and just shook his head, not even wanting to finish the sentence.
"Why? What's wrong?" Daphne asked and leaned as far across the table as possible, picking up Hermione's time-table. Hermione could almost visibly see the blond girl's jaw hit the table, before reaching over and the parchment back and rolling it up.
"Yeah, it's pretty luxurious this year." She chuckled lightly, remembering the bullshit that was last year. "My Wednesday is obviously pretty slack, so basically it's on you."
They agreed on Wednesday and Thursday after dinner, of course leaving room for it to change if they had any other assignment. But Hermione felt good in knowing that they had a set time where they could meet.
No sooner had they pulled up their books before they had to put them away again, to go to their respective classes. It wasn't like it had been the most productive session they had ever had, but it had been nice. Having Daphne there had been nice.
It was like a breath of fresh air she didn't know she needed.
"I'm completely serious, Hermione. You need to tell me how you managed to ignore these guys for so long, because I can't seem to get away with it." Daphne asked as they walked side by side, the boys walking behind them as they left the library.
Hermione felt a twitch of pain in her chest, and couldn't help it as she answered, perhaps too bitterly: "I'm not sure. Maybe you should ask Draco how he did it."
Silence erupted around them, before she suddenly heard a high yelp from Draco. Looking back over her shoulder, she watched him nurse his upper arm with an angry frown while Theo scowled at him.
Looking forward again as they walked, Hermione was surprised to find Daphne encircling her arm with her own. "I can tell we're going to be great friends!" She gushed, "Oh, you're going to just love Pansy!"
"Is she nice?"
"No, she's an absolute bitch - but she's the BEST!" Daphne gushed, and Hermione found herself wondering if she herself was that much of a bitch since Daphne felt like she and Pansy would be such great friends.
…
September 13th, 1994
Students were rushing into their potions classroom all around her, but Hermione found herself… Preoccupied. Clutching in her hand was a letter, and she knew precisely whom it was from. She had just received it at lunch, and hurriedly pulled it into her pocket.
This was the first letter from him.
The first letter since she'd - by the help of Wills - had told him exactly how she felt. It hadn't been easy, but it had been done.
She had actually thought that he had just chosen to leave her be. To not write to her again, since it had been so long. Obviously, she had been wrong.
She had arrived first at the shut door to their classroom, not having been able to muster any lunch but had been so lost in thought that she hadn't realized when it had opened right in front of her - meaning that people were not pushing her out of the way so as to get into the room.
She was only brought out of her thoughts, when a warm hand had put the tiniest amount of pressure at her lower back, guiding her into the room. The hand was removed as fast as it had arrived, leaving Hermione cold and tingling at the place where it had rested. Feeling close to breathless at the sensation, Hermione rushed to her seat where she sat, staring at the blackboard until Snape decided that it was time to start their lesson.
But she knew who was the owner of the hand that left her lower back still tingling.
…
September 19th, 1994
Today had been lovely. It had pissed rain for the entire day, but it had been such a good day!
At breakfast she had been met with hugs and gifts from her friends, and William - who had decided for the day that he would join them at their table to celebrate her 15th birthday.
He had given her a book she had wished for, but in a beautiful limited edition with a hand-painted cover. She had struggled a fair bit with not just opening the book right then and there. If she had, she feared she would have finished it before the next morning.
After that she had breezed through both Herbology and Care for magical creatures. It had been easy today, though the rain made it almost numbing to be outside. Thank Merlin for Warming charms which all of them had used in quick succession.
There really was nothing like practical exercises.
After that, she once again shared lunch with her friends and William - now joined by Max and Ellinor.
Then followed the greatest gift of them all. She was blessed from above, by not having to go to Divination.
"But Hermione," Harry gushed, in mock surprise, "Aren't you missing the sour forecasts of death and destruction?!"
Around her, everyone laughed as the self-irony of Harry's constant situation in the class.
"Naah, it wasn't really in my interest to listen to all the ways my best friend would end up dying."
"But Hermione. What ever will you spend your time on then? You can't be sleeping at this time of day." Daniel Mocked, knowing damn well that if she had the chance, that was exactly what she would be doing every Tuesday before Dinner. They had only been at school for a couple of weeks, but they had already found her sound asleep on the common room couch on multiple occasions.
"For what it's worth," Hermione smiled as she stood from the table, giving a one-armed hug to William as goodbye, "After last year, I'm not going down on sleep ever again. But no, I'll spend my precious hours in class with people who aren't destined to die prematurely."
…
Arithmancy was spent testing what they remembered from last year. After the last two weeks, apparently Professor Vektor had found their knowledge so lacking after the summer holiday that she needed to know exactly how much repetition they needed to do before the proper curriculum could begin.
But Hermione hadn't taken it too much to heart. She knew that she wasn't as bad as the others. Sure, she couldn't remember everything at any given time. But she at least had been able to answer every question she had asked in class, before Vektor had decided to start all over again.
She was focusing hard on a particular annoying question, when she felt a poke to her thigh. Looking down, she saw a note being poked into her legs, by Draco.
Taking the note, she made sure that Professor Vektor wasn't directing any of her attention onto her before she opened the note under the table.
Meet me tonight at 8? By the library?
Checking Vektor again, she looked to the side and smiled brightly at Draco, nodding her agreement. He smiled back at her instantly, before returning to his assignment.
…
Hermione left Gryffindor tower to go meet Draco, smiling and waving to her friends as she left.
Draco hadn't wished her a happy birthday yet, so she thought that that was what he was planning to do. But why hadn't he just said it earlier like Theo had, when they had Arithmancy? Did he have something planned?
She blushed at the idea that Draco would be planning anything for her.
Oh, this is ridiculous. She thought to herself. This crush that she had been harbouring on Draco since spring, hadn't helped her at all. It just made her blush harder - and more often - and get more nervous around him. She was always so bloody aware of where he was in the room, it was agonising.
Then there had been the most recent revelation at Malfoy manor after the Cup - his touch didn't hurt. She didn't flinch away from him. He couldn't sneak up on her, but maybe that was because he didn't even try in the first place? Or maybe it was because she was so focused on where he was?
She had wondered so many times what she should do about it all, and how. When, even.
She really liked him.
But what if he didn't like her back? What if he only thought of her as a friend? Could she live with just being his friend?
And worse - if she decided she could live with just being his friend, could she live with seeing him being with someone else?
Surely, he wasn't going to spend his entire life being alone.
… What if he liked Daphne?
Her heart sank at the thought. If it came to that, sure, she could just stay his friend and live on like that. Maybe she would fall for someone else at some point… But seeing him with someone she was starting to consider a little more than an acquaintance? Who might one day be considered a friend to her?
She wasn't sure she could live with that.
Just then, she turned the last corner and saw Draco standing there, waiting for her. All of her fears and trepidations disappeared instantly, and she grinned at him, waving her hello.
"Hi there, birthday girl." He said with a bright smile, when he held out his arm for her, she took it as an invitation for a hug and stepped into it instantly.
When she slit her arms around him, his other hand snaked around her and she felt like this was the best moment of her entire life.
There was nothing else in her life that she wanted more than this.
Too soon, he let go of her and stepped back.
"I wanted to give you something, where it didn't have to be rushed because of classes or the other assholes." He said in a low voice, and she found herself getting both nervous and excited all at once. Because Draco had remembered! He had remembered, congratulated and gotten her a gift. Also, it was always fun when he made fun of Theo and Daphne, because Hermione knew how much he enjoyed the company of his friends.
He fumbled with his robes for a moment, before extracting a small, thin package. She frowned at it, and looked up at him in confusion and met those grey eyes. "You're not giving me a book?"
He chuckled at that, before handing her the gift. It was so light. "No, I'm not giving you a book."
Curious beyond anything she had ever experienced, she slowly started opening the wrapping paper - one flap at a time. Pulling the paper off, she put it into her robe-pocket and looked at the small jewellery box in her hand.
"Draco." She whispered. She couldn't tell if it was in question, shock or something entirely third. No one but her family had ever given her jewellery. No one.
She noticed her eyes stinging a bit and prayed for every deity that she wouldn't start crying just now.
"Open it." He breathed, and in that moment, she thought he almost sounded more nervous than she felt.
So, she did.
Inside was a beautiful, thin, gold bracelet. It held an infinity-sign with two coloured stones embedded.
"It's beautiful." She whispered before carefully taking it out and putting the box into her robe-pocket. "Help me put it on?"
He carefully took it from her hand, and she held out her wrist for him. His hand was ice cold against her slightly shaky hand, as he placed the bracelet and locked the clasps together. He then turned the bracelet so that the infinity-sign rested on top of her wrist.
Did his hand linger as he withdrew them?
"It's goblin-gold," he said in a low voice, eyes fully locked on the bracelet. "I thought it would be better for your skin-colour than silver or titanium." He explained in a way that sounded a bit like he was reading from a book and rehearsed it to perfection before a presentation. He then pointed to the purple stone, his hand gracing the bracelet as he did. "This one is Alexandrite - my birthstone. It changes colour depending on the light, or if it's night or day. Without any influence, it'll be fully green or have a bluish tint."
Her heart was hammering so hard in her chest she was certain he could hear it. He had put so much thought into giving her this.
Pointing to the other stone, he said in a bit more confident voice: "This is a sapphire, which is your birthstone. It can be bought in many different colours, but I really liked the deep-blue one. Mum says that those are the rarest to come by, so… I guess… You have those in common."
She could have sworn her heart came to a stuttering halt.
Did he just…?
"I picked the infinity-sign because it had room for those two stones… But also to- Ehm… Also, to, to show that… That no matter what happens, we'll - We'll always be, friends."
F-friends? What did he mean by that? Did he mean that he didn't… But the bracelet… What was-
"Do you like it?" He asked, uncertainty painting his tone of voice.
"I love it, Draco. Thank you." She hugged him again, and for everything in the world, she didn't want to let go again. Because if she let go, did that mean that he would only be her friend?
But curfew was looming - and they had to let go.
"Thank you so much. I really do love it." She said in a low voice.
"I'm glad you do. It suits you." He smiled at her, looking more relieved than she would have thought possible.
…
September 20th, 1994
Hermione sat down the next morning, at the Gryffindor-table in the Great Hall. Her bum had barely fully touched the bench, before her hand was wrenched to the side where Ginny studied the bracelet so closely, the two gemstones almost replaced the redhead's eyes. Beside her, Ginny's friend - Natacha? - sat with just as round eyes and an excited look on her face. Both of them started gushing about the beauty and rarity of such a piece of jewellery. Looking up, she noticed Draco staring at her with a smirk plastered on his face.
Why was he always looking at her when she looked at him?
"It's probably from Krum." Someone sneered further down the table, and Hermione knew instantly that it was Ron.
From across the table, Harry and Daniel shared a knowing look before smirking back at her.
"Sure - or maybe someone a bit… Blonder." Daniel chuckled and Harry high-fived him with a laugh. "It is pretty, though. Must have cost a pretty Sickle."
Hermione extracted her hand from Ginny's and started taking breakfast items from different plates while smiling happily at Daniel and Harry, before turning towards Ron. "If it makes you sleep better at night, Ronald, sure, let's say it's from Krum."
If Viktor had ever gotten her something like this - she would have returned it in a heartbeat.
Ron grumbled something she didn't hear, but obviously someone else had, as Ginny sneered at her brother: "Shut up Ron, no one asked for your opinion."
Hermione continued to eat her meal in complete, wonderful silence looking forward to all of three classes with Draco today, while also having the possibility of a nap. Today would be a good day.
…
September 23rd, 1994
Hermione was sitting on her bed, emptying her back after a week's classes, when she suddenly found a letter.
She stared at it oddly, recognizing the handwriting, but not remembering… Hadn't she already answered him? had she gotten a new letter and just forgotten?
She opened the letter and saw that it was dated September 13th.
Bloody hell - she had forgotten.
"My dear Herm-own-ninny, (MY DEAR?! What in the actual fuck?!)
I can tell from your letter that something has happened. Was it because I invited you to our quarters? My team-mates were very disappointed that they did not meet you like I promised. (Then maybe don't promise my company without me agreeing, she thought bitterly.) You should not have agreed to go if you did not plan on going.
You know I like you, so why do you keep pushing me anyway? Who are you talking to since you will not talk to me?
Why are you making me feel like I am such a bad friend, when I have done nothing wrong? Don't you know I would do anything for you?
Yours,
Viktor"
Hermione sat completely gobsmacked and looked at the letter. What on earth had just happened? She had made a nice letter with William, telling him that his advances were too much and she did not want it. That it made her uncomfortable. That he would be more than welcome to write her, but since she was going back to school soon, he should not expect rapid responses - and this was his answer.
Apparently, he needed a reminder.
Viktor,
Nothing has happened except a couple of near-death experiences at the World Cup - nothing to worry about I assure you. I am fine.
I would also like to remind you that I never agreed to go meet your team-mates. You told me to come and made a presumptuous invitation that I did not want. I had an opinion, and you chose to ignore it.
Hermione.
She blew on the paper for a short while to set the ink, before putting it into an envelope, wrote his name on it and left Gryffindor tower.
Halfway across the entrance hall she saw a glimpse of her brother. "Oy! William!" She called loudly, making the group stop and William's head soon appeared in the group with a questioning look.
"Can I borrow Goliath?" She asked as she he walked over to her.
"Is it for…?" He asked with a smirk, suddenly knowing perfectly well why you wanted to use his instead or her own. She nodded, and waved the letter for him to see - though with the name turned away from his group so they wouldn't know. "Absolutely. Tell him to give the wanker a peck from me." He laughed and turned back to his friends.
Hermione grinned to herself. I sincerely hope he does.
…
September 30th, 1994
Draco laughing was doing funny things to her stomach. Pansy had done a joke to Daphne that had made the entire table laugh as loudly - even Hermione. But all she could think about was Draco's laugh.
Last week they had decided that they couldn't shut up enough to stay in the library, so they had found a nearby classroom they could occupy for their study-sessions. That also meant that laughing as hard as you wanted, wasn't an issue.
"No, I'm serious!" Pansy continued, now with tears running down her cheeks, "seeing Vincent trying to vanish his feather, only to have a full bird fall out of nothing and onto his head was hilarious. The best thing this year - totally."
"Merlin," Hermione chuckled, not having seen it herself since they didn't share Transfiguration-classes, "Did Goyle copy, by any chance?"
"YES!" The Slytherins chorused, laughing, involuntarily forcing Hermione along.
She could do this forever.
Especially if Draco kept laughing like that. As if he had some kind of telepathic ability, his head rolled to the side and onto her shoulder, where he continued to laugh light-heartedly. She felt her entire body heat up in an instant.
From the other side, Theo gave Draco's arm a push which resulted in Draco almost tumbling out of his chair. He would have landed on her completely, if she hadn't grabbed his in-coming shoulder - and if he hadn't ended up supporting his weight on her thigh.
He quickly righted himself though, stood up and pushed Theo back with a 'Theo, you bloody wanker,' before sitting back in his chair. Here, he turned to her, winked, and turned back to his friends.
He had bloody winked at her.
What was that supposed to mean?
Draco sighed hard: "Guys, we'll have to move back into the library at this speed - we won't ever get anything done."
He was right of course. When Pansy was there, they rarely did. With Daphne there was still a bit of talking, but they at least worked. But though she liked the company of the two girls most of the time, she knew that they would be more productive if it was just she and the boys, or just she and one of them.
But she wasn't complaining.
She enjoyed being around someone who wasn't a guy and someone who unlike Lavender and Parvati went and schemed about cutting her hair. And to be honest, the days they didn't manage to get any work done - she just did it afterwards or on some other time. She knew she had the nights off for the most parts. And there was also her next-to-empty schedule on Wednesdays.
She could always get work done - but she couldn't always spend time with her friends.
…
October 25th, 1994
Everything went quickly into routine after that.
Study sessions.
Free time with her friends.
Free time with herself and a book.
Watching quidditch as the training sessions started up.
She went to the classes where she didn't see any of the Slytherins. Then there were the classes where she did. And then there was Ancient Runes, with Draco.
Just like last year, they had quickly ended up being paired - or sitting next to each other at the very least. And they worked so well together, it was like they were this finely adjusted machine that just went without any issues.
It was heaven.
But it was also hell.
They had started doing this… Dance, sort of thing.
They definitely sat closer when they discussed the different runes, more hunched towards each other like they had some kind of secret between just the two of them.
And, well… Maybe they just sat closer in general?
There was also the brushing of fingers, though most of the time it could have just been because they were handing over a note.
But then there were the looks. It happened without a doubt in Ancient Runes, but it was also at any other time of the day. In the Great Hall, in other classes, in the hallway. She felt like she was doing everything in her power to get a glimpse of him - only to find him already looking at her.
She knew he was efficient in Occlumency and alright in Legilimency, so maybe that was just it? He was simply picking up bits and pieces from her mind.
She knew she should be upset by this - but she found that she really wasn't. She had nothing to hide from him. Especially not regarding her feelings for him.
To be honest, she felt like she had had these feelings for so long without doing much about it, so if he found that he had the balls while she didn't, then she really wouldn't be one to complain.
"What did you get on question 23?" He whispered to her so softly, she flinched by surprise. "Hey, sorry." He muttered immediately, his hand coming out to caress her arm as he looked at her in concern.
"It's okay, I was just… Elsewhere. 23? I got… 12x." She said with her heart hammering away in her chest at his touch.
"Yeah, me too. It was a bit tricky."
Talk about tricky, she thought to herself bitterly.
