Despite Draco doing his best to persuade her, Hermione wouldn't take him to Ginny and Harry's "spot". He'd cornered her last night after dinner to attempt to continue their snog sesh, but Hermione wouldn't let it get too heated. They had classes in the morning.
Now she was standing before the mirror, trying to come up with something nice for her hair. She was sort of expecting to be dragged away and ravaged by Draco at some point during the day and she didn't want to look disheveled coming back to class.
She was uncharacteristically filled with excitement and anticipation for the day. But she had two classes with both Draco and Ron, so she was also slightly anxious about how it would go. She knew that she had fucked up with Ron. But his unwillingness to even talk to her, even after all this time, well, he'd made it clear he wasn't interested in working things out.
But she still felt guilty, and would never want to flaunt this new relationship with Draco in front of Ron. She wanted to be respectful of his feelings and she didn't want to give him more cause to hate her. If she was being honest with herself, she was sort of hoping Ron would move on openly first, at least she could try and give him that.
Huffing a sigh, she moved her hair this way and that, still undecided on what to do. Ginny knocked on the open bathroom door.
"Hey, you almost ready?"
"Almost. Just trying to tame this..." she quickly decided on a high half-pony. She smoothed the front with a brush and secured it with a scrunchie. Then she used her wand to rewind some curls before fluffing them up.
"Damn, you're hot. I wish my hair did that." Ginny stood in front of the sink next to Hermione, playing with her own hair.
"Yeah, well some days I wish my hair was like yours. Sleek and shiny and tame." Hermione blew a raspberry. "Ok that's as good as it's going to get today."
"Listen, are you certain you don't want to come home with me for the holiday?" Ginny followed Hermione to her bedside while Hermione picked up her books and checked her bag. "I can talk to Ron. I'm sure he can be civil for Christmas."
Hermione shouldered her bag and shook her head. "Thanks, Gin. I do appreciate it. But it'll be too weird. I don't want to bring any drama. The family is still healing. And this is my last chance at a Hogwarts Christmas!" She tried to sound chipper. "I'm actually looking forward to it!"
Ginny wasn't convinced, "ok... but promise me, if at anytime you change your mind, you will come to the burrow. I'll have your bed made up, just in case." She promised.
The girls descended the steps from the dorms. Harry was waiting in the common room with Ron. The two boys looked up, Harry smiled at his girlfriend and said good morning. Ron looked Hermione over briefly, before dropping his gaze and turning, looking down at his watch.
Hermione sadly recalled the times when Ron used to look up and admire her. But today she was looking forward to a different guy's admiration and she decided to change her mood. She was excited about today. And that was that.
However it was interesting that Ron was waiting here. He must have thought that she had already gone to breakfast.
"Good morning!" She tried for chipper and pleasant. Ron nodded without looking at her in response.
"Shall we?" Harry took Ginny's hand and started out the portrait hole. Hermione waited a beat to let Ron go first but to her surprise, Ron stood aside and gestured for her to go first.
"Thanks." She muttered before climbing through.
The four of them made their way down to the great hall for breakfast.
"I LOVE Hogwarts at Christmas time." Ginny sang out as they walked through the heavily decorated corridors. Tinsel and garland and twinkling fairy lights adorned the normally cold, bare stone walls.
"It is festive, isn't it?" Hermione grinned as she looked over toward Ginny but instead made eye contact with Ron. He looked away quickly. No expression on his face. She was annoyed that she couldn't discern his mood.
"None of you were here last year, of course. But they didn't decorate at all. It was so gloomy and grey. And of course I didn't know if any of you were alive so..." Ginny let her sentence trail off.
Hermione shared a glance with Harry. They had spent last Christmas alone in a tent. And she had only realized it was Christmas when they'd gone to Godrics Hollow. And of course that whole trip turned out to be a nightmare.
"Yes, well. It is nice to see it all like this again." Harry interrupted their silent and awkward contemplation.
As the four of them descended the last steps toward the entrance hall, Hermione watched Draco and Theodore Nott entering the hall from the opposite direction. She saw him glance upward once and then double take as he turned toward the double doors. He gave her a smirk as he glanced over at her companions before he continued into the hall.
She felt Ron's gaze on her and she schooled her reaction, pretending not to notice either of them. Of course Malfoy would be unclear on her definition of subtlety.
Hermione couldn't trust herself not to look over at Malfoy during breakfast, so she quickly walked to the other side of the table so her back would be to him. Harry joined her, Ron and Ginny sat opposite of them.
Hermione tried a neutral topic while she fixed herself her morning tea, "I think we will probably have three more quizzes before break, definitely in transfiguration, and arithmancy, possibly potions, and possibly defense. I'm not sure though since we had that essay, he may decide that was enough." She looked up to see who was following her, Harry nodded noncomittally. Ron was looking over her head. With a less than amused flare of his nostrils, he looked back down at his plate and continued eating.
She was going to yell at Malfoy later. This was actually huge progress, for Ron to sit directly across from her, and for him to even be there with Harry this morning and then walk down to breakfast with her, well, with the group, but still. It was good progress that she hadn't expected. And she could only guess what Ron was seeing across the room.
She continued on with her breakfast and discussed end of term NEWT progress with her housemates and friends, hoping that Malfoy wouldn't try anything during their first class while Ron was around.
"How was lunch with the Slytherins yesterday?" Ron's voice said that. His first words to her since that night before the party. She glanced up carefully, gauging his tone. He'd said it neutrally but she knew it couldn't really be. Her eyes flicked over to Ginny who was biting her lip anxiously.
"Um, I mean I didn't really have lunch with them, I just sat there for a mo'. Blaise Zabini is in my group with Ginny in Herbology so I had run into him in the greenhouses while working on that project. And then he invited me to sit and continue the conversation with him and Daphne Greengrass. I was only there for a minute or so..." Hermione said. Ron only responded with a "mm" and a raise of his brows.
"Zabini is pretty chummy." Ginny chimed in while buttering toast. "In our herbology class he acts like we've all been friends for years. I don't remember him being that talkative in the Slug Club." She shrugged and tried to be nonchalant.
"Yeah, he punches like we've all been best mates..." Harry touched his jaw as he brought up the memory and Ginny made an exasperated face across the table at him. She had been trying to help steer the mood of the conversation toward friendly when talking about the slytherins, for Hermione's sake. But Harry just had to bring up the very recent and negative past.
Harry shrugged and made a confused face back at his girlfriend, still clueless as to why she was suddenly annoyed. Hermione chanced a glance up at Ron. He just raised a brow smugly and took a bite of his breakfast. But he still wouldn't look at her.
Hermione quickly finished her breakfast, obviously Ron's tolerance for spending time with her was dwindling. At least they'd lasted an entire walk from Gryffindor today. That really was progress and Hermione wanted to look at it positively.
"Well I'm going to head to class, I want to review my notes in case there is a quiz. See you lot there!" She said brightly as she stood up from the Gryffindor table.
"Oh! Can you do me a favor and tell Luna I'll meet her in the library at ten after all?" Ginny said with an innocent smile.
"Sure." Hermione began walking away and heard Harry hiss behind her.
"What? I thought we were meeting at ten?"
"Oookkay." Ron's annoyed voice faded as she walked out of the great hall. She looked back to see him standing up and leaving after her. Any mention of Harry and Ginny's "meet ups" usually had him covering his ears and running the other way.
This was awkward though because now he would be walking silently behind her in the same direction. She contemplated slowing down and walking with him, but at the last second she ducked into the girls bathroom. She just couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't end in Ron's annoyance with her. She checked her watch and estimated the time it would take Ron to continue out of sight.
She felt stupid, hiding out to avoid him. Maybe she felt guilty because she had real love bites today from Malfoy that she had glamoured and she just couldn't spend any more time around Ron with that knowledge. No, Christmas at the burrow would not be a good idea. And she felt much better about that decision. Talking to Ginny this morning had her feeling a bit nostalgic for the burrow, but now she was reassured that staying here for the holiday was the best choice.
She checked her hair and makeup in the mirror, wanting to wait a full ninety seconds before going to class. It had to seem like she was really using the restroom and not just hiding to let Ron pass.
When she exited the girls bathroom she was startled by a platinum blonde head waiting for her across the hall. She quickly looked down the corridor both ways, checking that Ron was gone. She was worried that he'd seen Malfoy wait for her. How far behind Ron was Malfoy?
"Relax, weasel didn't see me." He rolled his eyes as he stood from his spot on the wall. His hands were in his pockets, and he stayed a few steps away from her. She felt sad that she had set these parameters. She still felt they were necessary, but as she looked at Draco, at his confident smirk and his tousled hair, she wanted to hold his hand, kiss his cheek, walk to classes together. Like the relationship she used to have...
She sighed to herself. A break from all of this will be very welcome. Maybe she just needs some true alone time, to reflect and evaluate things. And staying here alone for Christmas would be relieving. Things with Malfoy were probably moving too quickly.
Just before the transfiguration corridor, Malfoy took her hand and tugged her into an alcove behind a tapestry.
"Wait, Malfoy, stop it!" She hissed as quietly as she could and pushed back on his chest.
He froze with his hand on her neck as he attempted to pull her to him. His face changed from desire to confusion. "What's wrong?" He asked.
She looked guiltily down at his chest but couldn't find the words to express what she was feeling. That her morning with her ex was too much of a mood killer?
"Ah, I see." He dropped his hands from her and stepped back in the tiny space. "Weasley walks to breakfast with you and now you feel guilty for sneaking around with me the last couple of days." He snorted, disappointed in her.
"I don't know. Maybe." She admitted.
She thought she saw hurt flash across his face for just a second. But then he grabbed her, pressed her against the wall and kissed her deeply. His tongue dove into her mouth and forced her to open wider. He pulled her hips to his, palming her plaid skirt covered arse, squeezing roughly.
Her brain shut off completely, just like it had every time they'd kissed like this. He took every breath from her as she gasped and leaned into him. Her core throbbed as she felt his desire. His knee pushed its way between hers and she broke the kiss when it met her center. She grabbed the back of his hair for support as he rocked her on his knee.
"Fuck." She breathed and squeezed her eyes shut with every jolt of pleasure that he sent through her.
Suddenly he stopped, stepping back. She held the wall for balance, chest heaving, lips swollen, other areas swollen as well...
Draco didn't smirk or look pleased. Instead he cleared his throat, fixed his hair and adjusted his tie. "You should go first. I'm gonna need a minute." He said while adjusting the front of his trousers.
Hermione needed a minute as well. She was disturbed by how her body reacted to him. Her brain needed a minute to catch up. She stayed put, breathing returning to normal, the two of them looking at each other in the dim alcove.
"Class, Granger. You'll be late." He reminded her.
Oh yes, class. Transfiguration. With Harry and Ron. Who would see her walk in like this. She ran a hand over her hair and clothes, checking that things were still in place. Then she stepped out of the alcove, blinking in the bright corridor, and tried to reorient herself. She walked to the transfiguration classroom as the bell rang out.
She tried to walk casually down the aisle, past Zabini on the left and Malfoy's empty chair, past Ron and Harry on the right. And found her spot in front of them next to Luna.
"Welcome class, please pull out a piece of parchment for our last pop quiz before the holiday." Hermione's brain was still catching up as the professor began the class. She leaned over to pull out her parchment, willing herself not to turn around and check if malfoy made it yet.
"Two inch answers only for each of these questions." A tap of a wand against a black board. "And because you made it before the quiz and I'm feeling generous for the holiday, I'm ignoring your tardiness Mr Malfoy." Hermione bit the inside of her cheek, feeling the now uncomfortable wetness in her knickers. "Begin now, you have ten minutes."
Draco got the hint. In the light of day, and after spending time around potter and Weasley again for classes, Granger felt guilty about him. It pissed him off. But he didn't push her. If he was going to get her over this, he had to leave her wanting. Make her feel the way only he could, and then stay back, taunting her from a distance.
It was torture for him too though. She caught him staring at her at least four times during every class that day. They were finally in Potions, the last class of the day. And no weasley's to claim her attention. Potter didn't pay very close attention either.
Draco finished his assignment and looked up at her across the room. She had her arms crossed, a frown on her face as she instructed potter what to do. He muttered something back to her in annoyance as he stirred their potion. Granger rolled her eyes and looked directly at Draco. She froze when they made eye contact and Draco's heart beat a little quicker. He smirked at her. She bit her lip before she could start smiling back at him which made his smirk widen. She quickly turned away and began cleaning up their table.
He decided to make her wait until later tonight. She would be in the greenhouse after dinner. He would have plenty of uninterrupted time after that. But as they left class he pushed through the group and grazed his hand against hers, turning just enough to give her another smirk before taking off through the hoard of students leaving the dungeons.
Hermione was expecting Draco to be there. She had spent all day thinking about their morning snog. He had stayed away the rest of the day, but she'd caught him looking at her. He'd caught her looking at him too. She had half hoped he would pull her aside after every class. But he didn't. He just eye fucked her all day and that kept their morning fresh in her mind.
She kept an eye out for him the whole way down to the greenhouses, and was unsurprised to find him waiting next to their plant, a book in his hand as he leaned back on a chair.
"Did you already water it at least?" She asked with a brow raise.
"Of course not, it's your turn." He smirked as he shut the book and dropped the chair legs to the ground.
She rolled her eyes and walked over, checking the plant and the moisture of the dirt. "This is almost dry, did you and Zabini miss your shift today?" She accused before watering the tropical plant.
Malfoy shrugged "that's a real possibility." He stepped behind her and trailed his hand on her hip. "I was a bit... distracted."
There were other students in the greenhouse with them so she stepped back quickly. "Quit." She hissed looking around.
"Then hurry up so we can find somewhere more... private." He whispered to her, making goosebumps ripple across her neck.
She cleared her throat and set the watering can down. Her heart was already racing and he'd barely touched her.
They walked quickly out of the greenhouses and through the falling snow back into the castle. Dinner was ending and students were making their way back to their common rooms. Nobody that she knew though, so she and malfoy easily snuck down a side corridor and he checked a few doors, finding a roomy broom cupboard.
Malfoy took her hand and pulled her in after him. He shut the door and dropped his bag, pulling hers off her shoulder and doing the same. His mouth attached itself to hers and she melted into him. There was a noise outside and she froze, waiting for footsteps to pass. He pulled out his wand and silenced and locked the door.
"Better?" He stuck his wand back in his pocket and continued kissing her.
His hands found their way under her skirt this time, squeezing her arse and feeling her lace knickers. He groaned and pulled his wand out again, conjuring a sturdy chair behind him. She giggled as he sat down and lifted her onto his lap.
"Fuck, I've been thinking of you all day." He loosened her tie and unbuttoned the top buttons of her shirt, tugging the collar to the side to kiss her neck. She was holding onto his shoulders, her eyes fluttered shut and she threaded her fingers up into his hair. She felt his hard cock pressing against the apex of her thighs, and she gasped when she moved and rubbed her clit against him.
His hand slipped under her knickers, grabbing her bare arse cheek and squeezing, moving her back and forth against him. She moaned and tugged his head backward by his hair, needing to taste his mouth again.
It wasn't long, after the day long buildup, before she was cumming in her knickers on his lap. She hadn't done it since that time on the broom. And it was possibly even more intense. Now that they were alone in a dark closet, with nothing to stop for.
She paused, catching her breath and sat back a little to look into his eyes. He just grinned at her. "Don't stop now, Granger." He started to unbutton her shirt even more, down past her bra.
"Malfoy, wait." She stood up and turned. She needed to tell him she was a virgin. That was like, common courtesy, right? She wasn't going to fuck him right now. But he should be aware, that when they do proceed to more than dry humping, it would be her first time.
She turned to face him. He stayed in the chair, legs wide, leaning back. He ran his hand through his hair as he waited for her to speak.
"I'm a virgin." She blurted out. Best to just get it over with.
His eyes widened, and his brows shot upward. His hand froze, stuck in his hair.
"We just, we were never alone and never found the time." She rambled on. "I would have. I'm not a prude. I wanted to do it with Ron. We just didn't get around to it."
Malfoy continued to just stare and blink. He sat forward and scrubbed his face. "I mean..." he began before standing up again. "I'm not totally surprised but..."
"Don't start with the Ron bashing, he's completely capable of doing it with me." She got defensive at his reaction "and do NOT go sharing this information with ANYONE. Do you hear me? I swear to god if Zabini or Nott start looking at me funny I'm going to assume you told them as a way to make fun of Ron."
He made a face at that, he was offended. "Easy, Granger. I'm not trying to make this about Weasley." He had his hands up in surrender.
She turned then, upset at herself. "I'm sorry, I just... I guess I felt I needed to tell you. If things progress between us..." she let her voice fade away, unsure of what to say next.
"Do you want to have sex with me?" He asked calmly, he pulled her shoulder so she faced him again. But she was suddenly shy and embarrassed.
"I thought that's what we were both gaining momentum for, the past few days..." she mumbled, she wouldn't look into his eyes. But he wrapped his hands around her waist and held her to him.
"I think so too." She could tell he was smirking by his tone. He tilted her chin up and kissed her softly. "I'm glad you told me though. Because it does change things."
"It does?" She asked. Does that mean he didn't want her anymore?
"What are you doing for the break? Are you going anywhere?" He asked.
She blinked up at him, of course he wouldn't know that her parents aren't in England anymore and that they don't even remember her. They don't really talk about things, do they?
"um, no. I'm staying here." She responded.
"have you ever been to Italy?" He smirked down at her, still holding her body against his. "I have to go to the manor, to check on my mother, but then I'm going to Blaise's villa for the remainder of break. Would you like to come with me?"
She had nothing to say. She was shocked. He was inviting her on holiday, to Italy. She could only follow the thought process and begin to think of losing her virginity to Malfoy in an Italian villa at Christmas... she blinked up at him again and he smiled, leaning down to kiss her again.
The kiss deepened, he sucked on her bottom lip and his hands began to roam her body again. He swayed them slightly "I absolutely want to have sex with you, Granger." He whispered before kissing her again. "And I want to be far away from any past memories when we do." He continued. "Please come to Italy with me?" He asked again.
There was a bang against the door right next to them. Hermione jumped, quickly doing the buttons of her shirt and fixing her tie. Malfoy righted himself as well, vanishing the chair and undoing the silencing charm, but he kept the door locked. They waited a beat before she heard the worst voice possible to hear at this time.
Ron hissed angrily, "leave me the fuck alone, Ginny. Fucking shoving me... I'm not going to change my mind."
Ginny's muffled voice then, "violence is the only way to get you to talk to me. Tell me why you won't let her come!"
Hermione covered her mouth in shock as she and malfoy could do nothing more than eavesdrop. She felt Malfoy stiffen as he realized who was on the other side of the door too.
"I don't want her there." Ron spat back. The two seemed to be attempting not to draw attention to themselves.
"You'd rather her stay here alone? You fucking arsehole. You were there with her in Australia, you know she's not going to have anyone with her. Our family is her family, Ron. Why are you letting your petty grudge keep her from the only family she has left at Christmas? You know mum is going to yell at you more than me when she finds out."
"I don't fucking care! I know you don't give a shit about me or my feelings, I'm only your brother. But I'm losing my fucking mind watching her and Malfoy eye-fuck each other all day and I don't want to ruin my own Christmas by having her there."
Hermione was shaking, this was the most she'd ever heard from Ron since he dumped her. And her heart was breaking for him. She was acutely aware of malfoy standing right next to her.
"Well you only have yourself to blame for that." Ginny's reply "you pushed her right to him. She waited and waited, hoping you would talk, hoping you could forgive her. You had endless opportunities to be there for her, to support her during the trial. But your silence and indifference pushed her right to him."
Hermione turned away from the door, hugging herself tightly. Tears were welling up in her eyes. Guilt at what Ron was feeling. What he'd been feeling all along. Extreme guilt at hiding in this closet and listening in on something she was not meant to hear. And being with malfoy, at just planning on running away to Italy with him. At him hearing this too.
Malfoy stayed put next to the door. A grimace on his face as he listened intently.
"How the fuck am I supposed to forgive her? How am I supposed to talk to her? He did more with her than I ever did. I'm filled with shame at losing her. I get it, Ginny. It's all my fault. Now please, shut the fuck up and leave me alone. If you invite her to the burrow I will leave. You can have Christmas with Hermione and two less brothers this year."
A slap echoed throughout the whole castle it felt like. Hermione's heart broke all over again, for both of her friends on the other side of the door. The tears poured silently down her cheeks as she faced away from Malfoy.
Neither of them moved, waiting for the coast to be clear. They heard nothing more from the other side of the door. Malfoy silenced the room again.
Hermione wiped her eyes before turning to face him.
"Well, fuck. The Weasley's have excellent fucking timing." He started.
"Please don't." She said, voice trembling.
After a moment of silence, Malfoy asked "what was that about Australia?"
Hermione sighed and closed her eyes because tears were threatening to pour out again. Malfoy hesitantly touched her wrist. When she didn't pull away he wrapped his hand around it, gently tugging her to him. When her cheek touched his chest she started sobbing again. He simply held her.
She took a deep breath, willing herself to stop crying. "I'm sorry, I should go." She tried to push away from him.
"uh uh, Granger." He held her close still, tilting her head up. "Talk to me, please? I'm going to feel pretty shitty if you run away to your dorm and cry all night after I asked you to go on holiday with me."
She inhaled slowly against his chest again, before sighing heavily. "God, WORST timing." She stepped away, she couldn't be holding him right now. Her heartache for Ron was resurfacing after hearing him just now.
But she did owe Malfoy some sort of explanation, now that he'd heard. "I obliviated my parents, before going on the run with Harry last year. I sent them to Australia so no death eaters could find them. Ron went with me after the war... we couldn't restore their memories." Her lower lip trembled. "Ginny was right. The Weasley's are the only family I have left."
Malfoy was silent as she focused on breathing to keep from crying more. She couldn't look up at him. "I told Gin this morning not to ask Ron. I was going to stay here. I never intended to go there at all this year. For Ron's sake. This is the most I've heard from him since the night we broke up."
More silence. Malfoy took hold of her hand.
"Are you going to stay at Hogwarts then? After what we just heard?" He asked quietly.
She sighed again "I don't know..." she looked down at their fingers entwined together between them. "I was going to say yes, to Italy, before..."
His thumb rubbed slow circles on the top of her's. "Well listen, just sleep on it, ok? I won't be going there until the weekend. You've got time to think about it."
She nodded, appreciative that he was giving her time and oddly appreciative that he had nothing to say about her parents. It really wasn't his place to, after everything. And she didn't really talk about deep things with Malfoy. Not about the past.
"Do you want me to walk upstairs with you?" He asked, taking a step back from her but not letting go of her hand.
"No." she answered. What if Ron was still out in the castle somewhere.
"Do you want me to go first?" He asked.
"Yes, please." She squeezed his hand and leaned up, giving him a soft kiss. "Thank you." She whispered.
He looked at her for a beat, something brimming behind his eyes that she couldn't place, before he said "goodnight, Granger." And left her alone.