Everyone throughout the school was all aflutter with the pending start to the Triwizard Tournament and the unexpected entry of one Harry Potter, Hermione Granger had something else entirely on her mind. Something that frustrated her to no end, that she should certainly not be bothered by or allow to take up as much of her headspace as it currently was.
It was Draco Malfoy—and Pansy Parkinson.
The change had come suddenly, almost overnight. One day, Draco was his usual self, sneering at Gryffindors and keeping close to Hermione in the Slytherin common room, protecting her from the occasional rude comments and glares that still followed her. And the next, he was practically glued to Pansy's side, laughing with her in the corridors, sitting with her at meals, and sneaking off with her during breaks.
At first, Hermione had dismissed it as nothing more than teenage flirtation. Draco was a teenage boy after all, a fact that she had been very much reminded of this summer, and while he'd always been her closest friend, she knew it was natural that he'd want to explore something new.
But the more she saw them together, the more Hermione found herself feeling… annoyed. It wasn't that she wanted Draco in that way—he was like a brother to her. She had never thought of him as anything more. But watching Pansy, with her flirtatious giggles and constant touching, wrapping Draco around her finger, made something in Hermione's chest tighten.
Jealousy. She didn't want to feel it, but there it was, an uncomfortable, nagging presence she couldn't shake.
One evening in the Slytherin common room, Hermione sat by the fire, pretending to read a book, but her eyes kept drifting to Draco and Pansy on the other side of the room. Pansy was leaning into him, whispering something in his ear that made him smirk. Draco didn't even glance at Hermione, completely absorbed in whatever mindless thing Pansy was saying.
It wasn't like Draco at all.
Why did it bother her so much? Draco was her friend. He could do what he wanted. But the feeling gnawed at her, and she couldn't help but think of how different things were now. Draco had always been fiercely protective of her, almost possessive at times, but ever since Pansy had started clinging to him, Hermione felt… left behind. She slammed her book shut, frustration bubbling over. And you know what else was being left behind? His studies!
It didn't help that Pansy was everything Hermione wasn't—pretty, popular, and totally uninterested in academics. She was frivolous, shallow, and Draco seemed captivated by her. Hermione prided herself on being practical and focused, on her love of learning and doing the right thing. Pansy represented everything Hermione despised. So why did Draco like her?
"Staring won't change anything, you know," a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.
Hermione looked up to find Blaise Zabini lounging casually in the chair next to hers. He had noticed her distracted glances at Draco and Pansy. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes flicked briefly toward the couple across the room, as if he knew exactly what Hermione was thinking.
"I'm not staring," Hermione said, her tone sharper than intended.
"Of course not," Blaise replied, a hint of amusement in his voice. "But if I were you, I wouldn't waste time worrying about Pansy. Draco will get bored of her soon enough. It's just a phase."
Hermione frowned. "How do you know that?"
"Because I know Draco," Blaise said with a shrug. "He's fourteen. Pansy's pretty and available, but she's not exactly deep. It's easy for him to indulge in someone like her for a while. But he'll realize soon enough that she's not worth it. Especially when his parents find out."
Hermione hadn't thought about that. The Malfoys would definitely disapprove of Pansy, and Lucius, in particular, would have strong opinions about who Draco should associate with. Pansy Parkinson didn't have the power or influence they would want in a match for Draco, especially considering his future was already so carefully orchestrated.
Still, the thought didn't bring her any comfort. Draco was a boy driven by hormones, and while she had no illusions about who Draco was—she had seen his worst traits up close—this version of him felt foreign to her. He wasn't himself around Pansy, and that was what bothered Hermione the most.
"I'm sure you're right," Hermione muttered, trying to sound indifferent. "It's just… strange seeing him like this."
Blaise raised an eyebrow. "Strange? Or irritating?"
Hermione shot him a look but didn't respond. She knew what Blaise was getting at, but she refused to admit that she was jealous. How could she be? Draco was her best friend. He'd always been there for her, and she'd never seen him as anything more than that.
But now, seeing him with someone else, Hermione was starting to realize how much she had taken him for granted. It had always been just the two of them, a bond that no one else could understand.
"Don't worry, Granger," Blaise added, leaning back lazily. "Draco will come to his senses. He usually does anyway."
Hermione's stomach twisted. She hated how much she wanted that to be true. Blaise's words lingered in her mind long after he left, and she couldn't shake the feeling that her jealousy was deeper than she'd realized.
Meanwhile, back at Malfoy Manor, the atmosphere was thick with disapproval.
Lucius Malfoy paced the floor of his study, his expression tight with irritation. Narcissa sat elegantly in a nearby chair, her face a mask of calm, though her fingers twitched slightly in her lap. They had received an owl (not from Draco) in which their line of sight into the goings on at Hogwarts mentioned their son's growing attachment to Pansy Parkinson.
"A ridiculous match," Lucius muttered, finally stopping his pacing to look at his wife. "The Parkinsons are a respectable enough family, but they bring nothing of value to us. The girl is—"
"Flighty," Narcissa finished, her voice cool. "Pansy Parkinson is a silly child, and Draco is acting like the young boy he is. This will pass."
"But what if it doesn't?" Lucius said, his tone hardening. "We have plans for him. He knows the importance of the Malfoy legacy, and he knows that Pansy Parkinson is not a part of that."
Narcissa met her husband's gaze evenly. "Draco is still young, Lucius. Let him indulge in this little distraction. It will not last. His loyalty will always lie with our family—and with the plans we've made for him."
"And what of Hermione?" Lucius said, his voice dropping to a more contemplative tone. "She very well may see Draco with someone else and start looking around as well! Would you be this calm if our Hermione was suddenly linked to the Weasley boy that's their age! We've invested too much in her to let Draco lose sight of what truly matters."
Narcissa's eyes softened slightly. "Draco cares deeply for Hermione. He always has. Even if he doesn't fully understand it yet. This flirtation with Pansy is nothing but a passing whim. Hermione is the one who challenges him, who makes him stronger. And Hermione adores Draco. She will see through his dalliances and be there for him when he is ready. Plus, she is much too focused on her studies and too mature to be lured away from our family by someone as trivial as a Weasley."
Lucius nodded, his expression unreadable. "You're right. Pansy Parkinson will fade away soon enough. But we must make sure that Draco does not lose sight of what we've built."
Back at Hogwarts, Draco Malfoy continued to lavish his attentions on Pansy, enjoying the attention and the simplicity of their relationship. Pansy didn't challenge him, didn't make him think too much. She was pretty, and she adored him. It was easy and fun and everything that Draco had in no other aspect of his life.
But every time he caught Hermione's eye across the common room or the Great Hall, something tugged at him. There was a tension between them now that hadn't been there before. Hermione was distant, quieter than usual, and it bothered him more than he wanted to admit.