Dramione - Fire and Ice

Chapter 7 (Draco/Hermione)

Draco immediately put his hands on his head. "No one's touching my beautiful hair."

She grinned at him and Hermione laughed. 

"It would go away... in a week or two..."

He frowned. He rather liked his hair the way it was. Evil little Weasley. 

Weaselette must've found something amusing in his expression because she too broke out into laughter. She had been growing more comfortable around him and he was quick to realize she held many Slytherin traits. He was not keen to be on her bad side anytime soon. Draco had been a victim of her bat-bogey-hex once before a few years ago and didn't need a reminder. 

"It would be your worst nightmare," teased Hermione, her smile wide. "Becoming a Weasley."

He scowled while Weaselette snorted, but his disdain was difficult to maintain with how she looked at him with such happiness. 

She winked at him uncharacteristically, causing his heart to stutter, before she turned to Weaselette to discuss costumes. 

He tuned out again, thinking back to how her body felt on his, when a snippet of their conversation snapped him out of it. 

"- I hope there's not another attack."

"I do."

"WHAT?" yelled Draco and Weaselette, incredulous. 

Hermione shrugged as if talking about their differing opinions on ice cream flavors. "Without more clues, we won't be able to catch them. This would be the perfect time with the Aurors here. The sooner we catch them, the sooner life can go back to normal."

Draco frowned. He understood her logic, but he selfishly thought about how he would no longer be sitting with her during meals and classes. Did normal mean going back on the friendship they had grown to have?

Weaselette looked disapproving. "Hermione, don't be such a Gryffindor."

This actually made him snort and it was Hermione's turn to scowl at them both. 

"I want this to be over. Then I can go back to not needing escorts to and from class, being alone in the library, and not having every step I take being watched."

Draco put his hands in his pockets and looked past her, the rejection hitting its mark. "Didn't realize my presence had been so bothersome, Granger," he said coolly. "I'll have Saint Potter take over then."

He turned around and made his way back to the castle.

***

She called after him but he didn't turn around. 

"Nice one, Hermione," said Ginny, rolling her eyes. 

"I'm sure he's ready to be done with it too," she said defensively, watching Draco disappear from view as he entered the castle. "And I - I didn't mean it like that."

"I think you enjoy each other's company... a bit too much..." said Ginny, raising an eyebrow suspiciously. "Is there anything going on between you two?"

"Me and Malfoy? That's absurd," she said dryly. 

They hadn't done anything scandalous but she definitely never cuddled with Harry nor Ron like she had with Draco. 

She didn't seem to believe her, but Ginny didn't call her on it either. 

"Let's get ready," she said, grabbing Hermione's hand. "It's nearly dusk."

An hour later, Hermione was looking at herself in the mirror - having been talked into going "outside her comfort zone" again - and feeling nervous about what she saw.