The Sweetest Thing

chapter 4

Hermione POV
The next few days, past by uneventfully. We were quit busy in the lab and I didn't get to see or chat to my friends for the rest of the week, although, Ron did come over to the lab on Thursday morning, asking for hangover potion. Apparently he and a bunch of guys from the aurror office went out for some drinks after work, the night before and things got out of hand as usual.

Ron had also mentioned that Mrs Weasley had invited me over for Fleurs baby shower on Saturday. In told him, I'd do my best to come, and he was off again. I didn't really feel like going, since without Ginny there, I would be the only unmarried female there, and I just know I'm gonna have to deal with questions on my nonexistent love life and why Ron and I didn't work out. But on the other hand I've missed the warmth and hominess of the Burrow, and Mrs Weasley too.

We were all just looking forward to the weekend, Neville was in a particular good mood because this meant he gets to go visit his girlfriend Parvati Patel, who took over from professor Trelawney a year ago at Hogwarts, after she finally retired and decided to go live with some of her family in Peru. Personally I never cared for Divination, but Neville swears, Parvati has the eye, and is the best thing that could have happened to the subject as far as teaching goes. He's gonna go see her over the weekend, and get to stay on the grounds. I only envy him because there's nothing like waking up in that castle, surrounded by some of the best memories of our childhoods. I suppose not all the memories of Hogwarts are good ones, but nevertheless, its always amazing to be back there.

"So Granger, what will you be up to this weekend?", Draco says pulling me out of my own thoughts. "I really just want to relax, this week has taken it's toll on me", "I can see yeah, looks like you've been lacking in your hours of beauty sleep" he mocks the bags under my eyes, which I didn't think was as prominent as it clearly seems to be. "Very funny, ferret boy. But I suppose some extra hours in sleep will be a welcoming reward after the week I've had." He smirks, clearly impressed with his own dumb jokes.

"I might go over to the Burrow on Saturday, though. I was invited to a baby shower", "Another Weasley baby's on its way, how lovely" he says, I scowl at him. "Well, who's the lucky parents" he continues sarcastically, I ignore his sarcastic tone and replies, "Its Fleur and Bill's, baby, its the 2nd child. Not sure of the gender though. And you don't have to be so sarcastic you know, I always wanted to be from a large family. I mean my parents showered me with love, but it would've been nice to have some more siblings to play with growing up" , "I know, Hermione," say Neville. "Being an only child was kind of lonely and it just meant my Grandmother had more time to spend just terrorising me. Would've been nice to not be the only one having to deal with her all the time.",

"Well I'll agree with you guys, that being an only child can be a bit lonely, but I still wouldn't have wanted to grow up as part of a litter, the way they did. Ouch!" I threw Draco with an empty ink bottle, his last comment was uncalled for. "Dammit, Granger, when will you stop being so violent?" he says, rubbing his head, while Neville and I burst out laughing. "Well, Malfoy, maybe when you can have a conversion without being a git" he just glares at me, and I glare back. "And besides, I thought Slytherins liked it rough" at this he looks a bit amused and shot me a smirk that didn't reflect as malice as the usual ones does, there were a bit of glee in his eyes.

"Well," he says "didn't know you've been playing around in the snake pit, Granger. Anyone I would be acquainted with?" he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. The look on his face making me squirm in my seat a little "Oh shut up Malfoy. I have work to do." I try to blow him off, but I knew I'd opened a Pandora's box with that statement. He just continues his rant, "Let me see here, who could it be? Flint perhaps? You always did have an eye for a Quidditch guy. Or is it the shy Mr Nott?" I just continue on monitoring my cauldron as if I don't hear him. "Isn't Nott, currently engaged to Cho Chang?" I hear Neville say, I shot him a glare. 'Why, Neville? I thought you were on my side?' I thought to myself. He just smiles chops some more dried devil's snare for us. "Right you are, Longbottom. So it can't be him. It would be a bit out of character for our Gryffindor princess to be dating a soon to be married man." Malfoy is now walking around the potions lab, like his teaching a class.