It was such a rare sunny day, perfect for lazing around or curled up with a good book. Those were exactly Hermione's sentiments, which was why she was in the library bright and early on a Sunday.
"House-elves & self-hatred... Too grim," She muttered to herself as she let her eyes flit around, looking for a good read. "Why I Didn't Die When the Augery Cried... Still grim... Oh! Perfect, Merpeople: A Comprehensive Guide to their Languages and Customs." She slid the volume off the shelves and unable to contain her excitement, she started flipping through pages, reading as she walked briskly towards her destination: her favorite beech tree right by the edge of the black lake. So engrossed in her book was she that she walked straight into a figure, flanked by two others.
"S-sorry!" She squeaked, slamming her book shut and glancing up into the eyes of Pansy Parkinson.
"You'd think her vision's fine with all the reading she does, but maybe that's why she needs all that practice." She said scathingly, stepping in a circle around Hermione. This earned a snort from Millicent Bulstrode who seized the book and read aloud in a rough voice, "Merfolk often avoid relationships with land-dwellers, Mirabella Plunkett being the only record of a witch having relations with-"
"Oh the boys in Hogwarts are not good enough for the mudblood. She wants a merman." Daphne Greengrass giggled, "Are you blind? Look at her," Pansy continued with a poisonous look in her dark eyes, "Who would even want her?"
Hermione made a grab for the book, but a seasoned bully knows far too well how the mind of their victims work. "Nah, uh uh." Millicent teased, "Where do you think you're going?"
"I don't have time for this, accio book!" She retaliated by whipping out her wand. The book flew into her left hand and she brandished it as though she's been trained in the arts of How to Vanquish Foes with a Hardcover.
"Don't think I've forgotten our second year, Granger!" Millicent growled and lunged for the book. Torn between using the book as a shield or a curse from her wand, there was a horrendously loud thud as the book connected with the bigger girl's jaw and Hermione let go of the book in shock and nobody watched as it skid noisily away, all eyes on her.
The silence was broken by a vicious, "Why you little mudblood!" And all three girls converged upon Hermione like a swarm of angry bees.
"Girls, girls..." Came a drawling voice, "There's more than enough of me to go around." You could almost hear his smirk in the way he spoke. Two of them quickly released their hold on the Gryffindor who was cornered by a window but Pansy refused to surrender, "I doubt you'd want a piece of this." She thrust Hermione towards Draco without breaking her hold on the brunette's hair.
"I can hardly see what's under all that, Pansy." Disdain coloured his voice and it made her finally let go. Draco took a step towards the mop of hair and said, "Well? I haven't got all day."
Hermione raised her head abruptly and glared at him through the strands of her hair, "I'd rather marry a toad than fight over you." She swept her angry tears into her hair and started to walk away but felt a cold hard grip on her wrist.
"Do not make the mistake of thinking I care what you think of me."
She looked down and saw her book in his other hand. The unexpected kindness was more than she could bear and she took it from him quickly before breaking into a run, hearing mocking laughter trailing after her.
"We were just having a spot of good fun," Pansy whined once Hermione was out of earshot, "Why'd you ruin it for us?" The two other girls chimed in with, "Yeah, Draco." And, "Just a little laugh."
"Why ruin such a beautiful day with her?" He said without feeling and turned away. "Wait!" Pansy sidled up to him and grinned, "What are your plans today?"
"Nothing that involves you." He spoke tersely and she let out a little half squeal, "It's for him, isn't it!" She fawned softly, "I'll let you to it, then." It's no secret that he enjoys her attention, or anyone's admiration, really. Even if it was directed at an assumption. No Slytherin ever turns down credit, whether earned or not. He rewarded her with a little smirk over his shoulder before disappearing down the corridors.
Meanwhile, the walk to her destination cleared her head and once she was in the shade of the great big tree with her book, the morning's events quietened in her head. They were just a bunch of bullies anyway, hardly worth her time or feelings. But Draco. She's never seen such gentleness in him, but then again, he seems to reserve most of his energy for Harry. Now that he's in her head, she couldn't quite get him out. Not without putting her finger on it. She leaned back on the bark and racked her brain. What do you call a bully who only targets one person in particular?
The only theory she could come up with was that he wasn't truly one. His treatment of Harry must be some personal form of revenge. She's seen him in hallways and has never gotten any cheek from Malfoy. The times when she does receive any kind of attention from him is when she's with Ron or Harry. Take the two away and she's invisible to him.
It really was curious. But now that she's figured it out, she returned to her reading with a smile on her face.
YOU ARE READING
The Lost Timeline | Dramione | ✔
Fanfiction"Do not make the mistake of thinking I care what you think of me." She looked down and saw her book in his other hand. The unexpected kindness in the midst of poison was more than she could bear and she took it from him quickly before breaking into...
