Silencio

Chapter 5

On Saturday, he even called in sick for the opening Quidditch match, making Harry extremely suspicious. Hermione tried suggesting that he might have actually been sick, but all she got for her efforts was a dirty look.

On Monday, Hermione went to Potions early and sat down on a carved-out stone bench near the classroom to get a head start on her Arithmancy homework. She had managed to forget how cold the dungeons could be in November, though, and the floor was drafty. She remedied that by pulling up her legs and placing her feet on the bench, which also enabled her to use her thighs as a rest for the book. She was happily sitting there, reading and scribbling down notes, when she heard someone drop their books. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Malfoy.

"Tonight," he mumbled, pretending to collect his books. Ah, so that was what this was about.

"I can't," she replied just as curtly.

"Why not?" He seemed wary.

"I have plans." She actually did. She had prefect duties. Of course, he needn't know that they wouldn't take all night.

"Cancel them."

"I can't."

He sighed irritably. "Fine. Tomorrow, then."

"Can't."

"Cancel!"

"No." Hermione was actually enjoying this and couldn't keep from smiling at her notes.

Malfoy dropped the pretense, snapping up his books and standing up to look down on her. "When, then?"

She gave the appearance of giving this some thought. "Next Thursday?"

His eyes glittered angrily and she expected him to object, but he surprised her. "Fine," he gritted out. "Meet me at the statue of Lachlan on seventh floor at ten." He walked on but stopped after a few steps. "Oh, and Granger?"

"Yes?"

"Don't be late." He walked away, and she was left feeling a little disappointed that he hadn't pushed her for a sooner meeting, yet at the same time giddy again and aware that she had made an important point.

"Don't be late for what?" a well-known voice asked, and Hermione banged her head into the wall as she jumped.

"Ow! Ron! Give some warning next time instead of sneaking up on me!" she scolded.

"Sorry," Ron said, but he was frowning. "What are you meeting with Malfoy for?"

"Homework," she replied automatically. "He, uh, really needs to pick up on his Arithmancy."

"That explains why he is doing it; why are you doing it?"

"Extra credit." Hermione was surprised at how easily the lies rolled off her tongue.

"You don't need any stupid credit, why don't you just leave him to rot?"

Hermione snapped her book shut. "Last time I checked, Ronald Weasley," she coldly said, "it was not up to you to decide what I need."

Ron merely looked at her. "You know I didn't mean it like that, I was just wondering what he could possibly offer to make you tutor him."

Hermione shrugged. "I like teaching. I might end up pursuing that line. Who better to practice on than the school's biggest prat?"

Ron shook his head, still not quite reassured, but then their classmates were all filing past them on their way to class, and Ron and Hermione found Harry and joined up.

Hermione secretly noticed that Malfoy seemed to be in a rather bad mood for the rest of the day. She would like to think that she had had something to do with that.