She spared no time in telling her friends about her and Blaise's plan...that was after she had to explain everything that happened and why the plan was necessary.
Ginny cooled her heels on the matter on the train. Figuring out that he was really just upset with Hermione and not her.
They had agreed to spread the snogging rumor and Ginny even had Harry send the Marauder's Map to school so they could use it to track Draco's movements in case the rumor was enough to get him peeved.
The next day, after the rumor spread through breakfast like wild fire- Hermione made it appoint to show up late with Blaise so the rumors could thicken. She loosened her tie and fluffed her hair a bit and Blaise placed some of Hermione's light pink lip gloss on the collar of his shirt.
The second they walked in- whispers flew and eyes darted to them and followed them to their separate tables like bees to flowers. Ginny and the other two played the innocent bystanders well.
"Where have you been? And was that Blaise I just saw you come in with?"
Ginny feigns stupidity and a few Gryffindor near them and Ravenclaws over hear the exchange.
"Shhh...I don't want anyone to know." Hermione says.
"Know what?"
"I'll tell you later." She says slyly.
"Is it true then?" Ginny asks and now the Hufflepuff girls are leaning towards the Lion's table to listen. "You're snogging Blaise Zabini?"
"Shhhh!!!! Keep it down...and yes. We're snogging." Whispers begin to fly and Hermione inwardly laughs to herself about how gullible people are. "We don't want anyone to know because well...you know- he's a Slytherin after all."
"And Malfoy's best Mate." Neville says clearly and even more whispers erupt. The whispers silence though as Draco walks through the door and all eyes are on him. Looking pissy as it is- the extra eyes on make him look more menacing. Walking to the table, he sits down across from Blaise, who is eating some bacon.
"Morning! How are you feeling ?" Blaise says happily- definitely not in his usual manner.
"I'm here aren't I?"
"Ha, yeah- I guess so." He smiles and takes a sip of orange juice.
"Why are you in such a good mood today?"
"Oh...uh...it's nothing." He looks queerly at his best friend and upon observation- he notices the lipstick on his collar.
"Is that lipstick on you shirt?"
"What?!" Looking down, Blaise feigns embarrassment and tries to remove the stain with some water from the pitcher. "Shit..."
"No wonder you're in such a good mood. Who is she?"
"Oh...no one. No one at all."
"It's obviously someone if you have lipstick on your collar." Draco states- his voice slightly amused and slightly annoyed.
"Well there is someone...but it's no big deal."
"Yeah. What's her name?" Looking passed Draco, he spots Hermione looking at him and she smiles a bit. When Draco turns to look, he can't explicitly spot any one person looking in their general direction. "As long as it's not a Hufflepuff, Mate- I say enjoy."
"Thanks...I better get going. I have to get to Divination." Standing up, Blaise grabs his bag and heads off towards the doors. Draco watches him go as just as he's about to turn back- he catches several eyes following someone else. Turning around, he finds they land on Hermione- who has her books clutched to her chest as she too heads out of the Great Hall. When they're gone- everyone turns and looks at Draco and all he can do is roll his eyes and eat his breakfast.
It could be just a coincidence they left at the same time. Why should he care either way?
***
Sitting in Slughorn's he looks over his potion's recipe for Episky and studies the ingredients. Hermione sat up front- as far away from him as possible.
Good. She finally listens.
"Ah, Mr. Zabini- what can I do you for?" Blaise walks up and hands the Professor a piece of parchment. Looking at it, he looks back at Blaise and then at Hermione. Blaise turns and leaves the room, while Horace Slughorn goes over and whispers something to Hermione- who gets up with haste and leaves class.
She doesn't return and it sort of has Draco curious.
Did something happen? Is she in trouble? And why is Blaise the one fetching her?
Why should I care?
I don't.
**
As the day drags on, class after class- break after break- whispers keep flying around him like flies on shit.
Finally sitting in the library trying to study for Ancient Runes- Draco over hears three girls- a Hufflepuff, a Ravenclaw, and a Slytherin all discussing something juicy. They aren't as quiet as they are trying to be and he over hears everything clearly.
"I saw them this morning coming out of a broom cupboard."
"A broom cupboard?! Seriously? When?"
"During first class. I was on my way to the lavatory, when I saw them come out- her hair a mess, shirt partly unbuttoned- tie eschew. Not to mention her lipstick smeared." The Hufflepuff says.
"I heard he was...standing at attention after their little tryst in the boy's lavitory during lunch time. Ernie McMillian said he was so distracted by the size of him poking against his trousers. He had to excuse himself and he only came back after ten minutes." The Ravenclaw coos.
"Yeah well, at least someone is getting some....kinda a low blow if you think about it though." The Slytherin states as Draco buries his face farther in his book- but his ears still very much on the conversation.
"Right! What is it with her and Slytherin's? I mean first the one...and now his best Mate. She must be desperate...or just a slag."
"Obviously she's a slag of the saint herself is skipping classes to have a snog...could be a shag as well though- considering his constant arousal."
"Can you imagine?"
"His size?"
"No- the look on Malfoy's face when he finds out his best friend is fucking Granger."
What?!
"Oh, he's gonna flip. Blow a gasket- he will. I almost feel sorry for him. After what she did to him." The Hufflepuff states.
"Yeah- taking advantage of his situation and everything. Then beating him to near death. She's not only a slag for jumping from guy to guy- but she's also psychotic." The Ravenclaw closes her book.
"I heard from Katie that she saw Hermione blowing Blaise before third class. Said she had cum dripping down her chin."
His fire burns brighter in his chest with every word the girls say. Standing up, he feigns ignorance and walks passed them. They all quietly gasp before continuing.
"I don't know what she ever saw in him anyway. I mean look at him. Fucking pathetic...what happened to him?" The Ravenclaw bites.
"He's just a waste- if he ever thought he and Granger had a chance- he should've known better. Fucking dreamer." The Slytherin hisses and Draco just ignores them and heads towards his common room.
As he's coming down the hall, he sees Blaise standing at the corner talking to Hermione. Just talking- nothing more than that. As he passes he loosens his tie and tucks his books under his arm.
"Hey! Mate?! Where ya going?" Blaise calls and Draco just ignores him. He moves with ease- the look of pure anger pouring over his appearance like lava from a volcano. Getting into the common room- he sets his stuff down on his bed and leaves.
He storms out of the castle, down through the woods and has to stop as he gets to the edge of the lake. He sits down on a snowy log and shoves his face in his hands as his elbows rest on his knees.
"GrrrrAHHHHHHH!!!!!!" He screams loudly. Picking up a snowy stone, he throws it and it skids across the ice and stops several yards away from him.
If it wasn't bad enough that people hate him and think he's a joke: now Blaise and Hermione are shacking up.
Two weeks must've been more than enough time for her to forget about him. More than enough time to move on to someone else. Someone more handsome and charming and...well- he won't admit it out loud- but bigger in many ways.
His heated body vibrates with the frustration that has only been building since New Years Eve. Standing up, he paces back and forth and then looks out at the rock on the thick icy lake. Taking heavy breaths, Draco steps out onto the ice and doesn't pause to consider what could happen. It's already getting dark out and yet he keeps going out farther and farther.
He passes the stone.
He passes the buoy.
He passes the dock that rests a hundred yards off the shoreline.
When he feels his chest tightening and the angered tears freezing to his face, he sits down on the ice.
Right there in the middle of the Black Lake.
The full moon rising brightly over him and underneath the surface of the thick winter ice, he finds the mermaids circling below him- watching him cautiously as if he's planning something against them.
The pain that runs through his body- is nothing short of death itself. Laying back onto the ice, his sweater vest barely keeping his back from freezing to it- his dress shirt thin and going frigid. His hands beginning to stick to the biting cold lake.
He stares up at the sky and lets his tears and frustration wash over him- drowning him with every second he's out there.
He doesn't try to quiet his sobs.
The cold air is doing that for him.
He eventually stops shivering and just finds a calming peace brushing over him.
Why did it have to be Hermione?
Why couldn't Blaise have fallen for anyone else?
A Hufflepuff would have been more preferred than my Hermione.
The cold north wind howls and causes his ears to ache horribly.
His cheeks become hot from frostbite and his hands and feet burn.
I just want it to be over.
Let it all be over- please, I beg you.
I don't want to love her any more.
I don't want to think of her.
I don't want...
I don't...
I...
Eyes heavier than the pain in his chest- Draco gives into the heaviness and closes his eyes.
He gives into the cold and the pain.
He gives into the burning in his extremities and the ache in his ears.
He gives into his sorrow and everlasting depression.
And he gives into fate.
***
"He looked frustrated all day." Hermione says as her and Blaise lean on the corner wall just down from the library. "In every class he just sat there and didn't say anything. Didn't even look at me. I don't think your plan is working, Blaise."
"It's working- trust me. If he hasn't heard yet about 'us' it will happen. Just give it time, Granger. I know what I'm doing...speaking of which- I may have heard...a few different rumors going around now. It started after lunch."
"What kind of rumors?"
"The kind we didn't want to start." He says quietly.
"Seriously?! That's only going to make matters worse."
"I know...but we can't put a stop to them yet- it'll ruin the whole plan." He says and looks up. "Shit."
"What?"
"Draco's coming from the library. He looks pissed."
"He must've heard something."
"Just act natural- okay?" She nods and Draco gets closer. Loosening his tie and tucking his books under his arm.
"Hey! Mate! Where ya going?!" Draco doesn't even look at them. He just keeps rushing passed them and Blaise turns back to Hermione. "He's beyond pissed. I've...I've never seen him like that before."
"Maybe you should go check on him." Hermione says and Blaise shakes his head.
"No- gotta let him calm down first. Or else I'll be the one in the hospital wing...or a body bag."
They watch him head right towards the hallway to go to the dungeon and they both have a terrible feeling in their guts.