October arrived in the next 2 weeks, surprisingly quick. No one was able to find out what had happened with Ron and Lavender, both disappearing from the school. Parvati and Neville were now permanently replacing them and had gotten their final badges.
Saturday came around, a cold breeze coming with it. That morning, Hermione woke up to pecking on her window. She tried to ignore it as she turned her back to the window, but it only seemed to get louder. With a small Groan, she glanced over at the window. She recognized the owl, it was Blaise's. Hermione got up and walked over. She opened the window a bit and immediately regretted not putting on a robe. She quickly took the letter from the owl before it flew away and she locked the window as she put a warming spell on. She sat on her bed as she opened the letter.
We're at Hogsmead, catch up with us there. We'll be at Honeydukes for a bit. If you don't find us there, come to the three broomsticks. You have to come.
Blaise
Hermione sighed, glancing over at her clock. It was 11 in the morning. Running a hand through her hair, she got up again and went to the bathroom.
She was about to turn the doorknob but found it locked. She stared at the door in confusion, was Malfoy not with them?
Hermione knocked, waiting for a response. "What?"She heard a snarl. She rolled her eyes. "I need the loo"She told. She didn't hear a response but the door opened. She looked over and saw Draco at the sink, brushing his teeth. "Well"He snapped, gesturing to the Loo.
"Are you daft? I'm not going while you're here!"She snapped. "Granger, we have to be in Hogsmead soon, we don't have time to waste"He told. "Get out"She demanded, glaring at him. Draco rolled his eyes, washing out his mouth before stepping out.
Hermione was about to go in before he stopped her. "You aren't allowed to leave without me"Draco said. "Malfoy, It's been weeks, I'm not going to get attacked"Hermione rolled her eyes, pushing past him. "Your mother seems to think otherwise, now say you won't leave"He told. "Alright alright, I won't leave"She said, putting her hands up in surrender. He seemed to doubt her but she closed the door before he could say anything.
Hermione left the bathroom and went to her room. She went through her dresser and pulled a plain black t-shirt out, along with a brown skirt.
She was sitting at the edge of her bed, putting on her shoes when she heard a knock on her door. "I'm getting my wand, and I'll be out!"She called. Walking over to her desk, she picked up her wand as she heard her door open. "Can't you only wait a second Malfoy?"Hermione rolled her eyes as she put a warming charm around her before she pocketed her wand.
He ignored her remark as he leaned against the doorframe, waiting for her. She walked past him, closing the door after he stepped away. They walked out of the dorm silently, Hermione glancing over at him every couple minutes. He seemed uncomfortable. He had seemed uncomfortable for the past few days. She shrugged it off, forgetting about it for now.
They walked through the corridors, neither uttering a word. They made it to the doors of Hogwarts, and down to Hogsmeade. The silence was now becoming more and more awkward, she couldn't handle it. "Are you alright Malfoy?"Hermione questioned as she stopped walking. "Just hurry up"He mumbled, continuing to walk down the side of the road. She scoffed, what was wrong with him?
They entered Honeydukes and found the others instantly, all spread out in the store. Hermione stepped away from Draco, walking over to Pansy who putting bags of candy in her basket. "Look who's here" She smirked over her shoulder. Hermione rolled her eyes, picking up a chocolate frog. "Is there a reason you had to wake me with a letter?" Hermione questioned. "I didn't send the letter"Pansy scoffed.
"I know your handwriting, that definitely wasn't Blaise"Hermione said, glancing over at her. "What were you planning?"She asked. Pansy looked away, not answering as her smirk widened. She shrugged as she walked away. Hermione looked after her suspiciously before shaking her head, they really were something else.
Hermione got some sugar quills, along with a few Pumpkin Pasties. As she headed to the front to check them out, Pansy came out of no where and dragged her around the store. "What're you-"Hermione began before Pansy shushed her.
"Listen"Pansy muttered, stopping at the end of an aisle. Hermione rolled her eyes, not knowing what the point of this was. She opened her mouth to speak before she heard talking. "Will you just give up already?"She heard Draco's voice.
"Give up?"Theo repeated. "Give up on what exactly?"Blaise joined in. "You know what I'm talking about"Draco snarled. "I don't believe we do"Blaise smirked. "About Granger" He snapped.
Hermione froze, about who? She glanced over at Pansy, who merely smirked back. Pansy stayed silent as they continued listening.
"You seem pretty distant now"Theo began. "I think he's trying to deny our last accusation"Blaise told. "Your 'accusation' was out of line"Draco snapped. "Being obsessed with Granger is out of line to you? It seems right on point to me"Theo shrugged. "I am not obsessed"Draco growled.
"Come on Theo, we must use fancy words for Draco, we must say Draco fancies her"Blaise said. "I will bury both of you alive"Draco snarled, glaring at them over his shoulder as he walked out of the aisle.
"Has he been distant?"Pansy questioned instantly. "What?"Hermione muttered, stepping back at the sudden energy. "Has Draco been distant? Like more quiet than normal"Pansy said. "I don't know- we aren't friends to actually know"Hermione rolled her eyes. "Aren't friends? You're more oblivious than he is" Pansy scoffed. "You guys spend nearly every waking hour of every day together, and you're telling me you haven't even begun to put aside your past?" Pansy questioned.
"We don't like each other, it's that simple"Hermione shrugged.
Pansy groaned, pulling at her hair. "Just go check out your things"Pansy snapped. Hermione rolled her eyes once more as she walked away. Though she couldn't get it out of her mind. He was getting distant with her. All because Blaise and Theo had made a joke? She shook those thoughts out of her head. He was a weird person after all.
Her and Pansy left Honeydukes, the others wanting to get more sweets. "We're going to Gladrags Wizardwear, I need to get some things"Pansy told, walking towards the shop.
Hermione followed her around, not being allowed to sit to the side. "Why are you guys so convinced I'm going to get attacked out of no where?"Hermione questioned. "We're just following what Blaise and your mother said" Pansy shrugged. "And quite frankly, you need to spend more time with people. That faze where you only sat in the head dorm, if I hadn't known better, I would've thought that the only person you wanted to see was Draco" She added.
Hermione scowled, "gross". Pansy smirked once more as she grabbed some clothing. She went over to the fitting rooms before turning to Hermione. "You're going to wait here so I can go try these on, you aren't allowed to wander around, okay?"Pansy said. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes"She grumped.
She waited outside the fitting rooms as Pansy changed. "Parkinson, you've been in there for 10 minutes, I'm getting bored"Hermione groaned. "Yeah because Draco isn't boring at all"Pansy scoffed from her room. "That doesn't even make sense! And Why must you bring Malfoy into everything?" Hermione questioned.
"I'll keep mentioning him till you two become less oblivious" Pansy said as she left the change room. "Oblivious about what!"Hermione cried.
Pansy only rolled her eyes as she paid for her clothes. As they walked out of the store, they ran into the one and only; Rita Skeeter.
"Oh if it isn't Hermione Granger! Or should I say Zabini now?"Rita asked, smiling. Hermione glared at her, grabbing Pansy by the arm and walking away. Rita followed. "It seems like you're embarrassed to be a Zabini! May I ask why?"Rita questioned.
"I don't fancy talking to you, Skeeter"Hermione snapped. "I see this is a touchy topic, how about we move to another? Where is Ronald Weasley?"Rita continued.
Hermione closed her eyes, wanting to disappear. What she didn't expect was to actually disappear. She only noticed when Pansy stopped her. "What'd you do?"Pansy questioned.
"What do you mean?"Hermione said. "She stopped following"Pansy told, pointing towards Skeeter who was looking around. Hermione froze, had she really made them disappear. "I think- I think I might've put a Disillusionment Charm around us"Hermione mumbled. "What do you mean you think?"Pansy questioned, staring at her like she had gone mad.
"I wanted to get away from her, and I think my magic... acted out?"Hermione said, confused herself. "You're too dangerous to be around"Pansy shook her head. "How do you accidentally use magic"Pansy muttered. They glanced around, not knowing what to do. "We'll go to the three broomsticks and than take the charm off, so she won't find us" Pansy said, seeing Blaise through the window.
They walked in unnoticed and over to the booth. They were arguing once more. Pansy sat next to Draco, who was sitting on the far left, and Hermione sat next to Theo, on the far right.
"You always use that excuse"Blaise rolled his eyes. "Draco if you just admitted it, we wouldn't be here arguing over butterbeer"Theo said. Pansy nodded at Hermione, gesturing her to take off the charm.
Draco nearly threw his drink at Pansy as she appeared beside him and Theo jumped out of his seat. "Where'd you come from!"Blaise snapped, watching his sister appear as well. "How long have you been here?"Draco questioned before either could answer. "A while"Pansy smirked, nudging him.
Draco looked over at Hermione, who quickly covered her neck with her hair. He seemed relieved but the others were confused.
"Why'd you look at her?"Theo asked, looking over at Hermione too. The other two looked at her as well and Draco scowled. "I looked at Pansy and none of you said anything"He snapped. "You looked at her as if you were looking for something"Pansy said, straightening up in her seat.
Before anyone could take the situation further, they heard the door open. Astoria, Daphne, Lily and a few others entered the three broomsticks. They spotted them immediately and walked over. "You should've told us you were coming"Astoria said as she sat down beside Hermione, the others collecting more chairs. They moved in closer together to make more space. It still wasn't enough, 7 in the booth and the others on chairs.
"I needed to get a few things and Theo needed some candy, so we dragged all of them with us"Pansy shrugged. "But Granger? Seriously?" Tracey Davis scowled.
"I don't see a problem bringing Hermione here with us"Blaise said instantly. "Neither do I"Theo added. "And I personally invited her"Pansy snapped. Hermione resisted the urge the smile, it was nice having people stand up for her.
"You guys treat her like she hasn't done anything! Don't you remember what she did in 5th year! That Article about your parents!" Tracey reminded.
"Don't you remember what we did to her? We're even now"Draco snarled. "And what exactly did we do?"Tracey questioned.
Hermione spoke before the rest of them. "Called me awful names, shot spells at me, spread rumours to Rita Skeeter and around Hogwarts, and you, Davis, you specifically aimed to kill me multiple times during the battle of Hogwarts, now must I go on?"Hermione snapped.
Tracey glared at Hermione as the others looked away. None of them, other than Blaise, had truly apologized for any of it.
"I'll get Butterbeer"Daphne said, breaking the silence as she got up. They stayed quiet, no one uttering a word. Hermione felt a bit responsible for it but she wouldn't let them, especially Tracey Davis, act like they did nothing.
She did notice them throwing glances at each other, as if they were having a silent conversation. "I must excuse myself"Hermione muttered, getting up from her seat. Before they could stop her, Hermione was gone.
Draco got up as well, half of them already knowing he had to. "Draco, where are you going?"Tracey questioned, reaching to stop him. Draco pushed her hand away and walked out of the pub.
He didn't have to see her to know where she was going, she was too obvious. He took one of the secret passages he had made during his 6th year, and appeared on the 7th floor. 10 minutes later, he was walking to the portrait as he watched it close. Draco entered right after her, seeing her head appear as she headed to her room.
Draco raised his wand and took down her charm before she reached her door. Her head snapped toward him, glaring. "Why do you have to follow me everywhere?"She questioned.
"Granger, you read the letter yourself" He rolled his eyes as he walked over to her. She stepped back, not knowing what he was planning. He stopped in front of her, His hand resting on the doorknob of her room. He pulled it open, and gestured for her to go in. Rolling her eyes, she walked in with him trailing behind her.
"Well?" She said. "About what you said in the three broomsticks"He began, closing the door behind him. Hermione stayed silent, waiting for him to continue. He didn't speak again for another few seconds.
"Forgive me Granger"
Hermione didn't know what she expected, but it obviously wasn't that. She stared at him in shock. "What?" She breathed.
"I live to regret the decisions I made as a kid, and now, I'm asking you to forgive me Granger" Draco told.
He looked over at her, meeting her eyes. She was still shocked, confused. He held his gaze, waiting for her to do something. She nodded her head slowly, and in one swift move, Draco was out of the room, gone.