"I realize that you've never done anything like this before Ms. Granger, and I've taken that into consideration. That is why you are only serving a detention and not being expelled. Are we understood?" asked Minerva McGonagall.
Hermione nodded, thanking her lucky stars that she'd never punched anyone else before or she'd be kissing Hogwarts goodbye, "Of course Professor."
"So I will see you here in the library at eight tonight, yes?"
Hermione nodded and Minerva left, leaving Hermione to walk to breakfast. She arrived a bit late, and sat down with Ginny and Harry.
"Where've you been?" asked Ginny. "Malfoy was worried."
I sighed, "I was just getting a detention."
"The Pansy thing?" asked Harry.
Hermione nodded, "Yup."
She glanced around the Great Hall in search of either Draco or Ron.
Draco was sitting with Theo, Pansy, Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle, and hadn't noticed that she'd walked in yet.
"Where's Ron?" she asked, turning back to face Ginny and Harry.
They looked at each other and then pointed further up the Gryffindor table to where Lavender Brown, Parvati and Padma Patil usually sat, but today there was a new addition, right next to Lavender.
Ron.
"Are they dating again?"
Ginny shrugged, a not so pleased look on her face, "He won't tell us."
"Well I hope he's happy." she said sincerely. "I just wish he'd talk to me again."
Harry sighed and reached across the table and took her hand, "He's barely speaking to me either."
"And he's certainly not speaking to me." said Ginny, rolling her eyes.
"I'm sorry you guys. I never meant for him to get mad at you too."
Ginny scoffed, "It's not your fault that Ron is acting like a three year old."
Harry nodded slightly, "It really isn't your fault. Ron's just hurt."
"He doesn't look very hurt." observed Hermione, glancing over to Ron and Lavender. Lavender was almost on his lap, and she was running a hand through his hair.
"He really liked you Mione, and you just kind of looked over him and went for Malfoy." said Harry.
Hermione turned back around and glared at him, "So this is my fault? Because I don't see him as someone I could be with? That's rich Harry."
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?"
"Just...Malfoy's been our enemy since the beginning. He's hated all of us, called us all names, and treated us all like shit, but you...he was the worst to you. Ron was there when you were crying over things that Malfoy had said, and now he feels like you did a complete 180 and just up and left."
Hermione blinked a few times before she spoke again. With great effort she kept her voice down, "I didn't up and leave. I am not the one who stopped talking to him. He never told me how he felt, and I'm not a mind reader. The fact that you want to blame me for not being able to like someone is rich, seeing as how things ended with Cho."
With that she stood up and walked out the Great Hall.
Where did Harry get off thinking he could accuse her of something. At least she and Ron hadn't ever dated. Harry and Cho had been going out for a year before he cheated on her with Ginny. When we asked him why he did it he'd said that you can't force a relationship. You can't make someone like someone else if it just isn't meant to work.
But look at him now. Hermione understood that Ron was his best friend, but she was his best friend too - or at least she'd thought so.
She made it halfway down the hallway before someone was calling her name. She turned and saw it was Draco.
"Are you alright?" he asked, pulling her into a hug.
"Not really," she said quietly.
"What happened?" he asked, leaning back to look at her face.
"Ron's not speaking to me, and Harry blames me for the fact that he's barely talking to them, and I know you don't really care, but-"
"Of course I care."
"I know you don't like Ron."
He rolled his eyes, "Of course I don't like him. But I like you and if it bothers you it bothers me."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him, because she didn't really know what to say to that. Having a caring Draco wasn't really something she was used to yet.
"Do you want me to talk to him?"
At that she laughed, "Yeah, I'm sure that would go over well. Besides he's no doubt gotten together with Lavender and doesn't really care for me anymore."
"Well if that's true he's a right foul git."
Hermione smiled and placed a soft kiss to his lips, "Thank you."
"Anytime,"
He took her hand and they walked down in the direction of the library, but before they got there Draco asked, "Are you still coming with me to the dance next weekend?"
Hermione's eyes widened, "I completely forgot about that."
Draco chuckled, "Well?"
She sighed, "Well I said I'd go didn't I?"
He smiled, "Ginny was talking to me about how she was excited you were actually coming to a dance."
Hermione laughed, "Ever since the Yule Ball she's been trying to get me all dressed up again."
Draco stopped walking and pulled her so she was facing him, "I remember how beautiful you looked that day, even though you were dancing with Victor Krum."
She was thoroughly surprised, "You remember that?"
"Of course I remember that. You were the most beautiful one there." he whispered.
"But...but you were with Pansy..."
He shook his head, "Did you look at me, even once that night Granger?"
She tried to think back to that night, and the only time she'd really paid him any attention was when he and Pansy had been dancing.
"I mean you didn't look happy, but you never really looked happy. At least not unless you were making fun of us." she said with a shrug.
He winced and she felt slightly bad, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"
"It's alright. I mean it's true. But at the Yule Ball I spent most of the night watching you twirl around with Krum."
"Really? Why?"
"Because maybe even back then I knew there was something about you that was...attractive." he said carefully.
She laughed, "Thank you...I think."
He chuckled and pulled her close, kissing her gently before releasing her.
"I suppose I should talk to Ginny about a dress." she mused.
"I'm sure whatever you wear will be lovely." he said, throwing an arm around her shoulders.
Hermione laughed, "You never saw what Ginny tried to put me in for the Yule Ball."
"I don't know if this is such a good idea."
"Oh come on Hermione, you promised." said Draco, taking her hand in his.
She fidgeted around for a moment and bit her lip, stopping outside the doors of the Great Hall.
Draco leaned his head down so his lips were inches away from hers, and whispered, "I do love it when you do that."
She released her lip and a pink tint blossomed on her cheeks. "Why?"
He smirked and grazed his lips over hers, "Because it makes me want to kiss you."
Hermione smiled and leaned forward, only for Draco to lean back a bit, "Tease,"
He chuckled and pushed her back into one of the alcoves behind tapestry. He pushed her up against the wall, her hands pinned above her head, and said, "I can show you 'tease' if you want me to Love."
She groaned involuntarily and tried to pull her hands out of his grasp, but he just chuckled.
"I don't think so." he whispered as he ghosted his lips across her neck, before latching onto her pulse point and sucking.
She took in a sharp breath and arched into him-whether she was trying to get closer or get away, she wasn't quite sure.
He moved one of his hands down to her waist, while the other one held her two hands above her head.
After he was satisfied with the purple mark he'd left on her neck, he kissed and nipped his way up to her lips, capturing them in a deep and fiery kiss. Their tongues dueled together and he slid his hand up to cup her breast, enjoying how her breath hitched.
She broke away, but his lips didn't leave her skin. He trailed his lips down over her pulse point again, and to her collarbone, stopping only when her shirt became an issue.
"We should go eat," he said, releasing her hands.
Instead of responding, she wrapped her arms around his neck and caught him off guard by pulling his face to hers and kissing him within an inch of his life.
She smirked and said, "Yeah, let's go."
He grabbed her hips and pushed her back against the wall, his silver eyes like mercury, "I don't think you want to play this game with me Love."
"What? Are you scared you'll lose?" she asked, sounding more confident than she felt.
He chuckled and leaned his head down so his lips were right by her ear, "Now that's unlikely."
"Why?"
"Because I'm just better at it than you." he said with a wink.
She rolled her eyes, "How about I come by after lunch and we test that?"
He raised an eyebrow, an amused look on his face, "Really? You sure you want to do that?"
"Well if I recall correctly you seemed to think it was pretty enjoyable the last time I did anything, so I'm quite confident in my abilities." she said with a smile.
Before he could respond she was headed into the Great Hall. He quickly caught up with her and took her hand, steering her towards his table.
Theo and Blaise smiled, and Pansy had an impassive look on her face. Hermione took a deep breath, attempting to keep her nerves at bay.
Draco sat down and pulled her down next to him.
"Hey Granger," said Blaise.
"How are you?" asked Theo.
She was thankful that they were trying to attempt conversation, because she wouldn't have.
"Hey, I'm good."
Theo elbowed Pansy and she glanced up briefly, "Hello," before looking back at her food.
Hermione wasn't sure which Pansy she liked better, the quietly hating one, or the loud hating one. She was quite partial to the latter, only because it was more honest.
Hermione glanced across the cafeteria and saw Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Lavender sitting together. She turned away with a sigh, trying not to let it bother her. She'd talked with Ginny earlier in the day about picking out dresses together and she'd been ecstatic. Harry had apologized, and so had she for bringing up Cho, and they were all speaking again. They never could stay mad at one another for long.
Ron on the other hand was a totally different story. He held a grudge like none other, and it was really starting to piss her off. She couldn't understand why, if he'd clearly found someone now, he was still upset that she was with Draco. Didn't he understand that he made her happy? And the worst part was if he did realize it, and just didn't care.
"You okay?" whispered Draco.
She shook her head to clear her thoughts and smiled, "Yeah,"
She turned to the rest of the table and asked, "So are you guys excited about the upcoming Quidditch match?"
Theo grinned, "Of course."
"We might actually beat your beloved Gryffindor's." said Blaise with a very Slytherin like smirk.
She chuckled, "We'll just have to see about that now won't we."
"Oooh, Draco, you're girlfriend doesn't support you?" taunted Blaise.
Draco rolled his eyes and Hermione laughed, "House loyalties."
"Ouch, Love." he said with a smirk.
Hermione rolled her eyes and was about to say something back when Pansy stood up.
"This is fucking ridiculous," she said, storming out of the Great Hall.
Draco rolled his eyes and Theo mumbled something along the lines of 'drama queen'.
Hermione sighed and Draco took her hand, rubbing circles with his thumb. She cleared her throat and said, "Well as interesting as this has been, Ginny's waving me over."
They looked, and surely enough Ginny was motioning for her to get over there.
Draco nodded and kissed her cheek, watching as she walked over to Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Lavender.
From his point of view all he saw was Hermione standing at the end of the table defending herself from something Ron was saying.
He wasn't going to intervene, because he knew that she was independent, but when the argument started to get louder he stood up and walked over to them.
"- you think you are, but if you ever say something like that again I will hex you so far into next month-"
"Don't threaten my boyfriend, bitch." said Lavender.
"Don't cuss at my girlfriend, bint." said Draco standing next to Hermione.
Ginny tried to calm everyone down, "Guys, come on. You can't all stay mad at each other-"
"She's the one dating a Death Eater!" yelled Ron.
For a moment the entire Great Hall was silent, even the teachers didn't know what to say, but then Hermione spoke up, "Rather that than a pompous, full of himself, coward who's been taking credit for his 'amazing selfless acts' he supposedly did during the war."
He opened his mouth and began to say, "Don't you dare bring-"
"How about you get the skeletons out of your own closet before you start trying to go through other people's."
"What's she talking about?" asked Ginny.
Harry already knew, because he'd been there, but Ginny, and everyone else, was unaware of the lie Hermione had let Ron tell to make himself look good.
"Yeah Ron, what am I talking about?" asked Hermione, her gaze dead set on him.
His face was an awful shade of red and he stuttered out a response, "Don't you dare say a fucking word about-"
"Don't cuss at my girlfriend Weasely." growled Draco, his voice bordering on feral.
"Stay out of it Ferret. It's none of your business."
"If you think you can talk shit and not have me get involved you're a fucking idiot."
Ron stood up, and at that moment it seemed like the teachers got their minds back and sprang into action.
"Unless you'd all like to end up in my office I suggest you sit down and resume lunch." said Professor McGonagall, her voice strict.
Hermione took Draco's hand and pulled him back over to his table, but to her surprise Ginny was behind them.
"Do you mind if I sit here?"
Draco was still too pissed to say anything, but Theo and Blaise nodded, "Take a seat Weaslette."
"Is that really what you guys call me?"
The two boys laughed, and Ginny joined in as well, easily falling into conversation with them.
Meanwhile Draco was steaming.
"Where the fuck does he get off thinking he can talk to you like-"
"Malfoy," she said, placing her hand on his, "It's okay. I just don't like that he tried to bring up your past as if his is such a noble one."
"What did you mean by the lie he told?" asked Draco after a moment, having calmed down.
Hermione shook her head, "Nothing,"
Draco opened her mouth, but she shook her head, "Seriously, don't ask."
He sighed, but didn't push her. They tuned into the conversation the other three were having.
"How do you even put up with him?" asked Blaise.
Ginny shrugged, "He's my brother."
"Yeah, but he's a liar." said Theo, looking to Hermione.
Was it possible that he knew? She hadn't thought that anyone else had been aware of it, aside from Harry and her, but by the way Theo was looking at her she felt like he at least knew something.
"What do you mean he's a liar?" asked Ginny, a bit irritated that people weren't telling her what was going on with her brother.
Hermione shook her head, and Theo shrugged, acting nonchalant. "I mean have you heard the shit he's telling Lavender? Or when he says that he carries the Gryffindor Quidditch team."
Hermione let out a sigh of relief and mouthed, 'thank you,' to Theo.
He nodded almost imperceptibly, and the conversation quickly turned to lighter topics.
The St. Patrick's Day Ball.
"Who are you guys going with?" Hermione asked Blaise and Theo.
"I think I might ask Lovegood." said Blaise with a smirk.
"And I'll probably take Pansy so she doesn't bug the shit out of you the whole night." said Theo.
Draco shook his head, "You don't have to do that."
"I know I don't, but don't argue with me on this one. I want you and Granger here to have a good time."
Hermione smiled and thanked him, and Ginny kept on saying how cute that was.
"Oh!" squealed Ginny out of nowhere.
"What?" asked Hermione, less shocked than everyone else at the table was. She was just used to Ginny's strange outbursts.
"You, me, and Luna should go dress shopping tomorrow at Madam Malkin's!"
Hermione groaned, "I actually have to go shopping?"
"Yes!"
"Why? You picked out my dress in fourth year." argued Hermione. She hated shopping with such a passion that the mere thought of it could put a damper on her day.
"But it will be more fun this way, and you'll end up in something you really like, and not something I really like." said Ginny, a smile on her face.
Hermione sighed, "Fine,"
Draco chuckled, he couldn't wait to see what Hermione would end up wearing, but he knew she'd look amazing in whatever she picked.
The situation with Ron was really pissing him off because of how he'd been talking to Hermione, and that was something he didn't take to well. It was one thing to call him a Death Eater, but another to start cussing at his girlfriend. He just wasn't going to have it.
"Come on," said Hermione, taking Draco's hand and waving goodbye to the rest of them, "We've got some unfinished business to attend to."
Draco smirked, Merlin this witch was something else.