"Hey, what's that?" Hermione, sitting on the ground, spun around. She hid the piece of paper behind her back.
"What's what? I don't know what you're talking about," Hermione stuttered. Pansy stepped fully into the room.
"Oh, come on, Hermione. I plainly saw a piece of paper in your hands just now." Hermione shrugged.
"I swear I was not holding anything," Hermione firmly stated. Pansy smirked.
"Then why don't you take your hand out from behind your back?" Hermione dropped the paper.
"Look!" Hermione shouted as she pulled her hand out from behind her back. "There's nothing!" Pansy rolled her eyes and stooped down to grab the paper that was behind Hermione.
"You one of the worst liars I have ever met, 'Mione." Hermione stood up and reached for the paper. Pansy pulled her hand away.
"Give that back!" Hermione demanded. Pansy easily kept it away from Hermione's grappling hands.
"Tell me what it says or I'll read it," Pansy threatened. Hermione shook her head.
"Please don't," Hermione pleaded. "It's personal."
"If I read it, will anyone die or be mortally injured?" Pansy inquired. Hermione shook her head confused.
"Not technically but-" Pansy unfolded the paper.
"That's all I had to hear," Pansy chuckled and read the short note.
"The Winter Ball?" Pansy shouted. Hermione held a hand up to cover Pansy's mouth.
"Sh!" Hermione looked around frantically, even though no one else lived in their room. Pansy tore Hermione's hand from her mouth.
"Who's it from?" Pansy exclaimed. "Blaise?" Hermione's head shot back to look at Pansy.
"What gave you that idea?" Hermione asked, confused.
"Hermione!" Pansy complained. "You are the most clueless person ever! You're more clueless than you are clumsy." Hermione didn't laugh.
"Wait," Hermione interrupted Pansy's laughter. "What the hell are you talking about?" Pansy laughed even harder.
"Come on, 'Mione! Anyone who knows anything knows he has the hots for you!" Pansy practically shouted.
"Will you be quiet?" Hermione whispered angrily. Pansy chuckled quietly. "You do know he lives in the same dorm as us, right?" Pansy ignored her.
"No one's here! Everyone's either gone for Christmas or going shopping for the Ball. Speaking of the Ball," Pansy returned to the previous subject. "Who is this note from?" Hermione sighed.
Finally, she hesitantly spoke. "If I tell you, it stays between us," Hermione muttered. "And," she added. "I don't even know if I'm going at all." Pansy gasped.
"You have to go. I'll drag you there if I have to." Hermione laughed quietly.
"Fine."
"Now, tell me who it is already!" Hermione was silent for a moment.
"Draco. It's from Draco." Pansy was caught off guard.
"So that's why he wanted to 'talk', isn't it!" Hermione shook her head.
"Not exactly-" Hermione began.
"So, you haven't told him your answer yet?" Pansy asked excitedly. Hermione shook her head.
"He said we would just be going as friends because I'm dating Ron, but I'm still not sure Ron would be happy about it." Pansy rolled her eyes.
"Who gives a shit about Ron?" Pansy exclaimed.
"Pansy!" Hermione shouted, but she couldn't help but laugh.
"If Ron doesn't approved of you having friends, then he can take a long walk over a tall cliff," Pansy stated. "Now, do you want to go?" Hermione hesitated.
"I don't-"
"You hesitated!" Pansy shouted.
"No I-" Hermione tried to explain.
"So you do want to go! Then let's forget about Ron for now!" Pansy exclaimed. "Let's go tell Malfoy that you except his invitation, go dress shopping, and have some girl fun!" Hermione laughed at Pansy's enthusiasm.
"Fine, fine. But if this doesn't go over well with Ron, you're taking the blame," Hermione said firmly.
"Yeah, like he scares me," Pansy joked. "Come on, we need to find Malfoy!" Pansy grabbed Hermione's hand and dragged her out of the room and into the common room.
"Wait!" Hermione shouted. "I need my money." Pansy kept walking, keeping Hermione tightly in her grip.
"It's fine. This will be my treat," Pansy said happily.
"I couldn't-"
"You can and you will use my money to buy whatever dress," Pansy demanded. Hermione laughed.
"Fine."
"Now," Pansy stated. "Do you know where we could find Malfoy?" Hermione shrugged.
"Not really." Pansy sighed as she dragged Hermione outside onto the school grounds. She started walking towards the lake.
"Ugh! This place is so big! We're going to have to look everywhere!" Pansy complained. "Oh! There he is." Pansy pointed to him.
Draco was leaning against a tree on the side of the lake. He seemed to be reading some kind of book.
"Malfoy!" Pansy shouted. Draco looked up from his book and sneered.
"Parkinson," he muttered when the two girls were close enough to hear. "What do you want?" Hermione stepped out from behind Pansy.
"Oh!" Draco exclaimed in a surprised tone. "Herm- er, Granger." He corrected himself. Again. "What are you doing here?" Hermione shrugged and was silent for a moment.
"I actually don't know why I came. Bye!" Hermione turned and tried to walk away. Pansy grabbed her arm.
"Hermione," Pansy said in a menacing tone. "You know exactly why you are here. Now, I'm going to go over there and wait until you are done." Pansy turned to Draco. "Malfoy, make sure she doesn't try and leave again." Draco sneered.
"And why would I ever listen to you?" Pansy rolled her eyes.
"Draco, for once in your life could you stop being to petty and just listen to me?" Pansy walked off, going closer to the lake. Hermione and Draco were silent for a moment.
"What are you reading?" Hermione tried to break the silence.
"Potter's diary," he muttered. Hermione arched a brow. "Kidding," Draco muttered again. "It's just a book I got from the library." Hermione chuckled.
"What?" Draco asked.
Once Hermione had stopped laughing, she said, "Your sense of humor is just so-"
"Amazingly funny?" Draco interrupted.
"I was going to say dry." Draco and Hermione both laughed.
"So, what did you really come here to talk about? Or did you just want to stick with friendly banter?" Draco inquired. Hermione looked down, trying to hide her sudden blush.
"I was actually here to talk to you about-" Hermione was stumbling over her words, something she rarely ever did. "I was here to talk about-"
"Hermione!" Hermione was suddenly cut off by a voice from behind her. She turned around and saw Blaise striding quickly towards her. "Hermione, I-" Blaise cut himself off suddenly. "Malfoy." Blaise said Draco's name with more venom than Hermione ever had, but Draco seemed unfazed.
"Zabini," Draco commented back as he slowly got up from the ground. "If you had any manners, you would have noticed that Hermione and I were having a conversation before you barged in." Blaise sneered.
"Hermione? Are you two on a first name basis now?" Draco stayed silent. "Well, may I please borrow Hermione for a moment, please?" Blaise asked with another sneer.
"Two pleases? Wow, you have such great manners." Draco seemed to be slowly losing his composure.
"Borrow me? I'm not an object, I'm a person. I can speak for my-" Draco and Blaise both held up hands to silence her. Hermione sighed and decided to let it slide. For now.
"You may have her," Draco said. "After Hermione and I are finished with our rudely interrupted conversation."
"Have me?" Hermione commented again. Only to be ignored. Again.
"No. I have something quite important to talk to her about. I need her now." Blaise said reaching out to grab Hermione's arm. Draco caught him before he could.
"Why don't we have the lady decide. Hermione?" Blaise and Draco both turned to look at her. Hermione felt a rush of embarrassment.
"Blaise," she said, turning to face the dark skinned boy. Blaise smiled and Draco sneered. "How long will it take to tell me," she paused. "whatever it is you would like to tell me?"
"Not long. Not long at all," Blaise said will a smile that would make most girls lightheaded. But, Hermione was unfazed.
"I heard you the first time, Zabini," was all she said. She turned to Draco.
"I'm going to talk to Zabini first, then I'll come back." Draco sneered.
"Fine," he muttered. Hermione turned to Blaise.
"Where would you like to talk?"
Author's Note
Hello! Here is the double post that I promised! I mentioned in my last chapter that I might change my update day to Saturday, but I think I'm going to stick with Sunday. So unless any of you would like me to change my update day, I will still post on Sundays. Kiss Kiss!