---
“Whoa, hey, Zabini, where were you?” Ginny asked leaning her whole body against the side of the door with her arms crossed across her chest. She had been waiting for him to come arrive to their dorm since she got back.
“Me?” Blaise asked, completely caught off guard to see her there. “Well, I was here and there . . . everywhere.”
“Like where?”
“Well, where were you?” He questioned as he crossed his arms across his chest, staring at her, raising an eyebrow.
“Don’t try to turn this to me.” Ginny told him quickly with a slight glare.
“Ladies first.”
“I was with Harry, obviously.” She said as she rolled her eyes annoyingly. “Now, where were you?”
“Why do you want to know so much?” He asked as he walked over to the couch, sitting down.
“Well, I’m just curious.” She said as she walked over to him, sitting on the edge of the arm chair beside him.
“Why? Do you secretly like me?” He asked with a smirk. “Is that why you want to know where I am so badly?”
“Ha-ha, you’re funny.” She faked a laugh and smacked him in the arm. “Tell me.”
“No, maybe some other time.” He said as he let out a big yawn, stretching. “I’m really tired . . .”
“Fine, I’ll leave it alone for now.” She said sternly as she got up from her seat, still glaring at him. “I expect an answer next time, Zabini so you best be ready to spill.” She said and walked off. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” Zabini called out and once he heard her door slam, he let out a deep breath that he didn’t know he was holding. “That was close . . .” He said and let out a sigh, shaking his head as he placed his hand over his chest. “I need to be more careful next time . . .”
---
Hermione got into bed and shut her light off. She sighed and sank into her bed, relaxing almost immediately. She pulled the covers over herself and nodded. “It’s been a long day . . .” She told herself and groaned. “What was I thinking agreeing to that absurd bet and the . . . outcome of it?” She scolded herself as she squirmed in her bed, frustrated with herself. “There’s no point in winning or losing . . . in the end, we’re going to kiss.” She told herself with a sigh. “But, he thinks I can’t be fun . . . I might as well prove him wrong. There’s nothing to lose . . . except my pride, dignity, and my brain in the process of proving him wrong.” Hermione shook her head and let out a deep breath. “Tomorrow’s a new day . . . tomorrow is the first day of the bet.” She said and slowly calmed down. “I just need to put up with him for three weeks . . . just three. Twenty one days with Malfoy . . . well, no it’s twenty days. Twenty days to make Malfoy fall in love with me . . . twenty days until Ron realizes his mistake . . . twenty more days with him.” She corrected herself and slowly drifted off the sleep thinking about the bet.
---
Draco threw himself on the bed backwards, landing on his back. He let out a deep breath with his eyes closed as he let everything sink in. His eyes fluttered open and he cursed loudly. “Shit!” He couldn’t believe what he got himself into! He couldn’t get a girlfriend in two weeks! 1. There were only seven girls staying here (excluding Granger, She-Weaslette, and Brown) and they weren’t attractive at all; 2. He had to make Granger fall in love with him, so; 3. He couldn’t get a girlfriend either way. He groaned as he slapped both hands on his face, thinking hard. His hands rubbed down his face and fell onto the bed. He made his decision. He was going to deliberately lose the bet so that he could kiss her. If he kissed her, she would surely fall for her. But if he did get a girlfriend, Granger would surely get jealous, right? He smirked as he thought about it but immediately shook his head. “No, do not take any chances. For the first time ever in your whole entire life, do this the safe way. Don’t bring anyone into this. It’s a bet between you and Granger, and only you two.” He told himself and nodded, agreeing with himself. “All right, then, Granger . . . let’s see how fun you can be.” He stared up at the ceiling and sighed, letting out a groan. “This whole plan is so damn frustrating!” He complained as he got up. “Why is it so hot in here?” He asked himself and quickly threw his shirt over his head, throwing it on the floor. “I have twenty days to make Granger fall in love with me . . . I have twenty days until Pansy is off my back . . . just twenty more days and it’ll all be . . . over.” He muttered to himself as he fell into a deep slumber.
---
“Granger.”
“Malfoy.”
Hermione and Malfoy greeted each other as Malfoy sat directly across from her during breakfast. They decided to sit with each other for breakfast since mostly everyone, especially Ron and Harry in particular, were fast asleep. They simply ate in silence, completely ignoring each other’s presence. They were both too consumed in their thoughts, they forgot how to talk.
Outside the Great Hall, Ginny and Blaise were talking behind the corner. “Okay, well, I think we should just leave them alone for now. I mean, it’s not like we’ve been doing anything. Let’s just let them do their thing and if they come to us, we talk to them. Otherwise, we will stay out of their business.” Blaise shared with Ginny.
“Right, but we should still be acting worried. Well, not acting, we care for our friends but you know, let’s just think outside of our plan for a few seconds. You know what I mean? We still have to be friends for them.” She warned him and nodded. “Great, we just need to stay out of their way but help them in some sort.” She pressed her lips into a thin line as she furrowed her eyebrows. “I just confused myself but it’s okay, I’m a bright girl, I’ll figure it out.” She stated and sighed. “You wait for a few seconds.” She said and walked off towards the Great Hall.
Blaise muttered under his breath about their plan. “Stay out of their way . . . stay worried for Draco . . . help them but from far away . . .” He nodded and slightly grinned. “Sounds easy.” He said with confidence and walked into the Great Hall.
Hermione’s eyes immediately shifted over to a certain redhead. She shot her head to the side and saw Ginny. “Good morning.” She said and scooted over for her friend to sit. “How’s it . . . uh, going?”
“Fine, thanks.” Ginny said, a bit confused by Hermione’s behavior but quickly brushed it off. She slowly started to pile up her plate with ham and eggs.
Blaise walked over and sat down next to Malfoy. “Mate, your brain seems about ready to explode.” He said with a chuckle as he stole a piece of toast from Malfoy’s plate. “What’s on your mind? You seem to be thinking about something important.”
“Nothing.” Draco said and sighed. “It’s just Granger here challenged me yesterday night.” He said with a smirk as he stared at Hermione who simply stared back.
“A challenge?” Blaise and Ginny asked simultaneously, both leaning in towards their friend for an answer.
“A bet.” Draco said and winked at Hermione quickly.
Hermione scoffed slightly and shook her head. “Zabini, you should really help him out on this one.”
“What’s the bet about?” Blaise asked curiously, waiting for a response.
“Well, I said that she was too uptight and she didn’t know how to be fun . . . “ Draco started and stared at Blaise.
“Well, it’s true—“ Blaise stopped as he felt two pair of eyes boring into the side of his cheek and looked at the two angry girls in front of him. He sighed and stared at Draco for help.
“And I said he couldn’t get a girlfriend if he tried because he’s scared of commitment.” Hermione chimed in as she kept glaring at Blaise but soon her eyes moved over to Draco.
“Oh, I see what kind of bet this is.” Ginny said and smirked as she stared at the two of them. “What does the winner get?” She asked, anticipating on the answer.
“The winner gets a kiss from the loser.” Draco and Hermione both answered in unison, leaving Blaise and Ginny in shock.
“A kiss?” Ginny asked with a shocked face.
“A kiss . . .” Blaise said under his breath in amazement. “I wonder who’s going to win.” He said with a smirk.
“Hermione would never agree to a bet like that . . .” Ginny said as she stared at Hermione.
“No, you see, your friend has too much pride so she agreed to it before she could even let it sink into her head. She wants to prove to me that she can be fun and daring.” He told Ginny but his eyes remained on Hermione. His eyes were taunting her as if the smirk on his lips were reaching his cold, grey eyes.
“I wish you luck on getting a girlfriend with those two girls over there.” Hermione replied with a smirk as she cocked her head towards the two bitter Slytherin girls in the back, glaring at them. “They look friendly . . . just your type.” She teased Draco with a small grin. “I think the one on the left takes a fancy in you or you know, Lavender can be an option, too.”
Draco turned around to see the girl on the left with a big wart on her face looking right at him. He felt sick to the core looking at the wart and thinking about Lavender as a candidate and turned back at Hermione. “Hmm . . . don’t worry about me. You should worry about yourself. You have to be fun and I have to admit that. I have a different definition of fun in my dictionary.” He flashed Hermione a big smirk making Hermione make a face at him.
“I can be fun.” She told him sternly.
“Please, don’t lie to yourself.”
“You know what?!” She asked as she slammed her hand to the desk loudly, everyone’s (as in the fifteen people left in the school who are actually awake) eyes on them. “I have a perfect thing for us to do that’ll be fun. And I’m not talking about the library, either.” She said and stood up quickly. “Get up and follow me.” She ordered him and walked off.
Draco smirked and scoffed as he looked at his plate of food. “Whatever you say, Granger.” He said and grabbed a piece of toast as he walked out of the Great Hall, following Hermione.
Ginny and Blaise stared at each other with wide eyes.
“What do you think they’re going to do?” She asked him urgently.
“Hopefully, nothing illegal that’ll get them thrown into Azkaban.” Blaise said and shook his head. “We’re talking about Granger . . . she won’t do anything that involves breaking the rule. She’s Granger for goodness sakes! She probably thinks putting her books in alphabetical order is fun. Don’t worry about it.”
Ginny nodded and sighed. “I guess . . . but, did you hear them? Their bet is interesting.”
“They better be in love with each other by then.”
“Why don’t we make a bet?”
“And the loser kisses the winner?” Blaise asked with a smirk as he winked at her.
“No, the loser has to complete the winner’s homework for a week.” Ginny said with a duh-what-do-you-think look. “Let’s make a bet, okay?”
“About what?”
“I bet you that Hermione will win the bet.”
“Fine, I bet you that Draco will win the bet.”
“Deal.”
“Deal.”
And so, they shook on it with confident smirks plastered on their faces.
---
“Where exactly are you taking me?” Draco complained as he looked down at Hermione.
“We are going to first, slip into the Gryffindor common room, sneak into the boys’ dormitory room and I’m going to simply . . . borrow something of Harry’s.” She said and looked up at him. “He has a little something that’ll help us sneak into Hogsmeade.”
“Sneak into Hogsmeade?” Draco scoffed and shook his head as he stopped walking. “I already know how to sneak into Hogsmeade.”
Hermione stopped and turned around. “You do?”
“I’ve known ever since fourth year.” He said as he shrugged his shoulders.
“Well, I know a secret passageway to Hogsmeade.” Hermione tried to defend herself.
“Well, I—“
“Shut up, we’re taking it my way whether you like it or not.” She snapped at him and turned back around, walking off.
Draco smirked as he followed Hermione. “Whatever you wish.”
Hermione reached the portrait and smiled sweetly. “Tapeworm.” She told the Fat Lady who looked disapprovingly at Malfoy.
“What is a Slytherin doing here with you, dearie?” The Fat Lady asked Hermione disapprovingly.
“He’s a friend, now could you please open up?” She said impatiently.
The Fat Lady made a face at Hermione as she opened up. Hermione sighed and grabbed Draco by the sleeve of his shirt as she dragged him into the Gryffindor common room. “Now, we just need to go up, get in, and get out. We need to watch out for Harry and Ron, they’re the only ones staying here.” She said and led them to the bedroom door. She opened it quietly and pushed it open. She looked behind her and looked at Malfoy. “Just stay quiet.” She said and right when she was about to step into the room, she heard a high pitched scream.
“Won-Won? Are you still sleeping?!”
Hermione’s eyes widened and she looked at Draco. She quickly pushed Draco and closed the door behind her as she looked around the place to hide and looked at Draco for help. Draco looked around and rolled his eyes. “You’re an idiot.” He muttered at Hermione and grabbed Hermione, pulling her into a back corner behind the wall. They both barely fit and held their breath once Lavender came into view. Thankfully, Lavender just walked right into bedroom. Hermione let out a sigh of relief as she leaned against the wall.
“That was close.” She whispered and her eyes widened when she looked up at Draco. She didn’t realize their bodies were pressed together, leaving no space in between each other. She felt a blush spread across her cheeks like wildfire. Draco quietly cleared his throat and slightly placed one arm on the wall, right beside Hermione’s head, trying to get comfortable in such a tight spot. He looked down at Hermione and looked up, feeling a bit uncomfortable. They both heard some shuffling and yells coming from Lavender.
“Should we just make a run for it?” Hermione whispered at him after a while.
“Wait.” He said quietly and waited silently.
“I think we can leave.” She said as she took a step out from the corner but suddenly felt Draco’s eyes on her. She stopped what she was doing and looked back up at him. “What . . . is it?” She asked as she furrowed her eyebrows.
Draco stared into her eyes intently and coiled his fingers around her wrist, pulling her back in just in time before the door opened.
Ron walked out with a groan, scratching his head and yawning. He stretched and continued to walk down the stairs. “Lav-Lav, it’s a bit too early.” He complained from all the way downstairs.
Harry walked out a minute later scratching his head and yawning. His glasses were on crooked and his hair was messy as usual. He stretched as he walked down the stairs.
Hermione gulped as she waited for the portrait the open and shut. She heard a faint close from downstairs and sighed. “That was close.”
“You’re an idiot.” Draco repeated as he shook his head.
“Well, I—“ She stopped as she became aware of their closeness again. “Well . . . uhm . . .”
Draco stared into her chocolate brown eyes and felt strangely attracted to her right there. Hermione nervously stared back into his mysterious stormy grey eyes that resembled the dark sky. He slowly leaned in and stopped right in front of her face, only inches away. She caught her breath as she slightly pushed her head up against the wall as far away from his as she could. Draco smirked and continued to stare at her for a minute longer. He pulled back reluctantly. “I guess you do want to kiss me.” He said and smirked wider. “You’re not that big of an idiot, then.” He stated and slipped out of the tight space.
Hermione remained in her spot with her heart beating uncontrollably. She placed her hand on her heart and let it calm down. She could still smell the faint scent of peppermint and pine . . . it smelled nice. Her eyes widened as she hit herself in the head thinking that. ‘Wait a second . . . peppermint and pine? I remember something like that before . . . what was it again?’ She asked herself curiously.
“You coming?” Draco asked, poking his head into the corner, surprising Hermione.
Hermione jumped and gasped as she saw him. “I am!” She said and slipped out of the corner. “Let’s just get the map and leave.” She said and walked past Draco, disappearing into the room.
Draco let out a relieved sigh to see her gone and shook his head. His heart was beating faster than it ever had before. She smelled like fresh vanilla . . . was it her perfume or her hair that smelled like vanilla? He quickly shook his head and composed himself. He walked into the bedroom acting like nothing happened.
Hermione walked over to Harry’s trunk and opened it. She knew exactly where the map was. She smirked and grabbed the old parchment and closed his trunk. “I promise, Harry, I’ll only be borrowing it for a day.” She said quietly and turned around to Draco as she showed him the piece of old parchment. “Okay, let’s go.”
“We came in here for a stupid parchment?” Draco asked with disbelief.
“It’s not just any parchment.”
“You’re right, my mistake! It’s an old parchment that belongs to Potter!” Draco said with sarcasm.
“Oh, shut up, will you? Let’s just get out.” She told him sternly and walked out of the room. Draco frowned and followed her down the stairs and out of the common room. They safely made it out and casually walked out and about in the corridors. “This is our ticket to get to Hogsmeade.” She said excitedly.
“I told you, I already know how to sneak out of here to get to Hogsmeade.” He said annoyingly as he stared at her.
“How?” Hermione asked as she crossed her arms across her chest.
“Well, there’s this passage I know behind the statue Gregory the Smarmy.” He said as he stared at her.
“And Filch knows about that passageway so you probably have to be real sneaky about it, I suppose?” Hermione asked with a smirk as she scoffed.
“I don’t suppose you know a better way, then?” He asked as he slightly glared at her.
“As a matter of fact, I do know a passageway that Filch is not aware of. It takes you right into the Honeydukes cellar.” She said with a smug grin. “All I have to do is find it and say a simple little spell and we can be in Hogsmeade.”
“Really? Why don’t we go during the afternoon?” He asked her with a smirk, challenging her.
“I was planning on it.” She said and sighed. “This is going to be great!” She said excitedly but suddenly frowned. “I’ve never broken a rule like this before and if we get caught we can get expelled.” She said frantically.
“We can back out of it.”
“No!” Hermione snapped at him and cleared her throat. “I mean, no. I never said I didn’t want to do it.” She stated and sighed. “We’ll go this afternoon.”
“Great, it’s a date.” He said and winked at her as he walked off.
“Ha-ha.” She said as she rolled her eyes playfully. She looked down at the Marauder’s Map and bit her bottom lip. “Just this once Harry . . . I promise.” She said and took out her wand. “I solemnly swear I am up to no good.” She whispered as she tapped the map. She slightly gasped as ink started to appear right before her eyes. “Where was the entrance again? I remember using Dissendium.” She mumbled under her breath as she started to study the map, walking towards the One-Eyed Witch that led to the Honeydukes cellar.
---
Ginny and Blaise walked into their dorm and both went straight to the couch to sit down. Ginny sighed and looked over at Blaise and he immediately got the message through her eyes.
“Not now.” Blaise said almost immediately as he stared at her.
“Oh, come on! Why not?” Ginny asked as she frowned, crossing her arms across her chest.
“I-I’m not ready yet.” Blaise said as he avoided Ginny’s glare.
“Wait!” Ginny yelled and gasped as her eyes widened. “You have a girlfriend! Blaise Zabini has a girlfriend and he’s too shy to reveal it to his friends!” She accused as she let out a laugh. “Damn, I’m right, aren’t I?” She asked with a content smile stitched on her lips.
“Girlfriend?”
Ginny furrowed her eyebrows as she stared at Blaise. “That wasn’t your voice . . .”
“No, it wasn’t . . .” He furrowed his eyebrows and slowly turned his head to the side to see Draco standing behind them. “It was him.” He informed Ginny as he turned to look at her.
Ginny smirked and stared at Malfoy. “I’m so glad you’re here! Guess what? Your friend has a little secret girlfriend.” She told him with a wide grin.
“Blaise . . .” Malfoy slowly looked at his friend and smirked at him. “A girlfriend?”
Blaise chuckled and shook his head. “Draco, I do not have a girlfriend. Weaslette, I do not have a girlfriend.”
“No, I saw how caught off guard you were when I said it.”
“It’s because it’s a funny suggestion! I don’t do girlfriends; I do shagging partners, not girlfriends.”
“Okay, fine, so you found yourself a new shagging partner. Am I right?” She asked him.
Draco raised an eyebrow at his friend, waiting for a reply. “Really?”
“No! Unfortunately, I haven’t found a shagging partner or a girlfriend!” He yelled and stood up as he quickly walked into his room, slamming the door behind him.
Ginny shook her head as she glared at the door. “He so has a girlfriend . . .” She muttered under her breath with a scoff. “He can’t lie.” She stated as she stared at Draco.
“He’s been getting a bit rusty.” He admitted as he agreed to Ginny’s statement.
“How about you?”
“What about me?”
“Are you good at lying, too?”
“No.”
“Oh, you’re good.” Ginny said as she acknowledged his lying abilities. “You know, I’m just saying this to you because I’m Hermione’s friend and it’s a job as a friend to do this. No hard feelings, all right?” She stood up and walked over to him, standing right in front of him. “You may be good at lying, but I can see right through you. Hermione, on the other hand, doesn’t have the slightest clue.” She revealed as her fierce chocolate brown eyes bored straight into his steel-grey eyes. “Don’t hurt her.” She finally said after a long time of glaring at him. “Whatever you’re doing right now . . . I hope you’ll just pray that you won’t hurt her in the process of it because I will hurt you.”
“Don’t count on it because I’m not going to hurt her.” He claimed as he stared right into her eyes intently.
“I’ll believe your word right now . . . I hope I’m making the right choice of believing you.”
“You won’t regret it.”
“Let’s hope not.” She said flatly and lingered around for a few more seconds before she stalked off towards her bedroom door. She stopped in front of her door and turned around. “Oh, and whatever you two are doing that’s ‘fun’ . . .” She said and slightly smirked. “Try not to get caught and expelled. Hermione will be devastated and she might just blame you.” She said with a smug grin as she walked into her room, closing the door behind her.
Draco slightly smirked as he stood there. Did he just get threatened by Weaslette? Yes. Is he taking the threat to heart? No. He slightly scoffed and shook his head. “You have my word, Weaslette.” He muttered under his breath and started to walk towards his room when suddenly the portrait flew open. He stopped and glanced to the side to see Hermione staring at him.
“Why don’t we push the Hogsmeade trip to tomorrow?” She suggested nervously as she bent her eyebrows.
“Is there a problem?” He asked as he raised an eyebrow at her, now shifting his whole body so that it was facing her. She had his full attention.
“Well . . . I found the passageway but Ron and Harry caught me.” She said and sighed. “They’re really suspicious about me right now so let’s skip today’s plan and make a new one.”
“I thought you said you wanted to be fun and dar—“
“I know what I said! I said that I can be fun and daring! I didn’t say I wanted get murdered by my two best friends!” She snapped at him and breathed heavily from her small outburst. “I can be fun and daring.” She stated but almost as if she was trying to convince herself that. Draco simply stared at her, completely amused, with a smirk threatening to play out. “I will find something fun for us to do.” She told him and frowned.
“I know something we can do that’ll be really fun.” He said with a smirk as he stared at her.
Hermione made a face at him and shook her head. “Not with that again.” She muttered under her breath and let out a groan, completely irritated. “I know exactly what we can do tonight.”
“What is that?”
“Let’s go to the lake at night . . .”
“Oh, that’s so daring.” He mocked her as he made a scared face.
“I’m not finished.” She said and slightly smirked. “And we’ll swim in it.”
Draco raised an eyebrow at her as he crossed his arms across his chest. “In the middle of winter . . . with an unfriendly giant squid?”
“Okay, the giant squid is actually very friendly. And it might even swim with us.” Hermione retorted back, defending the giant squid as if her life depended on it.
“You really want to swim with a clingy, friendly giant squid?”
“Why? Is it not fun enough for you?”
“It’s not fun at all.”
“We’ll skinny dip.” She snapped back before she could even think of something bright to say.
“Skinny dip?”
“Skinny dip.” She muttered quietly as she looked down at her hands.
“Are you sure?” He asked with a smirk.
“Positive.” She replied quietly.
“I’m sorry, what was that?” He asked as he teased her some more.
“WE’LL GO SKINNY DIPPING IN THE LAKE TONIGHT!” She yelled at him as she glared at him.
“Okay, fine with me.”
“Wait, but you’re hurt, I forgot. You can’t swim—“
“No, I’m fine. In fact, the bruise is slowly going away. I can swim.”
“No, I don’t think you can—“
“No, I assure you, I can.” He said and slightly chuckled. “I never thought I’d say this, but I think this will be fun.”
“It will.” She told him and headed towards her room. “I’ll see you tonight then.”
“Tonight.”
“At ten pm, meet me up at the Astronomy tower. I know a secret passageway that’ll lead us straight to the lake from there.”
“You seem to know a lot of passages.”
“I might know a few.” She told him with an enthralling grin and let out a relieved sigh. “Tonight, then.” She retreated into her room, shutting the door behind her.
Draco smirked and sighed. This was getting very interesting . . . He was definitely anticipating on the date tonight. He walked into his room and closed the door behind him.
---
eeeeeppp ~ one more episode till DRAMIONE ACTION. whoot! I don’t know why but I’m getting oddly excited - like more excited. haha my little fangirl heart can’t take it. xD Please drop a comment below and vote! Thank you :D
xoxo Annie