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Hermione couldn't believe her ears. Professor Slughorn had announced a new project to the class, and much to her dismay, also insisted it was to be done with a partner. They would craft a potion and put their own spin on it. This was sure to be a disaster. You didn't just put a spin on potions. The idea was egregious and made Hermione fitful.
Hermione detested working in groups and pairings. It was always left to her to do the work, and then the other students got to claim the same grade. When they didn't work as hard as she did? They didn't study as long, and they never talked to her, except to ask if the work was done or not. No, this wouldn't do.
"-I will be pairing you with your partners shortly. I would like you all to reflect on what Advanced Potions has meant to you over the past year. Please take a moment to reflect on what you have learned this past year, and don't hesitate to acknowledge your mistakes as well. I'll give you all five minutes, and then I will begin announcing the partners." Hermione clenched her jaw. This was preposterous.
She had managed to work alone throughout the whole year just fine. Hermione blinked several times and then sighed, aloud, earning glances her way from other students. She noticed Ron Weasley in the front row. Ron was tall and fit, with perfect shaggy red hair. His freckles were adorable, and she felt herself start to drift into her daydreams again.
Hermione had always had a crush on the Gryffindor boy. He was her best friend's brother, however, and Hermione wasn't sure if there was the same type of unspoken rule against your best friend's brother in the Wizarding world like there was in the Muggle one. Often, she traveled down the same halls she knew he would be walking to steal a glance at him, and marveled at the feeling of butterflies in her stomach.
He was sitting next to his best friend, Harry Potter, now. Harry was almost always accompanying Ron, and Hermione knew they would likely be paired together. Slughorn favored Harry, and for good reason. Harry's mother had been one of the Professor's favorite students when she attended Hogwarts.
Harry was kind and would often smile at her or say an occasional 'Hello' when passing in the halls. She remembered from her first year on the Hogwarts Express, when she watched Ron try to turn his rat into a different color and found the spell to be quite odd. She had sat with them for only a couple of moments and quickly realized who Harry was. His parents were famous in the Wizarding world. They had defeated one of the most famous dark wizards of all time, Voldemort, and ended the last Wizarding war. James and Lily Potter, Hermione recalled, had fought Voldemort and won when Harry was just a baby; when they all were. She remembered reading about the battle and all the Dark Lord's followers that had been apprehended and sent off to Azkaban in the aftermath.
Hermione shuddered slightly at remembering how she had rambled on about his parents and the history of the wizarding war and realized too late that she was being overbearing and odd when she glanced over to see Ron, wide-eyed and confused. Harry had been polite about it, but she knew she shouldn't have treated him like some zoo animal. She excused herself rather quickly after that, flushed and mortified.
The Professor clapped loudly and jolted Hermione from her thoughts. "Right! I will begin going down the list of pairings. Please do keep in mind that there will be no trades, no complaining, and no squabbling. Headmaster Dumbledore would like us all to embrace the interhouse unity that the Ministry has insisted upon this year, and so most of you will be paired with an opposite house. Regardless, you are to treat your partner as a friend." Hermione scoffed. If he thought any pairings of Slytherins and Gryffindors would end peacefully, he was sorely mistaken.
Harry and Ron wouldn't be paired together. She was almost excited before she remembered that she was also a Gryffindor, therefore wouldn't be paired with Ron either. It just wasn't fair.
It was their last year, and she had promised herself that aside from her studies, she would try to put herself out there more. Hermione had come this year with a plan; a plan to get Ron Weasley to notice her finally. She had worked so hard on her appearance, taming her dark and usually frizzy curls into soft waves that cascaded down her back, and even learning how to apply mascara and lip gloss. Her dark olive skin had miraculously cleared up and was no longer marred by acne, and she had finally grown into her teeth.
She had never considered herself attractive before, but she knew what boys liked, logically speaking. So far, it hadn't worked. Not only had Ron not noticed, but even Ginny and Luna, her best friends, had seemed oblivious to her change.
Slughorn cleared his throat and then began to read from a list. "Abbot and Longbottom," Hermione smiled to herself. She knew Neville Longbottom had a crush on Hannah Abbot. She glanced at him quickly as the Professor continued down the list, and noticed his face had turned crimson. Poor lad would have to find a way to tell Hannah about his feelings.
"Nott and Weasley," she heard two equally loud groans from across the room, and saw both Theodore Nott and Ron throw their heads back in disappointment. "Potter and Parkinson," The same reaction for Pansy Parkinson and Harry Potter. Slughorn continued on and on, and no one seemed happy with their pairings at all.
"Zabini and Lovegood, Greengrass and Thomas, Brown and Goyle, and lastly, Granger and Malfoy." Oh, great. A Slytherin. Hermione exhaled slowly, annoyed. At the very least, she did know Malfoy. He was second in all his classes, right below her. He was smart. Regardless, he was a teenage boy. She didn't expect him to put forth any effort unless it was necessary.
She glanced over at Malfoy's table and saw his friends nudging him with their elbows and snickering. She knew he likely had far more objections than she had to their match. His father had been one of the Dark Lord's followers and had also been one of the many to be caught and locked away forever. Hermione knew he had been a baby when his father was arrested, but it was still entirely likely that his mother held the same beliefs and raised him to hate Muggle-born witches and wizards fervently, as his father had.
He had never slagged or insulted her as some of his classmates had in the past, but still.
Intelligent girls often put boys off. Boys did not like it when girls outsmarted them, and she knew Draco Malfoy was likely going to make that known. Especially if he knew that she was the one keeping him in second place, he was still a rich pureblood. A prat to most, and she figured he most likely had just never noticed her before if he hadn't insulted her yet. There was still a month left of school, though, so he had time. This project would give him the perfect oppurtunity.
"You will all introduce yourselves to one another now, and spend the next twenty minutes of class getting to know one another and deciding which potion you will be experimenting with! You may begin!" Professor Slughorn clapped his hands giddily, and then everyone began to stand begrudgingly from their chairs and make their way around the room to their partners. Hermione watched Malfoy stand and stroll over to her table, setting his book next to hers and flopping down in the seat next to her.
His pointed features had matured slightly this past year, and Hermione had to admit, he was pretty handsome. His pale, blond hair was unusually messy, sweeping over his forehead. It wasn't too long, however, a fact Hermione made a mental note of. She hated long hair on boys.
Malfoy turned towards her, and she noticed now how gray his eyes were. She had never been this close to him before. He looked at her and raised an eyebrow, leaning back in the chair, lazily.
They stared at one another for a moment before Malfoy cleared his throat and held a hand out for her to shake. "I'm Draco Malfoy, nice to meet you."
Hermione laughed softly and shook her head. "I know who you are. We've been in the same classes for seven years, Malfoy." He dropped a hand and smirked at her. "I'm Hermione Granger, though."
"I knew that." He chuckled.
"Are you sure about that?" She cocked an eyebrow, and he nodded, smiling at her. Maybe he wouldn't be a total tosser to her.
"How could I not notice the famous Miss Granger?" His cheeky smile made her stomach flip, and she had to steady herself.
"Famous?" She asked.
"Oh, yes. Famous." His eyes glinted as he waggled his eyebrows. "Everyone knows who you are at this school. You're Muggle-born." Her stomach and smile both dropped at the same time.
"Right." She turned back to her book and schooled herself to wipe the disappointment off her face. He was a snob; she mustn't let herself forget that they were from two different worlds and especially rival houses. She smiled softly and turned back to him to see his expression of curiosity. His eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes narrowed as he studied her face. She tried not to blush. "Well, we're introduced. What potion do you want to work on?" She blurted.
"Well, that's easy. Amortentia." He grinned at her, and she shook her head furiously.
"Absolutely not." He laughed and slumped back in his chair further.
"I'm only joking. I do suspect that some poor chump will be talked into doing that one, though. My money's on Goyle and Brown. They'll be snogging before graduation." Hermione followed his gaze to the table where Lavender and Gregory Goyle were scowling at one another. Goyle reached his hand out to touch one of Lavender's books, and she swatted his hand.
"I somehow doubt that." Hermione cringed and turned back to him.
Malfoy stuck his hand out towards her and winked. "Bet on it."
"What?" Her eyes were practically bulging out of her head. He couldn't be serious.
"I said, bet on it. My money's good. I'm a Malfoy." The arrogance was rolling off him in waves. She narrowed her eyes. Of course, he would rub his wealth-and by association, his blood status-in her face. She should have seen this coming from a mile away.
"I know. In fact, I'm wholly surprised your father wasn't able to buy himself a pardon." Malfoy swiftly dropped his hand, and his smile fell immediately. His eyes darkened, and his jaw clicked several times.
"Don't talk about my father," he warned, straightening in his chair and turning back forward.
She rolled her eyes. Of course, he would defend his horrid father. That was about as much acknowledgment of her suspicions as she needed to determine that he shared his father's same beliefs. He must have been messing with her this whole time. Well, she wouldn't let him have the upper hand. She wouldn't let him believe he had any effect on her whatsoever.
She changed the subject. "How about an antidote to Veritaserum?" She was playing her cards very carefully. She knew all of the Dark Lord's followers who were apprehended had tried to claim they were under the Imperius Curse. The Ministry had forced them all to ingest Veritaserum to get the truth. She was sure Lucius Malfoy had done the same. She smirked to herself.
His shoulders relaxed, and he side-eyed her. "Fine, Granger. That sounds fine." She nodded and pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill to write down the basics they would need. As she wrote, she felt his eyes on her and glanced over at him.
"I'm sorry, would you like to take notes as well or just watch me do all the work?" She retorted.
He scoffed and rolled his eyes before summoning a quill and parchment in the air that began to hover next to him and write. His expression grew smug as he leaned back in his chair again, crossing his arms. A quick-notes quill. Why hadn't she ever thought of that?
Hermione shook her head and turned back to her notes, finishing up. "We'll meet in the library every Tuesday and Thursday to study outside of class." She looked at him pointedly.
He quirked an eyebrow and then sighed, "Right. Cause I have nothing better to do." Hermione rolled her eyes. She was undoubtedly going to hate this experience. She knew Malfoy was smart, but he was also arrogant and entitled. He was more than likely going to cut corners and aggravate her to no end.
Professor Slughorn dismissed the class, and Hermione quickly gathered her things, while Malfoy made his way back over to his friends.
She peered up at the group as they turned to the door. She watched as Theodore Nott whispered something in Malfoy's ear and clapped a hand on his shoulder. Theo looked over at her, and she jolted slightly, making eye contact with him. He smirked and winked at her before turning and exiting through the door, followed by Zabini. Malfoy stopped just before walking out and turned his head a little so that she could see the side of his face. She thought she caught the ghost of a smile before he turned back and left the room completely.
"I think I'm going to rather enjoy this project," Luna's voice made Hermione jump, and she turned to the blonde Ravenclaw.
"You scared me," Hermione placed a hand over her heart to steady herself.
"My apologies, Hermione." Luna smiled softly, and Hermione stood to join her in walking out of the potions room.
"I don't think I'm going to enjoy it." Hermione scowled as she caught a glimpse of Malfoy and his friends ahead of them, rounding a corner.
"Blaise is rather kind; I can't imagine he would be friends with someone like Malfoy if he weren't just as kind," Luna said, smiling to herself.
Hermione raised an eyebrow at the witch. "Right." She wasn't so sure. In fact, she was pretty sure he was not-so-secretly an arsehole.
The weekend came and went as Hermione tried to avoid Malfoy and his friends as best she could. Usually, she could hide in the library, and no one would bother her. However, since Slughorn's class that day, Malfoy had been within eyesight increasingly often, and Theo Nott had begun smirking at her more and more, making goosebumps rise on her skin. She didn't like how the Slytherin boy seemed to look at her like he knew something she didn't, and was determined to poke at her until she figured it out.
The class was quiet as the pairings compared notes and jotted down additional information. Malfoy was sitting silently beside her as she looked over both their notes and realized they had the same ones there.
"We're going to have to brew Veritaserum to see if our antidote works, you are aware." She said, without lifting her eyes from the pieces of parchment.
Malfoy scoffed, "I knew that." She looked up at him and then sighed.
"The only problem is who we should test it on." Malfoy laughed, and her brows creased as she looked at him. He wiped tears from his eyes, and then his smile dropped.
"Oh, you were serious." He blinked several times. "Granger, we can't just test Veritaserum on people." He looked at her like she was mad for a moment.
"I was going to ask them first, obviously." She rolled her eyes.
"No one is going to agree to a dose of Veritaserum willingly." He was right, and she huffed.
"We can slip it to someone," she looked around at her classmates, silently wondering which student would be the perfect target.
"Granger. You are frightening." Malfoy said, and she turned back to him. "I mean, honestly. Did the Sorting Hat misplace you? Why aren't you in Slytherin?" He joked.
"I'm not in Slytherin because I actually care about other people and their lives." Malfoy raised his eyebrows and shook his head, releasing a breath and then smirking at her. He and that damned smirk. She wanted to slap it right off his face.
"You think Slytherins don't care about other people's lives, but it's the opposite." She rolled her eyes as he continued. "A Gryffindor will sacrifice themselves for the greater good, and all that nonsense." His voice got low, and he leaned in slightly. "A Gryffindor would leave their lover to fend for themselves if it meant the world was saved, A Slytherin would burn the world down to protect someone they love. We know the truth about the world, and we would never leave someone unprotected. A Slytherin does what is necessary." Hermione shivered and turned to him. Goosebumps materialized as she realized how close Malfoy was to her. Her heart raced as her honey brown eyes connected with the cold gray in his. She noticed cracks of turquoise in his iris and blinked several times before inhaling and turning back to her parchment.
Hermione cleared her throat, "We'll just test it on ourselves. You don't have any secrets you don't want me to know about, do you?" She glanced at him and noticed a flash of unknown emotion in his eyes before he straightened himself and blinked it away.
"No. I'm an open book, Granger." Right.
"Hermione Granger," A voice startled her, and she whipped around to see Theodore Nott standing there, leaning on their table.
"Nott." She said.
"Any idea where the Weasel is?" He asked, looking around the room. She hadn't even noticed Ron was missing, and she flinched at the nickname.
"No, I do not know where Weasley is." She emphasized his last name, hopefully making it clear that she did not like the insult.
"He's your housemate, so I just assumed. You are often around him every time I see you," he trailed off and glanced at Malfoy. She didn't want to turn around and see a smirk on his face as well. They must know she has a crush on Ron. Great. More teasing to come, she was sure.
"I may be his housemate, but I am not his keeper. He must be sick or something; I neither know nor care now, if you'll please. I have work to do." She said, matter-of-factly, and turned once again to her parchment. Theo chuckled and patted Malfoy's back before sitting down on the other side of him. She peeked at both boys from the corner of her eye and watched as Malfoy ground his jaw, glaring at Theo. The curly-haired boy just grinned back at Malfoy, leaned back, and set his feet up on the table.
She turned her attention to Theo. "Do you intend to sit here until your partner comes back, or are you actually going to do your work?" Theo smiled at her and then looked to Malfoy again, who had turned his attention to the table, staring daggers into the parchment in front of him.
"You're right, Draco. She is quite hilarious." Malfoy rolled his eyes, and Hermione sighed. "So, what potion are you lot working on, then?" He sat forward and grabbed his friend's notes, skimming over them. "Ah, antidote to Veritaserum. Predictable and intriguing." He looked up from the parchment and waggled his eyebrows at Hermione. "Well, I'm off to see what everyone else is working on." Theo stood abruptly and walked off to Blaise and Luna's table.
Hermione turned to Malfoy. "Is there something wrong with him," she whispered, "like, mentally." Malfoy snapped to her and snorted.
"No, he just enjoys doing my head in." He grinned at her, and she scowled. She was beginning to get tired of his constant mood swings. It was as if every couple of minutes, he would become angry, and then he would joke with her, smirk, and act like a prat. His smile dropped, and he sighed heavily. "You're confusing, Granger."
Her mouth dropped open, "I'm confusing?" She scoffed and shook her head.
"Yes, you are entirely confusing. Sometimes you smile and other times you scowl, and then you look at me like I'm mad and leave me wondering what the bloody hell you are thinking about." She stared at him.
"You do the same," she said after a beat.
"I hardly think that-"
"You do." Hermione insisted and crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at him. He raised his hands in surrender.
"Alright, Granger. I apologize. How about we start over? When we meet in the library tomorrow, I will be on my best behavior. I promise." He seemed genuine, and she sighed, nodding in agreement.
"Fine. But, if you start going through several emotions faster than I can blink again, I will complete this project on my own." He nodded and smiled at her. Hermione rolled her eyes, and when Slughorn dismissed them, she hurried out before Malfoy or Nott could speak to her again.
The next day, when Hermione and Malfoy met in the library, she was surprised to learn that he had, in fact, kept his promise. He was on his best behavior and was tremendously helpful in assisting her with studying. They scoured books and made lists of ingredients.
"It would help if we added something to enhance the effects so that the antidote started working instantaneously. The current antidote takes several minutes to kick in, giving someone ample time to steal information or exploit someone's weaknesses." Hermione had said one day, earning another cautious look from Malfoy.
"Most Slytherin Gryffindor I've ever met," he had muttered under his breath, but Hermione heard him and lifted a brow at him.
They were growing increasingly comfortable around each other, and she noticed him staring at her intensely from time to time. Every time they met in the library, it was easy to forget the animosity between their houses, and when passing each other in the halls, he smiled at her and acknowledged her presence. She began to forget that they were from entirely different worlds.
Every so often, Theo would join them and make them laugh. Hermione decided that Theo wasn't so bad. He was odd, but in a good way. To her surprise, Theo wasn't the only one who joined them. From time to time, Blaise and Luna joined their table, and Hermione watched as they slowly inched closer to each other over several days. Luna was constantly smiling at him, and Blaise seemed absolutely smitten. An interesting development, to say the least. The Slytherin group was starting to grow on her.
At the end of the third week, on Friday, after leaving the library and heading back to Gryffindor common rooms, Theo called out to Hermione and stopped her in the hall.
"Can I walk with you, little lion?" He smiled, cheekily.
"As long as you never, ever, call me that again, why not?" She shrugged and continued, Theo trailing after her.
"So, my best mate has grown a liking to you," Theo started.
Hermione glanced at him, "He is kinder than I thought he'd be."
"Kinder?" Theo asked, raising a brow.
"Yes, he doesn't mock me like other-" she paused, choosing her words carefully,"-some of your other housemates." She knew Theo Nott was a pureblood as well, but she couldn't remember if his father had been a follower of Voldemort.
"You mean purebloods," Theo said, putting his hands behind his back and nodding thoughtfully.
"Well, I didn't want to bring up blood status, but yes, people who believe that because I am Muggle-born that I don't deserve to be here." Hermione rushed through her sentence and tried not to appear angry or bothered by the words.
Theo stopped walking, and Hermione faltered, turning around to him.
"Draco's not like that," he said.
Hermione nodded, "I know, Theo." He smiled.
"He really isn't. He-" He seemed to stop and think a moment before shaking his head and then looking at her with a determined look in his eyes, "Do you believe you deserve to be here?" She cocked her head at this.
"Well, yes. I do. I can do magic just as well, if not better than most. I work hard and study harder. I do believe I deserve to be here, Theo." He grinned widely and then patted her shoulder.
"That's all that matters, Granger." He began walking again, looping his arm through hers, escorting her through the halls until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"Well, this is me," Hermione said, slipping her arm from Theo's and beginning to walk up to the portrait.
"Wait-uh-Granger?"
"Yes?" She turned to him.
"You're friends with Weasley, aren't you?" She nodded. She knew Ron. She wouldn't say she was friends with him, really, but that was okay. "Right, well, could you maybe put in a good word for me?" Hermione's eyes grew to the size of saucers, and her mouth fell open. Did he mean what she thought he meant?
"You-you-"
"Well, don't make it a thing. I was just wondering if maybe you could ask if we could meet in Hogsmeade for the weekend, get a drink or a bite, or something." Theo rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
"You like Ron?!" Hermione practically screeched it. She didn't think she would have to compete with Theo Nott when she came back this year. Then again, she started to wonder if she even still wanted to be in the race. She had noticed that her thoughts lately had been occupied with a relatively tall and arrogant blonde boy, rather than the redhead that they were usually plagued with. She had been trying to ignore it, but frankly, Malfoy gave her something a little different than butterflies in her stomach, and she couldn't quite place it, but she knew she liked the feeling.
"Hermione! Ginny! Ginny Weasley! Merlin, are you deranged?" Theo's eyes were about as big as hers. She clapped a hand over her own open mouth and then turned scarlet red.
"Oh! Oh, Ginny. Yes, I-" She fumbled for words, and then they stared at each other for a moment before bursting out in laughter.
"Can you imagine? Me? And-and Ron Weasley?" Theo said between laughs.
"I'm so sorry, Theo. I wasn't thinking." Hermione wiped tears from her eyes and shook her head.
As their joined laughter died down, Theo smiled at her. "No fuss, Granger. I wouldn't mind getting to know Ron a little better, either. However, I've had my sights set on Ginny for about as long as Blaise has had eyes for Lovegood. Although not quite as long as Draco has had his eye on-"
"Oi! What are you up to?" Hermione whirled around to see Ron himself, approaching them. He eyed Theo suspiciously.
Hermione's stomach flipped.
"I was just escorting Miss Granger back to her house, Weasley." Theo grinned and then mock bowed at them both before turning away and walking back down the hall from whence he came.
"What did that snake want with you? Are you alright?" Ron approached Hermione and put a hand on her shoulder. She nodded and then frowned when she realized that the butterflies that she was used to in his presence were flightless. He gave her a nod and then dropped his hand.
"I'm fine. He really was walking with me. He's rather kind. They all are once you get to know them, really." Ron scoffed and shook his head.
"Don't tell me you're going soft for them. They're Slytherin. We're Gryffindor." Ron said, as if that was the fact of the matter and nothing else needed to be said for her to think of them as anything other than awful.
She grew rather annoyed at this assumption and crossed her arms, "And so what if they are? You really believe that just because they wear green and we wear red that we're any better than they are?" She raised her eyebrows and tapped her foot.
"Uh-" Ron stuttered and turned red.
"I mean, that is just preposterous if you think about it. We're not all that different. It's like when people bring up my blood status. I bleed red just like everyone else! Slytherins bleed red just like Gryffindors!" Hermione was shouting now, and Ron's face had paled, his eyes huge.
"Bloody hell, Granger, you don't have to get all bent out of shape." Hermione's mouth dropped, wanting to protest further, but she had nothing more to say.
She huffed and then whipped around, heading towards the portrait and muttering the password before stomping through the common rooms and up to her dorm, flopping down on her bed. Crookshanks meowed at her, and she pulled the orange Kneazle into her lap, stroking his fur as he purred softly.
That had been the first real conversation she had ever had with Ron Weasley. Hermione thought that the first time they spoke, he might compliment her. Maybe he would ask about her family and insist on helping her carry her books. No, he hadn't done any of those things. Hermione realized that he wasn't as charming up close, unlike Malfoy, who was exuding an air of charisma. Crookshanks hopped off the bed and skittered over to his food bowls on the other side of the room.
What?
He was still a rich, pureblooded wizard. He may be kind, but he was worlds out of her league. He would never look at her as more than a partner in potions class, or if she were fortunate, a shag for a night or two. No, she knew her place in that regard. But that didn't stop her from imagining it. She pulled her curtains closed and muttered a silencing charm over her bed.
She thought about him cornering her in the library in the restricted section. Strong, pale hands pushing her up against a shelf and sliding one down her pants to find her drenched for him. Hermione moved her own hands in tandem with daydreaming about Malfoy. As her fingers circled her clit, she imagined his gray eyes staring down at her, that damned smirk, his voice. Hermione bit down on her lip and then came with a jolt, almost shouting his name.
She cleaned herself up and slid under her covers, flushed and satisfied.
She drifted off to sleep with dreams of a blond wizard romancing her and holding her in his arms.
Hermione was startled awake the next morning to a tapping at her window. She jumped from the bed and opened it to find a large Eagle Owl with a letter for her. Whose owl was that?
She grabbed the letter from the owl and then, before opening it, reached for the table next to the window and grabbed a piece of jerky that she had kept from home. She gave it to the owl, and he hooted in thanks before taking it and swooping off the ledge and away.
Hermione opened the letter to read.
Meet me in the Astronomy Tower at 9 p.m.
I have acquired a crucial component for our project.
Yours,
D.M.
Malfoy had sent this. The Astronomy Tower past curfew? Why would he want to meet there to go over their potion? Hermione folded the letter up and stuffed it into her desk across the room. How odd.
Hermione made her way to the common room and immediately spotted Ginny, talking with Neville. She approached them and sat.
"-you just have to tell her." She overheard Ginny say before she sat.
"I-I can't just say 'Hey, Hannah, I like you" Neville seemed upset.
"You actually can. Exactly that." Ginny rolled her eyes and then turned to Hermione, pointing at Neville as if to say, 'This idiot. '
"Neville," Hermione started, "it really is quite simple. Hannah Abbot is very kind and shy as well. Odds are she might even feel the same. There's a saying in the Muggle world. 'You only live once. ' It's basically a warning not to let life pass you by without doing anything with it. You have to seize the moment, and really, well, really go for it." She said, pumping her fists up in front of her.
Neville seemed inspired by her words, and Ginny looked impressed. "You're right. You're both right. Bloody hell, I have to go to her. I have to tell her how I feel." Neville stood and puffed his chest out before nodding to both girls and hurrying out of the common room.
Hermione watched him go and then turned back to Ginny. "Well," the redhead exhaled, "that was something, 'Mione." She grinned and leaned back on the sofa.
"I honestly don't know where that came from." Hermione shook her head.
"Don't tell me, are you finally planning on telling my brother you fancy him?" Ginny waggled her eyebrows, and Hermione's mouth gaped.
"I-what-no-I," She stuttered while Ginny cackled. "I didn't realize it was obvious," Hermione gulped.
"Oh, relax, I'm just taking the mickey outta ya. Besides, I've noticed you seem a lot more interested in reptiles these days. Snakes, to be specific," Ginny smirked at her, and Hermione gaped at her. Her face flushed with embarrassment.
"Am I that easy to read?!" She practically shouted. Ginny laughed again.
"Yes, you wear everything on your face like it's a book all on its own." Hermione sighed. She fiddled with her fingers. "Hey," Ginny said, and Hermione looked up at her, "you don't have to be ashamed for liking someone. Not because they're in a different house that we're supposedly supposed to hate, anyways." Hermione smiled and then gasped in remembrance.
"Speaking of that. I have a message from one of those snakes." Ginny's eyebrows raised, and Hermione continued, informing her of Theo's admiration and how he would like to spend time with her. Ginny agreed and said she would find him the next day in the Great Hall.
As the day ticked on and Ginny disappeared, Hermione grew anxious for 9 p.m. Why would Malfoy want to meet secretly, and why couldn't they talk about their potion in class on Monday? She had to admit, the thought of meeting him and being alone with him made her heart beat faster, but she was also afraid. She was still sure that at any moment, he would turn into an arsehole and tease her about her blood status. She was even more worried that he wouldn't. If she had feelings for Malfoy, she would be the laughing stock of the whole school. They would all join in on incessant rhyming and pointing, making her a walking circus. No, she would keep that to herself. It's not like anything could come from it.
As a quarter past eight rolled around, Hermione began to walk to the Astronomy Tower, taking her time. She walked at a leisurely pace, telling herself it was so that she would draw the least attention to herself and not garner attention from anyone making their way to their dorms. If anyone noticed her, they would also see her walking away from Gryffindor, not towards it.
When she got to the tower, she practically bolted through the door. There he was. Malfoy was leaning on the railing, looking out the window when she entered. His hair shone in the moonlight, and when he heard her enter, he turned and grinned.
"Finally. I've been waiting for ages," he joked.
"Malfoy, it's not even nine yet." She crossed her arms.
"Fair." He shrugged.
"What was so important to our project that you couldn't wait until Monday during class to tell me about it?" She questioned, eyeing him.
He held something up for her to see, and she noticed a vial containing a clear liquid.
"Is that-"
"Veritaserum, yes."
"How did you get that?"
"It's a secret." She rolled her eyes.
"Alright, well. I suppose it's good you asked me here so that we could test it. I actually just finished brewing our antidote Friday morning and was going to present it to you Monday. I have it in my bag." She reached into her bag and pulled it out. It was shimmery and green, and Malfoy eyed it.
"You go first," he said, holding his vial out. She balked.
"What, no! You go first!"
Malfoy sighed and unstoppered the top before splashing some on his tongue and then handing it over to Hermione.
She hesitated, and he chuckled, "You just saw me take some, it's not poison." She lifted a brow at him, and he motioned for her to continue. It wasn't that she didn't think it was Veritaserum in the bottle, it's that she knew it was. What if he asked her the wrong questions? What if she accidentally told him about the feelings that she had just realized she had for him and hadn't even had time to process, let alone admit out loud?
"You don't have to take it if you don't want-"
"No, it's fine." She huffed and tipped the bottle back, emptying the rest of the contents.
She dropped her hand at her waist and exhaled.
"So," Malfoy pocketed his hands and rocked on his heels, "what do we wanna ask each other?" Hermione blinked several times and felt the tug of magic on her heart, urging her to answer truthfully.
"I want to ask you about your parents," She blurted, and watched as Malfoy's demeanor changed almost instantly. "I'm sorry," she clamped a hand over her mouth.
He sighed and shook his head, "It's alright, I walked into that one. Go ahead. You have three questions." Hermione's eyebrows raised slightly, and she took a breath. Three questions. Her mind swam with possibilities. What did she want to know the most?
"Have you ever seen your father? In Azkaban, I mean?" Malfoy tensed slightly, but then his shoulders relaxed.
"No." Hermione was surprised by this answer. "No, my mother forbids it. She says he is a terrible man." He blinked a couple of times, and Hermione noticed a sadness come over him.
"Your mother, does she share his...beliefs?"
"No. She doesn't. Her favorite sister is actually married to a Muggle." She was surprised by this answer as well. She wondered what he meant by 'favorite sister'. She had one more important question to ask him.
"Do you? Share his views." She watched his eyebrows crease, and a flash of concern etch his face before he smiled a little.
"No, Granger. I don't harbor odd prejudiced beliefs that Muggle-born witches are any less capable than someone born to magical parents. I'm not dim-witted. As you pointed out a few weeks ago, we've been in the same classes for seven years. I've noticed how smart you are. How capable and, honestly, a little terrifying at times." He finished, and Hermione's heart surged at his words. He thought she was smart. She tried not to blush, and then he cleared his throat, smirking. Oh. It was his turn to ask the questions.
"Three questions, too," she said, pointing a finger at him.
"Hmmm." Malfoy rolled his jaw and grinned at her, thinking. "What is your middle name?" That was easy enough.
"Jean," She answered.
"What is your favorite class?"
"It used to be Arithmancy, but now it's Advanced Potions." Her eyes widened at this. She hadn't even realized that truth. Her heart raced, hoping he wouldn't read too much into it. He cocked an eyebrow at her, but said nothing.
Malfoy walked closer, and her breath caught in her throat.
"You have one more question," Hermione breathed out.
He watched her for a moment, and then he gave her a lopsided smile. "Granger, do you have a crush on anyone?" Her heart nearly dropped to the floor, and her lungs seized. The magic urged her to answer.
"Yes." She quipped, before snapping her lips shut tightly, hoping she could refrain from blurting out just who was the object of her affections.
His smile grew bigger, and he opened his mouth to say something. Hermione quickly unstoppered her vial and took a swig of the antidote. Malfoy inhaled sharply. He swallowed and stepped back a pace.
Hermione held her hand out with the same vial, and he grabbed it from her before taking a small drink.
"Do you think it worked?" Hermione said, trying to sound more confident than she felt.
"Who is your crush?" She stopped breathing momentarily before realizing she didn't feel that awful tug on her heart, urging her to answer. She sighed with relief.
"I don't kiss and tell." She smiled smugly, and Malfoy's face flashed with something she couldn't quite understand before his expression turned cold and blank.
"Right, well. Our potion worked. I'll see you on Monday in class." He snapped and then walked around her and out the door. What just happened?
Hermione had no idea how he could jump through emotions that quickly. Was he really that upset when she hadn't told him who her crush was? She decided that teenage boys were ridiculously confusing.
Hermione snuck back through the castle and somehow managed to make it back to her dorm without being spotted by Filch or his dreaded Mrs. Norris.
She greeted Crooks before lying down in her bed again, drifting off to sleep with more questions than answers.
The next day, Hermione was sitting in the common room, going over her notes several times for the potion and double-checking everything, when Ginny came bouncing in. The redhead plopped down beside Hermione and beamed at her.
"Have a good date?" Hermione grinned at her.
"It was-" Ginny looked up at the ceiling, "Oh, Hermione, it was great. He was great, honestly. I never even considered Theo before. Of course, I noticed a couple of times him staring at me, but I never really put much stock into it."
Hermione smiled, "That's great, Gin. I'm glad. Theo's not so bad once you get to know him." Ginny nodded and then turned her body on the couch, fully facing Hermione.
"Join me in the dungeons tonight." She grinned, and Hermione's eyes widened.
"Dungeons?"
"Slytherin party. Theo invited me. He said to bring Hermione Granger. I asked to invite Luna as well, but apparently she already had an invite from one Blaise Zabini?" Ginny smiled at her, and Hermione laughed.
"Yeah, that's been happening."
"So? You in?" Ginny insisted.
"I-I don't know."
"Come on, Theo says Malfoy would want you there." At the mention of the blond Slytherin, Hermione sighed.
"I'm not sure Theo knows what he's talking about. Malfoy didn't seem too enthused to be in my presence the last time we spoke-"
"Hermione Granger, you have to come."
"I don't know, Gin. I really need to study." Ginny gave her a blank stare and then sighed dramatically.
"Fine. Fine. I'll go by myself and meet Luna there. I guess we'll have fun without you. I'll have to tell Malfoy you didn't want to see him. I'm sure he'll be heartbroken." She was really laying it on thick. Hermione sighed.
"I'll go. On one condition." Hermione took a deep breath.
"And that is?"
"You have to do my makeup."
"That's a condition? Hermione, I've been asking to give you a makeover for years! Yes, deal!" Ginny squealed and pulled Hermione to her feet, dragging her to Ginny's dorm room.
After a few hours, Hermione stared at her reflection in awe. Her lashes were curled and painted black, with a gentle smoky eye that enhanced her eye shape nicely. Her cheeks were tinged slightly, and her lips were a pretty, barely there pink that made her feel beautiful. She had even let Ginny talk her into wearing a deep burgundy dress that fell off one shoulder. It was short and tight and entirely out of her comfort zone, but she needed to be able to enjoy this year. It was their last year at school before they became adults and migrated to the real world. She would have some fun before then. The dress accentuated her curves in all the right places, and she watched Ginny in the mirror pin her hair up and pull a few errant curls out to frame her face.
"There," Ginny said, stepping back and admiring her handiwork. Hermione felt elegant and sultry. She barely recognized herself.
"Thanks, Gin."
"My pleasure. Seriously." Ginny grinned and then threw her own hair into a high pony and swiped some lip gloss on. She slipped a light green lacy dress on with long sleeves and nodded to Hermione. "Let's go. We're late."
As Hermione and Ginny approached the Slytherin common rooms, Ginny muttered the password, and the bricks caved in on themselves to reveal a dark room with elegant furniture. Several students were sitting on the couches, draped over one another, while others were dancing around the room. To her surprise, Muggle music was blasting in the air.
She recognized the song immediately - "Hypnotize " by The Notorious B.I.G.
What in the world? How in Merlin's name had anyone from the Wizarding world even found this song?
Hermione's mother loved this song, and she tried not to cringe as she remembered Jean Granger dancing in their living room on New Year's this year, wine-drunk and blissfully unaware that her daughter was supremely embarrassed.
The two Gryffindor girls walked into the room, and Hermione looked around, noticing several other Gryffindor students, along with Ravenclaws peppered here and there, and even a Hufflepuff or two. She had no idea how she had never known how much fun everybody seemed to be having at the Slytherin parties over the years. The smoke in the air was putrid, and she realized a couple of Herbology students were definitely at this party.
Ginny pulled her through the crowd and down a hall to the dorm rooms. The music faded into the background as Ginny dragged her up to a door.
Hermione could hear separate music blasting through the door, and her eyes grew wide as she realized boys' voices singing along. What was that?
She listened closer, and then her eyes widened. That was definitely what she thought it was.
Ginny pushed the door open, and Hermione's mouth dropped at the sight. There, in the middle of the room, were Malfoy and Theo singing together and hitting, quite perfectly, the obvious whistle tones of Mariah Carey's "Emotions". Luna and Blaise were huddled together on a bed, watching the scene. Luna was smiling, and Blaise seemed intensely annoyed, like this was something they did often. Ginny began to bob her head to the music and let out a whoop, catching the boys' attention. Theo smiled widely at both girls, and then Malfoy turned quickly and tripped over his own feet.
"Shit!" He yelled as he fell. Everyone laughed as Hermione ran to him. His skin was hot and his cheeks flushed as he let her help him up. His eyes skated across her body, and she thought she saw his face turn even brighter red. The music was turned down slightly as other music began to play in the background. Hermione assumed some magic was at play.
Ginny and Theo immediately plopped down together on a bed, and Hermione stood there next to Malfoy awkwardly as both couples in front of them started talking to each other.
Malfoy rubbed the back of his neck and then turned, offering Hermione a seat on his bed. She gulped and then slowly sat down. Malfoy sat next to her. They were silent for a moment before both turning and opening their mouths.
"I wanted to-"
"I just wanted to say-"
Hermione flushed and motioned for him to go first. Luna and Blaise got up and walked out to the party, followed closely by Theo and Ginny.
Malfoy and Hermione watched them and then turned back to each other.
"I guess we're alone now." Hermione swallowed.
"Very observant," he smirked.
She glared daggers at him.
He looked down at the ground and then cleared his throat. "I'm sorry for my sudden mood swing last night in the Astronomy Tower."
"It's alright."
"Not really. I'm trying to learn how to control my temper."
"That was you with a temper?" Hermione chuckled, and Malfoy joined her.
"I guess so. I didn't wanna scare you. I left so I didn't lose my cool." He said, ashamed.
"Was it because of something I did? Or-or said?" Hermione was confused.
Malfoy sighed, "It's silly. I just. Alright." He turned towards her more on the bed and looked into her eyes, as if searching for something. "I really like you." He said, and Hermione's eyebrows shot to her hairline. Her heart skipped a beat, and her stomach flipped several times. "You don't have to say anything. I know you don't like me like that- I just- I heard what you said about kissing someone and not telling. I just got a little jealous, is all. I'm sorry." He looked away sheepishly. She couldn't believe her ears. Was she dreaming? Was Crookshanks about to wake her, mrowling for food? She blinked rapidly and then began to laugh.
Malfoy looked at her, confused, and then seemed sad. Hermione stopped immediately. "Malfoy. I didn't -I haven't kissed anyone."
"What? But you said-"
"It's a Muggle saying. Basically, saying I don't spill my secrets. It's figurative." She smiled at him as she saw reality hit him.
"Oh. You've never kissed anyone?" He asked.
She shook her head.
He contemplated something before turning to her slowly. "Well, then. Now that that's cleared up." She raised her eyebrows. "Who do you have a crush on, Granger?"
"I'm still not going to tell you, Malfoy." She grinned at him, shaking her head.
He smirked and then tilted his head. He thought for a moment and then leaned back slightly on one hand. He stared at her intently, his demeanor shifting slightly, and his eyes dropped down to her lips. She watched his own, and her breath quickened as her heart started to race. His eyes dropped to her collarbones, where he could likely see her breathing growing erratic. She felt molten under his gaze. He licked his bottom lip.
"You always get so nervous," he said in a low voice.
"I-I'm not nervous." She stuttered.
"Of course you are, Granger." He leaned in slightly and smirked, watching her breathing stop for a moment. His eyes met her own again, and she inhaled sharply. His hand that wasn't on the bed reached up slowly and cupped her cheek, brushing a stray curl from her face and tucking it behind her ear. He ran his fingers down her neck and over her collarbone, where her skin pebbled in response. "Your body says what you won't."
"What's that?" She asked. He grinned, wolfishly.
"That you want this. You want me." His steel-gray eyes snapped up to her own amber irises, and she exhaled. She felt like she was in freefall. Her head swam, and heat pooled in her stomach. The way he was looking at her made her increasingly nervous.
"Are you so sure of that?" She managed to find her voice. He grinned, lopsided, and then inhaled.
Malfoy's hand found its way back from her shoulder up behind her head, and his fingers tingled the small hairs at the nape of her neck.
"I'm not really sure of anything. Say you want this. Please tell me you want this as badly as I do, because it's been driving me mad." Hermione's mouth parted slightly, and then she nodded. "I want you," She whispered. Malfoy leaned in and smashed his lips to Hermione's.
She was on fire. He kissed her fervently, and she opened her mouth instantly to let his tongue in. She had dreamed of this - wanted it for so long. Her mind was at sea somewhere, and her body took over like it knew what it was doing. She felt him move closer, and his other hand dropped to her waist, tugging her into his lap. She obliged it and climbed over, straddling him.
Hermione felt feverish as her body moved against him of its own accord. He groaned into the kiss and then broke away, panting. He left wet kisses down her neck. He paid extra attention to the dip in her neck right above her collarbone, and she whimpered and dragged herself across him, causing him to grip her tighter and still her. She had already felt him, hard and straining in his trousers.
"Easy, love. You're gonna make me come in my pants if you keep that up," he breathed, raggedly.
"I like teasing you," she breathed against his lips.
"Yeah?" He said in a low timbre that reverberated through her body.
"Yeah," she mimicked.
She rocked against him again, and he practically growled before grabbing her under the thighs and lifting her, flipping them over so her back was on the bed and he was hovering over her. He smirked down at her. He reached behind his head and pulled his shirt up and over his head, tossing it across the room.
He leaned over her again and kissed her softly, pulling her knee up and pressing it tightly against his hip. He trailed his fingers up her leg and stopped just below the hem of her dress, faltering for a moment to see if she would object. She continued the kiss, and he dragged his hand further up and under her dress, all the way to the thin band of her panties on her waist. His finger hooked around the fabric, and he stopped again, giving her a moment to decide.
Did she want to take it this far? Hermione had come to school this year prepared to lose her virginity; however, she had thought it would be with Ron Weasley. She fought back a grimace at the thought of how that experience would have been. Definitely not like how this one was. Was she still willing to lose her virginity? Was she okay with Draco Malfoy being the one to help her through this? Yes. Absolutely, yes. She smiled into the kiss, and Draco took that as a sign. He pulled her panties down and off her legs, tossing them at the foot of the bed. He looked up at her and kissed her forehead.
Hermione leaned to the side slightly. "Could you help me with my dress?" He leaned on his elbow and slowly unzipped her, placing soft kisses on her skin as he went, inch by inch. She shivered as he reached the bottom of her back.
She pulled the dress down and off her body before leaning back again and looking up at him. He leaned back while on his knees and gazed at her through hooded eyes. She was suddenly aware that she was wearing only an old, dark blue bra. She silently wished she had thought to put on her favorite white lace one. She had just decided moments ago that she would, in fact, be losing her virginity tonight, but she hadn't been prepared for Draco to look at her like she was a giant glass of water after he had been in the desert for weeks. Her arms moved to cover her body. His hands grabbed her wrists, and he shook his head. "None of that, love. You're beautiful, Hermione." She shivered at his words, and he smiled.
He reached over and grabbed his wand from the bedside table, muttering a locking charm at the door and a silencing charm around them. He then pointed it just below her navel and whispered a contraceptive charm before setting it back on the table. Draco turned back to her and leaned down to press his lips against hers again and then down her neck.
He slowly worked down her body, placing kisses on her stomach, and when he reached her hips, he looked up at her. "I wanna make you feel good." He said, and she squeezed her eyes shut as he wrapped his arms around her legs, spreading them and positioning his head between her thighs.
She took a deep breath before he licked a wide strip between her folds, and she threw her head back, trying not to gasp.
He tightened his grip on her thighs as he began to suck on her clit and rub circles around it with his tongue. Hermione bucked into his mouth, and then he released one leg and pushed one finger inside her. The sudden sharp pain made her jump, and he pulled away from her to look up.
“You okay, love?”
”Mhmmm,” She managed to moan out. He smirked at her and then started to slowly pump his finger in and out of her. She breathed in deeply. His thumb pressed against her clit and rubbed in circles as he continued to work his finger slowly.
"Oh, Gods." She moaned, and he began to pump faster. The feeling in her stomach twisted tighter. She screwed her eyes shut as she bucked her hips against him, chasing the peak of that feeling. Like a dam had burst, Hermione gasped, and then she writhed with pleasure. Blind, white hot searing pleasure. He worked her through it and then slowed his finger until it stopped and pulled it out of her. She panted and came back to Earth, opening her eyes slowly to see him watching her with a dark, hungry gaze.
"You're so beautiful when you come for me," he murmured before leaning down and pressing his lips to hers once more. She could taste the salt and tang of herself and realized that she liked it. If she wasn't already soaked down there, she knew she would be slick again from the intimacy of his tongue on hers, fresh with her juices.
Hermione grabbed his hips and pulled him toward her. She pulled away from the kiss slightly and whimpered, "More. Please. I need more." Draco grinned and hopped off the bed and unbuttoned his trousers, dropping them down his legs and kicking them off. He then did the same with his boxer briefs, and Hermione tried to still her expression when he sprang forth. She had never seen a man naked before, at least not in person. She had seen diagrams in anatomy books and had read several romance novels, but she was wholly unprepared for how large and stately he was. She gulped as he climbed back on the bed and hovered over her.
He smirked at her and positioned himself between her legs, making eye contact with her. His eyes were the bluest she had ever seen them, and for some reason, it calmed her racing heart. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, and then she inhaled as she felt him prod at her entrance. His stare was intense as he slowly pushed into her, and they both gasped at the feeling. It was a mix of intense pleasure and slight pain. The feeling in the pit of her stomach made it impossible to feel much pain from the experience. The feeling of him entering her was euphoric enough that the pressure and pinching eased considerably after the initial entrance.
"Fuck," he muttered under his breath and dropped his head to watch himself entering her. "Tell me if it hurts - tell me to stop."
"Don't stop," She rasped. His hips pushed in deeper until he was buried in her, and he sighed, watching her as she adjusted to him.
Hermione grabbed his lower back and arched herself into him, urging him to move. He began to slowly drag out of her and then pushed back in, groaning as he did. She dug her nails in his back and pushed him forward again, trying to get him to pick up his pace. He obliged.
He pulled out and pushed back in over and over, slightly faster and harder each time. His head dropped to her shoulder as he whispered praises to her and buried himself in her warmth.
"You're doing so well. Taking me so good. So perfect. So so perfect. Never letting you go now. Mine now." He muttered over and over, and she whimpered.
His hips jerked at the sound, and he slammed into her hard. "Gods, Hermione, you feel so good. So so good." His pace picked up, and he groaned into her shoulder.
Hermione felt herself unwraveling again, and she hoped he wouldn't be far behind. "That's it, love. Come for me. I'm gonna come for you. I'm gonna fill you up, come all inside you."
All at once, she felt it come to a head, and she cried out, "Draco! Oh, Gods, Draco!" He sped up, and then she felt his hips jerk and warmth fill her as she reached her own climax. They both exhaled, and then Draco lowered himself on top of her, enveloping her body with his.
When they finally caught their breath, Draco rolled off of her and pulled out of her. His seed slowly seeped out of her, and she flushed. He grabbed his wand and Scourgified them both before grabbing the blanket and pulling it up and over them. He grabbed her and pulled her close to him and buried his face in the crook of her neck, sighing with contentment.
She smiled to herself.
"I prefer your hair down," he broke the silence.
"Oh?" Hermione chuckled.
"I love your curls when they're loose." Draco clarified.
"I didn't think anyone liked my frizzy mop." She joked, and then he pushed up, placing his elbow on the pillow and leaning on his hand. She turned on her back and looked up at him.
"I do. I always have." He stopped and took a deep breath. "Hermione, I've had a crush on you since I first saw you on the Hogwarts Express, seven years ago." Her eyes widened, and her brows lifted slightly. "I used to walk down the same halls as you just to catch a glimpse of you, and Theo and Blaise have teased me for years about it. It was only recently that I started teasing them about their own crushes. Lucky me that they happened to be your best friends," He grinned, and she blinked several times—this whole time. Draco had liked her this entire time, and she had been too blind to notice. She had been wrapped up in Ron Weasley. All that time, they could have spent together, and she had been entirely oblivious to it. "Take a chance on me, Hermione. I promise I'll make you happy. I'll do whatever it takes, I'll do whatever you want. Just please be mine."
Hermione watched him with interest as his eyes glinted with excitement. He was telling the truth.
She nodded and smiled as his face lit up with excitement, and he leaned in and kissed her forehead. He lay back on the pillow and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close again. Hermione inhaled deeply.
She thought for a moment. "You." She spoke.
"What?" Draco said behind her.
"You. You're my crush."
Draco chuckled and nuzzled his nose into the crook of her neck again, "Yeah, love. I kinda figured that." She smiled again and rolled her eyes—arrogant arse.