After making a quick stop into Honeyduke’s, Hermione and Harry slipped under the invisibility cloak and started to make their way to the shrieking shack.
“Harry, why would he be asking to meet me? He never used my actual name while we talked so I don’t think anything has really changed…I’m being stupid, I don’t want to do this.” She stopped so fast that Harry almost pulled the invisibility cloak off her.
“You don’t know that Hermione,” Harry whispered. “He could honestly want to be your friend.”
“Yeah, and he could honestly want to play a giant joke on the ugly mudblood.”
“Look,” Harry didn’t know how to say this, but he had to tell her, “I followed you under my cloak that night, so I would be there if you needed help. You know if Malfoy started acting like a prat.”
“You followed -” Hermione began but Harry interrupted her.
“Yeah, but that’s not the point Hermione,” he really did not want to admit it but he knew what he saw. “During that whole time when you were talking to Draco, I saw something in his face; his eyes said that he was glad you were there. He wanted you there.”
Hermione didn’t know if she should be angry with Harry, or happy at what he had just said.
“And I’m sorry for following you,” he added. “I just wanted to make sure Malfoy didn’t treat you in a way you shouldn’t be treated.”
“Oh, Harry! You are so wonderful!” She gave him a very awkward hug as people walking by started to look around when they heard a voice come from thin air.
“So you think there is a chance that he likes me?” she asked hopefully.
“Well, if anything I can tell that he wants a friend.”
Hermione feeling a bit better about the situation started walking again, and they both arrived at the Shrieking Shack and saw Draco waiting with an expectant look on his face.
*~*~*~*~
‘Where is she?’ he thought to himself. ‘She had to be in the village by now. Maybe she doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.’
‘Then why did she ask to join you the other night on patrol?’ a voice in his head asked.
‘She won’t come, she -’
There was a noise coming from behind, and Draco turned.
“Pansy!” Draco breathed. “What are you doing here?”
“What? Expecting someone else?” she asked venomously. “Or should I say, expecting something else?”
‘Can’t she just accept that we aren’t together anymore?’
“Again, you fail to let me know what you are talking about.” Draco had a sick feeling in his stomach that Pansy was going to mess up everything.
“I know you are waiting to meet with that mudblood Granger!” Pansy looked to be thoroughly enjoying this. “I saw you look back at her when you were on your way here. I saw it Draco!” color was rushing to her cheeks as she began to shout at him.
‘Damn. Pansy knows I am a Death Eater I can’t let her think that she is right. She’ll go telling everyone from here to the Dark Lord!’
“And I would be waiting for Granger why?” Draco asked trying to sound only mildly interested.
“Because you fancy her that’s why! You fancy that stupid little Gryffindor! You left me for her!” Pansy was shaking with anger, and tears were beginning to form.
“Don’t be stupid!” Draco shouted. “You left me remember? You’re the only one who seems to cling to this notion that I like Granger in the slightest. What the hell was I going to do when she asked to patrol with me? She would have thought it very strange if I would have argued.”
Draco thanked God that Hermione wasn’t there to hear any of this.
“Plus I decided to use it to my advantage. Get her to think she’s found some good in me to keep her off her guard. Now you get out of my site with your idiotic ideas! And this is the last time you will speak to me of it.” Draco finished and turned to face the shrieking shack.
Pansy ran from where she stood, crying all the way back towards the castle grounds.
*~*~*~*~
‘I knew it couldn’t have been real’ she thought, as tears streamed down her face.
“Come on,” whispered Harry. “Lets go and have a butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks.” He turned Hermione and they started to sneak away without Draco hearing them.
‘When I meet up with Draco alone he is going to be in so much -’ his thoughts were interrupted by Hermione who at that moment threw the cloak off of them both and turned towards Draco.
“You pure blood bastard!” she yelled, both crying and shaking with rage.
*~*~*~*~
Draco turned; expecting to see Pansy back again, but instead met the tear stained and angry face of Hermione. Harry was standing just behind her looking like he wanted nothing more than to kill him.
‘Where did they come from? I didn’t hear anyone coming.’
“Hermione when did you -” But he wasn’t allowed to finish his sentence because Hermione had begun to yell.
“DON’T you ‘Hermione’ me! I heard what you just said to Parkinson!” Hermione hated herself for believing that Draco wanted to befriend her.
“So, playing a little joke on the mudblood are we? Keep me off my guard? Well Malfoy,” she spoke his name with such hatred that he winced. “I will have you know that my guard is up, and will stay up so long as I have to patrol the corridors with the likes of you!” She glared at him through her tears.
“What - what are you talking about?” Draco didn’t understand any of this, and was still too shocked and horrified that she had heard what he had said.
She laughed mockingly, “Oh, that’s right you weren’t at breakfast.” Her sneer would have made Professor Snape jealous.
“Well I might as well fill you in. Professor Dumbledore made a little announcement. The prefects are to patrol the corridors together from now on, new security precautions.”
She wasn’t crying anymore but was speaking with complete malice.
“That’s right, I will be in the way of all your rotten little plans now you - STUPEFY!” Hermione had her wand pointed at Draco so fast that he did not have time to block the spell. He fell to the ground, knocked out.
“Hermione!” Harry could not believe what he had just seen her do. She had never done something like this before. She didn’t answer however, and instead she turned around and headed back up towards the castle, leaving Harry with the unconscious Draco Malfoy.