“Hey, Hermione!”
Shaken from her thoughts, Hermione turned around and saw Violet. “Hi, Violet. Good morning.”
“Good morning. Can I join you or are you busy?”
“No, no, no! Come, sit down,” said Hermione, gesturing at the chair next to her. Violet smiled and sat down.
“So, did you sleep late last night? Did you enjoy yesterday’s event?”
Hermione folded her arms on the table and said, “Of course I did. I’m glad I got to socialize; I didn’t want to be all alone during the whole trip!”
“But, you’re not alone. Draco is with you.”
“Oh…” Hermione mentally kicked herself. Because of Malfoy’s ‘helpful’ tactics to save her from humiliation, everyone thought that they both were a ‘couple’. Why, Malfoy? Why is that even when you help me, you still put me in a tight situation? Hermione, quickly trying to cover up her mistake, said, “Yes, of course…I meant that I wanted to make new friends…you know…”
Violet smirked and put a hand on Hermione’s shoulder. “It’s alright, Hermione. I think I have an idea of what’s going on between you two.” Hermione looked at her doubtfully.
“You do?”
Violet leaned back on her chair and smiled mischievously. “You both aren’t really going out, right?” Hermione propped her elbow on the table and rested her head on her hand.
“And why do you say that?”
Violet laughed and said, “Oh, come on, Hermione. It was pretty obvious by the look on your face when he arrived; your face clearly showed you were surprised. And you didn’t seem comfortable when he put an arm over your shoulder.”
A smile crept onto Hermione’s face. “Oh, alright!” she chuckled, “I’m not going out with him. But was it really obvious? I mean, how come Jessie and the other didn’t notice?”
“They were too shocked that you both knew each other that I guess they missed that part. But if you both aren’t really going out, how come Draco decided to do that?”
Hermione felt it weird to hear Malfoy’s name being mentioned in such a friendly manner and wondered why he suddenly decided to become friendly with Muggles. His actions were confusing her by the minute. “Well, I don’t know. Actually, Malfoy and I haven’t been in good terms with each other for years.”
“Malfoy? You call Draco by his last name?”
Hermione nodded slightly and paused before replying, “I never called him by his first name or even talk to him for that matter. If I ever did, it was only because he would insult me; otherwise I completely ignore him.”
Violet opened her mouth in revelation. “You’re kidding?! So, you guys are like enemies?” Hermione nodded. Violet looked at her for a moment and then burst out laughing.
Hermione looked at her in confusion and said, “What’s so funny?”
Violet’s face had turned red from laughing and replied, “You both are enemies and you both are stuck on the same boat for the whole trip!”
Hermione smiled. Two enemies stuck together; who could have thought? She guessed it was pretty funny from Violet’s point of view and started to find the situation she was in pretty amusing too. “You want to hear something even funnier?”
“What?”
“His room is right next to mine,” she said in a rather irritated voice, but a smile was still plastered across her face. Violet roared with laughter. People in the restaurant started to look at their table curiously but Violet and Hermione paid no attention to it. Looking at Violet laugh, Hermione started to giggle herself.
When Violet had calmed down she said, “I feel sorry for you.”
“Don’t be. I’ve had to cope up with him for a very long time in school so I can deal with him.”
Violet chuckled slightly and nodded her head. “But if he doesn’t like you, then why did he act like that yesterday?”
Hermione told her the whole story. Jessie’s behaviour towards her, what Draco’s reasons were for helping her out and what had happened before he went into his room. Of course, she had left out everything related to the wizarding world. Violet listened as Hermione talked; she didn’t know why she was telling all of this to Violet, as if they had been best friends, but she did anyway.
After an hour or so, Violet said, “I have to go now, I still haven’t unpacked all my clothes yet and I want to finish that chore today.” Hermione smiled as she remembered Harry and Ron. If they were here with her, they probably wouldn’t even have started to unpack. Before Violet got up from the table, Hermione asked, “Violet…can I ask you a favour?”
“Sure.”
“Well…I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t tell Jessie about me and Draco.”
Violet smiled and laid a hand on Hermione’s shoulder. “I’m not that kind of person who would talk behind a friend’s back. You can trust me.”
Hermione grinned and said, “Thanks.”
“I’ll see you around. Oh wait! How will I? I don’t even know how to contact you.”
“Oh! Well my room number is 5290, so come by anytime.”
“Mine’s 2424. Alright then, bye!” She smiled and walked off. Hermione decided to go back to her room too, so she got up and left the restaurant.
Draco got up from bed and stretched. Stifling a yawn, he walked over to his bathroom to freshen up. He had slept immensely well and thoughts of yesterday were wiped from his mind. He looked at the clock in his bathroom and yelped in surprise. It was already quarter to twelve! The restaurants would stop serving breakfast soon and he would have none unless he hurried up. He quickly threw on some clothes and hurriedly left his room. He was running around a corner when he crashed hard into someone. He yelped as he fell over, landing right on top of the person. The body beneath him groaned in pain and he looked down in surprise to find Granger.
“Fancy seeing you, Granger,” said Malfoy, smirking. He was supporting himself on his hands so that he wasn’t squashing the life out of her. Hermione’s eyes widened in horror as she saw Malfoy above her.
“Get off me!”
“Hey! It’s not like I like this situation either!”
“Then why in the world are you still on top of me!” she yelled, trying to push him away. Malfoy quickly got up and looked at Hermione who was now sitting on the floor, massaging her head.
“Why, can’t you watch where you’re going!” she yelled.
“I didn’t do it on purpose! It’s not my fault you were in my way!” Hermione stared at him in disbelief. She didn’t know what to say to something like that. What kind of a person would say that as an excuse?! “Forget it! You’re absolutely hopeless!” she yelled.
Hermione slowly got up and faced him. “Why are you running in the first place?” she snapped, glaring at him.
“Because I want to get some breakfast and you’re wasting my time!”
Hermione laughed. “Too bad. They’ve already stopped serving breakfast.”
Draco groaned in frustration and said, “Brilliant, that’s just great!”
“Try the room service; they might still serve this late.” With that, she walked off; leaving Draco in total confusion. How in the world would he get room service?
“Granger!”
Hermione whipped around, her face red with anger. “What, Malfoy!? What could you possibly want now?”
“I don’t know how the bloody hell to get room service and I’m bloody starving!” he snapped.
Hermione gave him an I-don’t-care look and replied, “That’s your problem! You should have woken up early; and don’t you dare take out your anger on me.” She turned around to walk off again when Malfoy grabbed her wrist.
“Look, just…hel- I mean, tell me how to do it.” Hermione felt a jolt of energy tingle throughout her body as his warm hand held onto her wrist. She quickly wrenched her arm away from his grip and looked at him. Was he asking her for help? All of a sudden, her face broke into a smile.
Draco looked at her curiously and said, “What?”
“Are you asking for my help?” she said, a mischievous grin playing on her lips.
Draco’s face reddened and he quickly replied, “No.” Hermione’s smile was wiped from her face.
“Fine then, figure it out yourself.” Draco rolled his eyes. Did she have to be so infuriating!? Draco was having an inner battle. Should he ask her for help or find out a different way?
Finally he said, “Oh alright, alright!”
Hermione looked at Malfoy, her hands resting on her hips and said, “Alright what?”
“I need your help,” he mumbled. A smirk tugged on her lips and she said, “I didn’t hear you.”
“Oh, for the love of Merlin, Granger! Are you deaf? I said I need your help! I can’t use any of that stupid muggle stuff!”
Hermione smiled smugly and chuckled, “Alright, let’s go. I’ll show you.”
Hermione dialled the room service number and ordered some breakfast while Draco sat on his bed, looking curiously at how she used the weird instrument. After she had finished talking, she looked at Draco and said, “Your breakfast will be here soon. Are you satisfied now?”
Draco ignored her and asked, “What’s that thing you used to order food?”
Hermione looked at what he was pointing to and stifled a laugh. “It’s called a telephone.” Draco continued to look at it curiously and Hermione couldn’t help but smile. “I can teach you how to use it one day if you’d like.” Draco nodded absent mindedly; his expression unreadable.
“Erm…okay, I’ll guess I’ll go now,” Hermione said, slowly heading towards the door. He didn’t say anything.
When she was about to shut the door behind her, Draco yelled, “Wait!” Hermione looked at him, her hand clutching onto the door handle.
“I…erm…” Draco looked at Hermione, his words not coming out. Why was it so hard to say ‘Thank you’? “I…” God damn it Draco just say it!
“What?” said Hermione, looking at Draco curiously.
He sighed out loudly and said, “Forget it.” He lay down on his bed; staring up at the white washed ceiling. Why couldn’t he just say it?
Hermione looked at him peculiarly and shut the door behind her. Malfoy was really starting to act weird.