It was dark, but Hermione could make out the two figures well enough to know who they were. The boy was undeniably Draco, and from what she could make out, the girl looked like Pansy.
She sighed heavily at Pansy’s obstinate efforts. Draco was now, by all accounts, hers.
Yes, Hermione Granger was going out with Draco Malfoy. Teenage love was cruel; it did that kind of thing to her. She couldn’t control it, really. Once she saw that beautiful face and those eyes (and that muscular build) that was enough to make her fall for him.
Hermione slightly feared, though, that Pansy’s unending determination to get Draco back again would affect their relationship, though she hoped not.
Of course, Ron and Harry didn’t know. She would sneak out at night to meet Draco, and Harry and Ron never had a clue. The other girls in Hermione’s dormitory thought she was emotionally distressed, and maybe that was true, but nobody could possibly know what Hermione did at night.
Hermione pondered whether to storm outside and confront the two Slytherins, or to stay in the castle and confront Draco the next day. She decided that, since Pansy was with Draco, it would be better to wait until he was alone to tell him what she had discovered. Tired and groggy, she went up to bed.
When morning came and Hermione went down for breakfast in the Great Hall, she could not help but get upset as she looked at Draco. Hours of frustrated pondering had led her to conclude that he had betrayed her, and had been up to some shenanigans with Pansy the previous night. Of course, Hermione had not quite seen what he had been doing with Pansy, but she was sure that it was something she would not like. Walking to the girls' bathroom in a bit of a storm, Hermione contemplated these issues further.
“He will get it,” Hermione mumbled to herself. “He will find that he is - Oh!”
Hermione dropped her books all over the floor and looked up to see the face of whom else but Draco Malfoy.
She tried to run away, but Draco stood tall and firm, blocking her way. “Where are you going?” he asked. “You didn’t come to see me last night at all. It was our thing, Hermione. What happened to you?” he asked.
“What happened to me?” she said. “What happened to me! You’re the one who was out there last night with Pansy! What happened to you?” she asked. Draco only laughed at her.
“Why in my right mind do you think I’d be out with Pansy?” he asked. “I love you,” he said. “Pansy is nothing.” Feeling the heat rising to her face, Hermione welcomed Draco’s embrace.
It felt so good to be back in his arms. She had missed it an unbelievable amount, and that was only for one night. It was obsession, being with Draco, and she was sure that he felt the same way.
There, in the middle of the hallway, Draco and Hermione hugged so fiercely that several people in the hallway stood with their mouths wide open. One of them was Pansy.
“Draco!” she said, clearly surprised. “What do you think you’re doing with that Mudblood? You love me, remember?”
When Draco didn’t answer, she faltered. “Draco…how - how could you forget?”
Draco glanced frantically from Hermione to Pansy. “I really have to go,” he said. Hermione was so shocked by the turn of events that she couldn’t react properly, but Pansy grabbed his arm before he could go anywhere.
“Pansy, just let me out of here already!” said Draco, pushing Pansy’s hand away. “Or more preferably, let me return to my position before you showed up, because I really don’t like you and I doubt you’re surprised about that. How could anyone like you? And if you ever call her a Mudblood again, I will personally use the Cruciatis curse on you until you admit to yourself that nobody will ever like you.” Pansy gasped and her face turned pink.
“Fine!” she said. “If you want it to be that way, so be it!” And she walked away, a little more dramatically than necessary.
Later that night, Hermione and Draco met in their usual place. That night, they took extra care to let each other know that they were the right ones for each other.
“I love you Hermione,” Draco whispered. “I want you to know that, and I don’t want that to ever change.”
Hermione wished and wished that it was true, but she couldn’t overlook the events that had happened that day. And she couldn’t help but be just a little bit doubtful of the fact that he did love her, or of the fact that she did love him.
But there they lay, defenseless, as she let Draco continue to break down the walls of her dignity.