It's Not What You Think

It's Not What You Think

Blond hair. Pale, silver-blond hair. What in the world? Hermione blinked and sat up in her bed. Except it wasn't her bed... or if it was then how would she explain Malfoy asleep next to her? Oh lord... last night... The Three Broomsticks... I made a bet with him... a really stupid bet. Hermione, you are losing your touch. You shouldn't have asked him about potion antidotes. Maybe you did it on purpose... maybe you wanted him to win the bet.

"Ew! No!"

"Huh? What'd you say?" Malfoy asked groggily, staring up at her with blurry gray eyes.

"Nothing... I have to go."

"Why? This is your dormitory."

"It doesn't matter whose dormitory it is. I just have to go."

"No. Don't go," Malfoy protested, grabbing her arm.

"Malfoy, let go of me."

"No."

"Let. Go."

"I. Said. No."

"Oh my lord, Malfoy!" she huffed. "Let me leave."

"N-O. Which letter don't you understand?"

"Malfoy, let-"

"Hermione? You up?"

The door to the girls' dormitory opened and Ginny stepped into the room. Her brown eyes widened so much so that Hermione thought they'd pop out of her head.

"M-Malfoy? What... why... Hermione, why is Malfoy in your bed?"

"It's... it's not what you think," Hermione squeaked.

"Oh? So you normally have albino Slytherins in you bed? I must not have gotten that memo."

"Hey! Excuse me! I am not an albino! I'm just fair-skinned."

"If you were any more fair, you'd be a ghost. Now do be a good ferret and SHUT UP!"

Ginny turned her gaze back to Hermione, who was clutching a sheet to her chest while biting her lip, as she tried to think of an excuse Ginny would buy into.

"I'm waiting, 'Mione."

"Er... it was for a bet?" Yes, why not tell her the truth? She'd see through all of your excuses anyway.

"A bet? You expect me to believe you jumped into bed with Malfoy for a bet?!"

"It's true. I swear it. You can even use Veritaserum on me if you'd like."

Ginny sighed exasperatedly. "How, pray tell, are you going to get Malfoy past Ron and Harry? They're downstairs playing Wizard's Chess."

"Er... could you... well... maybe get Harry's Invisibility Cloak?"

"You want me to steal Harry's cloak so you can hide Malfoy under it?! Have you fallen completely off of your rocker? I'm not helping you!"

Ginny stomped out of the dormitory and Malfoy glanced over at Hermione.

"She's a feisty little bit, isn't she?"

"Don't even, Malfoy. She'd kill you as soon as look at you."

"And once you were the same way. But after a nice little shag you loosened up, didn't you?"

Hermione's eyes narrowed as she punched Malfoy's arm.

"Ow! Watch it! I bruise easily."

"Oh, would you just get out of here already?"

"Did you miss the part where she said Potter and Weasley were down in the common room?"

"I heard her."

"So you want me to get bludgeoned by them, then?"

Hermione rolled her eyes as she got out of bed. Malfoy watched her in her camisole and underwear, and a smile crept onto his features.

"If you don't stop looking at me like a wolf about to attack his prey, then I'm going to toss you down the stairs in nothing but your skin."

Malfoy blanched, causing Hermione to laugh.

"All-right. I'm going to change your hair and you should be able to get past Harry and Ron if you don't dawdle."

"Wait!"

But Hermione had already pointed her wand at him and declared, "Pelo-Moreno". Malfoy peeked into the mirror next to Hermione's bed and saw that his signature blond hair had been turned a muddy shade of brown.

"Urgh! That's disgusting."

"It'll wear off as soon as you're out of Gryffindor Tower. Now go!"

Malfoy quickly dressed and raced down the stairs. Thankfully, Potter and Weasley didn't even look up from their game as he hurried past them. But Ginny gave him a dirty look, and when she opened her mouth to yell, "Harry! Ron! It's Malfoy" he wanted to strangle her. He didn't think he'd ever run so fast in his life. He lost Potter and Weasley on the ever-changing Grand Staircase, and when he got to the dungeons, he breathed a sigh of relief. That is the last time I go skirting around a Gryffindor. He ran his fingers through his hair, which was now back to normal, and headed to his private chamber. Next time I'll pick a Hufflepuff... less dangerous...

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