Turning Points

Turning Points: Chapter Ten

The next day was the start of Hogsmeade Weekend. Hermione, knowing shed have to prove herself to Malfoy, prepared herself for a grueling day. Dressing in her most Muggle clothes, jeans and a jumper, she mentally reviewed what she planned to do. When ready, she headed out of her dorm room, which was littered with the clothes and make-up items of Lavender and Parvati, and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

After eating her fill, Hermione looked across the Hall at the Slytherin table and nodded to Draco. She then got up and left, joining the group of students waiting in line for Filch to check them off the list. She arrived at the Shrieking Shack about half an hour before Draco, as planned. When he did arrive, he didn't see Hermione, but a girl who looked vaguely familiar, even though he knew he had never seen her before. Believing Hermione to be late, he began to walk past the building with plans to circle around and come back in a few minutes when the girl called out to him. "And just where do you think you're going, Malfoy?" a familiar voice called.

'Only three people have ever said my last name with such disdain,' he thought to himself, not turning around. 'One is dead; one is hopefully more masculine than that person sounded and the last...' "Granger," he drawled, finally turning around and staring into her now blue eyes.

"Malfoy," she replied. "Is this good enough proof for you or do you still require that blood test?" she asked. With a wink, she twirled around, giving him a full 360 degree look.

"No, you're definitely a Zabini," he said, taking his time to look her over. She still had long hair, but instead of being mousy brown and way too curly for her short frame, it was black with only a small curl at the very ends. Her eyes, instead of the coffee brown he had become accustomed to, were the cerulean blue that had made the Zabini line well sought after as mates. Her big blue eyes were lined with long, dark lashes. "Gee Granger, I don't know how you could stand living in that bushy haired Mudblood body all this time when you knew all along that you were this," he remarked.

"Hah," she snorted. "I actually prefer the homely look, Dray-kie." She winked.

"You won't when I'm through with you," he retorted. Before she had the chance to remark, he had her pressed up against the rotting wall of the Shrieking Shack, hungrily claiming her mouth as his own. She tried in vain to push him off, but eventually gave in to temptation and kissed him back hungrily.

Hermione's eyes fluttered open as Draco began to trail butterfly kissed down her neck. The first thing she saw was not Draco's blonde hair, but several pairs of eyes above her, gaping at hers and Draco's obvious public display of affection. 'Strange,' she thought. 'I was under the impression that nobody came up this way.' That was when it clicked in her mind that if she was looking up at them and they were looking down at her then she had to be on the ground. 'Well, that explains this weight on top of me,' she thought, turning her head to look at Draco. "Draco?" she murmured against his ear.

"Mm?" he moaned, too busy marking her neck to ask a proper 'What?'

"We have company." He didn't respond in the slightest and just kept working on her neck, not showing any signs of slowing in the near future. Taking matters into her own hands, Hermione bit down on his ear hard, causing him to yelp and break their intimate embrace. She took a minute to relish in the fact that Draco Malfoy yelps, before being interrupted by his shouts.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, GR--" he immediately stopped his tirade, nothing, for the first time, the pack of eyes unabashedly staring. "Who the bloody hell are you all? Voyeurs? Well? Move along, then!" Draco yelled.

"Draco, you can't except them to just follow your every command," Hermione sighed. As she turned to motion to the group of onlookers, all she saw were their quickly retreating backs. "Humph, maybe so..."

"My dear, Hermione, when will you ever learn? The power that comes with being a Malfoy is immeasurable. Same with being a Zabini, you know. Our families are two of the most powerful in the entire wizarding world.

"Except I'm a Granger," Hermione interjected.

"But tomorrow, the rumor mill of Hogwarts and the rest of the wizarding world will be buzzing about the hardcore snogging session between Draco Malfoy and some Zabini girl nobody has ever heard of before. You'll be as good as a Zabini then. And, after this rumor mill gets going, my father will wait a couple days before mailing me and saying something to the effect of, 'A Zabini, Draco? Good match, but why have I never heard of a female Zabini your age? Answer me or suffer the consequences!' he said in a horrible impression of his father. "I'll then reply with something like 'Why Father, I don't know what you're talking about. The only Zabini I know is Blaise and he is most assuredly male.' or something equally disrespectful and snarky.

"Your biological parents will get in touch with you, as well, I'm sure, asking what the hell you think you're doing with your glamour off and with a Malfoy. They'll probably throw in something about being severely disappointed in you blah blah blah," Draco added.

"That works in our favor though."

"How the bloody hell does drawing attention to ourselves possibly help us?"

"Well, attention will only be drawn to you and if you're seen being eternally good, then nobody will suspect you for..." she trailed off, leaving Draco to connect the dots. "And even if you do deny my existence, it plants the seeds. Those people saw a female Zabini. When we take power, they'll get to say 'I told you so!' to all of their friends and will be easier to turn over to our regime."

"I take a trip to the girl's loo quite frequently to check on an illegally-brewing polyjuice potion. How do you want me to explain that, should I get caught?" he smarmy asked.

"You won't have to. The potion's finished tomorrow night. I'll do the final preparations; you gather your people and we'll all meet in the Restricted Section of the library at midnight. Hermione stood, pulling Draco with her, and began walking into the bustling town of Hogsmeade.