Fatal Affairs

3.

Good morning

Ron stretched himself comfortably under his sheets. If he had the choice, he would stay in bed all day. However, just as he was thinking about how great that would be his stomach rumbled and forced him to get up.

While he dressed he remembered whom he had been with the night before, and a big grin spread across his face.

Suddenly there was a slight rustled next to him, and very tired looking Harry sat up in his bed.

"Had you intended to tell me?" he asked as soon as he saw Ron walking through the room. "Tell you what?" Ron asked innocently and stopped walking. Harry reached for his glasses, which lay on the bedside table.

"Oh, don't act as if you don't know what I'm talking about. Where were you last night with my Invisibility cloak?"

Harry was not ready to tell him that he knew about Lavender, not yet. He wanted to give Ron the chance to tell him on his own.

"Umm, Harry," a guilty looking Ron said, ears going red, "I... uh, that's difficult..."

"Just say it!" Harry prompted.

"Well, I.. ehm, okay, I met a girl, all right?"

"Who?" Harry asked immediately.

Ron eyed him hesitantly. "Promise you won't laugh?" he asked. Harry shook his head. "Hey, it's me. Your best friend!"

"Okay, I'll tell... it's Lavender," Ron said, guardedly. Harry acted as if he was surprised. "Really? But I always thought, she and Seamus..." "No, that's over," Ron said, a grin now lighting up his face.

"How long has this relationship between you and Lavender been going on?" Harry asked, curious to hear everything about it.

"Only a few days. We were in the same group in Herbology and after the lesson she pulled me aside and then..." Ron trailed off.

"Yeeeees????" Harry asked, wanting all the gory details.

"And then she kissed me." Ron went beetle-red. Harry grinned at him with raised eyebrows, but then a thought struck him.

"You know, that's kind of confusing. I always thought, you and Hermione..." Harry suddenly stopped at the look on Ron's face. 'Crap,' Harry thought. 'Shouldn't have said that!'

"Harry, in case you haven't noticed, since Hermione was with Krum this summer, she has barely glanced at me, let alone spoken with me. And..." Anger was evident on Ron's freckled face. "And here you thought, 'Hey, Ron's taking Lavender instead!' It's not that easy, Harry. And I'm not settling with Lavender, I really like her."

Harry eyed him suspiciously. "Sure, Ron. If you say so," he said, not wanting get Ron any angrier. He dressed quickly, all the while shaking his head. Then he went down to the Great Hall to have some breakfast.

Ron stared after him for a moment before walking down as well, muttering, "She's not just a replacement."

When they reached the Great Hall, Hermione was already there, as always reading a book (This time it was 'The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 5)').

Harry took an empty seat to her right, while Ron took the seat to her left. Without looking up from the pages in front of her, she spoke to them.

"Who would have thought? Finally raised from the dead?"

"What?" Ron asked confused, while shoving food on his mouth.

"I just thought that you were going to sleep the day away," Hermione explained.

At this moment, Draco Malfoy walked past their table, giving Hermione a meaningful look, which only she noticed. A tiny smile crept over Hermiones face.

"Herms, why are you smiling like that?" Ron addressed her.

"Ehm, I don't know," Hermione said, sounding a little uncomfortable. "I'm going to get ready for our next lesson." With that she rushed out of the Hall.

"Am I wrong, or has she been acting strange lately?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged, then suddenly he turned his attention to the person right behind his best friend. "Good morning, Ron," Lavender greeted him with a sing-song voice, while she took the seat beside him and kissed him on the cheek. Ron went red again.

Harry was suddenly VERY occupied with the food on his plate. He tried desperately to fight back the grin, that was starting to spread across his face. But he failed,so he just ate his food as quick as he could, then left the Great Hall, to let the two turtle-doves have a little time alone.

Hermione climbed up the stairs, walking as if she were on Cloud Nine. Every time she saw him, her heartbeat fastened and she would smile involuntarily.

A memory of two weeks ago crossed her mind, when she and her friends had played the Muggle-game "Truth or dare". That was the beginning of it....

***flashback***

Saturday, two weeks ago

It was evening, and the Gryffindor common room was overcrowded as always.

Harry, Ron, Hermine, Ginny, Lavender and Parvati had seated themselves in a remote corner.

"Ron, truth or dare?" Parvati asked him excitedly.

Ron, fearing the worst, said: "Truth."

Parvati immediately shot out her question. "Ron, are you still a virgin?"

His face turned the same color like his hair. Today of all days she had to ask such a question, and in front of his little sister. "Mind your own business!" he said embarrassed. But Parvati insisted, till he finally gave in and stammered, "Y...yes."

Satisfied, Parvati leaned back. "So, who's next?"

With glimmering eyes, Lavender turned to Hermione. "Herms, Truth or dare?"

Hermione eyed her dorm-mate suspiciously, but then decided to take a chance. What could be the worst thing that could happen? "Dare," she answered with a steady voice.

Lavender grinned and debated with Parvati. Such an opportunity for them! Then she turned back to Hermione and said, "Fine, I dare you... to kiss Draco Malfoy."

Everyone except Lavender and Parvati took a sharp breath. Ginny stared her with eyes big as plates. Harry and Ron didn't knew what was more shocking: the fact that Lavender made such a dirty dare, or that Hermione had actually agreed.

Hermione stared in disbelief at Lavender. "You're joking, aren't you?"

"Ohh, is ickle 'Mione chicken?" Lavender said in her most condescending voice.

'Shit,' Hermione thought. 'Lavender just had to attack my pride, didn't she?'

Now there was no turning back. After a short moment of hesitation she answered, "Okay, I'll do it. Right now."

Hermione wandered searchingly through the castles many corridors. 'He's probably in the dungeons. Well, I'm not going to enter the Slytherin common room!' she thought furiously.

'Stupid bloody game, I should have done my homework instead. Stupid, stupid, stupid!'

With a lot of distance between them, the others followed her to make sure she wouldn't chicken out. While looking right and left, she forgot to look at what was in front of her, and promptly...

...BANG.. She bumped into someone.

"Ohh, I'm sorry, I didn't watch.... Malfoy?" Hermione said.

'Great, the man of the hour,' she thought sarcastically.

The blond Slytherin had a hand on his head and stared at her with furious eyes. "Too stupid to watch where you're going, Granger?"

Harry, Ron and the others were hidden behind a corner and observed the scene with eagle-eyes.

'Fine,' Hermione thought. 'Better get this over with.' The next moment, she shot forward and pressed her lips to his, eyes firmly shut.

Draco stood still, almost as if he was hit by a bolt of lightning, and his eyes were wide open. But before he could react, it was over. Hastily, she let go of him and ran down the corridor.

Draco, utterly perplexed, stared after her. After a short time he found his voice again.

".... What was THAT???"

***end of flashback***

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4.

Discoveries

"Ron?"

"Hmm, what is it, Lav?" Ron responded.

"Does Harry know about us?" Lavender inquired. "He acted so strange."

Ron grinned and looked deep into her blue eyes. "I told him this morning, should I have waited?" With a pleading look he gave her a soft kiss on the nose.

"No, I was just curious," Lavender said. "And what about Hermione?"

As soon as the name left her lips, Ron went rigid and pulled away from her.

"Why should I tell her?" he said coldly. "Just to hear her saying, 'Ron, don't you think she'll distract you from your studies'?"

Hurried, Ron bid her goodbye and went to get his books for class. Lavender watched him go, obviously hurt. Lately he'd react so frigid at any mention of Hermione. What was wrong with him?

Ron climbed up the stairs to his dormitory sullenly. How could he explain it to Lavender? That he still had feelings for Hermione, feelings beyond friendship? He didn't want to hurt her, but every time someone mentioned Hermione, he went cold and intolerable. Since she'd returned from her holidays, Ron and Hermione had unconsciously kept their distance. And every time he wanted to talk to her, he lost his nerve. Besides, what would he say to her? 'Hermione, I'm in love with you. I think of you all the time'? No, that would ruin it all, he couldn't risk it. "Damn," he murmured.

***flashback***

Sunday, two weeks ago

Hermione was just returning from a trip to the library, when suddenly someone grasped her by her arm and she was pressed against a wall. Startled she opened her eyes wide. Then she heard a familiar, cold voice.

"What was it with you yesterday, Granger? Wanted to know what it feels like to snog a pure-blood?" Draco asked, in a mocking tone of voice.

Hermione was trapped under his piercing stare. "Malfoy, that had nothing to do with you. And believe me, I wouldn't have kissed you voluntarily. It was just a game!" Hermione said defiantly.

When she said those words, Dracos mouth pressed to a thin white line. His blue-grey eyes narrowed to slits.

"Just a game?" He restated, icily. With that he let go of her arm and stalked down the corridor. He almost seemed to be shacking with suppressed fury.

Was it just her imagination, or had he seemed a little disappointed?

***end of flashback***

The lessons passed by as ever. Apart from Double-Potions with the Slytherins (Couldn't someone change the ruddy timetables?), everything was quiet relaxed.

Unfortunately, Snape had decided it was necessary for his fifth year students to learn how to make a Polyjuice Potion.

There was a silent "Brilliant" from Ron and Harry in the back of the room, who, thanks to Hermione and their adventure in second class, already knew how to do it. Hermiones hand shoot up in the air every time Snape asked a question about it.

After a while he was so pissed about it that he was going to take points from her for "'Knowing too much", but Draco, who shocked the whole class, protested, that it would be unfair. Embarrassed and shocked to be lectured by his favorite student, Snape let it be.

Hermione thanked Draco for it with a slight smile, which was only meant for him to see. But another person saw it, too, with evil glittering eyes.

"That was too close to comfort, yesterday, hmm?" Draco asked, while he pulled Hermione closer. She was smiling sweetly at him.

They were sitting in the library, as far away from the entrance as possible, so they would be warned in time if somebody would find their way there.

Actually they were here to learn, but somehow they hadn't managed to get around to it.

"Did he hurt you much?" she asked, a worried look in her eyes.

"No," he replied with a grin. "A real Slytherin feels no pain. Nobody can hurt me, Mia." Then he bent over and gave her a gentle kiss.

He was the only one, whom she allowed to call her that. Silently she laughed to herself. But then she eyed him sadly. "I really would like to tell them about us, but how would they react?"

Draco watched her with a questioning look. "Mia, I thought this was the exact reason for keeping it a secret. They wouldn't understand!"

Hermione sighed deeply and looked into his stormy grey eyes. Then she nodded. She decided to switch to a more friendly topic.

"So, where did you get your over large Ego?" Hermione asked, playfully hitting his arm.

"Hey," he complained, "that hurt. Just you wait!" Draco growled, bending down to punish Hermione for her bad behaviour...

('That couldn't have hurt him', Hermione thought)... After a while he loosened himself.

"Where did I get my Ego?" Draco brought a finger to his chin, as if in thought. Then he smirked. "Probably because all the girls at this school are ALWAYS throwing themselves at my feet."

Now it was Hermiones turn to snarl. Draco watched her, smiling. He bent his head again, then whispered into her ear. "Don't worry. I'm only yours."

Just at that moment, someone behind them cleared his throat. Startled they parted themselves hastily.

"What are you two doing?" the person asked, with a voice like ice.