Inevitable Lovers

Chapter 4:

During the remainder of the first week of term, Hermione found herself conversing with Ginny Weasley more and more during the evenings she spent within the Gryffindor common room. Up until that point, the girls had remained close, despite the separation that came with being in different year groups. However, the beginning of Ginny and Harry's relationship seemed to have turned Ginny towards some mysterious source of wisdom concerning the opposite sex - something, it seemed, that was closed to Hermione at present, having no boyfriend of her own. Harry, of course, was blind to the fact that Ginny had become the envy of legions of girls throughout Hogwarts, in being the girlfriend of the face so many dreamed about. Certainly, Harry was one of the most sought-after boys in the school - although there were, of course, rivals even in these stakes.

Some evenings, sitting by the handsome fire while it grew dark outside Hermione couldn't help feeling Ginny was out-performing her in a way far from the usual sense; she did not desire Harry for herself for one moment, yet there was an almost tangible sense of passion between him and Ginny, the likes of which she wasn't sure she would experience herself any time in the near future.

It was one such night on the first Friday and Hermione sat with her legs neatly crossed on the floor behind Ginny, winding her long red locks into a plait as they talked.

'So, Herm, how's it all going? Malfoy isn't being a bastard, is he?'

'What?' Hermione's mind strayed for one wild moment to that image of a half-naked Draco Malfoy; she composed herself. 'Oh, he's been his usual self, yes, but not worse than ever.'

'Well, we know he's just sore 'cause Harry's Captain, don't we?' Ginny smirked, looking over at Harry where he was laughing about something with Ron, Seamus and Dean.

'I wasn't actually there when he and Malfoy had, er, words,' said Hermione. 'What happened?'

Ginny giggled. 'Well, I was walking along with Harry to the Quidditch pitch - you know I tried out for Chaser, when-'

'Oh, what happened? I forgot to ask! Did you get in?'

'I'm coming to that! So anyway, Harry had actually booked the pitch beforehand for the tryouts, and when we get there, Malfoy's standing there with those two idiots, Crabbe and Goyle, holding their brooms instead of wands,' she laughed, 'and Harry's actually got his permission slip in his hand. So first, Malfoy stands there, sort of leering, like "I'm Captain, so there", and he sees Harry, and finds out that he's Captain as well, and the look on his face, oh it was so bloody funny - hey Ron!' she called over to her brother, 'Show us that look on Malfoy's face at the Quidditch pitch again!'

Ron made a comically disgusted face at her, and Ginny started to laugh. 'Oh, it was too much!' she said. 'He's such an idiot! But the good thing is, I'm a Chaser!'

'Well done!' Hermione congratulated, giving her friend a hug. 'I've finished your plait.' She smiled, and tied the end of Ginny's hair neatly with a ribbon, and Ginny turned to face the other girl.

'Thank you!' said Ginny brightly. 'I hope Harry was fair, but...' she grinned, and added suggestively, 'I'll have to make it up to him somehow...' Hermione laughed, though a little hesitantly.

'What - you mean - you and Harry, you...' she faltered.

'Yep. Why shouldn't we? I am nearly seventeen, and we're pretty serious. Harry's up for it almost every night! Haven't you ever...?'

'Well - no,' Hermione frowned. 'I just, don't want to have sex until I'm sure I'm with the right person.'

Ginny smiled. 'Ever the sensible Hermione,' she teased.

Hermione stared into the fire. She had never really thought about it, that her friends, people she knew, were having sex within Hogwarts' very walls. It didn't really bother her, Hermione was never one to care what anyone else thought of her or what everyone else was doing, but it was strange. She rose to her feet, feeling it was time to leave.

'I'm going back to the tower,' she said, looking down at Ginny.

'Okay, see you soon!' said Ginny. A chorus of "bye, Hermione" came from where Harry and Ron sat, and she waved and climbed out of the portrait hole into the dimly-lit corridor.

I'm being absurd, she thought as she made her way back to the tower. I've got all the time in the world to find someone, but Ginny...It had been a bit of a shock, hearing that. Ginny was younger, for a start, and Harry had never seemed especially forward with girls.

That night Hermione lay in bed, wondering distractedly what Ginny would have said if she had asked her opinion on Draco Malfoy. Then she remembered the way Ginny had laughed at him, as well as, with a jolt, her life-time grudge against him for the terror she had experienced in her second year because of his father, and the urge to mention it evaporated.

***

The next day was a Saturday, so most people enjoyed their first weekend back out on the grounds, or with groups of friends. Draco, however, decided to take advantage of the rare autumn sun and fly around the Quidditch pitch. It was empty as team try-outs and practices wouldn't begin until the next week.

Ginny had been right, he was sore about Harry becoming Captain, and the image of Hermione and the rest of her Gryffindor friends cheering him on while he tried to make Draco look a fool was especially irritating. For a moment, however, Draco felt a little wistful. Sure, Pansy could stir up a good crowd when she wanted to, but it never felt like they were whole-heartedly supporting him and the Slytherin team, just that they wanted to get back at the Gryffindors. Better make sure I really get one over on Potter this year, though, he thought. Potter. He gets her all to himself, all day, every day. And I bet he doesn't appreciate her one bit. He never did notice what was right under his nose, stupid git. The thought of him fancying her, trying to make a move on her - he does my head in. Still, at least they aren't going out - I'd know about it if they were all right.

And with that, he soared up into the clear blue sky, the wind rushing through his hair and exhilarating his spirit.

***

That lunchtime, Hermione made a quick visit back to her dormitory for a textbook she was to return to the library. On her way there, she bumped into Neville Longbottom.

'Hi, Hermione!' said Neville brightly. 'You haven't, erm, seen Trevor around here have you? His round face took on a hopeful expression.

'No, sorry Neville,' said Hermione warmly. 'Where did you lose him?'

'Well, I let him jump around the corridor for a bit, and now I don't know where he's hopped off to. I tried Summoning him, but it didn't work.' Although now considerably older than when he first acquired Trevor, Neville was clearly still very much attached to the toad.

'Sorry Neville. If I see him, I'll come and find you.'

Shaking her head bemusedly, Hermione continued to the library, book under her arm.

Harry and Ron were already in the Great Hall when she arrived after returning it. They had been joined by Ginny and, Hermione frowned - Luna Lovegood, for what reason she didn't know.

'Hello Luna,' she said politely, sliding into the seat between her and Ron.

'Hello, Hermione,' replied Luna, in a rather testier manner than that of her usual dreaminess. 'I was just having a discussion with Ron about the Loch Ness Monster that Muggles talk about, and what evidence there is that it exists.'

'Evidence? Maybe some old documents from hundreds of years ago, but I hardly think that's solid evidence,' said Hermione immediately. 'I mean, Muggles don't know whether it exists or not, but no magical device has spotted it, so I think that's proof enough.'

As Ron leaned in to say something else, and then began bickering with Luna, Hermione pulled a jug of pumpkin juice towards her, and let her gaze wander. She looked up. For an instant, something caught her eye all the way across the Hall. The grey eyes of Draco Malfoy connected with hers as he leaned over to say something to the boy sitting next to him, then both he and Hermione looked away.

Hermione heart thumped although her face was impassive. Am I imagining things? That had to be a coincidence...why was he looking at me?! He's probably just plotting something horrible involving me and the other Gryffindors...but he's so sexy! Oh dear...

'Hermione!' Ron was waving energetically in front of her face.

'What?'

'Harry just asked if you'd had time to find out whether Malfoy's got a Quidditch team sorted yet.'

'N-no Harry, no, I haven't yet. Sorry, I've had so much to do lately.'

'Forget it,' said Harry offhandedly. 'I'll just make sure ours is ready by next week. But anyway, want to go and see Hagrid? I bet he's wondering where we've got to.'

'Yeah, all right,' said Ron.

Hermione walked away with the rest of her friends, looking resolutely in the opposite direction of the Slytherin table until she was safely out of the Great Hall. If she had glanced there, she would have noticed Draco's eyes had been discreetly following her retreating back.

Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione spent the rest of a pleasant afternoon with Hagrid, (Neville's toad, much to his relief when they found him, had turned up near Hagrid's pumpkin patch) chatting about school, and also about the presence of Aurors at Hogwarts. Hagrid furtively told them not to go wandering out of bounds, "as yeh never know who's about at nigh'', after which they all promised earnestly to observe Filch's curfews.

Despite this, there were plenty of laughs to be had, especially when Ron accidentally jammed his teeth together with a sampling of Hagrid's treacle toffee, making Harry laugh uncontrollably for at least ten minutes.

***

Hermione returned to the tower after dinner, just as darkness was falling. Apart from Crookshanks prowling around after spiders, the common room was empty.

She ascended the stairs to her room, as she had left her homework timetable there. It was rather cosy sitting cross-legged on her four-poster, completing her Arithmancy homework, with nothing to bother her but the complex calculations devised by Professor Vector.

By the time she had finished, it was getting quite late. She decided to go and find Crookshanks so as to bring him upstairs with her.

Hermione stopped as she reached the bottom of the staircase. Crookshanks, her Crookshanks, was seated, purring, in the lap of none other than the sleeping form of Draco Malfoy!

'Crookshanks!' she hissed, clapping to get his attention.

Unfortunately, the sound also woke a bewildered Draco, who sat up, looking drowsy. Crookshanks, suddenly spotting something in the corner that Hermione couldn't see, yowled and leapt away from the chair, obviously clawing Draco as he did so, as Draco jumped and cursed, now fully awake. His eyes landed on Hermione.

Draco's blood seemed to beat in his ears as the object of his fascination, frustration and fret stopped before him. He gazed at her face, as he had furtively done many times for quite some time now. Her cheeks were flushed slightly, giving her a pretty, youthful look. Her large chocolate-brown eyes, framed by dark eyebrows, looked wonderfully expressive. Her hair, far from tame, seemed to reflect her passionate personality. Her robes were open slightly revealing a soft, snugly fitting purple jumper that accentuated soft curves. She was lovely.

'That your cat?' he said idly, forgetting for one crucial moment that he was a Slytherin, and she was a Gryffindor; that he was a pureblood and she was a Muggle-born, and most importantly, that he was a Malfoy.

Hermione's heart pumped faster than usual, as it often did when she saw Malfoy these days. Without thinking, she replied, 'Yes, that's Crookshanks,' and gave a small smile.

'We used to have a cat at the manor, but it wasn't really mine. The house elves looked after it more, and my mother kept it outside most of the time.' Well, it would be rude to ignore her now, wouldn't it? he inwardly challenged himself.

'Well, you see, Crookshanks is more than just an ordinary cat. He sort of has the ability to tell if someone's trustworthy or not.' Come to think of it, Malfoy can't all that untrustworthy if he was sitting on his lap...interesting...

'Hmm, very clever. I can't be all that bad then, can I? Malfoy countered.

'Oh, don't flatter yourself. You might have scored points with my cat, but you've got a long way to go with me, Malfoy.' The old demeanour returned.

'I'm sure I do, Granger, but wouldn't it be fair to say I think I've already made an impression on you.' This came out not as a question, but as a self-confident statement.

To Hermione's extreme annoyance, a deep scarlet blush began in her cheeks as she felt her face heat up. I am that transparent? Oh, I'll die if he knows, I'll die...

'What are you talking about? The only impression you've made on me is a bad one.'

'That must be a good thing then,' Malfoy lowered his voice, looking Hermione straight in the eyes. 'Because good little Gryffindors really shouldn't get to know nasty Slytherins...'

'How do you know Gryffindors are always good?'

Malfoy made a derisive noise. 'Oh, you've got no idea, Granger. You think Potter's so heroic, with his little adventures, rescuing people...none of you lot know what it's like in the real world.' The last sentence came out rather quietly, as if he was half speaking to himself, but Hermione listened all the same. The expression on her face was no longer disgust, but she looked...he couldn't quite place it, but it was close to concern. Slowly, she walked over and sat down on the chair beside him.

'What do you mean, the "real world?"'

'Nothing,' was the gruff reply.

'Malfoy...Draco?' She addressed him with his first name for the first time. The effect was quite remarkable. Draco felt a surge of something close to relief.

'It's just, when you're a Malfoy, you have to...live up to certain people. And that's hard, sometimes. That's all I meant.'

Hermione looked at him intently. 'Draco,' she said gently. 'You don't have to be anyone but yourself. That's all I meant.'

The atmosphere was getting too much for Hermione. She made to leave, slightly flustered. 'I'd really better - er - go.' And with that, she proceeded back to her bedroom, leaving a rueful-looking Draco back downstairs.