Don't Fall to the Enemy

Part Fourteen

Ron raced over.

"Hermione what are you doing, talking to him? Are you INSANE?" She backed up against the wall, but a bit too hard. She winced.

"Ow! Oh, my back!" Ron tried to walk over but Draco got to her first.

"C'mon. Let's go." He and Hermione started up the stairs, leaving Ron standing in the Entrance Hall totally ticked.

"Hermione! Hermione, come back!" he yelled, obviously appalled.

"Like I want to talk to you Weasley!" she yelled before she turned the corner. He stared after her. Harry came walking up to him and said, "Why are you staring up the stairs?"

"Hermione's mad! You know who's taking her to the hospital wing? Malfoy!"

"Ron, I'm not surprised if she's mad at you." Ron made an indignant face.

"You're siding with her?!"

"He's right, Ron." Annie seemed to do that all the time. Just pop up out of no where.

"Well, of course you're siding with her. She's your sister. I promise you Annie, I have nothing against you for your decision. You have to side with her."

"That doesn't necessarily mean I have to side with her. I might even side with you, just because you're my boyfriend."

"Why thank you."

"Okay Ron, I'm on your side." Harry gave in to Ron reluctantly.

Part Fifteen

Draco knocked on the door to the infirmary, Hermione lying her head against his shoulder. He knocked on the door again and an irritable Madam Pomfrey answered.

"I've been waiting Mr. We- Oh, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, come in, come in. What's wrong?"

"She, uh-" began Draco. They walked in, and suddenly Hermione let out a cry of pain, and sat on a bed. Madam Pomfrey walked over and she said something in a hushed voice. Hermione nodded to her. She lifted the back of Hermione's shirt, whose back now faced Draco. When he saw her back he held back a gasp. It was bruised, and there was a huge bump at the top. Madam Pomfrey went and took out some purple crème and spread it on her back. Then she wrapped her back in cloth and pulled her shirt back down.

"Come back in a few days. Now, you come over here, Mr. Malfoy. I need to check your ankle." Draco walked over to the bed, sat down, and put his leg up. Hermione was sitting by the fire, relaxing her back and leg. When Madam Pomfrey took off his brace, he felt onsiderable pain. She took it and laid it on the bed. She dipped her wand in the purple crème and then it spitted it into a little ring on the bottom.

"Remember what I told you about this. If you don't want to wear it, use your crutches."

"Okay." He walked over to Hermione. "Let's go." She got up and he helped her out of the infirmary.

"Thanks for taking me. To the hospital wing I mean."

"Your welcome."

"Well, I have to get to my lessons."

"Yeah, me too." Then there was an awkward silence. Then they kissed. A real, real kiss.

"Hermione! What the heck do you think you're doing?"

Part Sixteen

Ron stared. He couldn't believe his eyes. Hermione and Malfoy. Were kissing. KISSING.

"Ron! What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same question." He stared at Hermione's reddening face.

"Leave her alone, Weasley," Draco snarled. Hermione backed behind him. Then he backed up and put his arm around her. She laid her head on his shoulder, and he tightened his grip on her shoulder.

"Well, why are you standing up for her, Malfoy? I thought you thought Mudbloods aren't good enough for you."

"Ron!"

"Better watch your language, Weasley." Draco said. He and Hermione walked away, talking in annoyed whispers. Ron stomped away to Care of Magical Creatures in the worst mood he had been in since the whole frenzy had started.

Part Seventeen

Hermione and Draco walked out to the lawn and sat in the courtyard until their class started. When they got to Hagrid's hut, all the Slythereins were already there and the Gryfinndors were heading down the sloped lawn. Hagrid walked over to Draco and Hermione, who were in the middle of a conversation.

"May I interrupt? Hermione, can talk to you a minute?"

"Of course." Hagrid stood there while she got her crutches and stood up. He was obviously surprised and apparently had thought the crutches were Draco's. When they had gotten out of earshot of Draco Hermione said, "Hagrid, what is it?"

"Why are you hangin' out with Malfoy, Hermione?"

"He does have a first name you know," she answered, a bit miffed.

"You don't need to get so angry about it, Hermione. But you shouldn't be round him. Hermione, he's bad stuff."

"Hagrid, just because you don't like him, doesn't mean I have to."

"Well, then let me ask you this. Why do you have crutches?"

"You should be asking Ron that question."

"Why?"

"Because it's his fault!"

"Why are you blamin' him for somethin' you did?"

"Because it is! I didn't do this! He did! That fight at the Quiddtch match? That was him beating Draco and me up! Now, please, just leave me alone!" Now it was Hagrid's turn to act miffed. He was pondering whether or not to follow when Harry and Ron came up to him. Ron was wearing a dark look while Harry didn't have a look at all.

"Why'd you do that to Hermione, Ron?" asked Hagrid.

"Oh, please don't tell me she's gotten to you, Hagrid!"

"Well, why'd you do it? Or is she lying to me?"

"He did do- ow!" Harry clutched his side where Ron had punched him.

"Yeah, I did."

"Why?"

"Hagrid, shouldn't you be teaching?" Ron dragged Harry over to the other Gryffindor sixth year boys and the lesson began.

Part Eighteen

"Hermione," said Draco, "you know how we're going to Hogsmeade on Saturday?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I made sure it was okay with McGonagall and we're having dinner at The Three Broomsticks."

"Oh, thank you!"

"Well you're welcome." He smiled and headed to the Slytherein common room. Hermione was glowing as she headed to Gryffindor Tower.

"God, my back hurts!" Hermione rubbed her back and stretched her leg out across her bed. She pulled out Amid Encircling Gloom, (the sequel to Across Enemy Lines) and opened to the page she was reading, but before she could even start, Devin Gaytes, her best friend, walked in.

"Hermione! Is what I hear true? You and Draco Malfoy? He a SLYTHERIEN, Hermione!" Devin plopped down on her bed, breathless.

"Like I didn't know that already."

"Why the attitude, girl?"

"Why don't you ask Ron?" she snarled. Devin and Ron were cousins; this meant that she always thought Ron knew best.

"Why are you having a bad attitude with Ron?"

"Please don't tell me you haven't noticed!"

"Whose crutches?"

"Mine!"

"What did you do?" Devin started walking around their dormitory on Hermione's crutches.

"Once again, you should ask Ron."

"WHY?!"

"BECAUSE!"

"BECAUSE WHY?"

"BECAUSE IT'S HIS FAULT!"

"Oh." Devin fell silent and sat on her bed. "Why?"

"Would you just shut-up for one minute?" Devin started to stare at her watch.

"Will you tell me now?"

"SHUT-UP!" Devin put her crutches back back and walked down to the common room. "Finally."

"Hey!"

"Oh no," Hermione whispered under her breath. "Not Jill."

"What are you doing?" Jill Grint was another of the girls Hermione shared a dorm with.

"I was trying to read but knowing you guys I'll never get that."

"Why?"

"I'm going to the courtyard and try to read in some peace and quiet." She lifted herself from her bed and went down to the common room. She hadn't been here since she came back. Everyone stared.

"Stop staring at me! I'm still the same person!" she sneered. She walked out as fast as she could (which wasn't very fast). When she got to the courtyard she was greeted by peace and quiet. She was in the middle of a very interesting part when someone started massaging her back.

"Ohhh! That feels good." Draco's face popped up beside hers. "Hi!"

"Hey, beautiful!" Hey put his arms around her shoulder.

"That's so nice!" He took her book and put it in her bag. "Hey!"

"C'mon!" He picked her up and gave her her crutches. They started walking around the courtyards. Hermione felt something land on her head. And another. And another.

"Draco, it's snowing!" She leaned back her head and stuck out her tongue. It was the first snow. And she was spending it outside, experiencing the joy of the first snowfall. And she was sharing it with Draco.

"Well, if I weren't disappointed enough."

"Professor Snape, hi!" Draco said nervously. Hermione was slinking backward.

"I just thought you had been stupid. But you're hanging with a Mudblood. Plus, she's a GRYFFINDOR, DRACO!" He seemed to swell when got mad. Hermione let out a cry.

"Professor Snape, what are you doing?" Professor McGonagall stepped out of the shadows.

"He's harassing Hermione!" said Draco.

"No he isn't, Draco, don't say that," Hermione said quietly.

"Yes, he is!"

"No he's not, Professor."

"He called her a Mudblood!" The courtyard fell silent. After a few minutes, Professor McGonagall said, " Is this true, Severus?"

"No." He didn't even look guilty.

"He's lying!" yelled Draco.

"Did he call you that, Miss Granger?" asked McGonagall.

"Yes," she said quietly.

"Well then, Severus. Maybe we should be talking to Professor Dumbledore about this." The two teachers walked away, but not before Professor Snape took twenty points both Gryffindor and Slytherein.

"I'm never going to his classes again." Draco stared at Snape's retreating back menacingly.

"No, you have to. We have Potions together. We wouldn't see each other. And if you grades fall, you can't go to Hogsmeade."

"Okay. But only for you."

Part Nineteen

Hermione took out the white bucket hat her mother had gotten her from her suitcase. She had said she had never worn hats like this and had sworn to her mother that she would never wear it, especially since it had white fringe around the edges. She had never thought the day would come when she back out on her word. But the hat was growing on her. Today she was just wearing regular jeans that had cute decals on it and an adorable shirt that said "Little League" and had a kitten in a baseball mitt in the center. She hobbled over to the mirror to check how she looked.

"Wow. This is more than just a Hogsmeade trip for you, isn't it, Hermione." Devin walked in to the dormitory and Hermione started.

"Yeah, Devin, it is."

"Well, I hope you have a good time with, uh, Draco. You look great."

"Thanks, Dev. Coming from you, that's means a lot."

"Your welcome. I came to my senses when Ron started calling me Devvie in the Common Room last weekend. He was purposly trying to embarrass me. He was also pretending to be drunk."

"You should start calling him Ronnie in the halls. For him to be majorly embarrassed, you should sing "Oh Danny Boy" to him, but instead of Danny-"

"Say Ronnie. Ooohhh, I get it!" Devin said nodding. "Well, you have a guy to meet. Don't want to be late!" Hermione smiled back and walked down the spiral staircase. When she got to the front of the castle the horse-less carriages waited for her along with Draco.

"Hey, you look pretty nice! C'mon!" He gestured to the carriage and she walked to him as gracefully, or as gracefully as she could, being on crutches. When they got to the village he helped her out.

"Why thank you, kind gentleman," she said, curtsying.

"You're quite welcome, my lady!" he said back, bowing. Then they broke out into fits of laughter and started to look into the windows of shops.

"Can we go to the bookstore first? There was something I was wanting to get."

"Sure. Whatever you say, Hermione."

"Then do want to get some butterbeers at The Three Broomsticks?"

"Or," Draco purposed. "We could get some to go, and take it to the bookstore with us."

"That's an even better idea." So they headed to The Three Broomsticks.

"Two butterbeers. To go." Draco stood at the front and ordered their drinks, while Hermione waited at the bar, fooling around with a friend.

"Is that all?" asked Rosemerta.

"Yep."

"Here ya go."

"Thanks." He walked over to Hermione. "Here's your drink."

"Thanks," Hermione answered. "Bye Jill, Annie!"

"Bye!" the other two called back in unison.

"How is it?" Draco asked. Hermione took a sip of her butterbeer.

"Great." She walked into the bookstore and held the door open for Draco. Then she went off into the Adult/Young Adult section.

"What did you choose?" Draco asked as he walked over to Hermione.

"It's called A Bend in the Road. A Muggle author, Nicholas Sparks wrote it. He also wrote these books, A Walk to Remember and The Notebook. He's a wonderful author, for a Muggle." She held up the books for him to look at and headed towards the register. She paid for them and thanked the owner.

"So, what are those about?" Draco asked as they went into the park and sat on a bench. Then Hermione began reading to from A Bend in the Road and he listened, closing his eyes for a bit but opening them abruptly when something strange or out of the ordinary happened. When Hermione got to chapter three she stopped and checked her watch.

"Oh, wow! It's already three. We should be going." She stood up. "C'mon." Draco got up and followed her to the carriages now gathering in the front of the village. He caught up with Hermione and helped her into a carriage. Then he got in himself.

"So, we're still on for dinner tonight, right?" he asked.

"Of course." She took out something from her bag and put it in her hair. "Well, I have to, uh, go get ready."

"Bye!" He got out and watched her as she went off to the castle. Then he went inside and to the Slytherien Common Room.

Part Twenty

"Hey Hermione! Why aren't you using those?" Devin pointed to her crutches.

"Oh, well I'm, you know better. More on my leg than my back."

"Well, I'll help you get ready. Where's your dress?"

"Upstairs."

"Well, let's go. We can get it and go to the Prefects' lounge. There's an adorable bathroom in there, they just added. Girl prefects only."

"Okay!" So she went to get her dress and headed to the Prefect's lounge with Devin.

"You look fab-u-lous! That dress is totally cute!" Hermione looked at herself into the foe-fur-lined mirror. Her hair was awesome. Her dress (lavender silk, strapless, flowy) went great with her hair.

"Really?"

"Yeah!" Hermione stood up and twirled around. "Oh, it's time we got back to the tower. To do your make-up."

"All right."

Hermione walked slowly down the stairs. Harry stared at her.

"Harry, stop. Cho." Ron shook Harry.

"She's so pretty." Hermione flipped her hair and walked out the portrait hole. Draco was right where he said he would be.

"Hey, gorgeous. You look wonderful." He took her arm, and her dress dragged on the portrait hole. She tugged at it, but not before Draco noticed her shoes. They were purple satin slippers, unlike anything he had ever seen his mother wear. In fact, he hadn't seen anyone in his whole life who had worn slippers like that. There were tiny little amethysts lining where you slipped your foot in.

"Do you like my shoes?" Hermione asked. "There a bit last minute but they go with the gown perfectly, don't you think?"

"Perfectly," Draco repeated. They walked slowly down to the carriage. It was, no doubt, not a school carriage. It was red velvet. Not one of Draco's favorite colors, but he had done it for Hermione.

"Draco, oh you shouldn't have! I love it!" She raced to the carriage and jumped in. He could that, even when she was with her parents, she didn't get this nice a form of transportation.

"I'm glad you like it, Hermione," he said. And after a few minutes, Hermione took out A Bend in the Road and began reading to him from it again. When they got to The Three Broomsticks, they got out slowly, and as they walked into the restaurant, the people fell silent, seeing how nicely they were dressed. I'm dressed too nice, Hermione thought. I should've just stayed in my jeans.

"Hermione, don't worry. It doesn't matter what they think." Draco dragged her to a connection room in the back.

"This dress is too nice, Draco." She sat down slowly, smoothing the seat of her dress.

"Hello, welcome to The Three Broomsticks. How may I be of service this evening?" She looked a bit worried and she had bags under her eyes. They ordered and she was the nicest waitress Hermione had ever had.

"Thank you. The next we come here we'll ask for you, uh-" Hermione began.

"Rosie. Rosie Brown."

"Well, thanks, Rosie."

"You're welcome!" They walked out and and Hermione heard something like little yips and barks.

"Draco, puppy!" She rushed over to the little dog and picked him up. He walked over to Hermione. "He's so cute! I'm gonna name him Matt. Matthew Granger. Matt Granger for short. Do you like it?"

"Yeah. Let's go." They walked around for a while and at about 10:30 they walked back to the carriage.

"I'm sleepy," Hemione said as they climbed into the carriage.

"Well," Draco began, but before he could even finish, Hermione was snoring quietly and Matt was sleeping peacefully on her lap. He decided to putt h, in a basket, just to be sure.

"We're here, sir," said the driver as he opened the door.

"Thank you," said Draco as he climbed out. He was carrying Hermione, who, surprisingly, was much heavier than she looked. He carried her slowly up to the castle and to Professor McGonagall's office. He knocked on the door weakly. Trying to carry someone who was about 135 pounds and knock on a door at the same time was difficult.

"Why Mr. Malfoy. You certainly seem to have worn out Miss Granger, here." McGonagall stood there in a pink bathrobe, her hair up in a hair net.

"Yeah, I guess." He stood there, holding back a wince of pain from holding Hermione so long.

"I'll take her to Gryffindor Tower. You need to get to bed." She took Hermione and disappeared for a moment. When she came back he said, "Thanks."

"Bed." He heeded her orders and walked back to his common room, even more tired with every step he took.