Chapter 17

The next morning Hermione woke up, still feeling under the weather. A headache had come to accompany her stomach-ache. Hermione had fallen asleep thinking of Draco, only to wake up with him floating through her head. She stayed in her warm bed for thirty minutes more, processing her thoughts, before stepping out of bed and walking to the bathroom. She locked both doors and took a shower. When she had fully dressed herself, she walked into the common room, where Draco had seated himself on the couch. 'Good morning.' Draco looked up from his book and smiled. 'Good morning.' 'Ready for breakfast?' Hermione asked. Draco nodded and closed his book before heading over to the exit. Hermione followed before catching up with him to match his pace. 'When do you want to head off to Hogsmeade?' Hermione asked. 'Today?' Draco said, raising his eyebrows. 'Obviously, I meant at what time?' 'Whenever you want to go.' Draco shrugged. 'An hour after breakfast?' 'Sounds like a plan.' Draco nodded as they stepped into the Great Hall. They parted ways and walked to their own table, where both their friends had already seated themselves for breakfast. 'Do you have a plan as to how you'll win her heart?' Blaise asked grinning. 'What? Who?' Draco asked confused, tearing his eyes off Hermione and turning them to Blaise. 'Granger of course, who else?' 'I don't know what you're talking about.' Draco shrugged, taking a slice of toast from the plate in front of him. 'Yes you do.' Blaise laughed. 'Just tell us, we're friends, aren't we?' 'What do I need to tell you?' 'How you're going to make yourself Granger's boyfriend.' Goyle grinned. 'I don't want-' 'Yes you do. Come on Draco, even a blind person can see that you like her.' Blaise said. 'No they wouldn't.' 'Yes they would.' 'Alright, alright. But she doesn't want to be anything more than just friends, so it's a lost cause anyway.' Draco shrugged. 'I knew it.' Blaise grinned. 'Well, that's a bloody shame then, isn't it?' Goyle said. 'Maybe the Weasley girl knows more.' Blaise said. 'You want to go talk to Weasley?' Draco asked, disbelieve crossing his face. 'Yes, if it would help my friend, sure.' 'Right.' Draco laughed, shaking his head. 'What are you up to today?' Goyle asked. 'I'm going to Hogsmeade with Hermione.' 'Oooooh.' 'Shut up.' 'My gut tells me something's going to happen.' 'Zabini, you've got to learn when to shut up!' Draco laughed, taking a bite of his toast.

Hermione looked over at the Slytherin table, only to see Draco's cheeks had turned a slight red as Zabini and Goyle were laughing. 'What are your plans for today?' Ginny asked. 'I don't know yet.' Ron shrugged. 'What about you?' Ginny asked, turning her eyes to Hermione. 'I'm off to Hogsmeade.' 'With whom? Because I didn't hear of any plans for Hogsmeade?' 'Just someone.' Hermione shrugged. 'And who might this someone be?' Harry asked. 'None of your business.' Hermione muttered. 'You think we won't find out eventually?' 'Who knows.' Hermione shrugged. When Hermione wanted to get up to walk back to her dormitory after breakfast Ginny asked her to wait for her. Harry and Ron got up and made their way out of the Great Hall as Hermione sat back down. 'Something wrong?' Hermione asked, when Ginny had finished her breakfast and they walked out of the Great Hall as well. 'What's up with you and Malfoy?' Ginny asked. 'Nothing? What do you mean?' Hermione asked startled. 'You seem to get along with him rather well and whenever you're not together with one of us, you're with him.' Ginny stated. 'That's not odd, now is it? We live in the same dormitory.' 'So.' 'So?' 'Are you really going to tell me nothing has happened between the two of you, even though I see the both of you have dewy eyed glances at each other whenever you're not participating in the conversation that's going on?' 'Yes?' Hermione said, looking down as she feels her cheeks starting to warm up. 'I'm not going to fall for that one Hermione, we're best friends, you can tell me everything.' Ginny said. Hermione sighed. 'Okay, I er- I think I might like Draco.' Hermione said quietly. 'Really? I KNEW IT!' Ginny exclaimed. 'Gin!' Hermione hissed. 'Sorry.' Ginny laughed. 'I knew it though! And what about him?' 'What about him?' 'Does he like you?' 'I don't know, I think he just wants to be friends.' Hermione shrugged. 'I don't think so, madam. He's literally staring at you like a puppy in love every chance he gets.' 'How would you know such a thing?' 'I've got eyes, Hermione. I see things.' Ginny grinned. 'I also have a feeling that you're not liking Malfoy.' Hermione looked up at Ginny and laughed, pushing Ginny away from her. Ginny chuckled and stepped back. 'So you're going to Hogsmeade with Malfoy.' 'I didn't say that.' Hermione said. 'You didn't have to.' Ginny grinned. 'How long have you liked him?' 'I think it started about three weeks after we arrived.' Hermione muttered. 'Ahw.' Ginny cooed. 'Has something happened yet?' 'Like I told you, he just sees me as a friend.' 'No he doesn't, so tell me, did something happen?' 'Well er- we might have kissed.' Hermione said quietly. 'What?' 'We kissed.' 'You did what!' Ginny asked rather loudly, wide-eyed. 'Yes, after the ball.' Hermione muttered. 'Are you serious!' Ginny exclaimed, making a few students whom passed them by turn their heads in their direction. 'Nothing to see here!' Ginny called over her shoulder. 'Just that one time?' 'Yes.' 'If he doesn't like you, I'll have to eat my shoe, because this is too obvious. How can you still think he only sees you as a friend?' Ginny asked confused. Hermione shrugged. 'You know what? I'll go with you to Hogsmeade.' Ginny said. 'Why?' 'To give you some much needed advice. I'll just sit at a table nearby.' Ginny said. 'No thank you, that's not necessary.' 'Yes it is.' 'No it isn't.' Ginny rolled her eyes. I'll see you later, I'm going to the guys.' 'Please don't tell them, or anyone for that matter.' 'Of course I won't tell anyone!' Ginny said. 'Thank you.' Hermione nodded. 'No problem, see you later.' Ginny grinned, wiggling her eyebrows. Hermione chuckled and walked further up to the seventh floor, stopping in front of the portrait. 'Morning, Miss Granger.' Snape said, looking bored, as usual. 'Good morning, professor. How are you?' 'Marvellous.' Snape spoke, waving her off. 'Time Turner.' Hermione said, before stepping through the portrait hole into the common room. She sat down on one of the armchairs and stared down at the low fire. Had Ginny been right? She thought she just simply liked Draco, but was it more? Was she slowly falling in love with her roommate? 'Hey.' Draco said, snapping Hermione back to reality. 'Hey.' Hermione smiled. 'Are you ready to go?' Draco asked. 'Oh, yes.' Hermione nodded, pushing herself out of the chair. She quickly went into her room to grab her coat before meeting Draco in the common room again and walking out of their dormitory. When they arrived in Hogsmeade a while later they immediately headed over to The Three Broomsticks. Most of the tables were already occupied by Hogwarts students, but Hermione saw an empty table in the corner of the room. 'I'll get the drinks.' Draco said. 'Could you'd find us a table?' 'Sure thing, I'd like to have a butterbeer with ginger.' Hermione said. 'Okay.' Draco nodded, turning to the counter. Hermione made her way over to the table in the corner and sat down on one of the chairs, waiting for Draco to arrive with their order. 'Thank you.' Hermione smiled up at him, when he set her butterbeer with ginger on the table in front of her. 'No problem.' Draco offered her a small smile as he sat down. They chatted for a few minutes as they drank their butterbeers, but when Hermione's eyes drifting off to the room they were seated in, her eyes landed on a table not too far away from theirs. Ginny and Harry had seated themselves down and just as Ginny took one of the glasses on the table she looked up and grinned at Hermione. Draco followed Hermione gaze, only to see Blaise and Goyle sitting a few tables away from Ginny and Harry. Draco sighed when his eyes met Blaise's and he waved at him, a broad smirk plastered on his face. 'Would you like to take a walk?' Hermione asked, turning her eyes back to Draco. 'Yes! I mean- uh- sure.' Draco nodded. Hermione raised her eyebrows, but nodded eventually and got up from her seat. They made their way over to the exit and as Draco passed the table of Blaise and Goyle, he gave Blaise a punch against the shoulder. Blaise and Goyle both made kissy faces, only to erupt into laughter right after. Draco rolled his eyes at them, but couldn't help but laugh along with them as he followed Hermione out of The Three Broomsticks. Hermione turned to look over her shoulder at Draco, not sure what had made him laugh. When the door closed behind them they trudged through the snow in a comfortable silence. They walked like that for a few minutes when Draco suddenly recognized the path they were walking down. 'Why are we headed to the Shrieking Shack?' Draco asked. Hermione looked up before her eyes travelled to Draco. 'I don't know. I didn't really notice where we were going to.' Hermione shrugged. 'Why did you want to take a walk?' Draco asked when they had stopped in their tracks. Hermione stared at the old building that seemed to be haunted. 'Just because.' she said. 'Good reason.' Draco teased. 'I know.' Hermione said, offering him a small smile. She wasn't going to tell him about her talk with Ginny, nor that she had seen her friends in The Three Broomsticks and that was the reason she wanted to get out of there before Ginny would start to get involved. What if Ginny hadn't been right and Draco just wanted to be friends? She didn't want to ruin their friendship, it was too important to her. Draco gazed over at Hermione, who was still staring at the building. 'Are you okay?' he asked. 'Yes, it's just-' Hermione stopped mid-sentence, looking down at her gloved hands. 'It's just? What?' Draco asked after a moment of silence. 'Something has happened in there in the past.' Hermione said. 'What happened?' 'Oh, it's nothing to be worried about.' Hermione said, when she heard the concern in his voice. She looked up at him and gave him a small smile. 'We found Sirius Black in there in our third year. He hadn't been the one who had betrayed Harry's parents, but that it had been Peter Pettigrew. It was a good moment, Harry found out he still had family, someone he'd care deeply about. It's horrible he lost his Godfather.' Hermione sighed. Draco nodded. 'But didn't Sirius escape?' 'He did.' Hermione nodded before telling him the whole story of what happened that night in their third year. 'Are you serious?' Draco asked wide-eyed when she had finished. 'Yes, Dumbledore was a good man, because of him we could save Sirius and Buckbeak.' Hermione said. 'With the Time Turner?' 'Yes.' 'That's great, Hermione.' Draco said. 'It was just a pity Peter Pettigrew escaped before we could catch him. It might've saved some trouble in the future.' 'That's not your fault.' Draco told her. Hermione looked up at him and slowly nodded, offering him a small smile. Draco returned the smiel and as they gazed into each other's eyes, Hermione started to feel butterflies fluttering against the inside of her stomach. 'Do you want to walk back?' Draco asked. 'Sure.' Hermione nodded, looking down at her watch, only to see they had been standing there for an hour. When they reached the shop-area again of Hogsmeade they entered a few shops there. 'I have no idea what I'm going to get everyone.' Hermione sighed, looking around the store they had found themselves in. 'I don't think I can be of much help. I don't really know your friends.' Draco said. Hermione nodded. She roamed the shop for a few minutes longer until she had found something she would give Ginny for Christmas. She paid for it before they exited the shop and headed back to The Three Broomsticks. 'I'll pay the drinks this time.' Hermione said as Draco opened the door. 'No, no, I'll get them.' Draco said as they entered. 'No-' Hermione started, but Draco had quickly slipped past her and was already ordering their drinks. She couldn't help but smile to herself. She turned away from the counter and searched the room for an empty table where they could sit. She walked to one on the far right of the shop and sat down on one of the chairs. Draco placed the two butterbeers down on the table after a minute or two and sat down opposite her. ' 'Thank you, again.' Hermione smiled. 'You're welcome.' Draco said. 'But next time it's my turn to pay.' Hermione stated. 'Next time?' Draco asked. 'Oh well- I was just thinking- er-' Hermione mumbled, feeling like a rabbit caught in headlights. 'I'm just messing with you.' Draco chuckled. 'That's not funny Malfoy.' Hermione exclaimed. 'From where I'm sitting it was.' Draco laughed. Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head before taking a sip of her butterbeer. 'You ordered one with ginger.' 'Yes, that's what you like, right?' 'Yes, it is. It just surprised me you remembered.' Hermione said. Hermione wrapped her hand around the butterbeer glass and looked over Draco's shoulder, only to see Ginny sitting with Harry opposite her two tables away from them. Ginny smiled up at her and gave her a thumbs up. Hermione sighed and looked down at the butterbeer. 'Is something wrong?' Draco asked. 'What? Oh no, nothing's wrong.' Hermione answered quickly. Draco raised his eyebrows, but waved the odd reaction to his question away. His eyes travelled away from her and towards a table nearby, only to see Blaise and Goyle still seated at the same table he had found them the previous time. 'What are they still doing here.' he muttered under his breath. 'Is there something wrong?' Hermione asked, cocking her head to the side. 'No.' Draco shook his head. Hermione wanted to turn around to see what Draco had seen to make his face falter like it had, only to snap her head quickly back to Draco when she felt his hand enclosed around hers that had been resting on the table next to her glass. 'Don't look.' Draco said. Hermione stared down at their hands she felt her cheeks warm up. 'Why not?' she asked, looking up at Draco. 'Because- there's nothing to see.' Draco answered. 'Sure.' Hermione said, turning her head. 'Hey, Zabini and Goyle are here.' Blaise and Goyle waved and Hermione chuckled as she waved back with the hand Draco wasn't holding captive on the table. 'Wait a second.' Hermione said, turning back to Draco. 'I'm not leaving.' Draco answered, making Hermione roll her eyes. 'Did you know Zabini and Goyle would be here?' she asked. 'No, I asked them not to.' Draco said, only to realise he shouldn't have said that, he should have said that. 'Uh- never mind.' Draco furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at her and then quickly looked over his shoulder, having realised Hermione had seen something or someone as well, she didn't want to see here. Ginny offered Draco a smile as his eyes met hers and he returned the gesture before turning back to Hermione. 'So Weasley and Potter are here as well, did you know they were coming?' 'Honestly? No I didn't know they were coming and I kind of asked Ginny not to.' Hermione said. 'And why is that Granger?' Draco asked amused. 'You don't want to tell me why you didn't want your friends to come here, so I'm not going to tell you why I didn't want mine to come.' Hermione smirked. 'Talking about telling something, are you finally going to tell me what you wanted to tell me that morning?' 'The right moment hasn't appeared yet. I'm sorry, you'll have to wait.' 'My gut tells me you're not telling me just to annoy me.' 'Perhaps, perhaps not.' Draco grinned mischievously.