Chapter 11

Hermione looked around her at the students in the Great Hall and the decorations they had been putting up all day. It looked absolutely wonderful. Hermione's eyes turned to the dance floor and saw Ginny and Harry dance with each other. Harry was listening to something Ginny was saying, only to say something in return and receive a punch against the shoulder from his girlfriend as she laughed at him and shook her head. Harry chuckled and pressed a kiss to her cheek. Hermione sighed with a small smile, she was glad they had found each other. Hermione turned to look at her right and saw Ron grabbing another hand full of crisps that were in a bowl on the table with different kinds of food spread across it. 'Are you going to leave something for others or are you going to eat it all by yourself?' Hermione asked, raising one eyebrow at him. 'I haven't figured that one out yet, so if I know, you'll be the first to hear the answer.' Ron said, stuffing his mouth with the crisps before grabbing another handful. Hermione shook her head, looking away and back at the dance floor, a sigh leaving her lips. Her eyes drifted away from the dance floor and over at the other side of the Great Hall where she saw Draco standing with his friends. They were all laughing at something someone had said. Draco's eyes moved away from Goyle and landed on Hermione and gave her a smile. Hermione gave him a small smile back and saw Blaise turning his head and saying something to Draco. Draco turned to look at him and punched him jokingly against the arm. Blaise laughed and shook head. Hermione looked down and was slightly startled when someone placed their hand on her arm. 'Oh hello Luna.' Hermione smiled. 'Hello Hermione.' Luna said with her dreamy voice. 'Are you having fun?' Hermione asked. 'Oh yeah we did a great job.' Luna said smiling. Hermione nodded smiling and looked at the people who were dancing. 'Why aren't you dancing?' Luna asked. 'I don't know, Ron isn't very fond of dancing.' Hermione shrugged 'I could think of a few people who'd love to dance with you, one person in particular.' Luna smiled. 'Who?' 'I'm not the person who should tell you. I guess you'll just have to wait and see.' 'Why can't you just tell me?' 'It's not place to do so.' Luna said, giving her a small smile before turning away and walking up to a waiting Neville who took her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. Hermione sighed, stepping towards Ron who was talking to Seamus Finnigan now. 'Do you want to dance?' Hermione asked. Ron looked at Hermione. 'Sure, if you want to.' Ron shrugged. Hermione nodded with a small smile and she and Ron walked onto the dance floor. Ron placed his hands on her waist and Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping a comfortable distance between her and him. There was a slow song playing and all the people on the dance floor pulled each other closer to one another. To her surprise Ron didn't complain once about the dancing and kept on going longer then Hermione had thought he'd do. Hermione looked up at Ron and stared into his eyes and for the first time in a very long time it seemed they were the same as they had always been. They weren't distant, they were here. It seemed like the Ron she knew him to be was back, she just wondered for how long it would last. 'Thank you.' she said eventually. 'For what?' Ron asked. 'Tonight.' Ron nodded with a smile as he pulled her off the dance floor, the last few seconds of the last song of the night playing in the background. 'Do you want me to walk you to your dormitory?' Ron offered. 'Oh no, that's not necessary. I have to go and talk to McGonagall in a bit.' 'Alright, I'll see you tomorrow.' Ron said, leaving a kiss on her lips before he walked towards Seamus and Neville. Hermione made her way over to Harry and Ginny, who were grabbing something to eat. 'How was your night?' Hermione asked. 'Great.' Ginny grinned, looking up at Harry. 'It sure was fun.' Harry smiled. The three of them walked up to McGonagall, who was talking with one of the professors. 'Something wrong?' McGonagall asked, noticing the three of them waiting for her. 'We're here to help up cleaning.' 'Oh, that's not necessary Miss Granger, we'll take care of that.' McGonagall told her. 'Are you sure professor?' 'Yes, It old the other prefects the same, go to bed and make it a night.' McGonagall smiled. 'Okay, good night professor.' Hermione said before she walked with Ginny and Harry out of the Great Hall. 'I'll walk Hermione to her common room, okay?' Harry asked. 'Oh, yes of course, see you tomorrow Hermione.' Ginny smiled, walking up to her brother. 'You don't have to walk me to my dorm.' Hermione said. 'But I want to.' Harry shrugged. 'Alright then.' Hermione nodded. 'So, how is everything with Malfoy?' Harry asked. 'He's fine, I think, but if you really want to know you better ask him instead of me.' Hermione answered, rather taken aback by this question. 'No, I meant whether you're still able to survive the "living with Malfoy thing".' 'Oh yes, he has changed a lot.' Hermione said. 'He's a good guy.' 'You know, I saw you, when Malfoy was in the Hospital Wing, sleeping next to his bed.' Harry said. 'I guess I was tired and I must've fallen asleep then.' Hermione shrugged. 'You're getting along with Malfoy rather well, don't you?' 'I guess so.' 'What about Ron?' Hermione sighed, looking down as the events of the night he had hurt her return to the surface. 'He's clearly not fond of Draco.' 'You can't really blame him for that.' Harry said carefully as they arrived in front of the portrait. 'Time Turner.' Hermione whispered so that Harry wouldn't hear. The portrait swung open and Hermione wanted to say good night to Harry, but she couldn't even open her mouth before Harry spoke up. 'What's that?' Harry asked, a frown appearing on his forehead. Hermione looked up at Harry and noticed he was looking at her arms. She looked down at her arms as well and saw the bruises were visible again. She quickly placed her hands over the bruises, but it was already too late because Harry had, clearly, already seen them. But for how long had they been visible on her arms again? 'Who did that to you?' Harry asked, grabbing her hand and pulling it away from her arm. 'Hermione, who did this?' Harry asked sternly. Hermione looked at Harry, but she couldn't tell whether he was mad or disappointed. 'Did Malfoy do this to you?' Harry asked, concern written all over his face by now. 'What did I do to her?' Draco asked, appear all of a sudden in the portrait hole. 'Did you hurt her?' Harry asked, stepping towards Draco. Hermione tried to push Harry away from him, because it looked like he was about to punch Draco in the face. 'He didn't-' she started. 'Did you do this to her?' Harry asked angrily, not having heard Hermione's attempt to say something. 'No I-' Draco started. 'You! I knew we couldn't trust you-' Harry started, bawling his hands into fists. 'DRACO DID DO THIS!' Hermione shouted at Harry. Harry's eyes shifted away from Draco and turned to her. 'I wouldn't hurt her.' Draco said. 'If he didn't do it, which I doubt, because who else could do this without us noticing it, who did?' Harry asked, ignoring Draco. 'It was-' she started, but she couldn't get herself to say it. How could she tell her best friend that his best friend did this to her? 'If I tell you, you have to promise me to keep it quiet and that you won't do anything.' Hermione said. Harry kept quiet for a moment before nodding. 'You have to promise.' Hermione said. 'I promise.' 'It was-' she started, taking in a deep breath. 'Ron.' she whispered. 'Who?' Harry asked, who hadn't been able to hear what she told him. 'It was Weasley.' Draco said, placing his hand on Hermione's shoulder and somehow it managed to calm her down a bit. 'Ron?' Harry asked in utter shock. Hermione slowly nodded, looking down at the ground. 'Why? When?' Harry asked confused, trying to wrap his head around the situation. 'A few days ago. he didn't want me to be around Draco and he got angry.' Hermione told him quietly. You have to go to someone, McGonagall, you have to go to McGonagall.' Harry said. 'What? No!' 'Why not? He can't do this to you and get away with it!' 'Harry! He's your best friend! And my boyfriend, I can't go to McGonagall.' she said, feeling Draco's hand disappear from her shoulder. 'You promised.' Harry sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and nodded. 'And don't tell this to anyone. Just be normal to Ron, otherwise he'll notice something's wrong.' 'Something's terribly wrong.' Harry commented. 'Harry!' 'I don't know-' 'You have to.' Harry looked at her before his eyes turned to Draco, who was still standing behind her. 'Okay.' Harry sighed, turning his eyes back to Hermione. 'Thank you.' Harry kept quiet for a few moments before he nodded and said good night. 'Good night.' Hermione said to him as he walked away. Hermione passed Draco and walked into the common room. 'I'm going to bed.' Hermione announced as she quickly made her way over to her bedroom and closed the door behind her. She sat down on her bed, trying to wrap her head around what just happened. It took her a while to get out of the daze she was in before she got up to get changed. She tried to unzip her dress, but it got stuck at a point she could barely reach herself. She groaned. 'Shoot!' she opened her bedroom door and slowly walked back into the common room. 'Draco?' Draco was seated on the couch, reading Hermione's copy of Romeo and Juliet. Draco looked up from the book as she called him. 'Yes?' 'I'm- well- my zipper is stuck- so could you perhaps help me with the zipper, I- uh- can't reach it.' Draco raised his eyebrows at her. 'Don't you need to ask your to help you out?' Draco noted coldly. 'I'm sorry.' Hermione said. 'For what? You're together with him. Why would you say sorry?' Draco asked, not having lost the cold tone. 'Please Draco.' Hermione looked up after a moment of silence and saw Draco's features had softened. 'Sorry.' he said quietly, gazing into her eyes. 'That's alright.' Hermione said. 'I'm just stupid.' Draco sighed, shaking his head. Hermione raised her eyebrows. 'Why?' 'Well, actually- I- uhm- well-' Draco started, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand as he looked down at the ground. 'You what?' 'You know what, never mind.' Draco said, looking back up at her. 'Come here, I'll help you with that zipper of yours.' Draco said, motioning for Hermione to come closer as he got up from the couch. Hermione stepped towards him and turned around, pulling her hair over her shoulder. She felt his hand touch her back, trying to get the zipper to go down. Warmth radiated from his hands and she felt his breath on her neck as he tried to fix her zipper. She felt a warm sensation start in her stomach and travel throughout her body from that point. Her breath hitched when she felt his hand being pressed to her back before the zipper was pulled down. She quickly held tightly onto her dress, so it wouldn't fall down, leaving her half naked in front of her roommate. 'How did you do that? I didn't even get it to move.' Hermione asked, turning around. 'It was stuck because there was a small piece of fabric between the zipper. 'Oh.' she muttered blushing, feeling rather uncomfortable all of a sudden to be standing so close to him while her dress was open at the back and the only thing that kept her dress from falling for the ground are her arms. 'Thank you.' she said, giving him a small smile. 'No problem.' he shrugged. Hermione looked up into his eyes, forgetting about everything else as he gazes back into hers. Draco slowly lifted his hand up, tucking a lock of hair behind Hermione's ear, making a light blush appear on her cheeks as she tried to fight the giggles from escaping her mouth. What was she doing? Draco gently placed his hand against her cheek, deeply looking into her eyes. Slowly he started to come closer and, to Hermione's surprise, she did the same. Her mind was screaming for her to stop, to go away, to not do this. But was that really what she wanted?