Keeping up appearances
Malfoy would never betray her right? Hermione spent a considerable amount of time around him now. He was…he was rather sweet.
It sent shudders through her body acknowledging it. What has become of the brightest witch of her age? She fell for that Draco sodding Malfoy.
She fought so hard against the idea of him. Yet here she was, waiting for her D.A meetings to end so she could see him. She would never admit it to anyone. She would rather get bat-bogeyed than be vulnerable.
It’s actually insane.
Maybe she was insane. Maybe she’s imperiused. No. As much as she’d liked put the blame elsewhere she knows deep down he managed to make her fall for him. He was a right git sometimes but, he was not capable of such dark things.
Below all the arsehole behavior, he was just a boy who was terrible at expressing feelings and terrified of his father. Terrified of the world they are in. In a way, she is afraid too. Maybe for him, maybe for herself.
Things were truly getting more dangerous. It wasn’t time for him to play hero and expose himself. Sometimes she felt a sort of guilt. Like she was asking for too much. But she was trying to protect her friends…fine, and him too.
She made him kiss up to Umbridge. She made him risk his life to gather information for the order and for Harry. She made him train her in the dark arts. She was doing everything she could to protect the people she loved.
Somewhere along the way Draco etched himself onto that list. He stayed no matter how cold and uncaring she was. He proved himself worthy of her time.
Hermione laid on four poster bed in the come and go room. Draco had just given her another D.A.D.A lesson she will have to pretend to have read about in order to teach Dumbledore’s Army.
“Harry mentioned you the other day.”
“What did he say?” He asked as he kissed down her body, peppering kisses like praises anywhere he could find.
“Just that you haven’t been a prick in his side in a while, he’s suspicious- says you’re “plotting some inquisitorial shite” or something.”
Draco snorted. “That bloody witch doesn’t do anything but make us patrol for hours. It’s more prefect duties than anything.”
“He’s been paranoid these days with-“ she cut herself off. She didn’t want to talk about those things right now. She just needed to know she could depend on his help when the moment came.
“You’ll do anything I say?”
Draco stopped his ministrations immediately and looked at her.
“Always.”
She could see the passion in his grey eyes. He was serious about her, about helping her. It was just lust or an obsession, he truly would do anything for her. It made her feel powerful and wanted.
She grabbed his face and kissed him hard.
Draco’s eyes fluttered closed as he pulled her in.
___________
Slytherin was playing Gryffindor today. Hermione warned Draco serval times the previous nights he needed to do something to ward off suspicion.
He didn’t realize he had stopped teasing Potter. He was so lost in Hermione and protecting her, he forgot about keeping up his bully persona.
He had a brilliant idea. Something so Draco Malfoy coded no one would suspect he was on the other side now.
He created a song. In true Draco fashion he spread it. Weasley is our King was up there with the Potter Stinks pins. It was brilliant. His status as number one arsehole would be reinstated.
He shared his work with Pansy, Theo, and Blaise. Pansy was basically ready to conduct an entire orchestra of Slytherins.
As expected, it threw Potter off. It was probably mostly because he had been so quiet recently. It was a big show. Pansy quite literally got up to conduct, turning her back to the game. She really was a great friend.
Theo and Blaise were playing as chasers but, that didn’t stop Theo from singing around the field.
The game was going in his favor, he thought.
Then, Gryffindor won. Whatever. It’s perfect. His actions would be more believable this way. He could pretend to be annoyed at loosing.
His face morphed into a familiar sneer. One he hadn’t given in a while.
"Saved Weasley's neck, haven't you?" Draco hopped off his broom.
"I've never seen a worse Keeper... but then he was born in a bin.... Did you like my lyrics, Potter?" He snorted.
It came to him so easily, like he truly meant it. Harry didn’t take the bait.
"We wanted to write another couple of verses!" He yelled out. In the corner of his eye he saw Hermione up in the stands, arms crossed but with a knowing expression.
"But we couldn't find rhymes for fat and ugly — we wanted to sing about his mother, see we couldn't fit in useless loser either — for his father, you know?”
Ok, now he was just letting out his jealously for the weasel. Unfortunately, he caught the wrong Weasel’s attention. Fred and George turned around.
Draco swallowed but kept going. He needed to be convincing.
“How can you associate with such filth Potter? Can't see how you stand the stink, but I suppose when you've been dragged up by Muggles even the Weasleys' hovel smells okay —"
Once again, the wrong person reacted. George or Fred or whichever one of the Weasel twins he was, tried to go for him.
Draco laughed. Internally he cringed. The words felt so foreign in his mouth now.
"Or perhaps, you can remember what your mother's house stank like, Potter, and Weasley's pigsty reminds you of it —" he snorted.
That did it. Before Draco could blink Harry and the Weasley twin sprinted at him.
Harry punched Draco in the stomach. Draco heard the gasps and screams around him.
It went on for several seconds. Punch after punch. It was worth it for Draco. His secret was safe once more.
He was now on the ground curled up, the pain was severe, his nose bleeding profusely.
Pansy came running. “Someone take him to the hospital!” She panicked.
He was not expecting that at all. Those damn twins were bloody strong. He thought he would have at least a screaming match.
Through his blood loss and possible concussion Draco had only one thought.
Will Hermione be happy?