Chapter 14
Time seemed to pass quickly then.
The first day after everything with Regulus had happened, Hermione and Draco had both been anxious of what might come from it. But Regulus didn’t show his hand again. And before either of them knew it, several weeks had passed and the end of October was upon them.
Were it not for Draco and the permanent stain on her academic record, she might’ve wondered whether it had all been a dream. In fact, sometimes she still did wonder whether she was dreaming.
It all just seemed so strange to her. Everything else in her life was as it had always been. She was still the muggle-born swot, Snape still made his disdain for her clear regularly, Pansy and the Slytherins still worked their best to make her miserable, the only difference was now she didn’t care. Because ever since that weekend, her circle of friends had grown with certainty.
Before she had wondered if perhaps their friendships had merely been a passing fancy for Theo and Draco. That eventually they might grow bored or tired and move on to new interests. But after that day when she and Draco had spent hours talking about everything and nothing, it was like they hadn’t stopped.
She’d taken him to the Astronomy tower at Hogwarts then. It was one of her favorite places in the castle besides the library, and she’d wanted to share it with him. Draco must’ve appreciated it too because the next day when she’d returned on her own after classes, she’d found him already up there and reading a book. That day they’d just worked silently next to one another which felt . . . different. And then it became a cycle, every evening she’d head up to the tower and Draco would be there. Sometimes they’d talk until the sun set and she had to return to her dorm, sometimes they’d do their schoolwork.
Hermione still saw Theo and the rest of her friends all time. Often they’d meet in the library or after class and hang out together. But the Astronomy tower remained just for Draco and her. If he found it strange that she never brought anyone with her he never said anything. And in the blink of an eye it felt like, more than two weeks had passed.
On more than one occasion Hermione found her mind wandering off during class with thoughts of him. Something that had quite literally never happened to her before. In fact, for the first time in Hermione Granger’s life she’d been doodling sketches on the side of her parchment, completely distracted from the once again likely questionable lesson Professor Moody was giving, when she heard her name.
Hermione’s head jerked up, looking to Harry who elbowed her lightly in the side and nodded towards the front. Moody’s one real eye was trained on her intensely while his other one wandered the room aimlessly as always.
“I said, Ms. Granger.” The wizard snapped and Hermione jumped.
“Pardon, sir? I’m sorry, I didn’t hear y—”
“Save it. And see me after class.” He didn’t give her time before calling on the next person. Brilliant.
Well, she certainly wasn’t distracted anymore. Hermione did her best to concentrate for the remainder of the glass, taking detailed notes on the Bombardom spell they were examining. Professor Moody kept calling on her throughout the lesson though, likely trying to punish her for having not paid attention.
When the class finished, everyone else packed up their bags and Hermione waited anxiously. More than one of her peers shot her sympathetic looks. Neville, who was frequently held after class always said Moody’s moods were terribly unpredictable, but good luck. Harry and Ron were the last ones out as they quietly promised to wait for her in the hall. Hermione noticed the professor roll his eyes as they left.
“Ms. Granger,” he began, “I just want to talk.”
“Of course, sir.” She nodded.
“You do not strike me as a foolish girl.” He spoke with his proper eye trained out the window. His second one focused on her. It was a rather uncomfortable source of attention to be under.
Hermione waited for him to continue but when he didn’t, she spoke up, “Pardon?”
“I do not take you for an idiot, many of your peers however . . .”
She couldn’t say she was surprised by his implication, he’d all but said it to their class plenty of times before.
“Thank you … sir?” Hermione wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be a compliment.
“But you seem distracted Miss Granger. And distracted is the most dangerous thing for a witch or wizard to be.” He turned to her then, his gaze disapproving.
“Oh.”
“You cannot even imagine the number of wizards, the number of great witches whose murders I have had to witness, simply because they lost their heading for just a moment. Just a moment Miss Granger.”
“Er, yes sir. That’s terrible.” Hermione shifted awkwardly on her feet. She wasn’t sure whether the same rules applied as a student at Hogwarts as did during the war or battles as an Auror. But she was sure that bringing that up would probably end poorly.
“It is, Miss Granger. Terrible indeed.” He took a step forward then, crossing his arms over his chest and facing her fully. “Which is why I must remind you to have constant vigilance, especially during these times.”
“These times?”
Professor Moody raised reprimanding brow, “Dark forces are always at work Miss Granger. Always.”
“Oh . . . yes sir.” Could she leave now?
“It has come to my attention that you have recently been in cahoots with a student from the Durmstrang Institute.” She waited for him to continue, but he did not.
Um?
“Oh, er, I suppose yes sir. We’ve been encouraged to make friends with the visiting students.” She told him.
“And you’ve decided to befriend the Malfoy heir.” That wasn’t a question, but his voice was laced with disdain. Hermione felt herself grow defensive. What did it matter who she was friends with? And why did her professor care if she hung out with Draco?
“Um, yes sir.”
“I must warn you against this Miss Granger.”
“Pardon?”
“Malfoys are dark wizards. And I guarantee you even if the young one puts up a half decent front, it is anything but on the inside. I was there during the war, and I was there after it. His father was one of Voldemort’s most attentive followers,”
Hermione had never had the same reaction to the use of Voldemort’s name as the majority of her peers because she hadn’t grown up knowing their fear, but even she felt uncomfortable at the hatred with which Moody spat his name.
“When the war ended, being the slimy cockroach that he is, Malfoy pled guilty but under duress. Claimed he was forced to do everything after the use of the imperious curse by Voldemort himself.” Hermione’s breathing practically stopped at the mention of one of the unforgivable, Moody continued.
“A load of hogwash if you ask me. No, I know that fucker, and no matter what he tells ‘em, I know evil bastards like him well, and he wanted to give every second of torture he gave. I’d swear on my own life and magic that Lucius Malfoy belongs behind the bars of Azkaban Prison forever. I guarantee you, Miss Granger, that he has raised his son to be no different.”
But at that, Hermione felt the inclination to defend Draco. He was her friend, they were . . . okay, she didn’t know entirely what they were. But regardless of what Moody thought, the boy she knew was kind and thoughtful, not evil. And there was no way that if everything Moody thought was true, that Draco was anything like his father. She couldn’t believe it, wouldn’t.
“Perhaps sir, but you don’t have to be concerned. Draco’s been nothing but kind to me. I assure you, if what you’re saying about his father is true then Draco could not be more different. He—he’s not like that.”
Moody regarded her silently for several moments. His face forever fixed in a part glare part sneer. Then he shook his head and sighed, “So I see he has already succeeded.”
“What?”
He ignored her question and turned, walking away from her. “Malfoys do not respect the rules, Miss Granger. They do not respect you and me. Whatever you may think and whatever lies he may tell you, take them for what they are, lies. While he may entertain toying with you for now, he will move on. And if you continue down this path, it will end in death. It always does.” The last part was said ominously slowly, and Hermione found herself gaping at the man’s back. But he didn’t turn around, didn’t explain further. He just walked up the stairs to his office and said, “Good day, Miss Granger. Remember what I said, constant vigilance.” And then he closed the door behind him, shaking his head.
Hermione was…dumbfounded? What the fuck just happened?
She was fairly certain that wasn’t a threat, but also, was it? Furthermore, Hermione had no idea where the hell he got off thinking he had a right to speak to her like that? She wasn’t a child. She wasn’t an idiot.
And she was fairly confident they weren’t in the middle of a fucking war thank you very much. It’s not like she and Draco were Romeo and Juliette, destined for tragedy—not that they were in love or anything.
Hermione didn’t think they were in love. There was no way someone like Draco would fall for someone like her . . . but still. He was just being nice. And maybe he’d move on, but it sure as fuck wasn’t Moody’s place to tell her that. He wasn’t her parent. She had a father, thank you very much. Though her dad would probably give her a similar speech about not falling for a boy—and without the commentary on his father— she smiled at the thought. But even then, his would come from a place of love, not from some weird nemesis agenda. And most importantly, Moody didn’t even know Draco so he has no right to speak on the matter.
Ugh. Hermione kicked herself for even entertaining this conversation. He was literally called ‘Mad-eye Moody’ for a reason.
She shook her head, trying to brush off the questions that were still forming and grabbed her things. When she walked out of the classroom Harry and Ron were waiting for her against the wall.
“What’d he want?” Harry said, standing when he saw her.
“To be a total arse.”
Ron snorted.
“Shut up.” She rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless.
Things with Ron were . . . strange. They weren’t fighting anymore. Somehow, they’d managed to move on from that blowout without ever really speaking about it. But now it was different between them. He seemed almost nervous for whatever she’d say. Hermione was pretty sure Harry had threatened him if he tried anything again—though he denied it when she’d asked. So it was almost a relief to have him teasing her again. A serious Ron wasn’t really Ron at all.
He stood then too, and they made their way back to Gryffindor tower slowly.
“What’d he really want though, Mione?” Ron asked after a moment.
And see this was the real problem with how things were. Because yes they were talking, but they’d also managed to do so by completely avoiding the whole Draco and Theo conversation over the past two weeks. Because Harry had brought up going flying with them once after the whole ‘incident’ weekend, and Ron had spent the afternoon giving him the silent treatment. Hermione hadn’t even risked the chance.
“Er…nothing really.” She lied. “He just wanted to make sure I was paying attention in class. Evidently, he’s convinced we’re all going to be in the middle of a war again soon.”
“Godric I hope not,” Ron laughed and Hermione smiled politely back.
It was fine. She’d tell Harry, probably. And it wasn’t a huge deal, she was sure he gave weird speeches to everyone like that. Maybe. Er, she didn’t know.
Something about the whole encounter just fell off. And now she was just tired and wanted to go to sleep. Hermione wondered how difficult it might be to slip away from the boys for a while.
“Right Mione?” She startled at her name. Harry was watching her carefully.
“Sorry, what?”
“I was asking about tomorrow. If you think there’ll be any surprises at the ceremony.”
“Oh, um.” Hermione thought about it, “isn’t it all supposed to be a surprise? No one knows exactly how it’ll go.”
“Yeah, obviously we know that.” Ron joked. “But what he means is like will anything cool happen.”
“Isn’t the whole thing supposed to be cool.” She frowned. Harry still hadn’t look away, but Ron just shook his head and laughed.
“Aw Mione. You never will get sports, will you?”
She felt slightly defensive at that. “Hey, I do get sports. I just don’t get as excited about them as you do. And anyway, this isn’t a sport. It’s a tournament.”
“Which is like a sport.”
“It’s a contest.” She protested.
“Again, sport.”
“Ugh you’re impossible.” She groaned. Ron bumped his hip with hers though to show he was just joking which made her smile begrudgingly. When they got to the top of the stairs Harry gave the Fat Lady the password and held the door open for her. Hermione walked straight to the couch closest to the fireplace and collapsed on it.
“You good?” He laughed, shoving her legs over and sitting at the opposite end.
“Mmm. Tired.” She grunted into the pillow. She heard him chuckle. The couch shifted as Ron settled down beside him, before immediately jumping back up.
“Oh yes.” He told them. “I see Neville. I’ll be back. I gotta get his notes from Herbology this morning.”
“You know if you actually took notes yourself, you wouldn’t have to steal them from Neville all the time?” Harry asked.
“Yeah, and if one of you still let me have yours then I also wouldn’t have to bother Longbottom . . .”
Hermione sat up and gave him a rueful look, “I guess it’s just bad luck for Neville then.”
“Tossers.” He smirked before walking off.
“Yeah, we’re the tossers.” Harry mocked in his direction. Ron shot him two fingers and Hermione laughed.
“Hey,” she said after he was out of range. She cast a quick muffliato, remembering the warning Fred had given her before continuing. “Are you seeing Theo tonight?”
Harry blanched, his eyes going wide. “No. Why? Why would I see Theo? I don’t see him that often. We’re just friends. I’m not an expert on seeing Theo. You see him just as often as I do.”
Okay, so they were still pretending there wasn’t anything going on there.
“Right.” Hermione nodded. “Yeah, of course. I know. I was just wondering in case I wanted to see him. I thought maybe I could join you.”
“Oh. Right.” He frowned. “Does that mean you’re not hanging out with Draco again this evening?”
Then it was Hermione feeling defensive. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
She didn’t like his tone. Like it was some inevitable thing that she would see Draco. Like there was something obscure about their friendship. Moody had been the same way and it annoyed her.
She may have boiled over at him. “I don’t see Draco that often Harry. We’re just friends who study together. I hang out with you far more than I do him. Ron, even, when he’s not being a prick. Why is everybody so obsessed with my relationship with Draco? You’re making this into a far bigger deal than it is! I’m not some naïve child. We’re friends, Harry. Just friends! Everyone can stop worrying about me with their stupid ‘constant vigilance’ it’s ridiculous!” Hermione huffed, crossing her arms over her chest like the child everyone was treating her as.
Harry stared at her for a moment. “Um . . .yeah Mione, I know.”
“Good.”
“Hermione?”
“What?” She snapped.
“What do you mean ‘everyone’” Oh, she realized her mistake. But also, it was probably for the better. “Has Ron been bothering you again?” Harry sounded annoyed.
She rolled her eyes. “No, he’s been fine. It’s just…” just say it. If anything, Harry will agree and make you feel better. He likes Draco. He knows Draco. “That’s what Moody wanted earlier.”
“What?” he frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that’s what he wanted to talk about.” She rolled her eyes, remembering the absurdity of it all. What did he think gave him the right?
“He wanted to talk to you about Draco?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To warn me.”
“To warn you?” Harry shook his head. “Mione I’m gonna need more than two-word answers here. What do you mean?”
“First,” she groaned petulantly, “That was three words.”
Harry looked unimpressed.
“And second . . . I don’t even know. It was so ridiculous. He said I was distracted and then gave me a speech about ‘constant vigilance’ and ‘dark wizards’ and said Draco’s father was some kind of dark wizard and that meant Draco was too so I needed to be warned.”
“Seriously?”
She glared. “Do I look like I’m lying?”
“No.” he shrugged. “But like . . . I dunno. Do you believe him?”
“What?” Hermione stared at him. That’s not what she’d hoped he’d say.
“Do you believe him?”
“Who?”
“Moody.” He shrugged.
“What do you mean? Do you?” Harry was supposed to make her feel better about this, the prick!
“That’s not what I asked. Do you believe him that Draco’s a dark wizard who’s going to go after you?”
“No!” She answered defensively. “Of course not!”
“Then why are you so upset?” Oh. Well, well played, Potter.
“I dunno.” She shrugged and this time Harry raised a brow expectantly. “Of course, I don’t believe Draco’s some dark wizard. He’s too kind. But also . . .” she wasn’t sure she was ready to share that part.
Unfortunately, patient was not something Harry Potter was known for being. “But also . . .I don’t have all day. . .” he waggled a hand in front of him.
“You really do.” She grumbled. “But also . . .” Hermione heaved a massive sigh before just going for it. “He said Draco might like me now, but he’s only using me and eventually he’ll get bored and move on.”
Harry was quiet for a minute. A long enough minute that Hermione wondered if he’d forgotten to speak. But then he did. “And you believe him?”
Hermione felt a pang of guilt in her chest. And a fair bit of embarrassment. Because of course she did. But also, of course she didn’t.
Hermione didn’t want to be an insecure girl fluttering around wondering what a boy thought of her. She didn’t want to be trying to figure out whether he thought she was pretty or funny enough. And for all the previous years of her life, she hadn’t been. It was never something that had concerned her. In fact, she’d been judgmental and prickly towards the girls in her house whenever they’d talked about boys like they were important. No, Hermione was strong and independent and didn’t need a man to tell her she was brilliant.
But dammit she really wanted one to anyway.
She wanted Draco to notice her and like her as much as she felt she liked him. She wanted him to laugh at her jokes and read the same books she did. Sure, she knew it didn’t change her value whether or not he thought well of her, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t be nice.
Hermione wanted what her mum and dad. She wanted to be someone’s partner like them, where even after twenty years they were still falling for each other daily. Where her dad cooked meals and cleaned the house because her mum liked watching him do it, and in exchange her mum took all the patients with bad breath at work because 28 years of dentistry and the smells still made her father queasy.
And maybe she was getting ahead of herself, but Hermione had never felt like someone understood her the way Draco did before. He was different. She thought he understood her and talking with him made her feel special. Except now whenever she thought about him Moody’s words rang in her head and she wondered if she was being an idiot.
Now would be a really great time to have some female friends. Hermione silently loathed the part of herself that had frowned upon Lavender and Pavarti for all those years. For all the talk she gave, she could really use their advice right now.
“Hermione?” Harry’s voice broke through and fuck, she’d wandered off again in her head.
“Oh, sorry. Umm, no?”
“No?” He frowned.
Hermione sat up straighter.
“I mean no. I don’t believe him…entirely.” She sighed. “But what if he’s right, Harry?”
“He’s not right.” He told her with confidence that she wanted to believe.
“How can you know that?”
“Because I know. He really likes you. I swear he’s not using you, and he’s definitely not gonna drop you.”
“How?”
“Because I’m a bloke?” He shrugged evasively.
Hermione shook her head. “No. Not good enough.”
“How would you know?” He grinned then and Hermione knew he was getting an idea in his head. “You know, Hermione, I’m a wise person. A number of people have suggested I be ordained with sainthood.”
“That’s not even a thing in the wizarding world.”
“St. Mungos.” He corrected her.
“I still don’t get that one. What is Mungo even a saint of?”
“Shhh,” Harry waved a hand dismissively. This wasn’t the first time they’d talked about it, but it made her smile nonetheless. “The point I’m getting at here, is that as an authority on wisdom and men.” Hermione snorted “Shut up.” He glared at her. “I can tell you with confidence that Professor Moody is a just a sad miserable prick who’s never been on a date in his life and is probably just jealous that you both are happy.”
“Harry, you can’t say that about a war hero!” she laughed. Even though he was being absurd, Hermione could admit that it was helping her mood a bit.
“Hermione I am literally The War Hero.” He deadpanned and she laughed even louder.
“Bullshite you didn’t do anything! You were a baby!”
“Blasphamy!” Harry told her, but he was chuckling too. “I have actual scars to prove the trials I went through to save the world!”
“You have a scar Hercules, calm down. And you can’t even remember it.”
“Totally irrelevant and not the point.” He shook his head.
“Fine.” Hermione relented. “You’re right.”
“Thank you.” He smirked.
“Oh, shut up.”
“Never.”
Hermione shook her head at him but smiled. She didn’t know what she’d do without Harry. Probably go mad. Yeah, that or lose herself in her studies until the day she graduated.
“So . . .” He started, eyeing her almost nervously once they’d both calmed down. Hermione immediately became suspicious.
“What?”
“You said you wanted to see Theo?” He asked quietly.
She tried to hold in her smirk. She really, really tried. “Knew it.” She failed.
“Shut up.” Harry groaned. But he also stood and waited for her to follow before walking out the portrait hole.
After they got down a few corridors and Hermione was sure there wasn’t anyone around, she started what Harry had been avoiding for weeks now. “So…Nott.”
“No.” He didn’t even look at her.
“Oh, come on!”
“No.”
“Harry!” She protested. “You can’t tell me there’s nothing there!”
“We’re not doing this.”
“Why the hell not?!” She laughed. “Ha! Nott. Get it?”
Harry finally glanced at her; his face almost comically annoyed. “You’re not funny.”
“Ha! Nott again!”
“Why did I let you come?” He feigned musing.
“Why wouldn’t you?” Hermione waggled her eyebrows. “If there’s nothing there then there’s no reason I can’t come. Right?”
“I hate you.”
“Come on, Harry!” She elbowed him in the stomach. “I told you about mine! Now you have to share!”
“Hermione.” He groaned.
“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about! Theo’s hot! You could do a hell of a lot worse!” She grinned and Harry stopped walking. When she turned around, he was staring at her like she’d grown a third head. “What?” she frowned.
“Don’t say that.”
“Theo’s fit?” She tried to hide her smile as confusion.
“No.” He shook his head. “You’re not allowed to say that.”
This time she didn’t hide it. “Oh? Somebody’s a bit possessive.” She sing-songed.
“Nope.” He did it again. “Not possessive, just, you can’t say that.”
“What? That Theo’s hot?” she smirked.
Harry didn’t respond, he just looked weirded out which made Hermione laugh even more. What was he on?
“Is that a problem for you? Harry, I swear I don’t have a crush on Theo. He’s all yours. I was just being objective. Objectively, he’s a really good-looking wizard. And I’m only human enough to notice when someone’s bloody fit. But I swear, I have zero interest in him.” She held up both hands in surrender and Harry looked in pain.
“One day,” he couldn’t seem to meet her eyes which made her cackle. “You’re going to really regret this conversation, and I would just like it on the record, I tried to stop you.”
“Mhm, sure.” She told him, still laughing slightly. It made her happy though, to see him find someone he liked. Even if he was being a little weird. “Can we go now?” she tapped her foot impatiently and Harry sighed.
“Only if you promise never to say that again.”
“Harry!” He was being ridiculous.
“Hermione, I’m not kidding. I will put a silencing charm on you.” And he sounded so serious that she gave him a tight-lipped nod.
“Okay…” She told him. Then they started walking, but she couldn’t help it when she added on, “weirdo.”
“Hermione.” He stopped immediately.
“I said okay!” She held up both hands again. Harry shook his head but started walking. “So…do you like him?”
“Hermione!”
“Is that a yes?”
“It’s a, shut up or Harry’s going back to the common room.”
“That’s fine!” She told him. “I don’t need you to see Theo, we were friends long before you ever entered the picture.”
“Like two days.”
“Days, years, it’s all the same really.”
“I hate you.”
“You love me.” She grinned. “And you love Theo.”
“Are you a first year?” He glared at her.
“Oh really?” she huffed. “You want to go there?”
“Yeah, I’ll go there. Yo—”
“Hey guys! Go where?”
Hermione’s head snapped around to where the voice had come from. Harry seemed to start choking on himself as they watched Theo walk up. Hermione smirked and patted —read: hit— him on the back several times till he shoved her off.
“You alright?” Theo asked him, sounding concerned. Hermione grinned.
Harry forced himself to stand upright and nodded. “Yep. Fine. Totally fine.”
“Picture of health.” She nodded.
“Shut up.”
“It was a compliment.”
“Sure it was.” He grumbled.
“Am I interrupting?” Theo chimed in, he looked worriedly between them as though he might leave.
“No not at all.” They said in unison, each taking a second to glare at the other.
“Are you sure? I don’t mind lea—”
“No.” Harry cut him off, his head shaking aggressively. Hermione elbowed him with as much subtlety as an erumpant. “I’m not afraid to do it.” He gritted under his breath.
Her jaw dropped in mock offense. “I didn’t say anything!”
“You were thinking it.”
“You have no idea what I was thinking Harry James Potter.”
“I know exactly what you were thinking Hermione Jean Granger.”
She was just about to retort when Theo spoke up again. “Jean?” he asked her.
“It’s my middle name.” She explained. “My mum’s name, actually.”
“Oh.” Was all he said.
Hermione shrugged. “I know, Hermione and Jean, not the greatest names together, but that’s what you get when you wake up memoryless and two English swots adopt you. Shakespeare and nepotism.”
“Shakespeare?”
“He’s a playwright. A muggle one.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.” He didn’t speak again. Hermione wasn’t great with awkward silences, so she tried to fill it. “So, where are we going?”
Theo frowned. “Are you joining us? I thought you and Draco usually met up around now.”
“I told you he wasn’t just going to drop you.” Harry told her.
“Shut it.” She snipped.
“Draco?” Theo asked, he looked between them apprehensively. “I don’t mean to pry if it’s personal, but do you think he’s going to. . . er, you said, drop you?”
“No,” Hermione shook her head. At the same time her traitorous former best friend nodded, “Yes.”
“Harry!”
“What? It’s true.” He shrugged, looking anything but guilty. Hermione’s jaw fell. She couldn’t believe him. He was telling Theo, Draco’s best friend about her insecurity. Theo would surely relay the message and she would be utterly humiliated.
When she turned back to Theo though, he wasn’t laughing. In fact, he seemed rather concerned.
“Is there a reason he’s given you that impression? That you think his intentions are dishonorable?” he asked.
“No.” She shook her head. “Not at all. He’s perfectly…honorable. It’s really a me thing.”
“Oh.” His frown only deepened.
“Not a her thing. A her thing.” Harry spoke up. His emphasis on each word making zero sense and only embarrassing her more. Hermione tried to catch his eye but Harry was busy looking at Theo with a weird intensity.
Theo looked confused. “So . . .”
“It’s not—that’s great. Perfect really. It’s . . . more us.” He stuck a thumb at her.
“Us?” Theo repeated.
“Harry, what the hell are you talking about? You’re making no sense.”
“So then if he . . .”
“Perfect really.” Harry filled in for him. Hermione wasn’t sure who to look at. The two of them seemed to be having an entire wordless conversation.
“Am I even needed here?” she asked.
Finally, Harry acknowledged her. “Actually no. You’re welcome to leave at any time. Go find Draco.”
Hermione’s jaw dropped at his dismissal. “Draco’s probably busy Harry. That’s why you said I could come.”
“Actually, he’s not.” Theo told her, biting his lip. “He’s kind of waiting for you . . . I think.”
She froze. Her cheeks pinked slightly at the thought. “He is?”
“Yeah.” Theo nodded. “I mean, I’d love to hang out with you, really.” He looked apologetic, “But I can’t deny he did leave me to go see you at the Astronomy Tower.”
“Oh” Was all Hermione said. “Um, well I guess I should?”
“Yep. You can go now.” Harry clapped, actually turning her shoulders to the stairwell. “Goodbye.” He told her and Hermione wasn’t entirely sure it was even a conscious decision she made as she found herself wandering up the steps to go find Draco Malfoy.