Veela Love

Chapter Eight: Dinner Time

            Hermione slumped down next to Ginny, starved. Before she could get a bite in, Harry said, "It's weird that you got stuck with Malfoy in all our classes, Hermione."

"No, it's not," she replied automatically, thinking of Professor McGonagall's comment the night before. Realizing what she'd said, Hermione added hastily, "We are the two top students. The professors probably think they're cutting us a break."

Harry nodded, accepting her explanation. "Don't they know you hate each other?"

"Didn't seem like she hated him today," Ron growled.

"Excuse me, Ronald? And no, I don't hate him, Harry. I don't have any hate left inside me."

"You defended him! Against me! Your best friend!" snarled Ron.

"Well, you haven't been a very good friend, Ron," Ginny hissed, putting an arm around Hermione. "In fact, you've been a really shitty one recently."

Ron opened and closed his mouth several times. "She broke my heart! For some slimy git we've never even met!"

"Shut up, Ron! You know why I had to break up with you!" Hermione felt a pair of eyes on her back, and she knew if she turned around, she'd see Draco staring at their group and her.

"You didn't have to do anything, Hermione; you chose to!"

"That's where you're wrong, Ron. I could never let someone die just because I'm selfish. Unlike you, apparently."

Ron stared at her before rising and storming off, leaving his half-eaten plate behind. Halfway out of the Great Hall, he came back and grabbed his plate before leaving again.

"I'm sorry, 'Mione," Harry said.

Wiping at the tears of exasperation on her cheeks, Hermione only nodded.

"My brother's a git."

"Why did you defend Malfoy?" Harry asked, changing the topic to what he thought was a safer one.

She felt Draco's gaze intensify if that was even possible. He was obviously listening in on the conversation. "Because Ron called him a Death Eater."

"But he was one, Hermione."

"Yes, was, as in past tense. He isn't anymore, and you heard what everyone was saying about him. It's disgusting. We know how much he did for us during the war."

Harry frowned. "That's true. I've never thought of it that way."

"And he was his usual annoying self all day, but he wasn't cruel to me."

"Maybe he's turned over a new leaf," Ginny added, winking slyly at Hermione.

"As long as he's not hurting you, Hermione," Harry decided.

Hermione pursed her lips, curious to see if Harry's toleration extended to Draco being her mate. Before she could decide on whether or not to tell him, he continued. "Don't you wonder who your mate is? Can you imagine if it was someone like Malfoy?" He chuckled to himself.

Hermoine and Ginny laughed nervously. "Would that be such a bad thing? The man is gorgeous," Ginny asked.

Harry glared at Ginny. "Yes, it would be. I can accept him as a changed man, but he will never be good enough for Hermione."

Love for her friend filled Hermione's chest, and somewhere in the back of her mind, Draco would be feeling the same thing and probably hated it. "You think too highly of me, Harry."