Unexpected Union

Chapter 18

The next day, things returned to relative normalcy. Hermione went back to her classes, and ate her meals with Harry and Ginny and Draco joined them for breakfast, but he ate supper with his Slytherin friends after the pickup game of Quidditch. Harry and Ginny had played opposite them, along with Seamus. Hermione had watched, and cheered them all on, even though she still didn't completely understand her friends love of the game.

Ron made himself scarce the entire day. Whenever she saw him, he about faced, and walked in the opposite direction. It made her a bit sad that things were so awkward between them at the moment, but she hoped that their friendship was strong enough to allow them to all move forward together.

Before supper that evening, Hermione had stopped off in the girl's bathroom on her way to meet the others at the Great Hall. After she had done her business, and washed her hands, she looked into the mirror and made an attempt to calm her crazy hair. It had always had a mind of its own, and she'd hated it for years. Luckily, it didn't seem that Draco minded her wild mane.

Someone then stepped up behind her, their angry eyes meeting hers in the mirror. Hermione let out a big sigh as she turned toward the intruder. "Can I help you with something Lavender?"

"You can stay the fuck away from my Won-Won," the blonde said snottily.

"First, he's my friend, and I'll talk to him if I want to. Second, if you have concerns over Ron talking to me, then you should bring those concerns up with him not me." Hermione replied with her hands on her hips in frustration, "Third, maybe try growing up."

"You bitch," Lavender shouted as she shoved Hermione so hard that she fell backward into the mirror, causing it to crack.

"Owww...what the fuck is your problem?" Hermione groaned as she picked herself up, "Seriously, grow the fuck up Lavender."

"You are a fucking whore and a cock tease. You've bewitched my boyfriend. He doesn't really care about you. He loves me," Lavender screamed.

"Then why did he fly into a rage when he found me kissing Draco?" Hermione knew she shouldn't have gone there. It wasn't nice, but as she rubbed her now sore shoulder, she was finding it difficult to want to be kind.

"You. You are nothing but a dirty little mudblood. You're a disgusting little tramp. Stay the fuck away from my man," Lavender screamed as she stormed out of the bathroom.

Hermione took in a deep breath and brushed broken glass from her clothing. She followed Lavender out of the bathroom a moment later, just in time to see Ginny coming down the hallway.

"Uh oh, what happened?" Ginny asked.

"Lavender happened," Hermione said with an exhausted sigh, "It's fine. She's salty, and annoying, but I can handle her."

Ginny studied her friend as they walked together to the Great Hall. There was more to it than Hermione was letting on. She just knew it. She decided not to pry though. She knew her friend well enough to know that Hermione would open up in her own time.

Little did they know, but at that exact moment a very upset Lavender would have a run in with none other than Pansy Parkinson in the hallway. "What's got your knickers in a twist?" Pansy asked the obviously upset girl.

"Hermione fucking Granger," Lavender growled.

"That girl is a menace," Pansy said as she walked up to the blonde, "Someone really needs to bring her down a peg or two."

She studied Lavender for a moment. The blonde said, "She's a whore, and she's after my man."

"Well, we have something in common then. She seems to be bewitching both of our men. Maybe we can help each other out here." Pansy said as she pulled Lavender into an empty storage closet to discuss a plan that was currently hatching in her brain.

After dinner Draco and Hermione said goodnight to their friends and made their way back to their shared common room. "Is everything alright?" Draco asked her, "You seemed rather quiet at supper."

"Yes. Everything is fine," Hermione said with a smile, "I'm sorry. I just had a run in with Lavender before supper. It's fine though. I can handle her."

"You're sure?" Draco asked. Concern evident in his expression.

"Yes. She's annoying, but harmless."

"Okay, but if things start to become not harmless, please come to me," Draco said.

"I will. I promise."

Later that night Hermione was on patrol, walking the dim hallways of the castle, making sure that students were in bed and that all was well. The halls were quiet. She hadn't seen anyone around, and her mind began to wander as she walked around doing her boring but necessary duty. She began thinking about Draco, and how unexpected their budding relationship was.

She had always found him to be handsome, but he'd always acted like a complete prat. He'd teased her mercilessly through their younger years at Hogwarts. She now saw him in a completely different light. She knew he had a rough childhood. He acted out because of the influences in his life, but it wasn't really him. That gruff exterior he showed the world covered up the real Draco buried deep, who was capable of being so loyal and sweet. When he truly cared about someone, there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for them.