Cold (Hermoine X Draco)

Chapter Eight

HERMIONE POV

I let them walk ahead of me, dropping back to step in line with Malfoy. As discreetly as possible, I lean over and mutter in his ear, "Do we really want to reveal her?"

He shrugs. "Blaize and Luna are basically saints, given what's been going on. If they won't like Aunt Bella, I don't know who will."

"Luna knows." I whisper back. "Zabini I'm not so sure about."

Malfoy shakes his head. "No, it'll be fine."

I'm still worried, but he knows his aunt better than I do, so I let him take the lead when we enter the secluded corridor.

"Aunt Bella? I've brought a few friends."

Friends? When were we considered his friends? Not that I'm really complaining, to be honest. If he likes us, he won't be an arse.

The pearly white ghost of Bellatrix Lestrange shimmers into existence. "Luna!" she says in delight. "I was hoping I hadn't scared you off."

Zabini, on the other hand, is less than delighted. "That's...that's...B-bellatrix Lestrange!"

"Blaize Zabini, meet my Aunt Bella."

Bella swoops down from where she was hovering and gives Zabini a giant, ghostly hug, which I imagine is rather unpleasant. "Don't worry," she coos. "I'm perfectly harmless, love."

He extricates himself hurriedly and brushes off his school robes. "Er...right. Draco, we're eating in here?"

"I'm insulted!" Bellatrix says teasingly.

"Yes." Malfoy replied, entirely ignoring his aunt and unceremoniously sitting on the stone floor. I struggle to keep my mouth shut. The 'Slytherin Prince' eating on the floor---and yes, they really did call him that.

Luna follows suit and I sit next to her. Zabini hesitates, and then slowly a huge grin spreads across his face.

"Erm... Bellatrix? Bella? Mrs. Lestrange? Can I talk to you for a minute?"

I don't hear their hushed conversation, nor do I pay much attention. When they return, I shift over to make room for Zabini, but he shakes his head. "Can you and Luna switch? I'd like to talk to her."

As far as I know, there's nothing going on between them. Not that it's any of my business anyway. With a shrug, I comply with his request. Zabini then seats himself between me and Luna, and I end up very well squashed in between the Slytherins. Bella hovers a few inches above the floor on Malfoy's other side, her cold dress lying over his leg. He tries to push her off, but only succeeds in sinking his hand through the fabric. With a sigh, he frowns at her. "Move, please, Aunt Bella?"

She ignores him and sighs longingly at the lunch. "I miss cake."

Luna leans over and comfortingly puts a hand through hers. "I'll eat a piece for you. Who knows? Maybe Daddy knows a creature that lets ghosts eat. The Crumple Horned Snorkack--"

I feel like a horrible friend, but the mere mention of her mythical creatures makes me tune her out. Besides, I have more pressing problems, like trying to eat while being pinned between two Slytherins, one of which is temporarily deaf. I give up on Zabini and look at Malfoy in defeat.

Malfoy has no choice but to move away from Bellatrix's misty skirt, but this only pins me tighter between them.

"Zabini, scoot over!" I elbow him.

He and Luna are in stitches over something involving my name, and he doesn't listen. Wasn't she just talking to Bellatrix? I look awkwardly at Malfoy.

"Well..."

"I think I'm wrinkling your skirt."

I look down. He has no choice but to sit on it.

"It's fine. Harry spilled ink all over it once. It's seen better days, I don't mind. I used to wear this one for Care of Magical Creatures."

I start in on a piece of bread, trying to ignore the various shoulders digging into me, when Zabini gestures wildly to accompany the animated story he's telling Luna, knocking his hand into my ribs. I move back, and then stiffen and sigh in frustration.

"Blaize!" Malfoy scolds. "Move it, you've practically got Hermione on my lap!"

Zabini and Luna look very innocently at us. "Well, Draco, that was sort of the point."

DRACO POV

"What dorks those two are." I say to Hermione as we walk down the hall. We were making our way to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Blaize and Luna had 'mysteriously' disappeared, leaving us two alone.

"I honestly never thought I'd hear you say that." She retorts lightly.

"Say what?"

"Dork."

I laugh a little. I guess, thinking back, I really didn't talk like that. Come to think of it, few if any Slytherins talked like that. At least, the ones I knew anyway. Maybe our little friendship was changing me in ways I didn't really understand.

"And why would you think that?" I half turn to face her, the light gracefully falling from the windows, lighting up her complexion.

"You just seem a little to, uh, intense for words like that." She avoids my gaze, looking down. I roll my eyes.

"Am I 'too intense' for you?" I say, faking offense.

"No, no, it just sounds a little ridiculous when you say it."

"Well, they are dorks," I say. "Whether or not it sounds utterly ridiculous when I say it."

We both laugh mildly. My eyes flicker over to hers, almost automatically. She looks back, and we share a look before the most annoying, ugly voice in the world interrupts us.

"Look who it is, 'Mione and Malfoy."

Weasley, of course.

"Ron, just leave them alone." Says Harry. They both stand in front of the door to our Defense Against the Darks Arts class. Ron's piercing eyes are trained right on us, while Harry awkwardly stands back. Without thinking, I ball my fist up, ready for another fight. Third time's the charm, after all.

"For last time, don't call me that!" Hermione exclaims. "And just let it go. We broke up, so why in the world would you care what I do with my free time? Let us in. We go to class here too."

She pulls me by the hand past Ron and into the class. Without letting go, we both sit down, in my usual spot, with her where Pansy used to sit. Before I can say anything, she has pulled out her assignment and stuff for school

"Problem?" She says without looking up. I shake my head no, ready for class to start.

I look up as both Hesita Jones and the Weasley gang comes in a sits down. Harry and Ginny look at Hermione in surprise, along with the rest of the Slytherins who come in. Blaize looked pretty happy though, and takes his usual seat next to me.

"So, what exactly went down after lunch?" He whispers.

"Not much, actually. Weasley of course tried to give Hermione a hard time, she didn't put up with it at all though." I laugh a bit as I recall their expressions. "It was actually pretty funny to watch, though. You should've been there."

"Well, I think you too needed some time to yourselves, if you know what I'm getting at." He says with a wink. I roll my eyes, slightly blushing. Slightly.

"It's not like, despite what your little lunch stunt would suggest."

Blaize rolls his eyes, a smile on his face and turns towards Hesita. She clears her throat, and class starts.