Partners. ~A Harry Potter, Dramione FF~

Chapter 8

Chapter Eight:

The next few months were great, for Hermione. She spent much more time with Draco, scheduling unnecessary study session just for the sake of seeing him happy. Watching him at meal times and passing him in the halls, he didn’t look healthy. All the color would be drained from his skin, his face void of expression, and his hands would be fidgeting with whatever they could reach.

She hated seeing him that way so she made a point to spend as much time with him, joking around and making him smile and laugh, as she could. But it was quite hard because she could never find him outside of classes or study sessions unless they were walking to the Great Hall or in the Great Hall, and he hadn’t been coming to meal times as often as he used to.

“You haven’t been eating very much lately.” She said to him during one of their weekend Charms study sessions. “I haven’t seen you at meal times.”

“Have you been stalking me, Granger?” He asked teasingly.

She smiled but it quickly vanished and was replaced by a look of concern. “No, I’ve just been worried.”

He frowned. “I haven’t been very hungry, lately.” He said.

“Yet you look like you’re starving.” She said, just now noticing that he had lost a lot of weight.

“Right now, I am. I haven’t eaten since yesterday.” He said.

“Well then lets go eat.” Hermione said, starting to pack her things.

“They aren’t serving food right now.” He stated, confused.

“Just come on!” Hermione exclaimed, tugging at his arm.

Draco quickly packed up his things and Hermione lead him to the first floor and then down a flight of stairs he had never noticed before. She stopped in front of portrait of fruit and tickled the pear. The portrait swung open to reveal a huge kitchen with a long table in the middle and ovens and stoves around it.

“Welcome to the kitchens of Hogwarts.” Hermione said.

“Whoa…” He replied. 

The house elves were hard at work, cooking up today’s dinner. They walked in and Hermione whispered something to a house elf before conjuring a small table for them to sit at. They both sat down and an elf brought them both a butterbeer.

 “How’d you know about this?” He asked Hermione.

“Long story, not very interesting.” She replied.

“Thanks for bringing me down here.” He mumbled, almost incoherently.

Hermione smiled. “No problem.”

A house elf brought them both a plate of shepherds’ pie and two rolls each, with gravy of course. Draco dug in and ate everything on his plate, and then asked for more, which made Hermione laugh.

He smiled at her; happy to know she really cared. He cared for her too, but there was nothing he could do, he realized, she would hate him by the end of the year. He’s trying the best he can, but she will probably hate him no matter what he does to apologize.

The day he dreaded was near. The day Hermione Granger would go back to hating him. The day he would kill Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. The day he would take someone’s life just to save his own. ‘Such a coward…’  Draco thought to himself. ‘I am a coward.’

They left the kitchens, after they were both done, and went back to the Library to get the things they had left behind.

“Don’t skip dinner, I can see you’re still hungry.” Hermione told Draco.

“Should’ve let me get that third plate!” Draco exclaimed jokingly.

“Dinner is in half an hour! You can wait.” She said.

They both laughed and then said their goodbyes and headed to their common rooms.

Hermione sat by herself at an empty table, watching her friends talk in the corner. They hadn’t invited her to sit with them, or even noticed her, like they used to. Ron seemed happy with Lavender, she was just his type… Hermione had used to think he was her true love. But sometimes true love lies.

“Hey, Hermione!” She heard from behind her. She turned around to see Dean Thomas walking over to her.

“Hey, Dean.” She replied.

“Why aren’t you over with Harry and Ron?” Dean asked. “It struck me as odd when I saw you by yourself.”

“To be honest… I don’t know… Me and them have been growing apart lately, I guess.” I said.

“Well… I guess the Golden Trio has become the Golden duo.” Dean stated, he turned and walked back to his group without another word.

Hermione knew he didn’t mean it to be rude, but it hurt Hermione. In that moment, she realized Dean was right. She had been cut out of the Golden Trio…

This surprised her. She thought they would be the Golden Trio… for the rest of their lives. But, as they say, friendship dies… She just wished that it had not been the best friendship she had ever had.

~oOo~

Draco had stayed in the room of requirement past curfew and when he walked out he saw Mrs. Norris roaming the halls. He started to run when she saw him and he made a beeline for the first door he could open, which happened to be the prefects’ bathroom. He prayed there were no other prefects in there.

He dashed in quietly and closed the door behind him. He realized too late that there was voice, a singing voice. He listened to the sweet voice singing a song he had never heard before, he liked it.

“I thought that I heard you laughing, I thought that I heard you sing! I think I thought I saw you try.” The voice sang.

Draco inched into the bathroom until he could see the pool sized bathtub full of bubbles. He stopped dead in his tracks and peeked around the corner. There he saw Hermione Granger, eyes closed, body covered in bubbles, lounging in a hot bubble bath.

He inched back, hoping she wouldn’t hear him, and slowly left the bathroom. He ran back to his common room, relieved when he wasn’t caught by Filch, and went straight to bed, Hermione’s sweet voice still singing inside his head.