That Ship Has Sailed

Draco & Hermione

"She tried to get me to study with her last night, but I had plans with Fred and George. I'm not going to give up having fun with the guys to study with a girl."

"Ron, you're a prat. She likes you. All she wanted to do was spend a little time with you."

"Harry, we played tricks on Filch. How could I pass that up?"

"Do you care about her at all?"

"I mean--we're friends."

"Have you told her that you don't romantically like her? Maybe you should so you save her some heartache."

"Too late for that," a voice came before a large book hit Ron over the head.

Ron cursed at his younger sister, but when he looked up, he noticed Hermione hurry through the common room on the opposite side, trying not to be seen. Ron smacked his hand to his face. Harry looked back just in time to see her exiting the door.

Harry then followed Ginny's first instinct and hit Ron on the head with the newspaper he was reading.

Hermione ran through the hallways until she reached one that was completely empty. She sunk against the floor and looked around before dropping her head against her knees and letting her tears flow.

A few minutes later, she heard footsteps and loud voices. She looked up quickly, drying her tears as fast as she could just as Draco, Crabbe and Goyle came running past, laughing and snickering about some mischief they'd just gotten up to.

She turned her head and tried to become invisible and thought it worked for a moment, returning to her sorrow when she was startled by a voice.

"Hey," it said.

Hermione's gaze snapped up in surprise. Her eyebrows then furrowed, "What do you want, Draco?"

He recognized the voice and was surprised, "Granger?"

"Yes, of course it's me. What do you want?" she tried to sound angry, but her sorrow overtook her tone.

"I didn't realize--" he turned to start to leave, but stopped, turning back around, "Why are you here? I would have thought you'd be with Potter and Weasley."

"Not anymore," she sniffed, "They've made it very clear how they feel about me, so here I am."

Crabbe and Goyle called for Draco, but he called back, "I'll catch up!"

"Just go," Hermione sniffed, "Don't keep your friends waiting."

Draco rolled his eyes and sat down beside Hermione, "Believe it or not, I'm not completely heartless. When I see a girl crying, I'm not just going to up and leave her all by herself."

"I never would have guessed you'd have enough heart to care," Hermione scoffed.

"Look, the way you're talking, you're never going to have any friends."

Hermione glared back at him, but when he gave her a look, her gaze softened and she wiped her eyes, "You're right," she said, drying her hands on her skirt, "I just--I tried so hard to--" she paused and shook her head, "Never mind."

"No. Tell me."

She looked back skeptically.

"I swear, I have nothing up my sleeves," Draco replied, "I can take the robe off if you don't believe me," he said, pulling it apart in the middle to prove he'd go to that length.

Hermione surprised him my emitting a small laugh. He grinned.

She sobered and cleared her throat, "I tried to get Ron to study with me last night. He said he'd rather spend time with his friends, so I was left all alone."

"And you're sad because you like him?"

She nodded slowly.

"What a fool."

"I am not a fool!" Hermione retorted.

"Not you," Draco said quickly, "Weasley."

Hermione fell silent for a second, "Oh," she mumbled.

"I'd rather spend time with a girl than Crabbe and Goyle. What kind of fool wouldn't?"

"Don't you like your friends?"

"Not really. They're kind of idiots."

Hermione emitted a small laugh again and Draco grinned. He continued grinning as he looked at her and when she looked back over, her gaze lingered.

Then, Draco startled her by lifting his hand and rubbing it against her cheek.

"Stray tear," he explains, but his fingers linger.

Hermione finally breaks eye contact, "I'm feeling much better," she says, "You can go catch up with your friends now."

"What if I want to spend my evening with a girl rather than those idiots?"

Hermione glanced back at him and her face grew hot. Draco grinned and scooted a bit closer, looking opposite them, out a window, at the night sky. He comfortably relaxed against the wall and his arm brushed hers.

"Fancy a walk outside?" he asked after a long silence.

"I don't know. What if people see us together?"

Draco shrugged, "Who cares? Plus, we won't get caught because it's dark."

"What about class tomorrow? We can't sleep in, so we can't stay up late."

"Hermione," Draco said firmly, using her first name for the first time, "Stop worrying so much about school and live a little. It'll be fun, come on."

He stood and held his hands out to her.

Slowly and reluctantly, she lifted her hands and took his, both pulling until she stood on her feet, then Draco let go with one hand and held hers with his other as he led the way outside.