Follow Me Hermione // Draco x Hermione

Chapter 1 - 16 Inch Essays

Lavender Brown

The name rang in a harsh mocking manner through her mind. Hermione stormed from Harry's side and up the stairs.

Throwing her robs off into her drawers, she dropped down into bed, curling up between the warm sheets.

She could not believe what she had just witness. Ron, her Ron, kissing Lavender Brown.

Hermione shifted and rolled over. She could hear the laughs of others down the stairs and the smell of something delicious waft with the noise.

Lavender was nothing like Hermione. She didn't care about her grades; she didn't listen in class. All she did was drift off out the window, dreaming.

And now Hermione knew what...or who ...she was dreaming about.

Not being able to sleep, with the noise of downstairs and her own mind lingering too long, she sat up and lugged a pile of books from under her bed. She quickly reviewed the potions they would be learning for the next week. This time, surely, she would get it right. At least better than Harry and his Wrackspurt of a Half Prince book or whatever it was.

"Gosh." Hermione whispered to herself, slamming the book shut, "I must be going mad if I'm quoting Loony Lovegood and her bloody Wrackspurts."

She sighed, pressing her palms against her face, blocking the wetness from seeping further down her cheeks. Picking up the book in frustration, she threw it at the drapes framing her bed, watching as it landed with a thud on the rugged floor, leaves of note paper floating down to meet it.

She noticed the envelope with Slughorn's seal on it, and swooped down from her bed to pick it up. She had forgotten completely about the next meeting. She couldn't take Ron anymore.

She had to take someone who would impress Slughorn and show up Ron and Lavender. Someone who would stand out. Someone with brains...

Draco.

No. She could not take a Slytherin or a Malfoy, let alone a mix of the two!

Not that Malfoys where anything but Slytherins. History has always named them so.

She laid back down, her mind wandering through all the possible boys she could offer Ron's position too. But her mind couldn't seem to pass up the chance to dine with snow white hair and green robes.

Pushing away her thoughts, she closed her eyes. She'd have to deal with this tomorrow, but she knew that she could never take Draco.

She didn't even know why she wanted to.

***

The next morning, she sat in the Grand Hall even more stiff backed than usual, pretending to be going over her array of DADA notes and 16 inch essay feedback from Snape. She only looked up when she heard a grumbled 'good morning' from Harry.

"Harry, you look dreadful. How late is Dumbledore keeping you these days", She closed her book and picked up the steaming cup of Butterbeer Ginny kindly brought to her.

Harry's robes where just as dishevelled as ever, since he refused to let anyone perform any sort of Hot Air charm, or any charm, on him without becoming paranoid about You-Know-Who.

'He is too mistrusting since Sirius and the Department of Ministries. Even of his friends.' She thought to herself as Harry droned on about having neglected his Snape essay and the detentions he had back logging.

"How are you Hermione with...with... you know...everything." Harry asked her cautiously.

Hermione looked back down at her work quickly.

"Fine." She hissed, a little more tartly than she had meant to. Harry nodded, and resumed shovelling his mouth with his favourite pastry. Hermione watched as a group of Hufflepuff girls pointed and giggled at Harry's back, until a Gryffindor pushed her way through, waving a jar of that horrible love potion in their faces.

Rolling her eyes, she went to stand up and get ready for her lesson, but she was intercepted by the flash of white hair that came through the door, followed by two great lumps the size of Hippogriffs. She quickly went to exit, when she heard a call.

"Ah Granger. Just who I was looking for." Came a snarky voice from behind her. She turned, meeting bright green eyes with a fake smile.

"What do you want Malfoy?" She hissed through gritted teeth, pressing her books hard against her chest.

The little weasel sidled up closer so his mouth was inches from her ear.

"I was hoping you could do a favour for me, Granger." He whispered, a sneer plastered on his face.

Hermione frowned and nodded, her lips pressed tight together.

"This..." Draco slammed parchment hard onto her pile of books and stepped away back in line with Crabbe and Goyle, "...is my 16 inch potions essay, which you will be completing for me."

Hermione stepped back in shock.

"You are kidding me? I much rather boil my own brain out than do Snape's homework for you!" She hissed.

Draco laughed.

"Oh you are such a precious Mudblood Hermione, but if you don't, I am sure to spread the rumour that you and Potter are more than just best buds...and, if I was you..." He stepped closer again, his voice dropping to a whisper, "...I wouldn't want that. Especially when your little Ronny-boy is looking for your attention."

Crabbe and Goyle gave a supportive laugh and slapped Draco on the back as he flounced away.

"Make sure it is done by Potions!" He called, holding her angry stare until he disappeared around the corner.

She fumed, snatching the paper from her pile, clenching her fist hard around it, so that the mismatch of words crinkled, the way she wished Malfoy would.

"Hermione?" Harry's voice floated up from behind her and she turned to see him coming out from the Great Hall, chewing with a pastry in one hand and books in the other, "Ar'sh you'sh oky?", after he took a bite.

Hermione straightened, shoving the parchment between the pages of her DADA text before Harry could see it.

"Yep, let's go."

She led the way to their Herbology lesson.