Ironic Love

Chapter XVII: Come Back To Me

~Blaise POV~

When it finally gets to the weekend, I'm grateful to have a lie in. This week has been long and stressful. After Ginny's episode the other day I've been keeping an extra close eye on her but she seems to have been fine. We're still unsure as to whether she's pregnant but she keeps refusing to go and see Madam Pomfrey about it as she doesn't want anyone to know.

Hermione mentioned a muggle 'pregnancy test' a couple of days ago and got her friend to send her one. I bet that took some explaining. It hasn't arrived yet but we're all waiting anxiously to find out the answer.

I get up and go to check on Ginny. She's still asleep so I shut her door quietly and walk back down to the common room. Taking a seat by the fire, I greet Hermione who is on the red sofa writing in a leather bound book.

"What you doing?" I ask.

"Writing a dream journal." She replies, not looking up.

I raise my eyebrows. "Really? Didn't think you were the type."

"Yeah, well I wasn't until now. I've been having weird dreams and I thought they were worth noting down." She explains.

I nod and then ask her when the pregnancy test will be here. She tells me it should be today or tomorrow and I thank her.

Then, Draco walks down the stairs, waving cheerily to us both. I give Hermione a glance but she's writing again and doesn't look up. This probably has something to do with Draco's sudden presence. He's been super weird the last few days. Ever since the day after Hermione said that she didn't want to be with him, he's been acting really cheery and indifferent. Nobody is buying it and I hear muffled sobs coming from his room. I pretend to believe him when he says he's fine though, as he doesn't like unwanted sympathy, it makes him feel weak.

Draco asks if I want to go down to breakfast with him and I accept his invitation, asking Hermione if she wants to join us. She thinks for a moment and then shuts her notebook, muttering 'what the hell' under her breath. She nods and gets to her feet, looking quickly at the two of us and then leading the way out of the common room.

Draco gives me a surprised look and I see a tiny bit of hope in his eyes. I shrug and follow Hermione. The three of us walk down the corridor in silence until we see Theo and Luna walking ahead of us, hand in hand. I call Theo's name and walk briskly to catch up with them, leaving Hermione and Draco alone, or so I thought. I take a sneaky look behind me and then realise Hermione is walking almost as fast as me, with Draco right behind her. I roll my eyes. Hermione is adamant not to take the hint, I don't get why she's so intolerant of him. It's almost like she hates him more than she did before the war. She's probably just in denial.

When we reach the Great Hall, we sit at the Slytherin table. Draco is opposite Hermione and I make sure to keep a close eye on them both. We have a group discussion and Draco cracks jokes, keeping up his cheery facade. I see Hermione look down a few times, trying to hide her amusement.

After breakfast, Hermione leans over to look at me and suggests we go to the owlery, lowering her voice slightly. Draco looks up at us, realising what she's talking about (I've been keeping him informed and the four of us occasionally talk about the situation).

"I have to send a letter." He says before asking if any of us has a quill and ink he could borrow. To mine and everyone's surprise, maybe even hers, Hermione pulls out her notebook and rips a page out of the back. She hands it to Draco without a word and Luna takes a quill out of her pocket. He thanks them both, eyes lingering on Hermione, and I watch them make eye contact for a split second. However, to my surprise, Draco is the one to break their gaze.