All You Want

28) Particular Tastes

Hermione felt a petty sense of satisfaction at how surprised everyone was that she was dating Draco Malfoy six months after the battle of Hogwarts. For the first several days the school seemed to be in a state of stunned denial. Nobody tried anything because everyone seemed too astonished to think of anything to do.

Hermione and Draco tried to steer clear of public places. They took long circuitous routes through the castle and studied in secluded corners of the library.

Hermione would receive pointed stares when she waited for Draco to get out of class. But all in all, she and Draco were left alone. Hermione only had to worry about Pansy, who made no effort whatsoever to conceal her disapproval, and Harry and Ron, whom she had sent letters to informing that she and Draco were in a relationship. She added a post-script with a list of creative curses that she threatened to use if she received any howlers on the subject.

Mostly Hermione worried about Pansy, because she couldn't figure out what Pansy was planning. The Slytherin girl would icily watch Hermione from across the Great Hall as though she were either waiting or daring Hermione to do something.

Hermione tried several times to corner and speak to Pansy, but Pansy was was almost never alone. Finally Hermione went and asked Ginny to pair them for rounds.

Ginny raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Parkinson, really? What is this? S.P.E.W. for Slytherins? Are you planning to adopt all of them?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I actually need to talk to her and she's avoiding me."

"So your solution is to do rounds with her? Can't you just owl her? Neville is the only person who will do rounds with her. I tried and nearly Bat-Bogey hexed her before we made it halfway through the castle."

Hermione shook her head. "It needs to be in person. I think she thinks I'm taking advantage of Draco, I feel like that's a conversation that shouldn't happen by post." She gave Ginny a pointed look. "She's actually not that bad. A bit prickly maybe. But she's very loyal to her friends."

Ginny made a face. "Pansy Parkinson is what you'd get if you crossed a porcupine with a blast-ended skrewt. She kept her head very low last year."  She shrugged and scribbled a note on the prefect schedule. "I'm sure Neville will be grateful for the break. She's on the roster in two days."

"Alright. I'll take it. Thanks, Gin."

Ginny pulled a wry face. "Sure. By the way, how are things going with you and Malfoy?"

Hermione gave a small smile and tilted her head from side to side. "We're just getting to know each other. We mostly do a lot of homework. The course load right now is a bit intense. All the projects are supposed to be wrapped up before Christmas holidays, so everything is due in the next week or two."

Ginny nodded. "Even Bill and Percy both dropped down to eight NEWTs their last year. I can't believe you decided to do nine."

Hermione shrugged. "I still don't know what I want to do once I graduate, so I want to keep my options open. Bill and Percy were both Heads, so I have more free time than they did."

"What's Malfoy doing with so many?"

Hermione looked at the floor. "He's banned from all extracurriculars. I think it's something to do."

There was a pause and Ginny fidgeted. Hermione looked up. "What?"

"It's nothing," Ginny said easily.

"What is it?"

Ginny tilted her head to the side. "I don't know if it's really worth mentioning. It's kind of all hearsay, you know. I don't want you to feel like I'm trying to sabotage things."