After the punch

2. Back at Hogwarts

After the sorting had ended Draco looked around at all the students. There were many new first-years of course and everyone he had known for the past 3 years. Nothing had changed. Eventually his gaze reached the Gryffindor table and as he scanned it quickly he saw something uncommon.

Between all the students who were stuffing their mouths till they would pass out, sat the bushy haired witch. She looked appalled by the food on the table and everyone who was eating it so heartily. She didn't even touch it.

Next to Draco sat Blaise Zabini, who was eating his food in silence as always, Theodore Nott, who was reading, as he had done every year, Crabbe and Goyle having a conversation about their favourite kind of pastry, and Pansy Parkinson with some other Slytherin girls discussing which boy had gotten the hottest over the summer. All in all, nothing Draco wanted to participate in. So he continued to look at the Gryffindor, trying to figure out why she wouldn't eat. Completely forgetting to eat himself.

After a few minutes, Hermione had gotten sick of her friends and decided to ignore the ongoing conversation and stared into the Great Hall, where she noticed Malfoy staring at her.

She raised one eyebrow at him and Draco simply acted like he had almost dozed off, shrugged and turned to Blaise, to whom he began to talk.

"You went to the World Cup too right?" He tried to start a conversation.

The dark-skinned boy simply looked up, nodded and turned to his food again.

"That Krum really knows how to fly." He tried again, but didn't get any response out of Blaise. So, he decided to look if Hermione was still staring at him, she was. And as response to Draco's failed attempt to start a conversation with Blaise, she chuckled. Which caused Weasley and Potter to engage her in conversation again, pulling her gaze away from Draco.

The next evening Draco had gotten detention for firing a hex at Harry. He had to dust and make sure all the books in the more deserted parts of the Hogwarts library were still complete. As he was doing his job, he suddenly heard footsteps.

"Got your detention, then Malfoy?" A girl's voice sounded. "I know you wouldn't come here for educational purposes." She snapped, clearly annoyed by something already.

Draco turned around towards the bookworm. "Wow Granger, you know me very well." He smirked.

"Actually I don't, you know I thought you hated me." She explained, to Draco's surprise.

"Ah that's because I do, great observation." Draco said.

Hermione came a little closer to Draco, "Yes, except you warned me, why would you warn me if you hated me all that much." She asked, making Draco's smirk disappear for a second.

"I do hate you, I didn't mean to warn you." Draco scoffed.

Hermione chuckled, "You're aware that people call me the brains of the trio for a reason, right? I'm not stupid. I know a warning when I hear one. Besides there's one more reason as to why you probably don't consider me absolute scum. You were staring at me. Why would you stare at someone you despise?"

"There wasn't much interesting happening, and your refusal to eat was the only thing that was a tiny bit interesting." He spat.

Hermione came closer to him, "Oh I get it. You care about me."

"No. I warned you because someone I do care about told me to and I was just bored." He sneered.

Hermione smiled, "Now that's how to torture you, not by turning you into a ferret." She took a step back and gave Draco a little more space. "Now can you move? The book I need is right behind you." She asked.

"You deceptive witch. And no you can't have your book." Draco smirked, causing Hermione to roll her eyes. "Also if you consider how close you just dared to come to me. I'd say you are just like Parkinson."

"What do you mean, I'm like Parkinson?" Hermione asked in an offended tone.

"I mean that you're swooning over me. Just like Parkinson." He said, trying to look as handsome as possible.

"I'm sorry, I'm not that into ferrets. Now give me my book." She commanded and Draco made way for her.

Once Hermione had grabbed her book, Draco looked at the title. "House elves and their duties? So that's why you weren't eating? Because the house elves made it?" He analysed.

"As a matter of fact, yes. Now if you don't mind. Please get back to your detention, so I can read my book." She suggested. After she didn't get an answer within a few seconds she added, "I understand that talking to me is a bigger punishment than cleaning these shelves, but that's the task you've been given."

"Of course that's not better. When I talk to you I get to have a little fun, making fun of you, teasing you, making you tense or something. It's fun." Draco smirked.

"Well, I'd still rather spend my time reading, so get back to work or something." Hermione announced and disappeared behind her book.

Draco pursed his lips into a thin line, but just as he was about to say something again, Snape came around the corner.

"Ms. Granger, stop distracting Mr. Malfoy from his task." Snape shot Hermione a death glare.

Hermione looked up from her book, "Professor, I just told him how he sh-" She was interrupted by Snape.

"Five points from Gryffindor for trying to distract another student while they're in detention." Snape announced, making Hermione sigh. "An extra five, for that response."

"I'm sorry, professor, I'll keep to myself from now on." Hermione said, defeated. She did not want to lose any more house points because of Malfoy.

"Just leave this library. Yes you may take those books with you." Snape hissed.

Hermione closed her eyes to control herself and after a few seconds she opened them again, "Of course, Professor." She walked away and as soon as she was behind Snape -who was talking to Draco-, she shot Draco a dirty look, making him smirk.