The Right Thing To Do

Chapter 25

Hermione ran through her Charms homework in her mind as she walked the corridors. O.W.L.s were approaching and although no one else seemed inclined to study or care about them at all, she knew it was best to start early.

She used her time on Prefect rounds to review. There was so much silence around the castle by this time in the evening – now that Umbridge had begun with her "decrees" – that she would go insane if she didn't have something else to occupy herself. She'd asked Ron if he wanted to patrol with her, but of course, since his day for rounds was Tuesday, he'd abruptly declined.

"Why would I go twice?" he'd mumbled around pudding at the dinner table.

To keep her company? She rolled her eyes and continued listing the spells created in the 1920s. She turned a corner towards the History of Magic classroom and stopped mid-step.

Draco Malfoy had Pansy Parkinson pinned against the stone wall. He was kissing her. She was gripping at his arms.

Hermione blinked, feeling her breath leave her.

Her back was against the wall and her hands were tightening on his shoulders, twisting into his hair as he attacked her mouth with his. His right hand on her hip, and his left bracing against the wall.

She swallowed.

These were... These were Prefects for Merlin's sake! And members of Umbridge's delightful little squad. They knew better than to be out, canoodling at 9PM on a Thursday! Leave it for your common room, damnit!

Pansy smiled against his lips.

Hermione opened her mouth, ready to march over to them and forcibly separate them – because it was her Prefect duty, of course.

Then she watched as Draco pulled his mouth away from hers, panting, puffing air across her neck, and reattached to the place just below her ear. Pansy squeaked a small sound, biting her lip.

Hermione didn't understand what the big deal was. Anytime Viktor tried kissing her neck, he either tickled her or hurt her.

Hermione realized that she was standing in the middle of a corridor, watching Draco Malfoy devour his girlfriend... or lover... or whatever she was to him, she grumbled. She either needed to leave or to do her job and separate them.

She stepped forward just as Draco shifted his body, moving a knee between Pansy's knees. He leaned forward, letting his thigh disappear between hers, inching higher, and the moment his leg reached the top of hers, Pansy groaned, gasping and grabbing his hair.

"Draco..."

Alright. That was enough. Hermione narrowed her eyes at the two Slytherins.

"Excuse me," she said loudly. Pansy's eyes snapped open and Draco removed his lips from her neck, but didn't turn to face her. "I'd hate to interrupt whatever is about to happen here, but it is now 9:08. As Prefects, you know that students should be in their common rooms."

Draco dropped his knee, but kept his hand on the wall, panting. Pansy glared at her and stepped around him, straightening her skirt.

"Oh, like you have any idea about what was about to happen, you prissy little Mudblood." Pansy sneered at her.

"I have a few guesses," Hermione deadpanned. "Please return to your common room –"

"Or what?" Pansy smiled. "You'll take house points away? You know you can't. In fact, as a member of the Inquisitorial Squad, I'd say you're being unnecessarily rude, Mudblood."