When Draco Malfoy had his arm around me, smiling and saying his not-so-sincere greetings to Harry, Ron, and Ginny at the Gryffindor's table in the Great Hall, I thought I saw their jaws drop. Figuratively and literally.
"What a lovely morning. I'm very glad to see the mouths of the savior and his followers can no longer no longer close. What do you say, Hermione dear?" He raised one eyebrow as his signature scorn blossomed on that damned pale slender face.
It was the same punch-worthy expression he had when I, well, punched him three years ago.
"Hermione, do you, um, care to explain?" Ginny was the first to snap out of it. She pointed at Malfoy, then me, and back to Malfoy: "I'm sorry, what is this?"
"Isn't it obvious enough? Perhaps not to you, Miss Redhead-Weasley." Malfoy answered before I could. He raised on brow again and smirked: "Haven't you heard? Miss Know-it-all is my girlfriend now. It's official."
"What have done to her?!" Ron clenched his fist. "For Merlin's sake, it was a love potion, wasn't it?"
Ron slammed his hand on the table and half stood up.
"Sit down," Ginny pulled on his sleeve and spoke between her gritted teeth. "It's too early in the morning to cause a scene."
"Weasley, I must confess I often find myself wondering how in Merlin's name did you manage to make it to the seventh year. Oh wait, I know, it was because of Hermione's kindness and generosity." Malfoy scoffed. "Do you think me, a Malfoy, need to employ something as despicable as a love potion to win over a girl's heart? In fact, it's this lovely beaver's honor to be with me when I'm wanted by many."
"Malfoy, you…" Ron's face turned as red as his hair, "…how can you say such shameless things when you are the son of a Deatheater?"
"Ron, please, M-Draco isn't the son of a Deatheater. You know they've always been on our side." I finally spoke so that they didn't need to worry I'd become mute. Sighing, I turned to the boy who still had his arm around me: "Now, if you keep calling me a beaver, then to return the kind nickname, you will be addressed as a ferret."
Speaking of this, oh well, the Malfoys were never with Voldemort. The Malfoy name was cleaned after the war. So now, Draco Malfoy kept his head high, paraded around the entire Hogwarts like he was a hero, and accepted girls' love letters with a charming wink only to burn those letters in the Slytherin fireplace later.
"I believe it's worse to reject them on the spot than giving them some hope," he claimed. "Don't you think having a little harmless hope is a good thing, Granger?"
"Um, no?" I narrowed my eyes. "I think you shouldn't get their hopes up."
The blond boy in green shrugged and curled his lip.
It was that punch-worthy face again.
And of course, with his newfound ruthless hobby came with the jarring caution of trying to avoid accidentally consuming any love potions.
"Oh, aren't you sweet?" He smiled and pulled me closer as he feigned an adoring look that gave me goosebumps.
"So…" Harry cleared his throat, "…how did it happen? Why him?"
His complicated stare made me nervous. Part of me began to worry that he knew the truth. But there was no way. Not at all.
Calm down, I told myself, you better get it together before you mess it up.
"Why not?" I grinned and wrapped my arm around Malfoy's waist. He reflexively moved away a little, though he was quick to react and was close to me again. "Wanting to be with someone requires no reason. It just happens."
I exchanged a look with Malfoy.
Good for you, Granger. If he could comment on my act, I was sure this was what he wanted to say.
Don't you dare to underestimate my acting skills. I mimicked his brow raising and attempted to convey this message firmly to him.
"Ugh, get a room!" Ginny wrapped her cardigan around her and folded her arms. Although her pretended disgust was quick to change into seriousness. Well, maybe not that serious. After all, she was the Ginny Weasley who founded the 'gossip-girl' group with Parvati and Lavender. She leaned in a little and said: "You have to tell me all about it as soon as we are alone. The boys don't need to know."
"How is that fair?" Ron voiced his complaints. "Hermione is our friend too, and we sure deserve to know what Malfoy did to her."
"Since when did you start sticking your nose into Hermione's romantic adventures? You should just focus on your Lavender, my dear brother. Hey, stop that, what are you kicking me for? You think they wouldn't know because we are sitting at a table?" Ginny glared at her brother. "Be careful, Ronald, I might ask Harry to challenge you with a duel."
"I dare you. Harry is my best friend."
"Why wouldn't I dare? Harry is my boyfriend."
"Please, you two, that's enough." Harry Potter, the boy who lived, the savior, was always-what was it-I couldn't think of a more proper way to describe it, and at the moment, the only word jumped into my mildly disturbed mind was 'fatherly'.
"Your friends seem to be quite occupied. Hermione dear, how about you join me at my table instead?" Malfoy's tone was too intimate for comfort. And he was even brave enough to wink at me.
"No thank you, I'd like to live a few years more if you don't mind. Parkinson looks like she wants to murder me, or worse." I turned down his offer. I had no interest in finding out how Parkinson would react if I went to sit next to Malfoy at their table.
"No one's going to hurt you when you are with me. Disrespecting you is disrespecting me. You should know I have no doubt that you are destined to be a Malfoy one day." He winked again, and his tone grew even more intimate.
"F…" I caught myself before I blurted out the word. It'd make him think he'd got me good if I lost my temper, and I refused to let him win. I batted my eyes and said: "Draco, didn't you tell me you'd rather be a Granger? You've always liked my muggle surname, right?"
Ron let out a burst of quiet laughter. Ginny giggled. And even Harry tried to cover his chuckle with a cough. Sadly though, Malfoy wasn't as entertained as the rest of us.