Paired

2

┌─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───┐

Dracos pov

I got dressed for the day, it was a Saturday so no classes. I stared at myself in the mirror as I fixed my hair, my eyes went down towards my arm and I quickly pulled my sleeves down before leaving my room and walking downstairs. When I hit the bottom step I noticed her , she was asleep on the sofa, book still in hand. It looked like she had been crying, I sighed and walked past her.

Slamming the door shut. I felt the stares off students as I walked the halls, the whispers and Dirty looks they threw me. I didn't care, why should I. No matter what I say their opinion will not change so why should I try and change it. As I hit the hall I saw blaise, he sat quietly beside Theo and pansy. I took a seat in front of them "well, how's the new dorm?" Theo asked "Quiet" "and what about living with her" pansy asked, disgust in her voice "she's..she's actually been quite nice towards me" I responded, pansys eyes widened at the thought "well she may not try anything!" She hissed, I groaned "calm down Parkinson, think you're jumping the gun. All he said was that she was being nice" blaise responded "that's how it starts..." she spat, sighing and walking away.

⭑･ﾟﾟ･*:༅｡.｡༅:*ﾟ:*:✼✿

Hermiones pov

I woke up in the common room, when I checked my watch it was 11am. I groaned as I lifted myself. I got up and grabbed a shower, the cool water hitting my back relaxed me. I reached for the towel and wrapped myself tightly in it, I dried and styled my hair. Trying to keep what natural curl I had left, I grabbed a pair of joggers and a tank top, pulling them on and grabbing my cardigan. It was a Saturday after all, and I was in no way going to attempt to impress anyone.

I found harry and Ron flying around on their brooms with a few others on the quidditch pitch "well hello love!" Ron shouted, I gagged slightly. The biggest mistake I made during the war was kissing him, it was a heat of the moment action...over the summer I came to realise my feelings for Ron strictly stopped at us being friends but he wasn't taking the hint. I only waved back as I slumped against the stands, Luna approached me and gently sat beside me "Well hello hermione" her voice rang through my ears, "Luna, how are you?" I asked with a smile "quite content, I'm excited for classes to begin again" she said in her soft tone, I nodded along as we had some light conversation and she informed me on some more magical creatures she had discovered. 

Lunch time arrived quicker than I expected, I sat with the group while they ate away, I could feel eyes on me, when I turned away four heads began to stare back down at their food. I raised an eyebrow as my brown eyes met grey and then i turned around "may I ask all 7th years, new and returning. Stay behind after lunch please" mcgonogal said from the teachers table "what's that all about?" Ginny asked, her voice filled with confusion "merlin only knows" I said, my eyes meeting mcgonogals.

"Students...as you all know, we lost many during the war...because of this, our wizarding population has fallen low" she began, I looked at harry who looked concerned "after several meetings with the ministry during the summer months, they have decided to implement a policy..." her voice shook as the words left her mouth, her face riddled with concern "I...I'm afraid that all female students...I am going to have to ask you all to sit with the sorting hat...the sorting hat will then choose...it will then choose your designated partner based on compatibility. You will be expected to...date and stay with this partner and be married no later than the summer of next year" she finished. I gasped, students looked around at eachother. Some laughing, believing it to be a joke

"Headmistress...you aren't serious?" I questioned "very serious I'm afraid...this is out of our control children. We have to follow the ministry's rules" she said, her eyes not fully meeting any of ours.

Some students cried, others held tightly to their significant other. Praying to merlin they wouldn't be separated, me? I sat silently...I'm not surprised something like this has happened...I watched as mcgonogal began to sort the female students into a line while the boys only watched in slight horror. First was Hannah abott "Neville longbottom" the voice boomed, Astoria greengrass was next "Theodore nott" I saw her sigh in relief as she approached him, several other girls went and next I saw Parkinson take her place.

Her eyes looked towards Draco who avoided her gaze "Harry potter!" Harry gasped "WHAT!?" Pansy screamed, Harry's face drained of colour "I..." was all he could manage to get out "Harry..." I said, he turned to me "it's going to be okay" I said, he nodded. Pansy was crying, she ran out of the hall. Astoria ran after her "Hermione.." mcgonogal called, I turned around and looked at her. I took a breath and walked towards the hat, wishing that I could just freeze time and stop this. I slowly sat down and closed my eyes "Well miss granger....it's quite obvious who you should be with" the hat whispered in my ear. I prayed he wouldn't shout out Ron's name "Draco Malfoy!" It boomed.

My eyes widened as I heard gasps, I looked towards the blond haired boy who sat beside his friends. He looked unfazed. Ron on the other hand, had already made his way towards Draco "Ron!" I shouted running to stop him. He had charged at him, I ran in front of the two just as he lifted right hand. It collided with my cheek and I fell back into malfoy "Fucking hell" harry said running towards us "What the fuck!?" Malfoy shouted, helping me gain my balance "Hermione...I-It wasn't meant for you!" Ron said, I only looked at him "Right! That's quite enough! Because of your behaviour Ronald you missed who you are paired with. Miss brown, please take me Weasley back to the gryffindor common room" mcgonogal shouted, lavender ushered Ron out "Right, continue on" mcgonogal said to the hat as it continued to call name as she walked towards us.

"You'll need ice" mcgonogal said, as she examined my cheek "Mr malfoy, Mr potter. Would you both escort her back to her dorm please?" Mcgonogal asked, the boys nodded. I grabbed Harry's arm for support as they walked me to my room. "Thank you" I said to harry as he placed the ice on my cheek "well...I didn't expect this" he said "how are you feeling?" I asked him. He looked down "I...I don't know, I'm choosing not to focus on it right now, I'll figure out my feeling later. What about you?" He asked, I looked over at the kitchen nook where the tall blond was making tea "I...we'll see" I whispered.

Draco walked towards us with three cups in hand, he placed two in front of me and harry. He sat back on the sofa, his eyes stuck to the wall "well...." He began. I looked over at harry who had raised an eyebrow "this is...well this is something" he sighed and looked up "potter...potter may I have a word with you outside?" He asked "me?" Harry questioned, my eyes widened as several thought raced through my head of what could come of this. Draco nodded and they walked out the door.

⭑･ﾟﾟ･*:༅｡.｡༅:*ﾟ:*:✼✿

Dracos pov

My back was against the cold stone, I felt potters eyes glare through me as we stood in silence "Well?" He said, confusion in his voice. I turned to him "I...I would just like to say that...I would just like to say I will look after her" I said, a slight break in voice as I realised what I was saying. His eyes widened as he looked at me "I mean...I'm not saying I'm going to like her...but she will be looked after" he nodded, and raised a hand towards me "And so will Parkinson" he said. Our hands met and we quickly shook, he left afterwards and I went back inside.

Her head quickly turned around as I opened the door, her right leg jumped up and down while her left hand held the ice pack close to her cheek. I walked over and she flinched slightly, I only groaned "just let me look at it" I sighed. She nodded, her cheek was bright red. Her cheekbone slightly purple "the swelling is down, it was stupid of you to get involved", I heard her scoff "god forbid someone stops Malfoy from having a fight" she spat, I rolled my eyes "we'll look what getting involved caused" I spat back at her.

She scoffed and turned away from me "this is hell" she sighed "I second that" I replied, she turned to face me. Her eyes slightly glazed over with tears "I don't want to spend the rest of my life fighting, this is not what I want!" She cried, I only looked at her. Not sure what to say as she only sighed and walked away, she was right...this is hell

└─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───┘