I will stay with you

Part 15

New Years has passed, and the third and final task was only weeks away. Harry was growing more and more nervous by the day, and Hermione pitied him. The final task was said to be the hardest, and she was worried for him.
Hermione sat on her four-poster, reading Quidditch Through The Ages. Fresh snow dappled the stain glass windows of the girl's dormitory, stopping any sunlight from leaking in.
She heard footsteps coming up the staircase, and looked up as Ginny entered the room. Ginny avoided her gaze as she took a seat on her four-poster and pulled out some parchment.
"How long are you going to ignore me?" asked Hermione, annoyance prickling her skin.
Ginny shrugged, "oh, I dunno." she said sarcastically.
"Gin, come on-"
"Come on what?" Ginny snapped, turning to look Hermione in the eye for the first time in weeks. "Hermione, you know that I love Harry and- and now you're with him even though you know how much it hurts me!"
"Ginny, I didn't know it hurt you," said Hermione, setting her book down next to her.
"Of course it would hurt me," spat Ginny.
"I thought you were supposed to be happy for me. Like how I would've been happy for you," said Hermione. She picked up her satchel, "you're being pathetic."
Hermione had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from crying as she made her way down the staircase. She thought Ginny was her friend, and weren't friends supposed to he happy for each other?
Then again, her mother always told her to choose her friends before any guy. Had she made a mistake, by choosing Harry? Wasn't she supposed to make Ginny happy?
Hermione shook her head and wiped a single tear that shed from her eye. It was her choice. She was allowed to fancy whoever she liked. Ginny was only being childish.
Before long, Hermione found herself walking towards the lake. A thin drizzle of snow fell on the ground as she took a seat against a tree. She rested her chin on her knees and closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath.
The cold snow landed on her bare arms, causing goosebumps to rise on her arm. Hermione cursed to herself, wishing she had taken the time to grab her cloak instead of going out just in a t-shirt.
Hermione lifted her head to see Harry making his way over to her, concern clear in his eyes even from a distance.
"Why are you out here in the cold, without a cloak?" he asked softly as he approached her.
Hermione shrugged and stared at the ground, "I needed to get away from people."
"You don't mind me here, do you?" asked Harry.
"Of course not," Hermione smiled, stifling a shiver as a cold breeze hit her bare skin. Harry pursed his lips and slid his cloak off, leaving him only in a white t-shirt.
"You're freezing," he murmured, handing her the cloak.
Hermione shook her head and pushed his hand away, "I don't want you to be cold." she protested.
Harry rolled his eyes and draped the cloak over her shoulders, despite her attempts to push him off. Though Hermione didn't want him to be cold, she was thankful for the warmth that the cloak produced.
Harry took a seat next to her and wrapped his arms around her. Hermione smiled and rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady sound of his heartbeat. She was thankful for his company- it was all she needed at the moment.
Soon, Harry was shivering like a mad-man, and Hermione couldn't take it anymore. Though she enjoyed the privacy that they had, she knew they had to go inside. Harry couldn't get sick; especially right before the third task.
"Come on," she sighed, untangling herself from Harry. "You must be freezing."
"I don't wanna go in," Harry whined, looking up at her with puppy dog eyes.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Fine, get sick then. I'm going inside."
She immediately heard the crunching of snow telling her that Harry was following her. She turned around and grabbed his hand, "Good boy."
Harry chuckled and quickened his pace so that he was walking beside her. They made their way back to the castle at a fast pace. Harry suddenly realized how cold he actually was when Hermione pulled away from him, and wanted to get inside the warm castle as quick as possible.
As they walked down the abandoned corridors of the castle (it was still quite early in the morning and no classes were going on), they were approached by Draco Malfoy, and his two followers Crabbe and Goyle.
"Oh, look it's Potter," Malfoy spat, blocking their path. Harry scoffed and rolled his eyes. Hermione could tell he was just as annoyed- if not more- as Hermione. His fist clenched around Hermione's hand, turning her fingers white along with his. Hermione hissed in pain, and Harry quickly let go of her hand.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, rubbing her hand gently.
"Where have you two been? Having a little fun out in the woods?" Draco went on, his eyes glinting with cold humor. "I don't blame him for it, Granger. I hate to admit it, but sometimes I like to imagine what I could do to that innocent, little mudblood body of yours."
Harry let go of Hermione's hand and made a sudden movement towards Malfoy, his eyes turned dark with anger. Before he could do anything, however, Hermione grabbed his hand once more and pulled him back towards her.
"Harry, calm down," she whispered in his ear, rubbing circles into his hand with her thumbs.
Malfoy exchanged a triumphant glance with Crabbe and Goyle before beginning to back away.
"I know one day I will be able to do all those things to you, Granger," he sneered, turning his gaze to Harry. "Jealous, Potter?"
Harry's jaw clenched as Malfoy stalked away them, followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle.
"Just stay away from her!" he yelled after them. As the three Slytherins turned the corner, he looked back at Hermione. The anger died from his eyes, and they went back to their normal, bright color.
"I'm-"
Hermione cut him off by pecking him on the lips, "don't worry about it, Harry. Don't listen to him," she said, though she too was disturbed by Malfoy's words. "He only did it to anger you."
Harry nodded slightly and wrapped his arm protectively around her waist.
"It worked," he muttered before leaning in to kiss her. Hermione sighed as his lips brushed against hers teasingly, all her thoughts about Malfoy disappearing.
"You're mine, right?" Harry asked, their lips still touching, with a hint of doubt edging his voice.
Hermione smiled and closed her eyes, "Always."
Harry's lips gently brushed against hers again, causing her to groan impatiently. Harry chuckled and pecked her softly.
"Now isn't the time," he told her softly. "Not when anyone could he watching."
Hermione nodded and brushed a strand of his long, dark hair out of his face.
"You really need a haircut, Potter," she teased.