The Dragon and the Angel - [Draco/Hermione]

Chapter Six - Care of Magical Creatures

Chapter Six - Care of Magical Creatures

Hermione had a tough time explaining to Harry and Ron in the common room that evening (since she'd been avoiding the topic all day) why Professor Sinistra had dragged her, of all people, to the hospital wing to see Draco. Ron made a point of repeating a few times that she had not picked a Slytherin student.

Irritated, Hermione had yelled, "Why do you care, Ronald? Just go suck Lavender's face off or something!" and proceeded to storm up the stairs that lead to the girls' dormitory.

Harry and Ron had tried to follow her, but the Glisseo charm on the staircase caused them to slide back down on their stomachs.

The next day, Draco was let out of the hospital wing and had shot Hermione a shy smile in Care of Magical Creatures.

"See!" Ron hissed angrily in Hermione's ear. "He thinks you're friends now!"

"And what if we are?" Hermione answered a bit too loudly. "You're not my mother!"

Draco had smiled again when he heard Hermione say that. He ignored the possibility that she was just saying that to get on Ron's nerves.

"Mate, you're grinning like an idiot." Blaise informed him bluntly as Hagrid talked.

Draco controlled his expression and mentally slapped himself. He and Granger weren't even friends, it didn't matter if either of them wanted to be or not. It was all just an act for Professor McGonagall's - and all the prefects' - sake.

As if he were a hundred miles away, he faintly heard Hagrid asking him a question. When he didn't answer, Blaise (who thought he was being helpful) smacked Draco's chest with the back of his hand. Unfortunately, Blaise had been wearing a ring that morning (Draco remembered Blaise telling him it was once his father's), which caused Draco to howl with pain.

"Malfoy, if yer gonna interrupt my class-" Hagrid began, roughly.

"He hit me!" Draco insisted, childishly.

"I did not!" Blaise told Hagrid, feigning innocence - and Draco had to admit, he was doing a pretty good job. So, he found that the only way to get back at Blaise was to hit him back. But with Hagrid watching them, it was almost impossible.

"OW!" Blaise yelled, angrilly looking at Draco.

"What?" Draco asked, innocently.

"You stepped on my foot!"

"I did not-"

Blaise pushed him.

"Oh, you're on, mate." Draco muttered, pushing Blaise hard in the chest.

He stumbled back, making the Slytherin students behind him scatter, as to not get in the middle of the fight. Soon enough, Blaise and Draco were rolling on the floor, much to Hagrid's protests.

"Ronald," Draco heard Hermione say coldly. "You expect me to be friends with someone like that."

Draco, who was currently pinning Blaise to the soggy grass hesitated for a split second. Hermione was right. They were acting childish. Draco got off of Blaise and held his hand out for him. Blaise took it, their grip much resembling one in an arm-wrestling match, and Draco turned to the side in a way he had seen many Muggle boys do, bumping his shoulder into Blaise's chest.

Hermione, who had recognised the move, raised her eyebrows.

For a second, Draco debated if he should smile at her again, but quickly decided he wouldn't look at her. He dropped his gaze to the grass. Suddenly, he and Blaise were lifted off their feet by the neck of their robes.

Draco twisted around to see who it was, but he had known before he caught a glimpse of their wild beard. Hagrid had pushed through the crowd to get to them.

"Hagrid," Blaise said patiently. "Don't you think we're a bit old for this?"

"Yer never too old teh be punished, Zabini." Hagrid said, roughly throwing them a few feet ahead of them. 

Draco crumbled down on all-fours. When he looked around at Blaise, he saw that he was on his back.

"Hagrid, don't you think that was a bit rough?" Harry asked.

Draco couldn't believe Potter was sticking up for them.

"Theh're eighteen, Harry. Theh're big enough to be aloud to be a li'l rough with 'em." was Hagrid's reply. "Now, both of yer, off to McGonagall's office fer fighten' in my class."

Ashamed, Draco and Blaise dragged themselves back to the castle, Blaise ringing his arm around the whole time, as if this would help it to work properly again. As they entered McGonagall's office, they saw that she was waiting for them.

"Why, Mr. Malfoy," she said patiently. "Is it that you are already back in my office?"

"Uh..." Draco had no answer.

"It was my fault, Professor." Blaise said next to him. "I started it."

Draco mouthed a silent 'Thanks' when McGonagall's back was turned.

"Well, I think I'll have to put both of you in detention anyway, but thank you for being honest with me, Mr. Zabini." McGonagall announced. "Tomorrow night, my office-"

"Seven o'clock." Draco finished under his breath.

They turned to leave.

"Oh, and Mr. Malfoy?" Professor McGonagall called.

Draco turned around. "Yes?"

"There is a prefect meeting evening after tomorrow's. You and Miss Granger will be holding it."

As he and Blaise left the office, Draco couldn't help but wonder how the next evening would play out. He and Hermione, alone with a bunch of fifth-year dweebs, having to "pretend" to like each other...

As if reading his mind, Blaise smacked him over the head.

"I'm blaming this on you, Draco." he muttered darkly, but Draco hardly head him.