Enchanted ~ A Hermione x Draco fanfic

The fall

For Hermione, ignorance really was bliss. For the weeks that passed nonsensically, she took in barely a word of her lessons, ignored everyone but Astoria and failed to do even the simplest of homeworks.

Ron fiddled with his quill uneasily as he sat rather still on the Common Room couch. 'Hermione, d'you mind if I copy your Charms essay? It's due tomorrow and-'

'I haven't done it.' Hermione mumbled, and went back to business. Business being eating chocolate frogs and reading a muggle book her parents bought her last summer.

'Yeah right. I'll just ask Harry then.' Ron said disbelievingly, though it was obvious Harry wouldn't have done it either.

Hermione didn't reply. She was deep in the world of books, where Draco Malfoy didn't exist and Harry Potter wasn't saying 'I told you so' every five minutes. Bilbo Baggins was about to steal from a dragon, and despite everything that was happening in Hermione's life, she couldn't stop reading about someone else's.

There was a rumble from outside the portrait hole. Hermione presumed Neville had locked himself out again and was trying to bombard the door open. With a sigh, she reluctantly made her way to let him in.

Only it wasn't Neville. It was Astoria.

'Hermione!' She panted, and the Fat Lady made a disgusted noise.

'Were you just trying to-' Hermione started.

'Break in? Well, yes. I thought about waiting, but it's urgent.' She grinned shakily.

Hermione paused before realising Astoria wanted in. 'I'll clear it with the Fat Lady first.' She said quietly.

Astoria nodded and Hermione stepped outside.

'I'm awfully sorry this girl tried to do you harm.' Hermione mused. 'If you let her in with me I'll charm your portrait so it'll never happen again...'

The Fat Lady knew Hermione was a gifted witch of her age and so agreed; though she never stopped scowling at Astoria. 'As long as you know the password, my dear, I'll let you and this scum inside.' She said rather happily, her voice sweet even when insulting. Astoria scoffed and opened her mouth, but Hermione quickly recited the password and dragged her in before she could counter-argue the Fat Lady.

'What's so urgent you almost ripped the Fat Lady apart?' Hermione asked once they were alone; Ron had decided to copy Parvati's essay.

Astoria giggled. 'It's kind of complicated.'

Hermione frowned.

'You don't still like Draco do you?' Astoria asked, and Hermione gulped loudly.

Please don't say what I think you're going to say, thought Hermione anxiously. 'Why?' Was all she said.

Astoria didn't even pause.
'Draco kissed me!'

It felt as if Hermione had plummeted down to the depths of hell, as if the ground would swallow her up at any minute. She tried to speak, but she just couldn't. She tried to breathe, but she just couldn't.

'Hermione? Are you okay?'

Hermione wasn't okay.

'I wasn't sure about telling you.. I mean, I know how friends aren't supposed to date exes-'

'You aren't my friend, so it doesn't matter.' Hermione gulped, a large lump that stuck to her windpipe squeezing as she spoke.

'Hermione-' Astoria pleaded.

'Get out of our Common Room before I jinx you out.' Hermione growled.

Astoria didn't hesitate in leaving. The Fat Lady scowled at her as she slinked through the shadows back to the dungeons.

Even Bilbo Baggins and the dragon wouldn't clear up this series of events.

*~*~*

'Hermione!' Shouted Professor Sprout as Hermione dropped her potted bouncing bulb onto the greenhouse floor. It jumped merrily around the room.

'Sorry.' She mumbled in response and used a summoning spell to collect it.

'I don't know what's the matter with you recently?' Professor Sprout sighed, 'I'd like a word after class.'

Hermione let out a groan and quickly cleaned up the broken bits of pot.

It wasn't just Herbology she'd been not entirely there in. Potions with Snape was hell, and Charms was not a lot better with McGonagall giving her a dinner time detention for the missing essay. Everyone wanted to know what had happened to Hermione.

Including herself.

'She's not still moping over Draco, is she?' Pansy Parkinson smirked in response to Hermione's telling off.

'Did you hear? She didn't do her Charms essay!' Someone else added.

'What happened?' Said another.

'I heard she got poisoned-'

'Who would take the effort to poison her?'

'ENOUGH.' Shouted Professor Sprout so abruptly at least everyone dropped their potted bulb. 'This is not a lesson of silly gossip,' her voice wavered, 'and Miss Granger's personal life is exactly that. Personal.'

No one had ever seen Professor Sprout shout and most were still in shock.

'Miss Granger, will you please go and tell Professor McGonagall we will be in need of some more pots.' Professor Spout said calmly.

'Yes, Professor.' Hermione mumbled and grabbed her bag, with little intention of returning to a lesson of constant gawping. She walked quickly, as to keep herself busy, and was outside McGonagall's classroom in no time.

Knock knock.

'Come in!' Came the Professor's voice. Hermione did so. She was teaching an older year; Hermione immediately recognised Angelina Johnson on the first row, and Fred and George Weasley towards the back.

Professor McGonagall looked at Hermione, patiently waiting for the cause of the interruption. 'Yes?'

'Uh, Professor Sprout needs some more pots for the Bouncing Bulbs.'

'How many? I have a few here.'

'I think we'll need a bit more than that.' Hermione looked at the four pots in the far corner of her classroom.

'How many?'

'Uh,' Hermione hadn't thought to ask, 'how many people are there in our class?' Fred and George let out a chuckle from the back of the room.

'You must be joking, Miss Granger!'

Her expression clearly stated she wasn't.

'Well I simply haven't enough. I would come and repair what remains you have, but as you can see I have a class to teach. I'm sure you can fix them, Miss Granger.'

'But-' Hermione began, but the door was already shut, slamming in way that meant staying wasn't an option.

She spun around dejectedly to return to Professor Sprout, but was instead greeted by Neville, who was running down the hall.

'What do you want, Neville?'

'Oh,' he panted after running, 'Professor Sprout just wanted me to check you were still coming back.'

She rolled her eyes and walked back with Neville, explaining McGonagall's reaction. When they returned, Hermione announced that the pots would just have to be repaired and re-soiled.

There was an inevitable series of grumbles, and some even scowled at Hermione, as if it was all her fault. In a way it was. Everything seemed to be her fault recently.

*~*~*
Meanwhile, there was another person who was experiencing similar feelings. Annoyance. Disappointment. Pansy Parkinson had planned every possible outcome when she became Ginny Weasley for the day.

Draco falling for someone other than herself, however, was unexpected.

She knew almost immediately that he was seeing another girl. The late night creaks of the stairs as he padded down to meet her. The absence from his group almost every day. The expression he wore.

He was happier. Pansy should have settled for this, she did want him happy, after all. But she wanted him happy with her. Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy, the new cute couple, Pansy thought dreamily. But it was obvious he'd been snatched from her almost immediately after the breakup with Hermione. Who? The question floated around in her head until she was suddenly being spoken to.

'Hello, Pansy.' To Pansy's surprise, it was Astoria. None too keen on the girl, Pansy stiffened.

'Yes?' Pansy asked sweetly with a hint of irritation, as if Astoria had interrupted an action of the upmost importance.

'I was wondering if we could,' Astoria paused awkwardly as if phrasing her words, 'hang out or something.'

Pansy wasn't sure whether to laugh or be offended. 'Whyever would you think I'd hang out with you?'

Astoria didn't look the least bit offended. 'Because we have one important thing in common, amongst more of course.'

'And that would be?'

'We both want Hermione Granger out of the picture.' Astoria grinned menacingly.

Pansy said nothing, only shook her new friend's hand.

~*~*~*~*~

A/N: I hope you like this chapter, I know I don't :/ what do you think'll happen? Leave comments!

~Annabanananana :3