White Lies // Drarry

Chapter 14: Sunshine and Blond Hair

Almost overflowing with sleep and bed rest, Hermione woke up with the sun still far from rising. It wasn't surprising, really, because she had been itching through all of yesterday to investigate Harry's predicament. She and Ron had been heatedly going through all sorts of possibilities during dinner, and a glance at the Slytherin table told them that Pansy and Blaise were too.

She had hoped that Harry and Draco would wake up soon, but dinner came and went, and they remained in the infirmary.

She and Ron had tried visiting – and tried hard, they did, but along the way, they bumped into Madame Pomfrey who treated them with a raised eyebrow and told them that things could surely wait in the morning.

Well, Hermione decided as she leapt off her bed to search for clothes. It's certainly morning now.

Even if the sun still hasn't risen.

But she was restless, and her mind was working overtime, and she really wanted to squeeze all the details out of Harry as soon as possible.

Like, now.

She put on her school robes and rushed out of the dormitory.

Well, the sun wasn't that far from rising. At least, it meant that Filch was still sleeping peacefully beside his beloved Mrs. Norris.

Hermione hurriedly walked down the corridors. Hurriedly, not because of the possibility that Filch may have decided to wake really early today of all days, but because she wanted to get to the infirmary quickly and shake Harry awake and pester him with questions.

She wasn't doing this just to satisfy her curiosity.

She was doing this because Harry was her friend, and she was worried out of her wits.

"Granger?"

Hermione jumped and turned around to blink at Pansy Parkinson.

"Well," Pansy said, smirking as she walked towards the Gryffindor. "I wasn't surprised when I bumped into Greengrass earlier, but you? Fancy seeing you sneaking in the corridors at night."

Hermione relaxed, shaking her head amusedly. "It's hardly night anymore, Pansy."

Surprised, Pansy raised an eyebrow at the use of her first name.

"I hope you don't mind," Hermione said casually, smiling. "Since we're friends now and all."

Pansy's face broke into a grin. "Saps, you Gryffindors. On your way to the Hospital Wing, I presume?"

"Guilty as you are," Hermione chirped as they continued their walk towards the infirmary together.

"I really hope that Madame Pomfrey's still asleep. She kept on shooing us away yesterday!" Pansy scoffed, looking sulky as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. "A day without Draco's whining just isn't right."

"Why," Hermione said, lips quirking up into a smile. "I didn't know Slytherins could do sweet."

"I hope you're not thinking what I think you're thinking, Gra – Hermione. Draco and I aren't like that," Pansy said smoothly with a toss of her hair.

Hermione blinked. She had figured as much. Pansy and Draco didn't seem like they were involved, but it was still different having it confirmed firsthand rather than from just offhand observations. "Of course not," she replied just as smoothly. "Harry would be heartbroken."

She had said it in good humor, in reference to the Harry and Draco's Illicit Love AffairTM, but Pansy's head had shot up in surprise.

Pansy quickly realized her mistake though, when it registered late in her brain that Hermione was just joking. She forced out a laugh. "He should be," she replied as carelessly as she could, and wished it were true. "Poor Potter though. Even his friends are against him in this joke." She grinned in a way that said that she wasn't feeling bad for Harry at all.