Hermione had always hoped beyond hope her life was meant to be exciting. When she met Harry and Ron, she knew that life would be much more dangerous, but meaningful from now on.
Yet dangerous and meaningful did not necessarily equal happy.
Now that Draco had - rather miraculously - become part of her life as well, everything changed. Their relationship would be dangerous and she knew from the start that it couldn't be easy - but fo the first time in a long while, she felt like her life had been changed for the better and that she was actually happy.
Of course, she had plenty of opportunities to be miserable as well. She and Draco could only see each other on Hogsmeade weekends - and it was either at the Hog's Head (where Draco hated going), either in some part of the village no one from the school frequented. He spoke often of his desire to be able to take her somewhere far away - even to "filthy Muggle" London if she wanted to - it was impossible for him to altogether abandon his Muggle-hating ways, but she respected him for trying.
London would actually be a good idea as his father would not think of searching for Draco in Muggle parts - but both Draco and Hermione knew too well that if Draco so much as left for one afternoon, someone would tell on him and his father's trust in him - to this moment, unswerving - would fail and then Draco would be watched.
On some level, Hermione could not help feeling proud that Draco seemed to have a bright and successful future ahead of him - probably working for the Ministry or something equally "cool" - but then she remembered the look on his face when she mentioned any of these things and she thought whether he might have been much happier if he was left alone to do what he wanted to.
- But Draco, surely, there must something you would like to do for the rest of your life? - she asked him once as they walked in the snow down the forest road in Hogsmeade, both almost unrecognisable in their special black hooded robes that Hermione got out whenever they decided they were brave enough to go outside together - or whenever they felt too fed up with sitting indoors.
Instead of answering, Draco took her hand and she instinctively turned around - but no one was following them.
- What? - she asked, looking at his eyes that were visible through the black veil.
- I'd like to do this for the rest of my life, - he said, playing gently with her hand and she was too taken aback to even smile.
Then, to conceal how flushed she felt, she muttered:
- I doubt we'd last that long, Draco. Surely you will marry Pansy-
- And have lots of dim-witted kids, - Draco scoffed. - And you will marry Ron-
- Oh shut up! - Hermione plastered her hand over Draco's mouth, but he was already laughing so hard the whole forest seemed to ring with it. As he finally regained his breath, he panted
- Take my advice, Granger and don't do it. Otherwise, if I die young or something, I'll have to come back as a ghost and haunt you both-
Knowing no other remedy would work, Hermione threw her hands around Draco and pressed her face to his chest, silently. He seemed to come out of his childish fit and grew grave, stroking her hair gently with his gloved hand. Then, he suddenly pushed her away and said sharply:
- We shouldn't do this outside. Someone might see. We're pretending to be bloody monks or something-
- You were the one who took my hand first. - she muttered under her breath, mildly annoyed at him
Hermione let him go and they walked silently for a while, she said, in a changed, suspicious tone:
- What do you mean, die young?
- Figure of speech. - Draco added hastily.
- No, why did you say that? Do you think your father will make you go into some kind of arm-
- I don't want to talk about it! - Draco snapped and walked hurriedly in front. A rabbit crossed the road in front of him, but he paid no attention.
Hermione was used by now to Draco's outbursts of rage and even though sometimes she thought she could mollify him easily, she now knew there was a kid of deep-rooted anger that made him act the way he did. She hoped that with time, it would get easier.
Draco was angry and Draco was scared. For some time now, his father had been talking about a possible second wizarding war and during these conversations his mother would always say it was not even possible for the Dark Lord to come back. Draco didn't know what he felt about Voldemort - on the one hand, he seemed a skilful leader, and a charismatic figure even - from what Draco knew, he was the most powerful wizard of all time - but at the same time, Draco could not help but feel terrified and repulsed at the idea of someone who wanted to kill Mudbloods and children just like that. Sure, Draco hated Harry Potter and had often wished him dead - but even he knew that wishing someone's death and actually killing the person were two completely different things.
In short, Draco tried not to think about Voldemort and whether it was at all possible he would be restored to power.
Especially not now that he felt Hermione's safety was his responsibility.
***
The day of the second task, Draco was sitting next to Crabbe, shivering despite his fur coat and looking apprehensively down at the icy water. Had the four champions really just dived in there?
He had searched the rows for Hermione but couldn't see her... He convinced himself it was because so many people were crowded around him.
Yet as time went by and it got colder, the champions finally started reappearing- Fleur Delacour first, having failed the whole thing - Draco could not help feeling a tiny bit pleased about her failure for some reason - and then he saw Cedric Diggory with Cho Chang and wasn't too happy about that - in his mind he had begun to drift off and think of where Granger was...
How shocked he was, when he saw Krum and his shark-head bursting through the water with his girl whom he at first refused to identify as Granger, his Granger - anger and fury surged through Draco as he got up, unable to contain himself - how dare she take part in this, and help Krum and put herself in danger, maybe, if not of death, then of catching a cold-and not tell him about it! Him, who was her boyfriend! Draco Malfoy of all people!
He pushed past Crabbe and stormed out of the rows, heading to Hogwarts and cursing under his breath the entire time.
He had thought being with Hermione would be easy and wonderful - but as the jealousy seemed to rip his heart apart, some part of him wished he had stayed alone and never told her how he felt.
***
I am sorry I took so long to update, lovelies. Please VOTE and COMMENT if you liked this chapter!
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wrong ||| dramione
Fanfiction"How does it feel, Granger? How does it feel to know you were wrong? That all these years, you were wrong about Malfoy?" Cover made by the lovely @HolyDraco
