ocean eyes (dramione)

Chapter 29

"We're going to be late!" Shouted Ginny, flying past me with her trunk on the stairs like a red, freckled comet. I rolled my eyes and smiled at Hermione, who was looking cute in a soft pink jumper and black jeans. She slid her hand into mine and we went downstairs together.

It was the morning we were going to return to Hogwarts. These winter holidays had been the best of my life, and I wanted to go back and relive them all over again. Hermione and I had become a lot closer in the time, and so had Ginny and Luna. Blaise had written to me over the holidays to tell me to come back soon otherwise he was going to 'actually kill me'.

"Have you got everything, dear?" Asked Mrs Weasley kindly. "RONALD WEASLEY, YOU ARE AN AUROR FOR GOODNESS' SAKE! SET A BETTER EXAMPLE!" She shouted over her shoulder, as Ron waved his wand lazily and a knife slicing up sandwiches for Ginny on the train came shooting towards him and narrowly avoiding cutting off half of Hermione's hair.

"Um...I think so," I managed, before ducking under a Fanged Frisbee that George Weasley had sent flying across the kitchen and practically running into the living room. I realised at once that I'd entered the wrong room - Ginny and Luna were snogging under the window and I slowly backed out, but not before Ginny saw and mouthed a violent curse word at me before slamming the door in my face with her wand.

I finally found Hermione sitting in Ginny's bedroom with Harry, hugging him goodbye before he set off for the Ministry. Once he was gone, I sat down opposite Hermione and took her hands in mine, taking a deep breath.

"Um...hey," I said quickly, feeling my pulse quicken. "I just wanted to tell you...I...I love you. And I feel like I don't tell you enough, Hermione, but I do. And I didn't want you to think that - that I didn't care about you. Because I do. I --"

Hermione pressed her finger to my lips and recited, "Slytherin, Slytherin, stop with your dithering." I laughed and she hugged me quickly before slipping out of the room with her case, hair flying behind her. The bed creaked as I got up and took one last look around the place that I hoped I'd see again sometime.

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CRACK!

My head still spinning from one of my first few times apparating, my hand found Hermione's at once. Luna, Hermione and I were all standing outside the school gates with Ginny and her mother, who hugged all of us in turn and handed Ginny her trunk, muttering something about irresponsibility. 

A carriage drawn by Thestrals pulled us up to the castle, which we entered gladly. Professor McGonagall smiled thinly and greeted us at the door, and we each went our separate ways to deposit our things in our dorms. In the common room, I found Blaise and his friend Theodore Nott, and was thankful that Pansy was nowhere in sight. Thank God, I thought, heaving a sigh. Finally, our last year at Hogwarts might actually be peaceful.

"Thought you could run away with the Weasleys?" Teased Blaise. "And your girlfriend?" I punched him in the arm as he and Theo followed me up to the dorm.

"Shut up," I muttered, annoyed, unloading my things onto my bed. 

"Girlfriend?" Inquired Theo interestedly. I rolled my eyes and gave Blaise a 'I'm going to kill you later' stare.

"Oh, yeah," smirked Blaise, obviously noticing my glance and choosing to do absolutely nothing about it. "Where have you been for the last few months, mate? He's going out with --"

"Nobody at all," I finished brusquely. "Come on. It'll be breakfast soon."

"Hermione Granger," Blaise mouthed behind my back.

"Granger?" Theo exploded loudly. I turned around and greeted both of the idiots with glares.

"Got a problem?" I snapped. Blaise snorted.

"No," said Theo coolly, "I just...it's unexpected." He shrugged. "You and...well, the girl you bullied for about six years."

"Just because you fancy her, Theo," laughed Blaise, as we entered the great hall. I saw Ginny and Hermione sit down at the Gryffindor table a few chairs away, and they greeted Blaise and I with a smile and a wave. Hermione blushed a little when she saw Theo staring at her, then turned to talk to Ginny.

"See?" Said Blaise, nudging me as we sat down. "He totally fancies Hermione. Don't you, Theo?"

"I --" Theo shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Oh, just shut up, Blaise. Sure, she's pretty, but she's..."

"Taken," I said, suddenly feeling very unnecessarily protective. Blaise and Theo both laughed.

"How long have you been together?" Theo asked.

"Since...about the start of the year," I shrugged.

"How?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. "I thought you...what was it...hated each other's guts?"

"Yeah, well..." I scratched the back of my head. "That's...changed." I shrugged and looked over at Hermione unconsciously and felt myself flush a little. 

"Damn right it has!" Sniggered Theo. He clapped my shoulder and smiled. "Seriously, though, Draco. I'm happy for you. She seems nice."

I couldn't help smiling. For once, things were actually going my way.

"Yeah," I said, swelling with pride at the thought of Hermione. Every inch of me felt ten times happier when I thought about her. That was the best thing about being in love.

The bell rang and we headed down to potions together. As instructed, Hermione and I paired up and Ginny was forced with Blaise again, who was obviously still trying to hit on her despite the fact that he was straight and she was not.

"Today we will be brewing the draught of living death!" Slughorn smiled, flashing Hermione and I a boyish grin. "Ingredients are in the cupboard, as usual. Good luck!"

We worked seamlessly on our potion and were pretty much finished before anybody else. Slughorn was satisfied and awarded us each 20 points, and Hermione and I were about to start packing away when something... happened.

Something bad.