Canon Secrets (A Dramione Story)

Goblet of Fire Pt. 2: Texas Holdem

Hermione's Pov

"Well, Ms. Granger, I don't think I'm going to let you redo the last essay you turned in because you got a 97%."

"Oh, please Professor?!" Hermione pleaded. "I know I can do better and --"

Hermione was cut off by McGonagall's door being slammed open to reveal a harried-looking Percy Weasley running through. "Professor! You need to come quick! Professor Moody just transfigured--" Percy paused, suddenly noticing Hermione. "Oh, I'm sorry Hermione, did I interrupt you?"

"Yeah, but it's fine. What were you going to say?"

"It's better for you to just see." Percy gestured for them to follow him down the hallway before finally coming out at the main courtyard where there was a large group crowded around something.

McGonagall elbowed through but Hermione stayed in the back, waiting to see what was going on. "Professor Moody! What -- What are you doing?" McGonagall's questioning voice drifted to Hermione.

"Teaching," came his rough response.

"Is that -- Is that a student?"

"Technically, it's a ferret," he said before shoving the ferret into a nearby Crabbe's pants. Goyle tried to help but just ended up getting bitten. The ferret crawled out of one of Crabbe's pant legs before McGonagall cast the counter-curse.

At first, Hermione couldn't tell who it was until she heard him speak. "My father will hear about this!"

Hermione broke. What used to be little giggles at the prospect of a student being transfigured into a ferret, turned into a full-on laugh at the notion that it was Draco who had been the ferret. She tried to stop, really she did, but it was too good. Apparently, Moody didn't find it as funny as she did because he said, "Is that a threat?" in response to Draco saying his father would hear about it. "I could tell you stories about your father that would curl even your greasy hair, boy." Draco didn't hesitate to run in the opposite direction because Moody had started waving his wand ominous again.

Hermione didn't stick around long enough to hear what McGonagall said, because she decided she needed to make sure Draco was okay. As she went through the archway she had seen him disappear into, she saw Crabbe and Goyle heading her way as well.

"Crabbe. Goyle. Do you happen to know where Draco is heading? I saw him come through this archway into this hallway but didn't see where he went after," Hermione said after they caught up to her.

"I do have one idea. Me, Crabbe, and Malfoy usually play poker in a little back courtyard through this hallway," Goyle pointed out.

"One, it would be Crabbe, Malfoy, and I; and second, poker?" Hermione asked in disbelief. "Don't tell me that idiot actually gambles; does he?"

"Well, yes, we do gamble; but Goyle and I are the only ones ever losing money. Let's just say my poker face is not the best," Crabbe explained as they reached the courtyard. Sure enough, there was Draco at a table, drinking a Coke (which Hermione had introduced to him the previous summer at their secret rendezvous) and looking sullen.

He looked up at the sound of their footsteps and scowled. "Hermione, I don't want to talk right now."

"Yeah, well too bad. I want to talk. The boys here tattled on you and told me that you gamble." She gave him a disapproving look and walked over to take a seat next to him on the stone bench with Crabbe and Goyle sitting on the other side of the table.

"Really? That is what you want to talk about? I thought you were going to make sure I was okay because of the whole --" Hermione cut Draco off by putting her finger up to his lips in a shushing motion.