Hardest Of Hearts; Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven - Dates.

Hermione awoke the next morning feeling like crap. Her head was pounding and her stomach was flipping. She lifted her head to see where she was. The common room. She slowly sat up, trying not to make herself feel dizzy, but she failed. Everyone was still asleep in this room, except for Blaise. Where is he? Hermione moved her gaze towards the couch, where a sleeping Malfoy lay. She couldn't help but smile at the sight, he looked so peaceful. She raised her head to look at the clock and jumped up. Shit.

"Everyone get up! NOW! We're two hours late for class!" She screamed at the sleeping bodies that surrounded her. They began to stir.

"What's all the screaming about?" Harry asked, his voice groggy. Ron sat up too, confusion on his face.

"We're two hours late for classes! GET UP!" She repeated. This time the message got through to everyone and they jumped up.

"Ugh, can we not just sleep until lunch then go to the Great Hall?" Ginny asked, lying back down.

"No Ginny, we can't. Imagine what all of the professor's are thinking right now! All of the fourteen prefects, the two Heads and Harry Potter didn't show up for breakfast and aren't even in classes now!" Hermione protested. "Come on, get going back to your Dorm's and get ready for classes. Oh and if any teacher asks you where you were, just tell them that we had a meeting in the Head's common room this morning, okay?" Everyone nodded in agreement as they left. Hermione turned around to see Malfoy still asleep on the couch. Oh come on, she thought, how did he not wake up with me screaming my head off? She walked over to him and stopped. "Malfoy.. Wake up." She nudged his arm. He groanded and turned to face the other direction. "DRACO MALFOY! WE ARE TWO HOURS LATE FOR CLASSES. GET THE FUCK UP!" She screamed. He jumped up, still half asleep, shock all over his face.

"What the hell Granger?" He said, rubbing his eyes. He looked up into her eyes then all of the events from the previous night filled his mind. Shit. I wonder if she remembers. He stood up and headed towards the kitchen while Hermione went to her room.

There was no sign of Blaise, just a note on her pillow.

Hermione,
I'm sorry that I won't be here when you wake up, but I really need to clear my head. Everything that happened last night is driving me crazy. I know how you feel about Draco, I didn't miss anything last night. I feel guilty for taking advantage of your fight by having sex with you. We will talk about this later on, alright? See you then.
Blaise.

Hermione groaned in frustration. Why did I have to have sex with him? He's right, I do have feelings for Malfoy. I can't be with Blaise when I like his best friend, it's just wrong. When we talk tonight and if he says that he wants to try things again, I'm going to say no. I need to be fair to him. He's such a good guy.

She stood up and read the note again as she entered the common room. She looked around but Malfoy wasn't there. She then heard a noise from the kitchen and followed it. Malfoy was standing there, waiting for the kettle to boil. He looked up at her as she entered, then his eyes dropped to the note in her hand. She walked over to him and handed it over. He read it then looked up at her.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry." He said, handing it back.

"Don't be. It's not your fault. I'm going to officially break up with him anyway." She said, turning back towards the door. "See you later." And with that she disappeared through the common room door, out onto the corridor.

The day seemed to drag on for Hermione. She decided to skip the last three classes and made her way back to her dorm room. She rummaged through her bin and found the pieces of paper that was once a love potion. She grabbed her wand from her pocket and used a spell to put the pieces back together. She read over the potion again and made up her mind.

"I'm going to use a potion to make Ron love me." She said aloud to herself. But is this a good idea? Ron has Luna, he doesn't need me. But I need him. I'm so sick of these feelings I have for Draco. I'm so sick of feeling guilty because of Blaise. I just want the one boy who makes me happy without complications and I don't care what that costs me. She began brewing the potion. It says on the instructions that it would take four days to make. Pefect timing, she thought. I will slip it into his drink at the Winter Dance. He won't be able to resist me and I can finally be with him. It says that he has to drink it every so often for the effects to stay working though. Hmm.. Everytime he gets a new drink, I'll put the potion in it. She sighed then lay back on her bed. I am so selfish.

There was suddenly a knock on her bedroom door. She looked up to see Blaise entering. They talked for what seemed like hours but the end result was that they both thought that it will be better to just remain friends. Hermione was very happy by this. At least he was still in her life!

Hermione ran upto her room on the fourth day of the potion to find it complete. She smiled and placed some in a vile. It was now only three days until the Dance. She already had her gown because herself and Ginny headed to Hogsmeade the previous day.

She lay down on her bed, clutching the vile. Thoughts started running through her head again. Hermione, do you really want to do this? I mean REALLY? What if the plan fails? What if someone else drinks it instead of Ron? Or what if Ron finds out? He will never forgive me. And I highly doubt that Ginny or Harry will either. But I really want him. Ugh Hermione! If Ron wants you, he will come to you! Don't force him into something that he doesn't want to do. And it's not even real love! It's just infatuation! She must have been thinking for hours because when she looked at the clock, it was 10pm. She picked up the cauldrin with the potion in it and brought it to the bathroom. She sighed before pouring the whole thing down the drain. Four days I wasted making that damn potion, she thought. She went back to her room and threw the vile into the drawer on her desk.

"I hate boys." She said, pulling the handle of her door. She walked into the common room to see Malfoy standing nervously beside the couch.

"Are you okay?" She asked, stopping at the other end of the couch.

He looked at her and nodded. "Hermione, I want to ask you somethi-" He was cut off by a loud knock on the door. Hermione walked ove and pulled it open.

"Ron?" She asked in a confused tone. He was out of breath. "Where you running?"

"Yeah but I'm fine. I need to ask you something before anyone else gets a chance to."

"What is it?" She asked.

"Um.. Who are you going to the Dance with?" He stared at her. Malfoy head shot up, his mouth dropping open.

"Now hang on a minute! I was going to-" Malfoy was saying but Hermione cut him off.

"Shut up the both of you." She turned her gaze back to Ron.

"No one has asked me yet." She said shortly, turning her head to Draco. He flinched as she shot daggers at him. Ron noticed this and raised his eyebrows but quicly continued.

"Will you go with me?"

Hermione was taken by surprise. "I-wha-What about Luna?"

"Yeah I know that I'm her boyfriend and all but she promised her best friend that she would go with him." Ron informed her, rolling his eyes and smiling. "So.. will you?"

Hermione looked at Draco as she answered. "I'd love to." She smirked at him.

Draco couldn't believe what he was witnessing. Ugh, stupid weasel! Always getting in the god damn way! I was about to ask her! He hissed under his breath and stalked away into the kitchen. Hermione said bye to Ron and walked up to her bedroom. She couldn't stop smiling! Ron actually asked her to the dance! She jumped into her bed, pulling the covers up around her face. She drifted off to sleep a few moments later.

In the room next to her, Draco was outraged. How dare she give him that accusing look! He was going to ask her mere seconds before that weasel did! What is he playing at? He knows quite well how Hermione feels about him! Why would he toy with her like that, getting her hopes up when he already has a girlfriend? Stupid moran. Well there is no way in hell that I'm showing up to that Dance on my own! he thought. He jumped up from his bed and ran towards the common room door. He quickly made his way to the Slytherin common room and shouted Pansy's name. She showed up not even two minutes later.

"Draco!" She chimed, running to him.

"Will you go to the Dance with me?" He asked. I can't believe I'm doing this.

"Of course I will!" She practically screamed. She hugged him while he just stood there. He told her a moment later that he had to get going. He ran back to his Dorm and collapsed on his bed. Within a few seconds, he fell asleep.