The Bracelet, Chapter 91/103
Title: The Bracelet
Author: AkashaTheKitty
Characters: Blaise Zabini, Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Pansy Parkinson, Ron Weasley, Theodore Nott (whew)
Genres: Drama, Friendship, Hogwarts Years, Humor, Romance
Warnings: HBP Spoilers, although slightly incompatible.
Overall Rating: R
Summary: When Hermione Granger loses a bet she was sure she'd win to Draco Malfoy, it's the beginning of her own personal hell. And his.
Go here if you didn't read previous chapters.
Draco was confused.
Once again he'd done exactly what Hermione had asked, had given her exactly what she wanted, and now she was avoiding him. Again. It took him a little while to even realize, since he'd needed some time himself to bounce back from the intense pain of having to give up his fantasy for reality, but she was definitely and obviously avoiding him.
"So you're finally noticing," Blaise drily commented when seeing Draco frown at Hermione after she not-so-stealthily took the long way around the room to avoid him after Potions one Thursday afternoon. "I swear, I thought you'd never get your head out of your arse. It's been weeks!"
"Weeks?" Draco stared at Blaise. So was it because of their night together that she was avoiding him? And… had it really been that long?
He vaguely remembered an unsettling feeling that something had seemed off with her before she'd left his room, but frankly he'd been too depressed to fully notice.
"Just what the hell is wrong with you, Draco?" Blaise growled. "How could you let this long pass without doing something?"
Draco wasn't sure how to explain that without losing his boy parts. "You don't know what happened."
"You mean apart from you sleeping with her again and then-" Blaise suddenly cut off, but then finished the sentence. "And then not noticing that she's been avoiding you ever since?"
Draco did a double-take, very glad that nobody else was left in the classroom. "I don't recall telling you anything about sleeping with her."
"Um, it was obvious, wasn't it?" Blaise muttered.
Draco stared at Blaise and then folded his arms across his chest. "No. I don't think it was. Did she say something to you?"
"No. She didn't have to." Blaise was looking away.
"You didn't just guess," Draco said. "You're not that smart. You didn't know the first time and you didn't know this time either! How do you know?"
Blaise looked confused at how harshly Draco accused him. "I saw her, all right? I saw her after she'd left your room. She was all rumpled and it really didn't take a genius."
"And you held off taking a dig at me until now? I never knew you had such restraint!" Draco drily commented.
"Well, you've barely registered anything lately anyway and you certainly didn't bring it up and… it just didn't seem that funny." Blaise was very carefully avoiding looking at Draco.
"Not funny? You think everything is funny!" Draco was feeling suspicious. His common sense told him that Blaise didn't deserve his suspicion, but…. Hermione had used the idea of Blaise taking her virginity to take the piss out of Draco. Why had she even thought of that?
"Yeah…" Blaise muttered. "I guess. But why don't you patch things up with her?"
"Ok, what exactly did you see?"
"Nothing! N-… Look, it's been weeks, mate. You've been a zombie and she's been avoiding you so carefully that everyone knows something happened." Blaise looked ready to pull his own hair out.
Draco narrowed his eyes at Blaise, who didn't seem inclined to say anything more. He supposed he was right, though. Draco really had been a zombie. He didn't deal well with giving up dreams.
But something was just off about this whole thing. Had he accidentally offended her? He knew she'd liked it. He'd felt it. It had been absolutely amazing to be allowed to feel her like that.
"Did… she didn't say anything, then?" Draco asked Blaise.
Blaise winced and shrugged. "I, um, suppose I insulted her for being a slag and I'm sure she shot back at me?"
"You did what?"
"Is that not what you'd expect me to do?"
"No! Leave her the fuck alone!"
"That's rich coming from you!"
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Blaise didn't reply but just clenched his jaw, glaring at Draco.
"I don't seek her out to insult her!" Draco continued.
"No, you just do it whenever she gives you an opening, don't you? Are you deliberately ruining it for yourself? Do you enjoy constantly pushing her out of your reach?"
Draco adopted a defensive stance. "You obviously have something to say to me, so say it."
Blaise grimaced and then swung his bag over his shoulder. "I just said it, you dimwit."
Scowling at Blaise's retreating back, Draco tried to recall what exactly had happened that night. He'd given Hermione exactly what she wanted… hadn't he? He had let her go. He'd locked his door and thrown his wand clear across his room so he wouldn't follow her out and beg her to come back so he could just… hold her a little while longer.
No, he'd done everything right this time. It had been a clean cut. Just like she wanted.
Hermione was sitting at the library, absent-mindedly doodling on a piece of paper. She didn't feel like studying, but she didn't feel like going back to her common room either. Sitting here was fine with her, really. It was peaceful. She could just empty her head and be.
It wasn't like all this studying was going to make her smarter at life, anyway. She had misread Malfoy to a degree that was just… bad. Thank God she hadn't really considered being with him. Just sex. Always just sex. Not even a kiss after… after… afterwards. Just thank you and goodbye.
She'd thought it would be more satisfying to get that itch taken care of but instead she just felt empty. Like she'd expected it to go differently. Like she'd expected him to act differently. She supposed she'd expected him to act like he had the last time, which was just stupid. He'd still been suffering from the after-effects of some pretty powerful magic then, making him think he was in love with her.
At least he didn't seem to be spreading any tales. She actually hadn't thought he would. It didn't really matter either way, though, because whether he realized it or not, he'd got to her in a way she'd sworn she'd never let him.
As long as Zabini just kept his mouth shut, however, there was no reason that Malfoy should ever find out just how badly he'd got to her. She really hoped he never found out. She didn't think he'd mock her; worse, she thought he might apologize for misleading her. He hadn't mislead her. He'd been perfectly up-front about what he did and did not want. She'd just got mixed up, that was all.
She was all sorted now.
"You're so predictable it's not even funny," one of Hermione's least favorite voices in the world said.
"Parkinson," Hermione replied as pleasantly as she possibly could, "to what do I owe the nuisance?"
"Oh, I was actually looking for Draco. But, of course, we all know that you wouldn't know where he's at." The glee in Pansy's voice was almost too much to bear.
"I also wish I didn't know where you were at. What's your point?"
"Oh, don't be such a bad sport, Granger. It could have been worse. He could have slept with you before he lost interest."
What? Had he told her? Hermione tried to hide her reaction, but it was a moment too late. The widening of her eyes, parting of her lips and cautious glance were put together too much for even someone as dimwitted as Pansy to miss.
"Oh, Merlin! He actually did?" Pansy looked stunned for a second and an indefinable expression crossed her face, before she raised a hand to her mouth, ineffectually hiding her laugh. "Now I know my boy again. So, tell me, Granger. Did he sleep with you before or after he lost interest? You know how boys will be boys. They don't care who's in their bed. Did he tell you he loved you to get you to do it? I bet he did. And you actually believed him?"
No, she hadn't believed him! Not then, anyway. But what was the point of telling Parkinson what had really been going on? She was nothing but a spiteful bitch. And it didn't seem like Malfoy had told her, but that could possibly just be Pansy covering her own arse. "I don't know what you're talk-"
"Cut the crap, Granger, and take some acting lessons. My Draco got you good this time. I'm proud of him. I just wish he would have told me. I could have told everyone else."
Hermione still doubted that Draco really hadn't told Pansy, but she wasn't about to say anything about that. It would be better to pretend that the suspicion didn't hurt like hell. "And why do you suppose he didn't?" she asked. "Could it be that it's none of your business?"
Pansy just gave a small shrug. "It's probably to spare Astoria. He came crawling back to her a few weeks ago. This time for real. The agreements are almost drawn up."
Hermione blinked. "Agreements? What Agreements?"
"The prenuptial agreements, silly. Joining the Greengrasses to the Malfoys is no small feat. Both families need to make sure that their interests are upheld."
Hermione snorted. "Are you honestly claiming he's getting married now?"
"Well, not right now, of course," Pansy scoffed. "But I think Astoria has her heart set on a Christmas wedding. Draco doesn't really have an opinion, he just wants to move things along now that he has… taken care of business."
Hermione wasn't stupid; she wasn't buying that Draco was suddenly marrying his ex-girlfriend out of the blue, but that remark sounded a little too close to some things Draco had said himself for Hermione's comfort. Could he really have decided to do something stupid?
But so what if he were getting back with Astoria Greengrass? Who cared? She knew she certainly didn't. They had taken care of business and that was… that.
Rather than questioning the sudden pain in her chest, Hermione said, "Yeah? Well, I'll have to congratulate him on not choosing you. I knew his tastes had evolved."
"Look who's talking," Pansy sniffed. "But if I were you, I'd hold off on the congratulations a month or so. It's supposed to be a secret for now."
"Would it get you in trouble?" Hermione asked hopefully.
"No… but it might lead to Astoria finding out about just how far you and Draco went and getting hurt in what's supposed to be the happiest time of her life. Of course… if you want to hurt an innocent girl who did nothing but fall in love with Draco a bit before he was ready…."
Hermione glared at Pansy. That manipulative little witch was really covering well for her lies, wasn't she? "I get it! Ugh, I really don't understand what Ron sees in a conniving bitch like you."
"I do, but I'm too pretty for a Weasley." Pansy fluffed up her hair. "The two of you should get together. What, with his lack of brains and your lack of looks…."
"But maybe he preferred your lack of personality?"
Pansy bared her teeth in an unpleasant smile. "At least I have something to commend me. I never did quite understand why someone like Draco would go for someone like you. Not only are you ugly, but you're not half as smart as you think you are. Falling for Draco's lies? Please. You should have realized that he would never truly care about someone of your low birth, poor looks and annoying habits. You were nothing but some little plaything. How amused he must be that he actually seems to have broken your heart."
Hermione gaped. Of all the ridiculous things Pansy could have said, that last remark took the cake. Absolutely nothing of Hermione's was broken. Maybe her self-confidence was a little dented and had a crack showing here and there, but that was it!
"Shut it, Pansy!" Neither of them had noticed that Ron was standing right behind Pansy until he said the exact words Hermione had planned on saying. Hermione wondered how much he'd heard. From the anger in his eyes, he'd probably heard enough. She was sorry he'd had to hear the witch he liked say such low things. Disillusionment tended to suck.
"Weasley?" Pansy asked with a confused frown. "Are you stalking me again?"
"No," Ron replied in a voice much colder than you'd expect from someone talking to their crush of several weeks. "I was coming for Hermione when I heard you."
"Right." Pansy shrugged as if she didn't have a care in the world. "It can't be a great surprise to you that I don't like either of you."
"No," he coolly replied, coming forward and standing next to Hermione's seat. "I'm beginning to realize that won't change. But don't you dare insult Hermione. She's a lot smarter and prettier inside out than you'll ever be."
Hermione tugged on Ron's sleeve. "You don't have to do this."
Ron didn't react at all. He seemed set on having the confrontation. He was a loyal friend, but, really, this was hardly the first time Hermione had butted heads with Pansy Parkinson and it probably wouldn't be the last either.
Pansy snorted. "You don't mean that, Weasley."
"Oh, I mean it," Ron growled. "And if your Draco had a chance at being with her and threw it away, then he's much stupider than I'll ever be!"
Hermione closed her eyes. That sounded so, so wrong and really wasn't what Ron should be saying to the witch he wanted a chance with.
Pansy's gaze flickered between Ron and Hermione. "Oh... so that's…." Her voice faltered a little. "I see. Well, isn't that just convenient for everyone? Gryffindors sure do rebound quickly." She sounded a lot more bewildered than sarcastic.
"Are you ready?" Ron curtly asked Hermione without disabusing Pansy of her notion. Maybe he was clueless. Or maybe he thought he could make Pansy jealous? That would probably not be the best plan.
Hermione just nodded and got up, not knowing what else to do.
"It's good you finally realized I'm too good for you," Pansy said as they were walking past her.
Ron stopped, half-turned and pinned Pansy with a glare. "You don't seem to understand. You're not too good for me. Nor are you too pretty. You're just about the worst and ugliest witch I ever met. I just didn't realize before. Thank you for showing me before I wasted anymore of my time."
That seemed to leave Pansy speechless. Hermione couldn't blame her; she was rather speechless herself.
"Wait!" Harry exclaimed, making Hermione glad that their common room was almost deserted. "The mystery girl was Pansy Parkinson? Draco Malfoy's ex-girlfriend Pansy Parkinson?"
"No, the other Pansy Parkinson!" Ron drily said. He'd made the decision to tell Harry about Pansy and get it over with straight after the library incident. Hermione felt it was a very rushed decision, but it wasn't really her place to judge.
"Oh. Right. Sorry. Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"He just did," Hermione pointed out.
"Well, yeah, but he also said he's over her now, so it's no fun anymore."
Hermione looked over at Ron, who was currently looking rather despondent. "Is it over?" she softly asked.
He shrugged. "I guess it has to be, doesn't it? I mean, I liked the girl she could be if she wanted to, but… tonight she showed that she didn't want to. She was so spiteful… I'm sorry, Hermione."
Hermione was sorry too. She would have liked to see Ron happy. "Maybe she could still be that girl?"
"Does it matter? Is it really right to go after someone, wanting to change them? Maybe she's happy the way she is. I'd just thought… and when I kissed her…."
"Wait, you kissed her?" Harry scowled at both Ron and Hermione. "Why doesn't anyone tell me anything anymore?"
Ron sighed. "Nobody knew about it, ok? It was only that one time and she didn't push me away right away so I just thought…."
"Maybe she doesn't mean it that badly," Hermione offered. "Maybe it's just some sort of a… a… defense mechanism?"
"It doesn't matter! In any case, I don't care what she says about me; it was the way she spoke to you! I could never tolerate any witch treating my friends like that!"
"What exactly did she say?" Harry asked.
Hermione's fists clenched in her lap. She wasn't ready for this conversation.
"It doesn't matter," Ron said. "It was just a bunch of insults."
Harry frowned but didn't say anything. Hermione knew he felt left out. It was just so hard to include him in some things, because he didn't understand. He'd never been involved with someone he was supposed to hate. She supposed she might as well get it over with, though. "She, um, she insinuated that Draco had tricked me into bed and th-then dumped me afterwards for not being up to his standards. She was rather happy about it."
"But that's ridiculous!" Harry said with a laugh. "You wouldn't jump into bed with that git!"
There was a silence.
"Hermione?" Harry asked, suddenly looking wary.
"I wasn't tricked," was all Hermione managed to say before being cut off by a string of very loud and very colorful oaths.
"Easy, Harry," Ron muttered with a sigh. "I hate him as much as the next bloke but… we saw it coming, didn't we?"
He avoided looking Hermione in the eyes, though, and he looked far from happy.
"He didn't do anything," Hermione insisted. "It was my idea and we weren't actually together, so how could he dump me?"
"Oh, I don't know," Harry sarcastically said, "maybe by gazing at you for months with the most lovesick expression I've ever seen on a bloke-and that includes the time Ron was under the influence of Amortentia-and then turning on you as soon as he got what he wanted?"
"It was my idea, it was what I wanted!" Hermione insisted, jumping to her feet. "He didn't turn on me; he didn't trick me; he didn't lie to me; he didn't mislead-" Her voice broke ever so slightly, but it was enough for Ron's eyes to snap up and narrow at her. "I knew what I was doing," she said with her own eyes lowered. "I knew what I was getting into. I would appreciate it if you'd never mention this to anyone again."
She mumbled some unintelligible excuse including homework and feeding her cat and fled to her room before anyone could realize her eyes were watering.
She didn't want to identify the reason. She really didn't. It didn't matter anymore.
Author: AkashaTheKitty
Characters: Blaise Zabini, Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Pansy Parkinson, Ron Weasley, Theodore Nott (whew)
Genres: Drama, Friendship, Hogwarts Years, Humor, Romance
Warnings: HBP Spoilers, although slightly incompatible.
Overall Rating: R
Summary: When Hermione Granger loses a bet she was sure she'd win to Draco Malfoy, it's the beginning of her own personal hell. And his.
Go here if you didn't read previous chapters.
Draco was confused.
Once again he'd done exactly what Hermione had asked, had given her exactly what she wanted, and now she was avoiding him. Again. It took him a little while to even realize, since he'd needed some time himself to bounce back from the intense pain of having to give up his fantasy for reality, but she was definitely and obviously avoiding him.
"So you're finally noticing," Blaise drily commented when seeing Draco frown at Hermione after she not-so-stealthily took the long way around the room to avoid him after Potions one Thursday afternoon. "I swear, I thought you'd never get your head out of your arse. It's been weeks!"
"Weeks?" Draco stared at Blaise. So was it because of their night together that she was avoiding him? And… had it really been that long?
He vaguely remembered an unsettling feeling that something had seemed off with her before she'd left his room, but frankly he'd been too depressed to fully notice.
"Just what the hell is wrong with you, Draco?" Blaise growled. "How could you let this long pass without doing something?"
Draco wasn't sure how to explain that without losing his boy parts. "You don't know what happened."
"You mean apart from you sleeping with her again and then-" Blaise suddenly cut off, but then finished the sentence. "And then not noticing that she's been avoiding you ever since?"
Draco did a double-take, very glad that nobody else was left in the classroom. "I don't recall telling you anything about sleeping with her."
"Um, it was obvious, wasn't it?" Blaise muttered.
Draco stared at Blaise and then folded his arms across his chest. "No. I don't think it was. Did she say something to you?"
"No. She didn't have to." Blaise was looking away.
"You didn't just guess," Draco said. "You're not that smart. You didn't know the first time and you didn't know this time either! How do you know?"
Blaise looked confused at how harshly Draco accused him. "I saw her, all right? I saw her after she'd left your room. She was all rumpled and it really didn't take a genius."
"And you held off taking a dig at me until now? I never knew you had such restraint!" Draco drily commented.
"Well, you've barely registered anything lately anyway and you certainly didn't bring it up and… it just didn't seem that funny." Blaise was very carefully avoiding looking at Draco.
"Not funny? You think everything is funny!" Draco was feeling suspicious. His common sense told him that Blaise didn't deserve his suspicion, but…. Hermione had used the idea of Blaise taking her virginity to take the piss out of Draco. Why had she even thought of that?
"Yeah…" Blaise muttered. "I guess. But why don't you patch things up with her?"
"Ok, what exactly did you see?"
"Nothing! N-… Look, it's been weeks, mate. You've been a zombie and she's been avoiding you so carefully that everyone knows something happened." Blaise looked ready to pull his own hair out.
Draco narrowed his eyes at Blaise, who didn't seem inclined to say anything more. He supposed he was right, though. Draco really had been a zombie. He didn't deal well with giving up dreams.
But something was just off about this whole thing. Had he accidentally offended her? He knew she'd liked it. He'd felt it. It had been absolutely amazing to be allowed to feel her like that.
"Did… she didn't say anything, then?" Draco asked Blaise.
Blaise winced and shrugged. "I, um, suppose I insulted her for being a slag and I'm sure she shot back at me?"
"You did what?"
"Is that not what you'd expect me to do?"
"No! Leave her the fuck alone!"
"That's rich coming from you!"
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Blaise didn't reply but just clenched his jaw, glaring at Draco.
"I don't seek her out to insult her!" Draco continued.
"No, you just do it whenever she gives you an opening, don't you? Are you deliberately ruining it for yourself? Do you enjoy constantly pushing her out of your reach?"
Draco adopted a defensive stance. "You obviously have something to say to me, so say it."
Blaise grimaced and then swung his bag over his shoulder. "I just said it, you dimwit."
Scowling at Blaise's retreating back, Draco tried to recall what exactly had happened that night. He'd given Hermione exactly what she wanted… hadn't he? He had let her go. He'd locked his door and thrown his wand clear across his room so he wouldn't follow her out and beg her to come back so he could just… hold her a little while longer.
No, he'd done everything right this time. It had been a clean cut. Just like she wanted.
Hermione was sitting at the library, absent-mindedly doodling on a piece of paper. She didn't feel like studying, but she didn't feel like going back to her common room either. Sitting here was fine with her, really. It was peaceful. She could just empty her head and be.
It wasn't like all this studying was going to make her smarter at life, anyway. She had misread Malfoy to a degree that was just… bad. Thank God she hadn't really considered being with him. Just sex. Always just sex. Not even a kiss after… after… afterwards. Just thank you and goodbye.
She'd thought it would be more satisfying to get that itch taken care of but instead she just felt empty. Like she'd expected it to go differently. Like she'd expected him to act differently. She supposed she'd expected him to act like he had the last time, which was just stupid. He'd still been suffering from the after-effects of some pretty powerful magic then, making him think he was in love with her.
At least he didn't seem to be spreading any tales. She actually hadn't thought he would. It didn't really matter either way, though, because whether he realized it or not, he'd got to her in a way she'd sworn she'd never let him.
As long as Zabini just kept his mouth shut, however, there was no reason that Malfoy should ever find out just how badly he'd got to her. She really hoped he never found out. She didn't think he'd mock her; worse, she thought he might apologize for misleading her. He hadn't mislead her. He'd been perfectly up-front about what he did and did not want. She'd just got mixed up, that was all.
She was all sorted now.
"You're so predictable it's not even funny," one of Hermione's least favorite voices in the world said.
"Parkinson," Hermione replied as pleasantly as she possibly could, "to what do I owe the nuisance?"
"Oh, I was actually looking for Draco. But, of course, we all know that you wouldn't know where he's at." The glee in Pansy's voice was almost too much to bear.
"I also wish I didn't know where you were at. What's your point?"
"Oh, don't be such a bad sport, Granger. It could have been worse. He could have slept with you before he lost interest."
What? Had he told her? Hermione tried to hide her reaction, but it was a moment too late. The widening of her eyes, parting of her lips and cautious glance were put together too much for even someone as dimwitted as Pansy to miss.
"Oh, Merlin! He actually did?" Pansy looked stunned for a second and an indefinable expression crossed her face, before she raised a hand to her mouth, ineffectually hiding her laugh. "Now I know my boy again. So, tell me, Granger. Did he sleep with you before or after he lost interest? You know how boys will be boys. They don't care who's in their bed. Did he tell you he loved you to get you to do it? I bet he did. And you actually believed him?"
No, she hadn't believed him! Not then, anyway. But what was the point of telling Parkinson what had really been going on? She was nothing but a spiteful bitch. And it didn't seem like Malfoy had told her, but that could possibly just be Pansy covering her own arse. "I don't know what you're talk-"
"Cut the crap, Granger, and take some acting lessons. My Draco got you good this time. I'm proud of him. I just wish he would have told me. I could have told everyone else."
Hermione still doubted that Draco really hadn't told Pansy, but she wasn't about to say anything about that. It would be better to pretend that the suspicion didn't hurt like hell. "And why do you suppose he didn't?" she asked. "Could it be that it's none of your business?"
Pansy just gave a small shrug. "It's probably to spare Astoria. He came crawling back to her a few weeks ago. This time for real. The agreements are almost drawn up."
Hermione blinked. "Agreements? What Agreements?"
"The prenuptial agreements, silly. Joining the Greengrasses to the Malfoys is no small feat. Both families need to make sure that their interests are upheld."
Hermione snorted. "Are you honestly claiming he's getting married now?"
"Well, not right now, of course," Pansy scoffed. "But I think Astoria has her heart set on a Christmas wedding. Draco doesn't really have an opinion, he just wants to move things along now that he has… taken care of business."
Hermione wasn't stupid; she wasn't buying that Draco was suddenly marrying his ex-girlfriend out of the blue, but that remark sounded a little too close to some things Draco had said himself for Hermione's comfort. Could he really have decided to do something stupid?
But so what if he were getting back with Astoria Greengrass? Who cared? She knew she certainly didn't. They had taken care of business and that was… that.
Rather than questioning the sudden pain in her chest, Hermione said, "Yeah? Well, I'll have to congratulate him on not choosing you. I knew his tastes had evolved."
"Look who's talking," Pansy sniffed. "But if I were you, I'd hold off on the congratulations a month or so. It's supposed to be a secret for now."
"Would it get you in trouble?" Hermione asked hopefully.
"No… but it might lead to Astoria finding out about just how far you and Draco went and getting hurt in what's supposed to be the happiest time of her life. Of course… if you want to hurt an innocent girl who did nothing but fall in love with Draco a bit before he was ready…."
Hermione glared at Pansy. That manipulative little witch was really covering well for her lies, wasn't she? "I get it! Ugh, I really don't understand what Ron sees in a conniving bitch like you."
"I do, but I'm too pretty for a Weasley." Pansy fluffed up her hair. "The two of you should get together. What, with his lack of brains and your lack of looks…."
"But maybe he preferred your lack of personality?"
Pansy bared her teeth in an unpleasant smile. "At least I have something to commend me. I never did quite understand why someone like Draco would go for someone like you. Not only are you ugly, but you're not half as smart as you think you are. Falling for Draco's lies? Please. You should have realized that he would never truly care about someone of your low birth, poor looks and annoying habits. You were nothing but some little plaything. How amused he must be that he actually seems to have broken your heart."
Hermione gaped. Of all the ridiculous things Pansy could have said, that last remark took the cake. Absolutely nothing of Hermione's was broken. Maybe her self-confidence was a little dented and had a crack showing here and there, but that was it!
"Shut it, Pansy!" Neither of them had noticed that Ron was standing right behind Pansy until he said the exact words Hermione had planned on saying. Hermione wondered how much he'd heard. From the anger in his eyes, he'd probably heard enough. She was sorry he'd had to hear the witch he liked say such low things. Disillusionment tended to suck.
"Weasley?" Pansy asked with a confused frown. "Are you stalking me again?"
"No," Ron replied in a voice much colder than you'd expect from someone talking to their crush of several weeks. "I was coming for Hermione when I heard you."
"Right." Pansy shrugged as if she didn't have a care in the world. "It can't be a great surprise to you that I don't like either of you."
"No," he coolly replied, coming forward and standing next to Hermione's seat. "I'm beginning to realize that won't change. But don't you dare insult Hermione. She's a lot smarter and prettier inside out than you'll ever be."
Hermione tugged on Ron's sleeve. "You don't have to do this."
Ron didn't react at all. He seemed set on having the confrontation. He was a loyal friend, but, really, this was hardly the first time Hermione had butted heads with Pansy Parkinson and it probably wouldn't be the last either.
Pansy snorted. "You don't mean that, Weasley."
"Oh, I mean it," Ron growled. "And if your Draco had a chance at being with her and threw it away, then he's much stupider than I'll ever be!"
Hermione closed her eyes. That sounded so, so wrong and really wasn't what Ron should be saying to the witch he wanted a chance with.
Pansy's gaze flickered between Ron and Hermione. "Oh... so that's…." Her voice faltered a little. "I see. Well, isn't that just convenient for everyone? Gryffindors sure do rebound quickly." She sounded a lot more bewildered than sarcastic.
"Are you ready?" Ron curtly asked Hermione without disabusing Pansy of her notion. Maybe he was clueless. Or maybe he thought he could make Pansy jealous? That would probably not be the best plan.
Hermione just nodded and got up, not knowing what else to do.
"It's good you finally realized I'm too good for you," Pansy said as they were walking past her.
Ron stopped, half-turned and pinned Pansy with a glare. "You don't seem to understand. You're not too good for me. Nor are you too pretty. You're just about the worst and ugliest witch I ever met. I just didn't realize before. Thank you for showing me before I wasted anymore of my time."
That seemed to leave Pansy speechless. Hermione couldn't blame her; she was rather speechless herself.
"Wait!" Harry exclaimed, making Hermione glad that their common room was almost deserted. "The mystery girl was Pansy Parkinson? Draco Malfoy's ex-girlfriend Pansy Parkinson?"
"No, the other Pansy Parkinson!" Ron drily said. He'd made the decision to tell Harry about Pansy and get it over with straight after the library incident. Hermione felt it was a very rushed decision, but it wasn't really her place to judge.
"Oh. Right. Sorry. Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"He just did," Hermione pointed out.
"Well, yeah, but he also said he's over her now, so it's no fun anymore."
Hermione looked over at Ron, who was currently looking rather despondent. "Is it over?" she softly asked.
He shrugged. "I guess it has to be, doesn't it? I mean, I liked the girl she could be if she wanted to, but… tonight she showed that she didn't want to. She was so spiteful… I'm sorry, Hermione."
Hermione was sorry too. She would have liked to see Ron happy. "Maybe she could still be that girl?"
"Does it matter? Is it really right to go after someone, wanting to change them? Maybe she's happy the way she is. I'd just thought… and when I kissed her…."
"Wait, you kissed her?" Harry scowled at both Ron and Hermione. "Why doesn't anyone tell me anything anymore?"
Ron sighed. "Nobody knew about it, ok? It was only that one time and she didn't push me away right away so I just thought…."
"Maybe she doesn't mean it that badly," Hermione offered. "Maybe it's just some sort of a… a… defense mechanism?"
"It doesn't matter! In any case, I don't care what she says about me; it was the way she spoke to you! I could never tolerate any witch treating my friends like that!"
"What exactly did she say?" Harry asked.
Hermione's fists clenched in her lap. She wasn't ready for this conversation.
"It doesn't matter," Ron said. "It was just a bunch of insults."
Harry frowned but didn't say anything. Hermione knew he felt left out. It was just so hard to include him in some things, because he didn't understand. He'd never been involved with someone he was supposed to hate. She supposed she might as well get it over with, though. "She, um, she insinuated that Draco had tricked me into bed and th-then dumped me afterwards for not being up to his standards. She was rather happy about it."
"But that's ridiculous!" Harry said with a laugh. "You wouldn't jump into bed with that git!"
There was a silence.
"Hermione?" Harry asked, suddenly looking wary.
"I wasn't tricked," was all Hermione managed to say before being cut off by a string of very loud and very colorful oaths.
"Easy, Harry," Ron muttered with a sigh. "I hate him as much as the next bloke but… we saw it coming, didn't we?"
He avoided looking Hermione in the eyes, though, and he looked far from happy.
"He didn't do anything," Hermione insisted. "It was my idea and we weren't actually together, so how could he dump me?"
"Oh, I don't know," Harry sarcastically said, "maybe by gazing at you for months with the most lovesick expression I've ever seen on a bloke-and that includes the time Ron was under the influence of Amortentia-and then turning on you as soon as he got what he wanted?"
"It was my idea, it was what I wanted!" Hermione insisted, jumping to her feet. "He didn't turn on me; he didn't trick me; he didn't lie to me; he didn't mislead-" Her voice broke ever so slightly, but it was enough for Ron's eyes to snap up and narrow at her. "I knew what I was doing," she said with her own eyes lowered. "I knew what I was getting into. I would appreciate it if you'd never mention this to anyone again."
She mumbled some unintelligible excuse including homework and feeding her cat and fled to her room before anyone could realize her eyes were watering.
She didn't want to identify the reason. She really didn't. It didn't matter anymore.