Rescue Love, Part 3: Revealed

The week passed slowly for everyone. Harry didn’t tell Ron about Hermione’s decision, and both he and Hermione acted as if they had never discussed it. Her relationship with Ron was again healed.1

“Do you feel like you’re being watched?” Hermione asked as she, Ron and Harry walked down the hall.2

“Not really,” said Ron, taking her hand in his as they walked. Hermione glanced behind her and saw Malfoy watching her with a sad expression. As soon as he noticed she was looking he changed his expression to a smirk.3

“It’s just Malfoy,” she said.4

“Scuzzball,” Ron frowned. “You know what we should do? We should…”5

Hermione tuned out the rest, thinking about the next day. Saturday-the day of the Hogsmeade trip, and the first day that students could wear muggle clothes. What would she wear? No, it wasn’t like a date, just a meeting! Or was it?6

Hermione shook her head as they entered the common room. The guy’s discussion had again turned to Quidditch, and Hermione waved them good night before going upstairs.7

As she pushed open the door, she was greeted with an interesting scene. Clothes were thrown all about the room and the girls were anxiously talking about every item.8

“Hermione!” Parvati cried, grabbing her and pulling her inside, slamming the door shut. “Thank goodness you’re here!”9

“What’s going on?” Hermione asked, looking around at their anxious faces.10

“Well, since none of us have muggle parents…besides jeans and plain shirts, none of us really have muggle clothes,” Gabrielle Cope explained. “Well, I have a hoodie I got from a lady in my town, but that’s all. Not a whole lot to work with.”11

“I have a dress,” Macy Cahill said, sitting down next to Gabrielle on her bed.12

“I have a mini-skirt and a t-shirt,” Lavender said, looking at Hermione as if she wasn’t sure they could talk.13

“I have a dress too,” Parvati said. “And a belt.”14

“Well,” Hermione said, looking at the clothes. “I have plenty, so you can all borrow some stuff from me.”15

The girls let out a collective sigh of relief as Hermione fished through her clothes. As she unpacked every muggle piece of clothing she had Lavender came up next to her.16

“Need help with that?” she asked nervously.17

“I’m fine,” Hermione said sharply. She felt Lavender flinch next to her.18

“…Hermione, I’m sorry about breakfast that one day,” Lavender said quietly.19

“What’s past is past,” Hermione said cheerfully, unfolding an Aeropostale sweatshirt and holding it up to Lavender. “Like this?”20

Lavender nodded and took it. “But I was flirting with your boyfriend,” she said, obviously confused by Hermione’s cheery attitude. “You’re not mad?”21

“Well, obviously I was furious at first,” Hermione told her. “But if you’re sorry, then it’s over.”22

Lavender looked at the lake blue sweatshirt in her arms, then looked back at Hermione who was humming cheerfully as she unpacked the clothes. “You’re nicer than I thought you were, Hermione,” she smiled, setting down the sweatshirt and helping her.23

Awhile later the girls were looking through the clothes, picking out different items they liked. Hermione assumed she would be able to pick her own outfit from what was left, but when she saw Parvati trying on her lucky pink hoodie she had to jump in.24

“This is so cute!” Parvati squealed, looking in the mirror at the heart boombox graphic on the hoodie. “Hermione, where do you find this stuff?”25

“Wet Seal, mostly,” Hermione said, at first not noticing what shirt Parvati had on. Then she did. “Um, Parvati?”26

“Yes?” Parvati turned, a wide smile across her face.27

“Um, I kind of wanted to wear that,” Hermione said tentatively.28

“Oh,” Parvati’s face fell, but she unzipped the hoodie and handed it over. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, and began to quickly piece together her outfit before the clothes she wanted were taken.29

By the time they were done everyone was tired, but more than satisfied for what they would be wearing. “I’ll have to send for some of these…flip-flops,” Macy said, carefully arranging the shoes she had chosen next to her.30

“I can’t believe no one thought of this before,” Gabrielle said. “Muggle clothes are so adorable!”31

They each went to sleep, thoughts of impressed and jealous peers (specifically Slytherin girls and Gryffindor boys) dancing through their heads.32

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~33

“Going on a date with Ron?” Lavender asked, with barely a trace of jealousy in her voice as Hermione put on a black cabby hat to finish her outfit.34

“No, just going out, like everyone else,” Hermione smiled, knowing she couldn’t share her secret. It only made the secret sweeter to think about.35

“Pretty dressed up for just going out,” Macy observed. “Skinny dark jeans are pretty flirty for ‘just going out.’”36

“What do you know? This is your first time wearing a full muggle outfit isn’t it?” Hermione laughed, checking her hair in the mirror. After months of using different hair products on it, it had finally decided to stay wavy rather than bushy.37

“You told me so last night,” Macy said. She then looked down at the pair of jeans she was wearing. “Not that I really listened.”38

“Hey, is that a guitar on your shirt?” Parvati asked, pointing to the tee underneath Hermione’s hoodie. “Like the Weird Sisters have?”39

“Yeah, sure,” Hermione said, pulling on her black tennis shoes.40

“Cool,” Gabrielle said. “I’ve got to meet Seamus, I’ll see you all later!”41

“I’ve got to get going too,” Hermione said, walking to the door, her black star earrings swinging. “Don’t spill butter beer on any of my stuff, please!”42

“Wouldn’t dream of it!”43

“Thank you so much!”44

“You are a life saver-”45

“Bye!” Hermione laughed, walking down the stairs.46

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~47

“Where should we go first?” Ron asked. Like most of the boys, he had chosen to simply not wear a robe. He instead was wearing a simple pair of jeans and a maroon sweater, undoubtedly Mrs. Weasley-made.48

“I was thinking Zonko’s Joke Shop,” Harry suggested. “Aren’t they carrying some of Fred and George’s products now?”49

“Last I heard, they were,” Ron said. “Where do you want to go, Hermione?”50

She didn’t respond, and Ron looked around the street. “Where’d she go?” he asked in confusion. Harry silently cursed himself for being so stupid and letting her get away. But he couldn’t tell Ron about her meeting with… whoever it was.51

“I think she said she was meeting someone-Macy, I think,” Harry said.52

“I didn’t know they were friends,” Ron said as they walked toward Zonko’s.53

“Yeah, they really hit it off when she gave her a pair of jeans to wear today,” Harry lied, pushing open the door.54

“Nice to see Hermione making new friends, y’know? Sometimes I feel like she spends too much time with us,” Ron said.55

“You might not think that for long,” Harry muttered to himself.56

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~57

Hermione looked around The Three Broomsticks, feeling lost. Usually when she came in it was with Harry or Ron, and she had someone to sit with. Madame Rosmerta waved to Hermione and she smiled, approaching the bar.58

“There’s a handsome boy in the corner over there that me to tell you to when he got here that he’s waiting for you,” Madame Rosmerta smiled. “He also said whatever you want to drink, it’s on him.” She looked at Hermione for a moment. “You’re not going out with Ron Weasley anymore, then?”59

“Oh, no, this boy is just a friend,” Hermione explained. “You said handsome, though. What does he look like?”60

Madame Rosmerta looked surprised. “I don’t know, he had his hood up, so I couldn’t see his face… but he certainly sounded handsome!”61

Hermione laughed, looking toward the corner. There sat a boy in worn jeans, the hood of his green Volcom hoodie hiding the upper half of his face. The lower half revealed a pale smile, and he waved, noticing she had come in.62

Hermione smiled, heading to the table. “Hey,” she said, sitting down across from him. “Can I see your face now?”63

“Nope,” he turned his face up to reveal that he had cut eyeholes in a Slytherin scarf and was using it to cover the upper half of his face. He laughed at the frustrated expression on Hermione’s face. “Your reaction wouldn’t be any different now than it would have been then.”64

“You’re a Slytherin, then,” Hermione said, leaning forward and looking into his green eyes. “But you aren’t one of the Death Eater children?”65

“I never said that,” he shifted in his chair uncomfortably.66

“You are?” Hermione gasped.67

“I don’t exactly support the cause, though,” he said quickly. “I pretend to, sure. But I don’t mean it.”68

“But then wouldn’t Vol-” she started.69

“Don’t say his name!” he hissed, his eyes wide. “It’s jinxed!”70

Hermione took a deep breath. “Sorry.” They sat in silence for a bit, and Hermione pretended to retie her shoe, only to have something to do.71

“You look a little cold,” he said suddenly. “Want butter beer?”72

“You don’t have to do that,” Hermione said, but he had already waved Madame Rosmerta over. “Could we have two butter beers, please?” he asked.73

“Of course, dears,” she smiled at Hermione, obviously unconvinced that this was not a date. She hurried away and Hermione looked back over at her… well, she didn’t really know what he was to her.74

“I notice you’re more dressed up than most of the guys,” Hermione commented. “If you’re in Slytherin, you must be pureblood.”75

“Oh, I am,” he said. “But my father has connections, so he sent this in for me.” When he said “my father” his voice drawled a bit. Suddenly Hermione knew who she was sitting across the table from.76

“Malfoy!” she cried. He jumped and grabbed her wrist across the table.77

“Be quiet! Do you want the entire pub to know I’m here?” he hissed, his green eyes wide.78

“What the hell are you doing?” she hissed, wrenching her hand away. “Why did you save me?”79

“This is why I didn’t want to tell you who I am,” he sighed, tugging the scarf away. He dropped it in his lap and looked at her, his pale blonde bangs hanging over his sad eyes. “Because you hate me.”80

Hermione felt torn. Should she yell? Should she run? “Why did you save me? You hate people…like me,” she hissed.81

“Because,” Malfoy leaned forward, placing his face in his hands. “I thought you could forgive me if I saved you. And I don’t hate you, Hermione.”82

Hermione sat back. “I don’t understand.”83

“Neither do I, okay?” he said angrily. “I don’t get this. I’m supposed to hate you…mudbloods. I’m supposed to fight loyally on the Dark Lord’s side. I don’t understand anymore than you do!” He let out a deep breath and looked back at her. “Look, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I’ve been a S.O.B. all these years. I’m sorry for every time I’ve made fun of your parentage or your teeth or the way you bounce when you want to answer a question in class.”84

Hermione stared at him suspiciously. “What do you want?” she asked slowly.85

“I want…” he swallowed. “I want forgiveness… And I want a chance- a chance to prove to you that I’m better than you think I am.”86

“Here’s your butter beer,” Madame Rosmerta cut in, setting the mugs in front of them. She looked at the two youths who were both staring at each other. “Well, you’re welcome,” she rolled her eyes and walked away.87

“You might want to drink that,” Hermione said. “You look pale.” Malfoy chuckled, his slightly green face pulling up a bit.88

“I always look pale, but I don’t doubt I look sick,” he sighed, taking a sip of his butter beer. “This is better than I remember,” he commented. He took a long drink, then sat it down. Hermione had taken a few sips of her own, but was watching him.89

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “I should have told you who I was to start with.”90

“No,” she said. “I would have run away. You were smart with that at least.”91

Malfoy swallowed. “Could I ask you something?”92

“I’m not running away, so I suppose you can,” Hermione said.93

Malfoy smiled slightly, then cleared his throat. “Do you…hate me?”94

Hermione thought about that as she sipped her butter beer. “I don’t know,” she finally said after a long stretch of silence. “You’ve done so much before. But you saved me from death- or worse, possibly.”95

Malfoy shivered. “Probably worse. You don’t want to know what Death Eaters do to women they capture.”96

“Then, I guess the feeling is neutral,” she said. “So we’re even, Malfoy.”97

“I actually feel like I’m in your debt,” Malfoy said. “But… could you call me by my first name?”98

“Why?” Hermione asked.99

“I always think ‘Malfoy’ is my father,” he explained, looking into his lap. “And I don’t want to be like him.”100

“Alright then… Draco,” Hermione said. “Why don’t you hate me anymore?”101

“I don’t know,” Draco said quietly. “I sometimes wish that I could hate you again. It would make life so much easier.” He shook his head. “But I can’t, no matter how hard I try.” He cupped one hand in the other and leaned his forehead against them. “So…can I please have a chance with you?”102

“Like…what do you mean?” Hermione asked.103

“Just forget Ron for a bit,” Draco asked. “And…give me a chance.”104

“Hermione?”105

Both Draco and Hermione turned at the sound of Ron’s voice. “Give me your answer!” Draco whispered, standing up.106

Hermione felt a rush of questions, and no answers. “Yes,” she whispered. Draco smiled and walked away, to the entrance.107

“What’re you doing here?” Ron growled as Draco approached him.108

“Don’t talk to me, Weasley, I’m in a good mood,” he said softly. “I don’t want it ruined by hearing your voice.”109

“Yeah, well,” Ron started, but Draco exited before he could finish. Harry shook his head, then spotted Hermione. He poked Ron and pointed to her, and they came to her table.110

“You ditched us,” Ron said indignantly.111

“Sorry, I had a craving for butter beer,” she lied.112

“A big craving,” Ron said. “Drink enough of this and you’ll end up like Winky.”113

“Ron!” Hermione said sharply. “She can’t help it. Now, if the other-”114

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Ron rolled his eyes. “But how much butter beer can a girl have?”115

“Well, since it’s my… time-of-the-month, I have big cravings for things,” she lied. Both Harry and Ron squirmed in their chairs.116

“Could we talk about something else, maybe?” Ron asked. Hermione smiled; the best way to change the subject was to bring up some female body function.117

They talked and Ron held Hermione’s hand on top of the table. Although she participated in every part of the conversation, her mind was wondering Hogsmeade, wondering where Draco had gone. She felt guilty; but she hadn’t done anything wrong!118

Had she?