f o u r

Draco Malfoy sat down next to Blaise with a smirk. "I'm on her mind right now."

"How are you so sure?" Zabini asked as he looked over at Hermione and back to his friend.

"It was easy. I didn't call her a mudblood."

"That was it? One word and she's all over you?"

"I told you she was easy." He said with a smirk as he let out a relieved sigh. "I'm going to be Pansy-free in no time."

"Yeah, don't get too comfortable because she's coming this way," Blaise said with a slight scoff, turning to his food.

Draco sighed and cursed under his breath once Pansy sat down next to him.

"Well, don't you look happy?" She said with a grin as she stared at Draco.

"Yeah,"

"I was wondering if you wanted to come home with me for the holidays . . ." Pansy suggested as she placed a hand on Draco's arm.

Draco put on a fake grin and stared at Pansy. "I'd rather get attacked by a Hippogriff than go home with you for the holidays."

Pansy immediately frowned and crossed her arms across her chest. "Why? It'll be a lot more fun at my place than here at this old school."

"No, staying here at this old school will be much more fun than going home with you. I'll feel a lot safer with you far, far away from me."

"Fine, then. I guess I'll just stay here, too." Pansy stood her ground as she glared at Draco.

"Do whatever you want because I'm going to be busy."

"And why is that?"

"My, Pansy your curiosity is beginning to worry me. You're starting to remind me of Granger." He teased Pansy with a smirk.

"Don't compare me to that mudblood," Pansy said with a glare.

"Then don't talk to me anymore," Draco told her sternly and broke out into a taunting smile. "We can't always get what we want. I want you to leave me alone and you want me to stop comparing you with Granger. I guess we'll just have to live with it, then. Oh, and don't call her a mudblood."

"Why? You say it all the time, why can't I?"

"I don't use that word anymore," Draco replied back as he raised his eyebrows.

"And when did you stop using it?" Pansy scowled as she rolled her eyes annoyingly at him.

"Hmm, let me think ... since about right now. Don't use that word in front of me and do not call Granger that. She may be a muggle born but she's a better witch than you'll ever be so if I were you . . . I'd stop insulting her and start practicing because you need all the help you can get."

"Ugh, whatever!" Pansy yelled with annoyance as she stood up. "You are so annoying."

"My thoughts exactly."

Pansy clenched her jaw as she rolled her fingers into a fist. "Ugh!" She yelled with frustration and glared over at Hermione before exiting the Great Hall.

"Wow, that was some show," Blaise commented.

"Someone had to say it." He told his friend matter-of-factly.

"No, I meant you called Granger a . . . you-know-what yesterday and now you've decided not to call her that anymore?"

"There's a first for everything, right?" Blaise raised his eyebrow at his friend's comment.

"It's not too late to get that brain checked of yours. I promise I'll pay for the bills. I just want you to be . . . okay again."

"Oh, shove it." Blaise chuckled at his friend and patted Draco's shoulder.

"So, what's your next plan?"

"Well, we have Astronomy with them so we'll just have to wait until night comes. Until then, I am going to enjoy my Pansy-free moment." Draco stated with an almost small grin but it turned into a smirk. Typical Draco Malfoy.

"But aren't you going to create a plan?" Blaise asked with a confused look.

"That's a waste of time. All I have to do is be unexpected, okay? I need to say nice things to her and she'll be mine in no time. I have nothing to worry about since Granger is the girl to use."

"Don't come crying to me when you realize you should've formulated a plan because all I'll say is ''"

"Well, don't count on saying those words because I won't come to you for help. Besides, Malfoys don't cry."

"You and your family pride," Blaise muttered under his breath as he shook his head.

---

"Why do you think he didn't call me a mudblood?" Hermione asked her friend anxiously after telling her the whole story between them.

"Well, maybe . . . he's changed for the better?" Ginny suggested with a small grin.

"No, something's up. There's no way he'd change." She said, immediately jumping to conclusions. "He's up to something. It's just not likely of him to act that way. It's strange and—"

"The war changed everyone, Mione, so it's only logical that Malfoy changed, too. Especially him since he didn't even want to be on Voldemort's side. And considering what happened to his parents..." Hermione stared at her friend with a confused look.

"Wow, I really have to give it to Malfoy. Draco Malfoy's got you feeling stupid confused! You're left speechless because of him—wow, you know what? We should give him a prize. It's not every day Hermione Granger is left speechless and stumped on something." Ginny teased her friend with a grin.

"What are you girls talking about over there?" Harry interjected eagerly.

Hermione shot a glare at Ginny and looked over at Harry. "People."

"Boys, men, dudes, whatever you two want to refer yourselves as," Ginny said as she waved them off.

"? Hermione, you're talking about boys?" Lavender asked with wide, shocked eyes.

"It's none of your concern." She replied through her teeth as she glared at the blonde. "It's nothing, guys."

"Who were you guys talking about?" Ron asked as he cleared his throat uncomfortably, waiting for Hermione's answer.

"A guy." Hermione simply stated and kept her mouth shut. "I'd love to stay and chat some more, but I'm going to head to the library to sort things out or something." She said as she fluidly got up with all her things. She flashed them a small grin before leaving them deserted.

"You have fun on that ," Ginny yelled after her friend who groaned in return. She laughed at their small secret and received weird glances from the trio. "What?" She snapped at them as she immediately frowned.

"Won-Won, let's go back to the commons and . . . talk." Lavender said in her sweet-song voice as she winked at him, getting up.

"Sounds good to me," Ron said with a goofy grin as he followed Lavender. Soon enough, Harry and Ginny were sitting alone at the table.

"Were you guys talking about Draco Malfoy?" Harry suddenly asked Ginny curiously.

"What?" Ginny asked with wide eyes. "Who gave you that silly idea?"