♕ fourteen

★ ☆ ✮ ✯ 

 Hermione had never kissed anyone like that before. 

Never that sweetly, never that tenderly; It felt precarious, almost dangerous, as if any second the moment might break. It was a beautiful and delicate thing, that kiss. Hermione wanted to fold up the memory and tuck it away in her dormitory where no one could harm it.

But her brain was moving at a million miles a minute. How had Draco taken it? Did he think she was acting? Did he like it? Would it happen again? 

God, she hoped it would happen again. 

Suddenly, Hermione jumped at the sound of someone plopping into the armchair beside hers. She turned quickly to see Ginny, arms crossed and eyes narrowed in suspicion. 

"Goodness, Gin, don't scare m-"

"What the hell was that?" Ginny said accusingly. Hermione frowned. 

"What d'you mean, the kiss?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. 

"No, the other mind blowing thing that happened tonight. Yes, the kiss!"

Hermione cleared her throat nervously. 

"I don't know what you're so wound up about, Gin. We were just doing our jobs. I wanted to make Ron extra jealous."

"Come on, Mione. You're the worst liar I know." 

"What does that have to do with it?" she retorted, eyebrows raised. 

"You're bad at pretending. That kiss looked real. Which means it was real. That was not part of the plan!"

Hermione tried to appear nonchalant as she met Ginny's stubborn gaze. 

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Ginny narrowed her eyes for a moment. Hermione fought the urge to glance down at her knees. 

Suddenly, the redhead's expression softened and she breathed a sigh of relief. 

"Thank god," she exclaimed, leaning back in the chair. "I was worried for a second that you two actually fancied each other."

Hermione frowned.  

"And what's so worrisome about that?" Her voice was unnaturally high. 

"I mean he's already got like ten girlfriends, basically. Pansy is all over him at every meal, and all the Sixth Years send him love letters daily. Someone even told me he eats lunch with Romilda Vane on Tuesdays."

Hermione's mouth was agape. She didn't know what she was feeling- it was like her stomach had become a boiling cauldron. It was threatening to bubble over. 

Ginny sighed exaggeratedly. "I'm just glad you're not girlfriend number eleven. Or twelve, even. I heard he's got his eye on Evangeline Livingston, that pretty Ravenclaw?"

Hermione glared aggressively at the carpet. She wanted to punch Evangeline Livingston in her stupid curly face. 

"Well, Draco can date as many whores as he likes!" she said, a lot louder and more angrily than she had intended. She slammed the book she was holding onto the coffee table in her rage. 

How could he do this? How could he have kissed her back tonight, knowing that he had a line of other girls waiting to do the same with him? Was he with one of them right now? Hermione's stomach turned at the thought. 

Suddenly, Ginny broke out into a fit of giggles. Hermione's anger slowly ebbed away as she looked up in confusion. 

"What're you laughing about?" she demanded. Ginny grinned. 

"I'm too good!" she chuckled. Hermione frowned. 

"What are you talking about?"

Ginny took a breath and stopped laughing long enough to explain herself. 

"I made all that stuff up, Hermione. I just wanted to see what you'd say."

Hermione's confusion turned into irritation. 

"That's not funny, Ginny," she said coldly. Ginny shook her head. 

"Actually, it is funny. Wait- yeah, yeah still funny."

Hermione rolled her eyes and turned away, hoping she wasn't blushing too furiously. 

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Ginny sighed, putting her hands up in mock surrender. "But I'm your best friend. You couldn't have hoped to hide it from me forever."

Hermione sighed. 

"I suppose you're right."

"Well, the secret's out now," Ginny said cheerily. "Now tell me all about it!" 

She scooted her armchair closer, earning herself another eyeroll from Hermione, who sighed. 

"I think I like Draco," she began tentatively. 

"Well duh," Ginny replied. 

Hermione gulped. 

"Is it that obvious?" 

Ginny shrugged. 

"I mean, I'm sure Harry and the other's haven't picked up on it yet. They all thought you two were acting for the sake of the plan. I only figured it out because I know you too well." 

Hermione nodded. 

"Makes sense."

"But," Ginny continued, "the whole school probably things you two are dating now. Kissing in front of a whole House and going to the dance together is a pretty big relationship flag."

Strangely, Hermione didn't mind that. The thought of being Draco's girlfriend excited her. And they wouldn't have to hide their relationship, if everyone knew. 

"What if he doesn't like me back?" Hermione said worriedly. 

Ginny's jaw dropped. 

"I thought you were supposed to be the brightest witch of the age, Hermione of course he likes you!"

Hermione smiled quietly. 

"You really think so?"

Ginny raised an eyebrow. 

"Why else would he have agreed to help you with every single step of his plan, agreed to work with his mortal enemies, and kissed you in front of the whole school if he didn't actually fancy you?"

Hermione nodded. It made sense. 

She let herself be hopeful for a moment. Her spirits soared. Walking hand and hand with him around the grounds... goodbye kisses after class... cheering him on at Quidditch matches... dancing with him at the ball...

Hermione gasped. 

"Ginny! The ball's next week!" 

Ginny nodded. 

"And?"

"What am I going to wear? How do I do my hair, what does he like? Is it too bushy? What if I break out? What if it i-"

"Hermione," Ginny commanded, calming her friend. Hermione looked up at her friend, trying to even her breaths. 

"That's the next stage of the plan," Ginny explained, smiling devilishly. "Don't you remember? Step Three. Ron said that you don't dress well. But we'll show him that you can."

Hermione smiled softly. "How do you plan to do that, Ginny?" 

"We're going to make you look so good, Draco won't know what hit him, and Ron will be so jealous he'll be stupefyed into the next century."

★ ☆ ✮ ✯