Oh, wow. This idea came to me when I was pouring orange juice this afternoon. And now, about an hour later, here we have: Cheaters, Lies, and Draco's Surmise.

A little one-shot for DM/HG fans. One-sided Blaise/Ginny, but it's only for about two lines or so.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Malfoys are proud creatures. They don't cower in the corners, or tear up at the sight of trouble. No- they hold their heads high, ignore the slanderous words, and strut on with a swoosh of a black robe.

This was why Draco Malfoy, second most popular man in the school (except for Potter, that cretin), was walking with his chin up, while people openly… well, gawked.

"Go away," he snapped, his fingers twitching ominously. Oh, how he'd love to just wring their twiggy little necks…

"Draco?"

"Yes, Pansy?" Draco asked indifferently, brushing off nonexistent lint from his luxurious robes. Pansy eyed him, while the smirking Blaise beside her winked devilishly.

"There's been some rumors around school, Draco…"

"So I've heard," the blonde answered coolly. Pansy raised a sympathetic eyebrow.

"And… you're okay with it?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Draco said swiftly. "It is none of my concern."

"Draco, are you sure you're hearing the right rumors?" Her tone was skeptical, like she was actually fearing for his sanity.

Draco glared at his two best friends. "Yes, Pansy, I'm sure."

"Then how the hell is it none of your concern?" Blaise cut in, rolling his eyes. "It has everything to do with you. Public humiliation, you know."

Draco ignored his friends and concentrated on the lake just visible through the window. Yes… he'd admit it, it was his concern. In fact, his only concern as of now. And damn it, why'd it have to happen to him? Things were so great, and now everything was ruined… and it wasn't even his fault (a first).

"Did you hear what happened?"

"No, what?"

"Hermione Granger cheated, can you believe it?"

Draco clenched his fists as the two third-years wandered away, still gossiping loudly. Pansy cleared her throat uncomfortably, while Blaise shifted from one foot to another.

"Maybe you should talk to her," Pansy said gently. Draco gnawed at the inside of his mouth.

"No, thanks."

"She's your girlfriend, mate," Blaise scoffed. "You can't talk to her?"

"I don't want to," Draco answered shortly. Pansy sighed.

"Well… maybe the rumors aren't true. You know the people around here, they just want attention."

A pause. No, the rumors were definitely true. Draco never believed them… at first. But what happened earlier that day was proof enough. The Slytherin swallowed a tiny lump lodged deep within his throat.

"I saw her today," Draco finally said in response. "She- she walked away."

"I- what?" Blaise blinked, while Pansy craned her neck to look around for eavesdroppers. "Maybe she didn't see you."

"She saw me," sneered Draco. "I know she did. She turned around and practically sprinted the other way."

"I'm sorry, Draco," Pansy said quietly. Draco rumpled his hair.

"I bet it was with Weasley," Draco said savagely. "Not Potter- who'd hook up with that loser?"

"Ginny Weasley," Blaise replied, a little grumpily. Draco rolled his eyes, wishing his friend would get off his crush on the redhead. "Maybe it was Longbottom," he added, chuckling a little. "Hey- what if it was a Slytherin?"

"Better not be a Hufflepuff…."

"Geez, guys, get the details before you plot to kill anyone!" Pansy interjected, seeing the murder in Draco's eyes. "And Draco, I'm sure it's not what it seems like. She'd never hook up with anyone, I guarantee."

"Dude- did you hear Granger cheated? I thought she was a little goody-two-shoes!"

"Man, I know, she seems so much more badass now…"

Pansy waited until the two boys turned the corner, before tugging her friends by their elbows and dragging them away.

"Let's go to dinner."

"I'm not hungry," Draco said sourly. He didn't want to do anything but find out who seduced his girlfriend and stab them multiple times.

Maybe she didn't cheat.

Yeah, right, what're all the people talking about then?

Ignore them- they're rumors, that's all.

Maybe…

"Draco," Pansy whispered, and Draco halted to a stop. Hermione Granger was standing near her friends, looking desperately like someone who wanted to escape. Draco felt his face drain a little of color. She looked guilty.

Her eyes pleaded to him, but Draco could only stare blankly back. If she didn't cheat, then she'd say so, right? Or maybe- the bizarrely optimistic Draco interceded- she was waiting for him to confront her, so she could say no.

The three Slytherins walked slowly towards the Gryffindors, who, Draco couldn't help but notice, stepped a little closer together. Protecting her, or something? Draco sneered. He wasn't going to hit her or something.

"Did- did you?" his bravado collapsed, and he found himself silently begging her.

"I'm sorry!" Hermione burst out, eyes looking slightly more shiny than usual. "I- I had to!"

"What?" Draco snapped. "You had to?"

"I'm sorry!" Hermione babbled, sniffing. Harry cut in.

"Draco, seriously mate, come on. It's not that bad-"

"Not that BAD?" shrieked Pansy, while Draco closed his eyes briefly. Footsteps lingered all around him, and he knew people were listening. "She cheated, Potter! How can you say that's not bad?"

"Well-" Ron started defensively, but Draco had enough. He mustered his courage up and looked Hermione straight in the eye, but before he could do more than open his mouth, she started to run away.

"Hermione, wait!" he called, biting his lip.

"Let's go," Harry pulled Ron away, shooting a disparaging look at Draco and his friends. Draco trotted after them, gritting his teeth angrily.

"Really, Potter, how would you feel if Weasley did that to you?"

"'Did that to me'?" echoed Harry, scrunching up his eyebrows. "Er- well, to be honest, I suppose I wouldn't really care. I mean, she does it a lot anyway, I think…"

There was a slight pause, and Draco felt his jaw drop a fraction. Blaise choked, while Pansy's eyes widened to galleons.

Harry stopped altogether and stared at the astonished Slytherins. "What?" he rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"Well, no offense to Ginny, or anything," Ron put in. "But she's not that smart, so things lead to another, and-"

"And you're still together?" Pansy asked in disbelief. Harry sighed.

"Look, I don't like it much, but I can't convince her otherwise." This is becoming quite- what's the word?- messed up.

"When… when was the last, er, time-?" Blaise shuffled his feet awkwardly, and Draco shot him a half-amused, half-exasperated look.

"I guess maybe a week ago was the most recent?" Harry looked to Ron for confirmation. Ron shrugged.

"I don't know, mate. I heard she actually had to pay for this one."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I told her not to pay for this kind of stuff!"

"Yeah, well, it's Ginny we're talking about."

Draco was beyond sickened, and Pansy and Blaise looked the same way. They exchanged a brief holy-shit-these-people-are-crazy glance, before sprinting off to find Draco's girlfriend.

"See you later, Potter!" Draco called half-heartedly over his shoulder. "Man," he added under his breath, so only his two friends could hear, "Ginny's a whore!"

Pansy's mouth twitched. "See, Draco, maybe it's normal in their group, or something."

"That's not right," Blaise huffed, a tiny bit more out of shape than the other two. "Ginny wouldn't-"

He fell silent, and suddenly, Draco found the whole scenario hilarious. He stopped, gasping for breath, before doubling over and laughing blatantly.

"Draco, don't go mad on us now," Blaise clutched at his arm, but Pansy chuckled quietly.

"I get it now."

Draco straightened up, both he and Blaise glaring suspiciously at the petite dark-haired girl smirking smugly at them.

"What do you get?"

"Nothing," Pansy shrugged. "Talking to myself. Oh- there's Hermione!"

They turned slowly, while Hermione froze mid-step. She winced, but Draco sighed and faced what was inevitable: talking to her.

Now, things didn't seem as humorous as before.

"Draco's an idiot, Draco's an idiot," Pansy sang, clinking her spoon against her glass.

"Shut it!" Draco snarled, arm around Hermione's shoulders. Pansy snorted with glee.

"Both of you are idiots," she added, glancing at a sulky Blaise.

"Hey!"

"You thought it too," Draco accused, while Hermione smiled. Pansy stuck her tongue out.

"Yeah, well, I realized it after a while. You never did."

"It just didn't cross my mind," he huffed, avoiding her snooty gaze.

"Oh, Draco," Hermione intertwined her fingers with him and simultaneously picking up a muffin with her other hand. "Sorry. Sorry for making you worry, and sorry for… doing what I did."

"It's okay," he grumbled, while Pansy made an disgustingly mushy cooing sound. Hermione's eyes sparkled.

"It is kind of funny how you thought-"

"Enough!" Draco barked, and Pansy howled with laughter. Even Blaise gave a grudging smile. "Why'd you do it, though?"

Hermione dropped her eyes. "I thought I would fail; I wasn't ready for the test. And," she sighed. "I couldn't let that happen… I really couldn't. So I cheated. But," Hermione smiled, "I told Professor McGonagall, and she agreed to let me do some make-up work."

"You're such a nerd," Draco murmured into his girlfriend's hair. Hermione sniffed.

"Please. So are you." Draco merely shrugged, popping a bit of Hermione's muffin into his mouth.

"Well, I'm a nerd who loves you, and a nerd who is glad that his girlfriend didn't cheat on him." Draco grinned and kissed Hermione.

"I love you too, my little nerd."

Yeah... as you can obviously see, I'm bored. Many stories of mine come from boredom. I still have homework to do, actually....

ANYway, I hope you liked it! It was certainly fun to write. The Ginny's-a-whore thing was especially amusing to put in words.

I just thought this would be funny if it really happened in real life.

I do hope you enjoyed.

Love, me.