A/N - My one shots are fun, light-hearted pieces and this one is no exception. It takes place in seventh year (no war), and features one of my favourite one shot topics - the reveal of Draco and Hermione's relationship. Enjoy.
The snow was softly falling as Hermione Granger sat in The Three Broomsticks with her two best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. The three seventh years were in Hogsmeade to enjoy the final visit of the year before they left Hogwarts for the Christmas break in just over a week. After spending the morning wandering the shops, the trio had settled in the pub for something to eat.
"Another drink?" Ron asked. The food was long gone, but the trio had been nursing drinks, reluctant to go out in the snow until absolutely necessary.
"Sounds good," Harry replied.
"I'll pass," Hermione said. "I actually want to do some last minute shopping."
"You've had all morning to shop," Ron pointed out with a frown.
"Yes, but I've had you two with me the entire time," Hermione retorted. "It's hard to buy presents for people if they're standing right beside you."
"Got it," Ron said with a grin. "Well don't let us stop you, Hermione. Go and do your shopping. We'll see you back up at the castle."
Chuckling at Ron's eagerness to get rid of her now he knew who she wanted to buy presents for, Hermione pulled on her coat, grabbed her bags and saying goodbye to her friends she headed out into the snow.
"You know, I should really finish my shopping," Harry said with a sigh after Hermione had left.
"Me too," Ron admitted reluctantly. "I just hate Christmas shopping, I never know what to get people."
"Same here," Harry replied. "How about we have another drink before we have to face that problem."
"You're on," Ron replied eagerly as he headed to the bar to grab two fresh drinks.
Ten minutes later, Harry and Ron had finished their drinks and wrapping themselves up they ventured out into the cold streets of Hogsmeade. Fortunately the snow had pretty much stopped as they set about trying to finish the last of their shopping. Working together the pair managed to sort presents for everyone but each other.
"Quidditch shop," Ron suggested.
"Good idea," Harry agreed. "We can point in each in the right direction."
Heading over to the quidditch shop, Harry and Ron entered their favourite shop only to be greeted by the sight of Hermione browsing the shelves holding quidditch related books. Not wanting their friend to think they were spying on her, the pair ducked out of sight.
"Do you think she's buying our presents now?" Harry whispered to Ron as they peered at Hermione through a gap in one of the shelves.
"Who else would she be shopping for in a quidditch shop?" Ron replied. "I know Ginny plays quidditch, but Hermione always buys her something girly. Hermione has to be buying our presents."
"In that case we should leave and come back later," Harry said.
"Aren't you curious about what she's going to look at?" Ron hissed, making sure to keep his voice low so that Hermione didn't hear them. "I mean, she doesn't know much about quidditch, what if she looks in the wrong place?"
"What are you going to do, jump out and tell her you don't like whatever she's picked up?" Harry chuckled softly.
"No, but if she does buy something naff, I can practice looking pleased when I open her present," Ron retorted.
"Now that's a good idea," Harry admitted. He would hate to hurt Hermione's feelings by reacting badly to something she'd bought if she did happen to buy something that wasn't right for him.
With the decision to keep an eye on Hermione made, Harry and Ron skulked around the shop as their best friend left the books she was looking at and made her way over to the quidditch tops. They watched as Hermione strolled around practically the whole shop, looking at various bits and pieces. However, she didn't seem to be able to make her mind up on anything and Harry and Ron were grateful when a young wizard who worked in the shop approached her and offered her some help. At least now they might get somewhere and then they could concentrate on their own shopping.
"I would love some help," Hermione admitted with a relieved smile. "I'm not very knowledgeable about quidditch, and I don't want to buy the wrong thing."
"I'm here to offer any assistance you might require," The wizard replied helpfully. "Who are you looking to buy for?"
"I've got two people left to sort," Hermione replied. "Two very important people to me. I've already bought one of them something, so I'm looking for something smaller to go with his other present. And the other one, this is going to be his main present."
"Let's start with the smaller gift," The shop assistant said. "Does he play quidditch, or have a favourite team?"
"He does play," Hermione replied with a nod. "And his favourite team is something Cannons I think. I can't quite remember the name."
"The Chudley Cannons," The wizard supplied, as Ron gave Harry a nudge.
"Told you it would be helpful," he hissed to his best friend as the shop assistant led Hermione over to a display of new quidditch memorabilia that had just arrived.
"We have this exclusive signed picture of this year's team," The assistant told Hermione, plucking a frame from the display. "It's one of only ten printed."
"Won't it be expensive though?" Hermione asked.
"Actually, it's not as pricey as a lot of the other signed pictures we have," The assistant admitted. "The Cannons don't have the widest fan base, not with their recent troubles."
"Recent troubles?" Hermione asked with a frown.
"Yeah, they're a crap team and struggle to win matches," The assistant chuckled.
From where they were hiding, Ron let out an annoyed growl at the shop assistant's slur against his precious Cannons. Luckily Harry was right beside his friend and he stopped him from rushing out and defending his favourite quidditch team.
"Just ignore him, Ron," Harry muttered as the assistant told Hermione the price of the picture and she chose to buy it.
"I'll show him who the crap team is, I bet he's one of those glory hunters that's attached his allegiance to the Tornadoes since they started dominating the league," Ron hissed angrily. "At least I'm loyal and support the same team I supported since I was a boy, even if they're not the best anymore."
Harry nodded, hastily agreeing with Ron before he got off on a full blow rant about quidditch loyalty. Harry knew for a fact it was a sore topic with Ron, and he hated nothing more than someone supporting a team just because they were good. In his opinion you stuck with whatever team you supported during both the good and bad times.
By the time Harry and Ron returned their attention back to Hermione, she was heading over to the other side of the shop with the wizard who was helping her. Creeping along so they wouldn't be seen, they got close enough just in time to hear Hermione describe the second wizard she wanted to buy a present for as an excellent flyer and competitive seeker.
"Ah, competitive is good," The assistant chuckled. "I take it that means he likes to win."
"Definitely," Hermione replied. "He takes his seeking very seriously. In fact he has ambitions to play professionally."
"Do you?" Ron hissed to Harry.
"Doesn't everyone who plays?" Harry retorted with a shrug. He did actually hope to one day play quidditch professionally, but he'd never confessed his ambition to anyone. Obviously Hermione knew him better than he'd ever thought.
"Since you're after something a bit special, we have this new range of seekers gloves," the shop assistant said to Hermione, dragging Harry and Ron's attention back to their friend and her shopping trip. "They're top of the range, and endorsed by one of the world's best seekers, Viktor Krum."
"These are the new light weight dragon skin gloves with superb grip and extra protection to keep your hands from chafing on the boom?" Hermione asked, causing not only the shop assistant to look at her in surprise, but Harry and Ron to exchange shocked glances. For someone whose knowledge of quidditch was limited, she certainly knew a lot about the gloves.
"Yes, these are the ones," the wizard replied. "In actual fact, the Tutshill Tornadoes and the Ballycastle Bats are using them this season. But you seem to know a lot about them already."
"Not really, Viktor just mentioned these amazing new gloves he's been trialling," Hermione replied with a casual shrug.
"Viktor, as in Viktor Krum, the huge quidditch star?" The wizard choked out, his eyes out on stalks as he scrutinised Hermione.
"That would be the one, he's a friend," Hermione answered.
"Did you know they were still in touch?" Ron asked Harry with a frown. Even though Hermione had gone to the Yule Ball with Krum in fourth year, he'd had no idea she was still in touch with the famous wizard.
"Not a clue," Harry replied, just as shocked at the revelation as Ron.
"They are quite pricey though," the shop assistant warned Hermione as he did a good job of hiding his shock that the young girl in front of him actually knew Viktor Krum.
"This will be his main present," Hermione said as she admired the gloves. "And I happen to think he's worth it. Now is there any way I can have his initials added to the gloves?"
"Of course," the wizard replied. "It will cost you a few galleons extra."
"No problem, can you do it today?"
"It'll take half an hour or so."
"That's fine, I can come back," Hermione replied. "I have a few more bits to get anyway."
Harry and Ron sunk back into the shadows as Hermione and the shop assistant headed over to the counter for her to pay for her purchases and sort the gloves. Exchanging excited grins at the presents they were going to get off Hermione for Christmas, Harry and Ron waited until their friend had exited the shop before they began their own shopping. Ten minutes later they were finished in the shop, and they headed back up to Hogwarts long before Hermione was due to return to pick up the gloves she'd ordered for Harry.
As always Harry spent Christmas with the Weasleys at The Burrow, while Hermione went home to see her parents. However, Hermione had arranged to visit The Burrow on Boxing Day to see her friends and exchange presents. On Boxing Day morning, Hermione arrived at The Burrow bright and early, with a large bag of presents.
"Hermione, how was your Christmas?" Molly asked as she greeted the young witch warmly. While Hermione hadn't quite slipped into the family like Harry had, she was still a regular fixture around the Weasleys house and she was friendly with all the family.
"It was great thanks, Molly," Hermione replied. "Did you have a good day?"
"We did," Molly replied with a smile. "You will be staying for the day, won't you? I'm organising a massive spread for this afternoon."
"I'll be here until late, unless you're going to kick me out," Hermione replied with a smile.
"Of course not," Molly chuckled. "I think everyone's in the front room. Go and join them and I'll be in shortly with drinks and mince pies."
Heading into the front room, Hermione found most of the Weasley family, and Harry, sitting around laughing and joking. Hermione was greeted as warmly as ever, and she'd no sooner entered the room than she found herself squeezed onto the sofa in-between the fun loving Weasley twins, Fred and George.
"Merry Christmas, Hermione," Fred said, pulling some mistletoe from behind his back and holding it over Hermione's head as he surged forward and gave her a kiss.
"Thanks Fred, Merry Christmas to you too," Hermione chuckled, not minding about the kiss as she knew Fred was just messing around.
"And what about me?" George pouted.
"Merry Christmas, George," Hermione said, turning to her other side and smiling at George.
"And where's my kiss?" George asked.
"Where's your mistletoe?" Hermione countered.
"Right here," George declared, producing a piece of mistletoe like his brother and leaning forward and giving Hermione a Christmas kiss.
Chuckling at the twins actions, Hermione turned to her other friends and found Ron frowning at his brothers. Not wanting to get into the fact Ron seemed to have a crush on her, Hermione ignored the looks Ron was shooting at his brothers. Even though she'd made it clear to Ron on numerous occasions that she just saw him as a friend, he still seemed to harbour some feelings for her. However, as long as he didn't act on them, Hermione was reluctant to get into things as she didn't want their friendship to be damaged when she was forced to reject him.
"Should we exchange presents?" Ginny asked, sensing things could get tricky with Ron and not wanting her brother to ruin the festive atmosphere.
Ginny's suggestion was met by enthusiasm all round, and while Hermione emptied the bag she'd brought with her and handed presents round, Ron and Harry got Hermione's presents out from under the tree.
"Now these are just little bits of something," Hermione said as she handed Harry and Ron small parcels each. "I do have something bigger for you, but these are just little extras."
"Thanks Hermione," Harry said as he tore into the paper to find an exclusive mail order broomstick cleaning kit especially designed for Firebolts.
"Yeah, thanks," Ron added as he opened the parcel to find his expected signed picture of The Chudley Cannons. "This is awesome."
As Harry and Ron were opening their smaller presents, the other Weasleys were opening their presents off Hermione. Hermione hadn't bought massive presents for the group of redheads, but all of her gifts were thoughtful and well received. Hermione herself then opened her presents off the rest of the family, before turning to the presents from her two best friends. However, before she opened any presents off Harry and Ron she reached into the bag containing the presents she'd bought with her and produced one last present, which was in a long, thin box.
"This is a join present, so I hope you both like it," Hermione said as she handed the present over to the two confused boys.
Harry and Ron exchanged bewildered looks as they popped the lid off the box. Sitting nestled in the box they found two V.I.P tickets to a world cup qualifier match between England and Bulgaria, which was due to take place over the summer.
"Bloody hell," Ron exclaimed as he gazed at the tickets in amazement. "How did you get these, Hermione? They're like gold dust to get hold of."
"I had some help," Hermione admitted. "I'm still friendly with Viktor and he helped me get the tickets. You do like them, don't you?"
"We love them," Harry reassured Hermione with a wide grin. The tickets had certainly been unexpected, but he couldn't deny it was the best present either him or Ron had received that Christmas.
"I'm so pleased," Hermione replied. "The two of you are so hard to buy for. I hoped nothing would go wrong if I just stuck to quidditch stuff."
"It didn't, these are excellent presents," Ron said, still focused on the unexpected tickets.
As the boys took in their presents, Hermione opened her presents off the two wizards. As usual she received an array of books, perfume and her favourite chocolates from her two best friends. Even though the boys bought her practically the same thing each year, Hermione was still grateful for the gifts. The chocolates were always her favourites, the perfume was always one she liked and wore regularly and Harry and Ron had a surprising knack of picking books she wouldn't have picked for herself, but that she always enjoyed.
After opening presents, Hermione packed her gifts into the bag she'd brought and put it one side for one she went home. She then lost herself in the festive atmosphere at The Burrow, not noticing that Harry and Ron had snuck off to discuss their gift.
"What happened to the gloves?" Ron asked with a frown. "I thought they were going to be your main present."
"Maybe she changed her mind," Harry suggested with a shrug.
"No, she had to have had the tickets before she went shopping," Ron pointed out. "She clearly told the bloke in the shop that she already had my main present, meaning she already had the tickets."
"So who were the gloves for then?" Harry asked with a frown.
"Krum?" Ron suggested.
"Krum doesn't need het to buy him gloves, he's already got them," Harry argued. "Besides, she said the gift was for someone who wanted to play professionally, Krum already plays professionally."
"That leaves one of the other seekers at Hogwarts," Ron said. "But that makes no sense either. Both Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff have young seekers, even younger than Ginny. She wouldn't be buying gifts for them."
"That leaves the Slytherin seeker then," Harry said reluctantly.
"Malfoy?" Ron spat. "No way. There has to be another explanation. Maybe she did just change her mind and didn't bother with the gloves and got you the cleaning kit instead."
"It makes more sense than her buying gifts for Malfoy," Harry conceded. "But I guess we'll never know. It's not like we can ask her who she was buying the gloves for."
"I guess not," Ron agreed with a sigh. "It looks like it will forever be a mystery."
Accepting that they would never solve the mystery of the seekers gloves, Harry and Ron headed back to join the others. Hermione was only with them for the day, and they wanted to make the most of the time they had with their best friend. After all, once she went home they wouldn't see her until they returned to school as Hermione had already said she had plans for the New Year.
The first weekend back at school, Harry and Ron went to visit Hermione in the head dorms. The pair were regular visitors to the head dorms, and their only problem with visiting Hermione was the Head Boy, Draco Malfoy. Harry and Ron had never gotten along with the blond Slytherin and they pitied Hermione having to live with the aggravating wizard. However, Hermione seemed to cope just fine in the head dorms. Or at least if she did have any problems with Draco, she didn't share them with her two friends.
"Is that a new necklace?" Harry asked Hermione as she handed them drinks. Hanging around Hermione's neck was a silver dragon necklace, with its tail wrapped around what looked like a genuine heart shaped emerald.
"It is," Hermione replied, looking surprised that Harry had even noticed her new piece of jewellery.
"Christmas present?" Harry asked.
"It was," Hermione answered, although she didn't elaborate further as she went into the small kitchen alcove to retrieve her own drink.
"What's with the questions about Hermione's jewellery?" Ron hissed to his best friend. Even though he knew he stood no chance with Hermione, he was hoping his best friend wasn't developing feelings for her. He didn't think he could cope if his two best friends got together and he was left out in the cold.
"I've just never noticed it before and it's an unusual piece," Harry replied. "I'm no expert, but it looks magical."
"So what if it is?" Ron questioned with a shrug.
"She got all her presents from magical people on Boxing Day, and no-one got her a necklace like that," Harry pointed out.
"Maybe her parents picked it up one time when they were in Diagon Alley," Ron suggested.
"They haven't been to Diagon Alley in years," Harry replied. "These days, Hermione meets up with us and does her shopping with us."
Ron nodded, realising that Harry was right and over the years Hermione's parents had ventured into the wizarding world less and less. These days, the only time they were seen was when they either dropped Hermione off or picked her up at King's Cross Station.
Before the boys could discuss things further, Hermione returned and settled down on the sofa opposite them. For the next half hour, the puzzle of Hermione's necklace was left to one side as the two boys happily chatted to their best friend. Eventually talk turned to their school work and upcoming exams, and Hermione mentioned a History of Magic assignment that neither Harry nor Ron had started, despite it being assigned before the holidays.
"I don't suppose you have some notes we can borrow, do you?" Harry asked, shooting his friend a pleading smile.
"I'll see what I can do," Hermione said, getting to her feet. "I have to find my notes, so I might be a while."
"We can wait," Ron reassured his friend as Hermione headed off upstairs to find her History of Magic notes.
Helping themselves to another drink, Harry and Ron settled back to wait for Hermione. However, Hermione had only been gone a few minutes when the door to the common room opened and Draco strolled in, decked out in his quidditch uniform.
"Great, you two," Draco muttered, not impressed to find the two Gryffindors in the common room.
"It's nice to see you too, Malfoy," Harry shot back sarcastically.
"What are you two doing here?" Draco asked, propping his broom up beside the wall and throwing his gloves onto the chair beside the two Gryffindors. "Where's Granger?"
"Upstairs," Ron answered as Harry got to his feet and picked up Draco's gloves.
"Problem Potter?" Draco smirked, seeing where Harry's attention was and thinking it was jealousy. After all, his new seekers gloves were the latest ones available, and used by professionals.
"Where did you get these?" Harry asked as he examined the gloves and found a silver D.M stitched into the cuff.
"They were a Christmas present," Draco answered.
"A Christmas present," Ron echoed, suddenly picking up on why Harry was so interested in the gloves. They were the gloves Hermione had been looking at in Hogsmeade.
"Yes Weasley, a Christmas present," Draco drawled. "I assume even you get Christmas presents. Although I doubt you would have received anything as expensive as those gloves."
"Who did you get them off?" Harry asked, praying Draco would say they were from his parents.
"Not that it's any of your business, but they were off my girlfriend," Draco answered as he strolled into the kitchen alcove attached to the common room.
Harry and Ron looked at each other in horror, not liking the conclusions they were coming to. They'd seen Hermione buy a pair of seeker gloves with their own eyes, and now Draco had the exact same pair. And then there was the fact Hermione wanted the gloves monogrammed, and the gloves in Harry's hand had Draco's initials on them.
"It can't be," Ron muttered.
"It all adds up, Ron," Harry replied, equally as reluctant to believe the evidence as his friend, but knowing that burying their head in the sand wasn't the way to go.
"No," Ron said, shaking his head as he slumped back down on the sofa just as Draco re-entered the room.
"What's wrong with the Weasel?" Draco asked, snatching his gloves back from Harry. "He looks as though he's going to throw up."
"I think I might," Ron muttered.
"Well not in here you don't," Draco warned. "I mean it, if you're sick in this room I'll hunt you down and make you pay."
Shooting Ron one last warning glance, Draco picked up is broom and headed off upstairs. Harry slumped down next to Ron, trying to take in what they thought was going on between their best friend and their enemy. Five minutes later they were still sitting in shock when Hermione strolled back into the room, with her notes in hand.
"What's wrong with you two?" Hermione asked, immediately picking up on the pair's changed attitude.
"Malfoy," Harry grumbled.
"Don't say you had an argument with him?" Hermione groaned. "I've told you before, he's not that bad when you get to know him."
"We'll have to take your word for that, we don't know him as well as you," Harry retorted, slightly sharply.
"Not that we want to know him that well," Ron added grouchily.
"Now what are the pair of you on about?" Hermione asked with a frown.
"We know, Hermione," Harry declared, deciding they had to confront Hermione if they wanted the truth.
"Know what?"
"We know that you're shagging Malfoy," Ron stated bluntly.
"Ron," Harry hissed, not impressed with the friend's phrasing, as Hermione's mouth dropped open in shock.
"Who told you that?" Hermione whispered.
"Is it true?" Harry asked. To be honest even though he'd come to the conclusion that Hermione was involved with Draco, he'd never thought about if the pair were sleeping together.
"I wouldn't put it quite like that," Hermione said with a resigned sigh.
"But you are involved with him?" Harry pressed.
"Yes, I'm involved with Draco," Hermione confessed. "But how did you know? We haven't told anyone yet. We were going to do that this term."
"Intuition?" Ron ventured, exchanging glances with Harry.
"Nice try, but I don't believe it," Hermione replied, levelling her two best friends with her sternest look. "Tell me the truth, how do you know?"
"Okay, we'll tell but don't be mad," Harry said.
"Why would I be mad?" Hermione asked warily, wondering just what her two friends had been up to.
"It all started in Hogsmeade just before Christmas," Ron began. "Can you remember when you went shopping?"
"Of course," Hermione replied with a nod.
"Well, we also did some shopping and we ended up in the quidditch shop," Ron continued. "You were already in there, and we didn't want you to think we were spying so we hid."
"We saw you buy the picture for Ron and the gloves," Harry supplied.
"And you thought the gloves were for you," Hermione concluded.
"They were seeker gloves and as far as we knew, I was the only seeker in your life," Harry replied. "We had no idea about Malfoy."
"Until now, when he walked in with the gloves he got for Christmas off his girlfriend," Ron finished.
"I guess no-one could have seen that one coming," Hermione replied. "I didn't even know you were in the shop when I bought the gloves."
"As we said, we didn't want you to think we were spying on you because we weren't," Harry said. Technically he knew he was lying and they had in fact spied on Hermione, but that hadn't been their intention when they entered the shop.
"I guess this is what happens when you have secrets," Hermione conceded.
"Why was it a secret?" Harry asked. He was still a bit freaked out at the thought of Hermione being involved with Draco, but his friend seemed happy enough and that was enough for him to accept things.
"We were worried about how his parents would take things," Hermione admitted. "You know their past, and Draco wasn't sure if they would approve of him dating a muggleborn. We decided to deal with them before we announced our relationship to everyone."
"And have you dealt with them?" Harry asked.
"I met them at New Year," Hermione answered.
"What were they like?" Harry questioned.
"Intimidating," Hermione replied with a small chuckle. "But ultimately they were accepting of our relationship. To be honest, I still find them both a bit scary, especially Lucius, but they've promised not to cause trouble for us. I'm hoping in time they can learn to fully accept me."
"This is serious between you and Malfoy, isn't it?" Harry checked.
"It is," Hermione confirmed with a nod. "I love him, and he loves me."
"Bloody hell," Ron whispered.
"I'm sorry Ron, I know you have feelings for me but I've never once led you on. I've always made it clear I just see you as a friend," Hermione said softly.
"I know, Hermione," Ron replied, giving his best friend a weak smile. "It's just going to be strange seeing my best friend with Malfoy of all people."
"So I'm not going to get any hassle off the pair of you?" Hermione checked. To be honest she hadn't been sure what sort of reaction she would get off her friends. Part of her worried that they would take it badly, but another part of her had hoped that they would be mature enough to realise that her love life was her business and ultimately it had nothing to do with either of them.
"We're not going to be dancing in the streets with excitement, but we won't cause trouble," Harry replied. "It's none of our business who you date, we just want you to be happy."
"Even if it is Malfoy making you happy," Ron added.
"Thanks guys, its means a lot to me that you're so understanding and accepting," Hermione said, smiling warmly at her two best friends.
"It does have its limits though," Ron warned. "Just because you're sleeping with Malfoy, doesn't mean we're going to become friends with him. He's still a Slytherin, and we're still Gryffindors. It also doesn't mean we're going to be comfortable with displays of affection either. We would appreciate it if you kept your snogging for the privacy of the head dorms."
"But where's the fun in that?" Draco's voice called from the stairs and when the trio turned around they found the blond sitting on the stairs, clearly listening to their conversation.
"How long have you been there?" Hermione asked her boyfriend.
"Long enough to hear how these two worked out what's going on," Draco replied as he smoothly got to his feet and walked over to Hermione. "I did come to see if they'd left. I need a shower after practice and I was hoping for someone to help scrub the hard to reach places."
"That right there," Ron declared with a grimace as Draco shot Hermione a seductive smirk. "That is just the sort of stuff we don't want to see or hear. Now I'm going to have images in my head of you two in the shower."
"Whatever turns you on, Weasley," Draco drawled. "Personally, I wouldn't have thought I was your type."
"Ugh," Ron spat. "I didn't mean that. I meant I would have horrible thoughts, not sexual thoughts."
"Interesting," Draco murmured. "I would have thought that thoughts of a naked Hermione would produce sexual thoughts in any red-blooded wizard. They're definitely the sort of thoughts I have about her."
"It's not Hermione producing the horrible thoughts, it's you and the fact you would be together," Ron pointed out. "I don't want to imagine that."
"Then don't," Draco replied with a shrug. "But I can promise you it's a pretty hot sight."
"There you go again," Ron whined. "Hermione, can't you keep him under control? We're being understanding, but we don't want your sex life rubbed in our faces."
"I'm uncontrollable, Weasley," Draco laughed.
"We'll see about that," Hermione retorted. "If you don't stop winding Ron up, you'll have to scrub your own hard to reach places."
"And what about the places that are not hard to reach?" Draco questioned with a cheeky grin. "You know, the places that are very eager for your attention."
"You'll be dealing with them on your own as well if you don't behave," Hermione warned, struggling not to smirk at her boyfriend's teasing.
"And I think it's time we left," Harry piped up. While he wasn't as sensitive as Ron, he agreed with his friend that he didn't need to think about Hermione's sex life with the blond Slytherin.
"Don't forget your notes," Hermione called as the pair turned and headed for the door.
Harry quickly hurried back for the notes, and saying a final goodbye to Hermione, he and Ron hurried out of the head dorms.
"So, are you coming for a shower?" Draco asked once Hermione's friends had left.
"Only if you promise to behave in future," Hermione replied. "Poor Ron was so flustered."
"I know," Draco answered with a wicked grin. "It was fun, wasn't it?"
"Draco," Hermione warned, fighting not to smile herself.
"I'm sorry Hermione, but I can't promise anything," Draco replied. "I've just found a new way to get under Potter and Weasley's skin and I'd be a fool to pass up on it. Something tells me the rest of the year is going to be fun. I wonder if by the end of the year I can get Weasley to turn as red as his hair."
"Draco," Hermione scolded with a half laugh, this time not able to hide her amusement.
"See, you're not really mad," Draco said. "And it's not like I'm being mean to your friends."
"No, but you're going to be extra affectionate in public and making constant allusions to our sex life, aren't you?" Hermione questioned.
"Your friends can take it," Draco replied with a shrug. "Isn't this better than everyone hating each other and fighting?"
"I guess so," Hermione conceded.
"So now that's sorted, how about this shower?" Draco questioned. "I'm feeling very dirty."
"Aren't you always," Hermione chuckled as she took hold of Draco's hand and led the way upstairs to the bathroom.
As Hermione headed into the shower with Draco, Harry and Ron were returning to Gryffindor Tower, still shocked by what they'd discovered. Who knew a pair of seeker gloves would lead to the revelation that Hermione was involved with the Head Boy. It certainly wasn't something Harry or Ron could have predicted. However, even if it was unpredictable, they both had to admit Hermione seemed pretty happy with the blond Slytherin. And if Hermione was happy, they were both willing to accept her choice of boyfriend. They were just praying that the pair would keep their love life to themselves, but something told them that Draco's little display was only going to be the first of many. Chances were before the year was out, Harry and Ron were going to know more than they ever needed to know about their best friend's sex life.
The End.