MEAN

Chapter One

Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked into the Great Hall for their last year at Hogwarts. Still not sure that he even wanted to be there, Ron looked over his shoulder to see Draco Malfoy walking alongside Blaise Zabini directly behind them.

"Oh, that's just flipping brilliant."

"What?" Harry asked, turning to him.

"Malfoy."

"Oh Ron," Hermione sighed taking a seat at the Gryffindor table. "Why must you let him get to you? Just ignore him."

"Easier said than done Hermione. I mean—" But he was cut off as Malfoy himself decided to enter the conversation.

"Hey Granger, can't say I'm surprised that you came back this year. How'd you drag these two bozos with you?"

"Cute Malfoy, but if you'll excuse us we have a feast to begin and I believe that Professor McGonagall is waiting on just you to sit down." Hermione said a friendly smile on her face.

It was true. Malfoy turned around to see McGonagall standing at the top of the hall eyebrows raised in a well-hurry-it-up-or-I-will-do-it-for-you expression.

As Malfoy walked away, Harry and Ron looked at each other with identical looks of delight on their faces. "That was ruddy brilliant Hermione." Exclaimed Ron.

"Thank you." And with that she turned her attention towards McGonagall.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts." Her crisp, clear voice rang out through the hall in quite a different way than Dumbledore's used to. It felt, Hermione thought, as though she were in class and receiving a lecture. "This year we will be doing things a little different. No need to worry, it will be for this year only. As we have, for lack of a better term, eighth years, the staff and I have provided you lodging in another of the school's towers. Also this year, we are going to be having a talent show of sorts that will take place on Halloween. Participation is not compulsory but attendance is. Thank you, enjoy the feast."

Murmurs broke out among the students as the tables filled with the usual delectable feast, and there seemed to be just one topic of conversation: the talent show. A little way up the table from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, Lavender Brown and Pavarti Patil were discussing what they were going to do for the show.

"Well, we could ask Padma if she'd like to join us and we could teach you an original dance from home."

"Oooooh that would be so cool! We could even get a costume, what's it called?"

"I'm not sure, but you mean the ones with the jingles on them right?"

"Yeah, that."

Meanwhile, at the Slytherin table Pansy Parkinson was talking to Daphne Greengrass. "Do you think that there is any way that I could get Draco to do something with me?"

"Pansy, wake up. Please. He doesn't like you."

"Humph."

Back at the Gryffindor table there were three people who weren't talking about the talent show.

"It's just so weird. I almost feel like we aren't really at Hogwarts." Harry said, looking at the other two.

"I know what you mean," Hermione told him. "It was so odd to hear Professor McGonagall doing the welcome speech. I felt like I was in class or something."

Before long however, the feast was over and everyone made his or her way up to bed. Once in the Gryffindor common room, it was Ron who unknowingly broached the subject of the Halloween talent show. Hermione was in one of her favorite armchairs in front of the fire writing in a Muggle notebook with an ink pen.

"Hermione, you can't be doing work yet! Lessons don't even start until tomorrow!"

"Oh, I'm not working, I'm writing a song for the show on Halloween. Are you two going to enter?"

"No. No way at all, you'd have to drag me up there."

"I thought you'd say that Harry, I don't blame you. What about you Ron?"

Ron went very pink, "Uh…no. The only that I'm kind of good at is flying and I can't really do that in the Great Hall. So…"

"Oh, there's a whole lot more you're good at, but hey…"

"What are you thinking of doing Mione?" Ron said, shifting in his seat slightly.

"A song, like I said. And I'm pretty sure it's going to be about Malfoy with the way it's going so far."

"You sing?" Harry asked, "I didn't know that."

"Oh, well, I'm not very good."

"'You sing?' That's all you got out of that Harry? How about: why are you writing a song for Malfoy? Are you in love with him or something?"

"Don't be sill Ron," Hermione said only slightly untruthfully, "I am not in love with Draco Malfoy."

"You're in love with Draco?" Lavender had decided to enter the end of their conversation. "Oh my, wait until I tell—" And before she could finish she was up the stairs and in the girl's dormitory.

"Great. That's just great, exactly what I needed." Hermione said, mainly talking to herself. Then, rounding on Ron, "Thank you Ronald, if you had just kept you big mouth shut then…well, goodnight."

.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.

The next morning, before Hermione had even left the common room, rumors of last night's outburst had spread.

"—she didn't even deny it—"

"I don't believe it, she would never—"

"—so it must be true."

By the time lunch rolled around, Hermione didn't think that there was a single person in the school who hadn't heard what happened. So, to avoid what was sure to be an awfully awkward lunch, Hermione went to the library to work on her song.

At her favorite table in the back, near a big window that looked out onto the Quidditch pitch, Hermione went over her lyrics once more. But as she was half way through editing one of the more troublesome lines she heard a noise behind her. She turned and saw Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott, also known as Theo, making their way towards her.

"Hey Granger," Blaise called out.

"Hello, can I help you?"

"Is it true?"

Hermione knew exactly what Blaise was talking about, but as the pair were Slytherin's she wanted to clear up any possibilities of a different question or hidden meaning.

"Oh come on Granger, you know perfectly well what—"

"Is it true that you are in love with Draco Malfoy and plan to tell him by singing him a love song at the Halloween talent show?" Blaise had been interrupted by Theo whom Hermione had never heard speak. Instead of the gravelly, hard voice she had been expecting, Theo's voice was smooth, like velvet.

"No, I'm not in love with Malfoy," that part was technically true. A simple school-girl crush did not equal love. "And I am not writing him a love song, but I will not deny that I am writing him a song and that I will be singing it in the talent show. Now, if you'll excuse me, I would like to go get some lunch before my next lesson."

They seemed satisfied with the answer so she turned to leave, but was held up by someone else speaking.

"There's no food left in the Hall, we were the last ones out before we came to look for you." There was no mistaking that voice, it was Draco Malfoy.

Hermione turned, "Oh, so you haven't let your cronies do all the dirty for you. I was beginning to think you were a teenage girl having your friends ask someone if they liked you."

To her surprise Malfoy didn't insult her back, instead he just chuckled. And while that was an improvement in many ways it unnerved her. Turning once more to leave she threw her hand up in farewell and walked toward the exit. But sure enough Draco had to have the last word.

"Granger, unless Potty and Weasel saved you something from lunch or you can somehow find the kitchens, you're not getting anything to eat."

"Oh," she called over her shoulder, "I doubt Harry or Ron could have possibly thought to save me something."

"What! Are you saying you know where the kitchens are?"

"Yes. Do you want me to prove it to you?" and with that Hermione left the library and set off for the basements.

The three boys looked at each other briefly before all moving towards the exit. They spotted Hermione about half way up the corridor and sped to catch up with her.

"So how it is that goody two-shoes Granger knows where the kitchens are?"

She didn't answer for a long moment, "Fred and George."

Ten minutes later the four of them were in the broad stone corridor that had cheerful paintings of food along the walls.

"Isn't this where the Hufflepuffs live?" Asked Blaise.

"Well yes," said Hermione, reaching out to a painting that depicted a bowl of fruit. "But it is also where the kitchens are." And with that, she tickled the pair in the painting with her finger and it immediately turned into a doorknob. Pulling it, Hermione crossed the threshold and walked into a room that looked remarkably like the Great Hall. The only differences being that the ceiling did not bear the sky outside and instead of portraits and the like on the walls, there were several highly-polished pots and pans.

.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.

Thirty minutes later Hermione left the kitchens with Draco, Theo, and Blaise in tow. All three of them had crammed tried to cram their pockets full of sweets as Ron had done a few years previously. And it wasn't until she mentioned that to them that they put a good portion of the food back.

"How long have you known about this?" Theo asked turning to her. In the past half hour it seemed that the three Slytherin's had grown to respect the Hermione.

"Fourth year."

"Isn't that around the same time as you started spew?" Blaise interjected.

"S.P.E.W. and yes."

"The Society for the Protection of Elfish Welfare." Draco said before thinking.

"How did you know that? Harry and Ron don't even remember the name; in fact Ron keeps referring to it as the House-Elf Liberation Front." She said whipping around to face him.

"Oh…um, well you see…I just have a…a good memory is all." He stammered out, not at all on par with his usual ease of making up stories on the spot. But Hermione just narrowed her eyes, not saying anything; though Draco knew she didn't believe him.

"Well, we best be getting to class," Blaise said slowly, trying to break the awkward silence that had stretched. Hermione looked down at her watch and suddenly jumped in surprise.

"Shit. I've got to go. See you…um, later?" And without further ado she was gone.

Chapter Two

It was several days before Hermione even glimpsed Malfoy again. Well, several days before she registered that she was seeing him. It was the first lazy Sunday of term and so as to enjoy the last of the remaining good weather, Hermione set up camp on the edge of the Black Lake to do her homework. Diving right in to Arithmancy she was soon lost in deciphering the Fibonacci sequence when she felt her sun being slightly blocked.

"Hey there Granger."

She looked up, there stood Draco. And the funny thing was he wasn't in his school robes. He wore dark wash denim jeans and a grey crew neck t-shirt.

"Muggle clothes Malfoy?"

"Yeah…uh, just changing it up a bit. Thought I'd make a new trend."

"Sorry, people have been wearing Levi's in the Wizarding World since the 1970's. It was one of the first things I checked; it was Sirius Black that started the trend, sorry."

"You don't sound sorry at all."

"Okay, you caught me," she said, smirking up and him, "I lied. Though I am curious as to why you would want to start a jeans-wearing trend as they are so obviously Muggle."

"Oh, I dunno, to be the first?" he snapped sarcastically back at her. But Hermione just rolled her eyes and looked back at her work, moving on to the properties of the number sixty.

"So do you want to sit down, or are you content to just stand there hovering over me with that stupid expression on your face?" she looked up at Malfoy, a smile threatening to make its presence once more.

Taking assurance at her teasing manner, Draco sat on the grass next to Hermione, looking over her shoulder at what she was doing.

"The properties of 60? What like six and zero?"

She rolled her eyes, "No, well six is part of it. Basically when I look at the number sixty, I am looking at the numbers one, two, three, four, five, six, ten, 12, 15, 20, 30, and 60. And then the magical properties of each of those."

"I'm confused. How does 15 have anything to do with 60?"

"Four times 15 equals 60. All the numbers I'm dealing with can multiple with another number I'm dealing with to make sixty. In fact, they are organized in a way that if you work your way inwards the opposite number is the partner. Does that make sense?"

"No."

She sighed and grabbed a notebook. It was another Muggle one, like the one she was using to write her song. "Okay," she said, pulling out a mechanical pencil. "So we have the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30, and 60." She wrote them out in that order vertically on the page. One number per line. "And these numbers are in numerical order, yes?"

"Uh…sure."

She looked at him again, an exasperated expression on her face.

"Yes," he said, knowing she would explain how numbers were ordered if he continued to play dumb.

"Okay, now if I were to write the same sequence backwards like this—" And now, Hermione drew a vertical line on the right-hand side of the numbers on the paper. She then preceded to write the same twelve numbers again, but this time she wrote the 60 next to the one. So now her paper looked like this:

1 60

2 30

3 20

4 15

5 12

6 10

10 6

12 5

15 4

20 3

30 2

60 1

And then Draco saw the pattern. "Ah, I see. So how is this interesting?"

"The number 60 is probably the most interesting number in the magical world; and in the Muggle world as well. It's considered the number of love, related to the sign Virgo and the planet Venus, and is supposed to allow magical energy flow more freely."

"Whoa. I had no idea. What else?"

"You want me to go on? Usually by this time everyone is trying to subtly change the conversation."

"Yeah, I'm intrigued."

"Okay, I'm not about to complain. Have you ever wondered why there are 12 months in a year or 60 minutes in an hour, or even 60 seconds in a minute?"

"Uh, no. I never really paid attention."

"Well, the first civilization were the Babylonians, they were the ones to come up with the idea. It was also in this civilization that the first wizard came into existence."

"Whoa, wait minute. I thought that wizards came first."

"Oh no," she was smirking once more. "In fact, the Wizarding gene was a genetic mutation on the human race. Anyhow, for the Babylonians their counting and math system was all based on 60. They had 360 days in a year—60 times 60—then, they figured out that a circle has 360 degrees, and of course the minutes/seconds thing. The number 60"

"Shit. Well, it looks like my father's logic is dead."

"What," she asked, her eyebrows knitting together. "The Muggle-before-wizards thing?"

"Yeah."

As they had been talking the sun had come to sit directly overhead. And, quite suddenly, the grounds were full of laughing students who had just gotten out of an early lunch. Draco suddenly sprang up as if he had been electrocuted, and Hermione knew it was because of the suddenly full grounds. She just looked down and concentrated on her work once more, moving on to Pascal's triangle. It had been nice talking civilly with him; she had even forgotten that Draco Malfoy would never fancy Hermione Granger the way she fancied him.

Then, as proof of this, he called out so everyone could hear, "Wow Mudblood, I knew you were a geek but I didn't realize how much of one you were." And with that, he strolled away, leaving Hermione to her thoughts and an ever-growing numerical triangle.

"Actually Malfoy," she said calmly, quietly, "I'm a Gleek"

"Oh look, the Mudblood thinks she's so smart. She's making new words. Or are you just actually stupid in disguise?"

Instead of yelling back like she knew she was expected to by the rest of her classmates, she just pulled out her song notebook and flipped to the page where she was writing Draco's song wondering why he had to be so mean…

.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.

Two weeks later found Draco in the library with Blaise, Pansy, and the rest of the "eighth year" Slytherin's. He hadn't spoken to Hermione since that day at the lake. He knew that she was confused and he just felt so damn guilty. The second he left the grounds he had wanted to go back and sit with her again. But he couldn't, and not because she was Muggle-born as the moment he had seen her blood spill in his drawing room, as crimson red as his own, he no longer believed in blood status. It was meaningless, pointless, and most importantly…it was silly. Silly to think that something that was beyond one's control could define them or make them less than another.

"Draco, mate, are you with us here?"

"Huh," he said. He had been so lost in memories and whatnot that he'd forgotten he was even in the library. In the library, Hermione's favorite place on campus. No, no, bad thoughts. In the library, trying to figure out the latest batch of Transfiguration homework.

"Hello, anyone home?" it was Theo, trying to—once again—get his attention.

"Right, sorry. Where were we?"

Meanwhile, in another part of the library, Harry and Ron were once again trying to get Hermione to tell them what had happened at the lake. They seemed to be using the technique Ron had used to try to find out who her date was for the Yule Ball. This time, however, Hermione decided that after a week of bugging her she'd had enough and just told them everything. They didn't believe her.

"Come on Mione, there had to be something else. Your story makes no sense." Ron said, trying to reason with her.

"I've told you, I was sitting at the lake, minding my business when Malfoy was suddenly there. He sat down and asked me about Arithmancy, I told him and when everyone come outside after lunch he jumped up, insulted me, and left. The end, nothing more. That's all folks."

Harry, sensing that they wouldn't get any more info out of her, changed the subject. "Have you made any progress on that song of your?" It did not have the desired effect.

"Yeah, and that incident out on the lake helped so much."

Ron was about to retort when Ginny walked up, "Hey guys," she greeted before turning to Hermione. "Hey, I need some girl time. You in?"

Hermione didn't think twice before leaping up, "Yes." She smiled at her best girlfriend before making her way to the exit with her. After they were gone Ron turned to Harry.

"Is it just me, or did we get ditched?"

"Yes. Come on, I think the Quidditch pitch is empty. Wanna fly?"

So the two followed the girl's example and left the library. Up in the seventh year girl's dormitories Hermione sat with Ginny on her bed.

"I really miss sleeping up here, that tower McGonagall put us just isn't the same, what with all the houses sharing."

"Eh, it's really boring up here too. I'm used to hanging out with you three in the evenings."

"Well, at least were here. Imagine if we had already graduated."

"Oh my God, don't even say it." Ginny said, shuddering.

Hermione just laughed, "So, what's with the impromptu girl's night?"

"Oh, nothing. I've just seen Harry and Ron berating you all week and thought you might like a break from them." Ginny grinned at Hermione from her place at the foot of the bed.

"Ginny," Hermione said, her face solemn, "You are a life saver." They collapsed into giggles, "You know," Hermione continued through her laugh, "I wonder if Harry and Ron realized they were being ditched?"

"I doubt it." And, that being said, their laughter reached new height.

"Okay, okay," Ginny said, trying to calm down, a good thirty minutes later. "So is there anything you want to talk about, any forbidden crushes perhaps…"

"Ugh, how do you always know?"

"Um…hello?" she replied in sing-song voice. "But seriously, you know you can tell me anything right? So who is it?

"…"

"Sorry, didn't catch that," a smile playing about her lips.

Hermione sighed, "Draco Malfoy."

A shocked silence followed until, "Seriously?"

"Seriously." And before Ginny could so much as say another word on the subject Hermione was off. "I know you probably think I'm crazy but, I dunno, I like him. When were alone he sweet. He let me tell him about my Arithmancy homework and didn't try to change the subject to Quidditch at the first opportunity. But when other people are around he…he's mean and with just one insult he can point out all my flaws. And I…and I, I just don't know Ginny."

"I don't know what to tell you; well, that's not true, I don't think you're crazy. That's for sure. But the rest of it, I dunno. I don't really know him; it seems like you know him better than I do.

Hermione hung her head. "I'm glad you don't think I'm a lunatic. But I want to show you something. It's my song for the talent show and it's about Mal—Draco."

"Wait, so the rumor was true then. You going to sing him a love song?"

"No, no flipping way. But I'm singing him a song, here." And she handed Ginny the spiral notebook.

Ginny quickly read the contents of the page, a grin reappearing in her face. "This is brilliant Mione."

"Eh, I hate that nick name."

"What do you think of Mia?"

"Mia? I like it."

"Perfect, now give me a pencil; I think I might have an idea."

Chapter Three

The next few weeks flew by for Hermione; it seemed that Draco had all but left her mind. Of course, he hadn't as the song she had written for him was now completed. She had sung it for Ginny a few nights ago in the Room of Requirement where they were guaranteed some privacy. And tomorrow night, Hermione would sing it for Draco. Not to mention the whole school. Let's just say the nerves had set in, Hermione was now constantly walking around with butterflies that seemed to have taken permanent residence in her stomach.

At lunch, she quickly ate before making her way to the grounds where she thought some fresh air would do her some good and clear her head. Upon seeing Hagrid's cabin on the edge of the forest, she quickly redirects her feet and heads out to his home. That is until she hears a pair of voices seeming trying to reason with what she assumes to be a third person. Her curiosity peaked, or maybe all the times trying to crack a mystery with Harry, she moves closer to the greenhouses and hears, "Stop denying it, we know you. It will be easier if you just tell us." It was Theo Nott.

Now completely forgetting about a visit to Hagrid's, she quietly sneaks to the opposite side of the greenhouse as the voice when she hears Theo's reply.

"Will you stop this, there's nothing to tell you. And I doubt if there ever will be." She knew that voice, had dreamed of it. It was Draco.

"Come off it," Blaise this time, "we've known you since we were five years old, just tell us. We won't laugh and won't tell anyone."

"Fine," came the short tempered reply. "Seeing as how you will not be giving up anytime soon, yes."

Hermione could practically hear Blaise and Theo smirking. "I knew it. So who is it? What's her name? Do we know her?" It seemed that Blaise was not one to control his excitement among close friends.

"The only thing I'm saying is that you've known her since we were all eleven."

"Yeah, 'cause that narrows it down." Theo said sulking.

"Whatever." Hermione had just enough time to move back to a reasonable place to seem like she wasn't one, eavesdropping and two, not going down to Hagrid's. About half a second later she saw Draco round the greenhouse and spot her. He lifted a hand in greeting and started towards her. But before he got half a dozen feet, Blaise and Theo came into view as well. Spotting them he stopped and spat, "Why would you greet me Mudblood, you should be at my feet where you belong."

Hermione just shook her head; she had just heard that Malfoy fancied someone which put her in a foul mood. She didn't need any other bullshit at the moment. But, unseen by either of them, Blaise and Theo looked at each other and knew: Draco Malfoy fancied Hermione Granger.

Five minutes later Hermione was being made a large cup of tea by Hagrid.

"Are you coming to the Halloween talent show tomorrow Hagrid?"

"I s'pose I might look in a bit. I hear from Harry that yer competin'."

"Yeah, I'm singing. But I'm not so sure anymore."

"Why not? I speck yer great. Though I nev'r herd ya a'fore. Ya should do it."

"Yeah, I guess. But it's not even until tomorrow night and I already have butterflies. I don't even get this nervous before exams!"

"You'll be grea'. And ya know how I know? It's 'cause yer nervous, if ya weren't nervous I'd be worried. Tell ya 'hat, I'll be there fer ya, I promise. An' I tell ya anoth'r thing, even if they don' like ya, well just keep yer head high. 'Cause yer gunna be sommet grea'. I jus' know it."

"Thanks Hagrid."

.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.

Shit. Why the hell am I doing this, Hermione thought as she paced her room. Am I really going to get up in front of the entire school? No. no, I'm just going to stay here. And with that she sat back down on her bed as if to make it so.

"Hermione, are you ready? It's almost time for everyone in the show to be in the Hall." Harry asked, knocking on her door.

"Um, I'm not going. So I'll just see you later. In fact I think I'll be heading up to Madam Pomfrey. I don't feel so well."

"Mione, come on," Ron called through the door. "We all know you're not sick so let's go. Ginny told me you're amazing. Come on, I know how you hate to be late."

Sighing, Hermione got up from the bed and opened the door.

"See, I knew telling her she'd be late would get her moving," an ecstatic Ron told Harry.

Twenty minutes later Hermione found herself backstage, well the curtained off area that was where all the contestants waited. They were getting ready for the show to start. Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas were hosting the show and they were warming up the crown with a few lame jokes.

"What did the sorting hat say to his brother?" Seamus asked the audience.

"I dunno what?" Yelled a student from the crowd.

"You stay here, I'll go a head!"

Groans followed, but unperturbed, Dean plunged forward.

"What does the Fat Friar where when it's raining outside?" then, without waiting for an answer," Booooots."

Hermione tuned them out; fiddling with the guitar she had her parents send her. And soon, much sooner than she thought possible it was her turn. Stepping out onto the pseudo stage—the platform where the staff table usually stood—Hermione put the guitar strap over her shoulder and sat down on the stool in the middle that someone had put up there for her. Taking a deep breath she took put a Sonorus charm on herself and addressed everyone.

"I'm sure you've all heard the rumor that I am in love with Draco Malfoy and that tonight I am singing him a love song I've written. I am not in love with Malfoy. However, I am singing a song I wrote tonight and I will not deny that Malfoy was my inspiration. So I think I will let you decide if it is a love song, after I've finished that is."

Hermione started strumming her guitar, and almost immediately starting singing.

You, with your words like knives and swords and weapons that you use against me

The music had a twangy county feel to it; like she was playing a banjo instead of a guitar. And if one were to look closely at her, you would see that she had in fact transfigured her guitar into banjo. But most people are not very observant.

You have knocked me off my feet again got me feelin' like I'm a nothing

You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard, calling me out when I'm wounded

You, pickin' on the weaker man

At the Gryffindor table Parvati turned to Lavender, "Hey I thought you said she told you she was writing him a love song. That she said she did love him. This doesn't sound like a love song.

Well, you can take me down with just one single blow

But you don't know what you don't know

Just a little way down the table Harry and Ron were sitting with Ginny, two identical, humongous gins plastered on their faces.

"I told you it'd be good, aren't you glad you waited now?" she whispered to them.

Someday I'll be living in a big old city

And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me

And all you're ever gonna be is mean

"This is the last time I ever listen to Lavender Brown. Where the hell does she get her info from? Hum? Does she even check?" Many other disgruntled Hufflepuffs looked at Hannah Abbot, silently agreeing with her.

Why you gotta be so mean?

Shit. Shit. Now what have I done? Draco was furiously thinking to himself, Now she thinks I hate her!

You, with your switching sides and your wild fire lies and your humiliation

You, have pointed out my flaws again as if I don't already see them

I'll walk with my head down trying to block you out 'cause I'll never impress you

I just wanna feel okay again

"She's sure got him pegged doesn't she?" Blaise whispered, leaning over so Theo could hear him. Theo nodded.

"We have to help him."

Blaise looked at Theo like he had lost his mind.

"How?"

I'll bet you got pushed around, somebody made you cold

But the cycle ends right now 'cause you can't lead me down that road

And you don't know what you don't know

"Drake, mate. We know the girl is Hermione." Theo said under his breath.

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

Blaise cut in before he could deny it further. "Look you can sit here and pretend all you want or…you could take some advise." Draco looked as if he were about to argue, but just nodded his head instead.

"Excellent!" they said together.

Someday I'll be living in a big old city

And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me

And all you're ever gonna be is mean

At the teacher's temporary table at the back of the Hall, Professor Flitwick gave Professor McGonagall a smug look.

Why you gotta be so mean?

"This is ruddy brilliant," Ron was whispering to Harry. "I never knew Mione could sing, let alone like this!"

And I can see you years from now in a pub, talking over a Qid~ditch game

With that same big loud opinion but nobody's listening

Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things

Drunk and grumbling on about how I just read

The Hall burst out laughing, unable to control themselves. That, there just pegged Hermione and Draco to the 'T'.

But all you are is mean

All you are is mean and a liar and pathetic and alone in life

And mean, and mean, and mean, and mean

"Wow, that's a little harsh." Terry Boot was saying to Padma Patil, "I mean even Malfoy—"

"Shhhhhhhh! I'm trying to listen," Padma hissed.

But someday I'll be living in a big old city

And all you're ever gonna be is mean, yeah

Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me

And all you're ever gonna be is mean

"Yeah, okay. I think I can do that…just say…what was it again?" Draco was sweating, Am I ready for this? What if…well, just what if?

"Come on mate, you practically memorized the Ancient Runes Symbols overnight, surely you can remember just a couple of sentences." Blaise's eyes were wide with disbelief. This guy is supposed to be the Slytherin Sex God; humph…if tonight goes badly I'm so taking that title over.

Why you gotta be so mean?

At the Ravenclaw table Luna Lovegood was swaying slightly with the music.

Someday, I'll be, living in a big old city

(Why you gotta be so mean?)

And all you're ever gonna be is mean

(Why you gotta be so mean?)

Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me

(Why you gotta be so mean?)

And all you're ever gonna be is mean

Up onstage, Hermione was feeling good. No one was jeering or yelling at her to get off the stage!

"You better hurry, you don't want to do this in the middle of applause'" Theo was saying over at the Slytherin table.

Why you gotta be so mean?

"Go. Now!" Blaise told Draco and he took off. He was up at the stage so fast that only a couple people had started to clap. But after seeing him, it died down quickly.

"You, um…you wanted to know why I'm ah…'mean'. Right?" he said looking straight at her. Hermione could only nod. He put his hand on her cheek, cupping it. She leaned into his hand, relishing in the feel of it.

"Yes."

"I…I'm mean because…" and just like that all of the carefully planned words he, Blaise, and Theo thought up. Instead, he just kissed her.

Lightly, ever so lightly he pressed his lips to hers. They were better than he ever dreamed. Reaching his other hand to the other side of her face, he pulled her in closer to slightly deepen the kiss. And before he could run away with himself he broke it off, for he didn't think that Hermione would appreciate a full on snog in public like he wanted. Draco just stared at her face where a smile—a true and joyous smile lit up her face.

Silently Draco took Hermione's hand and led her back to the Slytherin table. Over at the Gryffindor table Harry and Ginny held Ron in place so he couldn't run over to Hermione and spoil everything for her with his hothead temper. Hermione—now sitting next to Draco, his arm around her—knew that tomorrow everyone would once again be talking about her. Draco, for his part, was thinking about how perfectly Hermione's hand had fit in his. And how she felt leaning against him, his arm keeping her close.

Over at the staff table, a disgruntled Professor Flitwick was handing Professor McGonagall a sack of Galleons.

"You win this round Minerva, but I guarantee it won't happen again," he told her, his squeaky voice carrying over the table much to the amusement of the teachers.

.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.

Later that night, when most people were in bed Minerva McGonagall sat at her desk talking to the portrait of Albus Dumbledore.

"You know, I don't know why I doubt you anymore Albus," she said disgruntled.

Albus chuckled merrily, "I don't know why you're complaining Minerva, from what I've heard you won ten Galleons off of Filius tonight."

McGonagall just shook her head, smiling slightly.

Elsewhere in the castle, in the astronomy tower, Hermione and Draco were looking at the stars.

"And that one is Orion, with the triangle looking base."

"Wow, it's so…wow," she said, not taking her eyes off the sky. Draco let his hand rest on her chin, tugging it so she faced him; he let his fingers trail down her neck, leaning in to put his forehead on hers. Impatient, Hermione closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around his neck to bring him closer and threaded her fingers through his silky blonde hair. Soon, Draco traced Hermione's bottom lip with his tongue, begging for entrance. Hermione opened her mouth to allow it and he plunged his tongue in, groaning in the feel of it.

When, once again, they needed to breath, they broke apart. Draco pulled her close wrapping her tightly in his arms and placing his chin on top of her head.

"Where's Draco?"

"What do you mean? I'm, um...I'm right here."

"No, silly. I mean the constellation. Do you know where it is?"

He smiled, "Of course I do, look," and he pointed to the sky, her gaze following.

The End