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When Lines Are Blurred	By : DivineAngel Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 29692 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
- 16
Disclaimer:
I do not own the Harry Potter universe.

Chapter
15: The End of Term

It was immediately
apparent that Harry and Ron had both decided to ignore Hermione. She
didn't care, she was still upset with them for being so judgemental.
By mid-afternoon, the rumour mill was spinning, she was getting wary
looks from first years and most of her own year were giving her a
wide berth. She overheard some sixth years raving about how the head
girl had gone crazy and started hexing students for no reason, not to
mention being wildly in love with Malfoy and flipping out over his
affair with Pansy Parkinson. Hermione rolled her eyes and ignored the
ludicrous speculation that was following her around the school.

The next morning Hermione
was reluctant to go to breakfast. She'd had enough of the speculation
and finger pointing and she was happy to avoid Harry and Ron as much
as possible. She was sat in the common room, going over some notes
before lessons started, when Ginny came through the portrait hole,
carrying some toast in a napkin. Her friend smiled and sat down
opposite, placing the toast on the low coffee table.

"Here, I thought you
might be hungry." Hermione smiled, relieved, and tucked into the
food.

"You're not ignoring
me then." She said, through a mouthful. Ginny shook her head.

"Of course not.
Trust men to be all stubborn and rejected."

"Rejected?!"
Hermione cried, "What on earth...?" Ginny took a deep
breath and let it out slowly.

"Ron, obviously
feels like you betrayed him. Like you turned him down and leapt
straight into bed with the first man who came along."

"It was so not like
that." Hermione refuted.

"I know. But it
looks that way to him."

"What about Harry?"
Hermione asked tentatively.

"Well, in his eyes,
Malfoy has been his enemy all through school. The one he actually had
to live with every day, unlike Vol.... he-who-must-not-be-named."
Hermione put the remaining slices down and brushed the crumbs from
her lap. She understood.

"Sleeping with the
enemy." She muttered. Ginny let out a sigh.

"Hermione, why did
you do it?" Hermione shook her head. How could she answer that?

"It's really
complicated, Gin. It wasn't about love, or even attraction really. I
don't know. Maybe you'll understand one day."

"With Harry,
sometimes we argue and I hate him so much. When I cry because of
something that's happened, I get so mad at him for getting me that
way. Then we make up and it's so... raw. There's this energy there
that isn't there when things are running smoothly." Hermione
looked at her friend with great respect, she was trying to relate and
there was a glimmer of familiarity there.

"But the difference
is, you really love each other. That raw energy is based on
passionate feelings of love. With me and Malfoy there's only hate.
Ughh." She flopped back into the deep sofa. "It really was
an unhealthy relationship. We didn't have a conversation all that
time, not until yesterday and that couldn't exactly be called civil."
Ginny leaned forward, her curiosity peaked.

"What happened
yesterday?" There was the hint of a grin on her lips and
Hermione began to laugh.

"Oh, he just said
something really horrible on Saturday and when I asked him about it
he got really arsey. So I used evansco on his tackle." Ginny
burst out laughing, Hermione was laughing so hard tears were forming.
It was so good to laugh about it. The situation didn't seem so bad.

That evening Hermione
went to meet Justin in the library for their regular Arithmancy
revision session and Head meeting. He was already there when she
arrived, a little puffed out from taking a rushed detour to avoid a
gang of Slytherins. He was grinning at her and she looked at him
carefully.

"What is it?"
Thinking she knew the answer.

"Well done. I heard
what you did to Malfoy."

"Of course you did.
Everyone has heard. Which version did you get?" She asked, a
lop-sided smirk on her face.

"The one where you
castrated him because of a lovers' tiff." She snorted.

"It was a temporary
vanishing charm. Madam Pomfrey will have him up and about and intact
by tomorrow."

"But it was a
lovers' tiff?" He asked, grinning at her. She rolled her tongue
over her teeth. Then, with a deep breath, told him the whole story,
leaving out the gory details. But she explained how they had started
fooling around at Christmas, how he had treated her and how she had
felt about the whole thing. She felt totally comfortable with Justin,
completely open and honest, knowing he would just listen quietly and
not ask difficult questions and the whole thing just poured out of
her. When she was finished he nodded quietly. "Hmm."

"I know it's
strange. But..." She was lost for words. He looked up at her and
smiled warmly.

"I get it. Believe
me. Lots of people get into unconventional relationships. There's
nothing wrong with getting a thrill out of it." Hermione smiled,
she had never appreciated Justin so much.

"Thanks for
understanding." He gave her a nod and smile and they got down to
work.

Malfoy was released from
the infirmary on Wednesday, though he clearly wished to be back there
as soon as he was out. Everywhere he went fingers pointed, girls
giggled and a constant sigh of whispers followed him. Hermione was
glad everyone's attention had switched to him. She had given up
trying to figure him out and was too tired to be cross with him, in
truth she blamed herself as much as she did him, but she was relieved
to finally be able to say with certainty that she would never lay a
hand on him or let him lay one on her, ever again.

With Harry and Ron still
behaving like spoiled children after a disappointing birthday,
Hermione was spending all of her time with Justin. They sat back to
back at their respective house tables at meals, turning and talking
to each other at regular intervals and spent almost all of their time
out of lessons together, revising and planning the Leavers' Ball. It
was Thursday evening, just a few days since the incident with Malfoy,
but already the school seemed to have other things on its mind.
Justin and Hermione were sat in the library, some parchment in front
of them and quills in hand, they were taking notes on the finishing
touches for the decorations for the ball, heads together and
whispering conspiratorially. In a sudden break from topic, Justin
looked around to check no one was eaves dropping, but there were only
a couple of other students still there, and they were sat some
distance away.

"Have any of the
teachers questioned you about what happened with Malfoy."
Hermione shook her head.

"No. I guess Malfoy
kept his mouth shut. I know Snape suspects I was involved and now
that all those rumours have been flying around all week, I'm sure all
the teachers have heard something or other." She shrugged, "But
if Malfoy hasn't accused me of anything, there isn't much they can
do."

"Besides,"
Justin said with a wicked grin, "They probably all think he
deserved it for one reason or another." She laughed quietly and
went a little pink in the cheeks. At that moment, a figure appeared
in the door, looked around and headed for them. Justin saw him first
and gave Hermione a gentle nudge. She looked up and saw Ron's
unmistakable red hair. She sighed, dreading what could happen. He
looked nervous, but determined as he approached the table, he cleared
his throat, then spoke in a formal, if slightly shaky voice.

"We've been talking,
and Harry and I think it would be best if you didn't come to the
Burrow for the holidays. You should go home. We'll talk after. Have a
nice time." He said with little sincerity and marched out.

"Wow." Justin
said, his mouth open. He looked at Hermione, whose expression was
unreadable. Her jaw was clenched, but her pink cheeks were quivering
slightly. "Do you want to go somewhere private?" He asked
her quietly, seeing the few other students looking their way, not to
mention a bristling Madam Pince, obviously distressed at the volume
of Ron's voice. Hermione nodded and stood up, Justin gathered their
things and escorted her from the room, one hand on the small of her
back. They quickly found an unlocked classroom and slipped inside.
The moment the door was closed Hermione broke down. She collapsed on
the floor, vocal sobs pouring from her and tears streaking down her
face.

"I'm such an idiot!"
She gulped through her tears. Justin crouched beside her and gingerly
put his arm around her shoulders.

"Don't be daft."
He said, gently, giving her shoulders a light squeeze.

"I am. Harry and Ron
have been my best friends since the first year. I should have known
they would find out about me and Malfoy and how they would react. I
should have never let it start, never mind letting it continue after
Ron found out before."

"Shh." He
stroked her upper arm and encouraged her to rest her head on his
shoulder. "You weren't to know what would happen. And you can't
change it now."

"No. Are you going
home for the holidays?" She asked, looking at him with wide, wet
eyes. He nodded.

"Will you stay here
now?"

"Yeah. I'll get some
work done. Lavender's staying too, so it won't be too bad."
Justin stood and helped her up. "Thanks Justin, you've been a
great friend through this." He shrugged and gave her a
reassuring smile. They said goodnight and went their separate ways.

The last day of term was
busy, as usual. Everyone was excited to be going home or at least
getting a break. The seventh years seemed to need some time to
unwind, the teachers were driving them pretty hard in preparation for
their NEWTs and everyone was uptight. Hermione hoped that some time
apart would help repair her friendships too, a sentiment that Ginny
assured her was felt on all sides.

At the end of term feast
Hermione made a point of sitting next to Ginny, trying to get a bit
closer to Ron and Harry without being too intrusive or presumptuous.
After the tables were cleared Dumbledore stood up and called for
everyone's attention.

"Thank you. We come
to the end of another term and I wish you all a wonderful holiday. I
have a notice for the seventh years from your Head Boy and Girl."
Harry and Ron looked at Hermione with some surprise and interest.
"After the completion of your exams you will be leaving us,
moving on to bigger and brighter things. It is a time of celebration
and also reflection. Every year it is customary for each house to,
shall we say, let their hair down," he had a distinct twinkle in
his eye as he surveyed the attentive crowd, "this year, however,
in the continued spirit of cooperation and friendship that has grown
between you all, your Head Boy and Girl have organised something
extra special." A ripple went around the hall, the students were
craning their necks to look at Hermione and Justin. Hermione blushed
as those around her gawked. "At the end of the final week of
exams there will be a Leavers' Ball." Cheers rang out from more
than just the seventh years. "Yes, yes. There's more, it is an
event for the seventh years, but we have extended the invitation to
everyone in the fourth year and above." There were some
appreciative murmurings from the slightly younger students, before
Dumbledore dropped the big one on them, Hermione's face lit up in
anticipation. "Furthermore, it will be a Masquerade Ball. You
will all want to dress accordingly and, of course, acquire masks for
the occasion. For now, goodnight and enjoy your holiday." He sat
back down and the room erupted with noisy chatter.

"Whose bright idea
was that then?!" Ron shouted across the table to Hermione, a
grin on his face. She laughed, Ron and Harry followed and some degree
of tension lifted.

AN: Another huge thank you to my readers and reviewers.

For those who are interested, this chapter took a somewhat unexpected
turn as I was writing it, and torn between the new direction and my plot
outline I decided to write two versions. I will be posting my planned
ending here, but if anyone wants to see the alternate one, email me
and I'll be happy to email you a copy when it's finished (caution: probably
not for the mega fans of the official pairing of this fic!)
- 14
- 15
- 16
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