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Pansy's Volcano	By : Bluemidget57 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 206366 -:- Recommendations : 6 -:- Currently Reading : 8
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
- 1-Pansy's Volcano
- 2-Two
- 3-Three
- 4-Four
- 5-Five
- 6-Six
- 7-Seven
- 8-Eight
- 9-Nine
- 10-Ten
- 11-Eleven
- 12-Twelve
- 13-Thirteen
- 14-Fourteen
- 15-Fifteen
- 16-Sixteen
- 17-Seventeen
- 18-Eighteen
- 19-Nineteen
- 20-Twenty
- 21-Twenty one
- 22-Twenty Two
- 23-Twenty Three
- 24-Twenty Four
- 25-Twenty Five
- 26-Twnety Six
- 27-Twenty Seven
- 28-Twenty Eight
- 29-Twenty Nine
- 30-Thirty
- 31-Thirty one
- 32-Thirty Two
- 33-Thirty Three
- 34-Thirty Four
- 35-Thirty Five
- 36-Thirty Six
- 37-Thirty Seven
- 38-Thirty Eight
- 39-Thirty Nine
- 40-Forty
- 41-Forty One
- 42-Forty Two
- 43-Forty Three
- 44-Forty Four
- 45-Forty Five
- 46-Forty Six
- 47-Forty Seven
- 48-Forty Eight
- 49-Forty Nine
- 50-Fifty
- 51-Fifty One
- 52-52
- 53-53
- 54-54
- 55-55
- 21
- 22
- 23
Chapter Twenty-Two

She had thought that terminating her relationship with Ron would relieve many of her worries, so realising that she now had to deal with how it appeared to Draco brought Hermione no peace at all. However, the alternative - trying to sustain the illusion that she was happy and everything was perfect - was also untenable and totally unfair to Ron, and she knew that she had done the right thing. But she only just now came to the realisation that without Ginny�s visit and subsequent unexpected support, that she might have been seriously stuck between a rock and a hard place.
She stayed awake long into the night thinking, not about Ron, but about how she could exercise damage control with Draco Malfoy. It was imperative that she not give him any encouragement to think they should repeat the insanities of the past week; she honestly didn�t think she was capable of resistance if he did it again.
And really, what did it say about his own moral conduct that he was going around kissing her, when he admitted to being involved with someone else - no matter if she was not actually physically present all the time. But that was typical Malfoy arrogance; he probably thought that both Hermione and this other poor witch should be grateful for any crumbs of attention he cast her way, and let him be free to do whatever (or whoever) he liked on his own time.
Surely he owed her his fidelity, or at the very least the courtesy that Hermione had just given Ron, of ending a courtship she was not fully committed to - or did they have what the Muggles called an �open relationship�? Hermione didn�t think she was the type of person who could manage something like that. She was far too emotional, would get too involved and end up being jealous, she was sure. (In fact from the uncomfortable aching in her chest she rather suspected she already was.) Nor was she prepared to be the third person in someone else�s open relationship.
Breakfast the next morning was an awkward meal. Hermione had gone to the Gryffindor common room in deference to Ginny�s manipulations of the situation. She had obviously spoken to her brother as promised for Ron had insisted on talking to Hermione for a brief moment alone; she had apologized again, and Ron had mumbled that he was aware of her reasons and that Ginny had done her best to explain Hermione�s point of view. He had agreed to respect her decision whilst vehemently disagreeing with it, and had admitted that he thought he would need some time before he could be at ease with her again.
Hermione was on the verge of tears when he walked away to follow Harry, who had waited by the portrait hole with Ginny, discreetly trying to give them some privacy. She didn�t deserve him to be so mature and courteous and Godamned nice about it. Ginny came up behind her and rubbed her shoulders and it was almost too much for Hermione�s tenuous control; she sniffed hard and Ginny sighed.
�Would you have preferred him to yell at you and broadcast your business all over the whole school?� she asked.
�No,� Hermione admitted sadly. �But he�s being so damned good to me, and I don�t deserve it. Why isn�t he yelling and accusing? I feel bad enough about this as it is, and he�s just making me feel like an absolute rat.�
�Well, keep that in mind when you�re making your long term decisions later in the year,� Ginny advised. �And remember, no rodents round here except for that Ferret you have to share with. Come on, let�s get breakfast. Put on your brave face!�
Hermione reluctantly trailed after her friend down to the Great Hall. Ginny tried to keep up a conversation as they walked in the hopes of chasing the hunted expression from Hermione�s face. If she walked around school looking like this for very long there would be no hiding what had happened.
�Harry thought it might be a good idea to call a full Quidditch practice after breakfast; keep Ron�s mind occupied with other things. And of course we have a lot of credibility to win back after losing to that albino ferret last Saturday.� She shuddered. �Merlin, Mione, doesn�t he drive you nuts?� Hermione winced at the mental image Ginny�s words conjured up, but was impressed by the irony of them. Oh, he drove her nuts alright, but she was sure Ginny could never imagine how he did it. She was brought back to the present as she heard her companion carrying on,
�I don�t know what Dumbledore was thinking when he gave the Head Boy position to him. You would have been so much better suited to work with Tony or even Ernie. Malfoy was lurking about last night when I left your room you know, and it really made me stop and think about why you feel you need to focus on non-romance issues this year. It made things a lot clearer for me; I think it helped me get Ron to see your problems, too, it helps him to have Malfoy to blame it all on. How on earth do you cope with knowing he�s right next door to you all the time?�
Hermione felt her stomach churn unpleasantly at Ginny�s words; how ironic that she should place the blame directly where it truly lay yet for all the wrong reasons. She hadn�t even considered that Malfoy would attempt to talk to Ginny as she left last night, and she could feel a prickling line of perspiration break out along the back of her neck as she imagined all the appalling things he could have revealed to Ginny in an unsupervised situation.
�What did he say to you?� she asked in a falsely casual voice.
�Oh, he was just being Malfoy,� Ginny dismissed, and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. She would not be so unconcerned if he had let slip anything about Hermione�s recent unacceptable behaviour. �You know - he lectured me about curfew and then tried to find out what we were talking about, but I told him where to go, and then he waffled some rubbish about the Head Boy�s responsibility to the other students. The jerk! I�ve had two brothers who were Head Boys and even at his most pompous Percy was better than him!�
Hermione found a most surprising thing happening to her at Ginny�s words; she actually felt indignant on Malfoy�s behalf. She could feel an almost physical manifestation of hurt and annoyance tightening in her chest, and she only just managed to choke back some sharp words of defense by biting hard on her bottom lip. What on earth was the matter with her? Since when had she started taking criticisms of Draco Malfoy personally? When had it begun to hurt her feelings to hear people denigrating him? When she was finally sure that she wouldn�t blurt out anything incriminating if she opened her mouth she managed to respond, �He�s trying -�

�Very!� Ginny agreed promptly with a grin and a wink, but Hermione just turned away, unable to laugh with her friend over this, and Ginny patted her arm sympathetically thankfully taking her reticence as being related to her breakup with Ron, and nothing to do with Malfoy. �Buck up, Mione,� she said bracingly. �The worst bit is over now. The two of you just need to move forward now!� For a brief second Hermione thought she was being encouraged to pursue Malfoy, but realised quickly that Ginny meant to move past the awkwardness with Ron and try and recapture their previous friendship.
In fact Ginny was operating on her own agenda; she fully intended to tell Luna that Hermione and her brother had parted ways. Luna was a good friend of hers, although many found her air of distraction annoying; and Ginny was fairly sure that Luna had been extremely interested in her brother for a couple of years now. There had been signs which Ginny had overlooked whilst hoping for Hermione to fall in love with Ron; that was not going to happen now, Ginny had accepted it.
However, she could encourage Luna to help mend a bruised heart and who knew what might become of it. Ginny recalled quite clearly how Luna had raced up to the Gryffindor common room after their defeat last weekend to make sure that Ron was okay, but had refused to come in and commiserate with him when she had seen that he was sitting with Hermione on his lap. There had been no change of expression on her face, but Ginny just knew that she had been hurt by the sight.
They arrived at the Gryffindor table just in time to hear Lavender squealing loudly, �Oh, Merlin, look - it�s come!� as she waved a pale blue parchment excitedly in the air. �Parvati did you - oh, Hermione - have you got yours?� she called out as she saw Ginny and Hermione reach the table.
Hermione frowned, �I don�t know, Lavender, since I don�t know what it is!� she replied.
�It was under my plate!� Lavender continued excitedly. �Sit down quickly and take a look!� Hermione was pleased to have anything to take her mind off her current woes, and quickly slipped into a seat across from Harry and Ron. In a spirit of solidarity, Ginny took the seat beside her instead of next to Harry as usual, although she blew a quick kiss to him as she sat down. Ron looked away from this affectionate display unable to cope with it when he had lost his entitlement to blow kisses at someone. Hermione concentrated on lifting her plate to see if there was a corresponding letter beneath it.
�Lav,� Parvati called from further along the table. �I got one, and so did Neville. Make sure the boys look, too.�
And so it was that at every table in the Great Hall that Saturday morning, 7^th year students were lifting their breakfast plates and finding an intriguing blue parchment beneath it. Hermione noticed that the seal was the same Hogwarts seal which graced all their correspondence from the school during the holidays, and decided it must be an official communication regarding their NEWTS or some such. It was awfully pretty paper though.
She broke the seal and unfolded the letter, along with many of her classmates who had just found their own letters, and soon Lavender�s squeals were being echoed at every table even Slytherin, who mostly perceived themselves as being above theatrics in front of the whole school.
Hermione read the words blankly at first, and then for a second time:

The Faculty and Governors of

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

And

The Ministry of Magic

Invites Miss Hermione Granger to the Second Annual

Seventh Year Social Evening

Saturday December 14^th at 7.30pm

Felton Arms Inn

Hogsmeade

Dress: Formal Robes RSVP

�Just think, Hermione,� Lavender was babbling at her now. �Last year the 7^th form had it here in the Great Hall I wonder why they�ve changed it to a Hotel in Hogsmeade? It�s a very posh hotel. That�s where Neville�s Gran stays when she comes to visit. You know how fussy she is!�
Neville nodded his head vigorously from further along the table. Like many of her peers, Hermione had never set foot inside the expensive Hotel set at the end of a quietly exclusive street in the middle of Hogsmeade; it was not the kind of place which encouraged butterbeer-drinking students winding down after classes. She was sure however, that along with Mrs Longbottom, it had also played host to the parents of many of the older-moneyed students in the school. The Malfoys probably had their own personal suite, or had before the little issue with Azkaban.

Hermione wasn�t sure why they would make such an odd decision either, but felt an overwhelming relief that it had happened thus. A place like the Felton Arms was sure to have a full and experienced function staff, and therefore she and Malfoy would need to have very little involvement with the organization other than turning up on the night. She knew they had agreed to be more civil, but that didn�t mean she had been looking forward to arranging yet another social event with him. Since this dinner was restricted solely to the 7^th year, there had been no way in which she could have assigned any of the other prefects to work with Draco with a clear conscience, when they would not have been receiving the benefit of attending the results of their efforts.
� - why do you think, Hermione?� She was brought out of her contemplations by Ginny�s voice asking her the question. Unwilling to admit she had completely missed the last part of the conversation, she cast around quickly for the last thing she remembered before drifting off into her own thoughts.
�Um, well I imagine it�s for the convenience of the Ministry,� she said finally. �Last year all the Ministers and officials who came stayed there, so I imagine they must have complained about traveling afterwards. I suppose they decided we were younger and much more suited to driving to and from Hogwarts in the snow or whatever.�
�Hmm, maybe,� Ginny replied in a disgruntled voice, and Hermione realised that she was not at all happy at the thought of Harry attending such a occasion without her.
�Don�t worry, Ginny,� she said glad to be able to be the one doing the comforting for once. It seemed like this whole year had been taken up with obsessing over her own problems; it was a nice change to think about someone else�s for once. �I�ll make sure Harry behaves himself, and after all, your Dad will probably be one of the Ministers attending. Could you really enjoy yourself with Harry with him watching your every move. Bad enough that Ron hovers over you two like a hawk, without being on display for your father, too.�
Ginny actually giggled at that, drawing Harry�s attention from the other side of the table. A silent signal seemed to pass between the lovers and Ginny rose with an apologetic look to Hermione. �I�d better go. We�ve got to have that practice Harry wanted.� She got up and followed Neale, Alex, Harry and her brother who were already making their way out of the Hall.
Hermione returned her attention to the pale blue parchment in her hand so she did not see Ginny stop at the Ravenclaw table and quickly mutter something in Luna Lovegood�s ear before she followed her team mates. �Formal robes,� she muttered to herself, wondering if she could still fit in the nice blue ones she had purchased for the Yule Ball in 4^th year. She didn�t think she had grown overly in height since then, but she doubted she could get her chest to stay put; at fourteen she had been a lot flatter than she was at eighteen. Which meant shopping, which meant a Lavender and Parvati expedition. She was far too familiar with her previous dorm- mates to imagine they would let an opportunity like this pass them by.
Sure enough she could already see Parvati watching her speculatively from her seat slightly further down the table. She winced as Parvati leant around Neville and opened her mouth to speak, but whatever she had been about to say was miraculously nipped in the bud as the Headmaster stood up at the staff table and cleared his throat expectantly.
�I see that most of our 7^th years have now received their invitations,� he began. �As this is a very new celebration, we have no traditions formed as of yet, so this year we - the Governors, the Ministry and I - have decided to experiment a little and have an off-site function. If we decide that the logistics and safety issues are insurmountable, we will return to Hogwarts next year. We have a few weeks to organise a truly memorable event, one which I hope will reside, alongside our recent spectacular Halloween Ball, in your fond memories for many years to come. I am sure that this will also give certain of our more fashion conscious 7^th years plenty of time to attire themselves suitably for the occasion,� Lavender squeaked as Dumbledore�s twinkling gaze settled upon the Gryffindor table, and Hermione bowed her head to hide the totally Malfoyesque smirk which ran across her features at his action.
Her head shot up very quickly indeed however, when Dumbledore concluded his speech with a command, �If the Head Girl and Boy would please meet me in my office in fifteen minutes? That will be all, thank you.�
For the first time that morning, Hermione allowed her eyes to travel to the Slytherin table and search out her nemesis. He was there, between his two - between Crabbe and Goyle; Hermione found it disturbing that she could not think of the two large Slytherin boys as merely Malfoy�s muscle anymore. Not since Pansy had let slip her venomous opinion of Draco�s mentoring relationship with the pair of them.
She watched the three of them carefully under hooded lashes, trying not to get caught looking. Crabbe was waving his blue parchment in Draco�s face pointing at it, and seemed to be complaining unhappily about something, Goyle was scratching the end of his nose with his own which did not appear to have even been opened. Pansy herself was watching them from further down the table with a hungry expression on her face as she gazed at Draco. Hermione fervently hoped that she did not look like that when she was watching him, too. Under Hermione�s cautious eye, a tall good-looking dark haired boy got up and wandered down to Malfoy�s end of the table. Blaise Zabini, Hermione recognised, a strange Slytherin - sly and quiet - he was not like the others in their overt hostility, but a snake is a always a snake. Zabini stopped behind Malfoy and said something brief which caused all four boys to start laughing loudly.
Hermione swallowed a sudden obstruction in her throat; over the years she had not seen Malfoy give in to spontaneous relaxed laughter very often - mostly it was sarcastic smirking - but seeing him sitting casually with his friends enjoying a genuine amusing moment made her heart flutter stupidly and caused that uncomfortable tingly feeling to start between her legs again. Why did he have to be so bloody gorgeous when he was smiling she thought sulkily, refusing to look at him again.
She stared at the remains of her breakfast - admittedly she hadn�t eaten very much distracted as she was by her break up and the presence of the blue parchment; consequently when all conversation around her at the table suddenly tapered off to a halt, she looked up in surprise to see what was the matter only to find most of the other Gryffindors staring behind her with varying degrees of suspicion or shock.
She spun around quickly and almost smashed her face into Malfoy�s stomach, for he was standing directly behind her seat. She wondered briefly why her seemingly extra-sensitive Malfoy radar had failed to let her know he was coming, but realised that her body probably couldn�t differentiate these days since she seemed to get turned on just by thinking about him now, without even requiring his actual presence. She shut her eyes and took what she hoped looked like a deep calming breath. So what if she was the only one who knew she was savoring the wonderful warm citrus musk scent of his body; hopefully to everyone else it seemed like a soothing inhalation to control her temper.
She wondered for a brief hysterical moment what would happen if she just laid her head against the soft grey wool of his jumper and let it rest there. The idea was so inviting that she almost began leaning forwards, but his words broke her trance and she shuddered as a shocking image of the fall-out that would occur over that bit of insanity made itself known in her mind.
�Granger, the Headmaster wanted to see us?� he prompted, and she nodded, taking a shuddering breath. New initiative; we�re being civilized, remember. That�s why he came over here! She chanted to herself as she tried to gather her scattered thoughts.
�I�ll see you guys later,� she said to the rest of the Gryffindors when they all seemed to be staring at her expecting something more. She stood up from the bench and turned to join Malfoy, but his presence and the tantalizing scent of his body had apparently destroyed her coordination and she tripped over her feet as she moved towards him. He caught her elbow with a seeker�s reflexes and she felt the contact from the tips of her toes to the frizzy ends of her curly hair, and she let out an uncontrollable moan.
Malfoy frowned at her, �What�s wrong, Granger? Did you twist your ankle?� he asked with faux concern, and she shook her head quickly seeing that Neville and Dean were starting to rise from the table also.
�No - no. I�m fine,� she babbled quickly. �Indigestion - that�s it. I must have eaten too fast. Come on, the Headmaster doesn�t like to be kept waiting.� She moved off quickly trying to ignore Lavender�s skeptical gaze, knowing full well that the other girl was quite aware that Hermione had not eaten enough to cause discomfort of that nature.
They walked in relative silence to the Headmaster�s office. Malfoy asked if everything had been alright the previous evening, but on receiving a grunt in reply, made no further effort at conversation. They stopped at the gargoyle and Hermione gave the password; she had not forgotten how Malfoy had overrun her last time they had been called to a meeting with Dumbledore, and she was determined not to let it happen again.
�Ah, Miss Granger, Mr Malfoy!� Dumbledore always sounded so damned happy to see them. As if he had been waiting for this moment all his life. �Please, take a seat. We must have a quick discussion about the preparations for the Christmas dinner.�
Hermione glanced around the study and noted that the miniscule blue sofa was back in front of the Headmaster�s desk. She sighed and subsided into it with resignation. Draco sat beside her and she could feel tingles all along her right side where he was almost touching her.
Dumbledore settled himself in his seat before them, and rested his chin on his folded hands. �As you know,� he began seriously, �The 7^th year Social is an event we introduced last year for the senior class as a sample, if you like, of social expectations in the adult world. I am fully aware that many of your peers may be upset that they cannot invite their significant other from lower years, but that is part of the purpose of the exercise.�
Hermione and Draco nodded, unsure if any input was expected of them at this point. �For this event, there will be no dating,� the Headmaster continued. �Like in any event you may be required to attend as an employee, an ambassador or guest, a seating plan will be provided, directing you where to sit. You will be expected to hold polite social conversations with your dinner companions regardless of House or affiliation.�

Professor Dumbledore paused dramatically and added with a definite twinkle. �Everyone�s invitation has been charmed with the name of a subject which will be revealed individually to the guest. This is a topic which you are required to study up on before the event so that you can intelligently converse about it; and the Governors, the faculty and other official guests will be mingling with you to discover if you have managed to master the art of what I believe the Muggles call �small talk�?� He raised an eyebrow at Hermione who choked out a muffled agreement.
Draco nodded thoughtfully, �So that�s why Vince�s invitation said greyhound racing,� he muttered to himself, reflecting back to breakfast when the three of them had studied the parchment trying to decide why such an odd phrase should have manifested itself on to Crabbe�s invitation.
�Ah, indeed,� Dumbledore agreed. �I imagine that some people will have already received their study topics; the charm was quite cleverly set to recognise how much time one would need for his or her research. I suspect that quite a few students will have already discovered curious words on their invitations. You will have to impart these instructions to the rest of your year fairly quickly then.
�As to our decision to hold the event at a hotel in Hogsmeade, well that is only by way of an experiment. We all felt that the environs of Hogwarts and the Great Hall are too familiar to you all to really present the atmosphere that we are trying to capture. Of course as with any kind of field trip -� here he looked again to Hermione to confirm his correct usage of the Muggle terminology - �we appreciate that there will be extra security necessary. It has therefore been decided that there will be a contingent of Aurors present as part of the Ministry party. However, these individuals will be mingling with you and seated amongst you, just as if they were regular guests at the event.
�It just remains for me to say however, that first and foremost I want you to enjoy this experience. I believe it will be broadening and enriching for you all, but the pursuit of pleasure should not preclude the acquisition of knowledge, and to that end this event will be a graded learning experience. Any inappropriate behaviour or childish grudges which affect the evening will result in a failing mark against your records. I trust you will express this fact quite clearly to your peers.�
Hermione and Draco both nodded fervently, neither having had any expectations of this kind before they entered the Headmaster�s study this morning. In fact, Hermione could clearly recall a brief chat with Cho Chang about the inaugural 7^th Year Social the previous Christmas, and she knew that the other girl had not mentioned any of these requirements to her.
�Excellent, splendid!� Dumbledore said smiling broadly. �Well then, I suggest you run off now and get ready, Dilman Pringle is expecting you at one o�clock.�
Hermione, who had been halfway out of her seat, froze in place casting the Headmaster a baffled glance, and Draco who had not yet attempted to rise as he was trying to work out how to conceal his erection managed to voice on both their behalves, �Er - who?�
�Mr Dilman Pringle,� Dumbledore beamed even wider if that were possible. �Mr Pringle is the Function Manager for the Felton Arms. He is a vastly experienced event coordinator, and will be your liaison as you organise the party. Make sure you use his experience to the fullest; ask his advice on menus, seating, accommodations for the out-of-town guests - he is there to make sure that everything goes smoothly for you both. I�ll send a coach for you at 12.30, unless you�d rather walk to the village?�
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Wow! First of all, I know I don�t usually do this- but I just had to say an awed thanks to Genrou who must have read this story at one sitting and reviewed each chapter as s/he went along.
That said, I want to emphasize that I hope to get to the good stuff within the next 14 days, otherwise it might be a six week wait. Which is why I am posting 2 chapters today!

Also with this site being up and down lately more often than 2 kangaroos in the mating season, who knows whether I will actually get the chance to post even if I want to!!
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