Chapter 16: Truce between Enemies
Ginny and Hermione walked out of Transfigurations together, Ginny reading through the assignment they had been given as they walked to the Great Hall for lunch.
“So, Hermione, what time do you want to meet in the library tonight?”
“Actually, Ginny, Malfoy and I have a Potions project we have to work on tonight.”
“What’s up with that? You and Malfoy are always cooking up something for Potions. How can you stand to work with him?”
“He’s great at Potions and our projects are really interesting,” Hermione replied. “Sometimes I can overlook that he’s an ass in order to learn something from him.”
“Great. Sounds vaguely like Harry’s excuse back when he was using a certain Potions textbook.” Ginny made a disapproving face. Then she sighed. “You know I won’t be able to finish this Transfigurations essay without your help.”
“Now you sound just like Ron!” Hermione huffed. “I have an idea. Why don’t you come up to the Head Suite and we’ll study there. I can take breaks when I need to work on the potion with Malfoy.”
“Do you think the Ferret will let me invade his sanctuary when he’s actually at home?”
“He’s not the Hunchback of Notre Dame,” Hermione laughed. “I’ll check with him, but I’m sure he’ll agree. He owes me.”
“Sounds juicy. Just what does he owe you for now?”
“I tolerate him – that’s more than he deserves.”
***
“What? You invited the Weaslette to study with us tonight? Our potion is at a sensitive point – you can’t bail on me now.”
“I’m not bailing on you – you know there’s plenty of time to study in between adding ingredients.”
“But it’s my home too – what gives you the right to invite someone – especially a Weasel?”
“Malfoy, get over yourself. There are a million things I could report you to McGonagall for, including a particular guest of your own, and I haven’t… so far.” Hermione let the implication hang there.
“Are you threatening me?”
“Maybe,” Hermione said with a smile.
“I’m impressed.” Draco smiled in return. “Okay, it’s alright this time. Just don’t make a habit of it.”
“Thanks, Draco.”
“And I’m not changing my behavior on account of her.”
“You gonna tickle her too?”
“Hell no! That’s disgusting!”
“Just behave yourself and be nice.”
“I’m nothing if not a gentleman.”
“I have six years of evidence to contradict that statement.”
“I’m a changed man?”
“The jury is still out on that, Ferret,” Hermione said, but with a smile.
***
Ginny knocked tentatively at the Head suite door. Hermione opened it and invited her in. Ginny looked around the room, eyes going wide when she saw the elaborate potions setup along the back wall, behind Hermione and Draco’s desks.
“You two are mad scientists up here,” Ginny accused.
“Isn’t this cool?” Hermione effused. Ginny rolled her eyes.
“Let’s set up over here.” Hermione pointed to the sofa. She had her Transfigurations materials on the coffee table in front of the fire. Ginny put her notes on the table next to Hermione’s and sat down on the sofa. Hermione joined her and Ginny leaned over conspiratorially.
“Where’s the Ferret? Is he avoiding us tonight?”
“No, he has to be here to help with our Potions project.”
“What is this mysterious project anyway? We don’t have any assignments due in Potions.”
“We are doing extra projects to see what new things we can invent.”
“So you really are playing at Dr. Frankenstein with Draco Malfoy. Unbelievable. What does Ron think about this?”
“Well, we don’t sit around talking about Potions or Draco Malfoy.”
“You don’t sit around talking at all.” Ginny waggled her eyebrows at Hermione.
Just then, Draco came bounding out of his room, hair wet from a recent shower, his bangs hanging over his eyes. He was wearing only his long pajama bottoms, slung low around his hips. He carried a long sleeved t-shirt in his hands, which he was trying to turn right side out.
“Look, Granger, I cleaned up for the Weaselette. When’s she getting here?”
“Hm, hm.” Hermione cleared her throat. “She’s already here, Malfoy.” Hermione looked at Ginny and rolled her eyes.
Ginny was openly gawking at Draco’s chest. She mouthed to Hermione, ‘Malfoy is hot!’ Hermione shook her head, exasperated.
Draco looked up from his shirt and had the good grace to look just a tiny bit chagrined. “Weaselette.”
“Ferret.”
Draco pulled his shirt on over his head, giving the girls a good look at his muscular chest. Ginny laughingly fanned herself with her hand, while Hermione rolled her eyes again. Ginny thought she saw some faint scars on Malfoy’s chest. “Did Harry do that to you?” she blurted out, then looked embarrassed.
“Some of my scars are from your lover boy Potty, but I can’t blame him for all of them,” Draco answered matter of factly.
Hermione sat shocked at their interaction. What a thing to talk about! She changed the subject quickly. “We were going to study over here until you need my help with our Potions project.”
“Sounds good,” Draco replied. “Mind if I sit over here and read a bit? We don’t need to stir the potion again for another 10 minutes.”
Hermione shook her head mutely, confused by Malfoy’s well-mannered behavior. “That’s fine,” she muttered, wondering who was possessing Draco’s body. Draco winked at her and flopped down onto the side chair she thought of as his.
“Will our talking bother you?” Ginny asked.
“Hmmm.” Draco appeared thoughtful. “Maybe I should just work on the Transfigurations assignment too – we can work on it together.”
Ginny shrugged. “Sounds good to me. Hermione claims you are actually quite smart.”
“Does she now?” Draco smirked. “That’s high praise coming from the brightest witch of our age.”
Ginny laughed. Hermione shook her head again, now wondering who had possessed Ginny’s body. Had Ginny forgotten that Draco was a former Death Eater? Typically just being near to Draco set Ginny off. What the hell was going on?
“Earth to Hermione,” Ginny nudged Hermione.
“Who are you people and what have you done with the sworn enemies Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley?” Hermione asked.
“So you want us to fight? Here? Now?” Ginny asked, incredulously.
“Look, Weaselette, I do want to apologize for anything my family or I did to harm you or your family…” Draco started.
Ginny narrowed her eyes. “That’s a long list, Ferret, starting with Tom Riddle’s diary…”
“I’m trying to make a gesture here,” Draco replied.
“Yes, I appreciate that, but I can’t just up and forgive you. There’s too much history between us. I can’t suddenly become your friend.”
“I don’t want to be your friend,” Draco scorned. “I’m just trying to get along well enough so that we don’t hex each other whenever we are in a room together. Consider it a truce, temporary if that makes it easier to swallow. And don’t do it for me, do it for Hermione.” He gestured over at Hermione with a flick of his head.
“That’s exactly what I’ve been doing,” Ginny replied.
“Good, then that’s settled. See, Hermione, no one is under the Imperius Curse here. Just give me a second to get my notes…” Draco darted up to his room.
“I think he likes you,” Ginny told Hermione softly in case Draco suddenly came back.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean? We tolerate each other in order to work together and live together. Maybe, just maybe, we might be becoming friendly, sometimes, when I let my guard down.”
“No, I mean, I think he fancies you.”
“Bah,” Hermione scoffed. “He knows all about Ron and me.”
“Why else would he want a truce with me, then?” Ginny replied.
“I guess I can’t say it’s because he’s a decent human being, because we both know that’s not true!” Hermione giggled. But later she would wonder and worry. Could Draco Malfoy actually fancy her? He had kissed her that one time when he was drunk. And then there was the tickling thing. But he was sleeping with Millicent Mauvais! Hermione couldn’t wrap her head around the possibility that he might actually fancy her and not Millicent, although he was certainly capable of having sex without much feeling. And she was crazy in love with Ron, so what did it matter anyway?
***
The three worked on their Transfigurations assignment for a few minutes when a small bell rang. Draco and Hermione jumped up like Pavlov’s dogs and raced to the potions table. They spoke to one another in low voices, Hermione stirring and Draco adding the next ingredient. Hermione continued to stir while Draco prepared the next ingredient, finely chopping something Ginny couldn’t quite see. After a few minutes, they finished, set the timer, then returned to the sofa area.
“So, what are you working on anyway?” Ginnny asked.
“We could tell you, but then we’d have to kill you,” Hermione joked. Ginny and Draco stared at her blankly.
“Purebloods,” Hermione grumbled. “You have no knowledge of Muggle films?”
“Those are those Muggle moving pictures,” Ginny said.
“A vague understanding of the concept will not help you figure out my cultural references,” Hermione complained, sounding a bit pedantic.
“I’ll watch your films with you,” Draco said. Ginny gave Hermione a knowing look. “I hear there’s lots of sex and violence in Muggle films.” Hermione smirked back at Ginny. Just a typical male response – no hidden meaning there.
They finished their Transfigurations homework about an hour later. As Ginny left to return to the Gryffindor Tower, she thanked Draco for letting her join them to work on the assignment. Draco replied that it was no problem. Hermione let Ginny out the door and turned to thank Draco herself.
“Thanks for tonight. I appreciate your willingness to attempt a truce with Ginny.”
“Well, it does get sort of lonely up here when you’re at the library for hours on end. I guess I’d rather have you both here, once in a while, rather than be constantly alone.”
“Ginny has been complaining that I’m never at the library anymore, that I’m constantly up here working on some Potions project with you,” Hermione argued.
“I guess we’re both selfish then. We both want you to ourselves.”
“Well, I appreciate your not fighting tonight.”
“No problem. Hey, I think it’s about time to add the final ingredient for the night.” And with that, the two of them set to work again in their makeshift potions lab.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Hermione invites Ginny to study in the Head Suite.