Count Your Blessings

A/N: This is a long one but I was too excited to continue the story. =) I really liked this chapter and I don't know why. It just made me happy to write it =)

----

Hermione returned to the Gryffindor common room a new woman. She held her head up and even smiled when she saw Ginny and Harry playing with Ron's old chess set. Ron sat at the edge of the sofa with his head back and eyes closed, snoring loudly. The sun had begun to set and she didn't even notice the throbbing feeling between her thighs. All she remembered was the look on Pansy's face right before she fell backward unconscious. It was a glorious day, even if she did try to shag the pants off of Snape earlier.

The next morning, Hermione's fist felt bruised and sore. She ran it under cold water for what seemed ages but the pain didn't stop. Groaning at having to go to Madam Pomfrey again, Hermione trudged up the stairs. The windows were shining bright and the door to the medical wing was wide open.

The first thing her eyes landed on was the cot where Draco had been sleeping. It was empty now and the sheets were folded neatly at the end of the bed. Madam Pomfrey looked up from her desk and smiled.

"He left this morning looking quite well rested," she said as if Hermione had come to implore about Draco's need for REM sleep.

"Oh, well that's nice," Hermione said quietly before holding her hand up, "But that's not why I'm here."

Madam Pomfrey's eyes widened as she walked around her desk and hurried to Hermione's side. Tisking at the sight of Hermione's swollen hand, she dragged the Gryffindor to another cot and began to examine her hand. Hermione sat in silence as Madam Pomfrey placed sticky goo after sticky goo on her hand and instantly felt relief after the fourth time.

She was able to leave within a matter of minutes but not before having to tell Madam Pomfrey exactly what happened. To her surprise, or horror she should say, Madam Pomfrey laughed and told her that Pansy was got was coming - although she never condoned fighting. Apparently the Slytherin girl had been in the medical wing pestering her about pregnancy tests and when she found they were negative when rampant on the room.

Hermione didn't want to know why Pansy wanted to take pregnancy tests, nor did she care. She thanked Madam Pomfrey and left to the Great Hall for breakfast. Today was the Slytherin versus Gryffindor match and she was very excited for it.

---

After an uneventful breakfast, outside of overhearing Draco ask what happened to Pansy, who wore loads of make-up to try to hide two black eyes and a bruised chin. Apparently, Madam Pomfrey hadn't given her enough potion to soothe her bruises. She got an extra brownie point from Hermione at that moment.

"Hermione, are you coming?" Ron asked, holding his hand out as if he wanted her to hold it.

"I'll meet you there, I need to get my mittens and scarf." Hermione said lightly, ignoring his hand.

She felt bad for leading Ron on and had taken him aside to apologize. He didn't seem to mind but secretly, she knew he did. Ron suggested taking things slow and if something developed then it did, and if not they'd still be best friends.She loved him for that.

Hermione waved to Ginny, Harry and Ron before heading back up to the Gryffindor tower to get her scarf and mittens.Dawning her favorite scarlet and gold scarf, Hermione trudged out of the dormitory and down the corridor. She paused when she heard hushed whispering just outside the Great Hall. Walking closer, Hermione could hear the distinctive voice of Pansy, followed by a more deeper voice. Her heart pattered faster when she recognized it; Draco. Peering over the corner, Draco stood in all his glory. From head to toe in emerald and silver Quidditch robes, his hand gripped tightly onto his black custom made, of course, Firebolt. He looked peeved, or down right fucked off.

"What!" Draco growled under his breath, pushing Pansy lazily against the wall. "You did WHAT!"

"Isn't it brilliant?" Pansy whispered quietly, giddy as ever. She traced her hand over the Slytherin emblem, "I thought I had time to brew a little more but..."

They grew silent when Hermione tripped over a suit of armor, one that clattered about around her before resuming its post. Draco straightened himself up and looked straight at Hermione, digging into her eyes with his own. Pansy narrowed her eyes and peeked out around Draco.

"Well, look who it is." She said haughtily, placing a hand on her hip, "Gone off to see your little..."

"Shut up Pansy," Draco snapped, grabbing her hand and tugging her with him. "You're going to miss me beat the pants off of Potter if you don't stop rambling."

"Oh! OH!!" Pansy cooed, sticking her tongue out at Hermione as they walked outside.

Hermione's brows furrowed, what were they talking about? She lazily skipped over the potion but then again Pansy was none too bright and so she shelved that idea.

Shrugging, Hermione made her way to the pitch and took a seat beside Seamus and Hagrid. She watched Ginny, Ron and Harry swarm around the pitch on their brooms and spotted Malfoy marching back and forth like a military general, one foot in front of another. He was barking orders and pointing all around the pitch. The sight alone made her giggle but it was stifled when Luna Lovegood rambled into the crowd and nearly dropped her large overly decorated binoculars onto Hermione.

"Oh look at Ronald." Luna said loudly, waving at him as he weaved back and forth between the Qudditch rings. "I wonder if any Nargles are around."

Hermione joined Luna in looking for these mythical Nargles but to Luna's dismay they disappeared when Ron flew past them. He apparently scared them away with his ginger hair. Nargles hated ginger hair.

Her eyes were later brought back to the Slytherin side where she watched as Pansy pulled out a Slytherin handkerchief and dropped it. It floated down and landed on top of Draco's head. Trying not to laugh, Hermione watched Draco tug it from his head, ball it up and throw it at the ground. He pointed at Pansy and shouted something she couldn't make out but the look on Pansy's face was priceless. She crossed her arms and sat on the bench next to Millicent, who refused to share her binoculars with her. Pansy ended up swiping Daphne's and stared out into the pitch.

Madam Hooch mounted her broom and took off into the air with her whistle nestled between her thin lips. Harry and Draco approached one another and shook hands. It was hard to tell if they were trying to break each other's hands or not but both veins on their foreheads bulged. Ron whooped and swung his arm around in the air as both captains broke apart and mounted their own brooms before taking off.

Hermione watched the exciting game as each team were neck to neck. She cupped her hands over her mouth and shouted cheers alongside Luna, who was shouting at Ron not to hurt baby Nargles - which apparently could fly and enjoyed riding on the back of old brooms. Ron didn't seem to notice or care as he dived in front of the hoop and caught the quaffle that Blaise tried to throw in.

He tossed it to Ginny, who moved expertly between Crabbe and Goyle and scored ten points for Gryffindor. Hermione whooped for Ginny as she flew around the pitch with Katie Bell and Dean Thomas.

"Watch out, Ginny!" Hagrid boomed, causing Hermione to look back to her red headed friend.

Goyle had come up behind her and threw his club straight at Ginny. Harry was briefly distracted when the club smacked her right in the back of her head. She slumped forward as Dean Thomas flew straight toward Ginny and grabbed her before she fell.

Madam Hooch blew her whistle and pointed at Goyle, indicating that he was given the Gryffindor Chaser a free shot at the goals. Draco fumed and flew over to Goyle, extending his foot to kick the fat tub of lard off his broomstick. He hovered on the side of the Gryffindors for a second, only receiving several boos.Hermione's voice had been caught in her throat when he glanced at her, almost apologetically.

He swooped down, narrowly missing Harry, who had launched an attack at Goyle. Harry shouted at him and prodded his chest with his finger. Ron had to literally fly down and hull Harry away. Hermione covered her mouth as Ginny was being looked over by Madam Pomfrey and cheered with the rest of the crowd when Ginny rose to her feet and gave them a wave.

Ginny rose into the air and scored thirty more points for Gryffindor. Draco didn't bother moving and clapped lazily when she scored the last one. Both Blaise and Crabbe looked at him with confusion but he tilted his head back as if to say, 'that's what you get.' They looked away and went back to playing.

The game was rather uneventful after that. Of course, if you didn't count the two fights between Crabbe and Goyle over their clubs, Blaise striking Katie in the back with the Quaffle, Ginny ramming into Theodore Nott as he tried to throw the Quaffle at Ron, and Ron who gave Draco the bird after he zoomed past him having caught sight of the snitch.

Hermione shouted and cheered when Harry knocked Draco back and covered her mouth in shock as Draco rammed into the side of the pitch. His head jerked back as his face collided with the wall and he fell ten feet to the ground. Hermione leaned over with her hands holding onto the railing as the crowd cheered for Harry. Everyone but Hermione. She was watching Draco sit up and pushed Madam Pomfrey away from him. Blood had poured out of his nose and onto his once clean Quidditch robes. His hair was mussed up and he looked positively pissed off.

Luna cheered the loudest when Ron flew past and waved at him. Ron had to do a double take, looking at the Ravenclaw side and back to the Gryffindor. He smiled and waved back before landing on the ground and patting Harry on the back. Ginny jumped into Harry's arms and planted a big wet kiss, to which Ron made a disgusted face when she tried to kiss his cheek. Everyone laughed and soon piled out of the stands.

Hermione was the last as she had forgotten her mittens, twice. Hagrid had placed a strong hand on her shoulder and she nearly passed out from the touch. She had almost forgotten about the damn potion up until that point. Everything was going so well and now she was weak in the knees. She blamed feeling tired when he asked if she was alright.

On the second trip down the stairs, Hermione paused when she watched the Slytherin team leaving the pitch. Pansy was down by the entrance looking for Draco, who was the last to appear. He hadn't bothered wiping his face clean as blood dripped from his nose. Pansy threw herself into his arms.

"Oh Draco! What a dirty rotten trick, Potter played on you." She cooed into his chest, making sure to avoid the blood.

Draco pried Pansy from him, "It wasn't a trick. He played fair and square. Which is the least I can say for our team."

He shot daggers at Goyle, who was nursing his arm after Draco had stolen a club and threw it at the oaf earlier in the game after Ginny was hurt. Blaise's chest puffed up as he looked at Draco.

"At least we were playing and not staring into the crowd the entire time. What happened to the great fearless Death Eater? Can't even win a Quidditch match."

Draco lunged toward Blaise but both were broken up by Theodore. "C'mon guys. We lost. Get over it. Just grow up. There's always Hufflepuff verses Ravenclaw. If Ravenclaw wins and we beat them we'd go after Gryffindor for the cup."

"Fuck the Quidditch Cup," Draco spat at him, literally spitting blood into the ground, "There won't be a next game. Not if the Dark Lord has any say in it."

Draco pushed past Theodore and stood facing Blaise. His jaw clenched as he raised his eyebrow and glared. Blaise's bravery failed and he stepped out of the way as Draco pushed to doors open for the locker room. The Slytherins stood around for awhile, not knowing what to say. Pansy didn't seem one bit bothered that her so called boyfriend was in the locker room as she had basically thrown herself at Blaise for 'standing up to Draco.'

Blaise wrapped his arm around her waist and to Hermione's horror, watched him bend down and kiss her. Kiss her like he'd never kiss anyone before. No one seemed to mind, or care, as they just shrugged and went to talk about the feast. Blaise and Pansy lead the way as they exited the pitch, leaving Hermione crouched down at the side of the stairs.

She waited until she couldn't hear the chatter of the Slytherins before moving again. Hermione's legs had cramped up but that was a far better feeling than the one between her legs. She had to ignore them for now.

Reaching the Slytherin locker room, Hermione put her hand against the door and hesitated. Did she wanted to walk in? Why should she? Before she couldn't think of a reason why not, Hermione pushed the door open and entered the locker room.

It was large and white with dark emerald green lockers placed around the room. Wooden benches surrounded the lockers like a maze. She could hear the shower run in the other part of the room and cautiously approached. There wasn't any one there, just running water. She looked at the ground as she spotted little drips of red mixed with water. Her eyes followed it to the other side of the locker room where Draco stood with his head against his arm, leaning against the locker.

He was wearing nothing but a white towel. Hermione stepped toward him but stopped dead in her tracks when she heard him sob. She looked around, half expecting it to be a trick of her mind but no. He let out another sob and shook, banging his hand against the metal frame.

"Draco?" Hermione asked cautiously, watching as his body went stiff.

He looked up and stared at Hermione with those beautiful cobalt blue eyes, stained with his tears. Draco wiped his face, smearing the blood from his nose by accident.

"What do you want? Come to gloat?" Draco snapped, shoving his gear into the locker.

"No," Hermione said quietly, taking a few brave steps toward him. "I wanted to see if you were ok..."

He laughed, "Why wouldn't I be? Beside having a fucking crap team who doesn't know the difference between a foot or horse back, a girlfriend who couldn't give two shits about you only that you're rich and have a name, a father who thinks you're worthless unless you can commit atrocious acts..." Draco paused and looked at her, "Oh yeah and a fucking Gryffindor know-it-all with a libido problem on your fucking case about everything. Why in the world wouldn't I be just blood dandy?"

Hermione was quiet but she never looked away. Draco parted his lips to speak again but was silent. They stared at one another before he moved and slammed the locker shut. It startled Hermione, causing her to jump. Draco leaned against the other side of the locker with his arms crossed.

"Pansy's cheating on you," Hermione blurted out not knowing what else to say.

Draco laughed again and bent down to pick up some dragon hide gloves he forgot to put away.

"What a surprise. Pansy always has a dick in her. Besides, I cheated on her if you don't remember." He pried open his locker and threw his gloves in, "With you. So I shouldn't be talking. At least I know where I stand in our relationship."

"What are you talking about?" She asked with a frown, "Are you saying that I don't know where we stand?"

"No 'our' as in you and I but Pansy and I. Get yourself off that god damn high horse of yours for one second. Pansy and I are only dating in name. She thinks I'll be her bread winner for some sort of rich life after the war. Sometimes you get feelings mixed up in this sort of situation, not for her but for...some one else. Not like you. You prance around Weasley like he's some disposable boyfriend."

"I do not!" Hermione shouted at him, "Ron and I are best friends!"

"Best friends don't snog each other in front of some one they're shagging on the side. Even I have more common sense not to do that."

"Oh like shagging Parkinson in a bed you shagged me the night before."

"I thought we never had anything, Granger. Why would it upset you if I'm shagging my girlfriend?" Draco said matter of factly, moving to Hermione.

He grinned at her while Hermione frowned. She didn't know what to say at that point. He was right. They weren't a couple at all and he had every right to screw Pansy where ever he wanted. Hermione turned on her heel but was stopped when Draco's hand shot out and grabbed her.

He turned her around and stared into her eyes, "Not going to say anything condescending? No quips? No comments about how wrong I am?"

"No." Hermione said quietly, looking up at him, "You're right. You can shag who ever you want. It's no business of mine."

Draco's grasp on her arm loosened as she managed to pull herself free. Hermione took a breath, "For your information. I set things straight with Ron, we're just friends."

"And? What do I care?" Draco asked, leaning back.

Hermione shrugged, "You don't so it doesn't matter." She turned again but stopped and looked at him, "You played great out there but you should really get that looked at. Just thought you'd like to know."

She left him standing in the middle of the locker room and made her way to the door. Pulling it open, Hermione felt the handle slip from her grasp as the door shut. She turned around and stared up at Draco. He was no longer bleeding but the blood on his face was still there.

"What are you trying to do, Granger?" He implored, narrowing his eyes, "You hate me. Every inch of me and yet here you are trying to make me feel better by being a fucking coin. One minute you hate me and the next you're paying me compliments. Don't blame the potion either."

Hermione frowned, "I wasn't going to blame the potion."

"Then...why?" His voice had softened at the last word, his eyes searching for answers within her own.

"I...don't know." She said quietly, looking away. Hermione felt his fingers lift her chin to look at him.

"You love me," he grinned. Hermione scoffed and tore her eyes away from him.

"Don't be ridiculous. Who could love you?" She didn't mean for her words to sound like that but Draco didn't even noticed. He was still staring at her with that cocky grin.

"Granger." He said, waiting for her to look at him, but she didn't, "Granger." He spoke more forcefully yet she still didn't budge, "Hermione..."

She looked at that moment and saw in his blue eyes that he knew. He knew she was smitten with him and he didn't once look condescending, or smug. He just...looked relaxed. Her eyes widened when he brought his hand around her head and pulled her to him, their lips meeting. Inside she was screaming out for joy but outside her body had gone into shock. She stood there while his lips caressed hers, his tongue darting around her lower lip waiting for her to open her mouth and open it she did. He quickly deepened the kiss by pulling her closer to him, his second hand joining his other as they cupped her face.

Hermione moaned into his mouth, tasting the sweetness of his kiss as he quite literally sucked her tongue. She didn't care that she could taste some of that irony metallic taste of his blood, she just didn't care. She wished this would last forever. Feeling as if she'd melt in his arms, Hermione leaned against him as his kiss deepened even more, if that were possible. Pulling away from her and leaving both of them breathless, Draco brushed his hair back and took a few short breaths. He parted his lips to speak but closed them each time nothing came out, Hermione did the same. They looked around each other for a moment before they burst with laughter.

They made their way to the Great Hall in silence. Every so often, Draco would look down at her or she up at him and they'd smile. He even went so far as to hold the door open for her once they got inside. Draco's hand reached for hers, touching her fingers lightly before he went off and joined his house mates. Hermione sighed contently and joined Ginny, Harry and Ron.

She noticed Ron reading something with a frown. "What's wrong, Ronald?" Hermione asked, grabbing a plate with and piling it high.

"Luna." Ron said with a sigh, tossing the note onto the table, "She sent me an owl with some..." He took the package and looked at it, "Crumple-Horned Snorkack snacks. Something about wanting to find some and feed them tonight. Strange girl."

Ginny and Hermione exchanged glances and laughed, while Ron said loudly, "What!?" Both girls erupted into a row of laughter. Ron looked anxiously at Harry as if he had caught what they were laughing at but even he didn't know. He just shrugged and went back to eating. Hermione looked up and caught the glint of Draco's eyes on her. She quickly looked away and glanced back to find him grinning across the table, wriggling his eyebrows before turning to Theodore to comment on something on the table.

Hermione went back to her meal and listened to Ron try to get Ginny to tell him why Hermione and her were laughing at him and what a Crumple-Horned Snorkack was.