Out of the Ashes

Most of the students were already gathered in the Great Hall for dinner, so they ran into very few people as they rushed upstairs to their suite. They did receive a few strange looks from those who noticed that they had their arms around each other’s waists, but they ignored them in their hurry to get "Miss Kittenface" settled in before heading for dinner themselves.

As they entered their common room, Draco released Hermione and gave her a gentle, teasing shove toward her bedroom. “Go change, I’ll get Miss Kittenface situated.”

“Thanks,” Hermione smiled gratefully at him, her teeth chattering slightly as she quickly darted through her bedroom door. Deciding to forgo the temptation of sweatpants for the sake of looking a bit more fashionable for her new boyfriend, Hermione changed as quickly as possible before returning to the common room.

By the time she emerged from her bedroom in muggle jeans and a thick emerald green jumper, the kitten had apparently just finished a bowl of food and was curled up on Draco’s lap, purring.

“I see you've made a friend.” Hermione giggled, walking over to the pair. Reaching down, she petted the kitten’s head and giggled again when it batted at her paw. “Okay, I see when I’m not wanted. I guess I’ll see you after dinner,” she said jokingly as she walked toward the door leading to the corridor.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Draco lifted the kitten from his lap and put her back in her basket. “You’re not going anywhere without me,” he grinned at Hermione as he took her hand in his. “You look good in my house color, by the way,” he winked.

“I’ve always liked green...long before I ever heard of Slytherin or even Hogwarts.” She stuck her tongue out at him playfully, and noticed his gaze focused intently on her mouth.

“Are you sure you’re hungry?” He asked huskily, bending to kiss her deeply for a few minutes. Hermione moaned into his mouth and he pulled her closer, thrusting his tongue between her lips and growling deep in his chest. The two frantically explored each other’s mouths and moved their hands over each other’s backs and shoulders until they were finally forced to come up for air.

“Food...” Hermione panted, her cheeks flushed and her forehead covered with small beads of sweat. “Then we can...you know...” She trailed off, feeling her face turn even pinker.

“Luv, I may regret saying this, but if you can’t say it, you probably shouldn’t be doing it,” Draco frowned anxiously, caressing her cheek and forcing her to look him in the eye.

Hermione returned the gesture, cupping his cheek as she adamantly replied, “I’ve never been more sure about anything. I want you. But I think we could use some fuel first, don’t you?” She smiled saucily and he slowly broke out in a smirk.

“Fuel it is then.” He offered her his arm with an exaggerated flourish and she hooked hers through it with a light, musical laugh before they exited their suite.

Once again, they ran into very few people in the corridors as they made their way to the Great Hall. Pausing outside the door, Hermione sighed unhappily, “I don’t want to sit without you.”

“I don’t either...” Draco frowned. “You know what? Screw our housemates...let's just sit together. It’s not like we’re planning to hide our relationship, are we?” He asked, looking a bit nervous.

Hermione beamed at him and slipped her hand into his. “You’re absolutely right. But which table? I don’t think your house mates like me very much...”

Draco frowned again. “Um, no offense...” he mumbled, wincing.

“I know,” She waved her hand dismissively. “Unfortunately, my house mates aren’t too fond of you either...” She frowned thoughtfully. “Should we flip a coin?” She suggested half-heartedly, wishing her housemates would just see him as she saw him. Of course, he'd likely never be as open with any of them as he was with her.

“Nonsense. You can sit with me,” A musical voice came from behind them and they turned in unison to find Luna, who was practically beaming at them. “If you don’t mind, that is?” The blonde added, cocking her head curiously.

“No, we don’t mind,” Hermione smiled warmly at the younger woman.

“Thank you.” Draco added gruffly, shifting his weight awkwardly. Hermione knew he still felt uncomfortable around the Ravenclaw, whom his aunt and father had held prisoner in the basement of Malfoy Manor during Voldemort’s time there.

“Draco,” Luna smiled serenely at him, as usual. “You don’t have to feel bad around me. I know you couldn't help it.” Of course the eerily perceptive blonde knew exactly what he was thinking. Hermione smiled gratefully at Luna's attempt to make Draco feel better when SHE had been the victim.

“Well, I do...feel bad for...you know.” Draco frowned as he watched a group of sixth year Slytherins walk by, scowling at the trio. “I’m really sorry for how my family and I treated you in the past,” he said, a bit louder than was really necessary, obviously wanting the group of purebloods to hear him. “It was very wrong of us.” He focused back on the girl in front of him and smiled sheepishly at her when she grinned knowingly at him.

“Thank you for apologizing,” she nodded her acceptance. “Shall we?” She gestured at the nearby entrance to the Great Hall.

Glancing nervously at each other, Hermione and Draco both nodded and tightened their grip on each other’s hands. “Here goes nothing...” Hermione mumbled under her breath as they entered the Hall.

The entire room went quiet within seconds of the Slytherin and Gryffindor entering hand in hand. “Ignore them.” Luna’s voice carried throughout the room as she stepped past the couple and lead the way to her usual seat at the Ravenclaw table. A few other Ravenclaw students seated at that section of the table moved not so subtly away from them as they all sat down, but most of them stayed where they were. Luna plopped down across from the couple and immediately began filling the plate in front of her with food. “So when did you start dating?” She asked, seemingly oblivious to the fact that every ear in the room was focused on them. Even some of the professors seemed to be listening.

“Um, today,” Hermione answered, not lowering her voice. Draco squeezed her hand, which he had yet to release, as a wave of whispers swept across the room.

“I just asked her a little while ago,” He spoke up, trying to sound casual despite the daggers some of his housemates were now glaring at him. “Luckily for me, she said yes,” he smiled warmly at Hermione, who blushed. Continuing to smile at her, and doing his best to ignore the comments that were whirling around them, he reached over and served her some roast beef and mashed potatoes (her favorites) before filling his own plate. “Ignore them,” He mumbled. “Eat. We need fuel, remember?” He winked before finally releasing her hand and trying to concentrate on the food in front of him. He smiled approvingly when Hermione followed his lead and forced herself to begin eating, though she mostly just pushed small pieces around on her plate.

Eventually, the noise level in the Hall returned to normal and the majority of their peers turned back to their own meals. Only a few, mostly Slytherins and Gryffindors, continued to whisper amongst themselves and shoot them dirty looks.

Hermione exhaled audibly and felt her shoulders relax as she finally began eating at a more natural pace. "They're like vultures," she grumbled, earning a soft snort from Draco.

Luna leaned forward just then and murmured, “Well, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Grinning cheekily, she spooned a large amount of rich chocolate pudding into a bowl and happily began eating the sweet dessert.

Glancing at Draco, Hermione found him smiling almost fondly at the unusual girl for a moment before he continued eating. Peeking toward the head table, she was pleasantly surprised when Headmistress McGonagall raised her goblet to her and winked. Nodding her head in return, she smiled at the older woman, and finally began eating her roast with gusto. Despite the butterflies in her stomach it turned out to be quite delicious.

After a while, the Ravenclaws seated around them began talking quietly to Luna, who made a point of drawing Hermione and Draco into the conversation. It was a surprisingly interesting discussion about Ancient Runes...a pleasant change from the usual arguments about Quidditch teams at the Gryffindor table. Hermione watched Draco chatting with his fellow students in a much more relaxed manner than he'd ever demonstrated at the Slytherin table.

Seeing him so comfortable for once,Hermione felt a surge of affection for him. Leaning toward him slightly, she rested her head on his shoulder and placed her hand on his knee under the table. He glanced over at her with a smile and placed his own hand on top of hers. “Dinner time’s almost over. We should get our patrol out of the way, so...you know...” She left her sentence unfinished, but grinned suggestively at him. One major perk of being the Head students was that they could schedule their nightly patrol for the first slot in the evening, getting it over with early and freeing up the rest of their evening. This benefit was even more appealing now...

The other students at their table all chuckled when Draco jumped to his feet and offered her his hand. “It’s been really great getting to know you all, but you heard the lady. Duty calls,” he grinned at their dinnermates, who grinned knowingly.

“Yeah, it must be awful,” one of the sixth year boys grinned back at him, “Try to suffer through, mate,” he added, winking at Draco then smiling teasingly at Hermione.

“Oh yes. The things he has to endure,” Hermione murmured dryly, rolling her eyes before grabbing Draco’s hand and tugging him toward the doors to a chorus of laughter.

“That was subtle,” Draco murmured teasingly as they neared the entrance.

“Oh, you loved it and you know-” Hermione began when suddenly she was interrupted by a loud voice from the Gryffindor table.

“Traitorous bitch!” Every head in the room swiveled around to stare at Ginny Weasley, who was standing beside the Gryffindor table, shaking with fury and glaring at Hermione.

Before Hermione or Draco could react, they heard Luna’s voice murmur something and Ginny’s eyes rolled back in her head before she collapsed in a heap on the hard stone floor.

“Luna!” Hermione gasped, staring at the blonde.

“Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy, I suggest you leave before Miss Weasley regains consciousness,” Headmistress McGonagall called out dryly as she calmly walked toward the redhead. “Miss Lovegood, I’d like a word with you in my office when you’re done with your pudding,” she added calmly, as she crouched next to Ginny.

Hermione and Draco exchanged glances, then quickly left the Hall. “Well, overall that went better than I expected,” Draco observed. “I’m sorry about the Weaslette,” he smiled sympathetically at the seething brunette beside him. “I’m kind of surprised it wasn’t a Slytherin that cracked first.”

“Oh, you don’t know Ginny very well. She’s got a hell of a temper...obviously. She still thinks I should get back with Ron. As if,” Hermione shuddered, making a face. “The Ravenclaws were a nice surprise though.”

“Well, they’re a smart bunch, right?” Draco grinned. “They know a brilliant match when they see one.”

“I’m sure that’s it.” Hermione giggled. “So where should we patrol first?”

“We’re really going to patrol?” Draco stopped in his tracks and stared at her.

“Draco, we have to!” Hermione’s cheeks flushed as she put her hands on her hips and stared up at him in disbelief. "We can't just blow off our responsibilities-"

“I’m just teasing you, luv.” Draco chuckled. “You’re adorable when you squirm. Although I’m betting you’ll be more than adorable when you’re squirming in my bed later.”

“Stop that!” Hermione blushed furiously but laughed as she smacked him on the arm.

“You’re cute when you’re mad, too,” Draco laughed, trying to dodge when she smacked him again.

“And you’re terrible.” Hermione snorted, “Let’s just start at the top and work our way down." He immediately opened his mouth to say something, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Whatever you were about to say, forget it!” Hermione cut him off quickly, turning and beginning to walk away.Smirking back at him over her shoulder, she flicked her wand and murmured a spell under her breath. “We’ll NEVER get through this if you keep making lewd comments.”

Draco opened his mouth to protest, but nothing came out. Rolling his eyes, he sighed and fell in line beside her as they quickly headed for the top of the Astronomy tower.

As they approached the entrance to the open air classroom, Draco suddenly stopped walking, grasped her arm with one hand and covered her mouth with the other. When she shot him a questioning look, he released her and pointed a bit impatiently at his mouth.

“Sorry,” She whispered back, then murmured the counter curse.

“Well, I’m glad you’re smart enough to know to whisper after someone covers your mouth,” Draco muttered quietly. “We'll make a Slytherin of you yet."

"You wish," Hermione muttered, rolling her eyes.

Draco quickly pressed his finger to his lips. "Someone’s up there,” he whispered, pointing up the stairs. Almost immediately, there was a shuffling noise above them, followed by a soft gasp. Then another, slightly louder, gasp and a distinct moan. Draco covered his mouth to smother his laughter just as Hermione realized what they were hearing. “C’mon, lets just leave them alone...they're probably from different houses and this is one of the only places they can be alone together.”

“Huh?” Hermione frowned. “But...it’s against the rules...” she mumbled, conflicted. Sometimes she really hated the responsibility that came with her position.

“Luv, it’s not curfew yet and we didn’t SEE them doing anything,” Draco smiled encouragingly at her. “It’s not like they’re doing anything we wouldn't do if we didn’t have the luxury of having our own private suite.”

Hermione bit her lip thoughtfully, then sighed. “Fine. Come on...I don’t want to hear anything else...” She wrinkled her nose and scurried down the stairs.

“Oh gods! Neville!” A female scream floated down the stairs as they reached the bottom of the tower. Hermione stopped, and stared at Draco, wide-eyed, not sure if she wanted to laugh or be sick.

“I will never bloody unhear that,” Draco complained as he dragged her around a corner and quickly scanned the seventh floor corridors.

“Maybe there’s another Neville. A first year we've just never heard of?” Hermione suggested hopefully.

“I dunno, that sounded like Hannah Abbott. She's a bit old for a first year...” Draco shrugged uncertainly. “Can we just agree to never mention this again?”

“Agreed!” Hermione nodded quickly, then picked up her pace when they heard another, albeit more muffled shriek behind them. “Gods...seriously?”

“Oh babe, that’s nothing,” Draco winked lecherously at her before grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the stairs leading to the sixth floor. “Let’s get outta here before they turn you off sex permanently.”

“It might be too late,” Hermione giggled once they were safely out of hearing range. "Sex is ruined."

Draco stopped and raised his hand. “If that's the case, please wait here. And plug your ears. I need to go practice some Unforgivables on someone...” He smirked and pretended to turn back toward the stairs they had just descended.

“Oh stop it,” Hermione snorted, grabbing his arm. “Let’s just check the other floors and get it over with.”