THE PHOENIX

Chapter Six


A couple of hours later, Hermione made her way down to the quidditch pitch, dodging the professors as she went. She was accompanied by Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Lavender in silence.

Hermione walked to the middle of the pitch, where about ten Slytherins stood, their wands lit, lighting up the area. She stood a few feet from Pansy as she looked around to the other students.

“Didn’t think you’d show?” Pansy said sneering.

“I don’t want to fight you Parkinson,” Hermione said clearly and calmly.

“What?! You afraid?”

“No, why should I be? What’s the problem with you anyway?” Hermione asked.

“It’s you! You think you’re better than anyone else. What you are is filth!” Pansy spat. “And I’ve seen the way you are with ‘my’ Draco. You stay away from him,” she cried out not noticing Draco shaking his head.

“Your Draco?” She looked to him and grinned as she walked over to him who stood beside Harry. “Tell me Malfoy, does she have her name etched onto your skin?”

“No.” Draco replied, getting a glare from Pansy for his reply.

“Hmmmm,” Hermione murmured and stepped closer to Draco. She brought her hand to the back of his neck, pulling his face to her. She leaned closer and brought her lips to his.

He stood still from the surprise, not responding to her kiss at first, her soft lips gliding over his. His hands went around her waist as he responded and deepened the kiss, pulling her closer to him. ‘She tasted better than he ever imagined’, he thought to himself as their tongues clashed. The others around them looked on in amusement and shock as they clung to each other, all except Pansy and a few of her friends.

“HOW DARE YOU!” Pansy cried out as she yanked Hermione’s ponytail back. “HOW FUCKING DARE YOU!”

Hermione straightened out and turned around to face Pansy. “You shouldn’t have done that,” she warned.

“Keep away from him!” Pansy screamed.

“Or what Parkinson?” Hermione said her eyes glaring at the deranged teen across from her.

Pansy swung at Hermione but she moved to miss the hit. She shook her head as she slipped off her jacket and handed it to Lavender. She stood there waiting in her t-shirt, not noticing the chill of the night, her hands at her sides. “Do you want to try that again?” Hermione asked smugly.

Pansy lunged for Hermione, swinging. Hermione swung her arm up, fist clenched and connected with Pansy’s face. “Really Pansy, is that all you’ve got?” Hermione sneered as she stood there waiting, her body tense and ready.

Pansy gave a nod, then Hermione felt someone grab her arms behind her in a hard grip. Pansy wasted no time and threw her fist at Hermione, hitting her by her eye. Hermione closed her eyes and opened them to see Pansy swinging again to hit her in the stomach. She leaned forward as if in pain as Pansy stood back, smiling triumphantly.

Draco came up to Harry. “Potter, aren’t you going to stop her or help her?” He asked, worry evident in his voice.

Harry looked to Draco. “No. She can take care of herself,” he said smirking.

“What?! And you call yourself her friend,” Draco said.

“Just watch Malfoy,” Harry said nodding to the center of the crowd.

Draco did watch. He was just about to step in when Hermione threw her head back and connected with Millicent’s nose, and then kicked up.

Pansy stumbled back holding her jaw as Hermione came forward after Millicent let go to try to stop the flow of blood coming from her nose. She raised her arm to hit Pansy’s face with her elbow, getting a shriek of pain from Pansy.

Someone grabbed her ponytail and yanked down. Hermione kicked sideways hitting the third girl who was about to join in, in the stomach. Pansy then kicked Hermione in her side, making her fall to her knees. Hermione looked to her side and swung her leg out, kicking the other girl off her feet as she got up to face Pansy again. Pansy swung her fist and Hermione blocked it holding onto her arm in the process. She held on as she side kicked Pansy in the chest, making her stumble back from the hit.

“One on one Pansy......or do you think you can handle it?” Hermione glared as she advanced towards the Slytherin menacingly.

Pansy came back and swung at Hermione. Hermione ducked and punched at Pansy’s side where she doubled over. Hermione then grabbed a fistful of Pansy’s hair and yanked down as she brought up her knee.

Pansy crumpled down to the ground as Hermione stood there, her chest heaving, her eyes blazing, “Enough Parkinson.”

“Hermione!” Lavender cried out.

Hermione looked to Lavender then behind her to see Millicent holding her bloody nose and her wand raised. She kicked sideways at Millicent where there was a snap that was made louder by the quietness of the crowd gathered. Millicent looked down at her wand....well half her wand, as the other half was on the ground where it broke.

Millicent and the other Slytherin girl went to Pansy who was still doubled over and coughing, and helped her up. The three of them glared back at Hermione and walked unsteadily off the pitch. The Gryffindors watched as the other Slytherins left, then turned to see Hermione bent over holding her knees.

Draco, who stood at the side, walked up to her, moving the side of her hair away from her face, “You okay Granger?” At her nod. “Maybe we should get you to the infirmary,” he said as he looked to her swollen cheek.

She shook her head as she stood up straight and leaned onto Ron. “No. Wouldn’t do for the Head Girl to be seen like this,” she smirked then flinched as she felt the pain shoot up the side of her face.

“Are you sure ‘Mione?” Ginny asked as she helped Hermione put on her jacket.

“Very sure. What I want right now is to soak in a hot bath,” she sighed.

“You don’t think the Slytherins will tell on you, do you?” Ron asked.

Draco laughed, “Are you kidding? They would be too ashamed. The three of them got the shit kicked out of them by one person....and a Gryffindor to boot. They won’t say anything.”

“If they do, I can honestly say it was self defense,” Hermione said starting to walk stiffly out the pitch. “She attacked first.”

They made their way to the side entrance and snuck in past the other prefects, as well as Filch and Mrs. Norris. Harry stood by Hermione at the Head dormitory portrait while the others went on their way. He wiped a drop of blood from her cheek. “Are you sure you’re okay, ‘Mione?”

“Yeah, I’m good Harry,” she smiled tiredly. “And Harry....thanks for not interfering in the fight.”

Harry smiled, “I knew you could handle it. We would have helped if we saw that you needed it.”

Hermione kissed Harry softly on the mouth, “Goodnight Harry.” And walked into the common room, straight for the bathroom to see Draco testing the water temperature of the bath.

“Uh.....Granger,” he stammered. “Thought I’d run your bath for you. Almost ready.” As he stood up straight.

She sat down at the side of the tub to unlace her runners. “Thanks Draco,” she sighed as she kicked them off, then stood up.

“Right. Well I’m going to go down to do damage control with my fellow housemates.”

Hermione looked at him. “Why? I’d think you would be happy to see me get into trouble.”

He shrugged his shoulder, “I’m not the same guy as a couple of years ago Granger. No one deserves to be ganged up on like that.”

“Well thanks,” She said looking at the mirror. “It’s not too bad, I’ll probably have a black eye though.” She lifted up the side of her dirt covered shirt to see a large red mark at her side, “And maybe a bruise here, but I’ll live.”

Draco had looked as she examined her face, then her side. When she lifted the shirt, his mouth watered. He had this sudden urge to kiss away her pain. He mentally shook himself as he turned away. “Well, I’ll see you later Granger.” He left closing the door behind him.

Hermione slowly undressed and slid into the warm water up to her chin and sighed in contentment, her favorite scent of bubbles filling the room. She closed her eyes and sighed as she lay her head back against the side of the tub. Her thoughts went to the kiss with Draco. She had been surprised when he responded like he did. She could still feel his lips on hers when she remembered it, and the feel of his body so close to hers. She sunk her head under the water to rinse the dirt off her face then came back up and lay back again, her one leg over the edge of the tub.


Draco came back in their dormitory about an hour later. He glanced in Hermione’s room, she wasn’t there. He noticed the closed bathroom door and knocked, no answer. He opened the door cautiously, just to make sure she was okay.

The first thing he saw was her arm and leg hanging over the side of the tub. He stepped closer to see her in the tub, the bubbles covering her body except for the upper swell of her breasts. Her eyes were closed. He stepped closer and touched her foot, “Hermione.”

“Hmmm,” she murmured then opened her eyes. She slipped her foot back in the water. “Must have dozed off there for a bit.”

Draco leaned his hip on the vanity counter behind him. “Where did you learn to fight like that?” He asked smiling.

“You’re smiling again,” she smirked as he shrugged. “Harry and I have been spending the past two summers at bike rally’s with Sirius and Remus. It’s just something I picked up.”

“Picked up, huh?” Well it looks like you picked it up pretty well. What else did you learn at these rally’s?” He asked smiling still.

“Oh... a little of this...... a little of that,” she answered off handedly. “So how was damage control?”

“When I got down to the dungeons, Snape was there. Pansy was relaying her version of what happened.”

“Oh great,” Hermione sighed. The worst possible professor to find out about it first.

“Snape sent Pansy, Millicent and Suzanne to the infirmary. You know...... Millicent had a broken nose, Pansy had a cracked rib and a broken tooth, along with various bruises. Suzanne’s got multiple bruising on her legs and ribs.” He grinned as Hermione lifted her brow. “Anyway, Snape had asked us what really happened. He was told that Pansy started it and you were defending yourself.”

“Did Snape believe that?”

“Yes... I think so. He asked me to confirm it, and I did. Snape knows how Pansy is. Some of the Slytherins may regard you a bit differently now though.”

“Is that good or bad?” She asked as her hands rubbed against her raised knee.

Draco followed the movement of her hand. “It’s good. They were just as surprised as I was that you were able to fight like that.”

“Well, I don’t like to fight like that too often. It’s not necessary.”

“Was it necessary to kiss me?” He asked as he looked at her intently.

She smiled, “no....but I knew it would piss her off.”

“That’s it?” He asked disappointed with her answer.

“That’s all I’m going to tell you,” she said as she reached for her towel. “Now, leave so I can get out of here,” she said smiling.

That night Draco lay in bed reliving their brief kiss. He closed his eyes, kissing her again and again in his head, imagining what she looked like under all those bubbles in the tub. He turned over, frustrated as he grew hard at the memories, and seriously thought about going to her for another taste of her lips.


Thanks to Lessa, my beta reader.