[R: sixty seven]

The Great Hall was bustling with energy on Tuesday morning. Despite it being two days since the ball, it was certainly still the talk of the town. Harry could only be so grateful that nobody truly dwelled on the half-assed speech that he and Ron gave whilst they were distracted trying to scan the sea of masked students for their best friend.

", hey, Harry."

Harry looked up from his breakfast to find Fred grinning at him from across the table. His eyes widened in warning.

"I know, I know, we're not supposed to talk to you in public. Bollocks, if you ask me." Fred rolled his eyes, smirking again "You excited for the show?"

Harry pursed his lips, trying to ignore Seamus' suspicious expression looking at him from the side "Fred, not now." Harry whispered under his breath

"Granger was practi— Oh, look, there she is now!" Fred grinned, pointing at the double doors.

Hermione walked in, bag slung over her shoulder, carrying an apple and two large books in hand. Harry glanced at his watched and nodded, on time as always.

Hermione stopped by the side to talk to Luna "Hey, Luna." Hermione smiled "Have you and Neville found a place for us?"

"Oh, Nev—" Luna's answer was interrupted by Hermione's bag splitting at the seams, all her belongings falling down to the floor in a loud crash "Oh, dear." She whispered, wide-eyed.

Hermione took a second to grasp what had just happened, before she spun around to look for the culprit. Walking away casually, with his hands in his pockets and a smirk plastered on his smug face was Draco "Real mature, Malfoy." Hermione snapped

The whole hall had gone silent, watching Hermione glare at the back of Draco's ignorant head. When he didn't turn to answer her, Hermione whispered ""

Draco's robes immediately caught fire, causing him to yelp in surprise "What the fuck!"

Hermione giggled and turned back to her broken bag, enchanting it to fix itself whilst she collected her belongings from the ground.

"Think it's funny to set people on fire now, don't you, Granger?" Draco spat behind her

Hermione laughed coldly "Maybe if you hadn't hexed my bag—"

"Who said it was me?"

"I it was you." Hermione growled, turning to meet his poisonous glare "Real mature of you."

"We're talking about maturity now, are we?" Draco narrowed his eyes at her as he took a step closer, hand wound tight around his wand "Why don't you give me back what's mine, then?"

"What's yours?" Hermione scoffed "I have nothing of yours."

"I'm talking about the ring, Granger." Draco replied, his voice dangerously low. The entire hall had stopped what they were doing to watch their fight. Almost every student was on their toes.

Hermione whipped her wand out, pointing it at Draco's neck "Don't you dare come near me." She warned, fear seeping into her voice.

Draco smiled coldly as he grabbed her wand hand and slammed her against the wall. Several gasps were heard as Hermione's back hit the stone, her face contorting into a look of pain "I want it back, Granger." Draco hissed, his hand around Hermione's neck as he pinned her against the wall.

Hermione looked just as angry as Draco, her eyes burning with emotion "Get your hands off me." She hissed as she shoved him off of her with all her might "." She snapped

"." Draco managed to shield himself as he staggered backwards, glaring at Hermione venomously. From the tip of his wand erupted a column of flames aimed directly at Hermione, which she redirected to the side with no problem—effectively burning the tips of Seamus' hair.

"Oi!" He yelped in protest

"You want it back so badly?" Hermione practically screamed at Draco "Fine. Take it! Take all of it!" She snapped.

She grabbed the necklace hanging around her neck, snapping and breaking its chain furiously as she hurled it at Draco—both the diamond pendant and the Malfoy engagement ring, that she kept on the chain, falling at Draco's feet. With an angrily whispered charm, she took the Cartier bracelet off her wrist and tossed it at him as well "I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore." She said in a deadly whisper before storming out of the Great Hall, with Luna staring at her in shock.

"You shouldn't have done that, Draco Malfoy!" Hermione heard Luna exclaim as she ran away, hurrying to find an empty classroom. The minute Hermione spotted an empty Charms classroom, she slipped into it quietly,

and giggled.

She thought with a grin

Draco's voice was smug

A few minutes later, he slipped into the room, making sure to lock the door behind him "I see Luna did a number on you." Hermione snorted, rather ungracefully, as she took in the sight of Draco covered in weeds and wildflowers.

Draco rolled his eyes "Here I thought she'd be a little bit more friendly after the weird friendship we developed during sixth year."

Hermione's brows raised "That's news to me."

Draco walked over, arms wide open "She and Myrtle had one thing in common—stubbornness, or at least the lack of taking a hint. Silly girl wouldn't leave me alone." He scoffed "Can you please help me out of this rubbish?"

Hermione laughed, waving her wand to Charm the weeds and wild flowers off of his robes "You think we were convincing enough?"

"I saw Goyle smirking from the Slytherin table, so I suppose we were convincing enough." Draco chuckled "Besides, I did look like I was about to kill you. How's your back?" His gray eyes didn't bother to hide the worry and guilt in them.

Hermione briefly pressed a kiss on his lips "I honestly can't distinguish the pain from...how sore I've been."

Draco barked a laugh, pressing a kiss to her forehead "Let me see your back, love. I don't want you to be looking like a bruised peach because of me."

"It really wasn't that painful, Malfoy." Hermione shook her head

"Just turn around and let me see, Granger." Draco rolled his eyes

"So domineering." Hermione huffed as she followed his orders, turning around to unbutton and shrug her shirt off.

"And you love it." Draco grinned wickedly, pressing a soft kiss on her shoulder "I suppose it's too early to see if there'll be bruises, but can you tell me if it's sore when I press on the area?"

"Yes, healer."

Draco rolled his eyes "Smart mouth."

"And you love it." Hermione echoed his words

Draco proceeded to press on several points on Hermione's back, waiting for her to flinch "Nothing? Really?"

"I'm fine, my love."

Draco pursed his lips and whispered a healing spell anyway "Just to be sure." He murmured, pressing another kiss on Hermione's shoulder.