An equally vivid image came to her of Draco with her family on their annual beach holiday in Brighton. Draco was wearing swimming trunks (did he own swimming trunks? Did he even have knees? — she had never seen them) and haughtily refusing her mother's offer of an ice pop. 'Come on, you'll like it,' said Hermione's mother. Draco took out his wand and turned her into a toad.
You're going mad, Hermione, she told herself. She swiveled around in her chair and looked at Draco.
'Look,' she said. 'If we get back to school and you still want to come see me over the summer, then yes, you can.'
He brightened. 'Really?'
'Uh, yes,' said Hermione, thinking that come September, her whole family would likely be hopping around on lily pads.
'Has Harry come to visit you over the summer?' said Draco neutrally.
'Yes,' said Hermione, 'but he's quite used to Muggles and my parents really love him, so…' she trailed off at Draco's expression. 'Would you leave me alone about Harry?' she snapped. 'He's my best friend and if that is some kind of problem for you…'
'That wasn't a very best-friendly kiss he gave you in the study,' snapped Draco.
'I told you! He was just making a point to your father!'
'You go on and tell yourself that, Hermione,' said Draco. 'But I bet you liked it.
Didn't you?'
'Oh, shut up, Malfoy.'
'Didn't you?'
She threw her brush down on the table with a clatter. 'Yes! I did!'
'You better make your mind up, Hermione,' he said with a burst of sharp anger.
'We're wizards, you know, not Mormons.'
'I'll keep that I mind if I decide to marry either one of you.'
They glowered at each other.
'You know what I mean,' he said darkly.
'Maybe I don't know,' said Hermione, rather unkindly. 'Maybe you should spell it out.'
Draco just glared at her and she glared back. She had always thought that only Harry could thoroughly exasperate her like this, but apparently that wasn't the case.
'I'm not your girlfriend,' she said waspishly. 'And I'm not Harry's girlfriend either. And may I point out that NEITHER OF YOU has indicated they even want to be my boyfriend. So if I want to…to run off with…Neville Longbottom, that's MY business and not either of yours.'
Draco stopped glaring and snorted with laughter. 'Do you really want to run off with Neville Longbottom? Because Hermione Longbottom is a terrible name.'
Hermione felt her mouth twitch into a reluctant smile. Draco was leaning on the back of her chair now. Their two faces were reflected in the mirror, side by side.
His dark hair was sticking out in every direction, it looked like he couldn't control it any better than Harry could. We look so good together, she thought, and then felt a bubble of guilty confusion travel up from her stomach and pop inside her chest. Get a grip, she told herself, and started rummaging in Narcissa's cosmetics box.
There was a knock on the bedroom door; it opened, and Harry came in. She couldn't believe how tired he looked. There were black circles under his eyes and he looked even paler than Draco usually did. But he smiled when he saw her.
'Hey,' he said.
'Harry,' she said, 'You're all right?'
'For now,' he replied. 'You?'
'I'm fine,' she said, and stood up.
The result of this was somewhat unexpected. Harry looked as if a very heavy weight of some sort had fallen on his head. He literally took a step back, and stared. 'Hermione,' he said, sounding a lot like Draco had, 'you….look….'
'Yes?' she said.
But Harry didn't appear to have anything else to say. He just stared.
'Well, that's got rid of him for the moment,' said Draco to Hermione. 'Shall we get on with our conversation?'
That's it, Hermione thought to herself. Whatever else happens, I am keeping this dress. Lucius Malfoy will have to pry my cold dead fingers off it before I agree to give it up.
'Sure,' said Hermione.
'What were we talking about?' said Draco.
'Hogwarts: A History,' said Hermione, grinning.
This snapped Harry out of his daze. He looked at Draco in astonishment. 'You've read Hogwarts: A History?'
'Why is this such a big deal?' Draco wondered aloud.
