The Tango is for Two

a/n: i want to thank all my reviewers - encouraging comments is what keeps me writing. flames help too, it helps me feel better about myself, because ive never flamed in my life.

word.

the tango is for two :: chapter two - that feeling inside

...

It was a new day - the first rays of light were beginning to shine, and groggy teens were waking up. One in paticular, Hermione Granger, threw the covers back and sat up abruptly.

She'd dozed off while reading about the tango.

I wonder what time it is, she thought vaguely, gravving the clock off of her bedside table.

Past breakfast time. Why aren't you in class? It read.

"Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed, kicking back the sheets and hopping out of bed. "How could I be late?"

She jumped into her clothes and ran down the stairs while slipping into some shoes.

Through the common room, out the portrait hole, down the hall and bam! She flung open the door to Transfiguration.

Everyone in the room turned to stare at her.

"Hermione," Professor McGonagall greeted her, looking at her distastefully. "How nice of you to join us. Care to explain why you were late?"

Hermione suddenly felt hot and dizzy. McGonagall's face turned different colors, and the floor seemed to wobble underneath her. Everything surrounding her seemed to turn to ooze, and she fainted.

"Hermione!" Harry shouted, from his seat. His face was twisted in concern as he and Ron rushed down to help her. McGonagall pushed him out of the way as they knelt and checked her pulse.

"Why did she faint?" Ron asked.

McGonagall shook her head. "I don't know. Ron run ahead and tell Madame Pompfrey what happened. Harry, take her to the medical wing."

...

After classes Harry and Ron returned to the wing to see if Hermione was doing any better.

Harry pushed the door open and rushed to Mme. Pompfrey's desk.

"Is she okay? Can I see her? What's wrong? Why did she faint?"

The nurse stood up with a light smile and asnwered his questions one by one.

"She's doing fine, yes, you can see her, but only one at a time. She just fainted, perfectly normal, probably from dehydration or stress."

Ron looked on as she led Harry into a curtained off area.

"Hullo, Hermione." Harry greeted her, as the nurse bustled off.

She looked up from the bed with sleepy eyes.

"Harry!" She exclaimed, happily. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, you fainted, so I wanted to make sure you were all right.. how are you feeling?" He said, taking a seat.

Hermione smiled. "That's very sweet of you. And I'm fine, just a little sleepy." She looked at him for a long moment. "Tomorrow, be ready to start learning tango." She said, grinning.

"I will, don't worry. Do you want to see Ron now?" He asked, standing up and looking down at her awkwardly.

"No, not really. I'd like to rest if that's all right with him. It's nothing serious so I'll just see him tomorrow and all."

He nodded. "All right. See you tomorrow." He started to leave, then paused, and then sweeped in and kissed her cheek clumsily. "Get better."

He rushed out, leaving behind a blushing Hermione.

Madame Pompfrey came in, smiling down at the embarrassed girl. "He's very sweet." She commented, but that was all. Hermione nodded, looking at the floor.

...

"Potter." Draco hissed, sliding up next to him and Ron.

Both Harry and his friend turned angrily to the Slytherin, eyes ablaze. "What do you want Malfoy?" Ron demanded.

"I heard about Granger, fainting like that." He said, not looking at them. "A real pity, she's gotten a beautiful body these last few months, aye?"

Harry shoved him harshly, and Malfoy recoiled angrily, cocking his head to the side. "I'm sure she'd be flattered that you were standing up for her, but honestly, it was just a compliment. Temper, Scarface."

He strolled off.

Harry growled. "What's he doing, complimenting Hermione?" Ron asked him, confused.

"I don't know, but I don't like it." Harry snapped, and stormed off to the common room, Ron on his heels.

...

Draco was pleased with himself, as he sauntered down the hallway; and why wouldn't he be, his plan was going just as he had masterminded it to. Of course, a Malfoy's plan seldom goes wrong. It's a gift, really, he thought to himself smugly.

"Draco." A quiet voice greeted him from a corner.

He turned and saw Ginny Weasley standing there, books clutched to her chest. In the light the torches gave off, her skin was aglow, and her hair seemed to be on fire.

In her eyes he saw a silent blaze as well, but of jealousy.

"What's the matter?" He asked, casually.

"I heard what you said about Hermione."

She pushed off of the wall she was leaning against, and stepped closer to him, like an invisible force was pulling her in.

"What about it? It's part of the plan, Ginny." He said her name distastefully. "What a horrible name."

"Then call me Virginia. But honestly, I'm beginning to wonder, if this plan is really about Harry and Hermione, or if it's in your main interest. Is it just a scheme to get Hermione into bed with you?" She asked, with a withering stare.

"Virginia? That's much better. More romantic, rolls off the tongue easier. And I like my tongue to roll easily." He drawled, looking at her pointedly. "But to answer your question... no, it's not. I don't sleep with women just because they have nice bodies. It's a plus, of course, but not the only quality. Granger, for instance, I would never sleep with because she doesn't love me. And I know that, so it would only do to hurt me, her and him."

Virginia glared. "Oh, right. Like Draco Malfoy only sleeps with women he truely loves."

Draco grabbed her shoulders harshly, then looked at her fondly. "How did this conversation turn to my love life? I thought we were masterminding a matchmaking."

She inhaled slowly. "Right. So what's your plan, then? You never told me."

"It's a little complicated... but here's the jist of it. I date Hermione, Harry gets jealous."

"That's it?" She asked, incredulously. "That sounds like something even Ron could come up with."

"Don't compare me with your family." He snapped. "Besides, that's not all it entails. Just the main plot. There are many subplots."

"I'm sure."

"Don't give me that look, Virginia. Guess who knew they were going to enter the competition together?"

She stopped her dubious look. "They're entering together?" She asked, in shock. "Nobody said anything about that yet!"

"Maybe not to anybody directly, but it's obvious. I goaded them so that they would feel the need to beat me. And I knew that this action would lead them to deciding which of the 3 would enter, and since your brother is as clumsy as an aardvark I knew they'd choose Harry. Thus Harry and Hermione enter the competition."

"Amazing." Ginny breathed.

"Not really," Draco said, dryly. "I thought of it during Charms class a while back. Anyways, another leading factor is that Harry and her don't know any real dances, so Hermione would study, and of course, teach Harry. Which means tutoring sessions. Alone. Dancing, Ginny."

She nodded avidly. "Yes, yes, of course, it all makes sense."

He nodded. "I know."

"But..." He started.

"But what?" She asked, warily.

"There could always be complications." He said.

She looked out the window, at an owl perched precariously on a statue's head. "What kind of complications?"

"When you play with people's emotions," He answered. "Anything can happen. People are stupid like that. Uncontrollable hormones means you can use them to your advantage, at times, but it also means that at any point, something could completely get out of hand."

She nodded. "You're right." She breathed. "You're completely right. So we have to be really, extremely careful." She turned back to him, stepping closer to his figure. He was warm and the day was cold.

"Right." He affirmed, looking at her face closely.

"You have very smooth skin." He observed.

"So do you." She said, stumbling over her words.

He laughed. "Not usually the thing you would say to a man, Virginia."

"Oh, I'm sorry." She whispered, breathing in.

"Yes, you have very smooth skin..." He assured himself, and brushed his lips over her cheek.

They came to rest upon her lips, where he applied more pressure, evoking a gentle moan and causing her to fall into his arms.

He drew back. "We have to be very careful Virginia." He instructed, and left.

...

"But what about me?" Cho Chang wondered, from her spot behind a corner. She had watched the goings on between Ginny and Draco. Her interest was pricked, and she drummed her fingers on the wall. She too, had noticed Harry and Hermione, but then, who hadn't, she thought.

Cho had her own reasons for going after Harry and they weren't entirely benigne. She found it difficult sometimes, when she shamelessly flirted with him, in front of Hermione. It bothered her sometimes late at night, and she would briefly regret her actions, especially when her conscience was screaming at her about it.

But Harry was interested in her, she knew it. And any interest in Cho Chang did not go unnoticed. No, definetely not, she decided. But what to do? Now that people were trying to set them up, she might not have much time.

"Must get to work.." She muttered to herself, and glided away.

...

Hermione finished writing down a main step in the Tango, and closed the two thick books she had been researching from. Gathering her papers and things, she stuffed them all into her very wornout bookbag, and made a start for the Charm's class.

When she arrived, Harry was already there. "Hullo, Hermione." He greeted her brightly.

"Hello, Harry. Are you all ready?" She asked.

"Yeah, I guess." He said.

"Right then, let's begin."

And so they began.

...

It was late at night when Hermione finally agreed that they'd learned enough, and the lesson was dismissed.

Harry's feet were sore, and his eyelids were drooping. "Honestly, I don't think we needed to train that long." He confessed, as they strolled out of the classroom and headed for Gryffindor tower.

"Practice makes perfect." She commented, even though she too, was experiencing slight exhaustion.

He grunted in reply, and as they rounded a corner, someone reached out and grabbed his robes, turning him around brusquely.

"Hello, Harry."

"Cho!" He exclaimed, in surprise at the sudden appearance of the slim Ravenclaw.

Hermione stayed behind him, making evil faces at her.

"I was wondering... about the uh, dance competition. I know you're entering with... her," She said this with bitterness and a nod of the head in Hermione's direction. "But I was wondering if you might reconsider, and switch partners? I mean, I'm entering with Seamus, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind going with Hermione."

As if he wouldn't mind giving you up to dance with Harry, thought Hermione acidly.

"Umm.. er.." Harry stuttered, confused and helpless feeling. He shot a pleading glance at Hermione, who coldly turned her head away, as if to be disgusted he would even consider switching.

"I don't think so, Cho. We've already started training, and it'd be too much trouble."

Hermione's head jerked up in surprise. They'd only had one class, it wouldn't be that much trouble. She glowed with pride as Cho recoiled, surprised that he hadn't agreed.

"I.. I don't understand..." She started, her eyes narrowing. "I thought you had feelings for me, Harry!" She snapped, furiously.

Harry shook his head quickly. "No, no, I do, I do have feel.. feelings but I just think that-"

Cho slapped him.

"Harry Potter, if you won't do this minor thing for me than I don't think you care enough about me at all!" She hissed.

Hermione watched, blood boiling. How dare she do this to him?

Harry started to stutter again.

"I didn't know this meant so.. so m..much to you, Cho, I.."

Cho stamped her foot. "Harry!" She whined, "Can't you see I need this?"

"You don't need this, you just want this." Hissed Hermione, with rage behind her words.

Cho turned her eyes upon the younger Gryffindor girl and growled. "You shut your mouth, you fat cow. You don't know anything about love."

Hermione shook her head. "That's it. You've gone way too far!" She shouted, and whipped out her wand. "Incendio!!"

Cho's long raven locks caught ablaze, and she screamed.

Harry watched in horror as her hair was burnt to a crisp, and the ashes didn't stop falling until Cho managed to put out the flames, and by then her hair was trimmed to above her ears.

"Like your new cut, there, Chang." Hermione whispered, venomously. She left.

Harry stared at Cho for a long moment.

"How on earth can you stand to be around someone that bitchy?!" Cho yelled at him.

He was silent for a second, and then, "I don't know. Doesn't Seamus get asked that a lot?" He left her in the hall.

Cho growled and kicked the wall in defeat.

...

Hermione ran as fast as she could, blind to all her surroundings.

"Granger?" She bumped into someone's shoulder, and hands firmly grasped her arms. "Granger, what's wrong with you?"

She didn't have to look up to know who it was. She knew by his voice that it was Draco Malfoy.

"I don't need any of your help, Malfoy." She hissed.

"Oh ho ho. Maybe not any help, but I'm sure you've got something major on your mind." He said, looking at her in a funny way she'd never seen him look at her with.

"I.. I set Cho's hair on fire."

He laughed, loudly, and genuinely. "Bravo, it's about damn time someone did something like that to the whore."

She stared at him, undaunted. "In front of Harry." She added.

He stopped laughing and cringed. "Oooh."

"When she said I didn't know anything about love." She continued.

"My goodness."

"And gave him a pointed glance." She finished.

"Dear me, Hermione. What a predicament." He said, giving a soft laugh.

Her head popped up. "What did you say?" She asked, incredulously.

"What a predicament." He repeated himself, even though he knew that wasn't the part she was surprised about.

"No, before that." She said, watching him carefully.

"Hermione?"

"Yes. Why'd you call me by my name?"

"In some places, that's what humans call one another, by their name." He explained.

"But you never call me Hermione." She whispered.

"So?"

"Why? Why, Malfoy?"

"Maybe I just wanted to." He whispered, his grey eyes staring her down.

Hermione backed up. "I don't trust you."

"You don't have to." He said, and left.

She watched him walk away, with a funny feeling inside her stomach, one she never felt around him before. It was at the same time pleasant and yet also made her feel sick. Putting down her head, she walked up to Gryffindor tower.

...

"Hello, Hermione." Harry greeted her when she came into the common room.

Hermione looked at him quickly, mumbling a hello.

"What's the matter?" He asked, concerned.

She mumbled something about Malfoy and feeling ill.

She made for the stairs up to her dorm, but he stepped in her path, blocking her.

"Is Malfoy bothering you?" Harry asked, his eyes full of worry.

Her stomach had that feeling again, but this she was accustomed to, around Harry. "No." She lied, looking at him carefully. She had never lied to Harry before, and it made her hands sweat under his intense gaze.

"Okay.." He said, and stepped out of the way. No sooner than he had she raced up the steps.

"What do you suppose is wrong with her?" He asked Ron.

Ron shrugged, not looking up from the Quidditch book he was reading. "Maybe it's that time of the month."

...

Ginny stepped through the portrait hole, she'd watched Draco's encounter with Hermione and it made her feel sick as well.

But she wasn't sure why.

"Hello, Harry, Ron." She greeted them, quietly.

They glanced up and greeted her.

"Say, Ginny, do you know what's wrong with Hermione?" Harry asked.

She did, but she didn't want to tell him. "Maybe it's that time of the month." She suggested, weakly.

"I guess." Harry said, dubiously. "But usually she doesn't act like this. She's usually more studious, and concentrates better. Did you see how nervous she looked when I asked her about Malfoy? Do you think she's lying, do you think he's bothering her? What if he's hurting her? Or worse, what if he's... you know, harrassing her?"

Ron laughed at his friend. "You worry too much about her."

Harry looked away as he blushed, pretending to suddenly become very interested in his shoes.

Ginny sighed, thinking to herself. You're so obvious, Harry.

...

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