my first song fic ever and first D/Hr fic ever. just something i had to write. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything...except the story and concept itself... HP belongs to JK Rowling, and the song (Nevermind Me) belongs to Maria Mena. :)
**post-war, AU, non-DH compatible, pairing: D/Hr
~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~
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What is this game we're playing?
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They were back for their final year at Hogwarts and somehow, the war had changed everyone.
Hermione Granger had come back a tad more subdued than she had ever been. The end of the war for her had come around differently than she expected.
Although she had taken her time to hide her parents from Voldemort by sending them to Australia, she neglected to think of their protection from non-magical disasters. Her father had perished protecting her mum in a sudden bushfire in the area where they were staying. And Hermione didn't have the heart to bring her mum back to England and restore her memories only to make her relive her husband's death.
Another thing that Hermione hadn't expected was the devolution of the Golden Trio to a duo. The binding factor to their group was, quite surprisingly, the war. Now that it was over, Harry and Ron seemed to just go off into their own thing. Don't get it wrong, they were still good friends, just not so tightly knit once the pressing matter had passed.
On the whole, Hermione just walked to her classes, to the library, to the Great Hall, and to the commons by herself. It didn't bother her so much. Really, it didn't. Did it?
Hermione had been pondering this question once again when she bumped into Draco Malfoy.
"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!"
She had stumbled back a few steps upon impact but quickly recovered. "Why don't YOU watch where YOU'RE going, Malfoy?? You don't own the bleeding corridors."
"Oh, and YOU do?" His eyebrow rose. "Hate to burst your bubble, Granger, but YOU bumped into ME." He said, stressing her fault.
"I bumped into you??" At this point, Hermione's voice started increasing in volume, "What are you, blind?! Why didn't you just move?"
Draco sneered, "I was facing the other way, genius. If the future of the wizarding world rests on shoulders of dimwits like you, I'd agree to just die now."
Hermione was just about ready to pull out her wand and hex him when Professor Snape came around the corner.
"I trust that this isn't what I think it is." He intoned pompously.
"No, professor." She reluctantly withdrew her hand from her pocket.
"No, sir."
"Good. Now get going before I mark you both late for my class." Snape turned to enter his potions supply closet that stood a few meters from where they were. He didn't enter right away, waiting for one of them to move.
Draco turned and headed down to the Slytherin commons to retrieve his books, as Hermione turned down the next corridor to get to class. She paused at the corner as the supply closet door closed, and looked on as Malfoy walked away.
.
Should I stick around for more?
Snap your fingers, I'll come running,
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"What the bloody hell is wrong with you, Granger?" Draco Malfoy huffed, indignant. "That's the third time this week that you've bumped into me. If you think that's the new way to annoy me, you're definitely getting there."
Hermione Granger stood, slightly stunned. It was happening again??
Noticing her lack of response, he snapped his fingers twice and pointed to the ground at his feet. "Come on now; pick up the books you made me drop."
His words sunk in when she heard his housemates snickering behind him. She placed her hands on her hips. "Well, you shouldn't have dropped them in the first place!"
Draco's eyebrow rose. "Where is your brain nowadays? You knocked the books out of my hands earlier."
The look he gave her alone was already making her feel stupid. She nearly started at his words though. Did she? "Well," the brunette stammered, "Well, I… Watch where you're standing then!"
Both his eyebrows rose this time. "Honestly. I was expecting this to be slightly more interesting than usual, but you're being rather daft." With a flick of his wand, his books returned to his hands. "…Whatever."
She watched, slightly stunned, unable to react as Malfoy and his cronies walked off, the others still calling out insults that echoed their leader's.
.
Leave again when you're bored with me
I'll make it easy.
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Hermione walked out of the library, her arms laden with scrolls. November brought loads and loads of class work and essays to be done, so much so that she only had time to do them right before their deadlines.
It wasn't easy for her to concentrate this year, even with the NEWTs coming up. If she knew that this was going to be the effect at the end of the war, she almost wouldn't have wanted it to end.
She had difficulty focusing on a goal, academic or otherwise, when she no longer wanted to think about the future. It obviously wasn't going to pan out like she had expected it to now that all of these changes had come about. Her heart just wasn't in it anymore.
"Granger!" A familiar voice scolded, just as she was jostled, the scrolls at the very top of her pile wobbling and tumbling to the ground.
The impact wasn't as strong as she expected it to be, for Draco Malfoy was almost successful in his attempt to sidestep the nth collision with her since the term began.
Hermione looked up to see the mixture of boredom and annoyance on Malfoy's face. She bowed her head, mumbling a soft, "sorry," before hurriedly picking up her fallen scrolls and rushing away.
Draco looked confused as he opened his mouth as if to say something. He came up blank as she disappeared from view, her shadow the last he saw.
.
Nevermind me, nevermind me
I'll just cast shadows on your walls.
Nevermind me, nevermind me
I'll let myself out.
.
It remained that way for a while after then. Any encounter between Hermione and Draco (which usually involved an accidental run in, literally) would find her simply apologizing or making herself as invisible as possible.
January rolled about and the behavior continued. Though Hermione worked harder in class than she had all year, her assignments still only managed to get finished the night before submission, at the earliest. She tried to still look as much like the bookworm as she used to be, just to not attract curiosity.
Hermione was currently asking a question in Transfiguration. She waited as Professor McGonagall gave her an answer. As soon as she was done, the class was dismissed… the last class of the day, and of the week.
She packed away her book and parchment and hightailed it out of the classroom as quick as she could. The library was her immediate destination especially since she had a three-foot essay due the following Monday for History of Magic. She wanted it done so it would leave her a free weekend.
.
This façade that I'm stuck with
Has got me wondering
.
"This is just impossible," Hermione sighed as she glanced out the window nearby. Her quill clattered onto the desk beside the mere half-foot essay that she had been able to come up with so far. She had, for the most part, missed dinner and was still no closer to finishing her essay than she was ten minutes after Transfiguration.
Darkness continued to engulf the school grounds. Hermione watched night take over before she sighed again and packed up her things.
The brunette walked out of the library with her book bag over her shoulder and a novel up to her face. She really did intend to read, but somehow her thoughts prevented her from keeping her focus.
It was a strange train of thought that revolved around her change in behavior. How she seemed to lose interest in her studies altogether, how she stopped being a know-it-all, how she became something of a loner. But not least of all, how she was acting around Malfoy and vice versa.
She didn't know why or how it started. At one point, she just didn't want to insult him anymore. Malfoy was the only one who didn't make a huge change after the war. In a strange way, he was there for her when everyone left their pre-war ways. And soon, Hermione didn't really want to hear him insult her; she wanted something more, maybe even a bit of respect. Indeed, he did stop insulting; he actually stopped speaking to her at all.
Somehow, it just confused her more. Would he notice her again now?
.
Just tell me how you want me
And I'll be naked stumbling
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When she left the library, she intended to just head back to the common room, but her distracted state caused her to wander slightly from her usual path. Currently, she was walking through a fourth floor corridor.
She walked along, lost in her thoughts, with her book in front of her. This was until she was relieved of more than just her book and wand, but of her bag and clothes too. Hermione froze in shock as a group of Slytherin 7th year girls laughed obnoxiously from the end of the corridor ahead.
It was a trap.
Hermione looked up, with a mix of anger, annoyance, and peril on her face. She saw the group, only able to identify Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bullstrode among them. As the group's laughter quieted to sniggers, Hermione suddenly became aware of another presence in the hallway.
Her head swiveled around to look behind her. There she saw Draco Malfoy. He looked like he just came up short from turning into the corridor. His expression was frozen in a cross between his usual indifference and total shock.
A second passed, during which the only thought that processed in her mind was, "oh no." Both stood, unmoving, just staring at the other.
It didn't take long though before the realization that she was naked in a corridor with Malfoy crashed over her. She immediately bolted into the empty classroom that was thankfully right beside her before slamming the door shut.
.
Just to get a reaction,
Any signs of love.
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Hermione leaned her back against the door as her eyes filled with tears. It wasn't long before they spilled over. A wave of emotion so strong hit her that she had to let her legs give way. She crouched down to the floor, still on her feet, but curled into a ball. She hugged her folded legs and buried her face on her knees.
Over her sobs, she barely heard the ruckus outside. Draco's voice was coupled with some squealing from the girls.
It took Hermione a while to calm down. Wiping her eyes, she hiccupped, hearing the soft clatter of her things falling to the ground on the other side of the door. She listened hard, but the only thing she could hear between her hiccups was the sound of fading footsteps.
.
Nevermind me, nevermind me
I'll just cast shadows on your walls.
Nevermind me, nevermind me
My god, I feel so small.
.
Good thing the next day was a Hogsmeade weekend.
Hermione Granger sat in the dark, nearly empty pub. Hog's Head wasn't a usual stop for Hogwarts students and that was precisely why she chose it. She had avoided contact with people as much as she could since the previous evening, even skipping breakfast in the Great Hall before heading down here.
Now, she sat in the back corner of the least visited store on the lane, shoulders slumped and a drink in hand. Hermione was never particularly fond of firewhiskey, but somehow, the burn in her throat made her feel better… or feel less.
It was already past lunch time and she was doing okay. She was just about ready to go and hole up in her dorm for the rest of the day, when a group of male students came through the door, Draco Malfoy among them. Her eyes widened before she tried to make herself even more invisible in her little corner.
The boys sat at the tables just by the door and ordered a round of drinks. Somebody apparently had just finished telling a joke because they all burst out in laughter.
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Bottle up your smile
And pour it in a cup
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She stared and watched as she saw an expression she didn't often see on Draco's face. Seeing his smile was nearly euphoric, yet it only made her want to drink more. She downed the drink in her hand before motioning to the attendant for another.
Unable to leave now without being seen, Hermione remained in her chair, continuing to drink as she watched what used to be someone she hated.
Before she knew it, night had fallen and she had had more drinks than she could ever remember having. Hermione knew she was quite tipsy but she had one last drink in her hand and resolved to leave as soon as they did. But until then, she couldn't help but just revel in his smile.
Finally, the inevitable happened and one of the boys noticed her stare. He shouted for her to "bugger off" and made a comment that drew a collective laugh from his mates.
She knew though that she wouldn't be able to leave without making a bigger fool out of herself simply by being unable to walk straight. So she simply bowed her head and bore the jeers of her schoolmates.
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I'll be on my way
Once I've sobered up.
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Her cheeks were already as pink as they could be both with the embarrassment and from the firewhiskey. She was surprised though to hear shouting from the group, before a glass clunked down on the table to join hers.
"Nevermind them. Mind if I sit here."
Startled by the deep voice, Hermione looked up to see Draco holding on to the backrest of the seat across her. She nodded once in response and all the sound seemed to fade away as he sat down with her.