Title: Because I Want You
Pairing: Draco/Hermione (and others, but relatively canon)
Summary: Draco is assigned Hermione as his tutor. This used to be called "The Muggle and the Snake" but I'm totally changing it, although following the original with some respect. Pre HBP
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"Mr. Malfoy!" Professor McGonagall chided. "When I am speaking to you, I expect you to listen!"
Draco Malfoy rolled his eyes to the heavens. If anything was worth his time, it was definitely not the words of Professor Minerva McGonagall.
"Yes, Professor," he mumbled instead, plastering a cherubic expression of deepest penance.
"As I was saying," McGonagall continued. "Your Transfiguration grades are abysmal. I have come to expect much out of you, and yet you continuously disappoint me with your laziness and lack of trying. I know you are better than this, Draco."
Draco smirked and flicked a piece of fluff from his robes. Well, you're not completely stupid, woman, he thought, watching as the fluff fell through the air. If you weren't such a completely inept human being, then perhaps I could pay attent—
"And so, Draco," resumed Professor McGonagall, interrupting his thoughts. "You leave me no choice. I am going to assign you a tutor."
Draco's eyes shot up, the piece of fluff forgotten. "A tutor?!" he sputtered. "Really, Professor, I think I can manage!"
"I'm afraid not, Mr. Malfoy!" she replied, calmly eyeing him with disinterest. "I do not care how smart you are. If you are not willing to pay attention in class and actually try, then I have no choice but to offer you the only other option. You are delusional, Draco, in believing that you can surpass life by simply sitting there and letting other people do the work. Life does not accept laziness."
No, Draco thought. But life does accept money.
"I believe that you can amount to great things," continued McGonagall, shuffling her papers. "However, I also believe that your head needs to be deflated quite a bit. Thus, a tutor will provide both for you."
Resigned to the worst, Draco sighed. "Who is my tutor?" He asked, dreading the answer.
"Hermione Granger." McGonagall said.
Draco Malfoy took extra time each day after his shower to clean his ears thoroughly. He himself was disgusted with the idea of earwax and unclean ears. However, today, he was sure that he had not cleaned thoroughly enough.
"I'm sorry, Professor," he sputtered. "I thought you said Hermione Granger."
"You heard correctly, Mr. Malfoy," she replied. "She will be tutoring you in the library every day for three weeks. You will meet with her from six o'clock to nine o'clock. Good day to you."
Draco walked out of her office, heaving with indignation and utter disbelief. Did he do something wrong in his childhood to deserve such atrocity? Well, yes, he had, but that's beside the point. Granger! He thought. That disgusting little Mudblood. Could there be anything filthier than her bushy hair atop volumes of books? He would rather have Longbottom. Well…maybe he wouldn't.
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"That's all, class." Professor Flitwick squeaked. "You may go."
Hermione Granger hurriedly packed her books away. Instead of going to lunch, she quickly made for the library. The newly arrived Curse You, Witch Bedlam! floated through her mind and she felt giddy with the prospect of burying herself in it.
"Granger."
Hermione looked up.
"What?" she snapped annoyed at Draco's presence.
"Now you listen here, you little Mudblood." He growled. "I don't like this tutoring thing. But it's what McGonagall wants, and she's not letting me back on the Quidditch team until I pull an acceptable grade in Transfiguration."
Hermione rolled her eyes. Boys and Quidditch. Marriage for the two was definitely somewhere in the future.
"That's absolutely fantastic, Malfoy," she replied sardonically, attempting to push past him. "I, of course, am so interested. Now if you please."
Malfoy made a displeased noise in his throat and immediately shoved her back, ignoring the outraged cries from students passing behind her. "Look here, Granger," he hissed, eyes narrowing with hatred. "Don't think you can get away with speaking to me like that. I'm not one to be toyed around with."
"Right," retorted Hermione angrily, brushing her hair from her eyes. "Because we all know what a big bad boy you are, don't we, Malfoy? You sit and whine to your father, and he comes to your rescue. That's very daring of you and all, Malfoy, but—"
She was interrupted by his next shove, a complete and utter attack. He shoved her so hard that she was sure there was going to be a hole in the wall when she could finally peel herself away. Hermione gasped in pain and tried to regain some composure, any composure, but bad luck now, Draco was descending upon her. She could see what effect her words had on him, and for the first time, she was frightened.
"Say that again."
Hermione whimpered, grasping around her robes for her wand. Anyone, she thought desperately. Harry, Ron, anyone. Please find me.
"Say that again."
Hermione's fingers clenched around her wand; she'd found it at last. Out flew her hand, searching for that tender spot on Draco where the curse would hurt the most, but as her hand reached to overtake his vulnerability; his own hand struck and wrapped itself around her arm.
"Let me go!" she gasped, struggling with all her might. Hermione had never been in this situation before: she was completely physically trapped.
"Brave Little Gryffindor," Draco sneered, squeezing her arm harder. "Always trying to fight. Not this time, Granger. This time you're going to understand your place."
"No!" Hermione retorted, determined to fight him off until the end. "I'm not afraid of you, Malfoy. You think you can scare me with a couple of well placed looks and words, but you can't! I'm NOT afraid of you."
"Aren't you?" Malfoy whispered, eyes descending upon her face, locking on her frenetic brown ones. "You don't know what I could do to you, Granger."
Hermione gulped. True enough, she didn't know what Draco Malfoy's favorite kind of pie was, but she knew for a fact that his intentions were evil. And yet she stared him back just the same, unrelenting in her quest to win.
They stood like this for quite some time, neither moving, only Hermione's agitated breathing sounding across the halls. Overhead, the bell signaling afternoon classes rang, and the sound of many students exiting the Great Hall overpowered them. This seemed to bring Draco to his senses.
He let go of Hermione's arm, taking extra care to squeeze it extremely hard before he did so, and stepped back away from her. Hermione sniffed and readjusted her book bag before resuming her proud composure once more.
"Don't forget," she shot at him, smoothing down her robes. "Tonight at six, in the library. Don't be late."
"Whatever," Draco muttered, walking away. "Don't expect me to actually take orders from you, Mudblood."
Hermione watched him walk out of sight and sighed. Why, she thought, did this have to happen to her? It was an honor to be considered responsible enough to tutor other students. Of course, this only hinted to her that the Head Girl position could be coming her way. And yet was she really willing to put up with the greatest prat to ever slime his way around the earth, Draco Malfoy?
"It'd better be worth it," she grunted, and began the long trek to Care of Magical Creatures.
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Hope you all enjoyed. More to come soon!