Giving in to Temptation
Written for QLFC Season 4 Round 5.
Team: Appleby Arrows
Position: Beater 2
Prompts: 1. Quote: "Let's face it; this isn't the worst thing you've caught me doing." 12. Song: Toxic by Britney Spears.
Box: Popular fanon
Pairing: Draco/Hermione
WC: 2889
Hermione Granger furiously brushed her tears away while running down the corridor towards the Room of Requirement. Ron Weasley had hurt her one too many times, and his new, sudden relationship with that bimbo was the straw that broke the camel's back. Who did he think he was, telling her he wanted to go to Slughorn's party with her one minute and being indifferent to her the next? And then the foolish boy had the nerve to go and snog Lavender Brown of all people, right under her nose, as bold as brass.
He was the reason that she'd resorted to taking the insufferable Cormac as her date to the party. Not wanting to think about the way that pig had his hands all over her, she attempted to shake the memory out of her head.
As she was rounding the corner, she collided with and was knocked to the ground by what felt like a solid wall. As she pulled herself back up an unwelcome, familiar voice shattered the tranquillity of the otherwise silent corridor.
"Watch where you're going, Granger!"
Staring into the cloudy, grey eyes of the boy she'd hated for the last five years and expecting to see the usual smug expression plastered on his face, she was taken by surprise by his withdrawn demeanour and the suspicious dampness around his eyes. Had she just caught the Prince of Slytherin crying? Surely not.
"That's almost polite coming from you, Malfoy. Has 'Mudblood' lost its appeal?"
Baby, can't you see
I'm calling
A guy like you should wear a warning
Her words seemed to awaken a fire deep inside him, and she gasped as he scowled, taking a step towards her. Not wanting to appear weak by backing away, Hermione stood her ground and held his gaze defiantly with all the Gryffindor valour she possessed. It dawned on her that she'd never been this alone with him; the thought was an unwelcome one, and nerves swirled around in her stomach as apprehension filled her.
"A Gryffindor through and through, aren't you?"
"Yes."
It's dangerous
I'm falling
He snorted at her short answer, reaching out to brush a strand of brown, curly hair to the side. Inhaling sharply at his touch, Hermione batted his hand away as repulsion and desire fought for dominance inside her head.
"Is this your way of trying to intimidate me, Malfoy?"
"Is it working?" he asked as his lips curled upwards, gracing her with a smirk.
"You're invading my personal space. Back off or I'll hit you so hard it'll make the slap I gave you in our third year look tame."
Clearly delighted at getting to her, her enemy stepped back triumphantly. "Stay away if you know what's good for you, Granger."
With these words, he walked away without a backwards glance.
'What in Merlin's name just happened?'
.oOo.
There's no escape
I can't wait
Snow continued to fall with no sign of slowing down as Hermione watched from her bedroom window. The Christmas holidays always passed by slowly for her, but this year it seemed like someone had aimed the Petrificus Totalus charm at time itself. Even the much needed and enjoyable time with her parents wasn't enough to tame her restlessness.
Her strange behaviour didn't go unnoticed by her family. The questions about Ron and Harry came thick and fast, making Hermione want to scream out loud in frustration. She was still angry with Ron for obvious reasons, and Harry's obsession with the mysterious book he'd found was infuriating. Must she always be the one to use her brain and see the possible danger lurking around the corner? And how dare he use that book to cheat in Potions and usurp her from her rightful, hard-earned place at the top of the class?
I need a hit
Baby give me it
Glancing at the clock, she became aware it was two hours past her usual bedtime, but still, she battled to keep the yawns at bay. The blue-eyed boy with red hair who featured in her dreams for so many years had been replaced by his enemy; the fiery red was replaced by icy blond, while the electric, blue orbs that once made her melt were now a steely, cool grey. Shame filled her as she remembered all the things he'd said to her over the years. 'Mudblood,' he was the first to call her that horrible name and here she was lusting after him like a lovesick thirteen-year-old. Every time sleep claimed her, she sleepwalked closer to the cold, dark night. She was walking hesitantly away from the day, and yet she was powerless to change the direction of her feet.
You're dangerous
I'm loving it
"Stay away if you know what's good for you, Granger."
These were the wisest words he'd ever spoken in her presence. Unfortunately, her rebellious streak had overpowered her rule-abiding side, and she was unable to listen.
'What is wrong with me? How do I stop myself from feeling like this?'
.oOo.
The holiday finally came to an end, and it was once again time to return to Hogwarts. With an exciting mix of anticipation and dread swirling around in the pit of her stomach, Hermione kissed goodbye to her mother and father.
Once classes started up again, life returned to normal–that is, if you could call her not speaking to Ron and aiming little digs at him whenever the opportunity presented itself usually. To her chagrin, Harry continued to believe Draco Malfoy was a secret Death Eater.
On one Saturday afternoon, she found herself making her now common journey to the Room of Requirement. Hermione told herself she was doing this to see if there was any truth to Harry's suspicions about Malfoy. Although, if she was being entirely honest, she didn't believe any of it. Harry had once again swallowed a red herring, and it was up to her to convince him the idea of Malfoy being a Death Eater was absolutely ridiculous.
'It doesn't hurt that you might run into him while you're there, either.'
"Oh, shut up and get a grip," Hermione muttered quietly to herself.
"Talking to yourself now, Granger? I always suspected you were crazy, but this is a bit much even for you," Draco said in his usual drawl. Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of his voice. When she turned to look at him she was startled by how close he was standing to her. Just two small steps and their lips would be practically touching; the thought was not an unpleasant one. In fact, she had to force herself to stay where she was. The devil-may-care smile that appeared on his face suggested that he could read her mind, and Hermione just knew that her cheeks were turning pink as his eyes bore into hers.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were following me."
Managing to force a look of disdain, she scoffed. "Now why on Earth would I want to do that?"
"Leave us," he murmured, causing her to raise an eyebrow in confusion. Glancing at the door to the Room of Requirement, she saw two young girls who didn't look much older than twelve standing against the wall. They left silently without hesitation, which Hermione found very odd.
Too high
Can't come down
"Your fan club seems to be getting younger every time I see–"
She didn't even get to finish her sentence before the gap between them was bridged, and soft lips claimed her own in a not too gentle kiss; a kiss that was broken when she reached out and slapped him so hard the sound echoed around the corridor.
"How dare you! I warned you last time about what would happen if you got in my personal space!"
Losing my head
Spinning round and round
Draco rubbed his cheek gingerly as Hermione glared at him, trying to get her breathing back to normal. Fury filled her as the fool had the nerve to laugh at her.
"Your fiery temper is what attracted me to you in the first place. I still think about that slap you gave me even now."
"Don't give me that, Malfoy. You hate me, for I'm the filthy 'Mudblood' who beats you in every class, remember?"
Draco rolled his eyes. "I have to keep up appearances, or my family's reputation would be ruined, but the truth is, you've always fascinated me far too much for my good."
A snort escaped her, and she stamped down hard on the small part of her that hoped the words were real. "Lines like that might work on Pansy Parkinson, but they won't work on me."
"Then why are you here? I told you to stay away, yet here you are."
Unable to find a suitable comeback, she remained silent.
"Meet me in the library at 7.30."
Finding her voice once more, Hermione responded cuttingly. "Will you be holding your breath while waiting?"
Without bothering to reply, he walked away leaving her wanting more. A thrill she hadn't felt since her fallout with Ron had overcome her during their heated talk, and she had a sinking feeling that she would be meeting him at the library.
Do you feel me now?
.oOo.
Not wanting to be the first to arrive, Hermione arrived in the library at 7.40, but fear was getting the better of her now that their meeting was upon her. What was she doing? Was it best to turn around now before things went any further? Her body was willing, but her head was not. Sneaking towards the back of the library like a lamb led to the slaughter, she gave into temptation.
Oh,
The taste of your lips
I'm on a ride
Relief turned to smugness when he realised he hadn't been stood up. With a quick look around to make sure they weren't being watched, he strode over and pushed her into the bookcase, holding her lips hostage with a bruising kiss. Perhaps it was the thought of doing something so forbidden and naughty in the place she spent so much time studying, or maybe she was simply tired of fighting her feelings; either way, instead of the shove she intended to give him, Hermione found herself melting into the kiss as she allowed him to take complete control.
You're toxic, I'm slipping under
With a taste of a poison paradise
Their passionate kisses contrasted greatly with her previous encounters with Viktor Krum. Viktor was a gentleman who never pushed her to go further than she wanted, and while the kisses were sweet and enjoyable, she never felt as alive as she did in this moment. Draco's hands caressed her hips and were heading lower while his lips left her mouth and moved to a sensitive part of her neck. She gasped softly and pushed him away, finally finding her voice.
I'm addicted to you
Don't you know that you're toxic?
"If we carry on like this we're going to get caught."
Chuckling while curling a strand of her hair around his finger, Draco answered confidently. "Doesn't the risk excite you?"
She couldn't deny that it did.
"Now shut up and let me kiss you again."
And I love what you do
Don't you know that you're toxic?
That was all it took for them to be oblivious of anything but each other. Determined to have the power, Hermione pushed him against the wall and kissed him with all the passion and fire she had inside of her. Draco quickly wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back enthusiastically. Neither would have noticed if anyone had stumbled upon them, but luckily for them, their secret remained uncovered.
.oOo.
It's getting late
To give you up
Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into a month as they continued stealing moments whenever the opportunity arose. The best part of Hermione's day was when she attempted to get his attention during the classes they shared. Draco stubbornly ignored her and kept up his charade of being mean when in the company of others, so it was a small victory when she managed to catch his eye. Today was one of those days, and the lustful gaze he fixed on her when he thought no one was looking took her breath away and fueled her need to see him later tonight.
I took a sip
From my devil's cup
Slowly, it's taking over me
Deciding that she was going to make the first move, Hermione checked that Professor Slughorn wasn't looking over in her direction; when she was certain that it was safe to do so, she started writing a note:
Draco,
Meet me in the Room of Requirements at 8
Hermione
x
Hermione headed in the direction of Draco's desk under the pretence of having to collect an ingredient for her potion. As she walked past she quickly dropped the note on his desk hoping no one would notice. After picking an ingredient at random she locked eyes with Draco and was rewarded with a nod so quick she wondered if she'd imagined it.
'Perhaps tonight will be the night.'
.oOo.
Too high
Can't come down
"What the hell were you doing with Pansy Parkinson? I know we aren't exclusive, but I at least expected you to respect me enough to refrain from seeing anyone else!"
"Oh, but It's okay for you to be friends with Weasley and Potter! How exactly is that fair? One minute you're meeting me in the Room of Requirement, and the next you barely acknowledge my existence!"
Her mouth dropped open at his frustrated shouts, and she was glad that they'd thought to cast the silencing charm before starting their talk in the library. "Has it slipped your mind that Ron was poisoned and he could've died believing that I hate him? It's important that I take the time to get our friendship back on track."
"Friendship?" Draco hissed sarcastically. "If all you are is 'friends' why did you stop talking to Weasley when he started snogging that Lavender tramp? Yes, Granger, even we Slytherins pick up on these things."
"So are you suggesting that I'm dating Ron behind your back? Is that why you let Pansy hold your hand and be all over you when I walked past?"
"Let's face it; this isn't the worst thing you've caught me doing over the years we've known each other," he answered in a quieter tone, avoiding the question about Ron.
"Do you think I'm dating Ron behind your back?" she repeated.
"As you said earlier, we're not exclusive so like I care."
It's in the air, and it's all around
Can you feel me now?
Pain stabbed her heart at his cruel comment, even when she knew it wasn't true. Her head wanted her to calmly tell him he didn't mean that and to be rational, but her heart wanted to hurt him the way he'd hurt her. On this occasion, her heart won the battle.
"Fine! If that's the way it is, then you can go and find Pansy, and I'll look for Ron! At least he has a sense of humour and is fun to be around!"
A hint of anguish flickered across his face before he disguised it and snarled coldly at her. "I think that's the best idea you've ever had, Mudblood. Have fun with Weasley."
For the third time, he walked off leaving her alone, however, this time, the happy bubble that she had been floating on popped abruptly, letting her fall to the ground with no lifeline.
.oOo.
Intoxicate me now
With your love now
I think I'm ready now
I think I'm ready now
Hermione,
I can't put into words how sorry I am about what I said to you. I cared so much that thoughts of you with Weasley wouldn't leave my brain and I lashed out, but you have to believe that if I could take it back I would. I'm ashamed to say that you were right about Pansy; she's constantly all over me and I hoped that you would see it. Revenge for your spending time with your friends at my expense. There are so many things I want to say to you in person instead of on this damned piece of parchment, but I'm simply not brave enough.
It's probably for the best that we don't speak again, for if my family knew about us I don't know what they'd do, but it most definitely wouldn't be good news for you; I can't bear the thought of anyone harming a hair on your head. But the main reason we can never be together is that I am a Death Eater who has been assigned a dangerous task by the Dark Lord himself. I'm concerned that if I don't do his bidding, he will kill me or my family, and that's the reason I have to obey orders, no matter how much I don't want to.
I know that I can never send you this letter, yet I feel slightly better for having written these thoughts down.
I love you.
Draco