A/N
Alright, I know I promised slow updates, but the supportive reviews got me especially hyped, so I'm sure you'll forgive me. Just this once.
Chapter 2
It was 22:45.
Draco sighed.
He was pacing nervously around his room, waiting for Harry to call. At first, when he suggested the idea of moving in with Hermione, he wasn't sure what to make of it - surely she'd enjoy living alone for a while, but Harry insisted that was nonsense and she'd love the company.
He glanced at the clock again. 22:46.
This whole moving situation had his nerves painfully on edge and he couldn't help the feeling of defeat when it'd been a few hours and Harry still hadn't made good on his promise to call with updates. He was aware he could just buy an apartment for himself if Hermione said 'no', but he didn't want to be on his own. He'd felt alone for the majority of his life between his cold father and empty flings and didn't mind going through this alone. Well, he wouldn't have minded going through this alone one year ago. Everything was different back then, before he met Harry in the one class they shared at M.I.T.
One year. One year was all it took for Harry to help him get out of the hole he dug for himself; though he didn't fully blame himself for that one. Oh, no, his parents had played a pretty significant part in all of it, specifically his dad. He could recall the conversation like it had just finished happening.
"We're very proud of Blaise, you know. Admitted 4th on the list to Harvard." said Zabini's - it was what, the seventh? - stepfather.
"To be expected, honestly, given his education. And now he'll only take that further at the best university in the country. Do you know if he and Draco have spoken about living arrangements yet?" Lucius Malfoy answered in his customary glacial tone.
"I'm not sure, my son hardly tells me anything" he chuckled lightly "But on that note, I should congratulate your son. He was first on the list, no? Quite the interview that must've been.."
"I personally spoke to the dean and he was nothing short of impressed regarding every aspect of it. Severus and I are old friends, you understand.."
"Of course. And - "
But Draco had heard enough. He stepped into the dining room of the manor while coughing loudly to get his father's attention.
"There will be no living arrangements made with Blaise because I am not going to Harvard. And he much prefers living alone anyway now. A few years away at boarding school will do that to you" Draco said icily, directing the last part toward Blaise's mother, who had no problem sending her son away while she searched the market for new men to become the trophy wife of.
"Draco.." Narcissa admonished softly. "Perhaps this is not the best time for this conversation, we have guests. We can discuss the topic later."
"Oh? Father didn't seem to have a problem with discussing it earlier. In fact, he seemed rather keen on it. So by all means, don't let me throw you off the topic of the college I've chosen. I'm going to M.I.T. and that's that."
"You've been admitted to Harvard and you're going to Harvard. Just like me, my father, my grandfather and every damn person in the Malfoy family tree. You will become a lawyer and you will like it." Lucius said, raising his tone.
"Is that what that is? We don't have enough lawyers that get murderers and rapists to walk instead of doing their twenty-five to life in some long forgotten dark hole?" Draco spat back. "Disown me if that doesn't sit well with you. I still have my part of grandfather's inheritance to do with as I please. I'm going to M.I.T." he reiterated, more firmly this time.
And as sure as day, his father hadn't disowned him. He couldn't very well do that without risking a huge scandal and it's not like he didn't already have his hands full with the most important accomplishment of his life, Lucius Law, his firm; every criminal that had a name for himself hired him to deal with his problems, given there wasn't a conflict of interest with the other clients - though even then, Draco knew his father managed side deals to get money from both parties implicated in his trials. Not that he'd ever get his hands dirty. No. He was clean. Squeaky. He had others to do his dirty work and he was obviously very good at it if the billion dollar enterprise was anything to go by.
Draco did have respect for his father in the career sense of the word; he was a fine example of a man who understood all the webs and intricacies of the criminal world. He understood the game and played it ten moves ahead of everyone else. It was his world and he shined in it. He thrived in it.
But it wasn't Draco's world and he had no interest in pursuing his father's wishes for him. In fact, he wanted nothing to do with the man. The reason he hadn't moved out shortly after that conversation was his mother's condition advancing fast and her wishes for him to stay at home.
So he stayed. He endured his father's barks and the constant nagging about making a wrong choice. He endured the jabs and everything his father threw at him. All the late nights that he stayed up to study or finish up on his assigned projects, just to have Lucius sneer at him the mornings after when he noticed the dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep.
"Surely you regret not choosing Harvard now." which he could only assume stood for "surely you wish I could use my influence to get you out of boring homework".
He learned to ignore the snide remarks because truth be told, he relished the assignments. He relished having something to occupy his thoughts, something to pull him away from his mother's health worsening with each passing day.
But now, after his mother's death, with his first year of college out of the way and his second about to start, he was ready to start a new chapter in his life.
23:05
Draco's phone dinged furiously on the nightstand, where it stood charging.
"She said you can move in." - Harry
Six words. Six words that made him release the breath he hadn't realised he was holding and a feeling of relief washed over him.
He looked around at the three boxes neatly packed with all the stuff he thought he'd need. If she said 'no', he was ready to call and rent a room somewhere for a while; anything to not have to spend another night in close proximity to his father.
And then he wondered when it'd be appropriate to go over to Hermione's. Should he call her? He didn't have her number. Should he ask Harry for her number to set up details? That seemed overeager.
No, he'll just call a cab to get him and his stuff to a hotel for the night. So he did just that.. Except when he climbed into the cab, the address that escaped his lips was Hermione's and he inadvertently made up his mind to wait in front of her door for the morning if she didn't answer when he knocked. He couldn't wait one moment longer, he wanted to finish moving as soon as possible.
He tried not to panic when no one seemed to hear the knock. He couldn't blame her if she went to bed already after all, it was half past twelve. So he cozied up next to his boxes and tried to get some shut-eye.
And that's how Hermione found him the next day when she opened the door, ready for her occasional morning run.
At first she wasn't sure what to do - he looked peaceful, his head leaned against the wall, and if she was honest with herself, he was kind of.. cute? Well, vulnerable more like, but the fact that she didn't think a lot of people saw him in this state made her think of it as cute. On the couple occasions that they both happened to hang out with Harry, he seemed cold and unapproachable, but there was no hint of his usual cockiness now.
She took in his appearance; the ruffled hair, giving away how stressed he's most likely been - Harry hadn't given her all the details, but she wasn't thick - she assumed he also had the habit of grazing his hand through it whenever he was nervous, his long fingers scrunched up around his phone and his white T-shirt slightly bundled up toward his waist, giving her a preview of his toned abs.. "gah", she thought. "drooling over your roommate, way to go, Hermione".
That idea was enough to make her stop creeping about and decide to wake him. Where was it appropriate to touch him, though..?
She finally kneeled next to him and moved her fingers over his, slowly squeezing his hand until his eyelids started to flutter.
"Shit." he said as he fully opened his eyes and caught her gaze "Hi.." he trailed off, unsure of what he could say that could possibly explain his state.
"Hi.. rough night?" she asked knowingly.
"Better than most" he said with a yawn, purposefully moving his head to get a better view inside the apartment "So.. are you gonna invite me in or what?"
"I believe this is where I tell you you should buy me a drink first?" Hermione countered, tugging his arm jokingly, but instantly regretted when he raised a perfect eyebrow, looking amused. She didn't want to dignify his challenge with a response so she decided to help him up. "Do you need help with the boxes?" she asked helpfully, while glancing at her watch.
Checking them with a slight panic to make sure everything was still there, he answered "No, I've got them, why?"
"I want to see you all settled in so I can go for my morning run and when I come back, we can discuss some ground rules and chores?"
"If there's not too many of them, I'd rather we went over them now so I can then crawl into bed and sleep" he voiced, another yawn escaping his lips.
"Oh.. Alright, I guess that's reasonable enough. So first off, you're allowed to bring visitors, just send me a text like ten minutes in advance" she said, causing him to eye her curiously. "You know, in case I'm running around the apartment naked or something?" she shrugged.
"I see. Do you do that often?" he asked, a glint in his eye.
She suppressed the upcoming smile she felt and brushed off his comment. "If you have girls over, please refrain from sexual activities in public areas of the apartment - bathroom, kitchen, basically anything that isn't your bedroom. Obviously these things apply to me too. This is pretty much the deal I had with Harry, so I hope it's okay with you too."
He nodded.
"Good, any rule that you'd like to add?"
He took a longer moment to think, but ended up shaking his head. "Not really, but I'm too tired to think right now, anyway. Anything else?"
"Well, as I'm sure you know since it used to be Harry's, your bedroom is the one at the end of the hallway, near the bathroom. Oh, and give me your phone so I can put in my number for emergencies."
He unlocked his phone and handed it over, while she kept instructing him of how their cohabitation was going to work "As far as chores go, Harry and I used to take turns regarding who'd go to the market for food supplies. For the first few times you go I can come with you or just hand you a list, whatever you prefer; obviously you can buy whatever else you want too. Dishes are pretty much 'you use it, you clean it' and if you're gonna leave a mess somewhere, let it be in your room. I usually go crazy if I see disorganized things in the places I frequent. And before I forget, your key is on the counter - the door is a somewhat difficult to open every once in a while, but I'm sure you'll figure it out." she looked at him, satisfied to know he was following her points, despite her fast talking, a bad habit when she was particularly nervous or impatient. "Right, well I think that's all. Sleep tight?"
He nodded again. "Thanks, enjoy your run" she heard him say as he turned around and started moving the boxes towards his new room.
Somewhere along the way out of her building, she became all too aware of the fact that she was wearing her skin tight black yoga pants and the basically see-through running shirt that showed off her flat stomach and neon pink sports bra, briefly causing her to wonder if her appearance affected him as much as his appearance affected her. And she would never admit it, but deep down, she hoped so.
A/N
I'm sorry for any grammar mistakes, I've slept for a total of 5h last night and it's showing; when I went over the chapter I corrected at least 10 errors, so there are probably a few more that escaped my notice. Also English isn't my first language so I can just say that and *bam* I'm good.
Please review, it means a lot to me! (but if that's not reason enough for you, just think that feedback might help me lead the story in a direction that you'd enjoy more, so really, you're reviewing for yourself, right? right.)
