Forbidden
XxX
Chapter 2
Draco entered the great hall for the breakfast. He already sensed it would be a lot of curious faces towards him. He was completely right. A lot of students turned towards Draco with curiosity in their faces. Especially the first graders seemed to be interested in the scar over his face, as if they never have seen one. He searched for an empty place among the Slytherins, and found one on the other side of Blaise, and far away from Pansy. Luckily for him. Maybe he would even be able to avoid her for today. That thought kind of relieved him.
Blaise gave him a warm smile as he sat down, but his face was concentrated on something behind Draco, he noticed. Draco turned his head half way to follow his eyes, and at the end he found himself looking straightly on Granger. Draco quickly turned away from her, and faced his Slytherin friend. Blaise looked somehow away, almost like behind a layer of fog where he was out of reach. It was obvious he was trapped inside his own thoughts.
Draco couldn't avoid to release a choked laugh. '' I see. Head duties over the breakfast, isn't it?''
Blaise finally turned away from the Gryffindors, but only to give Draco a warning look. Draco felt how he got kicked in the leg under the table. His reaction was immediate, and he laughed out. '' Seriously? You got a crush on Granger?''
Blaise looked embarrassed over Draco's discovery. Draco's eyes already managed to get filled with tears of laughter. They rolled down his cheeks, as he struggled to keep his breathe equal. Blaise's cheeks turned pink. It only made Draco begin to slap his thighs of laughter. This discovery was hilarious in his eyes. Zabini and Granger. Draco finally managed to stop, with a sound like ''eeh'' at the end. Blaise still haven't said a word.
'' It's fine, Blaise. Love is all fine.'', he breathed out. Not like Draco knew anything about the word ''love'', and especially not about the feeling. He never loved anyone, except himself, of course. There he was professional. Messed with girls, yes. But never loved one. Not like he planned starting either.
Blaise sent Draco a thankful smile, but it soon changed into a severely face. He leaned a little forward against Draco, almost like he was going to tell him something top secret. '' Draco. Do you think she... she likes me?'', he whispered in a choked tone.
Draco turned back to the Gryffindors again, just so he could see what the Gryffindor princess did at this moment. Well, of course. He couldn't expect anything else from her than sitting there and talk to her pricks, while eating her toast with strawberry jam. A typical scene of Granger's breakfast. Draco sighed. He knew girls like her wasn't of the type to fall in love. She wasn't of the feminine ones. The one who didn't know her, could think she was lesbian because of her style and her actions around boys, but the issue was just her personality. The fear for being too sexual, and the fear for getting dressed in something too open. And of course just the fact that she wasn't of the relationship types. She would rather go and date a book in the library.
'' Yeah, Blaise. She is clearly in love.'', Draco said as severely as he could. No reason to break Blaise before the time comes. He noticed how Blaise's eyes lit up the same second, and he looked back at her. He again returned back to the state of fog. This can in fact be fun to watch, Draco decided with laughter.
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'' In this class, you will learn how to concoct the Draught of Living Death.''
This was how Slughorn usually began his class. He took a look around, before he began walking between the tables and the students gathered around.'' Is there anyone of you who know the effect of this potion?''
'' The potion makes the user fall into a powerful sleep.'', Parvati stated.
'' Correct. It is very dangerous, if not used with caution. Note that, because that is a very important fact.'' Slughorn waited for the reactions of the students. When he was satisfied with the faces of caution, he continued.
'' I will pair you up, and you will do exactly what the recipe tell you to. Don't experiment.'' He gave Draco an unique, warning look when he said that, probably already sensing Draco's playful mood today. In days like these, you could expect Draco to do anything. From putting a frog into someones food, to rape a girl. Well, of course rape would be wrong. The girls wanted him. When Draco noticed Slughorn's gaze, he shrugged his one healthy shoulder as a reply.
'' Now. Goyle and Parkinson, Potter and Brown-'' Draco noticed how Blaise straightened. The reason was obvious in his eyes. He wanted to get Granger as his mate. His feeling now was probably something like just before a quidditch match, when your nerves play around with you. One second you feel happy and relaxed, the other angry and straightened. Poor boy, Draco thought. Love must be completely awful. He suddenly got even more happy he wasn't of the sobbing loving type.
'' Zabini and Weasley-'', Slughorn continued.
Draco heard a breaking sound, and noticed that Blaise just broke the pencil he held in his hand. Draco's eyebrows flew up in a surprised expression, as he watched Blaise quickly walk over to Weasley in a sobbing way. Yep, poor boy.
'' Malfoy and Granger. Now, begin. The ingredients lays on the table.''
Draco mentally laughed. Ironic. You always get the one you hate most. Well, Slughorn already made his decision, and what was left for Draco was to walk over to Granger. She had already begun to cut up the sopophorous bean. He sat down on a chair beside her, as he followed her working hands with his eyes. She worked, and ignored him completely. Probably still angry about yesterday's happenings, where he acted against her will. She hated when someone did that, that was one more thing Draco knew about her. The fact she still had that in mind kind of made him proud. So he managed to get under her skin, once again.
'' Mix together the African sea salt and the water, Malfoy. Be careful not to shake it.'', she commanded him in a fixed voice, still with her eyes on the bean. Draco made a sputtering sound, as he raised and did as she told him to. With her it was best to not disagree. That he knew from earlier incidents.
Hermione suddenly stopped, having a perplexed expression on her face as she studied the ingredients laying on the table. Draco cocked his head aside to get a view of the recipe she was studying.
'' The valerian root is missing.'', he stated after some seconds. Hermione rolled her eyes on him, as she began walking away.
'' Hey woman, where are you leaving?'', Draco asked her with a bewildered voice. Hermione muttered something over her shoulder, just loud enough for Draco to hear it. '' See if someone got one to spare.''
Hermione returned with nothing in her hand. She leaned her one hand on the table to support her weight, as she gave him a hard look. Draco understood she was about to say something he wouldn't like.
'' We will have to run down to Hygrid, to see if we can find some in his garden. Professor Slughorn didn't have anyone left. I asked Lovegood to help us out up here. She will ensure that the potion will be fine.''
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Draco rolled his eyes, and sighed as they walked down the hill to Hygrid's hut. This was what he was afraid of: walking away with Granger by his side. All the way they walked in silence, but now Hermione seemed to lose control over her voice. She was an over average social girl, and couldn't take silence for a long time. That was one of the things Draco knew about her. She turned her face half way on Draco, and he could feel how she was studying the scar on his face thoroughly, piece after piece.
'' Have you shown your injuries to Madame Pomfrit?'' There was an apparent concern in her voice. Draco could hear that, but he decided not to comment it. Weird or not, but it was in fact comforting to know someone cared. There was little of caring in his life, and when it first came he wanted to enjoy it. Even if it was just for a second. He pushed his voice together into something emotionless, so she wouldn't hear his comfort. Granger comforting Malfoy, would mean the end to his pride.
'' No, and not like I plan doing that either.''
Hermione stopped walking. He also stopped, as a reflex on her action. Hermione's eyes burned into his. He could see she was both annoyed and concerned, as her emotions flickered together in the gold around the irises. '' I think your collarbone is broken, Malfoy. You have to show it-''
'' No, Granger. I won't! I will get questioned. What will I then answer? ''I got kicked down by my father?''.'', Draco interrupted harshly. He again pointed a warning finger against her.
Hermione's reaction on the other hand, surprised him. She grabbed the finger abruptly, and held his hand with her both small hands. In her eyes were something he couldn't decipher. He narrowed his eyes questioningly, with his head a little bent aside.
'' Malfoy. I'm just.. I'm sorry I teased you for being daddy's little boy all these years. I was wrong.''
She stopped, and looked deeper into his eyes. There was a clearly sign of keen to apologize. Her hands took a better grip around his. '' I didn't know. I always thought you two were in a good relationship. That was why I used it as a topic to tease you back. You always seemed to love him, and...''
And that was all she got able to say, because the next second he kissed her. The feeling of her caring was just too overwhelming to resist, even for someone as cool as him. He leaned forward, and kissed her pink, talking lips. He knew he would regret this a lot later, maybe already when he pulled out, but this was the only reaction he had for now. He couldn't explain why exactly he reacted in this way. There was probably nothing which could.
After some seconds, Hermione replied the kiss. Draco felt how she raised on her toes to reach his lips in a better grip around hers. He was in fact much taller than her. He pulled her up by her waist, and leaned her body carefully against one of the stones standing on the hill. She whined, as her lips slowly opened up in an allowing way for him to enter.
Right now, Draco had no idea of what exactly he was doing.
Yesterday, he had control.
Five minutes ago, he had control.
Now, he had no control at all. Not one percent.
His tongue found her and their tips met each other in an explosion. Something inside his stomach got released into a thousand of pieces, moving all over his body. Her hands moved up from his back to his cheeks, as she stroke his scar with her thumb in a gently strike. Over and over again. Draco felt her everywhere. All over his lips. Her tongue explored every single inch, and her lips touched nearly every spot of his.
She sucked sensually on his lower lip, which sent an electric signal all from the lip to his toes. He never thought this was what he would do this potion class. It was like he was taken completely over by amortentia, and there was nothing which could get him out. His hands went uncontrolled all over her. From her waist, and up her back, to supporting the back of her head which was covered by her hair. And her smell. It drugged him. It made him distant. The blood boiled inside him, and it felt like he was about to explode as he managed to pull out of the intensity in the kiss.
After some seconds he realized what he had done. Indescribable fear spread from the tips of his fingers, into every spot on his body. This was the end.
XxX
Hermione stood pressed into the warm stone. She looked away from Malfoy in a guilty way. She was scared. Startled of his reaction on this incident. Right now, she didn't even care about her pride and her reputation. That was out of her mind. She was just startled of his surely incoming rage, every second now.
Hermione didn't hear anything. Around her there was wind, but no sound coming from Malfoy at all. That even scared her more. A quiet Malfoy, was a frightening Malfoy. A bomb ticking, waiting to explode. She looked up, just to see him bury his head in his hands. He seemed just as shocked as she. Hermione raised her hand to her mouth, and began biting her nails nervously. That was what she usually did when she was beyond nervous. Like during the exams, or test. But this time it was worse.
Malfoy finally looked up from his hands. He seemed to be in an empty state. His eyes were distant, someplace far away. Inaccessible. They gain a colour almost like white, only a little darker. Hermione could see him swallow, and clean his voice. He looked at her with his eyebrows snapped together, while rubbed his neck innocently. '' So...Where were we supposed to go?''
Hermione stopped biting her nails. Was this his reaction? She got petrified. He managed to surprise her. Again. Hermione was almost certain that if she spent the rest of her life with Malfoy, he would still surprise her regularly.
'' Gathering... valerian roots in Hygrid's garden.'', she responded in a hoarsely voice.
Draco's hand went up to rub his hair, and his eyes slowly gain his usual silver colour. '' I suppose we should go, then?''
Hermione was beyond confused. She understood it as if they were supposed to pretend like it never happened, but then again she wasn't sure how to interpret it this time either. It was just like yesterday. He pushed her into a state where even her smart brain wasn't able to understand anything of the happenings.
Nevertheless, she continued to walk down the hill with quick steps, just to get over with the gathering. They were late already, because of this confusing mistake or what it should be called. Hermione wasn't sure what to call it. And if that wasn't enough, an other thought filled her. How could she tell Harry and Ron? Her heart stopped as she thought about it. She already knew how they would react. They would grab Malfoy by his hair, and kick him into the wall until he would lay dead in front of them. Then they would dance around him, with a smile on their faces. Then they would get expelled, get no work, no family...
Hermione felt almost like she was going to faint of overpressure. Usually, she would take this situation calm and composed, think through every detail several times, and just then find out what to do. But right now her mind split into four or five pieces, where every one of them thought about something different. Non of them wanted to cooperate about the solution to her problem. And all of that was only Malfoy's fault. Why did he kiss her? What was in it for him? He would never do that without an advantage. Hermione mentally laughed. It was hilarious how paranoid Malfoy made her.
She was probably showing some of her laughing outside as well, because now he stared at her as if she was going mental.
'' What's so funny?'' He was frowning in an interrogative way.
Hermione's pieces of brain stopped working. She continued down the hill, without answering him. Mostly because she didn't know how, or what. But her ignorance didn't work well. He grabbed her wrist, and stopped her by walking in front of her. Hermione tried to walk aside, but he followed.
Well, now there is no way of escaping, a voice inside her brain said.
She stopped, and gave him a scowl with a deathly expression in her eyes. He wasn't going to mess around with her brain anymore.
'' What? Weren't we supposed to gather the roots? Or did I miss some changes in our plans?'' She was glad the bitterness inside her returned, because that is the only thing helping her to concentrate.
Draco licked his lip as if he was thinking. It was clearly what exactly he was thinking about. Surely he couldn't get it out of his mind either. It bothered him as well, even thought he tried to hide it. '' What happened up there, didn't happen. Do you understand?''
Hermione gave him an evil smile of annoyance and bitterness mixed together. '' What happened up there?''
Draco smirked in return, which Hermione deciphered as a ''good that we agree''.
.
'' Splendid. We came too late!''
Malfoy stated the obvious for Hermione, who desperately tried to open the door into the potion class. Now she gave up, and leaned towards it with a tired expression on her face.
When they finally arrived Hygrid's garden, they started a discussion about who of them were going to gather the root. Of course it ended up with a victory to Malfoy's arrogance and egoism since Hermione couldn't take much longer of it, and Hermione ended up taking the responsibility on her own.
That kiss seemed to heat up the hating between them even more than before. She blamed him for standing there with his hands in his pockets and not doing anything, when she threw a root right on his face. Luckily for him: on the cheek which was not injured. He blamed her for being such a library wench who wasn't even able to finish an assignment on her own, when he threw the root back on her.
And so they continued. A lot of really, really foul things were thrown out on each other. Of course he commented the circumstances of her birth, calling her a Mudblood and a filthy witch, and she commented the circumstances around him and his father, even thought she apologized that for some minutes ago. She had her line as well, and when he passed it: she was ready to forget everything about her apologies.
She actually regret the apologies now. If it wasn't for them, that bloody kiss would never happen, she wouldn't be in the state she was, and everything would be just as usual. But no. Of course everything had to get spoiled in the matter of some seconds.
This endless fight continued on, until Hermione decided that was it. He went too far, and now it wasn't healthy, feasible or possible listening to his humiliating words of a Pureblooded egoist.
She threw herself over him, and even thought he is tall and steady, he fell to the ground, getting covered in mud. She shouted, as she stuffed his pockets with mud. When she was done, she sat herself over him, while she screamed something baffling about Mudbloods and Purebloods.
There were some unintelligible words about him being a bad kisser as well. Where those thoughts came from, she wasn't quite certain. That was actually a big, fat lie, coming out from nowhere. He was an excellent kisser. Which she would never admit, of course. Not even if he made her to, threatening with avada.
It ended up with them both covered in mud and roots all over their robes, with Hermione in the arms of a totally furious Draco.
'' If it wasn't for your act, then-'' He grabbed her chin in a firmly grip.
Hermione jumped back in horror of his action. She understood that she just said something she promised never to mention again. His eyes got dark. Dark, as a storm raging over the ocean. Almost black. '' I thought I made it clear: What happened did not happen. If you mention it again, then-''
'' Then what? Then you will injure me as your father injured you?''
That seemed to hit him in the right place. He got quiet. Completely quiet. Hermione took that as an opportunity to show that she wasn't just a toy he could play around with. She wanted to hit the voice out of him once again.
'' By how you expressed yourself yesterday, I thought you didn't want to become a copy to your father. A mini him, a slave, working for your dear father for the rest of your life. I guess I was wrong again. You are walking into his footsteps, not even being aware of it. You are just as cruel and heartless as him. Just as cool as him. Just wanting power over others, and-''
Draco straightened his grip. Actually over straightened it. He squeezed her trachea together, as he gave her a intense gaze. A gaze she would never forget, not even laying dead on the ground. It was intense, cold, storming, hating, killing... all of the emotions a person who hated you could have. It killed something inside her.
'' Shut up!'', he yelled. '' Merlin, just shut up this once! You bloody wench! You don't know anything about who I want to be. You don't know anything about me! You slut, you-'' He shook her until her teeth rattled.
She tried to detach at first. Wiggle with her arms, hit him, push him, but that didn't help. Hermione closed her eyes. She already struggled to keep herself steady on her feet. There was an intense piping inside her ears, which was caused by the pressure inside her head, and she couldn't hear anything of what he yelled out. There was a clearly deficiency of oxygen inside her, and her breath got less and less for each second passing. She felt something inside her toes. An indescribable feeling. Heat, running up into her thighs.
She stopped breathing. She just gave up, and let go. He held too tightly to even try, it would only choke you. His hand released her, and her knees wouldn't hold her weight up. Her body was out of energy, out of breath and out of shape. She fell down to the floor, with the rough wood material of the classroom door scratching up her bare legs.
XxX
Draco walked backwards in terror. What have he done? His hands pulled his hair back. The heart pumped the blood quickly around in his body. Faster, faster. Draco felt his veins straighten, and get harder. This was not what he wanted. This was not his goal. He just wanted to scare her, make her shut up. But this. How did he end up doing this? He took multiple steps back, until he got stopped by the wall. His head hit it hard and it vibrated inside his spine. His legs shook as he sat down on the floor.
For the first time through his life, Draco realized he was a lost person.
She was right. He was beginning to walk into his father's footsteps, exactly the opposite of what he wanted to, not even being aware of it. This was his pre chosen destiny. Continuing his father's work. There was no way of getting away from that. He is the son of his father. The dark inside him was roaring, the blood of a pure Death Eater.
He suddenly understood why his father got enraged when he declined the Dark Mark. Because there is no decline to that. There is no choice. There never was. He would have to accept it soon or later, it was only a question about time, and his father wanted him to understand.
Draco inhaled all he had of air. There was something stopping him from breathing, a thick layer of fear. His head raised, and looked over at Granger's body laying on the ground. It made him get back to reality.
He quickly stood up, and fell down on his knees beside Hermione. He grabbed her shoulders gently, and shook her carefully by the shoulders. She didn't react. Nothing on her face moved. Not a single muscle. Have he killed her? Draco's breath stopped somewhere between his lungs and his mouth. Now he inhaled more than he exhaled. The choking feeling returned. He tried to shake her again. He waited.
Hermione finally released a sound, somewhere from the bottom of her throat. Something between a whine and a whimper of pain. Draco released a breath of relief, as he pulled her torso up. Her eyes began to open up, or at least the thick layer of lashes. His first reaction was to hug her into him, relieved by her breath. Never he thought he would be so happy by hearing Granger's breath. His fear got released into the air, as he pulled her up into his arms.
.
'' Ow...''
'' Don't move, Miss Granger. Don't move.''
Draco sat on the side of Hermione's hospital bed, with her hand holding his of all her straight to reduce the pain. He wouldn't leave until he was certain she wasn't hurt. Enemies or not, it was all his fault. His, and his temperaments.
'' Will she be fine?'', he asked Pomrit as he took a look on Granger.
She looked as usual, only pale, with her eyes closed and her mouth a little bent aside. He was glad it wasn't all worse. He knew how much he could injure a person with his straight. Sometimes he was even afraid of his own well-trained muscles. They were just like a multiple death weapon in addition to his wand. Of course in some cases they were good to have. He couldn't say he wanted them off. That would be to lie.
Madame Pomfrit gave Draco a severely look before she took a look back on Hermione. '' Yes. This time she will. There is nothing serious, only some problems with breathing and talking, but they will soon disappear. I hope you understand you will have to take the conse-''
'' He is not the only guilty. I am just as guilty.'' Hermione struggled to pronounce the sentences, but managed to do it after the second attempt. She again straightened her hand around his, probably trying to stop the pain inside her.
Madame Pomrit raised her eyebrows into a surprised look, and Draco couldn't say he was less surprised either. Granger admitting her fault when she wasn't even forced to do it, was something you would like to take a video of.
'' Well, then you both will have to face the detention. I will tell McGonagall once you will be able to do it.'', Pomrit replied as she laid a cold bandage over her head.
Draco released Hermione's hand, and raised from the bed. He brushed away what was left of mud on his robe in quick movements. Now as he was certain the injures weren't prolonged, he decided he could leave for now. '' I will talk to McGonagall about separate detentions.''
He knew that was the right thing to do for now, just being alone. Because after this he wasn't certain what he was able to do the next time. He was afraid of hurting her harder, and maybe then it would all be too late. The thought sent an icing down his arms. No matter how much she bothered him or how much he hated her, he wasn't ready to kill her. Not for anything in the world.
He began walking away and out the wing, as he heard Hermione pronounce the thing he would probably hate her even more for. Even thought he still was in a state of fear and shock over these new happenings, he was just about to pass the line into getting raged.
'' Madame Pomrit, you have to check Malfoy's collarbone. I think it might be broken.''
Obviously Pomrit listened to Hermione, and stopped Draco right away. He got almost pushed into the hospital bed on the other side of Hermione's.
'' Take off your shirt, and let me take a look.'', Pomrit commanded as she hurried to get a roll of bandage and some wet tampons.
Draco sighed. Twice, before he with a slowly movement raised his hands to take off the robe. The robe fell down to the bed, as he slowly began to button up his shirt with precision slowness. He gave the smirking Hermione a sarcastic smile, as the shirt now was buttoned fully up. From Hermione's bed he could hear a gasp, and he again looked over at her. This time, she only seemed surprised, according to the muscles which worked on her face. Draco understood it was caused by his well-trained stomach muscles. He wasn't surprised. He got used to that as the years passed, and even thouhht Granger hated him, she was just a girl. Not a Saint.
'' Oh! Good Lord!'' Pomrit pronounced. She almost lost her grip around the bandage she held when she turned to take a look at Draco's shoulder, but was quick enough to take a better grip around it. She stumbled over to him, as she studied the shoulder with a highly concerned expression all over her face. It was reflected on her shaking hands as she touched his collarbone with highly caution. Her hands moved over the knots of clots gathered inside his shoulder, as she muttered something which sounded like a prayer.
'' Good Lord! How did this happen?'', a concerned Pomrit asked. Malfoy opened his mouth to answer, but it was interrupted by a voice from the bed beside him.
'' It was all because of me, Madame Pomrit. That's why it's my fault as well.''
Draco couldn't believe his ears, when she again told it was her fault. And this time it was even a lie.
While Pomrit was concentrated on his shoulder and muttering a multiple pray, he took a look over at Hermione. His eyebrow flew up in an expression which talked for itself without words needed. It was asking her what the hell is going on. Hermione, on the other hand, seemed to be completely comforted by this situation.
Once again she proved to Draco that she was completely out of mind, not knowing what she did at all. She was actually defending her enemy, who almost got her killed some minutes ago. That didn't make any sense. The books must have affected the logic inside her mind, he thought.
'' Mr Malfoy, you will have to stay here. There is no way you are walking out of the wing, before this collarbone is completely healed. Only over my dead body.'', Pomrit told after some minutes. She handed over an opened salve. It smelled something disgusting, which Draco didn't want to know of. She rubbed in the salve in a hard way to remove the clots. Draco couldn't avoid to release some moans of pain, but as soon as she was done he couldn't feel a thing.
The bandage got lashed over him, and he was ready to leave. For his hospital bed.