so if you wanna skip this, skip it. all bold is my gratitude to my first (and so far only) reviewer :)
And now, the plot thickens! What did you think? Thanks to Just Your Above Average Malfoy, my first reviewer! This next chapter is for you. Thanks for your thoughts!
~D~
Draco collapsed onto the bed, too tired to even be annoyed that the bed was a revolting red and gold. This was going to be a fun time.
When Draco awoke he was too groggy to recall where he was. He was still under the impression that he was still in that dreadful warehouse until he wiped the sleep from his eyes and looked around. And then everything came flooding back; that unwanted 'meeting', Blaise convincing him to go to the Ministry, and of course, the Mudblood.
He noticed the voices- Mudblood and the Weasel, most likely. He remembered Granger's words from last night- 'a romantic reunion,' she had said. Well, this sounded like anything but that.
"What the hell is he doing here?"
"Ron-"
"No, listen to me. Why not send him somewhere else?"
"Ron-"
"How about Nymphadora's? They're at least related. Honestly, what were you thinking of, bringing him here of all places?"
"Ron-"
"What will my mother say about this? And Harry? He can hardly be happy that his arch nemesis is staying here. Or has there been some intervention that I missed?"
"Ron!" Draco could picture Granger angrily pulling on her bushy hair. "Stop it! I'm old enough to make my own decisions, and you seem to forget that this is my house. Harry knows about this, and so do your mother and anyone else you can think of. I'm the best option. Nymphadora can hardly be bothered with Malfoy right now- you know how Teddy is at this age. Honestly, dear, I explained this all in detail to you in my last letter. You read it, didn't you?"
"Of course I did." Malfoy smirked. He could tell when a man was lying, and Weasley certainly was. "But I could hardly tell you my thoughts about it from Scotland, now could I?"
"I mean…"
"Perhaps I should come back when you've cooled down." Weasley's cold voice made Draco grin. This was more amusing than he had expected. Only after he heard the front door slam shut did he creep out of his room. He leaned against his doorframe, catching sight of Granger doubled over in silent tears. For some reason, the sight disturbed him, and he cleared his throat, already grinning.
"Trouble among the Golden Couple?" Her head snapped up, her eyes puffy and red. She shook her head, trying to stand.
"Not now, Malfoy. Leave me alone."
"Not up for a good verbal spar today?" Draco drawled sarcastically. He couldn't resist pushing her over the edge. "I'm surprised. I would've expected you'd crave some actual intellect after spending so much time with the Weasel."
Hermione's eyes flashed and he smiled in satisfaction. Here was the anger he had been expecting.
"And you think you could provide that?" Hermione said quietly. "Then perhaps you could tell me how you're father is getting along now. I hope everything in Azkaban is to his taste."
"Don't you dare mention my father," Draco hissed his fist clenching.
"Oh dear. Was the peacock that he ordered for his room too small? Wouldn't want the dementors thinking he wasn't good enough for a large bird, now do we?"
"Shut up!" Draco growled, advancing towards her. She seemed to remember he still had his wand, and took a step back.
He pinned her against the wall, his vision blurred with rage. No one mentioned his father. No one. He pulled his fist back ready to give her what she deserved- but then he hesitated. She was shaking with fear, her wand too far away to reach. But after he punched her, he'd be out of the loft. Out of that ill- decorated but sinfully comfortable bed. Did he really want that? His fist connected hard, but it wasn't with her. It was with the white wall beside her ear, now dented.
He released her as she stared at him in shock. Another day with this Mudblood was another too many, he thought as he strode out of the door.
Blaise met him outside the Leaky Cauldron with a hearty handshake.
"How was the first night?" Draco asked his old friend as they sat down and Blaise ordered two pumpkin juices. Blaise smiled.
"The Weasley's are good people, contrary to what our parents said. They may be blood traitors, but they provided me with a warm meal and a good place to stay without a single suspicious glance or furtive look." Draco scoffed.
"You sound as though you've gone soft, Blaise. And it's only been one night."
"And what about Granger?" Blaise asked, ignoring Draco's remark. "How did that go?"
Draco groaned. "It's torture. She's an absolute prick that doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut. That, and the fact that her stupid Weasel is always there."
"Yeah, Molly mentioned he was back," Blaise noted, shrugging when he caught Draco's expression. "What? You can hardly hold on to old prejudices in a time like this. I'm trying my best to get by, and you should consider the same."
"What have you done with Blaise Zabini?" Draco asked him with a solemn face. Blaise just sighed. "What?"
"Honestly, Draco. It's time to let go of what we were taught as children." Draco just turned away from him, grabbing his coat.
"I should go."
"But when will we meet again?"
"When you get your head out of the clouds," Draco replied, walking out briskly, ignoring Blaise's calls to come back. That had gone well.
Draco had been wandering about Diagon Alley, trying to waste time, when he found himself at the mouth of Knockturn Alley, a place he hadn't visited since his days at Hogwarts. He felt a breath hitch in his throat. He'd rather not think of then.
"Draco Malfoy- never thought I'd see you here!" Draco spun around to face none other than Astoria Greengrass.
"Astoria… I haven't seen you in a long time," Draco replied, unconsciously leaning away from her ragged appearance and swaying figure.
"Too true!" she trilled giddily, casually stumbling towards him and slinging her arm around him as though old friends. "What do you say to a few drinks, for old time's sake?"
Draco glanced down at her disgust. "I'd rather not."
For a moment her gaze flickered and her expression sobered. "We were meant to be, Draco," she whispered, her breath heavy against his ear. "Had you not gone sour we would have-"
He shoved her away from him roughly, brushing himself off. Astoria stumbled back as though smacked, and Draco noticed quite a few unwelcome and menacing people starting to gather. He took one look at her and turned to leave.
"Wait!" She rushed towards him clumsily. He waited for her hesitantly, starting when she pressed a small parcel in his hand. "For you," she murmured.
Draco started to hand it back, to say he wanted nothing to do with whatever she had to offer, but she was gone. He sighed and not thinking much about slipped the small package into the pocket of his jacket before deciding that even going back to Granger would be more interesting than wandering around here.
Draco returned to the loft, shedding his jacket and letting it rest on the couch without really thinking it through. Then he collapsed onto the couch, sighing and rubbing his temples.
"Back so soon?" It wasn't Hermione that he jumped up to face. It was Ron, a scathing look gracing his features as he glared at Draco. Draco simply leered at him, and in that moment Ron lunged forward, his expression filled with hate.
"Where's your Gryffindor girlfriend?" Draco drawled. "Or fiancée, I heard? Congrats, blood traitor, you finally got that filthy Mudblood to marry-"
"Argh!" In a mix between a snarl and a growl, Ron lunged, wand at hand. Draco blocked him easily, already anticipating a fight.
"Expelliarmus!" Both Draco and Ron looked around wildly as both their wands were knocked out of their unsuspecting hands. "What in Merlin's name is going on?"
"Ginny," Ron sighed, running a hand through his hair as he scrambled for his wand. "What are you doing here?"
"Hermione and I are having a girls' night, and she gave me the key so I could come back early while she finished up at the Ministry." Ginny's glare was still ever present. "Now, both of you take five steps away from eachother."
Draco growled at being so harshly addressed, but one glare from Ginny made him comply, raising his hands in mock defeat.
"Ron, please leave."
"But-"
"Now." Ron took one long look at his sister before snatching his wand off the ground and striding out the door, grumbling obscenities all the way. The door slammed, and for a moment the air was full of tension. Then the shield charm Ginny had cast fell and she smiled up at Draco without any hesitation. He was taken aback as she moved to the kitchen, grabbing the bags she had brought with her.
"Tea?" she called amiably. He followed her, quite confused. Was this the wife of his school nemesis? She had caught him completely off guard.
"What? Uh, no, no." She simply shrugged.
"I'm sorry about my brother- he's a bit of a prat." She laughed and he found himself laughing along with her, in shock. How could she be so nice to him?
Too late he realized he had said it aloud. For a moment she paused, her wand lingering over the pot of boiling water.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"It's alright. I just thought that… with Hermione's new angle and everything… I'd try to be more accepting. It didn't even to occur to me how you would react."
"Just caught off guard, that's all," he mumbled the awkwardness quite present. For some reason, he felt guilty. What am I thinking?
"I should've known not to assault you with sweet smiles and manners," Ginny muttered, more to herself than Draco. "But of course, it's better than blood- traitor."
"Look-"
"No, no, it's alright. I'll just leave you be."
Draco faltered in his steps. Why did he care about this girl? He took a few steps back, retreating to his room before Hermione returned and things got even more awkward.
~H~
Hermione returned home, exhausted. When she opened the door, she forced herself to smile as Ginny looked up from the T.V.
"How was it, 'Mione?" she asked as Hermione brushed her mane out of her face and collapsed on the couch.
"Hogwarts is still under repair, although today I had to take care of a few housing issues. Blaise is well- no sign of trouble. Theodore, on the other hand, was a bit more difficult. We had to confiscate his wand. It created quite a scene."
"For how long?"
"Three months. We had to move him from Dean's house. He's now staying with Kingsley."
"Thank goodness. Dean was about to rip his hair out," Ginny laughed, truly relieved. "And Pansy? Will her arrangement work out?"
"For the time being," Hermione replied, brow furrowed. "Although I never liked Adrian."
"Now let's forget about all of that. At your request, I found some great Muggle movies! There's this one called Twilight that the man at the store said I'd love. Frankly, he sounded a little amazed that I didn't know what it was." Ginny shrugged and Hermione just laughed at her friend.
"Good choice. I'll get the popcorn."
As they settled onto the couch with a bowl of popcorn between them, Hermione felt that familiar lump rise in her throat. It was nice sitting here, with her best friend that also happened to be her soon to be sister- in-law. Everything had worked out perfectly- Harry becoming the Minister of Magic, him and Ginny getting married, Ron and herself on their way. If she hadn't been painfully aware of the soft shuffling from the room over, everything would have been perfect.
Long after Ginny had gone Hermione turned on the lights and gently crept to the bathroom. It was peaceful, but undeniably lonely. She was still worried about her spat with Ron. It hadn't been a fight, exactly, but the way they had left things certainly hadn't seemed loving.
A soft creak in the floorboards made her wince as she passed Draco's room. His door flew open.
"I'm sorry," she stuttered automatically. He took a long look at her standing there, and then shut the door. Hermione didn't know whether to be relieved or worried.
Just as she was near the bathroom, his door opened once more, and she felt him brush past her, stepping into the bathroom before she had the chance. She knocked on the door, softly at first and then quickly progressing to bangs.
"Malfoy! Open this door up right now!" she yelled, suddenly very angry with him. There was no response of any kind. "I swear, you have absolutely no right to lock me out of my own-"
The door opened almost immediately, and it was when she was staring before him that she realized something was very, very wrong. His eyes, usually grey (not that she'd noticed) were bright red.
"What's wrong with you?" she demanded, her hand reaching up to move him out of her way when he caught it, gripping it too tight for comfort. "Malfoy-"
"Filthy Mudblood." In a flash he twisted it, and she cried out in pain, reaching for her wand desperately. By now she had noticed the sinister amulet glinting on his chest. There was only one thought in her mind- Get it off of him. She reached up to grab it with her bare hands, and winced as she touched it; it burned her skin and she shied away from, unsure what to do.
He had taken out his wand, as well, and used it to send the bookcase in the hallway toppling over her. She rolled out of the way just in time.
"Malfoy, snap out of it!" she screamed, but he paid her no mind. "Accio amulet!" Somehow she knew it would not come to her. His face twisted into an evil grin- not like his usual cocky smirk- and she knew she was in trouble.
He advanced on her without warning, and she scrambled away from him, mind reeling as she contemplated what she could do. She couldn't hurt him- that wasn't an option.
"Avada-"
"Expelliarmus!" she cried, trembling with fear. Whoever was possessing Malfoy meant business. His wand flew out his hand, and for a second she thought that it was over. But then, with inhuman reflexes, he grabbed it from the air and advanced on her once more, using another Unforgivable curse.
"Cruc-" she didn't let him finish, running towards him, and punching him in the mouth. Caught off guard like he was, he stumbled back as blood started to flow. Hermione quickly grabbed his wand and flitted away from him before he could catch her.
She sent a Stunning spell his way and he fell back, quickly losing this fight. Then, before he could stand, she bound him quickly and silently. He was on the ground, bound and disarmed, as she made her way towards him. His eyes were darker still as she used her trembling hands to wrap her scarf around the amulet and rip it off. Immediately, his body went limp, and she screamed, almost dropping the scarf but catching it just in time. No telling what would happen if it fell to the floor and shattered.
With shaky fingers she made her way to the telephone in the kitchen, all the while keeping a close eye on her captive.
"Potter residence."
"Harry… please come…" She was sobbing, clutching the phone like a lifeline. "Malfoy… he, he-"
"I'm on my way, okay, 'Mione?" She nodded before realizing he wouldn't be able to see her.
"Okay." She hung up slowly, ever grateful that Harry knew how to use a telephone. She was surprised to find herself crying.
Hermione slowly made her way back to the bound man in her living room, trembling. She was still scared of him, regardless of whatever crazy adventures she had gone on with Ron and Harry. But now he looked harmless- more like the victim, actually. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was shallow. Hermione cast a wary glance at the amulet she had carefully wrapped in her favorite turquoise scarf.
Harry apparated outside her door in a matter of moments, and immediately began banging on the door, trying to get in. Hermione jumped at the sound and quickly made her way towards the door. She opened it and Harry burst into the room, searching around wildly for the danger. He spotted Malfoy on the ground and stopped.
"What happened?" He asked a still shocked Hermione, leading her to the dining table. She gestured to the scarf silently.
"Don't touch it," she warned him as he slowly made his way over to it. He resisted rolling his eyes at her.
"It's Dark Magic," he told her as soon as he got near it. "I can feel it. I'll take it to Seamus first thing tomorrow. Now, you need to tell me what happened."
"He was in his room… and then when he walked out there was something wrong, I could tell. His eyes were… they were blood red, Harry. And then he used the Killing curse on me. He was truly possessed… and then when I blocked him he tried another Unforgivable… Crucio… and I managed to punch him in the mouth halfway through the incantation, and then I bound him and ripped the horrid thing off of him, through my scarf. And it seems that has made him unconscious." Hermione was slowly coming to her senses. Harry tried not to laugh when she mentioned punching him in the face, and sighed when she was done.
"It's too dangerous to allow him his wand, 'Mione. I suggest you confiscate it. We can't let this happen again." Hermione nodded and Harry stood, levitating the scarf as he turned to leave.
"Harry?" Hermione called just as he was about to leave. "Don't tell Ron."
Harry hesitated. "Why?"
"Because if you do it'll just be another reason to kick out Malfoy. And there's nowhere else to put him. Plus, I want to prove to him I can handle this."
"Alright. But if this gets out of hand, we'll have to send him back to the warehouse. I know you'd rather not, but the fifty some people that showed up to your meeting have all been housed."
"I understand." Harry just smiled and turned to leave once more.
"And Harry?" she called to him, more softly. He turned. "Thank you."
Astoria, as random and unseemingly useless as she might seem, will appear later. Trust me, keep it in mind. Or forget it and be surprised later on. Your choice. Does it seem like Draco is too soft? A bit OOC, even though I tried to keep him close to the books. Though it IS a Dramione story, so you shouldn't be surprised. Also, please review!