A/N: I apologize if it took me so long to get this out. Not with the 5.8 magnitude earthquake in our area, hurricane Irene the week after that, my friends coming in from New York and California another week after that, studying dosage and calculations for an exam which I'm not even scheduled for yet and taking an online course required for work. As you can see, my life has been pretty hectic lately so forgive me if this chapter is quite unorganized and all over the place.
Even though this is a well-though of plot and I actually have an outline up to the end, I kind of gotten lost writing this chapter. I was trying to keep Draco and Hermione in character, but everything just seemed so wrong to me. I guess I'm just too distracted. I still am, mind you, but I just wanted to keep the story going already. I'm not very pleased with this, but I hope you like it anyway.
I don't own anything from the potterverse.
It had been a very long day for Hermione and she had ended up being in a foul mood for most of the day, the kind of mood that only Draco Malfoy could bring out of her.
She couldn't believe it, but everywhere she went, there he was and he happened to be in every one of her classes. Every one! She could've sworn someone out there in the universe was out to drive her insane. It was like being back in Hogwarts for their final year again.
Although they had come into a truce after the war and after he had realized that blood status didn't really matter to him, Draco always found something else to torment her with. May it be with her constant need to be right or how her hair refused to behave that day. And it didn't help that they had to share the bloody common room in the Heads dorm. She knew that it was all good natured and his dry humor was actually amusing at times which made it feel like a constant teasing between friends, although they would both never admit to being that. Sometimes she'd laugh it off, sometimes she'd find something to tease him with and sometimes she'd get irritated and lose her cool.
And that was exactly what happened that day.
They were in their Anatomy and Physiology class and Draco was feeling bored. He was once again seated behind Hermione and he couldn't help but get lost in his thoughts as the professor droned on.
For the first time that day, he noticed that her long, bushy mane, that he liked to tease her with so much, was no longer that. She had it cut to the length just below her shoulders. It was no longer bushy and frizzy, but smoothed down to perfect ringlets at the end. It looked good on her, but he still preferred the former, not because he had something to tease her with, but because he'd always wanted to run his fingers through those tresses and feel its softness—whoa! Draco mentally shook his head as he realized where his thoughts were wondering off to.
Don't get him wrong, he didn't just wake up one day and realize that all his hate for her was actually just a cover up for his repressed love. No, he really did hate her because he was raised to believe the importance of blood purity and he had worshiped his father so much that he was willing to walk in Lucius' footsteps even though Draco never really liked the idea of signing his life away to some psychopathic, megalomaniac half-blood to control.
He woke up one day and wanted nothing more to do with the Dark Lord. He didn't want his life controlled and manipulated by another. He realized that he had to get away no matter the consequences. He swallowed his pride (even though it was very hard for him) and asked Dumbledore for help. He had turned a spy, much like his Godfather, in exchange for protection for his mother. But at what cost his betrayal, he didn't realize until much later.
Anyway, not to get off topic, but falling in love with her was a long, excruciating process of getting to know each other coupled with bouts of heated debates and arguments. It was no walk in the park, but he had learned to appreciate her for everything that she was. He had realized the beauty she possessed, both inside and out. But being the proud Slytherin that he was, he had denied himself of any inkling of feelings for the Gryffindor. He pushed those feelings back, but they always came back in full force, making the times spent with her a little unbearable with his secret. He loved being near her, but it was hard. He wanted to tell her, he really did, but he had his pride. He was afraid to face her rejection and he was positively sure that his feelings would not be reciprocated. Who in their right mind would ever want him, let alone the one who he had made life a living hell for the past six years? So he did what he did best and tried to cover it up by teasing her to no end.
When he finally accepted his feelings and decided that he couldn't keep it to himself anymore, the moment passed and he had already run out of time. Graduation came around and he had missed his chance. Hermione had plans, big dreams she wanted to fulfill and Draco didn't want to get in the way of that. He also didn't want to destroy what little relationship they had. They had parted as friends, wishing each other the best luck in their life ahead.
That was the last time anybody ever saw Draco Malfoy in public. Until now.
Draco snapped out of his musing when Hermione raised her hand and shared her opinion. He smirked at his little know-it-all.
Hermione gritted her teeth in attempt to control herself. Her patience was running thin and she knew she'd snap any minute now.
She could feel him throwing little pieces of paper on her head as he continuously, irritatingly so, tapped the side of his foot to one of the legs of the chair she was sitting on. She couldn't even concentrate on what the professor was saying, let alone ignore this incessant tapping!
She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself and block everything out. She counted to ten as everything around her faded to black. In her mind, she was no longer in her class among her peers, but in a dark room—with that damned, never-ending tap, tap, tap of Malfoy's foot! It was like that drippy faucet in the middle of the night that was driving her crazy.
"Stop it!"
Hermione realized her mistake the minute she blurted it out. She clamped a hand to her mouth as she saw the shocked faces from her classmates.
"Ms. Granger, I do not take kindly to unnecessary interruptions in my class. I suggest you take a walk and sort yourself.
Hermione hurriedly stuffed her notes and her book inside her bag, feeling all the blood in her body rushed to her face. She had never been more embarrassed in her life and it was all thanks to ferret face.
Hermione sat cross-legged on the stone bench by the courtyard, near her classroom and did a little studying of her own. It wasn't long before the bell rang and her last class for the day had ended.
"I'm impressed." Hermione could feel her face heat up again as she recognized the voice. She avoided eye contact as he sat beside her.
"Usually, when a professor dismisses a student, said student doesn't hang around and study."
"I am so humiliated!" She moved to cover her face when she heard him chuckle.
Hermione had been trying really hard to get this guy's attention and now he'd think that she was this crazy girl shouting for no apparent reason in the middle of lectures. No, she wasn't changing her appearance, wearing skimpy clothing and make-up to win him over, but rather appealing to him through the intellectual level. Still very Hermione of her, but somehow out of character too since she had never been this aggressive before when it came to guys.
"Don't worry about it, Hermione. It happens to the best of us."
She smiled at him, instantly feeling better. She really did like talking to him. It felt like they could relate to each other and Hermione was very comfortable with him.
"So…uhh…last class for the day. Would you like to have coffee with me?"
"Right now?" Dexter nodded in response. "Yes, I'd love to."
Hermione grabbed her stuff and held on to Dexter's offered hand. They walked away, unaware of the pair of molten silver eyes following them.
Hermione and Dexter headed to the café a little off campus called "The Bean House". After having ordered a peppermint mocha and blueberry streusel muffin for Hermione and a simple cappuccino and lemon pound cake for himself, they settled on the cozy beanbag seats situated at the far end of the café.
They had talked about a lot of things, school topics included, but they also talked about themselves getting to know more about each other, by the time they had almost finished with their food and drink. Sure, they've talked a couple of times before, but never this personal. In the course of their conversation, Hermione couldn't help but like him even more. They had so much in common that she felt that had really found her soulmate. She had been having such a good time that she had forgotten the incident just hours before and the nuisance that is Draco Malfoy…
…until he entered the café looking as if he owned the place and to Hermione's utter shock, he strutted straight to their cozy little corner. He sat on the carpeted floor on one side of the low table, in between Dexter and Hermione. He reached out and grabbed Hermione's drink, finishing her peppermint mocha.
"What are you doing, Malfoy?"
"What do you think I'm doing, Granger?"
"Being an arse? Oh, wait! You are an arse. That's my coffee by the way."
"Not anymore, it's not. Ugh! You call this coffee? It's awful."
"What do you want now? I don't remember inviting you to sit here. You've humiliated me enough to last a lifetime, thank you very much."
Dexter observed the exchange between his classmates, obviously forgotten by the other occupants of the table. He cleared his throat, getting both their attention.
"Friend of yours?" He asked as he cocked his head towards Draco's direction.
Draco waited to hear what she would say. He really hoped that she would say yes, but the look on her face told him that it was more like on the lines of "Friend? Yeah, when hell freezes over."
"An old classmate from boarding school. More like acquaintances, really. Anyway, Dexter, meet Draco. Draco, Dexter." Hermione introduced them and they both nodded in acknowledgement of the other.
Draco looked on as Hermione and this sap interacted. He raised an eyebrow. He didn't like this guy.
"I need to talk to you…alone."
"I'm with a friend here, Malfoy. And besides, we have nothing to talk about. "
"Please?"
Please? That was the first time she had ever heard Draco Malfoy say that word and something made her look at him and what she saw was a totally different person. There was something different about him that she couldn't quite put her finger on. He looked tired, weary, but what she saw was something she thought she would never see in him. Sincerity. And that changed her mind into not wanting to talk to him, but she was with Dexter right now. She really liked Dexter and she didn't want to blow him off.
"I should just go, Hermione. It seems like you and your acquaintance have much to catch up on. I'm sure he'll see you safely to your dorms later. I'll see you in class tomorrow?"
Hermione nodded and apologized for the interruption, but Dexter insisted it was alright. He said his goodbyes and she was left sitting with a man that confused her to no end. How could she hate him the whole day and suddenly feel all that anger toward him dissipate after just one word? It was probably his charm, Hermione assumed. He did always get what he wanted with his oh-so-charming personality.
"I'm sorry."
"What?"
"I-said-I'm-sorry." Draco said it slowly, as if talking to a little child.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you today. "
And that was the truth from the bottom of his cold, little heart. He didn't come here to torment her or irritate her (he had done enough of that back at Hogwarts and it was getting old already), but oh how he loves the way she looks when she's mad. There's just something about her, the way she glared at him or how her face flushes with anger that he couldn't resist bringing out of her.
Draco sought her out because he was afraid to forget. He'd lasted three years living on the memories he had of her when they went back to Hogwarts after the war to finish their seventh year, but he was starting to forget her and he really didn't have a lot of time left. He just wanted to remember her, remember why he loved her in the first place and maybe, just maybe have the courage to finally tell her his feelings before he runs out of time again.
"Okay, who are you and what have you done with the real Draco Malfoy?"
"What?"
"You make me laugh, Draco. The Malfoy I knew would never apologize so quit it because I'm not eating this crap you're feeding me."
"Believe whatever you want, Granger dear. I've said my peace. Wait, where are you going?"
"Like I said before, we have nothing to talk about. And besides, you've ruined a perfectly good date. I'm heading back to my dorm to get some reading done."
"Ah…still the bookworm, I see. Did your friend even know that it was a date?"
Hermione blushed at her slip, but chose to ignore his comment. Damn Malfoy's perceptiveness! She quickened her stride, hoping to get to the dorms faster, but Draco was there beside her. She was exerting much effort to lose him, but he was at ease as if he was just taking a stroll in the park.
They were back on campus and Hermione couldn't wait to get to her room, lock the doors and finally be rid of Malfoy.
"Why are you following me?"
"Who says I'm following you?"
"Why are you answering my questions with questions?"
"Why are you asking too many questions?"
"Ugh! You are driving me crazy!"
"Why thank you, Granger. I aim to be the best in that department."
Hermione ignored him the rest of the way, but she was totally aware that he was still on her heels. Why did this campus have to be so big? Draco Malfoy is like a fly on a picnic that wouldn't go away no matter how much you swatted it away.
She was only a couple of steps away from her Malfoy-free zone. She happily reached into her bag for her keys as she stood in front of her door, facing Malfoy.
"Well, this is the end of the line, Malfoy. Why don't you run back to that dark mansion of yours and do whatever it is you do."
"Don't you think that's quite impractical? And for your information, the manor is not dark. Well, at least not after mother did some redesigning. She said that dark and eerie ambience was overrated already."
"Impractical?"
"Since I'm studying in this University, don't you think it would be better if I stayed on campus?"
"You, in a muggle dorm? How will you ever survive?"
"Just because I'll be living in a muggle dorm, doesn't mean I have to live like one. And besides, if I need any assistance, I'm sure you'd be happy to help, neighbor."
He said the last word with emphasis and gave her a satisfied smirk as he reached into his pocket and produced his own key which he used to unlock the door right next to Hermione's. Draco stepped into his room, leaving Hermione out in the hallway with a scandalized expression on her face. But before he could close the door, she came barging in, her eyes even bigger than before.
"Malfoy! What have you done?" She exclaimed as she shut the door, hoping that passersby didn't get a glimpse of his very extravagant room.
Draco had a very spacious, single dorm that could possibly fit fifty persons or more. It looked more like a very high end flat rather than a dorm room.
From the door way, Hermione could see a kitchen and a dining area at the far end of the room and another door to the side which she assumed to lead to his bedroom. The rest of the room was the common area. On one side, there were floor-to-ceiling shelves that were filled with books (which she was secretly dying to browse through) and a study table. He also had comfortable-looking sofas in front of a flat screen television complete with a killer sound system and a…was that a Playstation and an Xbox? (Draco got these contraptions when they had started to incorporate muggle technology to the Wizarding world out of curiosity and instantly fell in love with it. Not only was it fun and entertaining, but he loved how it drove Lucius crazy which was even more entertaining.)
All in all, the room was tastefully done. Hermione expected it to look dark and Slytherin-like, but it actually resembled something out of a magazine. It was sophisticated and classy.
"Undetectable Extension Charm. Brilliant, isn't it?"
"You can't be serious? What if a muggle sees?"
"You're just jealous you didn't think of it first."
Before she could scream at him some more, a loud pop had startled her.
"Welcomes back, young Master Malfoy. Would you likes to having your tea with guest?"
"Not now, Pippa. I'm—"
"You are unbelievable! A house elf!"
"Look, I told her to stay at the manor, but she wouldn't listen!"
"It's true, young miss. Pippa is having been serving the Malfoy family for a long time. Pippa has been taking cares of young master since he was born so young master is not going anywheres without Pippa whether he likes it or nots."
Hermione turned to look at the elf as she spoke and noticed that she wasn't dressed in rags. She actually had little clothes that looked like they were exactly made for her. She smiled, remembering her S.P.E.W. days. But that smile instantly vanished when she remembered that she was in Malfoy's room, with a house elf in front of her and in the middle of muggle London.
"Malfoy!"
A/N: I know, it's a crappy chapter. But I would still love to hear from you. Great if you like it! But if you don't please let me know so I can work on it. Reviews would be great right now. A little pick-me-up to get me through. SO PLEASE REVIEW. Whether you love it or hate it, comments are very welcome and highly encouraged.