AN: Thanks to any one reading along and to percabethbooklion for the review. I forgot to say so basically Dumbledore has also shown them how to use the room of requirement and to tell no one else. That's all folks.
Chapter 2 – All You are is mean and a liar and pathetic and alone in life.
Hermione sighed as she tapped her quill idly against her parchment between spells of furious note taking. He was late. He probably wasn't going to show at all. She had no idea why she'd come herself. For once Hermione found herself hoping that Malfoy would get his father to do something about this predicament that they currently found themselves in. But with the loss of his position as school governor last year she highly doubted he would. Hermione never revelled in other's misfortunes but a smile touched her lips at the thought of Lucius Malfoy being defeated by Harry's sweaty sock.
It had taken her a few moments to understand how the room actually worked. Dumbledore had been his typical very vague self about how to use the room. Just think about what you require and it will appear? Hermione had stood outside and tried to focus on a place to study. When she'd opened the door she'd gasped at the sight. It was a fairly small intimate space and resembled the Gryffindor common room. It had a particularly squashy couch over beside the roaring fire. A desk and two chairs stood in the centre of the room. There was a pot of coffee and a flask of pumpkin juice over at the side beside some sandwiches and cauldron cakes. Hermione was sitting at the desk her fingers tapping against her second cup of coffee. She found she kept glancing towards the door and she had a nervous feeling of butterflies in her belly. Like the feeling she got before an important exam. Except there were no exams it was only Malfoy.
The door burst open and Malfoy entered. His hair was damp and clung against the pale skin of his forehead. His shirt was unbuttoned at his throat and his tie hung loosely around his collar like an unfurling green and silver serpent. She glimpsed the glint of the time turner chain at his pale throat. His shirt was also untucked and it looked like he'd just thrown his uniform on haphazardly. She'd never seen him looking anything other than impeccably dressed before and the sight of him looking slightly ruffled and messy did surprise her. She felt herself blush and she desperately pulled her eyes back to her parchment.
"You're late Malfoy. And you know with a time turner you don't really have an excuse." She said dryly making sure her eyes stayed on her quill instead of where they wanted to go.
He sighed and collapsed onto the sofa next to the fire.
When he didn't answer her she glanced across at him and wished she hadn't.
He was lying stretched out on the sofa. One arm supported the back of his head and the other sloped along the back of the sofa. Hermione swallowed. Her face felt very warm and the butterflies in her stomach fluttered restlessly. Draco Malfoy reclining on a sofa with messy hair and clothing was a beautiful sight to behold. His pale eyelashes flickered as he closed his eyes. She'd never seen him relaxing like this he looked tired. When he opened his eyes again he wrinkled his nose as he looked around the room. She flicked her eyes away from his when his grey eyes locked with hers and returned her concentration to her studies. Her pulse was racing. It was so loud she thought he must surely hear it.
"Did you miss me Granger?" He asked a teasing smirk on his face.
Hermione scowled.
"You have to actually like someone in order to miss them." She replied coldly.
Malfoy rolled his eyes.
"I thought you would at least be grateful I didn't show up in my muddy, sweaty Quidditch robes." He said.
Hermione shook her head.
"Don't make an effort on my account. People might start getting ideas." She replied hotly.
She was trying to ignore the fact that the image of Malfoy in sweaty Quidditch robes wasn't entirely revolting.
Malfoy smirked as he moved from the couch and made his way over to the food at the side. He pulled himself up on the counter behind Granger. He poured himself a cup of pumpkin juice and helped himself to a sandwich. Dumbledore had told him to study. He hadn't said what to study specifically. He watched Granger's unruly brown curls bobbing slightly as she wrote. In the firelight he could see where the summer sun had tinted the tips of each curl a honey blonde. He followed the curls down to the slim curve of her waist. Granger had become very pretty indeed over the summer.
Hermione could feel his eyes on her. She groaned and spun round in her seat.
"Are you going to study or not Malfoy?" She asked.
Hermione felt her pule quicken as she watched him. He drained his pumpkin juice in one long sip. She watched his Adam's apple in his pale, sinewy neck bob.
"I am studying." He said with a flash of his silvery eyes.
Hermione couldn't hide her reaction to his bold statement. She felt her cheeks flush and she gasped slightly. He hadn't meant it like that though had he? It was impossible. He was just teasing her like usual.
"Whatever Malfoy." She replied as she returned to her work.
She tried to ignore the fact that her heart was beating like crazy.
She sighed heavily as she heard his footsteps and the chair across from her being pulled out.
She managed to write for a few more minutes before his presence became entirely too distracting again.
She put her quill down more firmly than she'd intended to. She raised her eyes to his. He was eating a sandwich just watching her with those cool, grey eyes of his. His pale, long fingers were making indents on the bread. He was taking very small almost delicate bites. She was struck by the difference in how someone like Draco Malfoy ate a sandwich compared to someone like Ron. Ron would have inhaled the sandwich in seconds leaving a trail of crumbs on his chin. Not Malfoy.
There was an air of restraint and poise in everything Malfoy did. She imagined he'd been taught only the finest table manners from birth. She found herself wondering if Malfoy had ever eaten jam from a jar with a spoon, or even with a sneaky pinkie finger, as a child. Or if he'd made mud pies. Or if he'd jumped in puddles. She struggled to believe he would have been allowed to ruin his clothes or act in such a way. She hadn't known what made her think of that in that moment but the realisation made her a little sad. He was an only child too just like her. But where her parents had allowed her to run free she doubted his had. She imagined that Malfoy's childhood had been reserved, lonely and cold. Like his eyes.
She cleared her throat awkwardly.
"So what did you think of class today?" She asked.
Malfoy's eyes widened slightly in surprise.
Hermione was surprised at herself. What was she doing trying to make conversation with him? But he was just so unnerving that she found herself needing to fill the silence.
"Awful. Can you believe they actually tried to teach us some sort of 'fun' muggle party games? Such a waste of time. Dumbledore is even more stupid than I thought making that part of the curriculum here. Durmstrang would never entertain it. "
Hermione smiled at his disgusted expression. The image of Draco Malfoy attempting to play Twister with his pouty expression was just too much.
"Something funny Granger?" He asked his eyes narrowing.
Hermione shook her head but her smile widened.
"No. You know you might find you actually enjoy some of them if you stop being so moody about it. Go to Durmstrang then. I'm sure someone like you would be welcomed with open arms." She said with a shrug.
Malfoy scowled at her.
"They would have." He said.
Hermione's eyes widened.
"You got accepted into Durmstrang?"
Malfoy nodded.
"My father wanted me to go there."
Hermione nodded.
"No surprises there." She said.
"What's that supposed to mean." He asked defensively.
"Durmstrang excludes lowly muggle borns like me. A rule no doubt you and your father would like to put in place here." She said sourly.
Malfoy's eyes flickered slightly and Hermione noticed a faint blush tinting his cheeks. He looked cute when he blushed. It made him look less pale, less serious, less cold. Cute? What on earth had possessed her to think that.
"Don't speak of my father. And don't presume to know what I think." He said coldly.
Hermione blushed. She was annoyed to find that his close proximity was scrambling her brain slightly. She'd never spent this much time with him before. As he leant forwards she could smell the shampoo from his damp hair. And something else it was warm and spiced almost like ginger tea.
The way he looked at her it was almost as if he knew about their little polyjuice plot from last year. Perhaps he did know. Malfoy had his sources too.
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"I don't ever want to know what you think about Malfoy."
Hermione gulped as she watched Malfoy's eyes harden. She knew as soon as the words were out of her mouth that she'd hit a nerve. She didn't understand why he made her act this way. With everyone she knew she was friendly, kind or at the very least civil. But he was different. He crawled beneath her skin and pushed all her buttons until she finally unleashed all that pent up anger at him.
"You think you have me all figured out don't you Granger?" He said with a crooked smile.
Hermione shook her head.
"I have no intention of figuring you out. All you'll ever be is mean and pathetic."
Malfoy's eyes widened and for the briefest of moments she thought she saw a brief flash of some emotion in them it was gone before she could be sure.
Hermione bit her lip. She'd really let her mouth run away this time. Her heart raced in the silence. To her surprised there was no barbed retort from Malfoy's cruel mouth. He simply glanced away from her not saying another word. He proceeded to pull a book from his bag and he began writing notes in complete silence.
Hermione swallowed as guilt settled in the pit of her stomach. She watched him for a moment concentrating on his work. She should apologise. She'd been of line. But she didn't know how to apologise to him. He had never apologised to her when he'd called her 'mudblood'. But after that day he hadn't ever addressed her ever again. He and Harry were always at each other's throats. Malfoy and Ron too but he never involved her. He just ignored her presence like what he was doing now. She wondered why that was. She sighed. It was too late now. She returned to her notes and they spent the rest of their study time in complete silence. Well this was going well.
Malfoy focused on the motions of his quill. Her words rang in his head. He turned them over and over whilst remembering the coldness in her usually warm chocolate eyes. He was mean and pathetic and cruel. She was only speaking the truth so why did it hurt so much? He felt a sudden hollow, cold sensation coming from somewhere deep within himself. He let it spread through him. He watched her in the flickering, soft lamplight. He could tell she'd regretted her words instantly. For the life of him he couldn't think why. He'd deserved them after all the things he'd said. But that was the thing with Granger she was kind and warm and never vindictive.
Potter and Weasley were more than happy to throw insults at him. He'd usually started it anyway. But not her. Granger wasn't one to throw mean words around unless she really meant them. Maybe that's why his chest hurt so much right now. Somewhere down in his hollow chest that had never known love or kindness he felt a little more of himself chip away as her words resonated long after they'd fallen silent.
Hermione glanced at what Malfoy was working on. She smiled it was a little game of hangman. Their muggle studies homework for next week was an essay on muggle social activities. He had a frown on his face. She cleared her throat gently.
"You're supposed to play that with two people. May I?" She asked.
Malfoy gazed at her for a moment. He was surprised to hear her speaking to him. He didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. He didn't have any barbed retorts for her. He just nodded. He watched her hesitate for a moment before her cheeks flushed lightly. She moved around to his side of the desk leaning over him slightly as she explained to him, picking up his quill and drawing diagrams on his parchment. She wasn't looking at him she was intent on her work. Her curls brushed against the side of his cheek. Soft and floral scented.
Her voice seemed to fade to a low hum as he watched her. Her cheeks were flushed there was a rare animated smile on her lips. One that she usually reserved for Potter or Weasley. Granger had a rare type of beauty about her. One that shone from within her and glowed around everything she touched. She wasn't the prettiest girl by any means but somehow when he compared her with all those other 'pretty' girls they seemed to fade and wilt beside her. She'd grown into her teeth. The fact they were still slightly too large for her small pink mouth and sometimes he would glimpse her white teeth grazing the flesh of her bottom lip was far from unattractive. He couldn't quite explain what it was she had that other girls didn't and he wasn't sure he wanted to get to the root of it.
Hermione frowned slightly. Malfoy was looking at her with the strangest expression. It was like he had never seen her before in his life. Maybe he'd been hit by a bludger at practice and was only showing symptoms now? She was finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate with him staring at her with those big, grey eyes of his. And as she leant closer over him she was alarmed to find that she was assaulted by the scent of his shampoo and body wash. It was peppermint and fresh meadow. The scent was deep and intoxicating and seemed to be burrowing itself into her brain. Her arm hairs stood on end as she inhaled. What was happening to her?
"Are you alright?" She asked quietly trying to distract from her own strange thoughts.
Malfoy nodded wordlessly.
"You know we don't even really play games like this at parties." Said Hermione with a smile and shake of her head.
Malfoy rolled his eyes.
"How would you know about party games Granger? Didn't think you'd stop reading long enough to go to a party."
Hermione tensed her jaw. She would definitely punch him before this year was out.
"You think you have me all figured out don't you?" She asked her eyes boring into his.
Malfoy's lips twitched.
"I don't want to figure you out Granger. I just want to pass this class and put this entire dire situation behind us."
Hermione smirked at his petulant expression. She really did enjoy watching him suffer, just a little bit.
"Let's play a game then." She said her eyes still holding his.
Malfoy suddenly felt his mouth dry. What kind of game did Granger have in mind exactly? This Granger looked dangerous and almost menacing. Her lips were curled in a teasing smile and her eyes were dark and dangerous. Who was Granger really? He realised he had no idea the first thing about her. Other than being a know-it-all muggle born witch he knew nothing.
When he hesitated. Hermione's smile widened.
"What's the matter Malfoy scared of a little mudblood like me?" She asked.
Malfoy flinched at her use of the word. He didn't like the way it sounded it all. It had been a mistake to call her that. The truth was he was scared of her. Because Granger wasn't afraid of anything and he was afraid of everything. His father. His feelings. Being a constant disappointment. Sometimes he felt like he would crack beneath the pressure of it all. Granger was staring straight through to his black soul. She could see right inside all the hollow places and that scared him most of all.
"You wish. Go on then." He said with a cool smirk.
Just then the clock chimed in the room. It was 9. Their time was up.
"Tomorrow. 7 again?" She asked as she collected her pieces of parchment and books.
Malfoy nodded dazedly at a loss of what to say for the second time in one night. What was going on here?
Hermione gave one last pointed look at Malfoy before exiting the room.
Malfoy pressed the pads of his fingers against his closed eyelids. He felt so strange. What were they getting themselves into exactly? He could still smell the roses from her hair and they didn't fade until long after he was lying in his four poster bed. Lying but not sleeping. He had too much going round in his head not least Granger's words. He was pathetic even Granger knew that. He sighed. He wouldn't ever be good enough would he?