a/n: Hahahahahah how's life, people? Liked my last chapter? I... think not. So I won't be reading The Fallout until I almost finish this fic because I would then get distracted and leave this unfinished. But I recommend you do. The writing style of this was inspired by that :)
SHORT CHAPTER YES
BEST VIEWED ON IPOD
A Silver Lining
A story by Draco Swagfoy
Chapter II
She's there, in your arms, so small against you. And you are very much aware that she can hear your heartbeat. But you don't care. Because you have her. And it's all that matters. You thought she had forgotten, but she hadn't. And a surge of happiness jolts in you as she confesses that she does like you.
But it was too wrong.
He had been dragged by both Harry and Ron. He was even calling them 'Harry' and 'Ron'. He cringed in disgust. He would call them just like he did before. Because he wasn't on first name basis with them. Yet.
She was up front, head raised, same old poise on place. She never changed. And that was fine enough for him. She was alive. And that meant so much to him.
"Where are you... taking me?" he croaked out tiredly. "Other HQ. Where Fred and George couldn't probably hurt you," she answered flatly.
She cared about him. She did because she made sure he wouldn't be hurt by the Weasley twins. That had meant so much to him. But he couldn't do anything to it. Besides the fact that Potter and Weasley were carrying him, he was also tired.
Too tired.
"'Sup with them?" he asked tiredly again. "They're just suspicious about you being 'Malfoy' and all."
"But I am Malfoy."
"You know what they'd do if they ever got that confirmed?" she turned to face him.
They stopped and stared at her. "They'd kill you, Malfoy." Awkward silence had filled the air. The three of them stared at Granger shockingly. "I know them well enough to know what they'd do."
"She's right, Malfoy," Weasley said beside him. Draco stared at him weirdly, like he was going to say something like, 'No one asked for your opinion, Weasel'. But that was too harsh.
He had been able to define harsh and not harsh now. He had known bad and good. He had been able to equalize himself with the war that was going on. War was a bitch, but it also taught him great things.
War taught him that the only way of earning peace.. was to make war. And the only way of him being good was to be bad at first.
Draco looked away from Weasley and at Granger now. She narrowed her eyes slightly and turned around. They kept walking. "Why aren't we apparating yet?" Draco asked.
"Lee Jordan had set Anti-Disapparition Wards here so that if we decide to do an ambush, Death Eaters can't apparate immediately. Buying us more time to attack," she answered knowingly.
"Who came up with that?"
"As usual... Hermione..." Potter said, making Draco jump. "I almost forgot you were there, Potter."
"Ha ha, Malfoy."
"Hey, I'm trying to be nice here."
"Not nice enough," Weasley blurted out.
"Enough, you guys!" she snapped. "You just can't stop fighting, can you?" she turned back angrily. The three of them froze. Again. She had this wonderful effect to make people freeze when she snaps.
"Why does he have to be so annoying and sarcastic?" Weasley yelled and dropped Draco's arm, making him lopsided and out of balance. He wobbled and Potter made him stand up straight. He let out an awkward muffled 'Thanks' before staring at the red Weasley.
"I was trying to be nice and honest!" Draco snapped back. "And besides, Potter was the one I was talking to. Not you."
He had been harsh there, he knew. He sighed as silence drowned them again. Weasley was red enough. Granger took his hand and shot a look at Draco that told him not to talk anymore.
He watched as they walked ahead of them hand by hand, Weasley stomping angrily as Granger whispered some soothing words to him. Then there was a pop and they were gone.
Potter hadn't let go of him though. And he was kind of thankful for that.
"Do they sort of have a thing?" he blurted out.
Potter let out a shaky chuckle and then shrugged. "Some say they do. But I'm not quite sure. Hermione'd have told me."
"Hm. And if she doesn't want you to know?"
He sighed. And then he could feel his head turn to him. "You still like her, do you?" he asked. Draco jumped and flinched. He shook his head wildly then. "No."
"Just admit it, Malfoy. I can feel you."
"Feeler, huh?"
"What?"
"Nothing."
"There you go with that attitude. The only person who would ever find that lovely would be Hermione."
"Huh?"
"Nothing."
"The only person who would ever find that lovely would be Weaslette."
"Touché."
"Touché."
Potter hadn't let go of him now. He was a better man than Draco had expected. He had always known he was good. But he thought of Potter as the enemy. And that had been his lifelong statement. It may change, though.
"So where's the other HQ located?" he asked to break the silence. Potter huffed and swallowed audibly.
"Somewhere in the northern part."
"You're not talking about Russia, are you?"
"No. But we have an HQ there too."
"What's it for?"
"Emergency stuff. When it is necessary that we go to hiding, Russia's our best option. Voldemort thinks it's not likely for us to go hiding in Russia. Since wizards there hate us. But there's always one good in all the bads."
"Hmm. Granger," he guessed.
"No. Ron and Professor Lupin formulated that plan of putting up an HQ in Russia. In the house of Antoine Fribsky."
Draco raised his eyebrows surprisingly. He had thought Weasley had a peanut-sized brain. He was sort of wrong. For a Weasley, it's not something he likes to do. But he did it. Everything he had known about them all was wrong. Or maybe people changed into much better persons than him.
He thought Weasley had no brain. But this surely proved him wrong.
"That's great," was all he could say. "Shall we go now? Hermione and Ron'll probably be there by now," Potter said politely.
"Of course they will," he said coldly and shrugged. "I'm always up even if we go now," he said proudly. Potter shrugged and started walking. "We can't possibly apparate now because this place here still has Anti-Disapparition Wards."
Draco blinked and gaped slightly. "Right."
When they walked, silence drowned them once again. It was too awkward to be with someone who you had always hated, and be civil to them. Because it felt so parallel. So opposite.
"You aren't going to go back, right?" he spoke up.
"Go back where?"
"Your Manor."
"Um. I guess not."
"Because I've supplied you with more information that Hermione'd have wanted."
"Hm. Well you can see this well enough."
He let out his right, wiggly arm and showed to him the cloth wrapped around it. "Look at that. What do you think that is?"
"The mark of the runaway renegade."
That hit Draco more than necessary. The mark of the runaway renegade. He was the runaway renegade. The name was too magnificent he didn't care the double meaning was him being a traitor.
"The mark of the runaway renegade. Wow," he repeated with a sigh. As they walked, silence took its place again between them. But he liked that kind of silence. Where the air isn't filled with much hatred and loathing. It was normal. Even friendly.
"How's Dobby?" Draco asked. "He's away," Potter replied calmly. "Hm. Where?" he asked again. "Somewhere up south."
"Hm. Kind of unusual how he got there and what for."
"You know Dobby's an elf, right?"
"I know."
"That means he can apparate and disapparate whenever he wants to in a snap of his fingers."
"What's your point?"
"You said it's unusual how he got there. So I'm kind of explaining to you why it isn't unusual."
"Can we just go now?"
"Yeah. Sure."
As they went on further, Draco started to tire. "Are we there yet?" he asked impatiently. Potter stared at him. "You know. If you want to get there, you wait."
And he did. Once they were out of the forest, they immediately disapparated. When Draco stepped foot on a piece of land, he sighed. He thought he was going to stumble, but Potter still had his arm. And he was, again, thankful of that.
He blinked his eyes rapidly and squinted to see a bright white light on them. It was kind of a tower by the lake or something. "What is Ron's owl's name?" someone yelled from inside. "Pigwidgeon!" Potter shouted. "Okay. Harry's in," the person said and rang a bell.
The tower looked ancient. It had stones and bricks for a wall. And the bricks were unevenly colored. Colors of grey, brownish black, and even dark red. Draco couldn't do anything but gape. The wind coming from the waters was too cold. He shuddered and blinked.
"Come, Malfoy." Potter tugged on his sleeve and started to walk. Draco walked with him. There was a sign before they got in the ruined front door. TOotP. Draco blinked again. He had never heard of that. But whatever it was, it was a secret.
As they reached the ruined front door, Potter made a complicated door knock. Draco raised his eyebrows surprisingly. But he felt it'd do well not to ask questions. So he just stood there, Potter carrying him lopsided.
Soon, the door opened. It was the Hannah Abbott Hufflepuff girl, her wand immediately pointed at Draco. His eyes widened at the piece of tree pointed at him. He almost stumbled as he took a shaky step back but Potter had held him tight. And he was, again and again, thankful.
"What's he doing here?" she yelled at Draco and he heard Granger make a sigh. There was a movement of chairs. Granger put a hand on Abbott's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "He's a runaway, Hannah. Don't worry. He's too tired and wounded to escape," she explained.
"True," he agreed deeply. Abbott slowly lowered her wand and walked away. "You can let him go now, Harry," Granger told Potter. Potter grunted silently. "Hold on," he walked inside with Draco. "Let me just get him..." he walked to the nearby couch and dropped him there. "Here."
Granger had closed the door to Harry's sigh. "You're a big one, Malfoy," Potter sighed and rubbed his palms. Everyone went quiet and stared at Potter funnily.
Then Draco understood. His hand flew to his mouth immediately and started rubbing his mustache funnily. He snorted in the awkward silence. Then someone started to chuckle very silently.
Then another one. The another. Draco let out a big laugh and then everyone joined in. Potter looked very much confused. Everyone was laughing. Even Granger, who had her arms crossed bossingly, started to chuckle. She was shaking her head and pursing her lips to suppress her laughter.
"What?" Potter asked obliviously as everyone was laughing. "Why don't you try to... restate that again..?" Draco asked between laughs. "You're a big one, Malfoy," he repeated and everyone burst into laughter. "Huh?" He was still oblivious. He looked around and blinked, nodded, and then widened his eyes.
He got it.
"No! No! Like really! Merlin, I didn't mean it like that!" he laughed. "Double meanings," Potter shook his head and laughed. "Okay. So, cut it out, guys," came Granger's voice with a light laugh. She was covering her mouth. Everyone reduced their laughter to long sighs.
Draco fixed his eyes on Granger as she moved to arrange the chair she sat on before. The people were talking again while some were eating. He still had his eyes on Granger. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her.
This was Granger. Of course he wouldn't be able to tear his eyes away from her.
It was then when someone slid down from the pole. He looked posh. He had a creamy complexion and baby blue eyes. Plus, he wore a suit. Which Draco's eyes widened at. Because there was really no need to be formal in a place like this.
He looked proud. Draco hated him instantly.
"Well, hello, Hermione!" he greeted Granger, who rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Hello, Ethan."
"Why so gloomy?"
"It's just the fact that you're all cheerful again."
"Oh shut up. What's so wrong with being cheerful?"
"She's just not in the mood because her ex-boyfriend is here," came Dean Thomas's voice. Draco turned his head immediately at Dean, who lowered his head and talked to Seamus again.
"Your ex-boyfriend? Here?" the 'Ethan' guy asked, eyes wide.
Granger doesn't respond. Draco narrowed his eyes slightly at the two. The 'Ethan' guy was too proud and stupid-ish to like. And Draco doubts that he likes Hermione. It was too obvious.
Draco cleared his throat on purpose and the 'Ethan' guy's head turned to him. "Is this him?" he asked, licking his dry lips and raising his eyebrows. "Hey," Draco nodded and waggled his eyebrows at him.
"Hm. Not bad for someone linked to Granger," he commented, tilting his head. Draco raised an eyebrow. "I'm Ethan. Ethan Gerard." He grinned and straightened his suit.
"Malfoy," Draco said flatly. He felt Granger's eyes fix on him. "A Malfoy?" he asked, gulping. "Well that's unexpected." He gave a weird smile.
"You must be Draco?"
"'Course I am."
"Oh. What brought you here?"
"I ran away, for your information."
"Oh. I see."
Granger rolled her eyes again as she saw Draco narrow his eyes at Ethan. She tutted and Ethan turned to look at her. "Yes?" he asked with a pained smile. "Go back to your room, Eth."
"I suppose I'll meet you later?"
"Two AM."
"Two AM it is," he gave another smile and climbed up the stairs. As Ethan's footsteps second by second grew quieter, Draco was able to breathe free air again. "So. Hermione. I'll be up with Ron. Okay?" Potter asked. "Yeah, go on. He'll be ranting about a few stuff now though," Granger gave a light laugh, arms still crossed.
Potter laughed and nodded. Then he climbed up the stairs. Granger brought her attention to Draco, the smile fading away. "You. Come with me," she said and started climbing up the stairs. Draco struggled to get up with his sore feet but then he fell back down.
"Is it legitimate to crawl to where you want me to go?"
Granger made a sigh. Then she went back down and stared at Draco. "Don't make me carry you."
"Maybe you will end up doing so," he crossed his arms and slowly smirked.
"Dung."
"Dragon dung."
"Your dung."
"Shut up."
And at that moment, Draco swore he saw the edge of her lips curling slightly. Curling into a smile. A sweet one. Those shy types of smile. He had always loved those.
"Come and help me up, Granger," Draco ordered and Granger crossed her arms with a frown. "No," she said flatly. "Come. Here."
She sighed in defeat and slowly moved to Draco. She let out her hand and Draco smirked. He took her hand and pulled himself up with his wobbly feet. He smiled at her. "Good to know you still have your manners."
She raised an eyebrow and let go of his hand, making him fall back. She smirked and waggled her eyebrows at him. "Help me up, Granger," he said as he struggled.
"Hm. Yeah."
She reached out to help him stand up. When he already did, he gave her arm a squeeze of thanks. She shrugged it off and helped him up the stairs. They were pretty much slow. Draco did that on purpose.
"So what's it with you and the Ethan guy?" Draco asked randomly.
"Oh Ethan. He's a dick."
"Oh yeah? He likes you."
"And I like him too."
"I thought you liked Weasley."
"He's like a brother to me, Malfoy."
"Oh? And Ethan?"
"Well he's... he's been good to me."
"Hm. Good."
"He's charming, you know."
"You seemed completely annoyed of him a while ago."
"It's just the fact that you're around and all. But he understands why I act like that. And takes it as a joke."
"Must be pretty much a gentleman, huh?"
"Hm. Yeah. Somewhat like that."
"Plus charming."
"Stop that."
"What? You said so yourself!"
"It's just... I don't want to talk about it with you."
"Why?"
"Stuff."
They climbed up the third floor and went to a hallway by the right. It was dark and deserted. He was checking out the windows when Granger pulled him into a room. "Hey!"
He got in a decent room where the only light on was a lamp by the nightstand beside a king sized bed. The room was cozy enough and warm. Happy of that, again. He looked around the room surprisingly.
Granger closed the door behind her with a silent click. Draco turned to her with a smile. "Works with you?" she asked. "Works with me," he shrugged. "I mean this is great and all for something ruin-like in the outside."
"There are lots of surprises here, Malfoy."
"I can see that."
"So..." She moved to the lamp. "Try not to make much noise."
"I'll keep that in mind. It's not like I am used to yelling a lot."
"Hm. Yeah."
She moved again back to the door. Draco sat on the edge of the bed and looked around him. "So you are meeting with Ethan by two?"
"Yeah."
"You should like... go now."
"It's still one and all."
"He's waiting out there on his own, Granger."
She sighed sharply and let her head fall back. "You don't get it, do you, Malfoy?" she asked. Draco raised his eyebrows and licked his lips. "No, Granger. I don't get it."
There was silence. "What's wrong, Granger?"
She sniffled and took out her wand from her pocket. She then whispered a Silencing Charm. She placed her wand back in her pocket and fiddled with her hands. "I need to talk to you."
"Well, can you just... turn around?"
She heaved out another sigh and slowly turned around. "I don't know, Malfoy. I just... I don't understand why..."
Draco immediately shot up as the lamp light hit her face. He had a very concerned face. He sighed as he tried to even his breaths. "Granger.." he said quietly. He spread out his arms slightly for a gesture. "Come here and tell me what's wrong."
She looked hesitant at first, eyes fixed on him as if to read his mind with a pout. But then slowly, she neared him. She sighed before stepping into his hug. Draco ran his fingers through her bushy hair as he tried to shush her. "Granger. What is going on with you?"
"I don't freaking know. You don't understand what it feels like to have you here. You don't understand what it feels like to think that you ran away for me. To hope that what I was thinking was true.
"Yet I forbid myself to think that way. Because I know it was wrong. Very wrong. I have Ethan for me. And you have... lots of girls for you. I just... It has been a while since the war and the last time I saw you. And for a second, I thought everything was gone. But it wasn't.
"You came back and puzzled my mind again. I'm not allowed to think of you like that anymore. I had promised. I swore to Merlin I won't. But there you go... see? There goes Draco Malfoy, the blonde life-ruiner. I hate the fact that every now and then, you would cross my mind. And I freaking don't like that."
Draco was silent. She was troubled. Very troubled. He rubbed her back sympathetically as he tried to shush her again. She was sniffing hard.
The last time he had ever seen her like that was when Weasley and Brown kissed. She looked terrified then. And here she was, so small in his arms, fists against his strong chest, and confessing.
This wasn't the usual Hermione Granger. When she falls, she doesn't fall too hard. But Draco Malfoy guesses she did. Because what she was doing now, was something so unusual of her to do. And she does that when she's fell, a hundred floors up, and the prince charming only arrives five minutes after the fall.
She was crying. Crying about him. She had this thing that when she cries about you, you know you're special to her. But it was so wrong. Sure, he had come to find her and he did! Sure, he would love to have her back! But it doesn't seem right enough.
Then there was silence.
"I don't want you to choose me over Ethan."
chapter end notes: So heeey! Longer chapter, yes. Hope that's fine. Haha. So. I hope this chapter wasn't too cheesy. Guess it is *shrugs* haha so yeah. I'll try to update soon. OH AND UH about Ethan Gerard... he's an OC from this roleplay I have in Tumblr. And he has a very fit name for a posh man I think. Hahah. Okay. Me update soon lovelies! x
