Chapter Three
Draco Malfoy opened his eyes to white washed walls.
"Hermione?"
A book lay on the bed side table and there was a seat facing him on an angle. He stared at the chair; he'd been in hospital before and there hadn't been a chair right beside him ever before.
"Hermione?" He called a little louder.
'What are you doing Draco? She's probably not here and why do you need her anyway?' He consoled himself. He put his hand to the cheek that animal had clawed and felt along the line. That would probably scar.
The nurse came in, in a hurry.
"Thomson told me you'd woken," She motioned to the painting on the far side of the room of a man with a pipe who was smiling at him. Draco scowled at the man and turned to face to the nurse.
"Whose book is that?"
"Hermione Granger's darling, she's been in everyday for the last week," She put her hand to her mouth and gasped, "She asked me not to tell you that…"
Draco smiled and then his eyes widened, "What? The last week?"
"Darling, you've been out cold for a while now and there was nothing we could do, just wait for it to wear off."
"What to wear off? A spell?"
"Well it was the cat…"
"Oh, right. Can you contact Granger, wait. Don't contact her… um, that would be stupid."
The nurse smiled at him graciously and nodded, she added that there was nothing else wrong so he was free to leave whenever he felt like it. He jumped out of bed, ready to apparate home but decided to take her book first.
Hermione was walking Luna's pet down to the park because she was out of town. It was strange as she couldn't even see what she was walking, although the leash hung in the air as it would if it was around a dog's neck. Occasionally she would hear a squealing noise which she thought might be the animal. She saw Neville across the road and stopped to chat. He would look down at the animal wearily hoping it would not bite.
"So did you hear about that scandal?"
"What Scandal?"
"Amanda ditched Malfoy for Goyle. Malfoy must feel so embarrassed."
"Who's Amanda? I didn't even hear that Malfoy was going out with anybody. He didn't bring her to the reunion."
'Well, it's just what I've been hearing."
"Uh huh… that's pretty rotten though isn't it? Stealing someone's girlfriend while they're in hospital… hey you don't think that Goyle would have injured Malfoy just to steal his girlfriend would you? That would be pretty ridiculous right?"
"She's pretty hot…"
"Neville Longbottom!"
"Just saying Hermione. I watched them walk down the street the other day and he would glare at everyone around him as she tagged behind him. Everyone on the street would step back in fear and depending on who you were; admiration or disgust. It was almost… like he'd become Draco Malfoy."
Neville gave her a devious glance and then they parted ways. Hermione knew that she was onto something but there must be something that she was missing. They couldn't possibly be fighting of her the secretary; it had to be something deeper than that. She continued to walk along with the invisible pet and she tried to think of any situation where Goyle had shown even the slightest hint of intelligence and could not find one. 'Oh come on Hermione, nobody can be that stupid. Stop being cruel,' she thought as she entered the park.
Malfoy barged into his office building to find Amanda gleaming at him.
"What are you looking at?"
"Oh nothing, Malfoy; you're dead to me."
"Okay…"
He took the elevator up the 4th floor and knocked before he entered his boss's office.
"Sal, what's the news?"
"You've been moved to a different case."
"Excuse me?"
"A different case," he repeated.
"I heard you but why? I was in hospital; this is the biggest one of the year. You have no idea what it means to me to finish this."
"Well I'm sorry Malfoy but we gave it to Goyle who stepped up while you were away."
"Goyle…"
"And sorry about Amanda."
"Amanda, what?"
"You can leave now."
Draco stepped out of the office and walked straight into Goyle's office. He glared at him while Goyle smirked. Draco didn't feel like talking so he apparated right then.
"Hermione open the door!" Malfoy shouted and heard running inside the apartment.
She opened the door, "When did you get out of hospital?"
"This morning," he walked into her apartment with her still standing at the door.
He continued to ramble, "What the hell is going on? Why do people think I'm still with Amanda and why have I lost the job I was working on? How did I lose a week of my life and why did you leave your book at the hospital? That was pretty careless Hermione, fucking hell; you're supposed to organized and neat and shit."
She grabbed him by the shoulders and yelled, "Calm down," into his face. He did what she said.
"People don't think you're with Amanda because they think she left you for Goyle. I don't know about your job but…"
"Goyle stole that too. Not that he stole Amanda; I dumped her like a week… two weeks ago."
"Okay, so basically, I believe that Goyle put you into hospital in order to ruin your life and your reputation."
She put water on the stove as Malfoy looked around her apartment. It felt extremely homely. He sat down on the couch. Why did he come to Hermione just now?
"Oh and here's your book", he said reaching into his pocket.
"Thanks Malfoy."
"I'm going to go and kill Goyle."
"Oh shut up Malfoy and be reasonable for once."
"You're not the one here who lost a shit load of money."
She came and sat down next to him on the couch.
"Is there anything else he could take away from you?"
He stared blankly into her wall and said quietly, "I have nothing else. The last time anyone saw me was with you Hermione, they'll think I've gone soft."
The room was filled with silence yet again. Hermione nervously touched his arm and snuggled in beneath it in order to comfort him. He looked down at her and then kissed her cheek.
"We could ruin him," Draco suggested to her in the deepest and unforgiving tone.
A chill went down her spine. "I couldn't possibly help…"
"Suit yourself, Hermione," He stood up leaving her cold and alone on the couch.
"Wait," she said.
Darco spun around and that dangerous smirk was back. It made her breathe heavily.
"I guess I have nothing better to do and I am pretty damn smart."
"And conceited," he added.
She smiled back at him as he stretched out his hand to help her up. She took it.
"You can't possibly plot against someone in a room like this. We're going to need to go to mine."