Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter...If Onlee, If Onlee, If Onlee...
Chapter three: Unexpected Problems
The dying light filtered through the textured glass, displaying silvery patterns on the shadow ridden floor. Besides the source of light splashed across the window and door panes, the rest of the hallway was enshrouded in darkness, enveloping the things within with it's fathomless tendrils.
Even if Malfoy was two inches from her, she'd be none the wiser…For all she knew, he could be right beside her, puckering his lips to plant a soppy kiss on her cheek. Hermione firmly pushed back the fact that Malfoy didn't look the type who 'puckered' his lips. On the contrary, he had looked ready to sculpt her with a sledgehammer into an intricate piece of art. Oh joy.
So why did he look suspicious when I didn't kiss him right away? If he that badly wanted to be kissed…
Boys. Whoever did describe them as the simpler sex? Again she ignored the answer guiltily.
Bang! Hermione jumped, her heart pounding in her chest as the aftershocks spread through the hall. What was that? It sounded like a gun! Her hand fluttered to her chest, expecting to find blood seeping through her shirt and soaking the material. Wait, why would Malfoy fire a muggle contraption at her? He hated all things muggle!
Something was tugging insistently at the bottom of her cloak, and she glanced down, her eyes widening as they connected with another pair staring unblinkingly at her.
"You must come, miss," a high pitched voice said. "Dinky will lead you to your bedroom, miss-"
Of course! House-elves! Hermione nearly slammed the heel of her hand into her forehead, at her own blundering stupidity.
Dinky tugged again and Hermione couldn't help but feel outraged. The house-elf was trembling with terror, his big brown eyes gazing imploringly up at her. How can they sleep at night? Hermione pondered, Picking on beings obliged to cater their every whim…Bastards, the whole lot of them!
Hermione obligingly nodded, and made to follow the scampering elf, when a cold voice stopped her.
"Blaise is here," rolled the sultry voice from the cool shadows.
She whirled around, her mouth set in an indignant scowl. Had Malfoy been there all the time? Instead of rudely responding, "So?", she made her tone sound meek, and coolly disinterested. "Is he?"
Malfoy stepped forward, and his face emerged into the pale light. It bathed him, almost making him look like a statue bathed in moonlight. Just as cold, just as artistic, but just as entrancing. He regarded her impersonally, his eyes glittering with malice.
"Don't go looking for him," was all that parted his lips and Hermione watched in half confusion, half apprehension as he spun around and strode into the further blackness of the hall. The rays bouncing of him and casting a shadow on the marble floor. A moment later, a door opened, a slither of light, then nothing.
Hermione considered Malfoy's words, her eyebrows furrowed in apparent concentration…Why would Pansy Parkinson go searching for Blaise Zabini? In the middle of the night nonetheless? Questions. So many bleeding questions.
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The silk dressing grown felt light on her shoulders as she slowly tied the belt. She relished in the familiarity of such a simple task that she had performed many times before.
The green curtains fluttered lightly in the wind, the cool night air welcome against her flushed face. Aahh….It was nice to feel her own hair cascading down her back, her own lips, her own hands….
The first thing Hermione had done when she had entered the room was to cast a spell to reveal any spying objects. There weren't any for a 1 mile radius…It was then Hermione knew in comfort, that she wasn't being watched, and this brief lapse in her disguise would be allowed…Just momentarily…
She clutched a fist full of curls within her fist, her eyes wide in delight and happiness…Maybe she could spend the night in her form…It wouldn't hurt- after all she didn't have the dark mark and it'd really help the stocks of polyjuice too…
A small smile playing on her face, she swirled to face the door behind her. A gasp filled the air and Hermione's eyes widened as she realised that it came just outside her room. Too late, she noticed a eye and it's brow staring shocked at her before it hastily drew back and footsteps raced down the hallway to a staircase.
Hermione's mind reacted very quickly, grabbing her wand from her pocket before rushing to the slightly opened door and threw it back with and almighty crash, sending it bouncing into the wall. Her sharp eyes took in a figure clad in black running as fast as his longs would carry him.
"Incarcerous!" she yelled, her hair askew, as ropes snaked out of her wand and sped towards it target. The man had just reached the foot of the stairs before the ropes reached him. He fell to the floor with a loud "OOMPH!"
Hermione was already running, her bare feet barely feeling the cold as she ran to the spy.
Blaise. She would recognise him anywhere. His eyes shone with hatred as he glared up at her, animosity oozing out of his every pore.
"You filthy mudblood!" he hissed, "I saw you! I can barely believe it- you an imposter! Boy are you going to be screwed when Draco finds out! Now be a good little Gryffindor and untie me! Maybe then you'll be tortured a tiny little bit less.."
"No!" Hermione hissed, her heart thudding in her chest. How could she have been so STUPID?!
"Very well then," Blaise said resignedly, teardrops of blood flowing down his dark forehead. His chest inflated under the ropes and Hermione realised too late what he was going to do.
"DRACO! GET YOUR SORRY ASS DOWN H-"
"Silencio!" she muttered, jabbing Pansy's wand frantically poking Blaise in the chest. Immediately he quieted, the rage evident in his eyes as his mouth worked furiously.
"Locomotor Blaise!" she said furiously and rose from her bruised knees as Blaise's body rose to the air. Ignoring the lacing pain in her shins, she moved Blaise in front of her, not caring that his head several times bashed into walls, as she ran to her room. So frantic in her haste, Hermione didn't even notice Blaise's sleeve had caught fire from brushing against a burning bracken until she turned around and cried "Oh no!"
He had collapsed partially on her bed, struggling wildly as the flames took a hold of his whole arm. "Aguamenti!" Hermione yelped, pointing her wand towards his arm. Thankfully the flames fizzled out and with a splutter, died completely.
His face was screwed in pain, and if he had been able to speak- or move- he would have been rolling around the bed going "Ow Ow Ow Ow Ow!"
Hurriedly she wrenched back his sleeve, recoiling at the black tatoo at his wrist before proceeding to mutter every healing spell she knew under the blue moon. Satisfied with her handiwork, and proclaiming "You'll live!" she aimed her wand between Blaise's eyes, which he promptly screwed shut, not wanting to see the further damage she'd inflict upon him.
"Confundo!" she cried. Christ, she could hear footsteps coming down the stairs at the far end of the corridor! She literally had a minute! Another spell and the ropes vanished into thin air. Blaise blinked blearily as Hermione rushed to her nightstand and grabbed the flask, bringing it to her lips in one swift motion.
A quick check in the mirror confirmed the potion had it's desired effect and she barely had time to stow the flask into her pocket before her bedroom door crashed open.
Draco stood over the threshold, his piercing eyes taking the whole breadth of the room with a whole sweep of his eyes. His gaze finally landed on the bed, and Hermione watched in terror as Malfoy's eyebrows slowly rose. His head turned and then she was trapped under that grey, alert stare. His mouth was set firmly, looking unpleased.
"So I see you two reconciled," he spoke, his voice sounding hard.
Blaise lifted his head from the bed sheets slowly, his eyes rising up ever so slowly to meet his master. Apparently what he found there was too much and Blaise dropped his eyes to the floor.
"Blaise- what did I tell you? No distractions…but what do you do? Jump into the bed of a girl who jilted you at the altar…"
Hermione gulped. Uh-oh. She did not like where this was going….
Blaise's confused gaze swept the room also, and finally, inevitably, his eyes met her own. His eyes widened for a moment as he took in Pansy, dressed in a silk dressing gown which was slipping down to reveal a bare shoulder. Why was she dressed like that? Why was Draco here, mere metres away from her? It was then it clicked.
"You whore!" he yelled, struggling to roll out of bed onto the floor. Eventually he succeeded, his face buried in the carpet so he didn't see Hermione flinch.
"You've been sleeping with him! All this time! Were you together when we were together? Huh? Sleeping with him just hours after sleeping with me!?" Blaise accused, lying with his back pressed to the floor and throwing a taut hand in Draco's direction.
Draco definitely did not like where this was going…he remained silent as Blaise ranted on.
"Why are you dressed like that? Huh? Why did you leave me?! The last I heard of you was two years ago when you went out to that Bulgaria verses Ukraine match! I knew it! You like Vicktor Krum too, don't you? You kissed him, didn't you? ANSWER ME!"
Hermione blanched, she had kissed Vicktor Krum…but not as Pansy! And not since fourth year! Blaise was watching Pansy's face closely, and his suspicions were confirmed when a flash of guilt flitted across her face. Geez, how many men had she had? He wasn't enough for her, was he?
"YOU WHORE!" he yelled again, this time more vehemently. "I knew it! YOU BITCH!"
"Blaise," broke in a voice, and he turned his head so fast, he nearly got whiplash. Draco was now looking murderous, his mouth turned even futher down at the corners.
"Enough of this nonsense. You were in the bed, not me. Is that why you called me down here? To yell accusations at me?"
All the anger seemed to drain out of Blaise, and now he looked moderately confused. "I called you?"
"Yes," Draco snapped, "And now you and I must go and discuss certain things. Come now," Draco turned swiftly on his hells, emanating power as he exited the scene. His footfalls growing more distant.
Blaise staggered to his feet, and Hermione held her breath, clutching at Pansy's wand. However he did not seem to notice her, and he stumbled out of the room, after Draco.
Hermione collapsed to the floor, pressing strained palms against her eyes.
So many problems…And it was only her first day…
Thanks to Laughing Nell, xcheerios and Nicole A Bailey for leaving a review in the previous chapter! :)
Reviews, anyone? I'll update sometime next week. It is September after all. :D
