(A/N: Sorry, it wouldn't upload... ._.)
Chapter 4
"Bet? What kind of bet?"
"It's not very hard." Ginny pointed at the sign 'Closed for repair'.
"What? Break into the washroom?" Pansy mocked.
"Yes, and stay there for a whole night in the chamber of secrets."
"Pftt, What kind of bet is that?" She scoffed. "…For a second I thought it would be something actually worth listening to."
"Then you would have no troubles doing it my dear Parkinson. After all, there is no basilisk to scare you off."
"But did you guys hear?" Lavender joined the conversation. "Rumour has it that Filch closed the lavatory because of what was being heard deep in the chamber." She paused for dramatic effect. "Someone's been tampering with unknown forces down there… possibly the soul of You-Know-Who trying to seek a way out. His death did happen on these grounds…"
"That's highly unlikely. We destroyed more than half of his soul." I contradicted. Besides, those rumours were being spread around by first years. First years weren't here to witness the war.
"Whatever…" Pansy scoffed. "What's the wager?"
I stood there tense, a long lost memory popping up into my brain. Chamber. Of. Secrets. I've been through worse obviously, but this was the place where I had my first kiss with Ron. There is no bloody wager that could convince me into returning back to a place where nostalgia will creep in.
"Oh, that's easy. A date with whomever you desire." Ginny offered.
"What makes you think that Draco or Ron would be willing to be our bets?" Lavender asked. That was probably the smartest thing she ever stated since well ever.
"Malfoy would do anything for Hermione, and Ron would do anything to beat him."
Pansy slightly raised her upper lip, a scornful expression taking over her face. Hearing that he'd do anything for me probably ticked her off.
"Just the three of us?" I asked, pulling Pansy away from her thoughts of probably wanting to kill me.
"Well you could bring someone along with you…" GINNY. I KEPT THINKING GINNY. PUNISH HER BY REQUESTING A STUPID BET, but she probably noticed that too. "…Can't be me though. I have to keep watch on those who leaves the chamber."
"In that case I call dibs on Ron!" Lavender claimed.
Enraged by her choice I blurted out the first person who came to my mind. "I call dibs on Malfoy!"
Pansy groaned. "Then I'll just have to take Harry away from you for that night!"
"Fine. It's not like you're interesting enough to look at or talk too anyways." Ginny gritted through her teeth, trying her best to stay calm. "…But at least it's settled. This Friday. Midnight. The one who can stay there the longest, wins... You have two days to convince the others to join you. "
~THE NEXT DAY~
This day was passing by unexpectedly fast and I still didn't have the courage to ask Draco to help me with this stupid dare. Nothing was down there anymore, so my chances of winning were pretty much the same as everyone else's. I would say that I'm pretty determined to go down there without any partner at all.
I walked along the hallway staring out into the courtyard, my eyes fixated on the leaves rustling about in the wind. Winter was coming soon.
"Ooh Ron! You're such a tease!" Lavender squeaked.
I turned. About twenty feet away was the daily public display of affection lingering around Ron and Lavender. Seriously? Every bloody day? He has to show it in public every fucking bloody day?
I clenched my fists, wanting to throw my knapsack of books at them. I must have been near my menstrual cycle because today was irking me more than the others.
"Granger!" The bleach blonde hair boy happily called out, grabbing my hand.
"What are you doing?" I asked as he started to lead me through the hall.
"A show that he will never forget." Draco turned back to me for a quick second showing me his smirk. "Just… try to look like you're excited and try to follow my every move…"
I tried to put on my best 'smile', as Draco lead me to the supply closet across from Ron, making sure that he would get a good view of what we were doing.
Draco slammed the door behind us, then flicked me in the forehead.
"Ahh…" I groaned, rubbing the very spot he touched. What the fuck?
He then proceeded to slamming me against the wall. "Draco!" I yelled out weakly, sliding down to sit on the floor. That flick actually hurt…
"Hmm… try to sound more pleased." He whispered, crouching down in front of me.
"What are you-" I tried, but he hushed me off, by placing his index finger on my lips.
"Whisper…" He said softly.
"What are you trying to do?" I whispered. "Torture me in a broom closet?"
"Trying to show him that you have a naughty side in public too…" He sneered.
"You could have just told me to do that, instead of flicking me in the forehead."
"You would be overthinking it and most likely end up not doing it…"
"In that case…" I placed my hand on top of his head, tousling his hair until it appeared to look dishevelled. "… You know… to make it seem like I was all over you..." I giggled quietly.
"Then I'd have to do the same to you Granger…" He smiled, as he started to interlock my curls into greater tangles.
"Ahhh…" I groaned again, feeling the pain from the flick resurface back into my forehead.
"Sorry." He mumbled. "I must have flicked you too hard…"
"You think?" I reached my fingers out to massage the spot. I didn't want a random bruise in the middle of my forehead…
He brushed my hand away, leaning in closer. I stared at the Slytherin emblem on his chest starting to feel his warm breath against my forehead. He gently pressed his lips against the pain, and I could all of a sudden feel my heart melting and beating ten times faster…
"Is that better?" He whispered.
The searing pain was gone. I looked up, meeting his eyes. My first time noticing its actual color. Stone grey eyes. Then I found myself staring at his lips. And then this feeling of wanting to have them touch mine was pulsating throughout my whole body. The thought of Ron was escaping my mind, and this need to taste Draco's lips was taking over. So I leaned in, feeling his nose rub against mine, my eyes about to close to indulge in what was to come next…
…And then I realized. He's only helping me win Ron back. This kiss would mean nothing. It would just add on to his so called debt.
"Yeah…" I replied backing away until my back hit the wall. "Thank you…"
"N-n-no problem…" He stuttered, blinking his eyes.
Riing! Riing!
"I'll see you later…" I said. He was probably feeling a bit awkward… I know I was feeling something weird in the pit of my stomach.
I left the broom closet, and closed the door behind me.
~LATER ON THAT DAY~
I sat there in the Gryffindor common room trying to listen to Ginny rant on about her first Quidditch practice. I kept zoning out though. All I could think about was those eyes. Looking into those sterling grey eyes. I wanted to look into them again just to make sure that random feeling I had was just temporary. I didn't want to mess up our new friendship and if I did kiss him, it would feel more like I was using him as my rebound to get over Ron – this was actually the first day since the breakup where I haven't been thinking about him at all. Draco just happened to always be there when I didn't want to see Ron snogging Lavender. Maybe it was because of his kind actions, I wanted to repay him by giving him a kiss. Ugh I was going crazy.
"So are you going to…?" Ginny asked, finally sitting down next to me on the red velvet couch.
"Do what?" I asked, my thoughts about those eyes dissipating.
"Try out for Quidditch... We are short of players this year… Weren't you listening to the things I said?"
"I don't think I'd be a great contribute to the team…"
"So? Harry and I will help you out."
"I'll think about it…"
"Hermione you seem out of it. Did Ron do something to bother you again?"
"No." I replied staring right into the fireplace. The memory of those grey eyes wouldn't leave my system.
"Then… was it Malfoy?" Ginny snickered, inching in closer to me. "Are you starting to fall for him…?" She inched in again, wanting to hear details.
"No!" I retorted and stood up from the couch. "I was just imagining myself on the Quidditch team…" I lied.
Ginny laughed. She knew a lie when she heard one. "Yeah okay there buddy…"
"Oh shut it Ginny!" I stood up from the couch, walked up the staircase and into my bedroom, and slammed the door behind me. I could at least get around twenty minutes of privacy before she tries to put me on trial again.
I sighed, then looked up. Something caught my eye, the minute I laid my eyes onto my bed. An envelope with my name being handwritten on top. I grabbed the envelope and took out its contents. Written on a piece of parchment paper:
Granger,
I'll see you tomorrow night.
P.S: I'll bring food.
I grinned; then whispered the last three words to myself, "I'll bring food…" He was probably still annoyed by the fact that I haven't been eating a proper dinner since we arrived back at school. I only ate half a chicken leg today because I was distracted about what happened in the broom closet.
I grabbed my wand out cautiously, and then proceeded to waving it at the wall. A box labelled "Letters to a Slytherin" slid out and I grabbed it. It was like 'letters on the go' when I really wanted to write to him or when I couldn't find any envelopes or parchment paper lying around. This way, I knew when I had to stock up on more supplies. I sat beside the windowsill; then began to write.
Malfoy,
How did you know about Ginny's bet? Were you following us to the bathroom yesterday? I'm going to have to lecture you about the disadvantages of following a girl to the bathroom.
I folded the note, and waved my wand. In a matter of seconds it was gone. There was no need for envelopes when the note was this small. A few minutes later, I received a reply.
I couldn't help myself. You looked sick, so I got worried.
I'd be fine with you lecturing me. It would give me a chance to be next to you for a longer period of time.
I blushed. A chance to be next to me for a longer period of time? There he goes again with saying something sweet. If it wasn't showing some kind of affection to make Ron jealous, it was sending me cheesy notes.
(A/N: Just in case you're confused, Draco is italicized and underlined while Hermione is bolded and italicized.)
Then I'm guessing tomorrow is your lucky night.We'll be having an 8 hour picnic on snake skin.
That sounds very romantic. I am a Slytherin after all.
That's ghastly. Who would ever want to have a picnic on snake skin?
You have no choice Granger... It's either a picnic or a night with me in the dark.
Isn't it going to be both?
Oh, then you are right. Tomorrow is my lucky night.
I started to smile like an idiot making myself comfortable. I had no clue why, but this was the first time in a while where my heart actually felt like it was beating again.
"Why are you smiling at the wall?" Ginny asked sticking her head through the doorway.
"No reason." I replied, quickly shoving my box to do side. I looked at the clock. It's only been seventeen minutes since I left Ginny beside the fireplace. "You're three minutes early. It usually takes twenty minutes or more for you to decide to become a nuisance again."
"Don't be keeping time on what I should do… What was that box?" Ginny smirked, strutting herself towards me. "Are you and Malfoy still writing love letters to each other?"
"They aren't love letters!" I stammered.
"I'll be the judge of that!" Ginny rushed over, grabbing the box from behind me. She opened the box to examine its contents. "Nothing, but paper and envelopes…" She sighed.
It was a good thing that I kept all the other letters in a separate box. She'd be squealing forever if she read those. "Told you…"
She threw the box onto the bed, then started to whine. "At least tell me if you told him about tomorrow!"
"He found that out on his own…"
"It was Pansy wasn't it? Who knows that happens in that Slytherin dungeon…"
"Actually he followed us to the bathroom yesterday…" I decided to hand her the notes that were being passed during these last seventeen minutes.
She scanned them, mumbling each word on the piece of parchment paper. I also decided to fill her in on what I said back to him. Might as well give her some kind of preview as to how our letters were.
When she was done, she looked up at me and started to pout.
"What?" I asked making my way to my bed.
"I will find the rest of those letters Hermione Jean Granger, even if it means destroying this entire bedroom!"
I laughed. "Good luck Ginny…"
A/N: Sorry if I took awhile. I was going to finish this chapter yesterday, but I got sick out of nowhere. .
Please Enjoy! :) I will try my best though to update at least every Thursday, if not then Fridays. :D