(A/N: This one was really fun to write xD I hope you guys like it! Let me know if there is anything you guys think I could improve on. I love feedback! Feedback, feedback, feedback!
No copyright intended, all rights belong to J.K. Rowling and her wonderful mind.)
"Who Exactly Are These For?"
He couldn't believe she had done that, locked him out of his own bedroom! Who did she think she was?
He glowered at the door for the longest time, but he knew it would do no good to keep arguing. He was tired, angry, and very upset about this new class he was being forced to take. Arguing with Granger- though it always seemed to lighten his mood in the past- was not going to do anything for him today.
He growled, as though a vicious dog, before he combed a hand through his blonde locks and turned, stalking away from the door and heading downstairs.
He grabbed for his cloak, which he had taken off upon entering the house, and threw it over his shoulders before he walked out the front door. He stood outside for a moment, glancing up and down the street before him.
Had Dumbledore finally lost it? Pairing them together like he was- it was madness. He'd rather swallow Devil Snare than spend another minute in Granger's presence.
Cleaning out a library once a week no less.
He snarled and rolled his eyes to himself, shoving his hands into his pockets. Of course, Granger's idea of 'fun' was looking at books all day.
She hadn't even let them get a TV!
True, Draco was still a little iffy about what a TV was, but he knew he wanted it. And who was Granger to say what he could and could not have? Dear Merlin, why did it have to be Granger? He would have been fine with anyone. Anyone but Granger.
He started down the road, putting as much distance as he could between himself and that blasted witch that was now living it up in his new home.
He decided to go visit Blaise. If he knew Weaslette, she probably had him at wand point right now.
He trudged through the street with sluggish feet, wandering by house and house. Some houses were silent, others were quite loud. He could clearly make out a pair of students yelling from a house further down the street. Not wanting to get into the cross fire of that mess, Draco veered off track and took a short cut down and alley to reach the 'House C' streets.
He stopped in the middle of a 'House C' street and glanced around slowly, trying to decipher which one could possibly be Blaise's. He hadn't even thought about the fact that he had no idea where Blaise lived.
Suddenly, a door down the street opened and a trunk came flying out. Blaise's trunk.
"Are you crazy!" Blaise's voice yelled from somewhere inside the house. Draco raised an eyebrow and leaned his shoulder against a lamp post, watching with mild interest as Blaise came out, his face showing all signs of anger.
Another, smaller bag came flying out after him and it hit him in the back. He stumbled forward, but quickly righted himself.
Weaslette appeared in the doorway, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring down at the Italian Slytherin.
Blaise rounded on her, his wand clutched tightly in his hand. "What do you think you're doing?" he yelled up at her. In all the time Draco had known him, never once had Blaise raised his wand upon a woman.
"I am not sleeping in the same bed as you!" Weaslette yelled out at him.
Huh, de ja vu.
"It was a joke!" Blaise yelled back at her. A few heads had started to pop out of the nearby houses, curious as to what was going on outside. "Of course I don't want to sleep in the same bed as you!"
Weaslette simply rolled her eyes and disappeared back inside.
Blaise shook his head, grumbling to himself as he placed his wand back into his pocket and started picking up his trunk.
"Not all rainbows and unicorns for you either?" Blaise didn't even jump- he didn't normally get startled. He glanced over his shoulder and caught sight of Draco standing behind him before he went back to his trunk.
"Oh, it's going smashing. She's quite charming really." The sarcasm dripped from Blaise's lips so heavy, Draco could have drowned in it.
Blaise stood up straight, clutching his trunk in one hand and his bag slung over the other shoulder. "I take it you've dropped Granger off and made a run for it?" A small smirk came to Blaise's lips. Draco rolled his eyes for over dramatization before he glared slightly.
"She's a nightmare! She already kicked me out of my own bedroom!"
"You're complaining about being kicked out of your bedroom? I got kicked out of my house!"
Draco supposed that could be considered worse.
He simply shook his head with a heavy sigh in return before he grumbled, "Want to go get a Butterbeer?"
Blaise seemed to brighten slightly at this idea.
"A Butterbeer would do me good right about now," he nodded his head before he started into the house. Draco waited out on the street until the other boy returned and they started for the Three Broomsticks
Hermione sighed as she glanced around at the piles of clothes that sat on the bed surrounding her. She pulled out her wand and gave it a little wave before the clothes lifted themselves into the air and started for the closet and dresser.
While her clothes were putting themselves away, Hermione glanced towards the door to the bedroom. It was a little past 1 in the afternoon, and Hermione's stomach was beckoning for her to go eat.
Malfoy had yet to make any noise, but that didn't mean he wasn't still somewhere in the house.
The minute the last dresser drawer closed she sighed and pushed herself to her feet, gripping her wand and starting for the door. She pulled it open and glanced out into the hallway, first left and then right. Nothing but Malfoy's trunk laying in the hallway, abandoned, met her eyes.
She resisted the strong urge to go snooping through his things and started down the hallway, slowly putting her wand away into her pocket.
One step downstairs and Hermione knew she was alone.
She didn't know where Malfoy went, nor did she very much care to find out. If he wanted to keep his distance and go sleep in the gutters, she would be just fine by that.
She entered the kitchen and quickly glanced into the fridge. Exactly one months worth of food was stored in the fridge- enough until they had to pay their funds for new groceries. Hermione was pretty sure that if they didn't pay when the time came, the next time she opened this fridge it would be empty.
She reached for the closet items and began making a simple lunch of bologna and cheese sandwiches.
A light tap at the window drew her attention away and she turned. A smile split across her face that could have rivaled Hagrid's whenever he came across a new and very dangerous creature to showcase for them.
"Hedwig!" she quickly hurried towards the window and lifted it up before allowing the owl to fly in.
She flew towards the counter top and landed, squawking gently. Hermione smiled and approached the owl, taking the letter from her and giving her some bread to nibble on before she opened the letter.
'Hermione,
I hope you're doing alright with the Ferret. Pansy's alright… I suppose. She's locked herself in the spare bedroom with her textbooks and hasn't come out for hours. I don't know if I should be worried or thrilled.
Have you seen them? The new bedrooms? One bed! I couldn't believe it when I saw it. I thought it had to be some sick joke. This is the whole reason why I got the three bedroom house! We could each sleep in one bedroom and the kid (oh god I hope we don't have a kid) could have the other if need be. Why can't I sleep in my own bedroom Hermione!
I hope Hedwig has found you… I know we're in different places now… I don't know what house you're in so I just told her to look for you. I told her you'd be in Hogsmeade.
Come see me sometime… please? Don't leave me alone with her forever!
And if this is Malfoy reading this, you better stay away from Hermione! And don't intercept her mail ever again!
Harry'
Hermione smiled at Harry's letter, she couldn't help it. It was almost like he hadn't left her. She couldn't say the same for Ron… she hadn't heard from him all day. Then again, he wasn't really the brightest. He probably hadn't even thought about using his owl to communicate with the two of them.
At least, that's what she kept telling herself as she quickly grabbed for a new piece of parchment and quill and began to write back to him.
Hedwig watched her the whole time from her perch on the counter top.
'Harry,
I'm doing fine with ferret-boy. He hasn't even been here most of the day. I don't know where he's gone, nor do I really care to know. Stop worrying about Pansy, just be thankful she isn't bothering you.
I did see the bedrooms. I couldn't believe it either. Three bedrooms and they stick us together in one? I guess I can understand where they're coming from though, I mean… we are supposed to be partners, aren't we? I feel like I'm playing House again- like I used to do when I was younger. Except the friends I played with I actually liked!
Of course I will come and see you Harry, don't you worry. It's not like I'm particularly enjoying the idea of shacking it up with Malfoy for the next eight months. Just try and keep a cool head.'
She paused and looked down at her writing, but she couldn't help herself. She had to ask.
'Have you heard from Ron lately?
Love,
Obviously-Not-Malfoy-Hermione'
She put her quill down and quickly read over the writing before she performed a drying spell on the ink and folded it up. She gave Hedwig another piece of bread while tying the letter to the owl's leg.
When she was done with her snack, Hedwig hooted at her before she quickly took off and disappeared out the window she had flown in from.
Hermione walked over to the window and sighed, wishing she were back in the common room, before she closed the window and turned back to her lunch.
Night fell too quickly in Draco's opinion. Weaslette had come stomping to the Quidditch shop the moment the clock hit eight.
She started chastising Blaise about how he wasn't in the Three Broomsticks- where he said he would be- and when he tried to explain to her, not so politely, that she wasn't in charge of him, she got even more furious and dragged him out before he could even exchange glanced with Draco.
And now here he stood, rather reluctantly, in front of his new 'home'. Ick.
His nose crinkled for a moment before he pushed open the front door and walked inside. He nearly ran into something- he couldn't see a thing. All the lights were off downstairs, while a small light flooded at the end of the hallway up the stairs.
Draco glared and kicked his shoes off before he slammed the door behind him.
"Honey, I'm home!" he called out sarcastically, sneering as he started for the stairs. He used the light to guide him, nearly running into a lamp at one point.
He finally made it to the stairs and climbed up them before he rounded the corner and stepped into the only furnished bedroom in the house.
It was empty.
Draco froze, reaching slowly for his wand in case she tried to do a sneak attack, until he heard water running. He jumped slightly, glancing around the room and spotting the door beside the dresser. No doubt it led into a bathroom.
Draco let go of his wand and scolded himself for being paranoid of Granger before he slipped his cloak from his shoulders and threw it on the bed.
He loosened his tie before he headed back out into the hall and lugged his bag into the bedroom. Merlin be damned if she was making him sleep down in the living room, or on the floor in one of the spare bedrooms. If she was uncomfortable with him being there, then she would leave.
He took out his wand and gave it a lazy flick. The trunk opened and his clothes flew out towards the dresser and closet, disappearing inside along with Granger's thing.
Just as a drawer was about to close, something caught Draco's eyes. He grabbed for the drawer and pulled it to a stop. The magic immediately died and the drawer opened itself up to Draco, who cocked a curious eyebrow.
He reached inside and gingerly hooked a finger around silk, red fabric, lifting it up out of the drawer.
It unfolded itself and Draco's eyebrow rose into his hairline when he realized what it was.
Granger had a pair of lacey, red underwear stashed away in the drawer.
A smirk rose on Draco's lips when suddenly the door opened to his left. He hadn't even heard the water turn off. Granger stepped out, her wet hair dangling down her back and dressed in a pair of pyjamas.
"Tell me Granger," Draco started, his smirk growing when he saw her freeze at the sight of him. Obviously she had not heard his very loud entrance. Or she had decided to ignore him.
He hooked his other finger on the other side of the underwear and held it up for her to see.
"Who exactly are these for?"
Granger's mouth fell open, her eyes widened in horror and shock. Her cheeks, already pink from her shower, tinted dark red like the underwear Draco now held up for her to see.
"Give me that back Malfoy!" she yelled, reaching for it.
He snatched it away, smirking down at her. "Nope! It's mine."
Granger stomped her foot. She literally stomped her fuzzy, slipper covered foot at him. "Malfoy!"
He copied her, stomping his own foot. "Granger!"
She glared and suddenly she was lunging for him. He danced out of her way, pulling himself up onto the bed. She glared up at him and he dangled the underwear over her head, smirking down at her.
"Now, this is how things are going to go around here Granger," he started, now that he had her attention.
"I am going to be the one sleeping in this bed. You can sleep down on the sofa." Granger looked ready to protest, but one teasing wiggle of the underwear and she clamped her mouth shut. Her cheeks looked so red she looked like she had gotten sun burnt.
"Second, I call all the shots. I'm the man around here and whatever I say, goes. Understood?"
"Malfoy, shut up and give me those back!"
Draco sighed, as though what she was asking of him was a big chore, before he shook his head slowly from side to side. "I don't think you're listening to me Granger. How's about I go parading these bad boys up and down the street for all to see?"
For the second time that night, Granger's mouth fell open in shock and fear. "You wouldn't!" she yelled at him. A devious smile came to his lips.
"Oh, wouldn't I?"
Granger fell silent and looked at him for a long time before she crossed her arms over her chest.
Suddenly, she turned on her heels and walked away back towards the bathroom. Draco's victorious smirk fell instantly and he frowned as he watched her walk away.
This was his fun time and she was ruining it!
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" he yelled after her. She didn't turn around, only disappeared somewhere into the bathroom. Glaring, he got down from the bed slowly, watching the bathroom door with cautious eyes.
She was planning something, she had to be. Granger didn't give up so easy, he knew she didn't. "Granger! Don't you want these back?" He took a step towards the bathroom.
Suddenly, the bathroom door flew open all the way and Granger's wand was pointed at him. He froze, looking towards his wand, which he had left lying on the dresser top on the other side of the room.
"Now, you listen to me, Malfoy." Draco glared. He didn't like how the tables had turned.
Granger stomped towards him and held out a hand, her other hand holding up the wand, pointed directly into the middle of his face.
"You can either give me those back, or I can break your nose again just as easily as I had in third year… breaking a noise with magic is much more difficult to repair than breaking one with your fist."
Draco looked at her for a long moment before he glowered and chucked the underwear at her. Surprisingly, she caught it effortlessly.
"I was only having a bit of fun, Granger. No need to get so defensive." He mocked, rolling his eyes before he pushed past her and grabbed his wand before disappearing into the bathroom.
Granger blushed a deep crimson red before she glared and walked over to the dresser to put her underwear back where it belonged.
After a quick shower, Draco stepped out and dried himself off before changing into a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. His hair hung, messy and wet on the top of his head. He flicked off the lights in the bathroom, after scrutinizing the light switch for about five minutes before realizing how it worked, and walked out back into the bedroom.
Granger sat on one side of the bed under the covers, reading. There were two night stands, one on either side of the bed. Granger had called the side farthest away from the door, which Draco found odd. Both lamps on the nightstands were on.
Draco hesitated by the edge of the bed, eying Granger closely, before he slowly put his wand down on the bed side table and lied himself down.
Bloody hell, she was like a hundred degrees!
He rolled his eyes and turned his back on her, staring up at the lamp beside him and trying to figure out how one would go about turning it off.
He stared at it for a whole ten minutes before Granger finally spoke. "You twist the knob under the shade."
Draco sneered, turning on her before he spat back defensively, "I know how to turn the lamp off, Granger."
Granger didn't even look at him, turning a page in her book. Draco roughly turned his back on her again before he reached a hand up and gingerly touched the knob. Nothing exploded, so he turned it and the light flicked out.
Granger's light behind him was still enough to light a beacon.
He pounded into his pillow angrily before forcing his head into it and pulling the blankets up to his chin, trying to block out the light.
He lay there for another three minutes before he snarled and turned on Granger once more.
"Turn that light off, it's bothering me."
Granger didn't miss a heartbeat. "Tough. I'm reading."
Draco glared and pushed himself up into a sitting position, reaching across her for the lamp. Granger shoved her book into his chest and toppled to the end of the bed. He could have sworn he saw her smirk before she hid back behind her book.
"Right where you belong, at the end of the bed."
Draco glared and straightened himself out. "Just turn it off and go to bed!"
"No, Malfoy. I. Am. Reading."
"I. Am. Trying. To Sleep."
"Then go downstairs!"
"You go downstairs!"
"Arg!" Granger yelled, snapping her book shut with a large eye roll before she slammed her book down on the nightstand and reached over, turning her light off.
Draco smirked at his victory before he lay himself back down, pulling the covers up to his chin.
Silence followed for a long moment and neither of them said anything.
Minutes ticked by into a half an hour. Still, neither of them moved, nor spoke, and neither of them could fall asleep. Knowing the enemy was so close was nerve-wracking.
"You're a child." Granger finally said, repositioning herself in bed to turn her back to him.
"Takes one to know one."
"Shut up."
(A/N: Don't forget to comment and review pretty please with lots of sugar on top!)
