Thank you to all who reviewed and forgive me for the long wait! I know that y'all like this story, so here I go!
Darlin gurl:Thank you for taking your time to read all of it. I really appreciate your imput!
Kristen: I play xylophone in marching band and flute in concert band. Nice to know another fellow player is out there!
Lilblueangel: Thanx and thanx again!
I saw you cry: Yes I don't like much fluff though I try not to make my stories to angsty. A little dose of reality I think is what it has. Please don't die! That'll be one less reviewer! Oh the horror! LOL.
Obsessed: Well no, they don't have…THOSE types of romantic liaisons! LOL! But certain things will be revealed!
Silent-Serpent: Don't worry they won't get over it so fast.
Ccbchunks: Yeah well there's an explanation for that that I will put in here soon! (About the sandman I mean)
Paprika90: I don't know about them getting to affectionate just yet.
American Idiot: Yeah, there' s ALWAYS room for MUFFINS especially THOSE TYPES of MUFFINS.
Undying at Midsummer: Yeah well it was a little to dramatic for Hermione to pour her soul to Draco. I think more like she had a breakthrough. And no its not that hard to march and play at the same time! LoL
Angelchick4eer: My gods woman! You are so close you can hear the wedding bells!
Disclaimer: I own nothing so don't ask again.
BTW: please read the notes at the bottom becuz there is a very important message concerning this story.
Chapter Seven: HeTalks
Draco looked around frantically and stumbled back. Nergal walked closer to Draco, leaving the shadowy mists. With every step Nergal took, Draco's disbelief grew. Nergal's form and features had become clearer and more impossible to believe. Steely green eyes, pale smooth skin, and tall figure. Draco felt as though he were looking through a mirror.
Nergal gave a half-smirk at the astonishment adorned on his reincarnation's face. He stopped a few feet short of Draco making sure to give him enough 'comfort' room. To be honest, Nergal did not think he would be meeting Draco until much later. Thinking back on the circumstances, Nergal would have figured that it would have taken a few more months for contact to be established. That is, if Hermione is anything like Ishtar…
Draco glanced up and down the figure with comically proportioned eyes. This is no ordinary dream. I'm here for a reason. Do I want to know why is the question? Nergal tapped his foot in slight annoyance.
"People around this time begin to question their sanity, but I see the contrary before me. I find your confidence rather…reminiscent," Nergal said with a twinkle in his eye.
Draco stopped his thought and frowned at what Nergal had just said.
"Reminiscent of what exactly?" Draco asked his cool demeanor returning.
Nergal chuckled, walked around Draco, and kicked a few rocks. "Draco I know you're not stupid, so please don't insult your intelligence. Just look at me and you will find your answer," Nergal said cryptically.
Draco was indeed looking. There was no way that what he was viewing was real. Nergal looked just like him except for the eyes, which are green, and the hair that reminded him of Hermione. It was a chestnut brown with slight waves in it.
"You," Draco said with comprehension, "I remind you of you. But why?"
"Let's just say that I'm an older you. Pero bastante sobre mí. Let's talk about you. I know that something is ailing you, but whom has to come out of your mouth," Nergal said finally standing still.
Draco crossed his arms over his chest and chuckled.
"You expect me to confide in you when you're trespassing into my dreams, making the background somewhat ominous, and not explaining who you are?" he said sardonically, "Excuse me, but I think I'll pass."
Nergal smirked at him and shook his head. "Yes very much like me…" he then looked around and nodded, "Yes, perhaps you are right about our surroundings, but I can't do anything to alter them."
"What do you mean? You brought me here," Draco said.
"True, I made contact, but this is your dream however, you mind. Use it," Nergal retorted.
Draco thought about it and it made sense. So he closed his eyes and thought hard. Stonewalls, tables, books, windows, door, and couches popped up around Nergal. He went over to a comfy couch placed in the middle of the room. Draco opened his eyes and suddenly felt much better, at ease. He looked at Nergal sitting on the couch.
"Very good. I'm impressed. Who would have thought that you would have chosen the place where Hermione also resides," Nergal said innocently.
Draco went to sit on the small couch adjacent to Nergal and sat down.
"What do you mean? Its just the first Place I thought of," Draco said annoyed. Really, who did this guy think he was?
"Exactly!" Nergal said leaning forward from the couch, "Why didn't you think of Malfoy Manor? Another forestry area? Maybe even a beach! Are those not places of comfort as well?" Nergal asked.
Draco put a hand to his temple and began to rub it. "Its just the first place that popped into my head. I didn't mean to insinuate anything."
"Yes, but the question is why? Obviously your subconscious is trying to tell you something. Great bloke by the way. You should listen to him more often," Nergal said relaxing once again on the couch.
Draco massaged his temple once again and sighed. "This is too much right now. Merlin, can we continue this some other time?" he asked tiredly.
Nergal chuckled. "How about you tell me what's ailing you. You'll feel much more at ease."
"Well at the moment, you," Draco bit back.
"Aside from me, what has been bothering you earlier…? Or whom I should say," Nergal inquired suggestively.
"Once again," Draco said looking at him with one hand cupping his face, "Why the hell should I trust you?"
Nergal inhaled audibly and shook his head in frustration. "I've already told you, I'm an older version of you. What's more I can't talk to anyone else, even if I could, who would I tell?" Nergal said shrugging his shoulders. Draco however, remained skeptical. Although he does have a point: whom would he tell? Besides it could do me some good to talk to someone about what ails me. Draco put his leg over the other and shifted his weight.
"Well for starters," he said removing his hand form his temple, "I feel as though I'm undergoing mitosis."
Nergal chuckled again. "Nice way of putting it, but why? You have no reason to lead a double personality or life."
"Its not that exactly. More like when I'm around people. Specific people," Draco said looking at Hermione's door. Nergal followed the gaze and smirked.
"Yes she is an enigma isn't she?" Nergal mused.
"I don't know what it is about her. I started off hating her with more passion than anything, wishing her demise constantly, but…After this year, after just three weeks, I find that I'm rather fond of her," Draco acknowledged.
"So…Where does the confusion enter the picture?" Nergal asked.
"Well when I'm around her she-she challenges me. It's like whatever she says I have to retort and whatever I say she always has to make a response to it. It's unnerving. The way she makes my brain think is unlike anything I have ever experienced. When I'm with her she makes me think of ways to challenge her, she makes me think of ways to…to…to talk with her," Draco said, "Like I can't get enough. I always have to know what she has to say."
Nergal whistled. "Seems to me that you are a bit hungry for her. I should know I had that feeling when I was began talking with Ishtar. She always ended our conversations in ways that made me think she could have said more. I understand this, but again: Where does the confusion enter?"
"I'm not always like that with her. If we're alone, that's when I like to banter or talk, but when we're around other people I ignore her or treat her like filth. I don't understand why. This is confusion's cue: I want to be that man that thinks of ways to make her smile. I want to be that man that talks with her like we usually do. I always want to be like I only am around her. How though?" Draco said rubbing his eyes.
Nergal stayed silent while he thought of the best thing to say to this. He did have almost the same feelings when he met Ishtar, but it seems that Draco's are far more intense. They literally are pieces of each other's puzzle.
"Well Draco all I will say to you now is that the reason why you aren't more like that man you want to be is because you aren't complete. The man that makes fun of her and likes to torment her and others is the one who will vanish as soon as you acknowledge a very important concept that I can't reveal to you," Nergal preached.
"What do you mean I'm not complete?"
"Draco that man that you are when you're with Hermione is the man you're supposed to be, but only when the time of The Joining happens. The man that you are now is the incomplete one, the one who is sour all of the time because he needs his other," Nergal said standing.
Draco stood as well not knowing why. "Why are you standing? I still have more inquiries about this."
"I know you do, but even if I could stay some things you have to discover yourself. AllI will say at this moment is that the storm will be coming soon, and with it, black clouds, and when you see the glow, embrace it. Now Malfoy get up!"
"What?" Draco asked cocking his head to the side.
"Wake up," Nergal said sounding more feminine.
Suddenly the feeling of soft sheets came to him and a hand on his shoulder moving him. He opened his eyes groggily, waking up to the smell of soft perfume and red sheets. He turned his head and saw brown eyes looking at him worriedly. Oh Merlin, again? He propped himself up on his elbows and looked at Hermione more clearly.
"What? Why did you wake me up?"
Hermione held up the red comforter closer to her body and tucked her hair behind her ear.
"You were talking in your sleep. More like mumbling, but I thought I should wake you anyway. Is there something wrong?" she asked interpreting the looking on his face as something she did wrong.
"Well its just…Granger we have to figure out how we are ending up in each other beds. Not that I mind much, but I would like to know how we get here almost every morning," Draco said jestingly.
Hermione smiled. "Yeah quite a mystery," she said quietly. Draco nodded and smiled back. He watched as she clutched the comforter tighter to her chest. He then saw the reason why. She was wearing another sexy nightdress. Yes I definitely don't mind waking to this every morning. He then remembered the other night and how upset she had been.
"Hermione do you feel any better? I mean you were so upset last night, I was just wondering if you're all right."
"Yes," she said another small smile playing softly on her lips, " Oddly enough, I had a good night's sleep."
Draco grinned. "Good to hear."
OO
O
Another three weeks had gone by and everyday Draco awoke to Hermione in his bed, or vice versa. They still didn't know why, though Draco had inkling it had something to do with that sort of premonition or dream he had about Nergal. That man had left Draco wondering many things and not getting any answers. Also through these few weeks his affection for said bed buddy, was growing. He knew that he didn't love her. Yet the feeling he had was strong, maybe even caring.
There was one thing that Nergal had said that left Draco with an eerie feeling. The storm will be coming soon, and with it, black clouds. Why had Nergal warned him? What was he warning him about? Draco's thought stopped as he entered the Great Hall so breakfast. The brunette that invaded his cranium everyday sat next to those poor excuses for friends. He shook his head and felt anger rise as he wondered why she bothered.
He sat down next to Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle. His two cronies were currently jousting bundles of food down their throat while Blaise just ate with a cool demeanor.
"What's up?" Draco said. He was not one to be rude.
Blaise cocked a brow. "Nothing is ever up with me, but you though…You seem very distracted now a days. What seems to be your boggle?"
"Again asking what's the matter with me? Why Blaise I never knew you cared," Draco replied sarcastically.
"Excuse me for wanting to make a new friend. I just wanted to know what has our Head Boy all tangled up in the underwear?" he asked taking another bite of his waffle.
" 'Tangled up in the underwear?' You are a weird one Blaise, but again its nothing to worry your little head about. Just usually stresses of the average pubescent wizard."
"Suit yourself. I just thought I would ask since you seem to be taken with your wife," Blaise said off-handedly.
Draco stopped with his fork in mid air as he looked at Blaise. "What the hell are you on about?"
Blaise shrugged. "Nothing. It just seems that the thing that has been sizzling your gray matter happens to be the one thing-sorry- person that sits across from you right now. However, I could be wrong…"
"Blaise when are you ever right?" Draco snapped, "Now continue eating and cease your pestering."
Across the hall Hermione sat hearing the idle chatter from other students…including Ron and Harry. She rolled her eyes at them as Ron laughed slapping his knee and Harry clutched his sides at joke Ron told about Snape and a broom. (Draw your own conclusions!) Her eyes then landed on a very familiar head of blond hair.
He sat there talking to someone, who for Hermione was a blur. All that she could see at that moment was him. His pale smooth lips moving softly with every word uttered. He cheek and lips forming smirks and smiles. Those eyes that at the time held amusement and carefulness. She sighed thinking how utterly far away she was from ever forming some sort of relationship with him. Her eyes then, out of sadness, lowered and were captivated by her 'marriage' ring. It shined back at her with untold secrets and taunted her with only knowledge it knew. Wow I never realized how pretty this ring is. Why would Dumbledore give me this ring?
Hermione's mind began to run away with these thoughts when a very annoyed male voice called to her.
"Sorry, what? I didn't catch that last part Harry," she said impishly.
Harry shook his head and looked at her again. "I asked what was wrong. You seemed out of it for a minute there."
"Yeah talk about going into autopilot Hermione. Actually you've been like this ever since you left Harry's dorm a few weeks ago. What's happened?" Ron asked taking a big munch into his waffle.
Hermione scrunched her nose. "Ron you are so barbaric! And for your info…Nothing has been happening lately. I've just had to do some stuff for our 'marriage' project. We have our second diary due after the Halloween Dance next week. I'm not done and I was just think of what to write in it," she explained. She took a swig from her cup and then another bite to eat.
Harry looked at Ron and they nodded in unison. Harry then leaned forward to Hermione.
"Actually Hermione…er…is it ok if we go out into the hall? Ron and I would like to speak to you in discretion."
Hermione put her fork down. "Yeah, Harry sure."
She then got up and followed her two friends out into the hall. They stopped after they turned a corner and looked at her then at each other. Hermione crossed her arms and tapped her foot as she waited for their 'talk' to proceed.
"Well? What is it?" she asked impatiently. Harry looked over at Ron and Ron nodded.
"Alright well seeing as Harry is to chicken shit to ask you, I will," he said taking Hermione's shoulders into his hands and holding her there.
"Hermione…Harry and I would like to know if…Malfoy forced himself on you?" he asked carefully. She looked at Harry who was behind them and saw him nodding to the question. She pulled out of his hands and began waving her hands around in disbelief.
"So. Let me get this straight. You and Harry want to know if Malfoy has violated me in any way because I seem…off lately?" she asked incredulously.
"Well not exactly off Hermione. Just…more quiet than usual. You seem to be always thinking about something else and you never talk to us anymore. You don't even visit our dorms anymore. We just miss you that's all," Harry gushed.
Hermione felt something warm consume her. For two years she had been waiting for them to say something along these lines, and finally, here it was! A lump began to form in her throat from the overwhelming emotion of…relief that her friends had not forgotten her. All this time she knew they were good men; Malfoy had just misinterpreted things. They weren't neglecting her they just had other things to do.
She walked up to them and gave them a big emotional hug and sighed.
"Thank you guys for worrying about me!" she said pulling back from their embrace, "and no, Malfoy hasn't done anything. Really though thanks for asking about it. It means a lot."
"Well sure…any time Herm," Ron said uncomfortably. He was not one for girly emotional situations. Harry on the other hand gave her another small hug.
"That's why we're here Herms!" he said in a cooing voice. Ron tapped Harry on the shoulder and Harry pulled back.
"What?"
"Harry we need to get to the Quidditch meeting with Dumbledore. He's announcing new Captains today," Ron said urgently. Harry nodded and looked back at Hermione.
"Hey Herm I was wondering if you could stop by Ron's dorms tonight. The girls and us are going to doing our homework and we could use your help," Harry asked hintingly.
The elated feeling that Hermione had been feeling vanished as those words came out of his mouth. Well why should I fee disappointed? I mean, that's all I'm good for anyway right? She tired as best as she could to hide her frown and look of sorrow and nodded.
"Yeah of course fellas. I'll be there."
Harry and Ron beamed. "Alright! Thanks Herms!"
"Yeah thanks. You're a life saver," Ron said sprinting after Harry.
If that's true then why do I feel as though I'm the one who's drowning?
OO
O" Let's go Draco. Dumbledore is announcing Quidditch captains today. Don't want to keep the old fool waiting," Blaise said standing up. Draco nodded and followed suit. Truthfully he wanted to 86 the meeting. He had seen Potter Weasel and Hermione leave. Then a few minutes later, Potter and Weasel were dashing in the opposite direction of where they went with Hermione.
Draco and Blaise made their way to the double door. "Uh Blaise you go on I've got to take an quick excursion."
"Yeah sure," Blaise said before departing. Draco instead went the way the two gits had gone earlier. He turned the corner and saw Hermione standing against the wall. She wasn't crying, but she was indeed sad. He touched her shoulder lightly and her brown glassy eyes looked up at him.
"What's the matter?" he asked lightly.
"Oh its nothing," she said waving her hand, "just girl stuff."
Draco then felt the same need to know what was going on with her. He felt that man that he wanted to be slowly take over him.
"Want to talk about it?"
She shook her head.
"Well then how about a walk. Let's say around the lake?" he asked with a small smile. Hermione looked at him and chuckled.
"Alright."
"Good now let's go," Draco said offering his arm to her. Hermione giggled this time and linked arms with him. They made their way out to the lake and began to walk around it, no one saying a word. Draco inspected her. She had the same look of sorrow in her eyes still. I have to do something to get her mind off of it.
"Hermione?"
"Hmmm?"
"There's something we need to talk about that can't wait," Draco said a little firmly. She then regarded him with confused eyes.
"What?"
"Our marriage. Our real marriage."
Yes another chapter another somewhat cliffhanger!
Now regarding the BTW in the beginning…
Note 1: I like to make my stories no more than 20 chapters becuz more than that is too much of a hassle for me during the school year. Sooo….what I am saying is that there will be no more than 17 chapters in this story. (This is just an estimate.)
Note 2: I will announce the actual number of chapters after chapter 10.
Note 3: This is probably too early to be saying this, but I have to announce it. THERE WILL BE NO SEQUEL OR TRILOGY FOR THIS STORY. I know don't hate me! I just think that the story line is an open and shut case. Again this is just another hypothesis, but I would like there to be no sequel or trilogy to this. Or at least I'm planning on it.
Please don't be a prude, review!
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