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I may or may not upgrade this to an M, this chapter is kind of edging towards it. Advice on that please? Xx
This chapter is a major Ron slash, pushing him slightly out of character, so if you love Ron, this chapter is a no-go for you xx
Chapter 7
Sanctuary.
Hermione dragged her weary self along the charms corridor. It was lunch and she was already amazingly tired. She contemplated the proposition with Malfoy; they had agreed to only pretend for three more days, then "break up". She and found it kind of fun really, especially watching Ronald squirm when they walked by, but it was coming up to finishing, as she still hated him. He was still the Slytherin Prince and a pureblood. And she was still a Gryffindor muggleborn.
She had decided to spend this lunch practicing some DADA spells in one of the old unused classrooms down the corridor. She turned into the room and dumped her bag on the floor, pulling her wand out as she did so.
She began clearing the room, charming the desks and tables to be stacked against the wall and clearing some of the dust up as this room was never used. She brushed some hair out her face and got a book out ready to practice from.
She never felt lonely at times like this, even if there was no one around. She was comfortable.
Then the book was pulled out of her hands and her wand was sent clattering into the far corner of the room.
"Hello, Hermione," said a voice.
She looked up, shocked and confused. Ron was standing over her, with a peculiar sort of grin on his face.
And it scared her.
A girlish giggle came from somewhere behind her, and she snapped round quickly to see Lavender Brown closing in.
Hermione's feet were glued the floor in fear.
Ron grabbed her wrist.
"Now, now, Hermione, be good…"
His grin was twisted and strange. And suddenly she felt more alone than ever.
After lunch, about an hour later, Draco sat frustrated in Potions. He glanced frequently at the empty seat beside him, and at his wrist watch.
It was 15 minutes into the lesson, and Hermione Granger, resident bookworm and teacher's pet, wasn't here.
And it wasn't just that she was late, it was that she was wrongly late. She never missed Potions. Ever. It felt odd. Something had happened.
He made an instantaneous decision.
"I'm going to regret this," he muttered, and his hand shot into the air.
"What is it, Mr Malfoy?" Slughorn asked exasperatedly.
"I have a headache. I need to go to the medical room." That's how it worked with Slughorn and the Slytherins, all statements, no questions.
"Very well," Slughorn sighed, "Leave."
Draco grabbed his bag, shoved his books into it, and half ran from the room. Potter looked at him, puzzled. Then saw Granger's empty seat and it clicked in his scarred head. Draco saw Weasley out the corner of his eye, smirking at Brown. Somehow, this made him speed up.
As soon as he was up into the main halls, he began checking cupboards, empty rooms and various classes, all the while working his way towards the Gryffindor common room. He froze at the entrance to the charms corridor. His mind whirring forward. Granger liked practising in empty classrooms at lunch. Scratch that. One particular empty classroom.
Suddenly, he bolted forward, speeding toward the end room. He rattled the door handle of the door.
It was locked.
Without a second thought, he pulled his wand out.
"Alohomora," he muttered, and the lock sprang open.
He flung the door open and stepped over the threshold, dropping his bag to the floor and rushing to her side.
She was curled up on her side on the floor. Gagged and tied up. Tears were edging through eyes that were screwed up and pouring down her face. Her whole frame was shuddering with every silent sob. Her hair was messed up, lying partly over her face. Her skirt was hitched up slightly and her jumper was rumpled in awkward places. There were bruises all over her face, arms and legs, as if every part of exposed skin had been sprayed in blackcurrant.
Draco lifted her head into his lap, undoing all her bindings, but she remained curled up, silently sobbing.
"Granger…"
She opened her eyes slowly, and opened her mouth to speak.
"Thank you…" she croaked.
He pulled her up to her feet and lifted her to sit on the teacher's desk, which she hadn't cleared. He stood in front of her, muttering spells to cover bruises or attempt to fix them.
"Malfoy?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"It was Weasley, wasn't it?" He said suddenly, angrily.
Her eyes flicked up to him, confused and wary at the same time.
"Well?" He demanded.
She looked scared. She didn't want to do anything. She wanted to crawl away and curl up in a corner.
"Don't do anything, please, I… he… I can't…" she stuttered, trailing off. She flinched away from him.
Draco saw red. He was fuming. He strode away, starting towards the door. He pushed over a stack of desks. Gritting his teeth.
"I'm going to KILL him. I'm going to torture him, then kill him…" he swore darkly.
Hermione darted round him and stood between him and the door, fearfully.
"No! You can't!"
"Get out of my way."
"No! Please!"
"I won't hurt you, Granger, It's just him. I'm going to break every bone in his pathetic little body!"
"Please, Malfoy, Please… Draco…"
He froze. She'd used his name.
Somehow, this angered him more, that the Weasel would be so disgusting, so volatile, so vicious, towards an innocent, fragile girl.
"God help me, Granger, GET OUT OF MY-"
But he was cut off by a pair of lips joining with his. Hermione had thrown herself onto him, to calm him.
Weasley was forgotten.
He picked Granger up and sat her back on the desk, and pulled her torso into him, holding on for dear life, winding his hands through her hair, dipping his tongue in and out of her mouth. It was the first time she had initiated their kissing, and it made it better for him for some reason. He felt more accepted, as if he was wanted.
She threaded her hands through his hair, holding his face to hers. Somehow, she knew that for a while, she would only feel safe with Draco around. Not even Harry would feel safe enough for a while. Draco would have to be present. They'd have to extend their deal, and for some reason that she didn't quite understand, she was totally comfortable with this thought.
And he was finally calm.
Hope this was okay?
Janey x