Chapter 7
53. That was the number of bricks on the opposing wall that Hermione could see from this position in the dark space.
She had been down here for a very, very long time. She had tried her best to sleep through the night, but sleep didn't come easily…
There was nothing to do. It occurred to her that this was unusual, since most paintings had backgrounds. Why didn't this one? Maybe she hadn't thought of one when she did the spell? Is that why it backfired like this?
It really didn't make sense. Nothing she had read about could account for this. She had done everything exactly right. Why did this happen?
She heard footsteps and snapped out of her thoughts.
"Hello?" She called. She thought about it a moment, then added, "Malfoy?"
It seemed he was the only one who knew she was here…no one ever came down this unused hallway.
She found she was correct when she heard a heavy sigh.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm here."
He stepped into view, and Hermione never thought she'd be so happy to see him.
"Thank you for coming back! Thank you…"
Draco's eyebrow twitched. He looked…sympathetic? Very reluctantly sympathetic?
Maybe he would help her, afterall.
"Look…give me one good reason why I should help you?"
"What happened to your nose?" She asked, ignoring his question. His nose was swollen and a strange color.
"Tsk…nevermind!" He growled in frustrated, running his hands through his hair. He began to pace. "Look," He said, pointing at her. "I believe you, ok? I think your actually Granger. The problem is…ugh!"
"What?" She asked softly. She didn't want to piss him off, to scare him away. He was her only hope. "What is the problem?"
"The problem is that I shouldn't care! Damn it! First I feel…guilty or something for leaving you down here, then I can't even fuck the Mirror-Her…"
"…what?"
He looked up at her with a surprised look on his face, as if he had forgotten he was talking to her.
"Oh…nothing."
"No, not nothing! That was a very weird thing to say!" She forgot about being nice to him in the hopes he would help her; he had just said something she felt compelled to ask about. What was a Mirror-Her? Did she really want to know?
Malfoy blushed. Blushed? Yes, blushed. Hermione was very confused now.
He sighed. "Well, haven't you wondered why no one was looking for you?"
Hermione had wondered that. But Hogwarts was a big place; she figured no one had thought to check all over the dungeons. But why was he bringing that up? Now she was even more confused.
"There's another you." He said simply.
That piece of information made her forget all about the Mirror-Her. She gave him a moment to explain. Of course, being Draco Malfoy, he wasn't about to make things simple. He just stood against the opposite wall, arms crossed. He was purposefully not looking at her.
She sighed. "Malfoy, dammit, explain! What do you mean another me?!"
He shrugged. "She looks like you, but she isn't you. She seems to know things you know, but she acts completely different."
"…different?"
"She's kinda…Lovegood level of crazy. But with a bit of a trampy element." He smirked, looking up at her. "Unless you've just been hiding your…extracurricular activities well, and you've always been this loose."
Hermione's face turned scarlet. There was another her, and she was giving her a bad name! Hermione took a deep breath, willing herself to calm down. There was nothing she could do about it until she got out of this prison. "Does she…does she really look just like me?"
Malfoy nodded, giving her a careful, meaningful look.
Hermione sat down in the darkness. It was disconcerting sitting down when there didn't seem to be a ground, but Hermione was getting used to it. She was stunned. "If…if she looks just like me…who has she been messing with? What exactly has she been doing? Has she…kissed someone?"
***
Malfoy avoided her eyes. Kissed? Kissed?! Oh, boy. This girl was seriously goody-goody. Your typical Gryffindor hero type. Wow. She was not going to like knowing what Mirror-Hermione had been up too…
And why should that stop him from telling her?
Whatever the normal, cruel side of his brain was telling him, the truth was that he felt a twinge of pity, and guilt. Hadn't he kissed Mirror-Hermione? And a bit more? And real Hermione was so distressed at the thought…she would be so embarrassed to find out that she…er, Mirror-Hermione…had been making out with him, of all people!
The feeling of guilt was fairly new for Draco Malfoy. But even newer was the sympathy he felt for Granger…and something else. He felt like protecting her. That wasn't normal.
But he wanted to shield her from the embarrassment she would suffer. He wanted to help her out…
He shook his head. What did he hope to accomplish? He found her somewhat attractive…was he so interested in helping her just so he could get into her panties?
No, if that were the case then Mirror-Hermione would have done just fine. But he had felt like sleeping with Mirror-Hermione would be somehow offensive to the real Hermione. It was the real Hermione's body, right? Or a copy of it? He was so confused. All he really knew was that it was probably a good thing he hadn't screwed around with Mirror-Hermione.
So, if it wasn't just about sleeping with her, then what did he hope to gain? That was the question: what was in it for him?
She was staring at him, waiting to hear more about what this other Granger had been doing in her name…
Her eyes were large and full of something that the Mirror-Hermione just didn't have. He couldn't figure out what it was.
"She's…been kissing some guys, yeah."
"…Ron?" She asked, hesitatingly.
"Geez! What do you think; I keep tabs on all the 'Followers of Potter?' I don't know! I don't care! She's just been acting weird, and that's why I figured you were the real deal afterall."
Hermione gave him a suspicious look. "So…you know I'm really Hermione Granger. Not that I'm not incredibly grateful….but why would you help me? I figured it wouldn't matter to you if I was real or not…"
Draco snorted, putting on his best scowl. No, it didn't matter! He would get something out of it…right? That's how these things worked, right? He wasn't a selfless hero-type! Hmm…
"Yeah, I want something out of this!" But what?
"I'll help with your homework." Hermione ventured.
Draco tried to hold it in. It wouldn't help with his I'm-too-cool-to-even-talk-to-you image. But he just couldn't help it. He laughed. Really, really laughed.
Hermione frowned. "I hardly find that funny."
Draco was gasping for air. "I…I, Draco Malfoy, offer to help the stupid little mudblood in return for something…gasp…and…gasp…you say you'll do my homework!?"
"Well…I said I'd help with your homework."
Draco laughed harder. He had been thinking more along the lines of "be your slave for a month" or "turn Potter into a badger," or something like that…but her mind went straight to homework? Like it was on the top of everyone's list. If nothing else, Granger could be amusing.
He was so amused that he just couldn't help saying through his laughter, "Ok. Yeah, homework. You can help me with my homework."
"And you'll get me out of here…" She said carefully.
All Draco could manage was a quick nod though his slightly unbalanced-sounding laughter.