Roomies
A/N I am truly sorry for this chapter to get posted. Real life just wouldn't let up for a while but now I'm busy doing nothing all day, I can get back to writing this. Sorry for such a long delay and thank you so much to everyone who reviewed.
Meaningless Insults
Hermione looked herself over in the mirror for the third time, not especially happy with the image glaring back at her. She was dressed in blue sweater and a short, knee length black skirt that she felt suited work more than anything else. Her hair was tamed as much as it could be and yet strands of hair were still not in the place she wished them to be. She let out a sigh and decided to go ask Blaise what he thought who was currently spending the evening with Draco.
'Hey. Do you think I look nice in this? Honestly?' She asked, holding her skirt out to the side and going slightly red under Blaise's gaze. Draco raised an unimpressed eyebrow and let out a snort.
'Where you going?' Blaise asked.
'I told you, I've got a date.'
Both Draco and Blaise looked shocked which didn't help Hermione's self esteem. 'Err you didn't tell me that.'
'Wait a second, there's a guy in this world who wants to date you? He blind and deaf?' Draco asked, laughing inwardly at the idea of any man finding the girl in front of him attractive.
'I wasn't speaking to you, Malfoy.' She snapped before turning to Blaise. 'I did tell you, Ginny set me up with him, his name is Chris something or other and he works for the Daily Prophet and he's been a friend of Ron's for a while.' Hermione tried, still finding Blaise's blank expression gazing back at her.
'You didn't tell me actually.'
'Oh well, you know now. So, does this work?' She said, twirling slightly.
'For the date?' Blaise asked, scanning her.
'Yes.'
'No then.' Blaise said, turning back to face Draco.
'What should I wear then?' Hermione asked helplessly.
'Granger, nothing you will ever wear will make you appear attractive to the opposite sex. You're going to have to accept that you're naturally ugly.'
'I don't remember speaking to you!' Hermione snapped loudly, not appreciating his attitude whilst she was getting frustrated and upset.
'Hey, hey, Hermione, don't worry about it. I'll come and pick something out that suits you.' Blaise said kindly, getting up and walking into her bedroom, patting her arm reassuringly.
Hermione walked out 5 minutes later in a completely new outfit, a sky blue dress Ginny had given for Christmas that Hermione felt was inappropriate to wear in public. She knew she didn't have the figure of supermodel and so rarely ever wore anything remotely pretty.
She smoothed the dress to her and only felt more insecure and nervous than before.
'Draco, think she looks great or what?' Blaise said, admiring his work as Hermione adjusted the dress for the 10th time. Draco glanced her way and let out an unimpressed snort.
'Slightly better I suppose.' Draco drawled, turning away from them.
'That means he thinks you look hot.' Blaise said with a grin.
'No it doesn't.' Draco suddenly bit out, throwing a glare at Blaise who was smirking at his friend.
'So, is this Chris guy picking you up?' Blaise asked, taking up an entire sofa, forcing Hermione to sit awkwardly next to Draco who shifted away from her.
'Yeah he is. I'm kinda nervous.' Hermione said, fidgeting.
'Goodness Granger, this the first date you've ever had or something?' Draco asked, trying to ignore Hermione shuffling next to him.
'No, its like my…' Hermione stopped and started counting on her fingers. She didn't get very far. 'Third.'
'Oh my god, that means there's been 2 other poor guys that have dated you.' Draco said, shaking his head and ignoring the look he was receiving from Blaise.
'Does he ever shut up?' Hermione asked Blaise about Draco.
'Can't you see she's nervous? Give her a break.' Blaise said to Draco who looked fairly offended. Draco huffed and sat back into the sofa, folding his arms and glaring at nothing in particular.
It was only a few minutes later that a tentative knock was heard on their door and Hermione jerked out of her daydreaming, feeling the nerves set in.
Her eyes suddenly snapped to Draco who was making his way to the door and she leapt up, wanting to reduce the chance of Chris and Draco exchanging words.
'I'll get it.' Hermione quickly said, overtaking Draco and opening the door slowly to Chris. Hermione blinked at the man standing opposite her and opened her mouth stupidly.
'Jack?' Hermione said to the man who she had met at the bar previously.
'Hermione.' He said, as if seeing her wasn't at all surprising. 'How are you?'
Hermione tried to remember how to speak as she looked at 'Jack'.
Blaise and Draco who had been looking over Hermione's shoulder in puzzlement decided to step in considering the silence.
'I'm Blaise, Hermione's best friend.' Blaise said shaking his hand. Chris gave him a friendly smile before his eyes widened at Draco.
'Oh my goodness, Draco Malfoy.' Chris said, quite taken back as he quickly shook his hand. 'I would love to interview you one of these days.'
At the same moment Draco was about to respond, Hermione suddenly discovered the ability to speak.
'Aren't you muggle?'
He laughed. 'No, thank goodness. No offence. When we met I was doing an article on social trends within muggle bars and pubs. Sorry, I gave you a fake name and everything. My real name is really Chris.'
'How did you know that it was me you had a date with tonight?'
'I asked Ron about you a few days after completing my research and he told me that he was friends with you, and so here I am.'
Draco shifted between looking at Hermione and Chris, his first impressions of Chris not being entirely favourable.
Hermione quickly grabbed her purse, said her goodbyes and headed out the apartment with Chris on her tail.
Blaise gave them a quick wave before shutting the door and turning to Draco.
'I like-'
'I don't like him.' Draco stated, stomping to the kitchen and pouring himself a drink.
'Why? Seemed like a lovely guy.'
'Granger could do better.' Draco didn't register what he said until he saw the astonished look on Blaise's face.
'Did you just-' Blaise started, a smirk coming to his face.
'That was sarcasm, Blaise.' Draco quickly offered, throwing back some drink that burnt as it slid down his throat. Blaise looked at him knowingly before letting it slide.
…………………..
It was 11.15pm and Draco and Blaise were spread across the floor playing chess when the door of the apartment opened abruptly. Hermione walked in with her face fuming and slammed the front door shut behind her. She then proceeded to storm across the apartment and slam her bedroom door behind her too as she disappeared, leaving Draco and Blaise to stare after her.
Blaise was about to ask Draco about it when her bedroom door opened again, revealing Hermione in her normal clothes and the dress she had been wearing in hand.
'I'm burning this.' Hermione snapped, stepping over the chess game and heading for the fireplace.
'Wait, wait, wait.' Blaise quickly jumped to his feet and grabbed her wrist. 'What happened?'
'It's this damn dress. It screams 'I'm easy!' to every guy within a 10-mile radius. The evening was going perfectly well until Chris, Jack, Betty or whatever that idiot's name is, tried to feel me up. Not subtly, but full on. I blame the dress, I blame Ginny for buying the dress and I blame you for making me wear the dress.' Hermione ranted to Blaise, her face flushed red with anger.
'That's improvement, she doesn't blame me.' Draco smirked before Hermione shot him a death glare.
'Look, he was probably an asshole and would have felt you up whatever you were wearing. Plenty more fish in the sea.' Blaise said encouragingly.
Draco bit his lip, holding back all the possible malicious comments that were threatening to fall from his lips.
'Men!' Hermione suddenly shouted, feeling frustrated and exhausted.
'Not all men are like that.' Blaise offered, placing his hand on Hermione's shoulder.
'Most are, look at Malfoy.'
'Oi!' Draco said, getting to his feet.
'I better go, unless you want me to stay?' Blaise asked Hermione who was playing with the fabric of the dress in her hands.
'No, no, Katie will worry. I'll be fine.' Hermione said, sitting on the floor, her back against the sofa.
Blaise dragged Draco out of earshot from Hermione. 'Take care of her for me, ok?'
'Why should I have to take care of her?'
'God, I'm asking a favour of you here. We've been friends for over 2 decades and all I ask of you is to make sure she's all right. Please?'
Draco crumbled. 'Fine, fine.' Draco said, waving him off as Blaise gave him a thankful smile before apparating.
Draco sat down opposite Hermione awkwardly and fiddled with his shirt before letting out a sigh.
'You don't need to baby-sit me. I know Blaise told you to make sure I'm ok.' Hermione said, not looking up from her gaze fixed on the floor. Draco opened his mouth to reply but stopped and they both fell into a surprisingly easy silence.
'Get up.' Draco suddenly said in a resolute tone.
'Why?' Hermione asked warily.
'Nights young. We're going out.' Draco said forcefully, throwing a robe over his shoulders.
'I'm not in the mood.' Hermione said, depressed.
'Get in the mood then.' Draco said, throwing her robe at her. 'Come on. I'm making an effort here Granger, least you can do is go with it.'
Hermione reluctantly smiled and stood up before clipping her robe to her small form.
'Where are we going?' She asked as they both strode out of the apartment.
………………………………………………………
'A wizarding club.' Hermione groaned as she walked into the darkened room filled with loud music and lots of people who were mainly congregated around the bar.
'Not just any wizarding club,' Malfoy started, handing his robe over to people standing by the doors. 'This is an elite wizarding club. You've got to be rich or famous to be allowed in here.'
'Could your ego be any bigger?' Hermione said. Draco was about to snap harshly back at her when he noticed her teasing smile and realised she wasn't being cruel.
Draco and Hermione weaved their way to the bar, every now and again bumping into people.
'Two fire whiskeys, put in on my tab.' Draco said loudly to the waitress. 'Now Granger, observe the females in this club. Now they are easy.'
Hermione looked around the room at all the witches and wizards before downing her drink quickly. Draco smirked and ordered her another one which she proceded to down just as quickly as the first.
'Wanna slow down there?' Draco said, looking rather impressed at the rate Hermione was downing her drinks.
Hermione was about to respond when she noticed Draco's attention was grabbed by something over her shoulder and a small frown creased his forehead.
'Why the hell would they give Potter entrance here?' Draco suddenly bit out. Hermione whirled around to see Harry sitting at a small table next to the dance floor with Ginny. She grinned.
'Well, he did save the wizarding world.'
'Pfft.' Draco snorted.
'Twice.' Hermione said holding up two fingers to dig a little harder at Draco. 'I hope Ron isn't here. He can't see me with you.'
'They wouldn't allow two Weasleys into the club at the same time, bad for business.'
Hermione's good mood from the fire whiskey wasn't allowing Draco's words to get to her and she suddenly grabbed Draco's shirt and tugged him towards the table.
'You're such a lightweight Granger. Let me know when you start seeing badgers.' He muttered as they arrived at the table.
Ginny's shock at seeing Hermione with Draco and her hand placed on his chest was clearly displayed on her features, her mouth hanging open in shock. 'I think I've had too much to drink.' Ginny said, blinking stupidly up at the two.
Harry smiled at Hermione and then shot a glare at Draco.
'Weaslette.' Draco acknowledged, ignoring Harry whose eyes were focused on where Hermione's hand was.
'I…what...how…no way.' Ginny blurted out, quite disturbed at seeing the two enemies so familiar with one another.
'How are you two?' Hermione asked cheerily.
'Not bad. You?' Harry said, still focusing on Hermione's hand, which was still touching Draco.
Ginny turned to Harry, shocked at his lack of response and Harry responded by giving her a sheepish expression. Hermione always felt that Ginny looked most like her mother when she was angry.
Draco was getting all too bored standing there and was trying to focus on the people on the dance floor rather than Hermione's hand which was now pressed next to his stomach and felt like it was burning a hole through his shirt. He wanted to shrug it off and find it as disgusting as he used to think but something was stopping him.
He vaguely registered Hermione explaining the situation with him to Ginny but couldn't quite be bothered to listen in fully. 'Granger, I'm off to the bar. Now you've got your friends, we don't need to force ourselves to be sociable with each other.'
'Oh ok.' Hermione said with a determined smile as Draco removed her hand from him.
As he stalked his way back to the bar, he felt almost frustrated but wasn't exactly sure why.
He didn't know how long he had been sitting at the bar for but it was long enough to drink so much he lost count and couldn't see straight. He started humming along to the music and was surprised at all the girls he was turning away. He just wasn't in the mood, which frustrated him further.
'I can't wait to tease you tomorrow morning.' A female voice said from behind him. He turned and found Hermione perching on a stool next to his, grinning widely.
'Go away.'
'Oh wonderful, you're an angry drunk.'
'Potter left?'
'No, I just thought I'd come over.'
'I feel honoured.' Draco said, swaying slightly on his stool causing Hermione to move forward and act as a leaning post.
'Didn't know you were such a lightweight.' Hermione said as she pushed Draco back into a sitting position and straightened him up. She sat back and stared at him, his hair slightly messed up and his grey eyes shutting every now and again from the drink and loud music.
Hermione shook her head and leaned across the bar to the barmaid. 'Don't give him anything other than water for the rest of the night, ok?'
'Shullup.' Draco slurred as he tilted his head while looking critically at Hermione.
'What's caused this sudden urge to get drunk?' Hermione asked softly, wondering what had made him want to drink his own body weight.
'Nuffin.' He sighed, leaning heavily on the bar and staring at his glass of water.
'Ok, well I'll leave you alone then and go back to Harry.' Hermione said over the music, getting up to leave but was stopped quickly by Draco's hand curling around her wrist. 'Get off.'
'You know I don't get it. It's so complicated and I just don't understand why this is happening and why I feel like this. Something must be wrong but I just don't know what it is, maybe I'm getting old and that's the problem or maybe I am going crazy. I really don't know, do you know?' Draco asked, finishing his incoherent rambling to which Hermione looked at him like he was mentally challenged.
'What are you going on about, Malfoy?' Hermione asked, perching on the stool next to him and putting her hand over his hand that was still curled tightly around her wrist.
'Don't know really. That's the problem.' He sighed heavily, the hair covering his forehead flying to different points on his head.
'Want me to take you home?' Hermione asked, feeling slightly sorry for him and not entirely sure why he was acting so out of character.
'That!' He suddenly shouted out of nowhere, a finger pointing accusingly at Hermione. 'That is my problem. You and your good nature and caring attitude.' He spat out like it was a bad thing.
Hermione looked taken aback by his sudden outburst and blinked a few times before shifting closer to him and giving him a concerned look.
'Can't you just be a bitch to me again? Please? I preferred it when we exchanged insults and attacked each other. That was fun and easy and simple.' Draco said, a small pout rising to his lips.
'Err, we never stopped insulting each other. You have insulted me at least 50 times today.'
'You're right, we didn't stop insulting each other…' He paused 'But we did stop meaning the insults.' Draco said, his eyes cutting into Hermione's as he watched her reaction closely. She looked down as the accuracy of what he was saying settled into her and she quickly snatched her hand from Draco.
'I'm taking you home, your drunk.' Hermione said, trying to put what he said to the back of her mind and work on getting Draco to his feet.
'You're like no other person I've ever met.' Draco said, looking up at Hermione in awe. Hermione just sighed and wrapped her arms around him and tried to pull him up again.
It took Hermione about 20 minutes to get home and push a staggering and sleepy Draco through the door.
'Think about losing some weight.' Hermione said, dragging him onto his bed and brushing her hair away from her face in exhaustion.
'Wanna stay with me?' Draco mumbled sleepily, turning onto his side and nuzzling the closest pillow.
Hermione rolled her eyes. 'No.'
'Fine. Can't say I didn't ask.' Draco muttered just before sleep overtook him.
Hermione shut his door slowly and collapsed onto the sofa and scrunched her eyes up in confusion. She hated not knowing things and she now wanted to know what was bugging Draco so much and what his drunken ramblings meant, even though Hermione was fairly sure they were just that, drunken ramblings about nothing.
Hermione didn't get a lot of sleep that night, afraid to go to sleep. Just in case Draco needed her.
