"Malfoy! Come on!" Hermione yelled up towards Draco's bedroom door. They had all their classes together and were to arrive at the great hall together before breakfast. They now were five minutes late. Hermione checked her watch, and then tried calling for the boy again. "Malfoy!" Just as she called one last time, the silver door opened.
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Said an annoyed Draco. "I don't know why we even have to show up together anyway." He said under his breath.
"Just hurry up." Hermione said picking up her bag and headed for the door.
"Whoa, what has gotten our feisty Gryffindor upset on this fine morning?" Draco asked catching up.
"As if you need to ask! What the hell are you doing in there that takes longer than me to get ready?" She asked keeping a brisk pace.
"I, unlike you, have to take care of my hair, thank you very much. It doesn't look good being bushy like yours. Maybe you should spend more time doing your hair like me then you might look halfway decent."
Hermione stopped, took a deep breath, and continued walking, choosing to ignore his comments.
"What? No smart remarks? No threats? Come on Granger, you're boring me here." He said in a fake pleading voice.
"I'm not here for your entertainment Malfoy!" She exclaimed.
"Then what are you good at then? Cause I don't know." Draco smirked. Hermione whirled around. Unshed tears clouding her chocolate eyes.
"Why can't you be nice this year! Have you thought about that? We have to spend the rest of our seventh year together locked in a room and all you know how to do is be a thickheaded, good for nothing, pureblooded git who…" the rest of Hermione's words were stopped by Draco's lips pressed against hers. The kiss wasn't long but felted like going downhill on a roller coaster. Before Draco knew it, he was pushed away roughly and stared at the shocked brown haired Gryffindor.
Draco was lost for words. He couldn't explain why he just kissed the girl in front of him that he swore he'd never have a relationship with, but now found himself in awe at the beauty. 'That felt like more than just a kiss.' He thought to himself. He'd never felt like that before kissing a girl. 'So why is Granger different?'
Hermione, regaining her composer, "What the hell was that!" She yelled at the boy.
"Just in case you didn't realize, Granger, that was a kiss for those who can't comprehend that action" he fired back.
"That was not a kiss! You can't just go around kissing me like that!" She yelled, finally letting the tears escape her eyes. The moment the first one fell, she ran down the corridor and around the corner leaving a bewildered Draco behind. Merlin knew what just happened. Draco couldn't understand the feelings that he felt for the head girl. They were new, unexpected, and down right scary as hell.
Gathering his things, he headed down to the great hall not paying to what he was doing due to the strenuous thoughts flowing through his head. 'What the hell happened back there? And why did she run?' But before he could come up with a rational idea, he bumped into someone, nearly being sprawled across the floor.
"Mr. Malfoy! Would you mind watching were you're going?" She scolded him. But when she realized he was still in a daze she asked, "Malfoy? Are you okay?"
Draco realized someone was talking to him and he snapped out of it. "Um…yeah. sure. Just thinking."
"Well don't hurt yourself." She gave a doubtful look.
"Will do. I mean I won't. hurt myself." He said trying to stay focus on what she was saying but found unusually hard.
"Oh, before we part ways, I wanted to ask what is going on with the Slytherin house and you? You didn't seem to be getting along at the feast last night?"
Just then his mind was sharpened. "Oh! I need to talk to you! In private. If you have time of course. I mean I understand if you're busy…"
"Well, Malfoy if it's something important then I think now would be a good time to talk. Let's go to my office." McGonagall turned and headed toward the transfiguration class.
"Um…professor? Why is your office still here?" Draco asked when they finally reached her door. "I mean, you are the Headmistress and all…" he begun.
"That is none of your business Malfoy." She answered taking a seat behind her desk. "I assure you, I'd rather say in here anyway. It's been like a home for a long time. Moving up there is not necessary." She said rather harshly. "Anyway, back to more important matters. What do you need to talk to me about?"
"This summer…" he told her what had occurred over the summer. Without her making any interruptions. The shocked teacher just sat there and listened to what the blonde boy had to say. When he was finished, she was at lost for words but managed to find her words and talked to him.
"Well, Mr. Malfoy. I-I don't know what to say." She stuttered. "I'm truly sorry about your loss. It must be horrible living in that cabin right after she died." It looked like she was about to cry. The professor shook it off and continued. "But, we must not dwell on the past. Now about you switching sides. I can't tell you how happy this makes me. I don't think I could stand having one of my students fighting against us."
Draco just nodded at everything she had said so far. He really wasn't the one for sympathy.
"But to more important matters. You know you are in grave danger now. Right? The dark lord must be furious with you now. He will find anyway to get back at you. I'm sure he has his followers watching you. So to insure your safety, I will have to cast a spell on you. Now this is no simple spell. You understand right?" Nod. "Okay, well I will need a few things from you. A blood sample, some of your clothes, and a name of someone you trust."
"Um…excuse me professor, but why do you need a name of someone I trust." He asked confused.
"Oh, you don't think I would let you wander around this castle with death eaters children roaming around here? That would be crazy. Now, anyone I mind?" She asked patiently.
"Professor, you know there isn't anyone here that I really can trust. Right? I mean, I never even really had friends if you paid enough attention."
"Oh Malfoy, I'm sure you can think of someone that you think would be trustworthy."
"No, mam, there isn't anyone."
"Then I will have to chose for you then if you don't mind. I'm sure you have all the other things I need right?" Nod. "Then I will get the new potions master to start on the potion for the spell to be completed. I will need these things by next week. But until the spell in done, you can't wander wily nily around the school."
"What does that mean? Professor?" He asked. She wasn't really suggesting that…
"You'll have someone with you at all times. There is no point in making the potion if you die now is there?"
Draco shook his head in defeat.
"Very well then. Seeing as how you missed breakfast, I take it you have a class to get to pretty soon? It's potions I believe. Isn't it?"
"Yes professor."
"Well, don't just sit there, get going!" She said ushering him out the room. "And hurry up! You have three minutes!"
'Great. Not only do I have to watch my back around this damned school but have someone follow me everywhere I go. Great. Just bloody great.' Draco walked to the dungeons to meet his new professor.
Before the talk…
Hermione ran down the spiral staircase in tears. Emotions overwhelmed her. She couldn't handle it. Life never was this difficult before. How she wished it was like her second year. Just worrying about school and helping Harry. Now she had to deal with her new found feelings with Draco. This was a bit much for the head girl. Not to mention N.E.W.T's that were coming up. What was a girl to do. She collapsed against the wall outside the great hall. She couldn't walk in there with tears streaming down her face. Everyone would expect something. So, Hermione gathered all her strength, stood up, wiped away her stray tears and pushed the doors open. Immediately, everyone's eyes turned to see who the late comer was. Hermione felt every eye on her. She wondered what she looked like with puffy red eyes walking in late.
She made a bee lie straight over to the boys. Harry looked up as she neared with concern in his eyes.
"Hey, Hermione, what took you so long? Breakfast is almost over. Have you been crying?" He said leaning over. Ron did the same.
"Was it the ferret? What did he do? I'll…" Ron started.
"Calm down you two. I'm fine." She whispered back to them. Trying to not to make a scene. "I'm just under a little bit of pressure is all. But everything else is okay." She lied. Harry could see right through her but decided to leave it alone.
"Well, come on. It's time to go to class. Let's not be late for our new potions teacher." The trio gathered their things, and left the great hall together toward the dungeons. When they arrived, they were the first ones there. They took the seats in the back as usual.
"So, what do you think we'll make this year?" Harry leaned over to talk to Ron.
"I wouldn't have clue mate. I hope something not hard."
"Ron, this is a N.E.W.T. class. Of course most of the things will be hard to make." Hermione resolved. The boys shrugged their shoulders and talked each other leaving Hermione to wander in thoughts.
'What did that kiss mean? It surly wasn't just a kiss. It felt so much more than just a kiss. Why did she feel like she had feelings for Draco all of a sudden? This is so unlike her to be falling for the enemy.
The students started trickling in until everyone had finally arrived. Hermione looked around and notice that not a lot of people got to take this class. There was about 15 students in there. All of them being Slytherin or Gryffindor. Then Hermione noticed it. Draco wasn't in there.
"Good morning class. I hope your breakfast was good." Said professor Schulenburg. "Well, it seems we are missing one more student. But I'm sure where ever he or she is, that they'll be here soon. Well, anyway, I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Professor Schulenburg. I will be teaching your potions class. This class is by far the hardest you'll ever have this year. And I won't be easy on you. So it's best you stay up with class as a whole. Because you will be left behind. Now, I hear that your last potions teacher wasn't the nicest…"
"That's a understatement," Ron said under his breath but loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Well, It's Mr. Weasley isn't?" Ron nodded. "Well, I haven't heard a lot from the teachers, but I've heard you haven't been a bundle of joy either." He told the Red Head with a knowing look in his eyes. "But let's get started."
Ron leaned over and whispered to Hermione and Harry. "I don't like him either. He knows to much about me. There is just no possible way he would know that much about me. Merlin knows what he knows about the you two." Harry just shook his head.
"I'm telling you two, there is nothing wrong with the guy. He's perfectly normal…" just then the dungeons doors swung opened revealing Draco rushing in.
"Sorry I'm late Professor. I had to talk to Professor McGonagall." Draco said taking a seat in the front away from everyone else.
"Quite alright. Now, were was I? Oh yes. We will be making a potion to restore energy to a single life force. This potion is used in battles and Aurors use it a lot when their partner is in the mist of dying. The name of the potion is called "Life of Amora." actually there is a story to this. Would you like to hear it?" The class nodded in eagerness. "Very well."
"You might of heard of the story before. Amora was a powerful muggleborn witch. Her life wasn't all happiness like it should be for a seventeen year old girl. There was conflict with her parents and such. They didn't approve of her being a witch. So they told her that she either stop practicing magic or she leave their house and never come back. Now, Amora loved her parents very much and the idea of never seeing them again broke her heart. So she decided to give up on magic and live with her parents.
A few years pass and Amora fell in love with a wizard. Now, their love was not meant to be. See, he was a pureblooded wizard. And of course, their love was forbidden. They were told to stay away from each other but neither listened. Night after night they would make secret outings to visit each other. Neither one was aware that his father knew about their meetings at night. He was furious. So he told his son that if he ever saw her again that he would kill her.
Amora was devastated that her love would never come to her again. One night, while she cried to herself in her dark room, her love came to see her. Delighted, they ran away together, promising to never be separated. When his father found out, he went on a killing rampage looking for the two lovers. When they found out, they hid even more so than before. But it didn't work, he found his son and his lover. He sent a curse that would kill the victim slowly and painfully toward her. His son jumped in he way of the curse and saved Amora.
Now enraged, Amora killed his father but it did nothing to help her lover. Thinking of anyway to save him, she turned to magic again. She had three days to save him or she would lose him forever. So Amora, being the smart witch she was, made a potion for him. The incantation went like this, 'to save a life, I give mine, to divide my soul, three times, so that you may live a full, and I a half, for the love of ours, let it be. When he woke up the next day, he had no memory of what occurred just two days ago. After that, they both lived happily together. They had a child soon after. But soon as the child was five, Amora died. Her lover didn't know what had caused her to die so early. Devastated, he killed the child. Thinking that he had caused his love to parish, he killed himself also."
The class sat in silence the entire time, mouths gaped opened.
"So does anyone know what the incantation meant?" No one raised their hands. "Well, since class is almost over, we won't have time to make the potion. But, for extra credit, I want to see if anyone can tell me what the spell meant. Next class, we'll begin the potion. Class dismissed." Everyone gathered their things talking to each other about the story they just heard.
"Hey Hermione do you know what the meaning of the spell is?" Ron asked Hermione. She shook her head.
"I have no Idea. I mean her giving up half her life to save his is pretty obvious. But why divide into three parts. That doesn't make sense. Maybe I'll look it up later in the library."
"Hey, did you notice how Draco didn't sit with the rest of the Slytherin in class?" Harry asked.
At the mention of Draco, Hermione fell silent and in deep thought again. Why did her heart skip a beat when he walked in class? What happened so that the Slytherin pushed him away. Why did he kiss her? When the last thought crossed her mind, someone bumped into her nearly sending her to the ground. When she looked up, she saw it was Draco.
"Watch it Malfoy!" Harry said helping Hermione up.
"Shut up Potter. I didn't mean to. I didn't see her. Sorry Granger." He said in a softer tone. They locked eyes for a second then turned away and continued their separate ways.
"What the hell was that all about?" Harry asked.
"He knew he saw her. He's just being his ignorant self again. Hermione you okay?" Ron asked her.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She told them. "Hey, I'll meet you in Transfiguration." She told them. Harry grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"Are you sure you're okay Hermione? You haven't been yourself lately. I'm worried."
"I'm fine. Really I am. I just want to go and pick up a book from the library real quick. I'll meet you in class." She waved and headed for the library.
When she rounded the corner, someone grabbed her from inside a class room and pulled her inside. Hermione would of screamed if a hand wasn't over her mouth. But she realized that it wasn't rough at all. So she just relaxed a little.
"Good, now I'm going to let you go and don't run out. We need to talk." Said the voice of Draco. Hermione turned around to face him.
"What the hell! You can't just go pulling me into empty rooms either! What the hell is going on!" She questioned him.
"Calm down Granger. I just need to talk to you." He said. Hermione just crossed her arms.
"Fine. You have five minutes." Hermione found the nearest chair and sat down.
Draco began. "Did you feel anything out of that kiss?" He asked her. Hermione just stared at him.
"Did he feel it too?" She asked herself. He continued.
"I know you did. Cause I felt something. I don't know what this means. Granger." He said taking a seat next to her. She nodded her head slightly. "Do you know what this means?"
"No."
"Me neither. Why did you run away like that?" He asked her.
Hermione thought about it. She didn't know herself. "I don't know. Just to many emotions I guess."
"Want to talk about it?" He asked her.
Hermione looked at him with confusion in her eyes.
"I don't want to be enemies anymore Granger. Can we be friends? No one has to know. I just need a friend to talk to sometimes. I-I don't think I trust anyone else but you now." Hermione could of sworn she saw tears brimming his silver eyes. It almost brought tears to hers. Almost.
"Malfoy, I don't know what you're playing at-"
"I'm not playing! I've never been more serious in my life. Have you noticed that I'm no longer on talking terms with the Slytherin house anymore?" She nodded. "They all hate my guts now."
"Why?"
"I abandoned them this summer. My father killed my mother and I decided that the dark side is not the one for me. They're all furious with me. I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to kill me in the middle of the corridor." He looked in her eyes. Did he see…tears? For him?
"I'm so sorry Malfoy." She leaned over an gave him a hug. "I had no idea." Her shoulders shook and he realized that she was crying again.
"Granger, you don't have to feel sorry for me." He told her. She pulled back and the warmth the he felt was replaced with a cold emptiness.
"I never would of thought of your father doing something like that. It looks like my summer wasn't the only horrible one." She said looking down.
"What do you mean?" Draco asked confused.
"My father. He-he died in car accident. My mother was absolutely horrid this summer. I almost wasn't allowed to come back." She confessed. "My summer has been the worst."
"Granger, I don't know what it is exactly you want. But if you need anything at all, I'm here." He told her.
"Thank you." She replied, wiping away tears. "Well, I guess we should be getting to class before we're late." She said gathering the bag and books.
"Yeah."
"Do you think we should go together? Or one at a time." She asked him.
"What do you mean?" he asked her.
"Well, we can't exactly walk in there together. Ron and Harry would blow your balls off."
"I guess you're right. Well, maybe you should walk in first and I'll wait 30 seconds before walking in. that way it won't look like we walked in together on purpose."
She smiled and nodded. "Thank you again Malfoy. You may be the only one I can talk to now." And with that, Hermione turned around and left the room, heading toward her next class.
"No problem. No problem at all."
okay, i just wanted to take the time to thank all of those who read and reviewed my story so far. i can't tell you how much it means to me that you review my story. it shows that you really do like it and it means the world to me. so, once again thank you sooo much!
-Carmel90
