Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story.
Chapter Nine – Snogging the Babysitter
My eyes shot open. Yet again, I had the same frustrating dream where I can never get past the small ray of light that appears. How utterly annoying.
I stretched and yawned, wishing I could fall back asleep. It was a cloudy day, as if it were going to rain. Perhaps it was the delicate sheers that weren't allowing much light in. When did I get sheers? I don't remember my bed being this comfortable either or my room tripling in size. I must really stop questioning myself every morning on my whereabouts and how I ended up in some strange bed, even more so when the bed belongs to Draco Malfoy.
Draco.
I turned over to see the sleeping angel but found an empty space instead. A door opened somewhere in the room and I sat up only to wish I had remained lying down. It only lasted probably less than five seconds, but it didn't change the fact that I turned a bright shade of red.
Draco had emerged from what I was guessing the loo with nothing but a towel. And the towel wasn't even around his waist mind you. He walked towards his dresser in all his naked glory as he dried his hair with his towel. I couldn't help but let my eyes wander to where they shouldn't. He took out a pair of black silk boxer briefs and walked through another door. His closet I'm guessing.
I didn't move an inch from where I sat images of Draco's naked bum and other naked parts of him, still visible each time I blinked. He re-entered the room once more, this time semi-dressed at least as he ran his fingers through his still wet hair. Why did he always have to look so damn sexy?
He wore a pair of black dress pants, unbuttoned still so his boxer briefs were still visible. He had left the black satin dress shirt he was wearing unbuttoned as well, exposing his godly chest. I must have been drooling. He caught me watching him this time and smirked slightly as he sat down to put on a pair of socks.
"Good morning Hermione, I hope you slept well," I was blushing so badly, you could have probably fried an egg over my face. "Enjoying the view much?" Ugh.
"Good morning Draco," I answered firmly as I got out of the bed. "I slept fine thank you but I think I should be on my way." His smirk died away instantly.
"Oh," his stare shifted away from me and onto the shoes he was putting on.
"You seemed surprised,"
"I just thought you would stay for the funeral at least."
Damn. I felt like a total git. How I could I possibly forget about his mother passing away? It wasn't as if she had died last year.
"Of course I'll stay for the funeral," I was trying to change what I had said before about leaving. "I just meant that I should be on my way to get dressed. I can't obviously go to a funeral wearing jeans and a t-shirt, don't you think so?" He didn't seem to buy it at all. He stood from the chair and walked over to his dresser and picked up a comb, not saying a word to me. I followed.
He stood with his back towards me as he combed his now dry hair, letting it fall loosely around his face. I was tempted to wrap my arms around him, to take in his scent and feel his body pressed up against mine.
"I just need to go home and change," I continued. Silence. I didn't like how dramatic the situation had become. He was starting to remind me of Ron.
He turned to face me at this point, sighing and then taking my hand in his. He brought it to his lips, kissing the back of my hand ever so gently, but still giving me goose bumps all way up my arm and down to my toes.
"Hermione," he whispered. "I appreciate your concern, but I don't want to make you feel obliged to anything. You don't have to go to my mother's funeral just because you pity me."
"I am not giving you pity Draco and no one, not even you can make me feel obliged to anything. I am not someone's property that they think they can control or oblige to do something against my will." I was overreacting, but I couldn't stop. "You remind me too much of Ron and frankly, I don't think I should stay here a minute longer."
I turned to leave, but Draco caught my arm at that point and turned me around to face him once more. He pressed our bodies together and I could practically taste his cologne. He brought his face closer to mine as I felt that my heart was about to burst out from my chest. His silver eyes stared intently into mine as I could feel myself melting underneath his touch. As he did when we arrived at the manor, he lightly traced the shape of my lips with his tongue before closing our lips together on a kiss. I stood completely frozen for a minute, but relaxed when I realized how much I was enjoying it. A bit too much I'd say. He would alternate pressure in the kiss, softly at first and then press his lips a bit harder on mine, and then softly again before he parted my lips with his tongue, slipping it into my mouth. Just as I had imagined, he tasted so sweet, an almost cinnamon flavour that would leave me breathless. He slowed the kiss, kissing me gently before backing away from me. My lips were still puckered.
"I am almost certain," he said. "That the weasel could never be capable of leaving you breathless so, you see, I couldn't possibly remind you of him." He took the opportunity that I was speechless and disappeared into his closet once more. "I'll accompany you to your house!"He wasn't asking, he was stating. He was getting on my nerves and I wasn't going to allow him any longer to use his good looks to manipulate me. Or his magnificant kisses.
"If you want to I guess-"I started but didn't finish my sentence. Draco had re-emerged from his closet, fully clothed this time and I couldn't help to comparing him to a runaway model. I had almost forgotten that he had given me the most incredible kiss not even a minute ago.
"Yes?" he asked casually.
"If you want to come with me, I suppose that would be alright." Damn him.
"You wouldn't mind?" Even the thought of it was stupid.
"No, I wouldn't mind."
"Wonderful. Shall we grab your coat and go?" I nodded stupidly. I was still dumbfounded about how extraordinarily gorgeous he looked; even he was attending his mother's funeral. I couldn't believe that he had just kissed me as if it were the most normal thing in the world. And I was letting it slide. What in bloody hell.
As we walked towards the apparation point, I couldn't help but to steal glances towards Draco and admire how beautiful he was. I kept asking myself why I found him so utterly attractive now, after so many years of loathing him.
Perhaps it was the drastic change in his personality and attitude towards me. He could still be the annoying ferret I grew up with, but I had to admit that I liked him more now than I ever have before, now that the mask of an arrogant douche bag had fallen.
Once we had arrived at my house, I took extra care in my appearance, something I hadn't done in years. I cast a straightening spell on my hair and loosely curled it so it bounced freely around my face and shoulders. I didn't like wearing much make-up, I already had a rosy complexion, not the best skin in the world, but at least I didn't have to worry myself with foundation, blush and what not. I applied some lip gloss and a tad of mascara. With my favourite black dress and high heeled black boots, I must admit that I felt good. I barely dressed up since Ron stopped taking me out on extravagant dates and didn't bother with my appearance as much anymore. I sprayed on some of the expensive perfume I never used but owned for the sake of owning expensive perfume and slipped on my coat.
Draco watched me descend the stairs, making me nervous and almost trip down the stairs. Several times. When I reached the bottom, he took my hand in his and lightly kissed it.
"You look lovely Hermione," he whispered. My legs were turning into jelly. He looked at me straight in the eye as he spoke to me, giving me a tingling sensation in every part of my body. I had to sudden urge to grab him and snog him within an inch of his life, the way he had snogged me back at the manor. He seemed to had been thinking the same thing for he straightened up and moved in closer to me. I wasn't going to stop him. He had his arm around my waist and the other caressing my neck, our lips practically begging for what was next, when a small tapping on the window interrupted.
Draco sighed, almost in frustration as he released me and stepped away. I remembered how to breathe and walked over to the window to see a snowy white owl waiting to be let in. I opened the window and allowed for Hedwig to swoop in. She flew around for a moment before landing lightly on my shoulder and sticking out her leg. There were two letters from Harry, one addressed to me and the other to Draco. Hedwig took the letter addressed to Draco in her beak and flew over to him, landing on his shoulder as she had done to me.
What in bloody hell.
I watched Draco read his letter carefully, his face completely emotionless the entire time.
"What did Harry write to you?" I asked. He looked up at me with his breath-taking eyes.
"He sent me his condolences for my mother's death."
"He knows already?"
"It was in the prophet. I sent a notice so that my mother's friends would be aware of the service later today." He stared me in the eye the entire time he spoke. Was he lying to me? "He also mentioned that he and the weasel will be away longer than they had anticipated. He probably tells you that in your letter."
Oh right, my letter. I opened the letter, reading over it carefully.
"Dearest Hermione,
I hope you find yourself doing well. I'm not sure if Draco is still living with you but I sent a letter to him with your address. I read in the prophet this morning about Narcissa's death and I sent my condolences."
Draco seemed to have been telling the truth so far.
"I hope the two of you have been getting along these past couple of months. Ron and I have been quite successful on his mission so far. We've been able to track some escaped Death Eater's and I believe we are one step closer in finding their hidden location. I would ask you to join us but I have another task for you. I want you to watch over Draco. I know that Bellatrix is looking for him and with Narcissa's death, she probably expects him to be at the manor."
Great. I'm to be Draco's babysitter.
"I'm not asking you to babysit him. We all know he is quite capable of taking care of himself, so stop scowling at me. I know that you're scowling so stop it. If you're there when the Death Eater's attack, because they will, you can undoubtedly handle them and interrogate them about their hideout. Because of this, you won't be needed at the ministry for the time being.
Another reason I'm not asking you to join Ron and me right now is simply because of Ron. The two of you didn't end things on the gentlest note and you know how Ron can get. He'll get all huffy with his knickers in a twist and make some dramatic scandal. We cannot afford distractions. I'm sorry Hermione. I wish you were here but if you were, I need to be sure that we can work as a team and honestly, I don't think that is possible right now.
I'll probably be coming home for Christmas. I think Ginny would have quite the fit if I didn't. Afterwards, I don't think we'll be coming home after that until sometime in the spring in time for Ginny's and my wedding.
Take care Hermione, I hope to hear from you soon.
All my love,
Harry
P.S. I almost forgot. Ginny insisted that you stay because she needs a shopping buddy. She would definitely murder me then if I had sent for you. Have fun shopping."
Unfuckingbelievable.
I stuffed the letter back in its envelope and threw it at the couch. Not on it, at it.
"Something wrong?" Draco asked. He stood quietly, stroking Hedwig subconsciously as she nibbled softly on his index finger.
"Yes," I answered angrily. "I've been assigned to be your babysitter. I'm never going to leave this damn house am I?"
"I'd say more of a body guard than babysitter." I glared. "Yes, Harry mentioned that too."
"The babysitting?"
"No, that glare." Ugh. "Does it bother you that much to be around me?"
Shit.
He looked offended and he seemed to notice that I saw this and he masked his emotion.
"I'm sorry if my presence offends you Hermione," he continued. "But as that seems to be the case, I should be on my way." He turned around and started making his way to the door.
"Wait." He stopped but didn't turn around. "I don't mind being around you Draco. I'm just sick of being stuck in this house. I get reminded of Ron and then all those memories come tumbling back. I want to get out, do something new."
"Come stay at the manor with me." Merlin.
"Pardon?" He turned to face me this time.
"Come stay at the manor with me."
"Pardon?"
"Stop that. If you come stay at the manor, you would be doing your job as my babysitter as you call it and you wouldn't be confined to this house. Not to mention that you will be pampered."
"I couldn't possibly-"
"Don't think of it as some assignment Harry has given you. Think of as a form of payment."
"Payment? For what?"
"Well, how long was I staying here in your house as your guest? I think I need to repay you for all that you've done for me." He moved closer to me, taking my hand in his once more and bringing it to his chest. "Besides, since you love me so much, I doubt you want to be separated from me." He smirked at me. How I loathe him.
"I don't know Draco,"
He leaned in to kiss me, something I wasn't expecting but only lightly kissed my cheek. Tease.
"Think about it."
A/N: First of all, thanks for the reviews! Second, sorry for the one month hiatus...school sucks haha. But this term is almost over! Hurrah! I had a hard time writing this chapter, mostly because I didn't know what to write about. You see, I have all these things I really want to write and post but I can't! It's all that good (and juicy) stuff that leads to the climax. The middle section of a story is always the hardest to write I find. But anyways, enough dithering. I'm hoping to post chapter ten soon, I've started writing it so maybe I'll have it ready before Christmas! Please leave a review/comment, I really appreciate them and they make my day D
-Necia xoxo
