"Did you have to leave so soon? Didn't wanna make you run around"
...
"Why'd I let you walk away
Why'd I let you walk away
'Cause I'm thinking it's you."
Goldroom- Embrace
"Don't you have to go to work?"
"I took the day off."
Draco and I sat on the floor of my living room again. We both leaned against pillows that were almost too soft and they collapsed beneath our backs. He held his mug of tea close to his chest that was already wrapped in a blanket. After last night Draco was different, even more than before.
We didn't discuss anything on the way back to the house, choosing to walk in silence instead of apparate. I didn't ask Draco any questions and he didn't answer any either. When Draco and I were home (was I starting to call it his home too?) he went straight to his room and waited in the doorway for me to get up the steps as well. When I passed him he said, "Thank you," softly and shut the door.
This morning he woke me up in bed and greeted me with a small smile. "I figured you'd want to be up by now. It's almost nine thirty," he said.
I ran my fingers through my thick hair, attempting to look somewhat presentable, knowing how I usually looked in the morning."Oh, yes actually. Thank you. Did you need me to make breakfast or-"
"It's cooking downstairs." I felt my jaw dropping slowly while he just smiled and said, "Come down when you're ready."
Needless to say he was quite different. I wasn't sure if the rain had hit his head enough times to change what was inside or if maybe his previous anger was cooled by the night, but I wasn't about to complain. And hey, if I got fresh pancakes out of the deal, I was sold.
"Did you go to work yesterday?" he asked. I took another sip of my tea; jasmine this morning.
"I went for about an hour and a half. It was awful. Some bitch came into my office telling me shit like 'ooo Hermione and Harry, Merlin yayyy!' and for one that pisses me off, and two I didn't need crap like that, I was stressed already. And the dream that morning already-"
"What dream?" Draco interrupted. My heart caught in my throat. Nope, slipped up. NOPE.
I must have blushed fiercely because he smiled smugly. "Was it that kind of dream?" he asked. I put my head in my hands and shook back in forth, laughing from embarrassment.
"Alright Granger now you have to tell me. What dirty little thing did you do in your dream that made you all wacked up for the whole day?"
"Malfoy-" I warned.
"Come on I'm having fun! Was it kinky?" he asked, his expression the brightest I had seen it in years. I lowered my head even more and the blush spread to my neck and collar. "Holy fuck Granger you had a kinky dream!" He exclaimed in laughter and nearly spilled his drink, the blanket falling from his shoulders. "Ok, ok, who was it? Potter? Finnigan? Oh no. It was Weasel wasn't it?" he asked.
My head shot up in disgust and judging by Draco's reaction he knew not to cross that line.
"Hit a rough spot did I?" Draco asked.
"Very. Ron is not even a thought in any...sexual dreams that I may have," I said. "We're friends, as rocky as it may be at some points. Besides, the man in my dream is none of your concern."
He didn't take that easily but was most likely content in knowing that I had a dream about kinky sex...and that it bothered me the rest of the day. So of course, following that delightful conversation, the doorbell rang.
"Who would that be?" Draco asked. I shrugged but realized then that no one knew Draco was staying in my house.
"Go in the kitchen or something. I don't know who it is." The doorbell rang again. Draco understood and got up quietly, taking his mug with him into the kitchen. Thank Merlin he was intelligent; he knew how to hide too.
I opened the front door to fiery hair. Ginny.
"Hermione!" she said claiming me in a giant bear hug. I hugged back trying not to groan knowing the inevitable of the reason she came to my house.
"Hi Ginny!" I said.
She released me. "You've been avoiding us," Ginny said. "Don't deny it either. I know something's up."
I sighed. "Why don't you come in?" She stepped in the doorway and I asked if she wanted tea. "Still on your tea kick, Mione?" Ginny asked. I smiled at her and agreed, causing a laugh to escape her lips. She sat on the couch and I said I'd be back in a minute with her tea.
When I was in the kitchen I saw Draco hiding behind the pantry door. I had to stop myself from laughing at the odd sight but I also didn't have much time. "What should I do?" Draco asked.
"Um…" I started. "Down that back hallway is the door to my porch. Just head out there until she leaves or I get you."
He nodded and waited until I had poured Ginny's mug of tea and started out for the living room to make his way to the porch door. I handed Ginny the mug and she took a large gulp, ignoring the heat of the drink. "So, Ginny-"
"Why did Draco Malfoy just sneak out of your back door?" she asked.
Fuck. "Excuse me? Malfoy?" I sputtered. Too obvious.
"Yes," she said matter of factly. "He just walked out of your back door, and unless he snuck in and walked right back out, I'd say he's been staying here."
"Ginny, look I love you, but even if someone did walk out of my door, which would be very creepy in itself, how do you know it's him?"
The redhead just smiled as if to say, Don't you know already? "Mione, have you seen that boy's ass? Trust me it's him."
I felt a twang of jealousy and embarrassment at Ginny talking about Malfoy's ass of all things. Of course I'd seen it; I would never be one to deny that Draco was attractive. But, somehow I felt possessive of him. Maybe just from him staying with me or our new found, here goes, friendship.
"So is it him?" she cut into my thoughts. Slowly, I nodded my head to a squeal of Ginny's girlish cries. "I knew it! Now Hermione you gotta tell me," she said.
"Yes?"
"Why are you letting that prick stay in your house?"
I was shocked. "Excuse me but-"
"Look I know. He's attractive and you're attractive. When women and men are in close quarters-"
"Ginny!"
"-things happen and I respect that, but Mione, he's a bloody death eater. You could do better, even with that ass."
"Ginny," I stopped her. "Nothing is happening between us. And if you ever accuse Draco of being a death eater again, know that you will be offending me personally, and I will have to reconsider our friendship. Now, if you'd be so kind, I'd appreciate if you left my home."
Ginny stood and straightened her pants back down. I walked her to the door and opened it for her.
"Hermione, in respect of our friendship I won't tell anyone about this. I'm worried about you though. Ron was right. You are different." I slammed the door on her and locked it, letting her know she wasn't welcome in my home until she reconsidered her thoughts.
I sighed and leaned against the door, sliding down until I was sitting. I looked up after a moment and found Draco standing at the end of the hall, leaning against a doorway. He was slightly silhouetted, just an outline visible. I took the moment to admire him; his body still toned by Quidditch and it was one thing I could agree with Ginny on, his attraction.
"Now I see why you don't like being with your friends," Draco said. I smiled a bit and he approached me.
"Did you hear any of that?" He nodded and sat across from me. "I'm sorry," I said.
"Why are you sorry? You stood up for me. No ones ever fucking done that Granger. You're kind of amazing you know?"
I wanted to cry. Not at the fact of Draco's revelation, but the fact that he understood when no one else did.
"They don't get it you know? Not everyone was a hero," I said.
"And not everyone was a villain."
I got an owl an hour or so later from Ginny. I thought of burning it. Maybe using it to wipe my ass. But, after a bit of back and forth in my head I decided to read it.
Mione~
Hey. I'm sorry for how I acted earlier. I acted like my brother might have, and Merlin help me if I end up like him. Would you have late-lunch with me tomorrow? I'll be at the Hog's Head tomorrow around three. Come if you want. Maybe see you then.
Ginny
I set down the letter on my bed and laid back, sighing and deciphering the words in my mind. Draco came in a moment later to tell me dinner was ready. His cooking was to die for, proved by our breakfast, so I followed closely behind.
"Malfoy?"
"Granger?"
I smiled to myself before asking, "Why were you so interested in my dream this morning?"
He flicked his head over his shoulder quickly. "Well considering there isn't much interesting about you, finding out you had a dream about sex peaked my interest."
"I'm interesting!" I defended. I knew it wasn't totally true. I really just went to work and then read and took baths while watching movies. Not too exciting but he didn't need to remind me.
"In your own special way Granger. I'm actually surprised the dream-sex was deviant. That's pretty interesting."
I groaned. "Look, just because I'm not the Slytherin Sex God doesn't mean-"
"TWO! Two fucking girls I sleep with and obviously neither can keep their damn mouths shut," Draco exclaimed. We were down the steps and standing by the door. I held in a laugh; his face was flaming and looked like he would explode any second.
I finally let out a little laugh and pushed past him to get to the kitchen, the smell of food wafting out with a delicious aroma. I turned to him and asked, "Are you coming or not fuckboy?"
I caught the flick of a smile on his face before he replaced it with the classic frown he wore often. He came down the hallway to where I stood, quietly replying with, "Well played Granger. Well played."
Author's Note: Thought I'd end this chapter on a lighter note. Seemed like the time to do it haha. I tried to keep Draco and Hermione in character during this chapter (harder than I thought!) but as you're probably noticing, both of them are changing in their actions and thoughts. Hope you enjoyed! (I say that a lot...eh…) Oh and excuse the multiple line break things...the little ones that I had before weren't working so forgive!
