Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters.
Chapter 9
Hermione thought he was drunk or something, but his eyes did not look red or sluggish, he just looked paler than normal. "Hermione..." he whispered, sending shivers up her spine.
"M-Malfoy." she stuttered and tried to push him back but to no avail. She had no choice but to let him in. "What do you think you're doing? This is my room." Hermione tried to sound strong or at least angry, but her voice just came out sounding breathy.
She was about to try and push him again but he growled at her. Suddenly, she found herself tripping over her feet and falling on her bed. And Draco Malfoy looming over her.
Hermione could not help it, but she kept sneaking looks at his naked torse in between trying to think of away to get away from him. She could not think straight; why was Malfoy coming in her room so late at night? And was it that when he looked at her, Hermione's mind short circuited while her nerves were on fire?
The bed sank in as Draco sat on the bed beside her and Hermione felt her heart go double time. The way he was staring at her was like there was no one else in the world but her. And the color of his lips was so inviting. Suddenly he placed his hands on her elbows and pulled her close to him. Hermione panicked for a second thinking he had gone crazy and would rape her or something. She started hysterically beating on his arms and chest, trying to get him away.
"Let go of me, you brute! Malfoy!"
And suddenly his head fell on her chest.
For a second she froze before letting out a squeal. "Aeeaahhh!" To her surprise, he cuddled closer to her. Then she realized that he was also softly snoring. "Wha-?" Surely enough, when she looked down she saw that Malfoy's eyes were closed and his breathing was a little deeper and calmer.
Hermione blinked. Did Malfoy seriously come into her room to scare her half to heaven and then to fall asleep on HER bed?
"The nerve of you." Hermione muttered, poking Malfoy in the cheek. Then she sighed and tried to get out of his grip but he would not budge. Annoyed, she smacked his arm. Then his shoulder. Then his arm again. Then his face. But he would not wake up nor loosen his grip!
Hermione let out a frustrated sigh, wondering if biting him or kicking him would wake him up. But that only led her to stare at his lips once more.
"Get a grip Hermione." she mumbled to herself but it did not stop her from licking her own lips or making her stomach somersault. No, it only made her more aware of where each of Malfoy's fingers were on her shoulders and how hot his head was on her chest. "Wait a minute..." Squirming a little, Hermione found a way to feel his forehead using her lower arm, and realized that he was a little warmer than normal. Squirming again, she moved her head lower to smell his breath. Lavender! She recognized, and decided he'd been drugged. She sighed in relief, maybe he was not crazy after all. Maybe he did not even know what he was doing.
Draco mumbled something and their lips became centimeters close from touching. Hermione froze for a second, but then remembered hat he was asleep. Now she might be the one going crazy.
Tearing her gaze from his lips, Hermione looked at his eyes, which looked so peaceful as he slept. And thinking about that made her yawn and realize that she was also tired. But she could not just sleep like this; in his arms!
And why not? A little voice said in her head making Hermione rolled her eyes.
Because this is Draco bloody Malfoy. That's why!
So? He's asleep. Besides he was the one who came in here anyway. He probably wants to sleep with you.
This caused Hermione to blush like crazy before coming up with a response. It seemed this spirit had an overactive imagination. We're not friends. We used to be enemies our whole lives. He would never want that.
Well, what else can you do? It's not like you can get out of his muscular, sexy embrace can you?
No I... Wait what did you just-
Then there's nothing to do but fall asleep as you two are. Besides you have school in the morning.
First of all this is not an embrace. He's practically keeping me here against my will! Second of all he may be a bit muscular but he's not-
You're the one who was thinking about kissing him. At this, Hermione started blushing again. You know it's true. So just go to sleep like that.
Hermione huffed but could not think of anything else to say. So she concentrated on repeating in her head, Draco Malfoy is not sexy. Draco bloody Malfoy is not sexy. Stretching her neck back a bit and moving her legs back, Hermione closed her eyes and tried to sleep.
Eight hours later, Draco woke up to aching arms and his pillow rising and falling. Which was weird... And even though he was comfortably warm, there was no blanket around him. And he was holding something...
Picking his head up, Draco froze. There, in his arms was Granger! He was shocked. What the hell was she doing here? In his room? In his arms?
Then he noticed that the room was filled with red and gold colored things. And that Granger was sleeping on a flower pillow. This was her bloody room! What was he doing here?
Quickly, he disentangled himself from her, but not before waking her.
She opened her eyes and Draco watched as the emotions ran across her face. First mild oblivion, then confusion, then realizationg and finally anger.
For a minute it had been shocking silence but then she exploded with, "What the hell is your problem Malfoy?"
"Me?" he exclaimed.
"Yes you! Because of you and your strong grip my neck is all stiff and I had a horrid time trying to fall asleep with you breathing down my chest - literally might I add - and-"
"Wait. Hold on there Granger. I don't even know why I'm-"
But she was not listening, she was grabbing her robe and heading toward the shower all the while saying, "And I know you were poisoned and all but you could have gone to someone else's room! Or, in fact, you could have stayed in your room and-" Then it registered to Draco what she had said. "I hate waking up cranky and it's all your fault."
"Hold on, stop!" Malfoy said, grabbing her shoulders and turning her around before she could enter the bathroom.
They were both breathing hard and standing close enough that their chests were touching, but neither of them moved away. For a second, they just stood there, glaring at each other and trying not to acknowledge the sexual tension in the air.
"Did you say I was drugged?" he asked breaking the silence.
Hermione frowned trying to remember if that was what she had said. "No, I think I said you were poisoned but it's slightly the same."
"How do you know that? Who poisoned me? Was that why I was-?"
"Yes," Hermione sighed, remembering how he had had a fever last night. "That's why you were, erm asleep in my bed." she said slightly embarrassed and not saying the obvious 'with me'. "Don't believe me? Smell your breath."
Draco did as he was told and beyond the usual morning breath, there was a trace of... "Lavender?"
Hermione nodded. "Obviously too much of it. Who ever did this is not so good at potions."
"But why would someone-?"
"Hold on a second," Hermione said, interrupting him and put the back of her hand on his forehead.
"What are doing Granger?" he asked, trying not to think about how her soft arm was resting slightly on his chest.
"Seeing if you still had the fever you had last night - and you don't, which is good. Otherwise you might have been violently ill any second now." She said dropping her hand away from him and he shifted to his other foot, putting some distance between them. Hermione pretended not to notice.
He ran a ran through his already messy hair (courtesy of Hermione playing with it while falling asleep) and sighed. "First the spirits and now this."
Hermione sighed as well. "Why don't we just try to forget it right now and talk about it later in Ancient Ruins, I have to get ready." She suggested, pointing at the bathroom.
Draco nodded and headed to his room where he fell on his bed and tried to think of anything and everything except how last night was probably the nicest sleep he had ever had in Hermione's bed since Voldemort's rise to power.
As soon as Draco was out of the Heads' common room, Pansy immediately latched on his arm.
"Draco!" she said in a much too lively voice for 7 in the morning. And why was she outside the Heads' common room? Had she been waiting for him this entire time? "I was thinking we would go to breakfast together,"
Draco nodded, vaguely aware of feeling weak. He was probably just hungry.
"So I need some robes and I was thinking of going to Hogsmeade, and I was hoping you would join me this weekend?" she asked him.
"I'm doing something this weekend," he responded wondering why there was a foul smell around them. He looked around, wondering if a Weasel was trying to play a trick on him.
"Draco what are you doing? Did you hear me?" Pansy asked, looking at him like he'd grown another head. Draco stopped looking around and continued into the Great Hall trying to ignore the smell.
"Pans, do you smell anything?"
"Anything like what?" she asked as they neared the Slytherin table. "I did buy a new perfume, the lady said it has a special herb." she said. "Here smell," she brought her neck closer to him and Draco smelled where she pointed at and tried not to gag.
He let go of her immediately and sat down. "That's the smell." he said, annoyed at Pansy. "Why on Earth did you buy it?"
"You don't like it?" she asked eyes wide. "Astoria's mother recommended it to me!"
"Astoria's mother is a fool if she thinks that smells good," he said a bit too harshly.
Pansy scoffed and turned to someone else. "Blaise, smell my neck." He did but did not make a face like Draco's.
"Isn't that some new brand?" he asked vaguely remembering Astoria bragging about it the other day.
"What does it smell like?"
Blaise shrugged. "It smells like good female perfume to me,"
"It doesn't smell bad to you?" Draco asked. He sniffed one more time but the smell had not changed. "It smells horrid to me." Pansy glared at him and went to sit somewhere else.
"Mate what's the matter with you?" Blaise asked as Draco grabbed a bagel. "It smelled good."
Draco shrugged, "It smelled awful to me." As he ate he realized he could still smell it. Maybe it was him. He stood up, grabbing his things. "I'll see you in potions." he said and left. He quickly said the password to the Heads' room and into the shower.
Thankfully Granger was not there. However the bathroom still smelled like her. Draco took a deep breath of the peach shampoo smell as he turned the shower on. Now, Granger's shampoo had a good aroma although he recalled her smelling like roses before. Suddenly, he realized what he was thinking and quickly dismissed the thought.
It did not matter what Granger smelled like. Turning off the shower and drying, he smelled himself. The foul smell was gone. Satisfied, he put on fresh robes and headed outside to Care of Magical Creatures.
Seemingly out of thin air, Astoria appeared and started yapping about how she needed tutoring in this class. He thought he was free of the smell, but then he smelled it again. It was probably that dumb perfume that Pansy was wearing. Annoyed he moved away from Astoria and said he would think about it. The smell seemed to fade away but then when Millicent approached him, he smelled it again. Were all the girls in this school wearing the same perfume?
Sighing, he went to stand beside Blaise, but even he smelled odd. This was going to be a long day.
By the end of the day, Draco was cranky and snapping at everyone because of that smell. But when he sat down next to Hermione in Ancient Ruins, it was a different story. As he took a breath he realized that she smelled different; good actually. She might have been the only girl who did not use that nasty perfume.
He sighed in relief and relaxed in his chair.
Hermione looked at him in confusion, he had been annoyed the whole day, why was he suddenly so different? And was he smiling? It always made her nervous when Draco was so relaxed.
"Something on my face?" he asked, still smiling.
Hermione blinked. "No I just- well - I'm confused as to why you're so happy all of a sudden. Not that there's anything wrong with you being happy," she said quickly, watching his smile fade.
Their professor came in and Draco sat up a little straighter. "Just glad that the day is over." he said with a small shrug. As class went on, Draco realized that not only did Hermione smell good, she smelled damn amazing. And it was driving him crazy.
"Malfoy, are you okay?" Hermione asked noting that he had a fist clenched around his quill and had not been writing for the past five minutes.
The class was working in groups on a riddle in the textbook. However Hermione and Draco always worked separately and checked each other's work when they finished. But if he was not going to do anything, Hermione was not going to do everything. And the riddle was hard, they would probably get tomorrow to finish the work.
"Yeah." he grumbled, not looking at her.
"Well, did you finish or something?"
Draco tried his very best not to get up and leave the class. Granger smelled too good. Putting a hand under his nose he turned to look at her. She was twirling her hair and the smell of it seemed to be hitting him more strongly. He narrowed his eyes at her hand that was twirling her hair and she stopped, and put her hands in her lap.
"Malfoy, why are you looking at me like that?"
Curse the Professor for making them sit together, Draco thought. The bad smell was better than this torture.
"The thing is Granger, you smell," and then he stopped, realizing what he was about to say: that it - she smelled very good.
Hermione frowned and smelled her hair. It smelled like the shampoo she had used this morning. "What's wrong with it? Is the smell bothering you?"
Draco nodded immediately. "Yeah, it's bothering me."
"Why?" she asked quizzical. "I've always used this shampoo, what's the problem with it today?"
"The problem is... It just... Well, it smells amazing. It makes me just want to reach out and sniff you, that's the problem." he blurted out.
Hermione blinked and then grinned. Draco immediately regretted telling her. She was going to blackmail him with this.
But instead of yelling it to the whole class, she laughed. Not even a small laugh, it was a laugh like he had told her the funniest joke in the world. This annoyed Draco even more.
"You're serious?" she asked, still laughing. "Malfoy, you can't be serious." she said.
Draco frowned at her and then pulled a lock of hair out of her bun. And sniffed it.
Hermione froze as he smelled her hair and closed his eyes in joy. His elbow was resting on her knee and his face was close enough for Hermione to see each individual eyelash. But after a couple of seconds, he snapped his eyes back open and dropped her hair. "Unfortunately, I am very serious." he grumbled trying to ignore how for a brief minute he had felt overjoyed at smelling the muggle born.
And pink blush started to spread over Hermione's cheeks. "You actually think it smells good?"
Sighing, Draco crossed his arms over his chest. "Yes, Granger your hair smells bloody attractive but never ask me to say that again." he hissed. "And what's worse is that he whole day everyone else has smelled horrible. Especially the girls."
"You don't think this could be because of like, what happened last night, do you?" Hermione asked trying not think about the details.
"Or the spirits?" Draco murmured and Hermione's eyes widened. She had forgotten about them!
"Well, I have no way to research about them seeing as the books I need are in your house. But I think we can try to find out what poisoned you."
"How?" Draco asked as their Professor announced class was over and work could be done tomorrow in class.
"If it's powerful enough and still in your system we can ask Madame Pompfrey to check your blood! Maybe she can figure it out." Hermione said gathering her things.
Draco nodded and they both headed to the nurse of Hogwarts.
However, when they got there, they saw there were dozens of students. When Madame Pompfrey saw them, she quickly explained that if they needed anything, they would have to wait because a potion had gone wrong with a handful of third-years.
They sighed and sat in a couple of chairs near the door or the room.
Hermione checked her watch after her stomach had started growling. "I'm going to grab something to eat. It's already 6 p.m." Draco nodded, relieved he would not have to smell her for a bit. He was itching to sit her on his lap and breathe in her scent. "Aren't you coming?" she asked suddenly, breaking him out of his daydream.
"Nah," he said lazily stretching. "I'm not that hungry."
Hermione shrugged and headed to the Great Hall. Most of the Gryffindors were almost done. Harry, Ginny, and Ron were busy discussing Quidditch so they just waved and continued when she said she was busy. She poured some spaghetti in a plate along with some dessert. She was about to leave with that, but then she decided to pour another plate of spaghetti for Malfoy.
When she got back to the infirmary she saw that Madame Pomfrey had about only a handful of people to fix. She'd be done soon, thankfully.
"Here." Hermione said, plopping the plate of spaghetti in Draco's hands.
"What's this?" he asked watching as she sat down next to him.
"Just something to eat," she said, eating some of her dinner. "You're not allergic or anything right?" she asked when she noticed him just watching her eat.
"No. I'm just surprised." Draco said slowly, also eating some. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "I never thought you'd be nice to me after all these years and even now with me acting like a pervert this past week."
Hermione chuckled at the last part. "Yes you being a pervert has not given me any reason to be nice you. But I mean, it's not like it's your fault. First spirits now this potion problem. And it's not like you're enjoying any of this are you?" Hermione asked, trying not to think about Draco shirtless last night and him kissing her forehead.
Draco thought about how wonderful he felt when he awoke this morning with Hermione in his arms, how she felt like she belonged in his arms and just now, she had brought him dinner without him even asking. "No, not enjoying it at all." he lied.
They ate in silence, each lost in thought.
Madame Pompfrey arrived with a sigh. "I swear this is new potions professor... Anyway. What may I help you two with?"
Hermione looked at Draco to see if he would start explaining while she finished dessert. Draco started explaining that last night after dinner he had felt dizzy and when he woke up he was sleeping outside Hermione's door. At this, Hermione began blushing.
"And his breath smelled like lavender, which is a key ingredient in love potions." Hermione added.
"And this whole day everyone has had a foul smell around them except," At this part Draco trailed off, not wanting to admit it.
"Except who Mr. Malfoy?" Madame Pompfrey asked, wondering why he had stopped.
"Granger." he finally muttered glad they were sitting away from other students.
Madame Pompfrey put her hands on her hips. "Well I do not think you would do it but I must ask you Miss Granger, did you give Mister Malfoy a love potion?"
Hermione's eyes went wide and Draco smirked. "No, way!" she exclaimed. "Why would - I mean he's - Me make a love potion for -? No way!" she said quickly blushing the entire time.
"Of course you wouldn't," Madame Pompfrey agreed. "But I too am thinking it's a love potion. If you two would please follow me."
"Besides, if you had given me a love potion Granger, you would have at least got it right," Draco scoffed and Hermione gave him a funny look. "Love potions don't make people wander into someone's room or give them a fever."
"Did you just compliment me?" she asked.
Draco shrugged and looked away, "Probably a side effect of this horrible potion." Hermione nodded in agreement but smiled.
Madame Pompfrey had Draco sit on an infirmary bed and waved her wand around him. "Now I want you to think of Miss Granger." she said.
"Erm excuse me?" he asked.
"Just think of her," she snapped.
Draco quickly looked Hermione up and down and then closed his eyes. He thought of her smell, her unruly hair, how she was just short enough to reach his chin, how she was actually trying to help him, how she dressed properly with no makeup yet still managed to look okay and how wonderful her laugh sounded.
"Alright Mister Malfoy, open your eyes." Draco did so and avoided eye contact with Hermione. "I am afraid you have been affected by a love potion that was not supposed to be a love potion."
Draco and Hermione frowned. "I don't understand," Hermione said.
"It was not supposed to be a love potion." Madame Pompfrey said. "But who ever made it put in the wrong amount of Peruvian bark as well as lavender extract. So the potion backfired and instead is making Mister Malfoy have feelings for you. But I don't know why you and Hermione have been affected by it."
"Well can you get rid of it?" Draco asked.
Madame Pompfrey sighed. "I could, but I used all the mint I need to make a counter potion on the third years."
"So I'm stuck like this?" he asked in disbelief. They had come here so he could be fixed dammit!
"I can cast a charm on you but depending on how horribly made this potion is, it could back fire."
"Back fire how?" Hermione asked.
"Well," Madame Pompfrey started to pace. "It could either make the potion stronger so that Mister Malfoy would be TOTALLY in love with you for a very long time or it would just make it impossible for the two of you to be physically separated but still the potion would cancel out. And if I don't cast the charm you both will stay like this, and the potion will most likely wear off but get stronger as it leaves."
Draco and Hermione were silent. All options sounded unfortunate.
"I'll come back in five minutes to let you decide." she said and covered their area with a curtain.
Draco and Hermione just stared at the place where she just left. "So," Hermione started quietly. "no matter what we're pretty much stuck with each other for a while."
Draco sighed. "I don't want to take the chance of being in love with you. I mean nothing against you, Granger but you being a Gryffindor and all,"
"It's okay," Hermione chuckled. "Slytherins aren't my type anyway." Draco rolled his eyes, he liked it better when they were joking. "And I don't want to take the chance of us being impossible to physically separate because you play Quidditch and I hate flying on brooms." Hermione said.
"So, I guess this means we do nothing." Draco said with a sigh. Hermione nodded. When Madame Pompfrey came back they told her their decision to wait until the potion wore off by itself and she shrugged, seeing as here was nothing else she could do.
"But if the potion gets too strong or something, you can always come and stay here." Madame Pompfrey said and let them leave.
They walked back to the Heads Room in silence, wondering what the future would bring
When Hermione was getting ready to sleep, she knocked on Draco's door. He answered, thankfully with a shirt on.
"Yes?" he asked with a book in his hand, as he was still working on his homework.
Hermione was having trouble getting the words out. "I um, laid out an inflatable bed near um mine in case that love potion kicks in and you want to um,"
"Sleep with you?" he asked smirking at her. Hermione wished the ground underneath her would just open up. This was so embarrassing.
"And um, just make sure you're wearing clothes."
"Why?" he asked, enjoying seeing her blush.
Hermione glared at him. Of course he would do this.
"Does me being nude scare you?" he teased.
"Oh shove it Malfoy. You're lucky I'm not putting a jinx on my door against uninvited guests." And with one last glare, she left hoping he would stay in his bed tonight.
