Chapter 9
"You're being obvious again," Draco drawled.
"So are you," Blaise retorted.
The two Slytherins glared at each other before turning their eyes back to the Gryffindor table where Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and Ron were sitting. They were all laughing and joking and looking disgustingly happy. The worst part was that they did look perfect together. As if they were all meant to be just as everyone kept saying. Ginny and Harry. Hermione and Ron.
"They're like one big happy family, aren't they?" Daphne said with a smile.
"What would you know about happy families?" Blaise sneered at her. "Your father's a drunk, your mother's a whore, and you're trying to fuck the boy your sister fancies."
Her smile grew nasty. "Speaking of whores, how's your mother doing? Or should I say who's your mother doing?"
"I don't know she's probably doing your dad since I know from experience that your mother is rubbish at sucking dick."
Daphne's smile disappeared.
"Now, now children," Draco interrupted, "behave."
Daphne pressed up against Draco's side. "What if I don't want to behave?"
He turned so that his face was a whisper from hers. "I've never behaved a day in my life. I know all moves Daphne and trust me a novice like you will never trump a master like me."
She tilted her face closer to his daringly. "We'll see."
Draco stared at her coolly. "You'll see."
"Gag me," Blaise muttered.
Draco turned from Daphne to roll his eyes at him.
Both boys turned to notice Ginny and Hermione leave the Gryffindor table to exit the Great Hall. They both stood to follow after the girls. Daphne rolled her eyes.
"They're so obvious," she muttered to herself.
Hermione shook her head at Ginny as they left the Great Hall. "You accuse me of leading Ron on, but what would you call what you're doing to Harry?"
Ginny frowned. "I'm not leading him on. Now that me and Dean are broken up, I'm a free woman. I can date whoever the hell I want."
"What? But you're in love with Blaise."
"And that's obviously not going anywhere. I love Harry in my own way. Maybe someday will turn into the romantic kind of love." Ginny shrugged. "But you have no intention of seriously dating my brother."
"You don't know that, maybe someday…"
"No Hermione. You don't understand how deeply you love Draco-"
"I do not love-"
"No matter what you think you're a different person than you were at the beginning of the year. Too different from the kind of girl that would want the same things as Ron for the future."
"How can you say that? How can you know that Ginny? I don't even know what I want for the future."
"That's the point, Hermione. Ron knows what he wants. He wants to marry young, have a wife that takes care of him, and raise a family. Can you do that Hermione? Can you be like my mother?"
What Ginny said hit too close to home.
Hermione scratched behind her ear as she racked her brain for something smart to say.
"Getting pretty cozy with Weasley there Granger," Draco drawled from behind them. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you two finally started dating."
Hermione and Ginny turned to glare at Draco and Blaise.
"What are you on about?" Hermione asked with a frown.
He shrugged coolly. "Just that my sources say you're the reason why little Won-Won and Brown aren't together anymore."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's not my fault that Lavender jumped to conclusions."
Draco cut his eyes at her. "Just like Pansy jumped to conclusions about us."
"If it was no big deal, then why didn't you tell us?" Blaise asked. "Why did we have to find out from other people? Why didn't you tell me you broke up with Dean, Ginny?"
Ginny crossed her arms. "First of all, you two are not our keepers. We don't have to report to you. Second, it's none of your business that I broke up with Dean because you made it quite clear you were too embarrassed of me to have anything to do with me. And third, jealousy isn't becoming of either of you."
Draco and Blaise scoffed.
"Like I'd ever be jealous of that peasant," Draco sneered.
"Why would I be jealous of Potter?" Blaise asked with disdain. "I mean have you seen my face? I'm beautiful."
Ginny and Hermione shared a look.
"The sheer magnitude of your vanity is astonishing," Hermione said.
Ginny linked her arm through Hermione's. "Come on, let's go somewhere where the boys aren't scared of a little competition."
She pulled the bushy haired girl down the hall.
"Here." Hermione held out a thick manila envelope to Draco later that night.
Draco stood in the doorway to the Room of Requirement with a confused look on his face. "What is this?"
"Everything you'll ever need on Greengrass." She moved to leave.
"You're not coming in?"
Hermione stopped and turned. "No, I'm busy."
He raised an eyebrow. "Have plans?"
She put her hands on her hips. "As a matter of fact I do. So have a good night." She moved to leave again.
"Have fun with Ron," Draco muttered under his breath.
Hermione spun back around. "Okay at first the jealousy was kind of cute, then it was annoying, and now it's starting to make me angry."
"Oh don't act so high and mighty," Draco hissed. "You were the same person that was so adamant that you were madly in love with him a few weeks ago so excuse the hell out of me if I think he's the reason why you're so eager to leave."
"You know for someone so vain you are so insecure," she hissed.
Draco threw up his hands. "What do you expect me to think when you don't know how you really feel about me-"
"I know exactly how I fe-"
"No you don-"
"Yes I do!" She huffed. "I thought we agreed that we weren't going to talk about things like this."
Draco opened his mouth, but thought better of it. He crossed his arms. "Fine, but come in for a second. I want to talk."
Hermione gave him a curious look. "Okay."
She walked past him into the room. She stood on the rug and waited expectantly. Hermione gasped when Draco yanked her to his chest. He kissed her softly, slowly. It felt like every cell in her body was on fire. He tangled his long fingers into her hair to tilt her face closer to his. His lips gently caressed hers. This was different from the usual crushing kisses they shared, but Hermione wasn't complaining. She was beginning to feel warm and lightheaded. Draco wrapped an arm around her waist to hold her up. Then his lips left her mouth to place soft kisses on her closed eyelids.
"I just wanted to say remember that when you're with him," he whispered in her ear before gently pushing her out the room and shutting the door.
Hermione stood in the hallway, dazed and confused as to what had just happened. She looked back at the Room of Requirement, then ahead of down the corridor. She shook her head and walked back towards the Gryffindor tower.
Eleven days later, Hermione slipped into the dark infirmary. She had waited all day until after curfew to sneak inside. The wait had clawed at her nerves. Now she was finding it hard to quiet her breath and was almost positive the sound of her heart hammering against her ribs would alert all of Hogwarts to her creeping. She hurried over to where Draco was lying asleep.
She sat down next to his bed. He looked paler than usual in the moonlight. Sweat glistened on his furrowed brow and his mouth was murmuring something intelligible. Hermione undid the tie around the waist of his robe, because she had to see for herself. She stifled a gasp. There were bandages wrapped around his whole torso and disappeared under his loose pants. An ugly dark slash stained the pristine white from his chest to his pelvic bone.
Hermione clutched his robe as anger and sorrow swirled in her stomach. She clenched her teeth and fought back tears. She thought back to when Draco had asked her what had made someone bad or good. To her friends, Draco was the bad guy. But she didn't see what good could come from attacking and almost murdering him. How could Harry be so reckless? He should have known better than to cast spells when he didn't know what would happen.
With a sick lurch, she realized that she couldn't imagine a life without Draco. Hermione could deal with the idea of them growing part and maybe losing touch like so many did, but life in a world where Draco Malfoy didn't exist? She couldn't grasp it, couldn't wrap her mind around it. Hermione looked down at the boy on the bed, her eyes greedily swept over him as if it would be the last time she would ever see him.
Hesitantly, she curled her hand around his. He didn't stir. Hermione swept damp hair from his brow. He murmured and leaned slightly toward the touch. Her heart leapt again at the thought of how close she had been to living in a world without him. Without his snide remarks, his smirks and lopsided grins. Without his searing gaze and equally searing kisses. Tears welled up in her eyes and slipped down her cheeks. She pressed a light kiss to his lips.
"I think I'm a little bit in love with you," she whispered.
One eye cracked open. "Only a little bit?"
Hermione jumped slightly. "I thought you were asleep."
"I was until you starting taking off my clothes."
She blushed. "I was just-"
"Don't make excuses, Granger." He closed his robe and tightly knotted the tie around it with a grimace. "It's perfectly understandable."
"I'm glad you're okay," she murmured.
"Of course I am," he scoffed. "Did you really think that Potter could kill me? Please. I've went up against way worse."
Hermione rolled her eyes, but couldn't keep the smile of relief off her face. Draco slowly lifted a hand to wipe off a tear that clung to her chin.
"I'm glad you finally realized that you're in love with me," he murmured, "because now I can say I told you so."
Her blush darkened. "I said no such thing. The pain is making you delusional."
Draco sighed and slowly dropped his hand. "You're the only delusional person here."
She gently squeezed his hand to get his attention. He looked up at her.
"Okay so I did realize it, but if you ever say I told you so again I will deny it."
Draco gave her a long, unreadable look. "Deal."
The next night, Harry crept into the dark infirmary. He pulled off his invisibility cloak and sat down in the seat next to Draco's bed.
"Malfoy?" Harry whispered. "Are you awake?"
Draco didn't stir.
"I guess you're asleep then."Harry sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair. "I came to apologize. I don't why I…I mean you have to see it from my perspective you tried to use an Unforgivable on me. Why doesn't anyone take that into consideration? Just because you almost died doesn't make you innocent…" He put his face into his hands. "What was I supposed to do? No one will listen to me. I think even my friends are starting to think I'm paranoid. Wouldn't you be paranoid too if you lived my life? In fourth year I watched Voldemort come back and kill Cedric and no one believed me for a year. If you were me wouldn't you try to do what you think is right despite what everyone tries to tell you? What am I supposed to do? I don't know what's right anymore."
Harry released a shaky sigh.
"I'm sorry Malfoy. There's no excuse for what I did and I hope one day we'll be mature enough to forgive each other."
Harry wrapped his invisibility cloak around himself and moved to go. Draco cracked an eye open and watched him leave.
"What was that?" Hermione said as she threw up her hands.
Ginny shook her head. "I don't know."
The two girls stood alone in the Gryffindor common room. Hermione picked up some of the trash left behind from the celebration that night because she needed something to occupy her hands.
"I guess…me and Harry are together now," Ginny said softly.
Hermione angrily threw the trash into a bin. "Tell me Ginny do you end up dating every bloke that randomly snogs you in public?"
The red head sighed. "It's really late Hermione, I can't think straight."
She pursed her lips. "It's a Friday night, I'm sure you can afford to lose a little sleep."
"What do you want from me?" Ginny asked exasperatedly. "What am I supposed to do? The one I love is a vain bigoted asshole that swears he loves me one day and ignores me the next. My lifelong crush wants to be with me and I know he'll treat me right."
"At least tell Harry the truth," Hermione urged. "You owe him that much. Don't lead him on."
"Why should I tell him about Blaise? Harry doesn't need to know."
"Come on Ginny. You need to tell him before you get too far into the relationship."
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Really Hermione. It was one kiss. It's not like I'm gonna marry him."
"You should be honest-"
"-like you're being with Ron? Oh please Hermione. Stop being a know-it-all for one second and take your own advice. Ron broke up with his girlfriend over you-"
"Actually Lavender broke up with him-"
"Ron loves you. You don't love him. That's the reality. So either you let him know you don't want to be with him or stop trying to tell me what to do."
Hermione frowned. "What's with the attitude?"
Ginny exhaled heavily. "I'm just stressed. This isn't easy for me. I'm not trying to hurt Harry, but I just need someone who will be there for me. Someone I can actually be with."
"I understand."
The youngest Weasley looked sheepish. "I'm sorry to getting on your case about you and Ron."
Hermione waved a hand at her. "S'okay I'm starting to think you might be right. Maybe there's nothing between us anymore."
Ginny leaned her head on Hermione's shoulder. "What is it about Slytherin men?"
She sighed dramatically. "They're simply irresistible."
"How much longer are you going to be in here?" Blaise asked with annoyance. "You've already been here a week."
Draco glared at him. "I'm sorry my suffering is so bothersome to you. Please accept my sincerest apologies."
He sniffed. "Apology accepted."
The blond boy rolled his eyes. "What did you find out?"
Blaise glanced around the empty infirmary before leaning closer to the bed. "Nott has been telling people that the Dark Lord gave him a mission as well."
Draco's eyes narrowed to grey slits. "What is it?"
He shrugged. "I don't know. He won't say."
"Why would he want my mission so badly if he has a mission of his own?" Draco wondered.
Blaise shrugged again. "Maybe your mission is better than his. I don't know."
"Find out then," Draco ordered. "Merlin, I swear. What am I blackmailing you for?"
Blaise sniffed. "I'm doing what I can, He-Who-Is-Impatient."
"Well that's obviously not good enough."
"You know I like you better when you don't speak."
"The feeling is mutual I assure you."
"Good."
Draco waved him away. "Yes, yes. Now piss off."
Blaise stood and grumbled, "Yeah, yeah pissing off" as he walked out the room.
"Tell me about what Dumbledore can do to protect me," Draco murmured.
Hermione lifted her head from his shoulder in surprise. "Oh…well Dumbledore is the only person Voldemort is afraid of so as long as you're under his watch Voldemort wouldn't dare touch you."
Draco made a skeptical noise in the back of his throat as her pulled her closer to his side. She snuggled gingerly against his torso while being mindful of his injury. Hermione stared up at the ceiling of the infirmary as she contemplated what she should say next.
"And…Dumbledore has an organization dedicated to standing up against him. You could hide out at headquarters. It's completely safe and the setting would suit you." She smiled wryly.
They laid in silence in the dark infirmary, listening to each other's breathing. Draco's finger's twitched at her waist followed by a sharp intake of breath. Hermione lifted her head to see his grimace of pain.
"Draco it's time for you to take another dose of the potion."
He winced again. "I don't want it."
"Why not?"
"Because it makes me tired and I wan—I just don't want it."
"Fine. You want to suffer it's your prerogative."
Draco looked at her with hooded eyes. "You could do something about my suffering."
"Like what? Do you want a massage or something?"
He chuckled lightly. "You could call it that…"
"Where do you need it?"
Draco curled his hand around her wrist and guided her hand between his legs. Hermione's eyes widened when her palm came in contact with a bulge under his robes. He lifted his hips slightly to gently press against her. She blushed furiously but didn't move away.
"Is this what you need?" she whispered.
He nodded.
Hermione carefully ran her palm along the length of him. His head dropped back onto his pillow and his hand released her wrist. She ran her hand up and down him through his robe, gaining more confidence with each stroke.
"Touch it," Draco whispered.
She giggled. "I am."
He untied his robe and pushed her hand into his pants. She gasped and tried to pull away but he held her hand in place. He groaned from deep in the back of his throat. Hermione watched his face in fascination as he ground gently against her palm. When he was confident that she wasn't going to move, Draco released her wrist and moved against her faster. His face grew flushed. His hazy eyes closed slowly.
"Hold on," Hermione murmured.
Draco reluctantly cracked his eyes open. His hips struggled to stop moving. He trembled. Hermione gently tugged down his pants. She stared quizzically at his boxers before discovering the slit down the front. She reached her hand in and pulled him out through the slit. He let out a groan. Hermione blushed and moved her hand along him. Never having seen one before let alone touch one, she was nervous but the needy sounds coming from Draco's mouth pushed her along. His skin was softer than she thought it would be. She watched in fascination as his hips pushed against her fist.
"Lick your hand," Draco murmured.
Hermione frowned in confusion. "What?"
"Lick your hand then keep touching me."
Hermione licked her palm then wrapped it back around him. She was both surprised and immensely pleased by his reaction. Draco choked back a loud groan and started thrusting into her fist. He was starting to sweat. He closed his eyes. His thrusts grew frantic. Hermione's arm was starting to get tired but she pushed to keep up with his pace. Draco grabbed her wrist, holding her hand still as he violently thrust into it. Then his whole body stiffened as white spurts covered her hand. Hermione watched as he slowly came down. Draco's body collapsed into the infirmary bed. He cracked an eye open and groggily wiped off her hand with his robe.
His hands reached to pull at her skirt. Hermione leaped away from him off the bed.
"What are you doing?" she whispered.
"Returning the favor," he said with a smirk.
"No."
He looked disappointed. "Why not?"
"Because you're still recovering."
"I promise I won't strain myself."
"No Draco." Hermione glanced at her watch. "I should be going."
"Why?" It came out almost like a whine.
"Because there's this thing called sleep. You should try it some time."
Draco pouted. "Get back on the bed."
She shook her head. "No, I'll see you tomorrow night."
Hermione gave him a quick kiss and jumped out of the way when he reached for her. She laughed. He glared at her.
"You're taking advantage of my weakness," Draco accused.
She shrugged with a smirk. "I guess I've been hanging around a certain Slytherin too much."
Draco crossed his arms grumpily.
She laughed again. "Don't be mad. I'll see you tomorrow night."
"Yeah yeah bugger off then."
She smiled, waved, and exited the infirmary.
A week later, Hermione smiled at Draco as she approached the Room of Requirement.
"Welcome back," she said. "How does it feel to be in the outside world?"
He rolled his eyes. "Incredibly sore."
Hermione walked into the room. "It's amazing that you healed without any damage."
Draco gaped. "Without any damage? Have you seen how that bloody asshole mutilated my perfect body?"
Hermione pursed her lips. "I'm sure you're over exaggerating."
He lifted up his shirt to expose a shiny scar that ran from his collar bone to his pelvic bone. "The fucking git almost cut me in half."
She carefully ran a finger down the mark. "It could have been worse."
Draco angrily yanked his shirt down. "It could only have been worse if that wanker actually killed me."
Hermione shook her head at him and sat down on the couch. "I kind of like the scar."
He gaped at her. "You sadistic wench."
She rolled her eyes. "It's kind of cool. It's sinister."
"Sinister?" Draco lifted his shirt to examine it.
Hermione smiled to herself. "Yes, every sinister person has a scar."
He pursed his lips. "Potter has a scar."
She shrugged slightly and muttered, "He has his dark moments too…"
Draco pulled his shirt down and walked across the room. "I have something for you."
"What is it?"
"Close your eyes."
She closed her eyes with an impatient huff. Draco dropped something into her hands.
Hermione opened her eyes. "A Time-Turner? Does that mean you fixed the cabinet?"
Draco shook his head. "No. I realized that it wasn't something I had to do. I don't have to prove anything to my father."
She beamed at him. "I'm so happy to hear that, Draco."
He toed at the hole in the rug. "I've been thinking…since I'm not on my father's side then…I should…you know…be on another side…"
Her eyebrows rose. "You mean on my side? The Light Side?"
Draco shrugged then nodded.
Hermione smiled wide and threw herself at him with an excited squeal. He stumbled back and wrapped his arms around her to hold her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist. Hermione kissed every inch of his face then devoured his lips.
"So let me get this straight…you want you want to risk your life and your family name to save some old man that doesn't even like you?" Blaise asked.
Draco glared him. "You wouldn't understand."
"You're right for once, Malfoy. I don't understand. I mean that man is old. He'll probably die soon anyway. You'd only be helping him get on with it."
The blond rubbed at his temples. "If you think it's so easy then you do it."
Blaise sniffed. "I don't like to get my hands dirty."
"You're a pansy."
He sighed. "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful."
"You are sitting pretty on the neutral side, aren't you?"
Blaise shrugged. "I like siding with winners. I'll wait and see who has the best odds before I choose a side."
"What was all that talk about hating Muggleborns?"
He shrugged again. "When in Rome..."
Draco rolled his eyes. "You're a poser."
"You call it being a poser. I call it survival."
Draco rolled his eyes again.
Hermione pulled her shirt on and propped herself up on her elbow. "I need the map back."
"What?" Draco asked groggily.
"I need the map back. "
The hazy look left his grey eyes. "Why?"
"Because…Harry needs it."
Draco sat up. "What makes you think I still have it?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "You're not stupid Draco. You know how useful it is. Of course you still have it."
"And why would I want to give it to Potter?"
"Because I'm asking you to."
Draco sighed. "I need it."
"What do you need it for?"
"What does Harry need it for?"
"What does it matter what he needs it for? It was his to begin with."
He looked at her suspiciously. "Why are you trying so hard to get it back?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm not trying hard. I'm asking just you."
Draco gave her a long look before sighing. "Look, I need that map because I can't trust the people in my House. I need to have a leg up on them. The map is a way I can keep an eye on what's going on behind my back. You know how serious the situation is, Hermione. I need this map."
She stared at him for a moment then nodded. He cupped her cheek, running the pad of this thumb along it before kissing her. Hermione tangled her hand in his hair and dragged her body to press tighter against him. Draco ran a hand over the curve of her breast, down her waist, and around the swell of her hip to curl around her knee, hitching her leg around his waist. She broke away with a wild gasp to suck in air. He moved his lips place teasing kisses just above her breasts.
She ran her fingers through his hair as she watched him. "What brought this on?"
Draco kissed her collar bone once more before turning eyes towards her. "I just realized something…"
"What?" she asked when she realized he wasn't going to finish.
He turned his eyes back to her chest to place more kisses. He kissed skin so long she thought he wouldn't respond.
"I realized that the only two things I can rely on are that map…and you…" he murmured against her skin. "I'm not sure how I feel about that…"
Hermione breathed in once, twice, three times before pulling his face towards hers.
AN: Hello guys. Just wanted to say thanks for the lovely feedback and I wanted to point out that one of Hermione's lines is taken from Lykke Li's song "Little Bit".
