AN: Hey oh! :) How's it going readers? Forgive me for this late update, I've been experiencing major writer's block plus I've been kind of busy lately. I pinky promise though to post the next chapter in about a week or so. Sorry for the shortness of this chapter as well, I had to stop it at that point. Please review and enjoy! :)
.Disclaimer: I am just playing with these characters, and I promise to put them back when I'm done. I can't say that they will be returned in the same condition though...I tend to play rough ;P
Hermione walked across the manor grounds, one hand in her pocket and the other wrapped inside of Draco's. They were both silent, enjoying the cool air and each others company. The ball had been two weeks prior and since then, they had been spending every waking moment together. She let out a sigh and stopped to look up at him. Draco lifted a brow.
"Something wrong?" A hint of concern flashed through his eyes.
"Far from it actually," she smiled and stood on her toes to place a kiss on his cheek, reassuring him. He grinned and returned the favor as they continued to stroll along.
Later during dinner all Hermione wanted to do was cover her face and fade into the chair. She was blushing furiously, and the heat made her uncomfortable, shifting in her seat about a hundred times. Both Draco and his parents wouldn't stop staring. Draco's gaze was intense and full of longing, while his parents' held amusement. Hoping to break their stares, she spoke. "Um...so Narcissa, how is everything?"
"Fine, dear," Narcissa replied with a wide grin. She knew what she was trying to do.
"And you Lucius?" Hermione questioned, nodding her head towards him.
"I'm doing fine as well, Miss Granger," he spoke with a hint of a smile on his lips.
Their constant looks however, didn't let up. Bugger.
"Aren't you going to ask that of me?"
"Huh?" Hermione had been concentrating feverishly on her meal and her meal alone.
"I said, aren't you going to ask how I am doing?" Draco feigned hurt, but his small smirk gave way to his game. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Fine, Draco, I'll play along. How are you?" His silvery eyes seemed to shine brighter when she called him by his first name.
"Eh," He shrugged his shoulders and returned to his plate. Hermione rolled her eyes and dropped her fork to face him.
"That is possibly the most vague answer in the book. If you wanted me to ask you, tell me the truth at least." His eyes looked up at her with such a burning intensity that she gasped, and Narcissa seemed to squeal with delight.
"I am perfect," he whispered, as he leaned in to kiss her. A fire seemed to spread across her cheeks and throughout her body at his touch. He broke away and began to eat again like this was just an ordinary thing, kissing her in front of his parents at dinner. Hermione however just sat there stunned.
She knew that he had been happy in the past few weeks, but perfect? And that kiss and those eyes...so full of...love, that small voice seemed to chant in her mind. Merlin, no. He doesn't love me. That's impossible. Draco Malfoy could never love me, a muggleborn. Most likely I'm just a phase or something. At that thought a surprise pain pulled at her heart, and she felt as though she were going to cry. She turned to look at him. Well, it does seem like he has changed, but it's only been a month that I've been here. You can't just fall in love with your enemy in a month. That would mean...Hermione's brown eyes grew wide. He's had feelings for me for awhile.
Draco looked up feeling her eyes on him. He chuckled at her confused expression. Well, well. What could possibly confuse miss know-it-all?
The rest of the dinner went by quietly, an awkwardness hanging in the air as silverware clanked against the fine china. Hermione was the first to dismiss herself, and she rushed to her room before anyone could stop her. She closed her door and made a jumping leap onto her welcoming bed. The sheets engulfed her in a hug as if they sensed her pain, and she kissed the pillows with her aggravated screams. She lifted her head a bit and groaned. "Have I gone mad?"
"It would appear so," that familiar voice drawled from her doorway. Shocked and embarrassed, Hermione flipped around and sat up.
"W-when did you come in?" She straightened and tried her best to smooth her rumpled clothes. Draco laughed and walked towards the bed, jumping on and laying back with his hands behind his head. Well this looks oddly familiar. He was staring straight up at the bed curtains just like on the first day she had arrived, except this time she didn't try to shove him off.
"I noticed you left in a hurry and I wanted to see if everything was okay," He stated truthfully, turning his eyes to hers. She shifted in her spot at his gaze. His smoldering eyes seemed to see right through her, and it made her heart jump. She didn't like to be read, especially when she was most vulnerable.
"I am fine. You however, need to learn how to knock before entering someone's room," she spoke crossing her arms at her chest and averting her eyes to the wall near the bathroom.
"Is that so," he smirked. Suddenly he sprang up and grabbed one of Hermione's hands, ripping it out of the crossed position. "Do you enjoy touching me, Granger?" She gasped in surprise at his movements and let out a huff at his words.
"I won't answer that," she spoke indignantly, turning her head away from him.
"Then I'll just be holding onto your hand forever," He chuckled, his eyes dark, brimming with mischief and amusement.
What is he trying to do? This is madness! She let out another annoyed huff, but his close presence and gentle circling of his fingers on her hand persuaded her mind to let go of the anger. Draco's fingers slowly started making their way up her arm, and he moved his body closer and closer until their faces were only inches apart. His eyes peered up from his caressing fingers as he spoke. "I think you do."
Hermione shivered as his words brushed past her cheek, and her heart attempted once again to leap from her body. "I...ummm...uh," she babbled, mind blanking on how to form words. A grin appeared on Draco's face as she blushed violently.
"Hmm. What a way with words you have," he spoke looking into her wide chocolatey eyes and lifting her shaking hand to his lips, never breaking his stare. Hermione couldn't help but let a nervous giggle bubble out, and cursed herself for being so inexperienced with guys. This was the one time she wished she hadn't buried herself into her studies at school and had experienced such things earlier like all the rest of the girls did at Hogwarts. Then the thought hit her. Merlin's beard! What does he plan on doing? I'm not...I don't...Even her thoughts weren't coming out right as Draco's lips replaced his fingers, soft kisses trailing up her arm. I need to...he should...I...I...bugger.
"D-Draco, what are you d-doing?" She whispered, the words barely escaping her lips as her voice was carried away by sudden fear. He didn't answer, but the devilish smirk that appeared confirmed he had heard her question. Closing her eyes Hermione tried to take calming breaths, when a pair of lips passionately enveloped hers.
Draco's heart seemed to soar at her touch. He couldn't explain it, and he most certainly didn't understand it, but his whole being ached for this; for her. His days consisted of her whether it be physically or by daydream, and his nights were spent with her in his dreams. Never in his life had he felt this way about anyone or planned to feel this way about anyone. A few years ago when he had attended Hogwarts, he had figured that he was to marry a chosen pureblood to carry on his family's status. He would've thought a person mental if they had told him otherwise. Only now did he realize just how foolish he had been. He lifted his lips from Hermione's and stared at her mussed hair and wanting eyes. With a snigger, he kissed her forehead and jumped onto the floor. This action made her protest.
"Where are you going?" She spoke, her voice taking on an uncharacteristic whiny tone. She definitely didn't want him to leave despite her nerves. Draco just flashed her a trademark smirk and backed out the door. Damn him and his unforeseeable actions. Hermione put a finger to her lips still tingling with the sensations of their snogging session. Damn him.
She looked to the muggle watch she wore on her left wrist. It had been a gift from her father to her mother and before she had erased herself from their lives, Hermione had grabbed it from her jewelry box. Her fingers brushed across the shining face at the memory, and she noted the time. It was only eight o'clock. I think it's time to pay someone a visit. Hermione jumped off the bed with a wide grin and ran her fingers through her hair as she headed out the door.
The corridors were pretty dim despite the old sconces lining the walls every few feet or so, and Hermione was relieved she had her wand in her pocket. "Lumos," she whispered, trying to remember the way to Draco's room she had stumbled upon weeks before.
Draco paced his room furiously as he watched the smiling girl giggling on his bed, dangling her legs off the side like a child on a swing. "As I was saying Draco," she cooed. "I didn't think it would have to come to this, but desperate times call for desperate measures, love." At the endearing term he spun on his heel and made dangerous strides towards the witch before him, anger coloring his face a shade of red while a growl escaped his throat.
"Never refer to me as your love," he spat as hatred oozed through his every pore. If it were a substance, acid would be eating away at the girl's smug face. Her smirk just begged to be ripped off as she flapped a piece of parchment in the air beside her.
"I would beg to differ, Draco, love," Pansy said calmly, seeming to have not a care in the world at his threatening stance. Another growl crawled out of Draco's throat. He pursed his lips in a straight line, trapping the killing curse on the edge of his tongue. Bloody bitch!
"I don't understand you," she shook her black curls. "What is with that mudblood that attracts you so? Is it the challenge maybe?" She gently lifted herself off of the bed and made her way to a seething Draco who was massaging his temples. She placed a finger on his shoulder, trailing it across as she walked around him in a slow circle. "Perhaps you just wanted a roll in the old blankets with her," she paused and put her mouth to his ear. "A different pair of legs to fuck," she whispered harshly.
"Hermione is more than that," he barked, grabbing her wrist in his long fingers. She winced at the tight bruising hold but hid it behind a look of indifference.
"Ah so you're going by first names now." Pansy matched his look with her own. "Tell me," she smirked and continued in a vicious tone. "Is shagging her like fucking a pig in the mud?"
"Pansy, you bitch!" He pressed his fingers even harder into her wrist until she screamed in pain, begging him to stop. He did, but not for her benefit. He didn't want to have to explain to his parents or Hermione what was transpiring. Pansy's eyes watered as she cradled her wrist in her other hand.
"I love you, Draco," her words firm and low. Draco only focused his eyes on the wall. He swore he could feel the room getting hotter as his own blood boiled, and he clenched his fists at his sides to refrain from strangling her. "We belong together, Draco. We make sense."
"Never," he hissed, pounding a fist on the wall beside him. Pansy ignored this and moved closer.
"We do, and we will be together." Her tone was more demanding, and she stated this as if it were a well-known fact. He pounded his fist even harder into the wall, causing blood to seep from his knuckles. Pansy clicked her tongue like a disapproving mother, scolding her child for making a fit. "You better watch that temper of yours, love." Draco's body shook at the term again, and he turned his blazing eyes to her.
"Or what?" He snarled. She looked to the side as if she were thinking of what exactly would happen and smiled as she turned back to him. An alarm went off in Draco's head at the sight. Pansy could be dangerous when she really put her mind to it.
"Let's just say that something might happen to your precious...interests," she finished with a dark look in her eyes and a sickening smile. "If I were you, I would never let something like this," she lifted her injured wrist, "Happen again. We wouldn't want you to get into more trouble than necessary," she said in a disturbingly too-sweet voice, brushing imaginary dirt off of his black jacket. He cringed at her touch and pulled away.
"Don't touch me." He lifted his nose at her as if she smelled of rotten fish.
"But I can, Draco," she laughed and slowly stepped towards his towering figure again. "I own you," she bit out, glancing back at the paper on the bed. "You are mine to do as I please, and it pleases me to touch you."
Hermione finally entered the right corridor, seeing the similar wooden door that opened to her room at the end. She let out a sigh of relief, the sight being like that of a beacon in the fog. She had made many wrong turns along the way, and her feet ached for the chance to rest.
She stood at the massive entryway and took a deep breath. Hopefully, he won't go ballistic at me being here. He shouldn't, I mean Merlin knows how many times he has appeared in my room uninvited. Hermione, suddenly unsure, bit her lip and fussed with her striped gold and maroon sweater. She had bought it at a small muggle shop one day, as it happily reminded her of Gryffindor colors. Draco had laughed when he first saw her in it but admitted it did fit her perfectly. It wasn't tight, but it hugged her waist, the neckline dropping into a slight v. Hermione though, being self-conscience about how much cleavage it showed, always wore a cream colored tank underneath.
"Own me? Draco laughed darkly. He moved so that he loomed over Pansy, and he took pleasure in her small frightened gasp. He still had the control here. "Listen here, love," he snapped, moving forward, making her walk backwards as he spoke. "No one owns me. I am not a piece of property to be tossed about carelessly, ownership passing from one man to the next. Not even the Dark Lord could own me. What possesses you to think a mere pathetic witch like yourself has any control over me?" Pansy backed into the wall as Draco lifted his arms to block her in, leaning himself to stare straight into her frightened eyes as he made his next point. "I can brake you, Pansy. I can brake you into a million pieces without batting an eye."
"You wouldn't," she whispered, touching a finger to his cheek. He swatted it away like an annoying fly.
"Try me," he whispered in a voice coated with malicious intent.
Hermione felt a strange feeling in her gut as if something bad may happen, and as she reached for the knob, a strange thought niggled into her thoughts. What if he is with some one else? She instantly scolded herself. Draco wouldn't do that. He wouldn't dare mess with what we have. This last thought still rang through her mind as she finally swung open the door.
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