The Chance of Being Asked a Second Time

He must be crazy, absolutely barking mad. She must be even crazier though to have completely memorized one of the most boring books in existence! He just had one chapter left of Hogwarts: A History. She'd better appreciate what he was doing for her.

He pored over the last page and slammed the book shut. Finally! It was Saturday morning and he'd gotten up early to finish that stupid book for her sake before teaching her some more Quidditch. He got out two of his broomsticks and set off toward the pitch. He was relieved to see her waiting already for him. He had half suspected that she wouldn't show up. He tossed her a broomstick and smiled when she dropped it on the ground. She gave him a halfhearted glare before they entered the field.

He got out a Bludger while she flew a few laps to warm up. She landed beside him and took one of the clubs lying on the ground.

"So, Malfoy, what do I do?"

"Just hit it when it comes flying toward you but make sure that you have a lot of power in your arm. I'm putting a spell on this Bludger at the moment to makes sure it can't come within 6 inches of your face, stomach or chest, just in case."

"Awh, you're so overprotective," she said in a disgusting, gooey voice.

"Stop it, Hermione," he growled.

"Who would have thought you'd be so romantic, Malfoy."

He grinned at her, "You think it's romantic for me to teach you how to hit a Bludger? Maybe that Skeeter woman was right and you do have a thing for Quidditch and Quidditch players."

She scowled at him and soared up in the air waiting for him to join her. He mounted his broomstick and let go of the Bludger, hitting it in her general direction. He was very glad he had enchanted it when he saw it coming within inches of her. She managed to hit it eventually, but much too weakly. It came soaring back toward her.

"Just imagine it's someone's head, Granger."

She glared at him and focused. She got her club ready and wacked it really really hard. Now it was heading in his direction. He got his club up easliy, ready, but he must have miscalculated because the next second everything went black.

0-0

He woke up on the ground, her anxious face hovering above him.

"What happened?"

"I have no idea, Draco! It wasn't the Bludger."

His arm was tingling painfully.

"Did you try to heal me, Hermione?"

"You didn't need healing, Draco. I managed to hover you down."

"Then why is my arm hurting?"

She examined it carefully.

"Draco, there's nothing wrong with it."

"Well, it hurts!"

She examined it again but couldn't find any damage.

"If you're making this up, Draco, it's not funny."

He whimpered as the pain spread to his shoulder and chest.

"I'm going to go and get help now, Draco."

He was sweating now.

"Hermione? Where are you?"

"Fine, I won't leave you, Draco." She sounded really concerned.

She levitated his body to Madam Pomfrey's. The pain had spread to his legs now. He was shaking in pain, fever burning his veins, his eyes unfocused. He remembered the pain spreading to his head before everything went black again.

0-0

He woke up a few hours later in a soft bed. He couldn't see anyone but he knew he was in the Hospital wing. He turned around and froze in terror. Right next to his hand someone had stuck a knife through the matress. A note lay next to the knife. Slowly he reached out for the note and opened it.

Mr. Malfoy,

Consider yourself warned. Don't go near the Mudblood again. I won't be so compassionate next time.

The note wasn't signed, not that he particularly cared. He knew who was behind it. "Stupid Dark Lord and his stupid blood fixation," he thought before remembering that his thoughts weren't safe. He instantly blocked his mind, a handy skill he'd picked up from Snape. He wondered who the Dark Lord's agent at the school was. Snape wouldn't have done this. There must be someone else at Hogwarts.

0-0

Hermione was walking by the lake when Draco joined her, looking extremely worried.

"What's wrong, Draco?"

He held out the note to her. She read it and he watched as all the blood drained ut of her face.

"Do you know who wrote this?"

"No, but I know the person, thing, whatever you want to call him, who's really behind this."

She bit her lip.

"So what should we do, Draco?"

"I don't think you get it, Hermione. I don't care about the note, I don't care about the big fight between good and evil."

"So you're saying we should just go on as if nothing has happened?"

"Pretty much yeah. Remember, I haven't taught you how to find the Snitch yet."

She glared at him.

"So, Draco, I'm supposed to be absolutely fine with the fact that there's a coldblooded killer that says they'll kill you if you're going to be with me?"

Her voice went really shrill when she was angry. It sort of hurt his head.

"Don't worry so much all the time, Hermione."

"Sometimes I wonder if you really are crazy or if it's just an act."

He smiled, "Well madness does run in the family."

She glared at him.

"This is not some silly joke, Draco! I'm not going to risk your life."

"Don't be stupid, Hermione. If you break up with me I'll just find some other way to piss the Dark Lord off. I'm not going to listen to him anymore."

"Are you listening to yourself, Draco?"

"It's sort of hard to avoid, baby, what with me being me and all."

"You can be so annoying sometimes," she said, glaring, and stormed off.

"See you tomorrow, Granger."

He wasn't worried. She'd be back. After all, tomorrow was another day.

0-0

A/N: Yeah, I just had such an obvious reference to Gone with the Wind at the end. I sure love that movie. I figured that, since Draco didn't read a Muggle book in this chapter, I should compensate in some way. And can't you just see Draco as Scarlett O'Hara? Maybe I'm the one going a bit crazy… I blame it on sleep deprivation.