Affectation of candour is common enough

Hermione was walking through the corridors, thinking about a Transfiguration assignment, when someone yanked her into a classroom. Before she even had time to react a wand was pressed to her throat. She froze. This was not good.

"You wouldn't last two seconds in an actual war with reflexes like that, Hermione."

"Draco? What are you doing?"

"Well since my girlfriend isn't speaking to me for some weird reason I decided to do something about it."

"So you decided to forcibly abduct me? That must be a new low, Malfoy, even for you."

He growled and removed his wand. He pushed her into a seat and glared at her.

"Now would you mind telling me what in the name of Merlin is wrong with you, Hermione?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't act stupid. Why have you been ignoring me?"

She was really angry now.

"Because someone tried to kill you, Draco!"

"I honestly didn't expect you to be freaked out by stuff like this, Hermione. Aren't you Potter's best friend? How is it any different when someone tries to kill me?

She bit her lip and looked anxious.

"I've never been able to do anything to stop it before. You're only being threatened because you're with me. I just thought…"

"Well you should damn well stop thinking. Don't you think we should talk things through before you decide to ignore me? What was I supposed to think?"

Draco noticed that she had tears in her eyes now. Good! She deserved it.

"I'm a person too, if you haven't noticed. I can make decisions on my own. I don't want to be a part of the dark Lord's schemes and if he doesn't try to kill me for being with you he'll find some other excuse. Just you see! Maybe I'll even give him a reason to do it."

She gasped, "Draco, you can't! Are you completely out of your mind?"

He calmed down.

"Look I'm sorry, Hermione, but I'm not going to put up with my parents' bullshit anymore. I'm just going to be myself."

She put a hand on his arm.

"That's wonderful Draco."

"But I'm not joining some stupid organisation to fight the Death Eaters, just so you know. I'm doing this all on my own."

She looked hurt.

"What about me, Draco?"

"What about you? Can I even trust you?"

"Of course you can, Draco!"

"Then why did you decide to ignore me? Why won't you be in a public relationship with me? Why won't you…"

"Okay, I get it. But you can trust me, Draco. Anyway, who would I tell? My friends would be furious if I told them."

"Unless you guys are all conspiring against me, trying to break my heart…"

She looked angry again now.

"Stop being so bloody paranoid all the time, Draco."

"You just don't get it, do you? This is who I am. Are you asking me to change?"

She glared at him.

"Well if this is who you are, Draco, if you truly are a selfish paranoid jerk, then maybe this relationship is a mistake."

"Maybe it is."

She started to cry and dug a book out of her bag.

"I was going to give this to you. You can keep it now. Please don't talk to me again."

He looked at the cover of The Thorn Birds as she stormed out of the classroom.

0-0

That evening he was sitting alone in his dormitory. He picked up her book and opened it to the first page. There she had scrawled a few words and he smiled as he read them.

I know this is hard for you too. Do you think they bought it? Hope you like the book.

Love, Hermione.

He quickly put a charm on the writing to disguise it and started reading.

0-0

In the girls' bathroom Hermione was working on some polyjuice potion. If everything went according to plan it would be done just in time. She and Draco really were quite smart. It was lucky that they were both such good actors. She really hoped that the spy had seen their argument. It would make everything so much easier.

0-0

Meanwhile a dark figure was sneaking around in the castle trying to locate Hermione. The spy wondered if it was for real. It would definitely make the mission a whole lot easier. It just seemed a bit too good to be true. A little more observation was needed to make sure that they were truly broken up.

0-0

Draco stayed up late that night, reading. The book was both sad and beautiful. It moved him. He could see why Hermione liked it. He was just debating whether or not to read another chapter when an owl pecked on the window. Mail delivered personally by an owl at any time was just one of the many privileges he had. He recognized his father's owl, an awful creature, easily and sighed before opening the window. He opened the note hesitantly.

Son,

What have you done? The Dark Lord is furious! Out of all the girls in the school you had to pick her. I can understand teenage rebellions but this has gone too far. You will immediately stop this "relationship" or suffer my wrath. She is beneath us. Never forget that.

Your mother sends her love and says that another package is on its way.

Your very loving and forgiving father.

Draco snorted before writing an answer explaining his "undying loyalty" toward the Dark Lord and telling his father that he'd "come to his senses". Hermione had been right. This was much more fun than his original plan. It also meant that she'd stay with him longer. He supposed that she was just using him but it didn't really matter to him. He was using her too.

0-0

Hermione was tossing and turning, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in. It felt so wrong to manipulate Draco like this. She knew that he wasn't quite emotionally balanced at the moment but what she was doing was all for "the greater good", right? She was actually helping him realize his full potential. She was doing it for his sake. She shouldn't feel guilty about it.

0-0

A/N: This was sort of a filler but I hope you like it anyway. I'll try to update more frequently now. Please, keep recommending books! I think the story will be focused more on books in the next few chapters.