WITH OR WITHOUT YOU
Thanks to Cat, dylantian, xohugsndkisses, Dante Hunter, danny (nice to know you're alright! And I'm really glad that you like my first fic! Thanks!), TNT, Norie Ape1 (yeah! Snape is really cool! And Ginny is always right!), Slips DeGrins, rgFaNaTiC, Night-Mistrie (hum… I'm thinking about it), Lady-Angelina (please, don't cry!), auracle (I'm really glad that you liked it so much!), xputteckx, Slytherin ice princess, scarlet-knight13 (he's always up to something! Thanks!), random gal (really? I'm really glad! Thanks!), Jessica-McConell and nichole-sumpter! Thank you so much for your compliments!
Chapter XXVI
"Where are Ron and Hermione?" Ginny asked while sitting beside Harry.
He froze for a moment. Just calm yourself down, Harry! "Well, Ron is at Snape's office and Hermione… I think she said something about going to the library".
"Hermione is really a bookworm".
"She wouldn't be happy to hear you saying it". Harry smirked.
"And you wouldn't be crazy to tell her that I said that". She looked him in the eyes.
Harry's stomach flipped. I could drown myself in her eyes.
Why is he looking at me with that stupid face? "Anyway…" she turned to the great hall entrance "… it's not like I'm calling her names, you know. And why Ron's at Snape's office?"
Harry felt like he had been waken up from a dream. "Huh? Ron? Err… Snape said they put the flasks at the wrong places and that they left dirt on his floor".
"I can't believe it! Snape really gets on my nerves". She put potatoes on her plate. "Want some, Harry?"
I need to control myself! Damn! "Yes. Thank you".
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Hermione found an old book at the library, the only one that had something about the potion Snape wanted her to make with Malfoy. Tonight I'll read it calmly. She went to madam Pince, who looked at her suspiously, borrowed the book and left.
Hermione and Ron, who was with Lavender, arrived at the great hall almost at the same time. Lavender seated with Parvati. Ron blinked to her and went to where Hermione, Harry and Ginny were.
"So, Ron?"
He looked at Harry with a mixture of tiredness and anger. "He made us clean his office. I think that there was nothing wrong. The floor was shining, you know? The house-elves must have cleaned it before us. But he made Lavender and I do everything again".
"And about Lavender, Ron? How are things going?" Ginny asked happily.
He blushed. "She's feeling better now".
"You know it was not what I asked".
"I… I don't know". He blushed harder. "Why are you asking me that, anyway?"
Harry and Hermione managed to not laugh at Ron's face. Ginny didn't bother and laughed hard. "You're so silly, Ron. It was about time for you to have a girlfriend".
He mumbled something.
"What?" She asked. Harry and Hermione were also interested in what he said.
"I didn't ask her". He whispered.
Ginny laughed again. "Don't worry. She'll ask you sooner or later".
His food was looking really attractive to him.
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As soon as the afternoon classes ended, Hermione went to her dorm, threw her rucksack over her bed and arranged the potion material over the table. Before doing anything she decided to learn more about the potion she was about to make. She opened the book and searched for information.
'Potentia
A strong potion that gives to the person who drinks it the strength of ten men. This potion also needs an experienced wizard to make it properly. It takes a week to be prepared and its recipe is quite long. When correctly done, it turns to a metallic silver color at the first stage. The second stage is marked by the switch from silver to red and the presence of a sweetened smell. This potion is ready when the third stage is complete and its color is brown. Its effect can last for a whole day, depending on who drank it, but it also has side effects. When used for a long period, it can drain the original power leading to a state of coma. Even when used for just one day, at the next day the person won't be able to get off of bed. A powerful potion, but dangerous at the same time'.
Now I understand why he said it could be dangerous if at the wrong hands. After the explanation was the recipe and notes about the ingredients, but nothing that could explain to her why she made the first step wrongly. HE might have been the one who made something wrong. The water in the cauldron was already boiling. Or maybe I did something wrong cause I was nervous… The painting was moving. Damn!
"I thought you said we will talk about how we'll do the potion but it seems that you decided to do it by yourself". He threw his school things over the sofa and went to her.
She took a deep breath. "I won't do it by myself, so you don't have to worry. I just started without you, that's all".
He sat beside her. "So, what you did till now?"
He was too near. She was getting nervous. "Nothing. I was about to cut the asphodel roots". She pushed the book to him. "I was reading first".
"Why I'm not surprised?" He said sarcastically.
She just frowned. "I think you're here to discuss how we're supposed to work together. I already told you that I can do it all on my own".
"And I said I don't trust you, m…" He almost said mudblood again.
"Ok, what now?"
"What?"
"Why didn't you call me mudblood?"
"You like to hear it?"
"I just don't care". She tried to sound unconcerned.
"Hunf! I'll pretend I believe it… mudblood". He looked at her face. She didn't look at him and continued to cut the roots like he had said nothing. "Let me do it". He stretched his right arm to take the knife from her hands.
"No. I think I should do what you did during class and you should do what I did. Maybe we can find out what the other made wrong".
He raised his shoulders. "As you wish". He got up and took off his cloak, putting it on the sofa's back.
Thank God! I knew he was making me nervous! She shook her head. Stop that and pay attention on the potion! He sat by her side again. It will be a long night.
An hour and a half later, the potion finally was silver. Hermione and Draco sighed relieved.
"So, what shall we do now?" He asked, sitting on the sofa. His stomach moaned. He blushed slightly. "Besides eating?"
"Oh my God! What time is it?"
He looked at his clock. "It's almost eight. Damn!" He caught his cloak. "We're really late for dinner".
Hermione got up. "Anyway, now we'll have to wait. At Snape's recipe is written that it should boil for 19 hours and the book says the same". She went to the entrance, Malfoy right behind her. "Damn!"
"What now?" He asked impatiently.
"I'll be in the middle of Spells class at this hour". She turned to him. "Can you come and add the wormwood leaves?"
"Hunf! You're better than me, Granger. I'll be at transfiguration. I think Flitwick is easier to handle than McGonagall".
She sighed. "Yeah, you're right. I'll find a way".
The painting moved and they got outside. Mister Chateau opened his mouth to greet Hermione but said nothing. The vision of Malfoy walking side-by-side with her made him voiceless… and the same thing happened at the great hall. When they got inside, the voices started to get low till no sound could be heard, and all the faces were turned to them.
Hermione didn't know what to do. She just really remembered who was by her side when she got there. She felt her cheeks getting hot and realized that Malfoy and she were capable of having a civilized conversation.
Malfoy was at the same boat. Having all the slytherins looking at you with incredulity faces was not a good thing… and he knew the reason. He just entered with Hermione Granger at the great hall for dinner, both late. Unbelievable!
"I… see you later". She whispered and went towards the Gryffindor table.
He said nothing, just stepped to his house table and sat by Goyle's side. "Good night".
"Why were you BOTH late, Draco?" was the first thing Pansy said across the table.
"I don't have to answer you this". He faced her.
"Yes, you have!" She insisted.
"You have to agree that arriving late for dinner with Granger, the mudblood, is, at least, odd". Blaise Zabini smirked.
Malfoy was trying really hard to control himself, especially because he didn't like to hear mudblood coming out of Zabini's mouth. "I don't have to tell anything to you, but, as I think none of you will let me eat in peace… We were doing that stupid potion Snape asked us to do".
"At dinner hour?"
He frowned. "Yes, Zabini, at dinner hour". He filled his plate. "Now, can you please, forget about me?"
Pansy looked at him furiously but said nothing. Zabini just smirked again and turned to the boy at his left side. Crabbe and Goyle kept their stupid faces.
She's a mudblood, Draco! So why did you get angry when he called her that? He glanced at the Gryffindor table. It seems that Hermione was also being interrogated. Damn!
"Why don't you believe me?" She asked angrily.
"Sorry, Mione, but it was really weird to see you side-by-side with Malfoy like… he was any other student of Hogwarts".
"Yeah. And you're kind of strange, you know?"
"Strange? And can you tell what I did to seem strange, Harry?"
He looked at her suspiciously. "You're kind of gazing off sometimes… alright, you said you were tired, but… I think you're hiding something from us".
She gave a quick look at Ginny, who shook her head, then turned to Ron and Harry again. "Listen, I'm really tired, ok? I have all those head duties and, I think it's the worst thing, I share a dorm with Malfoy. Do you really think it's not getting on my nerves?"
They looked at each other with the same eyes. They said nothing more but it was clear that they didn't believe totally.
So even these two are suspecting that something's going on. She sighed. I think it already went too far.
Malfoy went directly to their dorm. He sat on the sofa telling himself that he was not waiting for Granger. It will be hell having her near and… Damn! What was Snape thinking? I could barely hold myself to not… With an impatient face he opened the book he brought from his bedroom. It was really difficult to concentrate on reading when the image of a grinning Harry at the ball waiting for Hermione while he was being left behind was floating in his mind. Damned Potter! He threw the book aside.
Hermione decided to go to the Gryffindor tower with her friends. It was already too much having Malfoy by her side for more that an hour, smelling his cologne and feeling the warmth that was coming from his body. By the way, if they're suspecting something, going to my dorm now will only increase their suspicion.
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Like Malfoy thought, it was hell, for both of them. During classes, at the intervals, they went to the dorm to take a look at the potion, but at night, they were together, sitting side by side, to prepare it. Several times they touched each other's hand and it was like electricity running through the veins. Sometimes they forgot who they were and talked normally, but then like a sad memory that never goes away, they remembered to return to their world, a place that the other one could never reach.
"Thank God! I think it's almost done". Hermione said happily.
"But I still don't know what we did wrong that time".
"We'll find out". She turned to him smiling.
His heart started to pound hard. Hermione never had smiled to him, ever once. He was wordless.
She noticed what she was doing and blushed, turning her face to the cauldron. "I… I think we can leave it here boiling".
"Y… yes, I think so". He was still staring at her. He raised a hand and was aiming at her hair when she turned. He lowered it quickly. What was I doing?
"Good night, Malfoy". She stood up and walked towards the entrance.
"Leaving again?"
"Yes". She said without turning to him.
He frowned. "Tell Saint Potter that I sent a hug and that I can hardly wait to dance over his grave" and laughed.
She just smiled, but he didn't see. "Don't worry, Malfoy, I'll tell him" and she left before he could say anything else.
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Everyone at the Gryffindor tower was excited. On the next day, Gryffindor would be facing Ravenclaw at the quidditch pitch.
"Are you nervous, Harry?" Hermione asked worried.
He smiled. "A little".
"Everything will be fine. We trained hard. Ron's in his best shape and there's no seeker that can match Harry". Ginny said happily, looking at him.
He blushed. "Thanks, Ginny. But you forgot to say that we have the best chaser of Hogwarts: you". He smiled to her.
Suddenly a chill went down her spine. Her heart started beating faster and her hands were cold. Can't… can't believe I'll start with that again.
"Ginny? Are you alright?"
Ron's voice woke her up. "Yes".
Harry stood up. "I think I'd better go upstairs and polish my broomstick".
"Do you still have that kit I gave you?"
"Of course! It was really a great present, by the way".
Hermionesmiled.
"Well, see you tomorrow".
"Good night, Harry". Hermione said.
He just waved and left.
"Harry has been in a great pressure". Ginny said worried.
"Yeah. Being captain surely is tough".
Ginny looked at Ron maliciously. "No news about lavender?"
He looked at her angrily. "No, Ginny, there's none! Ok?"
Hermione laughed. "Ginny, I think when something happens, Ron will tell us. You should be more patient".
"Hermione, is just that…"
"You won't believe it!" Harry cut her off. He stopped almost falling over Hermione because he got there running.
"What… what happened, mate?"
Harry took a deep breath. "My broomstick's missing".
"WHAT?!" They said in unison.