Chapter 2. Proposition
Draco was at a loss for words, more accurately he gaped like a fish.
He stared at his wild haired, baggy-eyed roommate who was still by all intents and purposes more than shaggable.
"You're joking." He said after what seemed like an eternity, it wasn't really a question.
"I don't really do jokes." She deadpanned.
Malfoy stood up suddenly and pulled at his hair pacing. "Granger, you hate me! And now you're asking me to shag you daily into unconsciousness, so you can avoid having nightmares I actively helped create?! "
Hermione still seamed unperturbed. "I don't hate you... and maybe not daily, but a certain regularity would be ideal... also I have never blamed you for my nightmares."
Draco was unconsciously looking down her oversized t-shirt, the swell of her breast looked supple and inviting, he couldn't even remember the last time he'd been with a girl, early 6th year, probably... He looked up to see her smirking at his wondering eyes, he turned away from her trying to hide his creeping blush.
"You don't even like me." He said almost to himself.
She looked surprised. "I like you... I find you very aesthetically pleasing." She seemed to consider something before leaving her cup on the table and trying unsuccessfully to somewhat tame her unruly curls. "If it's about my appearance, I'm open to accommodate to your liking, you prefer it straight and darker hair, don't you?"
"Your hair is fine." He said hoarsely, years ago he would have teased her on it, but for two nights in a row he had found himself nuzzled in its fragrant softness, and he couldn't imagine anything more pleasant.
"Then what's the problem?" She asked meekly.
"The problem? Merlin, Hermione how can you be so cavalier about this?!" He said slightly exasperated.
"I thought you would be more open-minded sexually... you know being Slytherin and all..." She said with a teasing note of judginess.
"I can be... I mean I am... I'm just caught very off guard by this." He said defensively.
"Okay, take the time you need to mull it over, I'm going to take a shower." She stood up and headed for their shared bathroom while he leaned on the counter of their kitchenette, his mind reeling.
She was at the door when she began taking her oversized t-shirt off, leaving him with a lovely view of her bare back and her tiny sleeping shorts that just covered her perfectly round behind.
He sucked in a breath and grasped the counter for dear life.
Her echoey voice came from inside the open bathroom. "You can join me if you like."
Malfoy couldn't hold the groan that escaped his lips as his feet seemed to move slowly of their own accord towards the steadily steaming bathroom.
"Are you just gonna stand there the whole time?" She said smiling underneath the steady stream of water as she lathered herself up.
Draco stood leaning on the door frame trying to feign casualness, his arms were crossed in front of him as he schooled his features to remain neutral. Hermione Granger was currently in all her glory in front of him showering with the curtain opened invitingly.
He was no saint, he knew he shouldn't have followed her, but what red-blooded male would resist at least peeking?
"Don't pressure me Granger, I haven't agreed to your cockamamie plan yet."
"Well, it's good to know you like what you see. " She said smugly gesturing to the obvious tent in his pajama pants.
He tried to ignore the furious blush that came to his face.
She giggled, the sound like tinkling bells made his groin twitch.
Why was he resisting again?
His eyes went back to her body, she was absentmindedly rinsing her forearms when a particular scarred section caught his eyes. He clutched his left forearm remembering the mark that would forever remind him of the piece of shit he really was.
"Go fuck yourself, Granger." He said dryly as he turned to leave the bathroom and closed the door behind him.
He was 2 steps away when he heard through the door a faint "I'll try to, but it's never worked before!"
Merlin! This witch was going to be the death of him, that image was never gonna leave his brain now.
He unceremoniously locked himself in his room, let his hand help him regain some of his sense while the image was still fresh in his mind.
By the time he left his room, Hermione was gone, and he headed to the shower to wash away his shame.
Given his probation he wasn't allowed to go to Hogsmeade during the weekends like his peers. So he spent his Saturday in the dungeons.
To Hermione's surprise once she arrived severely intoxicated later that evening she found a flask of Dreamless Draught on her bedside table with a note. She had definitely relied on her Griffindor courage to proposition Malfoy, but the rejection had hurt her self-confidence nonetheless, she may have indulged in one too many firewhiskey shots. She sat on her bed and opened the simple note.
"Stop cheapening yourself with scum."