A/N- Yeeeiii! Chapter six. I'm so excited!
Disclaimer- Mine! All mine! Ahem. Actually, I own nothing.
Summary- Time for a nice chat.
Jackknifed
Hermione felt the warm breeze of oncoming dusk brush past her cheek and flit within her hair, teasing the large waves into the air. Tipping her chin back she cast a furtive glance behind her and down the overhung walkway.
The shadows along the corridor were growing long, casting inky blackness along her path. She caught a glimpse of silver among the dark.
Malfoy, naught but ten steps behind her, thrust his chin in the air at her glance and wandered his eyes away from her.
They had been walking like that, him trailing behind, through the corridors. As if he being too close might raise suspicion among other students. He was probably right.
Hermione smiled, somewhat chastely, and turned the corner to the spiral staircase that led to the Owlry.
Draco watched her bound up the stone steps, her cloak whipping around in a snap. He paused momentarily, peering around, waiting until a small group of Hufflepuff girls turned the corner up ahead.
Tapping a finger on the stone wall, with a shake of his head, Malfoy followed her.
Hermione let her bag sit just outside the Owlry entrance. Bending down on the landing, she pulled out a small wrapped parcel covered in brown butcher paper, tied with an exceeding amount of twine. As she stood she heard Malfoy come up the steps behind her.
"I just need to send a package to my mum." Hermione's back was to Malfoy as she walked inside the tower.
"What about Potter and Weasel's ruddy little birds?" She heard him ask from behind her. It was a simple question, tinged with a small emotion that Hermione puzzled at.
Looking around, Hermione didn't know what owl to choose. Hermione cooed to a bleary eyed owl on its perch. She bent over to it and waggled a little finger amongst its feathers. It hooted softly.
"Well, Headwig is already delivering something for Harry, and I couldn't have Pig carry such a big package."
"A what?" Malfoy leaned against the doorway, his arms crossed. He looked at Hermione with a smirk.
"What?"
"Weasel's Owl's named Pig?"
"Oh." Hermione blinked at him as she picked up the large barn owl, moving it to the little peg in the center of the room. "Yes, well, it's short for Pigw-"
"Oh that's priceless, really. Fitting name for Weasel. Him and his-"
"Draco." Hermione said warningly, her attention on trying to tie the package onto the owl's leg. Malfoy's smirk dropped, yet he stayed silent.
Hermione blinked her hair out of her eyes, trying to tie the final knot around the package while keeping a firm yet painless grip on the bird's legs. With a small, frustrated little noise, Hermione watched the knot slip from her fingers.
She felt Draco move around to the opposite side of the owl's perch. She glanced at him, his eyebrow raised, watching her struggle with the awkwardness of the situation.
"Here." He said simply, letting out a sigh as if he was tired of standing there. He reached down and batted her hands away, taking the package and tying it.
Hermione watched him pluck the bird up, wordlessly, and walk to the open door. With one hand he smoothed out his blonde hair as the other bent down and lofted the bird into the air.
With a small screech it fluttered higher into the darkness.
Hermione walked past him, dipping down to gather her school bag. Malfoy shoved his hands back into his pockets, leaning on the stone side of the building, his eyes closed. Hermione's gaze flickered over him.
"Malfoy?"
"Uhn?"
"Why did you come to the library?"
He snorted.
"Wanted company."
Hermione bit her lip and tried to choose her next few words very carefully. "But… your friends, er- Slytherins…"
Malfoy's eyes glinted in the dark, for the sun had now dipped down behind the Astronomy tower.
"Those 'friends' are neither the brightest nor the most enjoyable of people to associate with."
Hermione twisted a finger around the strap of her book bag. And I am? She wanted to ask, but she said nothing. Worried that it would ruin the small bit of civility they had between them.
"Well, glad you did, really." Hermione didn't look at him, but stared off across the grounds. "I hate coming up here by myself." She fiddled with the blue bow tied to her pack. "Thank you."
She could feel Malfoy tense for a good few moments.
"You're welcome." He said finally.
Hermione gave a short little laugh. "See? Mudbloods aren't that bad..."
"Don't" Malfoy said sharply, starting against the wall, a quick, sharp little movement. Hermione froze where she stood. Malfoy walked forward to the ledge she was leaning against and put his hands out on the stone, looking out to where she was gazing.
"Malfoy, you've been calling me that for years."
Draco uttered a small little chuckle but nothing else. He looked at his hand, the pink line of a scar drawing across his palm.
"Here." Hermione said, taking out her wand and pointing it towards Draco's hand. "I can mend it." But Malfoy shook his head.
"It's fine, really Granger."
Hermione sighed.
They stood like that, gazing off into the distance, for a few silent moments until Hermione gave a small gasp.
"Oh! I forgot the card."
"The what?"
"My mother's card! It's in the Common Room." Hermione's shoulders drooped. "Now I'll have to go all the way-"
"It's too late." Malfoy moved away from the wall and towards the staircase that led back down to the grounds. "We'll do it tomorrow."
"We'll do it?" Hermione asked.
But Draco had already started his decent and the night had swallowed him up, silver hair and all.
A/n- I had a lot of fun writing this! W00t! Next part already in the works!
Review! Please! Review!