A/N: Thank you to the two people who reviewed! It made my day! Here's the next chapter. Please review!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter
Chapter 15: The Search Continues
The next evening, Draco sat in the library impatiently at six fifteen, waiting for Hermione Granger to make an appearance. Finally, at six twenty five, she entered the library and slid into the seat in front of him.
"You're late," Draco snarled at her.
Hermione had no reaction to Draco's tone and replied, "Yes. I am late."
"Why are you late, though?" Draco demanded.
Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Do you really care?"
"Yes," answered Draco. "I'd like to know of you set up a guard outside the library doors that is composed of Potter and Weaselbee, whom I asked you explicitly not to tell about the fact that you are helping me."
"That, Malfoy, was an extremely long sentence that I did not know you were capable of composing."
"Oh, really? Wasn't it you who said I was the smartest in our year after you?"
Hermione ended the bickering there. "Look, Malfoy, I figure you'd like to keep the need to speak with me to a minimum. I certainly am not looking forward to spending time with you."
"Why, then, did you agree to help me?"
After a moment, Hermione answered, "For the same reason, I suppose, that I agreed to spend time with the atrocity known as Cormac McLaggen at the Christmas party."
Draco snorted. "You're using me to make Weasley jealous? Me?"
"I think you'll find my logic quite sensible. Ronald hates McLaggen. He also hates you," Hermione answered matter-of-factly.
Draco was finding this both annoying, yet extremely amusing. "Then why not date McLaggen ?"
"As I mentioned earlier, McLaggen is an atrocity, and if I use him to make Ron jealous, I'll be forced to speak to him because I know for a fact that he fancies me."
"Why anyone would fancy you is a mystery," Draco muttered.
Hermione continued her speech. "Exactly. I know you don't like me at all, so I figure I won't have to talk to you. Because I really don't want to."
Draco interrupted her here. "Ah, but I see two gaping holes in your 'clever' scheme, Granger. One, you promised not to tell anyone about the fact that you are helping me. And two, Weasley would never actually come into the library and see us here."
"I find it extremely odd," Hermione said, without indicating that she had heard Draco at all. "That I have just had a slightly civil conversation with you."
Draco had found this odd, too, but came up with a passable excuse. "I need your help. So I kind of need to be civil toward you to get your help."
"I see," said Hermione. "Well, I've agreed to help you. And I don't want to have any more conversations with you. So, if you could just tell me what it is I need to do..."
Draco explained to her briefly that he needed to find the right spell for the Vanishing Cabinet, then turned to a bookshelf and began searching for more books. Behind him, Hermione did the same. Finally, at eight, Hermione decided that she was tired and wanted to go to bed.
"When are we meeting again?" She asked, picking up her bag. Draco shrugged. "How about Saturday morning at the Quidditch pitch?" Hermione said.
"The Quidditch pitch!" Draco exclaimed. "No way!"
"Why not?" Hermione asked simply.
"Because," Draco said. "Gryffindor is practicing there that morning. I don't care that you want to make Weasley jealous, but I do care that people will see me there, Slytherins maybe, that will see me there with you and tell my mother about it, which can NOT happen."
Hermione looked at Draco for a moment, then said, "Fine, here Saturday morning, then?"
"Fine," Draco replied, then he turned back to a book and stared at it purposefully, not reading it, though. He was completely aware that Hermione was still standing behind him.
"How is your mother doing?" She asked gently.
Draco slammed his book shut. "You don't care. So don't ask. I don't need any Gryffindor pity," he said sharply. Then, he stormed out of the library.
"I just thought it would be polite to ask!" Hermione called out after him.
Gryffindors, Draco thought as he saw Ron Weasley walk into the library, having evidently heard Hermione. Their lives are so messed up.
Then again. So was his.
Saturday morning found Draco waiting once again in the library for Hermione. When she finally did arrive, the two of them wordlessly began searching through the books lining the worn library bookshelves.
This scene repeated itself for three more weeks. At the end of these weeks, Hermione decided that she had no idea what to do.
"We've been looking through these books for weeks! She exclaimed one evening. "And we haven't found anything." She stood silently for a moment, then turned to Draco and spoke to him directly for the first time since they had had their 'civil' conversation a few weeks previously. "Malfoy, could you show me the Vanishing Cabinet?"
Draco was shocked for a split second, then said, slowly, "Okay. Would you like to see it right now?"
"No," Hermione said. "I've got to go to see Harry right now. Could you show me tomorrow?"
"Sure. Meet me near the tapestry of trolls on the seventh floor tomorrow at seven," Draco said.
"Okay," Hermione said. Then she left the library, her bag swinging on her shoulder.
The next day, Draco stood in front of the tapestry of dancing trolls at seven. A few moments later, Hermione came rushing up the corridor.
"What happened, Granger? Did Weasley just kiss you?" Draco asked, unable to help himself.
Hermione ignored him. "I figured out where else we could find books with information on the Vanishing Cabinet! Here!" She pointed to the stone wall in front of them.
Draco was stunned. How could he have been so stupid! Of course he could find a book in the Room! Shocked, he followed Hermione into the room that had made an appearance after Hermione had paced in front of the wall thrice.
Inside, Draco and Hermione found the walls of the room lined with books. Hermione was giddy with excitement, as Draco could tell when she bounded up to a bookcase and practically dove into the books. Draco smiled. It was pretty funny.
"Okay," said Hermione, extracting a book from a shelf. "Let's get started."