Chapter Four: Unwanted House Guest
"Are you alright Mione?" Ron questioned her anxiously out of concern. "You don't look so good." He pointed out.
"Umm,.. yeah." She began. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just didn't sleep very well last night that's all." She told him and before he could ask her anymore questions Draco Malfoy walked over to her with a rather wide grin stretched across his face.
"Well, well, well Granger. I'm afraid that I have some unpleasant news for you." He began. "Looks like I'm going to be spending the summer with you after all. Mum and Dad told me to stay with the Weasley family until I can find a place to stay." He explained. For Harry and Hermione were scheduled to stay with the Weasley family as well for that very reason and Ron did not look very pleased. In fact, if looks could kill, Draco would have already been dead by the fire being shot out of Ron's eye sockets.
"Oh, umm,.. well that's interesting Malfoy." Hermione replied before gathering her books and getting up from the Gryffindor table and exiting The Great Hall while Draco watched her leave continuing to have a humongous grin on his face.
"Quit looking at my girlfriend!" Ron snapped as Draco's grin finally vanished and he turned to him and scowled.
"I can look wherever I want Weasley!" He snapped back at him.
"Piss off Malfoy!" He cried before Draco made an extremely rude hand gesture at him.
"Up yours." He told him before he went to go find Hermione and found her sitting on top of a bench in the courtyard. "So, have you figured out your graduation speech yet?" He asked her.
"No actually." She began. "I've had way too many things on my mind." She told him while avoiding eye contact before a few moments of silence passed between them.
"Like what happened between us last night?" He wondered.
"That, and what's going to happen if Ron finds out." She replied as she finally met his gaze and suddenly realized that his eyes were full of concern.
"He wouldn't put his hands on you, would he?" He questioned her. "Cause I won't be afraid to get sent to Azkaban for killing him if he would." He told her but she simply just shook her head at him.
"No, I was actually talking about what he might do to you if he finds out we kissed last night." She explained but that's when he just stifled a laugh and grinned at her again.
"Don't worry about me. I can handle Weasley." He told her. "To be perfectly honest with you I don't get what you see in him though."
"He's got a rather sweet side about him. He really does. Sure, we've spent a lot of our time arguing and are in a dysfunctional relationship half the time, but we really do love each other." She explained before he stifled another laugh.
"Sounds like me and my family. If they aren't too busy going at each other's throats my parents are generally always fighting at me or yelling at me or_" he began before slowly glancing up at Hermione. "Anyways, it's probably better that you're with Weasley. They would never accept us being together." He told her with a shake of his head and this time it was Hermione who grew concern in her eyes as she looked over at him.
"Draco, do your parents abuse you?" She wondered.
"My father does." He began. "But don't worry I'm used to it. I'm sort of glad that he kicked me out of the house, because at least I can get away from him and spend the summer with you. Even if it's just as a friend and my family never has to even know about it." He told her before he stood up and took her hand in his and kissed the back of it. "I'll see you later." He told her before he turned around and walked away and left Hermione alone with her thoughts.
After her graduation speech was over, Harry noticed that Hermione had barely said a word once they were back on the Hogwarts Express. "What's going on?" Ron questioned her angrily. "Except for your speech you've hardly said a word all day and you're always talking to us. Did Malfoy say something to you that got to you or something?" He wondered as Hermione remained silent and just simply looked up at him since she did not know how to answer his question.
"I knew it! It is Malfoy isn't it!? Don't worry Hermione! I'll make sure that he stays the hell away from you." Ron told her.
"What if she doesn't want you to do that?" Ginny questioned him with an angry glare while Ron attempted to put his arm around Hermione, but she simply just shrugged it off and then turned to look at him before leaving their compartment.
"What did I say?" Ron wondered while Hermione continued walking towards Draco's compartment and then knocked on the door. Draco walked over to open the door and spotted tears in her eyes.
"What happened?" He questioned her anxiously.
"Ron and I sort of had another fight. Can I sit with you?" She wondered before he glanced back behind him down at his friends and thought it over for a few moments before glancing back over at her and nodded.
"Yeah. Come on in." He told her before holding the door open for her.
"You're letting the mudblood in here?" Crabbe questioned him with disbelief as Draco narrowed his eyebrows and glared at him.
"Yes and don't call her that." He growled.
"But you_" Goyle began rather loudly while looking up at him and shock and gasping with astonishment.
"But I'm going to stop." Draco told him as he and Hermione sat down together, and Hermione continued to sob before resting her head down on top of his shoulder. Draco rested his chin down on top of her head and kissed it softly before heaving a sigh.