Snake Inside, Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or places mentioned in this story or in the Harry Potter series itself. Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling. Don't sue.

Author's note: Hermione/Draco. Don't like? Don't read. It's that simple. Don't read just to flame. That's just stupid. Don't flame, period. Constructive Criticism, people. It helps make the world go 'round.

Rating: R
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"Well, well, Granger. Nice look you have. Feeling out of sorts?" Malfoy smiled. He knew what was going on. Potter had finally told Granger he didn't like her the way she liked him. He had seen her fly out of the empty classroom like a bat out of hell, crying. He also saw an angst-ridden Harry walk out after her, slowly.

"Fuck you, ferret boy! I'm not in a good enough goddamn mood for this." she snapped.

"Ohh...I see. It's Potter. So the gangly wimp finally
confessed that he has no feelings for you?" he sneered.

Hermione stalked up to him in the empty hallway, pressing his back against the wall. "What the hell did you overhear, you eavesdropper?"

"Enough to know that you cry over Potter, the 'Boy-Who-Lived'. Slimy bastard should have died. But I also know that you should get your mudblood hands off of me before I show you what really hurts."

"I'm not afraid of you, Malfoy. If you breathe a word of this to anyone, I will kill you." she moved her face close to his. "I promise you that much."

She stood a while longer, his breath hitting her neck in small wisps. She liked the feeling, but moved away quickly. 'No need to have feelings for a snake'.

Draco ran his tongue over his lips. What was Granger
planning? What did the mudblood have up her sleeve? He had been caught off guard by her sudden closeness, and he didn't like that feeling. It made him feel vulnerable.

"Granger, I am equally unafraid of you. Your threats are empty to me, seeing as you can't even hold onto Harry, the worthless git. Soon, you won't even have Ron. He always sides with Harry. Poor Granger. All alone."

Malfoy turned on his heel, and walked down the hallway, his outline fading in the darkness.

Hermione stood there a moment. He was right. It was uncanny, but he was right. Damn snake. Bastard.

"Damn you, Draco Malfoy." the name left an unpleasant taste in her mouth.

When she finally reached the Gryffindor common room, and the painting hole swung open, all eyes flew to her, a mixture of pity and 'I told you so's'. She couldn't take it. She turned and walked right back out.

Where would she go? She had no where. She ran towards the nearest door and flung it open, tears blinding her vision. She found herself outside.

Walking down near the lake, she sat underneath a huge tree. She couldn't control it anymore, and broke down crying. "Malfoy's right. I'm not going to have anyone! I'm a failure at this, just like they said I would be. Dammit! Everyone's right but me..."

She scrunched into a ball on the ground, face down on the grass, and cried, slowly crying herself to sleep.

Up in the tree, a pale, drawn face twisted at the sounds of someone crying. He didn't like to hear people cry. It hurt him. Reminded him of things.

When she was asleep, he jumped down out of the tree with cat-like grace. Dropping the blanket he had brought out with him on top of her, he walked back to the huge school that would be his prison for only one more year.

He looked back at the sleeping girl for only a moment. Her tear-stained cheeks showed a human touch that wasn't normally seen. For once her face wasn't shoved behind a book. Pity she had to cry and ruin the moment.