AN: If this chapter isn't up to par, deal, because I've just had the crappiest day of my year. Only had five hours of sleep, was late for school, had a science test, lost eraser, and suffered sexist abuse for over an hour in Industrial Arts (I was left alone with the boys, there's only 3 girls in the class, we usually band together for protection) until I was nearly in tears and gave the teacher an ultimatum, 'either you move those boys away from me, tell them to stop hassling me, or I'll drop this class faster than you can say Home Economics.'" It was really very traumatic. I'm a bit shaky. More with anger than fear, though. It's outrageous that in this forward-moving century women still suffer abuse about their gender. Here's one of my favorite quotes…
"You can kill me as soon as you like, but you can not stop the emancipation of women."
-Tahirih (right before she was strangled to death and thrown into an empty well… a martyr in Iran)
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Last Time:
"Do you want to get a movie?" Draco looked up from his 'Pasta a la Malfoy'.
"A what-ie?" He asked, totally confused. Hermione smiled and rubbed her hands together.
"Draco, you're about to get introduced to the world of Muggle entertainment…"
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Ten minutes later, Draco and Hermione got into the car.
"Ok, Draco. This is a 'car'. It takes Muggles from one place to another. Do you understand that?" Hermione asked slowly.
"Course I do. I'm not a baby, for God's sake. What I don't understand is why they use these things when they could use a plane of air!"
"You mean an airplane?"
"Isn't that what I said?!" Draco said irritably. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Take a Midol, Draco."
"A what-ol?"
"Never mind. Just cool it. They don't use airplanes because what would be the point? To go such a short distance, you would only be on the plane for a few minutes, if that. Probably they wouldn't even get the plane off the ground before they'd have to land it."
"But planes of air are FASTER! That's all that matters."
"AIRPLANES! And it's not all that matters."
"Yes, it is, because…"
"Will you drop it! I thought we could at least get to the movie store before we had a giant argument! We sound like two old crows!"
"You're just saying that because you know I'm right." Draco said imperiously, crossing his arms across his chest and staring straight-ahead, nose high in the air. Hermione just sat there glaring at him and muttering something under her breath. After a few moments of silence,
"Go, car, go! How stupid are you? To the place where we will find muggle entertainment, in this century, if you please!" Draco yelled, banging the dash of the car with a fist for emphasis. Hermione couldn't help but laugh. He looked at her sideways.
"And what, pray tell, do you find so amusing about this unruly excuse for a car?" He asked, causing Hermione to laugh more. He started to get annoyed. "WHAT? Why on bloody earth are you laughing? This isn't funny! You obviously haven't invested your time in training this car and look at the results! It won't do anything. It's lazy!" Hermione gasped for breath.
"It's inanimate, you goose!" She said, playfully slapping him upside his head. Draco scowled.
"It is not! It makes noise…" He faltered, looking at the car speculatively.
"It's inanimate, Draco."
"But still! It must move somehow?!"
"Yeah, I drive it."
"You drive me too, up the wall!"
"Deal, you big baby." She started the car and steered carefully onto the road, taking off towards town. Draco was pretending not to be interested in the car, and he was pouting. Hermione sighed. *He's such a pout-y person! He's cute when he pouts though…* Hermione giggled. Draco glanced at her and quickly away. They'd been on the road for twenty minutes when Draco said,
"Did you call me a goose?" in a pissy tone. They stared at each other blankly for a few seconds, and then burst out laughing.
"I have to concentrate on the road, Draco, don't distract me, or we'll crash." Hermione said seriously. Draco started to root through the car, looking in side pockets and glove compartment. Hermione was slightly embarrassed by all the clutter (mostly teensy army men and cars), but Draco didn't seem to care. In fact, after glancing at Hermione to make sure she wasn't looking, he picked up two of the men and started playing with them. He let out an imaginary gun noise, and Hermione looked at him quizzically. By the time she looked down, the army men were resting on his thigh, carefully covered by a casually placed hand. She shrugged and went back to watching the road. Draco blushed slightly and dug into the side pocket. He came up a moment later with two tiny guns and a tank and smiled. The next time Hermione glanced over to see if he was awake, he was having a full-blown (yet silent) war. He didn't notice at all when she snickered, shaking her head disbelievingly. Who woulda thunk it? Even if he told everyone they knew that she wore red panties, she had ammunition (no pun intended). Draco Malfoy played with toy armies. Heh.
"Draco?" Hermione said. Draco made a small startled sound and flung a gun into the air in surprise before blushing tomato-red and shoving the toys off his lap hastily.
"Y-yes?" He said, tittering nervously.
"You're worse than Stephen with those war toys."
"Wh-what war toys?" Draco asked. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Don't play innocent." Draco turned a deeper scarlet.
"I just wasn't allowed to have them when I was little, and I always wanted some." He muttered under his breath.
"Pardon?" Asked Hermione.
"They're sorta fun, ok? Jeez, what is this, 20 questions?" Draco said, still talking lowly. Hermione laughed.
"Down boy. No reason to get offended. Ron quite likes that sort of thing…"
"UGH! Don't associate me with that buffoon! UGH!" There's the Draco we all know and love…
"There's the snobby pureblood in you showing through." Hermione said, sighing.
"I'm not a snobby pureblood!" Hermione raised an eyebrow. "OK, well I'm a pureblood, but I'm not a snobby one." Hermione snorted. "Alright, I'm a little bit snobby." Hermione laughed. "Fine, I'm a snobby pureblood, but I was brought up that way! You can't blame me! I don't know any different."
"Yes, you know different. Anyway, we're here." Hermione said, parking in the small lot of a roadside gas station. Draco looked at the shabby place doubtfully.
"Are you sure?" He asked. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"It doesn't matter what the place looks like, what's important is that they have the widest variety of movies available within 2 hours of the house."
"Why do you live so far away from everything anyway?" Draco asked resentfully. Hermione gave him a death glare and stalked off towards the gas station, jangling the keys behind her as she made a half-hearted gesture for him to follow. Draco made a face and trudged after her.
10 minutes later
"Listen Draco, I am not letting you watch Jack the Ripper. For the last time, no!" Hermione said, scowling.
"But Hermioneeeeee!" Draco begged. Hermione raised her eyebrows and shook her head, arms crossed over her chest firmly. Draco stomped his foot to make his disappointment known, made a face, and put the movie back on the shelf, mumbling "meanie" under his breath. Hermione had already gone back to skimming through the movies on the somewhat dilapidated shelves of the gas station. At least they had a good selection of fairly new movies. Hermione kept a careful watch on Draco, who was sulking and aimlessly flipping through a magazine, stealing glances at Hermione when he thought she wouldn't notice. 'boys' thought Hermione, rolling her eyes.
"Aha!" Hermione exclaimed as she came across a movie that looked interesting. "Legally Blonde." She read from the cover. Just like Draco… perfect. "Honey, I found a good movie! Come here like a good boy!" She called to him, successfully embarrassing him in front of the attendant he was talking (bragging) to. She was pleased to see him blush slightly as he looked over at her. He shrugged apologetically, said something to the attendant, jerking a thumb in Hermione's direction, then walked over, pouting.
"What movie did you decide on?" He asked.
"Not telling you, Mr. Grumpy." Hermione said smiling, then paid for the movie and walked out the door, waggling a finger after her. Draco ran up beside her.
"You can't just walk off and expect me to follow like some kind of a dog."
"Boys are dogs, Draco." Hermione said jokingly. Apparently Draco didn't think it was very funny.
"Hermione, what is with the attitude lately. You're all… all…sassy! I practically liked you better when you were suicidal." Draco said. Hermione turned to face him.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't know you wouldn't like the real me. Maybe I should just go back to trying to kill myself! Would you like that, Draco? Huh?" Draco opened his mouth but was cut off when Hermione sent him a glare as she rummaged through her purse furiously. She came up a moment later, triumphantly holding up a pocketknife. She popped it open and held it to her wrist, smiling at Draco cruelly. "Well? Do you want me to slit it open, sweetheart?" She asked menacingly.
"Christ no. Of course not. Give that to me." Draco demanded, reaching for the pocketknife. Hermione jerked it away, but then smiled again and handed him the pocketknife, pulling it down to her wrist again.
"Oh, I get it. You want the honors do you? Go ahead then, push a little harder." Hermione said, her hand on top of his, trying to push the knife into her wrist. Draco paled.
"Hermione, don't be like this. I'm not going to hurt you…"
"Why not? Afraid?"
"Of course I'm not afraid!" Draco said, getting agitated as he yanked the knife away from her wrist and flipped it back in. Hermione grabbed his arm and pressed her face into his.
"I though you liked suicidal girls Draco, isn't this what you want?" Draco pushed her away.
"What's wrong with you? I was only joking! Jesus, are you ok? You're psychotic, you know that?"
"Psychotic, suicidal, all the qualities you put in your personal ad when you listed what you wanted in a woman..."
"Stop it! Stop being like this! For the last time, I don't want this in a woman, or anybody for chrissakes!"
"Oh, well sorry. What do you want, Draco?" Hermione asked, spitting out the 'Draco' like a watermelon seed. She and Draco stared each other down for a few intense minutes. Draco made a growling noise as he narrowed his eyes at her. Hermione opened her mouth to say something biting, and Draco grabbed her by her arms and pulled her to him, kissing her harshly. Hermione pressed into him, dropping the movie and her bag on the pavement, forgetting that they were in the parking lot of a gas station. It felt so right… Draco ran his hands down her sides, and Hermione shivered with delight, gripping his neck like she was afraid that she would fall into an abyss of passion. And happiness, and warmth…
Draco pulled away as he heard a loud catcall from the direction of the gas station. Hermione was still clinging to him helplessly, her eyes closed and her mouth trying to press back towards his. He looked over at the attendant, leaning in the doorway, apparently for a smoking break. The attendant, who was maybe 16 with bad acne and worse teeth, grinned widely.
"Man, I wouldn't mind following that there girl around like a puppy so much if that was the reward!" He yelled. Draco nodded his agreement and dragged Hermione, who by now had regained her senses and was making threatening gestures towards the attendant, towards the car. He opened the door and helped her in, then picked her bag and the movie up off the ground, waving to the attendant one more time before he got into the car and handed Hermione the keys. She snatched them and rammed them into the ignition, started the car, and screeched onto the highway, her knuckles white on the steering wheel.
"Hermione, are you still mad at me? Why are you pulling over? What's wrong? Are you…" Draco asked nervously, but was cut off mid-sentence by Hermione.
"Shut up Draco." Hermione said, undoing her seatbelt and turning towards him. For an insane moment Draco thought she was really going to kill him, she had a dark look on her face. But then he realized it wasn't murderously dark, it was…
Hermione lunged at him, planting her lips firmly on his and trying to devour him. Draco smiled against her lips. 'I knew I was irresistible, but not this irresistible…' was Draco's last thought before he got lost in his sensations.
TBC
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AN: I know, I know, I can't do kissing scenes! Sorry, I just feel awkward and then I suck! But, you got your romance fix, so don't complain…Everybody should go read my other stories and my poems immediately. Right now. Hop to it. I want more reviews! I'm a total junkie. Thanks to reviewers:
DH Shipper- that's what you think. I made it easy for them, natural, you know?
Olive- I sense that you enjoyed this chapter…?
Icy Stormz- Wasn't Draco childish with that whole pasta thing? I mean, 'Invent something else.' Yeah, it was a fun chapter. I've gotta stop stalling though. Gotta get to the meat. I'm submitting this story as part of a contest and the deadline is like, May 4th. Meep! Yes, update very, VERY soon.
Porkypop- and I love my reviews! I think I'm addicted. They get me high.
steele- here you go! ^ Up there is the answer to your review.
HannikaSkater- AHAHAHAHA! Another convert! Yippee! Did I mention the long and painful ritual? Come with me, my pretty…. J/k, j/k. Lol.
firecat- JOY! I have a loyal (ish) evil house elf who speaks cat! Mrow! (Translation: Welcome to my cult…*evil laughter*)
Mary- What? Crying? Was it that bad? Oh wait, you're at chapter three! *nods* I understand now.
kat- I'VE got nothing against black, but too much black can be too much black. No offence to all black-wearing readers, but I've got bad history with abusive Goth boyfriends… evil Goth boy who I hope I never see again. Not that lots and lots of Goths aren't super-nice… how did I get onto this subject? Don't feel alone, you aren't the only member of the I-wish-Stephanie-didn't-have-so-much-school group. The other members are: Nigel, me, Josef, me, Danielle, me, and Aaron. Angry parents are fun? Wha…? I wish I knew these angry parents of which you speak! Angry = yelling and no allowance in my book, but if you mean awkward parents, that'll work out just fine. Mmmhmm. I could do that.
Melodie- shame on me! I am bad, sweetie, very very bad. Mwahahahaha.
Chevira Lowe- Computers drive me crazy too! Die computer, die a slow and painful death.
STARJADE- EEEH! You crazy monkey you! I'm so flattered. Tee hee.
PoPs- don't worry, I didn't think the world was over, I was just joking. But seriously, it would suck if I got a flame. I'm still fire-free, and this is the 11th chapter! I'm so proud. I think I will add in more secret passages too…