A/N- This is Maggie writing. We don't own anything/anyone/anyplace.
Chapter 6
His were clouded with terror. "Hermione! I saw him… I saw him… My dad's coming. He'll kill me for telling."
Hermione reached out and patted his hand tenderly. He flinched slightly for she skimmed the battered surface of his cuts beneath the bandages. She sighed and said: " It wasn't your father coming. It's just Hagrid."
Draco, realizing now that the burly, large figure in the doorway was in no way his father, settled back down on the couch. Hermione clicked her tongue and then said: " You tore your scabs off your hands." Her nose wrinkled. " The bandage must have snatched on it when you were sitting up."
Draco looked bemused. " Sorry." He mumbled, and she found no trace of sarcasm in his voice.
" Don't apologize. You hurt yourself more then me." Hermione slowly unwrapped his left hand, which seemed to bleed most. She was startled to see the wound, but quickly took her wand out and healed it again. She decided not to rummage Hagrid's shelves without his permission, so she simply reused the bandages he had on before, re-wrapping them tighter this time to prevent sliding and snagging.
Suddenly, Draco's fingers wrapped around her hand. Hermione felt her heart beating in her ears. What's this? He's only Draco Malfoy!
Standing on the shore
Calling out your name
I was here before
I could see your face
" Thank you," He added: "For listening."
She nodded with a smile on her face. " If only I could help in some way, though!"
He shook his head. " I'd rather you not."
" Why?" Hermione asked.
" You'd only get tangled up in everything. Being the… the… not pure blood you are…" He stopped to see if she took it offensively instead of just matter-of-factly. Hermione didn't seem too angered. " … my father would kill you for your involvement. He doesn't stand your type anyway, but your type interfering with the Malfoy's private family life… he wouldn't have it." Draco shook his head. "It's hopeless."
His fingers remained clenched around her hand and she wondered if she should say anything. Her blush spoke for her since he suddenly released her imprisoned hand and said: " Sorry."
" It's alright. It's normal to be afraid." She cooed.
" It isn't normal to be afraid of the things I fear." He replied. Suddenly, he tensed. The hair on his neck rippled and rose, and he whispered hotly: " Where'd Hagrid go?"
" Erm…" Hermione bit her lower lip. She didn't want to tell Draco that they'd broken his trust. " … to Dumbledore."
" What?" He jumped to his feet, knocking the Gryffindor blanket down to the ground, his eyes searching the school grounds through the window. Draco hoped to find Hagrid still halfway there so that he could run out and stop him. The grounds were empty other then a few scattered pools of rainwater. " How could you?" He spun around to face Hermione again.
" Dumbledore has to know." Hermione said. " He'll make sure to protect you."
" Excuse me?" Draco mimicked her: " Protect me…" He scoffed. " Since when does Dumbledore give a hoot about the Malfoys? All he knows is that we're trouble. Why would he want to interfere? He rarely ever interferes with the personal life of his students!"
She stuck her tongue out at him, chiding herself inside for her childishness. " You know he does care."
" What do you think he'll do?" Draco sat himself down again, slouching horribly.
" Sit up straight." Hermione quoted her mother, then added: " I think Dumbledore might try to have you stay here over winter break. He can come up with some excuse about Quidditch, and extra practice for the Slytherin team." Hermione thought fast. " I know that would be the fist thing he'd do."
Only clouds will see
Tears are in my eyes
Empty like my heart
Why do ya say goodbye
" Why?"
" When you'll return over break to your father, he'll want to continue the normal Malfoy family activities. We both know what I mean when I say normal activities for the Malfoys." Hermione thought hard. " Now, about the summer business…"
" You don't think I'd want to stay in Hogwarts all year, do you?" Draco raised his eyebrows.
Hermione snapped her fingers and her face brightened. " I know! You can say you want to spend the summer at a friend's house. You can stay anywhere if you'd like, after that. Do you have any friends with which you can stay without interference from your parents?"
Draco shook his head. " Only Crabbe and Goyle, and they live so close to me that my parents usually visit their parents every week."
Alone I can hear
Hear our song
Playing for me again
" That wouldn't work, then." Hermione suddenly felt her heartbeat increase. Wouldn't it be weird if he stayed at my house…? She stopped her thoughts. It wasn't going to happen. Draco would probably resume cutting his veins before he'd stay at Hermione's house for the summer, with Muggles.
Hermione hinted to him, anyway: " Isn't Pansy going away for the summer to Scotland? Some sort of Little Witches Summer Camp thing?"
Draco nodded. " I don't see what that has to do with anything."
" You could say you are going to Pansy's – and even I know she lives really far from here, so your parents can't visit – while you could really stay somewhere else." Hermione grinned.
" And what about Pansy?" He questioned.
" She'll never know; we'll never tell her. She is going away for the summer, after all." Hermione laughed. " You could book your entire two years of Hogwarts that way, cut yourself from your family like that."
" It won't work that long." Draco, the pessimist, grumbled.
" At least you'll get a mental break for the year." Hermione replied.
" One thing doesn't work out, though." Draco complained.
" What would that be?"
" Where do I stay over the summer, then?" He looked saddened. " I wouldn't be able to tell anyone else in Slytherin I want to stay with them; they'll end up learning the plan. Pretty much all of Slytherin and their families are working for or with my father. My father would find out sooner or later."
Hermione felt nervous, her stomach fluttering with butterflies. In only a brief time, she had gone from despising Draco to feeling strangely close to him. And he was so cute, too! She asked, nonchalantly: " Maybe you could stay at my house." Then, she stopped to see what his reaction would be.
Draco looked taken aback, then he said: " I suppose."
" You mean it?"
" Of course I do." Draco grinned. " You've done enough for me by now, anyway. Might as well slave away in a Muggle home for a while." He didn't seem too excited.
Maybe it's too late
Maybe it's too late to try again
Hermione folded her hands in her lap and then unfolded them, nervously. " I hope… I hope we'll become friends over the summer, then. I mean… you're not that bad of a person, you know." Her smile wavered before becoming a very bright grin. " I think it would be fun."
Maybe I can pray
Maybe I can wait
She didn't expect what was coming. Slowly, Draco Malfoy leaned forwards and kissed her.
A/N- Thank you for all your reviews!
