[Final Distance]
Chapter 4: The Art Of Seduction I
"Harry?"
"Mmmm." Ron sat down on the floor, ignoring the squishy feeling that he had sat on something unpleasant.
"I think you should tell Dumbledore."
"About what?" Harry looked innocent.
"You know what." Harry silently cursed Ron for knowing him too well. His friend rose, and muttered 'Lumos' under his breath. He then proceeded to one of the drawers, and began rummaging in his socks.
"You know, it's not good for you to keep thinking about it." Ron's behind 'spoke' to him as he kept going through the drawers.
"I don't want her to get hurt."
"Yeah, okay, whatever...just don't get drained." Ron found what he was looking for, and straightened, turning to face Harry as he nudged the drawer shut with his knee. He returned to the floor, sitting opposite Harry as he fiddled with a few small plastic bags.
"So what did you get Hermione for her birthday?" Ron mumbled something as he fiddled with whatever was on the floor, an almost full plastic bag in his mouth.
"What did you say?" Ron removed the bag from his mouth.
"Book voucher." He grinned as he raised the ceramic creation to his lips, and sparked the lighter to the spout attached to it. Harry watched curiously as Ron inhaled, and the leaves that Ron had stuck in the little cup at the end of the spout became glowing embers. Ron moved the bong away from his mouth, and exhaled a cloud of smoke at Harry.
"You need to relax Harry."
__________________________________________________________________________
Three hours later....
Harry sat in the office, pale and sallow. His knuckles were white as he gripped the arms of his chair tightly. Miss Humbleberry, the receptionist looked at him in sympathy.
"Are you sure you wouldn't want anything Harry?" He stopped gazing into space, but couldn't do anything other than shake his head.
A door further down the hall behind the reception opened, and Minerva McGonagall stepped out. Her face was grave.
"Headmaster Dumbledore will see you now, Harry." As he went to step past her, she halted him by clutching at his arm. She was truely shocked to see the tears sparkling in his eyes.
"I'm...I'm sorry Harry." Numbed, devoid of emotion she stepped past. It was strange how strong the bond was between Harry and Hedwig was. Was. Hedwig was gone.
She shuddered, wrapping her robes tighter around her. What kind of cruel creature hunted like that?
__________________________________________________________________________
"...twist the cap off the bottle, I take a sip and see tomorrow, gonna make it if I have to beg and borrow..."
A voice was muffled through the portrait. It increased in volume as she made her way down the corridor, opening the door to the common room. Draco's head snapped up.
"Granger, what are you doing here?" He asked, gritting his teeth in forced politeness. She could see a knife in one of his hands, he had been flipping the dagger up and catching it.
It was his voice that she had heard singing.
"Um...I don't know, maybe coming back to my dorm? You know, where I live? I share it with you actually, you know, the room next to yours? Yeah, I occupy it." She put her keys on the coffee table and walked to her room as she muttered on. Draco rolled his eyes.
"Alright Granger, I get your point...sheesh." He began whistling and throwing and catching the dagger again.
"You're in a good mood." She noted grumpily, coming from her room with a can of fizzy drink in one hand. She was rugged up in a baggy grey sweatshirt and leggings. Draco shrugged.
"Whatever do you mean?" He asked in his most aristocratic drawl.
"Ooo it's cold tonight. Hermione clambered onto one of the big warm sofas. She gazed distantly into the flames for a moment.
"Nothing. Just, no insults for me tonight? No attempts on my life?" She gave him a half-smile, half-sneer.
"Oh give it a rest would you mudblood?" He threw the dagger at her, it sailed past her head and embedded in the portrait behind her.
"Oh I do say..." a mutilated Picasso piece scowled.
"There, is that better?" Draco ignored the painting, eyes watching Hermione intently.
__________________________________________________________________________
I was so afraid when the dagger left his hand. At first I was like 'Oh, he wouldn't throw it.' Shows how unpredictable Malfoy is. As it came closer and closer to my head, I couldn't move, I was frozen, eyes wide open. Then all I could do was shut them tight and pray.
__________________________________________________________________________
"Don't you dare do that again!!" She cried, jumping from her seat. I laughed, putting out arms to fend her off as she started to try punching me.
"Do you really think you're stronger than I?" I grabbed both her arms and pulled her down. At the last moment I saw she was about to crack her head on the armrest of my chair, so I had to twist and her head instead made contact with mine. Unfortunately for her.
__________________________________________________________________________
"Ow." Draco had to stifle a laugh as she regained consciousness. She had a lump on her head.
"I'm sorry, *snigger* I really am."
"Oh sod off Malfoy..." She groaned, pressing the ice-pack to her forehead.
"Oh, I care for you and this is what I get?" He pretended to look hurt. Her eyes registered recognition.
"You did this?" She whispered. He blushed.
"Well, you know...I didn't want to make a big deal and have your two bodyguards descend on me with their righteous fury or nothin'... And you owe me!" He blustered. But she smiled.
"Thanks." He shrugged it off.
"Say, er...are you going out anywhere tonight?" He raised an eyebrow.
"And what exactly are you going to proposition, Granger?" She narrowed her eyes.
"I still wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole, Malfoy. But uh...I do owe you. Want some hot chocolate? Some company by the fire?" She smiled. Some of her best times with Harry and Ron were doing silly little things like that.
'Oh God. What do I do? What if she tells everyone I'm really just a pussy? Oh geez...if I say no she'll get offended. Why would I care if she gets offended? She's just trying to introduce me to her goody-goody lifestyle, "Oh look at me, look at what I have!" Or maybe she really wants to help me...I've never had someone offer me that before. It sounds...nice... Yeah, for a five-year-old.'
"Er...Draco?" That clinched it. 'Screw you conscience. And you sound too much like my damn father!'
"Why not." He smiled.
__________________________________________________________________________
"So um...what's with the singing? What song is that from?" She came in, carrying a tray of hot chocolate, marshmallows bobbing on the surface.
"Mmm...smells tasty. Do muggle drinks taste different to wizard drinks?" Draco was distracted by the disolving fluffy things. Hermione laughed.
"Try it. Muggle drinks are probably worse on the body than wizard drinks, but only if you have them in excess." Draco took a cautious sip, and his face lit up in delight.
"My faith in you has been installed, Granger."
"You do know how stupid that sentence sounded, right?"
"Well I couldn't say restored, because it wasn't there originally." Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Mmm...you've gotta do this for me more often!" She laughed.
"You wish!" They sat in contented silence for a moment, caught up staring in flames.
"That song was by Tupac Shakur. It's called White Man's World."
"...Wow. Not something I ever thought you would sing. Tupac, hey?" He reddened a little, and she wasn't sure if it was from the hot chocolate, sitting by the fire or being caught out.
"I like american muggle music. It's very meaningful. It's nice to listen to."
He grinned.
"Plus, they have lovely chicks!" She threw a pillow at him, laughing.
"Trust you, you perve!" The laughter faded away, although a smile still brushed her lips.
"Wow, this is something I never thought I'd be doing."
"What?"
"Sitting here, laughing, with you." he murmured his agreement through a large slurp.
"At maybe, but not with..."
"Something I've been dying to ask..." He looked at her.
"Just how do you get your phone to work? And who are you calling anyway?" He laughed.
"It's actually a wizarding model of a mobile phone. If I was to bring a muggle-phone into here, it would probably blow up from the generated magic friction. It's connected to be able to hone into locating frequencies. So I can still access muggle numbers." He took another sip.
"As to who I'm calling...I'm not sure if that's any of your business."
"Oh I'm sure, I'm sure. Draco the pimp..." She giggled.
"What's so funny? I think I'd be an excellent pimp!" He said indignantly.
"You'd probably be your own favourite customer!"
"Pfft...let me sing you a song, Granger. Maybe then you'd understand." He said with a wicked smile.
"Hey yo I'm still not a playa but you still a hater
Elevator to the top hah, see you later, I'm gone
Penthouse suite, Penthouse freaks
In house beach, french countesse, ten thou piece
Rent-out lease, with a option to buy
Coppin a five-oh Benz for when I'm not, far up in the sky
Puffin the lye, from my Twinzito
Up in the Benzito with my kiko from Queens, nicknamed Perico
We go back like PA's and wearin PJ's
Now we reach the peakage, runnin trains for three days
Who wanna ride it won't cost you a dollar
whether soft or harder of course you still gonna holla
My my, I'm big huh, I rip my (prick) through your hooters
I'm sick, you couldn't measure my (dick) with six rulers
Hold up, chula, I'm all about gettin loot
But I knock that boot, if you out to get HOOF
I dun wanna be a playa no more
I'm not a playa I just fuck a lot..."
"Lovely Draco! I really wanted to know!" She cut him off. He laughed, a real laugh. Not the evil laughter she was used to hearing reveberate down the corridors.
"Do you even know what half those words mean?" She asked. He shrugged.
"Maybe. So what kind of music do you like?"
"R&B."
The questions continued, finishing with;
"What do you really think of Pansy?" Draco's face made Hermione laugh so hard she fell onto Draco.
"Oh wow, I haven't laughed this hard in ages."
He smirked.
"She's alright, but after about a week it's like fucking a bucket."
"Eeew! That is so disGUSTing!" He grinned.
"You asked!"
"Oh dear...gosh, look at the time, it's like two in the morning!" Draco glanced out the window.
"It's still dark."
"Oh come on Draco, you can wash the dishes. I spent so much time making the hot chocolate and all..." Hermione remarked sarcastically. (A/N: Yeah right! It's in little packets. You add water and milk. How hard can it be? Dodgy, Hermione...)
"Really? Wow...you're gonna have to come back early to get it ready for me next time then." Draco's looked thoughtful. Hermione sighed.
"Come on, let's get to bed. I'll wash up tomorrow."
"Hey Granger?"
"Hmmm?" She yawned and rubbed her eyes.
"It was really good to talk to you."
"Yeah, same. Tomorrow's going to be a different story though, won't it?" Draco smiled sadly.
"Yeah. We can always have another night like this again though...all I have to do is headbutt you..." he laughed, grabbing her hand and pulling her off the couch. She fell forward, crashing into him. They laughed until their laughted died out and all you could hear was the spit and crackle from the fire.
"Night." He looked at her, and his arms somehow wrapped themselves around her waist.
"Yeah...night." She pulled him closer towards her, hugging him tightly.
__________________________________________________________________________
As Hermione climbed into bed, she pondered the day's happenings. The Dragon, hey? Trelawney had mentioned him. She wondered what the day would be like tomorrow. A smile lit her lips as she remembered a saying; 'In my sleep I hug my pillow and dream of you, one day I hope I'll be hugging you and dreaming of my pillow.' She went to sleep, dreaming of Draco.
Crookshanks leapt in from the windowsill and with a contented 'meow', curled up on Hermione's feet.
__________________________________________________________________________
Draco stripped down to his boxers, tripped over something on his floor and fell with an 'oompf!' He paused, listening intently. No noise came from the next room. Cautiously, he got up and carefully clambered into bed. He let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and promptly fell asleep, dreaming of a certain bushy-haired Mudblood he'd known for all of tonight.
(AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yeah, I know, I know, very OOC, oh-let's-just-fall-in-love...but it's what got written. So sue me.)
Chapter 4: The Art Of Seduction I
"Harry?"
"Mmmm." Ron sat down on the floor, ignoring the squishy feeling that he had sat on something unpleasant.
"I think you should tell Dumbledore."
"About what?" Harry looked innocent.
"You know what." Harry silently cursed Ron for knowing him too well. His friend rose, and muttered 'Lumos' under his breath. He then proceeded to one of the drawers, and began rummaging in his socks.
"You know, it's not good for you to keep thinking about it." Ron's behind 'spoke' to him as he kept going through the drawers.
"I don't want her to get hurt."
"Yeah, okay, whatever...just don't get drained." Ron found what he was looking for, and straightened, turning to face Harry as he nudged the drawer shut with his knee. He returned to the floor, sitting opposite Harry as he fiddled with a few small plastic bags.
"So what did you get Hermione for her birthday?" Ron mumbled something as he fiddled with whatever was on the floor, an almost full plastic bag in his mouth.
"What did you say?" Ron removed the bag from his mouth.
"Book voucher." He grinned as he raised the ceramic creation to his lips, and sparked the lighter to the spout attached to it. Harry watched curiously as Ron inhaled, and the leaves that Ron had stuck in the little cup at the end of the spout became glowing embers. Ron moved the bong away from his mouth, and exhaled a cloud of smoke at Harry.
"You need to relax Harry."
__________________________________________________________________________
Three hours later....
Harry sat in the office, pale and sallow. His knuckles were white as he gripped the arms of his chair tightly. Miss Humbleberry, the receptionist looked at him in sympathy.
"Are you sure you wouldn't want anything Harry?" He stopped gazing into space, but couldn't do anything other than shake his head.
A door further down the hall behind the reception opened, and Minerva McGonagall stepped out. Her face was grave.
"Headmaster Dumbledore will see you now, Harry." As he went to step past her, she halted him by clutching at his arm. She was truely shocked to see the tears sparkling in his eyes.
"I'm...I'm sorry Harry." Numbed, devoid of emotion she stepped past. It was strange how strong the bond was between Harry and Hedwig was. Was. Hedwig was gone.
She shuddered, wrapping her robes tighter around her. What kind of cruel creature hunted like that?
__________________________________________________________________________
"...twist the cap off the bottle, I take a sip and see tomorrow, gonna make it if I have to beg and borrow..."
A voice was muffled through the portrait. It increased in volume as she made her way down the corridor, opening the door to the common room. Draco's head snapped up.
"Granger, what are you doing here?" He asked, gritting his teeth in forced politeness. She could see a knife in one of his hands, he had been flipping the dagger up and catching it.
It was his voice that she had heard singing.
"Um...I don't know, maybe coming back to my dorm? You know, where I live? I share it with you actually, you know, the room next to yours? Yeah, I occupy it." She put her keys on the coffee table and walked to her room as she muttered on. Draco rolled his eyes.
"Alright Granger, I get your point...sheesh." He began whistling and throwing and catching the dagger again.
"You're in a good mood." She noted grumpily, coming from her room with a can of fizzy drink in one hand. She was rugged up in a baggy grey sweatshirt and leggings. Draco shrugged.
"Whatever do you mean?" He asked in his most aristocratic drawl.
"Ooo it's cold tonight. Hermione clambered onto one of the big warm sofas. She gazed distantly into the flames for a moment.
"Nothing. Just, no insults for me tonight? No attempts on my life?" She gave him a half-smile, half-sneer.
"Oh give it a rest would you mudblood?" He threw the dagger at her, it sailed past her head and embedded in the portrait behind her.
"Oh I do say..." a mutilated Picasso piece scowled.
"There, is that better?" Draco ignored the painting, eyes watching Hermione intently.
__________________________________________________________________________
I was so afraid when the dagger left his hand. At first I was like 'Oh, he wouldn't throw it.' Shows how unpredictable Malfoy is. As it came closer and closer to my head, I couldn't move, I was frozen, eyes wide open. Then all I could do was shut them tight and pray.
__________________________________________________________________________
"Don't you dare do that again!!" She cried, jumping from her seat. I laughed, putting out arms to fend her off as she started to try punching me.
"Do you really think you're stronger than I?" I grabbed both her arms and pulled her down. At the last moment I saw she was about to crack her head on the armrest of my chair, so I had to twist and her head instead made contact with mine. Unfortunately for her.
__________________________________________________________________________
"Ow." Draco had to stifle a laugh as she regained consciousness. She had a lump on her head.
"I'm sorry, *snigger* I really am."
"Oh sod off Malfoy..." She groaned, pressing the ice-pack to her forehead.
"Oh, I care for you and this is what I get?" He pretended to look hurt. Her eyes registered recognition.
"You did this?" She whispered. He blushed.
"Well, you know...I didn't want to make a big deal and have your two bodyguards descend on me with their righteous fury or nothin'... And you owe me!" He blustered. But she smiled.
"Thanks." He shrugged it off.
"Say, er...are you going out anywhere tonight?" He raised an eyebrow.
"And what exactly are you going to proposition, Granger?" She narrowed her eyes.
"I still wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole, Malfoy. But uh...I do owe you. Want some hot chocolate? Some company by the fire?" She smiled. Some of her best times with Harry and Ron were doing silly little things like that.
'Oh God. What do I do? What if she tells everyone I'm really just a pussy? Oh geez...if I say no she'll get offended. Why would I care if she gets offended? She's just trying to introduce me to her goody-goody lifestyle, "Oh look at me, look at what I have!" Or maybe she really wants to help me...I've never had someone offer me that before. It sounds...nice... Yeah, for a five-year-old.'
"Er...Draco?" That clinched it. 'Screw you conscience. And you sound too much like my damn father!'
"Why not." He smiled.
__________________________________________________________________________
"So um...what's with the singing? What song is that from?" She came in, carrying a tray of hot chocolate, marshmallows bobbing on the surface.
"Mmm...smells tasty. Do muggle drinks taste different to wizard drinks?" Draco was distracted by the disolving fluffy things. Hermione laughed.
"Try it. Muggle drinks are probably worse on the body than wizard drinks, but only if you have them in excess." Draco took a cautious sip, and his face lit up in delight.
"My faith in you has been installed, Granger."
"You do know how stupid that sentence sounded, right?"
"Well I couldn't say restored, because it wasn't there originally." Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Mmm...you've gotta do this for me more often!" She laughed.
"You wish!" They sat in contented silence for a moment, caught up staring in flames.
"That song was by Tupac Shakur. It's called White Man's World."
"...Wow. Not something I ever thought you would sing. Tupac, hey?" He reddened a little, and she wasn't sure if it was from the hot chocolate, sitting by the fire or being caught out.
"I like american muggle music. It's very meaningful. It's nice to listen to."
He grinned.
"Plus, they have lovely chicks!" She threw a pillow at him, laughing.
"Trust you, you perve!" The laughter faded away, although a smile still brushed her lips.
"Wow, this is something I never thought I'd be doing."
"What?"
"Sitting here, laughing, with you." he murmured his agreement through a large slurp.
"At maybe, but not with..."
"Something I've been dying to ask..." He looked at her.
"Just how do you get your phone to work? And who are you calling anyway?" He laughed.
"It's actually a wizarding model of a mobile phone. If I was to bring a muggle-phone into here, it would probably blow up from the generated magic friction. It's connected to be able to hone into locating frequencies. So I can still access muggle numbers." He took another sip.
"As to who I'm calling...I'm not sure if that's any of your business."
"Oh I'm sure, I'm sure. Draco the pimp..." She giggled.
"What's so funny? I think I'd be an excellent pimp!" He said indignantly.
"You'd probably be your own favourite customer!"
"Pfft...let me sing you a song, Granger. Maybe then you'd understand." He said with a wicked smile.
"Hey yo I'm still not a playa but you still a hater
Elevator to the top hah, see you later, I'm gone
Penthouse suite, Penthouse freaks
In house beach, french countesse, ten thou piece
Rent-out lease, with a option to buy
Coppin a five-oh Benz for when I'm not, far up in the sky
Puffin the lye, from my Twinzito
Up in the Benzito with my kiko from Queens, nicknamed Perico
We go back like PA's and wearin PJ's
Now we reach the peakage, runnin trains for three days
Who wanna ride it won't cost you a dollar
whether soft or harder of course you still gonna holla
My my, I'm big huh, I rip my (prick) through your hooters
I'm sick, you couldn't measure my (dick) with six rulers
Hold up, chula, I'm all about gettin loot
But I knock that boot, if you out to get HOOF
I dun wanna be a playa no more
I'm not a playa I just fuck a lot..."
"Lovely Draco! I really wanted to know!" She cut him off. He laughed, a real laugh. Not the evil laughter she was used to hearing reveberate down the corridors.
"Do you even know what half those words mean?" She asked. He shrugged.
"Maybe. So what kind of music do you like?"
"R&B."
The questions continued, finishing with;
"What do you really think of Pansy?" Draco's face made Hermione laugh so hard she fell onto Draco.
"Oh wow, I haven't laughed this hard in ages."
He smirked.
"She's alright, but after about a week it's like fucking a bucket."
"Eeew! That is so disGUSTing!" He grinned.
"You asked!"
"Oh dear...gosh, look at the time, it's like two in the morning!" Draco glanced out the window.
"It's still dark."
"Oh come on Draco, you can wash the dishes. I spent so much time making the hot chocolate and all..." Hermione remarked sarcastically. (A/N: Yeah right! It's in little packets. You add water and milk. How hard can it be? Dodgy, Hermione...)
"Really? Wow...you're gonna have to come back early to get it ready for me next time then." Draco's looked thoughtful. Hermione sighed.
"Come on, let's get to bed. I'll wash up tomorrow."
"Hey Granger?"
"Hmmm?" She yawned and rubbed her eyes.
"It was really good to talk to you."
"Yeah, same. Tomorrow's going to be a different story though, won't it?" Draco smiled sadly.
"Yeah. We can always have another night like this again though...all I have to do is headbutt you..." he laughed, grabbing her hand and pulling her off the couch. She fell forward, crashing into him. They laughed until their laughted died out and all you could hear was the spit and crackle from the fire.
"Night." He looked at her, and his arms somehow wrapped themselves around her waist.
"Yeah...night." She pulled him closer towards her, hugging him tightly.
__________________________________________________________________________
As Hermione climbed into bed, she pondered the day's happenings. The Dragon, hey? Trelawney had mentioned him. She wondered what the day would be like tomorrow. A smile lit her lips as she remembered a saying; 'In my sleep I hug my pillow and dream of you, one day I hope I'll be hugging you and dreaming of my pillow.' She went to sleep, dreaming of Draco.
Crookshanks leapt in from the windowsill and with a contented 'meow', curled up on Hermione's feet.
__________________________________________________________________________
Draco stripped down to his boxers, tripped over something on his floor and fell with an 'oompf!' He paused, listening intently. No noise came from the next room. Cautiously, he got up and carefully clambered into bed. He let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and promptly fell asleep, dreaming of a certain bushy-haired Mudblood he'd known for all of tonight.
(AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yeah, I know, I know, very OOC, oh-let's-just-fall-in-love...but it's what got written. So sue me.)