A Stomper, A full moon, and A tower
Hermione sighed as she closed her Transfiguration textbook. She had spoken to Professor McGonagall about her absence from class and offered to do extra credit work, which she had completed along with the assigned homework. But instead of feeling she had accomplished anything, Hermione felt weary of the library. Weary of the library for the first time of her life. She suddenly found her familiar corner of the library too secluded and closed in. The air was stuffy with the smell of old books, a smell that she used to welcome, something that was invigorating when she was ready to start a project.
She stuffed her books into her bulging bag and grabbed her cloak from her chair. Some fresh air would help her feel more up to studying, she decided, and headed towards the entrance hall. Maybe she could clear her mind and push the thoughts of Harry that had been plaguing her mind since the moment she walked in on him and one of her closest friends.
When Hermione reached the front doors she stepped out into the cool air taking a deep breath. The air was crisp and chilled Hermione's skin sending goose bumps across her bare arms. She wrapped her cloak around her and preformed a warming charm to keep the chill off her face. When she reached the lake she almost went to her usual spot but stopped herself. Harry had asked her out there, had given her their first kiss there. She turned from the smooth rock that had been their spot and talked towards the weeping willow on the opposite bank of the lake. She cleared the dirt around the base of the trunk and dried the spot of the October mud. When she was settled she closed her eyes and listened to the sounds around her. The swaying of the willow tree, the splashes of the lake as the octopus dunked its tentacles in and out of the water lazily. The sound of birds flapping to get to their trees as the sun quickly faded behind the forbidden forest. She could smell wild chamomile growing at the banks of the river and it clamed her.
"Hermione?" she was snapped out of her trance by the sound of her name. Hoping against hope that it wasn't Harry, looking for her at their spot and finding her across the lake, she turned to see not jet-black hair of Harry Potter, but the wispy sliver of Draco Malfoy. He was standing decked out in Quidditch robes and his broom in hand. She couldn't see the expression on his face because the flowing leaves of the willow caste long delicate shadows across his face, but his silver blond hair was unmistakable.
"Draco?" She said standing from her spot and lighting her wand. It had grown darker how long had she been entranced? The light from her wand lit of the canopy of the willow tree and faded out the shadows so she could clearly see his face. He looked tired and sweaty. She guessed he was on his way back from Quidditch practice and had somehow seen her.
"What are you doing here? It's getting late out." He stepped closer and took out his own wand lighting it, but shining it out of the canopy and scanning around the bank of the lake and the forest which was unsettlingly close. "Full moon tonight, not a good idea, common lets go." He grabbed her bag and set his broom hovering. "Get on then." He said when she just stared at the hovering broom.
"I don't think so, I'm not getting on that." She said stepping away from the broom and towards the castle, but he grabbed her arm and turned her to face him.
"Your not afraid are you?" He asked a smirk donning his face faster then you could say Quidditch. Hermione shook her head lying and stuck out her chin.
" No, I'm not afraid, brooms and I just don't mix." He laughed and pulled her closer to the broom. She shook her head again and tried to grab her bag but he held it out of reach and pushed the broom closer to her.
" Come on Hermione, this is a top of the line Stomper 2002, your not going to fall or anything, besides, would you rather be eaten by a ware wolf? Common don't you trust me?" He looked serious and Hermione almost faltered but shook her head again.
"Please Draco, I don't want to I'd rather take my chances with the wolf." Just as the words left her lips they could hear the distant sound of a wolf howling. Hermione bit her lip.
"See, common, lets go." He slipped his grip from her arm to her hand and pushed the broom to her mounting level. "Get out and I'll go in front of you, and I'll stir and you wont have to worry, or even open you eyes, ok?" Hermione nodded and mounted the broom, shaking slightly as it raised slightly to meet Draco's mounting height. As soon as he mounted he hovered out of the willow's canopy and then kicked of the ground. Startled Hermione grabbed onto Draco's waist, her head against his back and her eyes clamped tightly shut. She could feel the wind whipping past her face but it didn't chill her as she still had the heating charm still on.
When she took the chance of opening her eyes she regretted it instantly. They were high up, so high that she saw the forbidden forests' trees as miniscule green and brown blotches and they were parallel to the highest tower. She squealed and gripped Draco more tightly around his middle. She could hear him laugh over the roar of the mind. Hot tears escaped her tightly squeezed eyes and she prayed to god that she didn't fall off.
"Do we have to be this high up?" she yelled over the whipping wind, keeping sure her eyes didn't wonder back downwards towards the faraway grounds of Hogwarts.
"No!" Draco screamed back, "But unless you want to be seen flying after hours with everyone's favorite Slytherin then I think we should go through one of the towers." Hermione nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see her response and placed her head against his shoulder trying to block out the vision of the ground rushing to meet her as she fell. She cried silently and shook with fear. She had always known her fear of flying, Muggle planes would never see Hermione Granger clam, but she never knew she would freak this much by a broomstick ride. The worse thing was that it was Draco Malfoy seeing her fall apart over a small fly. But then again he had been acting strangely nice towards her that day.
The day that just keeps on giving.
*
She shivered involuntarily, and Draco felt it through his entire body. She was acting as if she had never been on a broom before. Maybe she hasn't gone more then the 5 feet they took to during their first flying lessons with Madam Hooch. He could feel her tears soak through his Quidditch robes and almost slowed the broom down, but the sooner they got to the tower the sooner the ride would be over. He probably should have risked going through the front doors but it wasn't something he had thought about at the time.
Being a Quidditch lover, nothing could be better then flying. The adrenalin pumping though his veins when he kicked off the ground and the feel of wind whipping through his hair, everything about flying kept his heart racing and his spirits high. He had no idea what Hermione could be so afraid of. Did she think he would let her fall? Maybe she did. Maybe the past threats he had made against Muggle born witches and wizards were still very fresh in her mind.
"Hermione? Are you ok?" he called over his shoulder, he could see the observation deck of the Astronomy tower now and picked up the pace slightly, she tighten her grip around his waist and clutched the fabric of his Quidditch robes tightly. She answered but her response was lost on the wind. He could see the flickering light of many windows as he pulled the broom back to slow down and then hovered a second before touching down on the weather worn stone of the deck. He quickly dismounted and spun to catch Hermione as she stumbled off the broom. She was hiccupping and tears steamed down her face, red from crying. "Are you ok?" He repeated and even though she nodded he helped her towards the door ok the tower, whistling for his broom to obediently follow. But before he could reach the door she fainted against him, almost pulling him down.
Muttering to himself about why chivalry was dead, he scooped her up and started the long journey to the Hospital wing from the tower.
*
"What do you think your doing-Miss Granger? What happened?' Madam Pomfrey rushed over to the two students and lightly brushed the hair off her face. Draco pushed past the concerned woman and picked the bed closest to the large windows to set Hermione down. He used his elbow to pull the curtains back and when Pomfrey came by and pulled the covers back on the bed, and Draco placed Hermione onto the soft hospital bed.
"Mr. Malfoy, I insist on knowing what you did to this poor girl?" Madam Pomfrey said as she checked Hermione's pulse and covered her with the heavy hospital blankets. A small double clock-like thing appeared into the air and monitored the beating of her heat and the rate of her breathing.
"What I did?" Draco demanded, enraged instantly, here he was being nice and the first person he came across demands what he did. "Why do u assume I did anything? If you must know we were flying and she got so scared that she fainted." Pomfrey gave him a look that showed nothing but suspicion, but didn't say anything about it, instead she began to shoo him out.
"Off you go, I need to inform Mr. Potter and I will not have you two fighting in my hospital." Draco refused to budge from his spot at the side of Hermione's bed.
"You will do no such thing. Hermione does not want to see or even talk to Potter and I won't have him upsetting again today." Draco sat down in the chair next to the bed and sat staring at the sunned Pomfrey.
"Mr. Malfoy don't be ridiculous, of course Miss Granger wants to see Mr. Potter, they are best friends and Mr. Potter wouldn't do anything to upset Miss Granger." Pomfrey said looking at Draco as if she had seen an alien.
"Well he would and he has. So 'm not moving and potter isn't coming either." Draco settled back into the chair, resting his elbows on the arms rests and folding his hands into his lap. He gave Pomfrey a look that showed he was serious and then turned to look out the window towards the lake.
"Well then, I'm calling the headmaster Mr. Malfoy, you better pray your telling the truth." The witch turned and disappeared into her office and shut the door behind herself.
*
"But if you planning on sending him out there, you can't be sure he will follow out with the plan. Albus, I know I recommended him, but I thought that we would at least try to persuade his thinking. But instead you told him all of our plans. How can you be sure of anything?" Snape asked his friend, upset for letting his emotions show how angry he was and as he waited for a response, the fire in front of them flickered and the face of a flustered looking Pomfrey popped into view.
"Ah Poppy! What can I do for you?" Albus asked cheerfully sitting forward in his chair and smiling with knowing eyes. This unnerved Snape, Albus always had a look of knowing, as it came with real seers. But he never gave away whether or not if he actually knows what you were thinking.
"Albus, Mr. Malfoy just came in with Miss Granger, he says she fainted, he also says that she would hate nothing more then finding Mr. Potter there upon her awakening. He refused to leave Albus. Maybe you could some and talk some sense into him." She cast a pained look over her shoulder and turned back looking annoyed, even though it was peacefully silent.
"Well Poppy, I would if he were lying but I do believe Mr. Potter has betrayed Miss Granger's trust and in fact is the last person she would want to see. And as for Mr. Malfoy, I think we will allow him to remain where he is." Poppy was about to object but closed her mouth at the knowing look in the headmaster's eyes. She popped out of vies and Snape turned to look unbelievingly at Albus.
"You can't possibly mean Granger! They have hated each other since they met each other."
"We can't explain the ways of the heart, we can only observe and try to listen to what it's trying to tell us." Albus sipped from his mug of hot chocolate and stared into the fire. "Besides," he said after a moment of silence. "What else t conquer over evil with but love?" *
"What do you mean I can't see her?" Harry said trying to side step the matron, who refused to let him in to see Hermione. "I thought you said she was fine." Harry had heard about Hermione hospitalization by Neville who had gone to the hospital wing early that morning with a sprained wrist.
" I assure you she just needs rest, but that doesn't mean she if fit to see you." Harry was surprised to see how short the matron was being with him. She almost always shooed him away from the hospital wing but always gave in after a few tries. This time, however, he had been begging for a full ten minutes. Harry was about to try again when the Matron looked past his shoulder and spoke to someone behind him. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy, you found her bad alright?" Harry spun around to see Draco Malfoy carrying what was unmistakably Hermione's school bag.
"Yes, she almost skinned me live when I told her I left it in the tower." Malfoy pushed past Harry shooting him a horrible look and Madam Pomfrey let him by her instantly, closing the door behind him.
"What! You just let him in! What is he doing with Hermione's bag? I demand to see her right now!" Harry tried to push past the shocked matron but only got as far as his hand on the knob before he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Mr. Potter? Are you harassing the Matron?" Grimacing Harry turned to face the voice that was unfortunately, and unmistakably, Snape's. The teacher looked tired and uneasy, but even so, found a way to make Harry's life hell.
"No, I was just." before Harry could continue Snape interrupted, rather rudely, but it was Snape and that was expected.
"Mr. Potter I believe no one in the Hospital wing is in need of you assistance, nor wants your company. So I think you should run along, classes are to start soon, and you wouldn't want Gryffindor to loose and house points for you tardiness do you?" Without an answer Snape stepped out of Harry's way and motioned him to leave the hallway. And with one last look at the closed door behind him, Harry trudged off.
*
Draco walked into the Hospital wing and to Hermione's bed. She had woken up half an hour ago and the first thing she said was about her book bag. The second was to scold Draco, who had spent the night in the chair next to her bed (though he hadn't said anything about that), scold him about bringing her to the hospital wing when he could have revived her right away.
"Now I have to sit here all day and wait, I'll miss so much, and I promised Ron to help him with his potions assignment." She babbled on until Draco threw a pillow at her and what followed was a large pillow fight, ending when Pomfrey had come in to see her pristine Hospital wind covered in goose feathers. Seeing as though Hermione was in her 'condition', which conveniently took a turn for the worse after they had been caught, Draco had to clean the mess himself.
When Draco left to retrieve Hermione's book bag from the astronomy tower he had warned the whimpering Neville not to utter a word to Potter about Hermione being in the hospital wing. But he saw upon his arrival that Neville had run straight to Potter as quickly as his legs could carry him.
The sight of Potter had made his blood boil, the source of Hermione's problems, acting as if he cared. Screaming like a bloody lunatic, Draco could hear him from down the hall. As could professor Snape who had stopped Draco to ask about Hermione's condition. And all Draco had to say was 'she sent me for her book bag' for Snape to know Hermione was fine.
Draco had found it curious that Snape had asked about Hermione but that was pushed out of him mind as he stepped into the hallway leading to the hospital wing, seeing Potter yelling at the Matron and then, being able to walk right past them both and into the room where Harry Potter wasn't welcome but Draco Malfoy was.
"Was that Harry?" Hermione asked as Draco pulled the curtains around her bed back and dumping her bag onto the floor next to her bed.
"Yes, but Pomfrey shooed him off, git was screaming on the top of his lungs." Draco sat back into his chair and pulled Hermione's bag into his lap. "Here is your transfiguration text book and you D.A.D.A text, and here is your Astronomy, damn thing weighs a ton." He stacked the books on her bedside table and took out her quills and parchment. " I have no idea why you would want to study, you don't need to and you have the day off."
"What?" Hermione said falling back into her pillows in despair. "She isn't going to let me out? I just fainted from fright, its not like I starve myself!"
"Might as well be starving yourself, your as light as a feather." Draco said, taking her food tray and stealing her toast.
"Hey! I said I don't starve myself, give me my toast back! You don't want me to start another pillow fight do you? She laughed and then watched as Draco pushed the half toast folded in half into his mouth and bit down smugly. But she quickly whipped the look off his face as a pillow hit him right in the middle of the head.
Five minutes later Pomfrey screamed herself horse.
"OUT! I said out! Not just you Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger you are discharged, collect your things if you can find them in this MESS and get out!" Through fits of laughter the two students escaped the gleaming eyes of the matron and sprinted down the hall and smacked right into a very tall wizard.
*
Second chapter, I hope everyone likes it so far, I know it's not the best but I have to establish a bond between our two main characters.
I just want to thank everyone who reviewed. I would like to especially like to thank Jinglefairy who reviewed within five minutes of my posting the story, gave me a good feeling about this story.
Dragon girl-thanks I'll try to remember a computer if the villagers swing by this way on their way back.
Min.Min.ah- I'm not sure what you meant but you did say continue so thanks!
Horse-girl- lol u had me worried a second there, thank you and I'll try, just could you do me a fav? What exactly did u think was good? Maybe I could do it again, because I don't write these storied my hands do, my minds just here for spell check.
Stephanie- I think we might see Draco whip Harry's ass, but you'll have to see what happens, along with me, once again fingers write, mind proofreads
Elvine wood nymph- Thank you
Melissa- ok since you begged I'll continue.
AnGeLwInGz- I think I'm sick of seeing Harry being so perfect that I had to make him evil. Thanks for your review.
Morigan Riddle- Thank you, I'm glad this isn't a load of crap, so far.
Jokester515- the plan should be entertaining, suspenseful and nerve wreaking. Can't wait to think the whole thing up! Just joking that is one part of the story I'm sure of.
Marille- I'm glad you liked it, I was hoping people would, it's so nice to get good reviews!
Thanks to everyone who took the time to read, even if you chose not to review. I hope this chapter was to your liking and there is only one-way for me to find out. Review please!
Hermione sighed as she closed her Transfiguration textbook. She had spoken to Professor McGonagall about her absence from class and offered to do extra credit work, which she had completed along with the assigned homework. But instead of feeling she had accomplished anything, Hermione felt weary of the library. Weary of the library for the first time of her life. She suddenly found her familiar corner of the library too secluded and closed in. The air was stuffy with the smell of old books, a smell that she used to welcome, something that was invigorating when she was ready to start a project.
She stuffed her books into her bulging bag and grabbed her cloak from her chair. Some fresh air would help her feel more up to studying, she decided, and headed towards the entrance hall. Maybe she could clear her mind and push the thoughts of Harry that had been plaguing her mind since the moment she walked in on him and one of her closest friends.
When Hermione reached the front doors she stepped out into the cool air taking a deep breath. The air was crisp and chilled Hermione's skin sending goose bumps across her bare arms. She wrapped her cloak around her and preformed a warming charm to keep the chill off her face. When she reached the lake she almost went to her usual spot but stopped herself. Harry had asked her out there, had given her their first kiss there. She turned from the smooth rock that had been their spot and talked towards the weeping willow on the opposite bank of the lake. She cleared the dirt around the base of the trunk and dried the spot of the October mud. When she was settled she closed her eyes and listened to the sounds around her. The swaying of the willow tree, the splashes of the lake as the octopus dunked its tentacles in and out of the water lazily. The sound of birds flapping to get to their trees as the sun quickly faded behind the forbidden forest. She could smell wild chamomile growing at the banks of the river and it clamed her.
"Hermione?" she was snapped out of her trance by the sound of her name. Hoping against hope that it wasn't Harry, looking for her at their spot and finding her across the lake, she turned to see not jet-black hair of Harry Potter, but the wispy sliver of Draco Malfoy. He was standing decked out in Quidditch robes and his broom in hand. She couldn't see the expression on his face because the flowing leaves of the willow caste long delicate shadows across his face, but his silver blond hair was unmistakable.
"Draco?" She said standing from her spot and lighting her wand. It had grown darker how long had she been entranced? The light from her wand lit of the canopy of the willow tree and faded out the shadows so she could clearly see his face. He looked tired and sweaty. She guessed he was on his way back from Quidditch practice and had somehow seen her.
"What are you doing here? It's getting late out." He stepped closer and took out his own wand lighting it, but shining it out of the canopy and scanning around the bank of the lake and the forest which was unsettlingly close. "Full moon tonight, not a good idea, common lets go." He grabbed her bag and set his broom hovering. "Get on then." He said when she just stared at the hovering broom.
"I don't think so, I'm not getting on that." She said stepping away from the broom and towards the castle, but he grabbed her arm and turned her to face him.
"Your not afraid are you?" He asked a smirk donning his face faster then you could say Quidditch. Hermione shook her head lying and stuck out her chin.
" No, I'm not afraid, brooms and I just don't mix." He laughed and pulled her closer to the broom. She shook her head again and tried to grab her bag but he held it out of reach and pushed the broom closer to her.
" Come on Hermione, this is a top of the line Stomper 2002, your not going to fall or anything, besides, would you rather be eaten by a ware wolf? Common don't you trust me?" He looked serious and Hermione almost faltered but shook her head again.
"Please Draco, I don't want to I'd rather take my chances with the wolf." Just as the words left her lips they could hear the distant sound of a wolf howling. Hermione bit her lip.
"See, common, lets go." He slipped his grip from her arm to her hand and pushed the broom to her mounting level. "Get out and I'll go in front of you, and I'll stir and you wont have to worry, or even open you eyes, ok?" Hermione nodded and mounted the broom, shaking slightly as it raised slightly to meet Draco's mounting height. As soon as he mounted he hovered out of the willow's canopy and then kicked of the ground. Startled Hermione grabbed onto Draco's waist, her head against his back and her eyes clamped tightly shut. She could feel the wind whipping past her face but it didn't chill her as she still had the heating charm still on.
When she took the chance of opening her eyes she regretted it instantly. They were high up, so high that she saw the forbidden forests' trees as miniscule green and brown blotches and they were parallel to the highest tower. She squealed and gripped Draco more tightly around his middle. She could hear him laugh over the roar of the mind. Hot tears escaped her tightly squeezed eyes and she prayed to god that she didn't fall off.
"Do we have to be this high up?" she yelled over the whipping wind, keeping sure her eyes didn't wonder back downwards towards the faraway grounds of Hogwarts.
"No!" Draco screamed back, "But unless you want to be seen flying after hours with everyone's favorite Slytherin then I think we should go through one of the towers." Hermione nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see her response and placed her head against his shoulder trying to block out the vision of the ground rushing to meet her as she fell. She cried silently and shook with fear. She had always known her fear of flying, Muggle planes would never see Hermione Granger clam, but she never knew she would freak this much by a broomstick ride. The worse thing was that it was Draco Malfoy seeing her fall apart over a small fly. But then again he had been acting strangely nice towards her that day.
The day that just keeps on giving.
*
She shivered involuntarily, and Draco felt it through his entire body. She was acting as if she had never been on a broom before. Maybe she hasn't gone more then the 5 feet they took to during their first flying lessons with Madam Hooch. He could feel her tears soak through his Quidditch robes and almost slowed the broom down, but the sooner they got to the tower the sooner the ride would be over. He probably should have risked going through the front doors but it wasn't something he had thought about at the time.
Being a Quidditch lover, nothing could be better then flying. The adrenalin pumping though his veins when he kicked off the ground and the feel of wind whipping through his hair, everything about flying kept his heart racing and his spirits high. He had no idea what Hermione could be so afraid of. Did she think he would let her fall? Maybe she did. Maybe the past threats he had made against Muggle born witches and wizards were still very fresh in her mind.
"Hermione? Are you ok?" he called over his shoulder, he could see the observation deck of the Astronomy tower now and picked up the pace slightly, she tighten her grip around his waist and clutched the fabric of his Quidditch robes tightly. She answered but her response was lost on the wind. He could see the flickering light of many windows as he pulled the broom back to slow down and then hovered a second before touching down on the weather worn stone of the deck. He quickly dismounted and spun to catch Hermione as she stumbled off the broom. She was hiccupping and tears steamed down her face, red from crying. "Are you ok?" He repeated and even though she nodded he helped her towards the door ok the tower, whistling for his broom to obediently follow. But before he could reach the door she fainted against him, almost pulling him down.
Muttering to himself about why chivalry was dead, he scooped her up and started the long journey to the Hospital wing from the tower.
*
"What do you think your doing-Miss Granger? What happened?' Madam Pomfrey rushed over to the two students and lightly brushed the hair off her face. Draco pushed past the concerned woman and picked the bed closest to the large windows to set Hermione down. He used his elbow to pull the curtains back and when Pomfrey came by and pulled the covers back on the bed, and Draco placed Hermione onto the soft hospital bed.
"Mr. Malfoy, I insist on knowing what you did to this poor girl?" Madam Pomfrey said as she checked Hermione's pulse and covered her with the heavy hospital blankets. A small double clock-like thing appeared into the air and monitored the beating of her heat and the rate of her breathing.
"What I did?" Draco demanded, enraged instantly, here he was being nice and the first person he came across demands what he did. "Why do u assume I did anything? If you must know we were flying and she got so scared that she fainted." Pomfrey gave him a look that showed nothing but suspicion, but didn't say anything about it, instead she began to shoo him out.
"Off you go, I need to inform Mr. Potter and I will not have you two fighting in my hospital." Draco refused to budge from his spot at the side of Hermione's bed.
"You will do no such thing. Hermione does not want to see or even talk to Potter and I won't have him upsetting again today." Draco sat down in the chair next to the bed and sat staring at the sunned Pomfrey.
"Mr. Malfoy don't be ridiculous, of course Miss Granger wants to see Mr. Potter, they are best friends and Mr. Potter wouldn't do anything to upset Miss Granger." Pomfrey said looking at Draco as if she had seen an alien.
"Well he would and he has. So 'm not moving and potter isn't coming either." Draco settled back into the chair, resting his elbows on the arms rests and folding his hands into his lap. He gave Pomfrey a look that showed he was serious and then turned to look out the window towards the lake.
"Well then, I'm calling the headmaster Mr. Malfoy, you better pray your telling the truth." The witch turned and disappeared into her office and shut the door behind herself.
*
"But if you planning on sending him out there, you can't be sure he will follow out with the plan. Albus, I know I recommended him, but I thought that we would at least try to persuade his thinking. But instead you told him all of our plans. How can you be sure of anything?" Snape asked his friend, upset for letting his emotions show how angry he was and as he waited for a response, the fire in front of them flickered and the face of a flustered looking Pomfrey popped into view.
"Ah Poppy! What can I do for you?" Albus asked cheerfully sitting forward in his chair and smiling with knowing eyes. This unnerved Snape, Albus always had a look of knowing, as it came with real seers. But he never gave away whether or not if he actually knows what you were thinking.
"Albus, Mr. Malfoy just came in with Miss Granger, he says she fainted, he also says that she would hate nothing more then finding Mr. Potter there upon her awakening. He refused to leave Albus. Maybe you could some and talk some sense into him." She cast a pained look over her shoulder and turned back looking annoyed, even though it was peacefully silent.
"Well Poppy, I would if he were lying but I do believe Mr. Potter has betrayed Miss Granger's trust and in fact is the last person she would want to see. And as for Mr. Malfoy, I think we will allow him to remain where he is." Poppy was about to object but closed her mouth at the knowing look in the headmaster's eyes. She popped out of vies and Snape turned to look unbelievingly at Albus.
"You can't possibly mean Granger! They have hated each other since they met each other."
"We can't explain the ways of the heart, we can only observe and try to listen to what it's trying to tell us." Albus sipped from his mug of hot chocolate and stared into the fire. "Besides," he said after a moment of silence. "What else t conquer over evil with but love?" *
"What do you mean I can't see her?" Harry said trying to side step the matron, who refused to let him in to see Hermione. "I thought you said she was fine." Harry had heard about Hermione hospitalization by Neville who had gone to the hospital wing early that morning with a sprained wrist.
" I assure you she just needs rest, but that doesn't mean she if fit to see you." Harry was surprised to see how short the matron was being with him. She almost always shooed him away from the hospital wing but always gave in after a few tries. This time, however, he had been begging for a full ten minutes. Harry was about to try again when the Matron looked past his shoulder and spoke to someone behind him. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy, you found her bad alright?" Harry spun around to see Draco Malfoy carrying what was unmistakably Hermione's school bag.
"Yes, she almost skinned me live when I told her I left it in the tower." Malfoy pushed past Harry shooting him a horrible look and Madam Pomfrey let him by her instantly, closing the door behind him.
"What! You just let him in! What is he doing with Hermione's bag? I demand to see her right now!" Harry tried to push past the shocked matron but only got as far as his hand on the knob before he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Mr. Potter? Are you harassing the Matron?" Grimacing Harry turned to face the voice that was unfortunately, and unmistakably, Snape's. The teacher looked tired and uneasy, but even so, found a way to make Harry's life hell.
"No, I was just." before Harry could continue Snape interrupted, rather rudely, but it was Snape and that was expected.
"Mr. Potter I believe no one in the Hospital wing is in need of you assistance, nor wants your company. So I think you should run along, classes are to start soon, and you wouldn't want Gryffindor to loose and house points for you tardiness do you?" Without an answer Snape stepped out of Harry's way and motioned him to leave the hallway. And with one last look at the closed door behind him, Harry trudged off.
*
Draco walked into the Hospital wing and to Hermione's bed. She had woken up half an hour ago and the first thing she said was about her book bag. The second was to scold Draco, who had spent the night in the chair next to her bed (though he hadn't said anything about that), scold him about bringing her to the hospital wing when he could have revived her right away.
"Now I have to sit here all day and wait, I'll miss so much, and I promised Ron to help him with his potions assignment." She babbled on until Draco threw a pillow at her and what followed was a large pillow fight, ending when Pomfrey had come in to see her pristine Hospital wind covered in goose feathers. Seeing as though Hermione was in her 'condition', which conveniently took a turn for the worse after they had been caught, Draco had to clean the mess himself.
When Draco left to retrieve Hermione's book bag from the astronomy tower he had warned the whimpering Neville not to utter a word to Potter about Hermione being in the hospital wing. But he saw upon his arrival that Neville had run straight to Potter as quickly as his legs could carry him.
The sight of Potter had made his blood boil, the source of Hermione's problems, acting as if he cared. Screaming like a bloody lunatic, Draco could hear him from down the hall. As could professor Snape who had stopped Draco to ask about Hermione's condition. And all Draco had to say was 'she sent me for her book bag' for Snape to know Hermione was fine.
Draco had found it curious that Snape had asked about Hermione but that was pushed out of him mind as he stepped into the hallway leading to the hospital wing, seeing Potter yelling at the Matron and then, being able to walk right past them both and into the room where Harry Potter wasn't welcome but Draco Malfoy was.
"Was that Harry?" Hermione asked as Draco pulled the curtains around her bed back and dumping her bag onto the floor next to her bed.
"Yes, but Pomfrey shooed him off, git was screaming on the top of his lungs." Draco sat back into his chair and pulled Hermione's bag into his lap. "Here is your transfiguration text book and you D.A.D.A text, and here is your Astronomy, damn thing weighs a ton." He stacked the books on her bedside table and took out her quills and parchment. " I have no idea why you would want to study, you don't need to and you have the day off."
"What?" Hermione said falling back into her pillows in despair. "She isn't going to let me out? I just fainted from fright, its not like I starve myself!"
"Might as well be starving yourself, your as light as a feather." Draco said, taking her food tray and stealing her toast.
"Hey! I said I don't starve myself, give me my toast back! You don't want me to start another pillow fight do you? She laughed and then watched as Draco pushed the half toast folded in half into his mouth and bit down smugly. But she quickly whipped the look off his face as a pillow hit him right in the middle of the head.
Five minutes later Pomfrey screamed herself horse.
"OUT! I said out! Not just you Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger you are discharged, collect your things if you can find them in this MESS and get out!" Through fits of laughter the two students escaped the gleaming eyes of the matron and sprinted down the hall and smacked right into a very tall wizard.
*
Second chapter, I hope everyone likes it so far, I know it's not the best but I have to establish a bond between our two main characters.
I just want to thank everyone who reviewed. I would like to especially like to thank Jinglefairy who reviewed within five minutes of my posting the story, gave me a good feeling about this story.
Dragon girl-thanks I'll try to remember a computer if the villagers swing by this way on their way back.
Min.Min.ah- I'm not sure what you meant but you did say continue so thanks!
Horse-girl- lol u had me worried a second there, thank you and I'll try, just could you do me a fav? What exactly did u think was good? Maybe I could do it again, because I don't write these storied my hands do, my minds just here for spell check.
Stephanie- I think we might see Draco whip Harry's ass, but you'll have to see what happens, along with me, once again fingers write, mind proofreads
Elvine wood nymph- Thank you
Melissa- ok since you begged I'll continue.
AnGeLwInGz- I think I'm sick of seeing Harry being so perfect that I had to make him evil. Thanks for your review.
Morigan Riddle- Thank you, I'm glad this isn't a load of crap, so far.
Jokester515- the plan should be entertaining, suspenseful and nerve wreaking. Can't wait to think the whole thing up! Just joking that is one part of the story I'm sure of.
Marille- I'm glad you liked it, I was hoping people would, it's so nice to get good reviews!
Thanks to everyone who took the time to read, even if you chose not to review. I hope this chapter was to your liking and there is only one-way for me to find out. Review please!