Insomnia (Ch 4)
Disclaimer: Ixnay on my ownership-ay.
AN: Okay, I have to post this now before I find myself re-reading it in a fit of editing paranoia. Sometimes chapters feel right, sometimes they don't… my apologies.
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The problem wasn't that he really needed the room next to him. There was sufficient space on his half of the student desk for all of his potions books, his retro-muggle quill case, and even a little elbow room. No, there was nothing technically wrong with his being condensed on to one side of the desk like every other student in the class. But the problem wasn't about need. The problem was about want.
He wanted anyone but Hermione Granger to sit in the cleared space next to him. He wanted not to have followed her to the forest last night. He wanted right now to be in the Slytherin bunker with a saftey charm on the door and sipping a comfort hot chocolate with some of those mini-marshmallows. He wanted a breakfast cereal that combined flavour with nutrition. He wanted an underwear that supported without trapping. Draco blinked, where was he?
Oh yeah, and he wanted Potter to contract flesh-eating bacteria.
"Malfoy."
And, as he almost fell backwards off his chair, he realized he wanted a hell of a lot more warning before Granger just appeared like that.
"Gra-" he coughed and deepened his voice, "Granger." Good, good. Don't let her see the whites of your eyes.
"Pay attention class," snapped Snape, "Especially boys. When you're older you will recognize the true miracle of what I am about to teach you."
Draco tried, but he was too busy concentrating on recovering his breathing pattern and the studious brunette next to him, to really care about African hair-growing powder.
She was ignoring him, he realized after a few minutes of no interaction. Sitting there on the other half of his desk, Hermione ran her forefinger over the page in rapt attention to a potion. A caustic sexuality mingled in her movements, in the shadows down her face, in the way the edge of the shirt parted to show the slightest curve of breast. Her face was dewy and pink, as though she'd been running and he had a flash of that face under him, pink from effort and breathing his name.
Goosebumps crawled up Draco's arm and prickled the flesh along his neck as he pushed the image away. He was waiting for her to make some indication that last night – when he'd followed her to the forest – had been real. Afterwards, in his room, he had reasoned to himself that she was under his power now. He had her secret – or a part of her secret – and that bound her into his debt. The corner of Hermione's mouth lifted for a moment in a covert little smile.
But daylight had given Draco an almost painful clarity of thought. When he'd sat at this desk waiting for her arrival without the smugness he rationalized he should have, and with only a fear of what was to come, he realized that fully. He had no power here. He had no control. It was just Fate laughing at him, pulling his strings as she twisted them over. Getting ready to really fuck him over.
Hermione pushed her heavy robes off her shoulders onto the seat behind her, despite the fact that the rest of the class was shivering with Snape's airconditioning choices.
"Stop staring, Malfoy," she muttered, low enough for him to hear but no one else.
"I was just wondering why you were looking quite so hot and bothered," he replied.
"I'm sure I don't need to draw you a diagram." Draco heard the flare of anger in her voice. So, the new improved Hermione could show emotion. Her eyes bored in to him for a moment longer before the mask slid back into place.
She didn't look at him again for the entire Potions class. When the bell rang she was up on her feet with her books folded under one arm. Draco was surprised to find his hand tugged into her free hand. He was too busy feeling the warmth and the softness, and the strange scrape of calloused fingertips over his palm to question the action. It was only a few seconds and then she was halfway to the door. He felt the crumple of notepaper she'd left in his hand and unfolded it just as quickly.
Tonight.
"Patience, students," Snape sneered, "I'm not done with you yet." The rest of the class stopped what they were doing and paid attention. It was less painful than even bothering to argue that once the bell rang they were on their own time. Draco chewed on his lip as he tortured the note with one hand.
"We're short on students to perform in the duelling competition for the BMSA Boardmembers next month. You will be required to attend vigorous practices but the principal would like you all to be aware that extra credit will be given to those who participate," he drawled out the last word and tsked at them all as though he couldn't conceivably see how any could hold up their own in a duelling competition. His gaze lingered on Potter.
The students gathered their books and all started for the door. Draco pushed forward. Seeing Hermione just in front of him, he reached forward to grab her arm. Just as his was grabbed.
"Mr Malfoy, if I may have a moment," Snape pulled him back and Draco cursed under his breath.
"I recommend that you particularly join this competition."
Draco shrugged off Snape's hand.
"Thanks, but final year's busy enough without poking my wand up anyone's ass." He made to leave again and Snape held him back.
"It's not so much a request as an order, Mr Malfoy," Snape's voice grated over his name, setting Draco on edge. The professor was haughty and under the illusion that poor hygiene coupled with big, black gowns made him intimidating. And it had been, Draco admitted to himself. But he wasn't a scrawny Slytherin first year that could be pushed around anymore.
Eye level with Snape, he sneered, "But you didn't say the magic word."
Snape just raised an eyebrow, "Your father was quite insistent. Your grades have fallen lower than is acceptable."
"With all undue respect sir," Draco bristled, "Fuck my father."
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"If it isn't the immovable Draco Malfoy."
"Now's not the time, Blaise," he growled. She sat herself on the step above his, before taking his cigarette from his fingers. He shot her an icy glare while she sucked on it. One perfectly manicured hand settled on his shoulder. The nails skated over his shirt in a suggestive rhythm.
"Pansy's been sobbing her arse off and waiting for you to come around," she drawled, "Couldn't you just give her a pity fuck and let the rest of us get some sleep?"
The nails grated a little deeper. She had a thing for pain, Draco knew. She liked rough and tough, and the amount of times those nails had left ten red crescents on his back had only helped get him over her long ago. There were too many twisted things going on in her head even for him.
"Looking for a ball date, Blaise?"
"Looking for a date with balls actually," she grinned. Draco linked his fingers in hers as he pulled the cigarette out of them. He watched the tendrils of smoke spill out of his mouth. As close as this dragon would ever come to breathing fire.
"I'm not joking," he puffed out a ring, "Everyone else makes it complicated. That one wants commitment, that one wants a notch, that one's got a fetish." He gestured with his cigarette to each imagined woman.
"That one's a mudblood," Blaise grinned wickedly, leaning forward on her seat so that her calf pushed against his shoulder. Draco's eyebrows shot up. The question was heavy in his eyes, as much as he tried to make his face unreadable. Had he been that obvious. Blaise slipped down the seat until she was next to him and she guided his hand back towards her mouth. She took a deep draw from his cigarette and breathed into his face. Draco's name was called from the grounds before he could retort, and he made a low growl, hiding his relief. He pulled his robes back up fully around his shoulders.
"Coming Prof," he yelled and started down to the field, running down the steps past Granger.
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The robes were too hot. The sleeves were rubbing his arms. The hem kept catching around his legs as he ducked out of the way. Draco cast another spell Potter's way. And the damn sunlight kept blinding him every time Potter moved. He was sure he was getting a face cramp as he kept squinting at his opponent.
"Glacio lumbar!" Potter yelled and managed to catch him. Draco spasmed and leapt forward from the very real, very intense feeling of icecubes sliding down his back. Fuck, he had to remember that one. He wondered if it could be toned down for less aggressive situations. Distracted by his turn of thoughts, Draco was hit again by a Potter spell. This time it felt like he was walking on maggots.
"Well that's just wrong," he muttered. He didn't wait for the spell to fade this time and lashed out.
"Veritas totallum!" Draco felt the jolt of power leave his wand. Harry was struck by it a moment later, making him stand rigidly.
"My lips feel all hot and rubbery, and they won't let me stop talking," he announced, looking very confused, "I can feel my mouth moving but I can't stop it. Blasted Ferretboy's spell did this and just wait until it passes and I cast an itching spell on his slimy slytherin boxers with the wrath of a thousand-"
Draco couldn't stop himself from laughing, until he took a step backwards and felt like he was stepping into a bucket of writhing worms. "Eeech!"
Less amused, he was still impressed by the effect of the spell. It also seemed to have stopped Potter from casting any spells himself, as he was too busy just saying anything truthful that came into his head, as this particular version of a truth spell took hold. Others had stopped and were looking over. Snape was giving Malfoy dry applause, smirking as he clapped his hands slowly together. Practicing that had definitely been worth it. Though he never, ever wanted to hear Crabbe talk about his special feelings for Huggles the stuffed giraffe again.
"Hey Potty, what do you think of Ginny Weasley?" he called out across their dueling pitch.
In the stands, metres away, Ginny's face flared red. Next to her, Hermione was watching the situation very intently. Back on the field, Potter's thoughts were turned inescapably to the youngest of the Weasley clan and despite his pained expression, he was unable to stop the tirade from his stream of conscious.
"She's had a blatant crush on me from before the first day we met and she has all the subtley of a claustrophobic rhinocerous in an elevator. It's not that she's a redhead, or that her face is more freckled than fairy-bread – or that she's Ron's sister, but she's not my type – and by that I mean-" Potter was trying to close his hand over his mouth, or force his face into the ground but neither method was working. On the sidelines, Ginny had gotten up from her seat and was running down the pitch, back towards the Gryffindor's quarters. Snape was trying to rouse people back into their duels but Potter was far more interesting. Draco laughed drily as the facially-disfigured twerp looked at Ginny's retreating form in horror.
"Ron's gonna kill me for this and – hey – I never realized what a great arse she has-" Harry wrenched his eyes away from Ginny to stare darkly at Draco, who couldn't control his laughing any more.
"Better run Malfoy, because soon you won't be able to," Potter stated, and immediately he was charging towards Draco, still muttering truths. He tackled him around the waist before Malfoy could move and the two plowed to the ground.
"Harry!" Granger called out as Snape called out "Potter!"
The two ran towards them as Potter tried to slug Draco. Draco pushed him away but Potter was strong and agile from years of Quidditch. Still, years of speedflight and fencing hadn't left Draco without his share of strength and he rolled over determinedly, getting an edge over Potter. Pushing his head back towards the grass, Draco was surprised to feel strong hands grip under his arms and yank him up off Potter. Snape made sure he had his balance before snapping at Potter about inappropriate behaviour, and taking the truth spell off with a slash of his wand. Granger was helping Potter to his feet, looking at him with such bared sympathy that an edge of jealousy grated along Draco.
"So good at being rescued by women, Potter," drawled Draco. Potter's fists tighened, turning the knuckles pale but Hermione placed her own hands over them and guided him towards the bleachers.
"Enjoy rolling in the mud," he called out as they walked away. Hermione straightened up then and stopped. She was obviously having a hard time urging Potter to keep going but after a pause he cast a scowl at Draco and left. Hermione on the other hand walked back towards him.
"I appreciate keeping him calm there, Granger," he smirked, "Wouldn't want to lose another fifty points for Gryffindor."
To which she smiled, balled her fist and threw her entire body weight into one perfect punch aimed at his nose. Draco's face exploded in jagged red pain, but not for long before he passed out.
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Potter-pops for all who reviewed!!! (Hey, I love everyone who reads this, but they're special) Have your choice of Hommus-Harry, Grapey-Granger, Sour-Snapes or good-enough-to-lick-as-he-is Draco!
Serpent de feu – I'm so sorry! Again! Keep making life hard for you ;) to find the story, what I recommend (apart from using search) would be to select rating PG-13, first character as Hermione, second as Draco, and that should narrow it down now…. hopefully.
Mouse – Yeah, I've been a bit confused by all the Snape-assumptions. He's apparently a popular professor for midnight trysts in the forest… ;) Glad to see I'm not the only one lmao at Draco :)
Couch-potato01 – now there's a name I can identify with. What's confusing you most? Perhaps I can explain.
Jack N – That's right, it's all fiction! As long as you remember that, you don't have a problem! I, on the other hand, have to go feed Draco now or he'll get all whiny when I take him for his walk later. *pulls his leash up to herself and rubs behind his ears*
Glad you're still enjoying it! :)
JeanB – sorry to confuse first off, but I'm glad it got clearer. I'm having fun with the ass-kicking Hermione idea :) But fighting's not all she can do… *secretive grin*
Angel – I'm trying, but I can feel writer's block trying to edge it's way in :( Thanks for r&r!
T.C. Vincent – hehe, thankyou, hope this chapter's okay too!
*deep breath* well that's everyone! Same bat-time, same bat-place next chapter :)
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