CHAPTER 14~ Safety and Comfort
The rest of break passed quickly, and Hermione and Draco managed to stay out of sight of Harry and Ron. Hermione was still seething because of their attitudes. She wanted to stay as far away from them as possible, and Draco was happy to keep them away from her.
The train came back, but neither Draco nor Hermione went out to meet anyone that came off of it. They decided to stay in their common room away from all the commotion of the returning students.
At dinnertime, the couple made their way down to the Great Hall. They sat in their normal seats among their housemates-Hermione with the Gryffindors and Draco with the Slytherins. No one had yet to suspect anything except those who knew.
Jeremy sat next to Draco and immediately started blabbing. "That was a nice trick you pulled their, Malfoy." When Draco didn't respond he continued, "Father's pissed you know? He wants you dead. Wiped out of existence and everyone's memory. Not a bad idea if you ask me. You're not as high and mighty as you think yourself to be."
Draco remained silent and acted as if he didn't hear what he was saying and bit into a chicken leg.
"My fucking vacation was ruined 'cause of you, Malfoy," Jeremy tried again. "Father made sure to make it a living hell because you escaped. He kept saying it was my fault that you and the Mudblood are together. I didn't do enough to keep her away from you, so the solution is simple. Do you know what it is? No, I suppose you wouldn't, so I'll tell you. You're both gunna die."
"Hey, you know what's interesting?" Draco asked as if he had just discovered something. "It's interesting that you can carry on a conversation with yourself and not have the person you're speaking with answer. You must be the first person on the face of the Earth that can do that. Wow, that is skill!"
"Just watch your back, Malfoy, and your little Mudblood's. I know you like to anyway. I do."
"Shut the fuck up, Smith. Don't you dare talk about her like that, especially not to me. I'm not putting up with your shit any more. If you dare to try anything, I will hex you into the next century. Pay heed to my warning." He stood and stalked out of the Great Hall before Jeremy could say anything more.
Hermione saw Draco depart. A few minutes later she claimed that she was tired and left the Great Hall.
Harry and Ron watched her leave even though they had not sat with her. They had seen Draco leave a few minutes earlier and were wondering if they had planned on leaving that way.
Hermione found Draco waiting outside the Great Hall. His back was up against a pillar and arms folded across his chest. There was a look of annoyance across his face, but that was wiped off when he saw her come out.
"What's the matter?" she asked looking at him concernedly.
"Jeremy told me some things."
"About."
He proceeded to explain the conversation that he had with Jeremy as they made their way to the common room. Hermione wasn't scared; she knew that as long as they were in Hogwarts no harm could come to them.
"Don't be so sure," Draco said. "Jeremy and Blaise know a lot of Dark Magic. I do too. I can counter many of their curses, but they are more experienced in that area because that is what they want. They want to be like their parents."
She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Do you really think they'd be stupid enough to try something right under Dumbledore's nose? He already knows that they are working for Voldemort, so I suspect that he will keep a closer watch on them."
"Yeah, but it's not like he can be everywhere at once. Sure he's got a pretty good handle about what's going on, but there are some things that slip. Trust me, I know." He smirked. "Hell's fairies." The eagle statue opened and they entered their spacious common room.
"And how do you know what things have passed him?" she questioned curiously.
"Let's just say I've tested the rules a few times in the past few years."
"How so?"
"Like smuggling things in. Mainly beer for our House parties after we win our Quidditch games."
Her eyes grew wide. "No way! You've had alcohol in the school before without anyone knowing? Isn't that near impossible?"
"Well, yeah, but I have my ways."
They both laughed as they collapsed onto the nearest couch. Hermione's legs dangled over Draco's and her head rested on his shoulder, and their fingers were laced loosely together.
Draco closed his eyes and just let his free hand roam up and down her drawing lazy circles. She closed her eyes as well as she listened to his steady heartbeat.
~
The next few weeks went by in a blur. Neither Jeremy nor Blaise had attempted to harm Draco or Hermione in any way. Draco, however, watched them both carefully whenever they were around. He figured they'd probably wait a while until he and Hermione were least expecting the attack.
Although Draco and Hermione still weren't public about their relationship, Draco would keep an eye on her whenever he saw her. There was never a time when he was around her that he took his gaze off of her.
Hermione was surprised that news of their relationship hadn't gotten around the school yet. She was sure that one of the four people who knew would have spread the news by now.
Hermione was walking to Transfiguration one day at the end of January when she was pulled into a classroom. "Well, Mudblood, what are you gunna do now that your precious boyfriend isn't here to save you?" Blaise taunted.
Hermione didn't respond, just glared at the two people who were standing in front of her.
"What, Mudblood? Cat got your tongue?" Jeremy sneered as he circled around her.
"Seems to me like you've got yourself in a fix. That's what you get for walking around all alone. What happened to the precious Wonder Boy and Weasel? Did they abandon you 'cause they found out about you and your Slytherin prince? That really is sad. What kind of friends are they," Blaise sighed as she looked at Hermione with fake sympathy.
"And what kind of friends are you?" Hermione retorted. "I thought Draco was your friend. Obviously I was wrong if you would turn him over to Ol' Voldie."
"Don't you dare speak about my father in that manner," Jeremy hissed in her ear. "You should fear him just like the rest of the world. He should be your worst nightmare."
"Honestly, Jeremy! He scares you more than he scares me. You want to impress him so much that you will do anything to get on his good side. Are you even part of the inner circle yet, or are you still on the outside?"
"This is really no time for your smart-ass remarks, Granger. You should learn to hold your tongue around those who are superior to you."
"And what exactly is it that makes you superior to me? Is it because you are a pureblooded wizard, whose father happens to be the most evil person to graze the Earth? Please! That is incredibly lame. Before this year you never thought like that. Did Daddy all of a sudden say you better get with it or you die?"
Jeremy's face tinged a light shade of pink and he smacked Hermione across the face. "Didn't I already tell you not to talk about my father?"
Hermione pretended like he hadn't touched her and that she was deep in thought. "I might recall that portion of our incredibly boring conversation. I believe it was when I called him Ol' Voldie now. Yes, yes that's it. I do remember." She smiled innocently.
"You better quit it, Mudblood, if you know what's good for you," Blaise said. "You are really skating on thin ice, and I don't know if I want to kill you without the satisfaction of seeing Draco's face. That is half the fun after all-seeing the face of the person who loves the victim most when they die. It's always priceless. I don't think I've ever seen Draco cry either, and I want to remember that day for the rest of my life."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Are you two quite finished? I really must be getting to class. This was the most inconvenient time for a meeting. Next time you should really schedule a time seeing as I am usually so busy and don't have much time for things as spontaneous as this. It was nice chatting with you, but I really must be getting to class." With that, she dashed out of the classroom and down the hall toward the Transfiguration room.
She arrived five minutes late and received a glare from McGonagall. "Ms Granger, it really is nice of you to grace us with your presence. Pray tell, where have you been?"
Hermione plastered on a bright smile. "I am truly sorry, Professor, it's just that I was grabbed by two Slytherins on my way here and had a not-so- pleasant conversation with them."
"Very well. I would still like you to see me after class. Please take a seat so I can get on with the lesson."
Hermione nodded and took the remaining seat next to Harry. She didn't look up to meet his glance. They hadn't spoken since break, and she was happy that way.
Harry looked over at her and saw that she was listening intently to what Professor McGonagall was saying. "Hey, 'Mione," he whispered. She pretended not to hear and dipped her quill in her ink and continued writing. "'Mione."
"What do you want?" she snapped in response. "I, unlike some people, am trying to take notes here."
Instead of answering, he wrote on a piece of parchment:
Look, I'm sorry for acting like an ass when I found out about you and Malfoy. It was just a bit of a shock, that's all. If you really love him, then I respect the fact that you are both willing to risk everything for each other. If there is a way, can you please forgive me? Ron and I both miss having you around.
He slid the paper over to Hermione. She read it quickly and wrote in response:
I do love Draco with all my heart. He is the only person I have ever felt this way about, but I guess I do understand that you were in a state of shock when you found out and your reaction was totally logical. I do forgive you, and I hope that you aren't too pissed at me for when I yelled at you.
Harry read the response and flashed her a small smile. Hermione returned the smile and went back to copying notes.
At the end of class, Hermione walked out of the room with Harry and Ron. She hugged them both and the three of them headed to the Great Hall for dinner.
Draco saw the Golden Trio walk in together and was slightly shocked that they were together. He gave Hermione a questioning look, but she smiled reassuringly to let him know that everything was fine again. He seemed to get the point and ate his food with occasional conversation with his fellow Slytherins.
~
In the common room, Hermione told Draco of her encounter with Jeremy and Blaise. "It probably wasn't so smart to answer them so sarcastically," he said when she had finished. "That will probably only make them madder and want to kill you more."
"Draco, I am tired of people thinking they can walk all over me. I wasn't gunna just stand there and give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry. I know what they're doing, it's a bit obvious. They wanna scare me so it will be easier for me to give in, but I won't. I will never submit to them."
Draco sighed and looked at her sadly. "I just don't want you to get hurt. I don't think I could possibly live on without you. You mean everything to me, and I would give you anything."
"I know you would, but I have to learn to fight my own battles sometime and stop relying on others. Harry and Ron used to be the ones that swore they would always protect me, and now it's you. I have to learn how to take care of myself."
"Speaking of them, is everything cool between you guys now? I saw you all walk in together. It was kinda odd because I thought you were all fighting and stuff."
"They apologized in Transfigurations today."
Draco nodded and rested his head on her shoulder and yawned.
"Tired much?" Hermione teased.
"I haven't slept well in a while."
"Why not?"
"I've been worried about you and me and our relationship and Jeremy and Blaise and my father and Voldemort and just everything."
"Want me to stay with you tonight?" she asked soothingly as she ran a hand through his silky hair.
"Do you want to?"
"Of course I do. Anything to help you sleep better."
He smiled and got slowly to his feet. Hermione stood as well and they walked up to Draco's dorm. They both used a spell to change into their pajamas. Once they climbed into bed, Draco put his arms around Hermione and pulled him close.
"Goodnight," he whispered in her ear.
"'Night," she answered.
They kissed once before falling asleep.
Draco slept better that night than he had in a while. The comfort of having somebody close had kept bad dreams out of his head. His whole body was relaxed as he felt her deep breathing beside him. There was no pain for him that night, only comfort and safety. Even his subconscious knew that Hermione was okay because she was being held close to him.
~
The next morning, Hermione woke up in an unfamiliar surrounding. As her eyes adjusted to the room, she remembered that she had offered to stay with Draco and that he was sleeping soundly beside her. Another feeling of fatigue swept over her as she once again closed her eyes and fell into a peaceful slumber.
Little did she know that the fatigue was not because she had been tired, it was because someone had broken into their room just minutes before and had put them both under a deep sleep spell.
The rest of break passed quickly, and Hermione and Draco managed to stay out of sight of Harry and Ron. Hermione was still seething because of their attitudes. She wanted to stay as far away from them as possible, and Draco was happy to keep them away from her.
The train came back, but neither Draco nor Hermione went out to meet anyone that came off of it. They decided to stay in their common room away from all the commotion of the returning students.
At dinnertime, the couple made their way down to the Great Hall. They sat in their normal seats among their housemates-Hermione with the Gryffindors and Draco with the Slytherins. No one had yet to suspect anything except those who knew.
Jeremy sat next to Draco and immediately started blabbing. "That was a nice trick you pulled their, Malfoy." When Draco didn't respond he continued, "Father's pissed you know? He wants you dead. Wiped out of existence and everyone's memory. Not a bad idea if you ask me. You're not as high and mighty as you think yourself to be."
Draco remained silent and acted as if he didn't hear what he was saying and bit into a chicken leg.
"My fucking vacation was ruined 'cause of you, Malfoy," Jeremy tried again. "Father made sure to make it a living hell because you escaped. He kept saying it was my fault that you and the Mudblood are together. I didn't do enough to keep her away from you, so the solution is simple. Do you know what it is? No, I suppose you wouldn't, so I'll tell you. You're both gunna die."
"Hey, you know what's interesting?" Draco asked as if he had just discovered something. "It's interesting that you can carry on a conversation with yourself and not have the person you're speaking with answer. You must be the first person on the face of the Earth that can do that. Wow, that is skill!"
"Just watch your back, Malfoy, and your little Mudblood's. I know you like to anyway. I do."
"Shut the fuck up, Smith. Don't you dare talk about her like that, especially not to me. I'm not putting up with your shit any more. If you dare to try anything, I will hex you into the next century. Pay heed to my warning." He stood and stalked out of the Great Hall before Jeremy could say anything more.
Hermione saw Draco depart. A few minutes later she claimed that she was tired and left the Great Hall.
Harry and Ron watched her leave even though they had not sat with her. They had seen Draco leave a few minutes earlier and were wondering if they had planned on leaving that way.
Hermione found Draco waiting outside the Great Hall. His back was up against a pillar and arms folded across his chest. There was a look of annoyance across his face, but that was wiped off when he saw her come out.
"What's the matter?" she asked looking at him concernedly.
"Jeremy told me some things."
"About."
He proceeded to explain the conversation that he had with Jeremy as they made their way to the common room. Hermione wasn't scared; she knew that as long as they were in Hogwarts no harm could come to them.
"Don't be so sure," Draco said. "Jeremy and Blaise know a lot of Dark Magic. I do too. I can counter many of their curses, but they are more experienced in that area because that is what they want. They want to be like their parents."
She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Do you really think they'd be stupid enough to try something right under Dumbledore's nose? He already knows that they are working for Voldemort, so I suspect that he will keep a closer watch on them."
"Yeah, but it's not like he can be everywhere at once. Sure he's got a pretty good handle about what's going on, but there are some things that slip. Trust me, I know." He smirked. "Hell's fairies." The eagle statue opened and they entered their spacious common room.
"And how do you know what things have passed him?" she questioned curiously.
"Let's just say I've tested the rules a few times in the past few years."
"How so?"
"Like smuggling things in. Mainly beer for our House parties after we win our Quidditch games."
Her eyes grew wide. "No way! You've had alcohol in the school before without anyone knowing? Isn't that near impossible?"
"Well, yeah, but I have my ways."
They both laughed as they collapsed onto the nearest couch. Hermione's legs dangled over Draco's and her head rested on his shoulder, and their fingers were laced loosely together.
Draco closed his eyes and just let his free hand roam up and down her drawing lazy circles. She closed her eyes as well as she listened to his steady heartbeat.
~
The next few weeks went by in a blur. Neither Jeremy nor Blaise had attempted to harm Draco or Hermione in any way. Draco, however, watched them both carefully whenever they were around. He figured they'd probably wait a while until he and Hermione were least expecting the attack.
Although Draco and Hermione still weren't public about their relationship, Draco would keep an eye on her whenever he saw her. There was never a time when he was around her that he took his gaze off of her.
Hermione was surprised that news of their relationship hadn't gotten around the school yet. She was sure that one of the four people who knew would have spread the news by now.
Hermione was walking to Transfiguration one day at the end of January when she was pulled into a classroom. "Well, Mudblood, what are you gunna do now that your precious boyfriend isn't here to save you?" Blaise taunted.
Hermione didn't respond, just glared at the two people who were standing in front of her.
"What, Mudblood? Cat got your tongue?" Jeremy sneered as he circled around her.
"Seems to me like you've got yourself in a fix. That's what you get for walking around all alone. What happened to the precious Wonder Boy and Weasel? Did they abandon you 'cause they found out about you and your Slytherin prince? That really is sad. What kind of friends are they," Blaise sighed as she looked at Hermione with fake sympathy.
"And what kind of friends are you?" Hermione retorted. "I thought Draco was your friend. Obviously I was wrong if you would turn him over to Ol' Voldie."
"Don't you dare speak about my father in that manner," Jeremy hissed in her ear. "You should fear him just like the rest of the world. He should be your worst nightmare."
"Honestly, Jeremy! He scares you more than he scares me. You want to impress him so much that you will do anything to get on his good side. Are you even part of the inner circle yet, or are you still on the outside?"
"This is really no time for your smart-ass remarks, Granger. You should learn to hold your tongue around those who are superior to you."
"And what exactly is it that makes you superior to me? Is it because you are a pureblooded wizard, whose father happens to be the most evil person to graze the Earth? Please! That is incredibly lame. Before this year you never thought like that. Did Daddy all of a sudden say you better get with it or you die?"
Jeremy's face tinged a light shade of pink and he smacked Hermione across the face. "Didn't I already tell you not to talk about my father?"
Hermione pretended like he hadn't touched her and that she was deep in thought. "I might recall that portion of our incredibly boring conversation. I believe it was when I called him Ol' Voldie now. Yes, yes that's it. I do remember." She smiled innocently.
"You better quit it, Mudblood, if you know what's good for you," Blaise said. "You are really skating on thin ice, and I don't know if I want to kill you without the satisfaction of seeing Draco's face. That is half the fun after all-seeing the face of the person who loves the victim most when they die. It's always priceless. I don't think I've ever seen Draco cry either, and I want to remember that day for the rest of my life."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Are you two quite finished? I really must be getting to class. This was the most inconvenient time for a meeting. Next time you should really schedule a time seeing as I am usually so busy and don't have much time for things as spontaneous as this. It was nice chatting with you, but I really must be getting to class." With that, she dashed out of the classroom and down the hall toward the Transfiguration room.
She arrived five minutes late and received a glare from McGonagall. "Ms Granger, it really is nice of you to grace us with your presence. Pray tell, where have you been?"
Hermione plastered on a bright smile. "I am truly sorry, Professor, it's just that I was grabbed by two Slytherins on my way here and had a not-so- pleasant conversation with them."
"Very well. I would still like you to see me after class. Please take a seat so I can get on with the lesson."
Hermione nodded and took the remaining seat next to Harry. She didn't look up to meet his glance. They hadn't spoken since break, and she was happy that way.
Harry looked over at her and saw that she was listening intently to what Professor McGonagall was saying. "Hey, 'Mione," he whispered. She pretended not to hear and dipped her quill in her ink and continued writing. "'Mione."
"What do you want?" she snapped in response. "I, unlike some people, am trying to take notes here."
Instead of answering, he wrote on a piece of parchment:
Look, I'm sorry for acting like an ass when I found out about you and Malfoy. It was just a bit of a shock, that's all. If you really love him, then I respect the fact that you are both willing to risk everything for each other. If there is a way, can you please forgive me? Ron and I both miss having you around.
He slid the paper over to Hermione. She read it quickly and wrote in response:
I do love Draco with all my heart. He is the only person I have ever felt this way about, but I guess I do understand that you were in a state of shock when you found out and your reaction was totally logical. I do forgive you, and I hope that you aren't too pissed at me for when I yelled at you.
Harry read the response and flashed her a small smile. Hermione returned the smile and went back to copying notes.
At the end of class, Hermione walked out of the room with Harry and Ron. She hugged them both and the three of them headed to the Great Hall for dinner.
Draco saw the Golden Trio walk in together and was slightly shocked that they were together. He gave Hermione a questioning look, but she smiled reassuringly to let him know that everything was fine again. He seemed to get the point and ate his food with occasional conversation with his fellow Slytherins.
~
In the common room, Hermione told Draco of her encounter with Jeremy and Blaise. "It probably wasn't so smart to answer them so sarcastically," he said when she had finished. "That will probably only make them madder and want to kill you more."
"Draco, I am tired of people thinking they can walk all over me. I wasn't gunna just stand there and give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry. I know what they're doing, it's a bit obvious. They wanna scare me so it will be easier for me to give in, but I won't. I will never submit to them."
Draco sighed and looked at her sadly. "I just don't want you to get hurt. I don't think I could possibly live on without you. You mean everything to me, and I would give you anything."
"I know you would, but I have to learn to fight my own battles sometime and stop relying on others. Harry and Ron used to be the ones that swore they would always protect me, and now it's you. I have to learn how to take care of myself."
"Speaking of them, is everything cool between you guys now? I saw you all walk in together. It was kinda odd because I thought you were all fighting and stuff."
"They apologized in Transfigurations today."
Draco nodded and rested his head on her shoulder and yawned.
"Tired much?" Hermione teased.
"I haven't slept well in a while."
"Why not?"
"I've been worried about you and me and our relationship and Jeremy and Blaise and my father and Voldemort and just everything."
"Want me to stay with you tonight?" she asked soothingly as she ran a hand through his silky hair.
"Do you want to?"
"Of course I do. Anything to help you sleep better."
He smiled and got slowly to his feet. Hermione stood as well and they walked up to Draco's dorm. They both used a spell to change into their pajamas. Once they climbed into bed, Draco put his arms around Hermione and pulled him close.
"Goodnight," he whispered in her ear.
"'Night," she answered.
They kissed once before falling asleep.
Draco slept better that night than he had in a while. The comfort of having somebody close had kept bad dreams out of his head. His whole body was relaxed as he felt her deep breathing beside him. There was no pain for him that night, only comfort and safety. Even his subconscious knew that Hermione was okay because she was being held close to him.
~
The next morning, Hermione woke up in an unfamiliar surrounding. As her eyes adjusted to the room, she remembered that she had offered to stay with Draco and that he was sleeping soundly beside her. Another feeling of fatigue swept over her as she once again closed her eyes and fell into a peaceful slumber.
Little did she know that the fatigue was not because she had been tired, it was because someone had broken into their room just minutes before and had put them both under a deep sleep spell.