Ok, BIG apologies cos I haven't updated for *such* a long time! But I've
got my exams this coming week, so I've been revising really hard. It also
means I won't be able to get chapter 8 out for like, *ages*. Thanks for all
of the reviews and comments for chappie 6, I really appreciate it! Also BIG
thanks to sweetthang-37 and Uglinessrox55, my wonderful betas! How would I
live without you?
Disclaimer: Ok, lets get this straight: it's not mine. It never will be mine. Sob sob.
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Hermione frowned, puzzled. Had Draco really asked about Armadillo Bile, or had he said the 'L' word? He certainly didn't seem to be showing any signs that one would after saying 'I love you'. In fact, he was going about his business as normal. The question now, Hermione thought, is why did I imagine that he confessed his love for me?
Draco snapped his fingers in front of Hermione's face. She blinked.
"What was that for?"
"To get you to wake up," He said, "I need some help with this potion."
Once again Hermione blinked. She must be imagining things - he couldn't have possibly asked for her *help*???
"Some assistance?" Draco said, indicating the cauldron.
"Oh. Right."
Hermione read the instructions carefully.
"You need to put the Armadillo Bile in, then crush a Porcupine Quill and add that."
"Thanks," Draco muttered, barely audible.
Hermione smiled. She really must be dreaming.
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Hermione was running again. Only this time it wasn't through the Forest, but the castle. This factor didn't ease her fear at all - in fact, it did the opposite. When in the Forest, Hogwarts Castle had been the haven she was running towards. Now she was actually *in* the castle, where was she supposed to run to? Nowhere was safe, and that frightened her immensely. She still didn't know who was chasing her, or even if it was a 'who'. If she looked behind, she would automatically slow down: a mistake that would kill her.
She was beginning to tire; her whole body was aching with the exertion of running. Hermione just thanked her lucky stars that she wasn't asthmatic. She made a mental note to get into better shape - if she lived of course. Suddenly something wet and slimy dropped onto her face. It was a blob of...spit?
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"PEEVES!" Hermione roared, though she was glad that the poltergeist had woken her up.
Peeves cackled maliciously.
"Did you know you have saliva on your face, Miss Granger? I wonder how on earth it got there!"
"Get lost, Peeves," Hermione snarled, "Before I call Professor McGonagall."
Peeves gave another cackle, but the second was much shorter - he was obviously worried about the imposing threat.
"I'll be seeing you, Miss Granger," He called as he exited the girls' dormitory.
"I certainly hope not," She muttered angrily.
Hermione washed her face at least a dozen times before she was sure all the spit was off. She really didn't want any left on there. Unable to sleep, Hermione quickly dressed and made her way outside - but not before borrowing Harry's invisibility cloak. She wouldn't get far without it otherwise.
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Hermione sighed, and gazed up at the stars. Just looking at them made her feel more relaxed.
"My, my, Granger's breaking the rules."
Hermione spun round - she'd forgotten that she wasn't wearing the cloak any more.
"What's it to you, Malfoy? I thought you'd love to see me in trouble."
"Who said anything about getting you into trouble?"
Hermione stared at him, baffled - he wasn't going to turn her in?
"I'd have thought that invisibility cloak would have got you out of sticky situations," Draco added, "But I'm also guessing that Potter won't be to pleased when he discovers you stole his precious cloak."
"I did not *steal* it!" Hermione snapped, "I'm merely borrowing it. It'll be back in the boys' dormitory before dawn."
"Borrowed?" Malfoy smirked.
"Yes borrowed..." (Malfoy's smirk grew larger) "Ok, fine - I took it!"
Draco twinkling eyes showed that really he was only playing with her.
"You're to easy to wind-up, Granger."
"I am NOT wound up!"
"If you say so."
They both gazed at the stars in silence.
"I never knew you were one for star gazing," Draco commented.
"I could say the same about you."
She looked over at Draco. He was staring intently at the black sky.
"I've always been interested in stars," He said quietly. "I used to star gaze a lot when I was a kid... It took my mind off of my parents."
Draco paused, unsure whether to confide in her. But there was something telling him he could trust her, that she would be his haven. This little voice in his head was telling him he could tell her anything and that she wouldn't tell a soul. Not even Potter.
Draco finally gave in. "Off of all the arguments they had. I would wonder if there was a parallel universe out there - y'know, another me. Perhaps they were dealing with life better than I did. Perhaps they had nicer parents."
Draco stopped, unable to continue. Tears started to form, but he refused to let them fall: he couldn't - he wouldn't - cry in front of Granger.
Hermione just wanted to hug him - he looked so alone, so desolate. Like a little boy again. She knew Gryffindors didn't comfort Slytherins, but her natural instincts overrode her house pride. She laid a reassuring arm round his shoulders. He looked up, startled at her touch, but didn't attempt to shake her off.
Hermione felt something cold and wet fall on the tip of her nose. It was starting to rain. Suddenly the heavens opened up, and buckets of water pelted down on them. Hermione put the cloak over herself and Draco, and they walked back into the warmth of the castle.
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"Granger... Hermione - I would really appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about this evening...about what I said." Draco laughed hollowly. "Slytherins don't show emotion. My reputation would be a thing of the past."
"Of course I won't tell anyone," Hermione said softly, "But a reputation shouldn't control you, Draco."
He looked at her, eyes passionate and burning with infatuation. He stared at her for a while and then he said something she took in very happily.
"I know," Draco agreed, "Which is why I'm going to kiss you."
He leant down and planted his lips on hers. Hermione felt a tingle run down her spine. They kissed hungrily, lips working overtime; letting out the love for each that they had bottled up. They parted for breath, but left unsatisfied.
"I'm sorry," Draco apologised.
"For what?" Hermione smiled contentedly, "That kiss was amazing."
Draco's heart missed a beat at the compliment, but it didn't stop him from having his say.
"We can't do this, Hermione."
"Do what?" She asked innocently.
"Have a relationship. It just wouldn't work: I'm a Slytherin!"
"And I don't care," Hermione replied tenderly, "I wouldn't like you any more or less if you were in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. You'd still be Draco Malfoy."
"That's the thing though," He said desperately, "Draco Malfoy doesn't date Gryffindor Muggle Borns. Especially not Hermione Granger."
"So you won't be with me because of my heritage? I could hold your parents against you, but I don't, do I?"
Draco wanted to cry again. He didn't want to do this; it hurt him so much, but it had to be done. It would be better this way.
"Hermione," He said, "I'm sorry. I truly am. But nothing you say can make me change my mind. To me, we didn't even have a relationship."
"So that kiss meant nothing to you?" She cried out angrily, "You think I'm some sort of slut that can turn feelings on and off like a switch?"
"I wish *I* could turn my feelings off," He replied, "Then I wouldn't be feeling this heartbreak."
"Then don't walk away from this!" Hermione's eyes pleaded urgently with him, but he paid no attention. Blocking out the cries of a very sad and heartbroken Gryffindor girl, he walked back to the cold Slytherin dungeons. And cold described how he was feeling perfectly.
Disclaimer: Ok, lets get this straight: it's not mine. It never will be mine. Sob sob.
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Hermione frowned, puzzled. Had Draco really asked about Armadillo Bile, or had he said the 'L' word? He certainly didn't seem to be showing any signs that one would after saying 'I love you'. In fact, he was going about his business as normal. The question now, Hermione thought, is why did I imagine that he confessed his love for me?
Draco snapped his fingers in front of Hermione's face. She blinked.
"What was that for?"
"To get you to wake up," He said, "I need some help with this potion."
Once again Hermione blinked. She must be imagining things - he couldn't have possibly asked for her *help*???
"Some assistance?" Draco said, indicating the cauldron.
"Oh. Right."
Hermione read the instructions carefully.
"You need to put the Armadillo Bile in, then crush a Porcupine Quill and add that."
"Thanks," Draco muttered, barely audible.
Hermione smiled. She really must be dreaming.
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Hermione was running again. Only this time it wasn't through the Forest, but the castle. This factor didn't ease her fear at all - in fact, it did the opposite. When in the Forest, Hogwarts Castle had been the haven she was running towards. Now she was actually *in* the castle, where was she supposed to run to? Nowhere was safe, and that frightened her immensely. She still didn't know who was chasing her, or even if it was a 'who'. If she looked behind, she would automatically slow down: a mistake that would kill her.
She was beginning to tire; her whole body was aching with the exertion of running. Hermione just thanked her lucky stars that she wasn't asthmatic. She made a mental note to get into better shape - if she lived of course. Suddenly something wet and slimy dropped onto her face. It was a blob of...spit?
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"PEEVES!" Hermione roared, though she was glad that the poltergeist had woken her up.
Peeves cackled maliciously.
"Did you know you have saliva on your face, Miss Granger? I wonder how on earth it got there!"
"Get lost, Peeves," Hermione snarled, "Before I call Professor McGonagall."
Peeves gave another cackle, but the second was much shorter - he was obviously worried about the imposing threat.
"I'll be seeing you, Miss Granger," He called as he exited the girls' dormitory.
"I certainly hope not," She muttered angrily.
Hermione washed her face at least a dozen times before she was sure all the spit was off. She really didn't want any left on there. Unable to sleep, Hermione quickly dressed and made her way outside - but not before borrowing Harry's invisibility cloak. She wouldn't get far without it otherwise.
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Hermione sighed, and gazed up at the stars. Just looking at them made her feel more relaxed.
"My, my, Granger's breaking the rules."
Hermione spun round - she'd forgotten that she wasn't wearing the cloak any more.
"What's it to you, Malfoy? I thought you'd love to see me in trouble."
"Who said anything about getting you into trouble?"
Hermione stared at him, baffled - he wasn't going to turn her in?
"I'd have thought that invisibility cloak would have got you out of sticky situations," Draco added, "But I'm also guessing that Potter won't be to pleased when he discovers you stole his precious cloak."
"I did not *steal* it!" Hermione snapped, "I'm merely borrowing it. It'll be back in the boys' dormitory before dawn."
"Borrowed?" Malfoy smirked.
"Yes borrowed..." (Malfoy's smirk grew larger) "Ok, fine - I took it!"
Draco twinkling eyes showed that really he was only playing with her.
"You're to easy to wind-up, Granger."
"I am NOT wound up!"
"If you say so."
They both gazed at the stars in silence.
"I never knew you were one for star gazing," Draco commented.
"I could say the same about you."
She looked over at Draco. He was staring intently at the black sky.
"I've always been interested in stars," He said quietly. "I used to star gaze a lot when I was a kid... It took my mind off of my parents."
Draco paused, unsure whether to confide in her. But there was something telling him he could trust her, that she would be his haven. This little voice in his head was telling him he could tell her anything and that she wouldn't tell a soul. Not even Potter.
Draco finally gave in. "Off of all the arguments they had. I would wonder if there was a parallel universe out there - y'know, another me. Perhaps they were dealing with life better than I did. Perhaps they had nicer parents."
Draco stopped, unable to continue. Tears started to form, but he refused to let them fall: he couldn't - he wouldn't - cry in front of Granger.
Hermione just wanted to hug him - he looked so alone, so desolate. Like a little boy again. She knew Gryffindors didn't comfort Slytherins, but her natural instincts overrode her house pride. She laid a reassuring arm round his shoulders. He looked up, startled at her touch, but didn't attempt to shake her off.
Hermione felt something cold and wet fall on the tip of her nose. It was starting to rain. Suddenly the heavens opened up, and buckets of water pelted down on them. Hermione put the cloak over herself and Draco, and they walked back into the warmth of the castle.
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"Granger... Hermione - I would really appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about this evening...about what I said." Draco laughed hollowly. "Slytherins don't show emotion. My reputation would be a thing of the past."
"Of course I won't tell anyone," Hermione said softly, "But a reputation shouldn't control you, Draco."
He looked at her, eyes passionate and burning with infatuation. He stared at her for a while and then he said something she took in very happily.
"I know," Draco agreed, "Which is why I'm going to kiss you."
He leant down and planted his lips on hers. Hermione felt a tingle run down her spine. They kissed hungrily, lips working overtime; letting out the love for each that they had bottled up. They parted for breath, but left unsatisfied.
"I'm sorry," Draco apologised.
"For what?" Hermione smiled contentedly, "That kiss was amazing."
Draco's heart missed a beat at the compliment, but it didn't stop him from having his say.
"We can't do this, Hermione."
"Do what?" She asked innocently.
"Have a relationship. It just wouldn't work: I'm a Slytherin!"
"And I don't care," Hermione replied tenderly, "I wouldn't like you any more or less if you were in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. You'd still be Draco Malfoy."
"That's the thing though," He said desperately, "Draco Malfoy doesn't date Gryffindor Muggle Borns. Especially not Hermione Granger."
"So you won't be with me because of my heritage? I could hold your parents against you, but I don't, do I?"
Draco wanted to cry again. He didn't want to do this; it hurt him so much, but it had to be done. It would be better this way.
"Hermione," He said, "I'm sorry. I truly am. But nothing you say can make me change my mind. To me, we didn't even have a relationship."
"So that kiss meant nothing to you?" She cried out angrily, "You think I'm some sort of slut that can turn feelings on and off like a switch?"
"I wish *I* could turn my feelings off," He replied, "Then I wouldn't be feeling this heartbreak."
"Then don't walk away from this!" Hermione's eyes pleaded urgently with him, but he paid no attention. Blocking out the cries of a very sad and heartbroken Gryffindor girl, he walked back to the cold Slytherin dungeons. And cold described how he was feeling perfectly.