Disclaimer: Sadly... I don't own the characters only the plot.
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 10
"Don't come with me," Draco whispered.
"What?" Hermione asked, whispering back. "Why?"
They were in their Care of Magical Creatures class. They were seated at the middle, discussing Lucius' invitation to the manor. Some of their classmates were glaring at them because they whispered at each other all the time. Even Ron and Harry noticed their heated discussion.
"Because it's dangerous," Draco said.
"Then you shouldn't go either," Hermione said. "If you think it's dangerous, then why should you go?"
"Because I need to see my mom," Draco explained. "But you don't need to."
"I don't care," Hermione said almost loudly. "I'm going with you. Besides, I was invited, too."
"Is something wrong, Hermione, Mr. Malfoy?" Hagrid asked, peering at the two of them.
Hermione shook her head angrily and looked away. Draco just looked ahead.
**
"Hermione!" Draco called after her as she walked away as soon as class was over. "Hermione, wait!" Some people turned to look. It was obvious that they were having a fight, their first fight.
"Hermione!"
Harry and Ron, who were walking with Hermione, turned to look at her.
"He's calling you," Harry told her uncertainly.
Hermione didn't say anything. Then she felt a hand on her arm. She slowly turned around and faced Draco.
"Guys, I'll be a minute," Hermione said. Harry and Ron agreed and walked a couple of feet away. Hermione looked at Draco, not saying anything.
"Look, Hermione. I just don't want anything to happen to you," Draco said. "And I know something will happen if you do come with me."
"But you heard your dad. He wasn't angry. He was okay with everything," Hermione said. "I could tell he wasn't very pleased but--."
"Hermione--."
"I want to come with you," Hermione insisted.
"I don't think it's a good idea," Draco said again.
Hermione took a deep breath. She turned around and walked away without another word. Draco didn't go after her. He knew that nothing would happen of their conversation. He would wait another time.
**
"Are you alright?" Ron asked.
"I'm fine," Hermione said. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Did he say anything mean to you?" Harry asked carefully.
"No," Hermione said.
"Well, why--?"
"I said I don't want to talk about it," Hermione snapped. She stopped walking and calmed down a bit. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to burst at you like that."
"It's okay," Harry said.
"I'll go to my room," Hermione said. "I'll see you guys at dinner."
Hermione walked away thinking about why Draco didn't want her to go. She sighed. She just wanted to be there for him. She didn't want to leave him with all the burdens. She went in her room and laid down on her bed.
**
"Herm, aren't you and Draco going to talk?" Parvati asked.
"We have nothing to talk about," Hermione said blandly.
It has been two days since they've talked. She doodled boredly on her parchment. She and Parvati were in the common room, trying to do homework. But Hermione was so distracted that she couldn't concentrate.
"It's been two days," Parvati said pointedly. "Won't you at least try?"
Hermione sighed. "I don't have anything to say to him, Parvati."
"If you love him, you'll find words to tell him," Parvati said reasonably.
Hermione opened her mouth to contradict what Parvati said, but closed it again when she realized she didn't have to. It was true.
"Look, Hermione. I can see that you're in pain. I don't know why. But please! Talk to Malfoy about this. It will be so much better if you do," Parvati insisted.
"Nothing will change if we talk," Hermione said. "We won't resolve anything. We'd just argue and I don't want that."
"What are you going to do then? Are you just going to not talk to him until you guys break up?"
Hermione was startled by this. She stood up. Parvati looked up at her.
"Where are you going?" Parvati asked.
Hermione didn't answer and dashed out of the Gryffindor common room.
Hermione wanted to find Draco and talk to him. She saw Crabbe and Goyle talking. She hesistated for a moment, then gathered up the courage to walk up to them.
"Uh, Crabbe," Hermione interrupted, lightly poking at his arm. Crabbe looked at her and Hermione almost lost her courage. "Have you seen Draco?"
"What do you need from him?" Crabbe asked roughly.
"I just want to talk to him," Hermione said.
"He's busy," Goyle replied.
"Busy?" Hermione asked.
"Yes," Goyle said.
"Where is he?" Hermione pressed on.
"He's busy," Goyle said again and not offering any more information.
Hermione nodded and thanked them. She began to walk away when she heard her name called. She turned around and saw Draco approaching her.
"Hermione," Draco said, "You needed to talk?"
"Uh, yes," Hermione said, fiddling with the hem of her robes.
Draco held both of her hands to calm her down. "What is it?"
"About you going home... I really want to go with you," Hermione said. "I don't want to leave you, Draco. I want to be with you."
"Hermione, I'm afraid that, if you go, something might happen to you," Draco finally said.
"Nothing will happen to me," Hermione said. "Please!"
Draco sighed and nodded slowly. "Fine. You'll go with me."
Hermione grinned and squeezed his hand. "Thank you!"
"I can never refuse you, anyway," Draco said defeatedly.
Hermione chuckled and said jokingly, "And admit it, Draco, you need me."
Draco looked up at her seriously. "You're right. Maybe I do need you."
**
Hermione clutched Draco's hand nervously as they walked down the hall towards Hermione's bedroom. They arrived at the Malfoy Manor first thing on Saturday morning. And once Hermione stepped inside, she shivered. She felt scared.
"Don't worry," Draco said, comforting her. He put his arm around her shoulders.
"I'm sorry. It's just... I can't help but feel scared," Hermione said softly.
They reached Hermione's room. It was dark red colored room. It was so huge that you could live there. She looked around with unease.
"Don't you like it?" Draco asked uncertainly.
"I--I do. But... can't I just stay in your room?" Hermione suggested in a whisper.
Draco smirked at this. Hermione's eyes widened as she saw Draco's expression.
"I didn't mean it like that!" she said defensively. "It's just--."
"I know," Draco said, chuckling. "I was just teasing you. Come here."
Hermione walked to him. Draco wrapped his arms around her and held her close. He kissed her head and said, "I'll take care of you."
Hermione buried her head on his chest. She felt so comforted being in his arms. She closed her eyes and sighed contendedly. A knock was heard and both returned back to reality.
"What is it?" Draco asked.
"Master Malfoy, your father calls for you," the servant said.
Draco looked at Hermione. "Are you ready?"
Hermione nodded determinedly. "Let's go."
They went to the drawing room, holding each other's hand, and waited for Lucius. Every now and then, Draco would whisper something soothing to her and she'd smile appreciatively at him.
Lucius walked in the room, shortly after. Hermione thought she had never seen a more arrogant man than him. His arrogance was seen through every bit of him; his walk, his clothes and the look on his face.
"I'm glad that you decided to come, Ms. Granger," Lucius said.
"Where's mother?" Draco asked.
"Ah," Lucius said. "Your mother is out this weekend."
Draco stood up immediately. "What? You said that she wanted to see me!"
"Don't talk to me like that!" Lucius yelled. Draco sat back down and glanced at Hermione, whose eyes reflected her terror. "She will be back on Sunday afternoon." He paused. "Well, I just wanted to welcome you, Ms. Granger, to the Malfoy Manor." He smiled oily, stood up and left.
Draco stood up as soon as his father left and began pacing the room. "He lied. He lied. I knew this was a setup."
Hermione stood up and tried to calm him down. "Draco, your mother will be back on Sunday. You can see her then."
"It would be too late," Draco said. "He purposefully let her out of the house so that he could handle us. We should never have come."
Hermione hugged him. "Don't worry, Draco. We'll go through this together."
They went back to Draco's room. Hermione sat on the edge of his bed.
"You can go to bed," Draco told her.
"What about you?" Hermione asked.
"I'll be up for a while," Draco said. "Don't worry. I'll be right here."
Hermione stood up and walked over to him. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. "Good night." Then she went to the bed, laid down and covered herself with the blanket. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep.
Draco sat on the bed beside Hermione, studying her. She was important to him now and didn't know what he'd do if he lost her. He absent-mindedly began caressing her hair.
"Hermione," Draco whispered. "You're so beautiful, and you don't even know it. You've changed me in ways I never thought was possible." He paused. "You've become so important to me that I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." He sighed and just looked at her for a while. Then, just in case things didn't go well the next day, he whispered, "I love you."
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 10
"Don't come with me," Draco whispered.
"What?" Hermione asked, whispering back. "Why?"
They were in their Care of Magical Creatures class. They were seated at the middle, discussing Lucius' invitation to the manor. Some of their classmates were glaring at them because they whispered at each other all the time. Even Ron and Harry noticed their heated discussion.
"Because it's dangerous," Draco said.
"Then you shouldn't go either," Hermione said. "If you think it's dangerous, then why should you go?"
"Because I need to see my mom," Draco explained. "But you don't need to."
"I don't care," Hermione said almost loudly. "I'm going with you. Besides, I was invited, too."
"Is something wrong, Hermione, Mr. Malfoy?" Hagrid asked, peering at the two of them.
Hermione shook her head angrily and looked away. Draco just looked ahead.
**
"Hermione!" Draco called after her as she walked away as soon as class was over. "Hermione, wait!" Some people turned to look. It was obvious that they were having a fight, their first fight.
"Hermione!"
Harry and Ron, who were walking with Hermione, turned to look at her.
"He's calling you," Harry told her uncertainly.
Hermione didn't say anything. Then she felt a hand on her arm. She slowly turned around and faced Draco.
"Guys, I'll be a minute," Hermione said. Harry and Ron agreed and walked a couple of feet away. Hermione looked at Draco, not saying anything.
"Look, Hermione. I just don't want anything to happen to you," Draco said. "And I know something will happen if you do come with me."
"But you heard your dad. He wasn't angry. He was okay with everything," Hermione said. "I could tell he wasn't very pleased but--."
"Hermione--."
"I want to come with you," Hermione insisted.
"I don't think it's a good idea," Draco said again.
Hermione took a deep breath. She turned around and walked away without another word. Draco didn't go after her. He knew that nothing would happen of their conversation. He would wait another time.
**
"Are you alright?" Ron asked.
"I'm fine," Hermione said. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Did he say anything mean to you?" Harry asked carefully.
"No," Hermione said.
"Well, why--?"
"I said I don't want to talk about it," Hermione snapped. She stopped walking and calmed down a bit. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to burst at you like that."
"It's okay," Harry said.
"I'll go to my room," Hermione said. "I'll see you guys at dinner."
Hermione walked away thinking about why Draco didn't want her to go. She sighed. She just wanted to be there for him. She didn't want to leave him with all the burdens. She went in her room and laid down on her bed.
**
"Herm, aren't you and Draco going to talk?" Parvati asked.
"We have nothing to talk about," Hermione said blandly.
It has been two days since they've talked. She doodled boredly on her parchment. She and Parvati were in the common room, trying to do homework. But Hermione was so distracted that she couldn't concentrate.
"It's been two days," Parvati said pointedly. "Won't you at least try?"
Hermione sighed. "I don't have anything to say to him, Parvati."
"If you love him, you'll find words to tell him," Parvati said reasonably.
Hermione opened her mouth to contradict what Parvati said, but closed it again when she realized she didn't have to. It was true.
"Look, Hermione. I can see that you're in pain. I don't know why. But please! Talk to Malfoy about this. It will be so much better if you do," Parvati insisted.
"Nothing will change if we talk," Hermione said. "We won't resolve anything. We'd just argue and I don't want that."
"What are you going to do then? Are you just going to not talk to him until you guys break up?"
Hermione was startled by this. She stood up. Parvati looked up at her.
"Where are you going?" Parvati asked.
Hermione didn't answer and dashed out of the Gryffindor common room.
Hermione wanted to find Draco and talk to him. She saw Crabbe and Goyle talking. She hesistated for a moment, then gathered up the courage to walk up to them.
"Uh, Crabbe," Hermione interrupted, lightly poking at his arm. Crabbe looked at her and Hermione almost lost her courage. "Have you seen Draco?"
"What do you need from him?" Crabbe asked roughly.
"I just want to talk to him," Hermione said.
"He's busy," Goyle replied.
"Busy?" Hermione asked.
"Yes," Goyle said.
"Where is he?" Hermione pressed on.
"He's busy," Goyle said again and not offering any more information.
Hermione nodded and thanked them. She began to walk away when she heard her name called. She turned around and saw Draco approaching her.
"Hermione," Draco said, "You needed to talk?"
"Uh, yes," Hermione said, fiddling with the hem of her robes.
Draco held both of her hands to calm her down. "What is it?"
"About you going home... I really want to go with you," Hermione said. "I don't want to leave you, Draco. I want to be with you."
"Hermione, I'm afraid that, if you go, something might happen to you," Draco finally said.
"Nothing will happen to me," Hermione said. "Please!"
Draco sighed and nodded slowly. "Fine. You'll go with me."
Hermione grinned and squeezed his hand. "Thank you!"
"I can never refuse you, anyway," Draco said defeatedly.
Hermione chuckled and said jokingly, "And admit it, Draco, you need me."
Draco looked up at her seriously. "You're right. Maybe I do need you."
**
Hermione clutched Draco's hand nervously as they walked down the hall towards Hermione's bedroom. They arrived at the Malfoy Manor first thing on Saturday morning. And once Hermione stepped inside, she shivered. She felt scared.
"Don't worry," Draco said, comforting her. He put his arm around her shoulders.
"I'm sorry. It's just... I can't help but feel scared," Hermione said softly.
They reached Hermione's room. It was dark red colored room. It was so huge that you could live there. She looked around with unease.
"Don't you like it?" Draco asked uncertainly.
"I--I do. But... can't I just stay in your room?" Hermione suggested in a whisper.
Draco smirked at this. Hermione's eyes widened as she saw Draco's expression.
"I didn't mean it like that!" she said defensively. "It's just--."
"I know," Draco said, chuckling. "I was just teasing you. Come here."
Hermione walked to him. Draco wrapped his arms around her and held her close. He kissed her head and said, "I'll take care of you."
Hermione buried her head on his chest. She felt so comforted being in his arms. She closed her eyes and sighed contendedly. A knock was heard and both returned back to reality.
"What is it?" Draco asked.
"Master Malfoy, your father calls for you," the servant said.
Draco looked at Hermione. "Are you ready?"
Hermione nodded determinedly. "Let's go."
They went to the drawing room, holding each other's hand, and waited for Lucius. Every now and then, Draco would whisper something soothing to her and she'd smile appreciatively at him.
Lucius walked in the room, shortly after. Hermione thought she had never seen a more arrogant man than him. His arrogance was seen through every bit of him; his walk, his clothes and the look on his face.
"I'm glad that you decided to come, Ms. Granger," Lucius said.
"Where's mother?" Draco asked.
"Ah," Lucius said. "Your mother is out this weekend."
Draco stood up immediately. "What? You said that she wanted to see me!"
"Don't talk to me like that!" Lucius yelled. Draco sat back down and glanced at Hermione, whose eyes reflected her terror. "She will be back on Sunday afternoon." He paused. "Well, I just wanted to welcome you, Ms. Granger, to the Malfoy Manor." He smiled oily, stood up and left.
Draco stood up as soon as his father left and began pacing the room. "He lied. He lied. I knew this was a setup."
Hermione stood up and tried to calm him down. "Draco, your mother will be back on Sunday. You can see her then."
"It would be too late," Draco said. "He purposefully let her out of the house so that he could handle us. We should never have come."
Hermione hugged him. "Don't worry, Draco. We'll go through this together."
They went back to Draco's room. Hermione sat on the edge of his bed.
"You can go to bed," Draco told her.
"What about you?" Hermione asked.
"I'll be up for a while," Draco said. "Don't worry. I'll be right here."
Hermione stood up and walked over to him. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. "Good night." Then she went to the bed, laid down and covered herself with the blanket. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep.
Draco sat on the bed beside Hermione, studying her. She was important to him now and didn't know what he'd do if he lost her. He absent-mindedly began caressing her hair.
"Hermione," Draco whispered. "You're so beautiful, and you don't even know it. You've changed me in ways I never thought was possible." He paused. "You've become so important to me that I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." He sighed and just looked at her for a while. Then, just in case things didn't go well the next day, he whispered, "I love you."
