A/N: I am really, really sorry for making you guys wait. I have had THE
worst case of writer's block a writer could ever have. I am sorry. Anyway,
to those of you who are still out there reading, thanks for sticking with
me, and I do hope this chapter was worth the horrible wait.
CHAPTER 5
Draco flopped on his bed, closed his eyes and laughed softly. All these mind games he was playing on that little mudblood... so, so funny. He thought. To see her actually blush was the best part of it all.
"So the girl is a human, eh?" He chuckled to himself. He used to think that nothing could embarrass that girl. And to think, it only took a few 'impure' thoughts to make her turn in to a tomato that was going to blow up. Though the sight if her blushing satisfied his amusement, he had to admit, he didnt mind seeing those cute, rosy cheeks... He had to admit sometime that the girl wasnt horribly ugly, like she used to be. That crack about her being buck-toothed wasnt even true, at all. He did notice that after the incident in, was it, fourth year? Her teeth were perfectly straight.
Not that she was worthy of his attention, he convinced himself. She was but a lowly mudblood. That was as bad as a peasant marrying a prince to him. Suddenly, a tawny owl tappped his window sill. It didnt look familiar... It surely wasnt Pansy's owl, that was pink and full of bows. He shuddered at the thought. "Poor pathetic creature." He said, as if her owl could hear him. "Of course, the pet is just as pathetic as the owner." He chuckled slightly. He knew for a fact that it wasnt from his father... the man had a barn full of midnight balck, eagle owls... why would he use an underbred tawny?
Draco opened his sill slowly, and the owl glided in. It perched on the top of his bed for a while, and then left, dropping the note on his headboard. Why wasnt it tied to its leg? Draco wondered for a while. He went to the side of his bed and picked up the thin piece of parchment. Scribbled in lavender ink was a simple "thanks. H".
A small smile played on Draco's lips. "You're welcome--Hermione."
*~*~*~*~*
She didnt know what came over her. Writing that note would make him realise that she was in his debt... that she owed him one. She shuddered at the thought of what he could do to her. Press her for info on her best friend? All these thoughts were giving her a headache, and lying upside down wasnt helping. If only she could hear from her friends... in the part of the world where she would rather be right now... away from that blonde headed bastard!
Well, if they werent going to write her, she'd write them. Ginny was probably still swooning over Harry, though now it was a little more discreet. Though that girl inherited the mouth of her youngest brother, she also had the temper... and if Harry didnt notice her soon, boy, he'd get one bloody good beating. And he deserved it too. But Hermione knew for a fact that Harry wasnt as thick skulled as he appeared to be... unlike Ron. Some found his cluelessness endearing... Hermione found it downright annoying! He wouldnt get that fact that she liked him if she strutted around buck naked through all of Hogwarts with a huge sign around her neck that said "I LOVE RON!". "At least I'm over him now." she said outloud. It was complete and utter hell liking the twit.
Hermione shook her head, clearing away the thoughts of her embarrassing past, where "flirting" meant "bickering", and where she had to witness Ron go out on countless dates with Lavender and Parvati. Absolute torture.
She sighed quietly. She wasnt about to think of these things again. 'I am completely over him.' she thought to herself. She rolled her eyes. She couldnt lie to herself. Apparently she could lie to everyone else though. Her friends all believed her. They didnt doubt her judgement for a minute, but sometimes she wondered if that was a good thing or a bad one. "Some girls have all the luck." she said quietly to herself. Ginny didnt know it but Harry was mad about her. He was just very good at hiding it. He talked about her constantly, even to Ron... who found it scary, but sat through it anyway. She closed her eyes for a bit. "I wonder what that feels like..."
"What what feels like, Granger?" the cold voice jolted her eyes open, and she sat up abruptly.
"What--How'd you get in here, Malfoy?" She asked, slightly shaken by the surprise.
"You didnt lock your door." He shrugged. "Answer my question." He demanded. Hermione tried her best to control her voice from shaking.
"W-would you kindly leave my room?" she asked patiently.
"My question. Answer it."
"Malfoy, please." She said, getting up, ready to push him out the door. He noticed the slight shake in her voice and his smirk widened.
"Did I scare the filthy little mudblood?" he taunted. She was finally able to regain her normal voice.
"No, you didnt. Now kindly leave." She said firmly. He turned towards the door and with one final swish, he was gone. His last 3 words echoed in her mind.
"You owe me."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Hermione woke up bright and early the next monday, impatient for the day to begin. She was excited to learn all her courses in Italian and of course, tour the streets of Italy. Draco seemed like he could care less. It was 7:30 and class started in 30 minutes, and he was still in bed, while his ever-prompt partner was already dressed. Nothing quite that exciting happened between Draco and herself after that cenario in her room, and she was thankful for that. He seemed to have been avoiding bickers with her, but that could also be because of the numerous dates he's had already. Hermione shook her head slightly. "You could go to any part of the world at any time, and Malfoy would still be a heartrob!" She said.
"Really?"Came his cold voice. She could hear his smirk already. He just seemed to be popping out of no where these days, so she wasnt really surprised. She had to start watching what she said though. She shook her head again.
"I'm sure you know that by now, Malfoy." she shot back, trying not to sound embarrassed. "I dont think you need a mudblood like me to tell you that!" She said, emphasizing on the word mudblood. "Someone who's filthy, wretched and gross, having to tell a Malfoy that he was handsome! That's simply proposterous!" she said sarcastically. She turned around and threw an uncharacteristic smirk his way. "C'mon," she said getting up. "Michelle is probably waiting." she was about to step through the door and close it, but...
"Just for the record--" Malfoy said shrugging as he stepped beside her. "You arent really that bad." with that, he walked ahead of her, as his own personal Italian fan club met him at the door to the mess hall.
She stood there, stunned for a moment. Draco Malfoy just defended her from her own insults. What was this world coming to? She closed the portrait behind her and slowly walked to the great hall, musing on what just happened. Maybe he had a heart. Maybe not. Hermione corrected herself. Just two days ago he was calling her those same names. He was probably just in a good mood. She was thinking so hard that she bumped into Prifessor Welkin. "Oh, my Lord! I'm sorry Professor!" She apologized quickly.
"Dont fret, Ms. Granger." the professor said with a small smile. "No harm done. Breakfast is waiting!" she said, pointing the other direction. Hermione was puzzled for a moment but turned around and walked to the door.
"Thank you Professor." she said politely, stepping through the gigantic door. Welkin gave her a curt nod. When Hermione was out of sight, she put an amused smile on her face. Albus would love to know that his head students were progressing nicely, she thought.
CHAPTER 5
Draco flopped on his bed, closed his eyes and laughed softly. All these mind games he was playing on that little mudblood... so, so funny. He thought. To see her actually blush was the best part of it all.
"So the girl is a human, eh?" He chuckled to himself. He used to think that nothing could embarrass that girl. And to think, it only took a few 'impure' thoughts to make her turn in to a tomato that was going to blow up. Though the sight if her blushing satisfied his amusement, he had to admit, he didnt mind seeing those cute, rosy cheeks... He had to admit sometime that the girl wasnt horribly ugly, like she used to be. That crack about her being buck-toothed wasnt even true, at all. He did notice that after the incident in, was it, fourth year? Her teeth were perfectly straight.
Not that she was worthy of his attention, he convinced himself. She was but a lowly mudblood. That was as bad as a peasant marrying a prince to him. Suddenly, a tawny owl tappped his window sill. It didnt look familiar... It surely wasnt Pansy's owl, that was pink and full of bows. He shuddered at the thought. "Poor pathetic creature." He said, as if her owl could hear him. "Of course, the pet is just as pathetic as the owner." He chuckled slightly. He knew for a fact that it wasnt from his father... the man had a barn full of midnight balck, eagle owls... why would he use an underbred tawny?
Draco opened his sill slowly, and the owl glided in. It perched on the top of his bed for a while, and then left, dropping the note on his headboard. Why wasnt it tied to its leg? Draco wondered for a while. He went to the side of his bed and picked up the thin piece of parchment. Scribbled in lavender ink was a simple "thanks. H".
A small smile played on Draco's lips. "You're welcome--Hermione."
*~*~*~*~*
She didnt know what came over her. Writing that note would make him realise that she was in his debt... that she owed him one. She shuddered at the thought of what he could do to her. Press her for info on her best friend? All these thoughts were giving her a headache, and lying upside down wasnt helping. If only she could hear from her friends... in the part of the world where she would rather be right now... away from that blonde headed bastard!
Well, if they werent going to write her, she'd write them. Ginny was probably still swooning over Harry, though now it was a little more discreet. Though that girl inherited the mouth of her youngest brother, she also had the temper... and if Harry didnt notice her soon, boy, he'd get one bloody good beating. And he deserved it too. But Hermione knew for a fact that Harry wasnt as thick skulled as he appeared to be... unlike Ron. Some found his cluelessness endearing... Hermione found it downright annoying! He wouldnt get that fact that she liked him if she strutted around buck naked through all of Hogwarts with a huge sign around her neck that said "I LOVE RON!". "At least I'm over him now." she said outloud. It was complete and utter hell liking the twit.
Hermione shook her head, clearing away the thoughts of her embarrassing past, where "flirting" meant "bickering", and where she had to witness Ron go out on countless dates with Lavender and Parvati. Absolute torture.
She sighed quietly. She wasnt about to think of these things again. 'I am completely over him.' she thought to herself. She rolled her eyes. She couldnt lie to herself. Apparently she could lie to everyone else though. Her friends all believed her. They didnt doubt her judgement for a minute, but sometimes she wondered if that was a good thing or a bad one. "Some girls have all the luck." she said quietly to herself. Ginny didnt know it but Harry was mad about her. He was just very good at hiding it. He talked about her constantly, even to Ron... who found it scary, but sat through it anyway. She closed her eyes for a bit. "I wonder what that feels like..."
"What what feels like, Granger?" the cold voice jolted her eyes open, and she sat up abruptly.
"What--How'd you get in here, Malfoy?" She asked, slightly shaken by the surprise.
"You didnt lock your door." He shrugged. "Answer my question." He demanded. Hermione tried her best to control her voice from shaking.
"W-would you kindly leave my room?" she asked patiently.
"My question. Answer it."
"Malfoy, please." She said, getting up, ready to push him out the door. He noticed the slight shake in her voice and his smirk widened.
"Did I scare the filthy little mudblood?" he taunted. She was finally able to regain her normal voice.
"No, you didnt. Now kindly leave." She said firmly. He turned towards the door and with one final swish, he was gone. His last 3 words echoed in her mind.
"You owe me."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Hermione woke up bright and early the next monday, impatient for the day to begin. She was excited to learn all her courses in Italian and of course, tour the streets of Italy. Draco seemed like he could care less. It was 7:30 and class started in 30 minutes, and he was still in bed, while his ever-prompt partner was already dressed. Nothing quite that exciting happened between Draco and herself after that cenario in her room, and she was thankful for that. He seemed to have been avoiding bickers with her, but that could also be because of the numerous dates he's had already. Hermione shook her head slightly. "You could go to any part of the world at any time, and Malfoy would still be a heartrob!" She said.
"Really?"Came his cold voice. She could hear his smirk already. He just seemed to be popping out of no where these days, so she wasnt really surprised. She had to start watching what she said though. She shook her head again.
"I'm sure you know that by now, Malfoy." she shot back, trying not to sound embarrassed. "I dont think you need a mudblood like me to tell you that!" She said, emphasizing on the word mudblood. "Someone who's filthy, wretched and gross, having to tell a Malfoy that he was handsome! That's simply proposterous!" she said sarcastically. She turned around and threw an uncharacteristic smirk his way. "C'mon," she said getting up. "Michelle is probably waiting." she was about to step through the door and close it, but...
"Just for the record--" Malfoy said shrugging as he stepped beside her. "You arent really that bad." with that, he walked ahead of her, as his own personal Italian fan club met him at the door to the mess hall.
She stood there, stunned for a moment. Draco Malfoy just defended her from her own insults. What was this world coming to? She closed the portrait behind her and slowly walked to the great hall, musing on what just happened. Maybe he had a heart. Maybe not. Hermione corrected herself. Just two days ago he was calling her those same names. He was probably just in a good mood. She was thinking so hard that she bumped into Prifessor Welkin. "Oh, my Lord! I'm sorry Professor!" She apologized quickly.
"Dont fret, Ms. Granger." the professor said with a small smile. "No harm done. Breakfast is waiting!" she said, pointing the other direction. Hermione was puzzled for a moment but turned around and walked to the door.
"Thank you Professor." she said politely, stepping through the gigantic door. Welkin gave her a curt nod. When Hermione was out of sight, she put an amused smile on her face. Albus would love to know that his head students were progressing nicely, she thought.
