The One Thing He Could Never Have
by Lalita
Disclaimer~ Harry Potter is not mine, blah blah blah. You get the point.
Summary~ Draco is forced by the Dark Lord to wed Hermione, in order to get to Harry Potter. Will Hermione fall prey to his trap? Read to find out!
Author Notes~ Well, here's chapter 2! Hope you like it! Please read and review!
Chapter Two~ An Unexpected Encounter
Hermione strode determinedly down the corridor to the library. Really, she did have a lot of work to get done. She had no time to play wizard's chess in the common room. A visit with Hagrid? Appealing, but, no, she was certain she was too busy. Dinner in the Great Hall? No thanks. She wasn't hungry. There was absolutely nothing wrong with going to the library. The fact that she had stayed shut up in her dorm, the library, and skipped Potions class, which was something she never did, had nothing to do with the fact that she wanted to avoid Draco Malfoy. Nothing at all to do with him.
Hermione slammed her books down a bit harder than necessary when she reached a study table set up near the back. She had come to the library to study. Just because a library would be the last place Malfoy would be seen had not influenced her decision. Not one bit.
She opened up her Potions textbook and leaned over a bit to read the lesson she had missed. The assignment she had gotten from Harry, who always had taken better notes than Ron. Read pages 50- 80 and write an essay on all aspects of a tongue stone root. Hermione sighed and rubbed her eyes. At least she had all week to work on it. Her next Potions class wasn't until next Tuesday, and today was only Friday. Thank God for small blessings, Hermione thought.
She stared down at the words in front of her. Tongue stone is essentially made up of the tongue of a gargoyle. It is called tongue stone because, when brewed with the proper ingredients, it can still a person's tongue for days. If brewed too strongly, Tongue stone can result in the permanent loss of speech, so you must be careful to add the proper amounts of ingredients...
The words blurred in front of Mione's eyes. She rubbed them, then tried to concentrate once again, randomly making notes. Soon, she was scribbling on the sides of her paper in absent minded designs. Her thoughts wandered back to last night...
Tears rose in her eyes and her throat constricted as she remembered. Normally, she didn't take what Malfoy said to heart, but last night he had been particularly nasty and his words had hit home. It hadn't helped that she had been going through her own insecurities right then. Lately, she found herself doubting herself, her decisions, her relationship with Ron, with Harry, with everything! Last night she hadn't let Ron or anyone into her dorm. One of the perks of being Head Girl was the privilege of her own room, and the freedom to lock out whomever she wished. Last night, she had wanted to block out the world so she could cry herself to sleep. Which was exactly what she had done, and, which was also why her eyes had little rings around them, like she hadn't been sleeping much.
With a jolt, Hermione realized she had been glaring at the wall. Furiously, she brushed away her tears and returned to her studies, successfully blocking out all thought, but not being able to concentrate on her work.
After a few fruitless hours and scribbled out parchment, Hermione once again sighed and gathered her books. Her shoulders slumping wearily, Hermione exited the library. Dimly, she realized that no one else was in the hallways-or in the library. The torches were lit and only the shadows accompanied her. Uneasily, Hermione wondered how late it was. How long had she sat there, thinking of nothing?
Her steps became more hurried, her breathing more frantic. The shadows seemed to leap out and grab at her, small noises were transformed into the hisses of hideous creatures, and soon Hermione was running as fast and hard as she could. It took sheer will power not to scream. " Stop it," Hermione commanded herself. " You're being stupid."
She forced herself to slow down and walk normally, glancing around occasionally to see if Mrs.Norris or Filch was anywhere, lurking about. " It would not be good," she inwardly reflected, " if the Head Girl were to be caught roaming the corridors well past after lights out."
" Boo," a soft voice said.
Hermione jumped and bit back a cry of surprise. She looked around for the source of the noise, but she couldn't see.
" Going somewhere, Granger?" A figure stepped out of the shadows.
Hermione's temper flared. Of course. Who else would be in the dark, waiting to scare people? Besides, she knew that arrogant, rude tone anywhere. She turned and faced him, then spat venomously, " None of your business, Malfoy."
He appeared vaguely amused by her temper. " Sneaking back to your dorm after a snogging session with Weasley, Granger?" he sneered.
Hermione felt her face flaming with anger and, yes, embarrassment. " You're sick," she hissed through clenched teeth. " And I don't recall seeing you getting special permission to prowl the corridors either, Malfoy. What? Waiting for Pansy, so you can snog with her in a broom closet?"
Malfoy ignored her comment and smirked maliciously. " I should think you would know better than to roam the hallways at night. There are far worse things than me you'll find. Seeing as you're so smart, I assumed you'd know that."
A cold shiver of fear raced down her spine. Fighting the rising panic within her, Hermione said tartly, " I never knew you cared. However, I assure I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself just fine." Hermione stepped back and tried to edge around him, but he blocked her escape.
" Such a tongue, Granger," Malfoy scolded. " I think I shall have to teach you a lesson in respect-" he paused," and about the school rules."
" You could do with some lessons in those departments yourself," she retorted. Malfoy took a menacing step closer, and Hermione backed away. " Stay away from me, Malfoy," she commanded, her voice slightly wavering.
He ignored her and continued to come closer. Hermione's heart started a frantic beat as it hit her like an icy fist in the gut that she was alone, in a corridor, with Draco Malfoy, her arch enemy, advancing upon her and smiling in an evil manner. What was she going to do?
" Granger... When will you learn to shut up? You'll never understand your place as a mudblood in out world," Malfoy snarled.
Hermione's temper snapped. This was it. This was the last straw. Frantically, she fumbled through her robes, looking for her wand, and, with sickening dismay, realized she had left it in her dorm.
But Malfoy was one step ahead of her. In one smooth motion, he drew his wand and murmured a spell. Hermione felt her joints lock up and a horrifying thought entered her head. " Oh my god!" her mind screamed. " Malfoy's stunned me! I'm completely helpless!"
Eyes wide with fear and shock, Hermione stared at Malfoy, her mouth hanging slightly open. He was grinning. He lifted his wand a bit, and she rose off the ground by a foot or so. Even then, she wasn't as tall as Malfoy, and he circled her like a vulture ready to pounce down and devour its prey at any given moment.
" Tut, tut, Granger," Malfoy purred. " Forgetting your lessons? A witch must never be without her wand, even a mudblood witch like you."
An angry, furious retort rose to her lips but couldn't make its way out. Hermione felt tears stinging her eyes, hurt, frightened, bitter tears. They rolled down her cheeks and she could do naught to stop them.
" Crying? My, my, that won't do," Malfoy said, his voice gone oddly soft. With a tender hand, he wiped away her tears.
Hermione felt a flood of rage rise within her, so strong that it startled her. How dare he! How dare he! Here she was, at his mercy, and he was obviously enjoying it very much, and then he had the nerve to pretend to be kind! The filthy bastard!
Hermione started shaking as the ferocity of her emotions gripped her. Her fingers itched to slap Malfoy across the face, her tongue longing to lash out at him. Her face turned beet red from the effort of trying to break the hold he had over her.
Malfoy smirked, indeed taking pleasure from her futile efforts. " What's wrong, Granger?" he taunted. " Cat got your tongue?"
Hermione exploded. Something within her snapped, and in the space of a few seconds she had dropped to the ground, landing firmly on her feet. She took swift steps towards Malfoy and let him have it.
" You cruel, spineless bastard!" she hissed. Her hand rose to strike him, but he caught it. Her leg shot out and kicked him in his groin, and he released his hold on her. Hermione shoved him back and he fell.
When Malfoy rose his head to look on her, shock was apparent on his face. There was little else. " I hate you! I hate you more than anyone I've ever met! I hope you die and rot in hell, Draco Malfoy! Now you stay away from me and leave me alone!!!"
Hermione turned and ran as fast as she could to the dormitory, not caring how much noise she made. She didn't look back, but she could hear the sound of Draco's boisterous laughter. It spurred her on and she tore up the stairs and snapped, " Sugar treats," to the portrait of the Fat Lady, who was snoring softly. When she got no response, Hermione almost took out her anger on the unsuspecting portrait. " Sugar treats!" she said, loudly.
The Fat Lady awakened and swung open, a frank frown of disapproval on her face. Hermione could have cared less. She crept past the common room as quietly as she could, but it was no use.
Someone had been there, waiting for her all night.
