Something In The Red

Chapter 7: Malfoy, The Problem Child part2

And now for your feature presentation

*****

Luckily, when Ron and I walked into the Great Hall there weren't many people there, and those who where were too busy talking to notice our entrance. We walked over to Gryffindor table and found a seat near Dean and Seamus.

Lunch went on as I usually did. Ron was talking about quidditch to Seamus and Dean, while I read. I had Arithmancy next and we were going to have a quiz, so I was triple checking the facts. Normally I would have done this before lunch, but I had to go talk to Ron. I am really glad I did.

To think it was all about Harry again. Everything seems to be about him. He always overshadows Ron. I feel bad for Ron. He is such a great person, protective, caring, sweet, and humble. But I know that it isn't Harry's fault. You can tell by the look in his eyes that everything is all so much bigger than him tat he has no way to control it. By the way where is Harry? I really need to find out what he was thinking when he said all of those things.

I looked around the Great Hall, but I couldn't find him. Oh well, I will talk to him after Arithmancy.

"Hey, Ron have you seen Harry while we were in here? I really need to talk to him and I was busy studying since we have been in here," I questioned him, hoping he had.

"Nope. Sorry Mione. You'll see him later though won't you? Why is it urgent or something," he asked worried.

"No. Not really," I said shaking my head and gathering up my books.

"Oh. Okay good."

"Hermione," Seamus said, stopping talking to Dean for a moment. " You're looking for Harry right?"

"Yeah," I answered warily as I picked up my last book.

"Well, Dean and I saw him and Malfoy leave together a few minutes before you got here. Would have thought you would have ran into each other."

"Oh," I said wondering why they had left together. "Oh well, I will just talk to him later." I glanced at my watch. 1:30. "I'm late. I have to go. If I don't leave now I will be late for Arithmancy," I said throwing my backpack on. I noticed that almost everyone had left except us.

"What time is it," Ron asked.

"1:30," I yelled back as I dashed for the door.

"Crap," I heard Ron yell. Then I heard a loud thud. I turned around and saw Ron scrambling to get up from the floor. I chuckled then ran realized I really had to get to class. I heard Seamus laughing for a long time before it died down.

*****

I made it to Arithmancy just in time. I sat down in my normal seat next to Padma Patil. That's when I noticed Draco sitting there so innocently what a joke. Then I noticed he looked happy he wasn't smiling but he didn't have on his normal smirk. Then we made eye contact. Instead of his normal glare that he would usually do, this time he smiled.

I had to take double take before I realized that he had just smiled. I really need to find out what is going on between Harry and him. Then class started I am going to have a word with Malfoy the second class gets out.

*****

Before I even knew it class was over. I only gained 20 points for Gryffindor considering my mind kept drifting off topic.

"Malfoy, I need to talk to you," I noticed that he didn't stop. "Now."

He stopped moving and his cheery attitude suddenly dropped about 20 notches on a ten-notch scale. He was back to his normal self.

"Yes," he sneered. "Hermione?" he raised his eyebrow for emphasis. I was taken aback when Malfoy called me by my actual name and not Granger or mudblood.

"Umm," I mumbled forgetting what I was going to ask.

"Quick, I have a previous engagement to attend to and I do not intend to be late like you almost were for class today."

That was definitely the Malfoy I knew. Which know made it so much easier to talk to him. But no I wondered about what he meant by his previous engagement.

"What is going on between you and Harry? For as long as I can remember you and Harry couldn't even stand being in the same room as each other. Now. Now you are always together. Harry is supposedly sticking up for you. You go off together. And now all of a sudden you look like a little kid that just got all the ice cream in the world. Tell me what is up. What is this previous engagement? And I am not letting you go anywhere until you tell me," I had backed him into a corner so he couldn't escape.

"Well since you won't let me leave until I tell you I will tell you the very short version. I don't want to waste me breathe on you when I have better things to do. Harry and I are just learning to stand each other. For the reason, don't even bother asking I will not tell and risk Harry going off at me again. I have had enough of that today. If you are wondering why I was so happy it is because Harry has agreed to something that he couldn't refuse. Or I personally think would want to. And where I have to go is absolutely none of you business. I told you more than I even had to in the first place. And it is with Harry. Now, I have told you would you kindly let me though," he finished angrily.

He went to push me aside, but I moved out of his way anyway. I gaped at him as he hurried along down the corridor then turned right. I had a strong urge to follow him and find out what was going on, but I decided that it would be best if I let them be. I still hadn't talked to Harry yet. Hopefully, Harry would tell me more than that bastard.

*****

Harry was waiting in the empty classroom that he and Draco had decided to meet in. Harry was starting to get worried. Draco was never late. Actually he was usually the first one there. Then suddenly he saw an enclosing form. He knew that it was Draco when he saw his platinum hair shine in the dark room only lit by a small crack in window.

Harry could tell that he shouldn't tell Draco that Ron and Hermione still aren't together and they would have to keep working on it. He also didn't want to say that Ron was barely talking to him. He noticed that Draco's silvery grey eyes were fully engulfed in rage.

"Umm," Harry said approaching Draco warily. "What's wrong? You don't look too happy. Completely opposite from the way I last saw you which wasn't too long ago."

"Well for your information, Dumbass, you stupid friend confronted me. God damn mublood. If I weren't so afraid of one of your lashings should would be in the hospital wing right now," Draco said finishing with a sigh and elegantly flopping down on the blue stared couch in the room.

"Wait hold on," Harry said starting to get very aggravated. "Calm down. Did I not tell you not to call her a mudblood or even Granger? You are out for a severe lashing if you don't tell me exactly what happened." Harry sat down on the couch next to Draco. "Now do you know why she asked you?"

Draco started to calm down. "Well, I did call her Hermione," he had trouble getting out that last word. "But she wouldn't let me leave. I had to tell her. Something. It wasn't much. It was either that or face you. I am starting to think that it was a lose-lose situation. Or at least for me," Draco said cringing and slowly getting up and slinking towards the door.

Harry noticed it Draco's exit. "Oh, no you don't. Get back over here," Harry said patting the couch. Draco sat back down, but as far away from Harry as possible. There was that Slytherin that Draco noticed in him. Draco started to wonder why Harry hadn't been placed in Slytherin. He would have fit right in. Oh no wait stop thinking about that I am about to get yelled at for the second time today. "Now tell me what you told her." Harry looked very intimidating. No. No he doesn't. He is just trying to make me his slave. But Harry wouldn't do that. He isn't like that. Always thinking about others. I should be able to trust him. I should be the one he should be watching out for. But no. Harry has to go and trust me. Why am I helping him in the first place?

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Harry started talking again. "Hello. Draco, you there? Answer me. Now!" Harry slapped me across the face.

"What was that for," I yelled.

"You didn't answer me. Went into some sort of a trance. Don't forget you said something to Hermione, which means we don't have much time. What did you tell her?"

"I only told her that we were just staring to tolerate each other. Now I have to go. Do my homework or something," I rushed out of the room completely embarrassed.

"What is wrong with me," I mumbled. I kept thinking that over and over until I reached my dorm. Glad I have my own room this year. I went to go throw my backpack my bed. Then I realized that I didn't have it. Then remembered that I had left it in the room. I ran back to the room, but it was gone and so was Harry. He must have taken it this is not good.

I was working on my homework with Ron, when Harry came into the common room with an extra backpack. "Who's backpack is that," I asked him

He ignored that question and asked his own. "Mione, did you talk to Dra. . .Malfoy today?"

"Yes. And I have been meaning to talk to you too.'

"Do you have a minute? We need to talk NOW!"

****** plz r&r