A/N Sorry for the long wait. I've been celebrating the holidays and trying to figure out my plot. Thanks for the reviews.
"This is ridiculous." Draco fumed silently. It was Care of Magical Creatures. Normally he hated the bloody class: the monsters, the teacher, teacher's pet, Potter, but he absolutely loathed today's lesson. Wasn't it bad enough that he had humiliated himself with Granger? Failed abysmally to crack that shield of suspicion? Discovered that the oft touted Malfoy sex appeal fell short of winning over one nose-always-pressed-in-a-book, formerly hair-challenged, scar-head loving, Gryffandor girl? No, the worst was standing three feet from that judgement –impaired witch, with Pansy clinging to his arm, both trying to save face. Sour Grapes Rule #1 If you can't get what you want, pretend you don't want it.
Hermione seemed to be content sticking close to Weasel and Potter. She had managed to avoid looking at him, by standing right in front of Hagrid the entire class. Draco, like any normal student, preferred to stay as far away from the teacher and his horrendous creature of the day as possible. This was especially true after his accident third year. Nothing is more humiliating than having your plan foiled. Somehow, although probably with Potter's help, Buckbeak had managed to escape McNair's axe, and Draco would rather not lose again so obviously.
Still, he couldn't allow Hermione to have everything her own way. Shrugging off Pansy's arm, he pushed his way to front of the group, standing just behind Hermione. Ugh. What were those things?
Tuning out Hagrid's booming voice, he let his mind wander back to their assignation. Where had he gone wrong? Unobtrusively, he stole a look at Hermione, hand raised to answer some stupid question only she would possibly think worth knowing. She didn't seem to care that he was standing so close their robes were practically touching. She wasn't agonizing over anything. "Whoever said Gryffandor's were all heart, didn't know what they were talking about!" Draco scowled.
"There's got to be a way. I can't admit defeat. I'm still in school. Think what failure, at my age will do? I'd never rise above it? Why I'd lose all my confidence. Father would be so disappointed if he knew. Mother would just give me that look, the one that says she loves me and knows I'd succeed if only I weren't so pathetic. No, a Malfoy may hit a few snags, but ultimately we succeed. Of course, this is all part of the Malfoy heritage, and truthfulness has never been our family's strong suit…"
He rambled on in this sort of internal monologue, until Pansy nudged him that Hagrid was done lecturing, and that everyone was heading back towards the castle. Draco didn't mind missing the lecture, although he hoped Pansy had paid attention, he could hardly count on Crabbe and Goyle as a reputable source for notes and homework.
"I need to do something." Draco thought. "If only I could blackmail her, or something." His mind conjured up an image of Hermione tearfully pleading that she'd do anything for him. He smirked, then his face fell. For six years he had been trying to get Potter and his gang into trouble with little success. There was almost no chance he'd discover anything about Hermione She'd have better luck finding something on him.
Inspiration came quickly and suddenly. Hermione didn't trust him – was afraid of his overtures. She clearly felt at a disadvantage. He could use that, if he was willing to risk/humiliate himself further. If he made her think she held all the cards, maybe… Maybe these schemes were too convoluted, but Draco thought this one just might work.
***
"Ginny, do you really think that will work?" Harry asked.
"I won't do it unless you want me to?" Ginny said, not answering his question.
"It's a stupid bet …."
"Don't worry Harry."
***
He had Goyle trip her outside of the Library, and while she was picking up her books, he dropped the fragment of parchment in with her things. Not a very original tactic, but sufficient for the purpose. Then an hour later, while she was busy over her books, his parchment poking out underneath, although presumably still unread, he marched up to her table and slammed her text shut.
"Ok Granger." He hissed. "Give it back."
She looked up, puzzled and annoyed.
"That," he made a swipe for it with one hand, and as expected, Hermione grabbed hold of it.
"Look. No one will believe you anyway. Just give it back." He said, trying to appear nervous, which of course he was but for a completely different reason.
"Believe what?" Hermione eye's strayed to the scrap. "What scurrilous thing have you been up to?"
He didn't answer her, just let her imagination do his work for him.
"Let's make a deal. You don't tell anyone about that and I'll …." He faltered.
"You'll…?"
Draco could tell Hermione was curious, disapproving but curious.
"I'll … well what do you want?" This was the dangerous part of the plan. Any Slytherin would take as much as they would get, and any Gryffandor would turn him in. Draco hoped fervently that Hermione was human enough to want to make him suffer herself- but he decided to help his chances with a well-placed insult. "Typical bookworm, you wont figure out how to make the most of this opportunity unless I tell you – unfortunately for you I don't teach remedial blackmailing."
Hermione's eyes narrowed. What was he playing at? Near as she could tell the paper was blank. Either he didn't know it, and thought she was holding on to some incriminating evidence, or the paper only appeared blank through some spell, or and Hermione's eyes bored into Draco, or he was using this to manipulate her.
Blinking, Hermione tried to clear the preposterous idea from her thoughts. Impossible – he wouldn't set this all up to…. How could she test this . Be logical Hermione.
"She's going for it." Draco fought hard to keep the smirk from his face. "Anyone who takes this long to decide whether or not to turn me in has to be thinking of an angle. That just doesn't seem right though" he thought. "How will corrupting Granger help me. I want her to like me against her better judgement – not because she's got a cruel streak that mirrors mine." Draco's internal arguemrnt was cut short by the sight of the paper Hermione was tapping against her robe. Shit! What had he done with the right paper? Why the hell did he like schemes so much when this one was turning into a farce. Now how was he supposed to get that stinking piece of parchment back and..
It was true. She had seen the desperate disbelief in his eyes. The idiot had set this all up to trick her. If he had really committed some horrible act, Hermione would have felt honor bound to turn him in, but this… Draco had deliberately put himself in her power. Hermione's eyes glowed. Perhaps she should gibe him a bit of what he wanted, make him squirm. And then she would prove to him that his immature stunts, like cuddling up to Pansy Parkinson, had not effect on her whatsoever.
"I would never stoop to blackmail." Hermione said coldly. Was that disappointment or relief in his eyes?
"Oh yes the high and mighty Gryffandor." Draco sneered more out of habit than anything else. He felt as if his brain had melted down from the pressure of too many unlikely half formed schemes to salvage the situation. And under that was this wonderful feeling that this girl, who he reluctantly admired and respected, wasn't endangering his good opinion.
"And I'll retreat to our high tower to think – I don't want to bungle this opportunity you've so kindly given me." Hermione smiled.
"Give me that paper now." Draco demanded with somewhat less than his usual command.
"This." Holding up the paper, Hermione muttered a charm shrinking it to the perfect size to fit into her gold locket. Snapping the locket shut she smiled "I'll keep this to remind me of "
"You don't need that to remind you of me."
It wasn;t the words, rather his tone of voice which startled Hermione. He was practically purring. He was leaning towards her. This shift was too sudden to be real. The calculating swine. She knew his passion for her was fake.
Draco stepped closer to Hermione and when she retreated moving further away from the desk, he stepped quickly around the inconvenient piece of furniture and continued his pursuit, slowly driving her back against the wall. "That's it Granger" he thought. "I've almost got you."
She felt the library wall at her back, the rows of books screening them from anyone who might enter. One of his arms blocked her, the rest of his body barred the other direction. Hermione's heart was pounding, partly from anger, mostly from excitement.
"Don't even think about kissing me." It was meant to be an order, it ended up a whisper, perhaps even an invitation.
"I wish you'd tell me how to stop" he mumbled lips separated from hers by such a small space.
He sounded almost sincere. Hermione decided to find out how sincere. One kiss wouldn't really change anything, would it? "Propinquity" Hermione announced. "Familiarity breeds contempt and all that. I don't suppose I could feel any more contempt for you than I normally do and I don't know how you've lost sight of your alleged hatred for me but, I suppose"
"If this is your way of asking me to kiss you." Draco drawled "you need to work on your technique." He didn't give her an opportunity to reply.
"I could get used to this." Hermione thought. Kissing Draco Malfoy was every bit as wonderful as she remembered, better perhaps, because this time she knew it was going to happen. His lips were hard on hers, demanding, one hand, not the one keeping her a prisoner, was hoveringe near her ribcage. "Is he going for my breast, or the locket underneath my robe?" Hermione wondered.
Her question was answered a moment later when his hand cupped her flesh through the robe. "One more moment." Hermione told herself, before pushing him away.
He stopped immediately although definitely reluctantly.
"What is this all about?" Hermione asked walking around him and seating herself on the desk.
"I should think that would be obvious." Draco said a bit sulkily.
"So far nothing is obvious. Forget you're a Slytherin for a moment and explain exactly what you want me to do – I mean aside from all this which is not going to happen."
"And you think I'm the one with the ego – one kiss and you think I'll spill my secrets."
"You're trying to duck the question. Listen, Draco, I'm not going to get involved in anything that will hurt my friends, especially not for some stuck-up, overbred, pawn of the Dark Lord."
"I'm not."
"You're not what?"
"A pawn. At least I don't want to be."
"No. I don't see you taking orders very well." Hermione mused, trying not to look at his lips.
"Ok. If you want cards on the table" Malfoy perched on a desk opposite Hermione, "Harry Potter's going to win. I don't want to lose – but I don't want to change – Malfoy's don't do halos."
"And?" Hermione prompted.
"I thought if I could get you to fall for me, the way I am, I'd be setting a new precedent "
"I can't believe this!" Hermione screeched as his words sunk in. "you think I'm going to fall in love with you and thereby save you from the dark fate you so richly deserve."
"Why are you so mad? It doesn't involve your friends."
"It doesn't involve you either – you ferret!"
"Hermione" he said reaching out to her.
She jumped off the desk "and it won't involve me either! "
Once again Draco was left in an empty chamber. "I don't get this truth stuff" he thought angrily.
