Chapter Four: Detention

Hermione hurried down the marble staircases, anxiously, toward the dungeons.

She was on her way to her first detention for the month and she wasn't really looking forward to it but she didn't want to be late and get herself into any more trouble with Snape than she already was.

As she made her way through several more twisting hallways and down a few more flights of stairs stepping into the Entrance Hall she wondered what she'd have to do. She hoped she wouldn't have to work with Malfoy.

Just thinking of that infuriating boy made her stomach churn. Yep. She hated him.

Draco, on the other hand, didn't care and took his time walking to detention

He entered Snape's office shortly after Hermione. Snape growled at the both of them as he led them up several staircases to an abandoned classroom in one of the astronomy towers.

The room was filled from floor to ceiling with boxes, desks, books, chairs. All old, all dusty, all ancient. The grime on the windows was so thick that you could not see out of it, making the room dark and cold.

          "Wands!" barked Professor Snape, his hand outstretched.

Hermione and Draco pulled their wands out, reluctantly, and handed them over.

"Now you are to clean this room up so that it is spotless," Then he added, "without magic."

          "With out magic?" Draco and Hermione repeated.

"Yes, without magic!" He turned on his heels and marched out of the room with their wands. He slammed the door with a loud BANG and locked it behind them.

Hermione gave Draco a helpless look.

His gray eyes stared at her coldly.

They stood there in awkward silence staring at each other for several seconds until Hermione spoke.

"Perhaps we'd better get started then, shall we?" She said in what she hoped was a friendly manner. After all, she thought, If I were to be working with him I may as well try to be nice. "How about you start on that side of the room and collect all the books while I-"

But she was interrupted.

"No, I don't think so," He crossed his arms over his chest, defiantly, as if daring her to object.

"What do you mean 'No'?" She took a step closer to him, her brow furrowed as she glared at him.

"I will not be taking orders from a Mud-blood." He stared at her menacingly, though she did not cower as he was hoping her to.

Hermione could be quite stubborn, and sometimes dangerous.

"Why do you have to be so impossible to work with?" She demanded hotly.

"ME? You're saying that I'm impossible?" Draco splattered, "You're the one who landed us detention!"

"WHAT?!" Hermione was practically fuming, "You're the one who ruined our potion- "

"You had to make such a big deal over it- "

"You know what Malfoy, FINE!" Hermione turned on her heal and stalked away from Malfoy over to the windows, picking up a rag and cleaning spray. She could practically feel the steam fuming from her ears.

Draco was taken aback to how quickly she gave up. After his shock wore off he smirked to himself. He won! Ha! Take that, Granger!

Hermione stood at the window farthest away from Malfoy and began scrubbing the grime off.

She wrinkled her nose in disgust. The windows were really dirty. She thought about Malfoy. About how much she disliked him and scrubbed harder. Her hatred for him fueled her.

Why did he always have to be so annoying? He thinks he's SO cool. Hmph! All the girls think he's SO charming, SO handsome. Well I can see right through him! He hasn't got me fooled!

Hermione looked over her shoulder at Malfoy and gave him a disapproving glare. He wasn't even trying to clean.

Draco was lazily un-stacking the chairs and setting them out. She turned back to her dirty window and scrubbed harder. Most of the grime was coming off. Finally with one last swipe the window was clean. Moonlight broke through and she could gaze up at the twinkling stars.

Hermione's breath was taken away. The night sky was so beautiful. So perfect. Each star seemed to have been crafted with extra care as they sparkled mischievously like fireflies. The moon so large, so round, seemed closer than ever before in this high tower.

It would be so romantic, she thought, If only I wasn't here with Malfoy. He ruins everything!

Her spirits lowered. URGH!

She sighed hopelessly and turned to the next window.

*~*~*~*

Wiping the last window clean she set down her cleaning tools, wiped her forehead and let out her breath.

There! That's done

She took a step back and placed her hands on her hips as she inspected her work, nodding her head in approval.

Not bad.

Tired, she dropped her arms from her hips and sat down in one of the window seats. After all that work she needed a little rest and decided she would like to just gaze at the stars.

Crossing her legs, she tilted her head and rested her chin on her hand propped up by her elbow. Her mind began to wander and daydream.

*~*~*~*

Not long after Hermione finished with the windows Draco had finished un-stacking all the chairs.

He too was exhausted and decided to take a break. Collapsing in one of the chairs he'd set out, he ran a hand through his slick blonde hair.

He sat there for a few seconds glancing down at his feet, but he couldn't hear anything else in the room. Silence burned through his ears.

What's that bloody Granger doing? He could no longer hear the squeaking of the cloth cleaning the window.

Wondering if she had left the room he looked up.

Woah…!

Draco was breath-taken, speechless!

All five long windows were wiped clean without even a speck of dust! The large round moon shone brighter than ever before, making the room they were in glow bright blue.

But it was not the windows that took his breath away, and he wasn't speechless because of the moon, (although they were both spectacular). No. He was "woah-ing" because when he glanced up he saw Hermione, sitting on the window ledge gazing up at the stars.

She looks so beautiful, he thought, suddenly without realizing, as the moon's rays shone on her curly hair. Her skin glowing perfectly, her dark brown eyes gazing though her long dark eye lashes.

Every one of her features stood out beautifully to him. An all too familiar fluttery feeling returned to his stomach.

Hermione felt eyes watching her. She tore her gaze away from the brilliant moon and met Draco's eyes.

Draco's heart leapt up to his throat, eyes wide. She had caught him staring.

Being a stupid teenage boy he mistook this feeling for embarrassment.

Thinking quick he formed his face into a scornful expression and sneered, "What are you looking at Mud-Blood?" He then turned away, shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts of Hermione.

What am I doing? He thought, whacking himself in the head. How can I even be thinking of a mud-blood let alone stare at her?

…And how could I let her catch me?

He had never been this careless with other girls. It seemed whenever Hermione was around he was never as composed as he would like to be. He seemed to lose his cool and could be quite reckless. And he hated it.

Suddenly the tower door burst open wide.

Both Hermione's and Draco's heads snapped around to face the door.

Snape stood in the doorframe.

He stepped in slowly. His eyes darted around as he inspected the room.

Hermione climbed off the window seat and stood up straight next to Malfoy who'd already gotten up off his chair.

Snape stopped walking when he reached them. He took one last look around before gazing down at them.

"Nice work with the windows, Malfoy," He smiled.

"But-!" Hermione started to object but Draco cut her.

"Why thank you sir," He smiled cruelly at Granger, "it was nothing."

Hermione bit her lip as a lump formed in her throat. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes. It was me!! She wanted to scream. I cleaned the windows! Not Malfoy!

But her voice did not sound as her lips moved. And suddenly it was too late to say anything. Snape dismissed them and told them they were required to continue cleaning this room every evening for the rest of the month.

After Snape left the room Draco was just about to head to the Slytherin common room when he took one last look at Hermione.

Still frozen on the spot, staring at the doorway after where Snape had left.

She could not believe what had just happened. After all that work she did that… that Malfoy received the credit for it! Her bottom lip quivered and what she dreaded most happened.

One single tear rolled from her bright brown eyes, down her cheek, over her lips, and rested on her chin for a second before it dripped to the ground. That was not the end of it, however. More tears ran out and there was nothing she could do.

Standing to one side of the room Draco saw the whole thing. He felt a pang of guilt in his chest as he saw Hermione drop to her knees and bury her face into her hands. He never wanted to make her cry. He knew he should have told the truth but… he couldn't help himself. It was second nature to him.

But seeing Hermione looking so helpless and distraught he knew he had to get rid of this bad habit.

Why did the guilt have to kick in now? WHY?! This was SO not like him and he was beginning to worry.

He rolled his eyes, sighed grudgingly, and knelt down next to her. She looked at him through hurt, watery brown eyes.

"Listen… Grang- … er, Hermione. Look, I… I'm sorry I-" He tried to sound kind and friendly.

Suddenly her eyes flashed menacingly. Who was he to take credit for her work then apologize like it was no big thing? How DARE he?

She stood up.

He jumped up and backed away as she advanced on him.

Nostrils flaring with anger. Her cheeks flushed red.

She looked MAD! Worse than that time she slapped him in third year.

Like she was ready to tear him apart.

Draco, scared of being slapped again (or worse), bumped into the wall behind him. Hermione didn't stop walking until she was an inch away from him.

She glared at him seethingly. "How. Dare. You." She demanded, no louder than a whisper in a raspy voice from the crying.

"How?" Her voice growing louder. "How could you do that?! After all that work I'd done y… you just stand there smiling and take credit for something that I did?"

Her eyes fixed onto his. He could see tears forming in her eyes again.

Draco gulped, licked his lips, and tried to find his voice as he figured out what to say. He had become very aware of how close she was standing to him, that fluttery feeling stronger than ever.

"I… I don't know," Draco, stuttered, surprised with himself. He had never ever been lost for words before.

Hermione snorted, disgusted, and turned on her heel away from him. She picked up her bag and stalked out of the room still teary eyed and red faced.

Draco blew a sigh of relief. He had never been more frightened of Hermione Granger before in his life. He could now see how dangerous she really was. And it kind of turned him on.

He stood there for a few seconds running a hand through his hair before leaving for the Slytherin Common room.