Chapter Six: Keep Your Enemies Closer.
As she took a seat next to Ron and Harry, she held her breath incase one of them decided to give a surprising outburst. But neither of them did, neither of them even looked at her.
"Hey guys," she started, "What's wro-." But Ron interrupted her.
"Why were you there last night?" he didn't even look at her when he asked. He kept moving his pea's from one side of his plate to the other.
"Why didn't you tell me what was going on?" she said back to him.
"Hermione, why didn't you wait? I told you that when Ron was ready he wouldn't hesitate to tell you." The look on Harry's face wasn't only filled with slight anger and confusion, but she could see betrayal and hurt start to form in his eyes.
She couldn't think of anything else to say here, and she knew that she was in the wrong now.
"I'm sorry." She said and she put her fork down on her plate and crossed her arms.
After a few moments Ron sighed and began to reach over for Hermione, pulling her into a tight hug.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." He said.
"It's ok." She answered.
They both looked at each other and smiled, then they both looked at Harry, who smiled also.
"Just, Hermione, will you trust me next time?" asked Harry.
She nodded. So did he.
"So what is going on Ron?" "He likes Johanna Pulgarin, the blonde one. And they have been meeting every once in a while at nights to 'talk', according to him at least." Hermione told Ginny after dinner; which was the next time that she had seen her.
"And what happened to you last night?" she asked Ginny with a puzzled expression on her face. Ginny blushed and laughed a little.
"Oh I ran, there is no doubt that I heard a Professor coming and sprinted back to the Gryffindor common room before Snape had called Professor McGonnagle." She said, and she didn't look Hermione in the eyes.
'It's okay Ginny, I forgive you for ditching us, and leaving us to get into trouble. I only got three weeks of detention for it, no biggy." She said in sarcasm, and she started to laugh. But Ginny was not.
"I'm really sorry Hermione, I should have warned you." She said in all seriousness.
"No Ginny it's really okay, don't worry about it." She told her.
The little girl smiled and hugged Hermione and they both would have been heading off to bed, but Hermione had detention tonight; and every night for the next three weeks. She was going to get NO sleep, and NO homework done for almost a whole month. That would certainly kill her grades.
Hermione walked to the Great Hall and met up with Ron and the two Hufflepuff girls, and Ron introduced them. "Hermione this is Johanna Pulgarin, or Jo for short. And this is Alexandra Sanders. Guys this is Hermione." Hermione smiled at them and asked, "So what year are you guys in?"
They smiled and said gleefully, "Third!" and Hermione had to hold back a huge grin.
"Cool." She said trying not to laugh.
"Yea. We've heard all about you Hermione." Johanna said.
"Oh really, what have you heard?" It was as if Hermione was screaming 'I dare you to say something wrong little girls, I dare you.' One false move and Hermione was ready to take them both down. She thought it was funny though, they were both on thin ice and didn't even seem to realize it. She had to laugh on the inside.
"Just that you're really smart and brainy. And you always do your homework."
Suddenly Hermione thought she heard something in a corridor to their right, she looked but it was so dark that she couldn't see a thing.
"Who are we waiting for?" Hermione asked, resisting the urge to deck both of the girls.
"I think Professor Dumbledore. Can't wait to see his face when we have to tell him what we were doing out late." Ron said, taking in a deep breath.
"Yea, well, according to you, you weren't doing anything.naughty right?" Hermione said giving Ron a wink.
"Okay look Hermione-." But a cold voice interrupted him before he could tell her. "Weasley and Granger," Said Draco Malfoy as he approached from the corridor Hermione had looked in earlier, "and hello ladies. What do I owe the sweet, sweet agony of having detention with you to? Shall I say a love escape with these two ladies Weasley?" he said slowly as he came to join the group. Ron's fists were clenched so tight that Hermione thought they would be bleeding when he let go.
"Oh and aren't they third years? A little below your age aren't they?" he smirked happily to himself continuing though Ron was obviously showing signs of rage, "I understand though. You can't get girls your own year, so you figure 'Hey, I'll just pick up two third years! That equals six right?'." And before Draco could tell what was coming, a small fist hit him straight across the face and had direct contact with his nose, which when he stood back up, was bleeding.
"That's another night of detention Miss Granger. No fighting on school grounds." Professor McGonnagle announced her arrival with a punishment. She walked her way down the stone stairs and stood before the group. "Now, you all have committed crimes punishable for some time in detention, some longer than others. Tonight you will be writing a thousand times on one foot of parchment 'I will never acquire detention again.' If there are NOT a thousand duplicate of that exact phrase, or if any words are misspelled, you will add another night of detention to your list. Am I clear?" Professor McGonnagle finished and the entire group was in shock.
"Professor?" Hermione spoke.
"Yes Miss Granger." Professor McGonnagle said mundanely.
"We only get one foot of parchment? What if we run out of room? Or don't finish?" she said worried and not wanting to get herself more detention that she already needed.
"I do believe I have already answer that question." The Professor told her sourly. Soon after Professor McGonnagle had them follow her into a nearby classroom and take a seat.
"No one is to sit next to someone or across from someone," she walked towards the door leaving them to there selves, "if one word is uttered in this classroom," she started and looked between the third years and Hermione and Ron, "the speaker will surely regret their decision. You may not remove your body's from these seats until I return. Is that clear?" she asked them. And the entire group, who had never seen professor McGonnagle so harsh on anyone or anything replied in unison, "Yes ma'am. As she shut the door, Ron took his wand and made a motion of stabbing himself in the heart with it. The brown haired Alexandra began to giggle and all of a sudden from the air, masking tape began to wind its way around her mouth leaving two breathing holes for her nose when it was done. She looked around the room, petrified, at everyone's face. No one was laughing now. She grabbed a quill and her parchment and began to write, pretending that there wasn't a three inch thick mass of tape around her face.
Everyone else who could talk, chose not to.
They went to work on their assignments. Hermione found that it was going to be quite hard to fit "I will not acquire detention again" a thousand times on her paper. Therefore she tried her best to write as small as she could, making sure it was legible all the same.
About an hour later, Professor McGonnagle came in. Hermione had almost written the sentence about 300 times. Hermione thought she was going to allow them to leave, that detention was over and she had failed to meet the requirement's. Now she was going to be forced to do more time. "Alright student's, "Hermione held her breath, "break time. You will have two minutes to do as you please, the bathrooms are next door. GO." Professor McGonnagle turned to face Alexandra, when she saw the girls face, she began to laugh.
"Poor girl, you don't listen." And with a wave of her wand the tape was removed. The girl felt her face erratically to make sure nothing was missing. She sighed when everything was there. Then got up to leave for the restrooms.
Hermione walked over to Ron's desk as Ron watched Jo leave to follow her friend.
"Oh my God I'm going to go crazy in here!" Ron shouted.
"Me too, especially with the burden of having to-."
"Sit in the same room as Malfoy, I know." Ron interrupted.
Hermione thought about it, she hadn't been bothered by Draco sitting in there with them, probably because he wasn't aloud to say a word. But now he could have. She looked over at him, he was staring at her and when she looked at him he gave her a cold sneer. She focused back on Ron.
"I'll just be happy when I get out of here." He said. And Hermione thought.
"I'll be happy if I get out of here alive." Three hours, two breaks, and 4200 words later, Professor McGonnagle came in to wish them a good night. It was almost midnight and all of them were extremely tired, some had even fallen asleep during detention. Until, at least, pieces of tape from nowhere kept their eyelids open, Ron could barely blink.
Ron and Hermione walked back to their common room, after of course Ron had said goodbye to his friends, and they immediately said their goodnight's and went to sleep.
All Hermione wanted to do was fall into bed and sleep, but she found another letter waiting for her.
She diffidently couldn't wait until morning to open it so she removed the seal and read:
Hermione,
I missed you today.
That was all it said, but it meant so much. She could hardly sleep waiting for class tomorrow. Even though a night of torment in detention would follow, it was almost as if, just the thought of him could help her get through it all.
When Hermione woke in the morning she jumped out of bed enthusiastically. She took a shower, got dressed, and flew out the door to the common room below. Ron and Harry were waiting there. They all left for breakfast and Hermione began her routine of catching the eyes of as many Slytherin's as she could. When Hermione woke in the morning she jumped out of bed enthusiastically. She took a shower, got dressed, and flew out the door to the common room below. Ron and Harry were waiting there. They all left for breakfast and Hermione began her routine of catching the eyes of as many Slytherin's as she could.
It felt as though classes could not go any slower even if time were to completely stop. She thought about the boy all day and was almost ready to burst when it came time for class to start. She walked in with Harry and Ron and watched for a pair of eyes to look at her, hoping to catch them before they looked away. But not one person looked up when they entered, at least not anyone that she saw. She took her regular seat next to Harry and Ron. Usually her motivation would have spirited her to search the classroom from her seat, but today, or was it just because no one had noticed her come in, she didn't have the heart. She looked straight ahead and waited for the professor to begin class.
"Good morning class!" shouted a feisty Professor Hiart.
"Good morning Professor." Replied the class in a bored almost dead manner.
"Lively crowd today," observed the Professor, "yes well, today class we will be learning about 'Instructional Writing." Does anyone know what that is?" he said expecting more than no raised hands to raise.
"No one? Well, you're all going to feel very foolish after I explain it."
So for most of the class period they spent practicing 'instructional writing' or 'piece of cake writing' as Professor Hiart referred to it. And in addition to learning how to write instructions, Hermione had not learned, or even tried to learn who the boy was. Complete and utter waste of time, that's what today's class was.
"Now children," started the Professor, "I'm going to assign a simple yet more than likely bothersome homework assignment."
I could have looked into every Slytherin's eye here! But no.
"It is to do with the lesson we learned today," he continued.
-sigh- But I don't even know why I try anymore, I haven't come close to feeling an ounce of, well, anything looking into anyone's eyes! What's the point anymore?
"Partners! And here's the list," as Professor Hiart screamed them out to the class one by one.
Actually, I have felt something for someone.
"Daniel Thomas and Martha Cordage."
Malfoy.I thought I felt something for him, but I would never dwell on that. It was probably just hatred making my stomach turn.
"Harry Potter and Justin Finch-fletchley."
I do hate him an awful lot, more than any normal person could hate someone.
"Neville Longbottom and Ronald Weasley."
I mean I do hate him.right?
"Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy."
Maybe I could- wait, WHAT! "What?!" shouted Hermione aloud snapping back to reality.
"Pans- yes Miss Granger?" Professor Hiart answered.
She laughed untruly and said, "I'm sorry, I must have misheard you, who is my partner, Sir?" she said looking as if she was preparing for a large blow to the face.
Professor Hiart sighed and pointed to the one spot Hermione wished his finger would never direct towards, the bas tard sitting behind her.
She flipped around and looked at Malfoy, his face was as confused and disappointed as hers. Owing to the fact that there was no way she could be partners with, him, she just had to do something about this. She knew she had detention for the next three weeks, and she would use that as an excuse. So after class, Hermione approached Professor Hiart's desk.
"Professor?" Hermione started, "Hi, umm, so my partner Draco Malfoy. Well you said that we have to get together with them after classes is that correct?" she said hopefully.
"Yes, Miss Granger, and if your going to try to worm your way out of being his partner by scaring me off with your detention status, let me inform you that I am well aware of this, and of your partner's also. You both will attend tonight and prepare your mutual assignment.together." He said all this with a smile on his face, like it amused him to see her squirm with detestation and hatred, she didn't like this man one bit.
"Right." She said immediately and before he could answer her she stepped away and stalked out of the classroom. Her next two classes were the worst of the day. She could not be in a more awful mood.
Dinner was horrible, she wasn't hungry. She wouldn't allow herself to eat incase she felt the urge later to throw it up later all over somebody. She couldn't do that.
The walk to detention was appalling, she felt as if she was a prisoner on death row taking her last and final walk to her death. The only thing that forced her to go was the thought of having more detention, possibly expulsion, put upon her for her refusal to attend.
She walked the long hallways that lead to the door, the door of doom, she twisted the handle and heard it creak. It was the door laughing at her, wishing her a happy time.
She leered around the door frame expecting to see a smart sneer looking her in the face, almost determined to make this the worst moment of her life. She saw the eyes, the cold steel, light blue eyes.the blonde hair, but no sneer, no smirk whatsoever. A smile was on this boy's face. His eyes crinkled into a smile, a smile? "What are you so happy about?" she said setting her cloak down on a nearby table.
Draco stood up where he was and lifted a finger to his lips, "Shh, were not suppose to talk." He said in a very low whisper. He slid around the desk that he sat at, almost drifted towards her as if he was floating. He came so close to her, almost inches apart.
"What are you doing?" she asked, a note of urgency in her voice. She had no idea what was going on. He was so close to her now, she could hear him breathing, if she were to put her hands where she wanted them she would have been able to hear his heart beat.
He then put a finger to her lips, so soft and warm. He traced the outline of her lips with the tip of his finger. Her whole body began to shake, What was going on? she thought. Why does this feel good? she thought more worried. "Draco-." But his lips pressed against hers. As if this was normal, his hands found the back of her neck and softly caressed it. She couldn't contain it for some reason, she loved this, and she gripped his cloak hard and pulled him in tighter. He let go suddenly, "Hermione," he began and then he kissed her softly.
"I want you to know," he said and he kissed her again, "you take my breath away."
She kissed him softly and then he continued, "and it's been that way from the start, I never knew how to tell you," she felt his hands slide down her arm to her hand, "that I love you, " he lifted her hand to his chest and rested it there, "with every beat of my heart."
"Hermione," she heard him whisper, but she had closed her eyes in terror. She had no idea what to do, "Hermione." She heard it again but now it felt so far away, "Hermione." Even farther this time, she tried to open her eyes and look into his, but they were gone.
"Hermione!" she looked around. She was sitting in class before dinner, she had fallen asleep.
She closed her eyes again, wishing, surprisingly, that she was still in her dream. Ron whispered her name once more and she fidgeted so he would understand to leave her be. To think, about him. Later that evening, after dinner, Hermione began her real walk to detention. Along the way she couldn't help but dwell on the dream she had had. She was almost scared to show up for this, she really didn't know what to do if that were to really happen.
I mean, it's Draco for heaven sakes!
"Malfoy." She said aloud, correcting her thoughts, "I meant Malfoy." Reassuring herself as she walked the last hallway before approaching the door to her fate. The door of doom she recalled.
She twisted the handle, no creak. Thank you! she sighed with relief. It was all a dream, this wasn't really going to happen.
She slipped through the door into the classroom at a swift pace, took a seat near a window and faced the front, waiting, silently for McGonnagle. After a few moments of absolute stillness with not even the sound of breathing, she looked to the side of her.
No Draco - Malfoy! she rolled her eyes, she hoped that didn't become a habitShe looked to the other side, still no.Malfoy, she noted to herself. She sighed at the thought that he had not arrived yet, that would make the dream completely false! Which was something she needed to have proven to her right now. Suddenly there was a hand on her shoulder from behind her. Hermione turned swiftly around in her seat to come inches from Draco's face, his sleeping face. His head was resting lazily in his arms and she figured he had stretched without realizing where his hands ended up. He looked so sweet and innocent lying there that she found herself smiling at him. She was so distracted by him that she hadn't even noticed she had called him "Draco".
A few seconds later Professor McGonnagle slid into the room unnoticed by Hermione, and diffidently unnoticed by Draco.
"Miss Granger if you would kindly take a seat away from Mr. Malfoy." She stated in a loud voice. This sudden burst of noise stirred Draco and he lifted his head timidly off of the table. He peered around the room and upon seeing a Professor, especially a Professor that was teaching his detention, he sat up straight as a board and, wide-eyed, stared straight ahead.
Hermione had to laugh at this, she had never seen anyone have that much power over him. It was like he was actually frightened of getting into trouble, which wasn't usually the case.
Hermione had taken a seat across the room completely and sat quietly awaiting instructions.
"Tonight, I was informed that the two of you were made partners in your Speaking of Magic class, is that correct?" she asked both of them.
And both Draco and Hermione answered, "Yes.." as if it was the worst news in their lives.
"Well don't be so happy about it." Smiled Professor McGonnagle sweetly. But her sweetness was taken back almost immediately, "Get to work." She said, and her face went from smile to frown in less than record time. Hermione looked over at Draco and started to stand up and make her way to him, but he had already begun walking to her. Which she found strange, him not making her get up and lug herself over there, he was actually doing something for somebody else, and it was her on top of it.
"So what exactly do we have to do?" he asked her as he took a sit in the chair next to hers.
"Umm," she said and she opened her book to the assigned page, "we have to ask each other questions on a chore or daily habit , and write the instructions in a paragraph." She said looking up from the book and into his face. He had the softest looking skin she had ever seen, she almost wanted to reach out and run her hand along his cheek when she remembered who she was thinking about and abolished all thoughts.
"Okay," he said, "ask away." As he laid back in his chair, relaxed and prepared to answer.
She rustled through some pages in the book and finally asked, "From when you wake up to when you leave for..breakfast, what is your routine?" she asked, reading straight from the book.
He crinkled his nose in confusion but answered the question as best he could, "I take a shower, brush my teeth, do my hair, and get dressed." He said and looked at her for approval, but it didn't come.
"That's the wrong way to answer the question, you need more detail." She told him in a strict tone. "What do you mean?" he asked looking even more confused than before.
"Like, it says in the book that a decent answer to that question would be, 'I wake up, step out of bed, walk to the bathroom, turn on the shower, undress, step in, wash my hair, etcetera'" she paused looking at the book, it obviously struck her as disgusting that someone would want to know this much detail about another person's hygiene. But she looked at him expecting a better answer. But he just looked at her in utter confusion.
"That's revolting," he told her after a few seconds, "I'm not telling you all of that. That's personal!" he said looking violated.
"Why? It's human nature." She protested.
"I am NOT going to tell anyone in detail, exactly what I do in shower!" he said raising his voice.
"Why? It's perfectly normal whatever it is that you do that you're so scared to tell anyone!" she told him almost yelling.
"No!" he said finally.
"Alright, fine, we'll try another question." She searched the book for answers for a few minutes as Draco gazed into emptiness. She heard words like, "ridiculous" and "intrusion of privacy". She finally found a nice question that Draco would have no problem answering. "Alright Draco," she paused cursing herself for what she just said. She looked up at him to see if he had noticed her say his name, but he hadn't, so she continued on with her question, "How do you make spaghetti?"
He looked at her strangely and then said, "I say 'Elf! I want some spaghetti, now!' and he looked off into the distance as if a house elf was standing there that he was shouting at. Then he looked at Hermione who was struck by his richness and dumbfounded by his knowledge, or lack thereof, of making a simple meal of noodles.
"I cannot believe that you don't know how to make spaghetti." She said, slightly laughing.
He looked a little offended and said, "I'm terribly sorry that if at my house we have other people to do the cooking for us."
She looked at him with utter annoyance, "All that proves is that you're stuck up and haughty." She told him returning to her book searching for yet another question.
He looked at her for a few seconds before saying something back, "Well obviously this question thing isn't working for me. Now I am going to ask you some questions." He said, with a sly look upon his face. She looked at him and smiled, "Go ahead Draco." She said and she kicked herself again for saying 'Draco'. She shot a glance at his eyes to, again, see if he had noticed. He had. He looked at her oddly for a second and then seemed as if he was going to say something about it, but stopped, and continued with the question.
"Alright. From when you wake up in the morning, to when you leave for..breakfast, what is your routine?" he said giving her a funny smile.
She looked at him. Should have known. she told herself. But she answered the question anyways, in detail.
"As if you care to know - but, I wake up, step out of bed, walk to the-." But before she could finish he interrupted.
"Ya know what? Let's just pretend you don't take a shower in the morning, ok?" he told her nodding his head.
She looked at him offended but still kept answering the question.
"I walk to the.closet, put on my robes, check myself in the mirror, and leave." She finished.
"It's not in detail like you said it should be, but that's good enough for me, I would prefer to here that without the detail anyways." She looked at him. Should have known. she told herself. But she answered the question anyways, in detail.
"As if you care to know - but, I wake up, step out of bed, walk to the-." But before she could finish he interrupted.
"Ya know what? Let's just pretend you don't take a shower in the morning, ok?" he told her nodding his head.
She looked at him offended but still kept answering the question.
"I walk to the.closet, put on my robes, check myself in the mirror, and leave." She finished.
"its not in detail like you said it should be, but that's good enough for me, I would prefer to here that without the detail anyways."
She smirked his way telling herself not to respond to his malevolence. He is trying to get a rise out me, just smile. she told herself, and she did. Not like a fool, just enough to keep her frown upside down. =) She almost had this plan down pat, but then Malfoy continued to speak"You do know that for a girl your age, your list is quite short. I'm just glad you don't wear makeup, otherwise I would have had to write down, 'Apply eyeliner, put on mascara, blush, then this, and that'. Terrible." He added. At this Hermione couldn't help herself.
"You mean something like this?" she said as she swooshed her wrist, wand in hand, and watched as Draco's cheeks turned bright pink, and eyelashes become long and black. Soon after seeing this she was completely on the floor with laughter. Holding a clutch in her stomach. Malfoy did not find this perfectly funny in any way. He seemed to be waiting to burst with anger until she stood on her feet again. And she did, out of pure respect.
"No," he started as she came to her feet to face him, "actually I meant something more like this." He said as his hand was waved in an intricate pattern and suddenly she felt her face become heavy. She saw her eyelashes become longer and darker. Her lips were glossy and she could tell by his stares and slight laughter that the rest of her face had been transformed also, more than Draco's.
"Wow, Hermione, it doesn't even look like you." He said in a smile. "Probably not!" she shouted through laughter.
They both shared a smile for a few moments. When their eyes met they suddenly realized what was going on. Malfoy and Granger were having fun together; they were actually enjoying each other's company. They both thought it ridiculous; this was clear when suddenly Draco cleared his throat slightly louder than he should have.
As she took a seat next to Ron and Harry, she held her breath incase one of them decided to give a surprising outburst. But neither of them did, neither of them even looked at her.
"Hey guys," she started, "What's wro-." But Ron interrupted her.
"Why were you there last night?" he didn't even look at her when he asked. He kept moving his pea's from one side of his plate to the other.
"Why didn't you tell me what was going on?" she said back to him.
"Hermione, why didn't you wait? I told you that when Ron was ready he wouldn't hesitate to tell you." The look on Harry's face wasn't only filled with slight anger and confusion, but she could see betrayal and hurt start to form in his eyes.
She couldn't think of anything else to say here, and she knew that she was in the wrong now.
"I'm sorry." She said and she put her fork down on her plate and crossed her arms.
After a few moments Ron sighed and began to reach over for Hermione, pulling her into a tight hug.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." He said.
"It's ok." She answered.
They both looked at each other and smiled, then they both looked at Harry, who smiled also.
"Just, Hermione, will you trust me next time?" asked Harry.
She nodded. So did he.
"So what is going on Ron?" "He likes Johanna Pulgarin, the blonde one. And they have been meeting every once in a while at nights to 'talk', according to him at least." Hermione told Ginny after dinner; which was the next time that she had seen her.
"And what happened to you last night?" she asked Ginny with a puzzled expression on her face. Ginny blushed and laughed a little.
"Oh I ran, there is no doubt that I heard a Professor coming and sprinted back to the Gryffindor common room before Snape had called Professor McGonnagle." She said, and she didn't look Hermione in the eyes.
'It's okay Ginny, I forgive you for ditching us, and leaving us to get into trouble. I only got three weeks of detention for it, no biggy." She said in sarcasm, and she started to laugh. But Ginny was not.
"I'm really sorry Hermione, I should have warned you." She said in all seriousness.
"No Ginny it's really okay, don't worry about it." She told her.
The little girl smiled and hugged Hermione and they both would have been heading off to bed, but Hermione had detention tonight; and every night for the next three weeks. She was going to get NO sleep, and NO homework done for almost a whole month. That would certainly kill her grades.
Hermione walked to the Great Hall and met up with Ron and the two Hufflepuff girls, and Ron introduced them. "Hermione this is Johanna Pulgarin, or Jo for short. And this is Alexandra Sanders. Guys this is Hermione." Hermione smiled at them and asked, "So what year are you guys in?"
They smiled and said gleefully, "Third!" and Hermione had to hold back a huge grin.
"Cool." She said trying not to laugh.
"Yea. We've heard all about you Hermione." Johanna said.
"Oh really, what have you heard?" It was as if Hermione was screaming 'I dare you to say something wrong little girls, I dare you.' One false move and Hermione was ready to take them both down. She thought it was funny though, they were both on thin ice and didn't even seem to realize it. She had to laugh on the inside.
"Just that you're really smart and brainy. And you always do your homework."
Suddenly Hermione thought she heard something in a corridor to their right, she looked but it was so dark that she couldn't see a thing.
"Who are we waiting for?" Hermione asked, resisting the urge to deck both of the girls.
"I think Professor Dumbledore. Can't wait to see his face when we have to tell him what we were doing out late." Ron said, taking in a deep breath.
"Yea, well, according to you, you weren't doing anything.naughty right?" Hermione said giving Ron a wink.
"Okay look Hermione-." But a cold voice interrupted him before he could tell her. "Weasley and Granger," Said Draco Malfoy as he approached from the corridor Hermione had looked in earlier, "and hello ladies. What do I owe the sweet, sweet agony of having detention with you to? Shall I say a love escape with these two ladies Weasley?" he said slowly as he came to join the group. Ron's fists were clenched so tight that Hermione thought they would be bleeding when he let go.
"Oh and aren't they third years? A little below your age aren't they?" he smirked happily to himself continuing though Ron was obviously showing signs of rage, "I understand though. You can't get girls your own year, so you figure 'Hey, I'll just pick up two third years! That equals six right?'." And before Draco could tell what was coming, a small fist hit him straight across the face and had direct contact with his nose, which when he stood back up, was bleeding.
"That's another night of detention Miss Granger. No fighting on school grounds." Professor McGonnagle announced her arrival with a punishment. She walked her way down the stone stairs and stood before the group. "Now, you all have committed crimes punishable for some time in detention, some longer than others. Tonight you will be writing a thousand times on one foot of parchment 'I will never acquire detention again.' If there are NOT a thousand duplicate of that exact phrase, or if any words are misspelled, you will add another night of detention to your list. Am I clear?" Professor McGonnagle finished and the entire group was in shock.
"Professor?" Hermione spoke.
"Yes Miss Granger." Professor McGonnagle said mundanely.
"We only get one foot of parchment? What if we run out of room? Or don't finish?" she said worried and not wanting to get herself more detention that she already needed.
"I do believe I have already answer that question." The Professor told her sourly. Soon after Professor McGonnagle had them follow her into a nearby classroom and take a seat.
"No one is to sit next to someone or across from someone," she walked towards the door leaving them to there selves, "if one word is uttered in this classroom," she started and looked between the third years and Hermione and Ron, "the speaker will surely regret their decision. You may not remove your body's from these seats until I return. Is that clear?" she asked them. And the entire group, who had never seen professor McGonnagle so harsh on anyone or anything replied in unison, "Yes ma'am. As she shut the door, Ron took his wand and made a motion of stabbing himself in the heart with it. The brown haired Alexandra began to giggle and all of a sudden from the air, masking tape began to wind its way around her mouth leaving two breathing holes for her nose when it was done. She looked around the room, petrified, at everyone's face. No one was laughing now. She grabbed a quill and her parchment and began to write, pretending that there wasn't a three inch thick mass of tape around her face.
Everyone else who could talk, chose not to.
They went to work on their assignments. Hermione found that it was going to be quite hard to fit "I will not acquire detention again" a thousand times on her paper. Therefore she tried her best to write as small as she could, making sure it was legible all the same.
About an hour later, Professor McGonnagle came in. Hermione had almost written the sentence about 300 times. Hermione thought she was going to allow them to leave, that detention was over and she had failed to meet the requirement's. Now she was going to be forced to do more time. "Alright student's, "Hermione held her breath, "break time. You will have two minutes to do as you please, the bathrooms are next door. GO." Professor McGonnagle turned to face Alexandra, when she saw the girls face, she began to laugh.
"Poor girl, you don't listen." And with a wave of her wand the tape was removed. The girl felt her face erratically to make sure nothing was missing. She sighed when everything was there. Then got up to leave for the restrooms.
Hermione walked over to Ron's desk as Ron watched Jo leave to follow her friend.
"Oh my God I'm going to go crazy in here!" Ron shouted.
"Me too, especially with the burden of having to-."
"Sit in the same room as Malfoy, I know." Ron interrupted.
Hermione thought about it, she hadn't been bothered by Draco sitting in there with them, probably because he wasn't aloud to say a word. But now he could have. She looked over at him, he was staring at her and when she looked at him he gave her a cold sneer. She focused back on Ron.
"I'll just be happy when I get out of here." He said. And Hermione thought.
"I'll be happy if I get out of here alive." Three hours, two breaks, and 4200 words later, Professor McGonnagle came in to wish them a good night. It was almost midnight and all of them were extremely tired, some had even fallen asleep during detention. Until, at least, pieces of tape from nowhere kept their eyelids open, Ron could barely blink.
Ron and Hermione walked back to their common room, after of course Ron had said goodbye to his friends, and they immediately said their goodnight's and went to sleep.
All Hermione wanted to do was fall into bed and sleep, but she found another letter waiting for her.
She diffidently couldn't wait until morning to open it so she removed the seal and read:
Hermione,
I missed you today.
That was all it said, but it meant so much. She could hardly sleep waiting for class tomorrow. Even though a night of torment in detention would follow, it was almost as if, just the thought of him could help her get through it all.
When Hermione woke in the morning she jumped out of bed enthusiastically. She took a shower, got dressed, and flew out the door to the common room below. Ron and Harry were waiting there. They all left for breakfast and Hermione began her routine of catching the eyes of as many Slytherin's as she could. When Hermione woke in the morning she jumped out of bed enthusiastically. She took a shower, got dressed, and flew out the door to the common room below. Ron and Harry were waiting there. They all left for breakfast and Hermione began her routine of catching the eyes of as many Slytherin's as she could.
It felt as though classes could not go any slower even if time were to completely stop. She thought about the boy all day and was almost ready to burst when it came time for class to start. She walked in with Harry and Ron and watched for a pair of eyes to look at her, hoping to catch them before they looked away. But not one person looked up when they entered, at least not anyone that she saw. She took her regular seat next to Harry and Ron. Usually her motivation would have spirited her to search the classroom from her seat, but today, or was it just because no one had noticed her come in, she didn't have the heart. She looked straight ahead and waited for the professor to begin class.
"Good morning class!" shouted a feisty Professor Hiart.
"Good morning Professor." Replied the class in a bored almost dead manner.
"Lively crowd today," observed the Professor, "yes well, today class we will be learning about 'Instructional Writing." Does anyone know what that is?" he said expecting more than no raised hands to raise.
"No one? Well, you're all going to feel very foolish after I explain it."
So for most of the class period they spent practicing 'instructional writing' or 'piece of cake writing' as Professor Hiart referred to it. And in addition to learning how to write instructions, Hermione had not learned, or even tried to learn who the boy was. Complete and utter waste of time, that's what today's class was.
"Now children," started the Professor, "I'm going to assign a simple yet more than likely bothersome homework assignment."
I could have looked into every Slytherin's eye here! But no.
"It is to do with the lesson we learned today," he continued.
-sigh- But I don't even know why I try anymore, I haven't come close to feeling an ounce of, well, anything looking into anyone's eyes! What's the point anymore?
"Partners! And here's the list," as Professor Hiart screamed them out to the class one by one.
Actually, I have felt something for someone.
"Daniel Thomas and Martha Cordage."
Malfoy.I thought I felt something for him, but I would never dwell on that. It was probably just hatred making my stomach turn.
"Harry Potter and Justin Finch-fletchley."
I do hate him an awful lot, more than any normal person could hate someone.
"Neville Longbottom and Ronald Weasley."
I mean I do hate him.right?
"Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy."
Maybe I could- wait, WHAT! "What?!" shouted Hermione aloud snapping back to reality.
"Pans- yes Miss Granger?" Professor Hiart answered.
She laughed untruly and said, "I'm sorry, I must have misheard you, who is my partner, Sir?" she said looking as if she was preparing for a large blow to the face.
Professor Hiart sighed and pointed to the one spot Hermione wished his finger would never direct towards, the bas tard sitting behind her.
She flipped around and looked at Malfoy, his face was as confused and disappointed as hers. Owing to the fact that there was no way she could be partners with, him, she just had to do something about this. She knew she had detention for the next three weeks, and she would use that as an excuse. So after class, Hermione approached Professor Hiart's desk.
"Professor?" Hermione started, "Hi, umm, so my partner Draco Malfoy. Well you said that we have to get together with them after classes is that correct?" she said hopefully.
"Yes, Miss Granger, and if your going to try to worm your way out of being his partner by scaring me off with your detention status, let me inform you that I am well aware of this, and of your partner's also. You both will attend tonight and prepare your mutual assignment.together." He said all this with a smile on his face, like it amused him to see her squirm with detestation and hatred, she didn't like this man one bit.
"Right." She said immediately and before he could answer her she stepped away and stalked out of the classroom. Her next two classes were the worst of the day. She could not be in a more awful mood.
Dinner was horrible, she wasn't hungry. She wouldn't allow herself to eat incase she felt the urge later to throw it up later all over somebody. She couldn't do that.
The walk to detention was appalling, she felt as if she was a prisoner on death row taking her last and final walk to her death. The only thing that forced her to go was the thought of having more detention, possibly expulsion, put upon her for her refusal to attend.
She walked the long hallways that lead to the door, the door of doom, she twisted the handle and heard it creak. It was the door laughing at her, wishing her a happy time.
She leered around the door frame expecting to see a smart sneer looking her in the face, almost determined to make this the worst moment of her life. She saw the eyes, the cold steel, light blue eyes.the blonde hair, but no sneer, no smirk whatsoever. A smile was on this boy's face. His eyes crinkled into a smile, a smile? "What are you so happy about?" she said setting her cloak down on a nearby table.
Draco stood up where he was and lifted a finger to his lips, "Shh, were not suppose to talk." He said in a very low whisper. He slid around the desk that he sat at, almost drifted towards her as if he was floating. He came so close to her, almost inches apart.
"What are you doing?" she asked, a note of urgency in her voice. She had no idea what was going on. He was so close to her now, she could hear him breathing, if she were to put her hands where she wanted them she would have been able to hear his heart beat.
He then put a finger to her lips, so soft and warm. He traced the outline of her lips with the tip of his finger. Her whole body began to shake, What was going on? she thought. Why does this feel good? she thought more worried. "Draco-." But his lips pressed against hers. As if this was normal, his hands found the back of her neck and softly caressed it. She couldn't contain it for some reason, she loved this, and she gripped his cloak hard and pulled him in tighter. He let go suddenly, "Hermione," he began and then he kissed her softly.
"I want you to know," he said and he kissed her again, "you take my breath away."
She kissed him softly and then he continued, "and it's been that way from the start, I never knew how to tell you," she felt his hands slide down her arm to her hand, "that I love you, " he lifted her hand to his chest and rested it there, "with every beat of my heart."
"Hermione," she heard him whisper, but she had closed her eyes in terror. She had no idea what to do, "Hermione." She heard it again but now it felt so far away, "Hermione." Even farther this time, she tried to open her eyes and look into his, but they were gone.
"Hermione!" she looked around. She was sitting in class before dinner, she had fallen asleep.
She closed her eyes again, wishing, surprisingly, that she was still in her dream. Ron whispered her name once more and she fidgeted so he would understand to leave her be. To think, about him. Later that evening, after dinner, Hermione began her real walk to detention. Along the way she couldn't help but dwell on the dream she had had. She was almost scared to show up for this, she really didn't know what to do if that were to really happen.
I mean, it's Draco for heaven sakes!
"Malfoy." She said aloud, correcting her thoughts, "I meant Malfoy." Reassuring herself as she walked the last hallway before approaching the door to her fate. The door of doom she recalled.
She twisted the handle, no creak. Thank you! she sighed with relief. It was all a dream, this wasn't really going to happen.
She slipped through the door into the classroom at a swift pace, took a seat near a window and faced the front, waiting, silently for McGonnagle. After a few moments of absolute stillness with not even the sound of breathing, she looked to the side of her.
No Draco - Malfoy! she rolled her eyes, she hoped that didn't become a habitShe looked to the other side, still no.Malfoy, she noted to herself. She sighed at the thought that he had not arrived yet, that would make the dream completely false! Which was something she needed to have proven to her right now. Suddenly there was a hand on her shoulder from behind her. Hermione turned swiftly around in her seat to come inches from Draco's face, his sleeping face. His head was resting lazily in his arms and she figured he had stretched without realizing where his hands ended up. He looked so sweet and innocent lying there that she found herself smiling at him. She was so distracted by him that she hadn't even noticed she had called him "Draco".
A few seconds later Professor McGonnagle slid into the room unnoticed by Hermione, and diffidently unnoticed by Draco.
"Miss Granger if you would kindly take a seat away from Mr. Malfoy." She stated in a loud voice. This sudden burst of noise stirred Draco and he lifted his head timidly off of the table. He peered around the room and upon seeing a Professor, especially a Professor that was teaching his detention, he sat up straight as a board and, wide-eyed, stared straight ahead.
Hermione had to laugh at this, she had never seen anyone have that much power over him. It was like he was actually frightened of getting into trouble, which wasn't usually the case.
Hermione had taken a seat across the room completely and sat quietly awaiting instructions.
"Tonight, I was informed that the two of you were made partners in your Speaking of Magic class, is that correct?" she asked both of them.
And both Draco and Hermione answered, "Yes.." as if it was the worst news in their lives.
"Well don't be so happy about it." Smiled Professor McGonnagle sweetly. But her sweetness was taken back almost immediately, "Get to work." She said, and her face went from smile to frown in less than record time. Hermione looked over at Draco and started to stand up and make her way to him, but he had already begun walking to her. Which she found strange, him not making her get up and lug herself over there, he was actually doing something for somebody else, and it was her on top of it.
"So what exactly do we have to do?" he asked her as he took a sit in the chair next to hers.
"Umm," she said and she opened her book to the assigned page, "we have to ask each other questions on a chore or daily habit , and write the instructions in a paragraph." She said looking up from the book and into his face. He had the softest looking skin she had ever seen, she almost wanted to reach out and run her hand along his cheek when she remembered who she was thinking about and abolished all thoughts.
"Okay," he said, "ask away." As he laid back in his chair, relaxed and prepared to answer.
She rustled through some pages in the book and finally asked, "From when you wake up to when you leave for..breakfast, what is your routine?" she asked, reading straight from the book.
He crinkled his nose in confusion but answered the question as best he could, "I take a shower, brush my teeth, do my hair, and get dressed." He said and looked at her for approval, but it didn't come.
"That's the wrong way to answer the question, you need more detail." She told him in a strict tone. "What do you mean?" he asked looking even more confused than before.
"Like, it says in the book that a decent answer to that question would be, 'I wake up, step out of bed, walk to the bathroom, turn on the shower, undress, step in, wash my hair, etcetera'" she paused looking at the book, it obviously struck her as disgusting that someone would want to know this much detail about another person's hygiene. But she looked at him expecting a better answer. But he just looked at her in utter confusion.
"That's revolting," he told her after a few seconds, "I'm not telling you all of that. That's personal!" he said looking violated.
"Why? It's human nature." She protested.
"I am NOT going to tell anyone in detail, exactly what I do in shower!" he said raising his voice.
"Why? It's perfectly normal whatever it is that you do that you're so scared to tell anyone!" she told him almost yelling.
"No!" he said finally.
"Alright, fine, we'll try another question." She searched the book for answers for a few minutes as Draco gazed into emptiness. She heard words like, "ridiculous" and "intrusion of privacy". She finally found a nice question that Draco would have no problem answering. "Alright Draco," she paused cursing herself for what she just said. She looked up at him to see if he had noticed her say his name, but he hadn't, so she continued on with her question, "How do you make spaghetti?"
He looked at her strangely and then said, "I say 'Elf! I want some spaghetti, now!' and he looked off into the distance as if a house elf was standing there that he was shouting at. Then he looked at Hermione who was struck by his richness and dumbfounded by his knowledge, or lack thereof, of making a simple meal of noodles.
"I cannot believe that you don't know how to make spaghetti." She said, slightly laughing.
He looked a little offended and said, "I'm terribly sorry that if at my house we have other people to do the cooking for us."
She looked at him with utter annoyance, "All that proves is that you're stuck up and haughty." She told him returning to her book searching for yet another question.
He looked at her for a few seconds before saying something back, "Well obviously this question thing isn't working for me. Now I am going to ask you some questions." He said, with a sly look upon his face. She looked at him and smiled, "Go ahead Draco." She said and she kicked herself again for saying 'Draco'. She shot a glance at his eyes to, again, see if he had noticed. He had. He looked at her oddly for a second and then seemed as if he was going to say something about it, but stopped, and continued with the question.
"Alright. From when you wake up in the morning, to when you leave for..breakfast, what is your routine?" he said giving her a funny smile.
She looked at him. Should have known. she told herself. But she answered the question anyways, in detail.
"As if you care to know - but, I wake up, step out of bed, walk to the-." But before she could finish he interrupted.
"Ya know what? Let's just pretend you don't take a shower in the morning, ok?" he told her nodding his head.
She looked at him offended but still kept answering the question.
"I walk to the.closet, put on my robes, check myself in the mirror, and leave." She finished.
"It's not in detail like you said it should be, but that's good enough for me, I would prefer to here that without the detail anyways." She looked at him. Should have known. she told herself. But she answered the question anyways, in detail.
"As if you care to know - but, I wake up, step out of bed, walk to the-." But before she could finish he interrupted.
"Ya know what? Let's just pretend you don't take a shower in the morning, ok?" he told her nodding his head.
She looked at him offended but still kept answering the question.
"I walk to the.closet, put on my robes, check myself in the mirror, and leave." She finished.
"its not in detail like you said it should be, but that's good enough for me, I would prefer to here that without the detail anyways."
She smirked his way telling herself not to respond to his malevolence. He is trying to get a rise out me, just smile. she told herself, and she did. Not like a fool, just enough to keep her frown upside down. =) She almost had this plan down pat, but then Malfoy continued to speak"You do know that for a girl your age, your list is quite short. I'm just glad you don't wear makeup, otherwise I would have had to write down, 'Apply eyeliner, put on mascara, blush, then this, and that'. Terrible." He added. At this Hermione couldn't help herself.
"You mean something like this?" she said as she swooshed her wrist, wand in hand, and watched as Draco's cheeks turned bright pink, and eyelashes become long and black. Soon after seeing this she was completely on the floor with laughter. Holding a clutch in her stomach. Malfoy did not find this perfectly funny in any way. He seemed to be waiting to burst with anger until she stood on her feet again. And she did, out of pure respect.
"No," he started as she came to her feet to face him, "actually I meant something more like this." He said as his hand was waved in an intricate pattern and suddenly she felt her face become heavy. She saw her eyelashes become longer and darker. Her lips were glossy and she could tell by his stares and slight laughter that the rest of her face had been transformed also, more than Draco's.
"Wow, Hermione, it doesn't even look like you." He said in a smile. "Probably not!" she shouted through laughter.
They both shared a smile for a few moments. When their eyes met they suddenly realized what was going on. Malfoy and Granger were having fun together; they were actually enjoying each other's company. They both thought it ridiculous; this was clear when suddenly Draco cleared his throat slightly louder than he should have.