Chapter Two

When I woke up the next morning to some clattering, I felt particularly warm, but it was a different type of warmness that caught my guard.  When I turned over I practically screamed when I saw Draco Malfoy's face on the back of my shoulder with his face tucked into the inside of my neck.  Widening my eyes I looked down and saw that throughout the night we must have tossed and turned since both his arms were wrapped around me, and my hands were resting on his arms, while we were snuggled close together.

"Oh God." I whispered lying my head back down, completely scared out of my wits since it felt nice being that close to him and wrapped in his arms.

            I decided that I was just going to wait until he woke up, and hope to God he didn't throw a fit.  A few minutes later I felt a slight sigh and movement behind me and I tried my best to keep my eyes closed.  I tried to stifle a laugh as he sucked in a breath and mutter,

"Bugger."

            Slowly, and uncharacteristically gently, he unwrapped his arms from around me, and a shock went through my body as he slowly took my hands in his and lifted them off of his arms.  About three minutes later, we were fully distanced and I'd never felt colder in my life.

            Deciding it was safe to wake up, I yawned and turned on my side to see Malfoy staring at the wall ahead.

"Have a nice sleep?" A voice came from the side.

            We both turned and saw Madame Pomfrey smiling and pulling back the curtains.

"You're going to have to use the showers in your own common room bathrooms that Dumbledore has set up for you two, the infirmary doesn't have any.  However, your Muggle Studies teacher has ordered for each of you to wear these while showering." She said handing us some swimsuits.

            I could feel my heart beating as we both turned to the shower we were to be using after we had successfully changed into our suits.

"Now what?" Malfoy asked confused.

            I grinned and pulled him forward, turning the knobs and slipped off my towel while stepping in.  When I turned after Malfoy shut the door behind him, I widened my eyes and felt color come to my cheeks at the sight of his incredibly lean and muscular chest.

"I can't believe I must bathe with a mudblood that must be an oxymoron of some sort." He groaned, instantly snapping me away from my uneasiness.

            Narrowing my eyes at him I spat back out,

"It's not a picnic for me either."

            After feeling the water running down our bodies, I nervously turned towards Malfoy and asked meekly,

"Who goes first?"

"Goes first for what?" he asked knitted his eyebrows together.

            Rolling my eyes, deciding not to explain it to him, I took some shampoo in my hands and lathered it together before placing it in my hair.  Malfoy and I both stopped in surprise as his hand came up with mine to my hair, both realizing this was going to be an awkward situation with the hands we needed cuffed together.  I swallowed and began to scrub my hair and tingles would shoot down my body as his hand brushed up against my head.

"Rinse already!" He cried out after thirty seconds.

            Glaring at him I dipped my head back underneath the water and scrubbed my hair free of the soap, but obviously not fast enough as I heard a distinct frustrated grumble and felt an added hand to my own.

"What?" I asked bringing my head back up and saw Malfoy giving me a sarcastic look as he rinsed my hair out for me.

            I was too surprised to say anything and pivoted around so he could wash his own hair.  Since he was taller I was standing on my tippy-toes and leaning against the wall as he rinsed his own hair.  It was such an odd feeling having my hands in his hair, and showering with him.  I had to bite back a giggle thinking of how many girls would die to be in my place, being included in something of his that was so personal.

            The hardest part came when it was time to wash our bodies.

"I'll go first." He grumbled and squirted some soap into his palmed hands.        

            I widened my eyes as my hands began to run over his body as well but not on purpose.  When he finally rinsed off, my face was completely tinged pink.  When it was my turn, I'm glad how my body was reacting to having his hands over my body, wasn't noticeable.

"Done?" Malfoy asked reaching behind me and turning the knob off.

            I nodded my head and stepped out of the shower with Malfoy behind me.  We dried off, successfully changed into our robes, and stood in front of the mirror together.

"Well you're obviously going to take longer then me so go to it." I said contemptuously to him.

            He smirked and began to perform his daily morning activities.

"Well you only need thirty seconds to try desperately to tame that bush upon your head you like to call hair." He said switching positions with me.

            Glaring at him, I took two utensils that looked like chopsticks, twirled my hair up, and fastened them while Malfoy looked at me curiously.  Ten minutes later we were walking into the Great Hall together, both wearing scowls.

"We're eating at my table this morning." I told him and was surprised when he didn't argue but instead followed silently.

            We sat down in front of Ron and Harry who were both glaring at Malfoy but they finally directed their attention towards me.

"He didn't touch you last night did he?" Ron blurted out.

"No." I said quickly, too quickly as all three boys gave me peculiar looks.

"What?" I asked innocently and began to drink from my goblet.

            The day went by excruciating slowly as it was the day to follow Malfoy's schedule.  Undoubtedly I was teased mercilessly, and Malfoy showed no signs of sticking up for me, although I never even believed he would.

"Ron!  Harry!  Thank God!" I cried out desperately as I saw Ron and Harry rounding the corner after our previous class.

"Hermione?" Harry asked concerned as he and Ron made their way towards me.

            I held up the cuffs to the aggravation of Malfoy and pleaded,

"Get these off, please!"

            I could hear Malfoy scoff at the statement and I slowly turned my narrowed eyes to him and muttered,

"Would you care to use your sparse intelligence and add something to broaden that statement?"

"Honestly if I am not able to get these blasted things off, what makes you think that they would?"

            The three of us continued on scowling at him until he finally rolled his eyes and began to walk away.

"DON'T LEAVE ME!" I mockingly cried out reaching out for them.

            They immediately grabbed my hands, stopping Malfoy instantly.

 "Merlin mudblood, you're making more of a spectacle out of yourself then I imagined possible." He sighed.

"I just spent the worst day of my life with people like you!  Who wouldn't be dieing for actual human interaction?" I asked in a cold tone.

"According to Dumbledore, this is the day for MY schedule, so Granger, we've got one more class to go to."

            I cringed at the evil smirk on his face and asked meekly,

"What is it?"

"Flying."

            I could feel my whole face pale at the words.  Ever since the incident first year including he and Harry, the school ordered that Gryffindors and Slytherins weren't to share that class any longer.

"But…but…but that was only required for first year!  Why are you taking it again?" I asked softly.

"Because I always like to be on top of my game." He said smirking once more.

            I was temporarily surprised at the use of a muggle term from his mouth so he took this time to drag me away from Ron and Harry who looked at me sadly since they were on their way to Divination.

            When we were finally at the Quidditch Pitch with the rest of the Slytherins, I could feel my heart pumping with fear at getting back on a broom…with Malfoy.

"Get on Granger." Malfoy said pulling me by my elbow.           

            I widened my eyes as I was thrust onto a broom with Malfoy behind me.

"Uh Malfoy…this…I don't think…this isn't a good idea!" I stuttered.

            I could hear him chuckle in indifference behind me and I screamed as he deftly kicked up from the ground with his arms around me because of the handcuffs.

"NOT SO HIGH!" I screamed pushing my back against his chest while squeezing my eyes shut.

            I could hear his laughter in my ear as the wind blew across us, which caused me to squeeze my eyes shut even wider.  Finally it felt like the wind was slowing down as he said in a deep voice full of amusement,

"You can open your eyes now Granger."

            Slowly I opened my eyes and saw us lazily weaving around the Quidditch pitch as he guided us along with perfect grace and talent.

"Granger, I believe that you have left permanent indentations in my broom." He said in a bored tone.

            Looking down I saw that I was squeezing the broom rather hard as my knuckles were beginning to turn white.

"Well if you hadn't acted like such a male chauvinistic pig then that wouldn't have been a problem." I retorted.

            He simply just said,

"I have no qualms about pushing you off this broom."

            I turned towards him and gave him a confused look, wondering if he had lost his train of thought as I spoke,

"And commit suicide yourself as I pulled you over with me seeing as how we are still attached?  Lovely."

            He rolled his eyes and continued flying while I held in my breath and waited until we began descending towards the ground, to my utter relief.  I watched and felt him hop off and shoulder his broom as we began to walk inside.

"Oi Draco!  Good flying today mate!" A voice called from the side.

            I watched Malfoy give him a conceited smirk and together we walked inside, all the while me keeping my wobbly knees.

"Granger we weren't even flying that high!" Malfoy yelled as we walked towards the Gryffindor common room so I could grab a book.

            Making sure to whisper the password to the lady in an inaudible tone, I walked into the cozy and familiar common room with a smile on my face.

"Hermione!"

"Hey long time no see!"

"Where've you been?"

"Merlin it's about time you got back, we've needed help on our potions essay!" A familiar voice called out through the others.

            Shaking my head jovially I made my way over to the couch by the fire and plopped down in-between Ron and Harry who instantly stood up upon seeing Malfoy.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here Malfoy?" Ron asked.

            I watched with a tiny bit of amusement as Malfoy let his jaw drop slightly while giving Ron an incredulous look and knitting his eyebrows together.  Finally he sighed and held up the cuffs knowingly.

            Finally after thirty minutes of Malfoy complaining about being too long in the vicinity of a group of Gryffindors, Ron trying to lunge at him, Harry and I holding him back, and finally the complaints of the others around us, we left.

"God Malfoy could you be anymore childish?" I asked as he began to drag me towards the Slytherin dungeons.

            The minute we entered the drafty tower, I immediately wished for the friendly fires of my own tower.  It was so morbid and cold down here that I began to understand where the Slytherins gained their attitudes.

"Draco why is she down here?"

"She's a mudblood!"

"She's not welcome here, get her out of here!"

            Were the unfriendly calls but they immediately diminished at a single cold look from Malfoy who was clearly beyond annoyed.  I waited a few minutes until he had grabbed his things in a sack and willingly let him drag me out of the room.

            We walked to the library, took up a space in the back and with the rather surprisingly comfortable silence, we worked on our homework.

"C'mon Granger, I don't want to miss dinner." A voice drawled at my left.       

            I ripped my eyes away from the words of the book and saw Malfoy standing up in front of me.  Sighing regretfully, I packed my bag up and left the solitary of the library, which I've been longing for ever since this accident happened.

            We walked into the Great Hall while I still had my face stuck in a book, not even thinking as to where Malfoy was leading me.

"Grand, it seems like you're learning." Malfoy whispered in my ear.

            I widened my eyes at what probably wasn't meant to be an intimate act, but it sent shivers down my spine, and it seemed like it had caught Malfoy's attention since when I looked up he was smirking down at me annoyingly.

"Oh do shut up." I said heatedly to his amusement.

            Dinner went on in utter silence full of glares and scowls thrown at me and back at them in multiple quantities.

"Hermione, there you are!" A voice called out behind me.

            I turned around and saw Dean looking down at me smiling.

"Dean…?  Is everything alright?" I asked confused.

            His smile widened and he gently took my elbow in his hand to slowly stand me up, but this caused Malfoy to stand up as well.

"I was wondering if I could ask you a question?" He asked seemingly nervous.

"Well…sure." I replied uneasily and I felt Malfoy move beside me.

            Dean seeing this narrowed his eyes towards him and said in a rather tight tone,

"Along?"

            This time Malfoy stepped forward in front of me and spat out,

"If you haven't noticed, Thomas, we happened to be cuffed together."

            I shot Malfoy a strict look and turned back to Dean and replied gently,

"It's alright, what did you need to ask me?"

"Never mind, just let me know when all this gets fixed." He said waving our arms around our hands.

            I nodded my head and watched him walk back to the Gryffindor table where some of his friends began to crowd around him as he shook his head and pointed menacingly at Malfoy, who was currently sniggering.

"Never thought I'd see the day where a mudblood was actually about to be asked out."

            I whirled towards him with a confused expression and practically shouted,

"He wasn't going to ask me out!"

            I however didn't hear him mumble underneath his breath while shooting an unreadable look towards Dean,

"Too right he wasn't."

            I gave an annoyed growl and while staying in the moment, I tried to stomp away only causing me to go not even two feet.

"That usually works better if there isn't someone attached to me." I muttered to Malfoy who was smirking, this caused him to let out a real chuckle.

            I turned to him surprised that I had actually heard that, and that it actually sounded nice enough for me to want to hear again.  For the first time when I looked up at Malfoy, his eyes weren't masked and I was transfixed at the spot.

"You should laugh more often." I whispered catching him and myself off guard.

            He darted his eyes around the room and cleared his throat before he began leading me away from the Great Hall, and together we walked up the stairs to the infirmary.

            I woke up the next morning, and to my unexpected delight, I woke up to the same warmth.  I looked over my shoulder and saw the same sight as yesterday morning with Draco Malfoy snuggled into the crook of my neck above my shoulder; I looked down and saw the same familiar arms wrapped around me.  Sighing I laid back in the pillows thinking I could get used to waking up like this.

            The same thing happened with him muttering a stream of curses and very gently removing himself from me, leaving me unbearably cold.  Showers contained even more sexual tension then yesterday and I was surprised when we made it out unscathed.  We watched each other go through our regular morning rituals, each unknowingly having rather unanticipated thoughts rolling through our heads of each other.

"Well, breakfast." I muttered and together we walked down to the Great Hall.

            It was during this walk, when I didn't have my nose in a book, that I noticed a rather large amount of girls giggling when he came near, and running off with their friends.

"My, aren't we popular." I said sarcastically trying to hold back my own smirk.

"It would be blatantly obvious why someone of your social standing wouldn't recognize such a thing unless through another."

            Instead of fighting with him once more, I narrowed my eyes and tried to ignore the envious looks that were being shot at me.  We made our way to the Gryffindor table and I was slightly surprised when I saw Dean sitting with Ron and Harry.

"Hullo Hermione!" Ron said cheerily, almost too cheerily.

            I cocked an eyebrow up at Harry as Malfoy and I took a seat while saying,

"I thought I told you two not to sneak in anymore firewhisky."
            I was surprised when I heard Malfoy next to me cover his laughter with a cough.

"What put him in a right state is completely natural Hermione.  Oh rather unnatural for how long he's been grinning." Dean said giving Ron a confused look.

            I turned and looked at Ron who was smiling and look completely dazed while resting his chin in the palm of his cupped hand.  I began to wave my hands frantically in front of him while calling his name to get his attention.

"Here." Malfoy said in a bored voice and handed me a goblet of what he transfigured into water.

            Taking it I flicked some water at him, and when that didn't work I sighed and dumped the whole thing on him.

"AHHHH!" He screamed instantly gaining the attention of the other tables.

            I set the goblet down gently and turned to see an awfully upset redhead glaring heatedly at me.

"I had to get you out of that trance somehow.  No telling it if was magical or not Ronald!" I cried out.

"You could have poked me or something!" He yelled out drying himself with a napkin.

"I did." I replied in a dull tone.

            He grumbled and cast a drying spell on him but there was a POOF and a large amount of smoke.

"Bloody hell Weasley, it was a joke!" Malfoy called out coughing as did Harry, Dean, and I.

            When the smoke finally cleared there was even more silence if possible, and then the Great Hall burst into laughter.

"What?  What is it?" Ron cried out as I clutched my sides in laughter.

            I began laughing so hard that I lost my balance and fell off the side of the bench taking an unprepared Malfoy with me who was still laughing on his way down.  I gasped when I felt something hard and warm land on me and looked up to see two stormy gray eyes penetrating mine but became surprised to see them dancing with mirth.

"Is it just a Gryffindor thing to royally embarrass yourself?" He asked breathily while I continued staring at his eyes.

            Ron's voice cut through our thoughts as he yelled,

"WILL SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?"

"MR. WEASLEY!  Ten points from Gryffindor for your language!" Professor McGonagall cried up front.

            It was then that someone handed Ron an empty golden plate and he yelled when he saw his reflection.  His hair and eyebrows were singed, and he had soot covered all over his face.

"Ron, uhm, I think it might be time to get a new wand." I told him softly from my place on the ground underneath Malfoy.

            He looked down to glare but did a double take and jumped up from his spot at the table.

"Oi, Malfoy!  Get off of her!" 

            I watched as Malfoy uncharacteristically rolled his eyes and pushed himself off the floor, easily taking me up with him.

"Hermione, please?" Ron asked politely in a whiny voice.

            Sighing I took out my wand, whispered a spell, and Ron was good as new again.  He grinned and threw his arm around me looking up at the ceiling and said,

"I knew I was friends with you for something."

"Oh, and here I thought it was just to save her from Mountain Trolls." Harry replied standing up as Dean waved good-bye.

"Excuse me!  That would have never happened had you two not LOCKED it in with me." I pointed out indignantly as the four of us, one grudgingly, began to make it out of the Great Hall.

"All well, she redeemed herself countless times." Harry noted as we made our way to Muggle studies while I shot Ron a triumphant glare.  Little did I know that Malfoy was watching the whole scene with surprised amusement.

            Malfoy and I were now making our way down to dinner, completely silent in the noise around us.

"Hello Draco." A female voice drawled from behind us.

            We both stopped and turned around as a seventh year Ravenclaw I recognized as Amelia Tray batted her eyelashes rapidly at Malfoy.

"Looking splendid this evening Amelia." Malfoy replied giving her a smirk.

            I was completely caught off guard at the rather flirtatious tone he was using, since all I ever heard was menacing.  The way he seemed relaxed and gently polite made me wonder what else he was hiding beneath the cold exterior.

"You flatter me." Amelia said smiling widely at him.

            I never knew someone could use that much makeup and lipstick, I thought to myself while staring at the girl in front of me.

"On your way to dinner then I take it?  How would you like an escort?" He asked holding his arm out to the girl.

            She giggled madly and looped her arm through his.  When we were almost to the door I saw Amelia shoot me a dirty look and say with her nose upturned,

"I've had enough of you following us Granger, leave us be."

            My jaw dropped and dug my heels into the floor to stop us.

"For a Ravenclaw you're a rather thick one.  If you have noticed mine and Malfoy's behavior before you'd see there is no way in the seven hells I would follow him anywhere.  Furthermore, we are cuffed together." I spat out holding up our hands as Malfoy raised his eyebrows at me in surprise.

            Amelia blushed and then scowled at me, finally dropping Malfoy's arm as we entered inside.

"Awfully temperamental aren't we Granger?" Malfoy drawled as we began to make our way to his table.

"I'm sick of this whole predicament Malfoy and I swear to God the next person that has the gal to comment on it will be toast."

            I saw him give me a smirk as we slid into the benches and began to eat dinner, the Slytherins had surprisingly given up on teasing me as Malfoy would shoot them looks since he would get beyond irritated at the attention drawn to the situation.  I felt a body sit by my right side and turned to see Blaise sitting next to me while another boy named Andrew sat on Malfoy's side.

"Evening." Malfoy replied curtly and continued on eating.

"Hey there Granger." Blaise said to me, silencing the whole table while I widened my eyes.

"Uhm, hello Blaise." I replied confused.

"I heard your rant outside the double doors, I never knew you had that type of fire." He commented lazily while reaching for some bread.

"She had it coming to her, that twit.  Actually accusing me of following…him." I said distastefully shooting a look at Malfoy, who was listening to our conversation.

            I was surprised when I heard a real laugh come from him, a Slytherin.

"Dreadful thing isn't he?" He asked.

"Watch it Zambini." Malfoy drawled.

            It was then that I felt a tap on my shoulder and a rather furious huff that I turned to see an enraged Pansy Parkinson standing behind me with her friends.  Blaise, Andrew, and Malfoy, along with some other males all groaned.

"Just what do you think you are doing sitting at this table Mudblood?  You don't belong here!" She screeched silencing the whole hall.

            I think Malfoy began to see my temper flare up since he stood up and said,

"Parkinson now probably isn't the best time."

"Oh no Malfoy, please, let her continue." I said glaring at Parkinson as I got confused and surprised stares from the other Slytherins.

            Pansy shot Malfoy a rather sly grin and then began to wave her hands around wildly and shouting,

"GET AWAY FROM DRACO!  YOU NO GOOD, KNOW-IT-ALL, STUPID WASTE OF…" Before she could finish however, a transfiguration spell from my wand cut her off.

            Everyone was silent as they peered over to see what I transfigured her into, and surprisingly the Slytherin table began to chuckle and hide their grins as they stared at the piece of toast flailing about on the floor.

"MISS GRANGER!  TWENTY POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR AND DETENTION FOR A WEEK!" Professor McGonagall cried out.

            When she saw Malfoy she added,

"After you gain a key however."

            When she turned Pansy back, she was red in the face, and looking beyond livid.

"STUPID WENCH!" She cried out and lifted her hand to strike me, but someone to my left caught it before her hand could make contact.

"Careful Pansy." Blaise muttered and dropped her hand.

            Pansy practically growled and stalked off with her friends, leaving the hall still roaring with laughter, except of course from the Slytherins who were trying to hold it in.  Before I could sit down however Ron and Harry were running over to me with Dean on their heels.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Ron asked, breathing heavily, while I stared in awe at Blaise, who was grinning at something over my shoulder.

"Hermione!" Harry cried out taking me by the shoulders.

"Yes, yes.  Of course I'm alright, rather put out that she got changed back so quickly however." I muttered to the delight of Ron and Harry.

"That was brilliant Hermione." Dean said smiling at me.

"Thanks." I replied uneasily shifting from foot to foot.

"So have you an idea when those blasted things will be coming off?" Dean asked stepping forward as Ron and Harry furrowed their eyebrows together in confusion.

            I shook my head and watched Draco take a step forward towards Dean and mutter darkly,

"We're leaving now."

            Without a chance to say goodnight I was ripped away from my friends and the Great Hall.

            We went to bed that night in silence, both of us unaware that we were both wearing identical grins.  When I woke up the next morning, I didn't even need to look over my shoulder to see Malfoy curled up behind me.  I could feel his arms wrapped tightly around me, and I smiled blissfully, but quickly caught myself.  Malfoy went through the same routine of cursing, gently pulling away, and then waiting for me to 'wake up'.

            We were walking through the halls together sometime later in that week when we saw Dean with some mutual friends as he waved happily at me, which I returned.

"He likes you, you know." Malfoy commented in an off-handed manner.

            I looked up at him surprised and said,

"Dean?  No, we're just friends."

            When I saw him wearing that knowing smirk that aggravated me to no end I finally said,

"Would you stop wearing that smirk?"

"What smirk?" He asked innocently.

            Rolling my eyes I replied,

"I hate that smirk.  It's probably the most infuriating one you have."

"Oh so I have multiples?" He asked amused.

"Yes and that one is the classic 'I know something you don't' smirk."

            His grin widened and he said,

"Well I'm glad to know that you are able to decipher my smirks."

"Wish I could say the same." I muttered to his further amusement.