Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine, but they are J. K.
Rowling's!
* * * * *
Hermione walked out of the common room quickly without bothering to look around her to see who was there. She found herself not being able to concentrate on anything and her mind kept drifting.
When she got to the Great Hall, it became apparent to her that Harry hadn't slept again last night by the bags under his eyes. She sat down next to him and across from Ron.
"Today's our first practice!" Harry said matter-of-factly.
Ron groaned. "Why today?"
"We have to get working on game strategies. That's why. If we don't, we won't even have a chance at the House Cup this year."
"Fuck the House Cup. I'm too tired."
"Don't give me, 'I'm too tired.' I haven't slept in days."
"You should try it sometime."
Harry glared at him and Ron soon realized he should have kept his mouth shut.
"Alright, I'll be there."
"Good. Spread the word. Practice is from 7-9:30 tonight. Rain or shine."
"Got it." Ron sped out of his chair and told the other members of the team about practice and then came back to find Harry and Hermione gone.
Hermione led Harry up to Myrtle's bathroom again and she planned to fix him up. He followed her there with no objections and sat down on the counter.
"You really should get some sleep. You'll never be able to keep up with Quidditch if you don't."
"I know. I tried to sleep last night, but I just can't. That dream keeps haunting me. Please don't ask what it is though. You won't be able to help."
Hermione nodded and took her wand out of her pocket. She spoke an incantation under her breath and his face was as good as new.
"What's that spell you're using on me?"
"Just a simple relinquishing spell...that's all."
"Thanks Hermione."
"No problem."
Hermione and Harry found Ron at Potions and Snape hadn't yet arrived. Hermione sat next to Neville again as Malfoy walked in. He threw something at the back of Neville's head and Hermione heard Neville yelp because it was so sudden. He reached to the back of his head to see what had hit him and soon found a very sticky mess of gum in his hair. Hermione whipped her head around to find him snickering to himself.
"Why must you be so immature?"
"I'm not. A little fun never hurt anybody."
"I'll remember that. Just you wait."
"What are you going to do to me? Kiss me? Like last night?" Malfoy smirked.
Hermione clenched her jaw as Ron and Harry stared at her in disbelief.
"If you know what's good for you, you'll shut your mouth right now. I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing. I don't see why every girl in this fucking school wants to kiss you anyhow. You're not so good at it."
An expression of resentment and frustration passed over his normally stoic features and his nonchalant expression resumed its position almost immediately after. He walked away, defeated again by that stupid Mudblood. He vowed to get her back.
Just then, Snape walked into the classroom. "Take your seats! All of you!" He walked to the front of the classroom and assigned the work for today's class. The students shook their heads in confirmation and got up to get their materials, all except for Malfoy that is. He walked casually up to Snape's desk and talked to him in a low whisper.
"Hermione Granger!"
Hermione froze with what she was doing as did Harry and Ron.
"Please come here."
Hermione stood for another moment and began walking toward Snape with a careful hesitation.
"Quickly Miss Granger. I don't have all day" he said impatiently.
Hermione quickened her pace and when she reached his desk, he stood up so that he was talking down to her.
"Malfoy has requested some assistance on this assignment because he does not understand it and has requested you to help him. Go to work."
Before she had time to protest, Malfoy grabbed her by the arm and shoved her off to the supply cabinet to get working.
"Who is Neville working with then?"
"Goyle. Don't speak. Get our supplies" he demanded.
Hermione couldn't stand to let him walk over her like this, but if she wanted to keep her House points, she supposed she'd have to. She listened to him and brought the materials over to the desk they would be working at.
"What don't you understand?" she snapped.
"Feisty today, aren't we?"
"What don't you understand?" she repeated.
"Oh, I understand it all just fine."
"So what do you want to work with me then for?"
"No reason. To get on your nerves."
Hermione took a deep breath and directed her gaze toward him. Her speaking started out low and grew in volume until she had every pair of eyes in the room on her. "If you had half a mind, you'd know when to quit you arrogant fool! I don't like you and you don't like me so I don't see the point in working together when you know perfectly well that you understand this material! Go find someone else to get some sick twisted pleasure out of because I refuse to take the bullshit from you anymore!"
When Hermione's tirade was finished, she found herself standing up and pinning him against the back of his chair. She noticed that her chest was heaving in and out as she breathed and she could feel the eyes of everyone in the classroom upon her, mostly revealing shock.
"That's fifteen points from Gryffindor Miss Granger!" yelled Snape. You'll also have a week's detention for disturbing the class from working. I'll see you tonight at eight o'clock here...unfortunately."
"Professor?"
"Yes?" he replied.
"She's right. I did know this material and I was just looking to cause trouble."
"Well, I suppose I'll be seeing both of you tonight then, won't I?"
"Yes sir. You will."
"Lucky me," he muttered under his breath inaudibly. "Get back to work! Granger and Malfoy, continue working together."
Hermione did so reluctantly, keeping their social contact to a minimum. He handed her an ingredient and his fingers brushed against hers. It sent chills down her spine but she managed to hide it. Malfoy had done it on purpose and knew the reaction he'd get from her.
They finished the potion and put it on the side of the room to let it brew. It would take a month to finish. Hermione heard Snape mumble, "Class dismissed" and she stormed out of the room, glad to be free from Malfoy, or for the moment however. Hermione didn't even bother to wait for Harry and Ron because she didn't want to deal with their interrogations of what happened in class. She continued walking and spoke to herself, "Detention is going to look great on my records. The next headline: Head Girl at Hogwarts gets detention! And why the fuck did Malfoy admit to antagonizing my reaction?"
She heard a low-pitched masculine voice speak from behind her. "Think about it Granger. Think about it all."
Hermione ignored the voice and kept walking to her next class. Soon lunch came around but she wasn't very hungry. Apparently neither was Harry. As always, Hermione went to the library in her spare time. She found Harry seated at one of the tables there with a book open in front of him. She walked over to the table and sat down. As soon as he noticed her, he snapped it shut and stood up, hiding the book behind his other books so she couldn't read the title.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I wasn't hungry. What about you?"
"Oh, nothing. Just doing a bit of research."
"About what?"
"Nothing" he said nervously.
Hermione eyed him suspiciously but took her own books out and sprawled them on the table. Harry sighed thankfully and began to walk away.
"Where are you going? Why don't you keep me company?"
"Oh, I'm kind of tired. I think I'm going to go back to my dorm and take a nap."
"Oh, alright."
Harry turned and walked to Madame Pince's desk so he could take the book out of the library. He thanked her and walked quickly out of the library to his dorm where he could read in solitude. Ron was left on his own at the lunch table.
Afternoon faded into the evening and Hermione attended dinner unlike the previous meal. When she got there, she only found Ron there and no Harry.
"Where were you guys at lunch this afternoon?" Ron questioned.
"Oh, I was in the library. I wasn't hungry. Harry was there too, but he said he was tired and went to take a nap. I wonder where he is now. He was in Advanced Charms this afternoon, but that's the last time I saw him."
Ron and Hermione both wore worried faces as they ate and went their separate ways after dinner. Ron headed to the Quidditch pitch where he would see Harry at practice and Hermione walked leisurely to Snape's dungeons where she would attend detention with Draco.
* * * * *
Ron changed into his playing robes and walked over the firm ground toward the pitch. There he found the rest of his team mates, including Harry, standing in a circle. They had been patiently awaiting his arrival and when he arrived, he joined the circle as Harry started talking.
"We have a tough season ahead of us boys. There's going to be some fierce competition and we have to be ready for it. I'm glad you could all make it here on such short notice."
The boys nodded in compliance with what he had just said.
"Now, this practice is mainly to establish a basic understanding of some ideas I have come up with. Practice will be every night during the school week for the next four weeks at this time. I've arranged to have the field all of these days, though some days we might have to change times, so I'll let it be subject to change."
The two Beaters were carrying the large trunk that held all of the Quiddtich equipment in it. They set it down just beside Harry, replaced their brooms on their shoulders and resumed their position in the circle.
"Let's get started with a warm up boys to get back into the swing of things. Let 'em rip!"
No sooner had he said that than all the equipment flying out of the trunk, Bludgers, the Quaffle, and the Snitch. The team kicked off into the air and the Keeper, Ron, took his placed by the goal posts. The Seeker, Harry, ascended high above the field and his eyes darted from place to place to find the Snitch. Ginny Weasley and Dean Thomas took off with their clubs and Ginny swung wildly at one as it almost collided with Ron. The Chasers this year were Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown and Seamus Finnigan and the three of them passed the Quaffle around the field quite easily. This time, Dean prevented Lavender from being dislodged from her broom.
Harry looked around carefully and spotted the Snitch under the bleachers. He clutched himself close to his broom and dove under them, gaining on it every second. He reached out in front of him and snatched it from the air.
He then flew around and gathered his team mates. He left it up to Dean to catch the Bludgers and he did so, but not without causing himself some pain. He wrestled them into the trunk and the Quidditch balls were locked in there while they talked. They formed their circle again and Harry led the discussion. They spent the rest of the practice trying out his strategies and he was open to suggestions as well.
* * * * *
When Hermione finally reached Snape's classroom, he gave her a disapproving look because she was late but decided to save his patience and energy for dealing with the two of them later and ignored this factor.
"Follow me" he demanded sternly.
Draco motioned for Hermione to follow first, but there was a reason her zodiac was Taurus. She was as stubborn as stubborn could be and insisted that he go first. Reluctantly, he obliged. Hermione walked after him and watched the back of his head. She observed how the golden blonde hair was placed on his head without gel in it. She also observed his long stride and graceful movement.
They reached their destination and Snape opened the door slowly. He flicked the light switch on and as the three of them stepped into the room, a cloud of dust welcomed them. Hermione made an attempt to wave it off, but to no avail, it filled her nose and her lungs. Draco had the same problem, and the two found themselves coughing. When the dust had settled significantly, they could make out the dull gleam of golden trophies lining the walls upon the shelves.
"Your task is to clean all these trophies by hand. Hand me your wands."
The two did as they were told. He tucked them into his robes and began to leave the room.
"I would have expected better from you Draco."
He looked at Draco and left the room swiftly, his robes whipped around the corner of the door frame after him.
"Just what I want to be doing, being stuck here with a stupid git like you in detention...Snape's detention no less."
"Like I don't have better ways to be spending my evening? There's a whole House of Slytherins I could be fucking right now. But no, I'm stuck here with you."
"That was your choice. I don't know why you're here to begin with."
"Give me some credit, will you? I do have a heart. Besides, I couldn't let you get in trouble alone when there's another opportunity to annoy you, now could I?"
Hermione looked at Malfoy with disgust.
"You don't get it, do you?"
"Get what? That I'm getting under your skin?"
"You don't have to try to do that. It seems to come quite naturally. As for the part you don't seem to understand, is that you're trying to prove something to everyone and it's not working."
"And just what do you think I'm trying to prove?"
"Draco, I can see right through you. You seem to think your stoic face fools everyone, but it doesn't. It doesn't fool me. You have insecurities about yourself, about what everyone thinks about you and how much they respect you. You think that by picking on others shows how strong you are, but it doesn't. It does quite the opposite actually. The strong man walks away from situations like that because they aren't worth it. You want to become like your father and I know for a fact he's taught you never to show weakness, but you show more weakness every time you pick on someone else, just because you think it'll prove something."
Draco remained silent for a moment and looked into her eyes.
"Say that again."
"You seem to think-"
"No, no, not that. My name. You said my first name. Say it again."
Hermione hesitated for a second in her own thoughts. Had she really just gone and called him Draco? Stupid. Stupid. She was going to kick herself for this. Maybe Dobby could teach her something about punishing herself. No, that wouldn't work; she's working on trying to free the House Elves. Stupid Hermione.
"Draco" she stated plainly.
"What was it you were saying?" he asked.
Hermione sighed and turned around. Draco walked up behind her and traced his hands along her shoulders. She pulled away and elbowed him in the stomach.
"Get off of me you stupid ferret boy."
"What was that for?"
"Being too forward at an inappropriate time."
"So you mean to tell me you liked it?"
Hermione remained silent and retrieved the cloth from the floor where Snape had placed it and picked up the first trophy. It was going to be a long night.
* * * * *
A/N: Please review!!!! Ok I changed my mind...It's Draco...I'm indecisive, sorry. lol. Hope you liked it! Keep giving me feed back...it'll encourage me to write faster and post.
* * * * *
Hermione walked out of the common room quickly without bothering to look around her to see who was there. She found herself not being able to concentrate on anything and her mind kept drifting.
When she got to the Great Hall, it became apparent to her that Harry hadn't slept again last night by the bags under his eyes. She sat down next to him and across from Ron.
"Today's our first practice!" Harry said matter-of-factly.
Ron groaned. "Why today?"
"We have to get working on game strategies. That's why. If we don't, we won't even have a chance at the House Cup this year."
"Fuck the House Cup. I'm too tired."
"Don't give me, 'I'm too tired.' I haven't slept in days."
"You should try it sometime."
Harry glared at him and Ron soon realized he should have kept his mouth shut.
"Alright, I'll be there."
"Good. Spread the word. Practice is from 7-9:30 tonight. Rain or shine."
"Got it." Ron sped out of his chair and told the other members of the team about practice and then came back to find Harry and Hermione gone.
Hermione led Harry up to Myrtle's bathroom again and she planned to fix him up. He followed her there with no objections and sat down on the counter.
"You really should get some sleep. You'll never be able to keep up with Quidditch if you don't."
"I know. I tried to sleep last night, but I just can't. That dream keeps haunting me. Please don't ask what it is though. You won't be able to help."
Hermione nodded and took her wand out of her pocket. She spoke an incantation under her breath and his face was as good as new.
"What's that spell you're using on me?"
"Just a simple relinquishing spell...that's all."
"Thanks Hermione."
"No problem."
Hermione and Harry found Ron at Potions and Snape hadn't yet arrived. Hermione sat next to Neville again as Malfoy walked in. He threw something at the back of Neville's head and Hermione heard Neville yelp because it was so sudden. He reached to the back of his head to see what had hit him and soon found a very sticky mess of gum in his hair. Hermione whipped her head around to find him snickering to himself.
"Why must you be so immature?"
"I'm not. A little fun never hurt anybody."
"I'll remember that. Just you wait."
"What are you going to do to me? Kiss me? Like last night?" Malfoy smirked.
Hermione clenched her jaw as Ron and Harry stared at her in disbelief.
"If you know what's good for you, you'll shut your mouth right now. I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing. I don't see why every girl in this fucking school wants to kiss you anyhow. You're not so good at it."
An expression of resentment and frustration passed over his normally stoic features and his nonchalant expression resumed its position almost immediately after. He walked away, defeated again by that stupid Mudblood. He vowed to get her back.
Just then, Snape walked into the classroom. "Take your seats! All of you!" He walked to the front of the classroom and assigned the work for today's class. The students shook their heads in confirmation and got up to get their materials, all except for Malfoy that is. He walked casually up to Snape's desk and talked to him in a low whisper.
"Hermione Granger!"
Hermione froze with what she was doing as did Harry and Ron.
"Please come here."
Hermione stood for another moment and began walking toward Snape with a careful hesitation.
"Quickly Miss Granger. I don't have all day" he said impatiently.
Hermione quickened her pace and when she reached his desk, he stood up so that he was talking down to her.
"Malfoy has requested some assistance on this assignment because he does not understand it and has requested you to help him. Go to work."
Before she had time to protest, Malfoy grabbed her by the arm and shoved her off to the supply cabinet to get working.
"Who is Neville working with then?"
"Goyle. Don't speak. Get our supplies" he demanded.
Hermione couldn't stand to let him walk over her like this, but if she wanted to keep her House points, she supposed she'd have to. She listened to him and brought the materials over to the desk they would be working at.
"What don't you understand?" she snapped.
"Feisty today, aren't we?"
"What don't you understand?" she repeated.
"Oh, I understand it all just fine."
"So what do you want to work with me then for?"
"No reason. To get on your nerves."
Hermione took a deep breath and directed her gaze toward him. Her speaking started out low and grew in volume until she had every pair of eyes in the room on her. "If you had half a mind, you'd know when to quit you arrogant fool! I don't like you and you don't like me so I don't see the point in working together when you know perfectly well that you understand this material! Go find someone else to get some sick twisted pleasure out of because I refuse to take the bullshit from you anymore!"
When Hermione's tirade was finished, she found herself standing up and pinning him against the back of his chair. She noticed that her chest was heaving in and out as she breathed and she could feel the eyes of everyone in the classroom upon her, mostly revealing shock.
"That's fifteen points from Gryffindor Miss Granger!" yelled Snape. You'll also have a week's detention for disturbing the class from working. I'll see you tonight at eight o'clock here...unfortunately."
"Professor?"
"Yes?" he replied.
"She's right. I did know this material and I was just looking to cause trouble."
"Well, I suppose I'll be seeing both of you tonight then, won't I?"
"Yes sir. You will."
"Lucky me," he muttered under his breath inaudibly. "Get back to work! Granger and Malfoy, continue working together."
Hermione did so reluctantly, keeping their social contact to a minimum. He handed her an ingredient and his fingers brushed against hers. It sent chills down her spine but she managed to hide it. Malfoy had done it on purpose and knew the reaction he'd get from her.
They finished the potion and put it on the side of the room to let it brew. It would take a month to finish. Hermione heard Snape mumble, "Class dismissed" and she stormed out of the room, glad to be free from Malfoy, or for the moment however. Hermione didn't even bother to wait for Harry and Ron because she didn't want to deal with their interrogations of what happened in class. She continued walking and spoke to herself, "Detention is going to look great on my records. The next headline: Head Girl at Hogwarts gets detention! And why the fuck did Malfoy admit to antagonizing my reaction?"
She heard a low-pitched masculine voice speak from behind her. "Think about it Granger. Think about it all."
Hermione ignored the voice and kept walking to her next class. Soon lunch came around but she wasn't very hungry. Apparently neither was Harry. As always, Hermione went to the library in her spare time. She found Harry seated at one of the tables there with a book open in front of him. She walked over to the table and sat down. As soon as he noticed her, he snapped it shut and stood up, hiding the book behind his other books so she couldn't read the title.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I wasn't hungry. What about you?"
"Oh, nothing. Just doing a bit of research."
"About what?"
"Nothing" he said nervously.
Hermione eyed him suspiciously but took her own books out and sprawled them on the table. Harry sighed thankfully and began to walk away.
"Where are you going? Why don't you keep me company?"
"Oh, I'm kind of tired. I think I'm going to go back to my dorm and take a nap."
"Oh, alright."
Harry turned and walked to Madame Pince's desk so he could take the book out of the library. He thanked her and walked quickly out of the library to his dorm where he could read in solitude. Ron was left on his own at the lunch table.
Afternoon faded into the evening and Hermione attended dinner unlike the previous meal. When she got there, she only found Ron there and no Harry.
"Where were you guys at lunch this afternoon?" Ron questioned.
"Oh, I was in the library. I wasn't hungry. Harry was there too, but he said he was tired and went to take a nap. I wonder where he is now. He was in Advanced Charms this afternoon, but that's the last time I saw him."
Ron and Hermione both wore worried faces as they ate and went their separate ways after dinner. Ron headed to the Quidditch pitch where he would see Harry at practice and Hermione walked leisurely to Snape's dungeons where she would attend detention with Draco.
* * * * *
Ron changed into his playing robes and walked over the firm ground toward the pitch. There he found the rest of his team mates, including Harry, standing in a circle. They had been patiently awaiting his arrival and when he arrived, he joined the circle as Harry started talking.
"We have a tough season ahead of us boys. There's going to be some fierce competition and we have to be ready for it. I'm glad you could all make it here on such short notice."
The boys nodded in compliance with what he had just said.
"Now, this practice is mainly to establish a basic understanding of some ideas I have come up with. Practice will be every night during the school week for the next four weeks at this time. I've arranged to have the field all of these days, though some days we might have to change times, so I'll let it be subject to change."
The two Beaters were carrying the large trunk that held all of the Quiddtich equipment in it. They set it down just beside Harry, replaced their brooms on their shoulders and resumed their position in the circle.
"Let's get started with a warm up boys to get back into the swing of things. Let 'em rip!"
No sooner had he said that than all the equipment flying out of the trunk, Bludgers, the Quaffle, and the Snitch. The team kicked off into the air and the Keeper, Ron, took his placed by the goal posts. The Seeker, Harry, ascended high above the field and his eyes darted from place to place to find the Snitch. Ginny Weasley and Dean Thomas took off with their clubs and Ginny swung wildly at one as it almost collided with Ron. The Chasers this year were Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown and Seamus Finnigan and the three of them passed the Quaffle around the field quite easily. This time, Dean prevented Lavender from being dislodged from her broom.
Harry looked around carefully and spotted the Snitch under the bleachers. He clutched himself close to his broom and dove under them, gaining on it every second. He reached out in front of him and snatched it from the air.
He then flew around and gathered his team mates. He left it up to Dean to catch the Bludgers and he did so, but not without causing himself some pain. He wrestled them into the trunk and the Quidditch balls were locked in there while they talked. They formed their circle again and Harry led the discussion. They spent the rest of the practice trying out his strategies and he was open to suggestions as well.
* * * * *
When Hermione finally reached Snape's classroom, he gave her a disapproving look because she was late but decided to save his patience and energy for dealing with the two of them later and ignored this factor.
"Follow me" he demanded sternly.
Draco motioned for Hermione to follow first, but there was a reason her zodiac was Taurus. She was as stubborn as stubborn could be and insisted that he go first. Reluctantly, he obliged. Hermione walked after him and watched the back of his head. She observed how the golden blonde hair was placed on his head without gel in it. She also observed his long stride and graceful movement.
They reached their destination and Snape opened the door slowly. He flicked the light switch on and as the three of them stepped into the room, a cloud of dust welcomed them. Hermione made an attempt to wave it off, but to no avail, it filled her nose and her lungs. Draco had the same problem, and the two found themselves coughing. When the dust had settled significantly, they could make out the dull gleam of golden trophies lining the walls upon the shelves.
"Your task is to clean all these trophies by hand. Hand me your wands."
The two did as they were told. He tucked them into his robes and began to leave the room.
"I would have expected better from you Draco."
He looked at Draco and left the room swiftly, his robes whipped around the corner of the door frame after him.
"Just what I want to be doing, being stuck here with a stupid git like you in detention...Snape's detention no less."
"Like I don't have better ways to be spending my evening? There's a whole House of Slytherins I could be fucking right now. But no, I'm stuck here with you."
"That was your choice. I don't know why you're here to begin with."
"Give me some credit, will you? I do have a heart. Besides, I couldn't let you get in trouble alone when there's another opportunity to annoy you, now could I?"
Hermione looked at Malfoy with disgust.
"You don't get it, do you?"
"Get what? That I'm getting under your skin?"
"You don't have to try to do that. It seems to come quite naturally. As for the part you don't seem to understand, is that you're trying to prove something to everyone and it's not working."
"And just what do you think I'm trying to prove?"
"Draco, I can see right through you. You seem to think your stoic face fools everyone, but it doesn't. It doesn't fool me. You have insecurities about yourself, about what everyone thinks about you and how much they respect you. You think that by picking on others shows how strong you are, but it doesn't. It does quite the opposite actually. The strong man walks away from situations like that because they aren't worth it. You want to become like your father and I know for a fact he's taught you never to show weakness, but you show more weakness every time you pick on someone else, just because you think it'll prove something."
Draco remained silent for a moment and looked into her eyes.
"Say that again."
"You seem to think-"
"No, no, not that. My name. You said my first name. Say it again."
Hermione hesitated for a second in her own thoughts. Had she really just gone and called him Draco? Stupid. Stupid. She was going to kick herself for this. Maybe Dobby could teach her something about punishing herself. No, that wouldn't work; she's working on trying to free the House Elves. Stupid Hermione.
"Draco" she stated plainly.
"What was it you were saying?" he asked.
Hermione sighed and turned around. Draco walked up behind her and traced his hands along her shoulders. She pulled away and elbowed him in the stomach.
"Get off of me you stupid ferret boy."
"What was that for?"
"Being too forward at an inappropriate time."
"So you mean to tell me you liked it?"
Hermione remained silent and retrieved the cloth from the floor where Snape had placed it and picked up the first trophy. It was going to be a long night.
* * * * *
A/N: Please review!!!! Ok I changed my mind...It's Draco...I'm indecisive, sorry. lol. Hope you liked it! Keep giving me feed back...it'll encourage me to write faster and post.