A/N: sorry it took so long to get this out… I've been lazy. But I promise to be more prompt with updating! Hope you like it!
Chapter 8- Trust
A couple days later Hermione was found curled up against a sofa in the common room. Malfoy was in the library, and besides a little flirtation here and there nothing had really happened.
"Thank God its Friday." sighed Hermione. She had developed a cold in the past 24 hours and all she wanted to do was rest. Hermione summoned a cup of hot tea from the kitchen after breaking into a fit of coughs. Grabbing a sweater off the nearby chair and wrapping herself in it, she lay down again, closing her eyes, and fell into an uneasy sleep.
~
Draco entered the common to find Hermione asleep on the couch. Her face was flushed, and she was wrapped in a large green and silver Slytherin sweatshirt. Draco smiled, wondering if he had a camera anywhere to capture this perfect picture for Weasley. He gently picked her up and carried her into her dorm, smoothing her hair from her face. After gazing at her for a minute, he turned to leave the room, with a painful longing to stay next to her. Draco entered his room and sat down at his desk, staring out at the night sky. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, worried. He knew he like Hermione. There was no way to get out of that. But would this blow his cover with Lucius if he ever found out? "At least I didn't have to join the Order." He thought, with a grin. Dumbledore had offered, even at his young age, but there was no way Draco would consent to working with the Potter-loving team. So he was Dumbledore's private spy. Who would have thought?
As he was looking out the window he suddenly noticed a large eagle, recognized as his father's, making it's way through Draco's window. Eyes narrowing, he slowly made his way to the bird and removed the letter, oblivious to the bird taking off immediately, cuffing his shoulder. Sighing, Draco attentively opened the letter.
Draco-
You will receive the dark mark Friday, October 31st. Make yourself presentable- the Dark Lord does not welcome initiates normally, but due to your position at Hogwarts he has consented that you may prove to be useful. We have news that there is a spy at Hogwarts. Bring news on them to the meeting- no excuses.
-Lucius
Draco winced at the thought of seeing his father, and placed the letter down, tapping it once making it burst in flames. Ever since his father had escaped from the ministry… Draco shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "October 31st! That's next week!" he realized, shocked. Quickly he walked out of the common room, and made his way to Dumbledore's office.
~
Hermione woke up the next day feeling refreshed thanks to a potion made by Madame Pomphrey. She yawned, and pulled faded flare jeans on along with a red tee. Shivering, she reached for the green sweatshirt next to her bed and pulled it over her head. "What to do on a Saturday?" She thought, happy at the options. Quickly applying some mascara and lip-gloss, she tied her hair back from her face into a bun and headed down to the Great Hall. There were only a few people milling around with their breakfast, so Hermione quickly changed directions and headed to the kitchen where she saw Harry and Ron. Smiling, she waved them over.
"Hey guys! What are you doing today?" she asked, cheerfully.
"Quidditch practice, Hermione!" replied Harry, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world as he had been made team captain the year before. Hermione was about to reply when Ron jumped in.
"Nice sweatshirt." He said, looking at the green sweatshirt that held a snake Slytherin crest on the front. Hermione blushed.
"I didn't even notice… I was sick yesterday and I guess when I woke up I was so excited to get out of the dorm I didn't notice this wasn't mine." Ron snorted, and they both looked murderous.
"Ten guesses who's it is." Mumbled Ron, darkly.
Quickly feeling the need to change the subject, Hermione asked them about how they thought they did on the Transfiguration test. Harry shrugged, but Ron wasn't as satisfied with Hermione's answer.
"What happened with you and Malfoy when he picked you up on his broom?" he asked, accusingly. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"He saw me talking to you and wanted to piss you off. And since he knew I am scared of flying, he decided to pick me up to scare the crap out of me." Hermione lied, easily.
"That prat! Do you want me to talk to him, 'Mione?" asked Harry, angrily.
"It's fine Harry, don't worry I set him in his place." She responded, laughing. Harry and Ron smirked, imagining something along the lines of Hermione transfiguring Malfoy into another small animal. Hermione smiled, happily. Hearing her stomach grumble, she innocently made her escape from her two best friends and made her way into the kitchen.
~
Draco woke up late on Saturday, jumping out of bed and getting dressed at top speed before he realized that Gryffindor had the pitch today. Meaning his team wasn't practicing till tomorrow. Scowling, he left his room and headed down to the common room. Just then portrait door swung open to reveal Hermione, her arms laden with food from the kitchen.
"Thanks 'Mione!" he cried, catching up to help her.
"I don't think so, Dragon." She replied, laughing. "Go to the kitchen's yourself." Draco's face fell.
"You know how to get to the kitchens?" he said, astonished. Hermione smiled, and handed him a muffin.
" A Gryffindor secret." She replied, smiling mischievously. Draco shot her a pained look, which she replied with a wink as she flopped onto the sofa.
"Feeling better are we?" asked Draco, thoughtfully.
"Much." Hermione replied, taking a bite from an apple.
"Lucius sent me a letter last night." Draco said, suddenly to his and Hermione's surprise.
"What did he say?" Hermione replied, quickly. Draco was silent for a moment before he continued.
"He said I'm getting my dark mark next week, so it looks like my job has just got more interesting." Tears formed in Hermione's eyes, and she got up and moved to Draco, moving him closer to her and pulling him into a hug. He was surprised, but hugged her back, astonished at how much she cared about it.
"It's fine, 'Mione. I'll be able to pass Dumbledore more information once it's over." Hermione pulled back, wiping her eyes of her tears.
"What if your father beats you again when he sees you like last summer?" she asked, her eyes downcast. Draco stared at her, and suddenly she realized her mistake.
"How did you know that?" he asked, suspiciously.
"I just assumed…" Hermione replied, lamely.
"What aren't you telling me Hermione?" He asked, taking a step forward.
"I can't." she said, frantically, realizing she was about to be exposed.
"Hermione!" He cried, but she tore out of the room before he could catch up with her. Sitting down again and accepting defeat, Draco contemplated what she was keeping from him… and how long she thought she could keep it a secret.
~
Hermione sat down under a tree next to the lake, watching Harry and Ron's practice on the Quidditch pitch. She didn't know why she couldn't tell Draco. He had told her so much and obviously trusted her… why couldn't she face it to tell him? And how had he noticed after only two months in her company? It's been over a year with Harry and Ron, her two best friends, and they didn't even pick up on it. Her eyes brimmed with tears. Whether she liked it or not, the golden trio was developing their own lives, and were drifting apart.
"Not all change is bad." Said a voice in the back of Hermione's head. But whom does she have? Ron loves Lavender, even if he doesn't realize the extent of it and tried to back out of it and run to her. Harry and Ginny are madly in love with each other, they just haven't admitted it yet. And she had… who? Malfoy? As if. "He's still Malfoy, Hermione." She told herself, sternly. But what had changed between them? She didn't think of him as a foe anymore. Could he possibly be a friend? All of a sudden it clicked for Hermione. She and Draco acted like two people who liked each other. He knew more about her then Harry and Ron did by now. And there was just something about him that kept bringing her back. She smiled, amazed and yet not surprised at all. She knew she like him… she just never analyzed it before. But she felt sure now, and she knew she could trust him. Slowly, she got up and headed back to the castle, ready to tell Draco her secret.
A/N: ok, according to my beta this has no point and some of it doesn't but it is kinda important because Hermione's opening up to Draco. So please don't be harsh on me! But please do review! I promise to try and get the next one out as soon as I can! ;-)