I swear you'll never get rid of me!!! Bwah ha ha! LoL. Well, anyways,
welcome to another installment of Sweet Seductions. We are on Chapter... 8
now. Wow. I've mapped out chapters 9 and 10 on paper, and I have the entire
convention mapped out in my head. That'll probably be two chapters because,
well, I said so. Or one really long chapter... After that, it's all gravy!!!
Also, I realized why I didn't get any reviews. Well, ff.net had some problems with that. I know I lost one (poor Elyse's lost review) but I still got a couple.
Only a few more days to convention. And, yes, I'm bringing Ron and Harry back into the story. They were absent, as some noticed. I didn't see need for them at the time, but they are back again! And, yes, I will clear up as to why they didn't visit her in the hospital...
Onward!!! (don't forget to review)
Chapter 8: Hell
The next morning, Hermione woke up very early and sprinted into the shower. She lathered up quickly, and she would later swear that it was the shortest shower she had ever taken. Once she had finished her lightning speed shower, she gathered her school belongings, and fled to Gryffindor Tower, afraid of what Malfoy would put her through in the day to come.
Ron and Harry had no classes with her this year. She was in the Advanced NEWT classes, and they were only in NEWT classes. She was slightly disappointed that they weren't there, but found less distractions when they were absent.
She groaned inwardly, knowing she would have to battle Malfoy without them this Friday. Hopefully she would be able to survive the day without having to strangle him or throw herself on him or something. She blushed at the thought and shoved it away. It was very likely that they would have to make a new potion today, and hopefully it was individual work. Transfiguration and Arithmancy would be easier to deal with, since Malfoy never sat near her.
She heaved a sigh as she entered the tower and relaxed in one of the armchairs. She let herself doze off until she heard the footsteps of someone approaching. "'Mione, what are you doing in here this early?" Ron's voice asked as he plopped into the chair next to hers.
"Malfoy and I got into a fight last night, and I really didn't want to deal with his crap this morning," Hermione replied.
Ron sighed. "What the hell did he do this time?"
"He made fun of me, called me a Mudblood, you know, the usual. He got really pist when I slapped him."
Ron laughed. "Speaking of physical harm, why the hell weren't we allowed anywhere near the hospital wing while you were in there? As a matter of fact, no one but MALFOY was allowed near there!"
"Ron, think about it. I'm sure that Voldemort is trying not only to get Harry, but you and I as well. Do you think Dumbledore would want to put me under any type of danger? You know that Hogwarts isn't as safe as it used to be..."
"But he let MALFOY in!!!"
"Yes, because Malfoy is Head Boy, and I am Head Girl. It made him look more respectable."
"'Mione, I was worried about you. Seriously. All we hear is that you're unconscious 'cuz you fell... I mean, that's not enough for me... or Harry, for that matter."
"I know."
"I know you know. I just had to reinforce the point."
*****************************************************
Hermione and Ron fell into a conversation about the Hogsmeade trip the next morning, and wound up walking to breakfast together. Hermione felt very much at ease; she missed these conversations with Ron. She had had an enormous crush on Ron for the longest time, but that stopped when seventh year began. This fact was much to her disliking, but she knew that there was some reason her body wanted it that way.
Malfoy had kissed her so much differently than Ron had. Ron was so rough about it. She knew he was trying to be gentle, but, to her, it was full of his desire. Not necessarily for her, but for sex. Sex with her, sex with someone else, she knew he didn't care.
She wanted to believe that after they had had their snogfest, he would ask her out or something. Yet, Mr. Weasley had just regarded her in the same fashion. He didn't want her for a girlfriend. He just wanted a shag buddy, and she wasn't ready for anything like that.
The way that Malfoy had kissed her was different. It blew her away. It held an intensity that Hermione had never experienced before. She wasn't expecting to feel so many emotions from him, but she felt them all. Lust, desire, need, urgency, sadness, anger, desperation, sorrow, everything. She didn't understand why she felt all of that from Malfoy. Yet, it made her feel good, so very good.
That one kiss had made her feel alive. It made her feel wanted; it made her woozy; it made her feel like she belonged with him. She didn't understand that either. And, yet, she had pulled away. She had pulled away from one of the best things that had ever happened to her. Not only that, she hurt his feelings, as well.
This was yet another thing that she didn't understand. It was obvious that he felt something for her. She couldn't put her finger on it, either. It was, at the least, lust. But she felt it had room to grow to something even greater.
But did she want it to grow?
*****
Hermione left the table shortly after her arrival, feeling slightly queasy and hoping she wouldn't bump into Malfoy. Of course, to her great displeasure, once she entered the Great Hall, she immediately saw Malfoy standing alone near the stairs. She quickly averted her eyes, but knew that he had seen her.
"Hey, Granger." Hermione cringed at the sound of her name. This wasn't good. She kept walking. "You know, it's rude to ignore someone when they call you," Malfoy spat.
Hermione turned around and stomped towards Malfoy. She stopped about two feet away and replied, "I'm sorry, but I respond to Hermione. That is my name, you know?" She smirked at him as his face contorted in anger.
"Mudbloods don't deserve to be called their first names. Hell, they don't deserve to be called at all."
"Yet, Mr. Pureblood Malfoy called one."
"Well Miss Mudblood Priss here needed to be reminded of her place in this school, in this world. Hell, you don't even deserve to stand near me. You're filth, Granger." Malfoy smirked at her as a crowd started gathering to witness the fight.
"Hmm... You didn't seem to mind 'my place in this school' last night, now did you?" she smirked again. Malfoy turned crimson. You could hear a couple of people yelling comments, mostly "Oh!" or something like that.
"I'm sorry, but I seem to remember YOU calling me back over there." Malfoy raised his eyebrows menacingly
"I didn't ask for anything that happened last night, Ferret boy."
"But you wanted it."
"Like you didn't? You were the one that actually started the whole fiasco!"
The argument was starting to get a bit heated now. Hermione's cheeks were flushed in anger, Malfoy's eyes were flashing. "Ha! Where the fuck do you get off thinking that I wanted a bushy-haired, buck-tooth Mudblood?"
Hermione's eyes started welling up, and she looked away for a moment blinking back tears. She took a deep breath, then looked back at him. She took a step closer to him and his eyes widened. She took another step and they were almost touching. She could feel his body heat and his anticipation. "Hey, Malfoy, guess what?" she whispered in his ear.
Malfoy looked down on her. "What, Granger?"
Without blinking, Hermione slapped him straight across the face. "Fuck you, Malfoy!" she yelled as she turned and walked away, leaving Malfoy with his hand on his cheek where she slapped him.
Furious, Malfoy chased her down. When he caught up to her, he grabbed her arm and swung her around. She stumbled and fell right into him. They both gasped as he felt Hermione's petite body pressed against hers. She quickly took a step back and tried to wrench her arm out of his grip.
"Slap me again, and I will make your life a living hell." He shoved her against the wall and walked to Transfiguration.
*****.
Transfigurations and Arithmancy passed without further complications between the two. They avoided each other through lunch, as well. Ron and Harry had some inquiries about the fight she had gone into earlier that day, but she merely ignored them. She ate quickly and left for the library.
Ron and Harry, however, weren't satisfied with this response.
"I don't get it. There she was, taking the piss out of Malfoy, and she's not basking in the glory of it?!?!" Harry said.
"But... she almost KISSED Malfoy. Why would she even think of that? Did you see the way his eyes got all big? He wanted it, Harry! HE wanted HER to kiss HIM!!! This is Malfoy and Hermione we're talking about! D'ya think there's something going on? Oh, God, this is-"Ron went on.
"Ron."
"-it's terrible... What if I lose her or something and never get to tell-"
"Ron?"
"-her how I feel!"
"RON!"
"What, Harry?"
"God, just tell her! Seriously!!!"
***********************************************
After lunch, Hermione set out to go to Potions. She arrived ten minutes early, and began to set up her table, laying out her ingredients. She finished with a self-satisfied smile. She beamed over her setup when a voice whispered in her ear, "Well, lookie here! It's Granger, all by her lonesome. No one knows she's here. What would happen if Little Miss Perfect just disappeared and didn't show up to Potions? What if her fellow Head Boy was gone as well, and everyone just assumed that they were doing something with Dumbledore? They wouldn't even guess that their dear little bookworm was being hurt or tortured, would they? Oh, what would happen?"
Hermione turned around to face Malfoy. 'God, he's such an arrogant little prat,' she thought. "Well, Mr. Ferret Face would be getting his ass kicked if Little Miss Perfect were to disappear with Mr. Ferret Face."
"Well, I am much stronger than you. Haven't you realized this before?"
"Well, there are certain areas where you are much weaker than I am..." she said. Malfoy raised an eyebrow, and Hermione slowly drew her knee up so she was about to knee him in the groin.
"Shit!" Malfoy stepped back, and then looked at Hermione's neatly set up cauldron area. He whipped out with wand and said, "Abolescere!" [A/N: Latin for "disappear"]
Hermione's cauldron and potion ingredients all disappeared. Hermione gasped, wide-eyed. Malfoy picked up her bag and handed it to her. "Malfoy..." she said warningly.
"Look, you've got two choices, Granger," he said, grabbing her arm with his hand. "Either you come willingly with me, or you come by force. What do you choose? Painless or painful?"
Hermione weighed her options. She knew she was practically defenseless against Malfoy, and her wand was deep inside her bag. She sighed heavily and said, "I swear to God, Malfoy, if you use one ounce of force on me I will kick you in the knuts so hard you'll become sterile."
"Come on," he said, pulling her arm gently.
He quickly led her deeper into the dungeons, taking a twisting path that Hermione could not remember. After about a half an hour, they arrived at a door. Malfoy opened it and waved his hand towards the door. Hermione's eyes widened in fear as she walked in.
***************************************************,
Wow. This is NOT the way I planned for this chapter to be. Hope you liked, sorry if it was too long, but that's just the way it is...
Review please!
GraciaS to all of my reviewer
Love, Liz
Also, I realized why I didn't get any reviews. Well, ff.net had some problems with that. I know I lost one (poor Elyse's lost review) but I still got a couple.
Only a few more days to convention. And, yes, I'm bringing Ron and Harry back into the story. They were absent, as some noticed. I didn't see need for them at the time, but they are back again! And, yes, I will clear up as to why they didn't visit her in the hospital...
Onward!!! (don't forget to review)
Chapter 8: Hell
The next morning, Hermione woke up very early and sprinted into the shower. She lathered up quickly, and she would later swear that it was the shortest shower she had ever taken. Once she had finished her lightning speed shower, she gathered her school belongings, and fled to Gryffindor Tower, afraid of what Malfoy would put her through in the day to come.
Ron and Harry had no classes with her this year. She was in the Advanced NEWT classes, and they were only in NEWT classes. She was slightly disappointed that they weren't there, but found less distractions when they were absent.
She groaned inwardly, knowing she would have to battle Malfoy without them this Friday. Hopefully she would be able to survive the day without having to strangle him or throw herself on him or something. She blushed at the thought and shoved it away. It was very likely that they would have to make a new potion today, and hopefully it was individual work. Transfiguration and Arithmancy would be easier to deal with, since Malfoy never sat near her.
She heaved a sigh as she entered the tower and relaxed in one of the armchairs. She let herself doze off until she heard the footsteps of someone approaching. "'Mione, what are you doing in here this early?" Ron's voice asked as he plopped into the chair next to hers.
"Malfoy and I got into a fight last night, and I really didn't want to deal with his crap this morning," Hermione replied.
Ron sighed. "What the hell did he do this time?"
"He made fun of me, called me a Mudblood, you know, the usual. He got really pist when I slapped him."
Ron laughed. "Speaking of physical harm, why the hell weren't we allowed anywhere near the hospital wing while you were in there? As a matter of fact, no one but MALFOY was allowed near there!"
"Ron, think about it. I'm sure that Voldemort is trying not only to get Harry, but you and I as well. Do you think Dumbledore would want to put me under any type of danger? You know that Hogwarts isn't as safe as it used to be..."
"But he let MALFOY in!!!"
"Yes, because Malfoy is Head Boy, and I am Head Girl. It made him look more respectable."
"'Mione, I was worried about you. Seriously. All we hear is that you're unconscious 'cuz you fell... I mean, that's not enough for me... or Harry, for that matter."
"I know."
"I know you know. I just had to reinforce the point."
*****************************************************
Hermione and Ron fell into a conversation about the Hogsmeade trip the next morning, and wound up walking to breakfast together. Hermione felt very much at ease; she missed these conversations with Ron. She had had an enormous crush on Ron for the longest time, but that stopped when seventh year began. This fact was much to her disliking, but she knew that there was some reason her body wanted it that way.
Malfoy had kissed her so much differently than Ron had. Ron was so rough about it. She knew he was trying to be gentle, but, to her, it was full of his desire. Not necessarily for her, but for sex. Sex with her, sex with someone else, she knew he didn't care.
She wanted to believe that after they had had their snogfest, he would ask her out or something. Yet, Mr. Weasley had just regarded her in the same fashion. He didn't want her for a girlfriend. He just wanted a shag buddy, and she wasn't ready for anything like that.
The way that Malfoy had kissed her was different. It blew her away. It held an intensity that Hermione had never experienced before. She wasn't expecting to feel so many emotions from him, but she felt them all. Lust, desire, need, urgency, sadness, anger, desperation, sorrow, everything. She didn't understand why she felt all of that from Malfoy. Yet, it made her feel good, so very good.
That one kiss had made her feel alive. It made her feel wanted; it made her woozy; it made her feel like she belonged with him. She didn't understand that either. And, yet, she had pulled away. She had pulled away from one of the best things that had ever happened to her. Not only that, she hurt his feelings, as well.
This was yet another thing that she didn't understand. It was obvious that he felt something for her. She couldn't put her finger on it, either. It was, at the least, lust. But she felt it had room to grow to something even greater.
But did she want it to grow?
*****
Hermione left the table shortly after her arrival, feeling slightly queasy and hoping she wouldn't bump into Malfoy. Of course, to her great displeasure, once she entered the Great Hall, she immediately saw Malfoy standing alone near the stairs. She quickly averted her eyes, but knew that he had seen her.
"Hey, Granger." Hermione cringed at the sound of her name. This wasn't good. She kept walking. "You know, it's rude to ignore someone when they call you," Malfoy spat.
Hermione turned around and stomped towards Malfoy. She stopped about two feet away and replied, "I'm sorry, but I respond to Hermione. That is my name, you know?" She smirked at him as his face contorted in anger.
"Mudbloods don't deserve to be called their first names. Hell, they don't deserve to be called at all."
"Yet, Mr. Pureblood Malfoy called one."
"Well Miss Mudblood Priss here needed to be reminded of her place in this school, in this world. Hell, you don't even deserve to stand near me. You're filth, Granger." Malfoy smirked at her as a crowd started gathering to witness the fight.
"Hmm... You didn't seem to mind 'my place in this school' last night, now did you?" she smirked again. Malfoy turned crimson. You could hear a couple of people yelling comments, mostly "Oh!" or something like that.
"I'm sorry, but I seem to remember YOU calling me back over there." Malfoy raised his eyebrows menacingly
"I didn't ask for anything that happened last night, Ferret boy."
"But you wanted it."
"Like you didn't? You were the one that actually started the whole fiasco!"
The argument was starting to get a bit heated now. Hermione's cheeks were flushed in anger, Malfoy's eyes were flashing. "Ha! Where the fuck do you get off thinking that I wanted a bushy-haired, buck-tooth Mudblood?"
Hermione's eyes started welling up, and she looked away for a moment blinking back tears. She took a deep breath, then looked back at him. She took a step closer to him and his eyes widened. She took another step and they were almost touching. She could feel his body heat and his anticipation. "Hey, Malfoy, guess what?" she whispered in his ear.
Malfoy looked down on her. "What, Granger?"
Without blinking, Hermione slapped him straight across the face. "Fuck you, Malfoy!" she yelled as she turned and walked away, leaving Malfoy with his hand on his cheek where she slapped him.
Furious, Malfoy chased her down. When he caught up to her, he grabbed her arm and swung her around. She stumbled and fell right into him. They both gasped as he felt Hermione's petite body pressed against hers. She quickly took a step back and tried to wrench her arm out of his grip.
"Slap me again, and I will make your life a living hell." He shoved her against the wall and walked to Transfiguration.
*****.
Transfigurations and Arithmancy passed without further complications between the two. They avoided each other through lunch, as well. Ron and Harry had some inquiries about the fight she had gone into earlier that day, but she merely ignored them. She ate quickly and left for the library.
Ron and Harry, however, weren't satisfied with this response.
"I don't get it. There she was, taking the piss out of Malfoy, and she's not basking in the glory of it?!?!" Harry said.
"But... she almost KISSED Malfoy. Why would she even think of that? Did you see the way his eyes got all big? He wanted it, Harry! HE wanted HER to kiss HIM!!! This is Malfoy and Hermione we're talking about! D'ya think there's something going on? Oh, God, this is-"Ron went on.
"Ron."
"-it's terrible... What if I lose her or something and never get to tell-"
"Ron?"
"-her how I feel!"
"RON!"
"What, Harry?"
"God, just tell her! Seriously!!!"
***********************************************
After lunch, Hermione set out to go to Potions. She arrived ten minutes early, and began to set up her table, laying out her ingredients. She finished with a self-satisfied smile. She beamed over her setup when a voice whispered in her ear, "Well, lookie here! It's Granger, all by her lonesome. No one knows she's here. What would happen if Little Miss Perfect just disappeared and didn't show up to Potions? What if her fellow Head Boy was gone as well, and everyone just assumed that they were doing something with Dumbledore? They wouldn't even guess that their dear little bookworm was being hurt or tortured, would they? Oh, what would happen?"
Hermione turned around to face Malfoy. 'God, he's such an arrogant little prat,' she thought. "Well, Mr. Ferret Face would be getting his ass kicked if Little Miss Perfect were to disappear with Mr. Ferret Face."
"Well, I am much stronger than you. Haven't you realized this before?"
"Well, there are certain areas where you are much weaker than I am..." she said. Malfoy raised an eyebrow, and Hermione slowly drew her knee up so she was about to knee him in the groin.
"Shit!" Malfoy stepped back, and then looked at Hermione's neatly set up cauldron area. He whipped out with wand and said, "Abolescere!" [A/N: Latin for "disappear"]
Hermione's cauldron and potion ingredients all disappeared. Hermione gasped, wide-eyed. Malfoy picked up her bag and handed it to her. "Malfoy..." she said warningly.
"Look, you've got two choices, Granger," he said, grabbing her arm with his hand. "Either you come willingly with me, or you come by force. What do you choose? Painless or painful?"
Hermione weighed her options. She knew she was practically defenseless against Malfoy, and her wand was deep inside her bag. She sighed heavily and said, "I swear to God, Malfoy, if you use one ounce of force on me I will kick you in the knuts so hard you'll become sterile."
"Come on," he said, pulling her arm gently.
He quickly led her deeper into the dungeons, taking a twisting path that Hermione could not remember. After about a half an hour, they arrived at a door. Malfoy opened it and waved his hand towards the door. Hermione's eyes widened in fear as she walked in.
***************************************************,
Wow. This is NOT the way I planned for this chapter to be. Hope you liked, sorry if it was too long, but that's just the way it is...
Review please!
GraciaS to all of my reviewer
Love, Liz