I know it's been like forever since I updated, but here's the next chapter fresh off the print. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and who knows if I get some more reviews I might update extraordinarily quickly :P
Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to J.K, Bloomsbury or WB.
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The first thing that struck Hermione as she entered Draco's room, was that instead of the lavishly expensive furnishings she expected the room was exceedingly simple. Two sofas sat opposite a small fireplace, a small coffee table between them, and one of the walls had a bookcase and desk but other than that the only thing worth noting was a black wrought iron birdcage and a large black rug with a snake woven into it.
The lack of a bed implied that the suite had at least one other room, but she imagined if Daddy had been footing the bill that would be no surprise. She saw another three doors leading from the room all of them closed, and became immediately inquisitive about them.
"Sit down," He said flopping down onto a sofa leaving enough room for her to sit down next to him, but instead she decided to sit opposite him.
"I…errr love what you've done to the place…very Spartan.." Hermione said raising her eyebrows, an uncomfortable atmosphere developing between them.
" I didn't bring you here to talk about décor." He snapped "You let Potter and Weasley flitter of to another country. Without those two around you're even more vulnerable."
"Vulnerable to what?" She asked sharply "If you're going to be chastising my every move I expect you to at least tell me the full story. I need more than hints and hushed death threats." She placed her hands in her lap and looked expectantly at him.
"It's better that you only know what concerns you." He said firmly, standing up and walking to the fire "Any more than that and you'll be in twice as much trouble."
"Fine," She said crossing her arms in front of her chest sternly.
Draco turned to face her, his back to the fire casting strange shadows around the dimly lit room "Last I heard the Deatheaters are planning a kind of ransom on you, they want to set a trap so that Potter and Weasley will put on their best hero acts and go and save you."
"Why me," She asked cautiously "Why not Ron or Ginny? Why not go directly after Harry?"
"The Weasleys are an old family; and though unrespectable, they are purebloods and have an old power in their lineage." There was still a little disgust in his voice when regarding the Weasleys, but she overlooked it in favour of hearing him out.
"Going after them would be stupid, you'd have a whole red-headed army after you before Potter even realised what was going on." He took a definite step towards her "And don't think the dark side are stupid enough not to know about how heavily Potter is protected. Going straight to him would be suicide." He sat down next to her, his face half shrouded in shadow as he turned his face to her "You're the thing they care about the most, if anyone else where to disappear, Dumbledore would be able to make them see sense, but if their beloved book-worm were to be taken-"
"They'd follow me to the ends of the earth," She sighed sadly "and walk carelessly into a trap…." He could see the sorrow in her eyes, that fact that she could put Harry and Ron in so much danger.
"Smarter than you look," He said, smirking, wanting to get a rise out of her before she started to cry or something. He wasn't sure exactly what he would do if he had a crying girl wanting to sob on his shoulder.
"Excuse me?" she said, insulted, her sorrowful look replaced by a nasty scowl "But when have I ever not looked smart?" Bingo, questioning anything regarding her intelligence was quick to get her riled up.
He grinned and snaked a hand through his hair "In that thing you call a skirt?" She gasped a little taken-aback.
"And just what is wrong with my skirt Malfoy?" She said standing up and putting her hands on her hips causing it to ride up a little, she noticed and pulled it down quite forcibly. Even so it was still brushing the middle of her thighs "Okay, so it may be a little on the short side, but that doesn't make me a bimbo." She said defensively.
"No," He laughed taking a step towards her and grinning broadly, working her up was more fun than he had imagined, it was far more enjoyable to rouse her up than to insult and upset her.
She had a kind of fiery look of impatience in her eyes and he wondered how long he could keep up the playful offence "It makes you a tease, and there's nothing nice about being a tease…." He raised his eyebrows at her, knowing it would make her even more angry.
She looked infuriated, her eyes where glaring and she looked as though she might smack him if he continued to insinuate such remarks "I am not a tease!" she snapped "I am normal, prissy, book-worm Hermione Granger….I can't believe you think I'm some kind of…of….tart!"
"I don't think you're a tart….." He said taking another step towards her and looking down his nose at her "I just said you were a tease. Flouncing around in your bloody little skirts and letting Potter and Weasley drool all over you. You should see how everyone looks when you sit there with your legs crossed practically baring your arse for all the world to see."
She smacked him on the arm, not hard enough to hurt and not angry enough to hit him around the face "You of all people should not be looking at my arse…." He gave her a lopsided grin, his own twisted form of an apology that surprisingly she accepted, a small smile gracing her lips too.
"You know Granger…I think we could be friends." He said raising his eyebrows "It would sure make looking after you a lot easier." He gave a little laugh "That is if you've accepted that you need looking after."
"Look I know I'm not safe," She sighed "And I'm willing to do anything to make sure Harry and Ron don't get into any danger. So if you feel the need to follow me everywhere….I don't have a problem with that." She smiled a little and gave him a fake scowl "As long as I don't catch you looking at my arse that is."
"I promise you nothing…" He said, that trademark smirk once again plastered to his face as he pretended to crane his neck to get a peek at her behind.
"Oh you're terrible Malfoy," She said, turning to avoid his gaze "This is going to be very strange…us being friends I mean. But it does make this whole situation a lot easier doesn't it."
"At least until the wonder-boys come back. What on earth are they going to think about it?"
"Once they find out you've been taking care of me I'm sure they'll warm to the idea." She said optimistically, momentarily forgetting about just how hard-headed Ron and Harry could be "You know, had it not been for the past five years, you boys would get along fine."
"Hmph, I'm sure they'd just be wetting themselves with excitement about being in my presence." He said "But we'll worry about that when they come back. In the meantime we should just get on with keeping you away from the Slytherins." His manner had unexplainably shifted back to stern and cold and she found herself missing his sneering smirk "As far as I know they're all under instruction to tail you and relay any information about you back to headquarters." He paused and continued darkly "And if they can get you alone….well there's no doubt about the fact that they'd grab you there and then and deliver you straight into his hands."
"You'll be there though won't you," She said almost shyly "My knight in black armour." He thought for a second that she might give him another kiss on the cheek, but instead she picked up her bag and put it over her delicate shoulder "Would you like a go get some air? I know it's late and all but we are prefects."
"No." He said simply "You shouldn't be walking around anywhere at this time of night, even with me." He took the bag off her shoulder and put it on the small table between the sofas, much to her dismay "But if you want to get some air I do have another way."
"Okay," She said, a hint of suspicion in her eyes "But where?"
"Before my idiot father got himself locked up he paid for this suite for me, It used to be for the deputy head, but McGonagall prefers to be in the tower nearer her precious Gryffindors. Apparently I needed to be as close as possible to Snape, our families being old friends and such….Anyway…." He indicated for her to follow him and went through the closest of the three doors.
He lead her through his bedroom quickly and out of another door at the other end onto a vast balcony looking out over a lake….but it wasn't the Hogwarts lake, it couldn't be, they where underground after all.
"How?" She asked stumped "We're underground….it's impossible," but she could smell the nights air and see the stars shining above her "There's nothing about this in Hogwarts a History….."
He smiled, she was clearly impressed and was looking around in amazement at the facsimile of an outside world "One of the perks of the suite. It's enchanted to feel like you're outside," He said appreciating the fake wind that blew around them "But it's really an underground cave. No-one knows who put it there, but I'm not complaining." She was now leaning over the banister of the balcony, looking down onto the ground below.
"It's beautiful…" She exclaimed as she looked down into the water of the enchanted lake "So real."
Draco sat down at a small wrought iron table and watched her as she admired the space. Sure he had brought other girls out here, but they had never appreciated it like she was, never questioned how it got there or how it worked, but Hermione looked as though the whole thing was the most interesting thing she had ever experienced.
"You can come here whenever you want…no-one else can get through the portrait." He said, with a sly grin as he caught a glimpse of her pants as she leant even further forward over the railing.
"Really, oh that's wonderful," She said turning around to face him, much to his dismay "This place is fascinating, I'm sure I can find out lots of interesting things about it."
"I'm sure you can," He said rolling his eyes at her constant interest in learning.
"You know this is so romantic," She said putting her hand on the rail behind her and leaning back. She suddenly felt guilty; all this time she had spent with Malfoy and she had barely thought of Ron. She suddenly felt a pang of sadness thinking about how far away he was about how much she wanted to kiss him again. "Ron would absolutely love it." she sighed remembering how it felt to be held up in his arms. There was no doubt about it, she was falling for him hard.
She already loved him, and had as long as they had been friends. Just as she had always loved Harry. She had told them both too, so it would be no problem for her to tell him that now.
Draco was instantly pulled out of his thoughts of ridiculing her for being such a swot and consumed the words she had spoken "Bloody Weasel…" he began, but he couldn't even contemplate the thought that she was romantically engaged with that red-headed idiot. He just shook his head and tried to clear out the mental image of him kissing her.
Luckily she hadn't heard his little outburst and she moved over to sit in the other large wrought iron chair at the little table "I'm sure if you just gave Ron and Harry a chance, if you convinced them you're on our side-"
"I should walk you back to your room," He cut her off rudely "It's getting late, we couldn't have little miss perfect breaking curfew could we?"
She raised an eyebrow at him and then started to giggle a little "Draco Malfoy, prefect extraordinaire. Always making sure people are tucked up warm at their bedtime. So very considerate…."
"Are you making fun of me?" He asked smirking again and giving her a look that made her squirm in her seat.
"Maybe a little…." She smiled, and stood up "But you are right it is getting late."
Draco walked her back through his bedroom and sitting room, picking up her bag and carrying it for her. "Who knew you where such a gentleman…" she said as he also held the door out open for her.
He just shook his head. Why was he being so gracious towards her. After five years of warring he had changed completely to the point where he was opening doors for her. She was beginning to infect him, he couldn't help it. Every little step she took intoxicated him, and he knew if he wasn't careful he could get himself in deeper than he had ever meant to be…