Disclaimer: I own nothing...but my sick and twisted imagination
DHL: Steamy..Oh yes.
Mirage: Intense is always good.
Anastasia: I had to make amends. I don't want anyone getting pissed about the unsupportive double-team (not that way) that happened to Herm.
Lessien: Thank you very much.
Silliemelie: T/Y
Beth: Due to illness Chapter 11 took some time to get out. Sorry for the wait.
Tracy3: thanks
Lizzie: Your too funny. *chuckles*.
DarkElf: I bow to your wishes.
Svetlaella: I don't know how to interpret your review, so I'm gonna assume it good,
Thanks.
---Note: I am applying a few terms that I 'borrowed' from other. Please don't sue.
Chapter 11: The Nominees For Cutest Couple
Hermione was nauseas with concern as she sprinted to the empty classroom where she was to meet with Draco for patrol duty. She nervously chewed her nails through the day.
Her mind was greatly troubled when Draco had not bothered to make an appearance for Wand Craft class. She desperately hoped that she had not been the cause.
She wondered if their encounter in the library that morning had somehow upset him. Maybe she had done something wrong. She couldn't tell if she was a clumsy kisser, only having one prior experience. What if he hadn't enjoyed it?
She vowed to visit the library later to study the proper way to court someone. It would have to be very late at night, to make sure that no one would discover her as she devoured all the school's information on mating rituals. She could only hope that they had extensive material on the subject.
How could she be so dense, surely in her innocence she must have made grievous errors in their earlier embraces? No wonder he wouldn't face her. She halted in the middle of the hall feeling the hot sting of tears form behind her honey colored eyes.
Willing herself not to blubber like Hagrid after the condemnation of Buckbeak, she tapped into her reserves, summoning strength, and pushed open the classroom doors.
Draco was sitting enticingly on the corner of the professor's desk. His legs were spread as they hung carelessly over the edge. In his fingers he twirled a quill delicately. When lost in thought, his face took on a serene and endearing quality. Not a hint remained of the odious little creep that the "Golden Trio" had so appropriately named him.
Draco glanced up and his lips pulled back into a smile that could charm a basilisk. "Hello Beautiful" he said cordially. "Would you care to join me for a walk?" He said as he offered her his outstretched arm.
"So you're not mad at me?" Hermione asked. Draco's face darkened with his confusion. "What are you talking about, girl?" Hermione stuttered, "Well, I just thought.. that is.. you were disappointed in me....umm... my lack of kissing ...abilities...and all.. since you seem to be ...well, I'm not saying that your..Oh dear.. practiced...oh, that sounds so mean. I meant ...ummm...I don't know how to.. well.. You know what I mean?"
Draco smirked thru Hermione's little speech, only causing her voice to stammer more often. Her face was a color to make any apple jealous. "Hermione, though the thought of an experienced woman is preferred with many of my friends, I personally enjoy the more unspoiled aspects that you have to offer."
Hermione could have jumped into his arms, and kissed him senseless, his compliment was so sincere. It shattered her remaining insecurities. She felt like the luckiest woman on the planet.
"Now, can you please shut up and start patrolling, we should be on the other side of the school by now. If we get in trouble your going to have to take the blame." Draco frowned at her playfully.
They walked slowly, enjoying the remainder of the afternoon. Golden light filtered in through the open windows as the sun set in a glorious haze of fiery red and royal purple.
The pair crossed into the lower level of the school as they searched the potions rooms and storage closets for any students foolish enough to be making out in the dimly lit corners.
Instead of a couple 'getting close' in the privacy, Draco and Hermione ran into an unlikely group of people. Four Slytherins were stalking around, their malicious cackles bouncing off the stonewalls, as if they belonged out of class.
"Well boys, what have we here? It appears the rumors are true." A tall Slytherin nodded in the direction of the duo. "The nominees for cutest couple this year go to.... Draco and the mudblood bitch." Laughter spread through the group like cancer. The crowd surrounded the two as Draco stepped in front of Hermione, sheltering her from the cruelty of the words already spoken.
"Blaise, you must have balls of iron to speak so freely, when you also come from mixed backgrounds. Before you speak so rashly, I'd examine your own bloodline. Only when your heritage is free of all blemishes, can you judge others. " Draco's voice was pure ice. The clique looked back and forth from Draco, a slim 5 foot 9 athlete, to Blaise's 6-foot heavier build.
Blaise was the larger of the two and the favorite of the crowd, but Draco had uncontrollable hate pumping where blood once was. This aspect was taken into consideration as the two men stood, chest-to-chest, challenging each other to make the first move. Never the house to miss a money-making opportunity, the remaining Slytherins had started whispering bets.
"You know Draco, I think I am beginning to see the attraction. She may be a frigid bitch on the outside but I bet she's wild in bed. Grrrrrr..." Blaise reached out his wand to lift the end of Hermione's skirt. She shrieked and Draco pushed her further behind his protective form, as the four hooted their delight.
With all the authority she could muster Hermione shouted over Draco's shoulder. "You know you all should not be out of class without a teacher's written permission. I will deduct points, I'll tell Professor Snape. You are going to all get detention...unless you leave immediately and return to class." Hermione struggled to keep her voice steady.
The threat was shrugged off as an empty promise. Even Draco turned and looked at her absurdly, eyes saying, "That's all you got, Miss Know-it-all. Your secret weapon is to tell them they will get detention? These people founded capital punishment and you wanna tango with a simple 'I'll tell on you'?"
Fists flew a second later. The Slytherins took advantage of Draco's face being turned to attack him cowardly. The blow landed hard on his jaw. Draco's body was flying through the air, to come crashing down at Hermione's feet. He bit his tongue in the process and blood filled from his mouth.
Draco spit out the salty liquid as he stood again. Defiantly he searched every sneering profile in the crowd. He lingered on one for a moment as he watched Blaise ball his fist for another assault. The cheeky blonde took a step closer and spit red into his housemate's face.
This tactic succeeded in further provoking the Slytherins. As a team they simultaneously attacked. Four against one was bad odds, even for Draco. The only advantage he had was that he was the smallest in the crowd, and fastest.
Trying to dodge and strike, his narrow escapes finally came to a shattering end. An uppercut landed square on him. Once on the ground, the kicks shattered ribs and heels rained down on his huddled form.
He was a bloody heap on the floor when they paused to admire their handiwork. Seizing the moment, Draco staggered back to his feet. The tornado of green circled again, hesitating momentarily to marvel at the tenacious boy's audacity and determination to get himself killed.
"He wants more," Blaise sneered. "Please, accept his invitation." At his command the other boys advanced on Draco, who had the lack of good sense to laugh at them.
The prospect that Draco would walk away from the encounter was bleak, were Hermione a betting girl she would have cast her dice with the Slytherins. Draco could have held his own with two or even three of them, but it was unlikely he'd see tomorrow, should he pit his wits against all four at once.
She refused to stand idly by as the Slytherin scum tore her love limb from limb. Without sparing a breath, she cast a 'Petrificus Totalus' curse at the gathering. She squinted at the after effect. All the boys were frozen in place, limbs entwined in the brawl.
Hermione took in the five frozen forms, separated Draco from the others, and grasped a sturdy handful of the nearest Slytherin's hair.
She dragged the stiff carcass, arms aching with her burden, back and forth three times. She envisioned the image of a prison cell. Abruptly a door materialized. When Hermione searched inside the Room of Requirement she saw that it had no inside handle.
Once again, the room had fulfilled her every desire. She deposited the hexed body into the room and turned back down the hall to gather the others. She repeated this until she had locked up all the Slytherins but Draco. Slamming the door, she un-hexed them and watched the only means of escape disappear into the walls, imprisoning them inside.
Her next task was to release Draco from the spell. She felt remorse that she had been obligated to stun him also but she had no other option in order to prevent the slaughter.
She picked up her wand and revived him. It was a few moments before Draco became focused again. He immediately smiled as he searched her face. "What took you so long?" He accused. "Some hero you are, I would have appreciated the help BEFORE I got all bloodied up." He grumbled as his fingers dabbed at the oozing blood on his split lip.
"Honestly Hermione, if you had the power in you all along, why did you wait for that precise moment? And why on earth did you feel required to stun ME? If you were my knight in shinning armor I have no doubt that you would have slain the maiden and rescued the dragon."
She knew that deep inside he was grateful. "Never having the experience of being indebted to someone, I will take that as your admission of thanks." Hermione beamed in the face of a very sulky Draco.
"I'm just mad because you didn't let me finish the fight. You made it look like I need my girlfriend to protect me, WHICH I DON'T, Thank you very much Miss Thing, but the next time, I'll win my battles alone."
Hermione only heard up until the word 'girlfriend'. She was in a daze, glowing, to be sure. "Girlfriend?" She inquired. "Don't push your luck, Grainger. Or I just might change m' mind." The chiseled back of Draco was a welcome a view as Hermione soared into bliss.
DHL: Steamy..Oh yes.
Mirage: Intense is always good.
Anastasia: I had to make amends. I don't want anyone getting pissed about the unsupportive double-team (not that way) that happened to Herm.
Lessien: Thank you very much.
Silliemelie: T/Y
Beth: Due to illness Chapter 11 took some time to get out. Sorry for the wait.
Tracy3: thanks
Lizzie: Your too funny. *chuckles*.
DarkElf: I bow to your wishes.
Svetlaella: I don't know how to interpret your review, so I'm gonna assume it good,
Thanks.
---Note: I am applying a few terms that I 'borrowed' from other. Please don't sue.
Chapter 11: The Nominees For Cutest Couple
Hermione was nauseas with concern as she sprinted to the empty classroom where she was to meet with Draco for patrol duty. She nervously chewed her nails through the day.
Her mind was greatly troubled when Draco had not bothered to make an appearance for Wand Craft class. She desperately hoped that she had not been the cause.
She wondered if their encounter in the library that morning had somehow upset him. Maybe she had done something wrong. She couldn't tell if she was a clumsy kisser, only having one prior experience. What if he hadn't enjoyed it?
She vowed to visit the library later to study the proper way to court someone. It would have to be very late at night, to make sure that no one would discover her as she devoured all the school's information on mating rituals. She could only hope that they had extensive material on the subject.
How could she be so dense, surely in her innocence she must have made grievous errors in their earlier embraces? No wonder he wouldn't face her. She halted in the middle of the hall feeling the hot sting of tears form behind her honey colored eyes.
Willing herself not to blubber like Hagrid after the condemnation of Buckbeak, she tapped into her reserves, summoning strength, and pushed open the classroom doors.
Draco was sitting enticingly on the corner of the professor's desk. His legs were spread as they hung carelessly over the edge. In his fingers he twirled a quill delicately. When lost in thought, his face took on a serene and endearing quality. Not a hint remained of the odious little creep that the "Golden Trio" had so appropriately named him.
Draco glanced up and his lips pulled back into a smile that could charm a basilisk. "Hello Beautiful" he said cordially. "Would you care to join me for a walk?" He said as he offered her his outstretched arm.
"So you're not mad at me?" Hermione asked. Draco's face darkened with his confusion. "What are you talking about, girl?" Hermione stuttered, "Well, I just thought.. that is.. you were disappointed in me....umm... my lack of kissing ...abilities...and all.. since you seem to be ...well, I'm not saying that your..Oh dear.. practiced...oh, that sounds so mean. I meant ...ummm...I don't know how to.. well.. You know what I mean?"
Draco smirked thru Hermione's little speech, only causing her voice to stammer more often. Her face was a color to make any apple jealous. "Hermione, though the thought of an experienced woman is preferred with many of my friends, I personally enjoy the more unspoiled aspects that you have to offer."
Hermione could have jumped into his arms, and kissed him senseless, his compliment was so sincere. It shattered her remaining insecurities. She felt like the luckiest woman on the planet.
"Now, can you please shut up and start patrolling, we should be on the other side of the school by now. If we get in trouble your going to have to take the blame." Draco frowned at her playfully.
They walked slowly, enjoying the remainder of the afternoon. Golden light filtered in through the open windows as the sun set in a glorious haze of fiery red and royal purple.
The pair crossed into the lower level of the school as they searched the potions rooms and storage closets for any students foolish enough to be making out in the dimly lit corners.
Instead of a couple 'getting close' in the privacy, Draco and Hermione ran into an unlikely group of people. Four Slytherins were stalking around, their malicious cackles bouncing off the stonewalls, as if they belonged out of class.
"Well boys, what have we here? It appears the rumors are true." A tall Slytherin nodded in the direction of the duo. "The nominees for cutest couple this year go to.... Draco and the mudblood bitch." Laughter spread through the group like cancer. The crowd surrounded the two as Draco stepped in front of Hermione, sheltering her from the cruelty of the words already spoken.
"Blaise, you must have balls of iron to speak so freely, when you also come from mixed backgrounds. Before you speak so rashly, I'd examine your own bloodline. Only when your heritage is free of all blemishes, can you judge others. " Draco's voice was pure ice. The clique looked back and forth from Draco, a slim 5 foot 9 athlete, to Blaise's 6-foot heavier build.
Blaise was the larger of the two and the favorite of the crowd, but Draco had uncontrollable hate pumping where blood once was. This aspect was taken into consideration as the two men stood, chest-to-chest, challenging each other to make the first move. Never the house to miss a money-making opportunity, the remaining Slytherins had started whispering bets.
"You know Draco, I think I am beginning to see the attraction. She may be a frigid bitch on the outside but I bet she's wild in bed. Grrrrrr..." Blaise reached out his wand to lift the end of Hermione's skirt. She shrieked and Draco pushed her further behind his protective form, as the four hooted their delight.
With all the authority she could muster Hermione shouted over Draco's shoulder. "You know you all should not be out of class without a teacher's written permission. I will deduct points, I'll tell Professor Snape. You are going to all get detention...unless you leave immediately and return to class." Hermione struggled to keep her voice steady.
The threat was shrugged off as an empty promise. Even Draco turned and looked at her absurdly, eyes saying, "That's all you got, Miss Know-it-all. Your secret weapon is to tell them they will get detention? These people founded capital punishment and you wanna tango with a simple 'I'll tell on you'?"
Fists flew a second later. The Slytherins took advantage of Draco's face being turned to attack him cowardly. The blow landed hard on his jaw. Draco's body was flying through the air, to come crashing down at Hermione's feet. He bit his tongue in the process and blood filled from his mouth.
Draco spit out the salty liquid as he stood again. Defiantly he searched every sneering profile in the crowd. He lingered on one for a moment as he watched Blaise ball his fist for another assault. The cheeky blonde took a step closer and spit red into his housemate's face.
This tactic succeeded in further provoking the Slytherins. As a team they simultaneously attacked. Four against one was bad odds, even for Draco. The only advantage he had was that he was the smallest in the crowd, and fastest.
Trying to dodge and strike, his narrow escapes finally came to a shattering end. An uppercut landed square on him. Once on the ground, the kicks shattered ribs and heels rained down on his huddled form.
He was a bloody heap on the floor when they paused to admire their handiwork. Seizing the moment, Draco staggered back to his feet. The tornado of green circled again, hesitating momentarily to marvel at the tenacious boy's audacity and determination to get himself killed.
"He wants more," Blaise sneered. "Please, accept his invitation." At his command the other boys advanced on Draco, who had the lack of good sense to laugh at them.
The prospect that Draco would walk away from the encounter was bleak, were Hermione a betting girl she would have cast her dice with the Slytherins. Draco could have held his own with two or even three of them, but it was unlikely he'd see tomorrow, should he pit his wits against all four at once.
She refused to stand idly by as the Slytherin scum tore her love limb from limb. Without sparing a breath, she cast a 'Petrificus Totalus' curse at the gathering. She squinted at the after effect. All the boys were frozen in place, limbs entwined in the brawl.
Hermione took in the five frozen forms, separated Draco from the others, and grasped a sturdy handful of the nearest Slytherin's hair.
She dragged the stiff carcass, arms aching with her burden, back and forth three times. She envisioned the image of a prison cell. Abruptly a door materialized. When Hermione searched inside the Room of Requirement she saw that it had no inside handle.
Once again, the room had fulfilled her every desire. She deposited the hexed body into the room and turned back down the hall to gather the others. She repeated this until she had locked up all the Slytherins but Draco. Slamming the door, she un-hexed them and watched the only means of escape disappear into the walls, imprisoning them inside.
Her next task was to release Draco from the spell. She felt remorse that she had been obligated to stun him also but she had no other option in order to prevent the slaughter.
She picked up her wand and revived him. It was a few moments before Draco became focused again. He immediately smiled as he searched her face. "What took you so long?" He accused. "Some hero you are, I would have appreciated the help BEFORE I got all bloodied up." He grumbled as his fingers dabbed at the oozing blood on his split lip.
"Honestly Hermione, if you had the power in you all along, why did you wait for that precise moment? And why on earth did you feel required to stun ME? If you were my knight in shinning armor I have no doubt that you would have slain the maiden and rescued the dragon."
She knew that deep inside he was grateful. "Never having the experience of being indebted to someone, I will take that as your admission of thanks." Hermione beamed in the face of a very sulky Draco.
"I'm just mad because you didn't let me finish the fight. You made it look like I need my girlfriend to protect me, WHICH I DON'T, Thank you very much Miss Thing, but the next time, I'll win my battles alone."
Hermione only heard up until the word 'girlfriend'. She was in a daze, glowing, to be sure. "Girlfriend?" She inquired. "Don't push your luck, Grainger. Or I just might change m' mind." The chiseled back of Draco was a welcome a view as Hermione soared into bliss.