Chapter 15
Draco woke up the next morning, disoriented. He didn't know where he was or what the hell he was doing there. He sat up, looked around the room, blinked a couple of times and frowned.
The place looked exactly like his bedroom, but the colors all over the room were not silver, green and black, and were instead red, gold and yellow. He looked at the bedside table and he immediately caught sight of a photograph of Hermione and Seamus waving back at him. He almost screamed, but then he realized where he was exactly.
"Bloody hell!" It was the first time he had actually slept in her room the whole night. He never overslept in anyone else's room; in fact, he always makes sure that he wakes up before the girl does just before dawn.
He looked around the bed; he was alone…well, almost. Crookshanks sat purring and looking at him suspiciously. "What are you looking at?" The cat just shook its whiskers before walking out of the room and into an adjoining chamber. Draco followed the cat and into the next room, which still resembled that of Draco's own again except for the motif.
"Granger?" He called, but there was no answer. He walked over to the little kitchen situated in a corner of the room and went over the cupboard. "Don't you have anything rather than coffee and milk?"
"I don't keep liqueur in my room if that's what you're looking for," a familiar voice stated behind him. He opened his mouth to speak as he turned, but was speechless when he saw her standing in the doorway leading to her bedroom, wrapped in nothing but a bathrobe with a towel draped on her head. He raised a brow and closed his mouth. "So, do you want me to fix you anything? Coffee?" She started drying her hair with the towel as she made her way across the sitting room and into the kitchen.
"Sure," was all he managed to say, still enchanted by her sudden sexy appearance. He sat on a long stool by the kitchen table and enjoyed himself immensely by just watching her.
"So how did you sleep?" Hermione asked, breaking the silence.
"By closing my eyes," he replied.
"I'm aware of that. I am also aware that you were rather dreaming."
"What do you mean?"
"You were talking in your sleep." She placed two mugs on the kitchen table. "Sugar?" He shook his head. "Cream?" He shook his head again.
"What did I say?" He asked, rather amused by the situation. He brushed his hair back, and sipped from his coffee.
"Couldn't make out the words, but I heard you mention Snape." Draco didn't react; he just continued drinking his coffee. "And his students…office…busy." Draco froze. "Draco? Are you feeling all right?" He drank the contents inside the cup and placed it down. "Is there something you want to tell me?"
Snape is a pedophile! He thought. Shut up, brain!
"Nothing important," he said instead.
"Fine," she replied, and the subject was dropped.
^-^-^-^
Somehow Draco wasn't sure why he didn't tell her about Snape. It was the perfect moment, but he felt uncomfortable telling anyone…even Hermione. It wasn't that he couldn't trust her; he did. He just couldn't bring them both to a dangerous position. He knew Snape was on guard, and if Hermione knew the secret, he'd notice. Her inability to conceal her feelings or expressions was definitely a weakness in her part.
One word from Snape to his father and they're both toast. Somehow, he found himself saying to himself, "I can't risk her life." And it surprised the hell out of him.
He just had to live without telling a soul.
He walked down the large staircase and was about to proceed inside the Great Hall when a figure caught his attention. Hermione was leaning on the wall, looking at him with a smile. Draco made sure that the hall was empty before walking towards her.
He was about to say something when her hand suddenly flung in the air in a silencing gesture. "McGonagall wrote."
"And?" He groaned, realizing her reason for calling him over.
"She won't be back until next week, meaning we have to take over her task of checking on the students arriving…completely. Classes starts next week; students will be filing in this week so I suggest you go over this list," she informed as she handed him a rolled parchment. He unrolled it and stared at the names of the students who were out for the Holidays.
"What do you want me to do with it?" He asked, puzzled.
"Take note of who arrives. That's all---"
"Hermione!" Someone called from a distance. They both turned their heads to see Harry Potter walking over to them. He flashed Hermione a smile and gave Draco a sneer. The dragon rolled his eyes and smirked. Draco glanced at Hermione who was now glowing with joy and surprise.
"Harry!" She ran to him, abandoning Malfoy as if he were invisible. She hugged her best friend and Harry did the same. "I miss you."
"I miss you too," he replied.
"You're rather early. Where's Ginny?"
"With her family."
"Did you enjoy your vacation?"
"Quite. Hey, did I disturb you or anything?" He looked around at Draco who was fuming and then back at Hermione. Hermione turned to Draco with an apologizing smile.
"As a matter of fact, you ARE," Draco retorted, sounding casual and bored. Harry looked at Hermione sympathetically and told her he'd talk with her later. When he was gone, Hermione walked back to Draco.
"I---" she started.
"Ah-ah-ah…" he cut in abruptly. "We are dismissed." With that he walked away angrily, face passive yet eyes flaming. He kept on walking, not knowing where to go and bumping into everyone who was in his way without looking at them or apologizing. He just walked on and on.
He was confused, angry, and humiliated for being discarded like an old shoe when Harry appeared. Plus the look on Hermione's face when the wonder boy turned up caused Draco's stomach to tighten into a knot. He was acting really strange.
What is it with her and Harry?
They're best friends, idiot! And you're just a nobody. You don't mean anything to her.
Shut up, brain!
What is happening to me? He asked.
^-^-^-^
What was wrong with him? She asked herself. She was in the Gryffindor common room with Harry, trying to concentrate on what her best friend was relating to her. But she couldn't quite take her mind off Draco.
"Hermione?" Harry asked. "Are you all right?"
"What?" Hermione asked, snapping back to reality. "Oh, I'm just tired…been working all day, checking on the students and all that."
"I'm sorry you're so preoccupied with your duties. I wish you could've left it behind for a while."
"Well, Professor McGonagall's just not here to carry out her task that's all. She'll be back though. So…um…how's Professor Lupin?"
Harry gave her the most concerned look and said, "Hermione, are you sure you're all right?"
"Yes, Harry, I'm fine," she said, smiling. "Why do you keep on asking me that?"
Harry's expression turned from concern to exasperation when he answered, "Because, Hermione, it's the fourth time you've asked me how Remus is doing."
"Oh."
"And then you're going to ask me if I visited Grimmauld Place in memory of Sirius. Yes, I did and I left some flowers in a vase in his room --- Hermione, what is going on with you? What's wrong?" Harry's face changed back into being anxious.
"I'm sorry, Harry. I'm just…I don't know. I'm just preoccupied and tired and…" she heaved a heavy sigh and yawned before she finished, "sleepy."
"Then I suggest you retire to your chambers," Harry replied. "Good night," he added, kissing Hermione's forehead before she stood up to walk out of the room.
Hermione was preoccupied, but she really wasn't sleepy. She was thinking about Draco and whether or not he'll show up at her doorstep that night. He was really upset when he 'dismissed' her and she had no idea why. Maybe he's just totally crazy!
Maybe he won't show up. She thought. Then I'll have peace tonight.
No Draco, no tummy-curling excitement. She sighed again and again as she made her way down a flight of stairs and into a deserted and quiet corridor that was exclusive for the head students and rather restricted to the other students. When she got to the hallway, she turned right, the direction to her rooms. Then she stopped and looked back at the other direction. Draco's rooms were in that direction. A cold chill ran down her spine as she fought the temptation to go to his room, knock on his door and ask him why he had acted so strangely.
She shivered, shrugged, shook her head and gave in to the temptation. The walk back seemed long and the hallway seemed even longer. She continued walking silently; her pace was slow, but her heart was beating wildly in her ears. When she finally reached his door, she paused and stared at it before gathering up the courage to raise her hand to knock.
Knock, knock, knock…the knocks were light and soft.
No answer.
Knock, knock, knock…the knocks became louder.
No answer.
Knock, knock, knock…the knocks banged in her ears; she was getting impatient for being ignored. How dare he not answer his door? She had just swallowed her pride to talk to him and he wasn't even answering!
"Argh!" She exclaimed, turned on her heels and walked off towards her bedroom, her head boiling with anger. She was still angry when she reached her door. She said the password, the door opened ajar and she went inside. The sitting room was dimly lit and the door to her bedroom was open. Crookshanks, who was sleeping on the couch, jumped when she slammed the door. The cat grunted and Hermione said, "Oh please, shut up."
She took off her robe as she entered her dark bedroom and threw it in a chair near her desk. She started untying her necktie and unbuttoning her blouse while she tried to get rid of her shoes with her feet. Then suddenly there was a loud thud on the door. She turned, startled at the sound of the door being closed. She couldn't see anything in the darkness; the faint light of the moon outside silhouetted a figure just next to the door.
