Author's Note: I am going to apologize. For not updating this fanfic in at least four months. I am really really sorry. Sometimes you lose inspiration and other things come up (e.g. violin, exams, anime). I am still writing this fanfic 100% though because I have never actually written a story and continued it after a three months (i.e. check my other two stories). Thanks to all of you for your patience and thanks for your constant reviews, comments and motivation!
New Story: Another delay is also that I am starting another fanfiction at the moment. No details will be revealed here except that it is going to be called "Mosaic". Look out for it coming mid 2004! (If all goes according to plan)
++ Chapter Nine: Slowly Slipping Away++
Hermione looked at Draco aghast. Thoughts ran wildly through her head as she juggled the possibilities of her plan. She was lying if she said that she never thought about it because she did; at those times her embarrassment and sheer stupidity always floated back to her mind. But now, he was offering… acceptance? She didn't know what to say.
It seems like such a foolish thing to do, but it's not going to hurt anyone. Desperate times called for desperate measures. It's not like she is going to do anything with him right? As long as she and Draco both lied. It had a chance.
You have nothing else to do, one half told her.
Is this how low you'll sink for love, her other half scowled.
"What's in it for you?" Hermione eyed Draco, inspecting his face thoroughly, "don't you have enough girlfriends as it is?"
"True… but I have a reputation to uphold."
Yeah… Hermione thought, shagging every girl under the school roof.
"All I have to do is like pretend to go out with you… a little intimacy every now and then right?" Draco asked.
Hermione blushed a crimson red. "No that's not what I mean!"
"Oohh.. well you see when most girls say they need me… it is usually that," Draco smirked.
"I'm not 'most girls' and I just want you to pretend that we're closer than we actually are, not actually do anything," Hermione half-shouted, half-spat out at him. Malfoy was dumb, she knew that. But dumb and arrogant, she really hated guys like that.
"Well…"
"Just… don't say anything to Ron for now okay?" Hermione smiled. Yes! It was all coming together! Working with the enemy had allowed her a new chance!
"Let me get this straight… you like… that Weasley?" Draco stifled his laughter.
"Just shut up! Not so loud! So you going to do it?" Hermione hurriedly said, avoiding glances from passer-bys.
"Why do you want to anyway? Can't you just lie to him alone without dragging me in?" Draco asked.
"But you see…"
"OHH! I get it. Even mudblood gets desperate, I mean it's not like you've ever done it before let alone even made body contact with a guy right? I mean with your looks."
"You're so clueless. But this—"
"Okay okay mudblood. But nothing's going to change between us, alright? I'm not going to be nice to you or anything," Draco turned around and walked towards the Great Hall.
"Wait! Where are you going?" Hermione shouted.
"To class dumbass!" Draco said and kept on walking, when he reached the stairs he turned around and faced her again. "But… Granger. Seriously give up, you're looking at a guy that can hardly support himself let alone someone else."
"That's none of your business!" Hermione controlled her rage, she didn't want to cause a scene. She stormed off the other way to find Harry, her fists clenched in anger. Damn that Malfoy! She's now regretting her decision more and more by the minute. But then she thought back to that day, by the lake and the look on his face. She hated to admit it, but there was something about Draco… that was drawing her in.
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"Harry!" Hermione shouted towards a figure now walking towards Hagrid's hut.
"Hey. Now do I get an explanation?" Harry raised his eyebrows and looked around for Draco.
"He's gone," Hermione said, following his gaze.
"Now I want to know why 1. you talked to Draco at all and 2. why the hell was he talking about the things which he was talking about?" Harry asked.
"Well…" Hermione said. It's best not to tell him, he'll probably throw a fit and never talk to you, and she already had enough of the silent treatment, she thought.
"Well…?" Harry slurred.
"I have no idea what he was talking about, I just told him to go stuff his face with toad legs," Hermione smiled weakly, she had always been bad at lying.
"But what about-" Harry wasn't satisfied.
"Hey let's go see Hagrid. We haven't seen him in like forever!" Hermione ran towards his hut.
"Hermio-" Harry started. He then laughed and ran after her.
"You owe me!" he yelled.
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Draco looked out of the window in the corridor at her. Well, he's done it. He's said yes. Strangely he didn't feel anything. No feeling of regret, stupidity or anger. And he thought that was what he was going to feel. Going out with a mudblood? Not just any. But that one?
It was perfect. Draco smiled at the thought of that. This was exactly what he needed to break the rules. He could just imagine Lucius' face as news traveled back to him. He's finally done it! He's achieved it!
But happiness didn't fill Draco like he expected it to, there was this empty gut feeling, telling him that this was never going to work. But he didn't let that get to him… he was slowly breaking away from the cage, first by the cutting, and now by… this! His puzzle was slowly piecing together.
And he owed it all to her… he hated to admit it, but he did owe it all to her. First she saved his life, and now she's fixing it. But that doesn't mean I'm going to be nice to her, Draco thought. This does not change the relationship between us two AT ALL. They are still sworn enemies. Sometimes enemies have to work together… right? Draco tried to reassure himself.
As long as no one else found out.
Draco half smiled. The deep feelings of depression he had felt days before had slowly slipped away, just like that. As long as he didn't think about everything, he was going to be okay. It was all going to be alright…
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The sinister cloaked figure slipped through the silver grass under the crescent moon, muttering to itself the whole way of the journey. It reached the door, if that is what you call it, its hinges were rusting and the white paint of the door was peeling all over the place. The fly screen had massive holes in it, totally contradicting the point of a fly screen in the beginning. It knocked heavily on the mahogany door and waited, distracting itself by staring at the untamed shrubs which had engrossed the walls.
The door was opened by a surprised looking tallish figure, who quickly motioned the cloaked personal in. The hall was littered with a musty sea smell that lingered in all the corners. The door to a drawing-room was opened and the cloaked figure entered.
Lucius was standing next to the fireplace, speaking to some figure in it. He turned around when he heard a sound and then breathed, almost like a sigh of relief.
"Oh it's only you…" Lucius chuckled.
"What do you mean… ONLY me?" Tamarah threw off her cloak angrily and stormed towards him, she was now in clear view of the fireplace and as she looked upon it she gave a stifled cry.
"Why yes.. Tamarah, how pleasant it is."
The face in the fireplace spoke to her, if it was what you could call a face. The skin was draped over the face so tightly that it looked more like a skull than a head. The colour of it was a deep yellowish-brown and the eyes were barely slits.
"Master…" Tamarah stammered.
"Yes. It is me, but strangely you don't sound pleased to see me," Voldemort laughed, "how have you been these days?"
"Yes… do tell us all about how your assignment is getting along," Lucius said.
Tamarah clenched her fists, Lucius was always rubbing off Voldemort, that coward. "It's going fine."
"So you got more information about that boy yet?" Lucius sniggered.
"Which one are you talking about?" Tamarah sneered.
"I wasn't aware there was more than one," Voldemort rasped, "I assigned you to exterminate that Potter."
"Yes of course master," Tamarah was now regaining her confidence, "but Lucius here has been telling me to look out for his boy too."
"Ah yes… so that was who he was talking about," Voldemort said, "what did you want to say about that?"
Tamarah stared blankly at him, "But I thought that you didn't-"
Lucius grabbed her arm tightly, "Don't underestimate him. There are a lot of things you don't know about."
"Of course…" She pulled her arm from his wrench and gave him a dirty look.
"You have been assigned your mission and so has Lucius, however Lucius has already accomplished his and you haven't. I expect you to complete them within a month, if not, I am sure we can come to an agreement about your family." Voldemort said.
Tamarah nodded and didn't utter another word, she knew the meeting was over.
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A/N: I'm going to apologize ONE MORE TIME, because this was a pretty short chapter. But I promise I will TRY MY BEST to keep this story up and finish it soon. Thank you all for your patience. =D
I just realized how cliché this story is, so I'm going to try my best to add some twists and turns into it. But I think people can still work out who's going to end up with who. Haha.
Until next time,
The VERY APOLOGETIC kandiikane.