CHAPTER 4: ADVICE, ADVICE
Draco strutted along the corridors of Hogwarts, enjoying the silence. It was very early in the morning, 6 am to be precise, and seeing as he couldn't sleep, got dressed and went out of his common room.
He has to admit, it felt good to be without Crabbe and Goyle hanging on to his sides for a change. He stopped at the big entrance doors of Hogwarts and decided to go out.
He inhaled the fresh air as he stepped out and made his way to the castle grounds, wind whipping his pale face and sending his platinum blonde hair I a mess.
As he looked upon the sky, he thought, "What a nice day to fly". But seeing as he didn't bring his broom with him and he has no intention whatsoever to go back inside and get it, he just continued on his walk.
Just then, his eyes landed on a figure by the trees ahead of him. He squinted and saw it was a girl, a very pretty girl. But when he approached her, he saw it wasn't just any pretty girl, it was Hermione.
"Fancy seeing you around here, Granger," he greeted.
Hermione looked around just in time to see face him. "Oh, it's you. What're you doing here? I thought you were still asleep?" she said.
"I was about to ask you the same question," Draco said.
"You're not the only morning person here, Malfoy. I thought you have figured it out the moment we got to live in close quarters," Hermione told him.
"Yeah well," Draco mumbled.
Hermione turned her attention to the skies. Draco tried to think of what she was thinking at the moment, but only ended up thinking that she looks so cute.
"Malfoy, you look pale," she said without even looking at him.
"Fancy you noticing," Draco said.
"Oh, c'mon, Malfoy, everybody's been noticing that for the past few days," Hermione told him.
"Really? Wow, I feel so special," Draco said sarcastically.
"Uh-uh."
"You know, Granger, it's what people call stress. Blame it all on those bloody professors who do nothing but give mountains of homework and projects on us," Draco lied.
"Try telling that to Snape," Hermione said, laughing. "And anyway, I know you're lying."
"Whatever. My business is my business. What about you, you've been acting strange since the start of the school year. Though those idiots you call friends are so thick to even notice. Imagine, they bought the story about your new flavored bubble bath," Draco said, looking at Hermione, though she avoided his eyes.
"What makes you say that I lied about that?" Hermione said quietly.
Draco chuckled. "There's no such thing as 'Dark Cherry' as a bubble bath flavor," he told her. And I saw you the other day pour something on the water while taking a bath, he was about to say but stopped himself just in time.
Hermione suddenly became interested in her sneakers. "It's a Muggle one, Malfoy. Now, do you know about that?" she said
Draco raised his eyebrows. "Whatever. I know you're hiding something, Granger. You can't deny it any longer," he whispered in her ear, which sent tingles on Hermione's spine.
"Ha ha. As if you don't have any secrets yourself. What do you think the Slytherin Prince has been hiding these days, huh?" Hermione said, determined to change the subject.
"Stuff it, Granger," Draco said.
Silence...
"I might as well go. See you," Hermione said and without waiting for an answer, walked back to the castle.
Hermione stormed angrily towards the Gryffindor common room a few minutes after her chat with Draco.
"Of all the people who could've noticed my strangeness, it has to be him!" she thought, "Great going, Hermione!"
"Godric's hollow," she said when she reached the Fat Lady. The room was empty, except for Ginny who was an early riser as well. She was sitting by the window sill, hands cupped on her face, lost in her own thoughts.
"Hey Ginny," Hermione greeted, taking a seat beside Ginny.
No answer.
"Ginny?"
"Ginny? Ginny?"
"GINNY!"
Ginny finally looked at her. "Oh, hi there, Hermione. Sorry, didn't hear you," she said without energy.
Hermione frowned. "Is something the matter?" she asked worriedly.
"Oh, no!" Ginny blurted.
"Oh, c'mon, Gin. You have to be better than that. I can see you're lying."
"Well..."
"Oh, c'mon, spill," Hermione insisted.
And she did. Turns out to be, Ginny still likes Harry, and was having trouble whether or not she still has a chance with him. In the end, Hermione gave her a piece of advice that would hopefully solve her problem.
"Thank you so much, Hermione," Ginny said, smiling gratefully.
"No problem. Just don't forget I'm always here whenever you need help," Hermione said.
"Thanks again," Ginny said.
The next few days passed on a blur for both Hermione and Draco.
Hermione was sitting on a chair by the fireplace in her common room one evening. News about the advice she gave Ginny spread out around the school (for Ginny and Harry are a much talked couple now) and the next thing she knew, people were asking for her advice about certain things. She, being the warm, kind Gryffindor, was too happy to give advice. Somehow, she had managed to balance her studies and her "career", as Ron and Harry said.
She had just finished a reply to Mandy Brocklehurst's question. She re-read it out loud:
DearMandy,
I would suggest you brew the Fatillus potion, which is very easy to make (and the ingredients and procedures are attached to this letter) or you could read o to M.J. Junger's "Exercises, Pills and More" for further information regarding other Dieting solutions. Continuous exercise is also recommended. I hope you succeed.
Sincerely yours, H. Granger
Smiling, she folded the letter and put it inside an envelope.
"You know, last time I checked at Flourish and Blotts, "Exercises, Pills and More" was already out of stock," said a cold, drawling voice behind her.
"Malfoy," Hermione said, acknowledging his presence. "Well, did you happen to look in the library?" She looked at him and imitated his sneering voice, "You know, last time I checked, that book is in the library."
"Well, I don't live in the library, unlike some people I know," Draco said. Due to many nights of lack of sleep and nightmares, he was ten times paler than usual and the circles under his eyes were darker than last week. "Anyway, how's it going, Ms. Adviser?" he joked.
"None of your business," Hermione told him and began reading another letter.
"Oh, c'mon, Granger. I'm bored," Draco whined.
"So?"
"Talk to me," Draco said.
"Why don't you go bug someone else? Pansy, for instance," Hermione said, her eyes not leaving the letter.
Draco looked mortified. "No way! I mean, she's like," he changed his voice in a high pitched one that Hermione recognized as Pansy's, "Drakie!!! Don't you think my nails are soooooo cuuuuuuteeeee??? Or she goes, 'What motif would you like for our wedding, Drakie?' She's so disgusting!" Draco made a face.
Hermione burst out laughing. The way Draco imitated Pansy was absolutely hilarious. "She already plans on your wedding?" she said in disbelief.
Draco sighed. "She thinks there will be a wedding," he said.
"Shows how much she likes you."
"Yeah, good thing she doesn't know the password to our common room," Draco said in relief.
"Well, I suppose I could tell her," Hermione said, smiling slyly.
Draco looked sick. "No way!" he said. "Granger, you wouldn't!"
"Oh, I would," Hermione said calmly.
"Granger..." Draco said almost pleadingly.
"Alright, I won't tell. But remember," Hermione said as she gathered her things and stood up, "I could always let slip our password." With that she left for her room.
"Oh man," Draco muttered under his breath.
Silvery moonlight lighted his face, silver beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. Draco gripped his bed sheets tighter, willing all the memories to go away. But it just wouldn't. As each night passed, the nightmares became much more difficult to handle and he look wearier and weaker by the minute.
He had tried absolutely everything, he asked Madame Pomfrey several times for dozes of Dreamless Sleep Potions, researched in the library and shocking Madame Pince to death, asked Professor Snape for a much more effective potion, all but to no avail. He still couldn't sleep because the nightmares won't go away.
Sometimes he would even wish he could "Obliviate" himself so he wouldn't be able to remember all the bad memories, but that's just plain stupid.
Draco frowned as a sudden thought struck him. He had been hearing that Potter had also been having nightmares about Voldemort and hurting his scar in the process. Now that's more terrifying than his case. But then, according to his sources, Harry was just drinking the Dreamless Sleep potion. But why does it not work for Draco? Is it because those nightmares were bad, real memories? He did not know.
Then he thought of Granger. Sure, she was very bright and a good adviser—wait a minute, of course! Maybe, just maybe...
"No!" Draco suddenly said to himself. "There is no way in hell that I am going to ask her for help!" He surely didn't hate her anymore for being a mudblood, and they were acting nice towards each other this year, but she's still a know-it-all, nose-stuck-in-a-book best friend of Harry Potter, his mortal enemy. Surely he couldn't ask her for help?
The next day, same place, same time...
Draco was sweating so hard, even the cold midnight breeze couldn't cool him off. That nightmare was making sleep out of the question again.
He was really tired of this not-sleeping-at-night thing. Then, his grey eyes gleamed. He remembered something. He knew he would regret his decision sooner or later, but he was willing to risk it. His brain had only one thought in mind: "Potter's best friend or not, I need her help!"
Hermione was in her bathroom. She had just finished another of her "blood" baths. As always, after these sessions, her brain is very relaxed and all her days' worries: studies, advices, friends and Malfoy, vanishes in her mind. She feels completely at heaven.
After changing into her pajamas, she puller her hair up in a pony tail, and when satisfied, got out of the bathroom and found Draco reading the latest Quidditch magazine for the month.
"Looking for ways to finally meet Gryffindor, eh?" she said as she sat down on an armchair opposite Draco.
Draco looked up from the magazine. "I can beat Potter without this," he said, gesturing to the magazine.
Hermione chuckled. "Yeah, right, ferret," she said.
"Whatever, Granger," Draco mumbled, focusing his attention on the fire. He was debating with himself whether or not to swallow his pride and ask her now about help.
Hermione frowned. From all the times they spent living together, Hermione knew for a thing that whenever she insults him of a ferret, he always gets angry. So now that he didn't, she thought maybe evil forces must have abducted the real Draco and left her with a fake one. "Something's wrong with you," she said. "What could it be?"
"Huh?"
"Weren't you listening?" Hermione said irritably. "I said-"
"Look, Granger, there's something we need to talk about," Draco said uneasily.
"Uh-huh. You really are starting to freak me out, you know. First, you look like a zombie since I don't know when, then you haven't risen to my bait. What on earth-"
"Granger, will you just listen? What I'm going to tell you is very unusual," Draco told her, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
This seemed to get Hermione's attention. She didn't know if it was the fact that a Malfoy was about to say something very rare to her, or the way Draco moved in his seat, he looked almost...nervous? "Go ahead, I'm all ears," she said.
Draco took a deep breath before summoning up his courage. "Listen to this very carefully because I'm not going to repeat it again. I-I-I needyourhelpGranger," he said.
I don't know what to say about this chapter, except that it's a little tad boring...I don't know if I'll be able to update early next time, coz I'm going to the beach this weekend and boy, am I so excited! ( LoL!!! I'm hoping to have some fun...Review please!!!!!!!!!!!!
Draco strutted along the corridors of Hogwarts, enjoying the silence. It was very early in the morning, 6 am to be precise, and seeing as he couldn't sleep, got dressed and went out of his common room.
He has to admit, it felt good to be without Crabbe and Goyle hanging on to his sides for a change. He stopped at the big entrance doors of Hogwarts and decided to go out.
He inhaled the fresh air as he stepped out and made his way to the castle grounds, wind whipping his pale face and sending his platinum blonde hair I a mess.
As he looked upon the sky, he thought, "What a nice day to fly". But seeing as he didn't bring his broom with him and he has no intention whatsoever to go back inside and get it, he just continued on his walk.
Just then, his eyes landed on a figure by the trees ahead of him. He squinted and saw it was a girl, a very pretty girl. But when he approached her, he saw it wasn't just any pretty girl, it was Hermione.
"Fancy seeing you around here, Granger," he greeted.
Hermione looked around just in time to see face him. "Oh, it's you. What're you doing here? I thought you were still asleep?" she said.
"I was about to ask you the same question," Draco said.
"You're not the only morning person here, Malfoy. I thought you have figured it out the moment we got to live in close quarters," Hermione told him.
"Yeah well," Draco mumbled.
Hermione turned her attention to the skies. Draco tried to think of what she was thinking at the moment, but only ended up thinking that she looks so cute.
"Malfoy, you look pale," she said without even looking at him.
"Fancy you noticing," Draco said.
"Oh, c'mon, Malfoy, everybody's been noticing that for the past few days," Hermione told him.
"Really? Wow, I feel so special," Draco said sarcastically.
"Uh-uh."
"You know, Granger, it's what people call stress. Blame it all on those bloody professors who do nothing but give mountains of homework and projects on us," Draco lied.
"Try telling that to Snape," Hermione said, laughing. "And anyway, I know you're lying."
"Whatever. My business is my business. What about you, you've been acting strange since the start of the school year. Though those idiots you call friends are so thick to even notice. Imagine, they bought the story about your new flavored bubble bath," Draco said, looking at Hermione, though she avoided his eyes.
"What makes you say that I lied about that?" Hermione said quietly.
Draco chuckled. "There's no such thing as 'Dark Cherry' as a bubble bath flavor," he told her. And I saw you the other day pour something on the water while taking a bath, he was about to say but stopped himself just in time.
Hermione suddenly became interested in her sneakers. "It's a Muggle one, Malfoy. Now, do you know about that?" she said
Draco raised his eyebrows. "Whatever. I know you're hiding something, Granger. You can't deny it any longer," he whispered in her ear, which sent tingles on Hermione's spine.
"Ha ha. As if you don't have any secrets yourself. What do you think the Slytherin Prince has been hiding these days, huh?" Hermione said, determined to change the subject.
"Stuff it, Granger," Draco said.
Silence...
"I might as well go. See you," Hermione said and without waiting for an answer, walked back to the castle.
Hermione stormed angrily towards the Gryffindor common room a few minutes after her chat with Draco.
"Of all the people who could've noticed my strangeness, it has to be him!" she thought, "Great going, Hermione!"
"Godric's hollow," she said when she reached the Fat Lady. The room was empty, except for Ginny who was an early riser as well. She was sitting by the window sill, hands cupped on her face, lost in her own thoughts.
"Hey Ginny," Hermione greeted, taking a seat beside Ginny.
No answer.
"Ginny?"
"Ginny? Ginny?"
"GINNY!"
Ginny finally looked at her. "Oh, hi there, Hermione. Sorry, didn't hear you," she said without energy.
Hermione frowned. "Is something the matter?" she asked worriedly.
"Oh, no!" Ginny blurted.
"Oh, c'mon, Gin. You have to be better than that. I can see you're lying."
"Well..."
"Oh, c'mon, spill," Hermione insisted.
And she did. Turns out to be, Ginny still likes Harry, and was having trouble whether or not she still has a chance with him. In the end, Hermione gave her a piece of advice that would hopefully solve her problem.
"Thank you so much, Hermione," Ginny said, smiling gratefully.
"No problem. Just don't forget I'm always here whenever you need help," Hermione said.
"Thanks again," Ginny said.
The next few days passed on a blur for both Hermione and Draco.
Hermione was sitting on a chair by the fireplace in her common room one evening. News about the advice she gave Ginny spread out around the school (for Ginny and Harry are a much talked couple now) and the next thing she knew, people were asking for her advice about certain things. She, being the warm, kind Gryffindor, was too happy to give advice. Somehow, she had managed to balance her studies and her "career", as Ron and Harry said.
She had just finished a reply to Mandy Brocklehurst's question. She re-read it out loud:
DearMandy,
I would suggest you brew the Fatillus potion, which is very easy to make (and the ingredients and procedures are attached to this letter) or you could read o to M.J. Junger's "Exercises, Pills and More" for further information regarding other Dieting solutions. Continuous exercise is also recommended. I hope you succeed.
Sincerely yours, H. Granger
Smiling, she folded the letter and put it inside an envelope.
"You know, last time I checked at Flourish and Blotts, "Exercises, Pills and More" was already out of stock," said a cold, drawling voice behind her.
"Malfoy," Hermione said, acknowledging his presence. "Well, did you happen to look in the library?" She looked at him and imitated his sneering voice, "You know, last time I checked, that book is in the library."
"Well, I don't live in the library, unlike some people I know," Draco said. Due to many nights of lack of sleep and nightmares, he was ten times paler than usual and the circles under his eyes were darker than last week. "Anyway, how's it going, Ms. Adviser?" he joked.
"None of your business," Hermione told him and began reading another letter.
"Oh, c'mon, Granger. I'm bored," Draco whined.
"So?"
"Talk to me," Draco said.
"Why don't you go bug someone else? Pansy, for instance," Hermione said, her eyes not leaving the letter.
Draco looked mortified. "No way! I mean, she's like," he changed his voice in a high pitched one that Hermione recognized as Pansy's, "Drakie!!! Don't you think my nails are soooooo cuuuuuuteeeee??? Or she goes, 'What motif would you like for our wedding, Drakie?' She's so disgusting!" Draco made a face.
Hermione burst out laughing. The way Draco imitated Pansy was absolutely hilarious. "She already plans on your wedding?" she said in disbelief.
Draco sighed. "She thinks there will be a wedding," he said.
"Shows how much she likes you."
"Yeah, good thing she doesn't know the password to our common room," Draco said in relief.
"Well, I suppose I could tell her," Hermione said, smiling slyly.
Draco looked sick. "No way!" he said. "Granger, you wouldn't!"
"Oh, I would," Hermione said calmly.
"Granger..." Draco said almost pleadingly.
"Alright, I won't tell. But remember," Hermione said as she gathered her things and stood up, "I could always let slip our password." With that she left for her room.
"Oh man," Draco muttered under his breath.
Silvery moonlight lighted his face, silver beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. Draco gripped his bed sheets tighter, willing all the memories to go away. But it just wouldn't. As each night passed, the nightmares became much more difficult to handle and he look wearier and weaker by the minute.
He had tried absolutely everything, he asked Madame Pomfrey several times for dozes of Dreamless Sleep Potions, researched in the library and shocking Madame Pince to death, asked Professor Snape for a much more effective potion, all but to no avail. He still couldn't sleep because the nightmares won't go away.
Sometimes he would even wish he could "Obliviate" himself so he wouldn't be able to remember all the bad memories, but that's just plain stupid.
Draco frowned as a sudden thought struck him. He had been hearing that Potter had also been having nightmares about Voldemort and hurting his scar in the process. Now that's more terrifying than his case. But then, according to his sources, Harry was just drinking the Dreamless Sleep potion. But why does it not work for Draco? Is it because those nightmares were bad, real memories? He did not know.
Then he thought of Granger. Sure, she was very bright and a good adviser—wait a minute, of course! Maybe, just maybe...
"No!" Draco suddenly said to himself. "There is no way in hell that I am going to ask her for help!" He surely didn't hate her anymore for being a mudblood, and they were acting nice towards each other this year, but she's still a know-it-all, nose-stuck-in-a-book best friend of Harry Potter, his mortal enemy. Surely he couldn't ask her for help?
The next day, same place, same time...
Draco was sweating so hard, even the cold midnight breeze couldn't cool him off. That nightmare was making sleep out of the question again.
He was really tired of this not-sleeping-at-night thing. Then, his grey eyes gleamed. He remembered something. He knew he would regret his decision sooner or later, but he was willing to risk it. His brain had only one thought in mind: "Potter's best friend or not, I need her help!"
Hermione was in her bathroom. She had just finished another of her "blood" baths. As always, after these sessions, her brain is very relaxed and all her days' worries: studies, advices, friends and Malfoy, vanishes in her mind. She feels completely at heaven.
After changing into her pajamas, she puller her hair up in a pony tail, and when satisfied, got out of the bathroom and found Draco reading the latest Quidditch magazine for the month.
"Looking for ways to finally meet Gryffindor, eh?" she said as she sat down on an armchair opposite Draco.
Draco looked up from the magazine. "I can beat Potter without this," he said, gesturing to the magazine.
Hermione chuckled. "Yeah, right, ferret," she said.
"Whatever, Granger," Draco mumbled, focusing his attention on the fire. He was debating with himself whether or not to swallow his pride and ask her now about help.
Hermione frowned. From all the times they spent living together, Hermione knew for a thing that whenever she insults him of a ferret, he always gets angry. So now that he didn't, she thought maybe evil forces must have abducted the real Draco and left her with a fake one. "Something's wrong with you," she said. "What could it be?"
"Huh?"
"Weren't you listening?" Hermione said irritably. "I said-"
"Look, Granger, there's something we need to talk about," Draco said uneasily.
"Uh-huh. You really are starting to freak me out, you know. First, you look like a zombie since I don't know when, then you haven't risen to my bait. What on earth-"
"Granger, will you just listen? What I'm going to tell you is very unusual," Draco told her, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
This seemed to get Hermione's attention. She didn't know if it was the fact that a Malfoy was about to say something very rare to her, or the way Draco moved in his seat, he looked almost...nervous? "Go ahead, I'm all ears," she said.
Draco took a deep breath before summoning up his courage. "Listen to this very carefully because I'm not going to repeat it again. I-I-I needyourhelpGranger," he said.
I don't know what to say about this chapter, except that it's a little tad boring...I don't know if I'll be able to update early next time, coz I'm going to the beach this weekend and boy, am I so excited! ( LoL!!! I'm hoping to have some fun...Review please!!!!!!!!!!!!