CHAPTER 2: NEW ADJUSTMENTS FOR DRACO
8:48 AM. DEVIL'S-I MEAN MASTER'S BEDROOM.
"Stupid birds," Draco Malfoy muttered under his breath as he reached for his brush.
He had just woken up because of the loud rackets the birds were making, which resulted into another one of his daily throwing-up routines. And Draco Malfoy was not pleased.
Boy, will they be in for another "Draco in a Bad Mood Day".
The first victims were the house elves who, every morning, deliver him his food and fix his bed.
"Where's my breakfast?!" Draco demanded.
The house elves cowered under his glare.
"Ma-master...will eat br-reakfast...at-at the d-dining hall now, sir..." one stammered.
Draco's eyes narrowed. "Who told you? Is it Orion?" he said in a deadly whisper.
"N-no...master, 'tis Miss...He-hermione, master...Miss t-told Edby and Tinky t-that Master...shall not receive food if M-master does not...e-eat at the dining table f-for breakfast, lunch...and-and dinner, sir," the elf told him.
"WHAT?!" Draco exclaimed in anger. "That mudblood! How dare she...! All of you, OUT!!!"
The house elves complied in fear.
"I will show her who's boss...Oh, the nerve of that filthy mudblood..." he mumbled in anger.
9:01 AM. DINING HALL.
"I can't believe you're enemies before at school," Orion told Hermione.
"We still are," Hermione said dryly. She took a bite of her pancake with syrup. "And I can't believe you're a Malfoy."
"Why not?" Orion said amusedly.
"You're too good to be one," Hermione said.
"You think so?"
"Uh-huh," Hermione replied.
"So, do you think Draco will come this morning?" Orion asked instead.
"Well, if he's really hungry or angry he'll by chance come," Hermione said matter-of-factly.
Orion nodded. "But I think he's going to have a heart attack when he sees this place," he said with a grin.
Hermione grinned back.
A few hours ago, Hermione woke up really early to start fixing the whole mansion. The once cold, depressing house now spelled CHEERFUL. Everything was painted in different colors instead of the old plain white. Hermione also added some new modern furniture and flower and plants to create a nice, cozy ambience.
"Do you like it?" Hermione asked.
"I sure do. Brightens the mood in this place," Orion said.
"Whew. For a while, I was afraid my work would be unappreciated," Hermione joked.
Just then, the master of the house came bursting through the doors.
"Oh, hi, Malfoy. Nice of you to join us. Oh, don't worry, breakfast is still served," Hermione said casually, ignoring the glares Draco was giving her.
"Granger, I have a lot of questions and I want answers NOW," Draco demanded.
"Ok. Shoot," Hermione said.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF FORCING ME HERE TO BREAKFAST?!" Draco shouted.
Hermione blinked. "Forcing?" she said innocently.
"Answer me, Granger!" Draco yelled.
"Malfoy, this is simply part of my scheme to find a cure for you. I'm your nurse, remember? Plus, don't you like to spend your meals with us?" Hermione said like talking to a five year old kid.
Draco sent Hermione "the look".
"Hey, Draco, come on and sit. You've got to try this really delicious pie that Hermione herself baked. It's heaven!" Orion piped up, obviously in the wrong time.
Draco shifted his attention to him. "Shut up! Nurse or not, I refuse to do such a ludicrous thing! And if eating means having to sit at the breakfast table 'next' to Granger, then forget it!" he said.
"You sure you're not gonna eat?" Hermione said.
"Yes!" Draco said stubbornly.
"Suit yourself," Hermione said.
Draco gave her one last look that means that she's dead before exiting the room, only to return moments later.
"Come to eat at last?" Hermione asked.
"No. I forgot to asked you something," Draco said.
"Okay," Hermione said.
"WHAT-THE-DEVIL-DID-YOU-DO-TO-MY-HOUSE?!" Draco exclaimed through gritted teeth.
"Malfoy, I'm surprised! Are you so stuck up in your room you don't even know how your own house looks like?" Hermione said sweetly while Orion snickered.
"Don't fool with me, Granger!" Draco growled angrily.
"Well, this is another part of my scheme. Cool, isn't it?" Hermione said carelessly.
"Granger, you turned MY house into a CARNIVAL!"
Hermione pretended she didn't hear this. "I was about to re-decorate your room, but you were sleeping so peacefully and..." her voice trailed off.
"Granger, you're fired!" Draco exclaimed.
"You can't do that!" Hermione said, looking scandalized.
"And why not?!"
"Because I won't let you," Orion spoke. "I think Hermione has done a really nice job so far and she will stay. It also helps that you two already know each other."
"It HELPS? Or, she's my enemy!" Draco yelled.
"Stop being so immature, Draco. Hermione will stay," Orion said.
"You're just my cousin, not my mother!" Draco bellowed.
"I may not be, but you're forgetting one thing, dear cousin: The Code. So whether you like it or not, you can't fire Hermione!" Orion told him firmly. Hermione noticed that he looked more of a Malfoy that way, serious, eyes blazing and lip curling.
"I don't care!" Draco shouted and stormed off.
"Please forgive him, Hermione. He's just like that but later, he'll calm down, don't worry," Orion said.
"Ok. But I'm just curious, what's The Code?" Hermione asked.
"Oh that. Well, it's all about the Malfoy rules and stuff so basically every Malfoy is bound to it," Orion explained.
"Oh. Is there something going to happen if you disobey?"
"Well, no one has ever broken the Malfoy law so no one really knows for sure," Orion told her.
"Ok..."
"But I wonder...now that Draco refuses to eat, don't you think he'll grow weaker?" Orion asked worriedly.
Hermione smiled. "Don't worry, Orion. I have a plan..."
12:43 PM. KITCHENS.
Draco ate his fourth helpings of chicken and greedily drank the remaining contents of his glass of pumpkin juice.
It was immense hunger that brought him to this place. Sure, he told Orion and Hermione that he won't obey them, but who is he to deny the fact that all day he was so hungry he could even eat a hippogriff and that the only solution to that is to sneak off?
Lucky for him the house elves aren't around and that they left the kitchen doors open.
"I can't believe I'm actually doing this," he thought as he forced a whole cupcake inside his mouth.
Then, with another one, "I thought the kitchens are dirty."
Sure, he had been there several times, but it wasn't exactly as clean and inviting as it was before. He assumed this was all Hermione's doing and if it weren't for his pride, he would've praised her for that.
"You must be really hungry to venture this far," someone whispered in his ear, sending Draco in surprise and nearly choking on his cupcake.
He whirled around and came face to face with Hermione herself. She looked quite smug and triumphant.
"Wha-what are you doing here?" Draco asked, all the color left in his face drained.
"Maybe...I'm also hungry," Hermione replied, stroking her chin thoughtfully, "Or maybe, I'm taking a walk. Sometimes sleep is so impossible, eh?"
Draco narrowed his eyes. "Quit fooling around and just tell me why you're here!" he exclaimed.
"Tut. Tut. No need to get all angry. I just had a feeling you'd show up here, that's all," Hermione said in that winning tone of voice.
"This is a trap!" Draco yelled.
Hermione chuckled. "Trap? Oh no! There are people hiding under the dark, waiting for the right moment to attack you! Run for your life!" she said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Seriously."
"I don't believe you," Draco said.
Hermione moved towards the kitchen windows and from there, her face was brightly illuminated by the moonlight. Draco stared at her.
"Why did you stop eating? I won't get your food, don't worry," Hermione finally told him.
"That's not what I'm worried about."
"Then what?"
"I'm worried about my sanity if you continue to stay here with me," Draco told her.
Hermione placed a hand over her chest and pretended she was going to die. "Ouch! That hurt, Malfoy!" she mocked.
"Shut up, Granger," Draco said angrily as he started to touch his food again.
Hermione ignored him. But when she couldn't take the silence, she spoke, "Since when did you have your ailness?"
Draco shot daggers at Hermione's eyes. "That is none of your business," he growled.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Duh. I'm your nurse," she said.
"You says you're my nurse," Draco insisted.
"Whatever. So, about what I was asking..." Hermione said, looking expectantly at Draco.
Draco just glared at her and lied, "Last year."
"Oh," Hermione said, not knowing whether to feel sorry or not, but reminded herself that she couldn't take pity to "Draco Malfoy" himself.
"Now will you just leave?" Draco said.
"Nah. I think I might as well eat. The chocolate cake looks especially tempting," Hermione said. "You don't mind, do you?"
"Yes, I would very well mind," Draco replied dryly.
Hermione sat opposite him anyway and filled her plate with a slice of cake. "Mmm...I just love cakes," she mumbled.
Draco's brow twitched. "Granger, are you aware that I don't want you here?" he said angrily.
"I most certainly don't like to be in your company, Malfoy. You must be lucky my patience is long," Hermione hissed, eyes flashing dangerously.
Draco scowled at Hermione's cool then suddenly fierce demeanor, but found it quite amusing as well. "Just stop talking to me, alright? It's bad enough you're eating with me," he said.
"So anyway, you have to attend breakfast at the dining area tomorrow or I'll make sure you wouldn't be able to sneak to the kitchens anymore," Hermione told him.
"Granger..." Draco said warningly.
"Hmmm" was Hermione's response.
Suddenly, Draco felt the familiar throbbing pain in his body and within seconds, he lay sprawled on the cold floor like a corpse, oblivious to Hermione's shrieks.
A/N: So how was it? I am sooooooooooooo sorry for those who got so irritated with me for my long updates...I'll try as much as possible to update more often, but we've got a long test in MATH, of all subjects, on Thursday so I don't know if I could post the next chappie. Oh, please bear with me people. I'm so sorry!!!!
8:48 AM. DEVIL'S-I MEAN MASTER'S BEDROOM.
"Stupid birds," Draco Malfoy muttered under his breath as he reached for his brush.
He had just woken up because of the loud rackets the birds were making, which resulted into another one of his daily throwing-up routines. And Draco Malfoy was not pleased.
Boy, will they be in for another "Draco in a Bad Mood Day".
The first victims were the house elves who, every morning, deliver him his food and fix his bed.
"Where's my breakfast?!" Draco demanded.
The house elves cowered under his glare.
"Ma-master...will eat br-reakfast...at-at the d-dining hall now, sir..." one stammered.
Draco's eyes narrowed. "Who told you? Is it Orion?" he said in a deadly whisper.
"N-no...master, 'tis Miss...He-hermione, master...Miss t-told Edby and Tinky t-that Master...shall not receive food if M-master does not...e-eat at the dining table f-for breakfast, lunch...and-and dinner, sir," the elf told him.
"WHAT?!" Draco exclaimed in anger. "That mudblood! How dare she...! All of you, OUT!!!"
The house elves complied in fear.
"I will show her who's boss...Oh, the nerve of that filthy mudblood..." he mumbled in anger.
9:01 AM. DINING HALL.
"I can't believe you're enemies before at school," Orion told Hermione.
"We still are," Hermione said dryly. She took a bite of her pancake with syrup. "And I can't believe you're a Malfoy."
"Why not?" Orion said amusedly.
"You're too good to be one," Hermione said.
"You think so?"
"Uh-huh," Hermione replied.
"So, do you think Draco will come this morning?" Orion asked instead.
"Well, if he's really hungry or angry he'll by chance come," Hermione said matter-of-factly.
Orion nodded. "But I think he's going to have a heart attack when he sees this place," he said with a grin.
Hermione grinned back.
A few hours ago, Hermione woke up really early to start fixing the whole mansion. The once cold, depressing house now spelled CHEERFUL. Everything was painted in different colors instead of the old plain white. Hermione also added some new modern furniture and flower and plants to create a nice, cozy ambience.
"Do you like it?" Hermione asked.
"I sure do. Brightens the mood in this place," Orion said.
"Whew. For a while, I was afraid my work would be unappreciated," Hermione joked.
Just then, the master of the house came bursting through the doors.
"Oh, hi, Malfoy. Nice of you to join us. Oh, don't worry, breakfast is still served," Hermione said casually, ignoring the glares Draco was giving her.
"Granger, I have a lot of questions and I want answers NOW," Draco demanded.
"Ok. Shoot," Hermione said.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF FORCING ME HERE TO BREAKFAST?!" Draco shouted.
Hermione blinked. "Forcing?" she said innocently.
"Answer me, Granger!" Draco yelled.
"Malfoy, this is simply part of my scheme to find a cure for you. I'm your nurse, remember? Plus, don't you like to spend your meals with us?" Hermione said like talking to a five year old kid.
Draco sent Hermione "the look".
"Hey, Draco, come on and sit. You've got to try this really delicious pie that Hermione herself baked. It's heaven!" Orion piped up, obviously in the wrong time.
Draco shifted his attention to him. "Shut up! Nurse or not, I refuse to do such a ludicrous thing! And if eating means having to sit at the breakfast table 'next' to Granger, then forget it!" he said.
"You sure you're not gonna eat?" Hermione said.
"Yes!" Draco said stubbornly.
"Suit yourself," Hermione said.
Draco gave her one last look that means that she's dead before exiting the room, only to return moments later.
"Come to eat at last?" Hermione asked.
"No. I forgot to asked you something," Draco said.
"Okay," Hermione said.
"WHAT-THE-DEVIL-DID-YOU-DO-TO-MY-HOUSE?!" Draco exclaimed through gritted teeth.
"Malfoy, I'm surprised! Are you so stuck up in your room you don't even know how your own house looks like?" Hermione said sweetly while Orion snickered.
"Don't fool with me, Granger!" Draco growled angrily.
"Well, this is another part of my scheme. Cool, isn't it?" Hermione said carelessly.
"Granger, you turned MY house into a CARNIVAL!"
Hermione pretended she didn't hear this. "I was about to re-decorate your room, but you were sleeping so peacefully and..." her voice trailed off.
"Granger, you're fired!" Draco exclaimed.
"You can't do that!" Hermione said, looking scandalized.
"And why not?!"
"Because I won't let you," Orion spoke. "I think Hermione has done a really nice job so far and she will stay. It also helps that you two already know each other."
"It HELPS? Or, she's my enemy!" Draco yelled.
"Stop being so immature, Draco. Hermione will stay," Orion said.
"You're just my cousin, not my mother!" Draco bellowed.
"I may not be, but you're forgetting one thing, dear cousin: The Code. So whether you like it or not, you can't fire Hermione!" Orion told him firmly. Hermione noticed that he looked more of a Malfoy that way, serious, eyes blazing and lip curling.
"I don't care!" Draco shouted and stormed off.
"Please forgive him, Hermione. He's just like that but later, he'll calm down, don't worry," Orion said.
"Ok. But I'm just curious, what's The Code?" Hermione asked.
"Oh that. Well, it's all about the Malfoy rules and stuff so basically every Malfoy is bound to it," Orion explained.
"Oh. Is there something going to happen if you disobey?"
"Well, no one has ever broken the Malfoy law so no one really knows for sure," Orion told her.
"Ok..."
"But I wonder...now that Draco refuses to eat, don't you think he'll grow weaker?" Orion asked worriedly.
Hermione smiled. "Don't worry, Orion. I have a plan..."
12:43 PM. KITCHENS.
Draco ate his fourth helpings of chicken and greedily drank the remaining contents of his glass of pumpkin juice.
It was immense hunger that brought him to this place. Sure, he told Orion and Hermione that he won't obey them, but who is he to deny the fact that all day he was so hungry he could even eat a hippogriff and that the only solution to that is to sneak off?
Lucky for him the house elves aren't around and that they left the kitchen doors open.
"I can't believe I'm actually doing this," he thought as he forced a whole cupcake inside his mouth.
Then, with another one, "I thought the kitchens are dirty."
Sure, he had been there several times, but it wasn't exactly as clean and inviting as it was before. He assumed this was all Hermione's doing and if it weren't for his pride, he would've praised her for that.
"You must be really hungry to venture this far," someone whispered in his ear, sending Draco in surprise and nearly choking on his cupcake.
He whirled around and came face to face with Hermione herself. She looked quite smug and triumphant.
"Wha-what are you doing here?" Draco asked, all the color left in his face drained.
"Maybe...I'm also hungry," Hermione replied, stroking her chin thoughtfully, "Or maybe, I'm taking a walk. Sometimes sleep is so impossible, eh?"
Draco narrowed his eyes. "Quit fooling around and just tell me why you're here!" he exclaimed.
"Tut. Tut. No need to get all angry. I just had a feeling you'd show up here, that's all," Hermione said in that winning tone of voice.
"This is a trap!" Draco yelled.
Hermione chuckled. "Trap? Oh no! There are people hiding under the dark, waiting for the right moment to attack you! Run for your life!" she said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Seriously."
"I don't believe you," Draco said.
Hermione moved towards the kitchen windows and from there, her face was brightly illuminated by the moonlight. Draco stared at her.
"Why did you stop eating? I won't get your food, don't worry," Hermione finally told him.
"That's not what I'm worried about."
"Then what?"
"I'm worried about my sanity if you continue to stay here with me," Draco told her.
Hermione placed a hand over her chest and pretended she was going to die. "Ouch! That hurt, Malfoy!" she mocked.
"Shut up, Granger," Draco said angrily as he started to touch his food again.
Hermione ignored him. But when she couldn't take the silence, she spoke, "Since when did you have your ailness?"
Draco shot daggers at Hermione's eyes. "That is none of your business," he growled.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Duh. I'm your nurse," she said.
"You says you're my nurse," Draco insisted.
"Whatever. So, about what I was asking..." Hermione said, looking expectantly at Draco.
Draco just glared at her and lied, "Last year."
"Oh," Hermione said, not knowing whether to feel sorry or not, but reminded herself that she couldn't take pity to "Draco Malfoy" himself.
"Now will you just leave?" Draco said.
"Nah. I think I might as well eat. The chocolate cake looks especially tempting," Hermione said. "You don't mind, do you?"
"Yes, I would very well mind," Draco replied dryly.
Hermione sat opposite him anyway and filled her plate with a slice of cake. "Mmm...I just love cakes," she mumbled.
Draco's brow twitched. "Granger, are you aware that I don't want you here?" he said angrily.
"I most certainly don't like to be in your company, Malfoy. You must be lucky my patience is long," Hermione hissed, eyes flashing dangerously.
Draco scowled at Hermione's cool then suddenly fierce demeanor, but found it quite amusing as well. "Just stop talking to me, alright? It's bad enough you're eating with me," he said.
"So anyway, you have to attend breakfast at the dining area tomorrow or I'll make sure you wouldn't be able to sneak to the kitchens anymore," Hermione told him.
"Granger..." Draco said warningly.
"Hmmm" was Hermione's response.
Suddenly, Draco felt the familiar throbbing pain in his body and within seconds, he lay sprawled on the cold floor like a corpse, oblivious to Hermione's shrieks.
A/N: So how was it? I am sooooooooooooo sorry for those who got so irritated with me for my long updates...I'll try as much as possible to update more often, but we've got a long test in MATH, of all subjects, on Thursday so I don't know if I could post the next chappie. Oh, please bear with me people. I'm so sorry!!!!