Ch.11 Unexpected love
Disclaimer: this story is based on characters created and owned by J.K. Rowling no money is being made off of this story. Sara, Sharen, and Suki are mine. Special thanks to Morrigan my co-author and beta reader.
"You want to what?!!", Hermione hissed at him furiously. Draco sighed, this was going to be just as hard as he thought it would be. Just when she wakes up is probably not the right time to drop bombs on a girl. "Do, you have a better idea?", he countered.
"No- but, well, how can you if your not allowed to do magic?", she asked in desperation.
"The ministry has no idea what goes on here magically, they'll never know."
"Let me get this straight, you want to turn me into some small animal, carry me in your front pocket, and then turn me back on the train. What if you mess up the spell?"
"Yes. And I will not mess up the spell. I'm not Goyle after all." She snickered a little at that then capitulated.
"Fine, what did you have in mind?"
"Oh, a mouse or something."
"No, no mice." She said firmly.
He shrugged and said, "You chose, you're the one who has to live with it. I won't perform the spell until a day or so before we leave for Hogwarts." She scowled at his retreating back.
Hermione was homesick. She missed her parent's and her friends. It was one thing to be away from them voluntarily, but now she had no choice in the matter. And what was worse, she had to pose as a pet! On top of it all she was battling her feelings about Draco.
I know I'm supposed to like him because he saved my life, that's only natural, but this much? I feel as though I've known him forever. And not the mean Draco, but the Draco that saved my life. Oh, this is all so confusing. As she drifted off into a nap she realized, I don't like him, oh Hermione you fool you've gone and fallen in love.
Draco tried to read the book in his lap, but kept thinking of the kiss she gave him on the exercise field. He wondered why she had chosen that method of damage control. He wasn't sorry that she had now.
"Have you thought of a form yet?" Draco asked as she handed him her glass and plate.
"I'm wavering between a squirrel and a chipmunk." She answered matter-of-factly. Draco looked at her for a moment thinking absently that even as abused as her body was she was still lovely. Making up his mind all at once he leaned down and kissed her.
Hermione was so surprised and the kiss was over so quickly that she didn't have time to even instinctively struggle let alone return it. When he pulled away he said, "That's payback for making me shut-up." Hermione started to reply, but he left too quickly.
"Bloody bastard.", she muttered to herself, "don't you know you're not supposed to leave a girl hanging like that." She heard him laugh softly and call out in a whisper, "good night Hermione." She smiled to herself and went to sleep.
When he followed her back to her corner of the closet the next morning she asked, "Did you mean that kiss last night or were you just messing with my head?"
He smiled before he answered and said, "I mean everything I do. Take it however you please, I meant it in the simplest way possible.
"Nothing about this is simple.", she said as she sat back down. He sat beside her so that they're eyes were on the same level. "However," she continued, "if you are truly sincere, then I mean this." She pulled him into a long kiss that left them both breathless. "in the simplest way it can be interpreted. Now go, before you raise any suspicions."
"And you said I left you hanging? " he laughed as he left the closet.
They spent the rest of the vacation in a simple routine. Draco would wake her in the morning, let her use the lavatory then take her back to her corner. She stayed in the closet quietly stretching and re-building her leg muscles while he played the dutiful Death-Eater's son. At night he brought her dinner. They talked while she ate and snogged a little after she was done.
On the last day of vacation Draco performed the spell.
"Are you sure you want to be a chipmunk?" he asked for the twentieth time.
Hermione smiled and said, "Yes I am sure. Although I'm not so sure that you aren't just stalling for time. Afraid you can't do the spell? You're parents are liable to hear us and walk in if you don't get this over with."
Draco shook his head, "They won't hear, I have a silencing charm over the whole room. And I do know how to do the spell, I just don't like it." Draco sighed and performed the incantation. (AN: I can't look up a Latin spell just yet so this will have to do). The spell worked perfectly and Hermione the Chipmunk was on the floor before him. He picked her up and put her beside his trunk while he packed. He didn't bother talking to her, he knew that she couldn't respond and felt that it would be a waste of time.