Impressions Chapter Ten, a harry potter fanfic

IMPRESSIONS chapter ten

Disclaimer: Don't own anything, except for stuff you don't recognize.

Summary: An emotionally, physically, and mentally wounded Draco needs someone to help him, whether he wants to admit it or not, after his father lands in Azkaban, his mother is committed to St. Mungo's, and his entire world crumbles. Romance/Angst.

Author's Note: Please review!

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

She glowered at him and didn't say anything for a few minutes. "You kiss me to piss off Ron?"

"Does it really matter that much? It's not as if I'm proposing or something." Malfoy chuckled at his joke. "Cool it, Granger. It's a perfectly natural thing"-

"That's it. I'm leaving," Hermione announced. "I'm not doing this anymore, lying to my friends to come and meet you."

"Don't you want to help me?" asked Malfoy innocently.

"What?" she turned back to him wearily. "What are you talking about, Malfoy?"

"Don't you want to help cure me?" he sounded like a little child, and Hermione couldn't help but crack a smile.

"You don't need my help, Malfoy," she said.

"Sure I do."

"Why?" asked Hermione, challenging him. "And since when?"

He paused for a moment. "Because you're the only witch in the school who's got half a clue," he said finally, turning serious.

She looked at him, pleased. "Fine, I'll help you. Two conditions, though."

He winced. "What?"

"You're to call me 'Hermione' at all times," said Hermione primly.

He smirked. "Fine, Hermione."

"And you're to be civil and polite whenever you're with me," said Hermione firmly. "If I even hear the word, 'mudblood,' I'll leave. And tell Dumbledore."

He appeared to think over it. "All right, but I'm not going to act outside of my personality. I'm not going to change my whole philosophy on life or something just to please you," he said, warning her.

Her eyebrows rose. "Indeed? And what is it?"

"What?"

"Your philosophy on life?" asked Hermione.

He glanced to her and walked towards her swiftly, leaning down and pressing his mouth on hers in one smooth, liquid motion. He broke the kiss abruptly. "That's for another day," he said, smirking. "See you, Gran-" he stopped himself. "See you, Hermione." He turned and sauntered out of the room, hands in his pockets, knowing he had her very, very confused.

Hermione glared at the door even after he shut it. This is ridiculous. I've never kissed once, and in the span of twenty-four hours I have four kisses' experience. She shuddered. With Malfoy, of all people. That's it; I'm definitely putting a stop to it. If he thinks he can just… seduce me, or whatever gag he's pulling, he's completely wrong.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Where were you in Care of Magical Creatures?" Harry asked quizzically that afternoon.

"I didn't feel well, so I went up to the Hospital Wing to get a potion for a stomachache," Hermione said casually. "I must have dozed off in the tower, or something."

"Oh," said Harry. "Right. So, you want to work on that Potions essay?" he offered. "I need your help bad, too, I haven't a clue what Slinkwort and possum fur do when they get together "-

"Sorry, Harry, I already finished it," said Hermione apologetically.

"What? When?" asked Harry, surprised.

Hermione paled. "Uh – last period," she said, trying to sound convincing.

"While you were sleeping?" asked Harry dubiously.

"When is the first Quidditch match?" asked Hermione brightly, hoping desperately that he would respond to her change of subject.

Harry loosened up, though Hermione could tell he was disconcerted by her abrupt evasion of his questioning. "Oh, this Saturday. Against Slytherin," he said. "We should beat them. And Ron is going to beat Malfoy if it's the last thing he does, anyway," he said uncomfortably.

"Weasley."

Ron turned around sharply at the cutting voice. He glared at the blond Slytherin who had called his name. "What do you want?" he spat.

"I kissed Granger. Don't be pissed at her," Malfoy drawled, running his hands through his hair.

"Well, she didn't look like she was actually trying to get away!" Ron shouted, drawing his wand.

"Are you going to duel me, Weasley?" asked Malfoy, sneering at the redhead.

"Yes!"

Malfoy drew his own wand. "Wouldn't want to… Lose your hands before the big match, would you?" he hissed, holding his wand up delicately.

Ron paled. "I'll kill you!"

"For what?" Malfoy sounded mildly interested.

Ron didn't bother with a reply; he shouted, "EXPELLI"-

"PROTEGO!" Malfoy roared, blocking the disarming spell. "SUFFOCATUS!"

Ron gasped and clutched his throat, struggling to breathe. He croaked out "Impedimenta," with the rest of his breath.

"MR. WEASLEY! MR. MALFOY!" Professor McGonagall strode down the hallway, her wand out. "I don't believe this! You two are sixth-years! This is unacceptable! Ten points each from Gryffindor and Slytherin! And detention!" She glanced at Ron, whose lips were beginning to turn blue. She frowned and muttered, "Finite Incantatem," she murmured, and turned to Malfoy slowly. "Ten more points from Slytherin for your curse choice, Mr. Malfoy," she said soberly.

"But"-

"Be glad it isn't more! Dark magic is strictly prohibited!" said McGonagall, losing her temper.

Malfoy simply glared at her and stalked away. "Serve your detention with Miss Granger! Professor Snape would appreciate your Potions skills!" she called after him.

Ron's eyes bulged. "Professor McGonagall, do you think that's wise? I mean, they could"-

"Mr. Weasley, do not warn me on what may happen. You will serve your detention with Mr. Potter."

"And it's the much-anticipated Gryffindor/Slytherin match! Entering the pitch first is Slytherin, captained by Draco Malfoy, also the seeker! He's riding the brand new international standard broom, the Meteorite! Keeper Zabini, Beaters Crabbe and Goyle, Chasers Baddock, Grant, and Lennon!"

The green-robed team entered the field to uproarious applause from the Slytherins, and a polite smattering from the rest of the students.

"And the Gryffindor team, captained by Harry Potter, the seeker as well! Potter's record is nearly perfect, considered the best seeker in a good"-

"Excuse me, Mr. Creevey," said Professor McGonagall to Colin, who was acting as commentator. "Please introduce the rest of the team."

Colin looked put out. "Right, Keeper Ron Weasley, Chasers Weasley, Pucey, and Creevey! Beaters Finnegan and Shacklebolt!"

Madam Hooch blasted her whistle and the teams rose in the air, Draco and Harry rising the fastest and the quickest. "The Quaffle to Pucey – Weasley – she's heading to Zabini's end – Ginny, watch that bludger! Excellent! Ten points to Gryffindor!" There was a moan from the Slytherin end as Ginny threw the Quaffle past Blaise Zabini.

Meanwhile, Malfoy was a barely visible speck, high above everyone else, including Harry, who was soaring around the pitch, searching for the Snitch.

Three Gryffindor goals and two Slytherin goals later, there was a gasp of excitement from the crowd as Malfoy streaked towards the ground, Harry following suit not long after.

Not five feet from the ground, Malfoy pulled out of the dive and shot towards the other end of the pitch.

There was a scream from the Gryffindors as Harry very narrowly pulled from his own dive, after being successfully Feinted.

"Has Malfoy seen the Snitch?" Creevey roared.

In one last attempt, Seamus Finnegan slammed a bludger towards the blond who was now only thirty feet – twenty feet - ten feet – from the Snitch.

"And – Malfoy gets clobbered by the bludger, straight to the stomach!" Creevey said shrilly.

Hermione, far below in her seat in the stand, paled. She was the only person to know how severe a repercussion a blow to the stomach could prove for Malfoy.

"Malfoy catches the Snitch!" Creevey announced, though he was considerably subdued. "And – what? He's fallen off his broom!"

It was true. After getting the Snitch, Draco had slid sideways off his top-of-the-line broom and started flying towards the ground, his green robes billowing out behind him. He was making no effort to stop himself at all, but the gold of the Snitch could still be seen in his fist.

Fearing the worst, Hermione stared at him for a few seconds before coming to herself and whipping out her wand. Aiming as accurately as she could, she screamed, "WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!"

Malfoy's body slowed in its rapid descent and Hermione lowered him to the ground gently, hoping that her unexpected act of kindness to the Slytherin would go unnoticed.

But it was not to be. Harry and Ron's head snapped in her direction, Ron's furious and Harry's disappointed.

Madam Pomfrey, Snape, and Dumbledore rushed to the pitch, where Malfoy still lay on the ground, unmoving.

Deciding to go onto the field under the pretense of seeing Harry and Ron, Hermione made her way down, off the stands.

Author's Note: I decided to bring the plot back around, haha. It was getting too light-hearted. Well… four kisses later, and Hermione is saving his life. No, I'm just kidding. She did it because she's a nice person. And Draco still does not like her. You will know when he likes her. Let's see…. Whom to thank, whom to thank…

· Lucidity, as always, for unwavering encouragement…

· Ellie, for constant, uplifting reviews…

· Monica, for being the first to read everything and the only one who (kinda) knows what's going to happen….

· Strega Brava, I'm so excited you read my story, I love yours… NOTICE: read her Snape stories, they're AWESOME!

· 60 REVIEWS! I'M PUMPED!

· Thanks to everyone else who reviewed, the aforementioned are just those I can remember off the top of my head.

· I posted Consequences today, the sequel to Last Chance. Please read it if you have the time… But be warned, it's kind of dark.

NEXT CHAPTER: Detention…

Ar-Zimraphel