IMPRESSIONS chapter twenty

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! 200 REVIEWS!!!

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"A long line?" said Hermione sympathetically.

            "You might say that," said Ron in a strangled voice. "Cheers."

            They drank their butterbeer in silence, and the bottles were finished quickly since both wanted to avoid conversation. "Er… Hermione, do you want to go for a walk or something?"

            "Sure," said Hermione quickly, relieved. "Thanks for the butterbeer."

            Ron was distinctly uncomfortable. "Yeah, no problem," he said. "Let's go then."

            Hermione got up and followed Ron out of the crowded pub.

            It was an unseasonably chilly autumn and the day happened to be a strangely windy one. Hermione shivered once they stepped out of the bar; she had forgotten her cloak. Ron didn't notice, however. "Say, Hermione, you want to go down the residential street or something?" he proposed.

            Hermione looked at him strangely. "There's nothing to see there, Ron…" She suddenly had the absurd thought, is Draco right? Could Ron like me? He is sure acting oddly today… And he's been so nervous.

            "Well, you know, privacy, and all that…" Ron's red face was nothing compared to his ears.

            "All right, fine then," said Hermione, wrapping her arms around herself and shuddering from the cold.

            Instead of turning left to go down the street packed with shops, they went right and up to the intersection with the first residential street. An angry gust of wind whipped down, giving Hermione the shivers.

            "Look, Hermione… Everything we saw, with you and Malfoy…" began Ron after several minutes. "Well, it made me realize that I should get my act together."

            "What are you talking about, Ron?" asked Hermione, her heart sinking.

            "Well…" Ron paused again, staring at the ground. "Well, I guess I just got scared."

            "Over what? Why?" asked Hermione, trying to keep her tone light as Draco's words echoed in her head. He likes you… He likes you… He likes you…

            Ron took a particularly nervous swallow. "What I'm trying to say is… Well, I realized that maybe I should tell you how I feel."

            There was a long, painful silence after his words. "And what exactly do you feel?" Hermione managed.

            Ron remained quiet for a few more moments. "Hermione, I…" He paused again. "I like you."

            Hermione desperately attempted to pass it off as a joke. "Well, I should hope so… I mean, we're friends, right?" she said, laughing weakly.

            Ron went furiously red. "Well… I like you… more than that," he said, his last words so quiet that Hermione had to lean in to hear them.

            She found nothing to say. "Uh… Well, Ron…" she said after a few seconds, hoping wildly that this was some type of dream. "I'm flattered."

            This was apparently the wrong thing to say. Ron's eyes went very wide and he bit his lip. "Didn't expect anything, really, just…" he trailed off. "Harry said he thought you liked me back…"

            Hermione felt a surge of embarrassment and humiliation for Ron. "Look, Ron, I'm sorry…" She was thankful she didn't have to tell him that she didn't like him, that he had worked it out for himself.

            He looked crestfallen. "Right, well…" he mumbled miserably.

            Draco Malfoy suddenly walked out behind a building. "Didn't go so well, Weasley?" he sneered at the look on Ron's face.

            Ron went brick red. "Look here, Malfoy"—

            Hermione looked horrified.

            Draco glanced at her quickly, slid his silver-trimmed cloak off his shoulders and tossed the heavy black velvet to Hermione, who caught it, astonished. "Might want to at least be a gentleman, Weasley, when your date is freezing to death," he leered, still peering at Hermione, who had wrapped the still-warm cloak around her shoulders gratefully and snapped the clasp together.

            "Thanks," she mumbled, casting her eyes down.

            Ron looked mortified. "Oh, Hermione, I'm sorry!" he said, untying his own cloak.

            "She doesn't need two, Weasley," said Draco amusedly.

            Ron stopped his motion to put his own cloak around Hermione's shoulders abruptly. "Look, Malfoy, why are you following us?" he asked defensively. His face was a frightening purple color and his hands in fists.

            He shrugged. "Wanted to see what happened with your girlfriend. Your humiliation is the highlight of my life, Weasley."

            "Why, exactly, are you down here instead of up at the castle, doing your work?" Hermione asked in a low, angry voice. It was obvious what she meant by "work": the runes translations.

            Draco looked at her blankly. "I was bored," he said coolly.

            "Have you been following us the entire time?" asked Hermione, leaving Ron alone to nurse his wounded pride and walking forward.

            "Not the entire time," he said, smirking at her.

            "Why do you care so much?" asked Hermione coldly. "You just completely embarrassed Ron."

            Draco neatly sidestepped her first question. "Of course. That's what I came to do," he said with an evil grin.

            "Why? Why do you have to be such a jerk?" asked Hermione wildly. "It's bad enough that he had to do that with me not liking him back, but now you, his worst enemy, had to see and hear it! Don't you have any respect at all?"

            "For Weasley?" Draco looked surprised. "And I'm his worst enemy?" he looked delighted.

            "Shut up, okay?" Hermione hissed as Ron stomped over to him.

            "Look, Hermione, if you're just going to go off with Malfoy"— began Ron furiously. Evidently his anger was quick to return when he saw Hermione walk towards the silver-blond Slytherin.

            Hermione sighed and rubbed her head. "I'm not going off with him, Ron…"

            "Who cares? We're trying to have a conversation, the prick walks over and you drop everything to run off with him!" said Ron angrily. "Even if you don't like me, that's still not how you treat a friend!"

            "Ron, calm down"—

            "No! I forgave you, Hermione!" Ron yelled at her. "I should have known better." He gave her a contemptuous look and crossed his arms.

            "Ron, I am not running off with Draco"—

            "Draco? Draco? You sure are friendly with him, aren't you?" Ron spat.

            Draco looked mildly annoyed. "Weasley, she wasn't running off with me," he drawled to the redhead.

            "I WASN'T TALKING TO YOU, YOU STUPID PRAT!" Ron bellowed. "GO AND CAVORT WITH VOLDEMORT, WHY DON'T YOU?"

            Draco's eyes hardened and he drew his wand in a smooth movement. He sidestepped Hermione and walked towards Ron with catlike grace. "No professors to stop me here, Weasley," he hissed.

            Hermione paled. "Look, Draco, Ron, stop this"—

            "Go away, Hermione," said Ron tightly.

            Hermione fell silent and she turned to Draco. "Draco"—

            He ignored her. "Ready, Weasley?" he spat.

            Ron nodded, a muscle in his jaw twitching. "Never"—

            He didn't have a chance to finish his words, for Draco suddenly did a complicated slashing moment with his wand and Ron immediately dropped his wand, clutching his head in agony.

            "Draco, stop!" Hermione pleaded.

            Ron stumbled to the ground and lurched for his wand. "Expelliarmus!" he croaked.

            Draco didn't have enough time to say the blocking spell before his wand flew out of his hand

            With that, Ron's curse was lifted and he stood, grinning madly at Draco who was standing, his shoulders squared and looking murderous.

            "Would be so easy to snap," he whispered, taking hold of both ends of Draco's wand.

            Hermione gasped and Draco went paler than normal. "Ron, stop this idiocy this instant!" Hermione cried.

            Ron raised the wand above his knee, and that was all it took for Draco to launch himself at the gangly redhead. He transformed into an enormous panther halfway in the air. Hermione's jaw dropped.

            Ron was instantly bowled over the by the sable cat. He crashed into the ground, his breath knocked out of his lungs.

            The panther—Draco—was snarling viciously and it was obvious Ron was too terrified for words. He dropped Draco's wand and the cat stepped off him, transforming back into the pale Slytherin, who bent over to pick up the slender length of wood.

            Ron lay still, gasping. It was clear that Draco had won the duel. Draco surveyed him condescendingly. "I do not 'cavort with You-Know-Who,'" he spat. "And if you tell anyone, I won't hesitate to ensure you do not speak ever again."

            Ron paled. "Look, Malfoy," he said. "Just stay away from Hermione, okay?" he stood up, stuffing his wand in his pocket. It was very apparent that he was still in shock.

            "No."

            Hermione's mouth opened in shock and she stared at Draco, as did Ron.

            "What?" Ron asked in disbelief.

            "I said no. You can't tell me what to do," said Draco coolly.

            "Then I'll tell Dumbledore! I doubt that what you just did is legal!" Ron shouted, his eyes blazing.

            "Dumbledore knows, Ron," said Hermione quickly, causing Draco to look at her sharply.

            Ron stared at her, agape. "You knew?" he said weakly.

            Hermione nodded mutely.

            "Don't tell anyone," Draco repeated to Ron.

            Ron held his head in his hands. "You really have been chumming with him then, haven't you?" he mumbled.

            "Ron, it's not like that"—

            "Then what is it like?" asked Ron, looking up at her. "I bet you've been snogging him every chance you get!"

            Hermione flushed and Draco hid a smirk. "Ronald Weasley, I am sorry that he came, but you're acting like child!"

            "I don't care! Is he why you're never in the common room anymore? Is he the reason why hardly anyone sees you outside of class?" Ron bellowed at her. "Did you know that Harry and I got P's on all our essays this week?"

            It all suddenly clicked into place as Hermione remembered Draco's warning about Harry and Ron using her to get good grades. "NO! BUT HE HAS BEEN NICE TO ME WHEN I WAS TRYING TO STAY OUT OF YOUR WAY," Hermione shrieked suddenly, "WHILE YOU WERE BEING A COMPLETE PRAT!"

            Ron went white at her outburst, and Draco looked mildly surprised. "Fine, then, Hermione, if little Draco's measly friendship of a few days means more than six years, then I'll be more than happy to see you stay out of our way," Ron spat. "I can't believe I didn't see it."

            "And I can't believe that I couldn't see that you were using me for grades!" Hermione shouted back at him.     

            Ron ignored her and just turned his back. "I'll keep your secret," he spat to Malfoy as he paused. "If only to have some blackmail." With that, Ron strode off around the corner without another glance back.

            Hermione collapsed into tears and sunk to the ground. Draco looked slightly shocked. "I've been nice?" he asked her uncertainly.

            She looked up to him tearfully. "Yes. Nicer than him, anyway," she said.

            Draco crouched down beside her a little apprehensively. "Well, that's not much to boast about," he said, trying to cheer her up but lacking the skill needed.

            She smiled at him through her tears. "But still nice."

            Draco lifted the corner of the velvet cloak and wiped her face in a strange display of compassion. "I shouldn't have come," he said, his way of an apology.

            She sniffed. "Why did you? Really?"

            He shrugged. "Well, I figured Ron would try something. And while I'm kissing you, nobody tries anything," he said seriously.

            She stared up at him in shock. "What is that supposed to mean?"

            He raised his eyebrows suggestively. "What do you want it to mean?"

            She laughed at his attempt to comfort her. "You know, you really shouldn't have transformed," she said suddenly.

            "He was going to snap my wand!" said Draco in disbelief. "You think I'd just let him do it?"

            "Well… Still, Ron really does have leverage. I don't know how long he'll believe me about the Dumbledore thing," said Hermione apologetically.

            "Why did you tell him that, anyway? I thought you wanted me to go to Dumbledore," said Draco, his eyebrows furrowed.

            Hermione sighed. "I don't know. You didn't want to do it, so I thought I should try and stop him."

            "Oh."

            "Oh, no!" said Hermione unhappily.

            "What?"

            "Your beautiful cloak! I've stained it!" said Hermione miserably.

            He gave a short laugh. "Forget it. I've got more."

            "And thank you for lending it to me," said Hermione immediately. "I was cold."

            "Yeah, it was obvious," said Draco, disgust spilling from his tone. "Weasley really doesn't have a clue."

            She made no attempt to disagree and drew a shuddering breath. "Thank you for staying with me," she said quietly. "Not really who I expected to make me feel better, but…" she gave him a half-hearted grin.

            He smirked. "I'm as surprised as you are. Are you ready to go back to Hogwarts?"

            She nodded and he stood, extending a hand to her. "Come on, then."  

            Hermione took his hand and he pulled her up.

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            To Hermione's great surprise, Draco stayed with her until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Draco… Why are you doing this?" she asked him slowly.

            He shrugged. "You amuse me, bookworm."

            She glared at him. "I'm not a bookworm."

            "Yes you are, except when we're snogging," he said seriously.

            It took her a minute to realize he was joking. "Don't say that too loud unless you want Ron spilling all."

            He shut up.

            Hermione reluctantly undid the clasp of his cloak at her neck but he stopped her. "Keep it," he said coolly. "I don't need it."

            She looked surprised. "You can't give it to me! It's far too nice!"

            He smirked at her. "I'll live."

            "Are you sure?" asked Hermione, touching the soft velvet longingly.         

            "Of course. I never say anything I don't mean."

            Hermione beamed. "Thank you."

            He shrugged. "Right."

            "Well… Good night, then," said Hermione uncomfortably.

            "Right. See you later, bookworm," he said, turning and strolling down the hallway, hands in his pockets.

            Hermione muttered the password to the portrait and climbed inside; refusing to look at anyone all the way up to her dormitory. She sat down on her big four-poster, slipping off the heavy cloak and stroking it gently. Impulsively, she lifted the expensive cloth up to her nose and inhaled his distinct, fresh scent deeply.

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Author's Note: If you didn't notice, this chapter was about a thousand words longer than most… : ) I was so excited about 200 REVIEWS that I decided to make an extra long chapter! I also upped the romance… I hope Draco is still in character somewhat. I just started to get complaints about how slowly it was moving, so if you didn't like it… I'll revise it. Thanks for reading and…

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Ar-Zimraphel