A/N : This chapter has graphic content.
Chapter 19
Pansy and Breena sat across from each other on the stairs from the Slytherin Common Room up to their dorm. The stairs were littered with cookies, cocoa, and various other pastries the house elves had seen fit to provide them with. They talked and laughed like old friends.
"You know, Pansy, I'm sorry I never gave you a chance before now," said Breena. She smiled at the girl who sat across from her. "Its not fair we're just getting to be friends now. I only have a little while longer here."
"What are you talking about?" Pansy asked. Breena sighed.
"My family is moving in a few months. We'll be gone before Christmas." Breena explained. She shrugged. "It's a great opportunity for my dad. The Ministry is sending him to the States, and Sorcha and I will transfer to an American wizarding school."
"Oh," Pansy hadn't been expecting that. She wasn't sure what to say, or how to feel. It was the first time she'd ever really spent time with Breena, so she wasn't exactly heartbroken. After all, they didn't have the greatest history together. At any rate, Pansy was a little disappointed that she wouldn't have time to get to know her any better.
"Please don't make me take points off my own house for this," Draco's voice echoed in the stone staircase. Breena and Sorcha exchanged glances.
"Like you're a saint," Breena quipped. Draco rolled his eyes and sat down with the girls, helping himself to some cookies.
"Good call," he agreed. "So you're moving, Breena?"
"What's it to you?" she snapped.
"I was just trying to make conversation," Draco replied coolly. "Besides, if you were moving, I'd be in charge of arranging your going-away party."
"Ooh can I help?" Pansy exclaimed. Breena rolled her eyes.
"I'll put you in charge of the committee," Draco promised, taking another cookie. "So what's keeping you ladies up so late?"
"We were just talking," Pansy said. She smiled at Draco. "How about you, Draco, can't you and Hermione meet during the day?"
"What I do with my time is really none of your business, Pansy," Draco said, none too gently. Pansy just shrugged it off.
"So, tell us the gossip, are you two an item?" Breena teased.
"Spare me," Draco said. "We're not official, no." Breena raised an eyebrow and shot Pansy a Look. Draco braced himself for whatever was about to come next. One of the things that had always bugged him about girls was their ability to carry on an entire conversation with the blink of an eye.
"Oh, well, best of luck with that," Breena said calmly. Draco relaxed; Apparently they weren't plotting anything after all. "Cocoa?" she offered, passing him a mug. Draco accepted it and took a sip. "Any other gossip you want to fill us in on? I mean you, being a prefect and all, must have some knowledge of what's going on around here."
"Well, Dumbledore is considering adding a few more formal dances, some for just the sixth and seventh years, and some for fourth and ups. Professor Binns is threatening to retire again. There's really not much else going on," Draco informed them. They sat in silence for a while until they heard the sound of the house elves coming in to light the morning fires. Quickly and quietly, they gathered up their snacks and headed to bed.
* * *
Hermione awoke the next morning feeling like a completely new person. That's because you are a voice reminded her. She rolled her eyes and got dressed quickly. While she was thinking about it, she turned to her nightstand to put on her prefect's badge, but it was missing. In its place was a silver box, with a note card propped up against it. For you, with love, You-Know-Who the voice read along with her.
"Thank you," Hermione said, opening the box. Inside was another necklace, this one was a silver chain with the same black/red beads on it as the other one. The beads were spaced out evenly around the necklace and in the middle was a silver heart with a small capital "D" carved in it. It can stand for anything you like. Dark Lord, Dark Arts, or if you prefer, Draco Malfoy the voice said. Hermione blushed, even though no one could hear him. She put the lid back on the box and put it in her pocket, then resumed her search for her prefect badge.
Hermione went through everything she owned searching for the badge. Finally she grew frantic and started throwing things around the room. Her efforts woke up Sorcha, who lazily stumbled over to see what the fuss was about.
"My badge, it's gone, Sorcha, its missing!" Hermione grabbed Sorcha's pajama sleeves, panicking.
"Relax, someone wouldn't just take your badge. It'll turn up," Sorcha promised. Hermione wasn't so sure. "I'll ask the others if they've seen it," Sorcha said, heading for the door.
"You know, Ginny was up here yesterday, maybe she knocked it on the floor," Lavender suggested, sitting up in bed.
"If not, I'm sure she knows where it is," Sorcha added, leaving the room. "I'm on my way."
* * *
Draco awoke in a rare good mood. As he reached for his quill, he noticed that the Dark Lord had sent him another present. He opened the box, the last present he'd received, a black leather journal with silver gilt edges that opened only to his touch, sitting in his lap. Lying on a black velvet cushion he found a silver ring in the box. Taking the ring out, he slid it onto his finger. As soon as it was situated it shrunk to fit him properly. He examined it and the way it looked on his hand. It was a snake, biting its own tail that spun around the rest of the ring, which was just solid silver.
"Thank you," he said aloud. My pleasure came the reply. Draco got out of bed and got dressed, pinning his prefect badge to his robes. Humming to himself, he headed down to the common room. He dropped casually onto the sofa and thought about the day ahead of him. Potions, History, Transfiguration, Defense against the Dark Arts, and Charms were all staring him in the face. While he was lost in his thoughts, Breena came into the room and planted herself squarely between Draco's outstretched legs. She leaned back so she was leaning on his chest, her head just below his chin.
"Morning," she cooed softly. Draco raised an eyebrow.
"Sleep well?" he asked absently. She shrugged.
"I seem to have this awful knot in my neck," she complained, taking one of his hands in her own. "Right about here," she told him, putting his hand on the spot. Draco rolled his eyes and started to massage her neck. She let out a soft moan, making the hair stand up on the back of Draco's head. He knew she could tell she was getting to him as she shifted her weight to make him more comfortable. Placing a hand on his thigh, she moaned again. Slowly she shifted her hand and started massaging his leg casually working her way upwards. Draco leaned back against the back of the sofa using both of his hands to massage her neck and back. He groaned loudly as her hand found the right spot and his head tipped backwards, his hands falling away from her. She turned to face him and started kissing and sucking at his neck. Just then he realized what she was doing and shoved her off of him.
"You stupid bitch," he spat as Breena went flying across the room and landed on her backside at the end of the couch. He stormed out of the room, irate and incredibly frustrated.
* * *
Later that week, Draco and Hermione sat next to each other in Potions holding hands under the table. Professor Snape was going on and on about the potion they were about to make, but Hermione couldn't concentrate. She'd had a headache all day and wasn't sure why. She rested her head on her hand and looked over the instructions one more time.
"Any questions?" Snape asked. Draco patted Hermione's knee as Neville raised his hand to ask another question. Snape launched into another ten- minute explanation.
"We've got it," he whispered to her. She nodded, and Draco slowly started massaging her leg. At first it didn't bother Hermione, and she actually kind of enjoyed it. But as Snape droned on, Draco's hand moved further up Hermione's leg until he was well under her skirt. As his fingers brushed gently against the thin fabric of her underwear, Hermione gasped and shoved his hand away.
"What are you doing?" she hissed. Draco shrugged, his eyes facing forward. Hermione could feel her cheeks glowing bright red. Never had she been more humiliated in her life. What kind of girl did he think she was? Just then, Snape finished talking and instructed to class to proceed with their potion.
"Calm down," Draco instructed, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend."
"Well you did, and I'll thank you not to do that again. Especially not in the middle of class," Hermione added, still embarassed. She stood up to get the ingredients from Snape and the box in her pocket fell out. Draco picked it up and examined the necklace. When Hermione returned he stood up and walked around behind her. Sweeping her hair off her neck, his fingertips barely moving like a whisper across her skin, he removed the old necklace and replaced it with the new one.
Hermione closed her eyes as he let her hair fall and kissed her cheek. Somehow his touch made every inch of her body come alive, each hair stand on end, begging for more.
"Thank you," she murmered. Draco nodded and turned to the potion they were working on
* * *
"She's driving me insane," Draco said, later that day. Pansy was sitting on the sofa, listening intently. "It's like she's above basic primal feelings. Anything remotely sexual is insulting and beneath her. I really can't stand it," he paced back and forth in front of the fire. "Yet, at the same time, I want everything to be perfect for her. I want to make her happy, give her what she deserves."
"Pansy, can I talk to you, please?" Breena asked, coming into the room. She gave Pansy a look and the girl nodded. They left the common room and stopped in the corridor outside. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"What do you mean?" Pansy asked, her eyes wide with innocent fear.
"You can't sit there and listen to that! Pansy, put him behind you, move on. You don't deserve to be treated the way he treated you. You are so much better than that. For you to sit there and listen to him go on and on about this girl that he's hopelessly in love with, that's just shit, Pansy, and you shouldn't put up with that. Don't lower yourself like that," Breena said. Pansy was trembling.
"But he's my friend, we've been best friends since we were little," she spluttered, on the verge of tears.
"Listen to me, as long as you're over him, then that's all well and good. But I can tell that you're not, I can tell you still have feelings for him. You need to take a break, and move past that before you can sit there and let him talk your ear off about how great she is," Breena instructed. Pansy looked down at her hands as Breena walked away. She knew Breena was right, she just didn't want to hear what she had to say. Pansy headed up to Myrtle's bathroom. She wanted someone to talk to, and Myrtle was just about the best she could do.
* * *
Hermione sat on the floor of Myrtle's bathroom, hugging her knees. There wasn't really anywhere else she could go to think. She had to admit to herself that she liked Draco. She liked Draco a lot, and she really enjoyed the attention he gave her. What she liked the best was that Draco actually liked her for who she was, or so he was leading her to believe. At least he stopped when she told him to, and he seemed genuinely sorry for offending her. The door slammed, interrupting Hermione's thoughts.
"Oh, I didn't know anyone was in here," Pansy said. She stood uncomfortably in the doorway not sure whether to go or to stay.
"It's alright. Come in," Hermione said, "I was just leaving," she added, getting to her feet.
"No you weren't. Stay here," Pansy requested. "I want to tell you something."
"Okay," Hermione agreed. She sat back down and Pansy came and sat across from her.
"Listen, I want you to," Pansy started. "Not that I'm telling you what to do, but I think it, I think you should take it slow with Draco," she said. "I know it might be hard, because it was impossible for me, but do your best. I don't want to see you get hurt, Hermione."
"You don't?" Hermione asked. "I thought you hated me."
"I don't hate you. I don't understand how you can pretend like I don't matter, and sneak around with him behind my back, but now that its all on the table, I'd like to be friends with you again," Pansy admitted. Hermione gave Pansy a sheepish smile and a hug.
"I'm sorry," Hermione said. Pansy hugged her back.
"You're forgiven," Pansy agreed, smiling. "Now we'd better get to dinner, or we'll be really hungry come breakfast."
The two girls hurried down to the Great Hall. Hermione sat down next to Sorcha and Pansy next to Breena. They smiled at eachother across the room.
"Hermione, are you alright? You don't look so well," Ginny asked suddenly. Hermione shook her head.
"I'm fine," she said firmly. Hermione looked around at the people sitting near her. They were all staring at her with concerned expressions.
"Are you sure?" Harry asked. Hermione shook her head.
"I think I might go outside," she said, suddenly feeling a bit warm. But as she turned to stand up, she started to feel lightheaded.
Draco looked up from his plate just in time to see Hermione fall off the bench and onto the floor. He leapt from his seat and raced to her side. As he knelt next to her, so did Professor Snape, who grabbed his arm.
"Take her down to my office, Draco," Snape whispered into his ear. Draco's blood ran cold but started to take Hermione in his arms. Snape was a notorious Death Eater and Draco, having grown up amongst the Death Eaters, knew it all too well. The fact that Snape wanted Hermione in his office and not in the hospital wing made Draco wonder exactly what was wrong with her. Clearly, this was no typical fainting spell.
"What do you think you're doing?" Harry snapped, joining Draco on the floor. Draco's eyes flashed at him
"Taking her to the hospital wing, what do you think?" Draco replied curtly. Snape held up his hand.
"Draco, go on. Mr. Potter, I'd thank you to sit down and finish your meal. I'll see to it that Miss Granger arrives safely," Snape informed Harry, who sat down unsure of what to say to that.
Draco carried Hermione safely into Snape's office and layed her across his huge desk. She stirred only slightly, and Draco softly kissed her forehead.
"You're going to be alright soon," he promised her.
"She's fine right now," Snape corrected him, coming into the room. "She's fighting back, that's all." Snape rushed about the room gathering ingredients. He quickly brewed a potion and bottled it. With what remained in the pot, he dabbed at Hermione's lips. Draco watched as the color slowly flooded back into her cheeks. Snape wrote out instructions for the potion and handed them to Draco. "Take her back to her room and stay with her until she wakes up. She won't remember what happened, but give her the potion and it should help her deal with this attack. Sometimes your subconscious has a relapse, and it's about ten times worse than the first time. Now get out of here."
Draco gathered Hermione in his arms again and started to leave.
"Oh, and Draco?" Snape called. Draco turned to look at him. "You have a very special girl in your arms, you had better treat her accordingly," Snape commanded him. Draco couldn't help but let a grin sneak across his face.
* * *
Hermione woke a few hours later. She turned over to see Draco sitting in a chair next to her bed, asleep across the empty space in her bed. He looked so sweet sleeping there, so peaceful. She rolled onto her side to watch him sleep, and he woke up. A smile crossed his face as he saw that she was awake.
"Hey," he whispered, "how are you feeling?"
"I have a headache," she admitted, "but that's all. What happened?"
"You passed out at dinner. Snape says for you to take this," Draco told her, handing her the potion bottle along with the instructions.
"I didn't see Madam Pomfrey?" she asked. He shook his head.
"Snape insisted on handling it," Draco said. Hermione read the instructions for the potion and took a sip.
"Mmm, grape," she smiled, replacing the stopper. She slid over to one side of her bed. "Room for one more," she said, pulling the covers aside for him. He crawled in next to her and kissed her cheek. Hermione reached up and let the thick velvet curtains close around them.
"Tomorrow is Saturday, we can sleep all day if we like," she whispered to him. In the dark, she could feel Draco smile. Somehow she felt more confident in the dark, and she brought her lips to his, kissing him deeply. "Goodnight, Draco," she whispered as she broke the kiss. His arms wrapped around her, making her feel safe and secure.
"Goodnight, Hermione," he whispered back, loving the feeling of her in his arms, her body nestled snug against his own. He couldn't admit that he was falling for her, because he'd already fallen for her. Smiling again in the dark he wished that the morning would never come and that they could stay like that forever.
Chapter 19
Pansy and Breena sat across from each other on the stairs from the Slytherin Common Room up to their dorm. The stairs were littered with cookies, cocoa, and various other pastries the house elves had seen fit to provide them with. They talked and laughed like old friends.
"You know, Pansy, I'm sorry I never gave you a chance before now," said Breena. She smiled at the girl who sat across from her. "Its not fair we're just getting to be friends now. I only have a little while longer here."
"What are you talking about?" Pansy asked. Breena sighed.
"My family is moving in a few months. We'll be gone before Christmas." Breena explained. She shrugged. "It's a great opportunity for my dad. The Ministry is sending him to the States, and Sorcha and I will transfer to an American wizarding school."
"Oh," Pansy hadn't been expecting that. She wasn't sure what to say, or how to feel. It was the first time she'd ever really spent time with Breena, so she wasn't exactly heartbroken. After all, they didn't have the greatest history together. At any rate, Pansy was a little disappointed that she wouldn't have time to get to know her any better.
"Please don't make me take points off my own house for this," Draco's voice echoed in the stone staircase. Breena and Sorcha exchanged glances.
"Like you're a saint," Breena quipped. Draco rolled his eyes and sat down with the girls, helping himself to some cookies.
"Good call," he agreed. "So you're moving, Breena?"
"What's it to you?" she snapped.
"I was just trying to make conversation," Draco replied coolly. "Besides, if you were moving, I'd be in charge of arranging your going-away party."
"Ooh can I help?" Pansy exclaimed. Breena rolled her eyes.
"I'll put you in charge of the committee," Draco promised, taking another cookie. "So what's keeping you ladies up so late?"
"We were just talking," Pansy said. She smiled at Draco. "How about you, Draco, can't you and Hermione meet during the day?"
"What I do with my time is really none of your business, Pansy," Draco said, none too gently. Pansy just shrugged it off.
"So, tell us the gossip, are you two an item?" Breena teased.
"Spare me," Draco said. "We're not official, no." Breena raised an eyebrow and shot Pansy a Look. Draco braced himself for whatever was about to come next. One of the things that had always bugged him about girls was their ability to carry on an entire conversation with the blink of an eye.
"Oh, well, best of luck with that," Breena said calmly. Draco relaxed; Apparently they weren't plotting anything after all. "Cocoa?" she offered, passing him a mug. Draco accepted it and took a sip. "Any other gossip you want to fill us in on? I mean you, being a prefect and all, must have some knowledge of what's going on around here."
"Well, Dumbledore is considering adding a few more formal dances, some for just the sixth and seventh years, and some for fourth and ups. Professor Binns is threatening to retire again. There's really not much else going on," Draco informed them. They sat in silence for a while until they heard the sound of the house elves coming in to light the morning fires. Quickly and quietly, they gathered up their snacks and headed to bed.
* * *
Hermione awoke the next morning feeling like a completely new person. That's because you are a voice reminded her. She rolled her eyes and got dressed quickly. While she was thinking about it, she turned to her nightstand to put on her prefect's badge, but it was missing. In its place was a silver box, with a note card propped up against it. For you, with love, You-Know-Who the voice read along with her.
"Thank you," Hermione said, opening the box. Inside was another necklace, this one was a silver chain with the same black/red beads on it as the other one. The beads were spaced out evenly around the necklace and in the middle was a silver heart with a small capital "D" carved in it. It can stand for anything you like. Dark Lord, Dark Arts, or if you prefer, Draco Malfoy the voice said. Hermione blushed, even though no one could hear him. She put the lid back on the box and put it in her pocket, then resumed her search for her prefect badge.
Hermione went through everything she owned searching for the badge. Finally she grew frantic and started throwing things around the room. Her efforts woke up Sorcha, who lazily stumbled over to see what the fuss was about.
"My badge, it's gone, Sorcha, its missing!" Hermione grabbed Sorcha's pajama sleeves, panicking.
"Relax, someone wouldn't just take your badge. It'll turn up," Sorcha promised. Hermione wasn't so sure. "I'll ask the others if they've seen it," Sorcha said, heading for the door.
"You know, Ginny was up here yesterday, maybe she knocked it on the floor," Lavender suggested, sitting up in bed.
"If not, I'm sure she knows where it is," Sorcha added, leaving the room. "I'm on my way."
* * *
Draco awoke in a rare good mood. As he reached for his quill, he noticed that the Dark Lord had sent him another present. He opened the box, the last present he'd received, a black leather journal with silver gilt edges that opened only to his touch, sitting in his lap. Lying on a black velvet cushion he found a silver ring in the box. Taking the ring out, he slid it onto his finger. As soon as it was situated it shrunk to fit him properly. He examined it and the way it looked on his hand. It was a snake, biting its own tail that spun around the rest of the ring, which was just solid silver.
"Thank you," he said aloud. My pleasure came the reply. Draco got out of bed and got dressed, pinning his prefect badge to his robes. Humming to himself, he headed down to the common room. He dropped casually onto the sofa and thought about the day ahead of him. Potions, History, Transfiguration, Defense against the Dark Arts, and Charms were all staring him in the face. While he was lost in his thoughts, Breena came into the room and planted herself squarely between Draco's outstretched legs. She leaned back so she was leaning on his chest, her head just below his chin.
"Morning," she cooed softly. Draco raised an eyebrow.
"Sleep well?" he asked absently. She shrugged.
"I seem to have this awful knot in my neck," she complained, taking one of his hands in her own. "Right about here," she told him, putting his hand on the spot. Draco rolled his eyes and started to massage her neck. She let out a soft moan, making the hair stand up on the back of Draco's head. He knew she could tell she was getting to him as she shifted her weight to make him more comfortable. Placing a hand on his thigh, she moaned again. Slowly she shifted her hand and started massaging his leg casually working her way upwards. Draco leaned back against the back of the sofa using both of his hands to massage her neck and back. He groaned loudly as her hand found the right spot and his head tipped backwards, his hands falling away from her. She turned to face him and started kissing and sucking at his neck. Just then he realized what she was doing and shoved her off of him.
"You stupid bitch," he spat as Breena went flying across the room and landed on her backside at the end of the couch. He stormed out of the room, irate and incredibly frustrated.
* * *
Later that week, Draco and Hermione sat next to each other in Potions holding hands under the table. Professor Snape was going on and on about the potion they were about to make, but Hermione couldn't concentrate. She'd had a headache all day and wasn't sure why. She rested her head on her hand and looked over the instructions one more time.
"Any questions?" Snape asked. Draco patted Hermione's knee as Neville raised his hand to ask another question. Snape launched into another ten- minute explanation.
"We've got it," he whispered to her. She nodded, and Draco slowly started massaging her leg. At first it didn't bother Hermione, and she actually kind of enjoyed it. But as Snape droned on, Draco's hand moved further up Hermione's leg until he was well under her skirt. As his fingers brushed gently against the thin fabric of her underwear, Hermione gasped and shoved his hand away.
"What are you doing?" she hissed. Draco shrugged, his eyes facing forward. Hermione could feel her cheeks glowing bright red. Never had she been more humiliated in her life. What kind of girl did he think she was? Just then, Snape finished talking and instructed to class to proceed with their potion.
"Calm down," Draco instructed, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend."
"Well you did, and I'll thank you not to do that again. Especially not in the middle of class," Hermione added, still embarassed. She stood up to get the ingredients from Snape and the box in her pocket fell out. Draco picked it up and examined the necklace. When Hermione returned he stood up and walked around behind her. Sweeping her hair off her neck, his fingertips barely moving like a whisper across her skin, he removed the old necklace and replaced it with the new one.
Hermione closed her eyes as he let her hair fall and kissed her cheek. Somehow his touch made every inch of her body come alive, each hair stand on end, begging for more.
"Thank you," she murmered. Draco nodded and turned to the potion they were working on
* * *
"She's driving me insane," Draco said, later that day. Pansy was sitting on the sofa, listening intently. "It's like she's above basic primal feelings. Anything remotely sexual is insulting and beneath her. I really can't stand it," he paced back and forth in front of the fire. "Yet, at the same time, I want everything to be perfect for her. I want to make her happy, give her what she deserves."
"Pansy, can I talk to you, please?" Breena asked, coming into the room. She gave Pansy a look and the girl nodded. They left the common room and stopped in the corridor outside. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"What do you mean?" Pansy asked, her eyes wide with innocent fear.
"You can't sit there and listen to that! Pansy, put him behind you, move on. You don't deserve to be treated the way he treated you. You are so much better than that. For you to sit there and listen to him go on and on about this girl that he's hopelessly in love with, that's just shit, Pansy, and you shouldn't put up with that. Don't lower yourself like that," Breena said. Pansy was trembling.
"But he's my friend, we've been best friends since we were little," she spluttered, on the verge of tears.
"Listen to me, as long as you're over him, then that's all well and good. But I can tell that you're not, I can tell you still have feelings for him. You need to take a break, and move past that before you can sit there and let him talk your ear off about how great she is," Breena instructed. Pansy looked down at her hands as Breena walked away. She knew Breena was right, she just didn't want to hear what she had to say. Pansy headed up to Myrtle's bathroom. She wanted someone to talk to, and Myrtle was just about the best she could do.
* * *
Hermione sat on the floor of Myrtle's bathroom, hugging her knees. There wasn't really anywhere else she could go to think. She had to admit to herself that she liked Draco. She liked Draco a lot, and she really enjoyed the attention he gave her. What she liked the best was that Draco actually liked her for who she was, or so he was leading her to believe. At least he stopped when she told him to, and he seemed genuinely sorry for offending her. The door slammed, interrupting Hermione's thoughts.
"Oh, I didn't know anyone was in here," Pansy said. She stood uncomfortably in the doorway not sure whether to go or to stay.
"It's alright. Come in," Hermione said, "I was just leaving," she added, getting to her feet.
"No you weren't. Stay here," Pansy requested. "I want to tell you something."
"Okay," Hermione agreed. She sat back down and Pansy came and sat across from her.
"Listen, I want you to," Pansy started. "Not that I'm telling you what to do, but I think it, I think you should take it slow with Draco," she said. "I know it might be hard, because it was impossible for me, but do your best. I don't want to see you get hurt, Hermione."
"You don't?" Hermione asked. "I thought you hated me."
"I don't hate you. I don't understand how you can pretend like I don't matter, and sneak around with him behind my back, but now that its all on the table, I'd like to be friends with you again," Pansy admitted. Hermione gave Pansy a sheepish smile and a hug.
"I'm sorry," Hermione said. Pansy hugged her back.
"You're forgiven," Pansy agreed, smiling. "Now we'd better get to dinner, or we'll be really hungry come breakfast."
The two girls hurried down to the Great Hall. Hermione sat down next to Sorcha and Pansy next to Breena. They smiled at eachother across the room.
"Hermione, are you alright? You don't look so well," Ginny asked suddenly. Hermione shook her head.
"I'm fine," she said firmly. Hermione looked around at the people sitting near her. They were all staring at her with concerned expressions.
"Are you sure?" Harry asked. Hermione shook her head.
"I think I might go outside," she said, suddenly feeling a bit warm. But as she turned to stand up, she started to feel lightheaded.
Draco looked up from his plate just in time to see Hermione fall off the bench and onto the floor. He leapt from his seat and raced to her side. As he knelt next to her, so did Professor Snape, who grabbed his arm.
"Take her down to my office, Draco," Snape whispered into his ear. Draco's blood ran cold but started to take Hermione in his arms. Snape was a notorious Death Eater and Draco, having grown up amongst the Death Eaters, knew it all too well. The fact that Snape wanted Hermione in his office and not in the hospital wing made Draco wonder exactly what was wrong with her. Clearly, this was no typical fainting spell.
"What do you think you're doing?" Harry snapped, joining Draco on the floor. Draco's eyes flashed at him
"Taking her to the hospital wing, what do you think?" Draco replied curtly. Snape held up his hand.
"Draco, go on. Mr. Potter, I'd thank you to sit down and finish your meal. I'll see to it that Miss Granger arrives safely," Snape informed Harry, who sat down unsure of what to say to that.
Draco carried Hermione safely into Snape's office and layed her across his huge desk. She stirred only slightly, and Draco softly kissed her forehead.
"You're going to be alright soon," he promised her.
"She's fine right now," Snape corrected him, coming into the room. "She's fighting back, that's all." Snape rushed about the room gathering ingredients. He quickly brewed a potion and bottled it. With what remained in the pot, he dabbed at Hermione's lips. Draco watched as the color slowly flooded back into her cheeks. Snape wrote out instructions for the potion and handed them to Draco. "Take her back to her room and stay with her until she wakes up. She won't remember what happened, but give her the potion and it should help her deal with this attack. Sometimes your subconscious has a relapse, and it's about ten times worse than the first time. Now get out of here."
Draco gathered Hermione in his arms again and started to leave.
"Oh, and Draco?" Snape called. Draco turned to look at him. "You have a very special girl in your arms, you had better treat her accordingly," Snape commanded him. Draco couldn't help but let a grin sneak across his face.
* * *
Hermione woke a few hours later. She turned over to see Draco sitting in a chair next to her bed, asleep across the empty space in her bed. He looked so sweet sleeping there, so peaceful. She rolled onto her side to watch him sleep, and he woke up. A smile crossed his face as he saw that she was awake.
"Hey," he whispered, "how are you feeling?"
"I have a headache," she admitted, "but that's all. What happened?"
"You passed out at dinner. Snape says for you to take this," Draco told her, handing her the potion bottle along with the instructions.
"I didn't see Madam Pomfrey?" she asked. He shook his head.
"Snape insisted on handling it," Draco said. Hermione read the instructions for the potion and took a sip.
"Mmm, grape," she smiled, replacing the stopper. She slid over to one side of her bed. "Room for one more," she said, pulling the covers aside for him. He crawled in next to her and kissed her cheek. Hermione reached up and let the thick velvet curtains close around them.
"Tomorrow is Saturday, we can sleep all day if we like," she whispered to him. In the dark, she could feel Draco smile. Somehow she felt more confident in the dark, and she brought her lips to his, kissing him deeply. "Goodnight, Draco," she whispered as she broke the kiss. His arms wrapped around her, making her feel safe and secure.
"Goodnight, Hermione," he whispered back, loving the feeling of her in his arms, her body nestled snug against his own. He couldn't admit that he was falling for her, because he'd already fallen for her. Smiling again in the dark he wished that the morning would never come and that they could stay like that forever.